Medium carry such an even temper as that Prudence may claim that priviledge to fit at the Helm without the Interruption of either Extreams Take the Prophets Counsel Isai. 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts and let him be your Fear and your Dread and he shall be your Sanctuary But fear not their Fear who say a Confederacy The present fear of God Createth us an Eternal Security Fear him and he will banish all other fears from thee Behold the Psalmist how he is fortified Though I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal. 23.4 And Psal. 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And in Conclusion the fear of the Lord immergeth all other fears 3. IN every danger impress on thy heart the Omnipotency of God and endeavour to have an Affiance in him He that pursues this Rule shall act safely When a Fiery-Furnace was threatned Shadrach Meshac and Abednego answered the Incens'd King Our God whom we serve is idle to deliver us Dan. 3 17. And David tells you Psal. 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them And when our Enemies seem most formidable there are more for us than can be against us As it appeared in the case of the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 6.16 It animated the Royal Prophet to cry out In the Lord put I my trust how say ye then to my Soul flee as a Bird to your Mountain Psal. 11.1 All Confidence in Men even their Councels or an Arm of Flesh is unhappy and must come to nothing but God endures to all Eternity Which made the Psalmist declare Therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed And though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea 4. TAKE Solomon's Counsel and hearken unto the Word of God Pro. 1.33 Whose hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil And Prov. 3.23 34. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid Herein shall be made manifest Gods Power Truth Providence Mercy and Justice that thou mayest trust in him according to the Expression of the Psalmist They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Psal. 9.10 Love the Lord thy God with a sincere heart And the more thou lovest him the more thou wilt rest assured of his Love and Protection and the more perfect thy love is the more it casteth out fear 1 John 4.18 5. TAKE Job's advice Chap. 22.24 Depart from iniquity and say of it as the Princes of the Philistines said of David Let him not go down with us to the Battle lest in the Battle he be an Adversary to us 1 Sam. 29.4 Fix thy self to seek the Lord as Jehosaphat did when the Armies were upon their March towards him against whom he Atchieved a Glorious Victory 2 Chron. 2.3 Entertain a good Conscience it shall be a Wall of Brass unto thee The safety of that makes a man assume the Courage of a Lyon But if we perceive the smoak of Infernal Brimstone ascend there we must needs faint like the men of Ai when they beheld their City on Fire Josh. 8.20 Guilt of Sin in the Conscience creates Sordidness in Men they may possibly express Transcendent Words who possess a Timerous Conscience but as one said of the fearful Dog He must needs fear who hath no peace in himself 6. CONSIDER with David Psal. 37.37 The end of the Saints and Apostles sufferings which hath ever been happy and they are the more Partakers of Christ's Glory for bearing a share in his sufferings Consider how long they have suffered and then thou canst not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may betryed be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 True it is Flesh and Blood claims Allowance for its Infirmity but the more we can apply to our hearts the end of the Saints and the quiet fruits of Righteousness to them that are exercised the less we must needs be sensible of the Malignity of any Creature 7. ENDEAVOUR for Peace with God give him no rest till he speaks unto the Voice within thee thy Conscience And firmly resolve not to let him go untill he Bless thee and assure thee of thy Remission in Christ Jesus He hath nothing to fear or molest him whose sins are forgiven When the sting of Death is taken out who would not be Valiant Which occasioned St. Paul to express himself 1 Cor. 15.57 But thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And St. John says in his first Epistle Chap. 5.4 And this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith 8. IN thy greatest Fears pray most fervently Even so did our Saviour being in an Agony He prayed more earnestly So did Jacob in fear of his Brother 's long studied Revenge Gen. 32.9 Pray and beseech God that he would illuminate and open thine Eyes to behold his saving Health God many times sounds his Allarm to awaken our drouzy Souls and open our Mouths to earnest Prayer which in Prosperity are too prone to the Spirit of Slumber and Coldness Fear hath many Tongues and can open the Mouth of the Dumb Even Jonahs Mariners in their Fear will pray and instigate others to the same