out of conceit he did God good service Rested satisfied We know the Scribes and Pharisees who were the most zealous for Sabbaths and prayer and other points of Worship yet they make it their Rest but come to our daies and see if we swarme not of the same only seeming professors of God who are very zealous for the same things and from their very zeal are made to Rest with high thoughts of their condition But how far this zeal which is most commonly led with more affection then Judgement will bring man into a form of Truth First It will leade man into a whole conformity to what it doth conceive to be truth that it shall according to what it hath serve God in all good conscience Acts. 23. 1. and according to the Law to be unblamable and untaxable Then his conversation shall bee very strict in the observation of what the Law requires and he shall act the same with much vehemency of spirit taking all oppertunities for the doing of the same Secondly It will carry the soule on to suffer cheerfully what he may meet withall in this very particular Thirdly he may by zeal afflict his body sore 1. Cor. 13. 3. with fasting and mourning under pretence the one to honour and obey God the other for dishonou◠brought to God So as he may be almost spent in body and spirit and estate in prosecuting the things o◠God according to his light Farther hee may out o◠Zeal come to Gospel precepts and may be Zealous for that light in externall formes which is there required to be obeyed so as he may gather Churches and may suffer much in the conforming to and practising with so much vehemency the Ordinances cōmonly practised by the Churches in the Apostles and our daies so as his Zeal may lead him out to teaching and helping forward that work studying night and day to finde out matter to furnish himself for edification so as for paines in the Churches and for Zeal to observe the severity of those formes and any thing required to bee practised in the said Churches so as now it will have communion in Ordinances with none but those of his own stamp judgement being mightily carried forth to judge and pitty those who are opposers of that light Now this soul through Zeal may goe thus farre yea to act the very highest things the Scriptures doe require in matters of visible practise and yet be not at all taught in the Spirit neither got into the life and power of what he doth professe but meerly zealous for shadowes and wants the power so as he is commanded by the form and not the forme by the power dwelling within him Now grant farther That such a soul did act in truth according to this dispensation yet notwithstanding in this particular there were no cause of Rest for nothing visibly seen flowing from the Creature ought to be its Rest but some visible flowings into the Creature which is being and substance from which and unto which a Soule through Zeal for God acts Also a Creature thus Zealous Rests not at home but reformes abroad also beginning with his own family and so goes abroad to others and labours for reformation and practises the same with much Zeal so as he can not endure the visible appearance of any sinne in himself or others He may help with much Zeal the purging of Cities and Nations or drunkennesse or swearing or any open prophanesse he may be for punishing of evil doers in this particular with much severity and seeming to be much troubled at the neglect of it he may rejoyce much in this practise and may help forward this work in a Nation very much and yet this no Rest at all also he may be zealous yea mad of Zeale for the worship of his God in reference unto others not only taking all opportunities to inform them in the same but using all Coercive powers for confiring them thereunto so as he may be an instrument to bring families and most part of Cities into this outward conformity to the matters of worship and here hee lookes upon an action done of great moment and weight and partly makes this an evidence of this true enjoyment of God by Reason of his Zeale for God and the effect thereby produced which is the good of many Now the cause of a Souls thus Resting partly flowes from want of the information in judgement of the great deceite of the heart in putting man by zeal upon such publique actions and then to cause it to Rest and further it conceiving it's Zeale for God and from a principle of God not being acquainted with a Pharisaicall Zeale to be seen of men or to get a name amongst men or that Zeal which men have but not according to knowledge or the Zeale Paul had before conversion which excels both for vehemency and downrightnesse is the Zeal of many a professor who are at Rest in our daies Now a poor Creature because he is made to suffer freely and to hazard life and liberty in the prosecution of this Zeal he is much puffed up under these considerations 1. That now this is a suffering with and for Christ and therefore he shall reign with him and enjoy much from him 2 That this is a parting with all for Christ and a great point of self denial and so an evidence of a disciple of Christ when indeed the Soule is in himself and hath not at all attained that estate to forsake himselfe Therefore let every heart though never so Zealous for God take notice that his heart may deceive him in his Zeal and his affection may blinde his judgement and so it proves blinde zeal Or Secondly Consider that though it be such Zeale as is good and to be approved of in its dispensation yet not at all to be Rested upon nor to be an evidence of any true enjoyment of God though he pretend God in the fore-front as Jehu did The fifth false Rest. THe next Rest of a Soule though I might not have spoken of it because I have partly given it forth yet that things may be the more opened its the Creatures Righteousnesse or sanctification and outward holinesse wherein both in carriage and words he doth most sweetly in probability savour of high enjoyments of God This is to be a testimony of the same to others though not to himself yet notwithstanding his Rest is to him a high evidence of the true and reall possessings of God when alas it is continually a vanishing Rest and evidence and when the Creature stands in need of it it is taking its wings and flying away and proves a miserable comforter in the saddest straits of a Soul But first let us consider that true holinesse of a person made manifest in actions flowes from the justification of a Soule made manifest in the Spirit so that the truest holinesse or outward sanctification doth wholly flow as an effect of Justification made manifest
