the propriety of the word it signifies * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est parâ— saciet quae oculis est subjecta contuendo suboctum seu dejectuÌ„ premo Beza to beat under the eye and to leave a mark there of redness and blueness The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this properly signifies to bring into subjection it 's a Metaphor took from Oxen whom we bring under the yoke or from any such Creatures whom we enslave or captivate and bring them into subjection for our use and service We should then indeavor so to bring down our bodies and subdue them as to make them serviceable to our souls and subject and obedient to the yoke of Christ if so we have well learn'd the Doctrine of Mortification A learned moral Heathen will condemn many dissolute livers who call themselves Christians and yet live without God in the world I am saith Seneca greater and born to greater things than to be a slave to my body Every Drunkard is a slave to his Cups and every Whoremonger a slave to his Harlot and every covetous Worldling is a slave to his Mammon But our design must not be to enslave our Souls to our Bodies but the design which we drive must be to make our Bodies serviceable to our Souls It was an excellent saying of Ephrem Syrus who flourisht in the third Century after Christ He that feasts his Body and starves his Soul is like him that feasts his Slave and starves his Wife CHAP. XII Vivification of the Fruits of the Spirit is a Character of a sincere Heart THe twelfth and last Character of sincerity Charact. 12. Vivification of the fruits of the Spirit Sect. 1. which I shall only mention is The Vivification of the Fruits of the Spirit After mortification of the deeds of the Body there must necessarily follow the Vivification of the Fruits of the Spirit for where Christ dwells in a Soul by faith and by the influence of his grace the Body is dead as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 10. because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness A Learned and Judicious Writer thus interprets that Scripture Quam vis peccatum morfi nos adjudicet quatenus in nobis remanet primae naturae vitiosibus spiritum tamea Dei esse victore noc obstare quod tantum primitiis donati sumus quia vel una ejus sciatilla viâ—ae semen est Calv. in Loc. Although saith he sin condemns us to death so far as the remainders of corrupt nature and the vitiosity thereof remains in us yet the Spirit is Conquerour wherefore notwithstanding out primitive corruption one spark of the Spirit of God is a seed of life to us though in this world we receive only the first-fruits thereof All those who by nature are dead in trespasses and sins can never be brought from death to life and from the state of nature into the state of grace any other way but by the quickning virtue of Jesus Christ For saith the Apostle You hath he quickned who were dead in your trespasses and sins Such as are now through grace in a state of regeneracy were in their natural condition in a state of unregeneracy and such who are now quickned were formerly in a dead condition As it 's said of the converted Prodigal in the Parable Luke 15. 32. He was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found The Apostle discovers the great difference between the state of regeneracy and unregeneracy and the difference is great as great as the difference between life and death Let 's diligently review the words of the Apostle Wherein Ephes 2. 2 3. in time past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the power of the Air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires or wills of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of wrath even as others And what is the sole moving cause of all it followeth vers 4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 2. Christ by grace ye are saved Quest But the Question may be askt How may such who are regenerated and quickned by Christ be distinguished from such who are unregenerate and yet dead in their trespasses and sins Answ I Answer as a tree may be known by its fruits which it bears i. e. a good tree by good fruits and a bad tree by bad fruits so may regenerate be distinguished from unregenerate unregenerate bring forth the fruits of the flesh as adultery fornication uncleanness c. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. before mentioned but regenerate persons bring forth the fruits of the Spirit St. Paul gives us a double Catalogue one is short but very comprehensive Ephes 5. 9. The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth The other is a large Catalogue Gal. 5. 22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law If then the fruits of the Spirit exert and manifest themselves in the holiness of our lives and conversations it 's an infallible sign of our vivification by the Spirit of Jesus Christ By those twelve forementioned Characters of a sincere Heart we may and must put our selves upon a strict search and enquiry whether our hearts be sincere and upright towards God We must then with all diligence and impartiality make a strict search into our hearts we must ask What have I done Jer. 8. 6. we must commune with our own hearts Psal 4. 4. and as the Church resolves Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. And I am perswaded that if we have one of those Characters forementioned in sincerity and in truth we have the rest for they are all Links of one and the same golden Chain and there 's such a concatenation between them as one cannot be separated from another CHAP. XIII Containing the Comforts pertaining to sincere Christians in their Lives in this World HAving laid down those twelve forementioned Characters and Signs of Sincerity I thence infer this Conclusion That it 's the grand Duty incumbent upon us all and every one in particular to propound the Question as in the presence of God to his own Soul Am I a sincere-hearted Christian yea or no Let us with deliberate thoughts consider of those twelve above-named Signs and Marks of Sincerity and examine our selves by them accordingly herein consists the grand Labour and Work to busie our selves with all frequent and serious self-reflections and heart-examinations and let us as one man every one particularly propound the Question
