her steps take hold on hell thus the soul by the power of grace being made acquainted with the loathsomness and bitterness of sin begins to be weaned from its brest and forsakes its embraces let God or man say what can be said of sin in respect of the vileness of it the soul can give its free assent and consent unto it yea it s so hateful to the soul that it hates the very name of any thing that doth but tend to sin yea it hates it in its most glorious robes of pleasures profits honors credits or what ever the world can afford it will shake them off as Paul did the Viper from his hand it knows sin to be viperous infective and stinging it looks upon it as its bane its poyson its undoing yea in the souls apprehension its worse then hell then the devil or all or any thing that can be thought upon The next thing is Self-denial that 's a soul that hath no Self no will when any thing comes in competition with God with Christ it owns its being from God it renounceth any self-existency its naked till cloathed from above its barren till made fruitful by Christ it stands in need of all things till supplied by that Fountain that openeth his hand and filleth all things with his blessing this Grace subjecteth the soul and makes it lie down at Christs feet it s alwayes lying under the droppings of Grace that it might receive replenishings from the Spirit this causeth the soul to look out of it self and to be carried out with an expectation hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness this makes the soul to decrease that Christ may increase it debaseth it self that it might advance Christ its willing to part with all that Christ may be all in all it doth not onely make the soul to see emptiness in it self but to see emptiness in every thing besides In a word It s a soul-denying and a Christ-advancing Grace in whatever it doth it will not suffer the soul to aim at any thing which may tend to sinister ends it doth willingly cast off ease profit pleasure honor or what ever can be thought on before God and Christ shall lose their glory this Grace brings the soul into a right temper where this Grace hath its true working the bias of the soul runs from the world and runs heavenward God-ward and Christ-ward Self-denial as its Faith 's concomitant so it worketh with Faith in purifying the heart in mortifying of sin Matth. 12.37 39. and in following of Christ For he that will follow me saith Christ must first deny himself not regarding profits pleasures afflictions or what ever else lies in the way to life and glory For he that loveth any thing whether it be father or mother more then Christ is not worthy of Christ and he that will finde his life shall lose it but he that loseth his life for Christs sake shal finde it Fourthly Love its Gods will to man and it is a grace shed abroad into the hearts of the Saints by the holy Ghost in man it s a certain passion flowing from the Affections which are the souls wheels to carry it to its Object be it either God or man It may be stiled a characterizing grace whereby men may know God for God is love whereby men may know Saints from Reprobates 1 Joh. 4.8.3.14 the children of God from the children of the devil it s a sign that you are departed from death to life because you love the brethren he that loves not his brother is not born of God neither doth he know him to her much is forgiven because she loved much Love is of such an excellent nature that it transcends the tongues of men and Angels it excells the gifts of prophesie all mysteries 1 Cor. 13.1 2. all knowledg nay all faith it is of an enduring nature as Paul saith in the 1 Cor. 13.8 Charity never faileth it out-lives faith and hope 1 Cor. 13.8 for they shall cease but love shall be perfected and endure for ever Quest 2 Secondly how comes godliness into the soul and what are the steps thereof Answ 2 That as godliness is the fruit of grace and grace the cause of godliness as I have shewed before so are they made perfect in the soul at one and the same instant of time that is perfect in parts not in degrees for there are degrees of grace as well as glory one Christian more eminent in grace then another yet the least spark is as true as the greatest flame the whole man is at one and the same time changed and become new all the faculties of the soul all the members of the body are at once transformed and renewed the understanding that 's illuminated the Judgement rectified the will turned to that which is good the affections run after the right object conversion is not in part but in whole the feet cannot be washed alone but the hands and other members must be also cleansed for so said Christ unto Simon Peter one of his Disciples when he said unto him Lord wash not onely my feet Joh. 13.9 10. but also my hands and my head Jesus answering said unto him he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit c. intimating that he that is washt by the blood of Jesus Christ is not onely cleansed from one sin but from all not onely purified in one member of his body but in all he is sanctified throughout both in soul and body but though this grace of sanctification or godliness be thus thorowly operative in it self yet oft times its not so to the souls apprehension that 's in Gods ordinary way of working now to open unto you in a word how to mans apprehension this