inward enlargements that he comes off from his knees with a vicimus vicimus When he shall go to Worms to own the truth of Christ though all the tiles upon the houses were devils Of these Prayers and Practices and such like we may say as Protogenes of a curious Line none but Apelles could draw this none but the Spirit of God could enlarge and enable to do this 3. When we feel and find our hearts after duty silled and fraighted with spiritual joyes and heavenly comforts when our soul is like a Merchants ship returned from the Indies loaden as deep as it can swim with all variety of Spices and precious Commodities When we have such inward ravishings that our heart is a little Heaven fill'd up to the brim with joy as our Saviour prayed for us Joh. 15.11 Enjoying that joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Heaven antidated or Heaven before-hand when we have that joy which is the earnest of Gods love 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared in this life for them that love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit This joy is not only the fulfilling of Christs Prayer but also the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 When the King had brought his Spouse into his Bride-chamber after her prayer he ravishes her heart with joy Cant. 1.4 When David had been at Prayer Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me Then comes that rapture Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine and Oyl encreased Psal 4.6 7. When we have greater joy after duty than Worldlings have after Harvest which is their greatest joy gaudium messis is messis gaudiu The joy of their harvest is all the harvest of their joy which this Worlds Earth-worms are likely to enjoy Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things saies Abraham to Dives 4. When our activity in duty is constant like the motion of the fire in its Orb which Philosophers tell us is perpetual My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times Psal 119.20 The Spirit dwels in us as his Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 The body is the Temple the Soul the Late the Affections the Strings the Holy Ghost the Musician who in all our duties makes melody in our hearts Eph. 5.19 Where the Ship is alway sayling the Wind is alway blowing and we are sure that sayling comes from the Wind if the Wind lies still the Ship lies still is becalmed 1 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom and liberty are opposed to three things 1. Necessity 2. Co-action 3. Restraint Now the Spirit of God sets our heels ut aiunt our hearts at liberty not only from necessity co-action but also restraint Setting at liberty is freeing us from imprisonment and giving freedom to go whither we will The Spirit admits us to that liberty which is 1. The purchase of Christ Gal. 5.1 2. The Priviledge of our filiation Rom. 8.21 Per nomen libertatis non tantum intelligo a peccati carnis servitute manumissionem Sed etiam fiduciam quam concipimus ex adoptionis nostrae testimonio convenit cum Rom. 8.15 Calv. in 2 Cor. 3.7 The glorious liberty of the Sons of God The Spirit makes us act as it self Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia Ambr. 2 Cor. 3.6 The Spirit quickneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes lively Rom. 8.2 As the Spirit of life frees us from the law of sin and death so from the Law of sloth and deadness Object But some poor soul cries out Woe is me I am undone I find none of this Spirit in me I am none of those fixed Stars about the Aequinoctial that move many Millions in an hour but a slow-paced Planet that finishes not his course in many years whose motion is so dull that not discernable Sure I am cast out of the firmament of Gods favour and shall be a wandring Star to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude v. 13. Answ It is the misery of Ministers that they cannot speak of the experimental sublimities of some but others are presently desponding and despairing I would not for a world quench the smoaking flax or break the bruised reed Mat. 12.20 Yea I would with all my soul put the lambs in my bosome which cannot go or but slowly and gently lead them that are with young Isa 40.11 I speak this to them that are upon the staves of Jacobs Ladder in their ascending to heaven to be a loadstone to draw them up not a milstone to drag them down But to answer more appositely 1. I intend it in opposition to them who live in a course of sin yet now and then in a duty do feel a flâ—sh of joy and thereupon presume of their good estate and not to those who with Zachary and Elizabeth walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God blameless Luk. 1.7 and yet do not obtain this constant favour 2. I lay it down a positâ—ve sign and inclusivè that those and all those that have constant activities though differing for the altitudes and degrees may be certain of the Spirit as those that have Trade winds from Port to Port may be sure they sail by the wind or as those thâ—t have the Organ medium and object rightly disposed may be sure they see Bellarmine tells a story of an old man that alwaies arose from duty with these words Claudimini oculi mei claudiminiâ— nihil enim pulchrius jamâ— videbitis Be you shut O my eyes be shut for I shall never behold any fairer Object than Gods face which I have now beheld But not a negative sign exclusivè as if those that repent of sin meditate on the Promises poure out Prayers walk with God wait on Ordinâ—nces who have it not were cast-awaies I am confident many that lye wind-bound in the harbour shall in due time get to the Haven 3. There are four things belong to a Christian 1. A habit 2. An Act. 3. Degrees of that Act. 4. Sense of all these He may have the three first and yet want the sense of them A ship may sail and yet the Mariner not sensible of it 4. There is no Rule but hath some Exception no Experience in one Believers heart but a contrary Experience may be found in anothers Various are the workings of Gods Spirit in the heart he blows when where how he pleases Joh. 3.8 He is called seven spirits Rev. 1.4 because of his various influences He doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow in a duty if the ship be ready but to shew he is agens liberrimum he will sometime suspend his Act and leave the common Road. To conclude this take this counsel Stay
they run away from it and will not endure to hear it by diversions and yet they can sooner turn their souls out of their bodies then Conscience out of their Souls yea amongst all these indignities it 's as fresh and active as if it were not thus abused it doth but watch it's opportunity when it will be heard when 't will make that which was done perhaps 40 years ago as if it had been but yesterday What ayles the great Emperours of the world h Insigne visum est earum Caesaris literaruÌ„ initium nam his verbis exorsus est Quid scribam vobis P. C. aut quomodo scribam aut quid omnino non scribaÌ„ hoc tempore Dii me deaeque pejus perdant quà m perire quotidie sentio si sâ—io Adeò facinora atque flagitia sua ipsi quoque in supplicium verterant Tiberium non fortuna non solitudines protegebant Tacitus Annal. l. 6. c. 6. page 146. that cause their terrour in the land of the living what ayls them to tremble with inward contrition is it a vain fear why then do they not shake it off is it the fear of men No they are above humane punishments Is it the fear of shame no the sin perhaps was secret at least man knows not the inward consternation of their spirits What 's the matter O they are haunted by the fury of their own Consciences Would wicked men but blab the gripes they sometimes feel even then when they out-face a Ministeriall or friendly reproof there would need no more to be said to evidence that a Conscience you will have which will first or last do its office 2. Your own Conscience will be your best friend or your greatest enemy of any creature unto eternity There 's i Vide Bern. de inter dom c. 22. p. 1070. no greater riches no greater pleasure no greater safety then a good Conscience Let the pressures of the body the hurry of the world the affrightments of Satan be never so great they can't reach the Conscience A good Conscience singularly chears the dying body joyfully accompanies unto God the departed Soulâ— triumphingly presents both Soul and Body unto the desired Tribunal There 's no more profitable means nor surer testimony nor eminent Conveyor of eternal happiness then a good Conscience And on the contrary there is no greater torment then of an evill Conscience though its gentler checks may be disregarded it s louder clamours will make you tremble O Sirs what will you do when Conscience shall upbraid you with your abuse of mercies incorrigiblenesse under judgements contempt of Christ and hatred of holiness you can't now endure to hear what Conscience hath to say how will you endure it unto eternity if one that killed his own Father k Parricidium vindicaturi Pelusii pro flagitij dignitate nulluÌ„ hactenus torturae ingenium per duxerunt non culeum non vivicomburium saevius quid cogitarunt piae scilicet matris naturae ferulaÌ„ conscientiam ad summae attrocitatis exemplum docti novam saevitiam didicerunt parricidam sancientes triduo cogi spectare occisi cadaver ut sic puniretur enormissimo omnium supplicio admonitione facinoris Jo Eâ—s Nieâ—â—â—berg de art vol. l. 2. pag. 156. could not in some Egytians account be more cruelly punished then by being compell'd to behold the murthered body for three dayes what a torment will it be to be forc't to behold every sin with every aggravation unto eternity here in bodily sickness there 's some intervalls to revive the Spirits but hereafter there will not be a moments intermission of unexpressible horrour unto eternity The Conscience shall roar under infinite wrath and the sinner shall be kept from annihilation under it by infinite power 1 Cor. 15.34 Thus I have in a weak manner performed my promise in speaking to severall kindes of Consciences with remedies and rules which laid together will I think amount to sufficient instructions How we may be universally and exactly conscientious viz. 1. Get your Consciences awakened from their natural Lethargy 1. 2. Preserve them tender from acquired searednesse m Heb. 3.13 3. Rectifie their errours as you would get cure of blindness n Eph. 4.18 4. Resolve their doubts as you would a claime to your lands o Rom. 14.5 5. Break from your scruples as from theeves on the road p Isa 35.3 4. 6. Lay your head in Christs bosom to cure your trembling q Isa 40.11 And then for the 7. integrity and 8. quiet of your Consciences Observe the rules proposed as punctually as you would Physitians bills in a tedious sickness 1. Avoid sinning as you would a train of gun-powder r Job 18.15 2. Be as quick in your repentance as in the cure of a Pleurisie s Zeph. 2.2 3. Live under the apprehended presence of the jealous God t Ezek. 11.5 4. Examine you hearts as Princes sift out treason u Lam. 3.40 5. Pray for sutable grace as starving persons cry for food w Psa 143.7 8 6. Let euery action be as an arrow shot at a mark x 1 Cor. 10.31 7. Think of God as of a wise Physitian y Job 40.2 8. Be as vile in your own esteem as you are in the eyes of a captious enemy z Eph. 3.8 9. Live upon Christ as the Child in the womb lives upon the Mother a Gal. 2.20 10. Love God as near as possibly you can as God loves you b Psalm 18.1 2 But if these rules though thus contracted be too many and too long to be allwayes remembred that you may not be overcharged with that which should never be forgotten I shall commend to you some Spiritually chymicall extractions and if I might so express it Spirits of directions that may be to your Souls in your pilgrimage towards Heaven as your Ship-provisions in a Sea-voyage generally sufficient when others cannot be had Plainly practise these memorialls of direction in all your conscientious walking I. Consult duty not events There 's nothing in the world for us to do but to mind our duty Curious speculations c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem Alexandr Strom. lib. 6. p. 664. that tend not to holiness may be reckoned among your superfluities but mis-giving predictions of what may or will befall you in the discharge of your duty may be reckoned among your grosser iniquities and to venture upon sin to avoid danger is to sinke the Ship for fear of Pirats and must be reckoned amongst your greatest follies your worst of sins Is not their reason questionless their Conscience is dangerously distempered that practically argue this way of duty may probably procure mans displeasure and therefore to prevent that I 'le take the course which will certainly procure Gods displeasure Besides by-wayes will not lead you to the place you aime at d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 471. 466. but on the contrary keep your
you would walk evenly in Gods path you must cut off your right foot 3. Observ That sin is properly and to all intents and purposes our own If thy right eye offend c. if thy right hand offend c. the Apostle writing to the Colossians Col. 3.5 speaks thus Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection c. these sins were their members the whole body of sin is ours and the members of that body are ours there is a great difference between our natural body and our sinful body our natural body is ours quoad usum with reference to our use but it is Gods quoad creationem with reference to its creation The body of man was originally and fundamentally created now there is a twofold Creation 1. When a being is made of nothing this is called by the learned creatio immediata an immediate creation 2. When a being is made of something but that something is materia inhabilis matter altogether indisposed for the producing of that effect and so is little if any thing more then nothing with reference unto that which is made materia est aliquid in se nihil tamen respectu opificii thus when God made the woman of a Rib when Christ turned water into wine when God made man of the dust of the earth it was a creation and this is called by the Learned creatio mediata a mediate creation and our natural body still in a way of generation is Gods creature but our sinful body is our creature hence the Apostle mortifie your members which are on the earth and our Saviour in the Text If thy right eye offend thee c. so that sin is properly and to all intents and purposes our own 4. Observ That although all sins are our own yet there are some sins that in a more especial manner may be called ours namely our right eye sins and our right hand sins or if you will Every man hath his proper particular iniquity his beloved sin If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee If thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee and the handling of this Doctrine will suit the Case that is my task this morning viz. How may beloved lusts be discoverâ—d and mortified In the prosecution of this Observation I shall follow by Gods assistance this method 1. I shall enquire why sin is expressed sometimes in Scripture by the parts and members of our body as in this place by the right eye and the right hand 2. I shall shew you that our right eye sins and our right hand sins our beloved lusts may in a more especial manner be called ours or that every man hath his proper his particular iniquity 3. I shall enquire how this comes to pass that particular persons have their proper and particular sins 4. The Use and Application 1. I am to enquire why sin in Scripture is expressed by the parts and members of our body and particularly here by the right eye and the right hand 1. You must note that the whole mass of corruption in Scripture is called by the name of the old man and the body of sin Knowing this that our old man is crucifi'd with him that the body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 It is called the old man in every young man there is an old man and it is called the body of sin now if sin in the lump and bulk be a body then particular sins may fitly be termed the parts and members of this body 2. Sin may be thus expressed because as the natural body makes use of its several parts for the managing and carrying on of those works that are natural so corruption makes use of several lusts for the effecting and promoting of those works that are sinful 3. According to their notion that hold the soul by creation as I conceive sinne is conveyed into the soule at first by means of the body Certainly the soule of man is pure and undefiled as it comes out of the hand of God I do humbly propose to men of learning whither that rule corporeum non agit in incorporeuÌ„ or that a body cannot defile a spirit is not further to be taken into consideration We find by experience that as the soule communicates its affections unto the body the body hath life and sense and motion from the soule that of it self is a liveless lump of clay So the body again hath a very great influence on the soul and can and doth communicate its distempers unto it For instance those that have sanguine bodies are enclined to lust those that are cholerick unto rashnesse and passion those that are melancholy unto suspition tenaciousness those that are phlegmatick unto dulness and cowardize So that sin may be in the body dispositivè before it be enlivened by the soule though not formaliter my meaning is the body may have a disposition to defile the soul before it is united unto the soul and if so no wonder if sin be expressed by the parts and members of our body 4 Corruption looks at and shews it selfe by the sinfull actions of the bodie and therefore may have its denomination by the parts of it Hence it is that the Apostle when he had concluded that the Jew and the Gentile were both under sin to make this manifest he tells the Romans how sin discovered it selfe in the outward man Rom. 3.13 c. 2 Cor. 7.1 Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues have they used deceit the poyson of aspes is under their lips c. We read in Scripture of the sins of the flesh as well as of the spirit Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit the sinnes of the spirit like so many plague-sores break out into the flesh Wicked men are all over bespotted and beleopar'd with sinne Lying is a spot in the tongue pride is a spot in the eye wrath a spot on the brow bribery a spot in the hand Idolatry a spot on the knee yea they are called spots and blemishes 2 Pet. 2.13 not spotted but spots sin it selfe is a spot and like fire it turns the subject it hath to deale with into its own nature One part of the body in Scripture is called a world of iniquity The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity How much iniquity is there in the world Jam. 3.6 when in this little member there is a world of iniquity Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken to the first thing propounded viz. why sin is expressed sometimes in Scripture by the parts and members of our body My second worke is to shew you that our right-eye sins and our right hand sins our beloved lusts may in a more especiall manner be called ours or that every man hath his proper his particular iniquity If
his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
Archeus is busie in holy souls that mighty principle of life is counter-working the flesh and its lusts So that now the weapons of a Christians warfare are mighty thr ugh God for the pulling dâ—wn of strong holds and the captivating every imagination yea bringing every thought into the obedience of Chr st 2 Cor. 10 4 5 17. 3 Here are the terms and bounds of the Spirits conquests in this present life at which a Christians hopes and endeavours must take aim not the extirpating but subduing not the not having but the not fullfilling the lusts of the flesh the flesh will be lusting that accursed womb will be conceiving in the regenerate themselves But here is the Christians priviledge that while he walks in the Spirit those conceptions shall prove abortive 4. The words entirely and in sum present us with the method and way of conquering with the art of circumventing sin in the first avenues and approaches of it Walk in the Spirit c. this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great and Achillaean Stratagem against the powers of darkness the true and only course we are to take if we would strangle the brats of night and hell in their very birth and crush the Cockatrice's egge whilst it is hatching and before it excludes the Serpent So that in fine the Observation which resulteth is this The best expedient in the world not to fulfill the lusts of the flâ—sh Doctr. is to walk in the Spirit which what it imports I come now to shew 1. Walk in the Spirit i. e. in obedience to Gods Commandments which are the Oracles of the Spirit that this is excellently preventive of fulfilling the motions to sin appeareth Psa 119 1 2 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord Blessed are they that keep his testimonies they also do no iniquity again a little lower ver 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Aristotle that great Dictator in Philosophy despaired of atchieving so great an enterprise as the rendering a young man capable of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grave and severe lectures of morality for that age is light and foolish yet b Cereus in vitium flecti monitoribus asper Hor. ar Poct head-strong and untractable Now take a young man all in the heat and boyling of his blood in the highest fermentation of his youthful lusts and at all these disadvantages let him enter that great School of the holy Spâ—râ—t the divine Scripture and permit himself to the conduct of those blessed Oracles and he shall effectually be convinced by his own experience of the incredible vertue the vast and mighty power of Gods word in the success it hath upon him and in his daily progressions advances in heavenly wisdom Let me invite you then this day in the Prophets words Isa 2 5. O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord and what that is David tels us Psa 119.105 Thy words are a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths and Hos 6.5 His judgements are as a light that goeth forth Order thy steps by his word and thou shalt not tread awry let the Law of thy God be in thine heart and sin which is the transgression of the Law shall not come nigh thee walk in this broad day-light of the Sun of Righteousness shining in the Scriptures and thou shalt have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness This was the practise and experience too of the man after Gods own heart I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 It is good writing after the copy of so great a Master Go thou and do likewise 2. Walk in the Spirit i. e. as becometh those in whom Gods Spirit dwells as if the Apostle had said the part which ye are now to act O ye Christian Galatians it is that of new creatures see that ye keep the Decorum Demean your selves like the children of God who are led of the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Be true to your part fill it up adorn it and then sure enough ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for that were to act the part just contrary to what you sustain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he that is to represent upon the stage some generous and heroique person cannot do the least base and sordid thing but he breaks his part and digresseth into the garb and posture of a vile and abject person whilst he is true to his part he cannot possibly do any thing that is absurd and mis-beseeming Some of the Nethinim stood continually Porters at the door of the Temple to keep out whatsoever was unclean and hereunto the Apostle palpably alludeth 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you now if any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are So then that which the Rule amounts to by this interpretation is Walke in th sp rit * That a good mans soule is a Temple which God inhabits the Phâ—losophers acknowledge and that the honour and worship rendred to him in a purâ— and holy mind is incompaâ—ably more worthy and acceptable then all the cosiliest sâ—crifices offerings in Temples made with ha ds how magnificent soever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hicrocl in â—ythag aur carn p. 28. i. e. Walke as becomes the Temples of the holy Ghost and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 8. Walke in the Spirit i. e. Fulfill the counsels and advices of the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Every renewed soul is the Scean and Stage wherein the two mightiest Contraries in the world the Spirit and the Flesh i. e. light and darknesse life and death heaven and hell good and evill Michael and his Angels and the Dragon with his are perpetually combating hand to hand And well is it for a Christian that the holy Spirit is lusting in him against the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God takes thy part Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arrian in Epictet l. 2. c. 17. the spirit of the Lord of Hosts is with thee if thou dost not sinne and grieve him away Follow but thy Leader be prompt and ready to start at the Divine signall when the holy Ghost displays his Ensâ—gns then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 March presently forth under those mighty and victorious banners and thou shalt become Invincibâ—e * When a Christian goeth out thus to warfare following the Almighty conduct of his God he must needs proceed conquering and to conquer My soul followeth hard after thee saith David thy right hand upholds me Psal 63.8 The Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soul cleaves after thee As
beleeve it Thâ—se things considered I dare boldly tell thee that thou canst not love in sincerity but together therewith thou wilt be under a holy rapture of Admiration and together with thy love thy Admiration will be alwaâ—es increasing Cant. 2.3 2. Sweet and refreshing delighting 'T is a delighting rejoycing love love saith Aquinas est complacentia amantis in amato is the rest and satisfaction of the soul in the Object loved the nature of love lies much in delight Thou canst not Christian love thy Lord but thou wilt finde thy heart even ravished with delight in him as being one in whom the fulness of the God head dwells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 or personally non per efficaciâ—m solum â—upassistentiam sed per Unionem Hypostaticum or not vertually or only in a way of external help and assistance and being also one that had such an Unction of the Spirit upon him Cap. 〈…〉 that hath fully fitted him for the delight of thy soul And hence it is that wee finde the Spouse in the Book of Canticles so often letting forth her heart in holy delight to her Beloved as is manifest by her many loving compellations and several other expressions Hee shall lye all night betwixt my breasts Cant. 1.13 too large and many to be mentioned here and therefore I refer you to the Book it self 3. Ingenious gratitude thankfulness 'T is a grateful and thankful love as that which is begotten in the soul by the sense of Christs unspeakable goodness and condescension and which is also ever after fed and maintained thereby Now the condescension of Christ lies in three things 1. In his voluntary undertaking the work of Reconciliation and Mediation with God for persons so unworthy Rom. 5.8 Heb. 2.16 Hee took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham it was the cause of sinners which this great Lord undertook to plead 2 In his unwearied diligence and invincible patience in fulfilling the severe Law of Redemption which hee had submitted to Though the injury that was done him by man was so great and manifest and the terrour of the Lord against him also so severe and unspeakable yet hee opened not his mouth but was dumb even as a Lamb at the slaughter and as a Sheep under the hands of the Shearers Isa 53.7 Mat. 11.30 Rom. 10.8 9 10. Isa 1.16.17 18 3. In being willing to communicate the benefits purchased thereby to sinful and rebellious men upon such easie Terms bidding us do nothing else but turn to God by Repentance and Self-denial and beleeve in himself and then what ever our sins had been all the advantages merited by his death should be made over to us Now when all these are considered as by every soul that sincerely loves him more or less they are do they not sweetly affect with thankfulness as well as love Christian canst thou look upon such a Redeemer without some sense of an obligation laid upon thy soul thereby wilt thou think one single and separate affection enough for him or rather will not thy heart empty it self into the bosome of the Lord with love and thankfulness boâ—h at once and each of them contending which shall out-do the other 4. Supporting hope and confidence 'T is a hoping and confiding love 'T is not a languishing affection but that which brings life into the soul from the fulness of that Christ it feeds upon 1 Ioh. 4 17. Perfect love saith the Apostle casteth out fear There will not be so much as the shadow of fear upon the soul when this affection is ripened into perfect fruition And in the mean time as the degrees of it do increase so is the soul heightened in its hopes and tramples upon its former jealousies fears and discouragements And to this sense some interpret those words Rom. 8.38 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. As if they were the exultation of Faith upon the view of Loves Conquest and victorious Triumph over all its enemies Love gives confidence of access to Christ and unto God by him and this confidence lies in the soul as a cordial against all its faintings and despoâ—dencies not that there may not be a sinking of spirits and a swooning away for a time but love will restore the soul again and knowing Christ to be good Cant. 6 1â— 13. as well as all-sufficient for its condition it will recover life and spirits again and nor suffer it utterly to faint under its own sad apprehensions And this is the third Character Take now all these four qualifications of sincere love and try your selves by them 4. Character If our love be sincere it 's an affection which respecteth not a naked Christ but Christ as Mediatour Or it is a hearty desire of and complacency in Christ in all his offices as King and Priest and Prophet And of such moment is the right knowledge of this Character that Christian I must desire thee principally to study it and pass a judgement upon thy self thereby For what-ever fondness and sudden flashings of love thou mayest finde within thee they wil not so clearly tell thee what thou art as the knowledge of thy self by this mâ—rk Take it for a clear Truth That if thou lovest not Christ as thy Sovâ—raign Lord if thy heart be not knit to him as thy High Priest with God if â—hâ—◠〈…〉 â—ot affectionately entertained him as thy Master and Teacher In a word if thou art not consecrated unto God by Christ if thou art not a loyal subject and a willing Disciple love in sincerity doth not dwell in thee Thou art still an enemy and wilt so be judged 'T is not fondness of expression nor any outward complement that men put upon Christ which reacheth the New Testament notion of love to Christ but when as loyal subjects Ioh. 14.15.21 15.8 10.21.23 24. 1 Iohn 5.3 Luk. 19.27 Heb. 10.28 Ioh. 14.23 24. and willing disciples wee are alwaies doing the Things that are grateful and are obedient to him This is love And hence it is that in so many places our Lord puts us upon trying our love by our obedience by keeping his words and Commandments And speaks of Libertines Infidels the carnally wise Rebels and Apostates as enemies and haters of him what-ever their pretences are to the contrary And verily so essential is this to sincere love that unless you understand it you will be able to give but a lame account of most of the Scripture-Characters thereof as if I had time I could easily demonstrate because they do all presuppose it If thou wouldst know therefore whether this Grace be in thee in truth take thy heart Christian to Christ in every office and try it by such Interrogatories as may result from the consideration of them and this will tell thee thy case distinctly Begin first with Christ as High Priest for this did lay the foundation of the
