diligence to walke with God Oh why is it whence is it that now it is not as once it was there is not that connaturalnesse as formerly the word works not on thee as formerly the Sacrament works not on thee as formerly the word of threatning reveales wrath and thou tremblest not the word of promise reveales goodnesse and thou lovest it not fidelity and thou beleevest it not the Sacrament opens the bloud of a Saviour and thou thirstest not thou rejoycest not thou art growne dull under all and bar ren after all thy dead heart argueth that thou art a dying soule 5 The same may be said for our conversation and wayes if they be now dead in respect of sinfulnesse or dead in respect of unprofitablenesse that wee are now become as the Heath that brings forth nothing or as the Briar which brings forth thornes that we turne all religion into a discourse or censure or dispute we can eat and drink and talke and sinne how have the shadowes of death covered us how chill and languishing are our graces turned Well seriously consider of these things you who heare me this day and looke to it that you be not a dying people more fearefull would your condition be then the condition of others for first you have more enlivening meanes then any people on the earth no City like unto you for publike offers or for private opportunities yee are even exalted unto heaven in the abundance and choyce of spirituall helpes and therefore your decayings would have more in the account then other mens the more meanes of strength and life accidentally make dying diseases to be the more deadly 2 Wee cannot but approve your flocking to the word and service of God in season and out of season as if you would take the kingdome of heaven by force if now under so faire a complexion you should be in a consumption that the vitals of godlinesse should slacke and pine away in your hearts and private walkings this dissonancie would be not only shameful to your profession but also uncomfortable to your conscience 2 Againe another way persons may discern whether they be dying and decaying By an observation of the acts or operations of their graces as if they be faint and more inconstant Simile you see that the root is lesse able when but a little fruit appeares on the tree and that the Spring is fallen when the streames scarce runne which yet were wont to flow when graces are scarce active or are uneven in their generall actings surely there is some spirituall languor in thee O Christian thy faith doth not commit things to God as heretofore and thy love is not so setled on Christ as heretofore and thy patience cannot beare in any measure as heretofore and thy sorrow is dry and thy zeale is cooled c. Simile If thy eye cannot see so well but growes darker and thy foot cannot goe so well but growes lamer and thy shoulders cannot beare so well but grow weaker it is an argument that naturall vigour is decaied The same may be said for our spirituall condition if graces exert not themselves in a former vigour c. Note I pray you to observe that graces are given unto us for three ends and uses 1 To be inclining principles to gracious or holy acts 2 To be inlarging principles to pious performances 3 To be cleansing opposing principles of sinful corruptions 1 They are inclining principles to gracious acts the nature of man without grace is like a dead man who hath no disposition to walke but when grace comes into the soule it doth enliven it and inable it and incline or dispose it unto holy operations to minde to will to desire to doe heavenly works as you see in Saint Paul when converted that renewing grace enclined him quite to another way and to other acts to pray to preach Christ c. Now where is that ancient disposition in thee unto good duties whence is that wonderfull unwilling esse and untowardlinesse of spirit in thee how comes it to passe that if thou dost serve the Lord it is as if it were of constraint there is a kinde of aversenesse and hanging backe thou doest not minde him in any measure and his law is not in thy heart 2 Againe they are inlarging principles they do not onely inable a man to good performances for the matter but also for the manner they make us a willing people in the day of our offerings and to delight to doe the will of God and to be glad in going to the house of the Lord. But now there is not that rellish of godlinesse there is not delightfulnesse of service there is not that libertie and alacrity of spirit thou art become a dull and heavy Christian as if there were not that suteablenesse ' twiâ—t thy heart and holy duties thou art growne very slothfull and carelesse and negligent in thy worke 3 Lastly they are cleansing and opposing principles of corruptions therefore compared to water which washeth out the spots and to fire which fetcheth off the rust and as our corrupt flesh is said to lust against the spirit so the renewed spirit is said to lust against the flesh and they are contrary one to the other still in opposition and conflict And so the time hath beene that thou hast found it that grace did humble and cleanse thy heart from the love of sinne and raised tender feare about it and singular hatred and opposition of it yea the very thoughts of sinne were an heavy burden to thee how often by reason of the rebellion in nature hast thou cryed out with Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Is it thus now why is it not thus now is sinne quite subdued or thinkest thou that grace and sinne will ever be at truce nay but why dost thou suffer those contemplative evils to lodge in thy minde or those delightfull imaginations to tickle and invegle thy affections nay how darest thou to be tampering with acts if not sinfull yet doubtfull and as like sins as can be and which occasion sinne yea and sins prevaile much on thee as pride vanitie c. and under all this thy heart smites thee not restraines thee not the time hath beene thou durst not have beene or done this for a world c. Object But if the case be so may some tender conscience reply then I feare my estate is not right for I never had so much adoe with a sinfull nature all my life as of late daies and if the greater power of sinne shewes the more weakened estate of grace I am then the person in a dying condition Sol. To this I answer briefly 1 You must distinguish betwixt the turbulency of sinne and the prevalency of sinne the spirituall condition is not decaying because sinne is more molesting and rebelling but because sinne is more prevailing and leading 2 Betweene sinne in conflict and sinne in subjection
my grace is weakened when I yeeld to sinne but it stands in strength when it stands in defiance and conflict with sinne it argues the violence of sinne to breake out against grace and also it argues the potency of grace to keepe the soule from serving unruly and boysterous lusts 3 Betwixt sinne in temptation and sinne in the affection even a strong castle may be assaulted and a stout Christian much tempted then the spirituall part is weakened when sin is favoured If as there is much temptation in thy sinfull flesh so there is much detestation on thy spirituall part thy bow yet abides in strength Object But another Christian replies if these signes of decaying be right which you deliver then surely I am in a dying frame for heretofore when as I thought God looked on me in mercy in quickening me from the dead I had a very melting heart for sinne and a surpassingâ—y zealous love to God and his glory but now I finde no such height and flames and measures Sol. To this I answer 1 You must distinguish betwixt equall sensiblenesse and equall spiritualnesse upon the inchoation of grace there may be more sensiblenesse for as much as grace erects it selfe much in the affections of whose acts we are more apprehensive being more neere to sense but upon the advance in grace there may be more spiritualnesse though not such a sensible griefe in the affection yet a pure lothing of sinne and displicence with our selves in the will 2 Betwixt passionate expressions and deliberate or judicious expressions I confesse that heretofore thy zeale and love might be more passionate and violent but now they worke upon more pure and mixt grounds and for ever know it argues the grace to be the more strong which can act its parts with lesse turbulency and unquietnesse 3 Betwixt grace generally diffused and it particularly imployed at the first all the water ranne as it were in one channell grace exerted it selfe mostly in the humbling part and therefore seemed to be very much because very much imployed in a particular but upon further knowledge of Christian duties grace diffuseth its strength to all the acts of holinesse it is not the lesse because the more improved onely it is the lesse perceived Simile as health and strength are when totally diffused over the whole body 4 Betwixt interruption and corruption spirituall principles may sometimes be interrupted Simile like a river which yet is scrambling over the bay by temptations the passages are not alwaies so open for operation the very ineptitude of a mans temper may occasion unequall expressions of the visible act actus Imperati and yet there may be no weakening and decaying in the spirituall condition for the invisible frame actus eliciti are sure and full still the will and desires doe act as much as ever though the tongue or hand cannot render it and besides this the worke is made up by a secret humbling which is so unavoydably hindred from an open acting 6 But lastly if upon solid grounds when wee are our selves we finde a manifest inequality of our present with our former condition in grace then counsell is better for thee then comfort and mee thinkes no better advise can be prescribed then that of Christ himselfe to the Ephesian Church slaking in her first love Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first works Vse 2 If though upon perusall of these trials you finde your selves not to be in a dying condition 1 Then first blesse the arme of the Almighty God who hath given grace and upheld it 2 Beseech him for ever to preserve and increase thy spirituall qualities all thy daies it is by his goodnesse that thou art good and of his strength that yet thou abidest in thy strength 3 Vse all the meanes thou canst to keepe up thy graces that thou sink not into a dying condition Meanes to preserve us from a dying condition be these 1 Be humble Simile the high tide quickly ebbes and the highest sunne is presently declining faith is the champion for our graces and feare the watchman and humility the nurse Spirituall pride fils our fancies but impaires our graces now a man thinkes he hath enough and then he is sure to lose much if any thing keepes us from being low in grace it is this that we still grow low and poor in spirit In the Rickets they have large heads but weake feet so c. 2 Strive for further perfection 2 Pet. 3. 17. 18. in holinesse 2 Pet. 3. 17. the most of what wee have is but the least of that we want He that will not strive to be better will be worse in temporals we should insist more on our receits and that will make us thankfull in spirituals wee should insist more on our wants and that will make us fruitfull 2 Pet. 1. 5. Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 6 v. and to knowledge temperance c. 8 v. for if thou doe these things they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull c. 3 Quit all formality in all holy duties take heed of the first coolings much impiety may hang upon much indifferency a coole spirit is alwaies a losing spirit he who gives way to do duties in a slight manner will after a while be able scarce to performe them in any manner But as the rule was Hoc age so still keep up thy spirit with the duty stir up thy graces in all duties put out thy heart and strength in holy actions of praying and hearing and that will keepe thee alive in grace A conscionable and cordiall acting of good is blessed not onely with a preservation of grace but likewise with an addition and increase 4 Maintaine an holy jealousie and feare of decaying Blessed is the man who feareth alwaies saith Salomon Prov. 28. Three things arise from this One is tender watchfulnesse against all decaying occasions Another is frequent search and examination of our spirits and estates Quicke repairings of all faylings all which preserve us from a notorious decaying or dying 5 Be prudently serious in christian society spend not thy houres in vaine disputes lest while thou studiest odde notions thou in the meane time losest precious grace There are disputes which end onely in division and there are inquiries which tend to edification rather studie to make thy selfe better then to prove another to be bad 6 Keep up uprightnesse and by no meanes away with hypocrisie say not the sinne is little Simile for many a man hath dyed of a little wound and we all know that the small end of the wedge makes way for the greater nor say it is secret a man may dye of a secret stab as well as of an open wound When the children of the Prophets tasted of the pottage they cried out Mors in olla death is in the pot and so shall wee finde upon experience that there goes a dying influence with
