God with good Josiah This is that most poor sinful Creatures do bolster up themselves with in their Ignorance and Security that they do all to God and Men with good hearts whereas a renewed Soul doubts of the goodness of his heart and hath matter of humbling for it in every duty 2. Another mistake of poor souls is as to the Gospel-New-Creature from a misprision of sins of infirmities for such as are indeed reigning damning sins As to instance to lye for advantage to swear petty Oaths sometimes by Faith and Troth by the Mass to mention God's Name frequently as a by-word crying Oh Lord Oh God slightly vainly or sometimes to drink to excess or the like evils 'T is common to hear wretched Souls when convinc'd of them to excuse the matter Why 't is their infirmity whereas it proceeds from a heart wholly unregenerate and under the power and reign of sin Infirmities of the Children of God are not allowed by them but humbled mourned for every day watch'd against the root of them they endeavour to mortifie through the Spirit which the common professor that calls all his sins his infirmities doth not Oh! Souls there 's a vast difference between the infirmities of such as are indeed New-Creatures and between the reigning sins of natural men sin reigns in its peace power habit in the heart no subduing crucifying purging which a New-Creature doth and hath 3. This mistake of the New-Creature doth arise from a misconcieving of the reluctancy of a natural conscience before or in the committing of sin taking it for the Conflict that is in a truly regenerate Soul between the Regenerate and Carnal part which mistake usually is bottomed upon a misunderstanding of that place of Paul Rom. 7.15 For that which I do I allow not c. Hence say many unregenerate graceless persons Why though they do break out into such and such things and omit such and such duties yet they do not allow themselves in it that is their Conscience is not wholly seared and so make some resistance and this they take to be saving grace a gross and most dangerous mistake now take such a person and he hath not a delight in the Law of God in the inward man as Paul had verse 22. doth not cry out as inwardly burthen'd wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death No such daily complaints and groanings under the weight of it No eying God through Jesus Christ for deliverance from it No serving the Law of God with a Renewed inward Man No walking after the Spirit so that unless it be so with you that no allowance in the conscience and yet do it it comes to nothing and an Hypocrite may and doth as much till given up to a seared conscience past feeling 4. From a mistake of Faith taking that for sound and saving which is common to a Reprobate such as James describes in his Epistle speaking of Men who say they have faith and have not really a Faith that believes God is the Scriptures the dying and rising of Jesus Christ and all other Gospel truths as it pretends yea that he believes on Jesus Christ and hopes to be saved by him as well as the holiest and upon this they have a kind of peace I have spoken before of justifying Faith only a word as to the New-Creature know therefore that Faith that doth not teach a soul to deny it self that doth not purifie the heart that doth not live upon Jesus Christ and so created into him is not the faith of the New-Creature but a common dead putrifying faith that suffers the soul to putrifie in sin and works not to the cleansing of it 5. To instance in some other graces as namely Repentance which souls do take to be only a wishing the sin had not been committed with a little fear and sorrow after it and this they think to be true repentance which when true is accompanied with loathing of the sin and our selves and our corrupt natures brokenness of heart for it and from it and turning to God by Jesus Christ and eyes the honour patience holiness love of God in its sorrowing more than his wrath and hath for its effects carefulness indignation against it self vehement desire after more holiness by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 7.11 6. A false and carnal hope of Heaven mistaken for a gracious saving hope deceives the soul in this matter Many poor souls yea it may be feared the most think they shall go to Heaven because they hope so and think they ought to hope Now a saving hope of pardon and Heaven is rightly bottom'd namely upon the riches of Gods Grace Titus 3.7 Upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ Gal. 5.5 Upon some special promise of God Upon experience of God Rom. 5. And purifying the soul 1 John 3.3 as I may have occasion more at large to speak Oh! this false and carnal cursed hope that is not thus bottom'd serves only to shut up the heart against the power of the Word and a saving closing with Jesus Christ till a Soul is dasht in this hope it will never get a better 7. A form of knowledge especially if increas'd under the Ministry of the Word may much deceive a soul in this great and weighty concernment so Paul speaks of the Jews Rom. 2.20 having a form of knowledge and of the truth of the law Many have a Catechistical form of Knowledge they can describe what Faith and Repentance and Regeneration is and then think they have it themselves because they can tell what it is and do believe it to be such There may be much knowledge in the head and yet no renewing grace in the heart That knowledge that is saving brings with it a power upon the Soul to love delight in to experience the goodness vertue sweetness of what it knows It transforms the soul into the image of what is known 2 Cor. 3. last