but the drooping distressed Christian also questioneth all this because of the deceitfulness of the heart Alas the Scripture tells us that the heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitfull above all things o From Jer. 1.9 The Papists cavils the drooping Christian doubts who can know it and if the heart of man cannot bee known how can wee say wee beleeve or love God For this consider these four things 1. Another man cannot know it I cannot certainly and infallibly know whether another man be sincere or what his heart is for it is the prerogative and excellency of God to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that knows the hearts of all men Act. 1.24 2. A wicked mans heart is so wicked and there is such a depth of wickedness in his heart that hee cannot come to the bottome of it 3. If a man cannot know all the secret turnings and windings of his heart yet hee may know the general scope and frame of his heart 4. If hee could not do this of himself yet assisted by the spirit of God which all beleevers have received hee might know the frame bent scope inclination of his own heart Thus far the first proposition that a man may know that hee hath sincere faith in Christ and love to God Now wee proceed to the second 2 Proposition which shews the connexion between grace and glory Second Proposition is this that there is an infallible connexion between justifying faith unfeigned love and eternal glory The Apostle tells us of some things that may bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.9 things that accompany salvation Having or containing Salvation that are contiguous to salvation that the one toucheth the other this must bee proved for else though I know I do beleeve and love God sincerely to day I can have no infallible assurance of salvation because this may bee lost before to morrow or before I dye Now this I shall indeavour to prove by these three following particulars 1 From the verity of Gods promises 1. The undoubted verity of Gods promises proveth an inseperable connexion between sincere grace and eternal glory Faith is the eye of the soul with it through a promise as through a perspective-glass can the soul have a view of Heaven and glory What greater certainty or security can a man have than the infallible promise of that God who is truth it self who will not deny his Word but the same Love and free Grace that moved him to infuse Grace into thy heart and to make the Promise will move him also to give the thing promised Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 5.24 Hee that beleeveth hath everlasting life Hee hath it in the Promise hee hath it in the first-fruits Rom. 8.23 But wee our selves also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit The Jews by offering their first fruits did testifie their thankfulness to God for what they had received and hopes of the full crop in due time Hee hath everlasting life then it must not end Mark 16.16 Hee that beleeveth and is baptized shall bee saved Hee that beleeveth not shall bee damned As certainly as the unbeleever shall be cast into outer darkness so certainly shall the beleever be partaker of the glorious Inheritance of the Saints in Light The Promise is as true as the Threatning Act. 16.30 31. There you see a poor convinced wounded sinner under the load of guilt that had a sight of his lost undone deplorable condition coming to the Apostles and speaking after this manner Yee men of God yee servants of the Lord if there bee any way for mee who have been so great a sinner that have done enough ten thousand times over to damn my own soul if there be any certain way to avoid damnation I beseech you tell mee if there be any means by which I might certainly be saved as you pitty my sinful soul my bleeding heart my wounded conscience tell mee what it is declare it to mee What is the Apostles answer Beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved The Apostles speak not doubtingly perhaps thou shalt be saved perhaps thou mayest be damned If thou get Faith it may be thou mayest get Heaven Alas what relief peace satisfaction would this have been to his wounded conscience But they speak peremptorily beleeve and thou shalt be saved So that prove thou that thou hast Faith and these Scriptures prove thou shalt have salvation The Connexion therefore will not be questioned if I beleeve I shall be saved this God hath promised but shall not a beleever lose his Faith in Christ and lose his Love to God for the Remonstrants grant that a beleever qua talis as a beleever cannot fall away not come short of glory but qui talis est Hee that is a beleever may fall away totally and finally and so cannot have assurance of salvation because hee hath no assurance that hee shall persevere in his beleeving and state of grace To this I oppose these places of Scripture 1 Thes 5.23 24. And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body bee preserved blameless therefore preserved from Apostacy which is exceedingly blame-worthy till when till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is this a prayer and not a promise yea it is a prayer indited by the Spirit of God and hath a promise following it if you will read on Faithful is hee that calleth you who also will do it Here the Apostle that had the Spirit prayeth for perseverance and the Apostle that had the Spirit promiseth perseverance Certainty then of perseverance doth not make men careless in the use of means not prayers needless by praying a man obtains the thing promised and the certainty that hee hath by the promise of obtaining puts life into his prayers Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that hee which hath begun a good work in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoteth more safety than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will perform it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will finish it will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 Kept garrisoned by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Joh. 10.28 30. 1 Cor. 10.13 But will with the Temptation make a way to escape therefore they shall persevere for to enable the beleever to persevere in all tentations is to make a way to escape the destruction and hurt the tentation tendeth to God doth promise this absolutely Jer. 32.38 40. And they shall bee my people and I will bee their God and will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from mee They shall not forsake God because God will not
become thy Idol and beloved very far and thy sin 5. When the care anxiety and solicitude of the soul runs out after the comforts of this life saying what shall I eat what shall I drink how shall I live and maintain my Wife and Children what shall I do to get to keep such or such a thing when the thoughts of the heart are taken up for protection for provision to get and hold the things of this life such comforts as are so gotten and so enjoyed they are sinfully obtained and maintained and this our Lord Christ doth clear to us Matth. 6.25 26. And he warns his Disciples in a speciall manner against all such cares Luke 21.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. That comfort which thou art not dead unto neither is that dead to thee thou wilt hardly enjoy with safety to thy self or thou wilt part withall but upon severe terms If when God by his providence calls for such or such a comfort Husband Wife Child yet thou canst not you will not resign and give up that comfort at Gods call but thou growest impatient and sullen when he doth but attempt to bereave thee of it God may perhaps let thee have thy lust as he dealt with the Israelites Psal 78.18 30. but thou shalt have that comfort without any comfort it may be with a curse When we cannot bear the thoughts of either absence or loss of such or such things cannot endure the thought of parting it is like the tearing off a limb from the body when God takes away such a Husband or Wife or Child or Estate c. it argues that they were greatly abused while we had them If there were an indifferency of spirit in us as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 7.29 30 c. That they that were married were as if they were not married c. they would part upon easier terms by far When the life is bound up in a comfort it is death to part Gen 44.22.30 as it was with Jacob to his Benjamin When the creature hath got too great an interest in thee that thou canst by no means bring thy heart to think of leaving it or its leaving thee though God seems to call for it the heart begins secretly to rise up against God and to murmur and quarrell at providence this argueth a very carnall heart If the heart did hang loose from these things thou mightest injoy them with more comfort and part with them with more ease 7. If after God hath been weaning us in a more speciall manner by his Word and Rod and taking off our hearts from our worldly comforts yet the strong bent of the soul is towards them it argues much carnall love to them that we are not crucified to those comforts When the soul hath its secret sinfull converse and fellowship with a creature-comfort against its own conviction to the contrary it may be thou hast repented or at least hast seemed to repent of such a way and course yet for all this thy heart continually hangs that way and as it is Prov. 9.17 Her stoln waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant when a stolne glance of the eye a stoln kiss from a lustfull object is still pleasant to the soul there is much of a meretritious carriage in that heart it is so farre sinnefully injoyed When the heart hankers much after such a thing it is stolne away Hos 4 11. when it hangs after it as it is Jer. 22.17 Their hearts went after their covetousnesse when the heart hath its secret haunts and postern doores to get out to such or such an object and that object hath its secret passage to the soul There be some secret correspondencies betwixt the heart and the object when the lustfull object hath its wellcome it no sooner knocks but it is admitted when it hath a free passage into the heart and the heart hangs after it nay perhaps admits it when it is in duty if it comes even when we are with God in prayer and is admitted it argues a sinfull whorish familiarity 8. If after solemn and frequent warnings invitations and earnest beseechings perhaps corrections too God calls thee to a more strict and close walking with him in a severer way of selfdeniall in a more free and full enjoyment of himself If God would sequester thee from thy Oxen farm married wife that he might have thee more alone from the croud and dust and tumult of the world if yet after all this thou then settest thy wits on work to frame excuses If Christ speak to thee as he did to his Spouse Cant. 7.11 Come let us go and lodge in the villages Come let us goe out of the City crowd and multiplicity of worldly businesses and let us retire alone that we may more fully enjoy one another If he saith to thee as ver 12. he speaks to his Spouse Let us get up early to the vineyard c. and calls thee off to a more early earnest diligent attendance on him and thou doest as the Spouse Cant. 5.2 3. makest lazy excuses for thy easie gainfull trade and way of life thou leadest if so it be with thee thou keepest thy comforts upon sinfull termes When the Arguments and pleas and excuses and pretexts are for lust when denials equivocations and thy reason are all at work for lust When God calls to self-deniall in some creature-comfort and then the heart formes excuses for the enjoyment of it as they in the Gospell they all began to make excuses when they were call'd to the Wedding Supper their lawfull comforts became a snare and sinne to them Luke 14.16 17. If thy heart in such a case studies colours to adorn or set it out or set it off or covers to protect it then it is sinfull the heart miscarries in the injoyment of its comforts when it studies how to hide it self in the injoyment of it as much as may be even from the eye of God The third thing propounded was What are the sins that attend the immoderate sinfull use or abuse of lawfull comforts I will confine my self to the sins in the Text The first sin in their eating and drinking c. was sensuality and that is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as I have shewed is properly applied to bâ—uits an eating after a bruitish manner and by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes the vehemency and intention of their spirits laid out in their sensuall injoyments men are apt especially in abundance to grow sensuall and bruitish to use their comforts without fear to indulge themselves very farre and so say to themselves as the Rich Glutton Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12.19 a sensuall bruitish speech fitter for a swine than a man abundance of the things of this life hath a strange vertue to corrupt a man into a bruit Deut. 32.15 Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked How is he degenerated to a fat
man live according to the principles of that Religion and as it is with the principle of naturall life it is not made more lively active and vigorous by arguing and disputing wherein it doth consist and what are the proper acts of it but by putting it forth in the due acts and exercises of that life even so the principle of spirituall life in the soul gets no strength by zealous and hot disputing what and which is the true Religion and which be true and proper acts of Religion but by humble practice of what we know to be Religion not but that it is both lawfull and commendable to be able to understand and defend the grounds and principles of our Religion and all the holy exercises of it but I only caution against letting that sap run out in unfruitfull suckers which should nourish the fruit-bearing branches 6. Be the more carefull to observe and close with the inward stirrings of Gods Spirit in your hearts moving you to prayer meditation c. When you are in a valley of vision you will have many calls and motions from without to hear the Word and pray and receive the Sacrament but when you are abroad in a land of darknesse God must not only be your best but your only friend by his Spirit to jog and stir you up to holy duties and therefore it doth more than ordinarily concern us at a such time not to send away Gods Spirit grieved with our backwardnesse to that which is our own concernment 7. Observe and keep a register or diary of Gods mercies and your own sins that you may be often minded what God hath been to you and what you have been to him with how many thousand kindnesses he hath obliged you and with how many thousand sins you have disobliged him When we enjoy publick Ordinances we may there be often minded both of Gods goodnesse to us and our sinfulnesse against him and so may have our hearts stirred up to have very good thoughts of God and very low thoughts of our selves but when we want publick Ordinances we should labour to supply that want by a more strict observation and recording both the one and the other that by reviewing our register we may be enabled to affect our souls sutably either to praise the Lord or abase our selves 8. Lay a charge upon your selves to sleep and awake with the thoughts of God and eternity upon your souls and indeed though this is exceeding usefull for all men yet most of all for those who are deprived of Ordinances 'T is sure that the same truths which at first work upon the soul to the begetting grace are of force afterwards to quicken grace and make it lively and vigorous in the soul and certainly the belief of what God is in himself and to us and the thoughts of eternity have a great force to perswade carelesse sinners to sober and serious consideration the necessary instrument by which grace and a spirit of true and reall Religion is begot in the soul and therefore when we want those publick Ordinances which might be often presenting these great truths to our souls it will be of great use to charge our selves more severely with the daily serious thoughts of them 9. Take heed as for your life of indulging any secret sin for that will keep down the life of Religion in the midst of all Ordinances and therefore much more in the want of them a secret disease in the body which spends upon the stock of the radicall moysture will keep a man from being lively and vigorous though he have plenty of very good nourishing food much more will it endanger one in a famine even so a secret sin lodged within and indulged will weaken and enervate the principle of Religion in the soul amidst the fullest provision of Gospel-Ordinances much more when there is a famine or scarcity of the bread of life A Tradesman that hath some secret vent where his estate runs wast may prove a beggar in the midst of daily incomes by a good Trade much more if he spends upon a dead stock and so a man who spends the strength of his soul in some close and secret sin may prove a spirituall beggar in the fullest Trade of Gospel-Ordinances and though he have daily incomes of convictions informations reproofs counsels sollicitations c. from publick Ordinances much more in the want of them and therefore they who value the life of Religion or the life of their souls must take heed of indulging secret sins 10. Be the more carefull often to feel the pulse of thine own soul we use to say every man at a competent age is either a fool or a Physician and though he be a fool indeed who when he needs and may have wiser Physicians will trust to himself yet when we cannot have others a man should the more study himself and the oftener try his own pulse and truly he is but a babe in spirituall things that is not something of a Physician to himself and though we should not trust our own skill or experience where we need and may have the help of others yet when we are deprived of them we should the more diligently converse with our own souls and be the oftener trying how our pulse beats towards God and Heaven and the things of another life 11. Be so much the more in private secret prayer reading and meditation when we want the showrs of publick Ordinances we should the more diligently use the watring pot and water our souls with our foot as the phrase is concerning Egypt Deut. 11.10 If our lot should be cast where there be no publick Markets where Corn might be bought every one would plow and sow reap and thrash in his own grounds Even so if we should live where there be no publick Gospel-Ordinances where the Truths of the Gospel are not publickly to be had where we cannot partake of the labours of the Gospel-Ministry than it would concern us to be the more diligent in plowing and sowing in reaping and thrashing by our own private endeavours and I think it would be fit for us in such a condition to spend that time at least in private duties which others spend in superstitious or Idolatrous services let not us think much to give God and our souls that time which others give to their own superstitious fancies 12. In the use of all private helps act faith in God as being able to supply the want of outward means by the gracious influence of his good and holy Spirit When there was no rain from heaven God could cause a mist to arise and water the earth Gen. 2.6 even so if the Lord should bring us whore there be no showres of publick Ordinances he can stir up in our souls those holy and heavenly meditations which shall again drop down like an heavenly dew upon the face of our souls and keep up an holy verdure and freshness upon the face
would have the influence of the Ordinances to be lasting these we shall comprize in four particulars First Take heed you perform not holy duties negligently a heartlesse formal negligent attendance on the Ordinances will be so farre from procuring a durable blessing that it will fix a curse upon you Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of tht Lord negligently see Mal. 1.8 14. If you invert the Apostles advice 1 Cor. 7. and deal with the things of God as you should do with those of the world If you pray as though you prayed not and hear as though you heard not and use the Ordinances as though you did not use them they will be no otherwise effectual than if there were no efficacy in them it will continue on you as though it continued not like that of the Sun in a Winter day which thaws the earth a little at noon but so as it is harder frozen up the next night Therefore let your hearts be ingaged in every holy duty Jer. 30.21 Who is this that ingaged his heart to approach unto me You must hear as for life Deut. 32.46 47. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day c. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life c. you must wrestle in prayer your hearts in this duty should be as it were in a conflict in an agony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Apostles word Rom. 15.13 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Your prayers should be such as the other Apostle describes James 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much the word rendred effectual fervent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one possessed with a spirit and acted by it If the word here used look that way then suitable to the matter to which it is applied it imports a possession in a good sense And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be a prayer full of the holy Ghost wherein that blessed Spirit is operative exerting its force and energy Such a prayer as shews the soul to be possessed of the holy Spirit and acted by it so as all the powers of that soul are set a work and put upon motion towards God effectually Such a prayer availes much procures great advantages and of long continuance Generally in all holy Ordinances your souls should stretch out themselves to reach the Lord they should spring up to him in acts of love and desire and claspe about him with delight and complacence and lay hold on him with a humble and filial confidence and stir up themselves to lay hold on him We do all fade as a leafe saith the Church Isa 64.6 both their persons and their righteousnesse did so and the reason thereof follows ver 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee Secondly Beware of the world meddle not with it more than needs must and when it is needfull ingage not therein but with fear caution and vigilance Carry your selves amongst worldly objects and employments as though you were amongst cheats and thieves they have the art to pick your heart slily and to rob them of that which is more precious than Gold when you little think of it Let not your minds and hearts plunge themselves in the world nothing sooner nothing oftner extinguisheth divine influences than this puddle The cares and delights and employments of the world when they are immoderate or unseasonable they choak the Word Matth. 13.22 they stifle the issue of holy Ordinances so as it becomes like the untimely birth of a woman When your hearts are warmed in holy duties you should be as cautious and wary how you venture into the world as you are of going into the frosty aire when you are all in a sweat What is kindled by the Word or Prayer c. how quickly is it puft out by the world when you rush into it unwarily it requires as much care to keep it in as to keep a Candle in when you would carry it through the open aire in a rainy blustring night The further you are above the world the longer may you retain any spirituall impressions Geographers write of some Mountains whose tops are above the middle Region of the Air and there lines and figures being drawn in the dust have been found say they in the same form and order untouched undefaced a long time after and the reason is because they are above those winds and showres and storms which soon wear out and efface any such draughts in this lower Region The lower your minds and hearts and conversations are the more in the hurry of this boysterous world the lesse will any thing that is heavenly and spiritual abide upon them Let the soul be brought into never so good order by the help of holy duties yet a little unwary ingaging in earthly businesse will ruffle disturb and quite discompose it When your souls are by the power of the Ordinance set on motion towards Christ and Heaven if you would hold on in a continued course you must beware of worldlinesse and keep free as much as may be from earthly incumbrances and intanglements Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Heb. 12.1 Let us persevere and hold out in that gracious and heavenly course which the Gospel hath put us on but that this may be done one great impediment must be removed The sin that doth so easily beset us must be shaken off Now that sin as some Expositors conceive is worldlinesse and it is probable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we render it literally is the sin that hath goodly circumstances And no sin sets off it self with more goodly circumstances than worldlinesse no sinne hath more specious pleas and pretences to excuse vindicate and justifie it self No sin hath more fig leaves to cover its nakednesse and to shrowd it from discovery and conviction than worldlinesse This must be shaken off it is the great defacer of heavenly impressions the chief interrupter of holy motions if you would hold on when the impetus which is imprest on you by any Ordinance hath set you a going beware of the world beware of worldlinesse Thirdly Take heed of any inordinacy in affection inclination or design Such inordinacies give the heart a strong bias holy duties check it but a little give it but as it were a small rub when this is once past over it will hold on in that course to which it is most sweyed The Mnistery of John Baptist had some influence upon Herod He heard John gladly and did many things Mark 6.20 but sensuality being predominant those better inclinations
both the standing rule of Scripture w Isa 8.20 and Gods extraordinary x Nu. 12 6 7.8 Heb. 1.1 discoveries of himselfe whether by dreams or visions or Prophesies or other Spiritual communications all which thought if they be froÌ„ God they are acording to Scripture y 1 John 4.1 yet the former are afforded upon particular z 2 Chro. 20.14 1 Kin. 13.20 11 Nu. 24. per totuÌ„ Providences and the last are the universal priviledges of particular favourites a 1 Cor. 12.2 3 4. But it is the office of Conscience to apply all these and that it doth by the discourse of a practical Syllogisme b Sayrus clav Reg. l. 1. c. 3 p. 4. e.g. Whosoever believeth c John 3.39 i. e. accepteth of Christ as Lord d 1 Cor. 12.3 and Saviour shall be saved but may the gracious person say I accept of Christ as Lord and Saviour e John â—0 28 Therefore shall I be savâ—d Or thus Whosoever is unfeignedly willing to have his â—â—tions brought to the Scripture touchstone to be tried whether they be riâ—â—â— for the matter and to the Scripture Ballance to be weighed whether 〈◊〉 are weight for the manner his deeds are wrought in God i. e â—he is in a state of Grace he acteth by the gracious assistance of the â—pirit of God f John 3. â—0 21 But may the trembling Soul say I desire nothing more then to bring my selfe and all my actions to a Scripture tryall g Psa 139 23.24 Therefore he may conclude I am in a state of Grace h Psal â—6 1.2 c. Once more Whosoever commiteth sin i. e. maks a trade of Sin is of the Divel i. e. is the Child of the Devil But may every unregenerate Person say k Rom. 6.20 I make a trade of sin i. e. when I am a sinning I am in my Element I am where I would be there is no work so pleasing to me Therefore I am the Child of the Devil l Rom. 6.16 i. e. I am in a estate of Damnation In the major or first proposition you have the dictate m Habitualis cognitio menti impressa varie ab authoribus nur cupatuâ— ut conscientia conscientiae dictamen lex naturalis scintilla rationis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Estius in 2. l. Sent. distinct 39. § 2 p. 427. of Conscience i John 3.8 In the minor or second proposition you have the Testimony n conscientia respectu propositionis dicitur lumeÌ„ lex â—espectu assuÌ„ptionis conclusionis testis sed respectu assumptionis aptissimè vocatur index vel liber respectu conclusionis maximè proprié judex Ames de conscien l. 1. c. 1 p. 3. § 9. of Conscience and in the Conclusion you have the judgement of Conscience o Propositionem dictat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assumptio per appropriationem vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusio est ipsa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibidem § â—0 In the first the power of Conscience is very great so great that it can do any thing but make evill good p Ibidem Theses Theol. de Cons p. 44. § 18. for it can make an indifferent action good or evill q 1 Martinus de verb. cons and it can make a good action evill r Martinius de verb. cons therefore in things necessary it doth so bind that noe humane laws can loosen Acts 4.19 vix crediderim apud se fuisse Stapletonom cum hac effutiret Forum conscientiae dixit esse longè majorem partem câ—avium Cham. â— Paustr T. 2. l. 11. c. 9. p. 205. §. 23 and thereupon we are said to be down-right debtors t Rom. 1.14 engaged servants u Rom. 6.16 spirituall bound w Acts 20.22 lovingly constrained x 2. Cor. 5.14 graciously necessitated y 1 Cor. 9.16 Yea in a word we can do no other unless we will offer violence to our Consciences then do what God chargeth upon us as duty z Acts 4.20 Thus far the dictate of Conscience In the Testimony of Conscience Conscience examines sifts and tries our actions this in Scripture is called a returning into a mans own heart a 1 King 8.47 reversi fuerint ad cor suum ex heb a thinking of our ways b Ps 119.59 a speaking to our heart c Hos 7.2 a laying things to heart d Jer. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponens super cor a setting our heart upon a business e Haggi 1.5 there 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponite cor vestruÌ„ super vias vestras an examination and trial of our selves f 2 Cor. 13.5 there 's both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q.d. make as strict a scrutiny into your own hearts as the Devil will do when he tempts you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be as loth to be mistaken in your graces as a Usurer in his coyn and thence the conclusion is inferred from the premisses according to our apprehension of the rule and account of our actions Yet this is worthy of special observation that though both the premisses be undeniably true yet there 's nothing more ordinary then for not only wicked g Ro. 2.18.21 22. but gracious persons though upon different grounds to deny the conclusion and the truth is without the Spirits assistance by way of conviction to the wicked and relief to the godly neither of them will prove any better Logicians then still to deny the conclusion Graceless persons they will not conclude against themselves For 1. They wil not weigh the cogency of any Scriptural h John 3.20 argument 2. They have suckt in other self flattering conclusions i Deut. 29.19 and 3. they are willing to put a cheat upon themselves k Jam. 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsa argumentionè uti subdola supputatione fallere as those in Matth. 7.21 22 23 Brochm in loc so these will not conclude against themselves And on the other hand gracious persons dare not conclude themselves so happy as the Scripture represents them 1. Through the prevalency of temptations l Rev. 12.10 The Devil accuseth them to themselves as well as unto God day and night Satan frights them from their comforts 2. Through the abounding of grace m Psal 126.1 they think 't is too good to be true especially considering 3. their sense of unworthiness n Luke 7.6 9. what they passe a sentence of absolution upon their souls of approbation upon their actions No they dare not Through over modesty they 'l bely the very spirit of grace In short the onely remedy I shall commend to both sorts is this viz. Beg of God to perswade thy heart to close with convincing truth q. d. Lord thou hast told me in thy word that if I come unto Christ I shall in no wise be cast o John 6.37
