Particulars and you have the conversation that becometh the Gospel wherein that I may perswade as well as direct you consider these following Arguments 2. This is to them to your Adversaries an evident token of perdition this united humble peaceable unanimous boldness in your holy course whereby you walk in the Spirit and power of the Gospel and are not frighted or terrified out of it this is and will be to your Persecutors an evident token of Perdition The falls and flaws in the Lives of Saints and their Quarrelings and Divisions amongst themselves do strengthen the hands and the confidence of sinners against them The fears and faintings of Saints are the flushings of sinners when Saints hang the wing sinners lift up the head The Majesty and Beauty of an holy life joyned with and humble and patient Magnanimity and undantedness will be a dart in the Liver of the Enemies of it It is an evident token to them of Perdition It is not only a Death-Token upon them Persecution is a black mark of a Son of Perdition but it is an evident Token unto them It will read them their Doom it will make their own hearts to fall upon themselves and their own consciences to give them their Sentence 2. This is to you an evident Token of Salvation but to you of Salvation The word is sure To him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God If we be dead with Christ we shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together with him To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me on my Throne even as I have overcome and am set down with my Father on his Throne Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Salvation and that of God There 's much in that Addition and that of God it notes that the Salvation of the suffering Saints shall be Sure Great 1. It notes That their Salvation shall be sure You shall certainly be saved for God hath undertaken for it that 's the import of the expression If it be God that justifies who shall condemn If it be God that will save who shall destroy The matter is sure you shall be saved and that of God It may be Sathan will promise Hearken to me and I will save you harmless But he is a Liar and a Deceiver he is weak and cannot false and will not It may be the evil World will tell you If thou wilt cast in thy Lot with us take our Advice follow our Example come along with us thou may'st save thy self all this harm and loss But there is as much trust to the children as to the Father of Lies But if the Lord God the God of Power the God of Truth sayes I will save who will say nay 2. It notes that their salvation shall be great The great God will do for them great things He will save them by a mighty Salvation He will save them against all those mighty hindrances that lie in the way Who art thou O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain All the difficulties and unlikelihoods all the astonishing and flesh-non-plus-ing Obstacles that stand in the way of their Redemption will be nothing before the mighty God He will save them from their mighty sins sufferings and fears from the vanity and vexations of this Earth and from the vengeance of eternal fire Christians Do but go on walk with Christ suffer with Christ and â—ear none of those things which you shall suffer and this shall be to you an evident Token of Salvation and that of God 3. Consider again the Argument of the Text These things do and the God of Peace shall be with you What encouragement there is in this promise I have already shew'd you Two things I shall only mention here one of which hath been insisted on already Consider First If God be with you all shall make for you Secondly If God be with you you shall shortly be with God 1. If God be with you all shall make for you Remember what you have heard out of Rom. 8. 28 31. Christians perhaps you will not know how to make a good Construction of some Providences that may possibly befal you before you dye Such Cases there may be that Providence may seem to be a plain Contradiction of the Promise Suppose the People of God in any Nation under Heaven should at any time have not only an Iâ—undation of temporal Calamities Famine and Pestilence and Sword Oppression Rapine and Cruelty but a Floud of Spiritual Judgments also breaking in upon them a Famine of the Word an Eclipse of the Light of the glorious Gospel among them their green Pasture trodden down their pure Waters puddled God's Spiritual Worship made to give place to Will-worship Superstition and Idolatry the Institutions of God to the inventions of Men his House made an Habitation for Dragons for the Scritch-Owl and Bittern for Ziim and Jim and every unclean thing And that in such a time when they had given themselves to more than ordinary praying and fasting and humbling themselves and repenting of their iniquities when they had set their faces towards Sion and were full of hopes that the Lord was about to build and to plant to cast out their rubbish to repair their ruins to bring in their peace like a River and to establish his Tabernacle amongst them Suppose that in such a time the Lord should even spit in their faces should dash all their hopes and put into their hands a cup of trembling should bring trouble upon their loyns and cause darkness to cover their faces should expose them to scoâ—â— and contempt make them a reproach and a by-word should suffer them to be trampled upon as the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things Suppose you should have liv'd in such times and places and have heard them complaining thus All things work for good why we see all things fall out for the worse so far are our evil things from working for good that our good things have wrought our hurt Not only our outward good things our peace and our plenty but our spiritual good things have undone us our spiritual Liberties and Priviledges our Ordinances our Duties our Prayers our Fastings our Zeal for the Lord of Hosts not only our sins but our Prayers our repentings our reformings have undone us We have prayed and fasted to good purpose we have even prayed our selves into poverty contempt darkness confusion into the snares that have been laid for us and into the hands of those that hate us All these things are against us all our fears are come upon us all our comforts yea and our hopes too are running from us the whole course of Providence seems to be driven on to our utter ruine every day every hour it grows darker and darker
The treasures of wisdom are found with them they have gotten great treasure 66 1. The Pearl 67 2. The white Stone 68 3. The white Robe 69 4. The Adoption 71 5. The Inheritance 73 Use 1. Advising the profane world to forbear censuring or reproaching them 77 Use 2. Perswading them to come in and be of this number 80 The absolute necessity of precise godliness is evidenced 1. From Scripture 82 2. From Reasons drawn from Scripture in six Propositions 1. The Gospel requires as indispensably necessary to Salvation inward Holiness 86 2. This inward Holiness which the Gospel requires is an holy frame or habit 87 3. This inward habitual holiness stands in an universall compliance of the heart with the whole will of God 88 4. This inward habitual holinesse is such as bears the sway and hath the preheminence in the soul 89 5. This inward habitual prevailing holinesse where-ever it is will infallibly bring forth a precise and circumspect life 90 Therefore 6. Whosoever is not a person of a precise life is undoubtedly in the state of damnation The Contents of the Sermon on John 1. 47. THe Text opened 94 The Doctrine propounded Godliness is no Fancy 95 The Doctrine explained 96 The Doctrine confirmed ib. I. The Principles or Doctrines of Godliness are no Fancies Instanced in the Doctrines 1. of God his Being and Holinesse 97 2. Of Sin 100 3. Of Redemption 109 4. Of Regeneration 115 5. Of Faith 123 6. Of Good Works 126 7. Of Judgment 140 II. The Duties and Comforts of Godlinesse are no fancies 151 Instanced in the Duties of 1. Worshipping God in the Spirit ib. 2. Walking in the Spirit 1. What is meant by the Spirit 157 2. What by walking in the Spirit 158 1. Living under the conduct of the Spirit 160 2. Living in the power of the Spirit ib. 3. Living a spiritual life 161 The Life of the Saints evidenced to be a spiritual and Heavenly life by three things 1. Their chief dealings are about spiritual and heavenly things 162 2. Their delights are in spiritual and heavenly things 3. By their spiritual dealings and delights themselves grow dayly more and more spiritual and heavenly 166 3. That walking in the spirit is no fancy 167 Proved from four damnable absurdities that would otherwise follow viz. If there be no such thing really as walking in the Spirit 1. Then the Spirit of God is unfaithful in his Office 170 2. Then God himself is false in his promise 171 3. Then the Devil does more to the damning than the spirit of God doth to the saving of souls ibid. 4. Then God hath no people in the world 173 An exception against the reality of the delights joys and comforts of godliness answered 174 The Application Use Of Direction 1. To the ungodly in order to the bringing them to a godly life 194 Direct 1. Get these three Principles fixed in your hearts 1. That things Eternal are unspeakably more considerable than tâ—ings temporal 195 2. That things not seen are as infallibly certain as the things that are seen 198 3. That according to your present choice must be your eternal lot 202 Direct 2. Make your choice 203 Direct 3. Imbarque with Christ 204 Direct 4. Resign up your selves to Christ 210 Direct 5. Confirm and compleat all by solemn Covenant 215 2. To the Godly in order to the carrying them on in a Godly Life 227 To whom are given Directions 1. Concerning holy Duties 2. Concerning the leading an holy life Four things premised concerning the influence of holy duties on an holy Life 1. Holy Duties are the exercise of Grace 228 2. In holy Duties we have communion with God ibid. 3. By holy duties we obtain new and fresh supplies from God 229 4. Holy Duties are our conflicting with corruption 232 The Directions concerning holy Duties are such as have respect 1. To the right performance of them 2. To the right improvement of them Directions for the right performance of the duty of Prayer 1. Be constant in the exercise of daily Prayer 233 2. Come to pray with actual and great expectation 237 3. Learn the skill to plead with God in Prayer 238 Four special arguments from which the Saints may plead with God in prayer viz. from 1. God himself his Gracious Nature 239 Glorious Name 241 2. Christ 1. Gods gift of Christ ibid. 2. Christs purchase ibid. 3. The Interest which Christ hath in the Father 242 4. The interest the Saints have in Christ ib. 3. Promises 4. Experiences The use and benefit of the Saints pleading with God in prayer 243 Four special arguments from which Sinners may plead with God in prayer 244 1. God Gracious nature 246 2. Gods call and invitation 247 3. Christ his Sufficiency 248 Office 249 4 Their own necessity ib. 4. Prayer in Faith 251 Directions for performing the Duty of holy meditations Page 239 1. The chief matters to be meditated on reduced to seven Heads 1. God 240 2. Sin 244 3. Christ 247 4. The vanity and misery of a worldly life 251 5. The nature excellency and necessity of a godly Life 254 6. Death and Judgment 257 7. Eternity 263 Some particular advice for the better managing of this duty 269 Directions for the right performance of the Duty of Self-Examination 271 The matters to be examined 1. Whether you be in a state of grace or in a state of Sin 273 There are three marks for the tryal of that 274 2. Whether you are in a languishing or flourishing state 286 Three helps for the finding out that 287 Several causes of languishing or hindrances of flourishing in grace 1. Overly performance of Christian duties 289 2. Vnprofitable converse with Christian Friends ibid. 3. Vnnecessary converse with carnal friends ib. 4. Overmuch business in the world 290 5. The remaining guilt of some unrepented sin ib. 6. Some unmortified lust ib. 7. Sloathfulnesse 291 8. Contentednesse with a poor and low condition ib. Directions for the renewing your Covenant Four things pâ—emised 1. Every sincere Christian is entred into Covenant with God 309 2. Christians do often break Covenant ib. 3. Breaches of Covenant do weaken the obligation of the Covenant and how 311 4. The renewing of your Covenant doth revive the obligation of it 312 Directions 1. For the time when Four special times when this Duty is to be performed ib. 2. For the manner how Directions for the right improvement of holy Duties 1. When ever you set upon Duty resolve to put hard for it to obtain such sensible communion with God in it that you may come off with some lively impressions of God upon your hearts 315 2. What holy lively frame you have attained to in duty be careful to maintain afterwards from duty to duty 317 Directions for the carrying on a constant holy course I. In your whole course pursue and as much as possible eye your End God and your own Salvation 322 II. Walk on in the Name of the
testimony of their own Consciences This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 2. A witness in the world Ye are witnesses your eyes have seen what our lâ—fe hath been be but true witnesses and then be you witnesses speak but what you have seen and speak the worst among you that believe the world will be ready to say you are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are amongst your selves I but says he let them that believe speak those that have been with us publickly and privately what our conversation hath been if it be said they are of your own party and will not speak all they know then he appeals to a third witness a Witness in Heaven and God also he that seeth things before whom are all our ways he that seeth all things seeth our integrity and blamelesseness But here that I be not mistaken I must distinguish betwixt their aims or what they are pressing and reaching towards and their attainments or what they have reached to The aims of these cricumspect Christians in their whole course are at perfection Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark they would keep their way without the least wandring they would not tread one step awry they would not speak one word amiss they would not think one thought amiss they would not neglect any one duty nor commit any one sin but would be what the Apostle would have them to be Holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation These are their Aims and as to their Attainments though they fall short of their desires they cannot do as they would The good that I would I do not yet they do their best they follow the Lord with the best of their understanding serve the Lord with the best of their strength and when they have done their best they mourn and grieve that 't is no better That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord which their hearts are set upon I shall consider it 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment 2. As it hath respect to Conscience 1. Their exact walking as it hath respect to the Commandment stands 1. In having respect to every Commandment to the whole Word of God Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you The life of a Christian is a busie life the Words of God finds us much work to do we have work for every faculty and member our understandings have their work our wills affections consciences tongues ears eyes hands have all their particulars works assigned them every grace hath its work faith hath its work love hath its work patience hath its work every lust makes us work to restrain deny watch crucifie them these are weights and clogs that will hang on and will hinder us from all other works if we let them alone these are working against us continually and apt to set us on work against our selves a working mischief and ruine to our souls if they be not continually looked to and kept under We havâ— work against us for every condition our prosperity finds us much work to keep our selves humble heavenly watchful in an holy fear and jealousie lest the contentments and pleasures of this life make an invasion and inrode upon our hearts and spoyle us of our graces and comforts Our afflictions find us work to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting from murmuring and envying at those whose way doth prosper We have all the set and solemn duties of Religion to attend upon we have praying work and hearing work and Sacrament work and reading work and heart-searching work and meditating work We have work to be done for others our neighbours and acquaintance our friends and our enemies our families our servants our children we have not only work to do for them as men but work to do for God with them God hath work for us to do among our neighbours God hath work for us to do in our families and for our friends and enemies instructing work reproving work praying work works of mercy and charity c. we have a continual succession of work every day hath its businesse Christians must have no sleeping dayes their very Sabbaths must be working dayes we must be at work for our souls even on those dayes wherein we must do no bodily work There remains a rest for the People of God such a rest wherein they shall work no more nor be weary any more wherein all their work shall be to eat of the fruit of their doings but on this side that rest there is no rest but we must be full of labour You see the Word hath provided much work for Christians now those that are circumspect and upright and in the way will be through pac'd and stick at nothing the Word requires they 〈◊〉 for any service ready for every good work they will not pick and choose they will not halt or baulk with God but as the Apostle Col. 4 10. Endeavour to stand compleat in all the Wills of God Those duties that have most pain in them those duties that have most hazard attending them those duties that have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper and dispositions if they be duties if the word sayes This must be done this is that which the Lord requires an upright heart will yield and stoop to them Brethren if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of God that you cannot consent to but allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of concerning which you say with Naaman The Lord spare me in this one thing whatsoever else you do you can have no comfort that your hearts are upright 2. In having respect to the most spirituall and inward part of the Commandment the Commandment contains fugienda and facienda sins to be avoided and duties to be performed and both these are either outward or spiritual 1. As there are outward sins to be avoided sins of the mouth sins of the eyes ears hands so there are inward sins spiritual wickednesses evil thoughts Jer. 4. 14. unclean lusts Mat. 5. 28. inordinate affections an evil conscience and the like now sincere Christians have an eye to and hold a strict hand upon these spiritual wickednesses 〈◊〉 to have their consciences purged their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience their affections and lusts mortified Gal. 5. 24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections an lusts their care is not only that they be no drunkards or swearers nor lyars nor railers nor oppressors nor of proud froward fretful impatient carriages and behaviours but they would not covet they would not lust they would not be of proud impatient fretful envious unpeaceable hearts they would not that an evil thought not a vain thought should
