and propagate their dominions are the picture of those wanton Traitors that abuse Gods Reconciling grace That grace of God whereby he is reconciled to the sinner and the sinner to him begets an universall peace with all his laws and methods of holynesse and war with sinne At what time friendship is commenced between God and the soul war is waged and maintained against sin Reconciliation and Alteration go together Turning away his wrath from the sinner and turning of the heart of the sinner are undevided What pleaseth a pacified God pleaseth the sons of peace When the face of God shines in smiles of peace the Laws of God are favours no offences priviledges no burdens sweet delights no unpleasing tasks the liberty not prison of really pacified beleevers Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. The Romans that had peace with God stood in this Gospel-grace engaged to be holy not allowed to be Libertines The exercises of graces not allowances to lusts were the fruit of this heavenly reconcilement Rom. 5. 10 11 c. It is a choice blessing purchased by Christs death Rom. 5. They are blessed who are reconciled by him and not offended in him Mat. 11. 6. But they that refuse the Laws of his government had never yet the joy of atonement though they pleasingly vote themselves the friends of God they will be made to their own smart to know it is one thing to bee reconciled when enemies it is another thing to be reconciled and abide enemies No enemies to the Laws of Christ and Gospel-holiness were ever actually reconciled they are yet under wrath that are under the reign of sin Let them consider it that take up keep and use armes of Hostilitie against the God of peace Thoughts of reconcilement may be pleasing they will be a vanishing dream Divine Pacification is in order to Communion Libertines cannot walk with God and see his smiles that turn back upon God and hate his Laws SECT 9. ADopting Grace is turned into Wantonness I have nourished 9 Adopting grace is turned into wantonness and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1. 2. Ah seed of evill doers children that are corrupters v. 4. A son honoreth his father If I be a father where is mine honour Mal. 1. 6. As Jacobs Sonnes Simeon and Levi's wickedness made him stink Gen. 34. 30. Eli's wanton sons were his reproach so Gods Adopting grace is wronged by his professed children to his dishonour As when a Beggar is an adopted sonne and is saucy scornfull stout in his fathers presence this differencing grace is turned to wantonness so when a beggarly sinner in external Adoption is admitted into Gods family his loose unmannerly carriage in his Fathers presence puts an affront upon Adopting grace To the Israelites appertained the Adoption Rom. 9. 4. They owned the promotion God is our Father Joh. 8. 41. But the high abuse of this preferment in Heathenizing like Sodom and Gomorrah Isa 1. 10. wronging the Stewards of Gods select family the holy Prophets Act. 7. 52. despising the orders of his government Jer. 13. 9 10. Idolatrizing with the Gentiles Ps 106. 35. Their a Impudence b Vniversality and c Incorrigiblenesse of sinne a Jer. 6. 15. b Jer. 6. 28. c Jer. 2. 30. turned their external adoption into exprobation Their professed owning of God their Father in an externall covenant of Grace with unchild-like rebellions did aggravate their abominations Their want on lusts spoyled their Adoption God was in Title the Devil in reallity their father Joh. 8. 44. His Lusts but not the divine Laws of Jesus Christ ruled over them Too much a kin are dissolute Christians to the Jews dishonourers of adopting grace The looser the stricter sort of Christians 1. The Looser With what boldnesse confidence yea impudence doe many say Our Father who have nothing lesse than the dispositions and affections of children as if God could own Satans image for his living pictures and perpetuall estrangements disaffections enmities yea reproaches could have any reconcilement with the heavenly dignity of Adoption God that hath taught men to pray hath bid no man to lye and to say hee is their Father in Christ when they are unchristian in heart and life I confesse the worst of men may wish they had reall interest in Adopting grace But under the Fatherhood of Satan to claim spiritual Sonship is so to call God Father as Judas called Christ Master Luk. 14. 45. a mockery but not a truth How rare is it for the prophane pretended children of God in good earnest to charge grosse hypocrisie on their profession and thus to quaere Can these oathes drunken unclean unrighteous voluptuous lives bear any fair consistency with Adopting grace Am I not an impure offspring of Hell though I pretend to an heavenly progeny Will these thoughts words and actions speak Gods children These serious reflexions are very rare The notorious seed of the Serpent will complement and write themselves in their deceitfull hearts Gods children Many of them have been the rest will be blotted out of this blessed roll Ah bold intruder ere long in this life or the next thy Conscience wil tel thee Heaven holds no such children as wil live as they list reject the paternal government of God evidently darken the glory of God in the world and yet call him father 2. The stricter sort of Christians too much follow the dissolute Jew in blemishing the glory of divine Adoption and these are of two sorts Such as really such as are opinionatively godly are indeed children and that seem to be so 1. Christians of strict profession that are indeed children What doe you for your fathers name Doe not even you that shall hear these sweet words from the mouth of your Judge and Saviour Come ye blessed of my Father hinder his renown in the world Are not you Key-cold Hard-hearted of dis-ingenuous unchild-like spirits when you see the dreadfull testimonies of his dishonour Doe not you who in the next world shall lift up his name and make his praise glorious cast down his name and make it infamous Your undutifulness to your dear Father is too much that your too loose hearts dishonour him and inward wickednesse provokes his absence but is it not enough in irreverence and disobedience within doors to wrong your childhood will you dare to dishonour him and your selves in the publick street of common notices Against the precious fame of your Father how are your tongues heated with a fiery satan and the flames of ungoverned passion to abound in transgression before malicious observers glad of your halting How unwarily doe you publish your over-eager yea it may be in some things injurious chases after the worlds gainfull prizes Why discover you the nakedness of your dis-love and hardness to forgive a saint or sinner Why doth your voluptuousness too much declare you yet live not above the world Why are you
of carnal concupiscence 'T is a numerous pregnant mother of sins and hath a vast Womb Faecunda peccaetorum mater in which infinite transgressions are conceived out of which they are by the Midwifry of Satan and the World brought forth 'T is the standing Forest in which Beasts of prey are nourished and abound harmful destructive lusts are fed and grown that spoil the bodies and souls of men 'T is a deaf Adders ear to the Words Wisdom and Whispers of the Spirit that will not hearken to the saving voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely will never hearken to the Counsels of true Wisdom till miraculous grace open and boar the ear 'T is a rooted and deeply fastned evil in all the faculties of man written as with a pen of Iron the point of a Diamond graven upon the hard Table of the Heart Jer. 17. 1. The deep Characters of its malignity are not soon and easily razed out 'T is a vast Sea that notwithstanding the infinite streams that Inexhauslum malum peccatum originis Luâ—h in Gen. flow from it is not drawn dry but as full as ever without the exhausting miracle of grace gradually lessening and at length quite drying it up It hath an Whores face and tongue it 's besotted Lovers believe it 's permicious bewitching flatteries are enticed by its lusts as Fishes by baits Birds and Beasts by snares Jam. 1. 14. 'T is like an untractable Heifer that will not bear the yoak of Cum carnis voluptatibus laâ—amus habenas caro redditur intractabilis Pet. Mar. in Rom 13. Cupiditates effraenes Deo adversantur Peâ—petuo velut è regione Deo opponuÌ„tur Grace but kick and winch and run away from service Deut. 32. 15. A wanton and unbridled Nag that will not be handed by the Riders pleasure will if left to it self neither be backt by reason nor the Spirit of God 'T is not onely an enemy but in the abstract enmity against God his Laws Soveraignty Holiness yea his being The Divine nature and corrupt nature are tearms which can never be reconciled The flesh uncrucified will everlastingly lust against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. Jer. 13. 27. 'T is fortified in its ruining Art by divers Lusts and Pleasures Titus 3. 3. like an old Souldier hath many stratagems and an old Angler many Baits of ruining deceit In its methods of destruction if one way miss another will hit 'T is the Sin that easily besets Heb. 12. 1. and like an heavy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nos circumcingendos in cursu proinde impedieÌ„dos proclive Glass Philolog Sae Mollis carnis educatio atque indulgentia nos in spirituali studio magnepere remorantur Granaâ— Chain tied to the affections the feet of the soul hinders speedy motion in the Heavenly race set before us or like a begirting Army or long Garments that hinder running obstructs speed in the way everlasting over pampering even to an heavy sluggish sweating fatness tires the Racer So soft indulgencies to the flesh are a great Remora and constant stop to spiritual and heavenly motions 'T is a subtle Orator to defend it self when its wickedness is impeached decried discredited condemned it is the witty Mother of crafty Inventions to prove it harmless secure its Indemnity to elude all Indictments of reason and the word hath a wily head in all those distinctions extenuations mental reservations Paintry of deceiving Sophistry mis-naming and mis-naturing things for self preservation and soul ruine It 's it alone that hath made the heart desperately wicked a Concupiscentia est lenge majus malum quam ut ejus magnitudo à ratione perspici possit Melancton Catech. p. 24. Rara hora brevis mora bottomless pit of sin a nemo scit of abomination Jer. 17. 9. They that with longest Plummets would sound it cannot reach the bottom of it Hence to the old stock of corruption new sinful inventions are added 'T is the heavy Pully that hangs upon the soul when with much adoe it hath a flight Heaven-wards not more sweet then short 't is like the string tied by the leg of the Bird whereby the Boy pull'd down the nimble Creature when he pleased which occasioned Anselmes serious Meditation making it the Emblem of corrupt customary sins which pulls down the soul when alost in Heavenly things It never flies in a free air till the string of corruption be cut from it It turns spirits into Rocks and Adamants hardens them in evil yea rejoyceth and triumphs in it 'T is a stout Enemy which though often worsted is not quite Eâ—â—ugata redeunt Putata repullulant Sopita denuo accenduntur overcome will rally and recruit Though it be forced to depart the Siege yet it will set down again Like the Luxuriant Vine though pruned grows rank again Like fire though much quenched yet flames again This ugly hideous Monster the old Man is not seen but by spiritual eyes Hence it is that its wanton abuses of the Grace of God are so frequent and prevalent 2. Want of severe mortification of the flesh conduceth much to the wrong of Grace These false Christians in the Epistle of Jude who turned the grace of God into wantonness and their fellows are said to walk after their own lusts v. 16. their ungodly lusts v. 18. to walk after them not to crucisie them Indeed it cannot be otherwise for if grace be not so strong as to subdue lust Lust will be so strong as to banish grace so impudent and daring as to abuse it Corruption fed and nourished will wantonnize The hugging dandling kissing feeding carnal lusts makes wanton professors They dare sport with edge tools riot in the ways of damnation Study O you that profess Christianity and you will finde it Flesh-pleasers that in a delicate tenderness neither dare nor will nor can mortisie their corruptions these eminently abuse Gods grace SECT 9. 9. WAnt of considering the straight way to life and the 9. ◠〈◊〉 â— of ◠〈◊〉 â—ing ◠〈◊〉 streight â—ay life causeth the abuse of Grace blessed end thereof Most Gospellers would have Heaven at the close of their lives in the broad way of wanton allowances and indulgencies to the lusts and pleasures of the flesh had rather have inlargements of their desires in a way of damnation then the streightning of them in the way of salvation The wisdom of the flesh wise onely to destruction suffers not inconsidering men seriously to weigh the unspeakably safe sweet and glorious Issue of strict Christianity Holy reason would thus consider Though that great Idol carnal self were beaten down sweet lusts and pleasures were mortified dreadful guilt and dishonors to God were lookt over with broken hearts and weeping eyes the vanities and pomps of the world were renounced the frequent requiries of the Scripture and necessities of the poor call for and command costly alms Though Fastings and Watchings continual spiritual Arms and Combates Prayers
glorious aiery appellations of worldly precedencies The childless holy Eunuch was by the Gospel Prophet comforted that he should have a Name better than of Sons and Daughters The new Name either Beleever or Child of God out-titles and out-glories the highest worldly stile Fulgentius gave good counsel to Galle a noble Christian of a Godly as wel as Gentile Extraction born of the Spirit as wel as Kin to Roman Consuls Learn to ascribe nothing to your Noble Disce nihil tibi nobiluate generis assignare Fulgent Epist ad Gallam Inter saculares illustris superbiae fomes Fulgent Tametsi speciem aliquam praese ferunt homines tanquam in agris flores qui tamen refulget decori protinvs interit atque evanescis Calvinan Isa 40. In saculi culmine constituti Fulg. Praebentmalae imitationis laqueum aut bonae conversationis exemplum Magna tales aut poena manet aut gloria Fulgent de Conversione ad Theodorum stem Although you have secular illustrious glory yet especially with a perfect humble heart be ambitious of the Spirits Nobilitie If Madam the anointing of the Spirit teach you this lesson that all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field the glory the ornament the glittering shine of it will disappear in pale gastly death and the chambers of silence and rottenness I hope it teacheth you this also that Regeneration is the birth of births and that the thriving Graces of the Spirit bosom Communion with Jesus Christ here and highest rooms in heaven will be the Honour of Honours Consider Great persons are great blessings or plagues a train follows them to Heaven or Hell they are not saved or damned alone They that stand in the worlds higher ground who either lay the snares of an evil imitation or are the presidents of an holy conversation shall have great either eternal Penalty or Glory Hath free Gospel grace shined in your soul abuse it not Hold forth the Word of Life in a gracious life If you and the faithfull conjugal guide of your soul shall speed your motions to those heavenly eternal Mansions where the better than flowings of Milk and Hony the sweet heavenly Feasts and unglutting delights of eternitie shall be enjoyed If you shall avoid this common scarlet sin of perverting Grace which with an ungrateful Wantonnesse treads under foot the Son of God thinks desires affects and lives as if the blood of the Covenant were an unholy thing and offers a proud despight to the Spirit of Grace If the study of this book shall help you both and others to walk exactly to redeem the time adorn the Gospel credit Profession glorifie God and promote your own and others eternal Salvation you will both accomplish the design of publishing the ensuing Meditations and encourage him who is your remembrancer at the Throne of Grace and remains From Edmondsbury in Suffolk Mar. 18. 1658. Your engaged servant in the Work of the Gospel NICH. CLAGET To the Christian Reader I Shall not detain thee with a long Preface lest I may be injurious by keeping thee too long in the threshold Onely a few things I shall premise concerning the reverend Author and his excellent work As for the Author he hath been well known to me at least Five and twenty years as being of * Magdalen Hall in Oxford that Society with me where from the first even to this day through Gods goodness I yet continue which hath bred and sent forth many faithful Laborers into Gods Vineyard and many †Mr. Tyndal the martyr Dr. Field Dr. Hoyle Dr. Harris M. Pemble Mr. Leigh Dr. Cheynel Dr. Wilkinson now of Ch. Ch in Oxon. Dr. Wilkins M. Obadiah Sedgwick M. Pocock M. Pynke M. Thomas Ford. Mr. Simon Ford c. Edmunds Bury Mr. Jet learned Orthodox Writers Of later years my acquaintance hath been much increased with this worthy Author and I rejoyce therein He hath for these fifteen years in Edmunds Bury in Suffolk Where he now resides given abundant testimony of his industry and fidelity in the discharge of his Ministery and hath studied to approve himself a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed He hath as it is said of Demetrius obtain'd a good report and of the truth He is sound in the faith and holy in life both by his life and Doctrine makes it his business to win many souls unto righteousness I adde no more concerning the Author neither needed I have said so much for he needs not my Letters of commendation His Works speak far lowder and praise him in the Gate That * Corporation where those †two faithful Servants of Christ do now exercise their Ministery hath great cause of thankfulness because God hath raised up such able Ministers now upon the place in the room of their * worthy Predecessors with most of them I rejoyce that I have had the honor of acquaintance And that people who like Capernaum have been lifted up to Hea †Mr. Claget M. Sclater M. Gibbons M. White M. Calamy burroughs M. Sainthill M. Wall ven with Gospel means ought to remember That where much is given much is required As for such who forsake faithful Teachers and the Publick Assemblies I heartily wish them timely and serious repentance and that their Palates might have a right taste then they will conclude that the old wine is better then their new and that godly ordained Ministers are better then upstart un-called self-conceited Seducers Concerning the Book the whole design whereof is to advance grace and decry the abuse thereof it cannot be expected that I should ingage to bring of every Phrase Punctillo or Tittle according to the curiosity of Criticks As for such whose fancies out-run their judgements and with whom affectations of new coyn'd words are more valued then the form of sound words I am not careful to answer them in these matters neither do I think their exceptions worthy of an Answer However I am fully perswaded that the Treatise is solid and profitable tending to edification and throughout the whole there runs a line of a gracious spirit And whoever profits not thereby hath more reason to question himself then the Author For if pride and prejudice be laid aside I doubt not but through Gods blessing much spiritual advantage will follow upon the serious and deliberate perusal of this Book Now if any one Object that the World is glutted with multitude of Books my answer is For good Orthodox solid Writers we have reason to bless God for such helps we have by them and ought to be desirous for the continual increase of them As for vain frothy unsound Writers we wish that they were supprest altogether For some Books we have too many and of others which are rotten heretical and blasphemous we wish we had not any at all but that they and their Authors might be buryed together and never be reviv'd as now adays with sorrow be it mentioned they
