unperswaded or halfe perswaded of the truth Hebâ— 2.2.3.4 Saint Paul to the Hebrewes Cap. 2. tells us if they who despised Moses Law upon two or three witnesses were condemned what shall become of them who despise so great salvation who still distrust that truth of God which was first spoken by the Lord of heaven and earth comming in the flesh Miracles serve to convince the soule of the truth sealed thereby afterward confirmed by such as heard him by miracles and the power of the word in those who were converted So may I say here this very text of Naaman shall stand up and convince all that maintaine selfe and selfe-love carnall and corrupt reason against the truth and power of the promise yea this miracle whereby the word was strengthned with all those miracles by which any truth of Christ hath since been justified shall rise up and convince all unbeleevers I meane such as live under meanes in that day For why Though they saw none of these miracles yet hearing the word beholding the seales receiving them into all our sences I say such a word as hath beene ratified by all the wonders of the Old and New Testament serving to beare down a base heart of unbeliefe about the truth power love al-sufficiency of God if they beleeve not by all these they shall be condemned justly by that authority which they have despised yea the very frame of the Scriptures and the expressions of so many strange and admirable passages serving to raise up a base and crawling spirit to heaven if we shall be found unbeleevers in that great day of Christ shall be brought forth as a witnesse against us for our horrible insensiblenesse and stupor of minde and heart Unbeleefe of Scripture and Truth of God after so many miracles very damnable For by these the Lord hath as it were striven to engraven in our spirits as with the pen of a Diamond the truthes of God and mystery of Christ If then our soules shall be found so hard and flinty that this point hath not pierced them if wee be still unconvinced and this instrument of gold hath no more left impression upon us then if a straw or rotten sticke had beene used to write in our tables of stone oh how fearefull shall our condemnation be If any man shall step in here and demand Quest Miracles how far ceased hard to say hath God so sufficiently confirmed his truth by miracles that there shall neede no more I answer I know its the opinion of many that they are wholly ceased and that because the use of them is ceased Answ For that spirit which attends the Ministry of the word carries a conviction of the truth into the mind according to all that is in the truth Now if it be so then that spirit perswades the soule of all the truth aswell in respect of the confirmation of it by miracles as otherwise but as I stagger much about this opinion so yet I am loth to affirme that the Church hath any warrant under faith to looke for the gift of miracles to be assuredly vouchsafed her although the ends thereof may seeme very weighty Who can or dare deny but that the calling of those Americans to the knowledge of the truth may seeme a weighty occasion to expect from God the gift of miracles partly by reason of their language almost impossible to be attained except by either a miraculous or at least a marveilous gift partly because there be poore inducements to draw such imperswasible and brutish spirits to cast so much as their eyes upon any meanes to induce them to beleeve In both which respects I dare not deny but that as Satan by lying wonders prevailes much with such as perish so the Lord may vouchsafe this spirit of miracles to his Church when his time is come to effect the conversion of such Only I adde that when his time is come he will grant his Church an instinct of spirit to aske it and joyne seriously in the meanes to attaine it which else he will not incline them unto his time not being come For wee must weigh the ends of our travell into remote parts whither for our owne ends or for publique If our owne respects be chiefe we have no cause to looke for miracles But I chuse rather to leave the thing in Gods dispose Vse 4 Lastly let it exhort us both generally and specially first to sue earnestly to the Lord Jesus our Prophet Exhortation the Word of the Father and the first inditer of all Scripture Spirit of acknowledgement of God in his word is to be sought by prayer the contriver of all the passages thereof the worker of all wonders and the Author of all grace and wisedome that he would vouchsafe us the spirit of revelation and acknowledgement of him as Saint Paul speakes Ephes 1.18 That we being enlightned in our mindes may conceive aright of the true scope and intent of the Spirit in the Scriptures Branch 1. generall and that he would intimate our hearts with the purpose thereof which is that our soules might be captivated under the power and authority of the speaker That we rest not in the outside of miracles wonders parables similitudes which we heare or read but considering their aime be carried downe the streame of the thing spoken yea the power To rest in the barke of the word or of miracles Parables Similitudes is dangerous soveraignty and faithfulnesse of the speaker Not only thereby conceiving more cleerely in our mindes of the Lord his Attributes and the truths revealed but much more ravished in our affections towards him for the good things whereof we have tasted Many chuse patheticall texts histories and accidents actions and speeches of speciall note to read and please themselves in some delight to read of the building of the Temple others of the passion of Christ others other parcells of Scripture to provoke admiration and discourse even as they might read any other booke of tales and wonders some also read texts of devotion and holinesse as the Psalmes or wise sentences as the Proverbs with a morrall spirit and scope only but never muse of the severall ends of such places nor the spirit of grace therein save onely to amuse their mindes and stirre up pangs of affection But by these to come neerer to know their owne base hearts or to close with the examples of such grace to feare the judgements of God the more deepely to beleeve the promises better to subject themselves more to the commands of God and in all to see his foote-steps and to adore the speaker few attaine it Therefore let us read these texts with prayer to God for sence and savor of their meaning and scope that we may attaine the spiritualnesse of them Else we shall answer heavily to God for making the solemne and reverend truths of God an occasion to nourish and maintaine that corrupt disposition
this Selfe is Selfe-deniall the last and surest preparative of the soule to Christ for although all be good yet none so sure as this this being added to the rest argues a spirit of saving grace to be at worke and making way for Christ to cast out this strong man and take possession in the soule And of this Selfe and her opposite deniall of Selfe I doe chiefly treat in this Treatise following as thou shalt see at thy leasure although perhaps I trench upon Self by the way in other respects And so much for this third sense Branch 4 Yet a fourth and last difference remaines that is Selfe in sanctification Selfe in sanctification For whether we speake of hypocrites who deceive themselves in an opinion of it when as alas they are farre from it and in a perswasion of their faith because they have some seeming fruits of a change whereas they never came within the lists of conversion either by Law or Gospel and therefore walke in a covenant of morall workes abstinences and performances Or whether we speake of the truly sanctified even they may mistake the worke of sanctification in themselves when they turne aside resting upon workes without clasping and cleaving to their principle in all their course I say Selfe is not so quite defaced in a beleeving soule it selfe but that abundance of old dregs unmortified still remaine Touching the former the hypocrite how easily is hee mistaken by Selfe when he imagines himselfe an holy person when alas all he hath is drawn from a land-spring of naturall parts and gifts excellent affections a conscience onely enlightned to see and loath some sinne custome observation and example of the good not to be good but to be like the good only good education legall restraints or good Lawes of men and superiours here are deepe delusions And yet the wel-spring of Christ is wanting to make the streames naturall sweet and running equall uniforme lasting and constant sincere and entire And surely who so deceives himselfe in his conversion will easily deceive himself in his sanctification one Selfe will apply it selfe to all objects be they never so diverse But Selfe-deniall will not satisfie herselfe in such shreds A body of death the pollution and staine of nature are reall strong principles It must bee a second Adam which expels the first pangs and devotions imitations affections externall complements are not able to compasse so great a worke So much for this an argument well deserving the best service To this fourth Annex to this fourth is Selfe in conversation I annex the consideration of Selfe in point of conversation and practice And this is nothing else save the expression of it selfe in the way of common life a most endlesse and infinite object to think of Self in corrupt nature Selfe in the remedy Selfe in sanctification are three false principles if she passe through all these three unmortified and undenied shee will as a streame overflow all the life Hence all those usuall passages of self in the conversation of men The hollow hearts of most men in friendship especially if tried The self-love of men in their contracts bargaines buyings sellings The cousenages circumventions tricks and devices shifts and equivocations of men for their owne ends their unfaithfulnesse breaking daies promises yea oaths and vowes Selfe is at the end of all Hence mens endlesse adoring of the creature money is the man pleasure is our life preferment and honour is most mens Idol Whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things Phil. 3.18 and the like we see in mens conversation in other kindes as if you crosse them in this selfe of theirs they are wilde Give mee my wil or else I dye take away my gourd and I am franticke So in their afflictions whither runne men save to their Idols of good workes their charity and almes what good have they done how moraly they have lived what credit they have had If controversies befall them how stiffe in their owne cause how inexorable in point of gain how hard to forgive wrongs and