qui alle gorica resurrectionem imaginando veram illam quae nobis promissa es solvunt Marlo in Cor. 15. 1. time His words are There are those who do wrest the resurrecion of the Body manifestly declared in Scriptures into an imaginary signification a resurrection from the death of ignorance to the life of truth Marcion Basilides Valentinus Apelles were poisoned with the same Error Marlorat noted also the same evil spirit surprized a sort of furious men possessed with Devils who called themselves Libertines who imagining an Allegorical Resurrection deny the true literal promised resurrection of the Body Satans grand design in overthrowing this great truth is a carnal voluptous dissolute life Let us eat and drink to morrow we shall die will be the counsel and practice of the flesh if the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15. 32. The genuine fruit of such a corrupt error is playing the wanton under yea against the light of nature and grace At what door any unstable licentious Christians of the present Age have suffered first the questioning then the slight assent to and lastly the positive denial of the bodily Resurrection to come in the care of good life goeth out Moreover The party of Perfectists under the pretensions of a compleat transcendent grace inherent in the regenerate having first abused the word of grace have eminently dishonoured regenerating grace That sweet grand truth whoever is born of God sinneth not Joh. 3. 9. That is either the sinne unto death or reigning sin as in the unregenerate is wrested as the support of a possible perfect innocence yea as the cover of any sinne not to be accounted sin if in the regenerate The Pelagians and Catharists abused this place so called because they seigned Beleevers in Libertinorum insana opinio qui persuadent omnem sensum peccati abjici endum quod hominum imperfectorum sit conscientiae motibus perturbari eos dicunt vere in ChrisÌ„to renatos a mortuis excitatos qui nullum peccati sensum amplius habent et existimant quicquid agant vel tentent placere fect Deo unde quum apudipsos adulteria facinora hujusmodi deprehenduntur ea ne quaquam insiciantur sed aiunt sibi non esse peccata quod ea pro peccatis non habeant sed illis ad pecca tum imputari praedicant quiper infirmita tem peccata esse existimant Marlor in 1 Cor. 9. 9. this life have an Angelical purity some Anabaptists have renewed this dream The same folly the Spirit of Error hath transmitted to the sottish Quakers All which depravers of the holy Text the same Apostle John that wrote it hath sufficiently confuted in these words If we say we have no sinne we decieve our selves and there is no truth in us How easie is it for ignorant loose stupid sinners to perswade themselves they are born of God And if nothing they doe is sinne with what bold security unbridled liberty and unconscionable insensibility will they give themselves up to the uncontrouled swing of their domineering Lusts How sadly hath the word of truth concerning Regeneration and Perfection been abused of old and present times The saying of Marlorat hath been transcribed in the erring braines and loose lives of some Monsters of Christian profession among us 'T is the mad opinion of Libertines who perswade said he that all sense of sin is to be cast off that it appertaines to imperfect men to be disturbed by the motions of conscience And therefore they say they are truly regenerate in Christ and raised from the dead who have no more sense of sin and think what sorever they do or hold pleaseth God When they are taken in Adultery and such kind of villanies they doe not deny them but say they are no sinnes to them because they do not account them so but they affirm they are onely imputed to them as sin who through their weakness think they are sins If this be weakness to account sin sin and to be troubled for it and it be Christian perfection not to think sin sin nor to have an awakened sensible conscience of sin I know not what wickedness is O sad and desperate delusion Here is the plain efficacy of Satan to miscall an admantine remorsless heart Chriperfection of life and healths activity Yet the of the Christian name dare call the stupidity of a dead and seared conscience Perfection If we right name and nature it let it bee called Perfection but of wickedness not holyness 'T is a character of sinners past grace They give themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleanness with greediness and that a licentious impenitent liberty may never meet with check again they are said to be past feeling the word imports past grieving Eph. 4. 19. There is some hope of recovery in a troubled conscience none a sorrowless Trouble of spirit for wickedness may stop a bold careere hel wards and beget thoughts of returning but he that gallops to destruction hath not an inward pang a sing a groan a tear in his way must infallibly perish Wel were it if this vile spirit of error had been in that hell of gross darknesse â—hence it came but the same impudent Diabolical looseness that Reformed Writers condemned and discovered long agoe a generation of false adulterate Christians have revived in our sad infamous and spotted times I mean the Ergtish Borborities impure Ranters whose toadish natures have suckt up that venome their loose fraternitie powred out in the time of Calvin Marlorat and others as Calvins Opuscula especially his judicious and Zealous Tract against Libertines and Marlorat in his New Testament Expositions But O you scandals of the English name and bolts of Christianity Heavens scorn and Hels triumph the highest form in Satans School that rant it out in most free and liberal allowances of your uncontroled Lusts that make not sins definition The transgression of Gods Law 1. loh. 3. 4. but a Thought an Opinion Nothing is sinne with you unless you think and account it so who have so much sinned against conscience that you have quite cast off the sensible conscience of sin if your debauched looseness hath not cast off the Eible and sâ—n-discovering books out of your hearts and hands and providence may lead you to the reading of this Section I beseech you fear tremble repent and know the holy Text of which your impure hearts unmotified lusts vile affections have given a depraved Exposition be no patron of but severe enemy against your monstrous impieties impurities and unrighteous dealings Wil you not be speechless in the arraignment of the Last Judgment when from a double Tribunal of Nature and Grace Reason and Religion Paganism and Christianty you will be infallibly condemned You will learn that Virtue is Virtue Vice Vice Grace is Grace and Sin is Som whether they be thought or beleeved so be or no a stupid conscience in a stupid hellish Liberty to sin is no Christian
God is come nigh unto you ver 11. As if Christ had said You had inestimable gracious proffers but you have cast them off to your damnation The like Grace of the Kingdom of Heaven was held forth to the Jews in Pauls Preaching but they answered it with contradicting and blaspheming the Gospel Acts 13. 45. Thus in too many Congregations in England where Heaven hath been clearly opened in the saving mysteries of salvation which might even ravish the hearts of humble intelligent and believing hearers what wanton eyes gestures ears fancies hearts are brought before the publick glorious discoveries of the precious methods to be holy and happy to all eternity with what levity loosness frothy spirits you have seen the slaves of carnal voluptuousness merry wantons designed and resolved for their pleasing sensualities come from Stage-plays without breach of charity huge members of Gospel-wantons have in like manner come from the sacred grave trembling Truths of the Gospel How sad is it that those not onely Law but Evangelical severities that should have set eminent sinners on trembling mourning weeping and resolving to repent the best applause of a Sermon should have Lachrymae vestrae applausus noster no better close then prophane profuse gigling and laughing it may be sporting at the Minister and his Doctrine slighting what they heard driving it out by idle talk vain worldly discourses or speaking of nothing to soul advantage carrying in uncivil and unholy carnal merriments as if they had been in a Theater not the Church and had heard a Stage-Player and not a Preacher Do Princes and States well resent the slighting and abusing of their gracious offers surely the heavenly everlasting King nor will nor can put up the despisings of his gracious invitations with everlasting patience and indempnity It is a matter of Lamentation that many faithful and painful friends of the Bridegroom have offered Espousals of highest profits pleasures preferments in Jesus Christ to Blackamore deformed worthless loveless souls and yet they had rather match with Hell then Heaven rather have the Prince of Darkness than the Lord of Glory to be their head though there be infinite more drawing incouragements for Espousals with Christ than covenanting with the Devil Let not the Phrase seem harsh There is truth in it Though few like Witches resign themselves up to Satan by an express contract yet most do by an implicite and interpretative consent Is he not the spirit that rules in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. Is he not called from his destructive Soveraign Government in the World the god of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. who hath the Harvest of Service when the Lord Jesus hath but the Gleanings Is he not called the Ruler of the darkness of this World Ephes 6. 12. that Infernal Jaylor that keeps his numerous Captives in the dark Dungeon of Ignorance and Wickedness yea Do not his miserable Subjects love to have it so Jer. 5. 31. O you Inhabitants of England that own the Christian name and that from year to year from one passionate woing to another have still turned your backs upon Angels joys and admirations the Mysteries and Miracles of Gospel Salvation be convinced of your perilous dishonorable loose refusals Are you wont to deal with necessitous Temporals as you do with Spirituals and Eternals Will not catching presented worldly advantages and opportunities by the foretop condemn your soul-undoing delays of welcoming Heavenly calls which hearkned too will make you I say not men in the Worlds Phrase but Saints and Angels fellows in glory to all Eternity offer a pardon to a condemned person on exceeding hard tearms and what Felon almost will reject it But the offers of Gospel Pardons to sinners dead in Law the Covenant of Works upon sweet easie rational honorable and profitable tearms who almost will entertain them Offer Gold and Silver to needy Beggars when is this proposal refused But Christ the Pearl of great price is offered to poor sinners that have not a dram of Grace and the Tenth Christian in external profession that bears much upon Baptismal Grace giveth no demonstration of acceptance Let a Physitian offer his best skill without a see to the mortally diseased with a promise also to pay for his Physick what patient unlesse unsensible of his danger and frantick will despise this kindnesse Christ the Almighty Soveraign Physitian offers the recovering virtue of his Spirit Grace Ordinances Afflictions to mortally diseased sinners without a fee or reward yea hath already payd dear for the Physick and its successefull application who then but self-destroying frantick sinners senslesse in a deep Lethargy of carnall security had rather perish in their sin than accept of the guiding orders of Christs healing If you say this censure is over-rigid pitty he should live that doth not take the gracious invitations of Jesus Christ into his heart We willingly own his loving calls to grace and glory It is not so soon done as said You may lodge the glorious tenders of the Gospel in your fancies understandings memories yea seem to honour them with your lips and yet your hearts may be very farre from subscribing and saying Amen to them as an Adulterous womans lips may consent to Mariage Articles professe and confirme Matrimonial union when her heart was never Married Oh Sirs that have shut your hearts against the proffers of Grace in many a Chapter Sermon motion of the Spirit me-thinkes your spirits should bee astonished and hearts broken by the serious consideration of seven things 1. You and Sathan your Father are fellow lyars You put a 1 There is a lye put upon the report of Gods race great lye upon the report of Gods grace The Bible lifts it up above the world and you almost set it below any pleasing worldly vanities It is more precious than Gold and Silver its merchandize is better than the merchandize of Silver Prov. 3. 14. so 15. v. It is above all things you desire and yet you desire other things above it Though your tongues would blush to say yet the frame of your rebellious grace-refusing hearts and lives really speak it in the notice of the infinitely understanding God the Gospel is folly 1 Cor. 1. 23. the power and practice of Religion is a vain thing Mal. 3. 14. and the Grace of God is not worth the looking after You live before God Angels and Men as if your tongues should say Solomon was deceived when he so cried up gracious wisdome Beauties are the pleasures of the Senses Riches out-worth it the Honour of the world out-shines it the glorious applause of men out-goes its commendations the short enjoyment of the flesh exceeds its eternall treasures a short lease of this lifes comforts is better than its eternall Fee-simple of delights 2. You abuse Gods condescension in the offer of grace Was 2 Gods condescension is abused in the offer of Grace there any need for God to stoope to offer you a
outward Passeover Jews without and not within wicked in hearts and lives These rest on Baptismal Water Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper Christians without and not within unconverted unsanctified in hearts and lives These doe prophane offered Sacramental grace utterly voyd of Sacramental graces and lives These by their own confessions are dedicated and devoted to Jesus Christ to forsake the flesh the devill the pomp and vanities of this wicked world and they doe nothing less These by taking the Bread and Wine the lively representations of the shed blood and broken body of Jesus Christ are supposed and obliged to have grace and grow in it but they neither have the beeing nor growth of grace prophanely take the bread of the Lord with unbeleeving impenitent hearts but not the bread the Lord with faith repentance Panem Domini non panem Dominum August and other graces It will not be the least aggravation of Christians wantonnizing with the grace of God The wicked abuse of the Sacraments will prove them undeniable Libertines What affinity is there between the cleansing water of Baptisme and Baptized persons wallowing in the filthiness of flesh and spirit lying and delighting like swine in the mire in the pollutions of the world What agreement is there between a pretended feeding on the pure immortal food Jesus Christ and feeding on Satans provisions the delicious lusts and sweet pleasures of sin Is not this to turn the Table of the Lord into the Table of Devils an holy into a prophane feast as if the holy Supper were instituted to pamper and quicken not starve and mortifie corruption How epidemicall and spreading is this abuse They are the words of an holy affectionate Writer Introspicite in omnes Christini orbis partes non negabitis passim apud mulios solutarem usum Sacramentorum frigore Otho Casmannus Look into all the parts of the Christian world and you will not deny many Christians are remiss and cold concerning the saving use of the Sacraments Be they used or abused there is rarely enquiring after their efficacy or contempt what good is got by them or what defaming contradictions and wrongs there are against them 5. Good Books are abused means By them their holy Authors 5. Good Books are means abused though dead speak to the living We have in them the lasting Monuments of pious Labors the breathings of the Spirits the experiences of Satans Wiles and Methods the goings of God in his Sanctuary the shewing forth of his Power and Glory in his living Temples well-digested and heavenly directions to walk holily safely joyfully in the way to Heaven frequent and passionate woings to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in spiritual Espousals The necessity and excellency of Regeneration and the issue of it the new Creature The unbottoming and discovery of the hearts deceits kinde and affectionate warnings in time to get out of the state of sin and damnation and be delivered from the wrath to come yea further serious heart-aking and wounding discourses of the woful Eternity of Hells Torments for the loose and ungodly World and ravishing Discoveries of the blessed Eternity of Heavens Joys for exact and Religious persons with much more that may be said of the drawing excellencies of holy Writings of old and the present age Now what is the use indeed abuse of these glorious gifts of the Spirits the Births not onely of understanding Brains but holy Hearts the wasters of Blood and Spirits precious time and labor in the Lords Workmen Are not these things the sad testimonies of their dishonor some never read Vtiles pii libri quam raro pervoluuntur them others very rarely some rather judge and condemn strict truths too unpleasing Prisons and Chains for their loose hearts then fall down before the power of their truth and holiness they rather come with Satans Index Expurgatorius and by the spirit of error boldly blot out Heavenly Truths and neither suffer them to come into their Creed nor Practice then rejoyce at their Imprimatur that the helps and methods of godly lives printed in Paper might be printed in their hearts Others do with the Books they read as with the Sermons they hear lend them an eye an ear a few slighty careless thoughts but do never with Mary ponder saving Counsels in their hearts Some when they read Divine Treatises labor to pick what errors they can and like Spiders suck poyson out of the sweetest hearbs wherefore they intermix worldly Lusts the saving of their Diana and Palladium the corrupt Idols of their hearts Their darling Peccata in delici is Benjamins their sweet feasting and feasted sins and these must comment on the Text they read If precious heart-purifying life-reforming sin-reproving and conscience-smiting discourses cross error and loosness then away with the Book it is stark naught Others would read Books but valued onely by the standard of a foolish Wit accounting of Books by lofty Strains fine gaudy Phrases not the golden massy worth of the matter the Heavenly Treasures set forth in a grave and sober significant Language plain yet eloquent expression I shall enlarge this point with an hearty advice to them that have a minde and time to read Books let them take heed what they read Satan I fear hath the liberty of the Press as well as Jesus Christ There are Books of Libertinism abroad It had been well for some had they never been published in the world whose mindes are dangerously infected without infinite mercy to their destruction In the other World what if undone souls by wicked Books should wish the eyes of their flesh had been blinde and ears deaf that they could have neither read nor heard of Printed Error and Loosness to their destruction The Devil hath his market and merchants foolish Chapmen are deceived and take the bad ware of darkness for light flesh for spirit O ye simple gulled People of this Nation cheated almost of your Christianity and Civility unless ye will be foolish and proud take the advice of your learned godly Ministers of settled sollid experienced Christians and ask them what Books you should read A few words of counsel I have to you that are jocund merry ones boon Companions if you read this Section I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ as you tender your Salvation and the glory of God spend your time better It will never repent you when you die you have left your covetous passionate Gaming the too frequent delights of the flesh you drench almost drown your souls in for the choosing reading meditating on Books of Mortification Heavenly-mindedness and preparation for Death and Eternity I am sure you cannot deny it now rationally I am most sure your awakened mindes cannot deny it on your death-beds that your diligent reading of Dike of the deceitfulness of the heart Baxters everlasting rest Greenham Bolton Preston Perkins c. and such Books as those were incomparably better to be
THE ABUSE OF GODS GRACE DISCOVERED In the Kinds Causes Punishments Symptoms Cures Differences Cautions and other Practical Improvements thereof Proposed as a seasonable check to the wanton Libertinisme of the present Age. By NICHOLAS CLAGET Minister of the Gospel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk M. A. of Magdalen Hall Oxon. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—st Mart. Malorum morum licentia Pietas erit occasio Luxuriae Religio deputabitur Tertul. Apol. adversus Gentes c. 35. Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6. 1 2. OXFORD Printed by A. Lichfield for Thomas Robinson and Samuel Pocock 1659. To his honoured Cosen WILLIAM CLAGET Esq And his dear Consort the Lady SOUTHCOATE Dear Cosen YOur Friendship to me which was of old and yet is not gray hair'd but flourishing knows no Winter but a constant Spring In both your Universitie Citie life the Rayes of your favour have shoone on me It is above twenty years since we were Contemporaries at Oxford under our Reverend Pious Sound and Learned Tutor Dr. Edw. Corbet who was a real Saint on earth and is now a glorious Saint in heaven The mercy of our Tuition is not to be forgotten of us nor can I forget your kindness to me which hath not been Aeffaeta gignendo barren by Production like pregnant Animals and vegetative Trees I am your Debtor besides the due Debt of my Prayers for you I here present to you this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Thank-offering that it may from your Christian candor find acceptance and a sweet savour We live in an unhappy Age wherein by many the Form by most the Power of Godlyness is neglected Though t is a Mercy Religion is in some Forme and Fashion yet 't is a misery the Fashion is so Multiform in every different dress so Obnoxious that Words and Works are too common Antipodes Wronging Gods Grace is Englands Epidemical sin None of the quarrelling sides among us can plead Innocence Though the spots of Gods children and the Devils are not the same yet to our shame be it spoken all sides have too much darkened the glory of their profession obscured the lustre of the Gospel Sun and laid the Honour of Gods name in the dust Seeing our streets are so foul I would mind every one to sweep their own doors that the times of Liberty may no longer be reproached as they are with a dirty wanton unjust Licentiousnesse in Opinions and Practises The sad experience that the old man is in my self too much a Libertine and what I have seen and heard of others put me upon large Meditations sundry years ago in my Lordsday Sermons to mine own Auditory concerning the Pest of the Times Spreading At Edmondsbury in Suffolk Disease Bane of Profession Disgrace of Religion Remora of Conversions Affliction of best hearts Occasion of Blasphemy Temptation to Atheisme Merriment of Rome which consists in the Abuse of Grace Could I upon Englands tallest Mountain speak with the loudest noise of Thunder and articulate my mind to every ear I would say the Abuse of Grace is Englands sinne Repent of it O England repent repent These were the words of that faithful Martyr Mr. Bradford when he was burning in the flames Though it is not possible I should be so loud vocal and monitory yet incouraged by some pious and judicious friends I am imboldned to take the benefit of the Presse and to communicate thoughts in season to as many hands eyes and hearts as Providence shall guide them to I beseech you Sir the happinesse of whose Consanguinity and Amity I have experienced peruse and improve what you shall read to an holy conviction serious bewailing and deep abhorrence of an odious sin which hath too black a guilt and is loaded with many aggravating circumstances This will be a choice divine Blessing on the Tractate the Authors Reward and a Testimony of the Grace of God in you The Gospel the precious Gospel that hath cost the Blood of Christ and Christians the sweet word of Grace the power of God unto Salvation let it be precious in your holy esteem And though Papists Qui de evangelio Christ facium hominis evangeliuÌ„ vel quod pejus est diaboli Hier. Epist ad Gal. by their Derogatory Antichristian Traditions Worldly Polititians and Hellish Libertines doe in Hieromes tearms make of the Gospel of Christ the Gospel of men or which is worse the Gospel of the Devil Do you speak it and live it the Gospel of God and Grace The things I would offer to mine own soul I tender to you Be inquisitive what may deservedly bear the brand of Gospel Wantonnesse when it appears and interpret it as the Messenger of Hell the Artifice of the Devil turned Angel of Light the not more subtile than pernicious Engine to ruin souls Be one of Zions Mourners in your Closet Retirements to look over this worst of sins the predominant wrong of Grace with a mourning spirit Endeavour to live a severe exact spiritual heavenly frame of heart that when you are to give up your Death-bed account the Spirit of Truth Peace Puritie and Comfort may witness with yours that the Gospel hath transformed you into the Image of it's Glory and hath taught you to deny that ungodlyness and those wordly Lusts which shrowd themselves under the protection of Grace And Noble Madam as the Tye of Marriage and the Union I hope of Grace hath made you and my dear Cosen one so have I made you one in my Epistolary address If the divine principle of the love of God and his Gospel be implanted in you it cannot but urge you to the detestation of and lamentation for the prodigious sin of Gospel Wantonness whilst some Femal vvantons study their senses and faces not their souls who beautifie their out-sides whilst their insides are altogether dis-regarded be pleased among other spiritual Looking-glasses which religious Artists and faithfull Writers have with elaborate thoughts composed to honour this so far as often to look on it to dress your better part by it that when it shall reflect and reverberate your gracious beauty you may praise the infinite Beauty and Fountain of Holiness you may be Great and Good too and this is a most rare and happy combination A few there are in the words of an Ancient that are eminent in both In utroque tulo primi worlds and but a few Not many Noble 1 Cor. 1. 26. are called to eternal Honours Goodness enamels Greatness and shines like a precious Stone in a Ring I like not but altogether abhorre that morose Stoicisme and Quakerisme that frowns on the Titles of worldly precedencies as unbecoming Christians eares tongues Due Titles are no crimes of Language nor unconsistent with Piety yet I hope you have learned the vast distance between the stile of Madam and Christian and that in the divine Heraldry the heavenly Descent of Grace will out-shine all the Escutchions and the
hell will be the judgement of them that abuse grace 179 CHAP. 8. Containing an use of Infomation 181 Sect. 1. Sin is of a poysonous nature 181 2. Ordinances of grace are no sufficient pleas for happiness 181 3. The joyes of carnal Gospellers are false joyes 182 4. The best things have evill entertainment from hard hearts 183 5. The grace of God is to be applied with fear and trembling 183 6. Carnal Gospellers never knew the grace of God in truth 184 7. It is a safe and wise course to be trying our principles and practises in Christianity 185 8. The Devil hath his snares in the most holy things 186 9. Libertinisme puts the highest affront upon God 186 CHAP. 9. Containing an Use of Humiliation 187 Sect. 1. Vpright hearted persons ought to bewaile the abuse of Gods grace 188 2. The abuse of sparing grace is sadly revenged 189 3. It is our duty to bewail the abuse of Gods long-suffering grace 190 4. Bewail the abuse of Gods reconciling grace 190 5. Bewail the abuse of Gods freeing grace 191 6. Bewail the abuse of pardoning grace 192 CHAP. 10 Containing an Use of Examination 194 1. They are gross abusers of grace who oppose gospel Merits and Mercies to the Worship of God 195 2. They abuse grace who formally and carelesly pray for it 195 3. They abuse grace who shroud unrighteous courses under the grace of God 197 4. They abuse Gods grace who content themselves with faint desires 179 5. They abuse Gods grace who by restraint at one time take liberty to sin more freely at another time 200 6. They abuse Gods grace who turn it into a sanctuary for unnatural sins 201 7. They abuse the grace of God who think it will afford indulgence to vile affections 205 8. They abuse Gods grace who oppose it to necessary civilities 207 9. They abuse Gods grace who are eminent worldlings 212 10. They abuse grace who are sensless and stupid Libertines 216 11. They abuse Gods grace who are guiltie of wrong to the creature 218 CHAP. 11. Containing a second branch of Examination how we may know the secret close and morerefined abuses of Gods grace 223 Sect. 1. A sinful close of spritual cnjoyments is an evidence of the abuse of grace 224 2. Irreverence of Gods Majesty is an evidence of the abuse of grace 228 3. Forgetfulness of God is an evidene of the abuse of grace 231 4. Secret acting of heart-sinnes is an evidene of the abuse of grace 231 5. Adventuring on lesser sins is an abuse of grace 232 6. Abuse of Gods grace appears in discontentment at Gods gracious corrections 234 7. The daring to do that when the Rod is off which one would not when the Rod is on is a sign of the abuse of grace 235 8. Shamelesness before the Lord for acknowledged sins is an evidence of the abuse of grace 236 9. Insensibleness of others miseries is an evidence of the abuse of grace 238 10. Vn-improvement of grace received is an evidence of abuse of grace 239 11. Pride and desire of prelâ—eminence is an evidence of the abuse of grace 240 12. Declining hardship in the practise of Religion is an abuse of grace 241 13. Neglect of daily repentance is an evidence of abuse of grace 242 CHAP. 12. Containing an Use of Caution 244 Sect. 1. Beware thou put not off the tryal of turning the grace of God into wantonness 244 2. Take heed of denying the proof of gross affronts to Gods grace 246 3. See to it that you slight not the conviction 247 4. Refuse not to put sad and serâ—ous Queries to thy soul 8. especially 5. The second part is an use of caution concerning the close wronging of Gods grace 250 6. Beware of judging wantonnesse against grace by a false rule 251 7. Beware of Security 253 8. Be not content with a slight humiliation for close abuse of Gods grace 253 CHAP. 13. Shewing the difference between wronging the grace of God in the Regenerate and Unregenerate 255 Sect. 1. The abuse of Gods grace in a child of God is onely from the unregenerate part 255 2. Though a gracious man abuse grace yet he is deeply humbled for it 256 3. A child of God watcheth over his heart 256 4. A regenerate man abuseth grace less and less 257 5. A regenerate repents and is pardoned 257 CHAP. 14. Containing an Vse of Exhortation 258 Sect. 1. Learn of the gracious and precious heart and life of Jesus Christ 258 2. A cleansed purged heart is a special help to avoid abusing of the grace of God 259 3. The fear of God is an help against the abuse of grace 260 4. Christian watchfulness is an help against abuse of grace 261 5. Praier in the Holy Ghost is a special help against the abuse of grace 262 6. Walking in the Spirit is an help against the abusing of grace 263 7. Serious thoughts what it is to crucifie lusts is an help to prevent the abuse of grace 264 8. A thankfull spirit is a special help to prevent the abuse of grace 265 9. Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace 266 10. Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace 268 11. A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a speciall help to prevent abuse of grace 269 12. Planting the soul with heavenly desires is an help to prevent abuse of grace 269 13. Beating down that grand Idol carnal self-love is an help against abusing the grace of God 270 14. The lively faith and sense of the heavenly country is a special help to prevent the abuse of grace 271 15. Keeping up of grace in exercise prevents abusing of grace 271 16. The hope of glory is a special means to prevent the abuse of grace 272 CHAP. 15. Shewing what great cause of thankfulnesse we owe to God for preserving from this sin 273 CHAP. 16. Containing an Exhortation that souls should alwaies be jealous of this sin 274 CHAP. 17. Containing an Exhortation to long for a riddance from this sinne 275 CHAP. 18. Containing an Exhortation to joy in the Hope of glory 277 CHAP. 19. Containing perswasive Motives to take heed that the grace of God be not abused 278 Sect. 1. The consideration of the titles given to holy Professors should excite us not to abuse Gods grace 278 2. The consideration of Christian Liberty should prevent the abuse of grace 279 3. The credit of the Gospel should engage us to beware of abusing the grace of God 280 3. The strict and high heavenly calling of Christians should keep us from abusing the grace of God 281 5. A lively sense of the excellency of grace is a means to prevent the abuse of grace 282 ERRATA PAg. 15. l. 24. for members read numbers p. 32. l. 9. f. written r. writers p. 32. l. 35. f. eternal r. external p. 51. l. 32. f. yea what tear a property of true repentance r. yea what fear Such a fear as
a wanton loosenesse and daring licentiousnes in sin This being done in the times and places amongst the persons of Gospell light that owne the name of Christian The Doctrine will be hat In Gospell times the Grace of God hath such high abuse as to Doctrine be turned into wantonnesse In handling this sad truth I shall enquire into six things Method of handling the Doctrine 1. What are the kinds of Turning Gods Grace into wantonness 2. When it is Turned into Wantonness 3. Why it is Turned into wantonnesse 4. How great is the sin thereof and 5ly What is the Punishment God usually followes this sin withall 6ly and lastly What improvement we may make of it by some usefull Application CHAP. III. Shewing in how many ways or kinds the Grace of God may be Turned into Wantonnesse 1. PREDESTINATING grace is Turned 1. Predestinating grace is turned into wantonnesse into Wantonness It is a wrested Conclusion from this glorious principle God hath chosen me to life therefore though I live as I list I shall be saved A bastard inference and practise that this chast truth never begat The Contrary deduction flowes from the grace of Election As the Elect of God holy not loose Col. 3. 12. He hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the spirit 2. Thes 2. 13. through it as a part of our salvation execution of Gods decree ornament of the saving Gospell fitnes for eternall life not through the filthines of flesh and spirit as if wickedness were the way to happines and God had from Eternity designed an everlasting rest to the industrious services of the Devill He hath chosen us in him that we should be holy Ephes 1. 4. That Holynesse which lay hid in the womb of Gods eternal purpose is infallibly brought forth in time in all vessels of honour The Apostle inferred Sobriety Faith and Hope in the children of Gospel light from Gods appointments not a loose sleeping in sinne Let us be sober c. For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5. 9. God hath not appointed us the Word nor put us or set or placed us in a state of avenging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrath but gracious salvation He puts us in this blessed estate by predestinating calling drawing regenerating and justifying not by a fearlesse carelesse living and dying in reigning sin Musculus well taxeth this abuse The contempt of Gods Non dicas nihil periâ—uli quomodocunque vivam contemptus gratiae Dei iram illius gravissimam reddit Muscul Absit ut peccem in gratiam et voluntatem dei ac peream potius accommodabo me gratiae illius ut salver Geram me sicut homini convenit non ethnico sed christiano Muscul Annon ejusmodi verba dementis Muscul grace incurrs his heaviest wrath Wherefore say not There is no danger however I live God hath put me into a state of salvation his positive decree is firme I cannot be damned I shall be saved Rather say Farre be it that I should sinne against Gods gracious purposes and perish rather I will a commodate my self unto his gracious will and be saved He hath designed me for this would have me be a Christian therefore I must live the gracious life of a Christian not the infamous of an Heathen Hoâ— irrationall and ungodly is the inference of wickednesse from Gods pure purposes If a sick patient should say under mortall diseases It matters not what I doe I will eat and drink and doe what I list my Physician hath not appointed me to death but recovery Would you not think him a mad man and self-destroyer O impure disputer against the holy purposes of God it will appeare to be thy folly and madnesse because God thou thinkest hath not appointed thee to Hell but Heaven to live as a vessel of wrath and yet hope to be saved when the direct way to the North leads to the South shalt thou goe to glory in the way of Gods reproach the contempt of Christ and thine own damnation Gods gracious promises and decrees tune with each other As he never promised so he never purposed eternall salvation to an unregenerate heart and a loose life His Predeterminations to a blessed end involve suitable meanes As he never intended man should live by poyson but by bread so it is absolutely distant from the thoughts of his heart that a man should live to God and with God for ever by an indulgence to the flesh in its lusts and affections sensualities and Vides nautaruÌ„ ministeri is opus fuisse ut divina promissio adimpleretur Granaten delights God appointed Paul and his company to escape shipwracke but it was by swimming on boards and broken peeces of the ship Act. 27. 24. Thus God hath appointed some to escape the wrath to come but it is by faith and mortification getting on the planck of repentance swimming through by the strength of Christ not drowning in the sea of the world God appointed Noah to salvation from the worlds deluge but it was by getting into the Arke A Loose heart and life is no accommodation to execution of predestinating grace but opposition The eternall Predestinatio Dei multis est Cauta standi nemini causa labendi Aug. de Predestinatione Sanctorum saving discriminating Counsels of God are to many the cause of their standing to noâ— chosen vessell the cause of their falling The doctrine of absolute and free election rightly understood powerfully revealed in the evidences of grace well used hinders no vessell of glory but helps him to heaven They that can without any Scripture warrant any choise worke of the spirit easily and presumptuously write their names in the book of life and as the Israelites wantonly played about their golden Idol so in a lascivious mirth are loose flesh-pleasers and feast their Corruptions will have a dreadfull demonstration after death in judgment and to eternitie that their names were written in the black book of death not the white of life The most holy and righteous Judge of the world will never say Come yee blessed eternally prepared by a free choise to an heavenly kingdome to those that lived and died in their indulged cursed natures and lives but to those select happy ones whose hearts were gloriously transformed and conversation really fashioned after the Gospell pattern O the sad confutation of them that build prophane libertinisme on this firme and pure foundation Predestinating grace their pretended interest in it and pleasing conceits of it will vanish like a golden dreame They will not rise as Elect but reprobate The Lord will say with hottest indignation against unreformed Carnall Gospellers Goe yee cursed workers of iniquitie Sect. 2. 2. SParing Grace is turned into Wantonnesse It was Gods 2 Sparing grace is turned into wantonnesse complaint of the house of Israel They despised my judgements and walked not in my statutes
