to give Laws too and art thou willing to follow the Laws of none other Lord alas when he hath given thee Laws there is no other Law for any other to make after him an excellent place to this purpose is that in Eccl. 2.12 For what can the man do that comes after the King he saith before I turned my self to behold Wisdom Madness and Folly what was that why in the latter end of the Verse even that which is already done I turned my self to behold Wisdom Wisdom in the King to act Laws for his people and when I saw the wisdom of that King I thought it was both madness and folly to think to act with more wisdom for what can the man do that comes after the King it is an interogation implying anogation what can the man do that comes after the King truly nothing who hath either wisdom or power to act after the King if it should be of the Laws of the Church why that 's already done now soul hast thou received Christ to be thy Priest Prophet and King thy Priest to offer for thee thy Prophet to Teach thee and thy King to give Laws too and Rule over thee and to deliver thee from thine enemies Spiritual and Temporal yea from Wrath to come why if so thou hast some ground to hope Jesus was Sacrificed for thee Fifthly Hast thou Faith precious Faith as Peter calls it 2 Pet. 1.1 'T is a good sign thou belongest to the Lord for that 's it I drive at in the main to give thee a little hope that thou art precious in the sight of God and art within the compass of electing love or one for whom Christ dyed faith now is a precious grace and it may be precious upon a double account 1. In respect of the giver 2. In respect of the Vertue of the Grace it self Oh what a precious God is the Giver of this gift he gives perfect gifts and what a precious grace is this when given by God 't is of an inestimable value 't is that that doth make the Saints rich rich in Faith Abrahams faith was counted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.5 And he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life John 3. last Not he may have it but he hath it already 't is made sure to him this faith is of a large extent and will do mighty things it will remove Mountains of sin and corruptions into the Sea of forgetfulness Yea what ever we ask in Faith it shall be given us Mark 11.24 And as Faith is the greatest and powerfullest grace so unbelief is the greatest sin Christ saith he will send the Spirit to reprove the World of sin and what is that sin you may be in John 16.9 Of sin because they believe not on me so they could not enter in because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 And without Faith 't is unpossible to please God Heb. 11.6 So that you see unbelief is our greatest evil but in a few words Faith will help us do these things 1. It will help us to give up our selves to God for to follow him this was that which made Abraham go up out of his own Countrey Gen. 12.4 Though he knew not whether he went as 't is repeated Heb. 11.8 Faith will do more then we can express it will carry a soul forth above fear and above reproach above good and bad report through Fire and Water how did it elevate the Spirits of those Champions for Christ in that little Book of Martyrs Heb. 11. 2. Faith will enable us to receive Christ and good things from him that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith how by Faith Eph. 3.17 And good things from him too it was by faith that Sara'h had strength to conceive Seed and to bring forth a Child and by Faith Elizabeth and Mary bare the two greatest that ever were on Earth Heb. 11.11 and the first of Luke many more of this kind might be urged but I hasten Ah soul to thee that believest all things are possible therefore if thou findest this Spirit of Faith in thee 't is a good sign Christ is Sacrificed for thee Sixthly It is a good sign thy sins are aquitted if Christ be of an inestimable value to thee he that had found this Pearl of Price sold all that he had to buy it Matth. 14.46 There are many precious in the World many precious Friends and Relations yea more then these there is that good name so much gazed after among men That is more precious then fine Gold and all other precious things Prov. 22.1 Eccl. 7.1 Yet all these and all he hath doth he not value at the rate that he value's the Pearl of Price Oh unto you that believe to you that Christ hath been Sacrificed for Christ is very precious Ah soul is Christ more precious to thee then all things hath he the highest room in thy heart higher then thy Teacher I speak to thee that dost as 't were deifie thy Minister And thou Minister if it should fall into thy hand to peruse this hath Christ a room in thy heart higher then they that sit in the highest seat in the Meeting I speak to you that are partial and have such respect to persons you that the great ones do so seat themselves about in their attendancises on the Word I tell you a man may love Christ more then sinners and yet not love him more then Saints especially them that bring you in your greatest revenues you 'l say is there any such as these If you should I would answer you by another question what meaneth your bearing with great ones great faults when you 'l rebuke the poor of the Flock sharply for a smaller