not eat lest I die the devil saith ye shall not die upon this the woman did eat and gave to her husband and he did eat and thus through Satans temptations our father and mother rebelled against our God Oh father Adam what hast thou done For through it wast thou that didst sin yet thou art not fallen alone but we all that came of thee as being then in thee we are infected by thee and so are become Satans conquest out of whose hands there is no redemption unless the Lord Jesus Christ come down from heaven and lead captivity captive and open the prison doors and let the prisoners go free all Adams posterity are pertakers of his sin and misery Of Providence IF we look upon Gods providence in some few particulars only we shall wonder seeing Joseph disgraced and imprisoned David persecuted Christ arraigned and condemned Paul accounted one of the worst of men Innocent Naboth stoned true Churches as in Hesters time ready to be swallowed up Many things may fall out by Gods providence contrary to our desires that are not contrary to our good 1. Consider that God takes notice and knoweth all things 2. He upholdeth and governeth and disposeth of the world so as it pleaseth him 3. This providence reacheth to every thing so that the smallest things are governed and upheld by him 4. That of all creatures God hath most care and respect to man 5. We are to consider that the good or evil that befals a bad or good man or woman is not without but by Gods providence 6. That God doth whatsoever pleaseth him in heaven and earth 7. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means and yet he is free to work without above and against them as he pleaseth 8. As the providence of God doth reach to all creatures in all things so after a more speciall manner he taketh care of his Church and people and disposeth all things to the good thereof God can look sowrly and chide bitterly and strike heavily even when and where he loves dearly Abraham Job Jacob and David Moses Ieremiah Ionah Ioseph Paul and many others met with many things that were contrary to their desires and endeavours that were not contrary to their good God hath a continuall care over all his creatures once made sustaining and directing them with all that belongeth to them and effectually disposeth of them all to good ends Ephes 1. 11. Rom. 11. 36. Ier. 23. 23. Col. 3. 11. Psal 139. 2. 119. 91. Of Mans recovery GOD who at first made man in his own Image and made him Lord of the creation endued him with wisdom knowledge and understanding above all other creatures and made him for so noble an end as to serve him here and reign with him hereafter man soon fell from his blessed state yet was not the love of God obliterated but more abundantly manifested in sending his dear Son to take our nature and yield obedience to his righteous law make satisfaction for our transgression and to bring in an everlasting righteousness and to make proclamation to us that his Father so loved the world that he gave him his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should have everlasting life Iohn 3. 16. And whosoever did come to him should in no wise be cast off Iohn 6. 37. Adams righteousness from which he fell was but a righteousness of the creature but the righteousness of Christ is the righteousness of the Creator Adams righteousness was a mutable righteousness that might be lost a righteousness that might be sinned away but the righteousness of Christ is an everlasting righteousness that cannot be sinned away Prov. 8. 18. Dan. 9. 24. Psal 119. 142. Of Vocation or effectuall calling VOcation is Gods acquainting men with his gracious purpose of salvation by Christ and so inviteth them to come unto him Heb. 2. 14. and so revealeth unto them his Covenant of grace Mat. 11. 27. 16. 17. John 14. 21. Psal 25. 14. and so bringeth them out of darkness to light Acts 26. 18. So God becomes in Christ their Father he doth not only outwardly by his word invite but inwardly also and powerfully by his spirit allure and win their hearts to cleave to him inseparably unto salvation Psal 25. 14. 65. 4. Acts 2. 39. Or effectuall calling is the work of Gods spirit in us whereby he doth first convince us of our sins and misery enlightning our minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our wills he doth perswade and invite us to embrace Jesus Christ freely tendred to us We read that many were called to the wedding but they made their excuses and most of those that came were compelled to come in Luke 12. 23. the Lord doth force none by violence but draw them by perswasions The Gospel cals many outwardly that after perish eternally Our vocation depends upon Gods election not upon our preparations how was Paul disposed and affected when Christ called him God is for us in predestinating us God is for us in calling us God is for us in justifying us God is for us in glorifying us if God be thus for us who can be against us he hath predestinated us before we were he hath called us when we were averse to him he hath justified us when we were sinners he will glorifie us and cloath us with his own righteousness That we may be neither drawn enticed or forced from our Religion let us build upon a right foundation IT is impossible that any soul should enjoy a firm and setled peace whose confidence towards God is grounded upon conditionall promises or his own best and choicest performances For the wanting in himself the condition of the one and not yeilding a perfect exact universall perpetuall obedience to the other the Law will be condemning Conscience accusing and the heart misgiving and all proclaiming that there is still in all thy duties imperfection something polluted and something defective so that thy most spirituall duties are not wound up to command they are all tainted with disproportion to rule and beleprosed with spots so that it is in vain to expect a bed of rest in the barren wilderness of our own performances for that bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering is narrower then that a man can wrap himself in it Oh the spots the blots the blemishes that are to be seen upon the face of our fairest duties so that we may say with the Church Isa 64. 6. all our righteousness are as filthy rags which if rested upon will as certainly undo us and everlastingly destroy us as the greatest evill that can be committed by us the consideration of this was the cause of those words Hos 14. 3. Neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our gods For in thee the fatherless find mercy Jer. 3. 23. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the Hills and from the
multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God only is the salvation of Israel Now that I my self and others that read these lines may be grounded rooted and established upon the true and only foundation is the desire and endeavour of my heart and soul In the ensuing Treatise and for the accomplishment of this great work which is of highest concernment let us first endeavour to unravell unmask and unbowel the Covenant of Grace and for our more orderly proceeding therein let us enquire into these particulars 1. What is the sum and substance of this new Covenant 2. With whom this Covenant was first made 3. When this Covenant was made 4. Whether there be any conditions of this Covenant and if so what they are 5. Whether it be one and the same Covenant of grace that was in force before the Law and under the Law and under the Gospel 6. Whether this Covenant may not be broken as was the Covenant of works 7. What means one should use to get into this Covenant 8. When may a man or woman be said to be in this Covenant 9. Wherein the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of works do differ Question 1. What is the sum and substance of this Covenant of Grace or New Covenant Answ The Covenant of Grace is called a testament or will indeed the will of the Father revealed to the Son and by the Son revealed to the world to manifest the Fathers love unto the sons and daughters of men and testified to the world that what he declared was the mind of God and so sealed it with his blood Heb. 10. 29. So that his blood that he shed is called the blood of the Covenant yea of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. Or The Covenant of grace is full of sure mercies and sweet promises that God will give a new heart a heart to know him and that he will write his Law within us put his fear into us cause us to walk in his statutes forgive our iniquities cleanse us from our filthiness be our God and make us his people Ezek. 36. and Jer. 31. This Covenant doth fall into these six parts viz. 1. It is a free Covenant 2. It is a full and compleat Covenant 3. It is a well ordered Covenant 4. It is a sure and firm Covenant 5. It is a peaceable Covenant 6. It is an everlasting Covenant 1. First it is a free Covenant 1. Because the foundation of it is free 2. Because it is freely given to those that do partake of it Isa 42. 