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
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
then indeâ—â— they are You cannot call off their thoughâ— from continual self-condemning and 〈◊〉 on their own misdoings and unhappiness They have a God a Christ a heaven a treasure of precious promises to meditate on 〈◊〉 and they cannot hold their thoughts to these unless as they aggravate their sin and sorrows but live as if they had nothing to think on but themselves and were made to be their own tormentors day and night even when they should labour and when they should sleep they are busie in a fruitless vexation of themselves These poor afflicted souls have need to be called from the excessive study of themselves Another sort is those Christians that are wholly taken up in enquiring whether they have saving grace or not while they neglect that exercise of their grace in doing all the good they can to others and following on the way of faithfull duty which might do more to their assurance then solitary tryals The former sort by overdoing in this one â—art of their work disable themselves to â—ll the rest They tire and distract their â—inds and raise such fears as hinder their â—nderstandings and cast their thoughts â—nto such confusion that they quite lose â—he command of them and cannot gather â—hem up for any holy work Yea while â—hey study nothing but themselves they â—â—se even the knowledge of themselves â—hey gaze so long upon their faults and â—ants till they can see nothing else and â—now no apprehenosins but dark and sad â—nd wilfully unlearn the language of thanksâ—iving and praise and the burden of all â—heir thoughts and speeches is Miserable â—nd Vndone as if there were for them â—o mercy no help no hope but they were utâ—â—rly forsaken and cast off by God The other sort do so exceed in the measure of that self-love which in it self is â—ood that they neglect the study of the Love of God And are still thinking what â—hey are and have been when they should â—onsider what they must be They spend â—o much time in trying their foundation that â—hey can make but little progress in the â—uilding They are lik Musicians that will â—pend all the day in setting Instruments in â—â—â—ne Or like a Mower that spends most of his time in whetting They are all 〈◊〉 preparing their tools while they should 〈◊〉 working And putting on their 〈◊〉 and preparing their weapons when thâ—â— should be fighting And enquiring which 〈◊〉 the way while they should be travelliâ—â— They leave undone too much of their 〈◊〉 without doors while they confine themselâ—â—â— to that within And that within goes on 〈◊〉 worse because they neglect that withâ—â—â— doors which should further it When thâ—â— should instruct the ignorant exhort 〈◊〉 obstinate confirm the weak or coâ—â—fort the afflicted they are complaining 〈◊〉 their own ignorance obstinacy weakneâ—â— or affliction and help not others becâ—â—â—â— they feel such need of help themselves As if they were like beggars that had noâ—thing to give but must live by asking and receiving They understand not that its 〈◊〉 of the mysteries of godliness that teaching others doth inform themselves and the Light which they bring in for others will serve themselves to work by and that reproving others doth correct themselves and exhorting others doth prevail with themselves and perswading the obstinate wills of others doth tend to bend and resolve their 〈◊〉 that comforting others doth tend to 〈◊〉 and raise themselves Their own spirits may be a little revived by the very smell of the Cordials they prepare for others In this case Giving is both Begging and Receiving Doing good is not the least effectual kind of prayer And that we may be so imployed is not the smallest mercy Many a one hath thus grown rich by giving Many a one hath convinced himself by confuting his own objections from another And many a one hath raised and comforted himself by offering comfort to others that have the same infirmities and have banished their own â—â—cessive doubts and fears by frequent compassionate answering the same in others whose sincerity they have less suspected then their own None thrive more then they that grow in the Sun shine of Gods blessing And God blesseth those most that are most faithfull in his work And the work of Love is the work of God To do good is to be most like him And they that are most like him do best please him In subordination to Christ in whom we are accepted we must by his spirit be made thus acceptable in our selves We must be amiable if we will be loved And those that God loveth best and is most pleasâ—â— with are like to receive most pâ—enâ—â—ously from his Love It is necessary therefore to our own safety and holiness and consolation that we look much abroad at the necessities of others and study our brethren and the Church of God as well as our selves That we look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Phil. 2.4 There may be somewhat of inordinate selfishness even about our souls And sinfull selfishness is alwayes a losing course As he that will be a self-saver in point of estate or honour or life taketh the ready way to lose them Mat. 16.15 so he that for the saving of his soul will confine all his care and charity to his own soul taketh not the way indeed to save it We keep not our selves We quicken not We comfort not We save not our selves but only as agents under Christ manuring the land and sowing the seed to which he alone can give the blessing It is not therefore our inordinate self-studying that will do it With all our care without his blessing we cannot add one cubit to the stature of our graces Therefore it must needs be our safest course to be as carefull and faithfull as we can in duty and lay out most of our study to please him and then if we come not to assurance of his love or discern not his image and grace upon us yeâ— we must trust him with our souls and leave the rest to his Care and Goodness that hath undertaken that none shall be losers by him nor be ashamed or frustrate of their hopes that wait upon him and obey him Let us commit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing as unto a faithfull Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their Masters so our eyes in a way of duty must wait upon the Lord our God till he have mercy upon us Psal 123.1 2. And though we grow weary of crying and our throat be dryed and our eyes fail while we wait for God Psal 69.3 yet our hope is only in him and therefore we must continue to wait upon him Psal 39.7 And they that wait for him shall not be ashamed Isa 49.23 It is not the pretended necessity of one work that will excuse him that hath many as necessary to do Especially when they are conjunct