guide thy feet in the way of peace Luk. 1. 78 79. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3 4. What was that which brought thee so low but poring so much upon thy sins untill thou wert filled with despaire and thy omissions and commissions against conscience increased thy horror do the contrary and first beleeve then repent and see that yee daube not your selves over with your duties and know that which is a great cause of mourning is no cause of despaire therefore cast not away your confidence Heb. 10. 35. for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37 38. Therefore say as the Prophet said When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me he will bring me forth into the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Micah 7. 8 9. I am in great misery and want outwardly by reason of poverty if God did love me I should not be so much neglected as I am Thou shouldst not reason so what thinkest thou of the condition of those who wandred about in sheep-skins goat-skins in deserts mountaines dens and caves of the earth I feare they were more destitute of outward comfort then thee and suffered more hunger cold and nakednesse then thee hast thou not a house not a bed to lie on the places where they wandred afforded not these things unto them art thou destitute afflicted and forsaken so were they whom God loved and esteemed the world not worthy of Heb. 11. 37 38. Poverty and want hath attended and kept company with many a deare childe of God Job was poore yea the Churches of Jesus Christ have been poore the Church of Corinth was poore 2 Cor. 8. 14. The Church of Smyrna was poore Rev. 2. 9. The Church of Macedonia was in deep poverty 2 Cor. 8. 1 2. And our Lord Jesus Christ was poore 2 Cor. 8. 9. And thou maist be very poore and yet God may love thee as he loves Jesus Christ Joh. 17. 26. The poore receive the Gospel and the profession of the Gospel of Christ have made the rich poore in that for Christ they have suffered the losse of all things Phil. 7. 8. In thy greatest want be content to be like Christ in poverty as well as in glory Joh. 17. 24. for the time will quickly come in which you shall feele no want nor suffer no hunger cold or nakednesse There is no state and condition under the Sun that is free from Satanst ēptations those who have more abundance of outward things he suggests insinuates unto them that these things are all they are like to have that seeing they have a heaven here of outward contents they must not expect another hereafter And to those who have greater gifts and parts he saith they are not given to them in love but onely for the benefit of others and is ready to discourage them Satan is ready to get an advantage of us wee are not ignorant of his devises 2 Cor. 2. 11. The Lord teach his to know the depths of Satan Rev. 2. 24. to know his stratagems and to resist him And as there is no state under the Sunne free from trouble so it is a sweet comfort unto all that are the Lords that there is no state and condition but as God can so he will support his in and under it and make it sweet and comfortable unto them yea the best for them for all things shall work for good to them that love God 1 Cor. 10. 13. Rom. 8. 28. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35. 38 39. I cannot see God surely God hath forsaken me Sometimes God hides himselfe from his as the Scripture declares Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe Isa 45. 15. I opened to my beloved and he had withdrawne himselfe Song 5. 6. Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him Job 23. 8 9. Our carnall reason and corrupt heart and Satan with his suggestions are so neere us before our eyes that we cannot see God and wee hearken so much to what they say that we minde not the voyce of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. It is one thing to know and another thing to know that wee know Christ said they knew they said they knew not Christ said Whither I goe yee know and the way yee know Thomas said unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest how then can we know the way Christ spake true and they knew not that they knew Joh. 14. 3 4 5. So shee saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus When their eyes were opened they knew him Luk. 24. 31. Paul prayed that they might know the hope of their calling Ephes 1. 18 19. When God hideth his face we are to wait upon him and look for him Isa 8. 17. for he will returne againe but Sion said The Lord hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her sucking childe c Yea shee may yet will not I forget thee Isa 49. 14. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee Isa 45. 7 8. When God absents himselfe from his his love and care is the same unto them as it is when he most manifests himselfe to them Another is discouraged saying I thought I had true faith but since I fell into a great sin I am perswaded if I had been the Lords I should not have been so left of God as I was to sin so as I did Say not so but consider that even some of the children of God he hath suffered to fall if not into the same sinnes yet as great David sinned in adultery and murder how greatly did Solomon sin after he obtained mercy 1 King 11. 9. And Peter denied Christ with an oath yet his faith was not voyd or nought Christs prayer was heard I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luk. 22. 32. therefore his faith never fayled him These examples are recorded in Scripture to set forth the glory of the riches of Gods free grace Eph. 2. 4. That men may know what God can doe and that great sinners might not despaire or faint under their sin therefore Christ saith All sinnes shall be forgiven unto the sonnes of men and blasphemies Mark
