of Godliness as fire is the cause of heat and yet as the cause is such is the effect for powerful causes make powerful effects that 's an undeniable truth in Philosophy and that 's the very reason why godliness is so powerful in the souls of men Now wouldst thou know the working of Grace or of the Graces of the Spirit of God in the soul First then I will set down some of these fundamental Graces which cause godliness and secondly how they are wrought in and upon the spirits of men First then Take these four Graces Faith Repentance Self-denial and Love not that I intend to speak of the Doctrine of Faith or the rest of the graces here mentioned but onely to speak a word or two to each and so proceed To shew how they are wrought and their footsteps in the souls of Believers And first to begin with Faith not to trouble you with that which is Historical Temporary or Legal but to speak of that True Evangelical Saving and Justifying Faith Faith then is a certain grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God Fides est actus intellectus and by the Word preached and its an act of the Understanding also now I put the Word and the Spirit together as they ordinarily are appointed to work together to make a man a Believer for I dare boldly say that the Word of it self never yet to this day wrought faith in any man without the Spirit of God working with it but I am confident that the Spirit may and doth where the Word preached is not to be had work this faith in the souls of the Elect 1 Cor. 3.6 Paul may plant Apollo may water but it is God that giveth the increase a man may live all dayes of his life under a powerful Ministry and stand by Christ and hear the joyful sound of the Gospel and yet never the neerer they shall count it but as thunder as those did in John 12.29 Joh. 12.29 unless the Spirit of God boreth the ears and sanctifieth their hearts to understand and believe the things of God and though Faith be the gift of God yet as God puts forth an hand in giving of Faith so he gives a hand to his Elect to receive Faith otherwise they could never have it thus God illuminates the Understanding whereby it comes to know that there is such a thing as Christ is Christ the object of Faith and then he convinceth the Judgment that this Christ is very excellent and that of necessity he must be had or else the soul is undone then comes the Will saying If Christ be so good and that of necessity I must have him O then I will receive him thus at length is faith begotten in the soul yet we must take heed of attributing any thing to man in this for all this is Gods own work and none of mans Now the other three graces may be stiled Faiths subsequents or concomitants Faiths companions or the fruits of Faith yet I shall speak a word to each of them and first to Repentance I say of the working of this grace in the souls of Gods Elect as I have said of Faith and in this work of Repentance we must note these four steps or degrees True Repentance There is a sight of the nature of sin A convinced judgment of the guilt of sin There is a cordial and hearty sorrow for sin There is a dislike of or an abhorring and forsaking of sin For the first of these namely The sight of sin in its own nature and proper colours now sins vail begins to be pluckt off before sin was pleasurable and delightful now it is odious and loathsom now the soul discovers sin to be a Scorpion a Serpent whose sting would have caused eternal death that which seemed to be the pleasantest and delightfullest companion is now the ugliest basest and contemptiblest thing that ever the soul beheld since it had a being that which formerly was embraced and hugged as a Dalilah is now thrown out of the windows as a Jezabel Gods enemie now the soul looks on sin as Gods greatest enemy yea as that whereby the soul hath cast dirt in the very face of God and hath grieved and done despight unto his holy Spirit and crucified the Lord of life and glory Again The souls greatest enemie the soul looks upon it as its own greatest enemy it did unparadise it it hath ever since blindfolded it and fettered it up amongst a legion of devils and hath made a separation between God and it it hath made it at emnity with God and hath brought it into a state of condemnation and was able to sink it into the very bottom of hell The soul is convinced of the guilt of sin and that by the same it s bound over to the Judgment Seat of Christ Rom. 3.19 there to answer the breach of all the Laws of God James 2.10 Moral and Evangelical yea and that this guilt lies so heavy on the soul that its able to press it down into destruction 2 Thess 1.8 and to banish it from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power for ever sin now is become a burden to purpose yea such a burden as David complaineth of in Psalm 38 4. Psal 38.4 saith he there Mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me that which once was so light that the soul could not feel it O now it is so heavy that its like to break the very heart of it now conscience is wakened and sin stands as a brasen wall in its order before the soul I will set his sin in order before him Psal 50.21 there is a Scripture to that purpose in the Psalmist There is a cordial and hearty sorrow for sin O saith the soul that I that such a wretch as I should sin against so great so good and so gratious a God now the soul begins to be cautious of sinning now its ready to say with Joseph Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Now the soul is sensible of its indignity to God now it can grieve and rent its very heart for its unkinde dealing with God who hath dealt so kindely with it and by this means the soul is brought into contrition and godly sorrow never to be repented of Upon this the soul is brought into a dislike of sin yea to an abhorring hating and detesting of sin yea it hates the very thoughts of it not onely in others but much more in it self it s now more ugly then a Toade more bitter then Gall and Wormwood now the soul knows the fruits of sin how it leads unto destruction now it can say of it as Salomon said of the Harlot Pro 5.4 5. Her end is bitter as Wormwood sharp as a two edged sword her feet go down to death and
me all ye that labor and are heavy laden Matth. 11.28 29. and I will give you rest and you shall find rest unto your souls Joh. 7.37 Jesus stood and cried saying If any man be athirst let him come to me and drink of the waters of Life freely So again in the Revelation of John Revel 22.27 The Spirit and the Bride said come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst say come and whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely Many more places of Scripture might be instanced and brought for this purpose but these are sufficient to set forth the free invitation of all sinnners both by God by Christ and the Spirit of Grace the Lord looks for nothing at thy hand but to receive pardon and to be reconciled unto himself therefore why will you perish O sons of men your condemnation is of your selves Let this then take off those that do refrain to come unto Christ because they have nothing to come withall such a soul is best welcome unto Christ that is emptiest in himself thy approaches and addresses unto Christ are not to be measured with those unto great Personages here on earth there needs no rich presentations to usher in or plead thy acceptance nor purchasing of Mediators by clandestine and close-fisted bribes the dearest and highest Saint in heaven cannot so soon procure thy access unto and acceptance with Jesus Christ in heaven as the fauning Parasite and Saint-seeming Devil can with man on earth nor doth Christ accept of any creature or worthiness in creature either in heaven or earth on the behalf of a poor soul to ingratiate it into his favor and embraces but of his own breathings in a contrite spirit O then if sin be a burthen to thee come unto Christ and he will take it off he will deliver thee from that weight God he hath laid help upon one that is mighty by his Stripes we are healed by his Merits saved by his Wounds cured and by his Power preserved unto everlasting life and to press more home unto the souls of poor sinners the consideration of the free offer of Grace and Salvation of Christ let them but read the ingeminated invitation of the Spirit of God in that one Text before cited Revel 22.17 Come come come The free Word Come is no less then three times reiterated in that one Verse O then do not wilfully refuse and cast off the free offers of Life Grace and Salvation for know it is tendred as freely to thee as ever it was to any creature under heaven and know that to reject this mercy is to reject the greatest mercy that ever was tendered to any soul upon the face of the earth it is to reject not onely thine own good thine own life thine own salvation and thy sweet communion with and enjoyment of Christ and the blessed Saints for ever hereafter but also of the free Love of God and Christ the loss whereof is worse then ten thousand hells yea it shall be an aggravation of all thy sins that ever thou didst commit in thy whole life for he that will not believe is damned already there is no hope of such a man take heed therefore of Unbelief for it is worse then Hell it self as being the cause of all miseries that a soul can be afflicted with Hell that 's an Ordinance of God but sin is from the devil and mans own corruption Hell is the fruit of sin as sin is the cause of punishment by sin came death into the world yet that man that believes shall be preserved from sin death hell and what ever else is miserable yea not onely so but he shall have that sweet enjoyment