could not have saved one Soul 1 Cor. 15.13 14. 6. This Christ forty days after his Resurrection Ascended into Heaven as Enoch and Elias his Types fore-shewed And this in the view of his Disciples * A Jury of Witnesses He sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty that is He becomes next to God in Dignity Power and Glory And under God doth Administer all things Sitting notes Security Rest and honourable Dominion 7. This Christ shall thence come to Judge the Quick and the Dead All alive at the Last day and all before that time Dead True God as God in that day is Judge Supreme Christ Mediator is Judge Delegate and Constitute that pronounceth Sentence And his very Saints are Judges by Assession and Approbation of his Sentence It must not be forgot that He judgeth every of us when we Die. Tho' not all of Vs together nor with Execution of all his Judgment upon our Souls and Bodies till the Last day 8. The third Person of the Godhead is named Holy and Ghost Ghost signifies Breath or Spirit This glorious Person bears this name with a specialty as being eternally and inconceivably Spirated or Breathed forth from the Father and Son. And is in like sort styled Holy as being by Office the Worker of all renewed Holiness in fallen Man. 9. This Father Son and Spirit have an Holy Catholick Church A Church or Christian Society called forth of the Heathen and Jewish world by God's Word and Spirit After mention of the holy Ghost the Church is mentioned in our Creed as a Work of the Holy Ghost Catholick 't is called or Universal because the New Testament Church consists of folk of all Nations And is not as the Jewish Church was confined unto one Nation It comprehends all the Christians of all Ages past present and future in the World which are indeed but one Body Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. Holy it 's said to be as having 1. Christ it 's Head Holy. 2. The blessed Spirit it 's Indweller Holy. 3. The Gospel it 's Rule Holy. 4. All that are truly of it are truly tho imperfectly Holy. 5. Their Ministers Office is Holy. 6. Their Worship as Gods Ordinance is Holy. 7. All Baptized members are Sacramentally Holy tho' not Spiritually Bound to the Gospel tho' they do not really Obey it 10. The Communion of Saints is the Effect of the Holy Spirits Sanctifying of them and the End of Church Relation Saints are people Separated from Unclean and Common conversation Carried by the virtue of infused grace unto the Fear Love and Service of God in Christ Communion supposeth such Union as is between the Members of the Body This said Communion consists 1. In their common holy Friendship with Father Son and Spirit 2. In their mutual Love of one another as themselves 3. In their Care and just Labour for each others welfare 4. In their joyning with one Heart and Soul in God's publick Worship by Christ ordained And The Saints of this Communion have the Forgiveness of their Sins God for the Satisfaction and Merit of Christ's Obedience and Intercession Pronounceth them Acquitted And actually Delivereth them from the Execution of their sin's deserts God may be said to Punish them for their sins but not to punish them with the punishment of their Sins 'T is for their good that God ever Chastens them 11. These Saints must also hereafter have the Resurrection of their Bodies And by consequence have Immortal Souls For otherwise of what use wou'd the Bodies be All Objections against this said Resurrection be vain Being it's so brightly reveal'd in Scripture Cavillers do not Know the Scriptures or the Power of God. 12. Life everlasting is the portion of these Saints foresaid By Life understand all good And by Everlastingness perfect Duration without Change or End. By consequence we may determine that Sinners dying in their sins shall have the contrary Everlasting Death All Evil without an End of any Seems it strange that the Reward of short and slender Obedience should be so Immense and Everlasting And the Punishment of finite Creatures sin in a few years committed should be of such Extremity and to all Eternity The Wonder vanishes if thou but consider the greatness of the God who ordereth the Punishment and the Reward A great God doth all things great and like Himself His Rewards must be great and his Punishments great They would otherwise be a Reproach unto Him. Amen is here as much as to say I do verily Believe these things upon Divine Revelation tho' they exceed the reach of my Sense and my Reason Lords Prayer Truths eight 1. There is a God eternal unto whom we may and ought to Repair for the Supply of all our wants Even as a Child unto his Father For tho' He be in Heaven that is be of incomprehensible Perfection and cannot without a vast condescention regard and affect the best of creatures yet He is by Creation Father And by Redemption in Christ 'T is Sin for the worst of Sinners alive to say God redeemed not me He is the Father of penitent Believers by Regeneration and Adoption also Bare wants do not destroy men 'T is neglect of right Repair unto the Lord that is a Father a Heavenly Father and our Heavenly Father that can and doth undo the World. 