4 6. Yea let me adde farther as Austin saith of Books de Trinit l. 1. cap. 3. It is expedient that divers men write of the same thing in different styles that so what they cannot understand in one they may apprehend in another that so the truth may come to all to one after this manner to another after that the common Apology for multiplying Books on the same subject so I may say of the Promises God hath promised the same things under several notions and expressed them by several similitudes whereby he conveys them to the soul as cordial powders are conveyed in some waters to the stomach and when a soul cannot receive comfort by one Promise it doth by another though they are Promises of the same thing but under different notions and expressions or to the same persons whose condition is expressed by several Metaphors Some may perhaps receive comfort from Mat. 5.6 which dare not apply Psal 51.19 though it would be easie to shew that whoever hungers and thirsts after righteousness hath a broken and contrite heart Mat. 11.28 is as full a Promise as Joh. 6.37 and Isa 55.1 c. as full as either of them Yet it may be some souls may take more comfort from Joh. 6.37 because that Promise that Christ will in no wise cast out such as come to him answers directly to their scruple and just meets with that doubt which runs most in their minds that Christ would surely reject them if they should come as if God had intended that Promise purposely for them But further these Promises are precious in respect of their firmness and certainty which God hath given us assurance of by all those waies which are in use among men for the confirmation of any Grant Covenant Promise being as a Testament confirmed by the death of the Testator Heb. 9.17 2 Cor. 1.20 A Covenant sealed Rom. 4.11 A Promise confirmed by an Oath which is the utmost assurance that any man can give or require Heb. 6.16 c. This God doth not that his counsel may be immutable but that he may declare it to be so to us by that which is the most solemn way of confirmation amongst men O beatos nos quorum causâ Deus jurat O miserrimos si nec juranti Domino credimus Tert. de Poenit. cap. 4. How happy are we that God should swear for our sakes And what wretches are we if we believe him not upon his oath Fourthly Let us labour to clear our own interest in the Promise that we may with the more boldness put in our claim crying Abba Father Rom. 8.15 coming with as much confidence to God as a child to a Father though we may pray indeed without assurance hereof if we come not to God as knowing that he is our Father we may come to him that he may be our Father The Promise indeed is not universal but the call or invitation is universal and the Promise becomes absolute upon our accepting of Gods invitation Isa 55.1 Mat. 11.28 If any shall say the invitation is not to all but only to such as are thirsty and weary I answer these are no limitations of Gods grace but it would be in vain to invite any others and those are not moral qualifications to make Christ willing to accept of us but natural qualifications to make us willing to accept of him But that you may see what Faith it is which is required in Prayer I will make a short Digression to consider more distinctly what it is to pray in Faith and this may be taken either improperly or properly we may be said to pray in faith more improperly First When we pray with this confidence that our Prayer is according to the will of God viz. that it is according to the will of God that we should so pray though not that our Prayer should be granted it may be our duty to pray for that which it is not the pleasure of God to bestow Rom. 14.23 it is evident by the Context that the Apostle speaks of what a man doth without a perswasion of the lawfulness of it for the Will of God must be both the Rule of our duty and the Reason of our obedience so that whatsoever we do without this perswasion though it may be materially good it is formally evill because it is not in obedience to Gods Will. Secondly When we pray in truth and sincerity so Faith is taken Rom. 3.3 and Jam. 1.6 the Apostle seems to speak of such a Faith as doth effectually determine the Will to the free choice and constant prosecution of that which is good and that you may not think this a singular notion see the sence of several very judicious and godly men Dr. Jackson of Faith pag. 108. Dr. Preston on the Attributes of God pag. 11 12. Dr. Reynolds on Psal 110. p. 317. Mr. Capel of Tentations part 4. p. 46. The double-minded man saith he is not he who is in the right vvay and labours under some doubting but he that hangs betvvixt tvvo vvaies and knovvs not which to chuse whether God or Baal There are many which pray from their memories uttering such expressions as they have heard or read or from their fancies and inventions for therein Mr Saltmarsh is right that all extemporary prayers are not from the Spirit as some mistake Others go further and pray from conscience for such things as they are convinced they ought to pray for yet these pray not sincerely