6 Isa 49. 8. 3. Because there is no active condition required on our part Jer. 31. 33 34. 4. It is free in respect of his entring into Covenant with us Isa 65. 1. 5. It is free in respect of his performances of it Mich. 7. 20. 2. It is a full and compleat Covenant richly and plentifully stored with all sutable promises both for this life and that which is to come for soul and body being and well being there is some remedy in it for every malady 3. It is a well ordered Covenant 1. In respect of the Persons with whom it is made and that is first with Christ then with his seed 2. In respect of the promises and parts of the Covenant First God becomes our God then we become his people Jer. 32. 38. 3. In respect of manifestations he first reveals it and then seals it by his Spirit Ezek. 16. 8 9. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 4. In respect of the ends of it which is God the Father and the Sons glory in the riches and freeness of his Grace which should caution us not to darken the Glory of free Grace 4. It is a sure and firm Covenant founded upon that Rock Jesus Christ Isa 26. 4. Rom. 4. 16. Our salvation is by Grace to the end that the promises might be sure to all the seed Isa 55. 3. I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Now it is sure and firm 1. Because it is made by an Immutable God 2. He hath confirmed this Covenant with an oath Heb. 6. 17 18. 3. He hath sealed it with the blood of his Son Heb. 13. 20. 5. Fifthly It is a peaceable Covenant in this Covenant he doth freely give peace to the soul and so keeps the soul in peace the heart being stayed on him Isa 26. 3. In this Covenant there is a three-fold peace conveyed to the soul Eph. 2. 14. he is our peace who hath made both one 1. He is our peace with the Father 2. He gives peace of Conscience he stills and quiets that 3. He is the Author and cause of our peace with men 6. Sixthly It is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 3. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The motives that did move God to make this Covenant was his everlasting love the Righteousness upon which it is grounded is everlasting Righteousness In this Covenant is presented to us everlasting pardon everlasting kindness everlasting mercy everlasting joy and consolation and everlasting life and salvation all these are fully proved by these and the like Scriptures Psal 105. 8. Isa 40. 18. Heb. 8. 12. Isa 54. 8. 35. 10. 2 Thes 2. 16. What shall I say more to the nature of this Covenant it is sometimes called a New Covenant sometimes it is called a better Covenant as appears by Heb. 12. 24. compared with Heb. 8. 6. Sometimes it is called a Covenant of grace now by a New Covenant a better Covenant a Covenant of grace All serious Christians do understand the engagements which God hath laid upon himself to bestow on them for whom Christ died all good temporall spirituall and eternall blessings so that by this God doth make himself debtor to his people in Covenant with him and is bound in justice to perform his word and promise Now this Covenant is sometimes called a New Covenant because it succeeds in the place of the other Covenant of works and it is called a Covenant of grace because all the effects thereof do flow down to us meerly of free Grace and favour of God and the merits of Christ Zach. 9. 11. In the Covenant of Grace we may find the mouth of the Law stopped and all the accusations of Satan answered and the justice of God â—ully satisfied God will have all blessings and happiness to flow to us through and by the Covenant of Grace 1. That the worst of sinners may have strong ground of hope 2. For the praise of his own glory 3. That vain man may not boast 4. That our mercies and blessings may be sure to us our salvation is by grace saith Paul Rom. 4. 16. that the promises might be sure to us for if it in any sense depended upon works we could not be sure thereof Reader
love thereof they willingly parted with much of their earthly goods and possessions to lay up treasure in heaven Abraham and Sarah left their own country and possessions to look for a City whose maker and builder is God Heb. 11. 10 15 16. David preferreth one day in this place before a thousand elsewhere Psal 84. 10. Elias earnestly besought the Lord to receive his soul into his Kingdom and went willingly though in a fiery Chariot King 19. 4. Saint Paul having once seen heaven continually desiâ—eth to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. Saint Peter having espyed but a glimpse of eternal glory in the mount wished that he might dwel there all the dayes of his life Mat. 17. 4. saying Master it is good for us to be here c. Christ a little before his death prayeth his Father to receive him into that excellent glory Joh. 17. 5. And the Apostle witnesseth Heb. 11. 2. that for the joy which was set before them they endured the cross and despised the shame 1 Pet. 5. 4. and when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away c. this eternal condition admits of no change or alteration decay or consumption waste or diminution mans eternal condition admits of no comparison revocation or conclusion c. What use we may make of all these precious things 1. EXcellent arguments may be drawn to pres-Christians to a holy life 2 Pet. 3. 11. see ing then that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness and ver 14. Wherefore seeing ye look for such things give diligence that ye may be found in him in peace It is our duty to live in a continual expectation of the coming of the Lord Jesus with our loins girt and our lamps burning for blessed is that servant whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing 2. Consider that here is a fountain opened for Christian comfort and ground for patience in all troubles that there shall be an end a Christians hope shall not be cut off if in this life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. But here lyes the comfort and patience of true Christians theywait for another world and they know it is a just thing with God to give them rest after their labours 2 Thes 1. 9. and a crown after their combate 2 Tim. 4. 8. and after their long Pilgrimage an everlasting habitation 2 Cor. 5. 1. Be patient saith the Apostle and settle your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh James 5. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 9. When they that have sown in tear shall reap in joy Psal 126. 5. 3. Consider that assurance of that blessed state may be attained in this life we know faith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 1. That if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we have a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens these things saith John I have written unto you that ye may know that ye have eternal life 1 John 5. 13. I am sure saith Job 19. 25 26 27. that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my self shall see and mine eyes shall behold when I awake saith David I shall be satisfied with thy Image Psal 17. 15. 4. The consideration of this should provoke us to be such as may be made meet for this inheritance of the Saints in light and to endeavour to attain and retain the earnest of the Spirit whence we may be alwaies able to say we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. and to fill the soul with strong consolation against the sufferings of life and the fear of death and to work an answerable conversation that whether absent or present we may so walk as we may be accepted of him 5. The consideration of this should put us upon a patient waiting for and a longing expectation of our change which draweth on a pace and not to put that off as most do to the last year and when that is come to the last moneth of that year and then to the last week of that moneth and then to the last day of that week and then to the last hour of that day and then to the last minute of that hour and so time shall be no more and we shall not find repentance although we seek it with tears 6. Consider that the cause of our salvation and so of our glorious condition is Gods meer love and favour without any merit of ours Luke 12. 32. It is our Fathers good pleasure to give us a Kingdom Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Ephes 2. 8. By grace we are saved through faith and not of our selves it is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. everlasting life is the gift of God and though eternal life be called a reward yet it is not of merit but of mercy let this be grounded in our hearts that the Kingdom of heaven is not a stipend of servants but an inheritance of Sons which they only obtain that lay hold on his mercy Romans 5. 