THE WAY TO HEAVEN DISCOVERED And The Stumbling-blocks cast therein by the World Flesh and Devill removed OR The ready way to true Happines Leading to the Gate of Full assurance WITH A word of Reproof to the scattered discontented Members of the late Parliament And a word of Advise to the present Supreme Authority of ENGLAND By ROBERT PURNELL MAT. 23. 13. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for ye shut up the kingdome of heaven ye neither goe in your selves nor suffer them that are entring to goe in ISA. 57. 14. Take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people Printed for William Ballard of Bristol and are sold by J. Grismond in Ivie-lane London 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE Impartiall READER Unbyased Reader THe Lord by the Prophet Isa 57. 14. ver latter part saith Take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people that so they may walke as Jer. 31. 9. in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble Mal. 2. 8. But contrary to this not onely the World Flesh and Devill but many of the leaders of the people have cast blocks in the way and caused many to stumble not minding the commands of Christ by Paul Rom. 14. 13. Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way I have endeavoured in this ensuing Discourse or Treatise to remove those stumbling blocks that by experience I have found cast in mine own way either by the World Flesh or Devill which in some measure are now removed and my desire is that I might be an assistant to others that have not these blocks removed which is my end in presenting these things to publick view that which I have received by immediate inspiration and mediate Declarations viz. some of those things I learned in reading the Scriptures some in hearing the word preached some in conference amongst Christians some in reading the writings of godly men but I have not as I know of written one line received from either of these but that and onely that which I have not onely heard but heard and seene by experience in mine own soule so that the things are living upon mine own spirit and I doubt not but that the spirits of many shall be refreshed by it when it commeth to publick view and I could wish that those that have greater measures of light would undertake to write more distinctly clearly in order to the removing of these stumbling blocks or any other blocks cast in our way by our soule-murthering enemies especially in these dividing dayes wherein men make it their great worke to cast stumbling-blocks one in anothers way so that while we are contesting about the garment of Religion the power thereof is much abated Men dispute for Honour sake and Victory sake not for truths sake and in the meane time many poore drooping soules lye languishing and the enemies of Christ and his Kingdome rejoycing and the soules of most starving our Gospell is turned into a Covenant of workes by our Legallists or else into a doctrine of Licentiousnesse by our new upstart wantons I meane the Raunters and Hypocriticall dissemblers and Vice-advancers and Ordinances for sakers who like swarmes of Drone Bees are buzzing in our eares whose dayes are ending and plagues be coming as in 2 Pet. 2. 10 12 13 15 17 18 19 21 22. But for all ye whose hearts are upright with the Lord the time is at hand when the reproach and contempt that is now cast upon you shall be quite taken away for your Father will make you the head and not the tayle as doth appeare by these Scriptures Isa 62. 8 9. Joel 2. 23 24. Mich. 4. 4. Amos 9. 13 14. Zech. 8. 12. Isa 41. 18 19. Jer. 31. 12. Isa 30. 23. Isa 55. 13. and Isay 66. 6 7. and 65. 21 22. and 61. 4. and 60. 10. c. Those contemptible despised Saints that now many doe thrust sorely at and others look a squint upon some shut the doore against others turn their backs upon and most of men do either neglect them or despise them But Oh! poor Saints lift up your heads your redemptirn draweth nigh ye shall receive of his fulnesse grace for grace what soever grace there is in Christ there is the like stamped upon every true Christian Is Jesus Christ called the beloved of God so are the Saints too Is he called the Son of God the Saints are also called the Sons of God Is Christ called Heire the Saints are said to be Heirs coheires with Christ Is he said to be elect and precious so are the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 2. Is he called the light of the world the true light they are called also light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Is he said to be sanctified So are the Saints also For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Iohn 17. 19. Is he said to be full of Grace and Truth so are the Saints too some of them as Stephen full of Grace Acts 7. 55. and Mary full of Grace Thus doth the Lord honour those that doe honour him with such titles of honour and the consideration of this doth put the Soule upon Spirituall duties from Spirituall principles as from the sence of Divine love that doth constraine the soule to wait on God and to act for God Rom. 6. 1. How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein So againe I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God c. Rom. 12. 