Humiliation not Desperation 52 Tho' the Glory of a Saint be not seen by every Eye yet they have an Excellency in the midst of all Deformities 53 For he that sees not a true Christian to be a glorious Creature has but a fleshly Eye 54 No Company nor Comfort should put off the Thoughts of Death 55 For Death will be terrible to that Man that dyes not in his Thoughts daily 56 Sin unrepented of will bring a Sting in the time of Death filling the Conscience with Horror and Amazement 57 He that lays much on Nature's Back will break it and that trusts to Natural Parts shall be disappointed 58 All carnal Delights and Pleasures are but Poison if grace be not in the Heart for an Antidote 59 Peace of Conscience will make a Man rejoice in Sorrow and live in Death 60 An Hypocrite may seem better than a real Christian but like Corn on the House top soon ripe soon rotten 61 He that would profit in Heavenly Mysteries must be knit to them not by the Brain but by the Affections 62 The Signs at the Table Seals no Grace to the Soul where there is no Faith 63 VVe are very sensible of Bodily-Hunger but Soul-Hunger is hardly felt 64 The VVorld to come is good Mens Hope and bad Mens Fear 65 He that will not be broken from Sin shall have no portion in Christ's Body broken 66 He that maketh a Divorce betwixt his Soul and Corruption is in the State of Grace 67 It is no Presumption but our Duty to judge by our Effectual Calling of our Election 68 To know there is a Christ and not our Interest in him is rather a Punishment than a Comfort 69 A sinful doubting Soul lives next in the Suburbs of Hell 70 As Grace and Glory so Sin and Shame goes together 71 The more sanctified Afflictions on Earth the more weight of Glory in Heaven 72 Sin may draw down Judgment on a Godly Man but shall not rest on him 73 Let us have a care of being fair-tongu'd Hypocrites lest we get Balaam's Brand and Pilate's End Eusebius lib. 2. chap. 7. says he was brought to such Misery that he Murdered himself 74 It is all one to Christ our Surety to pay our great Debts as well as our small 75 He that would avoid Sin must avoid the occasion of Sin 76 Saint by their great falls lose their Communion but not their Union with God 77 God's Love to us and our Love to him is like Corks in the deep VVaters of Affliction carrying up the Sonl to eternal Bliss 78 Satan and Seducers sometimes speaks Truth for their own advantage 79 It is both sin and shame that Christians break Oaths one to another when Heathens disdained it to Uladislaus 80 It is Satan's policy either to let us see no Sin or nothing but Sin 81 No Scripture saith the greatness of Man's Sin hinders the greatness of God's Mercy 82 Oh let us admire the free Grace of God! and to know he does not shew Mercy because we please him but because Mercy pleases him 83 He that depends upon the Power and Mercy of God in his Ordinances shall be sure to find Joy and Comfort 84 VVhen all means fail let the Soul look up to God for then is the fittest time to meet God and disappoint Satan 85 As a Tree may want Fruit and Leaves when the Sap is at the Root so a Christian may want Sence and Feeling when true Faith 86 He that listens to carnal Reasoning in his VVay to Heaven sins deeply and wounds his Soul dangerously 87 The clearest Day of outward Comforts may be clouded e're Night 88 Riches make themselves VVings to fly away while we are making Doors and Boults to keep them in 89 No sickness nor affliction can wear out the Marks by which Christ knows us 90 In great Sorrows the Mind is very unfit to to take in Comfort 91 A Flint and Steel consume one another so do proud and hard Spirits wanting Grace 92 Of old in making a Coventant they used to cut the Heifer or put a suckled Sow betwixt them to signifie the Breaker of no more esteem 93 They that are in the Covenant with God may say their Maker is their Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name it shall stand for ever 94 Better be preserved in the Brine of Affliction than rot in the Honey of Prosperity 95 It is a Temporal Blessing to the wicked to have the Godly live among them and proves their ruin when they are removed witness Noah Lot Joseph 96 The Devil accusing bold Rothel face to face bade him Be gone thou damn'd Devil I have an