lesse sometimes with more liberty of spirit sometimes with lesse sometimes with more comfort sometime with lesse Sol. Yet let nothing discourage thee or take off thy spirit from the worke but follow on to know the Lord and his strength against all temptations against all suggestions against all discouragements against all thine owne feares and feelings and inequality of operations yet give not over but Keep up thy services still retain frequent communion with God still be begging still for the strength of Iesus Christ to raise thee heare still use the prescriptions till health comes thou art in the way and must not rest till thou hast obtained If thou breakest off before thou hast regained thy strength thou wilt fall backe againe and also lose all thy new endeavours for thy recovery in grace Thus much for the second proposition I proceed now to the third of which I can but give a touch lest I be hindred in the prosecution of the matter in the next verse I have not found thy works perfect c. That the estate though visibly Thirdly faire to the eyes of men yet it may be really imperfect in the eyes of God Amongst the Churches Sardis had a name that it lived but with God it had not that name and estimation Wee Christians have the judgement of charity but God hath the judgement of infallibility we looke onely on the skin and surface of actions but God looks into the hearts and spirits of persons wee judge of the heart by the actions but God judgeth of our estates by the heart Now the outward acts upon severall arguments and for severall ends and inducements may be extreamely different from the inward habit and disposition Persons for their credits sake and for their peculiar advantages may draw out acts naturally good when yet their spirits stand not right either for principles or ends of those acts so that notwithstanding al their profession their estate may bee imperfect before God partly For the frame and constitution of soule For the vigour and fulnesse of acting For the scope and intentions in performing For the mixtures in matters of faith or conversation But I cannot now inlarge in this singular affection Vse 1 Onely it may teach us above all to looke unto our spirituals as they abide in and flow from our hearts and soules upon which principally the Lord lookes he searcheth the hearts and reynes and approveth the actings of the heart more then of the hand and therefore wee reade that he had first respect unto Abel and then unto his offering 2 To study Gods approbation more than mans it is not sufficient nor safe that either wee alone judge our estates to bee good or that men judge them to be so unlesse the Lord findes them to be so every Christian is that as God judgeth him to be and he stands or fals according to this righteous judgement of the al-seeing and al-knowing God And so I take leave of that verse and proceed to the next Remember therefore how thou Revel 3. 3. hast received and heard and hold fast and repent In these words you have the other branches of the spirits speciall directions to the Church of Sardis which are three viz. 1 Remembrance remember Three branches therefore how thou hast received and heard 2 Persistence and hold fast 3 Renewed repentance and repent Briefly to open the words Remember sometimes the word is taken for the act of a particular faculty of the rationall soule which is called by the Philosophers Reminiscentia and then it is the calling backe of a thing or object formerly knowne and laid up in the memory Sometimes it is taken for the act of serious consideration appertaining to the judicious faculty of the soule wherein apprehended truths are well weighed throughly thought on or considered of in both respects I conjecture it may bee taken in this place How some reade that word rather thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what remember i. call to minde and consider what thou hast received and heard as if it were a word declaring the matter but rather in this place it imports the manner and therefore it is well translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How noting the manner how Christ taught and prescribed them at the first and also the manner how they embraced those holy rules of his for doctrine conversation Thou hast received and heard that is assented unto and embraced those truths and directions of Christ where is expressed first their ancient subjection or embracing of the doctrine of Christ received and secondly the meanes or way thereof viz. by hearing and heard I cannot possibly with any profit insist on all the observables out of these and the other words considering that little part of time which remaines for me to worke amongst you only I will point at three singular propositions viz. 1 That holy truths once received Three propositions are often to be remembred and thought on Remember c. 2 That acceptance of truths is not enough but Christians must adde thereto a persistence in truths hold fast 3 That renewed repentance is required of Christians as well as initiall and repent You see that all these propositions naturally flow from the text and are very proper for us and for the occasion upon which they are handled I begin with the first of them viz. Doct. That holy truths once received are often to be remembred and thought on There are three things which should fall into a frequent consideration 1 Our former sinnes and this will keepe us humble 2 Gods former mercies and this will make us thankfull 3 Received truths and this will make us dutifull and fruitfull The Iewes were to binde them as frontlets between their eyes Deut. 6. 8. to which Salomon alludes in Pro. 6. 21. binde Deut. 6. 8. Pro. 6. 21. them continually upon thy heart and tye them about thy necke and Eccles 12. 11. they are to be as nailes Eccl. 12. 11. fastened Looke on David and this was his practise Psal 119. Psal 119 15. I will meditate in thy statutes there once then reade verse 23. thy servant did meditate in thy statutes there is the second time but then reade verse 48. I will meditate in thy statutes there is the third time what speake I of once or twice or thrice see him in verse 97. Oh how I love thy law it is my meditation all the day The Apostles are frequent in their exhortations to this purpose to remember to lay up to keepe in minde not to forget the holy doctrines delivered by them nay and Christ pressed the same also upon themselves upon many occasions But for the cleere opening of this proposition premise with me these particulars 1 The frequent remembring of former truths must be a remembrance by way of subiection and not by way of contradiction we must not remember them and question them much lesse abuse and pervert them least of all oppose
or slubberlie performance of them and therefore they get not that strength over spirituall corruptions nor that fruitfull supply to their graces and consequently slip into dangerous languishings and decayings 7 Inactivity in our places and relations is another cause of spirituall languishing and decaying Simile A lazy Christian will quickly prove a dying Christian the Physitians doe observe that as too violent exercise overthroweth health so likewise too much rest may cause extreame sicknesse because therein the superfluous humours are not carried or breathed away and the spirits and naturall heat are not stirred up to performe their proper functions It is even so with Christians in respect of their graces if they let them lye still and dead they will quickly grow weake and dying though their life be an implanted by an operation of Gods spirit yet it is preserved by an operation of our spirits therfore grace is compared to fire which must be stirred up and blowne He who will not use grace will quickly lose it or decay in it But Christians many times imploy not their graces they do not any good with them they doe not stir up their hearts to beleeve to lay hold on God to call upon him to walke before him they doe not lay their knowledge their zeale their love c. in their particular relations but live together and do no good together meet together and provoke not one another unto further holinesse 8 Lastly all perturbations or excesse in passions cause a languishing V. Fernel l 1. de morb causis cap 18 p. 198. and therefore they observe in nature that immoderate feare or griefe or anger or joy or agony which consists of anger and feare or desire or care all these or any of these by their immoderation doe checke the spirit naturall heat immarcescere spiritus calorem and consequently diminish health and strength And surely so it is in the spirituall condition all inordinate affections are the empayrers of grace whether it bee desires of the world or delights in it or fears of men or griefe for losses c. but I cannot now inlarge Vse I now come to the application of this point which shall be in the first place to reflect upon our owne hearts to see in what condition our spirituall condition is whether we be not Sardians yea or not either having a name onely but are totally dead or if we doe live whether that life of ours be not growne so weake that wee are almost dying Reasons to move you to search your hearts in this particular are these 1 Many among you who Three things professe and have a name and I hope the truth also of grace doe not get on you doe not make progresse you have not advanced your selves in your spirituall condition Though the Lord hath given you plentifull and rich meanes yet what you were many yeers agoe the same you are now a man may say of you as we doe of our friends whom wee see perhaps once in ten yeeres that they looke and are just as wee found and left them then So many of you after many yeeres preaching and hearing are just as you were have not attained to any further perfection in holinesse Now it is an ill symptome this for a staying heart is seldome otherwise then a decaying heart Creation though perfect at once yet it is not so with sanctification the old saying is Non progredi est regredi grace is either getting or losing Simile like a river either fuller or lesser or like an oake growing or dying 2 Many persons expresse palpable decayings all who know them can see and say how strangely they are altered they are scarcely knowne now to be Christians but by the judgement of the most favourable charity who formerly have beene very forward even to exemplarity The judgements of men are so altered with fond opinions their strictnesse of conversation is so strangely slack'd into that which they