of chief regard and the acts of the outward only required as a help to our serving God in the Spirit Phil. 3.3 3. Carelesness in Duties is the high way to Atheism For every formall and sleight Prayer doth harden the heart and make way for contempt of God Men that have made bold with God in duty and it succeeds well with them their awe of God is lessened and the lively sense of his Glory and Majesty abated till it be quite lost by degrees they out-grow all feelings and tenderness of conscience every time you come to God sleightly you lose ground by coming till at length you look upon Worship as a meer Custome or something done for fashions sake Secondly Particularly 1. It is an affront to God and a kind of mockery we wrong his Omnisciency as if he saw not the heart and could not tell man his thought It is Gods Essential glory in Worship to be acknowledged an all-seeing Spirit and accordingly to be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 Thoughts are as audible with him as words therefore when you prattle words do not make conscience of thoughts you do not worship him as a spirit We wrong his Majesty when we speak to him in Prayer and do not give heed to what we say surely we are not to prattle like Jayes or Parrots words without affection and feeling or to chatter like Cranes or be like Ephraim whom the Prophet calls a silly Dove without an heart A mean man taketh it ill when you have business to talk with him about and your minds are elsewhere you would all judge it to be an affront to the Majesty of God if a man should send his cloaths stuffed with straw or a Puppet dressed up instead of himself into the Assemblies of Gods people and think this should supply his personal presence yet our cloaths stuffed with straw or an Image dressed up instead of us such as * 1 Sam. 19.12 13. Michol put into Davids bed would be less offensive to God than our bodies without our souls the absence of the spirit is the absence of the more noble part We pretend to speak to God and do not hear our selves nor can give any account of what we pray for or rather let me give you Chrysostom's Comparison A man would have been thought to have prophaned the mysteries of the Levitical Worship if instead of * Chrys Hom. 74. in Mat. sweet incense he should put into the Censer Sulpher or Brimstone or mingle the one with the other Surely our Prayers should be set forth as Incense Psal 141.2 And do not we affront God to his face that mingle so many vain sinfull proud filthy blasphemous thoughts What is this but to mingle Sulpher with our incense Again when God speaketh to us and knocks at the heart and there is none within to hear him is it not an affront to his Majesty Put it in a Temporal Case if a great person should talk to us and we should neglect him and entertain our selves with his servants he would take it as a despight and contempt done to him The Great God of heaven and earth doth often call you together to speak to you Now if you think so slightly of his speeches as not to attend but set your minds adrift to be carried hither and thither with every wave where is that reverence you owe to him It is a wrong to his goodness and the comforts of his holy presence for in effect you say that you do not find that sweetness in God which you expect and therefore are weary of hâ—s company before your business be over with him it is said of the Israelites when they were going for Canaan that in their hearts they turned back again into Aegypt Acts 7.39 They had mo e mind to be in Aegypt than under Moses Government and their thoughts ever ran upon the flesh-pots and belly chear they enjoyed there we are offended with their impatience and murmurings and the affronts they put upon their Guides and do not we even the same and worse in our careless manner of worshipping When God hath brought us into his presence we do in effect say give us the world again this is better entertainment for our thoughts than God and holy things if Christians would but interpret their actions they would be ashamed of them is any thing more worthy to be thought of than God The Israelites hearts were upon Aegypt in the Wilderness and our hearts are upon the World nay every toy even when we are at the Throne of grace and conversing with him who is the Center of our rest and the fountain of our blessedness 2. It grieveth the Spirit of God he is grieved with our vain thoughts as well as our scandalous actions other sins may shame us more but these are a grief to the Spirit because they are conceived in the heart which is his Presence Chamber and place of special residence and he is most grieved with these vain thoughts which haunt us in the time of our special addresses to God because his peculiar operations are hindered and the heart is set open to Gods adversary in Gods presence and the World and Satan are suffered to interpose in the very time of the reign of grace then when it should be in solio in its royalty commanding all our faculties to serve it this is to steal away the soul from under Christs own arm as a Captain of a Garrison is troubled when the enemies come to prey under the very walls in the face of all his forces and strength So certainly it is a grief to the spirit when our lusts have power to disturb us in holy duties and the heart is taken up with unclean glances and worldly thoughts then when we present our selves before the Lord God looks upon his peoples sins as aggravated because committed in his own house Jer. 23.11 In my house I have found their wickedness What is this but to dare God to his very face Solomon saith * Pro. 20.8 A King sitting upon his throne scattereth away evil with his eyes They are bold men that dare break the Laws when a Magistrate in upon the Throne and actually exercising judgment against Offenders so it argueth much impudence that when we come to deal with God as sitting upon the Throne and observing and looking upon us that we can yet lend our hearts to our lusts and suffer every vain thought to divert us There is more of modesty though little of sincerity in them that say to their lusts as Abraham to his Servants * Gen. 12.5 Tarry here while I go yonder and Worship or as they say the Serpent layeth aside her poyson when she goeth to drink When a man goeth to God he should leave his lusts behind him not for a while and with an intent to entertain them again but for ever However this argueth some reverence of God and sense of the weight of
perplexa omnis quod viri gravissimi jam olim conquesti sunt de animae intellectivae potentiis facultatibus disquisitioâ— quae capere se putant quidem suo modo capiunt illiteratâ—ssimi quique homunciones haec ipsa non capiunt acutissimi philosophi quâ in re nequeo satis admirari Dei Opt. Max. infinitam Sapientiam retundentis hoc pacto humanam superbiam repraesentantis mortalibus velut in speculo inanem illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qua sibi videntur aliquid esse cum nihil sint miserè decipiâ—ntes cor suum p. 35. 36. that doth not further the design I drive at viz. an universall and exact conscientiousness For Conscience the Hebrews ordinarily make use of two words viz. Heart and Spirit Heart in Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor tuum i. e. keep thy Conscience with all diligence and so in the New Testament 1 John 3 20. If our Heart k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e if our Conscience condemn us Spirit in Pro. 18.14 A wounded Spirit l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a wounded Conscience who can bear and so in the New Testament 1 Cor. 2.11 What knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man i. e. the Conscience of Man that is in him But in English as also in the Greek n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Latine o Con-scientia whence we borrow it 't is called Conscience knowledge with another which excellently sets forth the Scripturall nature of it as Job 16.19 My witnesse is in heaven and Rom. 9 1. I say the truth my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost In both places q.d. God witnesseth with my Conscience p Sanderson ibidem postea sâ—arsim Conscience is placed in the middle under God and above man q Perkins Vol 2 l. 1. p. 11. I will close this with Brochmand's description of Conscience r Brochmand T. 1. Art 1 c. 3. q 2. p. 7. to be a kind of silent reasoning of the Mind whose definitive sentence is received by some affection of the Heart whereby those things which are judged to be good and right are approved of with dâ—light but those things which are evill and naught are disapproved with grief and sorrow God hath placed this in all men partly to be a judgement and testimony of that integrity to which man was at first created and of that corruption that followed sin partly that God may have a Tribunal erected in the breasts of me to accuse delinquents and to excuse those that do what is good and right 2. The Object of conscience is very various conscience hath great employment Å¿ Mr. Bernard of cons p. 56. seqq and much businesse with the whole man and with all his actions 't is like those living creatures in the Revelation all over eyes it looks to the understanding t 2 Cor. 1.12 whether our wisdome be carnal or gracious to the will u Roman 7.18 whether it goe beyond or fall short in ability of good performances to the affections x Rom. 9.1.2 whether the entertainment or refusal of the Gospel be the matter of greatest joy or sorrow It pryes into all our actions both towards God and man Towards God whether in general our estate be good y Heb. 9.14 in speciall whether our service be inward z 2 Tim. 1.3 Spiritual or onely outward a Heb. 9 9. formal More particularly it surveighs all our duties whether we pray in faith b Heb. 10.22 whether we heare with profit c 1 Tim. 3.9 whether through our Baptisme we can goe unto God as unto an Oracle d 1 Pet. 3.21 Interp. 72. vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utuntur quando in V.T. Israelitae dicuntur interrogare os domini baptismus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 responsio bonae conscientiae etiaÌ„ interrogatio apud Deum quia audet cum fiducia DeuÌ„ accedere interrogare hoc est cum eo collâ—qui cumque rogare pro seâ—t aliis Geâ—hard l. c. T 4. de Sacram p. 180. § 88. whether in the Lords Supper we have singular Communion with Christ e Cor. 10.15.16 in short whether we doe and will stick close to Religion f 1 Pet. 3.15.16 as knowing that if Conscience doe not steer right Religion will be Shipwrakt g 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus duties towards God are the great object of Conscience but duties towards man are the Secundary and like unto it Towards man in our whole conversation h Acts 23.1 Particularly that we be obedient to rulers i Rom. 13.5 and that which is in one place charged upon us for Conscience sake is in another place commanded for the Lords sake k 1 Pet. 2.13 in short that we be just in all our dealings l Heb. 13 18. avoyding all justly offensive things m 1 Cor. 10.29 words n 1 Kings 2.44 thoughts o Psa 73.15.16 that we express singular charity p 1 Tim. 1 51 especialy to soules q Rom 9.1.2 and this in prayer r 2 Tim. 1.3.4 when we can doe nothing else and Conscience doth not onely do all this at present urging to duty or shooting or tingling under the commision of sin but it foresees things future provoking to good and cautioning against evill and also looks back upon things past with joy or torment so that it is easier to reckon what is not the object of conscience then what is in a word Every thing of duty and sin is the object of Conscience 3. The Offices of Conscience are likewise various In general the proper Office of Conscience is discursively to apply that light which is in the mind unto particular actions or cases The light which is in the mind is either the light of Nature or the light of Divine Revelation By the light of Nature I understand those common notions which are written in the hearts of men which as a brand pluckt out of the common burning are the reliques of the Image of God after the fall Not onely Scripture but experience evidenceth that those which are practical Atheists that say unto god depart from us Å¿ Job 21.14.15 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes yet cannot get rid of his Deputy their Conscience they carry a Spy a Register a Monitor in their bosome that doth accuse and trouble them they cannot sin in quiet t Quod egi in corpore hoc post modum importuna cogitatione verso in mente muâ—toties gravius torqueor in recordatione quam prius captus fuerem operis perpetratione Bern. de inteâ— dom c. 30 p. 1074. Those that are without or Reject the Sun-shine of Scripture yet they canot blow out Gods Candle u Prov. 20 17. of Conscience By Divine revelation I meane
Consciences from being violated and you cannot be miserable O how calm and quiet as well as holy and heavenly would our lives be had we learnt but this single Lesson to be carefull for nothing but to know and do our duty and to leave all effects consequents and events to God The truth is 't is a daring boldness for silly dust to prescribe to infinite wisedom and to let go our work to meddle with Gods he hath managed the concernments of the world and of every individuall person in it without giving occasion to any one to complain for above this five thousand years and doth he now need your counsell Therefore let it be your onely businesse to mind duty Aye but how shall I know my duty take a second memoriall II. What advice you would give to another take your selves e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c 33. Simp. p. 158. The worst of men are apt enough to lay such burthens on other mens f Mat. 3.4 shoulders which if they would take them upon their own they would be rare Christians e. g. The very outcry of those that revile Godliness who deal by the miscarriages of Professours as the Levite by his Concubine quarter them and divulge them even they expect that those which make a strict profession of Religion should be beyond exception blameless and they even they scorn those that make any defection from their professed strictnesse And on the other side those that are holy they expect that even graceless persons should bear reproof receive instruction and change the course of their lives In middle cases then between these extreams what exactnesse will serious Christians require where the byas of their own corruptions doth not misguide them David was twice g 2 SaÌ„ 12.5 6 7 2 Sam. 14.4 1â— surprised to pass sentence against himself by remote parables wherein he mistrusted not himself to be concerned wherein this rule 's too short add a third III. Do nothing on which you cannot pray for a blessing Where prayer doth not lead repentance must follow and 't is a desperate adventure to sin upon hopes of repentance Every action and cessation too of a Christian that 's good and not to be refused is sanctified by the word and h 1 Tim 4.5 6. prayer It becomes not a i Eph. 5.3 4. Christian to do any thing so triviâ—l k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas qu. ad Antioch p. 361. q. 77. that he can't pray over it and if he would but bestow a serious ejaculatory prayer upon every occurrent action he would find that such a prayer would cut off all things sinful demurr all things doubtfull and encourage all things lawful Therefore do nothing but what you can preface with prayer But these rules are all defective I 'le therefore close with an Example that 's infinitely above defects IV. Think and speak and do what you are perswaded Christ himselfe would do in your case were he upon the earth The heathen they proposed unto themselves the best examples they l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c. 51. Simpl. p. 282. had and therefore let us follow the best of m Mica 4.5 ours There are many rare examples in n Heb. 13 7. Scripture but we may say of them as 't is said of most of Davids Worthies whose highest commendation was with this diminution o 2 Sam. 23 19 23. they attained not unto the first three I propose therefore neither great nor small but the King of Saints p Rev. 15 3. it becomes a Christian rather to be an Example q 1 Pet. 2 12.15 1 Thes 1.7 then to follow one But by imitating of Christ you will come as near as 't is possible to the first three for your fellowship shall be with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ r 1 John 1.3 through the spirit of holiness who alone can teach you what it is to abide in Å¿ 1 John 2.27 Christ who was and is and ever will be our absolute copy t Heb. 13.8 O Christians how did Christ pray redeem time for prayer u Mar. 1.35 6.16 Lu. 6.12 John 11.42 How did Christ preach out of whose mouth proceeded no other but gracious words w Luke 4.22 that his enemies could not but admire him x John 7.46 at what rate did Christ value the world who did taught to renounce it y Mar. 10 21-27 what time did Christ speÌ„d in impertinent discourse who made their hearts burn within them whom he occasionally fell in company with z Lu. 24.17 32. How did Christ go up and down doing a Acts 10.38 good to man and always those things that were pleasing to b John 8.29 God Beloved I commend to you these four memorials to be as so many scarlet c Josh 2.18 21 threads upon every finger of the right hand one that you may never put forth your hand to action but these memorials may be in your eye 1. Mind d Acts 9.6 duty 2. What 's anothers duty in your case is e Rom. 2.21 yours 3. What you can't say the Blessing of the Lord be upon it do not meddle f Psal 129.8 with it But above all as soon forget your Christian name the name of a Christian as forget to eye Christ g Psal 123.2 and what ever entertainment you meet with from the profane world h John 15.18 c. remember your Exemplar i 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. and follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who whâ—n he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeâ—h righteously What must and can Persons do Towards their own CONVERSION Ezek. 18.32 Wherefore turn your selves and live yee THe words are part of that serious Exhortation begun in the 30. ver Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions continued in the 31. ver Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit and concluded in this verse Wherefore turn your selves c. In the former part of the verse the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I had rather men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved then die in their sins and perish through their impenitency Wherefore or therefore turn your selves The Exhortation in these words is back'd with a reason of great yea the greatest strength viz. Life turn and live that is ye shall live comfortably here and happily for ever hereafter There be four Propositions deducible from these words 1. That man is turn'd from God 2. That it's mans duty to turn unto God again 3. That the Lords willingness that men should rather live then die should be a strong Argument to move them to turn 4. That those who do turn shall live I shall wave all those