a holy life you must get a clean heart v D. Manton in Lo. 2 Cor. 7. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In divino Cultu nihi mutiluÌ„ sed omnia absoluta esse decet Calv. Cleanse your hands ye Sinners and purify your hearts ye double minded Not only outward impurity of the Body but inward impurity of the Heart not only practical uncleanness but speculative uncleanness should be utterly abhorred and abandoned altogether For so runs the Charge of the Apostle Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God This then is an undoubted Conclusion consonant to the Rule of the word That where holiness is cordially embraced loved desired and delighted in and rightly priced in the Judgment and preferrd as the true Wisdome before Rubies and all manner of pretious Stones and where holiness is practiced in the life and Conversation questionless that heart is upright and sincere towards God notwithstanding many personal Infirmities which we grieve for and dislike of while we are in this Vale of misery CHAP. IIII. Of ingenuous Sorrow for Sin A Fourth Character of Sincerity is Ingenous Charact. 4. Ingenous sorrow for our Sias sorrow for all Sin This Epithete Ingenuous I therefore name because I would lay down hereby a discriminating note between that sorrow which is for the Sin and that which is onely for the punishment Sect. 1 That sorrow I call ingenuous which is for the Sin more then for the Punishment and this is a Filial kind of sorrow That I call servile and disingenous which is more for the Punishment then for the Sin A Child of God understands the nature of Sin as to it's filthiness guiltiness and punishment which is the consequent thereof and therefore he laies Sin to heart and is grieved and vexed at the very heart because God is thereby dishonoured and his holy Law is broken A Godly mourner mourns for Sin as it is Sin because of its filthiness and defilement and because it displeaseth the only Holy Lord God and is odious and abominable in his sight The Eye of every upright man affects his Heart and melts him into Tears of Godly sorrow and works an inward compunction and a heart breaking sorrow And this is that sorrow which is of the right stamp a genuine and ingenuous kind of sorrow And where ever this ingenuous sorrow is it may be fully evidenced by seven Apostolical characters mentioned by the Apostle For Behold saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7. 11. this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge Sect. 2 There is a very great difference between the mournings of Cain Pharaoh Ahab and Judas who only mourned and roared for the smart of punishment and the mournings of David Paul Peter and Mary Magdalen who mourned for their sins and therefore grieved because they displeased so good and gracious a Lord God For instance Pharaoh often cried out that the plagues inflicted on him and on his people might be taken away but what plagues did he mean I answer he meant only the plagues of Frogs Locusts Caterpillars c. Pharaoh had a plague incumbent on him worse than all those and that was the plague of a hard heart of this plague he makes not any mention at all A hard heart was his great sin and it was inflicted upon him as a very great judgment But David cries out against Psal 51. 4. himself for his sins and makes a particular acknowledgment Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight And he prayes Hide thy face Verse 9. from my sins and blot out all my transgressions Ahab was a meer stranger to the Grace of Humility and unacquainted with it altogether yet it 's said of him that he humbled himself and for his outward humiliation the judgment threatned was adjourned Seest thou how Ahab 1 Kings 21. 29. humbleth himself before me Because he humbleth himself before me I Poenitentia ductus sed quae non permansit Aliquid tamen de commeritâ poenâ ob hoc detractum est Grot. Exemplum bonitatis Dei quatenus Achab quantumvis hypocriticè poeâ—itentiam agenti poenas meritas differt Hinc colligi pot est Deum multo magis beneficum fore erga cos qui veram seriam poenitentiam egerint Piscat will not bring the evil in his dayes but in his sons dayes will I bring the evil upon his house Yet of Ahab it may be more properly said that he was rather humbled than humble for the fear and horror apprehended of those dreadful judgments which were to be poured down against himself and Jezebel his Wife and his Posterity extorted from him an outward humiliation which consisted in putting on Sackcloth in fasting and going softly and looking with a sorrowful and dejected countenance yet all this while he had not one dram of true godly sorrow and of true humility How sad must be the condition of many loose Professors now a-dayes who come short of such as Ahab was and how dreadful must their condition be who come short of those who come short of Heaven But St. Paul was a man of another spirit he was not only humbled but humble and had the gift and grace of true humility and he was a true Penitent a sincere Convert and a godly Mourner for sin and he was so low and debased in his own eyes as to account himself the chief of 1 Tim. 1. 15. sinners We read of Ahab's forwardness in offering himself a Voluntier and Slave to sin so that this foul Brand of Infamy is stampt upon him But there was none 1 Kings 21. 25. like unto Ahab which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord whom Jezebel his Wife stirred up Ahab was active and put himself forward to work all manner of mischief he precipitated himself without fear or wit into any desperate Adventure He stuck at nothing but ran on in a wild and mad career following all sorts of wickedness with a full bent propension and vergency of his soul and with delight and complacency driving a Trade for Sin and for the Devil We read of such who were almost starved for hunger that they flew upon the spoil And likewise 1 Sam. 14. 32. the Apostle stigmatizeth the vilest of sinners after this manner Who being past feeling have given themselves over Eph. 4. 19. unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Of this brand was Ahab But on the contrary St. Paul discovers a better spirit as appears by his protestation I delight in the Law of God after Rom. 7. 22. the inward man He was passive and with great grief and remorse of heart Tom. 7.
