shall never goe on in quiet before them and they are ready to put us out of our way And thus we see wherein the power of Faith lyeth to help against fear There are two things yet behind for the explication of the point To shew the difference between that boldness of spirit and audaciousness that men have that have no Faith and that Fearelesness that comes by Faith As also to shew how farr we may lawfully avoid danger without feare of men CHAP. 9. How Audatiousness and boldness of spirit differ from Faith 1. Audatiousness make us bold to sin 2 It appeares in Causes that concerns our selves then those which concern God 3. Boldness the curing of one pasion with another Faith the curing of passion by Grace 4. Natural boldness makes men rash and henders consultation 5. The cause of immodisty 6. It is suden and violent 7. It proseeds and lives upon outward encouragements 8. The ishew of ignorance 9. Or despair 10. More Outward then Inward FAITH helps against feare but it must be granted that men may be much helped against feare by a meer audaciousness of spirit Quest But how shall we know the difference Answ Audaciousness of Spirit though when it proves to be in Gods cause it seems to be faith yet there are many differences First Where it is Audaciousness of spirit when occasion serves they wil be bold in Sin against God as well as bold in that which is good for God but now where faith is though it doth make the soul to be bold and fearless for God in the way of God yet there are none so affraid of sin they tremble at the appearance or occasion of sin many that are mightily bold in sin are mightily affraid when they are in danger others that are fearless in the way of God thay have no boldness in the way of sin Wicked men that have had the basest spirits of all have been bold in sin As Manasseh how audacious was he in sin and when he came into danger how feared he It is said he was found among the thorns 2 Cor. 33.11 And so Ahaz what a bold spirit had he in sin when he came into danger what a base spirit had he he was affraid and shook like an aspine leafe And so it is reported of Caligula in Isa 7.2 That was a bold wretch in sin yet when he heard it thunder he would run into a bench hole And some may go so far as not only to be bold in sin but to be bold in some danger too and it may fal out to be in the cause of God but know if there be any boldness in sin and if you do not fear every sin al your boldness and fearlesness in any thing else never comes from faith Secondly Where there is natural audaciousness then men are especially bold in causes that concern themselves more than in causes that concerne God When any business concerns themselves in which they are opposed they care not for any one that have more power then them selves but they are not so in the cause of God but others that are truly gracious that are feareless from their faith they are very yeildable and shamefaced in their own cause in things that concern themselves but in â—hings that concern God there doth appear another spirit they have a new spirit Thirdly Where the boldness is meerly natural there is a curing of one passion with another but the boldness that comes from faith is the curing of passion with the contrary grace As thus where the boldness comes from natural audaciousness there is the curing of the passion of fear with the passion of wrath and anger they are never fearless and bold but when their passion of anger is stirred up where faith cures the passion of fear it cures it not by stirring up another passion but by Sanctifying of this and bringing in the true fear of God into the soul it doth not put out one evil with another but puts out an evil with a stream of the contrary good Fourthly Where men are naturally audacious and bold usually their boldness hinders their consultation they have not command over their spirits they are carried on rashly and headily in their boldness therefore in Isa 35.4 The word that is translated feareful it signifies a rash heart it is the same word you have in Isa 32.4 The heart of the rash shal understand knowledg to shew that fearfulness doth cause rashness where it is immoderate but where feare is moderate and guided right it makes men to have power to consult of things and advise of things and examine of things but your bold impudent people care not nor consider not what they say but where fear is rightly ordered by saith the heart is able to consider and advise best Fifthly Again Audaciousness when it is natural makes men to forget the distance that is between one man and another makes them immodest care not what they say to superiors that are above them but when men are feareless by faith though they wil not be hindred in their way by feare of them yet they know how to give due respect to them that are in Superior place which a natural Audacious spirit doth not Sixthly Again Natural Audaciousness is sudden and violent but a man that is feareless by faith doth not presently get up to this boldness of spirit but it comes by degrees and several steps first more fearful and then less and so by degrees he gets power over that spirit of his which before he found feareful but the other is violently up and doth not come by degrees Seaventhly Natural Boldness it is according to outward encouragements but the fearlesness that is from faith is by the breathings of Gods spirit upon his heart according to the several breathings of Gods spirit upon their hearts so they are more or less feareful the other boldness being natural it works always alike if they have but the same outward encouragements but Gods people though they have the same outward encouragements yet they are more fearless at some times then at other times because they have not the Spirit of God breathing upon them alwaies alike Eightly Natural boldness comes from ignorance and insensibleness because people do not know or are not sensible of the danger they are in but faith discovers the danger and makes men sensible of the danger and then it helps it is nothing to be bold when one is not sensible and doth not understand the danger but a gracious heart conceives aright of the danger and is sensible of it and then faith lifts above sence and above reason Ninthly Men that are naturally bold it is through desperateness because they have nothing to loose and care not what become of themselves but by faith men are not fearless because they are desperate but they see help in God and in Christ and his mercy the more they hope the less they fear but the other are desperate and
spirit in those that have true Grace To that I Answer First There may be a difference discerned by that which hath been said there is somthing is constant Whether is that which lay at the root of grace in you still there If you do not find those two things constant viz. An approving of the life and power and strictness of godliness and a savor of that which is spiritual either in Ordinances or in Gods People all your good moods in the world though your hearts be never so up wil not discover the truth of grace Secondly Those that have only some good moods at some time and no bottom of any true grace they in their good moods are not humbled for that which was failing in them before their hearts indeed are somtimes up and they bless themselves in that but now this doth not make them look back how it was heretofore with them and to be ashamed and humbled for the wretchedness and distempers of their hearts formerly but where the heart is up for God in those that have truth of grace when their hearts are most up then they make use of this to be abased and humbled in their own thoughts for the deadness and distemper that was in their hearts before the good moods of others rather puff them up than further any work of humiliation for any evil that was in them before they think these good moods now and being in a good temper shall satisfie God for their evil distempers that were in them before But it is not so with a gracious heart a gracious heart when it does get up it makes use of this work of God upon it to be ashamed and confounded in its self for those evil distempers that were in it before The more the heart is up the more discovery it hath of its own baseness and vileness and wretchedness which others when their hearts are up have not Thirdly Gods People when their hearts are up that doth bring gracious discoveries of God unto them and of those things that do wonderfully spirituallize their hearts others though they have their hearts up they only have some affections but in those good moods of theirs they have not those Heavenly discoveries of God so as to purge their hearts and spirituallize their hearts and make their hearts to be more heavenly as it doth the godly Fourthly Those that have