who are found to be chosen and faithful God hath not left himself without witness 1 Tim. 1.11 even among these whose love affections and zeal are manifested to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God a continuall supply of such godly Patriots the Lord grant and prosper unto us which is far dearer to every gratious heart then its dearest blood or what ever is desirable under the Sun or to be admired by the sons of men and according to mens gifts and greatness of place is the excellency of good or excess of evil men in authority have the greatest opportunities of doing good or evil as they are improved so is the ruine or happiness of a state therefore we may heartily wish that all men in eminency of place who are enemies to Jesus Christ might be fools and dunces that they might not be able to manage their malice and power with such depths dexterity to the more dangerous undermining of the power of godliness great men are more subject to temptation then others yet God chose himself a David a Moses a Jehosaphat a Josias c. to be very excellent instruments for his glory and if God doth expect most from them to whom he hath given most and the greatest Harvest where he hath sown most seed then dreadful will their account be who cannot answer God one for a thousand who have not imployed their gifts talents and power to the glory of that God who hath so liberally bestowed them on them for God will not have the sword of Magistracy lockt up in the scabbard unto a wicked offendor nor maliciously drawn against the just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.3 For rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil that is they should not be a terror to good works how then have many rulers mis-exercised their power in punishing vertue and countenancing vice how have the fair and tender locks of Jesus Christ in the profession of the power of godliness been cropped and singed and the black ruffled hair of the whore of Babylon decked crisped and curled to the view of the world to the sensible grief and wo of many thousands in this Kingdom how hath formality been advanced and reality depressed how hath truth suffered and error raigned how hath the sword been turned against the faithful in the Land and they made the only Butt against whom all the arrows of malice have been directed and I am confident that no Nation under heaven have been greater or more bitter enemies to the power of Godliness then some in this Nation have been and still are and would be yet they themselves profess the same faith the same Christ the same God and the same baptism but the deeper will their wound of conscience be and the heavier their damnation Indeed as he is not a Jew that is one outwardly even so he is not a Christian that 's one in shew that hath only an outside in Religion that is he is onely so nomine non re in name but not in truth Yet we see that all that are baptized they appropriate the name of Christians unto themselves in word they profess they know God Tit. 1.16 but in works they deny him being to every good work reprobate for to God they are abominable and disobedient to all the commands of God and of Jesus Christ yea how many thousands in this Nation are there that are so far from the power of godliness that they hate the very form yea shall I say more they are without humanity it self O how Atheistically barbarous and prophane do men live These are they who are without God in the world Ephes 2.12.2 3. they only are lead by the power of the prince of darkness the God of this world hath blinded their eyes hardned their hearts yea and they are sealed up unto everlasting condemnation and yet know it not and yet these must pass for Christians O let these know that it will be easier for Turks and Indians in the day of Judgment then for them Now the scope of what I shall in this small Treatise humbly present unto your serious meditations is to set forth the sad condition of all them that content themselves with a form of godliness and deny the power thereof as also the excellency and happiness of those that can make it out to their own hearts that the power of godliness dwels in their spirits having also laid down several marks of both whereby every serious inquisitive soul may know how its condition stands with God they are the meditations and endeavors of some spare hours from other Imployments which I have made use of O let not the humility of the stile or any prejudicated thoughts of the insufficiency of the author be a scandal or impediment to your perusal of his labors or to make you say with Antipater King of Macedonia when there was a book concerning mans happiness presented to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leasure but read and Judge by the rule of the Spirit of love which is the strongest obligation Quis legem det amantibus major Lex amor est sibi Love is at once a freedom from all Law and yet a law of the greatest necessity My desire is and God say Amen to it that this plain Pill though naked and altogether without the guildings of Rhetorick and therefore the more consentaneous to true Gospel Physick might be very effectuall both to City and County which indeed it will be to all that take it down into their hearts O that God would be pleased by it to purge us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and make us live up to every mercy we enjoy giving the glory of all grace to the God of glory and power who onely can make all means effectual by the working of his own spirit in the hearts of the sons of men he can aswell bless weak means as