faults but you will it may be say I am out of my way well to return how dost thou prize Jesus Christ above all things then 't is a good sign Christ is thine and thou art his try as thou goest along for this is indeed the only distinguishing Carracter of a Believer Enlarge it in thy Meditation Seventhly They that have Christ slain for them will not do as the multitude do neither as the multitude of oppressors nor as the very multitude of professors do Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil alas there be many very many too too many professors go on in an evil way in the neglect of many duties and in many evil ways and unwarrantable paths and have no Scripture light to guide them they take up things on trusts it may be because such and such do so but the true Believer will not do so He knows many be called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 And narrow is the Way and straight is the Gate Luke 7.13 Poor soul thou seest the great numbers of the World running after their lusts and taking their swing in ungodly ways in excessive eating and drinking and rioting I and the professing world too they are posting on as fast though in a
the soul begins to see it 's own unworthiness then it will be much fearing that it shall not be accepted will he think you entertain me then Christ shews not only his beauty but his willingness too to embrace thee and saith do you think I am unwilling Alas that is the great complaint I have to make of you You will not come to me that you may have life John 5.40 Alas man there is no want of will in me but in thy self I have done all that I can to make thee willing which is a clear proof of my willingness I have shewed thee that there is a necessity of coming to me he that 's stung cannot be healed unless he look unto me I have shewed thee that there is no cure any where else no acceptance no duty pleasing to God unless you come to me no no man thou canst do nothing without me John 15.5 And that there is neither name nor thing under Heaven by which you can be saved but by me Acts 4.12 If I had told you there had been any cure by your own Faith or your own Repentance or any thing else then indeed you might have said I was not willing because I told you you might seek remedy else where but I tell you I am very willing yea and I do wait for your acceptance of the love that I have declared to you Oh that you would not be unkind to me nor so cruel to your selves as to keep me out of your hearts any longer I profess I am not willing of your ruine but rather that you would be healed I have life for dead souls I have light for dark souls I have strength for weak souls I have holiness for pulluted souls I have ease for pained souls I have health saving health for sick souls I have bread for the hungry and drink for the thirsty clothing for the naked I have Salvation for lost souls nay what have I not that good is and this I have revealed and declared I have brought life yea and eternal life immortallity to light through the Gospel and yet notwithstanding all that I have shewed to manifest their necessity and my own willingness yet I am forced after all to complain that there is none or hardly any that stirreth up himself to take hold on me me and my light me and my life me and my righteousness though they see all their own righteousness to be as filthy Dung-hill rags yet they will not stir up themselves to take hold on me with my all Isa 64 7. Come poor trembling sinner come take hold of my strength come thou that sin is ready to burn up thy spirit I have water that shall allay that heat come buy of me Wine to pour into thy wounds come man without money of thy own righteousness or thy own merit come without thine own worthiness and when a poor soul is brought to see this indeed why then in the next place Sixthly The Soul even leans on it's Beloved then Lord I am thine and will be thine then it runs hastens to this strong Tower wherein it shall be safe Prov. 18.10 Now the soul is lodged safely in the bosom of it 's beloved Oh soul who ever thou be that stand'st trembling and art afraid thou art not worthy I tell thee he want's not thy worth but thy willingness to accept his worth therefore prethee give thy consent this day this present hour before thou stir one foot out of the place never talk of asking counsel of friends nor biding them farewel that are at home as he in the Gospel now saith God I never told thee another time nor too morrow But now is the time the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 And too day if thou wilt hear my voice Heb. 3.7 Oh now say as his children that had back sliden from him when he bid them return Jer. 3.22 Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God If it hath not been done before let this be the Marriage-day let the knot be knit this day do not put him off tell to morrow he may leave thee to morrow to the hardness of thy heart and thou mayst dye in thy sins and be damned It may be some poor soul may now say but I have not observed this all along in my soul therefore I doubt 't is not well with me it may be so soul yet there may be some that have and some can remember the manner how the place where the time when God did call them to himself and