5. Verily they that groape after prophesies in the bright sun-shine of the Gospel They walk after the light of their own fire and in the sparks that they themselves have kindled This shall they have of mine hand saith the Lord they shall lie down in sorrow Isa 50. 11. Sixthly we are not to build our faith upon Prognostications A Diviner an ol server of times a Charmer a Wizard or a Consulter with familiar Spirits all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord saith Moses from the mouth of the Lord Deut. 18. 22. It is a wonder how they come to be of such reputation with us that dare professe a zeal to Gods glory Is it not just with our God to say unto England as sometime he said unto Babilon Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the monethly Prognosticatours stand up and save thee from those things that shall come upon thee Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame Isa 47. 13 14. Seventhly not upon wrested Expositions There are somethings in the Scriptures hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable do wrest to their own destruction saith the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3. 16. And eightly a justifying and saving faith cannot be built upon the works of righteousnesse For not by the works of righteousnesse that we have done but according to his mercy he saved us Tit. 3. 5. These works of righteousnesse are commonly called the works of the Law But by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2. 16. For if righteousnesse come by the law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2. 21. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders which is become the head of the corner saith Peter to the rulers of the people and the Elders of Israel Acts 4. 11. Neither is there salvation in any other verse 12. How often doth the Son of God cry out upon us in his holy Gospel to believe on him to believe in him To believe on his name to believe in his Merits and Mediation And St. Paul to the regenerate Jaylor Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. And in his Epistle to the Colossians Though I be absent in the flesh saith he yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ Col. 2. 5. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord saith he so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith abounding therein with thanks-giving verse 6. 7. I pray observe as ye have received Jesus Christ the Lord by the hand of faith so walk in him according to the righteousnesse of faith rooted in him by the word of faith and built up in him by the work of faith and established in the faith by him the Authour and finisher of your faith abounding in the fruit of faith with thanks-giving the evidence of faith See here how sweetly this Apostle insinuateth unto us how we are to proceed in the degrees of faith and that according to the rule of faith even the Gospel of Christ For it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith saith the same Apostle Rom. 1. 16 17. Not from one kinde of faith to another but from one degree of faith to another And to conclude this point I am more then confident that there did never any precept nor principle proceed either from the Son of God himself or from any of his Apostles that may direct us to any other foundation for our faith but onely Christ or the Gospel of Christ or the promises of the Gospel all which are the very same in substance and do clearly hold forth unto us this God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself And to him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10. 43. And therefore most accursed is he that shall wilfully endeavour to subvert this ground-work or to make it a stumbling stone or a Rock of offence to any Soul by any means or upon any occasion whatsoever For other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. We come now to the fourth general Question How or by what means is this faith obtained It is answered that faith is obtained by the hearing of the word of God For so St. Paul Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live saith that Son of God himself Iohn 5. 25. The dead such as are dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1. They shall hear the voice of the Son of God the voice of his Gospel from the mouths of his Ministers his Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. 20. And they that hear shall live live by faith The life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God saith the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. And by faith they shall live The just shall live by faith saith the same Apostle Gal. 3. 11. But you may say that I have already proved in my definition of faith that faith is the gift of God how then is it obtained by hearing It is most true that faith is the gift of God Neverthelesse he holdeth it forth unto us in the means and that is the word Shall God give us his word and shall not we give him the hearing of it We read that such as gladly received the word from the mouth of Peter were baptized and there were added the same day unto the believers about three thousand Souls Acts 2. 41. And not long after many of them which heard the word believed and the number of the men were five thousand Acts 4. 4. But such as believed without hearing I do not remember that ever I did read of any I will not seem to restrain the power of God For with God all things are possible Mar. 10. 27. But according to mans apprehension St. Paul seems to make it a thing impossible for a man to believe without hearing How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard saith he Rom. 10. 14. But as we believe not without hearing so neither do we believe by hearing onely without the blessing of God thereupon And in reference hereunto faith is most properly called the gift of God It was the Lord that opened the heart of Lidia that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul Acts 16. 14. It is man that preacheth but it is God that teacheth It is written in the Prophets saith our Saviour And they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard
with Philip. and wondered beholding the miracles and signes which were done Acts 8. 9 to 14. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the holy Ghost Acts 8. 18 19. Now let us lay all these together He beleeved and was baptized and continued with his teacher and was so desirous of the gift of the holy Ghost that he would have bought it with his money a commodity that few will part with upon such terms and what can any man desire more Yet Peter said unto him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter For thy heart is not right in the sight of God Acts 8. 20 21. Truely according to the outward appearance this Simon the sorcerer performed as much as might be expected and yet we see that all was to no purpose because his heart was not right in the sight of God It is like that his evil heart propounded unto him this outward profession for the only means to compasse his carnal designes And this will the rather appear by Peters insuing exhortation Repent therefore saith he of this thy wickednesse and pray to God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Acts 8. 22 23. Truely these examples may serve for seasonable admonitions to such as make use of religion onely as a fig-leafe to cover their shame or to countenance their covetousnesse cruelties or confederacies Keep thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. Out of the heart are the issues of life or the wayes of life yea and of death too A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth for evil things saith the Son of God Mat. 12. 