only good moods and no truth of grace when they have their good moods they are not by them carried out of themselves to a principle beyond themselves but they rest in the workings that they feel in their hearts whereas a gracious heart when God raiseth his heart and puts it into a better frame this carries it out of it self to a principle beyond it self and it dare not rest in those stirrings and workings it finds for the present to think now I am safe and well because of them but by these it is carried beyond it self Fiftly Where there are only good moods and not the truth of the work of grace they do not work so seasonably and orderly as the breathings of Gods spirit in his servants do but the breathings of a gracious heart coming from the spirit of God it works seasonably and orderly in their hearts when there is a spiritual use of them in that hour shall it be given to you saies Christ the spirit shal come upon you when you have most use whereas in others their good moods work only according to outward occasions and as means come in but now at those times when they have most use of them they are furthest from them Sixtly Where the heart is right and truly godly and God comes and breaths in it more than formerly such a one wil watch over it self and wil not be secure after this but the other grow less watchful and more secure upon such moods Seventhly Those that are truly gracious though they do not find their hearts up alwaies alike yet when they find their hearts down they count it their sickness and their disease and it is the disquiet and trouble of their spirits whereas others that have only some moods they are not sensible of their hearts being down as their sickness and disease and the burden and trouble of their souls Lastly In those that have grace when their hearts are up at any time it is but a preparation for some further service others having but moods their hearts being up this is the period of all their godliness in which they rest but the godly when their hearts are up at some time more than at others it is but a preparation for further Service 1 Chron. 29.18 The hearts of the people were up and David blest God for it and saies he prepare their hearts unto thee unsound hearts would say now our hearts are up and we have offered thus freely are we but in a preparation Yet David praies to God to prepare their hearts as if all their heart and affection at that time was but a preparation to further duty and this is the difference between the good moods of the greatest Hypocrite that come to the highest pitch and the difference between the breathings of Gods Spirit and by these means only presented to you it may be some help to discern the difference between good moods at some time and the different breathing of Gods Spirit in his people CHAP. 17. Containing the Third Vse of Direction branched into four particulars 1 If couragious and fit for service give God the praise Four Reasons for it 2. Learn to rebuke unbelief 3. Labor to keep your hearts up The manner how that may be done in eight particulars 4. Improve this gracious working of God USE 3. THirdly If there be such difference between the hearts of Gods People at some times and at other times This is an Use of Direction to all the people of God that are acquainted with this difference of Gods breathing upon their hearts in these Four Particulars First When you find your hearts up more at some times than at other times give God the glory Secondly Learn to rebuke your Unbelief Thirdly Labor to keep your hearts up Fourthly Improve this great working of God First If so be you find your hearts more up at one time than at another as Gods People do find much difference and can say somtime let my Beloved come into his Garden give God the glory and praise of it for it is a great mercy For 1. It doth prevent and deliver you from abundance of danger you were in when your hearts were down if a temptation had come what abundance of danger had you been in now God hath prevented that danger 2. If your hearts were right when they were down then you powred out your complaints to God of the deadness of your hearts now if God be come in it is a fruit of your seeking God and of your humiliation before the Lord now that which comes in as a fruit of
humiliation and much seeking of God surely that should be the matter of our praises 3. This is a gracious visitation of God God comes in with this and here is the presence of God and therfore there is much cause of praise 4. It is an argument that God hath some especial service for you to do now those that are godly count this a great mercy for God to have any employment for them now that they have received an evidence to their souls that God intend to imploy them this is a great mercy Secondly Learn to check your Unbelief when your hearts were down you were ready to say it would never be otherwise now check your hearts and bring your hearts to this conclusion I will never think it in vain to seek God though I do not find him come in presently and I will learn though I may judg my self worthy that God should leave me yet I will never determine that God will not come in because I see Gods waies are not as my waies and Gods thoughts are not as my thoughts Oh take heed of judging the waies and thoughts of God according to your waies and thoughts Thirdly Is God come in and do you find that you have a spirit of courage and boldness more than before now you find God sweetly breathing upon you to put life into that dead and to raise that heavy heart of yours do you find God sweetly and comfortably enlivening your souls and putting the spirit of confidence in that unbeleeving heart of yours Labor to keep your hearts thus There is a great deal of difficulty when a thing is fallen down to get it up but when a thing is up if one be careful it is not difficult to keep it up It is a notable expression that David had when he found the hearts of the people got up in their willing Offering 1 Chron. 29.18 O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts unto thee So let it be thy prayer and it is my prayer for thee Is thy heart up more than before Pray O God of Abraham Isaac and Israel keep this in the thoughts of the heart of this man or woman for ever be careful now to keep your hearts up so when you are well or otherwise if you should lose this through this negligence 1 It wil make you cal into question the truth of these gracious breathings yea you wil think it was but a meer flash such as Hypocrites may have yea not cal this into question only but to cal the truth of al into question this is that which makes men take the foundation of al because their hearts somtimes are raised and they through their negligence let them fall and lose that spiritual life and courage once they had and so bring abundance of sadness upon their hearts now as you would have an evidence of the truth of Gods work upon you and the truth of grace labor to keep up your hearts 2 Labor to keep up your hearts otherwise if they fal off again the waies of God wil come to be very tedious to you As a man that walks unevenly in regard of the unevenness of his leggs or the unevenness of the way he is quickly tired and so if a Christians way be up and down and there be not an evenness in his way he is quickly discouraged and a main means to help one to go on with freedom and courage in Gods waies is to go on in an even course 3 If so be you lose this you lose the beauty of your profession the beauty of the waies of Godliness consists much in the constancy and if your way be up and down there is no beauty in your conversation it takes away the convincing power of your way and conversation if others saw your hearts up and saw a constant evenness in your way this would mightily convince them that it is a work of Gods Spirit upon your hearts but somtimes your hearts are up and down again somtime you are patient and meek at other times you are passionate and fretting this doth not convince them that it is the work of Gods Spirit but only the stirring of a natural spirit 4 By this means you wil cause God to walk differently with you if you keep not up your hearts when God hath raised them though God be in a way of mercy you wil cause him to walk in a way of displeasure against you 5 Again When your hearts are up that is the thing that the Devil doth most watch to give you a trip in As when Daniel walked so strictly in al the matters of the Kingdom as they could find no fault in him they accused him in the matter of his God of his Religion so saies the Devil if I should tempt him to such and such sins I cannot prevail but there is such a way I may prevail and the Devil doth labor there most to trip you As he did with Christ in another case when you are on the top of the