home As you love your peace and happiness instead of conversing with vain lascivious or ungodly persons O spend that time in converse with your Consciences You may there have a thousand times more profitable discourse Be not offended to give Conscience a sober faithfull answer if it ask you What you have done with all your Time and how you have lived in the world and how you have obeyed the calls of grace and how you have entertained Christ into your hearts and whether you have obeyed him or his enemy and whether you have been led by the spirit or the flesh and what forwardness the work of your salvation is in for which you came into the world and what assurance you have of your Justification and Salvation and what readiness to die Think it not presumption in Conscience thus to examine you Though you have perhaps unthankfully disdained to be thus examined by your Pastors your external Guides whose office it is to help you and watch for your souls yet do not disdain to be accountable to your selves Accountable you must be ere long to God And that friend that would help you to make ready such accounts on which so great a weight dependeth me thinks should be welcomed with a thousand thanks Ministers and Conscience should be acceptable to you that come on so necessary a work The chidings of Conscience are more friendly language then the flattery of your ignorant or proud associates and should be more gratefull to you then the laughter of fools which is like the crackling of thorns in the fire Eccles 7.6 Thy own home though it be a house of mourning is better for thee then such a sinfull house of mirth Hear but what Conscience hath to say to you No one will speak with you that hath words to speak which nearlyer concern you I beseech you Sirs be more frequent and familiar with Conscience then most men are Think not the time lost when you walk and talk with it alone Confer with it about your endless state and where you are like to be for ever and what way you are in and what thoughts you will have of your sins and duties of the world and God of yielding or overcoming at the last Is there no sense in this discourse Thou art dead and senseless if thou think so Is idle talk and prating better I hope you are not so distracted as to say so If you have not blinded deceived or bribed it I tell you Conscience hath other kind of discourse for you more excellent and necessary things to talk of then wantons or worldlings or pot-companions have It s better be giving Conscience an account what business thou hast had so often in such company and how thou wouldst have lookt if death had found thee there then without leave from from God or Conscience to go thither again The thriving way is neither to be still at home nor still abroad but to be at home when homework is to be done and to be abroad only for doing and for getting good in a way of diligent Christian trading and to bring that home that is got abroad but never to go abroad upon loytering vain expensive occasions When you have done with Conscience converse with others that your business lieth with and go abroad when it s for your Masters work but go not upon idle errands converse not with prodigal Wasters of your time and enemies to your souls One time or other Conscience will speak and have a hearing the sooner the better Put it not off to a time so unseasonable as Death I say not unseasonable for Conscience to speak in but unseasonable for it to begin to speak in and unseasonable for those terrible words that need a calmer time for answer and unseasonable for so many things and so great as self-betrayers use to put off untill then which need a longer time for due consideration and dispatch 3. And I beseech you consider with what amazing horror it must needs surprise you to find ox a sudden and unexpeâ—â—edly when you die that all is worse with â—ou then you imagined or would believe After a whole life of confident presumptiâ—n to be suddenly convinced by so dreadâ—ull an experience of your so long and wilfull a mistake To find in a moment that you have flattered your souls into so desperate a state of woe To see and feel all the selfish cavils and reasonings confuted in one hour which the wisest and holiest men on earth could never beat you from before O Sirs you know not now what a day what a conviction that will be You know not what it is for a guilty soul to to pass out of the Body and find it self in the plague of an unsanctified state and hated of the Holy God that never would know it till it was too late You know not what it is to be turned by Death into that world of spirits where all self-deceit is detected by experience and all must undergo a righteous judgement where blindness and self-love can no more perswade the miserable that they are happy the unholy that they are sanctified the fleshly minded men that they are spiritual the lovers of the world that they are the Lovers of God Men cannot there believe what they list nor take that for a truth which makes for their security be it never so false Men cannot there believe that they are accepted of God while they are in the bonds of their iniquity or that their hearts are as good as the best while their tongues and lives are opposite to goodness or that they shall be saved as soon as the godly though they be ungodly It s easie for a man to hear of waves and gulfs and shipwrack that never saw the Sea and without any fear to hear of battels that never saw the face of an enemy and without any trouble to hear of sickness and tormenting pains and burning and cutting off of limbs that never felt or saw such things It s easie for you here in these seats in the midst of health and peace and quietness to hear of a departing soul and where it shall appear and what it shall there see and how great a discovery Death will make But O Sirs when this must be your case as you know it must be alas how speedily these matters then will seem considerable They will be new and strange to those that have heard of them an hundred times because they never heard of them sensibly till now One of those souls that have been here before you and have past that way into eternity have other thoughts of these things than you have O how do â—â—ey think now of the fearless slumber â—nd stupidity of those that they have â—eft behind What think they now of those â—hat wilfully fly the light and flatter themâ—elves in guilt and misery and make light of all the Joyes and torments of the other world Even as the damned Rich man in
be void of an effectual knowledge of your sin and misery and need of the Remedy 3. To think you have saving grace when you have none that you are regenerate by the Spirit when you are only sacramentally regenerate by Baptism that you are the members of Christ when it is no such matter that you are Justified Adopted and the Heirs of Heaven when it is not so all this is dolefull and damnable unacquaintedness with yourselues To be unacquainted with a state of Life when you are in such a state is sad and troublesome and casts you upon many and great inconveniences But to be unacquainted with a state of Death when you are in it doth fasten your chains and hinder your recovery To be willing and diligent to know your state and yet be unable to attain to assurance and satisfaction is ordinary with many true Believers But to be ignorant of it because you have no grace to find and because you mind not the matters of your souls or think it not worth your diligent consideration or enquiry this is the case of the miserable despisers of salvation III. THE Commodities and Incommodities to be mentioned are so many and great that many hours would not serve to open them as they deserve 1. Atheism is cherished by self-ignorance The knowledge of our selves as men doth notably conduce to our knowledge of God Here God is known but darkly and as in a glass 1 Cor. 13.12 and by his Image and not as face to face And except his Incarnate and his written word what Glass revealeth him so clearly as the soul of man We bear a double Image of our Maker His Natural Image in the nature of our facuities and his Moral Image in their Holy qualifications in the nature of grace and frame of the new man By knowing our selves it is easie to know that there is a God and it much assisteth us to know what he is not only in his Attributes and Relations but even in the Trinity it self He may easily know that there is a Primitive Being and Life that knoweth he hath himself a Derived Being and Life He must know that there is a Creator that knoweth he is a creature He that findeth a capacious Intellect a Will and Power in the creature and that is conscious of any Wisdom and Goodness in himself may well know that formaliter or eminenter all these are infinite in the first cause that must thus have in it self whatsoever it doth communicate He that knoweth that he made not and preserveth not himself may well know that he is not his Own but his that made him and preserveth him who must needs be his Absolute Proprietary and Lord. He that knoweth that he is an Intellectual free agent and therefore to act Morally and therefore to be moved by Moral means and that he is a sociable creature a member of the Vniverse living among men may well be sure that he is made to be a subject and Governed by Laws and by morall means to be directed and moved to his End and therefore that none but his Absolute Lord the Infinite Wisdom Goodness and Power can be his Absolute and Highest Soveraign He that is convinced that he is he lives he hopeth and enjoyeth all that 's good from a Superior Bounty may be sure that God is his Principal Benefactor And to be The First and Infinite Being Intellect Will and Power Wisdom Goodness and Cause of all things the Absolute Owner the most Righteous Governor and the most Bounteous Benefactor this is to be GOD. This being the Description of him that is so called such a Description as is fetcht from his Created Image Man and expressed in the terms that himself hath chosen and used in his word as knowing that if he will be understood by man he must use the Notions and Expressions of man And though these are spoken but Analogically of God yet are there no fitter conceptions of him that the soul of man in flesh is capable of So that the Atheist carrieth about him that Impress and Evidence of the Deity which may convince him or condemn him for his Foolishness and Impiety He is a Fool indeed that saith in his Heart There is no God Psal 14.1 when that Heart it self in its Being and Life and Motion is his Witness and Soul and Body with all their faculties are nothing but the Effects of this Almighty Cause And when they prove that there is a God even by questioning or denying it being unable without him so much as to deny him that is to think or speak or be As if a fool should write a Volume to prove that there is no Ink or Paper in the world when it is Ink and Paper by which he writes And whether there be no representation of the Trinity in Vnity in the Nature of man let them judge that have well considered how in One Body there are the Natural Vital and Animal parts and spirits And in One Life or Soul there are the Vegetative Sensitive and Rational faculties And in One Rational Soul as such there are an Intellect Will and Executive power Morally perfected by Wisdom Goodness and Promptitude to well doing As in one Sun there is Light and Heat and Moving force So that man is both the Beholder and the Glass the Reader and the Book He is the Index of the Godhead to himself Yea partly of the Trinity in Vnity Of which saith August de Trinit lib. 1. Nec periculosius alicubi erratur nec laboriosius aliquid quaritur nec fructuosius invenitur quam Trinitas We need not say Who shall go up into Heaven saith Seneca himself by the light of nature Prope Deus est tecum est Intus est sacer intra nos Spiritus sed bonorum malorumque nostrorum observator custos Hic prout à nobis tractatur ita nos tractat ipse Bonus vir sine Deo nemo est God is nigh us with us within us A holy spirit resideth within us â—he observer of our evil and good and our â—â—eserver He useth us as he is used by us â—o good man is without God saith August 〈◊〉 Deus est in seipso sicut α ω in mundo â—â—cut rector author in Angelis sicut sapor â— decor in Ecclesia sicut paterfamilias in â—omo in animo sicut sponsus in thalamo 〈◊〉 justis sicut adjutor protector in reprobis â—â—cut pavor horror God is in himself as â—he Alpha and Omega in the world as its â—overnor and Author in Angels as their â—weetness and comeliness in the Church as â—he master of the family in his house in the â—â—ul as the Bridegroom in his bed-chamber 〈◊〉 the righteous as their helper and proteâ—â—or c. And as all declareth him so all â—hould praise him Hunc itaque mens diligat â—â—ngua canat manus scribat atque in his sanâ—tis studiis fidelis animus se exerceat Aug. Let the
if a man that lyeth in bed should cry out against working too much or going too fast this shewes mens strangeness to themselves Did the careless world but know themselves and see where they stand and what 's before them and how much lyeth on this inch of time did they but know the nature and employment of a soul and why their Creator did place them for a little while in flesh and whither they must goe when time is ended you should then see them in that serious frame themselves which formerly they dislikt in others and they would then confess that if any thing in the world deserved seriousness and diligence it is the pleasing of God and the saving of our souls 7. It is for want of acquaintance with themselves that men are so deceived by the vanityes of the world that they are drowned in the love of pleasures and sensuall delights that they are so greedy for Riches and so desirous to be higher then those about them and to wast their dayes in the pursuit of that which will not help them in the houre of their extremity Did the voluptuous sensualist know aright that he is a Man he would not take up with the pleasures and felicity of a bruit nor enslave his Reason to the violence of his Appetite He would know that there are higher pleasures which beseem a Man even those that consist in the well being and integrity of the soule in peace of Conscience in the favour of God and Communion with him in the Spirit and in a holy life and in the fore-thoughts and Hopes of endless Glory Did the Covetous worldling know himself he would know that it must be another kind of Riches that must satisfie his soul and that he hath wants of another nature to be supplied and that it more concernneth him to lay up a treasure in Heaven and think where he must dwell for ever then to accommodate his perishing flesh and make provision with so much a doe for a life that posteth away while he is providing for it he would rather make him friends with the Mammon of unrighteousness and lay up a foundation for the time to come and labour for the food that never perisheth then to make such a stir for that which will serve him so little a while that so he might hear Well done thou Good and faithfull servant c. rather then Thou foole this night thy soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Self-knowledge would teach Ambitious men to prefer the calmest safest station before the highest and to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and to please him most carefully that hath the Keyes of Heaven and Hell and to be content with food and rayment in the way while they are Ambitious of a higher Glory It would tell them that so dark and fraile a creature should be more solicitous to Obey then to have Dominion and that large Possessions are not the most congruous or desireable Passage to a narrow grave and that it is the highest dignity to be an heire of Heaven Would men but spend some houres time in the study of themselves and seriously consider what it is to be a Man a sinner a Passenger to an endless life an expectant of so great a change and withall to be a profest Believer what a turne would it make in the cares and the desires and conversations of the most O amatores mundi inquit Angust cujus rei gratia militatis Ibi quid nisi fragile plenum periculis et per quâ—t pericula pervenitur ad majus periculum percant haec omnia et dimittamus haec vana et inania conferamus nos ad solam inquisitionem eorum quae finem non habeant i. e. What strive you for O worldings What 's here but a brittle glass full of dangers and by how many dangers must you come to greater dangers Away with these vanities and toyes and let us set our selves to seek the things that have no end 8. It is for want of self-acquaintance that any man is Proud Did men considerately know what they are how quickly would it bring them low Would corruptible flesh that must shortly turne to loathsome rottenness be stout and Lordly and look so high and set forth it self in gawdy ornaments if men did not forget themselves Alas the way forgets the end the outward bravery forgets the dirt and filth within the stage forgetteth the undressing roome Did Rulers behave themselves as those that are subjects to the Lord of all and have the greatest need to feare his judgment and prepare for their account did Great ones live as men that know that Rich and poore are equall with the Lord who respects not persons and that they must Speedily be levelled with the lowest and their dust be mixed with the Common earth what an alteration would it make in their deportment and affaires and what a mercy would it prove to their inferiours and themselves If men that swell with pride of parts and overvalue their knowledge wit or elocution did know how little indeed they know and how much they are ignorant of it would much abate their pride and confidence The more men know indeed the more they know to humble them It is the Novices that being lifted up with Pride do fall into the Condemnation of the Devill 1 Tim. 3.6 They would loath themselves if they knew themselves 9. It is self-ignorance that makes men rush upon Temptations and choose them when they customarily pray against them Did you Know what tinder or gunpowder lodgeth in your natures you would guard your eyes and eares and appetites and be afraid of the least spark you would not be indifferent as to your company nor chuse a life of danger to your souls for the pleasing of your flesh to live among the snares of honour or beauty and bravery or sensuall delights you would not willfully draw so neare the brinke of Hell nor be nibbling at the bait nor looking on the forbidden fruit nor dallying with allurements nor hearkening to the Deceiver or to his messengers It is ignorance of the weakness and badness of your hearts that maketh you so confident of your selves as to think that you can heare any thing and see any thing and approach the snare and treat with the Deceiver without any danger self-acquaintance would cause more feare and self-suspicions If you should scape well a while in your self-chosen dangers you may catch that at last that may prove your wo. Nemo sese tuto periculis offerre tam crebro potest Quem saepe transit casus aliquando invenit Seneca Temptation puts you on a combate with the powers of earth and flesh and Hell And is toyl and danger your delight Nunquam periculum sine periculo vincitur saith Seneca Danger is never overcome without danger It s necessary valour to charge through all which you are in But its