2. Exaltation of God's Name and Subjection unto his Authority and Obedience unto his Will and Precept are the chief End of Man. For these He Made us And for these He Redeem'd us For these by his Word and Spirit He Calls us For these we live Yet unto all and each of these are all men insufficient For Will. Skill and Power unto these all men the best the worst and middle sort all are to Pray unto Him. I and in the very first place to Pray 3. Bread or the necessaries of this Life and Pardon of Sin and Preventive Grace restraining from Sin are the Means unto that foresaid End. To the Exaltation Subjection and Obedience aforesaid For other Ends only or chiefly they may not be desired or prayed for 'T is Self-Idolatry to desire one bit of Bread or the Pardon of one Sin or the repulse of one Temptation either singularly or principally for our own Ends. To wit that our Bodies may not suffer or our Souls and Bodies suffer or our Names and Estates suffer But for the formentioned Ends they must be Desired And more they must be Prayed for Begged with all humble Importunity We are infinitely unworthy of them Our Prayers deserve not God's bestowing them But our Prayer is the only way in which God warrants our expectation of them And in which He gives ground to expect them without doubting There is a kind of Omnipotency which Holy Prayer is honoured with by Free Grace 4. Conservation of our Beings is the first of our Personal wants Pardon of Sin is the second Deliverance from Temptation and Sin is the third Reader mark this
no doubt but he Actuates us for Him. So the Apostle Rom. 8. But that falls under consideration elsewhere To conclude this particular Let the Enquiring Christian thus argue Christ is mine before Life is mine Christ and his Spirit are always given together If his Holy Spirit be put into me Satan is deposed The Holy Spirit and the Unclean cannot reign together By the Temper of my Heart and Ways toward Christ especially it 's not hard to know whether he be expelled or still hold the Throne in my Soul. These I will diligently watch And examine whose Superscription they bear whether the H. Advocate 's or the Enemy's Enemies lead to Death Advocates to Life By my Guide I will judge of my Way and End. And Him I will account to be my Guide whom I do ordinarily and allowedly and most desirously follow whether it be the Holy Ghost or the contrary Spirit If I find that it 's but now and then when terrors force it that I disgust Satan's suggestions or relish the Holy Spirit 's that deliberately and freely I use to embrace Satan's and reject His that set aside the next World's accounts I should desire rather that Satan led me in a Sensual Life than the Holy Ghost in an Evangelical I will tell my Soul and all that is within me plainly as John 5.42 I know you that ye have not the Love of God in you On the contrary if I find all and discern that tho' I have been a Cage to the uncleanest Bird yet I am by grace turn'd into a Temple of the Holy Ghost that the very self-same Spirit that dwelt in Christ dwells in me that as little as yet I know He 's daily a Teaching me as Forgetful as I am He brings daily the things of my peace unto my Remembrance as Dull as I am He daily by one thought or other Quickens me unto my duty so that I dare not omit it as sad and sour as I am He denies me not all Comfort but every day sweetens some Word of God or other unto me as often as I am out of Frame for Communion with God and that is too often He lets me not alone till I am in again and am Restored If thus I find I will conclude there cannot but be Life where there is such a Spirit And there cannot but be the best Spirit where there be but such Operations Hereby we know that He abideth in us by the Spirit that He hath given us 1 John 3.24 C. 2. Of COVENANT God ever delighted to deal with Man in the way of Covenant He bound the first Man He made and all his Posterity in one One unexceptionable for the Promises unto us and for the Demands from us These latter were Just and Good the former Rich and Honourable But as we have heard Man Fell. Unless I shall rather say he Leapt into Sin. For wilfully he brake this Covenant of Works as we call it Yea and by the Fall so brake himself that he was never able since to do ought pleasing unto God. I mean before the Renewing grace of God give ability But this grace God never did or will dispence but in a New Covenant All He Recovereth He takes into New-Covenant relation with Himself Souls mindless of any Covenant with God mind no Religion Ezek. 16.8 none at least that God will accept Those that hang upon the Old Covenant of Works and have all their Religion run in that Channel Doing all they do with design and hope to be forgiven for the sake and merit of it the Gospel declares their mistake to be mortal They that are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse That is they that expect Life and Salvation for their own Works of the Law are every creature of them under God's Curse Gal. 3.10 They who being sensible what 't is to be out of Covenant and what to be under the Covenant of Works do enter the New Gospel-Covenant the Marriage-Covenant unto Christ they are the Souls the only ones that bring forth fruit unto God. And have Life of either Peace with Him or Holiness unto Him Rom. 7.4 Surely God never signed their Pass for Heaven who never made his Covenants the matter of many of their Thoughts A serious heart cannot but ask In what relation more than that of a Creature do I stand in unto God As a Creature I can deserve no reward whatever I do And why should I expect any If I may be a Covenanter and was so without my knowledge in my first Parents does it not now concern me to get inform'd what the Terms of that Covenant were For Covenants bind mutually and if I know not that which I am bound in I must unavoidably be false unto it If it be such as is Good for me I cannot improve it and if unto me it become by any means destructive I am not capable of preventing it If the Soveraign Lord make and offer to take me into a better Covenant how concerned am I above all things in this World to learn out the terms thereof c. But suppose the greatest study of these Covenants and the best Acquaintance with them the