occasion to vex at the Levity and Vanity of thy own Mind If it be just what is the monstrous Object of thy Hatred and Malice Assure thy self the Adulteress is unhappy enough and there is no Creature on Earth more despicable and odious nor no Sin in this Life accompanied with so many varieties of Plagues and Judgments so that indeed they are great Objects of Pity if all these wretched Ingredients can render them to be so as a wounded Conscience the Devil 's Earnest to the Impenitent and assurance of Hell and Damnation 8. IN the next place my address shall be to those in whom there is occasion of Suspicion And first Let Man himself consider how odious Adultery is and out of all measure sinful for he sinneth against his own Body defileth the Temple of the Holy Ghost Cor. 6.18 19. and pierceth through his own Bowels with a Dart of Rottenness Prov. 7.23 And that which will render him in the end mournful But beyond all this in case of Impenitency which the stubborn Presumer may justly suspect it is that whereby he excludeth himself from the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. And in the Adulteresses Crime some Aggravations are appertaining to it as robbing her Husband of his Posterity obtruding a base and adulterous Issue and so stealing away his Estate and Inheritance by giving it to a Stranger and fixing on an indelible Character of Dishonor and Bastardy upon her Child who but for her impotent and ungovern'd Lust might have proved noble and legitimate An Injury which she can never expiate nor repair to the innocuous Son with Rivers of Tears and streams of her infected Blood This multiplied Sin is sometimes conceal'd from Men but never from the All-seeing God who is a severe Revenger of all Iniquity 9 OTHER Sins are grievous and pernicious yet neither Lying Stealing Idolatry Murder nor Witchcraft can of it self dissolve the Sacred Bond of Wedlock as this only base act of Adultery doth Therefore our Saviour admits of no Divorce but upon that occasion And it is remarkable that when God would display the loathsomness of Idolatry which most displeased him he styl'd it Whoredom and himself a jealous God and certainly though that be abolished of the bitter Water causing the Curse and rotting of the Thigh with swelling which attended that antiquated Ceremony yet the bitter Moral and Substance are not quite extinguish'd Numb 5.18 10. AVOID what you are sensible of hath created your Suspicion otherwise you are guilty if not of Adultery yet of a just Cause of Jealousie Lysander punished one of his Soldiers for going out of his Quarters resolving that he would have none of his look or go out like a Plunderer Dinah's idle visits Gen. 34.1 2. proved her dishonor effusion of guiltless Blood her Father's Trouble and her Brother's Curse The wisest of Men recordeth it as the mark of an Harlot Prov. 7.11 12. Her feet abide not in the house now she is without now in the streets lying in wait at every corner 11. IT was an Italian Severity in Sulpitius and a Diposition to part with his Wife who divorced her for going out of doors bare-headed The Law said he confined thee to mine Eyes and Approbation and not to please others The common Law noted any going out unvail'd with the odious brand of Adultery So careful were they to avoid all occasions or suspicions of that Sin However foolishly strict they were I am sure Jerom's Rules fore-noted is good Whatsoever saith he may probably be feigned be thou cautious it may not be feigned Thou owest this to thy Husband's Love thine own Indemnity and Honor and the Right and Credit of thy Children The PRAYER O Eternal and Almighty God Father of Lights and of the First-born who are written in Heaven and of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Thou art the Searcher of all Hearts and Reins to whose All-seeing Eye every Creature is manifest and every thought of the Heart naked and open We humbly beseech thee to take from us our stony Hearts and to give us Hearts of flesh to subdue in us by thy omnipotent Spirit the miserable remainders of the First Adam that native inclination to Sin which continually carrieth us away Captive to the Laws thereof even to that Evil which we would not commit but utterly detest and in bitterness of Soul repent of 2. LORD create clean Hearts and renew right Spirits within us root out that raging Spirit of Jealousie that infernal Fire which lies scorching in our bosoms and enlighten our Vnderstandings with a sound Knowledge of all the Mysteries of Eternal Life and Salvation Sanctifie our Wills and Affections and according to thine own gracious promise six thy Law in our inward Parts and write it deeply in our Hearts that we may know thee from the least to the greatest Heal up those Wounds which our Sins have made so wide that none but thine own Hands can close them and forgive our Iniquity and remember our Sins no more 3. O Lord thou didst by thy holy Word so heal the fountains that death and barrenness was no more therein heal we humbly beseech thee the wretched Corruptions of our hearts cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof by the sweet and blessed influence of thy Holy Spirit and so quide govern and direct us in the way which thou wilt have us to walk in as that we may in all our Thoughts Words and Actions be acceptable to thee Mortifie and subdue all our evil Desires and Thoughts and bring them all into Subjection to thy Holy Will and Pleasure that we may constantly resist all Temptations to Sin and Wickedness 4. KEEP us and Counsel us in all our Affairs Spiritual and Temporal that we may be filled with the holy Fruits of the Spirit of Sanctification appearing in new and hallowed Thoughts Words and Actions to thy glory and our farther assurance before thee so that in our Bodies and in our Spirits we may be kept blameless in this sinful and miserable World unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with thee O Father of Mercy and the Holy Spirit the Comforter of the Elect be rendred all Honor and Glory in Heaven and in Earth from this time forth and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXIII Of External Actions THE External Actions of Men are the product and fruit of their Thoughts and as we owe Sanctimony to God and our own Consciences within so do we good Examples to our Neighbors in things External And our blessed Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount excites us with this Doctrin Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 2. GOOD Actions proceed from a sound Credence without which they cannot be good nor pleasing in the Sight of Heaven For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 For Faith apprehending Christ to our Justification renders our Works
greater advantage of Assurance 12. NOW the Conclusions necessary to be considered are these First The Almighty's Judgments are ever just yea when Flesh and Blood says with Nichodemus How can these things be John 3.9 When the too Curious Inquests after them are to be Stayed with a Nay but O Man Who art thou that Repliest against God Rom. 9.20 And so also his Mercies are as the unsounded Deeps beyond all apprehension of carnal Reason often Medicable by Wounding and Afflicting the Guilty Conscience Comforting by terrifying introducing to Glory and Immortality through Corruption killing Sin in the Flesh by Death the Fruit of Sin and guiding to Heaven as I may say by the Gates of Hell and fear of Damnation 13. THE most Notorious Sins committed in Ignorance and Incredulity after Repentance are no Arguments to Despair For the Apostle tells you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers â—f themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall Inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And the same Apostle was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter and Injurious but obtained Mercy forasmuch as he did it ignorantly and in unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 In his Conversion these Sins fell off as the Viper of Melita from his hand without any danger to his Life Acts 28.5 So God pronounceth of the Convert by the Mouth of his Prophet Ezek. 18.22 All his Transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him 14. SINS of the Regenerate though violent Perturbations of Mind or Tentations ensnaâ—ing them are not to