Duty That one Example of Athis Croesus's Son sheweth what the violence of Fear can do he who before was dumb on a sudden cryed out O Cyrus spare my Father and by our Misfortunes learn that thou also art but a Man A Prayer against Fear O Almighty Lord God who art in thy Wrath and Indignation dreadful against Sinners I humbly acknowledge and confess that there is not one of thy Judgments but what the Guilt of my Sins have long since deserved even the miseries of this Life terrors of Death and future Condemnation But O thou great God of Consolation assure me of a full and free Pardon and a remission of all my Sins and Seal my Peace with thee through the Blood of a Crucified Jesus Fill my Heart and Affections with that measure of thy Love as may exclude all servile fear Give me the testimony of a good Conscince to comfort me against all vain fears of the Wicked Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me and give me that assurance that thou art and will be my Defence and Confidence 2. AND O thou who rulest in Heaven and Earth from the Angel to the Worm the lowest of Creatures and from the swayer of the Scepter to the drawer of Water Thou art Omnipotent and canst do what thou pleasest and no other God besides thee can Deliver after this sort Lord let it be thy Divine will and
the hazard of their Immortal Souls 4. NOW the Rules to be observed are these First Earnestly endeavour to find out and abandon all thy known Sins Secondly Rest not in outward appearances but entertain the illumination of God's Word into the secret and dark recesses of thy Heart For the Woman in the Gospel first lighted and then swept the Room Luke 15.8 Thirdly Judge thy self as impartially as thou wouldst do an Enemy Skillful Painters place their Work at some distance from 'em that they may be able to judge and amend their Errors So must thou fix thy actions upon some other Person like David who could noâ— behold his Sin in himself till Nathan shewed it him in another 2 Sam. 12. I need not instance in Judah Gen. 28. Or in Ahab 1 Kings 20.4 5. BEGIN Early and be constant in this Duty If thy Thoughts after some slender pursuit return as those Men of Jericho with a Non est Inventus Josh. 2.22 Know that thou hast more need of greater diligence to repeat often thy Examination Examin thy self by the whole Law of God And enquire what thou hast done in opposition to Sin Few wicked Men but are content to observe some of God's Laws if thou wilt grant them Naaman's Plea only The Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing And sometimes Herod Ahab and Pharaoh will have certain fits of seeming Devotion and Repentance The Brazen Serpent will not Sting And Men's Corruptions are most apparent when opportunity gives them Birth 6. NOW The Interrogatories to be propounded to thy Conscience are these First doth Sin reign in thee so that thou yieldest a willing obedience to it Or doth it bear sway and tyrannize over thee For between these there is an immense difference True it is all Men sin but Sin reigneth only in the Unregenerate Let not sin reign in your mortal Body Rom. 6.12 And St. Paul further tells ye that the Regenerate sin Rom. 7.15.19 That which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but whâ—t I hate that do I For the Good that I do I would not But the Evil which I would not that I do From this Inference ask thy Conscience whether thou wouldst have committed this Evil which now wounds it If not it is no more thou but Sin that dwelleth in thee 7. DOST thou detest all Sin because it is contrary to God's Holy Will And rather more for the love of God than for fear of his Judgments Dost thou not only grieve for every Sin which thou hast committed but also for the â—ravity and Corruption of thy Will and the infirmities of Flesh and Blood disabling thee to the purer service of God If thou art in this State thou art not disesteemed in the Eye of the Almighty Neither will God ever Condemn thee for that which he hath given thee a competency of Grace to abhor and condemn in thy self For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 The Unregenerate Person Idolizes Sin but is afraid of the Punishment but the Regenerate abhors it therefore God will not judge him for it but will rather say what he said to the Woman taken in Adultery Neither do I Condemn thee go and Sin no more John 8.11 8. WOULDST thou embrace Sanctity and is it thy Heart's desire to serve God in sincerity So that thou can'st say with the Church Isa. 26.8 The desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee If thou dost hunger and thirst after Righteousness be assured thou shalt be satisfied Matt. 5. Dost thou in the inward Man consent to the Law of God 'T is Infallibly certain if thou dost pursue after Holiness without which none can see God thou art esteemed of the Almighty For our best Perfection at present is this not that we are throughly Pious but that we chase after it 9. HAST thou with the