commend You dear Child 18. And because sin will be creeping into all your conditions waies and works something I must advise you about it from Experience though many Books are written about it as Mr. Goodwyns Sinfulnesse of Sin c. Yet Two things take from me Be marvellous careful it break not in Secondly as diligent to drive it out speedily And for the former Gouge and Gurnal I commend about the putting on the whole Armour Ephes. 6. Sin is a breach of the Law and the strength of Sin is the Law from that breach the soul being as well left to Sin the Keeper as to Satan the Jaylor by the Fall and nothing but the Satisfaction of Christ put in to Divine Justice can remit the Authority of it yea though the power and filth in part be taken away by Sanctification yet it will break in again as an inmate and will at least get some out-room as pride in cloathes cozenage in dealings lust in the eye passion c. and bad work it makes where-ever it is Oh keep it at staves length Peter David Heman and others ever crack under it As you cannot build your Reformation upon unrepented sin So you should not make daily work for repentance by admitting sin which must be reformed Therefore to prevent this mischief you must exercise hatred against it as against an Enemy that cut the throat or would of your best Friends and yours also and pursue it with a deadly feud hate it in all the stock and linage of it my Child A little sin is sin down with it keep your guard and hate it in all the forrage that may maintain such an Enemy I mean in the occasions leading to it in which I might be large On with all your Armour speedily and when you find it hath bespotted you do as a good houswife with her linnen get a Washing-day I mean a Fasting-day out with it by hand laver bucking if it be a stain that gets through and through it will â—ut the next spring for bleaking I mean a sin premeditated as Davids a few common tears will not help there but extraordinary and the Blood of Christ above all Ask the Damned what they aile Sin sin they cry Ask the distressed Conscience Sin too Ask the Afflicted Sin For the Bulrush will not grow without mire That which crosseth the Law of God make thy greatest crosse that which divides you from the best Good call your worst Evil It made Christ to bleed to groan to die The Lord sprinkle thy Conscience with the Bloud of the Everlasting Covenant that you may not sin to death My dear Child 19. And next because bordering upon what went before I would add a case which so often even choice Christians are incumbred with and that is Their questioning all their works after manie years Experience and Profession and their Objections many against themselves as from sin before Conversion in Conversion after it repeated sins against Judgment Mercie Light Means yea even cutting Purses under the Gallows against all Examples and what not Nay it cannot stand with Gods honour to save c. though Isa. 55.8 answers all This therefore I would have you know that though it be not safe to dig at Foundations often lest we shake the Building so our great care is to have sound Foundations to build upon which in the general is Christ and other none can lay Make quick work and see you be in Christ and offer your Evidences to a discerning Friend or more and know that God hath limited his tenders of Grace to a day of this Life of the Gospel and of Conscience awakened therefore look out whilst it is To day Put by Spiritual sloth Cares of this World bosom Corruptions or what ever may hinder God is not bound to your limitings Were it not from his Mercy and and to leave every soul inexcusable why should the Lord give any time of Grace Remember this day ends suddenly How unworthy to put the Lord off till tomorrow and how retaliated See Prov. 1. 29 c. Your delayes rob your soul long of Comfort and you keep your self the longer out of Christ's service The nature of sin is poison do not stay till to morrow for an Antidote What got Lots Wife by lingring in Sodom the Lord must pull us out Nor can you plead any thing for hereafter which you may not now Oh to work to work and if you find it will not amount to Grace then cry mightily Ply the Lord with all the Promises of his Free-grace Isa. 55.1 Matth. 11. last Revel. 22.17 Isa. 53. the whole Chapter Jer. 3.1 and many more Tell the Lord none so vile as you none so good as Himself Tell him his Nature is Mercy he may be a gainer by his Grace However hang upon him living and dying in the use of all means Hos. 14.3 4 5. But if you have your share in Christ though hardly discerned make much of it you need walk very humbly very holily do not question continually as some do Psal. 18.1 Love the Lord who hath been your strength and will answer all thy hard questions dear Child 20. I add hereunto your Case under crosse Providences yea such as where Promises seem to speak one thing and Providence another Under which the best Saints have had great and strange sinkings of spirit For which you have Sibbs Burroughs and others to help My poor thoughts also are these for Case and Cure When Joh faints Joh 4.5 When David chides his soul Psal. 42. When Heman is even distracted Psal. 88.15 Jacob will not be comforted Gen. 37.35 and so divers This great Dissertion springs from either the overweening some Comforts we enjoy our overvaluing them breeds much trouble in the losse of them So David with his Absolom or from the surprizall being sudden and unexpected a prison at first uncouth in time easie and sweet where a mortified heart grows suited to it to this I could speak much or else it may spring from some secret weight God may put into this Change of Providence which we are not aware of and so the scale grows heavie with some Lead hanging at the bottom unseen a small thing troubles more than a greater the former we apply to our own strength in it but for the other to Gods Or lastly it may spring from the Dispensation it self As when the Crosse is heavie or multiplied or of long continuance or toucheth some noble part as wounds that touch the Liver Heart Brain c. Nay I must tell you when we make our Case worse than God doth as by our refusing the Lords Comforts which Jacob did Gen. 37. or where we let loose the Reins of Passion as David Oh my son my son c. Or when we drown all our present Enjoyments in that one crosse Providence which is too near the spirit of Haman who crost by Mordecai slights all his Favours at Court and dies upon the other Your Cure
