be understood in a twofold consideration first for such a confidence as is without a ground or secondly against a ground For the first he that presumes he hath a confidence of pardon but it is without any ground he hath no word of God for his confidence and it may be he can give no reason at all for his confidence much lesse a good reason that this discouragement may be answered and removed consider wherein faith and presumption differs He that presumes he hath no ground no word of God for his confidence here confidence is fetched from their own conceits they seek no life in Christ his word and promise 1. But he that truly beleeves in Christ his confidence is from the Word Wee through the Scriptures have hope Rom. 15. 4. In his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. But I hope in thy word Psal 119. 81. 2. He that truly beleeves in Christ doth not receive any promise of life but in and through Christ in the riches of his grace But he that presumes if he receives a promise he receives it upon his qualifications without respect to Christ and he gathers conclusions of life from what they are and can doe their own righteousnesse was never to them as drosse and dung as Phil. 3. 8. So they depend upon their faith and not upon Christ by faith the ground of their confidence is because they are so good or not so bad as others as the proud Pharisee but he was never fatherlesse Hos 14. 3. nor did they ever receive the sentence of death in themselves 2 Cor. 1. 9. So they were ever confident and it was ever very easie for them to beleeve 3. He that beleeves his hope and trust is onely in God and they hope in his mercy The eyes of the Lord are upon them that hope in his mercy Psal 33. 18. 21. 22. And this is the work of God to perswade the heart to rest upon the free mercy of God in Christ Psal 13. 5. Psal 33. 18. I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52. 8. With the Lord there is mercy Psal 130. 7. God is rich in mercy Eph. 2. 4. Presumption cannot doe so Joh. 12. 37. 1 Pet. 19. 20. Joh. 6. 28 29. For the second so the confidence of the presumer is contrary to the word of God the word approves of no such confidence but protests against them and their confidence as appeares Jer. 7. 9. 15. So their presumption hardens them and makes them bold to venture upon sinful practises as lying stealing drunkennesse uncleannesse cheating and the like as theirs was Jer. 7. 9. c. 4. He that truly beleeves abhorres that which is evill and cleaves to that which is good Rom. 12. 9. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as he is pure 1 â—oh 3. 3. Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. 9. The grace of God teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. Christ is precious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2. 7. They count all things but losse for Christ and for him they will suffer the losse of all things as Phil. 3. 8. Yet many there be who say they are confident c. and yet they dare not speak for Jesus Christ his truth his servants c. these are far from suffering the losse of all things for him So others can hold Arminianisme and free-will setting themselves and their endeavours above God and his grace in affirming that notwithstanding all the grace God affords to any man yet unlesse man shall please to will and improve it well for as they say he may choose whether he will or no it shall never be effectuall to him if it be so they may thank God for his grace without which they can doe nothing but much more themselves for saving themselves for others had as much grace as they as they say Judas had shall be damned and they had been damned also if they had not willed well c. and it was in their power and choice whether they would will well or no which is so contrary to the Scriptures so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. Surely all those who have tasted of Gods free grace cannot but admire it and be thankfull for it and loath with the greatest indignation whatsoever shall intrench upon it although it were but in the least degree I have no grace because I grow not in grace my life is not holy nor am I like unto others who are the Lords Doest thou know thy age or degree in grace what art thou a child or a yong man or a father 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. there is a great difference between a childe and a man in nature so great is the difference between a babe in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1. and a man in Christ 1 Joh. 2. 13. Also confider if thou canst whether if thou beest a babe in the wombe or borne Heb. 5. 13. He is a babe as a childe is begotten and alive while it is in the wombe before it be borne so thou maist be begotten from above and alive before thou canst be borne Christ must first be formed in us before we can be new borne babes Gal. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. And when thou art delivered out of the state of bondage which is a place of darknesse of feares concerning thy soule thou art not borne and brought forth and as the wombe is a place of bondage so here and therefore canst not doe that service others doe if thou beest but new borne there cannot that be expected from thee as there is from a man in Christ as there is a difference between a childe and a man in nature so there is here learne to distinguish between the grace it selfe and the exercise of it it 's not the having of grace but the exercise of it which attaines to a holy conversation by the operation of the Spirit and when a soule is delivered from its enemies as Satan terrors wrath curse it 's borne being delivered we serve Luk. 1. 47. Deliverance is before working the time of doubting is a barren time men cannot fight and worke at the same time Regeneration consists in being begotten to the Lord to have union with him Joh. 17. 22. 23. 19. And for God to convey his power into the soule by which it is made conformable to the will of Christ and lives by faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. is another thing in some of the Lords the first is where the latter is not at least in the degrees of it beleevers are of severall growths and states as first babes children secondly young men thirdly fathers 1 Joh. 2.
