meane and comprise all the active inferior powers of the Soule Will Affections Sence as they are polluted and empoysoned in the puddle of originall corruption and afterward being fleshed in sensuall pleasures and enfierced by Sathans suggestions become the furious executioners of all the sinfull decrees and unsanctified determinations of the mis-guided understanding and wisedome of the flesh 8 In hearing the Word be sure First To give earnest heed Heb. 2. 1. Secondly To consider seriously 2 Tim. 2. 7. Thirdly That wee be not in this respect like leaking Vessels and have Sieve-like memories Heb. 2. 1. Fourthly To keepe the Word with much adoe with great contention and colluctation Luke 8. 15. 9 Suffer the Spirit of Bondage to have its worke upon thee Conclude horror upon thy heart by the working of the Law from such places as these Deut. 29. 19 20. 2 Thess 1. 8 9. Rev. 21. 8. 10 When thy Conscience is once throughly wounded by the preparative worke of the Spirit of Bondage and all thy sinnes even those in which thou hast taken greatest delight become heavie and a grievous burthen upon thy heart then let that heavie heart of thine receive spirituall warmth refreshing and life First By perusing the Lord Iesus in all the passages of his Love Sufferings and Satisfactions from his comming from the Bosome of his Father untill his returning unto his right hand againe especially hanging upon him bleeding and dying and crying under the burthen of our sinnes My God my God c. and so conquering and concluding It is finished Secondly By a feeling survey and sure setling upon all the Promises of Life sealed with his righteous bloud Thirdly By cleaving to Gods sweetest Name which is to forgive iniquitie transgression and sinne Exod. 34. 6 7. Fourthly By resting with all thankefull and joyfull acknowledgement and rejecting resolutely all scrupulous and fearefull injections upon that blessed Mysterie of Gods free grace which reacheth from everlasting to everlasting 11 Then ever after walke watchfully and fruitfully in the path which is called holy Now for continuall growing and profiting by the Ministerie in that new and blessed course and for thriving by the food of the Word which thou enjoyest take these directions looke unto these things First Looke to the dressing of it that thy spirituall Cooke be cunning and conscionable Otherwise it may sometimes turne into ranke poyson unto thy Soule fill thee with winde and puffe thee up with a causelesse good conceit of thy selfe impaire thy spirituall health keepe thee stinted as it were and at a stay c. Nay an ill spirituall Cooke by his jugling Trickes may make thee beleeve all thy life long that thou growest in Grace and shalt goe to Heaven and thou art starke dead in sinnes and trespasses and shalt be damned Secondly The emptying and disburthening of the Stomacke of thy Soule of all Humours Passions Prejudice Crosses Troubles Temptations c. or any thing that will hinder the puritie and power of the Word from taking possession of thy Soule even the Honey-combe the sweetest thing in the World is loathsome as the Wise-man sayth to a full stomacke Thou must bring an Heart and Head like two emptie Buckets to draw with greedinesse and joy the Water of Life out of the Wells of Salvation Thirdly To procure and rayse an Appetite before thou come from consideration first of its Necessitie Where the Word of God is not preached the people perish as you had it in the former Treatise Secondly Excellencie It is farre more precious than purest Gold dearer than thousands of Gold and Silver Thirdly Sweetnesse It passes the Honey and Honey-combe David in his absence from the meanes holds the Swallow and Sparrow happle Birds Fourthly Profit It builds up the inner man c. Fourthly The Reception of it That it ever be entertained with farre more attention and reverence than if wee were hearing the mightiest Monarch in the World speaking immediately unto us by personall compellation about the weightiest affaire and neereliest concerning us That it be ever heard as the Word of the mightie and ever-living God Fifthly Retention The most wholesome and soveraigne meat if presently voided nourisheth not at all many fall into a Consumption of Grace by reason of weakenesse this way They are hot and fierce to get unto a good Sermon and they doe well to be carefull thereabout but their forwardnesse and fervencie cooles and expires when the Sermon is done They after have little more to doe with it save onely to say it was a good Sermon As many have an unsatiable appetite in devouring meat who cannot keepe it for any space of time The retentive power of the Soule then must be strengthened and exercised or else the attentive and attractive addes but more deadnesse to a spirituall Atrophie Sixtly Concoction By repetition either in way of conference with our neighbours and Christian friends or in way of examination without Wives Children Servants Schollers or other inferiours But principally by that first excellent Exercise of Meditation which is the very life of profitable Hearing and the want of it the death of all good Lessons It inflames the heart with a kindly heat to practise as in brooding the Hen inspires heat and begets life secondly and by the heat of Prayer that both warmes the heart fits the food and brings a blessing upon both Seventhly Digestion By application of the points unto our owne particular by sorting the particulars of the Sermon unto our owne necessities for the conquering of this Lust ruling of that Passion leaving this Sinne performing that Dutie c. Eightly Practice Walking in the strength of it afterward which makes it our owne and keepes the Soule in health and growth and comfortable temper And thus wee may constantly grow by the Ministerie of the Word which is the principall publike Banquet which the Lord hath provided for feeding his Childrens Soules The Sacraments are a second Service Even by the first that is Baptisme wee may grow not onely when wee feele it in our owne bodies but also when wee see it administred unto others And therefore the custome which hath prevailed in most places of neglecting and contemning this part of the Food of our Soules is to be severely censured and sharpely reproved By the second that is the Lords Supper wee may thrive excellently if wee follow those Directions in my Preparative to it To which I referre you in the succeeding Treatise FINIS A BRIEFE TABLE OF THE CHIEFE HEADS Contained in this Treatise of the SAINTS GVIDE A. AFfection to be joyned with hearing pag. 179 Afflictions no strange thing p. 118. They are but short 120 Afflictions raised by the Devill against Christians 109 Antidotes against afflictions 110 c. Application required in hearing the Word and why 180 181 Apostates their danger 103 Atheisme 50 Attention in hearing required 174.