did to the King before he opened his mouth to give the sense of his Ominous Dream Dan. 4 19. The Dream be to them that hate thee and the Interpretation to thine enemies yet shall I not wish so much ill to our worst enemies but the Text be to them that hate God and the Interpretation only to the enemies and despisers or despitors of his grace It is one of the most startling Scriptures in all the Bible and one of the most Terrible flying fiery Roules in all the Book of God utterly consuming the house of the hypocrite Apostate with the timber thereof and the stones thereof and dreadfully affrighting his truly Religious neighbour who trembleth at Gods Word The Novatians or Cathari abused this place of old Gen. 40. to shut the Church-doors and gate of grace upon such as had fallen after their profession of Christianity And many poor souls and troubled consciences have as often quite perverted or misunderstood it to the shutting up the gate of heaven and door of hope against themselves after their bitterly bewail'd falls or slips but both unjustly But as Josephs Interpretation once of the same nights dream when rightly applyed did rid the Butler out of his misapprehended fears and onely left the more secure Baker under that execution which the other apprehended but himself never dreamt of so neither this nor any other Scripture speaks a word of terror to any sin-troubled soul that trembles at Gods threats But all the Prophets Prophesie good with one consent to these and my word shall be like one of theirs It was indeed once a joyfull sight which Jacob beheld at Bethel Gen 28.12 A ladder whose foot stood on the earth and the top reached to heaven and Angels ascending and descending upon it But here we see a Ladder whose top spires toward heaven but the foot resteth in hell where seeming Angels of light ascend or such new strange Gods ascend as the Witch once saw out of the earth but black Apostate Angels descend Intrat Angelus Exit daemon 1 Sam. 28.13 I am to speak of the Case of Relapses and my Text is the fairest glass to discover so foul a sight as I know Here we have the rise and fall the first and the last the better and worse part of an Apostate-hypocrite described 1. The former his Rise his first and Better part set out in five Particulars 1. Enlightening 2. Tasting the heavenly gift as of some common faith or repentance or the like 3. Partaking of the Holy Ghost which is not to be understood of the sanctifying graces of the Holy Ghost but the common or extraordinary gifts as of Tongues c. of the sanctifying Spirit 4. Tasting the good word of God 5. And the powers of the life to come He saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut cum edificium male sartum prorsus corruit Paroe in loc Had they had to these five steps two other more sincerity at the bottom of the Ladder and perseverance at the top they had been safe 2. The later his fall his last and worse part is set out in four Things 1. His fall is a break-neck fatal down-fall They fall away It is not an ordinary slip or stumble but a down-right not fair fall but a foul given them by Satan such a fall as his own was at first 2. The irrecoverableness of that fall they are past grace and grace and mercy hath done with them They cannot be renewed to repentance as is said of Esau there is no place for their repentance though he sought for the blessing with tears Heb. 12.17 3. The certainty of that irrecoverableness in that it is said to be impossible c. he doth not say it is hard or unlikely or seldom seen but is absolutely impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was never seen or ever shall be Impossible not so much ex natura rei as some things are utterly impossible which imply a contradiction as that true should be false good evil light darkness these impossible because inconsistent with the nature of the things themselves But impossible ex instituto Dei because inconsistent with Gods decree and declared will as impossible as we say An elect or true believer should perish or an impenitent person be saved so we mean impossible by reason of Gods irreversible decree concerning such 4. The cause that makes all this dead-sure and seals the stone of this certainty Seeing they crucifie to themselves afresh the Son of God and put him to open shame and make no account of the bloud of Christ and the grace and promise of the Gospel and of the comfort of the Holy Ghost and are therefore said to sin against the Holy Ghost because they directly slight resist and oppose the gracious office and workings of the holy Spirit But I must stay no longer upon the words by reason of that brevity expected in this Exercise Doct. Our Observation is It is the most fearful and dangerous condition in the world to begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh to rise and fall in Religion to decay and Apostatize from grace To have had some work of the Spirit and the Word upon their hearts so as to have light and love and taste and gifts and savour and seriousness and hopes and fears and after all to cool and give over Oh how desperate is such a case To go to hell with so much of heaven Oh what a hell is that Heb. 10.26 27. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin But a certain fearfull looking for of judgâ—ment c. 2 Pet 2.20 21 22. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them c. Such a thing there may be possibly the Text supposeth it that such may fall and fall away totally and finally only pronounceth an impossibility of their rising again Some are said to fall from grace Gal. 5.4 the stony and thâ—rny ground did so in a parable Demas Judas Saul Hymenaeus did so in good earnest A great Apostacy was foretold in the first days to let in Antichrist 2 Thes 2.3 And in the reign of Antichrist more 1 Tim 4.1 all are warned Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Heb. 12.15 Look diligently lest any fail of or fall from the grace of God Some of Johns hearers after a while left him Joh. 5.35 Many of our Saviours hearers quite left him Joh. 6.66 Many of Pauls supposed converts were turned away all they of Asia 2
though he was beloved of his God his Sun set in a cloud his last was not like his first Thus Sampson after many triumphs over the Philistims was at length circumvented and betrayed into their hands who bound him put out his eyes made sport with him who though his hair and strength grew again and he dyed in the Quarrell and dyed a Victor yet never did he regain his sight or liberty to his dying day These kind of decays are dangerous and make the people of God go mourning to their dying day and they are saved as by fire But are not inconsistent with grace This is like the fall of the haire in aged persons life yet remains but strength native heat and radicall moystness decay and the hair never grows alike thick again These are the fallings of the children of God and there are four worse than these follow of the unregenerate and each worse than other The 4 falls of the ungenerate 1 Sam 4.18 1. The first whereof is a finall fall but not a Totall at first but insensible by degrees sensim sine sensu grow worse and worse as the Thorny ground choaked with cares or drowned with the pleasures of the world This proves like Elies fall they fall backward break their necks and dye of it and may with him be much lamented and pittyed but they are dead and lost 2. Some fall totally and finally but not premoditately and voluntarily at first but are driven back by the lyon of Persecution and Tribulation in the way Mark 4.17 and they retreat These endure for a season as the stony ground and leaving God they are for ever left and forsaken of him 1 Chron. 28.9 This is like the fall of Sisera at the feet of Jael Judg. 5.27 At her feet he bowed he fell he lay downe at her feet he bowed he fell where he bowed he fell and lay down dead 3. Some more fearfully Totally finally voluntarily deliberately but not yet maliciously Thus Demas is supposed to fall who of a forward Disciple or Teacher is said to have become after an Idol Priest at Thessalonica so Dorotheus reports of him Thus fell Saul who having rejected the Word of the Lord 1 Sam. 16.14 the Lord rejected him and the spirit of God departed from him and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him Of these three last I may say as Elisha to Hazael of Benhadad 2 King 8.10 These may certainly recover howbeit saith he the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely dye These have not yet crucified the Son of God afresh nor done despight to the Spirit of grace therefore it is not impossible they should be renewed again to repentance These are like Sardis Rev. 3.1.2 3. may have a name to live but are dead Their works not perfect before God ready to dye yet are called once again to Repentance otherwise certain destruction threatned But this is like the fall of Haman whose doom was read by his wife and best friends Esth 6.13 If once thou beginnest to fall thou shalt not recover but shalt certainly fall irrecoverably And these end fearfully usually and unpittyed spectacles of Gods wrath to astonish and warn others as Spira once 4. The fourth and last fall follows which is like the opening of the fourth Seal Rev. 6.8 and the fourth horse appears a pale horse and he that sate on him is called Death and Hell followed with him When men fall Totally finally voluntarily and maliciously Thus Simon Magus Julian the Apostate Hymaeneus and Alexander whose names are in Gods black book Here the Gulfe is fixed and thee is a nulla retrorsum hence These are not to be renewed by repentance This fall is like that of Jerichos walls Josh 6.20 Jer. 51.58 they fell down flat with a curse annexed or as Babylons walls with a Vengeance both without hope of repairing Or like the fall of Lucifer the first Apostate without offer or hope of offer of grace any more for ever or like the fall of Judas who falling headlong burst asunder in the midst Acts 1.18 and all his bowels gushed out There is also another kind of fall of a mixt or middle nature The mixt fall and to which side of the two Godly or Reprobate I should cast it is not so easie to determine A reiterated fall into some foule act or curse of sinne and herein I must proceed as warily as the Priest of old in a doubtfull case of Leprosie whether to pronounce Clean or Vnclean Lev. 13 4 5 6 c. and by his rule I shall go He was to shut him up seven dayes and look upon him better ere he could give his Definitive sentence If therefore 1. I see the sore be but skin deep Lev. 13.4 34. and have not corrupted the blood 2. If it stand at a stay and spread not further v 5.6 So also v. 23.28.34.37 3. If all become white by repentance and mortification I shall pronounce him clean It is a scab it is but a scab vers 6. or a scall v. 34 It is no deadly Leprosie But on the other side 1. If it be deeper then the skin having taken the heart with the love and liking of it v. 20.25.30 2. If it spread further and further by renewed acts vers 8.27.36 3. If there be proud raw flesh in the rising vers 10.14 15. and the man presumptuously live in it and plead for it I shall pronounce him unclean it is an old Leprosie vers 11. It is not the spot of Gods children Deut. 35.5 Concerning Relapses I shall desire you to take notice of these eight observations 1. It is very observable that the holy Ghost is very sparing in setting down in the Scriptures instances in this kind well foreseeing how apt flesh and bloud is to abuse and pervert such Examples to their own destruction Such examples are as Simeon said of Christ Luk. 2.34 set for the fall and rising again of many and are a signe spoken against How have Davids and Peters falls emboldned many to fall and live in sin There is not one instance in all Scripture of any Saint that laid violent hands up himself lest any should presume to do the like But one Example of late Repentance accepted lest many should presume yet one lest any should despair Those falls are not set as Land-marks to guide you but as Sea-marks to warn you 2. It is certain Paul returned not to persecute the Church after his Conversion or Manasses to re-erect Idolatry or Matthew to the Receit of Custome after he was called thence 3. Nor did David and Peter fall again into the same soul act of sinne after they had truly repented 4. They were only wicked ones as Ahab Pharaoh Saul Jeroboam who persist and return to sinful courses from drunkenness to thirst from thirst to drunkenness Of Jeroboam it is said After this the Prophets warning his Arme smitten his prayer thereupon
Archeus is busie in holy souls that mighty principle of life is counter-working the flesh and its lusts So that now the weapons of a Christians warfare are mighty thr ugh God for the pulling dâ—wn of strong holds and the captivating every imagination yea bringing every thought into the obedience of Chr st 2 Cor. 10 4 5 17. 3 Here are the terms and bounds of the Spirits conquests in this present life at which a Christians hopes and endeavours must take aim not the extirpating but subduing not the not having but the not fullfilling the lusts of the flesh the flesh will be lusting that accursed womb will be conceiving in the regenerate themselves But here is the Christians priviledge that while he walks in the Spirit those conceptions shall prove abortive 4. The words entirely and in sum present us with the method and way of conquering with the art of circumventing sin in the first avenues and approaches of it Walk in the Spirit c. this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great and Achillaean Stratagem against the powers of darkness the true and only course we are to take if we would strangle the brats of night and hell in their very birth and crush the Cockatrice's egge whilst it is hatching and before it excludes the Serpent So that in fine the Observation which resulteth is this The best expedient in the world not to fulfill the lusts of the flâ—sh Doctr. is to walk in the Spirit which what it imports I come now to shew 1. Walk in the Spirit i. e. in obedience to Gods Commandments which are the Oracles of the Spirit that this is excellently preventive of fulfilling the motions to sin appeareth Psa 119 1 2 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord Blessed are they that keep his testimonies they also do no iniquity again a little lower ver 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Aristotle that great Dictator in Philosophy despaired of atchieving so great an enterprise as the rendering a young man capable of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grave and severe lectures of morality for that age is light and foolish yet b Cereus in vitium flecti monitoribus asper Hor. ar Poct head-strong and untractable Now take a young man all in the heat and boyling of his blood in the highest fermentation of his youthful lusts and at all these disadvantages let him enter that great School of the holy Spâ—râ—t the divine Scripture and permit himself to the conduct of those blessed Oracles and he shall effectually be convinced by his own experience of the incredible vertue the vast and mighty power of Gods word in the success it hath upon him and in his daily progressions advances in heavenly wisdom Let me invite you then this day in the Prophets words Isa 2 5. O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord and what that is David tels us Psa 119.105 Thy words are a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths and Hos 6.5 His judgements are as a light that goeth forth Order thy steps by his word and thou shalt not tread awry let the Law of thy God be in thine heart and sin which is the transgression of the Law shall not come nigh thee walk in this broad day-light of the Sun of Righteousness shining in the Scriptures and thou shalt have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness This was the practise and experience too of the man after Gods own heart I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 It is good writing after the copy of so great a Master Go thou and do likewise 2. Walk in the Spirit i. e. as becometh those in whom Gods Spirit dwells as if the Apostle had said the part which ye are now to act O ye Christian Galatians it is that of new creatures see that ye keep the Decorum Demean your selves like the children of God who are led of the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Be true to your part fill it up adorn it and then sure enough ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for that were to act the part just contrary to what you sustain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he that is to represent upon the stage some generous and heroique person cannot do the least base and sordid thing but he breaks his part and digresseth into the garb and posture of a vile and abject person whilst he is true to his part he cannot possibly do any thing that is absurd and mis-beseeming Some of the Nethinim stood continually Porters at the door of the Temple to keep out whatsoever was unclean and hereunto the Apostle palpably alludeth 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you now if any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are So then that which the Rule amounts to by this interpretation is Walke in th sp rit * That a good mans soule is a Temple which God inhabits the Phâ—losophers acknowledge and that the honour and worship rendred to him in a purâ— and holy mind is incompaâ—ably more worthy and acceptable then all the cosiliest sâ—crifices offerings in Temples made with ha ds how magnificent soever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hicrocl in â—ythag aur carn p. 28. i. e. Walke as becomes the Temples of the holy Ghost and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 8. Walke in the Spirit i. e. Fulfill the counsels and advices of the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Every renewed soul is the Scean and Stage wherein the two mightiest Contraries in the world the Spirit and the Flesh i. e. light and darknesse life and death heaven and hell good and evill Michael and his Angels and the Dragon with his are perpetually combating hand to hand And well is it for a Christian that the holy Spirit is lusting in him against the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God takes thy part Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arrian in Epictet l. 2. c. 17. the spirit of the Lord of Hosts is with thee if thou dost not sinne and grieve him away Follow but thy Leader be prompt and ready to start at the Divine signall when the holy Ghost displays his Ensâ—gns then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 March presently forth under those mighty and victorious banners and thou shalt become Invincibâ—e * When a Christian goeth out thus to warfare following the Almighty conduct of his God he must needs proceed conquering and to conquer My soul followeth hard after thee saith David thy right hand upholds me Psal 63.8 The Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soul cleaves after thee As
