Grace than thou and therefore thy Boast is not of Grace but pretended Merit and thy false Heart hath betrayed thee and thou in danger of being a Cast-away for when thou shalt say Lord have not I prophesied and cast out Devils in thy Name the Answer 't is to be feared may be Verily I know it not For assure thy self this one Ejaculation from the humble contrite Fool Lord be merciful to me a Sinner uttered in sence of Sin and Faith in Grace shall make a stronger Battery on the Gates of Heaven than a whole Quiver full of thy opinionated Abilities And therefore in this Case we ought again to bring our Hearts before the Judg and to know it is not enough before Men to cry out Unclean unprofitable a Worm a Wretch with the loudest but to teach our Hearts to speak this great Truth in secret between God and themselves their Consciences bearing witness And therefore let us beware lest we be not like Solomon's Buyer crying in the Market-place It is naught it is naught but being come home boasteth in secret of a rich Purchase for this is but confessing Christ in outward shew and our Hearts in the mean while far from him Wherefore when we come from Duties and especially when we hope we have performed best we ought to call our Hearts under examination and yet to suspect they will dissemble Art thou a Speaker and hopest that thou hast taught or spoken well to the Hearts of thy Hearers or prayed in Spirit yet let not thy Heart puff thee up but stop its Mouth by convincing it that it was not thee that spake but the Holy Spirit of Christ in thee and that out of a heap of Stones even of the Walls of that Auditory God can raise up a better Son and Teacher than thou art Art thou a Hearer and hast been attentive was thy Heart warmed in Zeal and Love so as it leaped for Joy at the words of the Salutation Then let it not boast but teach it to speak this great Truth That it was not in its Merit that thou thus heardest or didst understand but Christ in thee and that it was his Spirit that bare witness with thy Spirit that the Word is true and that thou art a Son of Adoption and in so doing thou shalt not unravel thy Joy but make it great sure and lasting But on the contrary if thou ascribe to it thy hopes are as the Grass upon the House-top it shall dwindle and wither away as it is writ Cursed is he that trusteth in Man or maketh Flesh his Arm for out of his Heart shall the Lord depart And Blessed is he whose hope is the Lord he shall be as a Tree planted by the Waters neither shall cease from yeelding Fruit. What shall we say to these things shall we bolster up our Hearts in proud and lying Hypocrisy or rather suspect them and watch over them as the most deceitful things in the World and yet have in them the Issues of Life and Death Weal and Wo trying them by the Word the Law the Conscience the Judg and setting Experience upon them as a Spy Informer and Sollicitor and at length teach them to speak the Truth namely That they are vain and deceitful above measure their Righteousness Loss their Merits a Shadow and that to God the Glory is due and to them Confusion of Face And so to attain the third Qualification which will entitle the Soul to a resting place in the holy Mountain of God Vers 3. 1. Not casting Reproach upon his Reproacher Now in the rendring of this and next Clauses also I confess I have departed from the Footsteps of the Flock for I think none do so read the English He that backbiteth not the Vulgar deceiveth not with his Tongue which seems not so agreeable to Gospel-Language because to backbite openly is only by the Tongue which tho restrained yet then the Heart not taught to speak the Truth may backbite more secretly and desperately and therefore I say Backbiteth not at all no not his Backbiter The learned Munster differs not much from us in effect for he reads Transgresseth not with his Tongue which comprehends all Backbiting and Reproach by it And indeed not to offend with the Tongue is a great and essential part in true Piety Hence it is said of Job that he offended not with his Tongue tho provoked thereto by his reproaching Friends And hence supposing the Hebrew will bear it as well as the other I read Not reproaching his Reproacher being well assured it is in fuller harmony with the Gospel-Precepts and a surer Step towards the holy Hill of Jehovah for saith our Lord Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use and persecute you And in this sence I take our Prophet I grant indeed not to backbite a Neighbour is a good profitable Precept because the natural Man is prone to abuse Friendship but yet is it no more than Morality writ in the hearts of all People and Nations by Nature And indeed as usually read here Backbite not with thy Tongue the Precept is dressed in the slenderest attire Divinity can well shape for it for without all Controversy 't is but a slender Morality not to reproach a Neighbour or Friend who hath not reproached us but may have done us good for even half-debauched Nature would nauseate such an Action and they not so doing may yet fall short of the holy Hill But not to reproach a Reproacher to render Good for Evil is Saint-like nay Christ-like and may as far as any Grace lay claim to the Promise And if it be said It was of old Love your Friends and hate your Enemies and David spake ac-according to the then Institution yet I say admit it were a Command yet doth it not affirm that not to backbite at adventure was more than a Moral Vertue but indeed I suppose Hate your Enemies was not by a Command but Permission as Bigamy was because of the hardness of hearts for assuredly it was not our Prophet's practice for he hated only the Enemies of God and not his own upon his own account for he spared Saul's Life twice and rendred him Good for Evil and in the case of Shimei the Son of Gera he said Let him curse So Solomon Doth thine Enemy hunger give him Bread doth he thirst give him Drink And therefore in this sence I proceed to the Text. 2. Now hitherto the Precepts of our Prophet do chiefly belong to the first great Commandment in such Matters as lie between God and our Consciences but now he comes to such as refer to the second between Man and Man and yet still is this a Link of the same Chain For until the Heart be taught to speak the Truth it is impossible to keep the Heart from lying and reproaching because Out of the abundance of the Heart the Tongue speaketh And again With