to pray in praying fast in fasting so to read in Reading Many doutbless take up a cursory trade to read out the Cries of a defiled or rackt Conscience I say Read with delight not as under a load or as a Labourer who waits for the shadow of the Evening which you shall never do unless your Heart be connatural with the Word and therefore remember as Justification takes away Guilt and Punishment Sanctification takes away the Power and Filth Glorification takes away the presence of Sin So Effectual Calling takes away that jarre that is betwixt the Soul and the Law of God by reason of Sin the Called of God read but their Fathers blessed Will in reading his Word his Testament his Legacies his Precepts his Threatnings against Sin c. all which his Childe dilights to hear and read This one Book well read will answer any Question or Case and you 'l finde Solomons Proverbs the best Politicks and Christ crucified the best Divinity But in reading the Scriptures let me reach out this Experience When you have prayed over your purpose that way then in every Chapter first minde the Method then note the hard things you understand not and get helps to clear them to you And Lastly gather out the chief Doctrines oâ— Lessons then in reading onâ— Chapter you may understanâ— many And if you read the Bible with the Annotations oâ— some Divines or the Dutcâ— translated it will not be amiss I have formerly commended to you a Little English Library in this kinde which I now fear your so much altered Condition will not give you time to be vers'd in However Remember David Psal. 119. how every Vers. almost shews Love to the Word And truly you may be assured you shall upon mine and your own Experience finde that you shall have no more Christ nay God Spirit Faith Peace Comfort than you have Scripture Nor will you have any Christ a Saviour that is not a Scripture Christ Oh that the Word may dwell plentifully in you my poor Child 4. Pray continually is the Apostles Counsel to the Thessalonians And for this you may have far better helps then from my unworthy unable self There are many helps to Devotien Mr. Baxter Burrows Gurnal Bridg c. Yet you shall have what I promised even my Experience I hope you know That Prayer is the breathing forth of holy Desires or lifting up the Soul upon God or asking the Things we need from God in and by Christ according to his Holy Will not without Confessions and Thanksgiving This Work must have Time Seriousnesse Composure And this take undoubtedly That Prayers can never fly high where the Person is not accepted can have no strength without Faith About this Duty I must let you know There are Three Miscarriages usually First before the Duty Unpreparednesse Unsuteablenesse reaking hot out of the World Self sin into that service as if men could leap into Gods bosome out of the Devils lap Before Prayer you need to study God your self and the way to him John 6. You need to take a time when he is most like to hear even when he is inditing for you and puts Words into your mouth Hos. 14. The Second Failer in Prayer is When you do not watch to Prayer O the Hurreys of our Hearts the Thorowfare that carries crooked Thoughts through us the Vanity Folly Obliquities of our Spirit As the Heart must be whipt to the Duty so it must be bound fast to it How few pray how many say words Oh How many say their Prayers backwards call him Father who is not their Father would not have his Name hollowed nor his Kingdome come c. 3. And Lastly After this duty there is either an aptness to be proud And adde another Note as if the Lord was in our Debt or upon miscarriage in point of Inlargement we grow weary and peevish and call for our Prayers again if we succeed not as Lovers for the Portion not the Person call for their Love-Tokens back Look on Th. Goodwin on Isa. 55.6 7 8. Be plain and honest with God shew your Sores and his Love to you You cannot be so bad as he is good With the old Martyr I cry Pray pray pray My dearest Child Regard no injury in thy heart 5. Keep a constant Watch upon your whole man for which much hath been written as Mr. Reyners Rule for the new Creature Mr. Brinsleys Watch and many others from the Thonghts and affections to all cases almost But since I promised the Addition of my Experience to your Self I have held that very True noted by David yea by some Heathens That our Life is seventy Years half of which time spends its self in Eating Drinking and Sleeping the Remainder is Thirty Five and of that you may allow the first Fifteen even for Child-hood till when ordinarily little is minded that is solid then Twenty only are left of the Number and of them even half spent in by-business and then tell me how little do we live How needful is it then that you be upon your Watch continually when so many Silver Brooks