most High in this fulness go forth to meet your God with joy and full assurance of a supply of what yee need Concerning a right manner and spirituall behaviour in the duty of prayer observe 1. Fix thy mind and faith upon God in the flesh of Christ who is God with us and neere us else he cannot be comprehended by us eye the flesh of our Advocate united to the deity and hold the eye of thy faith upon it all the while thou art in prayer which gives life and strength to prayer else thy prayer is but a morall devotion a meere shadow by the flesh of Christ so united we have union with God and accesse to God which else could not and the more our faith layeth hold upon this flesh of Christ so united to the divinitie and we also by it the more the Ordinance imparts Gods goodnesse unto the soule for whatsoever vertue there is in any thing it 's conveyed by application and touching of it that whereby wee touch God is our faith which never toucheth him but it draweth vertue from him but that in which our happinesse consists is our union with the divinitie by Christs humanitie which is full and admits not of any degrees 2. Pray in knowledge and not in ignorance Joh. 5. 14. 3. Watch and pray against Satans discouragements sloath ease vanitie of minde that if it were possible no vaine thought might come in all the while 4. Pray as thy present state condition and frame of spirit requires 5. Strive for the best affections thou canst in prayer those ravishing which may carry thee furthest from thy selfe and neerest to communion with God and looke to the bottome upon which thy affections stand as faith and inward grace and eying a promise serve God with all thy might courage strength with frequency and fervency for time zeale intention long prayers oft dead others affection it 's good to pray briefly and often as Christ Mat. 26. 39. Consider what others can beare minde the time occasion and season in long prayers we must take heed of custome superstition and ambition and in short of prophanenesse and carelesnesse whether long or short you must pray with affection as joy desires and griefe 6. When thou prayest to one in the deity mind all three and sever them not the object of our worship must be the union of the flesh with the Trinitie 7. Give God all thy heart and see that thy heart and tongue goe together all the while and observe when and in what the heart draws backe c. 8. If thou canst observe Gods order first expresse Gods greatnesse next his goodnesse and his goodnesse to thee his large love and thy ill requiting him be thankfull for former mercies 1 Chron. 15. 13. Seeke and aske spirituall blessings before earthly c. If time will permit confesse thy sins freely to God with inward griefe and in faith beg the Spirit of supplication and mourning Zech. 12. 10. And let all mourning flow from faith of thy person accepted and sinnes forgiven or else all thy mourning and teares are worth nothing and no better then the howllng of a dog but that mourning which flowes from faith of pardon is a sweet grace and an acceptable sacrifice to God In thankesgiving it is fit we should be as much and as large in it as in requests be as ready to be thankfull for mercies thou hast as to aske new ones spirituall temporall c. Be thankfull for all to thee thine and others and thou shalt not be barren for either matter or manner wee ought to be more ready to be thankfull then to crave what wee want wee should prefer God before our selves In supplication aske the Spirit of prayer to pray in the holy Spirit and in understanding c. and aske all graces and temporall things in faith and a blessing upon all and be content to be at Gods dispose in all and wait Gods time know if God heareth thee not in that kinde thou desirest he intends that which is better for thee in stead thereof God hath not absolutely promised thee measure of grace and temporall things in particular and so sometimes denies them in love to his because not fit for them therefore aske with submission Adde fervency and importunitie as one loth to be sent away empty and let thy earnestnesse be according to the degrees of goodnesse of things prayed for or of thy necessitie of them The life of prayer consists in the heat of earnest and fervent desires Rom. 15. 30. 8. 16. Psal 143. 6. Of a cold prayer expect not more then a cold answer if a righteous mans prayer be not fervent it will not prevaile Jam. 5. Oh Lord give me what I come for cease not knocking till yee speed what we need wee have in God and this is ours oh sweet love turne feares into hopes complaints into prayers and thy lamentations into supplications and Christ will turne thy darknesse into light and thy deadnesse into life thy bondage into libertie and thy weaknesse into strength Covet the best measure of grace and rest in that measure God thinks best forthee pray often 2 Cor. 12. 