This is made good by ten Arguments Page 60 to 65 Six considerable things about probabilities of grace Page 65 66 67 68 69 If a Christian can't say he has grace yet he should not say he has no grace for he may have grace and yet not know it Page 81 82 He that prizes the least dram of grace above ten thousand thousand worlds certainly that man has true grace in him Page 200 T is the wisdom and ought to be the work of every Christian to own the least measure of grace that is in him though it be mixed and mingled with many weaknesses infirmities Page 332 333 'T is the wisdom and should be the work of every Christian to look upon all his graces and gracious evidences as favours given him from above as gifts dropt out of heaven into his heart as flowers of Paradise stuck in his bosom by a divine hand Page 333 334 335 When you look upon your graces in the light of the spirit it highly concerns you to look narrowly to it that you don't renounce and reject your graces as weak and worthless evidences of your interest in Christ c. Page 335 336 337 The spirit does four things in respect of our graces Page 348 Christians may safely rejoyce in their graces Page 349 350 351 The more grace any man hath the more clear the more fair the more full the more sweet will his evidences be for heaven c. Page 378 379 380 381 382 When your graces are strongest and your evidences for heaven are clearest and your comforts rise-highest then in a special manner it concerns you to make it your great business and work to act faith afresh upon the free rich and glorious grace of God and upon the Lord Jesus Christ Page 382 383 384 385 H Of the hatred of sin An Hypocrite can't hate sin as sin Page 303 304 305 True hatred of sin includes six things Page 305 306 307 308 Of the heart and of keeping of it Where the constant standing frame of a mans heart desires and endeavâ—urs are set for God Christ Grace Holiness there is a most sure and infallible work of God upon that mans soul Page 127 128 129 130 131 132 A gracious heart is an uniform heart Page 161 162 163 164. A gracious heart sets himself most against his darling sin his bosom sin his constitution sin c. Page 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 He that has given up his heart and life to the Rule Authority and Government of Christ he has a saving work of God upon him Page 203 204 That man that will cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart that man shall certainly be saved Page 204 205 That man that makes it his principle care his main business his work of works to look to his heart to watch his heart to reform his heart that man doubtless hath a saving work of God upon his heart Page 205 206 207 208 209 210 Ten wayes shewing how men should keep their hearts Page 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 There are many that are great strangers to their own hearts Page 339 Of Hypocrites First an Hypocrites inside is never answerable to his outside An Hypocrites inside is one thing and his outside another thing Page 287 288 Secondly no Hypocrite under heaven is totally divorced from the love and liking of every known sin Page 288 289 290 291 Thirdly an Hypocrites heart is never throughly subdued to a willingness to perform all known duties Page 291 292 293 Fourthly There is never an Hypocrite in the world that makes God or Christ or holiness or his doing or receiving good in his Station Relation or Generation his grand end his highest end his ultimate end of living in this world Page 294 295 296 297 Fifthly no Hypocrite under heaven can live wholly and only upon the righteousness of Christ the satisfaction of Christ the merits of Christ for justification and salvation Page 297 298 299 300 Sixthly an Hypocrite never embraces a whole Christ he can never take up his full rest satisfaction and content in the person of Christ in the merits of Christ in the enjoyment of Christ alone Page 300 301 302 303 Seventhly an Hypocrite can't mourn for sin as sin nor grieve for sin as sin nor hate sin as sin nor make head against sin as sin Page 303 304 305 Eighthly no Hypocrite is habitually low or little in his own eyes no hypocrite has ordinarily mean thoughts of himself or a poor esteem of himself Page 308 309 310 311 312 Ninthly no Hypocrite will long hold out in the work and wayes of the Lord in the want of outward incouragements and in the face of outward discouragements Page 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 Tenthly no hypocrite ever makes it his business his work to bring his heart into religious duties and services Page 318 319 320 321 Eleventhly an hypocrite never performs religious duties from spiritual principles nor in a spiritual manner Page 321 322 323 324 325 Twelfthly no hypocrite in the world loves the Word or delights in the Word or prizes the Word as 't is a holy Word a spiritual Word a beautiful Word a pure Word a clean word Page 325 326 327 328 329 Thirteenthly and lastly an hypocrite can't endure to be tryed and searcht and laid open Page 329 330 331 I Of judging our selves We must not judge our selves Hypocrites by those things that â—he Scripture never makes a character of an Hypocrite Page 74 75 76 77. We must not judge our selves hypocrites for such things which being admitted and granted to be true would unavoidably prove the whole generation of the faithful to be Hypocrites Page 77 78 79 In judging of our spiritual estates and conditions we must alwayes have an eye to our natural tempers complexions c. Page 79 80 81 Of judgments Spiritual judgments are the worst of judgments Page 338 L Of love to the Saints No man can truly love grace in another but he that has true grace in his own soul Page 189 190 Six wayes whereby men may certainly know whether their love to the Saints be real or not Page 190 to 200 M Of singular manifestations Some Christians live under the singular manifestations of divine love Page 341 342 Of Melancholy The evil effects of Melancholy Page 72 73 74 Of merciful men Such as are truly and graciously merciful are blessed c. Page 34 35 36 Of true mourners Such as are true mourners are blessed Page 32 N Of Name and of a great Name Many Professors take up in a great Name Page 337 338. O Of Obedience If your obedience springs from faith then your estate is good then you have assuredly an infallible work of God upon your souls Page 132 Seven wayes to know when your obedience is the obedience of faith with the resolution of some considerable questions about obedience worthy of serious consideration Page 132 to 161 P Of the Promises The
should make it our great business and work to come up to them and to imitate them to the life O friends the examples last cited should be very awakening very perswading very convincing and very encouraging because in them you may see that though abstinence from the appearance of evil be a difficult thing yet 't is a possible thing Shall we love to look upon the Pictures of our friends and shall we not much more love to look upon the holy examples of those eminent Saints that had the lively picture of Grace and the lovely Image of Christ fairly stampt upon their hearts and lives 'T is both our Mercy and our duty to eye the examples and to follow the footsteps of those Christians that have been most eminent in Grace as you may plainly see by comparing of these Scriptures together Prov. 2.20 Heb. 6.12 1 Thes 1.6 Phil. 4.9 2 Tim. 3.10 11 12. Heb. 12.1 Phil. 3.17 1 Cor. 11.1 Titus 2.7 He that would fain write a fair hand had need have his eye often upon his Copy and he that would fain abstain from all appearance of evil he had need often to eye the gracious examples of such who have made Conscience of abstaining from appearing evils as well as from apparent evils But Eighthly and lastly Consider what some refined Heathens and civilized Pagans have done in this very case There are stories of Heathens that would not look upon excellent Beauties lest they should be ensnared Dâ—mocritâ—â— pluckt out his own eyes to avoid the danger of uncleanness Socrates speaketh of two young men that flang away their Belts when being in an Idol-Temple the lustrating water fell upon them detesting saith the Historian the garment spotted by the Flesh Alexander would not see the woman after whom he might have lusted Scipio Africanus warring in Spain took New Carthage by storm Aure victor at which time a beautiful and noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her Chastity he being four and twenty years old and so in the heat of youth hearing of it would not suffer her to come into his sight for fear of a temptation but caused her to be restored in safety to her Father So when Demâ—sthenes the Oratour was asked an excessive sum of money to behold the beautiful Lais he answered He would not buy repentance so dear neither was he so ill a Merchant as to sell eternals for temporals Nor Caesar would not search Pompeyes Cabinet lest he should find new matters of revenge Memorable is the story of the children of Samosâ—ta that would not touch their Ball but burnt it because it had touched the Toe of a wicked Heretical Bishop as they were tossing and playing with it Now shall some refined Heathens shall civilized Pagans abstain from the appearance of evil from occasions and temptations to sin and shall real Christians fall short of them Shall blind nature do more than Grace Shall men fallen in the first Adam do more than those that are raised and enlivened by the second Adam But to prevent all mistakes let me add though many Heathens have abstained from the appearance of some evil yet they have not abstained from the appearance of all evil neither have they abstained from the appearance of any evil out of a hatred of evil nor from any principles of saving light or life or love nor out of any regard to any Royal Law of God nor out of any regard to the honour or glory of God but either out of vain-glory and popular applause the Pole-stars by which they steered all their actions or out of Hypocrisy which set a tincture and Dy upon all their actions what Writer hath more golden Sentences than Seneca against the contempt of Gold yet if Tacitus and others of his contemporaries may be credited none more rich none more covetous than he as if out of design he had perswaded others to cast away their money that he himself might come and gather it up again c. And thus you see that there are very great reasons why every Christian should avoid the very shew suspition or appearance of evil c. But Eleventhly and lastly He that sets himself resolutely mostly habitually against his bosome sins his constitution sins Psal 18.26 his most prevalent sins c. he has certainly a saving work a powerful work of God upon his Soul True Grace will make a man stand stoutly and stedfastly on Gods side and work the heart to take part with him against the most darling sins though they be as right hands or as right eyes True Grace will lay hands upon a mans most beloved lusts and cry out to Heaven Lord Crucify them Crucify them down with them down with them even to the ground Lord do Justice do signal Justice do speedy Justice do exemplary Justice upon this Head-lust this Master-sin Lord hew down root and branch let the very stumps of this Dagon be broken all in pieces Lord curse this wild Fig-Tree that never more Fruit may grow thereon Certainly God and Christ is set up highest in that mans heart who bends most of his thoughts strength and endeavours against his constitution sins against the sins of his Place Calling condition and complexion 'T is very observable that the Jews after they had been in the Babilonish Furnace for Idolatry they ever hated and feared that sin as much as the burnt child dreads the Fire yea they would dye any death rather than admit an Idol Josephus tells us how stoutly they opposed Pilate and Petronius that would have set up Caesars Statue in their Temples offering their throats to the Swords of the Souldiers rather than they would endure that Idol in Gods house O when once the heart of a Christian comes thus to be set against all his Golden and Silver Idols then we may safely say Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile He that finds his lusts his bosome his darling lusts begin to fall before him 〈◊〉 6 1â— as Hâ—mâ—â— once begun to fall before Morâ—eoai he may safely and confidently conclude that he is of the seed of the Jews and that the seed of God abideth in him 1 John 3.9 But having discoursed so largely as I have concerning bosome sins darlâ—ng lusts head-corruptions in my other writings I need say no more at this time And thus you see that there are Eleven particulars in regard of sin and a Christians actâ—ngs about it that speaks out a true saving work of Grace to be in the Souls of the Saints But c. Secondly Where the constant ordinary standing and abiding purpose disposition frame and general bent of a mans heart soul spirit desires and endeavours are fixed and set for God for Grace for Holiness in heart and life there is a most sure and infallible work of God past upon that mans soul the constant bent and the setled purpose of a true child of God is for God for Grace for Holiness in heart
Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Fox Acts and Monum It was a great saying of blessed Bradford That he could not leave a duty till he had found communion with Christ in the duty till he had brought his heart into a duty-frame he could not leave confession till he had found his heart touched broken and humbled for sin nor petition till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired and carried out after them nor could he leave thanksgiving till he had found his spirit enlarged and his soul quickned in the return of praises And it was a great saying of another that he could never be quiet till he found God in every duty Nunquam abs te absque te â—ecedo Bern. Meditat and enjoyed communion with God in every prayer O Lord said he I never come to thee but by thee I never go from thee without thee A sincere Christian that is taken with Christ above all can't be satisfied nor contented with duties or ordinances without he enjoyes Christ in them who is the life soul and substance of them But now hypocrites they do duties but all they do is from common principles from natural principles and from an unsanctified heart and that marrs all Remigius a Judge of Lorraigne tells this story That the Devil in those parts did use to give money to Witches Preston's four Treatises which did appear to be good coyn it seemed to be currant at first but being laid up a while it then appeared to be nothing but leaves Hypocrites they make a great profession and are much in the outward actions of Religion they make a very fair shew they hear they read they pray they fast they sing Psalms and they give alms But these duties being not managed from a principle of divine love nor from a principle of spiritual life nor from a sanctified frame of heart turn all into leaves they are all lost and the Authors of them cast and undone for ever and ever But Twelfthly No hypocrite in the world loves the Word or delights in the Word or prizes the Word as 't is a holy Word a spiritual Word a beautiful Word a pure Word Luther said he would not live in Paradise if he might without the Word but with the Word he could live in hell it self a clean Word Psal 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it There are no hearts but men after God's own heart that can love the Word and delight in the Word and embrace the Word for its holiness purity and spirituality witness Paul Rom. 7.12 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good Well and what then why saith he Ver. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But is this all No saith he Ver. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God Holy Paul delights in the Law as holy and serves the Law as holy just and good A sincere heart is the only heart that is taken with the Word for its spirituality purity and heavenly beauty None can joy in the Word as it is a holy Word nor none can taste any sweetness in the Word as 't is a pure Word but sincere Christians Psal 19.8 9 10. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart These several Titles Law Statutes Testimony Commandements Judgments are used promiscuously for the whole Word of God commonly distinguished into Law and Gospel The commandements of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes The fear of the Lord is clean that is the doctrine of the Word that teacheth the true fear of God enduring for ever The judgments of the Lâ—rd are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honey comb or as the Hebrew hath it Sweeter than the droppings of honey combs The Word of God as it is a pure Word a spiritual Word a clean Word a holy Word so it rejoyces a sincere heart and so it is sweeter than the very droppings of honey combs The Word as it is a pure Word a holy Word is more sweet to a sincere Christian than those drops which drop immediately and naturally without any force or art which is counted the purest and sweetest honey There is no profit nor pleasure nor joy to that which the purity of the World yields to a sincere heart Psal 119.48 My hands will I lift up to thy commandements which I have loved Sometimes the lifting up of hands betokens admiration when men are astonished and ravished they lift up their hands I will lift up my hands to thy commandements that is I will admire the goodness spiritualness holiness righteousness purity and excellency of thy commandements Luther would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible he took such sweet pleasure and excellent delight in it Rabbi Chiia in the Jerusalem Talmud sayes That in his account all the world is not of equal value with one word out of the Law Mr. Fox The Martyrs would have given a load of Hay for a few Chapters of the Bible in English Some of them gave five marks for a Bible they were so delighted and taken with the Word as it was a holy Word a pure Word a spiritual Word Dolphins they say love musick and so do sincere Christians love the musick of the Word It 's upon record that Mary spent the third part of her time in reading the Word she was so affected and delighted with the holiness and purity of it King Edward the sixth being about to lay hold on something that was above the reach of his short arm one that stood by espying a boss'd Bible lying on the Table offered to lay that under his feet to heighten him Sir John Hayward in vita but the good young King disliked the motion and instead of treading it under his feet he laid it to his heart to express the joy and delight that he took in the holy Word But now neâ—er did any hypocrite since there was one in the world ever love God as a holy God or love his people as a holy people or love his wayes as holy wayes or love his word as a holy word There is no hypocrite in the world that can truly say with David Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Saul could never say so nor Ahab could never say so nor Herod could never say so nor Judas could never say so nor Demas could never say so nor Simon Magus could never say so nor the Scribes and Pharisees could never say so nor the Stony ground could never say so nor Isaiah's hypocrites could never say so 'T is true Isa 58. some of these did rejoyce in the Word and
then his desire Luke 17.5 are most for faith you shall then find him with the Disciples crying out Lord increase our faith But now though a wicked mans heart rise against every grace yet it rises most strongly against those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular lusts which are a wicked mans bosom lusts Mat. 26.8 9. his darling sins c. Hence the covetous heart rises and swells most against liberality as you see in Judas Rev. 3.15 16 17. Luke 19. What need this waste Flesh and bloud looks upon all as lost that is laid out upon Christ his servants and services And the luke-warm Christians heart rises and swells most against zeal and fervency and the griping Userers heart rises and swells most against restitution Job 21.14 15. and the adulterers heart rises and swells most against purity chastity continency and the ignorant mans heart rises and swells most against light and knowledge Eccles 7.10 the ignorant man is willing to go to hell in the dark and ready and bold enough to conclude that we never had such sad and bad times as we have had since there hath been so much preaching and so much hearing and so much fasting and so much praying and so much light and knowledge in the world But now it is quite otherwise with a true child of God Rom. 7.22 23. for his heart rises and swells most against the Toad or Toads that are in his own bosom and the daily and earnest desires of his soul are that God would make him eminent in every grace yea that God would make him most eminent in those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular lusts and corruptions which more peculiarly more especially he hath cause to call his iniquity Psal 49.5 or the iniquities of his heart and of his heels Look as we have some dirt more or less that will still cleave to our heels whilst we are in a dirty world so there is some defilements and pollutions that will still be cleaving to all our duties services wayes and walkings in this world which we may well call the iniquity of our heels Now a gracious heart rises most against these c. Thirteenthly No man can truly love grace in another but he that has true grace in his own soul 1 John 3.10 No man can love a Saint as a Saint but he that is a real Saint no man can love holiness in another but he that has holiness in his own soul no man can love a good man for goodness sake but he that is really good We know that we have passed from death to life 1 John 3.14 This Text you have opened in the first Maxim of this Book because we love the brethren Sincere love to the brethren is a most evident sign of a Christians being already passed or translated from death to life that is from a state of nature into a state of grace such a poor soul that dares not say that he has grace in his own heart yet dares say before the Lord that he loves delights and takes pleasure to see the holy graces of the Spirit sparkling and shining in the hearts lives and lips of other Saints secretly wishing in himself that his soul were but in their case and that dares say before the Lord Psal 15.1 4. Psal 16.3 He that loves his brother saith Augustine better knows his love wherewith he loves than his brother whom he loves that there are no men in all the world that are so precious so lovely so comely so excellent and so honourable in his account in his eye as those that have the Image of God of Christ of grace of holiness most clearly most fairly and most fully stampt upon them When a poor Christian can rejoyce in every light in every Sun that out-shines his own when he sees wisdom and knowledge shining in one Saint and faith and love shining in another Saint and humility and lowliness shining in another Saint and meekness and uprightness shining in another Saint and zeal and courage shining in another Saint and patience and constancy shining in another and then can make his retreat to his closet admiring blessing of the Lord for the various graces of his Spirit shining in his children and be frequent and earnest with God that those very graces might shine as so many Suns in his soul doubtless such a poor soul has true grace and is happy and will be happy to all eternity In Tertullian's time the Heathen would point out the Christians by this mark See how they love one another Now to prevent mistakes I shall shew you the several properties of sincere love to the Saints First True love to the Saints is spiritual it is a love for the Image of God that is stampt upon the soul 1 John 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat 1 John 4.7 loveth him also that is begotten of him A soul that truly loves loves the father for his own sake and the children for the fathers sake If the Image of God be the load-stone that drawes out our love to the Saints then our love is real to them he that does not love the Saints as Saints he that does not love them under a spiritual notion he hath no true affection to them Naturally we hate God Gen. 3.15 1 John 3.12 because he is a holy God and his Law because it is an holy Law and his people because they are a holy people 'T is only the Spirit of God that can inable a man to love a Saint for the image of God that is in him many there are which love Christians for their goods not for their good they love them for the money that is in their purses but not for the grace that is in their hearts many like the Bohemian Cur fawn upon a good suit Love to the Saints for the Image of God stampt upon them is a flower that does not grow in natures garden No man can love grace in another mans heart but he that hath grace in his own men do not more naturally love their parents Prov. 29.10 Ezek. 25.15 and love their children and love themselves than they do naturally hate the image of God upon his people and wayes I have read of one who was so lusty and quarrelsom that he was ready to fight with his own image so often as he saw it in a glass O! how many are there in these dayes that are still a quarrelling and fighting with the image of God wherever they see it True love is for what of the divine nature for what of Christ and grace shines in a man it is one thing to love a godly man and anther thing to love him for godliness Many love godly men as they are Politicians or Potent or Learned or of a sweet nature or affable or related or as they have been kind to them
magnificent ones noble ones glorious ones wonderful ones O Sirs there are some Saints that are magnificent in grace noble in grace glorious in grace wonderful in grace Now this is certain if grace be the true reason why we love any then the more excellent the more magnificent any are in grace Psal 15.4 the more highly we shall prize them and the more dearly we shall love them and the more abundantly in our hearts we shall honour them Look as grace rises higher and higher in the same person so we shall rise higher and higher in our love to the same person Dan. 9.23 John 21.20 Daniel was greatly beloved and Iohn was singularly beloved and why but because they were more eminently gracious than others were Where there is most grace there God is most honoured and there Christ is most exalted and there the Spirit is best pleased and there Religion is most adorned and there Satan is most dethroned and there the world is most conquered and there sin is most subdued and there duties are most exactly performed and therefore there the gracious soul can't but love best and most There are some that seem to love such and such godly men whose judgments are weak and light little and parts low and grace small who yet look with a squint eye an envious eye upon every Sun that outshines their own upon every ones graces and excellencies that are more sparkling than their own Though pride and envy have received their deaths-wound at the souls first conversion yet they are not quite slain in a believer there is an aptness even in real Saints Luk. 7.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. to grudge and repine at those gifts graces and excellencies in others that outshine their own John's disciples muttered and murmured because Christ had more followers and admirers than John and that spirit that lived in John's disciples is still alive to this very day This is and this must be for a lamentation Well Sirs look as the fairest day hath its clouds the finest linnen its spots the richest jewels their flaws the sweetest fruits their worms so when many precious Christians are not themselves when they are in an hour of temptation when their corruptions are up and their graces down they may and too often do Num. 11.29 envy and repine at those graces excellencies and abilities that do over-cast cloud Heb. 12.15 darken and outshine their own The best of men are but men at the best and there is still those bitter roots of pride vain-glory self-love envy c. remaining in them that occasions their hearts to rise and swell yea sometimes to cast disgrace upon those excellencies in others that themselves want As that great man that could not write his own name Eusebius speaks of him in his Ecclesiastical Histâ—ry c. and yet called the liberal Arts A publick Poyson and Pestilence This spiritual disease is mostly to be found among Christians that are got into some of the highest forms in Christianity take your ordinary common Christians and they commonly rejoyce most where they see most grace And so do your Christians in a higher form too when they come to themselves and to make up their accounts and have wept over those cursed roots of bitterness that are so apt to be sprouting out Now there is no greater argument that our grace is true and that we do love others for grace sake than our loving them best that have most grace though they have but little of the world A pearl is rich if found on a dunghil though it may glister more when set in a ring of gold so many a poor believer is rich in grace and precious and glorious in the eye of Christ and should be so in ours though like Job he sits upon a dunghil though in the eyes of the world he may seem to glister most when adorned with riches honour and outward pomp If grace be the true reason why we love any person then the more grace that person hath the more we shall love him A godly man loves all that are godly but he loves them most that excel most in the power purity and practise of godliness c. But Sixthly and lastly True love to the Saints is constant 't is permanent John 13.1 15.12 c. 1 Cor. 13.8 Love never faileth Heb. 13.1 Let brotherly love continue 'T is a love like that of Christ's who loved his to the end 1 Joh. 4.16 He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Our love to our brother must not only lodge with us a night and away but we must dwell in brotherly love Look as our love must be sincere without hypocrisie so it must be constant without deficiency that love was never true that is not constant true love like the pulse will still be beating it will still be working and running out to the person beloved true love will not fawn upon a Christian when high and frown upon him when low it will not kiss him upon the throne and kick him upon the dunghil The grounds and causes of their love are constant viz. God's commands their spiritual relations and the truth of grace in their souls and therefore their love can't but be constant Prov. 17.17 Christian friendship makes such a knot that great Alexander cannot cut c. A friend saith Solomon loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity Euripides hit it when he said That a faithful friend in adversity is better than a calm Sea to a weather-beaten Mariner He that truly loves will love in adversity as well as in prosperity in storms as well as in calms in winter nights as well as in Summer dayes he that sincerely loves the Saints he will love them as well when men frown upon them as when they smile upon them as well when men strike them as when they stroke them as well when men cast them down as when they lift them up as well when men cry Crucifie them crucifie them as when they cry Hosanna Hosanna to them Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Christians had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self so indelibly printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confess and betray one another or cease from loving one another Hieron I have read of one Ursinus a Christian Physician who being to suffer Martyrdom for the Gospel of Christ began to waver and faint which when Vitalis a holy man saw he stept to him and though he knew it would cost him his life yet he thus comforted and encouraged him saying What have ye been heretofore so industrious to preserve mens bodies and will you now shrink at the saving of your own soul Be couragious fear not c. For which faithful counsel he also was condemned to death and suffered accordingly Ruth 1. A true friend is neither