run by many Doors unregarded It is hard to Watch most are very Drowsie The Disciples themselves could not Watch one Hour My Advice is That mainly you Watch your self in what you are And where you are These Two go far in your Watch to see your self in a good Estate And to be where you should be in your Duty and Employment argues a curious Eye and a careful Head But to be very accurate in your Watch and to keep off from troublesome Anneares keep a Book by you I mean it litterally in which every Night before you sleep you set down on the one side the Lords gracious Providence and Dealings with you and your dealings with him on the other side This Watch well kept fits for Prayer Fastings Sabbaths Sacraments and Death upon which Judgment follows I pray Watch so That Thoughts Affections Head Heart Hand Foot and all have a share in and benefit by the Work The Flesh and the World in all the Pleasures and Profits of them send up fumes to the Head occasioning sleep Therefore the Lord is forced to keep us waking by Affliction as the Thorn to the singing Bird David sought God early The Three Women early looking after Christ Remember thy Creator betimes And this Watching is the Circumspect Walking Ephes. 5.16 Look round about you continually as if you walked with God as Enoch before God as Abraham or after God as David he walked in God's wayes If you do not Watch you will be Tempted I say Tempted The Lord watch over thee that thou mayest watch my dearest Child 6. For thy growth in grace I am the more zealous because 2 Pet. 3.18 the Apostle propounds it as a Cure against all the Errors of the wicked For this also there are divers helps as M. Symmons his Cure to Distressed Consciences a Choice Piece and many others But
this you must know that all labour tends not to growth no more than Ants grow in bulk though very much in labour Every great Hearer is not a great Grower Nay a tree may grow in parts though not in all Grow soundly in the Root Jesus Christ and the Freeness of his Grace and then you wil not grow as Weeds do but as good Grain To which purpose I advise you observe what you gain against Corruption and so much you may hope you may thrive in Grace as the House of David and the House of Saul Do not therefore keep the Devils counsel but let some able Friend watch you to whom communicate your Decays or Growth When a Ship is observed by a Land-mark her way is easily observed Therfore mind much this one thing in all make much of a Rule and keep to it as few under the warm Gospel but know whether they be hypocrites or otherwise Even so you shall feel your Growth An old stock will not serve turn which hath been the delusion of many when every day needs new Incomes of the Spirit and so advancement to Heaven Long to grow strive to grow bewail decayes grow in both the Tables Duties The Apostle tells us of growth from Vertue yea at last to patience by affliction if we hear the Rod c. Christ's method is He hath all Grace He giveth out what he pleaseth He maintains what he gives He perfects what he maintains He crowns what he perfects And thus Christ loves you more than ever you could hate him without whose watering by his Blood you can never grow The best Evidence of Growth is to grow more humble more holy attend that well and see how it is from Meal to Meal from one Sabbath to another one Sermon to another are you fed or surfeited A very very little Grace if true is saving a little Growth if right is comforting Believe and live Believe and grow all decays comes through want of Faith to fetch blood from the life vein the Lord Christ The South North blow upon thee for Growth my Child 7. In all things as you will have use so you need to study Conscience well for it eats drinks walks sleeps buyes sells accompanies you to every duty service work doing or suffering for which you have Ames his Cases and some others It is a judging your self according to the judgment of God I write none of these Heads to you as intending any common place which this and others would make but only to leave with you a few practical thoughts upon each Our Saviour made the Jews to buy a Knife to cut their own throats when he told them the Parable of the Servants and Son sent and killed and so the Spirit by the Jews Isa. 5. when he made them impannel a Jury among themselves and by Conscience their Judge So Nathan by David it is a witness with a witness and Judge Paramount therefore I wish you to observe it narrowly if you suffer it to be defiled with the least sin whilst it hath life you may hear of it and therefore Samuel and Paul in all kept all clear there the least filth must be washt out by the Blood of Christ David paid dear for it Cains Building and Sauls Harping will do but little to cure it it may be quiet and good unquiet and good and so on the other hand but this I have noted that false Lights or dim ones have helpt much to the violation of it present things and the out-sides of things have also broke in upon it and in sinning whether the wound be in the Head or Conscience first is a question but not hardly resolved Your wisdom will be to live upon a directing word and then Conscience will make a soft bed for you in your greatest sorrow A wounded Conscience who can bear Go to our first Parent and he will tell you so who might have gathered fruit to eat rather than leaves to cover himself Do not grieve Conscience twice it must be your best friend yea when friends and world and all leave you to sollitariness If it whimper a little do not make it roar out and yet do not stifle it but attend it and carry it up to Mount Calvary for peace Remember good Conscience and Sin cannot live together Let but this Bird sing sweetly within and let Heaven and Earth come together thou shalt be safe my poor Child 8. Next I am to remember you that you have much work to do in a little time which calls you up to labour as the Day the Lark and the Lark the Husbandman Eccles. 