doubtfull hearts and the Lord will not bee wanting to give you now and then such handsells of mercy as are meete to stay you and to assure you of better measures afterward But say the truth is there not within you a secret loathnesse to give up your owne bottome hopes and hold to the meere freedome of eternall mercy Or have you not kept a false measure within you that is to mixe your selves with mercy being loath to deny your selves your feelings zeale labours and devotions Have you cast these out and come under the power and authority of the Word I feare there is such a pad in the straw If there be not it is some sin against conscience which hath wasted you which must be abhorred but if it be as I have said alas poor soules then wonder not that God hath crossed you for it is for good even to fasten you to himselfe and above all meanes to acquaint you with his owne power who in the midst of these distempers of yours can forgive you can imbrace you with mercy and finde in his heart to love you even then when perhaps you could bite your tongues because you are so bad and this if you can beleeve it will carry meate in the mouth when all your own mixtures must vanish Try your selves by this marke whether the Spirit of Grace have so wildred you in the best and most pleasing waies of your own Esay 26. till he have driven you into your chambers to hide your selves there under the secret of the Almighty under that free infinite full covert of the promise till the evill be overpast Tell me brethren when you can feed and revive your spirits at this feast and warme your selves at this fire is it not high holy-day with you Finde you not a difference betweene this and your owne sparkes Bee content then resigne up your soules to this worke and say the Lord hath done you no wrong to weane you from your owne breasts that you might suck at his promises Seventhly and lastly the Spirit of Grace opposeth Selfe in all her errors and subtilties For the former Selfe is a great blinder of the eyes and causes the soule to sleep in a whole skin she doth so baffle her selfe with her owne shewes and forwardnesse that shee doubts not but her estate is good She saith with Iehu 2 Kings 9. Come and see the zeale which I have for the Lord of Hosts But the Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of discerning between errour and truth it seperates between the pretious and the vile gives clearnesse to the eyes of the simple Psal 19. causing them to judge according to the grounds of the word which cannot deceive to distrust her owne conjecturall and slight bottomes Truth is able to approve both her selfe and her contrary whereas error can comprehend neither truth nor her owne vanity And secondly she discovers those subtilties of Selfe It were endlesse to mention them by a few judge of the rest Sometime she is so slye that when her affections and duties forsake her she can recover her selfe by her whinings complaints and mutterings against her selfe as if she mourned because she attaines no better fruit of her labours Sometimes she will pretend that she desires grace really and is willing to be searched and that shee knowes not that evill which she would not gladly be rid of that she might attaine it But yet she deceives herselfe with dead wishes and will not ensue those meanes closely which tend thereto nor profit by the experience of her owne basenesse but her experience leaves her dead in the nest as it found her and she will not endure the triall nor set one foot forward to remove the stumbling-blocke of her iniquity from before her Ezek. 14. and her Idols from between her brest Therein she is as she was Againe a third subtilty is that she will spare her owne lazy skin and cut her selfe off from those more convincing ordinances and more pertinent and seasonable meanes for her owne good by putting herselfe upon such as are lawfull and good in their kinde as to avoid close attendance to reading of the word by singing of a Psalme also prayer by reading a Chapter instead of secret and private prayer she will chuse to pray with others or in family or upon a booke instead of extraordinary duties shee will content herselfe with her ordinary houres and all to shew that shee is glad to put off the Lord and save herselfe harmelesse with as small a pittance and as poore measures of spirit and courage as may be And commonly when Selfe pitches upon her course this is her property she is loose with God in the best meanes Againe she will so contrive her matters that for the shifting of some close duty of worship as meditation searching her corruptions repenting after falls or renewing covenant she will alway finde some occurrent or other duty of calling conversing with others needlesly or by some worke of mercy and duty of the second Table or any other fained pretence to rid herselfe of that which would stick to her spirit and discover her loose grounds Sometime which I would have marked when she is so hunted that she cannot shelter herselfe and is pressed to leave all for a promise she will turne presumptuous and professe that she hath cast herselfe upon that also and thereby hath put an end to all her former distempers purposing to cast about and fling out no more but settle herselfe upon the truth of God But alas this her fained cleaving to the word is nothing else save a dead relyance perhaps shee quashes her former feares and doubts But how Surely by a lazy and slothfull pretence of beleeving that she might be free from any callings upon reproofes or paines taking and delude her selfe with ease for why Come to the triall of her confidence alas it is without savor peace contentation or joy of heart saplesse barren and ventrous dissembling a selfe-deniall and calmnesse of heart but indeed a lethargy of the spirit willing to deceive herselfe No true desire to honour God in the fruit of a sound course or to purge out old distempers can appeare I say all the subtill and sly tricks of selfe-delusion the Spirit of Grace pierceth into and purgeth the soule of for looke what I have said of a few might be said of all the rest Although I deny not but many a poor soule hath some secret shreds of Selfe lying hid and unknowne yet I say the nature of the Spirit is to discover them if the soule be not wanting thereto And this be said touching the former generall head of the Spirits opposing Selfe Second generall How the Spirit of grace that it serves wholly for Grace In three things 1. In discovering the mystery of it Now for the second generall a second marke of the Spirit of Grace is That it serves wholly for Grace And that both in the
questions Prayers confessions and the like who doth not wish himselfe in their case except it be some errant blocke who discovers his brutishnesse all are ravisht to see such early beginnings The Lord knowes the fittest way to worke upon men Sooner will a young novice by his active spirit of the cure stir up others then some solid and grave Disciples because the spirit of the one is more stirring active and drawing than the other Fourthly there is in the cure of the soule converted to God Reas 4 such an irresistible power and impotencie From that irresistible power of Grace in the soule especially in the first turning home of it that there is no choaking quenching or damping of it It resembles her originall Seed leaven mustard-seed are things of an active and encreasing nature Leaven in a little while will sowre all the lump Hence are those expressions of the Saints Thy Word was in mee as coales of fire in my bosome Can a man carry them there and not be burnt I would have kept in thy words saith David but such was the nature of them that they would not be concealed I had no rest nor peace till I had uttered them to Congregations Peter could not hold Christ in his bosome till he had uttered himselfe to Nathaniel That woman of Samaria had fire in her bosome when she went to tell her kindred citizens the news of Christs discourse The love of God workes in the breasts of his Saints as it first wrought in his owne he having conceived it once could not cease till it had discovered it selfe to poore sunken Adam and hee would rather chuse to make his onely Sonne a Masse shame then he would not expresse it Even such is the same love having once wrought in them it is as the new wine in the caske which must have vent or else it will breake It is like Josephs affection to Benjamin all must be had out from him Gen. 45.14 and he must utter himselfe to him and fall upon his neck with a kisse and teares The newer any thing is the more forcible So is it with love The Apostle hath a sweet word to expresse it The love of Christ constraines us 2 Cor. 5. The word signifies 2 Cor. 5.14 gathers us up together as a beast hemmed in a Pinfold hath an appetite after liberty so the spirit of love finds it selfe straitned till it breake out And 1 Cor. 13. love is bountifull and working 1 Cor. 5. full of affection hopeth all things endureth all things and the like The fifth God is the God of order and loves sutablenesse of Reas 5 Age and Temper youth naturally is hot and full of expressions God is the God of order it is comely for young ones to be so their lusts were so before grace therefore grace must be so also I restraine not this heat to meere youth for if God do convert elder ones as Naaman there is a spirituall youth or first age even in them also grace at the first is most operative be the yeares what they may be but especially when grace falls upon tender yeares as for the most part that is the season ere the soule be sapped in lewd customes then it quickens those hot spirits which it meets with to singular expressions Reas 6 Lastly by this spirit the Lord provides matter and argument of convincement For the due convincement of such as after may wax luke-warme and loose and inward checke for time to come if at any time his people shall revolt from this grace of first conversion The Lord knowes our mold and fashion just Psal 103. We seem at our first setting forth to the journey so trimme and so prepared that no troubles nor difficulties shall daunt our resolution But by that time wee have travelled a while what with the ill way what with ill weather bad successe and what with our owne weary and crazie spirits within we waxe unto ward and stagger whether we should goe forward or no. The Lord knowes how many waies this first spirit of the cure flagges and wanzes in us sometimes the abundance of iniquity causes the love of many to waxe cold this degenerate formall world is ready to quench our spirit the presidents of many zealous and painfull professors who are turned drunkards uncleane worldlings Epicures and sinfull wretches 2 Pet. 3. ult do shake us The errour of the wicked puls us from our stedfastnesse feare of some men flattery of others but especially a cursed heart on the one side giddie presuming venturous on the otherside slavish fearfull and distrustfull distempers us so that although we keep from grosse evils yet we are far from that frame of zeale closenesse and watching which we have found onely peace from Now when it falls out thus and that crosses debts ill marriage care of children and other disguisements come upon the necke of the other then is the Lord faine to step in and take us to taske to upbraid us and cast us in teeth with our first spirit of cure our early first love sweet affections covenants humble feare watchfull care diligent paines zealous spirit Luk. 23.31 What was this done in the greene tree and shall it not be done in the dry What shall first beginnings shame thee Didst thou begin in the spirit if yet thou didst so and wilt thou now end in the flesh Oh! is there not enough in that never dying spirit of an immortall hope of salvation to carry thee on in thy poore course with equalnesse of affection Say the edge be a little blunted what is metall gone too is the steele worne out of the backe That first spirit of sound joy in God should by this day have bred in thy belly a welspring of water flowing to eternall life Oh! for shame strengthen the weary hands Heb. 12.13 and feeble knees and correct the crooked that it turne not out of the way Thus the Lord charmes a declining spirit by an experiment of her owne and brings her backe with sorrow and shame to her former temper So much for Reasons Use 1 Now for Use first is the spirit of a true Convert thus zealous for God This then teacheth us a difference of cures and that all are not alike for there are many to be sure farre from this temper and frame of spirit Instruction with an item Not every cure hath such a stroake in the soule of a man thus to change qualifie and act his spirit to and for the Lord. And all to teach us to try our spirits and to be afraid to rest in any base counterfeit cures which afford none of this life and operation Who doth not now a dayes boast himselfe to have gotten this through cure Counterfeit cures very common in the world true cures rare If once baptized and professe the Gospell it is treason in these dayes to put a difference betweene men Alas yee poore wretches
the spirit within you shall put the difference though others hold their peace The base degenerate carnall spirit of men now a daies boasting of a cure and conversion but still the same for their temper and frame of spirit or else in a base outside of zealous performances and shewes of good without any cordiall geniall spirit of self-deniall tendernesse and love to holinesse bewrayes sufficiently whence their cures came Tell mee I pray was there such a spirit of a cure in him whom Christ cured at the Poole after 38. years disease Joh. 5. as was in that blind man Ioh. 5.7 Ioh. 9.7 8 9. Joh. 9. When the former of these was in healed what news were there he went to the Pharisees and there jangled but Christ heard no more of him so that after meeting him in the Temple he told him Thou art now healed but sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee A sad item so soon after Alas what wonder it was a cure of the left hand a bodily cure of lame feet not of a lame spirit and thereafter came of it no spirit of tendernesse thankes acknowledgement or engagement followed And what came of those cures in the wildernesse which befell the Israelites when the Lord had heald them of their bondage taken away the feare of Pharaoh his hoast Exod. 12. compared with 15. c. and with Num. 11. 15. and the danger of the red Sea when hee had removed the sad disease of famine and thirst sent them quailes in plenty dropt Manna from heaven into their bellies and fill'd them with the Rocke which gusht out and followed them with water when as there was a plague gone out among them Aaron with his censer went and stood betweene the living and the dead and staid it when scorpions were let fly among them to sting them to death the Lord set up a brazen one upon a Pole to looke upon that beholding it they might escape What came of all these cures Nothing their carcasses fell in the wildernesse after all these themselves grew as base murmurers rebels and breakers of Covenant as ever But as for any true spirit of a sound cure I meane any remembring of him that had healed them alas it was farre from them and why I pray you Surely because the cure was but by halfes not a full and sound one it came from one Physitian but not from the like purpose of heart it reacht their bodies but toucht not their soules How many are there among us whom the Lord hath wrought cures upon Some of us he hath cured of our poverties and filled our purses with money paid our debts and set us on foot others have beene cured of our ill Names healed in point of our bad yoak-fellowes others of us have beene healed of our diseases of body agues consumptions dropsies and God hath betrusted us with second lives like Hezekiah whē as we would have given the hope of them for a straw but to what end have all these boones befallen us surely to make us more ranke proud jolly in our selves we have had a spirit of our cures too but it is such as the disease had beene much better then the remedy and had beene like to have held us in more humblenesse and feare then our cures Eccles 13.5 I may say with Salomon I have seene a misery under the Sunne a cure bestowed upon a poore sicke man to the ruine of him 2 Chron. 28.22 Is not this a fearfull cure Ahaz because he was worse for crosses is thus branded This is King Ahaz what shall our brand be who are worse for our cures But this is not all the preposterousnesse of it That all the hope of these seemed to be before their cure False cures have a preposterous spirit O then if God would not destroy them of this disease but let them live what manner of ones would they prove but when they lived what deivlls have they proved That good King sung Esay 38.19 The living the living shall praise thee But these may cry The living shall do thee more dishonour then ever And to leave these others have beene healed by a better hand by the Ministry of the Spirit they have beene healed of their ignorance uncleannesse profane lives they have gotten knowledge reformation of some grosse evils but what shall we say of them Is the spirit of a cure seene upon them Can any man say that grace hath bred in them tendernesse of conscience love to the people of God a change of heart Alas no such matter Nay there are some who are not so much as rid of their grosse lusts and yet make great shew of zeale and forwardnesse Note As lately one arrested by the hand of God with sudden feare of death emptied himselfe of all and confessed that hee was habited in a custome of adultery with three or foure harlots about the same time and yet an hearer noter repeater of Sermons and a kind of Professor Cures now are all mens cases All will be religious and that shall be the cover of all their ranke lusts plaisters are now applyed to all sores let them be as festred within as rankled and corrupt as they will not to speake of secret evils of wrath frowardnesse rage unmercifulnesse rebellion of heart worldlinesse and the like Alas these men have no leasure to thinke of they seeke religion as drunkards seeke drinke to besot and disable their consciences from stirring and stinging of them Misery of such as rest in false and halfe cures What shall I say of such Alas there is no spirit of a cure to be seene in them they want the sound cure which a spirit of conversion hath in it God hath two closets of plaisters and medicines the one outward the other secret in the former hee keepes universall salves for all sores in the other Medicines for an hard heart a proud spirit unbeleefe subtilty hollownesse imponitency To the former men flock apace and if they can get them they care for no more But the heart which God onely askes for runnes full of all excesse and so long as the still stream of outward Religion possesses them with security of their estate they never lay ought to their hearts till wrath and hell-fire flash in their faces and feare surprizes Hypocrites Esay 33.13 Then all turnes to horrour and who shall endure everlasting burnings But oh yee wofull people Might you not have beene admitted into the inner closet if you had preased hard to it yes verily That paddle and adoe which you have made to soder and play the Hypocrites might have beene better spent and sped better to purchase a sound cure never to be repented of Tell me if a man that hath a dangerous sore upon his body content himselfe with going to a base Quacksalver with a budget at his backe and get of him a little salve in a clout to skinne his sore
at times or a little water in a glasse to keepe it sweet will this prove a cure Or if he go to a cunning Chirurgion and he tell him I can cure you and make you as sound a man as ever you were but then you must be at some cost endure some paine be content to be lanced or to have your sore search'd to the quick or to have the dead flesh deeply corrasived and then to be tented and to be patient till it be quite healed But then the sore man should say Alas here is cost I am loth to waite so long Can you not bind it up for me the whiles and keepe it warme and the Ague from taking it if you can I le be content a while and hereafter I will come againe But by that time the sore is gangreen'd or fistulated or hath taken the bone and marrow and the Cihrurgion tels him it is incurable his legge must be cut off or it will cost him his life Would any man praise this man Surely such are many lazars cures even such as will make them creeples or bed-rid ones But sound cures we heare of few In the feare of God take warning All cures are not of one sort God can bee slight with the slight and sound with the sound Therefore come unto him open thy wound move him to pity thou art but a dead man if he helpe not come ere thy heart be quite hardned and past hope confesse his skill submit to his cure let him search tent and handle thee as he will If a sound cure be thine aime to get an heart truly purged of thy humours broken beleeving and repentant know the Lord can cure thee wholly as good cheape as by halfes renounce thy patchery and hollownesse and come to plaine termes and he can make thy flesh come againe as a childs But know that till then no spirit of a cure will be seene in thee nothing save a shifting shuffling doubtfull darke and staggering course will be come by Onely this sound cure will create a spirit of cure in thee to be a zealous humble and close Christian to be for the honour of Him who hath delivered thee from death and hell which no Physitian under Heaven save him selfe could have done for thee Use 2 Secondly Terrour this may be terrour to all whose frame is contrary Branch 1 to this spirit of Grace and Conversion So farre from being for God his Glory his Gospel and Ordinances so farre from the spirit of thankes Terrour to all such as nourish open and notorious diseases in themselves zeale and joy for grace and pardon that they still continue in the myre of their owne filth and still wallow in their defilements of covetousnesse prophanenesse uncleannesse and the like wofull wayes So contrary to the spirit of such as God hath healed that they carry about and upon them the nasty and leprous skin of Naaman An heathenish brutish and ignorant mind void of all light of truth an uncircumcised heart a rebellious obstinate and impenitent course fraught with all sinne possesses them I may say these rather have the spirit of deepe and mortall disease upon them then the spirit of a cure they carry that in their bosomes which is farre more mortall then Naamans disease To wit the spirit of old Adam of blindnesse bad customes the spirit of the earth and their lusts nay worse the spirit of rebellion malice and untractablenesse of heart they will not be reproved nor convinced but fight against the Lord and his truth yea some of them against their owne light which is as contrary to the spirit of Grace as can be Oh! the sinnes they commit are committed with an high hand they were never slaine by the killing letter of the Law but are alive jolly and secure their sinne weares a Crowne the King is not higher when he weares his Crowne then these are when they are in their Alehouses their games their adulterous and ungodly practises Their tongues are their owne for they were never redeemed with a price their passions humours are violent Their thoughts Psal 12.5 1 Cor. 6.20 Esay 13.22 a very through-fare for the Devill as Esay saith an habitation of Dragons and Ostriches so furious so false in their dealings so intemperate that none can live by them Brethren it is one thing to have sinne another to have a spirit of sinne A spirit of wrath is a prevailing habitednesse of it a spirit of revenge is a restlesse spirit never quiet till it have wreckt it selfe upon an enemy a spirit of uncleannesse is to be given over to it a spirit of the world is when not onely the soule hath the world but the world hath it It is one thing for a man to fall into a river and to have some water got into his body A spirit of sin what and how fearfull it is Heb. 13.5 another to lie under water and to be drown'd in it The Apostle Heb. 13.5 tels us of a conversation in covetousnesse or the love of silver as the word is which is then when a man is in the power of that lust when it hath got the soule into her snare and chaines so that the flame and bent of it is for gaine all the thoughts affections and devices of the heart are that way sleeping waking alone or in company in calling or in worship of God worky dayes or Sabbaths all is fish comes to net with such a base heart as is powred out after that Idoll And Brethren how many still of our people are such as these So farre from the spirit of Grace tendernesse 2 Cor. 4.4 compassions bowels of deare affection to God to his truth and Name that rather the spirit of the Prince of this world rules in them acts and carries them as sworne slaves of hell and foes of grace according to his owne pleasure Oh brethren these are the sadde times wherein the true spirit of Grace and of a converted soule are rare dainties Since the power of the Gospel hath beene resisted God hath given men over to the spirit of all sensuall prophanenesse The spirit of roysting swearing drunkennesse long lockes and all lust yea scorning the Gospell and all wholsome Ministery is come in stead thereof That promise of powring out the spirit of prophecie upon all flesh is gone The spirit of the Stewes and Alehouse Ioel 2. ignorance and every man for himselfe is come in The faces of men and women are altred with their spirits into the faces of Lions Wolves and foxes The Gospel serves either for a stalking-horse of hypocrites or a scare-crow of the lewd Except God be a breaking off our whole frame and knocking together of our old brasse and pewter to melt us and mould us anew in the Furnace of affliction I know not what to thinke of the spirit that rules among us If Heathens should see some of us it would make them loath the Gospel and
of that habit and savour of grace which makes the sound heart desire and resolve to be be good whether any other in the world be so besides himselfe or not The life of the child was so deare to the true mother that although it went against the edge yet she chose rather the false mother should have it then it should be slaine And therefore it was adjudged to her as her owne So is it here A true heart would cose any losse rather deny it selfe to the death then the life of religion should be indangered because it is bred in her bosome So then you see brethren Positives comming from life cannot be assembled by the heart which is dead and unsound An hypocrite for his humour would have the the child religion into his possession for his credit not for love of the life of it for he will starve and kill it for lacke of good keeping only the true mother that bare it and knowes the price of it will nurse and nourish it with her breasts Try thy selfe by this Any Ape will imitate somewhat in a man but he can neither laugh nor speake for lack of Reason Fourthly trie this spirit of Grace by the object Grace strikes at the root By the object the order and equality thereof falshood at the branches onely The zeale love and grace of the spirit is chiefly and mainly against the chiefe corruption of the heart then of life and it is first earnest for the maine most weighty matters of God and then for second things Not first for the latter and then for the former Againe it is orderly equall not preposterous and disproportioned Great are the cries of many Separators from our Communion against corruptions abuses in our Church But you shall scarce marke any order in their spirits They begin not at home are not zealous against the abuses of their owne soules see not the pride and desperate selfe-love of their owne hearts The glory of God in their owne Reformation they will not looke at Separatists frō our Church how blind in the discovery of their owne corruptions but suffer themselves to swarme with all base evils see no want of Charity Mercy Compassion Discretion in themselves If they would see their owne beames they might the better discover others But alas if there were no Church abuses to speake of their occupation would cease And why speake they of these abuses Not as becomes them in patience and innocencie to wait for a blessed redresse but to overthrow the Church quite and pull downe the very frame and foundations of it yea to raze it to the ground which never did any of those who are ten times more judicious then the best of them attempt or intend And so they bring an aspersion upon others to be as giddy and rash as themselves who yet as much abhorre it as they do those abuses If the Spirit of Grace of a sound humble and tender heart cleaving to the Word close to the Ordinances could be found in them If Christ and the worke of Faith and Regeneration were as great objects in their eye as outward administrations of the Church we might hope better of their persons then now we can So I might instance in other particulars Many men have zeale affections in them but how do they improve them Surely not upon the reall things of the Gospell but upon personall objects censuring such as equal not themselves in their supposed grace judging men for their ignorance infirmities errors Whereas the spirit of Grace looks inward 1 Cor. 13. it is mercifull long-suffering meeke loving hopeth all things endureth all things it judgeth her selfe in secret and leaves others to stand or fall to their owne Master So likewise the Spirit of Grace is free as the Apostle saith from all partiality and hypocrisie A false spirit cleaves to this Minister or to that for some by-respects Cephas Apollo Paul Rom. 14 4. Iam. 3.17 1 Cor. 3.22 shall goe for his money and accordingly is carried in such affection sometimes above the clouds sometimes lower then the earth in likes and dislikes But a sound spirit loves all the faithfull Ministers of Christ with sutable tendernesse of heart though the measure be as the peculiar relation stands and holds the same affection constantly to all for Christs sake The badge of their Master procures honour to them in his heart whether old young neere farre off the gifts and graces of God though lying diversly are the object of his love Not only will a faithfull Minister be for God in Pulpit but out of it also not zealous in publique and in private as another common person A good heart will not affect a strict closenesse upon the Sabbath and then upon other dayes loose or carelesse in the duties of the second Table using all sorts of companies taking all liberties breaking promises paying no debts running up and downe with neglect of calling and family this is no spirit of grace but of corruptiom guilded over with some file of zeale without substance Fifthly the carriage of the spirit of Grace discernes it from the spirit of unsoundnesse For you shall commonly find The carriage of it that although a false heart will be as earnest zealous and forward as an honest yet one fly or other of selfe reflection will bewray whence it comes even from pride and seeking it selfe It cannot beteame and afford the Lord the cleere and entire honour of the action except in the dressing it licke her owne fingers As a rat behind the painted cloth so doth falshood discover it selfe herein It is as oyle in the hand which cannot be held in If it be in a Preacher you shall find it thus Truly you must pardon mee I was put to it upon a sudden but I trust to your patience why Oh! to draw on praise and admiration Oh saith another I could not satisfie my self in what I did Another will aske How did you taste my doctrine to day even as feast-makers cannot bid their friends welcome be merry but there must be a tang of folly You must pardon us for our poore cheere when yet they know they abound so here Others cannot bring forth a point but it must be with a preface I am to speake to you of a speciall point and I doubt it will search the most of us to the quicke Sundry miscarriages of an unsound heart discovered a point that few of you have heard till now and many there are so full of themselves that if they heare any man of worth praised for his worth they are upon thornes till they can set another copie of their own by the other to blemish it I was the first man saith one that first brought the Gospell into the town I was the man who hunted out such a drunkard and brought such an Adulterer to shame I do such and such good to the Ministery to the poore and the like I have
such respect in my place do so and so in my family and the like Here 's eagernesse and zeale but most unsavory stuffe mixt with it too ranke for an humble heart to smell of Let thy hints and overtures be for God abhorre thine owne mixtures nothing so opposes the true spirit of grace as the spirit of a Pharisee Lord I thanke thee I am not thus and thus I do so and so Luk 18.10 11 12. nothing more consonant to it as the spirit of that Publican I abhorre my selfe as the spirit of those that know not what they did Mat. 25. Lord when saw we thee in prison or naked and visited or clothed thee This loadstone of selfe will become a loadstone for God if thine heart be sound And to conclude even so will the carriage of a true spirit be wise considerate and well ballanced such an one will establish his thoughts with counsell Better is hee that is patient in spirit Prov. 24.3 then the hasty A coole spiâ—it is an excellent spirit Eccles 7.8 if it be but coole in the carriage it may be fervent in the substance Whereas the unsound spiriâ— is fiery quick rash and utters more with a breath then it can undoe with ten and so brings it selfe upon its owne knees to cry Peccavi when perhaps it is with reproach to himselfe and religion I will not condemne all for unsound who are rash But I wish all sound spirits to beware how they trench upon such suspitious markes Bring not sorrow upon your selves by this rashnesse you shall meet with trouble enough in your best discretion but that which rashnesse procures seldome brings peace either in suffering or in the issue Thus much for a taste of those markes of tryall which may help us to descry our owne spirit from Gods grace Many more might have beene added but I hasten to an end To conclude then let this be an use of Exhortation and that Use 6 sundry wayes Exhort First to all that have this spirit in them to mourn bitterly for the losse and decay of this spirit throughout the Branch 1 Christian world Alas how farre are we sunke from that zeale of God against Popery and heresie which was wont to abound Looke into Germany where this spirit began by Luthers meanes where is so much as a sparke of it to be seene Declining of the temper of zeale and power ought to be bewailed sadly Even in the daies of Luther what horrible opposition was made to this spirit of the Gospell By how many meanes did the devill then stop the proceedings of Reformation What wayes were not used by Politicians to quash that zeale by their interims and sundry bookes of Reconciliation with Popery in their most Tenets Since which times even to the age we live in both in Germany and the Low-countries the Reformed Churches in France and among our selves how hath Satan laboured to quaile the spirits of men from zeale of the Gospell By what meanes hath Popery so much encroached upon us how hardly is the name of it odious even at this day in most places And if perhaps it be here and there so yet as for the zeale of peoples to the Gospell from the experience of that grace of conversion and the worke of faith how rare is it to find Oh! that our heads were welsprings brethren and our hearts fountaines of teares to mourn for the desolation of this Spirit of Grace among us As he said Scarce theâ—e is mention of Rome in Rome the change is so great in the places where the Gospell hath beene most famous It is recorded of those Jewes of the returned captivity that many who had seene the first Temple mourn'd to see the latter Some Jewish writers render the reason because not onely the frame of it was so poore in comparison of the former but because of the radicall defects it had in it It seem'd Ichabod the glory was gone Ezâ—a 3.12 The Holy of Holies was empty of the Arke of Gods presence and the Merey Seat upon it no more going into it with blood to fetch atonement no more fire from heaven to kindle sacrifices they were faine to kindle it from the Sun-beames with a glasse and as for the Priesthood the Jewes used to call it a Priesthood of clouts or garments 1 Sam. 4.21 because only those were left the Priest to weare the Urim and Thummim those holy shoulder pieces those precious stones of the Ephod and Brest-plate were gone Truly brethren beleeve me as Elijah in his Cave once mourned for the misery of his time 1 King 19.10 so might we for the losse of this spirit of the Gospell among us What do I deny but through mercy and the government of our Princes both living and of famous memory we have enjoyed the truth of God Or that God hath had and still hath abundance of worthy learned famous instruments of service both in Ministery Magistracy Commonalty No God forbid and I doubt not but in many places Truth and light are much improved although it were to be desired it were scattered more generally but the misery is that there lackes a sutable spirit of love tendernes closenes affection and soundnesse to the Gospell The body of knowledge in many is so vast and unweildy for lacke of equall power integrity and life to quicken it that it is like to totter by her owne weight That former effectualnesse in Preaching convincing converting waxes straitned scant and collapsed That spirit of siding with the Truth of God defending it against errours and lukewarmenesse that ingenuity and cordiall simplicity in us that professe seemes to be quite gone Trash and drosse of mens profits pleasures ease forme of religion and such other scurfe as is not to be named hath eaten up all as one said The usury of the New hath eaten up the gaine of our Old University So may we say The spirit of our new hath eaten up the power of our old dayes in point of edge affection earnestnesse and zeale All is growne to discourse contemplation and empty shadowes of sincerity Not to speake of many who formerly have stood for diligent preaching and for the power of it and are now gone aside and slinke their neckes out of the Collar Alas brethren it is not your going into new England which will deliver you from the spirit of your old death and sloth except the Spirit of Grace conduct you thither All cannot goe what shall become of such as must stay except God revive us at home Secondly it should provoke us to pray to God the great Branch 2 Physitian of this Epidemicall disease of exhortation to heale this decaying temper and this consumption of our vitall spirits that heat and moysture life and vigour of grace which threatens utter consumption in us How much better were it for us to fall into a burning ague then into such a dead palsey as this
five or six things pag. 579 Enlargers of promises beyond their due bounds to be reproved pag. 581 Exhortation to get the â—pirit of true grace and conversion to God 886 And such as have attained the same to stand fast therein ibid. Vrging of it upon all sorts and conditions and especially his owne congregation ibid. F. Favour of Nature in a civill person how many wayes it may be enlâ—rged As by the Lawes of men education examples of abstinent and morall persons pag. 104. 105 We must be Fools ere wee can become wise to salvation pag. 232 Faith the onely eye to behold the mysteries of salvation pag. 234 Faithfulnesse is the center whence all the graces of a servant are derived pag. 296 Faithfull servants may hee comforted 314. foure or five particulars of encouragement ibid. Faithfull ones in greater things will much more be so in smaller 427 Reasons of it ibid. Explications of the point two or three pag. 429 Faith what it is not what it is how wrought see the particulars pag. 480. It may be where assurance is not ibid. Why it is called obedience and consent pag. 486 Faith a most pretious thing in the nature of it 495. Shee hath the prerogative of all other graces of the Spirit ibid. and that in sundry respects ibid. Faith consists of two parts Selfe-renouncing and Selfe-resigning Read at â—â—rge of both ibid. Feare of God a singular meane to keep the heart close to God pag. 559 Faith in applying of promises how to be practised in our severall needs distempers 1 in the return of old guilt and accusation after mercy obtained 2. In some eclipsing of Gods gracious presence and walking darkly and deadly 3. Feare of falling into some scandall and never persevere 4. In sicknesse poverty losses and crosses enemies unfaithfull friends the prosperity of the bad 5. Not hearing of thy prayers 6. Troubles above other mens persecutions c. Feare of death pag. 584 Faith in promises and performances is a most pretious jewel and why 612 True faith is performing faith and how ibid. yea when shee is at the lowest ibid. Faith in performances must bee set on worke threewayes 1. To take measure of the promises 2. To let upon God for performance 3. To strengthen it selfe by experience 615. Contrary misery of unbeliefe Vide Vnbeliefe pag. 616 False cures have a false spirit the remedy whereof is worse then the disease pag. 864 G. Grace is free proved and discoursed and cleared 9. 10. Objections answered As first this were to translate a crâ—me upon God 2. Man hath liberty left him to receive grace or refuse 3. God will not be wanting to such as are not wanting to themselves 4. Grace is universall as the fall is 5. Else God should require obedience of man to that which hee never gave him power to doe 6. Christ the second Adam was fully and in all points contrary to the first Adam and as the offence was so is grace 7. How else shall a Minister dispence the Gospel aright 8. Else God doth unjustly in making the remedy worse then the disease or in offering it deceitfully to such as hee hath fore-barred 9. From the instance of a Prince offering pardon c. 10. The dâ—versitie in men ariseth from themselves from page 11. to page 14. God is not tied to as in outward blessings or protection 23. Nor yet in like measures of grace except we beleeve and pray 24. Nor yet in a like administration of his Church in prosperity ibid. because of her sinnes ibid. Gods courses and seasons in drawing home men are divers and manifold pag. 26 Gods will double and the difference ibid. Gods way in converting any is chiefly to subdue carnall savour to the obedience of Christ pag. 59 God useth silly instruments to doe great things or if great then either he makes them great of meane or else mean in their owne eyes pag. 67 God delights to confound great ones by small and poore things pag. 68 God is jealous of his own glory ibid. God useth mean instruments to doe his worke and why ibid. 71 Gifts and graces of themselves do no more cause pride in such as have them then ignorance causeth humility pag. 73 Godly Ministers must not onely use but also lay downe and renounce their service for God if hee shall call them to it pag. 78 Grace is best accepted by such as are most empty of it pag. 154 Gods people who have shot the gulfe of Self in conversion must also deny themselves in conversation 183. Causes why so few deny themselves for Christ ibid. Gods people must not bee ashamed or weary of sincerity because of carnall worldlings pag. 185 Godly Christians must so hate carnal reason that they also shun just aspersion of foolishnesse pag. 213 God befooles carnall reason pag. 226 God himselfe and the Word justifie policie Vide policy Grounding upon stable principles of truth necessary for each Christian 254. Good grounds must bee laid at first pag. 256 Gods people must beware of the boasting of ungrounded hypocrites pag. 260 Godly themselves so farre as led by Selfe when they are defeated rage 268. yet with difference from hypocrites ib d. Gods hearers will bee at Gods dispose for blessing pag. 273 Great men must submit their great spirits meekly to God pag. 274 God hath speciall reason to delay his work in the conversion of his pag. 282 God will never lin with his owne tiâ— he have throughly tamed their rebellion pag. 291 God stands countable to good servants pag. 295 Grace adds all qualifications to a servant 295. As first wisedome â—o behold God the authour of all relations 2. Subjection of spirit which consists of two branches 1. Selfe-deniall 2. Serviceablenesse ibid. It sets faith on worke three wayes 1. Purging out such distempers as possesse them 2. Furnisheth it with speciall gifts 3. Puts it into actual exercise pag. 301 Grace is easie to them who are bred for it pag. 363 How it is called a burden and how ease ibid. God looks that his servants should do some singular thing for him pag. 395 Gods counsels most sincere of all pag. 424 Gods faithfulnesse to us in the main things must teach us to trust him in the smaller pag. 433 God hath a season wherein at last he accomplisheth the worke of grace in his elect pag. 439 When as God is that to the soule which formerly sinne and vanity have been it 's a signe that the soule is resigned up to God pag. 500 Gods commands exceed mans in point of unlimitednesse and soveraignty pag. 524 Gods remedies are perfect but mans are crazie pag. 587 God over-rules the silly creature to worke gâ—eat effects above it selfe pag. 590 Gods performances are alway as good if not better then his promises Reasons of it 1. Because he is Iehova the being of all the promises 2. In respect of his honor 3. Whatsoever is in God is eminently so 4. For strengthning his servants
askes Self forfeits all her travell labour for nothing 140. Shee is of an outlasting and surviving nature 143. Shee is very close and hard to be discerned pag. 144 Selfe a perpetuall enemy to the Regenerate themselves 146. making their lives sad and uncomfortable ibid. If Selfe in the painfull Professor bee so dangerous what shall become of the prophane pag. 147 Selfe exceeds grosse lusts pag. 149 The mischiefe of Selfe should teach us not to bee offended with afflictions and sorrasives to eat it out ibid. Staggering Non-proficiencie and unthriftinesse of Professors is the fruit of selfe pag. 152 Selfe requires deepe searching to discover it in the soule pag. 155 A Question Doe all that are truly converted discover Selfe in themselves thus Ans Two or three wayes pag. 156 157. 158 Motives to selfe-deniall sundry ib. Spirit of Grace what it is 168. 170. Exhortation to ensue it as the opposite of the spirit of Selfe ibid. Markes of it ibid. The 1. Grace causes the soul to grow more humble by knowledge 2. Grace subordinates all to her selfe 3. It subjects the soule to Christ upon his owne tearmes 4. It resists the speciall and personall pangs of Selfe in each soule 5. It answers all objections of Selfe 6. It sets Selfe against Selfe ibid. Spirit of Grace serves all in all for Grace and how Three wayes 1. In the discovery of it 2. In the effects of that discovery 3. In the end of it pag. 178 Spirit of grace proceeds on calmly in the soule contrary to selfe pag. 181 The soule bereft of that puritie of Reason in which it was created pag. 202 The Spirit of God must create holy wisedome in stead of carnall in the soule pag. 203 Savour spirituall things 235. The meanes and markes of it five 1. Savour the powerfullest ordinances 2. Love simplicity 3. Get heavenly mindednesse 4. Preferre the verdict of the Word 5. Be wise in thy course pag. 236 Silly and simple ones have an advantage of wiser in point of carnall reason pag. 236 Selfe is proud and coy pag. 259 Selfe in her owne way very jolly but out of her element crabbed pag. 260 Selfe defeated rageth 265. Sundry reasons ibid. Object How then is it that hypocrites are so merry Answered ibid. Selfe may want defeats because given over by God to delusion and hardening pag. 269 Self-willed ones who binde God to their hearings convinced pag. 269 Superiors learn grace of their inferiors pag. 290 Servants must bee faithfull to their masters pag. 294 Servants onely can bee well bred in Christs family pag. 296 The setling of a distressed heart by counsell is a mercy highly to bee prized pag. 330 Selfe and carnall reason are justly reproveable corruptions and why pag. 343. to 346. Sinners against sensible and ocular mercies present are worse then those who sin against the absent promises 349. Divers sorts of such ibid. Slighters of grace under pretence of ease terrified pag. 364 Season of ease to beleeve is at first 366. Hard to recover it if once lost pag. 367 Scorners of Gods Ministers reproved pag. 388 Satan who seekes our blood can perswade us to more cost for him then Christ who shed his blood for us pag. 396 Sincerity in a Counsellor claimes acceptance Reasons why pag. 410 The Sufficiency of a promise is the next object of faith pag. 482 Schismaticks who reject all steps and marks of conversion confuted pag. 488 The Spirit of Truth must bee the first planter of truth in the soule pag. 577 Sacraments divinely appropriated to seal up to the soule the assurance of salvation 592. Therefore not to be counted common things by the people nor used so by parents ibid. Spirituall penalties attend spirituall sins pag. 604 A spirit of sinne in a man what and how dangerous it is 866. especially if conceited of her owne welfare ibid. Spirit of grace by what marks it may be tried Generally by her owne working particularly by these marks 1. Shee is bred of the immortall seed of the Word and all false conceptions cast out 2. By her operations 3. By the frame and soundnesse of it 4. By the object order and equality of it 5. by the carriage of it pag. 879 Separatists from our Church the corruptions of it how blinde in discerning their owne pag. 882 Selfe-deniall urged in generall by many motives and meanes of direction pag. 162 Self-deniall in point of sanctification urged by the discovery of 4 or 5 false semblances false principles thereof with some meanes ib. Read at large the whole Tract T. Trials are to separate the pretious from the vile in the godly 95 See Difficulties Gods trials should work in us the spirit of prevention care to keep our peace and much prayer to bee kept from temptation pag. 97 Gods ends in tempting unlike to Satans ibid. Terror to all that cleave to carnall reason Pelagians and others pag. 225 Thanks due to God for freedom from this tyrant of Carnall reason pag. 238 Try thy selfe how defeating of thy selfe workes with thee pag. 276 To be trusted by our betters is honourable pag. 294 Triall of servants by 6 rules whether faithfull or not 1. It must be according to the word and knowledge 2. must not be contrary to it 3. It must be single sincere 4. Must not crosse the Law of Piety love or mercy 5. It must bee equall and regular 6. It must be diligent and sedulous pag. 307 Touchable and tractable natures in shew to take counsel yet persisting in their sin are dissemblers pag. 402 Tokens of love in other kinds offered to the Minister where obedience followes not are false pag. 406 Terror to all despisers of sincere counsell 422. Their woe and misery pag. 422 424 Terror to all such as live prophanely and yet thinke themselves under the condition of mercy pag. 486 Terror to all that savour not the spiritualnesse of faith pag. 492 Terror to all that wilfully cast off the yoke of Gods commands 528. where foure things are handled ibid. 1. their grounds 2. their practice 3. their shifts and colours 4. application of terror pag. 529 Trials of close obedience to commands 539. 1. It is truly inquisitive after the extent of commands 2. It is tender in affection towards commands 3. It is aware of disobedience by each experiment of sin 4. It rejoyceth in the voice of the Word determining of her doubtfull cases 5. It looks more at the preserving of a command entire then at her owne ends 6. It sets not Gods commands together by the ears 7. He saves himselfe harmlesse in all losses for obedience sake upon God by faith 8. It closes with commands without colours or cavils 9. In such duties as border upon her owne respects she is carried to obey upon Gods grounds 10. It groweth better and better 11. It seekes to amend the errours of others 12. It obeyes when yet there appeares not outward fruit of it 13. It profits by lively experience of
novelty carnall admiration jangling and unprofitablenesse which the Scripture especially serves to mortifie in us To give a taste of my meaning in an instance An instance of the exhort let that be the miracle recorded 2 King 7. to wit the Prophet Elisha his causing of the Iron to swimme when it was fallen into the water he that reads it as a bare miracle will onely vanish in a wondering humor but he that reads it with faith and reverence will behold the power of God over-ruling the creatures quality and causing the waighty body of iron to float like a chip contrary to the nature of it And what will such a meditation picke out of it Surely a sweet consolation in the power of God viz. to over-rule a worse nature in a worse subject even the dulnesse and lumpishnesse of an heavy heart in matters of God and cause it to mount up from this base dunghill whereunto t is fixed unto heaven and holy thoughts yea to change this hard heart more hard then a flint or iron and make it a soft and fleshy heart to write his covenant in it and cause it to walke in his Commandements where from t is as farre as iron from swimming If then the casting in of a sticke could worke such an effect if the bare power of God onely for a witnesse that the worke then intended was from God without any respect to the iron it selfe could doe this great thing what shall be the power of God working in and by the bloodshed and intercession of the Lord Jesus upon an heart of heavier frame and harder which thereby shall be much the better in it selfe besides the infinite honour which the worker of this miraculous change shall purchase to himselfe by it although to carnall reason it may seeme impossible And in particular 2. Branch particular let this exhort us all to be more studious and zealous observers of this text in hand Our Saviour could set a speciall marke upon it as containing peculiar instruction for us to cast down those strong forts and high thoughts in us Naamans story and the passages thereof very remarkable which doe destroy the simplicity of selfe-deniall faith and the obedience of Christ Surely if strange things will affect us as who now adaies affect not Athenian wise new and strange reports and accidents to heare and to tell them though emptily and as passages for present talke this text hath cause and may plead to be specially marked above many Which containes the cure of the onely leper to whom above all them in Israel Elisha was sent Naaman a stranger and Heathen Aramite sutable whereto are all the circumstances making toward it The very roote and first occasion of it was strange Particulars of it summed up by a poore damosell and captive yet one that had taken notice of Elisha to very good purpose The disease strange an incurable leprosie the cure strange by the applying of common water to his flesh to reason incredible The course by Naaman strange in mistaking an Idolatrous King for his Physitian in steed of an holy Prophet the redresse of the error strange by an intimation from God to fetch him the right way to the Prophet his carriage strange in humble sliding before a poore Prophets doore and to come neerer the text the message uncouth and strange for a Prophet not to vouchsafe to come to the doore to a petitioning Prince but to send an aloofe message Naamans enterteining it strange and promising but a sinister successe for what likelyhood is it that a patient raging at his Physitian should be cured The perswasion strange even by servants not likely either to perswade aright or to prevaile by perswading But above all the effect of this counsell strange that he should obey his servants who cavelled against the Prophet the successe of his obeying strange to recover his flesh as the flesh of a child And to conclude the consequents of the successe strange both his spirituall cure of Soule-leprosie the extraordinary zeale and resolution to renounce Idols for the true God and the most sincere detestation of that most predominant and beloved lust which before had prevailed to wit to worship Rimmon himself be his Masters leaning stock in that worship So many strange concurrences might I say justly force our attention to this story and yet the chiefe thing contained in it is no stranger thing then that which we daily carry about us I mean self and carnall reason But so intricated and wrapped about us so deeply seated and hidden in our spirits that without the great goodnesse of God we shall behold it read it over and over wonder at it in Naaman but see none of it in our selves and so leave the perusall of this Treatise with as small fruit as we began it Which penalty the Lord keep from us and so meet with us and match us in our reading hereof by the inspiration of his spirit that this story may be a looking glasse in which this great blur of selfe may so be discerned that the promise and word of God may present a better image unto our soules and transforme us into it from glory to glory that he that boasteth may not boast in himselfe but in the Lord. A second generall of the whole text The person of Naaman the Subject of it A second generall as equally concerning the whole text and mixed through it as the former is the subject of this whole text the person of chiefe note Naaman the leper The words used by our Saviour do occasion me to touch upon this point it s of no small importance To wit that the Lord passing by all other lepers in Israel neerer hand and liker to make use of the Prophets helpe then one a far off who onely by a report of a silly wench at second hand had intelligence of him should out of his meer grace send him to this Naaman and Naaman to him which phrase imports a sending of spirituall efficacy to conversion and make him a marke of greater mercy then his owne people yea an upbraiding to them in all succeeding generations Many lepers saith Christ there were in the daies of Elisha but to none of them all was he sent save only to Naaman the Syrian Whether no other lepers at all were healed by Elisha it s heard to say and me thinkes as hard to imagine that all lepers should so scape his hands Perhaps they did not and partly the Damosells report evinces it for how else should she so readily point at Elisha for the cure of Naamans disease if she had never heard of his healing others in that kinde Howbeit I affirme nothing she might speake from a generall honour she bare to the Prophets worth but this is sure although some lepers might come to Elisha yet he was sent to none save to Naaman that is the Lord used him not to the spirituall good and salvation of any other