It is spiritual and it makes the heart the affections spiritual 8. A Misconceit of the grace of love is also a false ground in this matter As that a poor soul will think that he loves God when he hath no knowledge of him nor delight in him nor communion with him nor doth love his Image which is holiness and that he loves all every one whereas much envy and malice reigns in the heart if but a little provoked and for the people of God truly so called they hate them for Hypocrites Schismaticks and what not or if a little better thoughts of them 't is not love to Christ and his Image in them that acts them which is the nature of the grace of love But yet are justified in their conscience to be the people of God 9. So is patience humility meekness mistaken some natural dispositions are most patient and meek and these poor Creatures are apt to mistake for grace when 't is nothing but meer nature and more candid disposition and such Souls
pitty for my own holy Name ver 21. Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes but for mine holy Names sake ver 22. I will sanctifie my great Name ver 23. And when the Lord had shewed what he would do for the poor Jews in special and so for all Sinners taken into Covenant with him that he would sprinkle clean water upon them cleanse them from their Sins give them a new heart put his Spirit upon them write his Laws in their hearts and so take them to be his people he again concludes with the same ground as before that all this was still for his own Name ver 32. Not for your sakes I do this be it known unto you c. And yet that he would as certainly and fully do it as if all the engagements from man in the world had been upon him as undoubtedly make good every part and article of the Covenant he adds ver 36. I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it you may safely abide by it Neither should his grace and power come hardly from him as poor doubting souls surmise as if 't were as much as ever the Lord could do to give out mercy and grace to poor Sinners but saith the blessed God in another place upon the same account having given out the promises of Grace in the New Covenant Jer. 32.37 and so on He subjoyns I will do it with my whole heart and my whole soul mark it poor souls with my whole soul will I pardon you love you never turn away from you to do you good and never suffer you to turn away from me If poor souls for whose sake I put it should here ask what is this Covenant what do you mean by it only a word here God at first when he made man agreed with man to be his God to give him life for ever upon these terms that man would keep the Law that God gave him and 't was a Law that would have given all glory to the Creator preserved the creature in a holy and blessed order and been a blessing to the whole Creation but man transgressing here the blessed God from his own good pleasure for his names sake gives out another Covenant provides in it terms of reconciliation for the first breach of the first Covenant sends his eternal blessed Son Jesus Christ to be a mediator of this new Covenant gives him commission to offer it to all and that freely and to let the World know that if any Sinner in the World never so great come and put up his plea make his claim enter his claim accept of this Covenant and new agreement with God accept of the terms of it give up himself mutually to God back again then will God be his God and that upon better terms than before with Adam pardon own love bless unite to himself never suffer him to fall mercy built upon an unmoveable foundation The foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 This briefly is the meaning of the New Covenant upon which all our mercy is built now from first to last from the first to the top-stone of it from Election to Glory all is done and made good for the Lords own glorious Names sake Souls elected the Covenant transacted between God and Christ Jesus Christ sent the Sinner called forgiven justified sanctified adopted kept glorified All for his Names sake See the promises running thus in most places Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions Why for my own sake Purge away our sins for thy Names sake Psal 79.9 This is the bottom of all This name he hath revealed in Jesus Christ Exod. 23.21 Now because the further clearing of this blessed truth is my design through Grace in the next discourse I shall speak but a word more by the way of use only Vse 1. If it be thus that whatever God gives out to poor souls is for his own Names sake that this is the plea a poor Sinner hath let it then be for your information and instruction that you have no other plea to be heard in Heaven but this the plea of Jesus Christ being upon the same bottom Don't make a sorry pile of carnal duties and works and say for the sake of these Lord do me good and pardon where I have failed the Lord may send fire from Heaven to consume thee and them because of their pollution and that 't is a cursed offering but never hear thee and bless thee upon such a plea No no say in thy soul and that from full conviction If ever I have any thing from God on this side Hell it must be for his own Names sake I expect I plead I wait upon no other ground Vse 2. If the Lord's Names sake be the only plea for grace then let poor Sinners drawing near to God by Jesus Christ be perswaded that 't is a good plea and most acceptable before the Lord. Now this is the way of the heart of poor creatures from rooted self-love and pride we think if God could give out good unto us for our sakes it were something if there were any thing to be beheld