best that is possible to be without profound Thankfulness for the Covenant of Grace and hearty Consent thereunto what avails it Much every way indeed to mens Condemnation Knowledge of that Covenant without Consent is the most frightful symptom that I know of a Reprobate A Soul in earnest careful to know its state should in this wise debate with it self Were I under no Covenant it would be reasonable to expect Hell for my least sin For it deserves it and the Divine Justice is unquestionable It would be unreasonable if I could yield Sinless Obedience to be presumptuous of other reward than is in the yielding of it For in that is more than a Creature merits And I can make no Plea if God make no free Promise There are but two Covenants of Works and of Grace These are vastly different And so are the states of men under the one and under the other Of my state I am peremptorily resolv'd to make Judgment as I am under this or that My Hopes shall die if I appear under that of Works my Fears shall die if I appear under this of Grace For if I am under the Covenant of Works I am bound unto Duties whose Performance is by me Impossible It requires Obedience perfect and perpetual I and that upon pain of Death Gal. 3.10 11. Consequently if I am under this Covenant I am under its Curse too which is Intolerable Gen. 2.17 Dying thou shalt Die. 'T is Death indefinite that is Universal evil Temporal Spiritual Eternal Privative Negative Positive c. Besides if I am under this Works-Covenant I can have no Days-man or Mediator between God and me I must to Prison if I pay not my self the utmost Farthing This Covenant admits not Christ or any other Advocate with the offended
distance from begrudging him any good as we are at from begrudging it to our selves The first Command is a Summary of all Duty unto God the second is a like Summary of all Duty unto Man. 11. The Children of Men ever since the Fall are averse from all the Wâ—â—â— God. Their Minds are unteachable Memories unfaithful Wills untractable Else what needed the New-Edition of the Ten Commands And why were they so delivered as we read Exod. 19.20 12. The Motives that God giveth and we ought to take and urge our hearts withal unto the Obedience of every of God's Laws are three The three contained in God's Preface unto the Ten Commandments Which are God's Soveraignty over us his Covenant with us his Redemption-grace and bounty unto us Wo unto our best Motions which these three do not move to Sacramental-Truths five 1. The Law of God for Sacraments is not Natural but Positive He required them not because their use is good antecedently No their Use is therefore only good because He requires them From whence it follows that tho' it be impossible not to Use the Sacraments but we must offend God because God has commanded them 't is very possible to use Sacraments and not please God. Because God has commanded them not for their own sakes but for certain Ends. Which Ends if we do not aim at and answer in our use of the Sacraments God has no pleasure and we no profit by our use of them 2. The End for which God hath ordain'd Sacraments is his Testifying his Mind and Will unto Us. And our Testifying back our Hearts toward Him. 'T is true God's Word is a Testimony of his Will a first a sweet and a sure Testimony But it has pleased Him to add a second sort of Testification of his Covenant-Will And by Visible Rites and Ceremonies of his own appointing to Testifie it farther As after their Word given Men use by Sign and Seal to testifie their Minds Likewise we at our first Conversion by our Hearts and Mouths testifie unto God our Wills henceforward for ever to be his But it pleaseth God to require our second and more publick solemn Testification thereof To wit in and by the use of those Rites and Ceremonies which he has prescribed Now if we aim not at both these Ends in the use of Sacraments and answer not these Ends we mock God and delude our selves in their use Other Ends of Sacraments there be I know but these are the chief and comprehensive of all 3. The Order of the two Sacraments of the Gospel New-Covenant is this Holy Baptism enters a Disciple of Christ makes him that was before Covenanted to become by Sign and Seal Covenanted with God. The Lord's Supper renews that Covenant betwixt God and a Baptized Disciple of Jesus Christ Both Baptism and the Lord's Supper do confirm the Covenant mutually upon God's part and upon ours and extensively as to all the Promises in the Covenant from God unto us and as to all the Demands in the Covenant from us unto God. 4. The Dignity and Vsefulness of the Holy Sacraments is surpassing In no Ordinances has God condescended so Low unto us as in these In none therefore has he so much honoured us as in these The Apostle reckons Sacraments as the prime of Church-Priviledges 1 Cor. 10. As for Vsefulness they are Towers of David builded for spiritual Armories (a) Of all the outward Means of Grace the most Mighty We cannot warrantably expect the Holy Spirit to make the Word a-near so helpful to us without the Sacraments as with them If ordinarily He should so do He would disparage them But to be sure He will never do that 5. The Way to improve the Holy Sacraments unto Holiness and Comfort is by a double Pleading of them By Pleading them with our own Souls upon God's behalf And this either when we would bring them out of a bad frame into a good or from a less holy unto a more holy frame for God. By then urging our hearts in such like words My Soul my Soul why against God or why so coldly for Him The Kingdom of Hell suffers violence Violent Sinners take it by Force And wilt not thou take the Kingdom of Heaven by it Sinners be Patient