of the heart Hypocrites are heartless in their cryes and therefore they cry and howl and howl and cry and all to no purpose they cry and murmur and they howl and repine they cry and blaspheme and they howl and rebel and therefore they meet with nothing from heaven but frowns and blows and disappointments Isa 29.13 Wherefore the Lord said for as much as this people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me Ezek. 33.31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness Though this people flocked to the Prophet in troops as men and women do to places of pleasure and though they carried it before the Prophet as if they were Saints as if they were the people of God as if they were affected with what they heard as if they were resolved to live out what the Prophet should make out to them yet their hearts run after their covetousness Though these hypocrites profest much love and kindness to the Prophet and paid him home with smooth words seemed to be much affected delighted ravished and taken with his person voice and doctrine yet they made no conscience of bringing their hearts into their duties An hypocrite may look at some outward easie ordinary duties of Religion but he never makes conscience of bringing his heart into any duties of Religion When did you ever see an hypocrite a searching of his heart or sitting in judgment upon the corruptions of his soul or lamenting and mourning over the vileness and wickedness of his spirit 'T is only the sincere Christian that is affected afflicted and wounded with the corruptions of his heart When one told blessed Bradford that he did all out of hypocrisie because he would have the people applaud him He answered It is true the seeds of hypocrisie and vain glory are in thee and me too and will be in us as long as we live in this world but I thank God it is that I mourn under and strive against How seriously and deeply did good Hezekiah humble himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.25 out of the eater came meat out of his pride he gat humility O Sirs A sincere Christian makes it his great business to get his heart into all his Religious duties and services to get his heart into every way and work of God 2 Chron. 17.6 Psal 86.12 Jehoshaphats heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. So David I 'le praise thee 2 Chron. 22.9 Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. It is reported that when the Tyrant Trajane commanded Ignatius to be ript unbowelled they found Jesus Christ written upon his heart in characters of gold here was a heart worth gold That 's the golden Christian indeed whose heart is writ upon all his duties and services O Lord with all my heart And so Psal 119.7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart Ver. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee So Jehoshaphat he sought the Lord with all his heart Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Vers 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Lamen 3.41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens Rom. 1.9 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son Pauls very spirit his very soul was in his service Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Ver. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God A sincere Christian is alwayes best when his heart is in his work and when he can't get his heart into his duties Oh how does he sigh and groan and complain and mourn at the foot of God Lord my tongue has been at work and my head has been at work and my parts have been at work and my eyes and hands have been at work but where has my heart been this day Oh it is and must be for a sore and sad lamentation that I have had so little of my heart in that service that I have tendered to thee This is the daily language of an upright heart But now all the work of an hypocrite is to get his golden parts into his duties and his silver tongue into his duties and his nimble head into his duties but he never makes conscience of getting his heart into his duties If any beasts sacrificed by Heathens who ever lookt narrowly into the intrails was found without heart this was held ominous and construed as very prodigious to the person for whom it was offered as it fell out in the case of Julian Hypocrites are alwayes heartless in all the sacrifices they offer to God and this will one day prove ominous and prodigious to them But Eleventhly An hypocrite never performes religious duties from spiritual principles nor in a spiritual manner An hypocrite is never inclined moved and carried to God to Christ to holy duties by the power of a new and inward principle of grace working a sutableness between his heart and the things of God An hypocrite rests himself satisfied in the meer external acts of Religion though he never feels any thing of the power of Religion in his own soul An hypocrite looks to his words in prayer and to his voice in prayer and to his gestures in prayer but he never looks to the frame of his heart in prayer An hypocrites heart is never toucht with the words his tongue utters an hypocrites soul is never divinely affected delighted or graciously warmed with any duty he performs An hypocrites spiritual performances never flow from spiritual principles nor from a heart universally sanctified though his works may be new yet his heart remains old his new practises alwayes spring from old principles and this will prove the hypocrites bane Vide Isa 1.10 to 16. as you may see in that Isa 1.15 When you spread forth your hands to heaven I will hide my eyes and when you make many prayers when you abound in duty adding prayer to prayer as the Hebrew runs I will not hear your hands are full of blood These were unsanctified ones their practises were new Mat. 6. chap. 23 Luke 18. but their hearts were old still The same you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees who fasted prayed and gave alms but their hearts were not changed renewed sanctified nor principled from above and this proved their eternal bane Nicodemus was a man of great note name John 3.4 No man can understand
Men of publick spirits shall never die as Jehoram did undesired and unlamented Men of publick spirits lye most open to snares temptations and oppositions c. This all sober Christians well understand and therefore they can't but pray hard for such The names the lives the liberties the estates and all the concernments of men of publick spirits alwayes lye nearest their hearts who lye neerest to the heart of Christ Men of the greatest name and of the greatest renown and that have had the greatest stock of prayers going for them all the world over have been men of publick spirits But Sixthly and lastly When Christians of publick spirits come to dye their publick spiritedness and general usefulness will be no small comfort and cordial to them Nehemiah was a man of a publick spirit and accordingly he pleads it with God Think upon me Neh. 5. ult See Chap. 13.22 O my God for good according to all that I have done for this people This was that which sweetned death to Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord to remember now how I have walked before thee in truth 2 King 20.3 Acts 13.36 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And when David had served his generation he fell asleep Sleep is not more welcom and sweet to a labouring man than death is to him who has made it his business his work sincerely and faithfully to serve his generation Such Magistrates 2 Tim. 4.7 8 9. John 17. Ministers and Christians who have made it their business according to their different measures faithfully to serve their generation have found the King of terrors to be but the King of desires to them when death to men of narrow selfish spirits hath been like the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. very terrible Many score Instances might be produced out of History to evidence this Take one for all Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Wâ—nchester and Chancellour of England a man swallowed up in self interest in the Reign of Henry the Sixth when he perceived that he must dye Acts and Mon. fol. 925. and that there was no remedy O! how terrible was death to him and O! how did he murmur and fret and vex at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time For saith he wherefore should I die being so rich if the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie upon death saith he will not death be hired will money do nothing I might instance in men of a higher rank but then I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle The second sort of men that my self and all others are bound 1. Highly to prize 2. Cordially to love And 3. Greatly to honour Are men of charitable spirits men of merciful spirits men of tender and compassionate spirits The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful to note that the godly man is the merciful man and the merciful man is the godly man Loving kindness is an ingredient unto godliness The godly man is frequently called Chasid gracious or merciful it notes one that hath obtained mercy goodness grace piety and benignity from the Lord and that is pious kind The Italian form of begging is Do good to your selves gracious and merciful to others Though charity bounty is the most compendious way to plenty and giving to getting and scattering to encreasing and layings out to layings up Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth Ver. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Yet how few in our dayes do honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 Mic. 4.13 how few look a this as a duty to consecrate any part of their gain unto the Lord or of their substance to the Lord of the whole earth Most men now carry it as if God himself had last his propriety and as if there were no rent-penny due to his poor But yet some there are who have liberal hearts and open hands Deut. 15.11 some there are who do open their hands wide to the poor and needy Now here give me leave to say Mat. 25. Prov. 31.8 9. That these 1. Discharge their consciences in the duty of charity 2. These rightly improve the talents of mercy with which they are intrusted 3. These treasure up a stock of prayers Job 29.13 2 Tim. 1.16 both for themselves and theirs the blessing and the prayers of them that were ready to perish will come upon them and theirs 4. These evidence the liveliness of their faith James 2.17 Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Ver. 18. Yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Ver. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also 5. These take the surest way the readiest course to assure their own souls of Gods eternal favours and mercies to them 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this world Ver. 18. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Ver. 19. Aeterna vitae vera vlta Aug. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Charitable Christians are as wife Merchants happy Usurers parting with that which they cannot keep that they may gain that which they cannot lose 6. These take the surest way to draw down more outward mercies upon themselves The fountain is not diminished Pedagog 3. c. 7 Clemens Alex. but augmented by giving water to the thirsty The widows oyl did increase by running we do not lose but increase our mercies by imparting of them for God's honour and the comfort and benefit of others Luk. 6.38 Give saith Christ and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom The Jews more large and loose garments so that they could bear away much in their bosoms Hence this expression into your bosom The meaning is That the Lord will largely reward the beneficence of his people yea that he will so reward them that they shall perceive that they are rewarded Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 10. so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine God will certainly bless their substance who honour him with their substance The Jews at this day Godw Heb. â—ntiq 27.7 though they are not in their own Countrey and though they have not a Levitical Priesthood yet those who will be reputed Religious amongst them do distribute the tenth of their increase to the
that have not the image of God the image of grace and holiness stampt upon them I pray God saith Mr. Marshal that many of God's people do not want these evidences If our souls saith another shall like of Christ for a Suiâ—or when we find no other jointure but the Cross Mr. Dod on the commandments page 313 314. we may be sure we are Christians A man may want the feeling of his faith and cry and call again and again for it and feel nothing all this while and yet nevertheless have true and sound faith For the feeling of and mourning for the want of faith and the earnest and constant desire of it is an infallible sign of faith For this is a sure Rule that so long as one feeleth himself sick he is not dead and the high estimation of faith joined with a vehement desire of it is a singular evidence that there is a sound and lively root of faith in our hearts 1. Pet. 1.2 Mr. Love his zealous Christian pag. 29. last part All the elect of God shall have the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ upon their hearts sooner or later I do not press the having of these things gradually but sincerely an elect person may want many a degree of grace but if he have them in sincerity Dr. Sibbs his commentary on the first Chapter of the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians ver 22. pag. 491 492. though in the least measure it is a sufficient evidence of his election An earnest is little in regard of the whole perhaps we have but a shilling to secure us of many pounds so then the point is this That howsoever we may be assured of our estate in grace and likewise that we shall hold out yet the ground of this assurance is not from any great measure of grace but though t be little in quantity it may be great in assurance and security As we value an earnest not for the worth that is in it self but because it assures us of a great bargain we have an eye more to the consummation of the bargain than to the quantity of the earnest so it is here grace is but an earnest yet notwithstanding though it be little as an earnest is yet it is great in assurance and validity answerable to the relation of that it hath to assure us Though grace be little yet as little as it is seeing it is an earnest and the first fruits as the Apostle saith which were but little in regard of the whole harvest yet it is of the nature of the whole and thereupon it comes to secure A spark of fire is but little yet it is fire as well as the whole element of fire and a drop of water is but little yet it is water as well as the whole Ocean When a man is in a dark place put the case it be in a dungeon if he have but a â—ittle light shining into him from a little crevice that little light discovers that the day is broke that the Sun is risen Put the case there be but one grape on a Vine it shews that it is a Vine and that the Vine is not dead So put the case that there be but the appearance of a little grace in a Christian perhaps the Spirit of God appears but in one grace in him at that time yet that one grace sheweth that we are Vines and not thistles or thorns or base plants and it shews that there is life in the root Thus you see how fully this Reverend Doctor speaks to the case That friend that writes the life and death of Mr. John Marcol once Preacher of the Gospel at Dublin saith See his Treatise published by Mr. Winter Mr. Chambers Mr. Eaton Mr. Carryl and Mr. Mantou pag. 36 37. That in preparation for the Supper-Ordinance he would bring himself unto the Test and to say the truth was very clear in the discovering and making out his own condition being well acquainted with the way of Gods dealing with the soul and with the way of the souls closing with Christ Instance April 3. 