themselves were wont to call a licentiousnesse of walking there is such a dumbnesse growne in their families and withall there is such a chilnesse come upon their affections oh where is that thy former zeale and love and joy and pitty and brokennesse of heart and flames for Christ and desires of strength and assurance and circumspection to please thy God 3 Though we be not dead Christians yet if we be dying Christians it makes our condition very evill and very sad 1 Very evill no man can Evill 1 Causally decay in good but by something that is bad it is alwaies some sinfull evill which makes us to wither in spirituall good And then it is a thing very 2 Formally evill in it selfe if it be a sinne not to thrive in grace it must be a greater sinne to be dying in grace And then it occasions much 3 Eventually sinne for it were a wonder to see a man dying in grace and not withall living in sinne however beleeve it that sinnes will live the more strongly in thee by how much the more weakely grace doth live in thee when naturall heat growes low then doe diseases multiply and grow high if that which should keep downe sinne be kept downe by sinning how exceedingly sinfull maiest thou prove 2 Very sad the Christian condition is excessively perplexed and prejudiced by it v. gr 1 There is an extenuation of 7 Effects of it our chiefest excellencies Simile our gold is now clipt and washed Beloved we have not more reall excellencies here on earth then gracious and holy qualities If the naked soule be more worth then a whole world what is grace the which highly elevates and advanceth the soule But even our graces in a decaying condition are droop ing and pining for a man to have a finger withering is nothing to that as to have his heart consuming to behold a candle put out what is that to behold the Sunne growing dim or purblind When graces decay then that To lose an house a friend c. but which is as the heart to the members or as the Sunne to the earth or as the soule to the body a vitall spring decayeth as she said about the taking away of the Arke that we may say of diminution in grace Now the glory is departing from Israel now thy honour is lying in the dust the lesse good thou growest the more vile thou becommest it is as if thy faire hand should become leprous or thy sunne set at noon day 2 It is a depression of our heavenly strength when Sampsons haire was off he was then as other men he lost his haire and lost his strength too Simile When the fountaines are low and roots weake then the streames prove thinne and branches grow almost fruitlesse for these are the principles of being and of assistance unto them Our graces are a kinde of Springs to our gracious abilities when we be lesse good we shall alwaies doe the lesse good and the more evill Thy wheels
will move slowly and thy feet like those of a sicke man will move staggeringly and wearily there will be much a doe to doe a little good thy services will be like the thinne rayes of gold which can hardly be discerned for the multitude of ashes and drosse Now this is a sad thing when at the most it is the most that a man can doe to beleeve or to grieve for sinne or to love God and feare him or to pray unto him whereas heretofore he was able to beleeve and rejoyce to mourne and lament c. 3 A dampe upon our communions with GOD there is a double communion One is direct which is our active communion with God another is reflexive which is Gods gracious communion with us now by a dying in our spirituall conditions there ariseth a cloud and a dampe upon this reciprocall communion Wee cannot so behave our selves to God and God will not so behave himselfe to us as in former daies Note 1 For our communion with God it will grow more strange lesse confident and more gainlesse small for heart lesser for trust and least of all for benefit and successe 2 For Gods communion with us it will be eclipsed both in the effective and assisting part of it as also in the affective and comforting part of it hee will not give thee his hand or his eye as formerly David found upon his great decay not onely a cloud in Gods face but also a strangenesse in Gods spirit Psal 51. Psal 5â— 12. We doe by our notorious decaying debarre our selves of much help from God and of all manifesting favour for the present Desertion is ever the consequent of decaying 4 A vexation and restlesnesse in the conscience when we take our leave of grace wee must take our leave of peace and comfort A dead man many times rests in peace but a dying Christian is never without trouble the remaining grace serves most to trouble us for our decayings in grace Spirituall comfort usually attends us either upon great griefes for sinne or upon great progresses in duties And spirituall troubles usually follow us either upon great adventurings in sin or upon great remissions in holinesse for conscience will trouble us as well for loosing what is good as for committing what is evill 5 A great silence in heaven the decaying Christian shall either heare of much displeasure from God or little and no good from him The ordinances to which he now more perfunctorily applies himselfe shall either bee dumb and speake no incouragement or bitter and speake no strength or peace His prayers which now are more cold and formall shall either have no answer or else the answer is more feare and trouble in spirit God seemes to have no minde to speake unto that man who now hath scarce any minde to speake unto his God 6 A strange suspition of the reality of a spirituall condition if grace be often put in dispute when the Christian cannot perceive it to thrive how much more questionable will it be when the same Christian perceiveth it to abate and decay usually it must be more then meere grace which must assure us of grace forasmuch as nothing resembles hypocrisie more then to be formall in our duties and with it to be withering in our dispositions A dying Christian looks very like to a dead hypocrite 7 To all these may be added other evils as horrid temptations externall miseries feares of death c. but I may not insist on every thing Q But here it is demanded how may we know whether wee be in a dying condition or not A. I know no better way to discerne this then by a just comparison of things present with things past as also by a faithfull observation of our owne spirits and graces thus then 1 Looke first upon your judgement and mindings 2 upon your wils and affections 3 upon your hearts and consciences 4 upon your worship and services 5 upon your waies and conversations so may you discerne whether you be dying or not 1 For your judgements and mindes formerly in these there were strong endeavours to know the truths of God and to search out the mysteries of salvation and admirable appretiations of holinesse and Gods favour and sweet meditations on the will of God the minde was eminently taken up with God and Christ and grace and obedience and heaven Is it so now or rather doe not worldly things seeme great in our eyes are not our mindings more for inferiour good then for spirituall good divine studies are they not rare and poore and transient glancings where is that study to know God or to see his favour in Christ unto thee where is that reverend regard of the truths of God where is that diligence to know the estate of thy soule where is that sweet delight thou tookest once to know Iesus Christ as thine 2 For your wils and affections time was that thy will was a flexible will easie to obedience submissive to the divine will cheerefull in the duties of godlinesse much closing with divine promises ravished with love to Christ fearefull to offend carefull to please desirous of nothing more then Gods loving kindenesse strictly hating all evill joyfull in this alone that God was thy portion flouds of teares swelled thy griefe heavenly delights satisfied thy soule mercies were blest threatnings feared c. If in stead of these thy will growes weary and surly hard to be perswaded often clattering with the divine will impatient of strict obedience indifferent to please slow to hearken to the counsels of God and the mercies of God and the threats of God are of small efficacie sin is not so watched and loathed God alone is not so delightfull and sufficient thy heart grows more insensible of sinne and hardly mournfull thy delights are lesse in heavenly things Ah now how is the mighty fallen how is the noble plant degenerated c. 3 For your hearts and consciences compare them now with what formerly they were how quicke was conscience to direct how apt was conscience to checke how tender was conscience to offend how unquiet was conscience till peace was made how exact was conscience to obey Is it so now thou canst sin and conscience strikes not God strikes thee but conscience strikes thee not conscience strikes thee and thou carest not conscience is growne sleepy and drowsie almost dead and scared thou canst omit duties or performe them carelesly slip and fall and lie and either conscience saith nothing or thou reformest nothing 4 And for thy worship and service of God how pretious were the ordinances unto thee how delightfull thou hadst rather have spent a day with them then a hundred daies in other employments what secret impressions made the power of them upon thy heart what griefes what joyes what degrees of perswasion what expectations of hope what furtherance unto holy duties what conflictings with and conquests over sinne and temptations what more serious care and
God and the dignity of a Christian it is holinesse which makes thee to differ from men more then reason makes thee to differ from beasts If with him in the Gospell thou shouldest lose thy sheep or with her in the Gospel thou shouldest lose thy groat thou wouldest seeke to recover them how much more when thy crowne is losing c. In that which is our safety graces are not onely ornamenta beautifull garments but munimenta powerfull weapons thou losest thy weapons in the very field before thine enemies if thou losest thy spirituals and makest thy selfe naked so that any temptation may insult over thee and wound thee Simile at least thou canst not so well wield and use thy weapons a broken arme what can it doe especially with a dull weapon against strong and skilfull adversaries In that which is our serenity the weakened grace and the wounded conscience still goe together or if not then it is the dying grace and the dead conscience which is farre worse then the other In that which is our felicity ah unhappy Christian who when thy bow abode in strength couldest see a loving God enjoy a gracious Father couldest speake to him much and heare from him much but now hast changed thy confidence into feares thy sunne into darkenesse thy communion into strangenesse thy glory into shame 2 Who knowes what the end will be if thou strengthen not thy decaying graces The Lord knowes how farre thou maiest fall if thou wilt not thinke of rising Thou seest how poore a crop of duties comes from thy decaying graces thou feelest thy affections almost gone thou apprehendest not only a weaknesse but a wearinesse in holy services thou findest thy appetite gone from the word thou knowest thy neglect of many a Sacrament thou canst not but observe a vanity to arise in thy minde in stead of heavenly purity and a more delightfull consociation with vaine and idle persons then with solid and fruitfull Christians Yea and since thy graces have beene weakened easie temptations have beene very likely if not altogether effectuall to insnare thee to great transgressions from many omissions thou art now ready for great commissions Simile so that like a stone running downe a hill or a man carried further and further into the sea thou doest indanger what in thee lies the very soule and salvation of thy selfe and the love of God is it not setting are not his frowns rising And here