says plainly in all their afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63.9 Why thou wilt say then why did he not spare himself and me too prethe why doth the mother whip the child whilst at the same time she could cry rather then strike it but she will rather grieve her self then undoe the child and so is thy fathers Wisdome and affection tempered towards thee 5. Soules in this condition should not untowardly put off comforts when they are offered unto them sometimes the word brings something neare you you know not how fairly you can put it off And yet you do not take it you are affraid of applying any comfort Take heed you be not wilfull in your trouble 1. Corruption and Satan is often gratified in a despairing humour in the hearts of Gods children some they study industriously to evade comfort Set themselves to doubt think it good for them count all them unfaithfull that would tender any comfort unto them Alas corruption hath gotten an end in these troubles Psa 77.7.8 9. vers 10 and this pevish discontented sadness pleases thee and thou art therefore thus resolved on it Now this is thy infirmiti So David complaned of such an humour in him he describes how he said God had forgotten to be gracious c. After he censures it says This was his infirmity And so this is thy infirmity and corruption in thee thou studdyest to be sad Never did carnall man study so to presume as some troubled Soules in a righthand-extreame study to despaire 2. It is a great sin for thee to do on this fashion 1. It brings up an evill report on the good Land It is not only thy own suffering or self deniall but Religion suffers herein Alas what will carnal men say of Religion but that it makes folk mad makes them mopish and they will blesse themselves from Religion As indeed who would not be discouraged from putting himselfe into that Physitians hands if all his patients lay languishing and pining in a pittifull condition Certainly our sorrow is better then their carnall mirth but our cheerfulness would be better then our sorrow I cannot but think some of you that are dejected and resolvedly sorrowfull out of hatred to your selves yet you would be loath to be sâ— out of your love to Religion if you knew you prejudiced others by it 2. 1. Jo. 3.23 It is disobedience It is the command of God that we should believe Yeild to Christ and lay hold of him have honourable thoughts of Gods tendernesse and mercy and readily cast your selves upon him Though I judge that in believing there is more then affiance yet I think affiance is not excluded 1. Jo. 5.10 He that believeth not that God will accept of a poor sinner that desires to come to him in his way hath made him a lyar And therefore this unbelief is a matter of high concernment sure thou wouldst not sin if thou knewest it shall I tell thee thy great sin at this day is thy studied drooping thy invented tricks to put off the Lords consolations This is thy sin 3. It hinders thy Christian course Thou cryest O I could be cheerfull if I could but doe such and such duties Labour to be cheerfull and that were the next way to be able to doe those duties Thou talkest of deadnesse and unaptnesse to any thing that is good why alas thy soul is under a generall discouragement and this must needs make thee unactive but if thou hadst comfort this tree would thrive in the warme sun and on the back of the chimney if any where Neh 8.10 The joy of the Law is our strength Our joy in God puts us on and makes us much more able for service then otherwise we could be 4. It is a dishonour to God not to trust him upon his word not to beleive him further then we see him We will believe nothing he hath said further then we can find it evidenced upon our own hearts The vilest usurer will trust when he hath a pledge as good or better then the thing he lends Jo. 2â— 29 so thou wilt trust God if he lay in a pledge with his word Thomas would believe if he might see Blessed saies Christ is he that hath not seene yet hath beleived Herein is the Lord glorified when we beleive his word and rest in that though we find not things within our selves as we could desire In these respects it is thy sin to put off comforts 3. Put not off comforts for cheerfull holyness is better then sinning sorrow Thou thinkest thou doest well to be sad I tell thee no sorrow even not holy sorrow is a condition to dwell in but only to pass thorough Our aim should not be at it though we should be content in it but the height of Christianity is holy rejoycing in the Lord Psa 37.4 To delight in God Our very sorrows are better then the worlds joys but our joyes are better then our sorrows This is not the condition we should rest in To take pleasure in God Isa 58.14 to blesse him to serve him in Holiness without fear is that the Lord delights most in The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy He takes delight to be hoped in as well as feared Psa 147.11 Cheerfulness should be aimed at sorrow is oft our way but not our choise proper or chiefe work 4. Remember and treasure up comforts formerly received As Mr. Baxter says what are our memories for if we will beleive Gods kindness to us no longer then he is just telling us of it David remembred the days of old Art thou in trouble hath the Lord never comforted thee is there never a piece of a ring nor old Gold no token of love a great while since given thee whome he loves once he loves for ever and therefore think of what is past for thy comfort 5. In this very condition thou art in Bless the Lord Surely there is very much in this thing Thou canst not pray it may be thou art so dark-hearted so overpressed with fears see whether thou canst not praise him Praise him sayst thou how Or for what 1. For thy life Though thou art a troubled soul blesse him thou art a living soul Thou mighst have been dead and out of all Hopes and at the farthest of thy fears 2. That thou hast an healthfull body if it be so with thee that thou art not taken off the means of thy soules good 3. That God hath shewed many Mercies to thee of old For all these troubles those old favours must not be forgotten Isa 45.5 The Lord girded thee when thou didst not know him 4. That he still doth provide outwardly for thee Many a one is poore and hath much adoe to live If thou wert so it would be a great addition to thy present trouble If thou wert in doubt about thy soul and put to it for thy
save only in this place he is said to be the Son of Jehiel one of that name is mentioned to be one of the Priests that had sinned in this matter enumerated among the offenders v. 21 whether he was his Son or no is not determinable If he was he might the better take himself concernd in the business and take the sin the more to himself for his Fathers sake however it is probable he was a man of good place and authority amongst the people in that he offers to assist Ezra in driving on the covenant for reformation of the sin and as a good man grieves under Gods dishonour as Ezra did confesses the thing was hainous and sad yet he tells Ezra he thinks it must not be so left But sees that yet there is Hope yet now for all this which is too true of us that we have sinned thus hainously now Now I see the people thus meet together I have a better heart of the thing There is Hope the matter is not desperate there is some Hope in it In Israel or concerning Israel or because it is in Israel as anon we may shew Israels covenant of being the Lords people gives them hope upon their repentance yet of Mercy It is a greater sin for being Israels yet in Israel there is more Hope about it then if it had been in another place if they repent of it Concerning this thing this whole matter the sin that is committed and the judgment that is feared this whole mat-of the strange Wives the matter of the present consternation There is yet Hope about it The better to bottome the observation I intend to raise from the words I shall preface the larger upon the explication in making inquiry into 3 things which yet are all obvious to us in and about the text 1 What was the scope of Schecaniah his words here what is the drift of them 1 To comfort Ezra in the businesse he saw him dejected about it he bids him be of good cheere though it it was bad yet it might do well there was a way yet out there was Hope in the thing 2 To encourage him to set about the duty Hope puts life into repentance and reformation Because I see Hope in the thing let us fall upon the use of meanes for the peoples recovery 3 In respect of all in generall he asserts his apprehensions of the present state and that Ezra had left it too short to conclude as if there could be nothing to be further done Hereby implying it was not their duty to despaire in the thing but rather to set upon the meanes yet left for remedy But Secondly wherein was the matter so difficult Ezra leaves it as almost remediless and Schecania saies there is but Hopes in the thing Hope implies a difficulty The matter was very dangerous For 1 It was a matter of sin that was upon them if it had been a judgement only it had not been so amazing but it was a sin that they discovered a sin without a judgment as yet inflicted is more amazing to Godly men then judgement without a visible sin It was not a matter of famine or oppression and sicknesse but it was a matter of Sin and therefore troublesome 2. It was a very dangerous sin in the very nature and proper influence and effects of it where it takes place Deut 7 34 They had married strange Wives a thing expresly forbidden the reason given Because these women would go nigh to draw them to strange Gods Neb. 13.26 exemplified sadly to their constant experience and in Salomons case even him that wise King did outlandish women cause to sin Ezra saw al Religion hazarded hereby he might think all his laborfrustrated by this sin of theirs and that it was to smal purpose for him to set up sacrifices for these strange Wives would soon draw their hearts from them and God too 3. He saw so many ensnared in this sin Many of the great men the Priests and all as you see ch 9. 1. and ch 10. 18. c. and therefore more heinous before God amounting near to an universall guilt upon them more exemplary and scandalous and harder to be reformed 4. He considered this sin they were gotten into to be sadly aggravated in that so soone after their return from captivity a grievous judgement wherein they had so heavily suffered for such like doings To be sinning again upon a new score when building upon the ruins which their former sins had immediately made Alas might he think Josh 21.17 when will this people mend when will they be warned to leave sin Is the iniquity of Poor too little for us Is the Iniquity of our former Idolatry too little for us from which the land is not yet purged to this day But must we so soon begin again It is very sad this you see laid the thing sadder on his heart ch 9. 7. 5. He considered the sin the greater in that it was committed by them that escaped the judgment so narrowly It was not long since when it might have been questioned whether ever this people should have been a people any more and now to find them such a rebellious people They might have perished in Babylon as many thousands did and therefore it is very sad to find them thus grosly sinning here Chap. 9. v. 13 14. having had such a deliverance as this should we again break thy commandements If they would have strange Wives Ier. 7.10 If they would have strange Wives they should have tarried still in Babylon Are they delivered to do all these abominations must the Lord have them for such work as this is Oh! it is very intollerable 6. Their danger is great there is no judgement yet on them the soarer one may be expected God knows what 's comming Deut. 7.4 The anger of the Lord is kindled against the people upon such a sin as this is and sure all good wil be at a stand about it and some speedy ruine shall overtake us Alas alas who can tell what may nay what may not befall such a rebellious daring people Ezra from this consideration was thus amazed concludes his confession he could not for shame tell how to move one word for this people in this case they had so basely miscarried and therefore he leaves the Business in his confession before God not moving one word on the peoples behalf as it were not knowing what to say for them nor what to think miserable enough that might be towards them 3. What were the grounds Schecaniah had of hopes in this difficult case There is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing Whence had he this hope that things might yet frame well 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of the people 1. In respect of God he confesses to all the causes of feare forementioned in the thing the matter was dangerous the people had committed a great sin and that very unseasonably and
