of Godliness as fire is the cause of heat and yet as the cause is such is the effect for powerful causes make powerful effects that 's an undeniable truth in Philosophy and that 's the very reason why godliness is so powerful in the souls of men Now wouldst thou know the working of Grace or of the Graces of the Spirit of God in the soul First then I will set down some of these fundamental Graces which cause godliness and secondly how they are wrought in and upon the spirits of men First then Take these four Graces Faith Repentance Self-denial and Love not that I intend to speak of the Doctrine of Faith or the rest of the graces here mentioned but onely to speak a word or two to each and so proceed To shew how they are wrought and their footsteps in the souls of Believers And first to begin with Faith not to trouble you with that which is Historical Temporary or Legal but to speak of that True Evangelical Saving and Justifying Faith Faith then is a certain grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God Fides est actus intellectus and by the Word preached and its an act of the Understanding also now I put the Word and the Spirit together as they ordinarily are appointed to work together to make a man a Believer for I dare boldly say that the Word of it self never yet to this day wrought faith in any man without the Spirit of God working with it but I am confident that the Spirit may and doth where the Word preached is not to be had work this faith in the souls of the Elect 1 Cor. 3.6 Paul may plant Apollo may water but it is God that giveth the increase a man may live all dayes of his life under a powerful Ministry and stand by Christ and hear the joyful sound of the Gospel and yet never the neerer they shall count it but as thunder as those did in John 12.29 Joh. 12.29 unless the Spirit of God boreth the ears and sanctifieth their hearts to understand and believe the things of God and though Faith be the gift of God yet as God puts forth an hand in giving of Faith so he gives a hand to his Elect to receive Faith otherwise they could never have it thus God illuminates the Understanding whereby it comes to know that there is such a thing as Christ is Christ the object of Faith and then he convinceth the Judgment that this Christ is very excellent and that of necessity he must be had or else the soul is undone then comes the Will saying If Christ be so good and that of necessity I must have him O then I will receive him thus at length is faith begotten in the soul yet we must take heed of attributing any thing to man in this for all this is Gods own work and none of mans Now the other three graces may be stiled Faiths subsequents or concomitants Faiths companions or the fruits of Faith yet I shall speak a word to each of them and first to Repentance I say of the working of this grace in the souls of Gods Elect as I have said of Faith and in this work of Repentance we must note these four steps or degrees True Repentance There is a sight of the nature of sin A convinced judgment of the guilt of sin There is a cordial and hearty sorrow for sin There is a dislike of or an abhorring and forsaking of sin For the first of these namely The sight of sin in its own nature and proper colours now sins vail begins to be pluckt off before sin was pleasurable and delightful now it is odious and loathsom now the soul discovers sin to be a Scorpion a Serpent whose sting would have caused eternal death that which seemed to be the pleasantest and delightfullest companion is now the ugliest basest and contemptiblest thing that ever the soul beheld since it had a being that which formerly was embraced and hugged as a Dalilah is now thrown out of the windows as a Jezabel Gods enemie now the soul looks on sin as Gods greatest enemy yea as that whereby the soul hath cast dirt in the very face of God and hath grieved and done despight unto his holy Spirit and crucified the Lord of life and glory Again The souls greatest enemie the soul looks upon it as its own greatest enemy it did unparadise it it hath ever since blindfolded it and fettered it up amongst a legion of devils and hath made a separation between God and it it hath made it at emnity with God and hath brought it into a state of condemnation and was able to sink it into the very bottom of hell The soul is convinced of the guilt of sin and that by the same it s bound over to the Judgment Seat of Christ Rom. 3.19 there to answer the breach of all the Laws of God James 2.10 Moral and Evangelical yea and that this guilt lies so heavy on the soul that its able to press it down into destruction 2 Thess 1.8 and to banish it from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power for ever sin now is become a burden to purpose yea such a burden as David complaineth of in Psalm 38 4. Psal 38.4 saith he there Mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me that which once was so light that the soul could not feel it O now it is so heavy that its like to break the very heart of it now conscience is wakened and sin stands as a brasen wall in its order before the soul I will set his sin in order before him Psal 50.21 there is a Scripture to that purpose in the Psalmist There is a cordial and hearty sorrow for sin O saith the soul that I that such a wretch as I should sin against so great so good and so gratious a God now the soul begins to be cautious of sinning now its ready to say with Joseph Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Now the soul is sensible of its indignity to God now it can grieve and rent its very heart for its unkinde dealing with God who hath dealt so kindely with it and by this means the soul is brought into contrition and godly sorrow never to be repented of Upon this the soul is brought into a dislike of sin yea to an abhorring hating and detesting of sin yea it hates the very thoughts of it not onely in others but much more in it self it s now more ugly then a Toade more bitter then Gall and Wormwood now the soul knows the fruits of sin how it leads unto destruction now it can say of it as Salomon said of the Harlot Pro 5.4 5. Her end is bitter as Wormwood sharp as a two edged sword her feet go down to death and
her steps take hold on hell thus the soul by the power of grace being made acquainted with the loathsomness and bitterness of sin begins to be weaned from its brest and forsakes its embraces let God or man say what can be said of sin in respect of the vileness of it the soul can give its free assent and consent unto it yea it s so hateful to the soul that it hates the very name of any thing that doth but tend to sin yea it hates it in its most glorious robes of pleasures profits honors credits or what ever the world can afford it will shake them off as Paul did the Viper from his hand it knows sin to be viperous infective and stinging it looks upon it as its bane its poyson its undoing yea in the souls apprehension its worse then hell then the devil or all or any thing that can be thought upon The next thing is Self-denial that 's a soul that hath no Self no will when any thing comes in competition with God with Christ it owns its being from God it renounceth any self-existency its naked till cloathed from above its barren till made fruitful by Christ it stands in need of all things till supplied by that Fountain that openeth his hand and filleth all things with his blessing this Grace subjecteth the soul and makes it lie down at Christs feet it s alwayes lying under the droppings of Grace that it might receive replenishings from the Spirit this causeth the soul to look out of it self and to be carried out with an expectation hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness this makes the soul to decrease that Christ may increase it debaseth it self that it might advance Christ its willing to part with all that Christ may be all in all it doth not onely make the soul to see emptiness in it self but to see emptiness in every thing besides In a word It s a soul-denying and a Christ-advancing Grace in whatever it doth it will not suffer the soul to aim at any thing which may tend to sinister ends it doth willingly cast off ease profit pleasure honor or what ever can be thought on before God and Christ shall lose their glory this Grace brings the soul into a right temper where this Grace hath its true working the bias of the soul runs from the world and runs heavenward God-ward and Christ-ward Self-denial as its Faith 's concomitant so it worketh with Faith in purifying the heart in mortifying of sin Matth. 