of Judgment John Huss and Jerome Luth. Loc. Com. of Prague shall appear to be good men when the Pope and his Cardinalls shall appear to be vile and wicked wretches St Bernard us'd to say That the Day will Veniet Veniet Dies quando male judicata rejudicabit Deuâ— Bern. come it will certainly come when God will judg over again all false judgment But as for all those whose hearts were upright with God whilst they liv'd in this world these after death are translated into an estate of glory and happiness and in the highest heavens receive consolations beyond all expression and a weight of glory beyond the capacity of any mortal man which Christ gives to all his Children who in their Pilgrimage on earth endeavoured with their whole heart and strength to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth All those who were on earth Sincere-hearted and real Saints shall be acknowledged to be such by Christ himself at the Day of Judgment No sin no failing nor imperfection shall at all be layd to their Charge in that day for all failings and sins and all manner of imperfections shall be washt away in the bloud of Jesus Christ What ever good things the Saints have done on earth shall be all remembred and not any one thing forgotten at the day of judgment But whatever was bad and sinfull that they committed on earth shall not be layd to their Charge but shall be blotted out of the Book of Gods Remembrance and God will cast them into the depth of the sea O What a joyfull day and full of Comfort will the day of judgment be to all the Children of God! Then they shall lift up their heads with Comfort and behold him who is their Judg as their Redeemer Advocate Intercessor and Flder Brother and he will pronounce for them a sentence of Absolution At that day all glorified Saints shall have their bodily eyes irradiated with the splendor of glory and they shall be inabled to behold the Beatificall Vision and this is he Happiness of all Happiness and this only is their portion and appropriated to them alone who are pure in heart Thâ—y are blessed as our Saviour pronounceth them Who are pure in heart for they shall see God Then the Saints in glory shall sit in Judgment as Assessors with Christ and shall approve of the righteous sentence of Christ in Condemning their unrighteous Judges Then they shall see the Omniporent Eternal Jehovah the Beeing of all Beeings the first person in Trinity uncreated unbegotten and unproceeding Then they shall see Christ the Mediator of thâ— New Covenant their only Saviour and Redeemer uncreated but begotten and not proceeding who is the second Person in Trinity Then they shall see the holy Ghost the third Person in Trinity neither created nor begotten but proceeding from both The Glorifyd Saints what they believed when they were militant on earth shall in heaven understand the great Mystery of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity One glorified Saint shall know more then all the Learned men in the world I 'le conclude with this Doxology Now to the holy and blessed Trinity and one God in Vnity Father Son and Holy Ghost be ascribed all Honour and Glory Praise and Thanksgiving Dominion and Obedience henceforth and unto all Eternity Amen THE Contents of this Treatise CHAP. I. OF spiritual poverty p. 1. Sect. I. Spiritual poverty consists in emptying of the heart of what is self ibid. Sect II. Every humble spirited man is low vile and abject in his own eyes p. 3. Sect. III. One who is spiritually poor meditates frequently and seriously upon the promises and makes particular application of them p. 6. Sect. IV. One that is poor in spirit is weak fiâ—k and in a distressed condition as to his own apprehension and makes haste unto Christ for help p. 9. CHAP. II. Concerning the highest prizing and valuing of Jesus Christ p. 11. Sect. I. It 's an infallible sign of a true Believer to value and prefer Christ before all the riches of the world p. 11. Sect. II. Of ardâ—ney and strength of affection to Jesus Christ p. 14. CHAP. III. Of a heart in love with holiness evidenced in â— holy life and conversation p. 16. Sect. I. Every true Believer loves holiness for it self because it is the image of God ibid. Sect. II. Where holiness is in the heart it is fruitful in the life p. 19. CHAP. IV. Of ingenuous sorrow for sin p. 24. Sect. I. Ingenuous sorrow is more for the sin than the punishment ibid. Sect. II. There is a great difference between the mournings of Cain Ahab Judas c. and the mournings of David Paul Peter c. p. 25. Sect. III. There 's a great difference between the mourning of slaves and mourning of children p. 30. CHAP. V. Of sorrowing and mourning for others sins p. 33. Sect. I. A godly mourner mourns for others sins ibid. Sect. II. We must be affected with and afflicted for the sins of others remembring that we are men of like passions p. 37. CHAP. VI. Of approving our hearts unto God p. 42. Sect. I. A sincere-heâ—rted Christian labours to aprove his heart to God and put himself upon God's trial ibid. Sect. II. Though we are subject to many infirmities we must groan under the burthen of them p. 44. CHAP. VII Of pressing forward towards perfection p. 49. Sect. I. It 's an Apostolical character and Apostolical practice to press forward towards perfection ibid. Sect. II. Instances in particulars whether we press forward towards perfection p. 52. CHAP. VIII Of a strict watch set upon the heart against bosome sins p. 55. Sect. I. A sincere heart endeavors to keep it self from every beloved sin ibid. Sect. II. No sin so little but deserves damnation p. 59. Sect. III. An illustration by similitudes p. 61. CHAP. IX An endeavor against every sin and for the practice of every duty p. 65. Sect. I. The desire and endeavor must be against every sin ibid. Sect. II. The endeavor must be to obey all commands and practice all duties p. 69. CHAP. X. Of a heart without guile p. 73. Sect. I. The heart must be without guile ibid. Sect. II. Every person that is upright is compounded of three words viz. simplicity singleness and sincerity p. 74. CHAP. XI Of mortification of the deeds of the body p. 80. Sect. I. The deeds of the body i. e. all lusts ought to be mortified ibid. Sect. II. Questions propounded and answered p. 83. CHAP. XII Vivisication of the fruits of the Spirit p. 91. Sect. I. Beside mortification of the deeds of the body there must be a vivification of the fruits of the Spirit ibid. Sect. II. How this is to be discerned p. 93. CHAP. XIII Containing the comforts of sincere Christians p. 95. Sect I. Sincere Christians have comforts in their lives ibid. Sect. II. Sincere Christians are sensible of their sins and mourn for them p. 98. CHAP. XIV Sincere-hearted Christians have comforts in their deaths p. 102. Sect. I. The comfortable deaths of such as are sincere p. 102 Sect. II. We ought to prepare for deatâ— p. 10â— Sect. III. The â—ying speeches of Saints p. 109 CHAP. XII Containing the happiness of the Saints iâ— Heaven p. 115 Sect. I. The Saints in Heaven receive per fection of happiness ibid Sect. II. At the day of Judgment all falâ— judgments shall be reverst p. 118 FINIS
