a right end meanes and time Untamed passion is the cause of unquietnesse The cause of anger and passion is ignoâ—ance and pride Contrary passions are cured with their contâ—aries as mourning is with joy As unhewen stones so unhewen spirits are uâ—fit for the house of God Of poverty Some to escape poverty run into greater poverty It 's better to be poore and weaned from the world then rich and covetous Many are much afraid of poverty yet it never did any hurt The poore are out of danger of being flattered The heires of heaven are oft pinched with poverty Saints who are Kings lie in prison Men spend their time in idlenesse and wast their estate in costly apparrell and fare and then say they are not able to supply the necessities of the poore people of God A childe of God in his greatest want of outward things is not poore because God is his God A slack hand in giving to the poore and a slâ—ck hand in labour each maketh poore Some have sweetly injoyed God when fed with bread and water and have had sweet smiles from God when they could not see the face of one friend In the want of outward comforts the Saints have injoyed sweet comforts from God they have more experience of Gods faithâ—ulnesse care and love see more of their own hearts are more spirituall and humble and live more upon God and are more weanâ—d from the world then those that are rich Prospeâ—ity Prosperity swels â—he heart with pride The prosperity of fooles destroys theâ— Prosperity causeth men to forget 〈◊〉 and themselves Many a childe of God hath found prosperity hath done him more hurt then good Outward peace begets plenty plenty begets security and idlenesse and idlenesse begets all evill It 's in vaine for those in prosperity to think it will last long Of pleasure Pleasure is a flattering delight The pleasures of the body are the poyson of the soule Those whose eyes are open see outward pleasures to be but meane things The more carnall the heart is the more it affects naturall pleasures In idlenesse delight and pleasures the Devill-easily intangleth men in his snares Theâ— mistake the time and place of pleasures that expect it in this world heaven is the Saints place of pleasure Sin is desired for the pleasure of it but there is more griefe misery then pleasure Sinfull pleasure ends in sorrow Such as delight in pleasure shall finde their greaâ—est pleasure become their greatest pains Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sin are deceived and insnared Promises The promises of God are a great stay and comfort to a childe of God The promises of God are the foundation of the Saints comfort The promises of God are free full and firme The promises of God beares up the soule in all straights There was never any ashamed that did rest onely upon God in his promise The promises of God do not make His neither wicked nor carelesse but more fruitfull and serviceable The wicked desire promises for peace and not to strengthen them against sin One promise from a man pleaseth them more then ten from God Some men are freeâ— in promises then in performances Of praises of men He that prizeth others praises he injoyes not God nor himselfe Prayer Necessity teacheth to pray When the heart is filled with feares prayer powres them out Prayer puts the heart into possession of peace Prayer sweetens all troubles That which a man obtaines by prayer it inlargeth his spirit God by prayer supports his in the greatest troubles Verball prayer causeth great deadnesse There is no duty so counterfeited as prayer is Prayer is more of the minde and heart then of the mouth When prayer is wanting the action of fin is as ready as the tentation Some pray when they should sleep and sleep in prayer and pray when they should worke but wisdome divides to each their proper time and season By prayer we attaine a more sense and feeling of our wants and more strength to pray A good conscience nourisheth faith and faith prayer He that makes prayer the end of his praying rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose What many build up by prayer they pâ—ll downe by their practice by remisness â—lightnesse and frothinesse of spirit Princâ—ples When a principle of error is taken â—or a principle of truth the more it is relied on the worse it is Preacher He that doth not rightly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel is not a good Preacher nor a good Christian Quietnesse Man disquiets himselfe in vaine A quiet soule is the seate of wisdome In tâ—e worst times a Saint may quiet himselfe in God In quietnesse confidence is our strength Untill men be satisfied they cannot be setled quietnesse is the fruit of both Satan hath most advantage against us when we are troubled and disquieted He that is troubled because others words answer not his desires cannot injoy quietnesse They injoy most quietnesse of minde that most submit themselves to the providence of God Reason Naturall Reason cannot be satisfied in things spirituall because they are above the fight and reach of nature Religion The Saints finde sweetnesse in the bitterest things in Religion Where Religion is in truth it is in power and it enableth a man to practise it There are no people one