harder to deny him the next time 9. Consider your relation and station art thou partaker of the promises of Christ Ephes 3. 10. an heire of Christ a fellow-Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. 19 Oh then doe not so dishonor Christ to take a member of Christ and make it a member of Satan to Serve sinne this were a great wrong to Christ We were sometimes darknesse but now we are light in the Lord walke as children of the light Ephes 5. 8. And seeing we are the sonnes and daughters of God Gal. 4. 6. Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5. 10. It is wonderfull unsutable for such to sinne for that were to serve Satan and doe his drudgery Eph. 4. 20. Yee have not so learned Christ Eph. 4. 17. This I say and restifie in the Lord that yee henceforth walke not as the Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minds Christ gave himselfe for his that they should be holy Tit. 2. 14. Rom. 6. 10. see 1 Joh. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Wee were chosen to be holy therefore I may not sinne Ephes 1. 4. Rom. 8. 29. 10. Consider the eye of God is ever upon you Heb. 4. 14. Pro. 15. 3. 16. 6. 11. Let the love of Christ constraine you to hate and oppose every evill way 12. Nourish the motions of the Spirit Quench not the Spirit walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. Nourish zeale and hatred against every sinne 13. Examine your selves and wayes daily Keepe your heart as your life Pro. 4. 23. Reforme the inside Job 14. 4. and Satan shall not prevaile 14. Consider the shortnesse of time we have here to live our time is short also the pleasures of sinne are but for a season Heb. 11. 25. 15. Know your interest in Christ and profit by affliction both which destroys sinne 16. Hearken unto the noyse of conscience if conscience saith doe it not hearken unto it doe it not lest conscience be silent and yee hardened 17. When the pleasure of sinne is presented unto thee present to thy thoughts the sting sinne will leave behinde it with the many evils that attend it also present to thy selfe a greater and better pleasure and sweetnesse which is thine and that thou if thou be the Lords shall injoy for ever with him oh minde home and what is there pleasures for evermore set your affections on things above where your crowne of glory is 1 Cor. 9. 24. Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sinne are deceived and inshared by it but give no eare to the lying noyse of sinne and Satan they have faire pretences for a foole as Pro. 23. 2. as that you may be saved notwithstanding or resist it the next time but oh the deceitfulnesse of sinne 18. Pray to God earnestly and constantly for strength against sinne with thankfulnesse for any preservation from sinne watch and pray at the first approach of sinne change thy object and fall to prayer Phil. 4. 6. 19. Beleeve God will give thee strength and subdue all thy iniquities in his time thou shalt overcome them be not discouraged if thou beest sometime too weake give not over continue resisting in due time thou shalt prevaile beleeve your prayers shall be answered and that as there is strength enough in Christ to subdue sinne and that you shall injoy it we are never overcome by sinne but by reason of the weaknesse of faith therefore above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Eph. 4. 12 13. 20. Apply sutable promises against sinne consider Eph. 5. 5 6 7. Rom. 6. 11. Psal 119. 6. God hath said Sinne shall not reigne over you Rom. 6. Do as Mat. 17. 21. The Lord will preserve you from every evill worke and preserve you till he bring you to glory The necessitie excellency and benefit of Prayer THe Lord our God hath commended Prayer to be a helpe to us in all our necessities and that we might love it and improve it to his glory and our good saying Aske and it shall be given you Mat. 7. 7. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you Isa 50. 15. Prayer hath great promises annexed unto it James 4. 5. Mat. 7. It procures wisdome James 1. 5. The Spirit of grace is given to such as pray Luk. 11. 13. It quickens the graces of God in us it 's a remedy against all evils Joh. 3. 8. 10. Psal 107. Prayer is a means to fit us for those good things our soules desire Jam. 1. 5. Consider Exod. 14. 15 16. Jonah 2. 1. 10. It hath healed the sicke and raised the dead unloosed chains and unlocked prisons and delivered the Saints of old Act. 12. 5. 7. 11. and of late and put in persecutors in their places It hath set free the Lambes and shut up the Wolves we may truly say the Lord hath slaine Og King of Basan for his mercie indures for ever And Prayer caused the Sunne to goe backe yea to stand still Josh 10. 12. By it we beare great burdens and are made better by them understand me of prayer in faith By it Jacob prevailed with God Hos 14. 3 4. God delights to heare his pray Song 2. 14. By it we draw neere to God and have communion with him and in a sort are familiar with God and know his minde it ingageth Gods power and truth Prayer is the most universall helpe it is good for all and at all times in all things and is most easie and ready to the Lords in all places in all times Would you doe good to your brethren friends enemies frequent and improve this spirituall and heavenly dutie Concerning the duty of Prayer To prayer three things are necessary 1. A spirituall disposition before 2. a spirituall behaviour in 3. and a spirituall carriage after The first includes preparation to this duty That preparation is a dutie God requires consider 1. God commande it God saith I will be sanctified in them that draw neere me Levit. 10. 3. Prepare to meet thy God Amos 4. 12. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepared for every good worke 2 Tim. 2. 21. 2. The Saints have practised it Jehosaphat prepared his heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19. 3. Ezra prepared his heart Ezra 7. 10. O God my heart is fixed Object This is Gods worke Answ True Thou wilt prepare their hearts O God Psal 10. 17. in the use of meanes 3. There are promises annexed to preparation If thou prepare thy heart c. see Job 11. 13. see what is promised vers 15 16 17 18 19. An evill not to doe it And Rehoboam did evill because he prepared not his heart to seeke the Lord 2 Chron. 12. 14. What preparation is in generall Preparation it is an holy consideration of God with whom we have to doe and how unfit wee are to have so neere communion with
