our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves with themselves by comparing themselves among themselves are not wise Prov. 30. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet not washed from their filthiness By these texts you may see what miserable judgment men will make of things when they walk by the light of their own eyes contrary to Gods express charge Deut. 12. 8. You shall not do after all things ye hear this day every man what is right in his own eyes Secondly Another Cause may be this when you measure what you know by what once you did know not considering that further knowledge forceth further light and cals for proportionable practise When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things Thirdly When you measure what you know by seeing others that profess they know do as they do Tit. 1. 16. They profess they know God but in works they deny him Other mens actions must no further be a rule for us notwithstanding their knowledge then as their actions accord with Gods Word the rule of knowledge Fourthly When you measure what you know by what you are disposed to practise or do men pick and choose what Commands they will observe and how to observe them in our dayes Some Commands suit more with the nature and disposition of persons than other Commands do they that cannot endure Drunkenness can give way to passion they that cannot endure uncleanness can give way to Covetousness but as the victory is glorious when gotten over what was most difficult so measuring what we know not by what we are disposed to do but what God commands us to do is the truest way or rule to measure by for the carnal man will make the Law of Nations his guide the moral man the ten Commandments his guide the Antichristian man the false Spirit his guide and all measure themselves by their guide but the undeceived Christian man makes Gods Word his guide and measures what he knows by his walking like that To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word 't is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. Fifthly When you measure not what you know by what God in his Word calls you personally to do when those especial Commands that lyeth upon you as Husband to Wife Wife to Husband Father to Child Child to Father Master to Servant Servant to Master are left undone or so lamely done that they are full of cracks and flaws the Religion of such is vain and contrary comparisons to this as vain and deceitful This was the evil of the Scribes and Pharisees they minded Annise and Cummin but neglected judgment mercy and faith the weightier matters of the Law all doings are shows without substance while the weightier matters are left undone James 1. 26. If any man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue he deceives his own heart this mans Religion is in vain Consider this in the fear of God Object But how may we know we are deceived with this deceit Answ First When you have a low value of that means that under God first brought you to know Is not Sermons a low thing with you this and that Preacher that once was high in your account now weak and mean in your esteem Now you are full now you are rich and have raigned as Kings without us I would to God you did raign that we also might raign with you 1 Cor. 4. 8. Secondly When you are mighty prodigal of what you know thinking no matter well mannaged that you have not most voyce in Prov. 15. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright but the mouth of fools poureth forth foolishness So prov 29. 11. The fool uttereth all his mind but a wise man keepeth it in while afterwards Thirdly When you please your self with the thoughts that few or none in knowledge outstrip you having a secret scorn to compare your selves with any that is when you think none is able to say more to a text of Scripture than you have done or knows the holy Spirits mind more than your selves Jer. 8. 8. We are wise We by way of singularity and the Law of the Lord is with us At the same time God saith What wisdome is in them Fouthly When in all matters material you are not careful to take counsel of God before you bring them to action Prov. 15. 28. The heart of the wise studieth to answer but the mouth of fools poureth forth foolishness And Chap. 3. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths CHAP. VI. Containing in it Christians aptness through weakness to neglect coming to Christs Table with a short discription of offences that seemingly may hinder and three Causes of this Decay SIGN VI. VVHen a small offence will keep you from Christs Table By Christs Table here I would be understood Christ Jesus his own institution the night he was betrayed which he set on foot to his Penitent Believing Baptized Disciples 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body broken for you this do in remembrance of me And after the same manner he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Câ—â— is the New Testament in my blood This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me These Scriptures prove it to be Christ Jesus his own institution and therefore a duty for his people to be found in often But it being somewhat besides the business in hand to treat in particular of all the uses and ends of this blessed institution my work here is to be instrumental if the Lord will to deter believers upon some offences that they have taken from the neglect of this duty that is weighty and not to be omitted or abused as they will answer Christ Jesus who is ready to take an account it being that Ordinance that doth in a most lively manner express the certainty of his suffering in his body being broken and his blood poured out that he might finish the work of mans redemption and remain at the Fathers right Hand Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus against all the opposition of that corrupt Spirit that seeks in our dayes to disparage and extinguish this blessed Ordinance thereby to root out of mens understandings the certainty of Christ Jesus being a personal fleshly substance and so converting into a Spirit contrary to this saying of his after his resurrection Behold my â—ands and my feet that it is my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bone as you see me have Luke 24. 39. Acts 1. 9 10 11.
Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come to us as the raine the latter and former raine unto the earth God will be to such as follow on to know him in his way as the former and latter raine is to the earth which without it is dry and barren but being refreshed therewith proves green and fruitfull Now alass persons when once they are gotten in Christs Fould think their work well nigh done but God knows it is but then begun their Labour before was but to come into the vineyard and there I am sure they must not be idle they are put there to work to be lights to others and shew forth Christs vertues and there God will prune them dresse them water them but it is that they may be fruitfull else they must be plucked up as cumberrers of the ground do not therefore think your work is now neer done for you are but now begun you are now entred into the warr listed under your Captain Christ Jesus and must till death continue fighting striving and overcoming that at last you may overcome therefore if you read prayed fasted watched weeped assembled much before now do it much more 2 Cor. 5. We labour or made a business of it to be accepted of God and saith the holy Apostle Peter writing to them which had obtained like precious faith through the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ our Savour and had escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust exhorts them to give all diligence to add to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knewledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love for if these things be in you and abound they make you neither barren nor unfruitful But if they lack these things they are blind and cannot set a farr off but have forgotten they was purged from their old sins 2 Pet. 1. 2. One would think that persons that had gone thus farr as to obtain like precious faith with Gods elect and were purged from their old sins having escaped or were escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust might have well nigh done their work yet the holy Ghost here shews them that now their work is but begun and saith they must give All diligence so saint Paul to the Philipians Chap. 2. 12 My brethren as you have alwaies obeyed both in my presence absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling from all this we may learn that it s no being idle in Christs Vineyard if it cost us much diligence to get in it must cost us much more to keep in so I shall conclude this second Remedy with the holy Ghosts counsel to the Church of the Hebrews Chap. 6. 11 12. And we desire that every one of you marke it well do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end that you be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Thirdly a third Remedy may be this that you would humbly and constantly endeavour to profit something in every assembly make it your care to be still doing or geting good then you are about your daies work content not your selves to come together from day to day and wait under the ministry going a way without gain but come to the assembly with sensibility of many things you yet want this will quicken your zeal ripen your expectation and prepare way for God that delights to be rich in giving to give you richly You will profit little though you want never so much if you are little sensible of your wants and God will give you little because you will be but capable to improve little for where the sence of want is low there the pulse God-ward will beat faintly and nothing more doth occasion this indifferency to assemble then seeing it amount to little in the profit and advantage to persons that are frequent in attending it makes them count better stay at home than be never the better for their meeting together Mal. 3. 14. You have said it is a vain thing to serve the Lord and what profit is it that we have keept his ordinances and walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts They went not surely the right way to expect profit nor had their eye upon right profit but something they did propose to themselves in coming that they got not and so cries out it is in vain to serve him it is even thus among professors now if they see meetings come to little though the fault be only in themselves it ends to make them think lightly of assembling Who is there among you saith God Mal. 1. 10. that would shut the doors for naught or kindle a fire on my Altar for naught he that ploweth ploweth in hope he that soweth soweth in hope that is persons that do work expect and count upon fruit therefrom they will not do it for nothing and indeed it is but reasonable he that plants a vineyard should drink of the wine thereof great layings out preparing the heart for expectations of great returns and when persons do lay out count upon answerable returns as they righteously may God being pleased they should and this coming to pass tends much to their encouragement Object But some may say I have gone long to the assemblies and gone on purpose sensible of many wants and have counted upon to profit as here you direct me yet for al this I am ready to grow weary for I see it come to little I am still shalow in my understanding and weake in my memory Ans I shall answer this objection two ways first by praying you to enquire whether that little you do know and have learned you do put into practise What can ingage God more to teach you to know more than walking up to what you do know Oh thou that art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings Doth not my words do good to them that walks uprightly Mica 2. 7. see to it whether you live not much short of what you do know and if you find you do as some such defect must needs be the cause why you profit so little then you will see great reason God should not trust you with five Talents seeing you improve not two But secondly seeing you do profit little Be troubled much let it be your burthen while persons in assembling gain but little and are but little troubled they are not like to have their condition much mended To come often and profit little is very sad but to be unsensible of ones wants is much sadder Whereas on the contrary to be in want and so sensible of ones want that they go burthened up and down is the best way to get remedy when Joseph was in affliction some that were concerned to bear part
lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed So Rom. 1. 21 28. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Now such fore judgments as these are come upon and procured by many who turn the grace of God into wantonness professing to be most spiritual live as the almost most carnal little minding because greatly ignorant of those spiritual causes they may run into to the bringing upon themselves such spiritual judgments or sicknesses and afflictions as these And indeed how comes it to pass that such afflictions are not feared before they come to the provoking such to walk so as may prevent their coming but ignorance of the Scripture they not conversing often with them to the well informing themselves what judgments may come on their minds and what are the Causes God assigns of their coming so as to be in trembling and dread continually to the keeping themselves out of that channel where such bitter waters runs Again there are outward sicknesses and afflictions and they are such as these Deut. 28. 58 59 60. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou maist fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance sore sicknesses and of long continuance Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou was afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee Levit. 26. 15 16. If ye shall despise my Statutes or if your soul shall abhor my judgments that you will not do them but that you break my Covenant I also will do this to you I will even appoint over you Terror Consumption and the burning Ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart and ye shall sow your seed in vain for your Enemies shall eat it But I shall speak fully to the Causes of Affliction in the Twenty second Sign and therefore proceed no further here but come to the second Calamity that Scripture Ignorance brings Secondly That your uneven walking with God may bring upon your selves death before its time This Particular is proved thus Long life promised to the obedient Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Also Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day command them your Children for it is not in vain because that through this thing mark that ye shall prolong your dayes in the Land whither ye go over into Jordan to possess it This is also proved by the contrary which comes upon the disobedient Deut. 11. 16 17. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other Gods and then the Lords wrath be kindled against you and ye perish quickly from off the good Land which the Lord giveth you Eccles 8. 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God So Chap. 7. 17. Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time Thirdly By means of Scripture Ignorance you cannot know to ask in faith the things you want for soul or body that is you will not know where to be absolute or positive in your asking and whereto be submissive and conditional in your asking Now the Scripture gives directions as to the putting up Petitions to God and men may easily err by not observing them Gen. 32. 26. And he said to wit the Angel Let me go for the day breaeth and he answered to wit Jacob I will not Let thee go except thou bless me So Exod. 32. 12. Wherefore should the Egyptians say for mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people So Acts 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing unto God for him By these Scriptures we may observe that to be conditional or indifferent in our asking when God may be dishonoured by denying is not good therefore in this case may a man coming in Gods way be bold to ask pardon of his sins peace to his conscience power over his corruptions without condition in such case Gracious and humble resolutions to have no denial greatly liketh God and suits with his will Isa 62. 6 7. I have set Watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night you that make mention of the Lord keep not silence till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth But observe in all cases Petitions putting up must not thus be framed Acts 21. 14. And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying the will of the Lord be done So Rom. 1. 9 10 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention alwayes of you in my prayers making request if by any means I might now at length have a prosperous journey by the will of God mark that to come to you So Jam. 4 15. For that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that I shall leave this to consideration and proceed to the fourth Calamity Fourthly Negligence to Reading and Meditation will make you ignorant wherein you may prevent the presence and comforts of Gods holy Spirit that is that God may either take away his spirit from striving with you or you away from his spirit My spirit shall not alwayes strive Gen. 6. 3. 1 Sam. 16. 14. But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him Psal 51. 7. Take not thy holy spirit from me Neh. 9. 30. Yet many years didst thou for bear them and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear Therefore gavest thou them into the hands of the people of the Land But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore was he turned to be their enemy and fought against them By these Scriptures we may see that the holy Spirits company may be put away from us through ungracious
walking Fifthly Negligence in Scripture will make you ignorant that there is a Legion of evil Angels waiting hourely to take advantage against you no sooner in the Text but now mentioned had the good Spirit left Saul but a◠evil Spirit comes upon him 2 Chron. 18. 19 20 21. And the Lord said who shall in 〈◊〉 Ahab presently there came out a Spirit and said I will intice him and be a lying Spirit in the month of all his Prophets Job 1. 6. There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them and so soon as Joshua is standing before the Angel of God Satan is got at his right hand to resist him now ignorance that there is a Legion or very many evil Spirits waiting all advantages and opportunities to do us hurt occasions many to be secure when and where they have no cause and so their feet come to be insnared in by-paths to their shame and sorrow let us therefore be so studious in Scripture as to say in truth with the holy Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 10. 11. To whom ye forgive any thing I forgive also lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices Clearly noting how careful this good man was to keep the tempter at greatest distance while persons are not sensible that they are continually attended with wicked Spirits that seeks to insnare them by drawing them aside from God they shall be the oftner captivated and so in their spiritual estate in great danger to be spoiled When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none then he returns to his house or heart from whence he came out and finding it empty swept that is destiture of the good Spirits company then goeth he and takes with him seven more wicked Spirits than himself and enters in and dwels there Mat. 12. 43 44. Hence it is clear that evil Spirits both wait advantages and take them where they find suitable subjects to be gaining upon But I pass this and come to the last Calamity which negligence brings Sixthly It makes you ignorant that you may hinder Gods holy Spirit from working any effectual good upon you This may possibly seem strange to some that the good purposes of Gods good Spirit upon any may be by them hindered but if it be considered well it need not be strange for if the workings of the holy Spirit were unresistable then few if any could be ungodly it strove much with the old World and yet they was not worthy to be saved from the Deluge and striving need not be where there can be no resisting Again the holy Spirit was much grieved with Israels stubbornness testifying against them many years Neh. 9. yet would they not give ear how could it be said the Spirit grieved at their withstanding if they could not withstand Turn ye at my reproof and I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my words unto you but ye have set at naught all my counsel and would none of my reproof In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore mark that he was turned to be their enemy Now if the workings and strivings of the holy Spirit were unresistable certainly Israel with whom it so strove being so bemoaned of God for their rebellion neither could nor should have so withstood him How shall I give thee up O Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Adma or Zeboim my heart is hot within me my repentings are kindled together Would it not be blasphemy to say that Gods thus bemoaning was not real It is altogether certain that the very heart of God is set out in these expressions CHAP. IX Shewing that an itching ear in Christians after Novelties bespeak◠them decaying to godliness with four Remedies against it SIGN IX VVHen you are mighty inquisitive after Novelties or new things rather than wholsome Doctrine This Sign is too too common amongst Professors and commonly ariseth from some dislike that they take because things go not just as they would have them after the light of their own eyes such may know themselves or at least be known by their instability or running from one thing to another as Solomon saith given to change no longer contented than while they are prosecuting some notion or other that hath in it the face of new and if with their notion they prove to be accepted then perhaps quieted for a while till some other new conceit take them but if not accepted then they swell so big that the bounds of the Church is too strait to hold them And sure from hence hath risen the multitude of dividings in opinion that now are on foot in our Land men growing confidently conceited that they are in the right and no reason shall sway them but if their offer be rejected then presently they make a schisme and so striving to get a party crying out of great injustice as though truth were only in them and withstood because their Notion is withstood All this while the great end of Church-being and Ordinances appointing to wit edification not so much as thought of but forgetting that blessed rule of Christ Jesus best followers who became all things to all men that they might gain the more drive on furiously and come what will come in the issue all must presently be as they see or else they will be gone whereas God knows if they were narrowly looked into they would be found of the simple that are apt to believe every word while the prudent looks well to his goings not hasty to receive nor hasty to forgo what he hath already received By this I would not be understood to palliate men who count others giddy headed for leaving an old Romish form when by God they are otherwise perswaded light breaking in and truth being made manifest but I rather indeed would by this give such to understand that the drift of what is here pointed at hath respect to such as in a right constituted Church cannot be contented Not in the least incouraging any others to be contented with false settlement ignorantly concluding that if they change it will be to something new and not true Men may change but it must be for the better yet how apt are persons to be affected with changes that they will change though it be for the worst At such a sort of people my drift is it being an evil that the Scripture is not wanting to tell us of Exod. 32. in the beginning While Moses is but absent for a while from Israel they cry to Aaron to make them new Gods saying these be thy Gods O Israel in like manner as you may read in Numb 11. 6. compared with 21. 5. Gods own appointment that once was welcome