be the Law of God writ in my Conscience And again I take the Word in the Heart and Mouth to differ very little from the Law in the Mind namely that God speaks immediatly in the Mind the sound thereof goeth forth into the Heart writing the same Law there and the Tongue speaking according to the abundance of the Heart declareth the Law to the whole Man as conceived by the Heart So as the Line goeth forth through the whole Earth of the little World and where the Heart is faithful God dictates from the Mind it believeth unto Righteousness and the Mouth doth confess unto Salvation but where the Heart takes part with the sensual Part Satan prevails in that Warfare and the Voice of God from the Conscience becomes a severe Judg and Executioner Whence I understand this thus He that bringeth no Reproach upon his Mind nor whom his Conscience reproacheth not who brings no scandal upon his Warfare nor Captain-General our Lord but like a faithful stout Souldier followeth him wheresoever he goeth 10. Now this is the sixth Link of the same Chain for until we have learned to walk in Love not to reproach or do evil to them that revile us we cannot keep our Consciences free from Spots nor follow our Captain 's steps who when he was reviled reviled not again But for those so learned we are in a capacity of being enrolled in his Host by which we as yet may not conclude that all Tears are already wiped from our eyes but to hope that by our Faithfulness we are in a sure way of obtaining it but not without Bickerings and many Blows Thorns in the Flesh and Buffetings from our irreconcileable Enemy Satan whom yet at length God shall tread under our feet Now this Spiritual Warfare is the keeping a good Conscience and the preserving of it unspotted is the fighting this good Fight As Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 16. This Charge I commit unto thee That thou by them mightest war a good Warfare holding Faith and a good Conscience And the Weapons thereof as he next sheweth Chap. 6.11 are Righteousness and Godliness by consumption Faith which is the Shield Love Patience and Meekness with which saith he Fight the good Fight of Faith lay hold on Eternal Life And the Enemies against which we are to fight are not only the Flesh and Blood but Principalities and Powers Rulers of Darkness Eph. 6.12 That is You are not only to strive against those Spiritual Lusts and Infirmities which proceed from the Flesh as common to all Men but also those Spiritual Evils of the Heart and Mind which Satan would ensnare you in Superstition Idolatry Dependencies in Duties in Angels Spirits of just Men or any Power in Heaven or in Earth which is under Christ our Sun and Shield For when the Soul will not be captivated by the Lusts of the Flesh Satan that he may not lose his possession will transform himself into an Angel of Light and will preach even from Scripture-Texts Spiritual Idolatry as he did to our Captain-General For setting him upon a Pinacle above the Temple and holy City which were Gospel-Types he takes a Text and produces a Promise wherein a great Christian Prerogative is contained and all to ensnare our Lord in presumptuous Sin If thou beest the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee c. Now this is a Spiritual Wickedness because he ensnared therein abuseth Grace and Love from Heaven into Wantonness a sore Evil and frequent in our Days So when Satan would persuade to live upon the Bread of our own purveying and not of the Word made Flesh 't is one of his Strong-Holds against which we are to fight in the way and words of our Captain-General Man lives not by Bread onely c. And therefore the Apostle adds Take the whole Armour of God the Breast-plate of Righteousness Helmet of Salvation Sword of the Spirit Prayer and Supplication but above all the Shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked One That is will be able to preserve the Answer of a good Conscience from all Guilt which wounds it as a flaming Fire Again which helps to clear this our Exposition 2 Cor. 10.4 For tho we walk in the Flesh yet do not we war after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of Strong-Holds casting down Imaginations or Reasonings and every high thing that exalts it self against God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ That is The Strong-Holds of Satan or Nature or whatsoever thing it be that would set up it self in our Hearts as a Mediator or Saviour or any way pretend to the Offices of our Lord must be utterly subdued and cast down Again 2 Tim. 2.4 Thus thou therefore endure Hardship as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ No Man that warreth intangleth himself with the Affairs of Life to the end he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier And if a Man also strive for Masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully Wherein again three Duties more are required in this Warfare First That he resolve to undergo all hardships and temptations the frost of Winter and heat of Summer want of Bread or Water in the Wilderness he must neither yield to the hardships of Legal Duties nor to the ease or pleasure of the Flesh Secondly He must not intangle himself with Martha in the Cares of this World but with Mary chuse the better Part or with Moses rather chuse to be afflicted with his Brethren and Fellow-Souldiers than to enjoy the Contents of a Carnal Life for a Season wholly give himself up to the Service of God who elected and called him to the War and be in all things obedient to his Captain And lastly He must strive lawfully not doing violence to any accusing no Man falsly nor murmuring at his hard Service and shortness of Pay but be content with such Wages and Rewards as God sees fit both when and how to give him and patiently wait for the Crown the final Reward neither must he break Parrole with an Enemy or tell a lie for the honour of his Captain because thereby he indeed defames him as if he could not conquer without Sin when indeed the end of the Warfare is by perfect Righteousness to subdue Sin and all its Supporters Lastly We shall add one Text more which shews the Reward of the Faithful Souldier 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto every good Souldier of Jesus Christ Which agrees exactly with the intent of the Prophet for what Paul calls a Crown David
the Heart Man believes unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation So as the Tongue is but the Minister of the Heart bringing to light such Knowledges Experiences and Notions as the Heart hath conceived and therefore before the Heart be right set the Tongue cannot but that done 't is easier to be ordered yet doth not that fully accomplish this because the Tongue is so forward and nimble an Instrument as it often runs before the Heart hath had time to deliberate and decree and therefore not seldom rashly proclaims what the Heart intended not but moved by some small displeasure vents its own frothy reproaches to the after-dislike grief and shame of the Heart The Apostle James most fully sets it forth Chap. 3. Vers 5 6 7 8 9. A little Member boasting great things behold how great a matter a little Fire kindles And the Tongue is a Fire a World of Iniquity it defileth the whole Body and setteth on fire the Course of Nature and is set on fire by Hell untameable unruly full of deadly Poison Therewith bless we God even the Father and curse we Men made after his similitude Out of the same Mouth proceed Blessing and Cursing Again we find Rom. 1.28 29. the Fruits of an evil Tongue enrolled among those Evils God gives up the reprobate Soul unto God gave them up to a reprobate Mind filled with all Vnrighteousness Debate Deceit Whisperers Backbiters Haters of God proud Boasters c. And again its Fruits are found among the seven Evils which are hateful to God Prov. 6.16 A lying Tongue a false Witness and he that soweth discord amongst Friends And besides these 't is like a continual dropping of lesser Evils for how many prophane Oaths licentious Ballads and vain idle Words doth it produce for all which an Account must be given before the Judg who will render to every one according to his Works 3. But again as the debauched Tongue is a