Creatures they forsake Father and Mother take up their Cross and follow Satan and thorough many tribulations enter the Kingdom of Hell. Blush and bleed thou to think that thy Patience should be short of theirs and that thou shouldst not without regret enter the Kingdom of Heaven that 's better thro' Tribulations that be lesser than theirs Think think my Soul Thou art Baptiz'd the God of Heaven for thy Encouragement and Engagement has sign'd and seal'd his Covenant with thee Thou hast been at his Holy Table He has again and again sign'd and seal'd it Canst thou thou a sign'd seal'd Covenanter Distrust or Disobey Thou a frequently repeated Covenanter and an early one too O for shame stir up thy self and on with the Armour of God and follow the Captain of thy Salvation and fight not flourish against Flesh World and Devil according to thy Sacramental Engagement Shew that it is unto thee a Covenant of Salt not of Snow An Adamantine bond not a Rope of Sand c. Again we must also humbly Plead them with our heavenly Father upon our own behalf Under Oppression by any evil or Deprivation of any good we may and ought to plead them in Prayer before Him. 'T is often that Ministers do press Christians to plead the Promises I would that we all as often press'd them to plead the same as sign'd and seal'd God hath not a Promise but what is sign'd and seal'd in Baptism and in the Holy Supper And we plead them but imperfectly and at halves when we plead them not as sign'd and seal'd Go distressed Christian fill thy mouth with the arguments of the Covenant of Grace and plead thy Cause at the Throne of Grace to this purpose O thou that canst not Lye thou hast sworn unto me that in thy Gospel-way I shall have Grace Glory and have no good thing with-held from me Thou signedst and sealedst Promise hereof to me in my Baptism and so hast thou done again and again at thy Table I in thy Gospel-way have waited do wait and will to my last breath thro' thy grace wait O Lord canst thou chuse but perform what thou hast so so Promised so Sworn so Engag'd under Sign and Seal c This is the way to Mortifie Corruptions Repel Temptations Quicken Graces Revive Hopes Attain Joys unspeakable and full of Glory O that our best Pulpits were less silent and our best Pues less Ignorant of the practick use of Holy Sacraments Q 3. What is that Change wrought in a Man by God's Holy Word and Spirit before he can safely conclude himself to be passed from Death to Life BY one man sin entred into the World and Death by sin Rom. 5.12 Satan
was a Murderer from the beginning He slew Adam by the first sin And slew all mankind in that first Adam Spiritually considered we are all Dead born Dead in sin and Dead for it Dead in respect of Corruption Dead in respect of Condemnation Condemnation to the Prison of Hell to the Torment of Fire to the Duration of Eternity But God hath so loved the World that he hath given his only begotten Son to redeem us from so great a Death John 3.16 He desires not our Death to be Continued and Ruin to be Compleated He reveals Jesus Christ the way from Death to Life He Commands and He even Beseeches us to take Him for our Way thereto If you ask by what Steps I have told you in my Call to Sinners by three Steps Namely by Conviction by Compunction or Humiliation and by Vnion unto Christ Which Steps if you take aright I am content to Lose Heaven if you do not Find it Indeed unassistedly no man can take them Whatever is a Creature hath no Power but what is Given from God and Kept by Him. But Man a faln Creature until he be by grace raised again is without strength unto that we speak of Rom. 5.6 Knowledge Will and Power hereto are all the Gifts of God's Love and the Purchases of his Son's Blood and the Works of his Holy Spirits Almightiness That Holy Spirit who constantly worketh by the Holy Word Who wrought not Christ's victory over Satan without the use of the Word And will not without it work our Victory over him Mat. 4. Possible it is And Necessary it is for all that take this way to Life aforesaid to Ensure their so doing 2 Pet. 1.10 Psal 50. ult c. Uncertainty about it is the Effect of sin God doth not ordinarily if ever with-hold Assurance from his Children but upon Provocation To wit by Indulged Lusts by Unexercised Graces by Omitted Duties by Slighted Ordinances And to be sure Uncertainty is then it self a sin when 't is meritoriously procured by sin The eyes are very blind that see not how fruitful a Cause of sin it is And as hard are the hearts that dread it not as a sin an Effect of sin and a Cause of sin I grant that all Assurance attainable on Earth is Imperfect But by the Romanists leave that which is attainable is both True Proper and Powerful True and Proper as built upon proper and eternally true Grounds for it Powerful as operative of Peace and Joy in our selves and Holiness and Thanksgiving unto God. Nevertheless 't is very long before most of God's Children know their Father And cease from tormenting fear that Satan is he In the first Conversion of the Gentile world unto Christ it was not so The Holy Spirit did then for the most part Witness grace wheresoever He did work it in any Nay to go no farther back Our old English Puritans of sweetest Memory had Assurance more plenty among them than 't is seen in our day Nor wanted they our Light so much as we want their Heat Horresco referens Unacquaintedness with the Covenant of grace breeds every where groundless Hopes and as unreasonable Fears I speak as I find With some of our people every shadow of Turning goes for substantial Conversion And with others that which is right substantial Conversion goes for but a shadow of Turning Of Turning from