12.37 39. and in following of Christ For he that will follow me saith Christ must first deny himself not regarding profits pleasures afflictions or what ever else lies in the way to life and glory For he that loveth any thing whether it be father or mother more then Christ is not worthy of Christ and he that will finde his life shall lose it but he that loseth his life for Christs sake shal finde it Fourthly Love its Gods will to man and it is a grace shed abroad into the hearts of the Saints by the holy Ghost in man it s a certain passion flowing from the Affections which are the souls wheels to carry it to its Object be it either God or man It may be stiled a characterizing grace whereby men may know God for God is love whereby men may know Saints from Reprobates 1 Joh. 4.8.3.14 the children of God from the children of the devil it s a sign that you are departed from death to life because you love the brethren he that loves not his brother is not born of God neither doth he know him to her much is forgiven because she loved much Love is of such an excellent nature that it transcends the tongues of men and Angels it excells the gifts of prophesie all mysteries 1 Cor. 13.1 2. all knowledg nay all faith it is of an enduring nature as Paul saith in the 1 Cor. 13.8 Charity never faileth it out-lives faith and hope 1 Cor. 13.8 for they shall cease but love shall be perfected and endure for ever Quest 2 Secondly how comes godliness into the soul and what are the steps thereof Answ 2 That as godliness is the fruit of grace and grace the cause of godliness as I have shewed before so are they made perfect in the soul at one and the same instant of time that is perfect in parts not in degrees for there are degrees of grace as well as glory one Christian more eminent in grace then another yet the least spark is as true as the greatest flame the whole man is at one and the same time changed and become new all the faculties of the soul all the members of the body are at once transformed and renewed the understanding that 's illuminated the Judgement rectified the will turned to that which is good the affections run after the right object conversion is not in part but in whole the feet cannot be washed alone but the hands and other members must be also cleansed for so said Christ unto Simon Peter one of his Disciples when he said unto him Lord wash not onely my feet Joh. 13.9 10. but also my hands and my head Jesus answering said unto him he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit c. intimating that he that is washt by the blood of Jesus Christ is not onely cleansed from one sin but from all not onely purified in one member of his body but in all he is sanctified throughout both in soul and body but though this grace of sanctification or godliness be thus thorowly operative in it self yet oft times its not so to the souls apprehension that 's in Gods ordinary way of working now to open unto you in a word how to mans apprehension this great work of conversion grace and godliness is wrought First God by the preaching of his word together with the working of his spirit gives a touch to the conscience of an elect vessel which the Scripture cals a prick in the heart that 's in the ministery of the word as those in the Acts were pricked in their hearts saying Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Act. 2.37 God doth here discover a mans condition to himself whereby he comes to see himself First To be a woful miserable and sinful creature Secondly that there is an exact satisfaction to be given to Divine Justice for those sins that he stands guilty of before God Thirdly that there is nothing in him that can possibly give satisfaction or make up that breach which he hath made by his sin there is no possibility in Angels or men in Heaven or earth that can take of the guilt of one sin And yet that divine justice must be satisfied or he is a lost man he is undone for ever yea he stands at the very brink of hell ready to be swallowed up every moment now these and the like reasonings
l. 13. dele will p. 84. l. 11. r. he is incomprehensible p. 97. l. 2. dele of p. 108. l. 11. dele and p. ibid. l. 20. r. continue p. 111. l. 22. r. alive p. 131. l. 21. r. the poor in spirit p. 139. l. 10. r. walks p. 140. l. 18. r. the. p. 143. l. 26. r. got p. 143. l. 26. r. especial p. 147. l. 3. r. own p. 180. l. 6. r. adultery p. 189. l. 8. r. your p. 196. l. 7. r. and. p. 212. l. 21. r. it p. 213. l. 3. r. suffered p. 224. l. 21. r. wicked p. 233. l. 28. r. Tables p. 234. l. 1. r. not Pilula ad expurgandam Hypocrisin A PILL to Purge FORMALITY 2 Tim. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habentes formam pictatis sed qui vim ejus abnegarint Istos igitur vel etiam istos aversare Having a forme of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away THis glorious Apostle of the Gentiles by the Spirit of prophesie foreseeing those evils that would abound in the last times writes unto Timothy that it might be made known to the Churches as a warning peece to future ages vers 1 The words have their precedency beginning at the first verse A Catalogue of sinners In the last dayes shall be perillous times soul-dangering and soul-damning times souls shall be in peril of being lost and lost eternally not lost to be found but found to be lost vers 2 They shall be lovers of themselves but properly termed haters of themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-love is soul-hatred he that will come to Christ must first deny himself condemn himself yea hate himself self-seeking stands in opposition to soul-saving in a lofty self-admiring soul dwels no love of God vers 3 Yea these men shall be so far from grace as that they shall be void of natural affection besides all the abominations that they are guilty of vers 4 They shall be traitors to God to man and to their own souls in stead of loving the Lord of life and the people of God they shall embrace and fall in love with the pleasures of death that is those pleasures which lead unto eternal death These things by way of explication premised we shall return unto the words which as they stand in reference unto the precedent are the Epitome of the ninteenth abomination and though they are the last in number yet not the least in nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having a forme of godliness Obser 1 That men notoriously wicked many times take upon them a shew of godliness or form of godliness what greater sinners and sins then these enumerated by the Apostle viz. Pride blasphemy covetousness disobedience to parents traitors heady high minded c and yet at this time when they lie under the guilt of these soul-destroying abominations even then are they said to have a forme of godliness Absalom when he was a traitor to his fathers crown and sought his fathers life even then he craved leave of the King to pay his vowe unto the Lord in Hebron And Absalom said unto the King 2 Sam. 15.7 8. I pray thee let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron For thy servant vowed a vow while he abode in Geshur in Sira saying if the Lord shall bring me indeed to Jerusalem then I will serve the Lord. In the next words observe how he sent spies thorow out all Israel saying When ye hear the trumpets blow then say that Absalom reigns in Hebron You may see his pretence was to serve the Lord but his intent was to serve himself by depriving his father of his Crown and life 2 Sam. 17 1 2. for when Ahitophell said that he would go out against David with twelve thousand men and smite the King this saying pleased Absalom well O bloody Absalom that under shew of paying a vow to the Lord would kill his own father one that loved him as his own life Thus the Jews sent forth some faining themselves to be just men Luk. 20.20 that they might intrap Christ himself And they sent forth spies which should feign themselves to be just men that they might take hold of his words and deliver him to the Governor O wicked form of godliness that would betray the Lord of life you see traitors can insinuate and feigne themselves to be Saints Judas betrayes Christ with a kiss Luk. 23.48 Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss Yet how smoothly and seeming innocently did he carry it all the time that he walked with the Disciples in so much that none did suspect him for when Christ said One of you shall betray me Mark 14 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one began to question and search into his own heart questioning amongst themselves Is it I is it I so that they did more suspect themselves then Judas here was a glorious forme when he went to sell and destroy the power and glory of Heaven and earth this was a white seeming Saint Rom. 2.20 21 22 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a black devil see saith Paul Thou art confident that thou art a teacher of babes an instructer of the foolish who hast a forme of knowledge of the law thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal Thou that teachest a man should not committ adultery dost thou commit adultery Thou that art a Minister