10. see Isa 26. 26 27. Be thankfull to God in prayer for what thou obtainest from God by prayer and in prayer use that gesture that most befits the duty and most befits thee for the dutie weigh it well consider the weaknesse of thy body yet abhorre unreverence in prayer both in soule and body Acts 7. 60. Concerning a spirituall carriage after Prayer 1. As soone as the dutie is ended especially if inlarged and before others eye some one or more of thy defects in prayer to keepe thy soule humble and also eye what was of God in dutie to the end thou maist be thankfull and not dejected and overcome in viewing thy weaknesses and distempers view all the parts of thy prayer how it was performed if thou canst both for matter manner heart and affection and consider what feelings desires comforts God gave thee in prayer take heed thou doest not over-like thy prayers nor thinke that God dislikes them because thou seest not what thou shouldst in thy prayers 2. Renounce all that is our owne in prayer feelings hopes affections zeale as they are the ordinance of God so I prise them but as they are acts of mine they stinke in my nostrils yet the Lords fire shall heat me My power is perfected in my infirmity very gladly will I be under infirmitie that his power may be magnified in me 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. 3. Watch that Satan wound thee not with thy prayers if thou beest in any measure sensible of sinne thy defects in dutie Satan is ready to tell thee if thou hadst the Spirit of God then shouldst thou have the Spirit of prayer and if thou hadst it it should be otherwise with thee then it is but if the soule consent to what he saith to be true yee both agree
harder to deny him the next time 9. Consider your relation and station art thou partaker of the promises of Christ Ephes 3. 10. an heire of Christ a fellow-Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. 19 Oh then doe not so dishonor Christ to take a member of Christ and make it a member of Satan to Serve sinne this were a great wrong to Christ We were sometimes darknesse but now we are light in the Lord walke as children of the light Ephes 5. 8. And seeing we are the sonnes and daughters of God Gal. 4. 6. Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5. 10. It is wonderfull unsutable for such to sinne for that were to serve Satan and doe his drudgery Eph. 4. 20. Yee have not so learned Christ Eph. 4. 17. This I say and restifie in the Lord that yee henceforth walke not as the Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minds Christ gave himselfe for his that they should be holy Tit. 2. 14. Rom. 6. 10. see 1 Joh. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Wee were chosen to be holy therefore I may not sinne Ephes 1. 4. Rom. 8. 29. 10. Consider the eye of God is ever upon you Heb. 4. 14. Pro. 15. 3. 16. 6. 11. Let the love of Christ constraine you to hate and oppose every evill way 12. Nourish the motions of the Spirit Quench not the Spirit walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. Nourish zeale and hatred against every sinne 13. Examine your selves and wayes daily Keepe your heart as your life Pro. 4. 23. Reforme the inside Job 14. 4. and Satan shall not prevaile 14. Consider the shortnesse of time we have here to live our time is short also the pleasures of sinne are but for a season Heb. 11. 25. 15. Know your interest in Christ and profit by affliction both which destroys sinne 16. Hearken unto the noyse of conscience if conscience saith doe it not hearken unto it doe it not lest conscience be silent and yee hardened 17. When the pleasure of sinne is presented unto thee present to thy thoughts the sting sinne will leave behinde it with the many evils that attend it also present to thy selfe a greater and better pleasure and sweetnesse which is thine and that thou if thou be the Lords shall injoy for ever with him oh minde home and what is there pleasures for evermore set your affections on things above where your crowne of glory is 1 Cor. 9. 24. Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sinne are deceived and inshared by it but give no eare to the lying noyse of sinne and Satan they have faire pretences for a foole as Pro. 23. 2. as that you may be saved notwithstanding or resist it the next time but oh the deceitfulnesse of sinne 18. Pray to God earnestly and constantly for strength against sinne with thankfulnesse for any preservation from sinne watch and pray at the first approach of sinne change thy object and fall to prayer Phil. 4. 6. 