God when the famine pinched him and to kill the Prophet and yet to goe no further then himselfe confuting himselfe when hee and Iehoshaphat and a third King went against the King of Moab Cap. 3. and was at a straight like to perish for lacke of water both he and the Armies behold what a change it wrought on the sudden For then he seekes to the Prophet and bemones the straight in which the Army was making no other account but that God might justly suffer them all to perish And when Elisha disdained to looke at him yet his fiery spirit held it selfe in by compulsion from any misdemeanor So that he must bee a monster of men whom a deepe straight will not subdue and tame unto the stooping to any conditions I grant this may sometime prove only an act of policy or of carnall feare and so cease We read of a royall spirited Emperour Henry the fourth of Germany who being wearied with the tyranny of sundry Popes and of Alexander by name was at last by his roaring Bulls and excommunications which in those daies scared the greatest brought to such an exigent that he with his Empresse and their young son were faine to stand 3. daies barefoot at the proud Popes gate And being after admitted to his presence when he was urged to lye prostrate before him the Pope treading upon his necke and spurning off his Crowne with his foot although the spirit of the Emperour could have rebelled and beganne to disdaine it yet for policy sake he was compelled to desist It s noted in Judges that when the Ammonites oppressed Israel the Elders of Gilead and brethren of Iptha who before had thrust him out for a bastard being in a straight for a Captaine Judg. 10. were compelled to goe to Iptha to crave his returne and to undertake the warre and when he cast them in the teeth with their former injurious casting him out yet the extremity they were in humbled them and kept them downe so that they were glad to take shame to themselves and to begge aide even of that bastard when they saw their welfare lay bleeding at the stake and none fit to helpe them but himselfe These are but common naturall instances yet they lay forth the point thus farre that the naturall spirit of the hautiest and most disdainefull man toward such as himselfe will abate and come downe when an exigent is upon them And the like may be said of man toward God when they are laid upon his bayard and when he hath them upon the hip by any deepe and straight sore and extremity Yea it is true even of Gods owne deare people already in Covenant with him whose slavish hearts have often been compelled by Gods Chaines upon them to forget their jollity and sensuall appetite and to stoope to Gods power under their straights That which I formerly spake of the Soveraignty of Gods Nature I may here verifie of the outward extremities which he brings us into Both serve to bring downe the heart and to make it humble and subject Iob was an holy man yet such naturall scurffe the Lord saw to lurke in his spirit that he was faine by the losse of all his substance children health of body the enmity of his friends the terrors upon his soule the admonition of Elihu and the Lords owne tawing of him by the view of all his power and the terror of Leviathan and Behemoth at last to wring this speech from him Cap. 42. I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes Hezekiah also was a godly King Job 42.3 but his treasures and wealth and elbow-roome made him so fledge and jolly that he forgat himselfe till the Lord smot him with the plague Esay 38.15 put him in feare of his life and urged him to say I will walke all the rest of my daies softly in the bitternesse of my soule in the midst of my house The Lord had him upon the hip and then he could crouch 1 King 19.12.13 Jonah 1. 2. 1 Sam. 24. Elija Iona David and Salomon all holy men yet till they were frayed with the thunder and earthquake cast into the Whales belly straighted betweene the choice of either famine warre or pestilence and the like saw not into the frowardnesse rebellion and stoutnesse of their spirit But of all others it is truest of such spirits as the Lord subdues to himselfe and drawes out of a cursed sinfull course Such as this patterne in our text resembles Naaman I meane for although as yet he was not privy to Gods purpose towards him in this abasing of his stout heart yet he was in Gods dispensation now in the way unto it and by this as a step came to the other The prodigall who is a true mirror in all points of a debaucht sinner and fugitive from God was faine to be pursued so narrowly by the hand of God Luk. 14.15.16 that till there was no possibility of subsistence for him any way he never thinkes of a father and lesse of returne and least of humbling himselfe But when hee was brought to an absolute straight and could no longer hold out his great stomacke and resolution never to see his father begins to quaile and then his father began to savor with him It is with the spirit of a sinfull Rebell against God as it is with a City besieged by a strong enemy but the City having both abundance of outworkes and strong forts raised up with plenty of provision within besides store of brave souldiers who will spend the last drop of their heart blood ere it be said they are cowards scorne to yeeld their City But when long time of assault the instance and unweariednesse of the besieging army hath battered downe all their forts Simile murdered all their Souldiers with the Canon beaten downe their Citie over their eares houses Temples walls and opened a wider breach for entrance then they can make up againe besides the exhausting of all come and victuall within and intercepting all succors from without Then perhaps when no remedy else from forraine aide appeares they will hang out the white flag and cry for conditions of surrender but before nothing but scorne and defiance will be admitted Even so is it with the unregenerate soule shee pleases her selfe with her false treasure the perswasion that she is rich and full and happy and yet perhaps remaines meerely ignorant or at least in a formall and dangerous estate insensible of wrath or danger This state she findes ease in and when the Lord would hunt her out of it she sits upon her Idolls securely and will not stirre The out-workes and forts of the soule against God She imbarkes her selfe in this error by the conceit of her wealth health youth outward contents want of crosses credit good successe how can God hate her giving her all these if the Lord drive her out of these outworkes yet she runs into stronger forts compares her selfe
in their conversation and behaviour seeing that the world is hard and living under strict government they begin to looke about them and to digest those counsells which they have long beene taught Every age is not so capable when yeares have hardened a man in his evill course he is farre worse to be wrought upon then in his younger time having lesse experience of evill So that the Lord takes men in the fittest season in youth and prevents the unfittest and so for all other circumstances Fifthly the Lord mercifully stops and prevents such accidents as if Branch 5 they tooke effect would be like to hinder the worke of his providence Prevents such evills as might hinder his ends Thus the Lord prevents an ill marriage an unapt yoke-fellow when as yet there was far more likelihood that way then any other Yet the Lord crosses and defeats it so that it shall not take effect so also he stops and cuts off some such companion by death either friend or husband or wife or the like whose example or counsell might possibly have hindred the good of the other party 1 Sam. 25. Abigail being freed from Nabal was at liberty for David and so many a well-minded childe over-ruled by a crosse and peevish father or mother when God removes that tye is at more liberty to enjoy the meanes and to profite So that the Lord when he intends any thing doth alway remove out of his way the lets which might hinder his worke Lastly and especially the Lord doth put life successe and blessing into Branch 6 all such courses and meanes from first to last Puts life and successe into all occurrences as are offered by his providence that they shall take effect and leave the impression of grace behinde them Because God meant well to the Prodigall hee so ordered the matter that even contraries seemed to worke together for the best God oft workes by contraries Luke 14. If he had kept still with his father ten to one hee had been as the other brother But even the misery which he felt which might have been the next way to have made him desperate and to have rusht himselfe upon vile courses to his ruine or caused him to have laid violent hands upon himselfe yet by Gods dispensation wrought him to an utter loathing of his bad wayes and himselfe and to an earnest desire to seeke to his father for pardon Much more then doth the Lord blesse other wayes of sinners which are lesse unlikely as wee see in Naaman here no one passage befell him but brought him one step neerer and when hee had his owne desire that wrought in him such a brokennesse of spirit that he was thereby fitted to receive a better boon from God with more thankfulnes So that poor blinde man Ioh. 9. John 9. whom Christ purposed to save although at his first cure of blindnesse he was not converted yet the Lord was so effectuall in his cure so brake his heart by that love that when hee was most bitterly reproached and excommunicated for confessing him yet he gave not in nor shranke but convinced them with shame and put them to silence and when our Saviour had him upon that advantage he meets him againe in his streight and by a few words speaking to him converted him But these may serve Now for use of the point it is manifold First it is terror and admonition Vse 1 to all brutish prophane ones and base hypocrites Terror with admonition to such as are under no prevention but alway at one point who walke securely in their way some neglecting all meanes others using the most holy and effectuall meanes in a meere formall manner Both of them justly left at large by the Lord to themselves so that nothing workes upon conscience But even as the Wind-mill turning in her round every way yet stirre not out of their place so is it with them after ten twenty yeares they are where they were the first day no step neerer God but many further off For why alas they are farre from acknowledging any preventing grace of God in their course They know no other means but to goe to Church and present themselves among others in the place and so home againe As for a providence to prevent them to bow and sway their hearts to any tendernesse and towardlinesse to see themselves drawn by God to know themselves to see into their nature to abhorre it and embrace all opportunities for their owne spirituall furtherance to salvation they are farre from it And as they live so they dye And if the Lord at any time do scare their conscience or move them to any better thoughts of their wayes yet alas they have no intimation from God of any mercy therein are soone weary of them they vanish as they came And when they looke backe into their course past their youth education company marriage dwelling Ministery or the like alas they cannot speake of any moving of heart stopping their lewd course still they are in their thorough-fare heare like blockes are wearie of good company shun all opportunities of good for feare of being better glad when they can wash off good duties and winde themselves out of all occasions for heaven Alas poore wretches yee shall not need put off with one hand that mercie which you cannot pull on with both It must bee singular grace which must prevent you if ever you come to good But to goe against the edge of providence thinking your selves happiest when yee are out of the element of it is fearfull Doth it not sting you that you have felt so little of Gods prevention in all your wayes So many of your yeares time acquaintance not onely stirred but converted to God since your beginning and you still as saplesse and senselesse as ever Doth it not disquiet you to see all is too little for your ease will world lusts and vanities What have yee no sighes nor sobs in your dreams and upon your beds how it shall fare with you in the day of wrath and that there will be bitternesse in the end 2 Sam. 2. What I pray you is more miserable then to live without God in the world And who live so but such as feele not one pull by the eare one knock at the doore of your hearts or if they doe forget and shake it off with as little savour or regard as pigges tread upon pearles Alas if hee who is the authour of the Scriptures of Ministery of Sacraments of long-suffering of afflictions hath never yet cast the least seed of light or sparke of heat into you which should teach you to acknowledge these ordinances and administrations of his and to tremble at them Are you worse then Divels Application of the terror by admonition Therefore I pray you consider of what I say If the Lord raise not up the North winde to blow upon your spirits to encline and perswade them it
integritie of course To whom I answer Doe yee thus require the Lord O yee unthankfull people scarce worth the name of people Did the Lord give yee brasse out of the stones and silver out of his hidden treasures mercie when yee looked for none that yee should still distrust his promise If when yee were strangers yet he so prevented yee to make yee children shall hee forsake yee being now in covenant Did he kill the old Serpent and Leviathan and shall hee suffer her spawne to destroy yee Did he remove the guilt of sin from destroying you and shall he leave the venome of it to bee a goad in your side and a pricke in your eyes to make your life desolate No not except yee forsake the promise looking that God shoulâ— drop mercie still out of clouds and prevent you as at first without any beleeving of yours No hee now puts ye to it to work out your own salvation with fear having his pretious promises 2 Cor. 7.1.2 labour to perfect your sanctification To take his Sword Helmet and Breast-plate and fight the holy warre of God against your selves Judg. 3.2 and all enemies and not to looke that the Egyptians should still be drowned while you looke on While yee were children yee did as such but being men the Lord looks his stocke should grow and bee put to occupying and that yee should be setled and rooted therein As for outward blessings Esay 25. hath God made you a feast in the mountaines and will he deny yee it in the valleyes Luk. 12.23.24 Will he so cloath the Lillies that labour not nor spin and shall hee leave you to shift for your selves who next to the kingdome serve his providence for a meet portion here Matth. 6.32 shall hee not cast in these things without sin or sorrow Did hee prevent your soules from perdition and shall hee not prevent want from your bodies Doth he so cloath the hearb and flowers of the field which to morrow are cast into the Oven and shall he not doath feed and provide for you in this world 2 Pet. 1. for whom hee hath provided a crowne hereafter as Peter saith immortall and not fading To conclude if hee have over-ruled your intentions for his owne glory and your owne salvation should yee feare lest any Divell or instrument of his should come between you and home Say thou livest in dark times in places where the wicked beare sway Esay 63. what then As the Church Esay 63. cries Thou wert mercifull to us of old Lord what are all thy bowels and rollings restrained Oh! deliver us still Thou canst over-sway their intentions by the same prevention and turne them to the contrarie aime Their policies and devices against thee and thine shall not preuaile thou canst scatter them thou canst avert convert or pervert them at thy pleasure 1 Sam. 23.27 2 Sam. 17.7 Gem. 31.29 Acts 9.9 Avert them as Saul from David pervert as Achitophels against David convert as Paul from a persecutor They shall say as Laban to Iacob It was in my power to do you hurt but the God of your Fathers appeared unto me yester night and prevented me Acts 12.3 Herod Acts 12. intended to bring out Peter to be slaine after Iames but the Lord had another purpose which overthrew his as cob-webs swept downe with a besome In a word if God once declared his prevention of mercie toward us Oh! let us not presume yet let us honour him thus far by our experience that still the same God will be at worke for us in our particular course to turn all to better then wee could look for Ruth 2. 3. as to poore Ruth when she went out to gleane barley the Lord found her out rest all her dayes Oh! if once he have delighted in us he still will rejoyce to make us objects of like mercie so that all shall see us to be his favourites and long for our portion And for this point Sermon an Verse thus much Let us pray c. THE THIRD LECTVRE Vpon the tenth verse VERSE X. And Elisha sent a Messenger unto him saying Go wash seven times in Iordan and thy flesh shall come againe to thee and thou shalt be cleane VERS 10. But Naaman was wroth c. THIS poore Pilgrime and patient Naaman as yee have heard beloved hath stood some time at the Prophets doore denying himselfe and his esteeme Entry upon the substance of the miracle honour and favour with his Prince he and his train submitting themselves and standing at the courtesie of God and his Prophet for his cure And although we heare of no words or suit comming from him yet his very habit and standing in the deep silence of it speaketh and calleth aloud for the Prophets helpe And indeed it had been hard-hearted and unmercifull for Elisha having himself sent for him to his house when he was wildred seeing how humble his suppliant is to have let him to stand as a dumb pageant without salutation Courtesie and morals could not have denied him that favour and much more that Spirit wherewith the Prophet was filled a spirit of mildnesse mercie exorablenesse and easinesse to be intreated of a petitioner so miserable and comming so farre for helpe must needs hearken to his request This verse therefore shewes us what message Elisha sends him to the doore And now at this third Sermon weare passed the Antecedent occasions leading us to the Contents of the Cure and are come to the chiefe substance of the story Whereof to make a full Analyse all at once because it would clog the hearers memory therefore we thinke it here superfluous onely wee will severall the story into her branches opening the first of them here in our entrance upon it but for the rest we will referre them to the threshold of their particular handlings that every thing may be more lively and better remembred The whole story then hath these five distinct parts The first Elisha his message sent to Naaman standing at his gate and full of expectation and that in this tenth verse The second is Naamans entertainment and construction of it The generall heads of the story five and how it tooke with him and that in the eleventh and twelfth verses The third generall is the Rejoynder of his poore servants upon their masters misconstruction of the message and that containes their loyall and serious treatie and counsell of wiser interpretation and for better carriage that in the 13. verse The fourth is the issue and happinesse of all the sweet conclusion of a sad entrance and that is that upon the overture and intimation of his servants or rather of grace he changes his former resolution to be gone into an obedient submission to wash in Jordan The fifth and last the issue of his obedience partly immediate that hee found the Prophet true hee was instantly cleansed his flesh returning as a young childes
it were not pride and statelinesse in the Prophet what cause was there why he should send to Naaman rather then come forth himselfe Was he not expected and might he not feare some aspersion to his person God and Religion by his aloofnesse Surely by the way these things ought much to curb our base passions Bishop Hooper that famous Martyr of Christ and man of tender conscience being of somwhat a more retired private spirit and carriage then usual did cause some Christian men and women who honoured his integrity and sought advice from him to wonder and to stumble at his austerity A defect which he could not easily amend in himselfe But it cost him sorrow afterward as some of his letters witnesse that he should grieve any good heart by such an offensive carriage Those letters are also extant wherein reverend Ridley craves pardon of his deere fellow-Martyrs Bradford and Sanders for his unbrotherlike passages in some cases a time there will be in which every one that feares God will mourne for the least misdemeanor in this kinde Gods glory is pretious and his peoples souls cost deare They must not be offended for our humours or trifles better a mill-stone were hang'd about our neckes and wee cast with it into the sea then to offend one little one This by the way Ministers must be tender of Gods glory and jealous of offence by their carriage I answer there had been in this case of Elisha some feare of this I mean of offence if God had not discharged him from it by a Supersedeas to his ordinary charge but having a warrant for it hee might trust God the better for preventing of hurt As the Prophets were extraordinary persons so the most of their actions bare a speciall reference towards God not themselves And so it was here Elisha was a man familiar enough in his owne case as appeares in his homely and courteous carriage towards the woman that set him up a Table 2 Kin. 4.12.13 Stoole and Candlesticke in his Chamber This was no great state nothing neere Naamans yet thankfully accepted But there is a season for all things to bee familiar with a poore Tradesman Eccle. 2.3.2 and to be strange to a Prince both lawfull Now the Lords worke was in doing and Elisha might not procure to himselfe the note of courtesie by breaking a command as that Prophet who to avoid discourtesie went backe to eate with the old Prophet 1 King 13.19 and lost his life When God discharges us by a closer-command its folly to affect the name of unseasonable obeying And by the way it is no small error in men to interpret Scriptures according to the letter without respect had to the scope and circumstances proper to the text The Letter of the Scripture not to be wrested against the sence for mens humours As the Papists who by this meanes snatch extraordinary facts of Moses and Christs fasting Matth. 4. Ebuds killing Eglon Judg. 4. Elijah's affronting Ahab 1 King 20.21 or the like to such ends of their owne as not God but themselves are the authors of Not the fact of burning the Passeover reliques Exod 12. and of robbing the Egyptians but the warrant of God over-ruling ordinary cases for speciall ends of his owne must be regarded Now I say the Lord had another end in withdrawing Elisha from going forth For why He saw he was more carnally adicted to the Prophet then he ought More specially of the cause he came full of carnall esteem of him as a man of great power to worke miracles 1. To prevent carnâ—ll esteem of his person and the outward cure He looked also at the outward cure full he was of himself and his carnall hopes who but Elisha with him as a great Physitian with a patient for hope of cure This together with a confidence he had of his owne sufficiency to give him full content for his paines as if he had gone to an ordinary man and lookt to take and pay did wholly eclipse the honour of God who will not give his glory to another The Lord loved Elisha well and his reputation as we see Cap. 2. yet not so well as to part with his own 2 King 2.5.6 Esay 42.5.6 for his sake If God had intended only a bodily cure it had been enough to have come out and laid on hand upon the leprosie and so an end But the Lord who had a further scope even to acquaint Naaman with himselfe 2. To cast out his owne spirit his power love and mercy in healing his soule also saw that this could not be effected withour fetching a further compasse viz. by casting out the aime at bodily cure alone the confidence upon a Prophets skill 3. And to raise up his spirit to God the admiration of a mans person the fulnesse of Naamans carnall hopes all these justled aside the glory of God and the preparation of Naamans heart to entertaine the gift with a due respect to the giver And therefore the Lord thinkes it best to suspend Naaman a while longer and to traine him by degrees to a more spirituall heart in embracing such a double mercy Tne Lord strives with his spirit as Gen. 6.2 to drive out of it that same carnall savour hope content wherewith he had filled himself having heard that the Prophet could heale him As for spirituall cure he felt no disease nor knew any remedy of it But the Lord meant it and therefore meant that Naaman should in the meane season be secretly prepared for it As our saviour told Peter what I doe now John 13.7 thou knowest not but hereafter thou shalt The Lord therefore by this crossing his hopes doth desire to let in a further light into his minde then yet he had That he might consider that he was not now come to an ordinary person to heale his body but to the Lord and his Prophet to worke a divine cure here therefore he must looke up to God stand to his curtesie adore his power love goodnesse and mercy here is no marquet for money to beare mastery all must come from meer goodnesse and that not from a Prophet but from the Lord working by him Now therefore having to doe with him let his carnall savour and erroneous conceits ly by let him empty himselfe of a wordly heart and get an heavenly as having only to do with God and not man The ground affords many sweet meditations I wil briefly touch upon two or three and so proceed Thie first is this All the course which God takes in bringing home the soul to God is in a word but this one to subdue the carnality and unsavourinesse of the heart Gods way in converting any is chiefly to subdue carnall savour and the blindnesse and error of the minde to the obedience of Christ From first to last the Lord aimes at this if we marke it through all the preparations of
conversion first that they make no other account before hand but to finde difficulties and affronts in their way although perhaps they set forward at first with faire winde and great hopes yet that both winde and tide may turne against them before they have done Let not him that puts on his harnis boast as he that puts them off Rather make account of the hardest before and be armed against it be not discouraged nor faint in the onset for I tell thee the worst of Gods way is easier then the best of thy former course of lust and ignorance the pathes whereof are pleasant yet going downe to hel And being warned thus it will be halfe an arming to thee it will coole thy carnall heat send thee to God for strength and make thee out of savor of thy selfe-attempts Secondly when thou shalt meet with such hardnesses in the way wonder not nor shrinke backe say thus I entred upon regeneration with this proviso and laboured to cast the hardest If easier termes be offred by Gods providence if Satan be kept off or corruption held under or the work made sweeter then I feared let me count it my gain and a portion which many of my brethren want But if I meet with brunts let me not desist and goe backe to Egypt but proceed on towards Canaan hoping that yet the issue shall be good Say thus now the Lord is trying of me of what mettle I am made even as he tryed those souldiers that sooped water Judg. 7. or lapped it now is the season for me to looke about me now let me abhorre to play the timeserver hypocrite staggerer and revolter from Gods way because I meet with offences in it If now I turne away and be distempered vowing that I will never goe on one step further nor strike one stroke more I shall shew my selfe and the mettle I am made of but if I shall meekely devour and digest these affronts then I shall shew a patient wayting heart upon God and one that esteemes grace above all my labour and a rich bargaine upon the price If Naaman had beene aware what God intended him before hand hee had said no lesse God tryes me by this delay God make me meek and keep me from rage But because he was yet ignorant therefore hee must bee conceived as one whose passions and anger the Lord meant to cover and pardon in due time and therefore now over-ruled for his good afterward Quest What difficulties are they which Gods travellers endure But some may aske what difficulties doe ye meane I answer such as these Many enter upon conversion upon great hopes and affections stirred up by the Gospell But after a while perhaps it pleases God to shew them their faces in such a glasse of terror and confusion that their hopes are turned into horror for some good space together Answ Manifold 1. Inward And in this condition they are tempted perhaps to avoide wounds of conscience by making away themselves if God staid them not Others feel a raging heart against the Law and Minister for searching their sores and convincing them so deeply if God turned it not to good after and thereby tawed them not more throughly by their owne corruption Others are in consult with themselves whether they were not better abandon all hearing and praying any longer and returne to their joviall company and pleasures of sinne againe that so they may shun this sharpe Schoolemaster by playing the trewants and so be at some ease except God shew them that this discipline as untoothsome as it is yet is wholesome Others stick long at this knot having a slavish sad melancholy spirit delighting in fullennesse and feare especially if sad crosses mixe themselves with inward heavinesse as ill marriage debts pursuits ill successe and the like They thinke God frownes more upon them then in the former daies of their ignorance Others are as much amazed on the other side because their terrors were never so great as others nor were their consciences so deepely affrighted with wrath and hell and therefore not duely humbled Others feele a great measure of unmortified lust and filth to dwell in them as wrath pride hollownesse revenge and to dog them so that they cannot thinke that such poyson and mercy to pardon can possibly stand together Others mistake the doctrine of preparation to faith thinking it to stand in the greatnesse of measure deepe sorrow breaking of heart deepe streights and being at a deepe losse great longings and thirstings after mercy and so of the rest It is long ere they come to see that there must bee a seed of the Gospell wrought ere these be or that they serve rather for marks of the spirit of grace then any furtherers of it from any thing in themselves Others feeling these wrought in them yet when they heare that faith only can put them into a safe estate they begin to feare that although they are prepared by the condition yet the Lord will not performe the effect of faith for them forgetting that Gods meaning in the one was to worke the other or at least thinke it will be a long time first and they shall be out of all heart ere then or they may dye ere the Lord make an end of his worke Others conceive amisse of the promise thinking it to be offred to such as can take hold of it by themselves not knowing that the strength is Gods and not theirs Esay 27.5.6 and that the offer comming frō the strength of a satisfaction to justice doth strengthen the Lord to make and tender it to a poore soule that needs it and concurs with that soule strongly to fasten it thereon as the due portion belonging to it Others are marvailously disquieted about their Election doubting that all their mournings and travailes are to no purpose because they strive against Gods will not remembring that secretes are for God not for for them and their surest markes come from the obeying of the revealed will Others when the fruit is come to the birth have no strength to bring forth it seemes impossible or hard or unlikely that such base ones should ever beleeve it were too good for so unworthy ones and in truth men looke wholly at their owne ends so much and so little at the glory which the Lord chiefly seekes to his grace that they little muse of the worke as becomming the omnipotency and free bounty of a reconciled God but of that scurffe they feele in themselves These are inward Others are outward affronts which meet with the soule 2. Outward some are molested grievously with sad motions and temptations and conflicts from Satan buffeting of them and stopping of their way by thoughts of feare injected into them as by Atheisme doubting of God of the truth of Scripture or with such qualmes and combats as doe arise up as sparkles from the over deepe terrors of conscience or the endlesse risings of their corrupt hearts
casting up mire and dirt in them and in the face of the truth and this irksomnes abides long if God see good to enlarge Satan according to his malice Others are discouraged through want of Ministry to follow on that little seed of grace which is cast into them which is ready to dye for lacke of quickning and advice and so living in desolate places and destitute of powerfull meanes are long ere they come to any setling and strength in a promise not knowing that where ordinary meanes faile God himselfe will not bee wanting to perfect what hee hath begunne Others meet with discouragements from such as should encourage them and so they fall the more sadly upon them When the Spouse had dallyed with her beloved through ease and carnalll tendernesse security and selfe-love lo in following after him she was met by the Watchmen Cant. 5.6.7 who buffetted her These should have encouraged her Even Ministers are oft great affronts in the way of poore soules rating and scorning them for their singularity especially when they through errour light upon such as thinking better of them So doe Parents Guardians Masters lay offences in the way of their children orphans servants some threatning to dis-inherit them or to disgrace them others by their snibbing and chiding or over-bearing them doe blast that bud which else would blossome and beare Others also hoping to see examples of many others as zealous as themselves to encourage them and finding that the Gospel prevails little in these dayes the Spirit growes straitned people wax dead and sottish and all their devotion stands in hearing Sermons Alas they quaile and pull in their horns like snails and are afraid they have been too forward and therfore wax as lazie and loose as others except God rouze them up by some sad crosse and make them to see that there must be more resolution in them if they look after salvation each tub must stand upon his own bottome Others resting upon their good duties and performances and thinking religion to consist therein chiefly when they feele small inward life from thence but ebbings and flowings grow at last to suspect their bottome but alas how long is it ere they can reforme their error and take a right course So that by these few instances it may appeare that the difficulties of many who begin fairly are very tedious so that they finde not the worke of conversion so easie as they expected Conclusion of all with admonition I conclude therefore as before let not such be dismaid nor give over the work of God but remember God is now trying them whether there bee soundnesse or no in them to continue and if they will wait meekly his leasure after hee hath taught them to deny themselves he will be found of them as here of Naaman and reveale himselfe to them at last more then at first Vses 2 Secondly this should also teach those who have obtained mercie already Instruction Christians must looke for difficulties as well in their progresse as in their entrance much lesse to wonder if they meet with sundry affronts in their course of Christianity For if this be done in the green tree how much more in the dry If novices who are so unfit for trials meet with so many rubs to keep them from faith how much more must they looke for them whose strength is greater Therefore consider I pray you and know God will try all upon whom he hath bestowed any speciall favours and blessings One way or other sooner or later the Lord will lay stops and blockes in your way to try what is in you and whether all that hee hath done for you can prevaile so farre with you as to think him worth the cleaving and clinging unto with faith and confidence Gen. 22.2 Esay 38. Job 1. Gen. 39.7 2 Sam. 16.5 25. Matth. 26.69 Abraham must be tried by Isaac Hezekiah by the Embassadours Iob by losse of all hee hath Ionah by the errand to Ninivee Ioseph by Putefâ—rs wife David by Shemei by Nabal by Mephibosheth Peter by the Damosell and others of the Saints by other trialls whether God be above their carnall delights whether their hearts be lowly whether they can deny their wealth their will whether they be that in secret which they are openly what meeknesse patience equality of heart is in them Professors in their novicery looke not to meet with many troubles whether they bee sound and resolved to stick to God or no. None shall want their trials Alas many a poore soule entring upon profession lookes but from hand to mouth how he may hold fast the promise and live according to knowledge but lo in a short time after troubles arise in the married estate sicknesse losses enemies pursuits wrongs such as hee expected not On the other side A none of them the Lord perhaps armes some strong corruption to pinch and gall him which he knowes not how to be rid of or stings him by unthankfulnesse of such as owe most love by unfaithfulnesse and aloofnesse of such as have been greatest friends by the sad revolts and scandals of such as for their owne ease and private ends renounce that love to Gods cause and that zeale to the truth which they have testified Sometimes by false aspersions and reports staining them and unjustly depraving them behind their backes otherwhiles by bad times frowning upon them and turning their prosperity into affliction Againe perhaps the Lord tries others by some hard duty beset with great difficulties so that either they must forfeit conscience or else some desirable thing which they are loth to forgoe Oft-times the Lord tries some by company pleasure liberty occasions of sudden wrath distemper worldlinesse and infinite it were to mention all By these he would let men see all that is in their heart he will either discover their grace that he may trust them for ever after or else their halting self-ends hollownesse pride love of themselves strong poysons of heart breach of covenant and so humble them subdue their sinnes for them in due season that they may not deceive and destroy their owne soules And what wonder Doe wee thinke that God is willing to lose his cost or to harbour such under his roofe as he knowes not what to make of Such as under colour of Religion maintaine a great deale of loose scurfe within them Is it for the glory of God to owne such No surely he will put them to it one time or other that hee may by this meane separate the pretious from the vile and their owne hay and stubble from his owne Pearles and Jewels I grant we thinke otherwise and hope to escape in a mist and to carry our course even and faire God will try his to separate the pretious from the vile without any great trials or affronts and the rather because perhaps wee have long made a shift to goe on smoothly with praying in
the fittest way as he thought for that purpose and being mistaken in that is glad to heare of his errour and to mend it speedily 4. He abaseth himselfe below his condition so farre as to stand at the Prophets doore to crouch and creepe in the sense of his disease for the cure thereof with exceeding reverence to the Prophet All which although they might seem onely naturall effects of a man under trouble yet being orderly steps to a greater worke in Gods purpose and some of them in a sort religious acts of one that acknowledged a divine power to heale him doe argue that somewhat was in him toward the effect And yet loe here steps in a techie toy that is Yet crossed by self conceit a toy and prich his prejudicate and forestalled heart conceited against the meane appointed by God and this was that he looked to be healed another way more easie present and familiar to his humour How viz. that Elisha himselfe would come forth and by applying his hand to the place worke the miracle And this marred all the former attempts and besides hindred him first from marking the message which contained a plaine easie mercifull and familiar way of healing with a charge from God to wash and a direct promise of cure thereby without any colour or exception all which so solemnly delivered might very well have pierced an heart not exceedingly prejudiced and deluded both for the reverence of God and for his owne ends If Eglon an heathen King Judg 6. hearing of a charge from God no way assuring him of good was so obeysant as to come off his throne and worship God how much more might Naaman but lo his preconceit letted him from it As also from seeing his false heart full fraught with rage against the Prophet when yet he seemed to stoope so low and doe so much reverence and to conclude from yeelding nakedly to the way of God rather then to lose his labour and carry home his disease and from obeying the Command And just so may the case stand with such as have made as many spirituall steps toward conversion as Naaman did toward his cure They may first be brought to a deepe plunge under sense of sinne and the curse Application of the ground to the doct in hand for the clearing of it What faire hopes men have and that by the word of terror convincing their conscience under this they may be most wearisome and restlesse They may be kept from shaking off their terrour by other objects of pleasure profit or worldly contents they may heare of a remedy by one of wisdomes handmaids like well of the glad tidings long after it make speed towards it neglect no cost means or attendance upon it joy in the turning themselves out of their errours and mistakes and the appearance of more hope of ease they may honor the instrument with exceeding reverence wait at the posts of wisdome not houres or dayes but moneths and quarters thinking long till some seasonable answer come unto them thinking themselves happy that they may speed at last And yet how dashed when all their labour is ended And yet when the point should come to an issue and the fruit to be borne then shall one selfe or other either selfe-ease or selfe-will or selfe-wit and conceit assisted with carnall reason yea selfe-endeavours selfe-devotion selfe-mixtures of her owne with God bereave the soule of all strength to bring forth one or other selfe I say shall step in or be cast in by the divell as the gourd into the pottage to marre all to set the chiefe worke as far behinde as it seemed before to be set forward in so much that the voice of God both commanding to beleeve and promising speedy ease and forgivenesse shall be as a thing farre off And whereas the obedience of faith is or ought to be the upshot of the cure lo this selfe shall so blindefolde the minde and disable the heart from marking pondering and applying the promise thereby as if there were nothing in it whereas in truth all steps toward grace without this are frivolous yeâ— the base heart shall thinke this more frivolous then all the rest stumble at it cavill be discontent and flye off as if it had wrong that her endeavours and paines be not accepted without it which in truth is no other then to quarrell with God that her owne way may not be preferred to his and seeing that may not be rather to choose not to be healed at all but abide still in her old condition then not to prosper by her owne way and device I have desired to open the point at large because I make it the ground of a large doctrine whereof I would have none make question So much for the ground of the text Naamans selfe conceit and ours may differ in the speciall though the same in kind But I foresee that my hearers will by and by run to enquire whether this tech of Naaman be in their brests or no and whether it hath hindred their endeavours and also that all well affected Christians would be loth to lose their labour and sweat if they knew how to prevent it till they have enjoyed the promise And therefore I must tell them that I gather a generall point from a particular Naamans selfe was one branch of many but there be many more all as dangerous to them as this to him Seeing then I thinke it will be desired that they might know the severall sorts of this monster and the markes of this secret else selfe I meane therefore ere I reason or apply the point I will stay a while upon the discovery of the severall sorts of this disease so returne to the point againe if God please in the matter of Application I thinke none will deny that of all other lets of grace and salvation this of selfe is the most dangerous and the reason is because it is most inward and immediate I may say of it as Paul speakes of uncleannesse all other sinnes are without the body but this within a disease of the intrailes and bowels Selfe the most dangerous enemy because most inward and immediate Even so all other lets and enemies of Christ are outward Satan hath many injections temptations by Atheisme by the needlesnesse difficulty yea impossiblenesse of prevailing he hath many base colours to delude the heart withall by the contrariety of Christ to the corrupt spirit of man the world also hath many base and false principles to beat off the heart by as the disdaine of them that are so zealous 1 Cor. 6.18 the erroneous opinions which it hath of Christ and the profession of his truth Others hurt by this most mortally but all these are without and more easily avoided the power of the Word sooner scatters these mists The greatest mischiefe comes from within and were it not for selfe they could not prevaile by all their baits
men of learning and much reading are so full of it that they disdaine at such as goe beyond them in preaching or power of Reigion They have read more bookes they say if you beleeve them then ten of these precise preachers and zealous fellowes and this puffes them up in their own opinions and indeed they who preach little if their ease will suffer it may read much Those Pharisees who sate in their schools reading their profound lectures of the Law and having their novices sitting at their feete as Paul did at Gamaliels teaching them their Cabala that is their dreames traditions and Rabbinicall observations when they saw the Lord Jesus and his Disciples goe up and downe preaching and abasing themselves to the reach of the poore people 1 Cor. 1. disdained him as a man of no learning they were stuft so full of their own skill and knowledge that they scorned his simplicity If they now lived Matth. 23.25 they would preferre the washing of their cups and platters before preaching of Christ and repentance Tush say those Pharisees Iohn 9. Joh. 9. Thou art borne in sinnes and shouldest thou teach us This people knoweth not the Law and is accursed Oh! Camels cannot enter into a needles eie nor a man puft up in himselfe into the Kingdome of God How doe such as these beare downe preaching especially twice on the Lords day and scorne them who doe so as idots and dunces And to conclude this disease creepes into the meanest even poore Tradesmen if they have better parts then others to remember and repeate sermons to speake or pray in company if there be not speciall grace how it makes them to bubble swell I may say the very braine knowledge of Christ hath so puft up many that they never came to see need of him to salvation but if they may be all in all in meetings and heare themselves talke and others admire them for their parts and none contradict them Oh this is their fools Paradise This makes them think themselves selfe sufficient and to need nothing Nay for a need skill in mens trades may doe it The fourth sort is of such as who stand upon their greatnesse and superiority over others in Towns and places Carnall savor in superioriy or greatnesse what They looke upon themselves as the chiefe hinges whereon the doore turns and they beare the purse others are wholly beholding to them for maintaining the poore for upholding the Gospell they beare all charges and the whole sway of government and as for others they are of the poorer sort and may well be spared men of small judgement experience or ability to doe any thing and this makes them swell in the pride of themselves and to seem great in their own opinion though alas they are so only in comparison of the meanest and being considered in themselves are but silly and meane ones what would these be if they were Magistrates Justices and Rulers of the Country If so small a thing make them so jolly and sufficient in themselves what would these be if birth noblenesse worship honour dignity and reputation in the Country filled their veines with ranker blood and their spirits with greater stomack And to end the like I may say of the savor of selfelove and of such as being wholly wedded to themselves and narrowly spying out all occasions for their own ends how their case welfare maintenance esteeme and credit life living and liberty gaine and thrift gifts and parts may be supported How dangerous neglect others and let all sinke or swim so they may subsist what care they I say of these for brevity sake as of the former they are full of themselves and looke at a sufficiency in themselves and therefore the Lord Jesus who serves for none save them that are poore base and desolate must needs be an unsavory morsell unto them And therefore in a word to admonish them this I say consider all such carnal and selfe sufficient ones when the evill day shall come what shall all thy pride and prophane disdaine Admonition to these former sorts thy worldly wisdome thy parts and greatnesse thy selfe love profit thee Alas they onely serve here during the time of health and prosperity and the season of the Gospel to damme up the passages of thy soule from Christ but when once sickenesse sorrow and death approach their image shall bee despised and they will become burdensome Then shall they cry out now we see the humble the poore in spirit the unlearned the meane in account and such as have little to lose are all in all now they who denied themselves and sought to be sufficient in Christ alone are the happy men Then ye shall wish your selves as little as ever before ye affected greatnesse then shall yee wish your selves had rather been by-words and outcasts for Christ then to have scorned the simplicity of Christ Then shall ye wish your Camels bunch that deepe opinion ye had of your parts learning and greatnesse were pared off Then when ye shall hear God pronounce sentence you were too great for the narrow gate of heaven men of too great parts wisdome policy and selfelove for Christ then I say you shall be sicke at the stomacke of all these and vomit your sweet morsels and all your Quailes and objects of sufficiency shall come out at your nostrills yea vanish before the sufficiency of Christ Then shall you wish with Paul Phil. 3. Oh! that all things which I counted so precious had beene dung and dogs meate that I might have wonne Christ and beene found in him empty of my fulnesse Oh! that I had desired to know nothing save Christ crucified and that his fulnesse had left no spirit in me 1 King 10. as Solomons wisdome in the Queene of Sheba Oh! that all my best parts had served Christ as too base to attend him and not scorned him as too base for them Thus you shall doe then but who knowes whether then it will not be too late sure it is if ever Christ and his sufficiency become sweet Revel 3.18 the Lord will purge you of your Laodicean temper the whilst he will make you hungry base naked and empty that you may buy of him gold silver apparell and all sufficiency to salvation pull downe your proud stomacks be fooles that ye may be wise prick and let out the wind of your empty bladders and cast downe your Scepters and Crownes at the feet of Christ that he may lift ye up And so much for this third branch of grosse selfe carnallity or savor of the flesh Touching carnall reason I shall speake in verse 12. Sensuall selfe or the creature what The fourth followeth and that is selfe in the creature or in outward things As in the blessings of marriage of health of long life successe in our earthly matters skill in the world conveniency of dwelling abundance of ease sleepe friends pleasures content