them as the Pues you sit in and as walls and rocks The despising of wholsome heavenly instructions no lesse then the despising of the Lord Jesus Luk. 10. 16 is that which makes honest godly Ministers to set down with mourning and tears in their closer addresses to God that their hearers will not be converted saved and have eternal life Act. 13. 46. and Phil. 3. 8. 6. You will be unexcusable when you shall see the offers 6. Men will be inexcusable when they see offers of Grace at an everlasting distance from them and hopes of Grace at an everlasting distance from you How will paleness sit on your faces when you are before a dreadful Bar what trembling will surprise your hearts when conscience shall terribly inform you that the Lords Messengers in earnest desires and longings for your happiness in zeal love and tears offered you for Christs sake to embrace the Heavenly Treasures of the saving Covenant and you would not or soon stifled your Convictions lost your good resolutions and affections you secured the world and that great Idol flesh pleasing but not Eternity you can easily slight it may be jeer the Minister but remember you will be enforced to call to minde his passionate woings for Jesus and that your blood would be upon you that you would be your own destroyers if you disallowed and abhorred Christ if you knew not God and obeyed not his Gospel At such and such times in hearing and reading the Word in heart-searching godly Books the Spirit of Jesus held forth before you a Feasable Justified Adopted Sanctified and Glorified Estate and you liked not Christs conditions to fit you for and obtain Eternal Glory How have you abused Christ and his Gospel-Ministry when you were told his yoke was easie by Divine Power Did not you look upon the Preacher exhorting the duties of Religion as a proposer of intolerable and too severe tasks as if the glorious patern of Wisdom Righteousness and Sweetness should tyrannize over men and bid men be his servants to their loss and the Devil and the World could make more gainful honorable and comfortable bargains 7. You shall have no cause to blame the pure Justice of the 7. There will be no cause of blaming Gods Justice angry Lamb the Judge of the World if when you shall cry Lord Lord he be as deaf at your dreadful crys as you were at his calls if he know you not to save you when you knew him not to serve him This will justifie the direful last Sentence Go ye cursed and clear your eternal stripes from cruelty when you have wilfully abused the infinite love of the Son of God Grace was offered you but you would not be healed nor reformed you have destroyed your selves 'T is Divine Justice that the wickedness of the wicked in due penalty should be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. Wicked Gospellers even put fury into a gracious God and necessitate him to gain the reputation of his Holiness out of their damnation It becomes the natural Justice of his Majesty to be the Avenger who is not the Author of wilful unbelief The holy One of Israel is provoked Isa 1. 4. The holiness of God is read in the Characters of those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Judgements which he executes on the impenitent World It s just the heaviest of punishments should be the vindications of Gods Dishonors by the affronts of his Grace upon a threefold account 1. The ungrateful and voluntary high indignities that vain 1. Vain loose people put voluntary indignities upon Gods Grace Suadet terret hortatur excitat monet Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes loose hearts and lives put upon Gods Grace Wisdom hath sent out her maidens to invite sinners to be Saints Prov. 9. 3 4. and sit down at its heavenly Table v. 5. of all sufficient satisfying saving provisions comes with Perswasions Comminations Admonitions to accept the Call but the loose guests either come not at all or unprepared surfeit on good food turn it into ill humors The offended King of Heaven hath sent out his Heralds of Arms to proclaim Peace and Mercy on most righteous tearms but stout rebels will not resign up their hearts to Christ but keep them strongly garrison'd for Lust and the Devil and this is the success the Calls of Gods Grace meet withal Satan and Christ knock at the soul for entrance It is opened to Satan and locked to Christ Shall obstinate unprofitable hearers blame God under their everlasting smart when they have not so much despised their Ministers as Jesus Christ Shall loose unreformed Children that despised their godly wooing and warning Parents cry out of unjustice under eternal wrath when they did not so much abuse their holy Invitations as Gods It was his Qui mihi monitus muliebres tui erant Aug. Conf. l. 2. spirit that made by Religious Fathers and Mothers gracious proffers to gainsaying Children Conscience will give in testimony on Gods side that he graciously called froward wilful sinners that they might be pardoned not abide under condemnation they Libertatem pollicetur vos aufugitis in servitutem might be Saints not remain sinners they might be free not continue Captives obtain a blessing not lie under the curse and be saved in mortifying the deeds of the Body and not be ruined by cruel mercy and Indulgences to corrupt nature the worst of enemies 2. The bold abuses of heavenly inviting offers though God 2. The bold abuse of heavenly inviting offers hath complained of this long before in his holy Word and urged such injurious dealing as a most just Apology of his severest vengeance I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Prov. 1. 4. Therefore when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirl-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you I will be even with you you shall call upon me but I will not answer seek me but not finde me v. 27 28. All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to again-saying people Isa 62. 5. Therefore the Lord Christ threatned these unbelieving Jews that the Christ and the Grace they rejected should be offered to better entertainers He would have a Church among the Gentiles the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Matth. 21. 42 43. I said you shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins John 8. 24. He that believes not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him Iohn 3. 36. How justly do the Wrongings of Gods grace bring endless misery when the Lord hath often complained of it before hand in the Scriptures cautioned us to fear and tremble lest we forsake our own mercies Jonah 2. 8. Threatning this abuse with eternal death 3. The Lord hath already acquainted us in his Word
that if 3. A Woe denounced against them who make excuses and refuse to come like the guests in the Parable we either finde excuses not to come and feed on Christs heavenly dainties Luke 14. 18. or we be unprepared wanton loose guests and come not to his Feast with the Wedding Garment i. e. Faith in Christ with the whole train of Graces but in the deformed rags and pollutions of our sins I say if we be like those that either openly and positively reject his offered Grace or like those wanton abusers of Gods grace in the Apostle Jude tread in their steps and die in this Libertinism as a Woe is denounced unto them Jude Ep. v. 11. under condemnation v. 4. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever v. 13. So if we be fellow-wanton Gospellers with them we shall follow them in their everlasting misery He is deservedly hanged that seeth a Felon die before and yet greedily pursues his wicked courses We are told Sodomites Apostate Angels Abusers of Gospel-grace are already in Hell If the examples of their torments make us not to abhor and eschew their sinnes divine justice wrongs us not in our everlasting destruction whom should self-destroyers blame but themselues I have been the longer in this Section because of the mighty importance of the matter the common wofull lamentable damnable refusall of Gospel gracious calls and invitations to everlasting happinesse unchristianly prophanely dishonourably abused SECT 6. 6. THe means of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse This sad 6. The means of Grace is turned into wantonnesse experience I shall give out in three things shewing When the means of grace are abused The evil of that abuse and What means of grace are abused 1. When are the means of grace abused They are so 1. when they are set higher than they are Means are made Mediators set in the room of Christ when an equall yea a superiour confidence is put in Instrumental institutions The hand and the courage of the Warriour is disparaged when the Sword is set up above him and there be more confidence in a dead instrument than in a living agent The Word the Sword of the Spirit is dead and successelesse out of the strong and living hand of the Spirit It is a double and common wrong both to the means of grace and to Christ when Christ is not eyed sought to admired trusted in by the means The error not onely of ignorant prophane Christians that trust in a bare Baptism and a following of their Church to save them but most real Christians some whereof more admire their Preachers than Jesus Christ more look after an impotent man with all the glory of his gifts than the power and the transcendently eminent endowments of the Lord Jesus The Apostle Paul taught a better lesson who although he planted and watered Churches with miraculous successe owned his own nothingness 2 Cor. 12. 11. abhorred the thoughts of self-sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. was jealous of robbing Christ of his glory gave him the honour of his grace and power that he was used as the exalted and blessed instrument to convert multitudes of sinners and save their soules Rom. 15. 18 19. 2 When meās of grace are set lower then they are 2. When they are set lower than they are Then they are so when they are accounted as uselesse needlesse things as if heaven could be got without them grace might be had and kept though the means disused Nothing is more clear than that in ordinary dispensation extraordinaries not being our rule God hath confined grace and salvation to the use of means Knowledge Joh. 17. 3. The Gospel preached Rom. 1. 13. Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 21. Prayer Ro. 10. 13. The education of godly family guides Gen. 18. 19. Excommunications 1 Cor. 5. 5. The holy counsels and examples of Husbands and Wives one to another 1 Cor. 7. 16. The means of grace to the reproach of the God of grace are exceedingly undervalued when the sottish and conceited generation that live without Ordinances hold there is no dependance at all on holynesse and eternal happinesse upon Gods instituted means They are also set lower than they are when encumbred with Martha about needlesse things in the brood of earthly cares and employments neglect their attendances on heavenly means and make their affaires below excuses as too many doe to the dishonour of their regenerate part just as studious worldlings to put by heavenly exercises in the Worship of God 3. When they are contradicted and blasphemed as Paul's 3 Whē means of Grace are contradicted and blasphemed preaching was by the Jews true Prayer by the Spirit by unspiritual gracelesse Atheists that revile godly care of holy houshold guides to keep their children and servants in the knowledge fear and love of God whose pious endeavours to save the soules of their families condemning their wicked neighbours irreligion is the occasion but not the cause of their blaspheming their Prayers singing of Psalmes strict keeping of the Sabboth and week dayes holy and righteous conversation when the holy and heavenly institutions of the Lord Jesus are the markes at which sonnes and daughters of Belial shoot the arrows of their bitter words the meanes of grace are eminently abused 4. When they are judged and rested in as the onely evidences of grace The more ignorant carnall morall hypocriticall 4 Whē means are judged rested in as the only evidences of Grace sort of Christians have no better arguments that they are in the state of grace than this they have the means of grace It is an irrational conclusion A patient hath good physick therefore he shall recover a dunce hath good books and a good tutor therefore he will be a scholar a great Army is well furnished for war therefore it shall overcome The battel is not to the strong Eccles 9. 11. As unscripturall an inference it is The means of grace are enjoyed therefore the grace of the means is obtained Capernaum was lifted up to heaven in means and yet cast to hell Mat. 11. 23. Ordinances doe not confer grace as fire doth heat by their natural vertue but as the Lord Christ healed the sick by supernaturall Grace is not in the means as causes but by them as instruments Should many men have no use of the means to plead for their spirituall estate there would be nothing to speak them really Christian but they would be left as naked heathens It is not the having but the saving using of means that will stand by us 5. When they are made shelters of sin as dens are for Lyons 5 Whē means are made a shelter of sin cloaths are for bodies The Sacrifices and Temple were not to be a Sanctuary of Murder Adultery False swearing Idolatry Jer. 7. 9 10. Nor were the Pharisees to make long prayers to cloak the devouring of widdows houses Luk. 20. 47. The Harlots beginning with Gods services were poor fig
Are your tyring attendances an hour or two on Gods Worship time advantages Are your many hours attendances on your flesh-pleasing sensualities the shortest and sweetest hours the reall profit of time I beseech you in good earnest study how Christ walked and then judge your selves whether your debauched loose lives strangers yea enemies to the strict waies of Christianitie will prove you walk like Christ what remains then but if your eies be open the fruit of this arraignment of you before the word of truth will be real conviction you are gross hypocrites your selves I say not this delighting to discover the nakednesse of your deceits but if Gods grace help to reform them It is true there are that make strict profession are hypocrites but wil this help you when God seeth and your selves know your palpable hypocrisies As drunkennesse condemns drunkennesse treason treason uncleanness uncleanness covetousnesse covetousnesse passion passion so too Clodius accusat maechos Catilina Cethegum Juven often hypocrisie hypocrisie How is the Devill pleased to see fellow sinners peal and deeply charge one another who without infinite mercy are fellow travellers to hell and will have no pleasure in accusing each other there O you that are the looser sort of Christians deal not with the stricter who abuse their eminent religious appearances as Diogenes did with Plato Calco fastum Platonis Majore fastu comming into his adorned and stately room he trampled on his braverie being asked the reason of this incivilitie the Cynick answered I trample on Plato's pride Yea saith Plato with greater pride Do you see and comment on the errors and scandals of strict profession Take heed you doe not trample on their hypocrisie with greater hypocrisie I shall finish this digression with an humble and hearty admonition to larger and stricter professors to fear and tremble lest they live and die under the dominion and damnation of hypocrisie Ah Christians who are too Eagle-ey'd in discerning each others hypocrisies and are too guilty of this sad retaliation to charge one another with bitter words but are too Mole-like in seeing your own dissimulation study both I beseech you your own bosom Arch-juglers your own deceitfull lusts Let your chiefest anger Me me adsum qui feci in me convertite ferrum Virgil. and revenge be against the craft and willnesse of your own corruption Be willing O be willing that the word of the Spirit should slay your own See you of loose and you of strict profession one anothers hypocrisies O turn your declamations into lamentations your sharp charges into praiers your scoffs into teares for one another and you that need bowels of compassions and a mantle of charitie to put over not to blaze Veniam damus petimusque vicissim one anothers hypocrisies return piety and tendernesse of spirit to your felloâ— deceivers I mean not soul-ruining flatterie but regular Gospel-charitie To return to the abuse of Adopting grace Whosoever they are as there are but few that are guiltlesse very few but dishonour the glory and dignitie of their Adoption I could wish that it might be laid to heart three things may be seriously considered 1. The naturall respects reverence lively affections and zeal that children bear to their parents â—hoâ—onow the guidance of that engraven Law God hath put into theâ—â— spirits The force of this consideration is this Is it not an high dishonour to the Father of spirits that the Parents of the flesh should have most regard It is storied of a dumb sonne who seeing his fathers life endangered in mightie zeal burst open the long shut doors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodotus of silence and said O kill not the man Doe we not see the name of our heavenly father we call so endangered his Gospel in perill to be lost by common contempts and barrennesse our own soule endammag'd and yet we are not delivered from a dumb devill we want hearts and words to speak for our Father to cry mightily to him that his glory may not be so obscured his Gospel may be preserved our soules may be sanctified and eternally saved Where are our suspitions lest we darken his name by our dis-ingenuous unchild-like carriages I am afraid said the son of Declus lest when I am made Emperour I forget my Vereor inquit Decii filius ne si fiam Imperator dediscam esse fictus Valerius Max. 1. 