will be work now made for that miserable soule of thine which hath so farre gone from home and is departed from thy fathers house 3 We are bound to keep our graces in repaire and more then so orgo we are not to rest in a decaying estate but to recover c. Simile As the Tenant who takes an house is bound to keepe it in repaire that it may be habitable against winde and weather so must we keepe up the graces given unto us and not let them sinke at all Nay more then so wee are bound against not onely decayings but against meere standings wee must proceed from faith to faith we must perfect holinesse in the feare of God we must grow in the love and knowledge of our Lord Iesus we must abound in all the fruits of righteousnesse we must use and increase our talents it will not be an answer of proofe to retaine our naked talent and say Master there is thine own The first use of this point shall bee to stirre us up to the Vse practise of this duty I will not spend time to demonstrate that we need strengthening I may speake my conscience with grief that generally we are a decaying people in the powers of godlinesse and flames of holy affections yea our own consciences secretly testifie against us this day that so it is yea the judgements of God the fire of his wrath which begins to burn and flye abroad in this City yet againe testifies as much and therefore my exhortation to us all is that we wisely consider of our dyings and decayings ah if the Plague should breake into our dwellings and take us away in our decayed estates a tormenting sore and a tormenting conscience a dying spirit and a dying body both at once the Lord knowes the wofulnesse of such a condition There are onely three things which I shall commend unto you for the application of this viz. 1 The motives to excite us 2 The meanes to perform it Three things 3 The manner of doing it 1 The motives To excite us to strengthen our spirituall condition shall Seven disadvantages be drawne from the disadvantages in a weakned the advantages of a strengthened conditiō 1 In respect of duties the Christian is to be Gods workman he is the servant of the Lord who imposeth on him not a few but many workes not easie but many times difficult workers not for a while but constant workes such duties that a little knowledge wil not serve the turn nor a little wisdom nor a little faith nor a little patience c. some of these duties are active some passive some respecting his general some his particular calling some of relation to God some to man some to himselfe Now the weakened Christian hee is no body to the strengthened Christian for duties for every man is as his strength is and our actions for the course of them are as the ability of the soule is from whence they come The weakened Christian comes very short of the other both for His adaptation of spirit unto duty there is not that connaturalnesse if I may so speake of his spirit to spirituall offices duties come hardly from him Simile like a rusty key to open a doore hee doth his worke with a more indisposed spirit not freely but like a sickeman he goes very little and is quickly weary and poorely not fully whereas the strengthened Christians duties flow from him as from an easie principle and lively and quicke cause His adequation of duty to the rule He doth not minde the rule of holy actions so much nor doth hee proportion his workes to the commands God may command much more then he doth for ordinarily the decayed Christian is guilty of many omissions Hee failes wonderfully oft-times in passing over the duty of prayer or reading or hearing c. But the strengthened Christian he is for all duties difficult as well as easie private as well as publique though hee cannot intensively answer the rule for duty yet extensively hee doth knowingly and willingly hee omits no duty His affective cooperation with duty hee doth duty but without such co-working affections more formally he doth pray and heare perhaps but it is coldly and sleepily it is not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as if it were some indifferent worke he acts with a carelesse and indifferent spirit His eye is not so full on Gods glory nor is his heart so warme in prayer c. His coles of fire burne in a cold hearth He is not
lively in living works but performeth spirituall works without much spiritualnesse But the strengthened Christian hath workings in his workes or as in Ezekiel there was a wheele within a wheele he serves the Lord with a fervent spirit and with all his soul hee is exceeding glad to obey and is much grieved that he can obey the Lord no better Acceptation of duty the Lord doth not looke so upon his offerings as on the duties of a strengthened Christian it is true that the Lord doth not despise the day of small things even weake services are graciously respected by him but when Christians weaken their owne operations they doe weaken also Gods acceptations for the Lord is pleased differently to answer his servants according to their different dispositions and tempers faint seekers have but faint answers and resolute petitioners get plentifull answers from him of good 2 In respect of the ordinances here also the weakened Christian is very short of the strengthened Christian both For preparation unto them his heart is not put in such a frame to come and converse with God he will not take that paines before he comes to the word hee doth not by precedent meditations and prayers bring such a receptivity and and teachablenesse of heart to the word nor for the Sacrament perhaps he comes and thrusts on the worke but retires not himselfe examines not himselfe humbles not himselfe hungers not thirsts not nor considers his particular necessities so rightly to dispose his soule for an holy communion with God but is more full of carnall indulgence to himselfe and study rather for apologies to excuse his neglect then by preparative duties to fit himselfe For application of them hee stands under the ordinances with more distractions with lesse attentions with an unclosing spirit the word workes not so on his heart nor his heart on the word He stands under the ordinances with a more distracting spirit or else with a more fearing spirit lest the Lord will finde him out for his revoltings and either hee dares not come to the Sacrament or if he doth hee is not able for his life almost to be confident and perswaded of Gods love towards him in Christ For fructification he buyes not at the market suckes not and thrives not by the breasts nor makes that use of them as the other doth nor doth hee improve them so to the benefit of his spirituall condition as the other doth the counsels commands exhortations reproofes promises they are generally to him in his weakned estate as water on the rock or as the waves to Ionah sleeping in the ship they have not that virtutem moventem that authority over his drowsie spirit But the strengthened Christian hath farre more easie passages the word and Sacrament have their sweet and facile impressions on his understanding will and affections by discoveries of sinne and threatnings he feares the Lord and hates sinne more By discoveries of goodnesse and mercy and Christ his faith gets more and his love riseth more By discoveries of duties and commands his cares and desires abound more in him they are still humbling or still purging still raising or still upholding of him he is more and more built up and edified in his holy faith his communions with God are more cordiall and more beneficiall there is still a fuller and sweeter conjunction betwixt his soule and Christ 3 In respect of corruptions which are the very bane and poyson and shame of his soule and sore woundings and impairings the weakened Christian is found much underfoot and is more in bondage and lesse sensible of it gray haires appeare more on him unruly lusts get more head againe and he either hardly feeles them or faintly resists them He is now become as a wounded man over whom every coward can insult The strength of tender perception of sinne failes and the strength of resolute opposition and the strength of frequent conquest so that his soule is much imbased by lusts his resistance are either 1 None 2 Or faint 3 Or fruitlesse But he is overborne by the tide more easily like an unskilfull rower or a sicke man by a thrust But it is otherwise with the strengthened Christian who now can leade captivity captive he is mighty in prayer and resolute in defiances and generally happy either in making sinfull motions to flye or in preserving his soule from yeelding unto them either hee is more quiet or lesse guilty He is a greater enemy to sinne a surer conquerour and still a lesser servant 4 In respect of conversation it is true that the Christian must be gold without and gold within hee must be like the heavens excellent in substance and beautifull in appearance a good heart is not enough but also a good life and walking like a Spring which is for common good and not for private But the weakened Christian in his conversation fals short of the others who is strengthened in many respects v. g. 1 For strictnesse though it be a kinde of garment yet it hangs more loosely and like one of the Planets Simile though a starre in heaven yet sometimes nearer sometimes more distant from the equinoctiall There is not that exact conscionablenesse in holy walkings but a sordid complying many times with the acts and waies of unworthy societies or at least his graces are out-dared and over-awed so that when hee should expresse them for Gods glory he is afraid to speake or worke 2 For profitablenesse every good man should be like a tree on which one may gather fruit he is to be a steward of the manifold gifts not inclosing but imploying of them for the benefit of others his boxe of oyntment should be opened If thou be good thou art bound also to doe good for graces are given not onely to make us good but also to make us to doe good but thus it is not with the decaying Christian He being now fallen into a penurious stocke of grace hath almost lost the art and skill of profitablenesse his acts seeme rather to be those of civility then piety he may be as facetious but is not so religious in conversings his discourses are more censorious and insolent then substantiall and edifying I confesse that some Christians cannot so draw out their treasure through a bashfulnesse of spirit but he is growne lesse active because lesse able his barrennesse is in the cause and not in the instrument So that he may eat and drink with others but no good comes from him his lips preserve not knowledge nor doth his communication administer grace to the heare whence it followes 1 That God hath little or no glory by him 2 That the Saints have little or no delight in him 3 That his conscience hath little or no comfort in it selfe 3 For cleernesse his river is not so sweet but ever and anon it proves brackish his sunne though it runs its course yet it is frequently clowded so is it with his life he is not doing