by the soul there is the light of the Word shining in every Christian Secondly It is embraced approved consented to there is the love of the Law in the heart of a Christian the heart closes with it and all that it requires as a good word and worthy of all acceptation A Christian doth not only accept the Promises of the Gospel as good words and comfortable words but can heartily write Good is the Word of the Lord upon every precept he likes his Duties as well as his Priviledges his work as well as his reward This cowardliness of heart is set forth in those expressions of a willing mind a ready mind a forward mind And as his heart is towards his works so is it for any work the Lord calls it to he hath respect to all the Commandments he would not be without one leaf no nor one line of the whole Word of God he is ready to every good work he would not have one duty abated to him of all that God hath required he would not have one sin allowed to him of all that God hath forbidden him He that sayes concerning any one word in the whole will of God This I must have struck out or be dispensed within it ere I can be a Christian his heart is not upright He that would have any one sin to be no sin any one duty to be no duty any one sin to be allowed him or any one duty to be abated him is no Christian 4. This inward habitual Holiness is such as beares the sway and hath the perheminence in the heart though sin be there still yet where there is true Grace sin is an underling and brought into captivity it hath lost that power and interest which it had in the Sould before and the heart is now given up to God the stream runs Heavenward the stream of the thoughts the stream of the affections run that way God and the way of Holinesse hath a greater share and greater power in the heart than all the world there is more love to God stronger resolutions for following God than can be ballanced by the highest interest of the flesh God and the World stand as two suâ—tors for the heart but God carries it from the world so that as before it followed the world with the neglect of God now it will follow God with the neglect of the World before it would it may be mind God and godliness as far as it could without prejudice to its worldly interest so far as it could with honour or ease or safety but now it will mind the world and its â—leâ—hly interest so far only as is consistent with godliness and a good conscience this is sincerity and the clearest and most certain evidence of it Can we imagin that we love God sincerely when we love the World better wheâ—â— we love our ease or credit or pleasures or carnaâ—â— friends better When these can do more with us and command farther than God and golry Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Luke 14. 33. Whosoever he be of you that forsake not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple If there be any certain unquestionable Truths in the whole Doctine of the Gospel this is one of them That whosoever hath true saving Grace hath more love to God and holiness than to all things else whatsoever Though it be controverted Whether common grace and saving grace do not differ more than indegree yet this is without controversie That saving grace doth contain in it an higher degree of love to God than to all things else 5. This inward habitual prevailing holiness where ever it is will infallibly bring forth this strict precise and holy life For First That holiness in the heart will bring forth holiness of life is as naturally certain as that he that hath the life and reason of a man will act as a man as that a root will bring forth such branches and fruit as partake of the kind and nature of the root as that a fig-tree will bring forth figs that an olive-tree wil bring forth olives Secondly It is as certain that according to the proportion of holiness in the heart such will be the proportion of it in the life if holiness bear the sway in the heart it will bear the rule in the life if that little good that is in the heart be held as an underling in the Soul thereafter will the â—ife be this is as certain as that the Soul governs â—he Body Thirdly It 's no less certain that the lowest deâ—ree of prevailing holiness in the heart will â—â—ring forth this precise holy life In the sense I â—ave described it that is though there be not â—erfect holiness brought forth though he that â—ath a lower degree of true grace fall much shorâ—er of that perfection than he that hath an highâ—er degree though there be many failings and wandrings and weaknesses and turnings aside to â—niquity through corruption and temptation yet thus far the lowest of Saints have arrived That his â—ims desires endeavours are after a perfectly holy â—ife he hath a respect to every Commandment â—o every Duty he doth not habitually allow himself in any iniquity there is some change in his course actually appearing and this he purposes to himself and sets his heart upon it to grow up dayâ—y to a more thorow and universal conformity to all the principles of godliness laid down before him â—n the Scriptures and made manifest in his consciâ—nce This is as certain as the two former He that is â—incere would be perfect in the true love of holiness is necessarily included a love and longing for it in the perfection of it He that loveth holiness for it self will love it most when it is most it self in its perfection and love and longing will infallibly bring forth labouring and following after Therefore 6. Whosoever is not truely a person of a precise life is certainly in the state of damnation This so clearly follows from the former Propositions that it needs no further proof He that is not inwardly habitually universally sanctified he that loves any thing more than God or godliness that is he that is not converted and new born and so beâ—come a new Creature is actually in the state of damnation and he who is not a precise walker is not thus converted new born or sanctified for whoever is made this new Creature will infallibly make it appear as hath been proved by this newness of life You see Beloved to what issue this matter is brought either you must take up this strict way of holiness or be reprobates from God Whosoever there be amongst you that have the most rooted enmity in your hearts against this holiness of life and have cast the greatest slight and contempt on it and those that thus live and as Michael did David do despise them in your hearts whoever among you are most
of the soul Reading of the word is not the exercise of the eye onely but of the understanding Prayer is not an exercise of the tongue onely but of the heart it sets all the faculties of the soul on work it sets the several graces on work iâ— sets faith on work it sets hope and holy desires on work and grace kept in action will be by so much the more active and powerful in the whole course 2 In Duties we have an intimate converse with God Therefore they are sometimes called Our drawing â—igh to God Lev. 10. 3. I will be sanctified in them them that come nigh me Sometimes Our meeting with God Amos 4. 12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israel to meet with a Present as Jacob met his angry Brother to meet him with a Prayer and supplication Exod. 25. 32. There will I meet thee when the Saints go up to meet the Lord the Lord comes down to give them a meeting Sometimes Our visiting of God Isay 26. 16. In their trouble they have visited thee When God visiteth his people with a Rod they visit him with a Prayer when we come to Duty as we ought we put our selves under Gods eye we set the Lord before our face it 's necessary to the right performance of Duties that we have right and clear apprehensions of God deep impressions of the Majesty of God of his Omnipotence Omnipresence Holiness Goodness and Faithfulness upon our hearts This is required in that forementioned expression I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Now what an influence will this have upon the upholding and carrying on the life of God in us to have daily such a sight of God before our eyes and such a sense of God upon our hearts 3 In Duties we obtain new supplies and fresh influences from God The flourishing state of a Christian is set forth Isay 58. 11. by a well-watered Garden and Jer. 31. 12. it is promised They shall come and flow together to the goodness of the Lord for Wheat and for Corn and for Wine and for Oyl And their soul shall be as a well-watered Garden Where observe these three things 1 That the watering of the soul is from the goodness of the Lord all the dews and showers of Grace are from above our Springs do not rise in our own Gardrns All my Springs are in thee 2 All the influences of the grace and goodness of the Lord are gotten down by your applying your selves to him in duty That is the meaning of that expression They shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord they shall assemble and come together to seek the Lord. 3 The People of God in their addresses to him in Duty though it be but for a supply of things temporal do get something for their souls They shall come for Wheat and for Wine c. And their souls shall be as a well-watered Garden We never come to pray for any temporal mercy and pray as we should but our souls are gainers thereby A Christian cannot come near the Throne of Grace for any thing bot his heart hath a share in the Blessing And there are three Reasons for it 1 A Christian never prays for temporal mercies but he hath some words or other to speak for his soul 2 Prayer whatever it be for is the souls drawing nigh to God and exercising it self on God And the soul never goes to God but it brings back something of God upon it even then when it may be denied the temporal mercy it seeks As when a Saint is praying for a Sinner and God will not hear him for that Sinner yet he loses not that Prayer but hath it returned into his own bosome So when the soul is praying for the concernments of the outward man though it be denied in its particular request yet its prayer shall not be lost to it self 3 Temporal merâ—ies obtained as a return of prayer are soul-blessings But now when the matter of our requests is particularly for our souls When Grace is that we come for when love and life and zeal and spiritual strength is that we come for when the watering of a dry and barren and the refreshing of a weary heart is that we seek for shall our souls then be sent bâ—rren and weary and empty away Our hearts are as Cisterns which however sometimes they may be full of water yet if there be not a supply from the Well the waters and the Cistern will waste and mud and at length dry away Duties are our labouring at the Pump which will keep the Cisterns full Isa 12. 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the Wâ—lls of Salvation Christian thou complainest thy heart is barrâ—n and dead and dry and fit for nothing Why is there not a Well by thee where there is water enough to refresh and fill thee Why doâ—st thou no oftner let down thy Pitcher or labour at the Pump why art thou no oftner with thy God Thy heart wants watering get thee oftner to the Well more praying more fasting more conversing with Christ studying the Gospel searching and sucking the Promises would quickly get thee into a better plight He that is much with God is rich in grace Thou art not so much straâ—â—ned thou canst not be brought so poor and Iean and out of case but thou knowest where there is enough to fetch thee up again thou knowest where there is a Well that hath not onely water enough healing water but Wine and Milk and Honey enough but thou must go oftner for it if thou wilt have the benefit of it Go therefore and let down thy Pitcher and thou needest not fear its coming up empty Onely in exercising thy self in duty take heed thou mistake not the Pitcher for the Well take heed thou fix not thine eye on duty as if this were thy Christ thy Fountain out of which thou mayest be supplyed Duties are but the pipes it is the Lord that is the Fountain from whence all the water comes 4 Duties are our conflicting with corruption or striving against sin When ever we are striving with God we are thereby striving against sin Duty and sin contend for the Victory whilest Duty holds up sin goes down when Duty flags sin gets up Holy Prayer will make us weary of iâ—â—quity or our iniquity will quickly make such praying a weariness unto us it is not for the interest of the flesh to suffer the heart to be much in prayer or other duâ—ies and therefore we find for the whole Generation of carnal men a little of it must serve their turn There is no such way for Christians to be revenged on sin and to see their desires on this Enemy as to bring it before the Lord. They never fight against it with greater zeal or with more success then upon their knees When the sinner kneels in earnest before his God his lusts must quickly kneel to him our confession of sin
in-come and success of all thy Duties What is all my praying reading hearing c. come to What is brought forth Is the work done for which all these are Are my Sins and my Soul parted Are my Companions in sin abandoned Is Christ and my Soul united Beware you never make Praying and Hearing to serve you instead of believing and Repenâ—ing But to help you on to it Remember these seaven Words when I am gone 1. Get a sense of thy dreadful state 2. Abandon presently every sin 3. Let not thy hope in Christ lessen thy fear of sin 4. Shake off every sinful Companion 5. Baffle not Conscience once more 6. Make a present close with Christ 7. Fall close to Duties and keep close to Ordinances These things do and the God of peace shall be with you But remember There 's no peace saith my God to the wicked 2. There are others that are near the Kingdome of God Thou art not far from the Kingdome of God There are some that are like Ephraâ—m Hosea 7 8. Cakes half baked like Agrippa almost Christians Acts 26. 29. Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast brought me within a little of Christianity They are come to the threshold of saving Faith within a step of sincere Godliness They have been professing and praying and hoping and wishing themselves in and yet are short of it They have been enlightned in the knowledge of Christ have tasted of the heavenly gift have felt somthing of the sweetness of Christ have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost of many excellent and useful gifts have tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come They have set out after Christ have left the blind and prophane VVorld much behind them have escaped much of the pollutions of this VVorld left many sins taken up with many duties have a name among the Saints have suffered many things for the Name of Christ and notwithstanding all this here they stick they cannot give themselves up fully to Christ somthing or other either the VVorld or their Companions or their pleasures or their ease or their sloth hath such hold on them that they cannot unreservedly resolvedly give themselvs up to the dominion of Jesus Christ nay it may be they cannot tell why yet they cannot do it Though they can say I would be yet they cannot say I will be the Lord's These are near the Kingdome of God but yet short of it He that cannot say I will be can less say I am the Lords But here I must distinguish of two sorts of almost Christians 1. There are some that have reached to almost and are still reaching forwards the state of such is hopeful though it be not safe Oh that we could see more such almost Christians 2. There are others that have reached to and rest in almost who mistaking almost for altogether do there take up their stand These are far from the Kingdome of God Brethren I much fear that among the number of Professors there are more of these almost Christians than we are aware of Oh it would make our hearts shake to consider how far many go to what degree of resignation resolution affection action submission to sufferings they attain and yet fall off at last and thereby shew they were still short of Christ They went out from us because they were not of us I particularly pityâ— many of the more sober Gentry who have a good will to Religion and a faiâ— respect for the Professors of it countenancing holiness doing many worthy things for the Name and Servants of God refraining from the viciousness and vanity of many of their Rank and Quality who yet dwelling in temptations being entangled in carnal correspondencies entertained with an affluence of carnal delights and pleasures and finding hereby a strict self-denying and mortified life to be of greater difficulty to them than to men of lower rank are apt to think it not of such necessity who may possibly upon a narrow enquiry discern after all their good hopes of themselves and the great opinions of others concerning them that they are yet short of that simplicity and godly sincerity which alone will prove them Christians indeed Blessed be God there are amongst us such those who have broken through all temptations have adventured upon the disobliging all the World have laid down their honours pleasures friends and all their carnal interests whatsoever at the feet of Christ and preferring a close Communion with God the peace of a good Conscience the joyes of Religion yea the very reproach of Christ above all their worldly Honours and fleshly pleasures have given themselves up to the power of the Gospel and an exemplary Spiritual and Heavenly life But it is to be feared lest there be also such who have deservedly gam'd great respect among the Saints and gone far along with them who yet are come but to the threshold of Christianity and being afraid to put in there they are in danger to perish everlastingly Quod fere fit non fit He that is but almost saved is damned for altogether Oh Friends what do you mean will you lose all the ground you have gotten all the things you have wrought shall all your sufferings for the name of Christ be lost and in vain after you have tasted the bitterness of the Croâ—s will you not go one step farther and take the joyes of the Cross Is the work of Regeneration brought to the Birth and shall it at last miscarry and prove an abortion would one step more land your Soules in the Kingdom of God are you gotten so near a shore and will you perish in the Harbour Are you gotten off from the tents of the Edomites and gotten even to the borders of Canaan and will you not enter Are you gotten to Pisgah and have a view of the Land of Promise and see that it is a good Land are you come so near as to see that true holiness is such a beautiful State such a blessed State and do you wish your selves in and will you yet die on the other side Jordan you have prayed put on a little more prayer may do it you have laboured and reasoned with and perswaded your hearts give not over a little more labour may prevail Oh that I knew what to say more that might bring you on Oh that the Lord would yet put one word or other in my mouth that might overcome you thâ—t I might shoot one Arrow more that might strike home use one Argument more that might be cogent and gain your full consent to Christ that I might see you safely landed ere I be parted from you Oh think think what a dreadful disappointment this will be for you that are come so near to godliness as that you verily think you have attained it if after all the joys pleasures and hopes the little Religion you have had hath fed you withal you should
Vindiciae Pietatis OR A VINDICATION OF Godliness In the greatest Strictness and Spiritualitâ— of it From the Imputations of FOLLY FANCY Together with Several Directions for the Attaining and Maintaining of a Godly Life By R. A. London Printed in the Year 1665. To my dearly Beloved in Christ the inhabitants of the Parish of B. in the County of S. My dearly beloved Brethren THe ensuing Sermons as they had their Birth for your sakes so are they now offered into your hands and they come unto you upon the same important errand upon which their Authour hath been sent among you viz. to shew you the Path of life and to bring you into and establish you in that holy state and way that leads to everlasting Blessedness The chief hindrances of Sinners eternal Happiness next to that innate enmity against God and Godleness which is rooted in their hearts are their prejudices against and their ignorance of the good wayes of the Lord. Sathan and his Instruments have made it their businesse by those vollies of reproaches and unreasonable calumnies which they are continually discharging against holinesse to render it in the judgement of the World an empty and contemptible thing Two things there are amongst many others which they lay to the reproach of it The one that it is folly whatever there may be in this Godlinesse yet it is attended with so many difficulties dangers and hazards and will be such an unsufferable prejudice to all that will have much to do with it that it is a foolish thing upon such hazards and disadvantages to adventure upon it If this will not do but the consciences of Men whilst they apprehend the real worth and excellency of it stand convinced that it is not Folly but wisdom to adventure on any difficulties to run any hazards for so glorious a prize then comes in the second reproach That it is but a device a specious contrivance to take up eager heads to amuse and divert the busie and keep in awe weak souls when if it be enquired into notwithstanding its glorious pretences it will be found nothing else but imagination meer fancy and no reality at all in the heart of it These impressions I have endeavoured according to my might to wipe away from your hearts and the hearts of such as read what you have heard in the ensuing discourses where I hope you will see both sufficient reason whence to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men to establish your hearts in the firm belief and resolved embracing of it and abundant encouragement to hold on your holy course to the end The other hindrance of a Godly Life is mens ignorance They walk not in the way of the Lord because they know not the way of the Lord some rude and dark notions of Religion possibly they may have but wherein the Spirit and life of Godliness stands and how to set upon an holy and heavenly course they cannot tell This hindrance I have in part prevented in that Description I have given of a godly man and more fully removed in those Directions which I have subjoyned for the obtaining and carrying on a godly Life Brethren my hearts desire and Prayer for you is that what I have done may be successful to your souls that you may be saved as the Apostle speaks that you may be brought into and established in the way of truth and may be found walking in the way of Righteousness And if the Lord shall be pleased so to follow these my endeavours with his Blessing that they may contribute any thing to this end if the Lord shall so animate these otherwise dead words by his quickening Spirit that any souls of them that are without may be added to the Church that any cubits may be added to the stature of those that are within it shall be a Crown to me and exceeding Cause of rejoycing Let the Lord Almighty have the praise for ever as from all such who shall reap any benefit hereby So from the soul of Your Servant in the Gospel R. A. The Contents of the Sermons on Ephes 5. 15. THe Text opened Page 2 The Doctrine propounded Precisians are no fools ibid. The Doctrine explained 1. Precisians are described 1. Negatively to be 1. No Pharisee 3 2. No Phanatick ib. 3. No Phrenetick ib. 2. Positively 1. By their make or constitution They are formed after the image of God 5 2. By their way or conversation Where is considered 1. The end of their conversation Where they are described to be men that are travelling to another world 8 2. Their course I. They take the right way Which is 1. Described to be The Old and Good The New and Living The Strait and Narrow Way ib. 2. Proved to be the most excellent Way It is 1. The way of Truth 14 2. The way of Holiness 15 3. The way of God 16 4. The way of the Kingdom 17 II. They are upright in the way 19 Their uprightnesse is considereed as it hath respect To the Commandement To Conscience 21 Their uprightness as it respects the Commandment stands 1. In their having respect to every Command 23 2. In having respect to the most spiritual and in ward part of every Command 24 3. In the endeavour to observe every Command to the utmost 25 1. They endeavour to get up to the highest pitch of affection care and activity ib. 2. They study and seek out after opportunities for service 26 3. They shun occasions and temptations to sin 27 4. They obstain from all appearance of evil 28 Two things added 1. When they have done all that they can they acknowledge themselves unprofitable servants 30 2. Whatever they have done they dare not trust upon it or be found in their own righteousness 32 Their uprightness as it respects Conscience exprest in two particulars 1. They take great care of Conscience 34 1. About the instructing and informing conscience ib. 2. About keeping Conscience tender 35 2. They give good heed to Conscience hearkning to and following in without turning aside 1. To the right hand either 1. By putting Religion in those things wherein God hath put none 43 2. By putting more Religion in any thing than God hath put in it ibid. 2. To the left hand 45 1. By making sins no sin duties no dutie ib. 2. By making bold with known sins and duties ib. III. From this way they will not be drawn aside by any fears or dangers on the one hand or by any flatteries or advantages on the other 46 1. A Summary description of these Precisians 51 2. Precisians are proved to be no fools from four Reasons Reas 1. God accounts them no fools 54 Reas 2. They will not be accounted fools at last neither by God nor men 55 Reas 3. The properties of wise men are found in them 58 1. They understand themselves aright They understand 1. Their Interest ib. 2. Their way 60 2. They build sure 64 Reas 4.