in like manner did they revile the Prophets c. Luk. 6. 22 23. 1 Pet. 1. 14. In persecution for Christ All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven If we suffer with him wee shall also reigne with him 2 Tim. 3. 12. Mat. 5. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 18. In losses for Christ He that forsakes house or brethren or father or mother or house or lands he shall receive a hundredâ—old here and in the world to come eternall life Mark 10. 29. 30. Mat. 19. 28 29. In imprisonment for Christ The Devill shall cast some of you into prison that yee may be tryed c. Rev. 2. 10. In death for Christ He that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crowne of life Mat. 10. 39. Rev. 21. 7. Rev. 2. 10. For the calling of the Jewes See Isa 60. 2 3 4 5 c. For the destruction of Antichrist and all the enemies of the sonnes of Sion See Rev. 17. 16. 18. 8. 21. c. 7. The life of faith concerning protection from dangers and for a supply of all wants For protection He shall give his Angels charge over thee The Lord is thy keeper I will preserve thee and keepe thee He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous There shall not a haire of your heads perish Psal 91. 11. Psal 121. 8. Isa 49 8. Job 36. 7. Luk. 21. 18. Christ prayed holy Father I pray thee keepe them from â—â—ill Joh. 17. 15. To be delivered from the wicked The Lord shall helpe them and deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him 2 Thes 3. 2 3. Psal 34. 40. To be delivered from the harlot Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her Eccle. 7. 26. To be delivered from unreasonable creatures The beast of the field shall be at peace with thee Thou shalt be at league with the stones of the field Pro. 5. 23. If in warre He shall redeeme thee from the power of the sword Job 5. 20. If in famine In famine he shall redeeme thee from dearth Job 5. 20. To finde pitie in captivitie He made them also to be pitied of those that carried them captives Psal 106. 46. If in water When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee c. Isa 43. 2. If in fire When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt nor shall the flame kindle upon thee Isa 43. 2. If in sicknesse The Lord will strengthen thee upon the bed of languishing Thou wilt make all his bed in his sicknesse and heale all thy diseases Psal 41. 3. Psal 103. 3. Exod. 23. 25. To be preserved from all evill He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee He shall preserve thee from all evill Job 5. 19. 2 Thes 3. 3. Psal 121. 7. For clothing Take no thought for your body what yee shall put on Is not the body more then rayment For your heavenly Father knoweth yee have need of these things Why take yee thought for rayment Consider the Lilies c. Shall be not much more cloth you O yee of little faith Mat. 6. 25. See Psal 37. 16. Mat. 6. 28. 30. 3â— For food in famine Trust in the Lord and verily thou shalt be fed Bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Psa 37. 3. Isa 33. 16. In the dayes of famine they shall be satisfied Isa 37. 19. For dwelling He shall dwell on high Isa 33. 17. To be hid in a time of danger Set a marke upon their foreheads c. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem Feare thou not and to Sion c. The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mightie he will save c. Zeph. 3. 16 17. God will remember his Thou shalt not be forgotten by me Isa 44. 21. For successe of our labour Whatsoever he doth shall prosper Thou shalt eate of the labour of thy hands They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and not eate They shall not labour in vaine c. For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord c. Psal 1. 3. Psal 128. 2. Pro. 12. 11. 14. Isa 65. 22. If thou be falsly accused consider He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light c. Psal 37. 6. For a good name consider Pro. 10. 7. Zeph. 3. 20. Isa 56. 5. Psal 111. 6. For children Thy wife shall be a fruitfull vine Thou shalt see thy childrens children Psal 121. 3. 6. For sleepe So he giveth his beloved sleep Thy sleepe shall be sweet Psal 127. 2. Pro. 3. 24. Job 11. 19. Zeph. 3. 13. For a supply of all we need My God shall supply all your needs Phil. 4. 9. 6. If in prospericie consider Jer. 29. 5 6. These things yee may have and use them while they last and while God sees good we shall not meet with any change but change or no change God will never change but be to us ever the same Heb. 13. 5 6. 8. The life of faith in adversitie Which is for the soule to submit to God and to be contented to be in a hard or low condition if God so order it and to be fitted to say as Jesus Christ did The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drinke it Joh. 18. 11. see Phil. 4. 11 12. And as Jesus Christ had not any trouble nor not an houre sooner then God predestinated Job 8. 20. so ought we to beleeve that all trouble of what kinde soever shall not nor cannot come unto us untill the Lord see fit to send it and that as Christ did passe through all so certainly we shall and that quickly Joh. 7. 30. Joh. 16. 33. In every affliction and crosse that comes upon thee beleeve and say it may be the Lord will doe me good by this crosse Rom. 8. 28. it is appointed of my Father for my good I stand in need of it if need be yee are in heavinesse for a season 1 Pet. 1. 6. And while it continues with me the Lord will be both light peace and strength unto me untill the time come which cannot be long that afflictions crosses and troubles shall be no more when I shall rest from all â—abour paine and sorrow That God will be with his in trouble I will be with him in trouble The Lord will be a refuge to his in time of trouble Psal 91. 15. Psal 9. 9. Psal 37. 39. That the trouble shall not be above our strength I will correct thee in measure Jer. 30. 11. see 1 Cor. 10. 13. To gaine by afflictions God afflicts us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 11. c. see Job 13.
