that rather than wee should be condemned with the world hee will take this course with us Though our salvation be sure and that wee shall not be condemned with the world yet the knowledge of this doth not make us secure for though God doth not damne us with the world yet hee will sharpely correct us here and by a carefull sober life we might obtaine many blessings and prevent many judgements and make our pilgrimage more comfortable therefore it argues neither grace nor wit that because God will save mee therefore I will take libertie no though God will save thee yet he will take such a course with thee thou shalt indure such sharpenesse for thy sinne that it shall be more bitter than the sweetest of it was pleasant Gracious persons in times of peace and quiet doe often underprize themselves and the graces of God in them thinking that they want faith patience and love who yet when God calleth them out to the crosse shine forth in the eyes of others in the example of a meeke and quiet subjection God oftentimes maketh wicked men friends to his children without changing their disposition by putting into their hearts some conceit for the time which inclineth them to favour as Nehemiah 2. 8. God put it into the Kings heart to favour his people so Gen. 33. 4. Esau was not changed onely God for the time changed his affe ctions to favour Iacob so God puts into the hearts of many groundedly naught to favour the best persons Vsually in what measure we in the times of our peace and liberty inordinately let loose our affections in that measure are we cast downe or more deepely in discomfort when our adulterous hearts cleaves to things more than become chaste hearts it makes the crosse more sharpe and extreame A man indeede is never overcome let him be never so vexed in the world by any till his conscience be crackt If his conscience and his cause stand upright he doth conquer and is more than a conquerer Partiall obedience is no obedience at all to single out casie things that doe not oppose our lusts which are not against our reputation therein some will doe more than they neede but our obedience must be universall to all Gods Commandements and that because he commands us In every evill worke that we are tempted unto wee neede delivering grace as to every good worke assisting grace That Christian who is privie to his owne soule of good intentions to abstaine from all ill hee may presume that God will assist him against all ill workes for the time to come Wee should watch and labour daily to continue in prayer strengthening and backing them with arguments from the Word and Promises and marking how our prayers speede when wee shoote an Arrow wee looke to the fall of it when wee send a shippe to sea wee looke for the returne of it and when wee sow seede wee looke for a harvest and so when we sow our prayers into Gods bosome shall wee not looke for an answer and observe how we speed it is a seede of Atheisme to pray and not to looke how we speed but a sincere Christian will pray and waite and strengthen his heart with promises out of the Word and never leave till God doe give him a gracious answer Take a Christian and whatsoever hee doth hee doth it in feare if hee call God Father it is in feare hee eates and drinkes in feare as Saint Iudc speakes of them that eate without feare the true servant of God hath feare accompanying him in all his actions in his speeches and recreations in his meate and drinke but hee that hath not this feare how bold is he in wicked courses and loose in all his carriages But marke a true Christian and you shall alwayes see in him some expressions of an holy feare The relation of servant is of great consequence to put us in minde of our dutie if wee will be Gods Servants wee must make it good by obedience wee must resolve to come under his governement and be at his command or else hee will say to us as to them in the 10. of Iudges Goe to the gods whom you have served Therefore emptie relations are nothing to purpose if wee professe our selves Gods servants and not shew it by our obedience it s but an emptie title therefore let us make our relations good at least in our affections that wee may be able to say I desire to feare thy name In reading of the Scriptures let us compare Experiments with Rules Nehemiah 1. 8 9. If you sin you shall be scattered and if you returne againe I will be mercifull wee should practise this in our lives to see how God hath made good his threatnings in our corrections and his Promises in our comforts Those that have had a sweete communion with God when they have lost it doe count every day tenne thousand till they have recovered it againe and when Christ leaves his Spouse he forsakes her not altogether but leaves something on the heart that maketh her to long after him He absents himselfe that hee may enlarge the desires of the soule and after the soule hath him againe it will not let him goe hee comes for our good and leaves us for our good wee should therefore judge rightly of our estates and not thinke wee are forsaken of God when we are in a desertion When men can finde no comfort yet when they set themselves to teach weaker Christians by way of reflection they receive comfort themselves so doth God reward the conscionable performance of this dutie of discourse that those things wee did not so sweetly understand before by discourse wee understand them better this should teach us to be in love with holy conference for besides the good wee doe to others we are much bettered our selves We may use Gods creatures but not scrupulously nor superstitiously singling out one creature from another nor yet may wee use them as wee list there is a difference betweene right and the