their scoffing Table-talk when the Upright are called Hypocrites Righteous dealers are voted unjust or for one piece of unequal dealing are ever condemned so When the glorifiers of God before men out of conscience of duty because under a command are thought vain-glorious When exact walkers fearful of sin dare not run with others into excess of riot nor give allowances fond and liberal to their fawning lusts shall be called over-righteous deemed needless precisians making too much ado in the Church of God as if men could be too godly when the highest measures of holy strictness are exceedingly short of the rule and the life of Christ as if too much care conscience and pains according to requiries of Scripture either could be is or ever was in any Believer in the World as if when the word says real Saints are to give all diligence in the exercise of all Graces 2 Pet. 1. 5. c. To work out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. To make through work of it to redeem the time to be followers of Christ they could be too diligent and strict by the warrant of these and other Scriptures to assure and promote their eternal Salvation Every serious dying-Saint thinks he hath done too little for the honor of God and his Gospel for his own soul and others Every glorified Saint seeth his massy glory doth exceedingly outweigh his most diligent services and patient sufferings The abuse of holy examples is too general an injury to God and his choice servants The gracious the graceless are both guilty 1. The gracious low spirited Christians whose light is in a dark lanthorn that shine forth to outward view little or nothing of the glory and power of Religion O ye Christians of the lower form look to those that have out-learned you in Christs School continue not still in your weak Graces and strong Corruptions see you not some of your fellow-Converts are very Heavenly Let this correct your earthiness Are some meek let this shame and cure your passions Have they liberal hearts and hands let this open your shut bowels and purses Can they forgive great wrongs let this blame and mend you that can hardly pass by little Dare they not speak idely and frothily guarding the doors of their lips Let this urge you to repentance who speak not onely idly but wickedly uttering such corrupt communication that slanders by must needs conclude foul hearts when tongues are so foul Do they grow under the means of Grace Let their proficiency spur you to better progresses by holy Ordinances Do they practice Religion where they are most in their own Families Let your sinful Houshold omission of holy Duties or but cold formal performances your domestick disorders be reformed Lastly Do they live in the power of godliness let this warn your too powerless profession that you labor more for the power 2. The graceless are guilty of abusing the grace of God in the examples of Grace How will this load your guilt at the great day that as you have wronged the Gospel of Grace so you have gracious Gospellers you look on them as the vile off-scouring of the World 1 Cor. 4. 13. of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11. 38. Can proudly judge them sometimes base persons for their despised though honorable Divine nature and their loathed holiness herein like to the Heathens of old who made the practice of Christianity and the Christians owning the Christian name their crime Though you cast contempt on vessels of honor whom you debase God esteems It is no flattering but Scripture Language The Scripture stiles them Precious Isa 43. 4. Jewels Mal. 3. 17. Honorable Isa 43. 4. Noble Acts 17. 11. Kings Rev. 1. 6. Princes in all Lands Psal 45. 16. that have the happiness to enjoy them If they be as dirt in your eyes they are as gold in Gods Be intreated to take a measure by the golden line of the Sanctuary whose examples are most Scriptural safe to the interest of immortal souls those you contemn or those you follow Though with a supercilious from you disdain to follow their sober chaste heavenly pious mortified penitential reformed lives Truth will make your awakned mindes when you die wish you had traced their holy steps and when you would at the great day be glad to follow them in glory this for ever will shut the door of hope and happiness you never followed them in Grace It is in vain with Balaam to wish the death of the righteous and with vulgar dead imaginary Believers to hope for the glory of the righteous when there is not with upright Saints living the life of the Righteous Holy and happy should you be that follow the huge multitudes that troop to hell in the broad way of pleasing evil examples if converting Grace did powerfully whisper in your Spirit and draw you back to the narrow way of life Here you should meet with a thin but blessed company Fellow O follow them who through Faith and unwearied patience in well-doing have their race answered with an eternall prize and them also who after their holy course is finished shall inherit the promises It will never grieve you if once you return from your mad errours and courses to your sober spiritual witts that you have changed undoing for saving presidents that you have left your soul-ruining good-fellowship for communion with Saints Angels the Mediator of the Covenant and with the blessed Trinitie for all Eternitie Have any of you ridden about life and death and with exceeding grief lost both your time and way have you rejoyced to meet with an unerring gride that hath not onely brought you out from your wandrings but set you in your way yea rode before you as a courteous faithfull guide The like joy yea greater you will find if after you have strayed like lost travellers God set before you leaders and you have the wisdome and grace to follow in the erring and dangerous wilderness of this world your holy guides to the heavenly Canaan SECT 8. 8. REconciling Grace is turned into Wantonness As in the 8 Reconciling grace is turned into Wantonness former Section the choice Presidents of Grace so in this and the following particulars the choice priviledges of Grace will appear to be abused God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. The propitiatory atoning sacrifice of Christs death in putting away Gods destructive wrath is rich grace Even this is injured Reconciliation with God stands in many with agreement with Satan what in them lies peace with God and sin kisse each other as if a league with heaven and hell could stand together Seditious persons reconciled to their Prince abuse his goodness when at the same time they are Traiterous friends with his enemies hold intelligence with them doe homage to them are ruled by them
silly chapmen to take off the braid wares of corrupt errours Have no opininions taught you looseness Why doe you not shew you are Christians to purpose in doing illustrious singular things that the neighbours that study your lives and are strangers to your inward Faith and Love may say These are children of God indeed would I were in their condition It is not the language but the power of your Profession that will draw hearts after it How have you defaced your Adoption when your sinfull omissions of convincing duties and breakings forth of corruption sharpen the edge of bitter language and tempt to these words of reproach O these are the children of God in scorn denying you the honour because you have denyed God the glory and your selves the credit of your Adoption Let this lord your hearts for your unwatchful and dishonourable conversation and call for future caution Your publick sinnes make your Father hear ill in the world 2. Christians of strict profession that have onely childrens name not nature artificial not supernaturally natural not lively in externall exercises of Religion that put over impious designs and practises the too good cover of a pious name that are adorned painted Sepulchers unclean within that make not Religion the great expedient for blessed eternity but a fair net Quidam probitate ficta c viam sibi ad potentiā muniunt Lact. de vero cult l. 6. c. 6. to catch the world in That in your zealous devotions more hot in the mouth than heart call God frequently your Father and make it the pleasing Prologue and usher of many of your Petitions Confessions and Thanksgivings and yet have no filiall affections of love and feare shame and sorrow no pleasure in pleasing him no real godly sorrow for his dishonour That betray the weaknesse of your painted piety having no real fervencie of heart for the interest of Gods name but your own concernments That betray the whole body of your Religion is a dead carkass without the life and soul of it the quickning Spirit No wonder if you stink when the ill savour of your loathed pollutions intemperance incontinence unrighteousnesse unnaturall sins betray the power of Religion was but feigned never feared in the heart that could never disperse inward nor outward beloved and delighted in imperious sins O you that are strict in the exercises of piety and do but feign not really affect and pursue Christianity Gods most heavy and smarting blows will be at you without great repentance and singular reforming sinceritie Doe no longer mock God nor men Hypocrisie at length ends in Apostasie The feigned friends of Christ are real enemies O let not Religion holy Religion be wickedly blasphemed nor be your play and game but your serious businesse in good earnest and know when you dye as well may you expect a painted fire should warm you as a painted Religion comfort your self-accused and tempted departing soules Before I close this point I must warn the loose and scoffing generation that possibly may read this page to forbear their triumph Some may say The Author hath hit the mark and ecchoes with our thoughts we are glad he hath payd the Hypocrites out upon these Precisians they are all Hypocrites And are you glad indeed Where is your charity That would not rejoice in iniquity 1 Cor. 13. 6. What if your merry sarcasmes and satyricall invectives against the Hypocrites be an arrow justly shot against your selves Did you never read there are hypocritical mockers in feasts Psal 35. 16. The severe censurers of Hypocrisie had need be upright Are not you eminently grosly guilty of the crime you cry down If you will not believe it it is easie to prove it deny it if you can Do not you profess salvation only by Jesus Christ Do not you know except you be born again you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven Joh. 3. 5. Is it not plain Scripture He that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Are you not commanded to redeem the time Ephes 5. 16. Are not livers in pleasures dead to God while they live 1 Tim. 5. 6. Must not he that abides in Christ walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2. 5. Now I beseech you that throw the dreadfull charge of Hypocrisie and it may be truly against some persons and yet care not though through the sides of Hypocrites yee wound the generation of Gods children are not you gross Hypocrites your selves You profess Christianity credit Gospel-revelation call Christ your Saviour dare not say you will not be ruled by his Laws expect salvation by him own his Ordinances and if asked the question before a Sacrament or on a sick bed by Ministers that please you will you follow the rules of the Gospel to fit you for heaven My charitie perswades me you would say yea God forbid but I should be ruled by Jesus Christ It is very easie then to conclude from your own concessions you are Professors now what is Hypocrisie but a constant contradiction to the profession of the power of godlinesse Is not yours such Be not angry with this home-speaking to your bosomes your consciences if you repent not will speak a thousand times more after death than a few pages Can your studious and ordinary giving up your selves to the lusts pomps and vanities of the world be interpreted a devoting or resignment of your persons up to Jesus Christ Are you born of the Spirit that shew no scripture proofs of your high heavenly birth the life of the Spirit the graces of the Spirit the leading of the Spirit that are not acquainted with the breathings of the Spirit at the throne of grace who never made your families houses of prayer Are you indeed new creatures Is it possible that the old oathes drunkennesse uncleannesse slighting and contemning the Word of God laughing at those truths you hear that should set you a trembling loathing of religious exercises living in the old affections and conversation should prove you were new creatures Can you beleeve Christ in you hath crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts which you pamper and keep alive Doe you redeem precious time all which should you live an hundred years abating the necessary and moderate attendances on the things of this life would call for all time in the numerous services of Religion conquests of Temptations subjection to the Gospel and preparation for Eternity Will you call your covetous costly passionate gaming in the afternoon till night yea sometimes from night till morning redeeming the time Is your sleeping till nine or ten a clock on the Lords day time Redemption Is your earthy frothy unedifying discourses one with another when you are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works Heb. 10. 28. To speak what may minister grace and soul advantage to the hearer Eph. 4. 29. Time improvements
