liberty or esâ—ate are hunâ—ed after and I cannot secure them O let me leave them in thy hand the poor leaveth himself with thee and doth his God fail him no Thou art the helper of the fatherless Psalm 10. 14. that is thou art the helper of the deâ—â—â—ute one that hath none to go to but God And that is a sweet Scripture Psalm 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he doth not say his ear shall be priviledged from the report of evil tidings he may hear as sad tidings as other men but his heart shall be priviledged from the terrour of those tidings his heart is fixed 11. Rule Consult the honour of Religion more and your personal safety lesse Is it for the honour of Religion think you that Christians should be as timerous as Hares to start at every sound will not this tempt the World to think that whatever you talk yet your principles are no better than other mens O what mischief may the discoveries of your â—ears bâ—fore them do 'T was a noble saying of Nehemiah Chap. 6. 11. Should such a man as I flee and who being as I am would flee Were it not better you shâ—uld dye than that the World should be prejudiced against Christ by your example for alas how apt is the World who judge more by what they see in your practises than by what they understand of your principles to conclude from your timâ—râ—usness that how much soever you commend Faith and talk of Assurance yet you dare trust to these things no more than they when it comes to the tryal O let not your fears lay such a stumbling-block before the blind World 12. Rule He that will secure his heart from fear must first secure the eternal interest of his soul in the hands of Iesus Christ. When this is done then you may say now World do thy worst You will not be very solâ—citous about a vile body when you are once assured it shall be well to all eternity with your precious souls Fear not them saith Christ that can kill the body and after that have no power that they can do The assured Christian may smile with contempt upon all his enemies and say is this the worst that you can do what say you Christians are you assured that your souls are safe that within a few moments of your dissolution they shall be received by Christ into everlasting habitatious Well if you be sure of that never trouble your selves about the instruments and means of your dissolution Object O but a violent death is terrible to Nature Answ. But what matter is it wâ—en thy soul is in Heaven whether it were let out at thy mouth or at thy throat whether thy familiar friends or barbarous enemies stand about thy dead body and close thine eyes alas it is not worth the making so much ado about nihil corpus sentit in nervo cum anima sit in coelo thy soul shall not be sensibâ—e in Heaven how thy body is used on earth no it shall be swallowed up in life 13. Rule Learn to quench all slavish Creature fears in the reverential fear of God This is a cure by diversion 't is a rare piece of Christian Wisdom to turn those passions of the soul which most predominate into spiritual Channels to turn natural anger into spiritual zeal natural mirth into holy chearfulness and natural fear into an holy dread and awe of God This method of Cure Christ prescribes in that fore-mentioned place Mat. 10. like to which is that in Isa. 8. 12 13. Fear not their fear But how shall we help it Why sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and your dread Natural fear may be allayed for present by natural reason or the removal of the occasion but then 't is but like a Candle blown out with a puff of breath which is easily blown in again but it the fear of God extinguish it then 't is like a Candle quencht in water which cannot easily be re-kindled 14. Rule Lastly Pour out those fears to God in Prayer which the Devil and your own unbelief pour in upon you in times of danger Prayer is the best out-let to fear where is the Christian that cannot set his probatum est to this direction I will give you the greatest Example in the World to encourage you in the use of it even the example of Jesus Christ Mark 14. 32. when the hour of his danger and death drâ—w nigh he gets into the Garden separates from the Disciples and there wrestles mightily with God in Prayer even unto an Agony in reference to which the Apostle saith Heb. 5. 7. Who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and tears to him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared he was heard as to strength and support to carry him through it though not as to deliverance or exemption from it Now Oh that these things might abide with you and be reduced to practise in these evil dayes that many trembling souls may be established by them 5. Seas The fifth Season to exert this diligence in keeping the heart is the time of straits and outward pinching wants although at such times we should complain to God and not of God the Throne of Gracâ— being erected for a time of need Hâ—b 4. 16. yet when the waters of relief run low and wants begin to pinch hard how prone are the best hearts to distrust the Fountain When the Meal in the Barrel and oylin the Cruse are almost spent our faith and patience are almost spent too Now 't is difficult to keep down the proud and unbelieving heart in an holy quietude and sweet submission at the foot of God 'T is an easie thing to talk of trusting God for daily bread while we have a full Barn or Purse but to say as the Propher Hab. 3. 