of God Christ his Spirit Saints Angels Heaven Life Glory yea more then his desire or thoughts can comprehend for no eye hath seen ear heard or heart conceived what is laid up in life and glory for all them that believe there the soul shall see God as he is yea it shall be filled with the fulness of God and ravished with his presence yea more the soul shall hold communion with Christ and with the father in a more excellent measure then any creature can be capable of in this life yea there the soul shall be in union with God and Christ God will be giving out himself unto his Saints they shall partake of his glory they shall be in him and he in them this is the excellency and preeminency of faâ—th that doth instrumentally and mediatly through Christ alone act and carry the soul above the pitch of earth and conveighs and lodgeth it in the bosom of Christ O then who would be destitute of this Armor of proof Who would not be shrouded under this helmet as sufficient to defend the soul against all worldly and spiritual conflicts who would not get this wing to elevate and mount his soul into the Heaven of Heavens where the act of faith shall cease then shall believers live no more by faith but by sight there expectation shall be swallowed up of fruition invisible things become visible glimmerings of light become flames and ravishments of glory Saints here can better tell what God is not then what he is we can here say he incomprehensible and immutable but then we shall see God in his essence in his nature and excellency as he is a spirit so far as a soul can be made capable of so glorious an object O then of what happiness and bliss do unbeleevers deprive themselves that will not believe though everlasting life depends upon it O sinners remember how often hath the Gospel been preached unto you how often have you been invited unto the marriage Feast and you would not come How often have you preferred the wedding of your souls unto the profits and lusts of this world rather then unto Christ Consider Christ hath invited you your own wicked wills have refused to comply with his call he would have gathered you together under his wings but ye would be dispersed separated from him certaintly it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment then for you and thus I have dispatched the first branch Having a form of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed qui vim ejus abnegarint But denying the power thereof THe Apostle still continues his complaint of what should come to pass in the last and evil times which are accomplished in these days wherein we live which we have shewed you in the precedent part of this Treatise these men in the text retain the form of godliness at the same time when they deny the power of it things of least value most set by and those of the greatest concernment most slighted contemned and despised darkness before light vanity before verity shadows before substance weakness before power here you may see men acting much outwardly and intending nothing less inwardly men contending for
who are found to be chosen and faithful God hath not left himself without witness 1 Tim. 1.11 even among these whose love affections and zeal are manifested to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God a continuall supply of such godly Patriots the Lord grant and prosper unto us which is far dearer to every gratious heart then its dearest blood or what ever is desirable under the Sun or to be admired by the sons of men and according to mens gifts and greatness of place is the excellency of good or excess of evil men in authority have the greatest opportunities of doing good or evil as they are improved so is the ruine or happiness of a state therefore we may heartily wish that all men in eminency of place who are enemies to Jesus Christ might be fools and dunces that they might not be able to manage their malice and power with such depths dexterity to the more dangerous undermining of the power of godliness great men are more subject to temptation then others yet God chose himself a David a Moses a Jehosaphat a Josias c. to be very excellent instruments for his glory and if God doth expect most from them to whom he hath given most and the greatest Harvest where he hath sown most seed then dreadful will their account be who cannot answer God one for a thousand who have not imployed their gifts talents and power to the glory of that God who hath so liberally bestowed them on them for God will not have the sword of Magistracy lockt up in the scabbard unto a wicked offendor nor maliciously drawn against the just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.3 For rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil that is they should not be a terror to good works how then have many rulers mis-exercised their power in punishing vertue and countenancing vice how have the fair and tender locks of Jesus Christ in the profession of the power of godliness been cropped and singed and the black ruffled hair of the whore of Babylon decked crisped and curled to the view of the world to the sensible grief and wo of many thousands in this Kingdom how hath formality been advanced and reality depressed how hath truth suffered and error raigned how hath the sword been turned against the faithful in the Land and they made the only Butt against whom all the arrows of malice have been directed and I am confident that no Nation under heaven have been greater or more bitter enemies to the power of Godliness then some in this Nation have been and still are and would be yet they themselves profess the same faith the same Christ the same God and the same baptism but the deeper will their wound of conscience be and the heavier their damnation Indeed as he is not a Jew that is one outwardly even so he is not a Christian that 's one in shew that hath only an outside in Religion that is he is onely so nomine non re in name but not in truth Yet we see that all that are baptized they appropriate the name of Christians unto themselves in word they profess they know God Tit. 1.16 but in works they deny him being to every good work reprobate for to God they are abominable and disobedient to all the commands of God and of Jesus Christ yea how many thousands in this Nation are there that are so far from the power of godliness that they hate the very form yea shall I say more they are without humanity it self O how Atheistically barbarous and prophane do men live These are they who are without God in the world Ephes 2.12.2 3. they only are lead by the power of the prince of darkness the God of this world hath blinded their eyes hardned their hearts yea and they are sealed up unto everlasting condemnation and yet know it not and yet these must pass for Christians O let these know that it will be easier for Turks and Indians in the day of Judgment then for them Now the scope of what I shall in this small Treatise humbly present unto your serious meditations is to set forth the sad condition of all them that content themselves with a form of godliness and deny the power thereof as also the excellency and happiness of those that can make it out to their own hearts that the power of godliness dwels in their spirits having also laid down several marks of both whereby every serious inquisitive soul may know how its condition stands with God they are the meditations and endeavors of some spare hours from other Imployments which I have made use of O let not the humility of the stile or any prejudicated thoughts of the insufficiency of the author be a scandal or impediment to your perusal of his labors or to make you say with Antipater King of Macedonia when there was a book concerning mans happiness presented to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leasure but read and Judge by the rule of the Spirit of love which is the strongest obligation Quis legem det amantibus major Lex amor est sibi Love is at once a freedom from all Law and yet a law of the greatest necessity My desire is and God say Amen to it that this plain Pill though naked and altogether without the guildings of Rhetorick and therefore the more consentaneous to true Gospel Physick might be very effectuall both to City and County which indeed it will be to all that take it down into their hearts O that God would be pleased by it to purge us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and make us live up to every mercy we enjoy giving the glory of all grace to the God of glory and power who onely can make all means effectual by the working of his own spirit in the hearts of the sons of men he can aswell bless weak means as strong Jer. 37.10 wounded men shall take the City if he command them pezants shall be more potent then Princes if they have Gods commission so it s in the power of the Almighty to make these few gleanings as copious in fruitfulness as the fullest sheaves of harvest these weak and unsinewed meditations as effectual as the high and strong parts of others which I shall leave in the hand of him who is all sufficient to do abundantly more then we can ask or think humbly desiring your candid acceptance of these my slender endeavors and I shall desire at the hand of the Lord your daily increase in faith in Jesus Christ for that is that potent princely grace that is that victorious grace attended with all her glorious train reading down triumphantly before you all vain pomp and transitory glory that she may hold still fresh and flourishing in your eyes the immortality and bliss of a never-fading crown and shine fair fruitfull in your souls untill