be reckoned among Symptoms of Reprobation or Apostacy Such was Peter's denyal and Davids Adultery and Murder Therefore the Apostle's Counsel is very charitable Gal. 6.1 If any Man be overtaken in any fault ye that are Spiritual restore such a one with the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And Christ hath taught us without distinction of great and little Sins to say daily forgive us our trespasses This Life is a Spiritual Combate a Truceless War against the Powers of Darkness wherein the Strongest may be and often are carried away Captive and yet be healed and recovered Eph. 6.12 Their Captivity concludeth not their not being true Israelites who would fain return 15. EVERY Sin against Knowledge doth not presently infer a Reprobate Mind The most Exquisite and Dexterous are sometimes taken in Satan's snares St. Peter though forewarned denyed Christ through sudden apprehension of fear Not out of Malice but infirmity We nay the best of Men are but partly Flesh and partly Spirit so that we can neither perform the good we are inclin'd to nor avoid the evil which we behold and detest St. Paul and all that are Regenerate doth allow the Law of God yet sometimes feel another lawless Law carrying them away Captive to Sin Rom. 7.23 16. THOUGH every Sin against Conscience is very dangerous and every perseverance therein the very Suburbs of Hell yet every such Enormity excludeth not Repentance and Remission Because sin not only allureth but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a Tyrant and Captivates us against our Wills There may also be a Lethargy or Epilepsie of the Soul There is such mischievous subtilty in Satan that his Snares though visible are not always avoided whose Messengers though felt with grief of Soul are not always overcome yet he that gave Waters to the Horeb Rock Exod. 17. 6 7. can smite our harder Hearts and make the Waters of Life flow Plentifully to Repentance never to be repented of 17. THOUGH every Relapse into Sin is very dangerous yet if a man be not entangled and vanquish'd those breaches may be repaired by Repentance 2 Pet. 2.20 And Solomon tells you The Just man falleth seven times a day Prov. 24.16 Satan doth not always present New Scenes but sometimes dresses up his Old Artifices therewith to beguile Though our Infirmities are numerous God's Power is made manifest by sustaining us that though we fall we shall not fall away Though Satan's power subtilty and restless malice are very potent yet he and his Messengers are limited by their Chain and can receive no Commission if it be but to enter into a Herd of Swine but from the Almighty Mat. 8.31 And the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.13 That God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able So that we may resolve that neither Life nor Death nor any Creature shall be able to saparate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.39 CHAP. XXXII Rules of Practice FIRST use thy utmost endeavour to possess the Testimony of a good Conscience which thou canst by no means attain but by being vigilant over thy Soul and with a fixed Constancy resisting Temptations Every Sin yea even the least woundeth the Soul afresh Be not secure of minor Sins but let a good Conscience be most precious unto thee part not from it for any Pleasures Honours or Riches of this World but rather part from Life it self Enjoy a tender Conscience A seared one like Callous Flesh is insensible of that which toucheth it to this Custom creates a proneness to sin and takes away the sense of it 1 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 15. 2. APPROVE thy self in every Action to God fixing thy self ever in his presence who beholdeth a far off all thou thinkest or actest 1 Pet. 3.12 And value not whoever is disgusted if God approveth thee Walk not according to the Wisdom of the Flesh but by the Rule of Gods Grace which shall at last be thy rejoicing 2 Cor. 1.12 Resign not thy self to Sins Dominion which is impossible except thou wholly deliverst up thy self by consenting to thine own Captivity as the Ear-bored Servants who professed love to their Masters and so would not be Manumissed and freed from them Exod. 21.5 6. Detest Sin and it shall not prejudice thee No sin is so pernicious as that which is most facetious but espicially beware of presumptuous sins lest they get the Dominion over thee Psal. 19.13 Numb 15.30 31. Deut. 17.12 3. CONTEMPLATE on God's Justice and Mercy together let them be inseparable in thy Thoughts For if thou inspectest into his Justice only thou art liable to Despair upon the sight of thy sins And if thou viewest his Mercy only thou wilt with facility presume when thou beholdest that transcendent Immensity which is ever ready upon unfeigned Repentance to pardon Sinners The Sailers of Old upon the Yards of their Ships conjectured the Ignis lambens for a good or a bad fatality if they beheld but one flame they denominated it an unlucky Helena but if two they accepted it for Castor and Pollux Good Prognosticks of fair and prosperous Weather Even so it is in Mercy and Justice the Consideration of
Moses Face when he talked with God became so Glorious that Israel could not behold it without a Veil 2 Cor. 3.13 What then shall our Glory be when we shall be like Christ 1 Joh. 3.2 CHAP. II. Of the Faculties of the Soul THE Faculties of the Soul are the Vnderstanding Will Memory Affections and Senses Internal and External My purpose being not to enter the List with Philosophers but to direct Christians I shall not further consider these but what concerns the Practical part and right governing the thoughts of the Heart and Mind to the Service of God and our Mortification and the means of qualifying our selves for it 2. THE Heart in Scripture often taken for the principal Seat of the rational Soul imparteth any Faculty hereof The Mind is the inward act the result and product of its Reason and Discourses the Thoughts The Learned affirm the Mind is the fountain of Counsel and Soul of Life And again we understand by the Mind and live by the Soul The Mind of Man is sometimes a Sovereign to govern in Vertue and Sanctimony it self and the Body sometimes a Tyrant and indulging to Vice which like the Worm bred in the Wood destroyeth its own Original It is often misled by tumultuous Passions Lusts Vain-desires and other Perturbations of a discomposed Mind which unthron'd Reason dangerously gains an Usurpation 3. A prudent Man whose Knowledge is his Life in the light height and use thereof differing him not only from the Brutes but ignorant Men doth principally enjoy himself in his Mind and inward Man There is indeed in humane Possessions nothing great and excellent but a magnanimous and good Mind contemning External Greatness or supposed Excellencies such as Power Strength Riches Beauty Wit c. obvious to Sense in respect of that which is within apprehensible by the enlightned Understanding 4. AND certainly the All-wise God who Created the Affections ordained them to some excellent end and use in the Soul as Hand-maids to Devotion and Religion neithere would he in our Regeneration kill but correct them by moderating them where they grow extream and retrenching them into their own Channels where they over-flow their banks like over-rank Water Sources becoming muddy and choaked up with that which they fetch in from without or reducing them where they are Exorbitant 5. ALL Extreams are foolish and dangerous A Stoical Apathie is incompatible with a well-composed Mind as a violent Passion with a Prudent The dead Calm corrupteth Air and Water and violent Blasts disturb them the moderate more safely purifie but the mean is best Affections are as it is said of Caligula There is no better Servant nor worse Master they are good commanded but mischievous reigning like Fire and Water very necessary and very destructive 6. WITHOUT Love there can be no acceptable Service without Anger no Zeal without Fear no co-ercive power in the Soul without Hope no Comfort which bringeth us to a necessary Consideration of the Hearts Corruption the vanity and exorbitancy of the Thoughts and the necessity of their Regulations by some Rules of Practice CHAP. III. Of the Hearts Corruptions THE Corruptions of the Heart are as in the Primitive Age of the World Gen. 6.5 Only evil continually The Heart