30. And as he knew all mens hearts so we finde that he distinguished between the Hypocrite and the true believer by the heart Ye Hypocrites saith he well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me Mat. 15. 7 8. To confirm and conclude this truth that the heart is the onely receptacle or place of residence for an effectual faith I pray observe That when the Eunuch made the motion to Philip of being baptized Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest Acts 8. 36 37. Haply he remembred the Sorcerers evil heart whom he had then but lately baptized and fearing least this Eunuch might be poysoned with the like Hypocrisie and so become lyable to the like reproof he telleth him that he may be baptized provided that he believeth with all his heart And truely this is not without great reason that the heart should be principally regarded in matter of faith For first God sendeth faith into the heart to purge and purifie it as Acts 15. 9. And faith bringeth Christ into the same heart along with it According to that prayer of Paul for the Ephesians Eph. 3. 17. which seemeth likewise to be most sweetly insinuated by the believing love-sick spouse I found him whom my Soul loveth saith she I held him and would not let him go untill I had brought him into my mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me Cant. 3. 4. And when the gracious Soul hath thus brought Christ to dwell in her heart by faith then she beginneth to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory according to that of St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 8. But whereupon must this faith be built For that is the third Question I answer that it must be built upon the Rock which is Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. Not upon Thoughts or Opinions Not upon Traditions Not upon Humane Inventions Not upon Dreams or Fancies Not upon Prophesies Not upon Prognostications Not upon Wrested Expositions Not upon Works of Righteousnesse But upon The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. First a justifying faith must not be built upon Thoughts or Opinions For the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are but vain 1 Cor. 3. 20. I verily thought with my self or I was directly of opinion that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus saith St. Paul Acts 26. 9. But that opinion of his made him a persecuter and not a believer Secondly not upon Traditions Beware least any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men and not after Christ saith the same Apostle Col. 2. 8. And our Saviour told the Scribes Pharisees that they transgressed the commandment of God by their Traditions Mat. 15. 3. Thirdly not upon humane inventions They are whores deceitfull whores as the Prophet David insinuateth Psal 106. 39. For therefore was the wrath of God kindled against his people insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance verse 40. Cursed are they that father their own adulterous conceptions upon the Spirit of God or that dare forge a Gospel according to their own inventions If we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached let him be accursed saith that faithfull Apostle Gal. 1. 9. For we preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake saith the same Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 5. Fourthly this faith must not be built upon Dreams or Fancies For in the multitude of Dreams and many wâ—rds there are also divers vanities saith the Preacher Eccl. 5. 7. I have saith the Lord heard what the Prophets said that prophesie lies in my name saying I have dreamed I have dreamed Jer. 23. 25. Fifthly not upon prophesies The Prophets prophesie falsly saith the Lord Jer. 5. 31. we finde that for one Elijah there were four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18. 22. And for one Micaiah about four hundred lying Prophets 1 Kings 22. 23. Truely in comparison of the multitudes of lying Prophets there were but very few that were approved to be true faithfull even then under the shadows of the Law when prophesying was very necessary to declare the will of God and to confirm the mindes of men in the promised Messias But God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. And it may seem that Peter desired to have conference with those great Prophets Moses and Elias But behold a voice out of the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 4
silence their illiterate impudence They have said with our tongue will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us according to that of the Prophet Psalm 12. 4. But contrary to that of the Apostle My brethren be not many Masters Ja. 1. 3. These trouble-truths in spight of humane learning are gifted men Yet it is probable that they take unto themselves more then what is given them I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken unto them yet they prophesied saith the Lord Jer. 23. 21. They say not with our Saviour who hath ears to hear let him hear Mat. 13. 9. But like themselves who hath a tongue to speak let him speak Yet neither will they allow any thing to be well spoken but what they speak by themselves or by their Disciples who do onely speak themselves These are they that say they have gotten the pattent of the spirit wholy to themselves and their assigns and that they have the onely true light in their own dark Lanthorns But we may choose to believe them For we must believe God rather then men And our God sendeth us To the Law and to the Testimony and telleth us that if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. And therefore so long as they reject this word their pretended light is like to doe them but little good But judge of them say they we may not For they are all spitual And he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of none According to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 15. Truely we need not The Spirit of God hath long since judged them and pointed them out as men before of old ordained unto this condemnation And that both by the Son of God himself Mat. 24. 24. And likewise by divers of his Apostles By Paul 2. to Tim. 3. to the 10th By Peter 2. Pet. 2. By Jude Jude 4. to the 20th In many other places they are lively described but in these so exactly discovered both for time and manners that they cannot hide themselves from any save onely from those silly Souls whom they themselves have most miserably blinded and bewitch'd whose lamentable condition is much to be pitied Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall proceed no further For their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also was This is our Lords promise under the hand of one of his principal Secretaries 2 Tim. 8 9. And thirdly take heed that ye do hear obediently Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15. 22. But unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my statutes and that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee This the Lord by his anointed Psal 50. 16 17. And thus the wisdom of God by King Salomon Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at naught all my councel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will moâ—k when your fear cometh c. Pro. 1. 