SYMPTOMES OF GROWTH DECAY TO GODLINESSE IN LX. SIGNS OF A Living and Dying Christian With the Causes of Decay and Remedies for Recovery By Francis Smith Job 17. 9. But the Righteous will hold his way and he whose hands are pure shall encrease his strength Revel 2. 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Love LONDON Printed by G. Dawson for F. S. at the Elephant and Castle near Temple-Bar 1660. IMPRIMATUR William Jeffery Benjamin Morley Thomas Munck Joseph Wright TO Every Judicious and Considerate READER Christian Reader THere was never more need from the beginning of the Creation to this day for persons professing Godliness to enter into their Closets and to retire into their most secret Chambers there to Commune with themselves and most seriously and narrowly to search their hearts and try their wayes whether they be such as can abide the strictest and severest scrutiny according to the ballance of the Sanctuary and the Touch-stine of the Scriptures and it may be a Fiery Trial which is coming upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth Let thâ—se things be seriously considered in such a day as this is wherein such a multitude of Professors of all sorts do abound who have enjoyed so long a time of peace and prosperity which are apt in themselves through our carnal hearts to lull us fast asleep in the bed of sloath and carnal Security and to be get a spiritual Lethargy in the Soul To awaken us and to provoke one another to this great duty let us call to mind our former dayes when we were first illuminated how great a zeal did then possess us what care what diligence that we might be found approved of in the sight of God who judgeth the hearts and tryeth the reins It is the sad complaint of discerning Christians this day and is there not a cause that there is a lamentable Decay and decrease of Godliness in the power and life thereof among professors This is a Lamentation and it shall be for a Lamentation It does therefore exceedingly concern all Christians of what rank soever seriously to search and examine their own hearts and to cry what have we done what is the matter surely the dispensation that is upon us at this day is to try and to purge and to make white that they which are upright might be made manifest when the Hypocrite and formal professor that cannot abide the tryal shall stumble and fall and the shame of their nakedness shall appear Our lot is certainly fallen in the last dayes upon whom the ends of the World are come and our Lord himself hath expresly foretold that in the last dayes among Professors iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax cold and that then the wise Virgins as well as the foolish will all slumber and sleep Mat. 24. 13. and 25. 1 2 3. So likewise the Apostle Paul fore-telling the evil of the last times sets down a black Catalogue of sins that will be found not among the prophane only as in all ages but in such persons having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. beginning Formality and Security abounding among Professors is the sin and sign of the last dayes And herein we may discern gray and hoary hairs more than here and there upon the head of this old World We are fallen into the lees and dregs of time and the World the older it grows the worse declining now into its dotage Blessed is that Servant that in such a day as this is keeps his Garment unspotted and his conscience undefiled that hath his Lamp burning and his light shining and his Loyns girded and is alwayes expecting and prepared for his Lords coming Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing The design of this ensuing Treatise which we recommend unto thy serious perusal is to set forth the sad estats of a Dying and Decaying Christian shewing the Symptomes Causes and Cures of the Decay of Godliness Together with the Benefit and Means of the Growth and Increase of Godliness As thou maist see in the Title and Frontispiece of this Book A Subject certainly never more suitable and seasonable than at this day when as Godliness it self in the power and life of it is at so low an ebb and grows every day more than other into a sensible Decay and Consumption And therefore this Piece needs not our Commendation but a greater than we are hath Avouched this whose Wisdome and Authority we must adore A Word fitly spoken or spoken in season is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver For the Author by that acquaintance we have with him we judge him to be an experienced Christian and one who hath made it his business to discern the Signs of the Times and we doubt not but the savoury Christian upon the through reading of his Book will judge the same with us Reader we shall detain thee no longer in the Porch enter the House it self Come and see whether it perform not more than we speak Now the blessing of God go along with it and with thee in the reading of it and he that gives seed to the sower and blesseth the encrease thereof grant unto us all that we may remember our first wayes and do our first works and more abundantly that our last dayes may be our best dayes and our last works may be more than our first that we may be Trees of Righteousness of the Lords own planting that we may bring forth most and best fruit in our old age when all other Trees cease to yield their encrease In a word that we may not be found wanting nor too light when our Lord shall come again to Judge every man according to his Works Shall be the dayly Prayer of Thy Servants for Christs sake Henry Jessey Henry Denne John Gosnold To all that are called to be Saints especially my dear Relations in Yorkshire West-Riding Together with my Brethren and Companions in the Faith in and about the City of London Grace and Peace be multiplied My dear Fellow Travellers HOwever it is with you now as to your spiritual state I am bold to affirm that the dayes of your first Espousal as in themselves so in your own estimation were very happy and joyful dayes and you so afflicted for your own former Mis-doings and so affected with what gracious change God through his rich Grace then made that with all your might you did willingly render up your selves to Christ Jesus for your Saviour and with all free affection and humble submission chose him or rather closed with Gods own Appointment that this his Son should become your King to Rule you your Priest to make Attonement for you and also your Prophet to Teach you in a word your All in All Thus at the sight and sense of what Sin and Satan had been and what now Christ Jesus