the two consider the effects that follow as namely Security or luke warmnes or fulnesse and self conceitednesse and so false Restings are of as dangerous a consequence as the other Thirdly Humility is by resembling of such property of words and actions in an other as is most lovely in the eyes of himself and others and here lies a sad deceit when men doe only resemble the words or carriages of another which it may be in that party flowes from a principle or power of God in him and by a resembling of him and getting into his form think their condition is the happier and so glory in it more then before so that though his Humility flow from a divine work in him yet the others is but shaped out of what is expressed by or from him and here lies much danger especially if man Rest in the same The forth way whereby humility comes most commonly to be attained And the way indeed is from the enjoyment of God thereby man comes not only to have the effects or branches cut off but the cause or root of the same taken away So as now man hath it not in the form or shape but in power and substance and now man is truly what he seems to be but not before whereby as the Creature is humbled so God is exalted and this is the Creatures joy though not his Rest wholly This humility now is the effect of God enjoyed whereby man is made to partake of Gods natrue and this nature breaks out into these particular effects but now this very effects of humility though it be from the enjoyment of God yet it is not the Rest of a Saint but the cause which is God The next part is the gift of Utterance which is that many have that knows not God and many have not which sweetly enjoy him So that man who is freely carried forth to utter or make known any thing he conceives is truth yet there is neither cause of trusting to it or Resting in it neither is there cause why a Soul should the more glory in the enjoyment of it or be troubled in the want of it The last part or Gift we shall speak of is Memory This part of Memory is that which doth most sweetly adorn man in the visible making of it forth and it makes man much adored for it it is 1. Away to grow very profitable in respect of him that hath it and beneficiall to them for whom he imployes it as namely In that dispensation of hearing after which the party which enjoyes this Part is able to repeat or declare almost verbatim what he hath heard this makes him very profitable in what he hears in respect of gathering knowledge and benificiall to others from the improvement of the same This is the reason why two Ministers so professing of themselves studying their matter the one brings it in a peece of paper and the other in the same method or forme though in his understanding becaus the one excels the otther in this Part of Memory and this makes the one more esteemed then the other and the one to appear more weake then the other But alas though all these were in one man in a higher strain then I have declared yet they all were but a poor Rest or cause of joy or contentment to any heart and truly when God appears so as to manifest himself the Soul shall see the weaknesse and foolly of his spirit to be satisfied in the whole not to be any cause of Rest though they were dispensations of God and were freely given by God For all these may be in a very hipocrite or in a meer naturall man First of all to conclude this Rest 1. It is an abuse of a Gift and an affornt put upon the Giver to make it either cause of Rest or an evidence of a true enjoyment of God 2. That soul most commonly who is not led in the Spirit either to behold God or enjoy him to be the Rests of spirits is most usuall it can hardly be prevented to Rest upon such Rests as we have declared but consider that must be the Rest of any who sees or enjoys not one manifested to him to be above it Man must have some Rest either true or false But that must be the safe Rest the which no hipocrite doth at tain nor can enjoy which is God manifested in the Spirit further why should any man place his Rest upon any thing which will come to nothing or is given to change Or why should we make that the ground of our happinesse which is but a tallent given to be improved which may be taken away at the Owners pleasure being given onely to bee improved and then mans Rest and peace ceaseth and in this particular doth â—he folly of mans heart appear in abusing the end of every dispensation as of this of Parts As. First The abuse of Parts lyes in the boasting and glorying in the gift and not in him that gives it And also in this to make them his Rest 2. For a man so to glory in them as to make again of them improve in them for to get honour and preferment and glory in the World This I fear was partly the end of Simon Magus in desiring the gifts of God Alas all gifts are empty without God be Manifested in them and poore contentment do they afford to him that Rests in them And here men are setting them in Gods place and labouring to dispossesse God who is or ought to be the satisfaction of the heart And this is another abuse of Parts A world of deceit lyes in mans heart about gifts or parts if abused First They will not make forth themselves unlesse it be where they be honoured or else they labour for the same by the improvement of them being the most free where it 's the most applauded and the most straitned and wary of that place where it is not adored and exalted and set up above the proper station of the creature being much cheered when exalted and much cast downe when rejected or at least not so applauded as he requires or expect here is man much abusing Parts and setting them in Gods stead in the which man shall be brought to a losse when God doth â—â—â—ifest himself in that heart The fourth false Rest THe next Rest in order to this is Zeal for the truth Zeal in the matters of God is that which the most go through before the manifestations of God yet though it be good in its place and a dispensation to be owned yet it is but a deceitfull Rest We know the cry of him in the Scripture who was Resting and glorying in his Zeal for God when he cryed come see my Zeal for the Lord of hosts So we know many mens Zeal goes before their knowledge of God in the spirit We hear of a zealous Saul who was mad of Zeal in persecuting the Church Act. 22. 3 and