in a parish that teachest men should not be proud art thou proud thou that teachest a man should not be covetous art thou covetous thou that teachest that men should be of peaceable humble meek and lowly spirits art thou a kindle-coal and an incendiary art thou he that studies mischief art thou he that teachest men should walk in love and wilt thou make division dost thou teach that men should follow their own callings and wilt thou entermeddle with State affaires and labor to fire a Kingdom thou that wouldest not that any should bear rule and Lordship over thy conscience and yet wilt thou lord it over the conscience of thy brother and have all men undone that see not with thy eyes though otherwise godly O what a shame is this This is the meer forme of godliness but I must take heed of raking too deep into this dunghil least I meet with some ominous Basiliske I shall therefore lay aside this coal and with another pencil shew you what is meant by these words forma c. The next thing is to inquire what is here meant by the words forma pietas forme and godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word forme signifies the shape the outside the fashion the beauty the likeness or maner of any thing the bark of the tree cannot be properly called the tree the shadow of a man in the Sun is not the real man so the habit or forme of godliness is not godliness indeed but you must know that
none in his family that shall out of tenderness of conscience start disputations concerning matters of Religion nay there must be no reasonings no disputings no fightings nor contendings for the truth but as much as you will for the maintenance and defence of outward and formal Ceremonies this man is resolved to love quietness and ease he will not break his sleep nor trouble his thoughts with the mystery of the power of godliness yet let such as these know that this is a damnable security and that they will drop into hell before they are aware Quest .. 2 But those sins of pride blasphemy c. mentioned in the former Verses are such sons of the Gyant that the garment of hypocrisie though it be to the heels will hardly hide or cover them from the eyes of men how then can these great sins stand with a form of Religion Answ 1 A form of Religion serves for a Canopie to cover all these abominations it is one of the Fig-leaves to cover poor sinful mans nakedness it s made up by Satan and mans own base heart and it s of a crimson colour died in grain Isai 1.16.18 it s a crimson sin and double died Wo unto you Hypocrites Answ 2 A form of godliness is the Commander in Chief of all other sins other sins march after its Colours it s the devils Master-piece to make a man a grand hypocrite for he knows that an hypocrite is his principal Agent his Advocate his Apologist he shall have more service done by this man in one year then by open common profane persons which have not this form in many you know that which oft times cannot be obtained by force is gained by policy hypocrisie is the devils Fort-Royal it makes all other sins stoop to it Answ 3 It so blindes a mans eyes that it will not let him see that guilt that lies upon his spirit though his abominations be never so great and never so many yet this will keep all close from his eyes yea it will make a man believe he is in a good condition and walking in a good way when there is no such matter those wounds and sores which are fairly filmed over and have specious and visible appearances of sound and perfect cures are must desperate and incurable alas within they are full of festering and poysonous putrifections which will secretly exulcerate the flesh and corrode and eat into the bones and cause and precipitate a lingering death Answ 4 Hypocrisie or a form of godliness keeps the soul from self-inquisition and examination and so makes it insensible of its deplorable condition your formal professors eyes are alwayes abroad judging censuring and condemning others but never questioning themselves Luke 6.41 the Hypocrite in Lukes Gospel had two eyes to spy the Mote that was in his brothers eye but had not one eye to discern the Beam in his own eye they always lay heavy burthens on others Mat. 23.4 but will not touch them themselves with one of their fingers Answ 5 Fifthly Those that have onely a form of godliness walk in the broad way to condemnation and are in the same Center with all other damned sinners Hypocritae pierumque severissimi sunt eorum exactores quae ipsi maximè negligunt 1 Tim. 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely the ones sins go before to Judgment and the others follow after but the end of both is destruction and condemnation is their portion therefore he that is an hypocrite is not to be looked on to be in a better condition then open profane persons but in a worse for he that seems to others to be sound and yet within is nothing but rottenness eternal wretchedness will be his end so that thesâ— men are not onely guilty of all those greâ—â— abominations before mentioned but they take up this form to cover all their other sins withall so that they are both guilty of profaneness and hypocrisie for at the same time when the Apostle saith they are guilty of these sins he joyns this to the rest and that in the Present Tense Having a form of godliness they being guilty of that sin as of the former A form of godliness without the power of it may well be called the Devels Sin-Mould wherein he doth cast many sins at once do but read the former Verses and besides those the other sins that they are guilty of are innumerable If now we will suffer this Truth to speak to us it informs us of the deceitfulness and treachery of the hearts of men O take heed of your own hearts it is a dangerous thing to harbor a Traytor within your brest if thy heart be deceitful all thy actions wherein thou pretendest godliness will be so can ye expect good fruit of an evill Tree do men use to gather Grapes of Thorns or Lillies of Thistles can ye expect crystall Streames from impure and muddy Fountains a good heart produceth a good conversation and a bad heart an evill conversation there is nothing sooner discovers the heart then the life it is not that which goeth into the man defileth the man but that which cometh from within For out of the heart cometh blasphemies c. If thy heart be wicked so will all thy duties be thy Prayers thy Reading thy Conference about heavenly things all thy duties whatsoever to God and man will be abominable defiled corrupted and sinful A deceitful heart renders a man uncapable of receiving good and this is a most desperate condition that a man is not onely made unfit for doing any good but for receiving any good all the means of grace are inavailable to do him good the Word cannot reach him Prayer cannot fasten upon him the Spirit of God can finde no entertainment with him Mercies Judgments Corrections all are lost and he himself is lost so long as a deceitful heart dwels in him thus doth this leaven in the heart sowre and imbitter all good things to the soul Object If any question how if a deceitful heart be uncapable of receiving good from God and all men by nature have a deceitful heart then can any man be converted and saved Answ God did never nor ever will convert a deceitful heart for when God works upon any soul to conversion then and not till then doth he take away the decitfulness and uncleanness of the heart and immediatly gives a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit also I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes c He that hath onely a form of godliness doth not onely deceive others but himself his Saint seeming is his soul-damning his possessing of others with a false belief bereaves himself of true belief whilst he appears glorious to the worlds eye he remains most deformed and loathsome in the
