meane time his Royall Throne here vpon Earth Isai. 57. 15. what can Man or Deuill or any distrustfull heart say against it And why shouldest thou being such an one be so vnmannerly and vnthankfull nay so vnnecessarily cruell to thine owne heauy heart as not to open the euerlasting doore of thy soule by the key of Faith to let the King of glory knocking with his hand of mercy come in and crowne it with grace and glory with comfort and euerlasting peace II. But alas sayes hee my sinnes are moe then any mans Now when I am searching into the sinke of them I can finde neither banke nor bottome Vnnumbred swarmes of grosse impieties and iniquities thorow my whole life of abominable impurities and pollutions which haue continually defiled my mind heart and affections armed with seuerall stings of terrour doe so restlesly presse vpon my wounded conscience and oppresse it that I cannot I dare not thinke vpon or looke towards any comfort Let them bee what they are and adde thereunto all the sinnes which haue are and shall bee committed by all the sonnes and daughters of Adam from the Creation to the end of the World excepting sinne against the holy Ghost and yet in an hart truly humbled vnder them heartily hating them all cōming with a sincere spirituall hunger at Christs Call to bee disburdened of them they can make no more resistance against the mercies of God then a little sparke of fire against the mighty Sea rhrowne into the midst of it nay infinitely lesse For all these sinnes would still be finite both in nature and number but Gods mercies are euery way infinite Now betweene that which is finite and that which is infinite there is no proportion and so no possibilitie of resistance Whence it is that the Prophet inuiting his people to repentance Esa. 55. 7. by assuring them of Gods sweet mercifull and gracious disposition lest any too fearefull and deiected spirit vndervaluing Gods mercy should thinke thus within it selfe Bee it so yet alas my sinnes are so many and such a sonne of Belial haue I been and so endlesly prouoked the glory of his pure eye that I can expect no mercy the pollutions of my youth haue been so prodigious and infectious that I haue no face to presse vnto his Throne of Grace c. God himselfe doth there purposely preuent the obiection and speaking to our capacitie which cannot comprehend infinity replyes to this sence Oh say not so Stay all such despairefull thoughts doe not cast the incomprehensiblenes of my mercy in the narrow mould of thy finite shallow conceite doe not so vnworthily abridge and confine the vnlimited and boundlesse compassion of the mighty Lord of Heauen and Earth For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes For as the Heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts Many a bruised reede would not exchange the comfort which the weakest faith may extract out of this sweetest place for all the Kingdomes of the earth For he saith not that his wayes and thoughts of knowledge and wisdome but his wayes and thoughts of mercy are as farre aboue ours as the Heauens are aboue the Earth Indeed as himselfe is aboue man which is infinitely But take notice by the way that the mercies of God doe exercise this infinite vnresistable power onely in truly humbled beleeuing soules heartily hating and sincerely set against all sinne I say so lest any impenitent should peruert this precious point or trample vpon this Pearle For as in such a soule no sinnes either for number or notoriousnesse can possibly withstand or stand before Gods infinite mercies so not one drop of all those infinite merceis belongs vnto any that goes on willingly and delightfully hating to bee reformed in any one knowne sinne or that he might know and wilfully forbeares to bee informed As the vnualuable blood of Christ turnes the very scarlet sinnes of the truly broken beleeuing heart into whitest snow so it will neuer wash away the least sinfull staine from the proud heart of any vnhumbled Pharise Let none therefore that goes on still in his trespasses take vp any vaine confidence or mis-grounded conclusion of false comfort from hence by misconceiuing thus Is it so that the infinitenesse of Gods mercy cannot bee resisted by the greatnesse or multitude of sinnes being euer finite both in their number and nature how is it possible then that I should misse of those infinites mercies Why may not I comfortably hope that my sinnes also shall be swallowed vp in that bottomlesse Sea I will tell thee why As the power of God though it be infinite yet is limited by his will so the mercies of God though they bee infinite are regulated by his truth He is able to make millions of Worlds moe but yet wee see his Will was but to create one His mercies transcend with immeasurable distance the height of Heauen and depth of Hell and are indeed as Himselfe infinite but his Truth hath told vs that none shall haue part in them but those alone who repent and beleeue Gods Truth reuealed in his Word must euer confine the current of his compassions and is the touchstone to try and qualifie those to whom his mercies belong See then what kind of people are partakers of Gods infinite mercies by the testimony of that Word of Truth by which we must be iudged at the last Day Prou. 28. 13. Luke 4. 18. Isai. 61. 1 2 3. Psal. 15. Ezek. 18. 21. Psal. 147. 3. Isai. 55. 7. Psal. 34. 18. Salomon saith in the cited place Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy How then can he expect any mercy who takes them not to heart but lyes in them still III. Of the pardonablenesse of my other sinnes saith another I could bee reasonably well perswaded but alas there is one aboue all the rest which now vpon discouery and remorse I finde to be full of ranke and hellish poyson of such a deepe and damnable die to haue strooke so desperately in the dayes of my lewdnesse at the very face of God himselfe and farre deepelier into the heart of Iesus Christ then the speare that pierced him bleeding vpon the Crosse and thereupon at this present stares in the eye of my newly awaked and wounded conscience with such horror and grieslinesse that I feare mee diuine iustice will thinke it fitter to haue this most loathsome inexpiable staine rather at length fired out of my soule with euerlasting flames if it were possible that eternall fire could expiate the sinfull staines of any impenitent damned soule then to bee fairely washed away in the meane time with His blood whom I so cruelly and cursedly pierced with it Oh! this is it that lies now vpon my heart like a mountaine of Lead farre heauier then Heauen and Earth and enchaines it with inexplicable terrour to the dust and
of a compleate Christian 1. Honestie 2. Vprightnesse 3. Pietie And they receiue much excellency and lustre from a circumstance of time In his generations which were many and mainly corrupt Without any further vnfolding my Texts coherence and dependance vpon either precedent or following parts for Historicall passages are plainer and doe not euer exact the length and labour of such an exact resolution as other Scriptures doe I collect from the first point wherein I finde Gods free grace to bee the prime and principall cause of Noahs preseruation this Note Doct. The free grace and fauour of God is the first moouer and fountaine of all our good Consider for this purpose such places as these Ier. 31. 3. Hos. 14. 4. Deut. 7. 7 8. Rom. 9. 11 12 13. Ioh. 3. 16. Ios. 24. 2 3. Ephes. 1. 5. And it must needs bee so For it is vtterly impossible that any finite cause created power or any thing out of Himselfe should primarily mooue and incline the eternall immutable increated omnipotent will of God The true originall and prime motiue of all gracious bountifull expressions and effusions of loue vpon His Elect is His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His merum beneplacitum The good pleasure of His will And therefore to hold that election to life is made vpon foresight of faith good workes the right vse of free-will or any created motiue is not only false and wicked but also an ignorant and absurd Tenent To say no more at this time it robs God of his All-sufficiencie making Him goe out of Himselfe looking to this or that in the creature vpon which His will may bee determined to elect The Schoole-men tho otherwise a rotten generation of Diuines yet are right in this 1. That distinction which I learne from my Master in his heauenly Sermons published since his death doth leade vnto aright and truely inlighten this Head-spring of all our good 1. Some actions of Gods loue vnto vs saith he are so in Christ that they are wholly suspended on Him and His merits are the onely procuring cause of them For example Forgiuenesse of sinnes is an action of Gods loue vnto vs and yet this wholly depends vpon Christ and his merits so that His precious Blood must either procure this mercy for vs from God else they will neuer bee forgiuen and this and the like loue of God is both in Christ and for Christ. 2. There are some other actions of Gods loue which arise meerely and onely out of the absolute will of God without any concurrence of Christs merits As the eternall purpose of God whereby Hee hath determined to chuse some men to saluation this is an action of Gods loue meerely rising out of His absolute will without Christs merits For Christ is a Mediatour and all his merits are the effects of his loue not the cause of it And yet this loue though it be not for Christ yet is it in Christ Ephes. 