24. c. But whosoever cometh to me heareth my sayings and doth them I will shew you to whom he is like he is like a man which built an house and digged deep and laid the foundation on a Rock and when the flood arose the stream beat vehemently upon that house could not shake it for it was founded upon a Rock saith Christ that Rock and foundation of our faith Luke 6. 47 48. Truely whosoever shall take heed what he heareth And how he heareth according to the preceding particulars I am confident that he shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus have I indeavoured to shew you both that faith is obtained by hearing And likewise what and how you shall hear so as that you may obtain faith But there is yet a question which may be demanded in this case And it will be this May not faith be obtained by reading I answer that I doubt not but it may For as in hearing we receive the word of God by the ear so in reading we receive the word of God by the eye Now the word of God is that incorruptible seed whereby we are regenerate born again 1 Pet. 1. 23. And it is not material how we do receive this seed provided that we do receive it into honest hearts and keep it and bring forth fruit with patience as Luke 8. 15. For by this means faith is both produced and improved Neverthelesse it is a very rare thing to get faith by reading And therefore reading is not to be compared to hearing in this particular For first the word of God is full of deep mysteries very hard to be understood without much industry even by the strongest apprehension Without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse saith our Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 16. Is it an easie matter to conceive rightly of the Godhead essentially and personally Or of the two Covenants the one of Works and the other of Grace And that the last should be first according to Gods contract and ordination though last according to mans use and expectation Is it an easie thing for a man to see Christ in the promise to Adam and the fathers before the floud Or in the Covenant of Grace revealed unto Abraham and confirmed by the seal of Circumcision to himself and his beleeving posterity till their deliverance out of the Aegyptian bondage Or afterwards in the ceremoniall Law wherein he was exhibited or holden forth more copiously though yet obscurely in types and shadows until his coming in the flesh Is it an easie thing for a man rightly to understand Gods Evangelical purposes in giving the moral Law that exact copy of the covenant of works And his several extents limitations intended in his Gospel Truly if these and the like difficulties do not require an exact industry a superordinary judgement I have no judgement at all And therefore Lean not to thine own understanding saith the wise man Prov. 3. 5. Doubtlesse it is this kind of self-confidence that hath thus obscured the light of the Gospel with so many anti-christian errours A wise man will hear and will encrease learning saith Salomon Prov. 1. 5. As the Aethiopian Eunuch was riding in his charet and reading the Prophet Esaias Philip ran thither unto him and said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Acts 8. 28. Verily he hath need of a good guide that shall dive for faith in this deep mystery Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but
faith For unlesse the heart beleeveth unto righteousnesse the mouth cannot confesse unto salvation And therefore St. Paul hath put them both together Rom. 10. 10. And secondly this confession must comprehend the whole mystery of Christs incarnation As the Divinity of his generation the purity of his conception and the perfection both of his divine and humane nature together with his doctrine and miracles his sufferings and satisfaction his resurrection and ascension And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh according to all these truths is not of God 1 Joh. 4. 3. If you will proceed to a further triall of the spirits observe their fruit The fruit of the spirit of God is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Gal. 5. 22. And they that live in the spirit do also walk in the spirit not desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another Galat. 5. 25 26. And whomsoever we do really find walking contrary to these or any of these we may say with St. Jude Though they separate themselves they are sensuall having not the spirit Jude 19. But how shall a man behave himself if he shall happen to be beset or tempted by these or the like evil seducing spirits Why I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them saith St. Paul Rom. 16. 17. If any man consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envie strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godlinesse from such withdraw thy self 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. They that have the form of godlinesse in profession and deny the power thereof in practice from such turn away 2 Tim. 3. 5. Their mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake saith the same Apostle Tit. 1. 11. And thus that beloved disciple Whosoever transgressâ—â—h and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father the Son If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 2 John 9. 10. And therefore take heed what ye hear Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie saith our Lord and Master Luke 12. 1. And so we proceed to his second Caution Take heed how ye hear Not negligently not deceitfully not despitefully but attentively reverently and obediently First take heed how ye hear the word of God negligently As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2. We must not look upon the word of God as a thing indifferent but we must desire it as babes desire milk their best-pleasing and most proper food and nourishment I esteemed thy word more then my necessary food saith holy Job Job 23. 12. And thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoycing of my heart saith the Prophet Ieremy to the Lord God of hosts Jer. 15. 16. If these be things to be neglected then may we also neglect the good word of God Neverthelesse we are sensible that the hearing of the word of God is very much damnified by the means of negligence And this negligence may be said to be three-fold First there is a negligence in coming to hear the word of God There are many men and women that think if they come to hear onely when their lazinesse or leisure will give them leave once or twice in a moneth or haply in a quarter is very fair But to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts saith the Apostle Hebr. 3. 7 8. He that will not hear the voice of God from the mouth of his Ministers to day this day every day when it may be heard with any convenience It is a sore signe that his heart is either hardned or upon hardning A fearfull judgement And therefore the same Apostle in the same Chapter Take heed brethren least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Hebr. 3. 12 13. Secondly there is a negligence in hearing If the Devil cannot hinder a man from coming in at the Church door then commonly he endeavoureth to block up the door of his heart that the word may finde no profitable entrance And to further him in this his design either he disordereth the senses and disposeth them to slumbring prating gazing or the like ungodly ingagements or else he breedeth such a mutiny in the affections that they will by no means agree to give the word of God the least cordial entertainment As if the Lord had sent the same desperate curse among these negligent hearers which he sometime sent by his Prophet unto the Rebellions Israelites Go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Isa 6. 