the grace contrary to the lust that is stirring if it be pride and vain-glory in the applause of men think how ridiculous it were for a criminall to please himself in the esteem and honour his fellow-prisoners render him forgetting how guilty he is before his Judge If thou beginnest to be powred loosely out and as it were dissolved in frolick mirth and jovialty correct that vainnesse and gayety of spirit by the grave and sober thoughts of death and judgement and eâ—ernity Rule 6 If this avail not fall instantly to prayer and indeed all along the whole encounter with thy lusts Pray continually lift up thy heart to God with sighs and groans unutterable Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down Tell him thy lusts are his enemies as well as thine tell him they are too strong for thee beg of him that he would interpose and make bare his arme and get himself a glorious name Awake Isa 51.9 awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Intreat him of all love to pity thee even by his very bowels and not to let the enemy triumph over thee Tell him thou knowest not what to do but thy eyes are towards him Bemoan thy self before him and plead his glory with him and his truth and faithfulness Spread his own gracious promises in his eyes Psal 27.14 Isa 40.28 29 30 31. Psal 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Such Ejaculations or Meditations as these are mighty usefull Gods children find them so in the very paroxisme and assault But if the Temptation continue get into thy Closet and humble thy self greatly before thy God throw thy self at his feet tell him thou wilt not rise till he hath given thee a token for good no thou art resolved there to lye hanging on him and not to let him go untill he bless thee O how welcome is every honest heart to the father of Spirits when it comes on such an errand and in such a manner to the throne of grace God cannot chuse but melt in pity and tendernesse over his poor desolate ones when he sees the anguish of their souls How can I give thee up O Ephraim my bowels are troubled for thee Jer. 31.20 Isa 49.14 they will not give me leave to forget thee Is Ephraim my dear son I do earnestly remember him I wil surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Give not over wrestling like Jacob Gen. 32.26 27 28. till thou risest Israel one who hast power with God and prevailest And it is worth observing that the Lord takes pleasure to be called the mighty God of Jacob and the Lord God of Israel as if he reckoned it an honour that once the worme Jacob wrestled with his omnipotence and overcame him he seems to glory in his being conquered and chuseth that for his name and for his memoriall throughout generations which is an everlasting monument that a poor frail man got the day of him So much doth the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous prevail Perhaps sometime it may be requisite to joyne secret fasting with thy prayer It may be the Devil that tempts thee is of that kind that will not go out but by prayer and fasting Mat. 17.21 Thus Daniel lay prostrate at Gods feet till a hand touched him and set him upon his knees and the voice said to him O Daniel greatly beloved c. Dan. cap. 10. vers 2 3 compared with 10 11. with 18 19. verses When thou hast done this Rise up and buckle on the shield of faith Rule 7 which is able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one Ephes 6 16. Cloath thy soul with an heroick confidence in the power and faithfulnesse of thy God and in the name and majesty of the Lord of hosts bid battle to thy lusts and to all the powers of darknesse Prov. 7.16 Take heed of going out in thy own single strength for lust hath cast down many strong men wounded While thou art kâ—eping thine owne heart with all diligence forget not by faith to bring the great keeper of Israel in If any other man could have kept his own heart sure the man after Gods own heart could have done it Virg. Aeneid Si Pergama dextra Defendi possent etiam hac defensa fuissent But the matter of Vriah and Bathsheba stands on record to all posterity to the contrary For except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain Psalm 127.1 Do not venture to grapple with the roaring Lyon but in the strength of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah who is also the Lamb of God and the great shepheard of Israel Isa 40.11 that carries his lambs in his bosome and whether should the pursued Lamb betake it self but into that shepheaâ—ds arms In time of trouble spirituall as well as other he will hide thee in the secret of his Tabernacle in his pavilion will he hide thee and set thee as upon a rocke Psal 27.5 He never fails the eyes of them that look up to him nor makes his people ashamed of their hope What time thou art afraid trust in him His name is a strong tower Cast thy care upon him and expect the same pity from thy God which the men of Iabesh-Gilead found from Saul when Nabash the barbarous Ammonite would have put out their right eyes To morrow ere the Sun be hot ye shall have help 1 Sam. 11.9 If the King of Israels bowels yerned over those poor men shall not the bowels of the God of Israel over those that fear him Yes upon his honour truth and faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serpens hebr he will not suffer that cruell Nahash to allude to the signification of the word that old Serpent to have his will upon them if he doth not come to day he will to morrow ere the Sun be hot Lift up your heads therefore O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory The LORD strong and mighty the LORD mighty in battle Psal 24.7 8. Thus was Joseph rescued from the Archers that shot at him and sorely grieved him His bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the arms of the mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.23 24. Vse 1 Information I come at length to the Use We are to learn hence That our souls are not as they came out of the father of Spirits hands they appear as it were wrong risen in the world and begin to tread awry the very first steps they measure on the stage of Earth All the symptomes of degeneracy are upon them The best of men that ever yet blest the earth with their Residence upon it except that Son of man who was only so by the mothers side being by the Fathers
are not altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incompatible affections Nay love may be the principle and foundation of that anger which shoots its rebuking arrows against the But of Sin It is well observed by the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There may be accusations and reprehensions connext with that love which designs the profit and benefit of the persons beloved Arist Ethic. l. 10. c. 13. and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hee saies according to the Rule even of right reason Thou mayest tell thy childe and that with some grains of vehemency that if hee continue in sinful courses that God will be angry and thou wilt be angry and then let him know what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 10.31 Ephes 4.26 This is the way to bee angry and not to sin as the Apostle commands Let not your passions like unruly torrents overflow the banks that are limited by Scripture and reason There is a grave and sober anger that will procure Reverence and advance Reformation That which is mixt with horrid noise and clamours floweth from the breast of fools In vain shalt thou attempt to reclaim others who art so exorbitant thy self Hee that le ts loose the reigns upon the necks of the unruly horses of his passions will endanger the tumbling his reason out of the Chariot How shall that person in his rebukes speak reason to another that hath lost his own Hee that is a slave to his irascible appetite can never manage ingenious Reproofs A childe can never perswade himself that such anger proceedeth from love when hee is made the sink to receive the daily disgorgements of a cholerick stomach when the unhappy necessity of his relation ties him to be alwaies in the way wheâ—e an angry disposition must vent and empty it self If thou that rulest be thus unruly How canst thou expect thy Inferiors to be regular when thy uncomely demeanour does almost convince them that love can hardly bee the genuine root of thine anger but that they are made the sad objects of thy native temper or that thy reprehension is spiced with hatred Observe therefore a prudent administration of thy rebukes Gild those bitter pills with the hopes of recovering thy favour upon amendment Plut. ibid. p. 22. Gassend in Epicur Tom. 3. p. 1511. mix these unpleasant potions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with some sweet emollient juices that such inter-woven lenity may procure access for your admonitions and effect your desired issue The quality of the offence and the various aggravations of it must state the quantity measure and duration of thine anger Great faults if repeated deserve a greater ardency of spirit Consider likewise the station and place of thy several relations A wife ought not to be rebuked before children and servants lest her subordinate authority be diminished Contempt cast upon the wife will reflect upon the husband at last Yea for smaller offences in children and servants if they be not committed openly rebuke them apart and in private But above all Take heed thou be not found more severe in reproving faults against thy self than sins against the great God They that honour mee said God to Eli in the case of his Sons I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and they that despise mee shall bee lightly esteemed It is a point of excellent wisdome to manage thy family aright in these cases A Pilot may shew as much skill and dexterity in steering of a little catch or pinnace of pleasure as of the vast Gallions of Spain If thou hast cause to be angry yet let not thy storms run all upon the rocks but endeauour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speedily to cool the inflammation to abate the fever Plut. ib. p. 23. and slake the fire of anger It is better for a Father to be often and nimble than to be heavy and durable in his wrath Wink at infirmities if not such as are immediately sinful chide them with frowns and not with bitter assaults reserve thy publick and sharp reprehensions for open and scandalous offences for reiterated and repeated transgressions which bear a shew of great neglect if not of some contempt and disdain 7. Keep up a constant and vigorous practice of holy duties in thy family Josh 24.15 Deut. 6.7 As for mee saies Joshua I and my house will serve the Lord. Moses commanded the Israelites to go over the Laws and Precepts which hee had given them from God in their own Families in private among their children The Instructions and Exhortations of Gods Ministers in publick should be repeated at home and whetted to and again upon the little ones Samuel had a feast upon the Sacrifize in his own house 1 Sam. 9.12 22. Job and others had Sacrifices in their own Families The Passeover-Lamb was to be eaten in every particular house Exod. 12.3 4. God saies hee will pour out his fury upon the families that call not upon his name Zech. 12.12 13. There are times that every family must be apart as well as every wife and person apart All the Males of Abrahams family were appointed to pass under the Ordinance of Circumcision The keeping up of family-duties makes every little house become a Sanctuary a Bethel a house of God And here I would advise that Christians be not over-tedious in their duties of private worship I have heard from a near relation of that holy man Mr. Dod that hee gave this counsel that the constant family-prayers should not ordinarily exceed above a quarter of an hour if so much The morning and evening Sacrifices at the Temple and the Passeover offerings which were for every family consisted but of one Lamb. Take heed of making the waies of God irksome and unpleasant If God draw forth thy heart sometimes do not reject and repress divine breathings but usually labour for succinctness and brevity such as may stand with holy reverence to God so as not to huddle over excellent and weighty duties and yet such as may render Religious Worship desirable in the eyes of those whom thou wouldest have to look towards Canaan The Spirit is willing many times when the flesh is weak and a person may better for a little time keep his thoughts from wandring and discomposure when as the large expense of expressions gives occasion for too much diversion Eccles 5.2 God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few When our Lord gave his Disciples a form of prayer which was for quotidian and daily use as appears by that petition Give us this day our daily bread you know how short and compendious it is Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirits are like strings of harps and bows which if never remitted and slackened will crack and make those instruments unserviceable It is of good use likewise to vary the duties of Religion Sometimes sing and sometimes read sometimes repeat sometimes
other two offices and if thou hast any love to Christ in sincerity it was the sight of him in this that first kindled it And thus bespeak thy self Didst thou ever oh my soul seriously consider what Christ hath undertaken in thy behalf with the jealous God whose face thou couldst not see and live wa st thou ever convinced that all thy prayers duties outward priviledges and devotions were little worth and could not have ought availed thee Heb. 10.10.12 1 Cor. 2.2 unless by his own blood hee had first entred within the vail and made attonement for thee And then with the same blood went afterwards to the right hand of God and put him in minde of his Covenant to procure actual Grace and Peace and Adoption for thee And is it a pleasure to thee as well as thy admiration to be alwaies musing and searching what such an Abysse of grace and goodness should mean And in the midst of thy musings was it that thy affections first took this holy fire and were even surprized into love Rom. 8.34 Phil. 3.7 8. Is it by his Mediation that thou findest thy expectations from God and thy delight in him supported And dost thou rejoyce in him as one whose goodness thou adorest and whose favour with God purchased by his own merit thou admirest And therefore art most willing to trust all thy concernments in his hands and in all thy addresses to God comest leaning upon the Arms of him Cant. 8.5 as thy Beloved Mediatour and Intercessor why thus to renounce our own Righteousness and â—â—â—â—el our hearts warmed into a further estimation of his to attributâ—â—â—l our acceptance with God to him Briefly to be intensively willing of Christ and to look upon him with full satisfaction of spirit in all his priestly Administrations This is sincerely to love Christ as our High-Priest And on the contrary to undervalue his blood either as needless by presumption or as worthless by desperation to be ascribing to our selves when wee receive any kindness or favour from God to doate upon our own worth and righteousness as that which is sufficient without either Christs Righteousness Satisfaction or Intercession Heb. 10.28 This is interpretatively to reject him from being our High-Priest and to hate the person of our Lord. Thus try your selves whether yee love Christ in his Priestly Office and when you have done with that take thy soul to his Prophetical Office and make a further trial by bespeaking thy self after the same manner Thus Didst thou ever oh my soul seriously consider that thou wast made for an eternal life and that none could ever chalk thee out the way thereto it being only to be learnt in the School of this great Prophet And thereupon hast thou wholly ceased from listening unto any other and as a loving Disciple hast thou found pleasure in seeking the Law even the word of thy Salvation at his mouth Doth thy heart throughly savour his Doctrine and dost thou like the Discipline of his School Dost thou make it thy study to know and lay it as a charge upon thy self to keep the words of this great Master and Prophet Ioh. 14.23 24. And even now that hee is gone to Heaven and hath left his word in the Scripture behinde him and hath sent his Spirit and set up under Officers in his School and precious Ordinances for thy guidance and direction dost thou value the Scriptures above all other writings in the world and witness thy esteem of them by thy daily perusal and study of them dost thou bear a Reverence in thy breast to all Christs Officers and Institutions Cant. 5.16 Psal 1.2 Heb. 2.1 Dost thou account the mouth of Christ most sweet and even delight to hear his voice in the Scripture and in every Ordinance and when thou hast heard doest thou lay up what thou hast been taught as the faithful counsel of thy dearest Teacher and rejoyce therein More particularly what is thy carriage towards his Spirit dost thou hear when hee calls and art thou tractable to all his Motions dost thou grieve him or art thou willing to be instructed and guided by him why thus to cease from leaning to our own understandings to give up our selves to Christ and his Spirit in the Scriptures and in all the Ordinances of the Gospel to be the serious and willing Disciples of Christ This is to love Christ as our Prophet in sincerity That is the second office Once more to make thâ—â—â—al by this mark Compleat and that will respect his Kingly office 〈◊〉 this is as easie as either of the former for our loyalty and voluntary Subjection to Christ as commanding and governing this is love And the hearts rebellion against Christ rejecting his dominion murmuring against his Laws finding fault with his administrations disturbing his subjects and disquieting the peace of his Kingdome envying him the multitude of his subjects and yeelding no obedience to his commands all these are several branches of enmity against Christ as King and Soveraign Put the case therefore home to thy own soul if thou wouldest not be mistaken and say Doth Christ rule within thee oh my soul or doth self and Satan Art thou glad with his Soveraignty or is it the yoak thou canst not bear do the Laws of his Kingdome bear sway within thee Rom. 6. or is it the Law of thy Members and carnal self when both come in competition whose command doest thou in the course of thy life most commonly fulfill whose Kingdome art thou most delighted in the advancement of Is it a pleasure to thee that thy Lord doth reign and that his Throne is more universally exalted or else doth thy heart rise against the advancement of Christs Kingdome In whom dost thou finde thy greatest delight is it rather in the company of Rebels that would pull the Crown from the head of Christ then in the humble and obedient subjects of thy Lord dost thou take Christ to be thy Prince and Soveraign and dost thou love the peace and glory of his Kingdome as becomes an obedient subject of so great a Lord why this is intensively to will Christum Regem or to love him as King And this is the third Office and the fourth Character If you would make sure work this is a Rule which will not deceive you 5. Character If wee have a fellowship with Christ in his honour and dishonours or in his joyes and sorrows then is our love not feigned unto Christ but in sincerity True-love if I may be allowed so to speak mixeth concernments my meaning is that it makes anothers joyes and sorrows to be mine as well as his they may write hatred upon themselves who are regardless whether it go well or ill with Christs interests in the world No communion with Christ no love Even the personal reproaches and abuses which Christ indured here below though so many hundred years since do yet affect them and they that love