12. the whole Chapter I hope you have it About Redemption of time you have many Treatises The greatest of your work in your short time is to get Christ and live upon him and to him And this is the life of Faith which you can never live unless Faith have to live upon it self which will digest nothing but word and promises Therefore now you are young lay in a good Stock for Faith to live on but you must do it seasonably you are young I say and may have a little time before you which certainly hath Eternity hanging upon it called a Race a Day or Hour the old World had their Day Jerusalem a Day the Gospel is called the Day of Grace Therefore lay in seasonably and not only so but abundantly for your market may be at the highest foolish Virgins had Oyl in their Lamps none in their Vessels Store is no Sore for you know not what Promises you may need for Want for Reproach for Sickness and Death The Kingdom of Heaven must suffer Violence Violent Faith Love Prayer must storm it The time will come when wishes will not help your own Works and Righteousness will fail Lastly Lay up your stock for Faith conveniently that you may reach a word when you need it most Ah that you would be wise Ask your heart at night what you have done that day in this point because every night may be your last Therefore secure your Principles walk up to the compass of every duty clear your Evidences keep close Communion with God Look out to growing Evils and fit for them And these is the work of your Generation I say it is your work you may easier make barrs to the Sea and order the Influences of Heaven than call back yesterday Therefore work and pray repent believe get assurances of Heaven to day I say to day and be happy for ever Dear Child 9. I must also invite you to Content in a Low Condition for which you have great furtherance as Mr. Burroughs for Contentment whose Writings are all savory But for my own thoughts they are these That though many write and speak of the Contempt of the World some cloyster up themselves from it yet very few are Masters of this Art which the Apostle himself had been long learning Constitution Age Experience Parts Afflictions Fulness Honor Glory will
like the Squiril leaping from Tree to Tree and Bough to Bough Be much at Home and you will find work enough as long as you keep Christ and sin before you you will have work enough for your Thoughts and if your Fancy be not well fed your Thoughts like Milstones will grinde themselves Spirits rais'd and not imploy'd will torment the Witch that rais'd them And if you set not your self on work the Devil will mark but the several Trees of fruit or others they grow in their own roots and change not Be content to be a shrub Cedars will shake and never desire to be near Greatness Honour often dies grinning and ghastly Our business must be our own as well as our Crosses To meddle with other mens work will be thankless as to take other mens Physick will be useless if not dangerous An hours Idleness is a sin as well as an hours Drunkenness Few mens feet stand before Princes because few mens hands are diligent The Maid was possest because the Devil found her in his own house viz. a Play-house The Busie-body is but a Pedler to carry up and down and vend the Devils Wares How few lose any thing by quietness and doing their own work Their sweet sleep commends it David got his great wound upon this neglect and Peter his by warming his Hands when he should have been breaking his heart in secret Oh keep home keep home I speak experience to you who never found good hour but in mine own work Nor doth this cut off works of Love or Charity which must be attended in their seasons and by their Rules The cure of this evil lies much in Studying duty the end of your Creation being the practice of Saints that though you work here ease is in Heaven all your labour is little enough for your own business be alwayes ready to say I am where the Lord would have me to be How bitter is the remembrance of good hours ill spent How cuting of time lost Death knows no distance whether King or Bishop or Pawn all at the end of the Game is put into one Bag the Grave Be doing your own work what ever your condition be Tell me what our blessed Lord did but the work he was sent about Be like him in this as in all things else and that Spirit of the Lord Jesus be with thee My dear Heart 13. Through your whole course let Truth have its way and do not make Lyes your Refuge they will mock you in the end Mr Reynor and others have written largely about the words and the Tongue but none to James the Apostle You see I do not load you in any thing with Heathens Fathers Poets and their Apothegms which are many in these Cases which I purposely avoid as tickling the ear when often they reach not the heart A Schollar yea a School-boy may gather them but the Truth of God set on by his Spirit must make you consistent All the World is hung with lyes and all of man Proclaims so much Cloaths Meats Trades Salutations yea our Profession of Religion All men are Lyers and all things on this side Christ a Lie The Prince of the Ayre makes it his work who was the Father of Lies Christ calls for Yea and Nay onely I wish in Christianity we could find this Christianity Heathenâ— and Turks shame us it is the blot of the Nation as if we were Lyars in