5. self to be a son â—re we as zealous in our ease prosperities sweet creature injoyments Lest fulness rempt to forgetfulness lest we should be lesse reverent and obedient children when our Tables are most delicious and beds sofrest Doth the light of nature say Parents can never be recompenced Doth the Scripture bid children to requite their parents 1 Tim. 5. 4. which endeavour they may fully accomplish they cannot What shame is Parentibus nunquam redditur aquale it when we are infinitely more indebted to our heavenly father then our earthly progenitors that we should return him irreverence daily dishonours but be very rare and cold and weary of religious loyal and filial returns We reverence saith the Apostle the correcting fathers of our flesh shall we not much rather be in subâ—ection to the father of spirits and lives Heb. 12. 9. There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a much rather for an honourable deportment under the heavenly than earthly adoption But the fathers of the flesh have a large harvest of respect and service our heavenly Father hath sâ—â—rce the gleâ—nings of duty Would Chrysostome have children Tanquam verna genitoribus euis servito Chrysostom serve the carefull and zealous instruments of their worldly beeing with as close a constraint and duty of love as slaves do their masters from servile fear How do we abuse our high holy and heavenly relation of children when neither out of fear of his hot displeasure nor love of his drawing goodness we doe to God faithful service 2. It is an eminent piece of most abominable ingratitude to abuse best friends dear parents vengeance would not suffer Absolom to live that rose up against his Fathers Crown and life and they who would not obey their Parents a sad monument of divine wrath have obeyed the Hangman Hath God borne so severe testimony against the dishonours of fleshly parents will he not revenge our unthankfulnesse who professe him our heavenly Father live every moment by his protections and provisions spend upon his creatures his bounty his care his patience yea hope to be with him in heaven and yet riot grow unruly and insolent with his goodness wax wanton like well fed heifers in fat pastures refuse his sweet Gospel yoak deafen our ears to our fathers call kick at the tender bowels of his love not onely reject but some of us jeer at the orders of his family discipline Can we think that the zeal of God that hath burnt hot in dreadfull examples against the abuse of Parental rights will not break
him Alass carnal Libertines conceive they are free when they go up and down in chains of accustomed sins and have their Keeper with them yea in them i. e. the Prince of this wicked world How not onely unreasonable but unchristian hath been the practice of loose not Christian Reformation Satan can ruine by extreams Some Protestants in Germany that did well in leaving Antichrist did ill too in Apostacy from Christ It was the complaint of Mencelius O sad and shameful disgrace After the power of the holy Gospel had set enthralled Consciences at liberty O de decus tostquam per sanctum Evangelium a Papae tyrannide potestate libertas Volunt homines esse liberi nec d quequam prohiberi quo minus arbitratu suo vivant Joan. Mencelius l. de Pastore from the power and tyranny of the Pope men would be free from all bonds nor suffer any to hinder their licentious lives Are not these sad extreams the practice of these times After many amongst us are freed from humane Conscience-yoaks they complained of have they not also thrown off the Government of Christ by his Word and Spirit and do as much boggle at Divine as humane impositions as if the pure and strict Laws of Christ were equally intolerable with the erring Laws of men Surely Christian liberty puts an universal confinement upon corruption forbids every proud wanton erring Judgement is prone and free to pass a sentence upon crucifie carnal Lusts and Affections dares not adventure on a vain thought and idle word much less monstrous opinions and courses of old and present times Some men so fearfully manage their Gospel liberty as if they might have leave to desire think affect believe speak Ac si evangelium esset talis doctrina quae unicuique potestatem faciendi credendi quod illi placei Concedat Joan Mence lius l. de Pastore and do whatsoever they please under Gospel-allowance which interpretative Blasphemy speaks the Gospel a prophane not an holy Gospel But it need fear no such reproach It s pure rules will vindicate themselves from loosness It s sound words from corrupt opinions Its condemning holiness shine in the threatned damnation of all those that make its liberty an occasion to the flesh yet far be it from me that I should so reproach Christs free ones that better improve their glorious Liberty in these trying times as to deny there are many who through preserving Grace hold fast to the form of sound words and do more warily manage Christian liberty by others Libertinism that dare not live as very many do that do not allow and follow but reprove pray against and weep over their loosness a better course then they take that rebuke sin with sin and while they declaim against unwary Christians use of liberty do fearfully abuse it themselves But the working out Salvation with fear and trembling will prevent among us many Libertines Ah dear Christians are you called to liberty see to it that you be guided by the life and laws of Christ Utter disproportions from these are none of Christs purchase nor dispensations Your dangers are fearful in common liberty of Conscience to be unconscionable Qui liber est naturâ servus est conscientiâ Eusebius Hom. 3. de Pascha while you may have nature state and Church-freedom you may be Conscience slaves No thraldom like that wherein the Devil rides and drives Consciences where he please If he can once be master in the Conscience the Soul and all else in his own SECT 11. 11. PArdoning Grace is turned into wantonness Apprehended 11 Pardoning Grace is turned into wantonness Remission hath proved the corroboration of sin How many are there that sin because they think they are pardoned and though they drive on the trade again it is but suing a Pardon and the corrupt Libertine hath peace again Sin and pardon pardon and sin is their circle of delusion But sin and repentance are strangers to each other What a dishonor is this to pardoning Grace It is made by these men the Incourager and Patron of sin as the Popes indulgences and large Pardons for sins past present and to come out of his rich cheating pardon office are to blinde Papists How do Libertines turn the pardon office of Heaven and throne of Grace erected by the Lord Jesus into a Stews of uncleanness a free opening of Hell Gates an open Market for any to buy the Devils Wares Hearken all ye that wrong pardoning mercy to nine things 1 Ungrateful wickedness in undervaluing the price of forgiveness 1. You in ungrateful Wickedness â—ndervalue yea tread under your feet the infinite price of forgiveness The state of pardon and every act of pardon cost the blood of the Son of God We have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sinnes Ephes 1. 7. Because this blood hath bought you a pardon will you sell your selves to worke wickednesse and disgrace your Redeemer and redemption 2. You abuse the riches of Gods grace Forgivenesse of sins 2 Riches of grace are abused is according to the riches of his grace Ephes 1. 7. The pardon of every sinne of infinite numberlesse sinnes is a distinct act of grace That must needs be rich exceeding rich grace that pardons innumerable sinnes as that must be an immense treasure of money that paies as many debts as there be Stars in the Firmament yea more than that the rich grace of God doth when he saves a sinner Will you now frolick in your carnall wantonness because rich grace will forgive you it is as if you should cast a Kings pardoning act of grace into the dunghill or tread it under your feet 3. You crosse the very end of Pardon which is the destroying 3 The ends of pardon are crossed Fit nobis venia non quae peccata foveat sed quae ad pie sanctéque vivendi studiuÌ„ nos revocet Marlorat in Mat. 9. 4 Christs errant in being sent into the world is crost 5 Gods designs what in you lyes are crost not the favouring of sinne the healing not increasing the wound a pious holy not an impious and prophane life Christ never blotted out believers sinnes that his Pardons might be Indulgences to sinne but purges He never put any into a new state of pardon but he made them new creatures Sin no more followed the pardon of the Adulteresse Joh. 8. 11. Sinne is still the Devils and the fleshes allowance not Jesus Christs 4. You contradict the very errand of Christ sent into the world He came to call sinners to repentance Mat. 9. 13. not to give them leave to live in sin 5. You deprive God what in you lyes of another of his designs in forgiving sinners The planting of his holy fear in their hearts not to sin again There is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayst be feared Psal 130. 4. not that thou mayst be still dishonoured by the old sinnes Yea what fear
Practical Adversaries of Gods grace clearly opened to see the Insolencies Indignities and Injuries they do against it they could not but in a trembling conviction conclude these and these things are certain dishonors of grace Stains of holy Profession Inconsistencies with the new Creature Lust and Satans methods of Damnation and denials of the hope of Glory As when Paul said to Ananias God shall smite thee thou whited wall he had not said so had he known hee was the High Priest Act. 23. 3 5. â—o had the bold abusers of Gods Summus Lethargus quasi mors humanae conscientiae ignorantia voluntatis divinae grace strong and clear convincements the frame of their hearts and carriages of their lives were the high injuries of Grace eminent perils of destruction and demerits of the hottest room in Hell in the noon-light of such an acknowledgement they would feare and tremble to stumble upon their owne ruin SECT 2. 2. VVAnt of Faith to believe the signall danger of sinne this 2 Want of Faith to beleeve the danger of sin is a wrong to Grace Caecus assensus plane temerarius sine praeeunte notitia non potest induere rationem fidei Parkerus de Traduct peccat ad Deum Thesis 56. huge sin is the wrong of Grace It is no wonder that the evill which is not known is not believed nor declined Unbeliefe is the evill heart that departs from the living God It sets not to its seal that God is true in his promises nor threatnings believes not the abominable damnable nature of sinne and dallies with it As daring wantons who know that the cup that stands before them is of poyson yet beleeve it not but drink and burst or the plague is in the house they goe into believe it not are mortally infected and die And as the Egyptians beleeved not that the cattle and men that were found abroad one storming day should die adventured abroad and were slaine so dallying adventurers that beleeve not the mischief of their sinfull pleasures contempts of Christ and his Gospel they are dancing over the mouth of Hell by the sudden push of death are kickt into it The loose old world beleeved not the destruction Preached by Noah in the making of the Ark were not moved with his holy example and penitentiall instructions The Sonnes of God playd the wantons with the fair idolatrous daughters of men Gen. 6. 2. and were at length swept away with the flood Faith would make Libertines fear and tremble Unbelief is daring Minatur Deus negligitis minatur terrenus Judex contremiscitis The wrath of man is more feared than Gods When God saith one threatens eternal punishment ye neglect it when an earthly Judge threatens temporal ye tremble at it SECT 3. 3. WAnt of Heat Intention and Livelinesse in Religion If 3 The want of life in Religion causeth abuse of Grace God be not served in fervency of Spirit Lust will If Satan cannot keep from Religious exercise he tempts to Luke-warmnesse yea Key-coldnesse in the performance of them Instinctu Satanae faith one by Satans deading and flatting instinct a drowsie tyring in good things steals upon body and spirit Faint fighting is not wont to overcome nor faint service of God to mortisie Lust How feâ— are there in a Christian congregation superabounding in spiritual joy alwaies pleasant and merry in the Lord fervent in spirit day and night meditating in the Law of God lifting up pure hands in prayer follicitous observers and students of their own hearts zealous witnesses of holy affections to good works to whom Christian discipline is amiable Fasting sweet long Watching short the whole pietie of a regular conversation is a delitious feast yea doth exceed the sweetnesse of the Quorum brevis rara compunctio animalis conversatio sermo fine circumspectione oratio sine cordis intentione lectio sine edificatione Bern. Virga calcaribus indigentes hony and the hony comb Alass how many are there who in an impartial inquest will be found remisse in the studies of Holyness fainting under Christs easie yoak and light burden whose compunction is short and rare conversation naturall speech without circumspection prayer without intention of heart reading without edification good purpose without execution religious exercise without fervencie who in the waies of godliness want the whipp and spurs but in the too prone and nimble motions of dislolute looseness need curbing bridles Licentious courses are so strong and impetuous that the modest shame of uncomeliness the bridle of reason yea the fear of Hell can hardly restrain them No wonder if corruption be daring dissolute and potent when religious exercises are flat dead cold and feeble Wee blush not Sine debita attentione fervore spiritus Bern. said one to pray to God without due attention and fervour of spirit He that hath no sweet communion with God will seek it in the world and pleasing his inticing lusts When the minde is senceless in reading and meditation and affections are dull corruption will be lively 'T is sad to consider how many seemed to discover the fervour of a pious conversation in whom by degrees charity hath waxen cold and iniquity abounded and what appeared to be begun in the Spirit ends it is to be feared in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee because of the savour of thine ointments Cant. 1. 3 4. Therefore there is need of Opus habeo trahi quia refriguit pauliâ—per in nobis ignis amoris tui Bernard drawing because the divine fire of the soules love for want of fewel to it and blowing of it by degrees abates ad cooles Drawing nigh the fire is for warmth and drawing nigh of God is for holy heat In near approaches to him the new creature is a zealous enemy to wanton looseness Cockering cooleness in the severe religious exercises of Mortification is the bane of Profession Adonijah was a very goodly man David his Father displeased him not at any time in saying why hast thou done so 1 King 1. 6. In the sist verse you sinde him a daring Rebel you may read in the Contents of the Chapter Adonijah Davids darling usurpeth the Kingdome Thus is it with every fair faced goodly lust The indulgent Christian is it too remisse in rebuking and chastizing it and it riseth up in arms against him Cockering Mothers cold in rebuking wanton sons teach them to be Libertines ost-times train them up for the Gallows and Hell so when the heart is remiss and cold for good and against evill Lust will have its reins and lawlesse liberty and ruin its servants SECT 4 4. WAnt of receiving the Truth in the Truth in the love of it is an Advantage 4. Want of receiving the truth in the love is an advantage to turn a Libertine to trun a Libertine The Apostle describes the Antichristian spirit that waxed wanton in taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse receiving
