rare to meet with the fellows of a precious Minister of whom it was said That he got but lost no heavenly heat and vigor by holy duties the more in it the more furnished with heavenly power love delight and warmth in renewed exercise There was renewed influence of the spirit of grace the picture of the spiritual injoyments of the next life The Apostles rule is It is good to be always zealous in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. Not in fits and pangs of holiness but always â—he Ceremonial Fire was always to burn on the altar They are the choicest happy Christians in whose hearts the heavenly fire of zeal is still burning It is our wantonness we keep not close with God but after heats we cool our hearts in the worlds cold Air and are so benummed in our earthly affections and imployments as if we had never been by Heavens fire The counsel to wanton Sardis is good to us Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. 3. In slacking diligence How are we too often in Heavens way like Jading Steeds who though well yea high fed in the Inne yet go lazily and worse than before God hath given Heavenly Travellers sweet and full Baits how is his goodness dishonored when after Tastes how gracious he is we yield rather to spiritual slumbers then hold on our way How Nou vis proficere vis ergo deficere Ibi proficere ubi curreredesinis Bernard do those wanton Laborers disparage a good meal that slack their diligence play but work not When our industry in the Lords work abates it is good to put these spurs in our dull spirits O thou wicked and slothful servant the sad charge of the last Judgment Matth. 25. 26. The diligent hand makes rich Be not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Shew the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys the end Heb. 6. 11. Abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing pious labours shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Work out your own salvation Phil. 2. 12. make thoâ—ow work of it 4. In carnal security Even sound hearts after they apprehend the sweet tastes of Gods love and the bitterness of death is past are too apt to think their mountain strong sing a false Requiem to their spirits as if they were out of the dangers of Desinunt esse perditi cum destiterint esse sâ—curi Salv. ruine committing from their loose unregenerate part in them the sins against which God threatens Hell upon the assurance they are heirs of Heaven thinking themselves secure are not safe Whereas the way of life is the way of holy Jealousie not security It is not the least of Satans wiles to suffer himself to be overcome that he may overcome As conquering Soldiers yet unsuspicious of dangers are taken Prisoners by a routed Cum certamini manifesto cedit ad hoc se viâ—tum demonstrat ut vincat ad hoc fugam simulat ut persequentem occidat Ful. gent. ad Prob. Ep. 3. Army so unjealous Christian Victors by laying by their Watch and Alarms of holy fear are suddenly surprized 'T is an imprudent conclusion because the Bird hath escaped the Foâ—vler therefore he shall ever be out of the danger of the Net and Gun-shot The heart is deceitful We are still in the Enemies Coâ—ntrey Christs Garrisons have false friends in them will open the Gates to the destroyer and while every soul hath Judas's in it to kiss and kill and betray the grace of God into the hands of enemies there is urgent need of a constant watch Fear was the Apostles watch-word to the priviledged Gentiles lest they that stand by Grace should fall by security Rom. 11. 20. Happy is he that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. We abuse spiritual injoyments when we suspect no loss Greatest Beauties Riches and Honors call for most waking eyes and strictest guard When Christ had sweet tidings from Heaven he was Gods beloved Son Matth 3. ver last he was forthwith set upon by the Devil Matth. 4. 1. If the envious vigilant Tempter seeth our private Prayers and tears of Joys hears our joyous triumphs of Gods kindness in Christ malicing such hated glory he will presently lay traps to damp our joyes defile our spirits wound our consciences and bring us to the very Suburbs of Hell Ye are partakers of Christ said Paul of the Christian Hebrews if you hold fast the beginning of your confidence stedfast unto the end Heb. 3. 14. 'T is not enough in first conversion to hold the precious Jewel Jesus Christ in the hand of Faith but there must be a constant hold-fast Is he who is among Thieves careful to hold fast the Pearl in his hand and fearful to let it goe So it should be with every prudent Christian he should fear his own lazinesse cowardize weaknesse should loose his riches 'T is the Apostles counsel to his Hebrews useful to all that think they stand and a soveraign preservative against security Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. 5. By dallying with Temptations we pray we may not enter into temptation Gods grace is our deliverance Corruption casts us into the fire the hand of mercy plucks us out But how often do Gods foolish fearless children like ours after we have been burnt and cured we adventurously play with the same fire that scorched us and renew our pains and cries 'T is not an experimentally true spirituall Proverb That all Gods burnt children always hate the fire Even after David had sweet visits and walks with God and the refreshing joyes of his salvation he wantonly dallyed with temptations fire in the roof of his house defiled his soul with forbidden lust of strange beauty and Body too and lost spiritual for carnal delight the joy of his salvation for the pleasure of sin Grace doth not perfectly crucifie the old Man while Lust is an in-dweller it will be an inticer We may as well play with fire near Gun-powder as play with Temptations near Lust 'T is no safe dancing near Pits brinks taking fire into our bosoms welcoming temptations into our hearts The old man is too willing and too pressing to tempt us out of heavens way we need no world nor devil to drive us 'T is good counsel and singular indemnity to our soules if practised Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thef 5. 22. Hate the garment spotted by the flesh SECT 2. 2. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Irreverence of 2 An Evidence of abuse of abuse of grace is irreverence of Gods Majesty Gods Majesty The best are too apt to wrong their nearnesse to God by forgetting their distance God is so his childrens
glorious aiery appellations of worldly precedencies The childless holy Eunuch was by the Gospel Prophet comforted that he should have a Name better than of Sons and Daughters The new Name either Beleever or Child of God out-titles and out-glories the highest worldly stile Fulgentius gave good counsel to Galle a noble Christian of a Godly as wel as Gentile Extraction born of the Spirit as wel as Kin to Roman Consuls Learn to ascribe nothing to your Noble Disce nihil tibi nobiluate generis assignare Fulgent Epist ad Gallam Inter saculares illustris superbiae fomes Fulgent Tametsi speciem aliquam praese ferunt homines tanquam in agris flores qui tamen refulget decori protinvs interit atque evanescis Calvinan Isa 40. In saculi culmine constituti Fulg. Praebentmalae imitationis laqueum aut bonae conversationis exemplum Magna tales aut poena manet aut gloria Fulgent de Conversione ad Theodorum stem Although you have secular illustrious glory yet especially with a perfect humble heart be ambitious of the Spirits Nobilitie If Madam the anointing of the Spirit teach you this lesson that all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field the glory the ornament the glittering shine of it will disappear in pale gastly death and the chambers of silence and rottenness I hope it teacheth you this also that Regeneration is the birth of births and that the thriving Graces of the Spirit bosom Communion with Jesus Christ here and highest rooms in heaven will be the Honour of Honours Consider Great persons are great blessings or plagues a train follows them to Heaven or Hell they are not saved or damned alone They that stand in the worlds higher ground who either lay the snares of an evil imitation or are the presidents of an holy conversation shall have great either eternal Penalty or Glory Hath free Gospel grace shined in your soul abuse it not Hold forth the Word of Life in a gracious life If you and the faithfull conjugal guide of your soul shall speed your motions to those heavenly eternal Mansions where the better than flowings of Milk and Hony the sweet heavenly Feasts and unglutting delights of eternitie shall be enjoyed If you shall avoid this common scarlet sin of perverting Grace which with an ungrateful Wantonnesse treads under foot the Son of God thinks desires affects and lives as if the blood of the Covenant were an unholy thing and offers a proud despight to the Spirit of Grace If the study of this book shall help you both and others to walk exactly to redeem the time adorn the Gospel credit Profession glorifie God and promote your own and others eternal Salvation you will both accomplish the design of publishing the ensuing Meditations and encourage him who is your remembrancer at the Throne of Grace and remains From Edmondsbury in Suffolk Mar. 18. 