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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	flesh_n	sin_n	sinful_a	2,809	5	9.4946	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79826	The abuse of Gods grace: discovered in the kinds, causes, punishments, symptoms, cures, differences, cautions, and other practical improvements thereof. Proposed as a seasonable check to the wanton libertinisme of the present age. By Nicholas Claget, minister of the Gospel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk, M.A. of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.	Clagett, Nicholas, 1610?-1662.; Wilkinson, Henry, 1616-1690.	1659 (1659)	Wing C4368; Thomason E978_2; ESTC R207811	268,515	321

when God forgives a thousand to one shall they not blot out a few I dare boldly say Those that take it for granted their sins are pardoned that are implacable that write wrongs in marble not in the dust be their confidences never so high do both un-Christian and un-Man themselves 1. They strip themselves of Christianity It s a choice and hard rule to flesh and blood to forgive enemies but this is neglected despised How can you say Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors when your consciences tell you that you cannot forgive you doe not so much pray for as curse your selves as if you should say Lord forgive not my sinnes for I will not forgive others Doe we not read the example of Christ that forg●ve his enemies He prayed for it Father forgive them Luk. 23. 34. this difficult piece of Christianity was in Stephen Act. 7. 50. That choice Apostolical precept to the Colossians As Christ forgave you so also do ye Col. 3. 13. And is it Christianity never to forgive nor forget ever to treasure up wrath and revenge Certe consanguinei sumus ideo maximum scelus putandum est edisse hominem vel nocentem Propterea Deus praecepit inimicitias per nos nunquam faciendas semper esse tollendas scilicet ut eos quisint nobis inimici necessitudinis admonitos mitigemus Lactant. l. 6. c. 10. Notanda est Carnis appellatio qua intelligit universes homines quorum neminem intueri possumus quin velut in speculo carnem nostram contemplemur Summae igitur inhumanitatis est eos despicere in quibus imaginem nostram agnoscere cogimur Calv. in loc 2. They strip themselves of humanity Even the Law of nature requires forgiveness We are all the off-spring of Adam come of one blood Acts 17. 26. There is a cons●nguinity in all man-kinde We have kindred with all the children of men It is therefore the inference of Lactantius We are all of a blood and therefore it is to be reputed the greatest wickedness to hate any man although an hurtful enemy And upon this natural consideration enmities between men and men are never to be practised but ever to be abolished Inspiration of souls forming of Bodies from the same common Heavenly Father speaks us Brethren The admonition of the universal natural kindred of the World should allay yea and break the spirit of enmity into love we little consider it but it is a real truth When we take revenge of any man we are revenged of our selves Every ones flesh is ours The Prophet Isaias calls every ones flesh our own Isaiah 58. 7. That thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Calvins exposition is pertinent to this purpose The word flesh is to be noted whereby the Prophet understands every man of whom we can behold none but as in a glass we contemplate our own flesh It is therefore a part of highest inhumanity to despise those in whom we are constrained to behold our own likeness Consider this all ye Christians who think your selves safe under the security of Gods pardoning Grace How have you abused this Gospel-priviledge whom neither the serious sense of Christianity nor the common tie of humanity can prevail with to forgive When you cannot give nor forgive reason thus Shal I not succor and pardon mine own flesh Shall I both sin against grace and nature Shall I by my uncharitable and implacable Spirit sin both against redemption and creation goodness Such Meditations cannot be too frequent to drive away irreligious and unnatural hardheartedness and revenge out of the spirits of Christians SECT 12. 12. THe Grace of imputed righteousness is turned into wantonness 12. The grace of imputed Righteousness is turned into wantonness Even the everlasting Righteousness Daniel prophesied which should be wrought in the Person of the Messiah Dan. 9. 