injuries how abounding in their owne sense and stiffe in their owne conceit One River in tract of ground hath divers names so one selfe wee see in divers objects puts on a diverse exception But contrary to all is self-deniall If any man will bee my Disciple let him deny himself else selfe will keep him far enough from God and Christ from faith from sanctification from duty And selfe-deniall in this kind is nothing else save integrity and uprightnesse of a mans way Prov. 10.27 And so much be said for thy better light in the distinct understanding of this Treatise Other weighty arguments are also treated of herein as the point of Faith obedience of Commands nature of the Promises but because they are more familiar objects I leave thee to the perusall thereof as they shall offer themselves to thy view That which I will further adde shall bee to thee good Reader to whose hands it shall be the lot of this Booke to come To wit that both thou and I and all Christians into whose hands the great depositum of Truth is put doe contend to our uttermost for the safegard and indemnity thereof that as we have received it entire from our predecessors so we may keepe and transmit it to them that shall follow us without impair or blemish Novelty prophanenesse and lukewarmenesse are the three epidemiall evils which as cankers in severall kindes and waies fret to the heart of our Religion So long as we can keep sound Doctrine on wing we shall hope to kill or weaken all three As David to Abiathar so may Truth say to Religion Abide by me he that seeketh thy life seeketh mine and with me thou shalt be in safety Doublesse if a man had three cankers in three severall parts of his body threatning the heart he would thinke it very much imported him to looke to himselfe the Holy Ghost himselfe hath warned us of all three of novelty Paul tels us 1 Tim. 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter times men shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits speaking lies in hypocrisie c. of prophanenesse the same Apostle warnes us 2 Tim. 3.1 In the latter times shall bee hard daies c. mentioning eighteene of this rable all rife and ranke among us The three our Saviour Christ himselfe foretels to bee the disease of these times and that as a fruit of the former Matth. 24.13 For there having spoken of novelty and false Prophets verse 5. and verse 11. he subjoines verse 12. That iniquity shall abound marke error and prophanenesse concurre And what of both these Surely men beholding diversity in opinions through novelty and prophanenesse of life shall grow indifferent in point of their Religion not greatly caring which end go forward yea many zelots shall quaile for the love of many shall wax
five or six things pag. 579 Enlargers of promises beyond their due bounds to be reproved pag. 581 Exhortation to get the â—pirit of true grace and conversion to God 886 And such as have attained the same to stand fast therein ibid. Vrging of it upon all sorts and conditions and especially his owne congregation ibid. F. Favour of Nature in a civill person how many wayes it may be enlâ—rged As by the Lawes of men education examples of abstinent and morall persons pag. 104. 105 We must be Fools ere wee can become wise to salvation pag. 232 Faith the onely eye to behold the mysteries of salvation pag. 234 Faithfulnesse is the center whence all the graces of a servant are derived pag. 296 Faithfull servants may hee comforted 314. foure or five particulars of encouragement ibid. Faithfull ones in greater things will much more be so in smaller 427 Reasons of it ibid. Explications of the point two or three pag. 429 Faith what it is not what it is how wrought see the particulars pag. 480. It may be where assurance is not ibid. Why it is called obedience and consent pag. 486 Faith a most pretious thing in the nature of it 495. Shee hath the prerogative of all other graces of the Spirit ibid. and that in sundry respects ibid. Faith consists of two parts Selfe-renouncing and Selfe-resigning Read at â—â—rge of both ibid. Feare of God a singular meane to keep the heart close to God pag. 559 Faith in applying of promises how to be practised in our severall needs distempers 1 in the return of old guilt and accusation after mercy obtained 2. In some eclipsing of Gods gracious presence and walking darkly and deadly 3. Feare of falling into some scandall and never persevere 4. In sicknesse poverty losses and crosses enemies unfaithfull friends the prosperity of the bad 5. Not hearing of thy prayers 6. Troubles above other mens persecutions c. Feare of death pag. 584 Faith in promises and performances is a most pretious jewel and why 612 True faith is performing faith and how ibid. yea when shee is at the lowest ibid. Faith in performances must bee set on worke threewayes 1. To take measure of the promises 2. To let upon God for performance 3. To strengthen it selfe by experience 615. Contrary misery of unbeliefe Vide Vnbeliefe pag. 616 False cures have a false spirit the remedy whereof is worse then the disease pag. 864 G. Grace is free proved and discoursed and cleared 9. 10. Objections answered As first this were to translate a crâ—me upon God 2. Man hath liberty left him to receive grace or refuse 3. God will not be wanting to such as are not wanting to themselves 4. Grace is universall as the fall is 5. Else God should require obedience of man to that which hee never gave him power to doe 6. Christ the second Adam was fully and in all points contrary to the first Adam and as the offence was so is grace 7. How else shall a Minister dispence the Gospel aright 8. Else God doth unjustly in making the remedy worse then the disease or in offering it deceitfully to such as hee hath fore-barred 9. From the instance of a Prince offering pardon c. 10. The dâ—versitie in men ariseth from themselves from page 11. to page 14. God is not tied to as in outward blessings or protection 23. Nor yet in like measures of grace except we beleeve and pray 24. Nor yet in a like administration of his Church in prosperity ibid. because of her sinnes ibid. Gods courses and seasons in drawing home men are divers and manifold pag. 26 Gods will double and the difference ibid. Gods way in converting any is chiefly to subdue carnall savour to the obedience of Christ pag. 59 God useth silly instruments to doe great things or if great then either he makes them great of meane or else mean in their owne eyes pag. 67 God delights to confound great ones by small and poore things pag. 68 God is jealous of his own glory ibid. God useth mean instruments to doe his worke and why ibid. 71 Gifts and graces of themselves do no more cause pride in such as have them then ignorance causeth humility pag. 73 Godly Ministers must not onely use but also lay downe and renounce their service for God if hee shall call them to it pag. 78 Grace is best accepted by such as are most empty of it pag. 154 Gods people who have shot the gulfe of Self in conversion must also deny themselves in conversation 183. Causes why so few deny themselves for Christ ibid. Gods people must not bee ashamed or weary of sincerity because of carnall worldlings pag. 185 Godly Christians must so hate carnal reason that they also shun just aspersion of foolishnesse pag. 213 God befooles carnall reason pag. 226 God himselfe and the Word justifie policie Vide policy Grounding upon stable principles of truth necessary for each Christian 254. Good grounds must bee laid at first pag. 256 Gods people must beware of the boasting of ungrounded hypocrites pag. 260 Godly themselves so farre as led by Selfe when they are defeated rage 268. yet with difference from hypocrites ib d. Gods hearers will bee at Gods dispose for blessing pag. 273 Great men must submit their great spirits meekly to God pag. 274 God hath speciall reason to delay his work in the conversion of his pag. 282 God will never lin with his owne tiâ— he have throughly tamed their rebellion pag. 291 God stands countable to good servants pag. 295 Grace adds all qualifications to a servant 295. As first wisedome â—o behold God the authour of all relations 2. Subjection of spirit which consists of two branches 1. Selfe-deniall 2. Serviceablenesse ibid. It sets faith on worke three wayes 1. Purging out such distempers as possesse them 2. Furnisheth it with speciall gifts 3. Puts it into actual exercise pag. 301 Grace is easie to them who are bred for it pag. 363 How it is called a burden and how ease ibid. God looks that his servants should do some singular thing for him pag. 395 Gods counsels most sincere of all pag. 424 Gods faithfulnesse to us in the main things must teach us to trust him in the smaller pag. 433 God hath a season wherein at last he accomplisheth the worke of grace in his elect pag. 439 When as God is that to the soule which formerly sinne and vanity have been it 's a signe that the soule is resigned up to God pag. 500 Gods commands exceed mans in point of unlimitednesse and soveraignty pag. 524 Gods remedies are perfect but mans are crazie pag. 587 God over-rules the silly creature to worke gâ—eat effects above it selfe pag. 590 Gods performances are alway as good if not better then his promises Reasons of it 1. Because he is Iehova the being of all the promises 2. In respect of his honor 3. Whatsoever is in God is eminently so 4. For strengthning his servants