amplexandum totum corâ—â—â— expositum ad redimendum saith Augustiâ—â— Behold the wounds of Christ as he is hangâ—â—g the blood of him dying the price of him â—â—deeming the scars of him rising His Head 〈◊〉 bowed to Kiss thee his heart open to love â—â—ee his arms open to embrace thee â—is whole body exposed to redeem thee Homo factus est hominis Factor ut sugeret â—â—bera regens sydera ut esuriret Panis ut â—â—â—eret Fons dormiret Lux ab itinere via â—â—tigaretur falsis testibus Veritas occulâ—retur Index vivâ—rum mortuâ—rum à juâ—â—â—ce mortali judicaretur ab injustis justiâ—â—a damnaretur flagellis disciplina caedoreâ—â—ur spinis botrâ—s coronaretur in ligno â—undamentum suspenderetur virtus infirâ—aretur salus vulneraretur vita â—oreretur saith Aug. that is The Maker â—f man was made man that he might suck â—â—e breasts that rules the starrs that Bread â—ight hunger the Spring or fountain might â—hirst the Light might steep the Way â—ight be weary in his journey that the Truth might be hidden by false witnesses That the Judge of quick and dead might be â—udged by amortal judge Iustice might be condemned by the unjust Discipline might 〈◊〉 scourged the Cluster of grapes might be â—rowned with thorns the Foundation might be hanged on a tree that Strength â—ight be weakned that Health might be wounded and that Life it self might dyâ— This is the wonderfull mystery of Love which will entertain the soul that come to Christ and which thou must study 〈◊〉 know when thou knowest thy self But 〈◊〉 then all these will be riddles to thee oâ— little relished and Christ will seem to thy neglecting heart to have dyed and done 〈◊〉 this in vain And hence it is that as proud ungodly sensuall men were never sound Believers so they oft-times fall from that opinionative common faith which they had and of all meâ— do most easily turn Apostates It being just with God that they should be so far forsaken as to vilifye the remedie that would not know their sin misery but love it and pertinaciously hold it as their felicity 4. If you Know not your selves you will not know what to do with your selves nor to what end and for what work you are to live This makes the Holy work neglected and most men live to little purpose wasting their daies in matters that them selves will call impertinent when they come to die as if they were good for nothing else Whereas if they knew them selves they would know that they are made and fitted for more noble workes O man if thou â—ere acquainted well with thy faculties â—â—d frame thou wouldest perceive the â—ame of God thy Maker to be so deeply â—â—graven in thy nature even in all thy parts â—nd powers as should Convince thee that â—â—ou wast made for him that all thou art and 〈◊〉 thou hast is nothing worth but for his â—â—rvice As all the parts and motions of 〈◊〉 clock or watch are but to tell the hour 〈◊〉 the day Thou wouldst know then the â—eaning of Sanctification and Holiness â—hat it signifyeth but the Giving God his â—wn and is the first part of Justice withâ—ut which no rendering men their due can â—â—ove thee Just Thou wouldst then know â—â—e unreasonableness and injustice of ungodâ—â—ness and all sin And that to serve thy â—â—eshly lusts and pleasures with those noble â—â—culties that were purposely formed to â—ove and serve the Eternall God is more â—â—bsurd and villainous then to employ the â—ighest officers of the King in the sweepâ—ng of your chimneyes or the serving of â—our swine Remember it unreasonable â—cutish man the next time thou art going to thy lusts and sensuall deâ—â—ghts It is no wiser a course thou â—akest It is no more honorable or â—ust but as much worse as God is to be preferred to a King and as thy 〈◊〉 is worse then the serving of thy swiâ—e O man didst thou but know thy self and see what employment thy facultyes are made thou wouldst lift up thy head and seriously think who holds the reins who keepeâ— thy breath yet in thy nostrills and continueth thee in life And where it is that thou must shortly fix thy unchangeable abode And what is now to be done in preparation for such a day Os homini sublime dedit c. Thou wouldst know that thou hadst not that Reason and that will and executive power to rowl in the earth and be but a cunning kind of beast that hath wit to play the fool and can ingeniously live below understanding and do that with argument which other bruits can do without it Thou wouldst know that thy higher faculties were not made to serve the lower 〈◊〉 thy Reason to serve thy sensuall delight the horse was not made to ride the man nor the master to follow and attend the dâ—g O man hadst thou not lost the Knowledge of thy self thou wouldst be so far from wondering at a Holy life that thou wouldst look upon an unholy person as a monster and wouldst hear the deriderâ— and opposers of a holy life as thou wouldst hear him that were deriding a man because he is not a swine or were reproaching men of honor and learning because they live not as an Ass I confess my soul is too apt to lose its lively sense of all these things But when ever it is awake I am forc't to say in these kind of meditations If I had not a God to know and think on to Love and honor to seek and serve what had I to do with my understanding will and all my powers What should I do with life and time What use should I make of Gods provisions What could I find to do in the world that is worthy of a man Were it not as good lie still and sleep out my daies and professedly do nothing as to go dreaming with a seeming seriousness and wander about the world as in my sleep and do nothing with such a troublesome stir as sensuall worldly persons do Could not I heave plaid the beast without a Reasonable free-working soul Let them turn from God and neglect the conduct of the Redeemer and disregard the holy approaches and breathings and workings of the soul towards its beloved Center and felicity that know not what an immortal soul is or know how els to imploy their facultyes with satisfaction or conttent unto themselves I profess here 〈◊〉 in his presence that is the Father of spirits and before Angels and men I do not 〈◊〉 know not what els to do with my soul that 's worth the doing but what is subservient to its proper object its end and everlasting Rest If the Holy service of God and the preparation for Heaven and making after Christ and happiness be forbidden me I have no more to do in the world that will satisfie my Reason or satisfie my affections or that as a man or a Christian I can own And it s as good not live as to be deprived
of you thinke that all these matters are to be put to the adventure and cannot now be known you are dangerously mistaken As you may certainly know by Scripture and the Light of Nature that there is a future Life of joy to the Godly and of misery to the wicked so may you know by a faithfull tryall of yourselves to which of these at present you belong and whether you are under the promise or the threatening know yourselves and you may know whether you are Justifyed oâ— Condemned allready and whether you are the Heires of Heaven or Hell Surely he that comforteth his servants with the Promise of Glory to all that Believe and are new creatures and sanctifyed by his spirit did suppose that we may know whether we Believe and are renewed and sanctifyed or not Or els What comfort can it be to us If blinded Infidels have no meanes to quiet â—hemselves but their unbeliefe and a conâ—eit that there is no such Life of misery â—hey have the most pittifull O piate to ease â—hem in the world and may as well think â—o become immortall by a confident conâ—eit that they shall never die If they befoole â—hemselves with the ordinary Questions where is Hell and what kind of fire is it c I answer them with Augustine Melius â—st dubitare de occultis quam litigare de â—â—â—certis Illum quippe divitem in à rdore â—oenarum illum pauperem in refrigerio gandiorum esse intelligendos non dubito sed quomodo intelligenda illa flamma in inferno ille sinus Abrahae illa divitis lingua ille digitus pauperis illa sitis tormenti illa stilla refrigerii vix fortasse à mansuetè quarentibus contentiose antem sectantibus nunquam invenitur that is It is better to be in doubt about things that are hidden from us then to quarrell about things that are uncertaine to us I am past doubt that we must understand that that Rich man was in the heat of Paine and the Poore man in a refreshing place of Joyes But how to understand that flame in Hell that bosome of Abraham that tongue of the Rich man that finger of the poore man that thirst of torment that drop for cooling or refreshment perhaps will hardly be found by the most humble enquirers but never by contentious strivers So that I may conclude that the greatness and dreadfullness of the case should make every person that hath an eye to see an eare to heare and a Heart to understand to Read and enquire and consider and never rest till they know themselves and understand where it is that they are going to take up their abode to everlasting 2. Consider that All men must shortly know themselves Presumption will be but of short continuance Be never so confident of being saved without Holynes you will speedily be undeceived If the Spirits illumination do not convince and undeceive you Death will undoubtedly do it at the furthest Thousands and Millions know their sin and misery now when it is too late that would not know it when the remedy was at hand sinners your soules are now in darkness your Bodyes are your dungeon But when Death brings you out into the open Light you will see what we could never make you see O how glad would a faithfull minister of Christ be if by any information he could now give you halfe the Light that you shall then have and now make you know at the Heart with the feeling of Repentance that which you must else quickly know even at the Heart with the feeling of despaire sirs I hope you think not that I speak meere fancies to you or any think that is questionable and uncertaine you can not say so without denying your selves to be Christians no nor without contradicting the light of Nature and debasing your soules below the Heathen who believe an immortality of soules in a different state of Joy or mtsery in the Life to come And if you are once below Heathens what are you better then Bruit beasts Better in your naturall faculties and powers as being not made Bruites by your Creatour But worse as to the use of them and the consequents to yourselves because you are voluntary self-abusing Bruites But to live here as a Bruit will not make you die and be hereafter as a Bruit To belive you shall die as a Beast will not prevent the miserable life of an impenitent sinner It will not make your soules to be Mortall to believe they are mortall no more then it will make a beast to be Immortall if he could but think so The coffin-maker and the grave-maker if they never read a Book can tell you that it is no controversie whether you must goe hence And Faith and Reason can both assure you that your soules lie not downe with your Bodies in the dust nor are annihilated by the falling of your earthly tabernacle no more then the spirits when the glass is broken that held them or then your Bodies are annihilated when you put off your clothes or rise out of your beds Or then the bird is annihilated that is got out of the shell or the infant that is by nature cast out of the wombe nor no more then the Angels that appeared to the Apostles or others were annihilated when they disappeared Or if I must speak more suitably to the ungodly no more then the Devil that some time appeareth in a bodily shape is annihilated when that appearance vanisheth As I suppose there is never a person in all this populous city that was here but seven-score years agoe so I suppose there is none of you that are here to day that expect to be here so long a time They are gone before you into a world where there is no presumption or security and you are going after them and are almost there As easily as you set here I tell you all you are going after them apace and are almost there O Sirs that world is a world of Light To the damned soules it is called Outer darkness because they have none of the Light of Glory or of Comfort But they shall have the Light of a self-accusing self-tormenting Conscience that is gone out of the darknes of self-ignorance and self-deceit and is fully cured of its slumber and insensibility Do you now take a civilized person for a Saint you will not do so long Doth the Baptisme of water only goe with you now for the Regeneration of the Spirit It will not be so long you will shortly be undeceived Doth a ceremonious Pharisee thank God for the sincerity and Holynes which he never had He will shortly be taught better to know the nature of Holyness and sincerity and that God Justifyeth not all that Justifie themselves Doth a little formal heartless Hypocriticall devotion now cover a sensuall worldly mind The cover will be shortly taken off and the nakednes and deformity of the Pharisee will appeare Doth the name of