none in his family that shall out of tenderness of conscience start disputations concerning matters of Religion nay there must be no reasonings no disputings no fightings nor contendings for the truth but as much as you will for the maintenance and defence of outward and formal Ceremonies this man is resolved to love quietness and ease he will not break his sleep nor trouble his thoughts with the mystery of the power of godliness yet let such as these know that this is a damnable security and that they will drop into hell before they are aware Quest .. 2 But those sins of pride blasphemy c. mentioned in the former Verses are such sons of the Gyant that the garment of hypocrisie though it be to the heels will hardly hide or cover them from the eyes of men how then can these great sins stand with a form of Religion Answ 1 A form of Religion serves for a Canopie to cover all these abominations it is one of the Fig-leaves to cover poor sinful mans nakedness it s made up by Satan and mans own base heart and it s of a crimson colour died in grain Isai 1.16.18 it s a crimson sin and double died Wo unto you Hypocrites Answ 2 A form of godliness is the Commander in Chief of all other sins other sins march after its Colours it s the devils Master-piece to make a man a grand hypocrite for he knows that an hypocrite is his principal Agent his Advocate his Apologist he shall have more service done by this man in one year then by open common profane persons which have not this form in many you know that which oft times cannot be obtained by force is gained by policy hypocrisie is the devils Fort-Royal it makes all other sins stoop to it Answ 3 It so blindes a mans eyes that it will not let him see that guilt that lies upon his spirit though his abominations be never so great and never so many yet this will keep all close from his eyes yea it will make a man believe he is in a good condition and walking in a good way when there is no such matter those wounds and sores which are fairly filmed over and have specious and visible appearances of sound and perfect cures are must desperate and incurable alas within they are full of festering and poysonous putrifections which will secretly exulcerate the flesh and corrode and eat into the bones and cause and precipitate a lingering death Answ 4 Hypocrisie or a form of godliness keeps the soul from self-inquisition and examination and so makes it insensible of its deplorable condition your formal professors eyes are alwayes abroad judging censuring and condemning others but never questioning themselves Luke 6.41 the Hypocrite in Lukes Gospel had two eyes to spy the Mote that was in his brothers eye but had not one eye to discern the Beam in his own eye they always lay heavy burthens on others Mat. 23.4 but will not touch them themselves with one of their fingers Answ 5 Fifthly Those that have onely a form of godliness walk in the broad way to condemnation and are in the same Center with all other damned sinners Hypocritae pierumque severissimi sunt eorum exactores quae ipsi maximè negligunt 1 Tim. 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely the ones sins go before to Judgment and the others follow after but the end of both is destruction and condemnation is their portion therefore he that is an hypocrite is not to be looked on to be in a better condition then open profane persons but in a worse for he that seems to others to be sound and yet within is nothing but rottenness eternal wretchedness will be his end so that thesâ— men are not onely guilty of all those greâ—â— abominations before mentioned but they take up this form to cover all their other sins withall so that they are both guilty of profaneness and hypocrisie for at the same time when the Apostle saith they are guilty of these sins he joyns this to the rest and that in the Present Tense Having a form of godliness they being guilty of that sin as of the former A form of godliness without the power of it may well be called the Devels Sin-Mould wherein he doth cast many sins at once do but read the former Verses and besides those the other sins that they are guilty of are innumerable If now we will suffer this Truth to speak to us it informs us of the deceitfulness and treachery of the hearts of men O take heed of your own hearts it is a dangerous thing to harbor a Traytor within your brest if thy heart be deceitful all thy actions wherein thou pretendest godliness will be so can ye expect good fruit of an evill Tree do men use to gather Grapes of Thorns or Lillies of Thistles can ye expect crystall Streames from impure and muddy Fountains a good heart produceth a good conversation and a bad heart an evill conversation there is nothing sooner discovers the heart then the life it is not that which goeth into the man defileth the man but that which cometh from within For out of the heart cometh blasphemies c. If thy heart be wicked so will all thy duties be thy Prayers thy Reading thy Conference about heavenly things all thy duties whatsoever to God and man will be abominable defiled corrupted and sinful A deceitful heart renders a man uncapable of receiving good and this is a most desperate condition that a man is not onely made unfit for doing any good but for receiving any good all the means of grace are inavailable to do him good the Word cannot reach him Prayer cannot fasten upon him the Spirit of God can finde no entertainment with him Mercies Judgments Corrections all are lost and he himself is lost so long as a deceitful heart dwels in him thus doth this leaven in the heart sowre and imbitter all good things to the soul Object If any question how if a deceitful heart be uncapable of receiving good from God and all men by nature have a deceitful heart then can any man be converted and saved Answ God did never nor ever will convert a deceitful heart for when God works upon any soul to conversion then and not till then doth he take away the decitfulness and uncleanness of the heart and immediatly gives a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit also I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes c He that hath onely a form of godliness doth not onely deceive others but himself his Saint seeming is his soul-damning his possessing of others with a false belief bereaves himself of true belief whilst he appears glorious to the worlds eye he remains most deformed and loathsome in the
opinion or judgment though convinced they are otherwise godly yea who would not allow that benefit to them as they do to a Bawdy house or houses in this particular I speak nothing but upon knowledg for I have importuned some that such houses might be punished and put down but they have yea do to this very day suffer them though they have power in their hands to suppress them yea could have done it with a word from their mouths or line from their hands how far off from the true efficacy of godliness are such as these I am certain where the power of godliness rules it will make a man as zealous against every sin as any sin but for a man to be zealous onely against such sins as strike at himself in point of profit credit or esteem such a mans zeal is not for God but for himself so that we may well say sin is not punished because it is sin but because such and such men fear that they shall suffer by it as for a Minister to be very forward in punishing the sin of drunkenness in such of his parishoners as desert their own parish Church on the Lords day and go to Islington or elsewhere to hear and yet is conscious of the same vice in many others of his parish which constantly hear him who shall go free and unquestioned this is not so much for their being drunk as for their going from their own parish in like maner there be some that be very ready to inflict punishment on those that resort not unto publike meetings at their own parish Church but frequent private meetings yet they can observe and know of many that spend the Lords days in carousing and revelling both at home and in the Ale-houses and yet can salve up such prophanesses and pass them by unpunished this is not to punish sin because it is sinful but that it may be serviceable and advantagious to some sinister end or other for were the punishment out of a conscientious detestation of the sin then would it not be partial or particular but universal without respect of persons or place Again those that would have them punished for meeting in private at any time to confer about matters of Religion therefore accounting them broachers and fomenters of error can at other times wink at and be privy unto the prophane meetings of swearers drunkards and blasphemers of the most high God and of treacherous and bloody conspirators both against the Church and State nay it may be they themselves the principal agents in such desperate and unwarrantable designs this is not the true way to punish the sin of Error as they pretend for if it were then drunkenness swearing blasphemy Teason and conspiracy being all as great nay greater errors should have a share if not a larger proportion of punishment Such as these are not much unlike the Bishops that would strip men of their livings turn them their wives and children out of house and home for not reading the Common Prayer-book or not wearing a Surplice or for non-conformity in this or that point though never so godly and painful Preachers but had a man been but comformable unto their injunctions were he never so common a drunkard swearer whoremonger or wicked person nay were he never so ignorant or sottish this was the man immoveable he should have been fastened upon such a rock of conformity that all the winds storms or blustering noise and