people are taught and drawne of him there is a necessitie of Gods teaching of thee in respect of thy need thou art a nothing-creature an ignorant creature subject to erre and to be misled thou doest stand in need of Gods teaching Secondly Consider God is the best instructor let this move thee to goe to him he is able to resolve thy doubts he can cleare up truths to thee he can propound matter sutable to thy condition and as he is able to teach thee so it is his promise to teach those he enters into Covenant with Jer. 31.34 seek him in the promise Thirdly Let the lessons God teacheth his people move thee to goe to him and beseech him to teach thee they are soule-ravishing lessous being once learned they bring in soule-ravishing comfort unto the soule the matter in them is soule-ravishing matter transcendent matter scholars that affect their studies many times they are taken up with the eloquence of the matter the lessons that God teacheth the soule are such transcendent matter such great mysteries as from eternitie to eternitie is time little enough for men and Angels to admire at for the very Angels admire it and desire to pry into it then let the excellency of the matter move thee to go to God and beseech him to teach thee One motive more Consider if God teach thee and thou learne of him then he will teach thee the way truth and life which is Christ Jesus and then to be sure thou shalt not miscarry Oh Brethren be exhorted to goe to God and beseech him to teach you and as at all times so especially now in these distracted times when there is abundance of counterfeit coine abroad every one will view his money well when he takes it for feare he should be cheated Oh Beloved there is but one way one truth and life and therefore abundance of counterfeit Religion abroad how many plead for a toleration of all Religions that every man might use his conscience how many proclaime open warre against the Scriptures how many vent out blasphemies against the persons in the Trinitie how many cry downe the Morall Law for a rule though it be one part of the Covenant of grace I will write my Lawes in your hearts and cause you to walke in my wayes how many run up and downe the Country seducing and drawing Disciples after them some into one corrupt opinion and some into another and it stands every one that desires to know the truth in hand to looke what coine they take then doe it not I pray seeing Gods Word doth know of but one way truth and life that is safe there is but one true Religion and therefore many are seduced in these times and the devill never had such a string to harp upon as he hath now new light and new truth and comming out of Babylon many thousands will dash their braines out upon this rocke if the Lord be not mercifull unto them and this will terrifie them when death comes and the day of Judgement when many will cry out Oh I did thinke such a one and such an one would not have misled me I tooke them to be holy men such as knew much of God such as were more eminent then others but now I see they are mistaken and I am mistaken I am an undone man and I am an undone woman I have forsaken God and his truth and now God will forsake mee for ever Lay these things to heart Brethren I tell you the Church never had such a triall as now it hath now are the times come that was spoken of in the last dayes shall come perilous times 2 Tim. 3.1 in which men will not indure sound doctrine but are turned from the truth to fables 2 Tim. 4.4 They come in the Name of Christ and deceive many and the Lord onely knows who may be seduced by them the Lord knows but it may be my husband may be seduced may the wife say or the Lord knows but it may be my wife may be seduced may the husband say the Lord knows may parents say but it may be our children may be seduced and drawne from the wayes and truths of Christ into dangerous damnable errors and what shall become of our children then Consider these things and let them move you to goe to God and beseech him to teach you and direct you and you that are husbands carry your wives to God and beseech him to teach them and to keepe them from miscarrying and you that are wives carry your husbands to God and intreat him to teach your husbands and you parents carry your children and servants to God and say Oh Lord we live in sad times miscarrying times little did we thinke ever to have lived in such times Lord keepe us close to thy selfe and establish us in the truth Lord keepe my husband keepe my wife keepe our children and servants and carry your neighbours to God and beseech him to looke upon them and stablish them in the truth And this is a notable means to keep us from miscarrying And lastly when God hath answered your prayers and setled you in the truth thy selfe or thy husband or wife or children or neighbours then give him the praise and glory of it O Lord such a one had like to have miscarried but thou hast setled him in the truth blessed be thy Name for it The Lord make these things profitable and effectuall by the inward operation of his Spirit who is the best teacher of his people FINIS
