evidences p. 293 1 Because evidences of this kinde are obscure full of ambiguity ibid. 2 Because they are unconstant and instable p. 294 Fetch your evidences from your Justification your interest in Christ in the Covenant These are 1 The clearest ibid. p. 295 2 The purest ibid. 3 The most satisfying p. 296 4 The most constant evidences p. 297 Third Use If it bee possible to do thus much and bee unsound then what care ought there to bee to clear the soundnesse of our spirits in our performances p. 298 First Clear the sincerity of your hearts in your performances in particular and that in three things 1 In your hearing p. 299 2 In your praying ibid. 3 In your mourning for sin ibid. First A sincere heart desires sincere preaching ibid. As 1 Hee desires to receive the truth of God p. 301 2 Hee is willing to receive every truth of God ibid. 3 Hee is willing to receive it as the truth of God ibid. But now an unsound spirit 1 Hee is not willing to receive the truth 2 Not every truth 3 Not as truth As not 1 For it self ibid. p. 302 2 Not to bee a King over them ibid. Thirdly Now an honest heart in hearing is such as 1 Hears the word as Gods word 2 Hee sides with the word of God against himself 3 Hee desires to profit by the word ibid. 4 Hee hears the word with reflection p. 303 Secondly To clear the sincerity of your hearts in matter of Prayer First Character First Where the heart is sincere in prayer there is a doing of the duty with all our strength ibid. Second Character There is no rest nor content to the soul till the heart bee wrought to the work p. 304 Third Character A heart sincere in Prayer doth thirst after communion with God in Prayer ibid. Object How shall a man know when hee hath communion with God in duty ibid. Answered p. 306 1 In general Thou meetest and hast communion with God in duty when God hath inabled thee to act grace in a duty ibid. 2 When the performance of a duty doth lead the soul into better freedome p. 307 Fourth Character A heart sincere in prayer doth rise up praying from prayer hee goes away with affection of and to prayer after the prayer is done ibid. p. 308 Fifth Character A heart sincere in prayer doth eye it self in prayer It is a heart that diligently observes it self in duty views all the workings of the soul and takes notice of all the imperfections of the soul in duty p. 308 309 Sixth Character A heart sincere in prayer is a praying heart p. 310 Object But you will say Then all our hearts are sincere for who is it that doth not desire the thing hee prayeth for Answered p. 310 1 Thou prayest for grace but thou dost not desire grace in the beauty and extent of it ibid. 2 Thou prayest for the subduing of thy lust but dost thou desire what thou prayest for p. 311 3 You pray for Heaven and one would think you did desire this but dost thou know what Heaven is when thou prayest for Heaven p. 312 Heaven not desirable to corrupt hearts in several particulars p. 313 Seventh Character A sincere heart in prayer doth not only desire but truly indeavour the thing prayed for p. 314 3 Part clears sincerity in matter of mourning ibid. Several Characters of true mourning p. 315 First Character A sincere mourning is a deep mourning ibid. Second Character A sincere mourning is an universal mourning ibid. Third Character A sincere mourning is a mourning for sin p. 317 Fourth Character Sincere mourning is proportionable and that in two things 1 Of the measure of sin ibid. 2 Of the merit of sin p. 318 Fifth Character Sincere mourning is a faithful mourning And that in three particulars p. 319 Sixth Character Sincere mourning is a filial mourning ibid. Which comes 1 From Gods love to the soul ibid. 2 From the love of the soul to God p. 321 Seventh Character Sincere mourning is a fruitful mourning and that in four particulars It is ibid. 1 Heart-humbling sorrow p. 322 2 Heart-fatning sorrow ibid. 3 Grace-strengthening sorrow ibid. 4 A divorcing sorrow ibid. Hypocrites mourning for sin in seven particulars p. 323 Clear sincerity in obedience in general illustrated in several Characters First Character Sincere obedience is universal obedience And that p. 324 1 In suffering as doing ibid. 2 In Relative commands as well as Absolute 3 In Affirmative as well as Negative p. 325 4 In the Spirit as well as in the Letter p. 326 Second Character Sincere obedience is such an obedience which doth 1 Come from a right spring p. 327 2 Is wrought by a right rule ibid. 3 In a right manner p. 328 4 To a right end ibid. Object It is also requisite to aime at Gods glory in every action Answered p. 329 Third Character Sincere obedience is fruitful obedience p. 330 Fourth Character Sincere obedience is filial obedience p. 331 In seven cases Children of God may bee cold in them p. 332 Second Use is an Use of Exhortation and that in four Branches First Branch Get a sincere heart p. 332 1 Motives 1 Because it sets a value on them p. 333 2 Distinguisheth our works from others Ibid. 3 Otherwise all are lost p. 334. 