may be again pacified we are to look at God under conviction of sin as placable yet as provoked at it It is not to hope that God is not angry but that his anger may be turned away again David had contrived and carried on his wickedness but thus it concludes The thing that David had done displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult the Lord was really offended at it Jehosophat the Lord would pardon him yet there was wrath out against him for what he had done 2 Chron. 19.2 We are to hope yet not so as to force kindness from God upon our selves to fancy that God looks over our miscarriages without any distast of them to fancy that such things as these shall never be lookt after as the profane Athiest that saies Psal 10. Tush the Almighty regards not he will not require it Who ever do thus it is not such a hope that God hath left them not such an Antinomian fancy to think that God loves us so fondly as to love us in the very act of sin in our very wickedness This is not Faith we ought not to hope thus which is besides all reason and Scripture grounds there may be hope yet displeasure too 3. Not so to hope As not to be ashamed truly before God for what we have done it is Impudence in us to look upon God as confidently as if we had done nothing amiss this setting a Face upon our sins as if we had not offended at all Ezra was ashamed and confounded and could not stand before the Lord Ezra 9. ult Could not look God in the face because of that they had done Shecaniah doth not propose these hopes to take off the shame that was due to them for sin We are not to hope so as not to be ashamed Jer. 6 15. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush This was a great Complaint and God threatens them for it Therefore they shall fall among them that fall Jer. 2.26 As a Thief is ashamed so is the House of Israel ashamed As a man reputed to be honest is catcht stealing is ill abasht or one that hath used stealing and is catcht so doing is made to carry his stoln Goods back again in his hand is fearfully ashamed of it So is a Sinner that is apprehended by the Spirit of God with his sin upon him and so sadly and miserably is to carry in Gods presence because of it and yet hope too 4. Not so to hope As not to be very much humbled and vile in his own Eyes He is not so to run to his hopes as to save his due humiliation for what he hath done to think basely and vilely of himself for his miscarriage we are apt either to despair in our selves and God too or else to hope in God and our selves too whereas we must divide in this case and hope in God yet utterly despair in our selves Oh! upon such a straight we ought to see the vileness and weakness of our selves herefrom Oh! this is my base and perverse Spirit this is my folly and wretchedness this is that which is the best my heart will bring forth c. and yet hope in God 5. Not so to hope 1 Tim. 1.1 As not to see our absolute need to Christ to hope so in such cases is sinfull hope The Apostle speaks of Christ Jesus who is our hope Though sin should not drive us to despair yet it should drive us to Christ alone to hope in We are so far to be troubled as to make sute to our Blastus to speak a good word for us Hope to skip besides or without Christ to Souls ease is sad preposterous and unchristian hope 6. Not so to hope As not to combat and strive to the utmost against the sin We are not to hope that the sin shall be pardoned if we still allow it It is not an hope to let the sin alone we are not to despair so neither to hope with the sin still upon us not to hope to save us any further labour about the business but to engage to the utmost against our sin upon the ground of this hope which the Lord hath left us in our difficult case But secondly How is it to be understood We are not in cases of sin to give way to consternation of mind so far As 1. in generall 1. To undo any of the conclusions concerning Gods goodness that are made from Scripture grounds Sin concerns us but Forgiveness belongs to God what we have done we ought to be humbled for but what he will do hereupon doth not concern us to determine against What ever we are we must leave God as we find him in Scripture while we bring down our selves we must not go about to bring down him too while we truly discover our own badness we must be carefull we disparage not his Goodness what ever case we are in Psal 86.5 103.8 Exod. 34.7 Neh. 9.17 we must still conclude that God is where he was A God ready to forgive a God slow to anger a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Thou art to say what thou hast done that thy sin is great c. but to say it cannot be forgiven this is not left to thee to determine on what God will do to thee is altogether with him he is a gracious and a mercifull God still 2. Nor to make any peremptory conclusion about the event and issue of the thing To say I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul To say 1. Sa. 27.1 I am cut off my hope is perished from the Lord. To say I cannot be saved this will bring me to Hell I am sure I must perish this is to prevent God It is not for thee to make Decrees thou knowest not what ever thou art at present what yet God may make thee Mat. 19.26 and what thou mayst come to before thou diest With God all things are possible Sinners ought therefore to be sparing in their finall determinations concerning themselves for secret things belong to God And many such things are with him It is a mercy thou art not in Hell already and it may be hoped thou shalt not in the end ever come there 2. More particularly We are not to let down our hopes 1. For a Sinner upon his Conviction he is to hope that upon his repentance he may yet find mercy God hath given forth his Son That whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life 1 Jo 3.16 The vilest Sinner that comes in upon the Proclamation of pardon is bound to believe he shall find acceptance 2. For the Godly upon any failing or sin they are faln into or discover in themselves 1. They are to hope so as not to cast down all their evidences of grace in their Souls raised and duly gathered before for this one sin one
part of the work done here the other part is to be done by you And it is not for nothing that you have soe much time besides what is spent on a Sabbath in publike and if this other part of your worke be faithfully done there will be no time too much or to spare Consider what I have said saies Paul to Timothy and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 This carnall worldly talke after Sermons spoiles all a Minister may come after and say where he heares no word of the Sermon mentioned Alas here will be no answer for me It will be a great while before such talk as this is wil bring a Sermon to the heart or that men should ever profit by Sermons that do on this manner The Minister speaks in publick and then we break off and now it is at you what say you Many complain of bad memories The truth is it may be it is not without cause but yet if you cannot remember all or so much as you would doe labour to take good notice of what did most touch you in a Sermon let that word speaks with you again He sitteth alone and keepeth silence when the word drives you into a corner to consider of things in secret there is more hopes by farre concerning you If the word once wound thee that it singles thee out from the heard there is hopes thou mayest be hunted downe as Naomi said of Boaz Ruth 3.18 The man will not be at rest till he hath finished the thing this day But as long as you can heard together after a Sermon the work will never forward with you was ever happy match made without private conference to get acquaintance and to settle the affections we listen to hear the voice of the Bridgroom with you under the canopy Dr. Hamonds notion on Jo. 3.29 this would make us rejoyce indeed Alas Christians we do not preach before you but to you It is not for you after a Sermon to say what we have said or done or how but what you intend to doe we preach not for approbation but for an Answer What availeth it us to have you cry us up here and curse us in Hell you might find something else to do after a Sermon more proper and immediate work for you then to say what you think of the Minister The woman thought she had obliged Christ much by giving so large a testimony of his doctrine Luke 11.27.28 as to say Blessed is the Womb that bare thee and the Paps that gave thee suck And she said no more then what was true and just for Christ yet he returnes her an answer wherein he insinuates what would better have becommed her to looke after Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keepe it The poorest Sermon that you can hear hath more in it I doubt then you will doe The Sermon that is not worth your writing will be worth your accounting for It is good if the word be repeated in your houses but it never workes till it singles you out and gets you into your closets Make use therefore of this direction observe wherein God strikes you at a Sermon and take good notice of it 4. If one sin be discovered search to the bottome of it There is a nest within whe e this is at the mouth some one sin is discovered to thee which thou art checked for and convinced of but it is not a matter of one sin that thou art to deal in If this was the word that was so bad or this the action that was so unreasonable what is the heart within that bred and brought forth this word and action Mat. 12 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh There is worse within all along O what an heart hast thou that would send forth such an unclean filthy word what an heart hast thou that would let thee lye What an heart hast thou that would let thee sin thus quietly live thus long without duties let thee do on this fashion and let thee sleepe quietly at night after all Paul when God opened his eies he saw the Law was spirituall but he was carnall Rom. 7.14 sold under sin a sad thing when a man sees this true of himself as it is said in this scripture famous Mr. Dod first saw himself this every sin thou art convinced of may be driven up into Mr. Claâ—k in the life of Mr. Dod. the work never goes on to purpose til it be so alas no sin lies single an a carnal hart This one thou seest but it hath fellows labour to find the rest out By one sin labour to find out the sin and