17. Though the Fig-tree should not blossome neither fruit be in the Vine c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord. Sure this is not easie The fifth Case therefore shall be this 5. Cafe How a Christian may keep his heart from distrusting God or repining against him when outward wants are eithâ—r felt or feared This Case deserves to be seriously pondred and especially to be studied now since it seems to be the design of Providence to empty the people of God of their creature-fulness and acquaint them with thâ—se straits which hiâ—herto they have been altogether strangers to Nâ—w to secure the heart from the fore-mentioned dangers attending this condition these follâ—wing Consiâ—erations through the blessing of the Spirit may prove effectual And the first is this 1. Consid. That if God reduce you to straits and necessities yet he deals no otherwise therein with you than he hath done with some of the choicest and holiest men that ever lived Your
this willingness is the immediate succession of a more excellent and glorious life 'T is but wink and you shall see God your happiness shall not be deferred till the Resurrection but as soon as the body is dead the gracious soul is swallowed up in Life Rom. 8. 10 11. When once you have loosed from this shore in a few moments your souls will be wafted over upon the wings of Angels to the other shore of a glorious eternity Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Did the Soul and body dye together as Beryllus taught or did they sleep till the resurrection as others have groundlessly fancied it had been a madness for Paul to desire a dissolution for the injoyment of Châ—ist For if this were so he injoyed more of Christ whilst his Soul dwelt in its flâ—shly Tabernacle then he should out of it There are but two waies of the Souls living known in Scripture viz. the life of faith and the life of vision 1 Cor. 5. 5. those two divide all time both present and future betwixt them 1 Cor 13. 12. If when faith fails Sight should not immediately succeed what should become of the unbodied Soul but blessed be God this great heart-establishing truth is evidently revealed in Scripture Luke 23. 43. â—ou have Christs promise Iohn 14. 3. I will come and receive you to my self O what a change will a few moments make upon your condition rouse up dying Saint when thy Soul is come out a little farther when it shall stand like Abraham in its tent door the Angels of God shall soon be with it the Souls of the elect are as it were put out to the Angels to nurse and when they dye these Angels carry them home again to their fathers house if an Angel were caused to fly swiftly to bring a Saint the answer of his prayer Dan. 9. 21. How much more will the Angels come post from Heaven to receive and transfer the praying Soul it self 4. Arg. Farther It may much conduce to thy willingness to dye to consider that by death God oft times hides his people out of the way of all temptations and troubles upon earth Rev. 14. 13. Write from henceforth blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. T is Gods usual way when some extraordinary calamities are coming upon the world to set his people out of harms way before hand Isai. 57. 1. Merciful men are taken away from the evil to come So Mich. 7. 1 2. When such an evil time comes as is there described That they all lye in wait for blood and every man hunts his brother with a net before that God by an act of favour houses his people before hand dost thou know what evil may be in the earth which thou art so loath to leave thy God removes thee for thy great advantage thou art disbanded by death and called off the field other poor Saints must stand to it and endure a great fight of afflictions T is observed that Methusala dyed the very year before the flood Augustin a little before the sacking of Hippo. Paereus just before the taking of Heidelberg Luther observes that all the Apostles dyed before the destruction of Ierusalem and Luther himself before the wars brake out in Germany it may be the Lord sees thy tender heart cannot endure to see the misery or bear the temptations that are coming and therefore will now gather thee to thy 〈◊〉 in peace and yet wilt thou cry O spare me a little longer 5. Arg. If yet thy heart hang back consider the great advantage you will have by death above all that ever you enjoyed on earth And that 1 As to your communion with God 2 As to your communion with Saints 1. For your communion with God the time of perfecting that is now come thy Soul shall shortly stand before the face of God and have the immediate emanations and beamings forth of his glory upon it here thy Soul is remote from God the beams of his glory strike it but obliquely and feebly but shortly it will be under the line and there the sun shall stand still as it did in Gibeon there shall be no cloudings nor declineings of it O how should this wrap thy Soul with desires of being uncloathed 2. As for the injoyment of Saints here indeed we have fellowship with them of the lower form but that fellowship is so dissweetened by remaining corruptions that there is no satisfaction in it as it is the greatest plague that can befall an hypocrite to live in a pure Church so t is the greatest vexation to the Spirit of a Saint to live in a corrupt and disordered Church But when death hath admitted you into that glorious assembly of the Spirits of just men made perfect you shall have the desire of your hearts here you cannot fully close one with another yea you cannot fully close with your own Souls O what discords jarrings censurings are here what perfect blessed harmony there in Heaven each Saint loves another as himself thâ—y are altogether lovely O my Soul hast thee away from the Lyons dens from the mountains of Bether from divided Saints to those mountains of Myrhe and hill of Frankinsense thou art now going to thine own people as the Apostles phrase imports 2. Cor. 5 8. 