9 10. Thirdly there is a negligence after hearing and that appeareth in not practising the word when and after it is heard And I conceive that the parable of our Saviour concerning the Sower may not impertinently be applied to this purpose I pray observe his own exposition Luke 8. beginning verse 11. The seed saith he is the word of God Those by the wayes side are they that hear then cometh the Devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts least they should believe and be saved Here is the malice of the Devil They on the Rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away There is the infirmity of the flesh And that which fell among Thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection Here are the cares and snares of the world These were all hearers but never a practiser The malice of the Devil and the infirmity of the flesh together with the cares and snares of the world will not leave them so much as one word as we say to blesse themselves withall And truely much of this through negligence When was it that the enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat but while men slept Mat. 13. 25. While they
were negligent and carelesse Be sober therefore be vigilant saith St. Peter because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Peter 5. 8. And be ye doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves James 1. 22. Secondly take heed how ye hear deceitfully Thou son of man saith the Lord to his Prophet Ezekiel the Children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses and speak one to another every one to his brother saying come I pray you and hear what is the Word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 30 31. See how these Hypocrites do vilifie the Prophet of the Lord in private Neverthelesse they seem to be very zealous for the word of the Lord in publick and thereupon they come unto the Prophet and they sit before him as Gods own people and they do hear his words But here is the deceit they will not do them for they are Hypocritical and self-ended with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And may there not be deceitfull hearers in these our dayes that follow the word meerly that they may be accounted good Christians or because they think this to be the onely prevailing way both to make them capable of all manner of imployment though they be never so unfit and undeserving And likewise to countenance all their proceedings though never so corrupt and unconscionable And therefore if you observe it they will seldom or never hear the word though never so sincerely plainly and powerfully delivered but when they think it may conduce to their carnal profit or preferment The cry of their heart is who will shew us any good not Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us as Psalm 4. 6. Is not this to hear the word of God deceitfully Is it not a work of the Lord to hear the word of the Lord Truely it is such a work as doth very well manifest who is our Master He that is of God heareth Gods words Ye therefore hear them not â—ecause ye are not of God saith the Son of God to the unbelieving Jews John 8. 47. And cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully saith the Prophet Jer. 48. 10. Thirdly take heed how you hear despightfully Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed saith Salomon Prov. 13. 13. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me saith Christ to his seventy Disciples Luke 10. 16. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God saith that Apostle 1 Thessa 4. 8. But you will say that there is no man so ungracious as to despise the word of God in the mouth of his Ministers No What think you then of those factions frantick spirits that wry the mouth at every Doctrine which agreeth not with their own erronious or peradventure blasphemous opinions Or what do you think of those foul stomacks that will by no means disgest the sincere milk of the word but will rather spet it out in reproches unlesse it be sweetned with faithlesse revelations flattering Prophesies fair promises false invectives fresh intelligence or the like frivolous extravagancies which taste like Sugar to their corrupted appetites Or what do you think of those preposterous hearers that come to Gods Ordinances Not with Davids resolution To hear what God the Lord will speak as Psal 85. 8. But with an Athenian prejudice What will this babler say as Acts 17. 18. Neither shall the Son of God escape better then his servants For some said he is a good man others said Nay but he deceiveth the people John 7. 11. Whereas in truth they deceived themselves Is not this to despise both Christ and his Gospel He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace saith the Apostle to the Hebrews Hebr. 10. 28 29. Wherefore let the Preacher perswade you to keep your feet when you go into the house of God and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools Eccl. 5. 1. That is keep or see to your affections which carry about the Soul as the feet do carry about the body and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools what sacrifice is that why you know that under the Law they did use to offer beasts in sacrifice And these as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed do offer themselves to speak evil of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption according to that of Peter 2 Pet. 2. 12. But take heed that ye do hear the word of God attentively reverently and obediently First take heed that ye hear attentively We finde that the Lord commended Mary for attending to his Sermon when her sister Martha accused her for neglecting his service Luke 10. 39. c. Attention is the Lords own work for it was the Lord that opened the heart of Lidia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Acts 16. 14. And the Lord himself will reward it We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God saith that good Centurion to St. Peter Acts 10. 33. Here was a Testimony of their attention And the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word verse 44. There was the reward of their attention They received the gift of the holy Ghost A gift so precious that it is impossible for any to value it but onely such as have truely received it Secondly take heed that ye do hear reverently Receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Ja. 1. 21. And for this cause thank we God without ceasing saith Paul because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. Contrary to these are they who proud of their own parts do creep into the sheepfold of Christ to put the whole flock into a confusion endeavouring not to obtain grace from Christ but to disgrace the faithfull Ministers of Christ And to that purpose where they cannot take occasions of offence they will be sure to make occasions of offence Neither can the most weighty and well-grounded arguments suffice to