of good so but withall ever and anon he is doing of some evill his weakened graces cannot beare him up against strong occasions and temptations his gold lies much in the ashes Simile and like a lame man he is not only halting in his best motion but ever and anone quite downe the snuffe gets above his candle 4 For delightfulnesse hee is almost a stranger to exact Christians and doth not honour them so much as formerly but secretly feares their company and judgement he is perhaps more ashamed or else more afraid of them his conscience is yet so apprehensive that hee interprets every glance as a secret checke of his decayings Thus is it not with the strengthened Christian whose graces are high carefulnesse great usefulnesse large godlinesse even and* great delights taken psal 16. 1. up amongst the best and choicest Christians Hee himselfe still growes better and others by him 5 In respect of consolation the declining sunne creates the longer and darker shadowes and the decaying Christian brings on himselfe either the sharper terrors or deeper griefs the sicke bed is full of paines neither his owne spirit nor Gods Spirit speake peace unto him He who of bad begins to be good may have much tranquility but he who of good becomes lesse good ever becomes more undelightfull to God and most unquiet with himselfe Simile The ship which goes out in low ebbes fals foulest on the sands so Christians who ebbe in graces shall alwaies flow with sorrowes But it is otherwise with the strengthened Christian for rising graces breed stronger comforts and longer there is not onely no troubling accusation but a most surpassing excusation in conscience he hath a better heart and shall therefore finde a more quiet spirit for conscience speakes peace answerable to our being more good and doing of it Alas that thou shouldest still walke like a Benoni a childe of sorrow whereas the other Christian lives like a Barnabas a sonne of consolation 6 In respect of affliction the weakened in active graces is ever most weake in passive duties generally hee hath more crosses and or himselfe lesse wisedome and strength to bear them because hee is growne worse therefore his afflictions are increased and because his abilities are sunke therefore the afflictions crush and prick him much the more Sampson who could easily breake thorow many cords and barres yet when weakened a few Philistines were too hard for him He cannot be so patient nor yet so confident nor yet so diligent in a suffering condition His weakened graces can neither administer strength nor yet subdue those workings of impatience so that he is almost sunke and split with calamities his decayed ship can scarse abide any foule weather But when personall sicknesses come and the apprehension of death at which times his conscience is thoroughly wakened ah how bitter how terrible are the thoughts and disputes of his heart at such a time much like those of him who apprehends his condition not to be good Oh how the pulses of his disturbing and disturbed conscience worke what reflexions on his former waies what comparison of his former flourishings with present decayings what feares of approching before the Lord what smart sentences on himselfe what sudden and vehement exclamations Oh Lord saith he I would not yet dye I am fallen much from my God Lord spare me a little that I may recover my strength my decayed strength before I go hence and shall be no more seene It is not so with the strengthened Christian but as in active duties hee is more forward so in passive duties he is more sufficient in losses in crosses yea in death it selfe hee is more submissive and confident he can with Iob be as willing to receive evill at the hand of God as good and doth not only rejoyce in his favours but in his strokes and is as ready to go to his father as to serve God his good master 7 In respect of Gods manifestation the Lord is pleased diversly to manifest himselfe to his people sometimes in admirable motions and suggestions of his spirit sometimes in more quick excitations of their spirits sometimes in singular confirmation of them with assistances for extraordinary works sometimes by secret impressions of his favour and love upon their consciences which doth revive their hearts as wine and satisfie their soules as with marrow so David speakes Psal 63. But now the weakened Christian he darkens this heaven over his head he hath not that comfortable sight of God that assurance of his favour that joy of the holy Ghost David lost the joy of the spirit and the voyce of gladnesse the arme of God is Psal 51. not so revealed in him for doing of good nor the face of God so open unto him at all Whereas the strengthened Christian findes it otherwise he hath a better heart and a fairer day his communion is sweet with the Lord hee still seeks the Lord and often findes him enjoyes him in his power and enjoyes him in his gratiousnesse the Lord meets him that worketh righteousnesse and remembers him who remembers the Lord in their waies Now thinke on these things O thou fallen and decayed Christian and rest not in thy weakenesse but recover and strengthen thy spirituals againe Three things I will let fall Three things which perhaps may fetch and quicken thee againe 1 Though thou art far sunk yet thou maiest be raised again 2 If thou doest rise again the Lord will graciously pardon thy decaies 3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening worke the Lord will worke in thee sufficient strength 1 Thou maiest be raised and strengthened againe and that may appeare thus unto thee 1 Repentance is possible for any sinnes which are committed and if renewed repentance be possible then a recovery againe is possible for as much as our recovery again consists very much in a renewed repentance 2 Yea and we have examples of weakened Christians strengthened againe as we know in David exceedingly wounded but yet recovered and Peter grievously falling but graciously rising againe 2 If thou doest strengthen thy condition the Lord will mercifully pardon thy former decayings I confesse that there may be sore grounds of feare to intangle and depresse the spirit of a decaid Christian for his sins by which he hath decayed may perhaps be hainous for the kinde and also high for the circumstances being against knowledge against the workings of conscience against the workings of his graces against the tender love of God in Christ shewed to him more then to another so that his heart may strongly misgive him whether the Lord will ever looke upon him more and accept of him into favour But this I say that be thy decayings what they will either for the matter of them or causes of them or circumstances of them if thou doest rise againe by a renewed repentance I assure thee that the Lord will pardon thee and accept of thee in Christ looke as the
Lord pardons all the sinnes of thy unconverted condition upon thy initiall repentance so he will pardon all the sinnes of thy converted condition upon renewed repentance and therefore hee cals upon backsliding and declining people to returne unto him and promiseth both to heale them Hos 14. 4. and to Hos 14. 4. love them freely ibid. which is as much as to pardon them but see the pardon expresly Micah 7. Mic. 7. 18. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his beritage c. 3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening work the Lord will worke in thee sufficient strength for the worke There is a difference betwixt a man in his conversion there indeed he is without all strength hee can doe nothing and the Christian in his restauration there is now some living ability in him which can yet doe a little act a little strive a little at least in bewailings and desires Now if thou doest in any sincere degree set upon the right and full meanes of thy recovery the Lord God will come in with his owne strength Hee will strengthen what hee hath wrought in thee and will work the will and the deed in thee his own works in thee Object But then you will reply what meanes may a decayed Christian use to recover and strengthen himselfe againe Sol. I conjecture that the best course is this 1 A serious consideration of Seaven Meanes their condition this is the counsell which Christ gave to the Church of Ephesus decaying in her first love Remember from Revel 2 whence thou art fallen seriously consider take to heart peruse and judge over thy estate what it was formerly what it is now what strength then what weaknes now how much glory God had then what dishonour God hath now what good thou diddest then what evill thou doest now what peace in conscience then what woundings in conscience now what estimation among the Saints then what strengthening of the hands and opening of the mouthes of the wicked now And this is an excellent meanes to worke upon thy spirit or rather to worke of thy spirit David considered his wayes and turned his feet to Gods testimonies 2 A deep humiliation which will follow upon this thou must breake through all businesses and pleasures and impediments and retire thy selfe in a more solemne manner more then once or twice and set thy selfe before the Lord and fall down before his footstoole with shame and confusion of face with bitter weepings and lamentations with sound judgings and condemnations of thy selfe Ah how thou shouldest exquisitely afflict thy soule that thou shouldest be so mad and vile to lose a God to lose any thing of the graces of a God for a sinnes sake or a worlds sake That the Lord should shew thee more love then another and intrust thee with grace the least dram where of is more pretious then all the world and yet thou shouldest decline from the Lord not answer this trust not use those talents which have yeelded so much profit and comfort being improved but decay in them and fall behinde hand yea even under mighty meanes of strength alwaies continued unto thee and these things should cut and grieve and afflict and humble thy soul exceedingly 3 A solid resolution thou must with full purpose of heart resolve not to rest in thy decayed condition but to shake off all the causes and occasions of thy decayings If any wickednesse hath got into thy heart thou must put it farre away from thy tabernacles and if the morsels have beene sweet thou must cast them out with godly sorrow as bitter as gall and wormwood If carelesnesse and slothfulnesse of spirit hath caused thy decayings thou must with the Church in the Canticles stand no longer upon how shall I rise and put on my coat but rise thou must and get out of thy slothfull bed and thrust from thee a neglecting and negligent disposition Or if the world hath caused thy decayings either in the profits of it and gaine or in the honours of it and respects or in the friendship of it and acquaintance thou must resolve to bid them all farewell Think on it O Christian what gets he for profit who loseth in his graces or for honour who abaseth himselfe in his graces or for love who loseth himselfe in the favour of his God Ah poore soule thou mayest curse the day that ever thou knewest what did belong to thy drudgings in the world and unto thy great friends in the world and thy society with such and such persons at first thou didst converse with them with a regretting spirit then with a silent spirit then with an yeelding spirit many many a day hast thou come home with conscience accusing and smiting of thee unto which hadst thou hearkned thou hadst been much preserved well well if ever thou wouldest recover thy spirituall strength thou must peremptorily resolve on it to sever from wicked society better farre to be a poore man and a rich Christian then to thrive any way and bee decaying in grace 4 An active reformation Remember said Christ from whence thou art fallen and doe thy first workes so say I now goe to thy old workes againe be trading for thy soule set up prayer againe and reading againe and hearing againe and holy meditation and conference againe and solemne humiliations againe stir up those coales and cinders of grace there is life yet in thee oh act thy life faith can doe something for thee though it cannot see comfort for thee yet it can see helpe and strength for thee godly sorrow can mourna little set it to work perhaps it may quickly rise to a floud upon particular surveyes and so set repentance on work yea and all thy soul thy minde thy judgement thy memory thy affections to worke in all the duties of thy generall and particular condition 5 Ardent supplication for it is the Lord who must shew this power in thy weakenesse Psal 86. O turn unto me and have Psal 86. 16. mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant Beseech him to pitty thee beseech him to succour and helpe thee to be thy strength and thy salvation to beat downe and weaken the sinnes which have so much weakened thee to crucifie thy heart to the world which hath so much crucified thy heart unto thy God To breath upon thy graces as hee did upon the dry bones to stirre up and revive them by his Almighty spirit to put his hand of power upon thy hand of weakenesse as the Prophet did upon the Kings c. Yea and never give him over till then that though thou hast beene a backsliding childe yet hee is a gracious Father though thou hast been unfruitfull yet hee is faithfull though thou art weakened yet he is the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth who fainteth not who can give power to the