4 Sincerity is the chiefest thing God eyes in men Ibid. 5 Sincerity affords most comfort Ibid. 6 Sincerity fences the heart against Apostacy p. 335. Cure of Hypocrisy is 1 A difficult cure p. 336. 2 A painful cure p. 337 Means of cure 1 Convince thy heart of the evill of an unsound heart p. 338. 2 Consider there is a God p. 339 3 Thou must be new made p. 340. 4 Use Prayer Ibid. Rules for Preservatives Ibid. Uses that may be made of these Rules p. 341 Rules for clearing sincerity Ibid. 1 Make a through search Ibid. 2 Acquaint thy self with the most clear evidences p. 342 Objection But how shall I know what are those heart clearing evidences Answered p. 343 344. Second Rule is Take not up your evidences from the carriage of your spirits either when at best or at worst Ibid. and p. 445. 4 Rule Judge not thy sincerity by some particular acts p. 346 5. Rule Be careful to read your spirits p. 346. Five several times to read your spirits 1 In times of Darknesse p. 347 2 In times of Manifestation p. 348 3 In times of outward Distresse Ibid. 4 In times of Prosperity p. 349 5 In times of Danger Ibid. 4 Branch of Exhortation To declare the sincerity of the heart on all occasions p. 350 351. We are called to it 1 By God p. 352. 2 By our distressed brethren Ibid. 3 Our own Church and Nation Ibid. 4 Our Consciences Ibid. THE CONTENTS OF The wonderful workings of God FOR his Church and People EXOD. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods Who is like thee glorious in holinesse
never be looser by it hath bargain good enough You know those places Hee who prizeth father and mother riches lands before mee is not worthy of mee Again There is no man forsaketh father or mother riches or lands for my sake c. but shall have a hundred fold c. So Who saves his life shall loose it but hee who looses his life c. So Hee who denies me before men him will I deny It is now a time wherein wicked men do shew their corruptions do you make use of it as a time to shew your graces when they discover their hypocrisy do you declare your sincerity I have looked and wondred to see those men who have stood firm in the times of affliction of a Church should stagger and fall back in the times of redemption of a Church It is not so strange for a man to fall in the times of the declining of a Church Then fear may make men stagger as in Peter But that is a corrupt heart indeed corrupt with a witness who falls back and flyes off in the times of reforming of a Church to see men to fall back not in the times of persecution but in the times of reformation this is a sad thing It may be weakness of grace which occasions a man to decline and fall back in the times of persecution but it is a wickednesse and height of wickednesse it shews a spirit opposite to God and goodnesse to bee worse in times of reformation Wee see it so in many in our times and seeing unsound spirits to discover their corruptions let Gods people now discover their graces When Israel halted between God and Baal making a mixture of divine worship and idolatrous together one to bee set off by the other that poison might bee swallowed down without scrupling then did Elijah take occasion to declare his sincerity when hee cryed how long do you halt c. When Haman had plotted the death of all the Jews and had gotten the Kings warrant for the doing of it then was it a special occasion for Mordecai and Hâ—sler to declare their sincerity which they did Hesler 4.15 16. When Israel had joyned themselves to Baal Peor then was it a special occasion for Moses to declare his sincerity which hee did Numb 25.5 You see what honour Phineas wonne by taking that special occasion of declaring his sincerity The like of Levi in Deut. 33.9 So of Abraham Gen. 22. consider 1. God calls on you to declare your sincerity 2. The Church calls on you 1. Those abroad our poâ—r distressed brethren in Ireland they cry in the language of the Psalmist Psal 94.16 Who will rise up for mee against the evil doers or who will stand up for mee against the workers of iniquity Do you declare your sincerity by helping them with your purses with your prayers and with your persons so far as you are called out to it 2. Our own Church and Nation calls upon us to declare our sincerities the singleness and honestness of your hearts in these double times To help forward with our prayers the good of the Church the great work which concerns Gods glory his cause now on the wheeles the great work of reformation 3. Your conscience that calls on you to discover your sincerity and conscience is either a mans best friend or worst enemy If you would not have conscience shew it self an enemy at that time when you desire it to appear your friend then make use