23. For deliverance out of trouble c. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of them all Joh. 5. 19. Psal 19. 17 Psal 50. 15. For speedy deliverance My salvation shall not tarry Isa 46. 13. 9. Every day to live the life of faith concerning the time past Which is to consider and call to remembrance and to see God in his dealings to us ours and others both for soule and body I have considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77. 5. This is to injoy time past as present David made this a part of his meditation oh how sweet is it to muse of Gods mercies unto us from our birth that I should be borne of such as feared God and so injoy better education then others or else that I should be borne of haters of God and instead of good education had bad and was brought up in ignorance and prophanenesse and how I have been tempted to desperate sinnes or healed those breaches how strangely God brought us to better places unexpected or undeserved and how neere and often we have been to be cut off by death by sicknesse casualties desperate practices by others and by our selves and how great bondage we have been in by sinne being filled with despaire terror and wrath without hope of ever being pardoned Ephes 2. 12 13. and yet for God to fill my soule with joy peace in beleeving Rom. 5. 1. and in how great bondage I was unto sinne not able to restraine my selfe and out of hope of ever having strength against such strong lusts and yet God hath subdued them Oh great change and also how we were convinced of our state of death we are in by nature and by what meanes But if we had been borne in India or Turkey or Rome we should either have never heard of a Jesus or seene no light or to no purpose Also how God hath preserved us in Babylon and brought us out of it if thou beest so and preserved us from the errors of the wicked rotten tenets as Pelagianisme his free will and power by nature Arminianisme with his free will so by grace as he may choose whether he will be saved or no and so under pretence of inlarging Gods grace robs him of all to grace himselfe in his indeavours and sets the crowne upon his own head So some deny the Morall Law and word of God to be a Rule to them to walk by and so are lawlesse and where there is no Law there can be no transgression and now are the last times in which iniquitie and abominable errors doe abound and shall more abound that which God hath said shall be must be no man nor men can hinder it some denies Election and originall sinne c. the Lord in mercy open their eyes I was once wrapped up and sunke in Arminianisme and had so continued but the Lord in mercy pulled me out Oh how sweet should that love be to us which keepes us from these errors or brings us out of them and the Lord will in his time be full Redemption to all his Also consider how we have been freed from many sorrows and sicknesses which others indure having little or no rest day or night and what meanes we injoy for our soules which others want and it may be never heard of and blesseth them unto us Also in what straits wee have been in how the Lord hath helped us in them and delivered us from them and how God hath provided and doth provide for us meanes of living friends and comforts strangely and unexpected and how strangely God hath given us good wives or husbands or so orders it that bad ones sends us to God or weanes us from the world c. These mercies with a thousand more to us and ours requires our meditation to strengthen our faith and to endeare our hearts to God exceedingly and to be more inlarged in thankfulnesse and to sucke sweetnesse in the remembrance of such experiences Mercies forgot are as nothing to us and wee cannot be thankfull to God for them though they were never so many or great Who so is wise and will observe these things shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psal 107. 43. 10. Every day to live the life of faith in Glorification Which is to behold the rest peace glory and happinesse c. in heaven which is provided for us and also to beleeve that God will give us after this life all these things with himselfe which he hath promised us in his word see Acts 20. 23. Acts 26. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 4. For the resurrection of my body He that beleeves in me I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 40. To have a spirituall body It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body 1 Cor. 15. 44. Our bodies shall be more glorious then the Sun in the firmament because that is but a naturall body To have a powerfull body It is raised in power 1 Cor. 15. 43. To have a glorified body and like Christs It is raised in glory 1 Cor. 15 43 44. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. To have fulnesse of knowledge And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and be filled with the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. And know even as I am known 1 Cor. 13. 12. To have fulnesse of joy and pleasures In thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Ps 16. 11. Joy inward pure spirituall full in heaven wee shall have no misery no hunger cold nakednesse paine griefe wearinesse but rest 2 Thes 1. 7. To have Rest I shall have rest 2 Thes 1. 7. without labour In this Rest tranquillity in this tranquillity contentment in this contentment joy in this joy varietie in this varietie securitie in this securitie eternitie To have life We shall also live with him 2 Tim. 2. 11. Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. When Christ who is our life shall appeare Col. 3. 4. To have everlasting life Who shall receive life everlasting in the world to come Luk. 18. 30. Mat. 19. 29. Joh. 4. 40. Then shall I never die nor end being for continuance eternall To injoy the presence of God with Saints and Angels When Christ our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am Joh. 17. 24. To see the Lord as he is Beloved now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what we shall be but we know when we shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2. Then shall we see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. To behold his glory That they may behold my glory Joh. 17.
lust Wee oft doe least good to them to whom we owe most There be many good things will decay if let alone but evill things let alone will increase Parents thinke they doe their children great good when they can make them rich and great in the world they make them the greater sinners for then they shall have little else to doe but to waste the creatures and live in excesse idlenesse lust pride and oppression Glory When we thinke wee most seeke the glory of God we too often most seeke our owne What a man trusts in he glories in and what a man glories in he trusts in and is confident of Healing God sometimes healeth corruption by not healing it Hope The Saints hope is in heaven in God The naturall mans hope is to get honour fine cloaths good cheare ease and pleasures Hearts Many mens brains deceive their hearts What the heart likes best the minde studies most Habits In acquired habits the act goeth before the habit and prepares for it but in infused habits it is contrary for as we have first the facultie of seeing before we see so we have first the infused habit before we exercise the operation of it Humilitie One may be humbled but not humble When we are content to be admonished of our faults sharply by our inferiors we have some humilitie Honour The honour of men is a very shadow a vanitie The more men desire honour the lesse they deserve the lesse they often have Hatred That sin which a childe of God loved most before conversion he hates most when he is converted Joy While we live here we have joy and griefe mixed this life nor our bodies will not admit of perfect joy Outward joyes make a great noyse but never truly heate and comfort the heart