lodge within them 2. As there are outward duties to be performed as praying hearing works of mercy c. so there are spiritual duties purely spiritual as the internal acting of faith and love and hope and the fear of God the souls choosing of God cleaving to God rejoycing delighting in God meditating of him c. Exact Christians have a special respect to those spiritual duties in the exercise whereof stands chiefly their living in a holy fellowship communion and acquaintance with God and for outward duties their care is to perform them spiritually they pray with the mouth and pray with the spirit they praise the Lord with their lips and offer up their hearts as a spiritual sacrifice they hear with their ears and with their understanding also they labour to bring their souls under the Word to pour forth their souls in prayer to draw forth their souls in their very alms Isa 58. If thou draw forth thy soul to the hungry Psal 69. 10. I chastened my soul with fasting Oh Brethren if this be to walk exactly then how much loosenesse doth this â—iscover in us loosenesse in our very Duties men do not only 〈…〉 like Libertines and swear like Libertines aud neglect duties like Libertines but perform duties like Libertines thou that usest to pray in thy Closet or in thy Family or in the Congregation in an outward formal way and dost not pour out thy Soul in prayer thou prayest like a Libertine thou that fastest and doth not chasten thy Soul with fasting thou fastest like a Libertine thou that hearest and dost not bring thy soul under the word thou hearest like a Libertine this is loose praying and loose hearing loose from the Rule which requires the exercising of the inner man as well as the outward 3. In observing the command to the utmost and here I shall give a fourfold further description of them 1. They endeavour to get up their hearts to the highest pitch of affection care and activity They would be the best Christians the most humble the most mortified the most patient the most exemplary and active Christians not slothful in businesse but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 7. Yea what care yea without clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what vehement desire yea what zeal c. A sincere Christian would be a zealous Christian in his sincerity stands the height of it Zeal is not a distinct grace but the height of every grace Love in the height of it Desire in the height of it Care and Resolution to follow God in the height of it A zealous Christian exercises every grace performs every Duty and doth it with all his might he is not willing to spare or to favour himself but will spend and be spent in the work of the Lord the flesh will be pleading for a little ease for moderation it will be solliciting the Sobl as Peter did Christ Pitty thy self favour thy self thou wilt never hold out at this rate thou wilt pull all the Country about thine ears if thou beest thus hot and forward but the Soul returns the same answer as Christ did to him Get thee behind me Satan hold thy peace slothful heart let me alone for I will speak for God while I have a tongue to speak while I have an heart while I have an hand while I have an eye while I have a soul while I have a being I will follow on after the Lord I will serve him I will praise him I will sacrifice all I am and have to him and then come on me what will 2. They are studying and seeking out opportunities for service Such Christians are of strict lives but of large hearts of strict consciences but of large desires and aims Grace sets limits to their consciences but none to their holy affections they never do so much for God but they are studying how they may do more Isa 32. 8. A liberal Man deviseth liberal things a merciful man deviseth merciful things a righteous man deviseth righteous things he doth not only exercise Liberality and Mercy and work Righteousness when he hath an opportunity put into his hands but he sits down and considers what great things the Lord hath done for him what marvellous loving kindnesse the Lord hath shewed to him and thereupon studies and casts about what greater things then yet he hath done he may do for the Name of God as it is said of the wicked Proverbs 6. 14. He deviseth mischief continually And Psalm 64. 6. They search out iniquity they accomplish a diligent search search out for every opportunity to work wickednesse to satisfie their lust So Righteous men search out and make a diligent seach after opportunities to work Righteousnesse 2 Sam. 9. 3. Is there not yet a man left of the house of Saul saith David to whom I might shew the kindness of God Is there not yet a poer Sool in distresse to whom I might shew kindness for the Name of God Is there not yet a poor Family in misery to whom I might shew mercy Is there not yet a poor sinner to whom I might give counsel Is there not yet a poor Saint to whom I might administer comfort for the sake of my God As it is said of the Devil He goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour So may it be said of such they go up and down seeking whom they might save and recover out of the snares of the Devil other men what good soever they do it is as little as may be their consciences will not let them be quiet but something must be done when they have done so much as will but keep conscience quiet thy have done A sincere Christian hath his love to satisfie his desires to satisfie as well as his conscience he loves much and it is not a little duty that will satisfie strong love 3. They shun occasions and temptations to sin they would keep at as great a distance from sin as possible they are careful to keep far enough within their line they dare not venture to their utmost border lest they go beyond it ere they are aware A wary Christian having observed what things have proved snares and temptations to him and have drawn him aside to iniquity formerly will take heed how he comes nigh them again If carnal society hath cool'd and damp'd his heart and left a fleshly savour upon his Spirit he will take heed how he comes into such company again If going to his utmost liberty in the use of the Creatures either Meat Drink or Apparel hath inticed him beyond his bounds he will be wary how he allows himself the like liberty and will deny himself the freedom he might use rather than again run himself upon danger he is sensible of his weaknesse to stand against a temptation and thereupon is the more watchful that he run not into temptation men that are bold to venture into temptation to venture into
evil company to venture themselves among frothy and vain persons especially when they have proved what a snare such have been again and again to them it is a sign that they have little fear of sin care of their souls or consciences or regard to God or godlinesse a circumspect Christian dares not venture so prophane men wonder at them why they will be no more free nor familiar with them not so much as to fit and be merry with them They think it strange saith the Apostle that you run not with them Oh the reason is they are afraid of the hook and therefore dare not meddle with the bait 4. They abstain from all appearance of evil that is the command 1 Thess 5. 22. Abstain from all appearance of evil they would live not only sine crimine but sine labo not only without any fault but without any flaw or scar upon them Oportet Caesaris uxorem absque suspitione vivere To the end they may cut off all occasion from them that seek occasion against them they would do not only things honest but things of good report too they enquire concerning what they are about to do not only a Liceat but a Deceat not only whether it be lawful but whether it be comely there may be divers things that may be lawful in themselves which are yet unseemly may look with an evil face All things are lawful saith the Apostle but all things are not expedient A circumspect Christian endeavours both to keep a good Conscience and to keep a good Name he would keep a good Conscience for his own sake and a good Name as far as may be for his Brethrens sake his desire is both to hold up the power of Religion and to keep up the credit of Religion and therefore it is he herein exercises himself both to keep a conscience void of guile in the sight of God and a conversation void of offence in the sight of men The Servants of Christ see that there are many eyes upon them that will espy the least spot upon them and therifore their care is to keep themselves unspâ—tted of the World to carry themselves so that if it be possible the World may have nothing to spot them withall they are sensible how obnoxious they are to the severe and rigid censures of the World and that all the reproaches that fall on them fall on the Lord and his Gospel what an out-cry is there in the World against those that fear God as if they were bryars and thorns the fire-brands of the World and the troubles of Nations that run the World upside down as if there were no Lions in the world but Christs Lambs as if Christs Sheep were all Wolves and therefore to prevent this and to put to silence the ignorance and malice of evil men they endeavour as much as may be to gain upon the hearts and to get the good opinion of all men to walk so that they may not only profit but please others and render the Gospel the more lovely with them they would not only wrong no man defraud no man provoke no man but they would displease no man give no many any occasion of offence or distaste at them and their way Sinners as much as the poor Saints are cryed out against for troublesom and unquiet yet they are desirous rather to please than provoke you they would please all the world as far as they may without hurting themselves or them indeed they would not sin against God to please men they would not wound their consciences to save their credits they would not lye nor dissemble nor flatter nor connive at you nor comply with you in sin to gain your good will but as far as they can in order to your good they are willing to become all things to all men let them alone but to do their duty to God to your and their own Souls and if that do not displease you they are willing in all things to do their best that they may not offend you And thus have I given you the description of these men by the exactnesse of their walking according to the Scriptures which stands in their endeavour to have respect to every command to the most inward and spiritual part of every Command and to observe every command to the utmost to this I shall add two things 1. When they have done all that they can after this care and circumspection they will acknowledg themselves unprofitable Servants they are thankful and blesse God for helping them on in his way but yet they are humble they are so far from boasting that they have done so much that they are ashamed that they have done no more Whilst they admire the Grace of God towards them they abase and abhor themselves in dust and ashes 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I no thanks to me but to the Grace of God that was with me Some comfortable difference there hath been blessed be God betwixt my Conversation and the wayes of many others but who hath made me to differ from another or what have I that I have not received and if I have received it why should I boast as if 〈◊〉 received it not Something through the Grace of God hath been done some service hath been performed but what 's all this to what I might have done what 's all this I have done to what I have left undone How small is my service if it be compared with my sins How few are my duties if compared with my neglects Wha's all I have done for God to what I owe to the Lord to that which he hath done for me who hath redeemed my life from death and crowned me with loving kindnesse But oh What 's all I have done to what God hath promised to do for me What 's my Work to my Reward What 's my Race to my Crown Such humbling self-abasing thoughts as these do Christians exercise themselves in to lay them low even in the dust before the Lord. The prophane World brand them for a proud Generation who say to their Brethren Stand aside I am holier than you What more common in suc'h mouths precise but as proud as the Devil It 's true and Christians will freely acknowledge it and take the shame of it upon them that this pestilent Evil Pride is a weed that is apt to spring up in the Richest Gardens we can hardly be lifted up to an holy course but we are apt to be puft up with a vain conceit we can hardly do well but we are apt to think too well of what we do many a precious Christian hath groaned and travelled in pain under the bondage of a self-exalting heart but yet he 〈◊〉 bewailing it and bemoaning himself for it yea â—is very disease helps on to a cure his pride is a means to humble him his being lifted up above measure is the very thorn in his flesh that
Apostle checks telling them that circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing these are not the things wherein Religion stands keep the Commandment fear God walk before God in holiness and righteousness let your zeal be speâ—â— that way but trouble not your selves so much about these lesser matters Yet two things must here be added 1. This is not so to be undeâ—stood as if Christians were to swallow all things of this nature without examining whether they be agreeable to the Word of God or not a due regard must be had to the satisfying of Conscience even in the smallest things we may not yeild to practise any little things which are against our Consciences though we may not spend our zeal about them as if Religion lived or died with them 2. Even against these lesser things there ought to be zeal exprest if they should be like to prove destructive to the substantials of Religion and hinder the main end which they pretend to promote by this it â—ppears what I mean by turning aside to the right hand or being righteous over-much By curning aside to the left hand I mean the same which Solomon there doth by being wicked overmuch Neither be thou wicked overmuch This is not to be understood as if there were any wickedness which is not too much a little is too much it checks and restrains all liberty to sin though in many things we sin all yet let not sin get the head of thee keep it under keep it down as much as is possible least it grow to that height that it prove thy speedy ruine by turning aside therefore to the left hand understanding all declinings to licentiousness Either 1. By making duties no duties making sins to be no sins and so making the way of life broader than Christ hath made it and stretching out liberty beyond our line as turning aside to the right hand stands in the infringing of our liberty in imposing such burthens which God hath not imposed so turning to the left hand stands in taking up a liberty which God hath imposed making it noâ— matter of Conscience to be strict not only in the Circumstantials but neither in the Substantials of Religion so blinding Conscience and bribing it over to side with lust that it accounts it not a duty to be so strict and so precise in any thing but that there may be a greater latitude allowed and a remitting of our care and zeal especially in cases of any hazard or danger that our zeal and strictness is like to cost us 2. Making bold with duties and sins neglecting known duties running upon known sins making shipwrack of Conscience to satisfie lust when though Cor-science stands convinced that holinesâ— in the strictness of it is our duty and that licenciousness and living after the flesh is our sin yet we will indulge to our selves our fleshly liberty Now this is another Character of circumspect Christians they will walk according to conscience in all things without turning aside either way either to the right hand or the left they are not willing to turn aside to the right hand either by putting Religion in those things in which God hath put none or by putting more of Religion in any thing than God hath put in it their zeal is for the substantials and weighty things of Religion as for the circumstantials though they will not act in these contrary to Conscience yet they list not to be contentioâ—s a about them nor censorious of those who agreeing in the main to differ in these things from them But their great care is not to turn aside to the left hand they will not for fear of being too precise grow profuse and profane but as the Apostle Hebr. 13. 18. They have a good Conscience willing to live honestly in all things endeavouring to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godly in this present evil World being holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation III. From this way they will not be withdrawn either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand or by any fears or dangers on the other they have not taken up Religion on such slight grounds as to be either flattered or frighted out of it Christians at their first engaging in the way of the Lord do sit down and consider what it will cost them to be Christ's Disciples they count all the charges they cast up all the damages that they can be subject to before-hand and fore-see that there is enough in Châ—ist to make amends for all and to save them â—armless at the last whatever falls They count upon tribulations losses reproaches and the greatest of temptations and if they did not fore-see that the gain of Godliness would countervail all the losses and inconveniencies it's like to be attended with they would not have adventured on it but seeing for a certainty they can be no loosers hereupon they set up their staffe determining not to depart for ever They take Christ and his wayes for better for worse for richer for poorer in prosperity and affliction they resolve to stand or fall to suffer and reign to live and dye with him They promise to him as Ruth to Naomi Ruth 1. 14. As the Lord liveth I will not leave thee whither thou goest I will go where thou lodgest I will lodge They will take their Lot with Christ where ever it falls Christ hath said to them I will never forsake you Heb. 13. 15. and they have said the like to him he that hath not thus engaged is no true Christian this absolute resolution to be ever the Lord's never to forsake him is of the essence of true conversion he is no true Convert that is content to follow Christ in fair weather only as far and as long as he safely may a sincere Convert will follow Christ absolutely and unalterably Now being thus engaged whatever befalls them it is no more than they looked for they are called fools and counted stubborn and refractory self-will'd self-conceited and they looked to be counted such and so it moves them not they are set upon by flatteries and tempted by outward prosperity but it cannot prevail Thy money perish with thee says Peter Germana illa bestia non curat pecuniam 'T was said of Luther Money will do nothing with them Preferment will do nothing with them Prisons Banishment Death it self can do nothing with them None of these things move me neither â—ount I my life dear unto me so that I may finish my course with joy Acts 20. 24. And as they will not be drawn to a total Apostasie from Christ so neither will they be brought to allow themselves in any little deviation Psal 44. 17 18. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined thy way in
