lose your Life For Christ shall profit you nothing if you place Merit in any thing In any thing wrought in you in any thing wrought by you Gal. 5.2 As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 To trust to your good Works to pacify God's Wrath and to merit his Love and to buy so much as a morsel of Bread is to be of the Works of the Law To be of the Party that is so bitterly guilty and condemned And to be under the Wrath which the Law threatens to Soul and Body to Name and Estate is to be under the Curse and poisonous Sting of it A Condition you can't look to thrive in God be merciful to us Sinners of this Day Whose evil Works are unparallellable and our good Ones for the most part are Evil. Little Bread and that which is poisoned Papists have the Plague but Protestants have the Fever Merit is their open Faith but it is also our inward lurking Folly Even Luther its victorious Enemy would complain of a Pope in his Belly And our English Luther said consonantly I may lift up Christ in my Pulpit and pull him down in my Heart Sad are the Indications that Roman Frogs have place in very Puritans Bed-chambers So that slender Alms are given with swelling Opinions of them and God hath little Service from us without conceit of his contracting a great Debt to us We declaim against adding the Virgin Mary 's Milk unto Jesus Christ's Blood but can imagine that our own Prayers and Sweat and Tears will make a good Mixture Now this know Whoredom and Witchcraft are not more odious in God's Sight He will not bear such Indignities done unto his own Munificence and to his Son's Righteousness If you will not serve him as the perfect Giver and his Son as the sole Purchaser of all Good the Devil must have your Works and Service for God will not accept of them They are Carrion and not Sacrifice for him His Wrath is revealed from Heaven against your dead Lions and your living Dogs Against the Carcass of your Vertues as well as the Soul and Body of your Vices against your pharisaical Hearing and Praying as well as against your Tipling and Blaspheming Nor is it to be doubted but for the one as well as the other God is this Day contending with us And we may thank our Practical Popery for our Epidemical Poverty To this will it be justly ascribed if as on the Jews Wrath come upon the Britains to the uttermost What but Wo can betide us when our very Religion is Irreligious Help Lord or we are twice dead and shall be plucked up by the Roots I am teaching People this Truth but find few that hastily learn it The Devil is every Man's King who makes himself his own Priest Who mixes the Covenants of Works and Grace and scrapes for the Honour of a joint Purchaser with Jesus Christ Expecting good things partly for Christ's Oblation and Intercession and partly for his own Will any Man now say To what purpose then is it that we should serve God or be zealous of good Works I think you have been told good Reason in every Direction But you shall have a Candle lighted for you in the Sun We Ministers are Debtors to the most Vnwise There is abundance of Reason to eat Bread that is wholsome as mad work as it is to swallow Poison In Nature you must eat or die and in Religion you must be doing or be undone For God elected redeemed and new created you for good Works Ephes 1.4 Tit. 2.14 Ephes 2.10 And dare you to cross God's Ends He commands and requires you to abound in good Works Tit. 3.8 Phil. 1.11 1 Pet. 2.15 And dare you to disobey the Lord whom you dare not deny He delights in your good Works Prov. 12.22 Prov. 15.8 Heb. 13.16 And dare you that are out Hell by his Favour to deny him his Pleasure He is honoured before Men by your good Works and by nothing else Matth. 5.6 And dare you feloniously to take from him his Vniversal Glory in this World He judgeth Men by their Works here in our present State and hereafter at the final general Judgment He renders to every Man according to his Works Psalm 19.11 Rom. 2.6 Rev. 20.12 13. And dare you to make trial whether he be not a God changeable whether he will not tolerate your Sloth and give you a right to the Tree of Life without keeping his Commandments Rev. 22.14 In short God's Mercy makes not needless Christ's Merits that Fountain sends no Drop of Goodness to us but through this Conduit And Christ's Merits do not make our Faith needless unapplied Balsam can heal no Wound And holy Faith cannot excuse good Works as good never a whit as never the better As good no Roots as no Fruits Without Communion vain is all Union If I bear not Fruit as good never have been ingrafted into Christ's Stock If I abide an useless Member as good never have had Christ my Head If I continue Straw and Chaff as good never have been built on Christ's Royal Foundation If I bring not Issue unto God as good never have been married to Christ So that good Works are as necessary and far from useless as if they were really meritorious And he that obeys not Christ as King and Law-giver he takes Satan for his Prophet and Commander As ever you expect this World's Comforts or next World's Glories Do all good Works though you rest in none Antichristian Faith laid in Ruins the renowned Jerusalem And Antinomian Life brought Hell from Heaven upon Sodom The Lord add more Faith to London's Vertue and more Vertue to our Faith The Lord send us more Faith for our Works and more Works from our Faith Works of Worship towards God Works of Sobriety Watchfulness and Self-denial Works of Justice and Charity towards Men. Works of the