1. So John These things I write unto you that ye sin not What was it that he wrote He wrote that we have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and that the bloud of Christ clenseth us from all sinne And that if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and that if we sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous These choise favours and mercies the Apostle holds forth as the chiefest meanes to preserve the soule from sinne There is nothing in the world that renders a man more unlike a Saint and more like to Sathan then to argue from mercy to sinfull liberty from Divine goodnesse to licentiousnesse which is the Devills Logick The love of Christ being placed in us the same love will be constraining of us to have all our conversations and wilkings to be ordered as becometh children of such a Father the members of such a body the Heyres of such promises the Temples of such a Holy Ghost and the hearing and believing then of what God hath done for us in Christ is the most prevailing meanes of drawing men in to believe in Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. God hath commended his love to us in this that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and so a right trusting in him springeth from the very power of his Holy Spirit
hast in thee many good things thou wantest but that one thing needfull and thou shalt be perfect make Christ thy portion and sell thy own portion and follow him Mat. 19. 21. Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. Object But what shall we that are in the state of nature do that so we might if not get immediately out of that state into a state of grace yet that we might be continually waiting upon God in the use of those means appointed by him to change us c Answ The way with the wise man in Mat. 7. 24. to build our house upon the Rock is as followeth 1. Be throughly convinced that thou hast hitherto built upon the sand which will easily appear if thou consider 1. What thou art by nature 2. What thou art by practise 1. What thou art by nature not only born in sin but left in a condition unable to recover thy self Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 25. 4. How can he be clean that is born of a woman Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Mic. 7. 2. There is none upright amongst men Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so that death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 3. 9 10. Both Jew and Gentile they be all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. 12. They be all and altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 3. We are all gone out of the way we are all become unprofitable and filthy none righteous not one Now if all this be too little to compleat our condemnation wo go astray as soon as ever we are born Ps 58. 3. Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts was only evill and that continually Yea all the Saints themselves before conviction conversion and regeneration were guilty of originall and actuall transgression Ephes 2. 3. and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie hatefull and hating one another 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer and a persecutor Eccles 7. 20. So that there is not a just man upon earth according to creation and practise that doth good and sinneth not and thus man which at the beginning was created happy is become of all creatures most miserable viz. a slave to the Devill a childe of wrath and an enemy to good and an heir to eternall damnation Eph. 2. 3. Now we cannot come out of this miserable estate untill we come to him who is the fountain of life and brought to him we can never be but by faith Heb. 11. 6. For as God is the life of the soul and the soul is the life of the body so faith is the life of our enjoyments and the promises are the life of faith now when a man or woman comes to be throughly and powerfully and effectually convinced that he or she was born in sin and have ever since lived in sin and that all the plagues and judgements threatned in the whole Bible are due to them for their sins as appears by these Scriptures Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death Rev. 14. 10. These shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred forth without mixture in the cup of his indignation Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all they that forget God Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile see Deut. 27. 26. Deut. 28. 16 17 18 19 20. But besides all this the sinfulnesse of man by nature will further appear if we examine every faculty of the soul viz. the understanding is full of vanity see Psal 94. 11. nay it is full of blindnesse 1 Cor. 2. 24. unteachablenesse and incredulity 2 Cor. 4. 4. So the will of man is wholly depraved 1. It is contrary to God his word and Spirit in all things 2. It will not depend nor wait on God 3. it is unconstant in good resolutions 4. it disobeyes the will of God as we may see in Adams eating the fruit and Sauls sparing the Amalekites King and Cattle Then for the memory that also is full of corruption 1. That will forget the things that it is commanded to remember 2. It will remember the things that we are commanded to forget it will hold trifles and let go matters of moment So the conscience that is wholly corrupted 1. it is without feeling it is neither clear to see things that are amisse nor sensible of sins committed 2. Whereas it should excuse or accuse it doth abuse and pervert the light it hath by making great sins small c. Then for our affections they are also corrupt they come as a tempest and carry us away either to make us over-love over-grieve over-joy c. we hate our brother which we should love love our lusts whom we should hate by all which we may see that our nature is full of unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse 2. If thou and I consider what we are by practise we may quickly finde our sins to be more then the hairs of our heads or sands on the sea shore Examine first thy actuall sins of thought word and deed in our thoughts there is much corruption they being idle vain wicked and so foolish as Dr. Preston saith If a man should write his thoughts of one day and read them at night he would think he was half out of his wits now thoughts are the first born and blossome of the soul and are the first plotters and contrivers of good or evill with them we entertain good in the temple of our hearts Then for our words the tongue being very slippery we offend easily St. James compares the tongue to a bit which keeps in the wildest horse and to a rudder which turnes the greatest ship and to a fire which inflames the whole course of nature Jam. 3. 