pinacle then he labors to throw you down It is true it is the work of God that hath brought you up to the pinacle but there the Devil doth labor to throw you down Quest You wil say How shall we come to keep up our hearts whenas our hearts are in a better frame than at some other times Answ First When your hearts are up labor to make use of that grace that raised your hearts improve it so as to make your hearts more holy and more upright A Tree if it sprout upward only and do not run down in the root proportionably it wil wither and die and so if grace do work only upward in abilities and performances of duties and joy and such things and do not proportionably work downward in the root it is like it will come to little and you will soon lose all Secondly Work that grace you find in your inward as wel as outward man Do not think it enough that you have stirrings of Grace to enable you to do duties but improve this grace for the working out of corruption consider the corruptions of your heart and now take the advantage to work them out Thirdly be sure you take nothing that is Gods due at this time that is if God have raised your hearts though the peace and joy of it be yours the Glory of it is Gods do not be fingering of that take heed of lifting up of your hearts in a way of pride it is enough your heart is lifted up in a way of grace and you must be content with that but many when God gives them a lift in a way of Grace they cannot be content with their part the peace and the joy but they lift up themselves in a way of pride and would have some of Gods part of the Glory and that spoils all Fourthly When you
but howsoever it ought to be the care of all Gods people to be obedient to authority in what they can And in the last place If authority should deal never so hardly with you take heed you have no thoughts of revenge but commit your cause to God and requite good for evil and pray for those that persecute you And these directions being premised you see how far you are to fear the wrath of the King and the displeasure of al that are in place above you CHAP. 6. The Point prosecuted more strictly BUt now we come to the point more strictly After you have observed these rules and made use of these directions you are to go on in your way resolutely and comfortably and cheerefully whatsoever falls out not to baulk your way at all in the least degree that God requires at your hands but to go on without feare The Scripture saith concerning a righteous man In Prov. 28.1 He is as bold as a Lion if a man know he is in the way of God he is to go on boldly like a Lion and in Prov. 30.30 not to turne out of his way for feare of any creature We find in scripture how the Godly are commended for their resoluteness and courage of spirit that they would not fear man and the creature As those three Prophets in 1 Kings 18.17.18 Elijah Elisha and Micaiah When Elijah met Ahab Saies he Art thou he that troublest Israel No saith he it is thou and thy fathers house And so Elisha when those three Kings came down to him the King of Israel and Jehosophat and the King of Edom saies he 2 Kings 3.14 Were it not that I regard the presence of of Jehoshaphat King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor see thee And so Micaiah when they would have had him prophesie good things sayes he 1 Kings 22.14 What the Lord sayth unto me that wil I speak I might give you many instances in Job and David of their courage not fearing the wrath of man Job hath a notable expression Job 31.34 Did I feare a multitude or did the contempt of families terrifie mee that I kept silence and went not out of the door he was not affraid though he lived amongst those that were vile and wicked And great courage you have in David in Psal 23. and others Though he walked in the shadow of death and whatsoever befel him he would not be affraid And so the Church of God sayth in Psal 46.2.3.4 verses Therefore we wil not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the Sea Though the waters thereof roare and be troubled though the Mountaines shake with the swelling thereof There is a river the Streams whereof shal make glad the City of our God We enjoy the ordinances of God and we wil not fear though there are such tumults abroad in the world And so that which is said concerning Jeremiah in Chap. 15.12 Shall iron breake the Northern Iron and the steele though they were as Iron that reasoned a-against Jeremiah yet Jeremiah was to be as steel when Iron Strikes against Steel It doth not break it but brighten it and so al the opposition that Jeremiah had from all the great ones was but as the striking of Iron against Steel it did not break his spirit but brighten it And that of the three Children in Dan. 3.16 Shews the magnanimous spirit that they had We are not careful to answer thee in this matter And so that speech of Saint Paul Acts 21.13 What meane you to weep and break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but to dy at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus And so many expressions we have of the Martyrs in the Primitive times Justin Martyr making his apologie for the Christians to Antonius Pius saith he we do not speak to dissemble to you but for our own right we can be hurt by no man you can kill us but not hurt us if you like mad men will observe the customs of men before the truths of God do then we wil not I do not name every speech of those servants of God as imitable because we do not know what spirits they were carried on with but to shew the strength of their spirits And so that of Ambrose speaking to the Emperor do not lift up thy self O Emperor if so be you would rule be subject to God And so Odosius that was a good man when he had been crossed with the people of Thessalonica he caused many of them to be murdered upon that Ambrose refused to give him the Sacrament though he came to the Temple door and desired it of him and fell down upon the ground yet Ambrose stood and resisted him till there was through repentance manifested to the Church And so Chrisostome The Emperess Eudoxia had taken by wrong the vineyard of another Chrisostome forbad her the Communion And likewise Basil he writ to Julian the Apostate Crâ—tainly if you understood what we writ you would not oppose that we writ But saith he when I consider the dignity and crown you have and the use you make of them I tremble for they are for your honor but they make you more dishonorable And Julian meeting Pagmelius saith he I thank God I see you and when he replyed you cannot see saith he I thank God I can not see you are an Apostate And that is a notable speech of Luther when he was to go to Worms to answer for his faith saith hee though al the tiles of the houses of worms were Devils yet I would go And so divers women that were weak in regard of their sex yet when faith came what abundance of courage had they And thus you see by many examples both out of scripture and likewise out of Ecclesiastical histories the magnanimous spirits of Beleevers That we are to do now is to open the point in these three particulars First to shew Wherein lieth the power of faith to help against the sinful feare of authority and of man or any other creature Secondly to shew The difference between audaciousness of spirit and that courage which proceeds from faith Thirdly Though we are not sinfully to fear man yet to shew how far we may lawfully fear him CHAP. 7. How Faith helpeth against the fear of man Opened in fifteen particulars First wherein lieth the power of faith to help aaginst the fear of man Much hath been said concerning the power of faith to help against sufferings but now we have divers things to say concerning the power of faith in helping against the feare of man First Wheresoever faith is it putts the Beleever into a very secure and safe condition making sure of the safety of the Soul and that the termes between God and it are good and by that meanes it delivers the soul from being transported by feare There is nothing can secure the soul that the termes between