strong Jer. 37.10 wounded men shall take the City if he command them pezants shall be more potent then Princes if they have Gods commission so it s in the power of the Almighty to make these few gleanings as copious in fruitfulness as the fullest sheaves of harvest these weak and unsinewed meditations as effectual as the high and strong parts of others which I shall leave in the hand of him who is all sufficient to do abundantly more then we can ask or think humbly desiring your candid acceptance of these my slender endeavors and I shall desire at the hand of the Lord your daily increase in faith in Jesus Christ for that is that potent princely grace that is that victorious grace attended with all her glorious train reading down triumphantly before you all vain pomp and transitory glory that she may hold still fresh and flourishing in your eyes the immortality and bliss of a never-fading crown and shine fair fruitfull in your souls untill
there be in every godly soul against the lest temptation of sin and this inward disturbance and disquietness of spirit the hypocrites and men of the world cannot bear Is not Zoar a little one and my soul shall live what cannot I give a little liberty to the flesh make use of a small lust what not a little liberty for company keeping for covetousness for pride revenge for wrongs done me must I keep so close and exact to the rule O this makes mens actions speak that they are no friends to the power of godliness though in words they will not confess it for shame the truth is that in all ages there have been underminers of the power of godliness in a secret way pretending to truth and godliness when their intents were quite contrary witness the high Commission Court of late yeers yea witness all the faction of the conformable Clergy yea and thousands of professors at this very day and especially those that so much vindicate and plead for forms in the Worship of God also those loud out-cries against all men that side not with nor approve of Zion-Colledg-Presbytery being not content with what the Parliament appoints but are grasping and thirsting after more power that it might be in their own hands to tyrannize over mens consciences more then in truth either the Bishops or their Courts did ever exercise for they generally assented to conformity to such Ceremonies as made for the establishing of their pomp and glory and in those days a man for a little money might make means and friends to enjoy the liberty of his conscience but now nothing will serve but submission or exile as some Presbyterians have said to my face that such ought to be the condition of all those that were of a contrary judgment and that after admonition would not submit they were not fit to live in a Kingdom though at the same time they have confessed that they have been honest men setting their judgments aside O this is unexpressible madness for men to subjugate Christians consciences unto a formal government their very words argue them formalists and their inward malice and predomination over tender consciences demonstrates the want of the power of godliness therefore take this for a rule that whosoever in all his discourses or actions shall so contend for any form whatsoever in matters of Religion more then power such a man denyeth the strength and power of godliness for godliness is of a more excellent nature it tyeth a man to a strictness of life wherein power will appear as well as form the heart is the thing that God requireth for he will be sainctified of all them that draw neer unto him and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth and not in outward forms onely Do men that profess the form of godliness oppose the power of it O then it doth highly concern men to look into their own ways examine their own hearts dost thou profess Religion because the laws of the Land injoyn thee to it or is it from a principle of thine own or by the power of Jesus Christ O know whatsoever flowes from man as he is man is carnal earthly and sensuall therefore as the cause is such is the effect as the principle such the act art thou guided and principled by the Spirit of God in thy profession is the word of God the pattern and rubrick of thy life doth thy conversation speak thee Christian and spiritual doth thy blossom sprout from the tree of life art thou rudimented and disciplined from thy School-master Christ then thou mayest without prejudice conclude thy qualifications to be truly sanctified and thy profession truly godly it is not the outward profession but the inward intention and cordial affection that God accepts My son saith God give me thy heart walk before me and be thou upright and perfect it is the close and inward walking of the heart with God that God accompts uprightness and perfection its impossible for a man to be upright with God unless his heart be for him there can be no soundness in Religion springing from a rotten heart away then with these outside services abandon all thy goodly flourishes cease to seem learn to be let not thy profession be superficial but supernatural be less glorious in the eyes of men and more of God sore not too high with thy artificial plumes lest the vigorous heat of the Sun of righteousness scorch thy wings and thy soul and body be precipitated into the infernal lake Take heed then unto thy heart labor for integrity in that and thy conversation will be godly it is the madness of many men when they are reproved for their sinful lives to reply and say Why what man is there that liveth and sinneth not though I sometimes fall into error and sin