holy Spirits fruit is no way able to withstand the motions of the flesh but is carryed captive with every lustful bait at the tempters will for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and as it is the care of the evil one to have the mind of sinners in his possession even so the first work the holy Spirit doth upon the converted is to put Gods law into their mind by demolishing those dark works in those that turn to God both in debasing what was and in exalting what was not Ephes 4. 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that you walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanities of their mind vers 22. But that you put off concerning the former conversation the old man with his deeds and then is a necessity of putting on the new man with his deeds for if the house or heart be empty swept and garnished from all bad and yet not possest with like good the evil one enters again and makes the case worse than before All which notes the necessity of having dependance upon the holy Spirit Ephes 3. 16 17. To fortifie the mind with spiritual materials and thus I have done with the first mark and come to the second Secondly It is the Spirits work to discover to the Christian man wherein his danger most lies that is by what bait and to what evils the tempter is most like to draw him Ignorance here causeth people go into the tempters way and without defilement more or less they can hardly return and surely Solomon alludes to this in one of his petitions to God for Israel 1 Kings 8. 38. What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the Plague of his own Heart clearly implying that among Israel there might be that did not know their own Hearts Plague or wherein their danger most lay now the holy Spirit was given to instruct them and so witnesseth Nehem. 9. 20. Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them the manner how is set out in Exod. 13. 17. And it came to pass when pharaoh had let the people go that God led them not through the way of the Philistines although that was near for God said lest they repent when they see war and return to Egypt again It is very questionable if not out of doubt that this danger was not in their eye at all but God led them saith Moses by his Spirit saith Nehemiah clearly noting that persons hearkning find the holy Spirit not wanting to lead them in the best way and set before them the greatest danger one text more and so I have done with this Isa 29. 24. They also that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine They that through ignorance went astray shall come to understanding or know their best way and they that did repine shall learn Doctrine or be better taught Thirdly The Spirits work is to discover both the strength of the tempter and temptation showing to the Christian man these two things First that the tempter can but intice not inforce Secondly that the strength of his temptations lies in present things First he can and doth prepare suitable baits and snares but all he doth do and can do amounts but to thus much Therefore greater is he that is in you than he that is against you which consideration tends greatly to a believers support while he is able to say I know it must be my fault if I sin against my God for the tempter cannot force me neither did he ever force any he can and doth proffer his ware putting the best face upon it as you may see Gen. 3. 4 5. And the Serpent saith to the Woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know in the day you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and shall be as Gods knowing good and evil here he makes his bait pleasant and to promise greater priviledge than yet they had with which the woman is taken And when the Woman saw that the fruit was good and that it was pleasant to the eye shee took thereof and did eat contrary to the Law so Josh 7. 20 21. When Achan saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish Garment and a wedge of Gold he coveted them which notes that the Devils power to take centers in preparing fair outsides which carries some after destruction as the Oxe goeth to the slaughter not knowing that it is for his life and indeed as his trade lies in shows so the people he tradeth among without which he could not trade at all to any advantage are silly people and though silly people yet he tradeth altogether in the dark and therefore is called the Ruler of darkness Eph. 6. 12 And his Kingdome a Kingdome of darkness Col. 1. 3. dare not come to the light for fear his deeds should be made manifest Secondly as he thus trades and these are the people he tradeth with so the strength of his temptations centers in present things It is all he can make snares and temptations of as is evident by these Texts Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this Present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us so Gal. 1. 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from this Present evil World 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me having imbraced the Present World Now all these Scriptures speak the tempters strength to lie in present things which made the holy Apostle have light account of his suffering 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory he compareth it with the state to come gives it the next count to a cypher calling it momentary and the utmost we can make or any sinner that lives at greatest height of worldly pleasure must confess all present things will amount to but these three First Such as goeth but shin deep Secondly Such as may properly be called minute joy that that is ours this minute but either it taken from us or we from it next minute it lasts not Thirdly At the longest worldly pleasure serveth us but till we come to the grave and there it leaves us Having now done with the third Discovery of the holy Spirits help I shall briefly add two or three more and pass to the Twenty ninth Sign of a dying Christian Fourthly The holy Spirit discovers what unprofitableness is found in sin after committed working strong convictions upon the heart of the sinner and forceth him to confess that his eager pursuit after his sin now he hath had his hearts desire granted contracts but wo and sorrow though sweet in the mouth while eating yet bitter in the belly when eaten Mark 8. 36 37. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole
Wilderness for there is no bread neither any water and our souls loath this light bread Here Gods own institution that once was welcome to them and being now they was mighty eager after it in so much that they could dispence with breaking a law to gather it as Exod. 16. at large proves where we read of its first institution this Manna that the Holy Ghost Psal 78. 25. calls Angels food they now loath and call light bread this Manna though Gods own appointment that fed them to the full and was to continue with them till they come to eat the old corne in the Land of promise Josh 5. 12. yet this they loath under its constant injoyment and wish for Egypts food again How zealous were persons in this age ten or twelve years ago when truth begun more clearly to break forth no cost or early pains mattered happy were they that could come soonest then were assemblies crouded good men incouraged to labor Gods name delightfully worshipped in so much that without wrong one might say since such dayes the Kingdome of Heaven have suffered violence and the violent take it by force is Gods hand shortned that such workings of heart are not now as was then is not now assemblies thin performances small seldome and late is it because God is a Wilderness to his people is it not because they surfeit under fulness Doth not many run too and fro that knowledge is increased and sons and daughters prophesie How then may this serve to rebuke that sloathful Spirit in any that are careless to assemble and calls on them to be restless with God till they are again restored to such a Spirit of zeal as they had in the dayes of their first Espousal lukewarmness here being that inlet sin to spiritual spoiling disappointing God of gratious opportunities to inrich them and thorow this neglectance offers daring occasion to the Devil to tempt them Doth not the holy Apostle Rom. 10. 