faint and to them that Esay 40. 28. have no might he can increase strength Yea and that yet there is something of his owne in thee though very little yet something and that holinesse which he did once implant by a mighty hand he is now as able to revive and strengthen it by his Almighty power 6 Carefull application now goe to the healing and strengthening waters thou hast knowne the waies of God and his goings in the Sanctuary how he hath wrought wonders for the dead many a Creple hath got strength there and many a disconsolate soule hath found comfort there in his word and in his Sacrament there hath his arme beene revealed David grew by his great sinnings into great languishings but the Lord sent Nathan the Prophet unto him and his faithfull dealing was a meanes of his happy renewing What we pull downe by hearkning to the voyce of sinne that may be built up againe by hearkening to the voyce of Gods spirit But then this must thou doe if ever thou wouldest be strengthened viz. Strive for a plain and pliable heart which may yeeld subjection to whatsoever law or course the Lord shal direct thee unto by his word if the word As the Iewes in Ieremiah offer thee a restoring plaister but thou wilt not apply it and prescribe unto thee strengthening methods but thou wilt not follow them now thy heart may grow more hardened but thy graces will never be strengthened But this doe strive to yeeld up thy soule in an humble subjection to the heavenly ordinances that if they say forbeare thy heart answers I will forbeare if they say doe thy heart answers I desire to doe thy will Cooperate with the word received when it hath got into thy soule and stirred thee in any kinde when thou perceivest any healing vertue gone from Christ by it unto thee oh blesse the Lord and get home work it againe upon thy soule by holy meditation yea and yet againe by holy petition Simile Thou must even doe in this kinde as Benhadads servants did in another they watched the words which fell from the King of Israel and improved them so must thou watch what motions the Lord puts into thy heart in private and cherish them watch what impressions the Lord makes upon thy spirit by his word and not onely excite thy heart to embrace them but work them often and often upon thy conscience and this is the way to make thy weake sparke to grow unto a flame 7 And lastly there must bee lively consociation by a naturall instinct the weaker things doe cling and winde up themselves by the stronger as the weake Ivie upon the strong Oake so thou must inwardly and affectionately joyne thy selfe with strong and lively Christians who skill the waies of grace and walke in them who are good and know how to doe good who have hearts to pitty thee heads to direct thee and armes to beare thee up Thou maiest exceedingly be repaired by their heavenly wisedome in counselling of thee and kept in by their tender watchings over thee and put forward by their daily exhortations of thee and refreshed by their seasonable comfortings of thee and led on by their strict and lively examples yea even stirred up by the observation of those blessed experiences which thou perceivest in them through a carefull communion with God as also much assisted by the successe of their prayers for thy particular condition Thirdly the manner Now be pleased to heare a little for the manner how yee 5 Particular are to set upon this strengthening work and then I have done with this proposition If thou findest thy selfe to be a weakened Christian then set upon thy strengthening worke 1 Presently Initia morborum cavenda say the Physitians and therefore their rule is principiis obsta c. we should set upon diseases as soone as diseases set upon us not trifle away the methods of recovery three things must be lookt into in time tides seasons diseases If wee presently oppose our decayings First we shall prevent the deadlinesse of diseases hadst thou opposed thy negligent carelesse spirit at the first thou hadst not now been bleeding under so many wounds thou hadst not stepped downe from one sinne to another thou hadst not gone so desperately from the Lord. Therefore watch thy heart and often examine it weekely nay daily thy languishings are by this manner sooner espied and sooner staied Secondly our strengthening will hereby become more easie it is easier to fetch a man from the brink then from the depth of the channell and for a Physitian to cure a distemper then to heale a disease There is usually in the first impairings lesse corruption and more strength of grace to oppose it and subdue it Beleeve it long decayings are the more uncomfortable and more difficult for recovery Therefore if thou fallest suddenly rise quickly remember one thing it is a very dangerous thing to suffer the soule to habituate it selfe to decayings all customes are hardly broken 2 Voluntarily it is true that though thou decaiest more and more yet the Lord may awaken thee at length and recover thee but doe not put the Lord to it The Physitian may perhaps heale a deeply languishing patient but it will cost the patient dearly and bitterly Ioab got little by not comming to Absalom for he at length fetcht him by setting his corne on fire if thou wilt not come in of thy owne accord but stand it out I tell thee the Lord will fetch thee in indeed but he will send a whirlewinde after thee as to Elijah he will send flames into thy conscience if thou wilt needs put him upon compulsory waies Nay but rather peruse thy decayings thy selfe and arraign thy selfe and judge thy selfe and afflict thy selfe and hye thee to make thy peace and to recover strength it argues the better heart to fall unwillingly but willingly to rise hereby peace is sooner made and strength sooner restored 3 Prudently when a tree is withering you need not poure buckets on every branch if you water the roots it is as if you watered all There is an holy part in recovering our graces againe if you can recover the roots you have hit the way to renew all Now there are two radicall graces as it were if they be strengthened all the rest will come to be strengthened viz. 1 Faith this is a root grace and this is a strengthening grace it is of singular power with God and with Christ and with the spirit of God It is that grace which laies hold on and applies all our strengthening helpes so that it deales at the springs of strength and brings away strength from them But this is not all faith is no sooner strengthened to lay hold on our strength but like those common officials in nature the stomack liver heart and brain it imparts this vigour to all the new man every grace gets when faith gets the more a man can beleeve the
more will that man grieve for sinne the more will he feare to sinne the more will hee hate sinne the more will hee repent of sinne the more carefull will hee be to walke before God the more tender and conscientious will hee grow in duties the more able unto praier and the ordinances and the more successefull under them Therefore deale prudently for thy strengthening Simile when an house is declining we doe not meddle with every rafter and piece of wood no but wee strengthen the pillers and foundation faith is the piller as it were of our graces strengthen it to more apprehension application to more submission to the wil of God to more affiance to more dependance on God through the bloud of Christ and faith will both finde out thy strength and impart it I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me 2 Love this is another radicall grace not that it brings forth other graces for their habits but onely that it eggeth on other graces to their acts and operations for as holy love is a most active quality in it selfe so it doth make the Christian to be most active it is a doing thing and makes the person to be doing More fully thus 1 There is activity flowing from love grace shall never be idle where the love of God is strong the love of Christ constraines 2 Cor. 5. me saith Saint Paul it is like the vertuous woman in the last of the Proverbs who did set all her handmaids to employment for love will finde duty enough for it is never quiet but in doing the will of God 2 There is diligence It will not set graces to a naked work but to a diligent worke even carefully and diligently to expresse their acts to take all the seasons of holy actings strictly to oppose and resist corruptions neatly to set out duties so as God may have most glory 3 There is delightfulnesse it makes our communion with God pleasant and the works of piety easie to the soule and the more delightfull and easie any acts are the more frequent they grow David loving of the Lord was glad when they said let us goe unto the house of the Lord and he had a desire even to dwell and rest there as the birds did Psal 84. Psal 84. Now put all this together and you shall see that if love be strengthened all our spirituall estate will be strengthened for it makes our graces to be active and doing to be carefull and exact in doing to be delightfull and cheerefull in doing good and in communion with God and all these are admirable meanes to raise and strengthen graces Forasmuch as the more any Christian doth the more hee may by using his spirituall strength he alwaies increaseth it and also wit All know that diligence in acting is a thrifty course the diligent hand makes rich saith Salomon so the diligent Christian is the gaining Christian and that delightfull frequency of acting Simile it is like the twisting of a cord which comes thereby to be the stronger No Christian is so able in the habits of grace as hee who is conscientiously frequent in the practise or exercise of grace 4 Seriously and in good earnest and not slightly and faintly the recovery of a faint soule will never be effected by faint workings Simile gentle physicke is improper for tough diseases you did fall into your decayed estate by remissive operations or actings and thinke you that what was not able to keep up your graces from sinking can now quicken and raise them being greatly sunke If my hands cannot keep a swouning person from falling to the ground can they lift him up being fallen whereas every heavy body the farther it descendeth the heavier it is No no Christian thou deceivest thy selfe to thinke that a few complaints or a few sighes or a few teares or a prayer once in a quarter of a yeere more earnestly pressed will serve the turne I tell thee that thy wounds are deepe and thy diseases are strong thou art deeply revolted from the Lord the very foundations are shaken and battered within thy soule What talkest thou of putting a soft cloth over thy stinking and festred wounds of sinfull corruption thou oughtest to search deeply and to cut off the dead flesh lest the whole be gangrened Take my advise even breake up the fallow ground I meane thy hollow heart search and try it to the utmost not by slight but by deep and full humiliations and supplications make thy peace not by common but by extraordinary performances seeke to renue thy selfe Thy fals have beene great and therefore thy worke must not be slight great sinnings require grand sorrowings and low fallings