the Word of God to a love and liking of the heavenly knowledge therein contained and to a sound and sincere practice of it in our lives and conversations may be this The Word of God is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men published by his owne Sonne sealed by his Spirit witnessed by his Angels conveyed unto us by his Church the Pillar and ground of Truth confirmed with the bloud of millions of Martyrs which hath alreadie brought thousands of soules to Heaven and fills every heart that understands it and is wholly guided by it with Light and Life with Grace and Salvation Now let us imagine a man to have a Letter sent unto him but by an Earthly King or some great Prince in the World wherein hee should have a Pardon granted him for some capitall Crime and high Offence whereby hee were lyable to a terrible kind of death or wherein hee should be fore-warned of some great and imminent danger hanging over his head and readie every houre to fall upon him or wherein hee should have assured and confirmed unto him under the Kings Seale some rich Donation or great Lordship Now I say if a man should receive but a Letter from some high and mightie Potentate upon Earth wherein any of these favours should be conveyed unto him how reverently would he receive it how thankfully would he accept of it how often would he reade it how warily would he keepe it how highly would he esteeme of it Why in this royall and sacred Letter sent from the King and great Commander both of Heaven and Earth all these favours and a thousand more joyes and comforts are conveyed unto every beleever and practiser thereof In that we are fore-warned lest by our ignorance impietie and impenitencie wee fall into the Pit of Hell and everlasting horror In that we have promised and performed unto us the pardon and remission of all our sinnes whereby wee justly stand guiltie of the second death and the endlesse torments of the damned By the vertue of it we are not onely comforted with grace in this World but shall undoubtedly be crowned with peace glory and immortalitie in the World to come Such a Letter as this hath the mightie and terrible God most glorious in all Power and Majestie who is even a consuming and devouring fire sent unto us miserable men by nature wretched and forlorne creatures Dust and Ashes why then with what reverence chearefulnesse and zeale ought wee to receive reade heare marke learne understand and obey it A second Motive may be the precious golden and divine matter which is contained in the Booke of God and that true and ever-during happinesse to which it onely can bring us There is nothing proposed and handled in the Word of God but things of greatest weight and highest excellency As the infinite majesty power and mercy of God the unspeakable love and strange sufferings of the Sonne of God for our sakes the mighty and miraculous working of the holy Spirit upon the soules of men There is nothing in this Treasury but Orient Pearles and rich Iewels as promises of grace spirituall comfort confusion of sinne the triumph of godlines refreshing of wearied soules the beautie of Angels the holinesse of Saints the state of Heaven salvation of sinners everlasting life What Swine are they that neglecting these precious Pearles root only in the Earth wallow in worldly pleasures feede upon vanities transitorie trash and vanishing riches which in their greatest need will take them to their wings like an Eagle and flie into the Heavens Besides the Word of God is only able to prepare us for true happinesse in this world and to possesse us of it in the world to come It only begets in us a true intire and universall holinesse without which none shall ever see the face of God or the glory of Heaven for it is impossible hereafter to live the life of glory blessednes in Heaven if we live not here the life of grace and sincerity in all our waies It is called the immortall Seed because it regenerates and renewes us both in our Spirits Soules and Bodies in our Spirits that is in judgement memory conscience in our Soules that is in our will and affections in our Bodies that is in every member If the Prince of this world hath not blinded the eyes of our minds and that we be not reprobats as concerning salvation it only is able to inlighten our understandings to rectifie our wills to sanctifie our hearts to mortifie our affections to set Davids Doore before our lips that are offend not with our tongues to set Iobs Doore before our eyes that they behold not vanity to manacle our hands feet with the cords and bands of Gods Law that they do not walke or worke wickedly nay and it is able to furnish and supply us with sufficiencie of spirituall strength to continue in all these good things and in a godly course vnto the end And if we be once thus qualified we are rightly fitted and prepared for the glory that is to be revealed As before this holy Word did translate us from the darknesse of sinne into the light of grace it can now much more easily with joy and triumph bring us from the light of grace to the light of immortalitie and everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand A third Motive may be this Wee must be judged by the Word of God at the last Day If any man saith Christ Ioh. 12. 47 48. heare my words and beleeve not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World He that refuseth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken it shall judge him in the last Day Whensoever wee shall come to judgement and appeare before Gods Tribunall and wee little know how neere it is two Bookes shall be layd open unto us the one of Gods Law another of our owne Conscience The former will tell us what wee should have done for the Lord hath revealed it to the World to be the rule of our faith and of all our actions The other will tell us what wee have done for Conscience is a Register Light and Power in our Vnderstanding which treasures up all our particular actions against the Day of Triall discovers unto us the equitie or iniquitie of them and determines of them either with us or against us Now we must not take any exception against the first that is the Law of God For the Law of God saith David Psal 19. 7. is perfect converting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple Wee cannot against the second that is the Booke of our Conscience for it was ever in our custodie and keeping no man could corrupt it there
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
and secret judgement to suffer some of our fore-fathers to live and die under the tyranny and darknesse of Antichrist how much are we bound to blesse God that we are borne and brought up in the light of the Gospell and what heavie plagues and great damnation doe wee bring upon our selves if wee neglect or despise so great salvation I but yet further will some say wee have lived some of us fortie some thirtie some twenty yeares without so much preaching and yet have holden good credit and reputation in the world and prospered in our wayes would you now have us so forward in running to Sermons Strange it is to see how wise the simplest are in matters of the world about their temporall state but how simple and blinde the wisest worldlings are in the affaires of Heaven and about their greatest spirituall and eternall good Let us suppose a man to have lived long in a poore Cottage and now at length to have some great and rich Lordship befallen him doe you thinke hee would reason thus Why I have lived some thirtie or fortie yeerâ—â— now alreadie in this low estate with good conteâ—â—â—ent and credit amongst my neighbours and therefore here I will rest the rest of my dayes I am too old now to change my former estate Would such a foole as this be found in a whole Countrey And yet many Countries are full of such fooles in respect of spirituall advancement and the salvation of their soules Me thinkes those that have long lived in ignorance and blindnesse should rather conclude thus Have I thus long and so fearefully lived without God in the World without knowledge of his Truth faith in Christ and Conscience of my wayes Oh then it is more than high time now at length to awake out of sleepe and to open mine eyes and to imbrace this glorious Sun-shine of the Gospel which the Lord of his great mercy hath brought unto me that so I may be enlightened to eternall life As for prospering in the World that is no marke of a good soule nay it is commonly the Let of the wicked not to be plagued like other men but to bring their enterprises to passe Psalme 73. Nay yet further There is no greater Curse can befall any man than to prosper in the World and be out of the way to Heaven I but will others say to the attaining of eternall life what needs so much adoe so much preaching catechising expounding conferring meditating teaching and praying with our families which are so much and so often urged upon us When all comes to all this is the summe and end of all To feare God and keepe his Commâ—â—dements That we love God above all and our neighâ—â—â— as our selves And we hope we can doe this without all this adoe To feare God and keepe his Commandements which is the whole dutie of man as the Preacher speakes in his last chapter and to love God above all and our neighbors as our selves upon which hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets as Christ tells us Math. 22. are indeed soone spoken but not so easily truly learned and most hardly sincerely practised Is it enough thinke you to make a man a good Carpenter or Mason to say That that is soone learned and I know as much as the best workman can teach or tell me To build an House is nothing but to lay the foundation to reare the walls and cover it with a Roose Is it enough to make a good Husbandman to say I know as much as the best Husbandman