1653. Upon search I find 1. My self an undone creature 2. That the Lord Jesus sufficiently satisfied as Mediator the Law for sin 3. That he is freely offered in the Gospel 4. So far as I know my own heart I do through mercy heartily consent that he only shall be my Saviour not my works or duties which I do only in obedience to him 5. If I know my heart I would be ruled by his Word and Spirit Behold in a few words saith he that writes his life and death the sum and substance of the Gospel By these Instances we may see that some of the precious servants of God have found a great deal of comfort support rest content and some measure of assurance from a lower rank of evidences than those that many strong Christians do reach unto c. But The seventh Maxim or Consideration SEventhly consider That all men and women that are desirous to know how it will go with them in another world they must peremptorily resolve to be determined by Scripture in the great matters of their interest in Christ the blessed Scripture is the great uncontroverted Rule This we believe when we first begin to believe that we ought not to believe any thing beyond Scripture Tertullian and therefore if a person can prove from Scripture that his graces are true or that he is in a gracious estate or that he has an interest in Christ or that he has sayingly graciously stricken Covenant with God then he must resolutely and peremptorily resolve to grant so much as unchangably to acquiesce in it to stick fast to it and to hear nothing against it from the world the flesh or the devil God hath plainly told us in his blessed Word who shall be saved and who shall be damned though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described in the Bible there are the Statute-Laws of heaven and the standing Rule by which all must be tryed every man must stand or fall be eternally blessed or eternally miserable as his condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the holy Scripture witness that Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or no morning in them So John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass on jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled So John 10.35 And the Scripture cannot be broken or violated or made void but though this be an indispensable duty yet certainly there is especially in
impressions especially among the Romanists and within these few years have not many hundreds in this Nation fallen under the same woful delusions who are all for crying up a Light within and a Christ within c. And this you are seriously and Conscientiously to observe in opposition to the Papâ—sts who boldly and stoutly affirm That assurance of a mans Salvation can be had by no other means than by extraordinary Revelation Witness the Councel of Trent who have long since said That if any man say that he knoweth he shall certainly persevere or infallibly be assured of his Election except he have this by special Revelation let him be Anathema Without all peradventure God will one day cross and curse such a wicked Councel that curseth that Anathematizeth his people for asserting and maintaining that that may certainly be obtained in this life as I have sufficiently proved by ten Arguments in my Treatise called Heaven on Earth from page 1. to page 26. I think there is a great truth in that confession of Faith that saith that infallible Assurance doth not so belong to the essence of Faith 1 John 5.13 Isa 50.10 Mark 9 24. 1 Cor. 2.12 1 John 4.13 14. Heb. 6.11 12. Ephes 3.17 18 19. 2 Pet. 1.10 but that a true Believer may wait long and conflâ—ct with many difficulties before he be partaker of it yea being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God he may without any extraordinary revelation in the right use of ordinary means attain thereunto and therefore 't is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure But The Eleventh Maxim or Consideration ELeventhly Consider that probabilities of Grace of sincerity of an interest in Christ and of Salvation may be a very great stay and a singular support and a special cordial and comfort to abundance of precious Christians that want that sweet and blessed Assurance that their Souls do earnestly breath and long after There are doubtless many thousands of the precious Sons and Daughters of Zion comparable to fine Gold Lam. 4.2 that have not a clear and full Assurance of their interest in Christ nor of the saving work of God upon their Souls who yet are able to plead many probabilities of Grace and of an interest in Christ Now doubtless probabilities of Grace and of an interest in Christ may serve to keep off fears and doubts and darkness and sadness and all rash and peremptory conclusions against a mans own Soul and his everlasting welfare and may contribute very much to the keeping up of a great deal of peace comfort and quietness in his Soul The probable grounds that thou hast Grace and that God has begun to work powerfully and savingly upon thee are mercies more worth than ten thousand Worlds will you please seriously and frequently to dwell upon these ten particulars First That though many weak gracious souls don't enjoy communion with God in joy and delight yet they do enjoy communion with God in sorrow and tears Hos 12.4 Isa 38.3 Psal 51.17 A man may have communion wi h God in a heart humbling a heart melting and a heart abasing way when he hath not communion with God in a heart reviving a heart cheering and a heart comforting way T is a very great mistake among many weak tender spirited Christians to think that they have no communion with God in duties except they meet with God embracing and kissing cheering and comforting up their Souls And O that all such Christians would remember this once for all viz. That a Christian may have as real communion with God in a heart humbling way as he can have in a heart comforting way John 20 11-19 a Christian may have as choice communion with God when his eyes are full of tears as he can have when his heart is full of joy when a godly man upon his dying bed was askt which were his most joyful dayes either those before his Conversion or those since his Conversion upon which he cryed out O give me my mourning dayes again Give me my mourning dayes again for they were my joyfullest dayes Many times a poor Christian has never more joy in his heart than when his eyes are full of tears But Secondly Though many poor weak doubting trembling Christians dare not say that they do love the Lord Jesus Christ 'T was a famous saying of Austins he loves not Christ at all that loves not Christ above all yet they dare say that they would love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their hearts and with all their Souls and they dare say that if it were in their power they would even shed tears of blood because they cannot love Christ both as they would and as they should Blessed Bradford would sit and weep at Dinner till the tears fell on his Trencher because he could love God no more So the poor doubting trembling Christian mourns and laments because he can love Christ no more A man may love Gold and yet not have it but no man loveth God but he is sure to have God saith Augustine A good man once cryed out I had rather have one Christ than a thousand Worlds Thirdly Though many poor weak doubting trembling Christians dare not say that they have Grace yet they dare say that they prize the least dram of Grace above all the gold and silver of the Indies Cardan saith that every precious stone hath an egregious vertue in it The same we may say of every saving Grace were all the world a lump of gold and in their hands to dispose of it they would give it for Grace yea for a little Grace Now certainly no man can thus highly prize Grace but he that has Grace No man sees the worth and lustre of Grace no man sees a beauty and excellency in Grace nor no man can value Grace above the gold of Ophir but he whose heart has been changed and whose eyes has been opened by the Spirit of Grace Bâ—t Fourthly Though many poor doubting trembling Christians dare not say that their condition is good that their condition is safe and happy yet they dare say that they would not for ten thousand Worlds change their conditions with the vain and debauched men of the World who delight in sin who wallow in sin who make a sport of sin and who live under the Reign and Dominion of sin they had rather with Lazarus Luke 16. be full of sores and full of wants and live and dye in rags and after all be carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom than with Dives every day to fare sumptuously and be cloathed gloriously and perish eternally Though they are poor and wicked men Rich though they are debased and wicked men exalted though they are empty and wicked men full though they are low and wicked men high though they enjoy nothing and wicked men enjoy every thing yet they would
Promises to trust in the name of the Lord Isa 50.10 Job 13.15 and to stay themselves upon their God Job in a cloudy stormy day resolves to trust â—n the Lord though he should slay him and so must you And O that this rule were more seriously minded and effectually observed by all doubting trembling and staggering Christians But The Thirteenth Maxim or Consideration THirteenthly Consider you must never judg your selves unsound The grand Rule by which we must try and judg of our spiritual and eternal estates is the word of God Isa 8.20 in this Scripture the Prophet plainly shews whither we must go with our doubts fears scruples questions and with whom we must consult and of whom we must take advice and that is the Law and the testimony or Hypocrites by those things which the Scripture never makes a Character of an unsound Christian or of an Hypocrite or of Hypocrisy Mark as you are to receive no comfort but what is backt with clear Scripture nor no evidences for the goodness and happiness of your spiritual estate and condition but such as are backt with clear Scriptures so you are to receive you are to admit of no Arguments nor pleas nor reasonings to prove your self an Hypocrite or unsound or that you have no Grace or that your spiritual estate and condition is not good but such Arguments pleas and reasonings as are backt with clear Scriptures Now tell me O thou weak doubting staggering trembling Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves wandring thoughts in Duty or that proves narrowness or straitness of Spirit in a duty to be characters of an Hypocrite or of hypocrisy or of one that is unsound tell me O thou sighing Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves the want of a good memory for the best things or the want of those gifts or abilities that many Christians have to Pray to speak to discourse to open Scripture or to dispute for the concernments of Christ and his Kingdom to be characters of an Hypocrite or of hypocrisy or of one that is unsound Tell me O thou distressed Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that will justify thee to conclude that thou art an Hypocrite because thou art without the present evidence of thy sincerity Are there not many of the precious sons and daughters of Zion comparable to fine gold Isa 50.10 1 John 5.13 Gen. 44. Lam. 4.2 who have true Grace and sincerity in their hearts though for the present it be hid from their eyes Josephs Brethren had their mony in their sacks though they did not see it nor know it till they came to their Inn and opened them So many of the dear children of God have sincerity in their hearts though for the present they do not see it nor know it O Sirs t is Christs work not Graces to evidence it self so clearly and fully to our eyes as to enable us to own it t is one thing for the Spirit of God to work Grace in the Soul and another thing for the Spirit to shine upon his own work now till the Spirit shines upon his own work the Soul is in the dark 1 Cor. 2.12 the Graces of the Spirit are best seen in the light of the Spirit as we see the Sun best by his own light T is good for doubting Christians when they are in the dark to hold fast this conclusion viz. that they may be upright though at present they are not able to see their uprightness Now though this will not bring in a full Tyde of comfort into their Souls yet it will keep them from despair and it will support and uphold their hearts till the Spirit who is a Messenger of a thousand shall shew them their uprightness Tell me O thou mourning Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves deadness dulness and indisposedness in duty though it be sadly lamented bewailed and mourned over and much striven against yea though it be the great grief and burden of the Soul to be characters of Hypocrites or of hypocrisy or of one that is unsound Tell me O thou disquieted Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves the want of those enlargements ravishments joyes comforts In all Soul cases God expects we should consult his word and cleave to his word without warping or turning aside either to the right hand or to the left John 12.48 That book that shall try you at last and that shall save you or damn you in the great day is the only book by which you must make a judgment of your present and future estates Clemens of Alexandria speaking of the Word saith it is the touchstone of truth and falshood peace or assurance that some others have to be characters of Hypocrites or hypocrisy or of one that is unsound and yet upon the account of the above mentioned things on the one hand and under a sensible want of the things last cited on the other hand how exceeding apt and prone are many poor weak doubting trembling Christians confidently and peremptorily to conclude themselves to be Hypocrites and to be unsound and that they have not a dram of Grace nor no saving interest in Christ at all O Sirs remember this once for all that as you must never admit of any Arguments Pleas or Reasonings for the comfort peace and refreshment of your souls but such as are attended with the evidence of clear Scripture but such as are backt with pregnant Scriptures So you must never admit of any Pleas Arguments or Reasonings to trouble vex perplex and disquiet the peace of your souls but such as are attended with clear Scripture evidence but such as are well backt with Canonical Scripture Now if this choice Rule were but wisely observed and carefully frequently and conscientiously practised by many weak doubting trembling Christians how would it set them at liberty from their fears doubts and misgivings of heart how would it knock off all their chains and wipe all tears from their eyes and remove that sadness that lyes like a load upon their hearts and how soon would it bring them into a condition of peace comfort quietness and settlement O Sirs every working and appearance of hypocrisy doth not presently prove the person in whom it is to be an Hypocrite A man may be hypocritical either 1. Really Or 2. In Opinion and fancy many of the dear children of God are very apt and prone many times both to suspect and falsly charge the true estate of their souls A child in a distemper may question the inheritance which is entailed on him c. But remember this if thy heart be upright all comfort is thy portion for as our distrustful fears do not prejudice the reality of the estate of grace So our frequent suspitions that we are hypocrites does not cut us off from the title and right of promised