good things they once flourished in and this not working trouble of heart on fellow brethren and beholders must needs argue great decay That such decay in Christs House even among those in his spiritual profession hath been and too too much is very evident both from Scripture and experience First from Scripture 1 Cor. 3. begining And I Brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual but as to carnal even babes in Christ whereas there is among you envy division and strife are ye not carnal and walk as men First this same people as the first Chapter makes appear had such grace from God given by Christ Jesus that they were enricht in all utterance and in all knowledge so that they came behind other Chruches in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Again this holy Apostle in Ephes 2. 12. Complains greatly of their decay many had sinned and had not repented of the fornication and uncleanness they had committed From whence it is very obseveable that their decay was such that their Senses or Feeling were well nigh departed from them they were guilty of high crimes among which were debates envyings wrath strife backbiting whispering swelling tumults yet not humbled among themselves for all this In like manner the Galathian Church Chap. 4. That once if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to the Apostle St. Paul now counts him their enemy for telling them the truth so Revel 3. 17. Thou saist I am rich and increast with goods and have need of nothing but knowest not that thou art poor and miserable and blind and naked It would be tedious to tell what experience cound speak of the same thing in our dayes are there not many that at their first entrance into Christs Vineyard never thought that they loved Enough Heard Prayed Laboured enough that had mighty Parts Gifts and Graces and did mightily improve them to the best services yet now is grown huskish dry and barren and rare to hear any spiritual expressions from them Now count meetings burthensome duties tedious sit as dull under the use of Christs Ordinances as though their stomack did loath now what was once as the morning dew to them who can withhold being grieved and afflicted at this unless his eyes be out and his spiritual feeling gone It therefore may concern all those that read this to make inquiry with themselves what impression such tidings as these of decayes in Christs House make upon theit hearts for answerable to ones esteem of things and making any thing their treasure will their sorrow and trouble be to see it wasting whether husband wife children houses or lands or the prosperity and well-faring of Gods House lye nearer the heart may easily be discerned by the effects that will follow O Lord what shall I say when Israel turns their backs upon their enemies for the Canaanites the inhabitants of the Land shall hear oft it environ us round and what wilt thou do for thy great name Josh 7. 8 9. Joshua in the fight or flight might have been taken or slain yet that is not highest in his thought nor lyeth nearest to his heart his great fear is what to do for the Great Name fearing the Canaanite should have occasion to speak lightly of it I would not by what hath been said be thought to prohibit persons being troubled at outward decay that would be a way to hold them from such diligence as ought to be to romove or prevent it but we may know whether we are less troubled at decay in Christs House than in our own by these marks following First by observing which way the drift of our praying to God bends most Secondly In which channel our complaints to men runs most Thirdly whether the thoughts of it are so prevalent that they molest us in the highest of our spiritual performances Fourthly whether in compassion our choyce answers the lesser call and rejects the greater that is we will rather put our helping hand to the removing the decayes of our house than of Christs House Read and consider and then pass to the next Sgin CHAP. XV. Shewing that want of weeping in some when others of Christs Children with grief are stooping declares such to him a dying shewing also in four respects how we are to pitty with four Remedies against this Decay SIGN XV. WHen you can see Christs Children stoop with trouble and you not or little Sympathize with them Although affliction cometh not forth out of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground yet man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward Job 5. 6 7. And though in general it be a portion common to all yet in especial most of all to Gods dearest people the worst of men commonly being in the least of troubles here They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men Psal 73. Now this portion from the Lord for blessed ends to his people though deserved by them and as needful as their food to them yet it being that that bows their soul down greatly ought to be attended with suitable compassion from their fellow brethren as a help provided of God that they may bear it the better When trouble or afflictions of any kind from the Lord are great upon some it is an evident token of decay in such as have not a fellow-feeling towards them Woe to them that are at ease in Zion and lye upon beds of Ivory stretching themselves upon their coutches drink their wine in bowls and anoint themselves with chief oyitments but are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph in Amos 6. from the 1. to the 7. Some we may see there lived a careless life feeding to the full had even what heart could wish felt not the trouble in person that at the same time was their brethrens portion yet are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph but lived at the height of Joy under their own fulness and were not compassionately affected with others penury This hath been found among the people of God but ill taken from them Numb 20. We shall find that Israel was in great distress and begs their brother Edom who knew all travail that had befallen them to let them pass by his high way but he shewed them no pitty was fallen from that sympathizing Spirit that ought to be in him God will not forget to take notice of this and reckon for it which proves that pitty in his people one to another is Gods expectation from them Amos 1. 11. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pitty But some may Object and say shall we pitty those though Gods own people that have brought by their sinning what misery is come upon them Answ Yes God expects this
sin and suffer too by the one others do us wrong by the other we do our selves wrong St. Paul meets with some Christians in the Corinth Church under this Dying Sign 1 Cor. 7. 6. Brother goeth to Law with Brother and that before the unjust too He prescribes the Remedy that they rather take wrong though from Brethren and suffer themselves to be defrauded The Proverb is worth our heeding in this kind it will not countervail our cost better patiently take the wrong than with sinning seek our right I shall now come to two or three Causes of this Decay which being observed and avoyded may also serve as Remedies against this decay or dying Sign First the first Cause is want of Government over our own spirits Secondly Too high esteem of worldly Injoyments Thirdly Cumbring our selves with any business For the first viz. Want of government over our own spirit that is not being Lords over our own passions having them at our Christian beck when to be angry and to what degree Ignorance of our bounds here makes us Beast-like I were envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked saying I have washed my heart in vain and cleansed my hands in innocency Psal 73. So foolish and ignorant was I even as a Beast before thee He that hath no Rule over his own Spirit is like a City without walls and broken down Want of government over our own spirit makes us as naked or desolate as an unfortified City whose walls are broken down Prov. 25. 28. Secondly Too high esteem of worldly Injoyments He that will hardly be moved at a bigger thing will not easily be moved for a pin All offences are a kind of loss being something that crosseth the grain of our spirit now answerable to the estimation we have more or less of our loss will our offence taking be It is putting too high a value of earthly Injoyments as Husband Wife Children House or Land Gold or Silver that makes us so impatient at their loss or leaving Set your affection saith St. Paul on things above not on things below The time is short it remaineth that they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that buy as though they possessed not 1 Cor. 7. 