DIRECTIONS FOR Seekers Expectants OR A Guide for weake Christians in these distracted times Wherein the language of Sions-builders is confounded As it was delivered in a Sermon at Wickham-Market Preached on purpose to settle poore weake Christians who are in great danger of miscarrying by reason of seducers in these erroneous times Published at the earnest intreatie of many for a more publique good By ZEPH SMITH Minister of Wickham-Market in Suffolke PSAL. 25.9.12 Who so among you feares the Lord him will he teach the humble will he teach his way May the 16th 1646. Imprimatur John Downame LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-Alley 1646. TO THE READER weak Christians called Expectants and Seekers who take notice of so many severall opinions that they suppose no body is in the right way and therefore will waite untill God discover some new way to them which was never yet heard of To whom I have given Directions in my Sermon what to doe that they might know the way of God and no longer halt between two opinions These causes moved me to consent to the publishing of it and Christian Reader when thou readest whether thou findest abilitie or weaknesse let God have the glory who giveth to every one as it pleaseth him and if God may have the glory and any poore Christian be by the reading of it the better established in the truth and for the time to come try before he trust the Author shall have his desires who is willing God inabling him to spend and be spent for the same purpose which that it may be the Author will pray and rest Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ ZEPH SMITH DIRECTIONS FOR SEEKERS AND WEAKE CHRISTIANS in these distracted Times PSAL. 119.102 For thou hast taught mee THis Psalme is a Psalme of David and as the whole Booke of Psalmes is full of heavenly matter and soule-ravishing expressions so this Psalme is in a speciall manner The man of God was much taken up with GOD and his Word his Statutes and Judgements in so much that he knew not how to meditate enough and how to speake enough of it the Prophet found such a sweetnesse in Gods Word that notwithstanding he knew much of it yet still he desires to know more and therefore it is his expression very often in the Psalmes Lord teach and Oh teach me thy statutes The Prophet David was not of the minde that proud generation is of that say they know as much as all the Preachers in the Countrey can tell them nay as much as God himselfe can teach them they thinke otherwise what meanes that damnable Doctrine that is broached in these dayes when we have received the Spirit the Letter should cease contrary to Revel 2.25 That which yee have already hold fast untill I come But the Prophet though he knew much yet he desires to know more neither was the Prophet like that sort of hearers which may be compared unto the stony ground Mat. 13. who receive the Word into their heads but not into their hearts that they might bring forth fruit in their lives to the honour of God for in the 11. verse of this Psalme Thy Word saith he have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee The Prophet did not only labour after the knowledge of the Word but he put it into practice Neither can it be said of the Prophet as it may of too too many professors now adayes they are young Saints and old Devils they begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh the uncleane spirit is cast out for a time but it returns againe for the Prophet did persevere in the practicing of those truths which God did teach him and which he did professe as appears in the Text I have not declined from thy Judgements for thou hast taught me In which consider two things First The Person teaching God Secondly The Person taught David From the person teaching we are not onely to consider who it was but what it was which he taught His Judgements From the person taught wee are to consider first his tractablenes to learne that which God did teach him secondly his constancy in the practice of those truths which God did teach him thirdly the ground why he practiced those truths because God taught him Give me leave briefly to open the words and then to come to some point of Doctrine And first what he meaneth when he saith I have not declined that is I have not departed or gone backe from the way of thy Judgements I have not left the wayes of God to walke in the wayes of wickednesse Secondly What is meant by Judgements Answ Gods Lawes by Judgements is meant his Lawes Gods Lawes have severall names in Scripture sometime they are called his wayes as in Psal 119.1 Sometimes his testimonies Psal 119.2 His precepts vers 4. His statutes vers 5. His Commandements vers 6. His Judgements vers 7. and the Text so in vers 13. and vers 20. Sometimes bis Word vers 9. So that by Judgements is meant Gods Statutes Lawes and Commandements as will appeare if we consider the following verses unto the 107. Then thirdly What doth the Prophet meane when he saith For thou hast taught me He doth not say the Ministers my teachers taught me and therefore I profited by them but because God taught him that is God made the outward Ministery of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of his Spirit not that the Prophet did neglect attending on the outward Ministery of the Word and rested altogether