great work of conversion grace and godliness is wrought First God by the preaching of his word together with the working of his spirit gives a touch to the conscience of an elect vessel which the Scripture cals a prick in the heart that 's in the ministery of the word as those in the Acts were pricked in their hearts saying Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Act. 2.37 God doth here discover a mans condition to himself whereby he comes to see himself First To be a woful miserable and sinful creature Secondly that there is an exact satisfaction to be given to Divine Justice for those sins that he stands guilty of before God Thirdly that there is nothing in him that can possibly give satisfaction or make up that breach which he hath made by his sin there is no possibility in Angels or men in Heaven or earth that can take of the guilt of one sin And yet that divine justice must be satisfied or he is a lost man he is undone for ever yea he stands at the very brink of hell ready to be swallowed up every moment now these and the like reasonings
by mans own industry neither by parts gifts learning or what ever man as meer man is able to attain to That its the meer gift of God flowing to Saints in the streams of the blood of the Covenant of Grace all these are but signs or preparatives to know whether godliness be in thee or no for thou maist know all this and yet be far from the power of godliness but if thou art not clearly convinced of these four particulars let me tell thee thou hast not so much as the least part or step so much as towards the power of godliness These things thus premised we shall proceed First then If the power of godliness dwel in thee thou art changed from an estate of nature to an estate of grace thou art delivered from the power of Satan and translated into the Kingdom of Christ yea This man hath the witness of the Spirit of God in himself and thou knowest it and art convinced of it in thine own conscience for it s not with thee as with a yong Christian that is onely in the nonage of his conversion for he that hath the power of godliness dwelling in him is one of a high Form in the School of Christ yea his condition is such that he can appeal to Christ and Conscience that this power dwells in him and is daily acted by him Where this power dwells there sin is mortified such a man is dead to sin sin cannot seize or take hold on him he hath no lust no affection to entertain the least sin it s not enough that thou art no drunkard no base company-keeper no profane swearer but thou must be dead to every sin of what nature soever it be He that is born of God cannot sin that is so as other men sin with consent of the Will with the least allowance of any sin no though thou mightest gain a Kingdom to tell a lye yet thou wouldst not do it yea though thou mightest be made the greatest Prince in the world if thou wouldst but swear by thy faith and troth yea thou wouldst tremble at it and refuse it esteeming godliness to be the best gain and the reason is first because the Love of God constraineth thee so to do secondly for that the fear and dread of the great God of heaven and earth lieth deep upon thy spirit and for the truth of this thou canst appeal unto God who is the searcher of the hearts and reins of his people Thirdly If godliness dwell in thee then grace is predominant in the course of thy life for grace is the very rock and foundation whereon godliness is built therefore as the cause is so is the effect as I have formerly declared even as sin hath by Adam raigned unto death so grace by Jesus Christ might raign to eternal life so that when a temtation comes and is offered unto thee thou canst say as Joseph to his Mistress How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God how shall I sin against that God who hath been so gratious so tender-hearted and loving unto me who pitied me cleansed me and took me into his bosome when I lay in my blood and filthiness O how shall I how dare I how can I attempt to sin against the God of all my mercies and so wound the peace of mine own conscience and eclipse the enjoyment of that sweet communion with God which I prize and value more then heaven and earth yea then all that can be thought upon Fourthly He that hath godliness in him is an holy and sanctified man in all maner of conversation in his thoughts words and actions he walks up to his profession his head heart hands and feet yea all the faculties of the soul and members of the body are for God and for Christ yea he yeildeth universal obedience to all that God commands as David saith Psal 119.6 I have respect unto all thy Commandements the man doth not pick and chuse what to obey and what not he pleads no exemption of any he leaves not some and takes others his eye is upon them all his Wil is for the performance of all his obedience is not partial but total all Gods Commandements are his delight and meditation day and night the whole bent of his desires runs after the Laws of God its sufficient to him that God commands it he is as willing yea as ready to obey as God is to command It s speedy When God commands he will not delay Gen. 22.3 though it be to offer up his dearest Isaac as Abraham when he was commanded to offer up his son the Text saith He did rise very early in the morning he deferred no time and when