the Soul everlastingly to perish how should not the Soul be wise and condescend to the Divorce and say what have I any more to do with Idols doth not the great Physitian of Souls tell us it is better that one Member perish though never so dear or desirable to the flesh than that the whole Body and Soul should be cast into Hell which will follow inevitably if not divorced from Lust and be renewed in Christ Mat. 5.20 30. A Second preparation is to consider the great advantages will accrew by this Divorce of Lusts such who are thus Divorced shall be made Sons and Heirs of God with Christ John 17.22 23. and shall have all things Rev. 21.7 When lopt off from the World they shall be united unto God in Christ Jesus their short sufferings and parting with the Lusts of the World shall work for them an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 18. They shall have treasure in Heaven instead of and in exchange of Earthly Riches Their Life shall be saved in losing of it and lost in saving of it Luke 9 23 24 25. Who then would not part with uncertain Riches for Heavenly Treasure with a rotten Member for a sound Body a paltry pleasure for Eternal happiness Thus the Patient being prepared of the necessity of an Incision to preserve Life and with Cordials of promises to prevent faintings he must go on couragiously to cut off all corrupt and festered members of what quality or whatsoever use and for this we have Christs express command if thy right Eye or thy right Hand offend thee cut it off If Father Mother or any of the dearest Relations come in competition all must be forsaken for him Luke 9.23 24 25 26. Thy life must not be preferred to him but a man must take up his Cross and follow Christ so that nothing however so choice or dear to us must stand in the way against or in ballance with Christ but in all these things a man must deny himself and lose all for Christ Mat. 5.29 30. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are done away and all things are made new mortify therefore your members which are on Earth 2 Cor. 5.17 The fourth Spiritual advantage from Heavenly bounty is Regeneration It is not enough to cut off old withered branches or lop Trees to make them fruitful and propagate new Trees but plashing ingrafting or inoculation is necessary even so in the Christian Musbandry though cutting off the old luxuriant branches of Lust be absolutely necessary by mortification yet this is not all for the Christian must have a new life for that by the impurity of Sin and Concupiscence of our Natures since the Fall the whole Mass of Blood or Nature is corrupted And God saw that the wickedness of Man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was evil continually Gen. 6.5 Therefore he must be ingrafted into Christ the true and living Vine I am crucified to the World and the World to me nevertheless I live but not I but Christ that liveth in me and the Life that I live in the Flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 That ye put off concerning their former conversation which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and that ye be renewed in the Spirit of your minds and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in true holiness and righteousness Eph. 4.22 23 24. And be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect Will of God Rom. 12.2 Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates now we are no more strangers nor forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and with the houshold of God and are built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus being the chief Corner Stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes 2.19 to end All which Scriptures teach us that the Christian is a new man hath a new â—ife and is built on Christ the foundation and nourisher of his Life and that Christ is the Vine wherein the barren Branches must be cut off and the fruitful nourished This holy Lord Jesus Christ convinceth the great lawyer Nichodemus of the necessity of Regeneration of being born again by the Spirit Unless a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 5. Now in this great concern we are to consider two things First To make a right discovery of the truth of this new Life by Regeneration Secondly We are to consider seriously of the means how this Conquest and new Life may be preserved First As this is the greatest concern to man to be well founded in his claim to Heaven so it is easy to the flesh to be deceived in this thing for as it often falls out among Women that they are deceived by false conceptions and travel long in expectation of the Birth when both they themselves and others are in hopes yet it proves at last a deceit oftentimes to the destruction of the person having nourished Diseases and Corruptions instead of a true Birth so no doubt many may seem to be under conception of this Heavenly Birth have some symptoms and appear to labour under pain to be delivered of the old corruption and bring forth the Spiritual Birth and yet Christ is not formed in them As the desire of issue makes many Women use many uneasy and expensive means so many men for the lucre of Heaven strain far and yet come short because their Hearts are not straight with God Simon Magus offered a large sum for the Holy Ghost the young rich Man in the Gospel kept all the Commandments Annanias and Saphira sold their possessions and brought the Money to be distributed amongst the Saints and yet all fell short of this new Birth and so of the Kingdom of God we are commanded to try the Spirits for every Spirit is not of God wherefore that we may find out the truth and reality of this new birth It is fit to reflect on the actions of the former Life and examine the new life in all its parts and find out whether the suitable effects of the change and new birth be produced for according to the effects of life so must we judge of the Life whether it be renewed or not for the Tree is known by its fruits The effects of life are chiefly three First The Thoughts earliest in the conception of the rational creatures Secondly The Affections Thirdly The Actions These three generally make up the whole Man and as we find these three concurring in the first degeneracy The Thoughts