19. Beleeve God will give thee strength and subdue all thy iniquities in his time thou shalt overcome them be not discouraged if thou beest sometime too weake give not over continue resisting in due time thou shalt prevaile beleeve your prayers shall be answered and that as there is strength enough in Christ to subdue sinne and that you shall injoy it we are never overcome by sinne but by reason of the weaknesse of faith therefore above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Eph. 4. 12 13. 20. Apply sutable promises against sinne consider Eph. 5. 5 6 7. Rom. 6. 11. Psal 119. 6. God hath said Sinne shall not reigne over you Rom. 6. Do as Mat. 17. 21. The Lord will preserve you from every evill worke and preserve you till he bring you to glory The necessitie excellency and benefit of Prayer THe Lord our God hath commended Prayer to be a helpe to us in all our necessities and that we might love it and improve it to his glory and our good saying Aske and it shall be given you Mat. 7. 7. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you Isa 50. 15. Prayer hath great promises annexed unto it James 4. 5. Mat. 7. It procures wisdome James 1. 5. The Spirit of grace is given to such as pray Luk. 11. 13. It quickens the graces of God in us it 's a remedy against all evils Joh. 3. 8. 10. Psal 107. Prayer is a means to fit us for those good things our soules desire Jam. 1. 5. Consider Exod. 14. 15 16. Jonah 2. 1. 10. It hath healed the sicke and raised the dead unloosed chains and unlocked prisons and delivered the Saints of old Act. 12. 5. 7. 11. and of late and put in persecutors in their places It hath set free the Lambes and shut up the Wolves we may truly say the Lord hath slaine Og King of Basan for his mercie indures for ever And Prayer caused the Sunne to goe backe yea to stand still Josh 10. 12. By it we beare great burdens and are made better by them understand me of prayer in faith By it Jacob prevailed with God Hos 14. 3 4. God delights to heare his pray Song 2. 14. By it we draw neere to God and have communion with him and in a sort are familiar with God and know his minde it ingageth Gods power and truth Prayer is the most universall helpe it is good for all and at all times in all things and is most easie and ready to the Lords in all places in all times Would you doe good to your brethren friends enemies frequent and improve this spirituall and heavenly dutie Concerning the duty of Prayer To prayer three things are necessary 1. A spirituall disposition before 2. a spirituall behaviour in 3. and a spirituall carriage after The first includes preparation to this duty That preparation is a dutie God requires consider 1. God commande it God saith I will be sanctified in them that draw neere me Levit. 10. 3. Prepare to meet thy God Amos 4. 12. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepared for every good worke 2 Tim. 2. 21. 2. The Saints have practised it Jehosaphat prepared his heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19. 3. Ezra prepared his heart Ezra 7. 10. O God my heart is fixed Object This is Gods worke Answ True Thou wilt prepare their hearts O God Psal 10. 17. in the use of meanes 3. There are promises annexed to preparation If thou prepare thy heart c. see Job 11. 13. see what is promised vers 15 16 17 18 19. An evill not to doe it And Rehoboam did evill because he prepared not his heart to seeke the Lord 2 Chron. 12. 14. What preparation is in generall Preparation it is an holy consideration of God with whom we have to doe and how unfit wee are to have so neere communion with
to wound thy faith and confidence in God not onely for an answer of thy prayer but of thy persons acceptance Nay rather charge all upon thy corruption and want of preparation exercise of grace and be the more carefull and watchfull for time to come and learne to distinguish between a nullity and a defect and in a word if thou art sensible of thy sin in praying and art sorry for it thy imperfection is passed by and thou doest not pray in fashion The Spirit of God discovers deadnesse indisposition and unbeliefe and the like in prayer flesh and bloud cannot discover these and the Spirit of God onely makes the conscience tender and pliable 4. Let the frame of thy Spirit be alwayes thankfull and chearfull after prayer whether thou beest inlarged or straitned inwardly or outwardly alone or with others for when thou art at the best thou standst in need of a Jesus looke upward then by faith upon thy Advocate and when thy defects are most and thou art at the worst will not the same Jesus save thee yea surely and if thou groundest thy comfort upon a right bottome rightly thy comfort and the cause of it is the same because Christ is the same Heb. 13. 8. And if Christ be thine shall not he disanull all thy sinnes as well as one seeing he is able and willing But this is the childrens bread this pearle is not to be cast to swine 5. If in prayer thy heart have been opened and inlarged thy faith strengthned and thy conscience eased c. count it a sweet mercy be thankfull to God for all for want of taking notice of Gods goodnesse and thankfulnesse for it it is just in stead of light to possesse darknesse and for feeling to finde deadnesse c. 6. Presse after what thou hast prayed for in the use of meanes Pro. 2. 