against God yet my heart is good my wishes are to and for God O foolish men who hath bewitched you is it possible for vertue and vice to co-inhabite for a bad life to issue from a good heart can spirit and flesh can light and darkness can Christ and Belial be co-inthroned O vain conceptions O foolish imaginations A good and sincere heart maketh an identity and conformity in the whole man it spiritualizeth his understanding will and affections It puts a spirit of illumination into the Understanding and Judgment of that man whose heart is truly sanctified and upright towards God whereby he is able to discern and judg of things that differ between things that are good and evil It purifies his Will and puts it upon the choice of the best things it makes it aspire after heaven and heavenly things it will labor and act after nothing but Christ and him crucified It regulates and placeth the Affections upon their right Object thus the heart being made spiritual the Understanding the Will and the Affections will be all subservient to the dictates of the Heart the Understanding thereby comes to a knowledg of the things that are of God the Will that approves of that knowledg and acts for God then the Affections which are the wheels of the soul carrie the whole man after that which is good Col. 3.1 If you be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ your Head is Set not your affections on things of the earth for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God that is you are or ought to be dead in your affections to the things of this world O let your conversation be where your life is hid Now to draw a period to this Point and to wind up this Particular on which I have dwelt something long Is it so that men that content themselves with a form of godliness do thereby deny the power of it and so contract unto their souls the guilt of an hainous sin Yet let me offer one word of comfort unto such men and not leave them as men without hope though
Pilula ad expurgandam Hypocrisin A PILL to Purge FORMALITY Wherein is discovered the sad and woful condition of all formal professors in Religion Also the glory and excellency of those that walk in the power of godliness with severall notes of tryall whereby men may know whether they have onely a Form of godliness or the power thereof Also severall directions how men may come to the knowledg of their present estate whether leading to hell and damnation or to life and glory By THO. HUBBERT Esq 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4.8 But godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good London Printed by Robert White for Lodowick Lloyd and Henry Cripps and are to be sold at their Shops in Popes head Alley next to Lumbard-street 1650. To the Right Honorable Iohn Bradshaw Lord President And the rest of the Right Honorable the Councel of STATE Right Honorable THough I conceive Euripides speaks at as high a rate as any of the sons of Nature can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that layes his leg upon a Velvet Cushion all the day long shall not meet with those sharp flints those pricking thornes and scratching briers that will be anothers portion who walking abroad sees and is not sinfully silent to the practical errors that as a leprosie overspread the conversations of men yet I conceive a Christian findes such wages in Gods work that he would not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 withdraw his foot from his service to dip it in oyle elsewhere I am not without some experiences in which God give me an heart to rejoyce more that it is much better in respect of the outward man to sing Hosannah to the practical or opinionative errors of men then with the great hazard that attends such endeavors to engage against them many a man hath come off with a scratcht face in appearing for truth yet since I have meditated upon Eternity I dare say with Luther Mallem ego cum Christo ruere quam stare cum Caesare I am not so great a stranger to the practices of this present generation that I should not expect many an open Sepulchre in the mouths of men threatning to bury my name and reputation as the reward of my present endeavors yet is it not in this respect that I have taken the boldness to my self to take Sanctuary under your Honors protection No my Lords I have in this particular a God to go to who shall hide me in the secret of his presence and keep me secretly in a pavillion from the strife of tongues This small Treatise kisseth your Honors hands upon other terms There is in it at least a design to hold forth some beams and rayes of the power of godliness which hath hitherto found but little entertainment in the Courts of Princes been owned by a very few great ones of the world greatness and goodness rarely kissing each other Not many wise not many noble are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Right Honorable the eyes of good men are upon you and they expect under God the fruits of your Councel both to the people of God and Inhabitants of this Land mediocrem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the more our eyes are upon you the more wicked men watch for your haltings If there be a root of covetousness springing up in the midst of you if any ulcerous bile of malice if a swelling of pride if a base itch of lust if in a word you be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not your enemies say the pictures in the hangings and your Lorships are Christians of the same complexion You have but a form of godliness you deny the power thereof But I hope better