occasion to vex at the Levity and Vanity of thy own Mind If it be just what is the monstrous Object of thy Hatred and Malice Assure thy self the Adulteress is unhappy enough and there is no Creature on Earth more despicable and odious nor no Sin in this Life accompanied with so many varieties of Plagues and Judgments so that indeed they are great Objects of Pity if all these wretched Ingredients can render them to be so as a wounded Conscience the Devil 's Earnest to the Impenitent and assurance of Hell and Damnation 8. IN the next place my address shall be to those in whom there is occasion of Suspicion And first Let Man himself consider how odious Adultery is and out of all measure sinful for he sinneth against his own Body defileth the Temple of the Holy Ghost Cor. 6.18 19. and pierceth through his own Bowels with a Dart of Rottenness Prov. 7.23 And that which will render him in the end mournful But beyond all this in case of Impenitency which the stubborn Presumer may justly suspect it is that whereby he excludeth himself from the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. And in the Adulteresses Crime some Aggravations are appertaining to it as robbing her Husband of his Posterity obtruding a base and adulterous Issue and so stealing away his Estate and Inheritance by giving it to a Stranger and fixing on an indelible Character of Dishonor and Bastardy upon her Child who but for her impotent and ungovern'd Lust might have proved noble and legitimate An Injury which she can never expiate nor repair to the innocuous Son with Rivers of Tears and streams of her infected Blood This multiplied Sin is sometimes conceal'd from Men but never from the All-seeing God who is a severe Revenger of all Iniquity 9 OTHER Sins are grievous and pernicious yet neither Lying Stealing Idolatry Murder nor Witchcraft can of it self dissolve the Sacred Bond of Wedlock as this only base act of Adultery doth Therefore our Saviour admits of no Divorce but upon that occasion And it is remarkable that when God would display the loathsomness of Idolatry which most displeased him he styl'd it Whoredom and himself a jealous God and certainly though that be abolished of the bitter Water causing the Curse and rotting of the Thigh with swelling which attended that antiquated Ceremony yet the bitter Moral and Substance are not quite extinguish'd Numb 5.18 10. AVOID what you are sensible of hath created your Suspicion otherwise you are guilty if not of Adultery yet of a just Cause of Jealousie Lysander punished one of his Soldiers for going out of his Quarters resolving that he would have none of his look or go out like a Plunderer Dinah's idle visits Gen. 34.1 2. proved her dishonor effusion of guiltless Blood her Father's Trouble and her Brother's Curse The wisest of Men recordeth it as the mark of an Harlot Prov. 7.11 12. Her feet abide not in the house now she is without now in the streets lying in wait at every corner 11. IT was an Italian Severity in Sulpitius and a Diposition to part with his Wife who divorced her for going out of doors bare-headed The Law said he confined thee to mine Eyes and Approbation and not to please others The common Law noted any going out unvail'd with the odious brand of Adultery So careful were they to avoid all occasions or suspicions of that Sin However foolishly strict they were I am sure Jerom's Rules fore-noted is good Whatsoever saith he may probably be feigned be thou cautious it may not be feigned Thou owest this to thy Husband's Love thine own Indemnity and Honor and the Right and Credit of thy Children The PRAYER O Eternal and Almighty God Father of Lights and of the First-born who are written in Heaven and of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Thou art the Searcher of all Hearts and Reins to whose All-seeing Eye every Creature is manifest and every thought of the Heart naked and open We humbly beseech thee to take from us our stony Hearts and to give us Hearts of flesh to subdue in us by thy omnipotent Spirit the miserable remainders of the First Adam that native inclination to Sin which continually carrieth us away Captive to the Laws thereof even to that Evil which we would not commit but utterly detest and in bitterness of Soul repent of 2. LORD create clean Hearts and renew right Spirits within us root out that raging Spirit of Jealousie that infernal Fire which lies scorching in our bosoms and enlighten our Vnderstandings with a sound Knowledge of all the Mysteries of Eternal Life and Salvation Sanctifie our Wills and Affections and according to thine own gracious promise six thy Law in our inward Parts and write it deeply in our Hearts that we may know thee from the least to the greatest Heal up those Wounds which our Sins have made so wide that none but thine own Hands can close them and forgive our Iniquity and remember our Sins no more 3. O Lord thou didst by thy holy Word so heal the fountains that death and barrenness was no more therein heal we humbly beseech thee the wretched Corruptions of our hearts cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof by the sweet and blessed influence of thy Holy Spirit and so quide govern and direct us in the way which thou wilt have us to walk in as that we may in all our Thoughts Words and Actions be acceptable to thee Mortifie and subdue all our evil Desires and Thoughts and bring them all into Subjection to thy Holy Will and Pleasure that we may constantly resist all Temptations to Sin and Wickedness 4. KEEP us and Counsel us in all our Affairs Spiritual and Temporal that we may be filled with the holy Fruits of the Spirit of Sanctification appearing in new and hallowed Thoughts Words and Actions to thy glory and our farther assurance before thee so that in our Bodies and in our Spirits we may be kept blameless in this sinful and miserable World unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with thee O Father of Mercy and the Holy Spirit the Comforter of the Elect be rendred all Honor and Glory in Heaven and in Earth from this time forth and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXIII Of External Actions THE External Actions of Men are the product and fruit of their Thoughts and as we owe Sanctimony to God and our own Consciences within so do we good Examples to our Neighbors in things External And our blessed Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount excites us with this Doctrin Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 2. GOOD Actions proceed from a sound Credence without which they cannot be good nor pleasing in the Sight of Heaven For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 For Faith apprehending Christ to our Justification renders our Works