3 4 5. there is the prayer indeavour and blessing As he that makes prayer the end of his prayer rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose So he that doth not in good earnest pursue with zeale and conscience the grace good things he prays for Ioseth his prayer The Saints pray to put their prayers in practise we tempt God to aske that wee use not meanes to attaine our indeavours must second our prayers Pro. 20. 4. It is for hypocrites to pray and returne to their lusts with more freedome as if they intended to have libertie to sinne Such prayers are odious to God take we heed that what we build up with prayer wee pull not downe by our practice by remisnesse sleightnesse frothinesse of Spirit it had been well if this knowledge had not been experimentall but a word is sufficient to the wise 7. Expect and wait patiently for a full answer of thy prayers in Gods time and way consider Psal 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2 3. Wee should be loth to lose any part of the answer of our prayers and that we may wait wee must first be sure we have a promise that wee shall speed that wee may feed our minds with the meditation of it this is necessary for the time of fulfilling may be long lest wee faint Psal 147. 11. Psal 135. 6 7. Have patience and tary that comes hardly is oft most prized but lightly come lightly goe God knows the fittest season to doe us good take not a delay for a deniall many things God hath promised he hath not set down the time or yeare but when it 's best for us let God alone for the time and ye shall see what God will do Watch we what event our prayers have and observe Gods dealings with our selves and others both with his and his enemies and be thankfull for any answer of prayers The Saints are often afflicted that they may often pray and that often praying they might pull downe many benefits from the Lord and returne many praises unto him wee sinne against God and hurt our selves for want of thankfulnesse For hearing the Word 1. Labour to be informed of the excellency and preciousnesse of the mercy to heare the Word and that no treasure of this world is like it for goodnesse beautie and truth there is nothing like the Word it informes convinces comforts what comfort is like to this if the heart be not lost in profits pleasures forth and ease 2. Prize the Word 1 Pet. 2. 3. Above all things we prize precious things and for such as love their lusts let them consider Ezek. 14. 7 8. 3. Heare not for noveltie c. but let your ends be good in obedience to God to know and practise 4. Deny thy selfe thy own wisdome see the Lord in all be a foole that thou maist be wise set God above all and say Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 5. Come in faith beleeve God can speake in particular to thee whether weake or strong and supply thy wants Micah 2. 7. to the end Isa 48. 17. eye the promise If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no Joh. 7. 17. Heare and your soules shall live Isa 55. 3. Beleeve the promises meditate on them plead them apply them as thy own portion and rest satisfied and contented with them they that have the promise are sure enough 6. Come with a resolution to learne and a heart resolved to practise what God saith say as David Psal 119. 33 34. Psal 86. 11. And covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. Consider 1 Cor. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 4. 22. 7. Come emptie in the sense of want he filleth the hungry but the full are sent emptie away Luk. 1. 51. Pro. 27. 7. Emptie of distractions and worldly thoughts and affections Exod. 3. 5. Emptie of prejudice of man gifts or meanes be humble the humble he will teach Psal 25. 9. 8. Pray to God to prepare thy heart and to open thy eyes Psal 119. 18. Shew me thy truth and blesse it to me pray that he that speakes may not seeke himselfe and so rob God and that he may speake as he ought to speake Col. 4. 4. In hearing take heed to your eyes eares hearts Luk. 8. 18. Ezek. 40. 4. 1. Consider thou art in the presence of God and consider Job 21. 6. Psal 16. 8. Acts 10. 33. 2. Attend diligently Isa 55. 23. Watch that nothing come between thee and it sleepe not wander not gaze not Luk. 8. 18. Consider Act. 8. 6. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things that Philip spake 3. Heare for thy selfe and mind especially that which most concernes thee 4. Heare with understanding and judgement Mat. 13. 13. Mat. 15. 10. Joh 21. 11. Put a difference between truth and error The simple beleeveth every word Prov. 14. 15. Take heed what yee heare Mark 4. 24. and whom yee heare and how yee heare 5. If thou canst observe the methode and scope of the speaker to helpe memorie 6. Heare with thy