have been done before yet they were but the dead carcasses of duties rather than the things themselves 2. This new Life is a nâ—w Nature the Saints participation of the Nature of Christ a change of the qualities of the soul they are new Creatures that have passed the new Birth The second Adam as well as the first brings forth his Children in his own likeness The divine Birth is the bringing forth of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. As they said vainly the Gods are come down in the likeness of men It may be here said truly Men are raised up in the likeness of God renewed after his Image made partakers of his holiness Those that put any thing less in this charge than the new creature make Regeneration to be as very a contradiction as the Popish Transubstantiation Bread is made a God and yet bread is still a brute is made a Saint and yet remains a brute still A God under the accidents of bread and a Saint under the qualities of a Swine 3. This new nature is a glorious nature comprehending in it that divine light whereby the Saintâ— are inabled to understand and look into the depths of eternity the invisible things of God the mysteries of the glorious Gospel that divine love and faith and hope and the whole train of glorious graces together with those principles of righteousness Truth Mercy Charity c. whereby they are made capable of injoying fellowship and communion with God of bearing his Name shewing forth his Vertues and Praises before the world and doing his will In sum it is the Image of God the Epistle of Christ written upon the Tables of their hearts And thus much those Scriptural expressions New creatures partakers of the Divine Nature partakers of his holiness children of light with the life do signifie and import What a strange piece of vanity should we make of the Scriptures if all these high and various expressions should signifie no more than that empty and pitiful thing that carnal men do count their Religion or godliness that ever that ignorant Sottish formal brutish generation which have no more of the knowledge of God than an Heathen no more of the life of God than a Stock no more of Religion than to say over a Prayer by rote So far from being partakers of the new Nature that they know not whether there be any such thing or what it is That ever such a blind senseless multitude should be imagined to be the persons whom the Scripture means by new Creatures the Children of God the Children of Light the Images of God Much more that those that live after the flesh who are proud covetous sensual filthy beastly in their conversations yet if they have been baptized and passed under that sacramental Regeneration and do but say now and then I repent or God forgive me that these also are the children of God and have all that new Birth which is necessary to their seeing the Kingdom of God Who can with any colour of reason imagine Such as can make themselves believe this have made such a forfeiture of their understandings that they may be like in time to believe that the Devil is God and that Hell is Heaven and may even take up the Alcoran for their Bible and let the Scriptures go for a Fable Sinners consider with your selves is there any such thing as the new Birth Can there be a New Birth without a New Life Doth Christ bring forth Dead Children or do dry bones live Doth the Gospel bring forth monstrous births Children without eyes without an head without an heart or with the heart of a beast under the face of a man Doth it bring forth Serpents Vipers Dogs Swine for its Children and must the Kingdom of Heaven be peopled with such Inhabitants as these If these be the Children of the Kingdom where or who are the Children of this World are the Nathaniels the Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile Are these the true seed and the Saints spurious are these the sons and the Saints bastards Or if you will let these vile ones of the earth go as none of the seed take the best of carnal men that have the fairest face of Religion and form of holiness without the in-side the new nature are these they Is the shadow the substance and the substance but a shadow To say that the inward life of godliness the spirit and soul of Christianity is but a conceit and this out-side is all this Christianity is as good reason as to affirm that a picture is a man and that a living man is but a picture and as good Divinity as I my self heard Preached at Oxford about thirty years since by a zealous Advocate for the lawfulness of Sports on the Lords Day who Preaching about the observation of the Sabbath and distinguishing betwixt the Substantial and the Circumstantial duties of that day said That Preaching is a Religious Ceremony Praying is a Religious Ceremony but bowing at the Name of Jesus standing at the Creed and Gospel Holy and Religious Feasting Holy and Religous Dancing these are the Substantials Hence it follows 1. That Regeneration is not a Suppositious change or the counterfeit of a change there is some difference hereby put betwixt persons and persons the Regenerate and the Unregenerate are not one and the same no more than the living and the dead 2. It is not a bare Relative change as Justification and Adoption are held to be there is a change of nature wrought by it and not barely of Relation 3. It is not a Superficial change or meerly outward that goes only skin-deep it is not as 't is said concerning Baptism only the washing away of the filth of the flesh the cleansing of the out-side and leaving lust to reign within Regeneration is the change of the man and not barely of the manner 4. In this change we may read all godliness we may read the use of things very much in their beings we may know wherefore they are much the better if we understand what they are Gods expectations may he read in his operations we may understand much of our work by observing Gods work upon us As God in making men living souls does thereby tell us he expects other things from them than from dead stocks and stones and in making them reasonable souls intimates that he expects they should live other lives than dogs or swine so in making them Christians making them partakers of the Divine Nature he makes it evident that he expects they should live another life than other men The new life or life of godliness may be read in our new birth or new natures The Regenerate are said Eph. 2. 10. To be created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God had before ordained that they should walk in them Created unto good works that notes two things 1. Intended to good works 2. Fitted to good works 1. That in their new
it rather than faith You that are ignorant idle profane and unsanctified and yet believe you shall be saved you believe a lye you believe that which God hath never said shall be nay you believe that which God hath said shall never be Jer. 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore â—e that made them will not save them 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such shall never inherit the Kingdom of God Hear sinners hear God must be a lyar or your faith a lye But the faith of God's Elect such as hath been before described this is that precious tryed faith by which whosoever believes shall not be confounded Christians you that have obtained such precious faith a Christ-imbracâ—ng faith an heart-purifying a flesh-mortifying a world-conquering faith you may venture safely upon it if ever this faith deceive you God hath deceived you the Scriptures have deceived you Christ hath deceived you who hath prayed and we may be bold to turn Christ's prayer into a promise that this faith fail not let the Phanatick world laugh and mock and call your consolations delusions your confidence conceit or what they will let them alone you must give losers leave to talk and laugh yet cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of toward 6. The Doctrine concerning Good Works is a certain truth In this I shall shew First What we are to understand by Good Works A good work in general is an holy or gracious action to the making up whereof thâ—se four things are necessary 1. The principle must be good from which it proceeds it must be from an honest and upright heart for a pure conscience from faith unfeigned c. Mat. 12. 35. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2. The matter must be good something that is commended Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee Isa 29. 13. Their fear towards me waâ— taught by the precepts of men 3. The form or manner of doing must be good it must be well done this takes in the conâ—ideration of all its circumstances of time place c. 4. The end must be good it must be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. As to the particular kinds of Good Works they are not easily to be reckon'd up The Papists talk little of any good works but the exercises of bounty and liberality in giving Alms feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting and relieving the afflicted building of Almes-houses Colledges and the like upon which they â—ufist so much as if there were scarce any other good works but such as these but we may not confine them within so narrow a compass Good works do signifie the same with a good life or a godly life the doing and observing all things which God hath commanded us Our living holily honestly circumspectly fruitfully imports the same with our doing good works the exercising of all the graces of Christ faith love hope c. The subduing and mortifying of lust and corruption the governing our hearts the governing our tongues the ordering of our carriages towards God and towards men all acts of Religion Righteousness Mercy Charity Praying Fasting Hearing Sanctifying the Sabbath Lending Giving Forgiving Peace-making Instructing Exhorting Reproving Denying our selves taking up our Cross following Christ Fighting the good fight of Faith laying up treasure in heaven and the like these are good works every thing is a good work concerning which God will say at last Well done good and faithful Servant In all these the Lord requires 1. That we act Ad extremum virium to our utmost Eccles 9. 10. What thine hand findeth to do and so what thy head or thy heart findeth to do do it with thy might Tit. 2. 14. Zealous of good works Rom. 12. 14. Not sloathful in business but servent in spirit serving the Lord Col. 1. 10. Fruitful in good works 1 Cor. 15. ult Abounding in the work of the Lord. 2. That we act in these Ad extremum vitae to the end of our dayes Deut. 6. 2. Fear the Lord thy God and keep all his statutes and his Commandments all the dayes of thy life 3. That we be doing Per totum vitae cursum without intermission there must not only be well-doing but a continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. God will not have any Chasms or vacuities in our lives but every day must be filled up with the duties of it Christians must not thin of getting to heaven persaltum they must not leap but walk they must not leap over a duty nor leap over a day nulla dies fine linea The Law of God doth not allow a day to sin not abate us one dayes work To demand a breathing time from the service of God is to desire so much time for the service of sin We are ever serving one Master or the other we are certainly serving sin when we are not in one way or other serving the Lord. Secondly That goâ—d works are necessary Necessary to salvation a so as though we are not like to be saved by our works yet we cannot be saved without them He that works not shall not eat bread in the Kingdom of God The everlasting Rest is not for loyterers but for labourers Mat 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in heaven Faith cannot save us without works The Apostle tells us Jam. 2. 26. Faith without works is dead and a dead faith cannot bring us to life Therefore the Apostle Paul so vehemently charges Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works for these things are good and profitable to men Where observe the Preface to the chaâ—ge This is a faithful saying that is a true saying and a great truth a worthy saying worthy to be delivered worthy to be received And these things I will that thou affirm constantly or teach constantly or strenuously or resolvedly be not beaten off from it Why what is this great truth Why â—his is it That they which have believed in God as ever they would that their faith should stand them in any stead must be careful to maintain good works not only to do good works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or to excel and abound in good works these things are good and profitable to men Now let me demand of all the world where lies the Phanaticisme in any of all this Which of these Doctrines is it that is but a conceit Is it this that Christians must not onely be believers but must do good woâ—ks Is it this That they must work with all their might that they must be doing to the end of their dayes that they must continue at their work withoâ—t intermission that is that they must bestow noâ—e
the defect is not in the will God hath the heart and wheresoever God hath the heart there is certain acceptance with God where the heart is ingaged against any particular lust and is resolved upon it this lust I must mortifie and through the help of God will seek its destruction though it cannot yet compass it yet this resolution evidences that the heart is on Gods side it doth not side with lust against God but â—â—des with God against lust and so in all other the like cases 2 Cor. 8. 11. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not He that gives according to what he hath he that does according to what he hath and does it heartily shall be accepted undoubtedly It may be thy case may be such sometimes that to will may be all thou hast towards a Duty As for instance when thou hast a will to shew mercy to give an Almes if thou hast nothing to give thy will is all thou hast 'T is true there may be mistakes and we are too apt to such mistakes to impute our failings in duty to want of ability when they are from want of will How ordinarily do men thus excuse their grossest neglects even when they yield themselves over to an universal careless and idle life wherein there is not the least care or pains taken to please or follow God Why I do what I can I can do no more than I can â—ould live a better life but I cannot when yet the will is onely in fault though you can do 〈◊〉 than you can yet if you had a good will to it you â—ight do more than you do But still the great question â—â—â— be How may I knovv in case of failings of persâ—â—â—ance whether my will be so fully set upon my duty that there would be performance if it were not hindred if it were not for vvant of povver or opportunity I answer 1. There is no pleading want of ability to excuse a total neglect of godliness if the pretence be of want of ability to live a godly life in general I am willing to live a godly life but cannot there 't is certain the defect is in the will the Spirit of Sanctification is a Spirit of power and where the will is once savingly renewed by that mighty Spirit there is certainly such a power communicated as will infallibly bring on the soul to follow God in a course of Godliness whatever particular weaknesses and failings there may be 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us a spirit of feâ—r but of power and of love and of a sound mind Jer. 42 20 21. Ye dessâ—mble in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God saying pray for us and whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak we will do it Here was a fair promise what could be said more whatever the Lord shall say we will do and like enough they might have some intention to it but sayes the Prophet Ye dissemble with me all the while why how does that appear why in the next verse sayes he I have this day declared it to you but you have not done any thing for which the Lord your God sent me to you If your hearts had been right there would have been something done but you have done nothing Beloved you that say you fain would follow God but cannot you would fain live a godly life but do nothing towards iâ—â— you would willingly leave off your worldly lifeâ— or your fleshly life or your idle life you would fain leave off your drinking and gaming and wantonness and betake your selves to praying and repenting and denying your selves and minding your souls and the things of eternity but you are not able the meaning is this you are not willing you cannot find in your hearts to take up such a course you have some velleities some wishes and weak inâ—linations to godliness but no will to it if there were a willing mind within doubtless there would be some sign of it in your course without 2. For particular duties when we are willing to them and yet fall short of performance we may know that the will would bring forth the acts were it not for some great impediments 1. When the non-performance of duty brings forth sorrow and trouble of heart when it is a grief of mind to us that we cannot doe what we would Rom. 7. 18 19 24. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I finde not the good that I would doe c. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death That which hindred him was a sore â—urthen to him under which he groans and pasâ—ionately wishes for his redemption and deliverance from it those who in case of â—ailings are quiet and well enough contented much more those who are glad of an excuse as too often 't is to be observed in many who when they are put upon â—ifficult or displâ—asing Duties are glad they have so much to say for themselves that they are not able or have not opportunity 't is â—n argument that little would have been done â—ad they had never so great ability 2. When if we cannot doe the duty we do what we can towards it A man that â— poor and can't give an alms to his Brethren in distresse yet he can pitty them pray for them make their case known to others that can relieve them if he do not what he can if he do not open his bowels to them though he cannot open his hand though he had never so much his poor brother would be like to be little the better The poor Widow that cast in her Mite into the Treasury which was all she had 't was a sign she had a large heart though she gave so small a gift 1 King 8. 17. David had it in his heart to build an House for God and yet did it not the Lord hindred him How may it be known that David would indeed if he might have built it why by this it appeared though he might not do it yet he did what he might towards it though he might not build yet he prepared materials for the building If thou art but a babe in Christ hast had but a little time hast yet but a little understanding a little strength though thou canst not follow the Lord in such exactnesse not attain to such a fruitful life as those that are grown and experienced Christians have attained to yet if whilst thou art but a child thoâ— dost follow the Lord as a child according to the measure of thine understanding and ability thou art yet unskilful and performest thy duties in a broken manner but yet thou dost perform them thou art weak as a child but yet art tractable as a child willing to be led where thou canst not go if it be thus with thee thou netdst
thou takest this thou must be content to submit to the Cross and Yoke the service and the sufferings of Christ which are linked to it What sayest thou Hadst thou rather take the gains and the pleasures of sin and venture on the Curse or wilt thou yield thy self a servant unto Christ and so make sure the Crown If your hearts flie off and would fain wave the business and leave it undeermined leave them not so If you be onely unresolved you are resolved If you remain undetermined for Christ you are determined for the Devil Therefore give not off but follow your hearts from day to day let them not rest till the matter be brought to an issue and see that you make a good choice This is your choosing the good part God and your blessedness of the world to come for your portion and happiness and in this is included Your renouncing the world and a worldly happiness III. Imbarque with Christ Adventure your selves with him cast your selves upon his righteousness as that which shall bring you to God As a poor Captive Exile that is cast upon a strange Land a Land of Robbers and Murtherers where he is ready to perish and having no hope either of abiding there or escaping home with life and meeting at length with a Pilot that offers to Transport him safely home he imbarkes with him and ventures himself and all he hath in his Vessel Do you likewise you are Exiles from the presence of God and fallen into a Land of Robbers and Murtherers Your sins are Robbers your pleasures are Robbers your Companions in sin are Robbers and Thieves if you stay where you are you perish and escape home of your selves you cannot Christ offers if you will venture with him he will bring you home and he will bring you to God Will you say now to him Lord Jesus wilt thou undertake me wilt thou bring me to God bring me into the Land of Promise With thee will I venture my self I cast my self upon thee upon thy blood upon thy righteousness upon thy faithfulness I say up all my hopes and venture my whole interest Soul and Body with thee This is your closing with Christ as your Priest and in this is included your renouncing your own righteousness you can never you will never cast your selves on him alone till all your self hopes have given up the ghost There be two things which must necessarily be supposed to a sinner coming to Christ 1. A deep sense of his sin and misery 2. An utter despair of himself and all things else besides Christ 1. A deep sense of his sin and misery No man will regard a Saviour that doth not see himself a Sinner The whole regard not the Physitian Therefore it is said That the Spirit of God when he should come to Chrstianize the World should in the first place convince the World of sin John 16. 8. He shall convince the World of sin he shall demonstrate them Sinners bring up their sins before their Eyes bring home their sins upon their Consciences and make them see themselves and feel themselves the most vile and abominable of creatures Sin hides it self from the sinners eyes and all its vileness and deformity or if it come in sight it presents it self to the sinner as the Witch of Endor brought up the Devil before Saul in Samuels Mantle It shews it self as the sinners god Look how many sins evil men have so many gods they have rising up to them Their â—ins are their gods the gods that feed them they make a living of their sins the gods that comfort and refresh them they take pleasure in iniquity the gods that shelter them and hide them they strengthen themselves in their wickedness But now the Spirit of God plucks off the mantle and makes sin appear to be sin makes all the sinners Gods appear to be so many Devils brings forth the blackness and filthiness of sin into sight makes the sinner to see himself an unclean and abominable thing And withal he brings forth the guilt of sin sets all these Devils a tormenting the sinner filling him with fear and terrour and amazement In this respect he is called Rom. 8. the Spirit of Bondage that works fear and trouble in the heart The Spirit awakening a sleepy sinner is a kind of awakening in Hell Lord where am I What mean these Legions round about me These Chains and Fetters that are upon me What means the black Roll before mine eyes of curses and wrath and woes Lord where am I Have I been playing and sporting and making merry and my soul in such a case as this But is there no hope of escaping out of this wretched state I see there is no abiding thus I am but a dead man if I continue as I am What may I do to be saved And when he is brought to this there is some way made for his entertainment of Christ Yea this is not all that is needful but he must further be brought to 2 An utter despair of himself and all things else besides Christ Being made sensible of his sin and his danger a sinner will look out for help and deliverance but he will look every where else before he will look unto Christ Nothing will bring in a sinner to Christ but an absolute necessity He will try to forsake his sins will think of leaving his drunkenness and becoming sober of leaving his adulteries and becoming chaste and so see if by this means be may not escape He will go to Prayers and Sermons and Sacrament and search out if there be not salvation in them but all these though they be useful in their places yet looking no further the sinner sees there is no help in them His righteousness cannot help him this is but rags his duties cannot help him these may be reckoned among his sins Ordinances cannot help these are but empty Cisternâ— and all tell him you knock at a wrong door salvation is not in us Well the Lord be merciful to me faith the Sinner What shall I do Abide as I am I dare not and how to help my self I know not my praying will not help me my hearing will not help me if I give all my goods to the Poor if I should give my body to be burned all this would not save my soul Wo is me what shall I do and whether shall I go And now being brought to this distress to this utter loss his despair drives him to the onely door of hope that is left open Then Christ will be accepted when he sees none but Christ can stead him The Apostle tells us Gal. 3. 23. We were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith that should afterwards be revealed All other doors were shut up against there was no hope of escaping but by that one door that was left open The Faith that was afterwards to be revealed As the besieged in a City that have every Gate blocked