Kingly Prophet Psalm 119.6 a respect to all God's Commandments so that thou dost not in thy Heart dispense with any of them for Pleasures Profits or any secular Advantage but wouldst earnestly enjoy that Priviledge of keeping them all If so let not slip the Anchor of thy Hope but receive Comfort For hower Satan's Delusions may allure thee and thy own Corruptions may betray thee yet thy minor serving of thy Creator without Exemption or dispensation to any Sin concludeth thee in a State of Regeneration the Denomination following the better Part as appears in St. Paul's Expression of himself in the same case Rom. 7.25 With the Mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of Sin That is groaning under the Tyranny but not dispensing with its Reign 10. DOST thou resolve to oblige thy self to avoid Sin Then God will accept thee 2 Cor. 8.12 David said I will keep thy Statutes and I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments Psal. 119 8.106 It is evident he made a breach of his Performance tho his Intentions were quite contrary 2 Sam. 12.9 Dost thou conscientiously and diligently use the means to take cognizance of thy Sins as by applying the word of God home to thy Conscience for by the Law comes the knowledge of Sin Rom. 7.7 Dost thou carefully shun all occasions and incentives moving thee and enticing thee to Sin and Wickedness It is a vanity in him to detest Drunkenness who will not restrain his boon Companions It is impossible for him to hate Adultery who fixeth his Eye upon the Lascivious and is entangled in the snare of the Adulterer Such are apt then to forget what was mentioned in our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount Matt. 5.28 Whosoever looketh on a Woman to Lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart And Solomon's Advice is very proper Come not near the Door of her House Prov. 5.8 For Opportunity and Occasion is Lust's Pander 11. ASK thy Conscience whether it can presume to sin wittingly and willingly And whether it can be sedate in any known and unrepented Sin If it be disturbed dissipate thy Fear for this very disturbance of Conscience which so much appals thee is a principal Mark of a good Conscience It is true as the Woman sang of Saul and David 1 Sam. 18.7 Saul hath slain his Thousands and David his ten Thousands So Despair hath cast away some but Presumption Multitudes Hath not thy Conscience at some time in a particular Measure been refreshed by a Divine assurance of thy Interest in a Saviour a resolution to forsake all thy Sins Peace with God and Salvation by the Merits of Christ We commit a gross Mistake if we always judge of our State by present Sense For there are certain hours of Tentation wherein the light of Grace is obscurely Eclipsed to our Sense and the stupid or afflicted Conscience feeleth no present Illumination of God's Spirit which yet in due time shall return and compensate our Tryals with
foolish and unhappy Owners 2. WHAT are Honors where a qualification of Mind is wanting to manage them Those Phaetons precipitate themselves and set the World on fire What are Riches without a Mind well qualified but snares and easie ways to Hell All things duly weighed to a prudent Mind which can limit it self within the desires of Necessaries a little is enough but to an ambitious Mind nothing can satisfie Alexander had a monstrous Mind when he was grieved that there was but one World for him to Conquer 'T is the Mind that maketh truly Rich or Poor That contented in every Estate aboundeth in its own Happiness but discontented can be blessed in none 3. THE way to gain Riches is not so much by adding to an Estate as by depriving the Mind of that foolish desire of having Superfluity beyond use Temporal Riches are but a burden to him who hath truly placed his Affections on Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt and where Thieves do not break through and steal Matth. 6.20 That which must once be lost is nothing worth which Consideration possibly made Stilpo answer like a Philosopher who when Demetrius had taken Megera and out of a noble Care to give him Protection from Plundering asked him if the Soldiers had taken ought from him he answered No for said he I saw no Man that would take any Knowledge or Learning from me 4. THE Mind is Sacred and out of the reach of violent hands so that to make thee happy which is the scope of a prudent Desire the way is not to labour so much and disquiet thy self in things External but to compose thy Mind aright to value and make a good Use of what thou hast to get true Wisdom and Understanding and well-ordered Affections quietly to endure want or enjoy plenty In which there is not only an admirable skill and strength of Mind requisite but also an holy Habit. No Precepts can suddenly make a Man practically wise or good which must make us resolve quickly to study this Divine Philosophy And indeed Experience here discovereth a marvellous Stupor and