6. Arg. If all this will not doe Consider what heavy burdens death will ease thy shoulders of In this Tabernacle we groan being burdened 1 With bodily distempers how true do we find that of Theophrastue the Soul pays a dear rent for the tenement it now lives in but glorified bodies are clogged with no indispositions death is the best Physician it will cure thee of all diseases at once 2 With the indwelling of sin this makes us groan from the very bowels Rom. 7. 24. But he that is dead is free from sin Rom. 6. 7. Hath justification destroyed its damning power and sanctification its Raigning power so glorification destroyes its very being and existence 3 We groan under temptations here but as soon as we are out of the body we are out of the reach of temptation when once thou art got into Heaven thou mayest say now Sathan I am there where thou canst not come for as the damned in Hell are malo obfirmati so fixed in sin and misery that their condition cannot be altered so glorified Saints are bonâ— confirmati so fixed in holiness and glory that they cannot be 〈◊〉 4 Here we groan under varioâ—â— trâ—ubles and afflictions but then the days of our mourning are ended God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes O then let us hast away that we may be at rest 7. Arg. If still thou linger like Lot in Sodom then lastly examine all the pleas and pretences for a longer time on earth Why art thou unwilling to dye 1. Object O I have many relations in the World I know not what will become of them when I am gone Sol. 1. If
profession turn aside and desert the cause of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 19. 5 When God hides his face in a suffering hour Ier. 17. 17. 6 When Satan falls upon us with strong temptations to question the grounds of our sufferings or the Souls interest in Christ Now t is heard to keep the heart from turning back and the steps from declining Gods ways The eleventh question then shall be this 11. Case How the heart may be kept from relapsing under the greatest sufferings for religion If the bitterness of sufferings at any time cause thy Soul to distaste the way of God and take up thoughts of forsaking it stay thine heart under that temptation by propounding these 8. questions solemnly to it 1. Quest. What reproach and dishonour shall I pour upon Christ and religion by deserting him at such a time as this This will proclaim to all the world that how much soever I have boasted of the promises yet when it comes to the tryal I dare hazard nothing upon the credit of them and how will this open the mouths of Christs enemies to blaspheme O better I had never been born then that worthy name should be blasphemed through me shall I furnish the triumphs of the uncircumcised shall I make mirth in Hell O if I did but value the name of Christ as much as many a wicked man values his own name I would never endure to see it exposed to such contempt will proud dust and ashes venture death yea Hell rather then a blot upon their name and shall I venture nothing to salve the honour and reputation of Christ 2. Quest. Dare I violate my conscience to save my flesh who shall comfort me when conscience wounds me What comfort is there in life liberty or friends when peace is taken away from the inner man when Constantius threatned to cut off Samosatenus his right hand if he would not subscribe somewhat that was against his conscience he held up both his hands to the messenger that was sent saying he shall cut off both rather then I will do it farewel all peace joy and comfort from that day forward â—ad Zimri peace that slew his master said Iezebel so say I here had Iudas peace had Spira peace and shall you have peace if you tread in their steps O consider what you do 3. Quest. Is not the publick interest of Christ and religion infinitely more then any private interest of my own T is a famous passage that of Terentius Captain to Adrian the Emperour he presented a petition to Adrian that the Christians might have a temple by themselves to worship God apart from the Arrians the Emperour tore his petition and threw it away bidding him to aske somewhat for himself and it should be granted but he modestly gathered up the pieces of his petition again and told him if he could not be heard in Gods caâ—se he would never ask any thing for himself Yea even Tully though an Heathen could say ne immortalitatem quidem contra rem publicam he would not accept even of immortality it self against the Common-wealth O if we had more publick we should not have such cowardly spirits 4. Qu. Did Iesus Christ serve me so when for my sake he exposed himself to far greater sufferings than can be before me His sufferings were great indeed he suffered from all hands in all his offices in every member not only in his body buâ— in his Soul yea the suffâ—rings of his Soul were the very Soul of his sufferings witness the bloody sweat in the garden witness the heart melting and heaven rending outcry upon the crâ—ss My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet he flinched not he endured the cross despising the shame Alas what are my sufferings compared with Christs he hath drunk up all that vinegar and gall that would make my suffeâ—ings bitter When one of the Martyrs was asked why he was so merry at his death Oh said he it is because the Soul of Christ was so heavy at his death did Christ bear such a burden for me with unbroken patience and constancy and shall I shrink back for momentary and light affictions for him 5. Qu. Is not eternal life worth the suffering of a moments pain If I suffer with him I shall raign with him O how will men venture life and limb for a fading crown swim through seas of blood to a throne and will I venture nothing suffer nothing for the Crown of Glory that fadâ—th not away my dog will follow my horses heels from morning to night take many a weary step through mâ—re and dirt rather then leave me though at night all he gets by it is but bones and blows If my Soul had any true greatness any sparks of generosity in it how would it despise the sufferings of â—he way for the glory of the end how would it break down all difficulties before it whilâ—st by an eye of faith it sees the forerunner who is already entred standing as it were upon the walls of Heaven with the Crown in his hand saying he that overcometh shall inherit all things come on then my Soul come on there is eternal life laid up for them that by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. 6. Qu. Can I so easily cast off the socieâ—y and company of the Saints and give the right hand of fellowship to the wicked How can I part with such lovely companions as these have been how often have I been benefited by their counsels Ezra â—0 3. how oâ—ten refreshed warmed and quickned by their company Eccles. 4. 10 11. How often have I fasted and prayed with them what sweet counsel have I taken with them and gone to the house of God in company and shall I now shake hands with them and say farewell all ye Saints for ever I shall never be among you more come drunkards swearers â—â—asphemers persecutors you shall be my everlasting companions O rather let my body and Soul be rent a sunder then that ever I should say thus to the excellent of the earth in whom is all my delight Quest. 7. Have I seriously considered the terrible Scripture Comminations against back-sliders O my heart darest thou turn back upon the very points of such threatnings as these Ier. 17 5 6. Thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord for he shall be like the Heath in the Desart and shall not see when good cometh i. e. the curse of God shall wither him root and branch And Heb. 14. 26 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of Iudgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries And again verse 38. If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him as if he should say take
pleasant and prosperous Condition few yea very few of those that live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world escape everlasting perdition Matth. 19. 24. 't is easier saith Christ for a Cameâ— to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and security in a prosperous state Heaven and 1 Cor. 1. 26. not many mighty not many noble are called It might justly make us tremble when the Scripture tells us in general that few shall be saved much more when it tells us that of that rank and sort of which we are but few shall be saved When Ioshuah called all the Tribes of Israel to lot upon them for the discovery of Achan doubtless Achan feared when the Tribe of Iudah was taken his fear increased but when the family of the Zarhites was taken it was time then to tremble So when the Scripture comes so near us as to tell us that of such a sort of men very few shall escape 't is time to look about miror sâ— potest servari ali quis rectorum saith Chrisostome I should wonder if any of the Rulers be saved Oh how many have been Coached to Hell in the Chariots of earthly pleasures whilest others have been whipt to Heaven by the rod of affliction How few like the daughter of Tyre come to Christ with a gift how few among the rich intreat his favour 2. It may yet keep us more humble and watchful in prosperity if we consider that among Christians many have been much the worsâ—for it How good had it been â—ot some of them if they had never known prosperity when they were in a low condition how humble spiritual and heavenly were they but when advanced what an apparent alteration hath been upon their spirits 't was so with Israel when they were in a low condition in the Wilderness then Israel was Holiness to the Lord Ier. 2. 23. but when they came into Canaan and were fed in a fat pasture then We are Lords we will come no more unto thee ver 31. outward gains are ordinarily attended with inward losses as in a low condition their civil imployments were wonâ— to have a tang and savour of their duties so in an exalted condition their Duties commonly have a tang of the World He indeed is rich in Grace whose Graces are not hindred by his Riches there are but few Iehosaphats in the World of whom it s said 2 Chron. 17. 5 6. He had silver and gold in abundance and his heart was lifted up in the way of Gods commands Will not this keep thy Heart humble in prosperity to think how dear many godly men have paid for their Riches that through them they have lost that which all the World cannot purchase Then in the next place 3. Kâ—ep down thy vain heart by this Consideration That God values no man a jot the more for these things God vaâ—ues no man by outward excellencies but by inward Graces they are the internal ornaments of the Spirit which are of great price in Gods eyes 1 Pet. 3. 