Supream Court of Judicature within us and above us and a silent Register of our Thoughts and Words It is a thousand Witnesses as the Apostle says Accusing or Excusing Rom. 2.15 Such is the Impartiality of this Judge that no Bribery can tempt him to Justifie the Wicked nor Condemn the Just but he is the first Revenger of Impiety and an excluder of the Guilty from Absolution 2. IN true Tranquility of Conscience the Heart is cheerful in every Estate and Condition Rom. 5.1 3. and dreadeth no Judge nor Witness It is a continual Feast the Soul's Paradise the Mind 's fair Haven an unvaluable Possession which renders every owner Happy It is an immoveable Comfort the first Fruits of Heaven and Riches which shall never be taken away As no Wind can move or shake the Sun-beams so neither Life nor Death Prosperity or Adversity can Transfix this While this is secure tho Men receive many sharp Encounters as the Citizens of Ai did Josh. 7. Yet are they confident to resist they can resolve with that pattern of Patience Job 13.15 Tho he Kill me yet will I trust in him But if that fail and the Smoak ascendeth their Hearts are under a great Consternation Josh. 8.20 3. THE Almighty Woundeth and Healeth Deut. 32.39 Job 5.18 But it is with his Justice and Mercy The Wise Man says Prov. 6.32 33. We wound our selve by Sin and God healeth us by Afflictions as Chirurgions do with the Lancet and Cautery Sins are the Thieves which rob us and leave us wounded us by the way till the good Samaritan appears with his Wine and Oil to cleanse supple and bind up our Wounds He scourgeth the Conscience with a sense of his Anger to make us sensible of our Sins and to bring us to an abhorrence of them And thus he sometimes Disciplines us with external Afflictions 4. GOD sometimes wounds the Heart and terrifies the Conscience by the Word Preached and then we are Pricked at the Heart and with St. Peter's Auditors cry out Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 Sometimes he smites the Conscience with an inward sense and apprehension of his fierce Wrath and severe imminent Judgments in which as the Psalmist complains of Psalm 55.4 5. An Horrible fear overtaketh them like the Earthquake at Horeb preceeding the Still small voice of Mercy 1 Kings 19.11 12. In sense of a Spiritual Desertion while he hideth away his Face Spiritual Wants or permission to some grievous Temptation cold Fits of Despair and Buffetings by the Messengers of Satan in all which tho there be means of Comfort appointed yet none can prevail till the Spirit of God the Comforter return and Heal. 5. THE same Hand giveth the Wound and prescribeth the Plaister as it was said Hos. 5.13 The Assyrians and Jareb could not heal Judah and Ephraim of their Wound so no Mortal Creature can administer Comfort whereby to heal a wounded Spirit till he who correcteth in Measure approaches and bindeth it up Jer. 30.11 c. He only he says the Psalmist Psalm 147.3 He healeth the broken in Heart and bindeth up their Wounds Even he who was Wounded for our Sins and bruised for our Iniquities and by whose Stripes we are Healed Isa. 53.5 CHAP. XXVII What things principally wound the Conscience THERE are some things which Principally afflict and wound the Conscience and comes up as the Prophet mentions 1 Sam. 13.17 like those Philistim Spoilers in three Companies to destroy and drive Men into Despair And the first Apparition and Assault is the apprehension of God's Wrath for some Hainous Sin committed An Instance we have in Cain having Murdered his Brother cryed out My Sin or Punishment is greater than I can bear Gen. 4.13 And Judas having betray'd his Lord and Master durst not approach to him to beg Mercy by reason he apprehended an implacable Anger in Christ. 2. IT is certain according to the Apostles saying That the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of Disobedience Col. 3.6 And that his Wrath is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men Rom. 1.18 And that the Impenitent by their hardness of Heart treasure up to themselves Wrath against the day of Wrath That theâ—e shall be Indignation and Wrath to them that obey not the Truth Rom. 2.5 8. But when thou who art of a wounded Spirit and broken Heart hast well considered perhaps thou wilt find that these things are of no Concernment to thee but to those who live in Sin 3. THE second Obstacle in wounding the Conscience is sense of Spiritual Wants as Hope Faith assurance of Salvation the Spirit of Sanctification and Prayer These being the Graces of the Almighty and the Presence of his Holy Spirit in the Regenerate may yet for the time be an hidden Treasure an Immortal Seed under the frozen Clods without any appearance of Life And the truly Devout may weep and complain like the Penitent Magdalen in the Garden for the loss of Christ when at the same season he is discoursing with them but they are ignorant of his Presence John 20.14 4. THE third Obstacle is fear of some strong Temptations and Tryals at which the afflicted and affrighted Conscience is Amazed as the Disciples were when Jesus slept in the Storm and the Ship was Over-mastered with Waves and ready to Travel to the bottom of the Sea upon Death's Errand Matt. 8.24 25. Or like St. Peter on the Water when he beheld the rough Billows come Plowing before him cryeth out Save Master we Perish Matt. 14.30 When it evidently appears they cannot Perish who are with Christ nor they cannot be Safe who are without him CHAP. XXVIII Divine Considerations of the Afflicted AS God is Just so he is Merciful he is no enexorable Radamanth but he is easie to be entreated Concerning whom we have a Word more sure than any Testimony of Man for the Almighty in Exod. 34.6 being his own Herald thus proclaims himself The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin Now if that which others report of the Kings of Israel 1 Kings 20.31 That they were merciful Kings Could perswade them to seek Mercy and to enjoy their Lives and Liberties how much more should that which God who cannot lye hath declared himself Tit. 1.2 move the afflicted Soul humbly to Petition him for Mercy who is more ready to grant it than we are or can be to entreat it for ask it we never could except his preventing Grace and holy Spirit invisibly moved us 2. GOD delights not in the Death of Sinners but in their Conversion Ezek. 18. And as it is a true Prognostick of a Guests being welcome by the good Aspects and Deportment of the Family So it is an evident signal that a Penitent Sinner is welcome to Heaven by the Angels loud Exultations If God in his good Pleasure would have destroyed thee how often