disease of nature or thou wilt never be throughly cured 5. Beg of God to humb le thee and to change thy heart move now thou art doing for a totall change They that are in Christ must be new creatures Old things are past away 2. Cor. 5.17 all things are become new Resolve upon it the Old heart will never do better the Old heart will not serve thou canst never get through to Heaven with the Old Heart A man that will repair an Old ruinous house he knows not what he enters on he may be at more charges and it neither handsome nor safe but still some peice out of Order a meet patcht businesse for a while It were better to pull down the Old one and build all new never think to leave only such and such a sin but beg of God to put another principle into your heart and you will find your self more easy for Duties and your standing will be much more likely Jer. 31.32 33 That promise of God giving a new heart and a new spirit and writing the Law in the Heart Lay that upon thy heart and beg of God to work it on thee or thou canst never make any thing of it God hath promised upon your turning at his reproofe Prov. 1.23 to powre forth his spirit upon you Move for that or you do nothing 6. Make choice of good company The very Heathen could say How can he be a good man that doth not hate bad company Psa 119.115 David saies Depart from me ye workers of iniquity For I will keep the commandements of my God I have work to doe which I cannot do in your company Therefore depart from me Acts. 9.26 Paul as soone as he was converted assayed to joine himselfe to the people of God still wherever he came Let those that fear thee turn in unto me Psa 119.79.63 and I am a companion of all those that fear thee This is the way to do well good company if the motion be weak will ripen nourish and help it on Bad company if it be strong are able to smother it He must be a strong Christian indeed that looses nothing in bad company It was Chrysostomes saying that bad company
thou wilt do it at such a time when nothing else shall offer it selfe to be entertained beside Thou must break through some difficulties make some other matters stay to shew thy sincere preferring Christ above all delay it now Thou shalt have as much in the way the next day and thy heart lesse disposed to stand for it The design is to loose and put off the present heat and then a small occasion will do well enough with thee And therefore oh that while thou lingerest as Lot did when he was to go out of Sodom Gen. 19.6 the Angell of the Lord would lay his hand on thee the Lord being merciful to thee and lead thee out of this wretched condition before the fire and brimstone be about thy ears I have now done with what I shall say at this time to the unconverted sinner I have said what the Lord hath stored me with both by way of motive and direction for the recovering of thee that yet there might be some hopes of thee I shall say no more at present thou hast the same things now transmitted to thee that thou mayest look over them again and again and consider of them It may be you and I may live to deal of this business again in other words to the same purpose but salvation can be had upon no other terms but your conversion And if after all that is said nothing abide with thee God knows where and how sad Our last parting may be But I must needs pray and hope that God wil save you from your Lot according to Ps 49.14 15. as judging your impenitent state an hopeless a desperate and wretched estate If your delights in the world hinder these serious thoughts of yours and strengthen your impenitency I must needs pray as the Psalmist Psa 17.13 Deliver me O Lord from the men of this World who have a few vanishing smoaking trifles for their Portion in this life and have a dreadful portion of Fire and wrath remaining for them in the life to come We have thus done with the improvement of this poynt to the ungodly in all the 3 heads forementioned CAP. IX The Observation improved to the Godly in respect of Peace and Comfort and that to such as are but setting out towards God following their Fears and Scruples and clearing up their hopes unto them WE shall endeavour to improve this Doctrine to another sort Viz. To those that fear God and it is to press them to the duty of the Doctrine and that is to take notice of the hopes that God hath left them about the severall states which they may find themselves in and may be apt to think their Condition little otherwise then desperate beware of despairing where God hath left You hopes do not shut up Your selves when God hath yet left You a way out and that 1. In respect of Peace and Comfort 2. Of sin 3. Of Affliction 1. In respect of Comfort and this 1. To Souls that are but begining towards God For we shall desire to take the Work before us and leave none out which God would have us to speak unto You begin to be startled and the old life will serve no longer The time past suffices 1 Pet. 4.3 as the Apostle speaks You have sinned long enough You will have no more of it You think it is time to come in if it be not too sate You have had enough if not too much in the way of sin but You begin now to be affraid least You are the first that shall come too late You think of turning but are afraid You shall not now be received This is an ordinary temper of persons that begin to look towards Heaven Why 1. Consider here is a great change in Your mind erewhile You could hope for Heaven though you lived in sin and now You cannot hope for it though You forsake sin Then You had so much hope and saw so much Mercie in God that You left him neither Truth nor Justice and now You look so altogether at Justice that You leave him neither Truth nor Mercy Alas this is the malice of Satan and the crossness of Nature The Devill would hurrie thee into another extream but the Mean between these two is the right Sinners should not hope nor Penitents despair thy base heart would have no hope unless such an one as would let thee sin too As if because thy false hope is routed in anger thou wilt now have none And for Satan see his hand A long time when we perswaded for peace You were not willing now You are willing he would perswade You God is not willing The truth is he is not willing the Match should go forward and all his design is to break it but if You knew You humoured Corruption and gratified Satan in nursing these thoughts I think you would beware of them and look on them otherwise then You do But 2. There is no question in the World but God is willing if You be willing God will receive You if You come in Penitents shall find Mercie That you have no cause to doubt of Gods shewing Mercie on you upon your coming in take these Demonstrations of it 1. His solemn Word and Oath is gone out upon it 2 Cor. 6.17 Leave your base Companie part with every base thing come out from the way you are in and I will receive you nay he swears As I live I desire not the Death of the wicked but rather that he should repent Ezek. 33.11 Jo. 6.37 and live And Christ saies That those that come to him he will in no wise cast out In no wise he will make no fraudulent distinctions to evade his Promise he will not do it upon any terms in any case now thou saiest the Lord will not receive thee How darest thou say so When the Lord saies he will receive thee Thou saiest thou maiest go in but alas Christ wil pass thee by and Christ saies He will in no wise do it Will you not believe Truth it self when he speaks 2. If Christ should not receive Penitents what did Christ come into the World for or send his Ministers for if Penitents shall not find Mercie then we must say as the Apostle in another case Christ died in vain and our Preaching is also vain 1 Cor. 15.14 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners What was his Incarnation 1 Tim. 1.15 his life of humiliation his painfull death for if penitent Sinners find no benesit by it Why did he take our Nature on him but to pity our Nature and that we might behold Mercie brought neerer to us and more like to be laid hold of by us and he hath employed us Ministers to invite you to come in nay we are Ambassdors for God and we entreat you as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christs stead
thing I were the happyest man Jer. 10.19 This is a grief and I must bear it Every one hath some and this is mine It is but one bundle and I must make it part of my work to carry it as strongly and patiently as I can some men are of singular use whose chiefe work is to carry burthens 5. Thou hast cause to blesse God that it is neither carnall prosperity nor carnall adversity the former would not have been so good as affliction the latter much worse As long as thou art in the state of a Child no matter what thy condition is If thou hadst the world at pleasure and wantedst grace what would it avayle thee and if thou beest in adversity and yet art not wicked withall it is some ease to thee There are many that are godly may be in prosperity and so there are many wicked men that are afflictted and wicked too and therefore herein thy condition is better thou bearest fruit in this affliction of holyness which is better then prosperity like the flower in china that in Winter looses its leaves yet hath another flower though not so beautifull yet sweeter then the summer flower was So though not so fair in the outside yet thy winter fruit may be more savory but thou bearest fruit all along 6. Psa 116.6 25.17 Many of Gods children have been brought out of their afflictions David was brought low and the Lord helped him The troubles of my heart are inlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses The Psalmist when his troubles increased upon him yet the Lord could free him out of them all Many of Gods children have been brought off in harder cases then these are Cum duplicantur lateres tunc venit Moses The Hebrews have a proverb When the Bricks are doubled then Moses comes when things are at the worst they may then begin to mend God hath used to help his Servants in the very time of their extremity and so he may helpe thee 7. As much as thou art troubled the Lord could cure thee at an Ordinance And that either 1. By diversion to set thy heart on these great things before thee here One great thing in affliction is we set our heart on it pore upon it are alwaies about it and this increases it much but now at an Ordinance thou mayst have thy mind taken up with some greater thing that this pane shall be swallowed up in it 2. By shewing thee the example of the affliction and patience of the Saints Rom. 15.4 3. Or by casting in some better comforts The Lord can soone give you much more then this One glimpse of his face like wine to the man with an heavy heart would make you forget your sorrows Prov. 31.7 and remember your miseries no more This might make us think our afflictions to be lesse and Ordinances to have more in them then ordinarily we think at But the Lord can set thee free in a great measure here 8. There is help for thee in thy God David never feared till the Enemy began to say there was no help for him in his God Psa 3.2 But the child of God hath this sure enough The Lord can and the Lord will help 1. The Lord can And 1. The Lord can help in kind there is nothing can hinder his almighty power when meanes are most unlikely he is not at all restrained hereby when there is neither wind nor water the Lord can send rain Their strength is to sit still 2 K◠3.17 1 Chro. 20.17 Psa 112.4 when they can do nothing let them sit still and God may then shew his power for them To the upright there shall arise light in darkness when