3. 11. According to the eternall purpose which hee wrought in Christ Iesus our Lord that is in regard of the execution of it for euen this eternall purpose and all the actions of Gods loue which arise from his absolute Will are effected and brought to passe in and through Christ. 3. Wee may take an estimate of the absolute and infinite frankenesse of this vnconceiueable loue of God to his which reacheth from euerlasting to euerlasting by looking vpon that goodly faire sweete amiable creature described Ezechiel 16. In the beginning of the Chapter shee lies most filthy and foule tumbling in her owne blood pittied by no eye abhorred of all which loathsomnesse should rather haue begot loathing then loue auersion and hate then affection and liking yet God Himselfe doth there professe out of a melting pang and ouer-flowing abundance of His free grace that that time was vnto Him the time of loue Hee spred his skirt ouer her and couered her nakednesse In a word after she was dressed and adorned with Gods most skilfull mercifull hand she became a most louely thing First washed with water cleansed from blood anointed with oyle then cloathed with broidered worke shod with Badgers skinne girded about with fine linnen couered with silke decked with ornaments of siluer and gold with bracelets vpon her hands a chaine on her necke a iewell on her forehead earerings in her eares and a beautifull Crowne vpon her head fedde with fine flower honie and oyle so that she became exceeding beautifull and renowned through the whole World for her perfect comelinesse euen mine owne comelinesse which I put vpon her saith the Lord God Uses 1. All praise then is due vnto Iehoua the Author of all our good the Fountaine of all our blisse the Well-spring of immortalitie and life whereby we liue and moue and haue our being our naturall being the beeing of our outward state our gracious being the euerlastingnesse of our glorious state Were the holiest heart vpon earth enlarged to the vast comprehension of this great Worlds widenesse nay made capable of all the glorious and magnificent Hallelu-iahs and hearty praises offered to Iehoua both by all the militant and Triumphant Church yet would it come infinitely short of sufficiently magnifying admiring and adoring the inexplicable mysterie and bottomles depth of this free independant mercy and loue of God the Fountaine and first Moouer of all our good We may and are bound to blesse God for all the meanes instruments and second causes whereby it pleaseth God to conferre and conuey good things vnto vs but we must rest principally with lowliest thoughts of most humble and heartiest praisefulnesse at the Well-head of all our welfare Iehoua blessed for euer Wee receiue a great deale of comfort and refreshment from the Moone and Starres but wee must chiefly thanke the Sunne from the greater Riuers also but the maine Sea is the Fountaine Angels Ministers and Men may pleasure vs but Iehoua is the principall Let vs then imitate those Lights of Heauen and Riuers of the Earth do all the good wee can with those good things God hath giuen vs by his instruments and then reflect backe towards and returne all the glory and praise vnto the Sunne of righteousnesse and Sea of our saluation The beames of the Moone and Starres returne as farre-backe to glorifie the face of the Sunne which gaue them their beauty as they can possibly vntill they be reflected or determine by necessarie expiration the Sunnes eiaculatorie power being finite Let vs semblably euer send backe to Gods owne glorious Selfe the honour of all His gifts by a fruitfull improouement of them in setting forth His glory and by continuall feruent eiaculations of praise to the vtmost possibilitie of our gracious hearts And here I cannot hold but must needs most iustly complaine of the hatefull intolerable vnthankefulnesse of vs in this Kingdome the happiest people vnder the Cope of Heauen had we hearts enlarged to conceiue aright of Gods extraordinary loue and such miraculous mercies
Duels c And was not the discouery and deliuerance from the Powder-plot that great astonishment of Men and Angels one of the most vnparalelled and mercifull Miracles that euer the Church of God tasted Is it not admirable in the eyes of all Christendome that the only Daughter of our King vnworthily hunted vp and downe like a Partridge in the Mountaines should with such Heroicall height of spirit passe thorow so many insupportable dangers difficulties and indignities impossible to be forced vpon Ladies by generous spirits and as impossible to bee borne and ouercome but by an inuincible spirit and that Shee and all her Royall little Ones should bee still safe in the golden Cabinet of Gods sweetest prouidence And to crowne all with a wonder of greatest astonishment doe not we all that are the Kings faithfullest Subiects almost feare still lest we be in a dreame that Prince Charles the Flowre of Christendome should returne home so To say no more Away then with all sowre melancholike causelesse sinfull discontent And Praise ye the Lord sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of the Saints Let Israel reioyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be ioyfull in their King For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people Hee will beautifie the meeke with saluation Let the Saints be ioyfull in glory let them sing aloud vpon their beds In a word let vs of this Iland as we haue iust cause aboue all the Nations of the earth and aboue all Ages of the Church from the very first creation of it praise Iehoua most heartily infinitely and for euer 2. Neuer hit any in the teeth with deformity of bodie dulnesse of conceit weaknesse of wit poorenesse in outward state basenesse of birth c. For who makes thee to differ from another Either In naturall gifts as comelines of body beauty feature stature wit strength c. See Iob 10. 10 11. Psal. 139. 13 14 15. In ciuill endowments or any artificiall skill vntill it come euen vnto matters of Husbandry See Esay 28. 26. In outward things see Psalm 127. More particularly in preferment and promotion see Psal. 75. 6 7. In children 1. Sam. 1. 27. Psal. 127. 3. In a good wife see Prou. 19. 14. In spirituall things see Ezech. 16. In any thing thou canst name We are all framed of the same mold hewed out of the same Rocke made as it were of the same cloth the sheares as they say onely going betweene it is therefore onely the free loue and grace of God which makes all the difference Whereupon it was an excellent speech of the last French King as his Chronicler reports When I was borne there were a thousand other soules more borne what haue I done vnto God more then they It is his meere grace and mercie which doth often bind me more vnto his iustice for the faults of great men are neuer small Let none then I say ouer-looke disdaine or brow-beate their brethren by reason of any extraordinarinesse of gifts eminency of parts singularitie of Gods speciall fauour or indulgence towards him in any good thing which he denies to others Especially thy selfe being vouchsafed the mercy of conuersion neuer insolently and imperiously insult ouer those poore soules who are beside themselues in matter of saluation who like miserable drudges damne themselues in the Deuils slauery and suffer their corrupt nature to carrie them to any villanie lust or lewd course Alas our hearts should bleed within vs to behold so many about vs to imbrew their cruell hands in the bloud of their owne soules by their ignorance worldlinesse drunkennesse lust lying scoffing at profession hating to be reformed c. What heart except it be hewed out of the hardest rocke or hath suckt the brests of mercilesse Tygers but would yerne and weepe to see a man made of the same mold with himselfe wilfully as it were against the Ministery of the Word a thousand warnings and Gods many compassionate inuitations to cast himselfe body and soule into the endlesse easelesse and remedilesse miseries of Hell And the rather should we pittie and pray for such an one who followes the swinge of his owne heart to his owne euerlasting perdition because as I said before there went but the sheares betweene the matter whereof we were all made onely the free mercy goodnesse and grace of God makes the difference If he should giue vs ouer to the vnbridled current of our corrupt nature wee might be as bad and run riot into a world of wickednesse as well as he if the same God visit him in mercy he might become euery way as good or better then we 3. If the free loue of God bee the fountaine of all our good away then with that fained fore-sight of faith right vse of free-will good workes which should mooue God to elect before all eternitie and that Luciferian selfe-conceite of present merit fit monstrous broode of that Beast of Rome who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God For workes meritorious fore-seene are equally opposite to Grace as workes meritorious really existing Here you must cal to mind those eight considerations which I opposed against that wicked Tenent of Merit which doth iustly merit neuer to taste of Gods free mercy From the second point in these words These are the generations of Noah whereas the fame and memoriall of all the Families vpon Earth besides lay buried and rotting in the gulfe of euerlasting obliuion as their bodies in the vniuersall graue of Waters the family of Noah a righteous and holy man is not onely preserued in safetie from the generall Deluge but his generations registred and renowned in the Booke of God and conueyed along towards the Lord Iesus as his Progenitors and precedent Royall Line I obserue this point Doct. Personall goodnesse is a good meanes to bring safety honour and many comfortable blessings vpon posteritie see Deut. 5. 29. Exod. 20. 6. Psal. 37. 26. Prou. 20. 7. and 11. 21. Psal. 112. 1 3. Act. 2. 39. Reas. 1. Parents professing Religion in truth make conscience of praying for their children before they haue them as did Isaac Hannah When they are quicke in the wombe as did Rebeckah When they are borne as did Zachariah In the whole course of their life as did Iob At their death as did Isaack And prayers we know are for the purchasing of all fauour at the hands of God either for our selues or others the most vndoubted soueraigne meanes we can possibly vse 2. Godly Parents doe infinitely more desire to see the true feare of God planted in their childrens hearts then if it were possible the Imperiall Diadem of the whole Earth set vpon their heads And therefore their principall care is and the Crowne of their greatest ioy would bee by good example religious education daily instruction louing admonitions seasonable reproofes restraint from wicked company the
