this Service for us with no less price than his precious blood the smalness of our desert to procure this together with the high priviledges it signifies us heirs unto Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on as that we should be called or accounted the Sons of God who was before without Christ c. But now made nigh through the blood of Christ How should this provoke our fervent love to him to be crying out with the Spouse in the Canticles My beloved is fair and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Certainly my friends were our hearts truly spiritual we could not chuse but see singular desert in Jesus Christ calling for the greatest of our love in a holy affection to the in joying of him and making us prefer our communion with him in this service before all things that in this world may challenge our dearest respect It must needs therefore follow that want of love makes way for small offences to keep us from Christs Table I shall leave this to consideration and pass to the Seventh Sign of a dying Christian CHAP. VII Shewing the great decay to Christianity when mindless to Prayer with a plain discovery of the Necessity Excellency Le ts and Helps to Prayer in sixteen particulars SIGN VII VVHen you have no great mind to Prayer When a Christian is mindless of this bosome blessed intimate service of Prayer which is a drawing nigh to and talking with the great Lord God Almighty here is then ground enough to conclude his state and his decay very great Now in Prayer there is considerable First The Necessity of Prayer Secondly The Excellency of Prayer Thirdly Le ts to Prayer Fourthly Helps to Prayer First The necessity of Prayer appears from the command of God 1 Thes 5. 7. Pray without ceasing Col. 4. 21. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving 1 Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Secondly It appears from example 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray for you Psal 55. 27. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray Dan. 6. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was sign'd he went into his house and kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did at other times Thirdly The Necessity appears from the importunity that goeth along with prayer Luke 22. 44. And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly Luke 6. 12. And it came to pass in those dayes that he went into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God Acts 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in Prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church to God for him Luke 11. 8 9. I say to you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth Secondly The Excellency of Prayer appears in this First It ingageth Gods strength Secondly It holds with holy reverence Gods hands Thirdly In no condition we can be barred from it For the first Exod. 17. 11. And it came to pass when Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed and when he let down his hands the Amalekites prevailed Josh 10. 12 13 14. Then spake Joshua or prayed to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the Children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon upon the Valley of Jaalon and the Sun stood still and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies and there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkned to the prayer of a man for the Lord fought for Israel Secondly Prayers Excellency appears in this it holds with holy reverence Gods hands Exod. 32. 9 10 11 12. And the Lord said to Moses I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people Now therefore let me alone that I may destroy them and I will make of thee a great Nation And Moses besought the Lord saying Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot turn I pray thee and repent of this evil against them Numb 14. 11 22. And the Lord said to Moses how long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me now therefore let me alone that I may destroy them Thirdly Prayers Excellency appears in that in no condition we can be barred from it Daniel in the Lyons Den Chap. 6. Jonah in the Whales Belly Chap. 1. 2. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God out of the Fishes Belly and said I cryed by reason of my affliction unto the Lord and he heard me out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardest my voyce so Paul and Silas in prison prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them Now we come to Le ts to prayer i. e. what hinders Prayer from prevailing with God First presumption in an unreverent adventuring before the Lord 2 Chron. 14. and 20. 33. c. For as yet the people had not prepared their heart unto the God of their Fathers therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Amos 4. 12. A second Let or hinderence to Prayer is wandering thoughts Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be cloathed but seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 32 33. The third Let to Prayer is bosome sin or pleasant delight in some secret lust Psal 66. 8. If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me Josh 7. 8 9 10 11. The Lord saith to Joshua get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned they have also transgressed my covenant which I have commanded them for they have taken of the accursed thing and have also stolen and dissembled and they have put it also among their own stuff therefore they could not stand before their Enemies but turned their backs This good man Joshua in Chap. 10. 12. at another time is so prevalent at Prayer that the Sun and Moon stands still yet now in his seventh Chapter because there is some bosome sin in the Camp he cannot prevail till this is removed A fourth Let is want of reconciliation to brethren Mat. 23. 23 24. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and first go and be
The necessity of believing this is evidenced by the sad consequence of the contrary for denying Christ Jesus to be a fleshly substance and converting him into a Spirit any Spirit or every Spirit and so in truth deny the Christ of God And then blind injudicious men may form to themselves and world what they will fancy to call their Christ This premised I shall now speak of offences what they are and what offences are not to hinder There are three sorts of Offences First Offences given and taken Secondly Offences given and not taken Thirdly Offences taken and not given First Offences given and taken are such as when Nations or Persons when not provoked by invasion to defend yet by invadeing others will offend now they that defend defending here Offences are given and taken Secondly Offences given and not taken when we bless them that curse us do good to them that do hurt to us pray for them that despightfully use us Thridly Ofâ—â—nces taken and not given are when at a seeming and no real cause persons are moved and disquieted Christ Jesus coming in the dayes of his humiliation not as he will come after the dayes of his exaltation or at his second coming proved a seeming cause was no real cause for the Jews to stumble at him his visage was marred more than any mans when they looked for him to come and presently restore Israel Now such Offences taken and not given is the intent of this sixt Sign under the terme Small so that when persons give way to their passions and are so moved at something which seems to be a just Offence to them from brethren or any other without or before they had duly weighed not suspending all kind of dislike till in the ballance they have tryed whether it be really an Offence or but seemingly so is a sign of great weakness proving that such are under some spiritual decay marked out though upon another account by Christ Jesus Mat. 13. 20 21. But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it but when tribulation and persecution ariseth because of the word by and by be is offended Now persecution and tribulation is no real cause of Offences but rather an encouragement to hold fast the word being one common mark such are in the truth the Apostle Paul makes it an argument of this kind 1 Thes 3. 5. For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith least by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain We would have no man moved by these afflictions for your selves know we are appointed thereto and instead of being offended we are commanded to glory in tribulation this may teach us to bemoan such and beg them be warn'd not to keep themselves from Christs Table because of this or that seeming or real miscarriage in others if in order to their reducement from it we have done our duty For any therefore to estrange themselves from Christs Table it being no less than a refusing the food he hath prepared because things go not just as they would have them doth greatly argue the stop to be in themseves though not by such heeded they being great wanderers abroad into the wayes of others perhaps more busying themselves than they ought and yet as great strangers at home to self-examination and due personal preparation which where ever it is is that indeed that so warrantably cals persons to come to Christ Jesus Feast of Bread and Wine purchased with his blood that negligence therein will prove no less than their great sin What is it therefore that should keep us from that service wherein by faith we are to feed as it were upon the flesh of the Son of God Whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drink indeed Truly nothing but self-unworthiness or unpreparedness Surely surely the spiritual growing Christian whose hungrings and thirstings are after hourly communion with Jesus Christ can better forgo his natural food a thousand times than yeild to a stop from this performance Let us therefore examine our selves that we are meet subjects discerning the Lords Body and so let us eat that Bread and drink that Cup. Now the Causes of this decay or yeilding upon small Offences to absent from Christs Table may be these three First Too great Ignorance who are the Subjects Christ calls to this Service Secondly Too too great aptness to be easily provoked Thirdly Want of Love to Jesus Christ the Author of this Service First Too great Ignorance who are the Subjects Christ calls to this Service which consists in a misconstruing his general invitation to all penitent believing baptized Disciples who have had an orderly admittance thus far and by way of Precept are injoyned both to come to this Service and continue in it The same day were added to the Church three thousand souls and they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine fellowship breaking of Bread and prayer it is peculiarly unto such appointed and sanctified that they may keep in remembrance their Lord and Saviour So often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come But I would not be mistaken here as that I mean the outward badge of these only makes right Subjects for Christs Call yet this outward must be but wo to it when it is alone The Kings daughter is to be all glorious within as well as her garment of pure gold The hungerer and thirster after his supply that sensibly sees all his springs to be in him and as the Hart panteth after the brooks of water hath his foul crying Oh when shall I come and appear before him negligence to be thus fitted causeth ignorance of Christs Call But Secondly Too too great aptness to be easily provoked Some Christians are so weak that they will be still forming discontent to themselves ill interpreting others actions and straining at every Gnat which generally comes through weakness in judgment and unaptness to be busying themselves with their high Calling the worth of Gods gracious priviledges afforded them by which means the inward man is too much raked or made raw and so apt to smart at every little touch as special care therefore must be had in Churches that none give just offence so that none upon too light account take offence for it doth but argue such Children or Babes in Christianity and greatly robs themselves of that spiritual refreshing strength that otherwise might be their present portion and fills their heart with disquieting thoughts to the hindring their spiritual appetite from taking in that rich refreshment Christ Jesus Table is furnisht with for every prepared guest But Thirdly Want of love to Jesus Christ the Author of this Service All those motives that provokes the heart to love Jesus Christ should be active now viz. The greatness of his love to purchase
