his soul so much delights neither is there any affliction misery threats or death it self that can prevail or force his soul to forsake that sweetness that he tasteth in God and Jesus Christ When they threatned Basil with death if he would not forsake his Interest in God His answer was Death is a benefit to me it will send me sooner to God to whom I live and to whom I desire to hasten yea such a man prefers an hours communion with God before ten thousand worlds were they offered unto him he would slight and contemn them and count them as dung in comparison of God and Jesus Christ in whom his soul sees so much excellency and sweetness Now this communion is publike and private publike in the Congregation of the Saints which indeed may be called the greatest witness where the Saints have fellowship with Christ and one with another where their graces are communicable and their sweet injoyments free and common one with another where they jointly gather honey out of one Comb where they refreshed their thirsty spirits out of one Fountain where the members are sweetly compacted and joyned together to their head where they greet each other with reciprocal kisses where Christ is all in all and fully gives out himself unto his members this is a glorious communion the other is a private communion that the soul hath with Christ in its closet which is the best evidence when no eyes see where no ear hears what converse the soul hath with Christ her head what breathings of the Spirit she receives from him who is invisible and for all manner of excellencies beyond expression there the soul engrosseth Christ to its self there are private salutations each to other interchangeable embraces sweet fellowship ineffable communion superlative joyes and refreshments ravishing familiarities infinite soul-satisfying communities if the soul want power to kill any sin strength to withstand any corruption understanding in the mysteries of the Gospel supplies of grace resolutions in doubtings here she may have all in her Christ all is to be found in him in whom all fulness dwels Isa 45.11 the soul can no sooner speak but speed nay with an holy reverence may command and have for there is no good thing that he will with-hold from them that are in him It is not with Christ as with earthly Parents who give portions but once unto their children and then cut them off from any other afterwards here you cannot be welcome you cannot be heard if you come the second or third time but now the oftner you come to your Father to your elder Brother the better you are welcome the repetition of requests is most acceptable with Christ the more you ask the more he gives his Fountain is inexhaustible it is alwayes open for you to wash in for you to replenish your empty buckets if you wait at this Pool you shall be sure to be replenished come as often as you will if thou comest for Understanding to day for more Knowledg to morrow for Wisdom the third day for Meekness Patience Temperance and what other grace soever thou standest in need of thou shalt not onely be welcome but shalt certainly be supplied if these things thou askest be for thy good Psal 84.11 12. For he will give grace and glory and all other good things to them that walk uprightly yea he will be a Sun and a shield that 's the sum of all comforts whatsoever for Christ is the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4 2. then he will defend his servants from all dangers he will carry them on his wings as the Eagle doth her young ones far above the reach of malice or all revengeful thoughts whatsoever for the Wings of Gods Protection do not onely bear up his Saints but cover them and preserve them from danger they cover them like a shield in the day of battel what injury is done unto the Saints God takes it as done unto himself and he will be their Avenger if they strike them they strike them as it were thorow God himself for he hath made known That they that touch them Zech. 2 8. touch the apple of his Eye It s no small matter to strike at the eye of a Prince but that man that striketh at the Saints strikes at the eye of the King of Kings and shall be sure to answer it another day in another place though for a while he may scape unpunished though God be now silent he will not be alwayes so you know what Christ saith Wo to him that offendeth one of these little ones it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea thus you may see as the Saints do prize God so God doth prize the Saints That man that hath the power of godliness dwelling in him he can trust God yea and rest upon him in the greatest difficulties yea where friends fail of the neerest relation yea where Reason and all outward probabilities are opposite Rom. 4.19 20 21. Thus did Abraham when he was promised a son he believed above Reason yea the text saith Above Hope Secondly against the deadness of his own body he being one hundred years old Thirdly against the deadness of Sarahs womb it was onely Faith and the power of godliness that carried him up far above all doubts being fully perswaded that he which had promised was able to perform it Again you know that the promise to Abraham was that in Isaac his