all its advantages preferments pleasures in its greatest Sun-shine of outward prosperity and glory And he is not a godly man he is not of the Psalmist's Spirit that is not able to say Give me this poor despised godly life before the most flourishing life of worldlings 3. Mark 3. Whosoever hath true Grace doth actually live a godly life The tree is best known by its fruits the sincerity of our purposes by our performances If you think you have chosen a godly life and yet do not live a godly life it is a sign you are mistaken and have not sincerely chosen it 1 John 3. 7 10. He that doth righteousness is righteous he that doth not righteousnese is not of God There is a two-fold Righteousness and there is a two-fold doing Righteousness First There is a two-fold Righteousness Righteousness is taken 1. In a strict sense for Justice properly so called which stands in the due observation of that Rule Whatsoever you would that men should do to you do you eâ—en so to them 2. In a larger sense for Holiness or an universal rectitude of all our actions To live according to our Rule the whole Word of God is to live righteously In this Scripture it is taken in this latter and larger sense He who carries himself holily and unblameably both in the things pertaining to God and also in the things pertaining to men he doth righteosness Secondly There is a two-fold doing Righteousness 1. In a Legal sense which stands in an exact obeying and fulfilling the Law And thus there is none righteous no not one because thus there is none that doth righteousness 2. In an Evangelical sense A walking uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel A sincere endeavour to observe all things which the Lord hath commanded us For the further clearing whereof I must make use of a two-fold distinction 1. I must distinguish betwixt a single good action and a series of good actions It is not one or a few single good actions but a continued course of holy actions that denominates us holy As there is no man so holy who doth not sometimes fall into sin so there are few men so wicked who do not sometimes fall in with that which is good and as every sin which a godly man through infirmity falls into doth not presently denominate him ungodly so neither will a few good actions done by another man prove him godly 'T is what the course and tenour of the life that must be diligently observed A godly man makes godliness the business of his Life Religion is a Christians trade and you may well call it his trade upon a double account 1. It is his living and livelihood men live upon their trades a mans trade is his maintenance his bread and his cloaths and his lodging all comes in from his trade Godliness is a Christians whole living he prayes and he lives by praying he believes and he lives by faith he loves and he lives by love all the supports succours comforts of this life come in this way A Christians livelyhood is all laid up in Christ and in the exercises of godliness he gets it down into his Soul Take away from a Christian his Religion take away Faith and Prayer and Hope and Love and the Labours and Exercises of them and you leave him a poor man indeed take away his house and his means and yet he lives take away his bread and yet he lives but take Faith and Hope and Prayer c. from him and he dies 2. Godliness is the business of his life A mans trade is his constant work not the exercise of now and then a day or an hour upon occasion but it is his every dayes work Godliness as it is a Christians daily bread so it is his daily work Judge not thy self by what thou art in some few Holy dayes of thy life when perhaps by falling into affliction or into some good society or being present at some good Duty or Ordinance thou seemest for a fit to be another man than thou art at other times Judge not thy self to be what thou art when thou art not thy self when thou art but in a fit but see what the trade and ordinary way of thy life is he that in his ordinary course does righteousness he is righteous 2. I must distinguish betwixt a Christians actions and his care about his actions the Holy actions of some that are really Godly especially of young beginners may be but few in comparison but their care is more continued what the Apostle saith of unmarried persons is true of all Christians every soul that is married to the Lord careth how to please his Husband though I do nor say that all carelesness doth conclude we have no grace yet this I say it is more than careless Christians can tell whether they have any grace or no though such may have grace yet they can have no assurance He that finds that the great care of his life is how to please the Lord is of God Try your selves by this Mark also do not enquire only about your affections what your desires are or what your joyes are what your comforts are or what your peace is but what your paths are when all comes to all this is the surest mark He that doth Righteousness is Righteous he that doth not Righteousness is not of God Put all these together and whosoever there is of you that is thus willing to part with sin doth thus esteem and hath thus chosen a godly life above all other lives and hath this attested by his actual care in his ordinary course to please God Oh! be thankful and bless God for ever there is that work of Grace begun in thy soul that doth undoubtedly prove thee to be of God and in the State of Salvation Having faithfully tryed your selves by these certain and infallible marks and proved your selves to be in the state of Grace for I would advise you to bring your trial to a clear judgment then proceed in the next place to examine 2. Whether you be in a thriving and flourishing estate or no whether you have made a comfortable progress in holiness or whether you be at a stand or behind hand To help you in this I shall only give you these two or three short directions 1. Compare your selves with your selves your present state with your former state Look back and consider what you were or have been at any time since you first believed and then see what ground you have gotten or lost 2. Compare your state with your time that you have had and your means and opportunities and the several talents that you have received See if your stature in grace be answerable to your standing if you are of seven or ten or twenty yeares standing in the Vineyard of the Lord consider if you also be of so many years growth See if your reckonings you have to bring in be answerable to your receipts
Some that are born poor live all their dayes and take up with their poor state and never look after riches For ought thou knowest thy heart might have been in much better case if thou hadst intended riches 'T is the covetous Christian that is the rich Christian As 't is with worldly men the Covetous of the earth these are the rich men of the earth these are the monied men the landed men that have laid house to house field to field and it may be if thou hadst been spiritually covetous thou mightest have laid grace to grace comfort to comfort and have been a man of great possessions before this day but thou hast been a narrow-hearted poor-spirited creature that never hadst any ambition not tookest up any design to grow great and rich towards God and hereupon 't is that thou art as thou art Christian though there be none of the former causes mentioned but may have an hand in bringing poverty upon thee or holding thee under it yet it may be this last a contentedness with a little grace is that to which thow owest most of thy pining disease This is too common a case with Christians We have not large hearts towards God we are not covetous after holiness we are too well contented to be Babes in Christ to be children in the grace and knowledge of God where shall we find a Christian almost that is resolved to be rich to seek great things for himself the great things of Eternity I mean to bring forth much fruit It is no wonder there are so many barren sheep in Christs Fold so many barren fig-trees in Christs Vineyard so many starveling souls among the Professors of Religion when there are so few that do seriously design fruitfulness We might have been as those sheep which Solomon mentions to resemble the Church by Cant. 6. 6. Whereof every one beareth Twins we might have gotten double to what we have done if we had had a mind in earnest to it Brethren Consider how it is with you and if you find this to be your case that your souls are in an unthtiving state search narrowly if some of the fore-mentioned particulars be not those that have kept you back and when you have found out the cause of your disease rest not till it be removed for be ye well assured That that which hath hindered will hinder till it be taken out of the way THe fourth and last Special Duty I shall direct you in is the Renewing of your Covenant Wherein before I give you the Directions I shall premise 1. That every sincere Christian is as hath been before shewed entred into Covenant with God 2. That Christians are guilty of much treachery and false-dealing with God They break Covenant daily The Lord may take up that complaint against many of us which he took up against Israel Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and lyed unto him in their tongue their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in the Covenant There is a double falshood in the Covenant which we may be guilty of 1. There is a falshood in our entring into Covenant when we do it not heartily but feignedly when our promises to God are nothing but words when we mean not nor intend any such thing as our mouth speaks this is lying unto God They lyed to him in their Tongues Oh! how many such lyars are there to be found amongst those that are called Christians We have all covenanted to renounce the world and the love of it to renounce the flesh and the lusts of it to renounce the Devil and his works We have all Covenanted to take the Lord to be our God to cleave to him obey and serve him only and all our dayes All this we have done in our Baptism and in our profession that we have since made to stand to our Baptismal Covenant But have we not many of us lyed unto the Lordâ— Hath there ever been any such thing in our hearts Those that are false in this Foundation of their Christianity are but false Christians those that have lyed unto God in their Covenants are but lying Converts 2. There is a falshood in our keeping Covenant when whatever reality there hath been in our intention yet we fail in execution when we do not stand to our word nor are stedfast in our Covenant and every part thereof And thus every Christian is more or less guilty Every sin we commit is in a degree a breaking Covenant a departing and going back from the Lord and a dealing treacherously with the most high Oh! how much falshood of this kind is there to be found in every one of us when some of our hearts are so set upon the world and take so much liberty in pursuing and so much pleasure in the enjoying of these earthly things that the Lord is the less regarded and looked after Is this according to our Covenant When there is such fleshliness and sensuality to be found amongst others when we live such idle easie careless lives when our appetires our passions our tongues are left so much at their liberty when there is so much provision made for the flesh and so little for the soul Is this according to our Covenant Is this all we meant in promising to be Christians Is this our living to God our living to Christ Oh! what falshood have we been guilty of 3. That all our breaches of Covenant do exceedingly weaken the bond and obligation of the Covenant The obligation of the Covenant may be said to be weakened in a double sense 1. Really when the tye of it is relaxed and loosened and we cease to be so strongly bound as before and thus no sin can weaken our Covenant-obligation it doth not become ever the less our duty to cleave unto God for that we have so often departed from him or ever the less our sin to follow the world for that we have followed it so long Our sins in this sense do rather add to the obligation by how much the less we have paid off our debt by so much the more there is behind Our former neglects do oblige us to the more care for the future 2. Sensibly When the bond of the Covenant being so often broken is not now accounted so solemn or so sacred as before by how much the more it hath been broken by so much the less sensible hold hath it upon us It seemeth but a very light thing to persons that have so often and ordinarily broken their Faith with God to break it over and over again It doth not much affect or trouble such hearts which have been accustomed to transgress ro revolt more and more When sin can plead prescription it grows bold If I were to begin again saith the sinner I would take more eare and look better to my wayes but over shoes over boots now I have gone on so long it will not be much
worse if I go on a little longer 4. The Renewing of our Covenant will revive the Obligation of it Though there be not a stricter yet there is another Tye There is a new link added to the old cord Men are more afraid and ashamed to break their word as soon as it is gone forth out of their mouths The seriousness wherewith such a sacred duty should be performed will leave some impressions upon the heart The very considering over our Covenant-breaches which is necessary to our renewing of it will awaken our hearts to more care and watchfulness These things being premised I shall give you this double Direction for the performance of this Duty 1. For the time when 2. For the manner how Touching the former there are some special times when this Duty is especially seasonable As 1. Upon your falls into any greater sins Great sins make great breaches and 't is not safe to let them lie unmade up Breaking of Covenant makes a breach upon Conscience and this will prove as the breaking down the banks of the Sea which if they be not presently made up there may be no stopping them 2. In great straights and Afflictions We have then our hearts at the advantage to bring them back or to bind them the faster to the Lord when we stand in any special need of comfort or help from God Gen. 28. 20 21. when Jacob fled from his Fathers house for fear of his Brother Esau he vowed If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Times of straights and difficulties are a special season for this Duty though it be too ordinary that those vows which we make in the dayes of our distress are quickly forgotten in the dayes of our prosperity Sickness-promises are in our health like Sampsons Wit hs broken as Tow when it toucheth the fire 3. In case of any declinings to a careless remiss and sensless frame of heart or life 4. At our approaches to the Table of the Lord. These are some of the special times for the performance of this Duty 2. For the manner how 1. Remember your Covenant read over and consider distinctly the terms of it and weigh diligently the strictness and great solemnity of your engaging to God therein that your hearts may be the more deeply affected herewith 2. Remember your faults Read over and consider distinctly the sins you have fallen into since your engaging to the Lord together with the several aggravations of them and repent and be humbled under them Isa 50. 4 5. 3. Especially consider how your hearts have stood towards the Lord in the main whether your falls have not been such as give you occasion to suspect that you were not upright in your first engaging Consider whether such a life as you have led since such sins as you have been overcome by since are consistent with sincerity 4. Resolve upon more care watchfulness and faithfulness for the future Verbal promises though there appear some affection at the time if they be not joyned with a resolution to take more care are like to come to nothing 5. Have a special eye in your engaging to the Lord at your special sins failings and neglects that you have found your selves more enclined to and more ordinarily overtaken by I will through the help of God watch against every sin but especially against covetousness passion or lying c. This is my sin herein I am apt to be faulty here my hardest work lies I will watch to every Duty but especially to temperance or patience or self-denial herein I have been most wanting 6. Lay hold on the Covenant or Promise of God for the renewing of his Grace towards you for the renewing of your strength whereby you may be more enabled to perform your promises and pay your vowes It may be your former experiences of your unfaithful hearts have quite discouraged you I have found this heart of mine so fickle and so false and so feeble that I dare not trust it so far as to engage any further for it I have found my work so hard my lusts so strong my temptations so many my strength so small my attempts to follow God so successess that I am afraid I shall never come to any thing I doubt I shall but mock God and bring more guilt upon my self by adventuring to promise any thing farther for this sinful infirm and unfaithful heart Why though thou darest not trust thy heart yet trust thy God who hath said That he will put his fear into thee that thou shalt not depart from him that he will renew thy strength and that his grace is sufficient for thee Depend upon God for the renewing of thy strength and then fear not to renew thy Vows 7. In this strength of the Lord go into his presence and with sorrow in thine heart and shame in thy face falling down before him humbly confess and acknowledge thy falls and failings and then in the like solemn manner as thou hast been before directed engage thy self again to the Lord in the same Covenant 2. I shall next direct you to make right improvement of Duties Godliness doth not stand barely in Praying Meditating or Examining there is something farther that these Duties have a respect and must be useful to 'T is an holy life that is the end to which our holy Duties are to lead and help us on That they may do so take these two following Directions 1. Whenever you set upon Duties resolve to put hard for it to enjoy such sensible Communion with God in them that you may come off in a better and more spiritual frame of heart than you came on 2. Having gotten up your hearts to any better frame in Duty be careful to keep it up after Duty Whenever you set upon Duties resolve to put hard for it to enjoy such sensible Communion with God that you may return from them with some advantage upon your spirits Resolve with him Nunquam à te absque te recedam whenever I come before the Lord I will never go away without him The reason why we thrive no more by Duties is because we do not meet our God in them God never meets with his Saints but he sends them away with some marks of his Goodness upon them The reason why we do seldome meet with God in our Duties is because we do not so wishly look for his appearance God waits for thy coming Soul and if it be not thy fault thou mayest see his face before thou departest and if thou see God in a Duty thou wilt not then return without some impressions of God upon thy heart When Moses came down from the Mount where he had seen the Lord his face did shine there was something of the glory of God upon his