upon the teaching of the Spirit without the Word for the Prophet tooke delight in attending upon the Word preached it was the onely thing he desired Psal 27.4 that he panted after Psal 42.1 that he reâ—oyced in the injoyment of Psal 84. Neither did he prosit by the outward Ministery of the Word onely for Paul â—ay plant and Apollo water but God giveth the increase but God made the outward Ministry of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of the Spirit The Text is the ground and reason why the Prophet â—id profit in Gods Lawes why he kept them and was constant in the practice of them because God taught â—im from whence may arise this poynt of Doctrine That God is the best teacher and instructer of his people And for the method I God assisting will shew you that it is so and how it appeares to be so secondly the means by which God doth teach the soule thirdly the excellency of Gods teaching above mans teaching fourthly the manner fiftly the grounds sixtly application First That it is so appeares in the Text wherein is set out the excellency of Gods teaching above mans so in Job 36.22 Behold God exalteth by his power for none teacheth like him He is more excellent in his teaching then all others so that you see that it is so next I come to shew you that it must needs be
professe themselves to be Gods people there is so much divisions and dissentions and strange opinions and that they are so contrary one to another in judgement when we consider this wee cannot conclude that it is such a dignitie to be taught of God Answ It is true amongst professors at this day there is much difference in judgement some are of one opinion and some of another some are falne into strange and corrupt opinions but this comes not to passe because God teacheth his people severall wayes but first because they doe not learne of God for God is not the Author of the errors that abound amongst professors but the Author of truth and that he teacheth the soule is truth and nothing but the truth nothing but that which is agreeable to his will and therefore it is not because God teacheth them corrupt opinions but because they do not learne of God Secondly it comes to passe that amongst professors they hold strange opinions because as God teacheth the truth and nothing but the truth to his people so the Devill sows the seeds of division amongst people where God sows wheate the Devill sowes tares where God makes knowne his truth there the Devill seeks to infect people with errors Thirdly it comes to passe by permittance God is pleased to permit it he permits it for two causes first for the good of his people the Lord lets his owne people many times run into strange opinions for a time that he might bring them back againe and establish them the more firmly in the truth and there are none to such Christians as these when the Lord hath brought them back againe then they will acknowledge their weaknesse and how subject they are to be misled Ah says the poore soule I had like to have miscarried and been carried away with such and such corrupt opinions had not the Lord in mercy brought me back againe now they will walke more humbly and now they will stand up for the truth and defend it more boldly then they did formerly they will advise their friends and bid them take heed of being seduced they will try the spirits for the time to come whether they be of God or no they will be more earnest with God for the time to come to establish them in the truth And thus the Lord doth it for the good of his people Secondly the Lord permits it out of a just judgement to others who though they be glorious professors yet because their hearts are not sound he will discover them by this means when they come to forsake the wayes and truths of Jesus Christ and run into this and that error and then from one thing to another till at the length they come to deny the Scriptures and live prophanely Thus many come to be discovered in these times And secondly he gives them up to their corrupt opinions and this is a great judgement when the Lord says to them as to Ephraim He is joyned to Idols let him alone Hosea 4.17 So when the Lord says to them they are joyned to their corrupt opinions let them alone let them hold Atheisme if they will let them hold Arminianisme Arianisme Marcellianisme Nicolaitanisme Mahometisme Anabaptisme Antinomianisme if they will let them hold that the soule is mortall and dyes with the body and that the Word of God is written traditions and when they have received the Spirit the letter should cease let them alone I will give them over to these opinions because they refuse to be guided by the rule of truth I will give them up to strong delusions 2 Thes 2.11 12. Because they received not the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lyes that they might be damned which beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse But how is it possible you will say that they should fall from one corrupt opinion to another do not their own consciences check them I answer the conscience of an hereticke is a seared conscience their conscience is seared with an hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 Who doth the Apostle meane