24. hath had no little Injury in the World This stupendious Gospel-mystery That a lost sinner should be justified by anothers righteousness which is the holy Angels wonder and will be glorified Saints ravishing admiration hath been ill intreated even of professed Christians And lest the charge seem too general I shall clear it in two particulars The Grace of imputed Righteousness is wronged when this is abusively pleaded against inherent Righteousness When inherent Righteousness is foolishly and perilously rested on for salvation without imputed Righteousness The former is a plain Libertine in wickedness the latter doth play the wanton with Christs goodness 1. The grace of imputed righteousness is abused when it is 1. Imputed righteousness is abused when it is pleaded against inherent righteousness pleaded against inherent righteousness This is an easie and common cheat Corrupt flesh and the arch Deceiver can easily please the Fancy and perswade the Judgement that the fair hand of Grace hath put the rich and large Robe of Christs Personal Righteousness on the leprous and unmortified Body of sin yea that this holy cover is so thick that in the absurd Antinomian God doth not so much as see Believers sins as if one Divine Attribute had swallowed up another his mercy his omniscience Now when the loose sinner can say the Lord is his righteousness he believes himself in a state of Grace as if now nothing could indanger his immortal Soul and he had enough for Glory If unregenerate nature give the deceived Transgressor the largest line and scope to live in sinful lusts pleasures and idolized sensualities and the Conscience begin to grumble in the free choice affections and pursuances of sinful courses This is ever the remedy at hand We are all sinners This is our infirmity Christ died for us Hath satisfied his Fathers justice He is our righteousness Thus while they plead to Christs legal righteousness without them they live without Christs Gospel righteousness within them It is enough for them they are justified above they seek not to be sanctified within as if there were not need as well of an Evidence to Salvation by inherent righteousness as of a Title to eternal life by imputed righteousness This great abuse of the glorious imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in opposition to inherent and the singular peril to be lost for ever that they are in who are contented with a bare imputed righteousness will appear in seven things As 1. No glory will redound to God in such a contentment Can the free gift of Christs perfect obedience made over to the sinner have the glory of praise when it hath the infamy of this dishonor This heavenly Robe is purposely put on the most licentious persons to hide them not to amend them Though there be no absolute change from the state of sin to the dominion of sanctifying Grace Though the state of total unregeneracy be enmity to the holiness of Christ and his Gospel Sins servants are Heavens darlings by the favor of a pretended imputation Can God have the glory of bringing forth much fruit while there is no

you doe in Word and deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father by him Col. 3. 17. And this will secure against loosnesse in the duties of our Relations worldly enjoyments Ordinances of Grace Talents committed to us SECT 9. 9. HElp is godly sorrow Those ill humors that are contracted 9 Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace Indicium re fipiscentiae sollicitudo securitatis excussio metus ne nevo peccato implicarentur Dickson by carnal mirth godly sorrow will help to cure as in Nature so in grace contraries cure Fasting is one remedy of distempering feasts Godly sorrow is the spirits sack-cloth and fast for sin When it wrought in the Corinthians repentance it wrought carefulnesse which shook off security and fear of relapse into the old sin by fresh temptation By the sad●ess of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. True sorrows eat out the love and liking of sin Men lay not to heart the abuses of grace and then adventure them The three principal things that God requires are Justice Mercy Mourning The last is a singular help to the two first Could we walk mournfully before the Lord we should love Mercy and do justly Mic. 6. 8. The Jews were wanton in their marrying Idolatrous Wives and their mourning ushered in their reformation Ezra 10. 1 3. Good natured childrens ingenuous sorrows for their soose pranks are Preservatives against like disorders In Malachy the pr●●●ical Atheists did look upon Religion as vain serving God keeping his Ordin●nces and walking mournfully before the Lord of Hoast Mal 3. 14. Those mock-Gods and loose Libertines that laugh at mournful walking with God and are ever irreligious they keep not his Ordinances nor serve him at all The tears of repentance do sweetly water the seed of grace Zions mourners are the most th●●ving Christians None are further off from the dangerous snares of soul-ruining wantonnesse then humble souls that so●e in tears They reap in Grace and Joy while others that so● in carnal security and delights reap in sin and wrath It is told in Gath and published in Askelon that many that seemed to set their faces Heaven-wards are loose ●ibe●tines They d●re to think speak and act what once to think on would make them tremble They dare sin without ●emo●se and count it their perfection And whence this sad ●postacy Surely as in part from an ungrateful glut of and formality in the ●rdinances of Grace partly from the spiritual pride of high attainments and partly from exchanging the house of mourning for the house of mirth walking mournfully before the Lord with them is Apochrypha sorrow for sin is legal and antiquated The holy Spirit exhorts rich Wantons to change their mirth into mourning Jam. 4. 