between himselfe and himself himselfe as he is in Christ and so to joy and triumph and himselfe as hee is growing on his first root and so to sorrow and loath and condemn himself so that to wiâ—de up all that I have said looke upon your selfe as in Christ you may say these involuntary infirmities do not shall not condemn me But Lord it is grace Grace that it is not so and this is Evangelicall humiliation Look again upon your self as you stand on your own bottom and live in your owne nature and so you may say after the least infirmity I have now broken a most holy and righteous Law and therefore I am already condemned O woe is me I have already undone my selfe by mine iniquity and this is Legall humiliation which serves for mortification as the first for vification I know it is very difficult to bring the heart to acknowledge freely it deserves death after so â—mall an involuntary offence but when the Lord reveales two things First himself in his glory Secondly how the least sinne strikes him I perswade my selfe the vilest heart cannot but be forced to confesse how just God should be in his severest proceedings against him And withall consider the more involuntary any sinne is the more strong and naturall it is and the more naturall the more horrible as to be a naturall Thief is farre worse then to be a deliberat thiefe who sometimes steales and therefore good Sir take heed of looking no deeper nor seeing no further then the bare act and unvoluntarinesse and accidentalnesse and suddennesse of your infirmities for if you do you look through the wrong end of the glasâ—e and they will appear so small that you will find it a very tough work to bring your heart consentively to say if I may say and use your owne phrase It is thy mercy Lord that I am not consumed for them but look upon them as indeed they are in respect of that infinite glory you strike doing the greatest mischiefes to God by them and which makes them the viler as they are so strong you cannot remove them and so horrible as that it is naturall to you to commit them c. And surely you will not through grace finde such thoughts haunt you long not but that they wil be haply rising and tempting but never allway vexing and prevailing Satans ground reaching as far as the minds of Gods people and therefore so farre he may come and there he may walke for the came into the minde of innocent Adam nay Iesus Christ by his suggesting temptations but the heart is Christs peculiar posâ—ession and purchase and if he shall still there offer to come in and vex you and prevail against you and to lodge his suggestions this or any other way with you you have Law and Christ on your side by this little light now given you to cast him out The third thing that troubles you is the disranking of the Persons in the Trinity for though you thinke the holy Ghost is God yet you have not so high a repute of him as of the Father and the Sonne because the Sonne addresseth himselfe to God the Father in all his prayers and acknowledgements in a more immediate manner then unto the holy Ghost and therefore you would know if the word Father as in the Lords Prayer includes not the Unity in Trinity To this briefly consider three things 1. Without all question the same God which lies under that relative property of Father is the same God with the God-head of the Sonne and the God-head of the holy Ghost there being not three Gods and therefore the God-head of the Sonne and Spirit are not excluded but included in the Godhead of the Father when we looke upon the Father as God in the Lords Prayer or anywhere else 2. But secondly the Father as Father is never taken for the same holy Ghost in Scripture nor the Sonne as Sonne is taken for the Father nor the holy Ghost as holy Ghost is at any time taken for the Sonne For it is a rule in Theologie though the res subsâ—rata the thing that lies under the Relative property viz. the God-head of every person be common and communicated yet the same God-head considered as clothed with his Relative property as Father Son and Spirit it is not common but peculiar For the God-head of the Father as Father is not the God-head of the Son as Son c. 3. Hence it followes that when Christ addreâ—seth himselfe to the Father as Father in Scripture it is not because he is either a diverse or greater God then the holy Ghost but it is for two other reasons 1. Because the Father as Father received primarily the wrong that sinne did against his worke of creation For the Father being the first Person in order and creation the first transient act as election and reprobation were the first immanent hence this worke is attributed chiefly to God the Father in respect of our orderly apprehension and hence man sinning then when he was onely made this is chiefly attributed to be against the Father because his worke appeared to be chiefly there and not against the Son for his worke chiefly appeares in redemption hee being the second Person and this the second main and wonderfull work neither against the holy Ghost for his worke chiefly appeares to us in application being the third Person And this the third main act that ever God will do or show forth to the world in this life hence God the Father receiving to our apprehension the wrong in creation by sinne he is the Person that is to be satisfied and not the holy Ghost And hence Jesus Christ in all his prayers hath a most speciall eye to him and not to the holy Ghost as holy Ghost because he came into the world by his death and intercession and strong cries to satisfie God the Father and not God the holy Ghost as a third Person And hence it is said 1 John 2. 