Incogitancy of most Men. In any bodily Dissection we speedily consult the Physician but in our Soul's Distempers we not only delay our seeking help but are too often impatient of offered Remedies That which thou designest to do well speedily put in practice 5. SOLOMON's advice is Prov. 4.23 To keep thine Heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Many think it enough to keep their Tongues and their Hands But it highly concerneth all Christians to keep their Hearts from Satan's Snares there he beginneth all his Stratagems which afterwards break out into Words and Actions It is true that bare Suggestions without any delight or consent of our own are no more our Sins than any Robbery or Murder committed without our Consent or Knowledge But except we are vigilant over our Thoughts and carefully stand upon our guard Satan's deluding Influences will create a Delight and excite in us a Consent and concession to them Therefore the Counsel of the Wise Man is this Prov. 7.25 Let not thine Heart decline to her ways go not astray in her paths 6. CHECK the first beginnings of Sin in thy Thoughts use them roughly at the door and think of the Prophet Elisha's saying 2 Kings 6.33 Is not the sound of their Masters Feet behind them We must there chiefly observe and extinguish Sin where 't is born and quench the Sparks before they break out into masterless Flames We must crush the Cockatrice in the Egg before it proves a fiery flying Serpent We neglect not the biting of a Serpent but presently seek remedy to keep the Venom from the Heart With how much more care and diligence should we look to the biting of the Old Dragon Rev. 12.9 who is able if a little neglected to kill Body and Soul Of evil Seeds spring evil Plants Murder from Revenge in the Heart Adultery from Lust unextinguish'd there and God justly castigateh evil Intentions though they do not always break forth into Actions 7. KEEP a good Conscience and put on Sanctity The Wicked meditate on Evil and the Prophet Esay affirms cahp. 59.7 That their Thoughts are Thoughts of Iniquity Wasting and Destruction are in their paths As our Actions follow our Thoughts so do they leave Impressions in them which prove occasions of their further Operation and Solomon tells you Prov. 12.5 That the Thoughts of the Righteous are right but the Counsels of the Wicked are deceit Love good Thoughts and thou shalt be furnished with them as Flowers spring out of Buds so good Desires flow from Celestial Thoughts We often think of those we Love and are ambitious of their Acquaintance Think often of God for his Love will cause thee to detest all thoughts of Evil and will hinder the approaches of that old malicious Serpent to thy Heart 8. FIX thy Thoughts on something certain The Heart is a spiritual Labyrinth in whose perplexed turnings we often lose our selves and the best fruits of idle and extravagant Fancies are but as the Eyes continually rolling up and down seeing nothing intentively but a wandring Mind It is a signal Token of a composed Mind if it can contain it self and not launch out into those vain Evagations and wandring Thoughts From whence waking as out of some feverish Dream after much thinking we can give our selves no true account what the Mind has busied it self about but that in long thinking we thought on nothing to the Purpose 9. THE Mind is Man's most active Faculty In a Moment with the flight of a Thought it mounts from Earth to Heaven and back again from Age to Age from Present to Future Like Lightning it shoots from East to West vanishing in the Appearance It is not a little skill to arrest it so as that we may say with David Psal. 108.1 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Without this we can neither Hear nor Pray otherwise than prophane Hypocrites provoking God's Anger by drawing near him with their Lips when their Hearts are far from thinking on him 10. SEEK Peace with God through Faith in Christ for therein consists the true Composure and happy Rest of the Mind The Prophet tells you Isa. 57.21 There 's no Peace to the Wicked neither is there any true Rest out of Christ Jesus Sin is the distemper and disquiet of the Soul Until that Jonah be cast over-board we can never appease the Surges of a troubled Mind This thou mayest seek by hearty sorrow for thy Sins this restringent Acrimony shall heal the Fountains that Death and Barrenness may no more fluctuate from the Mind into thy Words and Actions 'T is a good symptom of Recovery when the Disease changeth Place So when we are pleased with Repentance who were wont to please ourselves with Sin 't is a token that Sin declineth in us 11. BY Committing thy works unto the Lord thy thoughts