neverthelesse mine eyes spared them from destroying them notwithstanding they rebelled against me and walked not in my statutes Ezek. 20. 16 17 21. I have spread out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious people Isa 65. 2. God is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7. 11. Sin is an abomination to him Psal 53. 1. He can in Martial Law soon arraign condemne and execute the sinner The sword is whet it is drawn is near the bold Transgressour yet it strikes not Psal 7. 12. The how is bent made ready Psal 7. 13. The arrow is on the string The divine strong hand of vengeance could every minute draw it up to the head let fly pierce ungodly men through and through shoot them into hell yee God spares the sinner and this is the unworthy and ungratefull return he spares his sinne but forsakes it not Job 20. 13. Is like the Felon that is spared burning and hanging and he grows more insolent and violent in his old wickednesse like the truantly boy that is spared whipping and he grows malepart saucy lazy stubborn in his Masters presence The Lord spares the Lyar Swearer Tipler Whoremonger Adulterer Defrauder Oppressour that Riots with the bread of deceit Prov. 20. 17. and the wine of violence Prov. 4. 17. The subtle yet foolish Hypocrite whose craft and wisdome of the flesh is to undoe his soul and yet these in a frolick dalliance and loosenesse of spirit wallow in their old wickednesse and pleasingly dance over Non dubitamus esse donum dei ut quis in see ere aliquandiu toleretur Pet. Matt. the mouth of Hell They abuse that Grace which was never offered to the faln Angels God spared them not no not a moment but cast them down to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. Justice would spare the sinner not a moment its free Grace that spares It is an undoubted gift of God that any man in his wickednesse is spared a minute How full is the world of daring wantons that sinne securely before and against sparing Grace The interceeding kindnesse of the Lord Jesus is abused Such as are Gods provoking Rebels who are spared under the time and means of Gospel grace are beholding to the prevalent pleadings of Jesus Christ who hath dayly grants of his Father to spare carnall Gospellers ad put them to the triall whether they will repent and be fruitfull in obedience The vine dresser pleaded for the unfruitfull vineyard Let it alone this yeare till I shall digg about it and dung it and if it hear fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it downe Luke 13. 8 9. This Vinedresser says one is Iesus Christ the Colonus hic est filius Dei Iesus Christus quem suae vineae sacerdotem Deus Constituit Fit Christi intercessione quod non semper illico excidunt qui hoc jampeidem suis sceleribus meruerunt Gualterus in Loc. Son of God whom he hath Constituted the Priest of his Vineyard Were it not for the intercession of Christ barren Vineyards fruiteless Churches would soon be destroyed Professed Christian Congregations Private families would by the axe of death be cut downe as fit fewell for hell fire Sect. 3. 3. LOng-suffering grace is Turned into Wantonness Because 3. Long suffering grace is turned into wantonnesse judgment is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of wicked ones are set in them to doe evil Eccles 8. 11. My Lord delays his comming and then the evil servant is tempted to smite his fellow servant and to be drunk c. Mat. 24. 28 29. How often would Christ have gathered the Jewes under his saving wings as the Hen the Chicken under hers Mat. 23. 37. But they proudly rejected subjection to him salvation from him God endures with much long suffering Vessels of wrath and they abusively and foolishly are still fillng up sin and wrath Rom. 19. 22. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Deus pro sua lenitate expectabat poenitentiam atque emendationem eorum Piscat gracious long-suffering of God waited for the Repentance and Amendment of the disobedient old world 1. Pet. 3. 20. and yet the holy wooing Spirit of God speaking by Noah solliciting and striving in gracious motions to reformation was rejected Gen. 6. 3. The whole earth was corrupt and filled with violence v. 11. I gave Iezabel space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Rev. 2. 21. As a Creditor gives his Debtor long time to pay his debts and yet forbearing kindnes is abused by a profuse lavishing intemperate life and running more in debt and as a gracious Kings act of favour that gives a Condemned Traytor a long time to sue out a pardon is slighted and despised when he spends it in whoring drinking and gaming so the mercyfull and liberall allowances of large seasons of grace the Lord grants out to deeply debted and Treasonable sinners are signally wronged when the more mercy forbeares and God is slow to wrath the more sin abounds Ah daring folly is there not difference between Long suffering and Eternall suffering are there not many sad monuments of divine justice because Patience is lasting will it be everlasting Long accounts are at length stated The longest summer day of Gods sufferance will have an end and goe downe in an endles night of unappeased fury Provoking slight gospellers are every day hastning to the period of Gods reprieves Writts of execution will be opened and served upon incorrigible sinners the worse for mercys warnings and Judgments delay The Lord Christ his pleading that barren Figg-trees may stand a yeere or yeeres longer neither Non nequitiae impreborum hominum qui incurabili malitiâ peccant Christus Patronus est Gualther Deus non perpetuo parcit sterilibus in suavinea arboribus Gualth speaks him the Patron of uncurable wickednes not assures their perpetuall security they were at length cut down as withered trees and God will likewise cut down withered Professors God doth not always spare barren trees in his vineyard Those Christians that are the shame of Gods Husbandry The abusers of Christs Intercession The contemners of the Gospel they boast of that bear the name of Believers bear up in the repute of Christs domestick Family that cumber the ground where they stand useless to the purposes of holiness and righteousness in the World as dead twice dead at best but flourishing in the leaves of a worthless profession shall at length be pluckt up by the roots be cast into hell fire as the worst of men reproachers of God and his Gospel destroyers of their bodies and souls for ever The Devil the Father of lies keeps his children fast bound in the chains of destroying lies Amongst the rest this is a main one and a common damning cheat Poor deluded sinners that have numbred 40 50 years forbearance in their sins at once collect Gods allowance of them and their own Necesse est ut ipsa prorogatae pietatis
Covenant of Salvation wherein the whole Trinity doth humble themselves The Father so much as to have thoughts of grace to relieve and succour lost sinners the Son that humbled himself to an obscuring incarnation a life of sorrows spotlesse obedience a bloudy death the price of Redemption The Holy Ghost to come into vile sinners to plead the acceptance and improvement of the Father and Sons love O inconsiderate sinners of what a scarlet tincture is your unworthy slighting of the Trinities kindness your treading under foot the blessed Gods acts of grace might he not have left you as the fall of Adam made you to be in a lost polluted helplesse and damnable estate Doth hee need your persons recovery services holynesse and happinesse Doth goodnesse in accepting Christ and his Gospel extend to him Is it his profit if you accept Is it his hurt if you despise him Psal 16. 2. Job 22. 3. 35. 6 8. Hath he humbled himself to enter into peace with you when he might have proclaimed and maintained everlasting War Will a King bear it that his descending below himself to save obstinate Traytors should be despised Surely the blessed God will not alwaies beare the insolent refusall of his mercifull condescensions who every minute could confound rebellious sinners 3. You abuse the infinite purchase of that grace that is offered 3 The infinite purchase of Grace offered is abused Now Christ hath by his active and passive obedience satisfied Justice and dearly payd for pardoning and purging grace He sits at Gods right hand to give unto Israel repentance and remission of sinnes Acts 5. 31. to offer it in common to the worst of sinners hath made an healing plaister of his blood Isa 53. 5. and offers the application of it to diseased sinners what else but a spiritual madnesse is it to cry out we will have none of the physick away with this mortifying Grace severities of repentance If we submit to unpleasing medicines of strict Gospell prescription we must never have merry dayes our deare lusts must be pinion'd and starved such adoe about Religion the new creatures that precise Puritans talk of will make our lives miserable We will not have this man to reign over us Luk. 19. 14. Take Christ who will we have made and we will keep our covenant with the world and the flesh we will have our ease and delights come what will of it Jer. 7. 9. Loose hearts and lives speak these sad things this deplorable injury to the Lord Jesus He is highly affronted that the price of grace the purchase of infinite redemption should be so unworthyly vilified 4. You abuse the heavenly messenger of Grace the Holy Ghost who proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and comes 4. The Holy Ghost the heavenly Messenger of Grace is abused with sweetest intelligence of Peace Pardon Purity and Glory The heavenly Spirits whispers would be powerfully taking if vile sinners their false loves and cursed lusts did not oppose them Hath not the Spirit told many of us a gracious conversation is incomparably better than a carnal and that there is to be found a more high noble pleasurable satisfying and gainfull life in Jesus Christ than the world flesh and devill can possibly afford Have not these inward speakings according with the outward written word the just standard awakened the soul that Sobriety Chastity Charity Liberality Faith Love Heavenly-mindednesse a fear of God a tender Conscience redeeming time c. are rather to be chosen than their contrary vices and corrupt inclinations and affections that resist them Have not many by the woings and strivings of the Holy Ghost with Agrippa not onely been almost perswaded to be reall Christians but often promised God their utmost and zealous endeavours for a through change But what is the issue a wanton loose spirit hath banished former serious gravity These warm heavenly motions are soon coold and dead by the world and the fleshes cold pourings in How ill doth the holy and delicate Spirit take it soon sensible of affronts that his gracious inspirations should either coldly be received or positively rejected or after entertainment be ungratefully forsaken The Spirits goads that prick and stir up lazy sleeping consciences are quickly blented O our unkind abuse of the good Spirit Those Divinos instinctus vel non animadvertimus vel dissimulamus in aliud tempus differrimus vel quod deterrimum est negligimus divine instincts wherewith we are excited and moved to holynesse of life and Gospell obedience either we take no notice of them or we dissemble them or we put them off to another time or which is worst of all we totally neglect them sayth an holy writer This O this is the spirits punishment not more dreadfull than disregarded the heavenly messenger bids an eternall welfare and never knocks again at those rebellious houses where he hath been never bid welcome but constantly refused My spirit shall not always strive with flesh Gen. 6. is a plague a fearfully avenging one Resolved Libertines will not follow the wisdome and saveing guidance of the spirit and the Lord chuseth their delusions Isa 66. 4. What safe Leader they will not have they shall not have they will wander from the way to heaven divine power now shall not stop them they shall dye without instruction and in the greatness of their folly they shall go astray Prov. 5. 23. Then those eyes deep securitie hath shut wrath will open either in a death-bed despaire or in hels flames after death O unkind Spirit greevers and resisters lay it to heart before it is too late Ingenspericulū divinis inspirationibus resistere Granatensis 5 The Messengers of grace are abused It is an eminent danger to oppose Divine inspirations 5. You abuse the faithly messengers of grace the Ministers of the Gospell Their worke is in the authoritie of their Master Jesus Christ to exhort and enjoyne you to beleeve and repent and if this prevaile not to beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled 2. Cor. 5. and if this mild course speed not but gospell grace is put away as it was by the hardned Jews Act. 13. 46. Their other sad part of their Commission is to tell them He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. and that very gospell grace that to others is a savour of life unto life embraced will be to them a savour of death unto death when it is despised As the Hanunites that cut of Davids Messengers garments had a warr Commenced against them for answering their kind errands with such shamefull indignities 2 Sam. 10. 3 4. 7. so the angry King of heaven will wage an eternall warre against them that unnaturally abuse the messengers and messages of grace O Take warning Loose-livers under the convictions of Gospel strictness that when you hear read of the saving overtures of the word of life you may no more be as slighty sensless under
them as the Pues you sit in and as walls and rocks The despising of wholsome heavenly instructions no lesse then the despising of the Lord Jesus Luk. 10. 16 is that which makes honest godly Ministers to set down with mourning and tears in their closer addresses to God that their hearers will not be converted saved and have eternal life Act. 13. 46. and Phil. 3. 8. 6. You will be unexcusable when you shall see the offers 6. Men will be inexcusable when they see offers of Grace at an everlasting distance from them and hopes of Grace at an everlasting distance from you How will paleness sit on your faces when you are before a dreadful Bar what trembling will surprise your hearts when conscience shall terribly inform you that the Lords Messengers in earnest desires and longings for your happiness in zeal love and tears offered you for Christs sake to embrace the Heavenly Treasures of the saving Covenant and you would not or soon stifled your Convictions lost your good resolutions and affections you secured the world and that great Idol flesh pleasing but not Eternity you can easily slight it may be jeer the Minister but remember you will be enforced to call to minde his passionate woings for Jesus and that your blood would be upon you that you would be your own destroyers if you disallowed and abhorred Christ if you knew not God and obeyed not his Gospel At such and such times in hearing and reading the Word in heart-searching godly Books the Spirit of Jesus held forth before you a Feasable Justified Adopted Sanctified and Glorified Estate and you liked not Christs conditions to fit you for and obtain Eternal Glory How have you abused Christ and his Gospel-Ministry when you were told his yoke was easie by Divine Power Did not you look upon the Preacher exhorting the duties of Religion as a proposer of intolerable and too severe tasks as if the glorious patern of Wisdom Righteousness and Sweetness should tyrannize over men and bid men be his servants to their loss and the Devil and the World could make more gainful honorable and comfortable bargains 7. You shall have no cause to blame the pure Justice of the 7. There will be no cause of blaming Gods Justice angry Lamb the Judge of the World if when you shall cry Lord Lord he be as deaf at your dreadful crys as you were at his calls if he know you not to save you when you knew him not to serve him This will justifie the direful last Sentence Go ye cursed and clear your eternal stripes from cruelty when you have wilfully abused the infinite love of the Son of God Grace was offered you but you would not be healed nor reformed you have destroyed your selves 'T is Divine Justice that the wickedness of the wicked in due penalty should be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. Wicked Gospellers even put fury into a gracious God and necessitate him to gain the reputation of his Holiness out of their damnation It becomes the natural Justice of his Majesty to be the Avenger who is not the Author of wilful unbelief The holy One of Israel is provoked Isa 1. 4. The holiness of God is read in the Characters of those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Judgements which he executes on the impenitent World It s just the heaviest of punishments should be the vindications of Gods Dishonors by the affronts of his Grace upon a threefold account 1. The ungrateful and voluntary high indignities that vain 1. Vain loose people put voluntary indignities upon Gods Grace Suadet terret hortatur excitat monet Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes loose hearts and lives put upon Gods Grace Wisdom hath sent out her maidens to invite sinners to be Saints Prov. 9. 3 4. and sit down at its heavenly Table v. 5. of all sufficient satisfying saving provisions comes with Perswasions Comminations Admonitions to accept the Call but the loose guests either come not at all or unprepared surfeit on good food turn it into ill humors The offended King of Heaven hath sent out his Heralds of Arms to proclaim Peace and Mercy on most righteous tearms but stout rebels will not resign up their hearts to Christ but keep them strongly garrison'd for Lust and the Devil and this is the success the Calls of Gods Grace meet withal Satan and Christ knock at the soul for entrance It is opened to Satan and locked to Christ Shall obstinate unprofitable hearers blame God under their everlasting smart when they have not so much despised their Ministers as Jesus Christ Shall loose unreformed Children that despised their godly wooing and warning Parents cry out of unjustice under eternal wrath when they did not so much abuse their holy Invitations as Gods It was his Qui mihi monitus muliebres tui erant Aug. Conf. l. 2. spirit that made by Religious Fathers and Mothers gracious proffers to gainsaying Children Conscience will give in testimony on Gods side that he graciously called froward wilful sinners that they might be pardoned not abide under condemnation they Libertatem pollicetur vos aufugitis in servitutem might be Saints not remain sinners they might be free not continue Captives obtain a blessing not lie under the curse and be saved in mortifying the deeds of the Body and not be ruined by cruel mercy and Indulgences to corrupt nature the worst of enemies 2. The bold abuses of heavenly inviting offers though God 2. The bold abuse of heavenly inviting offers hath complained of this long before in his holy Word and urged such injurious dealing as a most just Apology of his severest vengeance I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Prov. 1. 4. Therefore when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirl-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you I will be even with you you shall call upon me but I will not answer seek me but not finde me v. 27 28. All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to again-saying people Isa 62. 5. Therefore the Lord Christ threatned these unbelieving Jews that the Christ and the Grace they rejected should be offered to better entertainers He would have a Church among the Gentiles the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Matth. 21. 42 43. I said you shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins John 8. 24. He that believes not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him Iohn 3. 36. How justly do the Wrongings of Gods grace bring endless misery when the Lord hath often complained of it before hand in the Scriptures cautioned us to fear and tremble lest we forsake our own mercies Jonah 2. 8. Threatning this abuse with eternal death 3. The Lord hath already acquainted us in his Word
leaves to cover her uncleannesse Prov. 7. 14. Prayers in the morning and evening cold and barren cannot palliate the licentious wickednesse that is between them They may now quiet and stop the mouth of Conscience they cannot in the other world It is the high dishonour of the meanes of grace when they are but names not powers when in attendances on them there is but the colour not the heat of Christianity A painted gilded Christian abuseth the Ordinances when he is dead under them hath no life nor heat by them he borrows from them a Sheeps-skin when he is but a goat when it is seen that heavenly meanes mend not hellish hearts and lives the seeming is Saint-like but the conversation Devillish This undoes two soules at once The sin shrowding pretender to Religion and the prophane blasphemer of the means of Grace Both of them perish as mock-gods the one because hee hath hypocritically used the meanes the other because he hath blasphemously railed at the means 6. When they are used in vain when there is no health by 6 When the meanes are used in vain Gods physick no conversion and reformation by Gods Word In the course of the Ministry there is cunning and labouring in vain The heavenly frequent fiegers of the Ordinances are raised from the Devils garrisons re infecta Sathans strong holds are kept undemolished 2 Cor. The reall kingdome of Sathan is in the appearing kingdom of Christ Under Gospel-ordinances men are worse and worse this is a prophane disparagement to the Ordinances of Christ an unpleasing spectacle to the holy God and his Angels the Spirits grief aggravation of sin and treasuring up of wrath 7. When they are totally neglected Not onely one but all 7 When the meanes are totally neglected the means of life and salvation are carelesly slighted unworthily vilified as if God Christ the Spirit Grace Heaven Hell were not worth the thinking of such contempt is cast on the golden cisterns of Grace There are too many who proclaime their opposition to the God of Heaven and the method of salvation who are so far from the power that they abhorre the very form of godlynesse so little care for service to Christ that they detest the badges of his government These constantly prophane the Sabboth are never found on their knees seeking God hear no Sermons from year to year care not for Sacraments have no good family education are hardened by their afflictions deride holy examples these are in Sathans full possession take the liberty of the times to be ignorant and as to the Ordinances of Christ quiet and resolved Libertines Be you intreated that have seen the power and beauty and glory of God in his Sanctuary and that have had the waters of life running into your thirsty soules through the precious pipes of divine Ordinances that really value them above the world stir up those compassionate bowels that the divine nature hath begotten in you and if your counsels to Christianize these Heathens will not prevaile pray and weep them into possibilities of salvation by attendance on the means of grace Secondly The Evil of abusing the means of Grace laid to heart might be some remedy to sin 1. This is a wrong to God that appointed them Man cannot bear the violation of his houshold orders and will God bear it if so the Laws of his family should be contemned 2. They wrong the Spirit that acts in them either by turning their backs upon him when he usually affords his presence in Gods wayes or by resisting his gracious impulses his sweet whispers his terrible representations of an accursed lost sinner out of Christ Acts 7. 51. Either they will not hear his inspeakings or disregard them both despise the Spirit of Grace 3. They please the Devil who hath either way gracelesse soules in his possession either by not using the means at all or in vain Such abusers of saving means are an unpleasing spectacle to the holy Angels enemies to God grieve the Spirit and are the Devils triumph Consider Thirdly What are those means of grace that are turned into wantonnesse They are 1. The holy Scriptures In them alone eternal life is to be 1 The holy Scriptures are turned into Wantonness found Joh. 5. 39. They are stiled the word of Grace Act. 20. 32. Their abuse is in their disuse when either they that may have Bibles have none or if they have them they suffer them to contract dust on their shelves laying them by as useless are seldome or never read or in their ill use when they are read without reverence diligence observance or any resolves or good desires and affections to follow the teachings of the Spirit without understanding esteem remembrance laying up and laying out these heavenly treasures in righteousnesse and holynesse Again in their ill use when they are wrested to errours heresies looseness covetousness unrighteousness When Scripture is urged against Scripture and the inspirations of the Holy Ghost are urged against themselves Such scripture deprayers are their own destroyers 2 Pet. 3. 16. 2 The Ministry of the Gospel is when the Call Person and Messages of Ministers are abused 2. The Ministry of the Gospel is an abused means when both their person calls and messages are uniustly despised are accounted as offscouring are disenabled from doing good to scoffing and malicious persons who either will not hear them or with scornfull prejudices amounting to no lesse wickedness in interpretation than despising the Lord Jesus and calling upon insolent contemners irremediless wrath 3 Sermons are means abused Vacuitatem timoris Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sequitur nausea verbi divini contemptus lacrarum concionum Qurt sunt qui sacras conciones absque secaritatis soporc attente intelligenter fructuose audjunt Ah quam fastidiose etiam optimae conciones capiuntur 3. Sermons are abused means and they never are so but when they are the sad fruits and products of hearts void of Gods fear and without repentance No wonder if the divine word be loathed and holy Sermons be contemned when fearless shameless and faithless hearts have slight thoughts of them and care little for them as if they were but scare-crows for children very fables when sound heavenly messages are either not heard at all or not attentively not reverently not understandingly not wisely not fervently not frequently not perseveringly not fruitfully not resigningly giving up the judgement to be captivated to the obedience of faith the heart and life to the power of godlyness but are heard with a contrary corrupt frame of heart then is a means of grace abused 4. Sacraments are abused means when the supernatural grace 4 Sacraments are meanes abused they signifie is not sought for regarded nor obtained Their holy eternall obligations to sound faith and heavenly conversation who considers As the Jews prophaned their Sacraments loose Christians doe theirs Those rested on the Circumcision of the flesh and the
read then wanton Play-Books Romances debauching Amorous Writings If you will not believe me now whether you will or no you shall in the other World Read O read what will fit you for Heaven for your souls sake do not by reading vain frothy written delight and read your selves into Hell 6. Prayer is an abused means when this holy piece of Divine 6. Prayer is a means abused Worship the most sweet and frequent way of converse with God about Heavenly affairs is totally neglected When men come unto God without any serious thoughts of his Reverend Majesty rushing to the Throne of Grace as to a Theater a Market a merry Meeting When there are attempts of drawing nigh before infinite Purity with impure hearts and unclean hands after hot pursuit of the World and fervency in the service of carnal Lusts there is bold approach unto Gods presence as if God would regard their Prayers who regard iniquity in their hearts When Supplicants do not so much pray as complement in good earnest not Petition God but mock him declaiming against the sins they love unwilling to part with the Lusts they chide that God should take them at their words One would think that hears zealous arraignment and severe condemnings of some sins in Prayer would think the hatred of them were implacable and the forsaking of them would be everlasting when at the same time there is a strong habitual league with them yea after many hard words a securing of them living and delighting in them These and many more affronts are put upon this Heavenly means of Grace Prayer 7. Education is an abused means When lewd children and 7. Education is an abused means servants are not taken with the holy Counsels and exemplary Piety of their godly Guides Some either expresly hate instruction and correction or do but dissemble holiness who while they are in strict Families eternally conform to Holy Orders like the Fish Polipus that can turn it self into the colour of the Rock but when out of the Parents Wing and the Masters Government are no more the children and servants they were than a Player is a King when he is off the Stage or an Ape in mans apparrel is a man when undressed How will houshold Governors warnings and chastizings prayers and tears sweetest wooings and drawing promises to rebellious children and graceless servants that they may minde the marchless interest of Gods glory and their own salvation rise up in judgement against them in the accounting Day when it will appear exactest educations have been abused 8. Scriptural convictions are an abused means There are 8. Scriptural convictions are abused means not a few that know their duties and their sins It is as clear as noon-light that their intemperancies incontinences unrighteous dealings oathes lies neglect of Prayer are sins From a rouzing Sermon they can go home with smitten hearts grant that Sermon-Truths have been arrows directed to the breast of their dead corruption and in vanishing fits and moods of appearing goods promise to leave their drunken company oathes lies and worldliness yea weep over their confessed wickedness but after these suddain moods and pangs of piety are vanished the convinced sinner is as jovial drunken false in his dealing mad on his reprieved not mortified Lusts his sleeping not dead corruptions as if his sins had never stared him in the conscience and been represented to him as that which unforsaken would ruine him These do the works of darkness by Gospel-light go without miraculous conversion and exact repentance with open eyes to Hell and knowing their Masters will but doing it not shall be beaten with sharper Eternal stripes then ignorant Heathens and blinde vulgar Papists O inlightned Christians bless God for your light but fear and tremble lest the wickedness of loose hearts and ungodly conversation be greatned by your clear informations They who by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ have escaped the pollutions of the world and are out of choice and delight again intangled in them It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. 9. Afflictions are an abused means They ought to be the discipline 9. Afflictions are abused meanes of vertue the purgatory of corruption Isa 27. 9. the teachers of neglected holy duties Psal 94. 12. The reducers of foolish wandring sinners into their wits and way Luke 15. 17. Wearers from the worlds sweet dugs 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. Strikers of holy awe of the Divine presence in daring spirits 1 Sam. 6. 20. Snuffers of the candle of well instructed reason that it may give a clearer light to the inferior faculties Job 33. 16 19. Monitors not to commit Vexatio dat intellectum Mercerus over again the old sins John 5. 15. Abasers of proud spirits Job 33. 17 19. Converters of departed souls Psalm 119. 67. Instrumental Saviours of lost sinners 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. When the Lords rods are spent in vain These Heavenly ends of afflictions are not attained but hearts as hard as an anvile take no gracious impressions of Gods blows In Gods afflicting Furnace there is no golden refinings of Grace no purging the dross of corruption The ill humors of camal lusts and affections and loose manners under his Physick are more incurable unbettered afflicted ones will not be purged but revolt more and more Then afflictions the means of Grace are abused SECT 7. 7. THe examples of Grace are turned into wantonness They 7. Examples of Grace are turned into wantonnesse are then well used when from a right estimate of them admiration of Gods goodness in them Thankfulness for them Phil. 1. 3. Zeal to follow them Heb. 6. 12. shaming and blaming our selves for our unlikeness to them 1 Cor. 15. 14. Daily indeavoring to write after their fair holy and heavenly Copies Heb. 12. 1. Delighting in them above all persons of the World Psalm 16. 3. choosing of them to be our choice companions and bosom-friends Psal 119. 63. resenting them as shining Lights in the World Phil. 2. 15. to clear our way to the Heavenly Countrey Thus to improve the best of patterns that reflect and hold forth the glory of God in the World the fruits of the direct beams of infused holiness and to be won to Christ 1 Pet. 3. 1. and quickned to the power of Religion by others exemplary Piety Charity Innocence and Justice is to use well examples of Grace But now when men and women regard not the most shining Lights sleep and play the wantons before them and with them make them their may-game their sport the Theam of their prophane jests and scurrilous wits in their Houses Ale-benches Taverns the Road When David was the Drunkards song Psalm 69. 12. the scorn of many despised of Michal 2 Sam. 6. 16. When hypocritical mockers at Feasts make the heirs of glory
their scoffing Table-talk when the Upright are called Hypocrites Righteous dealers are voted unjust or for one piece of unequal dealing are ever condemned so When the glorifiers of God before men out of conscience of duty because under a command are thought vain-glorious When exact walkers fearful of sin dare not run with others into excess of riot nor give allowances fond and liberal to their fawning lusts shall be called over-righteous deemed needless precisians making too much ado in the Church of God as if men could be too godly when the highest measures of holy strictness are exceedingly short of the rule and the life of Christ as if too much care conscience and pains according to requiries of Scripture either could be is or ever was in any Believer in the World as if when the word says real Saints are to give all diligence in the exercise of all Graces 2 Pet. 1. 5. c. To work out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. To make through work of it to redeem the time to be followers of Christ they could be too diligent and strict by the warrant of these and other Scriptures to assure and promote their eternal Salvation Every serious dying-Saint thinks he hath done too little for the honor of God and his Gospel for his own soul and others Every glorified Saint seeth his massy glory doth exceedingly outweigh his most diligent services and patient sufferings The abuse of holy examples is too general an injury to God and his choice servants The gracious the graceless are both guilty 1. The gracious low spirited Christians whose light is in a dark lanthorn that shine forth to outward view little or nothing of the glory and power of Religion O ye Christians of the lower form look to those that have out-learned you in Christs School continue not still in your weak Graces and strong Corruptions see you not some of your fellow-Converts are very Heavenly Let this correct your earthiness Are some meek let this shame and cure your passions Have they liberal hearts and hands let this open your shut bowels and purses Can they forgive great wrongs let this blame and mend you that can hardly pass by little Dare they not speak idely and frothily guarding the doors of their lips Let this urge you to repentance who speak not onely idly but wickedly uttering such corrupt communication that slanders by must needs conclude foul hearts when tongues are so foul Do they grow under the means of Grace Let their proficiency spur you to better progresses by holy Ordinances Do they practice Religion where they are most in their own Families Let your sinful Houshold omission of holy Duties or but cold formal performances your domestick disorders be reformed Lastly Do they live in the power of godliness let this warn your too powerless profession that you labor more for the power 2. The graceless are guilty of abusing the grace of God in the examples of Grace How will this load your guilt at the great day that as you have wronged the Gospel of Grace so you have gracious Gospellers you look on them as the vile off-scouring of the World 1 Cor. 4. 13. of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11. 38. Can proudly judge them sometimes base persons for their despised though honorable Divine nature and their loathed holiness herein like to the Heathens of old who made the practice of Christianity and the Christians owning the Christian name their crime Though you cast contempt on vessels of honor whom you debase God esteems It is no flattering but Scripture Language The Scripture stiles them Precious Isa 43. 4. Jewels Mal. 3. 17. Honorable Isa 43. 4. Noble Acts 17. 11. Kings Rev. 1. 6. Princes in all Lands Psal 45. 16. that have the happiness to enjoy them If they be as dirt in your eyes they are as gold in Gods Be intreated to take a measure by the golden line of the Sanctuary whose examples are most Scriptural safe to the interest of immortal souls those you contemn or those you follow Though with a supercilious from you disdain to follow their sober chaste heavenly pious mortified penitential reformed lives Truth will make your awakned mindes when you die wish you had traced their holy steps and when you would at the great day be glad to follow them in glory this for ever will shut the door of hope and happiness you never followed them in Grace It is in vain with Balaam to wish the death of the righteous and with vulgar dead imaginary Believers to hope for the glory of the righteous when there is not with upright Saints living the life of the Righteous Holy and happy should you be that follow the huge multitudes that troop to hell in the broad way of pleasing evil examples if converting Grace did powerfully whisper in your Spirit and draw you back to the narrow way of life Here you should meet with a thin but blessed company Fellow O follow them who through Faith and unwearied patience in well-doing have their race answered with an eternall prize and them also who after their holy course is finished shall inherit the promises It will never grieve you if once you return from your mad errours and courses to your sober spiritual witts that you have changed undoing for saving presidents that you have left your soul-ruining good-fellowship for communion with Saints Angels the Mediator of the Covenant and with the blessed Trinitie for all Eternitie Have any of you ridden about life and death and with exceeding grief lost both your time and way have you rejoyced to meet with an unerring gride that hath not onely brought you out from your wandrings but set you in your way yea rode before you as a courteous faithfull guide The like joy yea greater you will find if after you have strayed like lost travellers God set before you leaders and you have the wisdome and grace to follow in the erring and dangerous wilderness of this world your holy guides to the heavenly Canaan SECT 8. 8. REconciling Grace is turned into Wantonness As in the 8 Reconciling grace is turned into Wantonness former Section the choice Presidents of Grace so in this and the following particulars the choice priviledges of Grace will appear to be abused God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. The propitiatory atoning sacrifice of Christs death in putting away Gods destructive wrath is rich grace Even this is injured Reconciliation with God stands in many with agreement with Satan what in them lies peace with God and sin kisse each other as if a league with heaven and hell could stand together Seditious persons reconciled to their Prince abuse his goodness when at the same time they are Traiterous friends with his enemies hold intelligence with them doe homage to them are ruled by them