sincere beleeve and love Would God command a man to examine himself whether hee bee in the faith if there were not rules sutable and sufficient to direct us to know the nature of faith and wherein it doth consist 2. God hath given to a man a power to understand consider deliberate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antonin l 11. ss 12. Edit cant 1652. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem L. 11. ss 1. and reflect upon himself and judge of himself and of his waies herein a man is above a bruite a beast likes his pasture but cannot know his propriety Certainly a man that is not a stranger to himself but a diligent observer of the actings of his soul might know what they are yea and discern the moral modifications of those acts For Conscience is privy to the principle and spring of all our actings to the manner and the end If I love a man by reflecting upon my self I know I love him and shall this noble power of the soul bee only useless in the greatest concernments of my soul Can I know what I approve esteem most and delight in most and breath and pant after most in other things and not in this it is true conscience is naturally blinde in spiritual things but yet directed by the word and inlightned by the spirit might pass a judgement upon a man For as the Moon borroweth light from the Sun and so communicateth light unto the world which else it could not do so conscience receiving light from the word and spirit discovereth what else it could not do So it is called the candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Not only taking notice of the outward acts in the life but the inward motions of the heart not only of some but it hath a power to take cognizance of them all Conscience is like the urine which discovereth whether a person bee sound in health or shews what his distemper is By the Eccho caused by the reflexion of the sound a man heareth his word after hee hath spoken it so by the reflecting power of conscience a man views his actions after they are done and hears his words after they bee spoken A man fees his spots or beauty in the glass by the reflexion of the species that do represent them to his view As Josephs brethrens consciences told them that they were true men and not l Gen. 42.31 spies so conscience may truly tell a man that hee is sincere and not an hypocrite Thus conscience is said to bee a witness Rom. 9.1 I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also beâ—ring mee witness in the Holy Ghost to accuse and to excuse Rom 2.15 So it is a judge condemning or acquitting according as a mans state is found to bee So much Heathens have spoken of conscience * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl Comment in Pytha. Carm. Unfeigned willingness to part with and mortify every sin a sure sign of saving grace Now that the Scripture containeth Characters of sincerity and that a man comparing himself by those Characters might certainly know that hee is sincere will bee evidenced by these Scriptures Psal 19.13 Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over mee then mark then shall I bee upright When there is no one known sin but a man is really willing should be mortified and parted with his most beloved sin that is neerest to him which by way of propriety hee may call his own in an especial manner which is the last sin a man parteth with and if there bee any sin which a man is unwilling to part with and will keep a man off from Christ it is his bosome sin his darling and the truth is that if any man keep love any one sin which hee will not let go to close fully with Christ let his profession bee never so great hee is an hypocrite Some men part with Christ for one lust for one sin Luke 18.22 When Jesus heard these things how far he had gone how much he had done hee said unto him yet lackest thou one thing Love to his riches and prizing them more than Christ was his ruine one stab at the heart with a Pen-knife will as certainly kill a man as a thousand wounds with a sword one disease that is mortal will as certainly bring a man to his grave as twenty and one leak in a ship will sink it as more Herod did many things but yet hee would not let go his Herodias Mark 6.17 18 19 20. It is a sure rule that which a man loves most hee will indeavour to keep longest Skin for skin all that a man hath will hee give for his life A man prizeth his right hand much but his head more and therefore to save his head hee will hold up his hand and venture the loss of the one to save the other There may bee many sins a man might love but one especially and hee may bee willing the other should bee pared off to preserve that but when hee is willing to leave all to indulge himself in none no not his darling sin it is a sign of sincerity Consult these Scriptures Psalm 17.1 3 4. Psalm 119.1 2 3 6. Job 1 8. 2.3 31. cap. throughout Now a man may by diligent enquirie finde out his beâ—oved sin A man may know whether hee bee thus willing to part with sin and hee may know and his conscience may bear him witness of his willingness to part with this to have it subdued and that by the grace of God hee doth keep himself from it that it bears not rule nor dominion in his soul Psalm 18.23 I was also upright before him How doth David manifest this by the observation of his heart and waies in this particular for it followeth and I kept my self from mine iniquity There is as much power of God required and strength of grace to make a man part with his beloved sin as all the rest Thus Hezekiah knew his sincerity Isa 38.3 Hee had the testimony of his conscience and was sure of it else how could hee have made his appeal to God Remember now oh Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Likewise a man might certainly know True faith might bee discovered in us that hee hath justifying faith is proved from 2 Cor. 13.5 Examiâ—e your selves whether yee bee in the faith prove your ownselves know yee not your own selves how that Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates Doâ—h God so strictly charge us to know that which cannot bee known that faith here spoken of thâ—t wee must enquire after is a justifying faith appears from the Text. 1. By this Christ dwelleth in us and so not by any other faith 2.
over all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than Conquerours Over-overcome Fifthly In whose strength it is that wee are enabled to keep our stedfastness that maketh it the more certain in the strength of Christ and not our own Sixthly His confidence and hee had the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am perswaded though sometimes it signifies no more than a moral perswasion or probable conjecture yet it doth not exclude a certainty of knowledge Rom. 14 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ that there is nothing unclean of it self That is I certainly know it must therefore be judged by the circumstances of the text Seventhly It is not said only they shall not separate but that they cannot separate us from the Love of God whether love be taken actively or passively for the love wherewith wee love God or the love wherewith wee are beloved by God is not now material it is true of both The sum of this might be gathered up in this Syllogism Those that may certainly know that they do sincerely beleeve and love God may certainly know that they shall be saved But a real beleever may certainly know that hee doth sincerely beleeve and love God therefore hee may certainly know that hee shall be saved Thus far of the first Argument from our graces and the infallible connexion between them and glory because I may be judged to be too long in this I will bee shorter in the rest that I may come to the second part of the Question 2. A beleever may know that hee shall bee saved 2. Argument from the inhabitation of the Spirit because hee may know hee hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him The in-dwelling of the Spirit is proper and peculiar to beleevers for the world cannot receive him Joh. 14.17 That they have the Spirit they may know by the special effects which hee produceth in that heart where hee dwells by his convincing humbling sanctifying work 1 Cor. 6.11 by inabling them to make progress in their sanctification 2 Cor. 3.18 by his special assistance vouchsafed to them in holy prayer with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 27. By inabling them to mortifie their sins more and more Rom. 8.13 Now by all these effects the in-dwelling of the Spirit of God in the heart of a beleever being manifested it doth assure him of three things First By the inhabitation of the Spirit hee may know his eternal Election 2 Thes 2.13 because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit Secondly By this wee may be sure of our Adoption Gal. 4.6 And because yee are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Thirdly By the Spirit dwelling in us wee may be sure of eternal Salvation Ephes 1.13 14. In whom yee also trusted after that ye heard the word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that yee beleeved yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the praise of his glory In which Text there are two words that are to be considered the Spirit is a seal it is an earnest a seal among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 1. For Secrecy 2. For Distinction 3. For Authority 4. For Certainty A writing sealed is authentick and for ensuring It is an earnest so also called 2 Cor. 1.22 a Metaphor taken from buyers and sellers An earnest among men is part of payment and though it be but small yet it is sufficient to secure you of that which is of very great value Though there be no commutative Justice betwixt God and the Creature yet here it hath its weight There is this difference betwixt an earnest and a pawn A pawn might bee fetcht from his hands to whom it was committed to keep but an earnest binds a man to stand to his agreement or at least hee must lose his earnest But God will give the whole Inheritance and will not lose his earnest For our greater comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peculiariter dicitur pars aliqua persoluta pretii in venditione intervenientis ut fides fiat reliquae persolvendae summae Beza wee may take notice of these particulars in this Text and the 2 Cor. 1.21 22. compared together 1. The person sealing the Father 2. In whom in Christ 3. With what seal the Spirit of Promise where are all the persons in the Trinity making us sure of our Inheritance 4. When after ye beleeved 5. The end subordinate the certainty of our salvation a seal an earnest ultimate the praise of his glory 6. How long this seal and earnest shall thus assure us and that is till wee have the compleat possession of what it is an earnest 3 Argument from Instances ab esse ad posse valet consequentia 3. Many have without extraordinary revelation obtained a certain knowledge that they should be saved Therefore it is possible That which hath been done is not impossible 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course Henceforth there is a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge will give mee at that day and not to mee onely but to all them also that love his appearing This certainty the Apostle gathers from his sincerity and constancy in his Obedience and Faith and declareth the same certainty that all those have that know they love his appearing Heb. 10.34 Knowing in your selves that yee have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Par parium est ratio par affirmatio 4. God commands us to make our calling and election sure 4 Argument Nemo tenetur ad impossibile therefore it is possible Gods commands are not evidences of our ability but yet are of the possibility of the duty that he commands they do not tell us what wee by our own strength can do but yet they declare what by our diligence and Gods assistance may bee done 2 Pet. 1.10 and if wee can make our election sure not in it self for so it is 2 Tim. 2.19 but to our selves wee may bee sure of salvation Rom. 8.30 Whom hee did predestinate them hee also called and whom hee called them hee also justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified 5. The Papists grant a certainty of hope 5 Argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.11 supposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.12 Second part of the Case therefore wee may have a certainty of faith for by faith wee must first apprehend the object before wee can hope for it and according to the measure degrees and strength of our faith is our hope hee that hath but a weak faith cannot have a strong hope If Abraham had staggered in his faith hee had not been stedfast in his hope Rom. 15.13 Now the God of
that thou art willing to part with any thing that might hinder thee from obtaining of it and do any duty prescribed by God though displeasing to thy flesh and use them as means for the attaining of â—o excellent an end wouldest thou have him whatever it cost thee canst thou not be without him whatever thou be without then pass sentence for thy self concluding thy condition to be happy This is the neerest way to finde out thy condition not stand wrangling with thy self for thy former neglects any further than for thy humiliation and do not so much enquire what thou hast not formerly done as what now thou art really willing to do Besides this solemn set examination thou shalt finde it very profitable to get and keep a sight of thy spiritual condition to call thy self to an account every night before thou sleep where thou hast been that day what thou hast done what company thou hast been in what sin thou hast committed what duty thou hast omitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Carm. and mourn if thou hast fallen and return thy hearty thanks to God if thou hast walked carefully and circumspectly that day this counsel a noble Heathen did give to call our selves to an account before wee sleep 3. Direction 3. That thy assurance may be yet more compleat and full and thy comfort arising from the same more enlarged Fall down at the Throne of Grace and beg earnestly and pray importunately for the witness of the Spirit of God For as it is the Spirit that worketh grace in us so it is the Spirit that must discover the truth of that grace to us 1 Cor. 2.12 Now wee have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that wee are the children of God But beware thou take not Satanical delusions for the spirits perswasion or the conceit of thy own brain for the witness of the Spirit The Spirit never witnesseth any thing to any man contrary to what is revealed in the Word for hee is a Spirit of Truth and never speaks contradictions therefore if any man thinketh that he hath the witness of the Spirit testifying that hee is a childe of God and yet is not holy humble penitent hee is deceived but if thou hast the Graces of the Spirit and the Spirit witnesseth so much unto thy conscience and with thy conscience 1. It inflameth thy heart with love to God and Christ 2. It raiseth more hatred in thee to thy sin 3. Thou findest a mighty strength and power in it engaging thy soul to walk humbly holily with thy God 4. A wonderful cogency in it to be zealous for God in suffering â—ny thing for his sake and doing and obeying any thing that hee enjoyns thou hast incouragement to ask this of God because it is according to his will q Joh. 14.13 14 Joh. 14.21 Lord is it not according to thy will that I should be careful of my immortal soul and make sure its eternal Happiness and Salvation it is thy commaâ—d I should do so that I should examine my self whether I be in the Faith and whether Christ be formed in my heart Lord I have examined but yet I cannot clearly see it I see there is some grounds to hope it but yet I cannot confidently assert it Oh thou blessed Spirit of God clear up mine understanding and stir up and excite my graces that I may feel the actings of them in my soul and so better discern them Though this be arbitrary and not necessary yet do to mee as thou didst unto thy servant David when hee prayed that thou wouldest lift up upon him the light of thy countenance thou puttest gladness into his heart r Psal 4.6.7 4. Direction 4. Presse after the highest degrees of Grace and be much in the exercise thereof if thou wouldest clearly discern thy spiritual condition The weakness of thy grace makes thee doubt of the truth of grace The Christian must be like the Crocodile * As some affirm that grows as long as it lives and ceaseth to be when it ceaseth to grow The body of a man is continually growing till hee come to his perfect age and then ceaseth to grow for then though hee may wax fat and broader yet hee riseth not higher and his bones have no increase So when wee come to our full stature in Christ to our perfect age in glory wee shall grow no more because then wee shall be perfect but in our minority wee must be alwaies growing and a growing person is easily discerned to be a living person A Dwarf cannot see so far as a taller man nor be seen so far So a little grace cannot be so easily perceived amongst a croud of sins and corruption When grace at first is like Elijahs cloud 1 King 18.43 44. Little like a mans hand it was hardly discerned but when iâ— did encrease and the Heavens were black with clouds every eye could then perceive them Assurance is usually vouchsafed to Christians of the largest size Men put not up a great Mast or Sail in a little Boat bâ—t in a larger Vessel Animi quies motus virtutis est the moving activity of vertue is the settled rest of the mind that is able to bear it So also by the strong actings and exercise of grace it is discerned A man in his sleep when hee acts not reason cannot judge himself to be a man A man in a swoon when he cannot be perceived to breathe standers by know not whether hee be dead or alive nor hee himself Moral Habits are acquired and strengthened by frequently repeated Acts and more eaâ—â—ly discerned The fire lying raked under the ashes is not so easily found as when it being blown up breaketh forth into a flame Hee that hath strong love to God will sooner feel it and the more frequent it moveth and is upon the wing after God the sooner shalt thou know that thou lovest him The being of a thing is proved by its operation Operari supponit esse 5. Direction 5. Bee well acquainted and informed in the nature of the Covenant of Grace and the conditions thereof Whatsoever are thy doubts there is something in the Covenant of Grace that would be ground of satisfaction to thee is it thine own unworthiness here rich and free Grace is laid open is it thy long delay of coming in to God that now thou thinkest it is too late the Gospel will tell thee that Christ will not cast thee off if now thou come unâ—o him is it thy ragged torn imperfect obedience the Covenant of Grace accepts of sincerity though there be many infirmities the intention of the heart for the work of the hand the purpose for the performance where the sincere soul cannot do so much as hee doth really desire to do 6. Direction