There is no sound joy in earthly things they reach not the heart but the fancy In temporall things our joy is greater then the cause in spirituall things the cause is greater then the joy Every heart seekes joy such as it is Spirituall joy opposeth carnall and carnall opposeth spirituall the more we relish heavenly the lesse we relish earthly Now joy is in the Saints when they are in heaven they shall be in joy Ignorance Ignorance is the cause of prophanenesse and all evill Devotion with ignorance breeds superstition and Idolatry and persecution Hope with ignorance causeth presumption Feare with ignorance causeth desperation Impossible things It is impossible to be conformable to Christ and to the world to please God and the world Of idlenesse An idle person is fit for nothing but sinne and temptation An idle life is much loved and entertained of most men Knowledge That knowledge that is from God subjects the soule to God That knowledge that is onely in the braine is notionall and neither subdues sinne nor Satan If we know good things wee cannot but love and affect them Love That love which is not constant is false Love is most active when it is least knowne and cannot be requited Love and labour goe together as our longing is to injoy God so is our love to him if wee greatly love the Lord wee greatly long to injoy him for as our love is to any thing so accordingly is our indeavour to injoy it Such love the way of God who hate all things that are contrary unto it and practise it when it is most despised Such things as we love we keepe with care possesse with joy and lose with griefe Live We live in that we mind and love and are made like the things we love The most seeke life in the regions of death where it is not Many in this naturall life have comforts few crosses frequent pleasures short and paines lasting Light Light causeth them that see it to follow it Libertie We are more prone to desire libertie then to know how to use it Many of the Saints abuse their libertie they have in Christ It is the greatest libertie to injoy God and to have a free heart to serve him Such as plot and plead for libertie for the flesh are very carnall Of losses There is no losse in losing for God What we lose for God shall be made up unto us in God The benefit which follows the losse of outward things is that they are never troubled with them more Motions Forced motions cannot be perpetuall Minde When our minds are not fixed they rove every where and are no where to purpose Such as mind the things above savour them and have interest in them Mirth When men are most chearfull merry they are most free and bountifull Naturall mirth ends in sadnesse and sorrow In naturall mirth when wee are most merry we are neerest to danger The mirth of the wicked is vanitie and madnesse Mercies Many possesse many mercies and yet want the comfort of them Wee injoy more mercies then we are aware of Occasions The more secret and colourable any occasion of evill is the more men are indangered by it Obedience Our obedience to God is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action Of peace Men cannot give peace untill the Lord speake peace to the soule there is no peace Where there is no peace there may be quietnesse or silence Gods people are a peaceable people Passion The causes of anger and passion are ignorance and pride Promises The wicked desire promises for peace and not for strength against sinne The promises make the people of God not carelesse but more fruitfull and serviceable There were never any ashamed that rested onely upon God in his promise One promise from a man will please some men more then ten from God Of prayer There is no dutie in Religion that is so much counterfeited as the duty of prayer is Verball prayer causeth great deadnesse Some pray when they should sleepe and sleepe in prayer and pray when they should work but wisdome divides to each its proper time and season Of povertie The heires of the earth are oft pinched with povertie and Saints who are Kings lie in prison It is better to be poore and weaned from the world then rich and covetous Men are much afraid of povertie yet it never did any hurt Pride The proudest men are the weakest and most troubled with discontent Principles When that which is taken for a principle of truth is a principle of error the more it is relied on the worse it is Pleasure Such as have their eyes open see outward pleasures to be very meane things Sin is desired for the pleasure of it but there is in sinne more griefe and misery then pleasure The more carnall a heart is the more it affects naturall pleasures Sinfull pleasure ends in sorrow Quietnesse When quietnesse is in the heart there is not much disquietnesse in the tongue He can easily be at peace with men who knows he is at peace with God Reports Such as cannot with patience beare ill reports cannot live a comfortable life Such as
the use of his meanes till he shall give thee faith that by it thou mayst know thy selfe to be elected Act. 13. 48. But I have used the meanes and yet I am no better but worser therefore God will never doe me good Are you sure you have used all Gods meanes doest thou know the number of them and have your ends been all good right placed and have you used them in a right manner measure time in sinceritie humilitie which I question and have you not rested in the use of means have you set God above his meanes and expected his blessing upon them without which they could doe no good If thou hast not used them all in faith say not thou hast used the meanes what are all meanes without faith they are as a shadow without the substance Heb. 11. 1. The word they heard profited them not for want of faith Heb. 4. 2. It is no good reason to say because God hath not answered me and supplied me therefore he never will consider Isa 64. 4. Isa 8. 17. They which had not obtained mercy did 1 Pet. 2. 10. They shall not be ashamed that wait for me Isa 49. 23. There be many that doe satisfie themselves with the meanes and their frequenting them and in what they doe that it is just with God yea a mercy to blast all to shew their emptinesse that we might look and long for Christ to blesse the meanes and be all in all unto us Men beleeve not that faith is the gift of God and the Spirits work Phil. 1. 29. so that they goe not to God in his promise for faith but endeavour to make a faith of their own to carry to God If thou hast a will that onely Christ should save thee God hath begun his work in thee and he will finish it Heb. 12. 2. and one day thou shalt know thy selfe to be pardoned and all thy sins shall be subdued Consider God may have mercy for thee though thou knowest it not for mens sinnes are first forgiven before they are to beleeve it or can be assured of it for if men should beleeve that their sins are forgiven before they be forgiven they should beleeve that which is false neither can any mans beleeving make that to be which had not a being before faith declares to us our pardon but our beleeving neither pardons nor procures the pardon of any sin if it could what need was there of the death of Christ I have waited a long time and many have received mercy since but not I. Even the Lords servants have waited a long time for God or at least they thought the time long David said I am weary of my crying my throat is dryed mine eyes faile while I waite for my God Psal 69. 3. If God have given thee a heart to wait upon him thou art blessed Blessed are all they that wait for him Isa 30. 18. Waiting implies perseverance patience long-suffering in holding out notwithstanding the tediousnesse of the time deferred courage in breaking through all difficulties that stand between waiting and to continue waiting though all things seem contrary till we enjoy what we waited for I wait for my God Psal 69. 