things of you that the place where you are assembled will be not as of old in name onely White-Hall and your selves still Right Honorable accounting it your greatest honor to honor the Son by whose name you are called Christians in the power of godliness that it may never be said of you as Melancthon descanting upon his name of Hosius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minimè sanctus This Treatise consulted with in your spare but serious hours will in the strength of God prove as to the forementioned diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You will not finde in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Lenten discourses as were wont to drop from the silken lips of Court-Chaplins The work is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pen'd for ostentation but for the glory of JESUS CHRIST to whom as your Councellor that you may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he commends you all and that he in whose hands all the Councels of men are would dwell upon you direct you for his Glory with the Good and Peace of this Poor wearied Land is and shall be the continual prayer of Your Honors most devoted servant in and for Christ Tho. Hubbert To the Right Worshipful the Justices of Peace of the City of London and County of Middlesex The Author wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace in this life and an Eternall weight of Glory in that which is to come Right Worshipful WHen I considered the excellency glory beauty of the true power of godliness on the one hand the few freinds it had on the other hand though it might justly challenge love respect embraces and protection even from the greatest Princes in the world 1 Tim. 4.8 forasmuch as godliness hath the promise of this life that which is to come yet by woful experience we finde that its daily persecuted on the one hand by open enemies though not as such as Christ was not crucified as Christ but as a deceiver so godliness is persecuted as factious and Schismatical hypocrisie and as an enemy to the State c. so on the other hand it s betrayed disgraced and undermined by its pretended friends and at this time being almost out of fashion seeing in general true religion is turned into notion and the power of godliness into a form shadow and outside so that now piety suffers exceedingly Then give me leave to plead on its behalf even to you to whom God hath given the sword in these parts so that true godliness might be promoted and protected by you and all irreligion and prophaneness discountenanced and punished seeing the Magistrate doth not or should not bear the sword in vain and he to whom it s committed ought to be a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well and though not many wise 1 Cor. 1.26 not many mighty men after the flesh not many noble are called not many Justices of the Peace are guilty of being acquainted with this power of godliness its a very rare thing to finde greatness and goodness go together yet some there are
of this world Christ gives thanks to his Father That he hath hid these things from the wise and prudent of the world and hath revealed them unto babes and this Christ gives as a reason Because it was thy good pleasure It was Gods good pleasure to put godliness into the souls of the poor and despised ones of this world and to pass by so many great and mighty ones Grace is free and God gives it to whom he will O this speaks very sad tidings to men of the world what for a man who was made so excellent to have his portion here in this life to be not differenced from the bruit beasts how miserable is this mans condition whose happiness is terminated in this life now the Saints condition is far better they have their bitter-sweet but the wicked have their sweet-bitter their glory pomp and greatness their heaven kingdom and paradise are in this world onely but their wo misery and torment Job 5.3 is in that which is to come whereas the godly may here endure heaviness and sorrow for a night and enjoy future bliss and happiness to all eternity This also may make men to cease wondering at the Saints Jude ve 3. when they see them so earnest to contend for the faith which was once given to the Saints yea when they contend for Christ the wayes of God and follow the Gospel of Salvation so earnestly here they may see the reason of it they have a certain power given them within that puts them upon it that excites their affections and kindles a holy zeal in their heart and carries them on with strength to wrestle with the strongest oppositions Psal 39.3 My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned saith the Psalmist there is an inward heat in the breast of the godly which makes them lively and acting for the faith of the Gospel they must act will they nill they the power that is in godliness puts them upon it the Love of God that constrains them to do it what made David to dance before the Ark of the Lord when he was despised in the eyes of his own wife but this power of godliness what made the three children so resolute and careless in answering the King when he threatned them that unless they would fall down and worship the golden Image they should be immediatly cast into the fiery Furnace observe their answer Say they Dan. 3.17 18. That God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thy hand O King and he will deliver us but if not know we are not careful to answer thee in this matter for be it known to thee O King we will not fall down before thy gods nor worship the golden Image that thou hast set up now did not the