1658. Your engaged servant in the Work of the Gospel NICH. CLAGET To the Christian Reader I Shall not detain thee with a long Preface lest I may be injurious by keeping thee too long in the threshold Onely a few things I shall premise concerning the reverend Author and his excellent work As for the Author he hath been well known to me at least Five and twenty years as being of * Magdalen Hall in Oxford that Society with me where from the first even to this day through Gods goodness I yet continue which hath bred and sent forth many faithful Laborers into Gods Vineyard and many †Mr. Tyndal the martyr Dr. Field Dr. Hoyle Dr. Harris M. Pemble Mr. Leigh Dr. Cheynel Dr. Wilkinson now of Ch. Ch in Oxon. Dr. Wilkins M. Obadiah Sedgwick M. Pocock M. Pynke M. Thomas Ford. Mr. Simon Ford c. Edmunds Bury Mr. Jet learned Orthodox Writers Of later years my acquaintance hath been much increased with this worthy Author and I rejoyce therein He hath for these fifteen years in Edmunds Bury in Suffolk Where he now resides given abundant testimony of his industry and fidelity in the discharge of his Ministery and hath studied to approve himself a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed He hath as it is said of Demetrius obtain'd a good report and of the truth He is sound in the faith and holy in life both by his life and Doctrine makes it his business to win many souls unto righteousness I adde no more concerning the Author neither needed I have said so much for he needs not my Letters of commendation His Works speak far lowder and praise him in the Gate That * Corporation where those †two faithful Servants of Christ do now exercise their Ministery hath great cause of thankfulness because God hath raised up such able Ministers now upon the place in the room of their * worthy Predecessors with most of them I rejoyce that I have had the honor of acquaintance And that people who like Capernaum have been lifted up to Hea †Mr. Claget M. Sclater M. Gibbons M. White M. Calamy burroughs M. Sainthill M. Wall ven with Gospel means ought to remember That where much is given much is required As for such who forsake faithful Teachers and the Publick Assemblies I heartily wish them timely and serious repentance and that their Palates might have a right taste then they will conclude that the old wine is better then their new and that godly ordained Ministers are better then upstart un-called self-conceited Seducers Concerning the Book the whole design whereof is to advance grace and decry the abuse thereof it cannot be expected that I should ingage to bring of every Phrase Punctillo or Tittle according to the curiosity of Criticks As for such whose fancies out-run their judgements and with whom affectations of new coyn'd words are more valued then the form of sound words I am not careful to answer them in these matters neither do I think their exceptions worthy of an Answer However I am fully perswaded that the Treatise is solid and profitable tending to edification and throughout the whole there runs a line of a gracious spirit And whoever profits not thereby hath more reason to question himself then the Author For if pride and prejudice be laid aside I doubt not but through Gods blessing much spiritual advantage will follow upon the serious and deliberate perusal of this Book Now if any one Object that the World is glutted with multitude of Books my answer is For good Orthodox solid Writers we have reason to bless God for such helps we have by them and ought to be desirous for the continual increase of them As for vain frothy unsound Writers we wish that they were supprest altogether For some Books we have too many and of others which are rotten heretical and blasphemous we wish we had not any at all but that they and their Authors might be buryed together and never be reviv'd as now adays with sorrow be it mentioned they
for you to come to their Heaven 3. The remembrance of lost time will be an eternal corrosive 3. The remembrance of lost time will be a corrosive to tormented consciences to the tortured awakned Spirit and torment the wounded Conscience like fire when time-loosers shall call to minde That they had a time to be converted but now they are hardned had a season to come to Christ their ark but now they are drowned in an eternal fiery lake They had opportunity to weep heavenly Gospel-tears and now they eternally weep hellish legal tears under the fear and hate of their angry Judge and the intollerable smart of endless avenging Punishment They had leasure to store up Grace against the day of Mercy but now they see throughout the whole neglected time of Grace they have treasured up sin against the day of wrath They had a long while Divine patient woings authoritative commandings dreadful threatnings melting beseechings to be reconciled to God and reformed but now penal Justice and their own Wickedness hath sealed them up under the power of sin In brief they had a sweet and fair day of mercy to finde favor with God through Jesus Christ but now it is gone down in a tempestuous night of endless and unappeasable fury 4. It will not be the least part of Hells Torments that hopeless 4. Tormented souls have helpless hopeless fruitless wishes helpless Spirits shall be tortured with fruitless wishes that they had not lost the unvaluable advantages of their saving opportunities When they shall mourn and say How have we hated instruction how have our hearts despised reproof and have not obeyed the voice of our teachers nor inclined our ears to our instructers Prov. 5. 11 12 13. Every unprofitable wish that the time had been redeemed in this world will be as a renewed bloody lash on exulcerated wounded tender bodies O unwise children of men that riot in the liberal indulgences to your flesh even in the noon-time of cleer Gospel-light Take a serious view of these impertinent and afflictive wishes in the other world O that God would grant one day of Grace more O that I were to live over my time again how would I look upon the flesh displeasing sharpest severities of repentance as favors O that I had kneeled on flints and wept mine eyes out in strong cries and tears for a pardon O that I had given my Goods to the poor O that I had changed the delights of the flesh for the pleasures of the Spirit that I had been filled with the Spirit when I was drunk with Wine Ephes 5. 18. O that I had watched over my loose heart day and night O that I had fasted and prayed whole days and nights O that affliction had driven me to Christ that I had rather gone through dirty Lanes to an heavenly Fathers House than through pleasant Meadows to a Prison and a place of Execution O that a godly sorrowing life had ended in joy Psal 126. 5. And that a carnal voluptuous life had not ended in eternal sorrows Jam. 5. 