former obeying 14. It is obedient in her particular conditioÌ„ of life 15. It seekes after no dispensations ibid. to 548. Truths of God must not bee taken by tradition and prejudice but from the whole body of truth beleeved as Gods pag. 576 Terror to all Popish and blinde maintainers of truth upon false grounds pag. 577 Terror to all such as nourish in them selves most open and odious diseases seeking no cure pag. 866 Triall of the true spirit of Grace is from herselfe pag. 878 V. Vnbeliefe of the Word so much the more damnable by how much it hath been confirmed so by miracles pag. 5 Vnconditionall call of God what 10. Why and how it is free ibid. Vnfaithfull servants terrified 301. Wherein it consists sundry particulars ibid. Vowers first what they will doe and then enquirers of the Minister for counsell are dissemblers pag. 401 It bewrayes great Vnfaithfulnesse to bee very forward in great duties and backward in small pag. 430 Vnequall and unsound persons in their course not to be trusted pag. 436 To be at an Vtter strait and brought to a forlorne hopelesse condition is one step to faith pag. 499 Vnapt appliers of promises or of other parts of the Word reproved pag. 582 Vnproportioned meanes used by men without a Word to effect supernaturall things are evill and justly suspected pag. 590 Vnbeliefe bindes the armes of God from performing promises pag. 613 Vnbeliefe cannot beteame her selfe that bounty in performances which is in God 616. with amplification of the point ibid. W. Word and voice of Gods own mouth onely able to pierce the soule pag. 62 Yet the Word workes little without crosses in these dayes pag. 64 Wise men must learne to bee fooles in Gods matters that they may bee wise pag. 75 Mens will and minde more to them then the world besides pag. 163 Word of God must be cast as seed into the soule when once empty of her selfe pag. 233 Wisdome to guide a Christians course how gotten and wherein it stands in 5. or 6. properties 1. Chuse that one thing necessary 2. Discerne betweene things that differ 3. Bee ready for the hardest 4. Make safe thy retreat 5. Feare God which is the fountaine of it 6. Shun the wayes of error 7. Practise wisdome both in deliberation and determination 1. Being wise chiefly for thy selfe 2. Redeeme the time 3. Plot and project wisely for God 4. Be watchfull against all enemies especially spirituall 5. Meddle with thy owne businesse 6. In all doubtfull cases look to that which is purest comliest and of best report 7. Of 2. morall evills chuse neither but of a morall sin and a penalty chuse the latter 8. Let things profitable or pleasing yeeld to things honest 9. Try men or things ere thou trustest 10. Be neither too credulous nor too obstinate ibid. Wrathfull and habitually peevish and froward persons reproved 269. Much more if defeated ibid. Waiting upon God necessary for such as look to speed of grace pag. 274 Wisedome is needfull to judge aright of the ease of grace pag. 376 Weak beleevers must not quite quail and give over pag. 514 Z. Zeale of first converts described pag. 871 This Insertion is to be placed in the thirteenth page of Naamans History and the twentieth line after the foure first words thereof which are these but a cause of and so read on to the end of the said Insertion and then return to the former thirteenth page and twentieth line and proceed on with these words morall swasion c. procuring it which were most absurd I say Christ hereby should bee made not the foundation of Election as Ephes 1. in whom GOD established it but the fountaine of meriting it â—nswer 2. Secondly I answer though wee should grant the parity and make Adam and Christ alike in both yet there be other reasons to bee alledged of this parity then this viz. The equall number of the saved For why Three other reasons may bee given of Ad m and Christs equality nay rather of Christs exceeding Adam in his grace as first grace exceeds sinne in respect of the value and eminencie of the person undergoing the worke of Redemption viz. the eternall Son of GOD Between whom and Adam what comparison Sure in this Grace is farre above the offence Secondly if wee respect the grace it selfe purchased in point of duration and continuance Adams lasted but a while being in his owne keeping â—loff 3. but grace of redemption is hid with God and in Christ to abide for ever Thirdly in point of the reward purchased by Christ which in respect of the transcendencie of the Meriter above the offence restored not the redeemed onely to that they lost viz. an earthly Paradise but an eternall glory in the heavens I conclude then Those that make Christ the subject of universall grace for all and each one who by the freedome of his will assisted thereby will receive it or reject it catch who catch may I say these make Christ onely a wandring notion at the pleasure of each base wretch not the solid foundation of election as making the elect and only them happy â—bject But if grace be not universall then say these God deales unjustly in offering a remedy upon worse termes then the disease it selfe For why Hereby hee aggravates the contempt of all despisers causing their condemnation to be farre deeper then before especially knowing that it will prove so I answer First it is accidentall to Gods offer of Grace that the condemnation of the wicked is aggravated thereby For it is not through his default but theirs His offer is directly to his own elect but if the other will mixe themselves and abuse this offer their blood bee upon their heads But case a Prince offer his pardon to ten of whom hee knowes nine will not accept it is it his fault to offer it or is he the cause of their contempt Doth he infuse it into them No surely Nay further to stop the mouth of all such cavillers this I adde That God doth not hereby onely aggravate their judgement for he doth by his Gospel bestow upon them many gifts of his Spirit much restraint of sinne many mercifull allowances which others want so that by this meanes their condemnation is lessened â—bject But still it is objected How can this Doctrine consist with that bounty and abundance of mercy in God who would have all repent and be saved Offering fully freely to all sorts civil ones profane sinfull and ignorant ones mercy without difference Doth not this absolute soveraignty of God infringe it I answer No in no wise The secret purpose of God within himselfe and the outward offer differ as much as the presence Chamber of a Prince and his privie Chamber In the former he sheweth what hee hath done concerning the finall estate of his creature In the latter what he will have man doe concerning his own salvation Secrets are for God revealed things are for
it to see an insufficiency in a thing which is the price of every thing Mony and wealth can build Churches pulpits buy all ornaments of a Church Bibles and Tables and Chalices and hire Preachers and maintaine the Gospel now why then should it not buy Christ too especially if alms good deeds and workes of charity accompany a profession of Christ and his religion and a verball depending upon him and his merits alone not any Popish works or Idolls for salvation Alas such profession of word and holding Christ in judgement may easily stand with living upon the creature and building the soules nest of joy content and sufficiency in the holes of this rocke How hardly then should such a rich man or such a selfe in the creature enter into heaven What an enemy it is to Christ It is easier for a Camell to goe through a needles eie The Lord Jesus the truth it selfe spake it of a yong man who thought himselfe past danger Matth. 19.23 who yet hearing of this sufficiency of Christ if he would sell all went away sorrowâ—ull and why he had great possessions that is great possessions had him and filled him top full with another sufficiency which made Christ unsavory and the same I may say of these who were in the chase to get them when the sufficiency of Christ and all his dainties and fulnesse even a feast was offered them lo their answer was I am to goe see a farme I have bought oxen Luke 14. I am to marry a wife have us excused we have that which we like better we cannot come Farmes and oxen are joyned with wives to shew that selfe in any creature and carnall content sets the heart at rest and gives it a common wealth within so that it need not seeke out Matth. 13. So the third and last bad ground which had both some roote and some depth within yet without was so cumbred with these thorns of mony and pleasures living preferment great dependances favor and repute in the world that like a canker they fretted out the marrow and vigor of Christ and faith or neede of his sufficiency First How the creature forestalls Christ 1. It swells the soule with imagination that God loveth it 2. Prides it selfe in the ease and welfare which it feeles the fulnesse of the creature swells the soule up with a conceit that God loves it deerely that hee will entertaine it so richly thinking him to be as busie in heaven to make it a mansion as hee hath beene liberall in giving it one here not dreaming that the body may be full when the soule is leane and that riches are given for a snare of the owners as Micoll to betray David Secondly it prides the soule to thinke of her selfe according to the outward appearance and glee of wealth and welfare and that the soule is in as good case to God as worldward and though there bee infinite much in the world against it yet such is the bribing property of selfe in the creature that it perverts sound judgement not suffering the soule to thinke a thought against her owne worth conceiving that all should think her as she doth her selfe very good and in a safe condition Not remembring that for all the creature it may be blinde miserable and naked and go from a Paradise here to an hell hereafter as Dives did Thirdly it stiffens and hardens the heart against the words both of Law and Gospel 3. Stiffens the heart against the word preached the one including all the richest within wrath and driving them to a losse within themselves the other offering the eie-salve gold and robe of the Lord Jesus to supply that losse How shall that soul hearken to either which feeles no neede when the eare and heart is so bedulled and ingrossed with fulnesse and fatnesse of the creature that none of the Redeemers sufficiency can enter Now if it stumble at these two in the porch how should it ever enter into the secret the holy of holies in faith and regeneration This may be enough for the purpose of this discourse to open the truth save that this one reason may be added That selfe in welfare and wealth hath in it the spirit of scorning the Ministery of Christ With disdaine it bewrayed it selfe even when Christ himself preached for it is said That some who heard him scorned him for they were rich Luke 5. and the like humor possesses their successors And this property agrees well with them who make the creature their strong hold as I have heard of a City besieged which cast out loaves and victualls to the enemy in scorne and telling them that they were farre from starving As he said soule take thine ease thou hast laid up for many yeares Even for so many that the need of Christ will hardly be felt Therefore to conclude this branch also let mee admonish these persons that if ever the Lord will settle the alsufficiency of Christ upon them Admonitions to this sort he will first captivate this selfe in the creature and sub-ordaine it to himselfe he will cause the image of it to be despised yea cause the soule to cry out of her selfe and say what a foole yea a beast am I in thy sight Psal 73. the soule I say shall bee full of the creature even in a contrary sense that is stomacke sicke of it as a surfet The Lord shall rectifie the soules judgement about this selfe then the ranknesse of this pleurisie to be let out of the soule 1. See the vanity of the creature First by shewing it the vanity and insufficiency of it to helpe in the day of wrath how poore a fort it will prove in the day of affliction and feare It cannot rid the owner of an ague of the tooth ache of the least affront it hath no bloud in it to satisfie 2. Behold the image and face of God in the promise Secondly the Lord shall set the soule in a serious posture and meditation of that presence of his which shall make all the earth and the glory of it to vanish and melt and those who have beene formost in this creature-happinesse to come hindmost stand a far off from them who have chosen Christ to be their sufficiency then shall the glory of the one bee turned to confusion and the disdaine of the other to admiration Then shall all their worldly proppes become as broken staves the splinters of which shall pierce them much more then ever the care to get them could pierce them with sorrow 3. Behold the curse stamped upon the creature yea despaire The Lord will cause them to looke into the creature and to behold it as branded with a curse by sinne but doubly cursed when in stead of serving Christ it resists him and fights against him and makes Christ and the soule servants to it which is to renounce him who is blessed for ever