3 4 5. Yet most men think it nothing to let their tongues walk up and down at randome from morning till night from week to week from moneth to moneth from year to year Then see it again by most mens actions their sins of commission their number greatnesse frequency and thou wilt soon say as in the Psal 19. 12. Who can
are spirituall virtues green leaves which are good words and fruit which are good works Besides thou mayest know whether thou are sound in the maine by these things 1. Thou wilt walke more by rule then by example 2. And be willing to be searched in all things and not only to doe but to suffer for the name of Christ and to mourne in secret when God is dishonoured 3. Thou wilt do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. XV. The fifteenth stumbling block I have sinned that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost that God will not pardon in this life nor in the life to come there is no hope for me Mat. 12. 31 32. I have sinned against my light and the checks of mine own conscience I have sinned against the experimentall tastes of spirituall things I have crucified Christ afresh I have had many blasphemous thoughts in mine heart I have fearfully fallen away from my first love and I finde my heart as hard as a stone without all repentance for all this Answ Originall sin is the proper seed spawn and fountain of this sin aswell as of any other but every sinne against the light of minde and checks of conscience is not that sinne Rom. 7. 15 19. nor every falling away from the first love Revel 2. 4. Nay farther the sin against the Holy Ghost is not every blasphemous temptation for the dearest Saints and servants of God have been so as frequent experience doth prove not every sinne against knowledge is that sin against the Holy Ghost for the best of Gods people have so done Rom. 7. 19 20. Peter knew he ought not to deny his Lord and Master David knew he ought not to commit adultery nor kill yet strength of corruption drew him into both not every sinne against the truth of Christ and the Gospell is the sinne against the Holy Ghost as those in the Church of Corinth that denyed the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 12. and those in the Church of Pergamus that held the Doctrine of Balaam and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes yet are not accounted hopelesse but invited to repent of their opinions Neither is it every sinning against the gracious motions strivings and operations of the Holy Ghost for it is possible men may thus sinne and sometimes with an high hand and yet not sinne against the holy Ghost Act. 7. 51 52. Neither is it sinning against grace received for the most heavenly and gracious souls are daily perplexed with inseparable and invincible infirmities as doubts fears distracting thoughts distempered passions they may and doe too often quench the spirit 1 Thess 5. 19. and grieve him Ephes 4. 29 30. by suppressing his good motions nay a man may grosly fall and break his bones yet not quite fall away as Noah to drunkennesse Gen. 9. 21. Lot to incest Gen. 19. 33. David to murther and uncleannesse I suppose that these are recorded to caution them that stand that they fall not and to comfort them that are fallen that they despair not Now the Judgements of men are various as to the nature of this sinne some say it is despair others that it is presumption or an obstinate purpose of continuing in sinne or a fixed will never to repent an opposing of the known truth and an envying of our brothers graces c. Others say that the sinne against the Holy Ghost is this viz. An universall finall and wilfull falling away from the truth and common graces of the Holy Ghost once received and professed c. to a malicious obstinate and incurable opposition thereof c. 1 Here is the general nature of this sin a falling away 2 Here is the properties of this falling away 1. An Universall 2. Finall 3. Wilfull 3 The good from which he fals 1. From the truth once received and professed 2. From the common graces of the Spirit or Holy Ghost 4. The evill into which he backslides which is threefold 1. Blasphemous despiting of the Spirit of grace 2. Horrid contempt and malice against the Son of God 3. Violent persecution of the way of Christianity Now where these particulars dwell joyntly and act vigorously mark that man or woman for in Scripture sense that man doth commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost and this is the highest sinne against the saving remedy this is to sin wilfully mâ—liciously incurably this is to crucifie Christ afresh and to put him to an open shame and to tread him under foot and to count his bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing c. This sinne never can possibly be repented of for so the Apostle tels us Heb 6. 