God and his Judgment So that if a man can run away from God or himself then he may escape the reflection of his sin upon him but if not then know Jer. 2.19 it must be an evil and bitter thing that thou hast departed from God in any known sin either to thy penitent amendment or penal condemnation and confusion and that upon all accounts 1. In respect of God 2. Of Sin 3. Of the Sinner himself Jer. 2.19 Thine own wickednesse shall reprove thee thine own iniquity shall correct thee all the time thou abidest in sin thou art gathering either Hemlock to poyson thee or Wormwood to make thy life bitter 1. Instruction 1. See then the malignity and danger of sin Fools Use 1 make a mock of sin 2. See the vanity sinfulnesse and desperate danger of presuming upon any bottom of peace and satisfaction or security whilst sin remains of a truth thy peace and hope thereof shall be as a Spiders web and as the giving up of the Ghost and thy presumption must end in despair bribest thou thy self with a perswasion of peace presuming and leaning 1. Upon Gods Patience remember forbearance is no payment or forgivenesse nor sign thereof 2. Upon outward Priviledges Matth. 7.21 God knows thee not whilest thou art a worker of iniquity 3. Upon the Mercy of God He is holy and therefore must be just and because just angry and because angry ever angry unlesse Christ be thy Peace upon Faith and a through change 4. The Blood of Christ though it be an ocean yet not a drop of it can do thee good unlesse it turn thee from all thine iniquity Acts 3.21 all this is but Physick in thy pocket 5. The Promises of the Gospel they are sweet but poyson to the impenitent as bread to a dying man 6. Upon thy Faith in all this whilest impenitent all 's but notional and imaginary and so thy peace and happinesse is but a notion Use 2 2. Therefore be Exhorted to get thy sin off I shall here do two things 1. Give you some directions how to put you in the way to escape this doom 2. To awaken my self and you to the serious use of them by some Motives 1. Then if you ask how I Answer Direct 1 1. Attend to and comply with the Word and Spirit therein in summoning thy self to Gods and thine own Barr of Conscience suffer thy self to be stopt as a loose and sculking malefactor seize and sequester thy self to hearken to the call and treaty of the Word about thy condition the Hue and Cry of the Word is after thee to apprehend thee Direct 2 2. Let Inquisition and diligent search be made into the matters between God and thy Soul this is the way Lam. 3.20 Let us search our wayes and turn c. this the miscarriage Jer. 8.6 No man considered and said what have I done the first step to peace with God is Enquiry Es 21.12 If ye will enquire Enquire Return Come Direct 3 3. Declare against thy self turn Gods faithful Pleader against thy own Soul accuse thy self in free and particular confession whereof thou art guilty with all the killing Circumstances thou canst find out This will prevent the Accuser of the Brethren Direct 4 4. Condemn thy self charge thy self with fault guilt punishment Lev. 26.41 So shalt thou prevent the Condemnation of the Lord though thou canst not satisfie the Justice of God in the least 1 Cor. 11.31 yet thou must glorifie it to the utmost thou canst Direct 5 5. Be thorow and to purpose and constant herein for if thy sense of thy condition be not real thy cure will not be real there will be no more reality in the application of the Word for the one then there is for the other to no more purpose wilt thou apply the Word to thy self then thou applyest thy self to the Word therefore give thy self to it to dwell upon thy Case hold the object close to the faculty till it make some impression and thy heart yield 6. Fly to the Lord Jesus and the mercy-seat in his blood 1. For Direct 6 repentance 2. For remission He is exalted to give both Acts 5.31 none can take up the quarrel between God and thee save only Christ alone he he is the way God's way to thee for grace and mercy 1 Sam. 2.25 and thy way to God for Faith Lord I am a guilty helplesse creature but thou hast laid help upon one that is mighty to save from the utmost to the utmost 7. In him therefore cry to God for mercy and grace with thy whole Direct 7 heart O mercy mercy Lord I have wronged thee Lord forgive me Psal 51. I have defiled my Soul Lord wash wash me I have wounded and cast away my Soul Lord heal me Lord save me c. 8. Cry for mercy till God have mercy upon thee Psalm 123.2.3 Direct 8 take heed thou be not temporary for a fit but set thy self in an habitual tenour restlesse after Interest in Christ and the great work till it be done 9. Accept of Christ upon the terms of the Gospel not thine own or Direct 9 picking and chusing but as he Lord what wouldest thou have me to do Consent and resign thy self stooping to his Articles of Peace Acts 9.6 to deny thy self of the dearest bear the heaviest do the strictest as he shall call not that thou canst do any thing but upon these terms if he will receive thee and furnish thee with grace thou wilt follow and cleave to him with full purpose of heart 10. Cashier and discharge in thy purpose and endeavour in dependence Direct 10 on this Christ in the Promise what ever thou knowest offends in heart and life what ever belongs to a carnal mind which is enmity to God and addict thy self to the pleasure of God in all known commands and whatever savours of the Spirit and the Kingdom of God 11. Upon these terms consenting to embrace Christ in the offer of Direct 11 grace rest upon Christ who is assuredly thine and will never be otherwise 2. The motives 1. The comfort of this way 1. Now then there is no condemnation Motive 1 to them that are in Christ c. their iniquities shal never be remembred Rom. 8.1 Psalm 32. God sees no iniquity in Jacob there 's no fury in God O! Blessed is the man to whom God imputes not his sin c. now Christ is Jehova thy Righteousnesse Thy Judge is thy Advocate thy God reconciled Thy Comforter is come to apply Christ in all that he is for thee to thee and shall abide for ever with thee he is thy seal unto the purchased possession the Law is satisfied the curse is removed all the Promises thine and the Spirit of Promise to confirm thy title thine the stain or mark of sin washed off quite as to Justification and present acceptation and in part begun as to Sanctification and purity of heart and life Thy
applying Christ in the promised grace of pardon and power in reference to it and thou hast heard it and known it in this case though affliction seem to search out iniquity yet it shall not be found but when affliction starts some sin which thou didst wink at or slightly passe over then thou wilt find trouble and sorrow indeed Direct 6 6. Because there is much malignity in this distemper let me here also add in reference to the same Cause and the sixth this Preventive Follow on the work of mortification close there is a combate between flesh and Spirit be sure you take the right side if sin be it which imbitters thy life and gives a sting to every affliction disarme affliction and kill that which will kill thee Es 27.9 the design of the Lord in affliction is mortification now if thou joynest thy hand in the same work God is ever with thee in the same way and not against thee but in case thou connivest at hidest shelterest some known corruption then thou canst hardly apprehend God but as thine Enemy coming against thee As it was with the City of Abell 2 Sam. 20. they were terrified at the approach of Joab and David's Army Oh! saith the woman upon the wall art thou come to destroy the Inheritance of the Lord no saith Joab but there 's a traitour Sheba harboured here c. 'T is he that put the City into fear and danger and made Joab seem their Enemy when his head was delivered all was quiet now when thou insistest on the businesse of mortification thou wilt joy when thou fallest into triâ—ulation as it was with Jael Judg. 4. having done execution upon Sisera come saith she to Baruc c. Welcome my Lords I know whom you persue here he is dead at your feet behold the nayle in his temple O! saith one visited with the stroak of death I have been long getting down this body of death and now God will do all my work at once be not slack in this work and afflictions will be more joyous than grievous 7. Yet again to come to the root of this malignity and in order to Direct 7 the advancing of the work of mortification endeavour after mortified affections to the World these are the suckers that draw away thy strength from God and the fewel and foment and strength of all that corruption that must be mortified Aversion from God with an immoderate clinging and cleaving to the creature is the whole corruption of Nature Affliction is the reducing thee to God and the ungluing disengaging and divorcing thee from a carnal worldly interest therefore minus gaudebis minus dolebis the lesse thou joyest the lesse thou ruest the lesse thou layest a World-interest near thy heart the lesse that affliction which is the parting work will go to thy heart therefore let all creature-comforts and advantages be loose about thee as thy cloathes which thou mayest easily lay aside and not as thy skin which cannot be pulled off without great torture affliction endangers nothing but that which is outward therefore let not thy excessive respect to that which is without thee make thy affliction an inward terrour If thou countest the World of no value thou wilt be able without inward perplexity and fear to passe through all places of danger and plunder as the Travellour when he carries but a small matter which he knows if he looses it will not at all undoe him Besides If thou lovest the World the love of the Father is not in thee and this will be a desperate venomous sting to thy Soul in thy affliction if thou wouldst not have the World thy plague and thy poyson in the enjoying thy wrack and thy terrour in the loosing comply with the Word and Spirit of Grace in the application of a Christ crucified for the crucifying and mortifying of thy affections unto every earthly interest 8. In reference to the eighth cause unacquaintednesse with affliction Direct 8 live in the meditation and expectation of the Crosse be much in the knowledge of the necessity nature and design of afflictions 1. Necessity 1 Pet. 1.6 If need be you must be in heaviness for a time In respect of the terms of the Covenant which lye in this deny your self and take up your Cross c. And in respect of our disposition we cannot be without them to wean us from the World to imbitter the creature to us to conform us to a crucified Saviour and make us partakers of his holiness 2. The nature and design of Afflictions They are fire not to consume our gold but to purge away our dross they are not revenging Judgments but fatherly medicinal Corrections not judicial Poyson but remedial Physick c. Therefore 1 Pet. 4.12 Think not strange be not strangers as the word imports to the fiery greatest tryal and thou wilt not be dismayed when it comes Even Poyson may be habituated and made innocent If a stranger come in unexpected into our house grim and armed with Instruments of mischief we know not whence he is nor what he comes for it will startle and appale us But if we be acquainted with him and his design and expect him we are quiet and composed to entertain him So when Affliction comes we can say This is the Cup my Father gives me who I am sure means me no hurt this is but what I looked for every day c. Enure we therefore our selves to the Cross and make it familiar conversing with it in our meditation and expectation Seest thou one afflicted with the loss of a Wife another of a Husband another of a Child another of Estate another begging bread in Prison or distress c. bear part of his burden in sympathy and pity and readiness to succour him and put thy self in his or her case supposing thou wert so and so it will do thee no hurt what shouldst thou do And so God will make thy burden light Psal 41.1 So thou wilt be prepared to entertain and meet the burden and it shall not fall upon thee and upon thy spirit to crush and sink thee c. Think often and think not amiss have no hard conceits of affliction and it shall not be hard upon thee Take this Course and then as for the malice of Satan in accusing and tormenting and the seeming severity of the Lord in withholding and withdrawing thou shalt not need to trouble thy self for Satan is a restrained and conquered enemy and cannot hurt thee and God is reconciled and will not hurt thee He may try thee by intercepting the sweetness of fruition He will never curse thee by intermitting or breaking the firmness of the Union and if he hide his face for a moment lament after him and he will visit thee with everlasting kindness of his compassion which change not though there may be a change as to what thou feelest Thus much for the Preventives to prepare for double afflictions upon
praise to God for all or any of his benefits promised or bestowed and that with our hearts Filliucius out of Aquin We praise God for all his perfections we thank God for his benefits lips and lives Some affirm that much of Religion is seen in piety to parents observance to our betters and thankfulnesse to our benefactors God is indeed all these to us Yet the proper notion of our thankfulnesse refers to God as our benefactor every benefit from God makes the receiver a debtor thankfulnesse is rather the confessing of our debt then the paiment of it and for as much as we are bound alwaies to be thankfull it doth acknowledge we are alwaies beholden to God and allwaies insolvent Now a child of God is bound to be thankfull to God above all men because 1. He is more competent then any other 2. He is more concerned then any other I. More competent by acts of reason and grace too All that the Scripture speaks as to the duty of thankfulnesse may be referred to these Heads 1. To know and acknowledge the Lords mercies 2. To remember them i. e. to record and commemorate them 3. To value and admire them 4. To blaze and proclaim them In all which a gracious soul is much more competent then a meer natural man though indued with quick understanding strong memory and great eloquence For the Spirit of God hath inlightened his soul and taught him this lesson he is principled for it he is a well tuned instrument his heart boyleth with good matter and his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 as David speaks on this occasion when he spake of the praises of the King in his Song of Loves This Spirit of God in a thankfull soul is as the breath of the Organ without which the pipes make no sound yea as the breath of the Trumpetter by which the Trumpet gives a certain and melodious sound This is it that makes that noble Evangelical spirit yea that heavenly Angelical spirit in Christians See a place for it Eph. 5.18 19 20. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ shewing that what wine doth in Poets and good fellows it makes them sing and roar out Catches by which they make musick to the devil so the Spirit of God in Saints is the principle of all true thankfulnesse and holy joy towards God and indeed there was a very gracious frame of spirit this way in Primitive Christians II. More concerned as hâ—â—ing received more then others to whomsoever much is given of them much is required Luke 12.48 a proportion of duty according to the degree of every portion of mercy whether you consider what is given or what is forgiven you There are two things which every gracious soul will acknowledge No man saith he in the world hath deserved less of God than I and none hath received more of God than I how much then am I concerned to be thankful I have read of a holy man that was seen once standing still with tears in his eyes and looking up to heaven and being asked by one that passed by why he did so said I admire the Lords mercy to me that did not make me a Toade that Vermine being then casually at his feet The least common mercy affects a gracious soul that knows his desert nothing but misery 2 Sam. 9 8. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am When David had told him he should have his Lands and eat bread at his Table When the Lord spares our lives and gives us common mercies we must admire and adore his goodness And this leads me to the second general Question Quere 2 Why and upon what grounds Christians are bound to give thanks in every thing Answ 1 It is the will of God in Christ Jesus The will of God in Christ Jesus is the clearest Rule and the highest Obligation to any soul for the performance of any duty O that men would now adaies study more act by and hold fast to this rule And ask conscience in the performance of every duty is this the will of God in Christ Jesus It was meet that this duty of thankfulness should be prest and practised under the Gospel because it argue a spiritual and noble frame of Soul the highest pitch of grace which is a true Gospel frame David under the Old Testament had a New Testament heart in this particular his Psalms which were all penn'd upon emergent occasions are all Tehillah and Tephillah Prayer and Praise his Heart and Harp were so tuned to the Praises of God to Psalms of Degrees to Hallelujahs that some have thought the Lord is praised with those Psalms in Heaven Zach. 12.8 Greg. Hom. 20. in Ezek. Yet is it promised under the Gospel that he that is feeble shall be as David which some understand as to Praise and Thanksgivings upon the account of Gospel grace More punctually this is the will of God in Christ Jesus i. e. Jesus Christ shews us the duty of thankfulness both by Pattern and by Precept for he was not only usherd into the World with Songs of Thanksgiving by Angels Luk. 1.46 68. Luk. 2.13 14 20 29. by Zachary by Mary by Simeon by the Shepherds c. but the Lord Jesus himself was a great Pattern and President of Thankfulness all his life long and in this also was a true Son of David He thanked God frequently and fervently I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent Matth. 11.25 and hast revealed them unto babes when his Disciples preached and cast out devils Thus also when he raised Lazarus Father Joh. 11.41 I thank thee that thou hast heard me When he was to eat common bread Mark 8.6 Luk. 22.19 he blessed it with giving of thanks Much more consecrated bread Thus was he a Pattern of thankfulness he did in every thing give thanks In like manner we find him reproving the nine Lepers for their unthankfulness which shews that he held out thankfulness as a duty Luk. 17.16 17. personally he gave a Pattern and Precept for it Now though this were enough to shew it the will of God in Christ Jesus yet these words reach further namely to shew that is the strain of the Gospel in the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for they through their Commission and the great measure of Gods Spirit in them declared the will of God in Christ Jesus They worshipped Luke 24. ult and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Amen What the Apostle Pauls spirit was in this by whom so