God and it are good but faith and that it doth by putting the Soul into the Covenant of Grace and conveys the good of that everlasting Covenant that can never be broken unto the soul and transferreth upon the soul the sure mercies of David and that must needs make the soul in a secure condition A man is not troubled with feares when he knows he is provided for his life So a beleeving Soul is provided for Eternity what now can trouble such a soul The Apostle in 1 Pet. 4.19 Would have us in the time of danger commit your soul to God in wel doing when the soul is committed unto God in wel doing there is no further fear As if so be a man were travelling and he had some precious Jewel were worth abundance and he apprehends himself in some danger if he can commit his Jewel to some safe hand he is without fear And therefore in some countries you have your Banks men that are affraid of their money commit it to the Bank and there it is sure So a soul that can commit it self to God in weldoing and be sure of that it is not troubled with much fear Qust But should we not take care for our estates and lives and liberties Answ Sayth the Apostle be at a point for them but be sure you commit your souls to God and you are wel enough As in a time of common fire and burning If a man have some lumber in the fire he doth not care for them but if he hath Jewels and treasury he commits them to some safe custody and so a beleever having committed his soul to God by faith and so being sure of the termes between God and it his soul wil not admit of fear We read of Noah Gen. 6.14 When he had made an Ark he pitched it about the word that is translated pitched is the same word that is used for propitiation or attonement noting that pitch was to Noahs Ark that the attonement of Christ apprehended by faith is to the soul whn a soul by faith can apprehend the sure meercies of David in the propitiation of Christ this is to the soul in the middest of dangers to keep it from fears as the pitch was to Noahs Ark in the midst of the waves that kept it from the waters And that is the first thing Secondly Faith keepeth from fear because it hath a speiciall eye to the highest first being of all things now that is a rule No inferior cause can worke but by an influence from the Superior and therefore when by faith the eye can behold the highest supream cause so as to see First There is no Power in any creature but from that Secondly The Acting of that Power is from that Thirdly The Force of that Power is from that Fourthly The Success of that Power is from that cause and when the soul looks up to this highest cause and sees all cleare there it needs not much to look how it is with the inferior causes As if a man had an instrument that hung upon many wheels though the inferior moves and it seems as if it would break and fall upon him yet if he hath an eye upon the highest wheel that moves all upon which all depend and be sure that holds he doth not much regard the other And so it is with a spiritual eye A carnal eye looks only at things that are objects of sence he looks at the creatures but a beleever looks at the highest supreme cause and if that be right he doth not looke at the lowest causes We have a notable speech in Isay 54.16 Behold I have created the smith that bloweth the coales in the fire and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the waster to destroy Are you affraid of the sword and the wasters I have created the smith that blows the Coals and I have created the waster to destroy If they have any power to do hurt it is from mee why do you look upon the instrument and not upon the hand If there be any power in any instrument of war they depend upon God and he makes them to destroy and therefore faith looks to the highest cause and is conversant with that and carries the affections to that it is not much affected with under causes it doth not fear the wrath of men nor the power of any creature because it looks so much at the highest cause that is above al. The confidence that carnal hearts have in outward helps keeps them from fearing God should not the confidence of the Saints in God keep them from fearing man Thirdly Faith helps against the feare of man because it helps the soul to overcome greater fear than any feare the creature can cause A beleeving soul hath been conversant with other manner of fears than the wrath of a King namely the wrath of an infinite God a beleever knows what the wrath of a Deity means what the terrour of conscience and the curse of the Law and the flashes of Hell meane and he hath had some experience concerning the feare of these and he hath received some thing of the spirit of bondage that hath caused him to feare other manner of things than the feare of man and when faith comes that hath delivered the soul from these fears others must needs vanish the power of faith soon extinguisheth them 1 Sam. 17.37 As David when he was delivered from the Mouth of the Lion and the paw of the Beare he was not affraid of Goliah so a beleeving soul is not affraid of the wrath of man because it hath been delivered by faith from the wrath of an infinite Deity and the terrors of the Law and of Conscience In the 51. of Isa 22. Mark how God brings the deliverance of his people from the fear of his wrath as an argument to strengthen them against all other fears Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the Cup of my fury To what end is this spoken In the beginning of the next chapter for Chapters were not divided by the Prophets but afterward and therefore they have an immediate connexion to one another Awake awake put on thy strength O Zion put on thy beautiful garments So sayth faith to a beleeving soul why art thou affraid of the wrath and displeasure of men be not feareful for I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling there was a time wherein there was a cup of trembling in thy hand and thou wert affraid thou shouldest drink of that I have taken that out of thy hand and therefore awake put on strength be not affraid of man being thou art delivered from such fear It is a passage in the book of Job Job 38.17 when God would bring Job to feare saith God you seem to have some boldness but have you seen the gates of death and hath the shadow of death been made known to you that
were another matter if you had gone through those fears and yet were bold but a beleeving soul may say yea Lord the gates of death and the shadow of death hath been in some measure made known to me and yet I am bold The Prophet saith in Jer. 17.17 Be not thou a terror to me for thou art my hope in the day of evil Lord let me be delivered from thy terror and all the world shall not terrifie me Those that have been brought up delicately and know not what any danger means if they heare of any commotion and danger they tremble but those that are used to warrs that continually heate the noise of Cannons and see the affrighting objects and desperate things that are there they are not so soon made affraid because they have been where terrors have been and have been delivered from them and so a beleeving soul hath been acquainted with other manner of terrors than the terrors of men and faith delivering from them will deliver from these Fourthly Faith helps against the feare of men and all dangers and evils by implanting the true feare of God in the soul Where faith comes as it brings all grace with it so it brings the grace of the feare of God and the reason of al disorderly feare in the world is for want of the true fear of God I do not meane the fear of his wrath but that reverence that we owe to God as creatures to the Creator that fear of God wherein a great part of Gods worship consisteth if the soul were possessed with that other fears would vanish As in other afflictions True spiritual joy will overcome carnal joy and the best way to cure carnal joy is to have the heart possessed with spiritual joy many take content in the flesh but they never come to have their carnal joy mortified till their souls be filled with spiritual joy And therefore though in the time of sickness They cry out against their carnal joy it is not mortified but they returne to it again because they had only the conviction of conscience that their carnal joy was naught but had not a contrary stream to fil their hearts And so for sorrow There is no way to mortifie carnal sorrow as to sorrow for sin and so for desires no way to mortifie sinful creature desires as to have desires Sanctified for God As in other afflictions so in that of fear no such way to mortifie carnal sinful fear as to have the true fear of God planted in the heart As Moses when the rod was turned into a Serpent the Magicians turned their rods into serpents but the text saith in Exod. 7.12 that Moses Serpent did devour the Magicians Serpents So there is enough in the true feare of God to take up al the soul that it hath no space for the fear of Man As when God is truly worshipped there he is only worshipped so when God is truly feared there he is only feared and all other fears are in subordination to that Where God is truly feared nothing else is feared and indeed nothing else need be feared As where God is not feared no creature can help us so where God is feared no creature can hurt us in Hosea 10.3 Because we feared not the Lord What then should a King do to us so on the contrary because we feare the Lord what then can a King what can all the power in the world do against us Fiftly Faith doth discover