the Womb the sin even lives and dyes with us you may not tell a Lye for God The Prophet Zechary put Peace and Truth together as if they could not be asunder Zech 8.15 16 19. The Root is the Heart from whose abundance the Tongue speaketh Oh the falsness and deceit of this little thing Not a Breakfast for a Kite Away with that distinction of Jocous or Friendly Lyes Psal. 101. David will have no Lyer with him Truth takes in all good Religion God ownes none where it is not Hypocrisie is a Lye Friend Name Credit Estate Beauty Honour c. are full of Lyes John 6. Christ the Truth as well as Life and Way Though every untruth be not a Lye where it is not spoken with a purpose to deceive so men distinguish your care must be to trade with your heart Nathaniels heart was honest and so without guile good feed fell into an honest heart Truth is naked beware of base Coverings Let your conversation be without Guile without a Lie the Lord is the Heart-searcher Sow up your Mouth but let it be with Honestie not Policie As you never hurt your self by speaking little so will you never gain any thing by telling a Lie Let others call this sin a Virtue but do you call it by its own name and hate it as Poison Let Truth be thy Portion it will preserve you and ever say I can do nothing against the Truth dear Child 14. And what I said last urgeth me to commend Wisdom to you which is a very comprehensive word and is justified of her Children But I mean not the Wisdom of this world whether natural or artificial I intend Scripture Wisdom which is from above And this is a Light that God sets up in the Soul to direct us and affect us in our whole course Joh 28. last The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil that is Understanding If you be wise be wise for your self To have all Books in ones Head and want this Catechism in the Heart will never amount to it Many great Clerks not wise many a Statist falls short But this will make you hear Prov. 1.5 It will make you lay a sure Foundation Matth. 7. the Wise Builder This will make you provide for Changes Luke 16.8 This will make you lay in abundantly Matth. 25. the Virgins were wise This will make you bear sorrow Eccles. 7.4 And truly this is Wisdom and the Helps hereunto are to become a Fool 1 Cor. 3.18 To number your dayes that so you may apply your heart to Wisdom To beg it of God Jam. 1.5 But above all to make Christ your Wisdom 1 Cor. 1. last Oh that you were thus wise Much of Wit must be pared off before it will be usefull I have seen the wayes of it though never could pretend much to it But this I know that being unsanctified it is a sword in a mad-mans hand spends it self in vanity foolish jesting abuse of those who are weaker than our selves yea often to play with the blessed Word of God But this Wisdom will guide preserve honour you How doth Solomon admire it in the Proverbs bids you seek it love it follow after it and this is Christ himself You shall never have comfort in suffering for Folly therefore see the plague and hide which hath invited some so to do often Experience which is the observation of many Events will help you much in this study be much in the Word which will make you wise to Salvation Let your Companions
about God before they change about his Waies I could be very large in this accounting it my very great Mercie that temptation never led me from that Honest Old Godly Puritane Profession of the everlasting truths of the Gospel Secondly Inquire whether they have been carried more to God and Holiness since their change For that which comes from God will carry us to God but if onely to Pride Censuring Libertinisme c. you know what to make of it Beware of Leaven of the Pharises Christ saies for Leaven will sowre the Dough will swell it will harden it and these you meet with in mens spirits leavened with Error Where men once leave the Rule there will be no end of their running till they come to Atheism Therfore stand in awe of God and fear him alwaies Hold to the Word as to Life Question not Truths Look to your Company Value the meanest Ordinance You will need all Be very low and humble before the Lord and Grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3 18. My dear Child 24. And because the first Child that appears in view of this Jesabel the Mother of Mischief Errour so called by John Rev. 2.20 is about the Sabbath either wholly slighting it or counting it Jewish or our day not the right day not the Seventh yea that every day is a Sabbath with the like I mean besides all such as profanely look upon it as a day of Sport Pleasure and Vanity I think it my duty to Charge you as ever you mean or hope to enjoy that everlasting Rest hereafter that you would value the Sabbath Read Dod and others about it I do not remember that I have ever met with a truly Godly gracious soul that lived above or beyond this The first Commandment sets up the true God The second his Worship according to his own will The third his Reverence and Honour and The fourth Time the seventh part of Time for him is holy Time Works of Necessity and Charity not crossing that Holiness I say the seventh part of Time because it is Night in one place when Day in another which Time begins at the Evening as Time is distinguished into Daies Gen. 1. And though the Questions about the Sabbath and Baptism breed much Dispute in the World yet we must Study to know Gods Will in both I must say more to you Where the Sabbath is at an undervallue in any Country say it be France Holland Germany c. there you shall find Religion low and at best wasting it self into Disputes But know that England which is most famous