out and if I love God I may thereby be sure that God loves me p 1 John 4.19 But Lord so far as I am able by searching to know my own heart I desire nothing more then to come q Jerem. 3.21 to Christ to receive Christ r John 1.11 to be one with Å¿ Gal. 2.20 Christ to be conformable to Christ t Heb 2.11 And Lord I dare say with Peter thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee u John 21.17 if prizing thee above all things in the world w Psal 73.25 if restless longing x Psal 119.20 for further acquaintance and more inward y Psal 106.4 communion if pantings after the secrets of thy z Psalm 25.14 presence fear of nothing more then to offend thee a Psal 119 1â—0 be infallible evidences of sincere love then I dare appeal unto thee that I love thee Therefore Lord perswade my soul thankefully to acknowledge that 't is in a safe condition On the contrary Thus Lord thou hast told me that if I live after the flesh I shall b Rom. 8.13 die But my heart life undeniably evidence that I mind nothing but carnality Therefore Lord convince me that there 's but a step c Job 21.13 but a d Psal 146.4 breath between me and everlasting death Thus Christians do but suffer and help your Conscience to do its office and then shall you have rejoycing in your selves alone and not in e Gal 6.4 another i. e. you will finde cause of rejoycing in the testimony of your own Conscience and not in others thinking you to be better then you are nor in your thinking your selves to be better then others Thus you have the offices of Conscience I come in the last place to speak of 4. The kinds of Conscience I know are coÌ„monly reduced to these 4. f Bâ—rn de consc p 1107. viz. Good quiet Good and troubled Evil and quiet Evil and troubled But intending the resolution of the Case before me in speaking to Conscience under the several kinds of it I shall speak to 8 kinds of Consciences The two first viz. the sleepy and the seared Conscience are peculiar to the worst of men The 4. next viz. the erring doubting scrupulous trembling Consciences are almost indifferent to good bad only the 2 former have a greater bias to bad and the 2 latter have a greater tendency to Good but the 2 last kinds viz. The Good and Honest and the Good and quiet Consciences are peculiar to Gods choisest favourites In treating of these I shall endeavour to acquaint you with the nature of each g But here I must say with Aug. non possum ut volo expl care quod sentio tamen quid moliar dicere peto ut non exâ—ectatis verbis meis sagac ssime si potâ—stis intelligatis Odi definire nam facilius est mihi videre in alterius definitione quod non probem quam quicquaÌ„ bene definiendo explicare Aug. T. 1. l. 2 de Ord. c 1. 2 p. 671. how to cure the evill how to obtain the good and hereby the Application will be entwisted with the Explication throughout my discourse I. The first and one of the worst kinds of Consciences in the world is the sleepy Conscience 1. The sleepy Conscience such is the Conscience of every unconverted person that is not yet under horrour their h Rom. 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius in loc spirit i. e. their Conscience is asleep that as bodily sleep bindeth up all the senses and animal spirits so this spiritual or rather unspiritual sleepiness bindeth up the soul from all sense i Privatio omnis sensus judicij Illyr In pâ—aed loc of the evill of sin and want of grace and therefore in conversion Christ doth awaken k Ephe 5 1â— the Conscience The Disciples of Christ have their spirits waking when their bodies l Matth. 26 41 are slumbring i e. they have a gracious habit of watchfulness when they are overtaken with some carnal acts of sleepiness Christ complains of unkindness m Cantic 5.2 that his Spouse sleeps in the morning when he knocks for early entertainment but the unconverted let Christ stand knocking all the day till supper time n Revel 3 20. they will spend their day with their lusts and if Christ will knock and wait till the day of their life be almost spent then they 'l pretend to open but how long must God call How long o Pro. 6.9 10. wilt thou sleep O sluggard when wilt thon arise out of thy sleep and they 'l answer Yet p Concessio ironica ethopaeiam habens pigroruÌ„ elegantissimam Jun in loc q. videmus conscientiaÌ„ veluti veterno aut lethargo aliquam diu sepultaÌ„ c. Episcop Inst theol l 1. c. 3. p. 11. Causes a little sleep a litle slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep The plain truth is thougn wicked men cannot quite stifle their consciences q yet their Consciences do but as it were talke in their sleep and they take no more notice of them then they do of their dreams Causes of a sleepy Conscience are besides the sluggishness of our depraved natures 1. A spiritual intoxicâ—tion all unconverted persons are drunk with the love of sin and therein behave themselves like Solomons r Prov. 23.34 35. Jacet in corona charchâ—sij i. e. Galea ubi maxima seÌ„titur maris agitatio Jun in loc â—ras the vulg Version which may serve for a paraphrase quasi sopitus gubernator amisso clavo i. usu rationis Tit. drunkard that lies down to sleep in the heart of the sea or upon the top of a mast in the very midst of the greatest soul danger He doth that daily which Jonah did once run away from Gâ—d and then composeth himself to sleep Å¿ Jonah â— 5 when God is pursuing him with judgments and dreams of nothing but impunity happines Love of sin is the Devils Opium whereby he casts the Conscience into a dead sleep that no arm but of Omnipotency can waken it He meets with something in the world which he likes better then the holy ways of God and therefore will not seek God t Ps 10.4 5 11 13. Justitiam ut ille apud Platonem Thrasymachus appellat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegantem stultitiam they sleep then aiunt deum dormire aut oblituÌ„ esse eorum quae fiant in terris c. Aug. Steuch Eug. Enar. in loc Gods ways are always grievous to him he hath said in his heart I shall not be moved God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it he contemns God saith in his heart thou wilt not require it They wink and then conclude God doth not see them 2. Carnal conceits of grace and heaven At the best humane wisdom is their highest Guide
clear 2 Tim. 3.4 they loved God who loved pleasures more than God They may have Faith Simon Magus believed they may hate sin in others Acts 8.13 2 Sam. 13.22 if not in themselves Absalom hated Amnons uncleannesse they may delight in God and in his wayes Isa 58 2. They may have a zeale for God and such a a zeale as may prevail more with them than temporall things The Jewes were so zealous of the Law Rom. 10.2 and for the traditions of the Elders that they would have ventured their lives for them so Paul before his conversion how zealous was he Acts 22.3 4. Gal. 1.14 To come more particularly and closely to the question Though Conversion be wrought in an instant yet men have some praevious dispositions thereunto who live under the sound of the Gospel and obtain such knowledge as worketh in them several things which I shall shew unto you from Acts 2.37 38. v. And when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said men c. Many preparative dâ—spositions or qualifications they had unto repentance or conversion but they had not yet repented for Peter saith notwithstanding these repent 1. Men may be convinced of sin as these were they found they had transgressed the law of God and were guilty before him for they were pricked in their hearts Men may have strong convictions of sin and not converted from sin 2. They may mourn for sin and grieve that they have done such and such things These men had crucified the Lord Christ put an innocent person to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acutum animi dolorem significat Piscat saw themselves in an ill condition and thereupon mourned and grieved sorely as the word pricked intimates they had such grief as pained and afflicted their hearts There 's a How set upon Ahabs humiliation by the Lord himself Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself 1 King 21.29 3. They may be fil'd with fear and dread the threatnings and punishments of God due to sin This was the case here they had provoked the Lord against their soules felt their consciences condemning of them apprehended the judgements of God near unto them and so were possest with much fear lest the Lord should destroy them and therefore say Men and brethren what shall we do We know not whither to go where to hide our selves or what to do that we may escape the things we have deserved and fear 4. They may confesse their sin renounce it and reform much these Auditors of Peter being pricked in their hearts said What shall we do We have sinned and that greatly we confesse and acknowledge it before God and you it was a cursed act of ours we abhor it we will never do so hereafter They were sick of sin and vomited it up as they in Peter 2 Pet. 2.22 and would change their minds and manners walke in any way the Apostles should direct them The Merchant Mat. 13.46 sold all that he had for the pearle before he bought it This selling all is made by som Interpreters to be his restraint from all inward sin and his conformity to all outward duties This was much and yet not more than unconverted persons may attain unto Herod reformed many things the foolish Virgins went far as was said before they were Virgins free from spot and pollution they had Lamps visible professions they went forth to meet the Bridegroom they had some faith in him and affection to him else they would not have gone forth 5. They may justifie the Law and the Lord should he condemn them deal severely with them what shall we do say these persons we are guilty we have broken the Law which is holy righteous and good and so is God likewise who is the Author thereof if therefore we be condemned and must bear the curse and punishment of the law we must both justifie the Lord and it Men may accept the punishment of their iniquity and justifie the inflictors thereof man hath no cause to complain of the punishment of his sins It 's brought in by way of objurgation Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain for the punishment of his sins He may complain of his sins not of his punishment Many Malefactors after sentence passed on them do justifie both Judge and Law 6. Men may seriously consider the nature of their sin what circumstances it is cloathed with what aggravations it admits what crimson and skarlet is in it what light love mercies means ingagements it is against What shall we do say these troubled souls We have sinned against the light of nature the Law of Moses our own consciences the love of God and Christ towards sinners in that we have crucified Christ a man approved of God whom we knew had done many miracles wonders and signes Acts 2.22 and deserve not death oh what shall we do our sins are so dreadful It 's in mens power to lay to heart what wrong an infinite blessed holy God hath by their sins what mercies they keep from them how greatly they defile them what miseries and mischiefs they bring upon them what a weight of wrath hangs over their heads for them They may consider what checks of conscience they have stifled what motions of the Spirit they have withstood what precious seasons of grace they have neglected and slighted what paines they have taken to satisfie a lust how dear it hath cost them how carelesse they have been of their soules what a separation their sins have made between God and them They may mind and meditate on it that mans life is short the pleasures of sin but for a season that there is absolute necessity of turning to God Except you repent you shall all perish That turning is acceptable to God else he would not call for it nor make such gracious promises to it as are in holy Writ 7. They may come to it to see no help in themselves or in any creature whatsoever What shall we do say these wounded men we cannot help our selves we have no playsters that will stick no medicines which will heal we are wounded in our Consciences and as our hands so theirs are too short to help us it s not in humane power to bind up our breaches What shall we do men may see themselves helpless that they are without strength shut up under sin guilt and unbelief children of wrath and in a lost condition the Law cursing them and sentencing them to suffer 8. They may arrive to a resolution of doing or suffering any thing to be saved What shall we do we are resolved if we may find mercy and live to do whatever shall be commanded to suffer whatever shall be imposed The pride of their spirits was broken their hearts become teachable and tractable and their resolutions high for any thing to be done or suffered so was it with the Jaylor Act. 16.30 when men are in storms at sea or
out and cast it from thee cut it off and cast it from thee to note two things 1. That we our selves must engage in the mortifying of our lusts Sinners with their own hands must pull out their own eyes T is not enough to cry unto God for help and in the mean time to be careless and idle as if nothing were to be done on our part mortification is a work incumbent upon us although we are impowred thereunto by the Spirit If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Rom. 8.13 we must mortifie although by the Spirit the duty is ours though the strength be Gods so here if thy right eye offend thee thou thy self pluck it out and cast it from thee 2. That we must be a willing people in this as in all other duties a Christian dieth to sin is not put to death 2. T is not said if thine eye offend thee observe it more then ordinary look narrowly to it but pluck it out To note that nothing less is like to do our souls good then the mortifying the killing the cutting off of our corruptions Let a mans hand be cut off it is a dead member immediately It is not so with plants when they are cut off from their roots they will grow and sprout again and so it is with the most inferiour sort of sensitive creatures for instance cut worms into several pieces every part will live and stir hence the learned call them insecta When the head of a fowl is separated from its body it will live and flutter for some time but this cannot be said of the most noble sort of creatures this is a sure rule in nature Vnitas indivisibilitas est comes perfectionis multitudo divisibilitas imperfectionis Union is a sign of perfection divisibility of imperfection the more perfect any being is the more united it is to its self and the less any part of it can live nisi in toto but in the whole so that this phrase is a great elegancy to note the killing of our beloved lusts if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee c. 3. T is not only said pluck it out but cast it from thee to note that it is not enough for a man to leave his sin for the present but he must renounce it for ever We must not part with sin as with a friend with a purpose to see it again and to have the same familiarly with it as before or possibly greater Amantium irae amoris redinte gratio est the falling out of Lovers is the renewing of love We must not only shake hands with it but shake our hands of it as Paul did shake the Viper off his hand into the fire pluck it out and cast it from thee Thus much for the Explication of the words for I shall have occasion only to deal with the former part of these two Verses at this time 2. I am to give you the Observations I shall speak but a few words to some of them that I may reserve my self for that which I mainly intend 1. Observ That the eye and the hand are excellent and useful parts of the body of man You see here our Saviour singles out these from all other parts as being very precious if thy right eye offend thee c. if thy right hand offend thee c. 1. As for the eye our Saviour tels us that it is the light of the body Mat. 6.22 the light of the body is the eye what is the world without the Sun but a dark melancholy dungeon what is a man without eyes but monstrous and deformed monstrum horrendum informe cui lumen ad emptum the two eyes are two luminaries that God hath set up in the Microcosme mans little world Zech. 2.8 Gal. 4.15 when God would express his tender love unto his people he calls them the apple of his eye he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye and the like phrase St. Paul makes use of when he speaks of the love of the Galatians unto himself I bear you record that if it had been possible ye would have plucked out your eyes and have given them to me I have read of the Emperour Adrian that with an arrow by accident put out one of his servants eyes he commands him to be brought to him and bids him ask what he would that he might make him amends the poor man was silent he pressed him again he told the Emperour he would ask nothing but he wished that he had the eye which he had lost intimating that an Emperour was not able to make satifaction for the loss of an eye Oh be very watchful over this excellent part make a covenant with your eyes Job 31.1 Shut your eyes from seeing evil Isa 33.15 Set no wicked thing before your eyes Psal 101.3 as the Apostle saith in another case Doth not even nature teach you God hath made a covering for the eye that opens and shuts with a great deal of easiness to teach us that it is expedient sometimes that the eye be closed and not holden open to every object 2 As for the hand it is the prime part for action Aristotle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an instrument of instruments without this there could be no Cities no Towns no Merchandize no Husbandry no Manufacture without this man would differ but a little from the beasts that perish for what would his reason stand him in stead if he had not an hand to improve it The Naturalists observe that man could neither do nor say without this useful and necessary part for if a man did not eat with his hands he must as a bruite feed with his mouth and by that means the lips would become so thick that he would not be able to speak with any distinctness and indeed we find by experience that they that have thick lips have an imperfection in their speech Jam. 4. ◠Oh improve this excellent part for God a good life is expressed in Scripture by a clean hand cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded it is the greatest absurdity imaginable to plead a good heart as many do and yet have a foul and wicked hand this is as if a man should say here 's a tree that bears ill fruit but it hath an excellent root 2. Observ That offences are from our selves or the cause of stumbling and falling is from our selves some lust or other some right eye sin or some right hand sin if thy right offend thee c. sin unmortifi'd will very much endanger a mans falling truly if you would not have your right eye or your right hand offend you you must offend them pluck it out and cast it from thee cut it off and cast it from thee if you would see clearly in Gods way ye must pluck out your right eye if
shamelesly uncovereth himself Now why is she called there the daughter of Saul because she had learned this wickednesse from her father We have woful experience of this in our dayes Formerly people could say Ps 44.1 We have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us Psal 44.1 what works thou didst in their days in the times of old Truly the people of this generation may say we heard our fathers swear and curse and scoffe and mock at the ways of God in reason we may expect mens manners to sute their education Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken to the third particular propounded to be discussed that is to say how it comes to passe that particular persons have their proper and particular sins and thus much also for the doctrinall part 4. The fourth and last thing is the Vse and Application of this to our selves Vse 1. For Lamentation and Humiliation in the presence of God this day we trouble our selves about other mens sins Magistrates sins Ministers sins as the Pharisee◠Lord I thank thee I am not as other men are an Extortioner an Adulterer c. or as this Publican And in the mean time where is the man that considers his own iniquity his right eye sin or his right-hand sin there are great outcries amongst us what have others done but who smites upon his thigh and says what have I done We search every where save where our Rachel sits upon her Idol Possibly some poor soul may say did I know this particular sin this right eye sin or this right-hand sin the Lord knows I would quickly pluck out the one and cut off the other and that brings me to Vse 2. Of Examination how this sin may be discovered now to this purpose take these marks or rules 1. It may be known by the loves and tender respects the sinner bears unto this sinne strong love for the most part hath but one single object affections are like the Sun beams in a burning glasse the more united they are in one point the more fervent A wicked man hath a particular affection for his particular lust As Abraham cryed Oh that Ishmael may live in thy sight So a wicked man oh that this sin may be spared This is his Benjamin the soul is ready to say here is one sin must be plucked out and here is another sin must be cut off and must this beloved Lust dye also all these things are against me The sinner seems to repent of sin and to condemn sinne and himself for sin but when the time of Execution comes the man is very tender-hearted here 's a reprieve for this sinne and there is a pardon for another sin oh it goes against him to cut the throat of his darling lust 'T is a wofull case when a man will undertake to pardon his owne sinne this is crudelitas parcens sparing cruelty and if it fall out that his beloved sinne dye a natural death that is if the Adulterer for instance cannot actually engage in bodily uncleanness as formerly upon the account of old age he follows it to the grave as we do our dear friends and heartily mourns that he and his dear lust must part 2 It may be known thus that sin that distracts us most in holy duties is our beloved sin you may know that cold is natural to the water and that it likes that quality best because let it be made never so hot it will be still working it selfe to its owne proper temper Soules possibly may sometimes be warmed at an Ordinance but they quickly cool again and are still working towards their proper lust the sin they like best You may take notice in Scripture that God to speak after the manner of men in an especiall manner remembers the sins of wicked men in the performance of holy duties Hos 8.13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offering and eat it but the Lord accepteth them not Now will he remember their iniquity and visit their sins as if a Felon or Murderer convict should escape out of prison and afterwards presume to come into the presence of the Judge this brings his Felony or Murder into remembrance and herein their punishment is visible sin They remember their sins in their duties and so will God The people of God themselves are tainted with this Pride was the Disciples master sin and whilst they were healing Diseases and casting Devils out of other mens bodies the proud Devil was stirring in their own souls and our Saviour gives them a rebuke for that Luk. 10.20 In this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Luk. 10.20 3. It may be known by its domination its commanding power over all other sins look as there is a kind of government in Hell such an one as it is Beelzebub is called the Prince of Devils so in a wicked mans soul one sin or other is still uppermost and keeps the throne all other sins do as it were bow the knee to this sin hold up the train of this sin are obedient servants to this sin it says to one go and it goes and to another come and it comes for instance if covetousness be the beloved sin lying and deceiving and injurious dealing will serve that If Ambition temporising and sinful compliance will serve that If Adultery sinful wasting of time and estate and body will serve that If Vainglory be the Pharisees great sin devouring widows houses under pretence of long prayers will serve that As it is with a mans body when it is hurt or maimed all the ill humours will flow to the part that is ill affected Hence it is when a man is first wounded he feels but a little pain because he suffers only upon the single account of the division of the part but after wards the paine is encreased for then he suffers doubly upon the account of the division of the part as also by the conflux of ill humours When the soule hath received some gash some hurt more then ordinary by its particular sin all the sinful humours will make haste to feed that iniquity so that this is the sin that carries it and bears the sway in the soul In a word the sinner hath the curse of Cham as it were pronounced upon him a servant of servants is he his other sins are servants to his beloved sin and he himself is a slave to them all 4. That sin that Conscience in a particular manner doth chide a man for that t is likely may be his particular sin the Greek word for Conscience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a joynt knowledge or knowledge with another It takes notice of things together with God Conscience is Gods deputy Gods spye Gods intelligencer pardon the word in our bosoms an exact notary of whatever we think or do a co-witness with God as St Paul is bold to call
with him Psal 139.18 Psa 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee they end the day with him thus the Spouse Cant. 3.1 Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth you have mention of both these Esay 26.9 Esay 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Now this sin that I am treating of like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless person that we read of 2 Thes 2.8 2 Thes 2.8 that man of sin ver 3. opposeth and exalteth its self in the soul above all that is called God and sitteth in the seat of God A beloved lust is usually the sinners first and last Psa 36.4 he gives it entertainment first in the morning and takes his leave of it last in the evening yea this darling sin must be entertained and made much on in the Bed-chamber the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Psal 36.4 tels us he deviseth mischief on his bed for the most part that as a very friend that we admit to our bed-sides 11. That sin which most infests us and troubles us in our solitudes and retirements that is our beloved sin my meaning is when a man is alone in his Closet or in the Fields and his thoughts run a drift that sin which of themselves they move towards and close with that may be his beloved sin the current of the soul is that way Oh Christian mark the workings of thy heart in private and thou mayst possibly make some discoveries When a man retires himself into some solitary place it is usually absurd to trouble him t is a friend indeed that falls in with him and offers his company in that case that sin is more then ordinary beloved by us that interposes in our privacies 12. And lastly that sin that we are willing to endure greatest hardships and sufferings for that is our beloved sin for instance suppose Covetousness be the darling sin what base absurd unreasonable offices will it put a man upon how scraping and niggardly and dunghill-like will that man live in his Town or in his Parish and expose himself to scorn and contempt from every one that knows him Suppose Ambition be the beloved sin how will a man in that case swear and forswear and temporize and like the Boat-men look one way and row another almost any thing for preferment If Vncleanness be the mans particular sin how will he destroy his body disgrace his name overthrow his estate for the gratifying of his lust I dare aver that the worst and basest drudgery imaginable to scoure Kettles and Dishes to tug at the Oar to dig at the Mine are honourable imployments in comparison of this Vse 3. Is for Exhortation and Direction Col 3.5 to press you to the mortification of your beloved sin and shew you how it may be mortified let me take up that Scripture again mortifie your members which are upon the earth that is let every sin be mortified for you must know as death is to the members of the natural body so is mortification to the members of the sinful body Now in death the soul is separated not only from one member as it is in a paralysis or numb Palsey but from all even from the principal parts of the body as well as others so t is in spiritual death there is a separation of the soul not only from this or that sinful member but from the whole body of sin from the principal parts and members of this body as well as others the right eye is dead the right hand is dead it must needs be so the one is pluckt out and the other is cut off A Christian must deal by his darling lust as the Israelites dealt by Adonibezek they cut of his thumbs and his great toes so must thou deal with this sin hack it maim it that it may not be able to go nor stand nor act nor stir if it were possible and for that purpose take these directions 1. Labour to have your heart steeled with an holy courage and resolution against this sin it is upon the account of baseness and cowardliness of spirit that people fall by the right hand of their spiritual enemy shall I give you some instances for this doth the Devil tempt thee to uncleanness is that thy right eye sin or thy right hand sin take up St Pauls resolution 1 Cor. 6.15 Gen. 39.9 Psal 39.1 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Josephs resolution How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God doth the Devil tempt the to blasphemy or to perjury or to lying or to any other sin of that nature take up the Psalmists resolution I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a birdle while the wicked are before me Art thou tempted to Idolatry to deny the truths of Christ to make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience take up the three childrens resolution Be it known unto thee oh King Dan. 3.18 that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Every man should be a Prince over his lusts and like Joshuas Captains should put his feet upon the necks of them here courage resolution severity is very successful and in special exercise your revenge on your beloved lust fight not against small or great comparatively but against this kingly this master sin 2. Let your repentance be particular for your particular iniquity it is not enough to confess your sins in the lump in the general but in prayer you must take particular notice of your right eye sin your right hand sin thus David was particular in his repentance Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 this evil of murder and this evil of adultery pointing as it were with the finger to particular sins Lâ—k 19.8 Zacheus makes a particular confession of that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold this particle if in that place may not be a note of doubting but supposition if I have taken that is seeing I have taken from men by false accusation si Deus est animus seeing God is a Spirit 3. Beware of those things that may occasion the commission of this sin for instance if thou art prone to the sin of lying keep a door before thy lips if to gluttony and drunkenness when thou goest to a feast put a knife to thy throat We use to say proverbially occasion makes a thief this is true also in other cases occasion makes a lyar occasion makes a drunkard