from the heart and affections and so they do not as David saith Psal 27.4 Seek after that which they desire of the Lord they pray but are afraid to be heard loath that God should take them at their word or say Amen to their prayers This was Austine case Confess L. 8. cap. 7. he prayed Da mihi castitatem continentiam sed noli modo Timebam enim ne me cito exaudines Lord give me chastity and continency but not yet I was afraid saith he lest thou shouldst hear me presently and cure that disease of lust which I had rather should be fulfilled than mortified So doubtless there are many which pray for that humility which would spoil their pride and gallantry for that fear of God self-denial heavenly-mindedness which would interrupt their sensual pleasures or hinder their thriving in the world by unlawful means and it is to be feared would be loath to part with those sins which an answer of such prayers would force them to part with How many pray that Gods name may be hallowed and are most ready to blaspheme his name That his Kingdom may come and oppose his Kingdom That his will may be done that will neither do it themselves nor suffer those to live quietly that desire to do it That God would not lead them into temptation and yet daily run upon temptations and would account it a punishment to be kept from them Thus do men compass God about with lies and deceit Hos 11.12
pretending to pray for those things which they hate or fear But more properly we may be said to pray in faith when we pray First With a more general perswasion either of the power of God Mat. 9.28 29. 2 Tim. 1.12 I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him or of his faithfulness Heb. 11.11 1 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not he is faithful he cannot deny himself which words we are not to understand as if God notwithstanding the unbelief of men would perform to them his mercy promised or as if unbelief could not deprive us of it but whether we believe or no that shall not make the faith of God of none effect Rom. 3.3 Gods Promise shall be made good according to the true tenour and import of it to those that by faith lay hold thereon though we should by our unbelief exclude our selves from the benefit of it Secondly When we pray with a particular perswasion that we shall receive the mercies which we pray for Now the chief question is about this How far we may pray with such a faith And for answer hereof we must consider that our prayers are either for spiritual mercies or for temporal Again spiritual mercies are either such as are necessary to the being of grace or for the well-being of it that which is necessary to the being of Christianity is assisting and persevering Grace and of the receiving of this our assurance is answerable to the assurance which we have of our own sincerity For that of God to the Apostle My grace is sufficient for thee is equivalent to a Promise and is as applicable to every Believer as those words of God to Joshua which the Apostle applies to all Heb. 13.5 and that the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.9 doth not speak of the sufficiency of grace as distinguished from the efficacy of it see Rhetorforti exercitat 428. and that Heb. 13.5 is true as well of spirituals as of temporals that being the chief end why we should desire of God not to fail us nor forsake us that he may encline our hearts to walk in all his waies and keep his Commandments 1 Kings 8.57 58. but for such grace as is necessary only to keep us from particular infirmities or for our comfort or for the liveliness of our graces this is not promised so absolutely but after the manner of temporal mercies for which we cannot ordinarily pray with a particular assurance of being heard all the Faith we can exercise in such cases is only on the power faithfulness and goodness of God in generall and that he will not despise our Prayers Psal 102.17 but accept them graciously and answer them in such kinde manner time and measure as seems good to his grace and wisdome and accordingly are all such Promises to be understood Indeed somtimes God doth make an extraordinary impression of confidence upon the hearts of his people in their prayers for temporal mercies as in Luther when he prayed for his friend Myconius and Edward the sixt for Sr. John Cheek Fullers Hâ—story Lib. 7. Object We are commanded to believe that we shall receive whatsoever things we desire when we pray Mark 11.24 and whatever we ask in prayer believing we shall receive Matth. 