seed should be called and yet in obedience to Gods Command he goes to offer up Isaac his onely son to cut up the root from whence this fruit should grow to destroy the ground-work on which this Fabrick should be built Heb. 11.19 and to blast the hopes of any further seed which in all reason should have made void the promise yet above all he believed that he being dead God was able to raise him up from the dead from whence he received him in a figure thus the three children believed beyond all reason that God would deliver them from the fiery furnace and Daniel from the den of Lyons and divers others O this is that which makes a man cast himself into the arms of God in the midst of the fire or what affliction can possibly come unto him he can enter into his chamber until the indignation be over-past that is into Christ who is a hiding place for and to his Saints at all times And as it makes the soul rest upon God in general so more especially for life and Salvation such a soul can freely venture it self upon a promise with as much confidence as if it did enjoy the performance it can as really live upon any word of God as a natural man can live upon his appointed food O saith the soul hath God said it its enough for me I desire no more you know what Christ said Man lives not by bread only but by every word
void of the power of godliness and embrace the shadow Answ 8 Those that are onely zealous for Gods Cause and Christs when they are in company and among Christians who when they are amongst the ungodly can say as they say do as they do then all their zeal for God will be turned into cursings swearings and blasphemings they are for God whilst they are with Gods for the devils when they are with the devils take them at home there you shall finde them flat dead and cold to all good words or works they never in their Closets found any zeal they never sent up cries or groans to heaven unless it be in the hearing of others in truth these men did never yet send up any cry to heaven but did content themselves with the meer form of godliness Answ 9 Those that are non-proficients in the School of Christ in the matters of Religion they are alwayes at one stay they are the same now that they were ten or twenty years ago Non progedi est regredi The rule is that men ought to grow in grace and the knowledg of God and Christ as much knowledg then as now as much faith zeal for God patience humility then as now nay now less then before for he that is no Progredient must needs be a Retrogredient well may such as these be marching forward to the end of their days but never to enjoy the end of their hopes that will never set one step forward in the wayes of godliness do but ask them of their progress in Religion and they can give you no account 2 Pet. 3.18 but still they hope well they do what they can and more they cannot do Answ 10 Those that have the same lusts and corruptions raigning in them as they had many years ago they have no reformation either in their own persons or their Families Grace doth cast out lust and overcome sin that are no more brought unto conformity to Christ or his Word then before let these profess or think of themselves what they will they are in a false tract they are going the rode way to perdition all the power of their Faith or Religion cannot drive them out Quest 2 Seeing then that by what you have said I may have a form of godliness How then shall I know whether I oppose the power of godliness Answ 1 First such a man cannot indure a strict walking with God he likes not an holy life and godly conversation they are too irksom to him they that will not give the least way unto vain pleasures that will reprove idle words and communications O these men are too strict too severe and precise in their actions they are more nice then wise what needs all this ado to what end such strictness of life why not now and then a little pleasure why not a lust to be fulfilled why not a little pride why not a little idleness why not a little slumber to the eyelids and folding of the hands to sleep this will be their lesson this their plea these reasonings will never out of their mouthes untill they be digested into actions and customes of sinning thus they cannot approve of a strict and close walking with God but will be upbraiding and condemning those that either endeavor it or plead for it they will seek to cloud and extinguish the light of Grace in any who out-shine their form of godliness Answ 2 They like not those men that will be medling with the Scriptures unless they be Ministers it s not for Lay men to study the Scriptures Not that men should leave their Callings and presently turn Ministers who are unfit for such Mysteries Act. 17.11 or to inter-meddle with other mens Callings and yet the Exhortation is to all to search the Scriptures and it was the high commendation of the Bereans that they searched the Scriptures to see whether those things were true that Paul spake yea or no yea though the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work yet these men like it not that any man but Ministers should labor in the Word and the reason is for that a Formalist that opposeth the power of