in us that were commendable to the Lord I could go with some confidence but seeing 't is thus that I am nothing else but vile before him how can I go to him with what face or how can he give out unto me Sinner be as low as thou wilt or canst but reason not so with thy self If God can as freely as fully do thee good all good for his own Names sake and hath thereby the more glory by it why shouldest thou so stand upon thy terms with God and not be as willing as contented to accept of Mercy all mercy for Gods own Names sake as well as for thy sake 'T is thy pride be it known unto thee Sinner as thou thinkest thou art and not thy lowliness know for thy comfort God can more readily easily do thy soul good upon the terms he now is for his own sake and so the thing be done thy soul pardoned blessed saved and all shall end in everlasting love upon thee let the Lord have all the Glory though thou hast nothing to boast of for thy own sake And yet also know that when the Lord saith he doth it for his own sake he doth not exclude that he hath no respect and love unto thee but that the great and highest motive with God was and is his own Name his own glorious grace why he ever had a thought of good to an undone creature that there was no motive in the creature unless misery which is no glory but all is done given estated upon souls undone poor Sinners freely for his own sake 3. Let it exhort souls to make use of this plea therefore and that with great though humble confidence It never failed poor Souls since the world was that made use of it when they were low and helpless and eyed
that sleepest Ephes 5. The voice of the Spirit doth awake that Conscience that before was asleep in sinful security 4. A good Conscience is convinced that all the keepings of the Law and keeping a Conscience to men cannot justifie the soul before God cannot commend it to God which a Second Table-Conscience imagines it will and so in peace Paul kept a Conscience as to many things Acts 23.1 I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day meaning I conceive from his youth up when he was a Pharisee but when his Conscience was convinced and awakened and came to see Jesus Christ he saw that all his keeping a Conscience as to many sins and Duties could not in the least commend him to God A good Conscience is sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 So that this is the efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ upon the Conscience of a Believer it pacifies it in the sense of the forgiveness of sins towards God so as it can draw near to God and it purgeth it from dead works sin and pollution to serve God acceptably This is a good Conscience indeed 6. A good Conscience respects all the Precepts of God as well of Holiness to God as Goodness to Men which the Conscience we have been speaking of doth not Such a one makes not conscience of this great and absolute Precept Be ye holy 1 Pet. 1. It makes not conscience of purging the heart of secret mourning to God of the purity of God's Worship It makes no Conscience of lesser sins as we have shewed not of all sin as Herod heard the Word gladly but made no conscience of persecuting John to death when he stood in the way of his Lusts Now I say a good Conscience respects Precepts of Holiness secret as well as publick Duties inward as well as outward Sins lesser sins as well as greater 7. A Scripture good Conscience is much taken up about godly sincerity So Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that with simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but with the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the world c. Thus a soul that walks with a good Conscience towards God labours to approve it self in all things with a godly sincerity to do all as unto God Lastly a good Conscience labours to keep it self pure and undefiled it is accompanied with a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned A Soul that would keep the Conscience good would keep it pure and the whole inward man pure as a Temple unto God Vse Now see how many ingredients go to make up a good Conscience in a Scripttre-sense and what a great mistake is in this weighty matter and how far abundance of people that make conscience of their dealings with men conclude thence they have a Scripture-good-Conscience to God when they are not savingly enlightned their Conscience never search'd by the power of the Word and throughly awakened out of a natural condition never humbled for resting in themselves and their Duties not having their Conscience sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ and purged thereby not having a tender respect to all the Precepts of God not to walk before him in godly sincerity nor with a pure heart You then that are short of these things you are wholly to seek in that which you so much pretend to and speak peace to your selves in the having or keeping a good Conscience you have as yet no part in this matter 2. What hath been spoken of a good Cnnscience may be for instruction and direction to the Called Ones of Christ how to preserve the Conscience good and peaceable and so to live and dye in the peace and comfort of it through Jesus Christ our Lord. Get it sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ every day and under the searching of the Word and awake unto God and pure and undefiled respecting all the Holy Precepts of God as binding to your conscience so will the conscience be tender and peaceable and God will witness in your conences your acceptance with him in his Son Jesus Christ I would give out further some Notes of Tryal Whether