and lives that with the repenting Jaylors they had had heart tremblings then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning a sun-shine of prosperity should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth How wise and safe had been their estate that at once have peace with sin and as they think with God had they at once seen God and sin their enemy their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes their sweetest comforts bitter vexations the creatures armed against them feared their very meat might prove their poyson every night might be the last that these awakening driving terrors might chase unquiet afrighted spirits into Jesus Christ that the fear and war of the spirit of bondage might end in the joy and peace of the spirit of adoption that tempestuous soules might hear these sweet calming words Be of good cheere t is I be not afraid Mat. 14 27. Fear not I am thy God Isa 41. 10. My Person Spirit Graces Comforts Glory infinite merits are thine Some in the Wildernesse of their sins feares and sorrowes have at length leaned on their beloved when the false peace of most presumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell As many there as have been tempted by secure flattery into their tormenting easelesse bed of Tribulation will have cause to think and say within themselves accursed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts lives that hath brought us to an eternall storme accursed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war accused be that sweetnesse that hath inticed us into eternall bitternesse accursed be that friendship with the world and Devill that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God SECT 14. 4. The presumption of setting death and Judgement at far distance Sect. 14. The setting of death and judgement at far distance causeth the abuse of Grace 1. Death Resentment of it as of a Traveller thousands of miles off at scores of yeares removes begets through the deceits of the flesh and lyes of the Devill a tolleration yea a resolution to play the wanton not only against Nature but Grace The Epicure that beleeves not the Soules immortality concludes wanton voluptuous life from probable short life Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15. 32. And the Christian though he beleeveth his Soule shall live for ever doth wantonize in carnall delights from probable length of dayes he shall have time enough to get the Grace of Repentance and therefore he abuseth the space and call yea the conviction of returning the vilest of Christians while under the sentence and on the bed of death seeme to have some sober thoughts of the excellency and necessity of Grace and of some complying desires and wishes O that they had it who when they beleeved it yea found it at vast distance from them despised and abused the motions of the spirit and word and of Grace How Saint like is the inlightned Libertine within a few houres of his death how dissolute ten years scores of years before it 2. Judgement Because particular Judgement after death and the generall Judgement of the great day is delayed Therefore The heart of the Sons of men is set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. wanton scoffers walke after their own ungodly Lusts saying Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. That cooling word in the Indulge exple animi cupiditates scito tan dem sis ratio nem Deo red diturus q. d. fac quicquid mali poteris tandem vapu labis aut in manus carnificis incides Mercer l. 5. c. 2. hot chase of sin Remember God will bring thee to Judgement Eccl. 11. 9. is too litle remembred the words of Mercer are observeable Feed and dandle thy lusts with most cockering indulgence coming to every desire of thy carnall mind yet know at length God will reckon with you fill up your measure of sin to your utmost possibilities at length you shall smart for it and fall into the hands of avenging Execution my Lord hath delayed his coming said the loose evill servants and therefore they were intemperate and injurious rioted in drunkennesse and Beate their fellow servants Matth. 24. 48 49. As the wanton whorish woman argued to uncleannesse Come let us take our fill of Loves let us solace our selves with Love for the good man is gone a long journey Prov. 7. 18. So the wanton Christian argues to licenciousnesse he may in the spacious intervalls between his healthy time and the last Judgement bathe his fleshly mind in fleshly loves and delights for it will be long ere the last Assizes come and will it be long what if millions of years it will come at length too soon and too sore upon the injurious slighters of Gods Grace Ah Christians that sport your selves with your own deceivings Irremediabile periculum sit aliquem cupiditatibus fraena laxare ut se rationem Deo non meminerit redditurum Bernard that Gospell Grace and liberty will favour your disordered walking that give your Lusts too large roome under the plain hearing and convincements of strictnesse that stumble in high noone day slacken the Reines to your head strong desires as if God would call you to account Bernard tells you this is an irremedilesse soule danger If the Faith of the last Judgement do not teach men holy Wisdome Repentance Temperance Obedience what will what can weep you said the Apostle James to the rich loose wantons of his time And howle for the miseries that are come upon you Jam. 5. 1. why Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth and have been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slangther v. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh As if he had said you play the wantons with creature mercies forgetting God and your duties but the accounting day is nigh Faciat jructū qui potest adest dominus qui fructum requirit faecundos vivificet steriles depre hendet Am. Super Luc. The Judge is at the doore They are good words of Ambrose Let every one bring forth the fruit of Grace the Lord is present in his word to faith who will require fruit will not be put off with leaves He will give eternall Life to fruitfull trees will take and cast barren ones into Hell SECT 15. 5. The presumption of time enough to repent hath brought 15. The presumption of time enough to repent doth cause the abuse of Grace forth this uncomely Monster The abuse of Grace There are not a few incurable instances in the other World who have first delayed and then everlastingly lost the space and Grace of repentance Those words of Christ concerning Jerusalem may be truly and sadly said of Grace-refusing and abusing Christians Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Hannibal bewailed the loss of his opportunity to master Rome when he would have
am betrayed by a professed Friend A tearm of Exprobration and just Condemnation Christ forgave not this false Friend He dyed impenitently in the abuse of his grace and had not Faith to believe his betrayed innocent blood should heal the Traytor 3. Question Shall I have the heaviest wrath in Hell Capernaum Bethsaida's high abuse of Grace should have more intolerable vengeance then Sodoms wantonnesse against nature Mat. 10. 15. The least of Hell will be intolerable If I perish under grosse abuse of Grace the Oven of Eternal fiery Wrath will be heated seven times hotter for me then for Heathens Ah soul-hater and self-destroyer Shall I cast my self into hottest eternal flames 4. Question Shall my mouth be stopt in the accounting-day Can these thoughts be born without Spirit-woundings when inlightned conscience shall say I wanted not offered convincing means of the necessity beauty advantage of Grace I hated the life of garce and consumed the time of grace in playing the wanton not working by the light of grace All under means of grace are invited to the Gospel Wedding-feast of the Son of God and to come in fitting Wedding-cloaths that the Feast-maker and the Feast be not disparaged Every guest pretends to come handsome in sitting Ornaments but the abusive guest that is found without his Wedding-garment will be speechlesse Ista vestis nuptialis quasi Bicolor rubra sanguine Alba sanctitate Matth. 22. 12 15. This Wedding-garment is party-coloured red and white Red in the Blood of the Lamb White in the sanctifying grace of the Spirit 5. Question Shall I be kicking against the Bowels of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At ille Capistratus Piscator It was a sad charge I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1. 2. Is there nothing for wanton feet to spurn at but a Fathers Bowels Do you say Our Father which art in Heaven and when ever you say so professe God your Father and spit in his loving face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my Son Caesars Son stâ—b him in the Senate Shall Gods Sons in large profession stab his name and cause him to be reproached in the world by gross abuse of his grace 6. Question Shall I make sport and triumph for Devils It was Davids grief by Saul and Jonathans death the uncircumcised Philistines would rejoyce and triumph 2 Sam. 1. 20. The uncircumcised infernal Philistines rejoyce and triumph at the wrongs of grace Davids enemies watched for and were glad at heart at his halting Psal 38. 16 17. His wellfare was their grief his falls their Songs These invisible enemies of Mankinde triumph when any that own the Christian name and the grace of the Gospel grosly prophane both 7. Question Shall I tread under foot the Son of God Heb. 10. 29. Strong thriving wanton lusts are the impure feet that tread under foot the Son of God in his humbling Incarnation who came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil in his bitter Passion who died as a Ransome to redeem from the reign of his Sin in his Soveraign Dominion who is a ruling Lord over all he saves The gross abuse of his Grace plainly what in it lyeth declares that he was Man in vain died in vain and that he is but a Precarious titular Lord and King 8. Question How shall I look the Judge in the face The time is coming when he shal appear in terrible flames of Wrath How dreadfully will he judge when the precious ends wherefore in his Fathers Counsel and his own Covenant he was judged to death are not obtained but abused If David commenced a War against Hanun the King of the Ammonites because he abused the Message and Messengers of kindnesse sent in Embassage to comfort him who instead of loving entertainment were shaved had their Garments cut off in the midst shamefully and ungratefully dismissed 1 Chron. 19. 4. What a dreadful and eternal War will the Lord Jesus commence against those Hanunites unworthy the name Christian who abuse the Messages and Messengers of Gospel-kindnesse and grace to open prophane licentiousnesse Lay all these Queries to heart and let them stick on O grosly loose Reader till they have produced Fears Astonishments Prayers for Amendment and Resolutions by the help of Gods grace not to live a notorious Libertine for the future against the call and honor of Grace SECT 5. 2. Vse of Caution is concerning the close wronging of Gods 5. Second part of the use against close wronging of grace grace 1. Take heed of wresting Gospel-grace to the allowance of the least sin Holy Paul durst not do it in his own person The grace of God was abundant in him through Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 14. and though through the power of this grace he was no absolute Perfectist yet an universal Enemy of sin the root and branches of it least and greatest had his disallowance and abhorrence Rom. 7. 15. David too that had a large share in Gods grace his sweet experience Thou art my Portion O Lord Psal 119. 57. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant according to thy word 65. was so devoted to the fear of God 38. as this produced an hatred of vain thoughts 113. and every false way 128. and therefore hid Gods Word in his heart that he might not in the least willingly sin against him The choice subject of saving grace may not continue in the least sin because grace abounds When Believers finde inward perswasion in their spirits to adventure on little sins on vain thoughts small inordination in Creature-desires and affections yielding to dulness and deadness in Holy Duties pride of Apparel self-lifting thoughts of spiritual Precedency This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth them Gal. 5. 8. The grace of God doeth neither father nor nurse the least sin but commands and inables to be holy in all maner of conversation SECT 6. 2. BEware of judging wantonness against Grace by a false 6. Beware of judging wantonness against grace by afalse rule rule The example of the best Others good Opinion The judgement of thine own heart are not true Rules to judge abuse of Gods grace by 1. Not the example of the best Though the Apostle bad the Philipians be followers of him and them that traced the Apostles steps Phil. 3. 17. yet elsewhere he limits his counsel Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. They are both joyned 1 Thess 1. 6. Ye became followers of us and of the Lord of us as we followed the Lord The Lord is sub-joyned to correct the easie common error of following the best of men sometimes in Doctrinal sometimes in practical Error Even Paul the brightest Star in the Churches Firmament had his Eclipse He is not to be followed in all things though the wariest goer he stept awry He that wrote in his Epistles against bitterness of spirit yet in the difference