the penalty that 's due to her transgressions eternal death in everlasting torments And being thus affrighted at her sins the onely cause of her afflictions the Soul bestirs her self about the Cure And to that end she sighs weeps vowes resolves and fasts and prayes and cries unto the Lord. Behold O Lord for I am in distresse my bowels are troubled mine heart is turned within me for I have grievously rebelled Lament 1. 20. Bowels of grief beg bowels of compassion and all to little purpose For now the more she mourns the more she may her spirit is ingaged in the conflict And a wounded spirit who can bear saith Solomon Prov. 18. 14. Poor Soul for life she labours does undoes she spends her spirits and torments her self and all to satisfie incensed Justice Which she is never able to perform by her own passions were they strong as death and deep as hell The Law is broken and it is Gods Law her sute is entred and her case reported one day of hearing craveth for another night unto night doth utter lamentations Justice must be appeas'd or no discharge every hour fresh summons to the barr she gives attendance but receives no comfort her time runs on her taske is but begun her work is always doing never ended And so her case seems to be desperate Because she seeketh not the cure by Christ by God in Christ Oh! there is heavenly musick That very name revives her and commands her ears and heart to dwell upon that sound which they suck in with a delitious relish For now that God and man that Mediator not won by tears but of his own free grace turns o're the mighty volume of his book the glorious records of free-election and finds her name written in that Book of life Revela 3. 5. And now though haply he may forbear for some short time to utter his affections until her heart be throughly mollified and well prepared to receive impression yet he forgets not to compassionate the pining wretch but in the best of times his own good time he says concerning her like as he did concerning Ephraim Is this my dear daughter is she a pleasant child for since I spake against her I do earnestly remember her still therefore my bowels are troubled for ber I will surely have mercy on her saith the Lord Jer. 31. 20. And to her self as to his spouse he saith O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comly Cant. 2. 14. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee c. Isa 54. 8 9 10. And thus her Lord bemoanes and greets and cheers her till being big with Christ her comforter she singeth with the blessed virgin Mary My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the lowe estate of his handmaiden c. Luke 1. 46 c. This is a happy progresse you may say But where appeareth this humility Truely she meets with it in every passage First she survayes her sorrows and she says Remembering mine affection and my misery the wormwood and the gall my soul hath them still in rememberance and is humbled in me Lament 3. 19 20. And secondly she sees the work of God in her afflictions and therefore She humbleth her self under the mighty hand of God According as St. Peter teacheth her 1 Pet. 5. 6. Thirdly perceiving sin to be the cause of all her miseries she humbly begs to have it done away Have mercy upon me O God saith she according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sin as Psal 51. 1 2. And with like meeknesse promiseth amendment I have born chastisement saith she I will not offend any more as Job 34. 31. But Justice pleads for satisfaction The soul saith he that sinneth it must die At this the poor soul seems as dead indeed she 's utterly dejected quite cast down She 's not so stiff in her opinion to bring in writs of errour or false-judgement All that she desires is to obtain the mercy of the Book where she is taught to read The wages indeed of sin is death But the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. And here she breathes for here 's the breath of life And thus restor'd she humbly thanks the law her schole-master for bringing her to Christ She hangs upon this promise claims this gift and by this Jesus Christ her Surty she tenders satisfaction unto Justice and is dismissed without cost or dammage And not so onely But she 's made an heir an heir of God and a joynt-heir with Christ Rom. 8. 17. And is she proud of this preferment now No verily Till now she never felt the kindly force of sound humility All her humilty unto this present was meerly legal troublesome and slavish but now 't is evangelicall and free or if it be constrained any way It is constrained by the love of Christ Indeed The love of Christ constraineth her because she thus judgeth that if one died for all then were all dead 2 Cor. 5. 14. If all were dead then she amongst the rest And that she now lives or begins to live 't is onely by the purchace of his grace He died the death that she deserved to die that she may live with him eternally And where is boasting then it is excluded By what law of works Nay but by the law of faith Rom. 3. 27. Now she believes and loves and hence proceeds a modest willing sweet humility She 's not dejected through a servile fear but she is humbled by attractive love Because her Lord requires to have it so Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart saith her beloved Lord Math. 11. 29. Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse saith his learned Apostle Phil. 2. 5. to the 9. Thus councel wooes her and example wins her And she walkes humbly with her God in Christ According to that of the Prophet Micah 6. 8. And thus effectuall humility is brought and wrought into the sinful soul But what doth this humility perform what doth it work For that is the fourth Question I answer that this true humility being impowred and improved by Faith hath principally these five operations It
fully satisfied that now the match between her Lord and her is absolutely made and finished For as she apprehends his love by faith so she returns her love by resolution She hears him sing That he is overcome and ravish't with her beauties and her love Cant. 4. 9 10. And in consideration thereof she gives consent and so confirms the contract My beloved is mine and I am his saith she Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine or I know that my beloved is mine There is the consideration And I am his or I do freely give my self to be his There is the consent And from these deer conclusions they proceed to solemnize their heavenly nuptials He brings her unto the banqueting house and his banner over her is love Cant. 2. 4. And she holds him and will not let him go untill she hath brought him into her mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived her Cant. 3. 4. And now he weds and beds her For as the Bride-groom rejoyceth over the Bride so her Lord rejoiceth over her as Isa 62. 5. And the sweet Soul is made so sensible of her deer Lords embraces that she breaks forth into these the like sacred raptures A bundle of Myrrhe is my well-beloved unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts As Cant. 1. 13. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me Cant. 2. 6. And being thus become a married wife she studies how she best may please her husband And to that purpose she consulteth not with flesh and bloud but with his holy Spirit By whom she begs that she may be directed unto the knowledge of his blessed will according to the tenor of his word And first she findes this exhortation under the hand of his Apostle Paul Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord Eph. 5. 22. Here is both a rule and an example She submitteth her self therefore unto God According to Saint James his exhortation James 4. 7. Yea she submitteth her self to every ordinance of man for her Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well According to that of the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 2. 