Death to Life With fear and trembling I assay therefore to resolve this Question Plainly that I may be understood Briefly that I may be remembred Fully that my End may be attained in making Sinners ashamed of their Peace and Good men ashamed of their Trouble If my Method be new my Doctrine is not I do go forth by the foot-steps of Christ's flock praying that this Paper be made successful by his Holy Spirit That Change after which we enquire appears a five-fold one Namely of Spirit Covenant Qualities Conversation and Company C. 1. Of SPIRIT Man is an Embodied Spirit His Body is we know not how Indwelt and Actuated by his Spirit His Spirit tho' it be a Free Agent is in as unaccountable a way Indwelt and Influenced by some other Spirit In our Created state the Holy Spirit was in us and swayed us Now in our Corrupted state 't is Satan that is in us and leads us 'T is certain that by the First Transgression we forfeited and lost the foresaid Sanctifier And deserved to be given up and were given up to the last named Tempter Satan is now called the God of this World. And He that is in the World 1 John 4.4 The Prince that works in the Children of Disobedience Ephes 2.3 * Works energetically And like as Fire in Iron worketh converting it into a huge likeness unto its own Nature And such Children are named persons not having the Spirit to wit the Holy One Jude ver 19. But in our Renewed state there 's a change of the Actuating Spirit Satan is deposed and cast out Acts 26.18 2 Tim. 2.26 The Holy Spirit is Sent Given Administred Put into us Poured out on us Comes on us Rests on us Leads us Is said to be He that is in Believers 1 Joh. 4.4 Yea and to be great in them That is in them to be mighty and victorious over the assaulting impure Spirit Looks he then like a Soul passed from Death to Life in whom there 's no such change of the ruling Spirit I trow not Nor can it be said because these Spirits forenamed be both Invisible therefore the change of them is hardly Discernable Let these plain things be considered They are infinitely Vnlike ones Yea perfectly Contrary unto each other They are also most Active both of them Satan always worketh to the utmost of his Power the Holy Spirit works according to his Will and Pleasure But both do work continually and strongly Nor are their Natures so Invisible but that their Operations are as much Sensible Satan carries unto evil and so does the H. Ghost carry unto good Of all things Satan averteth and turns away Souls from Jesus Christ from his Person and Gospel And of all things the Holy Ghost carrieth Souls unto the Study and Acceptation of both His great work is to Receive of Christ's and shew it unto us John 16.14 His first work is to convince as of Sin in general so principally of the Sin of Vnbelief on Christ Of its being the only Sin that does keep men in all Sin. To convince us also of the Righteousness of Christ its Perfection in it self its Communicableness unto us and its Acceptableness with God. Of its being the only that God will accept whatever men conceit of Natural Righteousness or of Legal To convince likewise of the Conquest of Christ over all his and our Enemies His having Subjugated Satan as well as Satisfied God Joh. 16.9 10 11. But I forbear See his twelve Convictions in my Call unto Sinners together with his Humiliation-work and Vnion-work Having United us unto Christ
evil of all kinds The Holy Scripture testifieth that it did so and that not obscurely in the very Text forecited Plainly in others Gen. 6.5 Rom. 8.7 Faln Man is by some compared to a disorder'd Clock that strikes false every minute and has not one true motion before the Maker mend it Now can a Holy God delight in a Creature thus Qualified One disposed to no real good but to all evil and that continually If God ever Recall such unto Himself He will new Create them Make them quite other Creatures Instruments moved with New Springs Trees of other Roots The Old Qualities must away and all be New. The Evil Treasure must be took out tho' it be bound up in the heart a Good must be Laid in and be a-like seated Holy Qualities must be Infused Accordingly we find every where in the Scripture God denouncing Wrath against all men of unrenewed Natures Not Renewed that is and Regenerated in the Qualities of the same for the Nature it self abideth still the same in Converted as in Unconverted men John 3.5 And on the other hand God's Reconciled Servants are named such as have Put off the Old Man. Crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts Mortified their Members which are upon Earth with much like All which phrases express their Parting with their inward Roots of Sin their Dispositions and their Inclinations unto evil They are likewise said to Put on the New Man. To be born again from Heaven To be men of another Heart and Spirit and New Creatures c. That is to be now of Dispositions quite contrary unto what they were before Inclined now to things that Please God as before unto things Offending Him. Now to Duty as before unto Folly. Feeling excuseth Words It need not be said how hard the parting from Old Qualities is Things glued together use not to come asunder without tearing Until an Heart be Rent there is no coming apart from its Lust But the Necessity of the separation is open to every Eye For Gratia non perdit Naturam God's hatred of sin is his very Nature and even Gospel Grace cannot destroy his Eternal Nature It implies the greatest of contradictions that He who is Holiness it fell should Cease to hate men of settled aversion from it And bent unto Ungodliness And it were blackest Blasphemy for any to conceit that Christ came to save us in our sinful Qualities and not