not perfect We know we 〈◊〉 be more humbled and more believing anâ— more watchfull and Love God more anâ— feare and trust him more and be moâ—â— fruitfull and diligent and obedient anâ— zealous and yet we are not What we 〈◊〉 we should be in any of these In these 〈◊〉 all live in sin against knowledge els 〈◊〉 should be all as good as we know we ougâ—â— to be which no man is And if throâ—â—â— temptation any of us should be ready 〈◊〉 despaire because of any of these infirmity 〈◊〉 because we cannot Repent or Love God watch or Pray or Obey more perfectly or as we should yet Grace ceaseth not 〈◊〉 be Grace though in the least degree becaâ—â—â— we are ready to despair for want of 〈◊〉 Nor will the sincerity of this spark 〈◊〉 graine of Mustard seed be unsuccesâ—â—◠〈◊〉 to our salvation because we think so and â—ake ourselves to be unsincere and our sanctiâ—â—cation to be none Nor yet because we â—annot be as obedient and good as we â—now we should be For the Gospell saith â—ot He that knoweth he hath faith or sinâ—â—rity shall be saved and he that knoweth 〈◊〉 not shall be damned or he that is lesse â—â—ly or obedient then his conscence tells him he â—hould be shall be damned But he that Beâ—ieveth and Repenteth shall be saved whether â—e know it to be done in sincerity or no â—nd he that doth not shall be damned though â—e never so confidently think he doth So that in the Degrees of Holynes and obedience all Christians ordinarly sin against knowledge 2. And besides what is ordinary some extraordinarily in the time of a Powerfull temptation go further then ordinarily they do And some under dull Flegmatick melancholy or cholerick diseases or distempers of body or under a diseased violent appetite may transgress more against their knowledge then otherwise they would do when the spirits are flatted the thoughts confused the reason weakened the passion strengthned and the executive faculties undisposed so that their actions are but imperfectly Humane or Morall imperfectly capable of vertue or vice good or evill it is no wonder here if pooâ— soules not only perceive their sin but thinâ— it and the danger to be tenfold greatâ—â— then they are and yet go on againâ—â— their knowledge and yet have 〈◊〉 grace This much I have said both to stay yoâ— from misunderstanding what I said before concerning the Power of conviction 〈◊〉 conversion for few Auditoryes waâ—â— hearers that will be still excepting if Caâ—â—tion stop not every hole and also to 〈◊〉 you to the fuller understanding of the â—â—â—â—ter its self of which I treat But exceptiâ—â—â—â—mat regulam in non exceptis Exceptioâ— strengthen and not weaken any Rule 〈◊〉 proposition in the points not exceptâ—â— Still I say that out of these cases the 〈◊〉 knowledge of a sinfull miserable state 〈◊〉 so great a helpe to bring us out of it 〈◊〉 it s hardly imaginable how rationall meâ—â— can willfully continue in a state of suâ—â— exceeding danger if they be but well acâ—quainted that they are in it I know a Harâ—â—ned heart hath an unreasonable obstinâ—â—â— opposition against the meanes of its 〈◊〉 recovery But yet men have some use 〈◊〉 Reason and self preserving Love and care â—r they are not men and if they be not 〈◊〉 they cannot be sinfull men And â—hough little transient lightnings oft come â—o nothing but leave some men in greaâ—er darkness yet could we but set up a â—â—anding Light in all your consciences could we fully convince and resolve the unregeâ—ate that they cannot be saved in the carnall state and way that they are in but must be sanctifyed or never saved what hopes should we have that all the subtiltyes â—nd snares of Satan and all the pleasures and gaine of sin and all the allurements of ungodly company could no longer hinder you from falling down at the feet of mercy and begging forgiveness through the blood of Christ and giving up yourselves in Covenant to the Lord and speedily and resolutely betaking yourselves to an holy life Could I but make you throughly known unto your selves I should hope that all the unsanctified that hear me would date their Conversion from this very day and that you would not delay till the next morning to bewail your sin and misery and fly to Christ lest you should die and be past hope this night And doth so much of our work and of your recovery lie upon this point and yet shall we not be able to acâ—complish it Might you be broughâ— into the way to Heaven if we could bâ— perswade you that you are yet out of tâ—â— way and will you be undone because yoâ— will not suffer so small and reasonable part of the cure as this is O God forbid O that we knew how to illuminate yoâ—â— minds so far as to make you find that yoâ— are lost How ready would Christ be theâ— to find you and to receive and welcome you upon your return Here is the first difficulty which if we could but overcome 〈◊〉 should hope to conquer all the rest Hâ—â— we but a wedge to cleave this knot the rest would the more easily be done Coulâ— we draw but this one pin of self-deceit the frame of Satans building were like to tumble down O that any of you that know the nature of self-deceit and know the accesses to the inwards of a sinner and know the fallacious reasonings of the heart could tell us but how we might undeceive them O that any of you that know the nature of humane understanding with its several maladies and their cure and know the power of saving truth could tell us what key will undo this lock what medicine will cure this disease of wilfull obstinate self-deceiving Think but on the case of our poor people and of ours and sure you cannot choose but pitty both them and us We are all professors of the Christian faith and all say we believe the word of God This word assureth us that all men are fallen in Adam and are by nature children of wrath and increase in sin and misery till supernatural grace recover them It tells us that the Redeemer is become by office the Physition or Saviour of souls washing away their guilt by his blood and renewing and cleansing their corrupted natures by his Spirit It tell us that he will freely work the cure for all that will take him for their Physicion and will forgive and save them that penitently fly to him and value and accept and trust upon his grace And that except they be thus made new creatures all the world cannot save them from everlasting wrath This is the Doctrine that we all believe or say we do believe Thus doth it open the case of sinners We come now according to our office and the trust reposed in us and we tell our Hearers what the Scripture saith of man and what it commandeth us to tell them We tell them of their
terrible avenger and you may confess his judgements to be just but can you amicably embrace the consuming fire and love to dwell with the everlasting burnings O therefore as ever you would have the Love of God to animate and sanctifie and delight your souls study the greatness of his Love to you and labour with all possible speed and diligence to find that Christ by his spirit is within you It is the whole work of sanctification that Satan would destroy or weaken by your doubts And it is the whole work of sanctification that by Love would be promoted if you knew your interest in the Love of Christ 12. It is the knowledge of Christ dwelling in you and so of the special Love of God that must acquaint you with a life of holy Thankfulness and prase These highest and most acceptable duties will be out of your reach if Satan can hide from you that mercy which must be the chiefest matter of your Thanksgiving Will that soul be in tune for the high Praises of the Lord that thinks he meaneth to use him as an enemy Can you look for any cheerful thanksgiving from him that looks to lie in hell will he not rather cry with David Psal 6.5 In death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Psal 30.9 What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit shall the dust praise thee shall it declare thy truth shall the damned praise thee or shall they give thee thanks that must be scorched with the flames of thine indignation Can you expect that Joy should be in their hearts or cheerfulness in their countenances or praises in their mouths that think they are Reprobated to the fire of Hell Undoubtedly Satan is not ignorant that this is the way to deprive God of the Service which is most acceptable to him and you of the pleasures of so sweet a life And therefore he that envyeth both will do his worst to damp your spirits and breed uncomfortable doubts and fears and wrongful suspitions in your minds Whereas the Knowledge of your interest in Christ would be a continual storehouse of thanksgiving and praise and teach your hearts as well as your tongues to say with David Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye Righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 32.1 2 11. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Who healeth all thy diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.1 2 3 4. O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit sing unto the Lord O ye saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness for his anger endureth but for a moment in his favour is life Psal 30.2 3 4 5. Thanksgiving would be the very pulse and breath of your assurance of Christ dwelling in you You would say with Paul Eph. 1.3 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in celestials in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in Love having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved In whom we have redemption through his blood the remission of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us c. Thus faith and assurance as they have an unspeakable store to work upon so it is natural to them to expatiate in the praise of our Redeemer and to delight in amplifications and commemorations of the ways of grace Just so doth Peter begin his first Epistle Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you who are kept by the power of Goâ— through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time wherein ye greatly rejoyce c. No wonder if the Heirs of Heaven be inclined to the language and the work of Heaven I think there are few of you that would not rejoice and by your speech and countenance express your joy if you had assurance but of the dignities and dominions of this world And can he choose but express his Joy and Thankfulness that hath assurance of the crown of life What fragrant thoughts should possess that mind that knoweth it self to be possessed by the Spirit of the living God! How thankfull will he be that knows he hath Christ and Heaven to be thankfull for What sweet delights should fill up the hours of that mans life that knows the son of God liveth in him and that he shall live in Joy with Christ for ever How gladly will he be exercised in the praises of his Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier that knows it must be his work for ever No wonder if this Joy be a stranger to their hearts that are strangers to Christ or strangers to their interest in his love No wonder if they have no hearts for these celestial works that have no part in the celestial inheritance or that know not that they have any part therein How can they joyfully give thanks for that which they know not that they have or ever shall have or have any probability to attain But to that man that is assured of Christ within him Heaven and Earth and all their store do offer themselves as the matter of his Thanks and do furnish him with provisions to feed his Praises What a shame is it that an assured heir of Heaven should be scant and barren in comfort to himself or in Thanks and Praise to Jesus Christ when he hath so full a heap of Love and mercy to fetch his motives from and hath two worlds to furnish him with the preciousest materials and hath no less then Infinite goodness even God himself to be the subject of his Praise O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever what ever others do Let Israel say let the house of Aaron say let them that fear the Lord say that his mercy endureth for ever Psal 118.1 2 3 4. The
for shame repine at the loss of temporal commodities that is secured of the eternal Joyes If assurance of the Love of God would not embolden you to patient suffering and to lay down life and all for Christ what do you think should ever do it But when you are afraid lest death will turn you into Hell What wonder if you timerously draw back When you know not whether ever you shall have any better no wonder if you are loth to part with the seeming happiness which you have Those doubts and fears enfeeble the soul and spoil you of that valour that becomes a souldier of Christ 5. All personal crosses in your estates your families your friends your health will be easily born if you are once assured of your salvation To a man that is passing into Heaven all these are almost inconsiderable things What is Lazarus the worse now for hâ—s sores or rags Or what is the Rich man the better for his sumptuonus attire and fare Luke 16. Whether you be poor or rich sick or sound whether you are used kindly or unkindly in the world are questions of so small importance that you are not much concerned in the answer of them But whether you have Christ within you or be reprobates whether you are the heirs of the promise or are under the curse are questions of everlasting consequence 6. Lastly you may comfortably receive the sentence of death when once you are assured of the Life of Grace and that you have escaped everlasting death Though nature will be still averse to a dissolution yet faith will make you cheerfully submit desiring to depart and be with Christ as the best condition for you Phil. 1.23 When you know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved you have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens you will then groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with your house which is from heaven not to be uncloathed for the union of soul and body is the constitution of the man which nature cannot but desire but to be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life This God doth work you for who giveth you the earnest of the spirit therefore as men that know while you are at home in the body you are absent from the Lord and that walk by faith and not by sight you would be alwaies confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Though it be troublesom to remove your dwelling yet you would not stick upon the trouble if you were sure to change a cottage for a Court nor would you refuse to cross the Seas to change a prison for a Kingdom The holy desires of Believers do prepare them for a safe death but it is the assurance of their future happiness or the believing expectation of it that must prepare them for a death that is safe and comfortable The Death of the Presumptuous may be quiet but not safe The Death of doubting troubled Believers may be safe but not quiet The Death of the ungodly that have awakened undeceived consciences is neither safe nor quiet But the Death of strong Belivers that have attained assurance is both And he that findeth Christ within him may know that when he dyeth he shall be with Christ His dwelling in us by faith by Love and by his Spirit is a pledge that we shall dwell with him Christ within us will certainly carry us unto Christ above us Let Socinians question the happiness of such departed souls or doubt whether they be in heaven before the resurrection I am sure that they are with Christ as the fore-cited places shew 2 Cor. 5.7 8. and Phil. 1.23 and many other We are following him that when he had conquered Death and went before us did send that message to his doubting troubled Disciples which is to me so full of sweetness that me thinks I can scarce too oft recite it John 20.17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and to your God O piercing melting words which methinks do write themselves upon my heart when ever I read them with attention and consideration Know once that you are his Brethren and that his Father is your Father and his God is your God and that he is ascended and glorified in your nature and then how can you be unwilling to be dismissed from the bondage of this flesh and be with Christ For in his Fathers house are many mansions and he is gone before to prepare a place for us and will come again and receive us unto himself that where he is there we may be also John 14.2 3. And that this is his will for all his servants he hath declared in that comfortable promise which also I have found so full of sweetness that I value it above all the riches of the world John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father honour The Spirit of Christ within you is the earnest of all this Be assured of your Faith and Hope and Love and you may be assured to possess the Good believed and Hoped for and Loved The incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth for ever of which you are new born 1 Peâ— 1.23 doth tend to the incorruptible crown 1 Pet. 5.4 even the Crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge will give to all that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 And so shall we ever be with the Lord as the Apostle comfortably speaks 1 Thes 4.17 and seasonably annexeth the use of such a cordial vers 18. wherefore comfort one another with these words Whether we are to die by the decay of nature or by the storm of any violent disease or by the hand of persecutros or any other instruments of Satan the difference is small They are but several ways of landing at the shore of happiness which we were making towards through all the duties and difficulties of our lives May we by any Death be sent to Christ let them domineâ—r a while that stay behind and are conquerors and happy in their dream we shall neither miss nor desire their felicity May I die assured of the Love of God how little regardable is it whether I be poor or rich till then or in what manner Death shall do its execution and how little cause have blessed souls to envie them that are left on earth in a quiet and prosperous passage to damnation And what an ease and pleasure is this to a mans mind through all his life to be able with well-grounded comfort to think of death What cares can vex him that hath secured hiâ— everlasting state What losses should afflict him that is sure he shall not lose his soul and is sure to gain eternal life