8. compared with 1 Tim. 6. 12. and 19. 2. Now as hath been said as the love of God is the cause of our salvation fo Jesus Christ is the way Joh. 10. 9. Joh 14. 6. 3 The holy Spirit is the guide in that way as in Joh. 16. 13. 4. The Scriptures of truth is the rule Gal. 6. 16. Isa 8. 20. 5. The evidence of this salvation is faith Heb. 11. 1. It is true the instrumental cause offering and proclaiming salvation is the Gospel but the instrumental receiving and applying it is faith and the cause sealing it inwardly to our souls is the Spirit of God the external and instrumental seals thereof are the two confirming Ordinances Baptism and the Lords Supper 6. The anchor of this salvation is hope Heb. 6. 19. 7. The effects of this salvation is love to God because he loved us first and a holy conversation if ye love me saith Christ keep my commandments and they that have believed in Christ must be careful to maintain good works which are found and required in the way to the Kingdom but they are not the cause of reigning Of the end of the world THE consequents of the last judgement is life eternal in heaven or hell and the end of the world having finished the former let me point to the latter and I have finished what I intended we read Mat. 24. 3. that Peter James John and Andrew Mark 13. 3. came to Christ and desired him to satisfie them in these three questions 1. Concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple 2. Concerning
A LITTLE CABINET RICHLY Stored with all sorts of Heavenly Varieties and Soul-reviving Influences Wherein there is a remedy for every Mala-dy viz. Milk for babes and meat for strong men and the ready way for both to obtain and retain assurance of Salvation Being an Abridgement of the Sum and Substance of the true CHRISTIAN Religion Wherein The Cause of our Salvation the Way the Guide the Rule the Evidence the Seals c. and the connection of these points together and Dependancy of them one upon another This I have endeavoured to do orderly exactly methodically with much plainness and clearness By ROBERT PURNELL John 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me John 17. 3. This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent London Printed by R. W. for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles at the West end of Pauls 1657. Purnel's Cabinet The EPISTLE Dedicatory To all the Churches congregated according to the order of the Gospel with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord Iesus viz. to the strangers scattered throughout England Scotland Wales and Ireland that are in love sweetly united or that yet have their Spirits too much imbittered OF all people in the world those are the only happy people whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. Whether they are high or low learned or in the worlds account illiterate that are tempted or deserted afflicted or oppressed they are pretious in the account of God though vile and contemptible in the eyes of men c. my brethren for your sakes this piece is come to publike view which is neither deficient in necessaries nor abundant in superfluities the consideration of the shortness of our time and the largness of volumes and the weakness of our memory engaged me in this work Our tender father who knows what is best for us hath gathered up all practical Divinity into ten precepts and our Saviour hath reduced those ten into two and all that we can pray for or against into six heads or petitions my dear friends labour to keep close to God in this loose age spend not your pretious time in complaining on others but endeavour in the use of all means to reform your selves beware of scandals take them not where they are make them not where they are not lay the foundation of mortification deep reserve no lust from the stroke of Jesus Christ take heed of pleasing your selves in a bare formall profession labour to be rooted in Christ and abide in his doctrine let your speech be alway with Grace and a word or two of Christ in every company beware of sleighting or neglecting of any of the ordinances of God or giving those to sinners that belong to Saints consider the truth is the same in all ages only it shines more and more clear from age to age untill that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect be done away the truth held forth is the same though with more of God and less of man such addition is no innovation but an illustration not new light but new sight a man may not be said to make a new world when he makes a new discovery of the old world despise not the providences of God in the world they are signs of Gods mind if not of his love read your own hearts in the defects of others put your confidence in nothing beneath God himself Can the stone rest without its center the Camelion without air the Salamander without fire or the Fish without water surely they cannot Our center is God all things beneath him are mutable and fleeting and failing viz our best friends may fail us our eyes fail our tongues fail our strength fail our flesh and our heart may fail nay our spirits may fail Ps 143. 7. But the Lord if we trust in him will neither fail nor forsake us Heb 135. In a word he is a Sanctuary to the oppressed he is life indeath health in sickness joy in grief liberty in bondage comfort in despair riches in poverty honour in disgrace heaven in hell I will hold you no longer in the Porch but invite you into the house such as I have I will set before you desiring you to taste of every dish before you spend your judgement of the Feast for what is wanting in the first course may be made up in the second account nothing so pretious as Gods favour nothing so fearfull as his displeasure nothing so hatefull as sin nothing so desirable as grace beware of partial obedience mercenary love pretended zeal legal sorrow and feigned humility for except your rig hteousness exceed that of the Pharises your Sacrifice that of Cain your Confession that of Pharaoh your Fasting that of Ahabs your Weeping that of Sauls your Reformation that of Iebu's your Restitution that of Iudas's your Faith that of Simon-Magus's your Fear and Trembling that of Felix's 〈◊〉 ye may die in your sins Read well this book and mark diligently what variety of heavenly treasure there is comprized in this Cabinet and forget it not for you shall buy much for little cost and read much to thy great gain If I may prevail with thee to to read it once thy Love to it will constrain thee to read it again and again thou shalt find it for order Methodicall for matter Spiritual for brevity Compendious and for use Precious I leave you to him that never forsakes his and remain Your Servant for Christs Sake ROB. PURNELL The Epistle to the Impartial Reader Ingenious Reader IT was in my thoughts if I did ever present any thing to publike view again to have written only of the Kingdom and coming of our Lord Iesus Christ in the glory of his Father attened with the Arch-Angels and all the host of heaven so much spoken of in the Scripture and confirmed by the testimonies of the Prophets Apostles and Angels but since there is a Doctrine sprung up and carried on with a high hand that in part or whole denies the Scriptures of truth to be the word of God and so neglect and slight the Ordinances of God therein contained and so endeavour to undermine the Doctrine of Christ I thought good to make a speedy and safe retreat back again to guard and defend the first principles of Religion that so I might retain that which I had spent many years to obtain and not change a rocky foundation for a sandy foundation and the pure perfect safe and sure ruleof the written word for a supposed or pretended light within who not contenting themselves with those plain and precious rules and that clear light that shines in the word they are only led by their own phantasies daily creating to themselves diversity of new opinions and so break the bonds of love and fall off from the communion of Saints as though it were no Article