of his burthen were so unsensible that God complains against them Amos 6. 6. They were not grieved at the affliction of Joseph they were so far from easing him or freeing themselves from provoking of God to bring them into such like trouble that they were not so much as grieved had no burthen upon them were therefore fit matter to be indeed deservedly brought themselves into the like condition a most remarkable and profitable example if heeded by Christians we have to this very purpose in Daniel that holy man Chap. 9. vers 2. when he understands by reading that there were a number of years for Jerusalems captivity how was he burthened that he might know it is evident if you read but what he did vers 3. I set my face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplication with fasting and sack-cloth and ashes behold here a gracious pattern for Christians that want to know great things from God Daniel sets his face unto the Lord with such qualifications attending this performance as though Daniel would be content with no denial so Chap. 10. 2 3. A thing was revealed to Daniel but the time appointed was long In those dayes I Daniel was mourning three full weeks I eat no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth till three whole weeks were fulfilled That such manner of burthen and trouble as this at the sense of ones ignorance is not only the way to get profit but indeed a most acceptable way with God and so liked as to speed presently Let us see then what is written in Dan. 9. 23. At the Beginning of thy supplication mark that the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee therefore understand the matter and consider the vision Had not Daniels supplications fasting sackcloth ashes proved a prevailing cause with God to send an Angel to make him understand Wherefore serves this thus written At the beginning of thy supplication so Chap. 10. 12. An Angel said in a vision Fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand and chasten thy soul before thy God thy words were heard and I am come forth because of thy words Doth not all this call upon Christians to do three things First to get a mighty sense of their ignorance which is the grand cause they do not profit Secondly to be greatly burthened that it is so with them Thirdly to set their faces towards the Lord God by prayer and supplication without ceasing both to be and to abide otherwise Is not the Prophet Daniels Writing for our learning and to encourage us to take the same course God sorely dislikes the contrary Isa 32. 9. Rise up ye women that are at ease not troubled or burthened hear my voyce ye careless Daughters and be troubled Thus much may serve to inform a willing mind how to get from under the power of this Dying Sign of indifferency to Assemble and so pass to the second third and fourth Signs of Dying to Christ in which I shall be somewhat brief they having some kind of dependance upon this first Sign CHAP. II. Containing three Causes of weariness to spiritual Worship and the principal Reasons thereof SIGN II. VVHen in your purest Worship you are quickly weary It is possible to come to this pass at but a seeming occasion and persons create some kind of pretence why they are weary if it happen that at some time they are not so particularly and personally concerned in that part of Gods Worship where they are present It so falling out that the matter God is intreated about they are not so at want in or what is preached they to some considerable degree are informed in already This may fall out in numerous Congregations where different conditions ministers different occasions as to the manner of carrying on their Worship and though at such a time for a growing Christian there is no room to be weary he being as well delighted occasionally to hear or pray over again what he knows as he is to hear what he knows not in the one he takes occasion to praise for what was in the other to praise for what is yet declining persons will in such a case as this when they are not so nearly concerned take advantage not only to be weary but from hence plead their justification so to be but this Sign speaks to persons under a further consideration such as in their purest Worship are quickly weary in their most intimate private personal closet performances retired from company and set to the most intimate Worship of God in fasting praying self-examining and the like yea from a sense of mighty Need drawn to this and yet quickly weary must needs argue them deep in this decay and that in such there is a very strong combate who shall now gain the field they being a weary in their purest Worship It is evident hence that the enemy hath got more than ordinary advantage and strikes now at the very root of their Religion aiming at once as it were to make a speedy end and puts such Christians instead of Worshiping faintly to cease Worshiping at all its high time therefore at the first sight of such declining which in our dayes is not the portion of a few for surely surely many there are in Churches that in their purest Worship are quickly weary I say again its high time that those that find the case thus with them do even like the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah They beleived God proclaimed a fast from the greatest to the least Jonah 3. 5. Even so let such go to their knees humble themselves and cry mightily that they perish not Now the Causes of this decay seems to be these three First Self-conceitedness that they know enough Secondly Luke-warmness in their Religion Thirdly Unaptness to personal Duties Which may serve as helps to remove it where begun or prevent it where like to come First Self-conceitednesse that they know enough Now this comes to pass either First Through ignorance of what they ought to know or Secondly Through Carlesness to put in practise what they do know Let the Law of God as the Law of a Nation be never so plain in it self lâ—â—d down yet without studious industry to understand what is Gods own injunction we may remain ignorant of the same and that ignorance prove a sin to us it being the effect of sloathfulness contrary to Prov. 2. beginning If thou seek for wisdome as for silver and search mark that for it as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the Knowledg of God Psal 1. 2. Secondly Through carelesness to put in practice what they do know persons are very apt to complain of their ignorance of plain duties yea as though they were holden and hindred when as all experience speaks the only way to know more is to put in practice what we do know already Thou oughtest
reconciled to thy brother Mat. 6. 12. For give us our debts as we forgive our debters but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive ye your trespasses A fifth Let is despairing doubts of being answered Jam. 1. 5 6. If any man lack wisdome let him ask it of God that giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him but let him ask in saith nothing doubting for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed let not that man think he shal receive any thing at the hand of the Lord whatsoever ye shall ask in my name believe that you shall receive it and ye shall receive it Mark 11. 24. We shall now speak of Helps to prayer or saith some I would but I cannot pray I want words all that I can do is to sigh for a Help to this First labour to get a feeling of the necessity and excellency of Prayer so as that thy heart goeth under a grievous burthen because thou canst not pray Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they are not grieved Here the Prophet complains that though Israel are stricken smitten and afflicted yet they have not grieved clearly implying that a grieved burthened state at the sense of want is a fair step in the way to obtain supply Psal 38. 4 6. For mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burthen they are too heavy for me I am troubled I am bowed down greatly cast thy burthen upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee Psal 55. 22. Secondly study much how to get deep sense of your great wants of Gods daily help All my springs are in thee without me you can do nothing For in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. 27. 28. Thirdly Consider God hath provided no way for you to acquaint him with your wants but prayer and if you cannot pray how will you make your complaints to God Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by Prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God 2 Chron. 26. Vzzia sought God in the dayes of Ezra and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Hos 5. 15. Fourthly consider that all your outward mercies becomes blessings through Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5 6. For every creature of God is good if it be reeceived with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer Give us this day our daily bread When Jesus had made the multitude sit down upon the ground he looked up to Heaven and gave thanks or said grace as the old translations read it Fifthly Consider what a miserable condition will yours be if cast into the Lyons Den Whales Belly or stocks if you cannot pray They poured out their supplications when thy chastening was upon them Sixthly Intreat Jesus Christ to teach you to pray Luke 11. 1. And it came to pass as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples as the Lord commands us to do so he must help us to Pray Zech. 36. 37. CHAP. VIII Shewing the great Decay to Christianity when mindless to Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures with six Calamities very observable which Scripture Ignorance brings SIGN VIII VVHen Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures is not delightful but burthensome unto you When Israel was pleased to chuse them a King God is pleased to set him his work lest they lose their end and God lose his honour And it shall come to pass when he shall sit upon the Throne of his Kingdome that he shall write him a Copy of Gods Law in a book and it shall be with him and he shall read therain all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God that his heart he not lifted up above his brethren In like manner when Joshua enters upon the Government he hath this charge from God that the Book of the Law should not depart out of his mouth but he must meditate therein day and night that he might observe to do according to all that 's written then should he make his way prosperous and have good success And when King David declares who is the blessed man He is one that delights in the Law of the Lord making it his meditation day and night This premised discovers most pretious worth attainable through Scripture reading with meditation and if need were might call for a multitude more witnesses both from Scripture and Experience But it being not so much my proper work to assert Scripture Excellency as to show and prove that Christian to be dying to Christ that is not delightfully taken up with Meditation and Reading in his Word I shall therefore proceed in a plain method Thus where delight to Reading and Meditation grows low there negligence to Reading and meditation must needs grow high there decay grows great such must decline in their spiritual estate this negligence bringing with it much ignorance and so covers the eyes and hearts of such as with a vail so as that they cannot so see as the spiritual growing man sees Gods Precepts how they command him Gods promises how they uphold him Gods threatnings how awfully they perswade him the Scripture being his Treasury or Store-house from whence he is made able through the spirits help to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one saying after Christ Jesus his Captain thus and thus it is written It is evident to the meanest capacity that doth but consider how great incapacity all such must needs be in to understand and resist the manifold temptations and wiles of the evil one except they be well acquainted with Gods holy Word that hath in it Armour for the whole man with directions how to put it on and it becometh thus excellent for that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished to all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Ignorance therefore here must make sore desolation and bring as I humbly conceive upon persons these six Calamities First It makes you in a wilderness when sickness and affliction comes because you will not know how and why they come Sickness and Affliction are of two sorts inward and outward Inward are such as seize upon the mind as a judgment caused upon the person where they come Isa 6. 9 10. And he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes
lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed So Rom. 1. 21 28. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Now such fore judgments as these are come upon and procured by many who turn the grace of God into wantonness professing to be most spiritual live as the almost most carnal little minding because greatly ignorant of those spiritual causes they may run into to the bringing upon themselves such spiritual judgments or sicknesses and afflictions as these And indeed how comes it to pass that such afflictions are not feared before they come to the provoking such to walk so as may prevent their coming but ignorance of the Scripture they not conversing often with them to the well informing themselves what judgments may come on their minds and what are the Causes God assigns of their coming so as to be in trembling and dread continually to the keeping themselves out of that channel where such bitter waters runs Again there are outward sicknesses and afflictions and they are such as these Deut. 28. 58 59 60. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou maist fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance sore sicknesses and of long continuance Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou was afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee Levit. 26. 15 16. If ye shall despise my Statutes or if your soul shall abhor my judgments that you will not do them but that you break my Covenant I also will do this to you I will even appoint over you Terror Consumption and the burning Ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart and ye shall sow your seed in vain for your Enemies shall eat it But I shall speak fully to the Causes of Affliction in the Twenty second Sign and therefore proceed no further here but come to the second Calamity that Scripture Ignorance brings Secondly That your uneven walking with God may bring upon your selves death before its time This Particular is proved thus Long life promised to the obedient Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Also Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day command them your Children for it is not in vain because that through this thing mark that ye shall prolong your dayes in the Land whither ye go over into Jordan to possess it This is also proved by the contrary which comes upon the disobedient Deut. 11. 16 17. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other Gods and then the Lords wrath be kindled against you and ye perish quickly from off the good Land which the Lord giveth you Eccles 8. 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God So Chap. 7. 17. Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time Thirdly By means of Scripture Ignorance you cannot know to ask in faith the things you want for soul or body that is you will not know where to be absolute or positive in your asking and whereto be submissive and conditional in your asking Now the Scripture gives directions as to the putting up Petitions to God and men may easily err by not observing them Gen. 32. 26. And he said to wit the Angel Let me go for the day breaeth and he answered to wit Jacob I will not Let thee go except thou bless me So Exod. 32. 12. Wherefore should the Egyptians say for mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people So Acts 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing unto God for him By these Scriptures we may observe that to be conditional or indifferent in our asking when God may be dishonoured by denying is not good therefore in this case may a man coming in Gods way be bold to ask pardon of his sins peace to his conscience power over his corruptions without condition in such case Gracious and humble resolutions to have no denial greatly liketh God and suits with his will Isa 62. 6 7. I have set Watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night you that make mention of the Lord keep not silence till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth But observe in all cases Petitions putting up must not thus be framed Acts 21. 14. And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying the will of the Lord be done So Rom. 1. 9 10 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention alwayes of you in my prayers making request if by any means I might now at length have a prosperous journey by the will of God mark that to come to you So Jam. 4 15. For that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that I shall leave this to consideration and proceed to the fourth Calamity Fourthly Negligence to Reading and Meditation will make you ignorant wherein you may prevent the presence and comforts of Gods holy Spirit that is that God may either take away his spirit from striving with you or you away from his spirit My spirit shall not alwayes strive Gen. 6. 3. 1 Sam. 16. 14. But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him Psal 51. 7. Take not thy holy spirit from me Neh. 9. 30. Yet many years didst thou for bear them and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear Therefore gavest thou them into the hands of the people of the Land But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore was he turned to be their enemy and fought against them By these Scriptures we may see that the holy Spirits company may be put away from us through ungracious
to pouder Exod. 32. So Phineas in his zeal to the Lord when he saw the evils that were committed in the Camp arose and slew both the man and the woman and so the plague was staid But secondly want of becoming love to others eternal welfare is a Cause of our not sorrowing at their sinnings that good man Jeremiah chap. 13. 17. If they will not hear but persist in their evil way his soul shall weep in secret places for their pride See this also in Jesus Christ that had such love to perishing Jerusalem That when he was come near and be held the City he wept over it Luke 19. 41. As Remedies against this decay First consider what a wide breach it makes in our spiritual state and whither in a little time it will bring us Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will sight against them with the sword of my mouth Revel 2. 16. Secondly In order to removing this do as men do that have a desperate mortal disease growing upon them if not speedily remedied how will they go and run pray and pay leave no stone unturned no means unattempted Even in like sort must spiritual diseases be looked at and laboured with Seest thou a man diligent he shall stand before Kings and not mean men Prov. 22. last Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51. 2. CHAP. XI Shewing that unsavoury talking among Christians when they meet proves them earthly minded with three Causes of this Decay SIGN XI VVHen in your comings together your talk is not savoury and heavenly Upon various occasions Christians meet together sometimes with those that are wringing their hands for sorrow sometimes with those clapping as it were their hands for joy sometimes at the Assembly sometimes at one anothers dwellings Now all comings together ministers occasion of Talking and will greatly evidence where most is each others Treasure it being natural for persons when they meet by their voyce to express what is the workings of their mind And as the heart is more or less heaven-ward so certainly will their talk bend more or less that way Earthly minded men when they meet will be carrying on their trade counting it matter of duty to promote what lyeth nearest their hearts so those that decay to spirituals having begun to affect themselves with new Lovers and so losing the sense they once had to the best things may be discerned now to have changed for the worst by their unsavory earthly talking and how advantagious all meetings are to the promoting whatsoever it designed none is able to express but such as experimentally make a view of it well considering That evil communications corrupt good manners or lessens a mans hold to the best things and when that pretious time in Christians meetings together is so spent that its rather spilt like water upon the ground such leaving no savour of grace behind them must needs argue that they are falling if not fallen from their first Love besides the dishonour done to God great hath been the wrong such have done both themselves and their adherents in publick or private assembling What more unpreparing the heart and indisposing the affection to the spiritual worshiping of God then either before hand being in a carnal slepy posture or else in such unseasonable if not worse talking some of their Farms others of their Merchandise nay perhaps backbiting and whisperingly opening the infirmities of others to the sowing prejudice in the hearts of those that through ignorance weakness incline to hear them whereas on the contrary such whose minds are alwayes carrying about with them the contemplating of Gods end in giving opportunity after opportunity puts themselves with trembling care into such imployment of still getting or doing good as may obtain from their gracious God the approbation of redeeming time see that good Nehemiahs practise for this he no sooner meets Hanani but what I asked concerning the Jews that had escaped which were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem he is inquiring presently how it fared with the people of God and Jerusalem the City of David and place of his Fathers Sepulchre and full near his heart their welfare lay as appears by his hearty affection and affliction at the evil tidings Chap. 1. 4. And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and prayed before the Lord God of heaven I shall add another text and then proceed to the Causes of this decay Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another but their talking was so savoury and so heavenly that the Lord hearkened and heard it yea and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name Now the Causos of this Decay which being avoyded may also serve as Remedies against it and they are three First Long custome to Christian Meetings Secondly Uunskilfulness in Gospel Self-denial Thirdly Negligence to a plain duty First Long custome to Christian Meetings though this be not in it self a Cause yet it may be easily so converted for without a godly jealousie over the heart in often meeting with Christians the very custome of it will by little and little steal away that spiritual vigour that ought to run in the veins of every one where ever they are to the making their being as much as possible to Gods honour and their souls edifying for custome begets such an aptness to any service that except the heart be still examined persons will be in meetings together very destitute both of suitable preparation and answerable expectation and all through long custome for as in sinning it will take away in time the conscience of sin so in the best performances it will rob a man of that forehand care that should attend him unless he be much upon his watch Secondly A second Cause is Unskilfulness in one great point of Christianity viz. Gospel self-denial which stands in a conforming the whole man to be alwayes pleasing and serving the Lord such knowing themselves not to be their own but bought with a price and therefore whether eating drinking talking walking to be doing all to the glory of God whose they are Now unskilfulness herein will be still carrying on all affairs with much mixture partly in designing the Lord partly designing self having not so learned to live upon anothers bottome as the Gospel grace of self-denial teacheth Mat. 16. 24 25. Mark 6. 34 35. by which means many are at a great stand how to spend this and that opportunity and so instead of asking their fellow Christian how he grows or stands affected to the best things what temptations are upon him when at what times he findes himself most weak and unable to resist And whether often in closet prayer watchings fastings and what assurance he hath from some solid marks whether he
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