for Religion got it from the Sabbaths upon which day the Lord is pleased as Princes by their Almoners to give out his Gifts and Craces to the sons of men I was a witness that Middleburgh in Zealand grew famous for Religion by Teeling their Preacher fetching the keeping of the Sabbath from England Certainly the Fourth Commandment is the Key to all the rest for how shall the rest be practised if not taught and how taught if not time allowed and what time more likely to carry a Blessing than Gods Appointment It were as good to take down Ministry and all Ordinances as to take down the Sabbath The wonders of God have born witness as Burton and others write against the Breakers of it Wherefore look well about you Isa. 58.13 Love the Lord in his Sabbaths as you would have rest hereafter Look to this Rest here and remember the Sabbath that is Prepare for it all the week long especially the Evening before The Jewes had two Preparations to the Sabbath at Three and Six Do you keep on and gather home all Affections to wait upon the Work and let the day be dear to you The God of Sabbath be yours dear Child 25. The Premises considered I should a little open what I mean by Free Grace to which I send you so often for succour in Cases and truly it hath been much spoken of and as much abused as if men from thence might take leave for any evil and on the other hand also filth cast upon men that have labour'd to hold it forth for which Dr. Crisp suffered also and some of that mind who meant faithfully to the Church of Christ and have written much for the abasement of the Creature and lifting up Grace I wish we may judge right judgement of all men and things But a little Practically to cast in something to profit you The Grace so spoken of should mainly be minded as the Root and Fruits of the New Covenant Jer. 31. and that in Hos. 2. 19 20 c. Which you will find lie upon two-Parties Christ and the poor Believer and Christ to be considered in a double Act of his First In his loving or rather manifesting his love in time to the soul And Secondly In passing over that Right he hath in himself to the believing soul Answerable whereunto the soul first from Christs love is warm'd to love again and from his bounty in his second Act turns over all the soul hath to the Lord Jesus Christ whether Name Estate Wit Parts yea all its Interests Now Christ thus loving the soul and giving himself upon no Meritorious or procuring Cause on the souls side is called Free Grace indeed when the Father shall freely give his Son and the Son freely his Heart-blood and the Spirit freely all its operations and make a free Covenant of grace and mercy to pardon all sin to receive a sinner into his bosom without money or price nay not to offer any thing of his own either Duty or Righteousness Isa. 55.1 this call Free Grace though when Christ comes to manifest this he by the Law gets Parly with the sinner he means to save by some uncouth waies and often very cross to flesh and blood which makes the work hard to judge of at first yet be assured that the whole work will be Free in the Whole Frame of it But because this point is of such singular concernment and that I have formerly delighted to speak to others touching the same and would have the comfort of it my self I shall let you know what I know about the order of the working hereof that you mistake not 26. And in the letting you in this Light to give you the summe of true practical Divinity and therefore observe with diligence That when a discovery is made of this Love to the sinner the Lord Jesus makes a double approach to the soul the first is by the Law where he takes three steps And first by the Law he stops the sinner in his course and makes him to see sin in the very nature of it not in the Hell onely and consequence but in that it separates the soul from the greatest good Romans 7.7 And Secondly makes the soul bear the burden and weight of it which makes David himself cry out often and so others It pincheth hard where sin hath got time and strength c. Thirdly it lets
the soul to know that he is not able to satisfie Divine justice and so the Law may be called a School-master to Christ though the Text leads to the Ceremonial the Ceremonies being the Gospel of the Jewes These three steps of Love Christ takes in the Law by his first approach Secondly In his Gospel approach he takes these steps First He holds forth himself to the sinner a Mediator of the New Covenant and a free pardoner of sin this keeps the soul from despair Secondly He lets you know that he is as able and as willing as ever to do it Colos. 1.19 c. This keeps the soul in heart and hope Thirdly By that which they call the Reflex Act he brings home a particular Promise of grace to the soul as Revel. 3.17 and the Spirit of Christ thus argues He that is athirst must freely come But saies the Spirit Thou art thirstie Therefore come freely Thus I use to say A pitiful nasty ragged fatherless friendless Child is lying dying in a ditch A noble bountiful hand means to save him and adopt him first sends a servant to awaken him and bring him to his Court-gate then bids another let him in a third to wash him and put him on clean clothes another to read him the Order of his House another to set him at Table with his Children another to shew him his present and future estate Thus the Spirit of Humiliation first wakens a miserable lost sinner and that by the Law and can onely bring him to the Gate Then Vocation opens the Door Then Justification puts on Christs Righteousness Sanctification teacheth him how to walk taking away the Power of sin Adoption makes him a Brother and gives him his Priviledges And Glory begun here in part by sanctifying shewes him his estate And all this hath its rise from Free Grace Ezekiel 16. for God found us in our Blood The Lord open your eyes and make this a time of Love to you dear Child 27. But whilst I speak to you of Free-grace I must let you know that in the next place I must commend unto you accurate walking as the fruits thereof and for your better understanding I commend unto you divers of the aforesaid Books so my own thoughts are that it consists in all manner of Christian Circumspection Ephes. 