standers by look on these men as mad men and wonder at their peremptory answer and blame them for their folly in not yielding to what the King had commanded certainly they looked on them as men meer men little dreaming that there was any other power in them then was in themselves but you see how they were deceived for these men had on the armor of proof that the Apostle speaks of they had this power of godliness in their souls that did maintain their courage and fortifie their hearts against what could assay them it was not the fear of the King could shake the loyalty of their hearts to the King of Kings it was not the fire of the Furnace could affright their thoughts or any way dimm or out-burn the glowing raies of the light of the Sun of Righteousness within them so now in these dayes when carnal men see a man so mighty and zealous for a godly Minister or to take much pains in the hearing of the Word Preached that he will go through thick and thin wet and dry and spare no endeavors that he may enjoy or meet with Christ in an Ordinance when profit cannot tempt him pleasures draw him aside and threatnings divert him from his course they stand and wonder and are as it were at a loss to see a man so industious in such a way O now this will give you carnal wretches a full account this man hath a power in his soul which doth uphold him put him on and carry him thorow in spight of all gainsayers he can say as Paul said I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Christ bears sway here godliness is predominant and the man is now led by another power then he brought into the world with him the man is carried captive by the Spirit of Christ and power of Grace so that he is not now as other men are who have not this power in them Cast but your eyes on men of the world and you shall see them given to several vices sins and lusts one who is given to company-keeping that man is never himself but when he is in a Tavern or Alehouse there 's his delight that is the end of his thoughts let all other business sink or swim let his wife or children pine and languish at home with thirst and hunger nay let their tears and silent mournings pierce the hearts of their pittying neighbors yet they shall never reach his his care and pitty are drowned in carowsing bowls and Bacchus alone shall be his god another addicted unto whoring whose own wife though never so honest never so well pleasing and good conditioned can be as she ought to be the sole subject of his content but his sinful and venereous thoughts must carry him on and prompt him unto adulterous actions contaminating his body with lewd and lothsom Harlots satifying and quenching his sulphurous lust in dirty puddles and refusing clearer and pleasanter streams of his own sporting himself in the arms and bosom of a prostituted Strumpet and rejecting and defiling the sweet embraces of a chast wife this man sacrificeth unto Venus and she is the Goddess of his heart And another he is possest with voluptuousness and pleasure and is never wel but when he is swimming in that stream he is presently taken with that temptation of Satans Matt. 4.8 9. who doth but shew him the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and promiseth to give him all those things to worship him and do him service O this is a welcome prize to him what more delightful what more sought after by him then the pleasures and glory of this life the devil may buy his soul for a Poppit-shew so that his outward man be but pampered and satisfied with a moment any pleasure let his soul perish in eternal wrath and burnings what cares he the devil is his god a voluptuous life the consummation and perfection of his hopes now let a moral civil man cast but his eye on this company-keeper and he admires at his course and looks upon him under the notion of a mad man take a chaste man that beholds the
godliness dwels in thee and thy estate to be good and that thou art walking in the way to Eternal life O give God the glory of the riches of his grace and mercy in his Son for ever but on the contrary if none of these be found in thee but rather their contraries then there can be no godliness dwelling in thee and so thou remaining in a miserable estate and condition As first if thou art in that estate of nature wherein thou wert born and that thou never sawest any change or alteration from that conditionn or never endeavouredst after any but restedst contented and thoughtest thy self to be in a good and happy estate let men say what they will or can yea let God Christ and the Scriptures testifie the contrary as is most cleer they do as you may see in these ensuing places of Scripture John 3.3 Verse 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God now what birth is this but the new birth of the water and of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must understand the water of Regeneration and the Spirit working effectually in us for our conversion as water doth cleanse the filth of mens bodies so the water of regeneration the souls of men from sin now the Spirit of God is that whereby we live to God through grace 1 Cor. 15.4 5. The first Adam was made a living soul but the last which was Christ was made a quickning Spirit that is such a man that is regenerate lives supernaturally above the sphear of nature that is another maner of life then a natural man can live now this word Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiro ut spiritus à spirando 2 Cor. 13.5 both in the Greek and Latine properly signifieth Breath and therefore Christ compareth the working of the