Intercessor and thou none 97 If the Society of the Godly be so pleasant here Oh how joyful shall it be hereafter with the Vision of God holy Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect where no unclean thing can enter 98 Honesty and Plain-dealing did and ever will prove the best policy 99 In self-judging a Believer ought to observe his good as well as his bad and not to lye at a catch with his own Soul and take it at the worst 100. Better cross our own Humours than God's Spirit For he tells us better pluck and cut our Eyes and Feet of Lusts off than go to Hell CHAP. II. 1 LET Men hold to the Word in Dispute with Satan as Christ and Michael did he will be weary and go away 2 Look from one end of Heaven to the other and see if ever any Man trusting in God was disappointed 3 Every Soul in going to Prayer ought to say to all sublunary things as Abraham said to his Servants Stand you here while I go worship yonder 4 We must not think to bring any good to the Promises but go to them for all good 5 O precious Faith which brings all good with it Grace here and Glory hereafter 6 It is an infallible mark of Regeneration to have the cruelty of our Natures taken away 7 He that refuses Works of Mercy to those in need is a Miser 8 The Word is sweeter to the Godly than Honey from the Comb and dearer to him than thousands of Gold and Silver 9 As a Godly Man said at Death If he were not going to the Fountain he would be sorry to leave such Streams as the Promises 10 No Man can love a Saint as a Saint but a Saint 11 The Doctrine of Christ is preached to many but the Power thereof but extended to a few 12 That Man is holy and harmless who when opportunity of Revenge to his Enemy is offer'd yet forbears David to Saul 13 It is a sign of a woful Estate when our Tongues and Hearts are set on Mischief on small Matters 14 No Man is turned to God but he loves the Society he formerly hated 15 A Heart set upon Brawling and Raging is void of Comfort 16 He may be sure of the Remission of his sins who is released from the Bondage of sin 17 He that
would make all Comfort sure to himself should first make sure that his sins is forgiven him 18 The only way to quiet our Hearts is to hearken what God says 19 Misery to the Righteous is as a Sojourner but it rests on the back of the Wicked 20 The Means Time and Measure of Affliction is of God's own Appointment 21 There is another Life besides natural Life and the Root of it is in Christ our Head 22 He that finds such an Antipathy betwixt his Spirit and Sin as betwixt him and poyson hath true Grace in his Heart 23 We must hate the Conversation of such who hinders us in the growth of spiritual Life 24 As without shedding of Blood no forgiveness of sin so without the Spirit seals the Promises to our Souls we have no Comfort 25 Christ is the Fountain of spiritual Life but Faith is the Pipe conveying it to us 26 Better for us to sleep in a House full of Serpents and Adders than in a state of sin 27 Happy Practices when with the Day we clear the sins of the Day fitting our selves for Life or Death 28 Every falling into sin in a Believer is not a total falling away 29 Samson's strength was in his Locks but our strength against sin and errour is in Christ 30 The sense of God's love is sometimes withdrawn to make us mourn for it the more 31 VVhen Afflictions are doubled it is time to pray hard believe and apply the Promises and Deliverance will come 32 God's time of helping the poor and needy is when all other helps is at a stand 33 After Faith ends on Earth comes the Life of Vision in Heaven 34 All that the Father gives by Election Christ by Redemption saves 35 God rains the showers of his Ordinances upon all but Believers reaps the benefit only 36 Christ is our Husband Faith yields consent and that makes the Match 37 Many are in the state of Grace relying on Mercy and wanting the assurance of Pardon 38 Satan applying himself to the Distemper of a melancholy Spirit keeps it in Darkness 39 As Parents shews their love to the weakest Child so God manifests his love to weak Christians 40 VVhere there is Faith there is Prayer for Faith is the pattern of Prayer and Prayer is the breath of Faith 41 A broken Heart expresses it self more in Sighs and Groans than VVords which the Spirit only understands 42 The sense of Christ's love in pardoning sin constrains us to a holy Violence in performing our Duty 43 Look upon the love of God and it will cut the sinews of sin and distrust in Providence 44 Come in to Christ and stoop in doing thy Duty and thou makes it unquestionable thou art one of God's Elect. 