son and said Father I am not worthy to be called thy son 3. We should keep our Iustification distinct and not go to reason out our Iustification from our Sanctification but we should look to Jesus Christ the Rock upon which a Christian should build his soul 4. We should alwaies keep up and keep distinct our Justification as the spring and way to Sanctification for the fruit of Justification is peace joy boldness and strength to do the will of God all this doth come in from Jesus Christ in a way of believing and not from Sanctification for as we are not to conclude our Justification from any effects of Sanctification so we are not to conclude that apprehension of Justification to be from God which takes us off the means waies and rules of Sanctification therefore although they be distinct in these four forementioned heads yet they agree and go hand in hand in these ensuing things 1. They go together in these he that is justified doth as earnestly desire Sanctification and holiness as he doth heaven and happiness 2. He doth as well desire that is justified by Christs righteousness to chuse Christ as a King to rule over him as a Saviour to save him 3. They go together in this respect also a soul is not content with the apprehension of his Justification unless he finds some measure of and growing up in Sanctification 4. They go together as doth appear by this the man that is truly justified he doth make as much care and conscience to practise holiness as ever he did to get Christs righteousness 5. They go together in this respect also every discovery of Christ and his righteousness to the soul for Justification doth fit and heighten the souls resolution for Sanctification and holiness 6. A man may be said to keep his Justification and Sanctification together when he doth trust his soul in the hands of Christ for salvation and makes it his work to die to the world and to honour Christ in the world 7. When a soul hath found out Christ for his Justification he doth make it his great business to be conformable to him in his conversation Phil. 3. 10. being made conformable to his death Now if any ask 1. Why a soul should keep his Justification and Sanctification distinct in some things 2. Why in other things we should keep them together 3. How a soul should come to keep his Justification and Sanctification distinct and yet to keep them together Then I answer 1. Why a soul should keep them distinct to which I answer 1. Because the Spirit of God is distinct in laying down these things in the Scrptures viz. in exhorting us to come without money and without price and if we walk in darkness and see no light yet to trust and stay our selves upon him because he doth love us freely and pardon us graciously and is found of them that sought him not 2. Because otherwise our souls can never be truly established rooted and built up in him Isaiah 7. 9. Eph. 3. 17. Col. 2. 7. he that doth mix Justification and Sanctification together can never be established 3. We should keep them distinct that so we might give God the whole glory of our Justification and salvation Quest 2. Is why we should in other things keep them together Answ 1. That we might glorifie God before the world its true a soul doth most glorifie God by believing but he doth more glorifie God before the world by his holy conversation Matth. 5. 16. John 15. 8. 2. Because holiness and sanctification is the way in which the Lords people shall be saved I do not say that this is the way by which but the way in which salvation is manifested 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. 3. The next reason why we should keep them together is because thereby we shall stop the mouths of wicked men 1 Peter 2. 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 4. We are to keep them together because this is the will of God that all that do profess his name and lay hold on his Mercy should live holily 1 Thes 4. 3 4. For this is the will of God even your sanctification that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and holiness 5. We are to keep up Sanctification as well as Justification because thereby the Lord will stop the mouths of wicked men at the last day saying Come ye blessed of my Father you have done thus and thus for me and mine Matth. 25. 34 35. Quest 3. Is how should a soul come to keep his Justification and Sanctification distinct and yet keep them together Answ 1. Meditate much on the free love of God when we were in our blood he was in his love freely to love us and graciously to justifie us and then in the second place the soul will say within it self shall I sin against him that hath freely justified me No no how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God 2. Dwell much upon those engagements that God hath put upon us in the many great things that he hath done for us Titus 3. 3 4 5. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done c. Ver. 8. These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works 3. Think much upon the littleness of our work or services we can do to him and the unspeakable things that he hath done and promised to do for us what a disproportion there is between his mercy to us and our obedience to him the one is like the Ocean Sea the other as a grain of mustard-seed the one infinite the other finite the one as a great mountain that fills the whole earth the other as a Pepper-corn 4. Dwell much upon the great difference there will be between those that make it their work to keep up their Faith and obedience and those that do not at the coming of Christ the one he will bless and make them sit down to meat and will serve them see that blessed place Luke 12. 37. The other hath neither Justification nor Sanctification the Lord will cut them asunder and will appoint them their portion with unbelievers Luke 12. 46. O what remains then but that we labour to distinguish between our Justification and our personal Sanctification The first is quite out of our selves consisting in the imputation of Christs righteousness inherent in him who sits at the right hand of God far above the reach and sphear of sins activity and is therefore perfect and compleat yea the foundation of all blessedness the latter is in our selves and therefore weak and
nature When the Leapers saw that they must either venture their lives or dye they would out into the Camp when the Prodigal saw he must famish abroad or repair home he would then back to his fathers house when the woman with the issue of blood had spent all and grew worse and knew not whither to go or what to do then she comes to Christ now if thou hast not so much ingenuity as to come to and believe in Christ in obedience to his command yet let thy necessity prevail with thee or else the Leaper and Prodigal shall rise up in judgement against thee were we in Adams created innocency then we need not to look after a Saviour but we are fallen but we are broken but we are sold under sin but we are transgressours from the womb but we are by nature the children of disobedience and wrath 3. He doth invite us to come and to believe by the Prophets Isa 55. 1 2 3. He beseecheth us by the Apostles to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 20. He cals upon us by his Church and spirit to take of the water of life Revelat. 22. 17. and after all this he waits upon us to be gracious to us Isaiah 30. 18. 4. Our unbelief grieves the very heart of Christ he grieved at their unbelief he complains at our backwardness to believe O fools and slow of heart to believe Nay and he sheds tears because we believe not on him when he came neer the City he wept over it c. 5. Motive Consider there is none who have right to thy soul but God and Christ our souls are Gods workmanship and Christs purchase why then should we not give to God and Christ that which is their own 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. ye are not your own ye are bought with a price God put forth his own power to make thy soul and Christ shed his heart blood to redeem thy soul and wilt thou through unbelief withhold it from him 6. Christ outbids all Merchants for thy soul he outbids the world sin and Satan is there any one of them that presents Redemption unto thee is there any one of them that can procure remission and pardoning mercy for thee is there any one of them that can satisfie the wrath of God for thee which can make thy peace which can present thee righteous before the judgement seat which can settle eternal life upon thee all this can Christ do none of this can they do Behold here is laid before thee life and death life if thou dost believe death if not now chuse you whether what shall I say more by believing we honor God Iohn 3. 33. by believing we come to be established Isa 7. 9. by believing we are kept in perfect peace Isa 26. 3 4. Rom. 5. 1. Our naked cleaving to God in his free promise will carry down all our distempers at once and fill our souls with peace in believing O how can we look so many sweet promises in the face and harbour so many misgivings in our hearts Rom. 9. ult whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed Of the evil of unbelief and the springs of it and the misery that doth attend it VNbelief doth rob the soul of all joy comfort and content Nay further unbelief doth throw reproach upon God Christ and the promises and gives Satan the greatest advantage against us he that lives without Faith lives without comfort joy peace and content by unbelief we add sin unto sin in the highest nature 1 John 5. 10. Unbelief straightens the heart stops the mouth and hinders thankfulness thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not Luke 1. 