there you may see in the first verse such as give heed unto spirits of errours and doctrines of devils their consciences are past feeling When God hath once given a man or woman over conscience very seldome troubles them though they fall into horrible blasphemies yet seldome or never their consciences trouble them why so because God hath given them over and this makes the condition of a man or woman miserable the Apostle saith Heb. 10.31 It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God but it is a more fearfull thing to fall out of the hands of God and therefore their condition is very fearfull Use 2 The second Use is for reproofe Seeing God is the best teacher and instructor of his people it reproves them that rest in mans teaching onely thinke it enough if they come to the Word and Sacraments and can cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord this is the Temple of the Lord and their rest and thinke all is well with them they shall most certainly goe to heaven but alas poore soule thou must know that the outward Ministry of the Word will doe thee no good without the inward operation of the Spirit it is God that â—auseth his people to profit and if thou be not taught of God as well as of man thy outward teaching will doe â—â—ee no good thou thinkest it will carry thee to heaven 〈◊〉 it will make thy condemnation the greater if thou be â—ot bettered by it Our Saviour Christ did many great â—orkes amongst them of Chorazin Bethsaida and Caperâ—â—um they might as well as thou blesse themselves they â—e in a good condition why so because they might say Christ hath preached wrought many miracles amongst 〈◊〉 and walked up and downe in our streets wee have had 〈◊〉 company surely we are a happy people but see what our Saviour Christ saith of them they repented not and what follows Woe to thee Chorazin woe to thee Bethsaida and thou Capernaum that art lifted up to heaven shalt be throwne downe to bell Mat. 11.21 22 23. And it shall be more easie for them of the land of Sodome at the day of Judgement then for you So a people may be lifted up to heaven with meanes and brought downe to hell for not profiting by it and their condemnation will be the greater This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse Joh. 3.19 This is the grand damning sinne this damnes people with a witnesse to live under the meanes of grace unprofitable and unfruitfull Secondly It likewise reproves them that take all their Religion upon trust never with the men of Berea search the Scriptures Acts 17.11 But if one come with one Doctrine and another with another he knows not but that they may all speake truth And
soule that thinks most upon God and eyes him at all times places and companies and seeks direction from God about every imployment it is that soule that God will teach Fiftly Wouldest thou be taught of God then be humble and feare to offend him Who so among you feares the Lord him will he teach Psal 25.12 And he will teach the humble his way vers 9. That soule that truly feares him with a filiall feare and lyes humble and low before the Lord the Lord will teach but it is not so with the proud he beholds them afar off he resists them shew a man that hath a proud spirit he will stand upon it and he knows more then all the Ministers can tell him and it is not for any to direct him but he thinkes that he is better able to direct them he is ready to condemne all that joyn not with him in opinion and do but observe him and see if he run not from one thing to another from one corrupt opinion unto another untill at length he be fallen quite from true Christianitie Why so he is proud and God doth not teach him or if he belong to God you shall see God will lay him as low on the other side before ever he will comfort him but the humble soule that lyes low at the throne of grace crying Lord I am a vile wretched ignorant creature thou art heaven but I am hell it is these God will teach then wouldest thou have God teach thee be humble Sixtly Wouldest thou have God teach thee then live in the practice of that which he hath already taught thee and this is the way to know more Joh. 7.17 If any man doe my will be shall know my doctrine The way to know more is to practice what wee know already And these are the meanes thou shouldest use if thou wouldest have God teach thee Object But I have sought God in the use of the meanes and God gives me no answer Answ If thou hast been inticed to some corrupt opinion and thou thinkest it may be it is truth and thou hast sought God concerning it and God hath given thee no present resolution thou must know God doth by this prove thee to see whether thou wilt stand constant and stedfast in the truth see Deut. 13.1 If there arise a Prophet saying Let us goe after other Gods hearken not to him for the Lord your God proveth you Is there any arise amongst you that say let us goe after new truths new light the Lord proveth you by them to see whether you will forsake him or no and therefore he gives no present answer but know thus much that if thou constantly seeke him in the use of the meanes though he give not a present answer yet in his due time he will give an answer and cleare up the truth to