45 Oh the deep Ocean of the everlasting love of God to the Believer in giving him Free Grace that shall bring a full Fraight of Glory to all Eternity 46 Heaven and Earth rejoices at the Conversion of a sinner effectual Calling pursuing Election the lost sheep and penny being found 47 Remission of sins always accompanies Evangelical Repentance it being the gift of God but not legal VVitness Peter and Judas 48 A godly Man tho' poor yet is still happy O happy Mordecai and unhappy Haman O happy Lazarus and unhappy Dives O happy Elijah and unhappy Jezebel O happy John and unhappy Herod 49 O the Magazine of Promises in the Bible to a Believer it is an everlasting Fountain which shall never run dry it 's a Title to Eternal Life where we shall enjoy the Company and Vision of God Angels and Saints to all Eternity 50 Our love to God is the ground of our love to our Neighbour our love to our Neighbour is a Testimony of our love to God 51 The living of a happy Life consists in the assurance of God's love to our Souls 52 They who have no conflict in their Spirit nor interruption in their Estate may greatly fear their condition 53 Complain of thy self and sins to Christ and let sin have no quiet Possession 54 He is a true Christian that lives in no gross sin nor allows himself in any small sin 55 That Man dies comfortably who believes Christ will have a care of his Soul 56 It is dangerous to take By-Paths where the open Road is free and safe 57 They that are most void of Learning and Experiences dabble most in dark places 58 That Heart is worse than Iron whom Christ's Load-stone cannot attack 59 The Graces of Christ are like the Springs of the Earth can never run dry 60 But are and shall be gliding forth on Earth till the whole Elect be gathered up into Heaven to Eternity 61 The love of Christians to Christ is not blind and senseless but guided by Reason and Election 62 Grace destroys not Nature but perfects 〈◊〉 it by supernatural Reliefs 63 There is a special intimacy and loving kindness betwixt Christ and those that love him 64 The more we meditate upon God and his Word the sweeter shall our fellowship be with him here and to Eternity 65 Many Souls are black through the night of Persecution yet comely in the Hope of Patience 66 False Teachers have many Followers as Wasps have Combs but no Honey 67 Some are Eagle ey'd to spy the Infirmities of their Brethren passing over their Graces 68 Afflictions may discolour the Church for a season but her proper colour is Beauty for Ashes 69 Get Protection in Christ by Faith and he will not suffer thee to want any good thing 70 It is truly Christianity for a Man to love those that hate him and to do them no wrong 71 It aggravates a Man's Sinfulness to be unholy while he converses with such as are holy 72 It brings Honour to God and Man to be upright amongst those who are unjust 73 Perfect Holiness is the Aim of the Saints on Earth and it is the Reward in Heaven 74 He who hath a plain Heart hath also square Dealings 75 If God hath given thee Grace thou hast the best and choicest Blessing that can be given 76 There is Fire in all Estates ill gotten which at last will consume them 77 The fear of the Lord sweeps the Heart and keeps the Life clean 78 Holy Enmity against Sin is the Temper of a Godly Man's Heart 79 Emptiness and Poverty presseth those most who were once full and rich 80 Great and Good Rich and Holy are hard things and seldom meet 81 To be extream Rich or Poor is an extream Temptation 82 That Man is rich in Grace who is very poor but very holy 83 God never gives any thing evil in it self to those that are good nor the chief good to those that are evil 84 The Time we spend in Spiritual Duties is the Time gained from Temporals therefore to turn Poor if thou turn Godly fear not 85 Nothing is more unnatural than Rents and Brawling in a Family 86 The faithful Soul takes sure hold of Christ in the time of