But humblenesse stands not in confessing there is no cause of it but in casting it out So much for the first Branch A second respect wherein Grace resists Selfe is this 2. Maâ—â—e she subordinaâ—es all to Grace I say all Selfe and her branches carnall Selfe hypocriticall Selfe mixt Selfe all now are quasht and the soule dare seeke no other credit respect commodity ease to her selfe then the Spirit of Grace will allow her Grace in a poore soule is as the power of Reason is to the inferior faculties when once the soule is infused into the Infant this supreame one of Reason subordaines the other faculties of vegetation and sense to her selfe all come under her authority and name Looke whatsoever Selfe hath formerly aimed at above Grace the Spirit fetches it all under it selfe As Peters trade of fishing and nets were vile in his eies when hee saw the glory of Christ upon mount Thabor Even all Selfe and folly comes behinde the Spirit of Grace Oh! what a blessed liberty is this to bee rid of the bondage of Selfe what cause of rejoycing Oh brethren to love the Lord Jesus for himselfe and all other things for his sake what a checke is it to Selfe Good brethren note it and trie your selves by it if those contents which were unlawfull be cut off wholly and the lawfull seasoned and sweetned by Christ if those delights which formerly were either savored for themselves or without Christ now we cannot relish but in and through Christ it is some signe that Selfe is brought under the subjection of the Spirit of Grace And to this may be added which differs not much in substance that the truth as it is in Jesus and the Spirit of Grace is the supply and furniture of the soule in all the wants and difficulties of it so that it need take no further thought it takes off the soule from all those proppes which shee formerly trusted unto and makes a rich supply of them in Christ really Excellent is that speech which Ioseph bid his brethren utter to Iacob when he sent for him into Egypt Take no thought saith he for your houshold stuffe and implements which ye use for lo all the fulnesse of the land of Egypt is before you count all your furniture not worth the carrying Gen. 45.20 for ye shall find in Egypt such store of all necessaries that you shall not repent you of the leaving of them behinde Surely if the promise of Ioseph were so well worth the trusting to what is the promise of Christ worth And if the store of Canaan were so superfluous in Egypt what is the supply of Selfe worth to one that is in Christ If this were thought of beforehand how lythe and cheerfull would the soule be in going to Zoar out of Sodome How farre would shee be from looking backe with Lots wife as loth to depart from her old treasure The heart called to Christ hankers and hangs off here catching up one rag of Selfe there another loath to goe naked fearing lest there should not be enough for all uses and turnes in Christ but when shee heares Take no thought for any of these Christ shall afford all meet ease credit content and worldly conveniency Oh it is well content to leave it for who so will let them take it that know no Christ As the lame man hearing Christ calling him threw away his cloke and crutches saying If Christ will give me my limbs I take no thought for these either I shall need none or have them better supplied from a fountaine Brethren weigh this marke well Selfe cannot digest it All the whole sea of Christ is no content to her except shee can eike him out with somewhat of her owne she hangs in the aire without a bottome like a stone till it be upon her center But Christ is a sufficient store to a poore soule in the vacuity of other things Though there were no calfe in the stall or bullock in the flock Heb. 2. yet Christ were enough Trie your selves you may as easily judge by this marke as what meate your stomack stands to If onely you can bee satisfied with Christ while your ease credit health and welfare last then upon point Christ is not these but these are Christ When Iacob saw the charets he had enough if you cannot say so when you behold the promise all is not well Onely an insufficient Christ causeth such patching A good new garment needs no shreds to peece it Christ is to a poore child of God as Elkana told discontented Hanna more then tenne sonnes 1 Sam. 1. Till there be enough felt and tasted in Christ who will forgoe his other proppes Who will flit out of his dwelling to lie in the street The true mother cried let her have all the child rather then divide it So the soule that is guided aright 1 King 3. loathes to divide Christ he had as leave have none Beg of the Lord to reach you out the Lord Jesus in his full supply of all wants and seasoning of all mercies that your soule having this boote in beame may be indifferent for other things as knowing they shall either not bee needed or else cast in The third branch of the Spirit of grace in opposing Selfe is the subduing and subjecting of the soule with equalnesse and contentednesse of minde to all those termes and conditions upon which grace may bee obtained The third Marke It subjects the soule to Christ upon his owne tearmes and conditions refusing no difficulties neither use of meanes nor forsaking her old contents but thinking grace a rich pennyworth whatsoever she cost There is a basenesse and closenesse in Selfe whereby she causeth the soul to shrug at the conditions of Grace as wearisome and costly this humor the Spirit of Grace removes causes such a cheerfull willingnes in the soule to stoop to any tearms of Gods imposing that she thinkes her selfe well if she may so speed When a man lies sicke of a disease without danger of death he will send his state to the Physitian and give him a slight fee but he is loath to charge himselfe deeply for the matter but if sicknesse encrease and danger of life appeare then the desire after health and the fear of danger concurring make him devoure all charges then he will have the Physitian come to him and give him any recompence being glad of health upon any conditions So it is here Coy and queazie Selfe that feeles no danger and reaches at Grace as a good thing in generall can beteame no great paines nor deny her selfe any wonted liberty nor submit to any great abasement of her selfe for the matter if it come easily she is content But if once the Spirit of Grace shew her the danger of forgoing it of delaying to get if of an indifferent remisse heart lazy carnall and willing to goe to heaven with all her will and liberties if once she present
the necessity of it and the true sense of utter perishing without it lo then the case is altered John 10.10 then as Peter on the suddaine would have Christ wash him throughout so she growes resolute to beare downe all selfe le ts disswasives feares losses discredit then so she may have Grace shee will have it any way let all goe shee cares not so she may enjoy that pretious thing she loveth she tramples upon her pride ease and all that hangeth on as a clog without or as a let within glad if with the forfeit of all she can purchase it Heb. 12.1 Marke this good brethren let the Spirit of Grace prevaile a little and it is strange how it subdues that loathnesse of Selfe to yeeld the rebellion and fiercenesse of the Spirit Oh! it causes the Lion and Lambe to feed together it tames the soule and carries it captive bound hands and feete content to abase it selfe to the lowest and poorest tearmes to be taught and directed in the way of God by the most despised instruments which before she disdained to learne of Curiosity now and choice of Preachers and accepting of the Grace of our Lord Jesus in respect of persons is base and unsavoury Now shee sees Grace is onely in the hand of God to give or restraine now it is a dainty commodity indeed and beares prick and prise in the soule any thing will be given for it if God will now sell it her let him but aske and have and whatsoever before was in high esteeme shall now be vile and as dung unto it Oh! beloved trie your selves also by this marke and if ye finde the least dramme of this geason worke of the Spirit in you dampe it not nor quench it lest Selfe returne and set such a deepe price upon it that perhaps yee will never recover it againe If a spirit of frequent and unwearied hearing travell conference meditation questioning consulting with such as can resolve us a spirit of wisdome to devoure sinfull bashfulnesse and modesty and coynes in revealing our doubts be given unto us if wee feele an heart in us loathing that lither listlesse dead spirit which was wont to withdraw us beware we lose it not nourish it and although all the world should mock us and our own base spirit should tell us we shall be noted for our labour let us make never the lesse of it nor be discouraged Fourthly 4. Marke Spirit of Grace resists those speciall pangs of selfe in every soule the Spirit of Grace resists those particular and personall pangs of Selfe self-love which the soul especially is distempered with Selfe is a stock of many branches even originall antipathy to Christ and Grace at every rate but some appeare in one some in another as in the body some humors settle within the intralls others breake out into sores and swellings So here In some there appeares a base