can teach me for Husbandry is nothing else but to sowe and reape Is it enough to make a good Preacher to say It is no such great matter to make a Sermon I know as much in that point as the best Scholler amongst them can tell me To preach is nothing else but to expound the Text gather Doctrines and make use and application to the hearts consciences of the hearers But it would be long before these idle and emptie vaunts would build Houses fill Barnes or save Soules There is farre more required to these businesses than so There is to be undergone much toile and labour much care trouble expence and exercise before any of these workes can be rightly accomplished It is even so in the great worke of salvation and the attainment of Heaven The state of grace and trade of Christianitie is not so easily purchased practised There goes more to saving of a soule than bold ignorant brags than to say If that be all I hope I can quickly and easily learne to love God above all my neighbor as my selfe For before these there goes many things as knowledge of Gods will and Word a thorow view of our owne misery corruptions in the glasse of the Law strange agonies and sore pangs in the new-birth and sorrow for sinne refreshings and coolings by the mercies of God and merits of Christ faith repentance sanctification a blessed holy change in the whole man both body soule and spirit And then follows new obedience which consists in the uprightnesse and sinceritie of our owne hearts a conscionable and charitable carriage towards our neighbors and a zealous constancy in all religious duties and right service of God which must be universall in respect of the object that is we must walk in all his Commandements totall in respect of the subject that is we must serve him in all the powers of our soule and parts of our body in our thoughts words and actions In all which things and holy courses if a man be not particularly instructed experienced practised his love of God and his neighbour is but in word and tongue not in deed and truth A man if he be disposed may quickly perceive and discerne the truth or hollownesse of his heart in this point God hath straitly commanded an entire sanctification and keeping holy of the Sabbath Let a man then consider if he suffer himselfe to be drawne away from holy Exercise on that day by pleasures profit pastime companie ease idlenesse or other worldly occasions why then he preferres meere vanities and the desires of his owne heart before the glory and honour of God and so doth not love God above all The true love of a mans selfe doth chiefly principally consist in furnishing himselfe with saving knowledge sinceritie of heart godlinesse of life a good Conscience and spirituall comfort against hee come to Iudgement Now if hee love his neighbour as himselfe he is not still talking with him of worldly matters but especially labours with him for his conversion entertainment of grace and encrease in godlinesse If these be not his cares both for himselfe and his neighbour he truly loves neither Thus may a man examine himselfe through all the Commandements in particular and see whether it be so easie to love his neighbour as himselfe and God
above all I but where there is so much preaching there is much disquietnesse and discontentment for men are abridged of their former ancient pastimes and pleasures and urged unto more strictnesse of life When as all was well before in much quietnesse and peace the preaching of the Word breeds new stirres and contrary affections in men No marvell though there be much struggling and striving great noyse and stirre before the strong man in the Gospel can be dis-armed and dispossessed of his Holds that is before Sathan having long reigned in the hearts and sat in the Consciences of ignorant and prophane men will be cast out by the Preaching and Power of the Word This conquest costs full deare it will not be had without the losse of our dearest delights without shedding the very hearts-bloud of our beloved and bosome-sinne which flesh and bloud will not yeeld unto without blowes and bloudshed You may assure your selfe where the Light of Gods Truth begins once to peepe out and the power of grace to worke for the driving away darknesse and subduing prophanenesse you shall be sure ever there to have three fierce and implacable enemies and opposites to start up Sathan wicked men and a mans owne corruptions While men lye in sinne ignorance and under the shadow of death Sathan lets them alone meddles not much with them never troubles or disquiets them but procures them all temporall happinesse and carnall contentments that can be for he knowes full well if they so continue they are sure his owne and children of endlesse perdition But if once by the power of the Word they be enlarged out of the slaverie of sinne and death and lay hold upon salvation and the glorious libertie of the Saints why then he begins to bestirre himselfe like a madded enraged Lion and labors with all his malice and policie to hinder and dash such proceedings And in this Conspiracie hee joynes unto himselfe wicked and reprobate men to rayle revile and rage against sinceritie I and besides a mans owne corruption and sinfull flesh doth fret and fume when it feeles it selfe curbed and snaffled by the Law of the Spirit The Gospel indeed is a Gospel of Peace But of what Peace Of Peace with God with good men and a mans owne Conscience of the Peace that passeth all understanding But it ever proclaimes open warre against wickednesse prophanenesse and corruptions it will have no peace with impietie carnall securitie and rebellion unto the Lawes of God Hence it is that our Saviour tells us in the Gospel that he came not to send Peace into the Earth but rather Fire Debate and the Sword that is Wheresoever his Word is published powerfully and conscionably with fruit and effect upon the soules of his elect there by accident as they say it stirres up much rage and bitter opposition against Gods children For as there is no true inward peace unto the wicked so in this World there is no outward peace unto the righteous but commonly they are still exercised with one crosse and temptation or other either the Devill or wicked men are still plotting or practising mischiefe and miserie against them But you must conceive that the disquietnesses and troubles that arise at the preaching of the Word are not caused by it but by mens corruptions Would any man thinke that Saint Paul or his Preaching were in fault because there was much adoe and an hurly-burly almost wheresoever he came and not rather the wicked Infidels which could not endure to have their sinnes reproved Neither the Sower nor the Seed Math. 13. are to be blamed that it doth not prosper and fructifie it is the ground that is onely in fault which is either stonie or thornie or barren or else it is the envious man that soweth Tares The Sower doth onely his dutie and the Seed is pure and precious it is mens corruptions and prophane hearts that causeth all the stirre Amongst foure kinds of Grounds there is but one at the most as appeares in the Parable of the Sower Math. 13. in which the immortall Seed of the Word takes root prospers and fructifies Onely the good and honest heart profits by Preaching to all others it is the savour of death unto death And whom it doth not humble it hardneth whom it makes not so meeke as a Lambe and like a little Child in humilitie it makes as fierce and furious as a Lion against the power of grace wrought in others and against the profession and practice of sinceritie No marvell then though where the Word of Truth begins to beare sway there be many times much adoe and resistance by carnall and prophane men I but will some say this Word is brought unto us by weake and fraile men sometimes by those who are of notorious and infamous life and conversation and therefore wee have lesse heart to beleeve and obey them If wee had the Word published by an Angel or an Apostle or some more excellent and powerfull meanes and Embassadours wee should more easily and willingly heare beleeve and obey them It is Gods great mercie unto us that it pleaseth him so farre to condiscend to our infirmitie as to open unto us the rich Treasures of his heavenly Word by men of the same condition and frailtie and subject to the same passions with our selves Hee might by terrible and astonishing Voices out of Lightnings Thunders and Earthquakes able to breake the hardest Rocks and stony Mountaines as he did in the giving of the Law force us to obedience Or he might send his Angels armed with power and puissance to execute present vengeance upon all those which doe not presently submit themselves to the Scepter of his Christ and Soveraigntie of his Word But in great mercie and compassion unto us hee chuseth rather to teach us by a still and soft Voice by a more faire familiar and fit instruction for us even by such as our selves of our owne nature frailtie and condition Here in he shewes his great love unto us in that he vouchsafeth to put his fearefull and glorious Word into the mouth of a mortall and sinfull man What an honour and advancement is it unto mans nature unto mankind that the high and mightie God of Heaven and Earth should single them out for so glorious a service sanctifie their Tongues to deliver his good pleasure and newes of salvation unto the sonnes of men That hee should acquaint and put them in trust with such high mysteries and heavenly matters of so soveraigne and saving use both to themselves and others But it may be besides common frailtie and infirmitie the Minister and Messenger of the Word is of lewd and prophane life and condition If he be more is the pitty the scandall of the Ministerie is the greater and his owne damnation more smarting and terrible See Psal 50. 16 17 c.