Darkness and Temptation 87 If thy Heart fail thee in Distress look to Christ for strength and supply of Comfort 88 The virtue of Christ's Death never dieth but flows down to all Ages for ever 89 God hath appointed that where the Cross is there is the Cordial against it 90 Divine Love is the cause of Divine Beauty and rejoyces in its own worth 91 The Beauty of the Soul is the Holiness of it being God's Image 92 Christ hath the Truth and Essence of Beauty whereas Earthly things have it only in Estimation 93 The unquiet Brains of many being tossed with Opinions ought to rest in the Scripture as a Bed 94 Our Sins are Thorns so are Temptations to Sin and Affliction for Sin 95 Heresies and Schisms are worse than Briars and Thorns to the Church 96 As weary Travellers seek for cool Arbours and delight in them so doth the weary Soul after and in Christ 97 It is neither loss nor dishonour to be vanquished in the Field where Christ is General for at last we shall be Conquerors 98 They are happy beyond expression who are transfixed with the Wounds of Christ 99 It is God's due and our Duty to give God our Morning-Thoughts first and to be in his Fear all the Day 100 All Holy Duties call upon us all for a Holy Preparation CHAP. III. 1 IT no ways befits Christians to lye down and stretch themselves in sinful Pleasures 2 The Elect on Earth have three degrees of Glory before they came to the full fruition in Heaven after Conversion after Death and after Judgment then full 3 A Holy Conversation makes Grace visible to the World and more Comfort to the Believer himself 4 Parents may put Money in their Childrens Pockets but they cannot put Grace in their Hearts yet to train them up in the Fear of the Lord. 5 And their Care to them ought to be as long as their Children and they live together 6 And Children when grown in years must not think they have out-grown Obedience to their Parents 7 And such Parents as think to make their Children great and not good in this World may suspect themselves to be the Devil's Children 8 And the special Care of a holy Father is so the Soul of his Child 9 Moderate Refreshing and Recreation may well become Holy Men. 10 Grace is very active it desires to draw many into fellowship with it self 11 God doth not only please the Creature but pleaseth himself when he sheweth Mercy 12 The industrious Man hath no time to sin the idle Man lyes open to its Snares 13 He is a happy Man that finds a true Friend in the time of extremity but he is a happier Man that hath no extremity to try his Friend 14 Better carry our selves that the World hate and God smile than that God frown and the World smile 15 There is a time coming when Ungodliness shall be as much prosecuted by Justice as in times past Godliness hath been persecuted by Injustice 16 They can but faintly make God known to others who are not acquainted with God themselves and to teach Christ to others who have not learn'd him themselves 17 Whoever brings Mercy in need both the Mercy and the Bringer are of God's sending Good Samaritan 18 God will stain the Pride of all Carnal Glory for indeed all Pride would stain his Glory 19 It is not Man's Free Will but God's Free Grace which makes one Man differ from another in Goodness 20 I am sure there is more of the Dew of Heaven upon a mortified Christian than on the Worldling in all his Pleasures Haman 21 The Faults of Holy Men in Scripture should teach us rather to fear than boldness to sin 22 The Devil doth not nay cannot hate a Saint so much as God loves him 23 It usually falls out that they who seek others Destruction find their own Pharaoh 24 They do not faithfully Love who love not Faithfulness 25 They who are most with God in secret know most of God's Secrets for he is most with them that fear him 26 The Lord's Portion is his People and the Lord is his People's Portion 27 While Saints are on Earth Christ is preparing Heaven for them and them for Heaven 28 We may well wait for the Lord's Grace since the Lord waits to be gracious 29 The Saints have more Comfort from God's Love to them than they have from their Love to God 30 For it is seldom that the Duty sanctifies us unless we labour to be sanctified for the Duty 31 Of old they offered up a Beast in Sacrifices but now God takes Obedience