them singly may prove pernicious but both linked together may compleat thy Happiness 4. LABOUR for true Faith in Christ who is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 Whose Blood cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And holding Faith and a good Conscience That we may avoid being Shipwrack'd 1 Tim. 1.19 1 Tim. 3.9 There was no cure for a wounded Israelite against the venome of Fiery Serpents but to look up to the Brazen Serpent which Prefigured Christ apprehensible by Faith the only Medicament for Sin-wounded-Consciences Permit but this very sense and apprehension of God's Wrath which now appaleth thee to induce thee the more arduously to detest all Sin and thou shalt thereby be ascertain'd that God hath wounded thee only to heal thee 5. REMEMBER that what the Law averrs it declares only to them who are under the Law not under Grace Rom. 3.19 They are under the Law who plead Not guilty and insist upon their Justification by works of the Law We are under Grace who perceiving our Sin and Misery by the Law fly wholly to him for Mercy who freely justifieth the Sinner Rom. 3.24 The Imprecations and Menaces of the Law are not to break the bruised Reed nor quench the Smoaking Flax but to depress the heart that is elevated with an opinion of self merit who safely go on to undo themselves after a presumptuous manner 6. LET thy Repentance be speedy that Sin take no root in thy heart Neither let thy Wound putrifie before thou apply the Remedy But ascend with all diligence to the Throne of Grace to implore Mercy before Wrath is gone out against thee Rely on this Second Table Repentance who hast lost the first of Innocency Condemn thy self and Christ will Justifie thee He only expects thy voice to give thee audience When thou comest with thy Accusation and confessest thou hast sinned then Christ he readily receiveth the Humble Penitent and Proclaims thy Sins are forgiven thee Observe how quickly the Pardon followed David's Confession no sooner had he acknowledged I have sinned against the Lord but Omnipotency declares by the Prophet The Lord also hath put away thy Sin 2 Sam. 12.13 St. Peter quickly Repented and as quickly found Mercy Esau stayed too long and so found no place for Repentance though He sought it carefully with Tears Heb. 12.17 If the Granado fired be suddenly retorted it proves prejudicial to the Assailant Such are the product of Satan's Fire-Works if thou cast out his Temptations and heartily repent thee where any of his Darts pierce thee 7. GIVE not thy self up to pensive Dedolency mundane Sorrow and fruitless Solitariness that will but animate the bitterness of Spirit Think not too much of thy Afflictions but dulcifie them with remembrance of God's Mercy towards thee Assume not to thy self a Worldly Sorrow that is unto death 1 Cor. 7.10 But comfort up thy self in God as David did Psal. 43.5 Why art thou so sad O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Trust in God for I shall yet praise him And Solomon tells ye A merry heart doth good like a Medicine but a broken Spirit drieth the Bones Prov. 17.22 And again a merry heart maketh a Cheerful Countenance but by the Sorrow of the heart the Spirit is broken Prov. 15.13 8. BE very attentive to God's Word For he is the God of all Consolation and the Word is his Mind and Revealed Will for the benefit of our Salvation It is a full Magazine and there is no Affliction incident to frail Mortality but may there meet with a proper Antidote There thou shalt find Rules to guide thee and preserve thee from sin There thou shalt have a prospect of the Divine Mercy of God in Christ Jesus to wash away the guilt of all thy Transgressions But then appear not only to be a hearer but a doer of the Word and Treasure up those Gracious Promises in thy heart so shalt thou in due season feel the Operation of the Holy Spirit distilling the former and the Latter-Rain upon the seed whereby it may take root and be fruitful 9. LASTLY Add Zealous and Frequent Prayer as God's Servants have practised in all their distresses Psal. 6.9 And be ascertain'd that he will not leave thee Comfortless but will at length appear with great assurance of thy Salvation and will infinitely recompence thy Patience in suffering and perseverance in invocating for pardon Satan is never more baffled and infatuated in his own Stratagems than when he gains a License to wound the hearts of those who are precious in the sight of the Almighty For as Romanus the Martyr told the Tormentor Look how many Wounds thou givest so many Mouths thou settest open to cry to God for help and indeed these Jewels cannot arrive to their Glorious Lustre without being Ground hard by Affliction The Prayer O MOST Gracious and Merciful Lord God rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy hot Displeasure My Soul is sore vexed but Lord how long wilt thou punish me Have Mercy upon me for I am weak Lord heal my Soul and deliver it for I have sinned against thee O save me for thy never failing Mercies sake I am weary of my continual Groaning mine Eyes are consumed with my grief of Tears But Lord hear thou my Supplication and receive my Prayer 2. O Lord I am sorely afflicted but quicken me in thy Righteousness according to thy word In thy loving kindness and multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my transgressions wash O wash me and purge me throughly from my sins and cleanse me from all my iniquities the magnitude and number being of that Extent that my guilt flyeth in my Face and I am afraid of thy Blessed Presence I acknowledge my self unworthy to look up to Heaven to appear before thee with a Petition of Mercy who have so incessantly provoked thy Justice The filthy Leprosie of my sins stink and are corrupt that they stop my own mouth but my heart readily answereth that I am of all men most unworthy of this thy Condescention in inclining thy Gracious Ear unto so wretched a Creature as I am 3. THESE Terrors of Conscience wherewith thou hast now afflicted my Soul are thy just Judgments The fears of Hell and eternal Condemnation wherewith thou hast wounded me are incomparably less than my sins have deserved But Lord remember them not who canst not forget the sufferings of thy blessed Son Jesus for them all Lord I am not able to answer thee one word of a thousand nor can thy Justice require that of me for which my Saviour and Redeemer hath satisfied Therefore I renounce my self that I may be found in a bleeding Jesus not having on my own Righteousness according to the Condemning Letter of the Law but that I may be Clothed in his Righteousness who hath long since Cancelled the Hand-writing of Ordinances that were against me and hath payed the debt for me 4. O Lord for