presence if thou soarest as high as heaven God is there if thou descendest as low as hell God is even there also if thou takest the wings of the morning and flyest to the utmost parts of the earth there shall Gods right hand lead thee yea there shall he finde thee out dost thou startle at this Christian and doth thy soul propound the question Quest 1. If it be so dangerous a thing for a man to content himself with a form of godliness and to oppose the power of it How then may I know whether I content my self with the bare form of godliness or my profession be formal or real Answ 1 First Examine thy conscience The Book of mens consciences shall be opened Revel 20.12 and search throughly into thine own heart upon what grounds and terms thou tookest up thy profession Was it to please thy friends or for that it was in fashion and credit in the world or for that form was not so subject to persecution as the power was dost thou frequent the hearing of the Word for company sake or because thou wouldest not be taken notice of for absenting thy self or for any other sinister end or base respect whatsoever if so then know that all thy Religion is meerly superficial and thy power formal Answ 2 Dost thou rest in Duties done do publike or private Ordinances as the Word Preached Sacraments Received As the proud Pharisee said Lord I thank thee I am not as other men I pay tithe of all that I have c. Prayer in thy Family or Closer give full content to thy Spirit though thou never didst meet Christ in any Ordinance or Duty dost thou boast thy self of thy Charity or account thy self blessed for thy Almesdeeds doth thy soul look for no further rest and satisfaction but from thy performances O then know that all this while thou hast contented thy self in but a form of godliness It s observeable in those men that now contend for the participation of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper and would through might and main rush upon and intrude unto the receiving of it that they have not the power of godliness at all in them nay I believe there are very few of them that have so much as the form for they are either ignorant superstitious or profane persons they may be reduced unto these three sorts yea take the best of them in those Parishes where they live and screw them up unto the highest pitch and give them all the advantage that possible may be and if they can be brought up but to a form of godliness that 's very fair it is the utmost extent of these mens Religion It s Christ in the Ordinance that benefits the soul but the Ordinance without Christ is as water spilt on the ground and what is the reason they so press and dote upon the Ordinances its because they are carried on with a blinde zeal and fervent conceit they shall be carried unto heaven upon the wings of Ordinances who living and dying in this fond hope fail of their expectation and never come there Answ 3 All those that will bring something to Christ that they may be saved they will hear so many Sermons in a week receive so many Sacraments in a year keep so many Fasts in a moneth and then think that God doth them great injury if now he will not save them if now he will not accept of them and their performances Isai 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest us not wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledg of us these men think that Duties oblige God to acceptance and Gods disapprobation of them is a mighty wrong unto them they think that their actions and prayers their services and hearings will be as so many Chariots to convey them to heaven but O poor souls there is Self sticks in the wheels and retards and clogs their passage so that their glass of Time will be run out before they attain their journeys end O here is Self-deceit and Soul-damning deceit this is not Self-denial but Self-seeking not the power but the form of godliness upon this Form they may ever be sitting without proficiency in the School of Christ never removing till they be sinking into eternal perdition Answ 4 Those that can be Saints at home and Devils abroad and Devils at home and Saints abroad how many are there that can deport and behave themselves strictly at home in their Families and very smoothly and uprightly among their neighbors that bear the reputation of very good Christians yet abroad in a remote place where they are not known they can change their habit of strickness into a habit of looseness and profaneness they can whore drink carouse and spend whole nights in rioting and chambering and make their tongues as black as hell with all manner of cursings and blasphemies In like manner there be others that act the Devils part in their Families by violently assaulting cursing and railing against wife He that hath the power of godliness is universally for God in all places and at all times in the general course of his life children and servants so as his Family is as a hell upon earth but take them from home what Saint-like expressions and discourses shall you hear flow from them what fair and amiable carriages and behaviors shall you meet withall from them O Self-sanctified O glorious hypocrisie O damnable form of godliness Answ 5 Others that are very well contented with what publike means they have in their Parish be it good be it bad it serves their turns they can savorly relish it and account all others superfluous Christians will not take Chaff for Wheat though far more excellent and profitable they look not so much after their Edification by the means as their confined observation and frequenting to the means nay they will plead it to be a sin in that man that shall sometimes forbear to come unto the dispensation of the means in his own Parish be it never so fruitless and unprofitable and wil evil intreat such a man and prosecute all rigorous ways for his undeserved punishment they will never question nor search into the Doctrines of their Parish Priest nor bring them to the touchstone of the Scriptures but all he saith Probatum est all is Gospel that he delivers Answ 6 Those that ground all their Religion in Hearing and repeating Sermons in praying in their Families in singing of Psalms and make these and such like duties their main evidences for heaven onely mixed with a civil life Answ 7 Those that rest upon learning gifts parts endowments and abilities in preaching prayer conference and disputes in matters of Religion yea in understanding Scriptures in many places in their genuine and real interpretation nay and can render them profitable unto others yet they themselves remain castawayes these notwithstanding all the power of Rhetorick are
like himself he comes with power and authority he darts his grace into the soul like his thunderbolts into the world that cleave asunder divide and shake the very frame and condition of created Beings and so in the Acts 2.2 Act. 2.2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting What was this but the Spirit of God that fell upon the Apostles and gave them other tongues to declare the mysteries of the Gospel to the Sons of men it came from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it came with power yea strengthned with all might to work powerfully prevailingly upon the hearts of men and that 's the reason why Christ compares the new birth to a wind that blowes John 3.8 and blowes where it listeth and no man knowes whence it comes nor whether it goes now what 's more powerful yet what 's more invisible then the wind even such is the working of the Spirit on them that God cals home to himself this is that white stone that no man knows Rev. 2.18 but he that receives it I will give him a white stone saith God and in the stone a new name that no man knows but he that receiveth it its thought that the Holy Ghost alludes here unto the custom of the Grecians in their Courts of Judicature when they were to condemn a man to death then the Judg sent him a black stone if he were to be freed and delivered then he sent him a white stone but yet it was so made up that he that carried it knew not what it was none but the Judg and the man that received it had knowledg of it so none but Christ and the soul that receiveth him knowes of the maner of conveyance or of the gift of eternal life There are two things in this point to be unfolded What 's meant by godliness What 's meant by the coming of it into the soul We have spoken somewhat of the first in the former part in the explicating of the words and now we will somewhat enlarge upon it Godliness is the right exercising and acting of those graces which the soul hath received of the Spirit of God Godliness what it is both to the glory of God and good of man or the bringing forth of the fruits of grace in holiness of life and conversation that is when a man improves all his graces given unto him to the advantage of his Master Christ to be glad of every occasion whereby he may advance the glory of that God that hath advanced him by the glory of his grace as God is pleased to shew the glory of his grace to a soul and that to the utmost so godliness in that soul desires to improve and actuate all that grace and mercy to its utmost power to and for God Christ the Gospel and the Saints And this is the very life and soul of godliness and this is the continual course that godliness acts this is its full scope and aime the perfection of this is that which it doth aspire after for this is the souls breathings from the time that the soul received it unto the end of life and so godliness becomes the souls witness here and hereafter 1 Tim. 4.8 for it hath the promise of this life and that which is to come Secondly This godliness comes I say it comes into the soul of man it is not attracted or by industry atchieved nor is it inherent in any soul but it is grace poured out from God and freely given and breathed into the