be departing and taking its leave of the body or at lest may be in danger so to do whereas the former being a man of an hayle and good constitution of body the soul may act inform enliven it many years 8. Get a respect to all Gods Commandments Psa 119.6 then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments The reason why men indulge any one lust is because they pick and cull their duties and so indeed serve not the will of God but their own choice Oh how many are there that answer the Lord with half obedience like the Eccho which makes not a perfect respondence of the voyce but of some part thereof Many make such a difference amongst the Tables as if onely one side or one part were of Gods writing Oh Sirs this will not do this will undo the man that like Agrippa doth but almost beleeve almost repent almost conform to the will of God that man shall be saved proportionably almost One sin unrepented of will cause you to miscarry to all eternity one crack in a bell may make it unserviceable untunable and till it be new cast it is good for nothing one wound may kill your bodies and so may one sin your souls Oh Christians what had become of you and I if Jesus Christ had satisfied the justice of God for all but one sin there is a text in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.27 that is usually taken for a place of the greatest mercy in the whole book of God When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive You have to the same purpose ver 21 22. of the same Chapter but pray mark what follows ver 28. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgression that he hath committed no mercy to be expected from this Scripture unless a man turn away from all his transgressions 2 Tim. 2.21 the vessel of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour by this character that it is sanctified and prepared for every good work Luke 1.6 and this is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless Halting in Religion is a troublesome deformed dangerous gesture and there is no cure for this like cutting off the right foot 9. Lay hold on Gods strength for the mortifying of thy beloved sin surely this is no easie work see how it is expressed in Scripture sometime it is called the mortification of our members is to mortifie a part of the body an easie work sometimes the circumcising of the foreskin of our hearts Deut. 10.16 did the Sichemites count circumcision an easie work by crucifying of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 was crucifixion an easie death and here in the text it is called a plucking out the right eye and cutting off the right hand the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place tells the Romans if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live He who is the fountain of spiritual life is also the principle of this spiritual death this is a work to be done by us but through the Spirit Hence in Scripture God is said to do this Rom. 8.13 Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed and the Apostle expresses this by circumcision made without hands Col. 2.11 intimating that it is not a work of mans hands but Gods Q. If any aske me but how shall we lay hold on Gods strength R. By faith great things are attributed unto this grace because it lays hold on God and sets God at work 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith it overcomes not onely the honours and riches and pleasures of the world but the lusts of the world of which you have mention 1 Job 2.16 saith is a self-emptying grace a poor beggarly hand rich only in receiving from another something like Davids sling and stone against Goliah lusts but in the name of the Lord of Hosts and by his strength even a babe in Christ through faith shall overcome the world I must tell you that Hannibal and Alexander and all the glorious Victors that we read of were but fresh water Souldiers in comparison of one that is born of God I shall only to what I have said add a few Motives to quicken you to your duty and so commend all to Gods blessing Motive 1. Right-eye sins and right-hand sins are the greatest hinderances of the souls closing with Christ When you flea any creature the skin comes off with ease till it comes to the head and there it sticks more then ordinary skill is required to get it thence Now I must tell you the sin that I am disswading you against is not only the eye sin and the hand sin but the head sin and here conversion sticks The sinner forbears many sins and performs many duties but when it comes to this Oh master saith flesh and blood pitty thy selfe beware what thou dost what be thine own Executioner plucke out thy right eye cut off thy right hand A mans sin is himself to deny ungodlinesse is to deny selfe this is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murther No man ever yet hated his owne flesh Is there no getting to heaven unlesse a man leave himself behind this is durus sermo an hard saying As Naaman the Syrian 2 Reg. 5.18 When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing So the sinner the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing Mark 10.20 21. The young man in the Gospel tels Christ that he had kept all the commandements from his youth but when Christ said to him One thing thou lackest goe thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasures in heaven and come and take up thy crosse and follow me here he sticks verse 22. he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions or his great possessions had him Alass this poor young man little thought that notwithstanding his forwardnesse to keep the Commandements he was under the power of worldly lusts Oh sirs there is great strength in a river when it runs smoothly and without noise Motive 2. As these sins are the greatest hindrances of the souls closing with Christ so they prove the greatest trouble to the soul afterwards Your Eye-sin will prove your eye-sore yea and your heart-sore My meaning is your conâ—cience will suffer most upon the account of this sin all your dayes Thus Job cap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth When a mans conscience is
if he had said Go lead on my God behold I follow as neer as close as I can è vestigiò I would not leave any distance but pursue thy footsteps step by step leaning upon thine everlasting arms that are underneath me and following thy maunduction Lot had almost perisht in Sodom for lingring when his God hastned him away Gen. 19.16 But Sampson till then invincible awoke too late from the bosome of his Delilah when the Philistines had shaved his seven locks And he thought to go out and shake off their cords wherewith they bound him as at other times but the Lord was departed from him and they took him and put out both his eyes Judg. 16.20 21. A Christâ—an is more then a man when he acts in concurrence with his God â—sal 27.1 The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid But if he resists the holy Ghost he doth not only grieve him but will if he go on resisting quench him and then he is all alone becomes heir to the curse of Reuben Gen. 49.3 4. he who was a while since the excellency of dignity the excellency of power is now weak as water and cannot excell The proverb tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a great deale of Time in a little opportunity It is good striking while the Iron is hot and lanching out whilst wind and tide serve Open all thy Sailes to every breath and gale of Gods good spirit Welcome every suggestion reverence every dictate cherish every illapse of this blessed Moniâ—or let every inspiration find thee as the Seal doth the Waxe or the spark the tinder and then as the Spouse tels her beloved or ever thou art aware thy Soul will make thee as the Charet of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a free and willing people Aminadab Step into the pool when the Angel stirs the water John 5.4 Keep touch with the motions of the spirit and all is well But if these three Rules are too generall and remote I shall now lay down some more particular and exact directions for checking the beginnings of sinne and these are of two sorts as Physitians have their Prophylactiques and their Therapeutiques Some for prevention of the fit and paroxysme others for the cure and removall when the symptomes of it are upon thee 1 Before the Paroxisme cometh prepare and antidote thy Soul against these lusts of the flesh by observing these advices Rule 1 The first is that noble counsell of Eliphaz to Job cap. 22. vers 21. Acquaint thy selfe now with God and be at peace Get thy heart fixed where thy treasure is have thy conversation in heaven and thy fellowship with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ Flee to thy God to hide thee He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Aâ—mighty Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler Psal 91.1 3 4. Arise with thine arisen Lord and seek the things that are above Set thine affections there where Christ sits at the right hand of God If the Soul is not where it animates but where it loves awaken thinâ— and kindle it into holy passionate Extasies of love that thou mayest live in heaven all day long and which is the priviledge of the upright Psal 140 13. dwell in the presence of that God whom thy soul delighteth in The Tempter cannot reach thee there Be much in converse with God and the Devil will have litttle converse with thee or if he have it will be to little purpose How was the Majesty of King Ahasuenus incensed at that affront of Haman when he threw himself upon Queen Esters bed what will he force the Queen in our presence Esth 7.8 Keep but in the presence of thy Lord thy King thy Husband and the Ravisher will not offer to force thee there or if he do it wil be but in vain How secure is that Soul that lives under the deep and warme and constant sense of Gods being it's all in all What a munition of rocks is this against all assaults and incursions of the Tempter They are our tame and common Poultry whose wings sweep the ground as they flie and raise a dust but the generous Eagle soon mounts above this smoaky lower Region of the Aire till she makes the clouds a pillow for her head Put on Christian thy Eagles wings which are the same with those Doves wings which David pray's for Psal 55.6 and flee away that thou maist be at rest They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles c. Isa 40.31 When the soul is once but upon the wing heaven-ward O how easily then doth it soare away above this region of smoak and dust above this Atmosphaene of earnality and fleshly lustings into the pure free Aethereal aire the blessed serenity and rest of Gods life and kingdome which is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 it is cold iron that shews its rusty scales they disappear when it is red hot Get but thine heart on fire heaven-ward be but ascending thither Eliah like in a flaming Chariot of holy longings and paintings after God and the lustings of the flesh shall no more appear to deform thy beauty then the rust of iron appears when the metal is Candent i. e. all over of a light and glowing ardour The Rule then is Be sick of love to thy dear Master and Lord and thou shalt not be sick of sin Stir up spiritual and holy lustings in thy soul after the love and favour the grace and image of thy God and thou shalt not fulfill the lustings of the flesh Study throughly the unchangeable natures the eternal laws and differences of moral good and evill To open this There are some things of a middle and indifferent nature neither good nor evill in themselves But if God commands or forbids any of these they are then good or evill indeed but only because or whilest he doth so The Ceremonial Law of the Old Testament stood in these things and is now abolished by the same Divine authority which enacted it And it is now the glory of Christian Religion that excepting the two Sacraments and a very few other positive institutions for great and weighty causes reserved the Evangelical Law of the New Testament consists of such preceps as carry their own Credentiall letters and are built upon morall grounds of everlasting equity and righteousnesse Wherefore the Romanists deserve very ill of Christian Religion nor are the Lutheran Churches to be excused who of their owne heads impose so many indifferent things now in the service of God under the Gospel and that for no
other reason but because they will consequently rendring that yoak a hard one which Christ left easie and that burthen a heavy one which he would have light But now morall Good and Evil are not only such because God commands the one and forbids the other but because the things themselves are so essentially and unalterably As Mathematical truths and proportions are not such only because God will have them so but because the nature of the things cannot be otherwise Almighty power it selfe reveâ—ently be it spoken cannot make two parallel lines or surfaces meet though extended infinitely or the three angles of any straight-lined triangle amount to any lesse or more then two right angles in Geometry or in Arithmeticke alter the proportions between two and four to any other then that of double and half or between three and nine then that of a root and square or to name no more is it possible that a Seventh in Musique should ever become a Concord or a Vnison fifth or eighth a Discord for these things are in their very nature fixed and unchangeable they must be what they are or not be at all Thus there is an eternal Reason why that which is good should be so and commanded and why that which is evill should be so and forbidden which depends not so much on Gods wiâ—l as on his nature For if God could will that good should be evil and evill good he could deny himself and change his own unchangeable Divinity which is impossible And therefore I look upon that opinion of a modern ‖ Ziglovius Dutch Author though I would be so charitable as to believe he knew not and therefore meant not what he said as overthrowing all Religion The thing is this That God may if he please out of the vast soveraignty of his Will command all that wickednesse which he hath forbidden and make it out duty also forbid all that holinesse which he hath commanded and make it become sinne to us For my part I would choose rather to be an Atheist than to believe there is such a God as this in the world But I am sure the holy One of Israel cannot do so not through any defect but through infinite plenitude and redundance of all perfection Ex. Gr. There is an eternall fitnesse and comeliness that a reasonable creature should love and honour and obey it's Creator and contrarily an eternal horridness and indecencie that an immortal soul should forget contemn and affront the Father of spirits Now to affirm that God can dispence with the former nay make our fear of him or delight in him to be a sin and punish it with everlasting torments and to affirm that God can wink at or allow the latter much less command Atheism Blasphemy Pride Unthankfulness c. or make Hypocrisie Covetousness Revenge Sensuality to become duties and graces and reward them with everlasting happiness this were to utter the most hellish blasphemy and the most impossible contradictions in the world The heathen Plato in those divine discourses of his his Eutyphro and Theaetetus and otherwhere may well rebuke the madness of such Christians as this bold and vain speculator The sum of this Rule then is deeply possess and dye thy soul all over with the representation of that eveâ—lasting beauty and amiableness that is in holiness and of that horror and ugliness and deformity that eternally dwells on the forehead of all iniquity Be under the awe and majesty of such clear convictions all day long and thou shalt not fulfill the lusts of the flesh For the mind of man is wont to conceive before it 's own apprehensions and Ideas of good and evil as Jacobs sheep did before the Rods in the Gutter If thy notions of good and evil be right and clear thy lustings and desires will be from evil towards good all the conceptions of thy soul and their births will be fair and unspotted But if thy apprehensions be speckled confused and ring straked like his Rods the conceptions of thy mind thy lustings will be so too so great a truth is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dark ignorance and folly lies at the bottom as the root and foundation of all wickedness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato in Theateto every immoral man is a fool even when he commits a known sin yet then he may be said not to know what he doth Luk. 23.34 All the Reason in the world takes the part of holiness and sin hath not one jot of true Reason to plead or alledge in its own behâ—lf Understand thy self be no stranger to thy own breast know the Rule 3 frame and temper and constitution of thy mind The wise man's eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darkness Eccles 2.14 it is a true and sober maxim of the Platonist Demophil in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as far as a man is ignorant of himself so far forth he is to reckon himself guilty of madness and distraction The Satyrist complains of this Vt nemo in sesè tentat descendere Juvenal nemo Dare to unlock thy bosom to ransack every corner of thy heart let thy Spirit accomplish a diligent search Feel the pulse of thy soul visit it often ask it how it doth Survâ—igh thy self and blush to leave any terra incognita any region of thy mind undiscovered God hath charged and entrusted every man with his own soul and what folly is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be busie in what doth not concern thee and neglect what chiefly doth so the affairs of thy own mind is any thing neerer thee or of such consequence to thee as thy self O let thy charity then begin at home Thou owest this duty to thy self to take an exact account daily of the posture and order of thy inward man With how great confusion doth the Spouse acknowledge this neglect Cant. 1 6. They made me the keeper of the vineyards but my own vineyard have I not kept If ever thou wouldst be dextrous in suppressing the first risings of sin enquire what advantages the tempter hath against thee where that nescio quid tenerum molle lieth in thy soul as Cicero calls it against which temptation plants it's chiefest battery and artillery what thine own iniquity is Psal 18.23 which is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin that doth so easily beset thee Heb. 12.1 See what grace is principally wanting in thee which is weakest in what instances thy greatest failleur betrays it self in which of thy passions and affections thou art most peceable and what lustings of the flesh they are which give thee the frequentest alaâ—mb and threaton the greatest dangers be making these researches and explorations daily compare thy heart with the Law of the eternal God and with the dictates and maxims of thine own conscience See where thy greatest discrepancy and non conformity to these from time to time ariseth
and this like Pathologie or understanding the disease and the constitution of the patient will hugely minister and condence to the exact method of Physick either for prevention or for cure Rule 4 Get and keep a tender Conscience Be sensible of the least sin As the apple of the eye the fittest Emblem in the world of a tender conscience is not only offended with it blow or wound but if so much as a little dust or smoak get in it weeps them out Some mens consciences are like the stomack of the Estrich which digesteth iron they can swallow and concoct the most notorious sins swearing drunkenness c. without regret their consciences are seared as with an hot iron as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Tim. 4.2 they have so inured their souls to the grossest wickedness as the Psylli a people of Africa whom Plutarch mentions had their bodies to the eating poyson that it becomes as it were natural But a good conscience hath a delicate sense it is the most tender thing in the whole world it feels the least touch of known sin and grieves at the grieving of Gods good Spirit not only for quenching or resisting or rebelling against the Holy Ghost but even for grieving the holy Spirit of promise whereby it is sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4.80 The most tender hearted Christian he is the stoutest and most valiant Christian Happy is the man that feareth always but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischief Prov. 28.14 it is the truest magnanimity and heroique courage in our spiritual warfar to tremble at the least iniquity A Christian is never fitter to endure hardness as a faithful souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 then when his conscience is most tender To be such a coward as not to dare to break any one of Gods Commandments is to be the valiantest person in the world for such a one will chuse the greatest evil of suffering before the least of sinning and however the jeering Ishmaels of the world be ready to reproach and laugh one to scorn for this niceness and precise scrupulosity as they term it yet the choice if God be but wiser then vain man is a very wise one Keep an exact guard upon thy heart Prov. 4.23 let the eyes of thy Rule 5 soul be open and awake upon all the stirrings of thy thoughts affections Bid them stand at their first appearance As soon as ever thou discriest any of them in motion summon them before thy souls tribunal let them not pass till thou knowest perfectly whence they come whither they go Ask their errand State viri quae caussa viae quive estis in armis Virg. Is it grief or is it joy or hope or fear or love c. that is now upon the march demand the Word of it ask whether it have a Pass from God and conscience Catechize it examine it search it speak to it in the Centinel's and Watchman's phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew me your Ticket Tell me my desire my love my fear my anger by whose authority art thou now up and in motion if they are able to produce a good warrant from Gods Commandments or from the dictate of reason and conscience let them go on in Gods name they are about their business But if they cannot arrest them as idle vagrants nay as enemies to thy souls peace and charge them upon their allegiance to their superiors that they stir no further Rule 6 Be daily training and exercising all thy graces Have them always in battel-â—ray be in a military posture both defensive and offensive Stand constantly to thine arms for thou hast to do with two enemies that will never give thee any truce or respite the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jews call them the flesh within thee Jer. 17 9. and the Tempter that destroying Angel of the bottomless pit without thee 1 Pet. 5.8 the Christian warfare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war never to be altered it admits of no peace no cessation The Souldier of Christ must never lay down his arms but expect to be upon continual duty and travel till the great Lord of Hosts under whose banner he now fighâ—â—th is pleased to remove his Quarters from that Army Militant here on Earth to that blessed and triumphant in the Heavens Rule 7 Be well skilled in the Elenchs of Temptation I mean in unmasking the Sophistry and Mystery of iniquity in defeating the Wiles and Stratagems of the Tempter and in detecting and frustrating the cheats and finesses of the flesh with its deceitful lusts Eph. 4.23 2 Cor. 2.11 No small part of spiritual wisdom lies in the blessed art of discovering and refuting sins fallacies and impostures If ever thou wouldst prove famous and victorious and worthy honour and reverence in thy spiritual warfare be well seen in the skill of fencing know all thy wards for every attaque Provide thy self with answers and retorts beforehand against the subtle insinuations and delusions of thine enemy Ex. gr If Satan tels thee as he often will that the sin is pleasant ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musae ask whether the gripings of conscience be so too whether it be such a pleasant thing to be in hell to be under the wrath of an Almighty Judge If he tels thee no body sees thou mayst commit it safely ask whether he can put out Gods all-seeing eye whether he can find a place empty of the divine presence for thee to sin in or whether he can blot out the Items out of the Book of Gods Remembrance If he tels thee it is a little one ask whether the Majesty of the great Jehovah be a little one whether there be a little hell or no. If he talks of profits and earthly advantages that will acrew ask what account it will turn to at the last day and what profit there is Mat. 16.26 if one should gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what one should give in exchange for his soul When sin like Jael invites thee into her Tent Judg 4.11 21. 5.25 â—6 with the lure and decoy of a lordly treatment think of the nail and hammâ—r which fastened Sisera dead to the ground Be not caught with chaff lay by thee such memoires such answers and reparties as these wherewith thou mayst reply upon the Tempter that the God of truth hath other manner of pleasures profits honours to court thy love and reward thy service with then the father of lies viz. true and real solid and eternal ones what are the pleasures that are sin for a season to be compared with the rivers of Gods pleasure that are for evermore at his right hand and what is a little wealth that thieves can steal a despicable heap of riches which like a flock of birds a lighting a little while in thy yard will take wing presently and fly away to be named
the grace contrary to the lust that is stirring if it be pride and vain-glory in the applause of men think how ridiculous it were for a criminall to please himself in the esteem and honour his fellow-prisoners render him forgetting how guilty he is before his Judge If thou beginnest to be powred loosely out and as it were dissolved in frolick mirth and jovialty correct that vainnesse and gayety of spirit by the grave and sober thoughts of death and judgement and eâ—ernity Rule 6 If this avail not fall instantly to prayer and indeed all along the whole encounter with thy lusts Pray continually lift up thy heart to God with sighs and groans unutterable Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down Tell him thy lusts are his enemies as well as thine tell him they are too strong for thee beg of him that he would interpose and make bare his arme and get himself a glorious name Awake Isa 51.9 awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Intreat him of all love to pity thee even by his very bowels and not to let the enemy triumph over thee Tell him thou knowest not what to do but thy eyes are towards him Bemoan thy self before him and plead his glory with him and his truth and faithfulness Spread his own gracious promises in his eyes Psal 27.14 Isa 40.28 29 30 31. Psal 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Such Ejaculations or Meditations as these are mighty usefull Gods children find them so in the very paroxisme and assault But if the Temptation continue get into thy Closet and humble thy self greatly before thy God throw thy self at his feet tell him thou wilt not rise till he hath given thee a token for good no thou art resolved there to lye hanging on him and not to let him go untill he bless thee O how welcome is every honest heart to the father of Spirits when it comes on such an errand and in such a manner to the throne of grace God cannot chuse but melt in pity and tendernesse over his poor desolate ones when he sees the anguish of their souls How can I give thee up O Ephraim my bowels are troubled for thee Jer. 31.20 Isa 49.14 they will not give me leave to forget thee Is Ephraim my dear son I do earnestly remember him I wil surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Give not over wrestling like Jacob Gen. 32.26 27 28. till thou risest Israel one who hast power with God and prevailest And it is worth observing that the Lord takes pleasure to be called the mighty God of Jacob and the Lord God of Israel as if he reckoned it an honour that once the worme Jacob wrestled with his omnipotence and overcame him he seems to glory in his being conquered and chuseth that for his name and for his memoriall throughout generations which is an everlasting monument that a poor frail man got the day of him So much doth the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous prevail Perhaps sometime it may be requisite to joyne secret fasting with thy prayer It may be the Devil that tempts thee is of that kind that will not go out but by prayer and fasting Mat. 17.21 Thus Daniel lay prostrate at Gods feet till a hand touched him and set him upon his knees and the voice said to him O Daniel greatly beloved c. Dan. cap. 10. vers 2 3 compared with 10 11. with 18 19. verses When thou hast done this Rise up and buckle on the shield of faith Rule 7 which is able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one Ephes 6 16. Cloath thy soul with an heroick confidence in the power and faithfulnesse of thy God and in the name and majesty of the Lord of hosts bid battle to thy lusts and to all the powers of darknesse Prov. 7.16 Take heed of going out in thy own single strength for lust hath cast down many strong men wounded While thou art kâ—eping thine owne heart with all diligence forget not by faith to bring the great keeper of Israel in If any other man could have kept his own heart sure the man after Gods own heart could have done it Virg. Aeneid Si Pergama dextra Defendi possent etiam hac defensa fuissent But the matter of Vriah and Bathsheba stands on record to all posterity to the contrary For except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain Psalm 127.1 Do not venture to grapple with the roaring Lyon but in the strength of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah who is also the Lamb of God and the great shepheard of Israel Isa 40.11 that carries his lambs in his bosome and whether should the pursued Lamb betake it self but into that shepheaâ—ds arms In time of trouble spirituall as well as other he will hide thee in the secret of his Tabernacle in his pavilion will he hide thee and set thee as upon a rocke Psal 27.5 He never fails the eyes of them that look up to him nor makes his people ashamed of their hope What time thou art afraid trust in him His name is a strong tower Cast thy care upon him and expect the same pity from thy God which the men of Iabesh-Gilead found from Saul when Nabash the barbarous Ammonite would have put out their right eyes To morrow ere the Sun be hot ye shall have help 1 Sam. 11.9 If the King of Israels bowels yerned over those poor men shall not the bowels of the God of Israel over those that fear him Yes upon his honour truth and faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serpens hebr he will not suffer that cruell Nahash to allude to the signification of the word that old Serpent to have his will upon them if he doth not come to day he will to morrow ere the Sun be hot Lift up your heads therefore O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory The LORD strong and mighty the LORD mighty in battle Psal 24.7 8. Thus was Joseph rescued from the Archers that shot at him and sorely grieved him His bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the arms of the mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.23 24. Vse 1 Information I come at length to the Use We are to learn hence That our souls are not as they came out of the father of Spirits hands they appear as it were wrong risen in the world and begin to tread awry the very first steps they measure on the stage of Earth All the symptomes of degeneracy are upon them The best of men that ever yet blest the earth with their Residence upon it except that Son of man who was only so by the mothers side being by the Fathers