silly chapmen to take off the braid wares of corrupt errours Have no opininions taught you looseness Why doe you not shew you are Christians to purpose in doing illustrious singular things that the neighbours that study your lives and are strangers to your inward Faith and Love may say These are children of God indeed would I were in their condition It is not the language but the power of your Profession that will draw hearts after it How have you defaced your Adoption when your sinfull omissions of convincing duties and breakings forth of corruption sharpen the edge of bitter language and tempt to these words of reproach O these are the children of God in scorn denying you the honour because you have denyed God the glory and your selves the credit of your Adoption Let this lord your hearts for your unwatchful and dishonourable conversation and call for future caution Your publick sinnes make your Father hear ill in the world 2. Christians of strict profession that have onely childrens name not nature artificial not supernaturally natural not lively in externall exercises of Religion that put over impious designs and practises the too good cover of a pious name that are adorned painted Sepulchers unclean within that make not Religion the great expedient for blessed eternity but a fair net Quidam probitate ficta c viam sibi ad potentiā muniunt Lact. de vero cult l. 6. c. 6. to catch the world in That in your zealous devotions more hot in the mouth than heart call God frequently your Father and make it the pleasing Prologue and usher of many of your Petitions Confessions and Thanksgivings and yet have no filiall affections of love and feare shame and sorrow no pleasure in pleasing him no real godly sorrow for his dishonour That betray the weaknesse of your painted piety having no real fervencie of heart for the interest of Gods name but your own concernments That betray the whole body of your Religion is a dead carkass without the life and soul of it the quickning Spirit No wonder if you stink when the ill savour of your loathed pollutions intemperance incontinence unrighteousnesse unnaturall sins betray the power of Religion was but feigned never feared in the heart that could never disperse inward nor outward beloved and delighted in imperious sins O you that are strict in the exercises of piety and do but feign not really affect and pursue Christianity Gods most heavy and smarting blows will be at you without great repentance and singular reforming sinceritie Doe no longer mock God nor men Hypocrisie at length ends in Apostasie The feigned friends of Christ are real enemies O let not Religion holy Religion be wickedly blasphemed nor be your play and game but your serious businesse in good earnest and know when you dye as well may you expect a painted fire should warm you as a painted Religion comfort your self-accused and tempted departing soules Before I close this point I must warn the loose and scoffing generation that possibly may read this page to forbear their triumph Some may say The Author hath hit the mark and ecchoes with our thoughts we are glad he hath payd the Hypocrites out upon these Precisians they are all Hypocrites And are you glad indeed Where is your charity That would not rejoice in iniquity 1 Cor. 13. 6. What if your merry sarcasmes and satyricall invectives against the Hypocrites be an arrow justly shot against your selves Did you never read there are hypocritical mockers in feasts Psal 35. 16. The severe censurers of Hypocrisie had need be upright Are not you eminently grosly guilty of the crime you cry down If you will not believe it it is easie to prove it deny it if you can Do not you profess salvation only by Jesus Christ Do not you know except you be born again you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven Joh. 3. 5. Is it not plain Scripture He that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Are you not commanded to redeem the time Ephes 5. 16. Are not livers in pleasures dead to God while they live 1 Tim. 5. 6. Must not he that abides in Christ walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2. 5. Now I beseech you that throw the dreadfull charge of Hypocrisie and it may be truly against some persons and yet care not though through the sides of Hypocrites yee wound the generation of Gods children are not you gross Hypocrites your selves You profess Christianity credit Gospel-revelation call Christ your Saviour dare not say you will not be ruled by his Laws expect salvation by him own his Ordinances and if asked the question before a Sacrament or on a sick bed by Ministers that please you will you follow the rules of the Gospel to fit you for heaven My charitie perswades me you would say yea God forbid but I should be ruled by Jesus Christ It is very easie then to conclude from your own concessions you are Professors now what is Hypocrisie but a constant contradiction to the profession of the power of godlinesse Is not yours such Be not angry with this home-speaking to your bosomes your consciences if you repent not will speak a thousand times more after death than a few pages Can your studious and ordinary giving up your selves to the lusts pomps and vanities of the world be interpreted a devoting or resignment of your persons up to Jesus Christ Are you born of the Spirit that shew no scripture proofs of your high heavenly birth the life of the Spirit the graces of the Spirit the leading of the Spirit that are not acquainted with the breathings of the Spirit at the throne of grace who never made your families houses of prayer Are you indeed new creatures Is it possible that the old oathes drunkennesse uncleannesse slighting and contemning the Word of God laughing at those truths you hear that should set you a trembling loathing of religious exercises living in the old affections and conversation should prove you were new creatures Can you beleeve Christ in you hath crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts which you pamper and keep alive Doe you redeem precious time all which should you live an hundred years abating the necessary and moderate attendances on the things of this life would call for all time in the numerous services of Religion conquests of Temptations subjection to the Gospel and preparation for Eternity Will you call your covetous costly passionate gaming in the afternoon till night yea sometimes from night till morning redeeming the time Is your sleeping till nine or ten a clock on the Lords day time Redemption Is your earthy frothy unedifying discourses one with another when you are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works Heb. 10. 28. To speak what may minister grace and soul advantage to the hearer Eph. 4. 29. Time improvements
when God forgives a thousand to one shall they not blot out a few I dare boldly say Those that take it for granted their sins are pardoned that are implacable that write wrongs in marble not in the dust be their confidences never so high do both un-Christian and un-Man themselves 1. They strip themselves of Christianity It s a choice and hard rule to flesh and blood to forgive enemies but this is neglected despised How can you say Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors when your consciences tell you that you cannot forgive you doe not so much pray for as curse your selves as if you should say Lord forgive not my sinnes for I will not forgive others Doe we not read the example of Christ that forgâ—ve his enemies He prayed for it Father forgive them Luk. 23. 34. this difficult piece of Christianity was in Stephen Act. 7. 50. That choice Apostolical precept to the Colossians As Christ forgave you so also do ye Col. 3. 13. And is it Christianity never to forgive nor forget ever to treasure up wrath and revenge Certe consanguinei sumus ideo maximum scelus putandum est edisse hominem vel nocentem Propterea Deus praecepit inimicitias per nos nunquam faciendas semper esse tollendas scilicet ut eos quisint nobis inimici necessitudinis admonitos mitigemus Lactant. l. 6. c. 10. Notanda est Carnis appellatio qua intelligit universes homines quorum neminem intueri possumus quin velut in speculo carnem nostram contemplemur Summae igitur inhumanitatis est eos despicere in quibus imaginem nostram agnoscere cogimur Calv. in loc 2. They strip themselves of humanity Even the Law of nature requires forgiveness We are all the off-spring of Adam come of one blood Acts 17. 26. There is a consâ—nguinity in all man-kinde We have kindred with all the children of men It is therefore the inference of Lactantius We are all of a blood and therefore it is to be reputed the greatest wickedness to hate any man although an hurtful enemy And upon this natural consideration enmities between men and men are never to be practised but ever to be abolished Inspiration of souls forming of Bodies from the same common Heavenly Father speaks us Brethren The admonition of the universal natural kindred of the World should allay yea and break the spirit of enmity into love we little consider it but it is a real truth When we take revenge of any man we are revenged of our selves Every ones flesh is ours The Prophet Isaias calls every ones flesh our own Isaiah 58. 7. That thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Calvins exposition is pertinent to this purpose The word flesh is to be noted whereby the Prophet understands every man of whom we can behold none but as in a glass we contemplate our own flesh It is therefore a part of highest inhumanity to despise those in whom we are constrained to behold our own likeness Consider this all ye Christians who think your selves safe under the security of Gods pardoning Grace How have you abused this Gospel-priviledge whom neither the serious sense of Christianity nor the common tie of humanity can prevail with to forgive When you cannot give nor forgive reason thus Shal I not succor and pardon mine own flesh Shall I both sin against grace and nature Shall I by my uncharitable and implacable Spirit sin both against redemption and creation goodness Such Meditations cannot be too frequent to drive away irreligious and unnatural hardheartedness and revenge out of the spirits of Christians SECT 12. 12. THe Grace of imputed righteousness is turned into wantonness 12. The grace of imputed Righteousness is turned into wantonness Even the everlasting Righteousness Daniel prophesied which should be wrought in the Person of the Messiah Dan. 9. 24. hath had no little Injury in the World This stupendious Gospel-mystery That a lost sinner should be justified by anothers righteousness which is the holy Angels wonder and will be glorified Saints ravishing admiration hath been ill intreated even of professed Christians And lest the charge seem too general I shall clear it in two particulars The Grace of imputed Righteousness is wronged when this is abusively pleaded against inherent Righteousness When inherent Righteousness is foolishly and perilously rested on for salvation without imputed Righteousness The former is a plain Libertine in wickedness the latter doth play the wanton with Christs goodness 1. The grace of imputed righteousness is abused when it is 1. Imputed righteousness is abused when it is pleaded against inherent righteousness pleaded against inherent righteousness This is an easie and common cheat Corrupt flesh and the arch Deceiver can easily please the Fancy and perswade the Judgement that the fair hand of Grace hath put the rich and large Robe of Christs Personal Righteousness on the leprous and unmortified Body of sin yea that this holy cover is so thick that in the absurd Antinomian God doth not so much as see Believers sins as if one Divine Attribute had swallowed up another his mercy his omniscience Now when the loose sinner can say the Lord is his righteousness he believes himself in a state of Grace as if now nothing could indanger his immortal Soul and he had enough for Glory If unregenerate nature give the deceived Transgressor the largest line and scope to live in sinful lusts pleasures and idolized sensualities and the Conscience begin to grumble in the free choice affections and pursuances of sinful courses This is ever the remedy at hand We are all sinners This is our infirmity Christ died for us Hath satisfied his Fathers justice He is our righteousness Thus while they plead to Christs legal righteousness without them they live without Christs Gospel righteousness within them It is enough for them they are justified above they seek not to be sanctified within as if there were not need as well of an Evidence to Salvation by inherent righteousness as of a Title to eternal life by imputed righteousness This great abuse of the glorious imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in opposition to inherent and the singular peril to be lost for ever that they are in who are contented with a bare imputed righteousness will appear in seven things As 1. No glory will redound to God in such a contentment Can the free gift of Christs perfect obedience made over to the sinner have the glory of praise when it hath the infamy of this dishonor This heavenly Robe is purposely put on the most licentious persons to hide them not to amend them Though there be no absolute change from the state of sin to the dominion of sanctifying Grace Though the state of total unregeneracy be enmity to the holiness of Christ and his Gospel Sins servants are Heavens darlings by the favor of a pretended imputation Can God have the glory of bringing forth much fruit while there is no
implantation in Jesus Christ Iohn 15. 5. Can God be honored in his Sons honor John 5. 23. and magnified in the glorifying of his name 2 Thess 1. 12. when there is no new nature to honor him but the predominant old man to abuse him A solitary imputed righteousness without is wronged without a righteousness within God misseth of his honor where these are put asunder 2. No honor will be to the Gospel Bare appropriating Christs obedience will not secure the glorious Gospel from that unrighteousness and unholiness that licentious wickedness would pin upon it This part of Gospel Christ is our righteousness the flesh will like but that part of it The Justified must be holy penitent mortified it cannot endure It pleasingly believes the Gospel is to them the power of God unto salvation though it never was the power of God unto Conversion It is a Gospel Precept we should walk as becomes the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. Can an unregenerate man so walk Can night Birds abide the noon Light Can Children of darkness walk as children of light Can they be thought translated into the Kingdom of Christ that are strongly kept and abide in Satans Kingdom No confidences of imputed righteousness can keep a wicked man from an infamous un-gospel life When his corruptions break out the Gospel suffers Then Satan jeers in his Instruments These are your Professors These are your Gospellers as if the holy Gospel gave liberty to sin But nothing less for as it proclaims imputed righteousness so on pain of damnation it requires inherent 3. No thankful return will be to Jesus Christ The gift and benefit of everlasting righteousness deserves everlasting thanks It was never yet known that an unsanctified person was thankful to Jesus Christ He challengeth cordial verbal vital thanks but all this is above the reach of unregeneracy A carnal person can complement Christ with the cheap praise of the lips but his soul and all that is within him Psal 103. 1. His conversation can never bless him He wants the Gospel-power of an holy and a righteous life 4. No reputation will be to Faith Indeed it hath the honor to be the Grace that lays hold on Christs perfect Righteousness but this is not its onely office It sanctifies as well as justifies Acts 26. 18. Rom. 5. 1. It purifies as well as pacifieth the heart Acts 15. 9. Rom. 5. 1. The Just lives by it as well religiously Hab. 2. 4. as safely and peaceably Mark 5. 34. and is not onely freed by it from the guilt but the filth of sin The name of Faith divided from holiness hath this aspersion and dis-reputation to be stiled a vain faith a dead faith Jam. 2. 20. a faith like the Devils faith Jam. 2. 19. 5. No conviction will be to unbelievers Can the Christ rejecting World be drawn to own and love such pretenders to interest in his perfect righteousness who live unrighteously They are apt to think the happiness of this imputation is but a fancy and a fable that produceth not shining and glorious fruits When they that for Christs sake stand righteous in Gods account arise and shine and the glory of Gods holiness is seen upon them even wicked men will enquire after Christ and be constrained to think well of that Master whose name is so sanctified and illustrious in his servants 6. No communion will be with the holy God Were it possible an ungodly Man should be cloathed with Christs righteousness yet if he have not Christs Spirit Christs Image God and such a one could have no fellowship Communion requires likeness Contrary natures can have no converse Two cannot walk together except they be agreed How can a wicked person and the pure God walk together 7. No capacity nor ability of new obedience Suppose a Rebel against Christs Crown and Government were justified yet if he were not sanctified he could not do the will of God 1 Pet. 1. 2. Till sanctifying Grace subdue the natural rebellion of the heart Gods commands will be laid aside as if a Traytors heart be changed he will be subject to his Prince if unreformed he will still rebel 2. The Grace of imputed righteousness is abused When 2 Imputed righteousness is abused when inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation without imputed righteousness inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation without imputed righteousness This is one of Satans wiles to ruine souls If there be appearing strictness in the ways of holyness and godliness be deemed a sufficiency for eternal life so that Christs perfect righteousness be cast out of the Saint-like Professors Creed and the great weight of the souls confidence of happiness laid on the sandy foundation of imperfect obedience then the great title to eternal life Imputed righteousness is shouldred out and abused The largest tale of duties and sharpest sufferings of this life cannot make up a compleat righteousness When personal deficicient performances will wantonly get up into the throne and justle out the absolute obedience of Christ This setting up of a weak righteousness within above Christs perfect one without will to the hazard of the guilty sinners perishing fail in seven things 1. There will be no pacification of an angry God No gracious hearts nor godly lives atone God Christs Sacrifice onely was Propitiatory We joy in the Atonement said the Apostle Rom. 5. 11. but by Christs death The highest measures of Believers doings or sufferings cannot turn away Gods wrath for the least sin It was Jobs Faith when a penitent sinner seeth his righteousness he seeth his atonement Job 33. 23 24. That is onely by Christ not a Believer His own Prayers Tears Alms Duties do not pacifie God but the righteousness of Christ It is a common practical error we will be weeping and doing to turn away Gods avenging displeasure For though these duties are means appointed by God yet we must look through them unto Jesus Christ 2. There will be no satisfaction of Gods Justice Sin hath done infinite wrong Justice would have an infinite reparation Now it is impossible that finite doings and sufferings can make infinite satisfaction A rest then in failing inherent holiness at once leaves infinite Justice unsatisfied and souls unsaved Who of the best can tell that he hath done and suffered enough to make God amends for his sins yea for the least sin 3. There will be no proportion to the rigid Laws requiries It will not abate one Law nor Circumstance of Duty The Law is exceeding broad The eminentest of Saints that have studied the Law and their own hearts and lives could never bring before God an exact obedience parallel to command Had not Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law the exactest Christians could have no grounded hope of Heaven The Law would say even to a Paul Here is much wanting He durst not expect Justification from the unparalell'd services sufferings and success of his Apostleship I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby
the filthinesse of flesh and spirit layes in the mire of wickedness but riseth not out It hath the office of a diligent servant It looks for an heavenly reward and it serves God day and night Act. 26. 6 7. But the bare fancy of the hope of glory is content to serve the world flesh and devill It looks for an heavenly harvest and yet follows Satans Plow and soweth to the flesh Gal. 6. 8. It hath the office of a comforting cordial Good hope through Grace is the hearts comforter But the feigned hope of glory gives no more real comfort than the dream of a cordial doth a sleeping or dying man Carnal hopes never drinks out of the cup of heavenly consolations no draughts really please them but of earthly solaces Thus doe unregenerate men what ever they think put the hope of glory out of office so in the common abused hope of glory 2. The springs of hope are not regarded The Free grace of God is a Spring of Hope Good hope through Grace 2 Thes 2. 16. But loose spirits are as much strangers to the glory puritie and power of Free grace as true Hope They have not good hope through grace but ill hope through presumption The holy Ghost is a spring of hope that ye may abound in hope by the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. But un-Gospel wantons have their hopes from the evil spirits suggestion not the good spirits inspiration The perfect righteousness of Christ is a spring of hope The hope of righteousness Gal. 5. 5. But the dreamers of Heavenly hopes take the rise of their high hopes from their opinionative righteousness their good meanings good works as they think external either moralities outward or religious exercises or both Justifying Faith is a Spring of hope Rom. 5. 1 2. The hope of glory grows out of it But the vaine barren hope of Glory issues from self-sufficiencie As it comes not from a justified estate so neither doth it shew any evidence of sanctifying Grace The Promise is a Spring of Hope The Hope of the Promise Act. 26. 6. but lying hope of glory never sprang from any Gospel-promise For the promises have a cleansing virtue 2 Cor. 7. 1. The hope of the wicked hath none The Love of God shed abroad in the heart is a spring of Hope It makes not ashamed from the sweet sense of divine love Rom. 5. 5. But a sensual brutish hope of glory never felt the sweet pleasures of Gods love They that are acquainted with the Paradise delights of it are not wont to run a whoring after creature sportings much lesse after sinfull joyes The glorious feastings of the delicious eternal distinguishing Love of God in renewed soules have a mortifying virtue of pleasing vanities below Gracious Experience is a Spring of Hope Experience worketh Hope Rom. 5. 4. The Experience of Regenerating Grace of those sweet whispers Thy person is accepted Fear not I am thy God Christ is made to thee Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption of the mighty awe of Gods presence in the soul of hating vain thoughts of cleansing from secret sins of sealing of promises of victory over corruption and much more work renewed hopes of glory that God will both perfect and reward his own work The filthy streames of a dissolute hope of heaven that are strangers to these pure springs betray their impure originalls The unclean spirit the filthy heart the worlds pollutions are the common abused Hope of Glory 3. The Work of Hope is not done The work of Hope is to work patient and diligent continuance in well-doing We desire you to shew diligence to the full of assurance of hope unto the end Heb. 6. 11. But Hypocrites most heavenly hopes are both impotent and transient they neither communicate strength nor will they hold out they have short breath lame legs and withered hands and are a meer vapour a fancie and worke no diligence nor perseverance in the waies of Godlyness True Hope will work the soul out of the vanities dependancies inordinate rejoycings of earthly Hope Job had the hope of glory before his eyes hence he was assured that hee should see his Redeemer this swallowed up earthly hopes If I have made gold my hope or have said to the fine gold thou art my confidence If I rejoyced because my wealth was great c. Job 31. 24 25. But the dissembled Hopes of Glory never dead the heart to the vaine trusts and joyes of earthly Hopes when these are gone those have no estate in the other world It is the work of Hope to work up the soul to the infinite Riches Pleasures and Honours that are above The Hope that is laid up for you in heaven Col. 1. 5. But the adulterate hopes of heaven shew their falsenesse Reall worldlings hopes under Gospel pretensions are fastned onely to perishing things and must perish like themselves It is the work of Hope to succour the hearts of fainting beleevers to strengthen the feeble knees as a good daughter helps a sickly mother When Faith the Mother Grace is ready to faint Hope the daughter lends it a supporting hand and sayes hold out Faith There is an expected end of corruptions and afflictions Look Faith O look within the heavenly vayl even Holy of Holyes Conflicts are sharp O Faith see thy Crowns Wants are many O Faith see thy Supplies The race of obedience is tiresome O Faith see thy Prize Now there is sowing in tears O Faith see thy joyes The sweet countenance of God is clouded O Faith see his eternal smiles Beleevers are tossed with the waves of doubtings despondencies sometimes despair O Faith see thine unshaken assurance and everlasting rest But the easie false-hearted hopes of notional Christians can never succour their fainting Faiths At best their Faith was but fancy their confidence presumptuous and when their false faiths expire their groundless hopes are gone too Ah miserable self-deceivers that wrong the Faith and Hope of Glory In the common abused hopes of Glory 4. The Properties of Hope are not to be found The Hope of Glory is a regenerated Hope Begotten to a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is one of the new births graces The Hope of Unregeneracie then is a spurious hope New hopes never grow out of the old soyle The Hope of Glory is an high born grace its pedigree is abused when a vile sensual wicked life a bastard issue is laid at its doors The Hope of Glory is an Active Hope High hopes oyl the wheels of motion Hopes of great Matches Pardons Liberty sweetest earthly Pleasures Riches Crowns shake off sluggishness A reall Christian hath the highest hopes and this makes him goe yea run the wayes of Gods Commandements Too many abuse the hopes of glory They are negligent lazy indifferent yea opposers in the methods and unpleasing services of Gospel Hope What doe most that hope for Heaven doe to get it Where are their wrestlings at the Throne of Grace Where their
self-denyals Where their Fightings in Spiritual Armes against their corruptions Where are their Conquests Where their labours of Love Where their zealous pursuances of their own and others salvation Where the diligent improving of their general and particular calling for the glory of God Where their working out their salvation with fear and trembling Where their giving all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure Where is their making Religion their businesse to be found Most have the hopes of heaven but they are drowsie idle have no power of godlyness These in an especial manner are the Abusers of true Hope The Hope of Glory is a Rejoycing Hope We rejoice in the Hope of Glory Rom. 5. 2. When the Perspective of Faith hath fetched in the farre distant blessed objects of Eternity hath realized and substantialized them to the soul so that Faith saith to Hope I see the glory of Heaven I see the infinite rewards of sound Christians I see the infinite pleasures and satisfactions and ravishing joys of those blessed Citizens above Then saies Hope I look for them I expect them with unspeakable joy I wait for their Revelations and Fruitions A real Christian will not part with the joyes of his Hopes for a thousand worlds He is incomparably richer in hopes than worldlings are in hand but a delusive hope of glory continually joyned with joyous solitary worldly hopes is a stranger to the joyes of heavenly hopes The Hypocrite hath the fancy but never the reallitie of these hopes The joyes of these do not in him out-joy the joyes of earthly hopes they doe not lighten and sweeten the losse of worldly expectations Experience will prove it of unsound pretenders to their rejoycing hopes of Glory That if their hopes and the joy of their hopes below are gone they have no rejoycing hopes above The hope of Glory is a Lust denying hope The grace of God teacheth us the deniall of worldly lusts looking for that blessed hope 11. 12 13. As pilgrims and strangers here and therefore looking for your heavenly countrey abstain from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ye shall appear with Christ in glory Mortifie therefore your fleshly lusts fornication uncleanness covetousness your inordinate affections the root of all evill concupiscence Col. 3. 4 5. They then that obey sin in the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. that walk after their own lusts their ungodly lusts as these wantons in Jude did Epist Jud. v. 16 18. and live and die in them and yet hope for heaven they clearly contradict Scripture that the servants of carnall lusts shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. That the wicked shall be turned into hell Psal 9. That the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience Col. 3. 6. That Libertines that count it pleasure to riot in the day time of Gospel light The Churches spots and blemishes not jewels sporting themselves with their own deceivings in their fearelesse feastings adulterous infectious examples covetous impenitent shall perish in their corruption and receive the reward of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2. 12 13 14. That what a man soweth that shall he reap if to fleshly lusts an harvest of eternall torments if to the spirit a rich crop of eternall life Gal. 6. 7 8. All these eternal Truths that divine Justice will infallibly make good Lust-pleasers not denyers nourishers not crucifiers doe blot out by their unchanged hearts dissolute lives and reall unbelief The slaves of their absurd unreasonable ungodly lusts doe in effect and interpretation speak these blasphemies God is an holy and righteous God and he will reward our unrighteousness and unholynesse with eternall life When we play the wantons with our lusts we think God and our selves alike Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Psal 50. 21. That God hath not so pure a nature and pure eies Hab. 1. 13. but when hee seeth sin he likes it well enough he delights in wickedness Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of judgment Mal. 2. 17. That the Word of God is false that godliness is true gain that the righteous onely go into eternal life that there is danger in sin that the wanton abuses of Gods grace perish in their corruption that the blackness of darkness for ever is reserved for them Thus doth Lust-favouring and pampering Hope abuse the Hope of Glory The Hope of Glory is a well living Hope The saving grace of God teacheth us to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 12 13. I have hope towards God that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust and herein doe I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Act. 24. 15 16. He that hopes for the full summe is glad of the assuring earnest hee that would have the full harvest is pleased with the first fruits The hope of glory that rejoyceth to thinke of the eternal summe and harvest of holyness is carefull to get and joyfull to obtain the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit of grace But the common absurd foolish hope of glory expects an heavenly eternal summe when it hath no earnest here looks for an eternal harvest when the first fruits are neglected and despised it pleasingly dreams to live happily with God in glory when it never lived holily with God in grace The hope of Glory is an Affliction-enduring and sanctifying Hope For this Hope the Apostle Paul was called in question Act. 23. 6. Judged Act. 26. 6. Accused v. 7. Imprisoned chained Act. 28. 20. suffered any persecution with patience contentment and joy For the hope of the Resurrection he took pleasure in his infirmities As the hope of Riches makes the Merchant Cum est propositum cum hoste certamen esuriendum sitiendum vigilandum periclitandum ut omnibus pacis victoriae bonis per frui possis â—prius laborandum ut sis postmodum in otio Lact. l. 6. c. 4. crosse the Seas at any hazard even to the utmost Indies and of victory which makes the Souldier endure hunger cold watching blows and wounds It 's hope of gain maketh the industrious Tradesman to be up early encounter all Highway storms It 's hope of a good crop maketh the painfull Husbandman to endure Winters cold and Summers heat It 's hopes of Crowns which maketh the ambitious run the hazard of losing their liberties and lives and undoing their families to hew out their way to Soveraignty by bloody deaths that stare them in the faces So the heavenly expectations of immortall Riches Victories Pleasures Crownes are Affliction-enduring hopes But the Imaginary hopes of Glory are cowardly effeminate soft lascivious and are founded in pollicy not in piety measured by the interests of the body not the soul are pleased