like Crimson they shall be as Wool CHAP. XXX Divine Considerations of our Repentance forgiving Enemies and the Love of God CONSIDER why Christ came into the World The beloved Disciple informs you John 3.16 Because he so loved it God sent him to save Sinners not only them who had broken some of his Commandments But as St. Paul saith He came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 He came to call as himself professeth Not the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 Mark 2.17 He called the heavy laden not fallaciously but indeed to ease and disburthen them of their Sins Mat. 11.28 He saved the Publicans and notorious Sinners and to manifest the same in contempt of Pharisaical Calumnies conversed with them 2. CONSIDER that God who commanded us to forgive not only seventy times but oftner would not enjoin us that which himself could not or would not perform He is essentially and so infinitely gracious that his Mercy is more than thousands of Oceans which can never be exhausted Man hath but a slender Stock a finite Mercy at the best and such as may be diminished and vanquished by Injuries He that enjoineth Man to forgive without Exception could not in his Justice command and require Man to forgive more than himself in his abundant Mercy could or was willing to assent to Add to this a Consideration of his tender Love He hath planted a Paternal Love and Care not only in Parents for their Children but lest we should suppose it rather habitual than natural taught by Precept or Example rather implanted by the Almighty in their Natures in the very brute Beasts of the Field and Birds of the Air for the Preservation of their Young All this Love in the Creature is but momentany but in God it is Essential Infinite and Unchangeable 3. NOW consider did God give Man suppose David so much Love and Mercy as that upon the Mediation of the Tekoite he could presently be reconciled to a Rebellious Absolom hath he given thee Bowels of Compassion and an ardent Zeal for thy Childrens Good and Safety to mourn for their Transgressions and to be ready upon the least appearance or signs of amendment to enter into a Reconciliation with them and canst thou conceive that God will not be much more ready to Pardon thee if thou canst heartily Repent and Implore Forgiveness through the Merits of a Crucified JESVS the Son of his Love and in whom he hath proclaimed from Heaven He is well pleased Matt. 3.17 4. THE Custom among the Molossians was whom Plutarch mentions that the Petitioner should take up the King's Son in his Arms and so kneeling before the Altar nothing was denied for the Protection and Safety of the Suppliant So Themistocles found favour with King Admetus So likewise will our Heavenly King give Audience to our Petitions if we present him in the Arms of Faith his Beloved Son Christ Jesus with the Merits of his Death and Passion A wounded Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart is an acceptable Sacrifice to God and that which he will not despise Psalm 51.19 Thou canst not reasonably think thy Case detestable for that which God approveth and loveth in thee and hath so mercifully Cherished in those he dearly loved The Royal Psalmist the Man after his own Heart felt this which thou art afraid of My Heart saith he is Wounded within me Psalm 109.22 5. CONSIDER seriously that a calm Conscience is not always the best nor a Tempestuous the worst There is a Lethargy and Stupidity of an evil Conscience in a Carnal Security This Calm is such a Storm wherein the Soul like the Men of Laish is quiet and secure until some Spiritual Danites awake it and the Sinner goeth on like Agag thinking surely that the Bitterness of Death is past As some Heart-sick Patient in whom Nature's strength is so far decayed that he is insensible of the undiscovered approaches of Death now imminent even such is the calm Conscience of a secure Sinner 6. NOW if that Angel Guardian the Conscience which God and Nature has placed within the Breast of a Righteous Person be sometimes at Variance and upon the seasonable point of Admonition for some Sin Unrepented we may infer it to be like the Ship in which Jonah fled followed with Storms untill he was cast forth whereby his Happiness might be the greater But the danger is desperate with those when the Mind is Drowsie and will not be awakened from its Guilt and Impenitency but are given up to the Spirit of Slumber those I say if at any time their Conscience within 'em whispers and severely Checks 'em then are they ready to cry out as Ahab to Elijah Hast thou found me O mine Enemy If we are not sensible of our Wounds the sign is Mortal therefore let us not our selves remove from that wholesome Discipline or fly that Chirurgion whose Lancet threatens none but the imposthumated Parts but rather chuse wisely that main skill of knowing whether our Consciences thus lull'd up in treacherous sleep or disturbed by that Voice within us which of these two I say prognosticates the most Danger CHAP. XXXI The Examination of the Conscience concerning our Repentance c. TO this a serious Examination is requisite wherein I shall lay down these Particulars First some Reasons why we must seriously examine our Consciences