and companie and never pleased untill they bring them back againe unto talke of worldly matters and prophane discourses If this yet will not serve the turne but that the Word gets within a man and workes upon his understanding so that by his diligent hearing of it meditation and conference he furnishes himselfe with competent knowledge in the Booke of God and Divine Truth why then Sathan casts about another way which is to make him to content himselfe with a bare fruitlesse knowledge without practising the power of it in his life and actions to rest contented with an abilitie to talke and discourse onely upon points of Religion and places of Scripture without inward sanctification and subduing the will and affections to new obedience and sincere exercise of Christianitie So that for all his knowledge he neither meddles with Conversion nor mends in his Conversation He labours here first to hinder his Conversion by planting in his heart a prejudice and disconceit against 1 Preaching the Law 2 Distinguishing severall estates of unregenerate men Math. 13. the three Reprobate Grounds 3 The differencing the Children of God and the Children of the Devill by speciall markes and notes Math. 5. Psal 15. c. 4 Pressing the Doctrine of Christ of pressing in at the strait Gate Luke 13. 24. 4. 28. And gathering from Scripture those which shall be saved into a short summe 5 And by making him make GOD all of Mercie And mending in his Conversation by motives unto presumption If this will not prevaile but that a man endeavours to draw his knowledge into practise and fettles himselfe with care and conscience to reforme his former wayes and courses of iniquitie why then Sathan plots and practiseth with all the cunning and policie he hath to make him rest in a slight superficiall and partiall reformation to content himselfe with an unsound or unsaving conversion For by the way I must tell you there may be many conversions changes and alterations in a man from worse to better and yet he not truly sanctified not become a new creature nor possessed of the state of grace and glorious comforts of true Christians 1 He may be changed from a notorious sinner to a civill honest man whereas he hath beene before furious and desperate in lewd courses hee may grow more sober and moderate in his carriage And yet for all this continue in his ignorance and a meere stranger to the wayes of godlinesse 2 From civill honestie he may passe on to a formall Christianitie and become an outward Professor and outwardly doe and performe religious services and yet lye in his sinnes and want the power of inward sanctification 3 Yet further by a generall power of the Word and inferior working of the Spirit he may in some sort be outwardly reformed and in some measure inwardly enlightened hee may have understanding and joy by the Ministerie of the Word and may doe many things after it and for sake many sinnes Herod is said Mark 6. to have reverenced Iohn to have heard him gladly and to have done many things And yet for all this hee may come short of a sound conversion if hee suffer some maine corruption some one sweet sinne or other to reigne in him which hee still feedes upon with delight and sensuall sweetnesse if hee doe not wholly and entirely resigne and give up himselfe his spirit soule and body to the Lords service and to please him in all things and with repentance and resolution forsake all his knowne sinnes For this is a certaine Rule and Principle with Divines That true turning unto God and the advised and willing remaining in the practice of any one evill which is discovered to a mans Conscience by the Light of Gods Word to be a sinne cannot stand together These changes a man may have and thus many passages from worse to better and yet the great and glorious worke of regeneration not wrought upon him For where there is a sound conversion and through-reformation there a man is wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfull corruption of his naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in his whole man both body foule and spirit He shakes hands with all sinnes he sells all for the precious Iewell of the Gospel he regards not sinne in his heart but hath a regard to all Gods Commandements Now sith Sathan that old Serpent knowes full well that it will never serve the turne for a man to part but with part of his sinnes that his case is fearefull enough whatsoever good or good deeds seeme to be in him if he yeeld not to the worke of the Holy-Ghost for the leaving but of any one knowne sinne which â—ighteth against the peace of his Conscience he knowes that he hath haunt and hold enough in a mans Conscience and affections that hee hath sufficient interest and claime to his damnation if he can but keepe his sweet sinne in heart and alive in him And therefore when any by the Ministerie of the Word is moved to settle and addresse himselfe to a reformation of his wayes and to redresse his former wicked life he puts in might and maine to preserve in his vigour and soveraigntie one secret delightfull sinne or other at least in the heart and affection of him that goes about to reforme himselfe He singles out one corruption or other to which hee findes a man most addicted and this he conceales and fenceth with all the policie that he hath that if by any meanes it may escape unrepented of unmortified and unmedled with Thus he dealt with Herod Herod by the preaching of Iohn reformed himselfe in many things but Sathan made sure to keepe him his owne by that one sinne of Incest Naaman the Syrian no doubt beleeved and followed the Prophet in many things but he desired onely that the Lord would be mercifull unto him when he went into the house of Rimmon The young man in the Gospel in his outward carriage was unreprovable but that one secret sinne of worldlinesse banished him out of the presence and Kingdome of Christ In this point Sathan labours to perswade men to deale with God in the forsaking of their sinnes as Ananias dealt with the Apostle in parting with his Money It was a custome you know in the Primitive Church because of the necessitie of the Times that many out of a zealous and extraordinarie love unto the Gospel sold their Lands and brought the price and laid it downe at the Apostles feet Ananias amongst the rest would needes seeme as forward zealous in this glorious worke of Charitie as any other He sold his Lands indeed and brought in the Money and tender'd it at the Apostles feâ—t but yet secretly suspecting Gods providence and doubting lest himselfe perhaps at length should be brought into want hee kept backe one part of the price of his Possession making
shew notwithstanding to have brought in all So it is in many by the malice of Sathan and bewitching enticements of naturall corruption in the forsaking of their sinnes In a true Conversion indeed when a man is about to buy the Pearle of great price unvaluable worth in the Gospel the Doctrine of Salvation the Way to Life and Graces of Gods Spirit he makes an universall sale of all his sinnes he selleth as the Text saith all that he hath not some piece of his sinfull Possession but even the very whole Lordship the entire Inheritance But it is otherwise with those whom Sathan inveagleth and ensnareth in this point Hee is well enough pleased that they shall seeme to be as forward in the reformation and amendment of their lives as any other and indeed that they shall be reformed in good part and carry some love and affection toward the Word and Ministers so that he may keepe hold and possession but in one corner of the heart For he knowes that that is enough to keepe the whole man body and soule his owne If he can stay but one sinne unsold he knowes the man continues still by the course of divine Law a bondslave of Hell By one little hole a ship will sinke into the bottome of the Sea The stab of a Pen-knife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the Daggers that killed Caesar in the Senat-house The soule will be strangled with one Cord of