a ground for Liberum facio cuilibet veniendi neminem ex cludo prorsus omnes venire subeo Omnes venite accipite aquas Domino â—t gloria Bulling Free-will I answer That all those Invitations abundantly manifest the Free grace of God and ascribe nothing to mans Free will which if we trust to it will prove an Aegyptian reed to deceive us We read Ezrah 1. 5. Then rose the cheif of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem Before we can come to Christ and accept of the Gospel Invitation God raiseth up our hearts For saith our Saviour Joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent mâ— draw him But when he draws us wâ— can run as the spouse professeth Can. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after the. Before we can run the waies of Gods Commandments he inlargeth our hearts So saith the Psalmist Psal 119. 32. I will run the way of thy Commandments When thou shalt enlarge my heart Sect. 4. He that is poor in spirit is weak sick and in a distressed condition as to his own apprehension and therefore of necessity all delaies being laid aside he must repair to Christ and beg strength health Comforts even all from him as the only skilfull Physitian who alone can Work an effectual cure And Christ is the only Physitian and his blood is the only Medicine and both the Physitian and his Medicine are of infinite dignity price value For no Physitian nor no Medicine can work that cure which Christ works Psal 103. 3. For he pardoneth all iniquities and healeth all diseases Christ prepares and prescribes the Medicine our Duty is to apply it to our wounds For the most Soveraign Medicine cures not in preparation but in Application Wherefore we must imitate the Apostle by making a particular Application of of Christ and all his merits unto our own souls For saith he Gal. 2. 20. I am crucisied with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life with I now live in the Flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gâ—ve himself for me After Thomas had a demonstrative Conviction of Christ's personal appearance after his resurrection he made use of a Pronoun Possessive to his comfort saying Joh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God Whoever he be that is so poor in spirit as to be nothing and less then nothing in his own accompt and value Christ above all and as the Apostle phraseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est Christus sese scilicet uniens reâ—atis eosque regenerans omnia scilicet ad salutem necessaria Omnibus ni mirum fidelibus sanctificatis Christo copulatis Est illis omnia meritoriè Daven in Loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar Hom. 16. it Col. 3. 11. All in All he questionless is in the state of blessedness for saith our Saviour Matth. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Observe how low the Foundation is laid even in Poverty of spirit But Christ setts a high Roof and glorious superstructure upon so low a Foundation even the Kingdome of heaven CHAP. II. Concerning the highest priceing and valueing of Jesus Christ A Second Character of a sincere Heart Character 2. The highest priseing and valuing of Jesus Christ is to set the highest Price Value and Estimation upon Jesus Christ Sect. 1 This is an infallible Sign of a true Beleiver whose heart is upright with God to Price Value Esteem and Preferr Christ in our judgments and affections before all the Riches of the World in their greatest Estate and confluence This the Apostle sets down as an infallible Sign of a true Believer 1 Pet. 2. 7. Vnto you therefore which believe he is prelious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O! how high an Estimation did the Love-sick Spouse discover concerning Jesus Christ For said she Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy the cheifest Jesus Christus totus suavis est totus salubris est totus delect ibâ—lis totus denique secuadnÌ„ sponsae Vocem desiderabilis Beza among ten thousand Christ is white by his innocency purity and immaculate righteousness but he is ruddy by reason of his bloody sufferings and the effusion of his pretious blood To which the Prophet Isaiah alludes in a lofty piece of Retorick Esa 63. 1 2 3. Who is this that cometh from Edom with died Garments from Bozrah This is to be understood of Christ as may appear Loquitur Ecclesia Christum ipsum alloquitur Quare vestes tuae rubidae sunt Piscator in Loc. more evidently by what followes viz This that is glorious in his apparell travelling in the greatness of his strength I that speak in righteousness mighty to save Wherefore art thou red in apparrell and thy garments like him that treadeth the wine fat This scripture represents the meritorious sufferings of Christ in pouring out his most pretious blood out of his veins His body was pierced with a Spear and forthwith came thereout Joh. 19. 34. Rev. 19 13 Amictus cruentus indicat victorem reducem ab hostium strage Parae Tinctum non piorum sanguine ut Roma sed impiorum Grot. blood and water St. John in the Revelation gives us a farther Evidence And he was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood and his name is called the word of God Oh! what an inestimable value should we have of Christ who bought us and paid for the purchase the greatest price that ever was paid even the price of his innocent meritorious and most pretious blood The Apostle observes the Doctrine and injoyns us to make particular application thereof For saith Haec correctio estquod admonet corpus non minus quam animam subjectum esse Deo Calv. Ezek. 34. 29. Hag. 2. 7. he 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Christ is called by the Prophet Ezekiel a Plant of renown Christ is called by the Prophet Haggai The Desire of all Nations and by Malachy The Angel of the Covenant and by Zachary the Branch of Mal. 3. 1. Zech. 3. 8. Dan. 9. 26. Righteousness and by Daniel The Messiah Add farther by way of Singularity and excellency and incomparable Benefit Christ is call'd our Advocate and 1 Joh. 2. 1. Propitiation our Redeemer and only Mediator Job 19. 25. Christ hath trodd the wine press alone 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is Isa 63. 3. none other given under heaven whereby we must be saved but by the name of Jesus Act. 4. 11. 12. Christ therefore as he is of infinite value and dignity in himself so we ought to have the highest estimation of him and to preferr him both in judgment and