Secondly The main Lets incident thereto Thirdly Certain Rules by which we may throughly Examine Fourthly Interrogatories to be proposed to the afflicted Conscience Fifthly Some Conclusions necessary to be drawn from the Whole 2. FIRST We ought to Examine our selves for certainly God hath not so often Commanded it in vain Lam. 3.40 Psal. 4.4 1 Cor. 11.28 2 Cor. 13.5 Secondly Without this we cannot know our Sins and so not Repent nor have any solid Comfort in Impenitency We are extream apt to mistake our selves which if we do we can have no sound Comfort in the Testimony of a good Conscience which presupposeth Faith and Illumination Thirdly Without this we cannot possibly know which way we are going the Broad way to Destruction or the Narrow to Salvation which were very necessary to comfort us if we go right or to recal and rectifie us if wrong Fourthly Without this we can never make a right use of God's Chastisements nor obtain any comfortable way out of 'em Neither can we distinguish his Operations of Mercy in us when he Humbleth us here that we may be Exalted hereafter 3. NOW the common Obstructions to this Duty are first an Evil Conscience which being wounded by a deep Guilt cannot endure any Searching Secondly Native Hypocrisie misrepresenting us to our selves by denominating us highly Pious and looking upon it as an important Injury not to be counted so Thirdly distracting Cares of this Life and Carnal Security which say with those Jews Hag. 1.2 The time is not come These make Men refer their Repentance to the last Hour even to
greater advantage of Assurance 12. NOW the Conclusions necessary to be considered are these First The Almighty's Judgments are ever just yea when Flesh and Blood says with Nichodemus How can these things be John 3.9 When the too Curious Inquests after them are to be Stayed with a Nay but O Man Who art thou that Repliest against God Rom. 9.20 And so also his Mercies are as the unsounded Deeps beyond all apprehension of carnal Reason often Medicable by Wounding and Afflicting the Guilty Conscience Comforting by terrifying introducing to Glory and Immortality through Corruption killing Sin in the Flesh by Death the Fruit of Sin and guiding to Heaven as I may say by the Gates of Hell and fear of Damnation 13. THE most Notorious Sins committed in Ignorance and Incredulity after Repentance are no Arguments to Despair For the Apostle tells you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers â—f themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall Inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And the same Apostle was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter and Injurious but obtained Mercy forasmuch as he did it ignorantly and in unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 In his Conversion these Sins fell off as the Viper of Melita from his hand without any danger to his Life Acts 28.5 So God pronounceth of the Convert by the Mouth of his Prophet Ezek. 18.22 All his Transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him 14. SINS of the Regenerate though violent Perturbations of Mind or Tentations ensnaâ—ing them are not to be reckoned among Symptoms of Reprobation or Apostacy Such was Peter's denyal and Davids Adultery and Murder Therefore the Apostle's Counsel is very charitable Gal. 6.1 If any Man be overtaken in any fault ye that are Spiritual restore such a one with the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And Christ hath taught us without distinction of great and little Sins to say daily forgive us our trespasses This Life is a Spiritual Combate a Truceless War against the Powers of Darkness wherein the Strongest may be and often are carried away Captive and yet be healed and recovered Eph. 6.12 Their Captivity concludeth not their not being true Israelites who would fain return 15. EVERY Sin against Knowledge doth not presently infer a Reprobate Mind The most Exquisite and Dexterous are sometimes taken in Satan's snares St. Peter though forewarned denyed Christ through sudden apprehension of fear Not out of Malice but infirmity We nay the best of Men are but partly Flesh and partly Spirit so that we can neither perform the good we are inclin'd to nor avoid the evil which we behold and detest St. Paul and all that are Regenerate doth allow the Law of God yet sometimes feel another lawless Law carrying them away Captive to Sin Rom. 7.23 16. THOUGH every Sin against Conscience is very dangerous and every perseverance therein the very Suburbs of Hell yet every such Enormity excludeth not Repentance and Remission Because sin not only allureth but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a Tyrant and Captivates us against our Wills There may also be a Lethargy or Epilepsie of the Soul There is such mischievous subtilty in Satan that his Snares though visible are not always avoided whose Messengers though felt with grief of Soul are not always overcome yet he that gave Waters to the Horeb Rock Exod. 17. 