21.22 Ans 1. It is evident in both these places by the context that our Saviour speaks of that Faith of miracles which was in the primitive Church and peculiar to those times 2. If this were universally true many would never die nor ever want any thing for though they should not possibly pray thus for themselves yet others might pray thus for them 3. They had not an absolute power of receiving whatsoever they asked in prayer but this Faith was from an extraordinary impress upon the soul which had not any particular Promise for its foundation but only the power of God an immediate perswasion of his willingness God preparing the heart to seek where he had an intent to lend his ear to hear Psal 10.17 Indeed as one boasted that he could make an engine which would remove the whole earth if he had some place else to fix his engine upon so Faith would remove the world if it had a promise to stand firm upon If it be said we should pray for nothing but what we have a promise for I deny it There are as Mr. Hooker Eccles pol. l. 5. Sect. 48. hath rightly observed two uses of Prayer It serves as a means to procure those things which God hath promised to grant when we ask and as a mean also to express our lawfull desires towards that which whether we shall have or no we know not till we see the event Yea I may add further we may therein represent our desires with a submission to the will of God of those things which we know we shall not have It was plainly our Saviours case Matth. 26.39 though he knew it was not possible that the cup should passe from him and that he was come to that hour for this end that he might drink it John 12.27 CHAP. V. The Gospel the Word of Life Of Hearing and Reading the Word The Word is effectuall by Faith How variously Faith acts upon the several parts of the Word Upon the History and Doctrine thereof Hebr. 11.3 illustrated Upon the Commands The Socinians notion of Faith censured 1 Thes 2.13 explained The Acts of Faith on the Promises Rom. 4.17 c. 2 Pet. 1.4 opened How the Promises to Grace and the Promises of Grace conduce to Sanctification How Faith acts on the Threatnings Heb. 11.7 cleared The Use of Threatnings to Believers Rom. 8.13 interpreted How the Word is a means of Faith though it be made effectuall by Faith THe next means of Spiritual Life is Hearing the Word of God This is called the Word of Life Acts 5.20 Phil. 2.15 and Life is promised to the Hearing of the Word Isa 55.3 John 5.25 it is clear he speaks thereof spiritual Life because he saith the time is already come and in the verse before he had been speaking of Everlasting Life which is begun in Regeneration This Word is both the seed whereby we are begotten again 1 Pet. 1.23 and the food whereby we are nourished when we are borne 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Cor. 3.2 the end of the Ministry being to perfect the number of the Saints by conversion and their graces by Edification Ephes 4.11 12. I will not examine whether this word be the instrument of the Spirit or whether they have their different wayes of working the one morally by perswasion the other physically by real influence but this is sure there is a Spirit of life accompanies the dispensation of the Word which quickens dead soules as a spirit of life entered into the Prophet and set him upon his feet when God spake to him Ezek. 2.2 and as there went a divine power along with the word of Christ when he bade Lazarus come out of his grave which raised him
we are dayly assaulted with Many are like the Astronomers that look up to the Heavens to foresee what will afterwards come to pass and fall into a ditch before their feet Corn. Agrippa de Astronomia We fear future calamities and in a moment go down to the grave Job 21.13 We fear what the Sword or some other Judgement may do a great while hence and a feaver or any other disease which we are dayly lyable to may do us as much hurt Lipsius de constantia l. 2. c. 19. I confess a prudent foresight of evill is good Prov. 22.3 but there is no better preparation for it than to mind our present duty let us keep a pure conscience and the testimony thereof will be our rejoycing in an evill day 2 Cor. 1.12 Let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and that will deliver us from the bondage of the fear of death Let us do good while we have opportunity and so lay up for our selves a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.18 19. If we know not what evill will be on the earth let us liberally give to others Eccles 11.2 that when the evill comes we may say with Antonius Hoc habeo quodcunque dedi Seneca de Beneficiis l. 6. c. 3. what we so lay up is in safe hands and will be duly paid again Prov. 19.17 I could tell you of one who having given somewhat to a poor man and considering with himself whether he had not injured himself by giving beyond his ability presently corrected himself with those thoughts that he had lent it to one that would pay well again and within an hour had it restored above seven-fold in a way which he never thought of 3. Be very carefull to walk blamelesly and inoffensively Christians are trusted with the honour of Religion as Magistrates and all in any authority are with the Dignity and honour of their places which they are not to betray to scorne and contempt by doing any thing that is base or unworthy thereof But further by the Profession of Religion we derive upon our selves the enmity of the world John 15.19 Gal. 4.29 this is an old grudge an ancient hatred Ezek. 25.15 therefore we had need to behave our selves wisely in a perfect way Psal 101.2 that we may maintain