with the fair not the foul weather in heavens way They engage in the Christian Warfare no further thâ—n the flesh may be pleased a safe retreat to the world may be obtained and this counterfeit hope in trying hardships is ever offended in Christ Mat. 13. 57. One hard saying or another and unpleasing religious severities make Christianity a scandal The voluptuous professor turns from the power of it and in time of temptation falleth away CHAP. IV. Shewing when a Sinner turneth the Grace of God into wantonness THis may be known in all the thirteen Sections of the foregoing Chapter But because the fullest discovery that can be to strip naked this hideous Monster Abuse of Grace next to the unpardonable sin the worst of sins will all be little enough I shall therefore more fully shew when a sinner may be concluded even in the Judgement of his own inlightned Conscience to turn the Grace of God into wantonness This Scarlet Transgressor doth so when he carrieth wickedly in reference to Sin God Christ the Law Gospel and the Creatures SECT 1. IN reference unto sin there is wantonizing against Grace in 1. The grace of God is turned into wantonness in reference to sin Quasi Deus testatur de gratia sua ut non solliciti simus de cavenda ipsius offensa Piscator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four things 1. When the heart is careless of sin doth not cast about which way to avoid it but if the coat of Profession be stained with it if the heart be a sink of uncleanness if the hands be defiled the daring sinner makes no matter of it as if God in testifying his Grace should give liberty to cast off all care of avoiding offence The Apostle hath recorded other things of the truly Christian repenting Corinthians mentioning their carefulness to admiration Behold what carefulness your godly sorrow hath wrought in you 2 Cor. 7. 11. What sollitude and diligence not to fall into the old sin But it may be said of many lâ—sâ—ivious spirits Behold they dwell carelesly as the men of Laish did Temptations like the children of Dan may invade plunder and spoil them Judg. 18. They care not for their precious souls though they perish But the Lord will deal with them as he said he would with Magog send a fire among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles Ezek. 39. 6. The ease of these simple ones will slay them Prov. 1. 32. Though they are careful to secure their fleshly worldly interest and wholly careless of the main concernments of the glory of God their own salvation and the honor of Gospel Grace God will be careful to exalt his own Name in avenging the dishonors of his Grace SECT 2. 2. WHen the heart is fearless of sin there is a loose Libertine 2. Grace is turned into wantonness when the heart is fearless of sin ubi timor non est ibi dissolutio vitae est Isidorus It is one of the Characters of these wantons in the Text They fed themselves without fear Jude ep v. 12. No wonder they were disolute when fearless Spirits Job was afraid that when the goodness of God had provided Feasts for his children the Devil should be paid the shot Lest they should sin and curse God in their hearts Job 1. 5. Therefore he sent and sanctified them and offered up sacrifice for them that in the name of Christ his Redeemer their sins might be expiated and forgiven them But fearless Sensualists eat and drink and sin with and against the Creatures but fear no hurt yea What fear was said of the repenting Corinthians 2 Cor. 7. 11. What fearlesness may be said of loose persons They are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. to set their mouths against Heaven They speak wickedly and loftily not tremblingly concerning oppression Psal 73. 8. They fear not to sin in lawful things never regulating their use by expediency and the grace of Temperance and so wantonly dance on the pits brink fall from lawful allowances to unlawful things They fear not the reckoning day like loose Debtors while they spend on the stock of their Creditors Estate and patience Well were it for these if awakened out of the deadly Lethargy of this carnal Security they would hearken Time vel hoc ipsum quod te invenis non timentem to the counsel one giveth Fear for this reason because you have found the want of fear SECT 3. 3. WHen the heart is sorrowless for sin As an offence to 3. Grace is turned into wantonness when the heart is sorrowless for sin God an unkindness to Christ a defilement to the Spirit an obstruction to fellowship with the holy God and upon Gospel considerations of spiritual Ingenuity and love to the Lord hath not a broken heart and a contrite melting Spirit in close Soliloquy with God by meditation and supplication but is as hard as an Adamant without all mournings and relentings upon the forecited grounds Here is clear abusing of Gods Grace It was never offered to harden but soften the heart as it did the hearts of Peter Matth. 26. 75. Mary Magdalen Luke 7. 38. and humble Paul Rom. 7. 24 25. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved Jer. 5. 3. God strikes wicked rocky hearts with Afflictions Reproofs â—errors smitings of the Conscience fears of Hell but their sorrows are not to be discerned but hypocritical or slavish and brutish which vanish when the smart is off Tantum sunt brutae Lamentationes Calv. in Jer. 5. These are strangers to godly sorrow which worketh out the love-liking delight the reign of sin While Gods mourners are in secret and looking over their sins with heavy hearts and weeping eyes They are wantonly leaping and triumphing in the hellish mirth of sporting in sin Prov. 10. 23. Taking pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2. 12. It is a clear evidence that they who never had true Gospel mourning for sin or have forsaken Gentes qui dolere desierint dediderunt se lasciviae Pet. Martyr 4. Grace is abused when the heart is powerlesse over sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumenius Disruptis his vinculis praedâ— suâ spoliatus Daven in Colos the exercise of it or think it needless or scoff at it as if there were no Scriptures Blessed are they that mourn Godly sorrow works repentance A broken heart O God thou wilt not despise are wanton abusers both of the time and Grace of Repentance SECT 4. 4. WHen the heart is powerless over sin there is a licentious abuse of Grace Surely Grace is victorious and will in time in the conscientious and spiritual use of means rout the powers of Hell Satan before the rescue of Grace comes bindes his Captives fast in the chains of their own sins But when they are broken he hath lost his prey and the tyrannizing Prince of the world John 14. 30. That hath
the power of binding lost sinners under the power of the spiritual death and guilt of eternal Heb. 2. is cast out in the merits and power of infinite redemption John 12. 31 32. Grace is not a shadowy but real war though it be often worsted yet it rallies again and by the renewed Auxiliary Forces of Divine power it beats down strong corruptions before it What injury is it to Grace to contemplate but never practice Mortification to profess the Christian warfare but never to fight or in undue arms or without skill to put on Gods Armor or to sleep in them or to lay them by or to run to the enemy and so to do no execution on carnal Lusts and Affections What is this but to disparage and endeavor what in us lies to degrade Divine Power from the glory of its victorious ability as if the contracted corruption from the first Adam could still be too hard for the Grace of the second How doth a powerless profession over sin proclaim it self a stranger to the mighty Arm of the Prince of Grace never feeling the power of these truths Christ brings forth judgement unto victory Matth. 12. 20. Greater is he that is in victorious Believers than he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4. 4. Are there not many among us that have notions fancies expressions of Grace yea infused gracious heavenly motions speaking in them But do they leave these sins and do these duties in the fear of God How can they that are false to their own Convictions Confessions and the Holy Ghosts Inspirations What mocking of God is there in unmortifying profession as is too legibly to be read in the lives of men Doth not all the Grace of vain idle opinionative Christians that seems to be expressed in Prayer ex tempore or of set forms in appearing to be taken with gracious examples Sermons Chapters good Books and Conference evacuate into lazy Speculation and powerless profession In holy duties of worship there seems to be Evangelical Grace but in the frame of the heart and course of life in dealings with men in Callings Conditions Relations with many there is no being of Grace and with the gracious no constant sufficient convincing exercise of Grace a few excepted that make Religion their business What a disgrace is put upon the grace of God What temptation to blaspheming Sons of Belial that the Grace of God men speak of is a Fable a Dream a Fancy no Reality Such do-nothings or nothing to purpose as beat the air in their cold professâ—ons and dead convictions of Gods grace may blâ—sh and be ashamed of their wanton spirits and conversation when they read these Scriptures From the day the grace of God was known in truth by Deus ex peccatorum sordibus ad frugem meliorem â—ecare dignatur Gualther de Matthaeo the beleeving Colossians they brought forth fruit Col. 1. 6. Wee beseech you receive not the Grace of God in vain by offensive conversation to God and men unrepented of 1 Cor. 6. 1 3. The Gentiles had their understandings darkened alienated from the life of God past feeling given over to lasciviousnesse working all uncleannesse with greediness but you have not so learned Christ Eph. 4. 18 19. The grace of God O holy Ephesians hath over-powered your hearts to an abhorring and declining these sinnes and to walk in the blessed paths of holinesse Grace acting to purpose in regenerate Zacheus put him upon liberal contribution to the poor and honest restitution of ill gotten estate Luk. 19. 8. When the Gospel came to the Thessalonians not onely in word but in power it enabled them to turn from idols in the zealous worship and preservation whereof Idolaters are usually mad Jer. 50. 38. to serve Idolis renunciaveritis vosque in servitiuÌ„ Dei addixeritis Diksonus Magices libros intelligimus Gualt in loc the living and true God 1 Thes 1. 5 9. when the same word of grace took possession of the hearts of them that used curious and Magical Arts they brought their books together and burnt them before all men though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver Act. 19. 19. O shame of the common powerless Christian profession of the Age The Gospel of grace by the mighty breathing of the Spirit came near the hearts of Magicians made them Christians and open penitents even to a publick sacrificing of their wicked Propriori numinis afflatu tacti libros publicè congestos exurunt books to the flames but a thousand Sermons of Gospel grace may reach the eare the fancy the understanding of professed Christians but never change the heart to a powerful reformation Oh that bare Illuminists and verbalists in Religion that live as if the essentials thereof were onely notions and words would consider three things 1. The Kingdom of God stands not in word but power 1 Cor. 4. 20. It s reall subjects are as well diligent doers as good speakers Lay moreâ— stresse on hearts and lives than lips had rather be than seem to be penitents rather run in the way of Gods Commandements than talk of them A groundlesse intitling to Christ Lord Lord will speak no faithfull Subjects of Christ at the great day why should it now The kingdom of God is righteousnesse Rom. 14. 17. not onely imputed but inherent not onely of Justification but Sanctification In the Kingdome of grace all saved Professors have holy hearts and good lives Satans subjects though they take Christs Press-mony in Baptisme use the badges of his Government yet never did set one foot into Christs kingdome 2. Such as call Christ their Lord and Saviour yea often bind their sayings by these words as they hope to be saved when they neither rightly understand salvation nor true hope yea all Libertines of stricter profession that have carnall loose epicurean hearts and lives they are no better than the enemies of Jesus Christ and self-destroyers The compassionate Apostle could not but speak of these with teares They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who mind earthly things Phil. 3. 18 19. Let them look over this Text and weep who either in larger professions or stricter but easie religious formalities are effeminate delicate flesh-pleaser belly-students and gloriously back-adorners money-idolaters almost in nothing denying themselves in their sensualities they are enemies to the crosse of Christ Did they Epicurei jurâ— dicuntur hostes Christi videntur enim velle regnum suum illis restituere quod Christus â—n cruce spoliavit Daven in Colos never read Our Old man was crucified with Christ Rom. 6. 6. That as corruption was crucified meritoriously on the cross so it should be crucified efficaciously in the heart was it not the great design of Christ crucified that the body of sin should die are not these enemies to his cross that pamper it and keep it alive Besides are not they enemies to Christs cross who
are not worthy of the name of men false to the Law of natural gratitude that serve not their deliverer and are not they as unworthy of the name of Christians false to the Law of supernatural thankfulness that serve not their professed infinite Redeemer Pretended favorites of Heaven are like those selfish Courtiers who abuse their Princes ear Smiles Grace Honors and Bounty to Chambering and Wantonness to the greatning of themselves and families but improve not their Soveraigns Grace to his Honor the glory of his Crown the increasing of his Treasure the establishment of his Dominions the lively Pictures of them that go for the Spiritual Darlings of Gods Court who live not to the glorious interest of their Heavenly King but bias all his gracious dealings according to the motions of worldly and corrupt 6. The Grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart carryeth wickedly as to Christ Thesaurus omnium Christus donorum Marlorat selfishness SECT 6. 3. THe Grace of God is turned into wantonness When the heart carries wickedly as to Christ in three things 1. When the profuse riotous sinner runs in Gods Debt because Christ is his surety Indeed upon this truth and rocky foundation that Christ is the faithful surety of his people Heb. 7. 22. is built the eternal salvation of his Church It is the richest right orient Pearl in the Gospels Cabinet A Believer would not be without this everlasting prop and succor to faith this assured conveyance of eternal happiness for the world It is dross and dung to this excellent knowledge Christ is a surety But to whom and for what To refusers and despisers of him to loose the reins on the neck of lusts to priviledge the liberties and power of Satan to sin without controll and remorse Surely Christ as our surety on the Cross sustained our person and Christus ut sponsor personam nostram gerebat ut vetus noster homo in nobis necaretur Diks in Rom. 6. Faedus gratiae habet Christum sponsorem ut tanquam Dei amici ambularemus Diks in Heb. 7. made to his Father an engagement for us that our old man in time should die Rom. 6. 6. Yea in the great agreement of the holy and everlasting Covenant of Grace there was this part of suretiship that â—e should walk in holy fellowship with God and Christ by the Spirit as the friends of God and therefore it is an intolerable indignity to our heavenly surety at once to believe him an undertaker that corruption should die and to live in sin This maketh him a surety and no surety A surety in the professed Faith and owning of this suretiship no surety in the Preservation and not Mortification of wanton Lusts Consider this all ye that sin against the grace of your professed surety but without his leave or the least allowance of his Gospel was a gracious pardon-office dearly purchased by the infinite price of the blood of the Son of God that it should lavish out forgiveness of sins to dissolute livers Did God decree and Christ accept of a weighty costly and suffering suretiship that profuse Iewd Debtors might spend more freely merrily and daringly on the stock of their sureties satisfactions Such indignity carnal profession imposeth upon Christs saving undertaking The Lord invites the humbled burthened sinner to accept of Deus nos invitat ad veniam nos quoâ—idie cumulamus offensam his pardoning mercy and proud Libertines heap up sin These spots and dishonors in Christian Assemblies are like to a young riotous Gallant that spends largely in Gaming Feasting Whoring and comfortably stayeth upon this he shall not be Arrested not Imprisoned because he hath a rich surety will pay all So expensive Libertines give large vent to their corruptions in their sinful creature-excesses in their abominable hypocrisies in their unrighteous dealings in their idolized sensualities in their carnal securities and yet they chear and fully stay themselves in this Indemnity the Law shall not arrest them nor cast them into the eternal prison of utter darkness because they have a rich surety Jesus Christ who as they presume will pay all 2. When the faith of redemption by Christ worketh not Redemptio nos obstrictos tenet ac sub obedientiae fraeno cohibet Carnis nostrae lasciviam Calvin in 1 Cor. 6. Qui redemptus est alter us beneficio non est sui juris Calvin in Jer. 2. 20. subjection to him the grace of God is turned into wantonness Eternal Redemption is an eternal obligation to service a bridle to curb our lascivious flesh not a Feast to feed it God hath on purpose decreed Christ a Redeemer that he might be soveraign Lord over all his purchase as we have dominion over that we pay dear for Now where redemption by Jesus Christ is preached in common that the price of his blood was a sufficient ransome to redeem the whole world there are very few but believe Christ died for them But how is the mystery and mercy of Redemption abused the Faith of Redemption worketh not subjection in most professed Christians They would be saved in their sins not from their sins Christ hath redeemed his people out of the hands of their enemies but they are content to be in them still He died to rescue them from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. but they are vain Jam. 2. 20. Walk after vanity Jer. 2. 5. and shall finde vanity their recompence Job 15. 31. He was crucified to deliver from the power of Satan Heb. 2. 14 15. but they are still his possession Eph. 2. 2. as taken Beasts are the Hunters prey as Prisoners are the Conquerors spoil to be carried up and down dealt with at their pleasure 2 Tim. 2. 25. O that such as are by profession Subjects and by disposition and conversation Rebels against Christ would seriously ponder these things 1. Both the Scriptures and experience of loyal Subjects to Christ do clearly evidence that effectual beneficial Redemption is proved by subjection that he died not to redeem us to the life but death of sin not that we should live and die in sin but Non ut nos vivendo pecca tis immorarmur tandem immoreremur Otho Casmannus live and die in the state and power of Grace 2. They that believe themselves the redeemed of Christ and yet are the slaves of their lusts the vassals of Satan have either not considered at all or very slightly That the proper intention of Redemption was Dominion Ye are bought with a price are not your own your Body and Spirits are Gods 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. To this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might Nullus fidelium juris sui sed alieni Dicksonus Vtinam hoc altissimis radicibus in mente figatur Pet. Martyr in Rom. 14. be the Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. Surely no Believer is of his own right but anothers His
to free from the malediction that men might be free from the direction of the Law This abolishment of the pure divine Laws Authority betrayes as a crackt brain so an unholy heart An holy Law cannot but be bid welcome of an holy heart and a spiritual Law will please a spiritual heart It is too clear an evidence of a loose spirit to disanull the government of a strict Law They are wanton Sons who because they are free from their Fathers disinheriting will therefore be free from their Fathers ruling The Lord Christ hath set a black mark of displeasure upon these dissolute Opinionists and hath taught us They that teach beleevers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. minimi siet imo nihili vult e. dicere illos iriè regno coelorum Pisc Schol in Mat. are quit from the obedience of Gods commandements shall be least in the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5. 19. He shall be called least that is he shall have the least yea no account with God at all for thus Christ would be understood they shall be banished from their hopes of having a part in the Kingdom of Heaven A severe threatning against doctrinal Antinomianisme 2. Practically When under pretence that Christ hath redeemed sinners from the curse of the Law they really lead accursed lawless lives They grosly erre that think the wrath and hell of the Law shall never reach them that are lawless Assurance of saving Grace joyned with a disordered life seemes to fasten a disgracefull agreement on Christ which he will never own that he shall take off the Laws curse that they may shake off the Laws yoak Hence Libertines take a course by their false Faith and covenant that all the volleys of the Law discharged from a jealous angry God against them are but naked powdercracks a scaring noyse not killing bullets not doe execution upon them Now Lust and the Devill in these Practical Antinomians for such are wicked men that abuse the grace of God gaine a priviledging license from the death of Christ to sin securely as if an open trade in Hells commodities were allowed and sealed by the blood of Christ The Apostle hath told these to their terrour unless the hardning habits of constant irregular courses have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex posita legis contemptoribus iis qui subjici nesciunt Dum legem divinam deseris saluteÌ„ propriam derelinquis Salv. put them past fear The avenging Law is made for the lawless and disobedient 1 Tim. 1. 9. for ungoverned practical Antinomians that live as they list under the favour as they think of Gospel grace But little doe daring Rebels think that have made voyd the Laws of God in their hearts and lives That while they leave Gods Law they forsake their own salvation it being a signal part of their salvation to be saved from sin Mat. 1. 21. which is a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. How little doe these abusers of Law and Gospel consider intention which was not onely to save sinners from Hell but his Law from wilfull constant disreputation and violation in the world He hath magnified his Law and made it honourable Isa 42. 21. not onely by his own personal obedience but commending it to and commanding it of all his followers as a most equall rule of life and way of happinesse They that oppose freedom from the Laws curse to binding in the Laws bonds should remember that this spirituall blessing is a deep obligement Oritur hoc de bitum ex beneficiis in nos collatis ne amplius semper secundum carnem vivamus Peter Mart. in Rom. Carni nihil debemus nifi mortifieationeÌ„ Ex. eod to abhor a carnal conversation and that they are not debters to the flesh but the spirit not to sin but Christ Rom. 8. They owe on provisions to but mortification of their lusts Yea further they should consider the Spirit voice is the Laws and the leading of Gods Sons by the spirit is leading them in the cleane paths of the Laws obedience Such as dare abolish obedience to the Law because the grace of God in Christ hath freed from the curse should doe well to fear and tremble they are the men and women that shall never escape the curse who ever abhorred and cast off the authoritie of the Law It is a word of eternall veritie equity and purity The Idaea of eternal right reason in the minde of God most fit to be an immutable and eternall rule of duty and will justly and infallibly call for eternal punishment upon all loose Rebels against it hatsoever sanctuary they think to Lex in sanctis aternum durat find in Gospel grace Well were it for Lawless Libertines could they see themselves under the cursing Law and feele the smart of it as a severe Schoolmaster to lash them unto Christ that being rescued from the curse they might bee enabled by the spirit of Faith love and power to performe the duties of the Law The Grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart carryes wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ Audiunt voceÌ„ servi ejus Isa 50. 10. Subesttacita Antithesis inter audientiam quam exigit licentian spernendae doctrinae calv SECT 8. 5. THe grace of God is turned into wantonnesse when the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ and so it doth 1. When the Gospel cometh in Word onely not in Power when all its sweet invitations intreaties wooings exhortations doe but bear the air are never entertained by the true hearing ear into the beleeving heart when Gospel Sermons Chapters Discourses Examples take no impression upon hard hearts when glorious Evangelicall mysteries Angels admiration are slighted by the carnal vngrateful world yea when a long barren uneffectuall living under Gospel saving discoveries sadly declareth it hath not yet bin the power of God unto salvation when after ten twenty forty years convincing inviting ministry it may be said of too many under souls Physitians what was said of the woman with the bloody issue under bodily Physitians They are nothing bettered but grow worse Mar. 5. 26. when the most favour carnal spirits give the gospel is to give it the hearing and that is all like wanton sons that give their Fathers the hearing of their commands and that is all in this case the grace of God is highly abused Against such as oppose the word of Holiness Life and Salvation and have no faith to mingle it in their hearts as if it were a fable a lye a loss so doe injudicious slighty careless obâ—linate though professed christians these are witnesses The Thessalonians who did not only hear the word but felt the power of it 1. Thes 1. 5. The fruitfull colossians who heard it and knew the grace of God in truth Col. 1. 5 6. The Romans who after it was delivered unto them were delivered in its tranforming mold as mettal into the Bell-founders or clay into
the Truth for by-ends not the love of it 2 Thes 2. 10. So Heretical loose prophane spirits are not in love with truth and as a Wife who is not in love with her Husband abuseth his kindesse so do these the truth Love is kind behaveth not it self unseemly 1 Cor. 13. 4 5. True love of truth is so kind to her as not to put unseemly affronts upon her I wonder not when David setting up a pair of ballances and weighing truth in one scale and the greatest glories of the world in the other in his judicious esteem Truth as most weighty and massie did preponderate His love run out in fullest stream to the Truth O how do I love thy Law Psal 119. 97. The joy of his high love was not onely parallel to the joy of all riches V 14. accounted as a rich fee-simple an heritage for ever V. 111. but the beauty and treasure of truth was better unto him than thousands of Gold and Silver V. 72. Above Gold yea above fine Gold V. 128. And now as a faithfull Spouse deeply in love with and betrothed to her dear â—ridegroom by no difficulties and afflictions is beat off from him quickens and sharpens her zeale after him by opposition so David espoused to the pure and lovely truth of God V. 140. was faithfull to the interest of it in all affictions the whetstone of his holy profession meditation of and conversation by it This was the sweet song of his pilgrimage v. 54. Neither trouble and anguish that took hold on him v. 145. nor Princes persecutions v. 161. nor the presence of Kings v. 46. nor his enemies despising of him v. 141. nor proud mens forging lyes against him v. 69. nor their digging pits nor laying snares for him v. 85. 110. nor their waiting to destroy him v. 95. nor their almost consuming him upon earth v. 87. could bring down his high esteem nor cool his burning love to the Truth whose guiding purifying comforting influence he had found in his heart life Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. buy it at any reat sell it at no rate as it is with persons deeply sick of love they will have such a man or woman though they beg with them so it is with the lovers of saving truth they will be match'd to it though they perish by it though it cost them the losse of their estates liberties and lives The word of truth the Gospel of salvation hath been dearer to blessed Martyrs than their hearts blood The Apostles could doe nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. and then no wonder they were zelots for the truth did neither Sancti viri amando discunt quod docendo proferunt Greg. super Ezek. deny the profession of it nor wantonly abuse it Reall Saints learn the truth by loving it professe the truth they have learned and stick to the truth they professe 'T is a true and sure experience they who have not received the truth for the love of it rience they who have not received the truth for the love of it but for and by carnall ends will make it their decoy and stalking Horse and as it was never heartily loved for it selfe in time Mollior solutior vita est quast lascivia adversus Christum Calv. in loc of Temptation they will reject it or dissemble it with which they have ever played the wantons to which they never yeelded hearty obedience The Apostle tells us that younger widdows professed Christians waxed wanton against Christ in their too soft and delicate life of pleasures 1 Tim. 5. 6 11. a reason is subjoyned Nemo vel tantillum potest a Christo deflectere quin Satanam sequatur Hinc admonemar quam exitialis sit c. 1b beca use they cast off their first faith v. 12. The faith of 〈◊〉 severe mortifying Christianitie These also are said to go after Satan v. 15. A sad Text that will prove many specious pompous christians to be fatanicall Calvin beginnes his Exposition of those words Some are turned aside after Satan with a Notanda loquutio Note the words well No man can a little turn from jesus Christ but he is in a ready way to follow Satan Hence we are admonished how deadly a sinne it is to turn aside from the right course which of the sons of God will make us the slaves of Satan and being drawn off from the government of Christ sets Satan over us to be out Leader SECT 5. 5. WAnt of laying to heart Gospel threatnings contributes 5. Want of laying to heart Gospel threatnings contributes to the Gods grace to the Abuse of Gods grace The Lord hath to prevent the abuse of it annexed the threatnings of the covenant of works to the violation of the covenant of grace Death Hell the wrath to come the curses of the Law were the threats of the covenant of Works These are used to Hedge in a reverend regard to and obedience of the covenant of grace God in infinite wisdome and love jealous of the Apostasy of his peoples hearts and zealous of his own glory and their salvation hath annexed dreadfull threatnings to the Preaching of the Gospel to keep down proud wanton flesh to be a thorny thick-sett preventive of over-leaping rebellions and preservative of obedience The fear of anger is a good expedient left the hope of Gods goodnesse be abused to carnal neglect Hence we read these comminations Expedit esse sub 〈◊〉 ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinae benignitatis solvamur in negligentiam Orig. We are not of those which draw back to perdition Heb. 10. 38. Perdition is implyedly threatned against A postasie from Christ He that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ in sinceritie let him be Anathema Maranatha accursed excommunicate for ever 1 Cor. 16. 22. The everlasting curse is threatned to Christs false friends He that believeth not is damned Joh. 3. 18. Except ye repent ye shall perish Luk. 13. 3. Yea there where the Lord proclaimes the glory of his name in grace and mercy left it should be wronged to wantonness he mentions a terrible threatning That he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 6 7. Such as by unbeleeving loose impenitent courses a second time crucisie the Son of God and prostitute his metits to wicked courses should doe well to study those angry words He will by no means clear such guilty ones Because pround secure Libertines either Impii simul metuunt contemnunt saenas Luth. in Gen consider not or fear not or positively contemn Gods threatned wrath Hence it is that they securely play the 〈◊〉 in the hopes of mercy 'T is rare these sad and serious thoughts are layd to heart If I do not beleeve in Christ I am lost for ever If I live in my sinne I shall perish If I depart from Christ I shall be 〈◊〉 one If I abuse the long-suffering goodness truth
Two texts among others are the strong hold for their earthly minds Parents lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12. 14. And he that provides not for his own is worse than an Insidel 1 Tim. 5. 8 â—oth are true but miserably abused by uncompassionate covetous hearts The first of laying up for children was never intended to swallow up laying out in works of Charity and Mercy But what though Gods allowance and Parents indulgence may lawfully make their children the heirs in part of their Estates will this excuse their dis-inheriting Christ in the necessitous poor will this excuse their rebelling against the Gospel Old New Testament requities for liberal alms giving nothing or next to nothing in no proportion to estates Amongst the sayings of ancient modern holy writers yea the confessions of heathens that might easily swel into a Book Some sayings out of Salvian might make Scripture Worldlings to tremble who profess their portion is in God and give sad grounds of Jealousie 't is only in this life When they thus Apologize we know what Gods Justice demands what sacred truth requires but we â—â—rfess we are bowed under the yoak of our fleshly allience we Dedimus capâ—â—â— manus vincalâ—â— charitatis câ—ssâ— saenguint â—â—â—es vicerunt devotioneÌ„ relâ—gionis jura pictatis Salvian contra Avaâ—itiâ—â— Viâ—â—â—â— excuâ—â—â—unâ—â—â—â— non excusans have given our captive hards to the chairs of our Parental affections The voice of blood is lowder then that of faith and the rights of nature have swallowed up the devotion of Religion Something may be said to cover but not to cure the disease of worldliness a shadow of excuse not excusing giving to the guilty a shew of deprecation no security from the cry of guilt O worldly I arent whose all it is to heap up estates for thy children or the main of thy earthly travel and solace The unhappiest man in the World Doest thou think how well others shall live after thee and not how ill thou art like to die Tell me I pray thee O miser O Infidel when many are inriched with thy divided Patrimony and greedy Purchases have you so ill deserved of your self as not to advantage your soul by charity to strangers 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es â—am male meritus Take this choice admonition Let no man prefer his dearest childe above his soul Christians are so to consult the good of their Heirs in this life as to accommodate themselves in Eternity Facilius est hic deesse quippiaÌ„ quam parentibus in futuro multo est levior praesens tenuitas quam aeterna paupertas ib. 'T is better that children should want something here then Parients all hereafter Present mean estate is better then eternal poverty Better that Heirs want a large Patrimony then the Testators their salvation yea they to whom Inheritances are left if they have any piety bowels mercy to them that leave them should be glad of their pious liberality lest they perish Hearken hide-bound heart-bound Parents that have the judgement of withered hands upon you to the words of Christ He that loves Sonor Daughter more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10. 37. Have ye banished self-love from your selves soul love is true self-love O unbelief O perverseness 'T is a vulgar saying Charity begins at home This is a new kinde of Monster to consult the well-fare of any one but ones self Behold thou art to goe O man of matchless misery to a sacred tryal to that trembling and intolerable Judgement where onely a good Conscience an innocent Life works of Mercy will refresh thee Where a liberal minde a fruitful repentance and copious alms will befriend thee What if immoderate scraping together for thine beiâ—s shut Heaven against thee Mens larga Paenitentia fructuosa Eleemo synae copiosae and open hell to receive thee Will the memory of thine heirs vast and voluptuous Estate ease thy Bed of flames Will the thoughts of their delitious tables even to glut and wantonness afford thee a crum of mercy a drop of water to cool abate thy torturing pangs Hadst thou not been better by a Bill of Exchange to have sent a great part of thine Estate in works of mercy into the other world As to the other refuge of Tenacious covetousnesse he that provides not for his own house is worse then an Infidell how is this Text made to speak on the Misers side and how far from his Protection The mind of the Spirit and the Apostle in those words was not to countenance a confined use of christians estates within the Pale of their own families but to taxe and caution against the Abolishment of naturall affections and necessary provisions in carelesse family-guides under the Pretensions of piety This inhumanity to ones own flesh and bloud sets professed christians Sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 below Heathenish Infidells who are by the guide of Nature propense to love their own Of kin to this is that Popish Inhumanity which is cryed up for superlative Piety if any leave their wife children and aged Parents or go a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem or cloyster up themselves in a Monastery The Catabaptists as Marlorat noted were besotted with the same madnesse for leaving their wives and children as astonished witlesse fanatick men they run up and down To propagate as they fancied the Dominions of Christ The same wild course the brain-sick Ita se pomeria Christi propagaturos dixerant Marloin 1 Tim. 5. besotted Quakers take in these dayes leaving their dearest Relations in tedious journyes where Satan called the spirit is pleased to send them whom the Holy Spirit calls worse then Infidells for undoing their families to propagate the light within them from County to County such as these as oppose Religion to the necessary provisions of this life are here intended But Non ita claudenda est res familiaris ut eam benignitas aperire non posset neque ita referanda ut pateat omnibus Cicero 2. Offic. what speak those words for worldly Christians of the other extream Are not they worse then Infidells whose improved naturall reason and moralities have made them liberall to the poore and needy Have not these denyed the Faith of Scripture that abundantly commands charitable distribution yea the True faith in God that is ever fruitfull in the compassionate works of Almagiving Thus too many with Scripture leave as they thinke are Bad Stewards of their Wealth let the large waters of creature mercies run out almost only in the channells of their own Families are not the blessed cisterns to convey them into wanting houses Trace all the kinds of abusing Gods Grace to their proper Oirginalls and it will be experimented the wresting of some Scriptures or others hath been the cause of loose hearts and wanton lives SECT 11. THe third head of causes why the Grace of God is abused Sect. 11. The grace of God is abused by