commanded in the Word of God we must make it our business to manifest our thorow and impartial obedience not picking and chusing as if when we had perform'd an easier duty then we might obtain a dispensation for a greater commandment But all such manner of halving and dividing is odious and abominable in the sight of Almighty God for every divided heart is faulty as the Prophet saith Hos 10. 2. Their heart is divided therefore they shall be found faulty Wherefore Universality of the subject the whole man which in a comprehensive acceptation takes in all the members of the Body and faculties of the Soul Universality of the object the whole Law and Universality of time and place are essentially requisite to the compleating of the obedience of every sincere hearted Christian This Character searcheth very near the heart and he who hath it without all question is a sincere hearted man By this Character let us in an especial manner try our selves even by the universality of our hatred of all manner of sins and by the universality of our obedience unto all God's commands and by the universality of our endeavours to grow in every grace Universality is both a divisive and constitutive difference for it distinguisheth a half nominal and formal outside Christian from a sincere Christian and it constitutes a Child of God CHAP. X. Where the Heart is upright with God it is without guile and hypocrisie THe tenth Character of sincerity is Charact. 10. A spirit without guile Sect. 1. a spirit without guile and hypocrisie Nathanael had this testimony from Christ John 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile And to have a spirit without guile is that grand distinguishing Character which the Psalmist appropriates to a blessed man Psal 32. 1 2. Elessea is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the mâ—n unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 〈◊〉 in whose spirit there is no guile Who are they who are thus blessed Such whose sins are forgiven and not imputed to them And who are they whose sins are forgiven and not imputed to them Such in whose spirit there is no guile Only those who are pure in heart shall see God Purity of heart is one of those transcendent Beatitudes mention'd in our Saviours Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God They are said to be pure in opposition to profaneness and pure in heart in opposition to hypocrisie They only shall be partakers of the blessed Vision whose hearts are pure i. e. sincere with God True Believers whose hearts are upright and their lives holy they shall see some manifestations of God by his Word and by his Providences and they shall see the footsteps and out-goings of God in the Sanctuary But what they see here is but little in comparison of what they shall see and enjoy in glory For saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. we see through a glass darkly but then face to face Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known Sect. 2 Every upright person is compounded of three signisicat words which comprehend the whole duty of integrity And they are simplicity singleness and sincerity The first word is simplicity and this 1. Simplicity is opposite to a double heart and to such a heart as is usually call'd a heart and a heart This simplicity of the heart was a ground of the Apostles rejoycing and of all true Believers For saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity c. And it 's the high commendation ascrib'd to the Children of Zebulun 1 Chron. 12. 33. that they were not of a double heart St. James stamps a brand of infamy upon a double minded man in that he is unstable in all his waies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 1. 8. He is unsixt unplaced and so unsettled as you know not what to judg of him nor as we use to say where to find him A man may as soon hold the wind in his hand as hold fast an unstable man A second word is singleness Now 2. Singleness singleness and uprightness differ only in the sound of the name pronounced they agree in the same sense altogether as being of a synonimous signification Of this singleness of heart we have a clear evidence of the Primitive Converts Acts 2. 46. They continued daily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house and eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God It 's the observation of judicious Mr. Calvin upon the place Quia in laudando Deo non potest esse cordis simplicitas nisi constet in omnibus vitae partibus ideo certum est ejus fieri mentionem hoc sensu quod fideles eain ubique colueriat Calv. in Loc. That simplicity of heart and praising of God are joyn'd together And the reason he gives is this Because in praising of God there cannot be simplicity of heart unless it consist in all the parts of our lives c. This single and undivided heart is highly esteem'd of in the sight of God Wherefore we are commanded to turn unto the Lord with all our hearts Joel 2. 12. And the Psalmist professeth Psal 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy commandments An entire single one heart are all one in sense and such a one only obtains acceptance in the sight of God the searcher of all hearts A third word is godly sincerity so I 3. Sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 site cerâ call it because it 's so call'd by the Apostle godly sincerity or the sincerity of God Hereby is necessarily to be infer'd that we must not only be sincere in all that we do towards men but in all that we do towards God Simplicity and godly sincerity are joyn'd together by the Apostle and they cannot be parted asunder The Apostle likewise prays for the Philippians Phil. 1. 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. In this place here are two significant words to be explained one is sincere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Original and according to the received Etymology derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sol and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judico And this is as most say an allusion to the practise of Eagles who turn the faces of their young ones to look upwards towards the Sun and if they cannot behold the Sun they throw them down as spurious and not of the breed of Eagles Thus far this allusion may be improved That all our thoughts words and actions should be so genuine and so rightly ordered as they