His sake I humbly implore thee to convert this Judgment I now labour under into Mercy Let it operate in my Soul a true detestation of all Sin a stedfast purpose to forsake all my evil ways a comfortable experience of thy Mercy pronouncing Pardon to my afflicted Conscience by the infallible Evidence of thy Holy Spirit and assurance of Peace with thee O make me to hear of Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Cast me not away from thy presence neither take thy Holy Spirit the Comforter from me but restore me to the joy of thy Salvation and uphold and establish me with thy free Spirit 5. O thou who despisest not a broken and contrite heart pour the Oyl of thy Mercy and heal my wounded Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy way that they may fear thee and melt at the sight of thy Judgments then shall Sinners be Converted unto thee who art the Fountain of all Mercy and Consolation Lord hear me and incline thine Ear in this day of my Calamity Lord Consider and perform thine own promise made through thy beloved Son Jesus Christ the Righteous to whom with thee O Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth from this time forth and for ever more Amen CHAP. XXXIII The Sense of Spiritual Wants THE next thing which wounds and afflicts the Conscience is Sense of defects and Spiritual Wants As want of Faith Hope and Assurance of Salvation Want of Sanctification Purity of Heart the Spirit of Prayer and Hearing and want of ability to perform other Holy Duties In these the Spirit is stupified and overcast even in the best of Christians for a time The Religious Person sometimes is sensible of a dulness and want of Fervency in Prayer and of a comfortable assurance that God heareth or regardeth it because he doth not presenty answer or not grant our Petitions Sometimes they feel a Deviation of the Mind and discomposure of thoughts in attention and unbelief in hearing and reading the Word Sometimes want of Patience want of Love to God and Charity to Men In short such a general debility or distemper of the Internal Man that he readily concludes with St. Paul That in his Flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 These are great Maladies of the Soul and Wounds of the Spirit but it inferreth a good Prognostick of a bad Cause Where these are and the Sinner is insensible they are desperate Symptomes 2. IN this Case let us consider that the very same measure of Grace which to the present sense of a Regenerate Man seemeth incompetent may yet be a sufficient measure to save him And when he Invocates the Divine Assistance he is most strong though in his own sense he is weak and deficient For in St. Paul's distress the Lord thus answered his Petition My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 It saith not it shall be but it is sufficient meaning the present measure of Grace he had in his Possession when he looked upon himself as a weak Vessel 3. THE most Pious their measure of Assurance is such as they are not only enjoyned to give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure that so an entrance may be administred to them abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom but they are in duty bound also to Work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 All Incredulity inferreth not a Reprobate sense There is Incredulity in the very Elect before and a perplexing Remnant after their Calling yea even in their best Estate here else why did the Holy Apostles pray Lord encrease our Faith Luke 17.5 And why did our Saviour upbraid them with unbelief Mark 16.14 4. AND Saving Faith differeth in degrees So that there is a stronger and a weaker Faith yet both true and justifying So do all other Graces one hath a greater and more Excellent measure of the Spirit of Prayer than another One hath a more discerning and attentive Spirit of Hearing than another and yet in either instance the minor may be true and sufficient For to every Man is given according to the measure of Christ Ephes. 4.7 One hath ten Talents and another but two Nay even in one and the same Person 's Faith there is sometimes a grander and sometimes a diminutive measure of Confidence and Assurance And so we must judge of other Gifts sometimes there is more fervency in Prayer and other times less The Sun doth not display his Radiant Beams on us always alike neither doth the light of Gods Grace illuminate us after one manner 5. A true saving Faith may be very impotent and the Believer may be insensible for some space but yet the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it as may appear in St. Peter's Example There are doubtings and failings in the best on Earth by Reason we are but here partly Spiritual We are not yet arrived to perfection Faith here must receive continual encreases and be subject to Tryals And the like does ensue to all other Vertues and Graces That true Faith never shall finally fall away or utterly fail though it be subject to Intension and Remission because Christ interceeded for us as he said to St. Peter behold Satan hath desired that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Luke 22.31 32. Because his Grace by which we are called and stand is immutable in the Counsel and Decree of Heaven and are Sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise 2 Cor. 1.22 And the like we are to judge of of all the Fruits of Sanctification which being the Donations and Graces of God are such as he repenteth not of neither finally withdraweth Rom. 11.29 6. THOU hast indeed a true sense of thy Spiritual wants and mournest at thy Corruptions of Heart which on every occasion produce sinful Acts against thy Maker if this be a heavy burden unto thee receive this Comfort that thy sin is excluded its proper place and become a Stranger unto thee For nothing in its own proper station is so ponderous The danger is want of Sense and taking pleasure in Unrighteousness If a wounded Person is insensible he is either dead or in some dangerous Exstacy No part hath sense but the Living though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole yet sense of smart in thy wounds inferreth Life and indeed in Gods Medicaments who makes all things operate for the best to them that love him 't is a better State in respect of the quiet Fruits of Righteousness accruing to them that are thereby Exercised and the Ulcerous Corruptions of our Souls often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed than the secure prosperity of Sinners for it is good and beneficial at the last for the just that they have been afflicted Psal. 119.67 7. WHEN thou hearest or readest the Scriptures art thou sensible of the want of Faith