no more Heb. 10. 17. So that now wee may draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith for he is faithfull that promised vers 22 23. Let not thy comfort depend upon thy personall Sanctification because from it there can no sure selected constant comfort flow To seek comfort from Sanctification and not from their Justification in Christ is a cause of much trouble in many a weake beleever for Sanctification hath nothing to doe with Justification nor salvation as any cause of it Also Sanctification admits of degrees but Justification admits of neither rules nor degrees and is more glorious then Sanctification our Justification depends not upon our apprehending of it nor in our receiving of it but upon the effectualnesse and merit of what our sweet Lord Jesus hath done for us Heb. 10. 14. 18 19. So that now wee may well have boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus vers 20. Justification is apprehended by faith Heb. 11. 1. Joh. 8. 56. Faith doth evidence to us our justification for the Scripture saith all that beleeve are justified Act. 13. 39. It is possible to have a full assurance of faith Heb. 10. 22. therefore faith is an unquestionable evidence and when faith is hidden and doubtfull Justification is not apprehended and when faith is hidden and doubtfull Sanctification is not evident but doubtfull and so cannot evidence to us our Justification the effects of Sanctification cause men to question their Justification therefore no effect of Sanctification can evidence to the soule its Justification and that soule that by Faith apprehends his Justification by Christ not onely knoweth it but may live upon it injoying the sweet fruit of it peace joy strength without any considering the effects of Sanctification in himselfe And seeing Christ is made Sanctification to a beleever 1 Cor. 1. 30. why may not a beleever live upon his own and say I have Sanctification in Christ which is perfect my actuall righteousnesse doth often faile me but Christs righteousnesse indures for ever Psal 111. 3. therefore I will fetch all my comfort from Christ and my Justification by him and as wee are not to conclude our Justification from any effect of Sanctification so wee are not to conclude that apprehension of Justification to be from God as shall take men off the meanes and rules of Sanctification because it is to the dishonour of God for men not to walke holily according to the word of God Tit. 2. 14. Prize and preserve the peace of thy conscience Be sure yee allow your selves in no sinne but in the power and strength of Christ to hate and abhorre with the greatest indignation all sinne and the appearance of evill it is better to dye then to sinne there is that which accompanieth sinne which strikes at a beleevers peace and comfort and will damp straiten and oppresse their comfort joy and peace in God unlesse God doth wonderfully strengthen their faith in him And such as live by faith and injoy sweet peace in him have found sin to be an enemy and a let to their faith and comfort it having often unsetled and disquieted and clouded their soules peace though indeed it ought not so to doe for we are to remember that sweet place Heb. 10. 17. Their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more This alone is able to settle a soule it being full of sweetnesse and life Doe not trouble thy selfe with any thing that may befall thee in case thou wert certaine great troubles shall befall thee be not troubled at any trouble much lesse for future trouble nor thinke not to incounter with supply a future trouble with a present strength if many and great troubles come God is alsufficient and will remove them or give strength to beare them when they come 1 Cor. 10. 13. Mind seriously those promises of God that are sutable to thy condition separate thy selfe to meditate upon them as Prov. 18. 2. hide them in thy heart as Mat. 13. 44. There is strength and sweetnesse in the promise thou maist venture thy soule upon God in his promise and live upon it thou knowest not but God may reveale his promise to thee and settle it sweetly and fully upon thy soule by his almightie power as Ephes 1. 19 20. Therefore let not Gods promises be strange to thee but feed upon them eat them Eate O friends drinke abundantly O beloved Song 5. 1. Leave not the promise untill thou beest refreshed revived raised ravished with Gods rich grace and infinite free love and thy heart inlarged with thankfulnesse and obedience unto God againe for the exceeding riches of his mercy Eph. 2. 9. His plenteous Redemption Psal 130. 7. Treasure up experiences of Gods goodnesse unto thy soule but who among you will give eare to this who will hearken and heare for the time to come Isa 42. 23. Remember the dayes of old I have considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77. 5. Thou hast been my helpe Psal 63. 7. I was brought low and he helped me see 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. Psal 89. 49. Keepe thy heart calme and quiet from all passions as feare griefe c. The still soule can best heare and know Christs voice his still voyce but where feare vexation and distempers dwell they are not aware of Christ nor themselves and commonly they that feare most have least cause as they had the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid and the Angel said unto them Feare not for behold I bring you tidings of great joy Luk. 2. 9 10. When the soule is troubled with any passion it is not at the command of faith Luk. 24. 41. the violence of their joy hindred their faith Let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Quietnesse is the stay of the soule to doe or receive Be contented with thy present estate and fill not thy head heart or hand with any more businesse then thou must needs Consider Heb. 13. 5. Take heed of the cares of this life Luk. 21. 34. 15. Trouble not thy selfe with needlesse supposed feares if thou doest thou drawest upon thy selfe reall sorrow and unnecessary discontent there be many that are possessed with bitter sorrows from supposed sufferings Order thy conversation aright To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. 23. Want of wisdome to dispose of of diligence to dispatch what necessitie requires to be done in the right time and place hath produced such inconveniences as hath unavoydably caused trouble a disquieted and an unsetled spirit Walke with God in his wayes ordinances they are for thy comfort strength joy and peace in him there is no quiet to those that worship the beast Rev. 14. 10 11. Use Gods means but live not upon ordinances but upon God in them for meanes alone are not sufficient to doe