1. 2. If any man sinne we have an Advocate with God the Father not God the holy Ghost because he was to our apprehension the Person wronged and hence we are after sins committed chiefly to eye the Father in our prayers and to go to him for pardon with our advocate with us because to whom offence is chiefly offered from â—im chiefly pardon and reconciliation is to be expected 2. Therefore Christ addresseth himselfe chiefly in his prayers to God the Father because hee is the originall and first cause of all good because he is the first Person in order of subsisting and therefore first too in the manner of conveying I know the God-head is the originall of all good but consider the Persons one with another and so the father is ever the first in operation as the holy Ghost is the last in consummation for all good comes from the Father Iames 1. 17. through the Sonne by the holy Ghost And hence
in all our prayers we are to looke for all good from the Father for his Sonnes sake to be conveyed us by the holy Ghost and hence it is said Iohn 6. 10. No man comâ—s to me but whom the Father draws Why It is the immediate office and worke of the holy Ghost to draw and apply the soul unto Christ why then is it said Vnleâ—se the Father draw The reason is because that which was perfected and consummated by the holy Ghost was intentionally and by way of purpose and decree begun originally by the Father and this is that which Christs words have chiefly reference unto viz the Father through the Son by the holy Ghost draws But I have waded too far in this Divinity the cleer knowledge of which is reserved for us in heaven But thus much to satisfie you yet the word Father in the Lords Prayer I conceive under correction as it doth not exclude any person of the God-head so it s chiefly set downe there not so much to denote the Person of the Father as the affection of God as a Father to us his Sons by Christ which we are to believe in our first approaching to our prayers to be as nay to transcend the affection of any father to his Son when we com to call upon him for those six things which the Petitions set down for those three ends kingdom power and glory which the Prayer concludes withall Your fourth trouble is your aptnesse to go to God immediately especially when his graces are most striving in his ordinances contrary to that of Christ Yee believe in God believe also in me So indeed it is usuall for religious nature often to out-run and get the start of grace as it appeares in many other so in this case you put looke as it is with every man when God awakens him effectually he first seeks to his kitchin physick to save himselfe by his duties praying mourning reâ—orming endeavouring repenting working before he will seeke out to the Physician and to Christ to save him Because it was naturall to Adam to seeke to live by his working it is naturall to every Son and branch of that root to seeke to save himselfe by doing as well as hee can or as God gives him the strength and grace So it is here It was naturall to Adam to depend upon and go to God immediately as a creature to a Creator as a Sonne to go nakedly to God as a Father Christ was not then known nor seen so it is naturall to every man when rectified Nature is stirred up to go immediately to God It is grace in the second Covenant that reveales and drawes to Jesus Christ and to God by Christ Heb. 7. 25. For cure of this distemper ponder but these three things 1. Cleerely convince the soule that the immortall invisible and most holy God that dwelleth in an un-approachable light hath set out himselfe to be seen or made himselfe only visible in Jesus Christ so that he would have no man looke upon him any other waies then as he hath revealed himselfe in his Son In whom though in all other creatures his vestigia and footsteeps are to be seen as he is God the face of God is to be seen which no creature is able to behold but there being the brightnesse of his gloryâ— and the expresse Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. And as hee is man the very heart of God both in respect of affection and will to be seen So that in and through Jesus Christ especially his humane nature the glory of the great God breakes out like the Sun through the clouds most brightly in respect of us and therefore in and through his humane nature we are onely to behold God in whom all that a Christian desires to know is to bee seen which is the face and heart of so deare a friend 2 Cor. 4. 