1 5. Have you seen Bankrupts that from the published Statutes of Execution have their Goods seized on and their persons Imprisoned wringing their hands beating their heads bedewing their cheeks breaking their hearts with these words O that I had been a good Husband that I had hearkned unto my friends avoided undoing-Company kept my Shop improved my time I had never come to this but I am undone I am undone Have you seen a condemned Felon that must have no Psalm of Mercy suddenly screek and roar out in the Assises and swoon in the torturing fear and assurance of death when the Judge tells him there is no mercy for him this also adding to his woe O that I had taken the counsel of my dear friends that I were to live over my youth and man-hood O that I had not lost my time of Grace O that I had kept the Sabbath better O that I had not rebelled against my dear Parents and despised good men and godly Ministers Think then what is and will be the woe of lost souls in the other life racking their Spirits with fruitless wishes that they had not lavished away the time of Grace 5. Wasters of the time of Grace out-sin the very Devils of 5. Wasters of the time of Grace out-sin the very Devils of Hell Hell They never had a year day or minutes time of repentance and pardon The next moment of their Transgression was a damning moment to endless and remediless punishment In this respect the Devils will load carnal Gospellers playing the wantons with the seasons of Grace and rejoyce in their society in destruction with this kinde of triumph Glad we are in your fellowship of damnation Is it just we are cast into Hell your company with us in torments is more just You have out-sinned us we were never guilty of such an affront to the Grace of God merits of Christ seasons of Grace as you are The Son of God assumed not our nature undertook not our redemption interceded not with his Father to give us scores of years space of repentance ten years a year a day a minute He took your nature died for you pleads you may have the precious saving seasons of Grace your abuse of the Gospel mis-spending the space of repentance is superlative guilt of a deeper die then our transgression How sad a thing is it that loose Gospellers that fill up their time with secret or open wickedness or both should out-sin the very Devils O friends did Christ speak it with passionate tears concerning self-undoing Jerusalem Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace but now they are hidden from thee Luke 19. 42. How ought you to weep over your turning the time of Grace into wantonness Ah foolish sinners that waste your inestimable opportunities of getting Christ and Grace walking exactly dying to sin that you may not eternally die in it and for it honoring God in your Generation obtaining your souls Salvation laying up treasure in Heaven preparing for blessed Eternity if you bewail not this in hearty Compunction bitter Tears if the sense of being Spend-thrifts of most precious time make you not ashamed before the Lord know it and believe you shall in the next life look over your ungrateful neglects with unutterable mournings and eternal tears SECT 5. 5. THe calling inviting offers of Grace are turned into wantonness 5. The calling inviting offers of Grace are turned into wantonness The great things of the Kingdom of Heaven were rendred to the Inhabitants of Chorazin and Bethsaida and to the Capernaites but they gave still wanton indulgences to their lusts repented not and this in the judgement of our Lord Christ should double their woe aggravate their rejecting the way of salvation and plunge them deeper in Hell Luke 10. 15. because Heaven on Gospel-tearms was offered and refused Be sure of this the Kingdom of
that if 3. A Woe denounced against them who make excuses and refuse to come like the guests in the Parable we either finde excuses not to come and feed on Christs heavenly dainties Luke 14. 18. or we be unprepared wanton loose guests and come not to his Feast with the Wedding Garment i. e. Faith in Christ with the whole train of Graces but in the deformed rags and pollutions of our sins I say if we be like those that either openly and positively reject his offered Grace or like those wanton abusers of Gods grace in the Apostle Jude tread in their steps and die in this Libertinism as a Woe is denounced unto them Jude Ep. v. 11. under condemnation v. 4. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever v. 13. So if we be fellow-wanton Gospellers with them we shall follow them in their everlasting misery He is deservedly hanged that seeth a Felon die before and yet greedily pursues his wicked courses We are told Sodomites Apostate Angels Abusers of Gospel-grace are already in Hell If the examples of their torments make us not to abhor and eschew their sinnes divine justice wrongs us not in our everlasting destruction whom should self-destroyers blame but themselues I have been the longer in this Section because of the mighty importance of the matter the common wofull lamentable damnable refusall of Gospel gracious calls and invitations to everlasting happinesse unchristianly prophanely dishonourably abused SECT 6. 6. THe means of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse This sad 6. The means of Grace is turned into wantonnesse experience I shall give out in three things shewing When the means of grace are abused The evil of that abuse and What means of grace are abused 1. When are the means of grace abused They are so 1. when they are set higher than they are Means are made Mediators set in the room of Christ when an equall yea a superiour confidence is put in Instrumental institutions The hand and the courage of the Warriour is disparaged when the Sword is set up above him and there be more confidence in a dead instrument than in a living agent The Word the Sword of the Spirit is dead and successelesse out of the strong and living hand of the Spirit It is a double and common wrong both to the means of grace and to Christ when Christ is not eyed sought to admired trusted in by the means The error not onely of ignorant prophane Christians that trust in a bare Baptism and a following of their Church to save them but most real Christians some whereof more admire their Preachers than Jesus Christ more look after an impotent man with all the glory of his gifts than the power and the transcendently eminent endowments of the Lord Jesus The Apostle Paul taught a better lesson who although he planted and watered Churches with miraculous successe owned his own nothingness 2 Cor. 12. 11. abhorred the thoughts of self-sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. was jealous of robbing Christ of his glory gave him the honour of his grace and power that he was used as the exalted and blessed instrument to convert multitudes of sinners and save their soules Rom. 15. 18 19. 2 When meās of grace are set lower then they are 2. When they are set lower than they are Then they are so when they are accounted as uselesse needlesse things as if heaven could be got without them grace might be had and kept though the means disused Nothing is more clear than that in ordinary dispensation extraordinaries not being our rule God hath confined grace and salvation to the use of means Knowledge Joh. 17. 3. The Gospel preached Rom. 1. 13. Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 21. Prayer Ro. 10. 13. The education of godly family guides Gen. 18. 19. Excommunications 1 Cor. 5. 5. The holy counsels and examples of Husbands and Wives one to another 1 Cor. 7. 16. The means of grace to the reproach of the God of grace are exceedingly undervalued when the sottish and conceited generation that live without Ordinances hold there is no dependance at all on holynesse and eternal happinesse upon Gods instituted means They are also set lower than they are when encumbred with Martha about needlesse things in the brood of earthly cares and employments neglect their attendances on heavenly means and make their affaires below excuses as too many doe to the dishonour of their regenerate part just as studious worldlings to put by heavenly exercises in the Worship of God 3. When they are contradicted and blasphemed as Paul's 3 Whē means of Grace are contradicted and blasphemed preaching was by the Jews true Prayer by the Spirit by unspiritual gracelesse Atheists that revile godly care of holy houshold guides to keep their children and servants in the knowledge fear and love of God whose pious endeavours to save the soules of their families condemning their wicked neighbours irreligion is the occasion but not the cause of their blaspheming their Prayers singing of Psalmes strict keeping of the Sabboth and week dayes holy and righteous conversation when the holy and heavenly institutions of the Lord Jesus are the markes at which sonnes and daughters of Belial shoot the arrows of their bitter words the meanes of grace are eminently abused 4. When they are judged and rested in as the onely evidences of grace The more ignorant carnall morall hypocriticall 4 Whē means are judged rested in as the only evidences of Grace sort of Christians have no better arguments that they are in the state of grace than this they have the means of grace It is an irrational conclusion A patient hath good physick therefore he shall recover a dunce hath good books and a good tutor therefore he will be a scholar a great Army is well furnished for war therefore it shall overcome The battel is not to the strong Eccles 9. 