us any good 1 Cor. 1. 21. Doe not sleight nor refuse Gods consolations let them not seeme small unto thee are the consolations of God small with thee Job 15. 11. O soule own that comfort God gives thee if it seeme small to thee it s thy own own it lest yee live to complaine saying as David did My soule refused to be comforted Psal 77. 2. and to wish yee had that yee despised be thankfull to God for what thou hast received and hold that fast and let nothing goe that may tend to thy peace rest satisfied in Christs righteousnesse and adde nothing unto it I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal 71. 15 16. 19. 24. Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse Psal 119. 142. see Psal 22. 31. 35. 28. 50. 6. 51. 14. Jer. 33. 16. The perfection of Christs righteousnesse is held forth unto us and doth alwayes lie before us for us that we might ever be comforted with it and rejoyce in it with thankfulnesse for it seeing it so perfect and full of divine consolation Oh here is enough to refresh and satisfie all the Lords to all eternitie so that we have enough we need no other nor no more righteousnesse Meditate on Gods goodnesse unto thee let his loving kindnesse be ever before thy eyes Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O God Psal 48. 9. Beleeve in God I in Christ want of faith or want in faith is the cause of trouble in the soule Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me and let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Faith in Christ quiets and settles a troubled soule Thou canst not be too confident in resting upon Christ in his free grace Psal 30. 5. therefore come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Those who know God will trust him with their bodies and soules and that upon his word All that know thy Name will trust in thee Psal 9. 9 10. but a foole neither will nor can doe so O foole and slow of heart to beleeve Luk. 24. 25. But those who are made wise by God will trust in the word of the Lord Isa 26. 3 4. and say in his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. When the Lord pleases to settle a soule in the assurance of his love he causeth the soule to trust in his word Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119. 49. God by his word conveys that to the soule which is sutable to its wants and by his power and authoritie settles it upon the soule Above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Feare not beleeve Luk. 8. 50. Yea cleave to God in his promise even then when thou art in thy greatest feares and most sensible of thy unworthinesse trust in him at all times God is a refuge for us Selah Psal 62. 8. If at all times then at the worst times also yea even then beleeve and heare nothing against thy beleeving God in his promise Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. So should wee doe oh beleeve God intends thy good Christ came to seeke and to save the lost Luk. 19. 10. Lost viz. in the sight and sense of thy own sin and misery and in thy own sufficiency Improve thy doubts feares temptations against beleeving to incourage thee in beleeving for hast thou not by experience found that it is but in vaine to hearken unto any of them Consider often and well these places Rom. 16. 20. Heb. 10. 35 36 37. Rev. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 5. 7. And search the Scriptures Reading helpeth mens judgements memories affections confirmes our faith and fits us to answer the temptations of Satan Renounce all lying vanities hearken unto none of them First hearken not to the voyce of thy heart it is a lying vanitie it will deceive thee Pro. 3. 5 6 7. Isa 44. 20. Secondly hearken not to Satan Thirdly hearken not to sense Thomas said he would not beleeve unlesse he might see and thrust his hand into his side Joh. 20. 24 25. But this sensuall practise is to be abhorred by us for this is to consult with flesh and bloud which cannot discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 14. and is condemned by God Gal. 1. 16. So some persons will see such a holy frame of spirit in themselves and feele such a sin subdued c. before they will beleeve yet faith looks not to such things as these but onely to God in his word therefore wee must not live by sight but by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. and blessed are they that have not seene yet have beleeved Joh. 20. 29. Fourthly hearken not to carnall reason if it be hearkened unto thou canst not beleeve nor submit to God nor be setled for doth not reason say that a Virgin cannot bring forth a childe and a woman of ninetie yeares is past conceiving a childe therefore reason saith it cannot be and so contradicteth God himselfe Gen. 17. 16 17. Mat. 1. Also can reason beleeve that by faith the walls of Jericho fell downe and that the Saints stopped the mouths of Lyons and quenched the violence of fire by faith yet faith did it Heb. 11. 30. 33 34. Or is it likely or possible to reason for a man to walke upon the Sea as Peâ—er did Mat. 14. 29. And did not Christs command seeme vaine to Peters reason that he should cast in his net into the Sea seeing he had cast it in so often and fished all night and catched nothing Luk. 5. 8. Can reason conceive how the dead who are eaten with beasts or fishes or turned into dust can be raised to life or that the Sea can be divided the Sunne goe backward or the Rockes yeeld water in abundance surely there cannot be any reason given for them And seeing sense and corrupt reason is so contrary to God in his word why should we hearken unto them when they say the soule hath no grace because sense seeth none and that God will not pardon their sinnes because there is no reason to reason why he should nor no way to reason which way it can be yet it may be for with God all things are possible Mat. 19. 26. They that hearken unto lying vanities forsake their own mercies Jonah 2. 8. 5. Live not upon duties 6. nor upon good report 7. nor upon groundlesse hopes 8. nor upon peace 9. comfort 10. joy 11. raptures 12. ravishments though they all be true or false live upon God alone and upon nothing else besides God in Christ if thou doest live upon any thing else as thy foundation is unsound so it will deceive thee and whatsoever their sparkes may be they must and shall lye downe in sorrow Isa 50. 10. Let not thy comfort depend upon Gods actings or dispensation to the inward or outward man if thou doest thou canst not be setled for they are oft changeable and coÌ„trary one to another one day