20. Unbelief is the door that lets in condemnation John 3. 18 30. He that believeth not is condemned Rev. 2. 8. The fearful and unbelieving shall be cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone 1. It is the greatest sin in the world because it is a sin against the greatest love in the world John 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. It is a sin for which there can be no remedy for asmuch as it is a sin against the only remedy the Sentence of the Law may be repealed by the Gospel but the sins against Gospel remedy there is no appeal it is a sin that makes void and vain all the Covenant of grace turning all the sweetness thereof into bitterness and all the truth of it to a lie 1 John 5. 10. Unbelief binds all our sins upon the soul and so murders the soul it grieves the heart of Christ leaves all our sins upon record leaves us to answer for our selves it is a sin against the greatest love against the only remedy makes void the Doctrine of grace and breeds an indisposition towards all holy duties it is a dishonouring to God a denying of Christ a murderer of the soul a belying of God a denying of Christ and a crowning of Satan it doth without doubt proclaim the Devil a Conqueror and lift him up above Christ himself Judas did sin more by unbelief and despairing then by betraying of Christ In a word doubts fears and discouragements proceed neither from God Christ nor the Spirit of truth but they do proceed First from the Devil he either tempts us to sin and that will cause us to doubt or else he doth tempt us to doubt and that will cause us to sin Secondly they proceed from our own hearts Heb. 3. 12. Thirdly from the lying vanities that we hearken unto Jonah 2. 8. Fourthly from ignorance heedlesness and forgetfulness Fifthly from unskilfulness of the word of righteousness Heb. 5. 12. 7. Sixthly from want of watchfulness Seventhly from building our hopes and comfort upon that which is mutable and uncertain viz. our own personal Sanctification and not upon Christ and our free Justification Eighthly from our own false reasonings making Sense Reason and Feeling the Judge of our spiritual condition Ninthly from our ignorance of the love of Christ and the Covenant of Grace The Characters Marks or Signs of true Faith c. THere are many characters or discoveries of this Faith of the Gospel called the Faith of Gods Elect which worketh by love First the habit of this Faith is infused into the soul by God in regeneration Eph. 2. 8. John 1. 12 13. Secondly this habit so infused is brought to act by the Fathers drawing the soul to Christ Iohn 6. 44. Thirdly faith being thus infused and acted doth chearfully accept of Christ upon his own terms viz. self-denyall bearing the Cross and following Christ Luke 9. 23. Iohn 1. 12. Faith having thus accepted and received Christ begins to taste such sweetness and pleasantness in him that Christ is most pleasant to the soul 1 Pet 2. 3 7. So the soul by degrees comes to be filled with joy and peace in believing Again Faith having thus taken and tasted Christ contends after a fuller perfection even after assurance Col. 2. 2. Heb. 10. 22. 1. True Faith is not only a justifying
grace but a sanctifying grace Acts 15. 9. 26. 8. the blood of Christ iâ— a pure blood as well as a precious blood It is a cleansing blood as well as an expiating blood So faith is a grace not only to acquit but also to purge and renew the person where it dwells It is not only an enlightening grace but it is also a conforming grace therefore we read that it doth ingraft us into the similitude of his death and in the fellowship of his sufferings and Resurrection Phil. 3. 10. Now then enquire is there vertue gone from Christ to make thy dark mind seeing thy stubborn judgement yielding thy proud heart humbling thy filthy heart cleansing thy hard heart relenting and mourning thy carnal affections to be heavenly thy sinful soul to be holy Read and well consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. 2. Where there is true Faith it will cause the party to make a curious narrow impartial diligent search into his own heart and soul to see what humility what self-denyal what sin abhorrency what love to Christ what delight to the Ordinances what zeal for Gods glory what contempt of the world what desires after the society of the Saints what sympathizing with them in their afflictions and if upon this search thou findest any impressions of grace any spiritual work any savouring savory distinguishing operations upon thy heart then the Spirit hath been there and begun to work the grace of Faith in thy heart 3. True Faith doth make the heart humble and lowly Have we pardon of sin why saith Faith the cause of this is Gods love Have we righteousness why saith Faith the cause of this is Christs merits Have we any gift why saith Faith the cause of this is Christs love So that the soul sits down and often saith O Lord O Lord in my self I am nothing nay of my self worse then nothing But what I am I am by grace all that I have is thine my bread my health my life my body my soul all is thine If any love if any mercy if any Christ if any grace if any comfort if any strength if any stedfastness if any performances if any good work if any good word if any good affection if any good thought why all is thine I have nothing but what I have received thou only art the cause I am less then the least of thy mercies and what is thy servant that thou shouldst look on such an one as I am thou madest me and thou boughtest me and thou calledst me and thou justifiest me and thou savest me 4. True Faith doth desire and endeavour after an increase Help my unbelief said the weak believing Father O Lord encrease our Faith said the Disciples there are yet many degrees wanting to faith either thou canst not be perswaded or not fully perswaded or not constantly perswaded but if the Faith be true and living it will bend after a rising 5. True Faith in Christ and a mournful heart for sin alwaies go together Zach. 10 12. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn c. there are two things that Faith will fetch up in the soul the one is love to Christ another is sorrow for sin 6. True Faith is fruitful James 2. 18. See Titus 3. 18. Although works do not cause Faith or Justification yet they do clearly manifest to others whether we have Faith yea or no. To close up this point let me acquaint the Reader that there are spiritual and inward characters of Faith which serve as evidences to him that hath it many of those I have hinted at under this fore-going head Secondly there are outward or more external signs of Faith and they consist in walking so in the sight of men that they may in charity judge of our Faith by our works then there are characters of a strong Faith and also signs of a weak Faith First of a strong Faith Rom. 4. 20. he staggered not at the promise through unbelief Mat. 8. 6 7 8. I have not found so great Faith in Israel Mat. 5. 22. O woman great is thy faith c. So there are characters of a weak Faith One is he will be hasty to be answered and be ready to suspect Gods favour and Christs love if he be not presently answered Another is he will be faint if delayed And so much for the characteâ—s or signs of Faith The benefits of living by Faith a Believers comfort hope joy and confidence should be in God the same at all times THE Lord hath various dispensations of providence as well relating to the outward as to the inward man Sometimes his way is in the whirlwind and sometimes he is in the small still voice and sometimes his foot-steps are in the deep waters and so his way is not known Nah. 1. 3. 1 Kings 19. 12. Psalm 77. 19. His dispensations are many times contrary the one to the other to day perhaps thou enjoyest peace strength riches and honor with health prosperity and many friends and tomorrow all these may be blasted to day God unbosoms himself unto thee and shines forth upon thee but in a moment he withdraws himself As blessed Job David and divers others experienced Now the reason why we should believe hope and rejoyce in God at all times are as followeth 1. Because a Believers happiness depends not upon his own doing but upon Christ who is of God made unto him righteousness sanctification c. who hath saved us and called us not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace c. 1 Cor. 1. 3. 2 Tim 1. 9 2. Because the state of a Believer in Christ as considered in him is a state of perfection he is clean from all sin by the blood of Christ they be removed from us thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back as far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us seventy weeks are determined upon the people to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation and to bring in everlasting righteousness Col. 1. 28. John 17. 23. Heb. 10. 14. 1 John 1. 7. Isaiah 35. 8. 38. 17. Psalm 103. 12. Dan. 9. 24. Ezek. 16. 14. Hereupon the soul begins to rejoyce in God for he hath cloathed me with the garment of salvation and covered me with the robe of righteousness Our sins are laid upon Christ and his righteousness is ours hereupon saith God thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee 3. Reason Why a Believers comfort hope joy and confidence should be the same at all times because that God who hath loved an everlasting love loves thee in his Son thou art not beloved for thy own sake or for any thing in thee but upon the account of the Lord Jesus in whom God is well pleased Believers are never the more just before God for their own integrity nor the