soul of man by the Spirit of grace I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 Act. 2.16 Isa 44.3 Math. 13.11 c. Vnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom c. Yea Christ communicates himself unto his people and makes them partake of his fulness freely it s not attained by skill art wisdom learning riches or any created power whatsoever yea all the created power in heaven or earth is not able to attain unto one scruple or grain of godliness it s not from men nor from the word of God or dispensation of the Ordinances in themselves but from Heaven and that by the breathings of the Spirit of Jesus Christ I shall but onely touch upon this point in this place We have now seen that godliness where it comes it comes freely and comes with power the next thing to be considered is how it comes to pass that godliness comes with so much power into the soul Answ The Author of all godliness is the Essence of all Power which is God blessed for evermore It s a rule in Philosophy That as the Cause is so is the Effect if the Cause be powerful the Effect must needs be so as in Fire the greater the fire is the greater is the heat in making other things hot which is its effect so the earth being in it self naturally cold causeth a frigidity and numness in all creatures so man naturally springing from his principle earth is nothing but a heavy mass and lump of Clay dead and fruitless untill heat and life be inspired in him from a principle and fountain of life Thus the Almighty being infinite in power causeth those things which come from himself to be very full of power Now that God is powerfull is clear by those names given to him in Scripture Nomen Elohim est personarū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is called Elohim Elohim signifies the mighty Judges it s a Word of the Plural Number and expresseth the Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence so Jehovah which signifies the eternal Being of himself then I am Exod. 3.14 I am that I am I will be what I will be a most significant expression of the absolute and uncontroulable power of God yea this name is attributed to Christ I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then he is called Lord and so a Lord that he is absolute of himself and can do whatever he pleaseth in heaven and earth then he is called God which commonly signifieth a burning fire one that runs through all things Again He is called the strong God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 40.17 Shaddai the Almighty God all which denotate and set forth the Almighty power of God and so in his Works For he is the God that weigheth the Mountains in a Balance and taketh up the Iles as a very little thing yea that counteth all things less then nothing what an expression is this what Soveraignty what Omnipotency is this what debasement of of all power in competition with his If it were the thoughts of Solomon an earthly King after his fruition of all sublunary pleasure and power to account them but vanity nay less then vanity well may then the Salomon of
Salomons the King of Kings estimate the greatest things in the world nay the power of the whole world to be nothing yea less then nothing who of nothing raised the world and all created Beings therein and to the same nothing can reduce them at his will and pleasure This I say is that God which sendeth godliness with a power into the soul of his Saints The next thing that we must consider is The ends why God sends godliness into the souls of his people with such power By the way taking notice of godliness as it is observable in its Cause and Effect for godliness in this place is Metonimically spoken the Effect for the Cause now Grace is the cause of godliness and godliness is the effect of Grace for Grace is that which makes a man a godly man and its Grace that comes with power into the soul whereby the life of man is acted and carried on in the wayes of godliness These things thus premised we shall proceed to the aforesaid Ends or Reasons Reas 1 The first End or Reason that God hath in sending godliness into the soul with power is because of the great opposition it must encounter withall and that is from the devil the world the flesh and spirit of men The devil he is the strong man and hath taken possession of the soul and alwayes stand upon his guard to keep his ground with all the powers of hell and all the strength that he can possibly make yea he bids defiance against Heaven Satans plea. Men and Angels and maketh this or the like plea for himself This soul is mine it was born mine We were by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.2 3. c. yea it hath lived mine I have had the possession of it these twenty or thirty years yea it may be forty or fifty years what power now shall snatch him out of my hands he is my bounden servant he is my ancient souldier he hath covenanted to fight under my banner he is a loyal subject of my Kingdom he is true to his trust he will oppose my opposers he will defend my right and interest he will not have me lose any footing he will rather perish then have me dispossessed why then should not I actuate all my power and force for him to keep him still my faithful servant rather die then part with him Now Christ he comes and laies claim to this soul and saith This soul is mine Christs plea. and it was given me of my Father yea Joh. 17.6.9.29 24. I have loved him more then mine own life I have shed my pretious blood for him that I might redeem him out of the jaws of hell and deliver him from the power of Satan I am the Captain of his deliverance yea Heb. 2.10 I have bought him at a dear rate and paid more for him then heaven and earth it self yea 1 Pet. 1.18 then all the createed power in both and I will have him and Christ enters this Fort binds the strong man and doth cast him out by the strength of those weapons which are not carnal but spiritual yea mighty through God to cast down strong holds this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Saviour that can that will ransom and deliver his People maugre all oppositions whatsoever this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Anointed one Ephes 4.8 that victorious King of Kings that leads captivity captive and gives gifts to men of whose power the Saints receive power 1 Joh. 2.13 and grace for grace whereby they are inabled to wrestle against pincipalities and powers Ephes 6.12 against the Rulers of the darkness of this world yea against spiritual wickednesses in high places As it must be powerful to stand in opposition against Satan so against the world for if Grace and Godliness were not powerful the world would soon repel and overcome it it would exclude and bar the door of the soul against them for the world doth as really fight against the soul as the devil doth now what is the world certainly all that is in the world that is the lust of the flesh 1 Joh. 2.16 the lust of the eyes and the pride of life the first and strong invaders of our first Parents that did invade and overcome that laid siege unto took possession of the strong-fortified and enabled-to-resist faculties of the soul of Adam and in him do still smite his loyns and ensnare and seize upon the power and strength of all his seed they plead a right and possession by antiquity and they will keep their hold until they be evinced and cast out by the power of Grace which is the onely weapon we have to ward off the assaults of these spiritual wickednesses 1 Joh. 5.4 Rev. 15.2 this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith and by the power that God put into those glorious Martyrs they overcame the world in all its persecutions imprisonments yea and death it self It comes with power that it might beat down the corruptions of flesh and spirit that daily rebel and rise up against the Saints and that made Paul say I beat down my body I club it down 1 Cor 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vi subjicio corpus meum I beat it black and blue as the Original word signifies and all yet all was little enough for Naturam expellas furcâ licet usque recurrit there are such imperfections in the perfectest Christians such reliques of Nature that there will be still continual buffetings and conflicts between the Spirit and the Flesh though the Spirit doth oppose and sometimes get ground yet the Flesh will be returning and getting head again so long as we are in the body little doth the world know what ado Grace hath with the Flesh and Spirit of the Saints there will be such reluctances such combates such heavy burthens upon the soul that oft times it makes the Saints go very heavy and sad most part of their dayes And therefore the Apostle exhorts us To cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Rom. 7.23 24. and this makes him cry out Who shall deliver me from the body of this death well I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that is by that power of Christ that he sends into his soul he was delivered and by that power alone are all the Saints delivered from these three great capital Enemies Reas 2 That it may make us stand strong against all our enemies that oppose whatsoever Stand fast saith Paul in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free Gal. 5.1 1 Cor. 16.13.15.57 Watch you stand fast in the faith and quit you like men and be strong for God he hath given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord and ye are kept by the power of God through faith to eternal salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Now the reason why the