an aw of us in them Mark 6.20 and then we may say with Caligula Oderint dum metuant Let them hate us so they fear us Zeuxis painted a Boy holding grapes in his hand and he had painted the grapes so lively that he deceived the birds and made them come to eat them but he was displeased with himself that he had not painted the Boy so lively as to scare them away If we take upon us a form of godliness to contract the hatred of the world let us be sure to expresse so much of the power of it as to make them fear us And though this will not alwayes restrain the rage of men so farre but they may make bold sometimes to offend us yet we shall have a witnesse for us in their own breasts against themselves which will at one time or other be whispering to them as Pilate's Wife to him Matth. 27.19 Have nothing to do with such a just man and will sooner or later lash them worse than the Heathens inexorable Nemesis but if by an unworthy carriage you lose the repute of holinesse and integrity they will make bold to do any thing to you without mercy and without fear Jer. 50.7 as birds will sit upon the head of a Mormoluke and pick at the very face of it when they perceive it is but the image of a man and not a real living man Let none be able to finde any occasion against you unlesse it be concerning the Law of your God Dan. 6.5 resolve if it be possible to cut off occasion from them that desire occasion 2 Cor. 11.12 4. Be sure to follow the work of Mortification then you will be fit for any condition the temptations of prosperity will then lose their force against you you will be as Barzillai 2 Sam. 15.35 all the pleasures of the Kings Court were no temptation to him because through age desire failed Eccles 12.5 So the things of the world lose their savour and relish with a mortified Christian as he replied when it was told him If he would please Caesar he need not live upon herbs That he that could live upon herbs need not please Caesar He that hath so farre mortified his affections as to be content as Epictetus sayes Enchirid. cap. 21. to be at Gods finding as a Guest at a table that takes what is carved for him and no more need not fawn upon any man much lesse violate his conscience for the great things of the world Neither will losses or afflictions on the other hand be any great trouble to them as the Martyr said If you take away my meat God will take away my stomack and then she should not misse her meat If your honors be taken away and your pride be taken away first if your earthly mindnesse and sensuality be mortified before you loose your estates and worldly accomodations you will easily bear the losse of them as he that hath a member mortified feels not what you do to it Violent affections are alwaies dangerous as they that will be rich so they that will be great or honorable fall into temptations and snares c. 1 Tim. 6.9 and whatever our hearts cleave to whenever it is rent from us it will be as the renting of our flesh Jonah was exceeding glad of his gourde Jon. 4.6 and he was as exceeding angry when it withered If the Sea grow rough strike sail if times grow troublesome shrink up and contract your desires and then say as Luther Miser sit qui miser esse potest Let him be miserable that can be miserable The sense of losses or any afflictions is according to the value which we put upon any thing Take a Ruffian who as Seneca sayes Malit Rempublicam turbari quam comam sollicitior sit de capitis sui decore quam de salute de brevitate vitae cap. 12. That had rather see the Common-wealth in disorder than his hair that takes more care to have his head handsome than he doth as I may truly translate it of his salvation What an affliction would it be to such an one to have his hair cut off quomodo excandescit si quid ex juba sua decifum est when another that mindes conveniency more than ornament would account himself rid of a trouble as Seneca when he was old desired to be discharged of the burden of his riches and said he should not thereby become poor but should when he was rid of those things that did blindfold him with their brightness bestow his time in study which he was wont to imploy in his gardens and possessions Salvian shews excellently how happy a mortified Christian
therefore we yield up the people of Campania the City of Capua our fields Temples and all belonging to us to your jurisdiction or dominion so that whatsoever we suffer for the future we shall suffer as your subjects So if we fear being overcome by the assaults of our spiritual adversaries let us apply our selves to Jesus Christ and go and renew our Covenant with him resigning up our selves souls bodies and all the faculties and members thereof to be kept by his power to salvation that we may be able to claim his aid and challenge his assistance as he hath a special inteâ—est in us John 10.12 cap. 17. 