6. Ioh. 14. 9 10. For we know by too lamentable experience how the whole world vanishing in their smoaky thoughts of the glory of God as he is considered in himselfe and not able to conceive or retain the knowledge of him did hence invent and set up I makes as â—it objects for their drunken staggering understanding to fasten upon and to be limited with and hence adored God before these as our Popish Hypocrites doe before the Altar and in these and at these as Papists doe in respect of their Images Hence the Lord to cure this inveterate naturall malady hath in the second Person united himselfe to man Christ Jesus through whom we are both able to our everlasting wonderment to see him and also here bound onely to behold him who as he is a sit handle for our faith so he is a â—it object for our weak mindes to behold the glory of the most high God in Wherefore then do you offer to go unto God without Christ when as you are not so much as to looke upon God but as he appeares in Christ Is not the humane nature of the Lord Jesus more easie to be seen and conceived of then the invisible unlimited eternall God-head 2. Secondly See evidently that there is not any dram or drop of God you have especially in Gods ordinances but it issues from the blood and is purchased by the intercession and delivered unto you by the hand of Jesus Christ Ephâ—s 1. 7. Hâ—br 7. 25. Iohn 5. 22. You should never have heard the sound of the gospel nor never have had day of Patience nor never have heard of Gods Ordinances to finde him in nor never have been comforted quickned enlarged affected by God Ordinances were it not for Jesus Christ the efficacy of whose blood and power of whose glorious intercession doth at the very instant you feele any good in Gods Ordinances prevaile with God the Father for what you feel for the Father loveth the Sonne and hath put all things into his hands Iohn 4. 35. that all men might honour the Son all the three Persons plotting chiefly for the honour of the second so that you may see nay you are bound to believe at the time you feele your heart savingly affected in any ordinance now the Lord Jesus who is at the right hand of God in heaven who is now in his glory now he remembring me a poore worme on earth now I feele the fruite of his death O what a miserable forlorn wretch had I been were it not for Jesus Christ Mercy could never have helped enlightned comforted quickned assured enlarged me and Justice could never have relieved my dead bloudy perisâ—ing lost Soul had it not been for Jesus Christ whose Spirit power grace comfort presence sweetnesse I taste drink and am satisfied abundantly with and now doe enjoy Oh Sir me thinks the sad meditation of this should make you in all Gods ordinances where you are apt to say you go immediately to God to hasten suddenly in your thoughts affections praises to Jesus Christ Nay me thinks you should speedily
CERTAIN SELECT CASES RESOLVED Specially tending to the right ordering of the heart that we may comfortably walk with God in our general and particular Callings BY THOMAS SHEPHARD Sometimes of Emanuel-Colledge in Cambridge Now Preacher of Gods Word in New-England LONDON Printed by W. H. for Iohn Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door 1650. Imprimatur This Reverend Author hath other practicall peeces Viz. The Treatise of the Sabbath Sincere Convert Sound Beleever Ioseph Caryl To THE CHRISTIAN READER THis holy Letter of that ready Scribe of Christs Kingdom is so full of Grace and Truth that it needs no other Epistle commendatory then it self Yet seeing the Lot is unexpectedly fallen upon my pen to give it a Superscription that it may passe current from hand to hand I do heartily in the first place dedicate it to thee thou bleeding troubled-spirit as a choice cordiall friend an Interpreter one of a thousand that doth not onely speak thy heart but by the Comforter whom Christ hath promised to send to thy heart It may be this paper present is sent on Embassie from Heaven on purpose to set thy house in order to untie thy bosome knots to bind the strong man and cast him out of thy doores that thy heart may be once againe set at liberty to serve the Lord thy God in thy generall and particular Calling whose service is thy freedome What is here sent by this Ambassador of Christ who is now the voice of one crying in the wildernesse to a wearie and heavy laden soule in this Island I had rather it should appeare to thy judgement in the serious reading and to thy conscience in the â—ome application thereof than from my opinion of it Therefore I shall onely adde as the Contents of this letter certain select Cases proposed and resolved in the severall paragraphs thereof as they lie in order in the pages