come not in company with them yet if you must then rebuke them for any among their great friends kindred or any other by whom perhaps they have great gain to bear with swearing blaspheming deriding at religion or other vain communications plainly argues a great slavish fear to have possessed them Secondly another Cause of this may be an impotent love that is your love to God proves weak or lame There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear because fear hath torment Thirdly Unskilfulness in the Doctrine of self-denyal may prove a great Cause of this decay Whosoever doth not take up his Cross and follow me cannot be my Disciple behold I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befal me there save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self so I may finish my course with joy Fourthly A doubtful mind of Gods All-sufficiency and certainty to make up what damage may come through our care to his name and credit both in this life and that to come Gods All sufficiency is never so seen as in the time of greatest scarcity or under the highest straits Then stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and as Gods sufficiency is never so seen as then in like manner he is never so obliged as then When persons are suffering through his grace for his name-sake They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you and bring you before Rulers for my names-sake but I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say Luke 21. 12. 13. CHAP. XVII Shewing that sinning through impatience under Offences is a certain mark of deep decay with Objections and Answers proving the degrees of anger and three Causes why Christians are impatient unto sin SIGN XVII VVHen at a small offence you are so impatient that you commit great sin It is not possible to live without offences giving or taking real or seeming and such is mans frailty in common that even under small provocations they are apt to yield to too deep an impression But for better understanding it may be necessary to make some Observation upon this Sign First As to the meaning of small Offences Secondly As to the kind of impatience here intended First By small Offences is meant either small with respect to the little occasion that is given perhaps but seemingly or if real yet so slender as it would be wisdome to wink at it and but folly to be moved by it Secondly Small as coming from the smallest occasions viz. earthly an error of life as to the things of heaven though small being that that is greater by many degrees than some error that may arise from the things of this life which by God are called the smallest matters A Christian may be easily read more or less strong or spiritual as he is more or less affected with the offences that this life minister to him Whereas there is envyings debate and strife among you are ye not carnal and walk as men 1 Cor. 3. 2. Now the kind of impatience here intended is for offences to be so moved or inraged as to run beyond the bounds of Gods alowance Be angry but sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Intimating a great aptness in persons when provoked to be so inraged as to continue and boyl in wrath seeking for revenge contrary to Gods counsel Be in malice as Children Object But it may be Objected whether an allowance of anger or impatience under provocation may not be Answ There is anger in good part and in bad part so to take offence or be angry or impatient as to thirst after personal revenge or requital surely is not good He that is so angry with his brother shall be in danger of Judgment for in their anger they slew a man and in their wrath they digged down a Wall cursed be their anger for it was fierce Gen. 49. 6 7. Here Impatience is taken in ill part and by Christians to be abhorred and avoyded it being not of that kind Exod. 32. 19. And Moses anger waxed hot full of zealous and sore displeasure not simply against their person but against their sin Thus God is said to be angry with his people when by their sins they provoke him Numb 11. 10. But Impatience and anger in ill part is such as runs out to the breaking the hedge of Government running into cursing swearing tumults fighting or brawling Object 2. But it may be again Objected that the Sign it self seems to give an allowance of great anger or impatience under great Offences for it saith When at a small offence you are so impatient that you commit great sin Answ Doubtless under great Offences greater displeasure may be manifested but let the growing heaven-born Christian set up his standard here that at no offence small or great he may dare at any hand to break down the wall in a word Be angry and sin not Ephes 4. 26. By this means we make our quarrel Gods whose vengeance is and he will righteously repay otherwise that is when impatience carries us into the path of sinning we make the quarrel our own and take Gods work from him and so incur his displeasure upon us The good Lord give in wisdome and strength to Christians here under all provocations whether great or smal in Church or Family from friend or enemy that they let patience have its perfect work rather to the suffering any wrong than committing the least sin how like our Head the Lord Jesus would this declare us to be Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth yet when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not took it most meekly and committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Object 3. But it may be objected again whether by this Superiours as Governours Parents or Masters may or not be angry with their Inferiours Answ Yes and correct them to but it must be as their drinking was in Esthers time according to the Law of Gods allowance Read for our rule in this case and let us live and die by it Nehem. 5. 6 7 9. And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words then I rebuked the Nobles and Rulers saying It is not good that you do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies O let Christians make this their rule under all provocations to keep within the fear of God because of the reproach of the Adversary yea let your provocation be what it will or from whom it will friend or enemy child or servant them that have most cause or least cause still remember and keep to this it is better ten thousand times ten thousand patiently to suffer than impatiently to
blind a light to them in darkness at the same time under the dominion of Sin But what may be the Causes of this that persons should take such pains in Religion and at the same time be but meer painted Sepulchres Answ First gross ignorance Secondly Carnal security First Gross ignorance that God did never institute Laws for Laws sake but for his Name sake and sinners saving never placing happiness in them but in him that is the Author of them O then what ignorance and madness is it for people to content themselves with flesh-circumcision God will punish such with the uncircumcised Jer. 9. last Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will punish the circumcised with or as truly as the uncircumcised for the one hath it not in the flesh and the other not in the heart Secondly Carnal security That is dream they shall be accepted because great Prayers great Preachers great goers to Church though this be good in it self yet this is filthy and bad when either it is alone or rested in When they shall say peace and safety then suddain destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. CHAP. XIX Containing in it a description of a decaying Christian by his light trouble at Miscarriages though known to Gods eye while kept from mans eye with two special Causes of this Decay SIGN XIX VVHen you are not much troubled at your own Miscarriages while they are kept from publick view By Miscarriages here I would be understood the failings and fallings of Gods Children not wilfully nor altogether willingly but through infirmity being overtaken or as it were insnared before they are aware yet truly privy to what they have done and not ignorant they have gone out of the way Nevertheless if their going thus far in sight and sense of uneven walking be found without much trouble it is most evident then their case is very sad Now who is he that lives and sins not 1 King 8. 46. And who is he that can hide what he doth from an All-seeing eye Psal 139. 7. And what is it that puts distinction between a good mans sinning and a bad mans sinning but that the one sins with all his will the other with scarce any of his will to the one what he doth is matter of delight to the other what he doth is his sickness though it is true he doth it yet his heart is grieved for it now the more or less a good man is troubled upon this score the more or less is his decay where the awful fight of Gods eye is much reverenced there all Miscarriages are soon discerned and much avoided but the lesser any man is beset with this grace lessens his fear to the greater and heightens his fear to the lesser that is Gods eye is not so much run from as mans eye one of the highest temptations to sin being secresie and one of the greatest seasons to try whether a man hath good will to do amiss or no it having in it no kind of let to touch his sensitive part with care or fear to eschew it because that visible shame that sin brings in all probability cannot come then Satan is at work mightily having the highest opportunity unless the Conscience be found very tender to strike the heart into a trembling sense of that piercing eye of the Almighty saying with Job Doth not he see my wayes and count all my steps chap. 31. 42. What else can hinder closing with temptation to a high degree now such misdoing as this of secret sinning found in any and they not much troubled because it is not made known let the sin they have committed be never so small in account yet a sin doth prove such very desolate of the grace of God Amnon one of Davids Sons being evil disposed towards Tamar his Sister is not thoughtful at all of Gods secret eye but careful how to avoid mans eye as this saying proves Have all men out from me 2 Sam 13. 9. none but Tamar must stay with him towards home he is wickedly designed running into Gods eye without all fear so he may run from mans eye It was not thus with good Joseph Jacobs son when he had as much if not more secresie and the temptation without very strong to have drawn him into high miscarriages at such a time in a resisting way gives this reply How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. In like manner Annanias and Saphira that sold their possessions under pretence of giving the price as a Free-will Offering to the Lords use but when required to speak the truth whether or no they kept any thing back in fear to mans eye rather than Gods eye sins at a high rate Lying as the Scripture gives it to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 1 2 3 4. But as it is the practise of decaying Christians to be most careful to keep their miscarriages from mans eye in like manner their sorrow at the sight of sin is distinguishable to be different from the sorrow of the growing Christian though his miscarriage may be only known to God saying with David Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this wickedness in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest clear when thou judgest On the contrary as Jeremiah complains I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his evil saying what have I done every one turneth to his course as the Horse rusheth into the battail But I shall proceed to the Causes of this Decay Now the Causes of this which being avoyded may serve also as Remedies against this Dying Sign and they may be these two First want of fear to God Secondly want of love to God First want of fear to God he whose heart is possessed with the fear of God as knowing his greatness and his goodness his mighty power and arme to save or destroy though such a one wants no power or secresie to offend this God by committing actual evil a-against this God yet dare not cannot will not do it But were it not for the fear of God could and would do what they cannot nor dare not this held good Joseph Gen. 29. 7. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Nehem. 9. 15. But so did not I because of the fear of God these persons wanted neither power nor secresie to have complyed with the temptations before them yet they are held by this precious grace the fear of God Secondly want of love to God is a Cause of this decay did we so love him as we ought we would not so wound him by our sinning as we do Had they known him indeed it may be said had they loved him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 2 Cor. 2. 10. If any man love me he will keep my sayings and my father will love him