friend no otherwise than hee loves his beast would not bee a true Moral act of love And again as plain a truth it is that where the act of love doth not bear some gradual proportion to the various excellencies of the object that it is conversant about neither can that Act have any Moral truth or goodness in it For Instance to love God or Christ with no higher love than wee love inferior persons whether Friends Relations or Superiors in the world This were not Sincerely to love either of them See 1 John 2.15 and Matth. 10.37 and Luke 14.26 I add in the last place which is no less evident than either of the former that where there are relations or offices Necessarily Invested in and Inseparable from the person beloved then if our love doth not respect the object as under those relations and offices it will bee far from being love in Sincerity Some Instances will clear this also beyond Contradiction Suppose a Woman that hath a Husband and shee loves him no otherwise than one friend loves another And the Case is the same between a Scholler and his Master a Servant and his Lord a Subject and his Prince If the affections bee without reverence obedience and loyalty will either of these bee reputed true love Why no more are such to bee accounted the sincere lovers of Christ who do not bear an affection to him in all his offices and relations And this I take to bee so demonstrative a truth and of such Necessary consideration in our present inquiry that nothing could bee spoken in Judgement thereto until wee had first made our way unto it and laid it down I am sure it will bee found fundamental to the right understanding the Nature of sincere love to Christ and the greatest part of the Characters which are laid down in the scripture of this grace It might now bee here expected and it 's almost necessary to give some account of Christs personal excellencies and also of his offices what they were and briefly to intimate what new qualifications each of them would put upon a Christians Intensive willing of Christ which is but the Substratum or matter of this grace But I am not now to discourse the nature of this grace at large and so much thereof as is necessary will come in when wee lay down some of the Characters of it and I have but two things more and then wee come to them 6. Proposition The love of the soul to Chrâ—st in sincerity is not any one Indivisible act or habit but a Holy frame of spirit made up of many gracious Inclinations carrying the whole soul along with it unto Christ for Vnion and Communion with him I told you in the beginning that it is used here by the Apostle as the periphrasis of a Christian a Brother a real Saint And therefore it is not a suddain and transient flash of the soul or any one act but Comprehensive of much of that wherein the nature of Christianity doth essentially lye This follows necessarily from the last proposition And Indeed to make faith or love to Christ such single Physical acts as many do as it renders the Doctrine of Christianity perplexed so doth it exceedingly tend to the amusing of the Consciences of weak Christians and I am afraid Ingender also to licentiousness It being too usual with such persons who presumptuously conceive themselves to bee Christians because they discern as they think those supposed particular acts to take up with them and to grow remiss and careless in other duties as essential to Christianity and necessary to Salvation as those graces themselves To conclude this Proposition you may note that as love to God is the soul of natural Piety and is Incorporated into every branch of it so is love to Christ the very Spirit that diffuseth it self through and animates all those duties which are required by the New Covenant and respect Jesus Christ as Mediator 7. Proposition When wee inquire after this Love by it's Genuine characteâ—s you are not to understand thereby only such special properties as argue the essence of this grace a posteriori But you are to know that we understand it in such a latitude as leaving Room for all those Arguments by which the conscience of a Christian may bee resolved whether this grace was ever truly wrought in his soul or not And these things premised the Characters which evidently discover whether wee love Christ in sincerity are these that follow 1. Character Wee may know it by our former Convictions and the rule is this Whe e love to Christ is sincere Esa 55.1 61.1 2 3. Matth. 11.28 there hath been a Conviction of the souls undone condition without him and of the sufficiency and willingness of Christ to recover the soul out of that condition And whereever this Conviction hath been fully wrought and the wound made thereby Regularly healed there dwells Sincere love to him I put this first as containing the originall birth of Evangelical love I dare affirm No conviction no love No contrition of heart for sin no affection in the soul for Christ 1 Pet. 2.8 Every degree of true Spiritual love saith a Divine that had well studied this point proceeds from a proportionable Act of saving Faith And to the same purpose saith Dr. Preston and hee presseth it earnestly two things must concur to beget love 1. The sight of Christs willingness and readiness to relâ—ive 2. His ability and sufficiency to help These two willingness and ability Cant. 3.11 are the Crown upon the Head of Christ when undone souls do first take delight in him they are the sweet oyntments of our Lord Cant. 1.3 which by their Savour do attract Virgin souls to betroth themselves unto him What ever men may vainly talk 't is brokenness of heart Act. 2.36 37. 9.5 6. Matth. 9.12 and a sense of approaching Ruine that gives the soul the first occasion of acquainting it self in good earnest with Christ and when faith hath thereupon found the suitableness of Christ to it self in its present State of misery then the fire of love begins to burn So that it is not a blinde casual passion but a matter of right Reason mature judgement and choyce It is not a frame of spirit that persons were delivered into they know not how but such whereof they that have it can give undenyable reasons so that if the question were put to any love sick soul as to the Spouse in the Canticles chapt 5.9 10. What is thy beloved more than another beloved shee could give an Account if not so Glossy and Rhetorical Cant 1.3.12 Chap. 2.3 yet as Logical and Rational as that which is there given Shee hath seen that in Christ so much Excellency in his person and so much readiness and sufficiency as resulting from his several offices which hath even ravished her and made him comely to her for delights yea the very
doth good to his own soul hee addeth Prov. 11.17 but hee that is cruel troubleth his own flesh Soul and Flesh are the two essential parts of a man both the one and the other are Synecdochically put for the whole man even for the person By a cruel man is meant an unmerciful or a hard-hearted-man for hee is opposed to a merciful man The meaning then of the proverb is this As a merciful man doth good not only to his poor Brother to whom hee sheweth mercy but also to himself So an hard-hearted-man doth not only grieve his distressed neighbour in affording him no succour but also brings much dammage to himself Prov. 11.24 For hee that with-holdeth more than is meet cometh to poverty With-holding is there opposed to scattering which word hath reference to casting or sowing seed on the earth to bring forth a crop and thereby is meant Alms-giving On the contrary With-holding more than is meet implies a denial of Alms when there is just cause to give Justice and equity require this duty as wee have before shewed so as that phrase doth much aggravate this kind of unmercifulness and as a just punishment thereof that which covetous men by refusing to give seek to prevent shall fall upon them even poverty And if in any distress they shall be forced to seek help of others even they shall bee neglected as they neglected others The Wise-man testifieth as much in these words Prov. 21.13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor hee also shall cry himself and not bee heard Not only other men Luk. 16.24 but also God himself will refuse to hear his cry Dives who refused to relieve Lazarus could not obtain any to afford him a drop of water to cool his tongue when hee was tormented in Hell flames It is expresly said Mat. 18.33 that hee shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy James 2.13 For God deals with men according to their dealing with others Finally as blessings are promised to merciful men so curses are denounced against unmerciful men Prov. 28.27 As under blessings all manner of good things are comprized so under curses all manner of evils Unmerciful men shall have the curses of men Prov. 11.26 and people shall curse them And at the great day of judgement they shall be pronounced cursed by the great Judge For then shall hee say unto them on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 42 c. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee no drink c. If wee must aim at Assurance what should they do that are not able to discern their own spiritual condition 1 JOHN 5.13 These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have Eternal Life THe greatness of the mercy in having of the Scripture is manifested by the great advantages that the Elect of God receive thereby viz. a John 20.31 that they might bee brought to close with Christ by faith unfeigned and bee partakers of eternal life through him that bad men might bee made good that good men might bee made sure of an eternal blessed state in the life to come whereby the Lord hath abundantly provided both for our happiness and our comfort for our happiness that wee may have eternal life b 1 John 1.4 Rom. 15.4 for our comfort that wee may know wee have eternal life I cannot stay to view the context I need not stay to explain the Text. The case of conscience to bee treated of from this Scripture is this Since men may know that they have eternal life what must they do that cannot discern their spiritual Condition Here are two things to bee performed First That wee may know in this life that wee shall certainly bee partakers of eternal glory in the life to come For if assurance bee not possible I can neither blame you for wanting it nor stir you up to labour after it Secondly Lay down some Rules for the getting of it and directions if by these rules wee cannot for the present obtain it For the stating of the first part of the Question concerning the possibility of getting this certain knowledge of our future Happiness I shall lay before you these six positions 1. Position 1. An unregenerate person while c Iohn 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.10 12. such can have no assurance or certain knowledge of the eternal salvation of his Immortal soul Because as such hee hath no actual interest in the promises of salvation being without the conditions of faith and repentance to which the promises are made being a childe of d Eph. 2.3 wrath e Tit. 3.3 a slave to his lusts a f 2 Tim. 2.26 captive to the Devil a g Ioh. 5.40.43 Mark 12.10 rejecter of the Son of God This man hath plague sores tokens of eternal death I cannot say thou shalt bee infallibly damned because thou h 2 Tim. 2.25 mayest repent and beleeve and thou canst not say thou shalt bee saved because thou hast not yet repented for thy sin nor beleeved on the Son of God A wicked man is not subjectum capax a subject capable of this assurance Eph. 1.13 In whom also after yee beleeved yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise It is not the hard stone but the soft wax that receiveth the impression of the seal If hee hope for Salvation while hee liveth and dyeth in a natural condition hee shall loose his hope i Iob 11.20 8.13 14. 18.14 and soul together this presumption will prove self-delusion and end in desperation Hee is worse than a Pharisee k Luke 18.11 whether hee bee a private person or a Preacher that liveth in gross sins hating the power of godliness and discouraging holiness that yet blesseth God for election justification sanctification and assured hope of glory 2. Position 2. That many of Gods dear Children l Psal 77.1 to the 10. ver 88.14 15 16. Isa 50.10 for a long time might remain very doubtful as to their present and eternal condition and know not what to conclude whether they shall bee damned or whether they shall bee saved There are beleevers of several growths in the Church of God m 1 Ioh. 2.13.14 Fathers Young men Children and n 1 Pet. 2.2 Babes and as in most families there are more babes and children than grown men so in the Church of God there are more weak doubting Christians than strong ones grown up to a full assurance A Babe may bee born and yet not know it so a man may bee born again and not be sure of it Sometimes they think they have grounds of hope that they shall bee saved sometimes they think they have grounds of fears that they shall
Heaven and the standing rule by which thou must bee tryed thou must stand or fall bee eternally blessed or everlastingly miserable as thy condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the Scripture Thou that hast deserved eternal death mightest know before the day of the general assize whether thou shalt bee acquitted or condemned But if thou know not how to gather these thy self go to some godly faithful Minister and desire him to give thee some Characters of a sincere Christian from the word of God wherein hypocrisie and sincerity are differenced and bee sure the signes thou tryest thy self by bee not short of saving grace or that will not hold tryal or bear thee out at the day of judgement I cannot here insert any partly because I have not room to croud them in partly because by what I have already laid down under that head that a man might know that hee is sincere beleeveth and loveth God something to this purpose might bee picked up 2. Direction 2. When thou hast thus furnished thy self thy next work must bee to set thy conscience on work and reflect upon thy own heart and upon the mâ—tions of thy will and compare thy self with the word of God The former sent you to study the book of Gods word this calleth upon you to study the book of your own hearts The other is a direct act of the understanding this is a reflect act to make a judgement of thy state whether there bee a transcript of those things in thine own heart for every beleever hath the Gospel-laws written upon the table of his soul by the spirit of God Assurance cannot bee had ordinarily without the examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of the scripture the other by the reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus Hee that beleeveth and is justified shall bee saved that is the word of God then by the search of his own heart hee must bee able to say But I beleeve and am jusâ—ified and from these two doth result this assurance that hee may conclude Therefore I shall bee saved Luke 15.8 The woman that had lost a peece of silver did light a candle and swept her house and thereby found what she had lost Conscience is this candle the scripture is the fire at which it must bee lighted and self-examination is the broom whereby the heart is swept and so the state of the soul which before was not discerned comes to bee discovered But here take heed thy heart bee not rash in affirming or denying suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow strict inquiry into thy soul as thou lovest thy soul do not presume as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to bee a fruit of the spirit Search throughly and judge impartially Say therefore to thy soul Deus est ocâ—â—us infinitus to make thy self more serious in this weighty work thou art now oh my Soul in the presence of the great heart-searching God that knoweth certainly what thy state and condition is what thy will heart and affections are thou must oh my Soul shortly stand at the bar of God as now thou standest at the bar of conscience and must bee searched judged by the Lord and have the sentence of life or death of absolution or condemnation according as thy state shall bee found to bee Consider oh my Soul thou art now about the greatest concernment in the world many have been mistaken many are now tormented in hell that once thought their condition was good it is not therefore for thee to flatter thy self and it is easie to bee mistaken and if thou shouldest bee mistaken it is as much as thy soul is worth if thy condition bee bad and thou conclude it to bee good thou wilt but go more merrily to hell It is as much as thy comfort is worth if thy condition bee good and thou conclude it to be bad thou wilt go more sadly to Heaven and wilt be unthankful to thy God and keep the glory from him and the comfort from thy self Thou art indited oh my soul arraigned and sound guilty that thou hast sinned against the Lord the question is Whether thou hast repented and are pardoned I charge thee therefore oh my soul that thou speak truly and answer rightly to these demands Art thou so far convinced of sin of the vileness of its own nature the evil in it the evil after it that thou art weary of it thou groanest under it thou loathest it and art unfeignedly willing to be broken from every sin without any reserve and what thou canst not extirpate that thou wilt bewail art thou so far convinced of thine own insufficiency to help thy self that all thy tears cannot wash thee and make thee clean all thy duties cannot save thee that though thou darest not neglect them as means yet thou darest not rely upon them as a Saviour so that thou seest the necessity of a Christ the suitableness of Christ the sufficiency and willingness of Christ offering himself unto thee in the Gospel calling to thee crying after thee saying ah thou poor miserable forlorn sinner thou hast undone thy self wilt thou now be cured thou hast wounded thy self wilt thou let mee apply a plaister of my blood my healing pacifying blood to thy bleeding soul to thy distressed disquieted conscience all that I expect from thee is to take mee for thy Lord and Husband to rule govern sanctifie and save thee thou hast withstood thine own mercy I have often asked thee and thou hast often denied mee but yet if now thou wilt receive mee behold I bring pardon along with mee and peace along with mee and eternal life and every good thing along with mee yet mercy is not gone it is not yet denied to thee When thou mayest gather such things from the Word of Christ put the question to thy self what sayest thou oâ— my soul thou hearest the gracious words of the Lord Jesus hee commands thee to come hee inviteth thee to come hee promiseth thee acceptance if thou come art thou willing or art thou not wilt thou persevere in thy former denial and be damned or wilt thou yeeld and be saved wilt thou consent to take him for thy Husband and subscribe unto his terms doth thy judgement value him above all and thy will chuse him above all and thy affections go out after him above all things in the world as a woman doth in all those three respects when shee taketh a man to be her Husband Art thou so far convinced of the excellency of the everlasting Glory of the Saints and the perfection of that Happiness that is above as it is a state or perfect Holiness as well as a state of real Happiness
that thou art willing to part with any thing that might hinder thee from obtaining of it and do any duty prescribed by God though displeasing to thy flesh and use them as means for the attaining of â—o excellent an end wouldest thou have him whatever it cost thee canst thou not be without him whatever thou be without then pass sentence for thy self concluding thy condition to be happy This is the neerest way to finde out thy condition not stand wrangling with thy self for thy former neglects any further than for thy humiliation and do not so much enquire what thou hast not formerly done as what now thou art really willing to do Besides this solemn set examination thou shalt finde it very profitable to get and keep a sight of thy spiritual condition to call thy self to an account every night before thou sleep where thou hast been that day what thou hast done what company thou hast been in what sin thou hast committed what duty thou hast omitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Carm. and mourn if thou hast fallen and return thy hearty thanks to God if thou hast walked carefully and circumspectly that day this counsel a noble Heathen did give to call our selves to an account before wee sleep 3. Direction 3. That thy assurance may be yet more compleat and full and thy comfort arising from the same more enlarged Fall down at the Throne of Grace and beg earnestly and pray importunately for the witness of the Spirit of God For as it is the Spirit that worketh grace in us so it is the Spirit that must discover the truth of that grace to us 1 Cor. 2.12 Now wee have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that wee are the children of God But beware thou take not Satanical delusions for the spirits perswasion or the conceit of thy own brain for the witness of the Spirit The Spirit never witnesseth any thing to any man contrary to what is revealed in the Word for hee is a Spirit of Truth and never speaks contradictions therefore if any man thinketh that he hath the witness of the Spirit testifying that hee is a childe of God and yet is not holy humble penitent hee is deceived but if thou hast the Graces of the Spirit and the Spirit witnesseth so much unto thy conscience and with thy conscience 1. It inflameth thy heart with love to God and Christ 2. It raiseth more hatred in thee to thy sin 3. Thou findest a mighty strength and power in it engaging thy soul to walk humbly holily with thy God 4. A wonderful cogency in it to be zealous for God in suffering â—ny thing for his sake and doing and obeying any thing that hee enjoyns thou hast incouragement to ask this of God because it is according to his will q Joh. 14.13 14 Joh. 14.21 Lord is it not according to thy will that I should be careful of my immortal soul and make sure its eternal Happiness and Salvation it is thy commaâ—d I should do so that I should examine my self whether I be in the Faith and whether Christ be formed in my heart Lord I have examined but yet I cannot clearly see it I see there is some grounds to hope it but yet I cannot confidently assert it Oh thou blessed Spirit of God clear up mine understanding and stir up and excite my graces that I may feel the actings of them in my soul and so better discern them Though this be arbitrary and not necessary yet do to mee as thou didst unto thy servant David when hee prayed that thou wouldest lift up upon him the light of thy countenance thou puttest gladness into his heart r Psal 4.6.7 4. Direction 4. Presse after the highest degrees of Grace and be much in the exercise thereof if thou wouldest clearly discern thy spiritual condition The weakness of thy grace makes thee doubt of the truth of grace The Christian must be like the Crocodile * As some affirm that grows as long as it lives and ceaseth to be when it ceaseth to grow The body of a man is continually growing till hee come to his perfect age and then ceaseth to grow for then though hee may wax fat and broader yet hee riseth not higher and his bones have no increase So when wee come to our full stature in Christ to our perfect age in glory wee shall grow no more because then wee shall be perfect but in our minority wee must be alwaies growing and a growing person is easily discerned to be a living person A Dwarf cannot see so far as a taller man nor be seen so far So a little grace cannot be so easily perceived amongst a croud of sins and corruption When grace at first is like Elijahs cloud 1 King 18.43 44. Little like a mans hand it was hardly discerned but when iâ— did encrease and the Heavens were black with clouds every eye could then perceive them Assurance is usually vouchsafed to Christians of the largest size Men put not up a great Mast or Sail in a little Boat bâ—t in a larger Vessel Animi quies motus virtutis est the moving activity of vertue is the settled rest of the mind that is able to bear it So also by the strong actings and exercise of grace it is discerned A man in his sleep when hee acts not reason cannot judge himself to be a man A man in a swoon when he cannot be perceived to breathe standers by know not whether hee be dead or alive nor hee himself Moral Habits are acquired and strengthened by frequently repeated Acts and more eaâ—â—ly discerned The fire lying raked under the ashes is not so easily found as when it being blown up breaketh forth into a flame Hee that hath strong love to God will sooner feel it and the more frequent it moveth and is upon the wing after God the sooner shalt thou know that thou lovest him The being of a thing is proved by its operation Operari supponit esse 5. Direction 5. Bee well acquainted and informed in the nature of the Covenant of Grace and the conditions thereof Whatsoever are thy doubts there is something in the Covenant of Grace that would be ground of satisfaction to thee is it thine own unworthiness here rich and free Grace is laid open is it thy long delay of coming in to God that now thou thinkest it is too late the Gospel will tell thee that Christ will not cast thee off if now thou come unâ—o him is it thy ragged torn imperfect obedience the Covenant of Grace accepts of sincerity though there be many infirmities the intention of the heart for the work of the hand the purpose for the performance where the sincere soul cannot do so much as hee doth really desire to do 6. Direction
6. Prize the society of the people of God that are acquainted with the workings of Gods Spirit upon their heaâ—ts Be much in communion with the Saints When they have been unfolding their doubts they have been in some good measure resolved this hath quickned their hearts when they have been dull and blown up the sparks of love in their souls to God that they have felt their hearts to burn within them s Luke 24.32 Psal 66.16 Mal 3.16 with love towards God 7. Direction 7. Keep a Record of all the experiences thou hast had of Gods goodness to thee and what thou hast formerly found t Psa 77.10 11. make it a means for the supporting of thy soul for the present and the future Such a time thou canst remember thou wast upon thy knees bemoaning thy self loathing thy self full oâ— sorrow and complaints and God took thee up in the arms of his love and spake like a friend words of peace and comfort to thy soul and bid thee be of good chear hee was reconciled to thy soul Hee filled thee full of sorrow and afterward filled thee full of joy hee cast thee down and raised thee up hee broke thy heart and bound it up hee came to thee as to Mary expostulating with thee sinner why weepest thou what aileth thee thou weepedst for thy Saviour and hee was by thee and shewed himself unto thee So much for the means to obtain this certain knowledge of eternal life but if by the use of these and the like directions the soul cannot get this assurance and though hee search and pray and grieve because hee hath not the light of Gods countenance shining upon him followeth the means and longs to know his estate and all things hee enjoyeth are lessened in his esteem because hee cannot see his interest in Christ whom hee doth most esteem To thee I will give these Directions Counsel to those that by these directions cannot yet obtain this assurance First Though thou canst not say thy condition is good yet do not say that thy condition is bad Though thou canst not affirm thou hast the faith of Evidence yet do not peremptorily say thou hast not the faith of Adherence though thou hast not the witness of the spirit for thee yet do not bear false witness against thy self canst not thou say thou art sure of Heaven yet do not say there is no hope of Heaven though thou canst not own Heaven as thine do not disown it if thou canst not prove it do not disclaim it It is strange yet ordinary to see many doubting Christians dispute against themselves and reason against their own comfort tell them of their longing after Christ their weeping and mourning for him they doubt it is not in truth if you say to them if you do not truly love him then let him alone and follow no more after him why do you grieve for him because you cannot finde him if you do not truly love him they will reply conscience will put a man on to do something when yet it may not bee done out of love to God if you aske can you take up with any thing short of Christ though indeed they cannot yet they will reply the heart is deceitful and they know not what they should do Frame not arguments against thy self when thou canst not frame them for thy self live by faith when thou canst not live by sense and comfort Take heed here of judging thy condition to bee bad by trying thy self by rules not so suitable to finde out the being and truth of grace as the growth and increase of grace And here 1. Say not thou hast no grace because thou hast not so much as thou seest others to have to take notice of the eminent degrees of grace in others to provoke our selves to labour after the same proportion is good but to argue for a nullity of grace because thou hast not such a quantity of grace as thou discernest in others is not rational Is there no water in the brook because there is not so much as in the river is there not light in a candle because there is not so much as in the sun wilt thou say thou art a begger because thou art not so rich as thy neighbours that have a full estate or that thou knowest nothing because thou knowest not so much as the greatest scholar Observe Peter in this case John 21.17 hee did not say when Christ asked him lovest thou mee more than these I love thee more than John or any of thy Disciples love thee but I love thee thou must love Christ more than thou lovest any thing in the woâ—ld besides or else thou dost not sincerely love him but thou must not conclude that except thou lovest him as much or more than others loâ—e him that thou hast no love at all unto him Yet this is ordinary I never was humbled so much as others have been I cannot mourn as others do enquire now after the truth rather than after the degrees and know thy humiliation is true First when thou art broken for and from thy sin so much bitterness upon the breast as weaneth the Châ—lde from it is sufficient Secondly that makes thee see a necessity of Christ and willing to close sincerely with him 2. Say not thou hast no grace because thou hast not grace proportionable to thy desires but rather hope thou hast it because thou hast such enlarged desires after it is not hee a froward unthankful Childe that saith his Father hath given him nothing because not so much as hee desireth 3. Say not thou hast no grace because thou seest corruption in thee more than before they were in thy heart before though thou didst not discern them the house is full of filth but while the shuts are up it is not perceived but take them down and you see it plainly not because there is more filth but because there is more light 4. Nor because of the indisposedness of thy heart to and dulness of thy affections sometimes in the time of holy duties Secondly When thou canst not get assurance make as much improvement of the grounds upon which thou mayest build u Psal 33.18 Psal 148.11 hopes of salvation The probable grounds thou hast thou wouldest not part with for all the world if thy heart is not full of joy through sense of Gods love yet thine eyes are full of tears and thy soul of sorrow through the sense of thy sin wouldâ—st thou change thy condition with any hypocrite whatsoever with the richest man that hath no grace I would not have thee rest satisfied with a probability but yet bless God for a probability of salvation is it nothing that one that hath disserved hell most certainly should have a probability that hee should escape it would not this bee a little ease to the torments of the damned if they had but a strong probability that they may bee saved but no hope