sore Evil so under regulation of the Heart taught to speak the Truth it becomes an eminent good for with it we bless God and confess unto Salvation Again Solomon The Tongue of the Righteous is choice Silver the Tongue of the Wise Health and the Lip now Tongue and Lip are as it were the same thing of Truth shall be established for ever Again A wholesomâ— or rather healing Tongue is a Tree of Life Death and Life are in the hand of the Tongue that is in the Heart are the Issues of Life and Death radically and in the Tongue consequently as it brings forth the Treasures of it to light Whence it is manifest that after a Professor of Christ hath persuaded his Heart to speak the sincere Truth 't is the next incumbent Duty to subdue this wild Instrument to the rule of the Heart which being effected the Dictate of that Heart published by this Tongue shall be as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver 4. Now these things proposed we shall proceed to the more express Intent of the Prophet which tho it seem in words to be confined to a narrow Compass yet it is really very comprehensive for Reproach not thy Reproacher is a fortiore reproach no Man not a Stranger who hath done thee neither good or evil much more not a Neighbour a Friend a good Man or one that hath sought thy good and most of all beware thou reproach not God or his Christ altho perhaps he hath seen fit to bring thee under Reproaches And now we shall enquire how the Man professing to be one of Christ's School ought to use his Tongue as well in giving it liberty as in bridling it I say First I fear we may often reproach even God and not perceive it For to ascribe to any Power on Earth or in Heaven what belongs to him is to reproach him Or if having a Gift natural or spiritual Riches Honour Wisdom Understanding Tongues Prayer expounding the World or the like and ascribe them to our own Industry and not to the free Gift of Grace we are Reproachers And to use our Tongues aright is to acknowledg God the Giver of every good and heavenly Gift and so to bear the Memorial of his Bounty as to have praise and thanks in our Lips daily knowing and confessing that if he had so seen fit he could have made the greatest amongst us less than the meanest of the Sons of Men yea a Slave or Worm and no Man and are still in his hand as a Vessel for Honour or Dishonour Or on the contrary Art thou poor simple and loaden with Afflictions and yet fearest God and seest another that wallowing in Sin abounds in Ease Riches and worldly Contents and yet thinks not of God once in a year if thou therefore shalt murmur or shalt in a repining Distemper of Mind say Why Lord is it thus thou reproachest him as unjust or inbenignant But to use the Tongue in this point aright is to confess that tho his hand be heavy it is much less than thy Sins have deserved Let God be true and every Man a Liar that he may be justified in all thy sayings and overcome when he judgeth Again saith Solomon Prov. 14.31 He that oppresseth the Poor or Prov. 17.4 He that mocketh at the Poor reproacheth his Maker Just as the Pharisee Lord I thank thee I am not as this poor Wretch c. So that there are many ways of reproaching God And to comprize all in a word every one who doth not ascribe the Life Power and Way both to will and do to him reproacheth his great and glorious Name And not less frequent are our Reproaches against the Son as it is written If we say we have not sinned we make him a Liar But to be brief in this also I say Whosoever hath the least grain of confidence in the Arm of Flesh or any heavenly Principality or Power which is on this side the Sun of our Righteousness or yet doth not account all his Privileges Merits Performances as Loss and Dung he hath a lying Tongue and reproacheth his Redeemer And to employ the Tongue in this case as we ought is to confess our selves Worms and no Men not able to make one Hair white or black nor to give ease to an aking Tooth and much less to reach out a Remedy to a sick and sinful Soul And secondly to confess Christ hath both Bounty and Power to save to the uttermost And indeed throughout the whole stream of Scripture you will find the evil proud slanderous and reproachful Tongue is that which is the Belman of a Superstitious Heart proclaiming Peace to himself in his own false and and adulterous Refuges where no Peace is 5. The next degree of Reproach is of a Brother or Friend or Neighbour which is like unto the former because Christ owns it as done to himself Forasmuch as ye did it unto one of these ye have done it unto me So as Christ may also be reproached in his
ADVERTISEMENT THere is now in the Press the Continuation of the Diary of this Author which will shortly be compleated the same having been earnestly Solicited and Recommended by Persons of Eminent Worth out of several Nations And there are Daily more and more Excited some both in Neighbouring and in very Remote Countries to bear their Testimony to the Truths of the Kingdom of God declared therein of which there is one Instance added in the End that is very Peculiar and some likewise to suffer for the same very considerably Since the Year 1694 that these Writings began first to be Published in Germany and Holland it hath pleased GOD to bless them very Wonderfully and no manner of Oppositions or Prohibitions have been able to extinguish that Fire which they have been made a means of enkindling in many Hearts of all Ranks and Degrees A Judicious Writer in his Characters of the Mystical Authors in a Book Printed this very Year in Holland having just before spoken of Hermas Barnabas c. thence takes occasion to give a glance upon the Writings of this Author and the Conformity of their Character to such as are more generally allow'd to have been Written by the assistance of the Divine Unction and with a share of the Prophetical Spirit and tells us That they are full of Salutary Instructions and Lights as well as of Divine Revelations for the near Re-establishment of the Christian Church through the Renovation of the Life and Spirit of Jesus Christ and the Manifestation of the Wonders of his Kingdom And they that are in this Opinion saith he are not Persons of the least Judgment nor in few Places nor in a little Number Letre sur les Principes les Characters des principaux Anteurs Mystiques Spirituels When the Diary shall be Finished there may be an Abstract of all together in a Plain and Popular Way with a Methodical Account of the Sentiments therein dispersed and their Conformity with Scripture Lastly it is Advertised that both this that is above Written and the foregoing Preface was sent to the Press without the Advice Consent or Privity of the dear Author And without the Excitement or so much as the Knowledge of any one Soul whatever beside him who now holds this Pen and who is without all Aims and Ends but the Divine Glory The World is Crucified unto me And I unto the World THE Christian Warfare BEING Some Serious Humble and Practical REFLECTIONS On PSALM XV WHEREIN The Princely Prophet David's Great and Soul-ravishing Question divine Answer and Application are Considered By J. L. THEOPHILUS 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Arma enim Militiae Nostrae non Carnalia sunt sed Divinitus valida ad destructionem Munitionum Ratiocinationes evertendo omnemque