to them now they loath it while it remans the same from Gods own continued institution yet they are a weary of it calling it light bread An unsetled people taken with new things because new and a weary of this though true bread The Author to the Hebrews chap. 13. 8 9 seems to rebuke such a Spirit as this Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Be not carryed away with diverse and strange Doctrines clearly noting that they were ready to hearken after something or other that would have tended to their subverting That we henceforth be no more Children tossed too and fro and carryed about with every wind of Doctrine note that by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but growing up into him in all things which is the head even Christ All which premised bespeaks professors care to be how they may stand unmoveable abiding and abounding in the way of the Lord and not to be soon moved in their minds from their standing because of some new spirit that seems to proffer it self As a help therefore against this disease I would humbly offer three or four directions so conclude this Sign 1 That you would pray often for Gods leading before ye take upon you his Religion Secondly As well hear as duly consider what can be said against what you are about to receive as what can be said for it Thirdly That you be able to warrant every principle of your practice at least by two or more texts of Scripture Fourthly That you labour as far as you are knowers by striving to be doers negligence here provokes God to suffer a Spirit of error and deep sleep to fall upon many CHAP. X. Proving us dying to Christ when others sinings are not our sorrowings with two Remedies against this Decay SIGN X. VVHen you can hear of foul miscarriages in others with little or no heart remorse That is When the knowledge of others sinning proves not thy sorrowing where the name and honour of God lies near a heart a deep wound must needs come at the tydings of miscarriage and by this most certainly may a growing or declining Christian be read and read himself if heeded for answerable to the spiritual sense or feeling of things will their behaviour be A man that is wounded in his body is more or less astonished at it and amazed by it as he more or less retains his senses want whereof lessens not the wound it rather shews the danger of such to be the greater Three or four things considered must needs declare and prove such Christians not only dying but near dead as can hear of others sining and by no means they themselves toucht with sorrowing First the great dishonour that sin brings to God the sin of no people dishonours God so much as the sin of professors You have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. Secondly The great reproach it brings upon the Gospel A man that never profest any thing better than making it his trade to sin though his estate be miserable yet he professes not better but for such as take upon them the name or profession of Jesus Christ and not depart from or again turn to iniquity provokes the enemies of God to blaspheme 1 Sam. 1. 12. Thirdly The lamentable misery that such bring upon themselves There is more hope of one that never made any profession the sin of this is next door to impossibility of redemption from final hardning It had been better they had never known the way of truth then after depart from the holy commandement 2 Pet. 21. 4. The evil World by seeing such sin are not only tempted to remain in their sinful state but to glory in it for they may think they do but sin and serve and please themselves if professors so do why may not they Thus the Devil secretly laughs at them openly gets advantage by them Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. Elies Sons that was in the Priest-hood is singled out with marks of Gods displeasure as sinners of a deep dye insomuch that want of suitable indignation against them for their evil in their Father Eli who in other things was a good man brings upon him that that makes the ears of all Israel that heard of it to tingle 1 Sam. 2. 3 4. What a plague was brought upon those that did evil before the Lord in Moses time twenty four thousand slain til Phineas in his zeal to the Lord stood up and made an attonement Numb 25. It is without all question that the Nations round about were as to the act more wicked and abominable as to the same and such like wickedness yet we do not read of such severity in God towards them as to those his own people that had seen his miracles and his wonders were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done this I would scatter my people among the Nations but for tempting the wicked to do more wickedly Gods severity should be set out against his own people in bitter characters this must needs render such very much dying to Christ that can hear of soul miscariages in other professors and not themselves taken with horrour and astonishment My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart because thou hast heard Oh my soul in Jerusalem the sound of the Trumpet the Alarm of War Set a mark upon the fore-heads of the men that sigh and weep for the abominations that are done in the midst thereof Zekiel 9. 4. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assemblies who are of thee to whom the reprobate is a burthen Zeph. 3. 18. Doth not the Scrptures with one consent discribe the growing declining Christian by this very mark one is sorrowful the other mourns not it is reported there is fornication amongst you 1 Cor. 5. and you are puffed up and have not rather mourned clearly noting that this was none of their vertues but indeed an evident token of spiritual loss in them the contrary being so honorable in Gods account viz. a sorrowful spirit at others misdoings plainly proving that if a wanting a certain character of great decay I shall come now to offer briefly some Causes of this spiritual decay and some Remedies to remove or prevent it and so conclude this Sign First want of zeal that burning shining Grace which when accompanied with judgment cannot bear to see or hear of Miscarriages in others without personal horror As soon as Moses came nigh the Camp and saw the Calf and dancing that was there his anger waxed hot and he took the Calf which they had made and burnt it with fire ground it