from them A Wise man would therefore know his Qualities before he made his Judgment of his Condition toward God. Determining that as the Qualities are that be predominant and reign in him so is the Judgment of God on him That this latter is Absolving or Condemning according as the former be Holy or the contrary It is true contrary Qualities may possess together the same Heart In low degrees they may and do In high degrees they cannot Grace and Lust are both of 'em in every the best Soul. But they can no more Reign together than Water can Boil and Freeze together * A Lust Reigns when 't is Yielded unto Sin and Satan be Conquered as long as they are sincerely and industriously Resisted Grace doth Reign in the Soul while 't is in like manner Warred and Fought for by the Soul Rom. 7. The Apostle speaks of himself as Regenerated I doubt not So that my Enquiry must be What are those Qualities that have the Throne in me That sway my Understanding my Affections and my Practick Powers The Sinful Qualities that bend all these unto evil are the Corruption of Nature and Original Sin. The Holy Ones that bend all these unto good are Grace and the very New Nature in us Whether of them do prevail in me is my great Question Commonly and I think justly we count four Properties of a Quality or Disposition 's Prevalency Namely its causing to act Readily and without much ado Pleasantly and without disgust Vniversally without exclusion of any proper Object And Constantly without intermissions Now if Original Sin carry me thus unto Actual Sin I am far from the Kingdom of God! If Grace thus carry me unto gracious actions the Kingdom of God is within me To be a little more particular Holy Qualities the Principal are three the Instrumental are eight The former are Evangelical Faith Hope and Love. The latter be Prudence Justice Temperance Courage Sincerity Humility Zeal and Constancy Methinks whether these or the contraries of these do as aforesaid act me should be of easie discovery Inward Feelings and outward Fruits one would think should not admit it into any doubt at all But I am aware Mixtures do obscure things And in whom are not Mixtures found Again Moles must not be expected to be as Visible as Mountains 'T is Greatness that makes conspicuous And where Grace's Victory is little which is next to none I must not wonder if it be as little discernable Nor dare I desire God to change the Nature of things for me Rather must I Labour to grow in Grace And that it may be more Visible blow up my spark to a flame Heaven and Hell are unexpressibly different states And I must believe that God will have them to be very differently Qualified Creatures whom He placeth in the one and other My Interest carries me i' th' first place to see I have the Principle and nextly that I have Proficience in Grace Without the Principle I have no Qualification for Heaven And without the Proficience I shall ever doubt the truth of my Principle A strict Eye unto both will I have before I conclude the name to Live to be my due C. 4. Of CONVERSATION A good Spirit brings into a good Covenant And according thereto infuseth good Qualities But doth He then leave them idle and dormant No He doth not All Being is for Action And the best Nature for the best Action Besides Man is a creature that cannot be out of Action Grace only carries him to act well Corruption to act ill but his very Nature 't is to act much Man Created did exercise his Powers and exert his holy Qualities most amiably no doubt Formed his behaviour towards God the Father the Son and the Spirit towards himself and the Angels above him and sublunary Creatures below him most congruously and harmoniously Faln Man's Conversation toward all is in the World seen what in the Bible 't is read What is said of his Thoughts which are his inward Converses may be said of his outward ones also They are evil only evil and continually Toward God Regardless toward Holy Angels and Spirits above as Mindless towards himself Idolatrous towards his Superiours Envious towards Inferiors Contemptuous towards Equals Jealous Renewed Man we read and we see it hath another Carriage toward all foresaid A Walk after the Spirit That is according to the will and motion of the Holy Spirit the worker of Grace and according to the gracious Quality and Nature of his in-working Hereof is a necessity
of Precept their God commands it on peril of never seeing his Face A necessity of Means viz. for God's Glory which they cannot spread without it for the Church's good which they cannot edifie without it for their own Walk to Heaven which they cannot make without it For tho' it be not the way of Merit 't is the way of Means A necessity of Design there is also for 't is God's End in Electing Redeeming and Calling them A necessity of Nature for as naturally and necessarily do clean Fountains send forth clean Waters as corrupt ones the contrary Add a necessity of Covenant likewise for as by Gratitude so by Covenant all are bound to have their Conversation as becomes the Gospel If these things be so the resolution of the three former Questions excuse me not a third Wo to the vain men who would cry up God's Mercy to the Reproach of Christ's Merits Or Christ's Merits to the undervaluing of Holy Faith. Or Faith to the justling out of Good Works and the making holy Conversation needless We must give unto each its proper place or Heaven will never be our place He that thinks fit to judge by God's Word and to believe that God will not Deny himself or alter his Decrees and repeal his Laws and change his Gospel to serve the turn of a sluggard he must conclude so And judge an Holy Life to be as far from Needless as it is from