sublimitatem quae sese extollit adversus cognitionem Dei in captivitatem redigendo omnem cogitationem ad obediendum Christo London Printed and Sold by John Gain Living in Merchant-Tailers Rents at the Lower-end of Moore-Lane 1680. PSAL. XV. Vers 1. LORD who shall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or abide but most properly in ae strange Land It is also He feared implying a sojournment in fear sojourn in thy Tabernacle Who shall dwell in the Mountain of thy Holiness Vers 2. He walking in Integrity and working Righteousness and speaking the Truth in his Heart Vers 3. Not †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The root he reproached there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tongue because the Instrument of reproach that is according to the Gospel-rule not retorting or reviling one reviling him reproaching upon his reproacher nor doing ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evil to his Neighbour or Friend so most read Which is so plain and well known a duty to Moral Nature that it sounds flat amongst these eminent Soul-exalting Graces and therefore the same Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being for both I so read it according to our Lord's Precept Love your Enemies bless them that curse you evil to his evil-doer nor bringing shame upon his ††〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He aproached or drew near most properly to conflict Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Battel also the Inwards of a thing especially of the Soul Spirit or Mind of Man Lex Heptag fully reads it Mind Thought I add another which from a Harmony of sundery Texts I have gathered namely Conscience which was the same I take it the Antients called Mens the Mind Jer. 31.33 I will put my Laws in their Kerab which the 70 renders Mind And the Apostle citing this Text reads the same Heb. 8. so And again he calls it 10.16 Heart not meaning the Bowel so called but Inward Mind and Conscience Isa 26.9 With my Soul I desired thee in the Night also in the Spirit of my Kerab Mind Conscience I will seek thee in the Morning See Psal 34.3 51.2.94.15 And besides this and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heart the Hebrew Scripture hath not a Name for Mind or Conscience But neither could the holy Pen-men be ignorant of these nor fully express what appertains to a holy walking before God without sometimes making mention of them in the Law as the Apostles did in the Gospel and therefore I judge that by this and the Heart they signified Mind and Conscience And hence Kerab a Battel or Warfare because in the Mind and Conscience the Spiritual War is as the Apostle Rom. 7.3 I see the Law of my Members warring against the Law of my Mind And so I understand it here not bringing reproach upon his Conscience not making shipwrack thereof nor negligent in his Spiritual Warfare but behaving himself as a true Souldier of Christ Who doth these things shall not fail to do all things which lead to an immoveable Seat of Happiness Inwards Vers 4. Contemned in his own Eyes despised but honoureth them who fear the Lord ‖‖ Swearing to a Friend Some read swearing to his hurt but his is not in the Text indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will bear either But the sence grates as if performance of rash Vows were a Pillar in Piety as Jephtha's or Saul's or the eleven Tribes to the loss of an only Child or a Son or a Tribe in Israel Surely it were better in bitterness to repent for vowing foolishly than to perform such Vows Some read Who swears to afflict himself which is much easier but neither was this except upon some solemn occasions practised by holy Men of old that we read of nor not so necessary to an immoveable Seat as to be reckoned as one of the Pillars thereof The Gospel-Precept is much otherwise Swear not at all and therefore this doubtless being ranked in so eminent place hath a more lofty meaning Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also a Friend a Shepherd and Christ sometimes manifestly signified by that word of which more hereafter and so I understand it here that is He who nails his ear to the door-post of the great
Life as he did to leprous Lazarus after he had lain four days in the Grave And lastly having done all thou canst call thy self Unworthy Servant know that thy Obedience or Works cannot profit God but only that Obedience is better than Sacrifice and a humble contrite Heart better than Rams or Rivers of Oil and in so doing thou shalt work Righteousness The sum of all is Judg condemn the Works of proud Nature roul upon Christ work in Humility and account all dead without the quickning Spirit and so shalt thou attain the second step towards the Rest of God in his holy Mountain Thus with the Heart thou mayest believe to Righteousness and with thy Mouth confess to Salvation thou shalt believe and not be ashamed thus mayest thou call on the Name of the Lord and be saved But in vain doth the slothful Soul expect a station in the holy Mount for the Believers Prerogative and that a great one too is that having presented his best Fruits how light soever in the Ballance of Justice they be he may by Faith lay hold on the Righteousness of Christ and calling it his own take what Sums to make up his Accompt his Faith can bear away for in that only is this Mans abundance stinted for if he strain at a Gnat such will his portion in Righteousness be and if his Faith can carry away a Mountain rather than he want Spiritual Food Jordan shall overflow its Banks So that as an Object an Eye and Light make up the pleasing Sense of Seeing so commanded Duties Obedience and Christ compleat the Works of a Believer for as an Object is vain without an Eye and both without Light so are Duties or Commands without Obedience and both nothing without Christ And as the Light is that which gives life and vigor to both the other so Christ is the Life of our Works and Duties And lastly even as the Light profiteth not without an Eye or Object so verily Christ is of no effect where Obedience and the Precept or Rule of working are sacking So as David's Answer thus far in Gospel-Language is He that walks in the Consumption of his own Righteousness yet holding fast the Rule of Obedience by Faith in Christ makes his Works perfect 3. And speaketh the Truth in his Heart Psal 24. saith He that is pure of Heart I say 't is He that speaketh Equity which are all univocal This is the third Link of this Golden Chain for before we can work Righteousness in the School of Christ 't is impossible to speak Truth in the Heart because all other Righteousness is Lies and Vanity But for the understanding of this it behoves that we first mind in what sence the Heart is taken in Scripture-Language not as a meer Bowel or Member of the Body but allegorically as the Body bears the Image of the Soul so the Members of that answer to the Gifts and Graces of the Soul Now in Scripture 't is sometimes taken in the better part sometimes in the worse as the Source of all evil for not rarely some effects are ascribed to to it consonant to the Conscience or Mind and doubtless it hath some affinity with it and yet is not altogether the same because some things imputed to it are incompatible with the Conscience as Dissimulation Flattery