making Gods people as Musike at Feasts merry meetings and cursed conuenticles of Good-fellowship and such other rotten ribald and Bedlam talke which because they are the knowne and proper language of the sonnes of Belial the dung froth and damned euaporations of drunken wits Christians whom alone I labour to direct in this poynt are not in such danger of and therefore I haue nothing to doe with them at this time III. Pray for and practise an holy and discreete dexteritie to diuert and draw from prophane and wicked or too much worldly and ordinarie talke to more sauoury conference and heauenly discourse Me thinks it is great pitty that Professours should euer meete without some talke of their meeting in heauen or of the blessed meanes and wayes that leade thereunto before they part Yet many times such a deadnesse and dampe of zeale and heauenly-mindednesse haunts euen the holiest hearts in these vnhappie dayes of securitie and forme worldly matters Talke of others or some more remarkeable accidents and affaires abroad speculatiue curiosities some ceremoniall vnseasonable controuersies or other such like impertinencies in one kinde or other take vp and ingrosse euen from Gods children too much of many golden seasons which might preciously serue by their mutuall diuing with more Christian edifying discourse into the great mysterie of godlinesse and walkes of Christianitie to nourish and increase amongst them much spirituall warmth comfort and resolution against all vngodly oppositions and to build vp one another in their most holy Faith acquaintance with temptations experimentall knowledge more comfortable walking with God c. To confront this common mischiefe and Mar-conference at Christian meetings come vnto them prepared as I aduised before page 86 87. But if the company bee contrary-minded and vn-inured to the language of Canaan exercise and interpose all thy wit courage authoritie and eloquence to draw them from the dunghill of rotten talke and by a wise plausible diuersion and modestly ouer-ruling transition carry the current of their present discourse all thou canst towards some Heauenly good and spirituall end 1. To which end obserue and apprehend all opportunities and occurrences which may minister matter of digression into diuine talke and acquaint thy selfe with the Arte of abstracting sacred instructions from the booke of the Creatures and businesses in hand It was the practise of our blessed Sauiour Vpon mention of bread Matth. 16. hee prest vpon his Disciples a disswasion from the Leauen of the Pharises when he obserued Iohn 6. a number of people to throng about him for more miraculous bread hee digressed into a most heauenly discourse of the food of life Vpon occasion of drinke being denied him by the Samaritane woman Iohn 4. hee forgetting his wearinesse hunger and thirst labours to allure her to the well head of euerlasting happinesse 2. Haue euer in a readinesse some common heads of more stirring and quickening motiues to minde heauenly things as the cursed condition of our naturall state the incomparable sweetnesse of Christian wayes the vanity and vexations of all earthly things the vncertainty and miseries of this short life the euerlastingnesse of our second state in another world the sudden executions of Gods fierce wrath vpon some notorious ones euen in this life especially those which are freshest in memory and lateliest done the terrors of death the dreadfulnesse of that last and great Day drawing on apace the horrors of a damned soule c. Mention of these things many times will strike full cold to the heart of the most swaggering and sensuall Belshazzar the most raging and roaring companions and driue the most confident and domineering worldling into his dumps Talke then of these terrible things may by Gods blessing prepare and soften sometimes the hardest hearts for some thoughts of remorse and more heauenly impressions 3. But aboue all get into thine own heart an habit of heauenly-mindednesse by much exercise entercourse and acquaintance with God in powring out of thy soule euer and anon before him in renuing and recouering thy peace and comfortable accesse vnto him vpon euery fall and checke of conscience in often contemplation and foretaste of the inexplicable sweetnesse glorie and eternitie of those Mansions aboue in diuing into the secrets of his Kingdome by the helpe of humblenesse and godly feare vpon the most sweet and soule-fatting dayes of humiliation mortifying visitations of troubled and afflicted consciences often conferences with humblest and best experienced Christians c. By priuate imployment of thy soule in solemne reflections vpon it selfe fruitfully recounting with what varietie of traines it was long detained in the state of darknesse with what delayes and tergiuersations lets and assaults it met in its way to light what bitternesse and terrors it passed thorow in the pangs of its new-birth the tentations incident to its infancie in grace progresse and growth in seuerall graces and the whole body of Christianitie relapses desertions their discoueries recoueries with all the meanes and circumstances In a word by a punctuall obseruing how God deales with it euery day Be I say thus blessedly busied at home in thine owne heart and thou shalt finde thy selfe much more pregnant and plentifull in holy talke when thou commest abroad Wee are most apt and readiest to powre out our selues in publike according to our priuate prouisions and the most predominant discourses and contemplations of the minde The conferences of free and vnreserued spirits are ordinarily nothing else but the cloathing of their ordinarie mentall conceptions and heart-secrets with familiar formes of speech Men for the most part speake most and most willingly of those things they minde most I aduise thus in this point that thou mayst be habituated and heartened with resolution and delight in the art and exercise of putting forward good talke or of diuerting and drawing towards better in case of the contrarie Otherwise thou shalt neuer bee able to hold out with constancie and courage to crosse many times the generall mirth of the company to put worldly-wisemen out of their element of all earthly talke to draw worldlings which goes most against the haire to heare of heauenly things VIII Suruey thorowly before hand with the glorious Lampe of the Word of Life and Truth watch ouer narrowly with the illightened eye of a tender conscience and euer punctually manage and conduct with the particular light of spirituall prudence euery action thou vndertakest or that shall at any time passe thorow thy hand of what kinde soeuer it be whether naturall recreatiue ciuill of mercy Religion c. To which particulars before I descend let me commend vnto thee and premise this Principle concerning actions in generall Euery truly commendable and comfortable action consists of an absolute integritie of all concurrents and requisites Or thus That which is good and lawfull must be entire I meane it in that sence as our Diuines speake of sanctification which if sauing say they must be perfect and entire though