vanitie as well as with all the Cart-ropes of iniquitie only the more sins the more plagues and fiercer flame in Hell but he that lives and dies impenitent in one it will be his destruction One dramme of poyson will dispatch a man and one reigning sinne will bring him to endlesse woe and miserie Let us take heed therefore when we goe about reformation of our selves lest we be surprised overtaken by this malicious craft of Sathan Let us resolve upon a through-reformation which is only and ever undertaken with a purpose not to hold on in the willing practice of any one knowne iniquitie or sinfull course Which when we shall carefully earnestly go about Sathan will be sure to set upon us as Pharoah did upon Moses and Aaron When the Lord had commanded them to goe three dayes journey in the Desart to doe service and sacrifice unto him that by all meanes hee might hinder them in this holy businesse 1. He would have them to stay in the land and to doe sacrifice there Nay saith Moses it is not meet to doe so for then wee should offer unto the Lord our God that which is abomination unto the Egyptians 2. Sith this would not then serve but that they would needs out of the Land I will let you goe saith Pharaoh that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the Wildernesse but goe not farre away But Moses would yet none of this he would not abate a foot of the journey the Lord had appointed 3. Why then saith Pharaoh if you will needs goe so farre I am content your men shall goe but as it is fittest your children shall stay at home Nay saith Moses we will goe with our young and with our old with our sonnes and with our daughters with our Sheepe and with our Cattell will we goe 4. Well saith Pharaoh I will yeeld so farre unto you your children shall goe with you to serve the Lord onely your sheepe and your Cattell shall abide at home Nay saith Moses our Cattell also shall goe with us There shall not an hoofe be left Now when all this would not doe when Moses would not accept of any capitulations conditions restrictions or limitations in holy businesses and the service of God for he was at a point resolute he would not leave so much as an hoofe behinde Now I say when all the enticements and policies of Pharaoh would not prevaile to keepe Moses from serving and sacrificing unto God and that precisely and strictly according to his owne appointment and commandement but that to this end at length he wrung himselfe and all the Israelites out of the bloudy teeth of this persecuting Wolfe why then Pharaoh armes himselfe with rage and fury with six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Aegypt with fifty thousand horsmen and two hundred thousand footmen as a Iewish Historian writes purposing with bloudy thirst to devoure at once and swallow up quicke even all the Israell of God But you know the conclusion was the Lord of Heaven gave a most glorious deliverance to his owne people wherein his bottomlesse goodnesse and infinite mercy shall shine cleare and bright for ever in all generations of the Church upon earth and through all eternity in Heaven But upon their enemies he brought such a strange and terrible confusion in the Red Sea which may strike astonishment and trembling into the heart and loynes of all prophane persecutors of godlinesse to the worlds end and amaze the very maliciousest fâ—end in hell while that Kingdome of darknesse stands Even iust thus doth Satan deale with all those who desire to bee conducted by the light of the Word out of the Aegypt and slavery of ignorance sinne prophanenesse and who are resolved frankly and freely to give themselves soules and bodies to Gods service and to enter a setled course of holinesse and sanctification hee useth all meanes and policies to keepe and detaine them in his Kingdome of darknesse If he cannot hold them in his chiefe palace and Court as it were where sinne especially raignes and revels it yet he will so farre hamper them that at least they still hover upon the confines and borders of the Regions of death If they will needs bee medling with reformation of their â—infull lives and that he cannot helpe it but something must be done he is content to yeeld unto them upon some termes or conditions that they cast him not quite out of their consciences but suffer him to sway and raigne in their hearts by some one gainfull or delightfull sinne or other 1. If they will needs feare God he stands not much upon it but that they may doe it outwardly and in profession so that they will continue in Aegypt within the Kingdome of darknesse and lie still in their sinnes and under the shadow of death 2. If this will not content them if they will not rest here but will needs out of the Kingdome of darknesse and dominion of death why he is not much against it but that they may goe the halfe way that is he will suffer them to forgoe and forbeare the outward practice and perpetration of many sinnes so that inwardly their heart and affections harbour nourish embrace them still and feed upon with a sensuall and delightfull remembrance the sinfull pleasures of iniquities formerly committed 3. If they desire and endevour to become new men both inwardly and outwardly to be sanctified
is in the same place for a while and yet after wallow againe in the myre of sinne He may be endued with an inferior sanctification of the Spirit Heb. 10. 29. and yet after by the malice of Sathan tread under foot the Sonne of God Hee may have a generall participation of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 6. 4. and yet after a time fall away to the very despiting of the Spirit of Grace I speake not this as though that any once effectually called truly sanctified possessed of the state of grace and enrolled among the Saints can possibly become a cast-away it cannot bee for if once by the power of speciall grace a man be built upon the Rocke not the Gates of Hell not all the powers of Darkeness nor strongest assaaults of Satan shall ever prevaile against him Heaven and Earth shall sooner be removed than any of Gods servants For if Gods eternall Decree of Election be unchangeable if his Covenant be everlasting and inviolable if his Truth cannot change nor his Mercie faile nor his Power be weakened if the sacred Seale of the blessed Spirit shall stand if the precious blood and fervent prayers of Christ Iesus can prevaile if his Scriptures doe not lye and deceive if his sanctifying Grace cannot die and perish if Himselfe cannot cease to be then undoubtedly if a man be once his he is his for ever if he be once truely his servant upon Earth he shall for ever hereafter be a glorious Saint in Heaven My meaning therefore in this point is onely this There is a glimmering Light of the Spirit some manner of taste of the sweetnesse of Christ a kind of change which may be wrought in a man by the preaching of the Word and yet he not truely and constantly converted but may by the malice and policie of Satan be repossessed by uncleane spirits and repolluted with the filthinesse of the World Thus we may discerne this changeable change that I may so speake and the saving change of Gods servants If after we have given our Names to Christ and begun to professe and practise sinceritie we passe on and continually grow in grace and stand for Gods honour and service against all commers friends or foes losse or disgrace oppression or slanders men or devils why then undoubtedly we have the sanctifying Spirit of God and saving grace which makes his Children like Trees betwixt the Rivers of Waters fruitfull in goodnesse and as bold as Lyons in good causes But if after wee have begun well wee looke backe with Lots Wife if we fall in love againe with those sinnes which wee have forsaken if Rubbes and Crosses in the World will turne us out of the way to Heaven and our righteousnesse be but as the Morning Deaw which a little heat of Persecution will drie up why then our change was changeable and not that of Gods children The Seed of the Word which wee received with joy was never deepely rooted in good and honest hearts wee were onely temporarie Converts not new creatures temporizing Professors not true Christians and our End is like to be worse than our Beginning and our Plagues more than if we had never begun Let every man take heed then in the Name of God lest by the traines and temptations of Sathan he be turn'd backe againe from any good course lest after he be washed he wallow againe in the myre of worldlinesse and worldly vanities and after hee hath escaped the filthinesse of the World lest he be againe entangled therein Let us beware of longing after those sinnes which we begun in some measure to reforme let us not lust againe after the flesh-pots of Aegypt like the Israelites after we be in some good sort enlarged from the bondage of sinne and tyrannie of the hellish Pharoah Lots Wife being delivered out of Sodome was surprised with a sensuall remembrance of the pleasures and vanities of the place which shee had left of the ease and prosperitie which shee there enjoyed and so look'd backe upon it But shee was therefore presently turned into a Pillar of Salt Gen. 19. 