and pardoning mercy of God Ishall never be cleard of this guilt the glory of his Justice will shine in my ruin the glory of whose grace hath been darkned by my looseness The daring thoughts counsels words and practices of all Libertines doe betray such a spirit as was in Marcion of old who fancied God made all of mercy and grace and removed severities and judicial penal authorities from the good God as if he were a stupid Essence insensible of any affronts and indignities put upon him Thus as if God were not essentially just as well as mercifull he is by impudent Libertinisme spoyled of his Justice who as hee is just and a justifier of true beleevers so he is just and a condemner of all his enemies the greatest whereof are they that continue in sin because grace abounds SECT 6. 6. VVAnt of Grace changing and affecting the heart that 6 Want of Grace changing the heart causeth Gods grace to be turned into wantonnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 violent uÌ„ quiddam significat Beza Vsurpatur de iis qui in carcere custodia detinentur Gen. 39. 20. Quotquot in officio suo tor pent dona spiritus ignavo otio defodiunt nec propriam nec alioruÌ„ salutem provehunt Gualt in Luk 19. Hom. 174. Verba in opera Bernard shines in the Head Convictions may and doe often stand with positive Rebellion The truth of God is held prisoner in unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. takes no hold on the wills and affections of men such violent restraint is laid upon it by over-powering worldly lusts that its sanctifying reforming liberty and authority is quite supprest It is with the lightsome beames of Gods grace as with the Sun The light may shine in the upper sleeping room but be shut out of the lower working rooms The grace of God shines often in the upper sleeping room idle drousie Speculation and conviction in the mind but is shut out of the lower working rooms the Will and the Affections Evil servants know their Masters will but have no hearts to doe it They are evill servants who in the Lords spirituall husbandry trading and occupation are negligent in their duty and hide the talents of the Spirits gifts in sluggish idlenesse and neither promote their own nor others salvation Family-guides cannot beare it who see their loose Attendants waste and abuse the light of great Candles to wantonnesse when their more conscionable Ministers doe much work by lesser lights What a shame will it bee in the reckoning day when persons of vast apprehensions but loose hearts and lives shall be condemned from the vast practice of Godliness in men of mean yet sound intellectuals who turn a few gracious notions into holy motions and words into works SECT 7. 7. WAnt of the upright and genuine use of Cods grace 7. Want of the genuine use of grace causeth it to be turned into wantonness Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assault because if the flesh have never so little liberty it will assault us as a Medicine to cure not as a Cloak to cover sin We read 1 Pet. 2. 16. a Cloak of maliciousness or wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the danger of usâ—rg liberty an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. which let alone will make assault upon us as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports The Sheeps-skin on the Wolves back doth indeed cover not alter the ravenous Creature While the cloak of grace doth but hide not heal the old Man he will be a Libertine The matter is not with carnal Gospellers whether they sin or no but whether concealed Unsound hearts are not so much troubled with the conscience as infamy of sin Much wickedness in the world appearing in its native colours would be abominable but when it borrows a dress from the grace of God it looks lovely and is unsuspected A pitty it is so fair a cloak as Gods grace should be put on so foul a body as sin it is as if a leprous Body were covered with Purple and a Dung-hill with Scarlet It was a part of Jeremiah's Lamentations That the Sons of Zion that were cloathed in Scarlet embraced Dung-hills Lam. 4. 5. It should be for a lamentation that spurious Gospellers the false sons of Zion clad in a rich scarlet glorious profession should stain themselves with durg-hill words and works To put the cover of nature upon unnatural unmorral sins is abominable to put the cloak of grace on works of darkness to wash the Devils face with holy-water is much more detestable It is as if Satan should court God to license his wickedness as if his pure nature should priviledge uncleanness They were false Jews uncircumcised in Spirit though not in flesh who made their ceremonious services which Jer 7. 8. Plus licentiae sibi in ceremoni is sumebant quae debebant esse paenitentiae â—â—â—ercitia Calv. should have been exercises of repentance the Patrons of Licentiousness and so they are adulterate Christians who prostitute their Religious Worship to irreligious designs and practices But sure Grace was never intended to cover but cure sin As the God of grace hath clearly vindicated grace from this dishonor in his Scriptures and in the mortified conversation of his real â—aints so will he in the great day of restitution of all things all things by their proper names set them on their own bottoms arraign sin as sin grace as grace the enemies of Christ as enemies and friends as friends and avenge before the world dishonors done to his Gospel-grace and invincibly clear it to the judgement both of elect and reprobates that grace is a destroyer not a Saviour of sin an help not an hindrance of good life Take with you words and say receive us graciously Hos 14. 2. This grace was an healing remedy I will heal their backslidings v. 4. Grace like the covering wings of the Chicken like the covering Plaister of the wound doth both cover and cure Pardoning and purging Grace go together As the wisdom so the grace that is from above is pure as well as peaceable It is the constant Petition of the sound Spirit of Prayer Lord pardon Lord heal my sins SECT 8. 8. VVAnt of sound conviction of the mischief of original 8. Want of conviction of original corruption is a cause of turning the grace of God into wantonness corruption and severe mortification thereof is an experimented account why grace is abused Here are two branches 1. Want of clear convincement of the old mans mischief The Character of his wickedness is very large when it is not known at all or but slightly no wonder if the bosome Enemy play Rex and rule as he he His sinfulness as followeth not discerned nor regarded begetteth high abuse of the Grace of God Were these things known and believed concerning original corruption professed Christians could not be so licentious Sad experience will give this evil report of it One saith truly
he perswades himself he is walking in the streets nor is an unlettered man a Scholar who is confident of his learning A crackt Title will not bear out the cheated Purchaser in Law though he is assured of the contrary O the sottish condition of unregenerate Gospellers whose onely or main argument of their good Estate in Christ is because they are assured it is so and so neither dare nor will by so much as questioning it disturb their false peace Is it possible this evidence should pass for Grace and Glory How long O self-deluding Wantons will ye love simplicity When you have given almost as large allowances to your lust as the flesh will require Can this support a perswasion that you are gracious The Word did never witness to it nor will the Spirit of God ever seal to it that you are the servants of God while the Devils Subjects you are the children of Light while you walk darkness you are in the straight way to life while you are in the broad road to destruction A bare perswasion of being in a state of Grace is a palpable delusion where ever this is by constant experience we know that the Grace of God is abused 7. Counterseit Grace conceived and believed real Grace begets Libertines The Devil appeared in Samuels Mantle and reigning sins appear to Gods discerning eye in the vail of counterfeit Grace The old Serpent and the old Man care not how glorious the notions and pretensions of Grace are These are their friends 'T is real Grace onely is their ruine What grace is there that is not without it's counterfeit The Devil is Gods Ape and Corruption is Graces Ape There is a shadow of true faith Some things have a fine semblance of the love of God That passeth among men as repentance that is none Pride is clad in Humilities cloathes There is a natural unsanctifying meekness that was never taught in Christs School Matth. 11. 29. Wilde Passion puts on the name of holy Zeal Pleasing and deluding carnal hope is as easily perishing as the Spiders Web is swept away False uprightness makes the Hypocrite pass for a most plausible honest man The Ape in Mans apparel will have Apish tricks and corruption in the cloathes of Grace will and can do no otherwise then act like it self a lewd Wanton It ever makes the Devils trade it 's good earnest and Religious profession it's pastime and sport SECT 14. 5. THe error of abusive Interpretation of Scripture hath sadly 14. Abusive Interpretations of Seriptures hath produced the abuse of grace produced loose Monsters in Religion The Devil the Arch-Antiscripturist well knoweth that the Scriptures rightly understood and used are the down-fall of his Kingdom If he cannot banish the faith of its Divine Authority out of the world he doth what he can to hinder it's efficacy Among sundry ways he useth to make void the benefit of it this is one to deprave the sense If he can make Gods word speak his own interpretation he hath his end a dark minde a loose heart and a debauched life By turning the pure and genuine meaning of the Scripture into strange and adulterate he hath a double success first the obedience of his own will and then the colour and Patronage of Gods word to make his cheats sacred and unsuspected He hath Scripture on his side to consecrate and facilitate his wickedness and his Scholars of sad delusion wrest it to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Is it not made a Sanctuary for Popery Herisie Hypocrisie Cruelty Worldliness yea gross Prophaneness O high dishonor to the Holy Ghost who revealed to holy Men who wrote and published the Scriptures that spurious idolatrous silthy senses should be laid at the chaste doors of Gods holy word O eminent peril to immortal souls When bold Ignorance carnal Affections Lusts and Interests give the sense of the Word The sad issue is The word of life is turned into a word of death The true Light of Divine Knowledge is dimm'd or blown out Sincere Milk is turned into deceitful Poyson The Chrystal Waters of the Sanctuary are bemired from holy turned into impure The Hellish Archer endeavors to out-shoot God in his own Bow and by the leave and licence of abused Scripture he lures brain-shot erring Christians into the ways of sin and death To open this wherein abusive sense of Scripture doth advantage a loose Faith and a wanton Life as in Church History in all Ages since the Apostles and in the present Age would be fitter for a Book then a Section I shall instance in some Sect-Masters or sides of corrupt Glossers and abusers of the sacred Text. Where were your understandings O Arians who could not see the plain God-head of Jesus Christ in that you read him equal with the Father without any robbery to his Glory Phil. 2. 6. and that by him were made all things that were made John 1. 3. Did ever meer Creature make all things What though he said my Father is greater then I John 14. Could you not distinguish he was so as Christ was Man or as Mediator but not simply as the Eternal Son of God These wanton wits that by wresting the word have denyed Christs God-head the Mediator of Grace and so possibility of Grace have as History Records been abusive enemies of the Gospel of grace and most bloody Persecutors of Orthodox and gracious Christians So what high dishonor to God the Law the Gospel Christian Liberty and Profession have the Antinomian party published to the World who have made these Scriptures Ye are not under the Law but Grace Rom. 6. 14. The Law is not made for a righteous man 1 Tim. 1. 9. and such places to speak that it never intended a discharge from obligation to the Laws direction and obedience as an erring Preacher of this way alledging this Text Wherefore my Brethren ye are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ Rom. 7. 4. roundly said Believers are not onely free from the Minatory and Promissory but Mandatory part of the Law A gross Opinion which as it blots out the Ten Commandments out of the Canon so it opens a door to all dissolute Conversation Further What infinite mischief to the comforts of the Faith and hope of Christians and to the power of godliness have that pernicious Sect of Allegorists done as to the glorious Article of Christian Faith The â—esurrection of the Body Hymenaeus and Philetus held the Resurrection was past already and overthrew the faith of some 2 Tim. 2. 18. It is thought by some they held no Resurrection but of Baptismal Regeneration in which there is rising to a new life The confounding and wresting the Corporal into an Allegorical Resurrection was in Tertullians Sunt qui resurrectionem mortuorum manife sio annunciatam in imaginariam significtionem distorquent Terful in lib. de Resurrect Hodie sunt suriost quidem â— Daemonibus obsessi qui se libertinos vocant
qui alle gorica resurrectionem imaginando veram illam quae nobis promissa es solvunt Marlo in Cor. 15. 1. time His words are There are those who do wrest the resurrecion of the Body manifestly declared in Scriptures into an imaginary signification a resurrection from the death of ignorance to the life of truth Marcion Basilides Valentinus Apelles were poisoned with the same Error Marlorat noted also the same evil spirit surprized a sort of furious men possessed with Devils who called themselves Libertines who imagining an Allegorical Resurrection deny the true literal promised resurrection of the Body Satans grand design in overthrowing this great truth is a carnal voluptous dissolute life Let us eat and drink to morrow we shall die will be the counsel and practice of the flesh if the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15. 32. The genuine fruit of such a corrupt error is playing the wanton under yea against the light of nature and grace At what door any unstable licentious Christians of the present Age have suffered first the questioning then the slight assent to and lastly the positive denial of the bodily Resurrection to come in the care of good life goeth out Moreover The party of Perfectists under the pretensions of a compleat transcendent grace inherent in the regenerate having first abused the word of grace have eminently dishonoured regenerating grace That sweet grand truth whoever is born of God sinneth not Joh. 3. 9. That is either the sinne unto death or reigning sin as in the unregenerate is wrested as the support of a possible perfect innocence yea as the cover of any sinne not to be accounted sin if in the regenerate The Pelagians and Catharists abused this place so called because they seigned Beleevers in Libertinorum insana opinio qui persuadent omnem sensum peccati abjici endum quod hominum imperfectorum sit conscientiae motibus perturbari eos dicunt vere in ChrisÌ„to renatos a mortuis excitatos qui nullum peccati sensum amplius habent et existimant quicquid agant vel tentent placere fect Deo unde quum apudipsos adulteria facinora hujusmodi deprehenduntur ea ne quaquam insiciantur sed aiunt sibi non esse peccata quod ea pro peccatis non habeant sed illis ad pecca tum imputari praedicant quiper infirmita tem peccata esse existimant Marlor in 1 Cor. 9. 9. this life have an Angelical purity some Anabaptists have renewed this dream The same folly the Spirit of Error hath transmitted to the sottish Quakers All which depravers of the holy Text the same Apostle John that wrote it hath sufficiently confuted in these words If we say we have no sinne we decieve our selves and there is no truth in us How easie is it for ignorant loose stupid sinners to perswade themselves they are born of God And if nothing they doe is sinne with what bold security unbridled liberty and unconscionable insensibility will they give themselves up to the uncontrouled swing of their domineering Lusts How sadly hath the word of truth concerning Regeneration and Perfection been abused of old and present times The saying of Marlorat hath been transcribed in the erring braines and loose lives of some Monsters of Christian profession among us 'T is the mad opinion of Libertines who perswade said he that all sense of sin is to be cast off that it appertaines to imperfect men to be disturbed by the motions of conscience And therefore they say they are truly regenerate in Christ and raised from the dead who have no more sense of sin and think what sorever they do or hold pleaseth God When they are taken in Adultery and such kind of villanies they doe not deny them but say they are no sinnes to them because they do not account them so but they affirm they are onely imputed to them as sin who through their weakness think they are sins If this be weakness to account sin sin and to be troubled for it and it be Christian perfection not to think sin sin nor to have an awakened sensible conscience of sin I know not what wickedness is O sad and desperate delusion Here is the plain efficacy of Satan to miscall an admantine remorsless heart Chriperfection of life and healths activity Yet the of the Christian name dare call the stupidity of a dead and seared conscience Perfection If we right name and nature it let it bee called Perfection but of wickedness not holyness 'T is a character of sinners past grace They give themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleanness with greediness and that a licentious impenitent liberty may never meet with check again they are said to be past feeling the word imports past grieving Eph. 4. 19. There is some hope of recovery in a troubled conscience none a sorrowless Trouble of spirit for wickedness may stop a bold careere hel wards and beget thoughts of returning but he that gallops to destruction hath not an inward pang a sing a groan a tear in his way must infallibly perish Wel were it if this vile spirit of error had been in that hell of gross darknesse â—hence it came but the same impudent Diabolical looseness that Reformed Writers condemned and discovered long agoe a generation of false adulterate Christians have revived in our sad infamous and spotted times I mean the Ergtish Borborities impure Ranters whose toadish natures have suckt up that venome their loose fraternitie powred out in the time of Calvin Marlorat and others as Calvins Opuscula especially his judicious and Zealous Tract against Libertines and Marlorat in his New Testament Expositions But O you scandals of the English name and bolts of Christianity Heavens scorn and Hels triumph the highest form in Satans School that rant it out in most free and liberal allowances of your uncontroled Lusts that make not sins definition The transgression of Gods Law 1. loh. 3. 4. but a Thought an Opinion Nothing is sinne with you unless you think and account it so who have so much sinned against conscience that you have quite cast off the sensible conscience of sin if your debauched looseness hath not cast off the Eible and sâ—n-discovering books out of your hearts and hands and providence may lead you to the reading of this Section I beseech you fear tremble repent and know the holy Text of which your impure hearts unmotified lusts vile affections have given a depraved Exposition be no patron of but severe enemy against your monstrous impieties impurities and unrighteous dealings Wil you not be speechless in the arraignment of the Last Judgment when from a double Tribunal of Nature and Grace Reason and Religion Paganism and Christianty you will be infallibly condemned You will learn that Virtue is Virtue Vice Vice Grace is Grace and Sin is Som whether they be thought or beleeved so be or no a stupid conscience in a stupid hellish Liberty to sin is no Christian
