A MANUALL OF Practical Divinity For the Benefit of weak CHRISTIANS the informing their Judgements the quickning their Affections and directing their Conversation WITH Several Things that may be of use for the Convincing and Awakening those that are yet in their natural Estate By MARTIN FYNCH Pastor of the Church of Christ at Tetney in Lincoln-shire LONDON Printed by R. W. for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles near the West end of Pauls 1658. To the READER I Published some years since a little Treatise called Milk for Babes in Christ which foundsome acceptance with some new born Babes in Christ especially in the West Countrey and those parts as I am informed have taken off a great part of two Editions of that Book and some there to whom I am a stranger do desire I should publish someting further for whose sake with others I have written these few sheets wherein there is some more Milk for Babes in Christ and a little stronger Meat for those that are more grown Christians but I can pretend to little of that might I but feed any of Christs Lambs it were much for such a poor Creature as I am What you have here is especially for weak Christians whom sometimes weak gifts may edifie God doth not all by men of great parts but useth also the weak things of the world that no flesh might glory in his presence It s God that makes our gifts to be accepted of the Saints and usefull to them yea God makes the weak gifts of his servants sometimes very acceptable and refreshing to his people what is wanting in our writings he can supply by the presence and supply of his own Spirit in the reading of them The wind bloweth where it listeth so doth Gods Spirit breath in whose books as well as preaching he pleaseth and more or less as it pleaseth him without which all our writings prove to others jejune and dry One writes and another one preacheth and another thou knowest not which shall prosper the ones labors or the others or whether both shall be alike good for all our works are in the hand of the Lord. The Assistance of Gods Spirit in writing or preaching the spiritual Affections God giveth the sincerity simplicity and humility of a mans own heart and some faith that God giveth of his blessing satisfie a mans own heart much in such undertaking Nothing becomes those that the Lord makes any use of in these things more then an unfeigned humility of heart having no confidence in themselves and performances and a true dependance upon the Lord in all they do Those that cannot add one cubit to their own stature by all the Light and gifts they have without the gracious Influences and workings of the Spirit upon their hearts what can their Light and Gifts help others communicated by preaching or writing without the concurrence of the same Spirit What then are we or any of our Labors that we should not say We and they are nothing And if God will accompany any of them with his blessing it s his free Grace How easily can God blast all those Sermons and Books that are preached and printed in the pride of a mans own heart How often hath the Lord said in such cases there is so much self there I will not be there and so the performance is lost We know Gods Spirit hath not so wrought in the preaching of the word for conversion of souls as it hath done formerly It may be reading of good books is not so blessed to mens souls neither as it hath been few are converted yet more preaching through Mercy amongst us then ever none will complain of too much preaching though they do of too much printing But what is the reason that so few are converted Is not there excellent gifts for preaching possibly excelling in some respect the gifts and clearness of the light of former Ages but yet there must be the Arm of the Lord revealed the mighty drawing of the Father without which men cannot come to Christ And it may be that before the Lord accompany the preaching of the word with much success the Lords Servants shall not only in a doctrinal way know that its God that giveth the Increase but their hearts shall be so possest with the consideration of it that they shall lie more low before the Lord in their work and cry mightily for the pouring down of the Spirit But how many mistaking these things will slight outward means because its Gods Spirit that maketh all succesfull this temptation hath not only taken with many grosly ignorant persons who hearing of Gods eternal Election and of his distinguishing Grace throw up all outward means presently and in the sullenness of their spirits say There is no Hope but also many professors of Religion have withdrawn themselves from a constant and conscionable attendance upon the means of Grace Therefore this I have observed that it is expedient when ever we speak to persons of that necessary doctrine of the inward and efficacious workings of the Spirit to be that which makes all ordinances succesfull even then to give due cautions that according to the word this is no ground of neglecting any outward Ordinances and duties But who seeth not a formal spirit on the one hand and a wanton spirit on the other breaking in upon us The Lord put a stop to the spirit of error amongst us recover the dying withering languishing spirits of Professors send forth a reconciling Spirit among his people give more light into the Discipline of his house send forth more labourers into his harvest and bless them that are already at his work Tetney in Lincoln-shire 16. of Vulg. MARCH 1658. MARTIN FYNCH The CONTENTS THE wicked and miserable estate of man by nature chap. 1 How men deceive themselves and think that their estate is good chap. 2 Great Salvation in Christ for sinners ch 3 The freeness of the Salvation we have by Christ chap. 4 The Convictions and workings that are oftentimes upon men that are never converted chap. 5 The ways and temptations by which many souls miscarry under legal workings and a spirit of Bondage chap. 6 The saving work of Gods Spirit upon the heart chap. 7 The woful backsliding of many Professors and the way of their Recovery chap. 8 Of Assurance and Peace of Conscience chap. 9 The Ministry of Angels and their serviceableness to the Church chap. 10 The glorious times that shall be before the last day of Judgement chap. 11 The Influences of the Spirit chap. 12 The Covenant between God the Father and the Lord Jesus our Surety chap. 13 The Saints comfort against Death chap. 14 The Holiness of Believers chap. 15 The way of Believers joining in Church-fellowship chap. 16 The right use of the Law chap. 17 The true Humility that is in the Lords people chap. 18 General Directions chap. 19 How the Lord is pleased effectually to call some after they have been long in
I can be Answ The Lord knows how to make use of the poorest child or servant that he converts sometimes he converts a child or servant and so brings Religion into a Family his Love is not grounded upon our serviceableness we bring glory to Gods Grace by our coming to Christ and the poorer creatures we are the more glory redounds to the free Grace of God in saving us Besides The weakest Saint when he comes to Heaven shall be able to sing Praises and Halleluiahs to God as well as the most eminent and if God had only looked at serviceablness he had made choice of the fallen Angles before us who could have done more service then any of us God can make the poorest Creature an eminent Saint and though it may be you may not have such gifts and opportunities of service in an outward way yet you may do God much service in an inward way fearing him loving him trusting in him admiring of his Love And let those that are in Christ and justified freely by Grace watch against any thoughts that may arise in their hearts of any worthiness in themselves as if they had any form or comliness for which they should be desired but only that God hath been gracious because he would be gracious and this is certain that the more a man grows in Gospel-grace the more wonderfull will the Love of God in Christ be to him that the souls of Believers are oftentimes astonished at the free Grace of God to them and cry out in the warmth of their Spirits Never love like to this Love let all the Angels in Heaven wonder at it to eternity CHAP. V. The Convictions and Workings that are oftentimes upon men that are never converted MAny men that are never converted have mighty Convictions upon them that they see they have been very sinfull and are ready to despair as Judas did Mat. 27. they are so troubled in their Consciences sometimes men are convinced of the vanity of the world which they have set their hearts so much upon they will cry out with Severus the Emperour Omnia fui nihil mihi profuit I have had honour and riches and those things and never the better and they will sometimes say Now none but Christ O give me Christand I have enough this is in some worldly disappointments and discontents and in the trouble and confusion of their Spirits How mightily was Balaam inlightned and convinced Num. 23. and Num. 24. he was convinced of the blessed Estate of the Saints and desired in his way to die the death of the righteous There are many that are so inlightned that they get a great deal of knowledge and shall tell Christ at the last day Mat. 7. We have prophesied in thy name that they have preached Christ to others and yet are shut out for ever from the presence of the Lord. Indeed Those that are not savingly wrought upon and yet are much inlightned commonly they fall into great Errors and if they be in Church-fellowship they will usually go out from the Saints because they were not of them joined as Members in Christs mystical body 1 Joh. 2.19 This last age wherein Gifts and Knowledge are more common then heretofore afford many sad instances of this that many have had only common inlightning and because they never received the Truth and ways of God that they seemed to own in the Love and Power of them therefore God giveth them up to strong delusions and errors 2 Thess 2.10,11 And these in Gifts go beyond many of the true Members of Christ but they are kept when the Lord leaveth others with their parts and gifts to be deluded with error God knows how to make use of the parts and gifts of Hypocrites and those that have only common inlightnings that while they are in the Churches of the Saints God may make their parts and gifts of use to the Saints God makes use of their falling away to shew his people by whom they are kept and how excellent the Grace of Christ in the hearts is above parts and common inlightnings When this sort of Professors have been most flourishing and best in appearance and high in the thoughts of many for Religion some of eminent Grace and acquaintaince with the ways of God have seen the rottenness of their hearts and have said that they were but Hypocrites as their falling away did afterwards manifest And this sort of Professors have usually a mighty itch upon their Spirits after novelty of opinions that they rove from one opinion to another and are seldom setled in any thing but take up and lay down and if they have found an opinion wherein they stick they presently pass sentence upon all Professors be they never so eminent in Grace that agree not with them in that Thus many that have common inlightnings will for a time make profession of Religion and perhaps have high notions afterwards turn very Atheists neither pray nor hear nor discourse of heavenly things but grow as proud and covetous prophane as any other and so the Scripture speaks of them that they have Consciences seared with an hot Iron return with the dog to his vomit being but dogs yet in the sight of God and with the swine after all their outward washing and reformation to their wallowing in the mire O What deep convictions have many men and cry out of their sins and the people of God rejoyce and hope that these are the pangs of the new birth and yet these men either pacifie their Consciences many times with legal Reformation with their own righteousness and leaving those particular sins which have so galled their consciences without ever becoming new creatures or else time wears out their trouble and they grow more prophane and wicked then ever they were before and among other sins that they are given up to by the righteous hand of God they will fall to mighty opposition and rage against the Saints of God But were these men united to Christ by faith No in no wise as the Heaven is higher then the Earth so is the work of the Spirit upon a true Believers heart above all the convictions and inlightnings and profession and outward reformation of those that fall away Nebuchadnezzer had great convictions yet we do not know that ever he was converted however not before he was driven from men to the beasts of the field Dan. 4.31,32 yet before that he had great convictions First By Daniels interpreting of his dream Dan. 2.47 He told Daniel that his God was the God of Gods and the Lord of Kings yet presently he fell to Idolatry Dan. 3. and commanded all to worship the golden Image which he set up and was so impudent as if he had lost all his former conviction saying verse 15. to the three Children when they would not worship his Image What God is there that can deliver you out of my hand But this is observable that many
many times So that there is great need of the witness of the Spirit besides all our evidences to put the matter out of doubt that we are effectually called and so it is writen Rom. 8.15 The Spirit himself witnesses with our spirits that we are the sons of God He makes a heart-affecting discovery of the love of God in Christ to the soul Rom. 5.5 excites and stirs up Faith in the heart to act afresh upon the Lord Jesus works some joy in the soul from the apprehension of our Acceptance in Christ The Holy Ghost sometimes in assuring us of Gods love in Christ takes Promises in the Scriptures and sets them with power upon the heart as I am He that blotteth out thy Transgressions for my own Names sake and will remember thy sins no more Not that all words of Scripture that are cast into our minds are from the Spirit of the Lord but sometimes from Satan sometimes Promises come into our minds in an ordinary way as other things come to mind that we have read or heard but when any word of Scriptute is given in and applied in a way of comfort to our spirits from the Spirit of God 1. It will take some Impression though it may be that when the Spirit comes to comfort and witness he many times comes not with such irresistibility as when he comes to sanctifie yet some Impression it will have upon the heart if not to fill it with joy and Triumphing of spirit yet some way to support it and bear it up 2. If it come from the Spirit it will be suitable and seasonable to our condition as if a poor Saint be in affliction and the Holy Ghost should give in such a word as that in Heb. 12.9 He afflicts us for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness this is a seasonable word but many will say that such a Scripture was given in to them in such a condition when as the Scripture was nothing suitable to their condition but they mistook the meaning of the place 2. When the Spirit giveth in Scripture usually though not alwayes it is when the soul is in some strait some great strait and then he giveth them in some word upon which he causeth them to hope 4. Such words of Promise as the Spirit applies thus to a soul are very dear to the soul ever after yea it makes the whole Word of God more dear to them and such words do abide upon the memory very long 5. They raise up thankfulness in the heart 6. They do not cherish us in any way of sin if you thought you had any word from the Lord to put you upon any thing that the Word saith is sin then you were mistaken Somtimes the Spirit of God in comforting and witnessing to us doth not make use of any particular places and Promises but makes a general Discovery of the Gospel and New Covenant and applies that to the soul and shews him that he hath an Interest in the New Covenant that he is one of those whose Names are written in heaven and is sprinkled with the blood of Christ which cleanseth him from all sin This also I would here note that the Spirit of God doth speak peace to the consciences of many Believers that yet think they have no peace and question the truth of Grace in their hearts I say though it comes not so high as Ravishments of spirit yet the Holy Ghost in some more secret way hath quieted their hearts How comes it to pass else that those Believers notwithstanding all their doubtings yet do really and experimentally find that they can go to God as to a Father in prayer they are carried out to put all their cases to God and trust him with all their concernments and they find that the rancour of their spirits is taken off against the Lord these things declare plainly that in some secret way the Spirit of God hath quieted their hearts and given them some satisfaction concerning their sincerity and Truth of Grace though it hath not been so plain as to some other Saints that have had full assurance and abundance of joy in the Holy Ghost thereupon Let not the Saints be impatient and fret to do evil if the Spirit don't presently give them assurance neither let them think that they shall never have assurance because they have been long without it The Lord oftentimes lets things come to the worst before he sends help Peace and Assurance may be very near when thou thinkest that there is almost now no hope yea this is observable that when the Holy Spirit shall give assurance after much doubting that assurance oftentimes is more lasting then others that have had comfort sooner But God lets some even spend their dayes in sighing and their years with heaviness and even mourn out their eyes and hearts and find no rest and peace in Believing the Lord makes known to us by such examples the bitterness of sin the power of his Terrours the danger of backsliding and that he only can speak peace Let Christians beware of getting a habit of complaining and doubting as I have known some have got such a habit of complaining that upon all occasions and in all company they must be laying out their doubtings not but that Christians should make known their troubles and fears in suitable times one to another both that others seeing the straits that they are in may pray the more for them and might comfort them with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God but I say many have such a habit of complaining that I had almost said whether they have doubts and troubles upon their spirits or no they think it not well if they have not some complaint to make and think that their godly friends expect it alwayes from them Some not considering what Faith is viz. the souls being brought off from all other things to depend and relie upon the Lord Jesus for eternal life they bear false witness against themselves that they do not believe in Christ thinking that faith is nothing but some high Ravishments and almost perfection whereas ask such souls Hath the Lord convinced you of your miserable estate by nature both in respect of the damning and domineering power of sin and they can truly say yea the Lord hath convinced me of this Ask them further Hath the Lord shewn you that all your own Righteousness can never save you nothing but a crucified Christ can do it the soul can truly say yes the Lord hath powerfully convinced me of this ask the soul further Hath the Lord ever made you truly sensible that you could not believe in your own strength but Faith was the Lords free gift and the soul can truly say yes the Lord hath made me sensible of this and you ask further Did you ever find an Almighty power of Gods Spirit drawing your heart to Christ to take him for the Lord your Righteousness so that