indeed that dissent in Religion It 's not possible for all men to be of one Religion and judgement because their understandings and ends differ When a man differs in Religion those from whom he dissents load on him false things to make him odious thus many condemne as odious those whose arguments they cannot answer nor dare offer to answer Most men love that Religion best which best sutes with their lusts as honour pleasure ease and their bellies A forme of Religion with riches is imbraced rather then the power of Religion with poverty The Religion of many is to be irreligious In these dayes iniquity abounds and many depart from the faith to needlesse dispâ—tes and principles that destroy the foundation of Religion Most men take their Religion upon trust and hold it by the copy of mens countenances and certain reservations and the permission of their lusts Mens lives and Religions are commonly alike He that will not leave his sin for his Religion will leave his Religion for his sin A little Religion will goe a great way in great persons His Religion is to little purpose whose knowledge is not distinct and certain It makes much for the benefit and comsort of a Christian to understand the grounds and principles of Religion Rules When we come to the particular case if it concerne our selves we forget the Rule A weak mens Rules may be better then the best mens actions The Rules of many mens actions are onely tâ—eiâ— own wills Suâ—h as like not the Rules of God in his Word like the Devils and their own Of Ruling When a man comes to Rule he
removed and more would be done by her and that with ease and delight Surely for a husband to command all he may he will be bitter to her and if shee should obey as shee ought may it not prove very burdensome if shee be willing to obey spare her if unwilling forbeare her that so shee may sin lesse Say not thou wilt make her be not too confident of thy strength one as wise and strong as thou aâ—t could not doe it Victory is not alwayes to the strong Eccles 9. 11. It is ill grapling with a wilfull and headâ—strong woman one weake in body may be strong in mischiefe The tongue is an unruly member which no man can tame James 3. 8 9 10. If shee answer not thy desires informe her of her dutie from the Scriptures pray to God to set it home upon her Conscience if God be not regarded it 's no wonder if thou beest slighâ—â—d 3. Doe not strike thy Crowne nor cast it in the dirt Pro. 12. 4. 4. Honour thy wife right her wrongs suffer none to slight or abuse her in no kinde 5. Dwell with her deprive her not of the benefit of thy presence by long journeys unlesse necessitie inforce it 6. Provide all things needfull for her that shee may live comfortably with thee whether shee be good or bad you ought to doe what you can that shee may live comfortably after your death 7. Let her share with thee in that which God hath given thee spirituall and temporall if thou hast plenty let her have plenty also it 's but equall shee shall be sure to share with thee in the ill in poverty sicknesse disgrace and other miseries therefore let her share in thy plenty also let her have for delight as well as thy selfe make her case thy own and doe as thou wouldst be done unto and give it her freely without asking Some have much and spend much upon their pleasures but allow their wives nothing or as good as nothing such give their wives ground enough to question the truth of their love to them for love is bountifull in a little much more where there is plenty that you have is hers as much as yours for her necessitie and comfort seeing yee are but one These things much concerne the comfort of a married life and may be of great use to some into whose hands this may come if GOD please to set it home upon their hearts Concerning Prayer Prayer is a precious priviledge and of great use Aske and it shall be given you Mat. 7. 7. see Isâ— 50. 15. Jâ—mes 1. 5. Luk. 11. 13 It 's a remedy of all evills Joh. 3. 8. 10. Psal 107. Prayer fits us for those good things wee need Exod. 14. 15 16. Jona 2. 1. 10. Acts 12. 5 6 7. Josu 10. 12. Hos 14. 3 4. Song 2. 14. Therefore prize prayer and frequent it Preparation to prayer is a duty Levit. 10. 3. Prepare to meete thy God Amos 4. 12. 1 Sam. 7. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 21. The Saints have practised it Jehosapbat prepared his heart to seeke God 2 Chron. 19. 3. see Ezra 7. 10. Thou wilt prepare their hearts O God Psal 10. 17. in the use of meanes Promises annexed to preparation see Job 11. 13. 15. to 20. It 's an evill not to doe it 2 Chron. 12. 14. It 's a holy consideration of God and what may best compose our hearts craving his strength when thou prayest forgive consider Psal 66. 18. Mark 11. 25. Mat. 5. 24. For time and place to pray Pro. 18. 1. Mark 1. 35. or a closet Mat. 5. Be private Psal 119. 147. Consider what may raise thy heart to God what be thy wants lets temptations corruptions with sutable promises let your ends be holy and right placed James 4. Consider the attributes of God Exod. 34. Have high thoughts of God and low ones of thy selfe Gen. 18. 27. Goe to God with a large and chearfull heart in assurance of person and prayer accepted hate hard thoughts of God Psal 65. 