upon him by pouring out their wants before him Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Mat. 6. What hath been said may teach two things First the lamentable condition of such as neither can nor will pray that are as unaccustomed to it as the Heifer to the yoak living absolute Athiests in the World saying in their heart if not in their actions too there is no God Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen and families that call not upon thy name Secondly This teacheth to strengthen the hearts and hands of such as fear God to this service of prayer it being part of their defence or Armor Ephes 6. Praying alwayes with all prayer and suppliaction in the spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance c. When thou saidest seek my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek thou wilt hide me in thy Pavillion Psal 27. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Read and consider so pass to the next Sign CHAP. XXII Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction and that without great provocation God is not wont to afflict his people and though provoked very unwilling to extremity With four Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Answered SIGN XXII VVHen you are mighty careless to Inquire after the spiritual cause of Affliction and mighty careful to Inquire after the natural cure The more or less spiritual any man is may be easily discovered under this Tryal Affliction being of that piercing kind that other tryals are not because of the great influence it hath upon the sensitive part of man where ever it comes while sense remains it makes the person restless either to find out cause or cure or both We may therefore first inquire after the word Affliction what that meaneth to afflict is to lay some burthen upon a person that is not ordinary Gen. 15. 13. There they shall afflict you four hundred years this is opened in Exod. 1. Israel is made to serve with rigor Lam. 1. 4. 5. The wayes of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate her Priests sigh her virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt by reason of his task-master Acts 3. 34. By these Texts it appears that affliction meaneth any grief or trouble that cometh upon soul or body name or estate for the punishment of sin or the tryal of faith so that sickness and diseases as feavor and ague consumption inflamation the like are all comprised under this word affliction it will therefore be necessary to open the word Spiritual cause it being in the Sign oposed to natural cure by spiritual cause is to be understood some provoking God in the subject afflicted to the procuring this affliction nothing some cause or other why the Spirit suffers it to come upon us Now every body will be ready to grant that these things before promised may be truly called affliction but not grant that there can be such a spiritual cause in themselves and so make the Sign of no force Now to clear up this doubt let us make this inquiry whether any affliction or death it self come upon any man but for some cause or other from the man active or imputive that is he either so acted in his particular person or some body else in his general relation and on him it is righteously come For the resolution of this question let us inquire what causes in Scripture the righteous God assigns afflictions or death unto Gen. 3. 9 10 11 12 13. Who told thee thou wert naked hast thou eaten of the Tree I commanded thee not to eat the things in this Chapter considerable are these vers 14. the Serpent must go upon his belly eat dust and be curst above every beast of the field vers 16. to the woman he saith I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and to Adam he saith Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Thornes and Thisles it shall bring forth to thee dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return you see in these verses misery both upon the woman and the man is brought the reason by God assigned vers 17. Because thou hast done this in hearkning to thy wife cursed is the ground for thy sake so also Josh 7. 7. Israel Gods prevailing people that by day had a pillar of a cloude and by night a pillar of fire ministring unto them now cannot stand before their enemies Joshua that at another time commands the Sun and Moon and they obey him now by prayer cannot prevail for Israel Gods people against the cursed Nation But what is the matter vers 11 12. Israel hath sinned and cannot stand neither will I be with them any more except they put the accursed thing from among them Lam. 3. 1 13. I am the man that have seen affliction vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this Cause many are sick and weak and many sleep 1 Thes 2. 11. For this Cause God shall send them strong delusion that they all might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness and let all the House of Israel know that without a Cause I have not done all that I have done saith the Lord Ezek. 14. 23. Much more might be said as to afflictions that attend both the body and mind together with the Causes and this left to consideration whether if Hell condemnation the highest of affliction be the fruit or reward of sin and unbelief much rather sickness and diseases with death it self which are the least afflictions must come from Creature Causes now if any man can assign any other Cause than God doth here assign let him do it if not by all this comparing of it with the eighth Sign of dying to Christ in which I have been more large upon affliction inward and outward with their Causes I shall therefore proceed to some Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Object 1. The first Objection is grounded upon 2 Sam. 12. 14. The Child that is born to thee shall surely die David is threatned with death in the child that hath not offended contrary to this Doctrine Answ This act of God to take away Davids Child if considered will be found mercy mixt with justice David by the Law was to die for the matter of Vriah now God in respect he bare to David for what good he had done and further were like to do being a man so after Gods own heart goes out of the ordinary way spares the person of David and imputes it upon the relation of David viz. his Child so in Davids seed he punished Davids person this is Gods usual way in Scripture and sets his Majesty out to be full of mercy in the middest of Justice
and learned their works and served their Idols therefore was Gods wrath kindled in so much that he abhorred his Inheritance Nevertheless he regarded their affliction when he heard their cry and did pitty them Hosea 6. 4. compared with Chap. 11. 7 8. How shall I give the up what shall I do to thee What less doth all this signifie than thus much that though God be so provoked that nothing but Judgment must come yet like a tender Father to an unruly Child mourns over him while he corrects him We shall leave what hath been said to consideration and pass to the Twenty third Sign of dying to Christ CHAP. XXIII Proving those Christians under great Decay that pray more in Affliction to have it removed than sanctified with three Causes of this Decay SIGN XXIII VVHen you pray more for Afflictions being removed than sanctified That is not only mindless of Afflictions Cause but indeed mindless of Afflictions end it is easie and ordinary for persons under Affliction to be brought to their knees to prayer not only good men but bad men in affliction will be ready to cry for help In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5. 15. That is one of their first works then they will mind to be doing till then God is forgotten they having lost much their spiritual feeling but now being touched in their outward senses they will cry for relief Then wicked Pharaoh that in Exod. 5. 2. could say Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go in Chap. 8. 8. When his Land was ful of Frogs cries to Moses to pray to this God for him he had but little before disdained See that known text for this Jonah 1. 5. Then every man that is when they was in affliction cries to his God the tempest being great and they all like to perish not only cries to their God but with a high hand saith to Ionah What meanest thou O sleeper arise and call upon thy God that we perish not So 2 Chr. 33. 12. Manasseh when he was in affliction sought the Lord his God By all which compared it is very usual both with good and bad men in affliction to be early at prayer to God Now Affliction you know we have in the last Sign proved is Gods Furnance to try the Nature of every Mettal by so that you may truly pass judgment upon your selves whether or no you are of the dying hand not by your praying here you may deceive your selves though you pray mightily for it is easie to do so in Affliction but if you pray more for Afflictions being removed than sanctified that is put up strong cries to be eased of the trouble but scarce possest with faint wishes to answer Gods design in the trouble never inquiring What have I done or saying I must be more humble more thankful more pittiful more fearful more careful all my dayes What shall I do saith the zealous man to get good by this Affliction his voyce cries louder for spiritual advantage than his pain for natural freedome Let us think of this and deal plainly with our own hearts and see what way the pulse beats most for as the staff you set up will fall one way or other so persons being more or less spiritual will easily discover it in Affliction Israel of old might be read in this and you know how God dealt with them of six hundred thousand there was but two namely Joshua and Galeb that entered the good Land of promise they early begun to show how carnal they was Exod. 12. 13 14. When they enjoyed their great deliverance from Egypts bondage Chap. 15. then sang they Gods praise but being put into some strait they murmur presently and wish to God they had died in the Land of Egypt as Psal 106. shews at large where we may read of Gods dealings with them at large and their dealings with God while they had what they wanted they were pleased and liked the Lord should be their God but when though for their own good they were straitned and did miss their wonted fulness then they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desart vers 14. We do not read it was upon their hearts to make any spiritual use or advantage of Gods different dealings with them when they had not what they would have instead of learning to cease to murmur they strengthened themselves in murmurring against the Lord who was graciously careful for them and suffered not any more straits to befal them than what was in order to their truest good although they were as many now are full of complaints yet their greatest want was slackness to those strong cries that ought to be found in Christians for a sanctified use of whatsoever doth befal them taking care to the one thing needful without which all Order is Disorder all Mercies Miseries all Blessings but Cursings What shal it profit a man whatsoever he hath of fulness or scarcity health or sickness desire or want of desire if Gods end in all and our happiness in all be not gotten to wit that eternal Salvation that freeth from everlasting Damnation that being the great work that all other works ought and must give way unto But I shall proceed to the Causes why persons pray more to have Afflictions removed than sanctified First Ignorance of the Cause of Affliction Secondly Ignorance of the Necessity of Affliction Thirdly Ignorance of the End of Affliction First Ignorance of the Cause of Affliction No chastening for the present is joyous but grievous bitter and sharp having with it an unpleasant taste to whomsoever it comes therefore in it self certainly not welcome to any although they bring it upon themselves who is it that runs not from pain naturally and will part with what is outwardly dear to them rather than expose themselves to that torturing that attends some kind of Affliction Now if as plainly and as certainly it appear there is unwillingness as well in God to Afflict as there is in the creature to chuse Affliction then it will naturally follow that there is a Cause Ignorance of which is a main reason why we pray more to have it removed then sanctified For the proof of this that there is as great unwillingness in God from whom Affliction comes to give it as we to receive it mind a little some texts of Scripture 1 Pet. 3. 8. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good in the words going before you have it thus written But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil That is his favourable countenance is set against such and their portion is bitterness Levit. 26. 17. But if ye be followers of that which is good who will harm you Here seems to be a holy challenge to whatsoever may harm us as if the Spirit should have said