honour one of another and seeke not the honour of God onely Secret selfe will so serve God that shee will foist in her owne ends credit praise and respect even while shee seemes to seeke Gods and so while shee should save her owne stake shee loseth Gods shee aimes not at him and the glory of his grace onely and therefore not at all So much for pâ—oofes Reasons of this doctrine are many and may bee drawne from many heads as first from the nature of this corrupt selfe Secondly from other Reason 1 mens courses 3. The practice of Satan Fourthly the justâ—ce of God From the nature of this selfe For the first we may consider the danger of mixt selfe from her owne corrupt quality both in respect of the first familiarity of it Secondly the generalnesse of it Thirdly the violence of it and Fourthly In 4 things the tenaciousnesse or continuance of it Touching the first bosome beloved 1. Familiarity or closenesse and inward corruptions doe most bleare the eie of discerning and pervert judgement because they goe in a streame least suspected A traitor who insinuates himselfe into a man so deeply as to comply and correspond with him in all his courses will deceive most dangerously So self runnes in the streame of nature and pleases it in every thing it is as a bribe in the hand prevailing wheresoever it goeth Prov. 17.8 As that naturall agreement and well pleasingnesse of Delila to the humor of Sampson forestalled all which was spoken against her so that he laid it not to heart but went forward so selfe hath a bewitching nature and will suffer no objection to prevaile For why All seemes to be as it should be the flesh is so tickled and inchanted with selfe-ease selfe-conceit selfe-duties and the like they do so delude the heart with an opinion that all is as it should bee that it detaines it in error habitually yea it can so incorporate it selfe into all the best religious duties that shee will very hardly be distinguished one would thinke the annointed of the Lord were before him that of the Apostle expresses it well it doth easily beset us Heb. 12.1 as a man whose loines are compassed about with a close girdle is as he would be If any doubt or scruple arise in the minde about a mans estate by and by selfe rocking the cradle stills the whimpering child and all is quiet and as it should be It s like a bad Courtier which watcheth as a cat the mouse that none whisper one wry word in the Princes eare or if he doe yet he is close at the elbow and suffers nothing to enter Secondly the Generalnesse Selfe is not as particular lusts as adultry 2. The generalnesse lying murder covetousnesse or the like but selfe is all corruption in one the very spirit and roote of bitternesse Heb. 12.15 which giveth joice and nourishment to all branches It s the Idoll of all speciall lusts to which all do homage and service it s the body of all those members I may rather call it the soule of all in which they live All their springs are in selfe now then if this be so generall and so overspreading an evill what wonder if the deceit thereof bee as generall and dangerous what may not the Prince doe and yet no man open his tongue against him what may not a Pope doe though he draw innumerable souls with him into perdition who may say what dost thou Such a Lord and Pope is Selfe and more universall Thirdly the violence of it Selfe is neer it selfe alway 3. The violence and desires such objects as are profitable but much more when the object promises a great contentment and advantage faith and grace and holy duties are subjects promising great reward even immortality Rom. 1. when therefore these are propounded to the soule though upon farre other tearmes yet how forward and eager is corrupt selfe to act her part and how doth she boast that she can put forth her selfe in so high matters what is so selfe putting forth as an handmaid affecting the place of her mistresse who can beare her insolency what is so negotious and eagerly busie as an usurping Absalon acting the part of an unlawfull Prince over subjects Prov. 30.23 2 Sam. 15.2 Such is selfe never so stirring and like her selfe as in Gods matters which promise the greatest gaine and good to selfe and what wonder then if so stirring and violent a thing doe deceive a man and hold him in an opinion of welfare 1 Kings 9. Acts 9. Iehu in his heat of selfe-zeale being warme in his geare Ananias and Saphira being in the heat of their great charity had no leasure to discerne that subtilty and self-ends which prevailed over their outward performances the one of murthering Ahabs posterity for a Crown for so it was the other the robbing of the Church for the saving of some mony 4. Tenaciousnesse Fourthly and lastly the Tenaciousnesse of selfe I meane when she is put hard to it rather then she will shrinke in her horns and lose all her labour she will hold close to her own tacklings and devour a great deale of difficulty For a mans desire he will seperate himselfe saith Salomon that is deny himselfe and go farre Prov. 18 1. 1 King 15.27 1 King 18.28 if need requires It was easie for Baasha to kill Ieroboam when it went in the streame of his owne ambition But not easie for Baals Priests when the case so required to wound and launce themselves or now for Papists to whip and mortifie their flesh or for those in Micha 6. Mica 6. to offer the Lord the first fruit of their bodies for the sin of their soules rivers of oyle and wine yet what will not selfe stand to within her possibility rather then resigne up her right Sleidan reports of a souldier cast out of the top of a castle among others appointed to be so slaine a marveilous height from the earth who yet by miraculous providence catching hold on the shrags of a mulbery tree saved his life Such a thing is this selfe rather then perish she will catch hold upon any thing be it never so above her in shew not onely hard duties but even sufferings and herein seene to amate and equall even true selfedeniall till shee be tried What wonder then in such achievements if she delude the soule dangerously and maintaine a false principle to overthrow it To forgoe a mans lusts so farre as that the uncleane spirit seems to be gone out of a man to suffer persecution as Alexander did with Paul Eph. 20. a terrible example for such a timeserver Luke 11. Acts 20. 2 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 4.14 to deny a mans credit ease health honour ends and life for profession sake is a signe of some holding out and yet selfe cannot hold out ever Thus much for the first Reason drawne from the
begunne in the soule yet seeing many have gone farre and perished faith is of few and the free worke of the spirit which bloweth onely upon some also feeling fearfull untowardnesse in her selfe darkenesse dulnesse deadnesse and unworthinesse doubting also of her election or sanctification that either she shall never renounce her lusts or persevere upon these or the like feares she concludes she belongs not to God nor shall beleeve Now this feare a man would thinke were rather selfdeniall then selfe but in very deed it is often discovered to be a more tenacious enemy then the former for why it trencheth horribly upon the simplcity of the offer the power and truth of the promiser as if it would set grace at a non-plus and as if the Lord were a tyrant a lyer so doth it claspe to it selfe will not be beaten out of her den 3. Withdrawing selfe nor resigne up her selfe to God The third and last degree is yet most dangerous of all I meane withdrawing selfe and may be conceived to be the last corner of the strong fort of selfe in her opposing of Christ and to prevaile with many whom the former two could not foile Marke it well And it is that wofull and desperate flinging out of the soule and incompliablenesse of the spirit with the onely and sound way of God to save the soule which is faith comforting pacifving converting and changing the heart to God Which way when the closenesse solemnesse nakednesse and necessity of it is presented to the soule it findes her marvellously wrapped and wound in with abundance of such secret scurse of her owne that first shee begins to be offended at the purity spiritualnesse and holinesse of it as farre exceeding her carnall comprehension or content as the heavens exceed the earth shee sees not how it is possible for two such extremities to bee reconciled And secondly she feeles such a Law within herselfe such an horrible repugnancie of heart against this way such an old custome of formality in Religion ease sloath restinesse and luskishnesse of spirit as Rahel sitting upon her Idols and loath to stirre that this way workes her to extreame unwillingnesse to consent and obey shee wishes from her heart that the command of faith were of a shorter size and a narrower extent she fore-casts such an utter misery in selling her selfe and all for the gaining of a promise as the young man did Heb. 10. ult when he was bidden to sell all and therefore concludes The price is too great the commodity as good as it is is too deare how shall it stand with selfe What will old froth and vanity liberty and loosenesse of heart of thoughts and affections say to this geare she must for ought shee sees consult with them and have their good wills ere ever she can consent here 's the pudder Selfe will not yeeld her old bent frame and streame is carnall or at least but mixtly and halfe religious and therefore to cast that out would make her forlorne and a begger an unsubsisting creature without a bottome On the other side God will not yeeld his bent and end is to subdue the soule to himselfe to bring her within his owne narrow compasse to be all in all to her as selfe was before the meere and naked bottome of her joy welfare he hath given his Sonne to purchase the soul thus to himselfe He hath denied his glory and himselfe that hee might thereby win the soule to magnifie him in his love and glory in his grace and therefore he will not lose his ends Except then the controversie bee determined and the soule drawne up and overcome to resigne up and raze this fort of Selfe and trust God with her owne soule for mercy and for powerfull subduing of her selfe This last degree will make her rather to chuse the forfeit of heaven then of her owne will and content And this may serve for the three degrees of mixt or secret Selfe Now I come to the second part of the answer touching the foot-steps and passages of this enemy and so to end the question Concerning which I say Secondly by her passages Three 1. Ground of Selfe is flesh that the passages of selfe may bee conceived in these three particulars First in the ground of it secondly in the carriage of it thirdly in the scope and issue of it For the ground or principle of it it is Flesh that which is not from Grace is no better then flesh seeme it what it will and that may appeare both in Legall selfe and Evangelicall For Legall selfe I may say that which the Holy Ghost Esay 58. Esay 58. speakes of Hypocrites that even in their fasting which was selfe-afflicting Levit. 23. Levit. 23. yet they had pleasure they kept their false measure within and nourished such a carnall heart as caused their humiliation to be defiled so is it here If we knew who were elect and who not as we cannot we might as well discern them by a defect of Legall as well as Evangelicall preparations for Christ is Alpha and Omega Revel 1. the beginning and end of the salvation of his owne So that as common a worke as the Law is accounted sure it is that selfe hath her bredth in that narrow and admits not such abasement as the Law worketh in the elect but rather she hath pleasure and beares off the dint by some extenuation of her sin or other even then when she should receive the sacrificing knife to cut the throat Both in respect of the Law and the Gospel 1. The Law that is to slay the pride and jollity of nature she lickes her selfe whole if she can as fast as the Law wounds But if it so fall out that the Lord is purposed to breake in upon such a soule with his terrours and to cast her downe to the ground so that shee is under water and terrified to purpose yet herein selfe appeares that either she windes herselfe out as soone as the extremity is over by indirect meanes or else the strait shee is in is no meanes to drive her out of her selfe to another but rather to fret and rebell thinking she hath wrong or she growes thereby to thinke herselfe to be in a better case because she is stopped in her old course or if the utmost extremitie comes she chuseth rather to rid her selfe from it by violence and destroying of her selfe rather then to see God in the worke But not hereby to behold the clear way of God to bring the soule to a condition of grace when she is at an utter losse and plunge in her selfe For then this worke should leave her better then it found her that is cause her upon a ground of the Word to see herselfe within Gods net and so to grow to conceive some possibility and hope which is too lively a worke for selfe to reach unto 2. Gospell and that both in the eye-sight
pretious from the vile as if a man should distinguish his love to a servant both for kinde and measure from the love of a wife or childe The oddes is as the hony which Ionathan tasted upon the top of his rod in comparison of eating it to fulnesse and strength for the pursute of the enemy When the Lord doth not reach out by pieces and parcels of Christ but throwes him into the soule with his whole heart and treasure as one would cast his deare wife purse and all that she might know his bounty and gives the soule more then she can aske or thinke as Salomon to the Queen of Sheba more then all she desired then the soule hath an heart-sight and view of him Then she is satisfied fully with his image as receiving from his fulnesse that is his heart fully reconciled and satisfied by his Sonne that can deny them nothing And she beholds in this offer as much above all goodnesse which Adam enjoyed as heaven is above an earthly Paradise Briefly Selfe fosters two contents at once one from a Principle of her owne being carnall the other from an accidentall violent so that in time the carnall prevails against the violent and the violent vanishes Some hold out and make a shift to deceive themselves longer then others but except they grow to see their errour and to set up the object of their joy above the carnall they vanish into misery And this for the ground of Selfe The second generall The carriage of Selfe is sureable to the root or ground The second generall poynt is the carriage of Selfe And marke selfe in her grounds must needs bee like her selfe in her carriage I meane in those performances which come from her Nothing can worke beyond her owne Spheare of Selfe and Flesh no act save fleshly can proceed She will not suffer her own chanell to lye dry So that what ever means she useth fasting prayer meditating hearing conferring whatsoever paines she takes for a broken desirous heart whatsoever duties or graces she doth or makes shew of she can rise no higher then her Spring and Fountaine lies Selfe keeps center within and acts all as supposing there is a congruity and directive or procuring cause of grace in her Shee lookes to win the Spirit of grace by the spirit of Selfe not to lose her owne spirit by the Spirit of Grace She is not sensible of any thing save what comes from her selfe and thinkes very well of any thing which she feeles to proceed thence And so will any soule confesse which the Lord hath freed from this bondage That all his performances were nothing save a willing and running of their owne though while he was in his element all seemed pleasant There is a way which seemes pleasant to a man while he is in it though when he is once out hee sees it tended to death And as hee in Iob saith There is a spirit in man such as it is which will be doing and will have one finger in every busines but it is the inspiration of the Almighty which must give understanding I deny not but Selfe according to her light admits of many degrees yet all in one kinde but as one spake of Usurers and Theeves one was lesse oppressing then the other yet the best would bite So I say here bad is the best of Selfe she will be chiefe in all matters nothing must passe but through her fingers all the Corne must be fetcht home in her Cart and some peece at least there must be of her and all to keep her from selfe-deniall and from a promise which are her two terrible objects within her owne precinct Which may appeare in these few passages First in her instinct How that appeares vâ—z In foure particulars Secondly her endeavour Thirdly her busie eagernesse Fourthly in her disappointment A word or two of each For the first her instinct and savour which she is carried by is not godly or holy but earthly and base As we say Nothing in Popery is carried beyond the savour of ambition ease and the belly so in selfe-religion nothing smells of any other save her owne wisedome and ends as here we see in Naaman nothing savour'd or relisht with his nostrils or appetite save to be his owne carver and to appoint the Prophet a way of his owne 1. Her instinct Assistance and aid comes not fast enough from any other fountaine save her owne As the Egyptian Midwives spake of the women of Israel they were not as other women but quicke of travell ere the Midwife came at them Exod. 1. so is it here it is a wearisome waiting for Selfe to wait in paine till the Midwife of a promise come to them they can dispatch more easily then so When Paul and the Pilot were with the Centurion the Centurion savored not the words of Paul but the Pilots One crotchet of her owne Act. 27. how her edge stands to such a Text Doctrine Sermon Promise and what her thoughts are of it is more to her then what the instinct scope and savour of the Spirit aimes at shee weighes out to her selfe Gods treasures not according to the Ballances of the Sanctuary and the weights thereof but her owne not halfe so bigge and so shee is found but light The reason is she is not altered in subject that is in her selfe but in object onely Now the object cannot alter the subject of it selfe without the grace thereof concurre therewith And therefore in all her acts shee consults with her owne likings savour and feelings as the Musitians eare with the tune or jarring of his strings Secondly her endeavour is suteable 2 Her endeavour she loves for the most part such performances as are more easie pleasing and welcome to the flesh balking those which are more spirituall and selfe-destroying preferres a devotion in generall before a speciall manner of it and hearing or reading before meditation single prayer before secret or continuall or occasionall or fasting c. And in this endevour of hers she hath no scruples but thinkes they shall prevaile If saith she I doe so and so read pray deny my selfe in such a liberty or doe such a duty I shall prevaile not adding this if I doe it in or by the warrant of such a word or promise carrying the strength of God therewith and look at my own endeavour as the servant of grace onely without any strength of mine owne I shall prosper And hereunto adde this That she rests in her endeavour never harkening what God will answer and whether he speake peace or no but reckoning her worke for a price This delusion is an inseparable evill from selfe As the Preachers zeale gifts perswasions are as her own performances and as her morall weighings of matters have beene so must grace needs follow God must be tied to a necessity of blessing all which comes from selfe whether she set God as chiefe
above them or her selfe above him all is one she examines nothing by the rule of right going to worke but rests in the deed done yea let what objections will come in their way they are at a point and returne to their owne bent thinking that the children of such prayers and duties cannot perish As those Jewes told Christ of the Master of the Synagogue he deserved he should heale his daughter for his good workes sake But if selfe were as she ought she should come in as that man did and tread himselfe in the dirt Master I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roofe so that in themselves they can feele somewhat to trust too though it be nothing but in the Lords promise bee it never so evident they feele nothing Thirdly the motion of Selfe is eager and violent she wants that inward moover of the spirit 3. Her Violence which should act her by the power of a sweet principle from within and put boote in beame as we say securing her of a good and safe issue of her labour For then she would not put forth her selfe so earnestly and violently by her owne strength but calmely and quietly rest her selfe well satisfied in the comfort of that spirit which can effect her desire and subject her owne endeavours and performances to the spirit of grace As the Prophet Esay telleth those Jewes who strove to overcome their enemies by the aide of forraine confederates Esay 30. your strength is to sit still follow not your own violent motion but trust to the Lord and let your streame runne in his runne softly as the waters of Silâ—e so I say to this violent selfe stand still behold the salvation of God and you shall see your enemies all scattered not by your strength or might but by the power of God We know what strife a man useth in his trade who hath no inward principle of skill to enable him in comparison of a skilfull workeman the one is more painfull then the other but the latter hath more ease in his worke And hence it is that selfe hath so continuall a toile to hold correspondence with grace as fast as corruption rebells shee falls to damming and stopping the course of it but the more she dammes up the passage the higher the waters swell and rise so that she must needs give them some way and course at last and grow weary of resistance whereas the poore soule whose heart is humbled and broken feeles the streame and torrent to be turned another way and so she needs not alway resist and dâ—mme it up because it s prevented by a stronger motion And in truth selfe-violence is no better then selfsloth in this respect for she findes as small fruit of her strife as of her ease neither are blessed when she is lazy she is snared with accusation and when she is satagent and busie shee is discouraged with ill successe the Lord aiming at this that so shee may be weary of her selfe There seemes I grant for the present while selfe keepes her motion a great deale of zeale in selfe performances as one said of himselfe that while he praied out of himselfe he praied with far more zeale passion and expression then when hee praied by the spirit of grace and supplication Selfe being very full and free in her owne element but barren and off the hookes if out of it And this violence may appeare further in the frequency and difficulty of selfe-performances for as wee see where there be fewest good and solid dishes of meate at a table there will bee the more slight ones with their covers upon them as if there were some great matter under so is it with Selfe the lesse substance she hath the more shews shadowes the more pompe and ostentation Mâ—tth 23. Mica 6. The Pharisees and those Hypocrites in Micah were fuller of their traditions washings and clensings offerings of costly and excessive services then the faithfull worshippers who rested rather in a little and good viz to walke humbly and righteously with God then in a world of drosse As a drunkard so long as he can use his tongue and his feete thinkes himselfe sober whereas the truly temperate suspects himselfe at every turne so here selfe lookes at her owne motion not how regular and orderly it is As a boy unskilfull in writing when his hand is led delights still to stir it and to move his hand of himselfe and so blurs and blots more then he writes so selfe will be stirring and doing full of her owne spirit in praying fasting hearing and the like no man can be zealous enough to please her Christ himselfe was not good enough for a selfe-pleasing hypocrite The Lord loves no double diligent ones but those who being led by the spirit of selfedeniall and grace rest themselves upon the power of a promise not to be idle but as abhorring to make more haste then good speed Lastly Self if she be defeated of what she would 4. Her disappointment is sore disquieted and unsetled The greater her heat and violence was in motion the deeper is her discontent if crossed Concerning which I shall have more occasion to speake in the next verse Here only it shall bee sufficient to give a touch of it When Selfe is held off and delaied she falls upon God Oh! what a wofull fruit of all my labour is this that God should so long keepe me from my desires and thus long crosse me hence come cavills against God as if he did them wrong thus to disappoint them selfe is querulous Esay 58. Esâ—y 58. Mal. 3. full of tedious accusations and baskings of her selfe much like one that cannot swimme who yet will beat the waters and this comes partly from presumption and partly from bondage as thinking she should deserve better from God and yet feels all ill within whereas a poore soule being beaten off one way yet feeling a support within girds her selfe the more about and looking at the unchangeable faithfulnesse of God interprets his delaies no otherwise then the Syrophoenician did Christs answers not to be cordiall but trying her faith self-deniall O Lord saith she although thou beatest me off Matth. 15. thou meanest not to reject me for that were contrary to thy office to save the scattered ones of Israel Therefore O Lord here I lye at thy feete if thou kick me away and have no pleasure in me I can say nothing doe with me as thou wilt I am not at mine owne but thy dispose and if it seem good to thy wisdome to deferre me I shall thinke it meeter for the time present then to be satisfied since it s ever best for me to be as thou wilt have me knowing it shall be one day as thou hast promised And surely well may I adde this fourth marke to the former for as selfe hath no bounds of humility and modesty when she is pleased with her duties
and affections Esay 40. finding that fruit and successe which she fancieth to her owne labours but thinkes her content and peace to come from grace so when her sparkles are out and gone wherewith shee compassed her selfe then she growes slavish dead hearted discontent and yet rather then she would by such experience renounce her owne crazy hold she will returne to her old course and trie what further hopes she shall enjoy by her new attempts till she be forced at last to lie downe in confusion repent of her trade too late of this sure also is the carriage of such as upbraid God for his hard dealing with them by the better successe of others who are got before them this savors of some desire and emulation I grant but it comes from many pangs of selfe as ease muttering that they cannot have their wills of God upon lesse adoe also of rankenesse and sullen unthankefulnesse for that they have already And although I doe not say that all in this case of deseate doe directly give God over and quite revolt from him as Naaman here would have done yet they returne to their old acquaintance with selfe and so welter out their daies in utter misery understand me in all this discourse to speake of Selfe as it is unsubdued in the hypocrite not as it is a relique of evill in those who belong to grace Thus much for the carriage of it The third generall The end of Selfe she alway aimes at her owne ends The third and last point is the end of Selfe which is sutable to the ground and proceedings thereof The summe is Selfe lookes at her owne ends and ends in her selfe all her scope is by her long trade shufflings subtilties and flingings about to rivet her selfe so deeply into her own way and device that at the last she may be out of all gunshot and danger and rest in her selfe-religion without disturbance To this end she doth so much harden her selfe against the conviction of the word when she knoweth or may know her estate to be dangerous even that she might at last be wholly quit of all such callings upon See Hosea 10.1 Zach. 7.5.6 and gasterings by the spirit of God and her owne conscience and so through Satans malice keepe her owne possession in peace even as if she would secretly steale away Gods grace without his consent and triumph over him by having her will on him The poore soule boasts in God but she in her selfe and sacrificeth to her owne nets till the Lord by his terrors flaite her and with the besome if not of his law yet of his wrath sweepe downe those cobwebbes which with much adoe she hath woven The end of the Lord in the manifold turnagaines and doubts feares and distempers which a poor soule meets with is quite contrary even that being tried with her owne corruptions she might give over her owne inventions and be weary of fighting any longer under the banner of Selfe and cast themselves upon his promise and so put the Lord in the stead of selfe to be all in all with them and returne no more to their old trade I say the Lords aime in all his is this to make selfe stincke unto them and as the proverbe saith the corruption of the finest matter stinkes worst so that the fiâ—er more subtill and wiredrawne selfe hath beene in deceiving the soule the more the soule may abhorre her after a divorce once made But as for selfe she is most deplored and desperate in that wherein a poore soule is most happy that is in the end of her course by that time that the latter is at rest the former is come about to most uâ—ter misery For though she be where she would be yet because she is deceived in that shee hath chosen she must therefore feed upon ashes instead of bread and vanity as a whirlewind must carry her away as the Lord by Esay speakes of Idolaters A barren principle can bring forth no other fruit Esay 57. all labour so taken is as a stone rolled upon the hill violently returning at length upon the roller if shee would have subjected her selfe to be led by the spirit of grace she should have obtained the same ends which the Lord seeks from a saved soul that is to adore the wonderfull and inconceivable glory and riches of his grace in Christ and to swallow and drowne selfe in this streame And as once a wise man hearing a proud fellow boast of his land brought him a short mappe of Athens and bid him shew whereabouts his lands lay which abated the high thoughts of the yong Gentleman exceedingly So doth the Lord shew to his owne people the Map of his glory which is the whole ground way and end of saving lost mankinde which when they wisely behold selfe vanisheth and finds no place for if that which moved the Lord so principally to pitty faln man was not the good of the creature for then the more saved the more his end should have beene fulfilled but the magnifying of himselfe and of his sundry excellencies which else must have beene concealed and had it not beene that God had respected this man had lien still in his woe how can a poore creature behold this gulfe but of necessity the thought of it must make selfe and her ends to be despised as not worthy to be named the same day much lesse to come into competition with God and to forestall him of his due that selfe might be clothed with his spoiles Oh! the very image of such a base conceit is loathsome in such an heart as knowes that while God is served she must stand by and bee content to waite as happy if this waiting of hers upon Gods ends may bring her to be happy at last in him and with him as counting it happier to perish in glorifying him if it could be then to be glorious in her selfe And so much for the answer to this question viz. how the nature of this enemy may be perceived in her degrees and steps now I come to the use of the whole doctrine The first is to admonish all who would not lose their labour and travaile Vse 1 in the matter of grace Admonition to discover and abandon the concurrence of selfe in that weighty businesse And this I urge upon two sorts First Branch 1 To the unregenerate Three particulars 1. Behold the tricks of self seekers Secondly obtainers First behold the tricks and fetches of this enemy Then consider the danger and sad consequence of losing all our labour for the sake of it And lastly resolve in both respects for ever through mercy to renounce it For the former infinite are those subtilties which are in the bugit of this traitor I will name two or three by which a wise heart will guesse at the rest and especially at her owne One is this Selfe will not onely deny much for grace but even
all these thou complainest of no man need bid thee be revenged of them or watch them a shrewd turne but I tell thee an enemy within thy bosome counted thy darling and close friend one called Selfe is a more deadly enemy and can doe thee more hurt then all of them together hereafter raile not upon the evill world thy cruell Landlord thy false friend bankerupts who have runne away with thy goods or thy bad wife that stings thee with her tongue thy bad children ill neighbours thy persecutors not one of these but may set thee a steppe forward to heaven none can deprive thee of it but Selfe can and will world divell and his instruments could not hurt thee were it not for this traitor which sets open the doore unto them to tempt to defile thee See Naaman here in what a wildred case he is except the Lord had made him see his enemy and undoe all his crosse selfe-willednesse and waywardnesse and to stop to Gods way yea and glad to scape so too unto what a perplexity had he brought himselfe after besides his pudder for the present even so know thou that when thou hast runne into thy long error thou must come backe againe this way of selfe-deniall or else the further thou goest the worse will thy case bee Oh! it is a tugging crying sinne it wearies ten Preachers to denounce against it Oh! to what a sweete peace had the Lord brought many an hearer of the word had it not beene for this Beloved we have had some faithfull servants of Christ both living and happily dead among us who have confessed that by this Selfe and her meanes they have spent forty years ere they could come to beleeve and do we look to make it a short cut of forty daies therefore mutter not at thine enemies much lesse at the Lord but at thy selfe and say thy perdition is from thy selfe God is enlarged Hosea 13.9 but Selfe hath hidebound thee and straited thee in thine owne bowells count that Sermon which hath taught thee this lesson one of the best that ever thou heardest Luke 5. There were many lepers in the daies of Elisha but he was sent to none save to Naaman the Syrian and hee had beene sent to him also in vaine if Selfe might have borne sway A second Branch of Instruction is of Instruction Be not offended with crosses to stay that impatience of our spirits Branch 2 which usually falls from us under the visitations of God either upon our whole man or body soul and conscience state posterity or whatsoever For why should we murmur against him that by wounding our side should let out an impostume which would else kill us such an one as no other meane would have cured save this doubtlesse as Hezekia saith By this man liveth And Iob cap. 33. Elihu tells us Hereby even by the corrections which he hath sealed such as he there mentioneth consumptions Esay 3.8 fevers and diseases which take away stomack and the like the Lord hideth the pride of man which is selfe he brings to the pits brinke of the grave that he may keep the soule from hell even the nethermost pit Oh! when the bladder of Selfe and Pride and Presumption is prickt and the bubbling froath and windy puffing thereof is let out a man comes to see himselfe as hee is a forlorne creature then his duties affections hopes sorrowes desires and performances vanish no man can so basely thinke of him as he conceives of himselfe then hee is vile dust and ashes in his own eyes Who is more free from all arrogating to himselfe and his owne righteousnesse then one that lies all pale and consumed with paine and sicknesse When we doe meet with one except some desperate blinde Pharisee who in his extremity dare trust to himselfe where is then his vain-glory his boasting of devotions fasts prayers and alms Alas the image of them is despised the pride of life is crack't and the great stomacke is broken and then his high thoughts which exalted themselves against Christ and an humble heart quaile and come downe Crosses are great meanes to let out Selfe out of the Soule Then if an interpreter come one of a thousand to declare his righteousnesse how welcome is hee When the heart is empty of Selfe then doth the Lord commonly fill it with good things and when it despaireth of selfe-hope then the Lord saith Deliver him I have received a ransome Hence it is that Iob cap. 10.12 saith Thy visitations O Lord have preserved my spirit And the truth is it is well in these dead times if any thing will doe it As Paul Phil. 3. saith If by any meanes I may attain it The word without some afflictions upon mens spirits or name bodies or posterity and that in some stinging kinde pierces not the spirit is straitned Sometims after long struglings and wrastlings of men with this Selfe hoping to picke somewhat out of their owne strength they are tired and wearied in their way and their former feares come upon them a-fresh so that they can finde no rest in their bones Then they begin to consider seriously of it and conclude There is a pad in the straw still they crosse the worke of God in one kinde as fast as they further it another Surely they resolve an heart of hollownesse sloath unsoundnesse and loathnesse to renounce the creature or their stoutnesse and sullen heart or the warmth of their owne feathers their zealous affections These or the like oppose the nakednesse and simplicity of the promise and keep the conscience in snares and defilements and they cry out Miserable men who shall deliver us And sometimes by other affronts the Lord is faine to sharpen the point of his convincing ordinance that the Soule may think the Lord is in sad earnest when she findes him to hunt her out in every corner and give her no rest till she can be content to be saved any way so she may be saved A very Papist in his straits will disclaime himselfe and say It is safest for the avoyding of vain-glory to cleave onely to mercie and shall we that professe none but Christ come short of them To conclude then as we read Heb. 12. My son refuse not the chastening of the Lord Job 7.18 nor grudge at his visitations as Iob once murmured Why dost thou visit him every morning and try him every moment Why dost thou set mee as a marke against thee But in the issue of that great trouble he was of another mind saying cap. 9.31 My very cloathes defile me And cap. 42.4 Now have I seene thee therefore I abhorre my selfe Let us doe likewise and abhorre our owne murmurings at our crosses for although they are irksome to the flesh yet they are wholesome for the spirit as we say of the body that when the spleen is smallest that is best So the body of grace is at best when that Spirit in
to deny thy selfe or else thou art foiled For Selfe is as the wife in the bosome It is hard to deny a friend a neighbour especially if importunate as him in the Gospel who came by night for loaves how much lesse a wife Nay Selfe is yet neerer unto us then a wife It comes alway with a bribe a gift in the hand sweetnesse of lust is as butter in a Lordly dish This bribe unhappily prospers wheresoever it goes except thou deale harshly with it as hee with Iehorams messenger it will prevaile Stoppe thine eares as the Adder In vaine is the net laid for that which hath wing Dally not with her as Eve with the serpent Sampson with Delila If she fell in innocency how wilt thou stand in corruption Peremptory folke are best in a good cause and she is the most chaste wife who hath the most denying behaviour Seventhly There is enough in God to make amends for denying Selfe That which Selfe falsly promiseth God both justly and duly promiseth and peformeth To joyne any thing with God is to joyne a candle to the Sunne or water to the Ocean And as hath beene said it is the way to make us hated of God and men of God for lacke of integrity of men for lacke of wickednesse In things confused no man knows his owne To expect reward from two Masters is to lose our labour from both So much be said for motives To adde some meanes of getting selfe-deniall First then labour to make somewhat else thy selfe beside thy selfe else thou wilt never deny thy selfe For Selfe cannot oppose Selfe in the particular of opposition no more then Satan can Satan If once grace come in place and stead of Selfe then all old Selfe life and the comforts of it shall go for new Selfe else God and all shall goe for house and land favour of men and liberties lusts and will of the flesh So Paul calleth grace himselfe It is not I but sinne in mee q. d. a stranger an excrement No matter what become of flesh if spirit once bee Selfe Get this sound judgement what deserveth to bee Selfe and all is well the old house shall downe that a new may bee set up Secondly be armed with sound resolution against the strong error of the world which maintaines godlinesse to be meere losse True it is that persecutions follow Christianity howbeit even with such persecutions afflictions Maâ—k 10. a Christian shall have an hundred fold As God can fill the soul with bitternesse in abundance so can he fill with joy and comfort an heart which wants 1 Cor 1. When my afflictions abounded then did my consolations abound also As a man may be in Paradise accursed so in prison an happy man Ruben what got hee in defiling of Bilha Surely shame he lost both birthright to Ioseph Kingdome to Iuda and Priesthood to Levi Hee was strength and excelleny but lost all And what got Salomon by denying himselfe in his petition Both that he asked and that which he asked not Thirdly consider what ever it be which thou seekest without God cannot doe thee any good When God bids honour wealth any creature do thee good it shall else not They are instruments and workes only by the agent as the saw by the hand of the mover They comfort us onely by a borrowed comfort And so on the other side nothing can hurt no not Shemei except God bid him and when the curse is gone forth yet it shall be both causelesse and fruitlesse except God send it Those that do so Idolize the creature yet finde it oft their snare yea the favour of Princes proves their snare and so they are forced to say If God had beene chiefe this or that had not been Fourthly stirre up sundry graces of God in thy soule First knowledge secondly faith thirdly the love of God For the first consider God in his worth We use to say Let such a friend speed he is worthy only knowing of God and his gift will make him prized and Selfe despised See Psal 73.20 They that know thee shall love thee 1 Cor. 1.12.13 See the place Secondly faith see that catalogue of selfe-denying Saints who refused to enjoy pleasures in Pharaoh's Court endured the spoyling of goods c. How came they by this By faith they did it Faith Conquers Selfe by the same power whereby shee overcomes the world for the world within is the chiefe world See 1 Tim. 4.10 Thirdly love When Paul was so disswaded from Suffering hee answers What doe you rending my heart thus I am ready to goe and to suffer losse of all for Christ all is dung and drosse to him The love of Christ compells us the Greek word is hemmes us in as in a pinfold that we can goe no way out of it 1 Cor. 13. Love is bountifull she seeks not her owne but Christs she suffers all things endures all things And to these adde Stirre up wisedome and be able to conclude that in denying thy selfe is true safety peace gaine in the contrary is nothing but sorrow repentance if not here yet in a season unwelcome See Matth. 16. end viz. when Christ shall come with his Angels Selfe shall prove thy plague thy bane if thou yeeld to it as Amnon to Tamar there will be no end of yeelding 2. Branch of Exhortation Get the Spirit of grace The second branch of exhortation is this Labour to get that Spirit of grace which God hath annexed to his covenant and promise that it may not bee naked and empty but accompanied and mixed with efficacie and power in the hearts of the hearers This Spirit opposeth Selfe in all the elect and suffereth it not to make the word to goe without effect and to defeat them of their hope It is such a spirit in the soul as taketh them off from their owne spirit of Selfe presents so really the good things which God hath given us 1 Cor. 2. that it causes the soule willingly to relinquish all home contents and with Caleb Numb 14. to turne the greatest yron charets Anakims and difficulties of beleeving into encouragements and perswasions I might save for envie compare it with the spirit of New England not that all who goe that voyage deny themselves for among many that doe some seek themselves but I say to the spirit of such as goe thither For as many of them are discontent with the conditions of Old England thinking it a burthen to live here where they cannot hire one acre of ground but it must cost them money but there they imagine they may bee rich the first day and occupy as much ground as they please and live contentfully In a word here they finde abundance of sad affronts and discouragements which there they hope to bee rid of Now having in their intentions knockt off themselves so resolved from the Old Englands their native soile and apprehended strongly the new Simil. as their Paradise who should
But humblenesse stands not in confessing there is no cause of it but in casting it out So much for the first Branch A second respect wherein Grace resists Selfe is this 2. Maâ—â—e she subordinaâ—es all to Grace I say all Selfe and her branches carnall Selfe hypocriticall Selfe mixt Selfe all now are quasht and the soule dare seeke no other credit respect commodity ease to her selfe then the Spirit of Grace will allow her Grace in a poore soule is as the power of Reason is to the inferior faculties when once the soule is infused into the Infant this supreame one of Reason subordaines the other faculties of vegetation and sense to her selfe all come under her authority and name Looke whatsoever Selfe hath formerly aimed at above Grace the Spirit fetches it all under it selfe As Peters trade of fishing and nets were vile in his eies when hee saw the glory of Christ upon mount Thabor Even all Selfe and folly comes behinde the Spirit of Grace Oh! what a blessed liberty is this to bee rid of the bondage of Selfe what cause of rejoycing Oh brethren to love the Lord Jesus for himselfe and all other things for his sake what a checke is it to Selfe Good brethren note it and trie your selves by it if those contents which were unlawfull be cut off wholly and the lawfull seasoned and sweetned by Christ if those delights which formerly were either savored for themselves or without Christ now we cannot relish but in and through Christ it is some signe that Selfe is brought under the subjection of the Spirit of Grace And to this may be added which differs not much in substance that the truth as it is in Jesus and the Spirit of Grace is the supply and furniture of the soule in all the wants and difficulties of it so that it need take no further thought it takes off the soule from all those proppes which shee formerly trusted unto and makes a rich supply of them in Christ really Excellent is that speech which Ioseph bid his brethren utter to Iacob when he sent for him into Egypt Take no thought saith he for your houshold stuffe and implements which ye use for lo all the fulnesse of the land of Egypt is before you count all your furniture not worth the carrying Gen. 45.20 for ye shall find in Egypt such store of all necessaries that you shall not repent you of the leaving of them behinde Surely if the promise of Ioseph were so well worth the trusting to what is the promise of Christ worth And if the store of Canaan were so superfluous in Egypt what is the supply of Selfe worth to one that is in Christ If this were thought of beforehand how lythe and cheerfull would the soule be in going to Zoar out of Sodome How farre would shee be from looking backe with Lots wife as loth to depart from her old treasure The heart called to Christ hankers and hangs off here catching up one rag of Selfe there another loath to goe naked fearing lest there should not be enough for all uses and turnes in Christ but when shee heares Take no thought for any of these Christ shall afford all meet ease credit content and worldly conveniency Oh it is well content to leave it for who so will let them take it that know no Christ As the lame man hearing Christ calling him threw away his cloke and crutches saying If Christ will give me my limbs I take no thought for these either I shall need none or have them better supplied from a fountaine Brethren weigh this marke well Selfe cannot digest it All the whole sea of Christ is no content to her except shee can eike him out with somewhat of her owne she hangs in the aire without a bottome like a stone till it be upon her center But Christ is a sufficient store to a poore soule in the vacuity of other things Though there were no calfe in the stall or bullock in the flock Heb. 2. yet Christ were enough Trie your selves you may as easily judge by this marke as what meate your stomack stands to If onely you can bee satisfied with Christ while your ease credit health and welfare last then upon point Christ is not these but these are Christ When Iacob saw the charets he had enough if you cannot say so when you behold the promise all is not well Onely an insufficient Christ causeth such patching A good new garment needs no shreds to peece it Christ is to a poore child of God as Elkana told discontented Hanna more then tenne sonnes 1 Sam. 1. Till there be enough felt and tasted in Christ who will forgoe his other proppes Who will flit out of his dwelling to lie in the street The true mother cried let her have all the child rather then divide it So the soule that is guided aright 1 King 3. loathes to divide Christ he had as leave have none Beg of the Lord to reach you out the Lord Jesus in his full supply of all wants and seasoning of all mercies that your soule having this boote in beame may be indifferent for other things as knowing they shall either not bee needed or else cast in The third branch of the Spirit of grace in opposing Selfe is the subduing and subjecting of the soule with equalnesse and contentednesse of minde to all those termes and conditions upon which grace may bee obtained The third Marke It subjects the soule to Christ upon his owne tearmes and conditions refusing no difficulties neither use of meanes nor forsaking her old contents but thinking grace a rich pennyworth whatsoever she cost There is a basenesse and closenesse in Selfe whereby she causeth the soul to shrug at the conditions of Grace as wearisome and costly this humor the Spirit of Grace removes causes such a cheerfull willingnes in the soule to stoop to any tearms of Gods imposing that she thinkes her selfe well if she may so speed When a man lies sicke of a disease without danger of death he will send his state to the Physitian and give him a slight fee but he is loath to charge himselfe deeply for the matter but if sicknesse encrease and danger of life appeare then the desire after health and the fear of danger concurring make him devoure all charges then he will have the Physitian come to him and give him any recompence being glad of health upon any conditions So it is here Coy and queazie Selfe that feeles no danger and reaches at Grace as a good thing in generall can beteame no great paines nor deny her selfe any wonted liberty nor submit to any great abasement of her selfe for the matter if it come easily she is content But if once the Spirit of Grace shew her the danger of forgoing it of delaying to get if of an indifferent remisse heart lazy carnall and willing to goe to heaven with all her will and liberties if once she present
the necessity of it and the true sense of utter perishing without it lo then the case is altered John 10.10 then as Peter on the suddaine would have Christ wash him throughout so she growes resolute to beare downe all selfe le ts disswasives feares losses discredit then so she may have Grace shee will have it any way let all goe shee cares not so she may enjoy that pretious thing she loveth she tramples upon her pride ease and all that hangeth on as a clog without or as a let within glad if with the forfeit of all she can purchase it Heb. 12.1 Marke this good brethren let the Spirit of Grace prevaile a little and it is strange how it subdues that loathnesse of Selfe to yeeld the rebellion and fiercenesse of the Spirit Oh! it causes the Lion and Lambe to feed together it tames the soule and carries it captive bound hands and feete content to abase it selfe to the lowest and poorest tearmes to be taught and directed in the way of God by the most despised instruments which before she disdained to learne of Curiosity now and choice of Preachers and accepting of the Grace of our Lord Jesus in respect of persons is base and unsavoury Now shee sees Grace is onely in the hand of God to give or restraine now it is a dainty commodity indeed and beares prick and prise in the soule any thing will be given for it if God will now sell it her let him but aske and have and whatsoever before was in high esteeme shall now be vile and as dung unto it Oh! beloved trie your selves also by this marke and if ye finde the least dramme of this geason worke of the Spirit in you dampe it not nor quench it lest Selfe returne and set such a deepe price upon it that perhaps yee will never recover it againe If a spirit of frequent and unwearied hearing travell conference meditation questioning consulting with such as can resolve us a spirit of wisdome to devoure sinfull bashfulnesse and modesty and coynes in revealing our doubts be given unto us if wee feele an heart in us loathing that lither listlesse dead spirit which was wont to withdraw us beware we lose it not nourish it and although all the world should mock us and our own base spirit should tell us we shall be noted for our labour let us make never the lesse of it nor be discouraged Fourthly 4. Marke Spirit of Grace resists those speciall pangs of selfe in every soule the Spirit of Grace resists those particular and personall pangs of Selfe self-love which the soul especially is distempered with Selfe is a stock of many branches even originall antipathy to Christ and Grace at every rate but some appeare in one some in another as in the body some humors settle within the intralls others breake out into sores and swellings So here In some there appeares a base lither heart in some a spirit of the world lusting to rake and scrape in others subtilty and hollownesse to colour over their owne corruption in some a barren deadnesse of heart in others secret pride and resting in their gifts in some selfe-conceit of their owne way in others revenge pettishnesse 2 Cor. 10.4 frowardnesse Some encline to the right hand of selfe-confidence and content in their owne hopes others to the left hand of feare and slavery Now the Spirit of Grace In some stronger in in some weaker is as fire devouring that corruption which is next hand and searching out the peculiar distemper of the Spirit which beares most sway against Grace and Christ It descants not about other mens lets and maladies but lookes at her owne in speciall saying I doubt not but others finde their owne home and bosome hindrances let me see to mine owne for other mens shall not hurt me I feele a very stout heart loath to take a reproofe blustering at any that should taxe me what Do they know what I am my parts or thus I feele a very froward spirit God himselfe must not crosse and unsettle me lest I fly in his face or thus I feele a stiffe heart of Selfe loath to doe good to sympathize the necessities of others so I may fare well my selfe by visiting by advising admonishing instructing them I say each one hath his peculiar ayles and humors which take off the edge of grace in him and all because there is not that meekenesse tendernesse and brokennesse of spirit there wants the power of Christ to beare downe such distempers But the Spirit of Grace encounters every speciall disease discovers to every man his owne abandons that spirit which reignes in an hypocrite who can make a pretty shift till his owne basenesse be found out but then he buskells and takes on like a mad man Not so here For the Spirit of the Lord Jesus is a Spirit of sagacity and search never linning till it can follow her selfe by the sent and footings to her very den and there strives to drive her out of her hold by violence For why It presents to the soule the safety and happinesse of selfe-discovery This marke cleared and the infinite danger of the contrary causeth it to delight in the convincing of her conscience and to be loath to foster in herselfe any such michiefe as might destroy her own hopes She sees how hypocrites doe exchange Selfe with Selfe but purge it not out wholly desires to resigne up her chiefe fort and freehold to the Spirit of Grace without tergiversation or shifting And so shee cries out heartily to the Spirit of Grace Lord how long shall this close enemy of mine maintaine her selfe against thine authority and trie masteries with thy Spirit Hast thou not yet a further strength to cast downe this bulwarke Oh! if thou shalt cast out this defilement to the bottome so as I may feele a sweetnesse in thee to supply and equall it how sweet a mercy shall I count it Beloved search your selves by this Can you say of all these dregs of Selfe Oh that I might bee rid of them at once Oh when shall that happy day come When shall I feele the Spirit of Grace thus working to put all out of question that which is the bane of the false heart is the chiefe joy of a sound one when shall I feele my soule as sensibly sustained by the Word as ever I have beene by Selfe Oh! if now the houre were come that all the unclean pleasures I have taken in my own bottome and selfe-ends were quasht how should I rejoyce And yet I know well what I must forgoe even that which hath been my meat and drinke and pastime but I speake advisedly and in coole bloud I should be glad of it and hazard all and I know they should be as drosse to me if thou canst truly professe this thine estate is comfortable And hereto I may adde this as a fifth marke that the Spirit of Grace settles and compounds