reason why the Apostle exhorts to work while it is day the night comes O then no man can work therefore let us work out out salvation with fear and trembling the working soul is the truly godly soul life and action is the true manifestation of godliness without which the soul is said to be dead O Christians as you have the greatest help of any men in the world so you have the greatest work to do First You must live after the spirit not after the flesh and that 's no easie thing to do Rom. 8.13 14. it s a matter of high cōcernment and great difficulty for a man to spiritualize all his actions yea by this power of godliness a man ought to make a spiritual use of all his thoughts words and actions yea of all his objects discourses readings and meditations whatsoever as to the pure all things should be pure so to the spiritual man all things should be spiritual if a man read the book of the creatures and behold all those varieties in nature certainly if he would make a right use of them he must see God through them and admire God in them as for a man to reason with himself If the creature be so excellent O how excellent is the Creator if the creature be so sweet O how good how sweet is that God that gave it that sweetness as the creature is very glorious in its several colours and objects as in flowers c. O then how much more glorious is that God that gave it that beauty as the succession of creature-comforts makes them mercies indeed so Gods various dispensations to the sons of men but especially to his Saints O how excellent are they O how sweet and glorious are they that come into the souls of his Saints Now you know if a man should alwayes eat and drink alwayes lie in bed alwayes be walking up and down if mans life should have no vicissitudes but be spun out in one perpetual act O what a misery would this be it would bring mans dayes to a suddain end therefore God gives in several refreshments in the neck of one another which makes them mercies indeed to man and so it is in things spiritual should a man always be hearing of the word receiving Sacraments or be always at prayer or conference a man would quickly faint under these frequent performances come to nothing the great God knows that the Saints have bodies aswell as souls therefore you see he is pleased to give six dayes to provide for them and only one namely the first day of the week to serve worship him publikely and yet not so tied up but that we may even then take creature comforts for our refreshment so that you see when we are to draw neer to God on his day he is pleased even then to give that liberty to his Saints as that they may call it a delight for he gives us our delights in drawing neer to himself in publike worship in family duties in closet meditations and ejaculations and in the use of all creature enjoyments with moderation so far as they may fit us for our publike and private duties Secondly As we must live after the spirit so we must be in a continual warfare with the flesh the spirit striveth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit and these two are contrary one to the other there will be continual conflicts and engagements one against the other there is a deadly feud between the flesh and the spirit and not onely for a moment for a day or for a yeer but for the whole term of natural life Now it s no easie imployment for a man day and night to act the part of a souldier without any intermission of relief for as first he ought to be well armed so secondly he ought to have skill to use weapons otherwise his enemie will circumvent him and foil him at his own weapons and so put his life in hazard now this is the condition of all them who have received the power of godliness into their souls they are most obnoxious to the enemy oftenest assailed invaded and besieged with the most ingenious and crafty subtilties and insinuations of Satan none so encountered none so narrowly watched no failings so soon discerned no weakness with so suddain advantage taken hold of them therefore and them in an especially maner it behooveth strictly to stand upon their watch and to maintain their guard and still to be armed with these excellent weapons the Holy Ghost hath given unto the Saints to fight with Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17. against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places namely the whole armor of God which he exhorts us to take and put on least we be taken unprovided and the enemy prevaile against us yet this enemy is not onely flesh but flesh and spirit world and devil which by us must be opposed wherefore seeing a Saints life is no idle life be informed and exhorted not only to know but to do your duties to stand fast and keep your watches and live as wise and valiant souldiers always fighting the good fight of faith untill you have finished your course and received the Crown of Glory which Jesus Christ the Captain of your Salvation will give unto you in that day Rev. 15.16 when you shall be crowned with victory and have Palms in your hands in token thereof Is it so that where godliness comes into the souls of men it comes with power Then this may inform us that godliness is Gods free gift and his gifts are powerful and operative it s not from men it s from Heaven it comes and it overcomes the gift participates of the giver an Almighty giver and a potent gift Grace is the gift of God saith the Holy Ghost thereby intimating and declaring the excellency and powerfulness of the gift its free grace poured out into those souls who were ordained for vessels of mercy from all eternity its Christ that first makes his Saints temples and then he wil dwell in them and needs must that building be pure holy and strong whose builder maker and inhabiter is God it s an infinite God manifesting himself to and in a nothing creature its mighty power working freely in an empty vessel it s the old of days nourishing a new creature it s an increated power strengthing the feeble loins of a created Being its fulness comprehending emptiness in a word it s the Almighty Creator overshadowing and over-powering the poor creature without the influence of whose grace and mercy it would instantly perish and be reduced to nothing O you Saints of the most high the majesty of Heaven God Christ and the spirit of his grace are all your friends the Father he hath loved you from everlasting and made choice of you to be of his Family in infinite love and mercy and because he loved you he sent his dear Son into this
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God it throwes it self into the armes of Christ on whom it is fixed there it is unremoveable there it lives and there it dies Where godliness dwels there dwels the Spirit of love for God is love and he makes his Saints like to himself as the father is the Father of love so are his children the children of love certainly this grace makes a man love God in the first place and secondly it makes him love his people who are Gods off-spring a man may safely conclude where there is no love there is none of God dwelling in that soul if we do but consider how little love there is among many of those who are called professors in these dayes it would make a man amazed O the inhumane carriages of men to men yea to those that they themselves do confess are truly godly O the bitterness the censoriousness of men against their brethren especially if they do but differ from them but in things circumstantial Away cry they with such a man let him be admonished and then if he will not be of our mindes let him be hanged or banished Witness the late London Remonstrance but if he scape either of these either for want of Law or Power then say they Let us Petition that he may have no place of publike trust yea let us do what we can to weary him out of the Parish where he dwels if he be a Minister he shall not come into the Pulpit to Preach though known not only to be godly but sound in the faith and of long standing yea though it be for the fulfilling of the desire of the dead it shall not be granted but pleaded against even by them which