What indeed can harm you if God be for you and God will not be against you if you are followers of that which is good For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet the prisoners of the earth Lam. 3. 33 34. Wherefore then may it be said Doth the living man complain the holy Spirit gives the answer For the punishment of his sin The joy of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning the Crown is fallen from off our head Wo unto us for we have sinned Lam. 15. 16. A multitude of Scriptures might be urged further to prove both unwillingness in God to afflict and that the very Cause of all our Wo both temporal and eternal is our misdoing O that my people had hearkened to my voyce and walked in my wayes I should soon have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries Psal 81. 13 14. Now in reason were the Cause of Affliction considered to be only from our selves procured by our misdoing and sent with tendency to our mending we should surely pray more to have it sanctified than removed Secondly Ignorance of the Necessity of Affliction is a Cause of this Decay the very unwillingness of God to bring it and the creature to indure it fully proves that there is Necessity for it there cannot be more undelightfulness in the creature to undergo languishing than there is in God to put him under languishing How shall I give thee up O Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel How shall I make thee as Idma How shall I set thee as Zeboim My heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Hos 11. 8. When he was come near and beheld the City he wept over it Luke 19. 41. Now Gods unwillingness proves the creature cannot live at any spiritual rate without it and indeed Experience proves the same Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word Psal 119. 67. David wandred from the Fould and were like to continue till Affliction spoke to him he forgot himself and what he was a doing The wicked saith the Psalmist are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men therefore pride compasseth them about as a Chain violence covereth them as a garment and what use do they make of it they say how doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High This clearly notes that a condition freest from trouble or affliction generally is attended with carnallest behaviour God-ward When I had fed them to the full they then committed Adultery and assembled by troops into Harlots houses Jer. 5. 7. By all this it appears that it is from ignorance of Afflictions necessity if we pray more to have it removed than sanctified Thirdly Ignorance of the End of Affliction is a Cause of this Decay now the Cause being Sin and the Necessity being to humble the End is to save Now all Gods dealings are mercy whatsoever he doth to the creature is like himself and in it self is mercy if he give us all we desire and would have it is Mercy if he keep us without it it is Mercy Health from him is Mercy so is Sickness Plenty from him is Mercy so is Poverty Health Life Strength and such like Favours temporal every body will acknowledge to be Mercy but their contrary few or none will account Mercy yet this is Mercy also for this Checquer work the World is made of some at the same time are wringing their hands for sorrow while others are clapping their hands for joy some with straitâ— through Sickness and Poverty are Weeping others through Health and Plenty rejoycing Now the great difficulty is how to bring the heart to look upon the state of Weeping as truly Mercy as the state of Rejoycing For which end consider why we do account Health Plenty and such like Injoyments Mercy but because they have in them an esteeming and desirable good a seasonable and sutable good it is the same with the contrary they are as seasonable and as sutable could our frail hearts so receive them for they are as truly from the Lord as the other and as truly have the same end in them There are two great Ends in all God doth one is his Honour the other is our Salvation now if God give us what we would have his End is the same and if he give us the contrary his End is the same and Christians certainly misconstruing his End to be Mercy is the Cause they misconstrue his Actions to be Mercy That both are Mercy read Exod. 13 17. There God led them through the wilderness an unbeaten way where they wanted both bread and water and yet both End and Action Mercy to bring them to Canaan and deliver them from harm by the Philistines Remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years through that great and terrible wilderness wherein was fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought and no Water that he might humble thee and prove thee to the good at thy latter end It is too evident that Israel construed this hard dealing from God but it was great Mercy as the text fully proves Ignorance therefore of the End of Affliction is a Cause why we pray more to have it Removed than Sanctified CHAP. XXIV Containing in it six Seasons in which Christians ought to humble themselves by fasting proving those under great decay that in times of calamity can find no necessity for fasting SIGN XIV WHen under Gods Calamity you can neither find necessity nor excellency to humble your selves by fasting As prayer rightly put up to God is a way and means by which he many times is prevailed with both to remove judgments and sanctifie them even so fasting is Gods way in which he hath often been found and it is the more prevailing with him in so much as it hath in it a gratious tendency to abase and humble the soul and make it more fit to receive the kind impression of his precepts in opening of his promises together with the reverencing him because of his threatnings it being a season not only of laying the soul low in its own eyes at the sensible sight of his own vileness but a marvellous exalting the gratious and long-forbearance of God forcing the heart to cry out what manner of love is this that we should be called the Children of God who was before wallowers in the works of darkness that leads to the Chambers of death but now by his grace though once far off made nigh of an Alien made a home dweller All these things are brought to remembrance very fresh in fasting Seasons that being a time of calling to mind things past and though calamity be as truly Gods mercy as the contrary having in it the same design of Salvation good yet it is more properly sent in order to reducing from those straings it finds such persons
in as it comes upon and because of the smart unpleasant tast it brings with it calls them with a louder voyce to make inquiry why am I thus which prosperity in all probability could never have so done being not so much of that piercing kind to the external senses as adversity or calamity is and this the Prophet Isa â—6 16. seems to make his great observation in these words Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon unto the House of Judah I even I will tear and go away and return to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5. 14 15. Plainly implying that it is not only the design of God to send calamity upon persons for this end but that also they are most aptly provoked to it at this Season see that remarkable text for this 2 Chron. 33. 10 11 12. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and his people but they would not harken wherefore that he might speak by his rod as well as his word the Lord brought upon him the Captain of the Host the King of Assyria which took Manasseh among the Thorns bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon and when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly While the rod was but shaken as it were Manasseh remained refractory but when he was bound in chains he humbled himself greatly must it not then from hence needs follow that calamity calls for fasting and humbling where ever it comes being designed to thâ—t reducing end and may not the decay of some grow to that pass even so ripe for reaping that except they should from a deep sense of their state be mightily brought down to humble their souls with fasting as the last remedy left or prepared by God for such conditions to betake themselves unto and that if they here should fail then to be given up to the mouth of ruin Here this ye old men give ear all ye inhabitants of the Land hath this been in your dayes or even in the dayes of your Fathers tell ye your Children of it and let your Children tell their Children and their Children another generation that which the Palmer worm hath left hath the locust eaten and that which the locust hath left hath the canker worm eaten that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten sanctifie ye a fast call a solemn assembly gather the Elders and all the inhabitants of the Land into the House of the Lord their God and cry ah las ah las for the day of the Lord is at hand and as destruction from the Almighty shall it come How evident is it that this was this peoples last remedy and except they now find mercy nothing but destruction will be their portion But some may Object and say how shall we know when danger is such that without humbling our selves with fasting we are like to meet with ruin Answ There are six seasons that of necessity calls for Fasting First when long patience is abused Secondly when just judgments are threatned Thirdly when Just Judgments are executed Fourthly when iniquity in Churches gets a head Fifthly when Churches grows secure Sixthly when some great thing is by them to be obtained First when long patience is abused patience or forbearance in God is long exercised to both Churches and people before with judgment he sweeps them away the rod is shaken again and again while they are under visible decay and though God wait long upon such as grows luke-warm in all their active graces yet will he at last speak home to them it was thus with Israel after they had rested from their troubles they did evill again and again for which God did gently whip them then they turned for a while and cryed but presently after went to their old course Yet many years did he forbear them and testified against them by his Spirit in his Prophets yet would they not hear therefore gave he them up into the hand of the people of the Land Nehem 9 30. So in Jeremiahs time they provoked Gods patience long So that the Lord could no longer bear because of the evil of their doings clearly noting that they had long abused his long forbearance therefore was their land made desolate Secondly just judgments threatned when judgments by God are threatned upon Churches in order to their preventing this is the way they are to take as the Text but now named in Joel fully proves see also Rev. 2 3. chapters where you have several Churches found in a decaying state and called upon to speedy repentance else they must be unchurched Thirdly when just judgments are executed is a season for fasting that they may be again removed Then Hanany said the remnant which are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire and it came to pass when I heard these words I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and Fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven Nehem. 1. 4. This way good Nehemiah took and it was prosperous with the Lord. Fourthly when iniquity gets head that is when sin and sinners in Churches grows so numerous and heady that they are like to out-voyce the better party it is high time then to be night day with the Lord in fasting prayer that iniquities head may be broken by the sword of his mouth there was a few names and it was but a few in Sardis Church that had not defiled their garments the greatest part were ready to die and the Lord threatens to unchurch them except they repent Revel 3. And now you call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mat. 3. 15 16. Fifthly when Churches grow secure that is as safely sheltered in their account from judgment though a dying to every duty as if they were in a growing flourishing state contenting themselves to be told it is not well with them but sit still from using either means of information or recovery as though they were minded to suffer their distemper to grow mortal Thou saist I am rich and increased with goods and hath need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and blind and naked As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Be zealous therefore and repent Revel 3. 17 19. Sixthly when some great thing is by them to be obtained Dan. 9. 3. And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with Fasting and Sackcloth and Ashes Mat. 17. 21. This kind goeth not out but by prayer and