shall not be your ruine why will you dye O House of Israel for I have no pleasure in the Death of him that dieth saith the Lord wherefore turn your selves and live Ezek. 18.25 to 33. chap. 26. As the Lord doth exercise the Patience of his People in Spiritual Promises for Spiritual things so also to trust his Promises in reference to temporals and these may be branched out in these two First His Promises to the People of God in general without reference to particular cases of suffering and these comprehend God's complex or full purpose to his People Secondly These Promises may relate to the several cases or exigence of Gods People First For Gods Promises in general not relating to particular cases the Scriptures are so full that it 's impossible to collect them however we shall touch some of the most obvious In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them in his Love and in his Pitty he remembred them and carried them all the days of old Isa 63.9 His Anger endureth but for a moment sorrow may be at Evening but Joy cometh in the morning Psal 30.5 For thou Lord wilt bless the Righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a Sheild Psal 5.12 The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in time of trouble for they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee Psal 9.9 10. Though you have lyen among the Pots yet shall ye be live a Dove whose Wings are covered with Silver and their Feathers with yellow Gold Psalm 68.13 For thou Lord wilt save the afflicted People but wilt bring down high looks he is a buckler to all those that trust in him Psal 18.22 30. unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness surely he shall not be moved for ever the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance he shall not be afraid of evil tidings his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.4 6 7. Alas for that day is great there is none like it it is the day of Jacobs troubles but they shall be delivered out of them all Jer. 30.7 The Prophet Isaiah sets down in many places Gods universal care over his People O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorough the Fire thou shalt not be burned neither shall the flames kindle upon thee Isa 43. all The Lord will be a Sun and a Sheild he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 Psal 86.5 13 15. The holy Psalmist is full of Prophetical Promises of Gods universal good to his People he that dwelleth in the secret of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord he is my Refuge and my Fortress my God in him will I trust surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler and from the noisome Pestilence he shall cover thee with his Feathers and under his Wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler Psal 91. all And of the numerous and large Promises of God to his People and of the Halcyon days of Zion all the Prophets abound for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem he shall judge many people and the Nations afar off and they shall beat their Swords into Plough-shears and their Spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more but they shall set down every man under his own Vine and under his own Fig tree and none shall make them afraid for the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it I will assemble her that halteth and her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted and I will make her that halted a Remnant and her that was cast far off a strong Nation And the Lord shall reign over them in Zion from henceforth and for ever thou shalt go even to Babylon and there thou shalt be delivered there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine Enemies Arise and thresh O Daughter of Zion for I will make thy Horn Iron and thy Hoofs Brass and thou shalt beat in pieces many People and I will consecrate their gain and their substance to the God of the whole Earth Mic. 4. all Awake awake stand up O Jerusalem which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the Cup of his fury thou hast drunk the dregs of the Cup of trembling and thou hast wrung them out there is none to guide her amongst all the Sons whom she hath brought forth neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the Sons whom she hath brought up these two things are come unto thee who shall be sorry for thee desolation and destruction the Famine and the Sword by whom shall I comfort thee thy Sons have fainted they lye at the head of all the Streets they are full of the fury of the Lord thy God therefore now hear this thou afflicted and drunken but not with Wine Thus saith the Lord the God and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his People behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the Cup of my fury thou shalt no more drink it again but I will put it into the hands of them that afflicted thee who have said to thy Soul bow down that we may go over and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over Isa 51.17 to end Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spoke against him I do earnestly remember him still my bowels are troubled for him Jer. 31.20 Thus saith the Lord because the Enemy hath said against you a hah made you desolate and swallowed you up for a possession to the Heathen and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers and are in Infamy to the People and are a prey and derision I have spoken in my Jealousie and my fury because ye have born the reproach of the Heathen ye shall shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit for behold I am for you and ye shall be tilled and sown I will multiply you and settle you after your old Estates and I will do better to you than at your beginning and ye shall know that I am the Lord I will take you from among the Heathen whether I have driven you and I will bring you into your own Land then will I sprinkle you with clean Water and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols a new Heart also will I give you and a