We receive the Law from the hand of Jesus Christ to be a rule for us to walke by and herein is my Father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit Joh. 15. 8. And the Saints injoy sweet priviledges by walking close with God see 1 Pet. 4. 14. To him that orders his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. 23. God sheddeth his love into the hearts of his in his time and measure which love so constraines them that they cannot choose but love God againe for his great love Rom. 5. 5. Ephes 4. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Which love as it is apprehended by them so it constraines them to obey him and there is no faith true but that which workes by love Gal. 5. 6. and to all that love God his commandements are not grievous Joh. 14. 15. 1 Joh. 5. 1. 3. And God hath chosen us that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1. 4. 2. 10. 4. 1. But this doctrine hath ever been slandred and opposed by Papists Arminians and such as they are but let those that can see judge whose lives are most according to the Word they that hold with it or against it 3. The life of faith in Sanctification This consists in two branches The first is the soules cleaving to God in Christ our Sanctification which is for my pardon and peace and assurance of glory 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who is made unto us sanctification The second is the soules cleaving to Christ in his promises to change my nature clense and renew my heart and life and to worke all our workes for us and be a quickning Spirit in us 1 Cor. 15. 45. I will heale their backslidings Hos 14. 5. He will subdue our iniquities Micah 7. 19. Sinne shall not have dominion over you c. Isa 57. 18 19. I have seene his wayes and will heale him and heale all thy diseases Psal 103. 8. This was Christs prayer Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth for their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth Joh. 17. 17. 19. There is much unevennesse in us it should be a great griefe unto us that we cannot honour God no more in our conversation that our spirits are so much estranged from him as they are and unto holy and divine things which should be familiar and more delightfull unto us All that are the Lords have received great love from him which should greatly ingage their hearts to walke as becometh Saints in a holy course and conversation according to the Word of God every day and all the day long to injoy God and obey him according to his word Of infirmities An infirmitie is such a weaknesse as when the heart is upright yet by reason of some impediment it cannot doe the good it would and doth the evill it would not Infirmities are the imperfections of good actions There is an infirmitie which ariseth from some impediment which a man would faine remove but cannot There is an infirmitie that ariseth for want of growth in grace A sin of infirmitie is alwayes with griefe and sorrow and where there is no griefe for it it is no infirmitie It is a sin of infirmitie in him who desires to be informed of it and to be reproved for it and to know how to leave it when he is ashamed of it and will not plead for it but complaine to God against it and is grieved humbled for it and useth meanes against it There is no childe of God that is wholly free from infirmities therefore every beleever is to live by faith in all their infirmities 4. The life of faith in infirmities Which consists in two things First It is the soule cleaving to God in Christ that he will be to us according unto his promise a God of love and mercy unto us for ever notwithstanding all our omissions and commissions excesses and defects Secondly and that he will supply all our wants for soule or body as if we had never sinned according to his Covenant with Jesus Christ and us in him that it shall stand fast for ever with him Psal 89. 27 28 29. For the first If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities Psal 103. 3. Whom he loves once he loves to the end Joh. 13. 1. I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isai 53. 3. Which is confirmed by two immutable things Oath and Covenant c. That wee might have strong Consolation Heb. 6. 17 18. Through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. If his children forsake my Law and walke not in my Judgements if they breake my Statutes and keepe not my Commandements then will I visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquitie with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse I will not take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile my Covenant will I not breake my mercy will I keep for him and my Covenant shall stand fast with him Psal 89. 30 31 32 33 34. They and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neckes and hearkened not to thy Commandements and refused to obey c. But thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and mercifull and slow to anger and of great kindnesse and forsakest them not Nehe. 9. 16 17 18 19 20. In our greatest falls when the soule is subject to doubt of pardon consider our God will abundantly pardon c. Isa 55. 7 8 9. I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my Names sake Isa 43. 25. And am mighty to save Isa 63. 1. With the Lord is plenteous redemption Psal 130. 7 8 9. I have blotted out thy sins returne unto mee for I have redeemed thee Isa 44. 22. He knoweth our frame and remembreth that we are but dust Psal 103. 14. If thou shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 130. 3 4. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him Psal 103. 13. 17 18. Thou art a God ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee Psal 86. 5. But thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and mercifull and slow to anger and of great kindnesse and forsakest them not though they dealt proudly and hardened their neckes and hearkened not to thy Commandements and refused to obey Neh. 9. 16 17. He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Ps 103. 10. He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was