thy heavy Displeasure lest I am utterly Consumed Let thy Corrections work in me a true sense and detestation of all my Sins a filial fear to offend thee and a fixed resolution to love and serve thee more carefully for the future To this end I humbly beseech thee give me assurance of my Justification by Christs Righteousness my attonement with thee and such a peace of Conscience as the world can never give nor take from me that I may adore thee above all and render thee a sincere thankfulness for all thy Mercies Temporal and Eternal Entertaining always in my Heart that assurance of my Saviour who suffered such great great things for me that he will not suffer me to fall under any of Satans Conflicts 3. LORD Sanctifie all my Afflictions to me by thy good Spirit Cast out of my Soul all those Sins and Corruptions which lye lurking to betray me to Ruin Let the sum and height of my Ambition be only to be thine give me a prudent and contented Heart in every estate and condition a faithful dependance on thy Good Providence in assurance that thou who hast promised will never fail me nor forsake me that in every Affliction I may expect thy gracious Deliverance Give me Patience and meekness of Spirit that I may in the midst of all my troubles find rest to my Soul Let not my Heart be fixed on Transitory things but on things which are above where Christ my Peace sitteth at thy right hand making Intercession for me 4. CHASE from me all Impatience bitterness of Spirit Diffidence and the secret Murmurings of Flesh and Blood Let thy Holy Spirit the Comforter dwell in me to keep and counsel me in all affairs and interests Spiritual and Temporal Let his joyful Presence so sweeten all those Marahs of Affliction which thy Providence shall appoint in my way to the Promised rest O let me ever rejoice in thee and in every Estate live cheerfully before thee untill thou in thy good pleasure bring me unto the fulness of eternal Joys in thy blessed Presence where thou wilt wipe away all Tears from my Eyes Make me glad with the light of thy Countenance and unite me to that Triumphant Society of Saints and Angels which in perfect Harmony Sing their Halelujahs to thee Eternally through Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen CHAP. XVI Of Hope HE is not living in the World that is void of Hope The Child hopes to arrive to Manhood the Aged to linger out a Year longer The Poor hopes for Wealth the Sick for Health The Imprisoned for Liberty And the Afflicted that Joy may be the Scene of the Morning Hope induces the Husband-Man to Sow and Manure his Ground the weary Traveller to endure his tedious Ways and the Experienced Swimmer to spread his tyred Arms upon the Death-threatning Waves Thus is the whole Span of Man's Life Employed in Suffering and Hoping 2. BUT in Hopes there 's a vast difference As for Example the Human vain Hope is of all others the most pernicious Such a Hope is but the Denomination of an uncertain Good 't is a treacherous Guide leading to desperate Precipices the Ignis fatuus of the Mind and the Waking Man's Dream It was the Tempters Artifice first to assail Man's Innocency with vain hope grounded on a lying Promise without this flash of Vanity Satan had never gain'd so many Vassals Imprimis He sheweth the forbidden Fruit and in a wicked Elegancy Preached this Doctrin In the day ye Eat thereof ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 Thus was unhappy man caught by this alluring Bait. 3. SO he Accosted the Second Adam the Lord of Glory when he represented to him the Kingdoms and Glory of the World Matth. 4.8 Satan still makes it is his Business to give us a Prospect of false Heavens to precipitate us into a true Hell suggesting vain hopes that he might deprive us of the real There is none commits the least sin but a Train of vain Hopes attends it Several instances we have as in Cain's Murder Amnons Lust Judas's Treason or Achitophel's Despair The Sinner many times hopes for some other product of his Resolutions than from the Sin he transacts 4. THE worst have not lost their hopes of some good but all their wishes are in vain For the hopes of the Wicked are often frustrated but the Justice of the most just Judge cannot We must expect from Reason's Providence and when Time's Glass is fully run there must be something future all which carries the face of Goodness yet so flattering a Liberty is Self-hopes that every man especially the Juvenile who are least acquainted with Fascination and Constant Inconstancy of the World relying much on hope and depending little on Memory promise themselves great things But when the Malignants Sing Requiems to their Souls sudden Destruction is the more terrible in its assault by Reason it poured upon them unsuspectedly The Hypocrites hope shall perish their hope shall be Sorrow of Mind Job 11.20 5. AND truly such is Worldly Confidence in an Evil Conscience However it may appear to have purchased thee A Covenant with death and an Agreement with Hell Isai. 28.15 yet it will deceive thee However it fawns and promises long Life and vigour in an Arm of Flesh and the vain Councels of Men raising thy Hopes to high Flights yet they are but Phantasms of deluded Men and create an Eruption in the midst of their full Career delivering up their Mind to dangerous Convulsions and by the Ascent is cast down from so high a Pinacle as renders the Fall the more desperate How often do despairing Wretches wish they had never hoped when the vanity of it is plainly Demonstrated like Pharoah's Chariot-Wheels they fall off where they are most deeply engaged between Floods of returning Miseries Exod. 14.25 6. NOW I come to shew you there is a hope of the Righteous which never fails this is a prudent Expectation of future Happiness fulfilling of his Promises who is Yea and Amen both in this Life and that which is to come This is a Vertue infused into our Hearts by Gods Holy Spirit who cannot deceive as the Psalmist confirms it Psal. 31.24 Be of good Courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord. The Eye of the Lord is upon them Psal. 33.18 And they trust in him who will certainly perform his Promise And thrice happy are they in whom the Lord taketh pleasure their Expectation shall be Gladness 7. SOLOMON says They have hope in death Prov. 14.33 And the Apostle tells you they are saved thereby Rom. 8.24 Hopes in any Creature may be frustrated but hope in God maketh not ashamed for he is good to all them that trust in him Lam. 3.24 25. This hope is not Humane or Conjectural liable to Fraudulency but Theologically grounded on the infallible Word of God in whom is only our Confidence Psal. 119.81 Now the Object of this Hope is what