Faith and have duly examined and prepared themselves Isa 66. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 27 28. whereby all not of age and sound judgements are debarred of this ordinance and may not be admitted by the Church to the Supper of the Lord but such only as have these things in them which God requireth at their hands the other is to be kept back by the Discipline of the Church and those also of the Church that are under admonition or suspension till the Church receive full satisfaction The ends and uses of the Lords Supper HAving spoken to the matter and form of the Lords Supper it now fals in order to speak of the ends and uses thereof 1. To receive Christ more firmly and to be knit faster unto him 2. To renew our Covenant with God 3. To shew forth his death 1 Cor. 11. 26. or to call to mind and renew the mercy and vertue of Christs death 1 Cor. 11. 24. 4. To encrease our Faith begotten by the word preached and to confirm unto us our nourishment therein by the means of Christs death 5. To encrease our love to Christ and his body the Church 6. To quicken our hearts to all holy duties 7. To encrease our joy in the Holy Ghost our peace of conscience our hope of eternal life and all other graces of God in us 8. To stir us up with greater boldness to profess Christ and his Ordinances then heretofore we have done 9. To make a difference between our selves and the enemies of Christ who casting the converting Ordinances behind their backs they are debarred of the confirming Ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper Of our duty after receiving VVE should endeavour to obtain and retain a greater measure of Faith in Christ love to God and all his servants power to subdue sin and practice obedience with all other sanctifying and saving graces 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. and 11. 21. Col. 2. 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. For a true receiver shall feel in himself an increase of Faith and sanctification and a greater measure of dying unto sin a further strengthning of the new man and so a greater care to live in newness of life and to walk the more comfortably and steddily in the wayes of God for strength to perform any duty to exercise any grace to subdue any lust to resist any temptation to bare any affliction is derived only from Christ and many times conveyed to the soul in this pipe of conveyance to wit the Lords Supper Of Collection for the poor another standing Ordinance of the Gospel WE read 1 Cor. 16. 2. Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by in store as God hath prospered him 2 Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as you abound in every thing in Faith and utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us see that ye abound in this duty also 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Charge them that are rich that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Rom. 12. 13. Distributing to the necessity of the Saints given to Hospitality 1 John 3. 17. But who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him Heb. 13. 19. Therefore to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased Prov. 19. 17. He that hath pitty upon the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again but more particularly consider 1. What it is to give alms 2. Who they are that should give to the poor 3. How much must they give 4. To whom are we to give 5. What order is to be observed in giving 6. With what affection must we give 7. How many wayes are we to give 8. What fruits may we expect of this duty 1. Of the first what it is to give alms Answ It is a duty of Christian love whereby such as have this worlds goods do freely impart to such as are in want in obedience to the command of God 1 Joh. 3. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 8. Mat. 25. 35 42. 2 Cor. 9. 7. Who they are that should give alms WHosoever hath this worlds good 1 John 3. 17. that is such a portion out of which something may be spared though it be but two mites not only rich men are to give 1 Tim. 6. 17. but all such as labour with their hands Ephes 4. 28. out of their earnings servants out of their wages children out of their parents allowance wives out of any portion they have of their own or by allowance of their husbands lastly those that live upon liberal alms must spare something to those that have little or no supply 2 Cor. 8. 2 14. Nay in some cases those may give that are accountable to others as appeareth in the wise and commendable example of Abigal 1 Sam. 25. 3. And in some other cases of necessity for extream necessity dispenseth with the ordinary course of duto both to God and man See Mat. 12. 7. But of goods evil gotten or wrongfully detained not alms but restitution must be made Luk. 19. 8. How much must we give VVE must sow liberally that we may reap liberally 2 Cor. 9. 6. Gal. 6. 7. Prov. 11. 25. Notwithstanding in the quantity respect must be had 1. To the ability of the giver 2. To the condition of the receiver 1. To the ability of the giver Luke 3. 11. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Who is not so bound to give as to impoverish himself 2 Cor. 8. 13. And at last to make himself of a giver a receiver yea it is unlawful so to give unto some one good use as to disable our selves for the service of the Common-wealth or for the relief of our families or kindred in special 1 Tim. 5. 8. 2. Respect must be had to the condition of the receiver that his necessity may be supplyed 2 Cor. 9. 12. Jam. 2. 15 16 not so as to make him of a receiver a giver for this is to give a patrimony not an alms To whom must we give TO such only as are in want yea to all such but especially to them who are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. We are to give to Orphans aged sick blind lame and the trembling hand Levit. 25. 35. But such as turn begging into an occupation they are to be compelled to work if able which if they will not they are not to eat 2 Thes 3. 10 11 12. What orders is to be observed in giving VVE must begin with such as are nearest to us in point of relation 1 Tim. 5. 8. for our own families Deut. 15. 7. Thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother and so according as the Laws of Nature Nations and Religion shall direct us and so proceed to such as are afar off according as our ability can
the knees feeble and the heart full of fears and trembling besides the time of doubting is a barren time there is no praying nor praising nor growing nor any vigorous acting Surely this state comes not from God he bids us make our calling and election sure neither doth it come from Christ he speaks and gives peace to his flock they come not from the holy Spirit of God for he is the great and most sweet comforter revealing and applying the love of God unto the soul consider these Scriptures Mat. 14. 31. O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Luk. 12. 29. Neither be ye of doubtful minds 1 Thes 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath and doubting But whilst we live in the want of assurance we live in a state of doubting Many think they have assurance and have not LET us consider that there is a great deal of counterfeit knowledge and counterfeit faith and counterfeit love and counterfeit repentance so there is a great deal of counterfeit assurance in the world many there be that talk high and look big and bear it out bravely whereas when their assurance comes to be weighed in the ballance and brought to the test it will be found too light when it cometh to withstand temptation it is found too weak and when it should put the soul upon Divine action it is found to be but a lazy presumption so we are apt to think our sins to be no sins when indeed they be many and that they are but smal when indeed they are great and that we have grace when we have none and that our grace is true when it is counterfeit and that our condition is not so bad as others when it is worse so we are apt to lay claim to God to Christ and the promises and priviledges and all the glory of another world when we are in the sight of God poor and blind and miserable and naked being Christless and graceless and truthless and so think our selves to be something when we are nothing according to this Scripture Gal. 6. 