Forgetfulness of God c. I judg thus the Conscience is the most Divine part of the natural Man and hath the most immediate Converse with God and the Heart answers to those Faculties in the Soul which have immediate converse with it above and also with Sense and sensual Affections beneath capable of receiving Leaven from the Wisdom of that or Folly of this and consequently is that before which Life and Death also Will or Arbitrement are placed for the Conscience refrains all Commerce with Sensual Affections except as a Judg and Reprover of their Exorbitances but the Heart doth not and therefore the Scripture saith The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart Which shews the Heart is a Faculty where the sound of the Word within is heard and again it ascribeth to it Imaginations Thoughts Passions Affections and Desires Love and Hate Appetite and Dislike Anger and Patience Grief Joy Fear and thence 't is accordingly as 't is leavened a great promoter of Vertue or Vice And therefore to order it aright so as it may learn to speak the Truth is the next part of our Warfare and ought to be an especial care in all who seek rest in the holy Mount as also 't is written Prov. 4.23 Before all keep the Out-goings Buddings of thy Heart for in it are the Issues of Life and consequently of Death also for between these there is not a third choice and therefore if it issue not Life it must bring forth Death And the keeping of the Heart as it is necessary so it is difficult because as is written it is deceitful above measure Jer. 17.9 desperately supplanting who can know it And again It is the Source of all evil Thoughts Murders Mat. 15.19 Adulteries Thefts False-Witness Blasphemies Now I say before we can successfully atchieve this great necessary Task three things are necessary First the last before spoken of namely to ascribe all Righteousness to Christ for as long as a Man believeth he has any of his own his Heart is a Liar and the Truth is not in him The second is to discover wherein its Falseness and Craft consists for these are hidden and not easily discerned from the specious pretences of Truth For if the Heart be so bold as it dare openly and avowedly tempt to known Sin this is not to be accounted any part of its Deceit but bold-faced Wickedness but there is its Deceitfulness namely when it obtrudes Evil under the Mask of Good or Impiety for Piety or Idolatry for pure Religion The third is to be diligently conversant in the use and management of those Helps God hath vouchsafed us to discover and undermine its Stratagems which are many but I comprize them under three General Heads The Word or Precept the Conscience and Experience The Word is the Law and Touchstone the Conscience Judg and Executioner and sometimes acts as a Witness Experience is a strict observer of its haltings also a Sollicitor mannaging the Evidence against it and it s own Reason Lusts and Satan are its chief Advocates The Law which is pure holy and manifest in all Essentials it defames as unreasonable and the written Word as obscure and dark nor will it stick to say the Wisdom and Morals of Aristotle and Seneca excell it The Conscience which will never lie flatter or play the Hypocrite it often deludes with false Glosses of the Law and Word Experience it rejects and at first easily because but weak at its first setting forth and perhaps brings but a single Witness but at length will so multiply and manage its Evidence as that the
Conscience stands firm and quick it will not fail to detect all its Sorceries To speak out of my own experience it hath already manifested four of its gross Deceits Of the first in the day of Vocation for until then it shews not the depths of its Craft because all Men by Nature set forth into the World much leavened with the Love Lusts and Vanities of the Flesh and as long as the Soul is content to take part with it in wallowing in Sin so long the Heart troubleth not the Soul nor Satan the Heart because his desires prosper in that way which is most pleasing to him because most destructive to Souls neither will he tempt in this State to Superstition or Idolatry because it makes better for his end that neither God nor Religion should come within his thoughts But if the Soul shall become sensible of this Bondage and threaten to leave Egypt that it may sacrifice to God in the Wilderness then the Heart leavened by Satan sets on foot all its Stratagems and if God in favour of the Design raise up a Moses in it and smite the Heart with some noisom Plague or Affliction it cannot bear it makes shew of Repentance and promiseth that if God will remove his Hand it will become a true Leige-man but no sooner is that taken away but it hardens it self as Pharaoh did and will not consent that the Elect Seed shall depart out of its Slavery until the ten Egyptian Plagues have passed upon it for in that Story the Conflicts of the Spiritual and Natural Seeds upon Vocation are shewn in Allegory The second is That after the Soul is manumitted by a strong hand the Heart also enters into Covenant taking upon it the Oath of a holy Life and promising to perform all that Jehovah commands but yet upon the first strait or want murmurs starts aside like a broken Bow oft wishing it self in the Pleasures of Egypt again as sometimes the Sons of Israel did for God will put Trials on his called Ones in the first Journeying and these are to teach us to beware of the like Evils as it is written Now all these things happened unto them for example the original Types and are written for our Admonition upon whom the ends of the World i.e. Age are come Another Admonition we have in good Peter whose Heart being warmed with Love to his Master strait way boasted And though all should be offended with thee yet will not I vehemently affirming that he could die with him rather than deny him and doubtless the good old Man intended to do all he professed but so far his false Heart deceived him as on the appearance of Danger he denied his Master thrice before the next Cock's Crow was finished Which also serves for our Instruction fore-warning us not to boast in our own Strength always to distrust our Hearts and if perchance we be overtaken in Peter's Snares that we may with him renew our selves by bitter Tears The next Deceitfulness of the Heart is now when it entred on the Rule and whole Course of Obedience and persuades it-self its Works are upright before God and done upon the pure Principle of Love towards God and Man but indeed is meerly hypocritical moving upon mercenary hope of Reward or a base servile fear of Punishment not loving Justice and Mercy for Christ's sake not doing good to others for love of them but because they love themselves and hope to be Gainers by their Gift And this I fear is a frequent Evil as Experience teaches for whose was once zealous in Obedience in Duties and Charity and after upon the Incomes of Grace and hope that the Scourge is over becomes cold and remiss therein let them boast of what new Light and Gospel-Liberty they please they will be found Hypocrites Bastards and not Sons and so they may behold themselves in the Glass of their own Conscience For if the Command for Duties be still the same and thy Brother in want as before and thou shalt not communicate in both as formerly where is thy Love