excellency on the skie The Eternal God hath been your refuge and underneath are the everlasting armâ— Deut. 34.26 27. You may remembeâ— the mercies of your younger years of youâ— maried state and of your widdow-hood your comforts in your truly Noble Lord though troubled and interrupted by his death yet increased by the consideration of his feâ—licity with Christ your comfort in youâ— hopeful issue though abated by the injurâ— of Romish theft which stole one of the Roseâ— of your Garden that they might boast of thâ— sweetness when they called it their own 〈◊〉 may well say stole it when all the cheaâ— was performed by unknown persons in thâ— dark and no importunity by you or 〈◊〉 could procure me one dispute or conference iâ— her hearing with any of the seducers beâ—fore her person was stoln away Though comforts conveyed by creatures must havâ— their pricks yet your experience hath partly taught you and more will do that by all thâ— mixtures of sower and bitter ingredients your Father doth temper you the most wholeâ—some composition He chasteneth you foâ— your profit that you may be partaker oâ— his Holiness Heb. 12.10 and the leasâ— degree of Holiness cannot be purchased at too dear a rate His rod and staffe have comforted you and whatever are the beginnings the End will be the quiet fruit of Righteousness when you have been exercised therein And though man be mutable and friends and flesh and heart have failed you yet God is still the strength of â—our heart and your portion for ever Psal â—3 26 O the variety of learning that is â—ontained in the secret writings of a sanctified heart The variety of subjects for the most â—ruitful and delightful thoughts which you â—ay find recorded in the inwards of your â—oul How pleasant is it there to find the â—haracters of the special Love of God the â—â—eaments of his Image the transcript of 〈◊〉 Law the harmony of his gifts and graces â—â—e witness the seal and the earnest of his â—pirit and the foretasts and beginnings of â—ternal Life As Thankfulness abhors â—â—livion and is a Recording grace and keepâ—â—h Histories and Catalogues of Mercies so 〈◊〉 it a Reward unto it self and by these Reâ—â—rds it furnisheth the soul with matter for â—he sweetest employments and delights Is it 〈◊〉 pleasant to you there to Read how God â—â—th confuted the objections of distrust how 〈◊〉 he hath condescended to your weakness and pardoned you when you could not easily forgive your self how oft he hath entertained you in secret with his Love and visited you with his consolations How neer him sometimes you have got in fervent prayer and serious meditation And when for a season he hath hid his face how soon and seasonably he returned How oft he hath found you weeping and hath wiped away your tears and calmed and quieted your troubled soul How he hath resolved your doubts and expelled your fears and heard your prayers How comfortably he hath called you His Child and given you leave and commanded you to call him Father when Christ hath brought you with boldness into his presence How sweet should it be to your remembrance to think how the Love of Christ hath sometime exalted you above these sublunary things How the Spirit hath taken you up to Heaven and shewed to your faith the Glory of the New Hierusalem the blessed company of those Holy spirits that attend the Throne of the Majesty of God and the shining face of your glorified Head By what seasonable and happy Messengers he hath sent you the Cluster of Grapes as the first fruits of the land of promise and commanded you oft to Take and Eate the Bread of Life How oft he hath reached to your thirsty soul the fruit of the Vine and turned it sacramentally into his blood and bid you drink it in remembrance of him till he come and feast you with his fullest Love and satisfie you with the pleasure and presence of his Glory But the volumes of mercy written in your heart are too great to be by me transcribed I can easily appeal to you that are acquainted with it whether such Heart-employment be not more pleasant and more profitable than any of the entertainments that flashy wit or gaudy gallantry or merriments luxurit or preferments can afford Is it not better converse with Christ at home than with such as are described Psa 12. abroad To dwell with all that blessed retinue Gal. 5.22 23. than with Pride Vainglory Envy Dissimulation Hypocrisie Falshood time-wasting soul-destroying pleasures to say nothing of the filthiness which Christian years abhor the mention of and which God himself in time will judge Eph. 5.3 4 5 6. Heb. 13.4 and the rest recited Gal. 5.19 20 21. If ungodly persons do find it more unpleasant to converse at home no wonder when there is nothing but darkness and defilement and when they have put God from them and entertained Satan so that their hearts are like to haunted houses where terrible cries and apparitions do make it a place of fear to the inhabitants But if their souls had such blessed inhabitants as yours could they meet there with a reconciled God a Father a Saviour and a sanctifier had they souls that kept a correspondency with Heaven it would not seem so sad and terrible a life to dwell at home and withdraw from that noise of vanity abroad which are but the drums and trumpets of the devil to encourage his deluded followers and drown the cries of miserable souls Your dearest friends and chiefest treasure are not abroad in Court or Country but above you and within you where then should your delightful converse be but where your friends and treasure are Matth. 6.21 Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.1 2 3 4. When then is almost nothing to be found in the conversation of the world but discord and distraction and confusion and clamours and malice and treachery is it not better to retire into such a heart where notwithstanding infirmities and some doubts and fears there is order and concord and harmony and such Peace as the world can neither give nor take away O blessed be the hand of Love that blotted out the names of Honour and Riches and Pleasures and carnal interest and accommodations from your heart and inscribed his own in Characters never to be obliterate That turned out Vsurpers and so prepared and furnished your heart as to make and judge it such as no one is worthy of it but himself O what a Court have you chosen for your abode How high and Glorious how pure and holy unchangeable and safe How ambitiously do you avoid ambition How great are you in the lowliness of your mind How high in your Humility Will no lower a place than Heaven content you to converse in For Heart-converse and Heaven-converse are as much one as beholding both the Glass and Face Will no lower correspondents satisfie you than the Host of Heaven Cannot the company of imperfect mortals serve your
â—â—sturbing enemy in adversity As fleshly â—inds misjudge of the law and service of â—od and cannot be subject because of the â—mity against him Rom. 8.7 so do they â—â—sjudge of his chastisements And so far 〈◊〉 they participate of this disease the best â—â—ll be repining and tempted to unworthy â—oughts of God Even innocent nature â—oth to suffer Christ himself saith If it be thy will let this cup pass from me Anâ— nature so far as it is corrupted is yet mucâ— more averse because the Flesh is more inâ—ordinately desirous of its ease and passioâ— more turbulent when it is denyed and thâ— soul hath less apprehension and relish 〈◊〉 that Love of God which is the cause anâ— End and should sweeten all to a Reconâ—ciled well-composed mind and it is alsâ— less satisfied in the will of God and it is leâ—â— subject to it and patience is defective bâ—â—cause of the weakness of the Graces thâ— should support us Besides which also tenderness of spirit and overmuch sensibâ—â—lity fears and trouble are ordinary effecâ— of the weak and tender nature of maâ— especially of the more weak and tendâ—â— sex And when all these concur tâ—â— averseness of the most innocent nature tâ—â— remnants of sin and the special tenderneâ—â— of your nature and sex your burdeâ— and tryal is much the greater and yoâ— grief must needs be much the moâ—â— But I beseech you remember that yoâ— have not to do with an Enemy but a Fâ—â—ther that knoweth what he doth aâ—â— meaneth you no hurt but that which is tâ—â— fittest means to your good and to yoâ— scaping greater hurt that loveth you 〈◊〉 less in the greatest of your pain and danger than in the greatest of your prosperity and peace that you have a Head in Heaven that was partaker with us of flesh and blood that he might deliver us from our bondage which we are in through the fear of death who was made perfect by suffering and is not ashamed to call us Breâ—hren being in all things made like unto us that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God â—o make reconciliation for our sins who â—n that he himself hath suffered being tempted is able to succour them that are â—empted Heb. 2.10 11 14 15 17 18. We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted or tryed â—s we are but without sin He that himself in the days of his flesh did offer up prayers and supplications with strong cryâ—ng and tears to him that was able to save him from death Heb. 5.7 will not be angry if his servants complain and cry â—o him in their suffering He that cryed â—ut My God My God why hast thou forâ—aken me will pitty his poor distressed â—embers and not forsake them when they â—hink themselves forsaken And if they go beyond their bounds in their complainings he will not therefore disregard their moans But he that honoured the patience of Job though he so passionately curseâ— the day of his birth will love the faith anâ— patience of his people notwithstanding the mixtures of unbelief and impatience He is ready with his gracious excuse Matth. 26.41 The spirit is willing buâ— the flesh is weak And he considereth that our strength and flesh is not of stone or brass Job 6.12 He will therefore revive the spirit of the contrite and wiâ—â— not contend for ever nor be alwaies wroth lest the spirit should faile before him and the souls which he hath made Isai 57.15 16. And though no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous yet the end is that he may make uâ— partakers of his Holiness and afterwarâ— it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.10 11. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which God hath promised to them that love him Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law that thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity unâ—ill the pit be digged for the wicked For the â—ord will not Cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance Psal 94.12 13 14. Madam if nothing in all the world be more certain that that there is a God who â—s true and just and delighteth in his people when they are lowest in the world If noâ—hing be more sure than that there is a Heaven for persevering penitent believers â—hen are our Arguments for the comfort of Gods afflicted ones no fancies but â—etcht as from the highest excellencies so â—rom the surest realities that ever were presented to the understanding of a man And though the best of Saints have been â—ut to wrestle with the temptations that â—rise from the adversity of Believers and â—he prosperity of the wicked yet this is still â—he result of all their perplexing thoughts Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Though sometime their feet are almost gone and their paths do well nigh slip and they are ready to say We have cleansed our hearts in vain and washed our hands in innocency for all the day are we plagued and chastened every morning yet they soon learn in the sanctuary of God that the wicked are set in slippery places and cast down into destruction and brought to desolation as in a moment and utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awaketh so the Lord when he awaketh will despise their image Psal 73. But marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the End of that man is peace Psal 37.37 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil But though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him Eccles 8.11 12. If not here yet certainly at last all shall say Verily there is a Reward for the righteous Psal 58.11 Rest therefore in the Lord and wait patiently for him Commit your way to him Trust in him and he shall bring it to pass For the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Psal 9.18 How happy are you that God doth thus save you from the temptations of prosperity which you see befool and undo so many before your eyes and that you are not left in the number of â—hose that are men of the world which â—ave their portion in this life Psal 17.14 â—nd are given up to their own hearts lusts â—o walk in their own counsels Psal 81.12 â—nd must hear at last Remember that thou â—n thy life time receivedst thy good things â—ut that here you have your evils and â—hall be comforted when the now-prospeâ—ous wicked are tormented Luke 16.25
mens and of those that are suitable to their dispositions interests or examples and those that are against them They seem to judge of the actions by the persons and not of the persons by the actions Though he be himself a sensualist a worldling drowned in Ambition and Pride whose heart is turned away from God and utterly strange to the mysterie of Regeneration and a heavenly life yet all this is scarce discerned by him and is little troublesome and less odious then the failings of another whose heart and life is devoted unto God The different opinions or modes and circumstances of worship in another that truly feareth God is matter of their severer censures and reproach then their own omissions and aversness and enmity to holiness and the dominion of their deadly sins It seems to them more intolerable for another to pray without a Book then for themselves to pray without any serious belief or love or holy desire without any feeling of their sins or misery or wants that is to pray with the lips without a heart to pray to God without God even without the knowledge or love of God and to pray without prayers It seemed to the Hypocritical Pharisees a greater crime in Christ and his Disciples to violate their Traditions in not washing before they eat to break the Ceremonious rest of their Sabbath by healing the diseased or plucking ears of corn then in themselves to hate and persecute the true believers and worshippers of God and to kill the Lord of life himself They censured the Samaritans for not worshipping at Jerusalem but censured not themselves for not worshipping God that is a Spirit in Spirit and in Truth Which makes me remember the course of their successors the Ceremonious Papists that condemn others for Hereticks and fry them in the flames for not believing that Bread is no Bread and Wine is no Wine and that Bread is to be adored as God and that the souls of dead men know the hearts of all that pray to them in the world at once and that the Pope is the Vice-Christ and Soveraign of all the Christians in the world and for reading the Scriptures and praying in a known tongue when they forbid it and for not observing a world of Ceremonies when all this enmity to Reason Piety Charity Humanity all their Religious Tyranny Hypocrisie and Cruelty do seem but holy zeal and laudable in themselves To lie dissemble forswear depose and murder Princes is a smaller matter to them when the Pope dispenseth with it and when it tends to the advantage of their faction which they call the Church then to eat flesh on Friday or in Lent to neglect the Mass or Images or Crossing c. And it makes me remember Bishop Halls Description of An Hypocrite He turneth all gnats into Camells and cares not to undo the world for a circumstance Flesh on Friday is more abominable to him then his neighbours bed He abhors more not to uncover at the name of Jesus then to swear by name of God c. It seems that Prelats were guilty of this in Bernards dayes who saith Praelati nostri calicem linquunt Camelum deglutiunt dum majora permittentes minora discutiunt Optimi rerum aestimatores qui magnum in minimis parvam aut nullam in maximis adhibent diligentiam i. e. Our Prelats strain at a gnat and swallow a Camel while permitting greater matters they discuss or sift the less Excellent estimators of things indeed that in the smallest matters imploy great diligence but in the greatest little or none at all And the cause of all this partiality is that Men are unacquainted with themselves They love and cherish the same corruptions in themselves which they should hate and reprehend in others And saith Hierom Quomodo potest praeses Ecclesiae auferre malum de medio ejus qui in delictum simile corruerit aut qua libertate corripere peccantem potest cum tacitus ipse sibi respondeat eadem se admisisse quae corripit i. e. How can a Prelat of the Church reform the evil that is in it that rusheth into the like offence Or with what freedom can he rebuke a sinner when his conscience secretly tells him that he hath himself committed the same faults which he reproveth Would men but first be acquainted with themselves and pass an impartial judgement on the affections and actions that are nearest them and that most concern them they would be more competent and more compassionate Judges of their brethren that are now so hardly used by them It s excellent advice that Austin gives us Quum aliquem reprehendere nos necessitas coegerit cogitemus utrum tale sit vitium quod nunquam habuimus tunc cogitemus nos homines esse habere potuisse vel quod tale habuimus jam non habemus tunc memoria tangat communis fragilitatis ut illam correctionem non odium sed misericordia praecedat Sin autem invenerimus nos in eodem vitio esse non objurgemus sed ingemiscamus ad aequaliter deponendum invitemus i. e. When necessity constraineth us to reprove any one let us think whether it be such a vice as we never had our selves and then let us think that we are men and might have had it Or if we once had such but have not now then let the remembrance of common frailty touch us that compassion and not hatred may lead the way to our reproof But if we find that we have the same vice our selves let us not chide but groan and move or desire that we may both equally lay it by 5. It shews how little men know themselves when they must needs be the Rule to all other men as far as they are able to command it and that in the matters that mens salvation dependeth on and in the smallest tender disputable points and even in those things where themselves are most unfit to judge In every controverted point of doctrine though such as others have much better studied then themselves he that hath strength to suppress all those that differ from him must ordinarily be the umpire so is it even in the modes and circumstances of Worship Perhaps Christ may have the honour to be called the King of the Church and the Scripture have the honour to be called his Laws but indeed it is they â—hat would be the Lords themselves and 〈◊〉 is their Wills and Words that must be the â—aws and this under pretence of subâ—erving Christ and interpreting his Laws â—hen they have talkt the utmost for Counâ—ils Fathers Church Tradition it is â—hemselves that indeed must be all these â—or nothing but their own conceits and Wills must go for the sense of Decrees or Canons Fathers or Tradition Even they â—hat hate the power and serious practice of Religion would fain be the Rule of Reliâ—ion to all others And they that never â—new what it was to worship God in Spiâ—it and