use of right the Magistrate may restraine the use of our right and so may our weake brother in case of scandall so that all things be ours yet in the use of them wee must be sober not eating nor drinking immoderately nor using any thing uncharitably whereby others may take offence for albeit wee have a right to Gods bountie yet our right and use must be sanctified by the Word and Prayer Many men fall to questioning Oh that I had assurance of my salvation Oh that I were the childe of God why man fall to obedience I but I cannot for it is the Spirit that enables but yet come to holy Exercises though wee have not the Spirit for many times in the middest of holy Exercises God gives the Spirit and therefore attend upon the meanes untill wee have strength to obey waite upon Gods Ordinances till hee stirres in thy soule all that love your soules attend upon the meanes
soules that God is our God when riches and treasures and men our lives faile yet God is ours we are now Gods Davids and Gods Pauls and Gods Abrahams wee have an everlasting being in him A speciall cause of too much dejection is want of resolution in good things when wee hault in Religion for as haulting is a deformed and troublesome gesture so in Religion haulting is alwayes joyned with trouble and disquiet God hath made the poorest man that is a governour of himselfe and hath set judgement to rule against passion and conscience against sinne therefore Reason should not be a slave to Passion It is the peculiar wisedome of a Christian to picke Arguments out of his worst condition to make him thankefull and if hee be thankefull hee will be joyfull and so long as he is joyfull he cannot be miserable God hath made himselfe ours and therefore it is no presumption to challenge him to be our God when once wee have interest in God he thinkes nothing too good for us hee is not satisfied in giving us the blessings of this life but he gives himselfe unto us As wee receive all from God so wee should lay all at his feete and fay I will not live in a course of sinne that will not stand with the favour of my God for hee will not lodge in the heart that hath a purpose to sinne Gods people have sweete intercourse with God in their callings when wee looke for comfort we shall finde it either in Hearing Reading or Praying c. or else in our Callings We glorifie God when we exalt him in our soules above all creatures in the world when we give him the highest place in our love and in our joy when all our affections are set upon him as the chiefest good This is seene also by opposition when wee will not offend God for any creature When wee can aske our affections Whom have I in heaven but thee There is no true zeale to Gods glory but it is joyned with true love to men therefore let men that are violent injurious and insolent never talke of glorifying God so long as they despise poore men If wee doe not finde our selves the people of Gods delight let us attend upon the meanes of salvation and waite Gods good time and stand not disputing perhappes God hath not a purpose to save mee but fall to obedience casting thy selfe into the Armes of Christ and say if I perish I will perish here The love of God in CHRIST is not barren kindnesse it is a love that reaches from everlasting to everlasting from love in choosing us unto love in glorifying of us In all the miseries of the world one beame of this loving kindnesse of the Lord will scatter all Our desires are holy if they be exercised about spirituall things David desires not to be great to be rich in the world or to have power to be revenged upon his enemies but that hee may dwell in the House of the Lord and enjoy his Ordinances Psal. 27. 4. Desires shew the frame of the soule more than any thing as where there is a Spring it discovers it selfe by vapours that arise so the breathing of these desires shew that there is a Spring of Grace in the heart Desires spring from the will and the will being as the whole man it moves all other powers to doe their dutie and to see for the accomplishing of that it desires Those therefore that pretend they have good desires and yet neglect all meanes and live scandalously this is but a sluggish desire An Hypocrite will not pray alwayes but a child of God never gives over because hee sees an excellencie a necessitie and a possibilitie of obtaining that hee desires hee hath a promise for it The Lord will fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psal. 145. 19. Prayer doth exercise all the graces of the Spirit wee cannot pray but our faith is exercised our love our patience which makes us set a high price upon that wee seeke after and to use it well God takes it unkindly if we weepe too much and over-grieve for losse of wife child or friend or for any crosse in the things of this life for it is a signe wee fetch not that comfort from him which we should and may doe Nay though our weeping be for our sinnes we must keepe a moderation in that wee must with one eye looke upon our sinnes and with the other eye looke upon Gods mercy in Christ and therefore if the best griefe must be moderated what must the other The religious affections of Gods people are mixed for they mingle their joy with weeping and their weeping with joy whereas a carnall man is all simple if hee joy hee is mad if hee be sorrowfull unlesse it be restrained it sinks him but grace alwayes tempers the joy and sorrow of a Christian because hee hath alwayes something to joy in and something to grieve for Wee are members of two worlds now whilest wee live here wee must use this world for how many things doth this poore life of ours neede wee are passing away and in this passage of ours we must have necessaries but yet we must use