Spirit to the Winde That bloweth where it listeth no man knoweth whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one which is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 Again Know you not if Christ be not in you ye are reprobates now Christ lives in no soul but where godliness dwels if Christ be in a soul there will be a conversation suitable to Jesus Christ now no natural man can know or partake of Christ or of his Spirit Rom. 8. For he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his If sin raign in thee that thou obeyest it in the lust thereof if thou art a Drunkard a Swearer a profane Person an enemy to the Saints and the wayes of God and that thou takest delight in all maner of sinning O know that thou art far from godliness thou art still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity If thou livest suitable and conformable unto this world unholily and unsanctifiedly in thy conversation so as thou canst like and approve of any thing better or as well as holiness thou hast no power of godliness in thee If thou art ignorant what communion with God is and canst not speak by experience what sweetness is in Christ nor canst prize it at an high rate because thou knowest not what it is nor the worth thereof If thou canst not rest upon God in a streight but fleest to the creature and usest any indirect means to deliver thy self or else thou sinkest under thy affliction when thou placest confidence in outward means and forsakest the God of life If thou have no love to God Gospel the wayes of God and the Saints nor seest no excellency in them and yet hast an eye to see and admire an excellency in the things of the world as in profits pleasures riches honors good bargains and such in which indeed no excellency is it is to be feared that there is not the least spark of godliness in thee If thou couldest be content to live and enjoy the world for ever with all that it can afford and in thy thoughts couldest wish that all things in the world were at thy command and that thou wouldest willingly take them for thy heaven and for thy portion that thou hadst rather have thy Tabernacle here on earth then to enjoy the mansions of heaven that thou hadst rather associate and hold fellowship with the men of this world then be a companion to and with the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven O this speaks thee carnal this renders thee worldly if men would but examine their hearts and awake their benummed consciences it would be found to be the condition of millions of men and women in this world and it is for that they are of the earth and have nothing to do with any acquaintance or familiarity with God or the things of God For the natural man knoweth not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned If thy thoughts and affections be set upon the things of this world in the general course of thy life so that the god of this world hath taken the whole possession of thy heart and hath blinded thy eyes do but ask thy conscience what thy affections run after and what thy soul is most taken up with if thou art a carnal wretch then it will speak pure world The first thing wherewith thy minde is agitated in the night when thou awakest and in the morning when thou arisest is What must I do this day where shall I first pitch upon my imployment where shall I light upon a good bargain how shall I put off such and such a bad commodity what wile shall I use what stratagem shall I invent what way shall I go to work to pull a thorn out of my own foot and put it into my neighbors to advantage my self and over-reach my friends to ease my self and burden others such as these will be thy Soliloquies these will be thy reasonings and machinations and having through these night-studies accomplished thine ends O how will thy heart rejoyce O what a perfect man art thou in thine own wisdom thy onely joy is in the increase of thy Corn Wine and Oyl but as for God Christ and his wayes and for the graces of his Spirit they are not at all in thy thoughts O this is a lamentable sign that thy portion is in this world and that thou hast no part of that Inheritance which is given to the Saints If thou findest a certain antipathy or opposition in thy spirit against those Scriptures or Ministers that meet with thy sin couldst thou wish that the Scriptures were all compliances to thy will wouldst thou that God himself were not so holy as in his Word he is held forth to be and that there were less preaching more recreation then now there is on the Lords Day other dayes would one Sermon in a day yea in moneth please thee better if thou mightest have but Common Prayer with it well know that these things demonstrate a deadness to grace and godliness in the soul Vse 3 A third use