unto the soul that it hath more with it than against it You know the Prophets man was affraid when he saw their enemies about them ready to apprehend them the Prophet prayed to the Lord to open his eyes and to let him see in 2. Kings 6.16.17 There were more with him than against him So till a mans eyes are opened by faith he may see many enemies against him to cause fear but when God doth open the eyes of his Soul to see more with him than against him all fears are gone It sees al the Attributes of God all the waies of Gods Providence all Angels all creatures working for the good of it and so it sees more with it then against it If a child or man be alone in danger he is affraid but when he comes into the company of his freinds that hath more with him than against him he is not affraid So by the eye of faith we see more with us than against us and that frees from feare Sixthly Faith keeps from feare by bringing in the spirit of Jesus Christ into the Soul and makes the Soul partaker of the spirit of Christ Now Christ is called the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5.5 He was full of courage and did not feare any thing which opposed him in his way now every Christian doth partake of the Lion-like spirit of Christ and hath something of it in him and that puts strength courage into him In Isa 11.2 We read of the spirit of Christ that he was anointed withal the spirit of wisdom and understanding spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledg and the fear of the Lord. Wheresoever the spirit of Christ is there is a spirit of might and strength that will not easily yeeld to feare It is a sign of a poor low spirit to ly down and feare every thing that is never so little feareful but a spirit that is magnanimous and a raised spirit wil not easily feare The spirit of Christ is a magnanimous glorious spirit he hath the same spirit with his Father and so those that are Christs come to have the same spirit of the Son and of the Father with them And therefore saith Saint Paul in 2 Tim. 1.7 We have not received the Spirit of fear but of power The Spirit of Christ hath a great deal of power and strength in it and when faith brings in the spirit of Christ it must needs help against fear Seventhly Faith helps against feare by taking off the heart from the creature and from all the comforts that are in it Why doth a man feare but because he thinks the creature wil take away some comfort from him now if the heart be taken off from the creature and the comforts of it and so from creature evils neither esteeming the one nor accounting much of the other there is not much cause why he should feare now faith takes off the heart from the creature In Revel 12.11 It is spoken of those that overcome Antichrist that they loved not their lives and if they were taken off from the love of life then by consequence they were taken of from the love of any creature It is a notable speech that Chrisostome hath concerning a worldly man None more miserable and more feareful than a man that is fastned to earthly things for saith he he doth continually live the life of care and of trembling but when faith comes it takes off the heart from being fastned to the creature and
so such a one comes no longer to live the life of care he doth not tremble any more And suitable to his expression so was his life speaking of Eudoxia the Empres saies he what wil she do wil shee bannish me the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Wil she cut me asunder so was Isaiah Wil she drown me John was cast into the Sea Will she stone me So was Steven Will she behead me so was Paul Will she take away my substance my heart is taken a way from that already It is reported of Illaria meeting with theeves say they are you not affraid no saith he I have nothing to loose but We will Kill thee saith he I am prepared to die And to a Heart seeing it hath nothing to loose and it is prepared to die it doth not fear it values no evil in the creature nor any good in it and therefore it is not affraid Now it is faith that glorious and mighty grace takes the heart off from all creature Evil and creature good and by this you may know the work of Faith in your Souls When you feel a principle within you taking you from the creature and lifting you aboue creature comforts and creature evils that is the glorious work of Faith And that is the Seventh thing Eightly Faith doth interest God in the cause of a Beleever Whatsoever cause a beleever doth undertake wherein he doth exercise faith his Faith doth interest God in it so that it hath not only the countenance command and faithfulness of God to help it but the Name of God and God himself As in England if a man hath a debt and knows not how to get it he will turne it over to the King and if he can interest the King in the debt He thinks that will be a way to help himself So here when a beleever is in a straight and he knows not what to do he looks this way and that way and sees nothing but fears and Terrours and knows not how to help himself yet if he can but turne over the cause to God and interest him in the cause he is quiet Ninthly Faith hath a notable work to help against fear in that it fils the heart with spirituall good and the true boldness that is in any heart comes from the fulness of spirituall good that is in their Souls As the Naturalists observe the reason why the Lyon hath that courage and boldness Is because he hath a heart compacted and filled with strong spirits Many things when they are empty are weake but when they are filled ful of that which is sutable to them it makes them strong So when a Soul hath a fulness of spiritual good in it it is very strong Look what is the reason of the boldness and courage and impudence of wicked men in their sin the contrary is the reason of the boldness and courage of Gods people in the way of God The speciall reason of the courage and boldness of the wicked in a way of evill is the fullness of wickedness that is in their souls And therefore in that fact of Ananias and Saphira Acts. 5.3 saith the Apostle Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the holy Ghost If Satan had not filled your hearts you could not have been thus bold to have lied to the holy Ghost And so it is a notable passage we have in Esther 7.5 speaking concerning Haman saith the King Who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so In the Hebrew it is who hath filled his heart to do this who hath a heart so ful as to venture upon such an evill as this As the filling of the heart with evill makes it bold and couragious in that which is evill so the filling of the heart with spirituall good makes it forward in that which is good As it is observed concerning Steven after Steven was filled with the Holy Ghost how bold was he he could look upon the face of his persecuters with boldness in Acts 6.15 and the Councell looked upon him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel because his heart was filled with the Holy Ghost And so the Apostles were very feareful before the Holy Ghost came down upon them but when they were filled with the Holy Ghost they had no more feare And so Elisha how full of courage was he when the three Kings came to him saith he Had it not been for Jehosaphat I had not seen thy face What was the reason he had the Spirit of Elijah double upon him and therefore he was bold As there is a Plerophorie of evil that causeth boldness so there is a Plerophorie of good that filleth the heart with boldness and nothing doth so fil the heart as faith that fetcheth of the fulness of Christ and of his fulness we are full In the Tenth place Faith hath a great deale of power to cause boldness and take off the heart from the feare of Man because Faith doth acquaint a beleever with the waies of God towards his people and therefore he doth not fear A beleever comes to have skill in the passages of Gods Providence and his dealings towards his people and thereby he comes to know that it is Gods ordinary way to suffer the enemies of his people to rage against them and prevail against them and to have much power over them and yet they are his people And it is no argument that God hath forsaken them because of their affliction And therefore you know the Scripture speaks oftentimes of Gods leading his people through the Fire and the Water and that God will be with them there Isa 43.2 It is the way of God to choose his people and set his heart upon them in the Fiery Furnace when he intends the greatest good to his people He brings them through Fire and Water and setteth them in wealthy places Psal 66.12 And if one be acquainted with Gods way he doth not fear If a souldier be not acquainted with the way of his General when he seeth him undertake great things and brings them into danger he is affraid but one that is acquainted with the way of his General how he will lay his stratagems and knows that it is his way to go through such dangers he is not affraid And so it is true carnal Hearts assoon as they see any danger they are affraid because they have not the skil to understand the mind and will of God in his way towards his people when as the people of God know that it is the ordinary way of God to work good out of Evil. As Luther saies He doth kill that he may quicken and cast down that he may raise up And the like and so he goes on in three or four lines together but saith he For to know this this is the art of arts and the Knowledg of Knowledges very few do know and understand this way