I will give to him that is athirst of the fountaine of water of life freely Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled A bruised Reed shall be not breake and the smoaking flax shall be not quench And if there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath By faith Abraham offered Isaac Of a truth this poore widow hath cast in more then they all The desires of the righteous shall be granted Isa 55. 1. Joh. 7. 37. Rev. 21. 6. Joh. 7. 33. Mat. 5. 6. Isa 42. 3. 2 Cor. 8. 10 11 12. Gen. 16 17. with Heb. 11. 27. Luk. 21. 3. Prov. 10. 24. Psal 37. 4. To be meeke Seeke meeknesse The meeke will he teach his way and will save all the meeke of the earth he will beautifie the meeke with salvation Psal 25. 9. Psal 76. 9. Psal 149. 4. To be sincere Thou Lord requirest truth in the inward parts Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Psal 51. 6. Mat. 5. 8. To confesse our sinnes Confesse thy sin If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all iniquitie If any man say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profiteth me not he will deliver his soule from going downe into the pit and his life shall see the light 1 Joh. 1. 9. Job 23. 27 28. To forgive others Forgive unto seventy seven times in a day thou shalt forgive Forgive and yee shall be forgiven If yee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive your trespasses against him Luk. 17. 4. Mark 11. 25 26. 6. 37. Mat. 6. 14. Ephes 4. 23. To be a peace-maker Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5. 9. To devise good Mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good the liberall deviseth liberall things Pro. 14. 22. Isa 32. 8. To selfe-deniall If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe Maâ— 16. 15. To watch But let us watch and be sober blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching blessed is he that watcheth Maâ— 13. 37. 1 Thes 5. 6. Rev. 16. 15. Luk. 22. 37. Mat. 24 47. To be patient Be yee also patient in your patience possesse your sâ—ules James 5. 8. Luk. 21. 9. After he had patiently indured he obtained the promises Heb. 6. 15. To be contented Be content with those things yee have Heb. 13. 5. To resist the Devill Resist the devill and he will fly from you Jam. 5. 4. To resist sin Sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6. 14. Not to be afraid of the world Yee are of God little children and have overcome them and greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Joh. 16. 33. see 1 Joh. 4. 4. To subdue the flesh If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit yee shall live Rom. 8. 13. Live to the glory of God and your own and the Saints comfort To be mercifull Be yee mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Mat. 5. 7. Jam. 2. 13. To give to the poore See that yee abound in this grace also Cast thy bread upon the waters and after many dayes thou shalt find it He that gives to the poore shall not lacke Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble the Lord will preserve and keepe him alive and he shall be blessed upon the earth thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sicknesse Eccl. 11. 1. Pro. 28. 17. Psal 41. 1 2 3. To give chearfully God loves a ohearfull giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. To give bountifully He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully The liberall soule shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered himselfe If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule then shall thy light rise c. 2 Cor. 9. 6. Prov. 11. 25. Isa 48. 10 11. Who so shall give a cup of cold water in the Name of a Disciple because he belongs to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward in heaven Mat. 10. 42. Mark 9. 41. 6. The life of faith in the use of meanes It is the souls cleaving to God in Christ for a blessing upon his Ordinances or the meanes he hath appointed that we may receive strength from them and profit by them The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Pro. 9. 29. I am the Lord that teacheth thee to profit Isa 48. 17. Faith beleeves God will blesse his own meanes seeing he hath appointed them all to this end therefore all must needs be effectuall So it is the duty of a beleever to use all constantly closely wisely despise not them because they seem weak and silly to flesh and bloud know by their use under God a holy life is preserved and observe how thou thrivest by them use all if by any meanes thy wants may be supplied Phil. 3. 11. And honour not any of them as to exclude or sleight another Some there be that are guiltie herein men onely prise that themselves like But oh yee sonnes and daughters of God love yee and use yee all Gods meanes they are all for his glory and thy good let not any of them be a stranger to thee the neglect of one may hinder the fruit of another the command is to all the Lords to use all and if we be weake in the use of meanes what should we be if wee used them not let not the difficultie of any dismay thee consider seriously the soveraigntie of God in all his commands and what obedience to God meanes and what God requires for matter manner measure time and end To pray consider such places as these Pray continually I will powre upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication Aske and ye shall have If yee which are evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to those that aske him And all things whatsoever yee shall aske in prayer beleeving yee shall receive What things soever yee desire when yee pray beleeve that yee receive them and yee shall receive them Verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall aske the Father in my Name he will give it you And it shall come to passe before they call I will answer and while they yet speake I will heare 1 Thes 5. Zech. 12. 10. Mat. 7. 7 8 9 11. Luk. 11. 13. Mat. 21. 22. Mark 11. 24. Mat. 16. 23. Isa 65. 24. To read the word Give attendance to reading Behold I will powre out my Spirit upon you and make knowne