naturall and beloved object The truth hath not made them free for if it had they would forsake all for it and buy it whatsoever it cost them but not sell it whatsoever they might have for it Besides they know not what spirit they are of while peace lasteth and the Gospel runnes in the streame of their liberties gifts services commodities and advantages who but they An humble and zealous Christian would almost tremble to heare their protestations their engagements for God and truth the cause of Christ and Religion who but they in their fastings and prayers deepe detestation of the sinnes of the times and mourning for the sorrowes of such as suffer But let the winde turne to another coast so that they see the enemies of truth lay hard to their free hold and they must either sadly suffer indeed for that they have professed or else bewray themselves to be hypocrites Then they shew upon what hinges their doore hanges and turnes even upon Selfe and selfe-love Then they wax stiffe for themselves then they cleave to the creature their ease and welfares their liberties and worldly contents Why this Alas They understood not their owâ— spirit and therefore it laid them in the suds ere they were aware Now their great declaiming against the sinnes of timeservers and selfe-loving hypocrites is turned to apologize for their inconstancy selfe-love and ends of their owne Moreover another cause is they sought not Christ simply and honestly for himselfe but for somewhat which might bee gotten from him to serve their owne turne by his meanes They know not how to licke themselves whole upon the Lord Jesus for any thing they lose for him and therefore they are loath to venture any more then they must quite make forfeit of If they knew whom to trust for amends or could beleeve that hundred fold requitall for God and his Gospel which is promised to all that lose any thing for him Oh! it would lithe their hearts exceedingly to suffer any thing for him To conclude they consider not what a poore bargaine they make of it when they sell the honour and glory of the Lord Jesus for the redeeming of a poore transitory content here below they consider not that they fish with a golden hooke for minums if they lose their hooke upon a shrag of triall and temptation they can never make amends againe for it by all they catch though the fish were fairer Conscience is no commodity to weigh in the balance against ease and carnall profits and pleasures as Elisha asked Gehazi Is this a season to purchase olives and vineyards and menservants or maidservants They consider not what poor and silly figleaves they sow together to cover their nakednesse when they pretend a necessity of serving God their owne way that way which will hold best agreement with their own ends to shun serving him his way of suffering which contradicts their self-love In all these respects and in many more let us not wonder at the wofull declension of these revolting times which leave the Lord Jesus himselfe to sinke or swim Nay further let us not be offended overmuch at such as at their first entry and onset upon Religion seemed so zealous as to chalenge all enemies of Christ and began to suffer for him But having born the brunt a while and felt the triall too hot and too heavy for them have with more shame and reproach revolted from him then ever they began to suffer with honour and commendation And sithence it fareth thus let all whom it concerneth Counsells to helpe this Exhortation to approve their faith and fidelity to the Lord Jesus as it doth concerne all who will not prove hypocrites now in these wofull daies strive for the holding up and preserving the entire honour and esteem of Christ his Grace his truth profession and Gospel both in their owne soules with sincerity and before men without shame or cowardize Consider poore soule by whose strength thou standest do not look too wisely upon next hand examples of staggerers and timeservers though perhaps thou hast admired them for their zeale and gifts know them by their fruits stagger not at their revolts But looke to Jesus the author and finisher of thy faith Heb. 12.2 who for the hope set before him and the love to thy soule and salvation despised the shame and endured the crosse Behold if examples do so much affect thee the patternes of those faithfull ones who in all ages have borne witnesse to Jesus and not esteemed their credits or goods or lives so that they might vindicate the glory of Christ and discharge the trust which in baptisme and much more in their conversion to God was committed to them to be faithfull souldiers and to contend for the truth against Divell and his instruments the world and their own fleshly selfe-love The Lord hath had in all ages some who have though it a businesse of importance to sticke to Christ and his honour whatsoever it cost them although thy strength be small the trialls of the malicious sharpe and fiery as darts yet if thou canst deny thine owne selfe humble thy soule be little in thine owne eies be above thine owne ends and sensuality Then that God who hath suffered thousands of subtill selfe-loving hypocrites to fall on thy right hand and thy left shall keepe thee safe in the midst under the covert of the wings and shadow of his Almighty power Psal 92.7 Counsells And to this end and purpose first get faith in Trialls more pretious then gold and looke not to suffer for Christ by thine owne strength but get strength from him whom thou sufferest for Get thee his innocency be sure thy cause be good joyne with it a good conscience two excellent banners to fight under and then by prayer beg from Christ that strength courage meeknesse simplicity selfe-deniall unashamednesse to confesse him and to suffer for him which becommeth one who hath received thy being of grace and the hope of welbeing of glory for ever from him Beleeve that hee who nayled all enmity of Satan and the gates of hell to his crosse hath risen by the might of his Godhead and is at his right hand will so provide that the remnant of their conquered and captivated malignity and malice shall never prevaile against thee If ever thou tookest hold of his strength to save thee from hell and from perishing trust him for strength to overcome all earthly enemies he can and will subdue them unto thee divert them disarme them disable them and give thee full redemption from them If ever hee built thee soundly upon his rocke feare not neither stormes nor sands nor tempests nor any assaults shall ever cause thy building to ruinate but thou shalt stand because built upon a rock Secondly be not heedlesse and carelesse of trouble but be well settled and informed in thy judgement concerning the weight and the importance of the truth of God Let
the whole Army of corrupt Arguments which both within and without beset the soule against the naked truth of the promise before ever he set them at liberty And the truth is onely the worke of regeneration is able both to drein away this spring and floud of contradiction and to dry up her streames that they may not so abundantly flow out to beare downe all the force of truth in us or perswade us to conversion And the same spirit it must be which must turne our streame to run another way and take off this rolling doore of our corruption from the old hinges to open and move a contrary way Onely Grace must consume all our base inventions which man hath found out against God as Eccles 7.29 Civils against Religion sundry of theâ— named That this Sect of Religion is everywhere evill spoken of If once a Christian ever a slave a beggar a foole These Preachers tell us many tales of a tub against sinne and of the judgements of God but the best is wee see not thunder and lightning to follow upon every word they speake If all were so cursed whom they declaim against they would looke as blacke as foot there would bee no living among men but thankes be to God we see all things still continue as they were and men are as white in the face as they were wont buy and sell goe to markets and faires to Ale-houses and merry meetings their pleasures and good fellowships as free and fast as ever Therefore we see they would but rob us of our liberties and make us such fools as themselves which God forbid it were pitty that for their pleasures the world should be so turned Iopsie-turvie Others come in and backe themselves with this That your best Preachers are no better then they should be and in corners they are as other men Some thinke if religion once beare sway then their trades must be forsaken they must sell all and give it to good â—â—lke and Preachers not unlike to the Popish Jesuites who in their Sermons tell the people that English Protestants have long tailes and hornes in their foreheads and looke as grizely as Ghosts and some grinne like Dogges and the like Againe others cavill say These Christians are so sad and melancholick that I am afraid I should die of no other disease save of very thought and care Others come neerer and consider God would have their lusts and lewd qualities from them which are necessary evils to them they cannot part with them Religion is better to make shew of for mens ease as Machiavil said then to make us sound at heart and so cost us much paine Others cavill and say The best cannot tell whether they shall be saved and they can hope as well as others and so hope well and have well Others thinke it impossible to change their natures and to be converted They have assayed often but they finde little come of it and they love no worke which is never at an end nor then neither They love that religion which a man can tell what to make of and come to a point but as for that which is never content but first men must forgoe their lusts then their liberties then themselves beleeve repent and bee broken-hearted this is precise and curious not for their tooth Others say If yee heare the Preacher yee will lose your wits and drowne or fore-doe your selves Others yet come closer and cavill thus Wee see the more we are terrified for sinne the further we are from God God hath not appointed all to bee saved all cannot mourne or beleeve it is the gift of few we know not whom God hath chosen men may fall away after they have beleeved and if some say true the justified may revolt and be damned and they can be no worse though they never begin Many goe so farre as few can match them and yet for one cause or other they must prove hypocrites and lose their labour therefore they will save theirs altogether they had as good sit for nought as toyle for nought Others say their corruptions doe so weary them that they shall never get through them and others are afraid that they shall never persevere but at one time or other fall foully and dishonour their Religion therefore dare not give the on-set To conclude others have taken offence at the rigour of the Law and so run out to seek old liberties alledging that bondage to be most irksome And others who proceed further yet say This and such like doctrines of Selfe doe discourage them they feare that a man cannot be rid of it and they see it is hard even for the best to discerne the Spirit of God from a mans owne Endlesse it were to reckon up all cavils onely the Lord must change the heart ere it be rid of these her inventions To dispute for God is a great work of grace And much more must the Lord turne the streame a contrary way ere the soule wax resolute against all such objections and bee turned to dispute for God to hold close to the promise and to devise as many as strong and as witty reasons for her owns salvation as before shee did against it Some instances of disputing for God To argue thus is not common The Lord hath his number and will ever have and they are such as leaving his secrets cleave to his revealed will Such as are loaden with their corruptions mourne after ease not for ease onely of their feare and guilt but to take the yoke of Christ upon them in stead thereof Such if any may claime the promise And such an one through mercy I am Few indeed shall be saved but then as few lament after God till they finde him and many glorious lights fall away but then their light was in themselves they were not humble True it is the elect are knowne to God but yet such as will first beleeve shall in time know themselves to bee elect And why should I thinke my inducements to beleeve to bee so weake or few Nay rather why should not I if I be lead by the Spirit of Grace turne disswasives into perswasives and sway all objections to the naked promise Surely Caleb did so And Gods reasons are many and strong Num. 14.5.6 Mee thinkes it is a strong motive that the Lord will leave none but such as forsake him first His meaning seemes very cordiall unto me when he bids a sinner be reconciled For why There is bottomelesse patience in his heart to forbeare smiting hee hath mercy cut off his owne plea he hath neglected no meanes to satisfie his owne justice hee that would not refuse to forgoe his onely sonne will not lose his cost surely he meanes well to a poore wretch He hath received a ransome declares himselfe to be appeased wishes us to be so threatens us if wee refuse His Spirit is annexed to his offer he allureth draweth encourageth and yet
no reason be given how a workeman could atchieve it or perfect it where say they are his tooles his leavers his hammers for the nonce Neither meane I the carnall reason of prophane Esau's and libertines whose belly backe pride and ease of the flesh wholly sway them and who have dashed out that dimme light of morall or naturall notions left in our decayed nature through the prevailing of their lusts Even professors of Râ—ligion but I meane them who ordinarily professe Religion whose knowledge of Religion added to their naturall light doth curbe and over-rule in good measure the excesse of carnall reason in her grossenesse For why Education training up to knowledge and observing of truthes taught in the word will easily moderate the basenesse of this carnality though grace and sanctification hath not yet subdued either their mindes to the true sense or their hearts to the savor of Gods matters as in the regenerate Nay further I would have all to conceive the doctrine in generall as belonging to all carnall reason without exception wheresoever it bee found insomuch that the very godly themselves so farre as unregenerate Yea the godly themselves in part and especially Satan by infidelity tempting them are carried this way dangerously as those many instances of Scripture of Moses of Samuel of Gedeon of Sarah of others witnesse who when they heard of 1 Sam. 16.6 Num. 20.10 c. or went about Gods messages or matters presently they cavilled by carnall reason saying Should all the flocks of the mountaines or heards of beasts be slaine to feed this people Should Sarah at this age give suck If the Lord be with us why are these things upon us Is not the Lords annointed Eliab before him Meaning these things to reason seeme impossible therefore they are so or this or that seemes likely therefore it is so whereas when they speake as beleevers they looke at another principle thus or thus God will or will not have it therefore so it is and must be God will and can doe this or that therefore done it shall bee whatsoever flesh cavills to the contrary Ere I leave this first generall I will adde some instances of Gods matters Instance 1 Worship of God wherein carnall reason prejudicateth and hindreth the soule from conceiving and beleeving For although I might onely speake in generall and say it hinders in all both morall especially if truly understood as the hallowing of a Sabbath the ruling of the thoughts and affections in secret and especially mysteries revealed in Christ yet it will better satisfie the minde of you that heare beloved to name some speciall branches by which carnall reason may be guessed at in other kindes The instances are these First in matter of Religion and worship and the speciall wayes of God to us as in commands promises threats or our service to him in selfe-deniall faith mortification and the like For religion and worship how doth carnall reason judge Surely not according to the nature of it which is a powerfull uniting of the soul to God and restoring it to the integrity of nature according to creation But it conceives confusedly of it as a due which the creature owes to God that the inferior worship the superior never looking either at the right maner or true ends thereof And therefore although it grant a worship yet it judges of the frame thereof according to the patern of corrupt reason and thinkes that God is best pleased with a blindnesse of devotion a superstitious zeale such a worship as astonisheth the sense with some carnall abstinences rites or ceremonies of mans devising or some outward pompous rites and glorious shewes of Pietie in decking of Churches in golden and silver ornaments precious vestments costly Temples and rich furniture But as for spirit and truth of soule attending the Lord purely in those ordinances which himself hath invented altogether senselesse thereof As we see in Popery at this day to what point it hath brought the worship of God That worship which bites not the Spirit is most specious to the eye working upon the carnall part and putting it in hope that God will bee as well pleased with her service as she her selfe is that agrees best with carnall reason That preachers speake smooth quaint pleasing things tickle the eare displease not corruption That the Sermon be short and of quicke dispatch that we cope all our Sabbath devotion yea all our religion within the Church walls and savour little of it within our owne houses callings and government but live by comparison of our selves with the prophane who care for no worship at all this pleases flesh alife For Commands So for Commands so farre as they goe in reasons streame as to live and be painfull in our callings to beware of bringing our names into discredit by lewd company drinking swearing and pot-companionship to keep our state from decay to be no spend-thrifts and so become burdensome to our friends or the Towne These and the like commands because they borrow authority from carnall inconveniences please carnall reason well But to obey in suffering as well as doing with the losse of credit estate life to trust God in all these and live by faith that God will support us in our endevours this is foolishnesse to carnall reason A man who suffers for the safeguard of his conscience seemes a stark foole to a worldling Matth. 16.20 Tush say men hee may thanke himselfe this needed not to betide him For Promises So in the matter of promises carnall reason loves to heare that men shall fare well for their trusting God and obeying him But how They savour no spiritualnesse in a promise So their Cow may not cast her Calfe Psal 17. so their bellies may bee filled with the treasure hidden in the earth Deut. 33. enjoying the blessing and influence of the Sunne Moone and heavens that they may abound in Corne and Wine and Oyle and feele no lack in their health bodies names children so long I say they are for promises They can alledge that God hath promised no more to drowne the world Gen. 8.22 That Summer harvest seed time and harvest shall continue these they lot upon and snatch at but as for the promise to ease a loaden soule to restore to it life and immortality by the Gospel This and the like are gibbridge to them He that should presse them to get the favour of him that dwelt in the bush were as one that told them a tale of a tub Deut. 33.16 or spake in Hebrew and Greeke unto them So I may say of Gods threats Perhaps in terrible thunder and lightning they wil run into a hole But they behold no power nor Majesty of a just and revenging God in any of them For why Thier sinne lies deeply bundled up in them in the bottome of a deluded and secure conscience and therefore they feare nothing they are setled upon their
Reproofe in divers respects I have toucht some particulars by occasion before Practice of carnall reason reproved in all sorts I will adde a few more here I say it should convince the consciences of us all that are before the Lord this day for our arrerages of carnall reason We should say as Pharaohs butler Lord this day comes much of my sinne in this kind to my remembrance O Lord the branches of this stocke are infinite How oft hath my base heart stumbled at the purenesse the closenesse of thy waies desiring the doore were opener for my carnall ease liberty and breadth to goe in at How oft have I thought my fine wits and China-mettall'd understanding too dainty for thy matters to meddle with My parts too good to honour thee How little have I laboured to submit my wit to thy will with gladnesse How often have I stumbled at the simplicity of thy Ministers servants as too meanly gifted for my reach How much ado have I with my cursed heart to profit by them as not complying enough with my carnall expectation How oft have I measured good things by their successe Being ready rather to chuse sin with happinesse then vertue with defeat and ill consequence How weakely have I beene carried with partiality of heart towards the godly Affecting them who have beene close faithfull friendly usefull beneficiall welconceited of me tender and indulgent mercifull and bountifull rather then others who hath beene more estranged in affection more ready to reprove my faults How much adoe have I from restraining indignation from such as are aloofe from me and little esteeme me How seldome have I gone to heare publiquely or to take counsell but I have rather sodered my faults then desired that the righteous might smite me How prone am I to looke at the greatnesse of some religious ones and to make use of them in that kinde rather then their good examples and the savour of their grace How weake have I O Lord discovered my selfe to be both in doing and suffering In the one being carried more with outward incouragements hireling-wise then upon a promise If I have found my labours my services accepted with men credit countenance and maintenance following how trim have my wheeles gone If not how heavy In the sufferings I have had how doe I seeke rather to licke my self whole by outward helpes and remedies then by that hundred fold which thou hast promised to requite my losses withall And though I have not runne to good witches yet how have I clave to mine owne carnall reason And seeming to have shot a gulfe how have I beene drowned in a shallow Oh! when I have found unkinde unthankefull and base usage at the hands of them whom I have served in Ministry counsell or helpfulnesse how hardly yea bitterly have I taken it As if I had done it to bee thought well of and not as one who had learned to undergoe good and bad report How hath my arme shrunke it selfe in toward such As if I had served an ill master who will conceale the labour of my love Oh! yee Headburrowes and Officers of Townes let this truth of God convince yee how doe you looke at pleasing men shunning ill will aiming at serving your owne turnes and base ends rather then at discharging duty in punishing offenders both spirituall upon the Sabbath and morall at other times despisers of the ordinances swearers and drunkards Is not this carnall wisedome else know not I what is Alas where is Davids spirituall reason that blessed God for giving him an heart to build a Temple and prepare stuffe for it although it were the lot of Salomon to have the name of it So God had it how little cared he by whom So Christ were preached how little did Paul envie or care by whom And so againe what is the common speech of men If I had ever hurt him it would not have grieved me to bee ill spoken of or dealt with by him But alas thou hast more cause to blesse God for thy breast-plate of innocencie to shrowd thee from God his revenge Thou shouldst see God rather against thee for thy little respect to his Majesty in the sincerity of thy spirit then at man whom thou hast not offended So againe how oft have our carnall hearts intruded themselves upon Gods administrations to censure him for the long suffering of the bad and the crossing of his owne in their zeale and good cause Ah poore worme canst thou comprehend Gods ends in thy fist How doe wee Ministers murmure and complaine if wee doe no good Why are we above election or servants to it Is it well not that wee are a sweete savour in all And so I might bee endlesse Therefore I beseech you in Gods feare let this be a speciall meane to humble us all for this our base enterfeering with God in his holy wayes Application of it by our carnall reason Oh! you who have been so ready to be led from God by feare of parents displeasure losse of favour of betters repent and breake your hearts Ministers who have betraid the cause of God by base time-serving and pleasing men loathnesse to suffer Oh! repent of your carnall reason recover Gods losses ere ye dye Oh! you that have chosen to save your livings or lives rather then Gods honour consider how small your gaines have been in losing your soules for a mole-hill of earth Repent O carnall wretch who wouldest never bee brought to more religion then lay in the lap of thy carnall reason not cut off a locke for God not forgoe a petty oath for him not lose so much love of an husband a Landlord as is worth two strawes for him Repent and be humbled O thou that hast fleerd and laught in thy sleeve at the sincere Thou who hast made Gods worship and profession to serve thy turne and sold thy selfe by it to credit to custome in shop to good marriage by it thy selfe being bad Come out O thou hypocrite who like Absalon hast openly spread thy Tent for the attaining of thine owne ends Yee politicke projectors and cunning plotters for your owne gaines enhansing above others though with an ill conscience and oppressing of the silly humble your selves and be ashamed Take God and his people to witnesse this day by your teares and mourning that it is so You that have come and are still comming to the Sacrament with carnall hearts for custome and to prevent the Court or reproach rather then conscience who have your hearts on the left hand saying I see nothing there to be had it is no likely thing Abana can heale me and Jordan can cure my leprosie Me thinkes I feare I shall goe home as I come and lose my journey Oh! above all others repent yee of this carnall dispute Naman repented repent you yee have sinned with him repent with him on Gods name The Lord from heaven beloved showre downe blessing and convince your
as the end of that Psalme witnesseth See againe Psal 43. wherein the absence of one principle caused David to grow into deadly dumps and that was this His troubles were so long that he beganne to thinke God might repent him of that free grace wherewith he had once imbraced him This caused exceeding distemper in his spirit so that hee thought himselfe cast off So Hezechia in his sickenesse Esay 38. So Ionah in the whales belly And so the Church in captivity Lam. 3. thought herselfe forsaken and that God had forgotten to be mercifull Hence the heart grew hardened the peace of it declined to feare and horror then the word and promises grew unwelcome then the ordinances grew unsavoury then the practice growes secure and loose and so all goes to havocke which might all have beene prevented if the soule had kept herselfe to the rule That whom the the Lord loveth Joh. 14.1 to the end he loveth them Read moreover Lam. 1.8.9 where Ieremy describes the wofull downfall sorrow that Jerusalem was fallen into and how she was come down wonderfully by steps to the lowest abasement And why Sure the sad error lay in the foundation she thought God would keep covenant with her though she brake with him she thought that to lye close to God and keepe covenant was no such great matter but that she might trie conclusions and so by a little deceitfulnesse of sinne the heart grew defiled the conscience crazy the spirit hardened by custome the soule impenitent and secure grew to care for no threats to reject commands to distrust promises and so came Jerusalem down wonderfully All which had beene prevented if either she had kept close to the covenant or repented betimes upon her revolt Besides look upon Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe to depart away from the living God and so wax hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sin How doe many who beginne zealously yet wax weary of weldoing by an evill heart Upon that how doth Satan encrease delusion and tickle with his temptations How doth the error of the wicked added thereto draw away more by example Psal 50.18 Then perhaps God is patient and smites not so that the sinner thinkes him like herselfe then loosenesse growes then a conceit that former practice hath been too precise lesse will serve Then groweth a mean esteeme of the word especially if powerfull and comming close Then perhaps sin having kindled thus far makes the life of faith unsavoury the baites of sin sweet makes us thinke it easie to repent at our pleasure and so we grow some to embrace one lewd pranke some another some to take their ease neglect prayer good company nible at the Divells baites pleasure company gaming petty oathes dalliance with women base fashions to concurre with the world and at last to waste the conscience with Sampson and David so farre that a man is snared and growne to a falling sicknesse and cannot recover himselfe All which might have beene prevented by holding the rule keep well while thou art well Be not weary of weldoing and the like It were endlesse to dwell any longer upon proofes Reasons are many First because Religion is a condition of life much Reason 1 more warily to be tended and watched unto then any other businesse whatsoever Now yet in all other affaires thus we finde it yeeld but one absurdity infinite many will follow upon it unavoidablely Take it in the businesse of war If one mistake fall out how many sad inconveniences follow Let a besieger of a City be too ventrous and what perill ensueth How was Abimelec slaine by a milstone under the wall How was Vria and other worthies destroyed by a desperate affront made by Ioab How were the Benjamites enclosed betweene the two armies of Israel the one burning their City the other before their face How easie is it to fall upon privy ambushments suspecting no danger In point of contention betweene couples in marriage or partners in trading or others in worldly businesse neglect but one rule in marriage to forbeare and give place to wrath what a fire is kindled Neglect but oft recknings betweene men how endlesse and confused grow the accounts Admit but one tetch and conceit without due pondering the matter and how endlesse contention followes blowes upon words sutes upon blowes and the ruine of each other by sutes So fares it in all other kindes Let there be but an error in the digestion and what can mend it Nothing the bloud must needs be bad the concoction cannot amend it and so all diseases attend the ill stomacke both in the head and parts of the body Is it so in all things and must it not much more bee so in the chiefe affaire of all other which is the matter of Religion Must not one radicall error there cause an infinite pudder in the consequences thereof Yes verily no remedy of it Reason 2 Secondly by law of contraries it must needs follow For if true peace in our course attend the cleaving to our rule because the whole safety of it hangs upon the grounds and directions of truth which minister life support light and defence to the particular practise how can it chuse but that those who warpe from the rule must of necessity forfeit peace and runne upon confusion See Gal. 6. He that walkes according to rule peace shall be to him For when the rule holds entire it ministers peace to the soule in all her actions even as a sound inside of health in the heart liver and braine ministers content to the body in all her operations And contrarily if the rule be broken it fares with the life as it fares with the operations of nature when the inward parts wax diseased a palsey braine causeth the members to flag and hang downe an ill liver causeth the body to swell Even so is it with a spirituall man All the acts of Religion must issue from the soundnesse of rule and grounds if either there be knowledge or no sincerity or if there both yet some maine error creep in between the joynts secretly lo all the whole life is miscarried and those errors which we see may thanke some rooted one which we see not because it affords continuall succour unto it Reason 3 Lastly Religion is an holy harmony and consent agreeing in all her parts most sweetly Religion is like an harmony Eccles 10.1 As a song sung or lesson plaid in musicke let but one disproportion bee in the tone and voice one string jarring in the instrument the whole melody is marred one dead fly marres the whole box of ointment So is it in Religion each part affects the other by consent an error in one makes a jarre in all either there must be a sutablenesse in all or else there is a disorder in the whole If then a string amisse be enough to spoile musicke what is an error in the instrument
way and strike into the way of selfe-deniall and faith strip herselfe naked and become as an orphan that hath none to betake himselfe unto none to shrowd under Now as shee is too proud as yet to take any shame so to take any new course she is too resty and lazy To dig she cannot and to beg she is ashamed Therefore as that Steward Luke 16.3 she will fall to an easier course she will resolve to shift and be still unjust as before returning to her trade with more boldnesse Vse 1 I must be briefe in this as being but an entrance into the next branch First Col. 2. end Gods people must beware of the fâ—lse boasting of ungrounded hypocrites let it be instruction to teach us wisdome that wee be not gulled with the glory of Hypocrites and Pharisees whose Religion stands in shew of humblenesse of minde and not sparing the flesh causing all men to gaze at them and wonder at their humility and devotion Oh! If such and such be not in the right way that be so lowly and so full of prayers and Religion God helpe us But Oh poore wretches They domineer in their kingdome and have none to controll them outwardly they are painted tombs and seeme to crouch and buckle But discover them never so little and put them out of their way they are as proud and disdainfull on the other side and no man can stand before their envy What wonder There is nothing more humble low base double diligent then Selfe in her owne way But put her out and nothing so proud bloud they say out of her vessell presently putrifieth Hold with a Papist in his owne course as alas ignorance must doe so and what shall ye not draw them unto What may you not have at their hands They will pull out their very eies to doe you good they will licke the dust of your feet But why Alas that by your consent and allowance they may stiffen themselves in their error and draw you into the fellowship thereof all is their selfe-way selfe-religion of the flesh which is proud of Gods colours Selfe in her owne way jâ—lly but if put out of it mad and raging and that she can pricke up herselfe with her own feathers But let truth once convince a Papist give him no hope either of countenancing him any more or of comming to his Religion and behold he will persecute you to the death Then will his spirit break out Thus those in Mica 6. would give God thousands of Rams tenne thousand rivers of oile in their owne way so that God would let them alone in their way they would fine for their Religion and undoe themselves yea offer up their children in sacrifice All this was to make God beholding to them to make all wonder at their bounty still Selfe lay quiet and gat warmth in her nest But when the Lord comes in with his way Oh then when he requires the soule to be lowly when he cries heare O man what he hath said and what his way is Then begins the sorrow will she then be so zealous to embrace Gods way No Mica 6. then she is sad and out of all sorts she will doe nothing See whence all that excesse of cost and bounty of impopery hath proceeded even from mens pleasing themselves in their owne way But crosse them never so little their almes and good workes perish in sullennesse of spirit and then all amort Oh trust not outsides There be many professors of the Gospel like to these Hold with them in their way of hearing of duties of compassion c. Oh! you shall have them as tame as lambes they will doe any thing for you But let the Minister deale sadly with them and say These moralities of yours you ought to retaine but the other and greater things of the Law you ought not to have neglected and then suddenly they become your enemies for telling them the truth Take an example or two In the 14. of the Acts those men of Lystra were so low and base as to set up Paul For Jupiter and Barnabas for Mercury to make Gods of men Thus they could be humble in their owne way to rob God of worship But when the Apostles perswaded them to turne from Idolls to the true God Oh then they were soone turned from adoring them to stoning of them So these falshearted Jewes who could outwardly magnifie Christ for his miracles hoping that he would become some great man could set him on the Asse and proclaime him a King who yet when they perceived his Kingdome not to be of this world gave him over and cryed crucifie him Beware I say lest we be deceived by such See Matth. 21.9 27.22 and let us know no pride is like to the pride of a crouching Pharisee A Monkish and Fryer-like votary hath more pride in his bare necke without a band and in his shirt collar beggars habit and seeming self-deniall then all the gallants and swaggerers in the world Oh! try mens spirits ere ye trust them If their humility lye in Gods way then esteem them but if it lye in their own way abhorre it For Selfe as the Prophet speakes of those Idolaters will abase herselfe to hell and cares not what she doe Esay 57.9 to make her seeme that she is not and to play her parts under a canopy and the more that she multiplies humilities and abasements one upon another the more she seeks to establish herselfe and to eke out her own short garments A dram of humblenesse in a truly broken heart and in Gods way will goe beyond all such patchery Secondly this should be Terror to all such Hypocrites as turn away Vse 2 their eies from reflecting upon their owne horrible pride The truly proud alway most ready to tax pride in the innocent and inveigh against others for their pride and singularity Note it there is not an hypocrite or wil-worshipper if he be convinced by the Ministery to bee upon a bad bottome but he will condemne that convincer to be proud censorious uncharitable factious none are good enough for them But Oh! thou wofull man whether of the two is the more proud he that reproves an ungrounded worshipper of God and convinces him of his ignorance and selfe-love or he that scornes a reproofe He who never thinkes himselfe sufficiently settled upon the bare truth and love of the promiser being himselfe destitute of all good or he who boasts himselfe of his owne goodnesse Matth. 7.5 Therefore with our Saviour I say Hypocrite first cast out the beame that is in thine owne eye and then thou shalt cleerly see to cast out the mote that is in thy brothers He may have a mote but thou hast a beame and that doth so stoppe and put out thine eye that the more selfe-love thou hast the lesse thou seest in thy selfe If ever the Lord truly cast downe thy soule thou shalt tremble with
insomuch that that the people thought it had beene better if the onset had never beene made Now when they saw this the Elders come to Moses saying God be judge betweene us and you q.d. we pray God there be plaine dealing among you for you have made us stinke in the sight of Pharaoh all goes worse and worse through your mediation Exod. 5.20.21 who would have liked this contrariety Yet the Lord who could exalt himselfe above all these lets and over Pharaoh himselfe wrought to his people a deliverance even from hence and that which this tyrant would not permit willingly to be done lo the Lord by forcible breaking in upon him doth compell him to and in the way of saving Israel from him overthrowes himselfe Joh. 9.5.35.36 See Joh. 9. When the Lord Jesus had once prevented that poore blinde creature with love and the handsell of his cure presently in stead of good successe all falls out very foule for why The Pharisees to stoppe the glory of it swarme like hornets about this poore man disquieting him with questions and snaring him with their malice till at last for his loyall Apology for Christ they had cast him out by excommunication This might seeme an hard gobbet for so weake a stomacke to digest and rather a meane quite to discourage him But could all their railing upon him and Christ alienation of him from Christ estrangednesse of parents doe it No as poore as that seed was in him yet lively it was and held out forcibly against all enemies valiantly defending Christs honour and innocency till when the time came that the Lord Jesus saw good to strike up the bargaine a few words served the turne and in the meane while no discouragements could beat him off all wrought him closer and faster to Christ by that secret and hidden attendance of the Spirit upon the poore entrance which had beene begunne Rom. 8. All shall tend from the first to the last to their good whom God loveth not onely in sanctification but in vocation also both being subordinate to election though the former under a stronger promise Act. 9.1.6.7.8 c. Who also thirdly could have thought that Paul had beene neare his conversion when he breathed out threats against the Saints like a Lion at his nostrills Yet that could not keepe off Gods preventing mercy from casting him downe and taming him and being so cast downe and a breach made let the Lord slacken his worke Did he not assist it strongly When this poore prisoner instead of pursuant lay blinde and desolate yea when all were affraid to meddle with him as thinking the Lion to be couchant for a skill that he might be rampant after how doth the Lord breake through all difficulties and sends Ananas to open the eies both of his body and soule and make him a sound man And thus here this poore Naaman in shew further from cure then at first how doth the Lord strangely turne the winde out of the East of a distemper into the South of a calme Causing here poore servants to become prevalent with their Lord to yeeld to that which he had renounced Surely so it is the Lord can on the suddaine cause deliverance to appear as recovery out of a long quartaine ague even when all hope is past when doome is given of shipwracke Act. 27. God shall make Paul to stand up with a word of hope to poore wretches he can hasten salvation with wings when it seemes a farre off when misery is at the deepest then comes up the seed of light which was sowne for the righteous As when there is no strength to bring forth the Lord unlooked for enlarges birth for the fruit that is to come to the birth and as the tender nurse overcomes the poore froward child with love and mildnesse till she have brought it out of it humors so here Esay 38. the doctrine then stands firme upon her bottome If any here aske Quest how and which way the Lord goes to work in such a businesse I answer Answ Assistance of grace wherein it stands by accommodating himselfe in speciall to the condition of such a soule as doth sticke thus in the birth and staggers between Gods preventing and perfiting grace I say his assistance is alway according to the soules difficulty Here in this case of Naaman we may clearly see how he steppes in by the servants furnishing them with more understanding of his case and inabling them to ponder the same with the sad effects of it more then Naaman himselfe and hereby kindling in them a sparkle of divine counsell which enabled them to speake wisely feelingly pertinently and in due season according to his condition with speciall blessing succeeding the same and carrying it home to their Masters spirit how easily had the thing fallen out otherwise in every of these had not God assisted him By these instruments the Lord first stopped the precipitate minde of Naaman from so suddaine a departure weakened his strong conceit overthrew his carnall cavill abated his pride cooled his rage enlarged the promise the easinesse the probablenesse yea the divinenesse and certainty thereof till having beaten downe his high thoughts he is made a low valley and prepared for cure and conversion So in like manner doth the Lord worke in any soule which needs his seconding assistance towards the enjoying of salvation he will not suffer them to want any helpe which may further them For example Instances Doth the Lord see their discouragements to come from others He will arme them with strong courage of resistance and resolution as Joh. 9. Are they miscarried with strong error agâ—inst the way of the promise The Lord will send them counsell from heaven to rectifie and settle them Are they held under great infirmity and crasinesse of spirit not daring to beleeve The Lord will not breake the reed that is already brused nor quench the smoking flax Are they prejudicate against the Minister God will bring forth his light as here he did Elisha's and imbreed an holy opinion of him Doe friends oppose and become enemies God will turne them to friends and furtherers againe Are they froward and distempered in spirit so that they are as troubled waters and cannot see light of truth or make so much haste that they cannot waite The Lord will sweeten and moderate their spirits with meekenesse and forbearance Are their corruptions strong The Lord will beate them downe before them Briefly be their lack and ayle whatsoever it can be God will supply it he will enlighten sustaine perswade enlarge prepare them for his worke both by casting out that which is contrary and by encouraging that which is weakly begunne till the worke be finished If he meane that the businesse shall be depending longer then the lets shall be smaller and more tolerable if the objections and oppositions be more forcible hee will shorten the season Note and hasten his worke
unkindly affronts shall end well when thou art weary of hearing God shall revive thy spirit so that thou shalt heare a voice behinde thee saying heare still thou shalt not be able for thy heart to give over the ordinances thy sullen heart shall not be permitted to prevaile in thee against the promise do what thou canst some light or other shall appear to encourage thee to cast out thy prejudice cavills frowardnes when others are left to themselves to sinke in their owne peevish rebellions thou shalt finde pitty thy tender nurse shall use all his wisdome not against thee but for thee and shall not bee provoked to give thee over as thou dost him thou shalt see it and blesse those armes that comprehended thee when thou couldest not containe thy selfe those feet that followed thee those hands that laid hold on thee saying returne O Shulamite returne whither wilt thou goe Out of blessing into the warme Sunne What boot will that bee to thee What an occasion of endlesse repentance and regret will it bee to thee hereafter to leave God in a tetch to forsake cleare evident sure mercies upon a toy and conceit of thine owne against the promise of him that cannot lye Oh! consider better of it lay not the bottome of remedilesse woe betimes Thou shalt wish one day of the Sonne of man hereafter and that it were with thee as it hath beene but then the guilt of thy former contempt and fullennesse shall be a thousand witnesses against thee Thus the Lord shall even revive the spirit of Naamans servants in thy spirit to pull thee backe from the pit and prepare thee for mercy Onely beware thou yeeld not to thy temptations but waite upon the word A caution hereupon Suffer not this grace of God in thee to be slighted as it is by hypocrites or to be damped and eclipsed by wantonnesse wordlinesse and base lusts as it is by prophane wretches for these will rankle in thee and fret into thy bowels a as canker and then feare not but other annoyances shall cease in due time and turne to a sweet calme in thee when suddenly the Lord Jesus awaking out of his sleepe shall rebuke them as he did the storme and waves which threatned the ship wherein he lay for it is as possible that those should have overwhelmed him and his Disciples as these shall ovewhelme thee perhaps thou conflictest with boylings of corruptions and rebellings against the Law of faith and righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus but even these shall humble thee turn to great casting of Self out of thee perhaps thou art cast upon same unwelcome crosses losses sicknesse feare of death before thy peace be made be content the Lord doth not try thee in vaine they are to make sure worke of thy heart and to bring thee to a duer sight of thy selfe they are not to destroy thee although thou maiest thinke them sent to discourage thee God shall put more courage then so into thee hee hath the power of death in his hand and it shall not seize upon thee till the worke of God in thee be past danger The bed of thy sorrow and the racke of thy conscience and the clattering of thy bones and thy loathing of dainty meates and drawing neare to the grave shall not hurt thee for all shall end well Job 33. and turne thee from the pit and when thou art convinced thereof thy loathnesse shall be turned to readinesse as Peters was Joh. 13.9 and thou shalt say Doe what thou wilt Lord if for good I am ready to stoope perhaps thy owne parents wife in bosome best friends and companions turne enemies looke estrangedly lye at thee with threats taunts scornes for thy casting them off and looking another way But be quiet the Lord shall teach thy fingers to fight and thee to thinke that the more pretious for which the Divell so blusters against thee resolve to beare what thou canst but surrender not thy hopes perhaps when the Law hath laid thee open to the sight of thine owne conscience buffeting thee with guilt and horrors exceedingly thine estate seemes worse and worse thy old liberty in a sinfull course bubbles up within thee tempting thee to shake off chaines to returne to it again but God shall teach thee to preferre his chaines to the Divells freedome In a word Satan will disquiet thee with Atheisticall thoughts against God Providence Scriptures the threats the promises as if they were all but fables so the wicked world through error counts them but in all this confusion the Lord shall not leave thee and as I said before through this sea dried up he shall bring his scattered ones rather then they shall perish All shall give place be it never so opposite rather then Gods worke shall be defeated And so much for this point of coherence may serve Another thing there is to be noted here Ground of second point Gods continuing still to buffet and humble Naaman ere I come to the substance of the words And that is that this thirteenth verse wholly aimes at a third buffeting and subduing of Naamans spirit to the obedience of Gods command Twice already you have heard how the Lord crossed him once by the idle carriage of the King who rent his cloathes when hee thought he would have healed him Another time when he waited at Elisha's doore for an answer of reall cure without delay We see these did but incense the froward spirit of Naaman and set him on carping and cavilling and not onely so but upon a will and stomacke of his owne to turne away and give over all Therefore to take downe his high lookes and that the cure which now followed might not light upon so rebellious a peece Lo the Lord tames him this third time not by sending Elisha to shame him but by setting him to schoole to his poore servants and underlings such as commonly were glad to be at his becke Doe this and he doth it goe and he goeth come and he commeth But lo now the case is altered the Lord so honours them that rather hee is under their authority they bid him come backe and he commeth they exhort him to goe to Jorden and he goeth they bid him doe this Wash seven times and he doth it yea and he is a happier man by thus obeying then ever in all his dayes by commanding We know when a Parent will abase a proud sonne he will not vouchsafe to correct him himselfe but put him to his Ostler or to his Groome to be chastened and this takes downe the pride of his sonne So here The Lord keepes Elisha within doores and sets the servants of this great stout Champion to take him to taske so ordering it that they must be conquerors of him who yet had got so many victories Now they can charme and levell his spirit more then any other and now these poore fellowes of farre lesse wit policy and insight must yet be
inspired with more of Gods meaning then himselfe must be appointed as his teacher to doe him better service in this their superiority then ever they did before And it seemes to me Opening of the ground further that in these two respects the Lord would tame his spirits by his servants the one this That now he sees them convinced of that mystery of truth which lay hidden in the Prophets message and appeared not to himselfe he thinkes it high time to follow The second this That now his stomacke is left without any abettors his high spirit is left to it selfe from the Prophet he had that he could have and so now his servants turne abettors of the Prophet against him turne strong Counsellors against his rage and carnall distempers not one now of all his retinue that sticks to him or humor him now he is in a strait in a strange place he is like to goe home uncured alone if he will needs goe for not the poorest page of his company dare carry him home a leper all offer their best service to Jorden for a cure all are for God and for the end of providence sway'd as one man to the obedience of the charge not one offers his attendance to Aram The speech is woe to him that is alone Eccles 8. but here it is contrary happy is he who is left alone miserable while he was abetted happy being forsaken For why Now there is no remedy but Jorden all cry that way now hee is in a strait now servants and all are for it what should he thinke but the finger of God is in it to perswade hee can but venture to try there he may have helpe at home there is none what then should he now do but try Oh! what a turning of the streame beginnes here to be What a venture is now made upon this so long cavilled and scorned Jorden And with the entring of these thoughts lo more and more light entreth so that at last he obeyeth Out of both these passages brethren let me note somewhat and that but briefly and I will no longer hold you from the substance of the words themselves Doctrine The grace of inferiours a great helpe to superiours Joh. 13. From the former of these two I note this that when light and understanding is wrought in the inferiour it is a great convincement to the superiour to follow As the superiours eminency sometimes is a cracke to the pride of an inferior as Christ stooping to wash his Disciples feete Hath our Lord and Master denyed himselfe so farre and shall we bee prouder towards each other Amplification of the point So the judgement and wisdome of an inferiour is a checke to the conceitednesse of a superiour Surely I see that even he whom I disdained is wiser then my selfe it is time for me to be a foole that I may be wiser Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hath he ordained praise Matth. 21.16 saith the Psalmist Paul in one place Rom. 11.13.14 tells us that he magnified his Apostleship among the Gentiles that he might breed an emulation and shame in his Country-men that they were so backeward 1 Pet. 3.5 Saint Peter also tells the women that he would have them subject to their rude and churlish Nabals that so their conversation might become convincing when God should visite them Some indeed as Saint Iude saith are so base and perverse that they rather are moved to prich and disdaine by their inferiours forwardnesse calling them hastings soone ripe soone rotten ragged colts make the better horses and calling their zeale pride boldnesse singularity Much like that foolish Prophet Balaam reproved by his Asse which spyed the Angel of God standing in his way 2 Pet. 2.16 when he could not spy him himselfe and when she dasht his foote against the wall by starting he smote her But we see he is recorded as a notorious beast more brutish then the Asse and therefore convinced by the Asse herselfe But where there is but a dram of ingenuity and humblenesse the very thing it self speaketh When a poore silly woman of the inferiour and weaker sexe shall see that in the Ministery which her husband sees not who yet goes for a man of deeper understanding what a buffeting is it When a poore servant of meane esteeme and belonging to some base office about the house shall meet with the knowledge of Christ in the Gospel which the Master of the family wants what an upbraiding and humbling it ought to be Lo such a poore wretch hath that in him which I cannot reach who yet should be the fountaine wherefrom should flow all wisdome for the replenishing of the whole houshold committed unto me Oh how it troubles me A poore child a creeple to have more in it for true gracious revealing then all the fry of jolly children how doth it convince them God is in it of a truth Alas by this the Lord casts down the high things of mans wisdome when it sees it hath no more nay not so much as the basest worme and most contemptible of a thousand The great things lofty and stately the Lord laughs to scorne by the silly and meane things And then where is the Scribe and the wise man with all his depth Sure it is meere shallownesse and folly I have to this purpose spoken before The sluggard seeing that in an Ant which he wants may be humbled Therefore in a word let it speake first to the silly and simple and tell Vse 1 them if they were as they should be Instruction Meane silly ones if godly are not contemptible as base and despised as they deeme themselves God can cloath their uncomely parts with more honour and cause them to be terrible to the proudest to convince and humble them Small creatures as the Cocke is a terrible object to the Lion it selfe nature having so curbed that mighty creature Inferiours make themselves despised because there is little in them to honour them for if there were it is not their meannesse could do it Ah yee poore underlings in this assembly here is a portion for you for ye are of the family Matth. 12. and stewards must give each one his due me thinkes I pitty you to see how painfully some of ye drudge in the kitching others in the field others at your wheeles in your shops and meane occupations with poore maintenance God knowes and lesse countenance I pitty you serving men who upon small wages creepe into your Masters houses glad of meane vayles But alas that which makes you such pezants and poore sonnes of the earth is not your outward quality your poverty your service your meane attire and sordid worke for all these are for God Looke into the Scripture and ye shall meet with poore things which yet carry their marke of honour upon them 2 King 4.1 Marke 12.43 verse 3. Philem. 3.4 That poore Prophets widow left in debt