2. 77. 4. 7. Imbrace that season that God and thy heart sends thee to pray and quickly imbrace the motion of the Spirit Pray to God to teach thee and inable thee to pray pray not in print Reade and meditate before prayer if time will permit they fit to pray in prayer Fix thy minde upon God in Christ and thy interest in him and union with him Pray in knowledge Joh. 5. 14. Pray in faith Heb. 11. 6. James 16. Rom. 8. 38. Mark 9. 22. Pray as thy present state and frame of spirit requires strive against sloathfulnesse and vanitie of minde strive for the best affections in prayer serve the Lord with all thy might servently pray briefly and often Mat. 26. 39. Minde the time season occasion and persons what they can beare In long prayers take heed of custome superstition and ambition in short take heed of coldnesse and carelesnesse long or short pray with affection be sutably sensible with joy desire or griefe see if the heart be as thy mouth Consider God in his greatnesse c. be thankfull for what you have received 1 Chron. 15. 13. Observe order aske spirituall things before earthly let mourning flow from faith Zach. 12. 10. Be as large in thankfulnesse as in request Be loth to be sent empty away the life of prayer consists in servent desires Rom. 15. 30. 8. 16. Psal 143. 6. Lord give me what I come for Pray as 2 Cor. 12. 10. Acts 7. 60. After prayer As soone as the dutie is ended if inlarged and before others eye one or more of thy defects in prayer to humble thee see how the dutie was inwardly performed what faith desires comforts God gave thee Be not over-sensible of thy defects in prayer Consider My strength is made perfect in weaknesse most gladly therefore will I glory that the power of Christ may rest upon mee 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. Whether inlarged or straightened be thankfull inward or outward be the same because Christ is the same Heb. 13. 8. If inlarged and faith strengthened be thankfull presse after what thou hast prayed for use the meanes as Pro. 2. 3 4 5. We tempt God to aske and not to use the meanes see Pro. 20. 4. It 's for hypocrites to pray and then to sin freely as if they intended to have libertie to sinne Expect and waite patiently for an answer of prayer Psal 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2 3. We should be loath to loose our prayers eye the promise least yee faint Psal 147. 1â— Take not a delay for a deniall God knowes the fittest season to doe us good in we waite to see what God will doe eye the event of your prayers and be thankfull for any answer of prayer Directions for hearing the Word Prize the Word 1 Pet. 2. 3. Look to God to blesse it to thee Take â—eed how yee heare Luk. 8. 18. Ezek. 40. 4. Heare to practise Isa 55. 3. Beleeve God will
many sad and miserable instances as also of Gods making them visible examples by his terrible judgements on some of them to be a warning unto others 3. God is never an enemy to his though they greatly sinne against him Psal 51. Wee are not beloved for our own sakes nor for any thing in our selves but in Christ who hath made us acceptable in the beloved Eph. 1. 5. Therefore nothing wee doe can cause God to love us more or lesse his love is as himselfe ever the same Heb. 13. 8. Therefore a beleevers hope joy and confidence is to be ever the same in Christ hence it is they are alwayes to rejoyce Rejoyce alwayes Psal 5. 11. 32. 11. Rejoyce evermore againe I say rejoyce 1 Thes 5. 16. Phil. 4. 4. Let them exceedingly rejoyce Psal 40. 16. The joy of the Lord is our strength Nehe. 8. 16. Oh there is enough in the Lord to satisfie thee at all times he is an unchangeable object of true joy in him is all our hope and happinesse Therefore let not thy fall cause thee to question the love of God to thee thy salvation depends not on thy repentance and holinesse see Rom. 9. 15 16. Isa 43. 24 25. 57. 17. Ezek. 16. 1. to 9. My little children these things I write unto you that yee sinne not 1 Joh. 2. 1. But for those that turne the grace of God into wantonnes the mercies of God incourage them in their sinnes such are led by the Spirit of the Devill he is their father and his workes they doâ— Joh. 8. 44. If yee regard iniquity Psal 66. 18. Here is no consolation for you you are not to be numbred with those who through temptation and weaknesse are overtaken and fall into the sinne they hate If fallen be not out of hope Paul persecuted the truth and them that professed it yet after he preached the faith Acts 9. 1 2. Gal. 1. 23. If not converted God may convert thee if the Lords have fallen into sinne they are to rise by faith Shall a man fall and not rise Jer. 8. 4. When I fall I shall arise Mica 7. 7. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth the transgression of the remnant of his people Mica 7. 18 19 20. I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8. 12. God hath nothing against those who are in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. Gal. 3. 13. therefore goe boldly to God in full assurance of faith Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. 