you rest in false common grace or not as to what we have already spoken in so weighty a matter 1. By your never suspecting the truth of your grace but taking all upon trust never doubting but you have Faith and do repent and so of all the rest that soul that never suspected his grace may well fear that his pretended grace is no more than what a Hypocrite may reach unto The poor called children of God are exceedingly jealous their Faith is not sound that they are short in every grace because of the woful mixtures that they find more Unbelief than Faith more hardness of heart than softness more Pride than Humiliation and so of all Now that soul that goes away with an unsuspected confidence of every Grace sure flatters himself and his way will be found to be deceitful 2. That Soul that draws back his conscience from the searching power of the Word when it gives out ways of trial of Sincerity and truth of grace and puts it off as if not concerned in it this may well be speak a false heart A gracious heart would bring the Work over and over to the Touch-stone of the Word delivers up it self unto it yea is much with God to search him in point of a firm Work upon his Spirit as to any prevailing Iniquity in his heart as David Psal 139. When he was before the Lord appealing to him and opening his heart to him speaks thus ver 1. Oh Lord thou hast searched me c. thou hast And yet ver 23.24 begs of God yet further to search him Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me into the way everlasting 3. False Grace is discovered by its easie acting When you can easily believe easily repent easily be humble and so of all others Certainly 't is all naught There is great contradiction within and from the Tempter as to act Grace begun in a soul yea a daily supply from Jesus Christ must be to act any Grace livelily which the common pretending easie Believers are not sensible of It cannot be but every act of Grace must find more or less resistance from flesh and blood which is so vigorously opposite to the nature and acting of real grace in the Soul 4. Such as are
upon every sinner in the world while under the law Rom. 5.18 2. The guilt of the corruption of our natures sin in the fountain as I have shewed which is likewise upon every Son or Daughter of Adam they are all corrupt Psal 14.1 wherein lies the exceeding sinfulness of sin 3. The guilt of actual rebellion against God sin brought forth and acted in the outward man against God Now under this threefold guilt is every sinner in the world while under the Law the effect of which if not reconciled is punishment suitable to the guilt which is Thou shalt surely dye And The wages of sin is death Eternal Death Rom. 6. last Vse 1. This may therefore inform and convince that every sin brings guilt upon the soul and so deserves death and everlasting wrath from God you that make light of sin to lye to prophane the Name of the Lord be in worldly discourses on the Lords day in any way of sin whatsoever weigh this in thy conscience there 's not the least sin but makes thee guilty before the Tribunal of God God the Law Angels Conscience are all witnesses against thee where 's the soul that will think to avoid this charge shall I prove every soul of you guilty and that before God If this were proved by the power of the word in the conscience I know what and I shall shew it you will be the effect of it lay your Consciences to the Word and if thou art found guilty before the Lord this day go home with the sense of it upon thy soul and do as a guilty sinner should do 1. Consider first as to what concerns God immediately the Law requires thou shouldst have no other Gods but him Exod. 20. which Jesus Christ interprets is to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul Now hath God had thy whole Heart and Soul darest thou say so Hath not the world had more of thy Heart than God Dost not thou love the World and the things of it Do not thy Affections Thoughts Desires of thy Heart even day and night go after it Yea you cannot but grant that 't is so Then God and Angels are witness that thou art guilty of the damnable sin of Idolatry And such a one shall not as such enter into the Kingdom of God Eph. 5.5 Know by that Scripture A covetous heart may send thee to Hell as well as any sin in the World No Covetous man who is an Idolater shall enter into the kingdom of God Read over the place every day and tremble at it Here 's guilt already enough to damn thee 2. Thou hast worshipped God superstitiously and idolatrously after the Traditions and Commandments of Men You that are elderly people are all guilty here in a grevious manner in the time of your ignorance and superstition coming to Sacraments with sins upon your Souls from which sins your are not converted and changed to this day which the Apostle calls eating and drinking damnation or judgment under which guilt you still lye and would heap up more of this guilt were not some more tender of your Souls than your selves Art thou not now ready to cry out Oh hold hold you need go no further my Conscience is smitten Oh! guilt great guilt lyes upon me Oh that 't were the cry of many Souls before the Lord how might it end in mercy that shall be for ever 3. But yet further to pursue thy Conscience for that 's the nature of guilt doth not the Lord require in his law that thou shouldst not take his Name in vain Exod. 20.7 Now sinner stave off this guilt if thou canst How oft hast thou abused and profaned this great and dreadful Name the Lord thy God by swearing or in thy by words crying Oh Lord Oh God for God's sake for Christ's sake upon