14 15. plainly imply an impossibility of believing in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear saith he without a Preacher as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things doth not this saying in so many words declare the reason of perishing to be want of knowledge Hos 4. 6. And the cause of ignorance the want of preaching How doth this then commend Gods high approbation of assembling it being the proper season for preaching Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name In an evil time when many grew weary and said it is a vain thing to serve the Lord what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances and walked mournfully before him then such as met often were high in Gods account Alas alas is not preaching though accompanied with never so much inward and outward pains-taking then matter of scorn to standers by who live vainly also a joy to the Devil our grand adversary when few attend it and of those most part flat low indisposed and weary having little spiritual life or vigor in them on whom common custome to assemble hath eaten out the spiritual relish that should be in them but I shall close this with Gods counsel Heb. 10. 24 25. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as we see the day approaching For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Doth not this dismall conclusion ver 26. proffer it self as the most probable end of such as cease to assemble and makes way for their fearful and inevitable ruine shall any dare then to content themselves with light excuses to hinder their assembling and not rather provoke and exhort one another to so good a work I shall conclude this first Sign of dying to Christ with offering briefly three Remedies how it may be removed where begun or prevented where like to come First consider and lay to heart That to assemble is a very weighty duty and requires all your heart Isa 35. 3. Encline your ear come unto me hear your souls shall live see Prov. 8. 34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors for who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Plainly noting that diligent hearkning which cannot be without assembling is the way to life therefore not to be slightly looked at Acts 3. 23. Every soul that will not hear this Prophet shall be cut off from amongst the People Persons may think it a light thing to forbear hearing and an offence onely to the assembly but God will count it a despising him and the means he hath ordained The Chrildren of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of Battel they kept not Gods Covenant but refused to walk in his Law therefore the Lord heard this and a fire was kindled in his wrath against Jacob For their hearts was not right with God Let us take heed therefore that we refuse not him that spake from Heaven but as we must consider that it is a weighty duty to assemble so it requires that we come with all our hearts this God calls for and where it is wanting performances will not be acceptable This people draw nigh me with their mouths and honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29. 13. it is Gods complaint by Jeremiah Juda hath not turned to me with her whole heart but fainedly with a heart and a heart a heart as much a contrary way as that way they were indifferent as willing not to turn as to turn this makes offerings to be abhord the contrary by Christians must be made at Blessed are they that seek him with their whole heart Psal 119. 25. Lesse then the whole heart begets jarring prevents harmony hinders the spiritual building A second Remedy is to consider that it is not possible to prevent this spirit of indifferency but by continuing as industruous to keep what ye have gained as you were to get it the prayers the teares the searchings of heart the attentive hearing and frequent assemblings that you in order to your first Espousal did diligently follow you must still hold on in that you may keep and increase the same for the promises run in no other channel Prov. 2. 4. If thou seek for wisdome as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Hos 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the
this Service for us with no less price than his precious blood the smalness of our desert to procure this together with the high priviledges it signifies us heirs unto Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on as that we should be called or accounted the Sons of God who was before without Christ c. But now made nigh through the blood of Christ How should this provoke our fervent love to him to be crying out with the Spouse in the Canticles My beloved is fair and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Certainly my friends were our hearts truly spiritual we could not chuse but see singular desert in Jesus Christ calling for the greatest of our love in a holy affection to the in joying of him and making us prefer our communion with him in this service before all things that in this world may challenge our dearest respect It must needs therefore follow that want of love makes way for small offences to keep us from Christs Table I shall leave this to consideration and pass to the Seventh Sign of a dying Christian CHAP. VII Shewing the great decay to Christianity when mindless to Prayer with a plain discovery of the Necessity Excellency Le ts and Helps to Prayer in sixteen particulars SIGN VII VVHen you have no great mind to Prayer When a Christian is mindless of this bosome blessed intimate service of Prayer which is a drawing nigh to and talking with the great Lord God Almighty here is then ground enough to conclude his state and his decay very great Now in Prayer there is considerable First The Necessity of Prayer Secondly The Excellency of Prayer Thirdly Le ts to Prayer Fourthly Helps to Prayer First The necessity of Prayer appears from the command of God 1 Thes 5. 7. Pray without ceasing Col. 4. 21. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving 1 Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Secondly It appears from example 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray for you Psal 55. 27. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray Dan. 6. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was sign'd he went into his house and kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did at other times Thirdly The Necessity appears from the importunity that goeth along with prayer Luke 22. 44. And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly Luke 6. 12. And it came to pass in those dayes that he went into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God Acts 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in Prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church to God for him Luke 11. 8 9. I say to you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth Secondly The Excellency of Prayer appears in this First It ingageth Gods strength Secondly It holds with holy reverence Gods hands Thirdly In no condition we can be barred from it For the first Exod. 17. 11. And it came to pass when Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed and when he let down his hands the Amalekites prevailed Josh 10. 