29. The Apostle would have them to carry about with them their outward Injoyments as a Traveller carries his old Coat about with him every day thinking to throw it of and if he loose it or be robbed of it doth not much trouble himself for he sets little value upon it Would Christian Travellers seek to soar high in their affections how little would this little little worldly pelf seem to us in our getting or losing Thirdly A third Cause of our Impatience and a third Remedy against it is to avoyd much cumbring our selves with any business that is a filling our hands too full over-charging our selves taking more upon us than we are able to mannage with submission to better things and so hinder meditation and contemplation about those lasting things of heaven which occasions a freezing of the spirits and so we sin and fall at every little trouble that comes in our way whereas a joyful spirit that is inlarged and at liberty Bears all things believes all things endures all things is not easily provked as 2 Cor. 13. at large shews All this while a spirit cumbred is in bondage and quickly fretted like a scald head soon broken Take heed lest at any time your heart be over-charged Luke 21. 34. I would have you be without carefulness 1 Cor. 7. 32. Martha Martha thou art troubled and cumbrest thy self about many things but Mary hath made choice or busied her self about that good part that shall never be taken from her Luke 10. last Consider what you read and the good Lord give you understanding Amen CHAP. XVIII Proving those Christians to be almost dead that make it more their business to get the Form than the Power of Religion with its Causes and Remedies SIGN XVIII VVHen you are more careful to get the words of Christs People than the spirit of Christs People the Form than the Power That is the name and out-side of Reformation rather than the spirit and power of Reformation when the strength and bent of all thy care lies in trimming thy self to appear before men righteous or religious Persons may go very far in this with great self-security resting barely upon outside performances getting fine words and painted expressions making a great show of their worship Pharasaical like and at the same time live under the dominion of some base lust Isa 1. 11 12 13 14. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt Offerings of Rams and fat of fed Beasts I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or Lambs or Hee-goats When you come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts Your new Moons and appointed Feasts they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them for your hands are full of blood They were then under the guilt of sin or dominion or both and yet at the same time full of outward Services and mighty busie in their Worship Hear ye this ye men of Judah that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord Do not trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord for the Temple of the Lord is this If ye throughly amend your wayes and doings if you throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour and oppress not the poor fatherless or widdow in This I Delight Jer. 7. It is clear here also these rested meerly in outwards and lived under the dominion of very base lusts at the very time they seemed so zealous for the Lord. And it is very much to be feared many now adayes run in the same channel Ezek. 33. 31 32. Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord and they come before thee as my people come and sit before thee as my people do and with their mouth shew much love but mark that at the same time their heart runs after Covetousness These were Hypocrites in Zion that shelter themselves in the outside of Religion Covering Gods Altar with tears Mal. 2. 8 13. Yet he regards them not seeing such to be but nominal Christians and therefore abhors them exceedingly The Scripture seems to intimate this as a very common overspreading weed not rare to be found but rather rare to be avoided in professors Let us therefore all look to our selves prove our own work so shall we have rejoycing in our selves alone Mat. 23. 14 15. for a pretence make long prayers Rom. 2. 18 19 20. Behold thou art called a Jew restest in the Law makest thy boast of God being confident that thou thy self art a guide of the
upon him by pouring out their wants before him Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Mat. 6. What hath been said may teach two things First the lamentable condition of such as neither can nor will pray that are as unaccustomed to it as the Heifer to the yoak living absolute Athiests in the World saying in their heart if not in their actions too there is no God Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen and families that call not upon thy name Secondly This teacheth to strengthen the hearts and hands of such as fear God to this service of prayer it being part of their defence or Armor Ephes 6. Praying alwayes with all prayer and suppliaction in the spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance c. When thou saidest seek my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek thou wilt hide me in thy Pavillion Psal 27. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Read and consider so pass to the next Sign CHAP. XXII Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction and that without great provocation God is not wont to afflict his people and though provoked very unwilling to extremity With four Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Answered SIGN XXII VVHen you are mighty careless to Inquire after the spiritual cause of Affliction and mighty careful to Inquire after the natural cure The more or less spiritual any man is may be easily discovered under this Tryal Affliction being of that piercing kind that other tryals are not because of the great influence it hath upon the sensitive part of man where ever it comes while sense remains it makes the person restless either to find out cause or cure or both We may therefore first inquire after the word Affliction what that meaneth to afflict is to lay some burthen upon a person that is not ordinary Gen. 15. 13. There they shall afflict you four hundred years this is opened in Exod. 1. Israel is made to serve with rigor Lam. 1. 4. 5. The wayes of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate her Priests sigh her virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt by reason of his task-master Acts 3. 34. By these Texts it appears that affliction meaneth any grief or trouble that cometh upon soul or body name or estate for the punishment of sin or the tryal of faith so that sickness and diseases as feavor and ague consumption inflamation the like are all comprised under this word affliction it will therefore be necessary to open the word Spiritual cause it being in the Sign oposed to natural cure by spiritual cause is to be understood some provoking God in the subject afflicted to the procuring this affliction nothing some cause or other why the Spirit suffers it to come upon us Now every body will be ready to grant that these things before promised may be truly called affliction but not grant that there can be such a spiritual cause in themselves and so make the Sign of no force Now to clear up this doubt let us make this inquiry whether any affliction or death it self come upon any man but for some cause or other from the man active or imputive that is he either so acted in his particular person or some body else in his general relation and on him it is righteously come For the resolution of this question let us inquire what causes in Scripture the righteous God assigns afflictions or death unto Gen. 3. 9 10 11 12 13. Who told thee thou wert naked hast thou eaten of the Tree I commanded thee not to eat the things in this Chapter considerable are these vers 14. the Serpent must go upon his belly eat dust and be curst above every beast of the field vers 16. to the woman he saith I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and to Adam he saith Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Thornes and Thisles it shall bring forth to thee dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return you see in these verses misery both upon the woman and the man is brought the reason by God assigned vers 17. Because thou hast done this in hearkning to thy wife cursed is the ground for thy sake so also Josh 7. 7. Israel Gods prevailing people that by day had a pillar of a cloude and by night a pillar of fire ministring unto them now cannot stand before their enemies Joshua that at another time commands the Sun and Moon and they obey him now by prayer cannot prevail for Israel Gods people against the cursed Nation But what is the matter vers 11 12. Israel hath sinned and cannot stand neither will I be with them any more except they put the accursed thing from among them Lam. 3. 1 13. I am the man that have seen affliction vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this Cause many are sick and weak and many sleep 1 Thes 2. 11. For this Cause God shall send them strong delusion that they all might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness and let all the House of Israel know that without a Cause I have not done all that I have done saith the Lord Ezek. 14. 23. Much more might be said as to afflictions that attend both the body and mind together with the Causes and this left to consideration whether if Hell condemnation the highest of affliction be the fruit or reward of sin and unbelief much rather sickness and diseases with death it self which are the least afflictions must come from Creature Causes now if any man can assign any other Cause than God doth here assign let him do it if not by all this comparing of it with the eighth Sign of dying to Christ in which I have been more large upon affliction inward and outward with their Causes I shall therefore proceed to some Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Object 1. The first Objection is grounded upon 2 Sam. 12. 14. The Child that is born to thee shall surely die David is threatned with death in the child that hath not offended contrary to this Doctrine Answ This act of God to take away Davids Child if considered will be found mercy mixt with justice David by the Law was to die for the matter of Vriah now God in respect he bare to David for what good he had done and further were like to do being a man so after Gods own heart goes out of the ordinary way spares the person of David and imputes it upon the relation of David viz. his Child so in Davids seed he punished Davids person this is Gods usual way in Scripture and sets his Majesty out to be full of mercy in the middest of Justice