9. But what Spirit it is that moves them to change their mourning into mirth you may easily guess It is just with God that when dissolute ones in sinful hardness have laid by sorrow for sin in judicial hardnesse they should be not more merry then mad jocund Wantons The Pulpit is no place The Sabbath no time to speak vainly I hope I speak the words of Truth and Soberness of all the holy frames of the Spirit I would desire of God in my sinful Pilgrimage of imperfection this choice g●●cious indowment That the top-power of the Spirit in me might be in the Gospel-humblings of brokennesse of heart and contrition of spirit Pelievers are called should be little ones Matth. 18. 6. are ever best and safest yea nearest God when lowest SECT 10. 10. HElpe is close union to God The whorish woman at distance 10 Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace Pe. didisti fornicantem abs te aliquid supra te amantem Pelican from her husband played the wanton Prov. 7 19. and impure soules fornicate when they thrust themselves out of Gods presence wanton spirits distance from God their choice and delight Job 21. 14. Is their damnation Lo they that are afar from thee shall perish Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee Psal 73. 27. They that love any thing above God leave Heavens bed of Loves for Earthly delights and shall pay dear for their wantonnesse The remedy against it was close union to God But it is good for me to draw nigh to God 28. As if he had said Unchast Fornicators that leave God the Fountain of living waters for lying vanities to their eternall losse shal be indited for whoredome but my soule enter not into their secret though they are Wantons behind Gods back I see it is s●fe it is happinesse to me to get neer his F●ce in his presence is A●e Purity and Joy I dare not be loose while I see him besore mine Eyes wil a promoted favourite abuse his Prince wrong his grace before his Face the close union of Gods Reverence Love Purity Joy● Contentment Admiration will not be abusive Appropinquatio ad Deum elongatio ab omni corruptione Parisiensis The neerer to the Holy God the further from corruption as the neerer the fire the further from cold the neerer the sun the further from darknesse it is sinners turning their backs upon God which makes them wantons the true vision fruition of and delectation in Gods face is grave serious holy and heavenly What Christian that ever had sweet tasts and close viewes of the blessed God but his experience is sweet testimony hee feared to thinke desire do say that evil in close addresses to God which at other tims of distance hath had too sinful allowance The happinesse of the next life wil be divine sweet vision and union without darknesse and separation eternal closures betweene God souls wil shut out wantoness so much as there is of spiritual conjunction now there is provision against sinne SECT 11. 11. HElp is a constant subduing the first depraved motions 11 A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a special help to prevent abuse of grace to carnal desires and affections he that denyes the first parly and specious offers of a trecherous enemy prevents consent when we give the subtil motions of sin audience and listen to their pleasing arguments it is a thousand to one but we grant them wanton indulgence and ready obedience turning the deaf side to the whorish flatteries of sweete corruption is a soveraign Antidote against Libertinisme Are we sure an enemy knocks at the door we lo●k and bar against him but open not unto him spirituall Judgment sayes the loose motions of sin knocks at the door sayes open not O my soule open not they are Theeves and Robbers My Son saith Solomon If sinners intice consent thou not Prov 1. 10. So say O my Soul if that great Pandor to all the Wantons of flesh and spirit corrupt nature intice consent thou not when lust hath conceived in consent it is ready to bring forth in Execution

Jam. 1. 15. Let not the feminall wickednesse of Lust in its first motions conceive and its loose births will be hindred production while evill inordinate Semper quod putari oporteat invenis erras si vitia putas emortua non magis suppressa Observare diligenter mex ut renascentium capita apparebunt prompta severitate succidere Bernard affections begin to kindle and smoke t is safty and prudence to quench them A few blown sparkes may fire an house yea an whole street The flesh is ranck puts forth luxuriant branches of evill desires by both a sin and punishment our hereditary vice corrupt nature and therefore they are constantly to be cut off by the pruning ●nife of mortifying Grace dayly putting forth of loose motions calls for every dayes pruning while life lasts the body of sin is kept under and consumes is not quite dead Bernard gives sweet and safe counsell diligently to observe and by a prompt severity speedily to cut off the rene●ing Hydra's heads of sinnes motions so soone as they arise SECT 12 12. HElpe is planting and filling the soule with holy spiriritual 12. Planting the soule with heavenly desiresis an help to prevent abuse of grace desires and affections the field that stands thick with corn hath no roome for ranck overgrowing Weeds the clean