yet notwithstanding thou hast not taken such special notice of Gods way yet Christ may be as truly thine as his I this would rejoyce my heart indeed would'st thou say if I knew it but how shall I know it truly this leads me to the thing I promised you to try my self and you according to the measure and rule of the Law of liberty and here I would perswade thee to fall to the work of examination and bring thy self to the Touch-stone of the Word and if I speak not according to the rule say that 's mine but if it be according to the Word take heed thou reject it not for by that Word thou must and I must stand or fall I and presently too do not put it off If thou wouldst have present comfort to thy soul or if thou would know thy danger to it presently Oh I am afraid they that are so loath to come to the Sanctuary weights and measure will at last when they are broughtt to it be found with that motto on their foreheads as is left on Record touching the tryal of Beltshazar that wicked man Dan. 5.27 Tekel thou art weighed in the Ballances and art found wanting Prethee Soul come to the Sanctuary-scale betimes that if thou should be found to light thou might have time to get weight before the Market time be over and done and here in this tryal I shall not confine my self to that one only distinguishing Carracter that I find some Learned faithful men in the Church of Christ do give out as the only distinguishing Carracter for souls to Judge their state by and that is whether God the Father God the Son God the Spirit or else some inferior thing be it what it will or can be be a mans or souls chief good and the onely object of his delight and happiness In plain English whether or no upon due search as we say in cold blood that is when a man on the one hand is not lifted up in any way from the Earth from the consideration of trouble that sometimes are met withall among terrene things nor on the other hand when a man lyes pressed hard with some violent temptation that he seems to take little delight in God as Job Jeremiah and David when Gods hand pressed them fore these are not times for a man to pass a right Judgement of his state and he that thus and then judges himself judges only
you 1 Pet. 4.14 And then for the other thing to joy in tribulation that is a degree that is above bare suffering take that Text in Rom. 5.3 We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Is that all no not only so but we glory in tribulation also 'T is a clear sign that if thou canst suffer for Christ thou art happy and 't is a clear or rather more clear when thou canst glory in suffering for Christ see how it is with you XXI Is thy heart born up under any affliction and livest above the troubles of this life and dost not murmur nor repine at the hand of God take a Text for this because I should be loath thou should ground thy confidence on any opinion of mine Isa 33.24 The Inhabitants shall not say they are sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity They shall not say they are sick the sence of pardon doth take away the sence of pain the sence of sin being taken away doth carry them above the sence of sickness Oh precious Word worthy to be writtn in Carracters of Gold this is a high and noble degree of grace I do confess XXII Canst thou go on cheerfully in thy way where God hath set thee canst thou go on comfortably in thy Calling and about thy Imployment that God calleth thee too It may be thou lookest on this with a slight eye I know not how it is with thee but I profess I find this as hard as any when the Eununch was brought home to God in Acts 8.39 'T is said he went on his way rejoycing It made the poor man so cheerful that he went on his way rejoycing but I 'le not stay on this try how it is with thee soul if I can but a little help thee I have what I aime at XXIII Art thou willing to do good and to communicate to others thy poor brethren the Saints this they did in the Acts 2.44.45 They had all things common they sold their possessions and parted to them that had need Oh what is become of this Spirit in our days where shall a man find an old Church in so glorious a Spirit as this young Church was in oh 't is sad to tell how the bowels both of People and Ministers too are shut up at this day and he is noted to be none of the Lords Children that Hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him 1 Joh. 3.17 Understand this aright he doth not say to any one no but seeth his Brother in need Thy Brother in Christ and 't is a right Spirit to be ready to distribute willing to communicate not to be haled to it as a Bear to the Stake but to be ready and forward as Paul speaks of them in 2 Cor. 9.2 For I know the forwardness of your minds for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a year ago To be so ready to give that you rather wait to grive then to be asked this is a good sign of thee XXIV Doth thy heart rise within thee against sin and the filthy conversation of the wicked and the company of the wicked too I put altogether for 't is of the same Impost the soul of that righteous Lot was vexed and was moved within him To see the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 8. He see their sin and his heart did rise to see their