the more industry for higher risings therefore act thy strengthening part with all thy strength and as it were for thy very life remember that David was in fasting and Peter in bitter teares for their falling and so they rose againe 5 Throughly and to some purpose doe not begin a strengthening worke and then either upon the motions of a lasie heart or a fearefull heart or an unbeleeving heart be discouraged and desist this inconstancy would keepe thee in an everlasting infirmity Simile just as if a Patient should follow the prescription of the Physitian for a day or two but afterwards finding that to be somewhat painefull and troublesome hee will bee bound no longer but then hee fals ill againe So if thou set upon the waies of strengthening and a while thou wilt keepe close to praying and hearing and humbling and reforming but perceiving the workes to be painefull and offensive to thy corrupt heart and too strict to thy licentious heart or the fruits of them to be hopelesse to thy unbeleeving heart I cannot hold out all is in vaine or to little purpose I tell thee that thou doest but play the foole with thy soule set it forward and backward this were to twist and untwist Penelopes threed thou never wilt get any thing by an inconstant and weary spirit But this must thou doe if thou wouldest recover thy strength indeed thou must never admit of interruptions thou must never break off thy renewing worke till thou hast got to thy former station in grace againe The worke must bee a daily worke a constant going on in mourning praying c. till thou hast got thy tender conscience againe till thou hast gotten thy broken heart againe till thou hast got thy more willingly and cheerefully obedient heart againe till thou hast recovered thy first love and canst doe thy first works againe Object It is true thou shalt meet with many temptations from Satan with many contrary suggestions from thine owne spirit and with many discouragements from the world and it is true also that thy doings may not at every time equall or be like to it selfe thou mayest feele thy physicke at one time to worke better then at another sometimes thou mayest doe thy strengthening worke with more strength sometimes with
and despise them 2 The remembrance must be ingenuous and not preiudiciall though we must sticke to yet not in the truths received our former remembrance must not contract a present or future neglect of any other truths which God shall reveale unto us as when many remember the Sermons of dead men and slight the discoveries of the living 3 There is a threefold remembrance of former truths One is notionall Simile which is like the often looking into a glasse or when a person beholds truths as hee doth pictures gaze on them and that is all Another is verball when a person renues his acquaintance and complements with truth onely his memory onely loades his tongue like a naked Astronomer who knowes heaven and can onely talke of it A third is practicall when the remembrance is like a cloud descending on the plants Simile or like a fire felt as well as seene this kinde of remembrance hath three degrees in it for it is partly Directive when truths remembred are made a compasse for us to sayle by or copies for us to write after still teaching and guiding us how to draw the lines and letters of our conversation Affective when truths remembred are like the conference of Christ rising from the dead burning and inflaming of our hearts with most affectionate love unto them Effective when truths remembred are truths obeyed we often consider former doctrines and still better our present conversations After this practicall forme are wee to remember received truths 4 There is 1 A materiall remembrance which is partly of the things themselves partly of the revelation of them partly of the manner and meanes of revealing them 2 Formall remembrance of For the manner five waies truths received which is rather of the manner how wee our selves did receive them we are often to thinke on truths received not onely as they stand in proposition or revelation but also how they stood with us when wee did receive them for energy or operation and thus I conjecture we are to remember truths received 1 With what estimations and admirations wee did receive them Simile like those people who have the Sunne but halfe the yeere they run after it and are ready to adore it in its approch so when we did receive holy truths at the first we received them as the very oracles of God not as the words of man but as they are indeed the words of God 2 With what subjection of spirit we did receive them wee did not onely admire their excellency but felt their efficacie the word came not in word onely but in power and authority over our very consciences and this power was a full power and an easie power the truths which wee received did command and awe and order our whole man and wee too were most willing to resigne up our selves to the obedience of the Gospell in all things and to be cast into that mould of heavenly doctrine 3 With what affections wee did receive them O then those conflictings of spirit Heb. 10. 32 Heb. 10. 32. those bathes of griefe and heavenly compunction with them Acts 2. 37. those flames Acts 2. 37. of love with those Christians Acts 4. 32. those raptures of joy Acts 4. 32. Acts 16. with Lydia Acts 16. yea those extensions of zeale with the Galathians to Saint Paul Gal. 4. Gal. 4. the word had a surpassing influence upon all our affections to melt and convert to raise and dispose of them 4 With what resolute loyalty so that we did hate and defie all contrary errors and waies and so were our hearts sworne to divine truths and as it were espoused to them that wee once resolved to live and dye in those truths and for those truths wee could not endure any mixture with them nor heare of any divorce from them 5 With what reverence wee did embrace the Ambassadors of heavenly truths they were as the Angels of God to us we were like almost with Cornelius to adore the Peters and Pauls I meane the ministers of God revealing his truths unto us the feet of them who brought unto us the glad tidings of our salvation were beautifull and most acceptable unto us Now here are two questions briefly to be resolved Quest What truths heard and received we are often to consider and remember Sol. To this I answer 1 There must be an endeavour to remember all the truths as Christ said of the fragments gather them up and let none be lost so it must bee said of holy truths on which the soule hath formerly fed gather them up all let none be lost Simile You see that the Goldsmith doth not onely looke after the massie piece of gold but he carefully lookes after every ray and dust of gold and preserves it Every truth of God is precious it is more precious then gold it is excellent and as it is excellent in it selfe so it may be usefull to us Simile there is not a star in heaven but is of some good to the lower world so there is not one truth of God but may be of some good use to a Christian But if either for the multitude of truths or the sublimity of truths or for the obscure manner of discovering these truths or for the impotency and irretentivenesse of an unholding and unclasping memory or for the space of time since truths were delivered and received it so fals out that all heard and once received truths will not stand upon record into which they have beene entred but are in many places defaced and cancelled 2 There must at least bee a faithfull remembrance of the most necessary and chiefe truths namely of those which more immediately and intimately and unauoydably concern our salvation of the which for methods sake I conjecture there may be three heads viz. 1 That vitall truth concerning Christ and faith in him this is the great fundamentall truth Note 2 That vivificall truth concerning repentance in the conversion of the heart from dead workes 3 That practicall truth concerning obedience in ordering the life and course of a converted person As the moralists say of Fame or of a mans good name Omnia si perdas famam servare memento Qua semel amissâ postea nullus eris i whatsoever commodity you lose be sure yet to preserve that iewell of a good name That is so choyce a iewell that whatsoever a man loseth hee must yet take heed and care of that The same may bee said of these forenamed truths though through some defect or frailty or malignity any other historicall or problematicall truths may slip from us yet these must be written in our hearts with the point of a Diamond and as in marble the characters of them are to bee kept fresh and alive and are never to be blotted out Object And why this faithfull and frequent remembrance or renewed consideration of truths heard and received Sol. Reasons thereof many 1 Though sometimes an assent may be
not bolstered up with high clamours and with artificiall lyes But truth is naked and plaine it is neither of a cruell nature like Caine nor of a subtile spirit with Absalom nor of a lying spirit with Ahabs false Prophets it flatters no man nor beguiles any being truth it is not ashamed of light or triall and it alone can maintain it self against all contrary quarrels a good cause is like a good conscience even a bulwarke to it selfe like the sunne in its light and heat against all clouds c. 5 The duration of them truth like the sunne hath runne down through all ages not that all men have embraced it but that by some it hath still beene embraced some one or more hath still beene at the barre to beare witnesse unto it New men have still risen up and sometimes out of the ashes as it were of the dead to maintaine and either by tongue or pen or bloud to defend the truth but Erroneous doctrines as they want an inward harmony so also an outward consent like a deceitfull brooke they are spent after a while or like commotions in a state Simile though strong or long yet they come to an end at length either some speciall judgements on the ringleaders or the authority of Princes as Alexander against Arius or the prayers of the Saints or the decision of lawfull counsels have still cashiered these meteors but as it is said of divine mercy that it endures for ever the same is affirmed of divine truth it runs from one generation to another till Christ make his Church triumphant the militant Church shall be the pillar of truth 6 The conformity of them to the rule or word Erroneous doctrines like unsound flesh cannot abide handling and Simile like an ill favoured woman would have all glasses broken But truth like sound gold will endure a touch-stone truth will be found truth upon search bring it to the conscience it will worke as truth bring it to the death-bed it will uphold as truth bring it to the scriptures it will hold out as truth 2 When truths upon search are found to be truths then embrace them for the truths sake not upon personall and mutable causes or ends 3 Firme refolution after tryall by which our knowledge comes to be cleare and without doubt there must be now a plain resolution and purpose of heart in cleaving to such faithfully evidenced truths thou must by an immoveable faith as it were root thy very heart in the truths of Christ as Saint Paul though bonds and afflictions though good report or evill though death it selfe abide him for Christ come what will come disputes fancies errors troubles losses I have found the truth and it will I hold for ever 3 Loyall affection then it is loyall when it is inclusive to every truth c. exclusive to nothing but truth this loyall affection will make us to first doe secondly suffer thirdly cleave love truth and then truth will be held I held him and would not let him goe said the Church then in love with Christ Cant. 3. Love is the easiest key to open the heart to Cant. 3. Christ and the strongest locke to keepe sure the truth in our hearts when thou hast experimentally felt the heavenly strength and comfort of Gods truths then wilt thou certainly sticke unto them 4 Ioyne conscience to science O when people have the truths still sounding in their eares and ungodlinesse still stirring and ruling in their lives it cannot be that they should have strong hands who have wicked hearts Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith and of conscience both together 1 Tim 1. 