the world as if wee used it not for there is a danger least our affections cleave to the things of this life It is a poorenesse of spirit in a Christian to be over-joyfull or over-grieved for things worse than our selves if a man hath any Grace all the world is inferiour to him and therefore what a poorenesse of spirit is it to be over-joyfull or overmuch grieved when all things are fading vanish away Let us therefore beare continually in our mindes that all things here below are subordinate A sincere heart that is burdened with sinne desires not heaven so much as the place where he shall be free from sinne and to have the Image of God and Christ perfected in his soule and therefore a sincere spirit comes to heare the Word not so much because an eloquent man preacheth as to heare divine truths because the evidence of Spirit goes with it to worke those graces You cannot still a child with any thing but the Breast so you cannot still the desires of a Christian but with divine Truths as Esay 26. 8. The desires of our soules is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee There is a thousand things that may hinder good successe in our affaires What man can apply all things to a fit issue and remove all things that may hinder Who can observe Persons Times Places Advantages and Disadvantages and when wee see these things there is naturally a passion that it robbes us of our knowledge as when a man sees any danger there is such a feare or anger that hee is in a mist. So that unlesse God give a particular successe there is none As it is in the frame of a mans body it stands upon many joynts if any of these be out of
good in Books and to heare good of men that are dead but they cannot indure good in the lives of others to be in their eyes especially when they come to compare themselves with them they love not to be out-sh ined As the Sunne goes his course though we cannot see it goe and as plants and herbes grow though we cannot perceive them even so it followes not that a Christian growes not because hee cannot see himselfe grow but if they decay in their first love or in some other grace it is that some other grace may grow and increase as their humilitie their broken heartednesse sometimes they grow not in extention that they may grow at the roote upon a checke grace breakes out more as wee say after a hard Winter usually there followes a glorious Spring Gods children never hate corruption more than when they have bin overcome by corruption the best men living have some corruptions which they see not till they breake out by temptations Now when corruptioÌ„s are made knowne to us it stirres up our hatred and hatred stirs up endeavour and endeavour revenge so that Gods children should not be discouraged for their falls When the truth of grace is wrought in a Christian his desires goe beyond his strength and his prayers are answerable to his desires Whereupon it is that young Christians often times call their estate in question because they cannot bring heaven upon earth because they cannot be perfect but God will have us depend upon him for increase of Grace in a daily expectation Christ is our Patterne whom wee must strive to imitate its necessary that our Patterne should be exact that so wee might see our imperfections and be humbled for them and live by faith in our sanctification Consider Christ upon the Crosse as a publique person that when he was crucified and when hee died hee died for my sins and this knowledge of Christ will be a crucifying knowledge this will stirre up my heart â—o use my corruptions as my sinnes used Christ as hee hated my sinne so it will worke the same disposition in mee to hate this body of death and to use it as it used Christ answerably as we see this clearely it will transforme us With our Contemplation let us joyne this kind of reasoning God so hated pride that hee became humble to the death of the Crosse to redeeme mee from it and shall I be proud and when wee are stirred up to revenge consider that Christ prayed for his enemies when we are tempted to disobedience thinke God in my nature was obedient to the death and shall I stand upon termes and when wee grow hard hearted consider Christ became man that he might shew bowels of his mercy let us reason thus when we are tempted to any sinne and it will be a meanes to transforme us from our owne cursed likenesse into the likenesse of Christ. When wee see God blasphemed or the like let us thinke how would Christ stand affected if he were here when hee was here upon earth how zealous was hee against prophanenesse and shall I be so cold when hee saw the multitude wander as sheepe without a Shepheard his bowells yearned and shall wee see so many poore soules live in darkenesse and our bowells not yearne Wee must looke upon Christ not onely for healing but as a perfect patterne to imitate for wherefore else did hee live so long upon the earth but to shew us an example And let us know that wee shall be countable for those good examples which we have from others there is not an example of an humble holy and industrious life but shall be laid to our charge for God doth purposely let them shine in our eyes that we might take example by them As the spirits in the arteries quickens the blood in the veines so the Spirit of God goes along with the Word and makes it worke Saint Paul speakes to Lydia but the Spirit speakes to her heart As it was with Christ himselfe so it is with his members Hee was conceived by the Spirit anointed by the Spirit sealed by the Spirit hee was led into the Wildernesse by the Spirit he offered up himselfe by the Spirit and by the Spirit hee was raised from the dead even so the members of Christ doe answer unto