countenance Israel might plainly see that Moses had met with God they might see the beams of divine Glory in his face Oh! how sad is it that Christians should return from duty with no more of God in their faces or upon their spirit than for the most part they do We come many times with no other spirits from our Bibles or our Closets than we come out of our Shops or out of our Barns no body would ever think we had been praying or conversing with God there is so little savour of God upon our hearts that we bring back with us Brethren whenever you let down your Pitchers into the Wells of Salvation be not content to bring them up empty be so conversant with God in your Duties that you come off laden as the Bee from the Flower with the honey and sweetness of your duties And this I advise you to endeavour after not only in your secret duties not only in your solemn publick duties on Sabbaths Humiliation-dayes or Thanksgivings but in your daily family-duties your Reading Singing Praying yea even in those shorter Prayers and Praises which you use before and after Meals Whenever you draw nigh to God look to see God to taste of God and to get down something of God upon your hearts And then 2. Whatever you have gotten from God in Duty what life what warmth what refreshing what enlargement of heart be careful to maintain and keep it alive afterwards See that your Spirits do not presently sink and cool again after they have been thus raised and warmed Do not satisfie your selves with this that you have some comfortable entertainment with God and feel some warm and lively works of your heart towards God and some refreshings from him in Duty but look to it that you keep that holy fire that is there kindled from being presently quenched again You do not eat and drink for an hour only that you may have the comfort of your food while your meal lasts but you eat for afterwards that the spirits and strength which you get by one meal may hold you out to the next meal Duties are the set-meals of the soul wherein it so feeds it self upon God that in the strength of what it receives it may afterwards walk with God more comfortably and chearfully The Lord promiseth to his people Lev. 26. 5. The Threshing shall reach to the Vintage and the Vintage to the Seed-time And Amos 9. 13. The Plough-man shall overtake the Reaper and the treader of Grapes him that soweth Seed The meaning is Your old store shall be so much and last you so long as till new com again you shall not only reap enough for the time of Harvest you shall not only gather enough to serve you during the time of the Vintage but your corn shall last from Harvest to Harvest your Wine shall serve you from Vintage to Vintage your Old store shall not be spent till New come to supply you Duties are the Harvests and Vintages of our souls Oh! what blessed lives should we live did we so improve and husband what we get in one Duty that it might last us out to another that the Vintage might reach to the Vintage the Harvest to the Harvest that the life and warmth and refreshing we get in one Duty might hold by us till the next and so we might be carried on in an holy lively heavenly Frame from Duty to Duty as Israel walked on from strength â—o strength till they came and appeared before God in Sion That which holds us so low and barren in Religion is that whatever we have obtained from the Lord in Duties and Ordinances we presently lose it when we have been weeping sometimes before the Lord and wrestling with him and pleading hard for some quickning or comforting influences of his Spirit upon our hearts and the Lord hath heard us and given us our desires yet then as soon as duty is over we go away and forget all and bury all that we have thus obtained in a confused heap of worldly thoughts and businesses we unbend and let down our spirits and lay aside all thoughts of God till we come to duty again we conrent our selves to live in such an estrangement from God all the rest of our time that sin and the world have a whole dayes time to pull down what an hours duty hath been building a whole weeks time to destroy and steal away what a Sabbath hath gotten in and so at the returns of duty we find our hearts at the same loss in the same deadness and hardness that they were before In the Old Testament though the Sacrifices were offered but morning and evening yet the fire that kindled them was not to go out night nor day there must be fire kept alive from the Morning-Sacrifice to kindle the Evening-Sacrifice and fire left from the Evening to kindle the Morning-Sacrifice Oh! Behold how often is it that though at our Morning-Sacrifice a fire is kindled yet we let this fire lie all day under the ashes and take so little care to keep blowing at it that it goes quite out before the Evening and when we come to offer our Evening-Sacrifice we have no fire to kindle it Brethren hath the Lord visited you and quickned and comforted you in duty Oh! think with your selves what a sweet life should I live might it be thus with me alwayes What pity is it that such light should ever go out that such grace should be so short liv'd Why if I do not look to my self the better this Sun-shine will last but a little while and how will the Lord take it if I suffer such sparks that he hath kindled so suddenly to be quenched How is my Soul ever like to prosper if such precious food pass away from it as soon as it is received Is this a fast that I have chosen for a man to afflict his Soul for a day Is this a prayer that God regards for a man to afflict his heart for an hour to be in the Mount with God to be raised up to Heaven for the time and within a few minutes after to be sunk into the dirt of the earth What a sad change is this How can you bear such a loss as this When will your souls come to any thing if you have only some few such lucida intervalla and all the rest of your time are covered over with clouds and darkness Beloved as ever you expect to prosper in grace or be settled in peace be chary of maintaining your duty in-comes do not think to make use of your prayer-comforts to save you the labour of an after care but to help you to be more careful and fruitful But how may we do to keep this Holy and lively frame 1. Be watchful Nehem. 4. 9. Nevertheless we prayed and set a watch against them night and day Beloved it is with you as it was with those Jews whatever you have gained you have Adversaries
I mean that especially concern your own persons keep your own hearts with all diligence look well to your own wayes Gal. 6. 4. Le every man prove his own work and then shall he havâ— rejoycing in himself and not in another Keep a strict and severe eye upon your selves hold a strict hand upon your selves be more severe towards your selves than towards all the World It 's an ill sign to see Professors of Religion severe in their observing imposing upon and censuring others and more remiss towards themselves Be more can did and charitable towards others but exercise more severity at home In the right ordering your selves take great care that you 1. Allow not your selves in the least know Sin 2. Live not in the neglect of any known Duty 3. Take heed of the World 4. Be Humble 5. Be Temperate 6. Be Moderate 1. That you allow not your selves in the practice of the least known sin Do not look on this as any Apology for sin or your easier entertaining of it That it is but a little one There is no sin that can properly be termed little The least iniquity will cost either the Blood of Christ or the blood of your own Souls Little Sins are spreading sins a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Elijahs Cloud out of the bignesse of a Mans hand in a few hours cloathed the whole Heavens in black You will find it something in your Repentance which you counted as nothing in the Commission Little sins are leading sins the child conveighed in at the Window will open the door to let all the great Thieves in When Gad came into the world his Mother said Behold a Troop cometh 2 King 6. 32. When the Messenger of the King of Israel came to the Prophet Shut the door hold him fast sayes he at the door Is not the sound of his Masters feet behind him Shut the door against every sin for whose Messenger is it Look behind and see who comes after Is not the sound of his Masters feet behind him The Devil is not far off whenever Sir knocks for admission and the door being opened to the Messenger it 's like to stand open for the Master to enter Take heed Brethren that you do not give a tolleration to any sin little sins allowed become great sins The allowance of sin is that which makes the great wast upon Conscience and the great spoil upon our peace I will not say what grace there may be in the heart but sure there is but little tendernesse in the conscience that doth not bid defiance to the least of Sins Beloved if Sin doth get the possession at any time of your hearts let it be rather upon surprize than surrender be so watchful that if it be possible you may not be surpriz'd by sin or taken at unawares but whatever you do see you do not surrender your selves to it be so jealous that if it may be Sin may not steal in upon you in a disguise but when you see what it is beware of it as of the Devil Will you let a known Enemy lodge within you Brethren do not shut your eyes against sin nor open your doors to it Shut not your eyes against it be willing to know it do not go about to perswade your selves concerning any thing you have a mind to that it is not sinful that it may be lawful enough for ought you know but examine it and look through it impartially and if you find it to be sin receive it not in I cannot well say whether of the two be in the worse case those that are not willing to know they do or those that do what they know to be evil but this I can say that neither the one nor the other if there be any thing of God in them are like to know whether there be or no such winkings will blind their eyes and such walkings will blot their Evidences and both hinder that progress in holinesse which is necessary to build them up in comfort If you would be sure the Lord is yours keep close to him if you would keep close by God keep clear of sin and if you would keep clear of sin keep your Windows open but your doors shut see who 't is that knocks before you let them in An open eye and a tender conscience will be the best security to both your grace and peace 2. Live not in the neglect of any known duty The Devil may be served not only by your doing evil but by your doing nothing We obey the will of the flesh when we only neglect to obey the will of God As our Commissions stab so our Omissions starve our souls God will not and our souls cannot want a duty our lamenesse in our practise will quickly appear in the leannesse of our Souls O missions will be reckoned for a Judgment and therefore must be reckoned and repented of now Do not content your selves with a negative holiness that you do not harm do not think it enough to be able to say I know nothing by my self no hurt that I have done suppose you do not yet thereby are you not justified God will judge you and may condemn you for what you have not done If you had nothing to answer for but your neglects The neglects of one day of one hour will undo you for ever if you have not a Christ to answer for you To be holy hath more in it than to be harmless There must be doing your duty as well as departing from iniquity Isa 1. 16. Cease to do evil learn to do well Nor is it a little now and then that will serve There must be continuance in well-doing a readiness to every good work a fruitfulness in good works a faithfulness in good works Well done good and faithful Servant That 's a faithful servant that hath done his best that hath not voluntarily neglected any thing of his Masters work nor wasted any of his Masters talents that 's able to say though I have not done what I ought yet I have endeavoured to do what I can Everie neglect is a degree of unfaithfulness If ye will be the servants of Christ be faithful servants and that you may be so 1. Neglect not any kind of Duty One thing lacking may be the losse of all You can hear it may be but you cannot pray you can pray in secret but you cannot pray in your Families you can instruct your Families but you cannot govern them you can love the Saints you say but you neglect the communion of Saints you can be just in your dealings but you cannot be charitable you can give an Alms to an hungry bodie but you cannot give counsel to a sinful soul you can give Counsel but you cannot give a reproof this or that you cannot bring your heart to but take heed though you cannot bring your heart to it yet neglect not to be working your heart to it to be perswading and
reasoning and praying your heart to it take heed there be not an Act of Indulgence passed for this neglect take heed you do not say the Lord pardon me in this thing and so give off and let it alone 2. Neglect not any opportunity of dutie Whenever the Lord calls to duty let your heart answer whenever the Lord opens a door for any service take the season 1. Be watchful and observe every opportunity Sometimes the Lord puts thine enemy into thine hand gives thee some special advantage against such a lust or corruption Sometimes the Lord puts a price into thy hand an opportunity of getting in or laying up for thy Soul an opportunity of laying out for God or thy Soul observe diligently all such seasons Thou maiest do more or get more in such an hour than in many daies after 2. Keep thy heart in a disposednesse and constant towardlinesse to Dutie be alwaies prepared to everie good work see that however sometimes thou maiest want power to perform yet to will may be alwaies present When a price is put into thine hand seee thou want not a heart to it When thine Enemy is in thine hand let not thy heart spare it let not thine heart be out of the way whenever the season serves let not thy heart recur thus upon thee afterward O what a day have I lost how much seed might I have sown this day for Eternity what a treasure might I have laid up for Everlasting 3. Above all take heed you live not under a neglect of duty The most diligent and vigilant Christians have too many neglects but see that you are not guilty of any neglect in ordinarie that there be not any thing that you know to be your dutie which you commonly and of course passe over so that this day is even as yesterday and to morrow and next day and next week and so on is like to be as this day Whatever it be that you perform such a neglect as this will unavoidably hinder the thriving of your Souls in the Grace of God For 1. The guilt of such a neglect will wither and mar the beauty of what is done and the Lord will have such a standing controversie with you for what is not done that he will not accept or prosper what is done 2. There will be the want of the influence of those duties that are neglected We cannot want a duty but we may afterwards find the want of it in the state of our Souls Grace out of exercise grows to decay and if one of thy spiritual members suffer or wast the whole body suffers with it 3. The Devil will fill up the vacuities of our lives There is not a void Plat in thy Garden but the Devil will be sowing his seed If you do the Devil will not leave an empty day nor an empty hour of your lives If grace do not fill up each day with the duties of it he will fill it up with sin 'T is an hundred to one but a weed grows up in the room where a Flower is wanting Brethren if you would be thriving Christians be Universal Christians for any work your Master hath to do be ingenuous Christians willing to know your whole duty be watchful Christians that you may know your duty seasons and then be faithful allow not your selves in be not patient with your selves under any neglect 3 Take heed of the world If you be Christians Christ hath gotten the better of the world hath gotten the preheminence in you and brought the world under If it be so take heed it get not head again and that you may be both secured from the snares of the world and make your best advantages as Christians of it Take these following Directions 1. Never make an exchange of Christ or any thing of Christ for the world or any thing that is of the world never buy or purchase any thing of the world at so dear a rate as the losse of any thing of Christ Lose not any degree of grace for the gaining this worlds goods lose not a spiritual duty for the attending on a worldly business Enrich not your bodies upon the impoverishment of your Souls What possession or use of this world you may have without your spiritual prejudices enjoy it and be thankful but beware you do not so take up with the businesses and take in the advantages of this earth that your souls suffer losse that you should ever have occasion to say of any thing you have done or gotten This is the price of my peace this is the price of my comfort this is the price of a Sabbath or a Sacrament or a Prayer I have lost a Sabbath I have lost my communion with God in prayer I have abated the life and the vigour and exercise of my grace and this is all I have for it some addition to my outward state I have more of earth but so much the less of Heaven more Gold but the less Grace more of this Manimon but so much the less Manna more of the Cistern but so much the less of the Fountain Beloved it was never the intent of the Gospel to strip you of this worlds goods but to secure you only from the mischief of it be but so watchful and so fearful and so wise and wary in the managing your worldly businesses in the improving or securing your worldly estates that you be not hereby losers upon a spiritual account that you may have what you have as an addition but not so in commutation for Christ and he will never begrutch it you or blame you for it 2. Let not Christ and the world again change places or interests If Christ hath your hearts let him not again be thrown under your feet If the world begotten under foot let it not again get up into the throne let it be your servant if you will but let it never again be your God Let Christ be the chief in you let him have the highest esteem the dearest the strength of your affections the great command of you Let the Word of Christ be of more power with you and carry you farther than all the gains and glory of the World Let not this be your rule To follow Christ and Holiness so far as you may without any prejudice to your worldly interest but let this be it Follow the world so fur only as you may without being false or unfaithful to Christ Venture on in Holiness to the greatest hazard of your estate but venture not after this with the least hazard of your Religion Resolve to be Christians whether you be rich or poor but endeavour not to be rich but upon such terms that you may be never the lesse Christians Especially take heed that the Prosperity of the World steal not away your hearts Psal 62. 10. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them 'T is hard to prosper in the world and not to prostitute our hearts to it Temptation
more common case than is supposed When we see men owning the Gospel setting up the exercises of Religion in their Families and Clossets Praying like Saints Speaking like Angels melted into tears raised in joyes separated from the world holding communion and in many things holding pace with the best of Saints When we see such persons and are there not such to be seen so excessively greedy and so industriously driving on after the World so constantly busieâ— in laying house to house and field to field so possessed with worldly cares so extreamly pinching and penurious so hard-hearted and strait-handed towards those that are in need hiding themselves many times from their own flesh whose worldliness is apparently too hard for their Religion whose Religious duties must in ordinary give place to their worldly business but their affection to Christ does make no abatement upon their earthly appetite and Worldly cares but is ordinarily abated by it who can say to duty Stand aside to prayer stand aside to hearing or meditation give place when ever they have a Worldly business before them but seldome or never can say Stand aside World Stand aside Oxen and Sheep and Trades and Livings I have a God and a Soul to be looked after but can content themselves for that with those few leisure times they have wherein they have nothing else to do and yet notwithstanding because there is something of Religion kept going and at times some strong workings of their affections that way thereupon do comfort their hearts and conclude all is well nay let them be never so plainly dealt withall and warned to beware and look to themselves lest they be found lovers of this world and strangers from Christ yet they cannot see it they cannot be perswaded but their hearts are sincere What can be thought of such persons but that they are like to die for ever by their secret adultery against God which they will hardly be perswaded to suspect themselves guilty of Look to it that this be not your case be sure you be gotten clear of the world and that Christ hath the preheminence in you The Devil will allow you to have some respect for Christ some affection to Religion will allow you profession allow you duties allow you good company let them pray let them hear let them associate with the Saints so long as the World governs their hearts they are sure enough Some indeed there he holds in arcta custodia close prisoners that do wholly mind earthly things though he could wish his captives were all in such a case without the least sense or shew of Religion yet those that he cannot keep under so great a restraint he is content to hold in libera custodia as prisoners at large any liberty to pray to hear c. that they may take and yet be prisoners he allows to them if you be not close prisoners if the Devil does suffer you now and then to walk abroad and exercise your selves in the duties and refresh your selves with the delights and feed your selves with the hopes of Religion if you be not close prisoners yet are you not prisoners still Oh let it not content you that you are prisoners at large Oh let nothing content you but your enlargement out of prison so that you are no longer prisoners to the world but Christs free-men 4. Be humble keep your hearts low be low in your own eyes think not of your selves above what is meet be content to be low in the eyes of others That is the harder lesson of the two there is many a person that is so conscious of his own poverty and worthlessnesse that if he would he cannot have high thoughts of himself but yet he would as Saul be honoured before the People Take heed of an inordinate affectation of esteem with others Whilest you pretend only to seek a good Name take heed of affecting a great Name Account your selves with Paul and be content if others account you so too the least of Saints Whilest others are ambitious with Simon to be accounted Some-body be you willing to be counted No-body let who will affect to be reckoned amongst the Worlds great Ones let it be enough for you to be accounted amongst Gods little Ones If the Lord hath lifted you up take heed of lifting up your selves your work is to abase your selves and then let God alone to exalt you Pride is a pernicious enemy and 't is one of the last Enemies a Christian hath to conquer a pernicious Enemy it is it casts us out of the heart of God and men God resists and men dispise the proud A proud man whilest he is his own Idol is others scorn it deprives of comfort it spoils duty it keeps us barren A proud man is like the high mountains there 's little good that grows there the lower ground is ever the more fruitful He is like Ephraim an empty Vine emptie to God-wards all his fruit is brought forth to himself An humble Christian hath this advantage in his duties he hath none to please but God let God accept me and let others think of me what they will A proud person hath his lust to please the eyes and ears of others to gratifie God and his Soul can have but little of him that hath so manie to mind pride blasts all that little good it 's mingled with 't is as the flie in the pot that mars all the oyntment Christian if thou badst nothing else to keep thee humble thy pride might do it and would if thou duly laidst it to heart Pride is one of the last enemies and longest liv'd that a Christian hath to deal withal it will rise up out of the ashes and ruins of other lusts 't is not seldom that men are proud that they are not covetous or prodigal or intemperate nay it sometimes rises up out of its own ashes Men may be proud of their humility proud that they are not so proud as they have been And can you be too watchful against such an Enemie Be humble Christians be humble if you will be holy Humility is of the Essence of the New-creaure he is not a Christan that is not humble And yet Oh how much of this Pride have too many of us to charge upon our selves When our eye is so much at Self and so little at God in all we do when we are so tender and so touchie at any thing that reflects upon our selves and so little affected with the dishonour of God when our very abasing our selves is in order to the exalting of our selves In our very Confessions of the pride of our hearts do we not sometimes hope that the sense which we discover of this evil will more advance than the evil it self will impair our reputation When whatever evils we acknowledge by our selves we are in hope they will not be believed When we cannot bear it to be reproved or to hear from the mouth of another what our