not the spirit of Christ hath not Christ to present his Duties to God the Father and to take away the Iniquity of them and then what can he do acceptible to God It s the way of our hearts by nature that if we do any thing that is good for the matter of it we make use of it to keep us at a further distance from Christ and closing with him by faith that we trust to our Duties for Salvation and thus if we do any thing for God it is out of base ends as Jehu did either for applause to be accounted Religious and zealous for God or to stop the mouth of conscience or else we think to make our good works a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven by We are blind in spiritual things having our understandings darkned and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in us and blindness of our minds Eph. 4. that all the my steries of the Gospel are Riddles to us and till we plough with the Lords Heifer the Spirit of God we cannot understand those Riddles when the Lord came to convert Nicodemus how blind and ignorant did he find him Joh. 3. and when he came to convert the woman of Samaria how ignorant did he find her we may see John 4. It s a wonderful thing how in conversion God makes the ignorant to understand Doctrine how in a month or two God helps them to pray and discourse so knowingly and spiritually that before were perfect sots and almost as ignorant of God as the Beast that perishes And in the Description of our natural estate Tit. 3.3 we are said to be foolish we are like fools and mad men and indeed men will call themselves fools first or last either here if they are converted or in Hell What fools are we to prefer the world before Christ For this the Lord called the rich man fool Luke 12. and what fools are we that having but one precious Jewel our souls that we will fell it for every base lust we are more foolish then Esau was in selling his Birth-right for a mess of pottage And what fools are we to make no provision for Eternity The Ant is wiser that provideth her meat in the Summer but we take no care for the long winter of eternity And what fools are we to set our selves against the Saints of God who are as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye Christ tels Paul its hard for him to kick against the pricks Act. 9. He makes the persecuting of the Saints to be as foolisâ— and dangerous a thing as for a man to kick knock his shins against the pricks And what fools are we that though we will not neglect Fairs and Markets yet will neglect the means of Grace and opportunities of getting Christ And what fools are we that when Christ knocks at our doors will not let in such a blessed guest that brings the Spirit and a new Heart and a pardon and eternal life with him And what fools are we that will build our eternal condition upon the sands of our own Righteousness and not upon Jesus Christ If a man should build a house upon the sands we should say he is a fool indeed the next Tide will wash it away and the ground will sink and give way all this folly and a thousand times more is in our hearts by nature but we see it not There is a strange forwardness and earnestness in us naturally to sin and a lothness to leave sin insomuch that men will be in a rage against those that would stop them in their sinful courses and though God send many afflictions as upon Pharaoh yet men turn not to the Lord indeed when men can scarce turn them in their beds they will say they will leave their wicked courses but when the affliction is over they will be as bad as ever men are so loth to part with their sins naturally that they will undo their souls unto all eternity rather then part with their lusts as Nero's mother enquiring whether her son should be Emperour she was told that he should be Emperour but then he should kill her she out of the pride and ambition of her spirit said Let him kill me so he be but Emperour so the Word of the Lord tels us that if we go on in our sins and are not converted our souls will be damned to all eternity and men say in their hearts Let me be damned so I may enjoy my base lusts O what wickedness is in the heart Men will not fall out with themselves and sins until they come to hell except they be converted but in hell men will fall out with their sins and say O thou cursed pride O cursed drunkenness O cursed uncleanness O cursed unbelief that hath undon our souls for ever And if the Lord never convert us but leave us in a state of Nature to die out of Christ how infinitely miserable shall we be for ever The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.14 Rom. 1.18 Eph. 5.6 The wrath of God like a huge Mountain will lie upon a sinners back in hell to crush him to pieces you will alwayes see God frowning upon you O think of this if thou beest not brought out of the state of Nature and ingraffed into Christ thou wilt be separated for ever from the Lord you shall never enjoy communion with him a glimpse of whose Reconciled face in Christ is worth ten thousand Worlds you will never taste one drop of those Rivers of Gods pleasures for ever of which the Saints shall have their fill O that will be a dreadful word Depart from me ye cursed Depart from me whose Loving kindness is better then Life Depart from me a day in whose Courts is better then a thousand elswhere go among the Devils who like roaring Lions seek to devour you When once men come to Hell there will be no means of Grace for ever Eccles 9.10 No work nor device nor knowledge in the grave No more dealings of Gods Spirit with men no inward nor outward comfort nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth which shews extremity of torment in Hell The Saints indeed when they die their places and Relations know them no more nor they them but then they know a better place Heaven and enjoy better Relations but a natural man leaveth all his outward comforts and goes into infinite torments O thou that are in thy natural condition give ear to this and flee from the wrath to come it may be now thou knowest not how to spend a day without some pastime or other O how wilt thou spend eternity in Hell where thou shalt never have a drop of water to cool thy tongue O consider what heart-distracting heart tormenting thoughts you will have in Hell if the Lord never convert you here how sadly will you remember what great sins you committed and with what hardness of heart how will it torment you
to think how many checks of conscience and motions of the Spirit you put by what terrour will it be to you to think what holy Saints you opposed and jeared what precious means of Grace you slighted and what pains you took for the world and how careless you were for your poor souls O think it no smal matter to die in thy natural estate and be damned if once thou come to hell there will be no ease nor end of thy misery for ever If God should but say to the damned in hell that after a hundred thousand years they should come out of their torments it would be some lightning to their hearts but there will be no end the worm dies not and the fire goes not out Christ goes over with those words three times almost together Mark 9.44,46,48 because he would have men in their natural condition take special notice of it that if they die out of him they will be miserable for ever miserable indeed to be alwayes dying alwaies burning alwaies weeping alwaies suffering the torments of Hell O therefore consider the state that thou art in before it be too late there is corruption and sin enough in one mans heart to undo all the men in the world if it were divided to them O then how easily will it undo one soul Know then if we be not justified freely by Gods Grace in Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of the Lord we must unavoidably perish for ever Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7,8 The time of Gods patience the time of Grace is but a short time therefore called a day To day if you will hear his voice It s but a day in comparison of Eternity nay in comparison of Eternity a mans daies upon earth are but as a moment or the twinkling of an Eye and the time of Grace is but a short time but a day in comparison of the greatness of the work that is to be done the making of our calling and Election sure It s but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our enjoying the means of Grace and it s but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our lives for in a moment we go down to the grave and all our thoughts perish To day therefore hear his voice come in to Christ do not say to morrow is soon enough do not put off the offers of Grace for now is the accepted time this is the day of Salvation CHAP. II. How natural men deceive themselves and think that their Estate is good IT S a great mercy for a man that is not in a state of Grace to know that he is yet without Christ but men flatter themselves that they are Christians and Saints when there is no cause in the world for it Men deceive themselves in their spiritual estate sometimes by not examining their condition many men never take thought whether they have Christ or no and if men do examin their spiritual Estate usually it is by false signs as outward performance of Duties or outward abstinence from many gross sins It s a sad thing when we have nothing to evidence a good estate but outward thing no work upon our hearts but only we have performed many Duties and sat under Ordinances so did they Isa 58. the beginning And many deceive themselves in their spiritual Estate by shunning a heart-searching Ministry they call for a Minister that may prophecy to them smooth things there is many mens Ministry that never touches upon the heart hath little tendency that way And men have a way to excuse sin and so think they are in a good estate though they live in all manner of sin as Adam laid the fault upon Eve and Eve shifted it off to the Devil Men that never pray in their Families never read the word in their Families lay the fault upon business Another way whereby we often deceive our selves in our spiritual estates is by looking upon the failings that the Saints have and so flatter our selves that our condition is the same with theirs thus men will say David did so and so and Peter did deny Christ Yea But David and Peter believed in Christ and mourned heartily for their sins A Saint hates all sin do you do so Again By Nature we are ignorant of the true nature of every Grace and therefore are easily deceived in our estate we do not know the true nature of saving faith we think it lies only in knowing that Christ dyed for sin we are ignorant of the nature of Repentance how the Love of God in Christ doth break the heart and we think if we give to the poor then we have Charity whereas in the Scriptures account a man may give all his goods to the poor and yet want true Charity 1 Cor. 13. And then men are loth to examin themselves to purpose whether they be in the faith or no for fear they should despair if they come to see their estate is not good though alas very few despair and its one thing for a man to be convinced of his estate being bad and another thing to despair for though he be not converted yet he may be converted afterwards Likewise the quietness and stilness of many mens consciences makes them think that they are in a good estate when as that may be a great Judgement upon them it s one thing to have true Peace of Conscience and another thing to have a seared Conscience There are certain plain signs that a man is not in a state of Grace which are evident in many and in such great Characters that he that runneth may read them as if men jear at the Spirit of God and jearat men for having the Spirit of God that they will say This is a man of the Spirit Dost thou think that thou art a Saint All Saints have the Spirit of Christ in them and they are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 and they prize the Spirit highly And if men be wholly ignorant of the way of Justification by the blood of Christ and declare plainly that they seek life by their own obedience and Righteousness it is evident that they are not in a good estate for all Believers desire to be found in Christ having on them the Righteousness which is of God by Faith and how many by this may be convinced that they are not in a good estate Or if men live in all manner of sin allow themselves in drunkenness swearing and the like These transgressions of the wicked say within my heart saith David That the fear of God is not before their eyes Psal 36.1 Let men say what they will if that they commit iniquity with greediness it is evident that they know not Christ in a saving manner For he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.4 Indeed Hypocrites may
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierced through as we are The darts of temptation were thrown at Christ as well as they are at us 4 Christ was thus tempted that the Saints might know that great Temptations might consist with great love yea the greatest Temptations with the greatest love For what greater Temptations then Christ had in the fourth of Matthew But many poor Saints are fit to think that if God loved them and they had Truth of Grace they should not have such Temptations whereas Christ him self who was so infinitely beloved of the Father and had so much Grace and was so full of the Spirit had all manner of temptations and truly Satan as he made the world his last temptation to Christ Mat. 4. offering him the Glory of the World to see whether Christ would be allured with that even so doth he deal oftentimes with the Saints that after he hath tempted them much in their first conversion with blasphemous thoughts scruples about every thing almost and with infinite more temptations his last temptation when they grow old shall be to draw them to the love of the World to grow covetous and earthly in the old age of their profession to see if he can slily draw their hearts from God and take them off their zeal and life in religion by minding of earthly things the Lord Jesus who himself overcame this Temptation and who prayed for his members Joh. 17. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world yea and Gal. 1.4 gave himself for us to deliver us from this present evil world He breaks this snare of this cunning Fowler Satan that our foot be not taken Again the Lord Jesus suffered by reproaches and persecution from the world this also was requisite 1. That he might succour his people in such cases 2. That the Saints might not think much to suffer from the world when the Master of the House had done it 3. That the Saints might not think that they are Hypocrites and have not sincerity because that the world raileth on them and persecutes them for Christ he had no sin and yet the world would have dirt to cast in his face 4. That the Saints in all these sufferings which they endure might have an example of patience from Christ who when he was reviled reviled not again O Blessed are they that fall into this pittiful Samaritans hands the Lord Jesus a pittiful and merciful high Priest indeed Are they poor he knows how to succour and pitty them in that condition for he had not whereon to lay his head Do they lie under the apprehension of Gods wrath Christ knows how to succour them in that condition for he knows what a burden that is which made him cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Is a poor creature come to his dying hour Christ knows what the pangs of death are Thus the Lord Jesus hath not only infinite Love as God but as Mediatour and as one that hath shot the same gulphs of temptation that we are to pass through The carriage of Christ upon earth towards sinners is to be diligently studied by those who would see the heart of Christ towards sinners and what infinite riches of mercy God bestoweth upon us in him he converted many in his own person and of the poorest sort Fishermen and men of mean rank many of them and as few of them were mighty and Noble so few of them were of the Wise men after the flesh though Christ could as easily have made Herod the learned men of those times have followed him as Matthew and the rest That follow me that Christ spake to Matthew accompanied with that Almighty Power of the Spirit that it came to his heart withal would have made any of them have followed Christ O the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory that he would condescend to keep company constantly with a few Fishermen and other poor people in the dayes of his flesh when he could have called all the Princes of the earth to wait upon him the Lord of all he could have fetcht them from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear his Wisdom and to minister unto him and though Christ would use many harsh words to the Pharises because they trusted that they were righteous in themselves and despised others yet how sweet in his carriage to others even bringing Publicans and Harlots into the Kingdom of God! O his compassions to the very bodies of men healing their sick O the affectionate expressions of Christ to his Disciples a little before his death recorded in John and what affectionate Prayers he put up for them to the Father and for all that should believe on him through their word John 17. And behold what manner of affection he discovered after he was risen He appears first to Mary Magdalen that had been such a great sinner sends word to Peter that had denied him of his Resurrection and never mentions his fall O what manner of Mediatour hath God provided so full of merit so full of Grace to be communicated to sinners so full of compassions towards sinners Thus God hath laid in Sion a sure Foundation a tried Stone a precious corner Stone and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed Whatsoever evil and mischief sin brought upon us Christ freeth us from it that are in him Sin made God and us to be at odds Christ Reconciles us and makes God and a poor sinner friends never to fall out more He hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 Our sins made a horrible stench in the Nostrils of God Christs death was a sweet smelling savour to God Eph. 5.2 to take away that stench Sin brought the wrath of God upon us Christ delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Sin brought us into prison Christ maketh us free and we are free indeed John 8. Esay 61.1 Eph. 1.7 We have the Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins There is nothing but great things and wonders in what God hath done for sinners in Christ He raiseth a poor soul that believeth in Christ to a better estate then ever we had before we fell that our latter end after all our prodigality is better then our beginning for we are made immutably happy and Righteous by Christ we have union with the Lord Jesus the second person of the Trinity in an intimate Conjugal manner which Adam had not before the fall we stand upon free Promises an absolute Covenant there was no such Promise so free and absolute without Conditions before the fall as that after the fall Gen. 3. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head yea a Believer in Christ hath not only created gifts as the first Adam but the Influences of the Blessed Spirit and the strength of Christ by which a soul can do all things Phil. 4.13 that so he is fitted for
more sad but will grow as loose and prophane as ever they were but if that soul belong to God he will not let the soul sleep thus as if a man should sleep upon the top of a Mast but will awaken the soul and hunt it out of those wayes that it shall find there is no peace and rest out of Christ 6. But in these legal terrors and fears if true peace do not come from the Lord to settle and quiet the troubled and perplexed Conscience nor Satans Receipts put by these troubles Satan tempts these unto despair and many times to self-murder and many in this temptation have been wonderfully delivered by mercy yet O with what violence wil Satan put these thoughts upon poor souls yea and strangely answer the Objections that arise in the heart against it As one that was in great troubles when Satan tempted her to cut her throat there was this Objection presently in her heart O I have made profession of Religion and how will this open mens mouthes against the good wayes of God and say This will be the end of them all that are these forward professors Unto this Satan presently hinted this that she might put a little penknife down her throat and that would do it and would remain there and never be seen and so no dishonour would come to religion but now when the Temptation was strengthened behold sudden and unexpected comfort and Discoveries of Gods Love came that brought peace to her spirit and made the Devil go away with shame O a cunning Devil and O a gracious God that comes many times when there is but a step between the soul and destruction and makes it to live in his sight Many ways might be mentioned whereby God hath delivered poor creatures from murdering themselves as sending some to knock at their doors when they have been going to hang themselves sending some providentially to be in those places where they intended to drown themselves sometimes sending some to discourse with them about spiritual things whereby they have got some light and hope and so have been put by that wicked intention sometimes rebuking the Devil and not suffering him to tempt them further when they have been even almost overcome But here it must be noted that but few of them that have made away themselves in the world have done it from despair of mercy though Judas did so the only man that we read of in Scripture that murderd himself under terrours of Conscience for sin which doubtless was permitted by God among other ends for to clear the Innocency of the Lord Jesus our Mediatour and to shew the greatness of that sin in betraying the Lord of Life But though some few in the world have made away themselves through inward despair of Gods mercy yet others have done it out of worldly discontent and pride as Ahitophel that the Scripture speaks of that because his Counsel was not followed went home in a discontent and hanged himself and how did Nero and many of the Heathens and many of the Jewes horribly murder themselves when they were in danger because they would not fall into their enemies hands how many of those Heathens whose wisdom and sayings many foolishly adore did thus destroy themselves sometimes great companies of them together The greatness of this sin of self-murther might be many wayes made out It is a breach of the sixth Commandement Thou shalt do no murther and self-murder is the greatest murder it is an unnatural sin for all creatures indeavour self-preservation it takes men away from the means of Grace for ever for there is no work nor device nor wisdom in the grave whether they go Eccles 9.10 Self-murder refuseth the common courtesie that is in Gods proceedings in giving a Reprieve for a time before the day of execution if men fear they shall be damned yet there is no ground for self-murder for while a man liveth there may be mercy for ought he knoweth God having pardoned such great sinners and if a man be damned at last yet self-murder being such a great sin will make mens damnation greater and though men in despair would fain be dead yet if they die out of Christ they will wish themselves upon the earth again for though they have great terrours of Conscience yet they will have greater in Hell Selfemurder exceedingly pleases the Devil and therefore as he is forward to put men upon it so he is forward to be their Executioner To say it is impossible for a man to be saved that commits this wickedness and thus sins against God is not so clear but thus to aggravate the sin may well be done it being a sin so great as cannot be exprest Yet hath Satan drawn the wicked heart of man many times to it sometimes in terrours of Conscience but for the most part in excess of Melancholy and in worldly sorrows and discontents though those persons will many times pretend that sin is their great trouble yet the Lord knows and experienced Christians oftentimes find it out to be but the sorrow of the world the distractions about earthly things If God leave a man he is like a Reed shaken with every wind of Temptation and trouble till he be broken in pieces CHAP. VII The saving work of Gods Spirit upon the Heart IT s a mighty work of God to make a man a New Creature and he alone can do it we are his workmanship Ephes 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Artificial work a work wherein the Lord hath shewn singular skil and God when he makes a man a Saint works very powerfully therefore Conversion is compared to making children of stones Mat. 3. to raising the dead Eph. 2.1 To make our rebellious hearts to stoop to Christ to turn Satan out of doors requires Omnipotency How doth God in Conversion arm some word to turn a sinners heart the same word that he hath heard often before and it took no impression upon him Is not thy word as an Hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces Jer. 23.29 But then the Lord must strike with it A blow of this Hammer with his hand will break a rocky heart in pieces one blow of his hand though we strike and strike again sinners hearts are not broken God works very mysteriously in the Conversion of a soul that the soul it self we see is able to give but a poor account of it Gods workings are compared to the wind Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth so it is with every one that is born of the Spirit the wind as it blows freely so is it a mysterious thing we see nothing but the Trees shake and tremble And Gods workings are compared to the way of the Spirit which is a very mysterious thing Eccl. 11.5 If thou knowest the way of the Spirit and how the bones do grow in the womb of
changed their God for that which cannot profit O shall the Heathens be constant to their dumb Idols and shall not we be constant to the living God 8. Slighting of God after we have had some acquaintance with God is quite contrary to the course of his dealings with us Ezek. 36.11 God promises to be better to us in the end then in the beginning He will give us more Communion with him and glory afterwards then he hath done yet and if God be better and better to us shall we grow worse and worse to him God forbid Now O that we might recover that we might remember from whence we are fallen and Repent and do our first works 1. Bathe our selves by faith in the blood of Christ for the pardoning of all our backslidings look upon God in Christ as not ready only to pardon our sins when we were in gross ignorance but to heal all our back-slidings because he loveth us freely Hos 14.4 Jer. 3. the beginning Look upon our Father as having a best Robe to put upon a poor Prodigals back and shoos to put upon his feet though the poor backsliden soul hath scarce a shoo to his foot as we say he hath worn out all 2. O look for fresh and new workings of Gods Spirit upon our hearts to create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us It s said of the Lord that he reneweth the face of the earth that he doth every Spring when Winter hath made the earth to look as if it were cloathed with sackcloath the Lord in the Spring putteth on a new face and dress upon the earth the Birds sing the Trees flourish the grass grows this is our case in our Winter of backsliding a Winter indeed O look that God now should bring a spring time upon thy heart is there not need 3. O look at the heart to be renewed a clean heart saith David good Lord after his backsliding Psalm 51.10 O I would have that bone set right that I may walk in thy Statutes that instrument well tuned Dauid doth not say only Lord let me never commit Murder and Adultery again but Lord give me a clean heart O that hath bred all this mischief the foulness of my heart Lord therefore cleanse that 4. If ever the Lord quicken us again be more watchful and keep close to God if we recover out of this dangerous disease let us have more care of our souls health have a care of spiritual surfets 5. And look that our Recovery be through that the humour be not only diverted but purged away 6. Count all our outward enjoyments nothing but sit mourning in Sion until God graciously visit us 7. Labour to see not only in general that we have backslidden but particularly wherein that we may return no more to folly And those who yet have thriving spirits keep in with that God that smiles upon you say not that it is impossible that thy soul should wander as a Bird from her Nest but watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Often consider that these last times will be times of much backsliding of Professors 2 Tim. 3. O get particular and distinct Knowledge wherein Professors do commonly backslide and get your hearts deeply affected with them and remember what special notice God takes of those that keep close to him in a time when many fall off Thus he took notice of Noah Gen. 7.1 and of the sons of Zadock Ezek. 44.15 Expect to be tempted and tried by an hour of temptation and look not only to be tryed as to conversation but as to Judgement as to Opinions Sathan will have a bout with you with that Weapon of Error How many are fallen off that way but labour to have more grounds out of the Word and clearer light for all you hold Let plain Christians who have no skil in Controversies yet furnish themselves with Scriptures for every point as for the Godhead of Christ Justification by Christ and the like and labour to have your hearts given up to the Truth you know put not your selves upon Temptations in hearing every body suspect those Opinions that neither further your Communion with God nor his most holy People but straiten you in both stick close to the Word and not move a hairs breadth from it Don't love to dispute against that which you are convinced to be Truth to shew your parts and reach Take in the benefit of other light in your doubts and look up to the Spirits guidance to lead you into all Truth CHAP. IX Of Assurance and peace of Conscience ALL Believers have not Assurance some Believers walk in darkness and see no light Esay 50.10 A true Saint may be in great doubtings so great as Heman complains that his troubles were so great that they did as iâ— were distract him yea a Believer may be a long time in that condition Psalm 88.15 Heman was so exercised from his youth up There are several causes why many Believers are in great doubts about their spiritual estates as 1. want of constant meditation upon Gods free Grace in Christ 2 Falling into great sins 3. The often prevailing of the same corruption 4. Want of answers of prayers 5. Some great cross and affliction that is befallen them that they are tempted to think would never have befallen them if the Lord loved them this mistake hath disturbed the peace of many a Child of God 6. The not meeting with communion with God in Duties if God loved me saith the soul would he let me come and go from his Ordinances and take no notice of me 7. The subtile Disputes of Satan against our Sincerity in the ways of God many times baffle us and make us fit to give up the cause 8. The observing that a Hypocrite may go far strikes many a Child of God into a great fear whether he be gone beyond a Hypocrite or no 9. Unacquaintedness with Gods workings upon our hearts we know but in part as we know not all the evil in our hearts so a Saint doth not know all the good and Grace that God hath put into them 10. The weakness of Grace but like a graine of mustard seed in our hearts the least of all seeds so Faith and Sincerity lies like a small mustard seed among huge clods of corruption and the soul hath much ado many times to see this grain of mustard seed among these clods Thus and many other wayes a true Child of God may fall into great doubts and fears about his spiritual estate indeed if men know of no workings that have been upon their spirits it s a sign they are yet in a natural estate the Saint of God knows that there have been workings of the Spirit and convictions upon him but he feareth that they were but common workings such as are upon Hypocrites and Reprobates and not the saving work of Gods Spirit that he questions whether he hath gone beyond the stony-ground hearers