Zacheus saw Christ Luke 19.5 6. He came down hastily to receive him joyfully It s willing and chearful obedience Zacheus received Christ joyfully David rejoyced to run the wayes of Gods Commandements Psal 119.16 yea and Christ rejoyced to do the Will of his Father for God loves a chearful doer If ye be willing and obedient then ye shall eat the good things of the Land but if ye refuse and be rebellious ye shall be devoured with the Sword for the month of the Lord hath spoken it So you see it s required to be willing to obey whatever God commands It must be diligent obedience for as the hand of the diligent maketh rich in things temporal Heb. 11.6 Psa 119.4 and is a duty commanded so much more in things spiritual the diligent inquisitive soul after God and godliness is a thirsting soul it stores up grace and comfort against the time of need it s like the Ant in the Proverbs that provideth in the Summer against the Winter The power of godliness puts a man upon diligence in hearing the Word in prayer in meditation it makes a man to make his often addresses unto the throne of Grace and watchful after every opportunity to manifest his love to God to Christ and to the Saints and to be very active in doing what God commands This obedience is continual it s not to obey now and to disobey anon to serve God to day and the devil to morrow no the truly godly man cannot serve God and Mammon God will not be served by fits and starts he will admit of no interpositions or mixtures God is a perfect God and requireth perfect obedience it must be a continued act from the first hour that the power of godliness entred into the soul even unto the expiration of its last breath it must be the souls whole desire to be continually active for God in the general course of its life That soul in whom Christ or the power of godliness dwells is often in communion with God yea and it prizeth it at an higher rate then heaven and earth and all things that can be thought upon there is no pleasure profit preferment or dignity whatsoever that can divert him from this fellowship wherein
shall be for exhortation and first to you Christians who upon examination have found that godliness dwels in you and that God hath poured his grace into your souls to you I say walk up to your mercies hath God made choice of you for vessels of mercy and given his Son to you himself to you yea an earnest-peny of life and glory into your souls hath God made you to see that you are passed from death to life and made you know that when you enter into the Ocean of Eternity it shall be to be with him forever O stand and admire free grace let not his benefits slip out of your mindes let them provoke you to love and fear him that hath loved you above many thousands that are and shall go into the place of condemnation who were as good as you that were of the same lump with you and had not God took more pity on your souls then he did on theirs you had been in the same condition with them well mayest thou say What was my soul that thou wert so mindful of it that thou wouldest love it so yea when it lay in its blood even then thou didst say unto it Live O what a mercy is this Let it not be said of you as it was of King Hezekiah that he returned not thanks according to the mercies he received O let none have cause to say of you that you walk out of the redeemeds path as you have received mercy above others so let your graces shine in your conversation and walking towards God and towards men above others as you have received much so act much that others seeing your godly conversation may give glory honor and praise to the God of your mercies hath God selected you to be his people and put his graces into your souls hath God taken you for his inheritance O then do you take God to be your portion yea be content with him alone for he is God all-sufficient O then walk before him and be you perfect and upright O Christians what have you to do with this world your imployment is above your treasure is in heaven your glory your excellency your All is in your God and in your Christ O know that you do mightily dishonor your God your selves your calling to be tumbling and turmoiling your selves about things here below O arise and depart for this is not your rest How dishonorable a thing would it be to see a Prince raking in the dunghil and keeping dunghil rakers company taking them for his associates certainly men would say that this man did mightily forget himself and did not minde his Crown his dignity and glory O then you who are of a noble stock who are of the root of Jesse who are all the children of the most High of the King of Kings Rev. 1.7 yea you who are Kings yourselves hath not Christ washed you in his own blood made you Kings and Priests to God yea are not you the heirs of Salvation are not Angels appointed to attend your persons hath not Christ taken you for his companions and redeemed you from the earth O how dishonorable a thing is this to you that your affections and your conversations are so earthly are so low and base seeing you are born to so much dignity stand upon your terms elevate your spirits be proud of your birth-right minde heavenly things live where you should and use the things of this world as if you used them not and hath God poured out himself to you in the face of his Son have the very bowels of