out of your selfe in the conceits of other men he that is little in his own eyes will not be troubled if he seeme so to others he that is troubled because others words answer not his desires he shall never live quietly and he that priseth others praises he injoyeth neither God nor himselfe 18. To sympathize with others Every day to take notice and sympathize with the sorrowes and sufferings of those that are the Lords and to be content to stand or fall into any sorrow or sufferings with the Church of Christ to part with estate friends libertie life If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth Psal 137. 6. Lam. 1 2 3 4 5. Chapters 19. To meditate Every day to meditate upon God in his goodnesse unto me and mind what God hath prepared for me in heaven and how I may be preserved from sin selfe c. and order my conversation aright Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide Gen. 24. 63. doe so or enter into thy closet Mat. 6. 6. Consider Psal 1. 2. 32. 4 5 6. Heb. 10. 38. Jos 1. 8. The book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night Meditation is wonderfull sweet and profitable by it wee winde up our minds from things below Col. 3. 4 5. and injoy God and thy selfe and live in heaven while thou art in the earth refreshing thy selfe with the great varietie of those invisible comforts in heaven the interest joy rest that thou shalt finde at last we might meditate of the miseries frailtie and shortnesse of the time we have to live here and how we may prevent sin beare the crosse deny our selves live by faith be contented in want grow in grace escape temptations keepe a good conscience and what is my duty to God and man and-wherein I come short what mercies I injoy and how I live by faith in every thing how I profit by afflictions or am thankfull to God for his sweet mercies to my soule or body and a thousand profitable things in which the soule may finde sweetnesse and if yee be risen with Christ seeke those things that are above Col. 3. 1. By faith and meditation keepe thy heart above to view thy everlasting glory filling thy selfe with joy injoying the joyes of heaven which I shall certainly and quickly injoy unutterable unconceivable and infinite bottomlesse boundlesse endlesse Oh the ocean of the joyes of heaven the greatnesse of sweetnesse in so great confluence of all joyes pleasures and delights which shall be for ever and never have an end 20. Watch to deny selfe That I daily deny my selfe wit wisdome carnall reason learning favour of men applause passion ease libertie and all things for God Consider Luk. 14. 20. 33. Mat. 16. 24. Mark 8. 34. Luk. 9. 23. It is good thus to crosse our selves if we could deny our selves every thing would be easie for us to doe for all things are so sure under us as we are above our selves in the same measure we are spirituall or live by faith so much we deny our selves such as cannot deny themselves are not able to indure the troubles and indignities of this world but will shrinke and fall off in the day of battell Luk. 14. 28. 31. 21. To be humble That in all my actions I be humble and meeke sincere serious fervent chearfull For humilitie and meeknesse consider Mat. 11. 29. Sinceritie Deut. 18. 13. Ephes 6. 14. Joh. 1. 47. Without faith and sinceritie all is nothing worth Fervency Fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Jam. 5. 16. Fervent prayer Chearfulnesse Rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5. 16. A chearful and a willing spirit is most sutable and acceptable wee oft looke not so much what is done as from what affection it is done an unchearfull spirit is soone weary if we be overwhelmed with sorrow feare c. and if we be filled with lightnesse vanitie wee are unfit for any service of God 22. Watch in use of meanes That I use the meanes to injoy and increase in holy resolutions desires purposes c. to injoy God and the things of God for God With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thee Psal 119. 10. If resolution be wanting if thou beest forgetfull sloathfull thou art like to be a poore Christian Oh the strong and restlesse desires and the unweariednesse thereof after God of a heart touched with his love and tasted of his sweetnesse 23. Watch to joy in God That every day I rejoyce in God my union with him and interest in him and priviledges and happinesse by him c. and in the exercises of his graces and his word and Saints as the temptations chiefest joy and greatest advantage I was in his love before the world was love was the cause he shed his bloud for me it is his love that preserves me and crowned with it I shall be to all eternitie 24. That I scorne none That I sleight none nor checke any with their deformitie of body dulnesse or weaknesse of wit or memory meannesse of outward estate birth or smalnesse of gifts parts c. and to pitie those who are still in their sinnes Consider who made the difference between him and thee see 1 Cor. 4. 7. Job 10. 10. Psal 39. 13 14. 16. Isa 28. 26. In spirituall things Ezek. 16. Isa 43. 25. Rom. 5. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Phil. 1. 29. Rom. 3. 24. Ephes 2. 10. The free grace and love of God onely maketh the difference and if God should convert him he may soone become better then thee or me 25. To know the vanitie of the creature Every day to consider the vanitie of these outward things and the hurt wee receive by them how wee exceed in our affections unto them notwithstanding they are not ours and may in a lesse time then an houre be taken all from us or us from them and that we are often distracted and unsetled by them to the end I may with more content want them and be weaned from them in my injoyment of them and so to use the liberties of this life soberly so as to be bettered by them All things below are full of transitorinesse mortalitie and change vanitie of vanities c. all is vanitie Eccl. 1. 2. These things are under the Sunne Eccle. 2. 7. but above is constancy and eternitie of all excellencies perfections and pleasures we have no certainty of any thing below Eccl. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 5. 25. Pro. 23. 4. Luk. 12. 15. Experience makes it appeare the more men possesse of outward things the lesse many use and injoy the more wee love them the more we are crossed with them and the more they have the more they are in want because of their insufficiency uncertainty and perishing nature Religion oft payeth for mens getting riches and oft suffers most by them 26. Watch in solitarinesse That