godliness is not able to dispute or argue with those that imploy themselves in the matters of eternal life and are acquainted with the minde of Christ in the Scriptures It was not for nothing that our Saviour said Blessed is he that is not offended with me now whosoever is offended with the searching or exercising the Scriptures Joh. 5.3 he is offended with Christ for they are they that testifie of me saith Christ Answ 3 They affect not pure Ordinances were it in the election of these men they had rather have the Common Prayer Book the Letany the old Service and Preaching then to hear these long breathed duties in Praying and Preaching as they term them which are now used they had rather embrace old Ceremonies then new Truths the old Law of Bondage then the new Liberty of the Gospel they are like the Israelites that longed for the Onions and Garlike of Egypt more then for the Land of Canaan they are so far from standing fast as they will not receive nay hardly hear of the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Answ 4 These men would have the ordinances of Christ common to all they would have baptisme and the Lords Supper as generally and promiscuously administred as the preaching of the word What say they are not all the congregation holy are they not all members of one and the same body shall any be barred of the Sacraments yea they would have all men partake of the Lords Supper though they eat and drink their own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 not discerning the Lords body though the prohibition be that with drunkards fornicators covetous persons idolators 1 Cor. 5.11 and railers we should not eat and an express command from Christ himself that we should not cast Pearls before Swine nor holy things unto Dogs Mat. 7.6 which all wicked men are called in Scripture phrase And Paul would know what communion there can be between Christ and Belial light and darkness the temple of God and Idols What part hath a believer with an Infidel 2 Cor. 6.27 yet they that partake of one bread are one body Shall we take the members of Christ and joyn them to an harlot God forbid Wherefore come out from among them and touch no unclean thing saith the Lord Almighty you shall be my sons daughters and I will receive you Here we must remove two objections which lie in the way Object 1 First from that in the 1 Cor. 5.11 that there by eating is not to be understood of the Lords Supper but of common eating and common society with men of the world Object 2 That in the 2 Cor. 6.17 coming out there was not meant from the Communion with Christians but to
shall be for exhortation and first to you Christians who upon examination have found that godliness dwels in you and that God hath poured his grace into your souls to you I say walk up to your mercies hath God made choice of you for vessels of mercy and given his Son to you himself to you yea an earnest-peny of life and glory into your souls hath God made you to see that you are passed from death to life and made you know that when you enter into the Ocean of Eternity it shall be to be with him forever O stand and admire free grace let not his benefits slip out of your mindes let them provoke you to love and fear him that hath loved you above many thousands that are and shall go into the place of condemnation who were as good as you that were of the same lump with you and had not God took more pity on your souls then he did on theirs you had been in the same condition with them well mayest thou say What was my soul that thou wert so mindful of it that thou wouldest love it so yea when it lay in its blood even then thou didst say unto it Live O what a mercy is this Let it not be said of you as it was of King Hezekiah that he returned not thanks according to the mercies he received O let none have cause to say of you that you walk out of the redeemeds path as you have received mercy above others so let your graces shine in your conversation and walking towards God and towards men above others as you have received much so act much that others seeing your godly conversation may give glory honor and praise to the God of your mercies hath God selected you to be his people and put his graces into your souls hath God taken you for his inheritance O then do you take God to be your portion yea be content with him alone for he is God all-sufficient O then walk before him and be you perfect and upright O Christians what have you to do with this world your imployment is above your treasure is in heaven your glory your excellency your All is in your God and in your Christ O know that you do mightily dishonor your God your selves your calling to be tumbling and turmoiling your selves about things here below O arise and depart for this is not your rest How dishonorable a thing would it be to see a Prince raking in the dunghil and keeping dunghil rakers company taking them for his associates certainly men would say that this man did mightily forget himself and did not minde his Crown his dignity and glory O then you who are of a noble stock who are of the root of Jesse who are all the children of the most High of the King of Kings Rev. 1.7 yea you who are