in the world about this many think they must be zealous But there must be discretion exercised what do they count discretion that which doth something take off the activity and vigour of grace but there is not one grace is so an enemy to another as to abate in any degree the vigor and activity of any grace whatsoever but the work of discretion is to mannage and improve our faith and courage and patience and all other graces wel for the glory of God and the good of his people this is discretion but if you account that discretion which abates the vigour and activity of grace though you put that glorious name of discretion upon it God cals it by other names by cowardliness self-seeking and temporizing and what wil become of those Fiftly You ask whether you may avoid danger and suffering The cheife way that a Christian should use in avoiding of danger should be in this namely in Laboring to get his heart to be willing to submit to God in a way of suffering to be willing to endure suffering when he calls to it As it is the best way to obtain a mercy from God to get our hearts to be willing to be without it if God shal see it sit so it is the best way to avoid danger and evil to get our hearts willing to suffer that evil if God shal cal to it These things being premised there may be liberty to avoid danger CHAP II. Containes a further Resolution of the former Case in nine particulars 1. God doth give leave to his people to fly and avoid Danger 2. Such avoiding of Danger if rightly qualified argues neither distrust of God nor defect of Courage 3. In some cases Christians not only permitted but commanded to flee as 1. When no extraordinarie thing depends upon him in that station in which God hath set him 2. When the hand of God looseth those relations which would otherwise be obligations to him 3. When God gives him an opportunity else where to bring greater revenues of glory to him 4. When a Christian is doubtfull about his call to suffer at the present 4. There are some cases wherein it is utterly unlawfull to flee viz. The contrary to those above named 5. Mistakes in flying as 1. To flee upon every slight and trivial thing 2. When it tends to their spiritual disadvantage 3. When having secretly denied the Faith Men flee to prevent the shame of Apostacie 4. When they look at their own safety alone without care to fit themselves for further service of God 5. How to know when avoiding dangers proceeds from Faith or Cowardise 1. That which is by Faith is not in a Violent Rash Heady manner 2 When it proceeds from Faith it is joined with a resolution to return and beare witness to the truth when God cals 3. When we use the liberty we have to get hearts to return 7. The case of publique Officers Magistrates Ministers especially the latter BUT yet for the more close and full answer to this case of Conscience whether a man may flee from danger yea or no I shall express my self in these eight or nine several particulars 1. We shall lay this for a conclusion that God doth give his people leave to avoid danger 2. That if it be done as it ought it is no argument of distrusting of God or want of courage and magnanimity 3. In some cases some not only may but are bound and ought to flee 4. Some in some cases must not avoid danger and must not flee from it 5. I will shew you some mistakes that may be in the fleeing of danger 6. I will shew you whether that avoiding of danger comes from faith or base feare 7. I wil shew how far publick officers may avoid danger especially the case of a minister 8. I wil answer to some objections that may be made against the avoiding of danger 9. I will give you some directions for the behaving and carrying of our selves in fleeing and avoiding of danger For the first God doth give leave to his people to flee and to avoid danger that in the general must be laid as a certaine conclusion you know that of Christ in Math. 10.23 When they persecute you in this City flee into another There is leave given and injunction too It is that which is according to the light of nature and religion doth not extinguish the light of nature though it shews somewhat above it and except there come in some other command above nature we may follow the light of nature if we do not mistake a false light for a true And further we find it by plentiful example of Gods people yea Christ himself avoided danger and fled from it and therefore he gives leave to it As Elijas was a man of spirit enough and yet in 1 Kings 19.3 He fled for his life and those Prophets that Obadiah hid were willing to avoid danger as in 1 Kings 18.4 And the example of Christ himself presently after he was born when Herod slew al the children of two yeers old and under then there came a commission from God unto Joseph to flee with Christ into Egypt Afterwards when Christ came to yeers when he saw himself to be in danger he avoided it Divers texts we have for that in Math. 12.14.15 John 10.39 And so Saint Paul in Acts. 9.25 Presently after God had miraculously and wonderfully appeared unto Paul yet notwithstanding when he knew the Jews laid waite for him to kill him the disciples let him out by the wal in a basket in 2 Cor. 11.33 it was a contemptible way of fleeing of danger and yet notwithstanding that glorious word of God that he was a chosen vessel to beare his name before the Gentiles in Acts 9.15 he was content to avoid danger in that contemptible way The case is cleere that it may be done Secondly But you wil say though it may be done it seems to be some abatement to faith and courage No the avoiding of danger when it is in the way of God must not be counted the least abating of faith and courage and for that I will give you two texts of scripture that are very remarkable for that purpose In Math. 10.23 Where Christ says when they persecute you in one city flee into another The next thing that he says is feare not them vers 26. and againe feare not them that kill the body verse 28. Here seems to be a cross thing they might say blessed Saviour doest not thou bid us flee How can we flee and not feare this shews there may bee fleeing from danger that may not come from the least degree of cowardlyness and feare of man and there may be fleeing from danger and yet no abatement of faith and confidence As in Psal 3. The title of the Psalme you have thus A Psalme of David when he fled from Absalom his Son When David saw himself in danger of Absalom he doth not venture
the lock we think may be there is some ward in the lock that is a little bent if that were mended it would do or the key is bent and rather then we wil throw it away we wil mend that may be I have bent some ward and a man wil reason al he can before he wil throw away the lock So when you have to deal with others that are of another opinion do not throw them away reason this way that way because there is much in ordering mens spirits in the communication of a truth unto them it is not alwaies the evidence of a truth that is sufficient to convince but the manner of presenting of the truth and that is the second reason of the difference of mens spirits Reason 3. The third reason is because that somtime the graces of men do not burne out so clearly and purely as they do at other times As in fire when you kindle a fire first there is a great deal of smoke and we see little brightness in the fire stay but a while and the smoak wil be consumed and the fire burne bright So in the graces of men and women sometime there is a great deal of corruption when grace is kindled at first a great deal of smother but grace continues and workes out that corruption and it burns more clearly So in the sun when it riseth in the morning it may be a great mist but when the sun is up a little while it consumes the mist and shines clearly So Children when they are young may be they have many il humors afterwards their natural strength consumes their humors and so they are more active and stirring so though the Godly have not that disposition of heart to do that for God they should yet when grace comes to burne