13 14. Secondly she findeth by St. Peter That wives ought to obey their husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham 1 Peter 3. 6. And thereupon she saith unto her Lord as the people of Israel sometimes said in the presence of Moses All that the Lord hath said I will do and be obedient as Exod. 24. 7. Yea she saith with the Propher David I delight to do thy will O my God Yea thy law is within my heart Psal 40. 8. Yet lest she should mistake in her accounts she oftentimes doth pray with the same Prophet Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statues Psal 119. 12. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts c. verse 26. And teach me to do thy will for thou art my God Psal 143. 10. She prayes that she may do as well as understand And as she prayes so she resolves to practice That so she may prove what is that good that acceptable will of God According to St. Paul his milde request Rom. 12. 2. From whom she likewise meets with this instruction This is the will of God even your sanctification c. 1 Thes 4. 3. c. And from St. Peter thus As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 15. 16. And therefore in obedience to his will She endeavoureth to cleanse her self from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God as in the 2 Cor. 7. 1. And for as much as she conceives that she cannot attain to that perfection of holinesse that will be requisite she calls upon her husband for supplies Who of God is made unto her wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. So that though she be a poor Soul yet she hath a very rich husband Thirdly she findeth that the wife must see that she reverence her husband Eph. 5. 33. And therefore this new-married Soul doth strive to raise her thoughts above the common rate and fix them on such venerable objects as may provoke to reverence and honour Doth Majestie require a reverence Why with her Lord is terrible Majesty Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of justice Job 37. 22. 23. Is wisdom to be had in reverence Why in him are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. Is it required that we reverence Age Why he is the ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 9. The eternal God Deut. 33. 27. Or do we reverence and honour goodnesse Surely we ought so to do Why there is none good but he Matth. 10. 17. If these or any other excellencies are to be reverenced in the Creature according to their limits or degrees By how much more must they be honoured and reverenced in the great Creator where they are matchlesse perfect infinite Therefore the Soul that 's married unto Christ considereth his might his Majesty his wisdom goodnesse and eternity with all his fulnesse and perfections that so she may have grace whereby she may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear as Hebr. 12. 28. And though she is not superstitious to place the strength of her devotions in outward forms bodily performances knowing That bodily exercise profiteth little as 1 Tim. 4. 8. And that God being a Spirit must be worshiped in Spirit and in truth as John 4. 24. Yet neither is she barbarous or rude to exercise such incivilities in the partaking of Gods Ordinances as she would fear to practice in the presence of civil persons or societies We know there is a reverence belonging to husbands fathers masters Magistrates chiefly as they are subordinate to God whom they do personate or represent according to their weak proportions And shall we honour these imperfect shaddowes more then we honour that most perfect substance for and by whom they are made honourable Do we conceive both cap and knee too little wherewith to reverence our superiours when we do meet them in their several stations And think we one of these to be too much to reverence the great King of Kings withall when we attend him in his Ordinances There are many in this time of pretended or inforced or desired famine of the word that will go as far to a Sermon if they like the Sermoners as to a Sias or Sessions I do not discommend them for that Yet they will not allow the least reverence to the word of God in the Sermon that they will afford to the word of Man in the Sessions I do not
of this fruitfull Tree are natural and those things that are to be spoken of the faithfull man are spiritual and then we shall finde that they agree in all these particulars For as this natural Tree is richly planted well rooted full of Sap flourishing fair and fruitfull So the spiritual man is likewise richly planted well rooted full of sap flourishing fair and fruitfull The ground wherein he is planted is Jesus Christ His root is faith his sap is love his green leaves are gracious professions his fair and beautifull blossoms are blessed and holy desires and his good fruits are godly performances or good works And whosoever shall thus resemble this flourishing Tree according to these six properties I dare avouch him for a true believer And therefore we will now begin to examine whether we be in the faith according unto these particulars First we must be richly planted That is we must be planted into Christ We finde that they which are made partakers of the benefits and blessings of Jesus Christ are called Trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord Isa 61. 3. Verily we are all originally wilde slips every man and woman must say with David Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Psal 51. 5. This is a very bad ground to thrive upon This is all the comfort that we have received or may expect to receive from our earthly old man For in Adam all die And therefore it is necessary that we be removed and planted into the heavenly new man For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive as in 1 Cor. 15. 22. Hereby we shall injoy a double benefit Namely the benefit of Christs death and the benefit of his resurrection For if we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 5. Where he teacheth us that whosoever is planted into Christ according to the likenesse of his death he shall be also planted into Christ according to the likenesse of his resurrection For in that he died he died unto sin but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord saith the same Apostle in the same Chapt. at the 10. and 11. verses But it may be demanded how a man may be said to be dead indeed unto sin seeing that so long as a man liveth in the flesh he shall never be altogether free from the lusts of the flesh the snares of the world and the assaults of Satan which will continually provoke unto sin and sometimes prevail even in the most sanctified Soul the best disposed and the most retired Christian under heaven Insomuch that Paul cries out The good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do Rom. 7. 19. And in the 23. verse of the same Chapter I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my Members And the Apostle James In many things we offend all James 3. 2. And likewise John the beloved If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 John 1. 