of the seasons to declare the sincerity of your hearts to God And then will conscience bee thy friend in health thy friend in sickness thy friend in life thy friend in death when all other friendâ— must leave thee The testimony of Hezekiahs conscience to him when hee lay on his sick-bed which gave in evidence of his sincerity brought more comfort than all the World Lord remember how I have walked before thee c. Would you have conscience to give in the like testimony for you then declare the sincerity of your hearts when God calls you out There is a story the moral whereof is good that a man who had three friends which hee loved well and being sent for to the King asked which of his friends would go with him one tells him hee could not go not stir another told him hee would go a little way with him but could not go out with him the third hee tells him hee will not only go with him but answer all for him bring him off God is the King the World kindred and conscience are â—he three friends the arrest death and the person sent for the soul The World that will leave you kindred bring you a little way to the grave there leave you but it is a good conscience which carries a man thorough and makes a man stand blameless before the tribunal If you would have conscience bee your friend theâ— labour to discover sincerity now A TREATISE OF THE Wonderfull Workings OF GOD FOR HIS Church and People BY SAMVEL BOLTON D. D. And MASTER of C. C. C. LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop over against the Great Conduit in Cheapside 1656. A TREATISE OF THE Wonderful VVorkings OF GOD FOR HIS Church and People EXODUS 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like thee glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises Doing wonders WHen troubles are threatned God doth charge us with two things and undertakes to discharge us of all the rest 1. The first thing in Gods charge is Faith Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord The burden of fears of cares of troubles There is the charge and the discharge followes Hee shall sustain thee 2. The second thing God doth charge us withall is Prayer Psal 50.15 Call upon mee But if you will take the charge and the discharge together See Phil. 4.6 Bee careful for nothing There is the discharge But in all things make your request known to God There is the charge And there are two things which God doth charge us withall when our fears are blown over and they are 1. Thankfulness 2. Obedience The former you may read Psal 50.15 The latter 1 Sam. 12.24 And this hath been the practice of the Saints when calamities and troubles hath been either felt or feared they have betaken themselves to those weapons to incounter them with Faith and Prayer You see in Heslers time And when God hath bestowed deliverance then they have betaken themselves to Praises You see in the same story of Esther the Primitive Christians had their Stationary-daies their daies of Prayer wherein they assembled themselves together for the removal of the Churches pressures lying upon them And no doubt but they had their Solemn Feasts and times of Praises when God had wrought his deliverances The want of Mercy sends us to Prayer the injoyment of Mercy sends us to Praises But what need wee seek further for an
Physician comes then they appear 2 The Schismes and Divisions among us which threaten evil upon us If wee had joyned our mutual strength against the common adversaries and not turned the heat of contention upon our selves wee had not now been so weak nor our adversaries so strong But I hope wee shall bee like sheep that though a fair day hath scattered us all over the field one from another yet a storm will drive us together again seeing herein our concernments are mutual and reciprocal 3 The wilful blindness and security among us That men will not see how much their Religion their Liberties and Priviledges are concerned Or if they do yet with Gallio they care for none of these things At least not so much as to hazard and adventure any thing for the securing and upholding of them 4 Missing of Opportunities O Jerusalem Jerusalem Hadst thou known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace But now they are hid from thine eyes Luk. 19.41 42. There are some special times when God doth put advantages into the hands of his people the loss whereof is never recovered again It is not here as with Tides that if wee miss this wee may go with the next but if wee miss this perhaps wee shall never have another And these are the chief grounds of my fear that cause cross thoughts in mee and give way to suspition that God will not do wonders for us 2 Grounds of Hope Yet to these let mee adde the grounds of my hope That even at this time God will do wonders for England Now then the Arguments that may perswade with us and the Reasons which may