accusation of his lewd-led life should never have been able to have prevailed against him nay his people should have been punished if they had but moved a complaint against him or had refused to come to hear him now the reason why such a wicked man goes scotfree unpunished and the innocent-godly suffer tribulation it is because the wicked prophane Priest was a prop to the Bishops Kingdom he was a faithful servant they had him sure enough he would do them no harm say what you could against him this cured all He is conformable O then do so no more and farewell yea and I am confident had our Parliament given as much power to the Clergy now as some would have had that so they might have had every man under their government and censure you might have complained long enough either against minister or people without a redress had they but said We are for Presbyterie it had been as full an answer as formerly to have said We are conformable That is such a Presbyterie as some of our Clergy would have had Witness those loose ignorant irreligious and scandalous Elders which are chosen and stand approved in their respective Classes to this day though some of them have protested they know no Government nor will acknowledg any like to Episcopacy and I believe some Triers also must confess that before their approbation they have been informed thus Here we see that many men place their content in a form of godliness O vanity of vanities O fading joy O bitter sweet O fond conceit this their bliss will be their bane and vexation of spirit this was the condition of the five foolish Virgins who had their lamp trimmed and made as glorious a shew as the wise did and went altogether to meet the Bridegroom Mat. 25.2 3 4 5 c. but the five foolish had no oyl in their lamps that is they had no grace in their hearts but went to seek for it when it was too late for the Bridegroom came in the interim and the door was shut against them and then they cried Lord open unto us but observe Christs answer Verily I say unto you I know you not Christ knows never a formalist in the world Christ never had or will have any acquaintance with them though they pretend to have never so much acquaintance with him let them hug themselves in their own conceit let them go on in their seeming content all their hopes at length will be blasted and they shall have no more comfort then their own conceit can afford them how woful and miserable will their end be whose expectation perisheth Christ saith Son give me thy heart but they never give Christ their hearts in all their lives they give the form unto Christ and the heart unto their lusts but the neerer that these draw to Christ the more will their form of godliness vanish as the foolish Virgins did in the 8. verse of the 25. of Mathew Verse 8. Job 8.13 where it is said that their lamps went out when they looked for most benefit they found most deceit for the hope of the hypocrite shall perish Nam expectatio Hypocritae perit so then know thou that art but a meer outside in Religion who accompaniest thy self with the godly and wilt be seen to be as one of them yet know that when thy Gold shall come unto the Touch-stone it will be found adulterate and counterfeit it is not thy company can shadow or protect thy
there be in every godly soul against the lest temptation of sin and this inward disturbance and disquietness of spirit the hypocrites and men of the world cannot bear Is not Zoar a little one and my soul shall live what cannot I give a little liberty to the flesh make use of a small lust what not a little liberty for company keeping for covetousness for pride revenge for wrongs done me must I keep so close and exact to the rule O this makes mens actions speak that they are no friends to the power of godliness though in words they will not confess it for shame the truth is that in all ages there have been underminers of the power of godliness in a secret way pretending to truth and godliness when their intents were quite contrary witness the high Commission Court of late yeers yea witness all the faction of the conformable Clergy yea and thousands of professors at this very day and especially those that so much vindicate and plead for forms in the Worship of God also those loud out-cries against all men that side not with nor approve of Zion-Colledg-Presbytery being not content with what the Parliament appoints but are grasping and thirsting after more power that it might be in their own hands to tyrannize over mens consciences more then in truth either the Bishops or their Courts did ever exercise for they generally assented to conformity to such Ceremonies as made for the establishing of their pomp and glory and in those days a man for a little money might make means and friends to enjoy the liberty of his conscience but now nothing will serve but submission or exile as some Presbyterians have said to my face that such ought to be the condition of all those that were of a contrary judgment and that after admonition would not submit they were not fit to live in a Kingdom though at the same time they have confessed that they have been honest men setting their judgments aside O this is unexpressible madness for men to subjugate Christians consciences unto a formal government their very words argue them formalists and their inward malice and predomination over tender consciences demonstrates the want of the power of godliness therefore take this for a rule that whosoever in all his discourses or actions shall so contend for any form whatsoever in matters of Religion more then power such a man denyeth the strength and power of godliness for godliness is of a more excellent nature it tyeth a man to a strictness of life wherein power will appear as well as form the heart is the thing that God requireth for he will be sainctified of all them that draw neer unto him and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth and not in outward forms onely Do men that profess the form of godliness oppose the power of it O then it doth highly concern men to look into their own ways examine their own hearts dost thou profess Religion because the laws of the Land injoyn thee to it or is it from a principle of thine own or by the power of Jesus Christ O know whatsoever flowes from man as he is man is carnal earthly and sensuall therefore as the cause is such is the effect as the principle such the act art thou guided and principled by the Spirit of God in thy profession is the word of God the pattern and rubrick of thy life doth thy conversation speak thee Christian and spiritual doth thy blossom sprout from the tree of life art thou rudimented and disciplined from thy School-master Christ then thou mayest without prejudice conclude thy qualifications to be truly sanctified and thy profession truly godly it is not the outward profession but the inward intention and cordial affection that God accepts My son saith God give me thy heart walk before me and be thou upright and perfect it is the close and inward walking of the heart with God that God accompts uprightness and perfection its impossible for a man to be upright with God unless his heart be for him there can be no soundness in Religion springing from a rotten heart away then with these outside services abandon all thy goodly flourishes cease to seem learn to be let not thy profession be superficial but supernatural be less glorious in the eyes of men and more of God sore not too high with thy artificial plumes lest the vigorous heat of the Sun of righteousness scorch thy wings and thy soul and body be precipitated into the infernal lake Take heed then unto thy heart labor for integrity in that and thy conversation will be godly it is the madness of many men when they are reproved for their sinful lives to reply and say Why what man is there that liveth and sinneth not though I sometimes fall into error and sin against God yet my heart is good my wishes are to and for God O foolish men who hath bewitched you is it possible for vertue and vice to co-inhabite for a bad life to issue from a good heart can spirit and flesh can light and darkness can Christ and Belial be co-inthroned O vain conceptions O foolish imaginations A good and sincere heart maketh an identity and conformity in the whole man it spiritualizeth his understanding will and affections It puts a spirit of illumination into the Understanding and Judgment of that man whose heart is truly sanctified and upright towards God whereby he is able to discern and judg of things that differ between things that are good and evil It purifies his Will and puts it upon the choice of the best things it makes it aspire after heaven and heavenly things it will labor and act after nothing but Christ and him crucified It regulates and placeth the Affections upon their right Object thus the heart being made spiritual the Understanding the Will and the Affections will be all subservient to the dictates of the Heart the Understanding thereby comes to a knowledg of the things that are of God the Will that approves of that knowledg and acts for God then the Affections which are the wheels of the soul carrie the whole man after that which is good Col. 3.1 If you be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ your Head is Set not your affections on things of the earth for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God that is you are or ought to be dead in your affections to the things of this world O let your conversation be where your life is hid Now to draw a period to this Point and to wind up this Particular on which I have dwelt something long Is it so that men that content themselves with a form of godliness do thereby deny the power of it and so contract unto their souls the guilt of an hainous sin Yet let me offer one word of comfort unto such men and not leave them as men without hope though