the Potters shop Rom. 6. 17. The whole number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the saved that in the word of grace have felt and demonstrated the revealing of Gods arme are mightily translated from Satans kingdom into Christs Col. 1. 13. have mightily experimented the casting out of the Prince of this world Joh. 12. 31. will be astonishing witnesses against them who indeed have heard and read and have had cold and lazy convictions of the gospel but with stony hearts resisted the fastning and saving powerfull impressions of it 2. When the Gospel doth not dismantle the Devils garrisons doth not by its storms or friendly sweet Parley get the Royal Fort the Will for Christ and doth not set him there as commander in chief When the Forts of hell doe not fall before heavenly Diabolus vinctos nos tenâ—bat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumenius Qui hujus imperium adhue ferunt scelerum licentiaÌ„ satanici regni fulcâ—a instaurant Ganlt in Luk 10 Gospel batteries when its sweet trumpet soundeth to the battle its weapons are handled and used but all the while pretenders to Christs colours fight on the side of the Prince of darkness and are faithful to him as their Liege Lord here the grace of God is iniured as being appointed to be the conquering arm of God but is blessed with no victories over formall professors Satan careth not how much we have the nations of Gospel in our minds and mouths so he may still bind us fast in the chains of our own sins They who yet can bear his destructive government they are the supporters of a sinful licentiousness the props not the ruins of Satans kingdom He will resent Gospel Faith and profession as a meer mockery that doth not deny his service nor disturb his possession He hath too clear demonstrations of a carnall gospeller that bare words cannot cast him our that nothing beneath Almightiness can do it untill the chains of our own making the reasonings lusts affections of the flesh are broken assunder he looseth no Prisoners untill the Captain of salvation lead captivity captive there neither is nor can be any deliverance Such as under Gospel-means of rescue that never yet had the victorious power of Grace Disruptis hisce vinculis ille praedâ— suà spoliatus nos liberati sumus Davenanat in Goloss Satis oftendunt se in foelicem illam-tyrannidem non agnovisse proinde Evangeliun nâ—nquam in animum admisisse Gualther in Luke 10. sufficiently declare they never had a serious sense of Satans pernicious Tyranny nor ever received the power of the Gospel in their hearts 3. When the Gospel hath no becoming conversation in the World It is so when it and the Author of it are owned in words but in works denyed Tit. 1. 16. When un-Gospel livers are so far like Demetrius to have a good report of the truth 3. Ep. Joh. 11. and adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour Tit. 2. 10. That the word of Gods Grace is blasphemed Tit. 2. 5. and heareth ill of carping graceless Criticks almost as fabulous that is so impotent over dissolute lives Herein is Grace abused It was a sad saying of Linacre reading the severe requiries of the Aut hoc non est Evangelium out nos non sumus Evangelici Linacr Gospel Or this is no Gospel or we are no Gospellers Such as have an high calling to Earthly Crowns and Thrones usually live worthy of their high promotion Their Spirits and Places are equally high God hath called his people unto a Kingdom and Glory and this calleth upon them to walk worthy of God 1. Thess 2. 12. It was good counsel Agapetus gave to Justinian the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agapetus ad Justinianum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex eod To walk worthy of God saying He indeed is worthy of God who doth nothing unworthy of him The thanks he seeks owns and delights in is not the easie tender of good words but the real production of pious works When the mouth is hot with Gospel-Redemption Reconciliation Pardon Sonship the like but the heart is cold in the thoughts of these things Gospel duties and confessions keep no even pace when there is Gospel in the lips but no tuning harmony of it in the life here the grace of God is wronged SECT 9. 6. THe Grace of God is turned into wantonness when the 9. The Grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Creatures Difficile est ut quis de deliriis transeat ad delitias ut in utroque saeculo primus sit heart carries wickedly as to the Creatures Even these the good blessings of God through the corruption of nature are back friends to godliness It 's rare to finde the high blessings of the upper and lower Springs to kiss each other It is not ordinary to see Heavenly and Earthly riches to meet together in the fame persons It s hard said Jerome to pass from delights to delights from the pleasures of this life to those of the next to be eminet in the great Estates Honors and sweetnesses of both worlds There wants not sad and common experience This World becomes the immortal souls enemy it is an eminent part of Gods Grace when a precious soul is delivered from the burthens the snares the pollutions of it A corrupt stomack turns good meat into bad humors and a corrupt heart Creature delights into bad manners They accidentally prove the souls bane They make God and souls Strangers prove intangling snares and lead immoral mindes Captive Bruit Beasts goe heavily under a weighty pressing burthen and wealthy ones move faintly and wearily in the ways of Godliness under a great load of riches The Lord Christ knoweth well that his heavenly Racers can run best and Soldiers can fight best that are least burthened therefore ordinarily he gives not out to his people vast Estates Not many mighty 1 Cor. 1. 26. The poor in the world rich in faith The lighter the happier the speedier is motion Heavenwards As the Redeemed by Christ were given him of the Father to be taken out of the world John 17. 6. So it is a main part of first conversion to be turned from the Creatures unto God and therefore it is an abuse of Gods grace to be licentious among the Creatures That is done when the use of the Creatures is intemperate and idolatrous 1. Intemperate when so much is taken in as wholly unsuiteth Non inducunt ad bonâ—rificandum createrem potius abdus â—â— in â—bl vionem Parisiensis pars 2. de Universo for the service of God Creature-surfets unsit for glorifying of Gods grace They are not coards to draw to God to honor him but fetters to draw from God and forget him 'T is hard at once to have a full purse and belly and a soul filled with Spiritual Riches and Delights Seneca's saying is too frequent experience A liberal use
and pardoning mercy of God Ishall never be cleard of this guilt the glory of his Justice will shine in my ruin the glory of whose grace hath been darkned by my looseness The daring thoughts counsels words and practices of all Libertines doe betray such a spirit as was in Marcion of old who fancied God made all of mercy and grace and removed severities and judicial penal authorities from the good God as if he were a stupid Essence insensible of any affronts and indignities put upon him Thus as if God were not essentially just as well as mercifull he is by impudent Libertinisme spoyled of his Justice who as hee is just and a justifier of true beleevers so he is just and a condemner of all his enemies the greatest whereof are they that continue in sin because grace abounds SECT 6. 6. VVAnt of Grace changing and affecting the heart that 6 Want of Grace changing the heart causeth Gods grace to be turned into wantonnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 violent uÌ„ quiddam significat Beza Vsurpatur de iis qui in carcere custodia detinentur Gen. 39. 20. Quotquot in officio suo tor pent dona spiritus ignavo otio defodiunt nec propriam nec alioruÌ„ salutem provehunt Gualt in Luk 19. Hom. 174. Verba in opera Bernard shines in the Head Convictions may and doe often stand with positive Rebellion The truth of God is held prisoner in unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. takes no hold on the wills and affections of men such violent restraint is laid upon it by over-powering worldly lusts that its sanctifying reforming liberty and authority is quite supprest It is with the lightsome beames of Gods grace as with the Sun The light may shine in the upper sleeping room but be shut out of the lower working rooms The grace of God shines often in the upper sleeping room idle drousie Speculation and conviction in the mind but is shut out of the lower working rooms the Will and the Affections Evil servants know their Masters will but have no hearts to doe it They are evill servants who in the Lords spirituall husbandry trading and occupation are negligent in their duty and hide the talents of the Spirits gifts in sluggish idlenesse and neither promote their own nor others salvation Family-guides cannot beare it who see their loose Attendants waste and abuse the light of great Candles to wantonnesse when their more conscionable Ministers doe much work by lesser lights What a shame will it bee in the reckoning day when persons of vast apprehensions but loose hearts and lives shall be condemned from the vast practice of Godliness in men of mean yet sound intellectuals who turn a few gracious notions into holy motions and words into works SECT 7. 7. WAnt of the upright and genuine use of Cods grace 7. Want of the genuine use of grace causeth it to be turned into wantonness Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assault because if the flesh have never so little liberty it will assault us as a Medicine to cure not as a Cloak to cover sin We read 1 Pet. 2. 16. a Cloak of maliciousness or wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the danger of usâ—rg liberty an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. which let alone will make assault upon us as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports The Sheeps-skin on the Wolves back doth indeed cover not alter the ravenous Creature While the cloak of grace doth but hide not heal the old Man he will be a Libertine The matter is not with carnal Gospellers whether they sin or no but whether concealed Unsound hearts are not so much troubled with the conscience as infamy of sin Much wickedness in the world appearing in its native colours would be abominable but when it borrows a dress from the grace of God it looks lovely and is unsuspected A pitty it is so fair a cloak as Gods grace should be put on so foul a body as sin it is as if a leprous Body were covered with Purple and a Dung-hill with Scarlet It was a part of Jeremiah's Lamentations That the Sons of Zion that were cloathed in Scarlet embraced Dung-hills Lam. 4. 