5.15 to look within you without you about you beneath you to all and every duty and the rather because God's eye is ever and every where upon you Oh that you could so walk so think and not only so but you have bad men observing who by your negligence may either infest your Liberties or infect you with their Evils or at best be harder drawn-on to the wayes of God by your carelesse example Adde hereunto that you have the eyes of good men upon you and if they be young Christians you may make the Wayes of God like Giants and Brazen Walls unto them carry much difficulty and discouragement with them or if ancient Christians you may send them with grief to their graves by your miscarriages and not only so but the very way of Religion is like a narrow Bridge you need step advisedly that you may keep upon it or if fall you may recover with much trouble there is great cause you should be wise for Free-grace will never teach sin nor folly which that you may have help in consider what is said from the above-said Arguments and weigh them well and not only so but study the Lives of all the Saints in Scripture and do but see what trophees of their failings sin hath hung up and Satan David's sins of Adultery and Murder Peter's Denial of his Master Hezekiah's Pride and Vanity in shewing his Treasury Jonah's Impatience and Folly with the like And see Paul's and Samuel's Integrity Phineas his Zeal Nathaniel's Truth c. On the other hand Oh walk in this Gallery among these Pictures and for your security rest not without Assurance of God's Love which will make you wary Who would endanger it much lesse forfeit it The empty Purse fears not the Thief but the full looks to every Danger every Temptation And really nothing is a greater safeguard than the freeness of this Love communicated to the Soul stay you no-where on this side of it it will keep you steady in a trembling world Thus may you walk and from this blessed Principle dear Child 28. And that all this may be carried-on and is property the life of Faith remember That the hardest thing in the world is To believe in Jesus Christ to these and all other good ends Faith is a short word and easily spoken but Oh how hard is it in the nature of it when if ever the Lord works it in us he findes nothing not a spark of it till he comes nay he finds us opposit to the work of it nay he finds us unwilling to be made willing to close with the offer of Christ though made so freely Hypocrisie and all evil hath its fountain here we believe not all the other graces sink when this fails all must have its cure we bind the lame arm we anoint it we warmit and yet nothing helps because it is out of joynt Oh we believe not Anger rageth Lust provokes Covetousness cozens c. and all is We believe not Nature cannot reach this Art cannot compasse it to look near 1700 years back upon the Son of Mary who was the Son of God lived not forty years preached but three years and half reproached home to his grave and to believe in him for a Savior I say this must be the work of another world and the outstretched Arm of God See Ephes. 1.18 19 20 c. To believe that another will pay all my debts and become poor to make me rich to dye to make me live Oh Miracle of Mercy My Child to believe things incredible to hope things delayed and to love God when he seems angry are Luthers wonders and mine and thine It is unbelief is that death in the pot that lifts up sense that brings an ill report of God that overhastens our mercies and sets God a time for our deliverances Faith is the gift of God and the greatest which overcomes difficulties sets Mercy to work against Justice fetcheth the work done either by without or against Means throws Mountains into the Sea A little little grain like Mustard-seed will do Wonders enliven a dead heart save even a damned soul for such we are This will not be had without the Word and Spirit Rom. 10.17 and the Glory of it See Heb. 11. for this hear beg pray weep fast seek labour strive use violence read ask wish sigh and if you do believe the Lord help your unbelief dear Child 29. In the next which looks like the last indeed I must give you my thoughts about Death which certainly must be your portion though young and I must tell you it is a great word to say I dare dye many Books and