heaven been rowled together and turned towards you O then pour out your souls to God live upon that fountain of love and sweetness cast you selves into that bosom of loves which is altogether lovely who is the chiefest often thousands who only can fill your spirits and satisfie your souls at all times even Jesus Christ the Lord of life and glory Rejoyce you the Saints of the most High I say to you Rejoyce and be exceeding glad in your condition let what will come upon you as persecution reproaches revilings and all maner of evil falsly for Christs sake O let not this trouble you let men of the world see that you can live above these Do they hate you saith Christ they hated me also O let no earthly affliction bitter your comforts let no cloud over-cast your heaven let not your Sun admit of any eclipse let not all this world can do sad your spirits let your joy be spiritual and permanent O let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in the Lord let no troubles overwhelm your spirit for the momentany afflictions that can fall upon the Saints here in this world are not worthy thy to be compared to the great and exceeding weight of glory which is laid up for you in heaven O remember it s not onely given to the Saints to believe but also to suffer so that sufferings are as really the gifts of God as faith and therefore you ought to rejoyce in sufferings as in beleevings for it s given you of your Father in which you ought to rejoyce seeing he hath also given you faith patience to carry you thorow your sufferings O remember God might have called you unto sufferings and not have given you faith nor patience to endure but seeing he hath fitted you with supporting power for such a condition rejoyce and clap your hands for joy for herein is your Father glorified that you are obedient children to his will and that you maintain his cause and truth against his enemies Hath God bestowed grace upon you and put godliness with power into your souls and do you perceive so much excellency in it that you would not be in your former unregenerate condition for ten thousand worlds O then do you labor and bestir your selves to make others in love with godliness let your praises and exaltations of free grace excite others to fall in love with that beauty of beauties holiness and sanctity of life you know when David had tasted of that sweetness and excellency that was in God and in his wayes observe his tender invitation O saith he come taste and see how gratious the Lord is O see what the Lord hath done for my soul true godliness is communicative a godly man is no Ingrosser no Patentee no close fisted Miser he is always free his Treasure is open his Riches are distributive he will not let his gold to rust but will be always calling and alluring others to come and taste and participate of what he hath received he will not Monopolize his graces he will always be teaching instructing and imparting his Knowledg unto others he is not born for himself but to do his Country good that is his poor brethren and fellow-members now therefore examine your selves do you in your Families among your associates yea and to the whole world declare by all means that possibly you can by your words and actions
London and thou a whoremaster a swearer a drunkard a prophane person what at London and yet in thy natuall estate not one dram of Grace not one grain of godliness I tell thee it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment then for such a man as thou art tell me O sinner what thou hast to say for thy self O thou wilt be like that man at the Feast which had not on the wedding garment the Text saith He was speechless he had not one word to say for himself no more shalt thou O thy condition will be woful thy estate most miserable if thou lookest before thee the dreadful Judg is ready to pronounce the irrevocable sentence against thee if on the Judges right hand there the Saints are to joyn with Christ in thy Sentence if on his left hand there are a company of wicked wretches in the same condition with thy self if thou lookest behinde thee there is Hell and Satan ready to receive thee as soon as Judgment is given O then thou shalt be banished from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power and that for ever Remember these things all you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you O what do you think of a soul in this estate that is thus cast eternally into the sea of the wrath of God every man will say this is a lost soul indeed it s undone for ever Now what aggravations of misery will be multiplied upon thy soul by these subsequent considerations First for a soul to think with himself and know and say O I am undone I am undone O I am now in a worse condition then any creature that ever God made for God did never create any creature so miserable as man makes himself to be he having plunged himself into it by sin O now thy body is made miserable as well as thy soul for the body was that instrument by which the soul acted so much to Gods dishonor O did God curse the Serpent for being the devils instrument so will God curse thy body as thy soul is cursed to all eternity Secondly Thy torments shall be such as no tongue can express If the wrath of God against Christ onely when sin was but imputed was so heavy that it made him to sweat clods of blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Original word signifies what dost thou think will be the wrath of God to thee who hast acted sin and that all thy life time who hast done nothing else but sinned and thrown dirt in the very face of a pure God giving God the lye by thine unbelief O if the Saints did apprehend the displeasure of God to be so terrible as Job when he complained that the poyson of Gods arrows did drink up his spirits Job 6.4 Psal 38.2 and David that his arrows did stick fast in him so that there was no soundness in his flesh nor rest in his bones O what will thy complaint be thou undone soul None shall pity thee in this condition which makes it the more comfortless it s some ease to a man in misery to have some to pity and condole with him in his affliction sympathy in affliction is as a cordial to a fainting spirit it recreates the wearied soul and intermits the fits of its distresses but here is no fellow-feeling no recreation no intermission which addeth weight to weight to the utter depression of thy soul into restless torments God himself he shall laugh at thee for he saith That he will laugh at their destruction Pro. 2.24 and mock when their fear cometh upon them Angels and Saints they shal not regard thee the father shal not pity the son nor the son the father the husband the wife nor the wife the husband nor the mother him that drew her breast all relations shall be forgotten and all pitty banished The misery will prove an unexpected misery and so the sadder what greater pricking to the heart then for a man to miss of his end and to be frustrated of his hopes it may be thou thoughtest thou wert going to heaven and now thou art dropt into hell thou expectedst mercy and reapest fury thou expectedst reward and gatherest revenge this is the condition of most men in the world they would take it as a mighty injury and disgrace unto them if you do but question them of their latter end and if they were certain of the place whither they should go if a man should deal plainly with them and tell them they were going to hell and condemnation O they would be ready to fly in such a mans face and brand him for a censorious person and an uncharitable man so that men in this condition lose their expectation and so become out of measure miserable When a man shall consider with himself in this woful condition that he hath not only damned his soul for the world profits pleasures or profaness but also that now he is deprived of these too for which he brought this estate upon himself what to have a soul to perish for nothing not to enjoy these things for which it hath paid so dear a price to pay for profits and pleasures and not to possess them to carry them to the Lands end and then to leave them behinde O what flouds of tears what ejulations what inexpressible mournings would this cause in a poor soul O poor soul know that there is a greater loss then all these for now thou being in hell thou hast lost God Christ the company of Saints and Angels for ever now thou hast nothing in lieu for this great and infinite loss if any 't is onely this thou hast exchanged pleasures for pain happiness for misery life for death thou hast sold thy God Christ heaven and glory and hast purchased Satan hell and confusion O this is a most dreadful aggravation this is a loss unvaluable If it be the highest happiness of man in heaven and the glory of the Angels to behold the presence of the Lord and to partake of the beams of his glory O then it must needs be the depth of all misery to be deprived of such excellency and glory by being banished from the presence of the Lord 2. Sam. 14.32 Absolon thought if worse then death to be kept from the presence of his Father when he had killed his brother Ammon you know it s said Matt. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God O then cursed are the defiled and wicked in heart for they shall not see him For without holiness no man shall see God saith the Apostle but there is no holiness in hell therefore none in hell shall see the Lord. Lastly That as thy torments are unexpressible so they are endless when a man hath suftred ten thousand years in hell under the stroke of divine Justice then is he as far from deliverance as at
Saints do so often fall and slip is because they trust to their own strength and rest not on this power which they receive from Jesus Christ for he that hath this power in his soul and doth make use of it by Faith it may contend against Sin Corruption Death and Hell it self yea and overcome all as the Apostle saith I am able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me In him we are more then conquerors and certainly did we but know what comforts we lose and what foiles we receive in not making use of this power it would put us upon our Watch and Guard and make us careful to keep Centinel by this power in our souls Had David and others made use of this power and stood upon their Watch he had not committed Adultery Peter had not denied his Master Jacob got the Blessing by a lye Abraham denied his wife for fear of Pharoah and so divers others which I could wish might be as Landmarks unto us whilst we sail through the sea of this world Reas 3 Why godliness comes with power into the souls of the Saints is that it might put another frame of spirit into them then they