the poore widow with her two mites this poore wench in the beginning of this Chapter a Captive and servant poore Onesimus one good for nothing good for all things after Oh yee poor souls your sin makes your base outside out of measure base if that were clothed with honour it would afford so much the more beauty and esteem unto you in the eies of all men none so much your betters so much richer learneder nobler then you but should admire be in love with you if there were true humblenes faith grace in you who reads the story of poore Rhode Act. 12.13 but must needs affect that cordiall love of the Saints in her who for joy could not open the doore to Peter till shee had been the first messenger of his deliverance Therefore ye poore inferiors take heart to your selves think not those only to be esteemed with God who have greatnesse to commend them to the world No no the lesser you have here to take to the more covet that which may commend you truly and really in the sight of all that can judge Let none despise thee poor soul Thou wilt say it is not in thy power I answer thee Tit. 2.15 seek to him who as Hanna saith exalteth the lowly and meeke while men behold the poore and proud a drudge to the kitching and to thy lusts wonder not if thou be as the off-scouring of all men but assuredly thy base outside should not disgrace thee if there lodged any goodnesse any spark of Gods image in thee Truly brethren great rich men are too high for Religion and base poor folke thinke themselves under it But if you would seeke for knowledge humility and grace you should see whether it would not stoope to you And you servants that are butlers to Gentlemen or Stewards nay Ostlers and Bayliffes and Caters you should be honourable in the sight of your Masters As Obadiah to Ahab Ioseph to Pharaoh they should equall themselves with you yea be glad of you whatsoever their authority be otherwise if there appeared grace in you Vse 2 And againâ— to you superiours let me adde this Goe not against the edge with God like Balaam when you see the Lord goes about to convince your folly and backewardnesse Admonition Superiours must turne their indignation at the grace of inferiours into shame and emulation Smite not threaten not the Asse whose mouth God opened to reprove you Many of you husbands parents and masters when once you perceive your wives children and servants to grow zealouser then your selves are so farre from countenancing and holy emulation that rather you have them in continuall jealousie and hold them under so much the more Their Religion must be sure to bee their prejudice and incumbrance they can the hardlier please you you are the the more prone to picke quarrells you watch the time of crossing them in their lawfull liberties yea you joint them the more of their freedome for Gods worship within and without what is this but to play the taske-masters and to lye heavy upon them So that if God sustained them not by his power they should fall off And no doubt many are offended by such meanes but woe to such by whom the offence commeth Others there are who seeing Religion to have qualified their inferiours with faithfulnesse humility and peaceablenesse in marriage in their businesse and carriage are glad to see the change but why Not joying in their grace and good examples but because you make benefit thereof for you owne behoofe and content taking all ye can get out of them but acknowledging no mercy from God either to them or to your selves in them Nay perhaps ye slight them quip and mocke them Oh! these women must have their wills or else we shall have no peace and so the liberty they get hey must have with unequall conditions I doe not here speak of the vilest in this kinde how rather many provoke themselves to vexation brawling quarrelling and threatning of their inferiours as thinking their forwardnesse an inspersion to their base backewardnesse and therefore they behold them with the eies of Kites whom they should behold with Doves eies they shorten their wives of allowance give them discouraging affronts they beat and misuse their servants threaten their poore children to joynt them of this and that land or portion for their Puritanisme and forwardnesse And those that goe not so farre yet still keepe at one stay profit not by their inferiours if they doe not disdaine to learne of such as most are hardened thereby yet the best is that they give them their course and still remaine as base and barren as before Rom. 11.13 Whereas rather they should be provoked to jealousie by them Naaman here did so Doubtlesse the insight he saw his servants had in the will of God more then himself did smite an holy awe and authority into his spirit Doe these underlings see that which I cannot What lets me from it Surely some strong lust or humour blindefolds me What a shame is this that my retinue whom the businesse concerns not should perceive that which I cannot Surely it furthered the convincement exceedingly Oh! let us all in the feare of God be of his minde Wee shall not need to subject our selves and debase our selves for the matter But let us not blindefold our eies that we should not behold the light shining in at the least crevis We Ministers let us not disdaine the examples of private Christians either in their zeale of obeying or suffering but if we see secretly grace breaking forth from the poorest in more then common wisdome uprightnesse closenesse to the truth be so farre from snagging and nipping of such that rather we marke them for peculiar ones and although they know nothing what hinders why even from such we may not better our selves many waies Was not Apollo glad to learne of Aquila a Tradesman Act. 18.26 But especially you private persons observing such inferiours as exceed your selves doe not loutishly slight and put them off but say I perceive if I hold my peace the stones shall cry truly these cry aloud in mine eares me thinkes I consider if such poore ones get such knowledge what might not I get with paines Truly I will give the onset I shall else never looke upon my poore child but mine heart will throb and tell me he shall rise up in judgement one day against his will and condemne me when the Lord shall say I sent a poore daughter of mine to lye in thy bosome to see if her zeale could any whit warme thee but I see thou art cold as a stone still and as dead as a blocke I raised up out of thine owne loynes a child or children to feare my name that I might provoke thee by that meanes to jealousie but I see nothing prevailes Nay perhaps a poore drudge in thy kitching or rubbing thy horses heels such an one as
exempt a man from pride and disdaine None is so low but he loves to be Master of something Yee shall not see three or foure cattell together but one will be Master There is a wofull pride of spirit in man disdaining to bee under any As those base Jewes Joh. 8.33 in their greatest slavery yet vaunted they were free men and never served any And hence it is that we call the meere underling the dogge as of a Schoole of a family c. So loathsome a thing is subjection But marke let conscience of love and sense of divinenesse in an ordinance possesse the spirit of a man and this sinkes his spirit by and by As it is said 1 King 10.5 the Queen of Sheba came to Salomon with an equall and high spirit to dispute but seeing more then a man in him lo her spirit fayled her What is that She felt an infinite inequality in her selfe to Salomon thought it no disparagement to her selfe to be inferiour to so wise a man as he and therefore set her heart at rest from any more bubbling thoughts and calmed herselfe to a most meeke selfe-deniall If meere gifts will doe so what will grace doe Surely much more For as it will cause the inferiour to sinke and beat downe his spirit under the authority of a well ably qualified governour as I grant God requires all to be so yet it will discover a divine power even in the weake and unqualified by vertue whereof it will deny it selfe and say I quash my proud and base heart which would easily disdaine to submit better parts of wit skill Religion to one that wants all to God in man although I see nothing in him that should deserve it And this true selfe-deniall is the roote of all faithfulnesse in a servant For pride and stoutnesse in an inferiour will alway be slipping necke out of the collar Shall such an one as I of such breed worth abilities stoop to obey and serve especially such an unworthy one No I scorne it Oh! but this scorne marres the servant because it destroyes the ordinance God must levell thy heart and fill thy valley and cast downe thine hill that thou maiest say downe stout heart God lookes not at what thou seemest otherwise but at thy inferiority and in that respect commands thee not to looke at what thy proud heart would but at what his ordinance hath thought wisest Better thou lose thy proud heart which shall be thy gaine then God lose his honour the ordinance her due regard and so both Kingdome Church and family the good which thy subjection procures By this meane the stoutnesse of the heart stoops and is convinced that is but an equall thing it should be subject And secondly the barre being so removed the heart is let out to the fruits of humblenesse that is to serviceablenesse For what should I refuse to doe for or under such a governour as I see by the wisdome of God set over me for both mine owne and for a generall good and the ends of providence If once I see how wofull a confusion it were to pervert an ordinance how can I chuse but also deeme it a strange unrighteousnesse for one under the ordinance to withdraw service What is selfe-deniall but a letting out and taking downe of a base heart thinking it self too good to serve to a willingnesse in undertaking what service soever the rules of honest government can impose without grudging or contradiction So that as a proud heart is bound up soule and body so an humble spirit is enlarged unto every such service as reason guided by Religion can impose Nothing can come amisse to an humble heart selfe-deniall of her owne accord falls to serviceablenesse And what wonder When once the spirit of an inferiour hath no drift will way of his owne besides his Masters but is wholly his and for him how can it chuse but utter it in doing as it is bidden Goe come doe this and he doth it This for the Third Fourthly hence comes faith to fall to her worke For as a Christian in his generall worke of Religion 4. Grace in inferiors sets faith on work 1. Purgeth the soule of speciall distempers so a servant in his speciall relation of service lives by faith And how In these three respects First faith clenses out of the soule all those distempers which usually possesse the spirit of servants It is not enough for faith to purifie the conscience in generall from all dead works But in speciall it descends deeply and searcheth the corruption which creepes into duties into the graces of the soule into the use of meanes into the particular relations wherein the soule stands to God whether directly or indirectly Else what were a generall purging of evill which comes not into act But it purgeth each privy corner of the heart and brings the heart thus purged before God in the severall occasions which are offered Nothing comes between the cup the lip in this case All particular falshood will be hunted out of a servant whose heart is clensed by faith from all dead workes all basenesse and distempers will give place There is not one base quality of the heart but if nourished will corrupt faithfulnesse if any one string bee out of tune this harmony will vanish any case or sloth of heart will make a man unsaithfull in point of diligence an angry froward heart will make a man unfaithfull in point of answering againe and cavilling any falshood and hollownesse will cause unfaithfulnesse in point of doing the service which it promises as he who said hee would goe into his Masters vineyard Matth. 21.30 yet went not In a word a corrupt heart will be unfaithfull to the marriage bed of his Master defile his children with cursed examples filch away his commodities report wickedly of him as an hard Master who reapes where he sowed not corrupt the rest of the fellow servants and what not Onely faith clenses the heart of these evills and justles them out of place for how can Christ agree with Belial or these with faithfulnesse 2. Furnishes the heart with good qualities Secondly faith frames the image of God in the soule as in generall so in the particular relations of life that furnisheth the heart with sweet qualities with promote faithfulnesse What trouble is to an heart which is diligent to take any paines To an heart that loves the Masters good and is upright to seeke the credit welfare of the Master To an heart that is well grounded what base commands of an ungodly governour will prevaile against faithfulnesse to God To an heart well seasoned with grace for the right manner due measure and the right ends of obeying what service will be difficult Now faith it is which onely can make faithfull And thirdly faith having thus qualified the heart 3. It puts it it into actuall exercise doth also put it into service causeth this habit
good should draw thine affection to be for them True it is servants are not as children in point of naturalnesse and neerenesse for the child abides in the house for ever but the servant only for a time yet during that time he pleades for fatherhood and regard from thee so farre as is meet Quest But wherein stands this duty of Masters toward them Answ Briefly in these things First in a preparation Secondly in a performance 1. Preparation Behold God in thy servants duty Gen. 35.5 First for the former When thou seest that thy servants heart is subject unto thee and that there is a reall awe and Religious feare of spirit put into him by God for thine advantage and that as it is said of the Nations when Iaacob went to Luz the Lord smites a trembling at the ordinance of government Thy duty is to behold God in this worke to see thine owne basenesse and to say who am I that thou shouldest subject the wills of men unto so sinfull a creature as I am It is not my worth authority or carriage which could claime that esteeme and service which my servants tender unto me It is thou O Lord that subduest my people unto me In me there is nothing but might breed disdaine and despising as well as reverence But thou hast covered my uncomely parts by the honour of thine ordinance Oh! that this might draw my soule in subjection and awe under thee Eph. 3.15 who art the father of whom all the families of the earth are called Oh that I could tremble at thy greatnesse Oh! that as thou hidest from my cretaures their owne strength and parts that they might be wholly under mine authority so I might remember that I am under thee far more absolutely then a creature can be under mine Oh! that I might not feele mine owne parts strength wisdome welfare but feele thy feare upon mine heart as a bridle to awe and to restraine me from any boldnesse or loosenesse before thee Lord I never see awe and feare in my inferiours to me-ward but presently I conceive thou art in it to reflect a greater awe of my heart toward thy selfe For every Kingdome and rule in this world from a King to an housholder is under a greater Oh! let not my servant rise up in judgement and condemne me in that hee could behold that in a sinfull peece of flesh which could subdue him but I could never see that lustre and glory that mercy and love in thee which should draw and subdue my heart to thy selfe and set thee up so therein that my selfe might bee as nothing Psal 73.27 that I might say Whom have I in heaven but thee or in earth like thee By this meditation with praier prepare thy selfe first and then the duty will follow the better 2. Performance 1. Yeeld fatherly respect to thy servant Secondly having thus first given up thy selfe to God give thy selfe also to the duty of fatherly and due respect to thy servants and let not thine heart checke thee for any such wilfull neglect of them as might cause the Lord to punish it in thy selfe Even thy very diet lodging and care of the body must be good Thy horse thou wilt sometimes attend busily and carefully because thou wouldest have him serviceable and loath he should faile thee even so looke what thou wouldest have thy servant toward thy selfe that utter by the managing his spirit and framing of him for thy use The Masters eye makes the fat horse and his care the good servant This generall branch out to thy selfe in these particulars First be sure that as thou thy self lookest daily Tender to him his share in spirituall instruction for the bread of the day from God so tender thou as thy servants steward the demensum or portion due to thy servant daily let him share in thine instruction catechising and information in the Lord with correction and reproofe warnings and admonitions encouragements and promises let him not goe up and downe shifting and gracelesse give him such as the Lord hath given thee with praier for blessing daily and know that this is as meete for him as his daily food or wages better unfed then untaught Trust not thine owne wisdome but carry him in thine armes to God and pray the Lord to wash him shave off his locks and pare his nailes to make him faithfull to lay his hands upon him and blesse him that so thou maiest have a servant of the maker purged and made usefull for himselfe and thee When thou hast him tyed to thee by Gods cords he is safe This whet every day will be no let unto thee Secondly feed him not onely by the eare but by the eye Feed him by the eare and eye too pull not down that in practice by an humorous passionate base and ungracious carriage which thou hast set up in him by teaching for this will make him loath thee and despise it But tender unto him an holy grave and pure example walke before him so that Gods authority may appeare in thee Stand not so much upon thy superiority of fatherhood over him as wisdome and respect unto him Above all as Salomon saith over heare not thy servant when he speakes evill of thee that is let him see that thou art a man who can rule thy passions for thy selfe canst tell that thou hast oft offended God in that kinde This convincingnesse of thy carriage will breed invincible reverence and reflection of obedience toward thee againe See that thy servant despise thee not This will command reverence Contrarily the heart of a servant will suggest thus if thou walke basely what is matter how I serve such a Master What if I filch from him neglect his worke speake evill of him and dishonour him runne away from him It is good enough for him God is just But holy walking awes a servant overpowres his heart shames him makes him blush and puts him to silence This is powerfull not by violence but by perswasion both in sight and behinde thy back Thirdly Looke to thy authority 1. In charges bee carefull both of thy authority in commanding and in practising For the former impose nothing upon thy servant which the Lord hath not warranted thee by his word Bee not so vile as to digest any thing so thou maiest have thy worke and thy will done by him Be thou thy selfe also under authority and be a Master in the Lord. Thou hast enough to answer for thy selfe endanger not his soule also to make thine account more grievous Stretch not thy conscience to pervert his urge him not to breake Sabbaths send him not upon errands that day as if it were loose and might be spared fleece not from God presse him not to make a lye for thee to sweare or forsweare for thy sake and the like carry him not with the to base lewd companies pleasures lusts 2. For practise So for practice Ye
thy servants for ever Naaman here is not for nothing called father by his servants who are as thankefull to requite his respect And the truth is he might account the cure as wrought by their perswasion under God and his Prophet And still I say as before the fatherhood of Masters would breed childlike faithfulnesse in servants and doubtlesse the many clamors of both sorts against each other by taking these counsells would much what be stopped And so much for this point also added to the former by a necessary coherence So much also for the first qualification of servants and Masters faithfulnesse and respect The second thing in the persons attempting Their care for their Master with seasonablenesse and wisdome Now followeth the second thing to be noted in the persons attempting and that is their due behaviour of themselves in the attempt making Which I noted to consist in a compound of sundry vertues especially of wisdome tendernesse and seasonablenesse I will not handle them apart but altogether yet I would open them briefly for the better grounding of the doctrine And first their wisdome appeares in this that they mix awe and feare with love a due reverence compounded of both Some would rather have discovered disdaine of his folly and rage but even in these humours of his yet they bewray their reverence of him Father is a notion made of feare and love The ground of the point opened As if they had said your are our Master we your servants wee come now to treate with you in a case concerning your owne good yet wee understand our selves to be inferiours and that the person which we sustaine will not beare any boldnesse or sawcinesse Let our words therefore be accepted and wee shall thinke our paines well bestowed commonly men thinke reverence is superfluous in the case of welwishing to others we may be as bold and usurping as we list no but even in this also very great humblenesse and loyalnesse is required Secondly they are very tender meeke and mercifull to their Masters soule and present condition and because it needed some expostulating and contesting for the better piercing into him so yet they saw that his froward passion would not endure any harshnesse or sharpenesse from them and therefore they put on a meeke spirit instead of Master call him Father sugering the bitter potion they were to minister they come with the heart of a Lion for courage and resolution to thrust in the loose joynt into his place yet with the hand of gentlenesse and smoothnesse Even as Chyrurgians must doe to broken bones Wrath added to wrath would have caused madnesse But this mildenesse brake the dint of it Thirdly they adde seasonablenesse to both Angry men we say must be waited on till the humour is over But now the case required present advice For if their Master had set spurres to horse and made away homeward who knowes whether any opportunity would have beene offered them to treate with him But now while the Prophet was at hand and the cure in some hope it was their season to strike in with him and to prevent future danger Now therefore they rather chuse to take their time and to alay his wrath with much moderation of heart toward him then to waite for the cooling of it while remedy was past All these three come to one that is a due and discreet behaviour in attempting to heale one who was distempered and passionate If they had violently driven out one naile with another and taken him to taske thus Sir you shew your selfe scarse a man not wise enough to see what businesse you are about you are mad with your owne shadow and who shall be wise for one who will needs play the foole against himselfe Wee for our parts are resolved to give you over if you bee at this point goe home hardly and repent at leasure c. Alas what had come of it ten to one a further enraging of him and a splitting him against the rocke of his owne passion and making the disease incurable This therefore they saw was no course to be taken with him and therefore they melt him with mercy rather then batter him with terror saying Father if the Prophet had said some hard thing wouldest not have done c. They cover their expostulation with sweet speech as one that would lap up a pill in the pap of an apple The point then will be this It is no easie taske for any Doctrine It is no easie taske to advise rightly in spirituall distresses to encounter them aright who are in any distemper or thus To speak to them that are distempered in spirit to any good purpose is a worke of some difficulty And as touching the ground of this point out of the text it is evident that it was difficult for these poore servants thus to encounter their Master For to say truth it was none of their owne worke but the Lords in them who set them on As is was said of Hophni and Phinees 1 Sam 2.25 it was from the Lord that they should not heare the counsell of their father because he meant to destroy them and of Rehoboam 1 King 13. it was from the Lord that he should not heare the voice of his old counsellors that so he might fall So it was from the Lord that Naaman should take counsell of his servants not to turne away in a rage but goe to Jorden and wash that so he might be healed and therefore much more the meanes were from the Lord whereby this was effected The Lord sent them forth with meet furniture and caused them to prevaile which else would not have beene For these three qualities of wisdome tendernesse and seasonable fidelity Reason 1 are no common gifts either in servants or Ministers or any others for the redresse of the afflicted in soule and spirit Every one will jangle and prate of them that are troubled it is easie to play the foolish the harsh and unseasonable counsellors but wise meeke and savoury counsell is as they say of truth hidden deepe in the earth and hardly digged out I will say a word or two of the text and then enlarge my selfe further to the point First for inferiours to encounter a superiour Amplifying of the point out of the text a Noble man of great spirit was a thing of some difficulty especially in such a perverse temper as he was in Equals to equals or superiours to inferiours carry an hand of greater authority then inferiours to their betters Because the spirit of the great soone rise against the meane as if they thought themselves despised And therefore the Lord forbids every one to meddle with the elder or ancient by reproofe but to exhort them as fathers 1 Tim. 5.1 they will not easily beare it they must heare of their fault by implication as Naaman here doth And secondly distemper is a kinde of superiority of it selfe because
it is lofty and proud So saith Salomon Prov. 21.24 Proud and hauty is his name c. For the while that a distemper lasteth the veriest underling thinkes himselfe somebody when as in truth he is lesse then himselfe How much more then when state is joyned with it as here Distemper of spirit lookes at no reason arguments carriage for the present Elisha himselfe in a lawfull distemper yet being transported 2 King 3.15 was faine to call for a minstrell by the harmony of whose musicke his sicke spirit was a little brought to it selfe This for the Text. But now for the generall much more may be said for the proofe and explication thereof Proofes Take some Scriptures first and then some Reasons See Act. 9. Paul then Saul was in a deadly distresse of spirit after his casting downe the Lord bids Ananias arise and go to counsell him But what saith Ananias Oh Lord I have heard say of this man hee hath beene such and such a one a persecutor blasphemer q.d. If he now be to be dealt with it exceeds my ability I know not but he may doe me hurt for my love No faith the Lord he is a chosen vessell to beare my name goe and be not afraid Well he went and how doth he encounter him Very mercifully and respectively Even as Naamans servants here doe alleniates his distemper grates not upon his sad heart addes not sorrow to sorrow opposes him not upbraids him not for his former cruelties qualifies his feares eases him of those aggravations of horror which had sunke him brought him to the cleare sight of the promise and mercifully reaches him out the hand Brother Saul receive thy sight both of soule and body Was there not some difficulty in the harping upon the right string if God had not guided his hand So Paul in the case of the excommunicate Corinthian how wisely tenderly and seasonably is he faine to carry himselfe 1 Cor. 6. with 2 Cor 6 7. 2 Cor. 11.29.30 He was at first very violent with him After seeing how he humbled himselfe how wary he is lest he overdrive and so put him into an extremity Oh! saith Paul he hath beene cast downe sufficiently I dare not use mine office to destroy but to save Therefore rather comfort and encourage such a one then adde sorrow to sorrow See Esay 50.4 The Lord Jesus was annointed by God his father as with the oile of gladnesse beyond measure so in speciall of Prophesie The Lord God saith he hath given me the tongue of the learned that I might speake a word in season to him that is weary So saith Iob or rather Elihu Job 33. If an interpreter one of a thousand be sent unto him c. The worke of a man who is one of a thousand is no common work Read also Elihu his breaking in upon Iob an ancient man himselfe being yong he comes in with his preface to avoid envy confesses his youth and unfitnesse of himselfe to deale in the matter But seeing God had set him on what doth he He tells him that he will not be as his three friends had beene an accuser and censurer of him nor yet an excuser of his errors and misbehaviour but he would be to him an equall and impartiall judge and as his owne soule and as in the sight of God hee would wish him to bee No easie matter it is then to bee an Elihu to an afflicted Iob. Paul speaking to Timothy how a Minister of God ought to carry himselfe toward the distempered 2 Tim. 2. saith He must not be prejudicate and rash but patient and long suffering towards sinners waiting if at any time the Lord will give them repentance to life Esay 42.3 It is said of the Lord Jesus that hee was the beloved of God in whom he delighted and whom he qualified for the nonce to preach glad tidings to relieve the poore prisoners and captives c. And what did hee Surely he would not breake the brused reed nor quench the smoking flax His voice was not heard he cried not in the streets he was a lambe dumbe before the shearer That is a most compassionate and tender helper who by his owne afflictions had learned to be full of sympathy and to be afflicted in all the afflictions of the people But I hasten to Reasons The first is this It is no easie thing to carry Reason 1 our selves wisely toward them who are but naturally distempered as with wrath discontent and passion in common and outward respects not onely if the parties be meerely carnall but also although Religious For anger is a madnesse and who should deale with mad men Doe they not thinke that their rage becomes them Doth not the foole cast arrowes and deadly darts and say he is in sport That is doth hee feele or understand himselfe to be as hee is Who should deale with a mad man who is so wise in his owne opinion that for the time present he thinkes he can bee mad with reason Thus was David 1 Sam. 25. in the case of Nabal he was so enraged thinking he had some cause of it that without any more adoe hee would needs command all his men to gird on their swords and to dispatch him and all his house both guilty and innocent And had not the Lord encountred him by a rare person how hardly had he beene disswaded from his attempt Well then if meere naturall distemper of wrath be so hardly cured how much more spirituall distempers which lye farre deeplier seated in the spirit and are of a farre more intricate nature Such was Naamans here with Elisha though the disease were bodily Secondly it appeares to be a difficult worke because it hath posed Reason 2 the wisest men to performe it well Even one part of it is hard and how much more all I meane to discerne of the cause of the distemper We see it in Iobs three friends very wise men and full of very sage and profound divinity yet in Iobs case meerely mistaken and tooke a false cause for a true esteemed him to suffer for his sinne when yet he suffered in his innocency So we see that Peter discerned not the state of Simon Magus but thought him a beleever as others did till afterward he discovered himselfe What shall we say of Pauls not seeing the state of Alexander Demas and others If when the spirit of discerning flourished in the Church it were a thing of such difficulty how hard is it like to be in these times Thirdly this is much more true in spirituall cases of conscience and Reason 3 that in two respects First of the counselling party Secondly the party counselled For the first such as are to counsell others doe rarely exercise themselves in such things as concerne this cure Both in respect of 1. Them who give counsell They doe not judge it an equall object to their endeavours thinking that it is sufficient to study
effect Now till the one be severed from the other and the soule see cleerly what troubles it looke what is spoken is as water spilt upon the ground For what availes it to lay an outward plaister upon a soule sicknesse or to give spirituall counsell to a worldly sorrow and a carnall malady When the body is eased then the soul still remaines in her distemper and never complaines There is many one that being rid of shame poverty enemies bad husband or wife never complaine after Againe oftimes there is a true speciall disease and yet through the distemper of the spirits by melancholy 3. Unstablenesse c. the soule is not capable of counsell through unsettlednesse and ficklenesse which till physicke have removed the soule cannot apprehend or retaine counsell Againe some are so weake and feeble minded that they through long custome in their greefes cannot well tell how to beginne or proceed in the mentioning of their estate Others have confused legall terrors so that all is not well with them and yet they cannot directly say why Perhaps they have beene indirecty wrought upon by some afflictions upon them in their bodies children wife or name and this hath pinched them so farre that their consciences are toucht and give in some reason against them from their owne guilt and sin yet not in a kindely sort from the word convincing them and killing corruption or leaving them in case to heare of any remedy Others are distempered in spirit yet not from within but without the Divell mixing himselfe with their fancy and thoughts and so causing a distemper in the frame of their soules as by hideous temptations about the Godhead the Scriptures the Ordinances the Providence of God c. And sometimes by heating the fancy he disturbeth the will with base desires and the sensuall appetite with odious lusts when yet the soule of it selfe is no cause hereof in speciall Some are troubled for their corrupt natures Others for some peculiar corruptions or evills inward or outward Some are dâ—stempered about their Evangelicall disposition either about the condition of faith the truth of it the measure of it or the roote whence it commeth or else the worke of faith it selfe the long delay between the one and the other the holding under of their spirit by feares by the difficulty of beleeving by the hiddennesse of Gods decree by the freedome of the spirits working by the feare of death ere the promise bee received by casting the unlâ—keliâ—ood of ever beleeving or of casting out some lust that dogges them or of finall persevering Others are troubled about the truth of grace Others the measure Others the recovery of it after their revolts In such a multitude and variety of diseases had not he need to be one of a thousand who should discerne wisely the speciall case of a distempered spirit Especially when perhaps the spirit it selfe cannot cleerly judge of her own The applying of remedies hard And secondly when the malady is perceived yet the application of the remedy and the beating in of resolution and satisfaction is not so easie The cure of diabolicall temptation is contrary to the cure of our owne corruption He that should urge a poore soule to attend the one or to shake off the other suddenly might destroy it There are peculiar remedies according to the diseases one salve and counsell cannot heale all sores oftimes there is necessity of staying a man in an extremity who yet may not be comforted Againe the objections of an unsatisfied spirit are not easily answered although perhaps the remedy be knowne Want of experience or of tendernesse or as the case may be of courage and boldnesse or too much haste or delay in applying remedy or want of some speciall apt Scriptures to terrifie or such promises or examples as might specially comfort are out of minde and finally the Lord is not present with every counsell and so the cure waxes tedious the patient impatient the counsellor weary and discouraged So much for the Reasons Now I come to the Uses Vses And first I would beginne with one or two generall ones the one touching the dealing with naturall distempers The other touching the duty of inferiours when they are called to treate with their betters For Naamans distemper much what was a carnall moodinesse and rage And the servants who encountred it were inferiours yet prospered in their attempt because qualified for the purpose In the first respect let it be Instruction 1. Instruct 1. Branch Anger must be pacified with meekenesse 1 Pet. 2.23 Prov. 26.5 to all who have to deale with distempered passions that they requite not evill with evill Let the same minde be in us which was in our Lord Jesus of whom Saint Peter saith When he was reviled he reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously And the like hath beene the practice of all Gods Saints except in some cases we be compelled to answer a foole according to his foolishnesse lest he encrease in his pride and rage and so grow to implacablenesse Thus Ipta handled those proud Ephramites who would be answered with no reason Judg. 12.4 but shewed that they came with proud and disdainfull hearts to speake desperately in their wrath An exception When hee saw them more enraged with his equall answers he fell to blowes and cooled their courage with slaying two and forty thousand of them And the truth is none but dogged hearts and treacherous spirits will be incensed by softly speeches For the Lord hath appointed it as a quencher of the cause of wrath Pride and Selfe are the matter and cause of this distemper and that which kills these kills the effect Mildenesse and love will shame pride and put it to confusion and when an angry man sees his wrathfull face and sparkling eyes in a quiet glasse he is astonished and afraid of himselfe but if he see himselfe in another which is like himselfe he is enraged to try who shall shout furthest in the Divells bow None save a Iudas will be provoked with mildenesse And therefore it is just that such should be left to the fruit of their owne hands to reape as they sow But usually it is otherwise and so have the Saints practised Not onely such as have stood in feare of the angry as it stood Abigail upon to please David with faire words and with kinde presents 1 Sam. 25. because she saw him armed to make havoke but even such as had power to revenge themselves Thus Gedeon when he could have served those Ephramites as Ipta after did yet he chose rather to appease them by faire speech Alas saith hee Judg. 8.3 you shall not need to grudge me this victory for what is my strength and prowesse to yours And who knowes not Ephraim to be chiefe of the tenne tribes Or what is the whole vintage of Abiezer to the after
gatherings of Ephraim Oh this pleased them well and so their fiercenesse abated So David when he had the advantage of Saul twice 1 Sam. 24.4 both when hee was asleepe and tooke away the pot of water from him and his speare another time when he cut off the lap of his garment and came after him saying I could have slaine thee this day and instead of cutting thy lap cut thy throate but thy life was pretious to me This for the time shaked his fury and wildefire and although it could not wholly quench it yet his end was most desperate as commonly theirs is whose rage a calme answer and milde usage will not qualifie So Iaacob in his returne from Laban foreseeing Esau his old grudge Gen. 33.13 sets himselfe in an exquisite manner to appease him first by gifts then by great titles and humble carriage whereby he turned off that rage which else might have brake out if hee had opposed him by violence Oh! such Abigails Davids Gideons and Iaacobs are much wanting and almost out of the world 1 Sam. 25.18 Now men have justled out Divinity and made a mocke of it by their brave stomacks maintaining that a man shall bee so much reputed amongst others as he reputes himselfe and stands upon his tearmes and he that puts up one wrong or reproach provokes two And it is true if we be such indeed as stand to our owne and the worlds judgement and barre appealing from Christs we may take our course goe on without let till shame and repentance and perhaps meeting with our matches doe compell us But if Christs voice will prevaile and wee will stand to his tribunall hee hath told us plainly such cowards and white-livers we must bee and yet Christianity makes us rather as bold as Lions in a just defence if we will be his read Matth. 44.5 You heard them say of old marke revenge is the old Religion though in a new cut Thou shalt love thy friend and hate thine enemy eye for eye tooth for tooth wrath for rage But I say unto you marke the voice of the new Gospel of peace love your enemies doe for them that spite you and speake evill of you and hate you Turne the other cheeke to him that smites you on the one cheeke That thus you may be children of your father in heaven who lets his raine and sunne fall upon the ground of the bad as well as the good And this is the same with that of Paul Rom. 12. If thine enemy hunger thirst or be naked give him meate drinke and cloathing Rom. 12. thus heaping hot coales upon his head recompencing evill with good And lest ye should think there is one Divinity for plaine folke and another for Courtiers Gentlemen and brave sparkes of hot and noble bloud looke I pray upon Elisha's Divinity which hee brought to Ieroboams Court 2 King 6.21 when he had brought the Aramites blindefold to Samaria hee askes them My father shall I smite them But the Prophet answers No smite them whom thou takest in the warre kill not in coole bloud set bread and meate rather before them and feast them and so send them home to their Master and so he did and the bands of Aram came no more that yeare It was good policy and Religion too And no doubt but many of our braving and lofty stomacks when they have met with the affronts of them whom they have provoked as commonly boasters alway goe by the worse then they wish they had beene wiser and held in their stomack ill afterward But I doubt many of our challengers and duellers if they were put upon the enemy in a pitcht battell and in Gods way would prove like those sparkes spoken of in Judg. 9. I meane Gaall and his brethren who asked who is Abimelec But when they saw him their hearts fainted and they were beaten downe To conclude let this generall Instruction brethren reach to all states persons occasions Let the word dwell in us plentifully in all wisdome to guide us in our course The word is answer not a foole in his folly lest thou be like him The patient man is better then he who is hasty in his spirit and in his matters He that overcomes himselfe is better then he that overcomes a City Ecles 7.8 Rom. 12.19 Be slow to speake and slow to wrath Here be the rules If the former examples of Saints perswade not thereto let the practise of these heathen servants shame and upbraid us You husbands and wives remember Satan is alway at your elbow if he can dstemper you quickly will the whole house be distempered and out of frame and your examples will fret like a canker Doe therefore as wise Abigail did to drunken Nabal for drunkennesse and rage are both madnesse she gave way to him while hee was in his cups and in his jollity of feasting but next day when wine was out and wit in she told him of his base distemper and then he was tame So do not take your husbands or wives weapon out of their hand suddenly to wound him or her If one rage let the other pray and be innocent perhaps the Lord will do thee good for their wrath Consider each other the party in coole bloud consider of the other party as of a man in drink prevented by his passion that masters him Doe not now adde oile to the flame and drunkennesse to thirst But remember now God tries me These words are as stinging as fiery darts this tongue is set on fire by hell but now doth the Lord vex every veine in my heart to see what mettall I am made of If now I listen to my lust and outshoot the Divell I may set a marke upon my selfe and be ashamed but if I can possesse my soule with patience now and keepe my fort strong I shall shew my selfe a man or woman stronger then a conquerour Luke 21.11 I will deny my selfe therefore and take away anger from mine eyes Ecles 11.10 and distemper from my heart I will seasonably give over strife lest it become as a fire broken out or as the barres of a Palace Better so then let your shames breake out to others and so be faine to put your quarrells to arbitration and then your selves shall be the first that repent it The like I say to you all brethren in your worldly dealings and controversies or in those tetches which you take each at other Breake not out to open words of defiance upon meer conceits but weigh the reports perhaps they come from tale-bearers examine your grounds and although you finde truth in them yet see what construction they will beare Jam. 4 4. consider that the spirit that is in us lusts after envy If these reports will not beare a good censure yet coole your hearts first then debate the quarrells in coole bloud before witnesses if the fault be proved let it be sufficient that he is convinced
the vile that is the worke of his owne convincing spirit from the worke of their owne rebellious nature their discontent their fullennesse melancholy feares and other extremities that cleave unto them Also that he would shew them what hee hath done for them already that they may not provoke him by unthankefulnesse and what is yet to be done and at what especiall knots and objections they sticke what their chiefe barres and lets are which most hold them downe and if they cannot feele themselves rid of these confusions of spirit yet that the Lord would take away that wilfulnesse of stomacke that crossenesse that waywardnesse which makes their disease so ranckle in them and send them to seeke advice with a minde desirous to subject it selfe to God and to his ordinance and to mourne when it cannot being held in the chaines of it owne horrors or rebellion And secondly let them commend the enterprise in hand to God for successe that the Lord would bee pleased to dispose of the understanding of him that is to advise them that he may bee as from God unto them like Elihu that he may discerne of their complaints rectifie their errors meet with their corruption shew them their state and wants and comfort them at the heart as God allowes them That if they cannot at the first finde stay and support yet if they see but a little light at a crevis they may be glad of a little and not be dismaid that they may seeke still after counsell till the worke by degrees be perfected that they may not lay stumbling blocks in their owne way to fall by but hold the measure of light so farre as they are come waiting till God reveale the rest and not defiling their consciences the whiles Phil. 3.15 and so make the worke new to beginne Thirdly that the Minister of God may be wise as an Angell of God as well to find out apt and meete Scriptures to encounter the soule as the need thereof requireth either threats or promises or other sentences and when they see that these are urged not by the authority of a man but of God whom they only must look at in this case and not man that then their base hearts may no further kick cavill and gainesay and so put the Minister of God to a double toile not only to conflict with their reall distresse but also with their wilfull and accidentall sullennesse pride and rebellion Fourthly let them crave of God a wise utterance of their estate to the Minister of God or at least an inckling thereof that it may not be mistaken for a crooked rule being put into a mans hand will force him to make a wrong line though his skill be good enough to draw a right one Fifthly chuse thee out a faithfull interpreter one of a thousand for love lenity skill patience long suffering bowells of compassion and experience For such a mercury is not made of every blocke thou maist else light on miserable comforters Sixtly above all other things let such persons beware of any base motive or principle leading them to aske advice let them not affect any sinister respects nor aime at any base ends to bee noted for zeale to thinke themselves safe because they have taken counsell to choake and smother the accusations of conscience to make them bolder in sin to pretend and alledge the counsell and comfort of such a Minister to harden themselves against any just reproofes which after may bee urged upon them and the like base ends whereof the bouget of mans vile heart is fraught and full especially in this formall crafty age wherein every one will be Religious and Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light For by this meanes that uncleane spirit will returne with seven worse then himselfe and defile more dangerously But let thy aimes in this worke be honest simple and sincere to goe forward with God according to thy light cheerfully and humbly and so looke to prosper Secondly for the Minister of God let him be exhorted also first 2. Branch to Ministers 3. Things Abhorre error and prejudice 1. Error to cast out all bad principles perverting the spirit of counsell and crossing the gift of restoring the weake And these are first a prejudicate sowre heart enclined to sinister thoughts of the afflicted conceiving them according to carnall reason and not discerning the worke of Gods spirit in such This is no common grace to have a cleere spirit this way For the spirit that is in us lusts after envy We are all a kinne to old Eli who seeing poore Hanna sitting sad with her lippes moving and no voice thought her drunke But when he perceived her to bee a woman of a troubled spirit 1 Sam. 1.13.14 powring out her soule from a full heart to the Lord and understanding the cause he became a Prophet of God unto her for her satisfaction and comfort 2. Error 3. Error Beware therefore of a base heart of prejudice error misprision rashnesse And yet take heed also that love and pitty make us not too hasty in comfort Also ease unmercifulnesse unbeteamingnesse sullennesse uncharitablenesse wearinesse and loathnesse to be enlarged in our bowells as the Lord allowes us of which disease Ionah was sicke 4. Error Also waspishnesse suddennesse and hastinesse whereby as Physitians cutting off their patients in their complaints they are impatient to heare and so discourage them I confesse that the talkatives and vanity of many weake ones in their complaints who in stead of inclining their eare and hearing that their soules might live are swifter to jangle to neglect that which which is spoken then to marke and have never done with idle repetitions may sometimes cause a wise counsellor to chide and reprove them justly yet with tendernesse and meekenesse And the like I may say of those endlesse answers which many make when they are demanded how counsell hath prevailed and they rather bewray themselves worse and worse then better and better for though it be not in our power to settle the spirit sooner then the Lord please yet it behoves not any distressed soule so to nourish themselves in their lowring and distempers as to dismay the Minister but rather by wise concealement or desire of new satisfaction to draw his heart to pray for them more earnestly and waite more patiently till the spirit shall blow peace upon them The second duty Practise This preparation being made the next exhortation is that the Minister of God do first meekly then wisely speak to the heart of the afflicted For the first of these it is a duty much pressed and exemplified in Scripture I say a mercifull and loving heart of fellow feeling and tendernesse to the heavy Fot hereby the Minister of God conveieth the heart of the Lord Jesus into the soul of the afflicted of whom it is said He had learned compassion towards them by his owne sufferings Heb. 2.18 that so
he might pitty and succour those who are tempted And surely wonderfull use there is of this grace For alas in these troubles many a poore soule though not wilfull yet is not her owne because it is overpowred with the violence hideousnesse and irkesome of temptations without feares and unsustained horrors within so that for the time it hath no power of fastning upon counsell be it never so strong nay the stronger it is the harder to enter It must be time and stanching the bloud and waiting by degrees putting in here a droppe a line a little and there a little into the soule which must winne such an one to some hope by degrees Some texts observe for this Elihu seeing Iobs state sore snarled by his prejudicate friends and by the self-love of his own heart that it was hard to reduce all to a mediocrity applies himselfe in the spirit of singular modesty and meeknesse to be a mediator between them Job 32. Behold saith he I will not deale harshly in misjudging thee but be unto thee as thine owne soule this was the next way to redresse his sorrowes So Paul to the Galathians when he had sharpely reproved them yet seeing many of their weake mindes entangled tells them My little children of whom I travell againe till Jesus Christ be formed in you They had fallen into the hands of false teachers who had made their state more dangerous Gal. 4.19 And what doth hee Meekely and lovingly he bestowes the paines to travell againe of them Simil. A woman hath enough of breeding her fruit once and bearing it once but wee should count her a very tender mother which should beare the paine twice and fellow-feele the infants strivings and wrastlings the second time rather then want her child So Paul here is content to beare the paine twice of travelling for these Galathians hee meanes not a second birth but a second travell to reduce them home to Christ from their errors and to sympathize them so far for their good till they felt Christ againe revived in themselves after a former miscarriage and false conception So in Gal. 6.1 The Apostle againe doth require those Galathians which were strong to restore in the spirit of meekenesse such as were fallen the word is set in joint Be meeke and worke in the bone with much oile that so it may returne againe into the socket with lesse paine And Ezekiel tells us Ezek. 34.16 that this is one peculiâ—r property of a true shepheard that hee seeke up the lost and suffer not the bitten or broken to perish but carry it home upon his shoulder tender it dresse it and binde it up againe These and the like places shew with what spirit the Lord wishes such to go to work even so be it with us in Gods fear limpe with the halting lispe with the stuttering sit still and be silent a while till deepe affliction can speake out helpe forth the words of the distressed which sticke in the passage be tender and pitifull till God draw the heart by these cords of a man Hosea 11.4.13.2 and be as the Master of the cattell who taketh off the yoke and layeth meat unto them yea as the Lord Jesus who would not breake the brused reed Matth. 12. nor quench the smoking flax till judgement brake forth into victory Iron and steele come not to an edge without much oile Thirdly 3. Branch apply counsell and remedies with all wisdome and seasonablenesse speake a word in due season Now here the maine worke lieth But some may aske and say how should I performe this duty I answer The variety and difference of estates admit no rules in generall onely to satisfie the desirous I will instance in a few kindes and shew what remedies most fitly agree with them Observe wisely and discerne the estate of the afflicted Rules for this and that will be a great helpe to tell a qualified counsellor how to judge both of the malady and medicine For as it is in bodily diseases each one hath his severall symptomes which are not easily concealed So it is here A wise man will discover the sore by the behaviour of the party both for the kinde the measure the continuance of it and accordingly apply himselfe First then let it be one caveat 1. Discerne and separate mixt sorrow from â—â—â—gle that we observe whether the dolor bee single and simple or mixt and compounded If it be simple the trouble is the lesse But if mixt that is partly temporall and that first and chiefe partly spirituall The way is first to separate the one from the other and not to multiply spirituall comforts to such a one for his disease admits none because the roote is carnall And although it have ceased also in part upon conscience yet at the second hand Here then labour to lessen and diminish carnall and worldly griefe if it can by any meanes be removed as if it be a crosse upon the name body or state see if that can be effected and then you shall see if there continue any sorrow if it doe not it was meerly carnall and no spirituall in it if that cannot be removed then labour to divert the heart from the outward to the spirituall and that thus First shewing that this without the other is fruitlesse That the soule may bee as miserable without it as with it That love or hatred stands not in it That it may easily deceive a man about his sorrow That God either sends it as a needle to draw the thred of godly sorrow after it by the stirring of the spirit or else to leave the soule worse and that if it vanish as it came it will be so That the nature of it is deadly for worldly sorrow causeth death If these motives scatter the carnall sorrow and the spirituall remaine then it is from God And then the counsell is strive not to remove it at first but to ground it well upon the word that it may seaze kindely and so deale with it accordingly as in the rules following 2. Rule Discerne diabolicall temptations from inward The next is discerne diabolicall injections and temptations from the troubles arising from our selves Here the counsell is strive by all means to resolve the party that the Divell shall pay for his own sin Suggestions terrifying the spirit from Satans malice are none of ours Judge them by the disproportion to the souls disposition their unwelcomenes their irkesomenesse desperatenesse and tenaciousnesse And if a poor soul can truly say they are none of hers although she cannot be rid of the insulting of this god of flies yet by praier for riddance constant detesting to have fellowship and consent with them whether thoughts against God his word the Ministry Heaven Hell Providence Religion or lusts and vile affections the Lord will weaken them and not suffer thee to bee held under temptation And to say truth violent externall causes