it is least looked for the Lord can for his own children make light appear The thing is not out of Gods reach nor past his power to be effected whatever it is 2. He can do it in equivalency he can help you against it and he can help you with it It is possible for thee to make a shift to live though this affliction should tarry The Lord can turn it into good for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 If this messenger depart not my grace is sufficient for thee God can make a change in thy mind as well as thy condition and all may yet be well with thee Psa 3.1 David might well say Lord how are my foes increased when his Son for lack of worse enemies must rise against him for the Psalm was penned when he fled from Absolom This sure was a grievous affliction many of you think if your children are not dutifull if they deny you the comfort you look for from them it is a sore tryall but if they be rebellious and seeke to do evill to you you would count this grievous indeed The affliction of a childs sin the parent knows not of any thing how to take yet David the Lord had dealt with him that he could take a nights rest in the midst of this trouble The Lord sustained him and he would lay him down to sleepe for all this Psa 3 5 The Lord can come in and stay the heart under the sorest troubles To read Psa 89. ult How the Psalmist complaines all along of their afflictions and miseries and yet concludes with Blessed be God for evermore Amen and Amen Sure the Psalmist saw some what else then afflictions that could make him conclude these complaints with thanks-giving Cleark in the life of Mr. Dod. But take notice of it this the Lord can do he can satisfie thee with it whatever it is It is reported of Mr. Dod that when some very sad newes was brought him That fetcht Tears out of his eys he said notwithstanding he would go bless God for this affliction for the good he believed it would doe him though at present he did not see it God can so deal with thy heart for thy ease under afflictions as Antipater that was blind and one pittyed him he said could there be no delight in the night and another that was working when his gangred leg was cutting off Neirenber◠de ante volunt That one said Tam aberat a dolore quam ab otic As if indeed much of our troubles arose from our setting our whole mind on such passages As he that said his paines were great even to shouting but although I feele them in the greatest extremity yet I yeild not my self to them but unto God If God thus take the heart of thy sorrow it is as much as to take thy sorrow off thee as one says The fire may be put out as well by withdrawing fuell as casting on water This God can do in thy case of affliction Thus God can help 2. God will He is gracious and mercifull though thou hast sinned thy self into affliction yet he will remember thee in the multitude of his tender mercies Though we have sinned against thee âer 4◠6 Psa 86.5.14.15.16
106.43.44.45.46 Psa 69.32 yet do thou it for thy own names sake He despiseth not his Prisoners We usually when men get low in the world are apt to vilify them and despise them If a man get poore this of all afflictions is usually looked on as a fault and men are apt to look strangely at such persons If a sin be visible they may have repented of it and we should hope they have and be glad to be reconciled to them many a one may have committed the like sin yet if not brought down by it we do not despise them well God wil not despise them though men do the Lord will look at them though they are in affliction and that for sin too Yet he wil have thoughts of pitty towards them hath he forgiven thee sins without afflicting and will he not forgive though he doth afflict I am poor and needy Bsa 40. ul yet the Lord thinketh upon me God hath a pitifull heart towards thee whatever thy â—â—â—dition is Ephraim saw his sin under his chastisement and yet even then God looked at Ephraim as a pleasant child Jam 1.5 and earnestly remembred him still If any man lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him This wisdome is to be able to suffer to have patience under afflictions If any man know not how to suffer and carry not as they should do under affliction let him go to God for wisdome I but it may be this affliction comes on me for my sin and how can I for shame aske the Lord wisdome to help me to suffer for the punishment of my sin Yea that thou mayest thou may aske wisdome of him in this very case For he giveth liberally and upbraideth not He will not dash thee in the teeth with the occasion he will not upbraide thee but will give thee the wisdome thou needest whatever the occasion of thy need is Thou mayst thus comfort thy self in God 9. Thy affliction is not great all things considered Alas thou that deservest hell to complain of a temporall burthen Mephibosheth never grieved to part with half the land when David before had given it him all when he considered he could not have claimed his life nor any thing at the first Alas says he what should I trouble my Lord the King any more with these matters I consider not what I would have but what I could claime and I am well content half the land is better then dying When Baruch was complaining that he had no larger a portion God takes him in hand Jer. 45 5. and schools him and tells him when God was pulling down did he seek great things for himself Let him not do it come says he I must take thee down a little I will offer thee fair Thou shalt have thy life for a prey in all places whither thou goest and that is faire for thee we are so tender and dilicate we complaine and murmure if every thing be not fine about our homes but the time may come when we may be thankfull if we can save our lives and not be kept to any certain place neither Thou mayest be removed and be in many places a stranger here and there but in all places if thou can escape with life it is well for thee when we complain under present burthens God shews us greater and lets us see how little we can claime and how glad we may be of lower terms before we part Come this is well for thee whatever it is Thy very life thou mayest be glad of ere thou dy and let all thy great things go men may be high in their demands but the market may bring them down 10. These afflictions make work for heaven Then will Christ wipe away all tears One would not want them when Christ shall come to wipe them off Rev. 21.4 surely thy glory will be the more for the afflictions thou hast gone through unto it and it is enough that they shall end in glory whatever they are Alas this is but a sick fit for heaven it may well be born One day in etrenity will make amends for all 2. Cor. 4 17 These light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Massy glory glory that you cannot bear no more then the weak eye can bear the glory of the Sun under which it doth succumbere ly down as the back or body should bow under an intolerable burthen even such shall this glory be a weight not conceiveable by us And therefore the thoughts of it should keep us quiet and much satisfied under our present afflictions you may hope under all your afflictions since heaven is before you And till the true Christian shall have attained to the end of his hope to this glory where hope shall be swallowed up in fruition Let him make it his study to cherish and live upon the hopes that God hath left him about his estate in the severall changes of it according to this Doctrine The End ERRATA IN Mr. Angiers Ep for Shepheards v. Sheapherd In the Ep to the Reader p. 4. l. 22 r. abler p. 5 l 29 potior pars p. 6. l. 18 dele when P. 7. l. 22. r. save p. 10 l. 6. r. slew l. 23. r. into p. 62. l. 1. r. letters of credence l. 9. r. heard p. 65. l. 9. of be it known add to you p. 69. l. 15. admirable p. 75. l. 9. r most p. 77. l. 5. r must after thou p. 85. l. 4. a parenthesis to begin at as if these words c. to end in 16 line after the word but p. 87. l. 5. r. old and ignorant p. 91. l. 18. r. and you have cause p. 93. l. 9. for for faith r. for sailing p. 114. l. 11. r. doubtest p. 138. l. 21. r. thy p. 139. l. 4. r. bids him pray In the title of ch 10. for distressed r. discussed p. 155. l. 30. r. to turn him p. 158. l. 27. r. all her afflictions p. 161. l. 18. r. Lord. p. 175. l. 25. r. in the marg Lam. 3.33 Books printed and sould by George Eversden at the Maiden-head in St. Pauls Church-yard AN Exposition with practicall Observations upon the IX first Chapt of the Proverbs Grammatical Rethorical Logical and Theological By Francis Taylor B. D. Late Minister of Canterbury in 4. An Exposition on the whole book of the the Canticles by John Robotham late Minister of Dover in 4. A form of Church Discipline by John Rogers Minister at St. Thomas Apostles London in 4. The Censures of the Church revived and wherein First The danger of admitting moderate Episcopacy is shewed Secondly The Jus Divinum of the Ruling Elders Office is asserted and cleared Thirdly the aspersions of Schisme and Perjury are wiped off from those that disown Episcopacy c. by the Ministers of the first Class of Manchester in Lancashire in 4. The Natural mans case Stated or an exact map of the little world Man In XVII Sermons by Christopher Love in 8. The doctrin of Mortification with the hearers Duty by Christopher Love in 8. The divine Right and Original of the civil Magistrate from God as it is drawn by the Apostle St. Paul Rom 13 1. There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Illustrated and Vindicated by Edward Gee Minister of the Gospell at Eccleston in Lancashire in 8. A treatise of Prayer and of divine Providence as relating to it by Edward Gee Minister of the Gospel at Eccleston in Lancashire in 8. The 2. Edition corrected and amended A comment on the II first verses of the 4 Chap of St. Matthew concerning Christs temptations by Tho Fuller B. D. and Minister of Waltham Abby in Essex A comment on the First and Second chap of Ruth by Tho Fuller Minister of Waltham Abby in Essex in 8. Mr. Culpeppers treatise of Aurum potabile being an universal remedy for all diseases in 8. Sion and Pernassus being divine Eppegrams on several Texts of Scripture by J. H. Gent. in 8. The Life and death of Sir Tho More somtime Lord Chancellour of England The Mystery of rethorick unvailed wherein above 130 Tropes and Figures are severally derived from the Greek into English together with lively distinctions and variety of Latine English and Scriptural examples pertinent to each of them apart by John Smith Gent in 8. Enochs Walk being the substance of sundry Set digested into a Treatise by William Bell M. A. and Pastour of the Church at Highton in Lancashire in 8. The Grand Tryal of true conversion a Treatise of the thoughts by John Bisco late Minister at Thomas Southwark and now Minister of Abbington in Oxfordshire in 8. The Lords prayer unclasped or a Vindication of it against all Schismaticks and Hereticks by Iames Harwood B. D. in 8. The mysterie of the two witnesses unvayled by Iohn Robotham late Minister of the Gospel at Dover in Kent in 8. The christians Diurnal or daily dutys to be practized towards God our Neighbours and our selves by Anthony Morgan D. D in 8. 〈…〉 Biceps or severall choyce pieces of Poetry composed by the 〈…〉 that were in both the Vniversityes before their dissolution collected and published by Abraham VVright Fellow of St. Johns Colledge in Oxford in 8. Gods Glory in mans happinesse with the freenesse of his grace in electing us altogether with many Arminian objections answered by Francis Taylor B. D. and late Minister of the Gospell in Canterbury in 12.