lither heart in some a spirit of the world lusting to rake and scrape in others subtilty and hollownesse to colour over their owne corruption in some a barren deadnesse of heart in others secret pride and resting in their gifts in some selfe-conceit of their owne way in others revenge pettishnesse 2 Cor. 10.4 frowardnesse Some encline to the right hand of selfe-confidence and content in their owne hopes others to the left hand of feare and slavery Now the Spirit of Grace In some stronger in in some weaker is as fire devouring that corruption which is next hand and searching out the peculiar distemper of the Spirit which beares most sway against Grace and Christ It descants not about other mens lets and maladies but lookes at her owne in speciall saying I doubt not but others finde their owne home and bosome hindrances let me see to mine owne for other mens shall not hurt me I feele a very stout heart loath to take a reproofe blustering at any that should taxe me what Do they know what I am my parts or thus I feele a very froward spirit God himselfe must not crosse and unsettle me lest I fly in his face or thus I feele a stiffe heart of Selfe loath to doe good to sympathize the necessities of others so I may fare well my selfe by visiting by advising admonishing instructing them I say each one hath his peculiar ayles and humors which take off the edge of grace in him and all because there is not that meekenesse tendernesse and brokennesse of spirit there wants the power of Christ to beare downe such distempers But the Spirit of Grace encounters every speciall disease discovers to every man his owne abandons that spirit which reignes in an hypocrite who can make a pretty shift till his owne basenesse be found out but then he buskells and takes on like a mad man Not so here For the Spirit of the Lord Jesus is a Spirit of sagacity and search never linning till it can follow her selfe by the sent and footings to her very den and there strives to drive her out of her hold by violence For why It presents to the soule the safety and happinesse of selfe-discovery This marke cleared and the infinite danger of the contrary causeth it to delight in the convincing of her conscience and to be loath to foster in herselfe any such michiefe as might destroy her own hopes She sees how hypocrites doe exchange Selfe with Selfe but purge it not out wholly desires to resigne up her chiefe fort and freehold to the Spirit of Grace without tergiversation or shifting And so shee cries out heartily to the Spirit of Grace Lord how long shall this close enemy of mine maintaine her selfe against thine authority and trie masteries with thy Spirit Hast thou not yet a further strength to cast downe this bulwarke Oh! if thou shalt cast out this defilement to the bottome so as I may feele a sweetnesse in thee to supply and equall it how sweet a mercy shall I count it Beloved search your selves by this Can you say of all these dregs of Selfe Oh that I might bee rid of them at once Oh when shall that happy day come When shall I feele the Spirit of Grace thus working to put all out of question that which is the bane of the false heart is the chiefe joy of a sound one when shall I feele my soule as sensibly sustained by the Word as ever I have beene by Selfe Oh! if now the houre were come that all the unclean pleasures I have taken in my own bottome and selfe-ends were quasht how should I rejoyce And yet I know well what I must forgoe even that which hath been my meat and drinke and pastime but I speake advisedly and in coole bloud I should be glad of it and hazard all and I know they should be as drosse to me if thou canst truly professe this thine estate is comfortable And hereto I may adde this as a fifth marke that the Spirit of Grace settles and compounds
heare ill when we have done well which is a royall grace indeed Secondly this also may be just reproof to others though not so ranke as Vse 2 the former and these are of many sorts First Reproofe such as although they live in a bad course and know it yet are no sooner convinced thereof but they cavill against God himself and lay him in all the fault they would as faine be better as the Preacher and they cannot deny but they are farre from that they should be But these Ministers they say would goe beyond God and have them better then God will make them which cannot be for till God change and mend us all we can be no better let men teare their tongues to the stumps And and whence is this cavill Truly from base prophane Selfe which is crossed in her way imagining that because it is easie for God to worke as he please Cavillers against God as if he were in fault for all their errorâ— convinced and the worke of conversion is onely his therefore they may live the whilst as basely idely and prophanely as they list They would have grace droppe out of the clouds on the suddaine into them that their hearts might all at once be humbled comforted and turned to God before they bee aware and then they thinke they might scape a great deale of trouble that others meet with who are so restlesse painfull and unwearied in the use of the means For their own part they will use good means too on the Sunday and come to Church and heare but they will waite till God worke To whom I answer The Lord rebuke all such wretches God open their eies For tell me I pray you these waiters upon God how live they the whiles Most loosely deny themselves no liberty lust or will of their owne but lash it on upon the score till grace come and wipe off all they spare for no sinne committing to be lewd companions drinkers covetous or the like For why should they If heaven will be favourable it can pardon great as well as small offences If it will not in vaine should they strive For they have no strength of their owne they confesse to restraine from any such courses till God turne their hearts then you shall see what manner of persons they will be when they be of Gods making you shall see what new men they shall be But oh you white Divells you that turne rebellion into smoothnesse and play the still swine who eate up all the draffe how should such as you ever come into Gods mint to be new stamped I denounce unto you that all your hypocrisie tends to the vailing over of your sinne it is not grace you seeke if your brests were open hell and destruction are there and the way of peace you have not knowne Peace you would have pardon and heaven Gods love and favour but your cursed wills you would not forgoe And therefore that ye would have mercy I meane you shall never have and what ye would shunne you shall for ever inherit even woe and wrath I know some of this sort are not so prophane as others but feed themselves with duties and moralities a smooth way of Religion and so wait Matth. 3. Esay 30. But who hath taught such to escape the wrath to come by their sloth and ease What although it be our strength to sit still Must we therefore suspend our labour paines and use of meanes Will God be found in a way of ease of yawning desires and lazy hopes which abhorre to be guided Gods way and to come to his oath and covenant of humiliation aith and selfe-deniall No neither the prophane nor the lazy shall enter into his rest no more then the rebellious They maintaine a secret distemper and pritch of heart and tetch of selfe against God and either will be saved their owne way or not at all And therefore to these I also professe with sharpe reproofe The way to peace yee have not knowne neither will you rather will quarrell with God for not fulfilling you wills to make you such as you would bee without your trouble This way God never knew Nay I say more Though God would save you yet you would not if ye might and I may say truly salvation it selfe cannot save such as would not because it saves none but the willing Pull downe your cursed spirits and cease to kicke against the pricks for till you be content to abandon your lusts and ease you doe secretly cavill with him whom you shall never be able to make your cause good against you stand not right in your plea the Court is Gods the judgement is his who shall curse all weapons formed against himselfe and condemne all those most justly who cavill against him Therefore I say againe take this word of reproofe with meekenesse Esay 54. ult and sit still in the point of cavilling but abhorre to goe against Gods edge by your prophanensse or your ease for the Lord will never beleeve that either of these will ever be content to finde mercy though they might enjoy it And as Esau when time came would have had the blessing but yet would be still a sensuall Epicure and therefore it was finally denyed him So I say to you If in truth you would have grace pray to God to plucke up that roote of bitternesse which springs up in you Heb. 12. for that will defile you faster then all your idle and false wishes can clense you and no wonder if you well weigh it And secondly here come to be censured all such as go yet a steppe further Branch 2 and will close with meanes and be deepe in paines taking Selfewilled ones who binde God to their labours convinced but then when they see that God will take no paines for full price but for serving his owne grace and good pleasure onely then they fret and fume at their lot because God regards not their labours What say they Is this equity that the Lord should alike esteeme of the painfull and the lazy I answer thee yea if Selfe defeated be the caviller Thou takest paines it seemes that thou mightest be warme by thine owne sparkles and have somewhat to alledge why God should regard thee That is thou wouldest have him for thy sake to forsake his owne way and turne free grace into wages Rom. 9.13.14 And because he will not as indeed hee never will be a servant to the runner or the willer therefore thou frettest and fumest at him for not serving thy turne But oh man Who art thou that disputest with God Shall the axe quarrell with him that cutteth with it I answer thee therefore The Lord doth not simply equall thee with such as take no paines keepe thy paines still and if thou wilt adde more unto them but rather take away thy upbraiding spirit doe that thou dost with meeknesse and be content to sinke in thy