in as it comes upon and because of the smart unpleasant tast it brings with it calls them with a louder voyce to make inquiry why am I thus which prosperity in all probability could never have so done being not so much of that piercing kind to the external senses as adversity or calamity is and this the Prophet Isa â—6 16. seems to make his great observation in these words Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon unto the House of Judah I even I will tear and go away and return to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5. 14 15. Plainly implying that it is not only the design of God to send calamity upon persons for this end but that also they are most aptly provoked to it at this Season see that remarkable text for this 2 Chron. 33. 10 11 12. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and his people but they would not harken wherefore that he might speak by his rod as well as his word the Lord brought upon him the Captain of the Host the King of Assyria which took Manasseh among the Thorns bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon and when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly While the rod was but shaken as it were Manasseh remained refractory but when he was bound in chains he humbled himself greatly must it not then from hence needs follow that calamity calls for fasting and humbling where ever it comes being designed to thâ—t reducing end and may not the decay of some grow to that pass even so ripe for reaping that except they should from a deep sense of their state be mightily brought down to humble their souls with fasting as the last remedy left or prepared by God for such conditions to betake themselves unto and that if they here should fail then to be given up to the mouth of ruin Here this ye old men give ear all ye inhabitants of the Land hath this been in your dayes or even in the dayes of your Fathers tell ye your Children of it and let your Children tell their Children and their Children another generation that which the Palmer worm hath left hath the locust eaten and that which the locust hath left hath the canker worm eaten that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten sanctifie ye a fast call a solemn assembly gather the Elders and all the inhabitants of the Land into the House of the Lord their God and cry ah las ah las for the day of the Lord is at hand and as destruction from the Almighty shall it come How evident is it that this was this peoples last remedy and except they now find mercy nothing but destruction will be their portion But some may Object and say how shall we know when danger is such that without humbling our selves with fasting we are like to meet with ruin Answ There are six seasons that of necessity calls for Fasting First when long patience is abused Secondly when just judgments are threatned Thirdly when Just Judgments are executed Fourthly when iniquity in Churches gets a head Fifthly when Churches grows secure Sixthly when some great thing is by them to be obtained First when long patience is abused patience or forbearance in God is long exercised to both Churches and people before with judgment he sweeps them away the rod is shaken again and again while they are under visible decay and though God wait long upon such as grows luke-warm in all their active graces yet will he at last speak home to them it was thus with Israel after they had rested from their troubles they did evill again and again for which God did gently whip them then they turned for a while and cryed but presently after went to their old course Yet many years did he forbear them and testified against them by his Spirit in his Prophets yet would they not hear therefore gave he them up into the hand of the people of the Land Nehem 9 30. So in Jeremiahs time they provoked Gods patience long So that the Lord could no longer bear because of the evil of their doings clearly noting that they had long abused his long forbearance therefore was their land made desolate Secondly just judgments threatned when judgments by God are threatned upon Churches in order to their preventing this is the way they are to take as the Text but now named in Joel fully proves see also Rev. 2 3. chapters where you have several Churches found in a decaying state and called upon to speedy repentance else they must be unchurched Thirdly when just judgments are executed is a season for fasting that they may be again removed Then Hanany said the remnant which are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire and it came to pass when I heard these words I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and Fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven Nehem. 1. 4. This way good Nehemiah took and it was prosperous with the Lord. Fourthly when iniquity gets head that is when sin and sinners in Churches grows so numerous and heady that they are like to out-voyce the better party it is high time then to be night day with the Lord in fasting prayer that iniquities head may be broken by the sword of his mouth there was a few names and it was but a few in Sardis Church that had not defiled their garments the greatest part were ready to die and the Lord threatens to unchurch them except they repent Revel 3. And now you call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mat. 3. 15 16. Fifthly when Churches grow secure that is as safely sheltered in their account from judgment though a dying to every duty as if they were in a growing flourishing state contenting themselves to be told it is not well with them but sit still from using either means of information or recovery as though they were minded to suffer their distemper to grow mortal Thou saist I am rich and increased with goods and hath need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and blind and naked As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Be zealous therefore and repent Revel 3. 17 19. Sixthly when some great thing is by them to be obtained Dan. 9. 3. And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with Fasting and Sackcloth and Ashes Mat. 17. 21. This kind goeth not out but by prayer and
is so enflamed with zealous love and pitty to his suffering brother that he greatly suffers also The one is offended the other burns 2 Cor. 11. 29. When all the strength a poor tempted soul hath is engaged in hot fight with the Devil flesh and world then pitty from lookers on proves like a fresh recruit to a shattered Army it so suits with Gods will and with the tempteds want whereas on the contrary want of pitty in lookers on as it strengthens the hands of the Adversary and tempts the courage of the troubled to grow flat Now this sixth Mark is framed to that end if the Lord will that lookers on may not only know what frame of heart they are to be of in such a season but to provoke them to make haste to it in Amos 6. 4. there was neglect to this duty and it meets with a sad salute Wo to them that are at ease in Zion that lie upon beds of Ivory that drink Wine in Bowls but are not grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph No iniquity mark that so provokes God as to be preferred in punishment before this They must go into captivity with the first that go Captive Amos 1. 11. Numb 20. from the 14. to the 22. God will not bear such a pittiless heart in his very Enemies Isa 47. 