3. I am now old in yeares and if God had intended to have done my soule good surely he would have done it before this time and now death is ready to take me away Yea though it be thus with thee yet mercy may be thy portion at last if mercy come at last it will be sweet and it may come at last The thiefe was saved upon the Crosse Mat. 20. Luk. 23. Oh how neere was he unto his end before mercy came unto him You may not set a time to God in which he shall shew mercy for he giveth what he will and when he will and will not be tyed to thy time it 's an exceeding great grace for God to shew mercy though it be at the last as he did to the thiefe upon the Crosse God hath all houres in the day to work the last houre God useth to call some as well as the third see Mat. 20. 1. to 10. for there is nothing too hard for God If I were filled with qualifications as humblenesse and brokennesse of heart and tooke delight to heare and pray as others I could have hope but now I cannot Alas poore soule thou art greatly deluded for these things can no way fit the soule for mercy Why doest thou seek the living among the dead Luk. 24. 5. Why doest thou look at and rest in such things as these for haddest thou these in the greatest measure they could not procure thy happinesse nor stand thee in any stead oh nothing but Christ can doe thy soule any good and truly comfort thee Consider what qualifications had they in Ezekiel 16. 3. to 9. of whom God was found Surely they had none except sinfull ones What saith God I was found of them that sought me not Isa 65. 1 2 3. Tell me what qualifications had they who were enemies yet Christ died for them Rom. 5. 9 10. All that are saved are saved by grace without any cause or condition in man 2 Tim. 1. 9. Under colour of devotion yee overthrow Christ can your duties c. procure Christ or what use is there of Christ if yee can have what yee need without him yee would have power abilitie and inlargements before yee dare believe in Christ Oh the greatnesse of thy pride and folly doth not Christ say true that without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. As in nature none can worke before they have life so none can doe any thing that is spirituall before they live spiritually Christ must be in thee before thou canst beleeve the soule must beleeve before it can finde any sanctification or workes at all in it selfe yea without any regard to workes in any measure whatsoever for there is nothing to be done by man to be a preparation to his sanctification see Rom. 4. 5. 5. 8. 10. Thou hungerest and thirstest after a righteousnesse of thine own and wouldst establish it but it must be renounced I confesse this self-deniall is very hard oh how hard is it for the soule to be taken off its own bottom of workes and of self-concurrence strip them of all that is their own and yee take away their lives they must and will have something some humblenesse and brokennesse of heart some teares some good workes or abilities or a good heart something they must have for they think it cannot be that they should be accepted pardoned and saved and they to doe nothing at all themselves for it therefore as soone as they begin to espie a flaw in what they doe for who can say his heart is cleane Job 25. 4. they betake themselves to breake their hearts to make God amends for all and thinke if they can
but attaine unto such a deep measure of humiliation and sorrow for sin then they think they have an evidence for heaven but alas this is no evidence save onely of great ignorance in that they see not death in their best duties the Lord may say to you who worke so hard for life Thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grieved Isa 57. 10. Thou comfortest thy selfe in thine own sparkes but sorrow is all the comfort such comfort can produce yee shall lie downe in sorrow Isa 50. 11. When we say our good works are not the way to life men esteeme it a grievous error yet Christ saith I am the way Joh. 14. 6. Are thy works Christ or no if no then they are not the way for Christ saith true and if Jesus Christ is to be unto us all in all Col. 3. 11. Our best workes are to be unto us nothing at all our workes make us not the better before God nor to be more beloved of God but declare us to be what wee are made by God the Papists doe good works to be saved but we abhorre it because it is condemned by God therefore all those who expect and hope for mercy because they leave their sinnes as they say and do many good works consider what I say unto thee Alas poore soule thou art still in the state of nature in the gall of bitternesse thou art not quite plucked up off of thine own stocke of self-workes and self-concurrence with Christ and therefore art not planted into Christ thou art ignorant of the righteousness of God which is the cause why thou goest about to establish thine own righteousnesse and so long as thou doest so thou canst not submit to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 13. But diddest thou know what a righteousnesse Christ is thou couldst not but have preferred it before thine own righteousnesse yea it would be esteemed by thee but drosse and dung to his as Phil. 3. 8 9. And unlesse the Lord Jesus open thine eyes and reveale his righteousnesse unto thee thy righteousnesse which thou joynest with Christs for salvation will of a certaine worke thy destruction unto all eternity Publicans and harlots are neerer salvation then thee when you who worke for life are Pharisees and if you dye in this estate you must perish Mat. 21. 31 32. Luk. 7. 29 30. I know many will cavill and say if Christ must doe all and man nothing then men need not care what they doe but live as they list Answ As it is our dutie so it is our desire to doe whatsoever the word of God requires but we are not commanded to doe any thing to procure the pardon of our sinnes but in reference to service and dutie I count my selfe to be never the neerer Heaven for my best workes then if I had done nothing else but blaspheme God But what saith the Scriptures Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4. 2 3 4 5. Wee are saved not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. When wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. I will doe away thy offences for my Names sake Isa 43. 25. A new heart also will I give thee Ezek. 36. 26 27. 31. I have seene his wayes and will heale him Isa 57. 17. I have blotted out thy sinnes returne unto me c. Isa 44. 22. When thou wert polluted in thy own bloud I said unto thee Live When thou wert in thy bloud thy time was the time of love and I covered thy nakednesse c. Ezek. 16. 6. 8. All unto whom the mystery of Gods love and free grace is revealed they cry grace grace Christ Christ Christ is all in all nothing but Christ their prayers teares duties devotions and all of theirs is nothing to them in respect of acceptation or justification or salvation they are now dead to working they doe no workes in the world to attaine any of these all theirs is vanished and is quite drowned in the infinite Ocean of Gods free grace It is so that God might have all the glory Eph. 1. 6. Jer. 9. 24. and that man might not boast Rom. 3. 9. but obey God freely Luk. 1. 74. But I have no worke of grace wrought in me The Spirit shall convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse Joh. 16. 7 8 9 10. God hath begun his worke in thee if he hath convinced thee of sinne and of righteousnesse To be convinced of sin implies Such a discovery of sinne which causeth the soule to see her selfe guiltie and utterly lost and undone by reason of sin they confesse themselves are vile and they abhorre themselves Job 42. 6. They loath themselves for their deeds Ezek. 20. 43. Esteâ—ming themselves as beasts Psal 73. 