4 5 6. Again this sinne is impardonable so Christ tels us the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven nâ—ither in this world neither in the world to come Mat 12. 32. Heb. 10. 26. Mar. 3. 29. So this sinne is damnable for if it can never be repented and if it will never be pardoned it must needs alwaies be punished with eternall death and damnation but such is the love of the Almighty God that he hath placed that sinne in so high a degree that most men cannot commit that sinne if they would for there must be knowledge in the minde and malice in the heart and that not in an ordinary but in an extraordinary measure or else thou canst not commit that sinne Peter had knowledge in his minde but no malice in his heart when he denied his Master again Paul he had malice in his heart but no knowledge in his minde so that neither Paul nor Peter sinned against the Holy Ghost but take the malice in Pauls heart and the knowledge in Peters and joyne them both together in one man if that man deny Christ with cursing and swearing as Peter and persecute the Church of Christ with Paul then we may safely say that man hath sinned that unpardonable sinne But we may take notice by the way that those persons that are truly regenerate and born again cannot sinne against the Holy Ghost for the Scripture saith that the regenerate sinne not this great sinne Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not as in 1 Joh. 5. 16 17 18. For if the regenerate might sinne against the Holy Ghost then they might totally and finally fall away from God but that it is impossible as that Gods Promises Covenant and faithfulnesse should fail or that Gods Spirit grace and power preserving them should be overcome or that Gods immutable decree for their salvation should be shaken so that there is a vast difference between the sinning of a regenerate person and their sinning that sinne against the Holy Ghost 1. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost are not nor cannot be in any fear or trouble because they have sinned but are wickedly hardened for no person that ever sinned against the Holy Ghost either was or could be afraid perplexed or troubled in spirit about it such trouble being inconsistent with the nature of that
sinne which leaves no place for any religious fear suspicion jealousie or trouble of heart about it for they sinne wilfully obstinately maliciously and blasphemously without all colour shadow or possibility of remorse or repentance the proof Mat. 12. 31 32. Heb. 6. 4. 10. 6. to the 31. 2. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost are such as are under the raign and dominion of sinne such as never had any power of godlinesse but only a forme c. 3. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost apostatize and fall away finally but although regenerate persons sometimes fall wofully as we have proved before yet they never fall finally they alwaies rise again 4. They that sinne against the holy Ghost were never advanced beyond the degree of hypocrites as hath been evidenced by regenerate persons for they partake of the truth of grace power of godlinesse and life of God and men nor Devills cannot pluck them out of Christs hand 5. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost universally fall away both from profession and approbation of truth and grace but the new born never fall away thus universally 6. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost so sinne that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance but they that are regenerate repent of every sinne that they fall into before they die either in generall or particular 7. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost sinne wilfully and maliciously but as hath been cleared regenerate persons sinne out of weaknesse and infirmity not of malice or wilfull obstinacy they hate the evill which they doe Rom. 7. 15. Mr. Francis Roberts in his Book called A Beleevers evidence for eternall life saith it is possible that men may fall totally and finally and yet not commit this sinne unlesse they also fall maliciously these three properties of this grand apostasie 1. Universall 2. Finall 3. Malicious must be joyntly all together not disjoyntly or severally one from another if by them we would describe the sinne against the Holy Ghost and rightly understand the Scripture about it Wherefore to close up my answer for the removing of this stumbling block let all poor souls forbear a little their hard conceits of themselves and suspend their censures for they that have worst thoughts of themselves are not alwaies in the worst condition every one that feareth he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost must not presently be concluded to have committed that horrid sinne of sinnes for such sinnes may arise first from the weaknesse not knowing thy state or the nature of this sinne truly and distinctly and partly from Satans wickednesse abusing thy weaknesse that so if it were possible he might drive thee to despair but credit neither thy own weaknesse nor Satans wickednesse lest thou bar the door of mercy that God hath opened so wide to thee and all other trembling misgiving babes lay these things together and enter into a serious searching of thy owne heart and take the answer of thy own conscience so farre as it is regulated by the Word and thou wilt presently finde that thou hast not committed this unpardonable sinne neither in thought word nor deed c. XVI The sixteenth stumbling block Well saith the poor soul I