induce us to beleeve that God will do wonders are these five 1 From God 1 From God 1 Such as are taken from God and that 1 From the goodness of his Nature Hee is gracious and mercifull Gracious in himself and exceeding gracious to his Saints Though wee have never a Promise for a particular deliverance at this time yet wee may venture our selves upon the good nature of God That hee will not deliver us up into the hands of cruel merciless and bloody men who seek our ruine Though our sins bee many and God might scourge us sharply as wee deserve yet hee loves his People so well as not to put them into the hands of such cruel men to bee punished You have some ground for this suggestion in Deut. 32.27 When God was highly displeased with Israel and threatned to destroy them yet hee feared the wrath of the enemy Hee feared they would deal too hardly that they would destroy them rather than scourge them Hee knew not how to put them into their hands Though Israel had sinned yet hee was loath to make use of sinners to punish sin He knew the Mercyes of the wicked were cruel mercys 2 A second Argument from God is Because Gods glory is now much concern'd It is not alone our good but his own glory that is concerned and hee will have a care of that Though hee will not do it for us yet hee will do it for his own Names sake There are many things which hee will not do for our sakes yet will hee for his own sake You see in Ezek. 36.32 Not for your sakes do I this O house of Israel But though hee would not do it for their sakes yet he would do it because his glory was concern'd Hee would do it for his own Names sake you have the like expressions Exod. 32.12 Deut. 9.28 Isa 48.9 10 11. Though Israel had provoked God yet for his own Glory sake he would deliver them And if wee do not look with two partiall eyes I cannot see that Ever the glory of God was more neerly and closely concern'd in all the stories I have read than it is at this time Gods Glory in his Truth in his worships in his Saints in his Ordinances they are all neerly concern'd at this Time And how would wicked men triumph how would our enemys insult and glory What pious heart could indure to hear those Blasphemies they would cast up against heaven and those contempts cast upon the People of God 2. Arguments from the Church 2. There are some Arguments taken from the Church of God in generall And that is 2 From the Church in general that The good of most of the reformed Churches in the Christian world doth depend upon the welfare of England And in a great measure Upon the good successe of this present Parliament If it should not go well with us Scotland would be hazarded Ireland ruinated Germany irrecovered And all the reformed Churches in the Christian world would feel the smart of our stripes And therefore seeing the preservation and deliverance of England is of such publick concernment it may much perswade with us That God will rather do a wonder than England shall not be preserved 3. Arguments from our selves 3 Arguments from our selves 3. There may be some Arguments taken from our selves to induce us to hope that God will do a wonder for us 1. Though it bee true wee have many fearful sins and abominations among us And those are publick too such as have overspread the whole land yet these sins are not national they have not yet been countenanced by a Law There is prophanation of the Sabbath But there are good Laws against it and for the strict observing of it There hath been Idolatry among us But there have been Laws against it Swearing yet Laws for the punishing of them Which affords mee this comfort 1. That though these sins bee in our Nation and do abound among us yet they are not the Sins of our Nation There have been Laws against them and so long they are not national And it hath been 1. Either the Corruption 2. Or the cowardise of our Magistrates That sin hath not been punished I say the corruption of many who have strengthned the hands of evil doers either conniving at them siding with them or abetting of them in their way And so those who should have been the bolts to have kept out sin have been the Latches to draw in sinne let in sin Or it hath been the Cowardise of them that they durst not appear for the punishing of sinne Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before mee for the land that I should not destroy it I sought for a Phineas that might stand up to execute Judgement and what was there none Certainly there were many but they were Cowards and durst not appear against sin 2. Though these sins were in a kind National as indeed the Corruption and connivance of them in Authority gives too much largenesse to them increaseth the latitude of them makes them of greater extent and guilt yet now wee are about reforming them And wee never read that ever God did ruine a Nation when a Nation was in a