vessel that is ful of good Liquor is secured from Mustiness Soules filled with the Spirit are armed against the temptations and intrusions of the flesh Carnal desires cannot be supprest unlesse in the room of dangerous affections saving ones be Si carnales concupiscentics ●●ordious nost●is desideramus eaetrudere spirituales ea rum locis plantemus voluntates ut his noster animus semper innixus habeat quibus illicebras carnalium respuat gaudiorum Cassianus introduced Cassian saith well If we desire to thrust evil desires out of our hearts let us plant spiritual ones in their stead that the mind being fixed upon them may alwaies dwel on them and refuse the s●ares of present and carnal delights The more the soul ongs and pants after God and Christ and the Joyes of Eternitie the less leisure and pleasure it hath to play the wanton in the pleasures of the creature and sin SECT 13. 13. HElp is Beating down that grand Idol Carnal Selfe-love 13 Beating down that grand Idol carnal self-love is a help against abusing the grace of God As the Apostle in setting down the black and sad character of loose Libertines that make the last daies perilous begins his prophesie with self-love Men shall be lovers of themselves and then sets down a following black Train of carnal Dissolutenesse They shall be wanton Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3 1 2 4. Make out-side Religion their play not work form not power v. 5. Politick engine not real design So that power of grace that destroyes this esteemed adored sweetest Idol Self-love makes excellent provision against the darling frolicks impudent attempts carnal Est amor carnalis qua ante omnia diligit hemo seipsum propter seipsum nondum quippe sapit nisi seipsum Bern. Facere civitates duas amores duo Terrenam scilicet amor sui usque ad contemptum Dei coelestem vero amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui August delights of the old man Spiritual self-loathing is strict and severe can lay by self in will wisdom pleasig seeking carnall self-love is loose indulgent sensual bruitish prostitutes Religion creatures soul-body in the service and sacrifice of sweet flesh-pleasing O the sad and frequent carnal love of carnal Gospellers who above all things love themselves estimate rellish and seek nothing but themselves make themselves their ultimate end themselves their God Two Loves saith Augustin have made two Cities Self-love joyned with the contempt of God makes the Citie of the world The love of God in conjunction with self-loathing makes the City of God Dry up the impure vast fountain of carnal self-love and the filthy streams of dissolute hearts and lives will soon be dried up 'T is hard to learn this Paradox in Practical Divinity to find a mans self by losing himself Si perit h●mo amando se invenitur negando se Aug. to love ones self by loathing himself If self-love be self-losing then self-denying is self-finding Voluptuous wo●ldlings must have great estates to riot and fe●●● their lusts lay by self-love religious liberality would have larger portions in sensualists estates lesse riches would serve their turn The game of Pleasures Profits and Honours would not with intemperate hot chases be so hunted after The crucified to self-love would be compassionate forgiving bear others burdens and not wantonly rejoice in the miseries of others sins and sufferings SECT 14. 14. HElp is the lively Faith and sence of the heavenly country The spiritual and heavenly expectation of glory 14 The lively faith and sense of the heavenly country is a special help to prevent abuse of grace would purge out the rank corrupt humours of Libertinism Faith would teach holy Reason thus to argue Are there such loose Designs Desires Affections Expressions Actions in Heaven Wil this cockering indulgence to my Lusts fit me for the pure active reverent delights of heavenly Communion Am I fit to Honour Glory who thus abuse grace Let the mindfull sense saith one of the heavenly country stand as door-keeper at the Ad portam voluntatis in qu● solent manere carnalia deside●ia Statuatur os●iarius qui vo●tur recordatio coelestis patriae Hie enim potess pravum desiderlum quasi cune●● cuneum pelle e. Bern. gate of the will in which carnall desires are wont to dwell and as one wedge drives out another so this will drive out loose desire SECT 15. 15. HElp is a fervent keeping up of Grace in Exercise The busie services of Christianity allow no time to wantonize 15 Keeping up of grace in exercise prevents abusing of grace The labour of the spiritual man is the Vacation and rest of the carnal part When the gracious heart is not with the spirit of burning the flesh freezeth The standing water putrifies the running christal stream is clean and sweet The active currency of grace contracts not or soon purgeth out the muddiness of loose corruption 'T is constant experience the most lively exercised Christian in the power of godlyness is ever the strictest observer and severest mortifier of the dissolute motions o● carnal lust When we read the grace of God was exceeding abundant in the Apostle Paul in Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 14. That to finish his Christian and Ministerial course he counted not his life dear to him Act. 20. 24. That he exercised a conscience void of offence toward God and men Act. 24. 16. That the care of all the Churches laid on him 2 Cor. 11. 28. That he laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 10. That he was willing to spend and be spent 2