4 he despises all worldly glory and accepts no mans person but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Acts 1O 35. Indeed if the Judgment of God went by the same rule that mans doth we might value our selves by these things and stand upon them but as one said when dying I shall not appear before God as a Doctor but as a man tantus quisquis est quantus est apud Deum So much every man is and no more as he is in the judgement of God Doth thy heart yet swell and will neither of the former considerations keep it humble 4. Then Fourthly Consider how bitterly many persons have bewailed their folly when they came to dye that ever they set their hearts upon these things and heartily wish that they had never known them What a sad story was that of Pius Quintus who dying cryed out despairingly when I was in a low condition I had some hopes of Salvation but when I was advanced to be a Cardinal I greatly doubted it but since I came to the Popedome I have no hope at all Mr. Spencer also tells us a real but sad story of a rich oppressour who had sâ—taped up a great estate for his only Son when he came to dye he called his Son to him and said Son do you indeed love me the Son answered That nature besides his paternal indulgence obliged him to that then said the Father express it by this hold thy finger in the Candle as long as I am saying a Pater noster the Son attempted but could not endure it upon that the Father brake out into these expressions Thou canst not suffer the burning of thy finger for me but to get this wealth I have hazarded my soul for thee and must burn body and soul in Hell for thy sake thy pains would have been but for a moment but mine will be unquenchable fire 5. The Heart may be kept humble by considering of what a clogging nature earthly things are to a soul heartily engaged in the way to Heaven they shut out much of Heaven from us at present though they may not shut us out of Heaven at last If thou consider thy self under the notion of a stranger in this world traveling for Heaven and seeking a better Country thou hast then as much reason to be taken and delighted with these things as a weary Horse hath with a heavy Cloakbag there was a serious truth in that Atheistical scoff of Iulian when he took away the Christians estates and told them it was to make them fitter for the Kingdome of Heaven 6. Is thy Spirit for all this flatulent and lofty then urge upon it the consideration of that awful day of reckoning wherein according to our receipts of Mercies shall be our accompts for them And methinks this should awe and humble the vainest heart that ever was in the breast of a Saint Know for certain that the Lord records all the mercies that ever he gave thee from the beginning to the end of thy life Micah 6. 5. Remember O my people from Shittim unto Gilgal c. Yea they are exactly numbred and recorded in order to an account and thy account will be suitable Luke 12. 48. To whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required You are but Stewards and your Lord will come to take an account of you and what a great account have you to make who have much of this world in your hands what swift witnesses will your mercies be against you if this be the best fruit of them 7. It is a very humbling consideration That the Mercies of God should work otherwise upon my Spirits than they use to do upon the Spirits of others to whom they come as sanctified Mercies from the love of God Ah Lord what a sad consideration is this enough to lay me in the dust
might have denyed thee Christ peace and pardon also and then thy case had been â—oful indeed You know God hath done so to millions in the World how many such wretched objects may your eyes behold every day that have no comfort in hand nor yet in hope are miserable here and will be so to eternity that have a bitter cup and nothing to sweeten it no not so much as any hope that it will be better But it is not so with you though you be poor in this World yet rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which God hath promised Iam. 2. 5. O learn to set spiritual riches over against temporal poverty Ballance all your present troubles with your spiritual priviledges Indeed if God had denied your souls the Robes of Righteousness to cloath them the hidden Manna to feed them the heavenly Mansions to receive them if your souls were left destitute as well as your bodies you might well be peâ—sive but this consideration hath enough to bring the considering soul to rest under any outward strait 'T was bravely said by Luther when waâ—t began to pinch him let us be contented with our hard fare said he for do we not feast wiâ—h Angels upon Christ the bread of Life And blessed be God saith Paul who haâ—h abounded unto us in all spiritual blessings Eph. 1. 3. 