unlawful deeds and to hear their Ungodly Oaths and speeches and indeed this is the true nature of a child to have his heart risen within him when his Father is wronged thou maist 't is possible rise against sin in thy self as 't is an enemy to thy own wellfare and as 't will ruine thee but this is not so clear a mark thou hatest sin as when thou hatest sin where ever thou seest it the true child will not onely hate that he himself shall wrong his Father but that others should wrong him that he hates too the very affection of a child cannot but stir to see his Father wronged which brings to my mind a story I have heard of a Dumb-son of Cresus that seeing one about to smite his Father the affection in him broke the bars of his speech and made him cry out to the astonishment of others in these words O kill not Cresus thus the genuous childs affections will stir within him if his Father be smit at Oh soul is it thus with thee is thy soul vexed and grieved to see the dead of the wicked and dost thou loath the company of the wicked they that are Gods care not for the company of the wicked in Jer. 15.17 Isat not in the assembly of Mockers so David Ps 26.4 5. I have not sat with vain persons neither will I go in with dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the Wicked Note the expression will not sit with them his will is not with them that is his delight is not in them poor man he was fain to be with them and a great while too which put him to complain in Ps 120.6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace if I do but speak of peace they are for war I would be quiet but they are all for fighting A poor soul must of necessity be with them sometimes I but I will not I delight not to be among them I do not love their company I care so little for them that I would not be buried with them that seems to be intimated in that Psal 26. quoted even now Ver. 9. saith David there Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men gathering what is that by it is mean't burying 't is a word that was used in Old Testament times Gen. 25.8 Abraham dyed in a good old age and was gathered to his people So David saith Gather not my life with wicked Men I never loved their company in my life nor do I desire to have it when I dye now soul is it thus with thee 't is a good sign thou art a child of good because thou hatest the Image of the Devil XXV Dost thou prefere Gods work before thy own imployment before thy own advantage if thou dost 't is a good sign thou art a child of God this Spirit was found in Nehemiah when Samballat and Geshem sent to him he sent them word back again That he was doing a great work and he could not come down Nehem. 6.3 Why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you Oh how many thousand of professors in our age doth this one Text condemn how many professors in our days will not onely leave Gods work when they are sent for but will leave the work of God without being sent for Men are so far from giving Nehemiah's reply that they plead for leaving Gods work to follow their own and
but Lord thou hast said Micab 7.19 20. Thou wilt subdue our iniquities and cast our sins into the depth's of the Sea Oh Lord perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham that thou hast promised yea sworn to our Fathers in the days of old Now soul if thou dost find in thee a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication that thou canst plead with God in his promises as I have instanced here in one why then 't is a good sign thou art thy self called of God and precious in his sight but I would hasten toward an end of these things XXIX 'T is a good sign thou thy self art in Christ if thou art willing to bring others into Christ grace is of a diffusive nature it will spread it self Peter saith Christ when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22.23 It may be this is of a second conversion and you know Paul speaks of travelling in Birth again till Christ be found in the Gallatians Gal. 4.19 It seems to intimate they were born before but were turned aside to crooked pathes for saith Paul Verse 20. I stand in doubt of you but I will not dispute it here but leave it to the sober wise but however When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren that is do what thou canst to convert and confirm others in their most Holy Faith Wherefore Brethren edifie one another as also ye do 1 Thess 5.11 Grace will beget and strengthen as many as it can it will draw others what may be to the good ways of God Come saith David and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul His spirit was full it was ready to break before it had vent and thus it was with the Woman of Samaria when she had once heard Christ She run into the City and saith Come oh come and see a man that told me all that ever I did She was willing they should know all that ever she knew of Christ and so saith Paul I would thou wer 't such as I am except these hods Acts 26.29 Oh how did his soul long for the conversion of others in Rom. 10.1 My hearts desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved Soul is it thus with thee dost thou know thy friends and relations to be in an unconverted estate and dost thou long