9. and pray as David Psal 119.94 I am thine Lord save me CHAP. VII What our spiritual Adversaries are How our Lusts do tempt us James 1.14 explained The Disadvantage of Believers in their spirituall combate by reason of their own lusts shewed by many similitudes out of Parisiensis The use of Faith in purifying the heart 1 John 3.2 3 cleared IF we consider the forementioned services as part of that homage which we owe to our Creator acknowledging the dependance which we have on him in directing all our prayers and supplications to him the authority which he hath over us as our Lawgiver Jam. 4.12 by sitting down at his feet to receive of his words Deut. 33.3 the obligations that are upon us to him for the great things Christ hath done and suffer'd for us by celebrating the Memorial of his Passion in the Lords Supper Faith quits it self sufficiently in a right performance of these Duties But considering them as means of grace for the getting and encrease thereof so what Faith doth therein is but in order to the overcoming of temptations and bearing afflictions wherein the grace which we get thereby is very much exercised So that in speaking of these things I must necessarily refer to many things spoken of in the foregoing Chapters though I shall not repeat them and in treating of those temptations which faith is of such use to overcome I shall shew you whence they proceed and how we do by faith overcome them Now these Temptations do proceed from the flesh from the world and from the Devil These are ordinarily reckoned our three spiritual adversaries and though they do all of them many times conspire in the same temptation yet I must treat of them distinctly For the First The Apostle tells us that fleshly lusts war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 And every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and inticed James 1.14 where we have the two wayes whereby lust prevails either the impetus and violence of it whereby it hurrieth a man into sin as the horse his rider into the battle Jer. 8.6 casting reason down from its seat where it should hold the reines of our affections so that neither fear shame admonitioÌ„s of others checks of conscience our own Principles Professions former resolutions will restrain them but they break all bands cast away all cords Ps 2.3 Secondly They entice and allure the will to consent by pretending the great pleasure and satisfaction in fulfilling them the consistency thereof with Salvation purpose of repentance probability of pardon c. by reason hereof we fight with our other adversaries at a great disadvantage as Parisiensis de Tent. resist cap. 2. hath by many apt similitudes excellently shewed as Of a Kingdome divided against it self having a party within it ready to joyn as occasion serves with a forrain adversary Of a Souldier that rides on a restive or unruly horse that runs backwards or runs away with him when he should charge his enemy To a strong man standing to fight on a slippery place where he is not able to hold his feet to put forth his strength To a Souldier in a house or castle that hath many breaches or open places where an enemy may shoot in at him To a Souldier that bares an heavy burthen which loads him and presses him down when he should fight To an house whose lower part is of some combustible dry matter and ready to take fire so our hearts are ready as occasion serves to comply with Satan and betray us into his snares our affections unruly our senses as so many windows or Avenues through which Satan may cast in his darts our corruptions as a burden that keeps us down as the remainders of an evil disease that enfeebles us so as we fail when we should put forth our strength against our spiritual adversaries our hearts as tinder or gun-powder apt to be set on fire by every spark of temptation Now Faith is of great use to us in this respect Purifying the heart from these corrupt lusts Acts 15.9 And this it doth 1. As it unites us to Jesus Christ whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature which is continually lusting and striving against our corrupt nature weakening it by degrees The spirit lusts against the flesh as the flesh lusts against the spirit Gal. 5.17 This is in the soul as the expulsive faculty which is subservient to the nutritive faculty expelling such things as are noxious to nature 2. By Faith we receive the spirit of Jesus Christ This may seem to be the same with the former but they differ as the habits of grace from assisting grace or auxilium habituale actuale of which see Alvarez de auxiliis divin grat Disp. 82. N. 10. as the Fable is of Hercules that he cleansed the stable of Augea wherein thousands of oxen had lyen for many years by turning a river through it so this sinke of our hearts is cleansed by the spirit which as a fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse doth continually flow in a believers soul compare Zach. 13.1 with John 7.38 39. 