4. Consid. This afliction though great is not such an affliction but God hath far greater with which he chastises the dearly beloved of his soul in this World and should â—e remove this and inflict those you would account your present state a very comfortable state and blesse God to be as now you are What think ye Sirs should God remove your present troubles supply all your outward wants give you the desire of your hearts in Creature-comforts but hide his face from you shoot his arrows into your souls and cause the venom of them to drink up your spirits Should he leave you but a few dayes to the buffeâ—ing of Satan and his blasphemous injections should he â—old your eyes but a few nights waking with horrors of Conscience tâ—ssing to and fro till the dawning of the day should he lead you through the Chambers of death Shew you the visions of darkness and make his terrors set themselves in array against you then tell me if you would not count it a choice mercy to be back again in your former necessitous condition with peace of Conscience and count bread and water with Gods favour a happy state O then take heed of repining Say not God deals hardly with you least you provoke him to convince you by your own sence and feeling that he hath worse Rods than these for unsubmissive and forward Children 5. Consid. If it be bad now it will be better shortly O keep thy heart by that Consideration the Meal in the Barrel is almost spent well be it so why should that trouble me If I am almost beyond the need and use of all these things The Traveller hath spent almost all his money but a shilling or two left Well saith he though my money be almost spent yet my journey is almost finisht too I am near home and then shall be fully supplied If there be no Candles in the house yet 't is a comfort to think that it s almost day and then there will be no need of Candles I am afraid Christian thou mis-reckonest thy self when thou thinkest my provision is almost spent and I have a great way to travel many years to live and nothing to live upon it may be not half so many as thou supposest in this be confident if thy provision be spent either fresh supplies are coming though thou seest not from whence or thou art nearer thy journeys end than thou reckonest thy self to be Desponding soul doth it become a man or woman travelling upon the Road to that heavenly City and almost arrived there within a few days journey of his Fathers house where all his wants shall be supplyed to take on thus about a little meat drink or cloaths which he fears he shal want by the way It was a noble saying of the 40 Martyrs famous in the Ecclesiastical Story when turned out naked in a frosty night to be starved to death with these words they comforted one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the winter indeed is sharp and cold but Heaven is warm and comfortable here we shiver for cold but Abrahams bosome will make amends for all Obj. I. But I may dye for want Sol. 1 Who ever did so where were the Righteous forsaken 2 If so your journey is ended and you fully supplied Obj. 2. But I am not sure of that were I sure of Heaven it were another matter Sol. Are you not sure of that then you have other matters to trouble your selves about than these Methinks this should be the least of all your cares I do not find that souls perplexed and troubled about the want of Christ pardon of sin c. are usually very anxious or sollicitous about these things He that seriously puts such questions as these what shall I do to be saved how shall I know my sin is pardoned doth not usually trouble himself with what shall I eat what shall I drink or wherewithall shall I be cloathed 6. Consid. Doth it become the children of such a Father to distrust his all-sufficiency or repine against any of his Dispensations Do you well to question his care and love upon every new exigence say have you not been ashamed of this formerly hath not your Fathers seasonable provisions for you in former straits put you to the blush and made you resolve never to question his love and care any more and yet will you renew your unworthy suspicions of him again Dis-ingenious Childe reason thus with thy self if I perish for want of what is good and needful for me it must either be because my Father knows not my wants or hath not wherewith to supply them or else regards not what becomes of me Which of these shall I charge upon him not the first for Mark 6. 32. My Father knows what I have need of my condition is not hid from him Nor the second for the earth is the Lords and the fulness of it Psalm 24. 1. His Name is God All-sufficient Gen. 17. 1 Not the last for as a father pities his children so the Lord pities them that fear him Psalm 103. 13. The Lord is exceeding pitiful and of tender mercy James 5. 11. He â—ears the young Ravens when they cry Job 38. 41. and will he not hear me Consider saith Christ the fowls of the ayr Matth. 6. 26. Not the fowls at the door that are every day fed by hand but the fowles of the ayr that have none to provide for them Doth he feed and clothe his enemies and will he forget his children He heard the very cry of Ishmael in distress Gen. 21. 17. O my unbelieving heart dost