qui alle gorica resurrectionem imaginando veram illam quae nobis promissa es solvunt Marlo in Cor. 15. 1. time His words are There are those who do wrest the resurrecion of the Body manifestly declared in Scriptures into an imaginary signification a resurrection from the death of ignorance to the life of truth Marcion Basilides Valentinus Apelles were poisoned with the same Error Marlorat noted also the same evil spirit surprized a sort of furious men possessed with Devils who called themselves Libertines who imagining an Allegorical Resurrection deny the true literal promised resurrection of the Body Satans grand design in overthrowing this great truth is a carnal voluptous dissolute life Let us eat and drink to morrow we shall die will be the counsel and practice of the flesh if the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15. 32. The genuine fruit of such a corrupt error is playing the wanton under yea against the light of nature and grace At what door any unstable licentious Christians of the present Age have suffered first the questioning then the slight assent to and lastly the positive denial of the bodily Resurrection to come in the care of good life goeth out Moreover The party of Perfectists under the pretensions of a compleat transcendent grace inherent in the regenerate having first abused the word of grace have eminently dishonoured regenerating grace That sweet grand truth whoever is born of God sinneth not Joh. 3. 9. That is either the sinne unto death or reigning sin as in the unregenerate is wrested as the support of a possible perfect innocence yea as the cover of any sinne not to be accounted sin if in the regenerate The Pelagians and Catharists abused this place so called because they seigned Beleevers in Libertinorum insana opinio qui persuadent omnem sensum peccati abjici endum quod hominum imperfectorum sit conscientiae motibus perturbari eos dicunt vere in Chris̄to renatos a mortuis excitatos qui nullum peccati sensum amplius habent et existimant quicquid agant vel tentent placere fect Deo unde quum apudipsos adulteria facinora hujusmodi deprehenduntur ea ne quaquam insiciantur sed aiunt sibi non esse peccata quod ea pro peccatis non habeant sed illis ad pecca tum imputari praedicant quiper infirmita tem peccata esse existimant Marlor in 1 Cor. 9. 9. this life have an Angelical purity some Anabaptists have renewed this dream The same folly the Spirit of Error hath transmitted to the sottish Quakers All which depravers of the holy Text the same Apostle John that wrote it hath sufficiently confuted in these words If we say we have no sinne we decieve our selves and there is no truth in us How easie is it for ignorant loose stupid sinners to perswade themselves they are born of God And if nothing they doe is sinne with what bold security unbridled liberty and unconscionable insensibility will they give themselves up to the uncontrouled swing of their domineering Lusts How sadly hath the word of truth concerning Regeneration and Perfection been abused of old and present times The saying of Marlorat hath been transcribed in the erring braines and loose lives of some Monsters of Christian profession among us 'T is the mad opinion of Libertines who perswade said he that all sense of sin is to be cast off that it appertaines to imperfect men to be disturbed by the motions of conscience And therefore they say they are truly regenerate in Christ and raised from the dead who have no more sense of sin and think what sorever they do or hold pleaseth God When they are taken in Adultery and such kind of villanies they doe not deny them but say they are no sinnes to them because they do not account them so but they affirm they are onely imputed to them as sin who through their weakness think they are sins If this be weakness to account sin sin and to be troubled for it and it be Christian perfection not to think sin sin nor to have an awakened sensible conscience of sin I know not what wickedness is O sad and desperate delusion Here is the plain efficacy of Satan to miscall an admantine remorsless heart Chriperfection of life and healths activity Yet the of the Christian name dare call the stupidity of a dead and seared conscience Perfection If we right name and nature it let it bee called Perfection but of wickedness not holyness 'T is a character of sinners past grace They give themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleanness with greediness and that a licentious impenitent liberty may never meet with check again they are said to be past feeling the word imports past grieving Eph. 4. 