3. Faith purifieth the heart as it improves those Ordinances which are means for the purifying of it as the Word Psalm 119.9 John 15.3 Prayer Exek 36.26 27 37. Psalm 51.10 c. How Faith improves these I have shewed in the former Chapters 4. Faith doth this morally by improving such Arguments as may perswade us hereto 2 Corinth 7.1 1 John 3.2 3. Faith and Hope run parallel faith believing the promise hope expecting the thing promised and we can hope for nothing but what we believe the Promise of Now whoever hopes to be like Christ hereafter will certainly purifie himself that he may in some measure be like him here that being our state of perfection and there being in every thing a naturall tendency and reaching forth to its perfection and the spirit doth not work in us as physick but there must be a subordinate concurrence of our wills therewith the Apostle on the same ground presseth to mortification Col. 3.4 5. CHAP. VIII What a dangerous temptation the world is What it is to overcome the world The Story of Constantius his Courtiers The Parable of the thorny ground Luke 8.14 opened How Faith overcomes the world
not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away No more effectuall Consideration to moderate our affections to the things of the world and so prevent the abuse thereof than that of the vain appearance of happiness which is in them and their transient nature Neither the comforts which we rejoyce in nor the crosses which we weep for will be of any long continuance Ce n'est qu'une ombre passagere qui s'en va une vaine apparence du bien Amyrald in loc A flitting shadow quickly gon A vain shew or appearance of happinesse Seneca hath a passage Epist 110 which may serve for good gloss upon this place Quid miratis Pompa est ostenduntur istae res non possidentur dum placent transeunt When I behold saith he a brave house a gallant train c. I say with my self Why doest thou wonder c. all these things are meer pageantry a shew which is gone while we please our selves with it He could see thus farr by reason but a Believer may much more clearly discerne these things by the eye of Faith CHAP. IX The power of Satan to tempt by working both upon the mind and affections Ephes 6.16 enlightened how Faith overcomes his temptations 1 Pet. 1.5 opened Luk. 11.21 22. illustrated the general use of Faith in respect of all the pieces of our spiritual Armour Ephes 6. from vers 14. to vers 19. explained SAtan is the chief enemy we have to conflict with and when he desired to have Peter that is to have him in his power as Job 2.6 Christ prayed for him that his faith might not fail Luk. 22.31 32. supposing he might be able to abide the encounter while his Faith held out The influence of Angels both good and bad is certainly as the influence of the heavenly Bodies very strong though we are little sensible thereof The devill is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he works powerfully or effectually in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 he can doubtless by the stirring of Phantasms and moving the spirits work much both upon the judgement and affections and these have also a mutual influence upon each other He could put it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master Joh. 13.2 He could fill the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lye to the Holy Ghost Act. 5.3 He can take advantage of a sinners grief and trouble to swallow him up of sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 11. He can take away the Word out of mens hearts by diverting their minds to some other thing lest it should settle in their hearts and they be thereby perswaded to believe Luk. 8.12 He can represent things to the mind by stirring of Phantasmes when they are not represented to the outward sense and he is so cunning he knows how to apply actives to passives how to fit and suite temptations to mens tempers and inclinations as Judas being a thief Joh. 12.6 that is a covetous wretch he could suggest to him the advantage of betraying his Master and then Satan when Objects are presented either to the senses or imagination can stir the spirits and work upon those humours which may exceedingly encrease those passions which such Objects are proper to and this is as spreading the sails when the ship is carried by wind and tide and hence is that violence of lust which is spoken of formerly Chapter 7. the Proverb being true here that he must needs go whom the devill drives And hence are those dreadful temptations to Despair the devill holding mens minds intent chiefly upon such things as may encrease their fears and thereby diverting them from such things as might give them some hopes and then working upon the melancholick humours of the body which have strange operations on the mind to beget most sad and dismal apprehensions therefore it is no marvel if he can swallow us up of sorrow He that pleases to satisfie himself more fully about these things may consult Voetius de natura operationibus daemonum 960 c. Now Faith quenches all the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 6.16 In which place the Apostle alludes to the custome of those who used impoysoned Arrows or shafts in their fights which Job speaks of Job 6.4 the venome of which doth exceedingly burn and torment the flesh where they stick Whatever the temptations of Satan be they are very troublesome