him that our spirits may be composed and our whole man rightly disposed craving his strength to inable us to a right performing of this holy dutie In particular 1. For the person he must be accepted must be a Sonne Rom. 8. 15. Also all that pray ought to put away all wrath strife envie c. God esteems so highly of peace that he will have his service stay till it be accomplished Mark 11. 25. Mat. 5. 24. Therefore we should take heed that there be no such distempers found in us by him who knows our hearts for it will choake conscience and weaken our boldnesse with God If we regard iniquitie God will not heare our prayers Psal 66. 18. Such as love their sins God loatheth their prayers The prayer of the wicked is abomination to God God looks at the heart Christ saith When thou prayest forgive Such a forgive not others pray without life 2. Prize prayer have it in that esteeme which God puts upon it God hath honoured prayer so that every one that useth it is the better for it for every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7. 8. 3. Set times apart for to pray and separate thy selfe to some place where thou maist be alone and out of the hearing of others if thou canst that so thou maist freely powre out thy soule to God without hypocrisie for a mans desire he will separate himselfe Pro. 18. 1. Christ chose a time before day early in the morning and one of the places he chose was a Wildernesse Mark 1. 35. Sometimes a mountaine and a garden and when that cannot be had he faith When thou prayest enter into thy Closet c. Wee should so pray and worship God as men set free from all other things So we need avoyd all occasions of hypocrisie Hypocrites stand in corners of the streets because they love to be seene of men 4. Before thou prayest spend a little time some thoughts concerning what God is and what may raise thy heart and incourage thee to draw neere to God Consider what be thy chiefe wants lets temptations corruptions also to consider the sutable promises of a supply fits the soule to pray also to consider what mercies we have received above others and what cause wee have to be thankfull to God 5. Prayer requires our ends to be holy and right placed as to injoy God and for grace to obey him and last and least of all for such things as chiefly concerne our selves as peace c. If the end be nought or good and not right placed we aske amisse Jam. 4. 6. Deny thy selfe and come empty headed hearted handed of all that is thy own that God and his grace may be all in all emptinesse raiseth our hearts in prayer 7. Mind thy own inabilitie to doe any thing that is spirituall and looke up to Christ by faith for strength eying his promise we are no more able to pray or doe any spirituall worke of our selves then to remove a mountaine at once 8. Consider God in his attributes that he is great gracious mercifull slow to anger c. and that he is so to thee and that he is neere thee yea present with thee all in God is ready to helpe his his ocean of grace cannot be exhausted spent his fountaine doth nothing decay though multitudes draw from it 9. When thou comest to God thinke thou canst not have too high thoughts of God nor too low ones of thy selfe Dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. a worme corruption so Job Thou canst not set God high enough nor thy selfe low enough if we could see our own filth we should stinke worse then the filthiest carrion in our own nostrils 10. Come to God with a heart that is large chearfull by faith in assurance of person and prayer accepted hate suspitions and jealousies of God see Ps 65. 2. 7. 7. 4. 7. aske chearfully such as goe not chearfully to God know not what a God they go to say to thy soule Come O soule rejoyce be chearfull for thou art a going to thy God 11. Be abased under thy pride formalitie coldnesse dulnesse deadnesse and breake through all impediments to goe to God in prayer 12. Empty thy selfe of all distractions cares and clogs of spirit that thou maist be free when thou comest to God hold thy heart close to God in love zeale meeknesse c. 13. Observe fit times and seasons to goe to God in yet prefer that season wherein God and thy own heart sends thee to prayer before a set time imbrace it gladly and quickly so sweet a motion of the Spirit put it not by till another time I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed Psal 119. 147. with Mark 1. 35. 