6. I was wrath with my People and gave them into thy hands and upon the ancient very heavily hast thou laid thy yoak Therefore in one day shall come vpon thee loss of Children and Widdow-hood Remember therefore those that are in Bonds as bound with them and them that suffer Adversity as being also of the same Body Heb. 13. Read and consider and the good Lord give you understanding Amen CHAP. XXVII Shewing Satans way by which he Gets in our day most advantage upon Churches and a plain discovery of the first rise of the Quakers shewing also the great Law of Edification to be preferred in all Doctrine with Cautions to such as live out of all Church way SIGN XXVII VVHen you are mighty curious about the lesser matters of Gods Law and mighty careless about the weightier When Satan the grand Engine of beginning and perfecting a Christians ruin cannot at once knock his heart and hands from off the Ordinances of Gods House thereby to make him destitute of the very means to good He usually works this way where he finds meet subjects to be working upon viz. make some more curious by far than God would have them and so wholly taken up with the lesser matters of Gods Law that he may have the fairer opportunity to make them as careless in the weightier by this manner of dress he deceives far more than by his common known dress of visible prophaneness this being so far from the road of the rude ranting way that it shows yea and pretends to exceed even Christians in their right Saint-like way carrying with it profession of and contention for commands of God Which spirit meeting with ignorant and inconsiderate people makes a noise as though it would drive the World before it while the fairer surer Christian that carries on his matters temperately giving due respect to every command yet seems in their eye to burn so dim that they are ready to bid him stand further off they are holier than he This deceit is a wonderful mysterious one and without all doubt worketh mightily not only among the Churches but in and among the people called Quakers whose spirit is yet kept under by the wise God till a riper season from shewing it self in that Atheists dress that certainly it did rise from and certainly will end in They being of all people Pharasaical like out of all cry contenders foâ— that that comparatively is but the shell of Christianity and are so far from contending for that they set themselves even against the kernel or substance of Religion and the Church of God can truly witness this for from among themselves are some gone out with as fair pretences as can be of living more to God in the Spirit and power of holyness and yet quickly shewing themselves in the mystery of carrying on most abominable Atheisticall principles of denying both the Resurrection of the body from the grave of the earth and Judgment day to come And so bend their bow at the overthrowing the very foundation of godliness in the mystery of Egyptian darkness and yet under the highest pretences of Angel light It is clearly evident that the first rise of that spirit laid its beginning upon these very materials of being curious in the lesser and careless in the weightier making nothing secretly to act gross abomination as some can witness yet to publick view where they might have the fairer advantage to deceive the simple did make great show of tender respect to some lesser matters of Gods Law and indeed out-talk every body while God knows they did not thus plead out of true love to Gods Law that they had but because no bait would so fit their hook and carry on the business they designed like this Now Satan himself full well knows that it is in vain for him to expect the accomplishing any great design among the seperated Churches any other way for filthiness of flesh is so manifest that every body among them that knows but any thing knows they are redeemed from that but filthiness of the spirit which works secretly and yet ends carnally and mortally is his grand working way which doubtless the Apostle well knew when he gave this exhortation to the Corinth Church with this discription which I pray observe Chap. 7. 1. where he beseecheth them not only to cleansethemselves from all filthiness of the flesh but by way of distinction filthiness of Spirit also and that in order to their perfecting holyness in the fear of God Read also Isa 30. 21. And by this mysterious means he takes in some place and among some people by companies that most of them in their true Church standing were the carnallest mean ignorantest Christians having in them as little experience as could be of the power of Godliness so little that if they had any less would have had too little to be born by the Church yet intangling themselves with this spirit of deceit or filthiness of spirit have grown mighty confident bold and lifted up too wise for their teachers despising those far before them in grace yet far behind them in their account and very justly may and doth the Lord let such fall into spiritual deceit notwithstanding they plead for some of his own law they being most careless where he would have them most careful so renders their care in the lesser while careless in the gâ—eater of no account with him at all he taking no pleasure in such but greatly disdaining them Mat. 23. 23. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for you pay tyth of mint Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law They are
holy Spirits fruit is no way able to withstand the motions of the flesh but is carryed captive with every lustful bait at the tempters will for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and as it is the care of the evil one to have the mind of sinners in his possession even so the first work the holy Spirit doth upon the converted is to put Gods law into their mind by demolishing those dark works in those that turn to God both in debasing what was and in exalting what was not Ephes 4. 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that you walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanities of their mind vers 22. But that you put off concerning the former conversation the old man with his deeds and then is a necessity of putting on the new man with his deeds for if the house or heart be empty swept and garnished from all bad and yet not possest with like good the evil one enters again and makes the case worse than before All which notes the necessity of having dependance upon the holy Spirit Ephes 3. 16 17. To fortifie the mind with spiritual materials and thus I have done with the first mark and come to the second Secondly It is the Spirits work to discover to the Christian man wherein his danger most lies that is by what bait and to what evils the tempter is most like to draw him Ignorance here causeth people go into the tempters way and without defilement more or less they can hardly return and surely Solomon alludes to this in one of his petitions to God for Israel 1 Kings 8. 38. What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the Plague of his own Heart clearly implying that among Israel there might be that did not know their own Hearts Plague or wherein their danger most lay now the holy Spirit was given to instruct them and so witnesseth Nehem. 9. 20. Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them the manner how is set out in Exod. 13. 17. And it came to pass when pharaoh had let the people go that God led them not through the way of the Philistines although that was near for God said lest they repent when they see war and return to Egypt again It is very questionable if not out of doubt that this danger was not in their eye at all but God led them saith Moses by his Spirit saith Nehemiah clearly noting that persons hearkning find the holy Spirit not wanting to lead them in the best way and set before them the greatest danger one text more and so I have done with this Isa 29. 24. They also that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine They that through ignorance went astray shall come to understanding or know their best way and they that did repine shall learn Doctrine or be better taught Thirdly The Spirits work is to discover both the strength of the tempter and temptation showing to the Christian man these two things First that the tempter can but intice not inforce Secondly that the strength of his temptations lies in present things First he can and doth prepare suitable baits and snares but all he doth do and can do amounts but to thus much Therefore greater is he that is in you than he that is against you which consideration tends greatly to a believers support while he is able to say I know it must be my fault if I sin against my God for the tempter cannot force me neither did he ever force any he can and doth proffer his ware putting the best face upon it as you may see Gen. 3. 4 5. And the Serpent saith to the Woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know in the day you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and shall be as Gods knowing good and evil here he makes his bait pleasant and to promise greater priviledge than yet they had with which the woman is taken And when the Woman saw that the fruit was good and that it was pleasant to the eye shee took thereof and did eat contrary to the Law so Josh 7. 