and lives that with the repenting Jaylors they had had heart tremblings then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning a sun-shine of prosperity should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth How wise and safe had been their estate that at once have peace with sin and as they think with God had they at once seen God and sin their enemy their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes their sweetest comforts bitter vexations the creatures armed against them feared their very meat might prove their poyson every night might be the last that these awakening driving terrors might chase unquiet afrighted spirits into Jesus Christ that the fear and war of the spirit of bondage might end in the joy and peace of the spirit of adoption that tempestuous soules might hear these sweet calming words Be of good cheere t is I be not afraid Mat. 14 27. Fear not I am thy God Isa 41. 10. My Person Spirit Graces Comforts Glory infinite merits are thine Some in the Wildernesse of their sins feares and sorrowes have at length leaned on their beloved when the false peace of most presumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell As many there as have been tempted by secure flattery into their tormenting easelesse bed of Tribulation will have cause to think and say within themselves accursed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts lives that hath brought us to an eternall storme accursed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war accused be that sweetnesse that hath inticed us into eternall bitternesse accursed be that friendship with the world and Devill that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God SECT 14. 4. The presumption of setting death and Judgement at far distance Sect. 14. The setting of death and judgement at far distance causeth the abuse of Grace 1. Death Resentment of it as of a Traveller thousands of miles off at scores of yeares removes begets through the deceits of the flesh and lyes of the Devill a tolleration yea a resolution to play the wanton not only against Nature but Grace The Epicure that beleeves not the Soules immortality concludes wanton voluptuous life from probable short life Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15. 32. And the Christian though he beleeveth his Soule shall live for ever doth wantonize in carnall delights from probable length of dayes he shall have time enough to get the Grace of Repentance and therefore he abuseth the space and call yea the conviction of returning the vilest of Christians while under the sentence and on the bed of death seeme to have some sober thoughts of the excellency and necessity of Grace and of some complying desires and wishes O that they had it who when they beleeved it yea found it at vast distance from them despised and abused the motions of the spirit and word and of Grace How Saint like is the inlightned Libertine within a few houres of his death how dissolute ten years scores of years before it 2. Judgement Because particular Judgement after death and the generall Judgement of the great day is delayed Therefore The heart of the Sons of men is set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. wanton scoffers walke after their own ungodly Lusts saying Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. That cooling word in the Indulge exple animi cupiditates scito tan dem sis ratio nem Deo red diturus q. d. fac quicquid mali poteris tandem vapu labis aut in manus carnificis incides Mercer l. 5. c. 2. hot chase of sin Remember God will bring thee to Judgement Eccl. 11. 9. is too litle remembred the words of Mercer are observeable Feed and dandle thy lusts with most cockering indulgence coming to every desire of thy carnall mind yet know at length God will reckon with you fill up your measure of sin to your utmost possibilities at length you shall smart for it and fall into the hands of avenging Execution my Lord hath delayed his coming said the loose evill servants and therefore they were intemperate and injurious rioted in drunkennesse and Beate their fellow servants Matth. 24. 48 49. As the wanton whorish woman argued to uncleannesse Come let us take our fill of Loves let us solace our selves with Love for the good man is gone a long journey Prov. 7. 18. So the wanton Christian argues to licenciousnesse he may in the spacious intervalls between his healthy time and the last Judgement bathe his fleshly mind in fleshly loves and delights for it will be long ere the last Assizes come and will it be long what if millions of years it will come at length too soon and too sore upon the injurious slighters of Gods Grace Ah Christians that sport your selves with your own deceivings Irremediabile periculum sit aliquem cupiditatibus fraena laxare ut se rationem Deo non meminerit redditurum Bernard that Gospell Grace and liberty will favour your disordered walking that give your Lusts too large roome under the plain hearing and convincements of strictnesse that stumble in high noone day slacken the Reines to your head strong desires as if God would call you to account Bernard tells you this is an irremedilesse soule danger If the Faith of the last Judgement do not teach men holy Wisdome Repentance Temperance Obedience what will what can weep you said the Apostle James to the rich loose wantons of his time And howle for the miseries that are come upon you Jam. 5. 1. why Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth and have been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slangther v. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh As if he had said you play the wantons with creature mercies forgetting God and your duties but the accounting day is nigh Faciat jructū qui potest adest dominus qui fructum requirit faecundos vivificet steriles depre hendet Am. Super Luc. The Judge is at the doore They are good words of Ambrose Let every one bring forth the fruit of Grace the Lord is present in his word to faith who will require fruit will not be put off with leaves He will give eternall Life to fruitfull trees will take and cast barren ones into Hell SECT 15. 5. The presumption of time enough to repent hath brought 15. The presumption of time enough to repent doth cause the abuse of Grace forth this uncomely Monster The abuse of Grace There are not a few incurable instances in the other World who have first delayed and then everlastingly lost the space and Grace of repentance Those words of Christ concerning Jerusalem may be truly and sadly said of Grace-refusing and abusing Christians Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Hannibal bewailed the loss of his opportunity to master Rome when he would have
injury of naturall goodnesse to wrong strong drink generous Wine by vomit or casting it into the mire and dirâ— its profanesse but to abuse the most precious things God his Christ his Spirit his Gtace is deeper dyed profanesse One sayes of want on rich heires that they are lascivious in in Tapestry and fornicate in Silkes what wretches are they that are lascivious in Christianity Fornicate in Grace that make it as a Pander to filthy lusts that prostitute it to unrighteous and ungodly waies Sin the great injury of God is cryed down by the natural voices of the creatures Their natural forms properties motions are regulated according to the divine pleasure The body the health and strength of it the soul the noble faculties of it cry sin not dishonour not your Creator much more the voice of grace sayes sin not I am clean wallow not in filth I am chast think not I favour adulterous embraces The Word the Name the Spirit the Son of God are all prophaned by the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Esau that debased his birth-right the type of an eternal inheritance in heaven was called prophane Esau Heb. 12. 16. And they that debase the grace of God the Hopes of glory the love of Christ their heavenly prayers to their worldly voluptuous vain-glorious impure selfish ends commence the highest degree of prophanesse and are more prophane than the Drunkard in his vomit the Adulterer in his filthinesse and such like notorious sinners who have only been brought up in the school of natural reason and abused their Moral principles The corruption of the best things is the worst corruption The abuse of the glorious Grace of God is Corruptio optimie est pessima the highest prophanation SECT 2. 2. IT is an Hypocritical sin There is no man that wrongs the 2 It is an hypocritical sin to wrong the grace of God grace of God but is a pretender to beftiend it Heathens and strangers to the offers and acceptance of grace contract not the shame of abusing it But the carnal Gospeller the familiar friend of Grace lifts up the heel against it He seemeth to take sweet counsel of it but followeth the counsel of the flesh Thriving sin under professed grace is a lye in Hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4. 2. It is the power of wickednesse under the form of godlinesse It s eye is in heaven when its heart and hands are in hell It kisseth like Judas when it goeth about to kill the grace of God with Ehud that made a message from God the Prologue of hiding his Dagger in Eglons belly Judg. 3. 20 21. So it useth an errand and warrant from the Lord when it stabs the heart of Religion It sayes Hosanna with the lips where the heart and Dum hypocritae volunt ceremeniis sepelire gravissima scelera annon trahunt Deum in partes suas annon faciunt quasi lenonem cum volunt ipsum tegere Adulteria Calv Jer. 1. Perinde ac si instar Mercurii cujusdam usurae furti rapinae latronurs Deus et Patronus fit Zuing. serm de Cast Virg. Mar. life sayes Crucifie It professeth no King but Jesus and obeyes no King but Lust but the black one of the bottomlesse pit While Hypocrites said Calvin would make their ceremonious out-side Religion a grave to bury their most hainous sins out of sight do they not make good their party doe they not make him as their Pander when they would have him cover their Adulteries Yea so they live as if Christ like a very Mercury were the God and Patron said Zuinglius of Usury Theft Rapine and Robbery Yea was not this the specious cover of Ezekiels seeming devout hearers who though they fate before him as pleased attentive auditors yet their hearts ran after their covetousnesse Are not such Christians real Pharisees who in their praiers doe not design heavenly graces but worldly estates How sad is it that in their devotion they should like the Kite fly high but it is with an eye to the prey below Such Kitish Christians if the eye of man seeth them not God doth and wil unbesome and unbottom rotten intentions in the grand discovering day Loose want on s in heart Sainted by themselves and others yea loose Libertines within and without the profuse Drinkers Camesters Swearers Wasters of Time Money the Creatures the Strength of their Bodyes and Souls in carnal Voluptuousnesse that can saint one another in their sickness or a little before in or after a Sacrament should doe well to consider that abuse of Grace by the leave and cover of grace is notorious grace elesnesse SECT 3. 3. IT is an ungrateful sin As it is high ingratitude not to return 3 Abuse of Grace is an ungrateful sin Ingratusgratiae negator Non erubescimus pretiosum sanguinem Christi impiae ingratitudinis pedibus conculcare good for good so the highest to return evill for good Lewdness under Gospel grace is an ungratefull denyer of grace We are not ashamed said one to trample the precious blood of Christ under the feet of our â—mpious ingratitude Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend said Absolom to Hushai that revolted from David his Prince So say loose soul to thy self under thy ungratefull abuses of the grace of God is this thy kindnesse to thy friend Jesus Christ They that rendered David evil for good were his adversaries psal 38. 20. And can Christ hold them his Qui ex vinculis aut triremiredimuntur iise totos debent redemptori suo si huic ingrati sunt quovis supplicio digni judicantur Gault Gualt in 2 Cor. 5. friends that alwaies or mostly return him evil for good O the sad common scandalous returnes to the Lord Christ by them who professe him their Redeemer They who are ransomed by a mighty power and costly summe from Iron chains and Gallysâ—â—ery owe themselves to their Redeemer If they bee unthankful unto him are thought worthy of any punishment O their prodigious unthankfulnesse that while they prosesse a spiritual redemption run from the colours of their owned Captain of Salvation unto the Enemies camp fight on his side and sweat at the Devils oare and make this the real all of their thanks for the blood of Christ to please the Devil and have more uncontroled liberty for their lusts unthankful unholy are coupled together 2 Tim. 3. 2. The unthankful abuse of Gods grace speaks unholy hearts SECT 4. 4. It is a sin against experience He never made a true tryal 4. Abuse of grace is a sin against experience ps 34. of the grace of God that abuseth it to the reign of sin For sinne hath no dominion where grace hath any O state and see the Lord is good O fear the Lord ye his Saints This double expression O tast O fear doth lesson us how to judge of the exhortation of Gods grace They that taste it feare him If you have tasted how tâ—e Lord is gracious
forced to confesse even to eternal judgement their high indignities to verbal and blasphemies againstGods grace 3. The sentence of the Judge will be terrible when he shall sâ—y Depart ye cursed to all them that have discredited the blessed gospel and made the grace of God a patron of sin and that in high reproach to the grace of God continued in sin because grace abounded What frowns will sit on the face terrors take hold of loose guilty hearts from the sentence of Christ when he shall vindicate his own and his Fathers glory from all the dishonourable dis-services done to his holy Religion SECT 6. 6. IUdgement of abusing Gods grace will be the hottest room in hels flames It s eternal vengeance is called The 6. The hottest room in hell will be the judgement of them that abuse Grace The portion of Hypocrites Mat. 24. 51. Whether gross or close ones who prophane their Baptismal grace the Word of grace they hear to prophane abominable courses or spin a fine thread of hypocrisie reigning though undisâ—erned shall both be doomed to their own place That it is rational the defilements cast upon the clean grace of God should have severest everlasting vengeance consider 1. The lowest abuse of Grace is above the highest in Nature The dishonours offered to grace by Professors of Christianity carry higher guilt than the most infamous Idolatries Murders Adulteries committed by Heathen men that never heard of nor pretended to eâ—brace the grace of God in Christ The Heathen abuseth Creation mercies The Christian Redemption mercies the Heathen is wanton with the dimm candle of reason the Christian with the gospell Sun the Heathen defaceth the remaining naturall image of God in Intellectualls and Moralls the Christian pretends the spirituall Image of Christ in supernaturall divine mysteries and foules the face of it by filthy affections and conversation The Heathen prostitures a man to his Beastliness the Christian debaseth the Son of God to his bruirishness The Heathen treads under foot his reason the Christian the blood of Christ Well therefore sayes our Lord Christ It shall be more tollerable for Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah than Chorazin and Bethsaida than Capernaum Mat. 11. 23 24. then all the places of Goshen-light where there hath been fellowship with the works of darkness 2. If every transgression and disobedience against the Word of grace spoken by Angels received a just recompence of reward Heb. 2. 2. Shall not every wanton rebellion against gospel grace spoken by the head of Angels have without repentance an eternal avenging recompence 3. According to the different degrees of abusing Gods grace will be the different degrees of punishment Some wicked ones abuse it but not so wilfully delightingly impudently blasphemously constantly These will feel the smart of it but others abuse it with more resolvedness shamelesness open shame and reproach to Gods grace and more persevering indignities these shall commence the highest degrees in torments As in Earth so in Hell disparities of sinne shall bring different punishments CHAP. VIII Containing an Use of Information IS the grace of God pervetted to Lasciviousness Use 1 for Information For Application this sad and as hath been shewen common sin a multiplyed monstrous evil of eminent guilt of eternal bad consequence to all that live and dye in it calls for serious meditation and fruitful improvement 1. Information in sundry Inferences or Consectaries from this sad truth SECT 1. INference that sin of a poysonous nature It will do evil 1. Sin is of a poysonous nature Antidotum Lex vitiositas venenum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God is good continue in sinne that Grace may abound Rom. 6. 1. It powres its poyson upon Gospel Antidotes It is like the Spider that converts wholsome things into poyson It is like the Vintner that dasheth and corrupts wine with water We do not so corrupt the word faith the Apostle It is like a corrupt stomack that turns good food into crude destructive humours It is like a corrupt bitter Fountain that running into sweet â—holsom waters turns them into bitterness they are all corrupters Jer. 6. 28. It is the genius and brand of envenomed natures They corrupt good manners yea the highest things in Religion are depraved by them The very Grace Word and Spirit of God by corrupt sophistication are made to speak and patronize what they never allowed See in this the sad picture of mans faln nature That vitiosity that first abused nature ever since turns the grace of God into rank poyson so little cause hath any man to pride himself in any excellency that makes in any an occasion to sin SECT 2 2. INference that the Ordinances of grace are no sufficient 2. The Ordinances of grace are no sufficient plea for happines plea for happiness Their Abuse marrs their enjoyment it is not the having but the blessing of good Food and Physick that procures health diseased men may perish in their injoyments Capernaum suck the deeper in Hell by high yet injured Ordinances of grace Christs commission to his extraordinary Ministers his Disciples implyed men may be accursed under blessed meanes they were to offer the gospell of grace and peace to wicked men Luke 10. 5. And to bring neer the Kingdome of God unto them v. 11. But if the Son of Peace were not there if the hearers were not worthy that is fit to receive it and welcome the Messengers the very dust of their feer they shook off should be a Witnesse against the despisers and rejecters of grace v. 11. Many shall say Lord Lord open unto us Luke 13. 25. Who shall finde accesse to glory blocked up for abusing the offers of grace they are not happy that barely wait at the posts of Wisdome and heare her instructions but that find wisdome get understanding Prov. 3. 13. That take fast hold of instruction and let her not goe but keep her as the life of the Soule v. 18. SECT 3. 3. INference The Joyes of carnâ—l Gospellers are false joyes 3. The joyes of Carnall Gospellers are false joyes not only the Joyes in their sins the Creatures but their Religious Priviledges will faile them They who delighted to know Gods wayes and in approaches to God and Pervetted their joyous injoyments of ordinances to a retaining their corrupt will strife and debate smitings with the fist of wickedness continuing the bands of wickedness heavy burdens and oppressions are abominated of God as loosing all fruit by their religion Gravissimum malum quando quis gaudet de propriis damis Chrys Miserando Laetitia Pet. Mart. Luctuosa Lae. â—itia Fulgent I sa 58. 2. c. All fasting praying preaching hearing professing joyes all the joyes of confidences and hopes in services and sins will prove like a Widdowes joy an expiring blaze the cracking of Thorns under the Pot. They shall vomit up all their sweet morsells disgorge their false joyes that have pleased themselves in their