to the soul but Faith doth either as a Shield keep them off or as a soveraign Balsome allay the heat of their poyson it either prevents or cures them Now Faith overcomes these temptations First As we thereby have Union and Communion with Jesus Christ of which I have before spoken we are kept by the power of God through Faith to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 It is the power of God which keeps us but this it doth by Faiâ—h both as by Faith we derive a divine power to our souls and as the power of God strengthens our Faith Christ by Faith dwels in the heart Ephes 3.17 and then we have one stronger in us than he that is in the World 1 Joh. 4.4 who takes his armour from him and divides the spoyl Luk. 11.21 22. takes from him those things wherewith he fortified himself and serves himself of them as a Conquerour enriches himself with the spoyl and arms himself with the weapons of his enemy Satan sometimes served himself of our Wisdom Reason Thoughts Affections which Christ brings into captivity to his own obedience Rom. 8.7 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Our members which were weapons of sin to uncleanness are made Instruments of righteousness unto holiness Rom. 6.19 Our goods or riches which were fuel to our Lusts are now consecrated to Gods use and by Faith we have recourse to Jesus Christ for dayly supplies of Grace whereby we are enabled to stand out against all the powers of hell and through which we are more than Conquerours Eph. 6.10 Rom. 8.37 Isa 40.30 Secondly By Faith we overcome the temptations of Satan as we set to our Seals that God is true Joh. 3.33 Man fell at first by believing the devill rather than God Gen. 3.3 c. and we must now stand by believing God rather than the devill How effectual would this be against temptations to Atheism Blasphemy Unbelief Despair if we could keep close to the Word of God And when we find in our selves any temptations to unworthy thoughts of God to distrust his Promises or argue against the comforts of his Word let us presently suspect the hand of Satan as David suspected the hand of Joab 2 Sam. 14.19 God is true and cannot lye but the devil is a lyar and the father of it Joh. 8.44 Thirdly it is by Faith that we make use of all our spiritual armour so that some from those words above all Ephes 6.16 do infer the usefulness of Faith for the securing all other parts of our spiritual armour and therefore is to be taken upon them all and not
wrong judgement of what is to be desired and avoided the cause of all vices and evils when men have not judgement to approve the things that are more excellent Phil. 1.10 that so they may value every thing according to its reall worth Mr. Perkins makes those words Mat. 6.22 to be an answer to an objection which might arise from what went before the reason why so few lay up a treasure in heaven is they want understanding to discern things that differ As our esteem is of any thing so will our affections be towards it Our heart will be where our treasure is Mat. 6.21 that is where the things which we account our treasure or set greatest store by are A very ingenuous Author Monlin of a peace and contentment of mind makes the right Government of Passions to depend on right opinion The great errour saith he pag. 207 of the understanding which makes the passion to apply it self to an evill object or to a good object otherwise than it should is a mistake in the true price and true inconvenience of things which being once well known we shall abate much of our desire and fear of most things which we seek or avoid with great earnestness and shall become earnest to get other things vvhich vve neglect and to avoid other things vvhich vve desire And as our affections so our endeavours are guided by the opinion vvhich vve have of things The Merchant vvhen he hath found a treasure or Pearl vvhich he sets a great price upon sells all he hath to purchase it and runs per mare per terras by sea and land to get it Mat. 13.44 46. So that it is a true observation of one that there is no errour more dangerous though it be common than to think that true happiness consists in honour pleasure and riches Ceriziers la consolation de la Theologie l. 5. Now that we may judge aright of things First Let us not judge according to the appearance the shew of things for the most part deceives us those things that are of least value being most taking and those things most affrighting which have little or no evill in them How doth the pomp and splendour of the World Riches and Honours and Pleasures dazle the eyes and attract the desires of most men in the World When they prove but vanity and vexation of spirit for the most part failing mens expectations of worldly comfort and contentment and often proving the ruine of their souls And how do men abhor from that which is displeasing to Nature Flying from it as from a Serpent as Moses did from his Rod while it lay on the ground which when he had taken it up proved that Rod whereby he wrought his miracles in Egypt at the Red Sea in the Wilderness