being Meritorious Such a man must tell himself to this purpose Hope of Reconciliation to to God is needful to my Peace in this Life And will appear so at Death But Holy Conversation is as necessary unto that Hope God promiseth not to give it to such as lead any other Nor know I how He should shew grounds for any to cry peace while their Life against Him is an open or a private War against Him. Eternal thanks be to Him I know his New Covenant will pass that Conversation for an Holy one which is far short of Legal Perfection Vnallowed sins and of meer infirmity break not peace Wilful ones and the most crimson do not raise a storm that Christ's Grace cannot Lay for true Penitents And such as by their good wills would never offend more Ready to give the World if they had it that they never more might sin Wherefore neither will I think my Conversation unholy for that which God does not so name it Nor will I ever expect he should say to me Well done good and faithful Servant if indeed by the Gospel-standard I have not done well I verily believe God will say to me hereafter Depart thou Cursed unless I Live so that He may say to this effect of me before the World Behold ye damned Angels and Men whom I have for ever abandoned No cause have you to think my ways unequal in setting this poor creature at my right hand True his Sins were not few or small Nor were his Obediences other than small and few Had they been perfect they could not have satisfied me for one sin Much less as they were short thereof Satisfaction and Merit I had from another hand His holy Qualities and Works made me none Yet do I consider his Conversation and good works as enough to distinguish him from you And to stop your mouths By them you see he is one that Obeyed my Precepts Used my appointed Means of Life Answered my End in 's Creation Walked according to the New Nature I gave him Kept sincerely and perseveringly the Covenant I sign'd and seal'd with him in my Holy Sacraments To him that ordereth aright his Conversation will I shew the salvation of the Lord Psal 50 ult If we say that we have fellowship or friendship with Him and WALK in darkness we Lye and do not the Truth i. e. We Lye practically and contradict our Professions 1 John 1.6 God will render to every man according to his works To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Eternal Life But to them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 7 8. James 3.13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom C. 5. Of COMPANY God hath made us of a Nature craving Company as we crave Being it self Being alone is as not Being at all Our Souls must be with some Person or Thing continually And for Things no man affects any but for the sake of Persons Sinless Nature was not thought fit to be Alone Corrupt Nature is amort without corrupt Company And so is Sanctified Nature without like Company Being so very dear unto us 't is no wonder that our Company is so influential on us Yea so formative of us into its likeness as we see Good and Evil Company are both of 'em so beyond what is duly considered Worst men are somewhat bettered by good Best men are somewhat worsted by evil True while we are in the World there is a company good and ill that of necessity we some way have But there is also a Company of choice that we make And of this I chiefly speak The Efficacy of this is most wondrous So much that the Holy Spirit makes a Companion of fools the name of a hopeless Enemy of God Prov. 13.20 And intimates it to be enough to call the best Saint's sincerity in question if he walk in company needlesly with wicked men Job 34.7 8. Yea saving in order to do them good forbids us to let them be in our houses or to suffer our selves to be with them any where Psal 101.4 7. 2 Thes 3.14 15. Neither indeed is Excommunication ought that I know but a casting out of our Encouraging Society such as walk disorderly Every where in the Word we are told that Love of the Godly is the mark of the Lovers of God. And they that fear God's Name be such as are glad to have for their company God's Children I and hate with a perfect hatred the infectious company of others They flock together and to one another speak often And who would not desire to try and know himself by that mark whereby other men do know him And whereby thro' a plain light of the Word he may know himself Yea by the mark without whose concurrence fifties and hundreds of other marks will not be more than Cyphers For if my Company of choice be not changed my Conversation is justly presumed to be but sorrily changed And not from a Walk with men to a Walk with God but from one way of sin to another My Qualities also and inner Temper be justly thought to be but Covered not Changed My Change of Covenant may be concluded to be but in fancy and a vain surmise And so my Change of Spirit Come therefore my Soul and let us reason together saith he that is taught of God to ensure his Calling