like himself he comes with power and authority he darts his grace into the soul like his thunderbolts into the world that cleave asunder divide and shake the very frame and condition of created Beings and so in the Acts 2.2 Act. 2.2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting What was this but the Spirit of God that fell upon the Apostles and gave them other tongues to declare the mysteries of the Gospel to the Sons of men it came from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it came with power yea strengthned with all might to work powerfully prevailingly upon the hearts of men and that 's the reason why Christ compares the new birth to a wind that blowes John 3.8 and blowes where it listeth and no man knowes whence it comes nor whether it goes now what 's more powerful yet what 's more invisible then the wind even such is the working of the Spirit on them that God cals home to himself this is that white stone that no man knows Rev. 2.18 but he that receives it I will give him a white stone saith God and in the stone a new name that no man knows but he that receiveth it its thought that the Holy Ghost alludes here unto the custom of the Grecians in their Courts of Judicature when they were to condemn a man to death then the Judg sent him a black stone if he were to be freed and delivered then he sent him a white stone but yet it was so made up that he that carried it knew not what it was none but the Judg and the man that received it had knowledg of it so none but Christ and the soul that receiveth him knowes of the maner of conveyance or of the gift of eternal life There are two things in this point to be unfolded What 's meant by godliness What 's meant by the coming of it into the soul We have spoken somewhat of the first in the former part in the explicating of the words and now we will somewhat enlarge upon it Godliness is the right exercising and acting of those graces which the soul hath received of the Spirit of God Godliness what it is both to the glory of God and good of man or the bringing forth of the fruits of grace in holiness of life and conversation that is when a man improves all his graces given unto him to the advantage of his Master Christ to be glad of every occasion whereby he may advance the glory of that God that hath advanced him by the glory of his grace as God is pleased to shew the glory of his grace to a soul and that to the utmost so godliness in that soul desires to improve and actuate all that grace and mercy to its utmost power to and for God Christ the Gospel and the Saints And this is the very life and soul of godliness and this is the continual course that godliness acts this is its full scope and aime the perfection of this is that which it doth aspire after for this is the souls breathings from the time that the soul received it unto the end of life and so godliness becomes the souls witness here and hereafter 1 Tim. 4.8 for it hath the promise of this life and that which is to come Secondly This godliness comes I say it comes into the soul of man it is not attracted or by industry atchieved nor is it inherent in any soul but it is grace poured out from God and freely given and breathed into the soul of man by the Spirit of grace I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 Act. 2.16 Isa 44.3 Math. 13.11 c. Vnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom c. Yea Christ communicates himself unto his people and makes them partake of his fulness freely it s not attained by skill art wisdom learning riches or any created power whatsoever yea all the created power in heaven or earth is not able to attain unto one scruple or grain of godliness it s not from men nor from the word of God or dispensation of the Ordinances in themselves but from Heaven and that by the breathings of the Spirit of Jesus Christ I shall but onely touch upon this point in this place We have now seen that godliness where it comes it comes freely and comes with power the next thing to be considered is how it comes to pass that godliness comes with so much power into the soul Answ The Author of all godliness is the Essence of all Power which is God blessed for evermore It s a rule in Philosophy That as the Cause is so is the Effect if the Cause be powerful the Effect must needs be so as in Fire the greater the fire is the greater is the heat in making other things hot which is its effect so the earth being in it self naturally cold causeth a frigidity and numness in all creatures so man naturally springing from his principle earth is nothing but a heavy mass and lump of Clay dead and fruitless untill heat and life be inspired in him from a principle and fountain of life Thus the Almighty being infinite in power causeth those things which come from himself to be very full of power Now that God is powerfull is clear by those names given to him in Scripture Nomen Elohim est personarū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is called Elohim Elohim signifies the mighty Judges it s a Word of the Plural Number and expresseth the Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence so Jehovah which signifies the eternal Being of himself then I am Exod. 3.14 I am that I am I will be what I will be a most significant expression of the absolute and uncontroulable power of God yea this name is attributed to Christ I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then he is called Lord and so a Lord that he is absolute of himself and can do whatever he pleaseth in heaven and earth then he is called God which commonly signifieth a burning fire one that runs through all things Again He is called the strong God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 40.17 Shaddai the Almighty God all which denotate and set forth the Almighty power of God and so in his Works For he is the God that weigheth the Mountains in a Balance and taketh up the Iles as a very little thing yea that counteth all things less then nothing what an expression is this what Soveraignty what Omnipotency is this what debasement of of all power in competition with his If it were the thoughts of Solomon an earthly King after his fruition of all sublunary pleasure and power to account them but vanity nay less then vanity well may then the Salomon of
her steps take hold on hell thus the soul by the power of grace being made acquainted with the loathsomness and bitterness of sin begins to be weaned from its brest and forsakes its embraces let God or man say what can be said of sin in respect of the vileness of it the soul can give its free assent and consent unto it yea it s so hateful to the soul that it hates the very name of any thing that doth but tend to sin yea it hates it in its most glorious robes of pleasures profits honors credits or what ever the world can afford it will shake them off as Paul did the Viper from his hand it knows sin to be viperous infective and stinging it looks upon it as its bane its poyson its undoing yea in the souls apprehension its worse then hell then the devil or all or any thing that can be thought upon The next thing is Self-denial that 's a soul that hath no Self no will when any thing comes in competition with God with Christ it owns its being from God it renounceth any self-existency its naked till cloathed from above its barren till made fruitful by Christ it stands in need of all things till supplied by that Fountain that openeth his hand and filleth all things with his blessing this Grace subjecteth the soul and makes it lie down at Christs feet it s alwayes lying under the droppings of Grace that it might receive replenishings from the Spirit this causeth the soul to look out of it self and to be carried out with an expectation hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness this makes the soul to decrease that Christ may increase it debaseth it self that it might advance Christ its willing to part with all that Christ may be all in all it doth not onely make the soul to see emptiness in it self but to see emptiness in every thing besides In a word It s a soul-denying and a Christ-advancing Grace in whatever it doth it will not suffer the soul to aim at any thing which may tend to sinister ends it doth willingly cast off ease profit pleasure honor or what ever can be thought on before God and Christ shall lose their glory this Grace brings the soul into a right temper where this Grace hath its true working the bias of the soul runs from the world and runs heavenward God-ward and Christ-ward Self-denial as its Faith 's concomitant so it worketh with Faith in purifying the heart in mortifying of sin Matth. 