as in the presence of God to his own Soul saving Is my heart sincere and upright towards God There are many needless Questions propounded which gender strife and it were better that they had been buried in silence altogether but here is the Question worthy of our studying and stating viz. Whether our hearts stand sincere towards God As for all those whose hearts are without guile as Nathanael's was John 1. 47. who have truth in the inward parts as God requires Psal 37. 6. who are men after God's own heart as David was whose hearts are perfect with God as Hezekiah Asa and Jehosaphat were these notwithstanding infirmities incident to human nature shall find the comfort and benefit of their uprightness and sincerity in their lives and in their deaths and after death to all eternity Sincere-hearted Christians receive Sincere persons receive comfort in their lives comfort in their lives Although God's dear Children meet with variety of sore and grievous afflictions in this present World and encounter with many tentations and great troubles and vexations insomuch as they are the very Butt and Mark against which their implacable Enemies shoot their keenest and sharpest Arrows poisoned and destructive yet notwithstanding all their sufferings a good od a good Cause and a good Conscience will carry them chearfully through all their troubles and abundantly quiet and support their spirits And the least glimpse of God's reconciled countenance in Christ will infinitely compensate for all the frowns and fury of implacable Adversaries inward comforts will make amends for outward troubles A good Conscience like Ahimaaz will bring good tidings or like a Halcyon as is said appears in a storm as an emblem of a calm approaching Or a good Conscience may resemble Noah's Dove which brought an Olive-leaf in her mouth in token that the waters were abated As Aaron's Rod swallowed up all the Rods of the Magicians so a pacified Conscience by the consolations of God's spirit will swallow up all manner of troubles and vexations whatsoever A sincere heart and the answer of a good conscience and the apprehension of God's reconciled countenance in the face of Christ will compose and quiet our spirits and becalm and make them sedate and settle all manner of fluctuating and tumultuating thoughts To this purpose I 'le cite an excellent passage of St. Augustine * Tumultuosis varietatibus dilaniantur cogitationes meae intimae viscera animae meae donet in te coajinam purgatus liâ—uidus gâ—e amoris tui Aug. conf l. c. 29. My thoughts saith he are torn in pieces with variety of tumults even my inward bowels are torn in pieces until I make haste to be purged and and melted with the fire of thy love One only word spoken by Christ suddenly becalm'd a rough and tempestuous Sea for when the Disciples were afraid Matth. 8. 26. Christ arose and rebuked the Winds and the Sea and there was a great calm And amidst variety of storms and tempests even such winds which blow fiercer than that called Euroclydon Acts 27. 17. Christ can make all still and so can he amidst the greatest inward and sharpest storms of Christians when they are at their wits end and know not what to do Christ I say can speak a word of peace unto their Souls saying Son or Daughter be of good comfort all thy sins are forgiven thee Upon the hearing of such a gracious word there will follow a marvelous tranquility and serenity upon the spirit Sect. 2 It cannot be denied though it ought to be bewailed but the best of Saints here on earth have their spots and failings for they are encompassed in this World with a body of sin and corruption yet they are sensible of and mourn for their spots and failings for they are their sorrow and their heavy burthen They do not willingly allow themselves in any sin nor willingly depart from any command Sin in a Child of God is a torment to him like a broken leg or a broken tooth it 's matter of dolour and anguish to him Sin in a Child of God is like Garbidge thrown into a running stream it is still running and purging away of all manner of filth and impurity But sin in an unregenerate man is like Garbidge thrown into a standing pond there it abides and sends forth a loathsome and stinking savour However all those whose hearts are upright with God make it their continual employment to search their hearts and to wash and cleanse them hereupon after searching of their hearts they learn to know them better and they know more evil by themselves than all the World can tell them of hence follows heart-compunction sighing and mourning And being thus apprehensive of their own impotency and unworthiness and forlorn condition they make haste to Christ and implore his gracious assistance and beseech him to cleanse them and make them white in his Bloud Wherefore as often as that inveterate enemy Satan and all malicious and ungodly men the Devils instruments prefer large Bills of Accusations and false Indictments against the Saints they make their appeal to the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth who alwaies judgeth righteously The Apostle makes an expostulation and gives an answer thereunto every way satisfactory Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth The most bitter Accusations and most violent Persecutions of them all are altogether insignificant and of no effect force or vertue against any of those whom God justifies for Gods justification and discharge will fully acquit and exonerate us and save us harmless and indemnified against all the demands charges suggestions and libels made against us by the worst of Enemies For it follows in the next words Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us The frequent and serious meditation of these things abundantly support and comfort the godly in their Pilgrimage on Earth Albeit the best of Gods children meet with conflicts and antipathies and are excercised in combats against the Flesh the Devil and the World those spiritual Enemies of their Salvation yet through the strength of Christ they shall return with Trophies of Victory and by experience they shall find the flesh to be weaker and weaker and the spirit stronger as it was said of the houses of David and Saul this grew weaker and weaker and the other grew stronger and stronger But whilst we are in this World we must never cast down our weapons but still continue fighting against sin we must not expect to rest from our labours till we are dead Let 's then with all diligence and fidelity manage our spiritual warfare and in all things labour to approve our hearts sincere to God and we shall at length conclude with the Apostle Rom. 8 37. Nay in all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things