Kings yourselves hath not Christ washed you in his own blood made you Kings and Priests to God yea are not you the heirs of Salvation are not Angels appointed to attend your persons hath not Christ taken you for his companions and redeemed you from the earth O how dishonorable a thing is this to you that your affections and your conversations are so earthly are so low and base seeing you are born to so much dignity stand upon your terms elevate your spirits be proud of your birth-right minde heavenly things live where you should and use the things of this world as if you used them not and hath God poured out himself to you in the face of his Son have the very bowels of heaven been rowled together and turned towards you O then pour out your souls to God live upon that fountain of love and sweetness cast you selves into that bosom of loves which is altogether lovely who is the chiefest often thousands who only can fill your spirits and satisfie your souls at all times even Jesus Christ the Lord of life and glory Rejoyce you the Saints of the most High I say to you Rejoyce and be exceeding glad in your condition let what will come upon you as persecution reproaches revilings and all maner of evil falsly for Christs sake O let not this trouble you let men of the world see that you can live above these Do they hate you saith Christ they hated me also O let no earthly affliction bitter your comforts let no cloud over-cast your heaven let not your Sun admit of any eclipse let not all this world can do sad your spirits let your joy be spiritual and permanent O let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in the Lord let no troubles overwhelm your spirit for the momentany afflictions that can fall upon the Saints here in this world are not worthy thy to be compared to the great and exceeding weight of glory which is laid up for you in heaven O remember it s not onely given to the Saints to believe but also to suffer so that sufferings are as really the gifts of God as faith and therefore you ought to rejoyce in sufferings as in beleevings for it s given you of your Father in which you ought to rejoyce seeing he hath also given you faith patience to carry you thorow your sufferings O remember God might have called you unto sufferings and not have given you faith nor patience to endure but seeing he hath fitted you with supporting power for such a condition rejoyce and clap your hands for joy for herein is your Father glorified that you are obedient children to his will and that you maintain his cause and truth against his enemies Hath God bestowed grace upon you and put godliness with power into your souls and do you perceive so much excellency in it that you would not be in your former unregenerate condition for ten thousand worlds O then do you labor and bestir your selves to make others in love with godliness let your praises and exaltations of free grace excite others to fall in love with that beauty of beauties holiness and sanctity of life you know when David had tasted of that sweetness and excellency that was in God and in his wayes observe his tender invitation O saith he come taste and see how gratious the Lord is O see what the Lord hath done for my soul true godliness is communicative a godly man is no Ingrosser no Patentee no close fisted Miser he is always free his Treasure is open his Riches are distributive he will not let his gold to rust but will be always calling and alluring others to come and taste and participate of what he hath received he will not Monopolize his graces he will always be teaching instructing and imparting his Knowledg unto others he is not born for himself but to do his Country good that is his poor brethren and fellow-members now therefore examine your selves do you in your Families among your associates yea and to the whole world declare by all means that possibly you can by your words and actions
utterly gives you over into their hands again The Saints should be so far from making wicking men their companions as that they should not know a wicked person David he professeth Psal 101.4 7. That he that telleth lies shall not come into his sight that he will not know a wicked person that is he will not be acquainted with ungodly men But the case that a Prince should have many professed traitors in his Kingdom which he was shortly to bring to Judgment for their rebellions against him and had put forth a Proclamation that his faithful subjects should not keep company with these traitors yet after this being made known some of his own Family take some of these men for their companions and enter into familiarity with them do you think that the Prince would take this well at their hands surely no know then that Jesus Christ is a great Prince the King of Kings and all wicked men he hath made known to be traitors and rebels to his Crown and Dignity and he hath commanded his subjects his Saints not to keep company with them O then consider with your selves how ill Christ will take this at your hands who dare to keep company with wicked and ungodly men with traitors and rebels for so is every profane person every swearer drunkard sabbath-breaker and company-keeper