14. Be sensible of others wants especially for such as are the Lords that you may pray with a feeling of their necessities 15. Pray for grace to stirre thee up to pray and fit thee with sutable matter sutable to the occasion either for the Church thy selfe or others and to enliven us in all abhorre forme and fashion pray not in print they are deadly enemies to spiritualnesse pray from an inward feeling and sensiblenesse of thy wants book-book-prayers is such a crutch as it makes them that use it quite lame we are not so much to looke to a set order of words as to a well ordered heart weak expressions in uprightnesse of heart the Lord likes well but if there be nothing but well framed sentences God abhorres them 16. Above all come to God in faith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him on whom they have not beleeved see Heb. 11. 6. Jam. 1. 6. Mark 11. 24. This is the most spirituall grace to come to God with above all other no other save this can fasten upon a promise thou canst not see God without faith whatsoever thou needst beleeve that promise Every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7. 8. Christs incense and odors of his sacrifice Rev. 8. 4. is for him that beleeves Faith gives force and life to prayer it troubles not Satan to make a thousand prayers full of teares if they be without faith according to our faith so is our prayer Rom. 8. 38. Faint faith faith prayers prayer without faith is but beating the ayre according to thy faith be it unto thee Consider Mat. 21. 22. All things are possible to him that beleeves Mark 9. 22. Let him aske in faith saith James nothing wavering that is in a certain assurance to be heard and that his request shall be granted Jam. 1. 6. 17. Read and meditate before prayer if time will permit for the better preparing our hearts thereunto The graces of the Spirit uprightnesse purenesse thankfulnesse integritie soundnesse of heart and the like these will inable inliven and fit thee to pray These well observed and God blessing them will fill thee with heavenly affection and rid thee of thy own inventions manner and ends c. Oh all yee sonnes and daughters of the
lust Wee oft doe least good to them to whom we owe most There be many good things will decay if let alone but evill things let alone will increase Parents thinke they doe their children great good when they can make them rich and great in the world they make them the greater sinners for then they shall have little else to doe but to waste the creatures and live in excesse idlenesse lust pride and oppression Glory When we thinke wee most seeke the glory of God we too often most seeke our owne What a man trusts in he glories in and what a man glories in he trusts in and is confident of Healing God sometimes healeth corruption by not healing it Hope The Saints hope is in heaven in God The naturall mans hope is to get honour fine cloaths good cheare ease and pleasures Hearts Many mens brains deceive their hearts What the heart likes best the minde studies most Habits In acquired habits the act goeth before the habit and prepares for it but in infused habits it is contrary for as we have first the facultie of seeing before we see so we have first the infused habit before we exercise the operation of it Humilitie One may be humbled but not humble When we are content to be admonished of our faults sharply by our inferiors we have some humilitie Honour The honour of men is a very shadow a vanitie The more men desire honour the lesse they deserve the lesse they often have Hatred That sin which a childe of God loved most before conversion he hates most when he is converted Joy While we live here we have joy and griefe mixed this life nor our bodies will not admit of perfect joy Outward joyes make a great noyse but never truly heate and comfort the heart There is no sound joy in earthly things they reach not the heart but the fancy In temporall things our joy is greater then the cause in spirituall things the cause is greater then the joy Every heart seekes joy such as it is Spirituall joy opposeth carnall and carnall opposeth spirituall the more we relish heavenly the lesse we relish earthly Now joy is in the Saints when they are in heaven they shall be in joy Ignorance Ignorance is the cause of prophanenesse and all evill Devotion with ignorance breeds superstition and Idolatry and persecution Hope with ignorance causeth presumption Feare with ignorance causeth desperation Impossible things It is impossible to be conformable to Christ and to the world to please God and the world Of idlenesse An idle person is fit for nothing but sinne and temptation An idle life is much loved and entertained of most men Knowledge That knowledge that is from God subjects the soule to God That knowledge that is onely in the braine is notionall and neither subdues sinne nor Satan If we know good things wee cannot but love and affect them Love That love which is not constant is false Love is most active when it is least knowne and cannot be requited Love and labour goe together as our longing