19. There is some hope of recovery in a troubled conscience none a sorrowless Trouble of spirit for wickedness may stop a bold careere hel wards and beget thoughts of returning but he that gallops to destruction hath not an inward pang a sing a groan a tear in his way must infallibly perish Wel were it if this vile spirit of error had been in that hell of gross darknesse ●hence it came but the same impudent Diabolical looseness that Reformed Writers condemned and discovered long agoe a generation of false adulterate Christians have revived in our sad infamous and spotted times I mean the Ergtish Borborities impure Ranters whose toadish natures have suckt up that venome their loose fraternitie powred out in the time of Calvin Marlorat and others as Calvins Opuscula especially his judicious and Zealous Tract against Libertines and Marlorat in his New Testament Expositions But O you scandals of the English name and bolts of Christianity Heavens scorn and Hels triumph the highest form in Satans School that rant it out in most free and liberal allowances of your uncontroled Lusts that make not sins definition The transgression of Gods Law 1. loh. 3. 4. but a Thought an Opinion Nothing is sinne with you unless you think and account it so who have so much sinned against conscience that you have quite cast off the sensible conscience of sin if your debauched looseness hath not cast off the Eible and s●n-discovering books out of your hearts and hands and providence may lead you to the reading of this Section I beseech you fear tremble repent and know the holy Text of which your impure hearts unmotified lusts vile affections have given a depraved Exposition be no patron of but severe enemy against your monstrous impieties impurities and unrighteous dealings Wil you not be speechless in the arraignment of the Last Judgment when from a double Tribunal of Nature and Grace Reason and Religion Paganism and Christianty you will be infallibly condemned You will learn that Virtue is Virtue Vice Vice Grace is Grace and Sin is Som whether they be thought or beleeved so be or no a stupid conscience in a stupid hellish Liberty to sin is no Christian

Two texts among others are the strong hold for their earthly minds Parents lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12. 14. And he that provides not for his own is worse than an Insidel 1 Tim. 5. 8 ●oth are true but miserably abused by uncompassionate covetous hearts The first of laying up for children was never intended to swallow up laying out in works of Charity and Mercy But what though Gods allowance and Parents indulgence may lawfully make their children the heirs in part of their Estates will this excuse their dis-inheriting Christ in the necessitous poor will this excuse their rebelling against the Gospel Old New Testament requities for liberal alms giving nothing or next to nothing in no proportion to estates Amongst the sayings of ancient modern holy writers yea the confessions of heathens that might easily swel into a Book Some sayings out of Salvian might make Scripture Worldlings to tremble who profess their portion is in God and give sad grounds of Jealousie 't is only in this life When they thus Apologize we know what Gods Justice demands what sacred truth requires but we ●●rfess we are bowed under the yoak of our fleshly allience we Dedimus cap●●● manus vincal●● charitatis c●ss● saenguint ●●●es vicerunt devotionē rel●gionis jura pictatis Salvian contra Ava●iti●● Vi●●●● excu●●●un●●●● non excusans have given our captive hards to the chairs of our Parental affections The voice of blood is lowder then that of faith and the rights of nature have swallowed up the devotion of Religion Something may be said to cover but not to cure the disease of worldliness a shadow of excuse not excusing giving to the guilty a shew of deprecation no security from the cry of guilt O worldly I arent whose all it is to heap up estates for thy children or the main of thy earthly travel and solace The unhappiest man in the World Doest thou think how well others shall live after thee and not how ill thou art like to die Tell me I pray thee O miser O Infidel when many are inriched with thy divided Patrimony and greedy Purchases have you so ill deserved of your self as not to advantage your soul by charity to strangers 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es ●am male meritus Take this choice admonition Let no man prefer his dearest childe above his soul Christians are so to consult the good of their Heirs in this life as to accommodate themselves in Eternity Facilius est hic deesse quippiā quam parentibus in futuro multo est levior praesens tenuitas quam aeterna paupertas ib. 'T is better that children should want something here then Parients all hereafter Present mean estate is better then eternal poverty Better that Heirs want a large Patrimony then the Testators their salvation yea they to whom Inheritances are left if they have any piety bowels mercy to them that leave them should be glad of their pious liberality lest they perish Hearken hide-bound heart-bound Parents that have the judgement of withered hands upon you to the words of Christ He that loves Sonor Daughter more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10. 