26. there for ever to be a monument and fearefull spectacle of Gods terrible judgements against all back-sliders If the uncleane spirit be cast out of a man by some degrees of reformation and good beginnings of amendment of life and have after leave and libertie to returne he brings with him seven Devils worse than himselfe and makes a man farre worse than he was before Much better were it for any man never to have knowne or stept into the way of righteousnesse than afterward to turne from the holy Commandement of God and out of a course of Christianitie It is a fearefull Curse to continue in hardnesse of heart prophanenesse of life and sinfull courses But to leave them for a little and to sinke backe againe is to have Gods Curse bitter against them if they repent not and the fire of Hell made more hot for them First sicknesses are curable but relapses are very dangerous if not irrecoverable If a man as it is Heb. 6. hath once beene enlightened and then fall away it is impossible to be renewed by repentance I know that place principally to be understood of the highest degree of Apostacie and falling away but hee that falls away from any good course and good beginnings falls towards that irrecoverable fall and makes himselfe more uncapable of repentance than if he never had been enlightened or stept into the way of Truth And it is just with God to punish such with a reprobate sense and hearts that cannot repent It then deepely and neerely concernes us for once wee have felt the sweetnesse of Grace and tasted of the Powers of the World to come to drinke deeper of the Waters of Life and to follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus When wee feele any good motions and purposes arise in our hearts let us labour to follow them to nourish them to blow them up to make a fire of them lest they onely but make a flash and passe away as the Lightning Let us put them in practise with zeale and constancie that we be not as the unfaithfull Waters which in the Summer are dryed up or as the dead Trees which perish in Winter but that we remaine whole and sound pure and perfect as the living Waters and Olives of the Lord that ever shed forth their sweetnesse and fatnesse Let us make a Covenant even a Covenant as the Scripture speaketh of Salt durable and perpetuall with the Lord to live before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life For to him that goes through with his holy businesse that fights the good fight of Faith finisheth his course and overcomes to him and to him alone shall all those glorious Blessings be performed which are promised in the first Chapter of the Revelation To eate of the
Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Not to be hurt of the second Death To eate of the Manna which is hid and to have the white Stone of Victorie given him To have power given him to rule over Nations and to be lightened with heavenly brightnesse like the Morning Starre To be clothed with white array that is with heavenly Glory and to have his Name continued in the Booke of Life To have a Pillar made in the Temple of God that is a firme and unmoveable place of eternall Glory To sup with Christ and to sit with him upon his Throne for evermore Thus shall hee bee honoured and crowned with the excellencie fulnesse and varietie of all glory joy and happinesse who enters with sinceritie and couragiously ends his Race of Holinesse and conquers in his spirituall Fight But all fearefull men as it is Rev. 21. 8. who slinke backe for feare of Men or love of the World or to serve the Times all faint-hearted men in the Lords Battailes and that fall away from good beginnings they shall be punished with unbeleevers with the abominable with Murtherers and Whore-mongers with Idolaters and Lyars in the Lake which burnes with fire and Brimstone which is the second Death 7 But if by the grace and mercie of God we quit our selves like men and hold on comfortably and constantly in a setled course of godlinesse yet for all this Sathan hath not done though he can doe us no deadly hurt yet he will still doe his worst for his craft and spight is endlesse If he see there is no hope of bringing us backe againe into his bondage or making us any more vassals and slaves to sinne yet he will labour to lay stumbling-blockes in our way to bring us upon our knees now and then to turne us out of the right path sometimes even to over-turne us with some greater and more dangerous fall hee will lay his traines to intrap and intangle us if it be possible in some old sweet sinne Which that hee may bring about hee will use the benefit and advantage of custome because before our calling wee have much practised it of the frailtie of our owne corruptions because they have most delighted in it of our old companie because wee have formerly oftenest committed it with them He will leave no opportunitie advantage or circumstance omitted and unassayed to hale us back into one or other speciall sinne of our unregeneration If this will not stop hee will follow all occasions enticements and temptations the tide of our owne affections the streame of the times if by any meanes hee can cast us into some grosse and scandalous sinne These are Sathans plots and practises against those who hold on in a constant course of holinesse if they will not bee brought to tumble themselves againe in the myre of sinne and sinfull pleasures yet he will doe what hee can now and then to spot and staine their Christian lives with some grieuous fall or other that so to his utmost hee may bring upon them Gods disfavour and angry countenance disgrace and disconceit amongst their brethren discomforts and feares of heart within themselves But if a man first by keeping fresh in his minde the uncertainties and vanities of this vaine World secondly by carefull and continuall watching over his deceitfull heart thirdly by exercising and practising with diligence and delight all holy meanes of preserving grace and starving sinne as reading hearing conference meditation of the Word of God Prayer publike and private with himselfe and with his family fourthly by declining prophane unprofitable and unchristian companie and acquaintance and frequenting with joy and fruit the fellowship of the Saints fifthly by an humble entertainment nourishment and practice of the good motions of the Spirit sixtly by a dayly examination of the state of his Conscience and reparation of the decayes of Grace seventhly by his godly jealousie over little sinnes and present renewing repentance after every slip I say if by such meanes as these which are notable preservatives against the poyson of sinne a man fence himselfe from grosse and scandalous falls or else if by the politike malice of Sathan and weakenesse of his owne flesh he be overtaken with some fouler sinne and yet notwithstanding besides pangs of griefe and anguish of spirit for grieving his gracious