Callings wherein we are placed for from Angels to Worms God giveth an Employment to all his Creatures The Complaint Abroad is that Money is scarce and Trade dead But no Money seems so scarce as this Faith that is of the true Royal Stamp no Trade so dead as this of good Works undefiled If these be had and held by you you shall find and feel true the Apostle's words 1 Tim. 4.8 They have the Promise of the Life that now is If not you may e're long be made to exclaim in Moses's words Lord we are consumed by thine Anger and by thy Wrath are we troubled Ps 90.7 These twenty Directions thus do and see what God will do Remembring still these my concluding Words to prevent your Mistake of God's Word What is truly BEST for you God will give to you Rom. 8.28 All shall work for Good Temporal Blessings if God deny in one way he will make Compensation in another Christ was denied the Deliverance that he asked but had it made up in the Support
c. then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord have pleasure and comfort in all Kindness of his to thee I will cause thee to ride in the high Places of the Earth I will put thee above the reach of Danger I will feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob Thou shalt have from me Milk and Honey The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Direct XVIII Lastly Wrestle all the Week The highest Master of Language calleth Praying a Wrestling Happy they that are not only Jacobs but Israels not only VVrestlers with God but Prevailers They that have and do well use the Skill given by God's Spirit which never fails never lets God go without giving the Blessing for which we come Is the Holy Ghost your Advocate then he gives you this rare Art An Art the World knows nothing of having scarce heard whether there be any such or no therefore seek they not after it But I am speaking to Christians professed Temples of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Supplication Consequently a People that have this Art and Skill VVrestlers that if they use their Art and as becomes them strain hard every Vein therein may gain all they want from him with whom they have to do Ask and ye shall receive Every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7.7 8. Receiveth yea commonly receiveth more than he has the Faith and Face to ask Let an Abraham ask a Son he has one and the Promise of an Off-spring as numerous as the Stars Let a Jacob ask but Food and Raiment he has it and two Bands also Let a Solomon ask VVisdom he has it and hath VVealth and Honour thrown in with it Let a Canaanite ask but a few of the Dog's Crumbs she hath given her the Childrens best Bread There is no end of Examples Whence is it then that you want any promised Good of the Covenant the Covenant is your Charter for Temporals as well as Spirituals remember Sirs Either you wrestle not or not so well as you are able You receive not because you ask amiss James 4.3 Deny it not doubt it not for VVhatsoever you the weakest Christians ask the Father in Christ's Name with all the little Skill you have he will give it you John 16.23 And here shut you my Book sit down a little and think stand up then and say if you can really imagine that these Texts do signify nothing Or do less than assure us of this that The poorest Christian alive may have a Supply of his VVants if he will but fetch it upon his Knees Holy Mr. Carter told his Neighbour who complain'd that he did not Thrive though he worked hard and fared hard he would surely Thrive if he also prayed hard Hear this O you that scarce have from Hand to Mouth as you speak and are at your Wits end to think how you shall get through the next Winter's Cold Tho God may not keep you from the Cross he has bound himself to maintain you under the Cross to give you Bread if he deny you Trade to sweeten Water if he bring you to drink it in short to give you your Heart's-desire or to bring your Heart's-desire to what he gives you If you wrestle not amiss to this he hath bound himself You are your own Thieves if you go without Maintenance for you may surely have it for asking And of the two rather would I ask and not receive than receive and not ask There is such a Bread and VVine in Prayer it self Spiritual VVrestling doth get one such a comfortable Heat But fear you not where no Fear is these Promises be God's blessed Bonds given you Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the Day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me Psal 34.10 The young Lions do lack and suffer Hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Jer. 29.12 Ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Direct XIX Get well acquainted with your Father's Will and Testament The Holy Bible is no other if Jesus Christ be your Father Vast and immense are his Riches and in and by this said Will he hath bequeathed all unto you For which Cause he is named a Testator and his Word a Testament Heb. 9.15 16 17. The Testament wherein you are to read the Inventory of the Goods you are to receive and the Sum of the Debts you are to pay to your Supream King and to your Fellow-Subjects Let your Hearts be like the Ark Repositories of the Divine Word and see if you ever want Bread This take also for your Encouragement It was a less Honour to the Virgin Mary to bear Christ in her Womb than it shall be unto you to carry his Testament in your Hearts Luke 11.27 28. Blessed is the Womb that bare thee But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the Word