see I have not sinned that unpardonable sin that block is removed and my heart begun to be cheared and the mercy gate by faith I saw opened but behold I see another stumbling block even a mighty mountain or many blocks and mountains laid all together so that I have no hope at present either to get over it or to have it removed viz. originall sinne in every member of my body and every faculty of my soul and actuall sins in all things that ever I have done so that the whole man is a lump of sinne Besides I see the world flesh and Devill joyn all together against me and I doe finde them too strong for me it is better for me to die that I might cease from sinne and know the worst of my torment for I see all the plagues threatned against sinners both in the Old and New Testament hang over my head therefore sure speak to me no more unlesse you speak of the torments of hell as for me I have no hope of obtaining mercy and pardon I am even ready to say with Cain Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can bear Wherefore with Judas I am ready to hang my self but before I do either I will with Job curse the day of my birth Job 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. After this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day Let the day perish wherein I was born let that day be darknesse let not God regard it and as for that night let darknesse seise upon it let it not be joyned unto the daies of the year let it not come into the number of the moneths If I could reckon up how many minutes since the time I was born then I might know the number of my sins for I am guilty of as many sinnes as I have lived minutes if not more and who can dwell in everlasting burning Oh! I hear that voice sounding in mine ears Rem 2. 8 9. Tribulation and anguish and indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evill upon the Jew first and also upon the Gentile shall one sinne cast down the best Saints and shall not ten hundred thousand sinnes damn me body and soul one sinne tript up the heels of Noah the righteousest man in the world one sinne cast down Abraham the greatest beleever in the world one sinne threw down David the best King in the world one sinne cast down Paul the greatest Apostle in the world one sinne threw down Sampson the strongest man in the world one sinne cast down Solomon the wisest man in the world and another Moses the meekest man in the world and another sinne cast down Job the patientest man in the world Answ For the removing of this great stumbling block consider that thy sinnes are but finite at the most but Gods mercy is infinite I say his pardoning mercy is infinite wherefore give over saying with Peter Luk. 5. 8. Depart from me for I am a sinfull man and say with David Pardon my sin for it is wondrous great Psal 25. 11. It is true every soul is empty of all good and filled with all evill and is a transgressor from the womb so that man is born 1. An enemy to God Ephes 2. 5. Col. 1. 21. 2. A childe of the Devill Ephes 2. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 8 10. 3. An heir of hell Mat. 23. 15. So that man in his conception birth thoughts words and actions is become altogether from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot sinfull there is nothing but wounds and sores iniquity transgression and rebellion yea the choicest piece also the soul in all its faculties is corrupted the Understanding is blinded as to spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 24. and
in us working the same in the opening and Declaration of his name unto uâ— Psalme 9. 10. this is a Faith that springeth from and worketh by love But such a Faith none can have till the love of God is discovered to them and so they see and believe his goodnesse towards them The serious consideration of this would put a check upon that preposterous mistake about mens teaching the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation unto the world and limitting the Gospell and death of Christ unto a few only which is not in the Commission of Christ given to the Apostles but rather to preach the Gospell to every creature and to invite them to that feast prepared by Christ and all things ready for their entertainment and that God is willing to receive them and so invite all and call upon all to goe to the wedding to believe and submit unto him and when this Gospell hath taken its effect upon some that they are perswaded to let goe all for him to receive him to believe in him and cleave to him then to minde them of the Doctrine of Election as the Apostles did apply it to believers minding them it was Gods goodnesse and free grace to elect them in Christ before the foundation of the world so that now they are begotten to the Faith they are to give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure but many men endeavour to hold forth to the world those decrees of Election and Reprobation which they rightly understand not making them dangerous and unprofitable Doctrines which otherwise in due place and manner propounded are very safe and wholsome for herein they goe besides the rule preaching an uncertaine sound which the world can make no good use of for when they heare it what use can they have of it but to perplex or harden them for what other consequence can they naturally draw from thence then this Either I am Elected or not If I be then I am well enough no sinne can or shall hurt me no matter whether I heare pray read or not If otherwise I shall but here torment my self with a melancholy and religious life in vaine what profits