prophet that sayes There is no peace to the wicked Ifa 57. 21. sayes also He that made them will shew no mercy to them Ifa 27. 11. SECT 12. 12. The Presumption of Interest in the Promises is a cause Sect. 12. presumption of Interest in the promises causeth abuse of Grace why Grace is abused as unreasonably do foolish Gospellers fancy a part in the great Charter of the City of God the gra cious covenant of promises as fools oâ— madmen imagine the Immunities and Priviledges of the City of London belong to them who were never Apprentices there nor in any other regular way got their Freedome This glorious Interest a part in the Promises too many vain walkers in the Christian name no less falsly then boldly do assume T is â—ith false Christians as Jewes those made this their vaunt and proofe That the Promises belonge dunto them Rom. 9. 4. And those at every turne after renewed dishonour to the Grace of God can shelter themselves in the Promises but where in the word is there a title of a promise made to the wrongings of Grace Hath the word of Promise made a soft bed for effeminate delicate lazy lustfull carnall security to sleep in the promise of life to unreturning sinners strengthens the hands of the wicked and is a lie Ezek 13. 22. The God of Truth never promised life ever threat neth death to the impenitent The Devill the flattering world the wicked promise themselves life in the wayes of Death The word doth note soure things will discover the wickednesse of their Presumption that impudent unmortified christians lazy convictions have a right to the promises 1. They have not while the Abuse of grace raignes in them a right to Christ therefore not to the promises Christ is the great gospel Promise the great moving Wheel by which all the Whee's of the promises move In him all the promises are â—ea and Amen 2 Cor 1. 20. To him they were made therefore he is called The covenant of the people Isa 42. 6. so then no part in Christ none in Promises no taking of the person of Christ no child of promise Now its evident that unreformed abusers of the grace of God Lusts-servers Flesh-pleasers have no part in Christ for they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5. 24. and therefore as yet are strangers to the promises and children of Wrath under the curse every moment in danger of Hell the promises have not a good word for them The confidence of being armed with the promises will not keep such black markes as are carnall wantons shot free from the mortall charges of the Lawes threatnings 2. The promise is an holy promise ps 105. 42. Now an holy promise was never made to encourage and bolster up unholy hearts lives T is true immediatly before the sinners taking Christ the promise found him unholy but it doth not leave him so In the first moment of taking Christ and right to the promises an holy nature is infused and its impossible that such a one should infuse the Grace of God and make void the promise 3. The Spirit that seales the promise to the beleevers Soule in an holy spirit Eph. 4. 20. Now as the seal leaves its owne print on the Wax so the holy spirit seales the holinesse of the promises on the Soul Where the heart is still unholy the Devill seals his false promise the spirit seals not his true one the spirits applications of promises are purifying and fortifying 4. The use of the promise is the improovement of Grace not dishonour it is for Gods sake service not the sinners not barely to comfort but mainly to cleanse Having these promises let us Impii rapiunt in sui consolation em promissiones grutiae Luther in Gen. cleanse our selves 2Cor 7. 1. Lust and the devill saith having these promises we may boldly sin the promise will help in case of sin guilt and disquier Most true is that of Luther The wicked filch and take the promises of Grace to themselves for their carnall comfort SECT 13. 13. The presumption of a false Peace hath betrayed many to Sect. 13. The presumption of false peace causeth the abuse of grace the injury of Gods grace quiertnesse speakes no safety nor goodnesse of conscience the Dormant Lion when awakened will roare and tear the Prisoner is neither secure nor cleane because he sleeps in a cold and filthy dungeon though he be merry and loose in his restraint he is under the lash of the Law and neer the sentence of the Judge Though there be no true Peace to the wicked Isa 57. 21. Yet they please themselves with the Devills peace Luk. 11. 21. While God lets them alone and the Devill disturbs them not in meane while the old man upon presumption of Liberty of conscience shelters himself under the Tranquiliias ista tempestas wing of grace This security is not long lived though it be lasting t is not everlasting sins calms prove the worst storms a calm air hath ushered in sea storms Earthquakes the wind in the bowells of the Earth is silent and quiet for a time at length it breaks out roars and hurls Hills Feilds and Houses into a dark and ruinous Abyss Indulged pampered sin in the soul is silent and quiet for a time but at length it breaks out and roares in horror of conscience and hurles all false comforts into the dismall pit of despaire Although blood toucheth blood Hos 4. 2. And there be a contiguity a close addition of sin to sin drunkennesse be Pax mihi futura ad appectum i. e. ad studia cordis mei ambulabo Junius added to thirst yet many blesse themselves in the imaginations of their hearts and say they shall have peace Deut. 29. 19. yea walk according to the deluding Dictates of their hearts because they say so Had it not beene for Lust and the Devills peace the awakning terrors of the spirit of bondage might have driven many out of Hells way into Christ but because stupified consciences are peaceable they dare be filthy and abominable and this is the sad tragicall issue of the merry comicall Acts of sin in the stage of this life That ease which hath first tempted to sin ends in torment The ease of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them Prov. 1. 32. When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travell upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. They shall say who shall the next verse 4. Tells us they who are in darknesse and do the workes of darknesse by the comfort and confidence of peace that the day of angry Justice overtakes as a Theife they shall say peace Ah sad peace worse then war the snare and trap-doore to fall into destruction Happy had it been for the filthy Peace-dreamers of bad hearts
taken it he was twice forced from his attempt to a sad retreat by almost vehement showr of rain and is reported to say When I could I had no minde to take Rome when I would I had no power There are too many that will to all Eternity confess that when Grace hath wooed them for their eternal salvation and repentance to life they had no minde to it but when they would on a death-bed repent they could not 'T is never enough considered by them that put off their repentance what infinite hazard they run to be lost for ever Subtle Satan and the wily flesh doth against deceived sinners as ill Debtors carry to their Creditors promise to pay but beg a longer day of payment and when that is come another and so another day and never pay Flattering Lust begs a longer day of repentance and being loth to leave Lusts dear sweet services and delights craves still a longer day and so the Debt of repentance is unpaid This cursed and common frame of Spirit doth in effect speak thus to God The real love and delight of my soul is in my sin I delay repentance not out of love to the duty or hatred of my delicious Lusts but to quiet my conscience and for fear of Hell I mean not to delay a repentance once but often yea always yea should I live an Eternity in the World my delicious sins shall have my heart my service Mortification is an idle dream The death of sin shall neither have my sentence nor endeavors I am loath to leave my sweet Companions Hence is it that from youth to man-hood from that to old age from that to Eternity there is no repentance in hardned vessels of wrath A while longer and a while longer is the constant importunity of the flesh Back-sliding is perpetual Jer. 8. 5. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be Jer. 13. 27. This lazy disease of sluggish putting off repentance was in Augustine yea had ever been in him had not Grace cured it When he could not answer the convictions of the necessity Non erat quid respondereÌ„ veritate convictus nisi tantum verba lenta somnoleÌ„ta Modo ecce modo sine paululuÌ„ sed modo modo non habebat moduÌ„ sine panlulum in longum ibat Aug. in Confes Nitido cum flore juventus Num satanae senii faex erit apta Deo of repentance he craved forbearance not to do it yet I know not said he hat to answer being convinced of the truth but onely sluggish and sleepy words Anon behold anon suffer me a little But anon and anon had no measure and bear me a little held long Thus Satan hath the flower of age the strength of man-hood and God the dregs of old age 'T is mans folly and madness to give God the worst 'T is ordinarily his angry Justice not to accept it He that is denyed the sweet Rose of the Spring cannot be pleased with the dry Thorn Had God no delight in the yong-long-standing fruitless tree surely he can take none in it when 't is withered It 's no longer for the soil but fire Matth. 3. 10. If it be said God works Grace on a sick bed as one said An early Saint now in glory answered him in two things This is extraordinary 'T is not Gods usual course to begin and period death-bed repentance and further said he Do not you trust to that How reasonable will Gods usual refusal of sick-bed and old Non illos qui necessario sed qui sponte vitiis abstinent Coronat Deus Chrysost age returning thoughts appear in the other world They that put off repentance to the last do it not out of choice but necessity and God is not on t to crown forced and artificial but free and natural repentance It is a poor weak and unconvincing demonstration that a man delights in wholsome severe exercises of repentance who never set upon them but when going out of the World Their sins leave them before they PriusquaÌ„ peccata relinquaÌ„t â— peccatis retinquuntur leave their sins They think of leaving them because they have no more active spirits strength time to besto upon them not because of holy hatred against them indignation at and weariness of them Had this frame of spirit been infused by the holy Ghost in the renewed heart long ago sin had not had so many years faithful service This adjourning repentance reprieving not executing the flesh makes foolish men like bad Gamesters that throw up the Cards when they have lost the Game so these faint woulders after repentance never think of throwing up their sins till in their disease they have lost their lives they never think of ending their iniquity till the pleasure of their iniquity be at an end Ezek. 21. 25. But O dallying sinner that hâ—st a long time been caught in the snare of deep carnal security Hear the Apostles warning Awake thou that sleepest from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Hearken not to the Ravens Song Cras Cras to morrow to morrow That morrow comes not to many lingring sinners Art thou sure the repenting morrow will come unto thee The saving motion of the spirit often abused never comes again The safer and wiser words are Cito Cito Redi Redi Quickly quickly Return return Hearken O foolish sons and daughters of men to that of the wise Solomon How long will ye love simplicity sit in the region and shadow of death be the Devils Prisoners and your Lusts Captives and abide condemned under the curse of the Law Would you quickly run out of an House fired about your ears Would you flie from a drawn pursuing Sword to run you through O while under Gospel time and means of grace you are Wantons and pamper the flesh slight and contemn the ways and methods of Eternal Life even all this while the wrath of God the malice of Satan the killing Law is pursuing you for your immortal ruine O take the counsel that once a friend gave to Brentius when his enemies were suddenly plotting determining and endeavoring his death he wrote a Letter to him Fly Brentius with all possible speed Fly for your life O lingring sinners within Cito Citius Citissime Melch Adam a little of the Grave and Eternity that have abused the grace of God Fly with all possible speed from the state of damnation the wrath to come while your day of Grace is spending and it may be shortly will be quite spent your damnation slumbers not but with terrible awakened Lion-like eyes will stare on your departing souls if you go with the un-repenred unpardoned mountain load of all your sins into the other World As Solomon spake concerning flight from ensâ—â—â—ing undoing suretiship Deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler Give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber
neighbours Before I leave this point I am constrained to warn and exhort all you that are carnal wicked Libertines of the present adulterous generation Make use I beseech you of your reason I say not of your grace for yet you have none to argue down your wicked peece of non-sense Godly men sin and therefore you may Will their falls priviledge yours Seriously consider three things 1. You should reason Gods children sin so and so therefore I must not I dare not If their grace hath not kept them innocent how can I be clean that am wholly corrupt If they trade poorly in heavenly commodities that have a stock of grace must not I be a bankrupt in goodnesse that have not a dramme If they sin thus that have a principle of life what danger am I in a dead sinner of eternal death To follow a good mans sin is at once sin and punishment a piece of sad vengeance God in wrath against me may suffer them to fall and break their shins that I may fall and lose my life Non voluit ea scribi spiritus sanctus ad statuendum morale exemplum sed in censolarionem non ad confirmandam licentiam peccati in posterum sed ad spem fidem excitandam Luth. in Gen. 2. Scripture examples and present instances of scandalous Saints were not proposed for but against sin not to embolden the presumptuous but comfort humble afflicted consciences Luthers saying is notable The Holy Ghost would not have the sinfull examples of the Saints recorded in sacred Writ that their examples should teach sin but to comfort fainting tempted penitents not to confirme a bold license of sinne for the future but to stirre up the faith and hope of pardon upon repentance Since their great yet purged sins have not blockt up the way to glory The Saints falls should be like fire in the chimneys top and the roof to warn neighbouring houses not like to fire in the hearth to warm and encourage others like a stake in the water to avoid it where some were drowned not to come near it 3. You will learn to your smart and shame without repentance in the great day a broad difference between the sinnes of the godly and your own in seven things 1. They sin who are in a state of Grace espoused to Christ and have him to be their surety for pardoning and purging grace and their advocate to plead the infinite merits of his obedience 2 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 7. 22. but you sin and are in the state of fin and wantonly run a whoring from Christ whom you pretend to match with and have him not your suretie to pardon and purge you by the benefit of his intercession Heb. 7. 25. Act. 5. 31. 2. Sin is not their deliberate purpose but obedience is Psal 17. 3. Psal 119. 106. They cleave to God with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. even then when they sin against their purpose As the Marriners purpose is to sail to his intended Port when cross winds drive him off from his Compasse But your heart is set in you to doe evill Eccles 8. 11. Why will you die Ezek. 18. 31. We will not come to thee Jer. 2. 31. We will not do the word of the Lord Jer. 44. 16. 3. Sin is not their choice The evil I would not doe Rom. 7. 19. But duty is holy wisdom and understanding Prov. 16. 16. The way of truth Psal 119. 30. Christ the good part Luke 10. 42. One day in Gods service Psal 84. 10. Above a thousand in vanitie and sin yea an eternity But you chuse not duty the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 29. but your own waies Isa 66. 3. The life of sense not faith earth not heaven 4. Sin is not their love but loathing They abhor it and themselves Rom. 7. 15. Ezek. 6. 9. They love God Ps 18. 1. Christ 1 Tim. 1. 14. The regenerate 1 Joh. 5. 1. The commandements Ps 119. 127. The divine presence in Ordinances Psal 16. 8. Whe coming of Christ to Judgement 2 Tim. 4. 8. But you love simplicitie Prov. 1. 22. secure slumbers Pro. 20. 13. covetousness Hos 4. 18. to wander Jer. 14. 10. Sinne is your darling the dearly beloved of your soul not your abhorrence Ps 36. 4. 5. Sin is not their delight The joy of their soules is the Law of God Rom. 7. 21. Doing his will Psal 40. 8. The sweet fruitfull graces of Jesus Christ Can. 2. 3. The Spirits comforts Psal 94. 19. The excellent The Saints in earth Psalm 16. 3. But sin is your delight 'T is clear 't is so you are glad to borrow a cloak to cover it made of good mens sins you sport in sin Prov. 10. 23. Take pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2 12. Scorning Prov. 1. 22. Frowardness Prov. 2. 14. Abominations Isa 66. 3. 6. They rise from sin and after their falls turn to God Jer. 31. 19. but you are not renewed unto repentance Heb. 6. 10. but lie in wickedness 1 John 5. 19. Refuse to return Jeremiah 8. 5. 7. When they are risen they dread falling again have care to please God fear to offend him 2 Cor. 7. 11. You sin without fear in lawful things Jude ep v. 12. and unlawful things 2 Pet. 2. To have no care nor conscience to please and honor God and therefore the eternal difference between them and you is They sin and will be saved you sin and unless you draw better Arguments then loosness from the sins of Gods servants will be damned SECT 19. 4. TEmptation that hath much contributed to the abuse of 19. Divisions and contentions about Christian Religion ecause abuse of grace Bona pars Christiani orbis hoc tempo re potius videtur esse bustū quam Christianae gregis domicilium Otho Casmannus Miseram Christianitatem wiseram Ecclesiam Sententiarum animorum divortia Gods grace is division and contention about Christian Religion That in Christian Churches there are too sad contentions Mens spirits pens and tongues being dipt in Gall and that Victory mostly is more contended for then verity wants not truth nor proof Wrangling warring Divinity hath made the Church to be rather like a Bon-fire then the House of God One speaking of Christianity and the Church affixeth to them a sad Epithete Miserable Christianity miserable Church Indeed Scriptureless rending division is not her glory but misery Divisions of opinion and practices beget divorce of affections yea 't is too much a fault a siding Opinion is cryed up above a Saint and the shriller the voice is for highest discovery in point of Doctrine and Discipline sometimes the lower and calmer the truer and safer is more to be attended too 'T is sad experience in our Contests our Moderation is not known there is running from extreams to extreams While Satan hath the boldness and success to get into Christs Quarters and in the visible Kingdom of Christ not in all his Subjects infallibly true nor
holy but a part of the Devils Kingdom is slily admitted standers by seeing divided Sects and different Opinions in Religion yea each party entitling its Tenent and Practice to the Scripture the Truth the Spirit the Glory of God conclude in this dust they cannot see their way to Heaven In this season Satan the Arch Heretick Divider Deceaver and Libertine plies his Market to perswade to dissolute life some he tempts to be of any Religion some none to be stark Atheists and debauched prophane ones and many in the true Religion to be cold and formal much heat and strength being spent upon the out-side that should have been bestowed upon the in-side the vitals of Christianity In the Pro and Con Disputes about out-works the inward Guards have been neglected Sound Christians holy walking is not so lively and wicked Libertines sit down contented and resolved to allow and follow the pretended felicities of their unmortified Lusts Satan through Church contentions tempts to believe that Religion is a bottomless Pit not to be sounded a meer fancy And while men of piety and learning cannot agree there is in some a pleasing agreement about Whoredom Drunkenness railing at all Ministers contempt of Ordinances yea the bloody subtile Jesuit and his blinded Popish Votaries stand behinde the Curtain and cry Hereticks Schismaticks Libertines Among Protestants no Ministery no Ordinances no Church no Salvation Happy had it been in our sinning days if Unity Truth and Peace had prevented this great temptation Put though the healing of our deplorable diseased Zion be rather to be wished then to be hoped for yet two sorts of abusers of Gods grace discontented Protestants and seducing Papists that warm their hands by our fires will not finde the least real Sanctuary for their injurious reflexions upon the Gospel of grace in past and present Divisions and Contentions I shall apply my self to both the parties that it is to be feared are glad to see the offensive dishonors to the grace of God yea are much injurious to it themselves 1. To discontented exceptious Protestants O you Sons and Daughters of Belial Ignorant Prophane Irreligious Have you reason about differences of Religion to grow secure wantons to Sleep Drink Game Swear away your time prophane the Sabbath keep the worship of God out of your Families and the fear of God our of your hearts to live a bruitish sensual voluptuous life to resent the thoughts of Heaven and Hell as idle Fables to live as if there should be no resurrection of the Body and Judgement to come to mis-spend your precious hours in carnal visits no way relating to Gods glory and your everlasting salvation to neglect provisions for Eternity to be as great strangers to the beneficial practical thoughts of Religion as if you were born and brought up among Heathens Did the Corinthians make this use of their Divisions and Erronious Opinions to justifie and support a Godless Graceless conversation Can you prove that every different Opinion in Religion is a different Religion May not you finde in unhappily divided Christians among us an Harmony of Religion in the vitals essentials thereof referring to the life of Christ and the power of godliness May not dissenting ones tune in a thousand places of sacred Scripture which teach soundness in the Faith necessary renewing grace and godly life Will not common acknowledged Principles of Believing Repenting Obeying Persevering arraign and condemn your loosness If you Object Some Sects are Heretical and Blasphemous deny Christ the Scripture the Resurrection Let these Apostates that hold not the head Col. 2. 19. Jesus Christ un-christian'd and become Heathens themselves answer if they can for themselves These Renegado's sad Revolters from Christs colours to the Devils Camp have a worse Judgement on them then Prisons and flaming Stakes They have denyed the Lord whom they professedly owned to be their Redeemer and in the Judgement of the Apostle Peter have brought upon themselves swift destruction These do not onely bring themselves into the Order of Heathens but are worse then they for they have cut themselves off from the way of salvation there is not another Christ to be their Mediator and there remains no more sacrifice for sin Do you that declaim against the errors of the time know any such Carnal mirth becomes not such a notice you should go into your Chambers and bitterly mourn over their Apostacy They are the black marks of Spiritual Judgement are fittest Objects for Christian compassion I beseech you after you are somewhat off the hears of pursuing in an Hellish Chase your ungodly Lusts after your fiery tongues scorching the precious name of sound Christians with the hot charge of Hypocrites Hereticks Persons unfit to live in the common Air In cool blood and serious earnest consider whether Contentions and Divisions about Truth in Religion will be a Cloak broad enough to cover your excess of Riot contempt of the Laws Requiries and Gospel-duties your Heathenish and worse then Heathenish practical Atheism whereby you live in your Families without Prayer to God Hath natural Religion taught Pagans Devotion to their apprehended Deities The Mariners in the tempest called upon their gods Jonah 1. 5. yea probably at other times also Can your Chambring and wantonness your Oathes and Scoffs at the shining presidents of practical Piety your desperate security in sin without the least remorse of conscience and least hearkning to the motions of the Spirit now and then shaking you by the conscience if it be not cauterized and dead your Graceless devouring the Creatures without serious thoughts of your deep Engagement to your abused Benefactor The blessed God your dreadful carelesness of your own souls not much mattering whether they be saved or damned your casting off the thoughts of Gods strict recording of your thoughts words and actions in the Book of his Remembrance your dissolute ill good-fellowship your treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath your slight thoughts of the last Judgement Will this and other sad Bills of Indictment be answered and crossed out by Christians dis-agreements in controversal Points If you shall be so blinde and bold as to conclude in your Death-bed and in the accounting Day different Judgements about Religion will Apologize for your Libertinism Will not the Judge of all the world convince and condemn you out of the Ten Commandments the rules of the Gospel the Wisdom and Piety of standing Saints in evil tempting times whose soundness in the Faith Lamps burning Loyns girt Garments kept clean upright Conversation have been an Antidote against publick Infection Will not God finde plentiful matter of your damnation from your own sins Yea further which is a sad Quaere should not you who sport in sin and scoff at holiness and holy Ones live without God and Christ in the World rather make another construction of Errors Janglings and intemperate heats about Religion What if God suffer these scandals and stumbling-blocks to ruine us for our
He suffers reproach in loose Gospellers His Name is not as a precious ointment but unfavoury His Inflitutions of grace contemned His Government refused the Holynesse and Strictnesse he enjoyneth is questioned disregarded yea positively opposed With infamy we spit upon faith one with our base life we destroy that noble and truly precious name of Christ He is wounded in the house of his of his pretended yea sometimes of his real friends a proof of their old old mans real enmitie against him His Followers and Disciples loose walking is the Devils 〈◊〉 to sharpen and keene the weapons of calumny against him 3. To Christianity The Law of Christ faith Salvian suffers disgrace by uncircumspect Christians when under the Wing of the blessed Gospel cursed are shrouded the Gospel it self is cursed 4. To exact Christians The most untainted professors are blasphemed by the censorious world because of the scandals of some ni Christs Family The Tabernacle is blasphemed Rev. 13. 6. The true children of Zion are villified They are all Hypocrites 5. To loose Christians Their loosenesse is their reproach they foam out their ownshame as Jude speaks v. 13. they manifest their folly 2 Tim. 3. 9. discover their nakednesse Exod. 32. 25. declare their sinne as sadom Isa 3. 9. shew the Plague is on them and warne others to turn from them 2 Tim. 3. 5. By the manifest fruits of the flesh Gal. 5. 19. they doe evidence it that they are not led by the holy but over-ruled by the unclean spirit SECT 8. 8. It is a sinne bringing daily and sensible losse to the soul 8. Abuse of grace daily brings loss to to the soul Look to your selves that we loose not those things which we have wrought but that we recieve a full reward Joh. Ep. 2. ver 8. Carnal spirits under Gospel grace take a course to loose the grace of God Gospel blessings all the means a grace Christ his Spirit Hopes Confidences Joyes Prayers Tears Almso Body Soul Time Heaven all the waies and attainments of Everlasting Mercies Christianity is Fighting but Wantonness under and against the Gospel beats the air doth not pull down but promote sin and Satans Kingdom Christianity is a Race but Si inveniatur in circumciso transgressio Legis perinde habet ad justiam operum circumcisio et praeputium Dickson the Injuries of Gods grace keepes a man short of the Eternal prize he runnes in vain comes short of glory As to the loose Jew his circumcision was lost Christians as if he had never heard of Gods grace We see riotous ill Husbands spend freely on their estates and they vanish as if they had never been Doe we not see in these Grace-abusing daies false Christians riot in Libertinisme and their gracious profession vanishneth as if it had never been Sodom had a fair morning but was consumed with fierieshowers some have had a morning of early shining profession but playing the Wantons in spiritual pride and carelesnesses fierie indignation hath soon punished the pretended glory of their Religion A I have seen beauteous bloossoms that have made a gallant shew soon blasted so there want not instances of fair blossoming Christians soon blasted by corrupt opinions and practises Yea which is sad as travellers have gone half their way but are plundered and slain by High-way cutters and Robbers so some seeming heavenly travellers have gone half their way with Christ but being careless solitary disarmed are soulrobbed and slaughtered by Satans High-way men The erroneous and dissolute and further which is faddest of all as wel-guided ships in their perilous voyage within a little of Harbour either spring a leak or run on sand or rocks and lose their long sayling on the hazardous Main so old seeming Christians that look like Monasons that appeared to be long passengers in this worlds Sea heaven-wards by the leak of some secret unmortified lust let in destruction are swallowed up in the soft sands of a voluptuous life or spit on the Rocks of Despair or Presumption O its sad to be considered and with bitter tears to be bewailed what promising hopes youth-Apostate Christians have lost what soul-shipwracks manhood-Apostate Christians have made what bankrupts as to saving grace old Age-Apostate Christians have been O mournful spectacle that an old Professor that was thought to be almost ripe for heaven should prove a Wind-fall and turn a Libertine a Ranter a Quaker Look to it Christi-ans fear and tremble to be wantons with heavenly Ordinances your Christian Profession your shining Gifts your glorious Attainments your hopes of Heaven Assure your selves your unreformed abuse of grace will prove a sinne that will continually cause you to be on the losing hand for your souls SECT 9. 9. It is a despising sin it despifeth the Spirit of grace in 9. Abuse of grace is a despising of the Spirit of Grace Inaudita non faciunt nos lecta calcamuâ— Light love and holyness Heb. 10. 29. why hast thou despised the Commandement of the Lord 2 Sam. 12. 9. â—n home and a sharp question implying a cutting reproofe of David he sinned against the known Commandement of God and it s called despising The servant that knoweth his Masters pleasure and willingly disobeyeth despiseth this government An inlightned Christian sinneth at an higher rate then an ignorant Heathen Minoris reatus legem noscire quam spernere Salvian Those that fit in the Region and shadow of death do not what they hear not we read the pleasure of God and cast it under our feet in is lesse guilt to be ignorant of then despise the Law informed Rebellion shall have more stripes sinfull ignorance fewer t is rarely considered that when daring Christians abuse the Grace of God they despise the God of Grace What wickedness is this to despise infinite goodness and communicated kindness Should that leads to repentance tempt to carnal indulgence The wonder is not so great that that the damned in hell-torments despite God in his vengeance O stupendious folly and madnesse carnal Gospellers despite God in his Grace SECT 10. 10. It is Revolting Sin The wanton widdow that waxed wanton 10 Abuse of Grace is a revolting sin against Christ left first Faith of Christianity for an Idolattous Husband I Tim. 5. 10 11. When men are evil because God is good they cannot but grow worse and worse I have nonrished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1 2. Gods goodnesse was abused to Apostate They are gone backward ver 4. ye will revolt more and more v. 5. Near spiritual union unto and close walking with God keeps the heart in awe but abuse of Gods grace men turn their backs upon him Evil servants at distance from their Masters are wantons and riotous and evil men when they goe away from God Two sad characters of a vile person going a whoring from God and being far from him are put down in the same verse Ps 73. 27. And they are ever
more sad O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Hos 13. 9. Why will you die O house of Israel The Law of sin and death are yoâ—ked together Voleutes ultronei cu iditatuvus inserviunt Pet. Mart. in Rom. Rom. 8. 2. They that will walk after their lusts wil perish 2. Pet. 2. 10 12. Now the practical adversaries of Gods grace do most willingly and freely serve their own lusts and necessitate their ruin are like Phalaris that was burnt in his own Engine of crueltie like him that hangs himself in his own Halter His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins Prov. 5. 28. He shall die without refused instruction and in the greatress of his deliberate voluntary folly he shall goe astray ver 23. He shall finde no shelter in Gods decrees His wilfull abuse of grace will be his self-condemnation He shall have his sentence at the great day not qua now electus but qua impius not depart you cursed because I chose you not but because ye are workers of iniquity SECT 2. 2. Judgement of Perverting the grace of God is spiritual 2 Spiritual blindness is a judgement inflicted upon those who pervert the grace of God blindnesse I am come for judgement said Christ that they which see might be made blind Joh. 9. 39. Isaias saw the Gospel-glory of Gods grace and pâ—eached it to the loose reprobate Jews and the Lord in wrath blinded their eyes that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts Joh 12. 40 41. Who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant Isa 42. 19. Hear ye deaf and look ye blind ver 18. A sad reproof of the wicked Jews that did unworthily prophane the most excellent gift of gospel-light Though all others might be blind and deaf yet they that had the most bright Nulli coeciores nulli surdiores Probrose meminit Calvin Lamp of Truth shining the Silver Trumper of the Gospel sounding before them should not yet none more blind none more deaf than they an heavy judgement But if blind how Perfect how Servants They are the words of Exprobration not Commendation They should be perfect Duces via Leaders to others but were not They were punished with Blindnesse This sore punishment is clear in four things 1. They whom God punisheth with Blindness of mind are given up to the Devil to be blinded The god of this world blinds the eyes of them that beleeve not lest the light of Go spel-grace should sevingly shine in their hearts 2 Cor. 4. 4. It was a judgement on the wanton Sodomites that the Angels Diabolus est Dei carnifex atque divine ultionis execu tor Pet. Mart. blinded them Gen. 19. 11. It is a Judgement on wanton Gospellers when the evil Angels blind them with the dust dirt and srnoâ—k of abused creatures corrupt principles carnal reason their oâ—n ungoverned passions It is a Judgement when the Judge commits evil doers to the Goaler and the Hangman for execution The Devil in blinding the minds of those that are lascivious with grace is Gods Executioner 2. They whom God punisheth with Blindnesse of mind cannot find the way of Life And now sad is that to wander like the blind man that gropes for the way but finds it not The blinded Sodomites wearied themselves to find the door and found it not Gen. 19. 11. So many there be that grope after the narrow way of Life and find it not Mat. 7. 14. Strive to enter into the door of happyness but find it not The Jew wronging the grace of the gospel was blinded and found it not The Papist is blinded and finds it not the loose ignorant yea the loose though knoâ—ing Protestant yet is blind and beleeves it not How many grope for the way of eternal life in good meanings and supposed good hearts in Civilities in Formalities in Comparative goodness in partialities of Obedience and the like and yet darkness hath blinded their eyes that they see not the way of Life 3. They whom God punisheth with blindnesse of mind they fall on every stumbling-block they meet withall are taken in every snare of Company Relations Possessions Prosperity and Adversity sa 8. 14 15. yea shining spiritual gifts yea the sweet Promises of the Gospel wrested to loosenesse are turned into snares The blind man scapes not the block in his way nor the snare and gin that is layd for him Levit. 19. 14. And the blind Libertine scapes not stumbling-blocks in the wayes of death The worst things are causes the best things occasions of stumbling Yea the Lord Christ and Gods grace are a stone of stumbling unto unbeleevers 4. They whom God punisheth with blindness of mind fall into the pit of Hell Mat. 15. 14. As saving grace in Christ delivers soules from going into the bottomlesse pit Job 33. 24. So blindness of minde infallibly delivers into it The blind man falls into the Lime-pit the Cole-pit before him and the blind sinner into the pit of destruction Did he see it hee would tremble to move toward it SECT 3. 3. Iudgement of Dishonor done to the Grace of God is Hardnesse 3 Hardness is judgement inflicted upon such as abuse this grace of God instrumenta indurationis of heart The Jews abused Isaias â—ospel-ministry and God plagued them with Hard hearts Make the heart of this peopleâ— fat Isa 6. 10. He hardned their hearts Joh. 12. 40. Let my people goe that they may serve me The words of the Lord by Moses were the Instruments of Pharaohs Hardning is the Sunne the means of the Clayes Herdning â—â— grace of God in hâ—iâ— wâ—s preacheo o the Israelites in the Wilderness they heard the lively Oracles the gracious Truths of Salvation and Eternal Life in the Water from the Rock in the Manna from Heaven in the Teachings from Moses Act. 7. 37 38. in the inâ—ructions of the good Spirit of God Nehem. 9. 20. But they hardned their hearts in the provocation in the day of temptation â—eb 3. 8. they obeyed not the gracious voice of God v. 7. by the Ministry of Moses and the Lord plagued them with their own hard hearts Three things speak this an heavy judgement 1. There is no Impression of saving grace in an hard heart Where God hardens the hardens the heart he converts not he healeth it not Joh. 12. 40. A Seal leaves no print on an Anvil or an hard Cervix ferrea frons aenea flecti mitescere nescia cor intractabile quavis incude adamante darious Diaholica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stone but on the soft Wax The holy Spirit doth not seal his grace on an hard but a soft heart The Iron sinew Isa 48. 4. the brazen brow the untractable heart that is harder than the Anvil and the Adamant Diabolical insensbilitie an inflexible spirit to the divine pleasure are the spiritual penalties for