offered to shew mercy and pity to others in their misery to supply their necessities freely and willingly according to my ability and that I be more industrious and more moderate in expences to supply others wants especially the Saints if it be above my abilitie with an open heart hand house joyfully and compassionately to supply the Saints necessities Consider Mat. 5. 42. Mat. 7. 12. They that have no money must sell something to give Sell that yee have and give almes c. Luk. 12. 33. As we have opportunity let us doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. Surely wee should desire and indeavour to ease as many mens burdens as we can it is our duty to be helpfull and helpfulnesse includes mercy and tender compassion love goodnesse and such like vertues In lending and suretiship men must not be rash nor hard-hearted it is a duty to lend to such who make conscience and are carefull and industrious to pay at the time I am sorry when I heare how many have suffered in this kinde it is a sinne to lend to such as have no care and conscience to pay men had need to have good experience of mens faithfulnesse and carefulnesse before they tâ—ust them with much the experience of many have taught them this notionall knowledge in this is best 32. That I grieve not the holy Spirit Every day to watch that I quench not nor grieve the holy Spirit Grieve not the holy Spirit Ephes 4. 30. Weequench and grieve the Spirit when we neglect the motions thereof sleight the comforts of the Spirit and seek comfort from the flesh and feed upon lusts when we spend our thoughts to content the outward man use spirituall thingâ— for carnall ends or father the worke oâ— the flesh upon the Spirit or sleight Gods way allow of any sinne in my selfe or others to plot or contrive sinne or cavill against any truth or doe duties in my own strength omit duty or sleightly performe it to neglect or sleight the graces of the Spirit in any or despise a Saint for his infirmities and the like 33. To take notice of Gods mercies Every day to take notice of Gods mercies to us and others and to acknowledge Gods goodnesse for them In all things give thanks 1 Thes 5. 14. 34. To be thankfull Every day will I blesse thee and praise thy Name Ps 145. 2. 35. To grow in grace Every day to grow in grace and knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. 36. Present condition is best Every day to beleeve my present state and condition of soule and body to be best for me We know that all things worke together for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. 37. To cast my care upon God Every day to cast all my care upon God in the use of meanes Phil. 4 6. 38. To look for death Every day to desire to dye and to look for death All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come Job 14. 14. 39. To know my selfe Every day to observe my profiting in Religion 2 Pet. 3. 18. 40. To take notice of our failings Every day to take notice of my sinnes omissions and commissions to be humbled by them and more watchfull for the future against them and to live the life of faith in all infirmities as if I had never sinned living all the day long in the sweet injoyment of the love of God and so to lie downe in the apprehension and sweet injoyment of it Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise thinke on these things those things which yee have both learned received and heard from the Lord Jesus Christ that doe and the God of peace shall be with you SOME CONSIDERATIONS against sinne which are necessary to prevent sinne 1. COnsider it 's Gods command that wee avoyd sinne and subdue it Rom. 6. The command of God ought to be wonderfull powerfull in us and over us and did wee know the majesty and authority of the command of an infinite and eternall God we neither could nor would doe that he forbids to be done 2. Know it 's the worke of God to subdue the least sinne we cannot do it of our selves therefore Christ saith Without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. Yet we are to use the meanes he appoints against sinne and to strive against it in his strength and alwayes resist sinne and Satan 3. Consider sinne in the nature of it and in the root and fruit of it the want of a true sight of sinne is a cause why men love sinne and sleepe so securely in it 4. Consider sinne is the price of bloud Mat. 27. 6. 5. Consider there is nothing in sinne why we should desire it there is no true sweetnesse in sinne no true contentment and satisfaction there the fruit sinne beares is miserable destruction at the best is wounds sorrow bitternesse shame c. I appeale to your experience what fruit have yee ever found come of â—inning did it not fill you with horror or rob you of peace or disable you for the service of God c. What fruit had you of those things whereof you are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. Pro. 23. 8. Sinne fights against your soules 1 Pet. 2. 11. it disgraces the truth grieves the Saints by it we doe what we can to destroy others harden their hearts and hinder them of receiving the truth incourage men in sinne and open their mouths against God and his truth and servants 6. Be sure you avoyd the occasions of sin as evill company Psal 119. 63. Pro. 13. 20. 6. 9. places and provocations of sin idlenesse carnall joy excesse in apparell shut your eyes stop your eares take heed to thy tongue take heed of excesse in eating and drinking and pampering the body Some have so pampered their bodies that they could not rule them their want herein hath caused them to want no sorrow and such as avoyd not the occasions of sinne let them not looke to be preserved from sinne Walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise Ephes 5. 15. 7. Aske advice of fit persons and crave the prayers of such as are the Lords that thou maist withstand sinne and Satan and get others to watch over you that you order your steps by his Word Psal 119. 133. Receive reproofe willingly and profitably and thankfully 8. Indeavour to know Satans stratagems be not ignorant of his enterprises he useth to double his assaults when he is resisted that so he might perswade men the more he is resisted the more they shall fall into sinne as if it were in vaine to resist him but resist and give no place to the Devill Eph. 4. 27. Jam. 4. 7. If yee yeeld to Satan now it will be the