be the Children of Wisdom Judge of all things by this Wisdom which will make you look upon them by Eternity To the only wise God I commend you dear Child 15. There are two very great Turns in mans Life the one is a lawful Calling the other is Marriage and miscarriages in either are almost irrecoverable For the former I must say the lesse because of your sex though your present condition may lead you to the service of others and then know Fidelity and Diligence are your duties your time and parts will then be anothers not your own Eye-service will not be acceptable to God or man much lesse comfortable to your self Many have written upon this subject as Dr. Gouge and others For Marriage though your present estate according to the world renders you many wayes hopeless yet your times are in Gods hands and daily Experience with my own will let you know that as it is the joyning together of one Man and one Woman lawfully in an indissolvable bond either for an help procreation of Children which were before the Fall or a remedy against Sin since that so it hath many Concernments in it where Goodness and Sutableness are the primary ingredients And as the Husbands duty is Love Teaching Providing Honouring c. So the Wifes must be Subjection suitable to that Love in all the parts of it And these dnties need mutual supports And this Conjugateness like a yoke must still be lin'd with more Love to make the draught easie Against this Love the Devil and Temptations will be striving People so engaged need a Standard even the Word to be set up to guide all by They need to observe each others spirits They need to pray out not quarrel out their first brablings They need at first to dwell much in their own duties before they step into each others When Repentance comes too late the best is to be made of the present condition Read Pro. 31. Oh the bitterness of unequal Matches Oh their ruine and misery I ever left you free and do only marry in and for the Lord The sensual part of that condition can never answer the incumbrances may attend it Let Christ be your Husband and he will provide you one to his own liking do nothing herein without Prayer Scripture and Counsel The Lord love you My dear Child 16. For the World I mean the People in it and that part of it the Lord hath set you in I have very much to say because my days in it are not a few as we account Believe our Saviour and the Word Joh. 16. last and you will find that in the World you shall have Tribulation and your passage out of it must be through many Tribulations and Persecutions too if you will live godly The World loves her own You must look upon it as your Enemy and use it so take what you may lawfully from it and imbrace not this present World It will kisse you and kill you like a Sea of Glasse it soon cracks though it glisters and when you have Iron shooes that tread upon it how soon may you drop in The World will give you no more credit than you have of the World to maintain it and therfore whilst you are in the World though you may know many yet be acquainted with few and even trust none Be sure you get nothing unlawfully it hath fire in it to destroy Sweat is our portion here below and whatsoever is gained by your own labour will be sweetest dearest and of longest continuance with you And do not borrow You may wonder why the World is generally imbittered to God's Children and why the way to Canaan was paved with so many difficulties Oh know it is to keep us humble to draw forth the exercise of his Attributes viz. Power Wisdom Mercy and the exercise of our gifts graces Prayer Faith Patience c. he will have the use of what he hath given yea hereby Heaven is made dear and sweet to us the storm commends the haven prison liberty sickness health and sin and sorrow Heaven where the double vail of Corruption and Affliction shall be taken off and we shall be with the Lord for ever Many dying men speak much about the Vanity of the World But truly as I would not die in a pet so I would not quarrel with or leave the World because I could be no greater in it but because I not do nor be better in it and that God is pleased I should leave it for a better I wish I had never been vain in a vain World but I appeal to and plead with Christ for my peace So use the World as if you used it not for the World hath a principle of decay in all the glory of it Dote not on it my poor Child 17. And whilest I am in the World and advising about it there is a great Raritie in the World if you could reach it and that is a Friend which is a Commoditie so very scarce that it will be your wisdom so to look upon a Friend this day as likely to be an Enemy to morrow How manie sad Experiences can I witness to of this kind yea in these times and changes Fair Dove-coats have most Pigeons Lost Estates know no Friends Joh and all the Saints complain David sadly Paul had none to stand by him You see most men now are either upon their own securitie or preferments one cries My Friend betrayed me another My Friend failed me and some cry All flesh is false and much I could say but that other causes are to be attended above instrumental They say Two may keep counsel if one be away So hard it is to get a Friend and if you have many you have hardly any The Friend I commend is a Soul-friend which you will never find among Children Fools or Prophane An Experienced Christian Friend I intend who must have three qualifications he or she must have the art and skill of a Friend few know it must have the bowels and mercie of a Friend which most want and lastly must have Faithfulness the great ingredient if such an one you can find you shall enjoy their Experiences freely you shall constantly be carried to God in their Prayers you shall have sympathie and help in your troubles The Spirit of Christ is a healing saving Spirit and such is theirs To such open your heart clearly who will never upbraid you for Confessions and know when Foundations shake you will need a Master-builder or Workman such is a good Friend and wise To get such an one must be your care and to keep must be your diligence Walk not unworthy of the mercy if you gain it Kinsman will not make it no nor a Brother though born for adversitie Your hopes may be these if the Lord promise When your wayes please him your Enemies shall be at peace with you He can raise a Friend and Himself be your best Friend To whom I