these papers into the world it cannot be out of any conceipt I can have of any thing extraordinary in them the profit of practical books I have had the comfortable experience of in my self and others the matter of this is not novell neither every way common The things may be found in other treatises of the like kind the method and particular digestion of them may be new however all good books of the like subject fall not into the same hands and this may light where some of these things may be news at least 2. Pet 1.12 where the Children of God may well bear their being put in remembrance of these things though they may already know them especially you of my charge dear to me in the Lord because severall of your conditions I have perticularly digested in this discourse and I judged upon the importunity of many of you to this publication that it might be of use unto you to peruse that so you might be more familiar with these things which I find many still needing as if nothing almost of this kind had been delivered It is much in my heart to perswade Christians to read practicall books and to study to looke after a spirituall provision from the Sabboth dayes and these helps for their Souls to live more handsomely upon then many of us do to lay in on the market day to live on that week after and when fresh provision is scarce or spent or if thou wouldst feast or have variety it were good to have a store though of celâ— provission to furnish the Table with we should not keep such starved houses for Religion as is too common amongst us if this course and forecast were on foot Time were well redeemed in families to read some one of these books every day and if this small tract may be helpfull to any this way I shall have much cause to rejoyce For my credit in this undertaking the Lord helped me over any thoughts at that before I could hearken in the least to the motion of appearing thus to the World It is for thy good dear Reader that I have ventured my self in point of credit no little I shall challenge thy improvement of what is here tendred to thee with no other apologie then thy serious thoughts of accounting for it at the barr of God It is a weak Minister indeed that shall either preach or print if it be but truth that may not lay enough before thee to heighten thy reckoning at that day I cannot to invert that of Christ's friends to him do this thing openly and seek to keep my self in secret Jo. 7.4 some hands this book may fall into that I had not chiefly in mine eye in the publishing of it and I shall not perswade them to lay it down I print not upon your motives yet I may do it in part for your sakes I would wish you to suspend your scorne and censure till you have well secured your concernment in this very matter look to the state of your immortall soules which you may soone come to the tryall of and for this book or me do as you please As it carries the message of thegne at God and our Lord Jesus Christ to men that must live for ever perswading them to come in I know it is of that validity athority that my name can no way diminish it and I wil not derogate so much from the majesty of the embassage as to ask your leave or pardon that it is tendred to you Reject it on your perill It is the word not which is or can be by man exposed so to you to judge of but that one day it shall recover its place and be that by which you shall be judged For my self I am willing to be in your esteeme as you see fit provided you neither wrong the truth nor your selves for me If you receive any spirituall good here from if you never see me return thanks to God who is always with you and stands by you and observes your very harts in the motion the very title of the Book makes upon you and to whome I intreat you speak a word for your friend though unknown to you when it shall be well with you If you refuse to read or reading refuse to hearken you will give me leave to own my name as one amongst other witnesses against you when we meet at the great day and till then to be known to you as one desiring to be as to others dear to me in the Lord Your souls faithful friend and Servant in the Gospel Henry Newcome The Sinners Hope EZRA X. 2. Yet now there is Hope in Israel concerning this thing CAP. I. The Introduction from the Text and Coherence to the Observation THIS book written by that pious learned Priest Ezra as it bears his name doth contain in it an account of the chief passages of History from the returne of the people of Babylon for 164 yeares And so you have an account of the steps by which in that time that work went or Zerobbabel brings the people up ch 1. and 2. They reare up an Altar ch 3. They begin to lay the foundation of the Temple In the latter end of ch 3. This receives interruption at last at 2 bouts it gets up as appears in the following chapters Ezra is sent ch 7. to restore Sacrifices This was in the seventh of Artaxerxes 13 years before Nehemiah came to build the walls of the City But Ezra coming and breaking up his commission from the King and being about to set upon the work with chearfulnesse that he came about he was suddainly saluted with the sad account of the peoples miscarriage in their marriage of strange Wives which struck him into a great terrour and consternation And having sitten silent about this matter with his cloths rent after the manner of a bitter mourner who had his heart broken with this grievous miscarriage of theirs at the time of the evening Sacrifice he makes patheticall lamentation and confession of the Sin to God in the Prayer or rather complaint which you find ch 9 wherein you do not find any petition he could frame to put up for them the matter he judged so hainous but all he could say about it was to aggravate it and to leave the matter with the Lord saying he was not able to stand before the Lord because of this The people upon this Lamentation of his flock together and Schecaniah speakes to Ezra about the businesse and he joyns with him in acknowledging the miscarriage of the people but he would not have it thus left as a matter desperate but declares his opinion of the case that it is yet hopeful and he proposed the way he conceived for cure which was by making a covenant for reformation in that particular wherein they had so grosly offended Who this Schecaniah was that made this speech we find no mention of him before nor after
Heb. 7.26 Col. 1.19 Jo. 6.37 Heb. 2.17.18 In him all fulness dwells he is one that the Father will in no wise cast out Those that come to him in his Name He is not one that cannot be touched with a feeling of our Infirmities He hath been in the flesh and so knows what it is to be a man though he knows not what it is to sin yet he knows what it is to be tempted to it and what it is to bear the weight and burthen of it He knows the company we live with in the world in the mids of Men and Devills as Luther phrased it And so being a man for us we may look upon the Deity as blessedly accessible hereby and know that he hath pity and tender respect for our nature and kind The third ground Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.17 Jo. 7 37. The universall tender of mercy who ever will let him come The great day of the Feast when most people was there he makes the Proclamation That who ever is a thirst may come to him and drink Hence as one saies He was born in an Inn not in a private House and crucified out of the City and not within Jerusalem because the business and benefit of his Birth and Death was not of private concernment not to be confined to one place or one people the Gospel is to be preached to every Creature Mat. 16.16 Isa 55.1 The fourth ground The freeness of this tender Come and buy and he that hath no mony come I can but have nothing the worst Chapman that can come to the Market can be but he that hath neither money nor price and yet such as these may speed well and go home best provided They that come hither must have nothing thou art but in the poor condition before-hand that every man must be reduced to that closes with Christ None ever had him that deserved him and thou art but undeserving The fifth ground That nothing is required at our hands but the same is promised unto us I may come to Christ for the Condition and upon that Condition for Pardon the nature of the Covenant is wonderfull he hath promised to perform both parts Jer. 31.31.32 24.7 32.39.40 there is nothing I can find at any time that may incapacitate me or hinder me for comfort but before I cast off my hopes I may see that very thing promised that is required and sure this well considered doth wonderfully fit a poor Christians turn upon many pinches that otherwise he should be at a loss in about his comfort We cannot apply Christ but upon condition but blessed be God we are not to find the Condition in our selves or at our own proper cost which would never be done but we are readily directed where to have it If I cannot challenge Christ to be mine for want of an Interest I may go to him for an Interest If I cannot apply him for want of Faith or Repentance or any other Grace I may go to him for Faith and Repentance and that Grace so that still I have something else fair before me to do then presently to despair when any such straight is upon me 2. We are to hope R. 2. Ja. 1.20 For consternation doth no good this like the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God Thou thinkest when thou hast escaped thy unreasonable presumption thou canst not be too low nor low enough and that it is thy duty to cast down thy self There is a Mean of hope between these which is thy duty to despair for sin is sin and to give way to trouble to the utter dejection of a mans heart before God is to give way to a sin you think you do but bring down self hereby but beware You take not God down with you this despair brings God no honour hinders thy doing makes thee useless nay directly reflects upon God in that thou hast such hard thoughts of him and actest against his express will and pleasure It is the Command of God that you should believe in his Son 1 Jo. 3.23 that you should believe what God hath graciously revealed that there is mercy with him and pardon to be had from him upon repentance Many in this case count that a duty which is no small sin extoll Gods mercy as high as you can and you glorifie him thereby so be it you conclude right of the Subject of it Viz. That you set not up mercy with allowance of sin in your self and bring self as low as you can and it is a like good so be it thou include not Gods mercy in the thing to bring that lower then thee 3. R. 3. This hope will facilitate thy repentance and reformation There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Men would not ingeniously nor filially fear thee if thy mercy did not give them hopes The Assyrians might rather have studied to have rallied their broken Forces against Israel then have submitted if they had not known the Kings of Israel to be mercifull Kings Ps 103.3 1 Kin. 20.31 Jer. 2.25 Thou sayst there is no hope I have followed after other Lovers and after them I will go I am like it seems to be destroyed past cure past care I cannot get off therefore I will do as I do Endeavours languish where there is no hope 1 Cor. 9.10 He that ploweth ploweth in hope or else the sharpness of the season and the hardness of the labour would make him sit still Hanun that had so villainously entreated David's Messengers 2 Sa. 10.6 saw he had done so vilely that his Action stank in the Nostrills of Israel and all his Neighbours that he had no way but to prepare for War So sinners when they look upon their state as desperate they are likeliest to go on as if they were tied to make it out and to stand or fall by it Themistocles would at any time make his Enemy a Bridge of Gold to fly away upon rather then force them to fight When a sinner sees no hope of quarter he hath much ado to yield to be slain but rather being desperate if he be without hopes of life he will sell his life as dear as he can A Soldier in the Army that had a mortall Disease upon him was observed to look like death and yet to fight most valiantly the Emperour took him for his Valour and had his distemper searched into and he became cured After this he was not observed to be so daring and venturous as before The Emperour asked him the reason he said Before he lookt upon himself as a dying man and therefore mattered not to have been killed but now his Disease was cured he would take more care for he had a life to save now as well as another So when sinners think they have done that already that cannot be forgiven that must necessarily ruine them without redemption it rather makes them more desperate in