or Obedience and how were they formerly sincere No assuredly because thy Fear of Punishment is vanished so also Love and nothing more certain than that it was founded upon some base Foundation And thus the false Heart makes many play the Hypocrite persuading that those Hypocritical Sacrifices were acceptable to God which were verily little better than Swine's Blood And therefore here is great need of watching over the Buddings of the Heart and if upon this account Zeal or Charity languish it ought to be brought before the Judg and its Hypocrisy manifested and that if possible that may be renewed which was ready to die And if this be not done by thy self be assured that he that searcheth the Heart and Reins rendring to every one according to the Fruits of their working will do it and appoint thy portion amongst the Hypocrites But now the fourth and last Treachery of the Heart is whilst it is indeed zealous and perhaps competently faithful in these Duties and pretends that all its performances are as Dross and Dung and i◠〈◊〉 uprofitable â—â—rvant and therefore hath no dependence in them but sâ—â—ply on free Grace but nevertheless doth in its secret thoughts say Soul take thy rest for thou hast much Riches laid up for many Years And this is a sore Evil and frequent and thus Experience discovers it If the Heart say to the Soul Take thy rest there is assuredly some shreds of it but if it say to another who fears the Lord and walks by the Rule whereunto it hath attained Get thee far from me for I am more righteous than thou it hath taken a deep root Or if it boast with the Pharisee I thank God I am not as this Man I fast twice in the Week I pay my Tithes I pray in Spirit and read the Scriptures in Understanding and this Man is carnal he prays by a form of words and reads and understands not the Case is clear For how canst thou prefer thy Holiness to another's that believes in the same Christ and owns him to be Righteousness except thou suppose thou hast inhanced thy Merit by some false Vertue or Performance for this is but the vain boasting of the Heart puffed up with knowledg not considering that not many Wise are called but that God hath chosen the foolish and base things of this World to confound the Wise for it is not the Whole but Sick that stand in need of the Physician of Souls therefore seeing the humble and poor in Spirit are the fit Objects of Grace and Christ hath promised them Blessedness why should not the Heart taught to speak the Truth rather boast that it is enrolled amongst these for I know that whatsoever it thinketh yet it will openly profess that it must be saved by Grace and how knowest thou but he that is the Fool in thine eyes hath more Humility Meekness yea is greater in
to imitate in all for he not being called to that Trial tho he well knew he was to pass it before thirty years of Age he did not hast into it but was as Nature requires subject to his Mother and supposed Father Joseph and having received the Baptism of John and confirmation of his Witness This is he of whom I spake He that cometh after me c. And lastly a Testimony from the Father This is my beloved Son c. Yet did he not straitway challenge Satan to the Combat but stayed till he was led or as St. Mark hath it driven or compelled by the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil So as from his example we must not thrust our selves upon this Trial until a certain spiritual Compulsion impose it And the like we are taught by a Figure from those Israelites who first murmured because they thought the War was too hard for them but after finding God was angry at their diffidence then they would make their Peace with a presumptuous Attempt before their Call to it and were smitten and pursued unto Hormah by interpretation a cursed thing So as it is desperate to thrust our selves upon this good Fight that is to hasten out of our Legal and Wilderness-Estate until Christ leads and by a certain Spiritual Enforcement drives us unto it 16. But now to discern the time I say when a faithful Servant of Christ begins to perceive in the Inwards of his Mind that he doth not find that lively Relish Peace and Comfort in hearing the Word Prayer and other Duties as formerly he was wont I counsel him straightway to call his Heart under strict examination and betimes to be careful he bring not reproach upon his Conscience for some great matter is at hand either for better or worse And first let him enquire upon this account whether his Soul grow heavy and slothful in his wonted Performances without any trouble from his Conscience And if he do let him be assured it is of Satan who hath gotten a desperate advantage against him and if he beware not will bring him back to Egypt before he is aware and his latter end shall be worse than the beginning But if on the contrary he finds that in this juncture his Hungers and Thirsts after Righteousness encrease and his Desire to Duties and Love to his Brethren faint not then may he hope it is of Christ who now is ready to lead him forth to the Trial of his Faith whereof he may be further assured if he straight shall perceive disorder in his Soul and Mind that is to say Warrings and rumors of Wars For now shall his Heart charge the Conscience that its Government is too rigid and severe that it the Heart hath done all its Commands with faithfulness and yet cannot procure one smiling Look from it And the Conscience shall charge the Heart that it reserves still some hypocritical Corner and darling Sin in a dark place and therefore threatens it with the Law And in the mean time a Thorn in both and a certain Irksomness and fore-dooming in the whole Houshold that Wrath is at hand Persuasion rising against Persuasion and Duty against Duty one charging another with the cause of this Disturbance Faith says Thou hast neglected me and doted upon Works and Duties and Works say No but Sloth in Duty and Alms hath brought these Evils upon us and Prayer says If thou hadst been fervent in my way none of these things had befallen us And this as our Lord foretold is the beginning of Sorrows In the mean while the hungry thirsting Soul is ready to try all ways but if it say with it self 'T was Unbelief and I will now believe it will find no footing for Faith but Distrust increasing If it say My Duties have been few but now I will hear and pray twice for my former once it will be in fact easy to do so but they shall not satiate because he grounds upon a Spiritual Delusion believing that he hath it in his own Fingers by Works to save himself Now if the Soul finding it felf frustrated be convinced that Man lives not by Bread only but by the Word made Flesh a Spiritual Strong-Hold is beaten down and Christ hath got his end But seldom is Satan so easily cast forth and therefore the hungry Soul straight flies to another Delusion namely That it heard not with that attention and diligence it ought to have done Which is a most just Charge upon all and perhaps proceeds from Christ who is now watchful over it for indeed it points at that Confession and Self-condemnation which is the root of the Matter yet still hath a secret implication that it is in a Man's Power to hear with such diligence as may accomplish Peace But upon trial finding that he cannot so set and fix his Heart but it will run after its