20. Dis But my heart is hardened 1. There is much hardnesse of heart in a childe of God they feele it and mourne under it and complaine of it this is the frame of a new heart 2. To feele hardnesse is from softnesse and the condition of an experienced childe of God O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare doubtlesse thou art our Father thou O Lord art our Father Their hearts were hardened yet they were the children of God Isa 63. 16 17. Let not the Eunuch say Behold I am a dry tree Isa 56. 3. I consider my selfe as I am in Christ and one with him what is his is mine Christs fruitfulnesse is ours I have sinne my glory and rejoycing is that it s forgiven and shall be remembred no more and so I rest satisfied in what Christ hath done my best workes cannot save me nor my worst caÌ„not destroy me thanks be to God who hath given us victory by Jesus Christ Rom. 7. and fetch we our comfort from him not from what we finde and feele in our selves About twelve yeares agoe in the viewing of my defects in prayer in considering with what faith sensiblenesse earnestnesse c. I had prayed I concluded that if I had had the Spirit of God I should not have so prayed as I did then I concluded that I had been fourteene yeares or more mis-taken then I concluded that if God had intended me good he would have manifested it to â—e before this time then was I as fully satisfied as ever I was satisfied of any thing in the world that I should never be saved I thought my condition was very miserable but in this extremity I apprehended no remedy in this condition till an interpreter one of a thousand did by the truth convince me that I did beleeve and should be saved and I was forced to confesse that he that did desire to beleeve did beleeve yet I was not fully setled till I did see that my salvation was effected by Christ on the Crosse c. But that which is to be considered herein is into what a condition of despaire we are like to be led in if we judge of our eternall conditions and of Gods love to us by the hardnesse of our hearts by what we see and feele in our selves Although many yeares before I had the assurance of the love of God and was filled with joy and peace in beleeving yet see what it is to give way to unbeliefe in us Let this experience be a warning to you that yee doe not as I did but alwayes remember that we are to beleeve that which is contrary to that which we see and feele its sense and not faith to beleeve that which we see and feele if one may be in this condition one day then two dayes and then two seven yeares it is as God pleases sooner or later He heales the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds Psal 147. 3. Mark 5. 36. Be not afraid onely beleeve WEE are commanded to beleeve and the Spirit inlighteneth our understandings without the Spirit of Christ wee can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. Eph. 1. 19. yet men are to use the meanes for in the preaching the Word we expect the holy Spirit to put power in the words spoken to make it effectuall and to inable the creature to obey he said unto me Sonne of man stand upon thy feete and the Spirit entred into mee When he had spoken unto me and set me upon my feete Ezek. 2. 1 2. And the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Joh. 5. 25. else it were in vaine to speake to dead men to beleeve 1 Pet. 4. 6. And all men by nature are spiritually dead Eph. 2. 1. 5. 14. onely they beleeve whose hearts God opens as Acts 16. 14. None can beleeve but they to whom it is given There are many incouragements to beleeve 1. Because the Gospel is to be preached to every creature and none are forbidden to beleeve nor is there any precept or command for any to doubt see Acts 16. 30 31. 1 Joh. 3. 23. But men are commanded the contrary to follow after faith and to lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 11. 2. By beleeving we come to know our interest in Christ and salvation by him He that beleeves in the Sonne
appeares Rom. 8. 33. to the end The Elect shall be gathered together Mat. 24. 31. Joh. 11. 52. The election obtained it Rom. 1â— 7. He saith not that we obtained it by beleeving If beleeving were of absolute necessity to salvation such as dye in their infancy cannot be saved for they doe not beleeve as appeares Rom. 10. 14. 17. Faith is an assent a trust a perswasion Heb. 11. 13. A beleeving God v. 6. a judging God faithfull v. 11. Infants want understanding to beleeve for knowledge and saith are not without the knowledge of the Son of God Gal. 1. 16. 2. 20. That infants doe beleeve there is no reason nor Scripture for it If any say God is able to make them beleeve I answer God is able to fill this house full of gold but this is no proofe that he hath done it or that he ever will so here 15 Argu. If unbeliefe be not the unpardonable sinne then it cannot deprive the Elect of salvation but unbeliefe is not the unpardonable sinne for unbeliefe is a not beleeving in Christ this sin is immediately and directly against Christ therefore it s as pardonable as any other sin against Christ is as appeares Mat. 12. 