of the world can easily pass over the beams of raging wickedness in themselves and their own but they maliciously and proudly aggravate the motes of infirmity in the godly If they carry themselves unbecomingly by any impatience under the hand of God now they are hypocrites presently now they sink notwithstanding they would seem to have special interest in and acquaintance with God to bear them up Thus was Job censured even by his friends for which God censures them and that with wrath Job 42.7 Thus Gods People serve themselves but especially they have this measure from the men of the World They see them droop and walk heavily under some outward burden which they think is but ordinary they see them faint having drunk of the cup of affliction which is common but alas they consider not what may be the weight of their burden within what bitter ingredients may be in their Cup as to their inward man Now the Spirit is the man the mind is the strength and they are not aware how tender the love of God hath made that and how grieved and broken that may be upon some spiritual account between God and them Joab reproves David for mourning so excessively for Absolom at first sight we may think it strange that so eminent a Saint as David should so take on for an outward loss more as it seems than for the loss of Gods favour grace but Joab did not know and consider what visitation there might be within David while God stood over him with that outward rod how God might set on that outward blow with some inward smart and rebuke upon his Spirit in such an intimation as this O! David thou that wert so obliged to me more than thousands I 'll make thee know 't is an evil and bitter thing to provoke me and dishonour my Name as thou hast done thy child is dead Absolom is gone with a curse and Adonijah shall follow and now what hâ—st thou gotten by hearkening to temptations and pleasing thy self in the enticements of thy naughty heart no question but there were some such workings of God's displeasure within him and therefore no wonder he took on so heavily as Psal 39.11 therefore do not passe sentence upon the Godly in their extremities till thou canst hear and see all the bitternesse of their Condition 2. The second word is to the Godly 1. They which are not but Use 2 may be beset with this double perplexity 2. They which are 1. Art thou in a state of freedom and exemption blesse God thy lot is very comfortable but be not secure indulge not thy self with a perswasion that it will alwaies last For 1. Thou hast married Christ with his Crosse or not at all thou art delivered from the Curse indeed but thou art appointed to the Crosse and canst not with integrity except any part thereof that without or that within 2. Outward afflictions and troubles may be many and heavy one upon the neck of another and by reason of them though they come single thou maist endure an hard brunt and have enough to exercise thy whole strength of Faith and patience 3. Inward Affliction my come and that 's far more heavy and grievous the Soul is infinitely more tender then the body and yet scalding water upon the eye can very hardly be endured O then a wounded spirit who can bear that 4. 'T is not improbable nor unusual that both these rods may come upon thee at once and then thy Affliction is as a load upon a broken back now thou wilt have thy hands full indeed and very hardly be saved now thou wilt need not only all the strength which thou hast but all which thou mightst have had 2. You 'l say Sirs what shall we do I Answer as in natural distempers 1. You must take some preparatives and prophulacticks to prevent the disease if it may be or at least to break the strength of it if it doth come that we may not sinck under it 2 Some Cordials Restoratives and Therapenticks for the Cure of the malady when it is come I shall endeavour by the Grace of God to help you in these two Cases and conclude 1. Then for Direction by way of Preparation 1. Labour to be well seen in points of saving knowledge especially Direct 1 Fundamentals Ignorance I told you was the cause of Soul-distress and it is so the impregnable impediment of comfort most-what in the Godly they are not throughly informed they do not understand themselves well in the matter of the Covenant of Grace the Doctrine way benefit terms of it and the mistakes about it if they were clear in these things they would have a fairer way to comfort and more easily go to the wells of Salvation to draw water of life at any even the darkest time our Saviour prescribes this receipt in John 16.33 These things have I told you c. viz. the greâ—t things of the Gospel such as those v. 28. That I came from the Father i. e. to purchase all and I go to the Father i. e. to procure and apply all these things say the Disciples thou hast spoken plainly thou hast given us clear evidence and full information of these c. points of knowledge And what advantage did Christ's teaching and their learning and understanding of these great matters tend to That in me ye might have peace when in the World ye shall have tribulation Christ had promised he would not leave them comfortlesse Joh. 14.18 and this is the course he takes and the way he puts the Disciples into to prevent or prepare for Tribulation that it might not spoil them of their inward peace viz. Instruction and knowledge O! the Lord give you with utmost diligence to follow on to know and to work in what you know into your hearts So shall you have that within you which in dependence on Christ in the many points well understood will be of singular use and advantage to quiet and compose your Spirits in all your Troubles and Lâ—nguishments grounds of knowledge are grounds of support and comfort 2. In order to the forenamed second cause of this distemper be sure Direct 2 you be close with and often taking hold on God by renewed acts of Faith My Brethren Faith is not to be acted only at first for our entrance into the State of Grace but 't is our duty and wisdom to carry on the exercise of Faith for our continuance and progresse in that state and passage through all those temptations difficulties oppositions discouragements we are to meet withall therein Faith and Prayer must be as the breathing of our Souls in and out to keep the heart in life the just shall live i. e. every part degree and act of life by his Faith this again is the order the great Physitian of our Souls prescribes John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled why how shall they prevent or help it believe they were believers
Pro. 17.17 All Times 2. Quamdiu The Duration of this Trust How long Sol. All the day long Psal 44.8 All our lives long All the dayes of their Appointed Time must Gods Job's not only Wayt but Trust till their change come Yea for ever Isa 26.4 nay for ever and ever Psal 52.8 Having thus unlockt the Cabinet The Jewel or Truth that we find laid up in it is This. viz. It is the great indispensable Duty of All Believers at All Times Observation to Trust in the Lord and in Him Alone All that I have to say on This practical Truth I shall Couch under these six Generals 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Trusting in God is a Believers Duty 2. What it is To Trust in God 3. What is and ought to be the grand and sole object of a Believers Trust 4. What are Those sure and stable Grounds Those Corner stones on which the Faithful may firmly Build Their Trust in God 5. What are Those special and signal seasons which call aloud for the exerting of This Trust 6. How Faith or Trust puts forth exerts demeans bestirs it self in such seasons 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Trusting in God is a Believers Duty The Lord is or at least he should be The (e) Meton Adjuncti Actus pro Objecto Confidence of All the ends of the Earth Psal 65.5 Trust in the Lord with All thy Heart Prov. 3.5 On the Arm of His Power Isa 51.5 On the (f) In verbis ejus So Chald. Paraph. renderâ— our Text. Word of His Truth In his faithful Promises in His freest mercies Psal 52.8 In His full Salvation Psal 78.22 2. What it is To Trust in God Sol. 1. Negatively To presume on God To Tempt God To conceive false Hopes of Gods gracious favour and protection whilst in a way of sin is Not To Trust in God To gallop down a precipice and To say Confidently I shall not fall To cast our selvs down headlong from a Pinâ—cle of the Temple and yet To expect the protection of Angels Matth. 4.6 7. To Teach for Hire and To Divine for Money and yet to (g) Mic. 3.11 lean upon the Lord saying is not the Lord among us None evil can come upon us To bless a mans self in his Heart and to say he shall have peace though he walk in the imaginations of his evil heart Deut 29.19 All this is not to Trust in God but To Trust in (i) Job 15.31 Vanity and to spin the Spiders web Job 8.13 14. 2. Positively and so more generally and more particularly 1. More Generally To Trust in God is To Cast (k) Ps 55.22 our burthen on the Lord when 't is too heavy for our own shoulder To Dwell in the secret (l) Ps 91.1 places of the Most High when we know not where to lay our Heads on earth To look to our Maker and to have respect To the Holy One of Israel Is 17.7 To (n) Isa 36.6 lean on our Beloved Can. 8.5 To stay our selves when sinking on the Lord our God Isa 26.3 In a word Trust in God is that High Act or Exercise of Faith whereby the Soul looking upon God and casting of it's self on His goodness power promises faithfulness and providence is lifted up above carnal fears and discouragements above perplexing doubts and disquietments either for the obtaining and continuance of that which is good or for the preventing or removing of that which is evil 2. More particularly Fot the clearer discovery of the Nature of Divine Trust we shall lay before you It 's Ingredients Concomitants Effects I. The Ingredients of Trust in God They are three 1. A clear knowledge or Right Apprehension of God as Revealed in His Word and Works They and They only That (o) Psal 9.10 Know Thy Name will Trust in Thee The grand Reason why God is so little Trusted is because He is so little Known Knowledge of God is of such necessity to a Right Trust that it is put as a Synonyma for Trust I will set Him on high beause He hath (p) Psal 91.14 Known i. e. Trusted in my name 2. A full Assent of the Understanding and Consent of the will to Those Divine Revelations as True and good wherein the Lord proposeth Himself as an Adequate Object for our Trust This Act the Greeks expresse by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latines by Credere Fidem habere Testimonium recipere The Hebrews by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All importing Believing or giving credit to Thus the Israelites are said To (q) Ex. 14.31 believe the Lord and his Servant Moses And Thus the Soul that Trusts looks upon the words of Promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) 1 Tim. 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as faithful and worthy of All Acceptation 3. A firm and fixed reliance Resting or Recumbency of the whole Soul on God Or a firm perswasion and special Confidence of the Heart whereby a Believer paticularly applies to Himself the faithful Promises of God and certainly Concludes and determines with himself That the Lord is Able and willing To make good to him the good promises he hath made This indeed is the very Formality of Trust one of the Highest and Noblest Acts of Faith This is That which the Greeks term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which Paul so frequenly useth in several of His Epistles Thus Abraham is said to be strong in Faith giving glory to God and was fully (Å¿) Rom. 4.21 perswaded that what he had promised he was able and willing to perform This the Latines call Fiducia The Schools Fiducia fidei The Hebrews by a word that signifies To lean on or cast the weight of ones body on for support and stay Thus Isa 10.20 The house of Jacob shall no more stay upon him that smote them but shall (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmiter innitetur incumbet stay upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel in Truth Thus for the Ingredients of Trust 2. The Concomitants of an Holy Trust and these are 1. An Holy quietness security and peaceableness of Spirit springing from a full perswasion of our safety By this the Soul is freed from distracting cares and jealousies about our state and condition Hence that of the Prophet Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacem peace whose mind is staied on thee because He trusteth in thee An holy security I say not a carnal security like theirs mentioned Zeph. 1.12 that were setled on their lees that said in their hearts the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil nor like that of the Scarlet whore Rev. 18.6 that saies in her Heart I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow No but an Holy security as we have it Prov. 8.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower The Righteous runneth to
of Creature-comforts Suppose a Believers d Psal 144.12 13. sons as plants grown up in their youth and his daughters as corner stones polisht after the similitude of a Palace suppose his garners full affording all manner of store His Oxen strong to labour and his sheep bringing forth thousands and ten thousands in the streets though the blear-eyed World should pronounce him e Ver. 15. happy that is in such a case how would the Believer immediatly reply with the Psalmists Epanorthosis or in express contradiction rather to so gross a mistake yea blessed are the people they rather or they only are blessed which have the Lord for their God Thus Faith concludes Negatively 2. Positively That Divine Lesson which Solomon the wisest of meer men had by such difficult and costly experiments at length learnt Faith hath got by heart and in the face of the World concludes with him f Eccl. 1.2 Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity The assertion is repeated as in Pharaohs dream to shew its certainty and the Term of Vanity doubled to manifest the Transcendency and multiplicity of this Vanity There is a fivefold Vanity which Faith discovers in all its Creature enjoyments viz. in that they are 1. Unprofitable Thus the Preacher What g Eccl. 1.3 profit hath a man of all his labour which he hath taken under the Sun What profit Why he hath filled his hands with Air he hath laboured for the Wind Eccl. 5.16 Just so much and no more than Septimius Severus got who having run through various and greâ—t employments openly acknowledges Omnia fui sed nihil profuit Creature comforts are not bread Isa 55.2 3. They profit no more than the dream of a full meal doth an hungry man or that Feast which the h Corn. a Lap. Comment in Isa 55.2 Magitian made the German Nobles who thought they fared very deliciously but when they departed found themselves hungry In a day of wrath sickness death can riches profit Prov. 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 Just as much as a bag of gold hung about the neck of a drowning man 2. Hurtful and pernicious Solomon observed that Riches were kept for the Owners thereof to their i Eccl. 5.13 hurt Hence it is that k Pro 30.8 9 Agur prayes against them Give me not riches lest I be full and deny thee as if abundance made way for Atheism in those that know not how to manage it Maximilian the Second was sensible of this who refused to hoard up a mass of Treasure fearing lest by falling in love therewith of a soveraign Lord he should become a servant to the Mammon of unrighteousness Now the hurtfulness of Creature-comforts shews it self in several particulars 1. Faith knows that they are apt to puff up and swell the heart with the Tympany of pride Hence that great Caution Deut. 8.10 to the end The usual Attendants on riches are Pride and Confidence Hence Paul to l 1 Tim. 6.17 Timothy charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded How apt are men to be lifted up with the things of this lower World Riches at once sink the mind downward in covetous Cares and lift it upward in proud conceits To see a man rich in purse and poor in spirit is a great rarity 2. Faith knows that great enjoyments are great snares and powerful temtations to many other lusts such as are Covetousness Lust Luxury Security c. The plenty of places oft occasion much wickedness in persons Rich Sodom was a nursery of all impiety Jesurun when he waxeth fat is apt to kick Deut. 32.15 And when Israel is fed to the full m Ezek. 16.39 â—0 then she commits abomination 3. Faith is sensible how apt temporal comforts are to make us sleight spiritual graces and heavenly Communion 1. Spiritual graces Our digging for silver and searching for gold makes us too too apt to neglect that which is better than thousands of gold and silver even durable substance The radiant-splendor of these things here below dazzles our eyes to those things above Whiles Martha is much * Luk. 10.41 cumbred about many things she forgets to act Maries part and to pursue that one thing necessary How often do outward comforts entangle the spirits weaken the graces strengthen the corruptions even of good men There was a serious truth in that Atheistical scorn of Julian who when he spoyled the Christians of their outward estates told them He did it to make them more ready for the Kingdom of heaven Many really godly lose much in spirituals by gaining much in temporals they have been impoverish'd by their riches They are indeed rich in grace whose graces are not hindred by their riches whose soules prosper when their bodies prosper To see the daughter of Tyre come with her gift to see the n Psal 45.12 rich among the people entreat Christs favour and give up themselves to Him This indeed is a rare sight To be rich or great in the World is a great temptation When we flourish in the flesh we are apt to wither in the Spirit The scorching Sun-beams of prosperity too too often cause a drouth and then a dearth a Famine in the soul and make us throw off those robes of righteousness which the wind of affliction makes us to gird on the faster The World is of an encroaching nature hard it is to enjoy it and not come into bondage to it Let Abraham cast but a litttle more than ordinary respect on Hagar and it will not be long ere she begin to contest with yea crow over her Mistress 2. Spiritual Communion with God Worldly comforts are alwaies dogd with worldly business and this too often eats up our time for Communion with God It is a very difficult thing to make our way into the presence of God through the throng of worldly encumbrances Worldly employments and enjoyments are exceeding apt not only to blunt but to turn the edge of our affections from an holy commerce with God Faith knows what a Task what an Herculean labour it is after it hath past a day amidst worldly profits and been entertained with the delights and pleasures a full estate affords now to bring an whole heart to God when at night it returns into his presence The World in this case doth by the Saint as the little child by the mother if it cannot keep the mother from going out it will cry after to go with her If the World cannot keep us from going to Religious duties it will cry to be taken along with us and much ado there is to part it and our affections Thus Faith discovers the danger and hurtfulness of Creature-enjoyments But more than this 4. Faith knows that these outward things are perishing as well as unprofitable and hurtful Mutable inconstant fading * Faelicitas umbratilis Vanities Bubbles Pictures drawn on Icy Tablets grass growing on the tops of houses Faith hath seen and heard
the Providence of God ring the changes of mens Estates all the world over Now exalted and lifted up within a while deprest and cast down Now honourable eftsoon abased the rich becoming poor Naomi becoming Mara Hills levelled into Valleys and great Mountains becoming Plains That spoke of the wheel which is now aloft as that Captive King told his Conquerour is quickly turn'd to the ground and brought low The best earthly estate is in it self a tottering estate No o Psal 30 6 7. Summis negatum est stare diu mountain so strong but may soon be moved What we call substance Faith knows is but a shadow and hath no continuance There is no assurance in any earthly inheritance How soon doth God sequester it from us or us from it These Externals cannot be held with all our care nor kept with all our policy and power The best of earthly excellencies may soon be taken from us Jobs p Job 19 9. Crown quickly falls off from Jobs head Not only is all flesh grass but all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field Isa 48.6 Not only is man of a brittle Constitution in nature but all the perfections which he hath be they either Moral or Civil accomplishments on this side grace are brittle too Reason Scripture Experience abundantly attest this truth The q 1 Cor. 7.30 fashion of this world saith the Apostle passeth away As fashions in the world alter and change every day so doth the fashion of this World Creature-comforts are not so properly Possessions as r Quod miraris pompa est Ostenduntur istae res non possidentur dum placent transcunt Sen. Epist 110. Pageants which whilst they please us pass away from us in a moment Those we have here are running banquets delicate and served in with state but soon over 5. Faith makes yet a farther discovery and finds that these Creature-comforts are false deceitful lying Vanities Which appears 1. In the report they make of themselves and of their own worth If you look upon the bill of the creature it puts down not only an hundred for fifty but a million for a mite Like the Title pages of some empty Pamphlets more in them than in the whole Book 2. In the Promises which they make to us It promises that in the enjoyment thereof we shall be happy whereas we are both poor and miserable in the fullest possession of the Creature unless God himself be our portion It promises to ease us of our cares yet it doth but multiply them like drink to a dropsie-man so far from slaking that it enflames the thirst Riches are not food but fuel to our desires and are so far from satisfying that they but widen the throat They do not allay our appetite as bread doth when received and digested but enflame it as oyl doth when cast into the fire It promiseth to protect us but performes no more than the great tree doth from a soaking and lasting storm It promises to continue with us though Father and Mother forsake yet it will not whereas it usually proves like Absoloms Mule then apt to go from under us when we most need it Thus the Creatures are deceitful i. e. They are objectively deceitfull through the deceitfulness of our hearts and lusts we are deceived about them if not by them They frustrate our expectation when our hopes of advantage by them are at the highest seldom or never make good to the enjoyer what they promised to the expectant Like Ionah's Gourd when most needed then they wither Like Hesters invitation of Haman to a Banquet with the King which fill'd his bladder with windy hopes but soon after ended in his Ruine 6. And lastly Faith knows that Creature-comforts are Å¿ Isa 55.2 unsatisfying Vanities This the Philosopher saw by the dim eye of Nature concluding That the World being Orbicular of a round figure could never fill up the Corners of an heart which is Triangular The Câ—eature were a God to us if it could do this to us Kindle thirstings it may but quench none Câ—n beget a thousand fears and cares but quiet none Here the eye is not * Eccle. 1.8 satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing The soul still crying out Give give It is God alone satisfies Psal 36.8 9. It is only a God in Christ that can give the soul rest Mat. 11.29 God would not rest from his works of creation till man was formed Man cannot rest from his longing desires till God be enjoyed and then and not till then can an holy David sing a Lullaby to his soul t Psal 116.7 Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Faith having thus exprest her judgment concerning the true Nature and worth of Creature-comforts concludes her work in three resolves 1. In the midst of these my enjoyments I must take heed that my heart sits loose from them These handsome Pictures must be only hang'd on the wall not glued to it Though riches encrease I may not must not set my heart on them Thus the Psalmist Psal 62.10 Use them I may love them I may not 1 Joh. 2.15 16. My affections may perchance pitch but must not fix on these things below Col. 3.2 Look upon them I must with an holy indifferency and use them as if I used them not * 1 Cor. 7.31 possess them as if I possessed them not The zeal of my Spirit must be for Heaven and heavenly things My soul must press hard only after God as Davids did Psa 63.1 8. 2. Though I have all these comforts yet I may not must not inordinately immoderately carnally delight and rejoyce in them Thus the Apostle enjoyns 1 Cor. 7.29 It remains that both they that have wives be as if they had none and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it As we are apt to underdo to do too little in heavenly things so we are apt to overdo or to do too much in worldly things Our two great faylings are viz. That we do but make use as it were of those things we should enjoy and that we enjoy those things we should only make use of Oh the Divine Art of holy moderation in the use of our sweetest worldly enjoyments is known and practiced by few 3. And lastly As I may not over-love them nor inordinately delight in them saith Faith so least of all may I put the least trust or confidence in them I must not in the least lean upon them Not say to Gold to sine gold Thou art my confidence Job 21.24 i. e. My soul may not securely rest and rely on gold or golden enjoyments as if these could stand by me when all friends fail as if these would not see us want any thing nor suffer us to be wronged as long as they last
of chief regard and the acts of the outward only required as a help to our serving God in the Spirit Phil. 3.3 3. Carelesness in Duties is the high way to Atheism For every formall and sleight Prayer doth harden the heart and make way for contempt of God Men that have made bold with God in duty and it succeeds well with them their awe of God is lessened and the lively sense of his Glory and Majesty abated till it be quite lost by degrees they out-grow all feelings and tenderness of conscience every time you come to God sleightly you lose ground by coming till at length you look upon Worship as a meer Custome or something done for fashions sake Secondly Particularly 1. It is an affront to God and a kind of mockery we wrong his Omnisciency as if he saw not the heart and could not tell man his thought It is Gods Essential glory in Worship to be acknowledged an all-seeing Spirit and accordingly to be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 Thoughts are as audible with him as words therefore when you prattle words do not make conscience of thoughts you do not worship him as a spirit We wrong his Majesty when we speak to him in Prayer and do not give heed to what we say surely we are not to prattle like Jayes or Parrots words without affection and feeling or to chatter like Cranes or be like Ephraim whom the Prophet calls a silly Dove without an heart A mean man taketh it ill when you have business to talk with him about and your minds are elsewhere you would all judge it to be an affront to the Majesty of God if a man should send his cloaths stuffed with straw or a Puppet dressed up instead of himself into the Assemblies of Gods people and think this should supply his personal presence yet our cloaths stuffed with straw or an Image dressed up instead of us such as * 1 Sam. 19.12 13. Michol put into Davids bed would be less offensive to God than our bodies without our souls the absence of the spirit is the absence of the more noble part We pretend to speak to God and do not hear our selves nor can give any account of what we pray for or rather let me give you Chrysostom's Comparison A man would have been thought to have prophaned the mysteries of the Levitical Worship if instead of * Chrys Hom. 74. in Mat. sweet incense he should put into the Censer Sulpher or Brimstone or mingle the one with the other Surely our Prayers should be set forth as Incense Psal 141.2 And do not we affront God to his face that mingle so many vain sinfull proud filthy blasphemous thoughts What is this but to mingle Sulpher with our incense Again when God speaketh to us and knocks at the heart and there is none within to hear him is it not an affront to his Majesty Put it in a Temporal Case if a great person should talk to us and we should neglect him and entertain our selves with his servants he would take it as a despight and contempt done to him The Great God of heaven and earth doth often call you together to speak to you Now if you think so slightly of his speeches as not to attend but set your minds adrift to be carried hither and thither with every wave where is that reverence you owe to him It is a wrong to his goodness and the comforts of his holy presence for in effect you say that you do not find that sweetness in God which you expect and therefore are weary of hâ—s company before your business be over with him it is said of the Israelites when they were going for Canaan that in their hearts they turned back again into Aegypt Acts 7.39 They had mo e mind to be in Aegypt than under Moses Government and their thoughts ever ran upon the flesh-pots and belly chear they enjoyed there we are offended with their impatience and murmurings and the affronts they put upon their Guides and do not we even the same and worse in our careless manner of worshipping When God hath brought us into his presence we do in effect say give us the world again this is better entertainment for our thoughts than God and holy things if Christians would but interpret their actions they would be ashamed of them is any thing more worthy to be thought of than God The Israelites hearts were upon Aegypt in the Wilderness and our hearts are upon the World nay every toy even when we are at the Throne of grace and conversing with him who is the Center of our rest and the fountain of our blessedness 2. It grieveth the Spirit of God he is grieved with our vain thoughts as well as our scandalous actions other sins may shame us more but these are a grief to the Spirit because they are conceived in the heart which is his Presence Chamber and place of special residence and he is most grieved with these vain thoughts which haunt us in the time of our special addresses to God because his peculiar operations are hindered and the heart is set open to Gods adversary in Gods presence and the World and Satan are suffered to interpose in the very time of the reign of grace then when it should be in solio in its royalty commanding all our faculties to serve it this is to steal away the soul from under Christs own arm as a Captain of a Garrison is troubled when the enemies come to prey under the very walls in the face of all his forces and strength So certainly it is a grief to the spirit when our lusts have power to disturb us in holy duties and the heart is taken up with unclean glances and worldly thoughts then when we present our selves before the Lord God looks upon his peoples sins as aggravated because committed in his own house Jer. 23.11 In my house I have found their wickedness What is this but to dare God to his very face Solomon saith * Pro. 20.8 A King sitting upon his throne scattereth away evil with his eyes They are bold men that dare break the Laws when a Magistrate in upon the Throne and actually exercising judgment against Offenders so it argueth much impudence that when we come to deal with God as sitting upon the Throne and observing and looking upon us that we can yet lend our hearts to our lusts and suffer every vain thought to divert us There is more of modesty though little of sincerity in them that say to their lusts as Abraham to his Servants * Gen. 12.5 Tarry here while I go yonder and Worship or as they say the Serpent layeth aside her poyson when she goeth to drink When a man goeth to God he should leave his lusts behind him not for a while and with an intent to entertain them again but for ever However this argueth some reverence of God and sense of the weight of