8. I answer that I understand these words dead indeed for very near dead or even as good as dead And not for totally or absolutely dead For so I conceive a man shall never be dead indeed unto sin untill this corruptible shall have put on incorruptiâ—n and this mortal shall have put on immortality then and not till then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. And therefore how the Perfectionaries dare to give God the lie and their own consciences the blinde baffle is a thing beyond mine apprehension Neverthelesse as there are certain symptomes or signes or accidents by which we may be able to judge when a man is naturally a dead man as we say or at least so far spent that there is no hope of his recovery and that before his Soul hath utterly forsaken his body So if we shall consider the same symptomes or signes after a spiritual manner we shall be able thereby to conjecture when a man may be said to be dead indeed unto sin before he is wholy freed from the corruption of nature There are many signs that may confirm our judgements in this particular I shall instance onely four Namely losse of appetite losse of speech losse of memory and losse of motion The first is losse of appetite and that is when sin begins to be odious or loathsome The Soul of the wicked desireth evil saith the wise man Prov. 21. 10. But when a man beginneth to die unto sin that which before was his desire is now become his disease he loaths that most which formerly he most longed after We read that David being in a hold and a garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem David longed and said Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem which is by the Gate And three mighty men brake through the Host of the Philistines and drew water out of the Well of Bethlehem that was by the Gate and took it and brought it to David Neverthelesse he would not drink thereof but poured it out unto the Lord or before the Lord And he said be it far from me O Lord that I should doe this Is not this the bloud of the men that went in Jeopardy of their lives Therefore he would not drink it 2 Sam. 23. 14 15 16 17. This was much in a King to deny himself in that which even now he so vehemently desired But little or nothing in comparison of that repugnancy or opposition that is usually found to be in the Saints of God For whereas before their effectual calling and conversion their carnal desires may peradventure be so pressing and importunate upon them that they can devour widdows houses drink iniquity like water and work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Yet when through the grace of God they begin to be sensibly sick of sin their appetites are so strangely altered that they do not onely dislike and distaste every thing that is unlawfull but likewise they do utterly abhorre it as it is odious or displeasing in the sight of God They abstain from all appearance of evil according to that precept of the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 22. This is one sign whereby we may discover when a man may be said to be dead unto sin Another is losse of speech The tongue saith the Apostle is an unruly evil full of deadly poison James 3. 8. And David describing a wicked person saith That he oasteth of his hearts desire and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth Psal 10. 3. Yet his mouth is
full of cursing and deceit and fraud under his tongue is mischief and vanity verse 7. Indeed it is a rare thing to hear a wicked man speak well For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our Saviour Mat. 12. 34. But when the recollected Christian becometh so speechlesse That no corrupt communication will proceed out of his mouth but that he putteth away all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evll speaking with all malice And that he cannot suffer fornication and uncleanness and covetousness to be once named neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient According to the severall exhortations of the Apostle Ephe. 4. 29. 31. and 3 4. I say the loss of this and the like ungodly language is another evident symptom whereby we may pronounce such a one to be dead unto sin A third sign is loss of memory It is a sad thing to consider what an everlasting memory a carnall man hath concerning those things that are evill He can sooner forget a thousand great benefits then one small offence And so in all other particulars his memory may be called the ready Register by whom all his flesh-pleasing vices are entered upon record And when his opportunity will not license him to commit them it is no little recreation for him to remember them The children of Israel wept and said we remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the Cucumbers and the Melons and the Leekes and the Onyons and the Garlick Numb 11. 4 5. But the children of Belial laugh and say we remember since we could have satiated our lusts with variety of strong flesh commanded the tongues and hands of so many tall fellows purchased so many acres by meer policy sate so many dayes and nights together at gameing caroused so many cups to a health and spent so many crowns at a sitting Thus they delight their memories in the contemplation of their own mischiefs As enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things According to that of the Apostle Phil. 3. 18 19. But when any one of these unhappy heads shall so lose his memory as that he shall forget those delights which he conceived in the time of his former lewdness when the remembrance of all his fore-passed sins is become so grievous and offensive unto his soul that he can cordially and constantly cry out with the Apostle What fruit had I then in those things whereof I am now ashamed for the end of those things is death Rom. 6. 21. Truely we may be confident to say concerning such a man that he is dead unto sin The fourth and last is a most infallible sign And that is loss of motion When a man hath so utterly forsaken the love of sin that he can by no means be reduced or restored thereunto The divell can no longer seduce him The world cannot win him neither can the lusts of the flesh allure him so far forth as to afford them any hope of his future obedience I will not say but they may inforce their charming drugs upon him as if one should force drink into the mouth of a dead man But his soul doth so extreamly abhor all means of recovery that nothing will stay with him nothing can work upon him Haply the loss of Appetite may be restored by a skilfull Physitian so may the loss of speech and the loss of memory too Provided that the patient be willing to receive the medicine and that his body is able to assist it But when the patient will not obey or if his body cannot cooperate we say that such a man is absolutely a dead man Doubtless in every spirituall conflict the divell is very industrious to preserve his declining patient And to that purpose he presenteth him with his guilded pills and his perfumed potious his cordials and his restoratives in expectation of a speedy cure But when the soul perceiving his pretence so sets it self against his blind Receipts that nothing can move it nothing work upon it so as to return it to its former vomit Then that happy body that is the cabinet or companion to such a blessed soul may chearfully give thanks unto the Father which hath made him meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light having delivered him from the power of darknesse and translated him into the kingdom of his dear Son In whom he hath redemption through his blood even the forgivennesse of sins As in Collo 1. 12 13 14. This man is undoubtedly dead indeed unto sin And so consequently he is planted into Christ according to the likeness of his death And whosoever is planted into Christ according to the likeness of his death he is likewise planted into Christ according to the likeness of his resurrection as we have formerly observed out of those words of the Apostle Rom. 6. 