to wound thy faith and confidence in God not onely for an answer of thy prayer but of thy persons acceptance Nay rather charge all upon thy corruption and want of preparation exercise of grace and be the more carefull and watchfull for time to come and learne to distinguish between a nullity and a defect and in a word if thou art sensible of thy sin in praying and art sorry for it thy imperfection is passed by and thou doest not pray in fashion The Spirit of God discovers deadnesse indisposition and unbeliefe and the like in prayer flesh and bloud cannot discover these and the Spirit of God onely makes the conscience tender and pliable 4. Let the frame of thy Spirit be alwayes thankfull and chearfull after prayer whether thou beest inlarged or straitned inwardly or outwardly alone or with others for when thou art at the best thou standst in need of a Jesus looke upward then by faith upon thy Advocate and when thy defects are most and thou art at the worst will not the same Jesus save thee yea surely and if thou groundest thy comfort upon a right bottome rightly thy comfort and the cause of it is the same because Christ is the same Heb. 13. 8. And if Christ be thine shall not he disanull all thy sinnes as well as one seeing he is able and willing But this is the childrens bread this pearle is not to be cast to swine 5. If in prayer thy heart have been opened and inlarged thy faith strengthned and thy conscience eased c. count it a sweet mercy be thankfull to God for all for want of taking notice of Gods goodnesse and thankfulnesse for it it is just in stead of light to possesse darknesse and for feeling to finde deadnesse c. 6. Presse after what thou hast prayed for in the use of meanes Pro. 2. 3 4 5. there is the prayer indeavour and blessing As he that makes prayer the end of his prayer rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose So he that doth not in good earnest pursue with zeale and conscience the grace good things he prays for Ioseth his prayer The Saints pray to put their prayers in practise we tempt God to aske that wee use not meanes to attaine our indeavours must second our prayers Pro. 20. 4. It is for hypocrites to pray and returne to their lusts with more freedome as if they intended to have libertie to sinne Such prayers are odious to God take we heed that what we build up with prayer wee pull not downe by our practice by remisnesse sleightnesse frothinesse of Spirit it had been well if this knowledge had not been experimentall but a word is sufficient to the wise 7. Expect and wait patiently for a full answer of thy prayers in Gods time and way consider Psal 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2 3. Wee should be loth to lose any part of the answer of our prayers and that we may wait wee must first be sure we have a promise that wee shall speed that wee may feed our minds with the meditation of it this is necessary for the time of fulfilling may be long lest wee faint Psal 147. 11. Psal 135. 6 7. Have patience and tary that comes hardly is oft most prized but lightly come lightly goe God knows the fittest season to doe us good take not a delay for a deniall many things God hath promised he hath not set down the time or yeare but when it 's best for us let God alone for the time and ye shall see what God will do Watch we what event our prayers have and observe Gods dealings with our selves and others both with his and his enemies and be thankfull for any answer of prayers The Saints are often afflicted that they may often pray and that often praying they might pull downe many benefits from the Lord and returne many praises unto him wee sinne against God and hurt our selves for want of thankfulnesse For hearing the Word 1. Labour to be informed of the excellency and preciousnesse of the mercy to heare the Word and that no treasure of this world is like it for goodnesse beautie and truth there is nothing like the Word it informes convinces comforts what comfort is like to this if the heart be not lost in profits pleasures forth and ease 2. Prize the Word 1 Pet. 2. 3. Above all things we prize precious things and for such as love their lusts let them consider Ezek. 14. 7 8. 3. Heare not for noveltie c. but let your ends be good in obedience to God to know and practise 4. Deny thy selfe thy own wisdome see the Lord in all be a foole that thou maist be wise set God above all and say Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 5. Come in faith beleeve God can speake in particular to thee whether weake or strong and supply thy wants Micah 2. 7. to the end Isa 48. 17. eye the promise If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no Joh. 7. 17. Heare and your soules shall live Isa 55. 3. Beleeve the promises meditate on them plead them apply them as thy own portion and rest satisfied and contented with them they that have the promise are sure enough 6. Come with a resolution to learne and a heart resolved to practise what God saith say as David Psal 119. 33 34. Psal 86. 11. And covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. Consider 1 Cor. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 4. 22. 7. Come emptie in the sense of want he filleth the hungry but the full are sent emptie away Luk. 1. 51. Pro. 27. 7. Emptie of distractions and worldly thoughts and affections Exod. 3. 5. Emptie of prejudice of man gifts or meanes be humble the humble he will teach Psal 25. 9. 8. Pray to God to prepare thy heart and to open thy eyes Psal 119. 18. Shew me thy truth and blesse it to me pray that he that speakes may not seeke himselfe and so rob God and that he may speake as he ought to speake Col. 4. 4. In hearing take heed to your eyes eares hearts Luk. 8. 18. Ezek. 40. 4. 1. Consider thou art in the presence of God and consider Job 21. 6. Psal 16. 8. Acts 10. 33. 2. Attend diligently Isa 55. 23. Watch that nothing come between thee and it sleepe not wander not gaze not Luk. 8. 18. Consider Act. 8. 6. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things that Philip spake 3. Heare for thy selfe and mind especially that which most concernes thee 4. Heare with understanding and judgement Mat. 13. 13. Mat. 15. 10. Joh 21. 11. Put a difference between truth and error The simple beleeveth every word Prov. 14. 15. Take heed what yee heare Mark 4. 24. and whom yee heare and how yee heare 5. If thou canst observe the methode and scope of the speaker to helpe memorie 6. Heare with thy