for a better 32 In Trouble we reckon it some Joy to get a faithful Friend to tell our Mind to O then doth not Experience bid the Godly call on him in the day of trouble and he will deliver them 33 God in the Sacrament sees the Death of his Son and that satisfies him and the Godly see the Death of their Saviour and that sanctifies them 34 Acting of Faith and pouring out of Prayers makes Sacraments effectual to Men and acceptable to God 35 Christ was ever and is and shall be the only Remedy for Sin 36 Usually where God gives much Grace he tries Grace much 37 A Man that hath got an Interest in Christ will be thirsting till he come to that bottomless Ocean of God's Love to him where he shall never thirst more to Eternity 38 Adam tho' Lord of the whole Earth was commanded to Work O then let us fly Idleness for it is like a Shop for the Devil to tread in or his Baggage-Horses 39 Dinah went idly to see the Daughters of the Land and lost her Virginity and was occasion of much Blood-shed a whole City being killed and made her old Father Jacob stink among the Inhabitants 40 Carnal Pleasures wither in using but Spiritual becomes fresh and green 41. A holy Soul longs to be uncloathed and lives not in it self but in Christ in whom its Life is hid 42 To be without gross Sin is our Holiness on Earth to be without any Sin is the Holiness of Heaven 43 He that repents of those Sins he fears he has committed shall be sure to repent of those Sins he doth commit 44 For a Man to bless God in his reigning Sins resolving to continue in them is a very spreading Deceit 45 Christ denied himself for us and left Heaven to redeem us and therefore we should deny our selves for him 46 Saints have sometimes in this Life enough to say It is good to be here but never enough to say It is best to be here 47 A Saint should welcom God when he comes to take as well as when he comes to give 48 God loves his People as well when he strikes them as when he stroaks them 49 That Man hath nothing who wants Christ and that Man who hath Christ wants nothing 50 God hath promised to keep his People and he will keep his Promise I will keep
them as the Apple of mine Eye 51 A Christian should possess his Soul in the Patience of Hope until his Soul possess that which he hath patiently hoped for 52 As all Rivers flow from the Ocean and to the Ocean so all Graces from Christ and to Christ 53 As the Fishes cannot live without Water nor the Birds without Air no more can a Believer without Christ 54 In Affliction let us not give more eat to the Devil and Conscience accusing than to Christ and his Mercy excusing 55 Whilst some Men walk to get Stomachs for their Meat others are glad to walk to get Meat for their Stomachs 56 If we live to the Devil here it is a token we shall live with him hereafter and if we live to God here that we shall live with him hereafter 57 If bad Tongues could make Men ill then many a good Man would be in evil taking 58 Many Men while disputing what to do in the mean time neglect the thing they ought to do without dispute 59 To maintain my Opinion because it is my own I think it my Folly but to maintain my Opinion because it is Truth I think it my Wisdom 60 Let us not seek Revenge on our Enemies for if they get Grace they 'll repent and if they get Hell they 'll have more than we desire One they must get 61 No Man on Earth can be in so bad a condition but he may be in a worse that 's in Hell So let us not despair for it is the Lord's Mercy we are not consumed 62 Of the Sluggard Solomon says he ought not to eat yea but to suffer Hunger the Rain drops through his Roof and his Vineyard is overgrown with Nettles 63 It is a wilful Error to chuse to be solitary when there is a holy and wholly consent of good Company 64 This is the difference between Saints and Hypocrites in Grace the one the Motion the other the Notion the one the Expression the other the Experience the one reads and hears the other tastes and feels 65 The Ox or the Swine crying under the Hand of the Butcher I have seen the rest come for their relief O then how ought Christians to love relieve and sympathize one with another under the hands of Persecutors 66 Every Sin is a turning from God but no Sins in his own can be a Farewel to God for he will