12.37 39. and in following of Christ For he that will follow me saith Christ must first deny himself not regarding profits pleasures afflictions or what ever else lies in the way to life and glory For he that loveth any thing whether it be father or mother more then Christ is not worthy of Christ and he that will finde his life shall lose it but he that loseth his life for Christs sake shal finde it Fourthly Love its Gods will to man and it is a grace shed abroad into the hearts of the Saints by the holy Ghost in man it s a certain passion flowing from the Affections which are the souls wheels to carry it to its Object be it either God or man It may be stiled a characterizing grace whereby men may know God for God is love whereby men may know Saints from Reprobates 1 Joh. 4.8.3.14 the children of God from the children of the devil it s a sign that you are departed from death to life because you love the brethren he that loves not his brother is not born of God neither doth he know him to her much is forgiven because she loved much Love is of such an excellent nature that it transcends the tongues of men and Angels it excells the gifts of prophesie all mysteries 1 Cor. 13.1 2. all knowledg nay all faith it is of an enduring nature as Paul saith in the 1 Cor. 13.8 Charity never faileth it out-lives faith and hope 1 Cor. 13.8 for they shall cease but love shall be perfected and endure for ever Quest 2 Secondly how comes godliness into the soul and what are the steps thereof Answ 2 That as godliness is the fruit of grace and grace the cause of godliness as I have shewed before so are they made perfect in the soul at one and the same instant of time that is perfect in parts not in degrees for there are degrees of grace as well as glory one Christian more eminent in grace then another yet the least spark is as true as the greatest flame the whole man is at one and the same time changed and become new all the faculties of the soul all the members of the body are at once transformed and renewed the understanding that 's illuminated the Judgement rectified the will turned to that which is good the affections run after the right object conversion is not in part but in whole the feet cannot be washed alone but the hands and other members must be also cleansed for so said Christ unto Simon Peter one of his Disciples when he said unto him Lord wash not onely my feet Joh. 13.9 10. but also my hands and my head Jesus answering said unto him he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit c. intimating that he that is washt by the blood of Jesus Christ is not onely cleansed from one sin but from all not onely purified in one member of his body but in all he is sanctified throughout both in soul and body but though this grace of sanctification or godliness be thus thorowly operative in it self yet oft times its not so to the souls apprehension that 's in Gods ordinary way of working now to open unto you in a word how to mans apprehension this great work of conversion grace and godliness is wrought First God by the preaching of his word together with the working of his spirit gives a touch to the conscience of an elect vessel which the Scripture cals a prick in the heart that 's in the ministery of the word as those in the Acts were pricked in their hearts saying Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Act. 2.37 God doth here discover a mans condition to himself whereby he comes to see himself First To be a woful miserable and sinful creature Secondly that there is an exact satisfaction to be given to Divine Justice for those sins that he stands guilty of before God Thirdly that there is nothing in him that can possibly give satisfaction or make up that breach which he hath made by his sin there is no possibility in Angels or men in Heaven or earth that can take of the guilt of one sin And yet that divine justice must be satisfied or he is a lost man he is undone for ever yea he stands at the very brink of hell ready to be swallowed up every moment now these and the like reasonings
and arguings of the soul I may call the spirit of bondage under which the soul sinks and sees no way of hope of recovery but now Christ intervenes and darts the raies of his glory into such a lost soul resolves its doubtings calmes its frettings and disputings and come and makes his abode in that soul and takes it by the hand and saith Is there no deliverer for thee I will deliver thee I have satisfied divine justice I am thy surety and the propitiation for thy sin At this the soul begins to startle it s recovered from its lethargy now it ariseth from death to life and saith What voice is that I here What mercy for me A Christ for me for such a sinfull wretch as I am O how sweet is this voice how welcome is this Gospel How excellent is this Christ O the sweetest of ten thousand now the soul is humbled to purpose its fit to receive any impression to do to suffer any thing that Christ cals for now the soul flies to Christ as to a rock hangs about him like a burre closeth with him in what ever Christ commands Christs voice is a soul-humbling and a soul-melting voice more excellent then the law Object But some may say that surely many have believed that never came in such a legal way to Christ as Matthew Lydia and others Answ I answer that though it be not recorded of the grief and spirit of bondage that these underwent yet it s not safe to conclude they did not come to Christ that way seeing others came that way as the Jews at Peters Sermon Act. 2.37 the Jailor the woman that washed Christs feet with her tears and many others as David Peter c. Look upon that to the Romans where the Apostle saith ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear Rom. 8.15 which shewes cleerly that once they had received it before they came to Christ in their preparation to conversion And again Christ comes to call sinners to repentance yea those that finde sin to be a burden to them and such as are weary and heavy laden and prest down to hell in their own apprehensions by reason of their sins that they are guilty of The whole needeth not the Physitian but such as are sick saith Christ such as are sick at the heart of sin as are sensible of the pain and horror of sin I am somewhat the larger in this point because there is a generation of men in these days that deny the use of the moral law to be any means of driving the soul to Christ yea or so much as the use of it in any sense to the Saints that are brought to Christ let these remember that the Apostle saith the Law is a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ not onely the Law Ceremonial but moral also See Rom. 3.31 Where he saith Do we make void the Law behold we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 And I suppose none dares say but he speaks there of the moral Law and again the Law is Just holy and good what then is there no use to be made of that which is just holy and good by beleevers under the Gospel surely yes and then Christ himself justifies maintains the Law moral in that of Matthew Mat. 5.17 18 19. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law no no I am come to fulfil it Therefore whosoever shall break one of the least of these commandments and teach men to do so shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven The Law first breaks and kills us with the fight of sin before Christ cures us and binds us up The Holy Ghost worketh and maketh faith effectuall by these three acts It puts a power and authority in the Law whereby it makes a man poor in spirit Now blessed are poor in spirit What 's the reason Mat. 5. O it makes the soul in a fit temper to receive Jesus Christ in the Gospel preached for the spirit of bondage doth make the law effectual as the spirit of adoption maketh the Gospel The second work in the soul is to receive Christ being revealed in the Gospel O here he shewes the unsearchable riches of Gods love in Christ to poor creatures yea here he shews what is the hope of his calling and the glorious inheritance of the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to them that believe certainly the Saints of God need the Spirit of God to shew these glorious mysteries Thirdly The Spirit testifies with the Spirits of the Saints First that these are true Secondly that they belong to them O when the Spirit of Christ shall say These things are thine Christ is thine God is thy father that thou art now an heir and joynt-heir with Christ and hast right to life and glory by vertue of free grace then is the soul brought into a sweet and happy condition But I would not here be mistaken I do not say that the spirit of bondage works alike upon and in all that come to Christ but in some more and in some less neither dare I limit the Holy one of Israel who is tyed to no means or wayes to call home his Saints to himself But this I say that first its Gods ordinary way of working in and with his Saints Secondly it s a safe way for the Saints to know their estates by it being that way in which the Saints have been called home to Christ in general This may inform us if that godliness have such a power in it then there are but few in the world that are acquainted with it for godliness cannot lie hid but it will break forth wheresoever it cometh there is no fire but there will be some smoak there can be no moving or acting without life its impossible for a godly soul to be a liveless soul but the generality of men are ignorant of it because they are naturally dead godliness is an herb that grows not in every mans Garden a flower not in every mans garland a Crown not set upon every mans head a garment not fit for every mans wearing No no it s that which is onely given to Saints that are redeemed from the earth by the bloud of the Lamb Christ Jesus yea it s for those that are called and chosen and faithful O how few great men and rich men in this world participate of these high priviledges or are made possessors of these riches these onely true riches which neither Moth nor Rust can corrupt Mat. 6.19 nor theeves break thorow and steal How few come to have a taste or to meddle with the Saints joy which is communicable to none but them in Christ Where is the Wise 1 Cor. 1.20 21 22 26. where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this world Not many wise men after the flesh not many noble not many mighty are called hath not God made foolish the wisdom