your troubled soul found rest and peace from his Blood yea the soul saith truly This I have felt in some measure why here is true Faith and Assurance and yet many a poor soul not considering that this is the saving work but seeing that it comes short in many things doth question whether it be in Christ or no whereas open and unravel but the work of Grace and say Have you gone this step and the other step and it can say truly that These things God hath wrought in me How much means is used to many and yet they can find no comfort and peace of conscience The Covenant of Grace is clearly opened to them servent prayers are put up to God for them the experiences of other Saints are made known to them but all will not do it for indeed the Lord only can speak peace to the soul he is the God of peace But let those that have peace of conscience and Assurance be thankful for it as a great mercy for all Saints have it not indeed it is a great mercy it yields much present refreshment to the soul what will make us glad if the light of Gods Countenance will not And so doth Assurance of Gods Love stand us in great stead in time of Afflictions it keeps the soul from sinking in great Afflictions it keeps Satan from many advantages yea when we come to die and look that King of Terrours in the face Assurance of Gods Love makes grim Death look smilingly in our Eye CHAP. X. The Ministry of Angels and their serviceableness to the Church THough curious and unscriptural Notions about the Angels are to be avoided yet these things that the Scriptures reveal of them and their Ministry are very profitable to be known The Angels are called spirits and a flame of fire Heb. 1.7 They are active and quick at the Lords work they are as a flame of fire not only for their terribleness but for their quikness how quick fire goes out of a Gun and how quick is a flash of lightning The Angels were very forward to perform their service to the Lord Jesus an Angel brought news to Mary that she should be the mother of our Lord Luke 1.27.28 An Angel at Christs birth told the Shepherds the glad tidings of Christs coming into the world and a multitude of them praised God saying Glory be to God in the Highest on earth peace and good will to men Luke 2.9,13,14 They had command to worship the Lord Jesus Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him but why must all the Angels of God worship Christ when he came into this world and was made flesh 1. To own and acknowledge Christ to be God now in that mean estate the form of a servant that he had put himself into for worship only belongs to him that is God 2 To acknowledge the benefit of confirmation that they have by the Lord Jesus by whom they are made immutably happy 3. To shew an example unto men to worship and honor Christ when as the Angels that are more excellent creatures do it 4. To shew their admiration of that glorious and wonderful way of Salvation by Jesus Christ And then at Christs death the Angels came and ministred unto him and strengthened him And as the Angels were forward to do service to Christ so they are to minister to the Saints for the Lord hath made them ministring spirits to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation The Lord makes use of them to keep his people out of many dangers Psalm 21.11,12 He hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone indeed God is so careful of his people that he would not trust all the Angels in heaven wholly with the safety of his people but hath given them unto Christ to be their Leader and Commander and bring them unto Glory who will lose none of all that the father hath given him who hath Infinite Power and Wisdom to manage all their concernments but the Angels are Ministers under Christ to be helpful to the Saints as the Pastors of Churches are Overseers and have the charge of the flock under him also And so the Angels lift up the Saints many times as Nurses do little children that they don't dash their feet against a stone whom every little thing would throw down They have their Orders from Christ whose Ministers they are to do his pleasure therefore Christ is said to sit between the Cherubins Psal 99.1 to shew how he hath the Angels fit to send upon his Designs and how often doth he send them to encamp round about the Saints in their dangers and deliver them and because of the Angels serviceableness to the Saints they are called their Angels Matth. 18.10 The Lord giveth them great Power for to perform this service and Ministry to the Saints we see that the Angel Act. 20.7,10 that was sent to fetch Peter out of prison he did but touch him and his chains fell off and when they came to the Iron gate it presently opened the Lord giveth the Angels power over the fiercest creatures that when Daniel was thrown into the Lions Den the Lord sent an Angel and shut the Lions mouthes that they should not hurt him Dan. 6.32 And as they serve the Saints in other things so in destroying of their enemies as an Angel smote Herod with death Act. 10.23 Yea 1 Kings 19.35 in that great strait that Hezekiah and the people of God were in when that huge Army of the Assyrians came against them the Lord the text saith sent an Angel that smote in one night on kundred fourscore and five thousand of them whom they left all dead corpses It s a wonderful Execution When Lazarus died he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom Luke 16. As they do rejoyce in the conversion of a soul so in the finishing of our course and are joyful to bring us home to our Fathers house yea the Scripture tels us that the Lord will send the Angels at the last day to gather his people together from the four Winds who will know them all in the utmost corners of the earth having been ministring spirits unto them may be stirring affections and freedom of speech from the apprehension of popular applause in some Auditories but gracious men know a difference between those inlargements and the soul-humbling assistance of Gods spirit 10 Gods Spirit gives to his servants many times a more then ordinary assistance in their labors amongst the Saints for their sakes for their quickning comforting strengthning and edification whose building up was one great end of the ordinance of the Ministry Eph. 4.10,11,12 11 Gods Spirit gives his servants affections in preaching as Zeal Compassion to souls and the like but though something of this may
admission of members to maintain purity and will manage all by themselves as it were without either presence or consent of the Church it may be a great inconvenience and hinder communion of their and other Churches which might else more comfortably own one anothers Church state notwithstanding other differences those things are urged by the New England men with many Arguments and that of the holiness of those that are to be admitted into Churches is excellently defended by Mr. Cotton in that Book of his called The Holiness of Church members in which he answers all that is usually brought against it so that he that would with small expence either of money or time see that point cleared that may get that Book 19. To say that there hath been true Churches in England heretofore no way proveth that there is a true Church in every Parish for though there might be true Churches in some Parishes it doth not follow that therefore there was in all and because that there was a Church in such a place a hundred years ago it doth not follow that therefore there is now for God giveth Churches a bill of divorce many times what is become of the Churches of Asia the Church of Rome Hath not the Lord taken away their Church-state yet Rome still holdeth Christ that died at Jerusalem to be the true Christ the denial only of which some conceive will only unchurch a people and not their prophaness and wickedness otherwayes be it never so great a very strange notion it is but the Lord threatens to unchurch the Church of Ephesus for other grounds besides such gross Infidelity as was intimated yea though they had many excellent things in them yet Revel 2,4,5 I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of its place except thou repent where we may observe to our present purpose 1. That God doth sometimes remove a peoples Church state for so I think all acknowledge that by Candlestick is meant their Church-state for the seven Candlesticks were the seven Churches Revel 1.20 2. It shews us plainly that though a people do not deny Christ that died at Jerusalem to be the true Christ but outwardly acknowledge and own him yet if the Church generally leave their first love and grow formal and carnal that there is to be seen no difference between them and unregenerate men God will unchurch them will own them no more after some time of his patience and waiting for their Repentance to be a Church and house of his 3 That God doth not use to stay generations before he unchurch a people that fall off from him for he saith in this place he will come quickly to remove his Candlestick except they repent God will not have Churches now look for such for bearance as the Church of the Jews which was an extraordinary thing and not to be paralleld but saith he I come quickly not to wait now many hundred years as I did upon the people of Israel 20 Although the Officers of Churches have a power of order yet they have not all Church-power for the Church of Corinth were to consent to put forth that Church act of excommunicating the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.4 Though some officer for order-sake be the mouth of the Church in the managing of it they are by most allowed to choose their own officers without which they should fall short of the priviledge of most societies and relations in the world and this is some act of power that most grant is seated in the Church and thus was an Apostle chosen Act. 1. and the Deacons Act. 6.3 and Elders Act. 14.23 In that Synod they were not chose neither by Magistrates or by the Officers of the Churches only but by the body of the Church Act. 15.2,3 and so when any great affairs are to be transacted with another Church the persons commonly called the Messengers of the Churches are sent not only by the Officers but by the whole Church Act. 15.23 2 Cor. 8.19 and these do represent the Church indeed from which they are sent therefore he saith in that place verse 24. shew ye to them and before the Churches the proof of your love to shew that what is done before them when they are thus delegated and appointed by the Churches is done before these Churches and the Church must say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received of the Lord and fulfill it Col. 4.17 but for a man to come only by a Patron into a place that he looks upon as a Church and is not solemnly chosen by them and then will take all Church-power to himself is far from being according to Rule 21 Believers may join together in Church-fellowship though they do not agree in every thing if they agree in the main Churches gathered upon rigid Principles of uniformity in every thing makes way for breaches if men be sound in the faith and not of turbulent but peaceable Spirits some mistakes about lesser matters may be born with until God shall reveal these things unto them 22 It s observable that godly Ministers in most parts of the nation begin more and more to be unsatisfied with the common way of taking all to the Lords Table though yet they differ what is the way of Reformation but this serveth not only to countenance the peaceable and sober separation that is practised by some but promiseth much that God will reveal these truths of discipline more fully then hitherto we know that the godly in the Bishops times first began to scruple one Ceremony and then another and so light came in by degrees it is a good thing to see that men cannot bear such prophaning of Gods Ordinances as hath been amongst us and that they labor for purity of ordinances though they do not presently come into Gospel-order in every thing 22 The Pastors of the Churches must be godly It is a greater mischief then many are aware of that many that are publique Preachers and count themselves Pastors of Churches are not gracious men yea by those that put them into that work and those that sit under their Ministry it is not regarded whether they be godly only that they have some learning and parts 1 John 21.15,16,17 Christ saith to Peter Lovest thou me then feed my Lambs Christ doth not send others to seed his Lambs that neither love him nor them 2 Mind the description of a Pastor or Bishop which are all one 1 Tim. 3. He must be sober no drunkard apt to teach from some gifts of knowledge and utterance that God hath bestowed upon him he saith he must not be greedy of filthy Lucre Oh how many have entred upon the ministry meerly for filthy Lucre to get a living he saith he must not be a Novice 〈◊〉
Bathsheba was born for in the fourteenth v. Nathan told him that the child that was born to him should die and so verse fifteen The Lord strake the child and so for his sin in numbring the people 2 Sam. 24.8,9,10 it was nine moneths and twenty days that the people were numbring and all that time David was not sensible of the sin but in the end of that time the Text saith His heart smote him and he said I have done very foolishly and what a sad thing is it that a sin should be three quarters of a year unrepented of and such great sins A Saint of all men in the world had need have his eyes about him and if it be possible have a thousand things in his eye together and surely if there are some sins that we commit and don't know them and mourn only in the general for them we should mourn the more for these sins we are convinced of and apply Christs blood to cleanse us from secret faults 11. Think daily of the greatness and freeness of Gods Love to us who hath taken such a course of mercy to us when he might have taken a course of Judgement well saith the Scripture That as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so is his mercy towards them that fear him and so are his thoughts of Mercy above ours What is all our mercy and pitty unto His Peter talks to Christ of forgiving seven times a day Christ tels him Ay seventy times seven such is Gods forgiveness his Mercy our mercy to others is commanded and is our duty but Gods mercy is free our mercy to others ariseth from Gods mercy to us but Gods mercy ariseth from him self our mercy is but to some few his to thousands and ten thousands we oftentimes repent of our Mercy he repenteth not O whilst we live and when we die think much and speak much of free Mercy O the infinite expressions of it in the giving of Christ for us and to us What a Miracle of Mercy is our perseverance notwithstanding all our backslidings the daily meditation of free Grace is an approved receipt against hardness of heart this will soften the heart and bring it to godly sorrow for sin to admiration we are said to have hearts like an Adamant stone Zech. 7. Now the Adamant stone is the hardest stone in all the world it will cut glass with ease no hammer nor fire will stir this stone yet this Adamant stone being steeped in Goats blood new and warm that will soften it so will our adamant hearts be softened being steeped in the thoughts of Gods free Grace being steeped in the blood of the Lord Jesus that scape-goat that carried away our sins into the Land of forgetfulness 12. Though we shall have daily infirmities whilst we are here below yet watch against sin and especially have a care we make no eminent turns from God there are some sins that grieve Gods Spirit above others David had many sinful failings he told a lye to Abimelech 1 Sam. 21.2 feigned himself mad 1 Sam. 21.13 made a rash oath concerning Nabal 1 Sam. 25.22 was very cruel to the Ammonites 2 Sam. 12. numbred the people in self-confidence 2 Sam. 24. commited Adultety with Bathsheba 2 Sam. 11. Yet it is said of David 1 King 15.5 that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of his life but in the matter of Vriah Some think it is spoken of his Government that that only was amiss in his Government that he murdered Vriah but I rather think that this is only mentioned because it was the most eminent turn from the Lord that ever David made the sin that grieved the Spirit of God above all other in comparison of which God did not take notice of other failings that sin of murdering Vriah was a mighty deliberate contrived sin 2 Sam. 11. He wrote letters about it and plotted it which is a great aggravation of any sin and he might have many checks of conscience that while it was a bloody sin it was a very disingenuous sin to take away his life that was fighting for him it was a cloaked sin 2 Sam. 11.25 He put it upon the chance of war it was a very scandalous sin and his Adultery might be comprehended in it for that was against Vriah as well as the murder it was the effect of his Adultery and where one sin is the effect of another it is a great aggravation of it O therefore watch and pray that though we have many weaknesses and much deadness yet that we may not so wickedly depart from our God 13. Labor to be heavenly in the night season we are but a little heavenly in the day time we had need be heavenly in that time of retirement in the night season David meditated of the Lord in the night watches and at the dawnings of the day commit our thoughts to God in the night seasons to prevent vain and sinful dreams God can leave a sweet savour upon our spirits in the night 14. Observe when we pray for others what hints of Gods Spirit we have that he will hear us God hath a secret way to bring some into our prayers and to cast others out of our prayers as Jer. 7.16 God bad Jeremiah not pray for the people it s a sad thing when a Minister finds no enlargement of Gods Spirit to pray for the people where he liveth but I say observe when we pray for any wicked man or for our relations what hints of Gods spirit are upon our hearts that we shall be heard a praying Father sometimes praying for his child in the cradle may have such faith in Prayer such hints of Gods Spirit that he knows God will answer these Prayers though it be twenty years hence and he be dead and gone others again when they pray earnestly for their Children find no Faith no Ptomise no impressions of Gods Spirit all their days that God will hear them for them 15. Lay up Prayers for jorneyes and travails that God would make us heavenly and holy abroad as well as at home besides the need we have of his protection from the dangers that are in Travail but the danger of sin is most to be taken heed of many men will commit those sins abroad that they will not at home Iudah Gen. 38.14 at Timnah a City of the Philistines fell into the sin of whoredom with his daughter in Law unknown this sin he committed abroad in his jorneying which he was zealous against at home and would have his daughter in law burnt for it Therefore I say Lay up Prayers afore hand for all our travails not only for outward Protection and success in our affairs but for our Spirits that God would keep them holy and in communion with himself for abroad we may have these temptations that we have not at home and we may want the company of Saints which hath a secret strange influence upon