17. If we suffer with him we shall be glorified together Luke 24.26 Christus prius ipse bibit potionem quam suis paravit Bern. parv Serm. Luth. in Exod. cap. 15. This way Christ entr'd into glory Ought not Jesus to have suffered these things and so to have entred into glory now if we will enter with him we must follow after him how by taking up his Cross Christ like a good Physitian first tasted the medicine that he gave his Patient The Cross of Christ sweetens our sufferings in the bitterness of them as that piece of wood sweetned the waters of Marah being cast into them Therefore John wrote to the Saints as partakers together of a great priviledge Rev. 1.9 vers 3. when he said Companion in tribulation and in the Kingdoâ— and patience of Jesus Christ Then never hope to go another way than the Captain of our salvation hath led us for if we baulk his track we are lost Aug. in Psa 52. must we not then give thanks for affliction that conforms us to our head VIII The Crosse is a Christians banner his honour and the special favour of the Lord towards him therefore be thankful for it Let not this seem a riddle or paradox Phil. 1. â— I have you saith the Apostle in my heart for as much as in my bonds and in the defence of the Gospel ye are all partakers of my grace where by grace many understand a special act of Gods favour to him and them wherewith they were to account themselves highly graced Hence he saith again a little after vers 29. Utrumque ostendit dei donum quia utrumque dicit esse donatum Aug. Velasquez in locum Phil. 2. 1 Pet. 4.14 to you it 's given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake This he accounts a peculiar gift of God to them whereof but few in comparison do partake Hence saith one upon that place it is a most noble yea and almost divine thing to suffer for the Lord Jesus For the Lord gave Christ himself on this very account a name above every name Mark what the Apostle Peter saith If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are you for the Spirit of God and of glory resteth on you Which words must be understood emphatically the highest manifestation and operation of the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit per He emphaticum Gods Spirit manifesteth it self variously in several subjects but in sufferers for Christ the very Spirit and quintessence of glory seems to be extracted and poured on thee Upon all these accounts and many more such we are to thank God for crosses and corrections because the good of them doth flow from Gods goodnesse not from their nature When the Horseleech by the Physicians direction sucks our blood and thereby performs a cure the Horseleech is not to be thanked but the Physician for his application So the Lord can make the bloody persecutors of his people to be instruments of good to his people no thanks to them but to him for it How shall a Christian bring his heart to this holy and heavenly Quere 5 frame so as in every thing to give thanks Hearken to these few directions and lay them up in your hearts Ans and draw them out in your constant practise I. Pray earnestly for the Spirit of God Canticum novum vetus homo male concordant Aug. without that Spirit thou canst never pray or praise God duely because not spiritually none can sanctifie the Lord God in his heart which is the first Principle of this work but he whose heart the Lord God hath sanctified The Holy Spirit breathing in a man makes him a living Organ tuned to and sounding out his praise Psal 33.1 Praise is comely for the upright but as uncomely in a carnal mouth as a Jewel in a swine snowt Non musica cordulâ— sed cór Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure dei 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing with the Spirit The pompous dresses and melodious quires of magnificats without the Spirit of God breathing among them is but as a sounding brass and a tinckliâ—g cymbal For indeed without the Spirit of God in men they neither can not will remember the Lords mercyes nor consider them nor value them nor be affected with them nor blaze the praise of them The dead saith David do not praise thee dead hearts produce dead works it is the Spirit that quickens II. Labour to get a continual quick sight and sense of sin this will make thee sensibâ—e of every mercy and thankful for it So the provocation and merit of sin is nothing but curses death and wrath being due to it that yet thou shouldest be so tenderly spared and instead of miseries shouldest enjoy blessings how shouldest thou be affected with this Gen. 32.10 per Psalmos 1 Tim. 1.12 ad 17. Invitat ad magna qui gratantè◠accipit modica Cassiod Anima immersa sanguini Christi aurea reddiâ—ur ut manus in aurum liquefactum injecta deauratur Chrysost Psal 111.9 as Mephibosheth was with David's kindnesse to him an humble broken heart is the most thankful heart this was most eminent in the most eminent Saints 1 Jacob 2 David 3 Paul c. He that knows he hath forfeited all knows he deserves nothing but the reward of that forfeiture which is wrath and he that deserves nothing thanks God for every thing even for the least drop and crumb III. Behold every mercy coming to thee in the stream of Christs blood and through the Covenant of Grace this gives the mercy both an estimate and a relish this doth both sanctifie it and sweeten it and sublimate it a crust of brown bread coming thus is better then a purse full of gold another way as that Kings kisse to one friend was said to be better gold than a cup of gold which he gave another friend He sent redemption to his people he remembred his Covenant for ever holy and reverend is his name The deliverance there was in David's account and that truly the more thank worthy as being upon a covenant account for thus every mercy is a token of the Lords favour to his favourite it is that which makes common mercies to become special mercies Non tam beneficium sed ratio beneficii attendâ—nâ—a est Carnal men so they enjoy mercies they mind not which way they come in so they can but have them but a child of God knows that every thing that comes through Christs hands is the better for it and tastes the sweeter by far IV. Look on thy mercies as answers to thy Prayers and bless the Lord for them on that account for that 's double mercy 1. That God hath inclined and directed thine heart to beg such a mercy for this is a special act of the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.26 27. 2. That he
hath answer'd such Prayers for this is a sign he accepts thee in Christ Many blessings come in unasked for and unlooked for yet these require thankfulnesse But when the Lord is inquired of for the things we have and doth grant them to us this is a blessing upon his own institution and a seal to his promise hear David Psa 66.16 17. Come near saith he and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul I cryed to the Lord and he was extolled with my tongue as if he had said this was a signal favour for the Lord to graunt what I petitioned him for and therefore deserves a special acknowledgement For this Hanna calls her son Samuel i. e. asked of God 1 Sam. 1.20 Gen. 29.33 and Leah calleth her second son Simeon i. e. hearing because God heard her Prayer for him And Rachel called her son Nepthali i. e. wrestling Gen. 39.8 because she wrestled for him now as Samuels should be Lemuels i. e. dedicated to God so all our mercies we get by Prayer should be the more solemnly dedicated to the Lord by thanksgiving and such a frame of a thankful heart is a spiritual frame V. When any of Gods dealings do either draw us or drive us nearer to God this is a special mercy When we consider that well we cannot but be greatly affected with it and will be accordingly thankful for the mercy or the dispensation is thereby the more merciful mercies are drawing cords afflictions are whipcords to drive us by both we are brought nearer to God thank him If the chief Shepherd hunt us together and keep us from stragling and bring us under command this is a mercy to Christs sheep If the Lord hedg up our wayes with thorns that we cannot find our lovers Hos 2.6 vers 8 9. this is a mercy And if the Lord recover his mercies from us that in the want of them we may know he was the Founder and Fountain of them this is a mercy When Absolom burnt Joab's corn it was to make Joab who before that kept off come to him Amos 4 6 to v. 12. So all the angry dispensations of God towards his children are that they return to him That storm that sinks and splits some ships drives others faster into the Haven So do the troubles of this World make a true Christians voiage toward Heaven the speedier VI. That Soul that is truely and spiritually thankful will so order his whole conversation that God may have the glory of it This the Psalmist who was well skild in this Art seems to point at often Who so offereth praise glorifieth me Psal 50.23 and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God We cannot better glorifie God than by a well-ordered conversation this is in every thing to give thanks indeed So likewise in praise the Lord Psa 106.1 2 3. Hallelujah O give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever There is 1. The Doxology 2. Invitation 3. The Reason that we should and why we should give thanks alwaies But who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his praise i. e. it is impossible for any man in the world to do this great duty aright and as he should Blessed are they that keep judgment that do righteousness at all times As if he had said This indeed is a vast duty but yet he makes the best essay towards it that sets himself constantly to serve God and keep his Commandments Now this no man can do neither perfectly but only by the merits and in the strength of Christ he making it the desire of his soul to serve the Lord it is accepted though endeavours fall short and therefore is pronounced blessed James 1.25 For to be a doer of the work by Evangelical obedience makes him blessed in his deed labour then to bless the Lord not only in words but in deed and you shall be blessed VII If we would offer thanks to the Lord acceptably Let us do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Thus are we directed by the Spirit of God Ephes 5.20 Per eundem est decursus beneficiorum recursus Rev. 8.3 4. Heb. 13.15 1. Because all mercy comes to us by him 2. Because nothing is accepted but in him 3. Because it is one part of his Priestly Office to receive the Prayers and Praises of the Saints in his golden Censer upon the golden Altar with much incense By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Alluding to that of the Prophet Hos 14.2 who calls it The calves of our lips that through Christs propitiatory Sacrifice our Eucharistical Sacrifices are accepted and that we must offer these under the Gospel continually jugiter Juge sacrificium Alluding to the dayly Sacrifice now this must needs sanctifie our service because the Altar sanctifies the Gift and therefore mention is made of a golden Altar in this case Is it the Will of God in Christ Jesus that in every thing we give thanks Use Then this serves to condemn the horrid ingratitude of Christians 1. Those that in nothing will give thanks at no time for no mercy these are swine that devour all that drops from the Tree of Gods bounty and never look up whence it cometh These are worse than the Oxe and Ass that know their Owners and Masters cribs Isa 1. Per rarò grati homines reperiuntur Cicero These are meer Heathens who though they profess they know God yet do not glorifie him as God nor are thankeful These are like Buckets that run greedily down into the Well when they are empty with open mouth but when they be ful they turn their hinder part upon the Well that filled them Thus do unthankful men call greedily for mercies and when God hath filled them they turn the back and not the face 2. Another kind of unthankful men is that sort who having received mercies from God arrogate the honour of them to themselves Let Papists and Pelagians old and new who attribute more to free will than to grace which the one makes the root of merits the other gives the casting of the scale in mans conversion to it let these see how by such Principles they can acquit themselves from the crime of Sacrilegious ingratitude for they rob God of his glory and then let them hear not me but Saint Austine thundring against them O Lord Soliloq cap. 15. Qui de bono suo ô Domine gloriam sibi quaerit non tibi hic sur est latro similis diabolo c. Hab. 1.15 16. Dan. 4.30 he that assumes the glory of any good he hath to himself and ascribes it not to thee that man is a thief and a robber and like the devil who
thy self upon thy God Isa 50.10 Remembring he will send forth judgment unto victory Mat. 12.20 And take this for a Cordial which is a spiritual Riddle It is a comfort to have no comfort The desires of some are as acceptable to God as the deeds of others 5. When we are enlarged and yet we are not elated high in Gods Spirit low in our own spirit True Christians are like Canes the fuller they are of Sugar the lower they bend Quanto sublimior tanto submissior The loftier the lowlier Every true Saints Motto True activity is not Leaven to puff us up but Lead to pull us down What Bede wished some to observe of Austine the Monk sent over a Legate from the Pope to his Brethren the Prelates and Bishops of England I may advice you to observe that if he carried himself humbly he came from the Lord high in duty and humble after duty comes from the Lord. When David and his people had been on the Mount in their offerings to the building of the Temple see what a low Valley they are in the opinion of themseâ—ves 1 Chron. 29.14 Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort For all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Here is no haughty Pharisee Who but I But an humble Publican Who am I 6. When activity in duty is expressed in activity in doing when active Prayers are turned into active Practises Aeni Syl. li. 2. Com. Promptiores sunt homines promittendo quam exequindo Dion l. 38. The Emperour Sigismund having made fair Promises in a sore fit of sickness of amendment of life asked Theodoricus Archbishop of Collen how he might know whether his repentance were sincere Who replied If you are as careful to perform in your health as you are forward to promise in your sickness 1 Pet. 2.2 As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby When our being high in duty makes us grow high in grace and knowledge 2 Pet. 3.18 Even as Cedars of Lebanon untill caput inter nubila we lodge our heads in heaven 2 Pet. 1.10 11. We may be sure it is from the Spirit when enlargement in duty laies on us an engagement to duty 7. When we give God the glory of all our Actings and activities if it be returned to his praise it was received from his Spirit When Rivers return to the Sea it argues they from thence proceeded Eccles 1.7 When David and his people had shewed their activity in their Present towards the erecting of the Temple they shut up all with a most gracious and grateful Doxology 1 Chron. 29.13 Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the glory He doubles non nobis to lay down man to lift up God When we unfeignedly give God the glory God hath undoubtedly given us the grace 8. When we have the Testimony of the Spirit witnessing with our spirit that this activity is from himself Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father When we are so enlarged in a duty that we do cry Abba Father this the spirit witnesses is his work The Spirit doth not witness by a clear and distinâ—t either outward or inward voice totidem verbis this I have wrought in thee thus to affirm would be a Quakers fancy or rather folly But the Spirit doth sweetly and secretly suggest to us by having wrought those filial affections and child-like dispositions of Love Joy Peace Hope Fear Grief Confidence c. in the heart and by enabling us to act these gracious dispositions as need shall require This is the Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnessing with our spirits thus fitted and filled with peace and purity with melting and mourning the Spirit doth by his impress and impulse ratifie and seal the witness of our own Spirit to make it authentick Rom. 8.15 16. You have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits So that having two witnesses it may be established 1. The witness of conscience which is mille testes 2 Cor. 1.12 But our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience 2. The witness of the Spirit which is more than ten thousand Witnesses because he is an infallible Witness that cannot erre therefore call'd the Spirit of Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 Now these two putting their hands to the testimonial of our activity breed and beget that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.20 That Confidence in God and Evidence to God as A Lapide interprets the word Now as those two Witnesses testimony in prophecying against Idolatrous and Superstitious Worship was sufficient to evidence all their actions were from the spirit of Antichrist Rev. 11.3 So these two Witnesses testifying to our souls that these activities are legitimate and laudable are sufficient assurance that they came from the Spirit of Jesus Christ Use 1 Makes an Apology for those pretious souls whose wings are so besmeared with the bird-lime of Sloth that they are forced to put up their humble Bills to Ministers and Congregations to beg of God in their behalf spiritual quicknings that so their hearts being enlarged by the breathings of the Spirit they may bowzingly sail in the waies and through the waves of Gods Commandments Use 2 Is an Advocate to plead Justification to the Action in the behalf of those who as they make it a Case of Conscience so they make Conscience of the Case to bring their Activities to the Touchstone and to the Tryal They know all is not Gold that glisters and they would not in a thing of that eternal concernment be deceived with Alchimy instead of Gold with blear-eyed Leah instead of beautiful Rachel with a Cloud instead of Juno with a Pebble instead of a Pearl and therefore they are industrious and illustrious to try whether their Activity in duty be from the Spirit by those spirits that are ingredients into their Activity Wherein are we endangered by things lawfull LUKE 17.27 28. They did eat they drank they married c. HEre is set down what the generality of people were doing in the world they were bruâ—ish in the daies of Noah before the floud came and drowned them and in the daies of Lot before the fire came down from Heaven and destroyed them In Matthew c. 24.38 it is expressed by participles they were eating c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. this shews the vigour and activity of their spirits spent on those things in which they were ingaged and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie de brutis dici volunt Grammatici ut etiam videatur magna esse hujus verbi emphasis quo significatur homines brutorum instar fore ventri deditos Beza This word