what excellency there is in godliness that so your carriages to others may make them to enquire after it to be in love with it to desire to know it and to be acquainted with it O be sure to carry your self so as that you give no offence to Jew or Gentile nor to the Church of God but let your carriage be such as that all men may be in love or at lest convinced that the way you walk in is just holy and good Pity poor souls that are ignorant of this power of godliness O remember it was once your condition and had been so still had not infinite free grace and tender mercy made a difference O therefore let your bowels yern towards them that are your brethren according to the flesh and let your prayers be to God that they may be endued from above with this power that the Spirit of grace would overshadow them and breathe the breath of life into their souls that they may be saved that they which belong to his eternal election may be speedily called home to partake of that sweetness of that Olive Tree Rom. 11.16 whose root is Jesus Christ stretch forth your helping hand to save poor sinners let your prayers be incessant for them O intreat and beseech them to be reconciled to God O let them know from you that there is sufficiency in the blood of Jesus Christ to save their pretious souls perswade them to come in to Christ and tell them what sweetness you have found in the wayes of God let them know that when you were in their condition that you thought your selves in a good condition but now God having opened your eyes you can tell them the error of your thoughts for you were going to the pit of destruction and knew it not O put them upon the consideration of Eternity let them know that their pretious souls must shortly launch into the ocean of Eternity and if there be not provision made for them if they have not Christ Jesus for their Pilot to steere their course for them they must certainly sinke and perish and be cut off for ever from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power and do all that possibly you can in all your addresses to them to perswade them that what you say to them is out of that love and intire affection that you bear to their poor souls Jude ver 23. And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh as you ought to use all means to perswade and draw men by the Spirit of Love to forsake their evil wayes and to enquire after Jesus Christ so if that will not prevail you may yea you ought to thunder against them and to rouse them out of their security in denouncing the Judgments of God by the terrors of the Law that you may do as much as in you lieth to terrifie and affright them out of their miserable condition so that if it be possible you may be instrumental to deliver them from eternal fire and from the wrath of an infinite God hereby shall you gain glory to God and testifie to the world your lothing and detestation of sinful wayes and discover unto such leprous souls that those spots wherewith sin hath defiled them are not the spots of Gods people for this the Lord saith of sinners Deut. 32.5 who walk in the imagination of their own hearts Their spot is not the spot of my people This may also exhort you who are the Saints who have received the power of godliness into your souls to pay your tributes of thankfulness unto the Lord. O do you bless praise and magnifie the great and glorious Name of God for ever O let your mouthes be filled with praise and thanksgiving to your God for ever and ever O you have cause to say Blessing and honor and glory and praise be given to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever who hath looked upon you in your low estate and redeemed you from condemnation This is the Lords own work and it ought to be mavellous in your eyes this should cause you to spend the length of your dayes to the honor and service of your God in holiness of life and all manner of godly conversation this the consideration of your deliverance from your spiritual enemies sin death and hell should be a strong engagement upon your spirits to serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of your lives Luk. 1.74.75 for you owe your selves to Christ remember you are bought with a price be not any longer the servants of sin and Satan live not to please men for if you be men-pleasers you cannot be the servants of Christ O dedicate your souls spirits and bodies to Jesus Christ yea and offer them up to God a living sacrifice for this is that Worship that is required at Saints hands by the word of God Rom. 12.1 O know there can be no greater manifestation of your thankfulness to God then your universal obedience to all Gods commands let this be done in the whole course of your lives hereby shall you evidence unto the world that you are those in whom dwels the power of godliness and by this you may draw others to be in love with the wayes of holyness and stop the mouths of all gain-sayers and opposers of it Now there are several motives to incite you Saints to this great duty of thankfulness 1. Praedestino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.29 praecognovit First From the consideration of your predestination why should God preordain that you should be to the praise of the glory of his grace from all Eternity yea to appoint you to be his adopted children in Christ Jesus Yea you are those whom God acknowledged before nd therefore he was pleased to predestinate you to life glory O now that God was pleased to appoint you for his people pass by so many thousands of the same lump and extend his mercy to you will not this raise up your hearts to thankfulnes shall not this be the theam and subject of your everlasting praises 2. Electio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the consideration of your Election why should God choose you out of that common mass of mankinde to make you heirs of life and glory yea coheirs with his Son Jesus Christ even as a Potter of a rude mass of clay maketh one vessel to honor and another to dishonor it s the Apostles allusion Rom. 9. Why wert not thou whom he hath made a vessel to life and glory made a vessel of wrath and confusion Why wert not thou passed by from all Eternity and numbered amongst the children of perdition it was only free grace that made the difference it was the good pleasure of the Lord to elect you to Salvation and pass by others leaving them under the curse of sin O remember