imaginations in two minutes forgetting its last good resolutions yea perhaps may in the middle of the next Duty fall asleep and he in vain seeks to rouze it up or yet as it happened to the Apostles even in the Combat of our Lord when he bad them watch with him the natural Eyes so heavy as the Soul in all its Vertues cannot persuade them to watch one hour with it Now again if upon this Conviction the Soul concludes 't is a weak unworthy Hearer and cannot hear as it ought unless Christ vouchsafe to hear in it then shall it raze to the ground one of Satan's Master-pieces a Fort-Royal And this may happen in part in a pliant and gracious Soul Yet not usually is the proud Heart of Man so easily humbled but having drawn it in from the Breast of its first Mother will thrust its own Fault upon another Either the Preacher spake not in Spirit and in Life or the Prayer was not lively or Text not well chosen seeing says it I went with a prepared Heart it could not have been if he had spoken to it that such a Sloth could have befallen me and therefore I will go hear another but tho thou change ten times yet assure thy self as long as thou layest the blame here or upon any but thy self thou shalt not tho an Angel preach to thee hear with comfort This therefore being found Vanity and vexation of Spirit the hungry Soul casts about again saying Surely the Ordinances are not rightly administred either the Minister is not rightly called or his laying on by hands was not Orthodox as the Apostles appointed or he is not gifted for the Ministry or the Ordinance it self is not administred in the right Form Now in this as in many of the former there may be a certain truth because these have been and still are disposed for private ends gain and self-interest made sale of even at Simon Magus's price and may call for reformation But to apply it to the present Crisis I say tho these should be reformed to the exact Rule of the Apostles yet
If thou believe in me and ask in my Name all shall be granted and hast thou not both believed and asked and yet hast not received but thy answer was Thou askest and hast not because thou askest to bestow upon thy Lust Is not this thy case Knock without him and none will open seek him to knock for thee and he hideth himself What therefore canst thou do more to this Master than thou hast already done yet what evidence hast thou got or what evidence hast thou that thy Works are accepted Why therefore dost thou spend thy time and self for nothing Break off this sullen obscure Life take a little ease before thou go hence and vanish into soft Air Hast not thou Parts and Gifts to make thee eminent among Men Art not thou as able to stand before Princes as many others who by a blameless compliance have gotten great Honour and Riches Be not therefore wise or righteous too much why wilt thou make thy self desolate Leave therefore this simpering Life and trie but my Service and the Riches and Pleasures of the World shall be thine which thou mayest use as thou pleasest none shall say why art thou good why prodigal why hoardest thou up why hast thou done thus And now I say if in this great Temptation the Soul stand fast it shall shortly tread down Satan under its Feet 19. And tho to answer Satan with our Lord Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only c. is the sovereign Cordial of all yet seeing for our further Instruction the holy Writers have enlarged further it behoves we enquire into their teachings St. James thus Chap. 5.8 Be patient Brethren until the coming of Lord. Be patient stablish your Hearts for the coming of the Lord draws nigh Ver. 10. Take the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience Behold we count them happy who endure Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that he is pitiful and of tender Mercy But above all things swear not c. Whence it is manifest that Patience in this Crisis is a strong Fortress and Job's Patience and Example particularly recommended and above all things pernicious to swear in our own strength Thirdly not to murmur He gave he hath taken blessed be his Name Fourthly not to offend in words It also is of moment to observe at what the advice of Job's Friend tended and what he more righteously defended for their Plea still was that the Innocent and Righteous were never cut off and therefore Job was deep in Sin Self-confidence c. His Answer was that he was as righteous as they and therefore boasted much of his Righteousness in Tummim I cannot says he depart from it yet defending it was God's just Prerogative to afflict the Righteous as he pleased and yet to suffer the Tents of the Robbers to flourish but the end of these are miserable and those full of happiness And therefore sometimes he desires God not to spare Job 6.9 10. as if he would say Tread hard for nothing in me that is good wilt thou harm but the evil which makes me unripe for thy Mercy thou wilt consume And doubtless in this to conform to him is acceptable that is still holding his Faith I know my Redeemeer liveth Job 19.25 20. Another Example we have from the Prophet David Psal 77.2 In my Straits I sought the Lord my hands failed or were poured forth and ceased not my Soul refused consolation I remembred God and I tumultuâ—ted I meditated and my Spirit fainted Thou heldest mine eyes waking I was shaken and I spake not I considered the ancient days of Mountain-Worship and the Years or Changes of the Gospel-Ages to come I remember in the Song in former Darkness in my Heart I did contemplate and my Spirit made diligent search Will the Lord cast off in the hidden Age Will he be bountiful no more Is his Mercy clean gone for ever his Sayings to generation and generation quite failed Hath God forgot to be merciful hath he in anger shut up his Mercies Then said I This is my Infirmity these are the changes of the right-hand of the Most High I called the Works of Jah i. e. Christ to mind for thy marvellous Works from the ancient times I will remember Who is so great a God as our God! With thine Arms thou hast redeemed c. Which gives yet further light how we may fortify and ease our minds in this state namely to consider all former experiences of God's gracious dealing with us under the Law and Gospel and other particular Trials and thence argue Did God call us in our Natural State and save us in our Legal Warfare and will he now cast us off in the Gospel-State and break the Promises of Grace And lastly to conclude this is through my Infirmity and these are but the Changes of the Most High upon all his Elect for their good as in another place Psal 55.19 Because they have no Changes therefore they fear not God thence implying that all fearing God must undergo like Changes and therefore why shall I take this as if some strange thing had happened to me but rather rejoyce my Lot is fallen with Job David nay with Christ whom I will call to mind what he did for me in the War under the Cross and ever since I first knew him Who is so great a God who so powerful a Redeemer as He c. In Allegory this Trial by Fire is represented by the Burning at Taborah but in a far more tragical manner even unto blood for as the failing so the Penalty Numb 11. For after many Blessings and Mercies and as yet no defects in their Tents the People fell a lusting after base and mean Usury and murmured offending in Heart and Tongue for they had the Tabernacle newly reared and the Cloud by day and Fire by night which were sure Signals that the Divine Presence was with them and and they could not be out of the right way And for Food they had Angels Bread so qualified as he that gathered most had no spare nor he that gathered least any lack he that ate most could not surfeit nor who least went not away hungry yet so mercenary was their Spirits and greedy after gain and lastly so meritorious they thought their forsaking of Egypt at God's call was as they murmured at their Penny The Hebrew reads The People as it were made themselves complain or lament that is they made cause of complaint where no curse was for their pretence was That Angles food was not good enough All we have is Manna our Souls are dried up And their cry was In Egypt we had dainty Sallads forgetting that they had Brickils too and we have forsaken them at Jehovah's call who will give us Flesh which verily taken in the Gospel-sence are the express words of a Gospel-Usurer I