As for instance The fountain and the streames The streames are an effect of the Fountain flowing from the abundance contained in the same so it is with God made manifest in the heart he being the Ocean or Fountain comprehending all streames within himself doth issue out of himselfe those streames of Sanctification or holinesse in conversation from himself thus abiding in the Creature So that a man may have the latter in as high manner though not in truth as he that hath God truly manifest and no way to be discerned but by the light of truth dwelling within which makes the truth or falshood of such things in this nature manifest and before the same enjoyed the Creature is in darknesse and it is as possible for a man to see twenty miles in a very darke night as for a man really to judge of the truth or falshood of his own condition before this light come in from God which expels those clouds as the shining of the Sun doth the clouds and here lies the darknesse of a heart when it is made to see the want of God it looks into the frame and disposition of mens spirits abroad who are under a name of profession and being much affected with them and drawn out in love to them it gets into such relations or society and it sees abundance of holinesse flow from their conversations now it being away to reprove that party not having the same conversation in holinesse of walking or power against corruption it cries out O that I were so holy in conversation as such a one is O that I had such and such a power against corruption as they have And could be alwaies discovering of good things as they are or could have my minde fixed upon heavenly things as they have O how heavenly doth such a one walke and this is his construction or application O if I could be but so I should then be at peace and Rest then I should think my condition happy but alas here is such abundance of carnall mindednesse and of corruption in my conversation and a wearinesse in things that are good here the creature takes up a daily complaint and to every Saint is making his condition known and cannot rest quiet untill he have resembled or attained such a measure of knowledge to discourse of God and so much power against corruption as to walke in conversation like those whose conversation did convict him and shame him Now having attained so much in shew and that now his affections seem to be bent upon good things that now God is his meditation and his continuall ponder that now when it s thus the creature hath much peace sometimes upon the view of the same and when it cannot walke thus it hath neither Peace not rest Now here the creatures heart deceives him and makes him rest upon that which may be in truth and not in truth or upon that which is given to change and abides not one and the same for ever Now all this a man may have and yet have nothing manifest in truth and though it might be said thar these are true in there place yet not appointed for rests but for effects of that which was in truth within for he that saith he dwels in him ought even so to walk as he hath walked Now holinesse in the highest degree as it flowes out from man is but an especial effect of the dwelling of the spirit of God or an effect of his rest in him not to be a rest but to manifest to others that he dwels and rests in God For to me that Soule who rests and dwels in God must have his conversation but especially his inward walking like God for to others that look upon a Saint thus pretending to dwell must judge of the same by that fruit that flowes from him in one kinde or another though it is not to be a testimony to himself who thus liveth he having another testimony which speaks or evidences peace 1 John 5. 10. upon more sure grounds yea and lets the creature see a ground or place of rest going as farre beyond this as the streames are short of the Fountaine and the body of the Sun beyond the least glimpse or shining thereof Man I may say who is resting in peace and quietnesse of spirit from these visible branches if they be true is one who still hangeth upon the outside of the Arke and like the Pharisees resting with glorious outsides and washing of the outsides of Cups more to be seen of men or justified before men then to be as an effect of that truth within made forth for the glory of God The one of these ends did Cain act for and the other end did the Scribes and Pharisees act for so that a house built upon such a foundation as this seems to be as glorious as that which was builded upon the Rock but it was not so safe for with every blast and storm that coÌ„es against such a spirit it fals into its former state it was in before thus builded so were the devout Women and golden Sepulchers and whited walls builded upon such considerations as these they were outwardly holy and seemingly pure but were within full of deadly poyson and were put for outward glory not adorned with the Spirit so it is very likely that the said spirit that Rests upon this seeming though thought by himself true holinesse is a soul altogether full of deadly poyson and deceite which in time may be discovered and then the Creature shall see another rest more sure and safe then this and shall lose by it yet Love shall save him though it be a fire for to burn up what of this rest was of himself so that I say such a soules foundation of rest shall fade as Solomon in all his glory First Then this Spirit thus resting is away to keep it below true assurance for in this rest there can flow no true cause or ground to the Creatuâ—e to be assured thereby Secondly For a man to rest here it will be but to make a house which ere long it may be God will batter about his ears and so prove labour in vaine as many can speak by sad experience Thirdly Whatsoever flowes from a man pretended to God before there be an inward revelation in that man of God and makes the same a true evidence of his enjoying this God thus revealed and so rests his thus doing is but his own righteousnesse and not the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ revealed by faith Fourthly That the party thus acting doth go no farther then a point of bodily exercise for what a man doth in point of holynesse pretending for God and after doth own it as a true evidence or any cause of rest as God To me it appears and in the judgement of Scriptures that mans action is but bodily exercise for nothing is or ought to be either rest or evidence of the true enjoyment of God in me