that doth ordinarily frequent Taverns and Alehouses to abuse the creatures and themselves yea Christ calls them dogs and swine what you that profess your selves to be washed from your filthiness in the blood of Jesus Christ will you defile your garments with such company as these what is the blood of Christ had in no higher esteem in your eyes then thus to be trampled under feet in the company of Christs enemies Again Consider you profess that you are going towards heaven these men by their courses profess that they are going towards hell an infinite distance in your journeys and the end much different then why will you be joyned together as servants of one Lord as the children of one Father when your professions are so contrary O it is a dishonor to your Master Christ for you to keep company with his enemies with the devils servants and remember that these men will do what they can to hinder you in your journy your duty is to run that you may obtain but such company as these will be as fetters to your feet and clogs to your heels in your way and certainly if thou art a living Christian thou wilt finde hinderances enough in thy self yea too many for they even press thee down as thy natural inbred corruption and thy infirmities of all sorts wherewith thou art incumbred in this life thou needest none without to pull thee back such companions as these will labor to perswade thee from strictness of life in the wayes of God perswading thee that thou needest not to be so precise all that you can hope for is but heaven which they look to enjoy as well as you without any such strictness so that they will endeavor to turn thee out of the good way that leadeth unto life and glory that thou maist walk with them in the way to wo and misery and remember that God may justly leave thee to their snare and net to be intangled by them which if he do thou wilt finde it will cost thee dear to recover thy self again yea it may be many a tear many a groan many a sigh and heart-aking O know that God may justly hide his face from thee and give thee over to the counsel of the ungodly for thy apostacy from him and the wayes of his commandments O thou that hast let out thy heart to vanity remember it s not in thy power to call it home again at thy pleasure O remember that Peter had been quite lost by being in evil company had not Christ recovered him by a look you know the story how he went among that cursed rabble that carried Christ away to the high Priests Hall and there he being asked of Christ intangled himself among that cursed crew and falls to denying of Christ the first second and third time yea to curse and to swear that he knew him not who but a little before would die with him now when Christ looked back on him it s said That he went out and wept bitterly O it cost him many a bitter tear and made him cautious of his company for ever after and know that if Peter who was so strengthned with grace were so dangerously overcome with wicked company what then dost thou think will be thy condition Again all that Saints do it ought to tend to their edification now tell me and let thy conscience speak what hast thou ever gained as to help thee forward toward any knowledg or duty to God or to men by being in the company of ungodly men did they ever make thee the fitter for a holy duty in thy family in thy closet or elswhere let thy conscience have freedom to speak I know it will say No but on the contrary it hath made thee unfit for duty and hath bin an hinderance to thee in thy approaches and drawing nigh unto God for the commission of one sin doth but fit a man for another as one Iron whetteth another thus I say that company keeping may make a man neglect duty and so the neglect of one duty may cause a man to neglect another for to this day never was any man fitted for duty by neglect of duty which all men are wofully guilty of that keep company and are familiar with ungodly men especially in their Tavern and Alehouse meetings Lastly again remember Christ saith Blessed shall that servant be whom his Lord shall finde well doing at his coming now tell me Couldst thou be contented that Christ should come and finde thee in a Tavern or Ale-house carousing and drinking in the company of ungodly men may not Christ say to thee What dost thou here is this thy course of life is this thy way to heaven what reply canst thou return unto Christ will not thy conscience fly in thy face and tye up thy tongue I fear that sad and grievous will be thy condition and horror and amazement will take hold on thy soul Object But some may say that the Scripture saith If any unbeliever bid thee to a feast thou mayest go 1 Cor. 10.27 then if an unbeliever desire me to go with him to drink at the Tavern or Ale-house it s no more if so much as to feast with an unbeliever Answ I answer that its lawful for him that is a believer to go and eat in a civil way with an unbeliever it s left unto thy liberty if thou art disposed to go thou mayest go and so upon some just occasion thou mayest go and drink with an unbeliever and yet not infringe our position The point that we insist upon is that thou make not prophane unbelievers thy associates thy familiars