and pray they may be converted Is thy fellowship with the Father And dost thou desire their fellowship may be with you with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ and dost thou declare to others what thou hast seen and heard of Jesus Christ that thou mayest draw them into fellowship with Jesus 1 John 1.3 If so 't is a good sign thou art one in Christ XXX And lastly If thou art in Christ thou lovest the Saints of Christ not love them barely as they are men but as they are Saints a man may love another but not upon the account as he is a Christian man he may love him as he is of a sweet behaviour and carriage or as he is a relation or as an aquaintance or as a friend that may be profitable to a man in the World I but I speak of love to a Saint as he is a Saint and therefore Christ saith He that giveth to a Prophet not as he is a man or a friend But as in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward Matt. 10.41.42 Now I say if thou lovest Christ's Disciples thus thou art in Christ and Christ saith by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples how so why If you love one another John 13.35 This Spirit was in Moses which made him say If thou wilt not forgive their sin blot me out of thy Book Exod. 32.32 Which Book we would with submission say 't is the Book of his Temporary Life and truly this was great love that he would lay down his life for Israel in this he was a Type of our Lord so David had a great love to the Saints and a delight in the Saints Psal 16.3 To the Saints and to the excellent in the Earth in whom is all my delight Had David nothing else to set a little of his delight upon yes David was a King he had a Crown and many things else to have delighted in but to the Saints and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Davids delight was all on the Saints and that with good reason because they were most excellent Why had not David many mighty Men of Valour that were excellent ones you may see a whole Catalogue of Davids Worthies in the 1 Chron. 11.10 to the end and were none of these Noble Princes of valor that were in his Court his delight no saith David to the Saints in whom is all my delight and it will appear by the delight he had in the company of them that fear the Lord Psal 119.63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee Not of Nobles and great Men of whom then Of all that fear thee why David there be some poor Men that fear God dost not thou think scorn David being a King to company with poor Men no saith David I am a companion of all that fear thee and 't is so with others too saith David Vers 74. They that fear thee will be glad to see me or when they see me the Saints be glad to see one another therefore David saith again Verse 79. Let those that fear thee turn unto me be they poor or rich be they those that fear thee Oh let them turn unto me be they Servants or any I 'le keep them company that fear the Lord I but David would it not credit thy Court to keep Ranters and Swearers for the World saith he is no Gentleman that cannot swear no saith David I 'le keep no such as they are My eye shall be on the Faithful in the Land they shall dwell with me Psal 101.6 7. But for those that work deceit they shall not dwell in my house nor he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight This was the Spirit that was in David he loved the Saints let them be poor or rich be they Masters or Servants All that fear thee I am a companion toe by the way give me leave one word to those one 's of this age we live in Sirs how many will Davids practice condemn he was a companion of all that fear God he was a King and it may be thou art some Trades man and yet thou thinkest scorn to converse with the poor Saints if he be some of the great ones of the City then thou art a companion of such but if a poor Saint come to thee then thou art in hast or some one or another stay for me this is a sad Spirit that is crept in among us in these days And from this also may Ministers themselves be rebuked and that sharply too truly among you men of low estate are low in esteem for ought I
pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 Ah soul I know not so well what thou hast as I know what I have but I have mine iniquity and I do fear so hast thou few that ever I met with but had one beloved above all other this is that David kept himself from Psal 18.23 I kept my self from mine iniquity Oh take head that thine iniquity do not draw thee back but follow the Lord and keep on his way not only begin but follow on Hes 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord there is the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ before but take heed and look forward for if thou look back there is Hell behind at thy heels if thou draw back it will be to perdition Oh that we may never draw back for if we do the fault will be ours for God if he hath begun a good work will go on to perform it or as it may be read finish it Phill. 