is to injoy God so is our love to him if wee greatly love the Lord wee greatly long to injoy him for as our love is to any thing so accordingly is our indeavour to injoy it Such love the way of God who hate all things that are contrary unto it and practise it when it is most despised Such things as we love we keepe with care possesse with joy and lose with griefe Live We live in that we mind and love and are made like the things we love The most seeke life in the regions of death where it is not Many in this naturall life have comforts few crosses frequent pleasures short and paines lasting Light Light causeth them that see it to follow it Libertie We are more prone to desire libertie then to know how to use it Many of the Saints abuse their libertie they have in Christ It is the greatest libertie to injoy God and to have a free heart to serve him Such as plot and plead for libertie for the flesh are very carnall Of losses There is no losse in losing for God What we lose for God shall be made up unto us in God The benefit which follows the losse of outward things is that they are never troubled with them more Motions Forced motions cannot be perpetuall Minde When our minds are not fixed they rove every where and are no where to purpose Such as mind the things above savour them and have interest in them Mirth When men are most chearfull merry they are most free and bountifull Naturall mirth ends in sadnesse and sorrow In naturall mirth when wee are most merry we are neerest to danger The mirth of the wicked is vanitie and madnesse Mercies Many possesse many mercies and yet want the comfort of them Wee injoy more mercies then we are aware of Occasions The more secret and colourable any occasion of evill is the more men are indangered by it Obedience Our obedience to God is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action Of peace Men cannot give peace untill the Lord speake peace to the soule there is no peace Where there is no peace there may be quietnesse or silence Gods people are a peaceable people Passion The causes of anger and passion are ignorance and pride Promises The wicked desire promises for peace and not for strength against sinne The promises make the people of God not carelesse but more fruitfull and serviceable There were never any ashamed that rested onely upon God in his promise One promise from a man will please some men more then ten from God Of prayer There is no dutie in Religion that is so much counterfeited as the duty of prayer is Verball prayer causeth great deadnesse Some pray when they should sleepe and sleepe in prayer and pray when they should work but wisdome divides to each its proper time and season Of povertie The heires of the earth are oft pinched with povertie and Saints who are Kings lie in prison It is better to be poore and weaned from the world then rich and covetous Men are much afraid of povertie yet it never did any hurt Pride The proudest men are the weakest and most troubled with discontent Principles When that which is taken for a principle of truth is a principle of error the more it is relied on the worse it is Pleasure Such as have their eyes open see outward pleasures to be very meane things Sin is desired for the pleasure of it but there is in sinne more griefe and misery then pleasure The more carnall a heart is the more it affects naturall pleasures Sinfull pleasure ends in sorrow Quietnesse When quietnesse is in the heart there is not much disquietnesse in the tongue He can easily be at peace with men who knows he is at peace with God Reports Such as cannot with patience beare ill reports cannot live a comfortable life Such as
are not able to settle a soule 66 Of Meditation 268. 122. That Miracles are not essentiall to the administrator of Baptisme 325. O. The Saints are not their own but Christs 138 Obedience is the Saints duty 38 116. 130 P. Pray to God 127 128. Of Prayer 290. We should minde sutable promises 118. 65. Presumption what 66. Peace none can give but God 109. God is the portion of his people 139. The Saints should rejoyce in their portion 131. God will pardon a lost sinner 3. 26. The poverty of Saints 91 92. Q. Mens qualifications are worth nothing 34. The quiet soul is fittest to receive comfort 119 R. Mans righteousnesse is not onely imperfect but also filthinesse 11. Such as prize their owne righteousnesse know not Christs 121. 35. 37. Such as prize their own righteousnesse are in a sad condition 37 38. That righteousnesse which justifieth us is not in us 11 121. Christs righteousness is the Saints comfort 39. 22. Christs righteousness is perfect 10 Christs righteousness is sufficient to satisfie us at all times 98. 122 123. 26. The meanest Saint is as righteous as the best 14. 139. The Saints are to rejoyce in God 97. 