3. Assurance is not all kind of perswasion there are two kinds of assurance or perswasion of the mind touching a mans personal interest in Christ one is imaginary and deluding for as the heart of a man may deceive it self about the habit of Faith or any other grace so it may delude a man about the acts and degrees of the same doth the true believer believe in Christ so thinks the hypocrite that he doth too hath a true believer a perswasion of his interest in Christ so hath the hypocrite to a most exalted confidence an Iron faith that will never doubt nor bow it is just with him as with a poor man in a dream what the rich man hath by propriety that same thing may the poorest man have in a dream fancy or imagination Many reasons wherefore the Lord doth not give assurance speedily 1. BEcause assurance is meat for strong men babes are not able to bear it and digest it 2. He doth not give it speedily because we are apt to seek it more for our selves then we do for his honour as the Sun doth as it were put out the light of the Moon stars fire and candle So the glory of God must put out all other ends the servant that minds his wages more then his work must not wonder if his master be slack in paying him and sure it is that he that is most mindfull of Gods honour God will be most mindfull of his comfort 3. Another reason why he doth not speedily give in assurance is that when they have it they may the more highly prize it and the more carefully keep it and the more wisely improve it and the more affectionately and effectually bless God for it none sets such a prize upon light as he that hath lain a long time in darkness 4. That we might live purely upon Christ we are apt to rest upon every thing below Christ viz. to rest upon creatures to rest upon gifts or graces duties and Divine manifestations or celestial consolations and to rest upon gracious evidences now the Lord to cure his people of these distempers many times leaves his children of light to walk in darkness but let us consider that although the enjoyment of assurance doth make most for our comfort as we have said before yet the living purely upon Christ in the want of assurance doth make most for his glory no Christian to him that in the want of visibles can live upon an invisible God 5. The Lord most times will have his people make a constant progress in holiness before he gives them this happiness of assurance for assurance in a sense is the daughter of holiness Very hard to recover assurance if one lost LET us consider the wonderful difficulty of recovering assurance if once lost Oh the sighs the groans the complaints the tears the heartrentings the soul-bleeding the gaining of assurance at first cost very dear but the regaining of it will put us to more pains and charge Of the two it is casier to keep assurance when we have it then to recover it when we have lost it as it is easier to keep the house in reparations then to raise it up when it is fallen a man may easier make a seeing eye blind then a blind eye to see a man may easily put an Instrument out of tune but not so soon put it in again a man is easily born down the stream but cannot so easily swim up the stream It is better to be kept from the losing of assurance then to be cured as it is better to be kept from a disease then to be cured of a disease Oh what is the state of a poor Christian that hath lost his assurance it will cost him more grief sorrow heart-breaking and soul-bleeding before conscience will be quieted divine justice satisfied and comfort and joy restored evidences cleared and pardon in the court of conscience sealed David found this to be very hard which made him cry out O spare me a little that I may recover my strength create a clean heart renew a right spirit restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Psal 51. 7. to 12. We lose our assurance by backsliding unbelief luke-warmness formality c. and yet cannot be recovered until we remember from whence we are fallen and repent we cannot until we look upon him whom we have peirced and see Gods delightful affections and tender mercies before set us in sweet working and soul-ravishing and heart-melting expressions a relapse in diseases is more dangerous then the first sickness was Job 5. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Mat. 12 43. Of the difference between the Law and the Gospel and of the several sorts of Laws AS the Law requireth obedience so the Gospel directeth us how to perform it 1 Tim. 1. 9 10 11. The Law commands us to worship God as our
rely upon his providence for all the means of this temporal life and to rest contented with that allowance which he shall think fit for us Psal 4. 11 12. Yea in this petition we beg health wealth food sleep rayment house c together with all the helps and means to attain them and that he would give us care and conscience to get those needfull things by lawfull means that labouring with our hands the thing that is good we may eat our bread Eph. 4. 28. 2 Thes 3. 12. 5. The fifth petition And forgive us our debts as even we forgive them that are debtors to us In this petition there is a frank and humble confession that we have sinned and stand guilty of original and actual transgressions and that there is no power in us to make satisfaction sor our sins for by the Law as by an obligation every man standeth bound to keep it holy and continually Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. James 2. 10. So that the breach thereof even once and in the least point maketh us debtors presently as having forfeited our obligation So that no man can make amends unto God for it considering that whatsoever he doth after the breach is both imperfectly done and if it were perfect yet it is due by obligation of the Law and therefore cannot go for payment no more then a man can pay one debt with another 6. The sixt and last petition And lead us not into temptation but delievers from evil In this petition we pray that not only our sin may be pardoned but also that it may be mortified Rom. 6. 1 2. and that we may be either kept from temptation or preserved by his grace from being hurt thereby 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 9. The effect of temptation without the special grace of God is extreamly evil to wit sin and damnation 1 Tim. 6. 9. Now seeing we cannot be tempted without the will of God Job 1. 10. nor resist without his power 2 Cor. 12. 9. If it be his blessed will that he would not let us fall into the one unless he preserve us in the other and that he would tie up Satan and restrain his malice and power or else make us wise to know and avoid his stratagems Of the World Flesh and Devil the three great enemies of man First of the World TAke the world in all its beauty bravery and glory and you shall find sorrow attend worldly joy danger attend worldly safety and loss attend worldly joy labours and tears attend worldly prosperity Where one thousand are destroyed by the worlds frowns ten thousand are destroyed by the worlds smiles it sings to us and sinks us it kisseth us and betrayeth us Let heaven be a mans object and the world will soon be a mans subject the fashion of this world passeth away why should we set our eyes upon that which is not heaven hath a foundation the earth hath none again worldly light is mixt with darkness Joy with sorrows pleasure with pain honour with dishonour riches with want wine with water honey with gall and our Sugar with wormwood and roses with prickles in a word worldly comforts entertained with great delight are seldom lost without exceeding great Sorrow and grief Of the Riches of this world THE good things of this world are not so absolutely given us but that God retains still a right to it and an interest in it and may demand it how and when he please And usually the worst of men have most of these outward things and the best of men have least of earth and most of heaven A man may be great and graceless with Pharaoh honourable and damnable with Saul rich and miserable with Dives A man may have enough of the world to sink him but he can never have enough of the world to save him A man may as soon fill a bag with wisdom and a chest with vertue or a circle with a tryangle as the heart of man with any thing here below therefore it is better to be gracious then great inwardly holy then outwardly happy the riches of this world although well gotten are but like the manna those that gathered less had no lack and those that gathered more had little or none to spare the consideration of this raysed up the spirits