more clearly they can do it Reason 4. Fourthly As grace is mixt at first so somtimes it is weak the parts and members not being consolidated and strengthened when an infant comes first into the world if you expose it to the cold it is not able to endure it which afterward it wil do when the Joynts are set and so young plants cannot endure that frost which they wil do afterwards And so Christians at first are as children carryed away with every wind of doctrine til afterward they come to be more strong and then they are fit for service As Christ would not have his disciples called to fasting and praying they were hard duties while they were weak he hath this expression no man puts new wine into old bottles nor sow a new peice of cloath into an old Garment for the bottles wil break and the garment wil rend in Math 9.16.17 The meaning is do not bring unsureable duties to mens spirits fasting and prayer is a duty but they are not strong enough for it yet noting when people grow strong they shal be fitter for duty service or suffering Reason 5. The fifth Reason is because somtimes our hearts are filled with more heavenly consolation then at other times that does refresh the souls of Gods people as with new wine that they can go forth as a Giant cal them to any duty and they can go through fire and water As for sin when a mans heart is warmed with sin and they have had delight and satisfaction in their sin come and speak what you wil against it and they can easily cast it off and so for duty when Gods people have been warmed by duty and their spirits are refreshed in Gods way with what resolution do they go and as that martyr Mr. Saunders sayd that which made the difference in him was because God was pleased to come in with such refreshments to his spirit that he felt the consolation of God not only upon his soul but flow into his body and that put a great deal of courage in him And in the stories that I have read of Scotland Mr. Knox reports of a young man of eighteen years of age that suffered martirdome under the Bishop of Glasgow and when he came to suffer he was mightily affraid and thought to have recanted and it pleased God that his spirit came in mightily to him at that time and he fell down on his knees and blest God Blessed Lord said he great is thy mercy to man kind and to me poor wretch that was like to forsake Christ my saviour and put my self into eternal damnation and now thou hast come with the consolation of Heaven and hast filled my heart and now I am freed from those fears that suppressed my soul let men do what they can I am ready And to God somtimes comes to fill the hearts of his people with mighty consolations and that makes a mighty difference Reason 6. The Sixth Reason is because sometimes the breathings of Gods spirit not only in consolation but in assistance comes more fully then at other times The spirit of God bloweth where it listeth and when it listeth John 3.8 Sometimes more fully somtimes more scantly Saies Christ in Math. 10.19 In that houre shal it be given you as Mr. Glover When he was in his dumps before yet when he was at the stake he cryed to his friend Austin he is come he is come And so it was with Sampson sometimes the miraculous work of Gods spirit came upon him and then he was strong and so in a spiritual way the spirit of God comes upon his people and then they are strong though they were weak before Isa 59.19 When the enemy shal come in like a flood the spirit of the Lord shal lift up a standard against him So when there comes a strong temptation like a flood that would bear him down then the spirit of the Lord shal lift up a standard and come in with abundance of assistance Reason 7. The seventh Reason is because somtimes a man sees his call to dutie to suffering a great deal more clear then at other times and that puts a great deal more strength As Moses now saw a further call to stand out against Pharoah and all his enemies and here is a great deal of deceit in the hearts of men when a man is loath to put himself to trouble he cannot be convinced of his call let us take heed of the deceit in this Question What shall we doe to take heed of the deceit in this Answer 1. When there is any work to doe either in doing or suffering hard things If you say I do not see the Lord call me Put it to your hearts againe and say deal truly and really with me doe you not see the Lords call Secondly observe this rule if so be you have put off service or suffering upon this ground do but examine whether you find upon this that your hearts be as stiring and lively in all other services as before Usually if men from sluggishness because they are loath to endure hardships shall put off the call of God their hearts wil fal more dead
and sluggish in other things and if you keep your life in al other things then though you do not that thing which some require of you it is a comfortable argument that you put it off because your cal was not clear and not out of sluggishness Thirdly You may take such a course as your sluggishness may get nothing by it as thus take the advantage of your hearts I cannot see that I am called to such a duty in which I must endure hardships and so I have spared my self in that yet the sluggishness and deadness of my heart shal get nothing by it for I wil put forth my self so much the more in those duties that I am sure I am called to if our hearts be thus we may have comfort it is not from our sluggishness Reason 8. The eighth reason is because there may be agreat difference by this in regard of the temper of a mans body especially in those that are sickly and weakly they may find themselves in a mighty indisposition to that which is good at one time and a greater disposition at another time and yet there may be no decay of Grace but only the temper and ordering of a natural spirit Reason 9. The Ninth Reason is because there may be a great difference in the spirits of men in regard of the difference of the encouraging occurrences of Gods providence somtime God guids them by his eye Psalm 32.8 there is a difference between Gods guiding by his word and by his eye by his word that is by some direction but his eye that is some providence to encourage them and according to the different occurrences of the encouraging providences of God so there may be much difference in their spirits As in sin somtimes men shal find things so fit and pat for sin as they would have it and so somtimes Gods people find the providence of God fal pat for them to encourage them and that makes a difference CHAP 15. Containing the First Use Which teacheth us to entreat God not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low USE 1. THis should teach us all to entreate God not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low when we are in a disposition to that which is naught or an indisposition to that which good but that God would pitty us and favor us and that God would never cal us to do any great service or suffer for him but when he sees we are in a disposition for it it is a wonderful mercy of God not to call out his people but at such a time when they are fit And so for temptation to sin God sees what dispositions there are in the best of us all he knows how corruption is working many times and if a temptation to sin should come at that time what should become of us we could not but forsake God and his cause and wound our consciences acknowledg the mercy of God towards you in keeping the temptation from you at such a time sometime we are wandering from God if the roaring Lyon should meet us then how like were it that we should be devoured somtimes we are ready to stumble upon every straw and if God should lay stumbling blocks before us then what should become of us this is a mercy that God doth not grant unto others for thus God very frequently deals with wicked men when there is an opportunity for them to enjoy the greatest good at that very time there shal be somthing fall out that shal put them in an opposition to that Good as perhaps somtimes God in his providence orders it that a minister should be partly upon such a subject as should be marveilous useful and God is more then ordinary assisting of him then somthing shal fall out to keep them from the exercise or the corruption shal be up to harden their hearts or there shal be some occasion to take up their minds more than at another time that they shal not get that good they might but this is the mercy of God to those he intends good to that he will give them an opportunity to receive Good when they are fit for it there was such a time if such a point had been handled their hearts would have been unfit but at such a time such a point shal be handled and pressed on and says God I will order it so they shal break through