5. It should be for a lamentation that spurious Gospellers the false sons of Zion clad in a rich scarlet glorious profession should stain themselves with durg-hill words and works To put the cover of nature upon unnatural unmorral sins is abominable to put the cloak of grace on works of darkness to wash the Devils face with holy-water is much more detestable It is as if Satan should court God to license his wickedness as if his pure nature should priviledge uncleanness They were false Jews uncircumcised in Spirit though not in flesh who made their ceremonious services which Jer 7. 8. Plus licentiae sibi in ceremoni is sumebant quae debebant esse paenitentiae â—â—â—ercitia Calv. should have been exercises of repentance the Patrons of Licentiousness and so they are adulterate Christians who prostitute their Religious Worship to irreligious designs and practices But sure Grace was never intended to cover but cure sin As the God of grace hath clearly vindicated grace from this dishonor in his Scriptures and in the mortified conversation of his real â—aints so will he in the great day of restitution of all things all things by their proper names set them on their own bottoms arraign sin as sin grace as grace the enemies of Christ as enemies and friends as friends and avenge before the world dishonors done to his Gospel-grace and invincibly clear it to the judgement both of elect and reprobates that grace is a destroyer not a Saviour of sin an help not an hindrance of good life Take with you words and say receive us graciously Hos 14. 2. This grace was an healing remedy I will heal their backslidings v. 4. Grace like the covering wings of the Chicken like the covering Plaister of the wound doth both cover and cure Pardoning and purging Grace go together As the wisdom so the grace that is from above is pure as well as peaceable It is the constant Petition of the sound Spirit of Prayer Lord pardon Lord heal my sins SECT 8. 8. VVAnt of sound conviction of the mischief of original 8. Want of conviction of original corruption is a cause of turning the grace of God into wantonness corruption and severe mortification thereof is an experimented account why grace is abused Here are two branches 1. Want of clear convincement of the old mans mischief The Character of his wickedness is very large when it is not known at all or but slightly no wonder if the bosome Enemy play Rex and rule as he he His sinfulness as followeth not discerned nor regarded begetteth high abuse of the Grace of God Were these things known and believed concerning original corruption professed Christians could not be so licentious Sad experience will give this evil report of it One saith truly
Presumption is Presumption this also I shall branch out in five things 1. The Presumption of a Preposterous Confidence in Gods mercy this hath begotten carnall security and strengthened the hands of wickednesse Dreames of mercy have been the bane of duty Patrons of loosenesse and soft pillowes for delicate wantons to sleep on God is good God is mercifull and therefore the old man dares be sinfull as if God were not a prudent and pure dispenser but carelesse prodigall of his rich mercies he is beleeved to wast them on the Devills service and to rain down their Heavenly showers upon a barren wildernesse an unfruitfull Profession But where have we a word in sacred Writ that the servant of sin must first be confident of Gods mercy Did Bone Deus misericors Deus faciam quod mihi liber Aug. eyer mercy priviledge and owne a lost sinner but on its owne termes T is true mercy is to be found to the praise of the glory not the infamy of mercy as a cordiall to the fainting a plaister to the wounded sinner a spur to service not a Feast to riot on when loose Libertines take not mercy the childrens bread by Gods allowance but like Dogs endeavour to get it from his Table and are cudgelled off from it did they seriously consider the way of obtaining mercy the Lessons mercy teacheth the evidence of mercies possession the Distinction mercy maketh the reputation mercy must have in the world they would soon be convinced they are at as infinite a distance from mercy as they are from innocency and duty O that all loose Libertines that feast their lusts at mercies Table and that commit this spirituall Burglary of breaking into Gods house to snatch away his mercy would lay to heart five things 1. They are not yet in the way of obtaining mercy they understand not the method of mercy As that 1. Christ is the mercy seat the Throne of mercy a mercifull High Priest the great High Steward that gives out Almes of mercy and gives it to Subjects fit to receive it 2. That none enjoy it bit themthat are deeply sencible of their misery by sin despaire of mercy by any but Jesus Christ 3. That the obtainers of mercy are stil knockingat the beautifullgate of mercy get Heaven by violence wrastle for a Coelum tundimus Deum tangimus misericordiam extor â—uemus Tertul. Apol. c. 40. smile a word a Dole of mercy as the Christians did in Tertullians time We strike at Heaven sayd hee with our desires We are close suiters to God we pull down mercy from him as Jacob did that wrought hard in prayer for mercy as the importunate Woman was Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me speeders for mercy are not cold carelesse indifferent Suiters 4. That mercy receivers are humble selfe-abasing condemning Soliciters wonder they are not in Hell past mercy and the asking of it like the Servants of Benhadad that came with ropes about their necks at once confessing their deserts wooing the favours of a mercifull King 5. That the priviledged owners of mercy in an holy importunity will hear no â—ay but still lay prostrate before the Father of mercies untill he shew mercy Psa 123. 2. A sweet warme looke of mercy beaming upon a cold fainting soule the ordinary invaders of Gods mercy who are not so much the Almes-men as the Theeves of mercy ascend not to the Mount of mercie by mercies staires but feed on a presumptuous fancy of mercy wantonize with it and have no saving part in it 1. They learn not the Lessons mercy teacheth in speciall two Resignation and Subjection 1. Resignation the giving upthe whole person in a reall gratitude to Gods service who instead of a wonder of mercy might have made the provoking sinner a Monument of vengeance I beseech you by the mercies of God give up your bodies c. Pom. 12. 1. 2. Subjection As many as walke according to this rule mercy be on them Gal. 6. 16. Every mercy saith be dutifull but choice saving mercy calls for regular walking Those licencious daring ones that challenge mercy say with those in Jeremiah We are Lords we will not come to thee are their own Masters live as they list know no Law but their Lusts were never Schollars well trained up in the School of mercy 3. They have no evidence of mercies possession the fear of God is this great evidence The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear him psal 103. 17. Gods feare stands between two happy Eternities of mercy as the faire mark of both the decree of mercy from Eternity the enjoyment of mercy to Eternity is the sure Felicity of all that fear God O falshood folly madnesse Too many that neither feare God nor sin conclude a part in the mercy of the Booke of life and looke for the endlesse mercy of the other world and by the prefamed license of mercy live wickedly 4. They study not the distinction mercy maketh surely all designed for mercy are vessells of mercy all that are and shall be without it are vessells of wrath an unchanged heart and unreformed life under mercy maketh no difference between the persons of mercy and wrath If vessells of mercy may be Libertines they vessells of wrath both wil be carnall walkers mercy duty wrath sin wil be an everlasting distinction between the heirs of Heaven and the purchasers of Hell Vessells of wrath will be Libertines if vessells of mercy are so too the one is as good as the other 5. They bring not Gods mercy in Reputation in the world what honour hath God in pretenders to mercy that abuse his Grace They who are designed to mercy are vessells of honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Not only to import they are called to honourable priviledges but honourable services As God honours them in holding out his golden Scepter of mercy to them so they are to honour God in being glorious within and wearing without the golden apparrel of an heavenly shining conversation ps 45. 13. paul obtained saving mercy he was an high eminent vessell of Honour and he honourably used his mercy to the praise of its Author I obtained mercy and the Grace of God was abundant in me through Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. The garment of mercy God bestowed on him was honourably and richly adorned by sanctifying grace Licentious Professors do not honour but cast dirt upon the Robe of mercy were it not for presumptions of mercy false Christians would not so play the wantons under Gospell Profession Did they think and speak the truth in our unregenerate hypocriticall and profane Estates that there is no mercy for us we are children of Wrath if we live and dye so we perish this would damp the pleasing merry fits of sin if this do not turn them Heavenwards it will force upon them inward gripes and conscience pangs in the way to Hell The same
in low temporall allowances sowest in penitentiall teares they in high enjoyments even to surfet impiety and Atheisme sow in carnall merriments thine Harvest and theirs will be as different as Thornes and Wheat thou shalt reap in joyes they in sorrows Christian Repentance is incomparably above carnall pleasing voluptuousnesse This is the mother of wordly laughter that of Christian teares this inlargeth the flesh that strengthens it this puts a leaden weight upon the Soule that wings it to fly to Heaven this serves the flesh in every thing that crucifies the flesh and brings the body into subjection this calls off a man from God that calls him back again to God his Saviour this obeyes the Devill that is devoted unto God SECT 17. 2. TEmptation to wrong Gods grace is evil company What 17 Evil company is a temptation to wrong the grace of God more unworthy abuse than a ransomed captives ungratefull denyal of their Redeemer Self-destroying Hereticks doe thus deny the Lord that bought them They goe not to Hell alone with their wanton loose wits argue others into their company and make them fellow wantons of damnation for so the Greek Text and word in the Margin will bear it Many shall follow their damnations or destructions the abstract for the concrete their damnable wayes Our English is pernicious waies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Margin in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the English lascivious waies The import of the Original is That lascivious Hereticks are very fruitful some Masters of Heresie beget numerous Scholars which argue and beleeve themselves out of their Faith into Damnation Their word frets as doth a Gangreen 2 Tim. 2. 17. The leaven of loose wits did spread abroad in the purest times of the Apostles to speak perverse things and draw away Disciples after them Act. 20. 30. Chapmen of error will bring custome to the Devils stall Have any of the Pharisees beleeved in him Joh. 7. 