11. As unscripturall an inference it is The means of grace are enjoyed therefore the grace of the means is obtained Capernaum was lifted up to heaven in means and yet cast to hell Mat. 11. 23. Ordinances doe not confer grace as fire doth heat by their natural vertue but as the Lord Christ healed the sick by supernaturall Grace is not in the means as causes but by them as instruments Should many men have no use of the means to plead for their spirituall estate there would be nothing to speak them really Christian but they would be left as naked heathens It is not the having but the saving using of means that will stand by us 5. When they are made shelters of sin as dens are for Lyons 5 Whē means are made a shelter of sin cloaths are for bodies The Sacrifices and Temple were not to be a Sanctuary of Murder Adultery False swearing Idolatry Jer. 7. 9 10. Nor were the Pharisees to make long prayers to cloak the devouring of widdows houses Luk. 20. 47. The Harlots beginning with Gods services were poor fig
a property of true repentance 2 Cor. 7. 11. 6 A choice Gospel blessing is denyed 6. You deny your selves a choice Gospel blessing which is the turning of you from your iniquities Act. 3. 26. Joyfull news to sound hearts to be rid of the power of their tyrannizing sins 7 A choice fruit of Christs Intercessâ—oÌ„ is mist 7. You miss a choice fruit of Christs intercession which is to give repentance to Israel Act. 5. 31. One of the great donatives of the Prince of Life installed in his heavenly glory a choice Royal gift to fit for Heaven 8. You divide what God hath joyned together Remission and 8 That is divided which God hath joyned 9 Selfishnesse appears in thoughts hopes and desires Repentance Act. 5. 31. Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 2. 9. You are wholly selfish in your thoughts hopes and desires of pardon would have God blot out your sinnes to serve your own turn not to serve him to sinne with a peaceable spirit not serve him with a pure conscience That you might not goe to Hell not that you might be fit for Heaven O Christians abuse not upon these accounts pardoning grace If you doe and die in this wickedness be sure these considerations will like fire flashing about the ears in the other world flame upon your consciences as daring wantons that have played and sported with Gods pardons If you say God forbid we should abuse pardoning grace we are free from so great a sinne Take heed you dream not of innocence where the Word chargeth you with guilt Surely you play the wantons with pardoning grace if seven things are verified of you 1. If you sinne in hope of pardon which is wretched presumption 1. To sin in hope of pardon is wretched presumption Are you not like those ill nurtured and impudent children that are vile and wicked because they expect their fond and indulgent Parents forgivenesse or like those Rogues that rob and steal because they hope for a Psalm of Mercy or like those tempters of God that wound themselves because they look for healing from a soveraign Balsome What is this expectation of pardon but a confirmation in sin and an encourgaement to doe still more wickedly 2. If after your assurance that you are pardoned you boldly 2 To sin upon hopes of pardon is to welcome the flesh willingly and delightingly bid the next temptations welcome this is in effect as if you should say Welcome flesh we are your servants welcome devil we are your subjects welcome world with all your snares sinfull pleasures and pollutions we will refuse none of you we are out of gun-shot you can doe us no hurt we had lately a pardon sent into our bosoms and now we may have liberty of sport and dalliance we have a gracious God that will forgive us and a suretie who will pay all our debts If this be your case do you not clearly affront pardoning grace 3. If your design of desiring and obtaining pardon be onely 3 Such as sin in hope of pardon can easily beare the pollution of sin to have a quiet conscience but not a good one you can very well bear the obstruction the rebellion the pollution of your sinnes but onely dread their damnation If the use you make of pardons is onely that you may not be troubled not that you may be holy here is evident injury to Pardoning grace 4. When you goe on in sin after thoughts of pardon you 4 To sin after thoughts of pardon shews no love unto Jesus Christ have no sincere love to Jesus Christ Many rest in hopes yea some in assurances they are forgiven who yet never heartily loved the Lord Christ They never had a love to labour for his name Revel 2. 3. to prize his presence Psal 16. 8. to stoop to his strict spiritual Government Mich. 5. 2. to regard his image to be living Saints Rom. 8. 29. To have evill Psal 119. 104. An eminent yet pardoned sinner will prove this high abuse of pardoning grace Much was forgiven her for she loved much Luk. 7. 47. She could not but answer love for love If you that write your selves down in your quiet consciences absolved persons love not the Lord Jesus you are worse than Publicans they love those that love them Mat. 5. 46. If a liberal creditor should freely forgive all your debts could you deny your lovelesse carriage to him is an high abuse of his goodnesse Should you hate your suretie conscience would tell you his love should be abused Thus doe you deal with God your creditor Christ your suretie you disgrace the pardoning grace you thinke you have from them when you hate the Father and the Sonne yea abhorre the guiding your hearts and lives by the Spirits motions 5. If after thoughts of obtained pardon you have no tender 5 Then pardoning grace is abused when there is no tender conscience c. conscience no mournings weepings meltings of love of Gospel joy for Absolution no serious sense of the dishonourable evill even of pardoned sinne no watchfull fearefull thoughts of the next transgression no sorrowfull apprehension of renewed sin When you came over a narrow bridge and very hardly saved your life are not you tender of comming that way again You have narrowlie scaped hell doe you think pardoning grace hath kept you off it O where is your tendernesse of sinning there again where you had been almost plunged into the bottomlesse pit An heart hardned in sin after thoughts of granted forgivenesse is an evident wrong to this Gospel grace 6. If after thoughts of getting a pardon you have no holy 6 Pardoning grace is abused when there is no shame for sin shame for your sinnes Mary Magdalen was pardoned but in an holy shame shee stood behind her Saviour Luk. 7. 38. The absolved Romans were ashamed even of their pardoned sinnes Rom. 6. 21. Ye are now said the Apostle ashamed of them Ingenious children of God are ashamed when renewing repentance in their Fathers presence they looke over the black roll even of pardoned sinnes Surely you that have impudent reflections on your conceited sinnes yea have no shame to keep you off from renewed and pleasing sins do much disparage pardoning grace 7. If after thoughts your sins are pardoned you cannot you 7 Pardoning grace is abused when you will not pardon others will not pardon others not your enemies not your friends not your joynt professors of the same heavenly faith and hope not your loving reprovers not your hearty intercessors at the throne of grace for you Are you indeed pardoned that cannot pardon Pardon of sin is an eminent part of Gospel-glory True believers are changed into it 2 Cor. 3. 18. When they see how much they are forgiven they cannot but forgive when they see an hundred debts are forgiven will they strain at it to forgive one Yea