every foolish vain occasion with no more reverence of His Name than the most common name in the World And some of you have as many days as you have lived since your Child-hood been frequently guilty of this great evil which thou hast made a small matter of which if ever God pardon it it will appear to be odious guilt from the height of thy Heart-Atheism How oft hast thou heard the Word and thy Heart been after the World and thine eyes gazing up and down that 't is easie to discern thou regardest not what is spoken from God to thee and the same in Prayer How oft hast thou babled over the Lords Prayer like a Charm with no reverence of Gods Majesty upon thy Soul In thy bed it may be in a drowsie manner or if otherwise not understanding the Words thou speakest much less thy Heart affected with them or it may be saying over the Creed and the Commandments or some Book of Prayers as abundance do grievously prophaning God's Name and offering Lip-labour which his soul abhorreth yea know what hath been often proved that thy prayers and all thy worship and good deeds as thou callest them are an abomination to the Lord while thou art in thy sin an unconverted and unholy person yea the way of thy worship in which thou placest thy greatest confidence hath been the highest aggravations of thy sin in offering up to God that which his soul hateth Isa 1.11 12 13 14 15. When you make many prayers saith the Lord I will not hear you c. And as to the sanctifying the Sabbath which thou shouldst make a holy rest unto God thou hast made it a meer fleshly rest consuming the day upon thy lusts in vanity idleness carnal and worldly discourses in families in the streets to the high dishonour of the Name of God and hardening of thy heart against the truths of God rendering thereby the preaching of the Gospel wholly unprofitable to thy soul A carriage far unlike a man that hath the grace of God upon him and a most invincible argument to thy Conscience that thou makest not God his word ordinances sabbaths a holy delight and knowest not the excellency and sweetness of Communion with him say sinner and lay thy Conscience to this conviction is hearing and that with love praying praising meditating conferring of holy things the very Heaven of thy soul and so longest for such Exercises as the joy and strength of thy heart Nothing less Thy own Conscience being Judge but hear drowsily and negligently it may be despisingly revile the Preacher speak evil of the word out of thy gross ignorance and hatred to be reformed speak vainly carnally worldly with such as are like thy self Here 's guilt enough to send thee to a thousand Hells if God smite not thy heart for it and thou turn not unto him for pardon and a better heart to be given to thee Add to all this an unthankful and unholy use of Gods good Creatures it may be thou hast been betray'd by the devil and thy own ready heart to some secret sins which thou thinkest enough if thou canst
from natural temper can bear much and it hath an appearance of of grace but yet here may be no work of the Spirit all this while humbling meekning the soul in its own vileness no mortification of contrary lusts no humbling for pride of heart without which no true gracious humility no meekning by the Gospel and the power of Christs love upon their Spirits and yet upon this account you shall have poor carnal souls pretend much as I have often heard it urged by them to the fruits of the Spirit mention'd Gal. 5.22 of love joy peace goodness patience temperance when t is nothing but disposition ingenuity or from civil education 10. As great a deceit there is about the fear of God many poor souls do fear the punishment and wrath of God which is all they do and then they think this is the fear of his Servant the fear of the Lord which God promiseth to put into the hearts of his own people Jer. 32.40 is a fear of God because he is holy because he is gracious because he hath pardoned iniquity They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Hos 3. last which fear is mixt with a sweet and blessed love to God and consolation of the Spirit at least a waiting for it 11. A misapprehension of good works causeth a mistake of the New-Creature many are convinc'd that works of Mercy and Charity and Justice are to be done and so from a pittiful nature or from vain-glory or from a secret thought to appeâ—se God or from Legal conviction at least they will be ready to do Charitable works things good in themselves and this they think discovers their Faith And herein lies a common deceit in the vulgar professors of the people of England Now all the good works falsly so called done out of Christ are fleshly and not accepted with God A Papist and many a carnal Protestant even also for the sin of his soul doth much this way but good works properly so called do flow from a living Faith from love to Jesus Christ and design not a self-justification but the glory of God And gracious Souls do find it very hard to perform them with holy ends 12. Mistake of a good conversation which may only be a moral conversation civil sober righteous as to Men but minds not Holiness to God which is the special part of a Gospel-Conversation And yet the most of people go away with this that they are believers and in a good state for Heaven because they have a good conversation which they greatly mistake That which the word of God calls a good conversation as an evidence of Faith is not only a meer outward blamelesness which the Pharisees had but to walk with God from a Gospel-principle from Gospel Grace and the love of God in the heart chiefly respecting holiness