is further an high point of Christian care and wisdom to try Our practices Gods grace may be and is prostitured to wickedness Is it not so with thee Inquire in thy Vocation Condition Relation wherein thou standest Hath not thine heart and conversation been tainted with this curfed Leaven The abuse of Gods grace When the Plague is at thy neighbors house there is need to watch and try the soundness of thine own Since this worst of Plagues The abuse of Gods grace is abroad happy are they that search and purge their hearts and lives from licentiousness SECT 8. 8. INference The Devil hath his snares in the most holy 8. The Devil hath his snares in the most holy things things His great fear of War is in and about heavenly things We wrastle against spiritual wickedness in high places the original is in heavenly things Eph. 6. 12. Satan stood at Joshua's right hand Zach. 3. 1. The Pulpit the praying Closet the publike Oratories humbling Sack-cloth days the great and blessed truths of the Gospel the Orthodox as well as the Heretical head is not exempted from his snares The saving things of Gods grace Christs merits the promises of the Covenint the Spirits Gifts and Operations are all made Satans occasional baits to sin Where is weak sinning man safe who is in danger of abusing the holiest things How many have been tempred to be overcome by and perish in reigning sins under the pleasing conceit and deceit of a favoring propriety in God Christ the Spirit and Grace Happy are they that fear always the sinners of the Fowler not onely laid in Creature-comforts but Ordinances of grace in the very grace of God and Christ Most happy are they that are out of the enemies Countrey and reach that are in the state of blessed Indemnity without the fear of being overcome by Satans snares laid most cunningly and vain pretences though never so fairly gilded over SECT 9. 9. INference Libertinism puts the highest affront upon God 9. LIbertinnism puts the highest affront upon God It abuseth him there where he is most glorious should have most praise his grace The praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1. 6. Moses said to God I beseech thee shew me thy glory and God said I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious Exod. 33. 18 19. They are LIbertines in nature that abuse the Creature God hath given the sweet succors of this life to be rightly used not abused 1. Cor. 7. 31. To serve him not lusts to be stairs of Assension unto him not Aversons from him The rich wantons of the world the Apostle James tells shall pay dear for abusing his Creatures to Voluptuousness Oppression hard heartedness forgetfulness of God But the Libertines in grace are the worst and most injurious To cast dirt on Canvase is a wrong but on Scarlet is a greater To abuse a great man in his servant is an indignity but in his Wife in his Sons a greater The abused goodness of God in his grace and Christ goeth nearer his heart then in his Creatures Grace is Gods saving Arm The Libertine doth what in him lies to weaken yea wound the arm of God that it cannot save In some things Almightiness is at a stand He could in his own Countrey do no mighty works but heal a few sick ones because of unbelief Mark 6. 5 6. The grace of God cannot save the constant and wilful abuser of it Paul was careful lest he should abuse his power in the Gospel 1. Cor. 9. 18. Be careful O Christian lest the Indulgences Powers and Liberties of the Gospel be abused CHAP. IX Containing an use of Humiliation PErverting of Gods grace calls for Lamentation Use 2 For Humiliation if prizing the gospel the love of God the zeal of his name the honor of Christ Gratitude for the infinite mercy of redemption are mighty arguments to move serious Christians to magnifie the grace of God in their hearts and lives and to rejoyceâ— its exaltation then surely the sense of undervaluing the gospel The want of love to yea positive hatred of God luke-warmness yea key-coldness for his name The dishonors of the Mediator of Grace unthankfulness for the costly grace of Redemption should load the heart with deep sorrow and draw forth holy mourning and tears and that for two sorts of injurious dealers with Gods grace the best and the worst of persons under the profession of Gods grace SECT 1. 1. BEwail O upright tender hearted Christian thine own 1. Upright hearted persons ought to bewail their abusing of the grace of God and thy fellows unsuitableness and dishonor to the grace of God 'T is too much the old man hath been too dissolute within thee I know thou seest and when thou art thy self canst not but bewail the neglect of the holy government of grace in thy soul the wanton uproars of thy unruly affections the swarms of undisciplined unregarded loose thoughts the secret filthiness which for shame thou darest not word but shamelesly give way to in thy watchless minde thy back-sliding in heart and in some things whoring imaginations fancies contemplations affections about false loves it is too much thou hast a bosome Libertine But art thou convinced thy self and thy co-heirs of glory and livest shamefully and dishonorably below the hopes of Heaven the high holy and heavenly profession of propriety in God an everlasting Portion Doth the guilt of abusing Gods grace visibly and scandalously appear against that holy principle of immortal life that is in thee and others Never leave thinking of this till thine heart be broken before the Lord O what reproach is brought to the God and Gospel of grace when his precious name is wounded in the house of his friends when he hears ill in the world from the dishonors of his own Family As David upon the death of Saul lamented The shield of the mighty is vilely cast away in Gilboa as though Saul was not anointed with oyl 2 Sam. 1. 20. So may it be for a lamentation The shield of the mighty indowed with grace is vilely laid aside as if he were not the anointed with the Spirit As Jeremiah lamented That the precious stones of Zion comparable to fine gold were esteemed as earthen Pitchâ—â—s Lam. 4. 2. So it is deplorable that the precious living stones of Zion darkned by some loose scandals are esteemed as dirt Five things may urge thee O gracious soul to mourn over thy wrongs to Gods grace 1. Thou sinnest against a Principle of life that should and would if excited make thee sensible of Gods dishonor 2. Thou abuseth that that sets thee off from the lost world distinguishing grace 3. Thy injury against saving grace is deepest ingratitude t is walking unwoâ—thy of that which must fit thee for Heaven 4. Thine offensive discoveâ—ies of wronging grace tempts carnal observers too prone to be loose to turn more bold Libertines 5. Thy open offences may be
have given themselves over to Lasciviousnesse Unsorrowing sinners are most sad spectacles for yearning bowels O tender hearted christians in your secret Indolentia non sentiunt naturales conscientiae morsus Dicks mournings pitty hardned Libertines that pittie not themselves weep for them who neither can nor care nor desire to weep for themselves A sorrowless stupidity and lethargy that feels not the check and lash of the natural conscience and is deaf to the Spirits motions that is contracted by a benumming liberty and custom in sin is a woful judgement SECT 6. 6. BEwaile the abuse of Pardoning grace How sad will be 6 Bewaile the abuse of pardoning grace their account whose Faith or rather Presumption of Pardon adds to their sinne Christ said to the pardoned woman sin no more Carnall confidence sayes Sin more you shall be pardoned though dayly dear sinnes are written down in the conscience the Spunge of pardoning grace will blot them out The truly tender conscience cleared from old guilt would not willingly but is afraid to contract new but the brawny seared conscience makes use of Christs indulgence to ease his spirit not to heal his lust It s a lamentation Mâ— wallo vâ— in their pollution because of free remission The Lord hath spoken in that verse where he proclaims the glory of his grace a sad word He will not clear such guilty persons To lay the Dishonors of gospel grace to heart three things may be heart-affecting expedients 1. Such as are grieved for this sin write after the copy of Jesus Christ and the choicest Saints of Christ He beheld Jerusalem where the Messengers of grace the Prophets were abused and slain where himself the author of grace was to be condemned and crucified where the sweet Messages of grace were delivered and despised and wept over its sin and punishment Luke 19. 41. Again a dolorous sense of the injuries of grace is like to that mourning frame of spirit that was in the pious Jews who sighed and cried for all the abominable planings of Gods grace Ezek. 9. 3 4. This suits with eminently holy Pauls spirit who spying looseness among his knowing but wanton Corinthians expressed thus his jealousie I fear lest when I come to you my God will humble me and I shall bewaile them that have not repented of their wantonness 2 Cor. 12. 12 13. 2. Such as are humbled for this sin discover a child-like in-genuous disposition A good Son is afflicted for his Fathers dishonour If I be a father where is mine honour Mal. 1. 6. It speaks us Strangers not Children the born of the Flesh not the Spirit if we see the reproaches of Gods grace with contented spirits 3. Such as mourn for this sin in others and have some taint of the guilt of it in themselves shall find this a soveraign preservative against it for time to come Godly sorrow works repentance and by the real sadness of the spirit and countenance for sin this great sin the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. The ingenuous child that feels the smart of the rod will be fearful of falling into the sinne that brought it Holy anguish of soul for abusing Gods grace will be a memento and a Medicine to heal it CHAP. X. Containing an Vse of Examination IN that Gods grace is turned into Wantonnesse Use 3 for Examination its useful for Examination Whether or no this odious guilt be fastned upon us We may know it by a serious perusal of the kindes and wayes wherein this great sin is committed layd down in the Doctrinal part If the trying reflecting conscience find any of the particulars wherein grace is abused experimented either in heart or life there the sin is impartially to be charged home In and about the great duties of conviction of sinne sorroâ— for it and returning from it we ordinarily through self-love carnal flattery supine carelesnesse yea too often wilfull ignorance put off particular arraignments close inditements self-condemnation and so resolutions and endeavours to reform Though as hath been shewed the abuse of Gods grace is an universal sin yet there is not one of a thousand that seriously and sadly saith I am the wretch that hath wronged Gods grace Who almost though eminently guilty but can smooth and applaud himself in the thoughts of innocence he is no enemy but friend of grace or if fâ—ulty but a very little inconsiderably peccant Though all are offenders yet very few lay it to heart by sound conviction and say We are the persons that have vickedly affâ—onted the grace of God Unless reason and conscience be feared and judgement besotted and spiritually mad if thou hast any degree of the fear of God and sober sense left thee and thou wilt be judged by the Word of God wherewith whether thou wiâ—â— no thou shalt be at the great day I shall set before thee guilty Reader a glass wherein thou mayst see the spotted deformed face of this ugly sin be ashamed of it be humbled for it and repent No becauseit is in this kind of sin as it is in Hypocrisie there is a grosse and a close hypocrisie so there is an evident and notorious and less discemed and suspicious perverting the grace of God I shall therefore endeavour to discover the more visible and palpable symptomes and the more hidden close and less evident tokens of this disease As touching enquiry who are more notoriously clearly grosly guiltie of this sâ—nne I shall lay down many symptomes SECT 1. THey may know themselves to be manifest gross abusers of 1 They abuse Gods grace who oppose gospel merits and mercies to the worship of God Gods grace 1. Who first oppose Gospel-merits and mercies to the Worship of God Such as call God gracious in himself and to them and yet call not upon him how doe they vilifâ—e his grace He makes light of that thing which he desires not and he of the grace of God that he prayes not for God is free of his grace but to them who by the aide of the same grace ask it The spirit grace is a spirit of supplication Zach. 12. 10. A man may pray and have no grace being a trifler cold hypocritical unbeleeving tyred in his Devotion but no man ever had grace but in faith fervency and perseverance prayed to God for it Prayerless are graceless soules Families past Praier are past grace If Prayerless professed Christians were asked the question Have you any part in the grace of God The Ansâ—er would bee Ignorantly â—oldly Roundly returned from some Yea I hope I have from others Yea I thank God his grace hath helped me from a third sort an answer in angry looks sharp words that the Questionist should doubt it the confident Atheist hath not Gods grace in him All take it for granted they are the favourites of grace though they pray not to the God of grace by the Spirit of grace Doe not these clearly prophâ—ne Gods grace Things we basely
children Fantastical Poetick Hyperbolies that Pro inanibus terriculamentis hyperbolis habent have taken the Devils Opium and are cast in a dead sleep National Judgements Personal Afflictions do not awaken them Satan rocks them asleep with his sweet Lullabies of promising life interest in Christ and the hopes of Heaven And are you indeed the persons of Grace 'T is strange you should be 't is impossible Grace is a living Creature a new Câ—eature a delicate Creature a tender Creature quick and sensâ—ble feels the least grievance the least sin Alas for you stupid Libertines The Devil may lay upon you sin upon sin mountain upon mountain and yet you feel not you complain not you mourn not you weep not you weep not you cry not with strong cries and tears to Heaven to be dis-burthened I have this sad tidings to bring you your Lethargy will in spight of your hearts be cured But when I fear O I fear never till you are in Hell flames there will be no sleeping fits there O you senseless ones of the love or fear of God! Blessings or Cursings Promises or Threatnings you cannot sleep in an uneasie tormenting eternal Bed of Tribulation you will have none to make your Bed easie no Julips no Cordials to succor your fainting hearts in your hot scorching fits Will you not believe O that you would believe your fellow graceless senseless wantons in Hell would tell you could they speak with you after scores of years sleep in sin they are now with a vengeance awakned out of their dead sleep â—happy were that voice of the Son of God that would do the kindness to thee slumbring drousie Reader as to bid thee and make thee to awake O awake awake to repentance and gracious Gospel indulgency lest thou awake to eternal vengeance O shake off that cursed unbelief that makes thee an Atheist a mock-god a dissolute debauched wanton Hell is no Fable Scripture threatnings are no vain â—ancies God hath sworn in his wrath a graceless impenitent contemner of his angry words shal never enter into his resâ— If thou beest such a one he hath said it and his Almighty avenging Arm will make good his word such a wicked Wretch as thou art that forgettest God and thine own duty shall be cast into hell Psal 9. 17. O folly O madness O sadness Presumption of Gospel-grace is made a pillow for loose sinners to sleep quietly on It will not always be thus God will change thy soft downy Gospel-pillow for an hard thorny legal one Visions of wrath as well as mercy are for an appointed time they will speak and not tarry O Devil-ridden secure ones hearken to that of Chrysostome he calls secure sinners The Devils Horses He is a fierce cruel Rider he spares Diaboli equos Chrysost no flesh he spares no souls he backs He hath ridden thousands off their legs off their spirits off their strength off their lives off their pleasures off their ease off their hopes The rider and the horses both will be for ever cast into the fiery Lake and never come out again O wretched wanton secure Libertines you would be secure and you shall be secure you would not have your cursed peace disturbed and it shall not be disturbed you would be perswaded you are under the wing of saving grace though in the broad road to destruction and you shall be perswaded God chooseth your delusions Isa 66. 4. your own election will prove your destruction O Judgement of Judgements Carnal security thou doest pave the way to eternal Judgements See O see your sad resemblance Sisera slept in Jaels Tent she wooed him Turn in my Lord turn in to me and fear not she went softly to him and her nail and hammer smote his soul into the other world Judg. 4. 18 21. so loose Libertines sleep in the Tent of presumption Carnal security woes them Turn in soul turn in fear not the issue is it softly and cruelly smites sleeping souls into the other world Sampson slept on Delilahs lap and lost his locks and his strength Libertines sleep in the lap of security and loose their hopes of Heaven Eutychus slept while Paul was Preaching and fell down dead Acts 20. 9. Carnal Gospellers sleep while they enjoy the means of grace and fall dead into the bottomless Pit Crafty Ulysses gave Polyphemus a sleeping draught and when he was asleep he run an hot Iron into his eye The Devil the crafty Ulysles of Hell he gives secure sinners a sleeping Potion and when they are fast he blindes them and shoots his deadly fiery shot at them Carnal security under presumptions of Grace is both a sin and plague Gods Judgement the Devils Triumph Souls ruine SECT 11. THey are apparently gross Prophaners of the Grace of 11. They abuse Gods grace who are guilty of wrong to the creatures God 11. And lastly Who are guilty of a wrong use of the Creatures God made them that his grace by the professors of and pretenders to it should be exalted in the use of it Four things demonstrate that it is not so 1. When they are used ungraciously This is a perverting of the intention of Creation Every Creature of God is good which God hath created to be received with Thanksgiving of them that believe and to be sanctified with Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. A strong Implication that every one that useth the Creature aright must first be gracious and then use it graciously Three graces are here set down The grace of Prayer in Invocation for Gods not onely natural but spiritual blessing on the Creature The grace of thanksgiving in returning to God the praise of Lip Heart and Life for his good Creatures And the grace of Faith in using them in and for Christ in the strength Reverenâ—ia hospitis qui praesens est nos alit perpetuo retinet in officio disciplina sancta Marlorat of Christ to his praise Adde to these the grace of holy Fear not to offend the Author of Creature-goodness For as the Feastmakers eye is on his guests to see their behavior so the great House-Keeper of the World that feeds and cloathes millions every day is strictly observant who useth his goodness according to the rules of holy Temperance contributes to right Creature-use in guarding the sensitive appetite that it doth not clog the immortal spirit with burthensome surfeits of any kinde When the Creatures are not thus graciously used it is a wrong to grace whose office honor and power is to regulate their use 2. When they are used to a sinful end either to the satisfaction of Lusts or hinderance of Gods service 1. To the satisfaction of Lust the Israelites abuse They asked Petulantissimis hominÌ„um concupiscenti is satisfacit aliquando Deus ex ira Ames in Psal meat for their lust Psal 78. 18. not for their convenient use but for the satisfaction of their corrupt lust which God granted in wrath
as they desired in sin Psal 78. 29. Much of the Creatures is desired to consume upon Lusts Jam. 4. 3. Drunkenness Gluttony Pride Voluptuousness Ambition Doâ—ination Sad will be the account of vast expences of the Creatures sacrificed in and upon the service of Lust against which usurpation the voices of Reason Grace and the Creatures will give severe testimony 2. To the sinful end of hindring Gods service we should use the Creatures onely to fit and whet our attendances on God but when they prove Obstructions as mostly they doe take off our leisure and pleasure to doe his will we wrong God and our own souls Christ told the busie man who excused his following of Christ one would think a tolerable excuse by going home to bid his friends farewel that his civil courtesie at that time did unfit him for the Kingdom of God Luke 9. 61. yea concluded that the civil burial of the dead in opposition to religious service argued a soul dead in sin And so the Field the yoak of Oxen the married Wife are set down as Remora's and Impediments to come and feed upon Christs Gospel-feasts Matt. 22. 4. and those that flow in Creature-comforts say Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. Why doth Christ say Wo to you that are full Luke 6. 25. but to threaten at once rest in Creature-fulness is a temptation to forget God and duty The poor in the world rich in faith Jam. 2. 5. receive the Gospel Luke 7. 22. Have any of the Rulers believed on him Joh. 7. 48. 'T is true there is not an absolute inconsistency of grace with Riches and Greatness Rich Abraham as well as poor Lazarus are in Heaven But ordinarily the Creatures are used to a sinful end to estrange and arm the heart with weapons of Rebellion against God which should be inducements of obedience 3. When they are used onely to a perishing end a Belly that shall be destroyed a fine back that shall be uncloathed and lay in the chamber of death rottenness and silence a mortal body Belluinus vescendimos Mar lorat a posterity that must die When rational Creatures use the creatures unreasonably onely like bruit Beasts to satisfie sensualities that must give up the ghost with the Sensualists expiring breath when they have not an eternal end in their eye to use money meat drink health strength life to fit for eternity when men do not make them friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16. 9. and though they cannot at once serve God and Mammon yet do not so manage Creature use as to make Mammon serve God they are exceedingly unserviceable and injurious to the grace of God 4. When they are not used to Gods ends They are four 1. Stronger engagement unto God The pious intention of Jacob if he might have the mercy of Divine protection convenient His verbis se obstrinxit Jacob Calv. food and raiment he promised The Lord should be his God These were the holy Patriarchs binding words Gen. 28. 30 31. As courtesies binde to men so creature-mercies binde pious men to God When the sweet silken cords of mercies do not binde the heart to God grace is dishonored when it is common dis-ingenuity to break the bonds of kindness to despise the riches of creature-goodness this is a signal evident ingratitude to the God of grace 2. End of Gods Creature-mercies is faithful and chearful service Deut. 28. 47. But when it is usual and sad practice as Israel served not God in a good and fat Land Neh. 9. 35. so the unworthy Professors of Gospel-grace and the Christian name do not conclude a necessary joyous and rational service from the free and plentiful allowances of sweet Creatures do not seriously ponder with themselves Why have I hundreds and thousands by the year Why have I food convenient and competent allowance between envy and pitty Why have I any House to dwell in any food and raiment Why have I had sweet repose this night when others in waking tortures count the tedious hours Why have I health Am I strong Doe I live Have I so good a Master Is it that I should be a loose wanton servant and do him no work What blushing will sit on the face trembling on the limbs horror on the hearts of pretenders to Gods grace in the accounting day when large Creature-allowances shall in all their sad inventories be proved to be wrested from the imployments of Gods reasonable service 3. End of Gods Creature-mercies is the exaltation and commendation of his loving kindness Davids gracious spirit versed in the high praises of God did ordinarily take the elevation of Gods goodness and kindness from Creature-mercies and spent Psalms in Doxologies seeing the glory of God in the glass of the Creatures shining before his spirit and in and in high strains of praise exalted the great and glorious name of God made the Creatures Trumpets to sound his praise and an occasion of high thoughts of God Indeed he that is thankful to God for his unspeakable gift of Jesus Christ cannot but having the best Gospel-tenure of common mercies holding them in capite praise God for every perishing mercy as a token of special everlasting love and an earnest penny of eternal mercies His bread to him is Covenant-bread his Apparel Covenant-apparel his Money Covenant-money yea his Afflictions Covenant-afflictions whether he have much or little it s all to him the dispensation of choice kindness and the allotted sufficiency of infinite Wisdom and Love to bear his charges in the narrow road to life until he come to his Fathers House and eternal Inberitance But now to rob God of this glorious end the exaltation of his love or to resent no love but of Creature-mercies and to prostitute that to self-love and carnal sensualities How below is this to the honor of man the glory of God and the power of Grace 4. End of Gods Creature-mercies in spiritualizing the Creatures Turning Earth into Heaven making visible created Excellencies Ladders to climb up to the invisible God The pious practice of our Lord Jesus in his holy heavenly travels to lead the understandings of men by the light and hand of Creatures to the apprehensions of heavenly and immaterial things by a Well of water still springing up signifying the eternal Spring of the Spirit of grace in regenerate souls what by fleshly relations leading us to believe the high account he hath of spiritual kindred by seed lost in evil ground fruitful in good instructing us in the word lost to most hearers succesful in a few good and honest hearts by all his Parables elegantly picturing out the Orient Beauties and Glories of his Kingdom of grace and glory and the ugly face of sin Holy Bradford was happy this way who made Creature-mercies his advantage ground to see into Gospel-glories When putting on Apparel his thoughts were O Christ cloath me with thine own self that I catch
not the cold of this World When the cloathes were put off he thought of death he should be uncloathed of Flesh and of the Resurrection to put it on again as his cloathes were put on in the morning When the day-light appeared he minded Christ the light that knows no Night nor Evening but is always as bright Mid-day His Journying taught him to think this life a Pilgrimage the way is dangerous that there is need of Christ the Guide in the high way to glory How injurious are we to Gods end of his Creatures unto our own rational faculties and to the ingenuities that grace would put upon us if we gain not affective and active Meditations by what daily comes into the doors of our senses If so great be the sweetness and glory of Gods out-house the visible World what transcendencies of delight and honor are the happy reserves in the invisible state and place of heavenly glory in the next life It is an ungracious frame of spirit that is confined to the things below They are strangers and enemies to their own happiness that could take up with a visible Eternity of poor sublunary things and cannot abide the thoughts of death the destruction of their earthly Gods Thus Reader in the forementioned eleven Sections maist thou try and take a measure of thy loose heart and life if in impartial Judgement thou canst and wilt be so faithful to the Truth and thine own soul as to believe thy guilt of manifest and gross abuses of Gods grace confess it to God deeply lay it to heart repent of it lest it prove thy ruine CHAP. XI Containing a second Branch of Examination how we may know the secret close and more refined Abuses of Gods Grace HAving enquired into the more visible and notorious affronts of Gods grace My next labor shall be rifling bosom-work to go into the inward Rooms of the heart and there to finde out the inward Libertine that dares impurely and immodestly to licentiate before the Lord This searching inward filthy cells of darkness by the bright Candle of the word of Truth as it is always unpleasant to a close Hypocrite all whose Religion is a constant jugling with God and men so to soundest upright hearts it is very desirable If the secret rotten double-hearted Professor shall read the following Conceptions without a blush fear and trembling laying a better foundation for his propriety to Christ assurance of Grace and the hope of Heaven then cheating appearances If he have scarce patience and heart to try himself by ensuing discoveries yea though he read them will wickedly deny the signs of close dishonors to Gods grace are not in him he may shift of Paper Arraignments he shall not the unbosoming Judgement of the great day when his Sheeps skin shall be pluckt off the inside shall be turned outwards and the close Hypocrite shall appear a wicked impenitent abuser of Gods grace Indeed I have little hope to do good to the habitual Jugleâ— in the things of God who hath made a play of his Religion aâ—â— never been in good earnest My hope is a Blessing from Heaven may second Convictions in the sound heart searching Reader who is ever most charitable to others but most jealous off and servere against his own heart for thy sake O self-basing abhorring mourner in Zion I have endeavored to lay down the Transcript the Counterpane of thy wretched heart I know thou â—ilt say the next Pages are thine own experience look over weep over pray strive against the ungrateful unkinde wrongs to thy gracious God thy dear Redeemer the Spirit of Grace gracious motions thy principle of grace I know by the help of grace thou wilt lay to heart and repent of the secret Injuries of grace where the prophane hypocritical world scarce see any sin or if so very slightly think of it and have no care and conscience to reform Weigh and ponder then the evidences of close and less discerned abuse of Gods grace as laid down in the subsequent method SECT 1. 1. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is a sinful close of spiritual Injoyments By these I mean all the Ordinances of grace whose ends and fruits are spiritual where succesful also the gifts of Grace Knowledge Judgement Invention Memory Utterance in Divine things Adde hereunto the sanctifying graces of the Spirit the sâ—eet motions of the Holy Ghost the joys of the Spirit in the light of Gods countenance in the Faith of Attonement by Christs blood in the sight of sincerity victory over Lusts c. These are all spiritual injoyments Now when the close of these is sinful there is a secret abuse of grace It is sinful in five things 1. In self-advancement Gods free grace is either wronged by his Servants as a Benefactor by a boasting Beggar he is well fed fat and fine and while he should lift up the bounty of the giver he is glorying in himself as a receiver So when the giver of grace in his heavenly Alms should be magnified how often do the best of men advance themselves The richest Saints in Earth and Heaven are but vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 22. Utensils Instruments God is pleased to use No thank to the tool but to the hand if it work No house builds it self When we see a comely building we praise the Art of the Builder The action of the Instrument is reduced to the essicient Ashur forgat himself and God when he looked not on God but himself Boasting in an Instrument is as if the Saw should magnifie it self it cut well and the Ax should magnifie it self it hewed well Isa 10. 15. If the Workman holds his hands the Tools do nothing Believers are the spirits Instruments God works in and by them and they dishonor the grace of God by transferring the work to themselves saying I prayed I preached I wept I gave alms I rejoyced in God I did this and that good As lofty Nebuchadnezzar lookt onely on his great boasting This I did this was my doing Is not this Babel that I have built for the glory of my Majesty So I have done this and that is the Poison that mars all the breathing of Satan turn'd angel of light the high abuse of Gods grace â—h Christian be humbled for it Diabolus laudat qua se perspicit superari virtutem injicit cordi jactantiam c. Fulgent ad Probam ep 3. and correct it by the Glass of Pauls self-abasing Grace and Christ-advancing I labored more than the other Apostles yet not I but the Grace of God 1 Cor. 15. 10. I live yet not I but Châ—ist lives in me Gal. 2. 20. 2. In dulling the edge of holy zeal This is the sad and frequent lacquey of spiritual injoyments We converse with them to a blunting and dulling of our spirits They should be as whetstones to set a keener sharpness on our hearts but they are as stones to the Sithes that gap and blunt them It is
rare to meet with the fellows of a precious Minister of whom it was said That he got but lost no heavenly heat and vigor by holy duties the more in it the more furnished with heavenly power love delight and warmth in renewed exercise There was renewed influence of the spirit of grace the picture of the spiritual injoyments of the next life The Apostles rule is It is good to be always zealous in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. Not in fits and pangs of holiness but always â—he Ceremonial Fire was always to burn on the altar They are the choicest happy Christians in whose hearts the heavenly fire of zeal is still burning It is our wantonness we keep not close with God but after heats we cool our hearts in the worlds cold Air and are so benummed in our earthly affections and imployments as if we had never been by Heavens fire The counsel to wanton Sardis is good to us Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. 3. In slacking diligence How are we too often in Heavens way like Jading Steeds who though well yea high fed in the Inne yet go lazily and worse than before God hath given Heavenly Travellers sweet and full Baits how is his goodness dishonored when after Tastes how gracious he is we yield rather to spiritual slumbers then hold on our way How Nou vis proficere vis ergo deficere Ibi proficere ubi curreredesinis Bernard do those wanton Laborers disparage a good meal that slack their diligence play but work not When our industry in the Lords work abates it is good to put these spurs in our dull spirits O thou wicked and slothful servant the sad charge of the last Judgment Matth. 25. 26. The diligent hand makes rich Be not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Shew the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys the end Heb. 6. 11. Abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing pious labours shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Work out your own salvation Phil. 2. 12. make thoâ—ow work of it 4. In carnal security Even sound hearts after they apprehend the sweet tastes of Gods love and the bitterness of death is past are too apt to think their mountain strong sing a false Requiem to their spirits as if they were out of the dangers of Desinunt esse perditi cum destiterint esse sâ—curi Salv. ruine committing from their loose unregenerate part in them the sins against which God threatens Hell upon the assurance they are heirs of Heaven thinking themselves secure are not safe Whereas the way of life is the way of holy Jealousie not security It is not the least of Satans wiles to suffer himself to be overcome that he may overcome As conquering Soldiers yet unsuspicious of dangers are taken Prisoners by a routed Cum certamini manifesto cedit ad hoc se viâ—tum demonstrat ut vincat ad hoc fugam simulat ut persequentem occidat Ful. gent. ad Prob. Ep. 3. Army so unjealous Christian Victors by laying by their Watch and Alarms of holy fear are suddenly surprized 'T is an imprudent conclusion because the Bird hath escaped the Foâ—vler therefore he shall ever be out of the danger of the Net and Gun-shot The heart is deceitful We are still in the Enemies Coâ—ntrey Christs Garrisons have false friends in them will open the Gates to the destroyer and while every soul hath Judas's in it to kiss and kill and betray the grace of God into the hands of enemies there is urgent need of a constant watch Fear was the Apostles watch-word to the priviledged Gentiles lest they that stand by Grace should fall by security Rom. 11. 20. Happy is he that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. We abuse spiritual injoyments when we suspect no loss Greatest Beauties Riches and Honors call for most waking eyes and strictest guard When Christ had sweet tidings from Heaven he was Gods beloved Son Matth 3. ver last he was forthwith set upon by the Devil Matth. 4. 1. If the envious vigilant Tempter seeth our private Prayers and tears of Joys hears our joyous triumphs of Gods kindness in Christ malicing such hated glory he will presently lay traps to damp our joyes defile our spirits wound our consciences and bring us to the very Suburbs of Hell Ye are partakers of Christ said Paul of the Christian Hebrews if you hold fast the beginning of your confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3. 14. 'T is not enough in first conversion to hold the precious Jewel Jesus Christ in the hand of Faith but there must be a constant hold-fast Is he who is among Thieves careful to hold fast the Pearl in his hand and fearful to let it goe So it should be with every prudent Christian he should fear his own lazinesse cowardize weaknesse should loose his riches 'T is the Apostles counsel to his Hebrews useful to all that think they stand and a soveraign preservative against security Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. 5. By dallying with Temptations we pray we may not enter into temptation Gods grace is our deliverance Corruption casts us into the fire the hand of mercy plucks us out But how often do Gods foolish fearless children like ours after we have been burnt and cured we adventurously play with the same fire that scorched us and renew our pains and cries 'T is not an experimentally true spirituall Proverb That all Gods burnt children always hate the fire Even after David had sweet visits and walks with God and the refreshing joyes of his salvation he wantonly dallyed with temptations fire in the roof of his house defiled his soul with forbidden lust of strange beauty and Body too and lost spiritual for carnal delight the joy of his salvation for the pleasure of sin Grace doth not perfectly crucifie the old Man while Lust is an in-dweller it will be an inticer We may as well play with fire near Gun-powder as play with Temptations near Lust 'T is no safe dancing near Pits brinks taking fire into our bosoms welcoming temptations into our hearts The old man is too willing and too pressing to tempt us out of heavens way we need no world nor devil to drive us 'T is good counsel and singular indemnity to our soules if practised Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thef 5. 22. Hate the garment spotted by the flesh SECT 2. 2. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Irreverence of 2 An Evidence of abuse of abuse of grace is irreverence of Gods Majesty Gods Majesty The best are too apt to wrong their nearnesse to God by forgetting their distance God is so his childrens