6 7. can smite our harder Hearts and make the Waters of Life flow Plentifully to Repentance never to be repented of 17. THOUGH every Relapse into Sin is very dangerous yet if a man be not entangled and vanquish'd those breaches may be repaired by Repentance 2 Pet. 2.20 And Solomon tells you The Just man falleth seven times a day Prov. 24.16 Satan doth not always present New Scenes but sometimes dresses up his Old Artifices therewith to beguile Though our Infirmities are numerous God's Power is made manifest by sustaining us that though we fall we shall not fall away Though Satan's power subtilty and restless malice are very potent yet he and his Messengers are limited by their Chain and can receive no Commission if it be but to enter into a Herd of Swine but from the Almighty Mat. 8.31 And the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.13 That God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able So that we may resolve that neither Life nor Death nor any Creature shall be able to saparate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.39 CHAP. XXXII Rules of Practice FIRST use thy utmost endeavour to possess the Testimony of a good Conscience which thou canst by no means attain but by being vigilant over thy Soul and with a fixed Constancy resisting Temptations Every Sin yea even the least woundeth the Soul afresh Be not secure of minor Sins but let a good Conscience be most precious unto thee part not from it for any Pleasures Honours or Riches of this World but rather part from Life it self Enjoy a tender Conscience A seared one like Callous Flesh is insensible of that which toucheth it to this Custom creates a proneness to sin and takes away the sense of it 1 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 15. 2. APPROVE thy self in every Action to God fixing thy self ever in his presence who beholdeth a far off all thou thinkest or actest 1 Pet. 3.12 And value not whoever is disgusted if God approveth thee Walk not according to the Wisdom of the Flesh but by the Rule of Gods Grace which shall at last be thy rejoicing 2 Cor. 1.12 Resign not thy self to Sins Dominion which is impossible except thou wholly deliverst up thy self by consenting to thine own Captivity as the Ear-bored Servants who professed love to their Masters and so would not be Manumissed and freed from them Exod. 21.5 6. Detest Sin and it shall not prejudice thee No sin is so pernicious as that which is most facetious but espicially beware of presumptuous sins lest they get the Dominion over thee Psal. 19.13 Numb 15.30 31. Deut. 17.12 3. CONTEMPLATE on God's Justice and Mercy together let them be inseparable in thy Thoughts For if thou inspectest into his Justice only thou art liable to Despair upon the sight of thy sins And if thou viewest his Mercy only thou wilt with facility presume when thou beholdest that transcendent Immensity which is ever ready upon unfeigned Repentance to pardon Sinners The Sailers of Old upon the Yards of their Ships conjectured the Ignis lambens for a good or a bad fatality if they beheld but one flame they denominated it an unlucky Helena but if two they accepted it for Castor and Pollux Good Prognosticks of fair and prosperous Weather Even so it is in Mercy and Justice the Consideration of
which denominates tempting or proving As you will find in Exod. 15.25 and Ch. 16.4 Deut. 8.16 and Chap. 13.3 Psal. 26.2 1 Pet. 1.7 And there is a Temptation of seducement which is a Solicitation to defection and falling from God by sinning and committing evil 1 Tim. 6.9 1 Thes. 3.5 So that God tempteth that he may Discipline us but the Devil that he may destroy us 3. SOME Temptations spring from the Corruption and Sin Inherent in the Flesh St. James 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts such as are mentioned Gal. 5.19 20. Some are suggested by the Tempter who being a Spirit hath power to insinuate and convey his impious notions into our minds Suggestion between Spirits are as Contiguity and touching of Bodies for whereas he cannot discover the unuttered secrets of the heart it being the Almighties peculiar Prerogative but he observes mens natural inclinations and habits by their Words and Actions and so prepares Baits accordingly thus he fishes in these depths till he perceives his Suggestions are swallowed and the Sinner taken And by this means he presenteth such Thoughts as he conjectureth will take by that which is obvious to the Senses of men As he fitted an opportunity of Treason to impious Judas by the malice of the high Priests Of Lust to Amnon of venturing on the cursed thing to Achan of the Revenge to Cain of Idolatry to Ahaz by the Altar of Damascus 2 Kin. 16.10 c. 4. OF Temptations there are four degrees by which it ariseth to full Maturity First Suggestion Secondly Delight therein Thirdly Consenting Fourthly Acting the same As St. James tells ye Chap. 1.14 15. Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death The first of these a bare Suggestion is not our Sin if there be no delight or consenting to it For Christ was tempted Mat. 4.1 Luke 4.2 in all points as we are yet without sin Heb. 4.15 The Sin is Satans when ever he Suggesteth evil The Second as the Third and Fourth is Sin in its degree for every delight in evil declares a Mans inclination to be such A declining from Good and a proneness to consent and act evil 5. A tryal of Temptation to the Just is but as Fire to Gold it purifieth and createth a valuation in God's Esteem as the Psalmist tells ye Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and the Apostle informs ye 1 Pet. 1.7 That the tryal of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold which perisheth though it be tryed with Fire might be found unto praise c. And that mirror of Patience is Comforted Job 23.10 When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold Temptation therefore burneth out the dross and is as a Winnowing Wind For Satan by a Temptation winnowed St. Peter Now Consider with thy self can the Refiner of Gold take that Care that he will not lose it in the Furnace Can the Husbandman so opportune the Wind that he will not lose the Corn but cleanse it from the Chaff And canst thou think that the Almighty will suffer thee to be lost by permitting thee to Temptations No assure thy self he cannot err He measureth all Is Faithful and will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able 1 Cor. 10.13 He knoweth how to deliver his out of Temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 Therefore God commands us not to fear any of these things which they should suffer whom Satan should cast into Prison Rev. 2.10 6. THERE can be no Conquest gained without an Enemy nor no Crown without a Conflict No Faith without Troubles nor no Combate without some Adversary When the Almighty puts thee to Tryals he stedfastly beholds how thou entertainest the Enemy and as thou standest the Shock he supplieth thee with fresh aids as necessity requireth and in the mean time prepareth the Crown Many by a long and secure peace grow Impotent and for want of Experience unable to resist an enemy when he invadeth perhaps their own Pride born out of self-ignorance overcometh them or fulness may debauch them whereas Exercise makes them Vigorous and Temptations humble Lest I should be Exalted above measure saith Saint Paul There was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messengers of Satan to buffet me 2 Cor. 12.7 And indeed Conscience of a Sin and fear of punishment makes the Regenerate more Religious and is much the firmer Faith which Repentance storeth up That ye Sorrowed after a Godly sort what Carefulness it wrought in you 2 Cor. 7.11 7. THE Spiritual Pharoah most eagerly pursueth those who are departing out of his Kingdom He passeth by his own as Captives And chaseth those in whom he perceiveth Christ liveth When he must be cast out then he teareth most furiously Luke 9.42 So that his rage against thee is no Argument of Despair but rather of great Affiance that Satan himself finds thou art none of his Disciple were he secure of thee he would let thee go unmolested to destruction and never disquiet thee lest any agitation should bring thee to Repentance and him to loss This Lesson our Saviour taught When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace Luke 11.21 8. CONSIDER well that the best have been and the best that live are tempted The Jebusites were left in Jerusalem for an Exercise of Vertue 2 Sam. 5.6 The Apostle wrapt up into the third Heaven was buffetted by Satans Messengers 2 Cor. 12. 12. EVERY day dedicate thy first and last 2 7. Once for all Christ in whom was no sin was tempted Heb. 4.15 That thou are tempted is no inference of Despair It seems a Paradox how Heaven and Earth are here so annexed we being partly Spirit and partly Flesh that we cannot appear as we would Gal. 5.17 We find an irksome Law in our selves opposing us Our Reparation is something and Supernatural but so short of that which shall be that our selves like the Israelites in Ezra's time sound a discordious Concord of sharps and flats joy and sorrow Ezra 3.13 We must expect perfection in Heaven for our present freedom from sin is rather a desire to be free than our being so 9. NEXT let us consider that God's Grace who at his pleasure chaineth up the Tempter is sufficient for thee Rev. 20.1 2 Cor. 12.9 He restraineth him so much that he cannot be a lying Spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets untill he have leave to tempt him out to his destruction from him who justly permitteth to strong Delusions that they should perish in believing Lies who receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved Omnipotence knows best how far he will suffer thee to be tempted and accordingly measureth out a sufficiency of Grace to all the Regenerate Why he suffered David so