48. The fast brotherhood of Antichristian Pharisaisme was Argumentative to despise and oppose the Grace of Jesus Christ Thus the dissolute walking of a pack of Hypocrites imbolden one another to frequent indignities unbecoming the Gospel the society of Mammonists sainted by their faith in Gods mercy and Christs merits bow down to Money their Idoll and while they professe God their portion and Christ their Lord and pay to both some easie and cheap religious formalities they dishonor both by paying that adoration estimation and affection they owe to both to their worldly gain Reputed devout godly mens covetousnesse is infectious Thus professed Christians follow worldlings reason such and such are devout godly men that keep the Sabbâ—th they fear God and will go to heaven and yet doe so and so and we do no worse Thus a company of earthly minds that have grace and heaven in their pretensions but the world in their hearts sow pillows under one anothers elbows He that will goe about to drive the world out of his heart and life by following the instances of some eminent Professors will never do it but in the issue fall short of heaven The herd of Swine too tipling good fellows can lick one another clean by the grace of God and the allowance of Christian liberty yea Gods beneficence that he made the creatures for mans use and hence they conclude that there is a latitude allowed them The excessive gaudinesse of apparrel grows in fashion with the Christians of the higher form as they pretend by Christs licence As if forsooth no bravery nor splendid gallantry could be too good for Christs disciples High-flown wantons in the nation should rather follow Christ in his contempt than courting of the world He is their president in the glory of Grace not in vain wayes indecent habits The gaming away of time and money mispending companions if they look to the throne of Grace in a few cold heartless desires and be devout a Christmass day or Good Friday it may be hear weekly Sermons yet may be utterly strangers to the mysterious way of walking with God and spiritual recreations yet notwithstanding can judge one another as excellent Christians aun doubt not by Gods grace to be saved as wel as the most mortified strict beleevers O the horrid abuse to the Gospel and Grace of God that is too frequent in our times by evil examples and instigations There are not a few soul-murdering presidents under Christian profession What is said of the heathenish guides of their Mortifera sacra Suarum alienarum interfectores animarum Lact. l. 5. c. 20. Religion whose deadly idolatrous worship did ruin their disciples is true of many Christian guides and followers in looseness they are their own and others soul-killers Were the question put to the prophane generation of the Age that hate the power yea scorn the form of godlynesse whose loose wits jeer and Atheistical religion neglects family-family-duties who speak dung but drop not the honey-comb vent rotten not gracious words Doe you think to be saved Yes the Answer would be by the grace of God and merits of Christ Thus in loose company Profani homines multos sua petulantia in similem contemptum inducunt Calv. in Is 50. Plus exemplo quam peccato nocent the grace of God is at once contemned and trusted to and that of Calvin is sad experience Prophane men by their wantonness invite others to the same contempt O the sad consequence of exemplary sinne what mischief doth it in Families Churches Common-wealths the world the Leaders in sin under profession of grace are doubly blameable and pernicious to themselves and others by their sinne and their example yea more guilty by their example then their sin Dear Christians of more shining and obscure profession take heed of that root of bitterness that is in you for your own sakes but let it not spring forth for others sakes If it be kept within you and wither not you loose your own souls If it spring forth without and defile many Heb. 12. 15. you ruin others Satans Kingdome is too much in Christs Perditi spiritus solatium perditionis suae peâ—dendis hominibus operantur The visible subjects of Christs kingdom too much promote Satan work the damnation of soules 'T is the solace of lost Apostate spirits to increase fellows in destruction If they be capable of any feliâ—ity 't is in others everlasting misery We read of heaps upon heaps the bloody â—ork of Sampsons body-slaughter Judg. 15. 16. So heaps upon heaps is the bloody businesse of the Vtinam soli errare soli desipere vellent Alios etiam in consortium sui mali rapiunt quasi habituri solatium de perditione multorum Lact. l. 5. c. 20 Devils soul-slaughter He goeth about seeking whom he may devour And loose destroying instances promote his work The wish of one concerning professed seducing Heathens may be used concerning professed seduced Christians O that their error were solitary they were
in the fame carnal wanton way Hee goes a whoring from God and is far from him but said David it is good for me to draw near to God The nearer to God the more strictnesse and Holynesse Christ was nearest to God and holyest in heart and life The Father hath not left me alone for I doe alwaies those things that please him Joh. 8. 29. The holy Angels are near God They alwaies see his face Mat. 18. 10. and are ready to doe his will Psal 103. 20. 〈◊〉 was near to God in a sweet vision He would now preach though to Reprobate hearers Satan knoweth this that the awfull spiritual presence of God begets reverence and obedience and therefore he tempte soules to fall into hell of Libertinisme by three stairs of Apostafie First to turning the eye from God then the heart and lastly the feet To debauch the sinner first he must not see God then he must not love him and Lastly hee must not walk with him Then from this Aversion loose conversion is easie First he will behold vanity then fet his heart on it and lastly walk after it The wanton sinner cannot possibly have an impudent whores forehead in the serious trembling presence of God as he hath in his absence The saying of 〈◊〉 is sad experience They that In obfirmation diuturna malorum consuetudine qui so-llent quiaverfrom indulgent Jun. in Deu. 29. wantonly turn their backs upon God by the custome of sin run into hardness of heart They are the monsters of imprudence unthankfullness and madness that hope yea are assured their sins are washed in the blood of Christ who therefore boldly cast themselves into the old mire prefuming they shall be cleansed again Doth this speak Christ who therefore boldly cast themselves into the old vomit and mire Wanton Christians that know not the bitterness wounded sinner that hath almost sunk in despaire and narrowly escapt hell will be afraid of the old sins and have sober serious trembling thoughts of his gracious rescue They are wholsome words of Zuinglius When Cum in tantaÌ„ desperationem per peccatorum conscientiam redactus antea feurim nonne slultus meritâ— dicerer si nune sponte eidem naufragio me committerem Zuingl Evan. Isagog De aquis extractus denuo se immergens de incendio reptus iterum se praecipitans magis malus tanto quanto adit peccatnÌ„ reciduum ex ingratitudine Parisi de sacram poen itentiae through the Conscience of my sins I was brought to so great a despaire should I not deservedly be called a foole if now I should willingly expose my selfe to the same shipwrack I am cleansed from mine impurities by the blood of thy son and shall I again desile my self That of shall close this point He them being is snatch out of the fire doth again cast himselfe into it by so much the more desperately evil by how much be doth the more ungratfully add sin to his deliverance SECR 11. 11. It is an unexcusable sin Inlightned sinners have no cloak 11. Abuse of Grace is an unexcusable sin for sin Joh. 15. 22. The word will beare it excuse did so and so ignorantly is some excuse It cannot be said of them that never heard of the grace of God in Christ They read the Gospell and are They hear the Apostles doctrine and are drunk They prosesse following of Christ and are given to rapine They lead a wicked life and have a Godly Law All these things may be said of them that wrest the grace of God to unrighteousness and ungodliness Wicked gospellers pretend to come to Christ feast as fit and thankfull guests but the King shall say where is the garments when he shall see they come with their filthy garments when with Plague-sores running on them they shall be speechless not bee able to speak a word in their own Apology as the muzzled mouth of a beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at ille Capistratum Piscitor fraeno coercitusest Arias Montanus openeth not the import of the Greek word translated speechless T' is our common fault Seneca hath truely noted we had rather excuse then forsake our vices There will be no plea for Abusing Grace There will be none for the loose Jew his externalt 〈◊〉 with God in a Convenant of grace in circumcision sacrifice the Temple â—ltar Priesthood Passever is not alleadged to lessen but greaten the Abuse of grace Therefore Calvin in his old Testament Expositions often notes That the tearmes and expressions of scared proprietie as holy feed people my people your God the Holy one of Israel and the like are not commendations but exprobation of their deep ingratitude and Aposicy that they who were singled out to be neere God above all the world to be the vessels to beare up his name should degenerate from the glory of their adoption Israel was called holynes Vt illic resulgeat Dei gloria Calv. in Jer. 3. to the Lord Jer. 2. 3. A people separate from all others devoted only to God that among them the glory of his holiness might shine forth to take and enlighten the eies of the observing world And therfore when the ten tribes espoused to God wantonly plaid the harlot in idolatry and other sinnes with other lovers God writ her a bill of divorce in her sad banishment and Captivitie among Heathens when the old Churches religious relation was abused to loose superstition and and Conversation then wee read God disowed his people who disowned him I have forsaken Practica notitia Paulus dcet eos fuisse abusos quod eum nossent fas jus rerum agendarn partim aliis indulserint partim quod si in alios animadvertebant in seiphs tamen eadem peccate dissimularent Per. Matyr in Rom. 2. mine house I have left mine heritage I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies Jer. 12. 7. The degenerate feed of Abraham had no plea for but smarted for their wantonness Yea further the Heathen sinning against his light of â—â—ure will have no excuse why he should not endure the vengeance of eternal fire His unanswerable inditement will be reâ—d against him out of Romans the second Many principles of the Morall Law were naturally written in his heart He had a Conscience to excuse in duty accuse in disobience c. 2. 15. yea in retained not God in his knowledge 27. cast good convictions out of his mind gave himselfe up sinfully as he was given up by God judicially to vile affections and a reprobate mind 26. 28. Sin enough to clear divine justine and merit hell Peter Martyr thus Comments Paul teacheth said He. They abused practicall knowledge in that they knew what was just and equall to be done partly they were indulgent in others partly what they taxed in others they dissembled in themselves With what colour of excuse will the Christian Libertine stand dim light of nature and above the Jewes darke fight of
have given themselves over to Lasciviousnesse Unsorrowing sinners are most sad spectacles for yearning bowels O tender hearted christians in your secret Indolentia non sentiunt naturales conscientiae morsus Dicks mournings pitty hardned Libertines that pittie not themselves weep for them who neither can nor care nor desire to weep for themselves A sorrowless stupidity and lethargy that feels not the check and lash of the natural conscience and is deaf to the Spirits motions that is contracted by a benumming liberty and custom in sin is a woful judgement SECT 6. 6. BEwaile the abuse of Pardoning grace How sad will be 6 Bewaile the abuse of pardoning grace their account whose Faith or rather Presumption of Pardon adds to their sinne Christ said to the pardoned woman sin no more Carnall confidence sayes Sin more you shall be pardoned though dayly dear sinnes are written down in the conscience the Spunge of pardoning grace will blot them out The truly tender conscience cleared from old guilt would not willingly but is afraid to contract new but the brawny seared conscience makes use of Christs indulgence to ease his spirit not to heal his lust It s a lamentation Mâ— wallo vâ— in their pollution because of free remission The Lord hath spoken in that verse where he proclaims the glory of his grace a sad word He will not clear such guilty persons To lay the Dishonors of gospel grace to heart three things may be heart-affecting expedients 1. Such as are grieved for this sin write after the copy of Jesus Christ and the choicest Saints of Christ He beheld Jerusalem where the Messengers of grace the Prophets were abused and slain where himself the author of grace was to be condemned and crucified where the sweet Messages of grace were delivered and despised and wept over its sin and punishment Luke 19. 41. Again a dolorous sense of the injuries of grace is like to that mourning frame of spirit that was in the pious Jews who sighed and cried for all the abominable planings of Gods grace Ezek. 9. 3 4. This suits with eminently holy Pauls spirit who spying looseness among his knowing but wanton Corinthians expressed thus his jealousie I fear lest when I come to you my God will humble me and I shall bewaile them that have not repented of their wantonness 2 Cor. 12. 12 13. 