Christ and a lightnesse in his burthen Others a marveilous difficulty and such a thing as must be striven for and yet may be mist The answer is Heaven and Grace are both the most easie and the most difficult that can be Answ Grace is the hardest and the easiest thing of all Math. 19.26 both may well stand They are most easie to the soule which will bee taught of God and will not resist his method by attending their owne wisdome But to others they are matters of greatest difficulty To God all things are possible to flesh and bloud to the wit and will of man to the freedome of our owne choice nothing is so impossible I remember the answer of a Philosopher to a great Prince who had beene his scholar and was discontented at him for publishing his bookes be content saith hee and know my bookes of Philosophy are publisht and not published for none are ere the wiser for them save those to whom they were read and made evident So here The mystery of Christ is the most easie and the most hard easie only to such as in whom the Lord hath opened an eare Job 33.15 and revealed it to others hard So much for Instruction Vse 2 Secondly this is Terror to all such libertines and carnall Gospellers who make Religion Faith great works light and slight matters Terror to many running away with them as horses with empty waggons not through any Branch 1 ease they have by the Spirit but from the excesse and superfluity of their own blindenesse and presumption Slighters of the worke of grace abuse the doctrine of ease Others are blinde idiots tell them of Regeneration and Conversion and they run to their own strength they doe hope well that if they put their good will to Gods God will so far enable them as to get somewhat They hope men make more ado about matters then God himselfe God hath told them that faith in the promise is easie and none of these sowre Preachers shall pull this liberty from them what needs all this adoe If God be on our side we feare nothing as long as men walke even and faire harmelesse and devout bearing a good minde toward God keepe their Church and pay all men their dues and give to the poore for ought they see God is mercifull will not the death of a sinner is found of them that sought him not Esay 65.1 Matth. 11. â—9 Esay 57.17 His yoke is easie he saith he will not bee alway heavy upon men he knowes we be no Angels yea he saith that he hath seene the iniquity of mens covetousnesse and hee will heale them and make no more adoe It is for his glory to bee mercifull As for these Ministers who sticke so much at the truth of heart and faith unfaigned they say onely God knowes the heart and they trouble mens heads more then they doe them good making men unquiet and finding out new crotchets What is mans life say they if hee may not bee merry and cheerfull God loves it and Christ hath dearly bought it and its best to be merry eat and drinke and cast away care God say these hath made us of bodies as well as soules we be not all spirit nor shall be in this world we must tend Sermons so as we may tend our worke too our bodies must be made of for God and what skils it though we play and be good fellowes and drinke a cup or two so it be in the feare of God although we be none of these Puritans yet wee be not against them we hope by this meanes to spend out our short time having God afore our eies and to be in heaven ere we be aware Oh yee wofull creatures Doe you thus construe Gods ease I aske you Hath the Lord ever brought you under the bondage of spirit for all your cursed nature and impious prophanenesse Did it ever cut you off from your old stocke Did it ever bring yee under hope No doubtlesse Thinke not then to make faith an easie purchase upon your owne purse it will be one day in that your last night of death and darkenesse such a toilesome journey through tempest and foule weather dirt and wearinesse that you shall be quite tired and then shall true toile succeed false ease Hearken not to that lying spirit which beares you in hand all ease ease for it shall turne to extremity of anguish and to a desperate impossibility The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Lord indeed moderates the labour of his poore weary travellers to Zion Psal 84. So that they shall grow from strength and feele no faintnesse But no man shall goe up in a feather bed to heaven if it were ever an easie way it was never easie foolehardy stout travellers which boast of their limbes shall faint suddenly Matth. 15. Dogs must not come with poore children for Gods dole it belongs not unto them So much for the first Branch Others also there are whom this terror reacheth unto And they are Branch 2 base hypocrites who come with their toile and cost to God Hypocrites who come with their toile and cost to God are rejected devising painfull and tedious waies of their owne but shunning Gods easie way They will obtrude their whole rivers of oile and wine and whole barns of corne for the sinne of their soules whereas he askes onely a third part of an Hin and an handfull of flower for a meat offering A poore thing in Gods way is better excepted then all excesse of our owne Ye load mee saith God and pester me with your offerings I groane under the burthen of your sacrifices Honour me in mine owne way and I will make it easie and sweet to you But else the sand is not more heavy to mens shoulders then you to Gods you are out of Gods element therefore every thing is weighty you may complaine that you are not regarded but the Lord pitties no toile of hypocrites against his word Elija shall sooner consume the sacrifice with fire from heaven by standing still and praying in Gods way then all Baals Priests with their lancings and leapings upon the Altar Cost without wit is waste It s said of Ionathan that he had wrought with God that day on which he overcame those Philistins So I say Gods people work with God 1 King 18.28 with 37. 1 Sam. rather he with them but hypocrites work with themselves therefore they lay out their labour for that which profits not and mony for no bread They goe against the streame a Esau in his hunting for the blessing went another way with lesse adoe Esay 55.2 1 Sam. 14.45 2 Tim 3.7 As it s said in Timothy Alway hearing never comming to knowledge Oh the endlesse bootlesse toile of hypocrites You poore asses running the Divells round and grinding in his mill with your eyes blindfold at last be scared out of your trade You doe but as Sampson
his Mediation and Merit as King Priest and Prophet I am afraid to die I doubt if hard times should come I should bee the first should stagger and deny Christ I am troubled oft about my evidences when I have any I keep them not long mine example is darke my peace small my selfe very silly to conceive remember affect goodnesse all goe before me and a thousand such Well But yet this thou hast that when all is done Joh. 19.7 yet thou art not willing to give over the Lord there is a secret thing which upholds thee thou knowest not as yet what God is doing for thee but thou shalt know Thou sayest Whither should I go Lord Joh. 6.68 if I forsake thee Thou hast the words of eternal life This againe thou hast when thou canst not swim yet thou liest upon the bladders of the promise waiting for more skill If thou sink as thou art comming yet thou hast an hand to put out and a tongue to say Lord Jesus catch me Matth. 14.30 Thou canst not answer every doubt by a word but thou plungest thyselfe upon it to answer for thee and canst send Divell World and Unbelief to Christ in thy stead Be comforted all is well When Peter Acts 12. was bidden to put on his Cloke and Sandals and follow the Angell though he saw not why or wherefore being asleep yet this he did he obeyed and did as hee was bidden and when hee was past all Barres and Gates hee saw the truth of all So dost thou obey although yet thou seest not why But in time thou shalt And therefore doe not mutter seasons of more light strength and comfort are in the Lords dispose not thine If thou be neither lazie nor rebellious it is God and not thou who holds thee at this stay Be as God will have thee Behold the salvation of God it shall bee thy strength to sit still Perhaps there is more within then appeares as yet Rather wonder that thou hast any thing that thou livest or mayst look up to heaven then thy strength is no greater And this know the Lord tries thee with little to see if that will make thee thankful that he may give thee more Still clasp upon the Promise remember Salomons speech Prov. 30.26 The Cony is a weake Nation but they make their holes in the rocke and so become strong because wise in weakenesse The Ivy is a weake plant but it hath teeth and strings to fasten hard upon a bricke wall and so growes above the Oake A weake child hath all the parts of a strong man although not the strength of any In a word apply that to thy selfe which the Lord speakes Esay 50.10 He that hath no light but is in darkenesse yet feares God and obeyes his voice let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God Better a little light then thy owne sparkles As for the worlds disdaine it is common to thee and the strongest And so much for the whole Doctrine which as it was my chiefe scope in this Treatise so I pray God above all and yet withall the rest to blesse unto us both Having finished Naamans obedience it selfe The second generall of the verse vâ—z The extent of Naamans obedience now wee proceed to the rule or if you will to the extent of it For the Text precisely addeth That he did obey according to the word of the man of God Before we have heard how crossely he carried himselfe toward this message and the Holy Ghost hath at large shamed him for it But now the Lord having got the victory over his stout and rebellious spirit lo how he also rejoyceth to describe it and to present unto us what a strange change is wrought in him For why Now he submits himselfe to the rule of the word at which he had so cavilled and to the uttermost thereof he went downe and obeyed according to all the circumstances of the word of the Prophet In two things Two things there were in the Prophets saying First a solemne charge in and under the authority of God this charge he yeeldeth unto 1. Extent of the command For he goeth downe to Jorden washeth himselfe and that seven times omitting nothing at all of the charge neither for matter nor manner Secondly there was a promise 2. Extent of the promise and that was a perswasion to obey from the assured effect that would come thereof This promise he consents unto acknowledges it good reason to be in it and takes it as no humane but a meere divine cure and so concurres as I have said with it and that to the uttermost intention and meaning of it From these two branches arise two points the first whereof we will now propound open and make use of ere we come to the other The former point then is this Gods commands are sad things not to be shuffled or dispenced with but to be obeyed according to the true tenor intent