God hee looke better to his feet and run faster in the Race of sanctification after his fall if his falling into sinne teach him these good lessons which in such cases are ordinarily learned of all true Christians for all things even sinne it selfe makes to the best in Gods Children 1 Hee learnes by his fall to distaste his pride and selfe-conceit to let fall his Peacockes traine and despaire of his owne strength 2 To depend only upon God the Word of his Grace and the power and perpetuall influence of his Spirit for his standing upright in the wayes of Righteousnesse and preservation from most fearefull and dangerous downe-falls 3 To cling closer about him to claspe faster hold with the hand of faith upon the glorious Passion and meritorious justice of Christ with much heartinesse and zeale of seeke and sue unto him for his speciall aide and assistance against Satans temptations his owne corruptions and outward occasions of sinne 4 To blush and be ashamed of himselfe for that he having had his soule washed with the precious blood of Christ and having received so great favour mercy and pardon at the hands of God yet hath wretchedly and unthankfully defiled it againe and so wofully and wickedly abused his extraordinary love and kindnesse 5 With more resolute vow protestation and practice to renounce and abandon Satan with more perfect hatred and detestation to loath and abhorre all manner of sinne the Garment spotted of the flesh and all appearance of evill 6 To become watchfull and wise by taking speciall notice of all the motives temptations meanes occasions baites allurements to that sinne into which hee fell for the avoiding and declining of it afterwards 7 To thinke charitably of other men that fall and are suddenly overtaken in any offence not to be too eager hot and censorious against them but out of his owne experience to give them comfort instructions and directions and to labour to restore them with the spirit of meekenesse Now I say if a man be either fore-armed and fenced as I said from falls or else after his fall weepe bitterly repent sincerely watch afterward more carefully walke more zealously and out of his spirituall wisedome make that use and benefit of his fall as I have told you then hee may have comfort that Sathan gets no great advantage this way 8 Like a fierce cruell Dragon sith he cannot devoure the Womans Child so soone as ever it is brought forth that is he cannot repossesse and reigne againe in a true Christian and regenerate man
feare lest thou be forsaken Why then thinke upon thy Saviours mournfull cry upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5 It may be thou art a true-hearted Nathanael in whose spirit there is no guile hates all sinne heartily both in thy selfe and others desirest and laborest to please God in all things and to keepe a good conscience before all things in the World and yet thou findest and feelest in thy brest many times a heavy sad and unchearefull heart why then heare David a man after Gods owne heart of a more excellent spirit and eminent graces than thou art complaining Psal 43. 5. Why art thou so heavie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me 6 Art thou grievously troubled with the haunt and horror of some speciall sinne of which thou canst not be so easily rid and doest thou therefore goe mourning all the day Why then looke also upon David Psal 32. In such a case he roared all the day his bones were consumed and his native moisture was turned into the drought of Summer 7 Art thou vexed to the heart and fearefully haunted with some horrible and hatefull injections of Sathan thoughts framed by himselfe immediately and put into thee perhaps tending to Atheisme or to the dishonour of God in some high degree or to the disgrace of his Word or selfe-destruction c. or the like thoughts which thou canst not remember without horror and darest not reveale or name for their strange and prodigious hatefulnesse Why then consider how this malicious Fiend dealt with the Sonne of God He suggested unto his most holy and unspotted imagination these propositions first Murther Make away thy selfe Math. 4. 6. secondly Fall downe and worship the Devill Vers 9. What more fearefull and horrible apprehensions And yet these were suggested to our blessed Saviour to him perhaps more sensibly to thee more secretly His pure and holy heart uncapable of sinne did reject them with infinite contempt and himselfe did utterly conquer and confound the Tempter and that for thee and thy sake too And if thine heart rise against abominate abandon grieve and be humbled for them they shall never be layd to thy charge but set on Sathans Score For all them thou mayest goe on chearefully and comfortably in the course of Christianitie And so doe And let not Sathan attaine his divellish end by them which is to worke astonishment in thy minde horror in thy conscience heavinesse in thy heart distractions in thy thoughts c. that thereby thou mayest be disheartened and disabled for the chearefull discharge and performance both of thy particular and generall calling Or else art thou long after thy conversion assaulted with perhaps sorer spirituall pangs and more horror than at thy change Consider David Iob Hezekiah 8 Hast thou lost thy goods or children Doth the Wife that lyes in thy bosome set her selfe against thee Doe thy neerest friends charge thee falsely Art thou diseased from top to toe Doe the Arrowes of the Almightie sticke fast in thy soule Thy affliction is grievous enough if thou hast any of these But doe they all in the greatest extremitie concurre upon thee at once Hast thou lost all thy children and all thy goods Doth thy Wife afflict thy afflictions c. If this be not thy case thou commest short of Iob a most just man and high in Gods favour 9 Hast thou given thy Name to Religion and art a Professor of Grace and art thou therefore villanously traduced with many slanderous nick-names and odious imputations Art thou called Puritan Precisian Hypocrite Humorist Dissembler c Why gracelesse wretches when hee was upon Earth called Christ Iesus Devill See Math. 10. 25. Ioh. 7. 20. Contemne thou therefore for ever the utmost malice of the most scurrill tongue 10 Art thou a loving and tender-hearted Mother unto thy Children and hast thou lost thy dearest Why the blessed Mother of Christ stood by and saw her owne onely deare innocent Sonne the Lord of Life most cruelly and villanously murthered upon the Crosse and die a shamefull death before her eyes Ioh. 19. 25. 11 Art thou a woman who in the time of thy travaile art pressed with many wants with want of comfortable companie desired helpes a fairer roome and other worldly comforts and conveniences Why yet comfort thy selfe with this That holy Virgin which brought into the World the Worlds Saviour brought forth that blessed Babe in a Stable and laid him in a Cratch Luke 2. 7. It is very like farre more poorely in respect of worldly comforts than the poorest sort of women amongst us with lesse comfortable helpers and in a lesse seemely and commodious place for such a purpose 12 Hath thy Faith lost its feeling and besides doth God looke upon thee with an angry countenance and is thy heart filled with heavinesse and horror Yet for all this let the hand of Faith by no meanes loose it hold-fast upon the precious sufferings and saving bloud-shed of thy deare Redeemer Thou hast before thee a matchlesse and transcendent precedent in this point Thus cryes holy Iob having besides his unparalelled varietie and extremitie of outward afflictions the Arrowes of the Almightie sticking fast in him and drinking up his spirits Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him Cap. 13. 15. So Abraham Rom. 4. 18. 13 Doest thou day after day poure out thy soule in prayer before the Throne of Grace with all the earnestnesse and instancie thou canst possibly and doest thou still rise up dull and heavie and uncomforted without answer from God or comfortable sence of his favour and love shed into thine heart Why yet pray still assuredly at length thou shalt be gloriously refreshed and registred in the remembrance of God for a Christian of excellent faith See a patterne of rare and extraordinarie patience this way Math. 15. 