by mans own industry neither by parts gifts learning or what ever man as meer man is able to attain to That its the meer gift of God flowing to Saints in the streams of the blood of the Covenant of Grace all these are but signs or preparatives to know whether godliness be in thee or no for thou maist know all this and yet be far from the power of godliness but if thou art not clearly convinced of these four particulars let me tell thee thou hast not so much as the least part or step so much as towards the power of godliness These things thus premised we shall proceed First then If the power of godliness dwel in thee thou art changed from an estate of nature to an estate of grace thou art delivered from the power of Satan and translated into the Kingdom of Christ yea This man hath the witness of the Spirit of God in himself and thou knowest it and art convinced of it in thine own conscience for it s not with thee as with a yong Christian that is onely in the nonage of his conversion for he that hath the power of godliness dwelling in him is one of a high Form in the School of Christ yea his condition is such that he can appeal to Christ and Conscience that this power dwells in him and is daily acted by him Where this power dwells there sin is mortified such a man is dead to sin sin cannot seize or take hold on him he hath no lust no affection to entertain the least sin it s not enough that thou art no drunkard no base company-keeper no profane swearer but thou must be dead to every sin of what nature soever it be He that is born of God cannot sin that is so as other men sin with consent of the Will with the least allowance of any sin no though thou mightest gain a Kingdom to tell a lye yet thou wouldst not do it yea though thou mightest be made the greatest Prince in the world if thou wouldst but swear by thy faith and troth yea thou wouldst tremble at it and refuse it esteeming godliness to be the best gain and the reason is first because the Love of God constraineth thee so to do secondly for that the fear and dread of the great God of heaven and earth lieth deep upon thy spirit and for the truth of this thou canst appeal unto God who is the searcher of the hearts and reins of his people Thirdly If godliness dwell in thee then grace is predominant in the course of thy life for grace is the very rock and foundation whereon godliness is built therefore as the cause is so is the effect as I have formerly declared even as sin hath by Adam raigned unto death so grace by Jesus Christ might raign to eternal life so that when a temtation comes and is offered unto thee thou canst say as Joseph to his Mistress How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God how shall I sin against that God who hath been so gratious so tender-hearted and loving unto me who pitied me cleansed me and took me into his bosome when I lay in my blood and filthiness O how shall I how dare I how can I attempt to sin against the God of all my mercies and so wound the peace of mine own conscience and eclipse the enjoyment of that sweet communion with God which I prize and value more then heaven and earth yea then all that can be thought upon Fourthly He that hath godliness in him is an holy and sanctified man in all maner of conversation in his thoughts words and actions he walks up to his profession his head heart hands and feet yea all the faculties of the soul and members of the body are for God and for Christ yea he yeildeth universal obedience to all that God commands as David saith Psal 119.6 I have respect unto all thy Commandements the man doth not pick and chuse what to obey and what not he pleads no exemption of any he leaves not some and takes others his eye is upon them all his Wil is for the performance of all his obedience is not partial but total all Gods Commandements are his delight and meditation day and night the whole bent of his desires runs after the Laws of God its sufficient to him that God commands it he is as willing yea as ready to obey as God is to command It s speedy When God commands he will not delay Gen. 22.3 though it be to offer up his dearest Isaac as Abraham when he was commanded to offer up his son the Text saith He did rise very early in the morning he deferred no time and when Zacheus saw Christ Luke 19.5 6. He came down hastily to receive him joyfully It s willing and chearful obedience Zacheus received Christ joyfully David rejoyced to run the wayes of Gods Commandements Psal 119.16 yea and Christ rejoyced to do the Will of his Father for God loves a chearful doer If ye be willing and obedient then ye shall eat the good things of the Land but if ye refuse and be rebellious ye shall be devoured with the Sword for the month of the Lord hath spoken it So you see it s required to be willing to obey whatever God commands It must be diligent obedience for as the hand of the diligent maketh rich in things temporal Heb. 11.6 Psa 119.4 and is a duty commanded so much more in things spiritual the diligent inquisitive soul after God and godliness is a thirsting soul it stores up grace and comfort against the time of need it s like the Ant in the Proverbs that provideth in the Summer against the Winter The power of godliness puts a man upon diligence in hearing the Word in prayer in meditation it makes a man to make his often addresses unto the throne of Grace and watchful after every opportunity to manifest his love to God to Christ and to the Saints and to be very active in doing what God commands This obedience is continual it s not to obey now and to disobey anon to serve God to day and the devil to morrow no the truly godly man cannot serve God and Mammon God will not be served by fits and starts he will admit of no interpositions or mixtures God is a perfect God and requireth perfect obedience it must be a continued act from the first hour that the power of godliness entred into the soul even unto the expiration of its last breath it must be the souls whole desire to be continually active for God in the general course of its life That soul in whom Christ or the power of godliness dwells is often in communion with God yea and it prizeth it at an higher rate then heaven and earth and all things that can be thought upon there is no pleasure profit preferment or dignity whatsoever that can divert him from this fellowship wherein
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God it throwes it self into the armes of Christ on whom it is fixed there it is unremoveable there it lives and there it dies Where godliness dwels there dwels the Spirit of love for God is love and he makes his Saints like to himself as the father is the Father of love so are his children the children of love certainly this grace makes a man love God in the first place and secondly it makes him love his people who are Gods off-spring a man may safely conclude where there is no love there is none of God dwelling in that soul if we do but consider how little love there is among many of those who are called professors in these dayes it would make a man amazed O the inhumane carriages of men to men yea to those that they themselves do confess are truly godly O the bitterness the censoriousness of men against their brethren especially if they do but differ from them but in things circumstantial Away cry they with such a man let him be admonished and then if he will not be of our mindes let him be hanged or banished Witness the late London Remonstrance but if he scape either of these either for want of Law or Power then say they Let us Petition that he may have no place of publike trust yea let us do what we can to weary him out of the Parish where he dwels if he be a Minister he shall not come into the Pulpit to Preach though known not only to be godly but sound in the faith and of long standing yea though it be for the fulfilling of the desire of the dead it shall not be granted but pleaded against even by them which formerly thought all that he said to be Gospel yea and yet these bitter spirits must be looked upon as professors of the Gospel of Christ as if the word of God and his Spirit were of contrary meanings O know that such a spirit as this is none of the spirit of Christ certainly these men have not obeyed that exhortation of the Apostle to the Ephesians Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice And be kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you and walk in love even as Christ hath loved us and given himself for us O it s very sad to consider what a spirit of bitterness is gone out over this Kingdom yea in this City of London especially if a man ask them the reason they are to seek for an answer but truly it s because they hear with other mens ears and see with other mens * That is with the eyes of the Clergy at least many of them for I at a morning Lecture heard one of them who is famous for rayling say that those rebels meaning the Army had now got all the strong holds of the Kingdom into their hands with an intent to cut our throats now they send forth their Ministers to Preach to us a Sermon of brotherly love And then he said that it was a mark of a deceiver to preach of brotherly love the Spirit of meekness and peace c. but that honest piece called the Pulpit-incendiary hath Characterized them and him I shall not stain my pen with his nomination eyes but at last let them know they must answer for themselves another day and I am confident when these men come to die they shall have as little peace and comfort from this spirit of bitterness as the malefactor hath from the hangman when he comes to the Gallows wherefore remember this that wheresoever godliness dwels there dwels