distractio negligens a negligent distraction When a man hath an intention to pray and express his desires to God but he prays carelesly and doth not guard his thoughts so that sometimes he wanders and sometime recovers himself again and then straies again and is in and out off and on with God as a Spaniel roveth up and down and is still crossing the waies sometimes losing the company he goes with and then retiring to them again I cannot say this man prayeth not at all or that God doth not hear him but he will have little comfort in his Prayers yea if he be serious they will minister more matter of grief to him than comfort and therefore he ought to be more earnest and sedulous in resisting this infirmity that he may be assured of audience Otherwise if his heart be not affected with it in time by degrees all those motions and dispositions of heart that are necessary to prayer will be eaten out and lost 3. There is distractio voluntaria a voluntary distraction when men mind no more than the task or work wrought and only go round in a track of accustomed duties without considering with what heart they perform them this is such a vanity of mind as turneth the whole prayer into sin Secondly The causes of this roving and impertinent intrusion of vain thoughts 1. Sathan is one cause who doth Maxime insidiari orationibus as Cassian speaketh lye in wait to hinder the Prayers of the Saints when ever we minister before the Lord he is at our right hand ready to resist us Zech. 3.1 And therefore the Apostle James when he biddeth us draw nigh to God biddeth us also to resist the devil Jam. 4.7 8. Implying thereby That there is no drawing nigh to God without resisting Sathan When a Tale is told and you are going about the Affairs of the World he doth not trouble you for these things do not trouble him or do any prejudice to his Kingdom But when you are going to God and that in a warm lively affectionate manner he will be sure to disturbe you seeking to abate the edge of your affections or divert your minds Formal Prayers patterd over do him no harm but when you seriously set your selves to call upon God he saith within himself This man will pray for Gods Glory and then I am at a losse for the coming of Christs Kingdom and then mine goeth to wrack That Gods Will may be done upon earth as it is in heaven and that minds me of my old fall and my business is to cross the Will of God he will pray for dayly bread and that strengtheneth dependance for Pardon and Comfort and then I lose ground for the devils are the * Eph. 6 12. Rulers of the darkness of this World He will pray to be kept from sin and temptation and that is against me Thus Sathan is afraid of the Prayers of the Saints he is concerned in every request you make to God and therefore he will hinder or cheat you of your Prayers if you will needs be praying he will carry away your heâ—rts Now much he can do if you be not watchful he can present Objects to the senses which stirs up thoughts yea pursue his temptations and cast in one fiery dart after another therefore we had need-stand upon our guard 2. The natural levity of our spirits man is a restless creature we have much a doe to stay our hearts for any space of time in one state much more in holy things from which we are naturally averse Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh consider this natural feebleness of mind whereby we are unable to keep long to any Imployment but are light fethery tossed up and down like a dryed leaf before the wind or as an empty Vessel upon the waves 't is so with us in most businesses especially in those which are Sacred the Apostle biddeth us pray without ceasing and we cannot do it whilest we pray he is a stranger to God and his own heart who finds it not daily this is an incurable vanity though we often repent of yet 't is not amended a misery that God would leave upon our natures to humble us while we are in the World and that we may long for Heaven the Angels and blessed Spirits there are not troubled with those things in Heaven there is no complaining of wandring thoughts there God is all in all they that are there have but one Object to fill their understandings one Object to give contentment to their desires their hearts cleave to God inseparably by a perfect love but here we are cumbred with much serving and much work begets a multitude of thoughts in us Psal 94.11 The Lord knows the thoughts of men that they are but vanity When we have summed up all the traverses reasonings and discourses of the mind we may write at the bottom this as the total sum here is nothing but vanity 3. Another cause is practical Atheism we have little sense of things that are unseen and lye within the vail in the World of spirits things that are seen have a great force upon us offer it now to the Governour saith the Prophet Mal. 1.8 God is a far off both from our sight and apprehension senses bind attention if you speak to a man your thoughts are setled and you think of nothing else but in speaking to God you have not like attention because you see him not Exod. 32.1 Make us gods to go before us Aye that we would have a visible God whom we may see and hear but the true God being a Spirit and an invisible Power all the service that we do him is a task performed more out of custome than affection in a slight perfunctory way 4. Strong and unmortified lusts which being rooted in us and having the Soul at most command will trouble us and distract us when we go about any duty each man hath a mind and can spend it unweariedly as he is inclined either to Covetousness Ambition or Sensuality for where the treasure is there will the heart be Matth. 6.20 set but the Covetous man about the World the Voluptuous man about his pleasures and the ambitious man about his honours and preferments and will they suffer their thoughts to be taken off surely no but set either of these about holy things and presently these lusts will be interposing Ezek. 33.31 their heart goeth after their Covetousness the sins to which a man is most addicted will ingross the thoughts so that this is one sign by which a man may know his reigning sin that which interrupts him most in holy duties for when all other lusts are kept out Sathan will be sure to set the darling sin a work to plead for him if a man be addicted to the World so will his musings be if to mirth and good chear and vain sports his thoughts will be taken up
disturbeth the Court more than they that make the noise So disputing with our distractions increaseth them they are better avoided by a severe contempt 6. Bring with you to every holy Service strong spiritual affections our thoughts would not be at such a distance from our work if our affections were more ready and more earnestly set it is the unwilling Servant that is loath to stay long at his work but is soon gone could we bring our selves more delightfully to converse with God our hearts would hold our minds close and we would not straggle so often as we do therefore see you do this or you do nothing I was glad saith David when they said unto me come let us go into the House of the Lord Psal 122.1 Were we of this frame of spirit many directions would not need Now what should hinder us from being thus affected Are not the Ordinances of God the special means of our communion with him And the throne of grace the very porch of heaven Can we be better than in Gods Company pleading with him for our souls good and waiting for his blessing Therefore let us be glad and rejoyce in his presence and you will not easily find such out-strayings of mind and thought 7. Remember the weight and consequence of the duties of Religion that is a cure for slightness you are dealing with God in a Case of life and death and will you not be serious With what diligence and earnestness doth an Advocate plead with a man in a Case wherein he himself is not concerned either for the life of another or the inheritance or goods of another * Si cum sublimi homine non dicam pro vita salute nostra sed etiam pro alicujus lucri commodo supplicamus totam in cum mentus corporis aciem defigentes de nutu ejus trepida expectatione pendemus non mediocriter sormidantes ne quid sorte ineptum incongruum verbum misericordiam audientis avertat quanto magis cum illi occultorum omnium cognitori pro imminenti perpetuae mortis periculo supplicamus c. Cassian Col. 23. c 7 and wilt not thou plead earnestly with God when thy soul is in danger when it is a Case of Eternal life and death as all matters that pass between God and us are Certainly if we did consider the weight of the business the heart would be freed from this garish wantonness if Christ had taken thee aside into the Garden as he took Peter James and John and thou hadst seen him praying and trembling under his Agonies thou wouldst have seen that it is no light matter to go to God in a case of the salvation of souls though thou hast never so much assurance of the issue for so Christ had the frequent return of Christian duties maketh us to forget the consequence of them In hearing the Word be serious it is your life Deut. 32.46 Hearken unto the words of the Law for this is not a vain thing because it is your life thy everlasting estate is upon tryal and the things that are spoken concern your souls every act of communion with God every participation of his grace hath an influence upon Eternity say therefore as Nehemiah in another case Nehem. 6.3 I am doing a great work I cannot come down Can you have a heart to mind other things when you are about so great a work as the saving of your souls 8. Let every experimental wandring make you more humble and careful If men did lay their wandrings to heart and retract them even every glance with a sigh the mind would not so boldly so constantly digress and step aside all actions displeasing are not done so readily therefore it is good to bewail these distractions do not count them as light things * Haec omnia nonnullis qui sunt crassioribus vitiis involuti levia atque a peccato paene aliena videntur scientibus tamen perfectionis bonum etiam minimarum rerum multitudo gravissimâ— est Cassian Col. 23. cap 7. Cassianus speaking of these wandring thoughts saith The most that come to worship being involved in greater sins scarce count distraction of thoughts an evil and so the mischief is encreased upon them It is a sad thing to be given up to a vain mind and such a frothy spirit as cannot be serious therefore if we do soundly humble our selves for these offences and they did once become our burden they would not be our practice * Hooker on Acts 2 37. One saith that Huntsmen observe of young dogs that if a fresh game come in view they leave their old sent but if soundly beaten off from it they kindly take to their first pursuit the application is easie did we rate our hearts for this vanity and pray against the sins of our prayers with deep remorse this evill would not be so familiar with us 9. A constant heavenliness and holiness of heart if men were as they should be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.14 In all manner of conversation In solemn duties good and proper thoughts would be more natural and kindly to us they that live in a constant communion with God do not find it such a tedious business to converse with him if they have any excursion of thoughts it is in their daily work and the offices of the common life which they are ever seasoning with some gracious meditations and short ejaculations When they are in duty they are where they would be constant gravity and seriousness is a great help to them Men allow themselves a lawless liberty in their ordinary conversations and then in Prayer they know not how to gather up their hearts such as men are out of prayer such they will be in prayer We cannot expect that pangs of devotion should come upon us all of a sudden and that when we come reaking from the world we should presently leap into a heavenly frame 10. The next remedy is frequent solemn meditation If the understanding were oftner taken up with the things of God and our thoughts were kept in more frequent exercise they would the better come to hand There is a double advantage comes to us by meditation 1. The soul gets more abundance of heart-warming knowledge and therefore will not be so barren and dry which certainly is a cause of wandring Psal 45.1 My heart inditeth a good matter and then my tongue is as the pen of a ready Writer A man that boyleth and concocts truths in his heart hath a greater readiness of words and affections There is a good treasure within him Mat. 12.35 out of which he may spend freely * Gobbet of Prayer one expresseth it thus He thâ—t hath store of gold and silver in his pocket and but a few Brass farthings will more readily upon every draught come out with gold and silver than brass farthings So he that hath stocked his heart with holy thoughts will not find carnal musings so
praise to God for all or any of his benefits promised or bestowed and that with our hearts Filliucius out of Aquin We praise God for all his perfections we thank God for his benefits lips and lives Some affirm that much of Religion is seen in piety to parents observance to our betters and thankfulnesse to our benefactors God is indeed all these to us Yet the proper notion of our thankfulnesse refers to God as our benefactor every benefit from God makes the receiver a debtor thankfulnesse is rather the confessing of our debt then the paiment of it and for as much as we are bound alwaies to be thankfull it doth acknowledge we are alwaies beholden to God and allwaies insolvent Now a child of God is bound to be thankfull to God above all men because 1. He is more competent then any other 2. He is more concerned then any other I. More competent by acts of reason and grace too All that the Scripture speaks as to the duty of thankfulnesse may be referred to these Heads 1. To know and acknowledge the Lords mercies 2. To remember them i. e. to record and commemorate them 3. To value and admire them 4. To blaze and proclaim them In all which a gracious soul is much more competent then a meer natural man though indued with quick understanding strong memory and great eloquence For the Spirit of God hath inlightened his soul and taught him this lesson he is principled for it he is a well tuned instrument his heart boyleth with good matter and his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 as David speaks on this occasion when he spake of the praises of the King in his Song of Loves This Spirit of God in a thankfull soul is as the breath of the Organ without which the pipes make no sound yea as the breath of the Trumpetter by which the Trumpet gives a certain and melodious sound This is it that makes that noble Evangelical spirit yea that heavenly Angelical spirit in Christians See a place for it Eph. 5.18 19 20. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ shewing that what wine doth in Poets and good fellows it makes them sing and roar out Catches by which they make musick to the devil so the Spirit of God in Saints is the principle of all true thankfulnesse and holy joy towards God and indeed there was a very gracious frame of spirit this way in Primitive Christians II. More concerned as hâ—â—ing received more then others to whomsoever much is given of them much is required Luke 12.48 a proportion of duty according to the degree of every portion of mercy whether you consider what is given or what is forgiven you There are two things which every gracious soul will acknowledge No man saith he in the world hath deserved less of God than I and none hath received more of God than I how much then am I concerned to be thankful I have read of a holy man that was seen once standing still with tears in his eyes and looking up to heaven and being asked by one that passed by why he did so said I admire the Lords mercy to me that did not make me a Toade that Vermine being then casually at his feet The least common mercy affects a gracious soul that knows his desert nothing but misery 2 Sam. 9 8. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am When David had told him he should have his Lands and eat bread at his Table When the Lord spares our lives and gives us common mercies we must admire and adore his goodness And this leads me to the second general Question Quere 2 Why and upon what grounds Christians are bound to give thanks in every thing Answ 1 It is the will of God in Christ Jesus The will of God in Christ Jesus is the clearest Rule and the highest Obligation to any soul for the performance of any duty O that men would now adaies study more act by and hold fast to this rule And ask conscience in the performance of every duty is this the will of God in Christ Jesus It was meet that this duty of thankfulness should be prest and practised under the Gospel because it argue a spiritual and noble frame of Soul the highest pitch of grace which is a true Gospel frame David under the Old Testament had a New Testament heart in this particular his Psalms which were all penn'd upon emergent occasions are all Tehillah and Tephillah Prayer and Praise his Heart and Harp were so tuned to the Praises of God to Psalms of Degrees to Hallelujahs that some have thought the Lord is praised with those Psalms in Heaven Zach. 12.8 Greg. Hom. 20. in Ezek. Yet is it promised under the Gospel that he that is feeble shall be as David which some understand as to Praise and Thanksgivings upon the account of Gospel grace More punctually this is the will of God in Christ Jesus i. e. Jesus Christ shews us the duty of thankfulness both by Pattern and by Precept for he was not only usherd into the World with Songs of Thanksgiving by Angels Luk. 1.46 68. Luk. 2.13 14 20 29. by Zachary by Mary by Simeon by the Shepherds c. but the Lord Jesus himself was a great Pattern and President of Thankfulness all his life long and in this also was a true Son of David He thanked God frequently and fervently I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent Matth. 11.25 and hast revealed them unto babes when his Disciples preached and cast out devils Thus also when he raised Lazarus Father Joh. 11.41 I thank thee that thou hast heard me When he was to eat common bread Mark 8.6 Luk. 22.19 he blessed it with giving of thanks Much more consecrated bread Thus was he a Pattern of thankfulness he did in every thing give thanks In like manner we find him reproving the nine Lepers for their unthankfulness which shews that he held out thankfulness as a duty Luk. 17.16 17. personally he gave a Pattern and Precept for it Now though this were enough to shew it the will of God in Christ Jesus yet these words reach further namely to shew that is the strain of the Gospel in the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for they through their Commission and the great measure of Gods Spirit in them declared the will of God in Christ Jesus They worshipped Luke 24. ult and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Amen What the Apostle Pauls spirit was in this by whom so
the screech-owl to be heard instead of the voice of the Turtle It is the Lords mercies we are not consumed For what priviledge or Patent have we to be secured and indempnified above others How long ago had Divine Justice made short work with us if Divine Patience had not been stretched to long suffering if Mercy had not held back the hand of Gods Vengeance as the Angel caught Abrahams Knife when it was lifted up to kill his Son For surely methinks Mercy and Justice have been long wrestling and the Lord hath said long of England as he said of Ephraim How shall I give up England how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim as Sodom and Gomorrah Now consider this all ye that forget the Lords benefits lest he come not only as a Moth to you as he seems to do already in your Trade in your Health in your Food but as a Lion to teare and go away Wherefore would you value your mercies consider others miseries would you thank God for them consider your abuse and unworthiness of them would you continue and encrease them Haud quicquam ita proprie terris representat caelestis habitationis statum sicut alacritaâ— deum laudautium Bern. Ser. 1. in Cant. be thankeful for them would you taste sweetness in them get a sanctified use of them would you honour God in every condition make a holy improvement of every dispensation would you be Christians indeed In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Turn your hearts and tongues to it here and you shall be chosen into the Quire of Angels to perform it for ever in Heaven How may we get rid of Spiritual Sloth and know when our activity in duty is from the Spirit of God Psal 119.37 part ult Quicken me in thy way THis Psalm shines and shews it self among the rest Sicut inter ignes Luna minores A Star in the Firmament of the Psalms of the first and greatest magnitude this will readily appear if you consider either I. The manner it is composed in oâ— II. The matter it is composed of 1. The manner it is composed in is very elegant 2. The matter it is composed of is very excellent I. The manner it is composed in is very elegant full of art rule method Theological matter in a Logical manner a Spiritual Alphabet framed and formed according to the Hebrew Alphabet II. The matter it is composed of is very excellent full of rare sublimities deep mysteries gratious activities yea glorious extasies The Psalm is made up of three things 1. Praâ—ers 2. Praises 3. Protestations 1. Prayers to God 2. Praises of God 3. Protestations unto God My Text belongs unto the first and may fitly be stiled David's Letany where you have 1. His Libera Domine Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity 2. His exaudi Domine Quicken me in thy way In this these three parts are considerable 1. The Act Quicken 2. The Subject Me. 3. The Object thy way In the prosecution of which Scripture I shall do these three things 1. Explicate the Terms 2. Deduce a Corollary 3. Resolve the Cases I. For Explication Quicken There is a two-fold quickening 1. Proper and moral 2. Improper and metaphorical 1. Proper and moral which is two-fold 1. Total 2. Partial 1. Total Which is the raising a dead body to natural life thus was Lazarus raised Hist Ang. lib. 5. cap. 13. John 11.43 44. So was Drithelme of Northamberland raised if credit may be given to Bede 2. Partial which is the restoring a body declined and decaied with sicknesse or sorrow to Spirits and vigorous energies So was David whose body by grief and sorrow was made a meer Skeleton Psal 31.10 17. Hezekiah by sicknesse brought so low that he was become spiritlesse yet he was raised up again upon which he composes that rare Hymne or Canticle of praise to God Isai 38.10 II. Improper and metaphorical which is likewise two-fold 1. Total 2. Gradual I. Total which is the raising of a Soul stark dead in sin to Spiritual Life Ephes 1.2 and you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins II. Gradual which is the raising of a dull and drousie Soul from sloth and sluggishnesse to high yea highest degrees of vivacity and activity for this you have David praying here and in Psal 143.11 Quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake In this description it will be very necessary to explain sloth and activity 1. Spiritual Sloth is threefold 1. Resolving Sloth 2. Delaying Sloth 3. Disturbing Sloth 1. Resolving Sloth is when a Soul is setled upon it's lees and resolves to lie still and never to stir in that momentous concernment of its own eternal Salvation Solomon excellently deciphers this Prov. 26.14 As the door turns upon his hinges so doth the slothful upon his bed as the door turns upon the hinges and never stirs from his place so the slothful turns upon the bed of security and never turns from his purpose Jer. 44.16 17. they were resolved to worship the Queen of Heaven come life come death Such was the Souldiers resolution who had on his Target God and the Devil pictured under God si tu non vìs under the Devil iste rogitat 2. Delaying Sloth when a person doth intend to look after Soul-concernments but not yet they will borrow day a little time Much like that sluggard Prov. 6.10 Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep When the sluggard is cal'd to arise in the morning he resolves to do it only intreats one little one short nap more and then he will arise So when some are called to awaken arise and walk with God in his way in the morning of their age they crave one short nap more first and then they will do it give them leave to get such an estate to obtain such an honour to match such a child to satisfie such a lust and then will they be for God Such a sluggard was Austin a little longer O Lord a little longer presently presenly Matth. 25.10 Paululum paululum modo modo hoc erat sine modo Aug. lib. confess Plutarch in Moral the five foolish Virgins resolved to have oyl in their lamps and vessels only they would take a nod Oh how dangerous is delaying Sloth the Virgins deferring provokes Christ to denying Archias being merry at supper had a letter sent him that concern'd his life and though desired to read it puts it up into his pocket saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 'l mind serious things to-morrow but he lived not unto the morrow to mind those serious things Such another sluggard was the rich man Luke 12.20 Stulte hac nocte Tolle moras semper nocuit differre paratis Lucan Alexander being asked how he came to conquer the World replied Nunquam differre volens if you will overcome more than Alexander did not
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more venatorum persequentium feram Aret. Ignatius Epist ad Rom. James 5 17. Eye Paul how industriously and indefatigably he pursues even as a Beagle his chase with full cry and all celerity Phil. 3.10 ad 15. Observe Ignatius how he goes to the beasts to be devoured as if he had gone to a Bridal to be married Lastly Slight not the Martyrs in Q. Maries daies who went to the fire as if they had been going to a bonefire En amote hoc parum est amem validius Aug lib. de Med. c. 18. Seest thou this woman saith our Saviour to Simon of Mary Magdalen with what activity and affection she hath washed and wiped my feet her tears being the water her hair the towel let it provoke thee to more diligence and devotion Luk. 7.44 45. Examples are pricking and provoking goads to quicken us fires to light our candles by to heat our bodies with 8. Keep quickning company As bad company is water to quench so good company is oyl to quicken fervour Bonus comes pro vehiculo As Iron sharpens Iron soone gracious heart sets an edge upon another Prov. 27.17 Holy Companions are bellows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to blow up and make burn the graces that lye in embers 2 Tim. 1.16 The gracious affections of Saints are called beds of spices Cant. 6.2 Holy conference of holy company is the rubbing and chafing those spices to make them sent and send forth their perfumes Alexander where ever he came perfumed the Room with his presence so does every believer with his speeches David who desires quicknings picks out quickning company I am a companion of all them rich or poor that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts Psal 119.63 Paul is pressed in spirit by the company and conference of Silas and Timotheus Acts 18.5 the two Disciples hearts burn'd within them in their journy to Emans by that sweet discourse they had with Christ Luke 4.32 9. Consider quickning considerations they that are apt to faint and tire in a journey carry about their bottles of water to quicken their spirits let these ten considerations be such bottles to you when you tire in the journey of a duty 1. Consider how odious and abominable Sloth is to man or God the Romans judged sloth and idlenesse worthy of the greatest contempt Asinus ad lyram Asinus ad tibiam Zon. Annal l. 2. Peir 87. d. l. 3. cap. 16. Enerves animos odisse virtus solet Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 7. are Proverbs of the greatest derision and disgrace how contemptibly does Jacob speak of Issachar a strong Asse couching down between two burthens Gen. 49.14 15. yea God himself refuses the first-born of an Asse in Sacrifice Exod. 13.13 Bellarmin gives this reason because it was animal tardigradum a slow paced and sluggish creature which God hates God being a pure act loves pure activity Oh what thunder-claps and cracks of threatnings may you hear from the Mount Ebal of his Word able to make the most sluggish Caligula to creep under his bed for shelter Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 Cursed be the deceiver that hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 God threatens to remove the candlestick from the Church of Ephesus because she was grown remisse in her first love Rev. 2.5 6. he terrifies the Church of Laodicea with the menace of spuing her out of his mouth for her lukewarmnesse the servant who had not returned Cent per Cent for his talent is called wicked and slothful servant and cast into the darkest dungeon Matth. 25.26.30 how would this consideration well considered on cause all slothful servants ears to tingle and their hearts to tremble II. Consider sloth exposes you to all manner of sin especially these two desperate and dangerous ones 1. Sordid Apostacy 2. Spiritual Adultery I. Sordid Apostacy Sloth in the Soul is like Green Sicknesse in the body of a Virgin which makes her not only fall from her colour strength stomach to wholsom food but also to long and lust after trash and trumpery coales soot ashes the Galathians because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without mind and metal do therefore prove Apostates beginning in the Spirit ending in the flesh Gal. 3.1 3. * Tepiditas si â—allum obduxerit siet Apostasia Greg. Moral lib. 22. cap. 5. falling off from fervor will turn to falling away to folly The slothful man will not bring his hand to his mouth Prov. 19.24 it is expounded of a slothful Minister who will not bring voci suae vitam suam his works to his words though this be an undoubted truth of lazy and slothful Ministers yet the Provetb holds true of all sluggards tendency to falling away in their hand from their mouth i. e. from what they have formerly professed Consider how great and grievous a sin Apostacy is it was the first sin that ever was committed it was the sin of the Devils for which they were cast out of Heaven and cast down into Hell Heb. 10.38 if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him a metaphor taken from a sluggish Jade who finding the load come heavy draws back again the backslider in heart much more in hand from Gods way shall be fil'd with his own waies Prov. 14.14 i. e. he hath run away from his Captain Colours Cause and he shall have Marshal Law for it it will be worth my pains and your patience to give an instance what severe Martial Law God hath executed on all Runnagadoes and Revolters 1. Ministers Judas who revolted from his Master and Ministrie turning from being a guard to his Saviour to be a guide to the Souldiers Acts 1.17 afterward hanged himself his bowels burst out of his belly and so he took his proper and peculiar place in Hell vers 18.25 John Speiser Preacher at Ainsborough in Germany Scâ—lt annal 118. who preached so profitably and powerfully that the common strumpets left the Brothel-houses then tolerated and betook themselves to a better course Anno. 1523. yet afterwards revolting to the Papists he perished miserably Joseph Antiq. l. 1. c. 12. Ut condimentum sit aliis Aug. lib. 16. de Civ Dei c. 30. 2. People Remember Lots wife Luke 17.32 who turning back to Sodom was turned into a pillar of salt to season us that we may be preserved from the stinking sin of Apostacy Lucian a great Professor in the daies of Trajan but revolting was torn in pieces and devoured of Dogs The Emperour Julian the Apostate was wounded with an arrow none knowing from whence in his War against the Persians who throwing his blood up to Heaven died scornfully crying Vicisti Galilaee vicisti II. Spiritual Adultery Bodily sloth exposes to corporal Adultery Quaritur Aegisthus Davids instance clears it sufficiently 2 Sam. 11.2 Spiritual sloth exposes to Spiritual Adultery Rom.