12 13 14. Then spake Joshua or prayed to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the Children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon upon the Valley of Jaalon and the Sun stood still and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies and there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkned to the prayer of a man for the Lord fought for Israel Secondly Prayers Excellency appears in this it holds with holy reverence Gods hands Exod. 32. 9 10 11 12. And the Lord said to Moses I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people Now therefore let me alone that I may destroy them and I will make of thee a great Nation And Moses besought the Lord saying Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot turn I pray thee and repent of this evil against them Numb 14. 11 22. And the Lord said to Moses how long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me now therefore let me alone that I may destroy them Thirdly Prayers Excellency appears in that in no condition we can be barred from it Daniel in the Lyons Den Chap. 6. Jonah in the Whales Belly Chap. 1. 2. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God out of the Fishes Belly and said I cryed by reason of my affliction unto the Lord and he heard me out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardest my voyce so Paul and Silas in prison prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them Now we come to Le ts to prayer i. e. what hinders Prayer from prevailing with God First presumption in an unreverent adventuring before the Lord 2 Chron. 14. and 20. 33. c. For as yet the people had not prepared their heart unto the God of their Fathers therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Amos 4. 12. A second Let or hinderence to Prayer is wandering thoughts Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be cloathed but seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 32 33. The third Let to Prayer is bosome sin or pleasant delight in some secret lust Psal 66. 8. If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me Josh 7. 8 9 10 11. The Lord saith to Joshua get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned they have also transgressed my covenant which I have commanded them for they have taken of the accursed thing and have also stolen and dissembled and they have put it also among their own stuff therefore they could not stand before their Enemies but turned their backs This good man Joshua in Chap. 10. 12. at another time is so prevalent at Prayer that the Sun and Moon stands still yet now in his seventh Chapter because there is some bosome sin in the Camp he cannot prevail till this is removed A fourth Let is want of reconciliation to brethren Mat. 23. 23 24. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and first go and be
of his burthen were so unsensible that God complains against them Amos 6. 6. They were not grieved at the affliction of Joseph they were so far from easing him or freeing themselves from provoking of God to bring them into such like trouble that they were not so much as grieved had no burthen upon them were therefore fit matter to be indeed deservedly brought themselves into the like condition a most remarkable and profitable example if heeded by Christians we have to this very purpose in Daniel that holy man Chap. 9. vers 2. when he understands by reading that there were a number of years for Jerusalems captivity how was he burthened that he might know it is evident if you read but what he did vers 3. I set my face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplication with fasting and sack-cloth and ashes behold here a gracious pattern for Christians that want to know great things from God Daniel sets his face unto the Lord with such qualifications attending this performance as though Daniel would be content with no denial so Chap. 10. 2 3. A thing was revealed to Daniel but the time appointed was long In those dayes I Daniel was mourning three full weeks I eat no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth till three whole weeks were fulfilled That such manner of burthen and trouble as this at the sense of ones ignorance is not only the way to get profit but indeed a most acceptable way with God and so liked as to speed presently Let us see then what is written in Dan. 9. 23. At the Beginning of thy supplication mark that the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee therefore understand the matter and consider the vision Had not Daniels supplications fasting sackcloth ashes proved a prevailing cause with God to send an Angel to make him understand Wherefore serves this thus written At the beginning of thy supplication so Chap. 10. 12. An Angel said in a vision Fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand and chasten thy soul before thy God thy words were heard and I am come forth because of thy words Doth not all this call upon Christians to do three things First to get a mighty sense of their ignorance which is the grand cause they do not profit Secondly to be greatly burthened that it is so with them Thirdly to set their faces towards the Lord God by prayer and supplication without ceasing both to be and to abide otherwise Is not the Prophet Daniels Writing for our learning and to encourage us to take the same course God sorely dislikes the contrary Isa 32. 9. Rise up ye women that are at ease not troubled or burthened hear my voyce ye careless Daughters and be troubled Thus much may serve to inform a willing mind how to get from under the power of this Dying Sign of indifferency to Assemble and so pass to the second third and fourth Signs of Dying to Christ in which I shall be somewhat brief they having some kind of dependance upon this first Sign CHAP. II. Containing three Causes of weariness to spiritual Worship and the principal Reasons thereof SIGN II. VVHen in your purest Worship you are quickly weary It is possible to come to this pass at but a seeming occasion and persons create some kind of pretence why they are weary if it happen that at some time they are not so particularly and personally concerned in that part of Gods Worship where they are present It so falling out that the matter God is intreated about they are not so at want in or what is preached they to some considerable degree are informed in already This may fall out in numerous Congregations where different conditions ministers different occasions as to the manner of carrying on their Worship and though at such a time for a growing Christian there is no room to be weary he being as well delighted occasionally to hear or pray over again what he knows as he is to hear what he knows not in the one he takes occasion to praise for what was in the other to praise for what is yet declining persons will in such a case as this when they are not so nearly concerned take advantage not only to be weary but from hence plead their justification so to be but this Sign speaks to persons under a further consideration such as in their purest Worship are quickly weary in their most intimate private personal closet performances retired from company and set to the most intimate Worship of God in fasting praying self-examining and the like yea from a sense of mighty Need drawn to this and yet quickly weary must needs argue them deep in this decay and that in such there is a very strong combate who shall now gain the field they being a weary in their purest Worship It is evident hence that the enemy hath got more than ordinary advantage and strikes now at the very root of their Religion aiming at once as it were to make a speedy end and puts such Christians instead of Worshiping faintly to cease Worshiping at all its high time therefore at the first sight of such declining which in our dayes is not the portion of a few for surely surely many there are in Churches that in their purest Worship are quickly weary I say again its high time that those that find the case thus with them do even like the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah They beleived God proclaimed a fast from the greatest to the least Jonah 3. 