the most worthy Saints are wofully haunted with too many distractions and violent intrusion of idle vaine and impertinent thoughts euen in holy duties religious exercises and solemne vse of the ordinances which without extraordinarie watchfulnesse and wrastling on their parts would vtterly bereaue and robbe them of all the sweetnesse power and profit of those blessed meanes and by little and little quite transforme them into forme and perfunctorinesse If in the best then and heauenliest businesses the vanity of our owne mindes and malice of the Deuill presse vpon vs with such importunitie and restlesse assaults with what furious and impetuous incursions and vastations of conscience are they like to oppresse vs in our idle houres ill spent time and pursuit of pleasures Consideration whereof me thinkes should cause Christians who alone are truely sensible of the interruption and discontinuance of their sweet communion and societie with Christ and smart many times for the estrangement of their thoughts and affections from God onely to haue recourse to recreations in case of true neede for necessitie I say and seasonably euen as they vse physicke so may they expect Gods gracious protection from the hurtfull preuailing of those sensuall distempers and licentious ranging of their thoughts which are wont to enrage and empoyson the mindes and affections of carnall men all the while and to make account so often as they are haled by the cunning ensnarement of old companions the tyrannie of former custome or vnmortified yeeldingnesse of their owne deceitfull hearts to immoderation and excesse in this kinde so often to expose their hearts by Gods iust permission as a prey to temptation and vanitie Whereby they may bee in continuall danger either by little and little to bee drawne backe and drowned againe in the froth and fooleries of their disauowed pleasures which were an horrible thing or else at least to bring vpon themselues from time to time as they transgresse in this kinde much vnnecessarie discomfort and dissettlednesse in their Christian course dis-rellish in Religious exercises deadnesse of heart disacquaintance with heauenly comforts losse of that dearest Thing and earthly Paradise peace of Conscience which perhaps they shall hardly with much adoe recouer a long time after 6. Sixthly consider Chrysostomes precisenesse against wasting time this way The present time saith he is not for melting into 〈◊〉 but for lamentation and mourning And yet doest thou vainely mis-spend it in merry conceits The Deuill gnasheth the teeth roares and foames and flashes out fire against thy saluation and doest thou sit still and Iouially iest it out Doe wee play and sport our selues Beloued Wilt thou learne the conuersation of the Saints Heare what Paul saies Act. 20. 31. By the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares 2. Cor. 2. 4. Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote vnto you with many teares 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not 2. Cor. 5. 4. For we that are in this Tabernacle doe groane being burdened And the Apostle desiring that I may so speake euery day to depart this life Doest thou laugh and play Our time here is a time of warre of fight of watch and ward of harnessing of standing in the face and fury of the enemy and doest thou demeane thy selfe like a dauncer Doest thou not see the faces of Souldiers in the fight how sad they are how contracted how terrible with frownes how full of horrour Doest thou not behold the austore piercing intention of their eyes an extraordinarie excitation of heart leaping and panting in their brests c. His meaning imports thus much Doth an ordinarie Souldier in the field against a mortal man earthly enemy recollect and vnite all the spirits and powers of body and soule with all efficacie and earnestnesse for the encounter And shall a Christian Souldier that wrastles not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses in high places who is euery moment furiously assaulted and hunted euen like a Partridge in the Mountaines by the deuils open rage the ambushment of the World and the endlesse treacheries of his owne false heart trifle away his time and turne aside to toyes 4. No incrochers vpon heauenly comforts no diminishers of our delight in God no deuourers of spirituall ioy For this is a very deare and diuine thing to bee prized and preserued as a sweet and celestiall Iewell far more worth then heauen and earth which the world can neither giue nor take from vs neither must any stranger meddle with it Wee may take an estimate of its excellency by casting our eyes vpon 1. The intolerable bitternesse of the contrary I meane spirituall horrour which we see sometimes by wofull experience doth enrage the guilty consciences of some forlorne wretches with such restlesse furies and vnutterable anguish that at length extremest I know not whether madnesse or cruelty they lay violent and villanous hands vpon themselues In which case such an hell vpon earth is horrour of conscience they care not a button for the sweetnesse of life the rufull cries of their owne deare children the heauy lookes of their yoke-fellowes the abhorred infamy they bring vpon their owne names families kindred buriall posteritie Oh how they spurne at with a vile disdainefull contempt Pleasures Riches Honours Crownes Kingdomes Worlds of gold any thing euery thing as miserable comforters Nay it is so stinging that they will rather venture vpon that other Hell to which they are posting in a Coffin of blood a thousand thousand times more horrible then endure it any longer If sence then of diuine indignation taking secret vengeance vpon the guilty conscience of an impenitent Rebell puts him as it were into hellish flames aboue ground what an heauen vpon earth is a sweet feeling of Gods reconciled face and his euerlasting mercies through Christ sealed and set on by the holy Ghost and testimonie of a good conscience And how deliciously doth an humble soule so honoured with a foretaste and first-fruits as it were of eternall ioyes graspe the Lord Iesus in his ordinances and blisfully sunne it selfe in the loue and light of His countenance 2. The practise of the prophane in their insatiable restlesse pursuite of false ioyes and painefull pleasures which at best are but as crackling of thornes vnder a pot and flashes of lightning before euerlasting fire They hunt after them euen into hell and light a candle at the Deuill for lightsoâ—…nesse of heart by haunting Ale-houses Tauerneâ—… Brothel-houses Play-houses Conuenticles of good-fellowship sinfull and vnseasonable sports a thousand kinds of vanities and fooleries which are nothing but the Deuils Wakes and reuellings of Hell And all this little poore carnall mirth is purchased many times with much shame losse misery beggery rottennesse of body discredit damnation At what an high
owne heart they are no better then the cutting off of a Dogges necke or the sacrifice of a foole Ill gotten goods are for restitution not for distribution Lest any couetous cauiller thinke the point too harsh precise heare what the ancient Fathers say to this purpose Bernard God receiueth not any almes at the hands of an oppressor or vsurer Hierome Significantly saith the Prophet His owne bread lest men should turne bread gotten by oppression and Vsury into a worke of Mercy Austin When God shall begin to iudge those that liue now by fraud and giue almes of the spoyles of the oppressed will say Lord we haue kept thy Commandements and in thy name wee haue done workes of mercy we haue fed the Hungry we haue clothed the Naked and entertained Strangers To whom God will reply You tell me what you haue giuen but you tell me not what you haue taken away You recount whom you haue fed but why remember you not whom you haue vndone They reioyce whom you haue clothed but they lament whom you haue spoyled c. A man is filled with bread whom thou feedest with spoyle but the Lord will blesse not thee but him whom thou hast vndone c. Chrysostome But what is the excuse of many I haue indeed been an Vsurer say they but I haue also been good to the poore A sweete piece of matter sure But God accepts not such sacrifices It were farre better to giue nothing to the poore at all then giue in that manner That wealth which is wonne by thy iust labours is many times quite mard with such wicked mixtures c. The very Heathen man tells vs That the poore are not to be fed like the Whelpes of wilde beasts with blood and murther rapine and spoile but that which is most acceptable to the receiuers they should know that that which is giuen vnto them is not taken from any body else Nay one of the bloodiest men that euer breathed Selymus a Turkish Emperour yet vpon his bed of death replyed thus to his Bassa moouing him with the wealth taken from the Persian Merchants to build an Hospitall for reliefe of the poore Wouldest thou Pyrrhus that I should bestow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them vpon workes of charitie and deuotion for mine owne vaine glory and praise Assuredly I will neuer doe it nay rather see they bee againe restored vnto the right owners Which was done forthwith accordingly to the great shame saith the Author of many Christians who minding nothing lesse then restitution but making ex rapina holocaustum doe out of a world of euill gotten goods cull out some small fragments to build some poore Hospitall or mend some blinde way A poore testimony of their hot charitie Wretchedly then doe they delude the World and deceiue their owne soules who vainely thinke that some workes of mercy at last when they must needs leaue all will expiate and recompence the cruelties and vnconscionable dealings of their whole life before Zacheus penitent Proclamation consisted of two branches Luk. 14. 