Father as that he is their King Though the name Father speaks boldness yet the name King speaks greater reverence Irreverent are saucy children more bold than welcome I am a great King saith God Mal. 1. 14. His name is great Mal. 1. 11. and reverend Psal 111. 9. We need grace to serve God with reverence and godly fear because he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 28 29. It is a wrong to grace when we do it not Is it the state of earthly gods to keep their distance with them on whom they shine the brightest beams of their royal favours and shall we think the infinite great and blessed God before whom the Kings of the Earth are as Grashoppers Worms Nothing less than Nothing will not have the rails and vails of holy reverence the humble tokens of distance The Apostate Angels at once lost their good manners and their happiness they kept not within their limited station Should the standing Angels loose their Reverence they should lose their Glory It is the â—â—lae volantes celeritatem promptitudineÌ„ significant Faciem tegentes indicant Angeli Majestatem Dei ferre nequeunt Pedes tegentts quod tenues divini splendoris radiolos in Angelis perspicere non possumus Calv. in Isa 6. Gospel Prophets Hieroglyphick The holy heavenly Angelical Hoast are Birds of Paradise and have six Wings two to cover their faces two their feet two to fly with are said to have flying wings to resemble their quick and nimble obedience facecovering wings to shadow out their reverence as not daring to pry into nor bear Gods infinite glory are said to have feetcovering wings to teach our distance from the Angels who are too weak to behold their finite little rayes of glory much lesse that infinite bright Sun of the divine Essence This Lesson the Prophet teacheth us those spotlesse Spirits that see the blessed face of God to their everlasting happinesse are ever full of a Reverential awe of Gods Majesty But how unsuitable are the heirs of salvation to their heavenly guard Angels are reverent Saints are unmannerly These are wanton those dare not bee so Believers study your hearts gestures words conversations that they all may be Holinesse to the Lord Is he sanctified in you when you draw nigh him Levit. 10. 3. When you are before him as in no minute no place no darkness no solitariness you are out of his flaming eyes piercing views your insides and external deportments are layd in his unerring ballance He tryes you every moment Job 7. 18. What mean your uncomely spirits your external indecencies your slight services Would your governour like such carriages you present to and abuse your gracious God with As Ahasuerus said to Haman Will he force the Queen before me Esth 7. 8. So lay it to heart will you abuse grace before God It was a God-wearing sin evil men did evilâ— and yet thought they were good in Gods sight Mal. 2. 17. What a God-affronting sinne is it to thinke because Free-grace hath made you good and accepted in Gods sight therefore you may abuse it to irreverence in his presence I know your hearts if sound abhorre this doctrinal inference from so glorious a principle but doth not the frame of your spirits words of your mouthes loose carriage prove you dare be irreverently and abusively bold with your Fathers kindnesse Who that seeth a grown Son come to years of understanding knowing his duty to walk mannerly yet standing with his Hat on playing ill feats before yea with his Fathers face slighting his commands but will say there is a wanton unmannerly boy It is no calumny to say so of many of Gods unmannerly children their unbecoming Irreverencies are their heavenly Fathers reproach A Reverent Christian that hath the mighty awe of God upon his spirit in all times places companies providences temptations is a Phenix an Angel among Professors Happy holy harmless preserved are they that maintain the reverent awe of God upon their spirits SECT 3. 3. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Forgetfulness of God The House of Israel perverted their way and forgot 3 Forgetfulness is an evidence of abuse of grace the Lord their God Jer. 3. 22. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee Deut. 32. 15 18. Too often the answers of Gods kindnesse are like the chief Butlers of Josephâ— The holy man gave a comfortable interpretation of the Butlers Drem Pharaohs restorement of him to his office with this rational caution but think of me when it shall be well with thee Yet did not the chief Butler remember Joseph but forgat him Gen. 40. 13 14 23. Thus the Holy God speaks comfort to many a gracious soul in the deeps of trouble with those equal motions upon their spirits that they would think upon this name and not return again to folly yet in sundry duties they doe not remember God but forget him They know not their own hearts that in the trust and boast of their own sufficiencies promise God if he will reveal his love in his Son to them they will be exact walleâ—s but many of his loose children after they have seen his face have opposed his will and answered the Kisses of his love by unkind Rebellions Gods Israel of the spirit have need of the same cautions the Israel of the flesh had When the Lord thy God shall give thee for his promise sake Cities Houses Wells Vineyards and Olive-trees when thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 10 11 12. So Beleever when the Lord thy God for his covenant sake shall priviledge thee in the heavenly blessings of Reconciliation Justification Adoption the Joy of Atonement and the sweet sight of thy name written in heaven when thou shalt eat and be full of the heavenly feast of fat things beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God 'T is no seldom indignitie put upon the grace of God to forget him in Temptations Vocations Relations Conditions in the world We charge upon our servants such and such duties call them to account our pleasure is neglected The excuse is we were forgotten doth not this speak a loose careless Spirit Surely the Lords servants forgetfulnesse of their charge argues their wantonness A serious faithful considering spirit would remember Christian charge home the basenesse and unfaithfulness of thy spirit with sharp reproof Ah foolish heart and unwise How have I requited the Lords grace I forget not vanitie but how have I forgotten the great concernments of Eternity A Bride will not forget her Ornaments the Worldling his Market and Teeming summes Pleasure-hunters forget not their delights nor the children of Revenge their opportunities of doing mischief How hast thou forgotten the Lord his blessings on thee his cautions to thee his motions in thee his hoped glory laid up for thee his everlasting love designing
distinguishing mercies unto thee How hast thou forgotten the Lord in numberless sins Should he cast thee out of his mind thou hadst been cast into Hell long before this O let the thoughts of thy dear Lord be precious to thee Love quickens memory let him be the dearly beloved of thy soul as thou art of his and thy memory will be the faithful treasury of his glory and thy duty SECT 4. 4. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is secret acting of Heart-sinnes Close pollutions in the best hearts deny and 4 Secret acting of heart-sins is an evidence of abuse of grace oppose the savoury power of grace Scripture Records are sad experiences of a world of filth gathered together in the heart like an heap of dust a load of dung There is heart iniquitie that marrs Prayer Psal 66. 18. There are close heart Idols Ezek. 14. 3. which have too much account and adoration The heart in the time and place of solemn divine service goeth after covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. is the work-house where the practises of it are daily exercised 2 Pet. 2. 14. The heart is of a grosse brawny constitution Matth. 13. 15. insensible of fleshly or spirituall motions It is whorish corporally sometimes often spiritually had rather lye in an earthy yea sometimes an hellish than heavenly bed of Loves 'T is often the complaint of serious gracious spirits when their lips are pure their hearts are unclean when their language is heavenly their spirits are earthly Aliud corde prementes aliud ore promentes O the sighs the tears that are the issues of spiritual observing eyes when they turn inwards and behold defiling Pride Passions Dumb sins Abominable impurities yea which aggravates inward wickedness in pious soules even in cleansing times and means Hearing Praying Humbling houres so that were hearts transparent and their hideous filthiness exposed to Fenestrata pâ—ctora common view the Readers of bosom wickednesse would say Religious minds were not Gods Temples but the Devils Synagogues not the sweet Repositaries of the Holy Spirit but the Augaean Stables of the unclean How filthy is the scent of holy mens impure soules to their heavenly acute smell They are weary of their lives in their right sense when they see such close wickednesse to wrong the Grace of God but that there is â— discerning eye and loathing spirit of this filthy sink of sin all werâ— naught and all profession a delusion O Christian wouldst thou load thine heart with the sight and sense of those ugly hellish characters thy spirituall Lyncaean eyes behold see the vilenesse of it in a parable A King intirely affectionate to his Subjects his favourites especially would be honoured every where but especially in his Court what affronts do his ennobled and promocreatures put upon him who although they do not make him vile in the streets yet before his face pollute his chamber with mire and dirt yea spit in his face The King of Glory loving to all deserves every ones highest respects his favourites especially though the world wallowing in wickednesse abuse him he should not be wronged where he keepes his Court what affronts do his ennobled new creatures do to him who though they do not make him vile in the open streets of publick scandall yet they pollute the heart his chamber with the mire and Triâ—linium Dei. dirt of filthy sins yea spit on the fair face of his Grace by secret presumptions O infinite mercy compassion and condescension that the great God jealous of the State and Glory of his Majesty seeing his Mansion house so abused will yet vouchsafe to call it his and to dwell in it SECT V. 5. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods Grace is adventuring 5 Adventuring on lesser sins is an abuse of Grace on lesser sins Grace is that Wisdome that is from above without partiality in its Heavenly Executions will spare no sins fat and lean must all be a Sacrifice to its sword great and small like all the Egyptians in the Sea must perish it hath no reseâ—ves of cruell pitty sayes of all sins as Jehu of all the Worshippers of Baal Let none of them live 2 King 10. 20. Hypocrisy speaks like that hypocrite Saul spare some O Christian t is thy wanton indulgence when thou sparest any little it may be doest thou thinke when the flattering old man sayes spare this and this sin it is as if he should say damn thou soul little sins like little poyson being of a killing nature as well as greater that of Chrysostome is true experience He that a little is carried away by his carnall Lust will be a greater Revolter his Qui parum cupiditate abreptus discesserit multum etiam procedens abscedit Quamobrem cave parum hoc non est parum sed fere totum Chrysostom Counsell is safe wherefore sayes he take heed this little is not little it is almost all Sins motion is down hill motion like the stone when it begins a little to fall it still falls he that goeth one mile with his Lust and the Devill will go two ten twenty knowes not when to stop a little allowed weaknesse soon growes to allowed wickednesse what enemies are we to Grace and our own Soules when in the just day of its vengeance we will secure little sins say we not as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one and my Soule shall live Gen. 19. 20. This sin is a little one a Saints infirmity my Soule shall live how do we practically indent with God that his gracious Pattents should be securities for little sins Well were it if these had not too liberall allowances protections and Respect When I bow said Naaman in the Carnis nostra securitas infirmitatem primam ad pecca tum viaÌ„ sacit postea obdurat animam prava voluntate house of Rimmon in this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant 2 King 5. 18. So when we yeild subjection to little sins in these things there is scarce doubt the Lord will pardon his servants when we protect the least sins how do we forget that command Cast away all your transgressions Ezeck 18. 31. And what in us layes cast our selves out of mercies Protection Repentance must be as universall as Remission that Grace that pardons purgeth all sin though all sins are not equall yet all are mortall in their nature a little sin as well as a little needle sticking in the heatt is deadly vain thoughts idle words deadnesse of heart formality in duties foolish jesting petty oathes with many such sins of course though little sins in common repute by many Minima vocat ex sensu hominim nihil minutum de quo praecipere dignatus est coelestis Legislator Marl in loc thought no sins yet like little Toads and serpents spit poyson on the Soule we read indeed of least Commandements Matth. 5. 19. But it is in mens opinions not their own nature No command is little that hath
of the Spirit is like the Still-born in nature There are the delineaments and proportions of a child in face hands c. but no life of a child and so no growth Where there are the professions and convictions of a Sainâ— only not the life of a Saint there is no growth How dost thou wrong the stock God hath put into thine hand when not improved Thy little increase I will not say speaks thee no Christian it doth a Dwarf in Christianity There is some great fault in nature that living Dwarfs grow not Surely there is some great fault in profession that Christian Dwarfs grow not as others do Gods Talents are not to be hidden in a Napkin He looks to Dominus suae pecuniae quaerit usuram ut intelligamus dominum donrraÌ„ suorum exercitationem postulare bonarum actionum tributum ex iis exigere Ambr. receive his own with Vsury Luke 19. 20. It was the fault God charged upon Sardis The practise and profession of godlynesse in sundry of her members was ready to die Rev. 3. 2. A Christian is a Tradesman his dealing lies in heavenly commodities God intrusts some with a large stock of Knowledge and Memory heavenly Instructions of the Word and Motions of the Spirit Visions of his Love Where he gives he expects much and takes it ill his rich Merchants in a fair estate should trifle anâ— peddle and bring him in a smaller Revenue of glory than meanly gifted but more faithfull Trustees of his Goodnesse Cum augentur dona rationes etiam crescunt donorum Greg. Mag. Will not Merchants blame their Factors if neglecting their gaining opportunities their Estate increase not How may the Lord blame the professed Factors for his name in the world if they prove negligent in heavenly proficiencies SECT 11. 11. 11 Pride and desire of preheminence is an evidence of the abuse of grace EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Pride and desire of Preheminence Outward and inward Riches both puff up Charge the rich of the world they be not high minded 1 Tim. 6. 19. Be not high minded Rom. 11. 20. It is the Apostles Dehortation and Caution of the Gentiles excelling the Jews in means of grace It was the Corinthians carnal wantonness their parts were abused to puffing up and vain-glory 1 Cor. 4. 6. 7. The Apostle reproved their windy puffing humour 1 Cor. 5. 2. Precedencie in gifts puffed up one against another Gravissima ironia Dicks This vanity of swelling preheminence the Apostle derided Ye are full and reign as Kings 1 Cor. 4. 8. Your common Indowments have made you happy How poysonous is our nature that envenoms the best things How doth it turn shining Excellencies in gifts and graces into prevailing Temptations to scisme and contempt of inferiour endowments yea to darken the glory of God in a lesser Starre because a greater out-shines it It is the mischief of spiritual Pride it either over-magnifies or vilifies Gods gifts It idolizeth one and debaseth another is an unjust Judge of Gods gifts It saith one Christian hath more than he hath another lesse than he hath Yea this evil comes of it that the bestower of different gifts and graces is abused Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker Prov. 17. 5. He that reproacheth the poor Christian in gifts and graces reproacheth his maker such a one he is a poor Preacher though an holy sound one will you hear him such a one prayes poorly hath poor lean braines a silly soul though a precious Saint and so is slighted a no body a common Abuse of God and grace and gracious spirits discovered by high-flown Christians whose fancy runs before their judgement The abasing of some of loâ—er stature than others is an Interpretative abuse of God The Lord rejoyceth in all his works Psal 104. 31. They are all in wisdom Psal 9. 1. He seeth they are very good as they come out of his pure creating hands Gen. 1. 31. And he hath a sweet delightful complacencie in them all But cursed spiritual Pride is all for superlatives and singularities rejoyceth and triumphs in the Arrogantia honoris pedissequa Salvian chiefest works of the Spirit Take heed if when God honoureth thee above others Pride turn not his glory into shame Arrogance saith one is the Lacquey of Honour but Humility the Preservative Hast thou Eminence suspect and tremble at Self-conceit In opere misericordiae facit cordis superbiam pullulare Fulgent ad Probam Ep. 3. Satan knoweth how to make Pride of heart grow out of works of Mercy words of Piety tears of Humility This stinking weed grows out of the best soyl 'T is good to prick this bladder by these thoughts God resists the proud Jam. 4. 6. Sets himself against them like a fierce mighty enemy in battel array He scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1. 51. Wherein they deal proudly he is above them Exod. 14. 11 They are an abomination to him Prov. 16. 5. Are in the high road to destruction Prov. 16. 18. I have heard it was the confession of a proud Professor yet to seeming a peereless meek one of a very haughty spirit that the Lord suffered him to fall into wofull scandal to the reproach of his name and the Gospel to punish his Pride God gives grace to the Humble In Christ there was a Fulnesse of Grace and Eminence of Humilitie This rare shining grace is the Ornament and will be the Improvement of Grace SECT 12. 12. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is declining Hardship 12. Declining hardship in the practise of Religion is an abuse of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make it black and blew in the practise of Religion Christianity is a Warfare Christ the Captain of Salvation Every true Christian is a Souldier by profession 2 Tim. 2. 3. The spiritual as well as the civil Souldier must endure Hardship Paul a great Leader in this heavenly War was a man of sufferings * beat down his body 1 Cor. 9. 27. did bear in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6. 17. Grace inables to indure hardship 'T is the effeminate wantonnesse of corrupt nature if in Christian profession it can have beds of Down full Tables glorious Apparel sweet Pleasures to swim in securities from pain and losses Christ is allowed but when the Doctrine of the Cross and owning the hated truths of the Gospel brings persecution affliction call for Mortification the subtle self-preserving Old man can make a politick retreat out of dirty Lanes into the flowry Meadows and leave the hardship of flesh-curbing self-denying and pleasure-renouncing holy discipline for worldly gain and delights We can think and talk of the grace of â—â— but where is its stout masculine virtue to be found among us It is with much adoe and great regreat to suffer the exercises of Religion to injure us to Master the sensitive appetite in Fasting Watching Cold Hunger The
Reason and Practise of Philosophy hath more kept under the senses delights and demands and governed Ad fugiendas molestias in geniosa caro Marlorat passions than the grace of Christianity in many delicate Gospellers How highly dishonorable is this to Gods grace that it should doe lesse than Moral reason The sad difference lies not in the eminence of Reason and impotence of Grace but the wantonness of those persons that weakens its power oppose its counsels and commands and disgrace its glory The wisdom of the flesh is over-ingenuous to decline trouble and at every tryal of enduring hardnesse in the wayes of godlyness saith spare thy selfe consult thine ease This severe rigour is more than needs SECT 13. 13. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is neglect of daily Neglect of dayly repentance is an evidence of abuse of grace Repentance The best of men renew sin every day and sin renewed guilt reneweth and the daily renewing of guilt should necessitate a sense of daily pardon and repentance But as Jezabel repented not when she had space of repentance so too many careless Christians that daily sin omit their daily serious repentance When sensualities have had too much indulgence unmortified lusts their provisions head-strong blind passions their reins and violent careers when the Spirit in rellishing creature sweetnesses hath been out of tast of heavenly things when close wickedness hath been acted when sad estrangements from God cold barren formalities have been the bane of holy duties many indecencies impieties and ingratitudes call for rent hearts broken spirits sorrowful confessions loathing detestatiousâ— and weeping eys how hath the daily discipline of repentance even by them that have the seed of repentance sown in Habeto codicem conscietiam suam scribe quotidiana peccata antequam veniat somnus reminiscere peccata tua Siquid boni fecisti gratias age siquid mali de caetero ne facias judicium facito tibimetipsi terribile Chrysost their hearts been carelesly neglected This sadly comes to pass through the want of daily registring our sin in the book of conscience and reading them over before wee sleep a sorrowfull sense of them suing out a pardon self-displasensâ—e and abhorrence and earnest begging power to repent 'T is good counsel Chrysostome gives Say O soul we have spent the day what good is done what evil is committed what good soever thou hast done give God the praise whatsoever evil do so no more Passe a terrible judgement on thy self Too many dayes have passed over Christians of strict profession without observing bewailing repenting of their sins The Sun hath often gone down upon much wrath worldlyness hypocrisie the body hath had its rest before the soul its cure of daily sins It was Pauls holy jealousâ—e of his over-loose Corinthians I fear said he lest when I come my God will humble me among you and shall bewall many that have not repented of their lasciviousness 2 Cor. 12. 21. This godly suspition is very needfull for the best of men lest those daily sinnes carnal Libertinism betrayes them to should lye upon them unpardoned and unrepented of Happy are they whose tender inlightned watchfull spirits are a constant day-book to note down and read the disorders of the heart tongue and life in Parum est semel putasse saepe putanduÌ„ est imo semper quod putari o-â— porteat si non dissimulas invenis Bern. sad convincing characters and by the hand of Faith take the blood of sprinkling as a sponge to blot them out and resent them with dayly hatred confession and godly sorrow working repentance It is otherwise with wanton lusts in the best hearts than with ranke luxuriant Vines These need not alwaies to be pruned those need not onely frequent but constant prunings of Mortifying grace Often reckoning we say makes long friends Repentance the more frequent the more easie and effectual will at once be the peace and comfort of the Spirit prevent much carnal wantonnesse shew the power of grace and fit us to live and dye CHAP. XII Containing an use of Caution THE Symptomes of this too common spiritual disease Use 4 for caution depraving the Grace of God being layd downe both in the grosse and close 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discerning indications thereof it will next be needfull to lay down some cautions touching the grosse Abuse of Gods Grace concerning the close wronging of it and touching the differences between the injuring of Gods Grace in a Regenerate and Unregenerate person though this sin be in all it is not alike in every one This sin is in the present fruits of it more hainous and in the event more perilous to some then others The next use then will be the fourth in order Caution 1. To them who grosly 2. To them who clofely Abuse Gods Grace 1. To them who are grosse abusers of Gods Grace let them hearken to four things SECT 1. BEware that you put not off the triall of turning the Grace of Beware thou put not off the tryall of turning the gâ—ace of God into wantonnesse God into Wantonnesse too many are hardned in their apparent indignities to the Grace of God by delaying the tryall as diseased persons put off inquiry into their mortall diseases and carelesse Stewards their loose carriages their unfaithfull squandring away their Lords goods spend-thrift Tradesmen the cracle Estates yet though the open loose doctrinall and practicall enemies of Gods Grace never try themselves whether they have evidently turned the Gospel Antidotes into poyson and in open hostility opposed that Grace they seemed to own yet God tryes them every moment possibly Reader thou art the grosse profaner of Gods Grace if thou canst hardly be perswaded thou art such a notorious Libertine as indeed thou art I beseech thee take some paines with thine owne precious soul that this dreadfull stain and guilt may be purged and pardoned O that I could on my knees passionately begg it at the Throne of Grace that thou wouldst see the foule ugly countenance of thy notorious loose heart and life in the large glasse set before thee I beseech thee in the name of the Lord Jesus for Gods sake whose Grace thou hast depraved for Christs sake who so dearely bought Grace thou hast despised for the Spirits sake whose gracious motions thou hast resisted for the Gospel sake whose gracious Call thou hast refused for thy Soules sake which will infallibly be damned if thou dost not repent of thy most evident Abuse of Grace Study the eleven Sections of the tenth Chapter of this Treatise read them not over slightly mingle them fortifie them with Faith that they are reall Truths never leave questioning thy Soule Thus Soule Art not thou guilty is not this charge drawn up against thee O thou art guilty thou art guilty Art thou cast in the Court of Conscience for a wicked wanton Libertine Then further I intreat thee never leave the sad thoughts of thy
between him and Barnabas discovered therein some distemper Barnabas would have had Mark go with Paul to visit the Brethren in every City where they had Preached the Word but Paul refused his Company and the contention was sharp between them Acts 15. 39. there was a Paroxism a bitter fit between them These golden Cisterns Paul and Barnabas that were wont to send out sweet Waters now sent out bitter Barnabas a Son of Consolation was in too hot contention Paul a man of meeknesse sweetnesse gentlenesse whose tongue usually dropt as the Honey-comb now breathed gall Follow the eminentest of Saints in some things you will wrong the grace of God 'T is one of Satans perswasive wiles Do you not see such choice servants of God speak and do such things use such Fashions and worldly delights No danger in this and that Dish they are your Tasters If the Gestures words and actions of the best be well weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary they will sometimes be found too light too wanton So the Thessalonians were examples to all the Believers in Macedonia and Achaia 1 Thess 1. 7. not in everything but in their successful sound of the Gospel-Trumpet ver 8. and in their eminent reforming-faith turning them from Idols unto God but examine some of these Converts in other things and they were to be declined not followed We hear there are some that walk among you disorderly working not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desidâ—â—â— pro sactitate venditant Marlo Verisimile est hoc fucorum genus quoddaÌ„ fuisse otiosâ— monachatus semen Marl. Vt hin c consolemar non ut vitiis nostris patrocinemur at all but are busie-bodies 2 Thess 3. 13. Workers round about as the word imports the round of whose life was to carry tales discontented at their condition living on others Purses casting off industry in their particular Calling accounting their idlenesse holinesse and under pretence of the Gospel like the late upstart Sect and obedience to the spirit living lazily Now did Satan lay the seed of idle Monasteries under colour of heavenly conversation laying by earthly Callings and Relations The best of men are no Adaequate rule of life Their fairest Copies have some blurs Their face of conversation like the Moons hath some sports Their infirmities are to comfort the disconsolate in their falls not to Patronize the least presumption 2. Not others good opinion The most acute Christian cannot look into thy heart and see all the wanton pranks there that prove hidden Libertinism Thou maist have a serious accurate out-side and a loose inside be like some Houses fair without but sluttish within After they that see thee judge thee exact thou hast no reason to rest in their charity when thy conscience either doth or may tell thee thou hast a filthy heart Besides beholders of thee may be unfaithful and to please thee displease God see wantonness in thee and either bury it in silence or cover it with flattery and bely their opinion of thee praise thee strict when they know thee loose and be a false glass to represent thine outward ill behavior either through cowardize or advantage Others good opinion is no true rule to judge of wantonness in the matters of grace 3. Not the judgement of thine own heart It is deceitful and not more dangerous then foolish to rest in it What wise man will trust in a common infamous Knave The old man in the best of men is a Wanton and Impostor It will call wickedness Saint-ship loosnesse strictnesse deformity beauty confusion order distemper health the flesh the spirit delusions of Satan the impulses of the holy Spirit 'T is easie and frequent to misconster loose passion zeal and self-glory for Gods glory In judging the abuses of Gods grace lean not to thine own understanding measure all by the golden line of the Sanctuary SECT 7. 3. AFter the sweetest taste of Gods grace fear the danger of 7. Beware of security wantonnesse Beware of security after inward Tranquility After Aaron and the Israelites had pleased and filled themselves at their Idolatrous Feast they plaid the Wantons They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exod. 12. 6. It is too sad experience after the Israel of God have pleased and refreshed themselves in Gospel-feasts they play the Wantons betray their nakedness intemperately frolick about the Creatures leap over Gospel-hedges are irregular in lawful things yea sometimes adventure on unlawful and all Cum Privilegio under the favorable allowance of sweet grace Thus the Corinthians promoted in Temporals and Spirituals rich in goods gifts and conceited graces when full and reigning as Kings played the Wantons in haughty puffings in vain-glorious boastings in crying up some in decrying others I am of Paul I am of Apollos Are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 4. v. 6 7 18 19. 1 Cor. 3 3 4. I shall not cast such dirt on the fair face of grace nor so asperse the Generation of the Righteous as to say or stain my soul with such a thought that the abuse of grace is the lesson Grace teacheth 'T is denying not fulfilling worldly Lusts which grace teacheth Libertinism is a Bastard Issue laid at the door of Grace which it neither can nor will father The Generation of the righteous as such shut the doors unto but open not to wanton enticements Loosnesse from Gospel-Principles and against them is the fruit of the flesh nor the spirit SECT 8. 4. BE not content with a slight humiliation for close abuse 8. Be not content with a slight humiliation for close abuse of Gods grace When Moses told the Israelites of their murmuring against God despising Canaans pleasant Land and wanton whoredomes Numb 14. 27 31 33. They mourned greatly 39. In the sense of Gods wrath so christian when thou readest over the forementioned symptomes of lesse discerned though abominable wrongs of Gods grace mourne greatly for them If the Apostle Paul that could not openly be charged with common abusing grace that felt the inward ordinary power of it in his soule that found in sweet experience the grace of God was not in vain 1 Cor. 15. 10. that exercised a conscience void of offence to God and man yet in passionate exclamation cryed out O wretched man for the remaines of sin which the glorious Non leviter frigide fed â—nagno cum sensu Peter grace of God kept under and still abated what cause O beleevers have you not in light transient touches of greif but abiding sorrowes to bewaile the close indignities you have put upon the grace of god CHAP. XIII Shewing the Difference between wronging the Grace of God in the regenerate and unregenerate CAution is touching the difference betweene the Cant. 3. Touching the difference between the wronging of Gods Grace in the Regenerate and unregenerate wronging of Gods grace in the regenerate and unregenerate think not that the spot of Godschildren and the Devils is
2 Cor. 7. It beats off satans insinuations to wanton Thoughts Reasonings Glances â—ffections Joseph would not hearken to his wanton Mistris Shall I commit this great wickednesse and sinne against God overcame the loose temptation Gen. 39. 9. When the flesh grows wanton as it is ever apt to doe it is good to look upon the sad monuments of Gods wrath his judgments and so to hedge up sinnes way with thornes David made this holy use of them My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Ps 119. 120. Judicia Dei â—ncutiunt salutarem pavotem Amesius They cast a saving fear on pious minds that teach to decline rainous sinnes Gods fear is like a stout faithful Porter that will not suffer the Kings Enemies to come within his Court-Like a resolute Steward that suppresseth loose misrule within his House These wanton Professors in the Text wanted the fear of God They feasted without fear v. 12 and they ungraciously abused the grace of God Till men that have banished the fear of God out of their hearts entertain it they will never mend their loose hearts and lives Christian when thou art tempted to abuse Gods grace or either in a grosse or close way Timor emendaotor Acerrimus Plinius secundus set the fear of God before thee and say with thy self The Lord seeth me now wronging his grace by praying for that grace I care not for I cannot abide to see in another by sheltering injustice under his grace by shamelesnesse in the sense of acknowledged sins by insensiblenesse of others sufferings by unimproving the talents of his gifts and graces Shall I not be afraid to wrong the grace of God in his presence Are not Kings Favorites afraid to abuse his goodnesse in his presence and good children afraid to be saucy in their Parents eyes wantonnesse and the holy fear of God are inconsistent We never are boldly irreverent but loosnesse ensues it The fear of God in the heart will not allow departure from him SECT 4. 4. HElp is the Christian watch It is a great advantage to holy 4. Christian watchfulness is a help against abuse of Grace Admodum pertinenter conjungit vigilantiam sobrietatem Musc Miles in exenbiis Saluti insidiosissime adversatur Muse Contine lingua meam intra cancellos ne effetiat verba indigna Pelican sobriety that it keeps from wantonnesse both in worldly and Spiritual things Watch and be sober 1 Thess 5. 6. Vigilance and Sobriety Drunkennesse and Sleeping are fitly joyned Tenebrarum Cives The dark Citizens of Satans Kingdom sleep in stupidity of Spirit incogitancy madnesse and security and then they are drunk with carnal Lusts Affections Delights Covetousness Pride and Passion whereas a perpetual watchful minde like a Soldier in duty would prevent that loosnesse that exposeth to the enemy The watchful adversary soon surprizeth the riotous drouzy Souldier in his Quarters and observing Satan the loose sleepy Professor The wanton Tongue needs a watch lest it vent indecent Impieties and Impurities Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips Psal 141. 3. The wanton ear needs a watch lest from a diseased itch not enduring sound Doctrine it turn from the truth to fables watch against this t is Pauls counsel to Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. Delicate itching ears must have scratching Doctrine Prurientes aures delectantur â—benignâ sca patione Matl Significat non modo fastidium sanae doctrinae sedodium Maâ—lorat to please carnal Lusts and hereby sound truth is loathed and contemned It is the common bane of Sermons Humor not Health carries away the credit And loose Appetites are more for delicate sauce then wholsome food Not the goodness but the newnesse and finenesse of the Diet and Cook is regarded The wanton eye needs watching lest it be a Casement to let in Vanity I made a Covenant with mine eyes why then should I think upon a maid Job 31. 1. much lesse on anothers Wife to tempt to wanton lust I bridled mine eyes that it should neither Oculos froena vit ne aspicerit vel quod peccalum foret vel ad peccandum illiceret Mercerus ther behold sin nor the baits of sin The wanton heart needs watching without this inward guard the outward watch of the senses is in vain A loose heart is so ingenuous it can shape the Idaea's of wickednesse The prophane heart of a blinde man may burn in lust while the outward doors are lockt and barr'd the unguarded Chambers of the heart may be lascivious Sound Christianity is severe and difficult it alloweth no sleeping mindes in secure sinning in worldly ensnarements in injuries to the Gospel That sleep that chains up the senses must not close Debent omnes etiam pii cum dormiant oculis corde vigilare Cypr. de Orat. Dom. up the eyes of the minde The heart may be carnally and spiritually wanton when the Body sleeps ' â— is good to pray that spiritual wickedness may not act in natures sleep Noisome dreams secret impurities are the issues of Original sin and Satans injections Keep a strict watch against the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit The resolved vigilant Steward prevents much loose disorder in the Family and the resolved watchful Christian in his soul SECT 5. 5. HElp is Prayer in the Holy Chost Praying always was 5 Prayer in the Holy Ghost is a special help against the abuse of grace Oratio flagellum Diaboli Christs remedy against the wanton excesses of the world Luke 21. 36. It is good against Libertinism in the Church It casts out the unclean Spirit Matth. 17. 21. It will cast out unclean temptation Pray that you enter not into it that neither you tempt temptation nor temptation tempt you To pray wantonly or through wantonness not to pray at all is the ready way to open the door to all lasciviousness of flesh and spirit Fit it is that he perish under loose temptation that either slightly or not at all seeks for a defence our continual help in Grace No wonder we have it not when we ask it not or amiss The Apostle Jude propounded it as safe soveraign counsel to avoid the wantons in the Text But you beloved praying in the Holy Ghost c. Set Grace awork in Divine Holy Prayer Run to your strong hold Gods grace is able to keep you from the abuses of it It was Davids practice uphold me according to thy Word Psalm 119. 116. Hold me up and I shall be safe 117. I flie unto thee Psalm 143. 9. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psalm 119. 37. Incline not mine heart to covetousness v. 36. SECT 6. 6. HElp is walking in the Spirit a safe Direction Walk 6 Walking in the spirit is an help against the abusing of grace in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. To be spiritually minded is life Rom. 8. ye