is the fountain of Sin and the Evangelist tells us Mat. 15.19 from thence spring evil Thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications Thefts false Witnesses Blasphemies all the Sins of Man All Iniquity is here forged as it is written Isai. 32.6 His Heart will work Iniquity hence words of falshood are conceived and uttered Isai. 59.13 Here the kingly Prophet declares is the root of War Psal. 55.21 And the Royal Preacher acknowledges it the seat of Mischief Prov. 6.18 Error Frowardness and that Obdurateness which excludeth all capacity of hearing God's Word and Judgments which should lead us to Repentance whereby we may be healed Psal. 95.10 Prov. 11.20 2. THE Heart is deceitful above all things who can know it Jer. 17.9 There lodgeth Hypocrisie Jer. 3.10 and many secret Sins like that unseen Multitude which rangeth through the Paths of the Deeps such are the dark Councels of the Heart of Man which Solomon informs us Prov. 20.5 Nor is this the Condition of some few but the secret Corruption of all natural Men nor are the Regenerate absolutely freed from these Pollutions being yet partly flesh We have St. Paul's word for it Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would 3. THE danger hereof fully appears that these are the Seeds of every Sin and fomenters thereof yea that which obstructeth Faith and Repentance for as the Physicians affirm if there be a fault in the first Concoction there will follow the like in the rest so it is here the Hearts Sickness is derived to the Tongue and all the Actions of Man It is a People said the Lord that do err in their Hearts and they have not known my ways Psal. 95.10 As the Eye is deceived through a false Medium So is the Mind through the cloud of false Opinion And the Wise Man tells us Prov. 24.9 That the thought of Foolishness is Sin into which they must needs run says the Psalmist Who set not their heart aright and whose Spirit is not stedfast with God Psal. 78.8 4. THE Almighty searcheth the Secrets of all Hearts and will at the Great Audit make all the Thoughts thereof manifest God requireth the Heart says Solomon Prov. 23.26 and David tells you If a Man regard Iniquity in his Heart the Lord will not hear him Psal. 66.18 and Wisdom expresses Prov. 16.5 That the Thoughts of the Wicked are an abomination to the Lord and they who have wicked Thoughts run swiftly to iniquity and Destruction is in their Paths Isai. 59.7 In the Corruption of the Heart the very fibrae and remainders of Sins reviving root Satan's venom remaineth The Hydra's ever-growing Heads which when occasions and ability so fail that the impious cannot serve the Devil in External Actions will shew its venom in their will to Sin 5. IN the next place it is a very difficult thing rightly to compose the Thoughts in respect of the Hearts unfathomed Deceitfulness and the Mind 's unlimited Agility in these depths of quick-shifting Thoughts Sin easily hideth it self External Sins in Words or Works are like the Plague of Leprosie Levit. 13.12 13. broken all abroad and covering all the Skin nearer the Cure and by so much the more easily amended or overcome by how much more evident they are not only to others but also to our selves 6. THE Sins of the Heart are harder to be cured the more secret and invisibly they are Committed The Thoughts are more securely Extravagant Negligent and Presuming by how much less they are obvious to any Pretender or Censurer without And where the Heart is smitten with some awful fear of
thy heavy Displeasure lest I am utterly Consumed Let thy Corrections work in me a true sense and detestation of all my Sins a filial fear to offend thee and a fixed resolution to love and serve thee more carefully for the future To this end I humbly beseech thee give me assurance of my Justification by Christs Righteousness my attonement with thee and such a peace of Conscience as the world can never give nor take from me that I may adore thee above all and render thee a sincere thankfulness for all thy Mercies Temporal and Eternal Entertaining always in my Heart that assurance of my Saviour who suffered such great great things for me that he will not suffer me to fall under any of Satans Conflicts 3. LORD Sanctifie all my Afflictions to me by thy good Spirit Cast out of my Soul all those Sins and Corruptions which lye lurking to betray me to Ruin Let the sum and height of my Ambition be only to be thine give me a prudent and contented Heart in every estate and condition a faithful dependance on thy Good Providence in assurance that thou who hast promised will never fail me nor forsake me that in every Affliction I may expect thy gracious Deliverance Give me Patience and meekness of Spirit that I may in the midst of all my troubles find rest to my Soul Let not my Heart be fixed on Transitory things but on things which are above where Christ my Peace sitteth at thy right hand making Intercession for me 4. CHASE from me all Impatience bitterness of Spirit Diffidence and the secret Murmurings of Flesh and Blood Let thy Holy Spirit the Comforter dwell in me to keep and counsel me in all affairs and interests Spiritual and Temporal Let his joyful Presence so sweeten all those Marahs of Affliction which thy Providence shall appoint in my way to the Promised rest O let me ever rejoice in thee and in every Estate live cheerfully before thee untill thou in thy good pleasure bring me unto the fulness of eternal Joys in thy blessed Presence where thou wilt wipe away all Tears from my Eyes Make me glad with the light of thy Countenance and unite me to that Triumphant Society of Saints and Angels which in perfect Harmony Sing their Halelujahs to thee Eternally through Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen CHAP. XVI Of Hope HE is not living in the World that is void of Hope The Child hopes to arrive to Manhood the Aged to linger out a Year longer The Poor hopes for Wealth the Sick for Health The Imprisoned for Liberty And the Afflicted that Joy may be the Scene of the Morning Hope induces the Husband-Man to Sow and Manure his Ground the weary Traveller to endure his tedious Ways and the Experienced Swimmer to spread his tyred Arms upon the Death-threatning Waves Thus is the whole Span of Man's Life Employed in Suffering and Hoping 2. BUT in Hopes there 's a vast difference As for Example the Human vain Hope is of all others the most pernicious Such a Hope is but the Denomination of an uncertain Good 't is a treacherous Guide leading to desperate Precipices the Ignis fatuus of the Mind and the Waking Man's Dream It was the Tempters Artifice first to assail Man's Innocency with vain hope grounded on a lying Promise without this flash of Vanity Satan had never gain'd so many Vassals Imprimis He sheweth the forbidden Fruit and in a wicked Elegancy Preached this Doctrin In the day ye Eat thereof ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 Thus was unhappy man caught by this alluring Bait. 3. SO he Accosted the Second Adam the Lord of Glory when he represented to him the Kingdoms and Glory of the World Matth. 4.8 Satan still makes it is his Business to give us a Prospect of false Heavens to precipitate us into a true Hell suggesting vain hopes that he might deprive us of the real There is none commits the least sin but a Train of vain Hopes attends it Several instances we have as in Cain's Murder Amnons Lust Judas's Treason or Achitophel's Despair The Sinner many times hopes for some other product of his Resolutions than from the Sin he transacts 4. THE worst have not lost their hopes of some good but all their wishes are in vain For the hopes of the Wicked are often frustrated but the Justice of the most just Judge cannot We must expect from Reason's Providence and when Time's Glass is fully run there must be something future all which carries the face of Goodness yet so flattering a Liberty is Self-hopes that every man especially the Juvenile who are least acquainted with Fascination and Constant Inconstancy of the World relying much on hope and depending little on Memory promise themselves great things But when the Malignants Sing Requiems to their Souls sudden Destruction is the more terrible in its assault by Reason it poured upon them unsuspectedly The Hypocrites hope shall perish their hope shall be Sorrow of Mind Job 11.20 5. AND