19. Therefore strive to obey the 1 Tim. 1. 19. truths adde to thy faith vertue be a doing Christian as well as a knowing Christian 5 Be watchfull in prayer to God with David to uphold thee with Saint Peter to establish thee still to keepe thee that thou mayest keepe his truths excellent is that speech of Bernard S. Bernard in Psal qui habitat pag. 283. Basil neque enim quae habemus ab eo servare aut tenere possumus sine eo that God by whose light alone we know the truth by his strength alone we keepe it Thus much for the text and now for the occasion and here I cannot be long neither my affections nor yours will admit of large discourse onely a word of you and a word to you Of you so regardfull have you beene to my Ministery so loving to my person so faithfull in your maintenance so cheerefully encouraging generally from you all but chiefly from the chiefest that had it pleased the Lord to have given mee health the which I have scarce enjoyed one whole yeere together since I have beene heere I should not have stirred easily from such a people for the best preferment that could be conveniently offered unto me I speake my heart freely I cannot tell on which side the unwillingnesse is most whether on your part who are left or on my part who am constrained to leave you But to say no more of your goodnesse give mee leave for the close of all to leave a few Legacies with you being all my friends and hearken to my words as the words of a dying man for the Lord knowes how short my daies may be My Legacies are these 1 Lay out more time for your soules the soule is a precious thing the soule is a corrupted thing sinnes are in it much guilt is upon it there is a Christ that it needs holinesse that it must have heaven that it would have thy body is but clay thy soule a spirit the world a vanity thy soule immortall all is well if the soule be wel nothing is well if that be evill I beseech you pray more heare more know more confer more doe more and more for your soules when you come to dye you will then finde it to be all your worke O then whiles health is in you make it thy chiefest worke to seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof for your soules feed not the slave and starve the childe 2 Vpon good grounds make sure of a reconciled God live not in an unreconciled condition no enemy like an ill conscience and a good God study the right of thy sinnes and the bloud of Christ repentance from dead workes and faith in the Lord Iesus so shalt thou behold the face of God and live The waies of reconciliation with God and the setling of thy conscience about it may cost thee many prayers and teares and diligent studies but the love of God and heaven will answer and recompense all 3 Wisely improve all heavenly seasons the Lord hitherto hath continued unto you daies of peace and salvation heavenly opportunities publike and private and I beseech him for ever so to doe Now receive not the grace of God in vaine lay hold on these occasions if there be not wisedome to improve them there may be sadnesse for neglecting
them You see how many worthy and faithfull Ministers God hath taken away of late by death and shall the present Prophets live for ever O then in your day and time hearken regard repent beleeve live and thrive under holy and faithfull Ministers make more use of their doctrines of their rules of their counsels of their comforts of their experience and prayers the night will come when neither we nor you must worke any longer 4 Study the grounds and principles of religion better first lay good foundations and then build on them errours in the entrance weaken all in the progresse Take paines to know what that good and acceptable will of the Lord is a well bottomed Christian is like a well-bottomed vessell at sea which can ride out in all weathers no Christian stands so fast or thrives so well as the well grounded Christian 5 Be rather an agent then a disputant in religion the vanity of wit is to argue much but the sincerity of the heart is to doe much for doubtfull points and subtile novelties let others beat them and serve them and in the meane while pray thou much that thou mayest obey the truths which thou kno west In speculatives be wise to sobriety in practicals be as good as thou canst it is not the wittiest scholler but the truest Christian who shall goe to heaven 6 Be lesse formall and more fruitfull know that as we must be brought to an account for every word which we speake so much more for every word that God speakes Meere godlinesse is not enough under constant and great meanes of grace God expects much when he gives much if it doth not utterly cast thee yet it must excessively trouble thee to be thin in bearing when God hath been large in sowing 7 Let all Christians bee of more fruitfull hearts and charitable spirits one towards another There are treacherous and malitious hearts enough in the world thou needest not to helpe the divell to be an accuser of the brethren It is a sad thing when one Christian can hardly trust another and that they who should pitty and heale infirmities are yet inventers of lies and obloquies these are the wounds which my friends gave me said the Church in the Canticles If thy fellow Christian doe faile rather compassionate and succour him then hate and reproach him thou shalt never establish thy graces or name upon the ruines and scandals of another man if thou be a strong Christian be more tender if weake be more silent the strong should beare the infirmities of the weake and the weake should hearken to the directions of the strong your graces are strong and safety surer by love then by division therefore be of one minde and live in peace let brotherly love continue 8 Minde death often and prepare for it betimes hee who is a stranger to dying thoughts is ordinarily a stranger to a godly life thou wouldest hasten and better thy worke if thou didst more looke backe on thy life and more forward on thy death 9 Be diligent in your particular places the idle body can hardly hold a good soule that man is in danger who is all for heaven or all for earth both our callings must be regarded 10 Be much in praier the Christian usually gets the greatest blessings on his knees God is much with him in grace who is most with God in praier And pray not for your selves onely but for others and as for others so for me as Saint Paul desired of the Ephesians c. 6. 19. that utterance may be given unto mee that I may open my mouth boldly to make knowne the mystery of the Gospell that therein v. 20. I may speake as I ought to speake and so as the same Apostle in his ultimum vale said to those Ephesians the same I say unto you Brethren I commend you unto God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified FINIS The Table A ACtivity of love to set on graces p 144 Affections are many times dying p. 11. 45 Ardency of affections an exceeding helpe 1 to the remembrance of truths taught 2 to the holding fast of the truth p 198. 213 The different carriage of a weakened and a strengthened Christian under afflictions p 111 The application of Christ the ordinances and other meanes helpefull against decaying p 72. 98. 131 Apostasie from the truth seven causes of it p 272 Gods approbation to be studied p 158 A distinct apprehension of truths needfull to the remembrance of truths p 200 C CAuses of a dying condition p 16 Christ strengthens a languishing Christian three waies p 79 Comforts attend Christians and when p 40 Communion with God and its kindes p 38. 39 Conference about truths taught usefull p 201 Conscience to be joyned with science p 250 Conscience wounded and vexed p. 16. 40 Corruptions have a decaying power p 16 Considerations of a mans condition is necessary p 121 A dying conversation p. 10. 50 Truths taught to be kept in a mans conversation p 215 Lively consociation what p 135 D DAmping of communion with God p 38 Depression of heavenly strength p 36 Delight taken in godly company p 108 Delightfulnesse in love p 145 Diligence in love ibid. True doctrines discovered from false in seven things p 240 Seven disadvantages in a weakened condition p 92 Desertion a consequent of decaying p 40 A dying disposition opened p 8 Christians are dying in seven respects p 10 Dying in duties how knowne p 44 53 E EXamination neglected the evill of it p 22. 23 Excesse in passion dangerous p 28 Excellency hath two things in it p 217 Expressions of grace 1 passionate 2 deliberate p 63 Extenuatiōs of excellencies by decayings p 34 Truths are to be embraced p 248 F FAintnesse in acts of religion p 53 Faith a radicall and strengthening grace p 14. 142 Forgetfulnesse of the word evill and hurtfull p 190 Formality to be checked p 69 G MEn may decay in gifts and graces and how p 13 14 Graces given to men for three ends p 54 Graces are inclining inlarging and cleansing principles p 55 56 57 Graces bestowed are to be kept in repaire p 88 Graces diffused and graces imployed how to be understood p 64 H HEaring not enough for a Christian p 187 A plaine and a pliable heart p 132 Helpes first to remember secondly to hold fast truths p 198. 238 Hold fast the truth p 210 Divine truths a Christians heritage p 219 Humbling under decayings p 67 Deep humiliation a meanes to strengthen a decayed Christian p 123 I IEalousie and three things arising from it p 70 Inconstancy and its causes p 232 Implantation of holy principles what it is p 74 Interruption in duties p 64 Decaies in judgement p 12 The imperfection of our estate before God p 157 Truths held fast in judgement p 211 L THree things in love furthering duties p 144 145 Loyall affection to the truth p 299 Ten legacies p 253 M MEditation an helpe to memory p 199 Meanes to keepe up graces p 67 Meanes to recover out of a dying condition p 73 Meanes of strengthening p 121 N NEglect and its danger p 19 O COnstant operation what p 200 Opposition against dying causes p 137 Ordinances and three things about them 97 P THree sorts of people living under the meanes p 7 Perfection and a striving unto it p 68 Perfecting of holy principles p 75 Persistance in holy truths p 202 Practise a keeper of truths p 202 Practicall remembrance what it is p 167 Practicall truths what they are p 175 Preparation to the ordinances p 97 Physicking the soule what p 22 Dying in profession what p 10 Truth is held by profession p 214 R REasons for the strengthening of a spirituall condition p 84 Reasons to hold fast divine truths p 216 Active reformation what p 128 Truths taught are to be remembred p 163 The nature sorts waies causes and meanes of rememembrance p 160. to 202 Resistance of sinne p 102 Rising of graces p 110 Solid resolutions p 125 Resolution to cleave to the truth p 249 Revolting from doctrine p 228. and in conversation 231 S SIlence in heaven what and when p 41 Sin and a Christian in sinning p 60 61 Seriousnesse in society p 71 Standing at a stay p 70 Strengthening of spirituals under decayes p 74. 78. 83 Supplication must be ardent p 129 Suspition of a mans owne condition p 42 Sen siblenesse and spiritualnesse not equall p 62 T TImes of spirituall troubles p 41 Truths add their sorts p 175 205 206 Divine truths is Gods trust p 220 Three things about a trust p 221 Z A Case resolved about decayings in zeale p 62 FINIS Errata PAge 8. line 16. for a reade secondly p. 147. l. 3. for wit r. we all know c. p. 221. l. 4. for instructed r. intrusted Octob. 22. 1639. Imprimatur IOH. HANSLEY