Carefulness Psal. 127.2 That Manna which was kept all Night except only for the Sabbath was Corrupted Exod. 16.20 24. All our labour to lay up except for Salvation the eternal Sabbath is but lost Therefore Labour for the Meat which endureth to Eternal Life John 6.27 2. SET your affections on things above Col. 3.2 And study a holy Contempt of this World It is Affection creates us Care and where that is there our Cares and our Minds will be fixed 'T is the highest Prudence to lop off vain Cares that our better placed Care may be more Fruitful and to thrust out worldly thoughts As Christ did the tumultuous Company at Jairus house which otherwise like those Guests at Bethlehem would afford him no room As when the Superfluity of the Branches are pruned off the Vine is recompenced in the Fruit So it is in the cutting off vain Cares the more thou diminishest from them the more fruitfully shall thy Soul be augmented in Spiritual things As when Elijah was taken up to Heaven his Mantle fell off 2 King 2.13 So do the Cares of this World when our Hearts are addicted to Heavenly things 3. HOW properly may vain childish things like dead Leaves neer the fruitful Autumn fall off our minds when we subscribe our selves Men And when that which we have in possession is perfect how easily do our Worldly Cares wither and fall away even like the Glow-worms fraudulent Lustre which vanishes at the approach of the Morning Light In whatsoever State thou art learn therewith to be content Discontent and avaritious Desires force the heart upon the sharp Tenters of Care If a Man be content with little he will not care for much Cares follow Riches and augment with their Encreases Mat. 13.22 4. TRUST in the Lord and commit thy ways to him and he will bring it to pass Psal. 37.5 Cast thy care upon him for He careth for thee 1 Pet. 5.7 and hath Promised He will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 And the Prophet declares this comfortable Report Jer. 17.7 8. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree planted by the Waters and shall not be careful in the year of drought Gods Providence is vigilant over his Servants and it can neither err nor be defeated He that gave us Life will not fail to give us Meat and Cloathing he that feeds the Fowls of the Air and adorns the fading Flowers with such varieties of Beauty will not forget to Feed and Cloath Man whom he has appointed to be Lord over them 5. HE knoweth our Necessities before we ask and that all our Care cannot add one Cubit to our Stature Riches and Honors for which men take such indefatigable care come neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South but it is God which both giveth and taketh away Some increase in Wealth Sleeping or Waking others with unwearied industry wax poor Labour to perform thy endeavour with Cheerfulness and commit the Issue to God By which means thou wilt avoid all Diffidence and Distracting Care 6. BE vigilant over thy Soul otherwise Cares will choak up the holy Seed of God's Word whereby it will become unprofitable to thee It will Eclipse the light of Heavenly Knowledge it will clog the Heart and creep on like an Ephialt which having seized us we groan under it and can neither shake it off nor awake to an holy Expectation of the coming of Christ. Frequently Recollect thy Mind of thy Mortality Frailty of Life and the Vanity of all Transitory things What are Riches and Magnificence in this World They are like Childrens Bubbles filled with Air which vanishes in their breaking Even such are we like Dreams or a Scene wherein our parts once Acted we must shrink into Natures Tyring-room never to return 7. IT is uncertain what hour may be our last but it is certain one must come and how nigh it may be at hand is beyond our knowledge perhaps this night the Sentence may come forth and a Writ of Alienation on thy Store laid up for many years and this harsh Summons may reach thy Ears Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee then whose shall all those things be Luke 12.20 When the Hives in their Plenitude warn the Masters of their Republick that they want a Deduction of their Colony they Swarm and Flie But if you cast a little Dust among them they presently settle So the only Expedient to settle our Swarm of Busie Cares is the memento of our Original That Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 Lastly to remember the Apostles Rule Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication let your Requests be made known unto God Those wants and cares are happy which chase us to him Therefore let us depend and hope in him and Invocate him by Prayer The Prayer O MOST Gracious and Merciful Lord God who Feedest the young Ravens Clothest the Lillies of the Fields and fillest all things with thy Goodness Thou Governest in Heaven and in Earth and givest to every Creature Subsistence and Preservation in its kind O Lord I humbly acknowledge thy goodness towards me even from the Womb unto this present moment Thou hast preserved me when I neither knew what human necessities were nor which way to relieve them When I reposed my self thou preservedst me when I did not foresee any evil approaching thou dissipatedst it when I was kept ignorant of my Necessities thy infinite Mercies Prevented me with Blessings and Provisions when I was lost thou recoveredst me And when I was dead in trespasses and sins thou didst quicken me by thy Grace when I understood nothing of the Way of Life thou meekly didst inform me and didst guide me in the way wherein I should walk But above all before ever I was thou gavest thy Son Christ Jesus to be the Inestimable price of my Redemption 2. AND now O Lord I who am less than the least of all thy Mercies what shall I render thee Nay what can I for all thy Transcendent Blessings Thou hast not only once like the good Samaritan but many times as a God of Infinite Mercy bound up the wounds of my Soul and taken care of me O let thy Mercy still continue towards me and create O God in me a clean and a contrite heart and renew a right Spirit within me that it may express my thankfulness aright to so great a Majesty as thou art The Lyons want the Mighty suffer hunger Thou hast sent a Fire among them that live at ease and carelesly even unto the Proud and Rejoicing Cities and what am I O Lord that thou pleasest to spare me and dost not still feed me with the Bread of Anxiety and Affliction and make me drink the Waters of Astonishment 3. LORD fix my Hopes on thy Providence and give me