8. As well for restitution as distribution He that would find the same mercy must follow the same methode 3. Let thy desire and delight neuer fall or be fastened immoderately vpon any earthly thing though neuer so excellent delicious or amiable For exorbitancy and errour this way brings many times 1. A losse of the thing so doted vpon 2. Sometime a crosse 3. Euer a curse 1. For the first our righteous and holy God when hee â—…ees the current of his creatures affections to bee carried inordinately and preposterously from the Fountaine of liuing waters vpon boken Cisternes that can hold none from the bottomlesse treasury of all sweetest beauties dearest excellencies amiable delights vpon painted shadowes from the Rocke of eternitie vpon a staffe of Reede I meane from the Creator vpon the creature He wisely and seasonably in the equitie of his Iustice and out of the iealousie of his owne Glorie takes away that earthly Idoll that the occasion of such irregular affection remoued he may draw the heart in which he principally takes pleasure to his owne glorious Selfe the onely Load-Starre of all sanctified loue and boundlesse Ocean of happinesse and blisse Nay it may be said in the sweetenesse of his mercy also when he sees vs distracted and as it were desperately mad with making too much of any transitorie thing so that our mind doth still runne and rest vpon it as our onely heauen vpon earth He snatches the edge toole out of our hands lest we make away our selues spiritually and withdrawes the beloued vanitie from before our eyes lest we grow starke blind in the mysteries of Faith and matters of Heauen by too much gazing vpon the fading beauty of any baser earthly obiect Thus the immoderate partiall affection of Parents may become many times occasionall and accessary to the vntimely taking away of a sweete faire and towardly child Whereby our gracious God iustly intimates vnto them their intolerable vnthankefulnesse of his mercy and extreme indignitie to his Maiesty in wickedly preferring in their loue a creature before their Creator and mercifully teaches them that the flowre and seruour of their best and dearest affection is onely due and should bee wholly deuoted to the greatest Good God himselfe and those truest vnutterable euer-during delights prepared for the Blessed in his Word here and in the World to come hereafter 1. Cor. 2. 9. Conceiue proportionably of other things immeasurably desired and delighted in If thou dotest vpon a good wit thou mayest be stricken with distraction if vpon abundance of learning or much worldly wisedome thou mayest be infatuated at least at some speciall times when thou wouldest gladly doe the best or in some important businesse which most concernes thee if vpon some highplace thou mayst with Haman Shebna and thousands moe be throwne down into the gulph of calamitie and woe contempt and scorne if vpon a faire house it may be leuelled with the ground by the flames of Gods wrath if vpon a beautifull face it may bee disfigured with the Poxe or other deformities if vpon a hoard of gold it may be disperst by fire robbery desolations of warre nay if euen vpon thy graces with an ouerweening conceit of selfe-excellency selfe-opinion selfe-sufficiency if they be onely generall graces thou mayst bee quite stript of them if sauing thou mayst bee cast into a dampe and desertion for a time in respect of all comfort sense vse and exercise c. 2. For the second though God may permit thee to possesse still that outward worldly comfort vpon which the fury of thine affection is so fastened and thine heart graspes with such greedinesse and excesse yet in this case thou mayest iustly expect a crosse either 1. In the thing doted vpon With what a deale of cutting discomfort and gashes of bitter griefe did Absalom dandled in Dauids affection with too much indulgence rent his Fathers
and eagernesse to doe more good still and rather want matter and meanes then readinesse and resolution to propagate it selfe And this way now may the poorest Christians bee plentifull in workes of mercy and enrich the richest with spirituall almes Which in the meane time may comfort the bountifull hearts of those who are true of heart to whom the Lord out of his best wisedome hath denied this earthly drosse But yet for all this I would haue you know that I know none not the poorest excepted or exempted from seasonable ministring to the corporall necessities also of their brethren We haue a Precept from blessed Paul Ephe. 4. 28. That we must worke with our own hands that we may haue to giue to him that needeth And a noble president in the poore Widdow Mark 12. 44. who cast her two mites into the Treasurie which was all shee had euen all her liuing And if any heere make a counterplea of their pouertie I would know if there bee any so poore which is not able to giue a cup of cold water onely and yet this from a sincere heart shall bee both graciously accepted and certainly rewarded Matth. 10. 42. And therefore in a second place I infinitely desire and intreate and this is that which in this point I would specially presse and perswade with deepest impression that euery one which hath giuen his name vnto Christ rich or poore according to his power and proportion would with singular care and conscience addresse himselfe to a fruitfull affectionate and constant discharge of this much honoured dutie of almes-giuing in this kinde also properly so called 1. For we are bound to abound in this grace also Therefore saith Paul 2. Cor. 8. 7. As yee abound in euery thing in faith c. see that you abound in this grace also There is no religious Professour of any reputation vpon good ground with the Church of God but takes to heart and desires to bee exact in all commanded Christian duties euery day as Prayer reading Scriptures c. Vpon thy secret then and solitarie reuise and suruey of the day past call thy selfe to a strict account as for others so concerning this dutie also of doing good vnto all men especially vnto them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. for the discharge of this dutie ought also to bee daily if thy abilitie will beare and the necessities of the poore shall require In the morning sowe thy seed and in the euening withhold not thy hand Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight Eccles. 11. 6 2. and let the sense and consciousnesse of any omission neglect or sloth in performing it wound thy conscience also humble thy soule and quicken thine heart with new life of resolution and more liuely endeuour to mend euery morning and perfume as it were thine euery dayes walking with God and this sweet smelling sacrifice also of mercifulnesse bounty and loue Phil. 4. 18. Let this duty likewise with the rest fall within the compassâ—… of thy seuerest search penitent melting renued vowes in all thy more solemne selfe-examinations before the Sabbath Sacraments vpon dayes of humiliation c. It is a profitable consideration to thinke that a customary grosse neglect of any one Christian dutie in its season of which the conscience is or may be conuinced may iustly dampe and dead the lightsome and fruitfull performance of all the rest For example A willing knowne omission of priuate Prayer or set reading the Word euery day may intercept and restraine the sweet influence of Gods woonted refreshing mercy and the fructifying beames of his pleased countenance from thine heart in the vse of all the other ordinances an affected idlenesse and dis-imployment of any one grace in the soule when seasonable occasion calleth for improouement may blast the comfortable exercise and sensible comfort of all the rest For example If thou suffer thy patience ordinarily to sleepe when thy disauowed passions begin to breake in vpon thee like a torrent and heate thine heart with their swelling poyson or when some crosse doth nettle thy desire of ease no maruaile though thou finde a faintnesse also to seize vpon thy faith brotherly kindnesse loue zeale ioy and peace in beleeuing c. Why then when thou feelest thine inward man to begin to languish and the whole body of Christianitie to grow as it were towards a consumption amongst other inquisitions why doest thou not also feare out of a godly iealousie and labour to finde out whether the coldnesse of thy charity and too much neglect of releeuing the poore members of Iesus Christ may occasion thy spirituall dampe It is the duty and property of euery true-hearted Nathaneel as to haue respect to all Gods Commandements Psal. 119. 6. so though they cannot in perfection and height yet with truth and sincere endeauour to haue respect to a conscionable vse of all the ordinances to the performance of all holy duties and exercise of all spirituall graces in their due seasons 2. If the world hath locked vp thine heart and congealed the bowels of thy compassions towards the poore let the blaze of thine outward profession shine neuer so faire manage the heartlesse representations of externall holinesse neuer so demurely keepe the times and taskes of daily duties with neuer so great austeritie nay though thou bee able to amuse weaker Christians with some affected straines and artificiall feruency in Prayer for by the meere power or rather poyson of hypocrisie and vaineglory a man may pray sometimes to the admiration of others especially lesse iudicious hauing cunningly collected the most moouing passages for that purpose from the best-gifted in that kinde and then giuing an enforced action and life vnto them in the deliuerie as some in other cases act other mens inuentions to the life I say for all this if the holy heate of brotherly loue doth not warme thine heart and vpon occasion worke affectionately and effectually I dare say thou art rotten at the heart-roote there is no true loue of God in thee no grace no hope of saluation Let that terrible and flaming place against all couetous Pharises 1. Ioh. 3. 17. dissolue thy frozen-heartednesse this way and enlarge the bowels of pitie towards the poore brethren of Christ Iesus or else neuer looke hereafter to looke him in the face with comfort or to finde mercy at that Day Marke it well and meditate vpon it Whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 3. But aboue all other motiues of mercifulnesse to the poore which in the Booke of God are very many and most quickening methinkes that argument which Paul presseth to this purpose 2. Cor. 8. 9. should melt the most flinty heart For yee know saith he the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes hee became poore that yee