and keep it Indeed Wills and Testaments are not easily understood by raw Babes nor do their Memories soon retain great and numerous Legacies But your tender Father hath provided good Help for your Infirmities He hath chosen for you such an Executor of his Will as is able to teach you all things And that being done to bring all things to your remembrance Nor is he more able than willing to receive of Christ's and show it unto you provided that he be duly sought unto Sought unto in Prayer and in all other his instituted Means This blessed Executor you know is the Holy Ghost God by Eternal Essence and Sanctifier and Comforter by Office Need I say what a frequent loss to Children the Ignorance of their Father's Will is the World well knoweth But your unacquaintedness with Christ's Testament is a Sin more hainous and a Loss more horrible than I am able to say Such an Affront is it displeasure condemn thee to thousands by the Year In Judgment he may give thee all Comforts besides the Comfort of the Scriptures And remember it that the World throughout where Christ's Word is not to be had there be few good Meals made People have bare Feet or but wooden Shoes and bitting Salt Where it may be had and it is not used even as the Day-light for constant Walk and Work Chastisements or Curses are at the Door And flatter we not our selves France conquered and Turkie and India-Trade exalted be nothing to enrich us if our Saviour's Will and Testament lay neglected But if young Men and Maidens old Men and Children duly ply that there shall be no complaining in our Streets But Corn shall make the young Men chearful and Wine the Maids Zech. 9.17 Direct XX. See that your Meat be not your Poison Good Works be the Meat of good Christians Their Lord said of himself and in their Measure they say after him My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his Work John 4.34 But Conceit of Merits is the Poison of Asps If this Poison get into your Head you
that his Father granted Matth. 26.39 Luke 22.43 The Covenant of Grace exempts you not from the Rod if you break these Rules Psal 89.30 31 32. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes In executing of his Threats God doth not break his Promises My Directions are ended By some it 's like they will be quarrelled But I think them of Qualifications to answer for themselves The Language is unusual yes but 't is not found unprofitable The Matter will offend for many good Souls do all that 's here advised and yet be not rich enough No let that be proved What godly Soul will tell me of any bitter Wants and disclaim all Guilts I meet with no such But what is the Design of these Directions They are very blind that will not see It is to fetch Martha to the place of Mary at her Saviour's Feet To empty Hearts of earthly Cares that room may be made for Heavenly To kill the Thorns that choak the Seed of the Word Yea the Canker that preys upon and eats up the Souls of many To perswade Men to mind and do all that they have to do and not take God's Work out of his Hands but leave him to provide for their Subsistence and practically regard our Redeemer's Command five or six times repeated Matth. 6. Take no thought no disquieting distracting One for your Life or Livelyhood Briefly to convince of this Truth that God is a kind and no hard Master And that his good and faithful Servants are not themselves when they distrust him And when they cease to tell him to this effect Lord I refer all to thee I would have nothing but what thou thinkest good The Condition that is good in thy Eyes shall seem best in mine Infinite Wisdom cannot chuse amiss for me And the Goodness and Power which are no less will not fail to bestow that on me Wherefore henceforth I will no more trouble my Heart with Thoughts who shall give me Bread to eat than with Thoughts who shall give me Day-light to see by or Air to breath in I will take it for very certain that the Covenant of Grace is the best Freehold in the Creation for this World and for the next And therefore although the Figtree shall not blossom neither shall Fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yield no Meat the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Hab. 3.17 18. Policy fails and Strength fails I know Serpents I have seen naked and Foxes thin Clothed and Bald I have seen Lion's very meagre and Bears but lean The profoundest Sophy of our Nation died poor And strange Exemplars of Diligence have lived in wretched Want But my Saviour's Rule I am sure is infallible Seeking first and most and all God's Kingdom and Righteousness All and every needful thing must be added to me I must have all I want In Heaven they have not as yet all they have a Will unto The Saints there are without their Bodies and much of their Company I may not expect more on Earth than they have in Heaven But there have they as much as they yet want and here will I expect so much also And now Farewel worldly Sorrow Farewel all Sorrow in the World save only for the world of Sin in me and it Lord Jesus thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And to my Comfort I know so much Thou causest them that love thee to inherit Substance Thou fillest their Treasures With Good perfect without Defect and Perpetual without Decay the Good of the upper Springs and the Nether All Things are mine for I am thine In proper Speech the Devil hath no Child Rich and my Lord and my God hath not one Poor Let them be Poor therefore that can be so I cannot want I am