prayer and all duties whether our Communion with God be more or less in them FINIS CHAP. XX. How the Lord is pleased effectually to call some after they have been long in their natural Estate and have been very wicked GOd is pleased to suffer some of his Elect to go on a great while in Ignorance and to fall into great sins before he convert them as Matthew Zachaeus Mary Magdalene an elect person yet God leaveth her to be possest with seven devils and to be a Harlot before he convert her Paul an elect person yet God leaveth him a great while to go on in a Pharisaical way and to be a grievous Persecutor before the Lord convert him The Thief upon the Cross was an elect person yet the Lord let him run on a long time in his sins for these he is sentenced to die theâ—… the Lord converts him now there are many reasons why the Lord in his insinite wisdom suffers many elect persons to fall into so much sin before the Lord convert them As 1 because God will make it more eminently appeare that it was his meer Grace to save them and convert them God doth convert many in their young time before they have run into much prophaness others God leaveth to go on a long time in prophaness and though he could have converted them before yet he doth it to magnifie his own Grace 2 And God doth it that men might be the more humble after their Conversion remembring what great sins they fell into before the Lord called them 3 Hereby mens conversion is more remarkable to themselves and to others and tends much to the awakening of others when they shall see a notorious sinner so changed it may startle others exceedingly 4 That the worst of sinners might not be hardned and go on desperately in their sins and say There is no hope no but seeing others converted after they have gone on so long in sin that they might now come to Christ and say I will have no more fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but cast my self upon the free mercy of God in Christ 5 That we might use means to convert the greatest sinners and not say There is no hope that that Drunkard and that Worldling should ever be converted and so never use means to discover sin and Christ to them 6 That God might shew the certainty of Election that those that he hath chosen shall be called according to Gods gracious purpose which purpose shall stand By this we see that all the Father giveth to Christ shall come to him and be effectually called though they are long before they are converted 7 Hereby God will shew us the infinite merit of his Sons blood that it will cleanse from all sin that though an elect person hath so abounded in sin yet the blood of Christ is able to save him to the utmost 8 And thus God sheweth the power of his Spirit that he is able to convert men not only when they are less sinners but when they are mightily hardened in sin and have long accustomed themselves to do evil Question But doth God love an elect Person and hath he care of them before they be converted Answ Yes God loved them from eternity God loved Jacob Rom. 9. before he had done good or evil God doth not then begin to love a soul when he is converted though then the effects of his love do more appear 2 God gave his blessed Son for his elect while they were enemies then they were reconciled to God by the death of his Son he died for the ungodly Rom. 5.9,10 and this was infinite love 3 If God did not love the Elect before they were converted they would never be converted It s his infinite love to them that he unites draws them to Christ without which drawing they could never come to Christ 4 God Hath such a love and care towards an elect person that he never suffers them to fall into the sin against the holy Ghost though they fall into other great sins 5 God hath such a care towards them that they never die unconverted Rom. 8,30 Whom he did predestinate them he hath also called God either converts them in their young time or else lengthens out their days upon the earth and brings them to Christ though it be at the eleventh hour As God called some of all sorts of sinners excepting those that commit the sin against the holy Ghost so he calleth at several ages some in their child-hood some in their middle age and some in their old age but God calleth most in their young time whilst their hearts are yet tender How hath the Lord been pleased to work Grace in them that have been mightily prejudiced against the powerfull preaching of the word as it s recorded in the life of that gracious man Mr. Robert Bolton that before his conversion he hearing Mr. Perkins preach he said He was an empty dry fellow but after he was converted he had high thoughts of his powerfull Ministry Another was that afterwards one of the most eminent in grace and gifts that our times have known when the Bel went for Mr. Perkins secretly was glad in his heart that he was dead that he might not be so startled by his heart-searching ministry which thought did exceedingly humble him afterwards and God pleased powerfully to work upon him and make him a burning and shining light Thus where sin abounds Gods grace sometimes cals a soul and so abounds much more then sin abounded If we knew all passages concerning those whom the Lord converteth what prophaness in some what strange ignarance in others what wicked resistance of the Spirit it would make us cry out O the wickedness of the creature and O the unsearchable riches of Gods free grace some have gone to an Ordinance to sleep and the Lord hath made such a noise by his Spirit in their hearts that they have been past sleeping their souls have been so effectually awakened some have gone to ensnare the Preacher and the Lord hath changed their hearts and opened their eyes some have gone boldly to outface the Lord in his Ordinances and the Lord hath made their stout hearts tremble at his word some have gone only out of novelty to hear a man because he was a stranger or was a noted Preacher and the Lord hath converted them some have gone with their hearts as full of prejudice against the Preacher as could be and yet the Lord hath bowed their heares before they came away and made them say Surely God is in this man and in his Ministry of a truth Some shall certainly be converted and must enter into Gods rest Heb. 4.6 1 because God hath ordained some to eternal life Acts 13.48 and the Election must obtain it 2 The Lord Jesus hath died for them and hath made their peace by the blood of his cross And God the Father hath given him power over all the
devils and over all flesh that he should give eternal life to them that he hath given him and them Christ saith he must bring home and they shall hear his voice John 10.16 3 The Lord hath made many free and absolute Promises as Ezek. 36.26 A new heartwill I give you Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head Now these must be made good to some in their effectual Calling and salvation and that is to the elect for all the free and absolute Promises shew what God both can do and will do for his elect so though they sometimes live a long time in an unconverted estate yet the Lord doth in his appointed time give them a new heart writes his Laws in their hearts and puts his fear in their hearts and causes them to walk in his Statutes and Judgements to do them according to the free and absolute promises of the New Covenant that they are all taught of God and he will be their God and they shall be his people And therefore when we are converted what an engagement have we upon us to live to God and lift up his Name in the world O all you that have been converted and after all your sinfulness have been pluckt as brands out of the fire O shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Consider 1 you have but a short time to bring glory to God in the exercise of grace in this world 2 There ariseth a great deal of comfort to a mans own soul in the exercise of grace 3 There are but few converted and therefore those that are savingly converted had need bestir themselves to glorifie God with that grace they have received 4 Natural men do evil with both hands and lay out all their strength against the Lord and therefore how should you that are such monuments of his mercy bring glory to him 5 You may more comfortably and cheerfully die when you have improved that talent of grace that you have received for to bring glory to God in your generation 2 Tim. 4.6,7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course not that when we come to die Paul or any Believer doth look for heaven for his service for when we have done all we say we are unprofitable servants but we rejoyce that God hath used us and imployed us to lift up his name in the world 6 The more you lay out your selves to bring glory to God the more cause others will have to bless God for you in the day of their visitation seeing your good works they will glorifie your Father which is in heaven and say I bless God for the holy life and heavenly discourse and winning conversation of such a one of thy children for it was a means to convince me and convert me to Jesus Christ but O what a sadder thing would it be if a natural man should have cause to say upon his death-bed or in hell that the life and conversation of such a professor hardened himagainst the waies of God he saw such a professor so deceitful in his calling another so vain in his discourse another so proud in his carriage and apparel another so worldly another so loose in his conversation that he looked upon Religion but as a fancy and was hardened in his sins O then be afraid lest you should receive the grace of God in vain though not as to the salvation of your own soul but in that respect it be well with you for ever yet fear lest you should not glorifie God in the world and make his name as ointment poured forth to others O therefore 1 hold forth Religion in an holy humble heavenly winning conversation the good conversation of Believers may draw others to enquire into Religion and so the Lord may catch them 2 Lay out that grace you have received for the comforting and strengthening of weak Brethren How do men of great gifts and experiences through sinful bashfulness or too much habit of vain discourse become of little use to their Brethren yea to those Brethren with whom they are joyned in Church-fellowship We have got an habit of jesting and vain discourse in our converse together when as the old Saints were serious and spiritual and this same way of idle talking and jesting is almost every where and should this prevail that spiritual communion that should be among Saints would soon be lost but O never come into one anothers company but do or receive good communicate your knowledge and experiences to the weakest Saints and poorest Saints Christians must not be like some Philosophers that we read of that would as soon part with an eye as with some curious notions that they found out in their studies but Christians should comfort one another with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God and inform one another in all doubtful cases with the light which the Lord hath given them 3 Lay out your selves to convert others thus did Paul after his conversion Rom. 15.19 compassed Sea and Land took many a weary step went through innumerable dangers to convert souls to Jesus Christ O how do many professors grow careless of Family-worship O labour that those that dwell with you may be converted in your Families and may have cause to bless God that ever they came to such a service where they got the knowledge of Jesus Christ 4 When the Lord laies afflictions upon you have a care that you do not dishonour him then by murmuring and impatience that carnal men will say Are these the people that speak of such high things of Communion with God and the Seal of the Spirit and yet none more impatient when any cross befalls them and thus they will be ready to think that Religion is but a Notional thing that hath no power to subdue the heart to the Lord few are converted amongst us and one cause of it may be that the carriage and conversation of professors is very low and carrieth little in it to hold forth conviction to those that are without FINIS
against the Infections of the times or a Faithful Watch-word from Mount-Sion to prevent the ruin of souls whereby some special considerations are presented to sinners Admonition to Saints and Invitation to Backsliders published for the good of all by the Elders and Messengers of several Churches in Wales A Warning Piece for the â—lumbring Virgins or an Alarm to the friends of the Bridegroom being some awakning Meditations upon Christs own Watch-word Mat. 26.41 by Ge. Scortrech Preacher of the Gospel in Lincoln recommended to the Reader by Joseph Caryl William Greenhill Geo. Griffith Books against the Quakers A Faithfull Discovery of a treacherous Design of Mystical Antichrist displaying Christs Banners but attempting to lay waste Scriptures Churches Christ Faith Hope c. and establish Paganism in England being an Examination of the Doctrines of the people called Quakers by Joseph Kellet John Pomroy Paul Glisson A Confutation of the Quakers being an Answer to ninteen Quaeries propounded by them and answered by S. Eaton Minister of the Gospel in Cheshire A Testimony to the true Jesus and the faith of him wherein the way of the people called Quakers is examined and weighed being an Answer to James Nailors Book called Love to the Lost by T. Higgenson A Looking-Glass for the Quakers by T. Collier The Conviction of James Nailer and his black Spirit demonstrated by Lieutenant Ellis Bradshaw Books printed in the Welch Language VIZ. The Bible with singing Psalms The New-testament alone The Practice of Piety The sincere Convert Some part of the Works of Mr. Rees Prichard sometimes Vicar of Landyfre in the County of Carmarthen Some Catechisms together with several other Books in Welch Sold at the three Bibles in Pauls-Church-yard near the West end CHAP. I. The wicked and miserable estate of man by Nature BY Nature our heart which should be the best part of us is the worst a deep and bottomless pit of sin God saw the imaginaton of the heart of man was only evil continually Gen. 5.5 God seeth it whose eyes are so piercing like a flaming fire but few of us see it all our dayes never until God anoint our eyes with his eye-salve then we cry out we are unclean we are unclean God many times begins in the conversion of a sinner with this to shew him the sin of his nature how desperately wicked his nature and heart is beyond all the sin that hath broke out in his practice that there is a great fire of sin upon the hearth of the heart from whence all those sparks fly out of the chimney of the life and practice O we are by nature full of sin as the Toad is full of poyson and that poyson we spit out is but little to what is within this Root of sin is of a spreading nature it grows faster in wicked mens hearts then Grace doth in the Godly that we grow worse and worse and though by education afflictions terrors of conscience the branches may be lopt off yet the Root of sin in the heart doth spread daily O wretched men that we are that our heart which should be the Presence Chamber for the King of Heaven that this is a cage of unclean Birds and when we want opportunities of Uncleanness Theft Murder Voluptuousness outward pomp and applause then our wicked hearts will act over these things in a speculative way delighting our selves in the thoughts of them Therefore it is that the Scripture sets out conversion by A new heart Ezek. 36. Washing the heart from wickedness Jerem. 4.14 and forsaking our thoughts Esay 55. because our hearts are so opposite to God by nature and so contrary to the heart that God puts into us when he makes us new Creatures and therefore it is that when our eyes are opened we grow sick of our own hearts and cry out Lord deliver me from this proud worldly unclean deceitful unbelieving vain hard heart There is no cozening and cheating tricks in the world but our hearts have them that if there were no Devil to delude us yet our own hearts would everlaftingly cheat us Our hearts by nature are like a rotten stinking Fen from whence arise continual fogs mists and vapors which are a stench in the nostrils of God Satan hath a mighty power over us that maâ—icious subtile strong man armed he ruleth in the â—hildren of disobedience Eph. 2.2 Adam by his â—all hearkening and yielding to Satan chose â—im for his God the Devil cals us his House Matth. 12.44 there he is at bed and board â—e keeps the keyes and bolts and locks all the â—oors against Christ and unless Christ that is â—…ronger then he bursts them open he dwels â—here for ever O consider this all ye that are 〈◊〉 your natural condition that Satan hath posâ—…ssion of you that you are possest with the Devil though not in a bodily way as in Christs â—…me the Devil possessed many yet he hath posâ—…ssion of the heart Satan fortifies the hearts â—f men makes them strong Garrisons against â—…e Lord Jesus Now we are in a faln estate and liable to Gods everlasting wrath and there is such inâ—itations to come to Christ that we may be deâ—…vered from the wrath and Hell to come we have such cursed perverse hearts that we will not come to Christ that we may have Life but rather die in our sins we say as those Luke 19.27 that Christ shall never raign over us as soon as ever we hear Christ knock and call at the door of our hearts we run and bolt the door against him and unless he please by an Almighty and irresistible power to change our wills we never believe on him O how through unbelief we refuse great Salvation and do as it were bid God shoot all his Arrows at us we stand in the dreadful storm of Gods wrath and will not come to Christ the shelter and covertâ— from the storm we open our naked brests and bid God strike with the sharp sword The way of our wretched hearts is that if God never look after us we never look after him if we should live never so many thousand years in the world after we are converted we seek him iâ— some poor measure we seek the Lord and hiâ— strength and Grace and Spirit but before wâ— look not after him but if he come near to uâ— in afflictions in the Ministry of his Word oâ— common Reproofs and convictions of his spirit we say unto God Depart from us we desiâ—… not thy Christ thy Spirit and the knowledge oâ— thy wayes We cannot do any thing that God will accept of though we be never so serious stricâ— as doubtless many Papists and others are Aristotle and others of the Heathens that could write so many Books of Philosophy yet could not tell how to make one acceptable prayer to God all their vertues were but as a Toad painted over with fair colours or as a Silken stocking upon a wooden Leg a man by nature wants faith hath