Exod. 4.3 So we flee from the Cross when it lies before us but if we take it up Mat. 16.24 it is of much use in overcoming our spiritual enemies and it is spiritually true of every Believer which is spoken Mark 16.18 They shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them but do them Good Heb. 12.11 Non hominibus tantum sed rebus persona demenda est reddenda sua facies Seneca Ep. 24. Let us take off the vizards not only from persons but from things and they will not be so dreadful as they appear vid. Lipsi de constantia lib. 2. c. 19. Secondly Let us be guided in our judgment of things by the judgment of God Those things that are highly esteemed amongst men are many times an abomination to God Luke 16.15 We in our folly many times rejoyce in a thing of nought desire that which would undo us are afraid of our mercies Methinks God stands by his children when he is giving them the cup of affliction to drink of as a father by his childe when he is giving him a bitter potion oh saith the childe I cannot endure to drink it it is so bitter oh it will make me sick oh I shall saint fear not saith he I will not leave thee I will stand by thee be not afraid I will hold thee How do we shrink at the thoughts of any affliction and think we shall never be able to bear it or to hold out under it Fear not saith God I will hold thy right hand I will help thee thou art mine I am with thee I am thy God Isa 41.13 14.43.1 2 3 4 5. And observe how on the other hand the Scripture vilifies the greatest and most desirable things of this world making them next unto nothing yea nothing and appropriates reality substance truth worth and excellency of being unto the things of the world to come See J. Goodwins Catabaptisme Admonit S. 20. Thirdly Let us follow the judgment of the wisest men and those that are most fit to judge as he to whom God gave wisdome so as there was none like him before him or after him 1 Kings 3.12 Ecclesiast 12.8 having made his Demonstration at large he resumes his Conclusion quod erat demonstrandum vanity of vanities all is vanity consult Paul a man who had the spirit of God and so was fit to judge 1 Cor. 7.40 he accounts all things but dung in comparison with the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Phil. 3.8 consult the wisest heathens and the wiser they were the nearer they came to Christianity and the more they contemned the things of the world Consult men on their sick beds or when they are bound in fetters and held in the cords of affliction Job 36.8 and so are brought to themselves Luke 15.17 and become sanae mentis as mad men that by hard usage and slender diet and being kept bound are brought to their wits these will judg otherwise of the world than they did before yea take dying men whose soules begin to peep out of this dark prison and see some light how are their judgments alterr'd how do they mourn at last and bewail their own former foolish choice Prov. 5.11 12. Lastly Let us judge according to reason quitting our selves like men 1 Corinth 16.13 and not like beasts that minde only what sense gives them notice of That is the use which we ordinarily make of reason to correct the errors of sense else we should never sowe to bury our seed under a clod We should never take Physick nor do many other things which are common amongst men Let us examine what conduces most to our chief end this made the Philosophers run into so many Opinions about the Summum bonum or Mans chief happinesse this fell first under their consideration because Finis dat bonitatem amabilitatem mediis they could judge nothing concerning other things till they had determined something concerning the chief end of man every thing else being to be judged according to the tendency that it hath thereto Reason tels us quod diuturnius praestantius that is best which is most durable 2 Cor. 4.18 things that are not seen are eternal these things that are seen but temporal Reason tels us that the more comprehensive any good is the better it is and God is an all sufficient good Gen. 17.1 Cur ergo per multa vagamur quarendo bona corporis animae c. Aug. Med. cap. 18. We weary our selves in seeking several pieces of happinesse as they are scattered among the creatures when we might in God finde them altogether And it is a matter of greatest astonishment that men should be so farre forsaken of reason as to preferre broken cisterns which will hold no water before the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.12 13. and that when in other things we are impatient of being deceived by others we willingly permit Satan for the pleasures of sin which are but for a moment to cheat us of those pleasures which are at Gods right hand for evermore FINIS Errata Page 71. line 7. read perceptio l. 8. r lectione l. 9. r. quacunque p. 107. r. on some p. 160 l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 167. l. 24. r. pabulo p. 43. l. 24. r. allay p. 67. l. 7. blot out in l. 10. r. solutionem There are several other literal faults and mispointings bu◠such as will not much hinder the Reader