occasion or rather then faile to make matter in their owne spitefull braines or take it vp from the lying oracle of some frothy Ale-bench wherby to staine the honour of Profession with the vnworthiest imputations of couetousnesse hard-heartednesse vnmercifulnesse whereas themselues meere men of this world are as couetous as the skinne will hold fast nailed and glued vnto the earth neuer in their life lift vp a ioyfull thought towards heauen neither dare thinke seriously vpon the world to come without a great deale of slauish sadnesse and secret terrour And in their grasping of worldly goods they care not a button for conscience make no account at all of that most certaine strict account at Gods dreadfull Tribunall but only how to carry matters smoothly and plausibly in the eyes of men and dawbe ouer their vniust dealings with close conueyances and trickes of wit I goe not about heere to Apologize for any vncharitable counterfeits or those most odious outside-Christians who put on the glory of an Angell in outward profession that they may play the deuils more vnobseruedly in Vsurious practises oppressions and vnconscionable griping weare a cloake of zeale in conformitie to the externall formes of obedience to the first Table vpon purpose to couer their crueltie and inhumanitie in vndermining and ouer-reaching their brethren and to prey the more inuisibly vpon the simplicitie of those whom they deceiue by Seeming But yet I must tell you that many times euen some of Gods owne best Children are full falsly and fouly charged by foule-mouthed worldlings themselues with worldlinesse couetousnesse and imputations of that nature who by Gods mercy are so farre from doting vpon earth and the fading glory thereof that in their retired aduised thoughts they would not loose the loue and light of Gods countenance and testimonie of a good conscience to winne the whole world they would not exchange their comforts of godlinesse and interest in a Crowne of life for ten thousand worlds were they all turned into one inualuable Pearle They feele themselues incomparably more comforted and kindly refreshed at the heart roote with one thought of heauen and that endlesse ioyfull rest aboue through all eternitie then with a world of earthly contemplations though all composed of gold pleasures possessions honours Diadems and all the glorious and most desireable treasures vnder the Sunne And who in respect of any vnconscionablenesse wrongs iniustice or wicked wayes of getting might with sinceritie of heart proportionably to their states and callings take vp Samuels protestation Behold here I am witnesse against mee before the Lord and before his Anoynted Whose Oxe haue I taken or whose Asse haue I taken or whom haue I defrauded whom haue I oppressed or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it And sincere thoughts resolutions and protestations to this purpose are cleere euidences of vnearthly-mindednes Blessed Iob doth pregnantly illustrate this point His owne friend chargeth him with inhumanitie couetousnesse and cruelty and thereupon inferreth that Gods afflicting hand was heauy vpon him How much more thinke you would the children of fooles and children of villaines viler then the earth of whom hee elsewhere complaines vexe him slanderously Is not thy wickednesse great saith Eliphaz Iob 22. 5. c. and thine iniquities infinite For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought and stripped the naked of their cloathing Thou hast not giuen water to the weary to drinke and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry Thou hast sent widowes away empty and the armes of the fatherlesse haue beene broken Therefore snares are round about thee and sudden feare troubleth thee Wheras in deed and truth righteous Iob was right nobly minded tender-hearted charitable bountifull as appeares by his confident contestation to the contrary Iob 31. 16 c. If I haue withheld the poore from their desire or haue caused the eyes of the widdow to faile or haue eaten my morsell myselfe alone and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof If I haue seene any perish for want of cloathing or any poore without couering If his loynes haue not blessed me and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my Sheepe if I haue lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse when I saw my helpe in the gate then let mine arme fall from my shoulder blade and mine arme be broken from the bone Thus many times an imputation of worldlinesse hard-heartednesse vnhospitalitie c. is layd vpon Gods children without all cause truth or conscience occasioned as I conceiue for I desire to discouer vnto you a depth of Satans malice in this point partly from the parties accusing and slandering partly from the parties accused and slandered Occasions ministred by prophane men are such as these 1. First They many times when they finde their consciences disquieted their former courses controlled their carnall humours crossed and contradicted and themselues much diseased and disturbed in the securefull pursuit of their sensuall pleasures by the searching power of a conscionable Ministerie or when they plainely see that their vnzealousnesse lukewarmnesse and formalitie in Religion is censured and condemned by the forwardnesse and zealous carriage and conuersation of the Saints they seeke by all meanes and labour might and maine to bee meete with those Ministers which so vexe them with their faithfull Preaching and those godly Christians which silently disgrace them with their gracious life and zealous exercise of Christianitie And therefore sith many times by Gods goodnesse they cannot finde any visible or conspicuous matter or miscarriage to charge them with truely because the Saints lie not in grosse and notorious sinnes such as are swearing drunkennesse lying vncleannesse Sabbath-breaking idlenesse the vanities of goodfellowship c. as themselues are woont therefore I say they audaciously diue into their hearts with vnhallowed censures and lay vnto their charges those inuisible errours which none can see but Gods All-seeing Eye from which they cannot be cleered and acquit but onely by their owne consciences and his highest Tribunall So that they take order that such imputations though groundlesse and false yet shall be sure to cleaue to the good name of Gods Children as certainely without redresse or remedie as they were deuised without truth or charitie Wee may see this cleerely in the present point and the slander of hypocrisie which is also the ordinarie portion of the best from men of the world When prophane opposites vnto grace pry curiously into all the wayes of Gods Child and can finde nothing so faulty in his outward carriage or reprooueable in the ordinarie course of his life as they expect and desire yet left they should not shew themselues the right children of Satan the Accuser of the Brethren they will be medling one way or other they will bee nibling at his good name with some such speeches as these Well well though he be an excellent Pulpit man or a forward
defray the charge Otherwise to beginne and not able to make an end were but to lay a ground-worke of his disgrace and scorne in the losse of his cost and paines A Prince which would wisely make Warre must first haue a true triall of his owne and dexterity to discouer his enemies strength otherwise to bid him battaile were but to incense him more and thrust a title into his hands to defeate him of all hee hath Hee that seriously sets himselfe to seeke God in truth and to saue his soule indeed must cast vp his reckonings before-hand what will be required at his hands and consult with his owne heart whether willing to forgoe all such contentments hopes pleasures preferments worldly comforts which are incompatible with a good conscience and the path that is called holy and to endure all those troubles and indignities from the angry world which ordinarily are wont to crowne the heads of all Christs Souldiers else most certainely he will shrinke in the wetting Hee must resolue by the inuincible noblenesse of his Christian courage to digest the hate and opposition of dearest friends neerest kindred the raylings and reproaches of men most abiect and contemptible in respect of those whom they reuile he must bee content to become the drunkards song table-talk to those that sit in the gate and the byword of basest men viler then the earth c. In a word he must prize and preferre his sweetest Sauiour His truth cause and seruice infinitely before the whole world Now besides my blessed change thus qualified and this glorious worke of the Holy Ghost vpon my soule by the helpe of God I haue stood at the staues end with the darling pleasure and minion delight of