the charges and on-set in their courses but if once they see hopes of life dawn they will not be so prodigall of their Souls because they think they may escape as well as another God hath for the same reason made you way enough to come off upon golden Bridges to retreat on which may put life into your resolutions for a sparing course in sin and to come off by repentance Thy repentance would strengthen thy Hopes thy Hopes draw on thy Repentance 4. R 4. Not to hope or to despaire though in these streights about sin is so purely fleshly and carnall savouring of that emnity that is naturally in our hearts against God as we would little think Rank flesh it is as can be 1. Thou hast sinned and thou knowest thou hast cause to think ill of thy self and thou art loath to think so well of God as that he is notwithstanding ready to pardon Among Men usually we see a want of Grace in men that do wrong and so as much want of Grace in others that they cannot suffer it and so the Party offending watches to cover his own vileness in affronting by the others fury and impatience upon the reception of it And so thou knowest thy self to have done basely and thou art loath to aggravate thy sin so far as to think thou hast sinned against a God that is ready to pardon Thou wouldst either trample upon patience or deny it Rom. 2.3 Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Oh! to see God so ready to forgive and thou so ready to sin thou so easily to forget him and he so hardly forgetting thee thou so treacherous and he so gracious Oh! how unlike are God and we how might it break thy heart to consider it But we are apt to study to disparage at least we would not honour the party we injure 2. Thou art hath to be so beholden to him as to think of hopes of pardon hope implies present need and poverty thou art loath to submit and standest rather on thy justification wouldst fain come off upon another score then that of a pardon on thy knees men are very loath to submit to free Grace no small matter to have that inward sense of wretchedness as readily to run out after salvation for Gods sake There is a carnall enmity in the heart against Christs soveraignty thou wouldst not be Conquered but stand for thy Native Priviledge truly loath to stoop so low as to take a pardon at his hands And is not this sin of an high nature Is this a temper to be indulged there is the highest pride in despair that looks so low 3. This dispair is pure Carnality for thou oft doubtest at the promise when in truth thou stumblest at the Condition thou hadst rather despair then repent thou thinkest God will not pardon because thou hast a mind still to sin thus wouldst thou make thy choice a necessity to delight thy self in thy course and cast the blame of it other-where Thou sayst there is no hope Jer. 2.25 when in truth thou hast no mind There is no hope and why no hope For I have followed after other Lovers and after them I will go I have no hope in this way because I am resolved another that 's the true reason of it Who is apt to think there is any hope in altering in a business he hath a mind to be as it is Obedience is the thing we stick at we have underneath a love to sin and so would cover it with this pretence that there is no hope if we should repent Men that would clear their sincerity in their troubles might do well to lay aside their sin in the first place and after to get hopes as they can but many times persons cry out of their hopeless condition when secretly they hug their sin still God sayes Turn yee Ezek. 18. turn yee why will yee die It is not answered again we must die therefore why should we turn No you are resolved to live in your sin and this despair must be your pretence for so doing of such a nature and savour many times is this our much dejection and consternation in the Soul such unthought of pride and carnality is cherished and indulged under the notion of self-humiliation but men should cherish their hopes for these reasons CAP. V. The Use of the Observation to the un-converted tending to the startling of Sinners out of their security WE shall endeavour to apply this Observation 1. To those that are un-converted and this under a threefold design 1. To rouse them from their security 2. To inform them of the truth of their estate 3. To perswade them from Impenitency 1. To rouse Sinners from their security Sinners should take notice of their hopes now carnall men are not yet come into a capacity of hoping they least question their estate of any they conclude their condition good at first do not question but it must go well with them to tell them there are hopes about them is to make them worse then they were to put a doubt in that wherein hitherto they have made none at all to tell you it is not impossible but you may go to Heaven there may be hopes c. it is uncouth to you you wonder we do not peremptorily conclude on the business like a man that is not sensible of his sickness and the Physitian tels him that he may happen recover you doubt your salvation least of all but let me tell you if there be hopes of you that is all we would by this Doctrine raise up some mens hopes so we must take down others confidence I would all that are above it were brought down to good hopes so be it all that are below it were but brought up so far And therefore to startle such as you are take notice that for that great and dreadfull case of your eternall Salvation hopes are all but there is a world of danger 1. If you knew but what is in you you would see that hope was fair for one in your condition Alas there is enough done if you never do more to make thee miserable at this very present if God do but open thine eyes poor Creature thou art busie healing thy self out to fin but God looks on thee all the while but if God let thee but see that he hath looked on how would thy present condition affright thee This witness would make thee Job 24.7 as in the terrour of the shadow of death If God did but take up thy lying swearing Sabbath-breaking the neglect of the last Duty and one of these sins set on by the Spirit of God would put thee into fear sufficient and it would be well if the fin that at present is too little to repent of be not presently too great in thy eyes to be forgiven when ever God sets thy sin in order Ps 50.21 there will fearfull matter enough
that he had made too much ado and never any if sensible but did sadly repent of their waies of sin this that is required of thee is that which at death all men desire and can only with comfort die in though with many it is then too late to seek for it 6. It is the work of Heaven holiness is glory begun there is no sin in Heaven and the the happiness of Heaven is Rev. 22.3 Psal 1. ult that there they never sin against God there his servants alwaies serve him Alas for wickedness it is a worke that will not alwaies last The way of the ungodly shall perish Psal 139. ult It is work that shall have an end but for the Godly mans course it is the way everlasting it is the way that indures for ever that is begun here and gone on with in Heaven you all count heaven the happy place and there is no sin there Godliness is work of the same kind though not in the same degree as the work of Heaven is this is work you need not break off when you die 7. That which you are required to leave for Heaven is that which if you go on with the day will come when you shall not have one friend left to stand by you in that way in all the world you are advised to leave that for Heaven which if you stick to it you will be left desolate with it one day For 1. God will not look at you Psal 1.5 6. sinners cannot stand in the judgement the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous he asserts the godly mans way but wicked mens waies shal perish from the Lord utterly 2. Christ will not indure you he bids such depart from him Mat. 7.23 he knows them not they are workers of iniquity if such whatever they pretend away with them he wil not indure the sight of them you dare never look God nor Christ in the face in this way you are in 3. Angels and good men cannot pity you they shal triumph in gods justice in your righteous ruine they cannot afford one drop of water out of Heaven to cool Dives his tongue when miserably tormented in the flame 4. The Devils wil be against you they that have been your tempters will be your tormentors as much ado as they have made to get you to sin as forward will they be to hale you to execution for sin and rather then you should be uncondemned Satan would witness against you for the very sins which he tempted you to The man that said to Joab 2 Sa. 18.12 that if he had transgressed the Kings command in the matter of Absolom even thou thy self would have set thy self against me so the Devil that only presses thee to sin now Alas he will set himself against thee in that time of reckoning and it will vex thee to thy heart to see him so persecuting thee for the very waies he enticed thee unto the very Devils shortly wil be against thee and it will torment thee to see how thou hast been betrayed by them the Devil like the hangman that consents or entices to stealing 5. Wickedmen thy companions will be against them Alas you have taken sweet council together you have strengthened one anothers hands in the way that was evil you have turned off from Christ to sit downe in the bosomes one of another but the day will come when ye shall be forsaken one of another Dives had no mind that his brethren should come to him when he was in Hel not as if there was any charitie there but he knew it would aggravate his torment to have them come together both to help his remembrance in the sin they had committed together as also of the mischief he had done by being accessorie to their ruine And so your intimacie and love and sworn brotherhood shall end in this that you shall curse the time that e-ever you knew one another and wish you had never seen each others faces In this eternall fend and hatred will all this love of yours end Mat. 26.1 you may with Judas think they that set you on work should bear part of your punishment for it but they will turn you off and bid you look to that your self others may help you to sin but for the torment you may look to it your selves they will be as if you had never known them when you are in the depth of your adversity unless it be to torment you with the remembrance of them by your sins which lie upon you 6. Your own hearts will be against you conscience will then be unmuzled and let loose upon you Mar. 9 41.46.48 and your heart shall condemn you and you shall be forsaken on all hands this is the worm which your sin hath bred that shall never dye in that fire that can never be quenched Seriously think at it and that it is for this you will ruine your hopes if you would leave this you might be saved you may be eternally happy if you will but repent and leave that which never did you good nor never will do this is all that is required of you and you may be happy for ever Let this fourth consideration have its force with you 5. It will aggravate your misery another day when you shall be past hopes to consider that once there was hopes and you have thus outstood them the day will come when you shall be under absolute despair the door altogether shut upon you you finallie shut in and then think how sad it will be that you shall remember that once the door was open and you stood out Pro. 1.24 as you did God now calls and you will not you shall then call and he will not he will laugh at your calamitie and mock when your fear comes when alas you shall call on the rocks to cover you from the wrath of the Lamb. Oh that you might take warning Rev. 6.15.16.17 that none of you may in hell lament your desperate condition when you shall there be past hopes and shall remember that this hath been preached to you that there is hope yet for you if you would repent nay that there you should remember that we this day foretold you what would befall you if you still stood out CAP. VIII The way readied for gross sinners to come over into a condition of Hope IF any soul be by all or any of these Motives startled as if these words that so neerly concern you should amongst so many fall to the ground and none be moved by them none be stirred in so great a congregation to look after their soules I know not what to think it may signifie towards us These sermons though by a worthlesse Instrument yet as the Lords message will breed something either the conversion of some or else some speedy judgement on you for your impenitency The removall of the Gospell or the like which the Lord