2. Such as are humbled for this sin discover a child-like in-genuous disposition A good Son is afflicted for his Fathers dishonour If I be a father where is mine honour Mal. 1. 6. It speaks us Strangers not Children the born of the Flesh not the Spirit if we see the reproaches of Gods grace with contented spirits 3. Such as mourn for this sin in others and have some taint of the guilt of it in themselves shall find this a soveraign preservative against it for time to come Godly sorrow works repentance and by the real sadness of the spirit and countenance for sin this great sin the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. The ingenuous child that feels the smart of the rod will be fearful of falling into the sinne that brought it Holy anguish of soul for abusing Gods grace will be a memento and a Medicine to heal it CHAP. X. Containing an Vse of Examination IN that Gods grace is turned into Wantonnesse Use 3 for Examination its useful for Examination Whether or no this odious guilt be fastned upon us We may know it by a serious perusal of the kindes and wayes wherein this great sin is committed layd down in the Doctrinal part If the trying reflecting conscience find any of the particulars wherein grace is abused experimented either in heart or life there the sin is impartially to be charged home In and about the great duties of conviction of sinne sorroâ— for it and returning from it we ordinarily through self-love carnal flattery supine carelesnesse yea too often wilfull ignorance put off particular arraignments close inditements self-condemnation and so resolutions and endeavours to reform Though as hath been shewed the abuse of Gods grace is an universal sin yet there is not one of a thousand that seriously and sadly saith I am the wretch that hath wronged Gods grace Who almost though eminently guilty but can smooth and applaud himself in the thoughts of innocence he is no enemy but friend of grace or if fâ—ulty but a very little inconsiderably peccant Though all are offenders yet very few lay it to heart by sound conviction and say We are the persons that have vickedly affâ—onted the grace of God Unless reason and conscience be feared and judgement besotted and spiritually mad if thou hast any degree of the fear of God and sober sense left thee and thou wilt be judged by the Word of God wherewith whether thou wiâ—â— no thou shalt be at the great day I shall set before thee guilty Reader a glass wherein thou mayst see the spotted deformed face of this ugly sin be ashamed of it be humbled for it and repent No becauseit is in this kind of sin as it is in Hypocrisie there is a grosse and a close hypocrisie so there is an evident and notorious and less discemed and suspicious perverting the grace of God I shall therefore endeavour to discover the more visible and palpable symptomes and the more hidden close and less evident tokens of this disease As touching enquiry who are more notoriously clearly grosly guiltie of this sâ—nne I shall lay down many symptomes SECT 1. THey may know themselves to be manifest gross abusers of 1 They abuse Gods grace who oppose gospel merits and mercies to the worship of God Gods grace 1. Who first oppose Gospel-merits and mercies to the Worship of God Such as call God gracious in himself and to them and yet call not upon him how doe they vilifâ—e his grace He makes light of that thing which he desires not and he of the grace of God that he prayes not for God is free of his grace but to them who by the aide of the same grace ask it The spirit grace is a spirit of supplication Zach. 12. 10. A man may pray and have no grace being a trifler cold hypocritical unbeleeving tyred in his Devotion but no man ever had grace but in faith fervency and perseverance prayed to God for it Prayerless are graceless soules Families past Praier are past grace If Prayerless professed Christians were asked the question Have you any part in the grace of God The Ansâ—er would bee Ignorantly â—oldly Roundly returned from some Yea I hope I have from others Yea I thank God his grace hath helped me from a third sort an answer in angry looks sharp words that the Questionist should doubt it the confident Atheist hath not Gods grace in him All take it for granted they are the favourites of grace though they pray not to the God of grace by the Spirit of grace Doe not these clearly prophâ—ne Gods grace Things we basely
him and thus as the ploughing of the wicked is sin so is his câ—â—â—â—â—ment Because with some persons civill â—itles are so abominable though they are not like to read this Page yet the holy Scriptures will assure the sober Reader their folly is manifest and notoâ—ious Put case persons of honour are wicked as too many are who are like to smart for it to all Eternity for staining their oâ—n honour and Gods too Yet Paul a vessel of honor without courtship but by the teachings of the Holy Ghost had learned this good manners to give great though bad persons their civil respects Noble Felix Act. 24. 3. King Agrippa Act. 25. 26. I appeal to Caesar Act. 25. 11. Pauls persecutors at Antioch were yet stiled Honourable Women and chief Men of the city Act. 13. 50. No unmannerly railing Quakers in â—poâ—o lical times But because in civil courteous Appellations it is not more easie than common to erre there is an huge generation of vain complementists whose immoderate compellations are the froth of language the vanitie of minde the waste of time the impertinencie of Christian society I would willingly caution the gracious person convinced of his duty he must be courteous and give honour to whom honour is due to observe these Rules Christian when you give civil honour to others according to their worldly Qualitie and Precedencie 1. Do it with Reverence of the Majesty of God Persons of Honour are the Image the bright Beams of God the infinite â—â—ountâ—in of Honour 'T is he hath set the children of men in their Titles Seats Estates of Honour Neither Affliction nor Promotion comes from the ground God is the Judge sets up whom he pleaseth Ps 75. 7. As in Wisdoms left hand are riches and glory Pro. 3. 16. so he distributes worldly honours moâ—ly to vile men However they are civil honour is not vile though the persons that have it be vile come vilely by it and use it vilely 2. Give civil honour for conscience sake the sense of duty God hath commanded it not so much to please them as to please God 3. When the lip honoureth let the heart reverence Wee may neither give men civil worship nor God religious hypocritically 4. Lavish not out too many words nor time in civil courtesies 5. From a prudent observation of Persons Time and Place mix religious and spiritual with civil discourse To spend whole hours mornings afternoons as very many vain frothy persons do in air-beating soul-unbettering windy courtesies and merry discourse without a thought a word of the Majesty of God who as he hath a Book of remembrance to note down the pious words of them that fear him so he registers too the numerous superfluous words of them that fear him not will have a sad account in the great day 6. If among your civil treatments as the Spouse let your lips drop like the Honey-comb when you speak of by a secret ejaculation beg a blessing on your gracious words for your own and the companies advantage 7. Labour to affect your heart with the good things that in gravity and wisdom you deliver 8. If you see civil courtesie swalloweth up pietie your selfe and heavenly language be a burden to the company savouring not the things of God preferring a Romance before a Sermon vain chassie Tales before the precious Truths of God they had rather be foolishly carnally constantly merry than really wise goe home and mourn in secret you have given vain spirits their due honours who denyed God his they have been all for courtesie nothing for piety visited only one anothers bodies not soules spent their time and strength in outward while strangers to inward mirth SECT 9. THey without breach of Charity do grosly wrong the grace 9 They abuse grace who are eminent worldlings of God 9. Who under glorious pretensions to Saving-grace are eminent worldings When Heaven and Earth meet together then will Heavenly and Earthly minds Grace as it is heaven-born so it doth make heavenly The Mediator of Grace hath taught us We cannot serve God and Mammon How many go among us in their own thoughts and in others opinion for persons in the state of grace and yet dextrously deeply with all the powers of their understanding and carnal reason design project for the world affect it vehemently pursue it fervently keep it basely part with it sorrowfully heap it up covetously desire it endlesly admire it adore it idolatrously are afraid to put too much in Christs coffers the bellyes of the poor Is this the fruit of grace Did ever grace come with power but it did unglue the heart from the world Is not this Scripture The love of the world and the things of the world and the love of the Father dwell not together 1 Joh. 2. 15. Will this passe for good Divinity Will either the Scriptures a Death-bed or the Last Judgement own it viz. A gracious Mammonist a gracious Worldling a gracious Hold-fast a gracious Hard-heart a gracious Rebel against the Laws of Christ that commands labour for Heaven more than Earth laying up Treasure in Heaven more than in Earth more to be rich in good works than in wealth to settle the affections on things above and not on earth will cordial and practical contradiction to these and many such Laws of Christ speak a gracious person the honour of grace the power of grace O no the nullitie of grace the infamy of grace Else the Apostle would not with tears speake of earthly minds as enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is a sad word a very sad one destruction Let the Masters of great Estates consider it that had such before the Wars among us or since the Civil bloody commotions by providence shining on gracious profession in Court City Country the Bench the Pulpit the Army who have not walked but suddenly leapt to huge riches some to hundreds others thousands by the year Whoever they are be they assured of it they grosly abuse the grace of God who give sad proof they are eminent worldlings I beseech you all who are so and shall cast your eyes on these lines seriously ask your own soules Do you not set your hearts on the Mammon of iniquity Are not your stupendious sweet possessions your Idols Are they not your treasure do not your thoughts esteems affections run out in full stream to them Do not your poor neighbours in the Countries places where you live see and bewail it your bowels move no more to them than rocks Doe you know when to say we have enough to give largely to Jesus Christ as well as to your families In these years of Judgement when Loâ—ships Farms great Riches have changed Masters are there none that say Poor creatures that think on it with tears Ah wofull change our old Masters fed and cloathed us but we may starve under our new Possessors I dare not charge you all for gracelesse worldlings God will your consciences one day