pick and chuse what commands to obey and what to reject as Hypocrites do he hath an eye to see an ear to hear and a heart to obey the first Table as well as the second and the second as well as the first He doth not adhere to the first and neglect the second as Hypocrites do neither doth he adhere to the second and contemn the first as prophane men do All Sauls Jebues Judas's Demas's Scribes Pharises and temporaries Matth. 23.23 they are still partial in their obedience for while they yield obedience to some commands they live in the habitual breach of other Commands Jehu boastingly calls out 2 Kings 10.29 30. Come see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts But if Jehosaphat had gone a little further he might have seen his Calves too contrary to Gods Commands Herod heard John Baptist gladly and did many things but if John will be close and plain with him Mark 6. he shall then first lose his liberty and then his head for his labour A sincere Christian loves all the known Commands of God and prises all the Commands of God and sees a Divine Image Majesty and Authority stampt upon all the Commands of God And therefore the main bent and disposition of his Soul â—s to obey all and to be subject to all the Commands of God Let me in a few particulars open this great truth a little more fully to you And therefore take me thus First A sincere Christian will endeavour to obey God in suffering Commands as well as in doing Commands in losing as well as gaining Commands an unsound Christian he loves cheap obedience he is willing to fall in with those Commands that are not chargable or costly he loves a cheap Gospel and a cheap Ministry and a cheap Membership and a cheap Communion of Saints c. But when his obedience comes to be chargable when his obedience to Divine Commands may cost him his health his strength his Liberty his Riches his Estate his Friends his Credit his Name c. then he retires John 6.60 then he cries out Durus sermo it is a hard saying who can bear it this is a hard Commandment who can obey it When Religion is attended with freedom honour and safety when Religion is attended with Riches Pleasures and Applause then unsound hearts will put forwards but when these part then they bid Religion farewel As you see in the young man in the Gospel Matth. 19.20 to 25. who was willing to follow Christ so long as he might be no loser in following of him but when it came to this that he must part with his Riches or with Christ then he falls off and went away sorrowful because he had great possessions But now a sincere Christian will obey even the most chargable and costly Commands of God as you may see in that little book of Martyrs tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Hebrews and as you may see in the three Children in Daniel in the Disciples Matth. 19 27. in the Primitive Christians and in the Martyrs in the Marian dayes But Secondly If your obedience springs from Faith then you will endeavour to obey God in relative Commands as well as in absolute Commands you will not only hear and pray and read and meditate and fast and mourn but you will labour to be good in your Relations both as a Husband a Father a Master a Magistrate a Minister Remember this for ever every one is that really that he is relatively Many make a great Profession and are under a great Name and have great parts and gifts and can discourse rarely well on any subject whose houses are not Bethels but Bethavens not little Temples but little Hells One writing of the Italian women saith that they were Angels in the streets Saints in the Church and Devils in their houses this is very applicable to many high Professors this day who are very forward in the general Duties of Religion and yet make little Conscience of relative duties but he whose obedience springs from Faith he will make Conscience of relative commands as well as of absolute commands Whatever Command hath the stamp of God the Authority of Heaven upon it though it seem never so small he dares not disobey it if he sees a beam of divine Majesty sitting upon the face of any Command he will submit to it you know men will not refuse a penny if the Kings stamp be upon it so if the Authority of God be stampt upon the least Command a sound Christian will yield subjection to it as well as the greatest Mark if a man make no Conscience of relative Commands though his general conversation as a Christian be never so admirable yet he hath great cause to suspect himself and his estate and that his heart is not right in the sight of God Acts 8.21 O that you would seriously consider that relative and domestical Graces and duties do more demonstrate true piety and godliness than publick duties than general duties do for Pride Vain-glory Self-ends and a hundred other outward carnal considerations may put a man upon the general duties of Religion as you may see by the Scriptures in the Margent Isa 58.1 2 3 4 5. Hos 5.14 Zech. 7.4 5 6 7. and as you may see in the Scribes and Pharises throughout the New Testament but it argues both truth and strength of Grace to be diligent and conscientious in the discharge of relative duties and this is the true reason why the Apostles in their Epistles do so frequently so earnestly and so strongly by variety of motives press Christians to the performance of those relative duties that lye upon their hands But Thirdly If your obedience springs from Faith then you will endeavour to obey God in affirmative Commands as well as in negative Commands You will not only loâ—k upon what God would not have you to do but you will also look to see what God would have you to do Luke 16 19-29 Matt. 25 24-31 Dives was noâ— cast into Hell for oppressing Lazarus but for not shewing mercy to Lazarus He was not damn'd because he took any thing from him but because he gave nothing to him The evil servant did not riot out his Talent but omitted the improvement of it for which he was cast into outer darkness Nor those Reprobates in the same Chapter did not rob the poor Saints but omitted the relieving of them which was their ruine Deut. 23.3 4. Moab and Ammon were banished the Sanctuary to the tenth Generation for a meer omission because they met not Gods Israel in the Wilderness with bread and water Look as the omission of good diet breeds diseases so the omission of Religious duties will either make work for Repentance Luke 18.11 or for Hell or for the Physician of Souls Mark there is many a mans Religion lyes meerly in negatives he is no Swearer no Drunkard no Adulterer no
sincere Christian he looks to the circumstance as well as the substance to the manner as well as to the matter of the command when he prayes he labours to pray fervently earnestly Jam. 5.17 18. he labours to get his heart into his prayers when he hears he will hear with attention and intention of spirit when he walks Mich. 6.8 1 Pet. 2.12 3.1 2 3. 1 Thes 2.10 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 110.3 he endeavours to walk wisely humbly faithfully fruitfully circumspectly exemplarily winningly convincingly blamelesly when he obeys he desires and endeavours to obey freely willingly cheerfully O Sirs if we pray and pray not fervently if we hear and hear not fruitfully if we obey and obey not willingly if we shew mercy Isa 58.13 and do it not cheerfully if we sanctifie the Sabbath and not with delight all is worth nothing all will come to nothing Mark there are some circumstances accessary some necessary some wherein the being and some wherein the well being of a duty doth consist and if you abstract these from them the duty is worth nothing take away fervency and humility from prayer take away faithfulness and fruitfulness from hearing and take away willingness and delight from obedience and all will be worth nothing God regards not only the matter but the manner Criton the Papist could say That God loved better Adverbs than Nouns not to pray only but to pray well Non bonum sed bene agere Not to do good but to do it well is the great wisdom of a Christian what is the Sun without light or the fountain without water or the body without the soul or wood without fire or a bullet without a gun or a Ship without a rudder no more are words in prayer without the spirit of prayer God looks more at the manner than at the matter of your prayers And let thus much suffice to confirm the first particular But Secondly That obedience that springs from faith is an obedience that is only grounded upon the Word of God the Commands of God Ps 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled John 10.35 If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Chap. 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day 2 Tim. 3.16 17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine fâ—r reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the mâ—n of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Now the reasons why that obedience that springs from faith is an obedience that is only grounded upon the Word of God the Commands of God are these five And the first is drawn from the supremacy and soveraignty of God who alone is to prescribe to man his duty he is our great Lord and Master he is our Lord and Law-giver Isa 33.22 For the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King James 4.12 There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another Now by the Laws of this Lord and Law-giver we must square all our actions Look as it would be very absurd in a servant to do that work which he thinks meet and not what his Master commands so 't is as absurd for men to think that God will accept of this or that at their hands when they can't plead his superscription and authority for what they do God will one day say to such Who hath required this at your hands Isa 1.12 O Sirs you must lay the command of God as a foundation for what you do or else all your buildings though never so glorious will certainly totter and fall in all you do you must be able to say Thus saith the Lord or else after you have done your best you may be undone for ever But Secondly God's promise and blessing is only annexed to God's command he that will have the sweet of the promise and the blessings of heaven he must look that his obedience be bottomed upon divine commands in holy actions 't is not thy performance nor thy grace nor thy warmth nor thy zeal but the command and the promise that is annexed to it that will bear thee out Gal. 4.28 Heb. 6.17 therefore we are called children of the promise and heirs of the promise The children of God in all their obedience should still keep an eye upon the command of God and the promise of God as ever they would run the race that is set before them Heb. 12.1 But Thirdly Our obedience must be grounded and bottomed upon a divine command because of that great corruption pollution blindness and darkness which is upon our minds and understandings which would carry us to what not if we were not to steer our Christian course by divine commands Col. 2.20 21 22. The Apostle condemns those things which had a shew of humility and great mortification because they were not bottomed upon a divine command and Christ condemned many practises of the Scribes and Pharisees because they were not bottomed upon a divine command As you may see by comparing the 6 15. and 23. Chapters of Matthew together But Fourthly Our obedience must be bottomed upon a divine command because else we can never be able to bear up our hearts comfortably couragiously confidently and resolutely under all the afflictions Psal 44 9 ult Ezek. 28.12 22. oppositions temptations persecutions and discouragements that we meet with in the wayes of the Lord and in doing the work of the Lord. All the Messages that the Prophets delivered were still grounded upon a divine command Acts 4.19 20. 5.29 Thus saith the Lord and this steeled their spirits in the work of the Lord this made them resolute and undaunted in the midst of all the afflictions and oppositions that they met with And so 't was a word of command that raised the spirits and encouraged the hearts of the Apostles in the work of the Lord in the face of all the oppositions threatnings and buffetings that they met with from the civil powers You know Absalom layes his bloudy command upon his servants as their highest encouragement to that bloudy work of killing his brother Amnon 2 Sam. 13.28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants his Assasines saying Mark ye now when Amnons heart is merry with wine and when I say unto you smite Amnon then kill him fear not have not I commanded you be
kind of preter-natural heat in a hot fit in a present heat fall upon hearing and reading and praying and reforming of his Family and upon leaving of this sin and that and upon casting off this vain company and that and upon associating of himself with this good company and that Bâ—t this hot fit does not last the cold fit takes him again and then he shakes hands with all his duties and loses all his good inclinations and layes aside all his warm resolutions Job 27.8 9. Hosea 6.4 Psal 78.36 37. Will the Hypocrite pray alwayes Ephraims goodness was as a morning Cloud which soon vanisheth and as the early dew which is soon dryed up by the Sun-beams they were both false and fickle unsteady and unstable constant only in inconstancy their hearts were never right with God for they were not stedfast in his Covenant There are four times wherein an Hypocrite may express a great readiness and forwardness to Religious duties First When he is under terrors and distress of Conscience O how for a little ease a little rest a little quiet a little comfort what wont the Hypocrite do c. Secondly When he is under sore and heavy afflictions Hos 5.15 So Pharaoh and Ahab c. In their affliction they will seek me early Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them Psal 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him It is a reproach to some No Penny No Pater-noster And it is a shame to others No Plague no Pater-noster no punishment no Prayer c. Thirdly When Religion is in fashion when 't is a credit to be a Professor and when Profession is the High-way to profit and preferment in the warm Summer of prosperity when there is no hazard no danger no loss to be a Christian who then so forward in Religious duties as the Hypocrite but when the Sun of Persecution is up then he falls away Matth. 13.5 6. Fourthly When others presence counsel and examples have an influence upon them 2 Chron. 