5. Even so let such go to their knees humble themselves and cry mightily that they perish not Now the Causes of this decay seems to be these three First Self-conceitedness that they know enough Secondly Luke-warmness in their Religion Thirdly Unaptness to personal Duties Which may serve as helps to remove it where begun or prevent it where like to come First Self-conceitednesse that they know enough Now this comes to pass either First Through ignorance of what they ought to know or Secondly Through Carlesness to put in practise what they do know Let the Law of God as the Law of a Nation be never so plain in it self lâ—â—d down yet without studious industry to understand what is Gods own injunction we may remain ignorant of the same and that ignorance prove a sin to us it being the effect of sloathfulness contrary to Prov. 2. beginning If thou seek for wisdome as for silver and search mark that for it as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the Knowledg of God Psal 1. 2. Secondly Through carelesness to put in practice what they do know persons are very apt to complain of their ignorance of plain duties yea as though they were holden and hindred when as all experience speaks the only way to know more is to put in practice what we do know already Thou oughtest
reconciled to thy brother Mat. 6. 12. For give us our debts as we forgive our debters but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive ye your trespasses A fifth Let is despairing doubts of being answered Jam. 1. 5 6. If any man lack wisdome let him ask it of God that giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him but let him ask in saith nothing doubting for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed let not that man think he shal receive any thing at the hand of the Lord whatsoever ye shall ask in my name believe that you shall receive it and ye shall receive it Mark 11. 24. We shall now speak of Helps to prayer or saith some I would but I cannot pray I want words all that I can do is to sigh for a Help to this First labour to get a feeling of the necessity and excellency of Prayer so as that thy heart goeth under a grievous burthen because thou canst not pray Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they are not grieved Here the Prophet complains that though Israel are stricken smitten and afflicted yet they have not grieved clearly implying that a grieved burthened state at the sense of want is a fair step in the way to obtain supply Psal 38. 4 6. For mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burthen they are too heavy for me I am troubled I am bowed down greatly cast thy burthen upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee Psal 55. 22. Secondly study much how to get deep sense of your great wants of Gods daily help All my springs are in thee without me you can do nothing For in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. 27. 28. Thirdly Consider God hath provided no way for you to acquaint him with your wants but prayer and if you cannot pray how will you make your complaints to God Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by Prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God 2 Chron. 26. Vzzia sought God in the dayes of Ezra and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Hos 5. 15. Fourthly consider that all your outward mercies becomes blessings through Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5 6. For every creature of God is good if it be reeceived with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer Give us this day our daily bread When Jesus had made the multitude sit down upon the ground he looked up to Heaven and gave thanks or said grace as the old translations read it Fifthly Consider what a miserable condition will yours be if cast into the Lyons Den Whales Belly or stocks if you cannot pray They poured out their supplications when thy chastening was upon them Sixthly Intreat Jesus Christ to teach you to pray Luke 11. 1. And it came to pass as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples as the Lord commands us to do so he must help us to Pray Zech. 36. 37. CHAP. VIII Shewing the great Decay to Christianity when mindless to Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures with six Calamities very observable which Scripture Ignorance brings SIGN VIII VVHen Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures is not delightful but burthensome unto you When Israel was pleased to chuse them a King God is pleased to set him his work lest they lose their end and God lose his honour And it shall come to pass when he shall sit upon the Throne of his Kingdome that he shall write him a Copy of Gods Law in a book and it shall be with him and he shall read therain all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God that his heart he not lifted up above his brethren In like manner when Joshua enters upon the Government he hath this charge from God that the Book of the Law should not depart out of his mouth but he must meditate therein day and night that he might observe to do according to all that 's written then should he make his way prosperous and have good success And when King David declares who is the blessed man He is one that delights in the Law of the Lord making it his meditation day and night This premised discovers most pretious worth attainable through Scripture reading with meditation and if need were might call for a multitude more witnesses both from Scripture and Experience But it being not so much my proper work to assert Scripture Excellency as to show and prove that Christian to be dying to Christ that is not delightfully taken up with Meditation and Reading in his Word I shall therefore proceed in a plain method Thus where delight to Reading and Meditation grows low there negligence to Reading and meditation must needs grow high there decay grows great such must decline in their spiritual estate this negligence bringing with it much ignorance and so covers the eyes and hearts of such as with a vail so as that they cannot so see as the spiritual growing man sees Gods Precepts how they command him Gods promises how they uphold him Gods threatnings how awfully they perswade him the Scripture being his Treasury or Store-house from whence he is made able through the spirits help to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one saying after Christ Jesus his Captain thus and thus it is written It is evident to the meanest capacity that doth but consider how great incapacity all such must needs be in to understand and resist the manifold temptations and wiles of the evil one except they be well acquainted with Gods holy Word that hath in it Armour for the whole man with directions how to put it on and it becometh thus excellent for that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished to all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Ignorance therefore here must make sore desolation and bring as I humbly conceive upon persons these six Calamities First It makes you in a wilderness when sickness and affliction comes because you will not know how and why they come Sickness and Affliction are of two sorts inward and outward Inward are such as seize upon the mind as a judgment caused upon the person where they come Isa 6. 9 10. And he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes
blind a light to them in darkness at the same time under the dominion of Sin But what may be the Causes of this that persons should take such pains in Religion and at the same time be but meer painted Sepulchres Answ First gross ignorance Secondly Carnal security First Gross ignorance that God did never institute Laws for Laws sake but for his Name sake and sinners saving never placing happiness in them but in him that is the Author of them O then what ignorance and madness is it for people to content themselves with flesh-circumcision God will punish such with the uncircumcised Jer. 9. last Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will punish the circumcised with or as truly as the uncircumcised for the one hath it not in the flesh and the other not in the heart Secondly Carnal security That is dream they shall be accepted because great Prayers great Preachers great goers to Church though this be good in it self yet this is filthy and bad when either it is alone or rested in When they shall say peace and safety then suddain destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. CHAP. XIX Containing in it a description of a decaying Christian by his light trouble at Miscarriages though known to Gods eye while kept from mans eye with two special Causes of this Decay SIGN XIX VVHen you are not much troubled at your own Miscarriages while they are kept from publick view By Miscarriages here I would be understood the failings and fallings of Gods Children not wilfully nor altogether willingly but through infirmity being overtaken or as it were insnared before they are aware yet truly privy to what they have done and not ignorant they have gone out of the way Nevertheless if their going thus far in sight and sense of uneven walking be found without much trouble it is most evident then their case is very sad Now who is he that lives and sins not 1 King 8. 46. And who is he that can hide what he doth from an All-seeing eye Psal 139. 7. And what is it that puts distinction between a good mans sinning and a bad mans sinning but that the one sins with all his will the other with scarce any of his will to the one what he doth is matter of delight to the other what he doth is his sickness though it is true he doth it yet his heart is grieved for it now the more or less a good man is troubled upon this score the more or less is his decay where the awful fight of Gods eye is much reverenced there all Miscarriages are soon discerned and much avoided but the lesser any man is beset with this grace lessens his fear to the greater and heightens his fear to the lesser that is Gods eye is not so much run from as mans eye one of the highest temptations to sin being secresie and one of the greatest seasons to try whether a man hath good will to do amiss or no it having in it no kind of let to touch his sensitive part with care or fear to eschew it because that visible shame that sin brings in all probability cannot come then Satan is at work mightily having the highest opportunity unless the Conscience be found very tender to strike the heart into a trembling sense of that piercing eye of the Almighty saying with Job Doth not he see my wayes and count all my steps chap. 31. 42. What else can hinder closing with temptation to a high degree now such misdoing as this of secret sinning found in any and they not much troubled because it is not made known let the sin they have committed be never so small in account yet a sin doth prove such very desolate of the grace of God Amnon one of Davids Sons being evil disposed towards Tamar his Sister is not thoughtful at all of Gods secret eye but careful how to avoid mans eye as this saying proves Have all men out from me 2 Sam 13. 9. none but Tamar must stay with him towards home he is wickedly designed running into Gods eye without all fear so he may run from mans eye It was not thus with good Joseph Jacobs son when he had as much if not more secresie and the temptation without very strong to have drawn him into high miscarriages at such a time in a resisting way gives this reply How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. In like manner Annanias and Saphira that sold their possessions under pretence of giving the price as a Free-will Offering to the Lords use but when required to speak the truth whether or no they kept any thing back in fear to mans eye rather than Gods eye sins at a high rate Lying as the Scripture gives it to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 1 2 3 4. But as it is the practise of decaying Christians to be most careful to keep their miscarriages from mans eye in like manner their sorrow at the sight of sin is distinguishable to be different from the sorrow of the growing Christian though his miscarriage may be only known to God saying with David Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this wickedness in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest clear when thou judgest On the contrary as Jeremiah complains I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his evil saying what have I done every one turneth to his course as the Horse rusheth into the battail But I shall proceed to the Causes of this Decay Now the Causes of this which being avoyded may serve also as Remedies against this Dying Sign and they may be these two First want of fear to God Secondly want of love to God First want of fear to God he whose heart is possessed with the fear of God as knowing his greatness and his goodness his mighty power and arme to save or destroy though such a one wants no power or secresie to offend this God by committing actual evil a-against this God yet dare not cannot will not do it But were it not for the fear of God could and would do what they cannot nor dare not this held good Joseph Gen. 29. 7. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Nehem. 9. 15. But so did not I because of the fear of God these persons wanted neither power nor secresie to have complyed with the temptations before them yet they are held by this precious grace the fear of God Secondly want of love to God is a Cause of this decay did we so love him as we ought we would not so wound him by our sinning as we do Had they known him indeed it may be said had they loved him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 2 Cor. 2. 10. If any man love me he will keep my sayings and my father will love him
upon him by pouring out their wants before him Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Mat. 6. What hath been said may teach two things First the lamentable condition of such as neither can nor will pray that are as unaccustomed to it as the Heifer to the yoak living absolute Athiests in the World saying in their heart if not in their actions too there is no God Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen and families that call not upon thy name Secondly This teacheth to strengthen the hearts and hands of such as fear God to this service of prayer it being part of their defence or Armor Ephes 6. Praying alwayes with all prayer and suppliaction in the spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance c. When thou saidest seek my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek thou wilt hide me in thy Pavillion Psal 27. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Read and consider so pass to the next Sign CHAP. XXII Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction and that without great provocation God is not wont to afflict his people and though provoked very unwilling to extremity With four Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Answered SIGN XXII VVHen you are mighty careless to Inquire after the spiritual cause of Affliction and mighty careful to Inquire after the natural cure The more or less spiritual any man is may be easily discovered under this Tryal Affliction being of that piercing kind that other tryals are not because of the great influence it hath upon the sensitive part of man where ever it comes while sense remains it makes the person restless either to find out cause or cure or both We may therefore first inquire after the word Affliction what that meaneth to afflict is to lay some burthen upon a person that is not ordinary Gen. 15. 