Presumption is Presumption this also I shall branch out in five things 1. The Presumption of a Preposterous Confidence in Gods mercy this hath begotten carnall security and strengthened the hands of wickednesse Dreames of mercy have been the bane of duty Patrons of loosenesse and soft pillowes for delicate wantons to sleep on God is good God is mercifull and therefore the old man dares be sinfull as if God were not a prudent and pure dispenser but carelesse prodigall of his rich mercies he is beleeved to wast them on the Devills service and to rain down their Heavenly showers upon a barren wildernesse an unfruitfull Profession But where have we a word in sacred Writ that the servant of sin must first be confident of Gods mercy Did Bone Deus misericors Deus faciam quod mihi liber Aug. eyer mercy priviledge and owne a lost sinner but on its owne termes T is true mercy is to be found to the praise of the glory not the infamy of mercy as a cordiall to the fainting a plaister to the wounded sinner a spur to service not a Feast to riot on when loose Libertines take not mercy the childrens bread by Gods allowance but like Dogs endeavour to get it from his Table and are cudgelled off from it did they seriously consider the way of obtaining mercy the Lessons mercy teacheth the evidence of mercies possession the Distinction mercy maketh the reputation mercy must have in the world they would soon be convinced they are at as infinite a distance from mercy as they are from innocency and duty O that all loose Libertines that feast their lusts at mercies Table and that commit this spirituall Burglary of breaking into Gods house to snatch away his mercy would lay to heart five things 1. They are not yet in the way of obtaining mercy they understand not the method of mercy As that 1. Christ is the mercy seat the Throne of mercy a mercifull High Priest the great High Steward that gives out Almes of mercy and gives it to Subjects fit to receive it 2. That none enjoy it bit themthat are deeply sencible of their misery by sin despaire of mercy by any but Jesus Christ 3. That the obtainers of mercy are stil knockingat the beautifullgate of mercy get Heaven by violence wrastle for a Coelum tundimus Deum tangimus misericordiam extor â—uemus Tertul. Apol. c. 40. smile a word a Dole of mercy as the Christians did in Tertullians time We strike at Heaven sayd hee with our desires We are close suiters to God we pull down mercy from him as Jacob did that wrought hard in prayer for mercy as the importunate Woman was Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me speeders for mercy are not cold carelesse indifferent Suiters 4. That mercy receivers are humble selfe-abasing condemning Soliciters wonder they are not in Hell past mercy and the asking of it like the Servants of Benhadad that came with ropes about their necks at once confessing their deserts wooing the favours of a mercifull King 5. That the priviledged owners of mercy in an holy importunity will hear no â—ay but still lay prostrate before the Father of mercies untill he shew mercy Psa 123. 2. A sweet warme looke of mercy beaming upon a cold fainting soule the ordinary invaders of Gods mercy who are not so much the Almes-men as the Theeves of mercy ascend not to the Mount of mercie by mercies staires but feed on a presumptuous fancy of mercy wantonize with it and have no saving part in it 1. They learn not the Lessons mercy teacheth in speciall two Resignation and Subjection 1. Resignation the giving upthe whole person in a reall gratitude to Gods service who instead of a wonder of mercy might have made the provoking sinner a Monument of vengeance I beseech you by the mercies of God give up your bodies c. Pom. 12. 1. 2. Subjection As many as walke according to this rule mercy be on them Gal. 6. 16. Every mercy saith be dutifull but choice saving mercy calls for regular walking Those licencious daring ones that challenge mercy say with those in Jeremiah We are Lords we will not come to thee are their own Masters live as they list know no Law but their Lusts were never Schollars well trained up in the School of mercy 3. They have no evidence of mercies possession the fear of God is this great evidence The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear him psal 103. 17. Gods feare stands between two happy Eternities of mercy as the faire mark of both the decree of mercy from Eternity the enjoyment of mercy to Eternity is the sure Felicity of all that fear God O falshood folly madnesse Too many that neither feare God nor sin conclude a part in the mercy of the Booke of life and looke for the endlesse mercy of the other world and by the prefamed license of mercy live wickedly 4. They study not the distinction mercy maketh surely all designed for mercy are vessells of mercy all that are and shall be without it are vessells of wrath an unchanged heart and unreformed life under mercy maketh no difference between the persons of mercy and wrath If vessells of mercy may be Libertines they vessells of wrath both wil be carnall walkers mercy duty wrath sin wil be an everlasting distinction between the heirs of Heaven and the purchasers of Hell Vessells of wrath will be Libertines if vessells of mercy are so too the one is as good as the other 5. They bring not Gods mercy in Reputation in the world what honour hath God in pretenders to mercy that abuse his Grace They who are designed to mercy are vessells of honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Not only to import they are called to honourable priviledges but honourable services As God honours them in holding out his golden Scepter of mercy to them so they are to honour God in being glorious within and wearing without the golden apparrel of an heavenly shining conversation ps 45. 13. paul obtained saving mercy he was an high eminent vessell of Honour and he honourably used his mercy to the praise of its Author I obtained mercy and the Grace of God was abundant in me through Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. The garment of mercy God bestowed on him was honourably and richly adorned by sanctifying grace Licentious Professors do not honour but cast dirt upon the Robe of mercy were it not for presumptions of mercy false Christians would not so play the wantons under Gospell Profession Did they think and speak the truth in our unregenerate hypocriticall and profane Estates that there is no mercy for us we are children of Wrath if we live and dye so we perish this would damp the pleasing merry fits of sin if this do not turn them Heavenwards it will force upon them inward gripes and conscience pangs in the way to Hell The same
to thine eye-lids Prov. 6. 5. So take counsel concerning flight from the gall of bitterness the bond of iniquity the bondage of Satan the infinite danger of impenitence that seals the guilt of infinite sins upon the soul Deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the Infernal Hunter as a Bird from the crafty destructive snare of the invisible Fowler do not creep but flie from his Hellish mortal Gun-shot His name is Abaddon Apollyon so is his disposition and conversation It was mercy that made lingring Lot to get out of Sodom and haste to Zoar It would be infinite mercy did you hasten your escape from the dominion and damnation of your pleasing Lusts to the reign and security of saving grace SECT 16. THe fourth head of causes that fathers this adulterate off-spring 16. Temptation causeth the abuse of Grace in four particulars The abuse of Gods Grace is temptation There are four temptations to this sin 1. Temptation a voluptuous life The Widow that lived in pleasures waxed wanton against Christ 1 Tim. 5. 11. As the Apostle opposeth the Spirit of God and the World 1 Cor. 2. 12. so mostly spiritual and worldly pleasures are inconsistent Such as are ravished with the delights of the Spirit are crucified to worldly delights unaiding and unconducing to higher comforts and the intemperately toxicated with worldly delights loath the delights of the Spirit Voluptuous prosperous secure ones that joy in their Possessions and Relations feast their senses with creature-suitable sweetnesses That spend their days in mirth as Job says in this wanton bruitish life disparage and abuse the God of grace and the life of grace the fountain and the streams of highest sweetness The God of Grace in these words They say unto God depart from us Job 21. 