we are more then conquerors through him that loved us CHAP. XIV Containing the Comforts which sincere-hearted Persons enjoy in their Deaths Sect. 1 HAving represented in the former Chapter the great comforts which such whose hearts are sincere with God receive in their lives in the second place I come to discover the comforts of them in their deaths Although by no means may we make a judgment of the course of the life by reason of some distempers and passions which oftentimes proceed from strength of Diseases yet usually we read of the deliberate composed and serious professions of many good Christians which they have made on the bed of languishing Solomon saith Prov. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death And hope grounded on Divine promises affords us superabundant consolation When the Prophet Isaiah was sent to Hezekiah to give him warning of his death which was suddenly approaching then Hezekiah recollects his serious thoughts and reflects upon his upright walking with God in his whole life and conversation the remembrance whereof administred ground of singular consolation unto his Soul The History is on record in holy Scripture 2 Kings 20. 1 2 3. In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amos came to him and said unto him Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live Then he turned his face unto the wall and prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Likewise St. Paul apprehending the time of his dissolution to draw near thus raiseth to himself a ground of strong consolation 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. For saith he I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them that love his appearing We commonly say That the house of Death is the house of Truth and where the senses are exercised and the memory and judgment are not extinct there will be plain dealing and there will be made plain discoveries As for such for them only I now mention whose hearts are upright with God the remembrance of the sincerity of their hearts next to the consolations of Gods spirit will revive their spirits on their beds of languishing Sect. 2 Let us consider before hand that we shall all die for Death is the common lot and portion of all mankind Heb. 9. 27. it is Gods appointment Would we not then be glad when we are cast upon our Death-beds to have something at that time â—o comfort us when we are leaving of these houses of Clay and unclothing of our selves of our mortal Bodies what is that which will be a ground of comfort to bear up our spirits Will thousands of Gold and Silver purchase the Favour of God can the greatest Mannors Lordships and Revenues of the World Can an Imperial Diadem bâ—ibâ— Death to stay a longer time Can all the Grandees and Potenâ—ates of this World should they all unite as one man avail any thing to make our peace with God No questionless For no great Personages nor great Riches can either dâ—â—â—â—er themselves or us from the stroke of Death nor pacifie their own nor our Consciences nor make any peace and reconciliation either for themselves or for us at that day Some in this World being arrested for Debt have made the Serjeant drunk and so have made an escape out of his hands But it is altogether impossible to deal so with the grim Serjeant Death none can escape Deaths dart wherever they run Death will strike them to the heart Now then when all the Gold and Silver which the Universe can afford when all the interest of Friends though great and potent cannot administer any comfort peace and satisfaction to us when we lie upon our Death-beds then Oh then is that necessary instant when the light of Gods gracious countenance shining upon us in the face of Christ can only revive our spirits and give us real and durable joy peace and comfort when all creature comforts are Physicians of Job 13. 4. no value empty Cyphers insufficient and unable to give us any satisfaction This then is that good which the Psalmist had experienced and prayed for it above all besides Psal 4. 6 7 8. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corn and wine increased I Aspice nos sereao vultu ostende te nobis favere recipe noâ— in gratiam consolare to laetifica no. tuâ praesâ—â—tiâ id non famus soliciti quid fiat in hoc mundo car impit per veniâ—at ad summas opeâ— ecclesia misere â—â—primatur Mollerus will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety Hence it evidently appears that the only saving good consists in the light of Gods gracious countenance For this we must be earnest and indefatigable solicitors at the Throne of Grace However the men of the World may frown on us and the Riches of the World may forsake us yet if God smile on us and be reconciled to us in Christ he will never leave us nor forsake us no not when we are gray-headed and upon our beds of languishing and when our natural strength fails and our diseases do much afflict us and the pains thereof make us roar the reflection of our well-spent time in giving up our strength to the service of God and of improving of our health to glorifie God will be even our Death-beds singular ground of consolation even the reviving of the memory of such time strength and health so imployed in the service of God When the faithfulest of our Friends and such as are most willing to do us good are not able to help us at all when learned Physicians have given us over as altogether desperate and incurable and when the pains and pangs of a long wasting lingring and tormenting disease even a complication of diseases are inexpressible and our throats rattle and the abundance of Phlegm is ready to suffocate us and our eye-strings are ready to break and our eyes are dim and gastly and every breath we take though with much difficulty is like to be our last breathing Oh! then is the time that the testimony of a good conscience that as the Apostle professeth 2 Cor. 1. 12. in simplicity and in godly sincerity we had our conversation in this world will abundantly comfort us and the apprehension of the love of God in Christ will revive our fainting spirits and give