13. There they shall afflict you four hundred years this is opened in Exod. 1. Israel is made to serve with rigor Lam. 1. 4. 5. The wayes of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate her Priests sigh her virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt by reason of his task-master Acts 3. 34. By these Texts it appears that affliction meaneth any grief or trouble that cometh upon soul or body name or estate for the punishment of sin or the tryal of faith so that sickness and diseases as feavor and ague consumption inflamation the like are all comprised under this word affliction it will therefore be necessary to open the word Spiritual cause it being in the Sign oposed to natural cure by spiritual cause is to be understood some provoking God in the subject afflicted to the procuring this affliction nothing some cause or other why the Spirit suffers it to come upon us Now every body will be ready to grant that these things before promised may be truly called affliction but not grant that there can be such a spiritual cause in themselves and so make the Sign of no force Now to clear up this doubt let us make this inquiry whether any affliction or death it self come upon any man but for some cause or other from the man active or imputive that is he either so acted in his particular person or some body else in his general relation and on him it is righteously come For the resolution of this question let us inquire what causes in Scripture the righteous God assigns afflictions or death unto Gen. 3. 9 10 11 12 13. Who told thee thou wert naked hast thou eaten of the Tree I commanded thee not to eat the things in this Chapter considerable are these vers 14. the Serpent must go upon his belly eat dust and be curst above every beast of the field vers 16. to the woman he saith I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and to Adam he saith Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Thornes and Thisles it shall bring forth to thee dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return you see in these verses misery both upon the woman and the man is brought the reason by God assigned vers 17. Because thou hast done this in hearkning to thy wife cursed is the ground for thy sake so also Josh 7. 7. Israel Gods prevailing people that by day had a pillar of a cloude and by night a pillar of fire ministring unto them now cannot stand before their enemies Joshua that at another time commands the Sun and Moon and they obey him now by prayer cannot prevail for Israel Gods people against the cursed Nation But what is the matter vers 11 12. Israel hath sinned and cannot stand neither will I be with them any more except they put the accursed thing from among them Lam. 3. 1 13. I am the man that have seen affliction vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this Cause many are sick and weak and many sleep 1 Thes 2. 11. For this Cause God shall send them strong delusion that they all might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness and let all the House of Israel know that without a Cause I have not done all that I have done saith the Lord Ezek. 14. 23. Much more might be said as to afflictions that attend both the body and mind together with the Causes and this left to consideration whether if Hell condemnation the highest of affliction be the fruit or reward of sin and unbelief much rather sickness and diseases with death it self which are the least afflictions must come from Creature Causes now if any man can assign any other Cause than God doth here assign let him do it if not by all this comparing of it with the eighth Sign of dying to Christ in which I have been more large upon affliction inward and outward with their Causes I shall therefore proceed to some Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Object 1. The first Objection is grounded upon 2 Sam. 12. 14. The Child that is born to thee shall surely die David is threatned with death in the child that hath not offended contrary to this Doctrine Answ This act of God to take away Davids Child if considered will be found mercy mixt with justice David by the Law was to die for the matter of Vriah now God in respect he bare to David for what good he had done and further were like to do being a man so after Gods own heart goes out of the ordinary way spares the person of David and imputes it upon the relation of David viz. his Child so in Davids seed he punished Davids person this is Gods usual way in Scripture and sets his Majesty out to be full of mercy in the middest of Justice
in as it comes upon and because of the smart unpleasant tast it brings with it calls them with a louder voyce to make inquiry why am I thus which prosperity in all probability could never have so done being not so much of that piercing kind to the external senses as adversity or calamity is and this the Prophet Isa â—6 16. seems to make his great observation in these words Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon unto the House of Judah I even I will tear and go away and return to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5. 14 15. Plainly implying that it is not only the design of God to send calamity upon persons for this end but that also they are most aptly provoked to it at this Season see that remarkable text for this 2 Chron. 33. 10 11 12. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and his people but they would not harken wherefore that he might speak by his rod as well as his word the Lord brought upon him the Captain of the Host the King of Assyria which took Manasseh among the Thorns bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon and when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly While the rod was but shaken as it were Manasseh remained refractory but when he was bound in chains he humbled himself greatly must it not then from hence needs follow that calamity calls for fasting and humbling where ever it comes being designed to thâ—t reducing end and may not the decay of some grow to that pass even so ripe for reaping that except they should from a deep sense of their state be mightily brought down to humble their souls with fasting as the last remedy left or prepared by God for such conditions to betake themselves unto and that if they here should fail then to be given up to the mouth of ruin Here this ye old men give ear all ye inhabitants of the Land hath this been in your dayes or even in the dayes of your Fathers tell ye your Children of it and let your Children tell their Children and their Children another generation that which the Palmer worm hath left hath the locust eaten and that which the locust hath left hath the canker worm eaten that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten sanctifie ye a fast call a solemn assembly gather the Elders and all the inhabitants of the Land into the House of the Lord their God and cry ah las ah las for the day of the Lord is at hand and as destruction from the Almighty shall it come How evident is it that this was this peoples last remedy and except they now find mercy nothing but destruction will be their portion But some may Object and say how shall we know when danger is such that without humbling our selves with fasting we are like to meet with ruin Answ There are six seasons that of necessity calls for Fasting First when long patience is abused Secondly when just judgments are threatned Thirdly when Just Judgments are executed Fourthly when iniquity in Churches gets a head Fifthly when Churches grows secure Sixthly when some great thing is by them to be obtained First when long patience is abused patience or forbearance in God is long exercised to both Churches and people before with judgment he sweeps them away the rod is shaken again and again while they are under visible decay and though God wait