22. The soule is convinced so as to have no hope Jer. 2. in any thing it can doe to helpe it selfe out of that miserable state of sin he is undone in nature he cannot doe any thing from whence he may expect salvation or have any hope of it for a man cannot expect life and salvation from Christ alone untill the soule be taken off of all other things in respect of life This vision of God causeth the soule to see themselves and say There remaineth no strength in me my comelinesse is turned in me into corruption Dan. 10. 8. That is my best workes my righteousnesse is defiled and is sinne now sinfull selfe and righteous selfe are alike if there be any difference the last is the worst now the creature hath nothing to procure Christ nor no strength to beleeve in him the holy Spirit discovers to the soule that there is nothing but darknesse and death in our best duties He is so convinced of sinne that he justifieth the justice of God if he perish in his sin as Psal 51. 4. Gen. 44. 16. See Leviticus 26. 41 42. Micah 7. 9. 2. Sam. 15. 26. Lam. 3. 28 29. It is from grace to be taken so off of nature and he that is so taken off of nature hath grace is begotten and borne of God For when the soule is taken off his own bottom it must have another to rest upon or else it sinkes therefore when God takes away the soules false soundation which was her false hope God gives the soule a better in himselfe The teaching and drawing of the Father Joh. 6. is this that all men have sinned and are in an estate of death and that in Christ there is a ransome in which is life and all happinesse and that this Jesus and all that he hath done is for him When the soule hath heard and learned this there is a power goeth with this teaching which carrieth the soule by faith
beleeve or no for some shall not be saved and if I be one of them if I should beleeve I should be saved by Christ I should beleeve a lye The Gospel declares that whosoever beleeves in Christ shall be saved Joh. 3. 16. therefore those who beleeve cannot be any of them that shall perish and the Word saith be that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. and shall not see life What God saith is truth and truth ought to be beleeved and whatsoever is contrary to truth no man is bound to beleeve therefore no unregenerate man is commanded to beleeve the forgivenesse of his sinnes in any other way then Gods word holds forth forgivenesse of sinnes which is he that beleeves shall be saved and have everlasting life Men are commanded to beleeve they shall have benefit by Christ life and salvation by Christ if they beleeve Joh. 3. 16. And no man is commanded to beleeve he shall be saved by Christ whether he beleeves or no for this is contrary to the Word which saith He that beleeves not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. No man is to beleeve that which is not true yet this hinders not but all that see an absolute necessitie of Christ shall enjoy him they ought not to distrust in him but to cast away all their doubts and feares and beleeve in him and rest upon him for ever as Simon Peter said to Christ Master to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Joh. 6. 67 68. But I have no love to Christ I am an enemie to Christ I am not fit for Christ The reason thou doest not love Christ is because thou seest not thy sinnes to be pardoned by Christ didst thou know he loves thee thou wouldst love him the love of Christ would constraine thee to love him 2 Cor. 5. 14. We love him because he first loved us 1 Joh. 4. 19. Doest thou apprehend thy selfe to be an enemy to God so were all those once that ever did beleeve Ephes 2. 12 13. While we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Enemies cannot discerne Christ yet God gives Christ to such Thou canst not fit thy selfe for Christ if thou seest such a necessity of Christ as without him thou art undone thou desirest Christ and goest to Christ He that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. hearken what Christ saith you shall speed you have the promise of Christ which is security sufficient to satisfie thy soule for Christ is in you and no man can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse viz. Christ but such as are blessed Mat. 5. 6. and the Spirit of God dwels in you and Christ is in you and they that are led by the Spirit of God out of themselves to Christ for light and life and strength are the children of God Rom. 8. 9 10 11 14. Indeed there are many sweet promises in the Word but they are all for beleevers but I am none I grant none may apply a promise of life but onely such as beleeve yet the promises are for all the elect thou knowest not but thou art one of them when God shall please to give thee faith thou shalt know thy interest in them Act. 13. 48. In the meane time stay thy selfe with this that the Lord Jesus gave himselfe for enemies and justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. Whilest wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Therefore be not discouraged God may save thee also The Lord saith I will have mercy upon her that hath not obtained mercy and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God Hos 2. 23. Oh sweet place therefore by no meanes yeeld not to thy feares nourish no jealousies against God but resolve in Christs strength to cleave to his Word as Psal 119. 49. And here hold saying My beloved is mine and I am his Song 2. 16. I would gladly beleeve but I dare not Thou shouldst not admit nor give way to any discouragement to hinder thy going to Christ seeing Christ cryed saying If any man thirst let him come to mee and drinke Joh. 7. 37. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and whosoever will let him come Rev. 22. 17. The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 11. He will not quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 20. From whence is thy feare sure it is occasioned or much increased by them who bid persons beleeve forbid them againe by their saying Take heed what you doe you may be deceived it is not so easie a matter to beleeve you must first be so sensible of sin and so humbled for it c. before you may beleeve Now they conceit they are not so and so qualified therefore they dare not beleeve also they are scared with the many things hypocrites may doe how farre they may goe and so set them short of hypocrites which must needs discourage them yet the word of God requires no such teaching for men to learne before they may beleeve for when the soule seeth it selfe lost by reason of sinne and is at a stand not knowing what to doe the first thing they are to doe is to beleeve in Jesus Christ as appeares Acts 16. 31. The word requires nothing of them before they may beleeve therefore wee may not for none may presume above what is written If thou desirest to beleeve thy will is in part regenerated and thou doest in some measure beleeve though weakly as he did that said Lord I beleeve help my unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. Gods servants are described by a desire to feare his Name Nehe. 1. 11. Psal 145. 19. Psal 147. 11. There can be no desires without faith 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. a man cannot desire that which he beleeves not to be so Heb. 11. 6. Many give God their hearts and doe not know it and so are troubled because they do not know what is meant by the heart nor where it is seated I speak not of the heart of flesh Rom. 8. 5 6 7. there is a carnall minde and a spirituall minde in men I speake of the heart mystically and spiritually which is principally seated in the will so that what it wills or desires there is the heart and to that which the will most wills or desires to that is the bent of the heart unto Now if the soule were to have its choice of every thing that one thing that the soule should chuse would any question whether they loved it and that their hearts were not unto it for as no soule can be sensible of the want of Christ untill the soule be possessed of him Rom. 8. 10 11. so no soule
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.