and contents thereof Perhaps some may thinke The grounding of the former of these that I am more curious then I need to be in fastning a point of such weight upon words in shew not bearing it well up For why They will take this phrase of the Holy Ghost to be but a complement of speech Quest meaning and containing no more then a bare narration of a thing as it was done without further scope and besides the charge having in it no morality being onely an occasionall charge for the time present concerning Naaman onely and reaching to none else they may alledge that it instructs not us of any morall obedience which is of a perpetuall nature To whom I would make the fuller answer because I shall treat somewhat Answ 1 fully of the Doctrine and first I will grant that perhaps in the Scripture many Texts may be found in which the sadnesse and closenesse of obeying commands might be more strongly grounded but that is not the question now onely this it is whether the expresse relation of the Holy Ghost touching the punctualnesse of his obedience be not ground sufficient of the Doctrine especially the Text seeming to mention it with delight and to record how farre the Lord brought downe Naamans heart from the extremity of slighting all to such an extent of obeying to the uttermost Answer 2 Secondly I would have it well noted That meerly occasionall and temporary commands when the Lord thinkes good to give them in charge binde as sadly and fully Occasionall commands binde as much as morall and perpetuall for the present for the present and for them whom they concern as any morall and perpetuall ones doe I adde that they are as dangerous and sad in the transgression to such as they are made unto whether the parties be faithfull or unfaithfull For example It was but a meere positive and as farre as I can learne a temporary charge Exod. 12.22 to sprinkle
a mercifull and skilfull Physitian Tell me now what man or woman is there living who having such a cure of such a Physitian would or could or hath the heart to turne away from him like a blocke insensible and â—naffected wâ—th such a favour There is no such man breathing I thinke But this is common if any get such a rare cure all is too little to make recompense though he should sell himselfe to his shirt he hath no power to do other he thinkes the same evill would take him then If he see that no reward will fasten upon the Physitian but he will needs bestow it freely the more his purse is discharged the closer his heart is knit his affections are up in armes his tongue is loosed Oh! what love is this what moved his heart thus to me what a man of men is he what admiration have I him in O how I love him what is there which I would not do for him run ride spend for him suffer for him expose my selfe to any hazard maintaine his quarrell by any weapon O how he commends him in all companies and blazeth his name farre and wide till he have raised up as great fame abroad as reputation at home Aske him why he doth so he will answer That I am I am under God by him I was a dead man worse I could not be he hath restored mee to health and I am better I thinke then ever I was and therefore I must alway count him my preserver I remember in the Roman story I have read of a certaine spectacle upon the Circk or Theatre of Rome where among other sports condemned persons were to fight for their lives with wild beasts it fell out so that a man before time passing through the wildernesse met with a lyon And looking for no other then death fell downe for feare An illustration of the point But the poore Lion approached to him with much moane and held out his foote to the man which foot of his by reason of a thorn or some such like thing sticking deep therein had so rankled and swell'd that it was like to hazard the lyons life The man with all his Art and skill fell to his Surgery and so wrought that he pull'd out the thorne out of the Lyons foote by the rootes The poore beast feeling her aile and danger gone fawnes upon the poore man and makes all the love that a dumbe creature could possibly to him leads him out of the forrest and there leaves him and sets him at liberty It was the lot of this lyon after to be taken and to be sent to Rome for a present and it was the worse lot of the man to commit a great Robbery and being condemned to the Theatre to fight what lyon must be brought forth to fight with this man but this lyon The man all amort and despairing of life this preserved lyon knowes his Surgeon comes to him fawnes upon him again and by no meanes could be pull'd from the mans side and embraces but to bring the man to mind of the cause he puts forth his foot heal'd of the thorne The people defeated of their expectation turn'd their sporting humour into admiration asking the caytiffe the reason of so marvellous an accident The man publiquely opens the history as it were wrought whereupon cruelty being turn'd into astonishment pity they decreed a statue to be set up in the Market place for eternall memory of the fact of a Lyon embracing a man over the Lyons head with this title Behold a Lyon the saviour of a man over the mans head Behold a man the Physitian of a Lyon I have beene too long but the workes of God are not to be neglected I would but shew you the spirit of a cure even in a dumbe creature what then is it in a reasonable But what comparison is there betweene either and the spirit of cure in the spirituall soule and conscience converted Oh! no tongue can utter it onely we may admire it Proofes of the Doctrine 1 In examples Examples in our Saviours story we have many of the spirit of bodily cures How many did our Saviour cure of whom it is said he was faine to charme them from telling it abroad yet they could not but so much the more blazed it to make him famous Others were no sooner healed but arose and ministred unto him others could not so part with him but followed him But one of all others will best serve our turne and that is the blind man Joh. 9. Ioh. 9. who though he had but poore seede sowne in him of any faith as appeares after yet from this spirit of the cure of his blindnesse did strange things magnifyed Christ call'd him a Prophet wondred that those who had their eyes should not know him when the enemies of Christ like hornets came about his eares to deface the miracle and the doer of it yet strong was the spirit of this cure in the man that he could not endure their malice though he knew their spite and rage and the danger of it as well as his parents yet he would not spare them an inch What saith hee 12 13 14 15 16. verses Will ye be his Disciples That were fitter for you then to smother such a miracle From the beginning of the world to this day was it never heard of that any opened the eies of the blind Oh! how it affected him Surely it might have become one of his strongest Apostles thus to have defended him But the spirit of a cure and the love of such is stronger then death at least then Excommunication And when the Lord Jesus met him he added the spirit of a better cure and of conversion These hints I have given you for familiar explication of the nature of that I speake of But to leave these let mee come to the Doctrine it selfe to ground it out of the Word to give you a few Reasons and so come we to Use 2. Grounds of the Scripture Ier. 2.2 3 4. For the first of these read Jerem. 2.2 I remember thee and the kindnesse of thy youth and of thine espousals when thou wentest after mee in the wildernesse c. He speakes of that first marriage love which passed betweene himselfe and his people who tooke it kindly that God had brought them out of Egypt bondage and the red Sea and made a song of his mercies and were found of him so many at least as knew him aright Noting that this first love is as precious to God as early fruits of the spring apples peares plums pease or the like are to the taste of man as being the most pure and dainty of all Zach. 12.10 And that which Zachary in Ch. 12.10 calls the spirit of grace compassions and mourning is sutable hereto by which the grace of God uttered it selfe in those who were converted as we see it fulfilled in the Church Act. 2. who
Consumption A great gash of a sword upon a fleshie part arme or thigh carries more bloudy shew with it but the drawing of a small wyre through the heart is far more mortall the prick of a pin there is worse then the wound of a sword upon the legge To finish this use constantly all spirituall lively quickning ordinances and the more lively dispensed the rather Side with them that are spirituall cast thy lot into their lap mourne with them laugh with them gaine or lose with them trade with them of all duties meanes or graces oftenest trade with the most spirituall especially faith the life of all both in one condition of life and other such meditations as thou feelest will leave thee most heavenly and carry thee farthest off thy self traffique most withall knowing that a carnall lukewarme spirit is alway at the doore offering it selfe but a spirituall will not bee kept save by strong hand Preferre this spirit of grace in thy wife child or friend before the most beautifull rich or politicke fellow in all the Country love such an one with all his infirmities rather then another with the best accomplishments Also use Gods afflicting hand wisely for that fire is needfull oft-times to quicken inward hearts as the fire of thy heart to helpe the heat of thy fingers and feet and thereby God would visit thy spirit and keep it in temper So much for this first branch Branch 2 Secondly if by any meanes thou be sunke and decayed in this spirit of Grace Admon Recover again thy temper if it be lost by what meanes never lin till thou hast recovered it againe Many wayes this may be and never fals out more frequently then in these false-hearted dayes Sometimes by overmuch piddling about the bables of this world for every of us must have some vanity or other to while our selves about sometimes by more sad plodding about profit and commodity or by multiplicity of businesse and more irons in the fire then we can well manage over-stocking our selves with cares and employments which we cannot compasse sometime by sadde accidents in our course as ill successe in our trades distempers through unequal yoking in marriage wrath frowardnesse and discontent betweene couples or by rash suretiship which proves a great snare to the spirit by bad debtors by decay in our estate through improvidence and unskilfulnesse by false friends bringing us into trouble by quarrels and sutes in Law especially with potent adversaries by bad children