her that is with child then mayest thou know the works of God who worketh all and what a Mystery is this the way of the Spirit if we understand it of the Angels or if we understand it of the Spirits of men children how the Spirit comes into the child in the womb and whetherin the Spirit be formed of some matter and of what and how the Spirit and Life should be in the child so long and it not to be stifled in the womb These are mysterious things and so saith he is it to know the works of God Again the workings of God in Conversion are compared to the secret Influences of Leaven Matth. 13.33 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a woman that hid a piece of Leaven in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened A mysterious thing how a little leaven spreads it self and leavens the whole Lump and so how God speaks but a word to the Heart doth but say to Matthew Follow me and the soul leaves all and follows Christ this is a mysterious thing It is Infinite Grace that God sheweth in the Conversion of a soul that he should put forth his Almighty power to convert us which he might put forth to damn us and torment us for ever that he should work Grace when he was not desired when we sought him not God first calls and not the creature and O that he should work though the creature resist and hang back we linger in our natural Estate as Lot did in Sodom and we should tarry in our natural estate till God raigned down fire and brimstone upon us as he did upon Sodom and now as the Angel while Lot lingred pulled him forcibly out so doth the Lord pull us forcibly out Col. 1.13 He snatcht us out of the power of darkness so the word signifies and O how doth God work Grace oftentimes upon the most cross and crabbed natured men that if they had not Grace there were no living with them In Conversion the Spirit convinceth the soul of sin as John 16.9 stops it in its sinful course and the soul seeth the Law meet him many times as the Angel met Balaam in the way with a drawn sword in his hand and convinces the soul of Righteousness in Christs perfect Righteousness and draws the soul abandoning all other Refuges to pitch upon Christ for Life and Acceptance with God that the soul now it seeth its wound doth not go to the Law but to the blood of Christ that the soul saith Lord thou providedst me a Garment of Righteousness in Adam one that is worn out and is all menstruous rags and now Lord thou hast provided me a new Garment of Righteousness the Righteousness of thine own Son a Garment that will never wax old Lord I accept of this Righteousness I put on this garment of mine elder Brother to come to thee in When the soul is converted Christ becomes the souls all in all for Justification Sanctification Consolation Whom have I in Heaven but thee and what do I desire in the earth but thee all but dung all but dross in comparison of Christ Communion with God becomes the greatest nourishment and refreshment to the soul Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me for thou art my exceeding Joy this is the language of a true Saint Sin grows irksom and a tedious burthen to the soul and not so much for fear of Hell as from the Love we have to God and Christ our dear Redeemer Now the soul thinks that much that God doth for him and that nothing that he doth for God he thinks as Solomon when he dedidated the temple The Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain thee What is my poor prayers and preaching and service I with all my duties am less then the least of all the Mercics and kindness that thou hast shown to thy servant The soul now is much in the admiration of of Gods love and in desires after it and in thankfulness for it Thy loving kindness is better then Life Psal 63,3 though skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his Life Life is so dear yet thy loving kindness is better then Life If a soul that is converted were going to die for Christs sake that the Grace of God in him costs him his Life yet he cannot but bless God that ever he had Grace wrought in him The soul that is converted misseth God soon and cannot miss him long Psal 63.1,2 My soul thirsteth to see God as I have seen him in such an Ordinance in praying hearing meditating breaking of bread and I long to see him as I have seen him in such a Promise in which he hath sometimes strengthned me quickned me and revived me when I walkt in trouble And the nature of a soul that is converted is to fear sin most when he fears sin least that is to fear to commit sin most when he through the assurance of Gods pardoning mercy to him fears sin least for damning of him In Regeneration the Lord infuseth a new life the seed and habit of Grace wherein in the Soul is passive at first God by a Work of his own plucks up all other foundations and laies down Christ for a foundation in the heart Isa 28.16 Thus saith the Lord Behold I lay in Zinn for a foundation Stone a tryed Stone c. which tryed stone and sure foundation is the Lord Jesus Now its God that laies in Zion that is in the heasts of his people this Foundation behold I lay It s my work saith the Lord no man himself can lay this Foundation right O This is the saving work of Gods Spirit when as God hath laid Christ for the Foundation in a Soul that the soul builds all upon Christ he beareth the stress and weight of all as the foundation bears the weight of the building that all our comfort and peace and strength is built upon Christ and there is now an union between Christ and the soul as there is between the foundation and the rest of the building and this union the Lord makes by the Spirit and by the faith whereby the soul is glued and cemented for ever unto Christ CHAP. VIII The woful Backsliding of many Professors and the way of their Recovery MAny Professors are gone back mightily from the Lord some by error of Judgment some by loosness of Conversation and deadness and formality as if they had never been acquainted with the Lord It s hard to come to a true sense of it because a man may keep up the outward profession of Religion he may grow in Gifts may be in Church-fellowship and yet be much backsliden in his Spirit if the Lord will make use of any thing here written to make any sensible of it and recover them out of it it were a great Mercy Several signs of a backsliding Professor shall be laid down 1. Sign If the Conscience be not so tender as
to sin as it hath been that is a sign of a backsliding heart I do not say if the Conscience be not so scrupulous but if it be not so tender for when a man comes from under the Law and the Spirit of bondage he shall not have such a scrupulous conscience as he had before as people in that condition many times will scruple Whether they may eat or drink because they are unworthy of the creature with iunumerable other Scruples of that kind and it is a great Mercy to be freed from a scrupulous conscience it s one way by which God doth in a way of Judgement deprive men of the use of the lawfull comforts of this life when they have them in possession but I speak of true tenderness of Conscience a heart standing in a holy fear and aw of Gods word such a tender Conscience as Joseph had Gen. 39.9 How shall I do such great wickedness and so sin against God 2. Sign If there be a general neglect of secret Duties or constant deadness or formality in them this is a sign of a backsliden heart when a soul could have watcht for opportunities to pray and could have prayed with groans and sighs that can not be uttered and now duties are generally neglected or we have nothing but hard hearts and dry eyes in them 3. Sign If there be a general neglect and carelesness of assembling our selves with the Saints and holding communion with them its rare to see a man that hath left meetings and Communion of Saints that doth not fall wofully either as to error of conversation 4. Sign If there be an itch upon the Spirit after novelty of opinions and teachers and a disregard of those whom the Lord hath made Instruments of good to us heretofore thus the people forsook Paul 2 Tim. 1.15 Were not the Galathians much backsliden that now slighted Paul whom God had made an Instrument of so much to them that they would have parted with any thing to him 5. Sign of backsliding is If Professors grow worldly and earthly who have sat loose from the world heretofore Do we see a Professor that now holdeth his hands from doing good to poor Saints and grows now an oppressor and is all for racking and that which is called now in these days by the fine word Improvement know that that man is backsliden and gone back 6. Sign If men grow careless of offending their Brethren and will grow touchy with a whole Church Men usually when they break with God in some secret way they are never well till they have broken with his People time was when they could have born more from a single brother then now they can with a whole Church 7. Sign If men quite leave off using means to convert their Relations and Neighbours to draw them to Christ time was when thou hadst a heart to be speaking of the ways of God to thy friends and neighbours and now thou canst come into their company and nothing but Complements or Worldly discourse If men leave off to take care of the publique cause and interest of Christ and mind not whether Religion get ground in the town and country this is a sad sign of a backsliden heart 8. Sign If men grow careless of Gospel-institutions as hearing the word Church-fellowship breaking of bread O sometimes you counted it above all earthly things to have a name in Gods house and to see the Lords goings in the sanctuary and now you have no stomack it s a sign of want of Spiritual health 9. Sign If that though there be some stirring affections now and then yet if the constant frame of the heart be worse then formerly this is a sign of a backsliden heart A man through obstructions may have flushings in his face which may make him look wel but if his constant complexion be pale and wan we say he is not right so here if our hearts are grown dead in duties hard after the commission of sin backward to duties and our thoughts generally vain it shews some great distemper though at times by fits we have some stirring Affections 10. Sign When we grow high and are puft up with our knowledge that now all the Saints in Town and Country are nothing to them and all their gifts they think are nothing to theirs 11. Sign When we grow intimate companions of wicked men the falling at ods with the Saints and the falling in with wicked men is a sad sign of a backsliden heart they are both put together Mat. 24.49 eating and drinking with the drunken and smiting our fellow servants 12. Sign If we cannot bear opposition from the world in our Christian course as we have done but are fit to comply time was when we made nothing of scoff and jears and now we can scarce bear them but are fit to suit our ways to the world that they may let us alone this is a sad saln Spirit 13. Sign If a mans heart is not affected with the thoughts of Gods free Grace in Christ as heretofore this is a sad sign of a spiritual consumption time was when a Sermon of free Grace was like the honey and the hony comb but if ever God recover us the Doctrine of Gods free Grace in Christ will be the sweetest Doctrine in all the world to us I shall not stand to aggravate this backsliding and revolting from the Lord the Lord aggravate it upon our Spirits only that 1 Though the sould be recovered and come safe to heaven yet it hinders our present serviceableness to God and now is our working time Heaven is the time of receiving our time of enjoying 2 The backsliding of professors grieves the Spirit of God more then the sins of other men 3 They bring an evil report upon the ways of God that those that are without will say See what their Religion is it s only a little heat a sudden passion such a one hath done going to Sermons and Meetings now 4 It s a mighty dis heartning to young Beginners to see old Professors backslide and grow so dead Satan perswades them that they will do so too and therefore you had as good never enter upon the profession of Religion you see the ways of God are so strict that they soon grow weary of them thus Satan temps many young Beginners 5 Backsliden Professors are dangerous company for any body wicked men are hardened by their company and thriving Saints are deaded and offended 6. That is a great aggravation of our sin herein that it is without all cause as the Lord said Jer. 2.5,6,7 What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they have forsaken me Doth not God keep a good house and doth he not bountifully reward that we run away from him 7. Wicked men are constant they don't fall off from their wayes and shall we fall off from the wayes of God Jer. 2.11,12,13 Have the Nations changed their Gods but my people have
mans sins to be unpardoned unforgiven the strength and power that sin hath to damn is from the Law that it is the breach of Gods holy Law but he tels us that Believers are freed from the damning power of sin and from the curses of the Law through Christ Jesus as terrible as death is to nature flesh and blood and to a man that fears hell because it is the day of execution to all that are out of Christ yet a Saint may look upon death with comfort for though it be a dark entry yet it leads to our Fathers House where are many Mansions though it be a rough passage yet it lands us safe in Heaven infinite advantage comes to a Believer by death 1. Perfect enjoyment of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the sight of whose blessed face shall fill us in Heaven with unconceivable joy for ever 2. Clear understanding of God his Grace and the mysterie of all his dealings with us in the world now we see all these darkly but the Apostle saith then we shall see face to face now how poor and confused is our knowledge how little a portion know we of the Almighty and of his Grace to us then all will be clear 3. Freedom from sin which though it doth not raign in Believers now yet then it shall not in the least remain but they shall be Holy throughout 4. Freedom from afflictions whereof all Gods children are partakers more or less in their Pilgrimage 5. Freedom from all Temptations either to sin or for sin 6. Spiritual and full enjoyment of the Saints and not of Saints in their weaknesses and mistakes which yet we in our Pilgrimage do rightly judge to be a great mercy but then we shall enjoy communion with Saints full of the Spirit Saints made perfect Many particulars might be added to these which shall be omitted for brevities sake but two questions must here be briefly resolved Quest 1. How comes it to pass that many natural men will often wish they were dead and many time die like lambs and others murder themselves Answ 1. It s seldom a real desire that ignorant people have to die but a sinful customary expression 2. If they be in good earnest it ariseth from ignorance 1 Ignorance what a serious thing it is to die 2 Ignorance of their own condition they think they are in Christ and that so death will be an end of all troubles to them 3 Ignorance of the torments of hell as if they were not greater then the troubles they have here for which they wish themselves dead 3 Those that murder themselves are either so distracted by excess of Melancholy or so dejected by some outward crosses or so overwhelmed with despair or so confounded in their understandings by Satan that they are not able to put forth scarce a serious or rational thought but are carried with a strange confusion and hurry of thoughts into any thing 2. But then it will be asked Why many gratious persons seem to be wonderfully a fraid of death before it come and die with very little Comfort seemingly upon their spirits but rather trouble Answ 1. So far as a Saint is flesh and blood and so far as there is corruption in him so far death will be terrible to him yet in the mean while the regenerate part in him desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ as that which is best of all but as Ridley said when he came to die I am not afraid but the flesh will have its course 2 A Saint knoweth more then other men what a serious thing it is to die he