offered to shew mercy and pity to others in their misery to supply their necessities freely and willingly according to my ability and that I be more industrious and more moderate in expences to supply others wants especially the Saints if it be above my abilitie with an open heart hand house joyfully and compassionately to supply the Saints necessities Consider Mat. 5. 42. Mat. 7. 12. They that have no money must sell something to give Sell that yee have and give almes c. Luk. 12. 33. As we have opportunity let us doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. Surely wee should desire and indeavour to ease as many mens burdens as we can it is our duty to be helpfull and helpfulnesse includes mercy and tender compassion love goodnesse and such like vertues In lending and suretiship men must not be rash nor hard-hearted it is a duty to lend to such who make conscience and are carefull and industrious to pay at the time I am sorry when I heare how many have suffered in this kinde it is a sinne to lend to such as have no care and conscience to pay men had need to have good experience of mens faithfulnesse and carefulnesse before they tâ—ust them with much the experience of many have taught them this notionall knowledge in this is best 32. That I grieve not the holy Spirit Every day to watch that I quench not nor grieve the holy Spirit Grieve not the holy Spirit Ephes 4. 30. Weequench and grieve the Spirit when we neglect the motions thereof sleight the comforts of the Spirit and seek comfort from the flesh and feed upon lusts when we spend our thoughts to content the outward man use spirituall thingâ— for carnall ends or father the worke oâ— the flesh upon the Spirit or sleight Gods way allow of any sinne in my selfe or others to plot or contrive sinne or cavill against any truth or doe duties in my own strength omit duty or sleightly performe it to neglect or sleight the graces of the Spirit in any or despise a Saint for his infirmities and the like 33. To take notice of Gods mercies Every day to take notice of Gods mercies to us and others and to acknowledge Gods goodnesse for them In all things give thanks 1 Thes 5. 14. 34. To be thankfull Every day will I blesse thee and praise thy Name Ps 145. 2. 35. To grow in grace Every day to grow in grace and knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. 36. Present condition is best Every day to beleeve my present state and condition of soule and body to be best for me We know that all things worke together for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. 37. To cast my care upon God Every day to cast all my care upon God in the use of meanes Phil. 4 6. 38. To look for death Every day to desire to dye and to look for death All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come Job 14. 14. 39. To know my selfe Every day to observe my profiting in Religion 2 Pet. 3. 18. 40. To take notice of our failings Every day to take notice of my sinnes omissions and commissions to be humbled by them and more watchfull for the future against them and to live the life of faith in all infirmities as if I had never sinned living all the day long in the sweet injoyment of the love of God and so to lie downe in the apprehension and sweet injoyment of it Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise thinke on these things those things which yee have both learned received and heard from the Lord Jesus Christ that doe and the God of peace shall be with you SOME CONSIDERATIONS against sinne which are necessary to prevent sinne 1. COnsider it 's Gods command that wee avoyd sinne and subdue it Rom. 6. The command of God ought to be wonderfull powerfull in us and over us and did wee know the majesty and authority of the command of an infinite and eternall God we neither could nor would doe that he forbids to be done 2. Know it 's the worke of God to subdue the least sinne we cannot do it of our selves therefore Christ saith Without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. Yet we are to use the meanes he appoints against sinne and to strive against it in his strength and alwayes resist sinne and Satan 3. Consider sinne in the nature of it and in the root and fruit of it the want of a true sight of sinne is a cause why men love sinne and sleepe so securely in it 4. Consider sinne is the price of bloud Mat. 27. 6. 5. Consider there is nothing in sinne why we should desire it there is no true sweetnesse in sinne no true contentment and satisfaction there the fruit sinne beares is miserable destruction at the best is wounds sorrow bitternesse shame c. I appeale to your experience what fruit have yee ever found come of â—inning did it not fill you with horror or rob you of peace or disable you for the service of God c. What fruit had you of those things whereof you are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. Pro. 23. 8. Sinne fights against your soules 1 Pet. 2. 11. it disgraces the truth grieves the Saints by it we doe what we can to destroy others harden their hearts and hinder them of receiving the truth incourage men in sinne and open their mouths against God and his truth and servants 6. Be sure you avoyd the occasions of sin as evill company Psal 119. 63. Pro. 13. 20. 6. 9. places and provocations of sin idlenesse carnall joy excesse in apparell shut your eyes stop your eares take heed to thy tongue take heed of excesse in eating and drinking and pampering the body Some have so pampered their bodies that they could not rule them their want herein hath caused them to want no sorrow and such as avoyd not the occasions of sinne let them not looke to be preserved from sinne Walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise Ephes 5. 15. 7. Aske advice of fit persons and crave the prayers of such as are the Lords that thou maist withstand sinne and Satan and get others to watch over you that you order your steps by his Word Psal 119. 133. Receive reproofe willingly and profitably and thankfully 8. Indeavour to know Satans stratagems be not ignorant of his enterprises he useth to double his assaults when he is resisted that so he might perswade men the more he is resisted the more they shall fall into sinne as if it were in vaine to resist him but resist and give no place to the Devill Eph. 4. 27. Jam. 4. 7. If yee yeeld to Satan now it will be the