thee Object You call them heretiques and broachers of new truths and new light which you call errours but I cannot see but they are holy men and live sanctified lives and can alledge more texts of Scripture for that they hold then you can alledge against them Answ The greater is the triall that God tryes thee with but this can be no sufficient ground for thee to follow them presently because they seeme to live holy lives for if they should live prophane then none that are conscientious would regard them An hypocrite will live a holy life outwardly yea shame many a child of God yet I am not to be of the judgement of an hypocrite because he lives a holy life the devill will allow an heretique to live a holy life because it is advantageous to his Kingdome and Satan for his own ends transformes himselfe into an Angel of light and therefore no marvaile if his Ministers doe so it is said of heretiques They are deceitfull workers transforming themselves into Angels of light yea into the Apostles of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 11.13 And in the 15. verse they transforme themselves as though they were the Ministers of righteousnesse So likewise it is said of heretiques They come in sheeps-cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves and therefore saith Christ beware of them Mat. 7.15 And wheras thou say'st that they bring Scripture for that they speake I answer so doe the Papists to prove that the bread and wine in the Sacrament is the very body and bloud of Christ how many Scriptures doe they alledge in the foure Evangelists And the Arminians alledge many Scriptures for to prove a childe of God may fall totally and finally from grace and yet both very corrupt opinions Try the spirits whether they be of God or no saith the Apostle now the Apostle should not need to bid us try the spirits were there not a lying spirit that imitates the true Spirit for if the lying spirit did seduce in a way contrary to the true Spirit there would never be so much mischiefe done but the lying spirit imitates the true Spirit It is said of seducers They come in the Name of Christ and deceive many Mat. 24.5 they could never doe so much mischiese did they not come in the Name of Christ Wicked people want not holy pretences to cover their wicked actions Those in Isai 66. that cast out the people of God say Let the Lord be glorified and they that kill the people of God think they do God good service Joh. 16.2 They would cover these wicked actions with a cloake of Religion saying Let the Lord be glorified This is the way Beloved to make the Scriptures mose of wax to grant every heretique their interpretation of Scripture so that their alledging Scripture can be no sufficient ground for thee to yeeld to their corrupt opinions but they coming under this notion the greater is thy triall and God doth prove thee to see whether thou wilt defend the truth or no. Object But thou wilt say it may be how cometh it to passe that many that have sought God and been earnest in the use of the means have miscarried and fallen into corrupt and strange opinions as you call them then if God teacheth those that use the means Answ First Because the fault may be in their seeking they may seeke God with an Idol in their hearts and God may answer them according to the Idol in their hearts that is they may make choice of some corrupt opinion and upon the matter are resolved to hold it are unwilling any body should confute it cannot indure the Minister that preacheth against it and with might and maine defends it are vexed that any Scripture should seeme to crosse it and yet they will seek unto God for his approbation in it just as Balaam did you know he was hired to curse the people of Israel in Numb 22. 23. chap. and he was very willing withall he lik't the motion well enough but he would have God approve of it and therefore he builds Altars and offers Sacrifice and would faine have Gods approbation in it
Now when we seeke thus God may answer according to the Idol in the heart and this you may see in Ezek. 14.4 Every man that setteth up his Idols in his heart and comes to a Prophet to inquire of 〈◊〉 I will answer him according to the Idols in his heart When a man setteth up Idols in his heart this corrupt opinion and that corrupt opinion and then come to inquire of God God may out of a just judgement answer them according to the Idols in their hearts And this may be one Reason why though people seeke God and use the meanes yet they may miscarry the fault is in their seeking Secondly It may come to passe amongst such as are godly that they may seeke God and use the meanes and yet miscarry for a time that they might be the better established in the truth when the Lord brings them backe againe Thirdly Some though they seeke God and use the meanes yet they may miscarry because they have not true grace such as may be compared to the Stony ground they want roote and these though they doe seeke God yet they may miscarry for being hypocriticall professors God will not regard their prayer as Job 27.8 9. What hope hath the hypocrite when God takes away his souls Will he heare his cry God will not regard their prayer and secondly being but hypocrites