cast in more if she had had it But the other cast in out of ostentation because they were seen of men and cast in of their superfluity and jollity of spirit who perhaps if they had been moved in secret to give here or there a shilling where their gift should have beene buried would have shrunke in their heads Whence is it thinke we that many jolly fellowes are very forward to give scores of hundreds of pounds to Schools Hospitalls or in a publick sort who if they see private reasons of contribution to many a decayed Christian or Minister are hardly drawne to it Oh! because not the naked simplicity of the thing as to God but the observation publickenesse memoriall and name of the one better agrees with their pharisaicall spirit then the other whereas if the true end were reliefe of the distressed Eccles 11.1 they would as well cast their bread upon the waters as into an open stocke I discourage none nor censure any particular persons for their almes these are no dayes for it I rather would speake two words to further then one to hinder yet we know such a disease there is Eccles 10.1 and who would spoile a whole box of ointment for one dead fly doe both scatter in private some handfulls as well as powre out whole bushells and then the suspition is taken away Once I remember a man who long profferd his kindenesse to a Colledge but still left his gift sealed up till death then he would give all but before nothing Why Alas after death there is no pleasure which before there is and men are willing to part with their wealth when pleasure in it and power of it are gone I tax none who give after death but desire to rectifie them for ability permitting who should not rather chuse in part at least to be his owne executor then to leave it to strangers not knowing what it may come to Take an instance out of the six later commands whereof every former exceeds his later But why I demand doe many men seem to obey in the maine command which provides for the life it selfe of man when as the lesser which concerne his chastity his wealth his name are slighted He that does no murther dares defile his neighbours wife steale his goods or traduce his name Doth not this practice directly crosse my doctrine Yes but then you must marke here is no honesty no faithfulnesse in such a person Where that failes there be many causes why the greater may tye them who in the smaller will bee loose First because a lesser vice may be more naturall to the constitution of the body then the greater All vices cannot roote alike in the soile of a bad heart at least providence barres and bounds our corrupt nature that it be not endlesse all vices cannot be nourished corruption hath a streame if it should scatter it selfe one sinne and lust might crosse another Thou maiest regard the life of a poore man although thou be an uncleâ—ne beast because that sinne is thy beloved and predominant sin and so matters the rest Secondly this disorder may arise from terror and feare of horrible impieties horror of the penalty unnaturalnesse of the fact and such like bits and bridles which God puts into the mouthes of men which if they were absent the rule would soone prove true the committer of the greater would make no bones of the smaller Eye for eye tooth fortooth skin for skin and all that he hath will a man give for his life but smaller things are not so perilous Thirdly this may issue from vain-glory when a man thinks he shall have a deeper esteeme among men for some greater worke which in a lesser would vanish of which before Or pride when a base heart thinks smaller duties to be under him and not equall to his great stomacke to undertake though perhaps some great ones he will stoope unto as more suting to his greatnesse We have a Proverb Eagles catch no flies So the spirits of great ones thinke that small matters are a dishonour to them they will not foule their fingers with them So much for this This serves againe for confutation of Popery They would beare us Vse 2 downe and make themselves above us in the point of mortification and God helpe Confutation of Popery the best of us come short of it in these daies of sensuality and fleshly liberty But to goe to our Doctrine They tell us that the perfection of self-deniall stands in outward workes of Penance and Satisfaction in scourgings in fastings in abstinence from marriage in course apparell in standing up to the midle in cold water in the winter time in pilgrimages and such like of which the Apostle saith Col. 3. ult They have a shew of wisdome in will-worship humility and neglect of the body denying honour to the satisfying of the flesh Popish mortifications discovered to be false But nothing to the true mortifying of the spirit the frame of that still continues the same proud conceited and imputing these to merit as if they engaged God to themselves by them But as for our mortification which they say is secret and stands in the mortifying of our wills and concupiscence lusts and affections the fruit of faith purging the conscience Oh this is but a pretence of hypocrites who come farre short of their fruits in this case And to confesse the truth it were to be desired that we Protestants discovered our mortification in greater and more outward selfe-deniall then we doe But as for them this I say if they excell us so much in the greater how comes it to passe that they faile so much in thâ—t they count the smaller I meane inward humility denying of their owne affections Is it not tenne times harder to get that grace of faith and change of heart into us which should make us abhor our selves in all our performances then to tame the flesh for a while that so the spirit may gaine thereby a deeper opinion of merit and giving full satisfaction to God for sin Did not those thus in Mica 6. offer to God whole flocks and droves and rivers of oile and wine and their first borne Did not they esteem these great matters But what saith the Lord unto them Doth he not convince them of their hypocrisie and tell them That the things which he calls for are within Outward things he cares not for but to walke humbly with him and to do justly and shew mercy Therefore it is evident they these fail in their account and set a greater marke upon their devotion then God doth and therefore are lyars If those things which they alledge were greatest surely they who are so forward in them would not be behinde hand in such as they account the smaller Esay 66.2 They would say of themselves when all is done our righteousnesse is as a menstrous clout and count themselves for ought is in them to merit as
desolate and desperate which is the estate of hypocrites and selfe-deceivers Esay 50. ult and so God should put no difference between a poor humbled soul mourning for him and one that compasses himselfe with his own sparkles All these being of infinite absurdity and ill consequcnce it must needs bee that God will not bee angry nor contend for ever but finde a time an accepted season in which he will ease the heavy heart of her distempers and set her at liberty Thirdly the Lord hath the spirit of man and the passages and waies Reason 3 thereof in his owne hand to sway draw alter turn it as he pleases He formed the spirit first of his owne breath knows how it defiled it self understands the wofull inability of it to heale it selfe sees and beholds the secret windings and turnings of it how it wraps it selfe into endlesse errors and wearisome doubtings he permits all these in wisdome and when he sees his fittest time he can turne the course and streame of the spirit his owne way though the rebellion crossenesse feares and staggerings thereof be never so perplexed There is an absolute soveraignty of God over the will and conscience of man that when hee please he can do with it as men do with rivers of waters Proverb which though naturally they runne downeward yet by art and skill are recalled and derived to such uses as best serve to the benefit of the owners so that the question is not whether the heart would of it selfe encline but whether God enclines it Fourthly the power of the Spirit is such that it blowes at it owne Reason 4 pleasure and is of a most perfect freedome to blow where when how farre it selfe will and is not in the power of any Divell enemy man himselfe to crosse it God hath the winde of perswasion in his owne hand and he holds the winde in his fist All perswasions arguments and motives doe so farre prevaile or not prevaile with the spirit of man as the Spirit it selfe pleases to set them on When he will overrule the Spirit a little motive a word speaking shall effect it when he will stop the power of it nothing shall prevaile Luke 5.3.7 As Peters nets lay by when the season was so when the time of catching came all the fish came together and were enclosed under it So the counsells of the best wisest strongest must lye by as ineffectuall when God is absent the heart lies as a stone frozen into ice no axes mattocks strife of man shall break it But when his heart is enclining to man and meanes him good then shall the Spirit lye in another coast and suddenly thaw and melt the ice of the soule and dissolve those strong chaines which bound it before and made it past mans skill to pierce it so that as before nothing could soften it so now nothing shall harden it Now then marke If this power be in the Spirit of grace it must needs serve for somewhat it is not needlesse Therefore it must serve to this end to rid captives of their chaines to speake a word in season to a soule that is weary to carry the seed of life and the promise into the poore and fatherlesse spirit and there to enter open and enlarge the soule so farre that as it had no power to apply to receive or embrace any light or hope now it may be as the eternall gate opened by the eternall Spirit who hath the key of David and have no power to shut it selfe any more nor to resist the Spirits power and perswasion Reason 5 The fifth Reason is taken from the scope which mercy propounds to herselfe in the turning the soule to God Even the glory of it own selfe and that nothing may share with it selfe in this great worke of over-powring the soule As she onely hath those weights in her hand which can over weigh the base and backward heart so she will doe it when the soule hath struggled and tyred her selfe in her owne way hoping by her owne skill to effect it Then can mercy onely save the soule and remove the false principle which she found in the soule to crosse it even when the soule seemed to be most earnest in seeking it The Lord seeks more to honour himselfe above the soule then to shew it mercy onely for the private good thereof and when he findes that the soule herselfe can make no work of it is past hope in herselfe sees most basenesse in herselfe then is his fittest season to worke for his owne name and then none shall share with him in that point whereof he is so jealous that is his glory Esay 63.4 Esay 42.5 There is a speciall text of worth for this point which I wish all to observe Esay 57.17 I was angry with him and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart But I have seene his wayes and will heale him and restore comfort and create peace What While he goes on in his frowardnesse kicks against the pricks and hath no disposition in him to convert Surely no for all the work of Selfe is but the frowardnesse of a man with himself because he cannot have his will of God But then will God heale that man may be set on ground and bee convinced of his owne impotency for no reason can be given why at last the Lord should so overrule him save meer mercy to one in misery except any will say that a froward heart can merit any mercy So then the entire glory of the grace of mercy causes the Lord at last to finish the worke hee hath begunne that both the Alpha and Omega may be his both warpe and woofe from him Thus much for Reasons Now I proceed to some Questions Three Questions For upon that I have said sundry may be made Especially these three First wherein doth appeare that a soule in the way of grace and under the condition of it may yet a long time lie under such distempers ere it come to apply the promise this may arise from the present case of Naaman of whom the Doctrine saith that the Lord now found a time of grace for him though it were long first some therefore may desire to see it proved that it may be long first wondring that it befalls not the soule as soone as shee is under the condition of it The second question may bee why the Lord should permit such delayes and longsome staggering since that it may seeme it were better if it were speedy and put out of doubt at first Thirdly it is asked by what markes it may appeare to a poore soule that the Lord intends to finish his worke and to set her out of her old feares and distempers To answer the first of these this I say experience proves it that conversion is not finisht in many a soule which yet may be under a condition Quest 1 of it as soone as begunne Why conversion is not
pride earthly hearts abides in them and annoyes them they cannot thinke the promise concernes them Oh! if they could finde themselves rid of these they should have hope else none Others cast their thoughts afarre off and thinke that faith carries with it the implied condition of such a change for time to come as they shall never attaine too For say these beleevers must be holy and cleane whereas we carry such base lusts about us hearts so hardned with sins that we cannot repent it were death to us to forgoe some beloved evills or to keep within a compasse of an holy course for any time As good tye a Tygre to a rope and make him to plow the furrowes as their wilde hearts to any duty and good behaviour And when they are told that faith will purge their hearts and they must not forestall God then they say though they should repent yet they should never persevere Before they dye the Divell who owes them a mischiefe will surely pay it them one temptation or other will foile and betray them so that ere they die they shal revolt most fouly and fall away like Demas Hymeneus and so goe to their grave with misery without returning to God and besides bring such a staine upon the Gospel as will never bee worne out There are others discouraged by the long space of time since they came to see themselves under the condition of grace as to be lost broken c. and yet they come not to any sound settling upon the promise if God they say meant to save them at all he would have saved them long ere now for they were once farre more tender then now they are they were at first onely guilty of sinnes against the Law but now they have added sinnes against the Gospel also as it were drunkennesse to thirst yea they are hardned sapped and past feeling And moreover they see many others who beganne farre later then they yet are got before them as in other gifts and graces so in faith and insight into the mystery of Christ in which they grow not but notwithstanding all meanes abide so silly so simple so ignorant and uncapable that there is little or no probability of being better They feele little difference neither they say in their course but alway in darkenesse sad feares going on and on but gaining no ground nor growing more toward the hope of beleeving and therefore they conclude that they belong not to Gods number they are not surely chosen of God and therefore they may will and runne long enough but they shall not finde mercy And so long as this bone sticks in the throat how should any savour of the promise goe downe their stomacks or enter into their hearts Another sort by these and the like distempers wax sullen and transported with melancholy and mopishnesse and grow therein so obstinate and that they will heare no counsell they know they say what their destiny is therefore let no body trouble himselfe about them As it is and hath beene so it will be with them still They know as much as any Minister can teach them They will not bee brought so much as to consent that there is any better estate then they live in neither doe they thinke that any can have any more assurance then themselves if they see any Christians merier then themselves they presently judge them to be presumptuous hypocrites and condemne them Others do not so much censure others as themselves and grow conceited against the meanes will not be perswaded to heare or pray because they doe but encrease their damnation nay but for necessity of nature they would not eat their meat nor drinke when they are athirst nor goe to any nor suffer any to come at them neither aske nor take counsell for they say these things belong to them whose they are But they are none of Christs and therefore have no right unto them And yet even many of these setting aside the malice of Satan holding them under with this melancholy of body or conceit of minde or both have given good signes of a loaden broken and desirous heart To draw to an end the most sad hindrance of all is that the beauty of the promise the good things of God given to his are not seene into by them They have not yet met with the spirit of light and perswasion somewhat or other hath dazled it either their confidence that it shall be well with them or their neglect of meanes or their using them in a scanty slacke and formall manner or their subtilty closenesse slynesse loathnesse to part with their pleasures or some bitter roote of earthlinesse which dampes the esteeme of the Lord Jesus they cannot be gastered from the creature it is so naturall so rooted in them or some base thing or other they will nourish as sugar under the tongue and hope to reconcile it with Christ so that both may goe together loth they are that onely bare and naked Christ should beare sway and come into a naked house or else I say the true kindly and cleere beauty of that which the promise presenteth to a soule under a condition is by some meanes hidden from them as by error and misconceiving what faith is by giddinesse by forgetfulnesse by foolish intermedling with many things Luke 11. one thing being necessary by little meditation applying pondering and incorporating the word into their hearts by stumbling at the very point in hand thinking that seeing good onely can and in time will releeve the soule therefore let all goe cast all upon God and be lazy and secure But one more I will adde of most usuall error to many especially such as are ungrounded and that is in the putting no difference between Doctrines and Truths handled in the course of their hearing As it is a sad error of some men that so they preach it skills not what nor how They little attend the estates periods and degrees of their people so the people are like them so they heare the truth they little minde what truths doe most concerne them 2 Tim. 3.7 and so alway are hearing but never come to knowledge Why They are foolish and undiscerning All is fish which comes to the net and they embrace alike one and other whereas although all be good yet it concernes them to looke out such as might fit their needs and further them in the worke they aime at Tell a woman whose fruit is come to the birth of this tale and that aske her what linnen she hath or what meat she will eat doth she savour such questions Are they not tedious Doth she not aime at one thing that is how she may get strength to bring forth So should an hearer that seekes the fruit of his labour not while himselfe with every truth lesse concerning for the present but hearkning after such as may answer his doubts cleere his objections reveale that which he most wants and which
pride and stoutnesse begins to quaile and his great stomack comes downe That heart which before was the heart of Leviathan as Iob describes it hard as a stone now melts and becomes soft as wax This is a signe indeed of mercy drawing neare a poore soule that even as before all turned to gall and bitternesse Job 41.24 and like bad physick wrought by contraries so now the Lord purposing to perfect his work with power lo all goes right and the omnipotent arme of God subduing and casting downe all high things that before caused the heart to swell and bluster against the way of God now molifies the hard heart and thaws it as the frost by the southwind Oh what a strange alteration doth the rising Sun cause in the horizon Fogs and mists and darkenesse vanish and disperse themselves and all the coast is cleare againe as if there had never beene any such And marke it who will thus it fares with every soule which comes to God the nearer it drawes to the Sun of righteousnesse the more melting and humble it is all old quarrells and cavills all old rebellion and stoutnesse of spirit are scattered when Christ once arises to rebuke the boisterous rage of the sea for such is every wicked heart Esay 57. ult even foaming and casting up mire and dirt then on the suddaine all waxes mild and calme and the place where frowardnesse and distempers grew is no more found Thus much for the third question I come to the Uses of the point which are many fold First it instructs Vse 1 us about a difference betweene the hypocrite and the sound hearted seeker after God Instruction 1. Branch Hypocrites elect ones differ in their issues Matth. 12. There may seeme no great oddes in their paines and endeavours both may seeme earnest and longsome both heare much pray and live in the element of meanes constantly both have their terrors their hopes their flashings of light and comfort both have their ebbings and flowings sorrowes and joyes but the one hath not the issue which the other hath The end of the one is to goe out in darkenesse the other to overcome and breake forth into victory The end of the righteous marke it Psal 37. is alway peace though after long toile and hazard The righteous are saved though scarce and with much ado and at last they come to the haven They are like to them in the ship wherein Paul sailed Act. 27. though they had so toilesome a travell of it all the winter yet God gave to Paul all the soules that were with him and bid him be of good comfort for all should safely come to land at last The truth is there is an ods between them from first to last in their knowledge in the work of the Law their terrors and of the Gospell their sorrow their desire and the rest But that is not so easie for us to discerne God only sees that But in the upshot it is manifest For then it appeares that there was a different principle that acted them the one from himselfe to himselfe the other from the Spirit of grace for the honour of grace and the change of the heart As Saint Nazianzen once spake of one of the Councells that neither it began with God neither would end for him Looke well about you brethren for God helpe us the worke of faith seems to be perfected in few of us to any purpose preaching in and out of season we have long had and all follow it but to behold the sad and dead point which many of us doe and long have stood at would flait any honest heart to think of one would thinke those former trialls should exercise every one of us to see what at last will come of all our struglings and strifes I pray God we prove not of the baser sort that enter not but faile of Gods grace though it be long first yet if at last our successe answer our pains it will be well An item to these persons But it s not amisse for some of us to suppose the hardest and say what if I should not be of them who shall end in comfort All shall not If I be one what doe I running this round and treading this maze in vaine As neere at my death as at my entrance And like to one wildred all night and in the morning comming to the place he set out I beseech you looke over those markes above hurt it can doe you none God sets us not to this taske of hearing and profession for policy and to keep us occupied and from idlenesse No he sets us to heaven-ward if we see not his scope we may wander all our lives and never the nearer and what a sad woe would that bring with it Many poore soules are afraid that death will come ere grace bee perfected But I pray God it prove not the portion of many that feare it not but are confident that the upper milstone running upon the nether the corne will be grownd whereas alas they have no corne between the milstones their soules laâ— not in for any such matter as to get their soules saved and broken Esau thought nothing when he dallied with his birthright but after it was gone all his howling could not recover it Be wise therefore looke still at the scope the end must pay for all be sure your growths to heavenward be sure though slow be sure your conception be good and that the seed of God is in you then shall all your combats and strifes be as Rebecca's whom God told she had twins So be sure there be a child a breeding and true life for that will beare you through and at your birth you shall forget your sorrow Otherwise as the unhappy woman who carries a mole orabortive in her hath many feares and saith either I goe with child or with my death so shall it fare with you So much for this first 2. Branch of Instruction Censure neither our selves nor othâ—rs in the matter of Grace Againe it should teach us neither to censure others nor our selves in the passages of our endeavours strifes for heaven Not others To say thus and thus long they have beene striving and making towards salvation and yet they daily complaine as men that have got but little alway in their complaints doubts and conflicts Surely I feare there is little in them No say not so If they be the Lords the issue shall bee good Reasons why God justly permits it thus I gave before Now I adde that these rash censures are commonly theirs who are little acquainted with the trade of faith Alas you know not what the ventures of this Merchant and the toile of this husbandman are Thinke not sinisterly of grace for the paines and the severall troubles that it brings with it If it be more easie with some then with others blesse God you have avoided many a rock and hazard that others meet
with But therefore to judge others doe it not Say that their owne rebellion hath made an easie way to become hard to them what then if they be saved any way what skills it The harder it is and the more it cost the sweeter it will be and the harder to forgoe Looke rather to thy selfe that thy strivings be lawfull then judge them whose strifes are difficult for so it must be till God have brought a base heart to lye downe at his feet with shame Many a noise must pierce a dead heart ere it live many a terror and many a pang of selfe-love many a contradiction feare and hope must come in his way who arrives at heaven onely this is the comfort No enemy shall finally deprive such of their labour as are called to the hope of salvation unfeignedly Nay rather Rom. 14.13 if thou get thither more easily feare that there may be in thee many an old dreg which perhaps is purged out of others by sad medicines but how ever judge them not The end shall make all manifest 1 Cor. 4.5 judge not another mans servant he stands or falls to his owne Master Pitty such rather and pray that God would ease their travell And secondly much lesse condemne thy selfe 3. Branch Instruction Christians must beware of condemning themselves Esay 40.2 because thou findest the worke of grace to hang long in suspence and not to come off with such ease and haste as thou desirest Doe not entertaine base feares into thy heart nor tempt God by putting thy selfe amongst hypocrites and reading thine owne doome looke to those markes I set downe and then conclude it s not in thee but in the Lord to shorten thy travell and to determine thy warfare it is his work who can neither be shortned nor hastned by thee he onely knowes what corruption must be tamed what grace quickned hurt it shall doe thee none to be tried if thou be sure the worke was not of thine owne beginning but Gods know he is faithfull who hath begun who also will finish in due time Thou wouldest be loth thy wife should come before her time as much as thou longest for the fruit of her wombe but art desirous she should fulfill it And thou dost well Doe so here in thy owne case A thousand yeares is as one day with the Lord 2 Pet. 2. to teach thee some of his patience when his day is come it will seeme no whit too long And in the meane season who upholds thee from sinking Is it not the Lord But perhaps thou wilt say Thou feelest but small hope and much sadnesse and deadnesse of spirit I answer thee That may be thy discontent and impatience For why Although thou feelest no thrivings yet perhaps thou maiest thrive and grow nearer thy hopes then thou art aware The infant growes towards birth daily whether it be strong or weake None of Gods cost shall bee lost upon his no drop of his pretious seed can be spilt Though thy course seeme dead to thee yet if the Lord attend thy fruit within and ripen it forme and fashion it in thy heart by secret and unknowne degrees is it not well Thou dost not know how one bone or one joint is framed in the wombe Simil. yet they lose no day no houre of their appointed time Thou seest no haires bredth of growing in thy corne yet it encreaseth daily and even that winter life thereof which stands at a stay and seems dead yet gathers secret heart and strength at the roote which after in the spring makes it shoot and branch forth The Lord is now doing for thee that which thou knowest not of but shalt know hereafter That is Joh. 10.9 that grace cannot be wrought out with thy sweat and care but by his spirit and he is the Soveraigne God who will be adored by all that come to beleeve They must come to a low point in themselves and confesse that God hath them at the advantage to save or destroy which when it hath tamed them throughly under this mighty hand of his to be at his dispose then perhaps he will not take but release the vantage for the glory of his Grace yea truly although the Lord should respit his worke till thy death yet mutter not but know that he chuses that time because then commonly the soule is brought to the narrowest point and sees no props to support her nor helpes to cling to then being at the greatest strait either to trust to a promise or to perish it is put to it and forced to resigne all and to cast it selfe upon meer mercy which while shee walked at large in the world with many false props about her shee found it not so easie to doe Thus much for this Use Vse 2 This sweet Doctrine in the second place serves to reprove and confute the false imputation of many cavilling and slanderous spirits Reproofe and Confutation in their backbiting the Ministers of the Gospell and contrarily for the encouraging of the Minister in his course of painfull persisting in the worke of perswasion Quarrellers against the Ministers unablenesse to comfort the distressed most sinfull For the first of these There be many prophane ones of this sort in all places who cast reproach upon the Gospell and Ministery as unable to effect that which it pretends Oh say they when these Ministers first preach the Law they beare people in hands that it is the way to raise up their soules to hope but for ought we see such dejected spirits complaine every day that their condition is more and more heavy they see themselves further off then ever I had rather be as I was saith another for before I was quiet but now I see the gulfe in which I lye to be deep and terrible But oh poore wretch Is it thus with all Are not some daily raised through mercy as well as others cast down What Dost thou expect as soone a lifting up as thou feelest a consternation Art thou better then he that said Psal 85.8 He would hearken what the Lord would say for he would speake peace to his Saints Surely it s to bee feared thine humbling is but violent and then thou maiest cavill long enough for thou shalt revolt quickly to thine old vomit Gods matters are too hot Job 15.11 and too heavy for thee But say thou art no such yet tell me Are the consolations of God such vaine things with thee Is it not more eligible to be under the hands of a mercifull God who in his good time can perswade the unconvinced spirit and bring it to the bent of his bow then to be under that bondage for a time which the Law by sin hath brought upon thee The like speeches doe many use concerning others How doe base parents husbands wives and kindred cry out of the word when it hath begunne to ceaze upon their children wives and husbands or kinsfolke
except thou bee out of the way when the houre of performance is come Vse 4 But lastly and above all hearken to this all you to whom of right the Doctrine belongs Consolation to all who have found God in their conversion you who have long waited for this day behold it here even the day starre of consolation arising in you hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 I dare say for you you doe not gape after comfort to spend it upon your lusts but to heare what God will say That you returne no more to folly to your old distempers To you I apply this blessed truth to you I say whose big hearts are come downe and lye at the foot-stoole of mercy and marke what I say Come out of your ashes take unto you this white garment of joy and put it on your warfare is accomplished Oh that this day might be the time of your lifting up perhaps it may for ought I know take this handkercheife and wipe away all your teares with it let this Sun beame of comfort chase away all former mists and fogs of darkenesse and distrust and let it be as old Eli a voice from God to your sad spirits that with Hanna having received your answer you may be heavy no more 1 Sam. 1.17 1 Sam. 7.12 Set up your altar with Samuel and say Hitherto the Lord hath holpen us and adde moreover he will give me the hand and helpe me over the hill of difficulties that remaine Be so farre from distrusting this that you proceed and say He that hath thus fulfilled his word in one kinde he will doe it in all other set me beyond gun-shot of all corruptions temptations Divell opposition and malice of his instruments and keep mee till his comming and till I obtain full redemption Rather then the Lord would not accomplish that promise which was 4000. yeares old of sending the Lord Jesus hee would even strip himselfe and bee made sinne and shame of holinesse and honour Did hee so deny himselfe Galat. 4.4 and all to keep that maine promise and dare I distrust him in the rest and the smaller No surely Therefore poore soule that thou mayst be established come in and believe this maine one The night is past and the houre of darknesse is gone Now the Almond tree blossomes Cant. 2.11.12 and all the sad disasters of the Winter are passed Now in this Garden of God come meet thy beloved and let him give thee his love Henceforth say O my soule thou hast marched valiantly Thou art above all thy former feares and sorrowes Thou wert afraid lest death should prevent thee ere this day but that was impossible for then Gods word had been of no effect Say thus Now me thinkes in the comfort of this truth I could leap over a wall Oh that I should see it no sooner Now the time of God is come it is so cleare that I wonder I should ever stagger or distrust it I see it must bee wholly spun out of the Promise and not out of mine owne Bowels Gen. 28.16 Surely God was in this truth heretofore and yet till now I was never aware of it Now I am now I blesse God that ever I lived to this day that God should in such a comfortlesse world reveale such glad tidings unto me and make me to see his salvation Oft have I heard of him with mine eare but now I see him with mine eyes Now I can say Job 42.3.4 That which I have long sought I have found I have found him whom my soule loveth Why shouldst thou not say thus Psal 43.5 Why doth thy spirit fret within thee why art thou so sad when the Lord hath given thee the oyle of gladnes Doest thou not know that it hath been the portion of sundry Saints of God before thee Oh then climbe not up to heaven nor go downe into the deep to fetch Christ Thou shalt not need This day is come thy accepted time The promise is neere thee Rom. 10. even in thy heart to beleeve it As the Angell said to Peter Arise and follow me so doe thou and say Now of a truth I see the Lord hath indeed delivered me from Herod and the Jewes Acts 12.6 How went that Eunuch away from Philip rejoycing Acts 8. end What made Glover to speake when hee saw that Chariot of fire to carry him to heaven Oh! hee is come hee is come And another at the stake to take her leave not onely of her Husband Children and Countrey but of Faith and Hope saying Farewell you and welcome Love What a triumphant speech was it Speciall examples of soules deeply long loden yet at length comforted Another whose tendernesse over her children had not been ordinary and her feares great being very sicke to cry out I take no thought for them I leave them to my God and as for my distempers and temptations I have none I know I shall bee saved Another fearing hee should live in a great sicknesse asked Doe you thinke I should ever keep this assurance till another sicknesse and death come He was answered Yes and so foure yeares after at death he lay as before rapt and ravisht above world and all and being asked how he did said I am new out of a Trance I have had a doore opened and seene the glory of God and now the doore is clapt to but I peep at the crevis to keep the sight of it how loath am I to forgoe it To conclude another poore creature very weake to hold any thing all her life yet most constant in meanes till death when all thought her neere gone bade them weep no more for her nor take no thought for shee knew shee should doe well Oh the faith of these and hundreds more wee have seene and all to evidence this truth Oh! let us tread in their steps and follow their conversation and when thine end shall come Christ shall but stoop down and write upon thy heart 2 or 3 words Bee of good comfort Joh. 8.6 thy sinnes are forgiven but all thine accusers shall goe away and thy self be acquitted for ever Oh be thankfull to think of it and let no stranger world or lusts enter into this thy joy to defile it Thus much for this fourth and last use and for this doctrine Now I hasten to the next Doctrine And having ended the time when he obeyed we come now to the obedience it selfe True humilitie scornes not to learne of the meanest Hee went downe and washed himselfe in Jorden Wherein although the main thing which I intend is the Act of his faith yet one thing I must tell you of first viz. an amplifying of it by his humility that he was thus subdued by his servants and glad to yeeld at their instance counsell though their Master a great Prince An unusuall and unlikely thing that such a favourite to his Prince as hee was and so great
which God will have out and there the Lord and it are upon debate or there is a cursed naturall antipathy between the Lord and the way of salvation or the soule is full of teches and pritches against reproofe or it hatcheth some false conceit that it hath obeyd when it hath not which it will not see or puffes and snuffes against some other thing the Minister the Ordinance the difficulty of Religion the uncertainty of the promise Whatsoever it be it is a distastfulnesse of heart and a resistance against God which if it were not the soule would nakedly come in and obediently submit to the Gospel But this disease hath this misery that the more dangerous it is the lesse it will bee convinced of such a thing and this nourishes the heart in her wretchednesse it is not time alone which will heale it rather it causes it to rankle and wax worse and worse Men ascribe it to other matters being willing to gull themselves because they have no will to be rid of it They say they have weake memories little capacity and the Minister is too high for them But in very deeds their hearts are too high for him till the Word come neerer 2 Cor. 10.4 and worke inward to cast downe all imaginations and high things no submission will follow to the obedience of Christ The effect every one dare confesse but the cause they will not see it is not unprofitablenesse or an ill memory that hath caused your hearts to be so surly and perverse but it is a proud and gainsaying heart Acts 28.27 which hath so long made you unprofitable Doe not lin till you are convinced hereof for till the cause be seene it cannot bee removed Doe not lay the fault where it is not doe not blanch over the cause with fine words mitigate not the extremity of the sin with gentlenesse Perhaps you doe not live in wrath and rage with your wives family neighbours you make a shift to comply with men courteously so long as no body hurts you but truly if you beleeve not in all this while there is a pad in the straw your spirits are not inwardly brought to that tender softnesse and selfe-deniall to thinke equall thoughts of God and his way something stickes in your base stomackes which will not suffer the word of God to goe downe and pierce into you to perswade you If you would but bethinke you what a great let this is which hitherto you have not seene or if you could thinke how the case would bee changed with you if once a tractable comming and inclining heart were in you how the Ministers of God the Angels â—ea the Spirit of grace it selfe which you have so long grieved and resisted would rejoyce in the change Oh! you would never lin with your owne soules till you had cast it out and having shaken it off you would thinke it a greater ease then ever that Martyr of Christ did B. Hooper when he had cast off all his Popish trash and furniture from his shoulders Secondly it is reproofe Reproofe to many Professors who in hope are of Vse 2 the better sort who although by this sinne have not perhaps wholly stopped and choked the passages of the grace of conversion Christians of crabbed peevish stubborne hearts lose the grace of faith yet by the dregges thereof remaining in them and nourished dampe that obedience of heart that life of faith and selfe-deniall yea that peace joy and open heart to God and goodnesse which else they might attaine It is strange how some Christians dare give place to their corruption in this kinde yea grow to thinke it their praise Some are sowre and crabbed as it were steeped in vinegar so censorious and uncharitable that none can escape their censure some so suspitious jealous that none can live by them some so sullen that no estate can content them some so selfe-loving that none can please them save they who humour them in all their passions and pangs some so implacable that if once offended they can scarce looke a man in the face to rights some so eager in revenge that nothing else will content them some alwayes stirring up debate betweene neighbours so busie in Law and in matters of contention as if they were Salamanders alway living in the fire others so eager in spirit so lowring and sad that though they breake not out with others yet they never agree with themselves nor walke with a cheerfull countenance Why Save that the sweet oyle of gladnesse hath not suppled them nor the peace of God which passeth understanding hath possessed and stablished them Oh friends How dare you dally and venture to abide thus How sad a reflex will this bee upon your death-beds You will say It doth oft trouble you and you are grieved for your waspishnesse and anger But what then Is that an amends to God to vomit up that at an odde time which afterward you doe returne to and licke up ugaine without sense or feeling Oh! it were meet for you to be so heart-sick of it that you might for ever abhor it Christians should mark the secret creepings of such poyson how it dogges them chokes humblenesse and cheerfulnesse in them and makes them walke unfruitfully and unsetledly from time to time And say that sometimes you fast and pray and vow and covenant against them yet if the corruption and your soules are so incorporated together that when it steales in upon you with the old sweetnesse it inchants you and disables you from resistance what cause of boasting have you None surely nor shall till the Lord come between you and home with the spirit of true remorce and sorrow for it unto repentance never to be repented of and till your beloved lust become your bane See and apply that in James 4.1.2.3 till the Lord in secret chasten your spirits that you can sit and bemoane your selves with Ephraim and say O Lord what is the cause that I am so enthralled to this stout and unbroken heart Alas No word of thine no patience of thine can enter while this sin harden me I am not fit to bee wrought upon by any crosse blessing meditation or ordinance All washes away as it comes Oh! shall I never be rid of this misery this chaine When Lord will it once be Who shall breake off the slavish custome of my heart this way and set me at liberty Oh! if once it may bee I shall even account it as a second resurrection from the dead Oh! set such a guard over mee that I may never be surprized any more with it Let mee thinke the Divell not farre off when I see this messenger of his at my heeles so to dogge and buffet me Let thy Spirit from above which is pure peaceable Jam. 3 i5 long-suffering mercifull and patient humble and loving deliver me from this spirit of envie sullennesse Selfe and her fruits most earthly sensuall
and Divellish But as for nourishing this naughtinesse in your selves and stifnesse in it to keep your fashions attires to speake your owne words as if no Lord should controll you Oh! how horrible is it Shall God beare your name and be as your husband but you will eate your owne bread weare your owne cloath and be at your own hand and finding as those women in Esay speak Esay 4.1 Then surely you must bee content to live upon your own wages and so lâ—e downe in sorrow Vse 3 Thirdly This is terror Terror to all openly proud scornfull and prophane persons who proclaime their sinne as Sodome whose hearts cast up mire and dirt like the raging Sea Esay 57.21 Those carry themselves aloft and live at the full height of a bigge and high heart without any sense of their danger Such as maintaine this rotten principle It is good to be some body in the view of men because as a man thinkes of himselfe Jam. 4.7 so will others thinke of us Which as it is false for God resists the proud crosses them so what if it were true Surely so long as my doctrine continues good there is no possibilitie for thee to obtaine grace and obedience while this spirit lasts Naaman was a great one Proud hearts terâ—ified by Gods resisting might as much stand upon it as thou yet till his stomack came downe the word of his cure was not beleeved hee was a Leper still so art thou and worse in Gods sight so long as thy lofty heart dwells in thee thy high thoughts of thy selfe cause mean thoughts of God contempt of his word and disdaine to bee a captive to Gods truths Nay it takes away all capablenesse judicious discerning remembring affecting applying or practising of any thing thou hearest save to pride thy selfe in thy knowledge and to strengthen thy selfe in a rotten peace Jerem. 48.11.29 Alas as the Prophet describes Moab that she was very proud shee had not beene rolled about and therefore was setled upon her dregges her sent still abode in her so is it with every proud wretch his own savour is in him still he is as he was as you leave him so you finde him a proud wretch rolling up and down upon his own hinges As for suspecting all is not well or laying any thing to heart hee is farre from it No winde shakes his corne he applauds himselfe in his owne conceit and saith I shall have peace though I walke in the stubbornesse of mine owne heart Mark how carelesse pride is But what comes of it Doth he meet with any grace in such a condition No the Lord will set himselfe against such a sturdy wretch Deut. 29.15.16 breake his iron sinew and the staffe of his pride the wrath of God shall smoke against him and resist him till his heart feele it and desist from fighting against God And surely if such finde small favour with men save from teeth outward they finde much lesse from God Should not this scare every such man out of himselfe saying The more I magnifie my selfe the more God vilifies me I see it hard to curb pride but it is harder to endure wrath and to be cast out from God who counts none pretious but such as count themselves vile Beware of it then the sin it selfe is sad but that it should be the canker that should eate out the foyson of grace and destroy all my hearings and make my devotions as odious as the cutting off a dogges neck Oh! this consequence of the sin is worse then the sinne it selfe Many sinnes are worse in their fruit then in themselves and this is one of them And to touch the particular of Naamans sinne here which was blustering at the Prophet and cavilling against his message we see here how God abased this spirit in him ere ever he could obey But when that was gone then the other succeeded And so I say to all proud cavillers The terror urged here is terror for them While cavilling lasts no grace enters Looke upon this patterne all you cavillers and see God branding you with a gracelesse heart as long as this humour lasts I have noted the end of such as have vented their pride in cavilling and picking knots with the Minister and his doctrine such as cannot receive or stand under a solid and sad truth with a meek heart and I never saw such come to good God hath betrayed them to shame and ill report Their knowledge hath puft them up They have some growne Alehouse-Keepers and haunters embraced the world fallen out with their brethren and forsaken their fellowship been foully tainted with grosse evils uncleannes the world contention censoriousnesse uncharitablenesse Some have proved Brownists Poynters Schismatickes and Libertines and lost their honour with God and his Church If there bee any drop of humility in you let this affright you lay downe the bucklers and as you have been proud so now be humble Say not with Gardiner I revolted with Peter but I have not repented with Peter but with this poore Proselyte Naaman I have been as stout and proud as he and now behold I repent and am humble as he Lord give me grace as thou gavest him Oh! the servants of Naaman had little cause to repent them of their counsell when such an effect followed Neither should I of mine if I could prevaile as they did God grant you and mee this grace The fourth and last use shall be exhortation to us all Exhortation and comfort to humble soules to embrace this Vse 4 grace of a subject humble spirit Oh! it is the messenger of mercy and mercy followes her at the heeles Selfe-deniall and an humbled soule are speciall ingredients of this receit of Mercy and faith to apply it When the soule is full of her owne it is empty of Gods hee counts all grace put into such a soule as water put into a top-full vessell The empty the bare the naked and poore soule is that wherewith he will betrust his grace Jâ—mes 4.7 be earnest for this as you would have faith herselfe 1 Cor. 25. As Paul calles death the last enemy which must be subdued ere we have glory so may I say that a proud selfe-sufficient heart is the last enemy which must be cast out ere we can come by any grace It is the last brat of the house which goes out The onely vice which keepes possession for old Adam to keep out Christ When wee see Gods tokens Simile we count the plague incurable and when mercy cannot conquer a rebellious heart it is past all remedy And contrariwise here is comfort to all such as are thus tamed by God they are brought to the bent of his bow I may say to thee as Martha to her sister Mary Thy Lord is come and calleth for thee And as our Lord Jesus himselfe said to Zacheus This day salvation is come unto thy house