Christ himselfe all is by the Spirit we are conceived by the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctified him sanctifies us but first wee receive the Spirit by way of Vnion and then Vnction followes after when we are knit to Christ by the Spirit then it workes the same in us as it did in him When a proud wit and supernaturall truths meete together such a man will have some thing of his owne therefore in reading and studying of heavenly Truths especially the Gospell wee must come to God for his Spirit and not venture upon conceits of our owne parts for God will curse such proud attempts Many men thinke that the knowledge of divine Truths will make them divine whereas it is the holy Ghost onely that gives a taste and rellish for without the Spirit their hearts will rise when the Word comes to them in particular and tells them you must denie your selfe and venture your life for his truth When men understand the Scriptures and yet are proud and malicious wee must not take scandall at it for their hearts were never subdued they understand supernaturall things by humane reason and not by divine light Those that measure lands are very exact in every thing but the poore man whose it is knowes the use of the ground better and delights in it more because it is his owne so it is with those Ministers that can exactly speake of heavenly truths yet have no share in them but the poore soule that heares them rejoyceth and saith these things are mine This life is a life of Faith for God will trie the truth of our faith that the world may see that God hath such servants as will depend upon his bare Word it were nothing to be a Christian if wee should see all here but God will have his children to live by Faith and take the promises upon his Word The nature of Hope is to expect that which Faith beleeves what could the joyes of heaven availe us if it were not for our Hope it is the Anchor of the soule which being cast in heaven it stills the soule in all troubles combustions and confusions that we daily meete withall It is too much curiositie to search into particulars as what shall be the glory of the soule and what shall be the glory of the body rather study to make a gracious use of them and in humility say Lord what is sinfull man that thou should'st so advance him The consideration of this should make us abase our selves and in humilitie give thankes afore hand as Peter did 1 Pet. 1. 1. when hee thought of an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not hee gives
thankes Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us c. When wee see men looke bigge and swell with the things of this life let us in a holy kinde of st ate thinke of our happinesse in heaven and carry our selves accordingly If wee see any thing in this world le ts say to our soules this is not that I looke for or when wee heare of any thing that is good let us say I can heare this therefore this is not that I looke for or when wee understand any thing here below this is not the thing I looke for but for things that cye hath not seene nor eare heard nor that ever entred into the heart of man There are foure things observeable in the nature oflove first an estimation of the Partie beloved secondly a Desire to be joyned to him thirdly a Setled contentment fourthly a desire to please the Partie in all things So there is first in every Christian an high estimation of God and of Christ he makes choice of him above all things and speakes largely in his commendations secondly hee desires to be united to him and where this desire is there is an entercourse hee will open his minde to him by Prayer and goe to him in all his consultations for his counsell thirdly hee places contentment in him alone because in his worst conditions hee is at peace and quiet if hee may have his countenance shine upon him fourthly hee seekes to please him because hee labours to be in such a condition that God may delight in him his love stirres up his soule to remove all things distastfull it seekes out as David did Is there never a one left of the house of Saul to whom I may doe good for Ionathans sake Infirmities in Gods children preserves their grace therefore it is that in Gods Scripture where God honours the Saints their weakenesses are made knowne Iacob wrestled with God and prevailed but hee halted and Peter Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church yet get thee behind me Satan Paul was exalted above measure with Revelations but hee had the messenger of Satan to buffet him It is the poysonfull nature of man to quench a great deale of good for a little ill but Christ cherishes a little grace though there be a great deale of corruption which yet is as offensive to him as smoake therefore wee should labour to gaine all wee can by love and meekenesse Christians find their corruptions more offensive to them than when they were in the state of nature and therefore it is that they thinke their estate is not good but then corruption boyles more because it is restrained The more will the more sinne when wee venture upon sinfull courses upon deliberation it exceeding ly wasts our comfort when wee fall into sinne against conscience and abuse our Christian liberty God fetches us againe by some severe affliction there shall be a cloud betweene Gods face and us and hee will suspend his comforts for a long time therefore let no man venture upon sinne for God will take a course with him that shall be little to his ease The reason why meane Christians have more loving soules than men of greater parts is because great men have corruptions answerable to their parts great gifts great doubts they are intangled with arguments and study to informe their braines