14. complains that he was sold under sin He discover'd great renitency reluctancy and antipathies against every sin For saith he that which I do I allow not for what I would do that do I not but Rom. 7. 15. what I hate that do I. O how did this holy Apostle fight and struggle and exercise continual Combats and Conflicts fighting against Sin and Satan And thereupon he breaks forth into a doleful complaint But I see another Law in Verse 23. my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members And it 's observable that all this while and amidst all those sad complaints Paul was a regenerate man and a pregnant demonstration we have of our assertion because he delighted in the Law of God For saith he I delight in the Law of God Verse 22. Totus homo mento ratione regitur ab ca itaque Apostolo homo totus appellatur Bucer after the inward man And to delight in the Law of God in the inward man cannot be appropriated to any but to such only who are in the state of Regeneracy And that the words of the Apostle are not by a figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's evident that he speaks in his own and not in another person because he saith I my self And that the Apostle Rom. 7. 25. gives no allowance to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ego vel ipse ego quod à Paulo emphaticè dictum est ad designandum seipsum ne quis eum sub alienâ personâ hactenus fuisse locutum suspicaretur Estius in Loc. Accipiamus hoc in suâ ipsius personâ protulisse Apostolum Zegerus Hac exceptione fatetur se it a esse Deo addictum ut reptans in terra muâ—tis sordibus inquinetur Calr in any sin is clear because he professeth For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do And the Apostle was apprehensive of his own impotency and insufficiency to extricate himself out of those straits and difficulties wherein he was involved and therefore he cries out for a deliverer as appears in that pathetical exclamation O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of Sin By the Body oâ— Sin he understands all sorts of Sin both Original and Actual both the Roor and Fruit the corrupt Fountain and the corrupt Streams And none but God caâ— deliver and set him free from them Hâ— alone can deliver him who delivers uâ— from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. 10. Sect. 3 Moreover we are farther to considerâ— that there is a vast and a wide difference between the howling of Dogs and the crying of Children and there is as mucâ— difference between the roaring of Gally slaves and the crying of godly Mourners Wicked men Slaves anâ— such as feel the present smart of the lash cry out bitterly by reason of the great pain which they feel and thosâ— smarting blows which they groan under * Poe lit eat te quod tot tantis flagitiis involutus in luto faecis miseriae diutius jacuisti poeniteâ—tiam agens corpus tuum conteras furibunde carnis asello iacentivorum semina subtrahens c. Bern. p. 331. But as for all those who are true and unfeigned Mourners in Zion they are deeply affected with godly sorrow foâ— sin and therefore they grieve and mourn because they have been so hard-hearted as to kick a tender Father upon his Bowels and have been so unthankful as to sin against riches of mercy and loving kindness Hence comes theiâ— Heart-piercing Heart-breaking and Soul-melting Sorrows because they have been such undutiful Children as to reâ— bel against a gracious and merciful God the Father of all mercies and the God of all consolations No massie great Mountain no not the burthen of Aetna as the Proverb is no weight imaginable or expressible can be so heavy as is the burthen of sin to a Child of God And no manner of sorrow can be so bitter to a godly man as is the sense of Sin and sorrow for it Nothing in the World can be so grievous vexing torturing and every way afflictive to a good Christian as Sin is for Sin to him is like a Dagger sticking in his Heart and continually tormenting and putting him to pain Hereupon we read of David watering his Couch with his Tears For Psal 6. 6 7. saith he I am weary with my groaning I make my Bed to swim I water my Couch with my Tears Mine eye is consumed because of grief Further he expresseth an addition to his mourning because his Psal 42. 3. tears was his meat day and night To eat the bread of affliction and to drink the water of affliction is a sad calamity but to feed on tears must needs be much sadder but this is not all for the Psalmist confesseth further There is no Psal 38. 3. soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin Diseases aches pains and broken bones are very grievous Omnium est utilissimum dolorem corporis ex morbo vel ulcere loco peccati habere peceati etiam vocabulo appellare ita vel hoc pacto ad detestationem peccatorum horrorem induceremur Musc in Loc. but sin is or should be more grievouâ— to us than all David was of a sanguinâ— complexion and such naturally are more chearful David was a great and potent King and an excellent Musicianâ— yet the sense of his sins caused great sorrows to him and made him goâ— mourning all the day long If then theâ— thorow sense of sin and the guilt thereof be set home upon the Conscience there will be weeping and mourning The eye will affect the heart and cause inward compunction and godly sorrow Thus we read of Ephraim smiting upon his thigh Of Ephraim's Conversion and Repentance which is the Fruit of Conversion the Prophet Jeremy makes mention I have surely heard Ephraim Jer. 31. 18 19. bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thing I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth We shall likewise find the Prophet Ezekiel â—zek 21. 6. sighing to the breaking of his loyns And Job 42. 6. Job abhorring himself and repenting in dust and ashes Many mourn for worldly losses and shed many a tear for any loss which befals them in their temporal estate but few there are which mourn for sin which produceth the greatest loss even the loss of God's favor Many have cause to repent for their worldly mournings and to mourn for their mournings