24.2 17-23 O now they keep close duties Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehoiada the Priest but when Jehoiada was dead Joash serves Groves and Idols and turns a deaf ear to those Prophets that testified against him and gives Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada his Pasport out of the World for inveighing against his evil manners and the wicked courses of his Princes and People Whilest the good Judges lived the Israelites kept close to the service of God Judges 2.7 And the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua and all the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joshuah who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel Judges 17.6 Chap. 21.25 But when the good Judges were dead the Israelites did what was right in their own eyes every mans lust was his Law Whilest Moses was present there was no talking of a Golden Calf but no sooner was his back turn'd but the Israelites make a Golden Calf and worship it when they had done Exod. 32 1-9 c. But now mark that obedience that springs from Faith that is a constant obedience that is constant in opposition to fits and starts and imports the course and bent of a Christians life which is alwayes to walk with God to cleave to God to follow God and to obey God But Seventhly and lastly That obedience that springs from Faith is directed to right ends Gospel obedience has alwayes Gospel ends atttending of it Quest What are they Answ They are these nine First To testify our thankfulness to the Lord for all his favours and benefits that we have received from him Psal 103.1 2 3 4. Psal 116.12 c. Secondly To recover the Image of God again to the heighth of what we are able The first Adam lost the Image of God by his disobedience Now this Image of God we recover again in Christ our second Adam but so as that the more enlightned the more holy the more humble the more heavenly the more righteous the more gracious and the more obedient we are Ephes 4.24 the more we recover of this Image of God which consists in knowledg righteousness and true holiness Now saith the Believer my intent is to recover that precious Image of God which I lost in the first Adam and therefore do I labour to come up to the highest pitches of obedience because the higher I rise in my obedience the more I shall recover of the lost Image of God I know that I lost this Image by partaking of the disobedience and pollution of the first Adam and I know that I have recovered in part the same Image by partaking of the obedience and holiness of the second Adam And I yet further know that the more holy and obedient I am the more I shall be like to that God that is holiness it self and the more I shall recover of that blessed Image which consists in perfect holiness Thirdly not for the justification of their persons for that is only by Christs compleat obedience which is made theirs by Faith 1 Cor. 1.30 Col. 2.10 But for the testification of their justifying Faith according to that of the Apostle Jam. 2.17 18 26. c. Fourthly That they may imitate the Lord Jesus that they may be the more conformable to Christ their head who proposes his holiness to Believers as a pattern for them to follow as a Copy for them to write after 1 John 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him Matth. 11.28 29. ought himself also to walk even as he walked Now saith the Believer O how holy how humble how heavenly how meek how compassionate how zealous how exemplary how convincing how winning how obedient was he when in this World and therefore O my Soul look to it that thou makest it thy business thy work thy Heaven to â—mitate the Lord Jesus to the utmost that thou art able to â—each too Fifthly Though not for the obtaining of Salvation that being made sure to us by Christ yet for the obtaining of Assurance of Salvation and for the making of our Calling and Election sure according to that word 2 Pet. 1.5 11. Sixthly That they may keep up their communion with God for though the Union the Saints have with God by Christ depends wholly upon that which is without viz. their being married to Christ and cloathed with his Righteousness yet the Communion which the Saints have with God through the Spirit hath much dependance upon a Saints walking and upon his obedience So that if a Saint shall dare to walk carnally and loosly Jer. 3.14 Isa 49.1 2. though he shall not break the Marriage-knot and lose his union yet he will by such sinful practices grieve the Spirit and lose his communion with God But on the other hand when a Believer walks spiritually graciously obedientially
1.1 3 4 2.6 Mat. 11.29 30. No man can truly desire grace that he may enjoy communion and fellowship with the Father the Son and the Spirit and that he may be made comformable to Christ and that he may be serviceable and useful to the interest of Christ and that he may walk even as Christ walked Psal 119.32 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Rom. 14.7 8. Phil. 1.20 in the exercise of every grace and that he may be rid of his sins yea all his sins especially his special sins and that he may run the ways of God's commands more easily more readily more delightfully more resolutely more patiently more unweariedly and more zealously and that he may be made victorious over the world the flesh and the devil and that he may so live as to be a praise a name an honour and a glory to Christ and that after all and by all he may be prepared and fitted for an eternal fruition and enjoyment of Christ but he that has true grace in his soul Now every weak believer is able to appeal to God that he desires grace for gracious ends and purposes as for the ends last cited and others of the like nature with them Wicked men may in a fit desire grace Act. 8.18 19 20. as Simon Magus did desire the holy Ghost to get money by it or when they are under some pangs of conscience they may desire grace to be rid of their horrors and terrors or when they are upon a dying bed they may desire so much grace as may keep them out of hell and bring them to heaven but in all this they look no further than self they are far from desiring of grace for gracious ends and purposes There is nothing in all the world that the great God so much regards as man All these things have my hands made but to this man will I look Isa 66.2 Nothing in man so much as the heart My son give me thy heart That is the Mount Sion which God loveth above all the dwellings of Jacob and nothing in the heart so much as the aim and end of it Let a mans profession be never so glorious let him be never so abundant in the performance of duties let his desires after this and that good thing be never so strong yet if his ends be wrong all his pretentions and performances are but beautiful abominations Did David pray three times aday Mark 12.40 Luke 18.12 Mat. 6.2 Luke 11.42 Mat. 23. so did the Pharisees Did David and Daniel fast so did the Pharisees and that twice in the week Did Cornelius give alms so did the Pharisees Did Abraham pay tythes so did the Pharisees they tythed their very Mint and Rue but their ends being wrong their time was lost and their pains was lost and their duties was lost and their alms was lost and their souls was lost and that for ever God writes a nothing upon all those services wherein mens ends are not right Jer. 32.23 But Tenthly No man can sincerely desire earnestly endeavour after the highest pitches of grace but he that has true grace though the weak Christian has but a little grace in his heart Phil. 3.12 13 14 15 16 c. yet he has the top of grace the perfection of grace in his sincere aims in his sincere desires and in his earnest and constant endeavours and if the weakest Saint might have his desires his mind his wish his will his choice he would never sin more he would never dishonour Jesus Christ more he would never grieve the spirit of grace more he would yield unsinning obedience he would obey in this lower world as the Angels and as the spirits of just men made perfect do obey in that upper world Heb. 12.22 23. Luke 17.5 the weakest Christian has his eye to the highest round in Jacob's ladder and fain he would be at the top of it and Oh how sweet is every Providence and every Ordinance and every duty and every mercy and every opportunity that helps his soul more Christ-wards and heaven-wards and holiness-wards sincere desires and serious endeavours to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Joh. 5.13 1 Joh. 3.9 is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace Look as a man may have grace and not know it so a man may grow in grace and yet not discern it As in the lopping of a Tree there seems to be a kind of diminution and destruction yet the end and issue of it is better growth and as the weakning of the body by Physick seems to tend to death yet it produceth better health and more strength and as the Ball by falling downward riseth upward and water in pipes descends that it may ascend so the Christians spiritual growth when seemingly dead and declining and to stand at a stay is still carried on by the hidden method of God to encrease for every true Christian is a member of a thriving body in which there is no Atrophy but a continual issuing of spirits from the head The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree Psal 92.12 13 14. The Palm tree never loseth his leaf or fruit Pliny Grace grows not alike in all Saints in the parable some brought forth thirty some sixty and some a hundred fold so that life being wrought by the spirit of life never dyeth but is alwayes upon the growing hand except in the dark winter night of desertion and temptations ripening and encreasing even in the midst of all ordinary troubles and trials The Apostle tells us that the whole body of Christ whereof every true Christian is a limb is so compact together in it self and so firmly fastned with certain spiritual nerves and ligaments to the head that from it there is by them conveyed to each part a continual supply of spiritual grace both sufficient to furnish it and to further the growth of it Let me give a little further light into this particular by this similitude A man is bound for the East-Indies and shapeth his course thitherward but by the way is put often off by cross winds to the Westward he is by contrary winds compelled to put into divers Harbours and to make some stay by the way there either to shift off stormy weather or to take in fresh water or to stop a leak or to get some fresh provisions and yet all this while we truly say he is going on in his way in his voyage because his setled purpose and constant resolution is to make to his Port his Haven whither he is bound and all these seeming lets shall help forward his voyage It is so in spiritual things for our very growth in grace consists much in sincere desires in fixed resolutions and in faithful endeavours to grow in grace Aristot Rhet. l. 1. c. 11. Seneca l. 2. c. 27. Phil. 3.13 Aristotle makes it the mark of a good man that he studieth how he may grow better
the rewards of man with a hundred other things may be very prevalent to reform the life to regulate the outward conversation and to keep that in some due decorum and yet all these things will be found too weak too low to change the heart to reform the heart to mend the heart to purifie the heart Acts 15.9 To this great work there are principles of a higher nature required Purifying their hearts by faith 'T is not a guard of moral vertues but a guard of saving graces that can keep the heart in order to reform the heart to keep the heart in a gracious frame is one of the best and hardest works in the world Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life The Text is about matter of life and death The words are mandatory for all counsels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command In the words you have two things observable 1. A duty enjoyned Keep thy heart with all diligence 2. The reason or motive inforcing it For out of it are the issues of life In the duty there are two things considerable 1. Here is the subject matter the thing that is to be done and that is Keep thy heart This duty is charged upon all in peremptory and undispensable terms 2. Here is the manner how it must be done and that is With all diligence Keep The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natsar to keep hath various significations but the main is to keep in safe custody we should keep our hearts as under lock and key that they may be alwayes at hand when the Lord shall call for them c. Thy heart By the heart the we are not to understand that particular vital member of the body that in common speech we call the heart Heart is not here taken properly for that noble part of the body which Philosophers call the primum vivens c. ultimum moriens the first that lives and the last that dies But by heart in a metaphor the Scripture sometimes understands some particular noble faculty of the soul sometimes the heart is put for the understanding Rom. 1.21 Their foolish heart was darkned that is their understanding was darkned sometimes 't is put for the will and affections Mat. 22.37 So Prov. 23.26 Deut. 10.12 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind that is with thy will and with all thy affections The will is the chiefest power of the soul as the heart is the principal part of the body Mat. 8. and it commands all the affections as the Centurion did his servants Job 27.6 sometimes 't is put for the conscience 1 Joh. 3.20 If our heart condemn us God is greater â—han our heart and knoweth all things that is if our conscience condemn us justly then our case must be assuredly sad because God knows much more by us than we know by our selves and can charge us with many sins that conscience is not privy to Psal 19 12. sometimes 't is put for the memory Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that is in my memory So Luke 2.19 But here 't is taken comprehensively for the whole soul with all its powers noble faculties and endowments together with their several operations all which are to be watched over With all diligence or as the Hebrew runs With all keeping The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamar signifies Cato Cicero Seneca Socrates and others have laid down excellent rules for the government of the outward man but n one for the government of the heart to keep with watch and ward A Christian is to keep a perpetual guard about his heart A Lapide notes that the Hebrew word is borrowed from military affairs We should keep our hearts as soldiers keep a Garrison with watch and ward Lavater jumps with him and tells us that the word Shamar is taken from a besieged Garrison begirt by many enemies without and in danger of being betrayed by treacherous Citizens within in which danger the soldiers upon pain of death are commanded to watch Junius reads the word thus Keep thy heart Supra omnem custodiam above all keeping So Hierom reads Prae omni custodia above all keeping keep thy heart that is keep keep watch watch c. So Rhodolphus reads it Prae omni custodia and so we read it in the Margin of our Bibles And the Syriack reads it in the same manner that our English doth Cum omni cautione with all caution and wariness we are to keep our hearts O what guards and double guards O what watches and double watches should men put upon their hearts These words keeping keep import both a universal watchfulness over the heart and a diligent watchfulness over the heart and a constant watchfulness over the heart and thrice happy are those persons who keep such a watch upon their hearts A man is to keep his eye and keep his mouth and keep his feet but above all keeping he is to keep his heart 'T is a duty incumbent upon every Christian to keep his own heart Keep thy heart Thy self thou mayest make another thy Park-keeper or thy House-keeper or thy Shop-keeper or thy Cash-keeper or thy Horse-keeper or thy Nurse-keeper but thou must be thy own Heart-keeper Keep thy heart with all diligence some understand this of all kind of watchfulness The Hebrew word is applyed to several sorts of keeping As First It is applyed to those that are the keepers of a prison Gen. 39.21 22 23 So Job 7.12 where dangerous Fellons or Malefactors are to be looked to that they don't break away 1 King 20.39 Keep this man so Joseph was made the Keeper of the prison The Hebrew word is the same with that in Prov. 4.23 Now O â—ow diligent how vigilant are men in looking after their prisoners even so should we be in looking after our hearts c. Secondly It signifies to keep as men would keep a besieged Garrison Hab. 2.1 or City or Castle in time of war So 't is used in that Hab. 2.1 Now what strong guards what watchful guards do men keep up at such a time A gracious heart is Christ's Fort-royal Now against this Fort Satan will imploy the utmost of his strength art craft and therefore how highly does it concern every Christian to keep a strong guard a constant guard about his heart But Thirdly It signifies to keep as the Priests and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God the Temple of God and all the holy things that were committed to their charge So the word is often used by the Prophet Ezek. 44.8 15 16 c. The Temple and all the vessels of the Temple were to be kept pure and clean and sweet Our hearts are the Temples of God the Temples of the holy Ghost and therefore we should alwayes keep a strong