had before as the Lord spake of Caleb Because he had another spirit with him therefore he shall see the Land yea I will bring him into it and his seed shall possess it Yea he followed me fully saith the Text now this Spirit was nothing else but the Spirit of Faith so he fulfilled after me as the Hebrew Word signifieth that is He was constant in obedience to Me or to my Commands Certainly where Grace raigns in the soul sin doth not onely decay but die the man is become another man as Paul when he was converted he was another man then he was before he was of a new mould a new temper before he persecuted the Saints but now he embraceth them and preacheth to them before he knew not who Christ was Who art thou Lord but now he doth not onely know Christ Ego non sum ego but preacheth Christ and suffereth for him yea now he is willing to die for him yea the Saints know this by experience that there is a certain vis a power infused into the soul from God which was not before in them otherwise they could never have had any dominion oversin never have been made new creatures but should have still remained under the power of darkness and in their natural estate they should never have known any difference betwixt themselves and the wickedest man on the earth but should have committed the same abominations with them they should never have been translated from death to life neither should their spot have been differenced or known from the spot of the wicked had not God made them experimentally to know and feel a mighty overawing and sin-conquering power sent and let in unto their souls from the Almighty Spirit of God which doth divide between the marrow and the bone between the Flesh and the Spirit Reas 4 That it may make us to carry on Gods great design in the advancing of the Lord Jesus for in such souls where this power comes Christ is greatly exalted in his Kingdom in his person and in his offices for he that believeth glorifieth the Father who hath sent his Son into the world and the Son who is the glory of the father these souls put to their seals that God is true such a soul gives a testimony unto the world that whatsoever God hath said of his Son in the word is the very truth of God yea it can freely adventure all and lay all upon Christ for life and salvation yea had it ten thousand souls it would cast them all into Christs arms it s resolved there to live and there to die its faith is surely fixt that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it come what will come he is confident that neither life nor death principalities nor powers shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord thus is the soul sustained and upheld by the power of grace and acts couragiously to and for Christ and the exaltation of his glory Reas 5 That such a soul where this power comes may strongly hold its communion with Christ that as Christ gives out of himself and fulness unto the soul by a direct act so the soul may be somewhat enabled to retribute unto Christ of what he hath received by a reflect act as the beams of the Sun are made reflective by the earth unto us which is the cause of the heat we feel so the beams of the Sun of righteousness descending and coming into the soul make it warm vigorous and communicative to and for God and as it hath received mercies so it will be alwayes returning praises whereunto it would be altogether dead for by nature we are dead to every good work had it not first been enlivened and quickened with a power from above for we cannot stir nor move for God until he stirs and moves in us we are altogether senseless till made sensible by him t is in him we live we move and have our being we could not love God had not he loved us first nor could we give out our selves unto Christ did not Christ first breathe into our souls the spirit and power of grace and therefore we may well say that none can hold communion with Christ but those and those onely to whom Christ sends the power of godliness Reas 6 That godliness may predominate and bear rule and sway in the soul that it may be the Queen Regent and sole governess thereof that as sin hath formerly raigned to Gods dishonor so now grace may raigne to Christs glory That as sin hath raigned unto death Rom. 5.21 even so might grace raign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord so that as sin hath mastered and over-powred all the faculties of the soul and members of the body in bringing of them in subjection to Satan so now godliness sitting upon the throne exerciseth them for Christ and brings them into subjection unto him now grace and godliness stand Centinel in the soul and command all so that when any cavalering lust or corruption appears it may take them off or if they should prevaile through frequent assailings that then the soul may flee to Christ for more forces to incounter and cast them out for Christ he hath promised to assist his people against all their enemies who by the power of his death will bury all his and his Saints enemies in his grave so as they shall never prevaile against them here nor hereafter Reas 7 That it may continue a soul in that new nature whereunto it hath been begotten again unto Christ for were it not that there were a certain power in godliness to keep the soul from falling into its old natural condition and a spiritual physick to