rare to meet with the fellows of a precious Minister of whom it was said That he got but lost no heavenly heat and vigor by holy duties the more in it the more furnished with heavenly power love delight and warmth in renewed exercise There was renewed influence of the spirit of grace the picture of the spiritual injoyments of the next life The Apostles rule is It is good to be always zealous in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. Not in fits and pangs of holiness but always â—he Ceremonial Fire was always to burn on the altar They are the choicest happy Christians in whose hearts the heavenly fire of zeal is still burning It is our wantonness we keep not close with God but after heats we cool our hearts in the worlds cold Air and are so benummed in our earthly affections and imployments as if we had never been by Heavens fire The counsel to wanton Sardis is good to us Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. 3. In slacking diligence How are we too often in Heavens way like Jading Steeds who though well yea high fed in the Inne yet go lazily and worse than before God hath given Heavenly Travellers sweet and full Baits how is his goodness dishonored when after Tastes how gracious he is we yield rather to spiritual slumbers then hold on our way How Nou vis proficere vis ergo deficere Ibi proficere ubi curreredesinis Bernard do those wanton Laborers disparage a good meal that slack their diligence play but work not When our industry in the Lords work abates it is good to put these spurs in our dull spirits O thou wicked and slothful servant the sad charge of the last Judgment Matth. 25. 26. The diligent hand makes rich Be not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Shew the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys the end Heb. 6. 11. Abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing pious labours shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Work out your own salvation Phil. 2. 12. make thoâ—ow work of it 4. In carnal security Even sound hearts after they apprehend the sweet tastes of Gods love and the bitterness of death is past are too apt to think their mountain strong sing a false Requiem to their spirits as if they were out of the dangers of Desinunt esse perditi cum destiterint esse sâ—curi Salv. ruine committing from their loose unregenerate part in them the sins against which God threatens Hell upon the assurance they are heirs of Heaven thinking themselves secure are not safe Whereas the way of life is the way of holy Jealousie not security It is not the least of Satans wiles to suffer himself to be overcome that he may overcome As conquering Soldiers yet unsuspicious of dangers are taken Prisoners by a routed Cum certamini manifesto cedit ad hoc se viâ—tum demonstrat ut vincat ad hoc fugam simulat ut persequentem occidat Ful. gent. ad Prob. Ep. 3. Army so unjealous Christian Victors by laying by their Watch and Alarms of holy fear are suddenly surprized 'T is an imprudent conclusion because the Bird hath escaped the Foâ—vler therefore he shall ever be out of the danger of the Net and Gun-shot The heart is deceitful We are still in the Enemies Coâ—ntrey Christs Garrisons have false friends in them will open the Gates to the destroyer and while every soul hath Judas's in it to kiss and kill and betray the grace of God into the hands of enemies there is urgent need of a constant watch Fear was the Apostles watch-word to the priviledged Gentiles lest they that stand by Grace should fall by security Rom. 11. 20. Happy is he that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. We abuse spiritual injoyments when we suspect no loss Greatest Beauties Riches and Honors call for most waking eyes and strictest guard When Christ had sweet tidings from Heaven he was Gods beloved Son Matth 3. ver last he was forthwith set upon by the Devil Matth. 4. 1. If the envious vigilant Tempter seeth our private Prayers and tears of Joys hears our joyous triumphs of Gods kindness in Christ malicing such hated glory he will presently lay traps to damp our joyes defile our spirits wound our consciences and bring us to the very Suburbs of Hell Ye are partakers of Christ said Paul of the Christian Hebrews if you hold fast the beginning of your confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3. 14. 'T is not enough in first conversion to hold the precious Jewel Jesus Christ in the hand of Faith but there must be a constant hold-fast Is he who is among Thieves careful to hold fast the Pearl in his hand and fearful to let it goe So it should be with every prudent Christian he should fear his own lazinesse cowardize weaknesse should loose his riches 'T is the Apostles counsel to his Hebrews useful to all that think they stand and a soveraign preservative against security Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. 5. By dallying with Temptations we pray we may not enter into temptation Gods grace is our deliverance Corruption casts us into the fire the hand of mercy plucks us out But how often do Gods foolish fearless children like ours after we have been burnt and cured we adventurously play with the same fire that scorched us and renew our pains and cries 'T is not an experimentally true spirituall Proverb That all Gods burnt children always hate the fire Even after David had sweet visits and walks with God and the refreshing joyes of his salvation he wantonly dallyed with temptations fire in the roof of his house defiled his soul with forbidden lust of strange beauty and Body too and lost spiritual for carnal delight the joy of his salvation for the pleasure of sin Grace doth not perfectly crucifie the old Man while Lust is an in-dweller it will be an inticer We may as well play with fire near Gun-powder as play with Temptations near Lust 'T is no safe dancing near Pits brinks taking fire into our bosoms welcoming temptations into our hearts The old man is too willing and too pressing to tempt us out of heavens way we need no world nor devil to drive us 'T is good counsel and singular indemnity to our soules if practised Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thef 5. 22. Hate the garment spotted by the flesh SECT 2. 2. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Irreverence of 2 An Evidence of abuse of abuse of grace is irreverence of Gods Majesty Gods Majesty The best are too apt to wrong their nearnesse to God by forgetting their distance God is so his childrens
Father as that he is their King Though the name Father speaks boldness yet the name King speaks greater reverence Irreverent are saucy children more bold than welcome I am a great King saith God Mal. 1. 14. His name is great Mal. 1. 11. and reverend Psal 111. 9. We need grace to serve God with reverence and godly fear because he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 28 29. It is a wrong to grace when we do it not Is it the state of earthly gods to keep their distance with them on whom they shine the brightest beams of their royal favours and shall we think the infinite great and blessed God before whom the Kings of the Earth are as Grashoppers Worms Nothing less than Nothing will not have the rails and vails of holy reverence the humble tokens of distance The Apostate Angels at once lost their good manners and their happiness they kept not within their limited station Should the standing Angels loose their Reverence they should lose their Glory It is the â—â—lae volantes celeritatem promptitudineÌ„ significant Faciem tegentes indicant Angeli Majestatem Dei ferre nequeunt Pedes tegentts quod tenues divini splendoris radiolos in Angelis perspicere non possumus Calv. in Isa 6. Gospel Prophets Hieroglyphick The holy heavenly Angelical Hoast are Birds of Paradise and have six Wings two to cover their faces two their feet two to fly with are said to have flying wings to resemble their quick and nimble obedience facecovering wings to shadow out their reverence as not daring to pry into nor bear Gods infinite glory are said to have feetcovering wings to teach our distance from the Angels who are too weak to behold their finite little rayes of glory much lesse that infinite bright Sun of the divine Essence This Lesson the Prophet teacheth us those spotlesse Spirits that see the blessed face of God to their everlasting happinesse are ever full of a Reverential awe of Gods Majesty But how unsuitable are the heirs of salvation to their heavenly guard Angels are reverent Saints are unmannerly These are wanton those dare not bee so Believers study your hearts gestures words conversations that they all may be Holinesse to the Lord Is he sanctified in you when you draw nigh him Levit. 10. 3. When you are before him as in no minute no place no darkness no solitariness you are out of his flaming eyes piercing views your insides and external deportments are layd in his unerring ballance He tryes you every moment Job 7. 18. What mean your uncomely spirits your external indecencies your slight services Would your governour like such carriages you present to and abuse your gracious God with As Ahasuerus said to Haman Will he force the Queen before me Esth 7. 8. So lay it to heart will you abuse grace before God It was a God-wearing sin evil men did evilâ— and yet thought they were good in Gods sight Mal. 2. 17. What a God-affronting sinne is it to thinke because Free-grace hath made you good and accepted in Gods sight therefore you may abuse it to irreverence in his presence I know your hearts if sound abhorre this doctrinal inference from so glorious a principle but doth not the frame of your spirits words of your mouthes loose carriage prove you dare be irreverently and abusively bold with your Fathers kindnesse Who that seeth a grown Son come to years of understanding knowing his duty to walk mannerly yet standing with his Hat on playing ill feats before yea with his Fathers face slighting his commands but will say there is a wanton unmannerly boy It is no calumny to say so of many of Gods unmannerly children their unbecoming Irreverencies are their heavenly Fathers reproach A Reverent Christian that hath the mighty awe of God upon his spirit in all times places companies providences temptations is a Phenix an Angel among Professors Happy holy harmless preserved are they that maintain the reverent awe of God upon their spirits SECT 3. 3. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Forgetfulness of God The House of Israel perverted their way and forgot 3 Forgetfulness is an evidence of abuse of grace the Lord their God Jer. 3. 22. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee Deut. 32. 15 18. Too often the answers of Gods kindnesse are like the chief Butlers of Josephâ— The holy man gave a comfortable interpretation of the Butlers Drem Pharaohs restorement of him to his office with this rational caution but think of me when it shall be well with thee Yet did not the chief Butler remember Joseph but forgat him Gen. 40. 13 14 23. Thus the Holy God speaks comfort to many a gracious soul in the deeps of trouble with those equal motions upon their spirits that they would think upon this name and not return again to folly yet in sundry duties they doe not remember God but forget him They know not their own hearts that in the trust and boast of their own sufficiencies promise God if he will reveal his love in his Son to them they will be exact walleâ—s but many of his loose children after they have seen his face have opposed his will and answered the Kisses of his love by unkind Rebellions Gods Israel of the spirit have need of the same cautions the Israel of the flesh had When the Lord thy God shall give thee for his promise sake Cities Houses Wells Vineyards and Olive-trees when thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 10 11 12. So Beleever when the Lord thy God for his covenant sake shall priviledge thee in the heavenly blessings of Reconciliation Justification Adoption the Joy of Atonement and the sweet sight of thy name written in heaven when thou shalt eat and be full of the heavenly feast of fat things beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God 'T is no seldom indignitie put upon the grace of God to forget him in Temptations Vocations Relations Conditions in the world We charge upon our servants such and such duties call them to account our pleasure is neglected The excuse is we were forgotten doth not this speak a loose careless Spirit Surely the Lords servants forgetfulnesse of their charge argues their wantonness A serious faithful considering spirit would remember Christian charge home the basenesse and unfaithfulness of thy spirit with sharp reproof Ah foolish heart and unwise How have I requited the Lords grace I forget not vanitie but how have I forgotten the great concernments of Eternity A Bride will not forget her Ornaments the Worldling his Market and Teeming summes Pleasure-hunters forget not their delights nor the children of Revenge their opportunities of doing mischief How hast thou forgotten the Lord his blessings on thee his cautions to thee his motions in thee his hoped glory laid up for thee his everlasting love designing