is drawn from the Secresy of sin O saith Satan this sin will never disgrace thee abâ—oad none shall know it This Argument may be retorted and the heart secured thus Thou sayest none shall know it but Satan canst thou find a place void of the Divine Presence for me to sin in Thus Iob secured his heart from this temptation Iob 31. 4. Doth he not see my waies and count all my steps therefore he makes a Covenant with his eyes verse 1. After the same manner Solomon â—eaches us to retort this temptation Prov. 5. 20. 21. And why my Son wilt thou be ravished with a strange Woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings What if I hide it from the eyes oâ— all the world for the present I cannot hide it from God and the time is at hand when all the world shall know it too for the Word assures me Luke 8. 17. That what is done now in secret shall be proclaimed as upon the house top Besides is not my Conscience as a thousand witnesses Do I owe no reverence to my self could tâ—e Heathen man say turpe quid assurus te sine teste time when thou art tempted to commit sin fear thy self without any other witness and shall not I be afraid to sin before mine own Conscience which alwaies hath a reproof in its mouth or a pen in its hand to record my most secret actions Arg. 3. The third Argument by which Satan tempteth to sin is taken from the gain and profit arising out of it Why so nice and scrupulous 't is but stretch Conscience a little and thou maist make thy self Now is thy opportunity The heart may be kept from falling into this dangerous snare by retorting the temptation thus But what profit will it be if a man should gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Mat. 16. 26. O my soul my precious soul shall I hazard thee for all the good that is in this world There is an immortal spirit dwelling in this fleshly Tabernacle of more vâ—lue than all earthly things which must live to all eternity when this world shall lye in white ashes A soul for whiâ—h Jesuâ— Christ shed his precious and invaluable blood I was sent into this world to provide for this soul indeed God hath also committed to me the care of my body but as one happily expresses it with this difference a Master commits two things to a Servant the Child and the Childs cloaths will the Master thank the Servant if he plead I have kept the cloaths but I have neglected the life of the Chilâ— Arg. 4. The fourth Argument is drawn from the smalness of the sin 'T is but a little one a small matter a trifle who would stand upon such niceties This Argument may be retorted three waies 1. But is the Majesty of Heaven a little one too If I commit this sin I must offend and wrong a great God Isa. 40. 15 16 17 22. 2. Is there any little Hell to torment little sinners in Are not the least sinners there filled with the fulness of wrath O there is great wrath treasured up for such as the world counts little sinners 3. The less the sin the less the inducement to commit it What shall I break with God for a trifle destroy my peace wound my Conscience grieve the Spirit and all this for nothing Oh what madness is this Arg. 5. A fifth Argument is drawn from the Grace of God and hopes of pardon Come God will pass by this as an infirmity he will not be extream to mark it But stay my heart 1. Where do I find a promise of mercy to presumptuous sinners indeed for involuntary surprisals unavoidable and lamented infirmities there is a pardon of course but where is the promise to a daring sinner that sins upon a presumption of pardon Pause a while my soul upon that Scripture Numb 15. 27 30. And if a Soul sin through ignorance then he shall bring a She-Goat of the first year for a Sin-offering c. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people 2. If God be a God of so much mercy how can I abuse so good a Gâ—d Shall I take so glorious an attribute as the mercy of God is and abuse it unto sin shall I wrong him because he is good or should not rather the goodness of God lead me to repentance Rom. 2. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou maiest be feared Psal. 130. 4. Arg. 6. Lastly Sometimes Satan incourages to sin from the examples of good and holy men thus and thus they have â—â—nned and been restored therefore this may consist with grace and thou be saved nevertheless The danger of this temptation is avoided and the heart secured by retorting the argument these three ways 1. Though good men may commit the same sin materially which I am tempted to yet did ever any good man venture to sin upon such a ground and incouragement as this 2. Did God record these examples for my imiâ—ation or for my warning are they not set up as â—ea marks that I might avoid the rocks upon which they split 1 Cor. 10. 6. now these were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted 3. Am I willing to feel what they felt for sin O I dare not follow them in the ways of sin quia me vestigia terrent Least God plunge me into the deeps of horrour into which he cast them Thus learn to keep your hearts in the hour of temptation to sin 10. Season The tenth special season to keep the heart with all diligence is the time of spiritual darkness and doubting when it is with the Soul as it was with Paul in his dangerous voyage neither sun nor moon nor star appears for many days when by reason of the hidings of Gods face the prevalency of corruption and the inevidence of grace the Soul is even ready to give up all its hopes and comforts for lost to draw sad and desperate conclusions upon it self to call its former comforts vain delusions its grace hypocrisie When the serene and clear Heavens are overcast with dark clouds yea filled with thunders and horrible tempests when the poor pensive Soul sits down and weeps forth this sad lamentation my hope is perished from the Lord now to keep the heart from sinking in such a day as this to enable it to maintain its own sincerity is a matter of great difficulty The tenth Case then will be this Case 10. How the people of God in dark and doubting seasons may keep their hearts from entertaining such sad conclusions about their estates as destroy their peace and unfit them for their Duty There are two general heads to