new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the Stony Heart out of your Flesh and I will give you a Heart of Flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 36. all He that spared not his own Son but freely gave him up to death for us all how shall he not also with him freely give us all things Rom. 8 31. to the end I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life things present nor things to come nor Principalities nor Powers nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.31 to the end Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Mat. 7.9 Thou calledst in trouble and I delivered thee I answered thee in the secret place of Thunder I proved thee at the Waters of Meribah Exod. 17.6 The People of God are his Temple and he dwells amongst them therefore he assists comforts and protects them For ye are the Temple of the living God 2 Cor. 6.16 Know ye not your own selves how that Christ is in you except you be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 And are built upon the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a Holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God thorough the Spirit Eph. 2.20 21 22. Christ is as a Sun over his House whose House we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing in the hope unto the end Heb. 3.6 Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard neither hath it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive besides thee O Lord what good he hath prepared for those that wait on him 1 Cor. 2.9 The great Physitian of Souls hath not only offered his temporal Mercies in general afflictions but also hath proportionate his Promises to the particular Cases and Conditions of his People in their afflictions which may be chiefly in these First Under Sickness Weakness or Infirmities of Old Age. Secondly In Poverty Want or Oppression Thirdly Under Captivity Restraint or Imprisonment Fourthly Under Revilings Reproaches or Slanders Fifthly Under unkindness or forsaking from Friends or Relations First In Sickness or Weakness As it is Christs own saying in another sense what hath a Man profited if he gain the whole World and loose his own Soul So it may be said what comfort can a Man have of Honour Friends Riches and all other enjoyments of the World when by Sickness Infirmity or natural Decay and Weakness he is not able to find a relish of these Enjoyments his Palate is so out of order that all are insipid and tastless to him And as it s said by Christ What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul what will not the greatest Misers the Lovers of Honour or Wealth give to ease the gnawing pains of a lingering and loathsome Disease when by sickness or pain all the Channels of Comfort are stopt and a Man can have no breathing but is tortured and racked by fainting fits or tearing pains how cheap would he sell all his pretensions to breath freely and he eased of his Pains and Sickness which drain all the Faculties from the Sensor Use of any other enjoyments And how miserable is the richest wisest most honourable and best related when the Heart is stunned with faintings and the body with torturing pains nevertheless this is the Christians comfort that there is Balm in Gilead and a Physitian in Israel and one who not for filthy lucre but one who of free love hath not only promised to cure them but also never to leave nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 Am I a God at hand and not afar off he is present when trouble is near Jer. 23.23 Behold I will bring it health and cure I will cure them and will reveal unto them the abundance of Peace and Truth I will restore health unto thee I will heal thee of thy wounds because they call thee an outcast saying this is Zion whom no Man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 Which are born by me from the Belly which are carried from the Womb even to your old Age I am he even to your hoar hairs will I carry them I have made and I will bear even I will carry and I will deliver you Isa 46.3 He alone hath that universal Medicine who hath â—hte Keys of Hell and Death and none can rescue out of his Hands of this David in his Affliction and Decay of Strength being sensible applieth himself to the proper Physitian I am a Wonder unto many but thou art my strong refuge cast me not off in time of Old Age forsake me not when Strength faileth now when I am Old and Gray headed forsake me not Psal 71.7 18. I have seen his Ways I will heal him I will restore Comforters unto his Mourners I create the fruit of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him Isa 57.18 19. He maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his Hands make whole Job 5.18 Come and let us return unto the Lord he hath torn and he will heal he hath smitten and he will bind us up after two days he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hos 6.1 2. Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and hope in his Mercy to deliver the Soul from Death and keep them alive from famine Psal 33. â—8 19. The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in Sickness Psal 41.3 They cry unto the Lord in their trouble he saved them out of their distresses he sent his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions Psal 107.19 20. Secondly In Imprisonment As all Afflictions for the time are grievous and not joyous Restraint or Imprisonment wants not its aggravations for that it restrains a Man from that freedom of Nature in converse which is most desirable by Man as the Philosopher defines him to be a sociable Creature It restrains him from the Comfort of such in whom he delights Relations Friends and Acquaintance It deprives him of the Improvement of his Talent for Religion or Vertue for God his own Family and Common-wealth It abridgeth his Comfort in other Enjoyments It lessens health creates sickness and oppresseth the vitals often to fatal effects and here in this House of Darkness the Lord appears to support his People by manifold Promises either of deliverance or his strength and presence to comfort and uphold them and often to