condemne him and doth not Christ lose the end of his death to dye for their salvation who yet perish or is it justice to require the payment of one debt twice is there remission of sinnes in Christ for every man but no righteousnesse no everlasting life for them did Christ purchase salvation but not the application of salvation which is necessary to salvation how doth it appeare Christ purchased salvation or enough for salvation or is the death of Christ of an uncertain event is Christ appointed to death to purchase a possibilitie of salvation but not salvation it selfe with the application of it then Christ shed his bloud to save man and yet no man saved by it for if it depends upon mans beleeving of it why may not all of them perish as well as any of them And if it be so if man please Christ shall lose the end of his death but it clearly appeares that all those for whose sinnes Christ dyed are justified by his bloud and shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 8 9 10. B. 3. 4. but this subject is handled at large by John Spilsbery in his book intituled Gods Ordinance if the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed Joh. 8. else not But upon second thoughts they affirme that Christ never dyed for the sinne of unbeliefe and that finall unbeliefe is the unpardonable sin Answ It cannot truly be denied but unbeliefe is a not beleeving Christ which sinne is most immediately and directly against Christ which sin is pardonable with all manner of sin and blasphemy which Christ saith shall be forgiven unto the sons of men as appeares Mat. 12. 31 32. therefore not beleeving in Christ is not the unpardonable sinne also Such as beleeve have been guiltie of unbeliefe which is pardoned in them and if the sin of unbeliefe which is none of the least sinnes is pardoned without the bloud of Christ to the Elect who beleeve why might not all other sinnes in like manner be so pardoned to them and then shall not the bloud of Jesus Christ be shed in vaine because by their reason their sinnes might have been pardoned without it as well as their unbeliefe And seeing without shedding of bloud there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. let them declare how unbeliefe can be remitted also if the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin then from unbeliefe also 1 Joh. 1. 7. Also if finall unbeliefe were the sin against the holy Spirit that is unpardonable then it could not be cōmitted before death There is a sin unto death if thou see thy brother sin c. But if a man could not commit this sin before he dye he could not be seen so to sin 1 Joh. 5. 16. which sin is described Heb. 10. 29. therefore finall unbeliefe is not this sin here spoken of To conclude Christ dyed not for the sinnes of all the world for Christ saith He layeth downe his life for his sheepe Joh. 10. 15. You beleeve not for yee are not of my sheepe vers 26. Yet as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13. 48. see Joh. 17. 2. 19. 24. 29. The end of Redemption is application Phil. 1. 29. Joh. 6. 37. 39. The Scripture saith He tooke upon him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. and how Abrahams seed is considered appears Gal. 3. 16. 22. 29. Such as are Christs such as beleeve are Abrahams seed And seeing all Adams posteritie cannot be considered to be Abrahams seed in no sense therefore there is no ground to cōceive that Christ dyed for the sinnes of all the seed of Adam as they affirme That all men under the Gospel have not sufficient grace given them for conversion FOr the word sufficient grace how can we conceive that grace to be sufficient in power which is not sufficient in performance of the worke for seeing conversion follows not how is it sufficient to conversion is that sufficient to conversion that never attaines it is that medicine sufficient to cure such a disease which being taken doth not cure it Sufficient and effectuall is all one And seeing many were never converted it must of necessitie follow that sufficient grace was never given unto them for if sufficient strength be put to move the earth motion must needs follow The reason why they came not to Christ was because the Father did not draw them Joh. 6. 44. and inwardly teach them God must give a heart to perceive and eyes to see for miracles cannot doe it Deut. 29. 3 4. Joh. 12. 37 38. The arme of the Lord must be revealed They say it was because they would not beleeve Wee answer They neither would nor could the Lord saith they could not beleeve Joh. 12. 39. Therefore man cannot finally hinder his conversion for whom God will save no power of man can destroy Man in his first conversion is wholly passive we cannot worke it in our selves nor hinder Gods working of it because we are dead in sinnes Ephes 2. 1. Col. 2. 13. Ephes 5. 14. and spiritually blind Rev. 3. 18. Eph. 4. 17. 6. 8. Mat. 6. 23. Luk. 4. 18. Joh. 1. 5. Acts 26. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Our hearts stony and destitute of goodnesse Ezek. 36. 26. 11. 19. Gods worke in converting us is a raising from the dead Eph. 2. 5. Col. 2. 12. Rev. 20. 6. Joh. 5. 21. 25. A restoring the sight to the blind Luk. 4. 18. A new birth Joh. 1. 13. 3. 3. Another creation of him Eph. 2. 10. Psal 51. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 15. The giving of a new heart Ezek. 9. 19. So that man cannot prepare himselfe to conversion God regenerateth man that he may beleeve The tree must first be good before it can bring forth good fruit How can they that are evill speake good things Mat. 12. 34. It 's an error therefore to thinke that mans conversion to God begins in some act man performes and not in a worke first wrought in us by God They alledge Isai 55. 11. to prove the word and the Spirit goeth together Ans Not to make it powerfull in the conversion in all They reply Act. 7. 51. Yee have alwayes resisted c. Ans True in resisting the outward means but it cannot be proved that they resisted in the inward work of God upon their hearts From Mat. 25. 29. they affirme that he that useth nature well shall have grace This text is to be understood of the gifts of the Ministery in the improvement of them the increase is in the same kinde nature and grace are not so Also it 's plaine grace hath not been bestowed upon such as used nature best as appeares by the rejection of the Sidonians and Capernaits who were better fitted for nature Therefore the well using of