truly such is Worldly Confidence in an Evil Conscience However it may appear to have purchased thee A Covenant with death and an Agreement with Hell Isai. 28.15 yet it will deceive thee However it fawns and promises long Life and vigour in an Arm of Flesh and the vain Councels of Men raising thy Hopes to high Flights yet they are but Phantasms of deluded Men and create an Eruption in the midst of their full Career delivering up their Mind to dangerous Convulsions and by the Ascent is cast down from so high a Pinacle as renders the Fall the more desperate How often do despairing Wretches wish they had never hoped when the vanity of it is plainly Demonstrated like Pharoah's Chariot-Wheels they fall off where they are most deeply engaged between Floods of returning Miseries Exod. 14.25 6. NOW I come to shew you there is a hope of the Righteous which never fails this is a prudent Expectation of future Happiness fulfilling of his Promises who is Yea and Amen both in this Life and that which is to come This is a Vertue infused into our Hearts by Gods Holy Spirit who cannot deceive as the Psalmist confirms it Psal. 31.24 Be of good Courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord. The Eye of the Lord is upon them Psal. 33.18 And they trust in him who will certainly perform his Promise And thrice happy are they in whom the Lord taketh pleasure their Expectation shall be Gladness 7. SOLOMON says They have hope in death Prov. 14.33 And the Apostle tells you they are saved thereby Rom. 8.24 Hopes in any Creature may be frustrated but hope in God maketh not ashamed for he is good to all them that trust in him Lam. 3.24 25. This hope is not Humane or Conjectural liable to Fraudulency but Theologically grounded on the infallible Word of God in whom is only our Confidence Psal. 119.81 Now the Object of this Hope is what
of his not hearing our Prayers It was no small tryal when David cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the Words of my Roaring Psal. 22.1 But the Acclamation on the Cross carryed a louder sound Mat. 27.46 Moses was denied entrance into Canaan but was received into Heaven The Cup did not pass away from Christ but God's Will was perform'd in the operation of Man's Redemption and so he was heard Heb. 5.7 15. DOTH thy Faith endure many sharp encounters of the Tempter Then observe the Almighty by this means doth more confirm it Is not every Temptation as the shaking of Trees which loosing the ground Engrafts them the deeper Thou art sensible of thy great defects in Sanctity and of many dubious conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit provoking thy Soul to cry with Rebecca when perplex'd with her wrestling Twins Why am I thus Gen. 25.22 Despond not but consider the work of him with whom we have to do Thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him and to Consult his Oracles Thus he exerciseth thee to humility without which the most Excellent Graces could not save thee He that Prayed for St. Peter's falling could have prevented him from falling into that Sin But in so doing he kept him from presumption and fitted him to confirm his Brethren 16. IN all Humility beg Holiness of God who hath expresly said ask and ye shall have And to consider that God is perfect Holiness is a vehement Motive conducing to it and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own Image in us and freely give us that which he loveth It pleased the Author of our Being that Solomon before Riches Revenge and Life it self should petition him for Wisdom upon which he did not only grant his request but additionally gave him Riches and Honour And undoubtedly it doth so much please God that any of his Servants doth in the sense of their wants before all things give Grace the Preferrence and they that in the sincerity of their heart Petition to him for Sanctity of Life he will not deny them but will insert to their grant more than we are able to ask or think of The Prayer O Almighty God Infinite in Mercy and perfect Verity who delightest not in the destruction of Wretched Creatures nor despisest the Groans of a Troubled Spirit Lord I am poor and afflicted and do in bitterness of Soul acknowledge my vileness and vacancy of Grace the Corruption of my sinful nature the misery which I have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy Holy Laws and my Impotency to any thing that is good Lord I am as that wretched Traveller wounded and cast down only sensible of my Wounds but utterly unable to move or help my self The Priest and Levite pass by and afford me no relief neither is it in the power of the Creature to assist me Nay even thy just and holy Law which wholsomely instructs Do this and live is so far from aiding me or administring Comfort that my sins make it appear to me a killing Letter or at best resembling the Prophets Staff sent before by the Ministry of thy Servant not able to give Life but a Prospect of my Sins and rendring me guilty before thy dreadful Tribunal and at the Bar of my terrified Conscience 2. BUT O Lord let the good Samaritan the Prophet himself Christ Jesus thy dear Son and my alone Saviour inspire me with his Holy Spirit for he only can bind up my wounded Soul and heal it Thou hast wounded me by an heavy apprehension of thy Justice O now heal me by the assurance of thy Mercy Strengthen my Faith in Christ who freely justifieth Sinners And as thou hast in thine Eternal Love given him to Death for my Redemption so give me an infallible assurance that he is my Saviour and Deliverer That according to thine own Gracious Promise in him I may live with thee 3. AND O thou who art the Saviour of all the World who sentest the Holy Ghost the Comforter of all thy Servants to thy Afflicted Disciples to strengthen them send him to my Enervated and Wretched Soul It is neither of him that Willeth nor of him that Runneth but of thine own Infinite Goodness shewing Mercy Thy Omnipotence is effectual in the Operation of thy good Will and Pleasure O be Graciously pleased to Sanctifie my Corrupted will and affections And as thou hast freely given me a will and a hearts desire to serve and please thee that I might be saved so perfect thine own work in me and establish what thou hast begun Give me O Lord true Holiness and repair thine own Image in me that thou mayst own me for thine and then manifest thine own work in me and unto me 4. LET not the good Spirit which has possession of me remain any longer in obscurity but blessed Lord manifest thy self unto my Soul And let the Illumination of thy Spirit break out in full assurance of Faith that I may no more doubt of thy Mercies Grant me an entire Victory over Sin and Despair by the apparent presence of the Comforter My afflicted Soul O Lord knoweth no Sanctuary to flie unto but thy infinite mercy Unto thee alone it Gaspeth as a thirsty Land O shower down such a plentiful Dew of thy Grace which may refresh my wearied Spirit and fill me with the Fruits of Righteousness which may evidently appear in my Life and Conversation to thy Glory and the assurance of my Election Vocation Sanctification Perseverance and Salvation in thy beloved Son and my alone Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit Three Persons one Immortal Incomprehensible Omnipotent only Wise God be rendred all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth now and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXXIV Fear of Temptations NEXT We are to Consider the Conscience afflicted with Fear of Temptations and a defection through them enclining it to a despair of Grace sufficient to resist them by this means the Soul is immerst with heaviness through manifold Temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 In which case it is necessary to consider That first A Temptation is a Tryal or taking an Experiment of something or other The Devil who cannot compel tryeth men whether he can allure them to Sin and this is apprehensively Temptation 2. THERE is a Temptation of Tryal which you see Acts 20.19 1 Cor. 10.13 Rev. 3.20 and St. James saith My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations And Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him St. James 1.2 12. God is said to tempt no man that is to Evil Evidently implying as there is no Sin in him so neither is there any occasioned by him yet tried Abraham to manifest him openly to others and himself For no man knoweth himself which is untried