sweeps away by hundreds on our right hand and on our left and we remain untouched this certainly is never to be forgotten so the red Sea deliverance the pillar of Cloud by day and of Fire by night together with the dividing of the Waters of Jordan are Parables doubtless in Gospel dayes and we under as gracious Obligations to remember with thankfulness Gods loving kindness David that good man makes observation in this case of old Israel and hath left their stain for Generations to come to read and take warning by Psal 106. 9 10 11 12 13. God rebuked the red Sea and it was dryed up and redeemed them from the hand of their enemies yet they soon forgot his works and waited not for his counsel so 2 Chron. 32. 24. Hezekiah was sick to death and he prayed to God and he gave him a sign but Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done him mark that his return was not as signal as his favour therefore God suffers wrath to come upon him by all which it is clear that more than ordiâ—ary favours cals for more than ordinary returns and where it s a wanting God is provoked to suffer such to fall I pray God make this hint as acceptable as it is seasonable to those that shall meet with it Fourthly A fourth Mark how persons may know when God will suffer them to fall into Sin When under great straits you are not much with God for wisdome and counsel Neglect here must needs be dangerous for it is a kind of tempting God a daring as it were the holy One of Israel When under great straits that for good ends he brings upon them they are careless to request his help for their escaping and answerable gaining No man that trades in the way to heaven but at times is exercised with great straits of one kind or another the very entrance into it promiseth nothing less Mark 8. 34. Whosoever will come after me let him take up his Cross dayly and follow me So that Jesus Christ would have persons count upon meeting with hard things that will be his Disciples For man is born to trouble as the sparks flie upward Job 5. 7. Now that none may sinck under them Jesus Christ hath made provision which if they neglect they are like to perish Mat. 26 4. The Shepheard shall be smitten and the Sheep all scattered now the best preservative against such a danger is Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Luke 21. 26. Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after what shall come to pass for the Powers of heaven shall be shaken Therfore watch ye and pray alwayes that ye may be accounted worthy to escape By these Texts together with Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God Clearly noting that persons under straits are not in Gods security out of the way of prayer well therefore may this prove an acceptable caution to every Christian when he undergoeth his share in the Cross of Jesus to make his complaint and earnest cries to him by prayer with supplication No doubt but such will find Christ seasonably helping him but if you find a secure drowsiness attend the heart then conclude your misery is not yet at the height The Disciples are found asleep three times together and cannot watch with their Lord one hour before their misery will be greater by his being taken from them but I shall end this Mark leaving for our gracious pattern the example of Jesus Christ Who being in an Agony and swet as it were great drops of blood he at that time prayed the more earnestly Luke 22. 44. Fifthly When you readily close with occasions to sin this tempts the Devil to tempt you and tempts God to leave you Sampson in Judges 14. seeks to take a Wife among the Uncircumcised that he might seek an occasion against them Even so doth not the Devil make his attempts whereby he may give an occasion to Gods People to sin The ready closing wherewith tempteth him further to tempt them and indeed tempteth God to leave them Now occasions to sin comes many wayes and from different objects that may have but little beginning and yet tall conclusions sometimes the ear heareth that which sets the heart on fire sometimes the eye seeth that which brings wo to the mind witness David who at the top of his roof as he was walking seeth Bathsheba washing her self and her beauty passing through the casement of his eyes this small occasion took possession and made him a prisoner to his great overthrow so Joshua 7. 21. Achan saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish Garment and a Wedge of Gold his eye looked and his heart lusted till he was ruined Now every man that knoweth any thing of sins way knows that it seeks and takes occasion from very small beginnings Behold how great a fire a little spark kindleth it begins by little taking its degrees and is carried through the eyes to the thoughts then to conception then to affection then to consent then to action Now the provision the holy Scripture makes in this kind is positively engaged by way of Precept To astain from all appear ances of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Clearly noting that in order to persons certain security from the commission of all evil they must abstain from its Appearance Very observable is Gods care to Israel of old no sooner were they out of Egypt but he seeks to take all occasions of sin out of their way Exod. 13. 17. And it came to pass that when Pharaoh had let the People go that God led them not through the Land of the Philistines although it was near note that lest peradventure the people see War and return to Egypt again So Exod. 23. 13 33. Also Deut. 7. 25. Prov. 22. 24 25. They must cut down their graven Images and burn them with fire and desire none of the silver that 's on them lest they be a snare unto them So the Wise-man counsels to make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man no not to go lest we learn his wayes and get a snare to our souls Sixthly When you are not pittiful to the tempted but in your prosperity forget their calamity God is pleased many times to suffer Satan to be let loose upon some Christians and to try them sorely yea to engage them deep in actual War whilest other Christians as it were are lookers on to let the one see how weak he is in the hands of this spiritual Adversary if left to himself and to try the other what frame of heart he carries towards his brother in distress and this if wisely improved turns to the great advantage of both The personal sufferer if he endure becomes heir to the promise annexed to the condition of the tempted Jam. 1. 12. And the looker on if he by beholding
is so enflamed with zealous love and pitty to his suffering brother that he greatly suffers also The one is offended the other burns 2 Cor. 11. 29. When all the strength a poor tempted soul hath is engaged in hot fight with the Devil flesh and world then pitty from lookers on proves like a fresh recruit to a shattered Army it so suits with Gods will and with the tempteds want whereas on the contrary want of pitty in lookers on as it strengthens the hands of the Adversary and tempts the courage of the troubled to grow flat Now this sixth Mark is framed to that end if the Lord will that lookers on may not only know what frame of heart they are to be of in such a season but to provoke them to make haste to it in Amos 6. 4. there was neglect to this duty and it meets with a sad salute Wo to them that are at ease in Zion that lie upon beds of Ivory that drink Wine in Bowls but are not grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph No iniquity mark that so provokes God as to be preferred in punishment before this They must go into captivity with the first that go Captive Amos 1. 11. Numb 20. from the 14. to the 22. God will not bear such a pittiless heart in his very Enemies Isa 47. 6. I was wrath with my People and gave them into thy hands and upon the ancient very heavily hast thou laid thy yoak Therefore in one day shall come vpon thee loss of Children and Widdow-hood Remember therefore those that are in Bonds as bound with them and them that suffer Adversity as being also of the same Body Heb. 13. Read and consider and the good Lord give you understanding Amen CHAP. XXVII Shewing Satans way by which he Gets in our day most advantage upon Churches and a plain discovery of the first rise of the Quakers shewing also the great Law of Edification to be preferred in all Doctrine with Cautions to such as live out of all Church way SIGN XXVII VVHen you are mighty curious about the lesser matters of Gods Law and mighty careless about the weightier When Satan the grand Engine of beginning and perfecting a Christians ruin cannot at once knock his heart and hands from off the Ordinances of Gods House thereby to make him destitute of the very means to good He usually works this way where he finds meet subjects to be working upon viz. make some more curious by far than God would have them and so wholly taken up with the lesser matters of Gods Law that he may have the fairer opportunity to make them as careless in the weightier by this manner of dress he deceives far more than by his common known dress of visible prophaneness this being so far from the road of the rude ranting way that it shows yea and pretends to exceed even Christians in their right Saint-like way carrying with it profession of and contention for commands of God Which spirit meeting with ignorant and inconsiderate people makes a noise as though it would drive the World before it while the fairer surer Christian that carries on his matters temperately giving due respect to every command yet seems in their eye to burn so dim that they are ready to bid him stand further off they are holier than he This deceit is a wonderful mysterious one and without all doubt worketh mightily not only among the Churches but in and among the people called Quakers whose spirit is yet kept under by the wise God till a riper season from shewing it self in that Atheists dress that certainly it did rise from and certainly will end in They being of all people Pharasaical like out of all cry contenders foâ— that that comparatively is but the shell of Christianity and are so far from contending for that they set themselves even against the kernel or substance of Religion and the Church of God can truly witness this for from among themselves are some gone out with as fair pretences as can be of living more to God in the Spirit and power of holyness and yet quickly shewing themselves in the mystery of carrying on most abominable Atheisticall principles of denying both the Resurrection of the body from the grave of the earth and Judgment day to come And so bend their bow at the overthrowing the very foundation of godliness in the mystery of Egyptian darkness and yet under the highest pretences of Angel light It is clearly evident that the first rise of that spirit laid its beginning upon these very materials of being curious in the lesser and careless in the weightier making nothing secretly to act gross abomination as some can witness yet to publick view where they might have the fairer advantage to deceive the simple did make great show of tender respect to some lesser matters of Gods Law and indeed out-talk every body while God knows they did not thus plead out of true love to Gods Law that they had but because no bait would so fit their hook and carry on the business they designed like this Now Satan himself full well knows that it is in vain for him to expect the accomplishing any great design among the seperated Churches any other way for filthiness of flesh is so manifest that every body among them that knows but any thing knows they are redeemed from that but filthiness of the spirit which works secretly and yet ends carnally and mortally is his grand working way which doubtless the Apostle well knew when he gave this exhortation to the Corinth Church with this discription which I pray observe Chap. 7. 1. where he beseecheth them not only to cleansethemselves from all filthiness of the flesh but by way of distinction filthiness of Spirit also and that in order to their perfecting holyness in the fear of God Read also Isa 30. 21. And by this mysterious means he takes in some place and among some people by companies that most of them in their true Church standing were the carnallest mean ignorantest Christians having in them as little experience as could be of the power of Godliness so little that if they had any less would have had too little to be born by the Church yet intangling themselves with this spirit of deceit or filthiness of spirit have grown mighty confident bold and lifted up too wise for their teachers despising those far before them in grace yet far behind them in their account and very justly may and doth the Lord let such fall into spiritual deceit notwithstanding they plead for some of his own law they being most careless where he would have them most careful so renders their care in the lesser while careless in the gâ—eater of no account with him at all he taking no pleasure in such but greatly disdaining them Mat. 23. 23. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for you pay tyth of mint Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law They are