good things they once flourished in and this not working trouble of heart on fellow brethren and beholders must needs argue great decay That such decay in Christs House even among those in his spiritual profession hath been and too too much is very evident both from Scripture and experience First from Scripture 1 Cor. 3. begining And I Brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual but as to carnal even babes in Christ whereas there is among you envy division and strife are ye not carnal and walk as men First this same people as the first Chapter makes appear had such grace from God given by Christ Jesus that they were enricht in all utterance and in all knowledge so that they came behind other Chruches in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Again this holy Apostle in Ephes 2. 12. Complains greatly of their decay many had sinned and had not repented of the fornication and uncleanness they had committed From whence it is very obseveable that their decay was such that their Senses or Feeling were well nigh departed from them they were guilty of high crimes among which were debates envyings wrath strife backbiting whispering swelling tumults yet not humbled among themselves for all this In like manner the Galathian Church Chap. 4. That once if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to the Apostle St. Paul now counts him their enemy for telling them the truth so Revel 3. 17. Thou saist I am rich and increast with goods and have need of nothing but knowest not that thou art poor and miserable and blind and naked It would be tedious to tell what experience cound speak of the same thing in our dayes are there not many that at their first entrance into Christs Vineyard never thought that they loved Enough Heard Prayed Laboured enough that had mighty Parts Gifts and Graces and did mightily improve them to the best services yet now is grown huskish dry and barren and rare to hear any spiritual expressions from them Now count meetings burthensome duties tedious sit as dull under the use of Christs Ordinances as though their stomack did loath now what was once as the morning dew to them who can withhold being grieved and afflicted at this unless his eyes be out and his spiritual feeling gone It therefore may concern all those that read this to make inquiry with themselves what impression such tidings as these of decayes in Christs House make upon theit hearts for answerable to ones esteem of things and making any thing their treasure will their sorrow and trouble be to see it wasting whether husband wife children houses or lands or the prosperity and well-faring of Gods House lye nearer the heart may easily be discerned by the effects that will follow O Lord what shall I say when Israel turns their backs upon their enemies for the Canaanites the inhabitants of the Land shall hear oft it environ us round and what wilt thou do for thy great name Josh 7. 8 9. Joshua in the fight or flight might have been taken or slain yet that is not highest in his thought nor lyeth nearest to his heart his great fear is what to do for the Great Name fearing the Canaanite should have occasion to speak lightly of it I would not by what hath been said be thought to prohibit persons being troubled at outward decay that would be a way to hold them from such diligence as ought to be to romove or prevent it but we may know whether we are less troubled at decay in Christs House than in our own by these marks following First by observing which way the drift of our praying to God bends most Secondly In which channel our complaints to men runs most Thirdly whether the thoughts of it are so prevalent that they molest us in the highest of our spiritual performances Fourthly whether in compassion our choyce answers the lesser call and rejects the greater that is we will rather put our helping hand to the removing the decayes of our house than of Christs House Read and consider and then pass to the next Sgin CHAP. XV. Shewing that want of weeping in some when others of Christs Children with grief are stooping declares such to him a dying shewing also in four respects how we are to pitty with four Remedies against this Decay SIGN XV. WHen you can see Christs Children stoop with trouble and you not or little Sympathize with them Although affliction cometh not forth out of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground yet man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward Job 5. 6 7. And though in general it be a portion common to all yet in especial most of all to Gods dearest people the worst of men commonly being in the least of troubles here They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men Psal 73. Now this portion from the Lord for blessed ends to his people though deserved by them and as needful as their food to them yet it being that that bows their soul down greatly ought to be attended with suitable compassion from their fellow brethren as a help provided of God that they may bear it the better When trouble or afflictions of any kind from the Lord are great upon some it is an evident token of decay in such as have not a fellow-feeling towards them Woe to them that are at ease in Zion and lye upon beds of Ivory stretching themselves upon their coutches drink their wine in bowls and anoint themselves with chief oyitments but are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph in Amos 6. from the 1. to the 7. Some we may see there lived a careless life feeding to the full had even what heart could wish felt not the trouble in person that at the same time was their brethrens portion yet are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph but lived at the height of Joy under their own fulness and were not compassionately affected with others penury This hath been found among the people of God but ill taken from them Numb 20. We shall find that Israel was in great distress and begs their brother Edom who knew all travail that had befallen them to let them pass by his high way but he shewed them no pitty was fallen from that sympathizing Spirit that ought to be in him God will not forget to take notice of this and reckon for it which proves that pitty in his people one to another is Gods expectation from them Amos 1. 11. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pitty But some may Object and say shall we pitty those though Gods own people that have brought by their sinning what misery is come upon them Answ Yes God expects this