We endâ—avoured to express by name 41. Now we shall conclude in summing up all within the compass of one prospect Lord who is he whom thou wilt to espouse in everlasting Love Him walking in Integrity by Consumption resisting his original corruption undermining the power and pride of the Arm of Flesh rejecting his own and laying hold upon the merits of Christ Him studying to find out the deceits of his Heart oft calling it under strict examination is allwayes jealous over it and especially when it with the Buyer cryes it is nought it is nought yet in private boasts and by this his diligence teacheth it to speak the Truth and to believe unto Righteousness And having thus subdued his affections takes his Tongue to task knowing it to be an unruly Instrument often set on fire by Hell cursing and blessing in one breath oft wounding others and not rarely it self And so bridleth it as it will not reproach any no not its Reproacher but will plead for the Innocent set forth the Goodness and Glory of God and confess unto Salvation Him not rending evil for evil but doth good to them that do him evil yet not casting his Pearls before Swine forgiving all men and a Brother though though he offend him seventy seven times Nor yet will offend him though he be impertinent in matters lawfull or indifferent but seeking to build up such in brotherly kindness according to the faithfull precepts of Gospel Unity Who being called unto his Spiritual Warfare meekly takes up his Cross following his Captain General wheresoever he leads without murmurringly saying Where goest thou Forsaking without regret whatsoever Righteousness by legal Merit or Works he had gathered patiently yeilding up every strong Hold that these or his own Wisdom or Education had erected And lastly resignes the Promise believing with Paul that his naked Lord is better than all these and with Abraham that he that hath promised is able to make it good unto him in a more excellent way than he could conceive still loving the Word and frequenting the Assemblies though in this Crisis he find no relish in them but believes that they are good and holy and profitable because commanded by him not commanding in vain and so enters the strait and terrible Gate Layes down his Life bringing no reproach upon his Warfare or Inwards And now having thus fought the good Fight and finding himself delivered and raised up from Death and not by himself concludes he is poor and miserable and writes upon the Tablets of his Heart in the point of a Diamond Vild and contemptible thou Saved by one that ought thee nothing and gave for thee a great Ransom yet required no Price or Recompence from thee and in the sence of this puts on Humility Meekness and Gentleness Love Mercy and Charity towards others and especially the poor needy and labouring Souls in the distresses he was in and so becomes a doer and not a hearer of the Word in that Religion which is pure and undefiled and girding the Loines of his Mind and Will fall's not under the sluggish Sleep of I cannot I cannot but renewing reverential Fear cutteth down with its twofold Edge such sordid ungratefull Allurements or Suggestions as draw back to ease and supine neglect and renders due Honour and Love to every candidate in the Fear of the Lord. And for as much as full Experience assuring that God is with him loves him and will never forsake him he freely nails his Ear to his Door-Post in an Everlasting Covenant of yea yea nay nay And that he so assisting will not be drawn into the seducing Doctrines of Anti-Christ or any Spirit Principality or Power in Heaven Earth or under the Earth that claimes rule with God or compartnership with Christ his Master in working Holiness and therefore carfully watches over the envyings pride lustings of his own Spirit and fearing the fawnings of Satan is allwayes suspicious least he should delude his Spirit into a twisting of Interest and him into a Perswasion that they together are the Spirit of God in him speaking and teaching in his Name and oft begging as verily the case urgently requires that God will enable him to discover the Frailties of his own and Forgeries of this old Deceiver now working in the depth of Satan yet disguised in the form of an Angel of Light And having done all this acknowledgeth himself an unworthy Servant no Wages or Usury due to him but will patiently wait for the Reward until he be made fit to receive it Nor yet when the Trial comes will think it some strange thing or murmur that it burns down his Wood Hay and Stubble but rejoyceth that he is made thereby conformable to Christ and that those counterfeit Riches he had gathered though upon the right Foundation shall not any longer deceive them with their outward Splendor but are consumed only the Foundation left and he upon it naked and empty saving a white Linnen Garment which he rejoycing well calls his Innocency and knows no other Righteousness he hath beside this outward covering and therefore does not upon it lay claim to the Reward nor is so hasty for it as it will awake her Beloved for it though sick of Love until he please Who so doth these things shall never be moved in his legal State he will find a City of Refuge from the Avenger in his Warfare whilest he walks in the Valley of the shadow of death he shall fear no evil but the next day he shall sing a new Song in the Land of Confession We have a strong City Salvation will direct the Walls and Bulwarks Open the terrible Gates of Hulam that a new born may enter in and to worship in Spirit and Truth Him will I keep in perfect Peace his mortal hush through the good Will of him that dwelt in the bush shall live in ease in the everlasting burnings of the hidden Ages and in that Mountain Isai 25.6 where God shall make a Feast of fat things and where our Lord shall swallow death into Victory his Innocency shall be cloathed upon with Immortality and his corruption shall put on incorruption O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory and he shall be ever with his Lord God shall give him Light and he shall Reign for ever and ever wherefore let us comfort one another with these things rendring to him who shall make us more than Conquerers All Honour Glory Praise Age and Age Amen FINIS