thy self not see it Exod. 34.29 2. Thou maiest have some of these if not all one dram of true grace must not go to Hel. when signes are given you must not say you need not the rest when you find some nor yet that you have none because you find not all but take notice of what you have and seek for what is behind But 3. Suppose thou hast none yet if thou art willing to have them there is help for thee Thou maiest come to Christ for these things Before thou leavest off for want of them come to him to be supplyed with them If thou be not willing If thou be willing to be made willing If thou desirest to desire sincerely and more universally there is something already and the rest may be wrought for thee One man comes to Christ doubting in part of his good will as some imagine and says Mar. 9.22 If thou wilt thou canst make me clean Christ puts up this Mar 8.2 and it passes saies he I will be thou clean Another comes and says If thou canst doe any thing helpe Christ passes by this weaknesse too and comes upon terms to that man to afford help unto him When he saies If thou can Christ turns an if thou can upon him I can says Christ If thou canst beleive So thou for the pardon of sin maiest say Lord if thou canst forgive such a sinner as I am help me says Christ I can if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth The poor man could not say and not lye that he did believe but he burst out with tears Lord I believe help my unbelief I doe believe that is I doe desire to beleive I haue some Faith and I would have the rest Lord I would not say I had the condition nor yet let thee go for want of it there is a middle way I need neither lye nor dye I come to thee for this Faith Lord I believe help my unbeliefe So thy soul stirs a little cry to God to help thee out with the rest I desire Lord help me to desire I am willing help my unwillingnesse I would serve thee help me in my great weakness If I be not Lord let the day of thy power come and make me thoroughly willing Joh. 9.39 The poor man was very generally enclined and yet with a little of Christs dealing with him he was suddainly brought to a notable closing with Christ says Christ to him dost thou believe in the Son of God Alas saies the man Who is he Lord that I might believe on him says Christ Thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee And the poor man then saies Lord I believe and worshiped him Thou maiest not have such a distinct knowledge of Christ as thou shouldst have But thou hast a generall good will towards him and if he would shew himselfe to thee thou wouldst directly and distinctly close with him and fall downe and worship him This that is in thee may be made more particular and instead of despairing with it labour to have it increased where it may be increased abundantly Turn ye at my reproof I will pour forth my spirit upon you Doe you offer for it Prov. 1.23 and I will help you turn you and I will poure out my spirit that will help you to turn throughly Obey the precept and claim the promise I have gone astray like a lost sheep Seek thy servant The poor soul cries Psa 1.9 uli Lord I am astray I cannot come back againe I know not where I am lost I am I cannot find my self for thee but thou knowest where to find mee thou knowest how to redeem me thou knowest my wâ—ndrings Lord seek me out Lord do not lose me Seeke thy Servant Why this wâ—â— is left open to thee whatever yet hinders thee thou mayest beg of God to work they heart up unto it This for the Fourth step 5. God may suffer they troubles to abide with thee for many pretious Reasons of good towards thee Thou maiest be ready to say But sure if God did intend to shew mercy on me he would have done it before now he would not have kept me off all this while if ever I must have come on sure some token for good he would have shewed ere now If he had liked my coming He would have made me welcome signified his acceptance of my repentance before this in some measure or other But I shall to drive thy trouble past this stop shew thee that God may in love to they soul at present withhold sensible comforts from thee Many choice Reasons the Lord may have for his so doing I. God may withdraw to make thee lay a solid foundation not only for near sins but in humiliation for all former sins The terrous abides to search the sore to the bottome God may intend to drive up thy humiliation for the very sins of thy youth Ephraim bemoaned himselfe till he bore the reproach of his youth Jer. 31.19 And then God smiles on him saies he is a pleasant child Alas if these sins should not be searcht out and should lie within unrepented of thy matter would be fowly hudled up and when these things were at after searched for it would marr all thy comforts again God would make through work with thee Thou wouldst it may be quit scores with God draw gloves with him That all that hath past should stand for nothing and if thou mightest have pardon for all that is past thou wouldst mend for the time to come But this will not serve thou must be willing to bring out the old score thou must undoe as much as in thee lies what before thou hast done acknowledgment must be made satisfaction to God and man as much as in you lies or God will not be friends with you You must be willing to take shame for your former doings If you would find favour for the time to come resolve therefore to do thy duty in this thing Humble thy selfe for all former sins hide nothing from God make cleare work as farr as you goe for what is past and you are so farr on your way towards comfort 2. It may be to search thy heart for some regarded sin that God still frowns on thee And indeed it would be sad for thee if God should smile on thee and any sin lodged in thy soul The sin that troubles thee most is not alwaies the cause of thy trouble that sin that is in open view is not so dangerous but it is the sin that lies in a corner that says nothing the thing thou least suspectest that keeps thy wound from healing some thing that is hidden from the Physitian that makes the physick will not work something that is a sinn that thou wilt not have to be a sin as David would be searched and tryed and if there was any way of wickednesse in him So there may be
they tell him he is in the way To be cast behind and loose the way were sad but this is comfortable that others can say I left him on the road he is in the right way though he drive somewhat heavily And when he is gotten to the City he forgets soon his lesse pleasant Travell he is glad he is There and they that rid faster easier can be no more So though thou thinkest others out goe thee in gifts parts and abilities for service yet Thou art in the road and if at last thou overtake Them in Heaven it will serve thy turne Thou may be as welcome at thy journeys end as he that came thither with more State and ease Then thou hast done 10. If thou hadst comfort it should not be to set thee at Liberty ease and idlenesse He that would faine have assurance That hee might unyoke in his Christian Course doth not desire it aright nor is like To have it surely thou must labour as much from comfort to improve it as Thou dost for comfort to attaine at Labour we must and Therefore resolve in it and patiently wait in this good way It is a great question whether be the harder work to get or to use comforts aright to keep from impatience in the want of them or security in the enjoyment of Them Each condition hath its Excercise Though the former hath lesse hazard in it It may suffice to have said all this to the clearing of the hopes in respect of comfort to those that are thus spiritually tosled at their first setting out CAP. X. The doubtfull cases of such as have made longer Profession briefly distressed from the Observation 2. TO those that have made longer profession that are walking in darknesse and have no light Many of these are severally troubled in doubts a bout their Estate This doctrine seasonably presses them to hope and it would find matter for them in their severall capacities but to speak to these particularly would swe the discourse I shall therefore speak something in the generall and the Spirit of God is able to melt it into the particular conditions of trobled Souls that are of this sort And soe 1. Take notice That whatever was urged as a ground of Hope to the prophane belongs to you much more You are as near as one of them if all be to begin now Thou cryest out of an Hypocrite as if his condition was worse then any one 's But 1. Take notice Every one is not an hypocrite that only wants strong grace many they try themselves for the truth of grace by the signs of the degrees of grace True grace is one thing and strong grown grace is another 2. He is not an Hypocrite that is not a compleat Christian A Christian may be in preparation for Christ and if not throughly come over yet still he is no impostor onely in the way to a true setled state 3. He is not an Hypocrite that hath some hypocrysie in him None complain so of a bad heart as they who have the best Heart But if Hypocrysie be found amongst other sins If it be not allowed nor ontertained with delight The soul shall not be accounted with as the Abettor of such a way Gal. 2.12.13 Peter for once dissembled yet not an Hypocrite for so doing 2. Though thou be an Hypocrite yet there is hope for thee what though nothing but an outside profession For that string many one is harpning on yet sure thou art as near as the Drunkard profane person can be Never tell me that profession should hinder you in your coming to Christ Athanasius wished all men were Hypocrites That they had been all so good as Hipocrites are For God hath more examplary honour from externall conformity then from open prophaness And further it cannot hinder your coming in 1. Profession hath kept you from many grosse sins which would have been heavy on you if now to reckon for Alas if thoughts of Evill have been so tedious to you what then would you have done if these thoughts had been words and these Words actions Therefore your profession hath not hindered you thus far 2. Profession hath intituled you to many serious Christians who would not cease to pray for you and would not easily lay their hands off you for the Hopes they once had of you you are hereby drawn to Gods children who will be sure to stick close to you and pull hard before they loose you 3. Profession hath inured you to the means This is the way to get comfort many a startled soul knows not dutys nor how to frame to them But now profession hath taught thee the manner of the God of the land and in this thou art aforehand For this is the way to have comfort or have the Heart brought over if yet thou fall short in this work Many a new convert knows not how to set upon the duties of Religion whence he might receive strength and comfort which is a great disadvantage to him Now thy profession befriends thee with this benefit Thou art well used to Prayer and reading and hearing c. which is a good Thing before hand in this matter 4. All the danger in profession this very fear of thine about it takes away That Hypocrites are in more danger then others is not as if this sin was more unlike to be pardoned then another but because this kind of Sinners seldome or never repent and come in as other sinners do Hypocrysie hinders not pardon so oft as it hinders repentance Now if this be thy fear and thy burthen there is not this danger of thee Profession if not sincere it is dangerous only in this when it is rested on when it is made a Christ when men are thereby whole and need not the Physitian and so are hindred from comming to Christ for thorough healing But when the soul is sensible of it and strives to come to Christ notwithstanding it there is no incapacity upon it more then on any other state for its acceptance with Christ The Harlots and Publicans that enter into the kingdome of Heaven before Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 21.31 It is not meant of Heaven above for Scribes and Pharisees as such and Harlots and Publicans as such stand at an equall distance to glory A prophane man dying so cannot be saved no more then an Hypocrite that dies so But the Kingdome of Heaven is taken here as frequently in the N. T. For the Kingdome of Grace for the Kingdome of the Gospel and so the meaning of it is Harlots and Publicans are sooner converted brought to repentance to close with the Gospell-Kingdome then the other are Now this doth not imply that no Pharisees should come in nor that they should be esse welcome if they did come in then Harlots and Publicans Nay sure if professors come to Christ to deny their own Righteousnesse come off the condition that it is so hard to come off from