107. Regeneration wherein it consists 72. Concerning reading the Scriptures 177. Carnall reason to be abhorred why 125. S. Christ saves none but the ungodly 23. Sin should humble the Saints 155. 159. 14. Sin drives the soule from God 5. 62. The greatnesse of sin ought not to hinder any in beleeving 39. 104. 18 19. 21. 112. What the unpardonable sin is 27. Of sensiblenesse of sin 62 63. To be convinced of sin what 40 41. 43. Why sin is left in the Saints 159 160. The sins of a beleever are laid upon Christ now they are Christs not their own 113. No man ought to allow himself in any sin 117 It's possible for a childe of God to fall into a great sin 95 96 24. Considerations against sin 233. c. The Saints have made the greatnesse of sin an incouragement to hope 22. Why God leaves sin in his 78 79. Whether the combate in men be from the Spirit or no 84 85. The sins of the Elect are forgiven them before they know it 31 32. Satan is not to be hearkened unto 9 10 29. What it is to live by sense 124 125. Why men seeke to save themselves 11 12. Such as God saves he causeth to understand the way of salvation 5 6 7. The satisfactiō of Christ satisfieth the soule 7 The holy Scriptures are the word of God 298 Sufficient grace is not given to all 307. T. Terrors should not hinder faith 80 81. 87. Temptations against beleeving should incourage us in beleeving 123. 86. How a soule tempted may answer Satan 73. Weake beleevers are not to apply the threatnings to themselves 111. How to prevent trouble 120. V. Causes of unbeliefe 105 124. Lying vanities are to be renounced 124. We should put a difference between Christs voyce and other voyces 108 109. 329. c. And between the voyce of the Gospel and the voyce of the Law 110. We should know Christs voyce and hearken unto it 108 109. W. To waite upon God what 32. 44. 95. Good works justifie us before men 151. Deliverance is before our working 35. 71. Of the freedome of the will c. 3. 10. 318. A Song of the love of God to such as are in Christ THe love of God hath been to me full great In leaving me in such a state to be And then to set me free from this estate He gave his onely Sonne to dye for me Which is a greater happinesse to me Then if I had not been in misery I was as vile as any man could be And my vile state did openly appeare When God in love did please to look on me And caused me a joyfull voyce to heare For passing by me he to me said Live Which voyce of his unto me life did give When I heard this sweet voyce of God to me Vpon my heart effectually it wrought That I was then so set at libertie That oft times I did ponder in my thought From sin Satā curse wrath hell so free That I feare not what they can doe to me Love caused God for me his Sonne to give Love caused Jesus Christ for me to dye Love caused God to say to my soule Live Love in my soule doth againe reply forth In songs how lovingly Christ did come A mighty price ransom of great worth What glorious sight of love is this I see That being had before the world could be Without al time boūds measure or degree Is this his love which he hath set on me One glorious sight of this so great love Will cause a soule for to be sicke of love This love made known to me made me to muse That ever God should be to me so good To give his Son for me and me to choose Which was his enemy and in my bloud When I fled from him after me came he I sought not him but he sought after me The love of God to me is passing great Which had a being ere the world began It boundlesse is and every way compleat And lōger doth indure then this world can Like love to this hath never yet been heard And there is none can be to this compar'd That many in their sins should be destroyed Whose first condition was as good as mine And yet to me this mercy is injoyd Thus being freed I shall in glory shine This shews his love to me was great free And could not be deserv'd at all by me Oh who could wish himself a thing so rare As to be hemd in and compact about With boundles love oh who can it declare Or who by fadoming can finde it out My heart my hand tong are all too weak Of matchlesse love to thinke or write or speak It is through faith appli'd so excellent It comforteth and elevates on high The saddest heart and fils it with content Yea it revives a soule ready to dye The apprehending it brings joy peace When it is clouded peace joy doe cease Each soule that doth this boundlesse joy possesse May well be swallowed up in admiration And to the praise of God may it expresse And often have it in his meditation Well may it cause him to serve feare and love This boundlesse lover ever God above A Song that Jesus Christ is all in all to his CHrist is his Fathers chiefest choice And I in him the very same Why should I not in him rejoyce Who am secured from all blame In God through Christ the Saints rejoyce When they know they