31 32. Also the Elect have committed this sinne not onely before conversion but after and daily sin by unbeliefe in that we beleeve not all that we ought nor so as we ought to beleeve and dye in not beleeving that which we ought to beleeve is not this unbeliefe If finall unbeliefe be the unpardonable sinne none can be seene to commit this sinne before death for who can tell its finall till they dye but men may be seene to commit the sinne that is unto deaâ—h before they dye as appeares 1 Joh. 5. 16. Therefore finall unbeliefe is not the unpardonable sin 16 Argu. If the salvation of the Elect is sure and certaine then it depends not upon that which may faile but beleeving may faile therefore if it depends not upon beleeving if it did it might faile also but the salvation of the Elect is sure and certaine in that it depends upon a sure foundation the immutability of his Counsell Heb. 6. 16 17. Faith shall cease 1 Cor. 13. It is a creature Psal 5â— a worke and it groweth 2 Thes 1. 31. and increaseth 2 Cor 10. 1â— it may be overthrowne 2 Tim. 2. 18 19. What God saith I must beleeve he saith they did for a time beleeve Luk. 8. 13. The Devills beleeve James 2. 19. How could they have that taste Heb. 6. 4 5. Without beleeving how could they receive the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. 26. Without beleeving how could they stay themselves upon the God of Israel Without beleeving ye see what they were Isa 48. 1. to 7. 58. 2. The nature of it is liable to faile else what need was there of Christs prayer that it might not faile Luk. 22. 32. It s a fruit of the Spirit one with joy peace goodnesse temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. And doe not one or more of these in a childe of God sometimes faile if it be denied the experience of the Saints doe sufficiently testifie to the truth of this but I will prove it by Scripture First for joy David saith Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Psal 51. 12. Had not he lost his joy it did faile him he wanted it and Heman a good man complaining saith Lord why castest thou off my soule I am distracted while I suffer thy terrors Psal 88. 14 15 16. What joy and peace had he if Joy and peace faile Why not faith they being one in nature Jeremiah saith I said my strength and hope is perished from the Lord Lam. 3. 18. If his strength and hope perished then faith perished if no hope then no beleeving if we cannot cast away our confidence why are we exhorted not to cast it away Heb. 10. 35. Beleeving and confidence are all one 2 Thes 3. 4. Eph. 3. 12. If their confidence might be cast away they might be without it see Heb. 3 6. with 1 Joh. 5. 14. Rom. 11. 20. Flesh and heart faile but not God Psal 73. 26. My hope hath he removed like a tree Joh. 13. 10. Joh. 20. 25. Psal 77. 2 7 8 9 10. If continue in faith 1 Tim. 2. 15. denieth the faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. 5. 12. denied the faith 1 Tim 5. 8. I speake as unto wise men judge what I say Many idolize their beleeving they live upon it fetch all their comfort from it and not from God in Christ 17 Argu. That which taketh away sin that justifieth us Christ tooke away sinne by his bloud therefore we are said to be justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9 To be justified and to be free from sin is one that which justifieth us freeth us as the payment of the debt freeth the debtor from suits and imprisonments c. So Christ paying our debt is our justification from sinne our freedome from the punishment of sinne To be saved by Christ and to be justified by Christ is all one to be saved from our sinnes Mat. 1. 21. and to be justified from our sinnes Rom. 5. 17. is one thing It s not our beleeving but the Spirit that reveales to us we are justified the Spirit dwelleth in us 1 Cor. 3. 16. 1 Cor. 9. 19. Rom. 8. 11. 16. 1 Joh. 3. 24. The Spirit speaketh in us Mat. 10. 20. and sheweth us what Christ hath done for us 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. with 16. 13 14 15. Heb. 10. 15. 17. 1 Joh. 5 6. The bloud of sprinkling is the application of it to the conscience it speaketh good things to the conscience that all is paid this clenseth the conscience Heb. 12. 24. The worke of faith is onely to assent to the truth of what the Spirit in the Word saith and receive its testimony now to assent unto a thing is not to manifest it giving and receiving are two things Ephes 3. 5. 18 Argu. If Christs death be that thing for and by which we are justified then when that death was then we were justified but Christs death is the thing for and by which we are justified By his knowledge my righhteous servant shall justifie many for he shall beare their iniquitie Isa 53. 11. So that his bearing our iniquity was our justification from sinne and by his knowledge he knew whoâ—e sinnes he bore that is whom he justifâ—ed The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. with Exod. 28. 21. c. By his knowledge he knew thee and me and he loved thee and me and gave himselfe for me and thee Gal. 2 20 To beare iniquity and to beare the punâ—shment of sinne is one thing if we are justified through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Therefore it is evident wee are not justified through beleeving Rev. 5. 9. This is my body which was broken for you 1 Cor. 11. 24. He had not dyed but for you and