when others are heated with affection A poore Christian cares not for cold disputes in stead of that hee loves and that 's the reason why a poore soule goes to heaven with more joy whilest others are intangled Many men are troubled with cold affections and then they thinke to worke love out of their owne hearts which are like a barren Wildernesse but wee must begge of God the Spirit of Love wee must not bring love to God but fetch love from him When wee love things baser than our selves it s like a sweete streame that runnes into a sinke as our love therefore is the best thing wee have and none deserves it more than God so let him have our love yea the strength of our love that we may love him with all our soules and with all our mind and with all our strength As the Sunne when it hath gotten to any height it scatters the clouds so a Christian is then in his excellencie when hee can scatter doubts and feares when in distresse hee can doe as David did comfort himselfe in the Lord his God Many men would be in Canaan as soone as they are out of Egypt they would be at the highest pitch presently but God will leade us through the wildernesse of temptations and afflictions till we come to heaven and it is a part of our Christian meekenesse to submit to God and not to murmure because wee are not as we would be but let us rather magnifie the mercies of God that workes in us any love of good things and that hee vouch safes us any beginnings As noble mens children have Tutors to guide them so Gods Children have the Spirit telling them this you should doe and that you should not doe the Spirit not onely changeth but leades forward unto holinesse wicked men have the Spirit knocking and faine would enter but they will not heare but Gods children have the Spirit dwelling in them A Christian is now in his Nonage and therefore not fit to have all that hee hath a title to but yet so much is allotted to him as will conduct him and give him passage to heaven If therefore hee be in want hee hath contentment and in suffering hee hath patience c. All things are his as well what he wants as what he hath The Word of God is then in our hearts when it rules in the soule when it rules our thoughts affections and conversations so that wee dare not doe any thing contrary but wee shall be checked who shall get out that which Gods finger hath written in our hearts no Fire nor Faggot no temptation whatsoever Wee shall never be satisfied to our comfort that the Scripture iâ— the Word of God unlesse we know it from it selfe by its owne light and it shewes it selfe abundantly to a Beleever in casting downe the soule and altering the minde and conversation when the Word is onely in the braine if there come a temptation stronger than our faith then we despaire the Word is farre off from those that can onely discourse and talke of it when they see it onely as a naturall truth when they looke upon holy things not in a divine but in a humane manner When the Word dwels as a familiar in the heart to direct counsell and comfort then its a signe it is there the devill knowes good and hates it therfore knowledge alone is nothing but when the promise doth alter the temper of the heart it selfe then it is ingrafted God excepts against none if wee doe not except our selves therefore thou and
thou whosoever thou art if thou beest a man or a woman and wilt come and take Christ upon his owne termes for thy Lord and Husband for better for worse with persecutions afflictions crosses c. Take Christ thus and take him for ever and then thou shalt be saved When wee beleeve divine truths by the Spirit they worke upon the heart and draw the affections after them therefore if wee spiritually beleeve the story of the Gospell wee shall have our soules carried to love and imbrance it with joy and comfort Wee may be brought very low but we shall not be confounded yet wee shall be brought as neare confusion as may be to shew us the vanity of the creature in the judgement of the world wee may be confounded but a hand of mercy shall fetch us up againe let the depth of misery and disconsolation be what it will be we shall not be ashamed The reason why Gods children doe oftentimes with great perplexitie doubt of their salvation is because they have a principle of nature in them as well as of grace corruption will breed doubtings as rotten wood breedes Wormes and as Vermine comes out of putrefaction so doubtings and feares come from the remainder of corruption For want of watchfulnesse God oftentimes gives us up to such a perplexed estate that wee shall not know that we are in Grace and though wee may have a principle of Grace in us yet wee shall not see it but may goe out of the world in darkenesse Wee ought not at any time to deny the Truth nor yet at all times to confesse it for good actions and graces are like Princes that come forth attended with Circumstances and if Circumstances in Confession be wanting the action is marred It s true of actions as of words A word spoken in season is like Apples of gold with pictures of silver therefore direction must be our guide for speech is then onely good when it is better than silence It is not lawfull for any weake one to be present at the Masse Dinah ventured abroad and came crackt home its just with God that those that dally with these things should be caught as many idle Travellers are its pittie but those should perish in danger that love danger Hee that will not now denie himselfe in a lust in a lawlesse desire will not deny himselfe in matter of life in time of triall Hee that hath not learned the mortification of the flesh in time of peace will hardly be brought to it in time of trouble Wee must not onely stand for the truth but we must stand for it in a holy manner and not swagger for it as proud persons doe we must observe that in the first of Peter 2. 