thereof 2. JOY and Rejoicing in God in things Divine and Spiritual we are secure and happy The end of Temporal Rejoicing is many times clouded in sudden and unexpected Sorrow Such was Belshazzar's Feast with a thousand of his Princes Dan. 5.1 5 6. The scene of Joy was changed into sudden Astonishment at the sight of that dreadful Hand which decypher'd his doom upon the Palace Wall Secular Joy entertaineth deluded Men as that old lying Prophet of Bethel did the Man of God first feeding then afflicting with the sad Intimation of ensuing Destruction 1 Kings 13.11 22. Acquaint thy self with true good that thou mayst rejoice securely They most delight in Secular things who are ignorant of Eternal 3. LET not thy Heart be too much transported with Secular Joy they that superabound in Mirth and Joy in Prosperity are too much cast down and dejected in Adversity For both Extreams proceed from impotency of Mind In every Exultation look with a thankful Heart on the Lord that gave it and with a prudent Heart on that which may quickly change this Scene of Mirth into Heaviness Taste thy Joy as the Israelites did their Passover with bitter Herbs and prepared to be gone Exod. 12.8 Let the thoughts of Sorrow season all thy Mirth lest a sudden Surprizal astonish and vanquish thee For foreseen Dangers least prejudice the Wise. 4. KEEP Innocency and a good Conscience These shall Comfort thee as Lamech said of his Son Noah Gen. 5.29 The Wise Man tells you Prov. 15.15 All the days of the afflicted are Evil but he that is of a Merry heart that is a good Conscience hath a continual Feast Wicked Mirth Sardonick Laughter and foolish Jesting as they demonstrate much Levity so do they dangerous Uncomposedness Vanity and weakness of Mind In such Laughter the heart is Sorrowful says Solomon Prov. 14.13 And the end of that mirth is heaviness And Eccl. 2.1 Behold this also is Vanity Again The heart of the wise is in the House of Moorning But the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth Eccl. 7.4 5. WE read that Christ Wept over Jerusalem Luke 19.41 and over Lazarus John 11.35 But we never read of his Laughter 'T is a rare Government of the Mind to have Mirth season'd with Wisdom wherein a prudent Cheerfulness commendeth Mirth well regulated in an holy thankful use of that we enjoy as the best of things meerly Secular To imitate the Austerity of Cato or the Sullenness of Crassus who is reported to have Laughed but once in his Life or to be an ever Weeping Heraclite or an ever Laughing Democritus is to launch out into vain and unsafe Extreams Indeed of the two Tears are to be preferred before excessive Laughter For too much Mirth is a symptom of Folly which fluctuates from the Heart and a true Signet of Forgetfulness or ignorance of this mutable Life 6. AND indeed Voluptuousness is Satan's Hook which produces to Destruction it is the Mother of Sin and the Nurse of the never dying Worm And as Oil killeth Insects but Vinegar restores them so Joy and Pleasure destroy incautious Sinners but sharp Afflictions safely Cure them So that they at last arrive to that apprehensive sense of understanding That it is good for them to be Afflicted Psal. 119.71 Never rejoice at anothers Affliction for it is Odious to the Almighty and seldom evadeth such Revenge as pointeth out the Sin 7. IT is a Maxim of Wisdom to weigh the Joy which will prove an excellent Gage for thy Heart For the Prophet Jeremy tells you Chap. 17.9 That The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it If thou rejoicest in Evil thy Heart must be agreeable to it but if thou delightest in Goodness then a secret Power and Spirit of Sanctity ruleth in thee Observe in Musical Instruments how some Strings sound at the Moving of others and accord very Harmoniously So it is with the Strings of thy Heart which internally Assenteth to any wicked external Action The uncircumcised Heart rejoiceth at that Obscenity that vexed Righteous Lot The Holy are cheerful and glad like the wise Merchant Matt. 13.44 45 56. Who when they find the treasure of God's inestimable Mercy opened to them go away rejoicing with that happy Convert Acts 8.39 While he that hath no interest therein sitteth numbring the Minutes and thinking every Divine Exercise long goeth away either as Ahab with Indignation or with Sorrow like the rich young Man in the Gospel Matt. 19.22 8. DANGEROUS Perturbations of the Mind are in the dominion of Sorrows and there is as much occasion of prudent Rules to be used as of a Rudder in a Storm In every affliction examine well thy Heart for the Cause Wherefore is the living Man Sorrowful Man suffereth for his Sin Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam 3.39 40. It is a vain attempt and a high presumption to seek for any Relief from Affliction but by this means all other Lenitives are as Draughts of Cold Water in a hectick Fit it is more Inflaming like David's Harp to a moody Saul where the vexing Spirit returneth with greater Violence 9. PLACE thy Sorrow upon Sin which is the right Object It is the vulgar Error and danger of many to be dejected for that loss which indeed cannot prejudice their Bodies but take a delight in Sin which woundeth the Soul and may make them for ever Unhappy We many times grieve for that which should occasion us to Rejoice And St. Paul tells us Rom. 8.26 That all things work together for good and whom the Lord loveth he Chasteneth Heb. 12.6 Next let us consider the comfortable effects of God's Chastisements It yieldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are Exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 We are impatient and roar out as Men under the hands of a skillful Chirurgeon when he exerciseth the Lancet or Cauterie to Cure us It was David's Complaint who said I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Psal. 38.8 Yet in the issue confessed It is good for me that I have been Afflicted and declares this Experience Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Psal. 119.67 71. 10. GIVE not thy Heart over to excessive Sorrow for there is a Worldly Sorrow to Death and a Sorrow to Repentance not to be Repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 Exorbitant Grief is like the immoderate Overflowing of Nilus a presager of dangerous Sterility Stand ready prepared for sharp Encounters Ships are built to endure Storms and raging Seas And prudent Minds are composed to endure and make good use of Sorrows Let every Distress awaken thy mind to fly to thy Redeemer And then Afflictions will appear like that Rain which fell on the Ark the more it poured down the more that was lifted up and saved from the fury of the Waves Or like Moses Rod to open a way through the briny Floods to
acceptable to him if they extend to Fruits of Regeneration and uniting us to Christ dedicateth us to a Capacity of his Sanctifying Spirit and enableth us in some measure to vanquish Sin and perform that whâ—ch is holy in his sight Now the Apostle mentions St. James 2.18 Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by thy Works And St. Paul says Rom. 3.28 A Man is justified by Faith only without the Deeds of the law 3. THOUGH our best Performances cannot justifie us before the Almighty because imperfect yet are they never separated from true Faith and they are the Path-way to the heavenly Jerusalem though they cannot finish our happy Arrival Therefore to the Young-Man's Query who desired to be justified by Works our Saviour replies Mat. 19.16 Keep the Commandments Thus he was convinced who had not yet learned the Righteousness of Faith which saith Believe and thou shalt be Saved thereby implying that yet he was wanting in some things who was excellent in others and therefore must seek Salvation by Faith and the way to Heaven by Sanctity This is a Condition not an Obligation of our Salvation for as we can never acquire Salvation by it so we can never expect any without it because our very best Endeavours and Performances we owe to God's Honor and Glory 4. IT is not sufficient to have a good Intention either to speak or to do good for Satan is well-pleased that Men should draw near unto God with their Lips if their Hearts be far from him or that they speak well if they will