of those Saints Heb. 11. to triumph upon all the beauty bravery and glory of the world they having acquaintance with and an interest in a better and more durable riches these are uncertain riches For one storm at Sea one coal of fire one false friend or one unavised word may make a rich man a beggar and a prisoner altogether Oh how do riches hinder the actings of Faith upon God how do they interrupt our sweet communion with God how doth it abate our love to the people of God and cool our love to the things of God oh the deadness dulness and the barrenness that attend men having large possessions in this world and when they fall sick a crown of Gold cannot cure the head ach nor a velvet slipper the gout nor a chain of gold about the neck cannot take away the pain of the teeth Many times he that we account the richest man is the poorest man in the world VVE account him a poor man that doth want meat for his belly cloaths for his back and money in his purse and a house to put his head in and in this respect every man that is out of Christ although the most richest and honourablest man in the worlds account is but a poor man 1. He is a poor and beggarly man that hath no money in his purse now if your bags be full of gold and silver and your hearts empty of grace you are poor and beggarly in a Scripture account yea you are poor and blind and miserable and naked Rev. 3. 17. 2. He is a poor man that hath no meat to put in his belly but every man that is out of Christ doth not nor cannot feed upon that true manna the bread of life nor drink of that water of life John 6. 55. 3. He is a beggarly man that hath not an house to put his head in this is the case of all those that have no interest in Christ when death cometh they know not what to do nor where to go unless it be into a dungeon of darkness full of devils and damned Spirits Mat. 25. 41. 4. He is a poor man that hath no clothes to put on his back thus every man out of Christ is not only poor but naked too Rev. 3. 17. surely he is the poorest man in the world for he wanteth an interest in God Christ the Spirit and promises he wanteth peace with God and peace in conscience he wanteth acceptation and reconciliation he wanteth righteousness Justification and adoption and redemption he wanteth the pardon of sin and power against sin and freedom from the reign of sin he wanteth those riches that perish
the City in perils in the wilderness enticed by Satan allured by the world deceived and cheated by our own heart Oh how wilt thou do to lanch out into the Ocean dost thou know what will become of thee in another world is thy peace made with God is thy person justified art thou in a state of grace art thou born again art thou converted and become as a little child hast thou repented doth thy righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees if so it is well if not thou shalt never enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. 3. 5. Matthew 18. 3. Luke 13. 5. Mat. 5. 20. 4. Let us consider that death hath something to say to every one of us he is no respecter of persons sometimes he snatcheth away the babe newly born sometimes the child sometimes the young man sometimes the middle age and alwayes the old aged he respects no mans person be he rich or poor high or low strong or weak beloved or hated godly or ungodly wherefore call thy self to account every evening examine what evil hast thou hated this day what vice hast thou stood against this day in what part thou art bettered now then thou wast in the morning Seneca reports of a heathen man that would every night ask himself these questions I have heard of a heathen after his conversion that was tempted to some sin he thrust his finger into the fire saying sin soul if thou canst burn and so overcame the temptation 5. Let us consider that death to a godly man is but a change of place not of company we shall have the company of the same Father Son and Spirit and Saints and all the spirits of just men made perfect a believer in this world is not in his own place therefore oh Christians weigh anchor hoise sail and be gone death to a Christian will put an end to all unprofitable things here we change joy for sorrow health for sickness strength for weakness honour for dishonour plenty for poverty beauty for deformity friends for foes silver for brass gold for copper c. now death puts an end to all these Rev. 21. 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow neither shall there be any more pain Rev. 14. 13. therefore blessed are the dead that die in the Lord death also doth put a change to our employment our employment in this world doth lye much in praying groaning sighing mourning wrestling and fighting against the world flesh and Devil Ephes 6. 10. But in the world to come our employment will lye in praising and magnifying the Lord Again our enjoyment shall be changed as well as our employment we shall change our unconstant enjoyment for a more constant 1 Thes 4. 17 18. We shall change our dark and obscure enjoyment for a more bright enjoyment 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face here we receive grace for grace there we shall receive glory for glory 6. Consider unto what familiar things death is compared and presented to one that is in Christ sometimes it is termed a house Job said I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house of all living Job 30. 23. Sometimes it is represented as going to bed Isa 57. 2. Sometimes death is stiled a sleep Dan. 12. 2. What shall I say more death to a wicked man is the king of terrors but Christ came to deliver his flock from the fear of death and the grave is embalmed by Jesus Christ he lay there three dayes c. 2. As in our preparation for death there are the foregoing things to be considered so in the next place there are some things to be practiced and the work we have is two-fold 1. Get a title to Gods love 2. Get assurance that thou hast a title which is or may be done by improving these five things 3. Improve the present opportunity and put not off to the last minute as most do 4. Store up a stock of faith store up a stock of promises and store up a stock of prayers against that day 5. Endeavour so to live every day as if it were thy last day 6. Gather up all thy evidences and spiritual experiences and keep them in mind and heart 7. Make thy will in time of health and leave all things clear upon thy book both in shop and conscience 1. In all thy gettings be sure to get a title to Gods love and then get assurance that thou hast a title the first is done by action the second is done by examination The action or actions are these 1. GIve diligence to make thy calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. and that a man may so do shorten worldly business and be moderate in the use of worldly pleasures so foolish are we that whilst with much care and labour we go about to make those things certain which are most uncertain we make those things uncertain which might be made most certain he that hath two Irons in the fire at once spoyls one whilst he attends the other See what care most have to make good their titles to settle their inheritances upon their heirs shall we not be as careful to settle our interest to eternal glory if we be quiet now yet the Devil will find a time to try thy evidences for heaven and call our title into question sickness and death are times of weakness to us wherin he like a subtile enemy displayes all his art O consider the misery of doubting persons at their death think upon the anguish that their souls endure they apprehend God angry with them the Devil accusing them earth leaving them heaven refusing them hell claiming them soul and body parting friends weeping and themselves hopeless going they know not whither O then O then let us make our calling and election sure before hand as worldly men get riches in health to cherish them in sickness and as the Bees get hony in summer to feed on in the winter even so should we in time of health get good grounds of assurance that so we might live enjoy and dye in peace and rise in perfection and raign in happiness 2. Get assurance that thou hast a title viz. make a curious narrow impartial diligent search into thy own soul and see what humility what self-denial what sin-abhorrency what love to Christ what delight in his Ordinances what zeal to Gods glory what contempt of the world what desires after the society of the Saints what sympathizing with them in their afflictions and if thou findest any impressions of grace any spiritual work any saving savoury distinguishing operations upon thy heart c. canst thou mourn in secret for open and secret sins dost thou deâ—ire to have sin purged as well as pardoned dost thou leave sin from a right principle to a right end and so through the Spirit mortifie the