15. to doe it in meekenesse and feare wee must not bring passion to Gods cause nor must our lives give our tongues the lie There is such a distance betweene corrupt nature and grace that wee must have a great deale of preparation and though there be nothing in preparation to bring the soule to have Grace yet it brings the soule to a nearer distance than those that are wilde persons Nature cannot worke above its owne powers as vapours cannot ascend higher than the Sunne drawes them our hearts are naturally shut and God doth open them by his Spirit in the use of the meanes The children of Israel in the Wildernesse saw wonders upon wonders and yet when they came to be proved they could not beleeve Its Gods free love that hath cast us into these happy times of the Gospell and it s his further love that makes choise of some and refuses others This should therefore teach us sound humility cōfidering that God must open ro else we are eternally shut Seeing Grace is not of our owne getting therefore this should teach us patience towards those that are under us waiting if God at any time will give them repentance though God worke not the first time nor the second time yet wee must waite as the man that lay at the poole of Bethesda for the moving of the water Hee that attends to the Word of God doth not onely know the words which are but the shell but he knowes the things he hath spirituall light to know what Faith and Repentance is there is at that time a spirituall Eccho in the soule as Psal. 27. 8. When thou saidst seeke yee my face my heart answered thy face Lord will I seeke and therefore must men judge of their profiting by the Word not by their carrying of it in their memories but by how much they are made able by it to beare a crosse and how they are made able to resist temptation c. There should not be intimate familiaritie but where we judge men faithfull and those whom upon good grounds we judge faithfull we must be gentle towards them and easie to be intreated and wee wrong them if wee show our selves strange unto them True faith workes love and then it workes by love when it hath wrought that holy affection it works by it as when the Plant is ingrafted and takes it growes presently and shewes the growth in the fruits The Word of God is ancienter than the Scripture for the first word of the Scripture was the Promise The seede of the Woman should breake the head of the Serpent The Scripture is but that Modus that manner of conveying the Word of God this Scripture is the Rule whereby wee must walke and the Iudge also of all controversies of Religion and in spite of the Church of Rome it will judge them S. Augustine hath an excellent Discourse When there is contention betwixt brethren witnesses are brought but in the end the Words the Will of the dead man is brought forth and these Words determine Now shall the words of a dead man be of force and shall not the Word of Christ determine therefore looke to the Scripture All Idolaters shall be ashamed that worship Images that trust to broken Cesternes Let those be ashamed that trust to their wits and policies all those shall be ashamed that beare themselves bigge upon any earthly thing for these crutches will be taken away and then they fall these false reports shall make them all ashamed The way to bring faith into the heart is first there must be a judicious convincing knowledge of the vanitie of all things within us and without us that seemes to yeeld any support to the soule and then the soule is carried to lay hold on Christ as David saith I have seene an end of all perfection Secondly the soule must be convinced of an excellencie in Religion above all things in the world or else it will not rest for the heart of man would chuse the best and when it is perswaded that the gaine in Religion is above the world then it yeelds And thirdly a consideration of the firmenesse of the ground whereupon the Promise is built put God to it therefore either to make his
unlesse therefore the holy Ghost apply what Christ hath done the conscience will not be satisfied The best men in the estate of Grace would be in darkenesse and call their state into question if the holy Ghost did not convince them and answer all cavills for them and therefore we must not onely be convinced at the first by the Spirit but in our continued course of Christianity This therefore should make us to come to Gods Ordinances with a holy devotion Oh Lord vouch safe the Spirit of Revelation and take the scales from mine eyes that as these are truths so they may be truths to me doe thou sway my soule that I may cast my selfe upon thy mercy in Christ. Spirituall convincing is not totall in this life but alwayes leaves in the heart some dregges of doubting though the soule be safe for the maine as a shippe that rides at anchor is tossed and troubled but the anchor holds it so it is with the soule that is convinced weakely it is sure of the maine yet it is tossed with many doubts and feares but the anchor is in heaven The Spirit of God doth so farre convince every Christian of the Righteousnesse of Christ as preserves in him such a power of Grace as to cast himselfe upon the mercy of God God will send his Spirit so farre into the heart as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire he will let such a beame into the soule as all the powers of hell shall not quench When we neglect prayer and set upon duties in our owne strength and in confidence of our owne parts if we belong to God we shall be sure to miscarrie though another man perhappes may prosper and therefore wee