under Gods woe though they do what they ought to do yet in leaving undone something weightier that ought to be done also Multitudes as the Scripture witnesseth have been and God knows in our dayes are deceived in this matter who content themselves some in being mighty just between man and man which in it self is good yet loose in other matters others great Church-men yet abominable proud covetous or both much like those Isa 58. 2. That seek God daily and delight to know his wayes mark that as a Nation that did righteousness and delight in approaching to God yea they fast and and afflict their Souls How excellent are all these things mentioned and worthy our noting that though found in this practice yet sent to by God to be told of their sins all which noted together proves that faithfulness in some truths while unfaithful in other truths more or as material renders the services of such to be of no account all which I have briefly noted for caution to two sorts of people in special First Such as live out of most way of Gospel seperation and yet keeping themselves under the observation of some truths that conscience the light of nature dictates to them though under apparent neglect and in disobedience to many known Gospel truths that they know or easily may know following the Counsel of God to cry after knowledg and lift up their voyce for understanding searching as they search for their silver digging as they dig for their hid treasure That is taking as great pains for the knowledg of the true treasure as they take to possess themselves with worldly treasure for the getting whereof they rise up early go to bed late and eat the bread of painfulness but all this while content themselves with lazie desires and saint wishes after the true treasure and will not close with any thing that proves costly in getting or keeping James 2. 19. Thou believest there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble but wilt thou know O vain man that faith without work 〈◊〉 dead being alone therefore faith must be of a Gospel kind and proved to be so by Gospel works Though a man should beg pardon of his sin of lying cheating covetousness or uncleanness or such like works of the flesh all his dayes and yet continue in any or all of these yea though he could cry for it till his heart-strings break he must miss of it asking out of the way of the promise in which pardon is decreed by the God of Heaven to be given so that every repentance supposed to be right may be wrong and that faith not of a Gospel kind 〈◊〉 of a Gospel show If a man would havâ—â—â—â—vation with his sins or Christ and his 〈◊〉 he goes out of the channel of the penitent who are wont to meet God in sorrow fâ—â— sin and turning from sin Prov. 18. 13. H◠〈◊〉 covereth his sins shall not prosper but wâ—â—â—â—â— confesseth and Forsaketh them shall have â—eâ—cy Now deceitful hearts through the Dâ—â—â—â— wiles misconstrue promises of Glory 〈◊〉 part for the whole having confident dependance upon the promises of life and can 〈◊〉 many Scriptures wherein are gracious promises made by God to sinners but never consider what Kinds of sinners theâ— be to whom the promises are made neither take any due care to perform the condition the promisâ— is made upon so please themselves in the hope of Heaven not diligently weighing the foundation their hope is built upon It is like to prove with such as with a hungry man he dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty Isa 29. 8. Many will say to Christ in the great day we have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets therefore Lord Lord open to us depart from me ye workers of iniquity whose hope must perish in being not of that purifying kind that renews the soul God-ward but still allows the flesh a commanding power forgetting that great mark which proves the hope of Gods Elect to be of the right kind John 1. 3. 1. And every one that hath This Hope in him purifyeth him-himself even as he is pure Secondly Let this serve for caution to such in Churches as are or are like to be curious in the lesser whiles careless in the greater Great hath been the trouble of such Churches as can witness this decay to have been amongst them it still took the most inconsiderate that lived too much below comparison in Gods Law where or when to be more or less in condescention in order to the best maintaining edification which is the great end of all institution they forgetting or not knowing this have gone so unseasonable about setting up the lesser that they have debased the weightier making the remedy prove far worse than the disease carrying on this work with such manner of management that an indifferent stander by could not but imagin that sure the whole will of God lay in the one two or three lesser things that they so pleaded for especially seeing it carryed on with that heat of Spirit resolution of taking place that the bonds of love and Church Communion could not hold them Whence hath the divisions among the baptized Churches both in affection and practice risen if not from this very root Cannot hundreds witness yea and mourn for what they know in this matter hath not the great law of love and the great design of all Ordinances to wit Edification been sacrificed for the will of some novelties I know what I speak to be truth and that I have many witnesses The honour of God the credit of his Religion when it hath come in competition hath been less preferred than some new apprehension if not some old error newly espoused doth not this preach persons wonderfully carnal and wise in their own conceits How far have such gone from Christs good example I have yet many things to say to you but ye cannot bear them now Let us mind a little their best season of receiving was Christs best season of declaring Doth not Christ by this teach every Disciple of his to digest well themselves First What they have to offer before they offer it and the best season too may not nay have not some by seeking before due season to set up some one lesser law thrown down several greater laws nay hath not some unseasonably bringing in the truth together with the ill management thereof brought into the Church by head and shoulders envying strife and devision and cast out humbleness of mind long-suffering gentleness and bowels doth not the holy Apostle set a copy for all how to walk in this respect 1 Cor. 3. 1. And I Brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye have not been able to bear it neither yet are ye able
with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven but the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into utter darkness May we not tremble to read this text with self-reflection that from the East and West such as in all probability never had the Tyth of that means we have had neither heard nor seen what we have heard and seen yet to their measure had walked so like what they had heard and what they had seen that they shall be counted worthy by the Lord to sit with Abraham and Isaac in the Kingdome and the Children of the Kingdom cast out namely such as had his Name and Ordinances among them making visible show of his Religion and promised themselves lack of nothing because they would cry Lord Lord and were great nominal Christians pleasing themselves in giving Christ good words and thinks none shall be saved so soon as they they being beset with such salvation priviledges Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy Name and cast out Devils Then will I say Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you Let none therefore trust in lying words which cannot profit saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these that ye throughly amend your wayes and your doings then will I cause you to dwell safely Jer. 7. beginning But alas how few lay to heart the great good Salvation and deliverance from the great hurt Damnation eying with all trembling the road way in which God will both give the one and with-hold the other surely surely this carnal security the souls damning sin would never so possess persons rocking them asleep did they but with all diligence consider that security of all kinds about hereafter Glory without these marks of hearty designing and actual endeavouring the new creatures life in the measure called for as attainable and to be attained in the Scripture of truth nothing being more evident then that such make it their whole business to be conversant about those soul-searching texts that speak out salvation by Christ Jesus upon no less terms than hearty designing with actual endeavouring to live like Christ Jesus in Scripture conformity to his will I shall beg of God there may be by them that read this these five following Scriptures duly weighed which with the help of his grace may serve as a deliverance or tend to the rouzing up of the soul from this damning sin of carnal security The first is Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life or alive because of or unto righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Gal. 5. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked Chap. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Doth not these great Scriptures with one mouth tell you the high road way to hereafter Glory and prohibit any man from daring to promise himself the same upon any other terms or in any or her way wherefore my brethren seeing that ye or if you look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3. 14. Secondly A second Cause of persons being so senseless is Contentment with out-side Christianity that is frequent in the performance of those Services that relate to the Worship of God but the thing designed by God to be reached after and obtained is not pursuied It is evident both from Scripture and Experience that persons have been and are frequent in hearing Sermons in Prayer in Reading in Fasting and such like performances yet they remain very carnal and unmortified Now Gods gracious End in giving such spiritual priviledges to persons being by him designed to beget them to his spiritual likeness and his End not brought about must needs argue such not or little further than out-side performances contenting themselves with their Services so done that leaves three parts of four yet to do for what pleasure can God take in those that after long standing under the opportunities of getting both inward and outward excellency in that that makes Christianity honourable while they still remain as fruitless as the Figg-Tree having a great show at distance and nothing but leaves at hand Doth not Jesus Christ in so many words except against such as not rightly qualified for his Kingdome Mat. 5. 20. But I say to you except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Their righteousness will not do and yet they are known to be a People much in prayer Fasting and giving Alms which are in themselves good things and yet they not accepted of God but for all this his Woes goeth out against them May it not be feared that hundreds in our dayes content themselves with scarce going thus far in outward acts yet retain a strong opinion that all shall be well with them hereafter as though such confidence of being saved as they that act it are content with would content God but let not such deceive themselves and they may find that confidence about hereafter safety not being acted by penitent subjects whose hearts can witness a through change will return to themselves back again charged with presumption notwithstanding all their outward performances And it is most sure as hath been premised in the last Sign that the holy Spirit bears not witness with such spirits that they are Gods Children that because while they remain thus content with out-side Christianity Reformation reacheth not the heart and then is a wanting that awful reverence of God and of Christ within that commands without the tongue so to talk the eyes so to look the hands so to act the feet so to walk in the likeness of God as to be truly deemed his workmanship Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ But we shall leave this to consideration and pass to the third and last Head Thirdly Persons are so senseless of their spiritual estate by not being conversant about things to come Now things to come are reduceable in special to these four heads Death Judgment Salvation Damnation all which are matters not of show but of certainty and may be called the four last things which every man ought to make his four first things that he furnisheth his heart withal because indeed they are Religions great cause and bounds Heavens great Argument to call us to duty our great Argument to submit to Heavens