the Church of Christ they have the power of Christ because Christ is theirs and Christ and his power are never separated Mat. 28. 20. Ergo they have the power of Christ as 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. Therefore they have authoritie to administer the Ordinance of Christ They grant many have right to Baptisme by the free gift of God and the bloud of Christ Ans Be it so I cannot beleeve that God gives his a right to any thing that would doe them no good and if the injoying the Ordinance be good how can we thinke that God so orders it that they cannot come by it Psal 34. Christ purchased no priviledge for his which they may be as well without is not Gods power as great as his love and as the Communion of Saints Baptisme and the Supper are the priviledges of the Saints given them in love so God hath appointed a way for them to injoy them and so to affirme holds forth as much wisdome and love in God to them as to say God hath given them a right to such priviledges but hath not afforded them any way or meanes for them to come by them that they might injoy them But this subject is handled at large in John Spilsberies Booke intituled Gods Ordinance It is foretold that Antichrist shall come with signes and wonders as Mat. 24. 23 24. and 2 Thes 2. 9 10. We are not to looke for Christ to come in this way yet it may be said of some Except yee see signes and wonders to sense yee will not beleeve Joh. 4. 48. OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES Of the attributes of God THey are fountaines of comfort and rocks of strength to his and those that eye them live comfortably upon them Of affections The affections doe oft perswade the judgement Our affections oft deceive our selves and others and goe for spirituall when they are naturall In our greatest earnestnesse wee have most cause to examine our hearts and affections All the disquietnesse and distempers within us and by us is occasioned by the want of bounding and well ordering our affections Our affections of joy and sorrow will exceed their bounds unlesse they be forced When the object is spirituall and the motive is spirituall the affection is spirituall If our affections anger griefe joy c. doe fit us to pray they are spirituall else not Our affections come farre short of that which we thinke we have in our judgements Our affections declare to us what we love Wee have many occasions of doing good but we often want hearts and affections to improve them The quicknesse of our affections depends much upon the spirits of our bodies If our affections were answerable to our apprehensions of God c. they would destroy our bodies because they could not beare it Of actions That which is the ground cause and end of a mans action in that he lives whether it be God or selfe in those actions that concerne our selves we often exceed in but such actions as are for God chiefly we are hardly drawne unto but easily drawne from If Satan cannot corrupt the action he will indeavour to corrupt the judgement and affection Many conceive that some of those things God commands are needlesse but it is a great error Of afflictions Afflictions are little light short and seasonable though they oft seeme to be many great and long Affliction breeds patience humbleth and mortifieth selfe teacheth a Saint experience and sends him the oftener to God God is alwayes present with his yet in afflictiō they least see him by reason they looke so much to the affliction if oppressed with it but some see God best in afflictions God is as sweet and may be as much injoyed in adversitie c. as in prosperitie not any affliction could trouble a childe of God if he knew wherefore God did send it Of assurance of the love of God He that hath assurance of Gods love can trust himselfe with God in any estate and strait He that hath assurance of the love of God can part with any thing for God Of Christ Christ is sweet in meditation more sweet in contemplation most sweet in fruition Union with Christ is equall alike to all who have union with him and union with Christ is the greatest happinesse and honour a beleever can injoy Such as have union with Christ should spare no cost for him although no cost of ours can procure him Christs servants are for the most part poore and they appeare to the world very silly and contemptible Of corruption Corruption cannot be reformed Corruption neither will nor can subdue corruption Of Counsell There is much safetie in many counsellors who are wise and faithfull Such as follow their own counsell doe often prove burthens to themselves and others Of Creatures The creatures are full of emptinesse The reason why we are so subject to be drawne away with the creatures is because we see not the emptinesse of them We oft love creatures more before we had them then when we had them because we expected more from them then was in them All things below are fading part wee must with them and with life also ere long So much as the creature takes away in parting so much our life was in it He is not troubled at the coming and going of the creatures when the heart is fixed on God The love of creatures hinders us in good things but the wise use of them doe much further us A childe of God useth many things spiritually which others use carnally God often bestows abundance of outward things upon some not for themselves for they need them not but that they might supply the wants of others and many of them keepe them for themselves Concupiscence Concupiscence is strong and raging and hardly tamed yet it is to be attained with difficultie Comfort Wee oft seeke comfort in creatures which have no power to comfort all my comfort is in Christ if I live he will provide for me if I dye he will receive me Custome Forme and custome are deadly enemies to spiritualnesse Custome without truth is but an old error Custome so shuts mens eyes that they cannot see the true visage of things Custome makes hard things easie and bondage no burden and addes delusion to blindnesse The rich observe customes but the poore pay deare for them for they are starved by them if that which is spent at burials were wisely bestowed upon the poore it were farre better and so in other needlesse customes Of Conscience Sinning against conscience exceedingly hardens the heart Conscience can see best in darknesse and speake most lowdly in silence Conscience is a very tender thing a small thing will trouble it but a blind conscience will swallow up any thing The naturall conscience will be satisfied with the outside of a dutie Crosses Crosses are not pleasing to the flesh but profitable to the Spirit The more crosses a Saint hath the more they doe him good and is the more