following viz. Page 3. Trouble of mind in civil affaires by the secret injection of religious thoughts Page 4. From what Spirit such suggestions do arise Page 8. How to entertain them when they crowd in Page 12. Concerning the not being humbled for sinnefull distractions that hinder and interrupt the spirituall performance of holy duties Page 16. How a Christian may be said to be under the Covenant of works Page 18. How to conceive aright of that Mystery of Mysteries the blessed Persons in the Trinity Page 22. The souls aptnesâ—e to go to God immediately in holy duties without taking Christ Jesus by the hand Page 26. How to apply absolute promises to thy selfe though they are made indefinitely without condition Page 38. A notable discovery of a secret unwillingnes in the soule to seek God in the strictest solemn services before it entreth into them Weariness of them while they last and a gladnesse when they are ended Page 42. A sound confutation of that Hereticaâ—l Arminian Tenet viz. That the strength of Grace is to be got rather by Argumentation then inward Communication and influence arising from union with Christ Page 44. The experiences of this tried servant of Christ who is the Pen-man hereof how he was cured of Atheisticall thoughts whether they did wear out or whether by the diâ—t of Arguments they were rationally overthrown Page 48. Lastly whether those changes which a child of God hath sometimes and those movings of the spirit are caused by a naturall temper or Gods Spirit All which select Cases and many more that collaterally issue from their sides are judicioâ—sly resolved with much perspicuity and bâ—â—vity in these few sheets by the onely judge of all Câ—ntroversies the two edged sword of the Spirit the Word of God Thus humbly beseeching thee to read over this Epistle of Christ to thee with the same Spirit of love and of a sound mind which indited every line in it I doe desire to leave thee at the Throne of Grace in the armes of Christ with the Father of all Coâ—fort that thou mâ—iâ—st receive the Peace of God which passeth all understanding and be crowned with joy unspeakable and full of Glory I subscribe my selfe Friend Thine in any Spirituall furtherance of thy Faith William Adderley Dated from Charterhouse in London Febr. 1. 1647. Deare Sir I Dare not multiply many words in acknowledging and professing my own unfitnesâ—e and insusficiency to yeeld your loving and most welcom Letter that satisfaction which both your Self desire and it deserves Neither yet will I be so unfaithfull to you seeing your expectation â—uts me to reply neither ought I I think be so unserviceable to Jesus Christ who in you and by you beckens to me to take this call to write to you and not to neglect so faâ—r a seaâ—on seeing especially it may be possible my dyâ—ng Letter to you before I depart from hence and returne to him as not knowing but our â—ast disasters and Sea-straits of which I wrote â—o you may be but preparations for the execuâ—ion of this next approaching voyage Yet our â—eies are to the hils and our desires are your â—rayers and at this time my endeavour shall be in respect of your self to break open that light to you and to prepare it to you with that brevity I may and with what plainenesse I am able beseeching the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who must be when all failes the wonderfull Counsellor to give you the spirit of revelation and that after you have suffered a while by these outward temptations doubts fears desertions distractions which the Letter mentions hee would make you perfect stablish strengthen and settle you And this I verily think will be the unexpected yet happy joyfull and most glorious end of them For since I have observed and seen the lamentable ruines of the soule and seeming graces of many men by being rockt a sleep in a quiet still calme easie performance of duties without such awaking temptations and tumults within which it self complaines of I say since I have observed what a deale of mud is in the bottom of such standing Pools and what a deale of â—ilth is in such Moats which are inwardly at ease and not emptied from vessell to vessell next unto the donation of the Lord Jesus to a man I have accounted such tumultuoâ—s heart-storms and uproars together with the fruitfull strange effects of them the second mercy For I never saw that man kept from secret putrefaction and corruption that was not usually salted with such temptations especially in a Christians first Apprentiship which usually preserve him entire till death And therefore Dear Sir faint not for Jesus Christ will raise a world of blessings out of your present Chaos and confusions But I make hast to answer Before your reply to my first Letter your complaints are many Your first trouble is concerning your disturbances in civill affairs by the secret injection of Religious thoughts so that you know not how to follow the one without hazard of grieving