14. They had been as good have said Depart Heaven and Happiness 'T is his presence which maketh Heaven so they despise the life of Grace desire not to be acquainted with it We desire not the knowledge of thy ways v. 14. nor to walk in them all whose pathes are pleasantness yea matchless delights What is the Almighty that we should serve him or what profit should we have if we pray unto him v. 15. What profit Ah beastly Atheistical Sensualists What not The gain godliness 1 Tim. 6. 6 The Pearle of great price Jesus Christ Mal. 13. 46. Saving wisdome is better then gold or silver Prov. 3. 14. The spirit of Grace Luke 11. 13. Precious Faith 2 Pet 1. 1. The gaine of the Soule Mar. 8. 37. Treasure in Heaven Luke 12. 33. Rich commodities in which prayer in the Holy Ghost trafficks These high gaines and joyes Epicurean Pleasurists with an ignorant and supercilious disdaine abuse as not worthy their thoughts estimate affections as if they were Mahumetans not christians had only studied the Alcoran not the Bible were Deos nihil curare dicit non ira non gratia tangi infercrum poenas non esse metuendas quod animae post mortem occidant voluptatem esse summum bonuÌ„ eius causa nasci hominem Lactan. l. 3. c. 17. poysoned with the perswasion of Epicures That the Gods care not for the things below are neither pleased nor angry with humane affairs infernall punishments are not to be feared souls and bodies die together pleasure is the cheifest good that it was the end why man was borne If irreligious pleasure-hunters say they are neither Atheists nor Epicures they do as well follow Heavenly as Earthly delights they say more then their hearts and lives pâ—ove Are not the pleasures of sense their delight in good earnest the pleasures of Faith their jest their fancy their dream Can the strength of the Soule go out to both I say not 't is impossible ' â— is very rare to be high in Earthly and Heavenly delights their number is very thin of delicate high fed rich christian professors that can say and not lie high joyes below are out joyed by higher joyes above that do but use them not enjoy them that are crucified to them that can at pleasure retreat from them The better fed Quemadmodum impossible est ut ignis flammam concipiat in aqua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est voluptates mundi cum poenitentia Christiana manere Otho Casmannus then taught Peastiall Christians wantons in the worlds large and high Pastures speak but the flattery of the Flesh and Devill when they say the severe discipline of serious Repentance can consist with carnall earthly delights T is a saying of a good writer that hath too much experience for its Probatum est As it is impossible that fire should burne in water so its impossible that the pleasures of the world and Christian Repentance should dwell together I cannot therefore but admire and adore infinite wisdome who knowing the worlds higher ground is dangerous and high sensuall pleasures are as slippery places Psa 73. 18. Hath ordinarily made the rich Heires of Glory the poorer sort of the world Jam. 2. 5. Lest the pallate of their Soules should be vitiated and corrupted with too much savouring of Creature sweetnesse The wholesome and prudent designe of left hand streightnings is to brighten the future Crowne of Glory by coming to it through much want and labour the great Heires of Heaven are usually kept low lest they should come to their immortall inheritance Ne immortalitatem delicate assequerentur molliter Lact. l. 7. c. 5. too delicately and softly God will not honour Grace despising voluptuous worldlings so highly as to remove yea in some not to imbitter those outward delights which in angry providence he giveth and knoweth will turn to their bane T is a sad saying of Lactan. God suffers corrupt and vicious men to live a luxurious delicate life because he lookes on them as worthlesse persons and he will not honour them so as to amend them I wonder not that a poore Christian that walkes with God feasts lives hopes high values estates by their spirituallity invisibility eternity and not by the worlds accounts would not change his hard bed thred-bare garment dry crust small drinke for the gracelesse pompe and Deus corruptos vitiosos luxuriose ac delicate patitur vivere quia noÌ„putat emendatione sua dignos Lactan. l. 5. c. 23 fullnesse of beds of Down delicious Tables soft costly and shining changes of Rayment I knew a very poor and very rich godly woman that would not change her holy poverty for her rich neighbours unsanctified estate indeed the meanest judicious Christian in his spirituall wits resents not the civill honours and vast annuall wealth of carnall wantons with envy but pitty they are rather to be lookt upon with weeping then fretting whose way to Hell is strewed with Roses who go through pleasant meadowes to Execution Rejoyce poor Christian that stands in the worlds lower ground be not troubled that wicked sensualists now stand above thee thy right hand promotion is a coming thou
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are words indifferently used for divine worship what then do you make of the Blessed Virgin to give her more then divine Adoration will shee beare your wanton and sawcy addresses to her to pray her to command her son Doth she now admire and adore him as her Redeemer and doth her being the miraculoâ—s Mother of his sacred sinlesse flesh give her the least part in Redemption Do you not embolden one another to sin by your trust in Popish Indulgencyes may not the most profligate Libertines of your way shrowd themselves secure in a wicked life from your rich pardon Office Is not your absurd Doctrine of Merits an high injury to the Merits of Christ do we not read in your Writers the Termes Aequivalence commensuration to the Reward if any of you say merits especially on a death Bed are disowned yea your Bellarmine teacheth For the uncertainty of Salvation and the perill of vain glory t is safer to trust to the merits of Christ Why is there such jugling in your Schooles and Pulpits about merits are not the ignorant people undeceived told there are no merits of an infinite reward but those of Jesus Christ How do you abuse the infinite satisfaction madeto the Justice of God by Jesus Christ as if an All-sufficient Surety had not payd the utmost farthing as if his sufferings need the supplement of the Saints further tosatisfy the demands of angry Justice Wil your distinction of Mediatorship of Redemption and Intercession cloak your Idolatrous Prayers to Saints and Angells Is not Christ the only Mediator of Intercession and Redemption Is not the prevalency of intercession founded on Redemption what else cryes for peace and pardon Grace and Glory but the bloud of Christ Heb. 12. 24. Jesus Christ the Righteous that is an Advocate with the Father is the propitiation for Beleevers sins Totus Papatus est ipsissima Crucis Christi inimicitia idque multo amplius quam Judaismus Musculus in Phil. 3. 1 Joh 2. 1. Yea therefore an Advocate because a propitiator Could holy Creatures be proved Redeemers they might be argued speeding Intercessors The Crosse of Christ hath not only had Turkes and Heathens and false Apostles who opposed themselves to the Doctrine of the Crosse the Doctrine of the Law and Circumcision but Papists also The whole Papacy saith Musculus is the worst enmity of the Crosse of Christ yea worse then Judaisme Although it set up the Wood and the forme of the Crosse in all its Temples shew it and carry it in publick streets adorn it with gold silver and precious stones yet none of these things befriend the Crosse of Christ but the beleeving of Christ crucified in the word the true heart and life crucifix by Geramus crucem non in ve ste aut pallio sed intus in corde carneÌ„ nostraaÌ„ dum hic vitam agimus carnem nostram clavis seu spiritualibus armis in cruce agamus Otho Casmannus which the true Christian is crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6. 14. The flesh is crucified with its Affections and Lusts Gal. 5. 