it not only Truth but Faith and Love and ingenuity to God not only a good meaning but a good will to the work and to the Lord for whose sake we do it To walk sincerely is to walk both as in the sight of God as the witness of our uprightnesse to whom we dare to appeal and in the power of the Grace of God which carries us on to pursue his honour and interest The oppositâ— to this sincerity is fleshly wisdom or carnal policy which models our Religion and the exercises thereof in a consistency with and subservency to our fleshly interests And hypocrisie or dissimulation to which it is most properly opposed And there is a two-fold hypocrisie in our actions Either total that which denominates them hypocritical actions Or tial when though as to the main the heart be upright and the action acceptable to God yet there is some little mixture of deceit in it which though it be matter of humiliation to the doer yet doth not wholy hinder the acceptation of what 's done As there is no person so there is no action so perfectly sincere and upright with God but there is some obliquities to be found in it Brethren be upright in your way be true to the Lord not putting him off with eye-service but serving him in singlenesse of heart be ingenuous towards God with good will doing service whatever good words you speak whatever good duties you perform whatever good fruits you bring forth let good will be at the bottom Let not fleshly wisdom have any thing to do in the managing and ordering your Spiritual waies You must be fools if you will be honest He that will be wise saith the Apostle let him be a foâ—l So he that will be upright let him lay down his fleshly wisdom Let him not consult with Flesh and Blood nor studie to cast himself into such a mode or limit himself to such a measure of godlinesse as will best secure and advance his earthlie concernments but laying aside such considerations let him follow the Lord in all things whether it be right or wrong as to matters outward and carnal Beware of Hipocriâ—ie and dissimulation be not mockers of God Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked saith the Apostle That is either God cannot be mocked there 's no juggling with God there 's no deceiving of Gods Eie when you have done all you can to varnish an empty or deceitful work God cannot be deceived his eie sees what it is There 's no dissembling with God whatever there may be with men Or else God will not be mocked he will never be put off with nor bear mocking services but as men sow so shall they reap Look what their work is such shall their reward and their wages be There is a twofold-mock 1. A Deriding Mock 2. A Deluding Mock There is a deriding mock or a putting of scorn upon persons The Enemies of Jerusalem mocked at her Sabbaths the Persecutors and Cruciâ—iers of Christ mocked him and said Hail King of the Jews And there is a Deluding Mâ—ck or a putting a Cheat upon them to deceive them He that promises any thing that he doth not intend he that doth any thing or gives any thing which is another thing than it appears to be is a Mocker Thou hast mocked me these three times said Delila to Sampsoâ— when he pretended to have told her all that was in his heart and yet hat but lyed to her Judg. 16. 15. He that refreshes the needie with good words onlie be filled be warmed or Promises I will give I will relieve you this is but Mock-Charity He that paies his debts or buyes his Commodities with brasse money instead of silver this is but mock Justice and he that worships God with tongue-worship instead of heart-worship this is but mock Religion Oh how much such mocking of God are many Professors of Religion guilty of There 's nothing but words in their Professions nothing but words in their Prayers nothing but words in their Confessions and Acknowledgments Their Faith is a mock Faith and their Repentance is mock Repentance their Humility is mock Humility nay their very Alms and Benevolences wherewith those that received them are refreshed and relieved are in respect to God a mock Charity mock Alms. Whatever there is done there is nothing of the heart in it there 's no good will in all their good work and where that 's wanting the Lord looks on all as nothing Oh remember and bewail all your Hypocrisies and Dissimulation you are apt to think at least would make others think when you have been Praying or Fasting or keeping Sabbaths or visiting the Sick or relieving the oppressed that you have been doing some great good services when yet it may be you have been dissembling with the Lord in all and had need to go pray again not only Lord forgive us our sins our pride or our covetousnesse but Lord forgive us our Prayers Lord forgive us our Repentance our Fasting our Sabbaths our Sabbath-mockeries our Prayer-Mockeries Consider brethren what an high provocation this is 'T is no small sin to be mockers of men but will a man mock God Mal. 3. 8. Will a man rob God saith the Lord. Though you dare to steal and purloin one from the other yet dare you be so highly impious and sacrilegious as to rob God Ye have robbed me saith the Lord. You have not only robbed my Prophets and my Servants but ye have robbed me Will a man rob God So Will a man mock God Seemeth it to you a small thing that you weary men that you will weary my God also saith he Prophet Seemeth it a small thing to you to deal falsly with men but will you deal falsly with God also Brethren in all your waies observe the rule Do as you would be done by If you would not that the Lord should mock you be you no longer Mockers of God Do not put off the Lord with mock-duties unlesse you will be content to be put off with mockmercies mock-comforâ—s with a mock-pardon and a mock salvation Beloved Let us bewail our Hypocrisie Let us not only bewail and humbled under any thing we have offered up to God wherein we have been hypocritical in toto have done nothing else but plaid the hypocrites but let us bewail all those lower degrees of hypocrisie that have been mingled with the best of all our duties blessed be God that though we have been too hypocritical yet we are no Hypocrites blessed be God for any sincerity that he hath seen in us but wo to us and shame to us that there hath been so much hypocrisie mingled with it Oh let us fear an hypocritical heart Oh let us watch against an Hypocritical heart let us purge out all the remainders of this Pharisaical leaven Let there be truth in all we do and as much as in us lies nothing but truth Let us draw nigh to God with a
and he shall have nothing else to feed upon there is meat for him to eat and a place prepared for him such as it is his place shall not be on the Throne but under the Foot-stool Now put all this together and you may see the woful state of Apostate Professors they are Monuments of Vengeance Though they have lost their savour yet they will serve for Pillars of Salt a standing dread and terror and warning to others on whose foreheads is written Let him that thinks be standeth take heed lest be fall They are cloathed with curses must feed upon fire and have their dwelling under the foot-stool in scorn and everlasting contempt Apostates are the worst of men Those that have lost their Religion have lost by their Religion 2 Pet. 2. 21. Better had it been for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than having known to turn from the holy Commandment Religion which is a wing to Saints whereby they rise up into Glory is become a weight to hypocrites to sink them so much the deeper in wrath Apostates are in the worst case of all men 1. They are the worst in Gods account The Lord hath a double quarrel with them not only for being found under the Enemies colours but that ever such varlets should have marched under his colours A quarrel with them for their Profession for their Prayers wherein they have but abused his Name and Gospel God and his waies have suffered from none so much as from Renegado disciples 2. They are the worst in the account of men both good men and evil men there are none that can speak well of Renegado's they are the sorrow of Saints and the sport of sinners good mens shame and evil mens scorn and the hate of all 3. But especially they are the worst and most miserable of men considered in themselves they have not only lost their Religion but they have arm'd it against themselves All the profession and prayers that they have made together with all the hopes and joys and comforts that once seemed to grow up out of them the remembrance of them I mean when ever they come to remember themselves will be as many darts in their livers and stings in their hearts All their hopes and joys and comforts have given up the Ghost and these ghosts do haunt them and torment them with such thoughts as these Wretched creature that I am where am I what an exchange have I made Light for darkness Wisdom or folly Righteousness for wickedness Gain for godliness Conscience for credit Heaven for hell I was once as I thought in the way of Life and I had hopes I should have seen life I made profession of Religion and took pleasure in Religion I walked after the Lord and the thoughts of God were precious to me I found comfort in Christ I took sweet counsel with the Saints and went to the house of God with them in company Sabbaths were a delight Ordinances were a refreshing to me I have tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come and whilst it was thus with me I had great peace and was full of hopes that I should once see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living But wo is me where am I now How hath my treacherous heart that I never suspected turned me aside from God and spoiled me of all my hopes and comforts I must now bid adieu to all farewel â—rofession farewel Religion farewel Conscience farewel Duties Sabbaths Ordinances Saints the sweet delights I took in them farewel Joyes and Hopes for ever Welcome Drunkards Swearers Lyars welcome Turk or Pope or Devil I must now be of your side and take up my lot with you for ever Oh whither am I fallen Study well the misery of such persons and let that be a warning to you IV. Be Circumspect See that you do not unnecessarily pull sufferings on your selves especially look to it that you suffer not as evil doers If your sin lead you into sufferings God may leave you in them and then what is like to become of you There is a suffering for our faults there is a suffering for our righteousness without our fault and there is a suffering for our righteousness through our fault We sometimes run our selves upon trouble when we need not as when by our unwary and imprudent managing and ordering our selves in some duties we lay our selves open to those sufferings which a little prudence might have prevented We must be wise as well as innocent Christians should never ordinarily expose themselves to suffering till God hath so hedg'd up all lawful waies of escape that they must either suffer or sin Be so wary in your course that you may not faultily suffer for the good that is in you but especially see to it that you suffer not as evil-doers and for the evil that is found in you to this end be careful 1. That you speak not nor do any thing in the matters of Religion rashly 'T was good counsel which the Town-Clark gave the Ephesians when they were in a tumult and uproar about their Goddesse Diana Acts 19. 36. Seeing that these things cannot be spoken against ye ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly Christians should be considerate and well advised in what they speak or do should mark and weigh their words and actions themselves which they know will be so narrowly observed and weighed by others 2. That you speak not nor do nor refuse to do any thing obstinately or out of stomack or animosity Let your wayes be guided not by passion or a spirit of contradiction but by conscience and meekness of spirit be not self-willed let nothing be done through strife c. Phil. 2. 3. Be stedfast but not stubborn be faithful but not wilful be zealous but not contentious 3. That you neither do nor suffer any thing out of pride or vain-glory as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 2. 3. Do nothing so suffer nothing out of strife or vain glory Take heed that an affectation of popular applause of gaining the repute of active Christians of bold and resolved Christians be not it that leads you on Your pride may cost you much but will never bear your charge may bring you into trouble but will never bear you out 4. That you do nothing ignorantly or upon mistake Be clear especially in those things which may be costly Study your duty throughly labour to see your way plain before you to see the pillar of fire and of the cloud going before you Give heed to the word of the Scriptures which is a light to your feet and a Lanthorn to your steps Where you are clear you will be bold but take heed of suffering upon a mistake Your troubles will be like to open your eyes and shew your mistake and thereby put out your lights destroy your supports and comforts 5. Do not suffer unpeaceably Suffer not for
Will he with whom no iniquity can dwell dwell in that heart where there is so much iniquity by which he is provoked every day but he that is the God of peace is also the God of patience who though he will not bear the iniquities of his adversaries yet he will bear much with the infirmities of his People Psal 89. 30. c. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements if they breake my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgressions with a Rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail 4. He that is the God of peace is the God of hope I have not peace in possession whatever there be in the promise I live in the fire am born a man of contention What likelyhood is there that I should ever live to see a good day my comforts are broken my Estate is lost my libertie is gone friends I have none enemies I have many and mighâ—ty I dwell in Mâ—sech I have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar I am for peace they are for War whither ever I look round about me before me behind me on the right hand or on the left all speaks trouble and terrour to me I have no peace What noâ— no hopâ— of peace neither where is thy God maâ— hast thou a God in thee and yet no hope in thee the God of peace and yet no peace the God of hope and yet no hope the God of hope will yet fill thee with joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. Why art thou cast down oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Psal 43. 11. The God of hope will open a Window of hope in the darkest times a door of hope in the most desperate cases The God of hope will bear up the spirits of his Saints in hope against hope and this hope will never disappoynt them It shall never be said there is no peace there is no hope till it can be said there is no God in Israel But how or in what sence is it to be understood that this God of peace will be with us I answer in three particulars 1. The heart of God will be with you Joseph's blessing the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush will be thy portion Deut. 33. what was the Bush the Church or Israel of God What case was the Bush in 't was all in a light fire 't was all in a flame VVho was it that dwelt in the Bush God was in the Bush and that kept it from consuming though not from burning The good will of this God shall be with thee his love his favour his care I love them that love me Prov. 8. 17. The Lord loveth the Righteous Psal 146. 8. The Love of God is the womb of all good Hence sprang the morning Star from the love of God came the Son of God hence came that womb of the Morning the blessed Gospel which is so big with glorious grace with Light Life Pardon Peace Glory Immortality from the love of God came the glorious Gospel of God The upper Springs all spiritual and heavenly blessings the neither springs all earthly and outward blessings do all rise and bubble up out of this Fountain the love of God The precious things of Heaven the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun the precious Fruits put forth by the Moon the chief things of the ancient Mountains the precious things of the lasting Hills the precious things of the Earth and the fulness thereof All these flow in with the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Love is all the Apostle tells us Rom. 13. our love to God is the fulfilling of the Law that is it will bring forth all that to God all that duty and obedience which the Law requires I may tell you that Gods love to us is the fulfilling of the Gospel that is it will powre down all that upon us it will do all that for us which the Gospel promises Look over the whole Gospel read and study every precious leaf and line of that blessed Book and if there be enough in all that to make thee blessed and to encourage thee on in thy holy course all this is thine Thou hast that love of God with thee which will fulfil the Gospel there shall not one jot or tittle fail thee of all that the Gospel promises The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Isa 9. 7. 2. The help of God will be with you the Lord will be your helper in the day of your distresse Heb. 13. 5 6. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me He hath said I will not leave thee and therefore we may say I will not fear He hath said I will be and therefore we may boldly say the Lord is my Helper He hath said he will not forsake he will help and who is he that shall say There is no help for thee iâ— thy God There 's no man whose Case may not be so desperate as to be above all humane help If he should cry out as the woman to the King of Israel Help O King the King must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If he should cry out Help O Man of God the Man of God must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If he cry out Help O my Friends my Wit my Policy my Purse all these must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall we help thee But what case is there wherein an Help Lord will not do Foolish men count their case desperate when they come to their God help that 's an usual expression to set forth the extreamity and helplesness of any mans case When we see men even lost in any misery and their case even utterly hopeless then to signifie our sense of such mens lost condition we cry out God help that man God help that woman they are lost Creatures I but if men did understand and consider what the help of the Lord is they would see there could be no case so desperate but an Help Lord might recover all 1 Sam. 30. 6. when David was greatly distressed and all was gone He encouraged himself in the Lord his God Consider here two things 1. What his Case then was he was in great distress he had lost all that ever he had his spoyls that he had taken were all gone his Corn and his Cattel his Wives and his City were all lost he had not an habitation in all the World he had nothing left him but a poor Army and these were worse than
Gospel Grounds 'T is not a natural hardiness or apathy 't is not the Spirit of a man that does sustain his infirmities 't is upon the everlasting Gospel that he stands There are three Things especially that bear him through His viewing The Hand of the Lord. The End of the Lord. The Help of the Lord. 1. He sees the hand of the Lord in all that befalls him Whence was Davids patience Psal 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth Because thou Lord didst it Whence was Eli's patience 1 Sam. 3. It is the Lord let him do what seems him good Whence was Job's patience Job 1. 21. The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. By the way note That a godly man is not only patient under his afflictions but thankful He is not only thankful for Mercies but for Chastisements 'T is not only the Lord hath given blessed be his Name the Lord hath built me up the Lord hath filled me the Lord hath hedged me blessed be his Name but also The Lord hath taken away the Lord hath humbled me broken me undone me left me naked left me nothing blessed be the Name of the Lord. This by the way 2. He sees the end of the Lord that God intends his good by all that comes upon him He knowes that all things and therefore this which is upon him whatever it be shall work to him for good 3. He feels the help of the Lord. When the hand of the Lord is upon him he feels also the hand of the Lord under him underneath the everlasting Arms Deut. 32. 27. The Gospel as it hath allotted him many Tribulation◠so it hath allowed him mighty supports A mighty God who is the Rock of Ages Isa 26. a merciful High-Priest who being tempted himself is able also to succour those that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. Precious Promises 2 Pet. 1. Gracious experiences Rom. 5. 4. Patience worketh experience This last support experience hath all the rest in it Experience is the whole Gospel proved A patient experienced Christian hath proved all things what they are hath proved the World and what it is and the worst it can do hath proved the Word and what there is in it hath proved what God is what Christ is what grace and peace and a good Conscience are Tribulation often takes away God and his Gospel and we never so well prove what God is as when we have him alone what grace is what a good Conscience is as when we have nothing else left us Our Religion never shews so much what is in it as when it 's most put to it When the Adversary hath gotten the greatest advantage of us of the Sun of the Wind of the Ground when he presseth with most violence with most fury upon us then we best know what the weapons of our Warfare are The comforts and supports of Religion are not known either of what strength or of what sweetness they are till they are thus proved Hezekiah had never such a tast of his integrity as when he received the Message of death Stephen had never such a sight of Heaven as through a storm of stones Christ is never so sweet as in a prison When God meets his Saints in a Wilderness then he speaks comfortably to them A patient Christian hath more or less experience of all this and hence is he supported keeps quiet under all his sufferings and carried with courage on in his way Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord. You have need of patience and no excuse for your impatience The sufferings of the Gospel call for patience and the supports of the Gospel will condemn your impatience If you will be godly count upon it that you have a great fight of afflictions to endure Venture not into the fight without your Armour An impatient creature is a naked Soldier How easily will Sathan destroy whom he hath once disarmed The more you can the less you shall suffer Secure your spirit and you save your self from harm There 's no Dart shall hurt you that does not hit your heart Keep your heart whole and the Devil loses all his shot Be patient and you possess your Souls keep your Souls and the enemy loses the day Christians 'T is of great consequence to you to be of a patient spirit and 't is a great Duty there 's much more in it than every eye observes When I perswade you to Patience know That 't is no small thing that I am perswading you to 'T is no less than 1. To the whole of Christianity 2. To the height of Christianity 1. To the whole of Christianity To be truly Patient hath as much in it as to be a Christian To be holy humble meek mortified self-denying crucified to the world heavenly minded all this you must be or you cannot be patient Patient and proud patient and peevish patient and unmortified earthly minded a self-seeker This is as great a contradiction as to be proud and humble fleshly and spiritual earthly and heavenly a Christian and no Christian If ever you will be possessors of this grace you must be partakers of all grace Get a believing broken self-denying heart get your spirits furnished with the love of Christ the hope of the Gospel the contempt of the World live above in the other World Let Christ Glory Honour Immortality be the portion of your Souls and the pleasure of your lives if ever you would be truly patient 2. To Christianity in the height of it In pressing you to patience I am herein pressing you to get Assurance Without assurance though patience be possible yet you 'l find it both difficult and very imperfect What Patience when I question whether my sins be forgiven whether God be reconciled and be not dealing with me as an enemy What Patience when I doubt whether my afflictions be not the pension of a bastard rather than the portion of a Son when I am not sure but my present sufferings are sent to carry me down to eternal sufferings I am in misery and perpetual torments never a day without 〈…〉 it may be never shall this or worse may last for ever 〈◊〉 if I were sure it would be well at last I could be quiet but for ought I know the Furnace I am in may be the very mouth of Hell The diseases the wounds I am under may be sent to let out my Soul into everlasting burnings how can I be patient under such doubts and fears Make God sure Christian make Heaven sure once and then thou may'st set thine Heart at rest then thou may'st almost as easily exercise as thine Enemies find thee Exercise of thy patience Christians if you will be patient you must be painful give diligence be diligent in making your Calling and Election sure be diligent in duty be vigilant against iniquity If you will be patient be impatient of sin and you will be