37. Have ye banished self-love from your selves soul love is true self-love O unbelief O perverseness 'T is a vulgar saying Charity begins at home This is a new kinde of Monster to consult the well-fare of any one but ones self Behold thou art to goe O man of matchless misery to a sacred tryal to that trembling and intolerable Judgement where onely a good Conscience an innocent Life works of Mercy will refresh thee Where a liberal minde a fruitful repentance and copious alms will befriend thee What if immoderate scraping together for thine bei●s shut Heaven against thee Mens larga Paenitentia fructuosa Eleemo synae copiosae and open hell to receive thee Will the memory of thine heirs vast and voluptuous Estate ease thy Bed of flames Will the thoughts of their delitious tables even to glut and wantonness afford thee a crum of mercy a drop of water to cool abate thy torturing pangs Hadst thou not been better by a Bill of Exchange to have sent a great part of thine Estate in works of mercy into the other world As to the other refuge of Tenacious covetousnesse he that provides not for his own house is worse then an Infidell how is this Text made to speak on the Misers side and how far from his Protection The mind of the Spirit and the Apostle in those words was not to countenance a confined use of christians estates within the Pale of their own families but to taxe and caution against the Abolishment of naturall affections and necessary provisions in carelesse family-guides under the Pretensions of piety This inhumanity to ones own flesh and bloud sets professed christians Sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 below Heathenish Infidells who are by the guide of Nature propense to love their own Of kin to this is that Popish Inhumanity which is cryed up for superlative Piety if any leave their wife children and aged Parents or go a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem or cloyster up themselves in a Monastery The Catabaptists as Marlorat noted were besotted with the same madnesse for leaving their wives and children as astonished witlesse fanatick men they run up and down To propagate as they fancied the Dominions of Christ The same wild course the brain-sick Ita se pomeria Christi propagaturos dixerant Marloin 1 Tim. 5. besotted Quakers take in these dayes leaving their dearest Relations in tedious journyes where Satan called the spirit is pleased to send them whom the Holy Spirit calls worse then Infidells for undoing their families to propagate the light within them from County to County such as these as oppose Religion to the necessary provisions of this life are here intended But Non ita claudenda est res familiaris ut eam benignitas aperire non posset neque ita referanda ut pateat omnibus Cicero 2. Offic. what speak those words for worldly Christians of the other extream Are not they worse then Infidells whose improved naturall reason and moralities have made them liberall to the poore and needy Have not these denyed the Faith of Scripture that abundantly commands charitable distribution yea the True faith in God that is ever fruitfull in the compassionate works of Almagiving Thus too many with Scripture leave as they thinke are Bad Stewards of their Wealth let the large waters of creature mercies run out almost only in the channells of their own Families are not the blessed cisterns to convey them into wanting houses Trace all the kinds of abusing Gods Grace to their proper Oirginalls and it will be experimented the wresting of some Scriptures or others hath been the cause of loose hearts and wanton lives SECT 11. THe third head of causes why the Grace of God is abused Sect. 11. The grace of God is abused by

and lives that with the repenting Jaylors they had had heart tremblings then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning a sun-shine of prosperity should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth How wise and safe had been their estate that at once have peace with sin and as they think with God had they at once seen God and sin their enemy their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes their sweetest comforts bitter vexations the creatures armed against them feared their very meat might prove their poyson every night might be the last that these awakening driving terrors might chase unquiet afrighted spirits into Jesus Christ that the fear and war of the spirit of bondage might end in the joy and peace of the spirit of adoption that tempestuous soules might hear these sweet calming words Be of good cheere t is I be not afraid Mat. 14 27. Fear not I am thy God Isa 41. 10. My Person Spirit Graces Comforts Glory infinite merits are thine Some in the Wildernesse of their sins feares and sorrowes have at length leaned on their beloved when the false peace of most presumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell As many there as have been tempted by secure flattery into their tormenting easelesse bed of Tribulation will have cause to think and say within themselves accursed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts lives that hath brought us to an eternall storme accursed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war accused be that sweetnesse that hath inticed us into eternall bitternesse accursed be that friendship with the world and Devill that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God SECT 14. 