it for me to pray unto him no duties will profit me therefore I will take my pleasure no actions of mine can either help or hinder c. whereas he should be wrastling with God as Jacob and give him no rest till he had obtained the blessing What I have endeavoured to present before you in this ensuing Treatise as in a Map doe you consider more particularly viewing and weighing well the stumbling-blocks cast in youo way and the corruption of your owne understanding memory conscience will and affections with thoughts words actions omissions commissions we cannot likely goe too far in these things nor wrong your nature yea take a man that thinketh worst of himselfe he is far worse then he thinketh himselfe to be In a word our well-being doth much depend upon our removing these stumbling-blocks and removed they cannot be without Faith and Faith is the work of the Spirit of God in us out of the free love of God to us not for any good done by us or foreseen in us but being by nature all in misery we were objects of mercy Ezek. 16. 6. and so after in mercy he had clensed us we were beautifull through the comlinesse that he had put upon us ver 14. Election is the Election of grace Vocation is according to grace Regeneration was of Gods owne will Faith is the gift of God Justification is freely by grace Forgivenesse of our sinnes is according to the riches of his grace Eternall life is the gift of God all the Portion that God expecteth of us is Poverty Oh! the consideration of this free love of God held forth in the Gospel will engage the soule to a constant spirituall combat by faith and hope and other graces of the spirit against the flesh and so by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh daily crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts this love as an inward principle worketh out pollution and corruption as being repugnant thereunto it putteth the soule upon true endeavours to purifie both soul and body person and conversation from all corruption universally both in kinde and degrees This word of grace hath a purifying faculty in it Ye are clean through the word I have spoken to you saith Christ John 15. 3. Againe the Word is as an Antidote against sinne Psal 119. 11. and as a lamp discovering the spot Rom. 7. 7. and as a Starre conducting to Christ the Fountain of purifying 1 John 2. 1 2. Zach 13. 1. and as a rule according to which we are heedfully to order our conversation Psal 119. 9. and the chiefest motive unto selfe-purifying 2 Cor. 7. 1. The appearing of this stirreth up fervent desires and prayers for thorough purity Psal 19. 9. Clense thou me from secret faults purge me with Hysop and I shall be cleane Psal 51. 7. Wash me and I shall be whiter then snow c. Avoid Satan How can I do this evill and sin against God I must love him because he loved me first his free grace hath appeared unto me I must runne after him he hath set my feet at liberty I must run the wayes of his Commandements he doth let my soule live therefore I must prayse him he hath made the Tree good therefore the Fruit must be good Robert Purnell The way to Heaven discovered and the stumbling blocks cast therein by the World Flesh and Devill removed ALL Men Women and Children under the Sun are either in the state of Nature or in the state of Grace in Christ or out of Christ only here is their misery many that are in the state of nature doe think they be in the state of grace and many that are in the state of grace doe think they be in the state of nature Now although there be but these two states yet there be severall degrees in each of these states viz. Those that are in the state of Grace are in one of these four fourmes either babes children young men or old men 1. Babes 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2. Children little children 1 Joh. 2. 12. 3. Young men 1 Joh. 2. 13. 4. There is Old men or Fathers 1 Joh. 2. 14. So also for those in the state of Nature there be some nearer some further from the kingdome of God Isai 46. 12. Hearken unto me ye stout hearted that are farre from righteousnesse all stout hearted obstinate self-conceited Ranters and Ordinance-forsakers and vice-advancers Scripture-rejectors and hypocriticall dissemblers c. These are farre from the kingdome of God But then there is another sort of those in the naturall state spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ Mar. 12. 34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God c. Thou art more moderate more teachable more tractable thou
2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a forme of Godlinessâ— but denying the power thereof they have a resemblance visard or shew of holynesse heir religion consisteth in formal profession of Godlinesse Tit. 1. 