am giving you I have in part borrowed for your use which some of you may possibly have received elsewhere Before I give you the particular directions I shall first premise these things 1. Count upon this that the Directions I am now giving you if you ever mean to bring it to any thing will cost you pains and labour and how can you count your selves Christians if you refuse to be at the necessary cost of Christianity If you think to be Christians without labour or if you will stand out from Christianity to save your labour you are a like wise in both Either come to a Resolution to fall upon an industrious painful life or 't will be in vain to give you counsel 2. Practice the Directions I shall give you in pursuance of your Covenant with God wherein you have ingaged to take the strictest severest Laws of Christ for the Rule of thy Life What I am presing on you for the matter of it is no more than you have bound your selves to as Christians Remember your bonds and let this holy practice be followed on by you as the paying your Vows Remember daily the vows of God are upon you and there is not any material thing here prescribed to you which falls not under your vows Your Covenant if your eye be much upon it will be a cord to hold you to your work 3. Presse hard for sensible Communion with God in all your Duties 4. Keep up a spiritual and holy frame from Dutie to Dutie Remember what I have elsewhere spoken to you more at large on these two particulars See that there be Religion in your duties and confine not your Religion to your duties 5. Be Watchful The life of all Religion lies much here what-ever you resolve upon will come to nothing without it Watchfulnessis the Executioner of your will Let your eye be upon your Rule and your work Especially watch against your prevailing sins There 's no Christian that observes himself but may find some one sin or more that in regard of their power over him are taller by the head and shoulders than all the rest In some Pride in others Worldliness in others Passion in others Sloathfulness It may be if thou searchest some one of these four or possibly some other may be it that by a specialty thou may'st call thine iniquity Find out what it is and know that there thy main work lies In vain wilt thou strive in other duties till that which hinders be removed out of the way Fight neither against small nor great but against the King of Israel Where the Enemy most ordinarily makes his breach upon thee set the stronger Guard Let thy daily conflicts be here and observe diligently with what success 6. Walk on thy course in the Name and strength of the Lord Jesus Live by Faith Depend on Christ for the assistance of his mighty Spirit Forget not this for otherwise thou wilt go but lamely on These things premised I shall now give you the particular Directions 1. Directions for the Evening Every Evening before you sleep withdraw your selves from the World and having set your hearts as in the presence of God charge them before God to answer to these following Interrogatories 1. Concerning your Duties Q. 1. Did not God find me on my bed when he expected me on my knees 2. Was there not more of Custom and Fashion than of Conscience and Affection either in my secret or family Duties 3. Had I any sensible Communion with God in my duties 4. Have I not neglected or been careless and overly in reading the Word and holy Meditation 2. Concerning your Sins Q. 1. Do I live in nothing that I know to be a sin 2. Have I kept me from MINE Iniquity What victory have I yet gotten over it 3. Am I a mourner for mine own and the sins of the Land 3. Concerning your Temptations Q. 1. Have I feared watched against and not run into temptation 2. What temptations have I overcome this day 3. Have I had a care of my Company 4. Concerning your Heart Q. 1. Have I held mine heart in a serious spiritual gracious frame have my calls to duty ever found me in a preparation to duty 2. Hath the Lord been ever before mine eyes and Eternity upon my heart 3. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations 4. Have I not given liberty to the workings of Pride sinful Anger Discontent or Impatience 5. Have I made conscience of evil thoughts 5. Concerning Conscience Q. 1. Hath my Conscience neither been blind nor dumb nor my heart deaf or headstrong against it 2. Have I done nothing against nor with a doubting Conscience 3. Have I neither defiled mine own nor wittingly scandalized my Brothers conscience 6. Concerning your Tongue Q. Have I bridled my Tongue 2. Have I spoken evil of no man 3. Hath the Law of the Lord been in my mouth as I sate in my house or went by the way as I was lying down and rising up 7. Concerning your Talents Q. 1. Have I not wasted or vainly spent any part of my Estate hath neither my pride had a share nor my Appetite more than its share 2. Have I not sent Christ away without an Almes when I had it by me 3. Have I redeemed my time from Needless Visits Idle imaginations Fruitless Discourse and Unnecessary Sleep 4. Have I not lost an opportunity this day of doing or receiving good have I not neglected to exhort or reprove when occasion hath been given and if I have been reproved how have I born it 8. Concerning your Tables Q. 1. Did I not sit down with no higher ends than a Beast only to please my appetite Did I eat and drink to the Glory of God 2. Did I not eat or drink to excess 3. Did I not rise from the Table without letting fall any thing of God there 4. Did I not mock God when I pretended to crave a Blessing or return Thanks 9. Concerning your Calling Q. 1. Have I been serving the Lord this day in my particular Calling 2. Have I not been idle 3. Have I not over-eagerly minded my earthly affairs 4. Have I defrauded no man wronged no man 5. Have I dropped never a Lye nor broken promise in all my dealings 10. Concerning your Relations Q. Have I faithfully discharged and done nothing against my duty 〈◊〉 Relations Have I behaved my self Husband Wife As a Christian Parent Child Master Servant 11. Concerning your carriage to those Within Q. Have I carried my self towards all Saints 1. Lovingly Delighting in them Bearing with them Covering their Infirmities 2. Peaceably not provoking them to Envy 3. Profitably provoking them to love and good works 12. Concerning your carriage to those Without Q Have I carried my self to those without 1. Wisely that they have not been a snare to me nor I through my fault become a prey to them 2. Inoffensively Have I not been a stumbling block to them 3. Courteously and
compassionately that I might the better win upon them 3. Concerning Providences Q. 1. Have I diligently observed all the remarkable Providences of God towards me especially such as have come in as the returns of Prayer 2. Have I been thankful for my daily mercies 3. Have I born this dayes crosses 14. Concerning the use of your Liberty Q. Have I kept my self far enough within my bounds In Sum Q. 1. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 2. Have I led this day A Diligent Watchful Self-denying Life Directions for the Morning 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing these Questions in the Evening be sure to do it now 2. Ask thy self What Sins have I committed What duties have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended the day fore-going And renew thy repentance and double thy watch 3. Examine whether God were first and last in thy Thoughts Morning and Evening 4. Be careful to set thine ends right for all the day An Advertisement If you want time to make daily enquiry upon every one of the fore-mentioned particulars they being so many set a mark upon or write out such of them as most especially concern your case and let not them be forgotten Think not thy self excused from this course because 't is too long when if need be thou mayst thus make it shorter Better cut short than wholly give out For the help of the weaker I shall gather out these few of the chief Interrogatories which when they are straitned for time they may only use and to which they may add more as they have occasion and opportunity Q. 1. Was I serious and had I any sensible Communion with God this day in my secret and Family Duties 2. Hath it been my care to keep mine heart in an holy Frame from Duty to Duty 3. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations 4. Have I not given liberty to the working of Pride sinful Anger Discontent or Impatience nor so much as to vain thoughts 5. Have I not inordinately minded earthly things 6. Have I kept me from Mine iniquity and not lived in any known sin 7. Have I wronged no man in word nor deed 8. Have I been temperate and self-denying in the use of the Creatures 9. Hath the Law of the Lord been much in my mouth 10. Have I not sent Christ away without an Alms when I had it by me 11. Have I not lost an opportunity of doing or receiving good 12. Have I not neglected nor done any thing against my duty to my Relation 13. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 14. Have I been diligent and watchful Christian here is a course prescribed which by the ordinary assistance which the Lord doth not deny you may take up if you will and which if you conscientiously observe will be without doubt through the blessing of God attended with great success And those that do not take up this course or some other equivalent to it let them never think to ease their hearts by idle complaints I can't attain to such a holy even fruitful heavenly life as I desire I would but I cannot God will abhor such lazy complaints and look upon them as they are a meer device to keep you quiet under a slothful heart Set your whole Duty daily before your eyes charge it upon your hearts take an account of your selves how you discharge it set upon it as that which is no other than you have vowed to the Lord commit your selves and your wayes to him for success and if this doth not mightily conduce to advance you in point of holiness and establish you in point of peace then say that both the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel have deceived you And thus I have set before you that holy conversation which becometh the Gospel Take up this holy course let this be your Life you mean to lead and let it be carried on In an holy Union In an United Contention In an Holy Boldness 1. In an holy Union So the Apostle there adds stand fast in one spirit with one mind Never look to thrive in Grace if you do not live in peace The decays of Christianityly much upon the score of the divisions of Christians The Devil hath also taken up that Maxim Divide Impera Rent them and ruine them The reason why our Love is so cold is because our Differences are so hot The reason of so little zeal against sin hath been the great strife among Brethren The combinations of Sinners have not so much prejudiced the power of holiness as the contentions of Saints There are not a few who go under the name of Saints that have maintained disputes about Religion so long till they have disputed themselves out of all Religion their searching for truth hath been the loss of both love and life Christians if ever you would be any thing be one be of one heart of one mind holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace It were greatly to be desired that the people of God were both of one heart and of one way But if this may not be if there cannot be Vniformity yet let there be Vnity betwixt all that fear the Lord in truth A few words I shall leave with you for your direâ—â—on herein 1. Divide not from the Head to unite with any pretended Members hold not with them that hold not with the Head Sell not Truth clear fundamental Truth to buy Peace 2. Divide not from real Members lest you hereby prove your division from the Head Christ hath but one body if you be not in union with the body you are divided from the Head 3. See the Head in every Member see Christ in every Saint 4. Prize Christ where-ever you see him Love Christ and love his Image if you will not slight Christ slight not any Saint See'st thou an humble mâ—â—â— patient broken-hearted self-denying mortified Christian in whatsoever unpleasing form as to matters circumstantial he appears despise him not reject him not 5. Prize Peace and Union aâ— the strength and honour of the body 6. Pursue Peace and Union with the utmost strength of thy soul And that you may obtain it 1. Let all parties that are named of Christ be humbled under former Divisions What peace so long as God is angry Oh how have we provoked the Lord by provoking one another Let him only who hath been without sin in this matter be without sorrow and shame Sure they are hard hearts who are not broken under such breaches Let us not mistake our selves nor mis-call that zeal for God which God will call pride and peevishness I speak not against our being offended either with errour or iniquity we may not call evil good or darkness light for peace sake but at our unreasonable passions against whom we suppose erring Brethren If
the Gospel and the more necessary and weighty Duties of Religion sufficiently understood and practised Are your Souls safe Is your Calling and Election sure Is the Love and Life and zeal of God grown up to that maturity that you need not mutual help this way Have you any spare time from those things to spend in perplexing controversies Build up one another in your most Holy Faith provoke one another to Love and to good works encourage establish and strengthen one another in the known wayes of holiness and if you find not this both better work and work enough for you then take your liberty These things do live in peace and love and the God of peace shall be with you Hear Oh â—ye freinds of Christ by what oblique Names soever unhappily distinguished will you come and be Friends one with another Are you for peace Your God is the God of Peace Your Jesus is the Prince of Peace Your Gospel is the Gospel of Peace and will you not be perswaded to be Sons of peace Your God is one your Mediator is one your Faith one your Baptism one your Hope one you are one Bodie one Spirit and will you not yet be one Soul Oh how hopeful would our condition be were our hearts generallie set upon peace We should certainly obtain did we more resolvedlie pursue it and what should hinder have you not yet enough of your contentions and quarrellings have not your Souls been sufficiently neglected your Lusts strengthened your Faith weakened your Love withered your comforts wasted your names blemished your holy Profession blamed Hath not your God been sufficiently provoked and the Devil sufficiently gratified are your bellies so filled with gall and your mouths with gravel and have you not yet enough of your contentions Christians Slight not these Counsels and Warnings As you would prove your selves the Friends of Christ be ye followers of peace Studie oh studie these things that make for peace Follow peace with all men as much as in you is but especially with the houshold of Faith Let there be no longer strife betwixt us for we are brethren Yet alwaies remember I am pressing you to an holy Union whilst I perswade you to follow peace I must still add and holiness I perswade you not to pursue peace upon tearms dishonourable or prejudicial to Truth They must have both together that will be blessed in either Truth without Peace is as a Jewel without its Cabinet Peace without Truth is as a Cabinet with nothing in it Peace without holiness is as a fair and promising shell with a rotten or worm-eaten kernel holiness without peace is as a pretious kernel under a crack'd and broken shell They that have peace without truth have nothing worth the securing they that have truth without peace have little security for what they have Peace without truth is beauty without worth Truth without peace is worth with its beauty marred Let both go together and then they will be both the Columina Ecclesiae the Pillar of the Church rendring it consistent within it self and the Corona Ecclesiae its Crown rendring it comely and glorious before the World Be it thus wiâ—h us and then Sathan look to thy self thy Kingdom shall down amain when thou canst no longer hold up division thou losest thy dominion Then Saints lift up your heads your Communion shall be sweet your glory shall be great your light shall shine your fruit shall abound the smell of your spices shall flow forth your adversaries shall envy and your King shall greatly delight to see your beauty Oh may this Grace this Peace be granted us from the Lord and let all that love the prosperity of Sions say Amen 2. In an an united Contention Striving together saith the Apostle for the Faith of the Gospel Unite but strive strive not one against another Christian against Christian but strive together Let your Contention be in Communion Strive together against sin and unbelief against Hypocrisie and earthliness strive against strife and debate and envyings and judgings strive together with God in your prayers and supplycations We often pray but our prayers do not agree by keeping at such distance we know not one anothers hearts and are so many men so many minds every one prayes according to his single apprehension and affections What one prayes another unprayes insomuch that we should put the Lord to do contradictions if he must give particular answer to all our prayers And possiblie that may be the reason why the Lord defers his answer so long he will stay till we are better agreed what we would have Matth. 18. 19. If two of you agree on earth touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven Strive together in all holy and united endeavours to comfort confirm and establish one another in the Faith of the Gospel Keep up the Communion of Saints and an united contention against sin and unbelief Remember Heb. 10. 25. 3. In an holy boldness in nothing terrified by your Adversaries In nothing that is either in no degree not at all terrified or else in nothing that you have to do be frighted out of no part of your duty or else at nothing that they do or threaten to do against you Be not afraid to be holy Tell your Adversaries when they have said and done their worst you must and you will make bold to serve your God Fear them not and they cannot hurt you they never hurt you unless they divert you from your duty To establish your hearts in this holy boldness and against your carnal fears 1. Consider That 1. By how much the more you fear God by so much the less you will fear men 2. By how much the more you fear sin by so much the less you will fear trouble 3. By how much the less your adversaries fear God by so much the less need you to fear them 2. Believe Psal 27. 13. I had fainted but that I believed Faith is a buckler against fears and faintings Ephes 6. 16. Above all take the shield of faith whereby you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil The shield of faith A shield is a wall of partition interposed betwixt a person and harm 'T is only our apprehensions of harm that raise our fear Faith will save a Christian harmless and thereby preserve him fearless The shield is ordained for a security to all parts and against all assaults Some pieces of our armour are appropriated to one part only the Helmet is for the head the Breast-plate for the brest the Girdle for the loins the Shooes for the feet but the shield is a moveable that is to be lifted up where-ever the blow comes Faith is an universal security Faith may be said to be a Shield 1. Instrumentally As it provides us of a shield as it lifts up a sheild and sets a guard upon the Soul to secure it