to the Lord and the fear of the Lord upon the heart now a soul that hath nothing of this may be outwardly blameless a Jew and Heathen may be so and nothing of the grace of God upon them Vse Now the Lord make this to be a convincing searching Word to you you that have left some gross sins from the word upon your consciences from afflictions from worldly advantages from age be it known unto you this you may do and more and be still the Children of Wrath in an unpardoned condition and not the New-Creatures we are speaking of yea though thou hast taken up to New-duties and makest conscience of many sins and many duties thou may'st still be out of Jesus Christ And you that call your daily sins which have dominion over you your infirmities when not humbled nor mourn for them nor cry for strength against them this your way is your folly and the Devil and your own hearts greatly deceive you yea you call such sins your infirmites meaning as if they were the infirmities of the children of God that cannot consist with truth of grace such as common lying and common prophaning the Lords Name in your mouths and neglecting to sanctifie his Sabbaths and living in the neglect of secret spiritual Prayer And such of you that have some striving in you consciences before and after the sin know it iâ— may be so and yet not a drop of saving grace in you no regenerate part wrought forth in you and yet how many bear up themselves upon this score and think thence they allow not themselves in the sins they commit in Paul's sense look to this or you may for ever perish in this snare I have given some marks how you may know it Take you heed also that you take not that which is called Common-Grace which is common to Reprobates for true grace There 's a false Faith a false Repentance a false Hope and so of the rest in which you may assuredly go to Hell you may have a harmless conversation and do some good works of Charity and yet perish for ever you may have nothing of the New-Creature in you and yet give all your goods to the poor In a word you may leave outward gross sins have convictions of wrath to come have purposes such as they are to be better take up to New Duties have common grace think you have Faith Repentance hope that you are humble patient have a good conversation and do good works and yet not be New-creatures in Jesus Christ as we shall further evince I have yet one more deceit to discover and that is the Mistake of a Scripture good conscience It is true that the Apostle in 1 Tim. 1.5 19. puts Faith and a good conscience as the great comprehensive Duties but there is not any one thing more mistaken than what this good conscience is too many Preachers press this carnally and carnal people go away with it that they have Faith yea they never doubt it and for a good conscience they discharge it I have spoken of Faith already but now that which such poor seduced souls take to be a good Conscience is only to wrong no body to be just to all not to purloin others goods to take and keep nothing but their own they take it to be chiefly conversant about the duties of the second Table concerning their Neighbour a little to rectifie this soul-damning mistake 1. A Scripture Conscience is an Enlightned Conscience which before was shut up in darkness Eph. 1.18 The light of the Word of God is set up in the conscience whereby it discovers those truths in their power and worth which before it was dark unto 2. A good Conscience is a Conscience searcht by the power of the Word convinc'd to be under sin and guilt and pollution whereby trouble doth arise in it God laying in the weight of guilt the damnableness of sin the pollution of it upon the Conscience so that the soul cries out what shall I do How shall God be pacified and the soul saved 3. And hence it is an awakened Conscience which before was asleep Awake thou
which defile a man Which defilements unfits the soul for communion with God they make a filthy puddle in the Soul and what a case is a poor Creature in to come to God in Duty in such a pickle 5. Evil Thoughts do pervert the Heart from God which should be fixed upon him they draw away the strength of the heart from God they suck up the juice and marrow of the heart which should be spent in spiritual things in Jesus Christ 6. Such Thoughts do grieve the Spirit Nothing more the Spirit cannot delight to teach and comfort when the heart is mostly acted by foolish and unholy Thoughts 7. When such Thoughts are acted in the Soul God may leave you to the power of them to break out to some grievous fall and so may ship-wrack your peace and comforts for a great while and go with broken bones and it may cost you much bitterness before you are healed 8. If vain carnal Thoughts are not resisted at first but given way to they are hardly check't and subdued and turned upon other Objects and therefore to watch the first Risings of them Now not one of these Considerations but may make a Child of God to tremble how he lets forth his heart into vain carnal idle defiling thoughts and musings which do so much wast a gracious Spirit and lay him open to such woful dangers as these are To help a Child of God in this spiritual Work of looking to and a holy ordering the Thoughts of his Heart 1. Be deeply humbled to God with abhorring and loathing for Atheistical unclean proud vain foolish worldly thoughts that croud in upon you when you make them your Burden you will be the sooner eased 2. Delight thy self much in the Word of God not only in Publick Hearing but Daily Reading and not only Reading but getting some good word upon thy heart that may season thy thoughts