sin and suffer too by the one others do us wrong by the other we do our selves wrong St. Paul meets with some Christians in the Corinth Church under this Dying Sign 1 Cor. 7. 6. Brother goeth to Law with Brother and that before the unjust too He prescribes the Remedy that they rather take wrong though from Brethren and suffer themselves to be defrauded The Proverb is worth our heeding in this kind it will not countervail our cost better patiently take the wrong than with sinning seek our right I shall now come to two or three Causes of this Decay which being observed and avoyded may also serve as Remedies against this decay or dying Sign First the first Cause is want of Government over our own spirits Secondly Too high esteem of worldly Injoyments Thirdly Cumbring our selves with any business For the first viz. Want of government over our own spirit that is not being Lords over our own passions having them at our Christian beck when to be angry and to what degree Ignorance of our bounds here makes us Beast-like I were envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked saying I have washed my heart in vain and cleansed my hands in innocency Psal 73. So foolish and ignorant was I even as a Beast before thee He that hath no Rule over his own Spirit is like a City without walls and broken down Want of government over our own spirit makes us as naked or desolate as an unfortified City whose walls are broken down Prov. 25. 28. Secondly Too high esteem of worldly Injoyments He that will hardly be moved at a bigger thing will not easily be moved for a pin All offences are a kind of loss being something that crosseth the grain of our spirit now answerable to the estimation we have more or less of our loss will our offence taking be It is putting too high a value of earthly Injoyments as Husband Wife Children House or Land Gold or Silver that makes us so impatient at their loss or leaving Set your affection saith St. Paul on things above not on things below The time is short it remaineth that they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that buy as though they possessed not 1 Cor. 7. 29. The Apostle would have them to carry about with them their outward Injoyments as a Traveller carries his old Coat about with him every day thinking to throw it of and if he loose it or be robbed of it doth not much trouble himself for he sets little value upon it Would Christian Travellers seek to soar high in their affections how little would this little little worldly pelf seem to us in our getting or losing Thirdly A third Cause of our Impatience and a third Remedy against it is to avoyd much cumbring our selves with any business that is a filling our hands too full over-charging our selves taking more upon us than we are able to mannage with submission to better things and so hinder meditation and contemplation about those lasting things of heaven which occasions a freezing of the spirits and so we sin and fall at every little trouble that comes in our way whereas a joyful spirit that is inlarged and at liberty Bears all things believes all things endures all things is not easily provked as 2 Cor. 13. at large shews All this while a spirit cumbred is in bondage and quickly fretted like a scald head soon broken Take heed lest at any time your heart be over-charged Luke 21. 34. I would have you be without carefulness 1 Cor. 7. 32. Martha Martha thou art troubled and cumbrest thy self about many things but Mary hath made choice or busied her self about that good part that shall never be taken from her Luke 10. last Consider what you read and the good Lord give you understanding Amen CHAP. XVIII Proving those Christians to be almost dead that make it more their business to get the Form than the Power of Religion with its Causes and Remedies SIGN XVIII VVHen you are more careful to get the words of Christs People than the spirit of Christs People the Form than the Power That is the name and out-side of Reformation rather than the spirit and power of Reformation when the strength and bent of all thy care lies in trimming thy self to appear before men righteous or religious Persons may go very far in this with great self-security resting barely upon outside performances getting fine words and painted expressions making a great show of their worship Pharasaical like and at the same time live under the dominion of some base lust Isa 1. 11 12 13 14. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt Offerings of Rams and fat of fed Beasts I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or Lambs or Hee-goats When you come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts Your new Moons and appointed Feasts they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them for your hands are full of blood They were then under the guilt of sin or dominion or both and yet at the same time full of outward Services and mighty busie in their Worship Hear ye this ye men of Judah that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord Do not trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord for the Temple of the Lord is this If ye throughly amend your wayes and doings if you throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour and oppress not the poor fatherless or widdow in This I Delight Jer. 7. It is clear here also these rested meerly in outwards and lived under the dominion of very base lusts at the very time they seemed so zealous for the Lord. And it is very much to be feared many now adayes run in the same channel Ezek. 33. 31 32. Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord and they come before thee as my people come and sit before thee as my people do and with their mouth shew much love but mark that at the same time their heart runs after Covetousness These were Hypocrites in Zion that shelter themselves in the outside of Religion Covering Gods Altar with tears Mal. 2. 8 13. Yet he regards them not seeing such to be but nominal Christians and therefore abhors them exceedingly The Scripture seems to intimate this as a very common overspreading weed not rare to be found but rather rare to be avoided in professors Let us therefore all look to our selves prove our own work so shall we have rejoycing in our selves alone Mat. 23. 14 15. for a pretence make long prayers Rom. 2. 18 19 20. Behold thou art called a Jew restest in the Law makest thy boast of God being confident that thou thy self art a guide of the