long upon such as grows luke-warm in all their active graces yet will he at last speak home to them it was thus with Israel after they had rested from their troubles they did evill again and again for which God did gently whip them then they turned for a while and cryed but presently after went to their old course Yet many years did he forbear them and testified against them by his Spirit in his Prophets yet would they not hear therefore gave he them up into the hand of the people of the Land Nehem 9 30. So in Jeremiahs time they provoked Gods patience long So that the Lord could no longer bear because of the evil of their doings clearly noting that they had long abused his long forbearance therefore was their land made desolate Secondly just judgments threatned when judgments by God are threatned upon Churches in order to their preventing this is the way they are to take as the Text but now named in Joel fully proves see also Rev. 2 3. chapters where you have several Churches found in a decaying state and called upon to speedy repentance else they must be unchurched Thirdly when just judgments are executed is a season for fasting that they may be again removed Then Hanany said the remnant which are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire and it came to pass when I heard these words I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and Fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven Nehem. 1. 4. This way good Nehemiah took and it was prosperous with the Lord. Fourthly when iniquity gets head that is when sin and sinners in Churches grows so numerous and heady that they are like to out-voyce the better party it is high time then to be night day with the Lord in fasting prayer that iniquities head may be broken by the sword of his mouth there was a few names and it was but a few in Sardis Church that had not defiled their garments the greatest part were ready to die and the Lord threatens to unchurch them except they repent Revel 3. And now you call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mat. 3. 15 16. Fifthly when Churches grow secure that is as safely sheltered in their account from judgment though a dying to every duty as if they were in a growing flourishing state contenting themselves to be told it is not well with them but sit still from using either means of information or recovery as though they were minded to suffer their distemper to grow mortal Thou saist I am rich and increased with goods and hath need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and blind and naked As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Be zealous therefore and repent Revel 3. 17 19. Sixthly when some great thing is by them to be obtained Dan. 9. 3. And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with Fasting and Sackcloth and Ashes Mat. 17. 21. This kind goeth not out but by prayer and
fasting Acts 14. 23. And when they had Ordained them Elders in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed CHAP. XXV Containing in it the evil of Ignorance in not knowing wherefore Gods Rod is come nor what good it hath done with three Directions how to know when persons are under this Decay and three Remedies against it SIGN XXV VVHen Gods Rod worketh so little upon you that you can neither tell wherefore it is come nor what good it hath done People under this Sign are very miserable for they are not only miserable in general but miserable under the means of reducement The Sun of such is setting and the Lamp agoing out It is a misery to be in need of the Physitian but to remain in misery after their best appication as to healing must needs be miserable for then there remains no visible hope of remedy when correction by the Rod will not do that is will not reclaim then is giving up the next work It may be necessary to open the meaning of Gods Rod it signifies his stripes or chastisements and saith the decaying Christian it is true these and these miseries lie upon me and have for some time but I know not the cause nor what is a miss or how to have it removed nor wherein to be bettered the Scripture gives us many sad instances of such a people as these Jer. 2. 30. In vain have I smitten your Children they have received no correction though I do correct them yet they do not receive it that is they remain the same under it as Jer. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction for the people turneth not to him that smiteth them strangers have devoured their strength yet they know it not though gray haires are here and there upon them Such as these have lost their spiritual hold and feels not the force of Gospel-arguments and now the Devil may take their Religion from them if he brings but something by way of exchang that serves and suits their external senses It is easie for such to sell their Master for thirty pieces of Silver just like Israel of old Exod. 32. When they saw that Moses delayed his coming though he is gone up to the Mount with God yet they make themselves new Gods meer shows and forsake the true God this is a most miserable state but how shall we know we are under this dying Sign and get help against it First When no affliction or Rod that comes upon you doth so much trouble you as to provoke to a diligent search what is the cause of what is come Jer. 8. 6 7. I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his evil saying what have I done The Stork Turtle and Swallow observe their time but my people know not the Judgments of the Lord They know not wherefore my Rod is come but if I afflict them they get it off as soon as they can not considering that if it do not mend them I shall bring seven times worse Judgments upon them As it is with some and our experience can speak to the truth of it Let God visit their family with sickness they will send to the physitian if he goeth further bring death they will bury their dead as fashionably as they can but hardly inquire saying what have I done or what ought I to learn Secondly When if you are wrought upon to inquire after the Cause you center in generals that is some sin or other not descending to particulars for this and this evil it is thus and thus with me Thirdly When though you may confess in general and descend into particulars Yet if there be not right sorrow for and turning from you are still under this dying Sign Now as Remedies against this dying Sign First Keep your Judgments under continual information from those Texts of Scripture that declares what the Rod is sent for Deut. 17. may wel be alluded to the King must have the Law by him continually that he may read therein and why that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he might learn to fear the Lord his God continually So that you see he was daily to be informing his Judgment in the Law as the proper way to fear the Lord his God and to avoyd sinning against him once informing the Judgment will not do so as to carry force to the keeping from doing evil except there be a daily tutoring the mind in the same things again and again as often rubbing the hands causeth heat and often whetting the instrument keepeth from rust and maketh sharp even so often informing the understanding and Judgment with some such Texts as these bears such a stroak upon the heart as to deliver it from going in that path attended with such woes from Heaven Levit. 26. 14 15 16 17. If you will not hearken to me and do all my commandements I will appoint over you terror yea and set my face against you and plague you for your sins Job 36. 