24. Is not the power of the Gospell crucifixion denyed evacuated made nothing by your Artificial Crucifix Is Crucifying grace given out but to Gods own Institutions Is God wont to blesse mens superstitious inventions are not your single lived Priests and Nuns by your Church-Lawes denyed Marriage in constant Temptations to inward wanton burning flames and outward impurities unlesse in rare Heavenly â—unuchisme Is it not the Ordinance of God rather To marry then burne 1. Cor. 7 6. Are not Priests Fornication in your account more tollerable then Marriage Have not publick stewes too much favour at Rome Is not the mutteting over some Rosaries to the blessed Virgin an Atonement of filthy sins yea are not your Holy dayes your Saints dayes unholy allowances to the wanton flesh Nor will some Lent Good-Friday will worship severities clear you from carnall Libertinisme To conclude the whole Masse of Popery as it stands contradistinct to sound protestant confessions as it doth appear to our solid Orthodox examining Writers to it will appear in the great day a body of carnall Wantonesse a meer politick Engine for worldly glory a product of proud erring self-admiring fleshly mindes If though Providence popish eyes may read this partition I humbly request the selfe-applauding observing Romish children of error that have the fearfull Judgment on them of strong delusions to beleeve lies and have departed form the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints to study and be ashamed of the wanton principles and practices of their own Religion before they triumph in the loosenesse of carnall protestants and false Christians who by the principles of our Religion are taught more regular acceptable Gospell-strictnesse then their traditionall and most religious severities pretend unto I again humbly request the protestant unsetled discontented Reader who it may be hath too favorable thoughts of Popery to take heed lest he in heart turn back to spirituall Egypt hearken to those English Jesuit Captaines that in different disguise of their Names and Habits tempt Wantons in opinion and Practise dissavouring the Heavenly Manna of our pure faith and lingring after the onions and leeks the poor food of popish Traditions would lead them from the fatnesse of Gods house to Romes unwholesome provisions If O unwary Reader thou dost abuse the unvaluable Treasure of that gospell grace that is taught among us that doth not only require faith in Christ but a necessary and severe mortification of worldly Lusts of absolute necessity to obtaine Salvation and be fit for Heaven thou hast a wanton heart and dost live a dissolute life beleeve not the Jesuits nor the Papists among us that thou art like to prove a better christian if thou once prove an Apostate son or daughter of the church of Rome If thou dost seriously weigh this Section and meditate on the wanton Principles and practises of the Mother of Harlots thou art not like to better thine heart and life by being a child of spirituall Whoredomes but ruine thy selfe by drinking off the Whores cup of Fornications CHAP. VI. Shewing wherein the greatnesse of this sin appeares ALL sins are not equall some are cloathed with Chap. 6. Shews wherein the greatnesse of this sin appeares Ex nobili falerno lutum Salvian more odious circumstances and appear to rightly discerning eyes more abominably monstrous As back-sliding Israel justified her selfe more then treacherous Judah Jer. 3. 11. so some sinners may justifie themselves more then others They are more faulty that sin against the remedy sin against the Grace of God is of a scarlet dye hath aggravated guilt in twelve things the huge a accumulated evill of it will appeare SECT 1. 1. IT is a sin of greater profanesse it is a more then ordinary profane sin toabuse the Creatures Food Raiment Health Riches is an
will charge those that are guilty I hope there are a few of you the successors as well of others religious Liberalitie as Patrimony As for you that are not you may be ashamed by what name soever you are called Presbyterians Independents or Anabaptists that are covetously scraping sordidly tenacious linked yea chained to your money fear and tremble in your perilous Prosperities Dominion and Riches are slippery places you that stand in Englands high ground take heed lest you fall Let not your wanton dissolutenesse give you the denomination of Kine Amos the plain country Prophet called the great wantons of Israel Kine of Bashan Amos 4. 1. for lusty fat feeding â—â—ine for rich Pastures Kine of Bashan a very fertile mountain Is this your all to graze and fill and luxuriate in the plentiful pastures of rich estates Are you Jesurun-like waxen fat better fed than taught kicking against your soveraign maintainer lightly esteeming and forgetful of the God of your salvation be sure of it the jealous God can soon pull you down from your Principalities and cause your abused Riches to take wings and fly to other owners God is no respecter of persons what is sinne in one he counts not innocence in another As the Wisdom so the Justice that is from above is without partiality God hath made many persons of sublime Honours and great Estates his angry rods to chastize others sins Successors in sinnes have reason to fear they shall be fellows in punishments White providence hath lifted you up O tremble lest black providence pull you down Do you abuse divine Protections Exaltations vast provisions for your selves and families to Pride Luxury Coverousnesse Impiety Vnrighteousnesie Are you wanton Libertines in opinion and Practise doe you fear black reckoning dayes are coming upon you lest you that have abused Providences and the grace of God drink the dregs of the cup of Trembling So I leave you and passe to another Generation of men persons of Honour and huge Estates that look upon themselves as the suffering party egregious abusers also of the grace of God in eminent worldlyness We have in this Nation a vast number of great ones who have and ought to have the civil titles of Worship and Honour that own Baptismal grace enjoy and use time and means of grace and hope to be saved by grace as well as others that give tokens of eminent earthly-mindednesse They keep not houses in their respective Country-Lordships get into Cities and Townes Corporate and either there they liberally riot in their Families Game Feast Drink away that Estate their poor naked hungry neighbours want or else if Parsimonious lay up every year vast summes for greedy Purchases and spend little or nothing in works of Mercy Though I knoâ—v not the dimensions of your yearly layings up yet it is twenty to one I may speak that which your consciences know to be true as to the secret methods and waies of your worldly increase One it may be at the years end hath layd up an hundred pound another two another five another a thousand pound another two another more And wherefore this Bank I beseech you hath the Lord Jesus for Religious uses acts of Pietie and Mercy the Tenth part the Twentieth part the Fortieth part the Hundreth part Have you honoured God with your substance your annual increase hath he had in nothing or next to nothing a thin inconsiderable charity a real-gratitude from you and will you appear good Stewards in the Accounting day When you shall be asked what you have done with Gods Money and Land and all the Items you will bring in will be Items of Pride Luxury costly fancies Coverousness c. Will he be put off with such returnes Learne Wisdom and holy Policie against the great day O all you thriving old and new Gentry rich thriving Merchants and Tradesmen wealthy Lawyers and Pulpit men and for the time to come abhorre the baseness of self-hatred which it may be you count self-love To greaten your Families and undoe your selves to make rich heirs and dis-inherit your selves to expose your selves to eteâ—nal penury that your successors may live in luxury 'T is without peradventure The grace of God that brings salvation teacheth to deny worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11. You have been bad Scholars in Christs School that fulfill them O doe no more in an hot greedy chase hunt after the Profits and Pleasures of this world Hearken to the words of one who hath spoken the true experience of present worldlings Is it not a crime that many now adaies who professe the name of Christ glue their hearts to the Mammon of Iniqurtie and the Treasures of Wickednesse 'T is a very base thing that Christians should enslave bodies and soules to the getting keeping increasing of treacherous perilous and uncertaine riches and are so captivated by them that they cannot serve the living God Take Augustines judgement of this vaine Saeculi hujus fallax suavitâ—â— perpetuus timor infructuosus labor periculosa sublimitas August world The sweetnesse of this world is deceitfull feare perpetuall labour unprofitable height perillous Why doe you set your hearts on vanitie and vexations Eccles 1. 