Justification then now thou standest as afar off and darest scare look up to heaven but smitest on thy breast and saist Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Luke 18.11 12 13 14. Not that extortioners unjust adulterers or any that are ungodly are justified or can be saved while they are such Nor that a smiting on the breast with a Lord be mercifull to me a sinner will serve their turn while they continue in their wicked lives But when thou art brought to accuse and condemn thy self thou art prepared for his grace that must renew and justifie thee None sped better with Christ then the woman that confest her self a dog and begged but for the childrens crums And the Centurion that sent friends to Christ to mediate for him and as being unworthy to come himself and unworthy that Christ should enter under his roof For of the first Christ said O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Mat. 15.27 28. And of the second he saith with admiration I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Luke 7.6 7 8.9 Though thou art ready to deny the title of a child and to number thy self with the dogs yet go to him and beg his crums of mercy Though thou think that Christ will not come to such a one as thou and though thou beg prayers of others as thinking he will not hear thy own thou little thinkest how this self-abasement and self-denyal prepareth thee for his tenderest mercies and his esteem When thou art contrite as the dust that 's trodden underfeet and poor and tremblest at the Word then will he look at thee with compassion and respect Isa 66.2 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made Isa 57.15 When thou art using the self-condemning words of Paul Rom. 7.14 to 25. I am carnal sold under sin what I would that do I not and what I hate that do I. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing I find a law that when I would do good evil is present with me A Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin when thou criest out with him O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death thou art then fitter to look to thy Redeemer and use the following words I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. When thou didst exalt thy self thou wast obnoxious to the stormes of Justice which was engaged to bring thee low But now thou humblest thy self thou liest in the way of Mercy that is engaged to exalt thee Luke 14.11 18.14 Mercy looketh downard and can quickly â—pie a sinner in the dust but cannot leave him there nor deny him compassion and relief Art thou cast out as helpless wounded by thy sin and neglected by all others that pass by Thou art the fittest object for the skill and mercy of him that washeth sinners in his blood and tenderly bindeth up their wounds and undertakes the perfecting of the cure though yet thou must bear the Surgeons hand till his time of perfect cure be come Luke 10.33 34 35. Now thou perceivest the greatness of thy sin and misery thou art fit to study the greatness of his mercy with all Saints to strive to comprehend what is the breadth length depth height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.18 19. Now thou hast smitten upon the thigh and said What have I done Jerem. 31.19 8.6 thou art fitter to look unto him that was wounded and smitten for thy transgressions and to consider what he hath done and suffered how he hath born thy grief and carried thy sorrows and was bruised for thy iniquities the chastisment of our peace was laid upon him and we are healed by his stripes All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of 〈◊〉 all Isa 53.4 5 6 c. Art thou in doubt whether there be any forgiveness for thy sins and whether there be any place for Repentance Remember that Christ is exalted by Gods right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentnace unto Israel and forgivness of sins Act. 5.31 And that he himself hath spoken it that All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men except the Blasphemy against the Spirit Math. 12.32 And this Forgiveness of sins thou art bound to believe as an Article of thy Creed that it is purchased by Christ and freely offered in the Gospell Mercy did but wait all this while till thou wast brought to understand the want and worth of it that it might be thine When a Peter that denyeth Christ with oaths and cursing goeth out and weepeth he speedily finds mercy from him without that he but now denyed within When so bloody a persecuter as Paul findeth mercy upon his prostration and confession and when so great an offender as Manasseh is forgiven upon his penitence in bonds when all his witchcraft Idolatry and crueltyes are pardoned upon a repentance that might seeme to have been forced by a grievous scourge what sinner that perceives his sin and misery can question his entertainment if he come to Christ Come to him sinner with thy load and burden Come to him with all thy acknowledged unworthyness and try whether he will refuse thee He hath professed that 〈◊〉 that cometh to him he will in no wise 〈◊〉 out Joh. 6.37 He refused not his very murderers when they were pricked at the heart and enquired after a remedie Act. 2.37 And will he refuse thee Hath our Physicion poured out his blood to make a medicine for distracted sinners and now is he unwilling to work the cure Fusus est saâ—guis medici factum est medicamentâ—â— frenetici saith Augustine O siner 〈◊〉 thou art brought to know thy self know Christ also and the cure is done Let thy thoughts of the Remedie be deeper and larger and longer then all thy thoughts of thy Misery It is thy sin and shame if it be not 〈◊〉 Why wilt thou have twenty thoughts of sin and misery for one that thou hast of Christ and mercy when mercy is so large and great and wonderfull as to triumph over misery and Grace aboundeth much more where sin hath abounded Rom 5.20 Inspice vulnera pendentis sanguinem mâ—rientis pretium redimentes cicatrices reâ—â—â—gentis Caput habet inclinatum ad oscular dum cor apertum ad diligendum bracâ—id extensa ad
ready to discourse about matters of â—he heart and that they so much relish â—â—ch discourse and that they have so much 〈◊〉 say when you come to such a subject â—t is because they know themselves in some â—ood measure They have studied and â—re acquainted with the Heart And thereâ—ore can talk the more sensibly of what is â—ontained in a book which they have so â—ften read and are so conversant in â—alk with them about the matters â—f the world and perhaps you may â—ind them more simple and ignorant then many of their neighbours But when you â—alk about the Corruptions of the heart â—nd the secret workings of them the matâ—er and order and government of the thoughts and affections and passions 〈◊〉 wants and weaknesses of believers the nâ—â—ture and workings of inward temptationâ— the wayes of grace and of the exercise 〈◊〉 each grace the motions and operatioâ— of the spirit upon the heart the breathiâ—â— of Love and desire after God the aâ—â—dresses of the soul to Christ by faitâ— and dependance on him and receiviâ—â— from him about these secret matters 〈◊〉 the Heart he is usually more able in dâ—â—â—course then many learned men that are 〈◊〉 sanctified And hence it is that upright self-obsâ—â—â—ving souls are so full in prayer and 〈◊〉 to pour out their hearts so enlargedly â—â—â—fore the Lord in confessing their sins 〈◊〉 petitioning for grace and opening thâ— necessities and thanking God for spiritâ—â—â— mercies Some that are themselves acquaiâ—â—â—ed with themselves and the workings 〈◊〉 grace despise all this and say It is but 〈◊〉 ability to speak of the things which they 〈◊〉 most used to I doubt not but meer acâ—quired abilities and custom may advanâ—â— some hypocrites to pray in the languagâ— of experienced Christians And I doubt noâ— but natural impediments and want of use anâ— of right education may cause many to 〈◊〉 â—onvenient expressions that have true deâ—â—res But the question is from whence it â—â—mes to pass that so great a number of â—hose that are most carefull and diligent â—or their souls are so full in holy conference â—â—d prayer when very few others that exâ—â—ll them in learning and natural parts â—ave any such ability And doubtless the â—hief reason is that the care and study of â—hese Christians hath been most about their â—piritual estate And that which they set â—heir hearts upon they use their tongues â—pon Generally it cannot be imagined why they should use themselves to those â—tudies and exercises which procure those â—bilities but that they highlyest esteem â—nd most seriously regard the matters that concern their salvation which are the subâ—ect I doubt not but God bestoweth his gifts upon men in the use of means and that it is partly use that maketh men able and ready in these services of God But what reason can be given why one part of men use themselves to such imployments and another part are unable through disuse but that some do set their hearts upon it and make it their business to know themselves their sins and wants and seek relief when by the others all this is neglected Some hypocrites may be moved by lower ends both in this and in other duties of Religion but that 's no rule for our judgeing of the intentions of the generality or of any that are sincere As a man that hath lived in the East or West Indies is 〈◊〉 to discourse of the places and people which he hath seen and perhaps another by a Map or historie may say somewhat of the same subject though less distinctly and sensibly but others can say nothing of it so a man of holy experience in the mysteries of sanctification that is much conversant at home and acquainted with his own heart is able if other helps concur to speak what he feels to God and man and from his particular observation and experience to frame his prayers and spiritual conference and an hypocriâ—â— from Reading and common observation may do something affectedly that 's like it but careless self-neglecting worldlings are usually dumb about such matters and hear you as they do men of another Countrey that talk in a language which they do not understand or at least cannot make them any answer in But if any of you will needs think more basely and maliciously of the cause of holy prayer and conference in believers let us leave them for the present to the Justification of him that gave them the spirit of supplication which you reproach and let us only enquire what is the Reason that men that can discourse as hansomely as others about worldly matters have nothing to say beyond a few cold affected words which they have learnt by rote either to God or man about the matters of the soul the methods of the spirit the workings of a truly penitent heart or the elevations of faith and the pantings of desire after God Why are you dumb when you should speak this language and frequently and delightfully speak it Is it because your Reason is lower then those mens that do speak it whom you despise and that you are naturally near kin to ideots No you are wise enough to do evil You can talk of your trades your honours or employments your acquaintance and correspondencies all the day long You are more wordy about these little things then the Preachers themselves that you count most â—edious are about the greatest You are â—uch longer discoursing of your delusory â—oyes then the Lovers of God whose souls â—ong after him are in those Prayers which trouble you with their length Many a time have I been forced to hear your dreaming incoherent dotage how copious you are in words that signifie no greater matters then flesh pleasing or fancifull honourâ— and accomodations I had almost said theâ—â— chaff or straw or dirt One may heâ—â— you from morning to night from day to day discoursing in variety of company on various subjects with freedom and plausible ingenuity And when all is seâ— together it is but a hodge podge of earth and flesh and windy vanity a frothy puddle Aâ— the ridiculous Orator Magno Conatu hiatu nihil dicitis You strein and gapâ— an hour or a day together to say nothing set all the words of a day together and peruse them at night and see what they are worth There 's little higher then visible materials that I say not then the dunghil or your shadows then meat and drink and play and complement then houses or lands or domineering affections oâ— actions in many hours or days discourse I think of you sometime when I see how ingeniously and busily children do make up their babies of clouts and how seriously they talk about them and how every 〈◊〉 and clout is matter of employment and disâ—ourse and how highly they value them and â—ow many dayes they can unweariedly â—pend about them Pardon my compariâ—on If you repent not of your discourses â—nd imployments more then they and do not one day