of his not hearing our Prayers It was no small tryal when David cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the Words of my Roaring Psal. 22.1 But the Acclamation on the Cross carryed a louder sound Mat. 27.46 Moses was denied entrance into Canaan but was received into Heaven The Cup did not pass away from Christ but God's Will was perform'd in the operation of Man's Redemption and so he was heard Heb. 5.7 15. DOTH thy Faith endure many sharp encounters of the Tempter Then observe the Almighty by this means doth more confirm it Is not every Temptation as the shaking of Trees which loosing the ground Engrafts them the deeper Thou art sensible of thy great defects in Sanctity and of many dubious conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit provoking thy Soul to cry with Rebecca when perplex'd with her wrestling Twins Why am I thus Gen. 25.22 Despond not but consider the work of him with whom we have to do Thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him and to Consult his Oracles Thus he exerciseth thee to humility without which the most Excellent Graces could not save thee He that Prayed for St. Peter's falling could have prevented him from falling into that Sin But in so doing he kept him from presumption and fitted him to confirm his Brethren 16. IN all Humility beg Holiness of God who hath expresly said ask and ye shall have And to consider that God is perfect Holiness is a vehement Motive conducing to it and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own Image in us and freely give us that which he loveth It pleased the Author of our Being that Solomon before Riches Revenge and Life it self should petition him for Wisdom upon which he did not only grant his request but additionally gave him Riches and Honour And undoubtedly it doth so much please God that any of his Servants doth in the sense of their wants before all things give Grace the Preferrence and they that in the sincerity of their heart Petition to him for Sanctity of Life he will not deny them but will insert to their grant more than we are able to ask or think of The Prayer O Almighty God Infinite in Mercy and perfect Verity who delightest not in the destruction of Wretched Creatures nor despisest the Groans of a Troubled Spirit Lord I am poor and afflicted and do in bitterness of Soul acknowledge my vileness and vacancy of Grace the Corruption of my sinful nature the misery which I have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy Holy Laws and my Impotency to any thing that is good Lord I am as that wretched Traveller wounded and cast down only sensible of my Wounds but utterly unable to move or help my self The Priest and Levite pass by and afford me no relief neither is it in the power of the Creature to assist me Nay even thy just and holy Law which wholsomely instructs Do this and live is so far from aiding me or administring Comfort that my sins make it appear to me a killing Letter or at best resembling the Prophets Staff sent before by the Ministry of thy Servant not able to give Life but a Prospect of my Sins and rendring me guilty before thy dreadful Tribunal and at the Bar of my terrified Conscience 2. BUT O Lord let the good Samaritan the Prophet himself Christ Jesus thy dear Son and my alone Saviour inspire me with his Holy Spirit for he only can bind up my wounded Soul and heal it Thou hast wounded me by an heavy apprehension of thy Justice O now heal me by the assurance of thy Mercy Strengthen my Faith in Christ who freely justifieth Sinners And as thou hast in thine Eternal Love given him to Death for my Redemption so give me an infallible assurance that he is my Saviour and Deliverer That according to thine own Gracious Promise in him I may live with thee 3. AND O thou who art the Saviour of all the World who sentest the Holy Ghost the Comforter of all thy Servants to thy Afflicted Disciples to strengthen them send him to my Enervated and Wretched Soul It is neither of him that Willeth nor of him that Runneth but of thine own Infinite Goodness shewing Mercy Thy Omnipotence is effectual in the Operation of thy good Will and Pleasure O be Graciously pleased to Sanctifie my Corrupted will and affections And as thou hast freely given me a will and a hearts desire to serve and please thee that I might be saved so perfect thine own work in me and establish what thou hast begun Give me O Lord true Holiness and repair thine own Image in me that thou mayst own me for thine and then manifest thine own work in me and unto me 4. LET not the good Spirit which has possession of me remain any longer in obscurity but blessed Lord manifest thy self unto my Soul And let the Illumination of thy Spirit break out in full assurance of Faith that I may no more doubt of thy Mercies Grant me an entire Victory over Sin and Despair by the apparent presence of the Comforter My afflicted Soul O Lord knoweth no Sanctuary to flie unto but thy infinite mercy Unto thee alone it Gaspeth as a thirsty Land O shower down such a plentiful Dew of thy Grace which may refresh my wearied Spirit and fill me with the Fruits of Righteousness which may evidently appear in my Life and Conversation to thy Glory and the assurance of my Election Vocation Sanctification Perseverance and Salvation in thy beloved Son and my alone Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit Three Persons one Immortal Incomprehensible Omnipotent only Wise God be rendred all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth now and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXXIV Fear of Temptations NEXT We are to Consider the Conscience afflicted with Fear of Temptations and a defection through them enclining it to a despair of Grace sufficient to resist them by this means the Soul is immerst with heaviness through manifold Temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 In which case it is necessary to consider That first A Temptation is a Tryal or taking an Experiment of something or other The Devil who cannot compel tryeth men whether he can allure them to Sin and this is apprehensively Temptation 2. THERE is a Temptation of Tryal which you see Acts 20.19 1 Cor. 10.13 Rev. 3.20 and St. James saith My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations And Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him St. James 1.2 12. God is said to tempt no man that is to Evil Evidently implying as there is no Sin in him so neither is there any occasioned by him yet tried Abraham to manifest him openly to others and himself For no man knoweth himself which is untried