is a sluce-gate to the current of Gods grace and favour Jupiter rained a shower of gold into Danaes lap but God will never rain a shower of grace joy and comfort into a sluggards heart If you loose the blessed sight of God here in ordinances you shall lose the beatifical sight of God hereafter in glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord then have we the kernel of a duty every thing else is but a shâ—ll when our employment is on Earâ—h and our enjoyment in Heaven when we have so sought Gods Face that our face comes away shining and we have so poured out our hearts to God that God hath powred out his heart to us that we return home like Bees loaded with honey filled with the comforts of the Holy Ghost VII Consider the infinite and wonderful glory greatnesse majesty of him you appear before and approach unto in your duties A God you are not able to conceive nor I to expresse See how the Scripture shadows him out unto us and indeed it is but a shadow in comparison of his substance Isa 40.12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out Heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance vers 15. behold the nations are as a drop of the bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing vers 16. and Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering vers 17. all things before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity Quae participatione nobis veneranda sunt in comparatione ejus memoranda non sunt Greg. Mor. l. 18. c. 27. Ex pede Herculem By this glorious description we may guesse and that is all at enough in God to scare us from coming to God in a dull and drowsie manner the Heathens who worship'd the Sun for their god durst not offer up any thing but a flying horse to him in sacrifice our God is more glorious swift seeing than ten thousand Suns therefore we should no◠〈◊〉 to offer up any thing but a winged Cherubim or swift flying 〈◊〉 to him in service VIII Consider how industrious and indefatigable an adversary you have that lies alwaies in ambush to wrong you yea to ruine you Sathan is the unwearied Peripatetick who walks up and down for prey and spoil Job 1.7 now the dull soul is his prey a slug ship is a purchase for the Pyrat and a sluggish soul for the Devil it is holy and wholsome advice given by Peter 1.5 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour Mr. Hugh Latimer 's Sermon preached in the shrouds at Pauls Church in London 18. Jan. an 1548. of the Plough pag. 21. Prius conditionem complexionem uniuscujusque perspicit tum tentationis laqueos apponit Greg. Mor. lib. 9. the Devil saies pious and plain Latymer is the most diligent Bishop in England he is ever at his plough no Lording nor loytering may hinder him his office is to hinder Religion to maintain Superstition to set up Idolatry to teach all kind of Popery where his plough goes there away with Books and up with Candles away with Bibles and up with Beads away with the Light of the Gospel and up with the Light of Candles yea at noon-days How should this quicken us to be active for God and our soul that have an enemy so active alwaies against God and our soul You need not quicken a Mariner to Make out all the cloath he can that knows a Pyrat hath him in chase at stern timor addidit alas fear will spread the sails which are the wings of the ship the Devil the great Pyrat of souls to make prize and pillage of us and our graces hath us in daily pursute how careful should we be to fill the sails of our souls with the strong gales of the Spirit that he may neither overtake us nor take us IX Consider when you slothfully perform duties you do but mock God to act in the Service of God slothfully is interpretativè to act scornfully Wine is a mocker Pro. 20.1 i. e. Wine immoderately taken makes men dull dronish sluggish sleepy actions in a serious business are mocking actions drowzie service to God is but a mockery of God Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked i. e. God will not bear mockery X. Consider how active Christ was in doing us service he did omnem movere lapidem He was so enlarged about the thoughts of doing the work that he was straitned untill he was about it Luk. 12.50 I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned untill it be accomplished i. e. I have a death of the Cross to suffer for Mans Redemption and I am pressed with an Antiperistasis untill I have finished it Or else as Grotius renders it I am with child of my Passion and how do I long for my delivery I am in pain untill I am in pain much like some women who breed their children with more pain than they do bring them forth When that day of his travel came it was the day of his triumph Plutarch Col. 2.15 Triumphing over them in it The Atheniâ—â—â—â—â—â—ru being informed by the Oracle That the People whose King should be slain in the Battel should be Conquerours disrobed himself went into the Enemies Quarters in the habit of a poor man with a burden on his back that he might steal a death to make his People Conquerours Christ disrobed himself of the Garments of Glory assumed the form of a servant endured contradictions of sinners held his peace when falsely charged that he might steal a death for his People that so they might be more than Conquerours Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame Shall Christ give you such a Copy of activity and will you blot and blur it with sloth and sluggishness Oh look on your Copy and fairly write after it 10. Beg the quickning Spirit this is instar omnium none like it as David said of Goliaths sword Sloth is the Kings Evil of the soul and none but the King of Heaven can cure it by his hand which is his Spirit Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Idlenesse is the souls prison sloth is her shackle the Spirit of God only can knock off her fetters and give Goal-delivery to her Rom. 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities of ignorance dulnesse deadnesse
sluggishnesse and enables yea ennobles us with gratious copious filial affections even groans and sighs that are unutterable expressions not to be expressed Cant. 1.4 Draw me and I will follow thee there is her Praier and her promise and there is no doubt of her performance she will as certainly follow as the Iron the Load-stone or the Card the North-pole Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come O South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Awake and come there is the Praier O North and South wind there is the Spirit the soul that is the Garden gratious affections they are the Spices that flow out But some pretious Soul whispers in mine ears I blesse God I am not troubled with this lethargy my sails are so filled Quest that my mill goes and grinds nimbly only I am afraid the wind blows not from the right quarter pray therefore satisfie my conscience in this case Whether my activity in duty proceed from the Spirit of God We may easily be deceived by our enlargments Answ because there are many winds and gales blowing from several quarters which may set the soul in active going and doing as popular applause high opinions of the Preacher taking expressions in praier flourishing novelties and notions in a Sermon satanical infusions common and ordinary inspirations of the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to reprobates Heb. 6.4 5 6. All which or any of which way so draw and delight the heart that as Orpheus pipe they or it may make the heart dance in a duty and yet for all this it may be possible yea probable the heart may dance after the Devils pipe Ezek. 33.32 the resolution of this case would have been fitter for some antient experienced Master of Assemblies whose Bible is more in his heart than head than for so weak and worthlesse a person as I am who may truly say with Agur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man Yet seeing Providence hath laid the lot at my door to use Peters words a little altered Acts 3.5 Though silver and golden experiences and expressions I have none yet such as I have I shall willingly impart and communicate to you If you will lend me your patience I will give you my pains in resolving this weighty and worthy case of Conscience how a Christian may know whether his activity in duty be from the Spirit of God I shall commend to you these eight Characteristical Notes as so many Touch-stones 1. When we have beforehand earnestly praied and prepared our souls for such activity when you say and do to your soul as Jehu did to the worshippers of Baal 2. Kings 10.19 I have a great Sacrifice to offer O my soul warn and summon in all the powers and parts of soul and body be sure that not one be wanting and so by reading meditating and Prayer get our souls into a holy frame and gratious posture and humbly yea heartily also beg and beseech of God to carry us on Eagles wings through the duty we are drawing near to if we mount and soar aloft as Aquilae in nubibus Eagles to Heaven in that duty we may safely and surely conclude that activity is from the Spirit When Mariners buy a wind of the Witches as they do in Lapland and other places and they have it at every place and point according to the purchase of the one and the promise of the other they may undoubtedly conclude that wind came from the spirit of the Devil When we beg a wind from God and we enjoy it at the time according to our desire we may upon good ground say that wind came from the Spirit of God this will appear very clear if you please to lay together these four things 1. It is Gods Prerogative to hear Prayer Psal 65.2 Oh thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come 2. It is Gods Promise to hear Praier Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it spread thy sails by Prayer and I will fill them by my Spirit Luke 11.13 He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it 3. It is Gods usual course to perform his Promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that very kind Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to hear I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Isa 45.19 4. It hath been the constant practise of Gods people to look after their Praiers to see what successe they have had Prayers come not out of the Ark of their souls as the Raven did never to return but as Noahs Dove to come back again with an Olive branch into the soul Psal 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Saints do not shoot the arrows of their Prayers as children do shoot them away and never mind them but as Archers that shoot their arrows up into the air and stand expecting their returns down again if our activity come from the return of Prayers it must be from the Spirit When Elias prayes so fervently that fire might come down from Heaven and consume the sacrifice and it did so the people might justly cry out the Lord he is God the Lord he is God 1 Kings 18.37 39. So when we pray for fire and fervour to come down from Heaven on our service and it comes we may cry the Spirit of God the Spirit of God 2. When our activity carries us supra sphaeram activitatis above the reach of any creature when dust is carried up on high the wind does it when dust and ashes are carried up on high in a duty the wind of the Spirit does it If a Chymist dissolves a stone into drops of water we may be sure some help higher than a creature hath helped him If a heart of stone shall be dissolved into drops of water in a duty it must be some help higher than a creatures must do it if Ganymedes be carried up to heaven it must be by the help of Jupiter if the soul be carried up to Heaven so in a duty that an extasie rather than an activity it is by the help of the Spirit if our spirit cries in a duty with sighs and groans that are unutterable it was enabled by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.26 when we are carried through difficulties doubts duties dangers that seem impossible impassible by reason of the Lyons in the way and the Lyons in the streets that stand open-mouthed to devour us Pro. 26.13 Then to venture through all fire fury faggot this is of the Spirit of God When Daniel shall continue active in Prayer three times a day with his windows open that all might see him when there were Lyons in the way indeed Dan. 6.10 When Luther in outward streights shall have such
thy self upon thy God Isa 50.10 Remembring he will send forth judgment unto victory Mat. 12.20 And take this for a Cordial which is a spiritual Riddle It is a comfort to have no comfort The desires of some are as acceptable to God as the deeds of others 5. When we are enlarged and yet we are not elated high in Gods Spirit low in our own spirit True Christians are like Canes the fuller they are of Sugar the lower they bend Quanto sublimior tanto submissior The loftier the lowlier Every true Saints Motto True activity is not Leaven to puff us up but Lead to pull us down What Bede wished some to observe of Austine the Monk sent over a Legate from the Pope to his Brethren the Prelates and Bishops of England I may advice you to observe that if he carried himself humbly he came from the Lord high in duty and humble after duty comes from the Lord. When David and his people had been on the Mount in their offerings to the building of the Temple see what a low Valley they are in the opinion of themseâ—ves 1 Chron. 29.14 Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort For all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Here is no haughty Pharisee Who but I But an humble Publican Who am I 6. When activity in duty is expressed in activity in doing when active Prayers are turned into active Practises Aeni Syl. li. 2. Com. Promptiores sunt homines promittendo quam exequindo Dion l. 38. The Emperour Sigismund having made fair Promises in a sore fit of sickness of amendment of life asked Theodoricus Archbishop of Collen how he might know whether his repentance were sincere Who replied If you are as careful to perform in your health as you are forward to promise in your sickness 1 Pet. 2.2 As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby When our being high in duty makes us grow high in grace and knowledge 2 Pet. 3.18 Even as Cedars of Lebanon untill caput inter nubila we lodge our heads in heaven 2 Pet. 1.10 11. We may be sure it is from the Spirit when enlargement in duty laies on us an engagement to duty 7. When we give God the glory of all our Actings and activities if it be returned to his praise it was received from his Spirit When Rivers return to the Sea it argues they from thence proceeded Eccles 1.7 When David and his people had shewed their activity in their Present towards the erecting of the Temple they shut up all with a most gracious and grateful Doxology 1 Chron. 29.13 Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the glory He doubles non nobis to lay down man to lift up God When we unfeignedly give God the glory God hath undoubtedly given us the grace 8. When we have the Testimony of the Spirit witnessing with our spirit that this activity is from himself Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father When we are so enlarged in a duty that we do cry Abba Father this the spirit witnesses is his work The Spirit doth not witness by a clear and distinâ—t either outward or inward voice totidem verbis this I have wrought in thee thus to affirm would be a Quakers fancy or rather folly But the Spirit doth sweetly and secretly suggest to us by having wrought those filial affections and child-like dispositions of Love Joy Peace Hope Fear Grief Confidence c. in the heart and by enabling us to act these gracious dispositions as need shall require This is the Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnessing with our spirits thus fitted and filled with peace and purity with melting and mourning the Spirit doth by his impress and impulse ratifie and seal the witness of our own Spirit to make it authentick Rom. 8.15 16. You have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits So that having two witnesses it may be established 1. The witness of conscience which is mille testes 2 Cor. 1.12 But our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience 2. The witness of the Spirit which is more than ten thousand Witnesses because he is an infallible Witness that cannot erre therefore call'd the Spirit of Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 Now these two putting their hands to the testimonial of our activity breed and beget that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.20 That Confidence in God and Evidence to God as A Lapide interprets the word Now as those two Witnesses testimony in prophecying against Idolatrous and Superstitious Worship was sufficient to evidence all their actions were from the spirit of Antichrist Rev. 11.3 So these two Witnesses testifying to our souls that these activities are legitimate and laudable are sufficient assurance that they came from the Spirit of Jesus Christ Use 1 Makes an Apology for those pretious souls whose wings are so besmeared with the bird-lime of Sloth that they are forced to put up their humble Bills to Ministers and Congregations to beg of God in their behalf spiritual quicknings that so their hearts being enlarged by the breathings of the Spirit they may bowzingly sail in the waies and through the waves of Gods Commandments Use 2 Is an Advocate to plead Justification to the Action in the behalf of those who as they make it a Case of Conscience so they make Conscience of the Case to bring their Activities to the Touchstone and to the Tryal They know all is not Gold that glisters and they would not in a thing of that eternal concernment be deceived with Alchimy instead of Gold with blear-eyed Leah instead of beautiful Rachel with a Cloud instead of Juno with a Pebble instead of a Pearl and therefore they are industrious and illustrious to try whether their Activity in duty be from the Spirit by those spirits that are ingredients into their Activity Wherein are we endangered by things lawfull LUKE 17.27 28. They did eat they drank they married c. HEre is set down what the generality of people were doing in the world they were bruâ—ish in the daies of Noah before the floud came and drowned them and in the daies of Lot before the fire came down from Heaven and destroyed them In Matthew c. 24.38 it is expressed by participles they were eating c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. this shews the vigour and activity of their spirits spent on those things in which they were ingaged and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie de brutis dici volunt Grammatici ut etiam videatur magna esse hujus verbi emphasis quo significatur homines brutorum instar fore ventri deditos Beza This word
Christ to be his surety Character 9 9. He who makes Religion his businesse will be religious whatever it cost him He is a resolved man Psal 116.109 I have sworn I will keep thy righteous judgments There are some who will be rich 1 Tim. 6.9 and there are some who will be godly 2 Tim. 3.12 He that makes Religion his businesse will not as Luther saith be put off with other things he can want health riches friends but he cannot want Christ or grace he will be godly let the times be what they will they shall not take him off the work of Religion he will follow Christ upon the water the flouds of persecution cannot drown his zeal he doth not say There is a Lyon in the way he will wrastle with difficulties march in the face of death The Christians of the Primitive Church cryed out to the Persecutor Vre tunde divelle Idola tua non adorabimus Tertul. Hew us in pieces burn us we will never worship your Idols these were in good earnest for Heaven There is a great deal of difference between them who go to sea for pleasure and those mariners who are to go a voyage to the East Indies The first upon the least storm retreat back to shore but they who are imbarqued for a voyage hold on their course though the sea be rough and stormy and will venture their lives in hope of the golden harvest at the Indies Hypocrites seem religious when things are serene and calm but they will not sayl in a storm Those only who make Religion their businesse will hold out their voyage to Heaven in the midst of tempests and death-threatning dangers Character 10 10. He that makes Religion his businesse lives every day as his last day he prayes in the morning as if he were to die at night he lives as if he were presently to be called to Gods barr he walks soberly Tit. 2.14 righteously godly he girds his loyns trims his lamp sets his house in order that when death comes for him with an Habeas Corpus he may have nothing to doe but to die Behold here the man who makes Religion his businesse Vse 3. Let me perswade all you whose consciences may smite you Vse 3 for former neglects now set upon the work Exhortation make Religion your businesse contend tanquam pro aris focis bestir your selves in this as in a matter of life and death Quest. Quest But how must we do to make Religion our businesse Answer Answ That you may be serious in this work Rules for making Religion our business I shall lay down severall Rules for your help and direction herein 1. If you would make Religion your businesse possesse your Rule 1 selves with this maxim That Religion is the end of your Creation God never sent men into the world only to eat and drink and put on fine cloathes but the end of their creation is to honour him 1 Pet. 4.11 That God in all things may be glorified Should the body only be tended and looked after this were to trim the scabbard instead of the blade it were to invert and frustrate the very end of our being 2. If you would make Religion your businesse get a change of heart Rule 2 wrought breathe after a principle of holinesse he cannot make Religion his businesse who hath no Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can the body move without a principle of life Christian get thy heart spiritualized by grace an earthly heart will no more trade in Heaven than a mill-stone will ascend or a Serpent fly in the ayre the heart must be divinely touched with the Spirit as the needle with the loadstone ere it can cleave to God and follow him fully Numb 14.24 never expect the practise to be holy till first there be an holy principle 3. If you would make Religion your businesse set your selves alwayes Rule 3 under the eye of God The Masters eye makes the servant work Gods eye will quicken our devotion Psal 16.8 Interest animis nostris cogitationibus mediis intervenit Seneca I have set the Lord alwayes before me If we leave off work or loyter in our work God sees he hath a casement opens into our breasts this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostom calls it this eye of God that never sleeps would make us active in the sphaere of duty if indeed Gods eye were at any time off us we might slacken our pace in Religion but he is ever looking on Psal 139.9 if we take the wings of the morning we cannot fly from his presence and he who is now the spectatour will be the Judge O how would this consideration of Gods omniciency keep us from being truants in Religion how would it infuse a spirit of activity and gallantry into us making us put forward with all our might in the race to Heaven 4. If you would make Religion your businesse think often of Rule 4 the shortnesse of time Cito pede praterit aetas Ovid. Phocylides this life is but a vapour Jam. 4.9 a shadow 1 Chron. 29.15 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as nothing Psal 39.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are wheeling apace out of the world and there 's no work to be done for our souls in the grave Eccles 9.2 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device in the grave whether thou goest Now is the time of life now is the day of grace you know not how soon these two Suns may set The shorter our life the swifter should be our pace Rule 5 5. If you would make Religion your businesse get an understanding heart weigh things seriously in the ballance of reason and judgment Think of the infinite importance of this businesse our eternall misery or happinesse depends upon it other things are but for convenience this is of necessity if this work be not done we are undone if we do not the work which believers are doing we must do the work which Devils are doing and if God give us a serious heart to lay out our selves in the businesse of Religion our income will be greater than our expence Religion is a good Trade if it be well followed it will quit the cost 't is working in silver 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls God will shortly take us from the working-house to the Throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost and will set upon our head a fresh Garland made of the flowers of Paradise Rule 6 6. If you would make Religion your businesse implore the help of Gods Spirit All we can do is but lost labour unlesse the Spirit excite and accelerate Beg a gale from Heaven Cant. 4. ult Awake O North-wind Cant. 6.12 and come thou South blow upon my Garden c. If the Spirit joyn with our Chariot then we move to Heaven swiftly as
understand it or 2. For an expression of the prolonging of his sojourning for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to draw forth or to prolong and thus the Septuagint renders this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Arabick Syriack and vulgar Latine versions follow with some others and the next verse seems to favour this sense ver 6. My soul hath long dwelt c. but either way gives us the same ground of complaint only the first sense doubles the ground of the Psalmists trouble and the other suggests the circumstance of the long continuance of his sojourning By Kedar is understood part of Arabia the inhabitants whereof are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bochart ut sup or dwellers in tents because they had no fixed and setled habitation but were robbers and lived upon the prey Now we are not to suppose that David did really sojourn and dwell among these barbarous people but he speaks this of his wandring about from place to place without any setled habitation and to set forth the cruelty and inhumanity of those among whom he dwelt he doth expresse it thus Woe is me that I dwell c. as if one living among professed Christians who deal with him more like savages than Christians should say Woe is me that I sojourn among Turks and Saracens And thus you see Davids present condition which he bewails is his absence from Jerusalem and the Tabernacle or place of Gods solemn worship and his converse with wicked and ungodly men and then these two truths lye plain before us in the words It is oftentimes the lot and portion of good men to be deprived of the Doct. 1 society of the godly and of opportunities of publick serving God and to dwell among and converse with wicked and ungodly persons It is a real ground of trouble and sorrow to a good man to be thus deprived Doct. 2 c. 'T was that which here made David proclaim himself in a state of woe and misery 'T was that which the Apostle tells us did vexe the righteous soul of Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 and which made the holy Prophet Elijah even weary of his life 1 King 19.4 You may easily imagine what a sad heart a poor lamb might well have if it be driven from the green pastures and still waters and forced to lodge among Wolves and Foxes where it must feed upon Carrion or starve and be continually in danger of being lodged in the bellies of its cruel and bloody companions unless lome secret over-ruling hand do restrain their rage and feed it with wholesome food and truly such is the condition of those that follow the Lamb of God in holy Lamb-like qualities when deprived of green pastures and still waters of Gospel Ordinances and forc'd to converse with wicked and ungodly men In handling of this Point I shall first lay before you the grounds of it and then adjoyn such practical application as may be usefull and profitable The grounds of this Truth do partly refer to God partly to wicked men and partly to the godly themselves if in such a condition a beleeving soul either look upwards or outwards or inwards he will see much cause of grief and trouble 1. With reference unto God and that upon a double account 1. It is a real ground of sorrow to a beleeving soul to be deprived of occasions of solemn blessing and praysing God the soul that is full of the sense of the goodness of God that knows how many thousand wayes the Lord is continually obliging it to love and bless him cannot but be afflicted in spirit to be kept from making its publick acknowledgements of divine goodness The Psalmist tell us Psal 65 1. that Praise waiteth for God in Sion that is in the publick Assemblies of the Church and truly 't is a grief to a believing soul not to wait there with his thank-offerings not to pay his vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people Psal 116.17 Psal 66.18 in the Courts of the Lords house c. not to declare to all that fear God what he hath done for their souls 2. It is a real ground of sorrow to live among those that are continually reproaching and blaspeming the Name of God to see sinners despise the goodness of God and trample upon his grace and mercy and scorn his love and kindness and kick at his bowels and spit in his face and stab at his heart who is our God our Father our Friend our good and gracious Lord and King This must needs make the beleeving soul cry out Woe is me that I live among such Let us suppose a person that hath been hugely obliged by a Prince to love him and that indeed loves him as his life if this Prince should be driven from his Throne and an usurper get into his place would it not be great affliction and sadning to the spirit of such a person to live among those who every day revile reproach scorn and abuse his gracious Prince Why Sirs if you and I be true beleevers we know that the Lord is our Soveraign King Prince such a one who hath infinitely more obliged us to love him than 't is possible for any Prince to oblige a subject we do love the Lord as our lives nay better than our lives or else we love him not at all must it not then be matter of grief to hear ungodly sinners who have driven God away from their hearts souls where his Throne should be set up and who have let that grand usurper the Devil set up his throne within them and among them and who daily say unto God as those wicked ones Job 21.14 Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes to hear such curse and swear and blaspheme God and in their lives by wicked ungodly courses do him all the despight dishonor that they can bring his Name to the Tavern to the Stews upon the stage and there foot and defile the great and glorious Name of God with the worst of polutions Certainly Sirs he cannot account God his Friend his Father his good and gracious Prince whose eye doth not run down with Rivers of tears to see men so far from keeping Gods Law 2. It is a trouble to good men to sojourn c. with reference to those wicked ungodly persons among whom they live it grieves their souls to see sinners run into all excess of riot eagerly pursuing hell and damnation greedily guzling down full draughts of the venome of Asps and the poyson of Dragons it pities them to see sinners stab themselves to the heart and laughing at their own plague sores jeasting away God and heaven and eternal happiness If any of us should see a company of men so far besotted and distracted as that one should rend and burn the Evidences of a great Inheritance which others labour to deprive him of another should cast inestimable pearls
main and principall weapon of their warfare is quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and it casts down imaginations and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Therefore while we have this Word and Spirit 2 Cor. 10.5 it is possible though difficult to discover the hypocrisie of our own spirits and to direct others to find out theirs It is not a poor souls fearing and doubting his hypocrisie accusing Caution 3 and charging himself with it crying out of himself as a wretched man by reason of it that concludes and determines he is such See David in Psal 51.10 11 12. charging himself so and the Church accusing her self of erring from Gods wayes and having their hearts hardned from his fear Isa 63.17 and yet their own expressions in the Verses before Vers 15 16. manifest the frame of their spirits to be exceeding tender and humble Holy Mr Bradford would many times subscribe himself in his Letters John the hypocrite and a very painted Sepulchre Fox his Acts and Alon. Agur one of the wisest men living condemns himself for being more bruitish than any man and not having the understanding of a man Prov. 30.2 And David one of the holiest and devoutest men living upon an ordinary temptation viz. the prosperity of the wicked was very apt to charge the wayes of God with unprofitablenesse Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Psal 73.13 but afterwards seeing his errour he chargeth it so upon himself that he upbraids and condemns himself for foolish and ignorant Vers 22. and a very beast before God It is usuall with the best men to have the worst thoughts of themselves 1. Partly because as God will give most grace to the humble so there is great need of giving more humility to those that have most grace 2. Partly because where there is true grace there is an insatiable desire of more The children of God have never enough of communnion with God nor of conformity to him they seldome look back and say this thou hast but still presse forward to this thou hast not and this thou maist and this thou must have Phil. 3.12 13. 3. And partly because as there is much difference between faith in its direct and its reflected act between knowing God and knowing that we know him between believing and knowing that we believe so there is between having sincerity and finding a feeling of it constantly between not being hypocrites and a constant confidence of it which would amount to no lesse than full assurance This is not granted to all and seldome to any at all times that so there may be a season for the exercise of other graces humility fear and trembling fear of sollicitude Phil. 2.12 2 Pet. 1. and diligence in making our calling and election sure And this is to be remembred and observed viz. That God likes us never the worse that Satan is so much our enemy but much the better that by humility lowlinesse of mind and self-denial we seem to be our own enemies 4. Nor are they foul failings nor dangerous fallings into grosse Caution 4 sins if a man die not impenitently in them that do constitute an hypocrite indeed raigning sin doth The falls of Gods people may be Horrendae tempestates flenda naufragia The greivous falls of Gods people do evidence there is hypocrisie in them but not that they are hypocrites David was guilty of adultery and murther and puft up with exceeding pride and vain-glory in the multitude of his Subjects and strength of his Kingdome but Davids repenting and rising again cleared him from being an hypocrite so that the spirit of God testifies from his own mouth that he was upright and kept himself from his iniquity Psal 18. i. e. from the raign and continuance of it and after his fall he was called a man after Gods own heart Thou hast not been as my servant David who kept all my Commandments and followed me with all his heart to do that only which was right in my sight 1 King 14.8 The Lord overlookt his adultery and murther for indeed he had put away his sin or made it passe over as it is in the Original that is to Christ Hezekiahs heart was lifted up and he renderd not according to the benefit done unto him 2 Chron. 32.25 26. 2 Chron. 29.2 but Hezekiah was humbled and the wrath of God came not upon him all his dayes he was not an hypocrite no he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father David had done So Peter denied and forswore his Master after many warnings and many promises to the contrary yet he repented and wept bitterly his fall shewd him to be a weak frail man but proved him not a hypocrite Job confessed himself a sinner Iob 13.23 and that many were his iniquities and transgressions but Job would never confesse himself an hypocrite Iob 27.5 6. no he would keep his integrity till he died for it is not the falling into sin or the being guilty of it Psal 66.18 but regarding iniquity in the heart that denominates an hypocrite otherwise all men were hypocrites for certainly all men are sinners Rom. 3. all shut up under sin Caution 5 5. Nor is it backsliding into the same sinnes that makes a man an hypocrite David had gotten into a way of lying to save his life viz. 1 Sam. 21. in the 2d verse he told one lye in the end of the verse another and in the 8th verse another He prayes that God would take from him the way of lying And the promise of mercy and pardon is not only to sinnes but backslidings I will heal their backslidings Hos 14.4 Ier. 3.22 And such are invited to return to God Return thou backsliding Israel and I will heal your backslidings Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Indeed to be bent to backsliding is a dangerous sign of prevailing hypocrisie and yet some in this case shall turn and walk after the Lord. Hos 11.2 8 9.10 We do not read of the people of God that they did revolt and backslide into the same grosse sinnes after repentance nor David into adultery nor Peter to faintheartednesse nor Paul to persecution But yet this may be so and provision is made in that case by the promise of healing backslidings Though it cost them dear to recover their peace after revolting into grosse sinnes after pardon and peace spoken and it will lye upon their consciences as an heavy aggravation of their sinne and â—olly 1 King 11.9 Psal 85.8 But yet it doth not conclude that all was done in hypocrisie before and that they were but meer hypocrites no more than Solomons falling and Idolatry which he repented of witnesse the book of Ecclesiastes