20 21. When Achan saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish Garment and a wedge of Gold he coveted them which notes that the Devils power to take centers in preparing fair outsides which carries some after destruction as the Oxe goeth to the slaughter not knowing that it is for his life and indeed as his trade lies in shows so the people he tradeth among without which he could not trade at all to any advantage are silly people and though silly people yet he tradeth altogether in the dark and therefore is called the Ruler of darkness Eph. 6. 12 And his Kingdome a Kingdome of darkness Col. 1. 3. dare not come to the light for fear his deeds should be made manifest Secondly as he thus trades and these are the people he tradeth with so the strength of his temptations centers in present things It is all he can make snares and temptations of as is evident by these Texts Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this Present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us so Gal. 1. 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from this Present evil World 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me having imbraced the Present World Now all these Scriptures speak the tempters strength to lie in present things which made the holy Apostle have light account of his suffering 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory he compareth it with the state to come gives it the next count to a cypher calling it momentary and the utmost we can make or any sinner that lives at greatest height of worldly pleasure must confess all present things will amount to but these three First Such as goeth but shin deep Secondly Such as may properly be called minute joy that that is ours this minute but either it taken from us or we from it next minute it lasts not Thirdly At the longest worldly pleasure serveth us but till we come to the grave and there it leaves us Having now done with the third Discovery of the holy Spirits help I shall briefly add two or three more and pass to the Twenty ninth Sign of a dying Christian Fourthly The holy Spirit discovers what unprofitableness is found in sin after committed working strong convictions upon the heart of the sinner and forceth him to confess that his eager pursuit after his sin now he hath had his hearts desire granted contracts but wo and sorrow though sweet in the mouth while eating yet bitter in the belly when eaten Mark 8. 36 37. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole
The necessity of believing this is evidenced by the sad consequence of the contrary for denying Christ Jesus to be a fleshly substance and converting him into a Spirit any Spirit or every Spirit and so in truth deny the Christ of God And then blind injudicious men may form to themselves and world what they will fancy to call their Christ This premised I shall now speak of offences what they are and what offences are not to hinder There are three sorts of Offences First Offences given and taken Secondly Offences given and not taken Thirdly Offences taken and not given First Offences given and taken are such as when Nations or Persons when not provoked by invasion to defend yet by invadeing others will offend now they that defend defending here Offences are given and taken Secondly Offences given and not taken when we bless them that curse us do good to them that do hurt to us pray for them that despightfully use us Thridly Ofâ—â—nces taken and not given are when at a seeming and no real cause persons are moved and disquieted Christ Jesus coming in the dayes of his humiliation not as he will come after the dayes of his exaltation or at his second coming proved a seeming cause was no real cause for the Jews to stumble at him his visage was marred more than any mans when they looked for him to come and presently restore Israel Now such Offences taken and not given is the intent of this sixt Sign under the terme Small so that when persons give way to their passions and are so moved at something which seems to be a just Offence to them from brethren or any other without or before they had duly weighed not suspending all kind of dislike till in the ballance they have tryed whether it be really an Offence or but seemingly so is a sign of great weakness proving that such are under some spiritual decay marked out though upon another account by Christ Jesus Mat. 13. 20 21. But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it but when tribulation and persecution ariseth because of the word by and by be is offended Now persecution and tribulation is no real cause of Offences but rather an encouragement to hold fast the word being one common mark such are in the truth the Apostle Paul makes it an argument of this kind 1 Thes 3. 5. For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith least by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain We would have no man moved by these afflictions for your selves know we are appointed thereto and instead of being offended we are commanded to glory in tribulation this may teach us to bemoan such and beg them be warn'd not to keep themselves from Christs Table because of this or that seeming or real miscarriage in others if in order to their reducement from it we have done our duty For any therefore to estrange themselves from Christs Table it being no less than a refusing the food he hath prepared because things go not just as they would have them doth greatly argue the stop to be in themseves though not by such heeded they being great wanderers abroad into the wayes of others perhaps more busying themselves than they ought and yet as great strangers at home to self-examination and due personal preparation which where ever it is is that indeed that so warrantably cals persons to come to Christ Jesus Feast of Bread and Wine purchased with his blood that negligence therein will prove no less than their great sin What is it therefore that should keep us from that service wherein by faith we are to feed as it were upon the flesh of the Son of God Whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drink indeed Truly nothing but self-unworthiness or unpreparedness Surely surely the spiritual growing Christian whose hungrings and thirstings are after hourly communion with Jesus Christ can better forgo his natural food a thousand times than yeild to a stop from this performance Let us therefore examine our selves that we are meet subjects discerning the Lords Body and so let us eat that Bread and drink that Cup. Now the Causes of this decay or yeilding upon small Offences to absent from Christs Table may be these three First Too great Ignorance who are the Subjects Christ calls to this Service Secondly Too too great aptness to be easily provoked Thirdly Want of Love to Jesus Christ the Author of this Service First Too great Ignorance who are the Subjects Christ calls to this Service which consists in a misconstruing his general invitation to all penitent believing baptized Disciples who have had an orderly admittance thus far and by way of Precept are injoyned both to come to this Service and continue in it The same day were added to the Church three thousand souls and they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine fellowship breaking of Bread and prayer it is peculiarly unto such appointed and sanctified that they may keep in remembrance their Lord and Saviour So often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come But I would not be mistaken here as that I mean the outward badge of these only makes right Subjects for Christs Call yet this outward must be but wo to it when it is alone The Kings daughter is to be all glorious within as well as her garment of pure gold The hungerer and thirster after his supply that sensibly sees all his springs to be in him and as the Hart panteth after the brooks of water hath his foul crying Oh when shall I come and appear before him negligence to be thus fitted causeth ignorance of Christs Call But Secondly Too too great aptness to be easily provoked Some Christians are so weak that they will be still forming discontent to themselves ill interpreting others actions and straining at every Gnat which generally comes through weakness in judgment and unaptness to be busying themselves with their high Calling the worth of Gods gracious priviledges afforded them by which means the inward man is too much raked or made raw and so apt to smart at every little touch as special care therefore must be had in Churches that none give just offence so that none upon too light account take offence for it doth but argue such Children or Babes in Christianity and greatly robs themselves of that spiritual refreshing strength that otherwise might be their present portion and fills their heart with disquieting thoughts to the hindring their spiritual appetite from taking in that rich refreshment Christ Jesus Table is furnisht with for every prepared guest But Thirdly Want of love to Jesus Christ the Author of this Service All those motives that provokes the heart to love Jesus Christ should be active now viz. The greatness of his love to purchase