art sensible of but think it the greatest Mercy of the Almighty that in the multitudes of those Blessings thou enjoyest thou hast some Crosses God showers upon thee many Blessings lest through want thou shouldst despond and he mixes with them some Crosses lest by too much Prosperity thou shouldst forget thy Maker 3. WHEN the Subtile Tempter by his Instigations offers any Motion of Discontent referring to thy present Station remember St. Pauls saying which must be allowed a Maxim 1 Tim. 6.7 8 9. We brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out and having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content but they that will be Rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown men in Destruction and Perdition Invocate the Almighty and with wise Agur let this be thy Petition O Lord Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and Steal and take the Name of my God in vain Prov. 30.8 9. 4. BE not opinionated that any sin is diminutive for Heavens Vengeance is due to the least and without Gods Infinite Goodness and Mercy is enough to cast thee into unquenchable fire from whence there is no Redemption Remember that Christ died for thee and when thou hast committed any sin mourn for it and earnestly deprecate the Almighty for Pardon and Forgiveness Often Contemplate on the Frailties of thy Transitory Life and of Deaths Infallibility Wish rather a good than a long Life and let thy Verdict agree with the Royal Prophet's That one day in God's House is better than a thousand elsewhere so that one week Religiously employed is more estimable than a Life annually consumed in Debauchery 6. CALCULATE once a day thy thoughts and for what good ones thou hast entertained return thy Lands to him from whom cometh every good and perfect gift And for what vain and idle ones has possessed thy Memory humbly implore his Remission to whom alone belong Mercies and Forgiveness St Matthew as a good Monitor gives thee this Memento that for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof at the day of Judgment Mat. 12.36 Therefore shun all frivolous and prolix Discourse which will but infest thy Ears and prove insignificant and petulant answers which many times prove very pernicious The words were thine when lockt up in silence but once uttered they are out of thy Possession and what folly and madness is it when that sharp weapon thy Tongue shall attest against thee 6. AVOID Hypocrisie and let thy Heart and Tongue agree in a direct Harmony for where Truth and Justice is the Basis no evil Politicks can undermine the Foundation Abhorr all Falsity and Dissimulation in another and Contemn it in thy self else the Almighty will detest thee and for ever banish thee his presence of which the Prophet David gives us that assurance He that telleth Lies shall not tarry in his sight Psal. 101.7 Set a Guard upon the Door of thy Lips that no Obscene words proceed from thence as thou wouldst preserve thy Food from being Poyson'd but let thy Discourse favour of Vertue and Piety that the Hearers may be Improved and well Instructed And when Religion is the Theme use that Reverence which so Important a Subject requires 7. STUDY to be a good Proficient in Three things which are very necessary First to understand with Discretion to speak with Prudence and to perform with Alacrity be not too Credulous to all Informations neither report totally what you have lent an ear too For if thou dost those which were thy Friends will become thy Enemies and thou wilt expose thy self to perpetual Vexation This is well observed by the Son of Sirach Ecclus. 19.8 9. Whether it be to Friend or Foe talk not of other Mens Lives and if thou canst without offence reveal them not for he heard and observed thee and when time cometh he will hate thee 8. LET not Malice provoke thee to divulge that which the Bonds of Friendship obliges thee to Conceal but to prevent so great an Eruption make choice of such a Familiar Friend who is inspired with Evangelical Graces from whom thou canst never receive any prejudice for though there may arise some particular dissension yet the operation of those Graces will infallibly conduce to a Reconciliation Next act nothing which may be offensive to Sobriety or uneasie to thy self neither be guilty of any thing which may induce thy Friend to become thine Enemy but when thou hast through Supineness or Ignorance committed even the least sin with all the speed thou canst hasten to the Throne of Grace and there thou wilt upon thy true Repentance find Mercy in the time of need 9. BE not too liberal in declaring all thou knowest but rather disswade thy self than thy Friend to keep thy own Councel Scoff not at other's Infirmities but consider and pity thy own by endeavouring to Rectifie and Reform that in thy self which afterwards thou mayest be capable of performing to others Prefer not the little Ebullitions of Frothy Obscene Wit before Solid Reason and Judgment But if thou art disposed to use that freedom in Mirth confine it within the bounds of Legality and level it at nothing that is Sacred or Religious lest we provoke God to anger and pull down a Judgment for our Prophaneness 10. BE no Contriver of Evil though it lies in thy power to Act it for the Almighty will not permit the least sin without bitter Repantance to escape unpunished Omit not any good Duty neither enter upon any before thou hast humbly besought God for a Blessing upon thy endeavours in the performance and whatever thy task and undertaking is let the Operation be effected with all Diligence of Alacrity committing the Event unto him whose Omnipotence doth Benedict with his Grace whatsoever Action is intended for his Glory Be not puft up by any good performance for the Judgment of God is far differing from the judgments of Men Avoid that in thy self which doth most displease thee in others and remember that as thou inspects into others so art thou inspected by Omnisciency Angels and by Men. 11. EXERCISE thy self as often as thou canst in Religious Duties and abridge thy self of Worldly Pleasures by entertaining them seldom That if Death should suddenly Summon thee thou mayst not be Surprized but stand ready prepared Render to every Man the Honour due unto his Function but Esteem and Venerate him more for his Goodness than Greatness And from whom thou hast received a Gratuity according to thy ability express thy Thankfulness Be apprehensive of the dreadful Events of Notorious Evil Men and detest their Wicked Actions But observe the Life of the Sanctimonious that thou mayst effectually imitate their Blessed Example to thy Joy and Comfort Obey thy Superiours attend the Prudent