in as much as thou art become a sonne of Abraham Luke 19.7 Thy Regions are white unto harvest thy staffe stands next doore to grace and thy redemption is neer nay the day of the Lords redeemed is come Esay 63.4 Oh! thou mayst lift up thy heart unto God and say How is it that the Messenger of the Lord is come unto me Lo on the sudden I feele mine heart so strangely thawed and teachable over it was wont to be that I can give no reason of except the Lord meanes to save me I therefore interpret it as a signe of favour yea thou mayst be sure of it and therefore repent thee not of all thy paines which thou hast taken for it seeing thy reward will abundantly answer thy travaile And so much briefly may serve to have said of this use and of the Doctrine The chiefe doctrine of the whole verse opened at large I hasten now to the point it selfe of Naamans obedience The greatest and chiefest of all other which I aimed at in the handling of this Scripture Then saith the Text hee went and washed himselfe seven times in Iorden What was this A common act as others were No other then the former to come out of Aram to goe to the King of Israel or to stand at the doore of Elisha Oh yes those were his own this is Gods those he made no bones of but this was that which had made all this pudder it was the Lords owne way and device for the triall of his faith in the miracle and the subduing his heart to the naked obedience unto him And lo now his stomacke is come downe the let is removed and therefore he doth as he is bidden and goeth and washeth seven times in Jorden Marke the point it will cost us some time to handle Doctrine The point is Every one who is able to prove himselfe Every soule within the condition of mercy ought to beleeve within the condition of the promise may and ought to cast himselfe upon it obey the command of God and beleeve For the proofe of the point it will be expedient that first we cleare the ground of it out of the example of Naaman in generall and then by some evident texts of Scriptures with a briefe reason or two And having so done we will proceed to the explication of the contents of the Doctrine For the generall correspondence of Naamans case with this point some may doubt how it may be said of an Heathen in the point of curing of a bodily disease how he can be said to bee under the condition of a promise and so to believe For answer Answer whereof I say as before that although the worke of grace were a stranger unto him in respect of his owne feeling untill the time that the Lord wrought indeed grace in his heart yet forasmuch as the Lord over-ruled all the occurrents in the businesse by his owne hand for the effecting of that which he intended and swayed his heart to those preparations which were fit to lead to such an effect Therefore I do not see why on Gods behalfe those severall dispositions which were in Naaman may not be proportionable unto those which are wrought in such as are converted to God That Naaman was truly brought home to God besides the sequell in the Chapter mee thinkes this is sufficient that not onely God would chuse him as the onely Leper whom Elisha should heale but also would order the circumstances thereof in so set and solemne a manner that all men may behold a gracious worke as well as a miraculous For I demand what should need so many interruptions and defeats in the miracle such a trying and searching of a mans Spirit and such a purposed drawing of him to see more then an externall hand in the thing except more then an outward cure had beene intended by God A very small and short matter might else have been made of it if the Prophet had been used onely to heale his body and as Naaman thought the bare comming out and laying his hand on or speaking two or three words might have served the turne But now the Prophet must not bee seen Naamans weaknesse must be discovered to himselfe and hence it appeares that the Lord would have his Spirit and Soule acquainted with God as well as his outward man So much for the answer of the doubt And so I come to shew what conditions were wrought in Naaman before his cure and then how his obedience must be an act of faith issuing thereupon respiting proofes and reasons till the Doctrine be suted to the Text till which it will not be seasonable to settle it upon her bottome But this wee will referre to the next Lecture THE SEVENTEENTH LECTVRE upon the fourteenth VERSE VERSE XIV Then he went downe and washed himselfe seven times in Iorden and his flesh came againe as the flesh of a little child and he was cleane I Having shewed you beloved in the end of the former Exercise that Naamans example may wel yeeld us the consideration under our hand referred the particulars unto this Sermon Naaman then may be conceived under the condition of mercy in the purpose of God sundry wayes In respect of the order that God tooke with him both in preventing him and assisting him before the cure In the former we saw how the Lord by a bodily disease made him in the generall case of one needing ease for he abased his person in the midst of sundry other happinesses with the noysome disease of Leprosie which was in it selfe a marvellous yoke and as God guided it a very pinching one unto him burdening him more then in a common manner How Naaman was under the condition of of cure If this had not been the first ground of the worke had been removed Next hereto the Lord prevents him very sweetly with the newes of one who in such a desperate case is credibly reported unto him to be a man like to heale him and this comes to him by a speciall providence appointing a skirmish between Aram and Israel wherein a Damosell might be taken prisoner and such a one one of a thousand who had taken notice of Elishâ—'s worth in this kinde and this being by Naaman apprehended tooke off utter despaire of incurablenesse and put him into some hope of a possible cure Thirdly hereupon he slackens no time but addresses himselfe in the best manner to use the most apt and likely meanes for the commending of his businesse to the Prophet and for the bringing of him to the speech of the Prophet having no doubt a speciall desire to obtaine that really whereof hee saw possibility before Fourthly by his travell and furnishing himselfe with gifts attendance comming to the King of Israel with his message wherein he was greatly defeated he is by the Lord so mercifully assisted that he ceased not till by the Prophets owne intimation and further light and assurance not only
or if it doe yet thou shalt alway be doubtfull The Word on the contrary saith Doe not desist nor revolt to thy former pleasure in sin for in that course there is no hope thou art then in a desperate case Proceed rather and goe to the promise for thereby its possible thou maist find some redresse What doth the soul in this strife She compares the argument of the word with the counsell of the flesh and findes it better then this because it is farre more safe to chuse a possible redresse of misery then to fall upon the assured pykes of certaine wo and despaire Here we see a fight but no victory no assurance only that rest which the soule hath is not from any thing she feeles within herselfe but without in the word Secondly here comes in a second doubt and therein Satan tells Quest 2 the soule it is true Thou chusest hope before despaire but what hast thou to doe with peace Or how knowest thou whether thou oughtest rather to chuse the one then the other or what right hast thou to ease and pardon Here againe steppes in the word and succours the soule telling her That she ought to fasten upon life and pardon and chuse it before sinne and death for God hath bred in her the condions of faith a longing mourning restlesse selfe-denying heart therefore to her and to no other this pardon and ease belongs and she may claime it God indeed hath no where said in his word I will pardon thee Iohn thee Thomas c. But he hath said such and such I will pardon so and so qualified Now she assumes this qualification to herselfe and therefore she concludes that to her it belongs This is another word of the Spirit which still drawes on a poore soule to bee willing to beleeve But now comes the nearest worke of the Spirit in the word and Quest 3 that answers a third objection which is this How shall I know in speciall its mine owne Perhaps it may belong unto such a one as I am but many things belong to men which yet they are by one meanes or other defeated of How shall I know that God will give it me in speciall and grant me the gift of faith to beleeve it In this the word grapples closely and nearly with the soule and brings it to the strict point of beleeving and tells the soule That all to whom the promise of pardon and life belongs by the allowance of God he will most undoubtedly bring it to passe for them and conferre it upon them yea and give them faith to cast themselves upon it For in saying Come unto me all you loaden ones and I will ease you he meanes not onely you may but you must come not only it belongs unto you to come but I will in my calling you enable you to come and put strength and power into you to come that is to beleeve and by beleeving ease you By this the word setles the soule upon the promise as being that which it seemes she sees God is willing she should beleeve and therefore will conferre it on her And in so doing the Spirit causeth the heart which is willing to become effectually willing that is takes away all feare of defeating and tells her she shall speed of her desire and therefore now she dares venture and cast herselfe upon the promise and if she perish so she is content for she dares jeopard her soule upon Gods Truth Now we see this casting and venturing upon the promise is the best of all these three acts of the word and yet here is no assurance for the soule in respect of herselfe is neverthelesse full of doubting all her bottome is this last word of the promiser that he will effect that in the soule which he hath promised By all these I inferre The act of faith is no assurance within but an evidence without resting upon the word which word the more evident it is made to the soule the better and stronger is the act of beleeving but the best of these is no assurance Quest It will bee demanded May not assurance be had at all I answer Answ yes it may be and is the portion of such as the Lord sees meet to enjoy it Eph. 1. Rom. 8. but that stands upon another bottome and that is the immediate evidence of the Spirit in the conscience of one who is already a beleever making her to know that she beleeves This is not by the word directly but the Spirit of the word which reflects that into the heart with knowledge and feeling which before she only had by the fidelity of the Promiser But this as I said is not faith for then none should have faith who want this which God forbid but an effect of faith in some speciall persons and not all that beleeve Thus much for the former question Now for the latter viz. how faith is wrought The sufficiency of a promise is the object of faith You see brethren it is evident that the nature and worke of saving faith stands not in any fulnesse of sailes or reflex knowledge and overpowring sweetnesse of perswasion But as I said in a grounded casting herself upon the word For by this only mean faith is wrought And I call it grounded because so weighty a matter as the resting and casting of the soule upon a thing requires that the thing bee a foundation of great warrant to beare up a soule from revolting againe Nay when the conscience is come thus farre as to fasten upon the word Oh! she hath thousand objections against the sincere meaning of God in his word Hence it is that the word is so full of places wherein this sufficiency of the promise to rest upon is urged Sometime the Lord contests with them that quarrell against it Is the Arme of the Lord shortned Hath he said it and it shall not come to passe Hezechia tells us Esay 38.15 He hath spoken himselfe unto us and he hath done it Heb. 13.5 For he hath said I will not faile nor forsake thee So againe The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Among men its called an unsure argument to prove a thing by authority because men are liars further then their truth will speake for them And yet some great persons have born such sway and authority in the hearts of their Disciples that their bare word hath carried assent with it But to be sure this is a sure argument God hath said it therefore it is true as in all the words which ever went out of his mouth so especially in his promise Phil. 4. 2 Cor. 1.20 that above all pleads certainty Faithfull is he who hath promised who also will effect it And Elizabeth Luke 1. tells Mary There shall bee a performance from the Lord to his handmaid of that which he hath promised All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus with a thousand more But
generall texts satisfie not a scrupulous soule in so weighty a matter and flesh is ready to say what signe from heaven shewest thou us of these things We would see some sight or heare some voice to confirme the word Ah poore soule I may say of thee as the Scripture speakes of Samuel 1 Sam. 2. thus did he ere he knew the Lord so these are thy crotchets ere thou knewest the promise But afterward thou sawest more in that alone then in all other waies for the Promise and Testament of Christ 1 Sam. 2. is written with the finger of God by the penne of the Spirit dipt in the bloud of God But to utter what God is willing to have spoken I must say that he who might claime this absolute power over the soule to be beleeved upon his bare word yet seeing the sensuality of man and our wofull distrust is willing to allow us all the meanes of strengthening our soules in his promise both by such seales and witnesses as confirme it yea Miracles Sacraments and oaths annexed to his Covenant and especially by those properties of a promise and of him that makes it and all to conclude and set the controversie beyond questions And by this meane faith is wrought In the which course of God appeares his great love and wisdome for herein hee hath endeavoured to answer all our doubts and carnall objections we are not so ready to cast in feares as he by this meane casts them out For why O poore soule dost thou suspect the Lord will not satisfie thy desire in giving thee Christ Either it must bee because there is no ground or cause for which he should doe it The ingredients of a promise and this is answered by his freedome graciousnesse Or he is a God just and revenging sin but this is taken away by satisfaction made taken Or because he cannot and this is false for his power is omnipotent Or because he meant it not eternally But the promise is from election Or wills not in time But that he doth for he invites and beseeches us Or he is not wise enough to compasse it But that he is for he is wisdome Or he is untrue in his performance But that he is not for he is faithfull Or he may change but that he cannot for he is immutable So that let us but set perfection of nature and grace in him against that which is in us our distrust and unbeleefe and we shall see every sore hath his plaster each distemper hath his medicine And all these are included in a promise So that whosoever hath the gift of ripping up a promise aright should behold all Gods riches in it But is a great skill and the promises of God lye in the Scriptures as gold and jewells lye deep in the earth at least in the field of the Gospell and we are not aware of them nor acquainted with that fulnesse and perfection which is in them And many confesse one of these who will not acknowledge another grace comes in drop by drop else wee should looke upon a promise with other eyes then for the most part the most of us doe A word or two of each of the branches For the first Freedome true it is 1. Freedome there is nothing in thee to procure such mercy but he is of his owne accord for his owne sake Esay 63.4 cut off his plea thought thoughts of peace he hath done it for the glory of his grace even because he will shew mercy it better pleased him so to doe then the first creating of Adam for now by his fall he addes mercy to goodnesse and magnifies himselfe in many attributes more Justice Wisdome and Truth He seekes nothing else save the winning and binding of the soule to him for ever in covenant which else so treacherous an heart as ours would never have yeelded to So that thou maist well trust him in this respect if thy faith can but get in with the Lord for if he do it not for thine ends yet for his own he will so that thou canst set thine owne under his so that thy best prop will be the preciousnesse of his glory which he will not give to another and therefore thy unbeleefe shall not rob him of it 2. Strength Secondly satisfaction is made and taken therefore he hath ground enough to settle his graciousnesse upon Justice could not cry it down by revenge rather then it should a satisfaction made by the bloud of an onely Sonne the bloud of God and man shall stoppe the cry of it upon this both made by Christ and taken by our Judge lo he turns wrath into mercy and his bosome is set open and unlocked as a fountaine 2 Cor. 5.20 21. He offers us reconciliation because hee hath made him sinne and curse who knew none that we might bee his righteousnesse And this is called the Lords strength Esay 27.4 that is the bottome whereupon mercy maintaines herselfe against all quarrell of justice and this hath taken away the dint of it so that hee truly professeth anger is not in me therefore come in not to an enemy 3. Omnipotence but to a father feare not Thirdly he is omnipotent He can doe what hee will His power ushers and attends his love as an handmaid Esay 57.14 The high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity yet lookes downe that he may be strong with the humble and contrite ones His power is no crushing power save of our enemies and all that hate us But a releeving power an outstretched arme of salvation Not to destroy but to build up Esay 63.1 He that commeth from Edom dyed red with the treading of the winepresse of wrath is glorious in his apparrell travells in the greatnesse of his strength and is mighty to save Be the thing never so difficult to us with him nothing is impossible Can the Lord say they spread a table in the wildernesse The answer is can he not What is it which he cannot doe Except it be to deny himselfe and that nothing no not thy unbeleefe can bring him unto This power of God cannot be severed from the former satisfaction 4. Eternity Prov. 22.8 Fourthly he meant it from eternity as I said in the first of these he set downe with himselfe the frame and way of his owne grace long before Adam was or sinned the disease was foreseen the remedy fore provided It s a secret which lyes deep and hidden in the bosom of eternity though not farre above us in point of participation in this life yet in comprehension we must not looke to reach it here We may cry out O depth unsearchable and past finding out But till we come to heaven Rom. 9. end and behold it in the face of God being made one with him we cannot gage it our happinesse is that it is really so great that we cannot 5. Willingnesse Fifthly he wills it most cordially in
the revealing of it for who shall construe it otherwise who heares how many sweet invitations cords of perswasion arguments to enforce terrors against despisers he uses Esay 55.1 and 2. verses Read that Chapter and marke his offer Come all you that thirst drinke freely His contest verse 2. Why lay you out silver for no bread His compellation Incline thine eare hearken unto me and come c. He that concludes not hence that the Lord is willing to communicate his grace nay takes thought lest it should not be accepted and would rejoice if it might must needs call God a notorious dissembler which were hellish sacriledge And this a main point for all who confesse Gods power and are convict yet are not so of his will If thou wilt thou canst heal me Luke 5.12 1 Tim 1.17 Sixtly he is Wisdome it selfe 6. Wisdome When the Apostle had spoken of this mystery he concludes Now to the only wise God be honour c. Why so wise Because of all other waies he thought this the best he would in the best of his counsells finde out no other nay could not finde out any so good as this for then who is only wise would And the like I may say of the manner of publishing of it By men like our selves of like infirmity who might familiarly insinuate themselves By a promise rather then by any waies of old as visions miracles or voice of his immediately as more spirituall and effectuall So that the very Angellâ— looke into it with admiration how much more should we cry out Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome of God! Heb. 1.1 To all unbeleevers a stumbling blocke and foolishnesse Rom. 11.33 but to us that beleeve the wisdome and power of God Seventhly his faithfulnesse It is a principle 7 Faithfulnesse 1 Sam. 15. Luke 1. God is not a man that he should lye The strength of Israel cannot lye God will not be mocked therefore neither will he mocke any And therefore hee hath bound it with an oath to Abraham and his seed Surely in blessing I will blesse thee Therefore Simeon saith To performe the covenant which he sware to our father Abraham that he would give us They are called the sure mercies of David and Heb. 6.18 In the covenant and oath adde thereto the seale of his Sacraments which speake to each soule in particular in Baptisme thus I baptise thee in the Supper thus The body of Jesus broken for thee The bloud which was shed for thee And as himselfe is so is his word in each part Heaven and Earth shall passe but not one jot or tittle thereof shall passe Above all his promises cannot which are his first borne and carry with them the birthright of his faithfulnesse and therefore are a maine bottome to rest upon Lastly his unchangeablenesse His nature is so as Iob saith Job 23.13 8. Unchangeablenesse he decreeth and changeth not Farre above all decrees of Medes and Persians Although we read oft in Scripture that it repented God of some things yet of this he saith I have sworne and will not repent Thou shalt be a Priest after the order of Melchisedec If foure thousand yeares could have changed the minde of God Christ had never came And looke how the Lord was in the great promise Gal. 4.4 so is he in all that follow thereupon God willing to shew to the heires of his Promise the immutability of his Counsell and againe that by two immutable things wherein it was impossible God should lye we might have strong consolation in our taking refuge So that nothing can separate up from his love first nor last Thus in these few particulars I have shewd what bottomes faith may have to cleave to a word and to cast herselfe upon it for pardon and life And so much for the first Question Now I come to the second If any desire further light in this let him consult with my booke of Sacraments in the triall of faith And that is why faith is called Obedience and Consent This question arises from the ground of the Text For Naaman you see being convinced by his servants Quest Why faith is called Obedience and Consent obeyes and consents and doth as he is bidden Esay 1.19 If ye consent and obey you shall eat the good things of the land Hence I call faith by these names only observe that one and the same faith in divers relations hath divers names As it relates to a command of the Gospell so its obedience As to a perswasion so it is consent As Naaman then in one act both obeyed the command of the Prophet and consented to the promise or perswasion thereof so doth faith obey God commanding and consent to him promising or perswading This is the Commandement of God that you beleeve in his Sonne whom he hath sent Luke 5. As Peter to his Master so faith saith to this command At thy command Lord I will let downe my net although it seeme never so absurd As Abraham being commanded by God went downe right without looking at the absurdities or objections first he would kill him and then thinke of them and drownd them all in the charge so doth faith nakedly obey against all stops and then casts them upon him who set her on worke So againe shee consents to his promise and perswasions Gen. 24.28 Much like Rebecca having heard and seene Isaacs motion and tokens answered I will goe with the man She saw enough against it but the perswasions of Eliezer were more potent to overpoise her Spirit So doth faith she hath a thousand cavills and disswasives yet she breakes through and consents and then shee heares no more of them Thus Abraham hearing the promise of Isaac is said not to looke at Sara's wombe which was now withered but hee looked simply at the promise and cast them upon God So that this act of faith casting herselfe upon the word doth both obey nakedly the word of command and consents to the promise as Naaman here doth to both these words of the Prophet Goe wash and be cleane So much also for this second question Now it is time to come to the Vse 1 Uses Terror for all such as live prophanely and yet thinke themselves within a condition of mercy And first I will insist upon the condition of the promise First then here is Terror for all such as are so farre from the condition of faith that they utterly reject and cast it off And of these there are two sorts The one prophane the other schismatickes For the former They please themselves with this That God bids all sorts indifferently bee reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 be they never so base and lewd yet Christ came to save them if they can beleeve but as for this preparation they cannot tell what it meanes they will let God alone with that so they can beleeve they shall doe well And that they
of all thy former delights cast them all at Gods feet and thy selfe upon his promise But thou wilt aske me How shall I thus throw my selfe upon it To cast the soule upon the promise whaâ— it is I answer doe these three things First take the due estimate of the promise and that is done by minding pondering familiarizing with it By minding it I meane a marking of it an heeding of it as a thing of no ordinary excellency Count it as thou wouldest the chaire of Estate which thou bowest unto as representing the Kings person So doth the promise it s the chamber of presence in which God discovers himselfe the royall Chaire which carries State in it when thou beholdest it behold in it the Majesty of God Esay 26.10 which no hypocrite can see in it It s hidden from his eye but to a beleever set by God in the clift of the rocke Exod. 34.6 thence to see the glory of God his graciousnesse and to heare all his good proclaimed to such an one the promise is of a most eminent excellency Deut. 32. end full of all the fulnesse of God Slight it not therefore but set thy marke upon it Secondly ponder it as Mary did weigh well the contents of it the blessed consequences of beleeving Take to consideration the worth of the pearle Luke 1.29 and treasure hid in the field as that wise Merchant did Matth. 12.44 It s as the applying of Ebed melecs rags under Ieremies armeholes Jer. 38.11 that he might be drawne out with ease Meditation is an heavenly trading of the soule in her thoughts and affections with Gods matters till the soule clapse with them Psal 119. Thirdly make the promise familiar by this means Draw thine heart to it make it thy familiar friend and counsellor to passe all thy matters for thee and in all thy doubts consult with it and let that give sentence And having received it esteem the words of the mouth of it as Iob did Job 23.12 above thy appointed food powre all into the bosome of it as thou wouldst powre out the symptomes of thy disease into the bosome of thy Physitian or a child all her griefes losses and sorrows into the lap of a tender mother Thou shalt fare better by a promise then they shall doe at their hands This is the first direction Secondly be under the authority and evidence of a promise and be convinced by it that it s thine that all before said of the strength wisdome other properties of a promise do belong to thee as really and are put into it by God that thou mightst have thy part in them See clearly as in a mirror that God intends all to thy selfe and as in the Covenant more generally so in the Seales more particularly As Laban seeing how strangely things went Gen. 24 50. said We can say neither more nor lesse but Gods finger is here it must be a match This is the work of the Spirit of the promise alway assisting it and telling the soule under the Condition Doubtlesse thou art the party whom God means to save Ester 6.6 As Haman said whom should the King mean save me So shalt thou say but much more warrantably If God had not indeed meant me well he would never have so convinced me and set me on ground that I should have nothing to gainsay The Judge on the bench saw not the theefe steale but by the sworne evidences of witnesses he is so convinced in himselfe that he reads sentence without question by this meanes the soule brings out Gods cloake staffe and signet as his pledges left in her hand to assure her of his good meaning toward her Gen. 38.25 Thirdly claspe unto and with the promise cleave unto it to bee rid of all thy annoyances at once Once convinced of the promise and ever fastned to it And this cleaving to it is that worke which immediately causeth the consent and obedience of the soule unto it to cast it self upon the promise open it thus The soule in the act of beleeving is sollicited by Satan and unbeleefe to give over and returne to folly But the promise pressing in perswades her to beleeve and renounce her old distempers The soule in this demurre consults with herselfe thus If I goe backward I perish irrecoverably If I go forward I see difficulty yet hope What then shall I doe Surely I cannot be worse then I am I must dye however in not beleeving but in beleeving I may live Therefore I will cast my self upon the promise and live A man will doe thus naturally though he have no promise Thus did those 9. lepers 2 King 3. only upon an hazard they cast themselves upon the army of the Aramites Why Because they were sure to dye in the City So the poore soule giving herselfe for dead puts her life in her hand and saith worse then dead I cannot be better I may be by a promise Nay if God be true I shall be and therefore I will venture my soule and jeopard all upon Gods faithfulnesse if I perish I perish in the armes of a promise not in Satans clawes and by my unbeleefe In this strife of the soule the Spirit doth lay in such strong weights of perswasion against the disswasives of corruption that the soule finally is overruled and so consents and obeyes to cast herselfe upon the sure bottome of a promise for pardon and life By these directions thou maist helpe thy selfe in this weighty worke but because the heart is dull upon the spurre Motives to Faith let me adde a few motives to quicken thee Let one be this Remember first that this will be the issue of Gods enquiry at his comming to judgement Secondly that by this resigning up the soule to God the greatest honour is done to him which by a mortall creature can be Thirdly that all such in the day of the Lord shall be most glorious Fourthly that the greatest wrath and vengeance shall light upon the heads of unbeleevers Fifthly that this being the rarest grace of all others in the world is therefore worth our chiefest endeavour Of these and the like I purpose God willing to treat of the next Lecture Now for the present having exceeded our ordinary bounds we will desist here Let us pray THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE continued upon the 14. VERSE VERSE XIV Then he went downe and washed himselfe seven times in Iorden and his flesh came againe as the flesh of a little child and he was cleane AT the end of the last Exercise Brethren I began to finish the first and maine Branch of Exhortation raised from this act of Faith to cast the soule upon the promise To the which end I added to the directions for the duty certaine motives time giving leave onely to name such as came to minde I have referred the briefe touching of them in severall to this occasion Motive 1 Let the first if
to be more usefull for the present and therefore chuses a performance in his owne kinde which shall bee an hundred fold more gaine to the soule then the other 2 Cor. 12.3 4. Paul being sorely buffeted not for sinne but to prevent it prayes instantly to God to remove it The Lord seeing that performance not to be proper for the end of his buffeting continues it yet hee breakes not promise for he ministers grace sufficient to uphold him under it Verse 9. By this meanes he attaines his end to humble Paul and moreover teaches him to desire to live under desertion and infirmity sometimes that so he might get that experience of Gods strange upholding of him in the want of feeling which before hee had found under feeling By this meane though irksome to the flesh to want the use of graces and gifts the Lord traines him to a sober use of his revelations and to renounce himselfe so farre under buffetings as to chuse rather to bee as the Lord would have him then as himselfe chose to be The use of this qualification is this The use of this limitation Both to coole our spirit of selfe-love which is ready to appoint God his way of performance as also to teach us wisedome to apply our selves to the best good of a performance rather then to the performance it selfe Gods people looke more at the good of a performance then the bâ—re performance of a promise to ascribe this honour to God that he better knows how to make good a promise to us then wee can chuse And therefore not by and by to cry out against God for not performing it because our turnes are not served But rather by our defeat to search into the cause and to see whether God and we looke the same way or no If we doe not we may bee long enough ere we be satisfied or honour God in his faithfulnesse If we will tie God to performe one promise and the Lord meanes to performe another we shall be farre to seeke Say we therefore thus Lord teach me to looke out what the promise is which thou aimest to make good Faithfull I am resolved thou art but that stands not in serving my turne but in serving thy selfe upon me Since thou doest all things well I doe but wait to see thy way for it is best and shall curb my spirit and give me best content because it tends to make mee more experienced more humble and at last thankfull to thee for that good which thy selfe meantst me which is infinitely better then that which I fancied So much for the first Limitation the second In generall promises to the Church the time of performance must be left to God and why The second limitation may be this In promises concerning the welfare of the Church in generall except the Lord tye himselfe punctually to a time of redresse or deliverance we must conceive of Gods performances indefinitely without prefixing a time or period of our own For in such it is enough for the quitting of Gods faithfulnesse that he performes really although he leave the time when to his owne wisedome We look that Gods love in hearing us for such performances should trench upon his wise providence but that ought not to be In such cases it behoves us to distinguish upon promises In such as touch the soule and life of a beleever usually except some speciall thing hinder the soules beleeving and the promises performance goe together as for the strength against a lust for quickning up of any grace or gift for sanctifying of any ordinance But not so in the publicke promises The reason is because the Lord may have a predominant way of his owne to barre present performance He doth neglect the speciall good of them who pray for a more universall good of his owne either because the sinnes of his enemies by whom hee uses to scourge his Church See Gen. 15.16 are not come to the highest pitch and so it will not bee most for his glory to punish or suppresse them yet or because the provocations of his Church and the sins thereof are not yet purged throughly nor brought to the lowest point These respects may hinder speciall reliefe of some present miseries restraints and persecutions of his people There is wee say in the motion of every planet a straight motion comming from the Planet herself and a backward motion of the first mover So is it here the motion of a promise is retrograded and retarded by the wisedome of the first mover The grand promise of the Lord Jesus his incarnation was indefinite and in the bosome of God when to fulfill it one thousand two or three thousand might have brought it forth as well as foure yet providence reserved it to the end of the fourth thousand Gal. 4.4 And when that fulnesse was come nothing could stop the fulfilling of that which yet before that time no prayers no expectation of the Church could hasten Then and not till then Instances of the point he that would come came and tarried not So also wee that live in this age conceive our selves to be pitcht under the fourth viall under which wee are warranted to wait for the revealing of Gods wrath and the ruine of the Beast But for us hereupon to limit God to owne time and period seaven or ten or fifteene yeares whatsoever we may suppose by probabilities and to determine God to our own season is most bold and presumptuous For God hath as well a way of his revenge and scourging of particular Churches for their infidelity and unfruitfulnesse as he hath of fulfilling his maine promise Sure we are his Word will prove true within the Terme of this Viall But to bound the space and duration of it we may not That the Jew shall be called and the Gospel generally preached ere the end come and that the Lord Jesus shall even in this world expresse himselfe to be the Lord and King of his Church and set up his Throne visibly upon their reall ruines who not waning braines can or dare deny it And yet who if he have braines dare punctually determine it within so or so many yeares The use of this qualification is most pretious and weighty viz. The use of this second limit Wee must not taxe Gods administrations That in our prayers and services of the time be they ordinary or extraordinary wee lash not out through our ungrounded zeale and passions to presse the Lord to our time in redressing the miseries of his Church in punishing his enemies reforming abuses or restoring comforts to her mourners Slacken no whit of thy zeale but let it still be carried within bounds and goe eaven pace with Gods time and be limited by that condition And moreover let it curb our querulous and discontented spirits which being full of griefe for the upbraiding and insulting Peninna's 1 Sam. 1. over the perplexed Hanna's and
done with ease Naamans worke was to beleeve But having so done all the thought is taken God lookes to the cure without his care Could any thing come between him and home betweene promise and performance Not possibly for who should hinder God Esay 43.13 Faith is the presence of God in the soule Heb. 11.1 by making an evidence of things not seen and a bottome in things absent grace for grace Ioh. 1.17 may bee grace of performing for grace of beleeving Let this use lead on anoâ—her then in the feare of God and teach us to try our faith by this excellent property of performing promises True faith is perforforming faith And how Thinke not thy selfe to have true faith except thou hast performing faith Men rest in a naked empty faith bearing themselves in hand that they have true faith and they looke at the faithfulnesse of God in promising but aske them of performances and then they know not what to say to the matter Alas poore soule Faith is no pang or passage of a mans spirit woulding this or that nor a looking at a promise of truth as a thing doubtfull to me ward but it is a bottoming grace concurring most holily and humbly with the Lord in his reall and faithfull performings also That heart which supplieth performances with conceits of things that are not with some carnall contents or other without the presence of the thing beleeved more or lesse is a dead faith and knowes not the kindly nature of faith Prevention of an offence My scope in thus saying is not to adde sorrow to sorrow and to pinch such poore soules as have sufficient griefe already for lacke of feeling But to convince all false hypocrites as rest in a faith of their owne not in the faith of God who as Esay 55.2 saith lay out their silver for no bread but in the meane time nourish in themselves a dismall faith which failes of the grace of performance I dare not say that all performances are alike sensible all hearings of our prayers are not alike manifest to our feeling all fruit of receiving Sacraments fasting and the like are not of one cize measure carry not the same evidence peace comfort But hence it followes not Faith when shee s at lowest is yet a performing â—â—ith that any true faith is or can be dead faith in point of performing Naamans cure here was a more sensible one then some spirâ—tuall cures of faith are because it was bodily But yet even when faith seemes poorest her performances are reall and she never truly resignes up herselfe to a promise but if she come short in feeling she hath a supply from the reall faithfulnesse of God who hath told her That such a corruption decayeth such a grace encreaseth such a good thing is cast upon her because God hath said it and this doth really stay and quiet her spirit in him As an ancient Christian being asked whether he grew all this while in grace answered that he could not much boast of that he felt howbeit he beleeved that he did for God had said it According to thy faith so be it unto thee And contrariwise hence learne the wofull misery and beggery of unbeleef As Salomon speakes of the field of the sluggard Prov 24.30 that the briars and brambles thereof argueth his sloth so I may say of unbeleefe that its the roote of all the rags and basenesse which men walke with The difficulty of getting over this steep hill of performances comes onely from hence 1 Sam. 14.13 Ionathan sought on the lower ground against the Philistins by faith as if he had had the vantage of the ground Many men have faire hopes and opportunities to get favours from God but it s not the price in the hand but the heart of faith to beteame it to the promise and to lay it out Unbeleefe bindes the armes of God from performing of promises Unbeleefe bindes the armes of mercy and grace in God behinde him If God be so faithfull a performer what hath stopt the fountaine all this while Why is it so little a seen upon thy soule How might this barren heath of thine heart ere now become a flood as Esay saith 43.20 if thy sinne had not dried it up Well as the sinne of an unbeleever shall not restraine the bounty of God from him that beleeveth so neither shall the faith of a beleever supply the lacke of it in one that wants it Thinke not poore soule that the Sacrament shall be ever the lesse savoury and effectuall to thee because of them who come in to it with a saplesse and gracelesse heart Doe not thou thinke ere the meanlier of thy faith because hypocrites lowre upon thee and discerne not thy priviledge Prov. 14.10 But looke the more narrowly into thy priviledge and solace thine heart in it for neither shall any stranger enter into thy joy nor yet shalt thou fare the worse for their beggery So much for this Seventhly this point affords Admonition to all who would rejoyce in effectuall Vse 7 faith and faith in performances Admonition To avoid le ts of performances 1. Let. Mistaking performances That they strive hard against every let in the way which might hold their faith in a barren and fruitlesse defect and unprofitablenes There is nothing so excellent but it hath some canker to fret out the pith of it to blast the beauty of it One barre is the mistaking of performances we frame to our selves such an Idea of Gods favours such a great measure of graces such a pitch of faith of mortification and holinesse that hereby our eyes are blindfolded from beholding such performances as the Lord bestoweth But consider Is God tyed to thy scantlings We see how they Mica 2.6 come in and complaine against God in this kinde But marke the answer of God Oh thou house of Iacob is my Spirit straitned Are not my words good to them that walke uprightly So say I is God false because thou overpitchest thy thoughts beyond Gods wisdome Thou aimest at another mans portion as they who gathered manna were too greedy But be content with thine owne If thou have enough to keepe thee in working case jealous of thy selfe and thy corruptions it s enough although thou have not all at once Thou wouldest have three or foure mens portions so much as perhaps the Lord sees would overthrow thee Alas what canst thou beare in this multitude of corruption If thou hadst thy fill it would cost thee much buffeting to keep thee from pride Know that the very meer worke of exercising thy faith is a reward of it selfe Secondly trust not to thy dead priviledge of being a Beleever 2. Carnality and deadnesse of heart and so commit all to winde and weather maintaine not a dull drowsie lasie heart of unbeleefe but hold quarter daily with the Lord in concurring with his promises see how his performances follow thy beleeving
condition battered broken and humbled but our hearts remaining as hard as ever and will not melt Wee have had more tendernesse then now we have and if then we could not beleeve how should we now We could have prayed fasted mourned better then now we can we are now tempted to give over all our hearings Sacraments we therefore feare all hope is past we neglected the special season of mercy by our dalliance and now it is too late So much for the second Thirdly from this longsomnesse and wearinesse the soule growes to disquietnesse of temper to tedious sorrowes bootlesse afflictings and baskings of it selfe and that by any occasions of another nature any accidentall crosses melancholy discontent and wearinesse of our selves of our lives wife children trade and converse with men conceiting our selves to have no right to any of these and therefore they will but encrease our judgement better it were therefore to make a â—iddance of our selves aforehand by violent drowning stabbing stifling of our selves then to beare it out to the uttermost Or else distemper may expresse it selfe otherwise by anger and vexation with our families and servants quarrelings with Gods Minister sometime bodily distempers grow upon such they cannot sleepe cannot follow their callings walke idly and joylesse mopish are afraid we shall be bereft of all we have and come to shame or at least die before ever we get grace or hold of the promise This also for a draught of the third Now I say for conclusion the word of Promise satisfies the soule in all respects both lesser and greater so that now the poore creature is like Peter Act. 12. out of his walking sleepe when the Angel was gone and came to see that cleerely which before was as a shadow So the beleeving soule by this light of the promise and by this sword of the spirit discovers and cuts off her annoyances here one there another as a strong man might cut off theeves assaulting him one by one at a narrow wicket And we might exemplifie all these by Scripture brethren if time would permit take one text for all Those in Hosea when once God humbled them and enlightned them they could cry out Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses now we see that with thee the fatherlesse shall find mercy we will breake off all our false hopes and cast away our covers of shame and those props of our owne whereby we hoped to releeve our selves without thee now we will abandon and renounce them all A maine place for the proofe hereof And so much for the answer of the question Now also a doubt here ariseth which in a word I will resolve and then come to the use The question is If the Word cease all distempers how comes it to passe that the Saints are so molested with them after their beleeving for how many doubts and feares objections temptations and lusts befall the best I answer this will be resolved by like Scriptures He that beleeveth in me he that eates of my flesh and drinkes of my bloud Iohn 6. shall hunger nor thirst no more How is it then that our hunger abides all our life I answer He shall hunger no more deadly distrustfully mortally but hopingly beleevingly and savingly So here These distempers may now and then arise but not as formerly then they were generall reaching to our estate now onely particular about our actions our comfort as arising from ignorance errour or speciall distrust Againe then they came from our owne principle of heart and mind corrupted but now they proceed from concupiscence and the remainder of old Adam in us which cannot doe other Satan also incensing it and causing it to present it selfe so much the more rankly by how much he feares his owne dispossession But now faith our new principle causeth an holy Requiem in the soule so that it may say truly as he spake basely Soule take thine ease Thou hast goods laid up for many yeares So I say some bounsings and clatterings the Devill may cause at our doores but the peace of God which hath calmed all distempers before we beleeved shall also allay and scatter all our mists of darknesse afterward as they arise and maintaine perfect peace For why This is the first fruits of that peace which we have in our conscience toward God through justification even as the eares of corne which the Jewes brought to God was a pledge unto them that they should have the possession of the whole crop Lastly I answer that by this doctrine I meane not that a Christian doth cut off all distempers so that whether he beleeve or beleeve not sleepe or wake he is sure for ever after No in no wise But that so long as he holds close to the word there is power in the word to effect that continually which it effected at the first Christ and his promise is Yea and Amen yesterday to day and the same for ever but how provided that the soule lie still as close to the promise to day as yesterday that it see as much need of it to dispell unbeliefe feares unquietnesse this day as heretofore and waxe not loose and presumptuous which is the way to expose the soule to temptations or else to nuzzle it up in a rotten quietnesse for the tâ—me which will breake out againe after But as we say to a Tradesman or others Keepe your shop well and that will keepe you neglect it and that will give over you so here Tend the promise and you shall find sufficient in it to uphold you in peace and to keepe off those flies of Beelzebub which were wont to annoy you But if you cease your worke wonder not if your distempers returne for although there were no enemies without to molest there is enough from within a base heart to create pudder and unsettlednesse to the soule And so much for the Answer also to this Question Now I come to some use and indeed the use is very weighty and manifold Use 1 And first this point argues the sleightnes of such as being urged to beleeve Conflict answer thus So we would and should if we could be rid of our accusing thoughts fearfull distempers which do molest us As if a man waking at midnight should say If mine eyes were not shut it would not be so darke Whereas the cause is in the night not in the eye for if it were day the eye would see well enough They make the effect the cause and the cause the effect If thou couldest beleeve thy distempers would vanish therefore remove that first Take out the beame and thine eye will soone be lightsome The want of faith causeth such a multitude of distempers to annoy thee and the gift of faith would clense the coast Beginne then at the right end of the staffe and let not errour beguile thee Use 2 Secondly this doctrine may give us a good Receit against Melancholy Instruct A
as ours doth Naaman here hath an incurable disease which none can heale in all the world save one man He comes to him craves a cure receives answer Go wash The message pleases him not he frets and stampes that it is no easier no more liking to his humour hereupon more looking at his humour then this disease he is ready to fling away in a rage His servants come about him and tell him Master if thy disease might be otherwise cured it skill'd not greatly to turne homeward but the matter is considerable here we are on the one side pinched with a leprosie incurable on the other offered a remedy that likes us not in this case either we must reject it and so we are sure to keepe our disease or we must accept the remedy What shall we here doe Thou sayest the remedy is unlike uncertaine be it so but the leaving it is assured and desperate misery Whether of the two shall we take Shall we preferre certaine sorrow to uncertaine good What folly were that Perhaps we may goe to Jordan and come back as we came grant it it is but a peradventure for perhaps we may speed If we speed by going we are made if we speed not we are not undone we shall come backe no worse then we went Therefore there is three to one for our going let us deny our tech our conceit and distemper let us but venture it and cast the worst but home in any case let us not goe without trying the remedy Hereupon he adventures and finds it as the Prophet foretels Just so is it with a poore soule Feare on the one side lest God his word should deceive it doth dismay it from attempting the promise on the other side hope to speed doth encourage us What shall we doe Surely let the possibility of speeding the desperate impossibility of speeding any other way and that our venturing cannot make us in worse case then we were it may make us in much better prevaile with us If we must be miserable let us fall into the hands of God if we must perish better that his hand cast us away then our owne distrust if he can be unfaithfull well may we be miserable for our owne guilt and not his unfaithfulnesse hath made us so Therefore how ever it be let us venture our selves rather upon a possible hope then lie still in assured misery This is the very state of it and by this we may see what the wofull condition of an unbeleever is He doth as Naaman would have done if God had given him his will he chuseth to lie under his load as the Asse in her slow without striving to get out nay preferreth a sullen humour of discontent before the adventuring upon Gods way that is to say assured misery before possible remedy In other cases 2 Kings 7. no man will be so foolish Take an instance In the great famine of Samaria there sate two Lepers at the gate of all others most sure to starve It comes into their minds that their case was desperate and that any termes were to bee chosen before dying in coole bloud Let us say they go offer our selves to the Campe of our enemies if they save our lives we shall live if not we are but dead men we were better be slaine out-right then die here Hereupon they ventured and lighted well Consider we well of this Shall flesh and bloud in a case of life and death venture upon a possibility rather then lie still in assured misery venture without any promise nay venture upon an enemy And shall we be so base and cowardly in the case of our immortall soules as to chuse rather to perish where we lie then to venture our selves upon a mercifull promise upon no enemy but a Father who assures us that we shall not onely not be worse then we were but happy and forgiven Who should be so foole-hardy but one that was never put to throughly in the sense of his unavoidable misery If the party pursued by the avenger of bloud should having advantage of ground of the pursuer wilfully have lien downe in the mid-way saying I shall never get thither I were as good lie still for naught as goe for naught would not any man have thought him a senselesse blocke not affected with his danger Therefore to end this seeing there is that in the promise which can remedy us let us make toward it and if our base spirits misgive us in the entrance as not knowing the successe yet let our inward disease thrust us forward and tell us This is no time of quarrelling with God and keeping of our misery still but rather of seeking out worse we cannot be better we may be let us therefore preferre hope before ruine and say If I must needs perish I will perish by venturing not by cowardize So much for the fifth And to conclude by these meanes let us resigne up our selves to the authority and power of the promise which hath as infinite a supply of helpe from a fountaine of grace to answer our doubts and cavils as we have of objections to discourage our selves And the rather because it is eternall to survive all our tedious and endlesse cavils Let us claspe and cleave to this promise as having grounds enough from the manifold excellencies therein contained to match our feares let us consent to the offer of it and obey the command of it let us set to our seale that it is true not onely in it selfe but also to us for our remedy let us be carried into the streame of it as being able to turne our streame a quite contrary way let us lot upon it set up our rest in it buy and sell upon it as the thing we make full reckoning and account to be happy by yea let us plead it when our necessities carnall hearts doubts and feares doe put us to it as those who will not easily forgoe their right in it and so hold it as that which the Lord our God hath bestowed upon us Iudg. and therefore as Iphta once said we will possesse it and not be beaten off from it whatsoever any enemy can say to weaken it Thus much for this Use of Admonotion may serve The next is Use of Exhortation Exhortation to all such as either doe desire Use 6 to feele In 2 Branches or such as have felt this benefit by the promise already to free them from their distempers The former to refuse no pains to get faith the latter both to blesse God for that liberty yea to trust him for the true peace of Conscience issuing from faith and also to rely upon the promise for a riddance from all future distempers which may arise from revolts temptations or crosses throughout their course Let me speake a word of both For the first let every poore soule be encouraged to breake through all difficulties hindring the soule from beleeving because the fruit recompenceth