become thy Idol and beloved very far and thy sin 5. When the care anxiety and solicitude of the soul runs out after the comforts of this life saying what shall I eat what shall I drink how shall I live and maintain my Wife and Children what shall I do to get to keep such or such a thing when the thoughts of the heart are taken up for protection for provision to get and hold the things of this life such comforts as are so gotten and so enjoyed they are sinfully obtained and maintained and this our Lord Christ doth clear to us Matth. 6.25 26. And he warns his Disciples in a speciall manner against all such cares Luke 21.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. That comfort which thou art not dead unto neither is that dead to thee thou wilt hardly enjoy with safety to thy self or thou wilt part withall but upon severe terms If when God by his providence calls for such or such a comfort Husband Wife Child yet thou canst not you will not resign and give up that comfort at Gods call but thou growest impatient and sullen when he doth but attempt to bereave thee of it God may perhaps let thee have thy lust as he dealt with the Israelites Psal 78.18 30. but thou shalt have that comfort without any comfort it may be with a curse When we cannot bear the thoughts of either absence or loss of such or such things cannot endure the thought of parting it is like the tearing off a limb from the body when God takes away such a Husband or Wife or Child or Estate c. it argues that they were greatly abused while we had them If there were an indifferency of spirit in us as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 7.29 30 c. That they that were married were as if they were not married c. they would part upon easier terms by far When the life is bound up in a comfort it is death to part Gen 44.22.30 as it was with Jacob to his Benjamin When the creature hath got too great an interest in thee that thou canst by no means bring thy heart to think of leaving it or its leaving thee though God seems to call for it the heart begins secretly to rise up against God and to murmur and quarrell at providence this argueth a very carnall heart If the heart did hang loose from these things thou mightest injoy them with more comfort and part with them with more ease 7. If after God hath been weaning us in a more speciall manner by his Word and Rod and taking off our hearts from our worldly comforts yet the strong bent of the soul is towards them it argues much carnall love to them that we are not crucified to those comforts When the soul hath its secret sinfull converse and fellowship with a creature-comfort against its own conviction to the contrary it may be thou hast repented or at least hast seemed to repent of such a way and course yet for all this thy heart continually hangs that way and as it is Prov. 9.17 Her stoln waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant when a stolne glance of the eye a stoln kiss from a lustfull object is still pleasant to the soul there is much of a meretritious carriage in that heart it is so farre sinnefully injoyed When the heart hankers much after such a thing it is stolne away Hos 4 11. when it hangs after it as it is Jer. 22.17 Their hearts went after their covetousnesse when the heart hath its secret haunts and postern doores to get out to such or such an object and that object hath its secret passage to the soul There be some secret correspondencies betwixt the heart and the object when the lustfull object hath its wellcome it no sooner knocks but it is admitted when it hath a free passage into the heart and the heart hangs after it nay perhaps admits it when it is in duty if it comes even when we are with God in prayer and is admitted it argues a sinfull whorish familiarity 8. If after solemn and frequent warnings invitations and earnest beseechings perhaps corrections too God calls thee to a more strict and close walking with him in a severer way of selfdeniall in a more free and full enjoyment of himself If God would sequester thee from thy Oxen farm married wife that he might have thee more alone from the croud and dust and tumult of the world if yet after all this thou then settest thy wits on work to frame excuses If Christ speak to thee as he did to his Spouse Cant. 7.11 Come let us go and lodge in the villages Come let us goe out of the City crowd and multiplicity of worldly businesses and let us retire alone that we may more fully enjoy one another If he saith to thee as ver 12. he speaks to his Spouse Let us get up early to the vineyard c. and calls thee off to a more early earnest diligent attendance on him and thou doest as the Spouse Cant. 5.2 3. makest lazy excuses for thy easie gainfull trade and way of life thou leadest if so it be with thee thou keepest thy comforts upon sinfull termes When the Arguments and pleas and excuses and pretexts are for lust when denials equivocations and thy reason are all at work for lust When God calls to self-deniall in some creature-comfort and then the heart formes excuses for the enjoyment of it as they in the Gospell they all began to make excuses when they were call'd to the Wedding Supper their lawfull comforts became a snare and sinne to them Luke 14.16 17. If thy heart in such a case studies colours to adorn or set it out or set it off or covers to protect it then it is sinfull the heart miscarries in the injoyment of its comforts when it studies how to hide it self in the injoyment of it as much as may be even from the eye of God The third thing propounded was What are the sins that attend the immoderate sinfull use or abuse of lawfull comforts I will confine my self to the sins in the Text The first sin in their eating and drinking c. was sensuality and that is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as I have shewed is properly applied to bâ—uits an eating after a bruitish manner and by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes the vehemency and intention of their spirits laid out in their sensuall injoyments men are apt especially in abundance to grow sensuall and bruitish to use their comforts without fear to indulge themselves very farre and so say to themselves as the Rich Glutton Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12.19 a sensuall bruitish speech fitter for a swine than a man abundance of the things of this life hath a strange vertue to corrupt a man into a bruit Deut. 32.15 Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked How is he degenerated to a fat
secure as to their state and of a supine sleepy carelesse spirit such are ever in a most unsafe sinfull condition nigh to cursing and on the very brink of ruine and utter destruction How must we make Religion our businesse LUKE 2.49 Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse THese are the words of our Lord Jesus whose lips dropped as an honycomb the occasion was this Christ having the spirit of wisdom and sanctity powred on him without measure being but twelve years old goes to the Temple and fell a disputing with the Doctors ver 46. where should Learning blossom but upon that Tree which did bear severall sorts of fruit Col. 2.9 Who could better interpret secrets than he who lay in his Fathers bosom all that heard him were astonished at his understanding ver 47. in the greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were out of themselves with admiration Vsque ad stuporem perculsi Budaeus well might they admire that he who never had been at the University should be able to silence the great Rabbies Joh. 7.15 How knoweth this man letters having never learned while they were wondring his Mother who was now come to seek him Minime objurgans sed rem fidentèr modestè quaerens Brugensis propounds this Question Son why hast thou thus dealt with us ver 48. that is why hast thou put us to all this labour in seeking thee in the words of the Text Christ makes a rationall and religious reply Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse in the greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the things of my Father As if Christ had said I must be doing the work which my Father in Heaven hath set me about for this received I my mission and unction Joh. 9.4 that I might doe the will of him that sent me what am I in the world for but to promote his glory propagate his truth and be as a load-Star to draw souls to Heaven Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse From this example of our blessed Saviour in making his Fathers work his businesse we learn this great Truth That it is the duty of every Christian to make Religion his businesse Doctr. Religion is not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or thing by the bye proper only for spare hours but it must be the grand businesse of our lives Saint Paul made it so his great care was to know Christ and to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 10. how abundantly did he lay out himself for God 1 Cor. 15.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I laboured more abundantly than they all c. Saint Paul moved heavenward not slowly as the Sun on the Diall but as the Sun in its haemisphere with a winged swiftnes he made Religion his businesse For the illustrating and unfolding of this there are three Questions to be resolved 1. What is meant by Religion 2. Why we must make Religion our businesse 3. What it is to make Religion our businesse 1. What is meant by Religion I answer the Latin word Quest 1 religio quasi religatio it signifies a knitting together Lactantius l. 4. div instit sin hath loosned us from God but when Religion comes into the heart it doth religare fasten the heart to God again as the members are knit to the head by severall nerves and ligaments Religion is the spirituall sinew and ligament that knits us to God The Greek word for Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a right worshipping This is Religion when we not only worship the true God but in that manner which he hath prescribed by a right rule from a right principle to a right end 2. The second Question is Why we must make Religion our Quest 2 businesse I answer Because Religion is a matter of the highest nature while we are serving God we are doing Angels work the businesse of Religion doth infinitely out-ballance all things besides pleasure profit honour the Trinity which the world adores are all of an inferior alloy and must give way to Religion The fear of God is said to be the whole duty of man Eceles 12.13 or as it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole of man other things may delight Religion doth satiate other things may make us wise to admiration Religion makes us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 3. The third Question is What it is to make Religion our businesse Quest 3 I answer It consists principally in these seaven things 1. We make Religion our businesse when we wholly devote our selves to Religion Psal 119.38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear as a Schollar who devotes himself to his studies makes Learning his businesse a godly man may sometimes run himself through praecipitancy and incogitancy upon that which is evil therâ—s no man so bad but he may doe some good actions and there 's no man so good but he may doe some bad actions but the course and tenour of a godly mans life is religious when he doth deviate to sinne yet he doth devote himself to God 'T is with a Christian as it is with a company of mariners at sea they are bound for such a coast now while they are sailing they may meet with such a crosse wind as may turn them back and drive them a quite contrary way but as soon as the storm is over and the sea calm they recover themselves again and get into the right way where they sayled before Isa 5.20 so it is with a Christian Heaven is the haven he is bound for the Scripture is the compasse he sayls by yet a contrary wind of tentation blowing he may be driven back into a sinfull action but he recovers himself again by repentance and sayls on constantly to the heavenly Port. This is to make Religion our busines when notwithstanding some excursions through humane frailty we are devoted to Gods fear and dedicate our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God 2. We make Religion our businesse when we intend the business of Religion chiefly it doth principatum obtinere Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God Si Christus pro te de coelesti sede descendit tu propter ipsum suge terrena Aug. First in time before all things and first in affection above all things We must give Religion the praecedency making all other things either subservient or subordinate to it We are to provide for our families but chiefly for our souls this is to make Religion our businesse Jacob put the cattell before and made his wives and children lag after Gen. 32.16 'T is unworthy to make Religion come behind in the rear it must lead the van and all other things must stoop and vail to it he never had Religion in his heart who saith to any worldly thing in
man live according to the principles of that Religion and as it is with the principle of naturall life it is not made more lively active and vigorous by arguing and disputing wherein it doth consist and what are the proper acts of it but by putting it forth in the due acts and exercises of that life even so the principle of spirituall life in the soul gets no strength by zealous and hot disputing what and which is the true Religion and which be true and proper acts of Religion but by humble practice of what we know to be Religion not but that it is both lawfull and commendable to be able to understand and defend the grounds and principles of our Religion and all the holy exercises of it but I only caution against letting that sap run out in unfruitfull suckers which should nourish the fruit-bearing branches 6. Be the more carefull to observe and close with the inward stirrings of Gods Spirit in your hearts moving you to prayer meditation c. When you are in a valley of vision you will have many calls and motions from without to hear the Word and pray and receive the Sacrament but when you are abroad in a land of darknesse God must not only be your best but your only friend by his Spirit to jog and stir you up to holy duties and therefore it doth more than ordinarily concern us at a such time not to send away Gods Spirit grieved with our backwardnesse to that which is our own concernment 7. Observe and keep a register or diary of Gods mercies and your own sins that you may be often minded what God hath been to you and what you have been to him with how many thousand kindnesses he hath obliged you and with how many thousand sins you have disobliged him When we enjoy publick Ordinances we may there be often minded both of Gods goodnesse to us and our sinfulnesse against him and so may have our hearts stirred up to have very good thoughts of God and very low thoughts of our selves but when we want publick Ordinances we should labour to supply that want by a more strict observation and recording both the one and the other that by reviewing our register we may be enabled to affect our souls sutably either to praise the Lord or abase our selves 8. Lay a charge upon your selves to sleep and awake with the thoughts of God and eternity upon your souls and indeed though this is exceeding usefull for all men yet most of all for those who are deprived of Ordinances 'T is sure that the same truths which at first work upon the soul to the begetting grace are of force afterwards to quicken grace and make it lively and vigorous in the soul and certainly the belief of what God is in himself and to us and the thoughts of eternity have a great force to perswade carelesse sinners to sober and serious consideration the necessary instrument by which grace and a spirit of true and reall Religion is begot in the soul and therefore when we want those publick Ordinances which might be often presenting these great truths to our souls it will be of great use to charge our selves more severely with the daily serious thoughts of them 9. Take heed as for your life of indulging any secret sin for that will keep down the life of Religion in the midst of all Ordinances and therefore much more in the want of them a secret disease in the body which spends upon the stock of the radicall moysture will keep a man from being lively and vigorous though he have plenty of very good nourishing food much more will it endanger one in a famine even so a secret sin lodged within and indulged will weaken and enervate the principle of Religion in the soul amidst the fullest provision of Gospel-Ordinances much more when there is a famine or scarcity of the bread of life A Tradesman that hath some secret vent where his estate runs wast may prove a beggar in the midst of daily incomes by a good Trade much more if he spends upon a dead stock and so a man who spends the strength of his soul in some close and secret sin may prove a spirituall beggar in the fullest Trade of Gospel-Ordinances and though he have daily incomes of convictions informations reproofs counsels sollicitations c. from publick Ordinances much more in the want of them and therefore they who value the life of Religion or the life of their souls must take heed of indulging secret sins 10. Be the more carefull often to feel the pulse of thine own soul we use to say every man at a competent age is either a fool or a Physician and though he be a fool indeed who when he needs and may have wiser Physicians will trust to himself yet when we cannot have others a man should the more study himself and the oftener try his own pulse and truly he is but a babe in spirituall things that is not something of a Physician to himself and though we should not trust our own skill or experience where we need and may have the help of others yet when we are deprived of them we should the more diligently converse with our own souls and be the oftener trying how our pulse beats towards God and Heaven and the things of another life 11. Be so much the more in private secret prayer reading and meditation when we want the showrs of publick Ordinances we should the more diligently use the watring pot and water our souls with our foot as the phrase is concerning Egypt Deut. 11.10 If our lot should be cast where there be no publick Markets where Corn might be bought every one would plow and sow reap and thrash in his own grounds Even so if we should live where there be no publick Gospel-Ordinances where the Truths of the Gospel are not publickly to be had where we cannot partake of the labours of the Gospel-Ministry than it would concern us to be the more diligent in plowing and sowing in reaping and thrashing by our own private endeavours and I think it would be fit for us in such a condition to spend that time at least in private duties which others spend in superstitious or Idolatrous services let not us think much to give God and our souls that time which others give to their own superstitious fancies 12. In the use of all private helps act faith in God as being able to supply the want of outward means by the gracious influence of his good and holy Spirit When there was no rain from heaven God could cause a mist to arise and water the earth Gen. 2.6 even so if the Lord should bring us whore there be no showres of publick Ordinances he can stir up in our souls those holy and heavenly meditations which shall again drop down like an heavenly dew upon the face of our souls and keep up an holy verdure and freshness upon the face