a spirit of love meekness gentleness long-suffering and forbearance there dwels tender-heartedness and bowels of compassion each to the other and therefore never believe mens professions but look on their practices and carriages each to others for the Spirit of Christ is a spirit of love and of a sound minde I have heard of one that hath said he hath trembled to think of giving way to a godly Minister in this City that he should come into his Pulpit and yet I am confident he that spake the words was not worthy to carry the others book after him neither for godliness nor learning Was not this man of that minde that Jeroboam was who would not let Israel go up to worship at Jerusalem under this pretence because it was too far but the truth was it was for fear it would weaken his Kingdom and so his greatness might have been eclipsed so did not this man tremble not for fear of error but for fear he should steal away the hearts of the people its good for men to know their own hearts certainly this is far from the spirit of Love which is the Spirit of Christ Where godliness dwels that soul never findes so much sweetness in any thing as he doth in the wayes of God as David saith Thy Word is sweeter then the honey Psal 119. and the honey comb thy Word is better then thousands of gold and silver As the Hart panteth after the rivers of water so panteth my soul after thee O God and I rejoyced in thy Word as one that findeth great spoil It s a lanthorn to my feet and a light unto my paths c. O with what an eager pursuit will the soul follow after the Ordinances of Christ it will force thorow all contrary ingagements and oppositions to meet with Christ it hath alwayes an eye fixt upon the loveliness and beauty of Christ it breathes after the reflections of his glory its restless thoughts travel with pain untill they be eased and lodged in the bosome of Christ untill when they shall never injoy their chief delight and comfort all its study is for communion with Christ and for the enjoyment of his glory whereever it is whatever its about it s alwayes harping upon eternity the further enjoyment of grace here and glory hereafter Come to a soul who hath tasted of the sweetness of Christ and knows what it is to enjoy communion with God who hath tasted of the flagons of his love ask such a soul What wouldest thou have O saith the soul this I would have that I might never sin against God more that I might be as instrumētal for the glory of God as ever any man was upon the earth then I am sure I should enjoy more of God then now I do When David had tasted how good the Lord was he was ravished with his sweetness and he would have others taste also O come and taste and see how gratious the Lord is O here is the godly mans delight My delight is in thy Law and I will meditate thereon day and night In this he findes all excellencies Psas 1. here he findes profits and pleasures preferments riches honors and whatever his soul can desire what joy
it was God that chose thee thou didst nor couldst not choose him O that an incomprehensible God should be comprehended by a poor wretched creature that he should bestow himself upon him and give him the riches of his grace O let the Saints for ever breath out thanks and praise to this gratious God and begin that work on earth which shall be their work for ever in the highest Heavens From the consideration of your redemption 3. Redemptio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is no less then a glorious redemption as being bought with a glorious price not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the pretious blood of Jesus Christ of more worth and excellency then all the created powers in heaven and earth Consider what you are Redeemed from First From the curse of the Law Secondly From the wrath of an infinite God Thirdly From the power of sin Fourthly From a vain conversation Fifthly from the second death Sixthly Out of the jaws of Satan that great red dragon even from hell and condemnation What you are Redeemed to First To be in an estate of Son-ship to be the Sons of God Secondly To be heirs and joynt heirs with Jesus Christ Thirdly To have a sweet communion with God Christ and the Spirit of grace Fourthly To have communion with Saints Fifthly To enjoy life glory for ever where you shall sin no more where all teares shall be wiped from your eyes where you shall reign with God Christ Saints and Angels to all Eternity O this cals for thankfulness render unto him therefore the praises due unto his name 4. Justificatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est propria ipsa judicis de innocente reo pronunciatio significatione nimirum activa The consideration of your justification which is done by the merits of Christ that is to be fully acquitted of all sin as if a man had never sinned to stand right and just in the sight of God Christ having paid the debt to Divine Justice and blotted out the hand-writing against you so as now it s with the Saints as if they had never been defiled with sin you and onely you are they which stand justified in his sight in that fift to the Romans are these three words used viz. Justifying Justification Justice and they are thus distinguished The first Signifieth the merit of Christs Justice whereby the Saints are Justified The second The action it self of Justification whereby Christs Justice is communicated to the Saints The third the Justice it self which is imparted and communicated to the Saints you know by sin every man is bound over to the Judgment Seat there to answer before God for all things done against him in the flesh and to pay that debt that the Law requires now Christ is the Saints surety and in their behalf hath taken this debt upon himself and hath paid the utmost farthing that can be exacted by the Law he hath loosed the chains of darkness broken the strong holds and hath enlarged and set free the Saints in the sight of God so that neither the Law sin nor the devil can lay any charge or accusation against them they have their pardon written on their breast declaring there is no condemnation unto us because we are in Christ Jesus let the Saints therefore never cease to magnifie and praise the name of the God of their Salvation From the consideration of your vocation 5. Vocatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your calling out of darkness into the marvellous light whereby you can rejoyce in God your Saviour whereby your soul enjoyes the manifestation of all its comforts yea of its communion with God and Christ while its in the body God might have called his Saints at the last hour of their departure out of this life and so they might have lived without God in this world as every man doth before his calling and so without comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost now then if one hours communion with God be more worth then thousands of worlds O how are the Saints bound to bless God for so great a mercy as their enjoyment of communion with him here in this life for many days and yeers after they are called praise God therefore for your Vocation 6. Sanctificatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the consideration of your Sanctification and holiness a godly man ought to be as truly and really thankful that his sins are purged as that his sins are pardoned it is one of the greatest mercies that a soul can partake of to be purified washed and cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to receive of Christs communicated holiness to be imputed holy for Christs sake so that he who hath this robe of righteousness is made pure yea so pure and holy as if he had never sinned the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin and this holiness and purity of spirit is a soul invested with by vertue of the blood of Christ flowing to it in the Covenant of Grace O this must needs be a strong motive to inlarge your hearts with gratitudes for so inestimable a mercy to be made pure as Christ is pure and holy as he is holy and for that this your holiness and Sanctification is not only universal but its perfect in its parts in every part of soul and body God doth not sanctifie one part now and another part at another time but he sanctifieth the soul thorowly at one the same time Therefore know that if thy heart be sanctified then thy judgment thy will thy understanding thy affections yea all the members of thy body and all the faculties of thy soul are sanctified also Yet you must know likewise that no man is perfect in the degrees of holiness on this side heaven yet bless God who ever thou art who knowest that sanctifying grace doth rest upon thy spirit here for though now it be in part yet it shall be made perfect in heaven for ever The seventh and last motive to stir up the Saints to thankfulness is this that thou who art a partaker of the power of godliness shalt be preserved to Eternal Life in spight of sin devil hell or any thing that can gainsay thou mayest slip and fail but never totally fall thou hast the spirit of God to guide and sustain thee thou art already passed from death to live with God eternally thou shalt never miscarry concerning thy eternal being thy trips and slidings shall but set thee forwarder on thy journey God will be thy God for evermore thou art safe for eternity and thy soul lieth in the bosome of Christ thou art given to Christ of the Father and those the Father hath given him he hath promised that none shall take them from him O bless the God of Gods whose mercy endureth for ever whose love is permanent whose purpose immutable and whose power All-sufficient to preserve thy soul and body unto eternal life Vse 6