and affections Saith David I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Psal 119.113 The love of the Word of God made him be so far from cherishing vain Thoughts that he did hate them It doth appear this was a special part of David's exercise of Spirit to get some blessed Word upon his heart and he thinking of it and so it did turn into the sweet and wholesom nourishment of the New-creature Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Blessed and holy practice worthy a gracious Saint indeed you have one word especially that David had much on his heart out of the Books of Moses for we know not whether any other Scripture were then exant 't is that of Exod. 34.6 where the Lord saith he will proclaim his Name and Glory The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth which you have in Psalm 103.8 Psal 86.15 and 145.8 Happily one of those sweet words which he often magnifies How hath a single word dwelt upon the heart of a Child of God and hath kept the heart savoury for Christ 3. The next Remedy against such Thoughts is Much Prayer diligence fervency pouring out the heart to God till the heart melts and runs forth sweetly spiritually and is engaged with God and hath a sight of him and a divine impression of God's Majesty left upon the soul 4. Get more and more brokenness of heart for sin when the Heart hath been broken 't will not so easily get into Vanity again At least a Child of God should take care that it should not when the heart is broken and mourning the Spirit doth wonderfully in that work refine the heart All the sleightness vanity defilement distraction that comes upon the New-Creature is mostly for want of this 5. Mortification of that Corruption that is most apt to stir doth much cure our thoughts Inordinate Affections are the Saints greatest Evils and do bespeak an unmortified heart as to what a Child of God should still be pressing after even to be dead and crucified with Christ Those that are Christs have crucified their Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.22 6. Contending for a Spiritual Heart So far as the Heart is spiritual it acts spiritually 'T is the carnality of Heart that works up all those frothy distempers that defile us Paul's corruption was much let out upon him when he cries out of the carnality of his Heart Rom. 7. which should be the daily complaint of God's poor Children 7. A great help to the preserving the Thoughts of the Heart according to the New-Creature will be to consider How precious the thoughts of God are to his people Psal 139.17 How precious also are thy thoughts O God unto me How great is the sum of them If I should count them they are more in number than the sands c. David in v. 2. was considering how God's Eye was upon his Thoughts and 't was a means to rectifie them and then David's Thoughts run forth in the sweet and blessed apprehension of the preciousness of Gods thoughts in him from all Eternity and in the ways of his Covenant towards him If Gods thoughts to us be holy and precious and ever towards us the thoughts of his Servants should be so also and as little common and unsavoury as may be More particularly let us yet consider what blessed and excellent and glorious things such as are New-Creatures in Christ have to exercise their thoughts about 1. Gracious Souls have the Attributes of God to exercise the thoughts of their Hearts in the Infiniteness of God his Greatness Holiness Glory c. A blessed Exercise for Saints indeed So we find the Scripture-Saints sweetly taken up with contemplation and admiration of the Excellencies of God himself Thou art glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 saith Moses But Thou art holy saith David Psal 22. Oh how great is thy Goodness Psalm 8.31 as might be abundantly shewed and the exercise of the thoughts this way hath a powerful influence upon the Heart as to its abasement purity sincerity 2. Saints have the riches and freeness of the grace of God in Jesus Christ towards poor sinners to be taken up withal Oh the free rich distinguishing Grace of God to a poor Creature that was posting to Hell that was a Rebellious Wretch a vile Hypocrite the worst of sinners the most unlikely to be converted of any sinner in the world We have David and Paul's hearts swallowed up in this above any other as David in many Psalms is in the admiration of grace and Paul in most of his Epistles makes it his great scope as the great Argument to be not only believing but humble and holy and heavenly all their days especially Col. 1. and Ephes 1st 2d and 3d. Chapters 3. Saints have the unsearchable Riches of Jesus Christ to take up their thoughts with the Excellencies and Dignities of his Person the Beauty and Glory that is in him the depths of his love the matchless price of his blood his bowels to sinners his care of his Churches Oh