and Election For ought I see by the Word of God Dying men do change but their Places not their Company And what Company I do of choice hold upon Earth I must by the Judgment of God hold for ever Prophane men be open Sepulchres Hypocrites be painted ones If I here delight in Sepulchres and chuse to keep among the dead 't is certain I shall for ever with them be Buried Christ is a Tree of Lives Of the Life of Peace with God Holiness toward Him Hope from Him Glory with Him. Saints only have Life from Christ and be the only men that are truly Alive If the Spirit that acts me and Covenant that binds me and Qualities that possess me and Conversation that employs me do all of 'em bring me among the Living and I am their Companion in Graces-Kingdom surely I shall be the same in Glories-Kingdom too Wherefore before I shall conclude whither 't is I am going I will get me well assured what the Company is wherewith I go I will be fully answer'd these Questions Am I in evil Company as Lot in Sodom Vexed Is Lewd Company and Light unto me which Mesech and Kedar was to David Makes it me to cry Wo is me Have I no fellowship with God's Enemies but Reprove I them as called Do I make the very wide difference that I ought between MEN and BRETHREN Do I fear to open the doors of my House and Heart to ill men lest the Prince of darkness enter in And to shut them against holy Brethren lest the Prince of Glory be shut out Am I glad when I see the Pure in heart that see God Do I salute each of them as David did Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me Blessed be thy converse and blessed be thou I say Every of them viz. Tho' about Mint and Cummin differently minded And tho' by their Lustre I am eclipsed c. Finally Do I Love them that Love God and Loath them that Loath Him even as I incline to have my friends Love those that Love me and the contrary And do these following words of God dwell in me richly and powerfully Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle Who shall dwell in thy Holy Hill He in whose Eyes a Vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord Psal 15.1 4. They that fear thee O Lord will be glad when they see me that is a Godly man Psal 119.74 He that walks with wise men shall be wise but a Companion of fools shall be destroyed or broken Prov. 13.20 Postscript THE Desires of some and supposed Needs of others invite me to place here this shorter Solution of the third Question The Change in us which sheweth Salvation to be come on us is twofold Intellectual and Practical Of our Understandings and of our Conversations We do not Omit that of the Affections but comprehend it in the other The Intellectual Change is then and not till then when four things are Learned and are also a Learning better by us 1. The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ The Doctrines which are the Foundations We have shewn them upon the second Question Who can think him savingly Built on Christ that knows not the very first Stones to be laid in that Spiritual Building 2. The Conclusions from the Principles foresaid The Doctrines that are for Upbuilding on Christ These also have been set forth with the fore-mentioned Building on is as necessary as the Laying of the Foundation is Neither is it savingly Laid where the Holy Spirit is not teaching and a Soul learning to Build up and Build on To wit that it may become a complete Temple for the Holy Spirit Ephes 4.12 13 15. 2 Pet. 2.4 5. 3. The Confirmations of the said Principles The Doctrines Proving and Strengthening them And Warranting our Foundation and Superstructure Securing 'em against Winds of Opposition 'T is as needful to cover and preserve what we build from the injuries of weather as it is to build Ephes 4.12 16. 4. The Applications of the mention'd Principles The Doctrines directing their Improvement unto Duties as well Relative as Personal What are Means worth but for the Ends of them What good do all Truths in our Minds if not improved unto all holy Services in our Lives Who would Build and Cover a House but for Use to themselves and their Friends Savingly the Spirit has not Built and Strengthned us in Christ if he has not taught us to make our Life a service to Him. And to make His Will not our own our Law and Rule Our Rule for behaviour toward God Our Selves Neighbours Friends Enemies Superiors Inferiors Equals The ignorant and the listless to know the first of these be Owls and Bats Those that be the like to know the second be Dwarfs yea Embryo's Souls regardless to know the third be Sand-builders and lie at the mercy of the Weather And the mindless of the fourth be barren Heaths All short of what they should be yea contrary to what they must be if ever they pass from Death to Life The Practical Change is then when four things can be said of a Man. 1. That he is Changed as far as Felix Agrippa and Herod That he is one that Trembles at God's Word Has an Inclination to be a very Christian Hears the Word preach'd gladly Otherwise he is not so much as a Washed Swine or Painted Sepulchre 2. That he is Changed farther and as a Stone into a Flame of Fire A Stone is Dark Cold and Inclines downward to its earthy Centre Fire is Bright Hot Active and that Upward To say a Man is thus Changed is to say that of Ignorant he is made Knowing Of Listless he is made Zealous for God in Christ Of Industrious for Earth he is made so for Heaven 3. That he is Changed into the Man of God by Saint Paul 's Character That is a man throughly furnished for every good work I mean every one from him required as a Church-Member e. gr For Reading and Hearing the Word profitably â—â— for Using of Baptism and the Lord's Supper so and for submitting unto Church-discipline so Not to say for Governing his Family holily c. which are imported By being furnished hereto I understand prepared with necessary Skill and Zeal 4. That he is Changed from a Demas into a Martyr That is that of a fearer of the Cross more than of the Loss of the immortal Crown he be made in resolution a Martyr And become resolved by God's grace to die any the worst death rather than commit any the least sin To be salted with fiery Tryals rather than with Hell's fire FINIS Books Printed and are to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1. OF Thoughtfulness for the Morrow with an Appendix concerning the Immoderate Desire of Fore-knowing things to come 2. The Redeemer's Tears wept over lost Souls in