my former damned time euer since I was new borne I haue euer since made conscience of all sinne and to performe all holy duties I haue had respect to all Gods Commandements and all his Ordinances I haue loued dearely my blessed Lord and all things that belong vnto him His Titles Attributes creatures workes of Iustice and Mercy His Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministers Seruices Children Presence Corrections Comming I haue since delighted in the Saints the onely excellent Ones vpon earth whom I heartily hated before I haue dayly with as great earnestnesse and feruency as my poore dull heart could possibly complained and cryed vnto my God in Prayer against mine owne sinnes passionate distempers rebellious risings the malice of Satan the allurements of the world corruptions of the times the cruelties of strange iniections and horrible temptations my many and often faylings frailties and imperfections Vpon due and impartiall examination I haue happily ridde mine hands of all that consuming pelfe which any way crept into mine estate by wicked wrongful meanes in the dayes of mine iniquitie For scarce any man in the state of nature but deales falsly in one kind or other I haue desired and endeauoured to adorne my profession as well with workes of iustice mercy and truth as by the outward acts of pietie Herein I haue exercised my selfe to haue alwayes a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward man c. And in all these passages and particulars both of my conuersion and conuersation had I onely reposed vpon the outward act and rested in the worke wrought I had vtterly fainted and beene quite vndone in the day of aduersitie But truth of heart was the touchstone and sinceritie is the sinew of all my assurance and comfort this way I haue beene I confesse yet full sore against my will and the hearty desire of my soule haunted and hindred in passing thorow the pangs of my new birth and managing my Christian businesses with the violent intrusion and insinuating mixture of many imperfections distractions temptations wants weakenesses infirmities and faylings priuie pride secret hypocrisie distrusts and deadnesse of mine owne naughty heart I was much wanting by reason of the naturall rebellion of mine hard heart to those workings of the Law and Gospell mentioned before I haue come farre short of that sorrow for sinne which I desired and of that heauenly-mindednesse in performing holy duties which was required But then I haue from time to time grieued and groaned vnder those too many frailties and defects as vnder an heauy burthen I haue many a time bitterly bewailed them in secret they haue made mee walke more humbly before my God and towards men I haue continually complained heartily against them at the Throne of Grace I haue sincerely desired and endeauoured after all those meanes which might restraine and mortifie them and made conscience to discouer and decline their vnwelcome insinuations and so I haue gone on still in the holy Path with sincerity of heart and in obedience vnto God still vpholding mine heart with consideration of the sweet and mercifull disposition of my dearest heauenly Father who euer if the heart be vpright and truely humble takes the will for the deed and accepts vs according to that which we haue and not according to that which we haue not And therefore I am most sure neither by the helpe of God shall all the deuils in hell driue me from this hold that they are all buried for euer in the righteous and meritorious blood of my blessed Sauiour And so I hold vp my head still against all contradiction of carnall reason naturall distrust Satans cruell suggestions being well assured That hearty humiliation and grieuing vnder weakenesse in well-doing is as true a fruit of sanctification and marke of true conuersion as spirituall abilitie to doe well It is not so much the muchnesse and quantitie as the truth of grace not so much the exactnesse of the outward act in performing holy duties as sincerity of heart which qualifies a broken hart for comfort in the promises of life and assurance of Gods loue Though I know well there was neuer any who tasted truely grace but hee sincerely thirsted and endeauoured after more Neuer did any man well in the worship and seruices of God who did not bewaile his wants and faylings therein and truely desire and labour to doe better It is the propertie of Pharises and formall professours to conceiue that they are spiritually rich enough already and haue need of nothing but the better the Christian is the more sensible hee is and heartily complaining of his spirituall pouertie naughty heart and manifold imperfections Heere now then may wee see in this Discourse of the true Conuert comforting himselfe in the point of his spirituall estate other kind of stuffe sincere matter sounder grounds more speciall workings of the holy Ghost then any one of the fore-mentioned deluded Ones was euer practically and experimentally acquainted with Neither is this all The true Christian hath yet more noble immediate and demonstratiue euidences to strengthen his heart in the assurance of Gods euerlasting loue vnto him through Christ and present possession of his fauour For with submission to better
forgerer and murtherer I would little doubt but to get the day It is proportionably so in this present point I meane betweene my regenerate illightned conscience and Satan Nay in this case should all the Deuils in Hell sweare the contrary did carnall reason naturall distrust or any other aduersary power cauill and contradict with neuer such irksome tediousnesse yet by the mercy of God I will not withstand that heauenly light standing in my conscience like an armed man I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe vntill I die But how do you know that you truly beleeue We may know perhaps that we haue some kind of faith but not that we haue the true liuely faith which will serue the turne for saluation I answer Saint Paul bids vs try and prooue our selues whether we haue that Faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which is the faith of such as are accepted with God 2. Cor. 13. 5. Now it were strange if the blessed Spirit should bid vs examine and search for that which could not possibly be found out Againe if a man cannot be certaine that he beleeues with all his heart that is truly and sincerely Philips interrogatorie to the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. had beene in vaine and the Eunuchs reply rash and vnaduised Austin was cleerely of this mind that a man may be acquainted with the sincerity of his faith There is saith he a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling But many say they beleeue and are deceiued thinking they haue that which they haue not How then can a man be certaine Answer So thousands amongst vs by the false spectacles of presumption making the bridge of Gods mercy broader then it is and larger then his truth which confines it onely to broken hearts are wofully deluded and ready euery moment to be drowned in the dungeon of fire and brimstone must therefore those few who are sincerely humbled for their sinnes truly beleeue and vpon good ground haue part in it be also deceiued Because mad men and men asleepe know not well that they are asleepe and rage must therefore men truly waking and wise not know certainely they are awake and in their wits The common people generally conceiue of the Sunnes magnitude that it is not past a foote round must therefore the certainetie of knowledge that it is many times bigger then the Earth be denied to the skilfull Astronomer Some men dreame that they are rich tumble themselues amongst their golden heapes and it is not so indeed when they awake doth no man therefore certainely know whether he be rich or no Conceiue proportionably of repentance an inseparable companion and effect of true faith which is then sauing when it is serious sincere and without hypocrisie and that may be manifest and cleerely discerneable to the heart that hath it Doe you thinke the seriousnesse of the Niniuites repentance was not certaine vnto them We haue receiued the Spirit of God saith Paul that we might know the things that are freely giuen vs of God which are not onely life euerlasting c. but iustification sanctification and such like I say sauingnesse of repentance as of faith consists not in the measure and muchnesse but in the sincerity and truth of which the true penitent may bee certaine as well as of his sorrow But now whereas the Popish Doctors being blind guides leade their hoodwinkt followers into such perplexed mazes of vncertainties and indeed impossibilities about contrition in respect of extension intension appretiation equiualence to sin no maruell though they pleade pertinaciously for the point and purgatory of doubting 3. By the effects and fruits growing from the roote of grace in the heart But there may be in the hypocrite an exact outward conformity and obedience I answer true it is that for the outside and carkasse as it were the workes of vnsactified men may be like to those of the godly but they are without the soule life and spirit which is in the worke of a true beleeuer to which he is no lesse priuy in his heart then to the outward worke which passeth thorow his hands And wee hold that workes done in vprightnesse of heart onely are they which truly testifie in this