they should be the rather entertained It is not profession that hinders acceptance unless it hinder repentance if it hinder not coming it cannot hinder your welcome Paul was a Pharisee a liver without the Law yet Paul when repented Mat 21.29.30 was received as soon as any other Sinner The Similitude in that other place of the two Sons who were asked to Work in the Vineyard The one denyed the other broke his promise now as the former repented of his unmannerly deniall and went so if the other had repented of his unfaithfull breach of promise and had gone too no doubt he had found acceptance Thou talkest of an almost Christian But sure an almost Christian may be an altogether Christian or els Paul had prayed for this in vain Acts. 16.29 2. Pet. 2.21 For that place Better never to have known the way of God c. This is not to this purpose For 1. It is spoken of such Christians as were turned Seducers Ringleadres of Heresies Persecutors Wolves that were risen up not sparing the flock Thine is not any grosse apostasie from profession but only a discovery of insufficiency And 2. It is meant of them as finally persisting in that state It may be since thou professedst thou maiest have fallen by some great sin but thou hast no heart to continue in it It lies not quiet in thy bosome thou hast no rest in thy bones by reason of it Thy Hypocrysie if such is not maintained and thou art weary of the state and willing to come off from it these very Apostates if they had repented there was hopes of their yet coming off And therefore by all this it appears that they fear and trouble doth take off the danger of thy profession the foolish virgins if they had mist their oyle in time it had been happy for them If thou beest one of them thou hast this advantage that thou missest oyle before they that sell it have shut up their shops There is yet hope in this thing It appears then that all the incouragements that have been given to that other sort of new beginners doe belong to you much more you may set in as beginners and share with them and welcome All those comforts do belong to you Besides a grosse mistake may hereby I hope in some measure be removed that many a soul thinks their hope is behind them altogether that they must either evidence it from what is past allready or els have none the matter is not so Thou art as free to take Christ as any other man It thou canst not cleare it from thy profession already that thou hast taken him thy profession puts no incapacity upon thee but thou maiest set in for him now as wel as any man And 2. There is hopes for you For God may withdraw from you as he witholds from the other for choice ends of good unto you Though you walk in darkness and have no light yet this may be for your interest exceedingly 1. God may do it to fetch some sin out of thee There is some evill way in thee some way of lying some way of false gaine some way of pride humoursomeness indulged passion c no marvell if thou he one of a troubled spirit Much if not most usuall trouble of spirit is observed to arise as occasioned at least either 1 Out of melancholly as one in that bodily distemper Mr. Baxter says one may as well cure a man of a palsy by a Sermon as such a man 2. Or out of ignorance of the nature and mystery of Grace by Christ the tenour of the Gospel covenant Or 3. From some disobedience now it may be for some thing of this last kind and it is fatherly in him to withold from thee till this evill way be rooted out 2. It may be to fetch thee on to some further degree of Holyness There are after work of conversion And the change they make are as considerable almost as if never any work had preceded The disciples who had left all for Christ Ma. 18.3 yet they must be converted againe and more converted to this grace of humility which yet was wanting in them God will afford comforts at first on those terms on which after he will not continue them He will bear with that in a beginner that after he will stand upon to have it mended He will not carry alwaies towards us as babes he looks we should grow towards strong men in Christ New wine must not be put in to old Bottels Mat. 9.17 At first he would have thee spared in some things but he expects that thou shouldst in time get thy bottles so renewed as to hold the strongest Wine he hath for them And so he withdraws from thee now not because thou art worse then formerly but because thou art not better He hath a design not to cast thee of but to put the forward by this withdrawment Some after work is on so t It is not if I am to be converted now o I had nothing before thou art mistaken Some may have been before and some may be to be added still God will have thee of the fashions of the world more humble close and serious then formerly nothing so like to make thee a right mortified Christan as terrours are 3. He may design thou shouldst be more established and setled then heretofore He that hath his comforts dearest usually hath them surest Thou knowest how thou camest by Christ and so art like to keep thy hold of him The spouse that had lost her beloved when she found him Cant. 2.6 she would not let him go she charges by all the Hinds and Roes of the field that they should beware of awaking him Christ is gotten into the beleevers heart he charges the affections to keep the lumber of the world and the lusts of the flesh at a distance that they awaken not Christ nor disturb his soul and him together O such a one came not so easily by him as to give way to Lusts to loose him for trifles as many doe Thou art like of any one Cant. 8.6 To go through the Wilderness leaning on him Thou hast come to Christ so importantly that thou canst not trifle with him Thy terrors are like the wind that shakes the tree to make them more rooted The winter frost nips the trees at present to make them more fruitfull So these troubles of thine will tend to thy greater settlement and make thee more stedfast in the Lord. If thou hast brought the matter to waiting thou shalt never loose the thing nor yet thy waiting for it If thou hast searched thy heart for sin and about duty and puttest thy selfe to God to be searched Job 34 32. and saysâ—â— thou shalt search and find none no sin that I love and delight in Job 34.32 Psa 17.3 but had rather have it taken away then to have it tarry you shall find you shall be considered
God 1. Who made it 2. Who is the best workman 3. Hath alwaies mended it and knows the course of it and he is like of any to set it a going An heart that hath stood by thee a long time and hath not gone this glorious artist can set it a going againe make it as perfect and better then ever it was He can soone see what the matter is with it whether the fault be in the spring whether any wheele wanting whether any thing broken whatever it is he that made it can soone discover It is but his touching it and he can set it straight and put it into good order as ever it was and much better so may thy heart be ordered by God which thou so much complainest of There is hopes of getting the better of any of these sins for all this 7. Rom. 7.24 This is to make thee willing to dye Paul crys out to be rid of this body of death And so some sin will abide with thee while thou art here to make thee willing to leave this world to be rid of it And there is hope we shall one of these daies dye and then all this sin shall be parted with But in this labour of thine about thy sin thou mayest see there is yet ground for thy hope CAP. XII The Observation improved to the Godly in respect of their afflictions THe third and last improvement of the point to the Godly is In respect of their affliction The godly are apt to be discouraged and dejected about their outward afflictions We shall make use of the doctrine as to them that are in this estate Doe not sit down discontented about your state whatever it is there is yet hope in this thing whatever the trouble is instead of concluding it remedyles and letting down your heart about it 1. Humble your selves for the sin that you think brought this affliction on you The Lord doth not willingly afflict he doth not doe it out of his heart as the marg nath it out of his meer pleasure as the phrase elswhere signifies Neh. 6.8 when there is no ground for the thing doth not strike Heb. 12.9 because he will strike as sometimes our fathers of the flesh strike children in tyranny in passion when angry with other matters but he doth not strike us so he doth not usually do it out of a will though this were to be humbly submitted unto but he doth it out of some blessed design upon you search therefore thy heart for former sins as the Church did Lam. 3 40 Jer. 31.19 Ephraim is chastised and bears the reproach of his youth And so God may bring thy youthfull sin to thy remembrance or some other miscarriage and it is rather thy duty to search for this then to despair about thy affliction 2. Labour to part with any sin your affliction discovereth If it be not the sin yet part with that which comes next to hand make clean work as you go this is worth the finding and this is the way to find out the rest God may strike thee to have thee leave this sin though thou thinkest it is not the sin the Lord strikes at in thee Isa 27.9 This is the fruit unto Jacob to purge away all sin part with all you can find and then you may be sure you shal part with the right one If God strike at one he intends thou shouldst leave all thou findest If the chiefe be not yet light on deale with these thou meetest to be doing with 3. Do the dutyes your affliction requires at your hands You are willing it may be to think such a businesse helpless because you have no mind to be at the cost of using the meanes for it Concludest such a friend incurable because thou hast a mind to give over praying for him and dealing with him the Church crys there is no hope because she had another way to go had other businesse she minded more then deliverance this way Thou lettest this thing lye desperately because thou hast no mind to be importunate in prayer unwearied in thy endeavours about it unlesse it would come with ease it will not come at all as if nothing that is difficult were possible Come let this despair of thine save thee no labour take paines about this thing cry mightily to God in it leave it not off unlesse the Lord hath said to thee say no more to me of this mater many would have matters with ease and it will not be 4. Thou art not alone in thy trouble There is no temptation hath taken you but that which is common Many of the pretious servants of God have had their sore afflictions and all Gods servants still aile something this way If you be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons would you be priviledged as none of Gods children are Alas there are none but have their exercise some one way and some another every one must have somewhat to ballast an heart of vanity with whilest he sailes through this world The parable of the hares being hunted on every hand and in continuall feares in discontent they would goe together and drowne themselves but as they went to the bridge of the river the frogs at all adventure leap into the water before them whereupon they tooke courage that they were not the most miserable creatures in the world in that some were more affrighted then they And so no doubt some are determinately miserable in the very cases wherein you a little suspect your condition Doe not conclude any one child without affliction For many one may have secret afflictions which they speak not of nay afflictions about such secret things as is not fit for them to speak of thou knowest not what sorrow they sup in silence what they suffer and commit to God only no friend hath the knowledge of it And so this way those thou thinkest to be most free may have a greater burther then thine is because they have no ease by complaining as thou hast Do not say any one is free unlesse you hear any one complain for want of affliction These are rare but if such a one should be I would say to him it is time enough yet There is room for many afflictions to stand betweene this and his latter end and therefore this need not trouble he may meet with his childes part time enough yet Directions for peace p. Mr. Baxter hath communicated to us an experience concerning himself this way That he was sufficiently helped against such a temptation But conclude thou art not alone in thy trouble Socrates used to say if all mens loades were laid in a common heap each man would take up his own again Plutarch Pittacus when he had invited many strangers to dinner and his shrewd wife came among them and overthrew the dishes he said no man is without his crosse were it not for this one