considereth the account that is to be given to God and the straitness of the way that leadeth to eternal Life and many times is not so assured of Gods love in Christ and this damps his spirit as to death 3 Though a Saint sometime seems to be unwilling to die yet before the Lord takes them away he usually makes them not only willing but desirous to die to be with Christ and that is a wonderful thing how God can in one moment turn the scales in these things and make that Saint that even now trembled at the thoughts of death now to say Lord here am I When wilt thou send for me home This the Saints have sometimes experience of 4 Their Comfort at death may be damped much and seeming trouble appear to standers by through some secret strong temptations of Satan or through violence of their disease CHAP. XV. The Holiness of Believers HOliness is most properly to be urged upon Believers more then upon natural men the great thing and the first thing that they are to do is to believe in Christ and after they are in Chrst then they are to be urged to walk holily in him Believers are to be holy both in soul and body not only in the thoughts of their hearts but in all the actions of the outward man The Apostle Paul urgeth the holiness of the outward man of the body as well as the heart by six arguments all laid down in the sixth chapter of the first epile to the Corinthians His first Argument is v. 13. How the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body that is the Lord he is for the body of believers as well as the soul he hath a care of their bodies of their outward man and bestowes many mercies upon the outward man and therefore saith the Apostle there is all the reason in the world that the body the outward man should be for the Lord. His second Argument is in the 14. verse he saith that God will raise up our bodies at the last there is much in that if God will at last raise up the bodies of Believers and glorifie them and make them like to Christs glorious body O how should they glorifie God with their bodies now in the mean while His third Argument is That our bodies are the members of Christ v. 15. His fourth Argument is That our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost v. 19. His fift Argumentis That we are not our own neither bodies nor souls v. 19. His last argument is that we are bought with a price v. 20. All these Arguments are very strong for a Believers glorifying of God with his body as well as with his soul both which are the Lords Several Arguments may be brought for the Saints holiness in general as 1 the Grace of God in Christ should be such a prevailing Argument to holiness that where there is any Gospel-ingenuity we should reason as the Apostle doth We were dead and we judge that Christ having died for us to save us that it s but reason we should live to him saith he in that place 2 Cor. 5.14,15 the love of Christ constrains us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies it keeps in it stops restrains bridles we have corrupt and wicked hearts by nature but when
a man comes to be in Christ the love of Christ doth bridle corruption it puts a mighty stop to it 2 Sin is contrary to the work of God upon the heart of a poor creature when he converts him to Jesus Christ 3. All sin is a transgression of Gods holy Law 1 Joh. 3.4 and that is a great matter 4 Sin is contrary to one great end of Christs coming which was to destroy the Works of the devil 1 John 3.5 Eph. 5 25.26 Titus 2.14 5 Sins of Believers harden natural men and embolden them in their sins when they see them that have knowledge and profess Religion to do such things 6 Christ that is our head is holy that is one of the Apostles Arguments why we should be holy 1 John 3.5 in him saith he is no sin in Christ your head O strive to be like him 7 God dwels among his people in an intimate way of presence Num. 5.1,2,3 There shall no uyclean thing be fomnd among you because the Lord dwels in the midst of you This is a strong Argument the hearts of Believers are as it were the presence Chamber of the King of Glory and shall not they be swept and clean 8 Sin is contrary to the use that Believers are designed to in the world they are to be lights of the world sin makes them but dark Lanthorns they are to be the salt of the earth to keep the world from stinking and putifying 9 God hath glory from others by the holiness of his people when they see our good works they glorifie our Father which is in he aven 10 Sin darkens the soul and hinders it in its communion with God There are some corruptions in the hearts of Believers that do exceedingly dismay them as if they would never be subdued Sons of Anak indeed that we and all our graces look but like grashoppers in comparison of those great Goliabs but God that at first infused such gracious qualities and habits when we were stark dead in trespasses and sins how easily can he subdue the strongest corruptions in our hearts that believe God that first converted Paul when he was in his ful speed against Christ can pluck out the thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9 He tels him that his Grace was sufficient for him There are many things that Believers should have in their eye as to holiness as 1 to avoid Temptation 2 Get sound Repentance for former sins which may prevent much sin for the future 3 Take heed to the word as our Rule in all our walkings Psal 119. 4 Pray servently and importunately against every lust 5 But above all act faith put forth your faith upon the Lord Jesus for the subduing of corruption the heart and so also the life is purified by faith in him Act. 15.9 It is not a mans resolutions and vows against sin it is not the austerity of the Papists it is not the doing of so many outward things that will kill a corruption in the heart but Christ believed on in the heart For by faith 1 we are ingraffed into Christ as our stock that so we may grow upon a new root that by faith as John 15.1,2,3,4,5 we are implanted into Christ Now as the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can we except we abide in him 2 By faith we get some hope and courage against sin that it shall be subdued and are freed from those fears that cut off endeavours and sink the soul 3 By Faith a soul is enabled to apply pleade and argue the promises that are made against the prevailing of sin in Believers of which sort there are many in the word as Jer. 31.31,32 Ezek. 36.26,27 Rom. 6.14 4 By faith we receive the Spirit from Christ which is he that can mortifie the deeds of the flesh the strongest corruptions in the world 5 Yea if we have not so much holiness in the outward bulk yet it gives much comfort to a soul when it finds that the little holiness he hath doth flow from union with Christ and that such a corruption was mortifyed meerly by faith in Christ CHAP. XVI Of the gathering of Believers into Church-fellowship 1. THis thing hath been wofully mistaken and neglected that there is no difference in most places between within and without between the Church and the World 2. It is the duty of all that can to joyn themselves to some Church of Saints for communion as Paul when he was converted assayed to join himself to the Disciples Act. 9. 3. We are not to stay to be put into Church-order by the Laws of the Magistrate seeing Christ who is the Head of the Church hath appointed the order of his House the first Churches embodied and walked in Church-fellowship when the Magistrate was against them and persecuted them usually those that stay while the Magistrate settles things in the Church will submit to any thing right or wrong that the Magistrate shall appoint 4. There are many Priviledges of Believers joyned in Church fellowship enjoying the Ordinances in Christs way and watching over one another comforting one another yea such a presence of God as we seldom find out of it hence it is said that in his Temple that is in his Church every one speaks of his Glory Psalm 29.9 God is known in Sions Palaces for a Refuge Psalm 48.2,3 I am like a green Tree in the House of God which House is his Church Psalm 52.8 In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle his dwelling place in Sion Psalm 76.1,2 Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee They shall meet with such blessed communion with God Psalm 84.4 However those that are in Church-fellowship may not find all this through the deadness and formality of their hearts yet all this provision is in Gods House 5. There is no Rule for partaking of the Lords Supper but in Church-fellowship the Lords Table is to stand in his House which is a Church of Saints 6. To find out the way of Church fellowship and Gospel-order the way is not to go unto Antiquity unless we go as high as the Apostles dayes though something may be gathered to clear the Congregational way from the first centuries but afterwards superstition and ignorance came in like a Flood it hath been the time of the Beasts Raign and Satans being loose to deceive the Nations and therefore say not The former days were better then these what a dark mid-night was it in Wickliffs time 1371 and in John Husse's time when he was condemned who would frame things now according to the way of the professing party of the world in those times and what were the Bishops times when we were so overspread with superstition that as a godly man saith the Table was an Altar the Minister was a Priest and the Sacrament was a Sacrifice and there wanted nothing to be added
and very low in their own eyes aâ— for the sins of our unconverted Estate which we should often think of so as to admire Gods free Grace in calling of us out of darkness and to have new sorrow for old sins so as to put forth fresh acts of Faith for pardon so as to avoid all Occasions and Temptations to draw us to those old sins again so as to rely mightily upon Christs strength to keep us and so as to be humble and very low all our days The Lord many times sets on old sins upon the Consciences of his people with some terror but then it is usually when we are either in danger of falling into those sins again or have our hearts grow proud and puffed up forgeting what we were formerly but that God hath loved us freely And so our daily sins after Conversion our deadness and formality and unserviceableness all call for great humility of heart and self-abhorrence CHAP. XIX Some directions for Believers in their walking with God and their conversation in the world 1. LEt all Saints be well acquainted with Gods workings upon their souls the time and manner and be sensible of the backwardness and opposition of their own hearts to all the grace that God hath wrought in them that God hath magnified his Grace exceedingly in all the good that he hath done them Our Iniquities and the stubborness of our hearts testifie against us but God hath made it appear that he hath done all that he hath done for us for his own names sake 2. Be sensible of the corruption of our hearts remember all the iniquities of our youth get sound Repentance for the sins of our unregenerate estate when we knew not God observe our great backslidings since our Conversion and the sins that do most easily beset us and loath our selves for them and beg special Grace and strength from Christ where we are most weak and tempted 3. Renew our Faith daily upon Christ and meditate upon Gods free Grace in Christ which is notonly to be taken as a cordial in some swooning fits but our daily food for we live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 4. Getting Intimacy with the spirit of God and wait daily for his comforting teachings strengthnings and sanctifying influences and seasonable bringing of Scriptures and truths to our remembrance refuse not his light when he would teach us any thing though it be a despised persecuted Truth and never so contrary to our former apprehensions quench not his motions when he would put us upon any duty resist not his motions to stop us in any way of sin be thankfull for all his visits for his visitations preserve our Spirits we will thank a godly man for a visit much more the blessed Spirit count all our Prayers and services but as dead carcases if there be not the Spirits breathings and influences in them grieve him not who is our Comforter and makes us glad be not proud of his enlargements but let him have the praise of them 5. Be constant in all duties and Ordinances private and publique and be carefull that we neither be dead nor formal nor rest in our duties pray against distractions in duties which is a sin that is very hardly mortified 6. Watch against errors in judgement be not taken with the outward appearance of those that bring opinions knowing that Deceivers will come in Christs name Mat. 24. and will transform themselves into Ministers of righteousness Nay follow not men that are really godly without light out of the word for godly men know but in part do not reject every thing that seemeth to be new for many Truths especially about Discipline are revealed in these last times which godly men in former times were ignorant of that though God revealed to them the necessary Truths to Salvation yet in other things they are mistaken 7. Expect Temptations every day and be sensible of our own weakness to stand in an evil day labor to know that our Temptations are Temptations don 't venture upon Temptations don't come too near the devils forts and think we can retreat when we wil don't think that the devil plays only one game at once he hath many stratagems at once if he cannot prevail to draw to sinfull lusts he will endeavour to draw to Error if he cannot sink the soul with terrors he will labor to puff it up with Gifts be not confident when we have gotten a victory over Satan and think we have routed him he will not leave us so but will rally his forces again and give us open battell or lie in ambush for us Sometimes Satan only feigns himself to be overcome and comes afterward with more success yea a soul that hath got the better through the strength of Christ in some great temptation wherein Satan hath seemed to fight with all his forces yet may be worsted in a less temptation if Christ the Captain of our Salvation do not lead us on 8. Be well skilled in the Promises and meditate in them day and night and go not to the Promise upon legal terms close with the Promises of free Grace such as Ezek. 36.27,28 Jer. 31.32,33 before we close with the Promises that are made to Grace already wrought such as are made Mat. 5. to such as are poor in Spirit and hunger thirst after righteousness close with Christ before we close with the promises for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in him and through him to them that are in him 2 Cor. 1. And they are made first to Christ Gal. 3.16 as the head of the Elect let every Promise be as a stream to lead us to Christ the head and wel-spring of the Promises who hath all that in him that all the Promises put together do contain 9. Though in our young time we have been carried out in holiness in some comfortable measure yet be careful least in our old age and when we have been Professors a great while we do not fall off from our first love and zeal and tenderness of Conscience we read of Asa 2 Chron. 15. what great things he did for God in his young time yet in the next Chapter we see how much he fell and Solomon in his young time was fearfull of Idolatry but in his old age he was mightily carried away with it not only young Christians but old Saints of twenty or thirty years standing had need walk circumspecty 10. Practice that great duty of self-examination daily and desire of God to search us and try us and make us to know our iniquities and give us sound humiliation for them for godly men may lie a great while in a sin before they be truly sensible of it as David before he was truly sensible of that sin of Adultery as appears by 2 Sam. 12. that it could not be less then three quarters of a year for when the Prophet Nathan came to him the child that he had by