case Let euery true-hearted Nathaneel then comfortably conclude pardon and peace vnto his owne soule from all such fruits so qualified For instance in one Wee know that we haue passed from death to life because wee loue the Brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. I loue the Brethren therefore I am translated from death to life But is it possible for a man to know that he loues his Brethren as he ought and as the Apostle requires Saint Iohn makes it a signe of our being so translated therfore it may be knowne For signes manifesting other things must themselues be more manifest And Austin tels vs that a man knowes more the loue with which he loues then his brother whom he loues Thus may the Christian infallibly collect the sanctifying Spirit iustifying Faith sauing Grace to dwell in his heart by all good deeds holy duties inward or outward fruits springing from an vpright heart For as it followes and may be inferred infallibly and demonstratiuely from the effect to the proper cause in other things For example It is day therefore the Sunne is risen because day cannot be caused but by the Sunnes rising so in this point also explained as before If wee pursue and ply with true hearts the whole Trade of Christianity If we be sincerely exercised in the workes of holinesse iustice mercy and truth and walke humbly with our God we may build vpon it that we are truly blessed All such sound fruits of Faith are euident signes and demonstrations of our spirituall safety and standing fast for euer If ye doe these things saith Peter yee shall neuer fall 4. By the testimony of the Spirit which sometimes as in the time of more feruent prayer holy retyrednesse of mind heauenly meditation or in some quickning exercises of extraordinary humiliation or after some speciall important seruice done to God and his Church with humble sincerity and in true zeale or vpon the soule-searching passage of some well grounded Sermon of comfort and seasonable application of mercy or in the beginning of spirituall and end of naturall life as most needfull times or in the time of martyrdome and sincere sufferings for the Name of Christ c. I say at such times the Spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience with a secret still hart-rauishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the Child of God Thou art in the number of those that shall be saued Thou shalt inherit life euerlasting And that as certainely and comfortably as if that Angell from Heauen should say to thee as he did to Daniel Greatly beloued And why should any Popish cauiller contradict this sith
sweete voice of Christ Iesus rather then the murthering sophistry of Satan if in good maners thou wilt come when thou art called and not retire in a sinfull and cruell modesty thou shalt be presently lightened Yea but saith the Tempter thy heart hath been so strangely hardened and soakt in sinne heretofore now such an heâ—…sh cloud of darkenesse hath seized vpon it that there is no hope nor possibility But what saith the Word Seeke him that maketh the seuen starres and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning It is hee alone that can most easily change the dismall midnight of thy present spirituall misery into the glorious midday of sweetest peace and lightsomnesse of heart Yea but saith he further thou hast lien long vpon the Rocke of guilty horrour had much counsell and been vnder the hands of many spirituall physicians and yet no comfort comes And what then Heare what the Spirit of truth tels vs Since the beginning of the world men haue not heard nor perceiued by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what Hee hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa. 64. 4. Waiting patiently for the Lords comming to comfort vs either in temporall or spirituall distresses is a right pleasing and acceptable dutie and seruice vnto God which hee is woont to crowne with multiplyed and ouerflowing refreshings when he comes See Isa. 40. 31. Nay and shouldest thou die in this state of waiting if thy heart in the meane time sincerely hate all sinne heartily thirst for the mercy of God in Christ and resolue truely vpon new vniuersall obedience for the time to come thou shalt bee certainely saued because the Holy Ghost saith Isaiah 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for him 6. That defects distractions failings in our spirituall exercises and vndertakings groaned vnder grieued for and striuen against by an vpright heart are so farre from nullifying grace that they should not bereaue vs of peace of conscience or interrupt our sweet communion and comfortable walking with our God 7. Not to confine vnderualue and extenuate the mercies of God promises of life the holy Spirits sauing worke vpon thy soule and the present graces thou possessest in truth c. These cautions premised let vs come to the examining and answering of some complaints and counterpleas against entertainement of comfort which are wont to arise in troubled consciences out of ignorance and misconceite of the mercifull wayes of God and the mysterie of his free loue through Christ and doe thou conceiue that proportionable soueraigne Antidotes and counter-comforts may bee collected also in abundance out of Gods blessed Booke against the rest or any reply whatsoeuer And to begin with the first cryes of a Christian in the pangs of his New birth I. A poore soule hauing wallowed long in vanity of villanies and vanities of lust and licentiousnesse is now by diuine blessing at this or â—…e other Sermon struck thorow by the Sword of the Spirit with penitent remorse and his heart broken into pieces by the hammer of the Law In this depth of heauiest distresse and bleeding case he casts his eyes vpon Iesus Christ lifted vp in the Ministerie as an Antitype â—…o the brazen Serpent for his comfortable binding â—…p and euerlasting cure Those Messengers of God who are able to declare vnto Man his vprightnesse assure him in the Word of life and truth and charge him in His name who was anointed by the Lord for that purpose and appointed by the Father of mercies to comfort all Mourners in Sion that now being truly cast downe vnder Gods mighty hand thirsting for the blood of Christ and sincerely resoluing vpon a new course for the time to come He would turne his legall terrours into Euangelicall weeping ioy put on beauty for ashes the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse That he might be called a Tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that hee might bee glorified Oh no saies he out of the deepe sence of his bottomelesse vilenesse The newes is too good to be true to wit that now the blessed Sonne of God and all the precious rich purchases of his vnualuable passion should belong vnto mee the sinfullest wretch that the earth beares who haue desperately spent my dayes and strength so long in the furious seruice of Satan and mine own sensuall lusts c. whereupon he refuses comfort and chooses rather to sinke againe and languish vnder the horrours of guiltinesse and feare Whereas he should incomparably more honour and please the God of all comfort by trusting his mercy sealing to his truth then by vnseasonable suspecting his iustice and power Here then hee wofully failes and forgets himselfe in a distrustfull vnder-prizing Gods incomprehensible greatnesse Almightie mercy vnlimited liberalitie and freenesse of his loue He is in this case not so much to consider what is fit for him to receiue as conuenient for the ability and bounty of so great and good a God as the mighty Lord of Heauen and earth to giue who as I told you before vpon other occasion doth all things like Himselfe If hee build he makes a world If he be angry with the world hee sends a floud ouer the face of the whole earth If hee goes out with the Armies of the Saints hee makes the Sunne stand still the Starres to fight the Seas to swallow vp the most dreadfull Armadoes If hee loue the precious hearts blood of his owne Sonne is not too deare If he deliuer any man Hee puls him out of the hand of the Prince of darknesse and frees him from euerlasting flames If any become his Fauourite through Christs mediation He wil make him a King giue him a Paradise and set a Crowne of eternitie vpon his head Earthly Princes at their pleasures ennoble those they loue with Dukedomes Marquesdomes Earledomes What then doe you thinke shall be done vnto the man whom the King of Heauen desires and delights to honour Let vs then I say in such cases consider not so much what is fit for vs silly wormes to receiue as for so great a God to bestow If wee can once bring hearts bruised and broken with the burden of our sinnes bleeding and weeping vnto his Mercy-seate Hee will thinke all the meritorious sufferings of his Sonne all the promises in his Booke all the comforts of his Spirit all the pleasures in his Kingdome little enough for vs. If wee looke vpon our selues sinful wretches we might iustly feare the extremest torments fiercest flames and lowest dungeon in hell infinitely rather then expect a Kingdome But Hee loues vs freely Hos. 14. 4. It is his pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome Feare not little flocke saith Christ for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdom Luk. 12. 32. If it be the good pleasure of the King of Kings to bestow a Kingdome vpon a truely humbled soule which hee makes in the