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroak then a great ransome cannot deliver thee The Prophet Isaiah in Chap. 5. from the 8. to the 23. verse pronounceth woe upon woe six times over cloathing transgressors with woes as a man is cloathed with his garment Secondly content not your selves on this side a heart so tender as to be under continual feeling fear of God and his Judgments Christians should be restless and not cease by prayer to cry night and day that God would make them large sharers in the promises of the new Covenant Exck. 33. I will take away thy stony heart and give thee a heart of flesh thy hard heart and give the a soft heart Mans heart is like mettal and mettal you know that is hard and unweldy that will not receive an impression is put to the fire to soften to make it receive the stroak in 2 Chron. 34. 27. you have a lively instance of a soft heart because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before me my flesh trembleth for fear of thee I am affraid of thy Judgments Psal 119. 120. Thirdly When at any time a Rod from God comes upon you pass Judgment still that there is some cause and cease not praying and searching till you find it out This will certainly preserve you from being under the possession of this dying Sign Josh 7. Israel comes to loss what doth he then do Cry alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought these people over to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us CHAP. XXVI Shewing where sin takes its beginning and how by degrees if hearkned to it works ruin with six special Marks how persons though pardoned may know when God will suffer them to fall
sweeps away by hundreds on our right hand and on our left and we remain untouched this certainly is never to be forgotten so the red Sea deliverance the pillar of Cloud by day and of Fire by night together with the dividing of the Waters of Jordan are Parables doubtless in Gospel dayes and we under as gracious Obligations to remember with thankfulness Gods loving kindness David that good man makes observation in this case of old Israel and hath left their stain for Generations to come to read and take warning by Psal 106. 9 10 11 12 13. God rebuked the red Sea and it was dryed up and redeemed them from the hand of their enemies yet they soon forgot his works and waited not for his counsel so 2 Chron. 32. 24. Hezekiah was sick to death and he prayed to God and he gave him a sign but Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done him mark that his return was not as signal as his favour therefore God suffers wrath to come upon him by all which it is clear that more than ordiâ—ary favours cals for more than ordinary returns and where it s a wanting God is provoked to suffer such to fall I pray God make this hint as acceptable as it is seasonable to those that shall meet with it Fourthly A fourth Mark how persons may know when God will suffer them to fall into Sin When under great straits you are not much with God for wisdome and counsel Neglect here must needs be dangerous for it is a kind of tempting God a daring as it were the holy One of Israel When under great straits that for good ends he brings upon them they are careless to request his help for their escaping and answerable gaining No man that trades in the way to heaven but at times is exercised with great straits of one kind or another the very entrance into it promiseth nothing less Mark 8. 34. Whosoever will come after me let him take up his Cross dayly and follow me So that Jesus Christ would have persons count upon meeting with hard things that will be his Disciples For man is born to trouble as the sparks flie upward Job 5. 7. Now that none may sinck under them Jesus Christ hath made provision which if they neglect they are like to perish Mat. 26 4. The Shepheard shall be smitten and the Sheep all scattered now the best preservative against such a danger is Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Luke 21. 26. Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after what shall come to pass for the Powers of heaven shall be shaken Therfore watch ye and pray alwayes that ye may be accounted worthy to escape By these Texts together with Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God Clearly noting that persons under straits are not in Gods security out of the way of prayer well therefore may this prove an acceptable caution to every Christian when he undergoeth his share in the Cross of Jesus to make his complaint and earnest cries to him by prayer with supplication No doubt but such will find Christ seasonably helping him but if you find a secure drowsiness attend the heart then conclude your misery is not yet at the height The Disciples are found asleep three times together and cannot watch with their Lord one hour before their misery will be greater by his being taken from them but I shall end this Mark leaving for our gracious pattern the example of Jesus Christ Who being in an Agony and swet as it were great drops of blood he at that time prayed the more earnestly Luke 22. 44. Fifthly When you readily close with occasions to sin this tempts the Devil to tempt you and tempts God to leave you Sampson in Judges 14. seeks to take a Wife among the Uncircumcised that he might seek an occasion against them Even so doth not the Devil make his attempts whereby he may give an occasion to Gods People to sin The ready closing wherewith tempteth him further to tempt them and indeed tempteth God to leave them Now occasions to sin comes many wayes and from different objects that may have but little beginning and yet tall conclusions sometimes the ear heareth that which sets the heart on fire sometimes the eye seeth that which brings wo to the mind witness David who at the top of his roof as he was walking seeth Bathsheba washing her self and her beauty passing through the casement of his eyes this small occasion took possession and made him a prisoner to his great overthrow so Joshua 7. 21. Achan saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish Garment and a Wedge of Gold his eye looked and his heart lusted till he was ruined Now every man that knoweth any thing of sins way knows that it seeks and takes occasion from very small beginnings Behold how great a fire a little spark kindleth it begins by little taking its degrees and is carried through the eyes to the thoughts then to conception then to affection then to consent then to action Now the provision the holy Scripture makes in this kind is positively engaged by way of Precept To astain from all appear ances of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Clearly noting that in order to persons certain security from the commission of all evil they must abstain from its Appearance Very observable is Gods care to Israel of old no sooner were they out of Egypt but he seeks to take all occasions of sin out of their way Exod. 13. 17. And it came to pass that when Pharaoh had let the People go that God led them not through the Land of the Philistines although it was near note that lest peradventure the people see War and return to Egypt again So Exod. 23. 13 33. Also Deut. 7. 25. Prov. 22. 24 25. They must cut down their graven Images and burn them with fire and desire none of the silver that 's on them lest they be a snare unto them So the Wise-man counsels to make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man no not to go lest we learn his wayes and get a snare to our souls Sixthly When you are not pittiful to the tempted but in your prosperity forget their calamity God is pleased many times to suffer Satan to be let loose upon some Christians and to try them sorely yea to engage them deep in actual War whilest other Christians as it were are lookers on to let the one see how weak he is in the hands of this spiritual Adversary if left to himself and to try the other what frame of heart he carries towards his brother in distress and this if wisely improved turns to the great advantage of both The personal sufferer if he endure becomes heir to the promise annexed to the condition of the tempted Jam. 1. 12. And the looker on if he by beholding