16. without expressing the power and efficacy thereof in their lives or in externall gestures behaviours rites and ceremonies without the pure inward worship of God in spirit and truth Oh! it is very sad to consider what a spirit of formality is powred forth and freely entertained in this little Common-wealth the Parliament imbraced it before and since they are outed Magistracy and Ministry were and still are clothed with it as with a garment and the poor silly people sit down under it and freely entertain it where is there a Parish or a Congregation extant that is altogether free from this soul-deceiving thing called Formality most men hear with other mens eares and see with other mens eyes but at last let them know they must answer for themselves looke where the power of Godlinesse dwels there dwels a spirit of love meeknesse gentlenesse long-suffering and forbearance there dwels tender heartednesse and bowels of compassion each to other But though most men doe rest upon formes yet let all spirituall Christians take heed how they doe cast away formes for you must know that although there may be a forme of Godlinesse without a power yet there cannot be the power without the forme as our blind Ranters imagine for no man can carry grace in his heart but it will spread forth and appear in his life but oh thou Rantor and Ordinance-forsaker thou dost oppose that whereby God communicates himselfe to the soules of his people thou dost as much as in thee lyeth shut the doore against Christ and stand in defiance of him Again many men take up a forme of religion to serve their sinnefull designes and so makes a forme a Canopy to to cover all their abominations or as the figge leaves to cover poor sinfull mans nakednesse Oh the many ends that men have in taking up a forme viz. one he takes up a forme only in relation to the present and temporary credit and fashion of religion because the State favours it or the current of the times runs that way so that many men choose their religion more out of feare of men then love to God and this makes them forme and fashion themselves unto the governement of the times whether it be of the old stampe or the new cut Others take up a forme of Religion that they may be gainers by it for now Religion at least in the forme is in fashion men begin to consider that they shall hardly get into a place either into the Custome or Excise-office unlesse they are vailed with a forme of Religion and doth not England swarme at this day with such finger-licking Officers and is not Custome and Excise become the neat art of theeving But I trust the same God that hath overturned the highest power will overturne overturne these suboâ—dinate brats that live by the ruine of others that so if there be a necessity of keeping up these Monopolies there may be selfe-denying men imployed in those places that may not oppresse the poor nor take a bribe of the rich and allunder a forme of Religion Others they take up a forme of Religion to please their friends so Absalom would draw his Father into a beleife that he was very Godly and made conscience of paying his vowes and that at Hebron he knew this would please his Father well Again others take up a forme knowing that it doth not displease the World for a man to keep his Parish Church to live peaceably amongst his neighbours and to pay every man his own to be indifferent in matters of Religion not daring to professe too much this is the godly man in the eye and esteem of the World this man shall be honoured by the World as our late Parliament was but remember I will overturne overturne overturne Ezek. 21. 27. Lastly the Devill himselfe is the grand Formalist nay he can assume variety of formes and no wonder if his servants effect the same Oh whited wals oh painted Sepulchers O forme of Godlinesse where is thy power these are the men which crucifyed Christ and persecuted the Apostles and hated the Saints and inbraced the present World these are the Judasses that carry the bagge and betraye their Master these be those by whom offences come these are the wells without water the clouds without raine In a word these be those spoken unto and prophesyed of 2 Pet. 2. that whole Chapter 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Jude 8 10 11 12. But to winde up all that I shall at present write to this point in hand I will lay down some Characters of one that hath 1. Only a forme of Godlinesse without the power 2. Of one that hath the forme and power too 1. One that hath only a forme of Godlinesse may be discerned or known by these evidences first internall secondly externall 1. Internall he can but act as a Christian move as a Christian and appeare as a Christian but not from any principle of life living in the soul Did not Saul act as a Christian and yet he was but a Hypocrite Jehu in the forme did the thing which was good but from a corrupt principle within Judas also he was an exact picture of a Christian only in forme but his principle was covetousnesse Demas had a forme but not a power and so he imbraced the present World 2. A man resting in a forme cannot endure to hear of any to be better then himselfe he will shut up the Kingdome of heaven against others and yet not goe in himselfe Matth. Chap. 23. ver 13. 3. A man resting upon a forme may discerne it by this he will frown upon one sinne and smile upon another he will strike at some sinnes and stroke others he will thrust some out of doors but keepe others close in his bosome and as we may see in Jehu Herod Judas Simon Magus and Demas In a word he will fight against those sinnes that fight against his honour profit pleasures c. but make truce with those which are as right hands and as right eyes c. 2. There be some externall characters of a man or woman resting upon a forme 1. He may grow up in degrees of zeale he will seem with Jebu to be zealous Rom. 10. 2. I heare them record they have a zeal but not according to knowledge 2. He will be a great exactor of holynesse upon others but he will do little himselfe they binde heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them upon other mens shoulders 3. He is one that doth clothe and cover wicked practises with specious pretences he will devour Widowes houses and for a pretence make long prayer 4. You may also know him by this the maine bent of his discourse is about the forme the garment judging men that doe not see by