should be continually dependant upon God for his direction and for his blessing in whatsoever wee goe about As many women because they will not endure the paine of childbirth doe kill their children in the wombe so many men who will not be troubled with holy actions doe stifle holy motions therefore let us take hee de of murdering the motions of the holy Spirit but let us entertaine them that when they are kindled they may turne to resolution and resolution into practise This is a common Rule that wee cannot converse with company that are not spirituall but if they vexe us not they will taint us unlesse we be put upon them in our callings wee should therefore make speciall choise of our company and walke in a continuall watchfulnesse It is rebellion against God for a man to make away himselfe the very Heathens could say that we must not goe out of our station till wee be called It is the voyce of Satan Cast thy self down but what saith S. Paul to the Iaylor Do thy self no harme for we are all here Wee should so carry our selves that wee may be content to stay here till God hath done that worke he hath to doe in us and by us and then he will call us hence in the best time He is a valiant man that can command himselfe to be miserable and hee that cannot command himselfe to endure some bondage and disgrace in the world it argues weakenesse Christ could have come downe from the Crosse but he shewed his strength and power by enduring their reproaches and torments The reason why many Christians stagger and are so full of doubts is because they are idle and labour not to grow in grace therefore we should labour to grow in knowledge and mortification for in that way wee come to assurance Whatsoever good is in a naturall man is depraved by a selfe-end selfe-love rules all his actions hee keepes within himselfe and makes for himselfe he is a god to himselfe God is but his Idoll This is true of all naturall men in the world they make themselves their last end and where the end is depraved the whole course is corrupted The sense of assured hope cannot be maintained without a great deale of paines diligence and watchfulnesse 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling election sure Insinuating that it will not be had without it it is the diligent and watchfull Christian that hath this assurance otherwise the holy Ghost will suffer us to be in a dampe and under a cloud if wee stirre not up the Graces of the Spirit It is grace in the Exercise and love in the Exercise that 's an earnest and so Faith and Hope in the Exercise is an earnest Iâ— Grace be asleepe you may have Grace and not know it therefore wee should labour to put our graces into exercise Those that have assurance of their salvation have oftentimes troublesome distractions because they doe not alwayes stand upon their guard sometimes they are lifted up to heaven and sometimes cast downe even to hell yet alwayes in the worst condition there is something left in the soule that suggests to it that it is not utterly cast off He to whom this pilgrimage is over-sweete loves not his country yet the pleasures of this life are so sutable to our nature that we should sit by them but that God followes us with severall crosses therefore let us take in good part any crosse because it is out of heavenly love that we are exercised least we should surfet upon things here below In melancholy distempers especially when there goes guilt of Spirit with it we can see nothing but darkenesse in wife children friends estate c. Here is a pittifull darkenesse when body and soule and conscience and all are distempered now let a Christian see God in his Nature and Promises and though he cannot live by sight in such a distemper yet let him then live by Faith Though God doe personate an enemy yet faith sees a Fatherly nature in him it apprehends some beames of comfort Though there be no sense and feeling yet the Spirit workes a power in the heart whereby the soule is able to claspe with God and to alledge his Word and Nature against himselfe The reason why the world seeth not the happy condition of Gods children is because their bodies are subject to the same infirmities with the worst of men nor are they exempted from troubles they are also subject to fall into grosse sinnes and therefore worldly men thinke Are these the men that are happier than wee They see their crosses but not their crownes they see their infirmities but not their graces they see their miseries but not their inward joy and peace of conscience To walke by Faith is to be active in our walking not to doe as wee list but it is a stirring by rule Since the fall we have lost our hold of God and wee must be brought againe to God by the same way wee fell from him wee fell by infidelity and we must be brought againe by Faith and lead our lives upon such grounds as Faith affords We must walke by Faith looking upon Gods Promise and Gods Call and Gods Commandements and not live by