bring them back with Stripes and Rods. 67 The Heart is to be kept with all diligence for sinful Thoughts are dangerous 68 For the Hearts of Men are so wicked as to sin on sin a thousand times over 69 All things in Heaven and Earth are disposed by the unerring Wisdom of God and limited by the Almighty Power 70 Sleep is a short Death and Death is a long Sleep 71 It should be the Voice of every Soul Lord what wilt thou have me to do 72 There is no trusting to any Estate whatsoever out of Christ 73 None of us left to our selves but will quite undo our selves 74 Sin spoils our Honour and Comfort at once 75 He that is wicked will be an Adversary if Grace prevent not No sooner a Sinner but a Satan 76 All Apostacy from Goodness is a spice of the Devil 77 The height of Holiness is not only to do Good but to oppose Evil. 78 It is the Duty of a Christian to be as full of Malice against the Devil as the Devil is against him 79 Tho' the Devil roars about yet he is in a double Chain of Justice being under the Wrath and Eye of God 80 They who depart from God shall never find true rest in any Creature 81 Wicked Men tho' never so great are scarce worth the looking on 82 Cloisters are opener to Satan's Temptation than the open Fields 83 There is a kind of Joy amongst Devils and wicked Men when the godly Man sins 84 It is a holy Ambition to strive to excel others in Grace and Goodness 85 It is a Man's Duty when God enlighteneth and gives Joy to warble forth his Praise 86 The Groans of a contrite Heart are Musick in God's Ears and a sure Proof of his Spirit in us 87 God is a secure Rock to defend his Doves when they are hunted and persecuted 88 God bids his Servants ask and they shall have and it grieves him they do not ask 89 The Church suffers as much from Heresie and Schism as from blind and mad Heathens 90 Every faithful Soul is God's Garden and every Grace is a beauteous Lilly 91 As the Waves on the back of one another are useful to help the Ship to the Heaven of rest so are Afflictions to the Godly Man 92 A Holy Life is pleasanter to a Christian than the Sun to the Earth or Wings to a Bird. 93 The Tranquillity and Peace of a good Conscience excels all worldly Treasure 94 The Application of Christ's Blood is not only our Strength but our Glory and Protection 95 He that blesseth God in his Afflictions his Afflictions shall be a Blessing unto him 96 When a Seducer speaks Truth he doth set a Snare to catch the Truth 97 In great Strains look not so much on the present as what we were and shall be e're long and that will give content 98 Tho' Sectaries intend it not yet Antichrist and Hell have no better Agents 99 No Man's Calling must call him from God or Godliness for particular things must give way to general 100 Sun Moon and Stars Birds of the Air Fishes of the Sea Trees of the Field spread forth JEHOVA s Praise O how much more then should Christians that shall live in that Employ to all Eternity Books Newly Printed and Sold by John Marshall at the Bible in Grace Church-Street VAriety without Vanity or a compact Number of Copies with most sorts of Copy-Books Copies on the Top to Learn by also Variety of Pictures as Birds Beasts c. A Declaration of the Congregational Ministers in and about London against Antinomian Errors c. The second Edition To which is added the Testimony of some of the Ministers in behalf of the Rest All Men must Die In a Funeral Sermon on the Death of Mr. Elias Keach By Nathaniel Wiles A Sermon on the Death of the Reverend Mr. Stephen Lobb By Thomas Goodwin Price 6 d. A Funeral Sermon preached at the Merchants Lecture in Broad-street upon the Death of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Gouge who Deceased January 8. 1700. By John Nesbitt Price 6 d. Divine Meditations or a Honey-comb to Refresh weary Travellers in Collection of Divine Sentences out of the Scripture of Truth Price Stitcht 2 d. Two Discourses on Patience being some of the Last Sermons of Mr. Elias Keach published by himself before his Death The Flowings of Christ's Blood freely to Sinners or the free Grace of God By Mr. Saltmarsh A few Lines Touching Baptism shewing 1. What Baptism is 2. Who are the fit Subjects 3. The Good Old Way of Baptizing 4. Some Objections answered by Matthew Fen. FINIS