Saviour and of Enmity to the Holy Spirit while you call him your sanctifyer If you did but know that your sins are unpardoned and your souls unjustified and that you are condemned already and shall certainly be damned if you die as you are could you live quietly in such a state Could you sleep and eat and drink quietly and follow your trades and let time run on without repenting and returing unto God if you knew that you are past hope if death surprize you in this condition For the Lords sake Sirs rouze up your selves a little and be serious in a business that concerneth you more then ten thousand natural lives and tell me or rather tell your selves If you did but know that while you sit here you are unrenewed and therefore under the curse of God and in the bondage of the Devil and are hasting towards perdition and are gone for ever if you be not sanctified and made new creatures before you die could you then put off this Sermon with a sleepy careless hearing and go home and talk of common matters and no more mind it as you have done by Sermons untill now Could you forbear going alone and there bethinking your selves O what a sinful dreadfull condition are we in What will become of us if we be not regenerate before we die Had we no Vnderstandings no Hearts no life or sense that we have lingered so long and lived so carelesly in such a state O where had we been now if we had died unregenerate How near have we been oft to Death how many sicknesses might have put an end to life and hope Had any of them cut off the slender thread that our lives have hanged on so long and had we died before this day we had been new in Hell without remedy Could any of you that knew this to be your case forbear to betake your selves to God and cry to him in the bitterness of your souls O Lord what Rebells what wretches have we been We have sinned against Heaven and before thee and are 〈◊〉 more worthy to be called thy children O how sin hath captivated our understandings and conquered our very sense and made us live like men that were dead as to the Love and service of God and the work of our salvation which we were created and redemned for O Lord have mercy upon these blinded senseless miserable souls Have mercy upon these despisers and abusers of thy mercy O save us or we perish Save us from our sins from Satan from thy curse and wrath Save us or we are undone and lost for ever Save us from the unquenchable fire from the worm that never dieth from the bottomless pit the outer darkness the horrid gulf of endless misery O let the bowels of thy compassion yearn over us O save us for thy Mercy sake Shut not out the cries of miserable sinners Regenerate renew and sanctifie our hearts O make us new creatures O plant thine Image on our souls and incline them towards thee that they may be wholly thine O make us such as thou commandest us to be Away with our sins and sinfull pleasures and sinfull company We have had too much too much of them already Let us now be thine associated with them that Love and fear thee imployed in the works of Holiness and obedience all our dayes Lord we are willing to let go our sins and to be thy servants or if we be not make us willing What say you Sirs if you knew that you were this hour in a state of condemnation could you forbear making haste with such confessions complaints and earnest supplications to God And could you forbear going presently to some faithfull Minister or godly friend and telling him your case and danger and begging his advice and prayers and asking him what a poor sinner must do to be recovered pardoned and saved that is so deep in sin and misery and hath despised Christ and grace so long Could you tell how to sleep quietly many nights more before you had earnestly sought out for help and made this change How could you choose but presently betake your selves to the company and converse and examples of the godly that are within your reach For when ever a man is truly changed his friendship and company is changed if he have opportunity And how could you choose but go and take your leave of your old companions and with tears and sorrow tell them how foolishly and sinfully you have done and what wrong you have done each others souls and intreat them to repent and do so no more or else you will renounce them and fly from their company as from a Pesthouse Can a man forbear thus to fly from Hell if he saw that he is as near it as a condemned Traytor to the Gallows He that will beg for bread if he be hungry and rather 〈◊〉 by shame then famish would beg for grace if he saw and felt how much he needeth it And seeing it is the way to feel it He that will seek for medicines when he is sick and would do almost any thing to escape a temporal death would he not seek out to Christ the remedy of his soul if he knew and felt that otherwise there is no recovery and would he not do much against eternal death Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will give for this life was a truth that the Devil knew and maketh use of in his temptations And will a man then be regardless of his soul that knows he hath an immortal soul and of life eternal that knows his danger of eternal death O Sirs it is not possible but the true knowledge of your state of sin and danger would do very much to save you from it For 〈…〉 a wilfull-chosen state All the Deviâ—◠〈◊〉 Hell cannot bring you to it and 〈◊〉 you in it against your will You 〈◊〉 willing of the sin though unwilling of 〈◊〉 punishment And if you truly knew 〈◊〉 â—unishment and your danger of it you â—â—uld be the more unwilling of the sin for God hath affixed punishment to sin for this end that they that else would love the Serpent may hate it for the sting Wâ—ll you not say He is a beast and not a man that will avoid no danger but what he seeth Foreseeing is to a man what seeing is to a beast If he see it before his eyes a beast will not easily be driven into a Cole-pit or a gulf he will draw back and strive if you go about to kill him And is he a man or some monster that wants a name that will go on to Hell when he seeth it as it were before him and that will continue in a state of sin when he knows he must be damned in Hell for ever if he so continue to the end Indeed sin is the deformity and monstrosity of the soul He is a monster of Blindness that seeth not the folly and peril of such a
damnation af Hell you may see in Mat. 23. Paul thought it his duty to tell Elymas Acts 13.10 that he was full of all subtilty and mischief the child of the devil and the enemy of all righteousness a perverter of the right wayes of the Lord. And Peter thought meet to tell Simon Magus that he had neither part nor lot in that matter that his heart was not right in the sight of God that he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Acts 8.21.23 The charge of Paul to Timothy is plain and urgent 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort And to Titus chap. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith Judge now whether Minsters must deal plainly or deceitfully with you and whether it be the searching healing truth that they must bring you or a smooth tale that hath no salt or savour in it And would you have us break these Laws of God for nothing but to deceive you and tell you a â—ie and make the ungodly believe that he is godly or to hide the truth that is necessary to your salvation Is the Knowledge of your selves so intolerable a thing to you Beloved Hearers either it is true that you are yet unsanctified or it is not If it be not it is none of our desire you should think so We do all that we can to cure the mistakes of troubled Christians that think themselves worse then indeed they are But if it be true tell me Why would you not know it I hope it is not because you would not be remembred of your wo and so tormented before the time I hope you think not that we delight to vex mens consciences with fear or to see men live in grief and trouble rather then in well grounded peace and joy And if indeed you are yet unregenerate that is not long of us that tell you of it but of your selves that wilfully continue it Do we make you ungodly by telling you of your ungodliness Is it we that hinder the forgiveness of your sins by letting you know that they are not forgiven O no! We strive for youâ— conversion to this end that your sins may 〈◊〉 forgiven you and you hinder the forgiâ—â—â—ness of them by refusing to be be convetteâ— When God forsaketh stubborn souls 〈◊〉 resisting his grace note how he expreâ—â—seth his severity against them Mark 4 1â— That seeing they may see and not perceiâ—â— and hearing they may hear and not underâ—stand lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them You see here that till they are converted mens sins are not forgiven them And thaâ— whoever procureth the forgiveness of theâ—â— sins must do it by procuring their Conversion And that the hindring of their Conversion is the hindering of their forgiveness And that blindness of mind is the great hinderance of conversion when men do noâ— perceive the very things which they see not knowing the reason and the sense and end of them but the out-side only Noâ— understand the things which they hear And therefore undoubtedly the Teacher that brings you a Light into your minds and first sheweth you your selves and your unconverted and your unpardoned state iâ— he that takes the way to your Conversion and forgiveness As the fore-cited Text sheweth you Acts 18.26 I send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light that they may first know themselves and then know God in Jesus Christ and from the power of Satan who ruled them as their Prince and captivated them as their Jaylor unto God whom they had forsaken as a Guide and Governour and were deprived of as their Protector Portion and felicity that they may receive forgiveness of sins which none receive but the converted and an inheritance among them that are sanctified for Glory is the inheritance of the Saints alone Col. 1.12 and all this through faith that is in me by believing in me and giving up themselves unto me that by my Satisfaction Merits Teaching Spirit Intercession and Judgement it may be accomplished Truly Sirs if we knew how to procure your conversion and forgiveness without making you know that you are uncoverted unpardoned we would do it not trouble you needlesly with so sad a discovery Let that man be accounted a butcher of souls not a Physicion for them that delighteth to torment them Let him be accounted unworthy to be a Preacher of the Gospel that envieth you your peace and comfort We would not have you think one jot worse of your condition then it is Know but the very truth what case you are in and we desire no more And so far are we by this from drivinâ— you to Desperation that it is your Desperation that we would prevent by it which can no other way be prevented When you are past Remedy Desperation cannot be avoided And this is necessary to your Remedy There is a conditional Despair and an Absolute Despair The former is necessary to prevent the latter and to bring you to a state of Hope A man that hath the toothache may perhaps despair of being eased without drawing the tooth or a man that hath a gangrened foot may despair of life unless it be cut off that so by the cure he may not be left to an Absolute despair of life So you must despair of being pardoned or saved without conversion that you may be converted and so have hope of your salvation and be saved from final absolute despair I hope you will not be offended with him that would perswade you to Despair of living unless you will eat and drink You have no more reason to be offended with him that would have you despair of being pardoned or saved without Christ or without his sanctifying Spirit HAving said so much of the Necessity of Ministers endeavouring to make â—nregenerate sinners know themselves I shall next try what I can do towards it with â—hose that hear me by proposing these few Questions to your consideration Quest 1. Do you think that you were â—ver unsanctified and in a state of wrath and condemnation or not If not then you are not the off-spring of Adam you are not then of humane race For the Scripture telleth you that We are conceived in sin Psal 51.5 And That by one man sin entred into the world and Death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and that by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation Rom 5.12.18 And that All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 John 1.8.10 And the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23
odious and dangerous as the corruption of your souls and that which displeaseth the most Holy God 2. You see an excellency in Holiness of Heart and Life as the Image of God the rectitude of man and that which fits him for eternal blessedness and maketh him amiable in the eyes of God 3. You unfeignedly desire to be rid of your sin how dear soever it hath been to you and to be perfectly sanctifyed by the Holy Spirit by his degrees in the use of the means which he hath appointed and you consent that the Holy Ghost as your sanctifier do purifie you and kindle the Love of God in you and bring it to perfection 4. In Baptism you profess to renounce the world the flesh and the Devil that is as they stand for your Hearts against the Will and Love of God and against the Happiness of the unseen world and against your Faith in Christ your Saviour and against the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost If therefore you are sincere in this part of your Covenant you do upon deliberation perceive all the pleasures profits and honours of this world to be so vain and worthless that you are Habitually resolved to prefer the Love and favour of God and your salvation before them and to be Ruled by Jesus Christ and his Spirit and word rather then by the desires of the flesh or the worlds allurements or the will of man or the suggestions of the devil and to forsake all rather then forsake the Father the Saviour the Sanctifier to whom you are devoted and the everlasting life which upon his promise you have taken for your Hope and Portion This is the sense of Baptism and all this in profession being Essential to your Baptism must be Essential to your Christianity Your Parents Profession of it was necessary to your infant title to the outward priviledges of the Church Your own personal profession is necessary to your continuance of those priviledges and your visible Christianity and communion with the adult And the Truth of what you profess is necessary to your reall Christianity before God and to your title to salvation And this is it that is to be now enquired after You cannot hope to be admitted into Heaven upon lower terms then the sincerity of that profession with entereth you into the Church While we tell you of no higher matters necessary to your salvation then the sincerity of that which is necessary to Baptism and Christianity I hope you will not say we deal too strictly with you Enquire now by a diligent tryal of your hearts whether you truly consent to all these articles of your Baptismal Vow or Covenant If you do you are Regenerate by the Spirit If you do not you have but the Sacrament of Regeneration which aggravateth your guilt as a violated profession and Covenant must needs do And I do not think that any man worthy to be discoursed with will have the face to tell you that any man at the use of Reason is by his Baptism or any thing else in a state of Justification and Salvation whose heart doth not sincerely consent to the Covenant of Baptism and whose Life expresseth not that consent Hence therefore you may perceive that it is a thing unquestionable that all these persons are yet unregenerate and in the bond of their iniquity 1. All those that have not unfeignedly devoted themselves to God as being not their own but his His by the title of Creation Psal 100.3 Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture And His by the title of Redemption for we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 7.23 And he that unfeignedly taketh God for his Owner and Absolute Lord will heartily give up himself unto him as Paul saith of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave up their own selves to the Lord and to us by the will of God And he that entirely giveth up himself to God doth with himself surrender all that he hath in desire and resolution As Christ with himself doth give us all things Rom. 8.32 and addeth other things to them that seek first his Kingdom and its Righteousness Matth. 6.33 so Christians with themselves do give up all they have to Christ And he that giveth up himself to God will live to God And he that taketh not himself to be his Own will take nothing for his Own but will study the interest of his Lord and think he is best disposed of when he honoureth him most and serveth him best 1 Cor. 6.19.20 Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods If any of you devote not your selves unfeignedly to God and make it not your first enquiry what God would have you be and do but live to your selves and yet think your selves in a state of Life you are mistaken and do not know your selves What abundance might easily see their miserable condition in this discovery Who say in effect our lips are our own Who is Lord over us Psal 12.4 and rather hate and oppose the interest of God and Holiness in the world then devote themselves to the promoting of it Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord ye foolish people and unwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established thee 2. All those are unregenerate and in a state of death that are not sincerely subjected to the Governing will of God but are Ruled by their carnal Interest and desires and the word of a man that can gratifie or hurt them can do more with them then the word of God To shew them the command of a man that they think can undo them if they disobey doth more prevail with them then to shew them the command of God that can condemn them unto endless misery They more fear men that can kill the body then God that can destroy both soul and body in Hell fire When the lust of the flesh and the will of man do bear more sway then the will of God its certain that such a soul is unregenerate Rom. 6.3 4 6. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin v. 16. Know ye not that to whom you yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 1 Pet. 4.4.1 2. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves
and built your hopes upon his promises and can with a cheerfull contempt let go the world for the accomplishment of your hopes remember yet that there is a secret root of unbelief remaining in you and that this odious sin is but imperfectly mortified in the best and that its more then possible that you may see the day when the tempter will assault you with questionings of the word of God and trouble you with the injections of blasphemous thoughts and doubts whether it be true or not and that you that have thought of God of Christ of Heaven of the Immortal state of souls with joy and satisfied confidence may be in the dark about them affrighted with ugly suggestions of the enemy and may think of them all with troublesome distracting doubts and be forced to cry with the Disciples Luke 17.5 Lord increase our faith And as he Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Yea worse then so some upright souls have been so amazed and distracted by the Tempter and their distempered hearts as to think they do not believe at all nor yet are able sincerely to say Lord help thou my unbelief When yet at that time their Fears and their abstaining from iniquity shew that they Believe the Threatnings and therefore indeed believe the word Now if we did but throughly know our selves when faith is in its exercise and strength and consider whither the secret seeds of remaining unbelief may bring us being fore-warned we should be fore-armed and should fortifie our faith the better and be provided against these sad assaults And if the malignant spirit be suffered to storm this fortress of the soul we should more manfully resist and we should not be overwelmed with horror as soon as any hideous and blasphemous temptations do assault us when Christ himself was not exempted from the most blasphemous temptation even the worshipping of the Devil instead of God though in him there was no sinfull disposition to entertain it Mat. 4.9.10 John 14.30 O watch and pray Christians in your most prosperous and comfortable state Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation For you little think what is yet within you and what advantage the deceiver hath and how much of your own to take his part and how low he may bring you both in point of Grace and Peace though he cannot damn you I am troubled that I must tell you of so sad a case that even the children of God may fall into lest by troubling you with the opening of your danger I should do any thing to bring you into it But because self-ignorance and not being before hand acquainted with it may do much more I have timely shewed you the danger with the remedy 5. Another instance of the darkness even of a Heart that in part is sanctified is in the successes of the temptations of Adversity When we want nothing we think we value not the world and we could bear the loss of all But when poverty or danger comes what trouble and unseemly whining is there as if it were by a worldling that is deprived of his Idol and all the portion that ever he must have And by the shamefull moan and stir that we make for what we want we shew more sinfull overvaluing of it and love to it then before we observed or would believe O how confidently and piously have I heard some inveigh against the Love of the world as if there had been no such thing in them who yet have been so basely dejected when they have been unexpectedly stript of their estates as if they had been quite undone How patiently do we think we could bear affliction till we feel it And how easily and piously can we exhort others unto patience when we have no sense of what they suffer But when our turn is come alas we seem to be other men Suffering is now another thing and Patience harder then we imagined And how inclinable are we to hearken to temptations to use sinfull means to come out of our sufferings Who would have thought that faithfull Abraham should have been so unbelieving as to equivocate in such a danger and expose the chastity of his wife to hazzard as we read in Gen. 12.12 13 19. And that he should fall into the same sin again on the same occasion Gen. 20. to Abimelech as before he had done with Pharaoh And that Isaac should after him fall into the same sin in the same place Gen. 26.7 The Life oâ— Faith doth set us so much above the fear of man and shew us the weakness and noâ—thingness of mortal worms and the faithâ—fulness and al-sufficiency of God that oâ— would think the frowns and threatnings 〈◊〉 a man should signifie nothing to us whâ—â— God stands by and giveth us such ampâ—â— promises and security for our confirmâ—â—tion and encouragement And yet whâ—â— base dejectedness and sinfull complianceâ— are many brought to through the fear 〈◊〉 man that before the hour of this tempâ—tation could talk as couragiously as any This was the case of Peter before mentioned and of many a one that hath woundeâ— conscience and wronged their profession by too cowardly a disposition which if it were fore-known we might do more for our confirmation and should betake our selves in time to Christ in the use of means for strength Few turn their backs on Christ or a good cause in time of tryal that are jealous of themselves before hand and afraid lest they should forsake him Few fall that are afraid of falling But the self-ignorant and self-confident are careless of their way and it is they that fall 6. Another instance that I may give you 〈◊〉 in the unexpected appearances of Pride 〈◊〉 those that yet are truly humble Huâ—ility speaks in their confessions aggravaâ—â—ng their sin and searching heart and life â—r matter of self-accusation They call â—hemselves Less then the least of all Gods â—â—ercies They are ready with the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.27 even to own the name â—f dogs and to confess themselves unworthy â—f the childrens crums and unworthy to â—read upon the common earth or to â—reath in the air or to live upon the patiâ—nce and provisions of God They will â—pend whole hours and dayes of humiliaâ—ion in confessing their sin and bewailâ—ng their weaknesses and want of grace â—nd lamenting their desert of misery They â—re oft cast down so much too low that they dare not own the title of Gods children nor any of his special grace but take themselves for meer unsanctified hardened sinners and all that can be said will not convince them that they have any saving interest in Christ nor hinder them from pouring out unjust accusations against themselves And all this is done by them in the uprightness of their hearts and not dissemblingly And yet would you think that with all this Humility there should be any pride and that the same person should lift up themselves and resist theâ— helps to further
but still have the comforts of the presence of my Lord how â—ittle shall I miss them how easily can I â—pare them Silver will be cast by if it â—e set in competition with Gold The company of common acquaintance may be acceptable till better and greater come and then they must give place Men that are taken up with the pleasing entertainment of Christ within them can scarce afford any more then a transient salutation or observance to those earthly things that are the felicity of the carnal mind and take up its desires endeavours and delight when the soul is tempted to turn from Christ to those deceiving vanities that promise him more content and pleasure the comfortable thoughts of the love of 〈◊〉 and his abode within us and our 〈◊〉 with him do sensibly scatter and 〈◊〉 such temptations The presence of 〈◊〉 the great Reconciler doth reconcile 〈◊〉 our selves and make us willing to be 〈◊〉 at home He that is out of love with 〈◊〉 company that he hath at home is 〈◊〉 drawn to go abroad But who can 〈◊〉 to be much abroad that knoweth of 〈◊〉 guest as Christ at home We shall say Peter Joh. 6.68 69. Lord to whom 〈◊〉 we goe thou hast the words of eternal 〈◊〉 and we believe and are sure thou ar◠〈◊〉 Christ the son of the living God Anâ— Matth. 7.4 when he saw him in a 〈◊〉 his Glory Master it is good for us to 〈◊〉 here And if the riches of the world 〈◊〉 offered to draw a soul from Christ that 〈◊〉 the knowledge of his special love and 〈◊〉 sence the tempter would have no 〈◊〉 entertainment then Simon Magus had 〈◊〉 Peter Act. 8.20 Their money perish 〈◊〉 them that think Christ and his graces 〈◊〉 no better then money 10. How easie and sweet would all 〈◊〉 service be to you if you were assured 〈◊〉 Christ abideth in you What delightful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might you have in prayer when you â—now that Christ himself speaks for you not 〈◊〉 if the Father himself were unwilling to â—o us good but that he will do it in the 〈◊〉 and for the sake and merits of his son â—hich is the meaning of Christ in those â—ords which seem to deny his intercession â—oh 16.26 At that day ye shall ask in â—â—y name and I say not unto you that I will â—ay the Father for you for the Father â—imself loveth you because ye have loved 〈◊〉 c. I appeal to your own hearts Christians whether you would not be much â—ore willing and ready to pray and wheâ—her prayer would not be a sweâ—ter employment to you if you were sure of Christs â—bode within you and intercession for you â—nd consequently that all your prayers are graciously accepted of the Lord you â—ould not then desire the vain society of â—mpty persons nor seek for recreation in â—heir insipid frothy insignificant discourse The opening of your heart to your heaâ—enly Father and pleading the merits of â—â—rson in your believing petitions for his â—aving benefits would be a more contenting â—ind of pleasure to you Now sweet would meditation be to you â—f you could still think on Christ and all the riches of his kingdom as your own coulâ— you look up to Heaven and say witâ— grounded confidence It is mine and thâ—â— I must abide and reign for ever could yoâ— think of the heavenly host as those that 〈◊〉 be your own companions and of their 〈◊〉 employment as that which must be your 〈◊〉 for ever it would make the ascent of yoâ—â— minds to be more frequent and meditatiâ—â— to be a more pleasant work were you 〈◊〉 assured of your special interest in God 〈◊〉 that all his attributes are by his Love anâ— Covenant engaged for your happiness expeâ—rience would make you say In the mulâ—â—â—tude of my thoughts within me thy comfoâ—â— do delight my soul Psal 44.19 I 〈◊〉 sing unto the Lord as long as I live I 〈◊〉 sing praise to my God while I have my being My Meditation of him shall be sweet 〈◊〉 will be glad in the Lord Psal 104.33 3â— Could you say with full assurance that 〈◊〉 are the children of the Promises and 〈◊〉 they are all your own how sweet would 〈◊〉 reading and meditation on the holy scriptâ—â—â— be to you How dearly would you 〈◊〉 the word What a treasure would yâ—â— judge it your delight would be then in 〈◊〉 Law of the Lord and you would meditaâ—â—â—â— in it day and night Psal 1.2 To find 〈◊〉 grounds of faith and hope and riches of consolation in every page and assuredly to say All this is mine would make you betâ—er understand why David did indite all the 119. Psalm in high commendations of the word of God and would make you join in his affectionate expressions Psal 119.97 98 99. O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser then mine enemies for it is ever with me Sermons also would be much sweeter to â—ou when you could confidently take â—ome the consolatory part and use our ministry as a help to your faith and hope and â—oy whereas your doubts and fears lest you are still unregenerate will turn all that you â—ear or read or meditate on into food and fuel for themselves to work upon and you will gather up all that tends to your disquietment and say It is your part and cast away all that rendeth to your consolation and say it belongeth not to you and the most comforting passages of the word will be turned into your discomfort and the promises will seem to you as none while you imagine that they are none of yours And the loss of your peace and comfort will not be the worst But this will increase your backwardness to duty 〈◊〉 when your delight in the worship of God 〈◊〉 gone your inclination to it will abate anâ— it will seem a burden to you and be as 〈◊〉 to the stomacks of the sick that with thâ— carefullest preparation and much 〈◊〉 can hardly be brought to get it down 〈◊〉 can bear but little and that which is suited 〈◊〉 their diseased appetites The same I may say of the Sacrament◠〈◊〉 the Lords supper How sweet will i◠〈◊〉 to you if you are assured that the 〈◊〉 Christ that is there represented as broâ—â—â— and bleeding for your sins doth dwell 〈◊〉 in you by his spirit What wellcome enâ—â—â—â—tainment would you expect and find if yâ—â— knew that you brought the feast and 〈◊〉 Master of the feast with you in your 〈◊〉 and had there entirely entertained 〈◊〉 with whom you expect communion in 〈◊〉 sacrament How boldly and comfortâ—â—â— would your hungry souls then feed 〈◊〉 him with what refreshing acts of 〈◊〉 would you there take the sealed 〈◊〉 and pardon of your sins whereas 〈◊〉 you come in fearâ— and doubting and 〈◊〉 take the body and blood of Christ in 〈◊〉 Representations with yoâ—â— hand and moâ—â—â— while you know not whether you 〈◊〉
they may be ready that death may b◠both safe and comfortable to them 〈◊〉 though a superstitious miserable fellow that knoweth no better things himself may talk to the sick of beads and relicts and o◠being on this side or that for this ceremony or the other and may think to conjure the unholy spirit out of him by some affected words of devotions uttered from a graceless senseless heart or to command him out by Papal authority as if they would charm his soul to heaven by saying ove◠some lifeless forms and using the Gospel 〈◊〉 a spell Yet Ministers indeed that know themselves what Faith and what Repentance is and what it is to be regenerate and to be prepared to die do know that they have other work to do The Gospe◠offereth men their Choice whether they will have Holiness or sin and be ruled by Christ or by their fleshly lusts and so whether they will have spiritual or carnal eternal or transitory Joys And our work is to perswade them to make that choice which will be their Happiness if we can prevail and which eternal Joy depends upon whether we come to them in sickness or in health this is our business with them A man that is ready to be drowned is not at leisure for a song or dance And a man that is ready to be damned methinks should not find himself at leisure to hear a man shew his wit and reading only if not his folly and malice against a life of Holiness Nor should you think that suitable to such mens case that doth not evidently tend to save them But alas how often have we heard such sermons as tend more to diversion than direction to fill their minds with other matters and find men something else to think on lest they should study themselves and know their misery And whereas there may be so much ingenuity in the sinner as to perceive that the discourse of idle tongues or the reading of a Romance is unsuitable to one in his condition and therefore will not by such toyes as these be called off from the consideration of his ways A preacher that seems to speak religiously by a sapeless dry impertinent discourse that 's called a sermon may more plausibly and easily divert him And has conscience will more quietly suffer him to be taken off the necessary care of his salvation by something that is like it and pretends to do the work as well then by the grosser avocations or the scorns of fools And he will more tamely be turned from Religion by something that is called Religion and which he hopes may serve the turn then by open wickedness or impious defiance of God and Reason But how oft do we hear applauded Sermons which force us in compassion to mens souls to think O what 〈◊〉 all this to the opening a sinners heart unto himself shewing him his unregenerate state What 's this to the conviction of a self-deluding soul that is passing unto Hell with the confident expectations of Heaven To the opening of mens eyes and turning them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God! what 's this to shew men their undone condition and the absolute necessity of Christ and of renewing grace what is in this to lead men up from earth to heaven and to acquaint them with the unseen world and to help them to the life of faith and love and to the mortifying and the pardon of their sins How little skil have many miserable preachers in the searching of the heart and helping men to know themselves whether Christ be in them or whether they be reprobates and how little care and diligence is used by them to call men to the tryal and help them in the examining and judging of themselves as if it were a work of no necessity They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace saith the Lord Jer. 6.14 And Ezek. 13.10 11 12. Because even because they have seduced my people saying Peace and there was no peace and one built up a wall and lo others dawbed 〈◊〉 with untempered morter say to them that dawb it with untempered morter that it shall fall there shall be an overflowing showre and ye O great hailstones shall fall and a stormy wind shall rend it Lo when the wall is faln shall it not be said unto you Where is the dawbing wherewith ye dawbed it It is a plain and terrible passage Prov. 24.24 He that saith to the wicked Thou art Righteous him shall the people curse natives shall abhor him Such injustice in a Judge or witnesses is odious that determine but in order to temporal rewards on punishments Lev 19.15 Prov. 18.5 28.21 But in a messenger that professeth to speak to men in the name of God and in the stead of Jesus Christ when the determination hath respect to the consciences of men and to their endless joy or torment how odious and horrid a crime must it be esteemed to perswade the wicked that he is Righteous or to speak that which tendeth to perswade him of it though not in open plain expressions what perfidious dealing is this against the Holy God! what an abuse of our Redeemer that his pretended messengers shall make him seem to judge clean contrary to his Holiness and to his Law and to the Judgement which indeed he passeth and will pass on all that live and die unsanctified What vile deceit and cruelty against the souls of men are such Preachers guilty of that would make them believe that all is well with them or that their state is safe or tolerable till they must find it otherwise to their woe when diseased souls have but a short and limited time allowed them for their cure that a man shall come to them as in the name of their Physition and tell them that they are pretty well and need not make so much ado about the business and thus keep them from their only help till it be too late what shame what punishment can be too great for such a wretch when the neglect and making light of Christ and his salvation is the common road to Hell Heb. 2.3 Matth. 22.5 and most men perish because they value not and use not the necessary means of their recovery for a man in the name of a minister of the Gospel to cheat them into such undervaluings and neglects as are like to prove their condemnation what is this but to play the Minister of Satan and to do his work in the name and garb of a minister of Christ It is damnable treachery against Christ and against the peoples souls to hide their misery when it is your office to reveal it and to let people deceive themselves in the matters of Salvation and not to labour diligently to undeceive them and to see them live upon presumption and ungrounded hopes and not to labour with faithful