purified your heart by the spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. The spirit mortifieth the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. Let us walk in the spirit not desirous of vain glory provoking envying one another Gal. 5. 25 26. Quantumvis se Christianum vel millies glorietur He that hath not the spirit of Christ saith one belongs not to him although he should a thousand times over glory he is a Christian Where Christ with his Spirit dwelleth there is a proof of his inhabitation the guidance of his Spirit is followed the body of sin is gradually destroyed The spirits walks are clean principles are holy motions are pure Much wantonness in Religion is entertained from the spirits allowance and is guilty of this real blasphemy as if the holy Spirit were an unclean one It is not because men live in the Spirit but because they live not that they live and speak so loosly in filthy Ranterism in odious Libertinism When the Apostle prayed that the Colossians might be filled with all spiritual Wisdom and Understanding have inlightned mindes and renewed wills and affections Col. 1. 9. his meaning was that they might walk holily and strictly not uncleanly and loosly That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing ver 10. not by a Popish worthinesse of Merit but by a Gospel-worthinesse of fitnesse decency and non-repugnance to Gospel-grace walking worthy a Christians call Eph. 4. 1. Worthy of God 1 Thess 2. 12. Worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. All which is done by following the guidance of the spirit and not serving the lusts of the flesh which is the fruit of spiritual Wisdom and Understanding Sensual not having the spirit Jude Ep. ver 19. Will be a condemning evidence that wanton Sensualists were but pretended Spiritualists and real Carnalists The Spirits way is a way of holinesse a clean way Impure Libertines never walked in it Get in it and the dirty miry pathes of the worlds pollutions will be avoided SECT 7. 7. HElp is serious thoughts what it is to crucifie lusts The 7. Serious thoughts what it is to crucifie lusts is an help to prevent the abuse of grace not understanding of nor submitting to the crucifying work of grace is an experienced grand omission in all loose delicate Christians They choose and like onely that Religion that gives most liberty ease and life to the flesh Crucifying grace hath three irksome terrible and unpleasing severities which carnal wisdom and wantonness abhors Restraint Pain and Death 1. Restraint The Roman Malefactors that were fastned to the Crosse had not the free use of their members So when the Body of sin is Crucified its earthly Members are as it were nailed fastned to the Wood that they cannot have liberty to move as formely The Spirit never crucifieth but the flesh is nailed Carnem nostraÌ„ clavis in crucem agamus ut etiam invita sâ—iritui subjecta essecogatur to the Cross and is compelled to be subject to its dominion 2. Pain Piercing with nails Hanging bleeding on the Cross was a tormenting penalty when the Grace of God crucifieth it torments the flesh It s spiritual arms puts corruption to pain When it is vexed and afflicted it is as it should be No crucifying without pain 3. Death The kinde of death Christ died was Crucifixion He gave up the Ghost on the Crosse Crucifying grace is killing grace it at length utterly destroys this grand Malefactor the old man The same spirit of grace that is said to crucifie is also said to mortifie Rom. 8. As the Apostle Characterizeth true Christians by this They have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. so he exhorts Mortifie your earthly members Coloss 3. 5. For want of serious and solid pondering what the hard and rigorous work of Christian â—eligion is it gives no liberty to the flesh but nails it to the Crosse of grace puts it to pain and at length toâ—tures it to death it comes to pass that effeminate pleasant carnally joâ—und flesh-pampeing professed Christians in their indulgent wantonnesses are as far off from the severities of repentance as if they had never read nor believed Christ was crucified and that on pain of damnation the old man must be crucified also Take this wholsome counsel O loose Reader If thou wouldst repent of thy wantonnesse Be informed in and submit to the power of Crucifying grace when thou art loth to pinion and imprison thy lusts this is not to crucifie Câ—nst not endure to torment thy covetous vain-glorious malicious unclean intemperate lusts this is not to crucifie When thou doest reprieve them and deliver them as they that did Barrabas this is not to crucifie But when corruption would have a large room restrain it rather this is crucifying When thy heart is vexed and grieved to part with a dear lust it is great inward pain and smart to thee the rather smite and asslict deeply wound thy corrupt nature this is to Crucifie When it is death to thee to deny thy wisdom will and part with thy money delights carnal ease and interests yet to deny these things this is to Crucifie As Papists deal with their Crucifixes they please themselves with a painted Crucifix that have not the vertue of Christ crucified in their hearts and lives So loose Proâ—estants have a fancy Crucifix imagine their old man is crucified not a real Crucifix Their flesh is not at all crucified in their spirits and conversations SECT 8. 8. HElp is a thankful spirit It becomes the upright to be 8 A thankfull spirit is a special help to prevent the abuse of grace thankful Sincerity is the lustre and glory of every grace Hypocrisie keeps mercy returns it not uprightnesse will Can that heart be upright in it self that returns sin for grace nay makes grace to serve and lacquey to sin Do ye thus requite the Lord Oâ—â—e foolish people and unnise Deâ—â— 32. 6. Do you give him Straw for Pearls Dirt for Gold â—re â—â—â—bellions good thanks for pâ—â—dons Are sparing no â—llowanâ—es to Justs good ansâ—ers of sparing â—â—ace Is long 〈…〉 an high hand without remorse a good requital to long-suffering grace Deal you ingenuously with the despised and rejected offers of grace when at the same time you close with the offers of sin Deal you kindly with the gifting purifying sealing spirit of Grace when you turn you turn your back upon him and beâ—â—ay a spirit of pride worldlinesse and security Well doth the Apostle joyn together Unthankful and Unholy The Libertine is unthankful and unholy The â—entiles were unthankful and wantons against nature Pretended Christians are unthankful and wantons againâ—t Grace That thanks for the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ that would give up body and soul a reasonable sacrifice unto God would not dishonor the dominion of Christ and Temples of the spirit by loose wantonnesse Study and practice that of the Apostle What soever
you doe in Word and deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father by him Col. 3. 17. And this will secure against loosnesse in the duties of our Relations worldly enjoyments Ordinances of Grace Talents committed to us SECT 9. 9. HElp is godly sorrow Those ill humors that are contracted 9 Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace Indicium re fipiscentiae sollicitudo securitatis excussio metus ne nevo peccato implicarentur Dickson by carnal mirth godly sorrow will help to cure as in Nature so in grace contraries cure Fasting is one remedy of distempering feasts Godly sorrow is the spirits sack-cloth and fast for sin When it wrought in the Corinthians repentance it wrought carefulnesse which shook off security and fear of relapse into the old sin by fresh temptation By the sadâ—ess of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. True sorrows eat out the love and liking of sin Men lay not to heart the abuses of grace and then adventure them The three principal things that God requires are Justice Mercy Mourning The last is a singular help to the two first Could we walk mournfully before the Lord we should love Mercy and do justly Mic. 6. 8. The Jews were wanton in their marrying Idolatrous Wives and their mourning ushered in their reformation Ezra 10. 1 3. Good natured childrens ingenuous sorrows for their soose pranks are Preservatives against like disorders In Malachy the prâ—â—â—ical Atheists did look upon Religion as vain serving God keeping his Ordinâ—nces and walking mournfully before the Lord of Hoast Mal 3. 14. Those mock-Gods and loose Libertines that laugh at mournful walking with God and are ever irreligious they keep not his Ordinances nor serve him at all The tears of repentance do sweetly water the seed of grace Zions mourners are the most thâ—â—ving Christians None are further off from the dangerous snares of soul-ruining wantonnesse then humble souls that soâ—e in tears They reap in Grace and Joy while others that soâ— in carnal security and delights reap in sin and wrath It is told in Gath and published in Askelon that many that seemed to set their faces Heaven-wards are loose â—ibeâ—tines They dâ—re to think speak and act what once to think on would make them tremble They dare sin without â—emoâ—se and count it their perfection And whence this sad â—postacy Surely as in part from an ungrateful glut of and formality in the â—rdinances of Grace partly from the spiritual pride of high attainments and partly from exchanging the house of mourning for the house of mirth walking mournfully before the Lord with them is Apochrypha sorrow for sin is legal and antiquated The holy Spirit exhorts rich Wantons to change their mirth into mourning Jam. 4. 9. But what Spirit it is that moves them to change their mourning into mirth you may easily guess It is just with God that when dissolute ones in sinful hardness have laid by sorrow for sin in judicial hardnesse they should be not more merry then mad jocund Wantons The Pulpit is no place The Sabbath no time to speak vainly I hope I speak the words of Truth and Soberness of all the holy frames of the Spirit I would desire of God in my sinful Pilgrimage of imperfection this choice gâ—â—cious indowment That the top-power of the Spirit in me might be in the Gospel-humblings of brokennesse of heart and contrition of spirit Pelievers are called should be little ones Matth. 18. 6. are ever best and safest yea nearest God when lowest SECT 10. 10. HElpe is close union to God The whorish woman at distance 10 Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace Pe. didisti fornicantem abs te aliquid supra te amantem Pelican from her husband played the wanton Prov. 7 19. and impure soules fornicate when they thrust themselves out of Gods presence wanton spirits distance from God their choice and delight Job 21. 14. Is their damnation Lo they that are afar from thee shall perish Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee Psal 73. 27. They that love any thing above God leave Heavens bed of Loves for Earthly delights and shall pay dear for their wantonnesse The remedy against it was close union to God But it is good for me to draw nigh to God 28. As if he had said Unchast Fornicators that leave God the Fountain of living waters for lying vanities to their eternall losse shal be indited for whoredome but my soule enter not into their secret though they are Wantons behind Gods back I see it is sâ—fe it is happinesse to me to get neer his Fâ—ce in his presence is Aâ—e Purity and Joy I dare not be loose while I see him besore mine Eyes wil a promoted favourite abuse his Prince wrong his grace before his Face the close union of Gods Reverence Love Purity Joyâ— Contentment Admiration will not be abusive Appropinquatio ad Deum elongatio ab omni corruptione Parisiensis The neerer to the Holy God the further from corruption as the neerer the fire the further from cold the neerer the sun the further from darknesse it is sinners turning their backs upon God which makes them wantons the true vision fruition of and delectation in Gods face is grave serious holy and heavenly What Christian that ever had sweet tasts and close viewes of the blessed God but his experience is sweet testimony hee feared to thinke desire do say that evil in close addresses to God which at other tims of distance hath had too sinful allowance The happinesse of the next life wil be divine sweet vision and union without darknesse and separation eternal closures betweene God souls wil shut out wantoness so much as there is of spiritual conjunction now there is provision against sinne SECT 11. 11. HElp is a constant subduing the first depraved motions 11 A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a special help to prevent abuse of grace to carnal desires and affections he that denyes the first parly and specious offers of a trecherous enemy prevents consent when we give the subtil motions of sin audience and listen to their pleasing arguments it is a thousand to one but we grant them wanton indulgence and ready obedience turning the deaf side to the whorish flatteries of sweete corruption is a soveraign Antidote against Libertinisme Are we sure an enemy knocks at the door we loâ—k and bar against him but open not unto him spirituall Judgment sayes the loose motions of sin knocks at the door sayes open not O my soule open not they are Theeves and Robbers My Son saith Solomon If sinners intice consent thou not Prov 1. 10. So say O my Soul if that great Pandor to all the Wantons of flesh and spirit corrupt nature intice consent thou not when lust hath conceived in consent it is ready to bring forth in Execution
to be licentious Oh the sad liberty the impudent old man boldly takes Where the inward discipline of a strict eye is neglected and the judgings checks and lashings of the conscience are suspended be jealous to God of the bosom traytor to thy self lest God be offended the Gospel be abused and the soul be damnified CHAP. XVII Containing an Exhortation to long for a riddance from this sin BE much in longing O Christian for a perpetual deliverance from this sin some of this leaven 4 Be much in longing for a deliverance from this sin will infect the purest mass The strictest Christian off his watch is in som things loose The pure eyes of God see every impure secret glance The inward and outward eyes are sometimes carnally or spiritually adulterous or both The purest garments in the worlds dirty Lanes are spotted When divine Light shews Gospel abusing pollutions in gracious spirits how vile how loathsome are they Then wo is me I am a man of uncleane lips the loose messengers of a filthy heart O that I were rid of this filthy body of sin The captive exile longs for his enlargement the weary traveller for his Inne the storm-scar'd sea-sick Passenger for his Harbour and the afflicted Christian under his unkindnesses to Grace for a deliverance 'T is good when the wanton flesh wrongs covenant mercies to say of a deliverance from it as Jeremiah of the Jews repentance when shall it once be Jer. 13. 27. When shall it once be that impure lusts shall never wrong the kisses of Love They that have the first fruits of the Spirit should be stil longing and groaning for their eternal holy happy harvest Pure heart-longings should be like the Harts pantings The hunting trembling creature hath an enflamed appetite after refreshing water tempted soules are or should be longing after pure communion with the blessed God Ingenuous afflicting sense of corrupting the best things the smiles the compassions the love tokens the promises of God by the loose flesh should beger doleful complaints of present pollutions and imperfections I know beleever it troubles thy precious tender spirit when thou seest thy unkindnesses to thy dearest Friend the Lord Jesus Be longing and breathing after a purer heart As Sisera's Mother said VVhy tarry the wheeles of his chariot Judg. 5. 28. So in thy devout reâ—itements say why tarry the wholly prevailing motions to heavenly perfection Oh that they were like the Chariots of Aminadab When shall I see and never asperse again the face of my dear Lord with carnal indignities Love longs for its beloved There is much grace in much and sorrowfull longing for more CHAP. XVIII Containing an Exhortation to Joy in the Hope of Glory 5. OE much upright Christian in the hope of glory 5 Be much upright in the hope of glory The Gospel eternal rewards of the next life wil be eternal security against the wrongs of grace Glory wil not admit throughout eternity the least imaginable minute of under-prizing of idle contemplating of dis-affecting precious grace it and its Author it and its Mediator it and its Messenger it and its golden Cisterns that conveighed it shall have their high account It shall have no obstructive creatures whorish lusts wily devils to wrong it It shall have no glut in its glorious exercise It s use shall be the Whetssone of use It s delight shall set a keen edge upon the Spirit still to delight in it It shall never be made an Advocate to speak for the least sinne You spiritual sonnes and daughters of Zion did the hope of Babylons Captives in the civil graves of their bondage rejoice them that they should arise and come with singing to Zion be you ever sipping through Gospel faith and hope out of the cup of everlasting consolation that though at the present you are captives of your loose flesh yet you shall with everlasting joy come to your heavenly Zion CHAP. XVIII Containing perswasive Motives to take heed that the Grace of God be not abused To stir us up to the holy practise of the forementioned Directions and Exhortations it will not I hope be impertinent to lay down some pressing Considerations that may spur our dull lazy spirits to the vigorous promoting of this great duty Exalting the Grace of God and shunning this eminent and frequent sin The wrong of his Grace These following things well digested pondered and fixed on our spirits may urge us profitably As SECT 1. 1. COnsideration The Titles given to Holy Professors in sacred Consider 1. The titles given to holy professors should excite us not to abuse Gods grace Writ should excite to use all means not to abuse Gods grace They are stiled Gods peculiar treasure Psal 135. 4. His Jewels Mal. 3. 17. Shall their worthless hearts drossie lives speak them barren commons wildernesses pebbles dunghils They are Gods Tabernacle Temple where he placeth his name Lev. 26. 11 12. and shall they that should bear it up to shine gloriously in the world darken it blaspheme it prophâ—ne it Amos 2. 7. They are the dearly beloved of his soul Jer. 12. 7. and shall their loose Apostasies provoke him that his soul should have no pleasure in them Heb. 10. 38. They are the children of the Kingdom Mat. 8. 12. and shall they carry themselves like such â—ebellious children and subjects as to provoke their angry â—â—ofessed King the Lord Jesus to cast them out They are Gods vineyard planted to bring forth sweet and ripe grapes Is 5. shall they answer Gods care and cost by the sowre grapes of ungodliness and unrighteousness They are a royal Priesthood and shall they live base abject lives 1 Pet. 2. 9. They are stiled the kingdom of Heaven Mal. 13. 47. whose conversation should be in heaven Phil. 3. 20. and shall they be worldlings in heart and life They are Christs garden Can. 8. 13. shal they be overrun with rank weeds They are The Spouse of Christ Can. 4. 11. and after Espousals to him shal they run a whoring from him Ps 73. 27. and cleave to strange loves They are Labourers Mat. 20. 1. And shal they stand idle all the day of grace Mat. 20 6. They are Christians Act. 11. 26. And shal they dishonour Christ And the Christian Name by unchristian principles and practises Sâ—CT 2. 2. COnsideration The honour of Christian Liberty civil freemen 2. The Consideration of Christian Liberty should prevent the Abuse of grace are chary of their Liberties spirituall ones must be and make their dear bought Liberty a plea to duty not a cloake of maliciousnesse being fâ—ee from the guilt and reign of sin they are De Juâ—e the servants of Righteousnesse Rom. 6. 18. â—nd as the pâ—ofessed servants of Righteousnesse they are free from the dominion of sin They are Christs freemen to do Gods worke and seâ—ve him not their Lusts under Christs Livery what honour hath liberty from the curse rigor damnation of the Law as a
covenant of works If Freemen by profession are as willing and industious flaves by dispoâ—tion and practise as if they had heard of the author of Liberty the infinite price of Libeâ—ty the bounds of Liberty the peace of Liberty the purity of Liberty the designe of Liberty which was to imprison chain up and chastise felonyous Traytors Rebells evill thoughts carnal reâ—sonings perverse desires inordinate â—ffections dissolute courses not to give them the least allowance latitude and affection What honour can this be to Christian liberty when as huge multitudes of Libertines manage it Hell is broken loose under the favour of it whose intendment was to open heaven in a free practise of piety and pardon of be vailed failings in a free assiâ—anâ—e by the spirit of Libertine to endeavour to do every part of â—ods will and a free acceptance of imperfect yet sincere service Carnal worldly Liberty saith indulge your â—enius feast your senses deny your sensitive appetite in nothing the pleasures of this life are the chiefest good be not a slave to straight laced mopish melancholly rules exercises and society but true Christian Liberty sayes use no unlawfull delights you deny your self in lawful be not under the power of Creature sweetest allowances it counts that part of life most sweet freedome that in the zeal pursuit and affection of spirituall delights can be contented without and mortified to â—eihâ—y unnecessary delights he words of Tertul. are weighty Delicatus es O Christiane si in saeculo voluptatem concuâ—iscis c. Quid jucundius quam Deâ— Patris reconciliatis quam veritatis revelatio quam errorum recognitio c. Quae majorvoluptas quam fast idium voluptatis c. Hae voluptates haec spec tacula Christianorum Tertull De spectaculis pag. 592. Thou art delicate O Christian if thou seekest worldly pleasureâ— yea a fool if thou accountest this pleasure what is more pleasant then Reconciliation with God then acknowledgment of errors then pardon of sin past What is greater pleasure then the loathing of pleasure the contempt of the whole world then true liberty then an upright conscience then a life of contentment then living above the fear of death these are the pleasures these are the spectacles the rare sights of Christians Indeed an holy authority over sensuall delights a vacation and attendance to and pursuance of spiritual pleasures do speak the only Free-man in the World T is rare to find that mighty Apostolicall spirit among professed Christians not to be under the power of any thing they use not specular delights with Liberty but slavery not being possessors of them so much as possessed by them not to help but hinder the spiritual Race not to sharpen but dul the edge of holy Devotion Meditation and delight in God not as Ladders of scension to him but as Leaden Plummers to pul down the soule from him SECT 3. 3. COnsideration The credit of the Gospel how doth the 3. The credit of the Gospel should ingage us to beware of abusing the grace of God Schoole boy honour his Master when hee is a thriving Grammarian the Pupill his Tutor when he is a rare proficient in the Liberal arts and the Beleever his great Teacher Christ when in the Gospel Schoole he is come to high attainments in the deep and holy practical mysteries of Faith T is said of Demetrius He had a good report of the truth 3 Epist Joh. v. 12. The gospel of Salvation the highest word of truth gives a good Report of its strict Professors when it is so powerfull over them as to make them stand in awe of its Lust-curbing-requiries when its spiritual weapons are mighty through God to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ to hush the peevish insurrections of discontented imaginations to curb loose inward filthy motions to purge out their defilements to bewaile inward pollutions to watch them and beat them down in holy indignation and chastity of Spirit as they rise up and importune with their flattering insinuations to Rebellion and draâ—ing aside from God When the Gospel is thus the power of God to holy strictnesse it speaks wel of itsreligious observers so taking is its Majesty in the minds and mouthes of loose wicked men â—ho commend strict Gospellers yea wish sometimes they were in their case It speakes wel of fellow conscientious Christians who are glad to see their fellow Travellers in the Road of Christianity making hast to their eternal inheritance their fathers house It speaks wel in the joyous observance of the holy Angels who rejoyce in the Teares Prayers Strict services of the penitent it wil speak wel in the Lord Christ who wil be admired in careful and conscionable Bellevers at the great day 2 Thessal 1. 10. Who have not put off themselves and others with the words but shined forth the power of the Gospel in holy humble heavenly close walking with God and living up according to the measure of Grace to its injunctions SECT 4. 4. COnsideration The strict and heavenly call of Christians they are called from the Creature to Christ from The strict high and heavenly call of Christians should keep us from abusing the grace of God dissolutenesse to regular life from lying vanities to the blessed realities of Eternity from the delights of sense to those of faith from a portion in this life to an inestimable one in God from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit to the clean paths of holiness from the cursed impure life of Devils to the holy Angels conversation Great spirits called to Court dignities and delights have ordinarily an answerablenesse of spirit to their secular greatnesse Christians are called to be the high Courtiers of the Heavenly Court their very call if seriously weighed is a mighty motive to strictnesse God hath not called us unto uncleaness but unto holinesse 1 Thes 4. 7. When God called us we were unclean lived in uncleannesse but noâ— saith Musculus He hath called us that of profane and unclean we might be holy As if Perinde ac siquis vocetur ad halneum Et puer qui mittitur ad ludum literariuÌ„ Et qui vocat ad se medicuÌ„ c. Musculus one be called to a Bath he is not called to abide in his impure distempers but to purge them out As if a boy be called to school he is not sent thither for barbarous rudenesse bâ—t to get learning Or as he that sends for the Physitian doth not call for him for siâ—kness but health to remove not to retain his disease Such is the condition of our calling in Jesus Christ to accommodate our selves to the will of God and not to wander from the scope of our calling hence the Apostle mentions Christians call as argumentative of a strict life and regular conformity to the Gospels precepts SECT 5. 5. COnsideration A lively sense of the Excellency of grace 5. A lively sense of the excellency of grace is a
means to prevent abuse of grace Homines secundum gratiam ipsam creantur i. e. constituuntur in novo esse ex nihilo Aquin. 12 ae q. 110. 2 Gratia auxilium Dei Aqu. 1 2 ae q. 113. 9. Arg. 2. Arg. 2. Gratia habituale donum excedens ordineÌ„ naturae bonum gratiae unius est magis bâ—num naturae totius universi Ib. Grace is the new Creature By it the sinner saith Aquinas is created in a new being now how unworthy is it of the new Creature to look again like the old man It must be with the supernatural as it is with common Creatures they shew according to their properties formes and inclinations what is put into them by the benefit of their creation Grace is the glory of God Let me see thy glory saith Moses God shewed it in his grace I wil be gracious to whom I wil be gracious Exod. 33. 18 19. God in his Grace is a King in his Throne The Throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Abuse grace and you spit upon the King in his Throne this is to deal with God as Davids enemies did with him to Turn his glory into shame Grace is the arme of God his strong arm by which hee aydes and defends his people and casts down Satan to wrong grace is to weaken the arm of God Grace is a matchlesse goodnesse of finite excellencies the chiefest exceeds all the good of nature All the Creatures Riches Honours Pleasures of this world are inconsiderable to Grace the least filing of its precious gold the least dramme of its soveraign worth the lowest degree of it excells the Abstract the Quintessence the Composition the Spirits the united Glory of the whole worlds desirables The poorest Saint doth outwealth the richest sinners rich Libertines that swim in pleasures have reason to wish they could change states with poor Beleevers the rich heirs of glory but it was never yet known that a real needy Saint would change conditions with gracelesse prosperous worldlings and mighty Cedars Look not upon the wicked of the world with envy but with pitty they that see in the Sancturary of God what wil be their dreadful end fret not to see bruitish christians fatted in their wealthy pastures like Oxen for the slaughter they know their delicate and superfluous meate is sweet til the reckoning come weigh things by their ends not present enjoyments the references they bear to eternity not this life Grace is a christians holy water a christal spring the well of water springing up to eternal life is the spirit of Grace Joh. 4. Gratia caelestis rivus Justin Prot. Patriar venetiae 14. To debase the grace of God to sin is to throw dirt into a pure spring to muddy a pure stream that the christians face cannot be seen in it Grace is spirituall light a saving beam of the Sun of righteousnesse Gratia spirituale lumen Aq. 1 2 ae q. 211. 5. Arg. 3. that makes day in the soule where it is and speakes its enlightned subjects children of light Now loose wanton works of darknesse what in them lyes turn the day into night make the beautiful Sons of Zion to looke like uncomly Negroes black Ethiopians turnes Heaven into Hell the christians fairenesse into foulnesse his glory into shame Grace is the choice love token of God Hos 14. 2 4. Eph. 2 4 7. To Abuse Grace is as if a Spouse should blot and blur her Bridegroomes Love-Letters and cast his kind tokens under feet Grace is a christians ornament the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3 4. the ornament of grace unto the head and chaines about the neck Pro. 1. 9. a ravishing comliness to Jesus Christ Can. 4. 9. A gracious christian though his outward appearance be never so meane is a more comly peice to spiritual Dignitasin indigno est ornamentum in luto Salvian eyes then the fairest face of the Limners art yea then the most beautiful face of flesh and bloud that ever God made the filth cast upon grace is like dirt cast upon a brides ornaments or dung on scarlet Grace is a christians distinguishing character by it said Paul I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. It makes the great difference in the world it differs the spiritual from the carnal as the resonable soul doth a man from a bruit to sin by grace is to make the sun darkness to turn a man into a beast to be filthy by a clean spring is a great contradiction to the nature and distinguishing formality of Gratia est similitu do Dei Aq. 3. â— 2. 10. Arg. primum Grace Grace is Gods image to wrest grace to sin is to make Gods picture look like the Devils Grace is a christians heaven begun eternal life to mingle sinwith grace is to mingle hel with heaven and death with eternal life Gratia sanitas mentis Aq. 1 2 ae q. 11 3. c. Quasi murâ— gratiae civinae circum quaque communiti fideles Chrys Grace is the soules health to abuse grace is to turn health into sickness the sweet temper of the mind into a diseased distemper Grace is a christians walled city his safety lyes in this that he is walled round with grace to shelteâ— sin under grace is to throw down a securing wall and to make it useless grace in its vigour liberty and exercise wil shelter the soul against all its assaults Grace is a christians store house gives out supply for Life and Vnico hoc gratiae vocabulo continetur ingens ille beneficiorum acervus Davâ—nant in Colos godlinesse My grace is sufficient for thee this one word grace is an Abridgment of gospel blessings all are in grace Paul was wont to begin and end his Epistles with grace as the foundation and top-stone of eternal happinesse Sin against grace by the leave of grace is the pick-lock theefe that comes into the christians store-house and robs him of all his blessings Grace is the earnest for glory to make grace give liberty to sin is to turn the earnest of Heaven into an earnest for hel it is like a wanton servant to cast his masters earnest into the gutter Thus O christian get a lively dwelling sense upon thy spirit of the fair face of grace and thou wilt not dare by thy filthy thoughts words and workes to bemire it consider the high honour of grace and thou wilt not disgrace it FINIS
Practical Adversaries of Gods grace clearly opened to see the Insolencies Indignities and Injuries they do against it they could not but in a trembling conviction conclude these and these things are certain dishonors of grace Stains of holy Profession Inconsistencies with the new Creature Lust and Satans methods of Damnation and denials of the hope of Glory As when Paul said to Ananias God shall smite thee thou whited wall he had not said so had he known hee was the High Priest Act. 23. 3 5. â—o had the bold abusers of Gods Summus Lethargus quasi mors humanae conscientiae ignorantia voluntatis divinae grace strong and clear convincements the frame of their hearts and carriages of their lives were the high injuries of Grace eminent perils of destruction and demerits of the hottest room in Hell in the noon-light of such an acknowledgement they would feare and tremble to stumble upon their owne ruin SECT 2. 2. VVAnt of Faith to believe the signall danger of sinne this 2 Want of Faith to beleeve the danger of sin is a wrong to Grace Caecus assensus plane temerarius sine praeeunte notitia non potest induere rationem fidei Parkerus de Traduct peccat ad Deum Thesis 56. huge sin is the wrong of Grace It is no wonder that the evill which is not known is not believed nor declined Unbeliefe is the evill heart that departs from the living God It sets not to its seal that God is true in his promises nor threatnings believes not the abominable damnable nature of sinne and dallies with it As daring wantons who know that the cup that stands before them is of poyson yet beleeve it not but drink and burst or the plague is in the house they goe into believe it not are mortally infected and die And as the Egyptians beleeved not that the cattle and men that were found abroad one storming day should die adventured abroad and were slaine so dallying adventurers that beleeve not the mischief of their sinfull pleasures contempts of Christ and his Gospel they are dancing over the mouth of Hell by the sudden push of death are kickt into it The loose old world beleeved not the destruction Preached by Noah in the making of the Ark were not moved with his holy example and penitentiall instructions The Sonnes of God playd the wantons with the fair idolatrous daughters of men Gen. 6. 2. and were at length swept away with the flood Faith would make Libertines fear and tremble Unbelief is daring Minatur Deus negligitis minatur terrenus Judex contremiscitis The wrath of man is more feared than Gods When God saith one threatens eternal punishment ye neglect it when an earthly Judge threatens temporal ye tremble at it SECT 3. 3. WAnt of Heat Intention and Livelinesse in Religion If 3 The want of life in Religion causeth abuse of Grace God be not served in fervency of Spirit Lust will If Satan cannot keep from Religious exercise he tempts to Luke-warmnesse yea Key-coldnesse in the performance of them Instinctu Satanae faith one by Satans deading and flatting instinct a drowsie tyring in good things steals upon body and spirit Faint fighting is not wont to overcome nor faint service of God to mortisie Lust How feâ— are there in a Christian congregation superabounding in spiritual joy alwaies pleasant and merry in the Lord fervent in spirit day and night meditating in the Law of God lifting up pure hands in prayer follicitous observers and students of their own hearts zealous witnesses of holy affections to good works to whom Christian discipline is amiable Fasting sweet long Watching short the whole pietie of a regular conversation is a delitious feast yea doth exceed the sweetnesse of the Quorum brevis rara compunctio animalis conversatio sermo fine circumspectione oratio sine cordis intentione lectio sine edificatione Bern. Virga calcaribus indigentes hony and the hony comb Alass how many are there who in an impartial inquest will be found remisse in the studies of Holyness fainting under Christs easie yoak and light burden whose compunction is short and rare conversation naturall speech without circumspection prayer without intention of heart reading without edification good purpose without execution religious exercise without fervencie who in the waies of godliness want the whipp and spurs but in the too prone and nimble motions of dislolute looseness need curbing bridles Licentious courses are so strong and impetuous that the modest shame of uncomeliness the bridle of reason yea the fear of Hell can hardly restrain them No wonder if corruption be daring dissolute and potent when religious exercises are flat dead cold and feeble Wee blush not Sine debita attentione fervore spiritus Bern. said one to pray to God without due attention and fervour of spirit He that hath no sweet communion with God will seek it in the world and pleasing his inticing lusts When the minde is senceless in reading and meditation and affections are dull corruption will be lively 'T is sad to consider how many seemed to discover the fervour of a pious conversation in whom by degrees charity hath waxen cold and iniquity abounded and what appeared to be begun in the Spirit ends it is to be feared in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee because of the savour of thine ointments Cant. 1. 3 4. Therefore there is need of Opus habeo trahi quia refriguit pauliâ—per in nobis ignis amoris tui Bernard drawing because the divine fire of the soules love for want of fewel to it and blowing of it by degrees abates ad cooles Drawing nigh the fire is for warmth and drawing nigh of God is for holy heat In near approaches to him the new creature is a zealous enemy to wanton looseness Cockering cooleness in the severe religious exercises of Mortification is the bane of Profession Adonijah was a very goodly man David his Father displeased him not at any time in saying why hast thou done so 1 King 1. 6. In the sist verse you sinde him a daring Rebel you may read in the Contents of the Chapter Adonijah Davids darling usurpeth the Kingdome Thus is it with every fair faced goodly lust The indulgent Christian is it too remisse in rebuking and chastizing it and it riseth up in arms against him Cockering Mothers cold in rebuking wanton sons teach them to be Libertines ost-times train them up for the Gallows and Hell so when the heart is remiss and cold for good and against evill Lust will have its reins and lawlesse liberty and ruin its servants SECT 4 4. WAnt of receiving the Truth in the Truth in the love of it is an Advantage 4. Want of receiving the truth in the love is an advantage to turn a Libertine to trun a Libertine The Apostle describes the Antichristian spirit that waxed wanton in taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse receiving