difficulties to come to the exercise and though corruption wil be stirring I will order it so that corruption shal not be stirring at that time And so sometimes for temptation to sin God sees many times how a corruption is up and he is fitted for a temptation and if temptation should come at that time he would be drawn and would revive himself now those that God wil curse he lets Sathan eat upon them and lets them go on at that time when their corruption is most up As now in the cause of Ahab when Ahab would go to Ramouth Gilead says God in 1 Kings 22.21.22.23 Who shal perswade Ahab that he may go there came forth a spirit and said I will perswade him how I will go and I wil be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets goe says God and thou shalt do it Now had Ahab been a Godly man God would have stopped him in his way as many Godly somtimes are in such a disposition to sin as if they had any encouragement they would do it but says God to Sathan do not go It is very observable how God takes advantages upon wicked men as in Gen. 34.25 Simeon and Levi â—ame upon the Sichemites when they were sore So when many men are in such a disposition as they have no ability to resist a temptation then the Devil comes upon him as that is observable we have in those Psalms Psalm 35.6 Psalm 73.18 In the 35 Psalm 6. It is let their way be slippery and dark and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them see how God takes the advantage of wicked men they are in a Dark way and upon slippery ground then the Angel of God persecuted them when a man is upon a slippery ground he had need to have something to leane upon but when he is in a slippery place to have his enemy persecute him that is dangerous so God deales with the wicked it is otherwise with the Godly when the Godly are weak and their way is slippery God pities them and the good Angel preserves them so when men are in a slippery way and ready to fall into a sin says God to the evil Angel now follow them in that sin So in Psalm 37.18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction Learne for ever from this point to entreat God that he would consider of your frame and say Lord thou knowest I am in a slippery place and not in the good temper I am in at other times Lord
wickednesses that were in Sodom and Egypt and that are in that place First Antichrist is like Egypt in regard of the most gross Idolatries Of all places Egypt was counted the most gross Idolatrous place They did not only worship the Sun Moon Stars as other nations did but Cats and Onions and any base creatures So the Papists worship stocks and stones and all kind of holy Reliques even the haire that came from the taile of that beast that Christ rode on and most base vile things that are too base to abuse an Auditory to rehearse Secondly It is compared to Egypt in respect of the cruelty of the Church of Rome None were so cruel and vild as Egypt And so of all men those that are under Antichrist are more cruel as if they were Messengers came from hell to shew the power of Malignant spirits and therefore they are said to be drunken with blood and so have their clothes died in scarlet with the blood of the Saints Rev. 17.4.5.6 But the chiefe thing I aime at is to shew the bondage Christians are in under antichrist the work of faith in delivering from it The bondage under Antichrist is 1. Outward in Estates and Lives 2. Inward a soul bondage 1. An outward bondage doth not he challenge power over Kings and Princes and to free people from Loyalty to their Princes that except there were a delusion upon the hearts of the great ones upon Earth It were unpossible for them to submit unto that base bondage Many crie out of the Godly that they are no good subjects they do not love to be under government but what do you think of Papists that do teach for to free subjects from their loyalty A Papist hath this expression concerning Antichrist The Pope their head He is the Sheppard and the Kings and Princes are Dogs and if Dogs will do their duty they must be at their Masters command but if they will be lazey and bite and not do as they ought the sheppard must remove them And for their Estates It s a woful estate that Countries are in in regard of their estates I read a speech of Bonner in a preface to the Treatise of Gardener that the Pope had neere as much out of England yeerly as the Revenues of the Crown came to And it was the speech of Innocent the fourth Pope of that name England was his pleasant Garden and a wel that never was drawn dry and in England many things grew abounded and many things were to be had from it So that the estates of men are in great bondage where Antichrist prevails as also the lives and liberties of men 2. But especially the thing which I will a little stick in is the soul bondage thus we have it in Rve. 18.13 The Merchandise was slaves and souls of men So that men that are under Antichrist are slaves and if there were but a true Heroicall spirit in men they would not suffer themselves to be under that slavery though they seem to be the bravest spirits yet being under Antichrist they are slaves And the souls of men are his Merchandise the souls of men are under bondage First This is a base subjection and slavery of the souls of men under Antichrist in that he takes upon him to make Articles of Faith that they are bound in conscience upon paine of Damnation to beleive whatsoever he shal say in his Chaire is infallible what a base bondage is this When as we know what most Abominable Sodomitical Horrible Monsters have been in that Chaire and yet they shall be bound upon paine of damnation to beleeve whatsoever they say is infallible Secondly Whatsoever his decrees are though having no footing in the word they are bound in conscience to obey upon paine of damnation So that if it were possible to obey all Gods Commandements they may be damned for want of obedience to some one of Antichrists comands which must needs be a miserable bondage for any man to make a new command that is not under the command of God and to make damnation to be the punishment of disobedience to it then men are in danger of Damnation a hundred of waies more then for sinning against Gods Law Thirdly Those that are under Antichrist are under great bondage in being kept from the rule of life from the Scriptures Wherein the counsels of Gods will concerning their Eternal Estate are revealed Those that are slaves are kept in dangers and cannot have the priviledges of subjects or of Children So Antichrist keeps all under him in the most base slavery in depriving of them from this priviledg of Children that they cannot know the mind of their Fathers and the great things of God that concerns their Eternal Estate what man that knows any thing of those great things concerning his Eternal Estate would be under that slavery And yet if so be we had continued under the bondage of Antichrist we must have been deprived of this Fourthly If they hear any thing of the word they are bound to take no other interpretation but the Churches the Preists give them though it be never so gross now to bind mens Consciencs to this is a most abinable Bondage And yet what vile Interpretations If it is Blasphemy for the Devil to say he will ascend and be like the highest no less to make God descend to be like the Prince of darkness to set the Kings stamp upon false coyne Now to bind mens consciences to their wicked interpretations of Scripture this is a most abominable bondage 5. This is a great bondage that no Ordinance can be administred but by the power of Antichrist and those he shall give power unto and this is a great bondage to the Church to be stinted in Gods Ordinances They are the Churches priviledges especially that of Prayer the spirit of Prayer and Supplication is one of the especial Priviledges of the Church Gal. 4.6 Because you are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father There he speakes of the liberty of Gods people as they are sons they have the fruit of their son-ship Now when as God doth give his spirit to his Church as part of their liberty for them to be restrained in their liberty to pray just no more then the Pope shal appoint and so to have no Ordinances but according to his power what abominable bondage is this and what heart that knows any true Christian liberty would be in such a bondage 6. He takes upon him power of absolving and binding keeping men under the guilt of sin and loosing of them from it when he pleases from this power over mens consciences is commited all manner of villanie 7. Another Bondage which is greater then all is that he keeps men under the rigor and curse of the Law by keeping men off from Christ and teaching the doctrin of justification to be by the works of the Law he keeps