23. c. 14 Doth the World Sathan carnall men thine owne friends formall Teachers suppose and censure thee to be a dissembler in thy profession and will needes concurrently and confidently fasten upon thee the imputation of Hypocrisie Why yet for all this let thy sincere heart conscious to it selfe of it owne truth in holy services like a strong Pillar of Brasse beat backe and reject with noble contempt and glorious disdaine all their impoysoned Arrowes of malice and slander this way Thou hast a right worthy patterne in the Booke of God for this purpose Iob had against him not onely the Devill his enemie pushing at him with his poysoned weapons but even his owne friends scourging him with their tongues yea his owne Wife a Thorne pricking him in the eye yea his owne God miserably lashing his naked soule with Scorpions powerfull motives to make him suspect himselfe of former halting and hollow-heartednesse in the wayes of God yet notwithstanding all this his good and honest heart having beene long before acquainted with and knit unto his God with sinceritie and truth makes him boldly
as Water spilt upon the Ground which cannot bee gathered up againe They are like those strong Holds of Sathan mentioned 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. which being set up in any heart will blunt the edge of this spirituall weapon that it will doe no good They be these that follow 1 In the first place and highest straine of impietie the depth of our corrupt nature desireth That there were no God The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. That is hee labours for a resolution and perswasion in his owne heart That there is no Tribunall in Heaven before which hee shall hereafter be arraigned no Treasurie of Plagues and Woes in Hell with which he shall hereafter be everlastingly fettered and enchained 2 But if it so be this spirituall foole cannot so abolish and extinguish those secret notions and apprehensions of a sacred and infinite Deitie which are naturally implanted in the bowels of the most desperate and damned miscreant but that the terrors of the last Iudgement and plagues of Hell doe eftsoones vexe and bite his Conscience with restlesse remorse and stingings Why then in a second place that hee may procure some ease and quiet to his wallowing in sensuall pleasures hee labours might and maine to harden his for-head against Heaven to make his heart like the nether-Milstone with his owne Soule-murthering hand to put a hot Iron to his Conscience that so if hee cannot blunder and blot out of his minde those naturall impressions of a God-head yet at the least hee may extinguish and banish out of his heart all feare of that God of his Iudgement-Seat and vengeance against sinne That so hee may rush like a wilde Horse into the Battaile furiously and desperately upon all villanies and vanities without all checke of Conscience and controlement from the terrors of the Iudgement to come In this desperate and furious mood he joynes himselfe with these Gyants of Babel Isa 5. who outragiously reare up Towers of Treason and defiance against Heaven and throw mountaines of pride and contempt one upon another that they may climbe up to the Seat of God and pull him out of his Throne crying aloud towards Heaven Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that wee may see it and let the counsell of the holy One of Israel draw neere and come that wee may know it 3 If this will not be and that he finde no successe in setting himselfe against Heaven Who ever opposed himselfe against God and prospered but that hee is crushed and confounded with the majestie and terror thereof Why then in a third place hee fastens the fangs of his malicious and wrangling wit and the furie of his prophane Atheisme upon his true and holy Word And that First Either by entertaining or harbouring a reprobate and blasphemous conceit that the sacred Word of God is but a politike invention and device of State to keepe men in order and moderation to maintaine Order and peaceablenesse in Cities and Societies and to preserve the World and mankinde from wildnesse and Barbarisme Secondly Or by proportioning his carnall conceit of Gods pure and undefiled Law to that which hee holds of the Decrees and Constitutions of men And if it be either so or so it is well enough hee can in the meane time therewith still the cryes of his Conscience and stop the mouth of that Worme that never dies that it gnaw not too eagerly and fiercely to the dis-sweetning of his carnall contentments and the making of his sensuall pleasures more unpleasant Now would it not vexe a man to have the meat pulled out of his mouth his chayne from his necke his clothes from his backe his limbes from his body his right arme from his shoulder his eyes out of his head So it is with every unregenerate man and such is his torture when that two-edged Sword the Word of God strikes at his sweet sinne and sensuall pleasures And therefore no marvell though hee strive and struggle shift and shield himselfe by any meanes Nay the Lusts of the unregenerate man are his very life For as every godly man liveth a double life one of Grace by the sanctifying power of the Spirit another of Nature So every wicked man hath a double life one of Nature and another of corruption by the cursed influence of Hell Nay the sensuall delights of the sinfull man are dearer unto him than his life Hence it is as wee may observe by experience that sometimes a covetous man losing the Life of his life the Wedge of Gold and Hoords of Wealth makes an end of himselfe That the Wanton because hee is rejected and discarded from the object of his lustfull pleasures findes no pleasure in life but cuts off himselfe by a violent and untimely death That Ahitophel being disgraced and over-topt in a point of Policie the crowne and pride of his worldly happinesse put his household in order and hanged himselfe Nay and yet further the prophane man preferres the sensuall pleasures of his heart before the losse of his immortall Soule For how oft may wee see the honour of God and everlasting blessednesse put as it were in the one Scale of the Ballance and a little transitorie Pleasure in the other And in this case the unsanctified man suffering one sweet sinne or other to weigh downe the exceeding weight of heavenly blisse the unvaluable treasure of a good Conscience the infinite glory of God and the salvation of his owne deare Soule in that great Day This groweth out of our corrupt nature For wee have all even in the best of us the source and seeds of all sinne If the Lord should leave and abandon us to the full swing and sway of our owne corruption and not either bridle us by his restraining Spirit or blesse us with his sanctifying Spirit wee might every one of us become as bad as Iulian the Apostata who did maliciously abjure Christ and as Iudas who did perfidiously betray him Naturally wee would wallow in sinne without checke of Conscience or controlment by the terror of the Iudgement to come 4 But if hee cannot arme himselfe against the terrors of God and truth of his Word but that he must needs acknowledge the one and beleeve the other Why then in a fourth place with much spight and malice he flyes in the face of Gods Ministers Embassadours which are his tormentors before his time And that First Either against his Preaching or against his Person as too obscure or too plaine too cold or too boisterous too particular too personall too precise too imperious too tart and terrible too full of Iudgement tending to Sedition against the State or the like And therefore he labours not onely with his owne heart to breed within himselfe a distaste and disconceit of it but also puts to his helping hand to stay and stop the free course and current of it from others He cannot abide to have his