perform Evil. Words at best are but Feminine Virtues but Works are Mâ—sculine Of these the Spiritual Pharoah giveth charge to smother them But we desire to convert our Words into Actions and not only to speak but to Effect holy Performances 5. ACTIONS Humane Natural or Civil are no otherwise here concerned than as they are in order to the Moral and so regulated by the Law and holy Word of God in the affirmative or negative Precepts which is the only Rule of all our Moral Actions towards God or Man Neither Examples Prescriptions Universality of Consent nor Commands of Men must be prevalent with us against the express Word of God For these claim Privilege only in those things which God's Law alloweth and refereth to our Authority CHAP. XXIV Rules in External Actions FIRST Neither Propose nor Act any thing Evil or Unjust for any Worldly profit Honours or Pleasures For it is an apparent detriment to acquire the World with the loss of thy Soul Mat. 16.26 What can Secular Honours advantage thee when thou art condemned by the Almighty Should all the World extol thee and thou be Canonized a Saint in the opinion of the multitude or thy Actions be highly applauded equivalent to Herod's Speech and be rendred Supernatural God's Angel may smite thee and the Worms destroy thee What are Pleasures In their Birth they look towards a Precipitate End and the Vicissitude of this Scene serveth only to aggravate the misery Like that ungrateful sound which reached the Ears of Dives in Hell Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 Present remembrances of past pleasures embitter the Torment 2. LET God's Law be thy Rule and Counsellor and weigh all thy Actions by his Standard before thou Execute any Purpose David could not enterprize before he had consulted God's Oracles Nor the very Heathens before they sent for the double Effataes of their Priests When the Word of God is our Rule we abhor setting up strange God's in our Hearts like those who adore their own Inventions in Will-worship and voluntary Religion wherein all even the most zealous and painful Actions as Pilgrimages superstitious Fasts foolish Penance and idolatrous Oblations or costly Dedications shall be rejected with a Who required this at your Hands Isa. 1.12 And the Prophet tells you Micah 6.7 8. The Lord will not be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousand Rivers of Oil And He hath shewed O Man what is good And what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God 3. IN Religious Acts God left not Israel to their own disposing in minor things but commanded Moses See thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed thee in the Mount Heb. 8.5 Also when God's Word is our Rule we will neither lay Snares upon our own Consciences placing Religion in those things which God hath left Indifferent as they who prohibited certain Meats or Marriage 1 Tim. 4.3 Nor will we dispense with that Word in any one point which any humane Authority pretends or imposes to the Contrary 4. IN all thy acts and designs before thou execute them duly and seriously consider the Event which is like a Ship 's Rudder tho it comes last it directs first and last Endeavour to gain a fore-sight and consider the Sequel O that they were Wise saith the Lord That they understood this That they would consider their latter End Deut. 32.29 By which means thou wilt in all sinful Actions with the Holy Apostle be ever ready to conclude That the end of those things is Death Rom. 6.21 5. IN all thy actions fix thy self in the presence of God by following David's Example Psalm 16.8 Ever remember thou art in his Sight and that neither thy Thoughts nor Actions can be excluded from him for neither Solitude nor Darkness can vail thee from his All-seeing Eye Psalm 139.11 12. In all thy Undertakings accustom thy self to the rule of Charity for that is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 and the Fruit of God's Spirit Gal. 5.22 And there can be no performances acceptable to God if we omit this Duty and Command of the Apostle Let all things be done in Charity 1 Cor. 16.14 6. IN all Religious Duties act not the Impostor for the Hypocrite doth but personate act and counterfeit the Saint he seems good but is doubly Impious as the Orator said of the Servilii which were very like but not the same so resembling that they were not dâ—stinguished abroad amongst Strangers but were known at home by their own Acquaintance But when the Hypocrite hath deceived all the World he can never defraud his own Conscience Therefore let this advice be thy faithful Monitor to be just and sincere in thy Deportment before God and Man Let Christ's Rule be thy constant Pattern Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them For this is the Law and the Prophets Matt. 7.12 7. TRANSACT nothing which must cost thee a bitter Repentance When the Philosopher had a great price set him upon Folly replied I will not buy Repentance so dear Never act any thing against thy Conscience for fear or favour of Men but rather esteem a good Conscience before all Treasure on this side Heaven In some things we Sin all But happy is he
Supream Court of Judicature within us and above us and a silent Register of our Thoughts and Words It is a thousand Witnesses as the Apostle says Accusing or Excusing Rom. 2.15 Such is the Impartiality of this Judge that no Bribery can tempt him to Justifie the Wicked nor Condemn the Just but he is the first Revenger of Impiety and an excluder of the Guilty from Absolution 2. IN true Tranquility of Conscience the Heart is cheerful in every Estate and Condition Rom. 5.1 3. and dreadeth no Judge nor Witness It is a continual Feast the Soul's Paradise the Mind 's fair Haven an unvaluable Possession which renders every owner Happy It is an immoveable Comfort the first Fruits of Heaven and Riches which shall never be taken away As no Wind can move or shake the Sun-beams so neither Life nor Death Prosperity or Adversity can Transfix this While this is secure tho Men receive many sharp Encounters as the Citizens of Ai did Josh. 7. Yet are they confident to resist they can resolve with that pattern of Patience Job 13.15 Tho he Kill me yet will I trust in him But if that fail and the Smoak ascendeth their Hearts are under a great Consternation Josh. 8.20 3. THE Almighty Woundeth and Healeth Deut. 32.39 Job 5.18 But it is with his Justice and Mercy The Wise Man says Prov. 6.32 33. We wound our selve by Sin and God healeth us by Afflictions as Chirurgions do with the Lancet and Cautery Sins are the Thieves which rob us and leave us wounded us by the way till the good Samaritan appears with his Wine and Oil to cleanse supple and bind up our Wounds He scourgeth the Conscience with a sense of his Anger to make us sensible of our Sins and to bring us to an abhorrence of them And thus he sometimes Disciplines us with external Afflictions 4. GOD sometimes wounds the Heart and terrifies the Conscience by the Word Preached and then we are Pricked at the Heart and with St. Peter's Auditors cry out Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 Sometimes he smites the Conscience with an inward sense and apprehension of his fierce Wrath and severe imminent Judgments in which as the Psalmist complains of Psalm 55.4 5. An Horrible fear overtaketh them like the Earthquake at Horeb preceeding the Still small voice of Mercy 1 Kings 19.11 12. In sense of a Spiritual Desertion while he hideth away his Face Spiritual Wants or permission to some grievous Temptation cold Fits of Despair and Buffetings by the Messengers of Satan in all which tho there be means of Comfort appointed yet none can prevail till the Spirit of God the Comforter return and Heal. 5. THE same Hand giveth the Wound and prescribeth the Plaister as it was said Hos. 5.13 The Assyrians and Jareb could not heal Judah and Ephraim of their Wound so no Mortal Creature can administer Comfort whereby to heal a wounded Spirit till he who correcteth in Measure approaches and bindeth it up Jer. 30.11 c. He only he says the Psalmist Psalm 147.3 He healeth the broken in Heart and bindeth up their Wounds Even he who was Wounded for our Sins and bruised for our Iniquities and by whose Stripes we are Healed Isa. 53.5 CHAP. XXVII What things principally wound the Conscience THERE are some things which Principally afflict and wound the Conscience and comes up as the Prophet mentions 1 Sam. 13.17 like those Philistim Spoilers in three Companies to destroy and drive Men into Despair And the first Apparition and Assault is the apprehension of God's Wrath for some Hainous Sin committed An Instance we have in Cain having Murdered his Brother cryed out My Sin or Punishment is greater than I can bear Gen. 4.13 And Judas having betray'd his Lord and Master durst not approach to him to beg Mercy by reason he apprehended an implacable Anger in Christ. 