like Christ Great crosses are good physicke for great stomackes Contentment Earthly contents are present to our sense No earthly thing can give content Joy in God breeds content So much as wee deny our selves so much contentment we have Contemplation Divine contemplation makes us high in thoughts and rich in expectation Contemplation of Gods free love and the soules interest in it doth revive raise and inlarge the soule To contemplate on the things above is most pleasant of all things to them who have tasted the sweetnesse of them Covetousnesse Such as are not contented with that they have are covetous Distrust of God causeth covetousnesse which is the root of all evill So much as we are discontented with our estates so much covetousnesse there is in us Covetousnesse doth us and others more hurt then we are aware of Such as thinke themselves least covetous are most covetous A child of God knows not how to be revenged upon his selfe for his covetousnesse of the things of this world Contraries Every contrary the more it is resisted the more it appeares Deadnesse of spirit Deadnesse of heart is an enemy to action he that will support diligence must support chearfulnesse deadnesse is the grave of many graces Such as come to God unchearfully oft returne unthankfully Spirituall deadnesse is a great griefe to a childe of God Delayes Delayes a rise from sloath The more we delay the more we may By deferring wee presume upon that we have not and neglect that we have To morrow to morrow cozens many a man Death Death hath something to say to every man and would faine be heard but men are not at leisure Every man must dye The day of death is the first day of life He whose hopes are in heaven is not much afraid of death Death is to him no misery whose hope is in eternitie Death when it seemes to dispossesse a Saint of all it possesseth him of all things Such as are spiritually dead are not aware of it they onely mind and savour the things of the flesh Difficulties Difficulties are discouragements and handsome excuses are welcome to a sloathfull heart Love will carry on through all difficulties and to undergoe all manner of torments Dreames An evill dreame shews some evill that prevailes in the heart By dreames God may foreshew some sin to come which we are in danger to fall into which we are not afraid of Selfe-deniall They live the sweetest lives that most deny themselves There are very few that do deny themselves but many can deny Christ and his truth Selfe may be denyed a little in one kinde if it may please selfe much in another Distractions Distractions of minde in duties is either from our minding other things or resting in our own strength or from a not serious setting our minds on the thing propounded by us for that which the heart is throughly set upon it is so attentive to it that it can be present to no other thing at that instant especially to hinder the thing in hand The want of a wise ordering and dispatch of businesse causeth a great distraction in men Duties It is no wonder some doe so much because they expect heaven for what they doe Such duties as flow not from faith and love are legall and slavish Many will own and confesse their dutie in the generall that will wholly deny it in particular especially when it concernes themselves A beleever as he is a beleever he doth fetch all from God refer all unto God and doe all for God Examples The examples of men is not to be any rule to walke by Mens example is very forcible when it is universall The worst examples are most observed Excuses When we have sinned Satan and our corruptions help us to cover it with excuses which is to cover a lesser evill with a greater It is easie to frame an excuse for any evill Education Good education doth oft cause an outward reformation Evill education is a great provocation to sinne Excesses Men doe too little or too much men love extreames as many eate too little or too much worke too little or too much Most men are drowned in adversitie or drunke with prosperitie Extraordinary For men not to seeke themselves is extraordinary To practise the truth against great opposition to be the more humbled by knowledge and to goe against custome is extraordinary For a man to refuse to joyne house to house when he can is extraordinary For the rich to take reproofe willingly and profitably of the poore is extraordinary For to part with riches as freely as they were received is extraordinary Ends in duties The end rules the meanes and is above them A beleever is ever true to his end but he often failes in the meanes Error When errors prove profitable many will imbrace them Ignorance is the foundation of error It 's common for error to be called truth and truth to be called error Effects Effects are in order to second causes not to God who most certainly necessarily and wisely hath willed them and nothing falls out accidentally as referred to him whose wise intention reacheth every thing Favour of men The favour of men is a vanitie yet much desired The favour of men is an uncertaine thing soone got and soone lost Men desire the favour of men God denies it to some to exercise their faith weane them from the world or because we performe not our duties unto them Folly Many never see their folly untill it be too late Feares Feares make the understanding weake and the judgement dull Feares hinder the certainty of faith So much as we feare men wee forget and sleight God Faith Where God gives faith he gives trials also to exercise it Faith quiets comforts and strengthens the soule We injoy Christ by faith and not by feeling When faith is at the greatest then there is the least feeling As our faith is so are we incouraged to obey God The more faith the lesse feare God Gods presence in every place is a great comfort to his They that live upon God alone live most comfortably for there is satisfaction and no changes he feares nothing that can befall him he lives comfortably in all Grace Grace is exceeding strong especially faith love to carry a man through all God will exercise the graces that are in his The more grace any have the more need to pray because Satan is most ready to tempt such Griefe We cannot heartily be grieved for that sin in another of which wee make not conscience in our selves It is a griefe to a childe of God to speake of any good they finde a want of in themselves If we did not immoderately love outward things we would not grieve at the losse of them nor keepe such a doe to get them Of gifts The greater gifts spirituall or temporall the prouder the flesh is and the readier Satan is to assault Good A man may doe good in the strength of a