I finished the last Lecture yet this one day of our Lecture being the last that you and I are like to teach and heare each other and the last of our yeare requiring that I should say somewhat unto you Also my studies having reached fully to another Sermon and besides this fourth part of the Chapter craving some connexion with the three other handled already I have set apart this day to this end One point may give light to al the particulars following being 7. if God permit To wit to handle some one such point out of the whole Harmony of these five Verses following as may give you some generall light into the whole context for time will not permit us to go through all These five verses then as I told you in their Title containe the remoter consequences of Naamans obedience To give you a briefe view and taste of them these they are First there is the true spirit of the cure to be evidently discerned in this new Convert feeling the truth of the Word in himselfe and virtue let out from heaven into Jordan to heale him he takes it not as a common thing and like a blocke without sense but is presently and instantly and erresistibly ravished as with a new spirit begotten by the worke of God upon his soule as well as his body The Lord darting grace of mercy and compassion into his heart as well as health into his flesh to intimate unto him by whose providence from first to last he was guided to so strange an effect Lo he comes to the Prophet with a spirit of impotencie admiration and zeale to acknowledge the Lord with all fervor of spirit and to knit his heart for ever in love unto him for this cure of body and soule Secondly feeling himselfe unable to reach the Lord himselfe he goes to his Prophet the next instrument of his good forgets his former discontent and entirely embraces him as the Prophet of God sent unto him for this purpose and to him he directs his thankfulnesse which fell short of God himselfe Thirdly hee enters solemne league with the Lord to be a close client of his for ever ejuring all former false and idolatrous service and vowing himselfe wholly to the Lord and his worship for time to come Fourthly he takes hold and possession of the Church of God acknowledging it to be the onely true Church and therefore scruing himselfe into it that although his face was Aram ward yet his heart was to Jerusalem ward and to the true and onely place where the Lord had visible residence and presence at this time And this although he testified by a weake and poore expression of taking with him the earth of the holy Land Yet the inward soundnesse of heart exceeded his weake signification Fifthly he discovers his unfained conversion by a most tender sense of that sin whereby he had formerly most offended God viz. his presence at the worship of Rimmon this darts into his converted soule even as a dash of the tooth-ach or the sting of an hornet Sixthly he is exceedingly pierced with feare and care how he might nourish that sparkle which God had begun in him and how he might shun and prevent that rocke of offence at which he had mortally stumbled before Seventhly he is very glad to aske direction while it was now to be had how he might order his whole course for time to come which being darke and doubtfull for the present hee therefore craves the Prophets advice and prayers unto which the Prophet gives him a mercifull answer These are the parcels of this fourth generall I can but goe over the first The point then is this Where God workes a true cure upon any soule Doctr. Every true cure hath the spirit of the cure attending it there he also workes the spirit of the cure By a cure I meane conversion of a soule from Idols not Rimmon but lusts and vanities to the living God By the spirit of a cure I meane that instinct and disposition that due temper and quality which such a cure deserveth at the hands of the cured And I say not the spirit of him who is cured but the spâ—rit of the cure that is such a spirit as the mercy of him that heales the soule instils into it viz to be for God who hath beene for it Onely this As Gods cure hath beene gracious so is the spirit of the cure zealous and as his worke hath beene entire whole and unfained to the good of the soule that it might no more returne to folly so is the spirit of the cure sincere intire constant God hates patchery and halfe cures and the spirit of the cure hates halfe thankes halfe love halfe affections In a word the spirit of a sound cure of a soule is a tender spirit the very first fruits of the heart enlightned with faith forgiven renued and warmed in the wombe of mercy the most naturall peculiar acceptable and well pleasing fruit of the soule to God What the spirit of a cure is It stands in a tender love truly called the first love a tender joy in God tender compassions towards him tender jealousie of that which might provoke â—im tender care to please him tendernesse of spirit both to him in affections of desire and delight and also for him in zeale and revenge defence and taking up armes for him And it rests not in him but descends to a tender love to his Truth Worship Services Sacraments Sabbaths Servants and all which hath any relation to God even for his sake This in short is that I meane by this spirit of a cure I pitch upon this point the more willingly because it hath an easie comprehension of all those seven consequences of the cure above named And although each of them be distinct yet because this is my last Lecture I am glad that one doctrine hath so good a lot as to give you though but in generall and farre off a view of the whole For in this spirit of the cure all those fruits of Naamans returne from Jordan may be coucht together as a garment into one knot Explication of the Doctrine Marke then for explication sake thus much It is with the soule in point of spirituall cure as with the body in case of a bodily Who being heal'd by some odde rare Physitian of a mortall disease and such an one as all the Physitians in the country could not turne their hands unto yea such as all others gave over as desperate and past their skill by some odde Physitian I say one of a thousand who himselfe could not have heald it neither except he had by divine hand beene peculiarly made and train'd up for the very nonce to be skilfull in such a disease and such a one as will by no meanes take money or fees but scornes it only stands upon doing good preventing sad wreck of the diseased that he might get himself a name of
embrace their gods Bacchus Venus and the rest more strongly then ever Enough wee have who are of the spirit of Caiphas his Hall and those that spited scorned and spit at Christ crying Crucifie him not many whose spirits are towards him tender to his glory to his mercy and grace to his poore Church and people Oh the spirit of ambition selfe-love is now all in all What should I say to such except they be accursed by Gods owne mouth that never any good should seaze upon them let this point in Gods feare scare them Me thinkes thou shouldst not heare of such a spirit of Grace and tendernesse as I speake of but thy soule shoâ—ld tremble and thy heart throb in thy bosome to consider what a contrary spirit of corruption and hell thou walkest with Oh! if God should leave thee to this spirit of thine owne to be conceited of thy selfe to feare no danger to be carelesse what may betide thee and to adde drunkennesse unto thirst what shall become of thee what is wanting save hell it selfe to make up the woe of such a soule And yet I tell thee this is not farre off from thee Read Deut. 29. Deut 29.15 If any man hearing the words of this booke and the curses thereof shall yet say in his heart I shall have peace I shall fare well I feare nothing Especially if conceited of its owne welfare the wrath of God shall smoke out against such a man and God will not be entreated of him for why he is over head and eares in the spirit of gal bitternesse a thousand to one if ever he recover Therefore looke about thee in season As the Lord said to Elijah in the cave so say I to thee Up arise and goe forth for thou hast a great journey to goe ere thou come at the Horeb of God I wish thee to goe by mount Sinai and hath thy base spirit throughly with those terrours of God 1 Kings 19.7 which may gaster thee with some feeling of thy condition Sinne is got into thy spirit and hath seated it selfe deeply in the entrals of thy soule A great gulfe is set betweene thee and the spirit of grace therefore pull downe thy rebellious heart and as Peter said to Simon Magus try by all meanes whether this thy sinne may be forgiven thee The spirit of grace is joyned with the spirit of mourning Acts 8.22 Try whether God cannot bring thee out of one spirit of bitternesse into a contrary for he promiseth that all humbled ones shall be in bitternesse as a thing steept in vineger as he that is in bitternesse for the losse of his onely sonne Zach. 12.10 Bitternesse of a prophane and presumptuous heart must be turned into the bitternesse of a broken and subdued spirit Oh! that ever I should exalt folly so highly and disdaine mercy yea kill the Lord of life as I have done Read Acts 2. Acts 2. where this prophecy was fulfilled in such as crucified Christ himselfe and yet being pierced in heart for it the Lord powred the spirit of grace into them and annointed them with oyle of gladnesse and joy so that they who murthered him had the first hansell of life and pardon from him Oh blessed art thou if the like portion might befall thee who hast ventured as farre as they did So much for this Branch 2 Secondly it is terrour to all Neuters and Sceptiques whose spirit seemes not so ranke and cursed Indifferency Neutrality of spirit worse then prophanenesse Numb 23. 25. but yet is as deepe and dangerous because they maintaine a vile spirit of indifferency and mediocrity in stead of this spirit of grace They say as Balac did to Balaam Neither blesse nor curse In this respect they are worse then the former because they utterly abandon all sense of the Gospel and become fulsome Atheists upon point neither hot nor cold fish nor flesh They would seeme to hate open villanies But then they much more abhorre the spirit of the Gospel Their spirits are flat and flash whereas the spirit of the Gospel is tender Luke 14. ult zealous and powerfull Wofull ones hanging betweene Heaven and Earth cast downe from Heaven vomited up from the earth Salt which hath lost his savour good for nothing no not for the dunghill All their skill stands in selfe-concealments forsooth their religion and conscience may not be known What can you worke wonders can you carry coales in your bosomes and not be burnt Such have their Religion to chuse Doubtlesse the not burning of your bosomes by this fire argues that there is not one coale of the Altar fallen upon them you are Quench-coale no sparkle of grace can kindle upon your cold hearth you must needs be ashamed of the Gospel because the spirit of magnifying it and of justifying wisdome is not in you but rather an aloofe dead and Gallio-like spirit is in you Whether you serve Christ or Beliall whether you be Popish or Protestant who but God can judge And surely you lie fulsome upon his stomach Acts 18.15 as luke-warme water and that which makes you happy in your own conceit will prove you accursed in Gods It were better you were hot or cold then thus wambling and next to be vomited for ever out of the mouth of him Revel 3.19 who never returnes to his vomit Under pretext that thou darest not trust men thou betrayest God and the spirit of the Gospel a remedy worse then the disease To be as wise as a Serpent I disswade thee not But shall this destroy that naked simplicity and spirit of love to God and his truth which where it cannot goe will creepe and play at small game rather then sit out What Matth. 10. 2 Cor. 10.4 because we cannot expresse our selves in such acts and services as we would or have done shall we serve God with neither might spirit or courage at all Is that command dispensable and confined to this season or to that hath God no need of thee in dangerous times or because thou darest trust no man wilt thou therefore trust no God Shall the Gospel carry thee no further then ease and the serving of thine owne fleshly turne will concurre Wilt thou dare to doe any thing against the spirit of the Gospel because thou hast not elbow-roome sufficient to act that part as thou wouldest It is just with God to take it quite from thee because thou walkest contrary to it And to give thee over to a close spirit of thine owne that thou shouldest jeere and scorne the zealous as Micoll did David dancing with his Ephod before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.20 Was not the King a goodly foole to day How many of these Neutrall spirits have growne to it Let it gaster us from it and teach us to nourish such a spirit in our bosomes as the Gospel hath wrought if ever any such were wrought and to be farre from disdaining
it He that cooles and checkes his own spirit from zeale and grace It commonly growes to open prophanenesse will in a short time be a secret discourager and checker of others How many are there of yeeres and discretion enough in other matters who will baite their children and servants from their diligence in hearing and zeale in profession How many will say I my selfe was as hot as you but now time and experience they should say time the Mother of truth which hath discovered their hollow hearts have made me wiser And I warrant you say they as hot as you seeme we shall have a cooling card for you and in time when children grow on and debts encrease and an hard world besets you you also will change your zeale into wisdome and become as temperate ones as we and abate your great resolutions How many are there whose great flames are now quailed and become as cold as ashes But woe be to such Satan hath entred into them againe though he seemed to be cast out at the first let none that have any dramme of this grace of the Gospel be damped for such as these For he that hath bred in them this spirit either can keepe them from such temptations or else can make their spirit rise above them and encrease Matth. 12.45 whereas the end of such revolters as these shall bee worse then the beginning So much also of this second sort Thirdly this is terrour to all Pelagian Popish and Carnall Branch 3 spirits Pelagian spirits farre from the true spirit of a cure which are as opposite to the Spirit of Grace and conversion as light and darknesse The spirit of a true cure of Jordan differs in all points from this spirit of selfe and free-will The one is for God and his glorious grace sets him up in the soule with admiration and thankes But the other is to set up and glorifie it selfe and the will of the flesh to make God stoop to man to fetch him from Heaven to the barre of humane censure there to answer for himselfe why he should not vouchsafe grace to this man as well as that both being equally disposed and if the Lord answer Because it is of my free love to shew mercy to whom I will Rom. 9.13 14 15. they strive with him and tell him This his pretended mercy is meere injustice and cruelty above the most mercilesse Tyrants to make a man and damne him when he hath done to prescribe him a rule which he never gave him power to performe and to require that of him which himselfe hath by an eternall fore-decree disabled him from O wofull pride Shall potsherds contend with their Maker Esay 45.9 If they will needs clash let them clash with potsherds and try which pot is stronger but to quarrell with the Potter how impudent and bootlesse is it And yet thus it is Note it who will The ancient spirit of conversion tender love and zeale to God and his truth never prospered since this bastard spirit of selfe and free-will came upon our stage It blasted all sincerity and gracious affections as sensibly as the East-wind blasts the tender buddes of the Spring What was Naamans spirit I pray so long as his Abana and Pharfar lasted Surely opposite to the Prophet to Jordan and the promise So is it with this Nothing will downe with the spirit of selfe save to pick quarrels with free grace it is no wonder that they are opposite to men 1 Thes 2.15 who are so contrary to God himselfe Tell me where will yee picke out a Pelagian spirit which ever was zealous for God tender to his glory jealous of offending him or carefull to please him The like I may say of the spirit of Popish devotion Popish spirits likewise standing in the bare letter of the Law of duties of outward ceremonies and performances putting a Religion into the worke wrought and deed done What doth all the dunghill and drosse of Popery seeke to establish save a carnall Religion What doth it so much abhorre as selfe-deniall except it be in some externals for the meriting of Heaven what is so odious to it as faith to justifie Alas That pleads for salvation by justice and not by grace It uses Christ onely for a meere formall person to beare her name Esay 4.1 2. but shee will beare all her charges her owne selfe And under a colour of some glorious ceremonies and outward worship what doth she but muzzle the mouth of conscience and nuzzle the soule in a rotten peace which either will carry her to hell laughing or else breake out into utter horrour and desperation I aske but this question When as once the Lord hath truly turned the soule to God what is more odious irksom to it then that which overthrows the Word and Promise and sets up in stead of it a Religion of mans braine and inventions garnisht and disht out with the shreds and dregges of flesh without a droppe of true bloud of Christ or one sparke of the spirit of grace Who wonders that wheresoever this trash becomes there the true preaching of the Lord Jesus the power of the Gospel the honour and esteeme of the Ministery of Reconciliation is trodden in the dirt and cast out as unsavoury But I cease and leave this Use of terrour and come to an Use of reproofe And that shall be of all such as in times past have seemed to be the first head of the Professors in this kind for their spirit of zeale and love to the Gospel but have now catcht a fall and Use 3 cannot get up on their legges againe Reproofe but remaine and welter in a lukewarme and degenerate estate boâ—h in the sight of God and his Church Brethren the time hath beene Revolters from their zeale and grace of the Gospel are in a sadde case in some of our memories that men have thought no Ministery zealous enough for them but wish'd with David Let the righteous smite me and it shall be as balme But now these men are growne weary of such loath reproofe and will teach Ministers what and how farre they shall order their discourse Each thing spoken in particular is spoken against them They who would have given their very eyes to Gods Minister and with Naaman here Psal 141.5 Gal. 4.15 thought neither gold nor silver nor changes of rayment good enough for him wil scarce give two brasse farthings to keepe them in their places At first who but they to get them in and now who but the same men to hunr them out What Are we become your enemies for telling you the truth is this your great spirit of the Gospel shall I say or of selfe-love The time hath beene when you came new minted as you thought out of Jordan that such tendernesse of conscience was upon you for God that you would scarce take up a pinne or a sticke of another mans lest
you should sinne But now you that so strained out a Gnat can swallow a Camell Some of you dare grind the faces of such as you are to deale with and no money is sweeter to you then that which you get by an hard bargaine Once if you be remembred you tooke thought how you should subsist from weeke to weeke for lack of the Word Now you can passe weekes and moneths and never come at a powerfull Sermon and which is worse whereas the least offence in this or any other kind would smite you like the sting of an Adder now you are so brawned that it never troubles you awhit The time hath beene wherein the sorrowes and sufferings of Gods servants went so neere you that they made them deerer to you then ever Now no peny no Pater-noster as the Proverb saith and let them sinke or swimme what care you Once you could forfeit your names your states your paines your liberties for the truth of God Heb. 10. and professe that it was better then ten thousand of your lives Now alas the least stirring of a Mouse behind the painted cloth is enough to make you tremble like an aspen leafe Oh! you love to sleep in a whole skinne and the notion of a persecutor an enemy a prison or a fine is hideous unto you Rather had you to spend five pound to quit your selves of such a feare with a crasie conscience to please a timorous and degenerate spirit then five shillings to hold out the Profession the Resolution for that truth which once was dearer then your lives The dayes have bin when Novices and first Converts Zeale of first converts described were very scrupulous of their fashions in attire their companies their liberties games and recreations both for kind and measure both for for feare of sin and also of scandall marvellous loth to incurre the least suspition of a carnall spirit in these or any kind as jarring with the tendernesse of heart which the first sense of mercy wrought in them Now every man fals to his dispensations and swallowes downe all these as if there were nothing either within them to checke or without them to stumble at Once the manner was to enquire after the closest strictest course of worshipping and walking with God as thinking no cost too much for God Now the fashion is to aske what is the least degree of true faith that if they can make themselves beleeve they have that there they may set downe their staffe Now the first question is What liberty may a godly life admit how may we be religious with least adoe how may we save our selves best and goe neere the wind without too much note for precisenesse or trouble for our profession Iudg. 9. The fatnesse of the Olive and sweetnesse of the Vine was wont to be so precious with most of us that wee abhorred to exalt our selves above the trees with the forfeit thereof But alas those dayes are out of date now each Christian thinkes it no bargaine except he may jolly it out in some carnall manner and live with reputation in the world above his fellowes and with note among them that are carnall if they cannot brave it out with great shewes fine cloaths matches for their children raking up heapes that they may bestow upon the pride of life that which they were wont to bestow upon God good persons and causes it savours not in their nostrils Once they troubled them most who suffered them not to bee godly fast enough now these are no eye-sores they can beare them well enough but they trouble them most who will not let them be rich fast enough who mourne to see that money and pleasures and vanities steale away their hearts they could smite such Numb 22.27 as Balaam did his poore Asse who thus trumpe in their way and stop their pace in that which they cannot seeke fast enough Oh poore wretches Went not the spirit of Grace out with you to stop you also What had you laid this sweet babe in the Cradle to sleepe while you thus play your parts Is there thinke you no dinne to awake this sleepy spirit no crosse to sting you as fire in your flesh and so to recover your temper Take heed then you cozen not your selves at last as you have deceived the hope of others for sure if you be or ever were right there must be a way to let out this Pleurisie Brethren I can scarce tell to whom I speake I scarce beleeve mine owne eyes If I may are there not some here who counted it a marke of their true tendernesse to shunne the least appearance of evill 1 Thes 5. But where is this become Shew me the man whose jealous heart can prove that he hath not by nibbling at smaller evils so imbezzeled his peace and gull'd down the Sea-wals of his feare and conscience that now he is waxen hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sinne What shall we say in these cases Surely either Gods Word and the worke of Grace admits a change with the time or else these are those sadde dayes wherein men have gotten the start of this spirit of Grace and gotten more wit then our Predecessors have had to wit to joyne Religion with the liberty of our owne wils Such dispensations doubtles the Church of God never knew but rather in the loosest times counted it their eare-marke to be closest Christians Those who now nourish tendernesse are made scornes and by-words as fooles who know not their liberties It was once a marke of the true spirit of Grace to make conscience of the Sabbath day as a morall charge although changed by the speciall instinct of the Lord Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the eighth But where shall we come now where every man speakes not his owne words if not prophane yet common and ordinary in all mixt discourses about personall matters or else newes and novelties Who curbs his spirit to the talke of a Sabbath ruling his thoughts affections or converse so as at night he might lie downe in peace Truly Christians shall not have need of enemies to bring in a forme of godlinesse for ought I see themselves even in their distasting it outwardly love it too well inwardly all love a Religion of ease and breadths and owne ends This is that Viper which threatens to eate through the bowels of Religion and to bring it to nought Ah! little doe we thinke that this temper of ours doth lie heavie upon Gods stomach till he spue us out How just is it with the Lord for such a deserting and revolt from the first spirit of our conversion and falling to the mixture of Sardis Ephesus and Laodicea that is a dead a decayed and luke-warme temper to remove the Candlesticke out of his place Revel 2.5 3 18. to take his flight not from the Cherubims to the threshold but from the Temple into a Wildernesse there to gather
Consumption A great gash of a sword upon a fleshie part arme or thigh carries more bloudy shew with it but the drawing of a small wyre through the heart is far more mortall the prick of a pin there is worse then the wound of a sword upon the legge To finish this use constantly all spirituall lively quickning ordinances and the more lively dispensed the rather Side with them that are spirituall cast thy lot into their lap mourne with them laugh with them gaine or lose with them trade with them of all duties meanes or graces oftenest trade with the most spirituall especially faith the life of all both in one condition of life and other such meditations as thou feelest will leave thee most heavenly and carry thee farthest off thy self traffique most withall knowing that a carnall lukewarme spirit is alway at the doore offering it selfe but a spirituall will not bee kept save by strong hand Preferre this spirit of grace in thy wife child or friend before the most beautifull rich or politicke fellow in all the Country love such an one with all his infirmities rather then another with the best accomplishments Also use Gods afflicting hand wisely for that fire is needfull oft-times to quicken inward hearts as the fire of thy heart to helpe the heat of thy fingers and feet and thereby God would visit thy spirit and keep it in temper So much for this first branch Branch 2 Secondly if by any meanes thou be sunke and decayed in this spirit of Grace Admon Recover again thy temper if it be lost by what meanes never lin till thou hast recovered it againe Many wayes this may be and never fals out more frequently then in these false-hearted dayes Sometimes by overmuch piddling about the bables of this world for every of us must have some vanity or other to while our selves about sometimes by more sad plodding about profit and commodity or by multiplicity of businesse and more irons in the fire then we can well manage over-stocking our selves with cares and employments which we cannot compasse sometime by sadde accidents in our course as ill successe in our trades distempers through unequal yoking in marriage wrath frowardnesse and discontent betweene couples or by rash suretiship which proves a great snare to the spirit by bad debtors by decay in our estate through improvidence and unskilfulnesse by false friends bringing us into trouble by quarrels and sutes in Law especially with potent adversaries by bad children not answerable to their education and hopes These weare and teare out the spirit of Grace disguise a man and weaken his zeale care tendernesse yea oft make him ashamed to put forth himselfe for God lest his poverty be cast in his teeth They intercept a mans times and seasons for God as the hearing of the Word frequently hinder our joy liberty or leisure to set up God in the family or to maintaine secret interest with him they hamper the affections from expressing that grace which is within There bee other occasions also within as ease and sloth wearinesse of a base heart also some mixt of both as want of good Ministery or removall of dwellings which oft are a great hurry to a good mind which is not in her power and liberty in such cases want of good examples or helpe of private friends sorting together in the wayes of God All these helping a wofull world of Declensions the Devill and a base heart must needs damp and coole many and alas when this disease is not cured betimes it will at last breake out into worse evils sad revolts breach of peace and losse of conscience with ill report and scandall which are not easily cured Therefore for such this I say Dost thou come to see this thine estate Dost thou perceive hereby thy precious spirit to be weatherbeaten and halfe blasted thy fatnesse and sweetnesse to be gone thy selfe to become as a dry branch and as one in whom there is no forme or beauty to be desired as in times past Mourne for it as for the losse of a jewell Say thus Who shall give me the wings of a Dove Psal 55.6 Ier. 2.2 that I may flee into the Wildernesse and there with a pensive soule call to mind the love of my youth which the Lord in those first cords of his and drawings of my heart inspired mee withall Oh! how little did I then looke for such a change When I was one of the children of the bride-chamber I was merry and joyfull But now I had need to fast and mourne Then I knew not what sorrow and sinne meant but went in and out with God at pleasure Oh! that some happy messenger from God might bring me newes of the recovery of of my spirit again to that temper whereof it was wont to be yea if it were but newes of a way by which it might be once restored Well if thou wilt not give God over he will not forget thee For why if thou be sure that ever this spirit was indeed wrought in thee by the worke of God whose workes are perfect like himselfe then know that this spirit is eternall And therefore as I advise thee to tremble at thy deadnesse and lukewarmnesse so yet I adde lin not till some beame of ray of that old spirit of Grace as the Sun through a cloud shine into thy prison wals and cause thy flesh to returne againe through faith in his promise as the flesh of a little child If things indifferent or crosses have disguised thee the worke will be the lesse to file thee bright againe because the leprosie is but in the skinne But if any speciall and grosse sinne have fretted inward and rusted thy spirit wasted thy first love then let it smite thee as an arrow piercing thy liver desire God to flayte and gaster thee out of that lap and bosome Simil. as Sampson out of Delilah's As they who worke in Coalepits if once they see their candle to burne blew make away with all haste possible lest they be choaked So thou whiles any life and spirit remains hast thy selfe out of this sadde damp and looke up to him to prevent utter death who hath promised to establish thee with his free spirit and so to renue it that it might never againe waste or decay in thee See that it doe not Thou hast felt the danger of losing it and the presence of God to thy soule by it If God have gathered it up againe as water spilt on the ground and girded up the loynes of thy soule with a second girdle of renewed zeale and fervour of heart lock thy doore upon thy beloved clip him faster in thine armes then ever and sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Fifthly this Use leads me to another and more weighty one of Use 5 Examination Examination to try thy selfe about this spirit of Grace whether ever it were wrought in thee soundly or not There is no
one thing within the whole compasse of Religion more usually counterfeited then this neither is there any one point in which either the deceit of the heart is more dangerous or the soundnesse of it more comfortable to the soule then this is We read in stories that all brave Princes have beene counterfeited by sycophants Charles the fifth Edward the sixth of England and others But although their outsides favoured them yet their spirit discarded them at last a base-bred fellow cannot equall the spirit of noble bloud All Judasses and Theudasses Acts 5. came to naught Acts 5. end because they had bastard spirits There was once as a French rare History hath it a Souldier in the Campe wherein one Martin Guerra a rich Citizen of Tholouse served who being in all points like to that Guerra A rare history of a French counterfeit and getting so farre in with him as to know the secrets that had passed betweene him and his wife at last brake from the Army to Tholouse and boldly went home to Guerra his wife as his owne and after some little suspition yet so cleared all doubts that he accompanied her as his wife and lived in peace till at last the true Guerra comming home and claiming his wife a sute in Law was commenced at Tholouse betweene them and had not some privie markes at last betweene her and the true husband cleared the controversie to the Court the counterfeit had brought them to such a demurre that they knew not what to determine And so may it fare here such are the apish imitations of impudent and unsuspected Hypocrites in point of zeale devotion affections and abstinencies from sinne that the very annointed of God seemes to stand before him 2 Sam. 16.6 Nothing in this case is surer to determine the controversie then the spirit it selfe of true breed and Nativity Hardly can the spirit of birth and regeneration be long dissembled but one way or other earlier or later it will be discovered Triall of the true spirit of Grace is from it selfe Therefore let every one try himselfe by this marke even the spirit of Grace will bewray it selfe Not at first perhaps for Alexander was almost crowded to death in the tumult at Ephesus and in Pauls quarrell almost puld in pieces a terrible patterne as a worthy Writer speakes But yet at length time tried him and he grew an open revolter after and was delivered to Satan Act. 19.33 compared with 2 Tim. 4.14 Acts 6.5 1 Tim. 1.20 2 Tim. 4.10 Matth. 13.27 Nicolas the Deacon cheated the twelve Apostles but his spirit betrayed him to be a wicked uncleane wretch Demas Hymenaeus and Philetus went farre but their spirit failed them The spirit of the Grape will not be counterfeited by the fruit of a Bramble the one is generous the other base Eagles breed no Crowes nor Doves any Kites nor Lions Foxes No more doth the spirit of Grace breed false Hypocrites Well said those servants The envious man hath sowne Tares for the Husbandman sowed nothing but good Wheate It will be an infallible marke of thy true birth if thine owne principle be throwne out and if the spirit of mercy become that in thee and unto thee which thine owne spirit once was even a second nature Grace will casheire and throw out thy usurping spirit As they cast out Ipta Iudg. 11.2 Note that it shall not reigne A false spirit workes from within to an outward but Gods Spirit workes from without to an inward operation That is Grace going out of her selfe and suspecting her selfe both for the metall and for the stampe for the kind and for the degree for the quality and for the continuance abhorring her own sparkes and false blaze still seekes out for a new spirit of Heaven a new frame of heart But our owne spirit seekes within her selfe what light what affections what imitations shewes and duties she can finde out never suspecting her impotency to reach truth and soundnesse Now although such may goe farre with their Lamps a long time yet at last want of Oyle will make their lamps flagge when their feelings cease when the praises of men faile when some of their actions cause them to be questioned and when some right wind blowes full upon them then they totter when the winds and floods came Mat. 7. ult the house ungrounded fell By one way or other it must at last appeare who are men of their owne stockes and who are bankrupts not to say this moreover that a wise man well marking the Spirit of Grace and comparing it with the other will by one signe or other easily discerne a Noble and true bred spirit from violent pangs even at the best But although he should not yet the spirit of Grace will bewray it selfe in time and discard the spirit of the flesh A true sonne of faithfull Jonathan is a most precious peece to David though a poore lame creeple Gen. 25.6 Particular trials of the spirit of Grace then all the posterity of Saul besides One Isaac is more worth then all Ketura's brood The breed of a thing is all in all with men even in these outward creatures horses kine and the like So one soule of the right stamp is more precious with God then a thousand Be sure that the Word of the promise that immortall seed of God in the blood of a covenant bred thee to the hope of life The Word of God is the immortall seed which bred it and the assurance of pardon and this will turne all false principles of flesh and blood out of doores Prove thy genealogie that thou art an Hebrew of the Hebrewes a true borne Jew not of the letter but of the spirit of Grace and then thou hast that marke upon thee which will not be worne out God lookes first at what thou art for thy spirit and breed and then what thou dost Phil. 3.8 Rom. 2. ult Never vie upon him with thy heapes upon heapes of worships of means of duties but first approve thy selfe See Prov. 23.26 and these will follow alone as the wombe that conceives truly is free of all other conceptions so the true breed of the Spirit abandons all false conceptions If all other seed of thine owne all principles of flesh be cast out and the wombe of the soule cleane and cleare this spirit of grace may live and come to the birth in thee And all false preconceptions cast out The wombe that beares a true bred soule must be as the wombe that bare Immanuel a Virgin wombe wherein never any other fruit lay before The meere onely and pure love of the Father purchased by the blood of Christ must onely beget thee to God if ever thou be begotten and no lesse spirit Like Iosephs Tombe never any had lyen in it before Luk. 23.53 then that which united the Godhead of Jesus to his flesh will serve to beget thee to him
roofes have tasted the like and what hindreth but you may Oh chuse rather to follow my counsell then to cause the wrath of God to smoak out against you for adding drunkennesse to thirst and speaking peace to your selves Deut. 29.15 and saying Though I stil walk on in the stubbornnesse of my heart yet I shall doe well enough God keepe this plague farre from you And so much for this Branch 4 Lastly and so I shut up all you that have long feared the Lord Exhorta ions and shewed forth the fruit of this spirit of Conversion go forward and persevere I must not deny God the honour of his truth And such as have to nourish it in themselves he hath not left us without witnesse in this particular Few are they whom this doctrine is verified in yet some there are and the very sight of their faces this day doth not a little encourage me to speake unto them If ever then you saw cause at your first comming out of Jordan to joyne with God his Religion his glory now especially joyne partners and cleâ—ve to him now side with him and the power of Christianity Surely he that hath hitherto kept you alive and brought you safely through so many waters deserves it much more at your hands now being much neerer to your salvation Rom. 13.11 1 King 9.33 then when you first beleeved Doe as those two Eunuches of Jezabel when Jehu cried out Who is on my side Who They looked out at the window and became agents for him Could they thrust her downe headlong who were of her bed-chamber how much more you who have long since beene sworne confederates to the Lord Jesus Never was there better season for you if there be but a sparke of this spirit in you to declare your selves on whose side you are The power of godlinesse is on every side deserted and she throwne to the ground if God mercifully did not by the power of the sword and civill Magistrate preserve us what should we be save a booty to Papists and enemies who have long watcht our overthrow Now therefore if you halt with God halt for ever If God bee not God 1 King 18.21 give him over If he be that God who hath forgiven you and will save you let Baal be Baal and let him be as he deserveth Say thus Have I but one poore life to give for him who gave ten thousand times a more precious one for me and shall I thinke it too deare for him Shall Rimmon be more deare to me Shall I goe and bow to that Idoll having received a better cure from the God of Israel then he could have given me No Lord There thou wannest my heart to thy selfe for ever That sweete welcome those embraces which then I felt those Flagons and Apples can never be forgotten Cantic 2.5 Psal 73.19 I behold the workes of such as decline but I blesse thee I repent not of my choyce their Image is despised by me My soule come not into their counsels Oh! if you can say thus blesse God who hath kept you And for time to come I exhort you that the more you shall see the power of truth scorned and forsaken in the world the closer you cleave to it and if this be to be vile be yet more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 Pick out some speciall services in which you may be usefull to God and his glory If the Devill take any Apprentises he will set his marke upon them both in their hands and foreheads either they must shew some singular zeale for him or else hee will suspect them And are you ashamed of your Master Matth. 7. end Now this world destroyes the Law write it you upon your frontlets and the fringes of your garments shew the world what Master you serve Deut. 6.8 and be not ashamed Let the same spirit rest in your bosomes for Grace which you see now a dayes rests upon them who are going from us into New-England They will not endure you to speak one word amisse of it but their hearts are at their mouthes presently they magnifie and extoll it in all places wheresoever they become their very spirits are possessed and taken up with the hope and longing for it they stand upon thornes till they be there where their treasure is they are soone knockt off from hence though their native soyle where they have had all their conversation yet as if they had not knowne it so doe they renounce it and all the contents of it They use it as if they used it not for the affection sake they beare the other Parents neighbours kindred yea wives and children are deserted for it and who may controll them Tell them of the sad attempt of going what danger by Sea what change of fare there and want of all commodities Oh! you doe but encourage them by your disswasives they are content to learne to deny themselves and to change their dainty diet for bare their soft beds for hard and what not so they may come thither Paines cost selling all and packing up their fardels is nothing to them for their desire sake Oftentimes I have wish'd the place good enough for such affections But in this argument touching the spirit of Conversion and Grace for the embracing of which no affections can be sufficient how doe we flagge Where is the man who can doe thus much for God and his glory from the experience of mercy Aske thine owne heart Doe I loath the least appearance of evill doe I carry about me the zeale of Gods owne house am I tender of the least offence can I not endure the least affront to his person Lawes Gospel Ordinances doe I honour his Ministers doe I thinke nothing too deare for him is my life liberty name wife children vile unto me in respect of a good conscience Oh! that it were so How happy should we be in approving our selves Let me leave generals Particular urging of this exhortation to al sorts Ministers people Magistrates c. and come to particular estates and conditions yee Ministers of God pick out speciall service for God a few of you are left to wrestle for God ply your worke let not the glory of the Gospell fall labour to inspire the soules of your hearers with Christ alas they cannot chuse but be dead hearted when there is no glad tydings brought them no love shed into their soules Yee people looke up your old evidences for Heaven scoure off your rust you see upon what costly terms the Gospel is maintained this is no season to palter out your time shew forth your courage for God let not the spirit of Popery nor prophanenesse quash that spirit of Grace which is within your bosomes Walke humbly wisely and yet boldly hold out the truth of God without feare against all scorners and Edomites God shall prop you up feare not the vilest wretch shall never bee able to
with what an humble sober heart he used life it selfe and much more all inferior comforts whose tenant at will he confessed himselfe to be and with what an heart he commended his spirit into the hands of him that gave it as oft as he lay downe to his rest And sure it is the little acknowledging of this Soveraignty and salvation of God is the cause why many of us are compelled to learne it by sad experience who else might enjoy it with more freedome Gods not being tyed to us in grace urges Prayer for daily assisting grace as very necessary The like I might speake touching Gods spirituall safeguard of our soules and the salvation of his Church The Lord is not absolutely tyed to us in these respects We should humble our soules for these also and say thou canst Lord if thou wilt vouchafe me such a measure of comfort by beleeving peace in my conscience admiration at thy love burning zeale for thy glory compassion and brokennesse of heart for my breaches of covenant and daily failings Thou hast the key of the wombe of heaven of the deepes the grave and of mine heart Lord the restraints or enlargements thereof are from thee Thou hast promised thy grace shall be sufficient 2 Cor. 12.7 Esai 63.13 but my wretched proud defiled soule may provoke thee to shrinke in thy graces thy rolling of bowels and opennesse of spirit But yet thou art the soveraigne Lord of thine owne good things thou canst if thou wilt remoove my tickling heart after the world mine envy pride hypocrisie Thou canst if thou wilt purge out my sloth deadnesse hardnesse of heart security unthankefulnesse and the like Oh Lord these cause me to walke sadly and to grone daily for ease Oh that thy good pleasure were to perfect thy first grace with this second assistance and efficacy and to cast in all those promises to the first which concerne mortification and a new creature Oh that I might not provoke thee by my wilfulnesse and unbeliefe to restraine the influence of heaven from mee and to make thy clowdes as brasse and mine heart as iron Lord thou mayst in thy soveraigne free grace enlarge thy selfe let not my base rebellious distempers dry up the welspring of thy promises God gives not account of all his matters And to conclude the Lord is a soveraigne God also in respect of his administration of his whole militant Church Although she be his spouse and hath a right to all his goodnesse yet God gives not an account of all his matters nay oftentimes she incurres a premunire with God and by her former lazy Laodicean temper of a fulsome carelesse surfeted spirit deserves that the Lord should use his soveraignty and prerogative of discipline over her for her correction and amendment Therefore although he take not his loving kindnesse from her yet Sins of the Church the cause of Gods hiding himselfe her Lethargy and Palsey frame her wearinesse and contempt of his ordinances and their power may cause him to chasten her with the rods of men Now we are in such cases of wanting the meanes of injury and violence of times encroaching of enemies inundation of errors and profanenesse and decay of love and zeale in the better sort very prone to taxe Gods wisedome and call him to our barre as if we would teach him more wisedome See Jer. 12.1.2 But alas the Lord is a soveraigne God and knowes what physicke our maladies require he knowes our rust will not be filed off without much rubbing and scowring He lookes at the generall ends of his providence which are to punish severely the declensions and revolts of such as professe his Name let us not wonder that our praiers sticke in their ascent and prevaile little we looke still at meanes and ordinances to be still as we have beene but the Lord lookes at the melting and purging out our drosse and trying us whether we be reprobate silver or no. In this case what shall we doe call for our prayers backe againe and give the Lord over No surely let us know we can goe no whither to speed better if we leave him but confesse his soveraigne power might force him to a decree against us lie low licking the dust of his feet John 6.68 2 King 23.2.3 c. Jer. 45.5 Psalm 119. Mica 7.9 with Iosia and his people striving as much against the streame as we can and craving our owne lives may be given us as a prey if we can speed for no more but however not forsaking our covenant nor giving him over through a sullen discontented heart till either he plead our cause and bring forth our light or else make our poore lives tolerable in the midst of our sorrowes and teach us wisely and faithfully to serve our time So much for the second Use Thirdly this doctrine is confutation and reproofe of the enemies of Vse 3 Gods soveraignty or the cavillers and abusers of it First Confutation of all Cavellers against the Soveraignty of God all such as take away the ground of this soveraignty of God For if it be so as many dreame that man is only in a darke dungeon yet still hath his eyes in his head to see and apprehend light if it be offred and a liberty of will by Sort. 1 the benefit of light to embrace and receive it sure it is God hath not man at such a deepe advantage as we speake of ye must marke all the grace of such men is the will of the flesh upon generall enlightning Secondly Sort. 2 all that fight against the royall freedome of Gods dispensation of grace by the meanes to some and not to others both being every way alike I say equally distant from it or from any propension and accommodation toward it either within or without Oh! it frets them to the very heart to heare that there should be any such liberty ascribed to God! They confesse that on mans part there may be some barres to hinder grace But they cannot endure it that when the object lyes indifferently disposed then soveraignty should reject or receive upon meere will no reason at all appearing this cuts them to the heart that they may not bind the hands of God behind him to carry himselfe alike to all who lye in equall and faire correspondence to it But O ye wretches goe learne what this meanes not of the willer or the runner but of mercy Not our making toward grace but graces making towards us saves us Rom. 9. Thirdly it reproves our carnall vanity who in our thoughts will be bold Sort. 3 to prefer such to Gods grace as please us well for their gifts hearings repeatings of sermons doing duties and forwardnesse without teaching them to humble their soules and cast out their Pharisaicall spirit which hinders more then all their gifts further them Oh! Matth. 8. as those Jewes spake of that Ruler that he deserved he should doe him the
favour of healing so these thinke it were but reasonable that God should grant mercy to such a towardly and zealous childe or novice But as that Ruler hearing of their words to Christ came himselfe and abased himselfe cast off his merit and his building of a Synagogue professing himselfe unworthy under whose roofe Christ should come and so prevailed so must thou deale with the soveraignty of mercy if ever it be thine No no not the appearances of man can bind the Lord but his free love must overrule him The most poore despised impotent and silly wench among all thy brood may speed of mercy when the bravest wittiest and hopefullest of thē goes without Look at none despise none by the outward semblance Grace is free who knowes but thou mayst be an instrument of soveraignty to breed some savor of mercy even in that wife of thine which hath long beene most averse in spirit in that poore drudge of the kitchin who hath come last to prayers that child which of all the rest seemes of least capacity its not the easinesse of our heart to accept nor the rebellion thereof to refuse but the invinciblenesse of the Lords soule who cannot be pulled from his Elect and the efficacy of grace and powerfull mercy which carries the will of the creature before it not by compelling or necessitating of it but by a sweete perswasion and drawing it by his owne cordes to beleeve it making it of nilling willing and of willingable and effectuall to embrace it Sort. 4 Fourthly it must stop all the base cavills of men Oh! saith one I have spent the best part of seven yeares to obtaine a broken heart and cannot get it I see such and such can so melt and be so lowly upon the first hearing of the Word and grow to some measure of faith in short time as is incredible Surely if I had belonged to God I had long since been accepted Why Is not God the soveraigne giver or denier the furtherer or delayer of his owne grace Is not mercy his owne to give at his pleasure Is it not thank-worthy if thou get it at the eleventh houre even upon the Crosse with the theefe Esay 65.1 Is God tyed Is he not sometime found of them that seeke him not who never dreamt of him but walked in their ignorance and jolly in their lawlesse way And doth he not suffer some that seeke him with a Pharisaicall heart to goe without yea although they seeke him humbly and painefully doth not he know his owne best season Is thine eye evill because his is good doth he tie himselfe alway to one course God courses in the drawing home of his very divers No surely some he inclines to the meanes and breeds an hope a farre off others he holds under the meanes a long time in darkenesse the truth is he is tyed to no course to no persons seasons meanes or measures Turne thine impatience to humble selfe-deniall and adore God in his liberty goe to worke aright and ascribe to no meanes nor to thy selfe but his meere good pleasure and this will Sort. 5 prove the neerer way home though it seeme further about Fifthly doe not abuse this doctrine to forestall thy care in the use of meanes Doe not waxe out of measure wicked in shaking of all diligence to heare because God hath the whole strength in his owne hand to determine as he pleases But know that as the end so the meanes and the ordering thereof is in his hands Wouldst thou deny thy selfe all succors of the creature to feed and cherish thee because if the Lord have appointed thee to live Sort. 6 thou shalt live and if to dye no meanes shall sustaine thee Also doe not by this doctrine disorder the secret and revealed will of God but reverendly distinguish and observe both The one is that by which hee hath determined the ends Gods will double with the difference The other whereby he appoints the duties of men The one is unknowne to thee adore it but snare not thy selfe with it let not that forestall thy care and diligence in use of the meanes appointed by the revealed will Say not thus if I knew my selfe ordained to salvation I would apply my selfe willingly to them but how doe I know whether I belong to God Quest and shall not use the meanes in vaine to encrease my judgement Answ I answer thee Election is not revealed to any to encourage them to use meanes or beleeve But meanes of faith are offered to incourage to beleeve The knowledge of Election in such as attaine it flowes from faith not faith from it Fall thou to the meanes as God offers them which shall bee a signe unto thee of an humble and plaine heart and descant not upon that thou knowest not a signe of a froward rebellious spirit Thou art in the dungeon the Lord offers thee a ladder to come out cords and rags to hale thee up As Ebedmelec did to Ieremy Should Ieremy standing in his mire Jerem. 38.11 have felt more will to descant upon Ebedmelecs purpose in the casting in of rags and cords then desire to apply himself to the way of comming out might he not have lyen long enough there but if God have given thee the heart of Ieremy to tremble at the dungeon thou wilt not find leasure to quarrel with Ebedmelec what his meaning is unto thee but simply judge his meaning by his act his love by his cords and say thou mayst leave me here still with my cordes upon my shoulders but it seemes not so by thy offer for then thou mightst have spared this labor Therefore I obey thy charge and trust thee for drawing me up who gavest me thy cords and when I am drawne out then will I say now I know thy good will by the effect thereof Doe so in this case and prosper And so much for this second generall arising from the whole context And also for this time Let us pray c. THE SECOND LECTVRE VPON THE NINTH VERSE 9 So Naaman came with his horses and charets and stood before the dore of Elisha 10 And Elisha sent a messenger c. WEE come now beloved more closely to the words themselves Entrance upon the ninth vers and begin with this ninth verse as an introduction to the points following to the twentieth although it containe none of the five generalls which I intend chiefely to dwell upon yet it is the key to unlocke the doore of entrance upon all It containes the immediate occasion of the miraculous cure and conversion of Naaman Containing the Antecedents of the cure of Naaman and of those antecedent passages which lead unto it both the message of Elisha and Naamans entertaining thereof of which after But for this ninth verse sithence it hath in it some maine points of doctrine which depend upon the connexion of former verses we must open them first as all points gathered out of