2. IT is certain according to the Apostles saying That the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of Disobedience Col. 3.6 And that his Wrath is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men Rom. 1.18 And that the Impenitent by their hardness of Heart treasure up to themselves Wrath against the day of Wrath That theâ—e shall be Indignation and Wrath to them that obey not the Truth Rom. 2.5 8. But when thou who art of a wounded Spirit and broken Heart hast well considered perhaps thou wilt find that these things are of no Concernment to thee but to those who live in Sin 3. THE second Obstacle in wounding the Conscience is sense of Spiritual Wants as Hope Faith assurance of Salvation the Spirit of Sanctification and Prayer These being the Graces of the Almighty and the Presence of his Holy Spirit in the Regenerate may yet for the time be an hidden Treasure an Immortal Seed under the frozen Clods without any appearance of Life And the truly Devout may weep and complain like the Penitent Magdalen in the Garden for the loss of Christ when at the same season he is discoursing with them but they are ignorant of his Presence John 20.14 4. THE third Obstacle is fear of some strong Temptations and Tryals at which the afflicted and affrighted Conscience is Amazed as the Disciples were when Jesus slept in the Storm and the Ship was Over-mastered with Waves and ready to Travel to the bottom of the Sea upon Death's Errand Matt. 8.24 25. Or like St. Peter on the Water when he beheld the rough Billows come Plowing before him cryeth out Save Master we Perish Matt. 14.30 When it evidently appears they cannot Perish who are with Christ nor they cannot be Safe who are without him CHAP. XXVIII Divine Considerations of the Afflicted AS God is Just so he is Merciful he is no enexorable Radamanth but he is easie to be entreated Concerning whom we have a Word more sure than any Testimony of Man for the Almighty in Exod. 34.6 being his own Herald thus proclaims himself The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin Now if that which others report of the Kings of Israel 1 Kings 20.31 That they were merciful Kings Could perswade them to seek Mercy and to enjoy their Lives and Liberties how much more should that which God who cannot lye hath declared himself Tit. 1.2 move the afflicted Soul humbly to Petition him for Mercy who is more ready to grant it than we are or can be to entreat it for ask it we never could except his preventing Grace and holy Spirit invisibly moved us 2. GOD delights not in the Death of Sinners but in their Conversion Ezek. 18. And as it is a true Prognostick of a Guests being welcome by the good Aspects and Deportment of the Family So it is an evident signal that a Penitent Sinner is welcome to Heaven by the Angels loud Exultations If God in his good Pleasure would have destroyed thee how often
His sake I humbly implore thee to convert this Judgment I now labour under into Mercy Let it operate in my Soul a true detestation of all Sin a stedfast purpose to forsake all my evil ways a comfortable experience of thy Mercy pronouncing Pardon to my afflicted Conscience by the infallible Evidence of thy Holy Spirit and assurance of Peace with thee O make me to hear of Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Cast me not away from thy presence neither take thy Holy Spirit the Comforter from me but restore me to the joy of thy Salvation and uphold and establish me with thy free Spirit 5. O thou who despisest not a broken and contrite heart pour the Oyl of thy Mercy and heal my wounded Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy way that they may fear thee and melt at the sight of thy Judgments then shall Sinners be Converted unto thee who art the Fountain of all Mercy and Consolation Lord hear me and incline thine Ear in this day of my Calamity Lord Consider and perform thine own promise made through thy beloved Son Jesus Christ the Righteous to whom with thee O Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth from this time forth and for ever more Amen CHAP. XXXIII The Sense of Spiritual Wants THE next thing which wounds and afflicts the Conscience is Sense of defects and Spiritual Wants As want of Faith Hope and Assurance of Salvation Want of Sanctification Purity of Heart the Spirit of Prayer and Hearing and want of ability to perform other Holy Duties In these the Spirit is stupified and overcast even in the best of Christians for a time The Religious Person sometimes is sensible of a dulness and want of Fervency in Prayer and of a comfortable assurance that God heareth or regardeth it because he doth not presenty answer or not grant our Petitions Sometimes they feel a Deviation of the Mind and discomposure of thoughts in attention and unbelief in hearing and reading the Word Sometimes want of Patience want of Love to God and Charity to Men In short such a general debility or distemper of the Internal Man that he readily concludes with St. Paul That in his Flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 These are great Maladies of the Soul and Wounds of the Spirit but it inferreth a good Prognostick of a bad Cause Where these are and the Sinner is insensible they are desperate Symptomes 2. IN this Case let us consider that the very same measure of Grace which to the present sense of a Regenerate Man seemeth incompetent may yet be a sufficient measure to save him And when he Invocates the Divine Assistance he is most strong though in his own sense he is weak and deficient For in St. Paul's distress the Lord thus answered his Petition My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 It saith not it shall be but it is sufficient meaning the present measure of Grace he had in his Possession when he looked upon himself as a weak Vessel 3. THE most Pious their measure of Assurance is such as they are not only enjoyned to give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure that so an entrance may be administred to them abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom but they are in duty bound also to Work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 All Incredulity inferreth not a Reprobate sense There is Incredulity in the very Elect before and a perplexing Remnant after their Calling yea even in their best Estate here else why did the Holy Apostles pray Lord encrease our Faith Luke 17.5 And why did our Saviour upbraid them with unbelief Mark 16.14 4. AND Saving Faith differeth in degrees So that there is a stronger and a weaker Faith yet both true and justifying So do all other Graces one hath a greater and more Excellent measure of the Spirit of Prayer than another One hath a more discerning and attentive Spirit of Hearing than another and yet in either instance the minor may be true and sufficient For to every Man is given according to the measure of Christ Ephes. 