they are not under a promise of perseverance in the truth the godly are under a promise of perseverance in the truth and therefore though they should miscarry for a time yet the Lord will bring them backe againe but another that hath no true grace when he miscarries it may be for any thing we know a finall miscarriage he though he make a glorious profession yet is not under the promise the other is every graft the Father plants into Christ he prunes and dresses and makes fruitfull Joh. 15.2 Yea he sends his Spirit and that leads them into all truth Joh. 14.26 Now this may be another ground why people may seeke God and use the meanes and yet miscarry because the persons that seeke are not truly godly Object But may some say if the cause stand thus how shall I know whether I be taught of God yea or no Answ First If God teach thee then thou art very carefull in the use of the meanes thou art carefull to observe all the direction I have given to attend the outward meanes of grace and thou art much in prayer thou doest acknowledge thine ignorance and so of all the rest Now exanine whether thou be very carefull in the use of these meanes or no if thou be then surely God teacheth thee Secondly If thou be taught of God thou art in Covenant with him it is one part of the Covenant of grace they shall be all taught and drawne of God therefore examine whether thou be in Covenant with God yea or no if thou be not in Covenant with God thou art not under the promise of Gods teaching of thee Thirdly If thou be taught of God then he teacheth thee to know thy selfe aright he shews thee thy selfe in the glasse of his Word and to know him aright and then the more thou knowest the more humble thou art Doest thou lie humbly under gifts and parts and knowledge and say All is free mercy and we have nothing but what we have received from God Thus it is with that soule that God teacheth Job 42.2 When he looked upon God then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes and Jer. 32.19 After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed and confounded Thus it is with the soule when God teacheth it the more God teacheth it the more humble it 〈◊〉 art thou puft up with thy knowledge doth it make â—â—ee esteeme of thy selfe above others then thou mayest â—â—estion if thou hast knowledge whether thou hast any â—â—ing else for if thou hadst grace thou wouldest be humble and low in thine owne eyes Fourthly If God teacheth thee then thou doest live a pious godly life for the grace of God which bringeth salvetion teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present World Tit. 2.11 12. Those that out of pretence of new light live loosly say the Scriptures are written traditions and they pray not in the family they crave not a blessing upon their meate aske them why so they answer they know their liberty by Christ and they contemne the Ordinances of God censure all that are not of the same opinion to be in Babylon and Idolaters it is evident they are not taught of God for those that God teacheth he teacheth them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present world Fiftly If God teach thee thou art a growing and a persevering Christian thou doest grow in grace for he causeth his Schollers to profit by his instructions it is not with those that God teacheth as it is with those that get no good by going to Schoole seven yeares but those God teacheth he teacheth to profit Unto you that feare my Name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing under his wings and they shall goe forth and grow as the calves of the stall Those that God teacheth they are a people growing in grace and knowledge and as they shall grow so they shall persevere Isai 40. vers the last They shall run and not be weary they shall walke and not faint it shall not be said of them They are young Saints and old Devils but they shall bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.13 And they shall be selfe-denying Christians that is one instruction that Jesus Christ the great Prophet of his Church teacheth his people Mar. 8.34 Now examine thy selfe art thou taught of God then thou art a growing Christian Art thou a growing selfe-denying persevering Christian then it is a signe that God teacheth thee and thou art a persevering Christian Sixtly If God teach thee thou doest seeke him in the use of those meanes which thou hast found him in hast thou found him in the preaching of the Word the day of his power hath come upon thee and hast thou found him in prayer thou wilt seeke him in the use of these meanes still the way is not to separate from the Ordinances thou hast found God in and to neglect holy duties for then thou mayest want of Gods teaching of thee and thou wilt not thrive then in grace but thou must attend those meanes thou hast found God in and not such means as thou knowest not whether thou shalt find God in or no. Use 5 Exhortation Is God the best teacher of his people goe to God and beseech him to teach thee First Consider the necessitie of Gods teaching thee as our Saviour Christ saith to Peter If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me so if God teach thee not thou hast no interest in him for all his