for Christs sake hath forgiven us there will be something amiss in our carriages towards our Brethren and if we do not forgive where will our love be Minister to the wants of the Saints according to our abilities freely without grudging do not unsaint our Brethren because of some ignorance and error The Patriarcks are supposed to have been ignorant that Polygamy the having of more wives then one was a sin the disciples ignorant of Christs death and resurrection at the first visit the Saints those that are the poor especially when they are under afflictions not only to comfort them but because then usually there is much good to our selves in converse with them 21. If God hath made our days hitherto days of outward prosperity compassed us about with fulness of the creature watch against sin the more David committed those three great sins of murder adultery numbring the people when he was in prosperity and greatness And do good while we have estates or oppornity and look and prepare for afflictions don 't think God will always use thee to such fair weather and if God continue prosperity learn heavenlyness not to stick in the creature learn moderation not to surfer on the creature and daily make wise observation of the vanity and emptiness of the Creature 22. If Afflictions come see if thou canst find out the particular cause of them which sometimes may be known by the time when it comes As for Nebuchadnezar Daniel 4. to be struck just when he had been saying Is not this great Babel which I have built it was easie to know that his pride and vain glory was the cause of that woful affliction that came upon him and so Herod Act. 12. to be just smitten with death when the people cryed it was the voice of a God and he took that to himself it was easie to see that that was the cause of his death so also we may sometimes know the cause of our afflctions by that way of affliction that God useth to us it may be so like our sin as Davids affliction in the â—…eath of the Child that was by Bathsheba Vriah's wife 1 Sam. 12. it was easie to know that that sin was the cause of the childs death and so Adonibezeck Judg. 1.6,7 when he had his Thumbs and great Toes cut off he presently was convinced what was the cause of the affliction because he had served threescore and ten Kings so himself Sometimes God shews us the cause of our afflictions by setting it up upon the hearts of our Brethren among whom we live Sometimes he sets it home upon our own Spirits that such a sin is the cause of it but if the Lord never let us know all our days the particular cause of many afflictions yet we are to kiss the rod submit to his hand search and trie our waies humble our selves under his hand and walk more closely with him in the whole course of our lives 23. Take heed that we offend not with our Tongues let our words be few take not up most of the time in discourse when better gifts are present but be swift to hear let our discourse be seasonable to time place company if they be wicked such discourse as may awaken and convince if they be strong Saints such discourse as may be sutable to them sometimes it is not fit to speak in the company of weak trembling Saints what horrible temptations other Saints have unless it be to comfort them that they are not alone but others of Gods children are tempted as well as they otherways weak Saints many times fall into great torment of spirit that they shall be tempted as they are and that they shall sink under the Burthen Do not use to commend your selves neither affect in discourse to give others occasion to commend you do not delight in rough and harsh speeches be wary to whom we open our hearts in secret matters not unless they can keep Councell and give Councell use heavenly discourse among godly men for want of that makes their company to be little better then other mens in discourse be not silent when there is cause to speak out of affected gravity nor speak out of for wardness or indiscretion when our silence is better 24. Prize the Scriptures as the word of God so they are called over and over Blessed is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it Now the Lord is revealing light out of the Scripture more and more Satan tempts many to deny the word of God all Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breathing of God 2 Pet. 1.21 Holy men of God wrote the Scriptures and they wrote them as they were moved by the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forcibly carried out of themselves and above themselves by the holy Ghost By the word of God when the Scriptures are so called is meant that which God hath spoken that which he hath said and therefore for men to boggle at the expression and say the Scriptures are not the Word of God but only Christ is the Word of God it is as much as to say the Scriptures are not what the Lord hath spoken and what holy men wrote as they were moved by the holy Ghost as the holy Ghost indited this is a horrible temptation it is true Christ is called the word so is he the Eternal Word of God but the Scriptures also are the Word of God the written Word of God Where this temptation prevails upon men that they question the Scriptures being the word of God by degrees they throw up all Religion all truths one after another and though they do it at first under the notion of living in the spirit and of the Light within them yet at last they turn very Atheists and thus after a generation of grosly ignorant and superstitious persons there is risen up a multitude of deluded and erroneous persons even in the fundamentals of Religion But O let those that are the Lords people study the word of God day and night try all things by the Word get sutable hearts to the Word that we may understand it the better look up to the Spirit that indited the Scripture to be our Expositor and comment upon them and often try our selves by the word and take heed to all our ways according to the word read it ofner then other books and give up our hearts to all the Truths of it 25. Lay up experiences which are better then Cabinets of Jewels lay up experiences of the comfortings of the Spirit of his gracious influence in prayer and other duties lay up experiences of the ravishing consolation that flows from Christs blood lay up experiences of the vanity and emptiness of the Creature and of Gods care over us to keep us from many sins and errrors when we have had great temptations to them take special times to meditate of all the special experiences we
have had both in inward and outward Mercy 26. Beware of covetousness and greediness after the things of this world for there is no satisfaction in the creature we think if we had so much as some others have we could be satisfied but this is certain nothing but God can set bounds unto the desires of mens hearts after worldly things but our hearts if they be set upon the world will cry Give still all the world cannot redeem us from death nor all our Silver or Gold buy off any of the pangs of death and though men are earnest upon the world for their Children that they may leave them great matters to be some body in the world yet we must know that the happiness of our Posterity doth not lie in our leaving them great estates for if they never have Christ it usually makes them more sinfull in this world and more miserable in the world to world to come yea God oftentimes raiseth poor Children to greater Estate in the world then they ever come to and blasteth and crusheth the great Estate that men leave without his fear and though the next Heirs it may be may keep it together yet their Heirs may suddenly consume and too often the more money men lay up for their Children the fewer Prayers they lay up for them besides as Christ bids us beware of covetousness upon that account Luke 12.17 a mans life that is the comfort of it doth not consist in the multitude of that we possess not only the true comfort of a mans life doth not lie in multitude of riches but in Communion with God but the outward comfort of a mans life doth not consist in the multitude of riches many men of ordinary estates do enjoy more outward comfort then men of great Estates How many great men have no comfort in their Estates either God denies them of Heirs and that is a torment to them or gives them not Power to eat of that which they possess or God sendeth them such pains and sickness of Body that they spend their days with grief and their years with sighing Some way or other God sends them such crosses and troubles that eat out all the comforts of their Estates therefore let our Conversation be without covetousness and be content with the things which we have though it be little for God hath said He will never leave us nor forsake us 27. Beware of distracting cares fears sorrows about earthly things for these heart-distracting cares are mighty contrary to the life of faith they work not only death of soul but the sorrow of the world and grief about these things do hasten death of the body they drink and suck up the juyce of our natural Spirits All our distracting cares cannot add one Cubit unto our statures they cannot keep any of those crosses off yea they provoke God to bring those troubles and crosses that we in an unbelieving way care and perplex our Spirits about they make the troubles of our Pilgrimage more then otherwise they would be for they provoke God to continue the rod longer upon our backs and make the afflictions we have more tedious as a man in the stocks to take on and gall his legs to get out makes his suffering a great deal more then it would be if he sat quiet there is no way but to submit to God in all that befals us and not to distract our hearts in a carnal way about troubles before they come and be impatient and murmuring when they do come yet a Christian will find this a hard lesson to learn 28. Beware of the leaven of Hypocrisie as Christ calls it leaven indeed that leaveneth and sowreth our duties exceedingly beware not only of gross Hypocrisie such as declareth a man to be an Hypocrite but lay aside all other Hypocrisie that is more secret as in such particulars as these 1 When we are to pray before others not to depend upon the assistance of Gods Spirit as we do at other times but to fetch in some fine expressions by the strength of memory which we have used or read heretofore this is an evil to be watched against 2 It s the working of Hypocrisie in our hearts when we are enlarged in secret prayer to have a thought in our hearts to wish that such and such might hear us that they might think highly of our gifts 3 And so when we purposely give others occasion to commend us in conference 4 Or when we undervalew our selves not in the humility and truth of our hearts but purposely that others might commend us 5 Or when we boast of things beyond or live and speak at too high a rate of those things that God hath wrought by us too highly commend those that God hath wrought upon by us that we might have more praise 29. Watch against spiritual pride seeing that we have nothing but what we have freely received Spiritual pride is of all things most contrary to the dispensation of Grace in Christ wherein the Lord hath taken a way to save us wherein we are nothing but his free Grace is all in all let all Saints look upon themselves as the greatest of sinners for though we have not commited many great sins as Murder and the like that others have committed yet we have the same corrupt nature that the worst of men have and our sins have aggravations that make us greater sinners as the light we have of the love of God to us in Christ the Ordinances and means of Grace all these aggravate the sins of Believers and though we may be higher in Gifts and in place then many Saints yet be not high-minded but fear knowing that you are therefore a City set upon a hill which cannot be hid and God having given you eminent Gifts and brought you to some eminent place God will be more dishonoured by your falls and miscarriages which is a mighty humbling consideration that religion may have more dishonor by you then by twenty other Saints failings 30. Reprove sin for though some may turn again and rent you yet sometimes you may be an instrument of converting a soul and if this fall out but once in all thy life it s a great Mercy however it is thy duty to leave it to the Lord to give success in it 31. Be not peremptory and too earnest for the suddain removing of any affliction for if that it lasts long usually the more good is done thy soul by it 32. Be not weary of prayer and other duties because you do not always find such extraordinary joys and communion with God as sometimes you have done as sometimes the Lord hath been so present in prayer with a Saint that he cryed out Lord I could spend eternity thus Eternity thus Then hours and days to be in duty is no wearisomness to the Spirit though to the body but at other times the souls is tyred with a short walk a short duty but continue in
all spiritual Duty from an unfailing strength and spring of Grace in the Lord Jesus And if those that believe in the Lord Jesus are brought into a better state then Adam at first was in then much more is the Lord Jesus the Author of all this to them worthy of more Glory then Adam for the Lord Jesus had not only all those created gifts that Adam had but besides he was God equal with the Father and as Mediatour he was exalted far above Adam for he had fulness of Grace in him John 1.16 the Spirit without measure John 3. had power over all flesh John 17.2 Mat. 28. He doth not speak there of his Power as God but of his Power as Mediatour for that only could be given him as he saith thou hast given me power over all flesh Whatsoever a Believer hath it is through Christ for whatsoever God doth for a poor creature either to justifie sanctifie quicken or comfort he doth all for us in Christ He blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in him Eph. 1.3 We are by nature dead in trespasses and sins and God makes Christ our Life Eph. 2.1 Gal. 1.20 We are naturally in darkness and God makes Christ our Light Eph. 5.8 He makes Christ our Sun to shine upon us the glorious Sun of Righteousness that is so full of Light and heat to us we are naturally in a famisht and starved condition like the Prodigal and God makes Christ our food he giveth us Christ as the true Manna bread of Life John 6. We are naturally poor and beggerly and God makes Christ our riches and Treasure Prov. 8.17,18,19 We are naturally naked and God makes Christ our cloathing putting on us his Robe of Righteousness We are impotent and weak and he makes him our strength Thus he makes Christ all in all to us both Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption CHAP. IV. The freeness of the Salvation that we have by Christ THe Dispensation of Grace and Eternal Life in Christ Jesus is every way free to us the Lord hath shewn the greatest kindness when there was not the least desert that every one that is saved by this Grace may say O that ever such an ugly creature as I should have the best Robe put upon me such a Prodigal as I have been find such unexpected kindness such a Blackamore as I am that ever I should have the kisses of the fairest of ten thousand this is wonderful indeed That God should chuse us to eternal Life when he might have appointed us unto wrath this can never be requited that such a person as Christ the eternal Son of God should undertake to bring us to glory this is free indeed and that the Lord should do this without the least desire or engagement on the creatures part and that the Lord Christ should not shun the greatest sufferings in order to our Salvation but be wounded bruised bear the curse of the Law and the wrath of God can this ever be requited And that the Lord should do this after we had spent so fair an estate as we had in Innocency and we had wasted it as the Prodigal did what manner of love is this And that the Lord Jesus went through the work of our Redemption without grudging did he ever say Shall I die for such base wretches as these are but when Peter would not have had him died he took him up sharpely and said Get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.21,22,23 we read not that he took him up so when he denied him can this ever be requited for ever And that the Lord Jesus should think of every thing and purchase every thing that was requisite to make us happy in his Death he purchased all Grace he gave himself for us to deliver us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 He knew that was a great enemy and he purchased Grace to keep us from the evil of that and if we mind Christs Prayer John 17. we may see how Christ thought of every thing for us And that Christ after his bloody Sacrifice should make intercession for us and bear our Names before Jehovah and that he should take such care to send the Comforter in his absence to abide with us for ever this is not after the manner of mens love O Lord our God free free every way free O let us say that believe in Christ we must take this as free love we never deserved it and we can never requite it O I will love thee for ever and praise thee for ever And what are we for whom the Lord hath done all this all the while before we are converted We hate God and are Rebels against him and after we are converted we perform but little Duty we are but little in prayer little in praises little in heavenly meditation sometimes we have a holy thought and then abundance of vain thoughts for it sometimes we have a savoury word and then abundance of vain discourse for it and those few duties we do have a great deal of weakness and sin in them our prayers full of deadness formality unbelief we are proud when we have enlargements so sinful in our best performances that all Saints will confess their Righteousness is as menstruous raggs O let this discovery of the freeness of Gods Grace in Christ draw the worst of sinners that are yet in their Natural estate to come to Christ if Christ and Grace were not free how should Paul Mary Magdalen Zacheus and such have ever been converted Object 1. But the sinner will say I have been a sinner of a thousand may I be welcome to Christ I have scoffed at the Saints and railed at them Answ So was Paul before his conversion I saith he was a Persecutor a Blasphemer and injurious to the people of God where ever he came yet he obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.12,13 yea he confesses to King Agrippa that before his Conversion he was mad against the Church and yet the Lord turns this man in his full speed and there was no qualification to move the Lord to it he was going to persecute the Saints when the Lord met him and converted him Object 2. But I have no good in me to commend me to Christ Answ Christ expects none untill you be in him by faith Christ doth not look for Grapes of thorns how should you be holy until you be in Christ Object 3. Ay but whereas others though they be not converted yet they have parts and understanding and can speak of Religion but I have no parts nor knowledge Answ The Lord hath promised to make the ignorant understand Doctrine if God convert theeâ— he can make thee understand the things of Religion presently Object 4. Ay But I am a poor man or woman that live in obscurity the Lord surely will never convert me for of what use can I be to God he will call Scholars and great men that may be more serviceable then ever