most certain the King's Tax shall be well paid and my House well kept as long as I do 1. Trust my Guardians 2. Go to School to the Ants. 3. Lean on no Reeds 4. Serve but one Master 5. Wear my Master's Livery 6. Hold my Heart at my right Hand 7. Beware of my five Enemies 8. Lay not violent Hands on my self 9. Load my Parents soundly 10. Marry none but an Heir to the Crown 11. Make Battlements to my House 12. Take Care of the King's Children 13. Vse good Salt 14. Kindle huge Fires on my Enemies Heads 15. Keep my Watch at my Door 16. Vnite Courtesy and Truth 17. Be at Court one whole Day in a Week And 18. Wrestle hard all the Week 19. Get well acquainted with my Father's Will and Testament 20. See that my Meat be not my Poison And this will I do if God shall give me to will and to do it Jabez called on the God of Israel saying O that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my Coast and that thy Hand might be with me and that thou wouldest keep me from Evil that it may not grieve me And God granted him that which he requested 1 Chron. 4.20 Because thou hast asked VVisdom and Knowledg for thy self VVisdom and Knowledg is given to thee and I will give thee Riches and VVealth and Honour 2 Chron. 1.11 12. Quest 1. WHose is this Earth whose Goods be all The Creatures it contains Who takes the Care of this wide World As Lord and King who reigns Answer The Father Son and Holy Ghost Are the one King and Lord Who made and owns keeps all and rules All by his wond'rous Word Quest 2. But who be they this King affects Who be his Favourites In filling whom with all good things His Majesty delights Answer They be the Just that live by Faith On 's Power Love and Truth As Orphans on their Guardians lean Throughout their helpless Youth They be the faithful Servants who In constant Labours sweat And take more pleasure in God's Work Than earthly Princes Meat They be the Saints that trust not Kings And Princes for their Bread As knowing Kings be poor themselves And from God's Board be fed They be the Calebs that all times Serve fully their own Lord By whom Religion cut in halves As Atheism is abhorr'd They be the poor in Spirit known By their Humility Who of all Mercies ever say Less than the least am I. They be the wise in Heart whose Minds In Cares are exercis'd And whose right Hands strait execute What they have well devis'd They be the Spirit 's Souldiers Against the Flesh they fight Against the ravenous Lusts of Sense The Hell nam'd Appetite They be the wisely Charitable Rash Suretiship they loath Forward they are to Lend and Give But with Discretion both They be the Children good who pay A Duty not oft seen To whom a Father is a King And Mother is a Queen They be the Chaste and Holy Ones Who purely keep their Bed And of God's Royal Family Adopted Children wed They be the Friends of God whose Zeal Their House a Church doth make And see that all their Houshold shall Their House or Sin forsake They be the Holy Abraham's That tend God's Nursery And use their Power Skill and Love Their Babes to sanctify They be the fearful of the Plague In Fools infectious Breath They count walk with the Wise is Life And walk with Fools is Death They be the Follow'rs of the Lamb That bless'd and cursed not The glorious Art of pard'ning Spight Their Christian Souls have got They be the Davids who suspect Their Mouths most dangerous Door Strict Watch they keep and for a Guard They do their God implore They be the lovers of true Love Their Pleasure is to please And what gives any one Distaste Takes from their Rest and Ease They be the Saints who every Week In Heaven spend one Day Glad in their Heart that at God's Court They have so sweet a stay They be the Jacobs that in Pray'r Do wrestle all the Week Nor cease they till as Israel They gain the things they seek They be the Heirs of Life that prize Christ's Will and Testament By Day they read it and by Night Without it no Content They be the Zealous of good Works And Jealous of them too They all perform and all disclaim Trust none of all they do These be the Men of God our King These be his Favourites In filling these with all good Things His Majesty delights These be the Apples of his Eye These in him safely trust Others can only wish to thrive But these for certain must FINIS Books sold by Andrew Bell and Jonas Luntley RULES for heating the Word of God with certain and saving Benefit The Second Edition The Sure Way to Wealth Infallible Directions to get and keep sufficient Riches even while Taxes rise and Trades sink Both by Mr. Daniel Burgess The fulfilling of the Scripture or a Discovery of the Accomplishment of God's Holy Word in his Providential Works The third Edition corrected and enlarged with Doctrines and Histories by the Author Mr. Robert Fleming Pastor of a Church in Roterdam Published and recommended by Mr. Burgess Mr. Rutherford's Letters the third Edition now divided into three Parts The first containing those which were written from Aberdeen where he was confined by a Sentence of the High Commission drawn forth against him partly upon the account of his declining them partly upon the account of his Nonconformity The Second and Third containing some which were written from Anwoth before he was by the Prelates Persecution thrust from his Ministry and others upon Occasions afterward from St. Andrews London c. Published for the Use of all the People of God but more particularly for those who now are or afterwards may be put to suffering for Christ and his Cause