impieties and unrighteousnesses under the favour of grace They rejoyce in a thing of nought Amos 1. 13. When thou doest evill then thou rejoycest Jer. 11. 15. The Lords charge against wanton Israel under meanes of grace and the just reproofe of wantons under the gospell when they doe evill they rejoyce it is but looking up to Gods grace and all is well How miserable are those men who rejoyce in their losse It is wofull mournful mad joy to found on the abuses of grace and the dishonors of God the Triumphs of sin and wickedness which causeth bitternesse in the end SECT 4. 4. INference The best things have evill entertainment of hard Sect. 4. The best things have evill entertainment from hard hearts Hearts Israel had gracious Propheses but they hardned their necks did not beleeve rejected Gods statutes followed vanitie and were vaine 2 Kings 17. 14. 15. Christs familie experienced his gracious miracles but their hearts were hardned and considered not the miracle of the loaves when brought to a new strait Mark. 6. 32. If Christ upbraided their hardnesse of heart for not beleeving the reports of his Pesurrection Mark 16. 14. How blameable is that Phamonicall Hardnesse of Heart that receives no impression of grace by the priviledges promises word and spirit of grace that are pretended to The sweet inriching dewes doe no good upon the hard rock nor doe the sweet dews of instructions and motions of grace doe good upon rocky hearts Weeds spring and grow by the rain and the sun Corruptions rise up and increase by occasion of Gods grace SECT 5 5. INference The grace of God is to be appropriated and applied Sect. 5. The grace of God is to be applied with feare and trembling wi vbth feare and trembling With it worke out your salvation is the Apostles counsell Phil. 2. 12. Rejoyce with trembling the Psalmists Psal 2. 11. The fancy of saving grace is easy T is good to feare deceit about interest in Grace The Synagogue of Satan may boast themselves to be the City of God This high gospell Grace God is my reconciled father his Convenant-Promises are mine the Grace of Christ is mine is foolish and common intrusion like the vain man that sayes the house and land is his for which he hath no good title â—surping wantons are audacious and boldly write down themselves in the booke of Life living members covenanters of grace heirs of glory which happinesse many an humbled broken hearted combating Christian cannot see in many yeares attendance on the Ordinances walking with and waiting on God and are only borne up in the Waves of Doubts Despondencies and Feares with probabilities and weake hopes enough to uphold not to comfort in the wayes of Religion The grace is glorious that is contained in those exceeding great and precious promises I will be their God and they shall be my people Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Israel shall be saved with everlasting Salvation and the like fear and tremble lest these be abused unrepented wrongs to these favours will prove their eternall forfeiture the wanton pursuit of lying vanities is the way to be outed of those mercies Think with thy selfe what if the Lord whom I take to be my gracious God prove my avenging Judge if the sinnes I conceive are blotted out shall appear against me in legible characters if instead of free love I meet with just wrath if the presumptions of everlasting salvation be confâ—ted by eternall damnation If I wrong his grace and repent not of the unkindnesse how can I escape a fearfull looking for of fiery indignation which will devoute so wicked an adversary SECT 6. 6. INference Carnal Cospellers rever knew the Grace of God Sect 6. Carnall Gospellers never knew the grace of God in truth in truth It was never known and deâ—iberately constantly abused if ye have been taught by him the truth as it is in Jesus That ye put off the old man and put on the new Eph. 4. 21. 22. Christs disciples that have learned the truth not only as in books Sermons the Letter the Notion but in the teaching Heart fixing transforming power of Jesus by the anoynting of the Holy Ghost are taught not to dandle and nourish but to put off and starve corruption not to hate but love not to oppose but to imbrace and exercise the quickning grace of God If envy and strife ragin in the heart glory not lye not against the truth Jam. 3. 14. He that saith I know him and keeps not his Commandemants is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 4. He that consents not in Judgement and Consâ—ience to practise the Doctrine according to godlinesse is destitute of the truth I Tim. 6. 5. Sanctisie them with thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17. 17. The grace of God known in truth sanctifies and gives no allowance to sin It is not because men know but because they truly know not the grace of God that it is so dishonoured SECT 7. 7. INference It is a safe and a wise course to be trying our Principles 7. It is a safe and a wise course to be trying our principles and practices in Christianity 1. Our Principles whether they tend to godliness whether they are not grace-destroying heart-hardning the fear God banishing carnal security nourishing Principles such as these God observes not believers sins They must live above that is in a wicked sense without Ordinances God chastifeth not his people for sin Mourning for sin is a low attainment a legal busness a double lie 1. It is so high an Attonement that the high and the holy God of all hearts in the world prefers the lowly mourning broken heart to dwell in 2. It is a meer Gospel grace the Law accepts not an Eternity of tears nor repentance This also is a loose Principle that a Christian in his obedience is to look only to the love of Christ within him not the Law a rule of life without him an impious Atheistical opinion for when the sad experience of the best of Saints gives true report that too often there are no stirrings of love to God if there be not a fixed rule of duty without what is left to hold a man in obedience â—lso this Maxime that Believers have nothing to do with the threatnings because there is no condemnation to them is an engine of the Devil to pluck out of the heart the fear of threatned sins How contrary to the Scripture is this setting the fearless daring heart out of the threatning Law yea Gospels gun-shot and so the Libertine that neither hath fear of God to love him and obey him nor fear of Hell to keep him from sin fails with full winde and tide to the dead Sea of eternal desruction Try Christian whether as the Philistins put out Sampsons eyes the Devil hath not pull'd out thine to believe Doctrinal lies to debauch thine heart and life 'T
have given themselves over to Lasciviousnesse Unsorrowing sinners are most sad spectacles for yearning bowels O tender hearted christians in your secret Indolentia non sentiunt naturales conscientiae morsus Dicks mournings pitty hardned Libertines that pittie not themselves weep for them who neither can nor care nor desire to weep for themselves A sorrowless stupidity and lethargy that feels not the check and lash of the natural conscience and is deaf to the Spirits motions that is contracted by a benumming liberty and custom in sin is a woful judgement SECT 6. 6. BEwaile the abuse of Pardoning grace How sad will be 6 Bewaile the abuse of pardoning grace their account whose Faith or rather Presumption of Pardon adds to their sinne Christ said to the pardoned woman sin no more Carnall confidence sayes Sin more you shall be pardoned though dayly dear sinnes are written down in the conscience the Spunge of pardoning grace will blot them out The truly tender conscience cleared from old guilt would not willingly but is afraid to contract new but the brawny seared conscience makes use of Christs indulgence to ease his spirit not to heal his lust It s a lamentation Mâ— wallo vâ— in their pollution because of free remission The Lord hath spoken in that verse where he proclaims the glory of his grace a sad word He will not clear such guilty persons To lay the Dishonors of gospel grace to heart three things may be heart-affecting expedients 1. Such as are grieved for this sin write after the copy of Jesus Christ and the choicest Saints of Christ He beheld Jerusalem where the Messengers of grace the Prophets were abused and slain where himself the author of grace was to be condemned and crucified where the sweet Messages of grace were delivered and despised and wept over its sin and punishment Luke 19. 41. Again a dolorous sense of the injuries of grace is like to that mourning frame of spirit that was in the pious Jews who sighed and cried for all the abominable planings of Gods grace Ezek. 9. 3 4. This suits with eminently holy Pauls spirit who spying looseness among his knowing but wanton Corinthians expressed thus his jealousie I fear lest when I come to you my God will humble me and I shall bewaile them that have not repented of their wantonness 2 Cor. 12. 12 13. 2. Such as are humbled for this sin discover a child-like in-genuous disposition A good Son is afflicted for his Fathers dishonour If I be a father where is mine honour Mal. 1. 6. It speaks us Strangers not Children the born of the Flesh not the Spirit if we see the reproaches of Gods grace with contented spirits 3. Such as mourn for this sin in others and have some taint of the guilt of it in themselves shall find this a soveraign preservative against it for time to come Godly sorrow works repentance and by the real sadness of the spirit and countenance for sin this great sin the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. The ingenuous child that feels the smart of the rod will be fearful of falling into the sinne that brought it Holy anguish of soul for abusing Gods grace will be a memento and a Medicine to heal it CHAP. X. Containing an Vse of Examination IN that Gods grace is turned into Wantonnesse Use 3 for Examination its useful for Examination Whether or no this odious guilt be fastned upon us We may know it by a serious perusal of the kindes and wayes wherein this great sin is committed layd down in the Doctrinal part If the trying reflecting conscience find any of the particulars wherein grace is abused experimented either in heart or life there the sin is impartially to be charged home In and about the great duties of conviction of sinne sorroâ— for it and returning from it we ordinarily through self-love carnal flattery supine carelesnesse yea too often wilfull ignorance put off particular arraignments close inditements self-condemnation and so resolutions and endeavours to reform Though as hath been shewed the abuse of Gods grace is an universal sin yet there is not one of a thousand that seriously and sadly saith I am the wretch that hath wronged Gods grace Who almost though eminently guilty but can smooth and applaud himself in the thoughts of innocence he is no enemy but friend of grace or if fâ—ulty but a very little inconsiderably peccant Though all are offenders yet very few lay it to heart by sound conviction and say We are the persons that have vickedly affâ—onted the grace of God Unless reason and conscience be feared and judgement besotted and spiritually mad if thou hast any degree of the fear of God and sober sense left thee and thou wilt be judged by the Word of God wherewith whether thou wiâ—â— no thou shalt be at the great day I shall set before thee guilty Reader a glass wherein thou mayst see the spotted deformed face of this ugly sin be ashamed of it be humbled for it and repent No becauseit is in this kind of sin as it is in Hypocrisie there is a grosse and a close hypocrisie so there is an evident and notorious and less discemed and suspicious perverting the grace of God I shall therefore endeavour to discover the more visible and palpable symptomes and the more hidden close and less evident tokens of this disease As touching enquiry who are more notoriously clearly grosly guiltie of this sâ—nne I shall lay down many symptomes SECT 1. THey may know themselves to be manifest gross abusers of 1 They abuse Gods grace who oppose gospel merits and mercies to the worship of God Gods grace 1. Who first oppose Gospel-merits and mercies to the Worship of God Such as call God gracious in himself and to them and yet call not upon him how doe they vilifâ—e his grace He makes light of that thing which he desires not and he of the grace of God that he prayes not for God is free of his grace but to them who by the aide of the same grace ask it The spirit grace is a spirit of supplication Zach. 12. 10. A man may pray and have no grace being a trifler cold hypocritical unbeleeving tyred in his Devotion but no man ever had grace but in faith fervency and perseverance prayed to God for it Prayerless are graceless soules Families past Praier are past grace If Prayerless professed Christians were asked the question Have you any part in the grace of God The Ansâ—er would bee Ignorantly â—oldly Roundly returned from some Yea I hope I have from others Yea I thank God his grace hath helped me from a third sort an answer in angry looks sharp words that the Questionist should doubt it the confident Atheist hath not Gods grace in him All take it for granted they are the favourites of grace though they pray not to the God of grace by the Spirit of grace Doe not these clearly prophâ—ne Gods grace Things we basely
The cries of wrongs decry and out-cry the cryes of Prayers O let every one among us that lay claim to the Mediator Spirit Gospel Ordinances Comforts of Grace seriously examine the efficacie and glory of grace as well downwards in exercise of a just conscience voyd of offence towards men as upwards in a pious conscience voyd of offence towards â—od O let every one try the obloquy and infamy of grace whether dishonest dealing have not opened the mouthes of malicious observers to asperse the strictness of the first Table and break out thus reproachfully against gracious profession Are there not every where such sharp taunts in England These are your Sermon-hunters these are your Devout ones these are your Sabbatarians against Recreations on the Lords day very precise arrant Hypocrites why they will not Swear but they wil Lye they are dishonest in their dealings and bargains they will not pay their debts they will over reach they are not square in their walkings better deal with other men that are not so strict in religion as they seem to be that now and then say by faith and troth are good merry neighbors keep not such adoe about Reading Hearing Praying whining Talking as they do as if looseness in the first Table helped to strictness in the second or the strict duties of Gods worship did give men liberty to deny men their dues This is the sad consequence of the open abuse of gods grace by oppression and unrighteousness O unjust Reader if in this Section thou readest thy character fear tremble repent thy wickedness is great thine iniquitie is infinite and thine inditement is plain against thee thou hast openly and fear fully abused the grace of God SECT 4. THey may clearly be convinced they are evident prophaners 4 They are abusers of Gods grace who content themselves with faint desires of Gods grace 4. Who account these faint desires Lord have mercy upon me God give me his grace satisfactions for daily sins How many thus at once wrong themselves and the grace of God thinking such words enough to pacifie the conscience and make God amends for all the wrongs done to him When there is added Drunkenness to Thirst one act of uncleanness to another oath to oath wilfull sins stand thick to one another 'T is not the bare vocal natural force of these words Grace and Mercy that can allay the Devil and appease God but their supernatural efficacy Satan can laugh at words trembleth onely at power O the sad and vast numbers of prophane professed Christians among us who no sooner utter from prophane spirits those sweet gospel-words Grace and Mercy but all is presently at peace within them and as they thinke above too and now filthy drunken Swine unclean Goats and cheating Foxes the visible contemners of both Tables sleep as securely under the favour and protection of these sweet words Gods Grace and Mercy as if they were innocents Such as these ignorant prophane persons that never considered what is the worth power what should be the renowne of Gods Grace and Mercy evidently abuse their precious names to vile things SECT 5. THey may know they openly injure the grace of God 5. Who by restraints sometimes laid upon sin are licenciously 5 They abuse Gods grace who by restraint at one time take liberty to sin more freely at another time bold to sin the more freely at other times 'T is the sad experience of multitudes who abstain from sin not still to abstain but to give after the freer reins to lust as gluttons fast for a while that they may devoure the creatures more liberally and largely thus many for a time fast that in the feeding the old man in the next meals they may be gluttons while Sermon-sick they forbear acting over the old sinnes but when the fits are over they are at the usual trade again like intemperate Seamen while Sea-sick abstain from disorders but when at shore are at the old drinking and excess while the terrors of God have been on many spirits and have wrested humble confessions and holy resolutions one would think some men not onely Agrippa-like Allmost Christians Act. 26. 