main and principall weapon of their warfare is quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and it casts down imaginations and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Therefore while we have this Word and Spirit 2 Cor. 10.5 it is possible though difficult to discover the hypocrisie of our own spirits and to direct others to find out theirs It is not a poor souls fearing and doubting his hypocrisie accusing Caution 3 and charging himself with it crying out of himself as a wretched man by reason of it that concludes and determines he is such See David in Psal 51.10 11 12. charging himself so and the Church accusing her self of erring from Gods wayes and having their hearts hardned from his fear Isa 63.17 and yet their own expressions in the Verses before Vers 15 16. manifest the frame of their spirits to be exceeding tender and humble Holy Mr Bradford would many times subscribe himself in his Letters John the hypocrite and a very painted Sepulchre Fox his Acts and Alon. Agur one of the wisest men living condemns himself for being more bruitish than any man and not having the understanding of a man Prov. 30.2 And David one of the holiest and devoutest men living upon an ordinary temptation viz. the prosperity of the wicked was very apt to charge the wayes of God with unprofitablenesse Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Psal 73.13 but afterwards seeing his errour he chargeth it so upon himself that he upbraids and condemns himself for foolish and ignorant Vers 22. and a very beast before God It is usuall with the best men to have the worst thoughts of themselves 1. Partly because as God will give most grace to the humble so there is great need of giving more humility to those that have most grace 2. Partly because where there is true grace there is an insatiable desire of more The children of God have never enough of communnion with God nor of conformity to him they seldome look back and say this thou hast but still presse forward to this thou hast not and this thou maist and this thou must have Phil. 3.12 13. 3. And partly because as there is much difference between faith in its direct and its reflected act between knowing God and knowing that we know him between believing and knowing that we believe so there is between having sincerity and finding a feeling of it constantly between not being hypocrites and a constant confidence of it which would amount to no lesse than full assurance This is not granted to all and seldome to any at all times that so there may be a season for the exercise of other graces humility fear and trembling fear of sollicitude Phil. 2.12 2 Pet. 1. and diligence in making our calling and election sure And this is to be remembred and observed viz. That God likes us never the worse that Satan is so much our enemy but much the better that by humility lowlinesse of mind and self-denial we seem to be our own enemies 4. Nor are they foul failings nor dangerous fallings into grosse Caution 4 sins if a man die not impenitently in them that do constitute an hypocrite indeed raigning sin doth The falls of Gods people may be Horrendae tempestates flenda naufragia The greivous falls of Gods people do evidence there is hypocrisie in them but not that they are hypocrites David was guilty of adultery and murther and puft up with exceeding pride and vain-glory in the multitude of his Subjects and strength of his Kingdome but Davids repenting and rising again cleared him from being an hypocrite so that the spirit of God testifies from his own mouth that he was upright and kept himself from his iniquity Psal 18. i. e. from the raign and continuance of it and after his fall he was called a man after Gods own heart Thou hast not been as my servant David who kept all my Commandments and followed me with all his heart to do that only which was right in my sight 1 King 14.8 The Lord overlookt his adultery and murther for indeed he had put away his sin or made it passe over as it is in the Original that is to Christ Hezekiahs heart was lifted up and he renderd not according to the benefit done unto him 2 Chron. 32.25 26. 2 Chron. 29.2 but Hezekiah was humbled and the wrath of God came not upon him all his dayes he was not an hypocrite no he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father David had done So Peter denied and forswore his Master after many warnings and many promises to the contrary yet he repented and wept bitterly his fall shewd him to be a weak frail man but proved him not a hypocrite Job confessed himself a sinner Iob 13.23 and that many were his iniquities and transgressions but Job would never confesse himself an hypocrite Iob 27.5 6. no he would keep his integrity till he died for it is not the falling into sin or the being guilty of it Psal 66.18 but regarding iniquity in the heart that denominates an hypocrite otherwise all men were hypocrites for certainly all men are sinners Rom. 3. all shut up under sin Caution 5 5. Nor is it backsliding into the same sinnes that makes a man an hypocrite David had gotten into a way of lying to save his life viz. 1 Sam. 21. in the 2d verse he told one lye in the end of the verse another and in the 8th verse another He prayes that God would take from him the way of lying And the promise of mercy and pardon is not only to sinnes but backslidings I will heal their backslidings Hos 14.4 Ier. 3.22 And such are invited to return to God Return thou backsliding Israel and I will heal your backslidings Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Indeed to be bent to backsliding is a dangerous sign of prevailing hypocrisie and yet some in this case shall turn and walk after the Lord. Hos 11.2 8 9.10 We do not read of the people of God that they did revolt and backslide into the same grosse sinnes after repentance nor David into adultery nor Peter to faintheartednesse nor Paul to persecution But yet this may be so and provision is made in that case by the promise of healing backslidings Though it cost them dear to recover their peace after revolting into grosse sinnes after pardon and peace spoken and it will lye upon their consciences as an heavy aggravation of their sinne and â—olly 1 King 11.9 Psal 85.8 But yet it doth not conclude that all was done in hypocrisie before and that they were but meer hypocrites no more than Solomons falling and Idolatry which he repented of witnesse the book of Ecclesiastes
affections both in the desires in the affections in the use in the injoyments and moderate our cares and griefs in the losse and want of worldly things to have them as if we had them not to rejoyce in and for them as if we rejoyced not to grieve for the want of them as if we grieved not seeing they are to us as if they were not they are a scheame a representation that passeth away Gal. 6.15 Nay if the world be not crucified to us and we to the world we are still in danger of this gall of bitternesse this leaven of hypocrisie This is exemplified in the Jews in Babylon they would come to the Prophet and sit before him as Gods people with much seeming reverence and appearance of devotion and affection they hear thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love Ezech. 33.31 but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Therefore as you love your souls beware of the love of the world and set not your affections on things below but on things above else you will not be able to avoid the guilt and danger of hypocrisie A not loving the Word of God a not receiving it as the Word of Sign 2 God when it comes as the Word of God in power It is the property of the Word of God to be quick and powerfull 1 Thess 1.5 sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 2 Cor. 10.5 to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ This is the Word of God and this it doth as the Word of God these are the properties of it Such a Word of God an hypocrite can not love because he loves this carnal sinfull self he loves his lusts which this Word opposeth He flattereth himself in his own eyes until his iniquities be found to be hatefull The Word in power will shew him that all is ill Psal 36.2 when he flattereth himself that all is very well Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith Ahab An hypocrite thinks he hath no greater enemy than a faithfull Minister because hypocrisie hath no greater enemy than the Word of Truth which will detect and make it odious 1 King 21.20 1 King 22.8 So Ahab hated Micaiah and his Ministry because he prophesied evil to him in his evil wayes he spake the Word of God the truth to him which Ahabs corrupt life Mark 6 17 18 20. and hypocritical heart could not bear Herod heard John Baptist gladly in other things but when he preached against his having his brothers wife when he came home to his conscience to his very darling fin then Herod stopt his mouth shut him up inprison Felix trembles and dismisseth Paul when he came so close Act. 24.25 an hypocrite may love to hear the same Minister on another subject The very notion of Religion is amiable and acceptable to ingenuous persons nay he may love the Word may come to others but to himself during the predominancy of hypocrisie that the powerfull Word neither read nor preached can be welcome because it applies it self to the cutting off of his right hand Mat. 5. and plucking out his right eye Sign 3 3. A long and continual unprofitableness under the powerfull Word of God is a fearfull sign of hypocrisie What warnings and instructions had Judas What convictions and reprehensions had Ahab and Herod and yet as to those things which the word opposed they were still the same men If men that hear much minde nothing if there be no change no alteration but they are still where and what they were where they are still as carnal as earthly as they were ten twenty years ago though they hear much and are as earth that drinketh in the rain nay though they have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if yet they bring not forth meet fruit for him that dresseth it that ground is rejected that heart is near to cursing and burning Heb. 6.7 8. there is some guile and hypocrisie there there would be some growing else When the word is precept upon precept line upon line i. e. 1 Pet. 2.2 very plentifull and yet no amendment there is hypocrisie they will fall backward Hos 6.4 5. be broken and snared and taken Oh 't is no small matter to be dead unprofitable unaltered hearers It is a fearfull sign of hypocrisie and that there are many hypocrites in the bosome of the Church 4. The principles and ends of mens actions and performances are a Sign 4 great discovery of the sincerity or insincerity of mens hearts If mens principles be no higher than good education Act. 26.5 Phil. 3.5 6. and being conversant with good or strict men which seems to be Pauls case or no higher than good nature and moral qualifications Mark 10. this seems to be the young mans case they are no farther than those were at that time in an ignorant and insincere condition He that is really and sincerely a good Christian doth all as from God and Christ he is all and in all Christ is wisdome and sanctification to him Col. 2.11 1 Cor. 1.30 He acts and performs duties not onely from strength of parts and acquired qualifications but from strength of grace and infused habits from God and for God from a new heart Ezek. 36.25 Rom. 11.24 â—er 21.33 Rom. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.19 2 Pet. 1.4 Eph. 3.17 2 Cor. 13.5 Ier. 32.40 from the Law written in the heart from the love of God shed abroad in the heart and constraining to love from the Divine nature communicated to the heart from Christ by his Spirit dwelling in the heart from the fear of God possessing and establishing the heart These be the springs and principles of a sincere Christians spiritual life and actions and where they act and bear rule it is no wonder if such motions and performances be produced as the world may admire hut not imitate Sauls life after his Conversion was a kinde of constant miracle so much he did and so much he suffered and so much denied himself that if he lived in these dayes his life would be a miracle but yet if we consider the principles that he was acted by the great wonder will be not that he did so much but that he did no more for saith he Christ liveth in me and the life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God c. Gal. 2.20 And so the ends of a mans actions are a great discovery of sincerity or hypocrisie If a mans ends be lower than God himself and obeying glorifying walking with and injoying God if either praise gain reputation nay acceptation with good people nay if a
would have the influence of the Ordinances to be lasting these we shall comprize in four particulars First Take heed you perform not holy duties negligently a heartlesse formal negligent attendance on the Ordinances will be so farre from procuring a durable blessing that it will fix a curse upon you Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of tht Lord negligently see Mal. 1.8 14. If you invert the Apostles advice 1 Cor. 7. and deal with the things of God as you should do with those of the world If you pray as though you prayed not and hear as though you heard not and use the Ordinances as though you did not use them they will be no otherwise effectual than if there were no efficacy in them it will continue on you as though it continued not like that of the Sun in a Winter day which thaws the earth a little at noon but so as it is harder frozen up the next night Therefore let your hearts be ingaged in every holy duty Jer. 30.21 Who is this that ingaged his heart to approach unto me You must hear as for life Deut. 32.46 47. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day c. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life c. you must wrestle in prayer your hearts in this duty should be as it were in a conflict in an agony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Apostles word Rom. 15.13 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Your prayers should be such as the other Apostle describes James 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much the word rendred effectual fervent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one possessed with a spirit and acted by it If the word here used look that way then suitable to the matter to which it is applied it imports a possession in a good sense And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be a prayer full of the holy Ghost wherein that blessed Spirit is operative exerting its force and energy Such a prayer as shews the soul to be possessed of the holy Spirit and acted by it so as all the powers of that soul are set a work and put upon motion towards God effectually Such a prayer availes much procures great advantages and of long continuance Generally in all holy Ordinances your souls should stretch out themselves to reach the Lord they should spring up to him in acts of love and desire and claspe about him with delight and complacence and lay hold on him with a humble and filial confidence and stir up themselves to lay hold on him We do all fade as a leafe saith the Church Isa 64.6 both their persons and their righteousnesse did so and the reason thereof follows ver 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee Secondly Beware of the world meddle not with it more than needs must and when it is needfull ingage not therein but with fear caution and vigilance Carry your selves amongst worldly objects and employments as though you were amongst cheats and thieves they have the art to pick your heart slily and to rob them of that which is more precious than Gold when you little think of it Let not your minds and hearts plunge themselves in the world nothing sooner nothing oftner extinguisheth divine influences than this puddle The cares and delights and employments of the world when they are immoderate or unseasonable they choak the Word Matth. 13.22 they stifle the issue of holy Ordinances so as it becomes like the untimely birth of a woman When your hearts are warmed in holy duties you should be as cautious and wary how you venture into the world as you are of going into the frosty aire when you are all in a sweat What is kindled by the Word or Prayer c. how quickly is it puft out by the world when you rush into it unwarily it requires as much care to keep it in as to keep a Candle in when you would carry it through the open aire in a rainy blustring night The further you are above the world the longer may you retain any spirituall impressions Geographers write of some Mountains whose tops are above the middle Region of the Air and there lines and figures being drawn in the dust have been found say they in the same form and order untouched undefaced a long time after and the reason is because they are above those winds and showres and storms which soon wear out and efface any such draughts in this lower Region The lower your minds and hearts and conversations are the more in the hurry of this boysterous world the lesse will any thing that is heavenly and spiritual abide upon them Let the soul be brought into never so good order by the help of holy duties yet a little unwary ingaging in earthly businesse will ruffle disturb and quite discompose it When your souls are by the power of the Ordinance set on motion towards Christ and Heaven if you would hold on in a continued course you must beware of worldlinesse and keep free as much as may be from earthly incumbrances and intanglements Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Heb. 12.1 Let us persevere and hold out in that gracious and heavenly course which the Gospel hath put us on but that this may be done one great impediment must be removed The sin that doth so easily beset us must be shaken off Now that sin as some Expositors conceive is worldlinesse and it is probable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we render it literally is the sin that hath goodly circumstances And no sin sets off it self with more goodly circumstances than worldlinesse no sinne hath more specious pleas and pretences to excuse vindicate and justifie it self No sin hath more fig leaves to cover its nakednesse and to shrowd it from discovery and conviction than worldlinesse This must be shaken off it is the great defacer of heavenly impressions the chief interrupter of holy motions if you would hold on when the impetus which is imprest on you by any Ordinance hath set you a going beware of the world beware of worldlinesse Thirdly Take heed of any inordinacy in affection inclination or design Such inordinacies give the heart a strong bias holy duties check it but a little give it but as it were a small rub when this is once past over it will hold on in that course to which it is most sweyed The Mnistery of John Baptist had some influence upon Herod He heard John gladly and did many things Mark 6.20 but sensuality being predominant those better inclinations