5. But it may be demanded when a man may be said to be planted into Christ according to the likeness of his resurrection I answer when he is alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For as by the vertue of Christs death we are dead unto sin so by the vertue of his resurrection we are alive unto God Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also shâ—uld walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. And whosoever walketh in newness of life upon the true account of a new creature he onely is alive unto God in or through Jesus Christ our Lord. Again it may be demanded How a man may know and assure himself that he is planted into Christ according to the likes ness of his resurrection To which I answer That this he shall finde by his resemblance or likeness to this Tree of righteousness by which the Lord sets forth a true Beleever And therefore let him first consider if he be well rooted You know that when a tree is removed it may be said to be dead as in relation to that ground out of which it is taken And therefore that it may live again it is necessary that it be replanted And for that purpose the husbandman doth commonly make choice of a better and a more fertile soyl then that from which it did Naturally or Originally proceed That so it may be the more inriched and the better inabled to spread forth its root and to bring forth fruit accordingly And that it may appear to thrive and prosper the principall care to be taken is this That it be well rooted For the life of the plant consisteth in the root We are all by nature unprofitable shoots sprung from old Adam that degenerate shrub and have neither roote nor fatness nor fruit in our selves And therefore it is needfull that we be plucked from our corrupted stock and that
needs be so for many Reasons First because God is the onely perfect substance of true love God is love saith St. John 1 Jo. 4. 16. And therefore we cannot love God but by vertue of that love which is essentially in God For otherwise we offer him but a shaddow instead of a substance Secondly because God is the onely Authour and giver of love love is of God 1 John 4. 8. And therefore unlesse God doth first in love to us bestow his love upon us we can have no love at all to dispose of as in relation unto him Thirdly because every one that loveth is born of God 1 John 4. 7. And it would be a preposterous thing for the child to love before the father Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God 1 John 3. 1. And as it is a far greater argument of love that we should be made the sons of God then that we should be called the sons of God And Fourthly because Gods love to us is the cause of our love to God we love him because he first loved us Saith the same loving and beloved Disciple 1 John 4. 19. Now the cause must of necessity be before the effect And therefore unlesse God doth first love us efficiently it is impossible that we should love God effectually And altogether to this purpose is that in the Prophet Jeremy I have loved thee saith the Lord with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Jer. 31. 3. Because the Lord did love his Church with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse he did draw her to love him again For this I humbly conceive to be the most proper and suteable end of this attraction It being likewise the most principal or onely duty which the Lord requireth Deut. 6. 5. and Math. 22. 37. And being thus confirmed in this truth the willing Soul hath nothing else to do to fatisfie her fully in this case but to examine the sincerity and goodnesse of her own love to her Lord. And thereupon she brings it to the tryal And first she findes it eager to injoy She sings with that melodious Prophet David As the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God! My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come to appear before God Psal 42. 1 2. And in the 48. Psal 1. 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God Secondly it is fervent or ardent in the act of injoying 't is no Laodicean luke-warm love It makes the Soul say with the blessed spouse Set me as a Seal upon thine heart as a Seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death Many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Cant. 8. 6 7. Thirdly she findes it very generous It soorneth to be base or trivial Too generous to be so mercenary as with those fools to say unto the Lord Depart from us and what can the Almighty do for us as Job 22. 17. It makes her scorn to stand for any wages That she refers to her beloved's goodnesse She knows her wages will be better far then all her works can any way deserve She remembers the words of her Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give then to receive as Acts 20. 35. And thereupon her love will not be bought at any rate If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned Cant. 8. 7. Neither will this loving Soul be bribed but will rather say with Peter Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Acts 8. 20. And secondly it is so generous that it will not be overcome by any base or lewd or carnal lust It will say with Joseph How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. And with Moses it will chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season as Hebr. 11. 25. Thirdly it is so generous that it will not be daunted either for fear of losse or displeasure or death it self According to the example of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. And of Daniel himself Dan. 6. Fourthly it is so generous that it scorneth to be nigardly in prosperity It will buy the truth and not sell it as Prov. 23. 23. It sayeth with David What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116. 12. And therefore he will not offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord his God of that which doth cost him nothing as 2 Sam. 24. 24. Yea with the people of Israel it will give more then is necessary to the work as Exod. 35. 22. c. and Exod. 36. 5. Fifthly it is so generous that it will not be dismayed in adversity In case of derision or reproch it will say with David I will yet be more vile then thus as 2 Sam. 9. 22. In case of danger it will say with Peter Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee as Mat. 26. 35. And in case of extremity it will say with Job Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1. 21. And with Paul None of these things move me neither count I my life deer unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. Sixthly it is so generous that it will not spare for any expressions nor any opportunities It will strive to out-strip the sinfull woman who when she knew that Jesus sate at meat in the Pharisees house brought an Alabaster box of oyntment And stood at his feet behinde him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anoynted them with the oytment Luke 7. 37 38. Or what it cannot do to him in his person it will do to him in his Members when he is an hungry it will give him meat when he is thirsty it will give him drink when he is a stranger it will take him in Naked it will cloath him Sick it will visit him in Prison it will come unto him For which the Lord shall say unto this Soul Verily in as much as thou hast done it to one of the least of these my brethren thou hast done it unto me as Math. 25. 40. ANd thus the Soul having examined her love by these and the like properties and finding it to be sincere and sound her joyfull heart is