28. but Paul-like Alltogether Saints but when the pangs are over the abstinence from sinne is over too They are like the water colder after it is heared colder after Hel-heats have been upon their consciences Seven woâ—se Devils enter into Formal Spirits They are not a few who before the Lords Supper have unbent their boâ—es slackned their intentions and vigorous prosecutions of their sinful courses and put stands to their careere Hel-wards the gaming drunken wanton company is left the oathes and worldlyness are for a while suppressed the Communicants with bended knees eyes lifted up sad composed countenances reverend gestures personate an Angelical respect for a season the Devils Terms are adjourned and there is a Vacation for God and a seeming austere Discipline of Repentance but as a Traveller leaving his beast at the door to speak with his Friend comes to him again and is on his old rode so these travellers in the broad way to destruction seem to leave their sinne when at the Communion Table and in their Sabbath worship but come to them again yea with more confidence gallop on in the Road to everlasting misery because they have made some seeming profession wherein they boast Thus because the religiously â—icked Harlot began with God and payd her homage in Peace-offerings might as shee pretended cum privilegio with heavens leave â—oe the work of Hell Grace that holds the bridle of restraint at one time would hold it at all times gives dispensation to sin at no time Accursed be that abstinence from sin that doth not dispose still to abstain but is an allowance to more excessive ryots If this bee not gross abuse of Grace what is SECT 6. THey may be assured they doe undeniable evident wrong to 6 They abuse Gods grace who turn it into a sanctuary for unnatural sinnes Gods grace 6. Who turn it into a Sanctuary for unnatural sins Such there are who are so far from an obediential compliance â—ith the reign of grace that they grosly deny the demands of nature and put a cloâ—k of spiritual grace on unnatural sinnes If there be but a confident fancy of and bold challenge to the grace of God though in the Court of Nature there be a sufficient â—ury to cry guilty guilty the grace of the gospel is pleaded as sufficient security and indemnity These Anomala errata naturae Monsters in nature are pictured out in the word of truth What they know naturally as brute beasts voyd of reason yea worse in Sordes Ecclesiae Tertull. those things they corrupt themselves Jude Ep. v 10. The stains and blots of the Church and Reproach of grace are dishonorably peccant against the Light and Laws of Nature Against that great Law of Nature Summary of Duty commanded by Christ commended by the Imperor Severus urged
rare to meet with the fellows of a precious Minister of whom it was said That he got but lost no heavenly heat and vigor by holy duties the more in it the more furnished with heavenly power love delight and warmth in renewed exercise There was renewed influence of the spirit of grace the picture of the spiritual injoyments of the next life The Apostles rule is It is good to be always zealous in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. Not in fits and pangs of holiness but always â—he Ceremonial Fire was always to burn on the altar They are the choicest happy Christians in whose hearts the heavenly fire of zeal is still burning It is our wantonness we keep not close with God but after heats we cool our hearts in the worlds cold Air and are so benummed in our earthly affections and imployments as if we had never been by Heavens fire The counsel to wanton Sardis is good to us Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. 3. In slacking diligence How are we too often in Heavens way like Jading Steeds who though well yea high fed in the Inne yet go lazily and worse than before God hath given Heavenly Travellers sweet and full Baits how is his goodness dishonored when after Tastes how gracious he is we yield rather to spiritual slumbers then hold on our way How Nou vis proficere vis ergo deficere Ibi proficere ubi curreredesinis Bernard do those wanton Laborers disparage a good meal that slack their diligence play but work not When our industry in the Lords work abates it is good to put these spurs in our dull spirits O thou wicked and slothful servant the sad charge of the last Judgment Matth. 25. 26. The diligent hand makes rich Be not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Shew the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys the end Heb. 6. 11. Abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing pious labours shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Work out your own salvation Phil. 2. 12. make thoâ—ow work of it 4. In carnal security Even sound hearts after they apprehend the sweet tastes of Gods love and the bitterness of death is past are too apt to think their mountain strong sing a false Requiem to their spirits as if they were out of the dangers of Desinunt esse perditi cum destiterint esse sâ—curi Salv. ruine committing from their loose unregenerate part in them the sins against which God threatens Hell upon the assurance they are heirs of Heaven thinking themselves secure are not safe Whereas the way of life is the way of holy Jealousie not security It is not the least of Satans wiles to suffer himself to be overcome that he may overcome As conquering Soldiers yet unsuspicious of dangers are taken Prisoners by a routed Cum certamini manifesto cedit ad hoc se viâ—tum demonstrat ut vincat ad hoc fugam simulat ut persequentem occidat Ful. gent. ad Prob. Ep. 3. Army so unjealous Christian Victors by laying by their Watch and Alarms of holy fear are suddenly surprized 'T is an imprudent conclusion because the Bird hath escaped the Foâ—vler therefore he shall ever be out of the danger of the Net and Gun-shot The heart is deceitful We are still in the Enemies Coâ—ntrey Christs Garrisons have false friends in them will open the Gates to the destroyer and while every soul hath Judas's in it to kiss and kill and betray the grace of God into the hands of enemies there is urgent need of a constant watch Fear was the Apostles watch-word to the priviledged Gentiles lest they that stand by Grace should fall by security Rom. 11. 20. Happy is he that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. We abuse spiritual injoyments when we suspect no loss Greatest Beauties Riches and Honors call for most waking eyes and strictest guard When Christ had sweet tidings from Heaven he was Gods beloved Son Matth 3. ver last he was forthwith set upon by the Devil Matth. 4. 1. If the envious vigilant Tempter seeth our private Prayers and tears of Joys hears our joyous triumphs of Gods kindness in Christ malicing such hated glory he will presently lay traps to damp our joyes defile our spirits wound our consciences and bring us to the very Suburbs of Hell Ye are partakers of Christ said Paul of the Christian Hebrews if you hold fast the beginning of your confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3. 14. 'T is not enough in first conversion to hold the precious Jewel Jesus Christ in the hand of Faith but there must be a constant hold-fast Is he who is among Thieves careful to hold fast the Pearl in his hand and fearful to let it goe So it should be with every prudent Christian he should fear his own lazinesse cowardize weaknesse should loose his riches 'T is the Apostles counsel to his Hebrews useful to all that think they stand and a soveraign preservative against security Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. 5. By dallying with Temptations we pray we may not enter into temptation Gods grace is our deliverance Corruption casts us into the fire the hand of mercy plucks us out But how often do Gods foolish fearless children like ours after we have been burnt and cured we adventurously play with the same fire that scorched us and renew our pains and cries 'T is not an experimentally true spirituall Proverb That all Gods burnt children always hate the fire Even after David had sweet visits and walks with God and the refreshing joyes of his salvation he wantonly dallyed with temptations fire in the roof of his house defiled his soul with forbidden lust of strange beauty and Body too and lost spiritual for carnal delight the joy of his salvation for the pleasure of sin Grace doth not perfectly crucifie the old Man while Lust is an in-dweller it will be an inticer We may as well play with fire near Gun-powder as play with Temptations near Lust 'T is no safe dancing near Pits brinks taking fire into our bosoms welcoming temptations into our hearts The old man is too willing and too pressing to tempt us out of heavens way we need no world nor devil to drive us 'T is good counsel and singular indemnity to our soules if practised Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thef 5. 22. Hate the garment spotted by the flesh SECT 2. 2. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Irreverence of 2 An Evidence of abuse of abuse of grace is irreverence of Gods Majesty Gods Majesty The best are too apt to wrong their nearnesse to God by forgetting their distance God is so his childrens
of the Spirit is like the Still-born in nature There are the delineaments and proportions of a child in face hands c. but no life of a child and so no growth Where there are the professions and convictions of a Sainâ— only not the life of a Saint there is no growth How dost thou wrong the stock God hath put into thine hand when not improved Thy little increase I will not say speaks thee no Christian it doth a Dwarf in Christianity There is some great fault in nature that living Dwarfs grow not Surely there is some great fault in profession that Christian Dwarfs grow not as others do Gods Talents are not to be hidden in a Napkin He looks to Dominus suae pecuniae quaerit usuram ut intelligamus dominum donrraÌ„ suorum exercitationem postulare bonarum actionum tributum ex iis exigere Ambr. receive his own with Vsury Luke 19. 20. It was the fault God charged upon Sardis The practise and profession of godlynesse in sundry of her members was ready to die Rev. 3. 2. A Christian is a Tradesman his dealing lies in heavenly commodities God intrusts some with a large stock of Knowledge and Memory heavenly Instructions of the Word and Motions of the Spirit Visions of his Love Where he gives he expects much and takes it ill his rich Merchants in a fair estate should trifle anâ— peddle and bring him in a smaller Revenue of glory than meanly gifted but more faithfull Trustees of his Goodnesse Cum augentur dona rationes etiam crescunt donorum Greg. Mag. Will not Merchants blame their Factors if neglecting their gaining opportunities their Estate increase not How may the Lord blame the professed Factors for his name in the world if they prove negligent in heavenly proficiencies SECT 11. 11. 11 Pride and desire of preheminence is an evidence of the abuse of grace EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Pride and desire of Preheminence Outward and inward Riches both puff up Charge the rich of the world they be not high minded 1 Tim. 6. 19. Be not high minded Rom. 11. 20. It is the Apostles Dehortation and Caution of the Gentiles excelling the Jews in means of grace It was the Corinthians carnal wantonness their parts were abused to puffing up and vain-glory 1 Cor. 4. 6. 7. The Apostle reproved their windy puffing humour 1 Cor. 5. 2. Precedencie in gifts puffed up one against another Gravissima ironia Dicks This vanity of swelling preheminence the Apostle derided Ye are full and reign as Kings 1 Cor. 4. 8. Your common Indowments have made you happy How poysonous is our nature that envenoms the best things How doth it turn shining Excellencies in gifts and graces into prevailing Temptations to scisme and contempt of inferiour endowments yea to darken the glory of God in a lesser Starre because a greater out-shines it It is the mischief of spiritual Pride it either over-magnifies or vilifies Gods gifts It idolizeth one and debaseth another is an unjust Judge of Gods gifts It saith one Christian hath more than he hath another lesse than he hath Yea this evil comes of it that the bestower of different gifts and graces is abused Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker Prov. 17. 5. He that reproacheth the poor Christian in gifts and graces reproacheth his maker such a one he is a poor Preacher though an holy sound one will you hear him such a one prayes poorly hath poor lean braines a silly soul though a precious Saint and so is slighted a no body a common Abuse of God and grace and gracious spirits discovered by high-flown Christians whose fancy runs before their judgement The abasing of some of loâ—er stature than others is an Interpretative abuse of God The Lord rejoyceth in all his works Psal 104. 31. They are all in wisdom Psal 9. 1. He seeth they are very good as they come out of his pure creating hands Gen. 1. 31. And he hath a sweet delightful complacencie in them all But cursed spiritual Pride is all for superlatives and singularities rejoyceth and triumphs in the Arrogantia honoris pedissequa Salvian chiefest works of the Spirit Take heed if when God honoureth thee above others Pride turn not his glory into shame Arrogance saith one is the Lacquey of Honour but Humility the Preservative Hast thou Eminence suspect and tremble at Self-conceit In opere misericordiae facit cordis superbiam pullulare Fulgent ad Probam Ep. 3. Satan knoweth how to make Pride of heart grow out of works of Mercy words of Piety tears of Humility This stinking weed grows out of the best soyl 'T is good to prick this bladder by these thoughts God resists the proud Jam. 4. 6. Sets himself against them like a fierce mighty enemy in battel array He scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1. 51. Wherein they deal proudly he is above them Exod. 14. 11 They are an abomination to him Prov. 16. 5. Are in the high road to destruction Prov. 16. 18. I have heard it was the confession of a proud Professor yet to seeming a peereless meek one of a very haughty spirit that the Lord suffered him to fall into wofull scandal to the reproach of his name and the Gospel to punish his Pride God gives grace to the Humble In Christ there was a Fulnesse of Grace and Eminence of Humilitie This rare shining grace is the Ornament and will be the Improvement of Grace SECT 12. 12. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is declining Hardship 12. Declining hardship in the practise of Religion is an abuse of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make it black and blew in the practise of Religion Christianity is a Warfare Christ the Captain of Salvation Every true Christian is a Souldier by profession 2 Tim. 2. 3. The spiritual as well as the civil Souldier must endure Hardship Paul a great Leader in this heavenly War was a man of sufferings * beat down his body 1 Cor. 9. 27. did bear in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6. 17. Grace inables to indure hardship 'T is the effeminate wantonnesse of corrupt nature if in Christian profession it can have beds of Down full Tables glorious Apparel sweet Pleasures to swim in securities from pain and losses Christ is allowed but when the Doctrine of the Cross and owning the hated truths of the Gospel brings persecution affliction call for Mortification the subtle self-preserving Old man can make a politick retreat out of dirty Lanes into the flowry Meadows and leave the hardship of flesh-curbing self-denying and pleasure-renouncing holy discipline for worldly gain and delights We can think and talk of the grace of â—â— but where is its stout masculine virtue to be found among us It is with much adoe and great regreat to suffer the exercises of Religion to injure us to Master the sensitive appetite in Fasting Watching Cold Hunger The