formerly thought all that he said to be Gospel yea and yet these bitter spirits must be looked upon as professors of the Gospel of Christ as if the word of God and his Spirit were of contrary meanings O know that such a spirit as this is none of the spirit of Christ certainly these men have not obeyed that exhortation of the Apostle to the Ephesians Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice And be kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you and walk in love even as Christ hath loved us and given himself for us O it s very sad to consider what a spirit of bitterness is gone out over this Kingdom yea in this City of London especially if a man ask them the reason they are to seek for an answer but truly it s because they hear with other mens ears and see with other mens * That is with the eyes of the Clergy at least many of them for I at a morning Lecture heard one of them who is famous for rayling say that those rebels meaning the Army had now got all the strong holds of the Kingdom into their hands with an intent to cut our throats now they send forth their Ministers to Preach to us a Sermon of brotherly love And then he said that it was a mark of a deceiver to preach of brotherly love the Spirit of meekness and peace c. but that honest piece called the Pulpit-incendiary hath Characterized them and him I shall not stain my pen with his nomination eyes but at last let them know they must answer for themselves another day and I am confident when these men come to die they shall have as little peace and comfort from this spirit of bitterness as the malefactor hath from the hangman when he comes to the Gallows wherefore remember this that wheresoever godliness dwels there dwels a spirit of love meekness gentleness long-suffering and forbearance there dwels tender-heartedness and bowels of compassion each to the other and therefore never believe mens professions but look on their practices and carriages each to others for the Spirit of Christ is a spirit of love and of a sound minde I have heard of one that hath said he hath trembled to think of giving way to a godly Minister in this City that he should come into his Pulpit and yet I am confident he that spake the words was not worthy to carry the others book after him neither for godliness nor learning Was not this man of that minde that Jeroboam was who would not let Israel go up to worship at Jerusalem under this pretence because it was too far but the truth was it was for fear it would weaken his Kingdom and so his greatness might have been eclipsed so did not this man tremble not for fear of error but for fear he should steal away the hearts of the people its good for men to know their own hearts certainly this is far from the spirit of Love which is the Spirit of Christ Where godliness dwels that soul never findes so much sweetness in any thing as he doth in the wayes of God as David saith Thy Word is sweeter then the honey Psal 119. and the honey comb thy Word is better then thousands of gold and silver As the Hart panteth after the rivers of water so panteth my soul after thee O God and I rejoyced in thy Word as one that findeth great spoil It s a lanthorn to my feet and a light unto my paths c. O with what an eager pursuit will the soul follow after the Ordinances of Christ it will force thorow all contrary ingagements and oppositions to meet with Christ it hath alwayes an eye fixt upon the loveliness and beauty of Christ it breathes after the reflections of his glory its restless thoughts travel with pain untill they be eased and lodged in the bosome of Christ untill when they shall never injoy their chief delight and comfort all its study is for communion with Christ and for the enjoyment of his glory whereever it is whatever its about it s alwayes harping upon eternity the further enjoyment of grace here and glory hereafter Come to a soul who hath tasted of the sweetness of Christ and knows what it is to enjoy communion with God who hath tasted of the flagons of his love ask such a soul What wouldest thou have O saith the soul this I would have that I might never sin against God more that I might be as instrumētal for the glory of God as ever any man was upon the earth then I am sure I should enjoy more of God then now I do When David had tasted how good the Lord was he was ravished with his sweetness and he would have others taste also O come and taste and see how gratious the Lord is O here is the godly mans delight My delight is in thy Law and I will meditate thereon day and night In this he findes all excellencies Psas 1. here he findes profits and pleasures preferments riches honors and whatever his soul can desire what joy
godliness dwels in thee and thy estate to be good and that thou art walking in the way to Eternal life O give God the glory of the riches of his grace and mercy in his Son for ever but on the contrary if none of these be found in thee but rather their contraries then there can be no godliness dwelling in thee and so thou remaining in a miserable estate and condition As first if thou art in that estate of nature wherein thou wert born and that thou never sawest any change or alteration from that conditionn or never endeavouredst after any but restedst contented and thoughtest thy self to be in a good and happy estate let men say what they will or can yea let God Christ and the Scriptures testifie the contrary as is most cleer they do as you may see in these ensuing places of Scripture John 3.3 Verse 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God now what birth is this but the new birth of the water and of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must understand the water of Regeneration and the Spirit working effectually in us for our conversion as water doth cleanse the filth of mens bodies so the water of regeneration the souls of men from sin now the Spirit of God is that whereby we live to God through grace 1 Cor. 15.4 5. The first Adam was made a living soul but the last which was Christ was made a quickning Spirit that is such a man that is regenerate lives supernaturally above the sphear of nature that is another maner of life then a natural man can live now this word Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiro ut spiritus à spirando 2 Cor. 13.5 both in the Greek and Latine properly signifieth Breath and therefore Christ compareth the working of the Spirit to the Winde That bloweth where it listeth no man knoweth whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one which is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 Again Know you not if Christ be not in you ye are reprobates now Christ lives in no soul but where godliness dwels if Christ be in a soul there will be a conversation suitable to Jesus Christ now no natural man can know or partake of Christ or of his Spirit Rom. 8. For he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his If sin raign in thee that thou obeyest it in the lust thereof if thou art a Drunkard a Swearer a profane Person an enemy to the Saints and the wayes of God and that thou takest delight in all maner of sinning O know that thou art far from godliness thou art still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity If thou livest suitable and conformable unto this world unholily and unsanctifiedly in thy conversation so as thou canst like and approve of any thing better or as well as holiness thou hast no power of godliness in thee If thou art ignorant what communion with God is and canst not speak by experience what sweetness is in Christ nor canst prize it at an high rate because thou knowest not what it is nor the worth thereof If thou canst not rest upon God in a streight but fleest to the creature and usest any indirect means to deliver thy self or else thou sinkest under thy affliction when thou placest confidence in outward means and forsakest the God of life If thou have no love to God Gospel the wayes of God and the Saints nor seest no excellency in them and yet hast an eye to see and admire an excellency in the things of the world as in profits pleasures riches honors good bargains and such in which indeed no excellency is it is to be feared that there is not the least spark of godliness in thee If thou couldest be content to live and enjoy the world for ever with all that it can afford and in thy thoughts couldest wish that all things in the world were at thy command and that thou wouldest willingly take them for thy heaven and for thy portion that thou hadst rather have thy Tabernacle here on earth then to enjoy the mansions of heaven that thou hadst rather associate and hold fellowship with the men of this world then be a companion to and with the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven O this speaks thee carnal this renders thee worldly if men would but