to the bottom of the Sea as well as a hundred so one sin lived in and indulged will sink a man to the bottom of hell as well as a hundred I have read of a great Roman Captain who as he was riding in his triumphant Chariot through Rome had his eyes never off of a Curtizan that walkt along the street which made one say Behold hoâ— this great Captain that hath conquered such and such Armies is himself conquered by one silly woman There is never an Hypocrite in the world but lyes under the conquest of one base lust or another but lives under the reign and dominion of one sin or another That soul that can in sincerity of heart appeal to a heart-searching God that 't is otherwise with him viz. That he does not live nor allow himself in any one sinful way or practise that soul I dare assure in the Lord's name is no hypocrite Psal 139 23 24. Thirdly As an Hypocrites heart is never throughly subdued to a willingness to part with every lust so neither is his heart throughly subdued to a willingness to perform all known duties sometimes he is all for publick duties but makes no conscience of closet-duties or of family-duties sometimes he is all for the duties of the first Table but makes no conscience of the duties of the second Table and sometimes he is all for the duties of the second Table but makes no conscience of the duties of the first Table if he obeyes one command he willingly lives in the neglect of another if he does one duty he will be sure to cast off another as he is not willing to fall out with every sin so he is not willing to fall in with every duty An Hypocrites obedience is alwayes partial 't is never universal he still baulks or boggles with those commands that cross his lusts The Pharisees fasted Mat. 23.23 Chap. 6. prayed gave alms and paid tythes O but they omitted the weightier matters of the Law judgment mercy and faith and they were unnatural to parents and under a pâ—etence of praying Mat. 15.4 5 6. they made a prey of widows houses under a pretence of piety they exercised the greatest covetousness unrighteousness and cruelty and that upon widows who are usually the greatest objects of pity and charity they made no bones of robbing the widow under a pretence of honouring of God So Judas under a pretence of laying up for the poor robbed the poor he pretended to lay up for the poor John 12.6 After some men have made a long and high profession some one beloved lust or other which they would never let go parts Christ and them for ever but he intended only to lay up for himself and to provide against a rainy day it is probable that he had no great mind to stay long with his Lord and therefore he was resolved to make the best market he could for himself Judas being willing to set up for himself under a cloak of holiness he practises the greatest unfaithfulness Though the Eagle soars high yet still her eye is upon her prey so though Judas did soar high in profession yet his eye was still upon his prey upon his bags and so he might have it he cared not who went without it so he might be rich he did not care though his Lord and his retinue grew never so poor Judas under all his shews of sanctity had not so much as common honesty in him counterfeit holiness is often made a stalking horse to much unrighteousness but certainly it were better with the Philosopher to have honesty without Religion than to have Religion without honesty An Hypocrite may exercise himself in some outward easie ordinary duties of Religion but when shall you see an Hypocrite laying the ax to the root of the Tree or a searching and trying his own heart or severely judging his bosom sins or humbly mourning and lamenting over secret corruptions or doubling his guards about his own soul or rejoycing in the graces services or excellencies of others or striving or pressing after the highest pitches of grace holiness and communion with God or endeavouring more to cast out the beam out of his own eye than the mote out of his brother's eye or to be more severe against his own sins than against the sins of others Alas an Hypocrite is so far from practising these duties that he thinks them either superfluous or impossible An Hypocrites obedience is alwayes a limited and stinted obedience it is either limited to such commands which are most sutable to his ease safety honour profit pleasure c. or else it is limited to the outward part of the command and never extends it self to the inward and spiritual part of the command as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees their obedience was all outward they had no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command as is evident in that high charge that Christ gives in against them Mat. 5. They did not murder they did not commit adultery they had an eye to the outward part of the command but Christ charges them with unjust and adulterous thoughts unchast glances contemplative wickedness speculative uncleanness c. they having no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command common grace looks only to some particular duties but saving grace looks to all Renewing grace comes off to positives as well as negatives Isa 1.16 17. Tit. 2.11 12 13. it teacheth us to cease to do evil and it learns us also to do good it teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and also to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world These words contain the sum of a Christians duty to live soberly towards our selves righteously towards our neighbours and godly towards God is true godliness indeed and the whole duty of man There is never an Hypocrite in the world that can sincerely appeal to God and say Lord Psal 119.6 Luke 1.5 6. Acts 13.22 thou knowest that my heart is subdued to a willingness to perform all known duties I would willingly do the best I can to observe all thy royal Laws Lord I unfeignedly desire and really endeavour to have an eye upon every command of thine and to live up to every command of thine and it is the real grief of my heart and the daily burden of my soul when I violate any of thy blessed Laws He that can in uprightness thus appeal to God shall never miscarry in that other world But Fourthly There is never an Hypocrite in the world that makes God or Christ or holiness or his doing or receiving good in his station relation or generation his grand end his highest end his ultimate end of living in the world pleasures profits and honours are the Hypocrites all he aims at in this world they are his Trinity which he adores and serves 1 John 2.16 and sacrificeth himself unto
the net the fish is caught if he obtains not the mercy then he will grow weary of his duty Thou hast been weary of me O Israel Mal. 1.13 Isa 43.22 Prayer is too hard and too high a work for an unsound heart to hold on in prayer is heart-work and that proves heavy work to him The soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of the soul before God and this is a work that an hypocrite has no skill in 1 Sam. 1.15 It was a prophane and blasphemous speech of that Atheistical wretch that told God he was no common beggar he never troubled him before with prayer Hil. Mic. p. 376. and if he would but hear him that time he would never trouble him again Even such a spirit and such principles lye lurking in every hypocrites breast Doubtless he hit it who said How canst thou expect that God should hear thee Cyprian de oratione Dominica Psal 116.1 2. Gen. 32.24 to ver 29. Hos 12.3 4. Mat. 15.22 to ver 28. when thou wilt not hear thy self or that God should give thee a return in prayer when thou art not mindful what thou askest in prayer But now a sincere Christian he will go on in prayer speed or not speed if he prevails he will love prayer the better all his dayes if he don't for the present prevail he will be so much the more importunate with God in prayer 'T is as natural for a bird to live without Air and for a fish to live without water and for a man to live without food as 't is for a sincere heart to live without prayer O saith Chrysostom it is more bitter than death to be spoyled of prayer Dan. 6. Prayer is porta coeli clavis paradisi the seat of heaven a key to let us into paradise And hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose or give over his private prayers Prayer is the key of heaven and a sincere Christian loves much to be a handling of that key though he should dye for it As that Emperor said Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori It behoves an Emperor to dye standing So may I say Oportet Christianum mori praecantem It behoves a Christian to dye praying An hypocrite will never hold out to the end let but outward incouragements fail him and his heart will quickly fail him in a way of duty Hypocrites are like blazing Stars which so long as they are fed with vapours shine as if they were fixed Stars but let the vapours dry up and presently they vanish and disappear let but the eye the ear the applause of men fail the hypocrite and he will be ready to throw up all 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 2 Tim. 4.10 If an hypocrite can't make some gain of his godliness some profit of his profession some advantage of his Religion he will be ready with Demas to turn his back upon all religious duties and services Look as a lame horse when he is heated will go well enough but when he cools will halt down right even so an hypocrite though for a time he may go on fairly in his way yet in the end he will halt down right bid farewel if not defiance to all religious duties and services Profit and applause are usually the baits that hypocrites bite at and if they miss these baits then farewel profession farewel Religion farewel all John 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Many hypocrites who had given up their names to Christ and who for a time had been followers of Christ at last deserted him and turned their backâ— for ever upon him Mat. 13.5 Some fall upon stony places where they had not much earth not much care to receive not much understanding to apprehend not much faith to believe not much will to obey or not much love to retain it and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth Ver 6. And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had no root they withered away This second ground goes beyond the former For 1. It receives the seed 2. Incontinently 3. With joy 4. It brings up the seed sown it sprung up to sundry degrees 1. To external obedience and reformation in many things 2. To an outward profession 3. To a kind of faith but when the Sun of persecution beat hot upon them they withered and fell away not all at once but by little and little as a leaf loseth his greeness and flourish and withers by degrees In the Palatinate when the Sun of persecution began to scorch them scarce one Professor of twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves in Autumn The Chrystal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammering so an hypocrite looks like a Christian and in many things acts like a Christian till he comes to be hammered by sufferings by persecutions and then he discovers himself in his colours and with Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Hos 5.2 he makes shipwrack of faith and a good conscience In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms and when they have quencht that light then farewel faith farewel profession farewel a good conscience farewel all The wolf though he often dissembles and clossly hides his nature yet he can't alwayes do so for at one time or other he will shew himself to be a Wolf So though an hypocrite may carry it clossly for a time yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite It is reported of the waters of Nilus that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea it begins to grow brackish and salt and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name Sooner or later this will be the case of all hypocrites they won't retain their spiritual fairness clearness and sweetness long but by degrees will grow brackish and salt and lose their names and all that seeming goodness and sweetness that once seemed to be in them But now a sincere Christian he will hold on and hold out in the wayes of the Lord in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all multiplyed discouragements When the eye of men the favour of men the bounty of men and all other encouragement from men fails yet then a sincere Christian will hold up and hold on in his work and way Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger The righteous man shall go on in a way of righteouss to the end no multiplyed calamities or miseries shall ever work him to decline the way of righteousness From this way a sincere Christian will never be withdrawn either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand or
by any fears or dangers on the other Sincere Christians have not taken up Religion on such slight grounds as to be either flattered or frighted out of it sincere Christians reckon upon afflictions Joh. 16. ult Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 4.8 temptations crosses losses reproaches on the one hand and they reckon upon a crown of life a crown of righteousness a crown of glory on the other hand Jer. 6.16 and hereupon they set up their staff fully resolving never to depart from the good old way wherein they have found rest to their souls Sincere Christians take Christ and his wayes for better for worse for richer for poorer in prosperity and adversity they resolve to stand or fall to suffer and reign to live and die with him When all outward incouragements from God shall fail yet a sincere Christian will keep closs to his God and closs to his duty Heb. 3.17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herds in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvaâ—ion When all necessary and delightful mercies fail yet he will not fail in his duty though God with-hold his blessings yet he will not with-hold his service in the want of a livelihood he will be lively in his duty when he hath nothing to subsist by yet then he will live upon his God and joy in his God and keep closs to this God Though war and want come yet he will not be wanting in his duty Mark there are three things in a sincere Christian that will strongly encline him to keep closs to the Lord and closs to his wayes in the want of all outward incouragements 2 Cor. 5.14 Phil. 4.12 13. Rom. 14.7 8. and in the face of all outward discouragements And the first is a forcible principle Divine Love the second is a mighty aid the Spirit of God and the third is a high aim the Glory of God Look as Ruth kept closs to her mother in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all outward discouragements And Ruth Ruth 1.16 17. said whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge and nothing but death shall part thee and 〈◊〉 So saith a sincere Christian I will take my lot with Christ were ever it falls I will keep closs to the Lord and closs to my duty in the want of all outward incouragements and in the face of all outward discouragements Though outward incouragements be sometimes as a side wind or as oyl or as chariot wheels means to move a Christian to go on more sweetly easily and comfortably in the wayes of God yet when this wind shall fail and these chariot wheels shall be knockt off a sincere Christian will keep closs to the Lord and his wayes All this is come upon us Psal 44.17 18 yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy wayes But what do they mean by saying All this is come upon us Why that you may see in the foregoing part of the Psalm Thou hast cast us off and put us to shame Vers 9 10 11 12 13 14. The Jews sold Christ for thirty peace and the Romans sold thirty of them for a penny as Josephus relates and goest not forth with our armies thou makest us turn back from the enemy and they which hate us spoyl for themselves thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat and hast scattered us among the heathen thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us thou makest us a by-word among the heathen a shaking of the head among the people Antiochus Epiphanes lookt upon the Jews Religion as superstition his wrath and rage was exceeding great both against the Jews and against their Religion he practised all manner of cruelty upon the miserable Jews but yet there was a remnant among them who were faithful to the Lord and to his Covenant and to his Laws and to his wayes even to the death though in the time of the Maccabees many revolted to Paganism yet some maintained their constancy and integrity to the last That is a great word of the Prophet Micah Mich. 4.