distinguishing mercies unto thee How hast thou forgotten the Lord in numberless sins Should he cast thee out of his mind thou hadst been cast into Hell long before this O let the thoughts of thy dear Lord be precious to thee Love quickens memory let him be the dearly beloved of thy soul as thou art of his and thy memory will be the faithful treasury of his glory and thy duty SECT 4. 4. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is secret acting of Heart-sinnes Close pollutions in the best hearts deny and 4 Secret acting of heart-sins is an evidence of abuse of grace oppose the savoury power of grace Scripture Records are sad experiences of a world of filth gathered together in the heart like an heap of dust a load of dung There is heart iniquitie that marrs Prayer Psal 66. 18. There are close heart Idols Ezek. 14. 3. which have too much account and adoration The heart in the time and place of solemn divine service goeth after covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. is the work-house where the practises of it are daily exercised 2 Pet. 2. 14. The heart is of a grosse brawny constitution Matth. 13. 15. insensible of fleshly or spirituall motions It is whorish corporally sometimes often spiritually had rather lye in an earthy yea sometimes an hellish than heavenly bed of Loves 'T is often the complaint of serious gracious spirits when their lips are pure their hearts are unclean when their language is heavenly their spirits are earthly Aliud corde prementes aliud ore promentes O the sighs the tears that are the issues of spiritual observing eyes when they turn inwards and behold defiling Pride Passions Dumb sins Abominable impurities yea which aggravates inward wickedness in pious soules even in cleansing times and means Hearing Praying Humbling houres so that were hearts transparent and their hideous filthiness exposed to Fenestrata pâ—ctora common view the Readers of bosom wickednesse would say Religious minds were not Gods Temples but the Devils Synagogues not the sweet Repositaries of the Holy Spirit but the Augaean Stables of the unclean How filthy is the scent of holy mens impure soules to their heavenly acute smell They are weary of their lives in their right sense when they see such close wickednesse to wrong the Grace of God but that there is â— discerning eye and loathing spirit of this filthy sink of sin all werâ— naught and all profession a delusion O Christian wouldst thou load thine heart with the sight and sense of those ugly hellish characters thy spirituall Lyncaean eyes behold see the vilenesse of it in a parable A King intirely affectionate to his Subjects his favourites especially would be honoured every where but especially in his Court what affronts do his ennobled and promocreatures put upon him who although they do not make him vile in the streets yet before his face pollute his chamber with mire and dirt yea spit in his face The King of Glory loving to all deserves every ones highest respects his favourites especially though the world wallowing in wickednesse abuse him he should not be wronged where he keepes his Court what affronts do his ennobled new creatures do to him who though they do not make him vile in the open streets of publick scandall yet they pollute the heart his chamber with the mire and Triâ—linium Dei. dirt of filthy sins yea spit on the fair face of his Grace by secret presumptions O infinite mercy compassion and condescension that the great God jealous of the State and Glory of his Majesty seeing his Mansion house so abused will yet vouchsafe to call it his and to dwell in it SECT V. 5. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods Grace is adventuring 5 Adventuring on lesser sins is an abuse of Grace on lesser sins Grace is that Wisdome that is from above without partiality in its Heavenly Executions will spare no sins fat and lean must all be a Sacrifice to its sword great and small like all the Egyptians in the Sea must perish it hath no reseâ—ves of cruell pitty sayes of all sins as Jehu of all the Worshippers of Baal Let none of them live 2 King 10. 20. Hypocrisy speaks like that hypocrite Saul spare some O Christian t is thy wanton indulgence when thou sparest any little it may be doest thou thinke when the flattering old man sayes spare this and this sin it is as if he should say damn thou soul little sins like little poyson being of a killing nature as well as greater that of Chrysostome is true experience He that a little is carried away by his carnall Lust will be a greater Revolter his Qui parum cupiditate abreptus discesserit multum etiam procedens abscedit Quamobrem cave parum hoc non est parum sed fere totum Chrysostom Counsell is safe wherefore sayes he take heed this little is not little it is almost all Sins motion is down hill motion like the stone when it begins a little to fall it still falls he that goeth one mile with his Lust and the Devill will go two ten twenty knowes not when to stop a little allowed weaknesse soon growes to allowed wickednesse what enemies are we to Grace and our own Soules when in the just day of its vengeance we will secure little sins say we not as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one and my Soule shall live Gen. 19. 20. This sin is a little one a Saints infirmity my Soule shall live how do we practically indent with God that his gracious Pattents should be securities for little sins Well were it if these had not too liberall allowances protections and Respect When I bow said Naaman in the Carnis nostra securitas infirmitatem primam ad pecca tum viaÌ„ sacit postea obdurat animam prava voluntate house of Rimmon in this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant 2 King 5. 18. So when we yeild subjection to little sins in these things there is scarce doubt the Lord will pardon his servants when we protect the least sins how do we forget that command Cast away all your transgressions Ezeck 18. 31. And what in us layes cast our selves out of mercies Protection Repentance must be as universall as Remission that Grace that pardons purgeth all sin though all sins are not equall yet all are mortall in their nature a little sin as well as a little needle sticking in the heatt is deadly vain thoughts idle words deadnesse of heart formality in duties foolish jesting petty oathes with many such sins of course though little sins in common repute by many Minima vocat ex sensu hominim nihil minutum de quo praecipere dignatus est coelestis Legislator Marl in loc thought no sins yet like little Toads and serpents spit poyson on the Soule we read indeed of least Commandements Matth. 5. 19. But it is in mens opinions not their own nature No command is little that hath
not the cold of this World When the cloathes were put off he thought of death he should be uncloathed of Flesh and of the Resurrection to put it on again as his cloathes were put on in the morning When the day-light appeared he minded Christ the light that knows no Night nor Evening but is always as bright Mid-day His Journying taught him to think this life a Pilgrimage the way is dangerous that there is need of Christ the Guide in the high way to glory How injurious are we to Gods end of his Creatures unto our own rational faculties and to the ingenuities that grace would put upon us if we gain not affective and active Meditations by what daily comes into the doors of our senses If so great be the sweetness and glory of Gods out-house the visible World what transcendencies of delight and honor are the happy reserves in the invisible state and place of heavenly glory in the next life It is an ungracious frame of spirit that is confined to the things below They are strangers and enemies to their own happiness that could take up with a visible Eternity of poor sublunary things and cannot abide the thoughts of death the destruction of their earthly Gods Thus Reader in the forementioned eleven Sections maist thou try and take a measure of thy loose heart and life if in impartial Judgement thou canst and wilt be so faithful to the Truth and thine own soul as to believe thy guilt of manifest and gross abuses of Gods grace confess it to God deeply lay it to heart repent of it lest it prove thy ruine CHAP. XI Containing a second Branch of Examination how we may know the secret close and more refined Abuses of Gods Grace HAving enquired into the more visible and notorious affronts of Gods grace My next labor shall be rifling bosom-work to go into the inward Rooms of the heart and there to finde out the inward Libertine that dares impurely and immodestly to licentiate before the Lord This searching inward filthy cells of darkness by the bright Candle of the word of Truth as it is always unpleasant to a close Hypocrite all whose Religion is a constant jugling with God and men so to soundest upright hearts it is very desirable If the secret rotten double-hearted Professor shall read the following Conceptions without a blush fear and trembling laying a better foundation for his propriety to Christ assurance of Grace and the hope of Heaven then cheating appearances If he have scarce patience and heart to try himself by ensuing discoveries yea though he read them will wickedly deny the signs of close dishonors to Gods grace are not in him he may shift of Paper Arraignments he shall not the unbosoming Judgement of the great day when his Sheeps skin shall be pluckt off the inside shall be turned outwards and the close Hypocrite shall appear a wicked impenitent abuser of Gods grace Indeed I have little hope to do good to the habitual Jugleâ— in the things of God who hath made a play of his Religion aâ—â— never been in good earnest My hope is a Blessing from Heaven may second Convictions in the sound heart searching Reader who is ever most charitable to others but most jealous off and servere against his own heart for thy sake O self-basing abhorring mourner in Zion I have endeavored to lay down the Transcript the Counterpane of thy wretched heart I know thou â—ilt say the next Pages are thine own experience look over weep over pray strive against the ungrateful unkinde wrongs to thy gracious God thy dear Redeemer the Spirit of Grace gracious motions thy principle of grace I know by the help of grace thou wilt lay to heart and repent of the secret Injuries of grace where the prophane hypocritical world scarce see any sin or if so very slightly think of it and have no care and conscience to reform Weigh and ponder then the evidences of close and less discerned abuse of Gods grace as laid down in the subsequent method SECT 1. 1. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is a sinful close of spiritual Injoyments By these I mean all the Ordinances of grace whose ends and fruits are spiritual where succesful also the gifts of Grace Knowledge Judgement Invention Memory Utterance in Divine things Adde hereunto the sanctifying graces of the Spirit the sâ—eet motions of the Holy Ghost the joys of the Spirit in the light of Gods countenance in the Faith of Attonement by Christs blood in the sight of sincerity victory over Lusts c. These are all spiritual injoyments Now when the close of these is sinful there is a secret abuse of grace It is sinful in five things 1. In self-advancement Gods free grace is either wronged by his Servants as a Benefactor by a boasting Beggar he is well fed fat and fine and while he should lift up the bounty of the giver he is glorying in himself as a receiver So when the giver of grace in his heavenly Alms should be magnified how often do the best of men advance themselves The richest Saints in Earth and Heaven are but vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 22. Utensils Instruments God is pleased to use No thank to the tool but to the hand if it work No house builds it self When we see a comely building we praise the Art of the Builder The action of the Instrument is reduced to the essicient Ashur forgat himself and God when he looked not on God but himself Boasting in an Instrument is as if the Saw should magnifie it self it cut well and the Ax should magnifie it self it hewed well Isa 10. 15. If the Workman holds his hands the Tools do nothing Believers are the spirits Instruments God works in and by them and they dishonor the grace of God by transferring the work to themselves saying I prayed I preached I wept I gave alms I rejoyced in God I did this and that good As lofty Nebuchadnezzar lookt onely on his great boasting This I did this was my doing Is not this Babel that I have built for the glory of my Majesty So I have done this and that is the Poison that mars all the breathing of Satan turn'd angel of light the high abuse of Gods grace â—h Christian be humbled for it Diabolus laudat qua se perspicit superari virtutem injicit cordi jactantiam c. Fulgent ad Probam ep 3. and correct it by the Glass of Pauls self-abasing Grace and Christ-advancing I labored more than the other Apostles yet not I but the Grace of God 1 Cor. 15. 10. I live yet not I but Châ—ist lives in me Gal. 2. 20. 2. In dulling the edge of holy zeal This is the sad and frequent lacquey of spiritual injoyments We converse with them to a blunting and dulling of our spirits They should be as whetstones to set a keener sharpness on our hearts but they are as stones to the Sithes that gap and blunt them It is