examine their hearts and awake their benummed consciences it would be found to be the condition of millions of men and women in this world and it is for that they are of the earth and have nothing to do with any acquaintance or familiarity with God or the things of God For the natural man knoweth not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned If thy thoughts and affections be set upon the things of this world in the general course of thy life so that the god of this world hath taken the whole possession of thy heart and hath blinded thy eyes do but ask thy conscience what thy affections run after and what thy soul is most taken up with if thou art a carnal wretch then it will speak pure world The first thing wherewith thy minde is agitated in the night when thou awakest and in the morning when thou arisest is What must I do this day where shall I first pitch upon my imployment where shall I light upon a good bargain how shall I put off such and such a bad commodity what wile shall I use what stratagem shall I invent what way shall I go to work to pull a thorn out of my own foot and put it into my neighbors to advantage my self and over-reach my friends to ease my self and burden others such as these will be thy Soliloquies these will be thy reasonings and machinations and having through these night-studies accomplished thine ends O how will thy heart rejoyce O what a perfect man art thou in thine own wisdom thy onely joy is in the increase of thy Corn Wine and Oyl but as for God Christ and his wayes and for the graces of his Spirit they are not at all in thy thoughts O this is a lamentable sign that thy portion is in this world and that thou hast no part of that Inheritance which is given to the Saints If thou findest a certain antipathy or opposition in thy spirit against those Scriptures or Ministers that meet with thy sin couldst thou wish that the Scriptures were all compliances to thy will wouldst thou that God himself were not so holy as in his Word he is held forth to be and that there were less preaching more recreation then now there is on the Lords Day other dayes would one Sermon in a day yea in moneth please thee better if thou mightest have but Common Prayer with it well know that these things demonstrate a deadness to grace and godliness in the soul Vse 3 A third use
his soul so much delights neither is there any affliction misery threats or death it self that can prevail or force his soul to forsake that sweetness that he tasteth in God and Jesus Christ When they threatned Basil with death if he would not forsake his Interest in God His answer was Death is a benefit to me it will send me sooner to God to whom I live and to whom I desire to hasten yea such a man prefers an hours communion with God before ten thousand worlds were they offered unto him he would slight and contemn them and count them as dung in comparison of God and Jesus Christ in whom his soul sees so much excellency and sweetness Now this communion is publike and private publike in the Congregation of the Saints which indeed may be called the greatest witness where the Saints have fellowship with Christ and one with another where their graces are communicable and their sweet injoyments free and common one with another where they jointly gather honey out of one Comb where they refreshed their thirsty spirits out of one Fountain where the members are sweetly compacted and joyned together to their head where they greet each other with reciprocal kisses where Christ is all in all and fully gives out himself unto his members this is a glorious communion the other is a private communion that the soul hath with Christ in its closet which is the best evidence when no eyes see where no ear hears what converse the soul hath with Christ her head what breathings of the Spirit she receives from him who is invisible and for all manner of excellencies beyond expression there the soul engrosseth Christ to its self there are private salutations each to other interchangeable embraces sweet fellowship ineffable communion superlative joyes and refreshments ravishing familiarities infinite soul-satisfying communities if the soul want power to kill any sin strength to withstand any corruption understanding in the mysteries of the Gospel supplies of grace resolutions in doubtings here she may have all in her Christ all is to be found in him in whom all fulness dwels Isa 45.11 the soul can no sooner speak but speed nay with an holy reverence may command and have for there is no good thing that he will with-hold from them that are in him It is not with Christ as with earthly Parents who give portions but once unto their children and then cut them off from any other afterwards here you cannot be welcome you cannot be heard if you come the second or third time but now the oftner you come to your Father to your elder Brother the better you are welcome the repetition of requests is most acceptable with Christ the more you ask the more he gives his Fountain is inexhaustible it is alwayes open for you to wash in for you to replenish your empty buckets if you wait at this Pool you shall be sure to be replenished come as often as you will if thou comest for Understanding to day for more Knowledg to morrow for Wisdom the third day for Meekness Patience Temperance and what other grace soever thou standest in need of thou shalt not onely be welcome but shalt certainly be supplied if these things thou askest be for thy good Psal 84.11 12. For he will give grace and glory and all other good things to them that walk uprightly yea he will be a Sun and a shield that 's the sum of all comforts whatsoever for Christ is the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4 2. then he will defend his servants from all dangers he will carry them on his wings as the Eagle doth her young ones far above the reach of malice or all revengeful thoughts whatsoever for the Wings of Gods Protection do not onely bear up his Saints but cover them and preserve them from danger they cover them like a shield in the day of battel what injury is done unto the Saints God takes it as done unto himself and he will be their Avenger if they strike them they strike them as it were thorow God himself for he hath made known That they that touch them Zech. 2 8. touch the apple of his Eye It s no small matter to strike at the eye of a Prince but that man that striketh at the Saints strikes at the eye of the King of Kings and shall be sure to answer it another day in another place though for a while he may scape unpunished though God be now silent he will not be alwayes so you know what Christ saith Wo to him that offendeth one of these little ones it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea thus you may see as the Saints do prize God so God doth prize the Saints That man that hath the power of godliness dwelling in him he can trust God yea and rest upon him in the greatest difficulties yea where friends fail of the neerest relation yea where Reason and all outward probabilities are opposite Rom. 4.19 20 21. Thus did Abraham when he was promised a son he believed above Reason yea the text saith Above Hope Secondly against the deadness of his own body he being one hundred years old Thirdly against the deadness of Sarahs womb it was onely Faith and the power of godliness that carried him up far above all doubts being fully perswaded that he which had promised was able to perform it Again you know that the promise to Abraham was that in Isaac his seed should be called and yet in obedience to Gods Command he goes to offer up Isaac his onely son to cut up the root from whence this fruit should grow to destroy the ground-work on which this Fabrick should be built Heb. 11.19 and to blast the hopes of any further seed which in all reason should have made void the promise yet above all he believed that he being dead God was able to raise him up from the dead from whence he received him in a figure thus the three children believed beyond all reason that God would deliver them from the fiery furnace and Daniel from the den of Lyons and divers others O this is that which makes a man cast himself into the arms of God in the midst of the fire or what affliction can possibly come unto him he can enter into his chamber until the indignation be over-past that is into Christ who is a hiding place for and to his Saints at all times And as it makes the soul rest upon God in general so more especially for life and Salvation such a soul can freely venture it self upon a promise with as much confidence as if it did enjoy the performance it can as really live upon any word of God as a natural man can live upon his appointed food O saith the soul hath God said it its enough for me I desire no more you know what Christ said Man lives not by bread only but by every word