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever This absolute and peremptory resolution to be really the Lord's and for ever the Lord's is of the essence of true conversion 'T is not the world's flatteries that can bribe off a sincere Christian from the wayes of God nor 't is not the worlds frowns that can beat off a sincere Christian from the wayes of God But an hypocrite will never an hypocrite can never hold it out to the end his ground-tackle will never hold when the storm beats strong upon him An hypocrite is hot at hand but soon tires and gives in But Tenthly No hypocrite ever makes it his business his work to bring his heart into religious duties and services he never makes conscience of bringing his heart into his work Mat. 15 8. â— Mark 7.6 An hypocrite is heartless in all he does Psal 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God The Fox when caught in a gin looks pitifully but it is only to get out They worshipped the Lord as the Indians do the devil that he may do them no hurt Ver. 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues Ver. 37. For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfâ—st in his Covenant All lip-labour is but lost labour When mens hearts are not in their devotion their devotion is meer dissimulation These hypocrites sought God and enquired early after God but it was still with old hearts which are no hearts in the account of God They made lip work of it and head-work of it but their hearts not being in their work all was lost their seeking lost their enquiring lost their God lost their souls lost and eternity lost Hos 7.14 And they have not cried unto mâ— with their hearts when they howled upon their beds When mens hearts are not in their prayers all their praying is but as an hideous howling in the account of God As dogs bruit beasts and Indians do when they are hunger-bit The cry of the heart is the only cry that God likes loves and looks for he accepts of no cry he delights in no cry he rewards no cry but the cry
mixt with a little heavenly-mindedness and what a deal of unbelief have we mixt with a little faith O Sirs in the great business of your access to God and of your acceptance with God Rom. 3.20 to ver 27. Phil. 3.8 9 10. and of your reconciliation to God and of your justification before God 'T is best safest and noblest to bottom your faith hope and expectation infinitely rather upon imputed righteousness than inherent righteousness upon what Christ has done for you than upon what he has done in you Inherent righteousness is stained imperfect impure but imputed righteousness is pure and perfect if there were any stain or any imperfection in that it could not justifie us it could not save us it could not secure us from wrath to come Such evidences as are not fetcht from any thing in us nor from any things done by us but are fetcht by faith from our free justification and from Christ's full satisfaction which he hath wrought for us will be found the most full the most sweet the most refreshing the most comforting and the most satisfying evidences Christ is all fair all perfect all pure and therefore let him be most in your eye and most upon your hearts but here take heed that you don't look upon your graces or your gracious evidences as poor low weak contemptible things as too many do for the least of them is more worth than heaven and earth and they may yield you much comfort much support much refreshing and much satisfaction though they can't yield you that full comfort nor that full satisfaction as Christ himself can yield as Christ's satisfaction can yield as free justification can yield Though children and friends can't yield to a Wife that full comfort content delight and satisfaction as her Husband does yet they may yield her much comfort much content much delight much satisfaction The application is easie But Secondly Consider That Christian that hath free-grace that hath free justification that hath the Mediatory righteousness of Christ that hath the satisfaction of Christ that hath the Covenant of grace most constantly in his sight and most frequently warm upon his heart that Christian of all Christians in the world is most free from a world of fears and doubts and scruples which do sad sink perplex and press down a world of other Christians who affect a life of sense and who daily eye more what Christ is a doing in them and what they are a doing for Christ than they do eye either his active or passive obedience Christ hath done great things for his people and he has suffered great things for his people and he has purchased great things for his people and he has prepared great things for his people and yet many of his own dear people are so taken up with their own hearts and with their own duties and graces that Christ is little eyed by them or minded by them and what is this but to be more taken with the streams than with the Fountain with the leaves blossoms and fruit than with the Tree it self with the bracelets ear-rings and gold chains than with the Husband himself with the Nobles that wait than with the King that is waited on And this is the great Reason why so many Christians who will certainly go to heaven do walk in darkness and lye down in sorrow But Thirdly Trusting in our own duties and resting on our own righteousness and not on Christ's solely is a close secret spiritual Isa 58.1 2 3. Zech. 7.5 6. dangerous and unperceivable sin which the nature of man is exceedingly prone unto The Pharisees were mightily given up to trust in their own righteousness to rest on their own righteousness Mat. 6. chap. 23 Luke 18. and to boast and glory in their own righteousness and this prov'd their mortal disease their damning sin trusting in their own righteousness had so besotted and benummed them that they had no mind no heart to open the gates of their souls that the King of glory might enter in And this was that which undid the Jews Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God And 't is observable the Apostle useth an emphatical word of a Jew Rom. 2.17 Thou restest in the Law Look as there is nothing more pleasing to Christ than the renouncing of all confidence in our own duties and righteousness so there is nothing more provoking to Christ than the setting up of our own duties and righteousness This is a secret Imposthume that kills thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art secure in the Law as in some admirable priviledge and signal testimony of Gods love This was Bernards temptation when being assisted in duty he could stroak his own head with bene fecisti Bernarde O Bernard this was gallantly done now chear up thy self It was the saying of a precious Saint That he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins for the one made him often proud and the other made him alwayes humble It was good counsel Luther gave Cavendum est non solum à peccatis sed à bonis operibus We must take heed not only of our sins but of our good works Duties can never have too much diligence used about them nor too little confidence placed in them they are good helps but bad Saviours it is necessary we do them but it is dangerous to rely upon them If the devil cannot disswade us from performing Religious duties then his next work will be to perswade us all he can to rely upon them to make Saviours of them because this will as much gratifie Satan and as certainly ruin our souls as if we had wholly neglected them O man thine own righteousness rested in will as certainly and eternally undo thee as the greatest and foulest enormities This soul-sickness is that spiritual Idolatry that will undo thee for thou makest thy self a Saviour and thy duties a Saviour and sayest of thy duties as they did of the golden Calf These are the gods that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Open wickedness open idolatry slayes her thousands but secret idolatry a secret resting upon duties slayes her ten thousands multitudes bleed inward by this disease and die for ever Open prophaness is the broad dirty way that leads to hell but Religious duties rested in is as sure a way though a cleaner way to hell prophane persons and formal Professors shall meet at last in one hell Ah Christians don 't make Religious duties your money lest you and your money perish together The Phenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together and then blows them with her wings and burns with them So do many shining Professors burn themselves with their own duties and services You know in Noahs floud all that were not in the Ark though they climb up the tallest Trees and the
chief and only ground and bottom of his hope and comforts Though good old Jacob did really rejoyce in the chariots and wagons that Joseph had sent to bring him down to Egypt Gen. 45.26 27 28. yet he did more abundantly rejoyce in this that Joseph was alive and that shortly he should see and enjoy Joseph himself Though a Christian may really rejoyce in his graces and gracious evidences yet above all he ought to rejoyce in Christ Jesus to triumph in Christ Jesus Gal. 6.14 Phil. 3.3 2 Cor. 2.14 Col. 3.11 and to take up in Christ Jesus as in his great all There is a great aptness and proness in many may I not say in most gracious Christians to gaze so much and so long upon their graces upon their gracious dispositions upon their gracious evidences and upon their gracious actings that too often they neglect the exercise of faith upon Christ upon the promises they gaze so much and so long upon what is wrought in them and done by them that they forget their grand work which is immediate closing with Christ immediate embracing of Christ immediate relying upon Christ immediate staying rowling and resting upon Christ for justification and salvation Now from these frequent miscarriages of Christians some have taken the liberty and boldness very hotly and peremptorily to cry down the total use of all characters signs and marks the evil of which I have formerly pointed at and therefore let this touch suffice here Grace is excellent yea very excellent but Christ is infinitely more excellent than all your graces and therefore above all let Christ still have the preheminence Col. 1.18 Now though it must be granted that a Christian may lawfully make use of his graces and gracious evidences in order to his support comfort and encouragement yet it cannot be denyed but that the noblest purest highest and most excellent acts and exercises of faith Cant. 8.5 Job 13.15 Psal 42.5 11. Isa 50.10 Mic. 7.7 8 9 10 John 20.27 28 29. are when a Christian closes with Christ embraces Christ hangs upon Christ and stayes himself upon Christ and upon free and precious promises when sense and feeling fails when joy and comfort fails and when his gracious evidences for heaven fails O now to turn to Christ and to turn to the breasts of a promise and to live upon Christ and to hang upon a promise is the way of wayes to exalt Christ and to glorifie Christ there is nothing that pleases Christ or that delights Christ or that is such an honour to Christ as these pure actings of faith are Signs and evidences are most sweet comfortable and pleasing to us but the pure actings of faith are most eyed and valued by Christ Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5. 5.3 4 5 6. and therefore many times Christ draws a curtain between him and the soul and causes a Christians Sun to set at noon and damps his joy and marrs his peace and clouds his evidences for heaven on purpose to train up his children in the pure actings of faith 'T is sad when Christians make such immoderate use of their signs marks evidences as damps and hinders those direct and immediate acts of faith whereby they should receive Christ and apply Christ and rest upon Christ alone for pardon peace reconciliation justification and salvation he that pores so long and so much upon his graces or gracious evidences as shall hinder him from the fresh and frequent actings of faith upon Christ he casts contempt upon Christ Christ is an incomparable cordial he is worthily called the consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 Though the sight of a Christians graces and gracious evidences be very comfortable and delightful to him yet the sight of Christ should be ten thousand times more comfortable and delightful to him O Sirs what are the favourites to the King himself What are the servants to the Lord they wait on what are the friends of the Bridegroom to the Bridegroom himself what are all the bracelets and jewels to the Husband that gives them no more are all a Christians graces or gracious evidences to the Lord Jesus himself A Christian should say to all his gifts graces evidences and services Stand by make room for Christ make room for Christ Oh! none but Christ Oh! none to Christ Living by signs is most natural pleasing and comfortable to us but living by faith is most honourable to Christ It is said the just shall live by his faith not by his evidences Hab. 2.4 Heb. 10.38 When men pride themselves in their evidences and when men secretly lean upon their evidences instead of leaning upon Christ and when men bottom their hopes and comforts upon their signs and evidences when they should be bottoming of all their hopes and comforts upon Christ on a sudden Christ withdraws and the soul is immediately filled with clouds fears doubts darkness and all a mans graces and gracious evidences are eclipsed and he can see nothing nor feel nothing but deadness hardness barrenness hypocrisie unbelief self-love guilt c. which makes him a Magor-Missabib a terror to himself Now the design of Christ in all this is to train up his people in a life of faith and to teach them in the want of their signs and evidences Col. 3.3 4. Col. 1.27 how to live above their signs and evidences upon himself who is their life their hope their heaven their happiness their all Now Christians the best way to prevent these sore soul-distresses is in the moderate use of your signs and evidences to live much in the fresh and frequent actings of faith upon the Lord Jesus and in so doing you will neither grieve Christ nor provoke Christ nor wrong your own precious and immortal souls But The sixteenth and last Proposition that I shall lay down is this When ever any fresh doubts or fears rise in your hearts upon the stirrings of corruptions or debility of graces or failing in duties c. then keep closs to these two Rules First have recourse to any of the former characters that are laid down in this Book and while you find any of them shining in your souls nay though it were but one never pass any judgment against the happiness and blessedness of your spiritual or eternal estates Secondly turn your selves to such particular promises and plead such particular promises and rest and stay your trembling souls upon such particular promises Sirtorius paid what he promised with fair words Plutarch But so does not God men may eat their words but God won't eat his and cling fast to such particular promises that have been comforts cordials and supports to many weak doubting trembling Christians who have been alwayes afraid to say they had grace or to say that God was their Father or Christ their Redeemer or the Spirit their Sanctifier or Heaven their Inheritance c. I have read of a woman that was much disquieted in conscience even to