4.7 One hath ten Talents and another but two Nay even in one and the same Person 's Faith there is sometimes a grander and sometimes a diminutive measure of Confidence and Assurance And so we must judge of other Gifts sometimes there is more fervency in Prayer and other times less The Sun doth not display his Radiant Beams on us always alike neither doth the light of Gods Grace illuminate us after one manner 5. A true saving Faith may be very impotent and the Believer may be insensible for some space but yet the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it as may appear in St. Peter's Example There are doubtings and failings in the best on Earth by Reason we are but here partly Spiritual We are not yet arrived to perfection Faith here must receive continual encreases and be subject to Tryals And the like does ensue to all other Vertues and Graces That true Faith never shall finally fall away or utterly fail though it be subject to Intension and Remission because Christ interceeded for us as he said to St. Peter behold Satan hath desired that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Luke 22.31 32. Because his Grace by which we are called and stand is immutable in the Counsel and Decree of Heaven and are Sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise 2 Cor. 1.22 And the like we are to judge of of all the Fruits of Sanctification which being the Donations and Graces of God are such as he repenteth not of neither finally withdraweth Rom. 11.29 6. THOU hast indeed a true sense of thy Spiritual wants and mournest at thy Corruptions of Heart which on every occasion produce sinful Acts against thy Maker if this be a heavy burden unto thee receive this Comfort that thy sin is excluded its proper place and become a Stranger unto thee For nothing in its own proper station is so ponderous The danger is want of Sense and taking pleasure in Unrighteousness If a wounded Person is insensible he is either dead or in some dangerous Exstacy No part hath sense but the Living though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole yet sense of smart in thy wounds inferreth Life and indeed in Gods Medicaments who makes all things operate for the best to them that love him 't is a better State in respect of the quiet Fruits of Righteousness accruing to them that are thereby Exercised and the Ulcerous Corruptions of our Souls often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed than the secure prosperity of Sinners for it is good and beneficial at the last for the just that they have been afflicted Psal. 119.67 7. WHEN thou hearest or readest the Scriptures art thou sensible of the want of Faith
which denominates tempting or proving As you will find in Exod. 15.25 and Ch. 16.4 Deut. 8.16 and Chap. 13.3 Psal. 26.2 1 Pet. 1.7 And there is a Temptation of seducement which is a Solicitation to defection and falling from God by sinning and committing evil 1 Tim. 6.9 1 Thes. 3.5 So that God tempteth that he may Discipline us but the Devil that he may destroy us 3. SOME Temptations spring from the Corruption and Sin Inherent in the Flesh St. James 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts such as are mentioned Gal. 5.19 20. Some are suggested by the Tempter who being a Spirit hath power to insinuate and convey his impious notions into our minds Suggestion between Spirits are as Contiguity and touching of Bodies for whereas he cannot discover the unuttered secrets of the heart it being the Almighties peculiar Prerogative but he observes mens natural inclinations and habits by their Words and Actions and so prepares Baits accordingly thus he fishes in these depths till he perceives his Suggestions are swallowed and the Sinner taken And by this means he presenteth such Thoughts as he conjectureth will take by that which is obvious to the Senses of men As he fitted an opportunity of Treason to impious Judas by the malice of the high Priests Of Lust to Amnon of venturing on the cursed thing to Achan of the Revenge to Cain of Idolatry to Ahaz by the Altar of Damascus 2 Kin. 16.10 c. 4. OF Temptations there are four degrees by which it ariseth to full Maturity First Suggestion Secondly Delight therein Thirdly Consenting Fourthly Acting the same As St. James tells ye Chap. 1.14 15. Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death The first of these a bare Suggestion is not our Sin if there be no delight or consenting to it For Christ was tempted Mat. 4.1 Luke 4.2 in all points as we are yet without sin Heb. 4.15 The Sin is Satans when ever he Suggesteth evil The Second as the Third and Fourth is Sin in its degree for every delight in evil declares a Mans inclination to be such A declining from Good and a proneness to consent and act evil 5. A tryal of Temptation to the Just is but as Fire to Gold it purifieth and createth a valuation in God's Esteem as the Psalmist tells ye Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and the Apostle informs ye 1 Pet. 1.7 That the tryal of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold which perisheth though it be tryed with Fire might be found unto praise c. And that mirror of Patience is Comforted Job 23.10 When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold Temptation therefore burneth out the dross and is as a Winnowing Wind For Satan by a Temptation winnowed St. Peter Now Consider with thy self can the Refiner of Gold take that Care that he will not lose it in the Furnace Can the Husbandman so opportune the Wind that he will not lose the Corn but cleanse it from the Chaff And canst thou think that the Almighty will suffer thee to be lost by permitting thee to Temptations No assure thy self he cannot err He measureth all Is Faithful and will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able 1 Cor. 10.13 He knoweth how to deliver his out of Temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 Therefore God commands us not to fear any of these things which they should suffer whom Satan should cast into Prison Rev. 2.10 6. THERE can be no Conquest gained without an Enemy nor no Crown without a Conflict No Faith without Troubles nor no Combate without some Adversary When the Almighty puts thee to Tryals he stedfastly beholds how thou entertainest the Enemy and as thou standest the Shock he supplieth thee with fresh aids as necessity requireth and in the mean time prepareth the Crown Many by a long and secure peace grow Impotent and for want of Experience unable to resist an enemy when he invadeth perhaps their own Pride born out of self-ignorance overcometh them or fulness may debauch them whereas Exercise makes them Vigorous and Temptations humble Lest I should be Exalted above measure saith Saint Paul There was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messengers of Satan to buffet me 2 Cor. 12.7 And indeed Conscience of a Sin and fear of punishment makes the Regenerate more Religious and is much the firmer Faith which Repentance storeth up That ye Sorrowed after a Godly sort what Carefulness it wrought in you 2 Cor. 7.11 7. THE Spiritual Pharoah most eagerly pursueth those who are departing out of his Kingdom He passeth by his own as Captives And chaseth those in whom he perceiveth Christ liveth When he must be cast out then he teareth most furiously Luke 9.42 So that his rage against thee is no Argument of Despair but rather of great Affiance that Satan himself finds thou art none of his Disciple were he secure of thee he would let thee go unmolested to destruction and never disquiet thee lest any agitation should bring thee to Repentance and him to loss This Lesson our Saviour taught When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace Luke 11.21 8. CONSIDER well that the best have been and the best that live are tempted The Jebusites were left in Jerusalem for an Exercise of Vertue 2 Sam. 5.6 The Apostle wrapt up into the third Heaven was buffetted by Satans Messengers 2 Cor. 12. 12. EVERY day dedicate thy first and last 2 7. Once for all Christ in whom was no sin was tempted Heb. 4.15 That thou are tempted is no inference of Despair It seems a Paradox how Heaven and Earth are here so annexed we being partly Spirit and partly Flesh that we cannot appear as we would Gal. 5.17 We find an irksome Law in our selves opposing us Our Reparation is something and Supernatural but so short of that which shall be that our selves like the Israelites in Ezra's time sound a discordious Concord of sharps and flats joy and sorrow Ezra 3.13 We must expect perfection in Heaven for our present freedom from sin is rather a desire to be free than our being so 9. NEXT let us consider that God's Grace who at his pleasure chaineth up the Tempter is sufficient for thee Rev. 20.1 2 Cor. 12.9 He restraineth him so much that he cannot be a lying Spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets untill he have leave to tempt him out to his destruction from him who justly permitteth to strong Delusions that they should perish in believing Lies who receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved Omnipotence knows best how far he will suffer thee to be tempted and accordingly measureth out a sufficiency of Grace to all the Regenerate Why he suffered David so