1.6 Let us then go on after Christ and not draw back from him but Thirdly And lastly to the Saints live as it becometh those that are called by him and make profession of him hath he loved thee with an everlasting love and therefore with loving kindness hath he drawn thee Jer. 31.3 And wilt thou not answer his love by thy Life Oh soul wilt thou not stand for him and own him in bad days wilt thou not plead his cause against all enemies that plead's thy cause with the Father hath God given thee a gift oh improve it for Christ thy Lord he hath dyed for thee and wilt not thou live to him doth he appear before God for thee and wilt not thou appear before Men for his Name sake 't is sad to see how men sneak away and diseart Christ's cause under fine specious pretences 't is not prudence to do things say they when Authority would not have it so and so they have a pretence to cover themselves with that pretence this kind of Spirit was found in some of old in Holy Philpots time said he some persons make themselves a Clock to keep of the Rain with pretence of obeying Magistrates whom we ought to obey though they be evil and wicked but saith he such must learn to give Caesar his and God his due and with Peter obey the higher powers in the Lord c. this he speaks by reason of the cowardness of their Spirits in their Masters cause but oh soul that I could prevail with thee and my own soul to stand to Christs cause Oh I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day bear witness all ye that see or hear of this that I call upon you to plead Christ caused and hold fast his Name and not run away and leave Christ oh live as those that become the Gospel in this very thing oh sad 't is to tell there be some that in this respect have cause the very adversary to speak reproach fully and to blaspheme and as these are cowardly in Christs cause so there are others very debauched in their practices would to God there were no cause to say professors keep loose company many there are that keep a Club with vain Fellows I and I am afraid many times drink to excess oh take shame to your selves who are guilty this is loathsom in the sight of the truly Godly and I tell you you give them just occasion to judge you Hypocritical and rotten at the heart and to spare no rank let me be plain with you who take it upon you to be the Lords Watchmen you of the Ministry 't is sad that you that should be reproevers should fall justly under reproof or rather for I am on exhortation now you that should exhort others should need be exhorted and yet what lives do some of you lead I am ashamed to say debauched of you Oh insteed of a holy self denying life how many of you live an Earthly flesh pleasing life and how are your Families trained up insteed of the School of Christ it may be in a Dancing-School or at the Musick is this a life that becometh Professors but by this time I think I hear some of you begin to say is not it lawful to recreate our selves I am not minded here to answer all the cavils that the flesh will raise but this I 'le said Paul said indeed All things were lawful that is as I conceive with respect to conscience of his own but not expedient that is with respect to conscience of anothers and to my knowledge there are some hardened by your practices Oh how sad is it to see Ministers Wives Children and Families as well as other Professors come into the Congregation and insteed of being patterns of piety are patterns of Pride that insteed of having it said of them they were Modest and adorned with meekness and humility in modest apparel shameful it might be said they were proud high-minded and clad in gaudy Robes like pictures set to sell but I leave you to dispute it with one that will nonplusse you in all your disputations and silence all your objections but Saint thou that art truly such what ever others do though they Eclipse and darken the Glory of God and Religion yet do thou let thy light so shine that others may see thy good works and glorifie God Oh soul have a shinning conversation so saith the Apostle Phill. 1.27 Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel Art thou Christ's live as one that wouldst honour Christ it will be an honour to Christian profession it will be a comfort to those that were instrumental in begetting thee to God they will be able to stand up one day and say behold here I am and the Children that thou hast given me Heb. 2.13 Oh I call upon professors now to adorn Religion when the wicked scorn it do you adorn it and you that are members of Churches I do not say of Christ for it doth not appear by you how do you honour Christ when there is no order nor government in your Families no Justice no pitty or if any but a meer carcase insteed of having the Master in the Family at even when the duty of his particular calling is over he is in the Coffee-house which may justly be called the Night Exchange not so much to Traffick as to quaffe it insteed of an exhortation to thy Family and Servants it may be thou sit telling or else hearing a merry jest among thy Company or at best insteed of thy Bible in thy hands asking thy Children and Servants what 's God or Christ or the Holy Ghost it may be thou sittest with Cards in thy hands asking who deals who leads the Table or what 's Trump Sirs take it how you will I speak not groundlesly is this to honour Christ and the profession of Religion Oh let it not be told in Gath nor published in Askelon Oh never wrong Religion so much as to take the