us for which wee can see no reason yet we must reverence him and adore his Counsells and thinke him wiser than we When wee are diligent in our calling keeping a good conscience and labouring for a carriage answerable when these three meete together Calling and Standing and wise Carriage then whatsoever befalls us wee may with comfort say The will of the Lord be done wee are now in his way may then expect a guard of Angells without and a guard of his Spirit within All the contention betweene the flesh and the spirit lies in this whether God shall have his Will or wee ours now Gods Will is straight but ours is crooked and therefore if God will have us offer up our Isaac we must submit to him and even drowne our selves in the will of God and then the more wee are emptied of our selves the freer wee are by how much we are made subject to God for in what measure wee part with any thing for him wee shall receive even in this world an hundred fold in joy and peace c. Whatsoever outward good things we have wee should use them in a reverent manner knowing that the libertie we have to enjoy them is purchased with the blood of Christ as David when he thirsted for the waters of Bethlehem would not drinke it because it was as the blood of his three Worthies so though we have a free use of the creatures yet wee must be carefull to use them with moderation and reverence There is nothing of God can please the world because the best things are presented to the heart of a carnall man as foolishnesse mans nature above all things would avoid the imputation of folly and rather than hee will be counted a foole hee will slander the wayes of God to be foolishnesse Now the Law of Christ constraines us and makes us doe many things for which the world doth thinke us out of our wits and therefore wee should labour to quit our hearts and account of it a greater favour from God when the Michals of this world scoffe at us for our goodnesse for when they are offended at us God is delighted with us To discerne of our estate in Grace let us chiefely looke to our affections for they are intrinsicall and not subject to hypocrisie men of great parts know much and so doth the devill but hee wants love in fire all things may be painted but the heate so all good actions may be done by an Hypocrite but there is a heat of love which hee hath not wee should therefore chiefly examine the truth and sinceritie of our affections We may apprehend the love of God but we cannot comprehend it all the fruits of his love passes our common understanding and therefore we have the holy Spirit given to us to take away the vayle and to make report of it to the soule and then assoone as this love of Christ is apprehended it constraines us to all holy duties not as fire out of a Flint but as water out of a Spring the love of a wife to her husband may beginne from the supply of her necessities but afterwards she may love him also for the sweetenesse of his person so the soule doth first love Christ for salvation but when shee is brought to him and finds that sweetenesse that is in him then shee loves him for himselfe It should be our continuall care to manifest the sinceritie of our hearts to God in our severall places and callings this is done when we looke at God in every action and indeavour to yeeld our whole soule to the whole Will of God serving him in our spirits and performing the workes of our callings by his Spirit according to his Word and unto his Glorie and if we thus labour to approve our selves to him whatsoever be the issue wee shall be indued with a holy boldnesse with inward peace and comfort having carried our selves as in the sight of God That a man may be fit to perswade others hee must have love to their persons a cleare knowledge of the cause and grace that he may be able to speake in wisedome to their soules and consciences as wee are saved by love so we are perswaded by the arguments of love which is most agreeable to the nature of man that is led by perswasion not by compulsion men may be compelled to the use of the meanes but not to Faith many men labour onely to unfold the Scriptures for the increasing of their knowledge that they may be able to discourse whereas the speciall intent of the Ministery is to worke upon the heart and affections As we must approve our selves to God and to our owne consciences so also to the consciences of others not to their humours fancies that they may witnesse for us that we love them and deale faithfully with them We should labour to do all the good we can especially to the soules of men that are redeemed with the blood of Christ if wee deserve well of them they will give evidence for us but if wee walke scandalously they will evidence that wee by our ill courses and examples drew them to ill courses and hardened them in evill it should be our care therefore to approve our selves to the consciences of men that we may have them to witnesse for us that such men of whō we have deserved well may be our crowne at the last day A man doth then keepe a good conscience in relation to others when hee makes it appeare that hee can deny himselfe to doe them good when the consciences of other men shall thinke thus such a man regards my good more than his owne hee seekes no advantage to himselfe he lives so as that the world may see he is in good earnest hee speakes so as that he makes it good by his life now if our care be to walke thus wee shall approve our selves to the consciences of men There are many that will give some way to divine truths but they have a reservation of some sinne When Herodias is once touched then Iohn Baptists head must off such truths as come neare makes them fret because their conscience tels them they cannot yeeld obedience to all the lust of some sinnes hath gotten such domination over their affections that the conscience saith I cannot doe this and then that hatred that should be turned upon the sinne is turned upon the Word and the Minister like unto some vermine that when they are driven to a stand they will flie in a mans face so these men when they see they must yeeld they grow malicious so that what they will not follow that they will reproach therefore it should be our care at all times to yeeld obedience according to what wee know There is a generation of churlish people such as watch for offences because they would goe to hell with some reason they will not see who are weake and who are hypocrites but they cast reproach upon