am betrayed by a professed Friend A tearm of Exprobration and just Condemnation Christ forgave not this false Friend He dyed impenitently in the abuse of his grace and had not Faith to believe his betrayed innocent blood should heal the Traytor 3. Question Shall I have the heaviest wrath in Hell Capernaum Bethsaida's high abuse of Grace should have more intolerable vengeance then Sodoms wantonnesse against nature Mat. 10. 15. The least of Hell will be intolerable If I perish under grosse abuse of Grace the Oven of Eternal fiery Wrath will be heated seven times hotter for me then for Heathens Ah soul-hater and self-destroyer Shall I cast my self into hottest eternal flames 4. Question Shall my mouth be stopt in the accounting-day Can these thoughts be born without Spirit-woundings when inlightned conscience shall say I wanted not offered convincing means of the necessity beauty advantage of Grace I hated the life of garce and consumed the time of grace in playing the wanton not working by the light of grace All under means of grace are invited to the Gospel Wedding-feast of the Son of God and to come in fitting Wedding-cloaths that the Feast-maker and the Feast be not disparaged Every guest pretends to come handsome in sitting Ornaments but the abusive guest that is found without his Wedding-garment will be speechlesse Ista vestis nuptialis quasi Bicolor rubra sanguine Alba sanctitate Matth. 22. 12 15. This Wedding-garment is party-coloured red and white Red in the Blood of the Lamb White in the sanctifying grace of the Spirit 5. Question Shall I be kicking against the Bowels of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At ille Capistratus Piscator It was a sad charge I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1. 2. Is there nothing for wanton feet to spurn at but a Fathers Bowels Do you say Our Father which art in Heaven and when ever you say so professe God your Father and spit in his loving face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my Son Caesars Son stâ—b him in the Senate Shall Gods Sons in large profession stab his name and cause him to be reproached in the world by gross abuse of his grace 6. Question Shall I make sport and triumph for Devils It was Davids grief by Saul and Jonathans death the uncircumcised Philistines would rejoyce and triumph 2 Sam. 1. 20. The uncircumcised infernal Philistines rejoyce and triumph at the wrongs of grace Davids enemies watched for and were glad at heart at his halting Psal 38. 16 17. His wellfare was their grief his falls their Songs These invisible enemies of Mankinde triumph when any that own the Christian name and the grace of the Gospel grosly prophane both 7. Question Shall I tread under foot the Son of God Heb. 10. 29. Strong thriving wanton lusts are the impure feet that tread under foot the Son of God in his humbling Incarnation who came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil in his bitter Passion who died as a Ransome to redeem from the reign of his Sin in his Soveraign Dominion who is a ruling Lord over all he saves The gross abuse of his Grace plainly what in it lyeth declares that he was Man in vain died in vain and that he is but a Precarious titular Lord and King 8. Question How shall I look the Judge in the face The time is coming when he shal appear in terrible flames of Wrath How dreadfully will he judge when the precious ends wherefore in his Fathers Counsel and his own Covenant he was judged to death are not obtained but abused If David commenced a War against Hanun the King of the Ammonites because he abused the Message and Messengers of kindnesse sent in Embassage to comfort him who instead of loving entertainment were shaved had their Garments cut off in the midst shamefully and ungratefully dismissed 1 Chron. 19. 4. What a dreadful and eternal War will the Lord Jesus commence against those Hanunites unworthy the name Christian who abuse the Messages and Messengers of Gospel-kindnesse and grace to open prophane licentiousnesse Lay all these Queries to heart and let them stick on O grosly loose Reader till they have produced Fears Astonishments Prayers for Amendment and Resolutions by the help of Gods grace not to live a notorious Libertine for the future against the call and honor of Grace SECT 5. 2. Vse of Caution is concerning the close wronging of Gods 5. Second part of the use against close wronging of grace grace 1. Take heed of wresting Gospel-grace to the allowance of the least sin Holy Paul durst not do it in his own person The grace of God was abundant in him through Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 14. and though through the power of this grace he was no absolute Perfectist yet an universal Enemy of sin the root and branches of it least and greatest had his disallowance and abhorrence Rom. 7. 15. David too that had a large share in Gods grace his sweet experience Thou art my Portion O Lord Psal 119. 57. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant according to thy word 65. was so devoted to the fear of God 38. as this produced an hatred of vain thoughts 113. and every false way 128. and therefore hid Gods Word in his heart that he might not in the least willingly sin against him The choice subject of saving grace may not continue in the least sin because grace abounds When Believers finde inward perswasion in their spirits to adventure on little sins on vain thoughts small inordination in Creature-desires and affections yielding to dulness and deadness in Holy Duties pride of Apparel self-lifting thoughts of spiritual Precedency This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth them Gal. 5. 8. The grace of God doeth neither father nor nurse the least sin but commands and inables to be holy in all maner of conversation SECT 6. 2. BEware of judging wantonness against Grace by a false 6. Beware of judging wantonness against grace by afalse rule rule The example of the best Others good Opinion The judgement of thine own heart are not true Rules to judge abuse of Gods grace by 1. Not the example of the best Though the Apostle bad the Philipians be followers of him and them that traced the Apostles steps Phil. 3. 17. yet elsewhere he limits his counsel Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. They are both joyned 1 Thess 1. 6. Ye became followers of us and of the Lord of us as we followed the Lord The Lord is sub-joyned to correct the easie common error of following the best of men sometimes in Doctrinal sometimes in practical Error Even Paul the brightest Star in the Churches Firmament had his Eclipse He is not to be followed in all things though the wariest goer he stept awry He that wrote in his Epistles against bitterness of spirit yet in the difference
between him and Barnabas discovered therein some distemper Barnabas would have had Mark go with Paul to visit the Brethren in every City where they had Preached the Word but Paul refused his Company and the contention was sharp between them Acts 15. 39. there was a Paroxism a bitter fit between them These golden Cisterns Paul and Barnabas that were wont to send out sweet Waters now sent out bitter Barnabas a Son of Consolation was in too hot contention Paul a man of meeknesse sweetnesse gentlenesse whose tongue usually dropt as the Honey-comb now breathed gall Follow the eminentest of Saints in some things you will wrong the grace of God 'T is one of Satans perswasive wiles Do you not see such choice servants of God speak and do such things use such Fashions and worldly delights No danger in this and that Dish they are your Tasters If the Gestures words and actions of the best be well weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary they will sometimes be found too light too wanton So the Thessalonians were examples to all the Believers in Macedonia and Achaia 1 Thess 1. 7. not in everything but in their successful sound of the Gospel-Trumpet ver 8. and in their eminent reforming-faith turning them from Idols unto God but examine some of these Converts in other things and they were to be declined not followed We hear there are some that walk among you disorderly working not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desidâ—â—â— pro sactitate venditant Marlo Verisimile est hoc fucorum genus quoddaÌ„ fuisse otiosâ— monachatus semen Marl. Vt hin c consolemar non ut vitiis nostris patrocinemur at all but are busie-bodies 2 Thess 3. 13. Workers round about as the word imports the round of whose life was to carry tales discontented at their condition living on others Purses casting off industry in their particular Calling accounting their idlenesse holinesse and under pretence of the Gospel like the late upstart Sect and obedience to the spirit living lazily Now did Satan lay the seed of idle Monasteries under colour of heavenly conversation laying by earthly Callings and Relations The best of men are no Adaequate rule of life Their fairest Copies have some blurs Their face of conversation like the Moons hath some sports Their infirmities are to comfort the disconsolate in their falls not to Patronize the least presumption 2. Not others good opinion The most acute Christian cannot look into thy heart and see all the wanton pranks there that prove hidden Libertinism Thou maist have a serious accurate out-side and a loose inside be like some Houses fair without but sluttish within After they that see thee judge thee exact thou hast no reason to rest in their charity when thy conscience either doth or may tell thee thou hast a filthy heart Besides beholders of thee may be unfaithful and to please thee displease God see wantonness in thee and either bury it in silence or cover it with flattery and bely their opinion of thee praise thee strict when they know thee loose and be a false glass to represent thine outward ill behavior either through cowardize or advantage Others good opinion is no true rule to judge of wantonness in the matters of grace 3. Not the judgement of thine own heart It is deceitful and not more dangerous then foolish to rest in it What wise man will trust in a common infamous Knave The old man in the best of men is a Wanton and Impostor It will call wickedness Saint-ship loosnesse strictnesse deformity beauty confusion order distemper health the flesh the spirit delusions of Satan the impulses of the holy Spirit 'T is easie and frequent to misconster loose passion zeal and self-glory for Gods glory In judging the abuses of Gods grace lean not to thine own understanding measure all by the golden line of the Sanctuary SECT 7. 3. AFter the sweetest taste of Gods grace fear the danger of 7. Beware of security wantonnesse Beware of security after inward Tranquility After Aaron and the Israelites had pleased and filled themselves at their Idolatrous Feast they plaid the Wantons They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exod. 12. 6. It is too sad experience after the Israel of God have pleased and refreshed themselves in Gospel-feasts they play the Wantons betray their nakedness intemperately frolick about the Creatures leap over Gospel-hedges are irregular in lawful things yea sometimes adventure on unlawful and all Cum Privilegio under the favorable allowance of sweet grace Thus the Corinthians promoted in Temporals and Spirituals rich in goods gifts and conceited graces when full and reigning as Kings played the Wantons in haughty puffings in vain-glorious boastings in crying up some in decrying others I am of Paul I am of Apollos Are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 4. v. 6 7 18 19. 1 Cor. 3 3 4. I shall not cast such dirt on the fair face of grace nor so asperse the Generation of the Righteous as to say or stain my soul with such a thought that the abuse of grace is the lesson Grace teacheth 'T is denying not fulfilling worldly Lusts which grace teacheth Libertinism is a Bastard Issue laid at the door of Grace which it neither can nor will father The Generation of the righteous as such shut the doors unto but open not to wanton enticements Loosnesse from Gospel-Principles and against them is the fruit of the flesh nor the spirit SECT 8. 4. BE not content with a slight humiliation for close abuse 8. Be not content with a slight humiliation for close abuse of Gods grace When Moses told the Israelites of their murmuring against God despising Canaans pleasant Land and wanton whoredomes Numb 14. 27 31 33. They mourned greatly 39. In the sense of Gods wrath so christian when thou readest over the forementioned symptomes of lesse discerned though abominable wrongs of Gods grace mourne greatly for them If the Apostle Paul that could not openly be charged with common abusing grace that felt the inward ordinary power of it in his soule that found in sweet experience the grace of God was not in vain 1 Cor. 15. 10. that exercised a conscience void of offence to God and man yet in passionate exclamation cryed out O wretched man for the remaines of sin which the glorious Non leviter frigide fed â—nagno cum sensu Peter grace of God kept under and still abated what cause O beleevers have you not in light transient touches of greif but abiding sorrowes to bewaile the close indignities you have put upon the grace of god CHAP. XIII Shewing the Difference between wronging the Grace of God in the regenerate and unregenerate CAution is touching the difference betweene the Cant. 3. Touching the difference between the wronging of Gods Grace in the Regenerate and unregenerate wronging of Gods grace in the regenerate and unregenerate think not that the spot of Godschildren and the Devils is
you doe in Word and deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father by him Col. 3. 17. And this will secure against loosnesse in the duties of our Relations worldly enjoyments Ordinances of Grace Talents committed to us SECT 9. 9. HElp is godly sorrow Those ill humors that are contracted 9 Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace Indicium re fipiscentiae sollicitudo securitatis excussio metus ne nevo peccato implicarentur Dickson by carnal mirth godly sorrow will help to cure as in Nature so in grace contraries cure Fasting is one remedy of distempering feasts Godly sorrow is the spirits sack-cloth and fast for sin When it wrought in the Corinthians repentance it wrought carefulnesse which shook off security and fear of relapse into the old sin by fresh temptation By the sadâ—ess of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. True sorrows eat out the love and liking of sin Men lay not to heart the abuses of grace and then adventure them The three principal things that God requires are Justice Mercy Mourning The last is a singular help to the two first Could we walk mournfully before the Lord we should love Mercy and do justly Mic. 6. 8. The Jews were wanton in their marrying Idolatrous Wives and their mourning ushered in their reformation Ezra 10. 1 3. Good natured childrens ingenuous sorrows for their soose pranks are Preservatives against like disorders In Malachy the prâ—â—â—ical Atheists did look upon Religion as vain serving God keeping his Ordinâ—nces and walking mournfully before the Lord of Hoast Mal 3. 14. Those mock-Gods and loose Libertines that laugh at mournful walking with God and are ever irreligious they keep not his Ordinances nor serve him at all The tears of repentance do sweetly water the seed of grace Zions mourners are the most thâ—â—ving Christians None are further off from the dangerous snares of soul-ruining wantonnesse then humble souls that soâ—e in tears They reap in Grace and Joy while others that soâ— in carnal security and delights reap in sin and wrath It is told in Gath and published in Askelon that many that seemed to set their faces Heaven-wards are loose â—ibeâ—tines They dâ—re to think speak and act what once to think on would make them tremble They dare sin without â—emoâ—se and count it their perfection And whence this sad â—postacy Surely as in part from an ungrateful glut of and formality in the â—rdinances of Grace partly from the spiritual pride of high attainments and partly from exchanging the house of mourning for the house of mirth walking mournfully before the Lord with them is Apochrypha sorrow for sin is legal and antiquated The holy Spirit exhorts rich Wantons to change their mirth into mourning Jam. 4. 9. But what Spirit it is that moves them to change their mourning into mirth you may easily guess It is just with God that when dissolute ones in sinful hardness have laid by sorrow for sin in judicial hardnesse they should be not more merry then mad jocund Wantons The Pulpit is no place The Sabbath no time to speak vainly I hope I speak the words of Truth and Soberness of all the holy frames of the Spirit I would desire of God in my sinful Pilgrimage of imperfection this choice gâ—â—cious indowment That the top-power of the Spirit in me might be in the Gospel-humblings of brokennesse of heart and contrition of spirit Pelievers are called should be little ones Matth. 18. 6. are ever best and safest yea nearest God when lowest SECT 10. 10. HElpe is close union to God The whorish woman at distance 10 Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace Pe. didisti fornicantem abs te aliquid supra te amantem Pelican from her husband played the wanton Prov. 7 19. and impure soules fornicate when they thrust themselves out of Gods presence wanton spirits distance from God their choice and delight Job 21. 14. Is their damnation Lo they that are afar from thee shall perish Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee Psal 73. 27. They that love any thing above God leave Heavens bed of Loves for Earthly delights and shall pay dear for their wantonnesse The remedy against it was close union to God But it is good for me to draw nigh to God 28. As if he had said Unchast Fornicators that leave God the Fountain of living waters for lying vanities to their eternall losse shal be indited for whoredome but my soule enter not into their secret though they are Wantons behind Gods back I see it is sâ—fe it is happinesse to me to get neer his Fâ—ce in his presence is Aâ—e Purity and Joy I dare not be loose while I see him besore mine Eyes wil a promoted favourite abuse his Prince wrong his grace before his Face the close union of Gods Reverence Love Purity Joyâ— Contentment Admiration will not be abusive Appropinquatio ad Deum elongatio ab omni corruptione Parisiensis The neerer to the Holy God the further from corruption as the neerer the fire the further from cold the neerer the sun the further from darknesse it is sinners turning their backs upon God which makes them wantons the true vision fruition of and delectation in Gods face is grave serious holy and heavenly What Christian that ever had sweet tasts and close viewes of the blessed God but his experience is sweet testimony hee feared to thinke desire do say that evil in close addresses to God which at other tims of distance hath had too sinful allowance The happinesse of the next life wil be divine sweet vision and union without darknesse and separation eternal closures betweene God souls wil shut out wantoness so much as there is of spiritual conjunction now there is provision against sinne SECT 11. 11. HElp is a constant subduing the first depraved motions 11 A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a special help to prevent abuse of grace to carnal desires and affections he that denyes the first parly and specious offers of a trecherous enemy prevents consent when we give the subtil motions of sin audience and listen to their pleasing arguments it is a thousand to one but we grant them wanton indulgence and ready obedience turning the deaf side to the whorish flatteries of sweete corruption is a soveraign Antidote against Libertinisme Are we sure an enemy knocks at the door we loâ—k and bar against him but open not unto him spirituall Judgment sayes the loose motions of sin knocks at the door sayes open not O my soule open not they are Theeves and Robbers My Son saith Solomon If sinners intice consent thou not Prov 1. 10. So say O my Soul if that great Pandor to all the Wantons of flesh and spirit corrupt nature intice consent thou not when lust hath conceived in consent it is ready to bring forth in Execution