4. The presumption of setting death and Judgement at far distance Sect. 14. The setting of death and judgement at far distance causeth the abuse of Grace 1. Death Resentment of it as of a Traveller thousands of miles off at scores of yeares removes begets through the deceits of the flesh and lyes of the Devill a tolleration yea a resolution to play the wanton not only against Nature but Grace The Epicure that beleeves not the Soules immortality concludes wanton voluptuous life from probable short life Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15. 32. And the Christian though he beleeveth his Soule shall live for ever doth wantonize in carnall delights from probable length of dayes he shall have time enough to get the Grace of Repentance and therefore he abuseth the space and call yea the conviction of returning the vilest of Christians while under the sentence and on the bed of death seeme to have some sober thoughts of the excellency and necessity of Grace and of some complying desires and wishes O that they had it who when they beleeved it yea found it at vast distance from them despised and abused the motions of the spirit and word and of Grace How Saint like is the inlightned Libertine within a few houres of his death how dissolute ten years scores of years before it 2. Judgement Because particular Judgement after death and the generall Judgement of the great day is delayed Therefore The heart of the Sons of men is set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. wanton scoffers walke after their own ungodly Lusts saying Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. That cooling word in the Indulge exple animi cupiditates scito tan dem sis ratio nem Deo red diturus q. d. fac quicquid mali poteris tandem vapu labis aut in manus carnificis incides Mercer l. 5. c. 2. hot chase of sin Remember God will bring thee to Judgement Eccl. 11. 9. is too litle remembred the words of Mercer are observeable Feed and dandle thy lusts with most cockering indulgence coming to every desire of thy carnall mind yet know at length God will reckon with you fill up your measure of sin to your utmost possibilities at length you shall smart for it and fall into the hands of avenging Execution my Lord hath delayed his coming said the loose evill servants and therefore they were intemperate and injurious rioted in drunkennesse and Beate their fellow servants Matth. 24. 48 49. As the wanton whorish woman argued to uncleannesse Come let us take our fill of Loves let us solace our selves with Love for the good man is gone a long journey Prov. 7. 18. So the wanton Christian argues to licenciousnesse he may in the spacious intervalls between his healthy time and the last Judgement bathe his fleshly mind in fleshly loves and delights for it will be long ere the last Assizes come and will it be long what if millions of years it will come at length too soon and too sore upon the injurious slighters of Gods Grace Ah Christians that sport your selves with your own deceivings Irremediabile periculum sit aliquem cupiditatibus fraena laxare ut se rationem Deo non meminerit redditurum Bernard that Gospell Grace and liberty will favour your disordered walking that give your Lusts too large roome under the plain hearing and convincements of strictnesse that stumble in high noone day slacken the Reines to your head strong desires as if God would call you to account Bernard tells you this is an irremedilesse soule danger If the Faith of the last Judgement do not teach men holy Wisdome Repentance Temperance Obedience what will what can weep you said the Apostle James to the rich loose wantons of his time And howle for the miseries that are come upon you Jam. 5. 1. why Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth and have been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slangther v. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh As if he had said you play the wantons with creature mercies forgetting God and your duties but the accounting day is nigh Faciat jructū qui potest adest dominus qui fructum requirit faecundos vivificet steriles depre hendet Am. Super Luc. The Judge is at the doore They are good words of Ambrose Let every one bring forth the fruit of Grace the Lord is present in his word to faith who will require fruit will not be put off with leaves He will give eternall Life to fruitfull trees will take and cast barren ones into Hell SECT 15. 5. The presumption of time enough to repent hath brought 15. The presumption of time enough to repent doth cause the abuse of Grace forth this uncomely Monster The abuse of Grace There are not a few incurable instances in the other World who have first delayed and then everlastingly lost the space and Grace of repentance Those words of Christ concerning Jerusalem may be truly and sadly said of Grace-refusing and abusing Christians Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Hannibal bewailed the loss of his opportunity to master Rome when he would have