16. read all Sixthly Does the free Market of Grace Merit no Admiration Thankfulness and Credit Isa 55 1 2 3. Seventhly Are not these words of him that cannot lye Dissemble or Deceive As I live saith the Lord I desire not the Death of sinner but rather that he should repent and live Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet I will make them as Wooll though they be red as Crimson I will make them as Snow Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you rest Is 1.18 Mat. 11.28 Eighthly Is not this Christs own Voice Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man will open to me I will come in and he shall Sup with me and I with him And to him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3.20 21. Now how great was the Stupidity and Folly not to believe these Fatherly Invitations and Comply with them that we may be Eternally Happy Inference Though Man by Nature in the above Description be inexpressibly Miserable yet not without Remedy by Faith in Jesus Christ who dyed for a sinner and Salvation and Eternal Life promised to Believers in him Rom. 5.5 6 7. Jo. 3.16 17 18. wherefore we should take Heart Courage and a patient waiting on him And for our Assistance and Encouragement First Under the deep Sense of Mans Misery in the condition of Natural sin as in the preceding Description of Man with a continual Lowliness and Humility of Mind as a check to Pride Self and Sin looking into Mans Character when any thing of Sin or Temptation offers and with the Apostle cry out O Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death Rom. 7.24 Secondly Have deep Admiration of the height and depth of the unsearchable Love of God in Christ Jesus who hath made Christ to Believers all and in all Eph. 3.17 18 19. Col. 3.11 Thirdly Be Reconciled to the Cross of Christ and Affliction as the happy means of Reconciling thee to God before I was Afflicted I went astray but now have I learned to know the Law I will return to my place and hide my Face until they acknowledge their Iniquities seek my Face in their Afflictions they will seek me early Hos 5.15 I have refined thee but not with Silver I have chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction Is 48.10 I will bring her into the Wilderness and there I will allure her and speak Comfortably unto her Hos 2.14 I reckon that the present Afflictions of this Life which are but for a Moment are not worthy to be compared to that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Fourthly Ly patiently under the Rod until the time of thy Deliverance come and quarrel not with the Instruments of thy Chastisement hear the Voice of the Rod and who hath appointed wait for the Vision though it tarry it will speak Hab. 2.3 Say with David Lo here am I let him do with me what seemeth good in his sight 2 Sam. 15.25 26. as with the Apostle I have learned in every condition therewith be content I know how to want and how to abound Phil. 4.11 12 13. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord until he plead my Cause and Execute Judgment for me Mic. 7.9 Fifthly Believe it to be a Truth and be Comforted in it that all things work together for good to such as wait for him and that the end is Eternal Life in Jesus Christ Ro. 8.28 Faith and Salvation are inseparable Companions as well from the Covenant of God in Christ Jesus as from the Fidelity Power Promise and good Will of God and this alone is able to answer all the Cavils of Malice and Disquiet or Discouragement which may arise from the Consideration of the meanness or misery by Nature or under the sense of Mans weakness under his sinful Condition in this that he that believeth shall have Eternal Life Jo. 3.16 17 18. for though Man in his best Condition by Nature without grace be a meer Picture Shadow Vapour Bubble and like a Bell upon the Water or dew on the Grass that withereth his whole Life Labour and Sorrow Vanity and lighter than Vanity so as he desireth Death rather than Life and at Death is the end of all his glory and his Misery is endless in Everlasting Destruction as in the foregoing Description hence is the unspeakable Consolation of Believers that the Covenant of God is everlasting not of the things of this Life only but also of the Life t come the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance and herein doth the excellency of the Covenant of grace exceed that of the Covenant of Works with Man in his first Creation First The first state and Condition of Man naturally considered was of the things of this Natural Life only but the New and second Covenant is of things of this Life and also of that which is to come so that the New Covenant which hath the promise of this Life and of that also which is to come is more valuable than the other Godliness is great gain 1 Tim. 4.8 c. Wherefore Christ adviseth us not to store up perishing things but rather the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Mat. 6.19 to 24. Secondly We see in Natural Mans Description what a slippery thing he is and the meanness of his Condition and where all with him ends but the Enjoyments of the New Covenant is the Inheritance of all things which perish not nor change Ro. 11.29 Thirdly To this New Covenant belong Priviledges which make Happiness here and Eternally hereafter by all which the Fellows of this Covenant are endowed with the greatest priviledges and assisted with the Richest promises that infinite Wisdom and Goodness thought fit to make a happy State here and Eternally hereafter Fourthly The excellency of this Covenant is such that the priviledges thereto belonging qualifies and secures the Heirs of this Covenant against all vicissitudes in this Life and fits and moulds them for the Enjoyment of that Eternal State provided and secured by this New Covenant the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God designing to make Believers Citizens of the New Jerusalem made without Hands eternal in the Heavens alters and changes the whole frame of Man from what it was formerly in Nature and squares him to that Heavenly building Although of Gods free Will and Pleasure for his own glory without the necessity of any further perfection Man was at first Created by God as the free love of God in Christ Jesus is the only Rise of Mans Eternal Happiness nevertheless it is not only compleated by Election but also by Regeneration and newness of Life in Christ Jesus and by being made Holy as God is Holy and therefore the whole frame of