not answerable to their education and hopes These weare and teare out the spirit of Grace disguise a man and weaken his zeale care tendernesse yea oft make him ashamed to put forth himselfe for God lest his poverty be cast in his teeth They intercept a mans times and seasons for God as the hearing of the Word frequently hinder our joy liberty or leisure to set up God in the family or to maintaine secret interest with him they hamper the affections from expressing that grace which is within There bee other occasions also within as ease and sloth wearinesse of a base heart also some mixt of both as want of good Ministery or removall of dwellings which oft are a great hurry to a good mind which is not in her power and liberty in such cases want of good examples or helpe of private friends sorting together in the wayes of God All these helping a wofull world of Declensions the Devill and a base heart must needs damp and coole many and alas when this disease is not cured betimes it will at last breake out into worse evils sad revolts breach of peace and losse of conscience with ill report and scandall which are not easily cured Therefore for such this I say Dost thou come to see this thine estate Dost thou perceive hereby thy precious spirit to be weatherbeaten and halfe blasted thy fatnesse and sweetnesse to be gone thy selfe to become as a dry branch and as one in whom there is no forme or beauty to be desired as in times past Mourne for it as for the losse of a jewell Say thus Who shall give me the wings of a Dove Psal 55.6 Ier. 2.2 that I may flee into the Wildernesse and there with a pensive soule call to mind the love of my youth which the Lord in those first cords of his and drawings of my heart inspired mee withall Oh! how little did I then looke for such a change When I was one of the children of the bride-chamber I was merry and joyfull But now I had need to fast and mourne Then I knew not what sorrow and sinne meant but went in and out with God at pleasure Oh! that some happy messenger from God might bring me newes of the recovery of of my spirit again to that temper whereof it was wont to be yea if it were but newes of a way by which it might be once restored Well if thou wilt not give God over he will not forget thee For why if thou be sure that ever this spirit was indeed wrought in thee by the worke of God whose workes are perfect like himselfe then know that this spirit is eternall And therefore as I advise thee to tremble at thy deadnesse and lukewarmnesse so yet I adde lin not till some beame of ray of that old spirit of Grace as the Sun through a cloud shine into thy prison wals and cause thy flesh to returne againe through faith in his promise as the flesh of a little child If things indifferent or crosses have disguised thee the worke will be the lesse to file thee bright againe because the leprosie is but in the skinne But if any speciall and grosse sinne have fretted inward and rusted thy spirit wasted thy first love then let it smite thee as an arrow piercing thy liver desire God to flayte and gaster thee out of that lap and bosome Simil. as Sampson out of Delilah's As they who worke in Coalepits if once they see their candle to burne blew make away with all haste possible lest they be choaked So thou whiles any life and spirit remains hast thy selfe out of this sadde damp and looke up to him to prevent utter death who hath promised to establish thee with his free spirit and so to renue it that it might never againe waste or decay in thee See that it doe not Thou hast felt the danger of losing it and the presence of God to thy soule by it If God have gathered it up againe as water spilt on the ground and girded up the loynes of thy soule with a second girdle of renewed zeale and fervour of heart lock thy doore upon thy beloved clip him faster in thine armes then ever and sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Fifthly this Use leads me to another and more weighty one of Use 5 Examination Examination to try thy selfe about this spirit of Grace whether ever it were wrought in thee soundly or not There is no
such respect in my place do so and so in my family and the like Here 's eagernesse and zeale but most unsavory stuffe mixt with it too ranke for an humble heart to smell of Let thy hints and overtures be for God abhorre thine owne mixtures nothing so opposes the true spirit of grace as the spirit of a Pharisee Lord I thanke thee I am not thus and thus I do so and so Luk 18.10 11 12. nothing more consonant to it as the spirit of that Publican I abhorre my selfe as the spirit of those that know not what they did Mat. 25. Lord when saw we thee in prison or naked and visited or clothed thee This loadstone of selfe will become a loadstone for God if thine heart be sound And to conclude even so will the carriage of a true spirit be wise considerate and well ballanced such an one will establish his thoughts with counsell Better is hee that is patient in spirit Prov. 24.3 then the hasty A coole spiâ—it is an excellent spirit Eccles 7.8 if it be but coole in the carriage it may be fervent in the substance Whereas the unsound spiriâ— is fiery quick rash and utters more with a breath then it can undoe with ten and so brings it selfe upon its owne knees to cry Peccavi when perhaps it is with reproach to himselfe and religion I will not condemne all for unsound who are rash But I wish all sound spirits to beware how they trench upon such suspitious markes Bring not sorrow upon your selves by this rashnesse you shall meet with trouble enough in your best discretion but that which rashnesse procures seldome brings peace either in suffering or in the issue Thus much for a taste of those markes of tryall which may help us to descry our owne spirit from Gods grace Many more might have beene added but I hasten to an end To conclude then let this be an use of Exhortation and that Use 6 sundry wayes Exhort First to all that have this spirit in them to mourn bitterly for the losse and decay of this spirit throughout the Branch 1 Christian world Alas how farre are we sunke from that zeale of God against Popery and heresie which was wont to abound Looke into Germany where this spirit began by Luthers meanes where is so much as a sparke of it to be seene Declining of the temper of zeale and power ought to be bewailed sadly Even in the daies of Luther what horrible opposition was made to this spirit of the Gospell By how many meanes did the devill then stop the proceedings of Reformation What wayes were not used by Politicians to quash that zeale by their interims and sundry bookes of Reconciliation with Popery in their most Tenets Since which times even to the age we live in both in Germany and the Low-countries the Reformed Churches in France and among our selves how hath Satan laboured to quaile the spirits of men from zeale of the Gospell By what meanes hath Popery so much encroached upon us how hardly is the name of it odious even at this day in most places And if perhaps it be here and there so yet as for the zeale of peoples to the Gospell from the experience of that grace of conversion and the worke of faith how rare is it to find Oh! that our heads were welsprings brethren and our hearts fountaines of teares to mourn for the desolation of this Spirit of Grace among us As he said Scarce theâ—e is mention of Rome in Rome the change is so great in the places where the Gospell hath beene most famous It is recorded of those Jewes of the returned captivity that many who had seene the first Temple mourn'd to see the latter Some Jewish writers render the reason because not onely the frame of it was so poore in comparison of the former but because of the radicall defects it had in it It seem'd Ichabod the glory was gone Ezâ—a 3.12 The Holy of Holies was empty of the Arke of Gods presence and the Merey Seat upon it no more going into it with blood to fetch atonement no more fire from heaven to kindle sacrifices they were faine to kindle it from the Sun-beames with a glasse and as for the Priesthood the Jewes used to call it a Priesthood of clouts or garments 1 Sam. 4.21 because only those were left the Priest to weare the Urim and Thummim those holy shoulder pieces those precious stones of the Ephod and Brest-plate were gone Truly brethren beleeve me as Elijah in his Cave once mourned for the misery of his time 1 King 19.10 so might we for the losse of this spirit of the Gospell among us What do I deny but through mercy and the government of our Princes both living and of famous memory we have enjoyed the truth of God Or that God hath had and still hath abundance of worthy learned famous instruments of service both in Ministery Magistracy Commonalty No God forbid and I doubt not but in many places Truth and light are much improved although it were to be desired it were scattered more generally but the misery is that there lackes a sutable spirit of love tendernes closenes affection and soundnesse to the Gospell The body of knowledge in many is so vast and unweildy for lacke of equall power integrity and life to quicken it that it is like to totter by her owne weight That former effectualnesse in Preaching convincing converting waxes straitned scant and collapsed That spirit of siding with the Truth of God defending it against errours and lukewarmenesse that ingenuity and cordiall simplicity in us that professe seemes to be quite gone Trash and drosse of mens profits pleasures ease forme of religion and such other scurfe as is not to be named hath eaten up all as one said The usury of the New hath eaten up the gaine of our Old University So may we say The spirit of our new hath eaten up the power of our old dayes in point of edge affection earnestnesse and zeale All is growne to discourse contemplation and empty shadowes of sincerity Not to speake of many who formerly have stood for diligent preaching and for the power of it and are now gone aside and slinke their neckes out of the Collar Alas brethren it is not your going into new England which will deliver you from the spirit of your old death and sloth except the Spirit of Grace conduct you thither All cannot goe what shall become of such as must stay except God revive us at home Secondly it should provoke us to pray to God the great Branch 2 Physitian of this Epidemicall disease of exhortation to heale this decaying temper and this consumption of our vitall spirits that heat and moysture life and vigour of grace which threatens utter consumption in us How much better were it for us to fall into a burning ague then into such a dead palsey as this