doth shake so moveable and weak a thing and muddy and trouble a mind so easily disturbed and how hard it is again to quiet and compose a mind so troubled and bring a grieved soul to reason and make passion understand the truth and to cause a weake afflicted soul to judge clean contrary to what they feel all this considered no wonder if the peace and comfort of many Christians be yet but little and interrupted and uneven and if there be much crying in a family that hath so many little ones and much complaining where there are so many weak and poor and many a groane where there is so much pain To shew us the Sun at midnight and convince us of Love while we feel the rod and to give us the comfortable sense of grace while we have the uncomfortable sense of the greatness of our sin to give us the joyful hopes of glory in a troubled melancholy dejected State all this is a work that requireth the special helpe of the Almighty and exceeds the strength of feeble worms Let God give us never so full discoveries of his tenderest Love and our own sincerity as if a voice from Heaven had witnessed it unto us we are questioning all if once we seem to feel the contrary and are perplexed in the tumult of our thougths and passions and bewildred and lost in the errors of our own disturbed minds Though we have walkt with God we are questioning whether indeed we ever knew him as soon as he seemeth to hide his face Though we have felt another life and spirit possess and actuate us than heretofore and found that we love the things and persons which once we loved not and that we were quite falln out with that which was our former pleasure and that our souls broke off from their old delights and hopes and ways and resolvedly did engage themselves to God and unfeignedly delivered up themselves unto him yet all is forgotten or the convincing evidence of all forgotten if the lively influences of heaven be but once so far withdrawn as that our present state is clouded and afflicted and our former vigour and assurance is abated And thus unthankfully we deny God the praise and acknowledgement of his mercies longer than we are tasting them or they are still before us All that he hath done for us is as nothing and all the Love which he hath manifested to us is called hatred and all the witnesses that have put their hands to his Acts of Grace are questioned and his very seals denyed and his earnest misinterpreted as long as our darkened distempered souls are in a condition unfit for the apprehension of Mercy and usually when a diseased or afflicted body doth draw the mind into too great a participation of the affliction And thus as we are disposed our selves so we judge of our selves and of all our receivings and al Gods dealings with us A soul in a cheerful lively frame thinks well of all that God doth to him and hath thoughts of Hope and Peace and Joy as Health disposeth the body to alacrity and can make a man merry that hath little else Whereas a soul overwhelmed with cares and fears and griefs and muddyed with sinfull excessive thoughtfulness and habituated in a diseased sickly frame is afraid of every thing and turneth matter of comfort into sorrow and is in daily pain by its own imaginations like a man that hath a sore and is hurt with the thought that some body toucht it When we feel our selves well all goes well with us and we put a good interpretation upon all things And when we are out of order we complain of every thing and take pleasure in nothing and no one can content us and all is taken in the worser part As the Poet said Laeta fere laetus cecini cano tristia tristis You shall have a merry song from a merry heart and a sad ditty from a troubled grieved mind And thus while the discoveries both of sin and grace are at present overlookt or afterwards forgotten and almost all men judge of themselves by present feeling no wonder if few are well acquainted with themselves But as the Word and the works of God must be taken together if they be understood and not a sentence part or parcel taken separated from the rest which must make up the sense so also the workings of God upon your souls must be taken altogether and you must read them over from the first till now and set all together and not forget the letters the part that went before or else you will make no sense of that which followeth And I beseech all weak and troubled Christians to remember also that they are but children and Schollars in the school of Christ and therefore when they cannot set the several parts together let them not overvalue their unexperienced understandings but by the help of their skilful faithful Teachers do that which of themselves they cannot do Enquire what your former mercies signifie Open them to your guides and tell them how God hath dealt with you from the beginning and tell them how it is with you now and desire them to help you to perceive how one conduceth to the right understanding of the other And be not of froward but of tractable submissive minds and thus your self-acquaintance may be maintained at least to safety and to some degree of peace if not to the Joys which you desire which God reserveth for their proper season I Should have added more on this necessary subject but that I have said so much of it in other writings especially in the Saints Rest Part. 3. chap. 7. and in my Treatise of Self-denial and in the Right Method for Peace of Conscience I must confess I have written on thiâ— subject as I did of Self-denyal viz with expectation that all men shoulâ— confess the truth of what I say and yet so few be cured by it of theiâ— Self-ignorance as that still we must stand by and see the world distracted by it the Church divided the Love of Breâ—thren interrupted and the work of Saâ—tan carryed on by error violence and pride and the hearts of men so strangely stupified as to go on incorâ—rigibly in all this mischief while thâ— cause and cure are opened before them and all in vain while they confess the truth so that they wilâ— leave us nothing to do but exercise our compassion by lamenting the deliration of phrenetick men while we are unable to save the Church their brethren or their own souls from the dilaceratious and calamitous effects of their furious self-ignorance But Christ that hath sent us with the light which may be resisted and abused and in part blown out will speedily come with Light unresistible and will teach the proud the scornful the unmerciful the self-conceited the malicious and the violent so effectually to know themselves as that no more exhortations shall be necessary for the reception of his convictions nor will he or his servants any more beseech men to consider and know their sin and misery nor be beholden to them to believe and confess it See Jude v. 14.15 And is there no Remedy for a stupified inconsiderate soul Is there no prevention of so terrible a self-knowledge as the Light of Judgement and the fire of Hell will else procure Yes the remedy is certain easie and at hand even to know themselves till they are driven to study and seek and know the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Joh. 17.3 And yet is the Salvation of most as hopeless almost as if there were no remedie because no perswasion can prevail with them to use it Lord what hath thus lockt up the minds and hearts of sinners against thy truth and thee what hath made Reasonable man so unreasonable and a self-loving nature so mortally to hate it self O thou that openest and no man shutteth use the Key that openeth Hearts Come 〈◊〉 with thy Wisdome and thy Love anâ— all this blindness and obstinacy will be gone At least commit not the safety of thy flock to such as will not Know themselves But gather thy remnant and bring them to their folds and let them be fruitful and increase and set up shepheards over them which shall feed them and let them fear no more nor be dismayed nor be lacking Jer. 23.3 4. Ordain a place for them plant them and and let them dwell therein unmoved and let not the children of wickedness waste them any more 1 Chron. 17.9 As a shepheard seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among 〈◊〉 sheep that are scattered so seek out thy sheep and deliver them 〈◊〉 of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day Ezek. â—4 12 Save thy people and bless thine inheritance feed them also and lift them up for ever Psal 28.9 FINIS
truth with delight and love and â—uitableness of soul would needs be the Rule of Worship to all others even in â—he smallest Circumstances and Ceremonies And they would be the Governors of the Church or the Determiners of its mode of Government that never would be â—rought under the Government of Christ â—hemselves If it please them better to spend â—he Lords day in Plays or Sports or comâ—lement or idleness then in learning the will of God in his word or worshipping â—im and begging his mercy and salvation â—nd seriously preparing for an endless life they would have all others do the like If their full souls loathe the honey comb and they are aweary of being instructed above aâ— hour or twice a day they would have all others forced to their measure that they may seem as diligent as others when others are compelled to be as negligent as they Like a queasie-stomackt Lady that caâ— eat but one sllender meal a day and therefore would have all her servants and tenants eat no more or if they do accuseth them of excess If the Emperor of Constantinople make a Law that no subject shall be suffered in his dominions that will not be conformable to him in time and quality and measure for meats and drink and sleep and speech and exercise it would be an honourable misery and uniform calamity and ruine to his subjects Alas did men but know themselves thâ— weakness of their understandings the sinful byas that personal interest and carnal inclinations have set upon their wills they would be less arrogant and more compassionate and not think by making themselves as Gods to reduce the unavoidable diversities that will be found among mankind 〈◊〉 a Unity in Conformity to their minds and wills and that in the matters of God and of â—â—lvation where every mans conscience 〈◊〉 is wise and faithful will be tenacious of 〈◊〉 interest of God and of his Soul â—â—ch he cannot sacrifice to the will of any 〈◊〉 be so just as not to mistake and misreâ—â—t me in all this as if I pleaded for liâ—â—tinism or disorder or spoke against â—â—vernment Civil or Ecclesiastical when 〈◊〉 only private Ambition uncharitableâ—â—â—s and cruelty and Papall usurpations 〈◊〉 the Church and consciences of men 〈◊〉 I am speaking of which men I am 〈◊〉 will have other thoughts of when 〈◊〉 hath made them know themselves then 〈◊〉 have while passion hindreth them 〈◊〉 knowing what spirit they are of They 〈◊〉 then see that the weak in faith should â—â—ve been received and that Catholick â—â—ity is only to be founded in the Uniâ—â—rsal Head and End and Rule 6. The dreadfull change that 's made upon 〈◊〉 minds when misery or approaching death â—akes them doth shew how little they 〈◊〉 themselves before If they have â—â—ken the true estimate of themselves in â—â—eir prosperity how come they to be so â—â—ch changed in adversity Why do they â—â—gin then to cry out of their sins and of 〈◊〉 folly of their worldliness and sensuality and of the vanity of the honoâ—â— and pleasures of this life Why do thâ— then begin to wish with gripes of consâ—â—â—ence that they had better spent their prâ—â—cious time and minded more the matteâ— of eternity and taken the course as thâ—â— did whom they once derided as makâ— more ado then needs Why do they thâ— tremble under the apprehensions of thâ— unreadiness to die and to appear before 〈◊〉 dreadfull God when formerly such though did little trouble them Now there is 〈◊〉 such sense of their sin or danger upâ—â— their hearts Who is it now that ever heâ—â— such lamentations and self-accusations frâ—â— them as then its likely will be heard 〈◊〉 same man that then will wish with Balâ—â—am that he might die the death of the rigâ—â—teous and that his latter end might be as 〈◊〉 will now despise and grieve the righteoâ—â— The same man that then will passionate wish that he had spent his days in 〈◊〉 preparations for his change and lived 〈◊〉 strictly as the best about him is now 〈◊〉 much of another mind that he perceiâ—â— no need of all this diligence but thiâ—â— it is humorous or timerous superstition 〈◊〉 at least that he may do well enough 〈◊〉 out it The same man that will thâ—◠〈◊〉 Mercy Mercy O Mercy Lord to a â—â—â—arting soul that 's loaden with sin and â—â—mbleth under the fear of thy judgement 〈◊〉 now perhaps an enemy to serious earnest â—â—ayer and hates the families and persons â—â—at most use it or at least is prayerless 〈◊〉 cold and dull himself in his desires and 〈◊〉 shut up all with a few careless custoâ—â—ry words and feel no pinching necessity 〈◊〉 awaken him importunately to cry and â—â—ve with God Doth not all this shew 〈◊〉 men are befooled by prosperity and 〈◊〉 acquainted with themselves till danger or â—â—â—amity call them to the bar and force â—â—em better to know themselves Your mutability proveth your ignorance â—â—d mistakes If indeed your case be now 〈◊〉 good as your present confidence or seâ—â—rity do import lament it not in your â—â—versity fear it not when Death is calâ—â—â—g you to the bar of the impartial Judge 〈◊〉 not out then of your ungodliness and â—â—suality of your trifling hypocrisie â—â—ur sleight contemptuous thoughts of â—od and of your casting away your Hopes 〈◊〉 Heaven by wilfull negligence and deâ—â—es If you are sure that you are now in â—â—e right and diligent serious believers in â—â—e wrong then stand to it before the Lord set a good face on your cause if it be good Be not down in the mouth when it is triâ—â— God will do you no wong If your 〈◊〉 be good he will surely justifie you 〈◊〉 will not mar it Wish not to dye the deaâ—â— of the Righteous say not to them Gâ—â—â— us of your oyl for our lamps are gone ouâ— Mat. 25.8 If all their Care and Love 〈◊〉 Labour in seeking first the Kingdom of Gâ—â— and its Righteousness be a needless thing wish not for it in your extremity but 〈◊〉 it needless then If fervent prayer may bâ— spared now while prayer may be heard 〈◊〉 a few lifeless words that you have learnâ— by rote may serve the turn then call 〈◊〉 on God when answering is past seek him not when he will not be found Prov. 1â— 27 28. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirlwindâ— when distress and anguish come upon you Cry not Lord Lord open unto us wheâ— the door is shut Matth. 25.10 11. 〈◊〉 them not foolish then that slept bâ—â— them that watcht if Christ was mistaken and you are in the right Matth. 25.2 Prov. 1.22 O Sirs stand but at the bed-side of one of these ungodly careless men and heaâ— what he saith of his former life of his apâ—roaching change of a Holy or a carnal â—ourse whether a Heavenly or Worldly life 〈◊〉 better unless God have left him to that â—eplorate stupidity which an hours time will put an end to