in the Strength of Christ in the wisdom and patience of Christ and so in all This 't is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ and to walk in him to do all in Christ and through Christ is the main work of the New-Creature as 't was hinted in discovering the necessity of the New-Creature's being in Christ 4. The Walk of the New-Creature is to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit There 's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 To walk in the Spirit is 1. Not to fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5.16 Not to be under the power of them or to make provision for them not to feed them but to crucifie them They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.14 which is put as an evidence of walking after the Spirit 2. 'T is to be led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 to give up our selves to the leadings and teachings of the Spirit Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness is the cry of every true Convert in Christ who would not be led by his own Spirit in any thing nor by any other mens spirits but waits for the Leading of the spirit in every work and way wherein he would walk before God 5. The New-Creature walks after the revealed will of God And as many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them Gal. 5.16 speaking of the New-Creature who walks after a rule Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 He sets himself to walk in all the precepts of God and esteemed them all holy and righteous 6. The New-Creature walks in his integrity Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Psal 25.21 As for me I will walk in mine integrity Psal 26.11 And as for me thou upholdest me in mine integrity and settest me before thy face for ever Psal 41.12 This is the gracious resolution of every Convert to walk in his integrity through which God will preserve and uphold him in all his ways and when the World reproacheth him God will set him before his face and that for ever 7. The New-Creature so far as he is a New-Creature walks humbly This is that the Lord doth require of thee walk humbly with thy God Micah 6.8 To walk humbly before the Lord toward sinners and towards Saints The soul that walks most with God walks most humbly towards men 8. The New-Creature walks in love And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us Ephes 5.2 In love to all Saints as Saints a special part of the Gospel-walk Not in love to such or such a party of Saints which is but self-love but in love to all that walk with God 9. More Particulars might I mention as walking honestly towards all men not oppressing defrauding but righteously charitably compassionately So far I say as he is a New-Creature he walks thus Only let me add this that the New-Creature walks by Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 and not by sight He is ever learning a life of dependency lives upon the All-sufficiency of God the Righteousness of Christ the fulness of his Grace the word of his Promise and so lives out of himself upon the fulness of God in Christ and his truth in his Promise even when he feels not his presence And herein briefly consists the Life of Faith to live out of our selves upon another even the fulness of an infinite God manifested in Jesus Christ In a word The New-Creature in Christ as he is called of God through infinite Free-Grace So is he to walk in all things Worthy of his vocation Ephes 4.1 To walk worthy of the Lord even to walk as Jesus Christ himself walked 1 John 2.6 To walk in this present world how he might express the vertues of Christ the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ so freely revealed to him to walk self-denyingly holily patiently harmlesly profitably heavenly as one that is called from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan to God called out of the world to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 2.14 Vse 1. If this be the Walk of the New-Creature then such who walk not as in the Eye of God but after the Atheism of their Hearts consider not that God sees them in their most hidden ways that walk after their lusts to fulfil them that walk not in the Spirit that mind not Holiness so they keep a kind of Conscience to men Verily the Spirit of God dwelleth not in you you have no Evidence for Heaven as yet you are of the World and you walk after the course of the World Eph. 2.2 You walk Hell-ward and are held by the Cords of your Lusts and your Paths lead unto destruction And therefore turn in to Jesus Christ whose Paths are Wisdom and Safety and lead in the way of Life and Peace and Blessedness even all that choose them and delight in them 2. Let such as have the New-Creature formed in them approve themselves to God to Saints and to the World in this their New-Walk Oh see you are called to walk with God and therefore be as in his Eye continually make Communion with him your chiefest joy Walk in Jesus Christ in his Life Light Power Love Wisdom and fetch your daily supplies from him Walk in the Spirit after the Spirit as much as may be and see that you keep close to Rule to the revealed Will of God and not to Delusions be able to appeal to God Judge me Oh God according to mine integrity Psal 26.1 that you may have this Peace and Comfort in all your ways Thou upholdest me Oh Lord in mine Integrity And see you walk humbly before God and Men and in love to all that profess love to Christ and they do in some measure really express it and carry it justly and compassionately towards all men Learn above all the Experience of the Life of Faith live not in or upon what you have received but live out of it upon the Fulness of the Lord as if you had received nothing Oh ply the Throne of Grace that you may be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ and to walk in this present World as near as may be after the Holiness Patience Meekness Wisdom and Love of Jesus Christ which he shewed towards all men having your hearts and Conversations in Heaven where your treasure is 11. The New-Creature doth in all things labour its own perfection and is therefore still in conflicting with destroying crucifying purging out the old Creature the old man all of the old Adam till it sits down in Victory in a full perfection of Holiness and Glory which it shall have and not till then at the appearing of Jesus Christ Ephes 4.22