14. Broken Cisterns Jer. 2. Lying vanities Jonah 2. 8. Shadows Psal 102. 11. Non-entitres that which is not Be ashamed O Christian Gospellers that stand on the worlds higher ground have best wages and yet doe your great Master least service to give up the strength of your soules your time your estates in the bruitish service of worldly and carnal pleasures contemning in mean time the sweet peace and joy of the Holy Ghost Such of you as serve pleasures Tit. 2. 3. Live in them 1 Tim. 5. 6. are voluptuous wantons as if you came into the world to bee as the Leviathan to take your Pastime onely to sport and feast your soules in your sensualities Seneca had a farre braver spirit than you have Hee thought it was true pleasure to contemne pleasures and is it your heaven to enjoy them you live not like men The delights of reason far excels those of sense You live not like Saints The delights of Grace transcend them both O come and see come and taste feed on the Marrow and Fatness the luscious sweet soul provisions of Gods House and the Heavenly dainties of grace will soon make you dis-rellish the perilous unsatisfying delights of this life SECT 10. THey may with little study run and read their gross abuse 10. They abuse grace who are sensless stupid lethargick Libertines of Gods grace 10. Who are senseless stupid Lethargick Libertines Are these the Darlings of Grace the Favorites of Heaven who in a dead cursed insensibility blunt the goads of Conscience are strangers to the fear of God are deaf to the Canon shot the dreadful volleys of the Laws curses who startle not when they hear Boanerges Pulpit Sons of Thunder but slight pious admonitions and grievous comminations as if they were vain Bugbears to fright
the stamp of the great Law-givers authority what sacrilidge is it to slight the precepts of the great God as little The spiritual wisdome from above lookes upon every command and sin as great doing no little mischiefe against the soveraignty and purity of no little God deserving no little Hell the losse of no little Heaven Servants are not their own may not presume in little offences like and dislike pick and chuse obey and rebel as they please but obey in all things Col. 3. 22. Else they do not their Masters wil but their owne Insolentissimus abusus quod placet assumere quod displicet repudiare Salv. de Gub. Dei lib. 2. What we account a most insolent abuse and badge of pride in our servants is in Gods they wrong his Soveraignty when they are fast and loose wil do and not do and are not through paced in â—epentance and Obedience It speakes our soundness in the cause of God in our faithfulnesse to the crown of Christ if we dash in peeces the Babylonish brats the little Theeves of Latrunculos primorum motuum Paris sins first motions the petty traytors of Insurrection as â—ell as the signall Rebels happy are they that in the high improvements of and honourable respects to Gods grace dare not adventure on the lest sins A little Leaven will leaven the whole lump a little sin without great mercy will ruine the whole man SECT 6. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods Grace is discontent at 6. Abuse of Gods grace appeares in discontent at Gods gracious corrections Gods gracious corrections his frowns on his children are his favours his rods love tokens Heb. 12. 6. His family discipline hath not only good instructions and liberall maintenance but wholesome chastisements he is his childrens Father and Physitian as wise to know so able and willing to cure their diseases their sins are ill humours affliction Physick themselves patients But alas hoâ— under the discipline of correction are the Lords people like delicate wantons that will not take from but give their Physitian directions this Physick is not right that were better any Affliction any Potion rather than this as if God knew not better our disease the way of cure and our strength better then our selves we are no sit choosers of our rods the cross we would exchange for might be ten times heavier when we repine at the wise allotments of our heavenly physitian make faces and spit at his wayes of healing we discover our folly and wantonnesse that Loosenesse that contracts Diseases will not bear the method and smart of cure this is the holy and humble submission of Grace Lord give power to beare and blessing to sanctifie the Crosse and keep me under it while thou pleasest Shall good children pay â—everence to their chastising parents and not Gods children to him correcting Heb. 12. 9. chusing our trouble fretting under Gods present hand as imprudent or injurious despising his corrections declares us have wanton kicking spirits we never sweetly humbly and quietly bear the healthful indignation of the Almighty till we by Faith give him the glory of the gracious wisdom and soveraignty of his corrections then be the tryal never so fierie the soul will say I shall come forth as tried Gold SECT 7. 7. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is daring to doe 7 The daring to do that when the rod is off which one would not when the rod is on is a sign of the abuse of grace that when the Rod of God is off which would not be done when it is on In affliction there is powring out of prayers Isa 26. 16. Hanging down the head and heavyness of heart for sin sense of civil reverence of God a stop to carnal delights good words of Holynesse promises of better Obedience reforming appearances Saint-like deportments But it is frequent injury to the gracious chastisements of God that their Physick hath rather been a skinning over than a cure of diseases As unsound Recoveries break forth into old sores and worse relapses so the universall work of Correction betraies it self either into a neglect of Prayer or a Praying formalitie carnal Merriments Remorslesnesse of Spirit impudent Irreverence Breach of Vows loose Conversation these are great enemies to strictnesse There are not a few that have exceedingly shamed Gods School of Correction like some unbettered children under the Rod who acknowledge their sin kneel down and cry pardon and mingle the sense of their folly and smart with teares promise they will never doe so again fear and tremble at the next blowes are very humble and shew much good manners but when the smart is off the old sauciness stubborness and disorders return How hath that righteousnesse that hath light impression in the mind by affliction like the print of the Rod in the flesh soon worn out This Insinceritie is deservedly deplorable of all them that know their own hearts and finde these true charges flying in their faces Such as these that in and out of Affliction are so unlike themselves betray they are not sound in heart by their unsteadiness in Gods Covenant Psal 78. 37. Hath God in mercy not chastned us sore nor delivered us up to death and hell to cure not to kill us How dishonorable is it to the sparing chastising grace of God and perilous to our own souls when the holy manners we seemed to learn under the Rod are lost when it is taken off SECT 8. 8. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is shamelesness before 8 Shamelesness before the Lord for acknowledged sins is an evidence of the abuse of grace the Lord for acknowledged sinners If grace bee not so strong as to resist sin it is so sound and ingenuous as to blush at it The Moral blush at uncivil and unvirtuous baseness speak a good moral heart And the spiritual blush at ungospel unchristian vilenesse speaks a good gracious heart O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God Ezra 9. 6. Yee gracious Romans are now ashamed of your fruitless sinns Rom. 6. 21. Mary Magdalen an infamous sinner but famous Saint look'd on her sinnes with tears and shame and in token of her blushing conscience stood behind Christ as ashamed her once impure eyes should behold his sacred face Luke 7. 38. Were they ashamed said God of the impudent Jews Jer. 6. 15. They could not blush they wanted the colour of grace What disgrace is it to the grace of God that persons in grace weak ones God knowes are convinced of their sinfull foolish frothy idle yea sometimes eminently wicked language of venomous Serpents lurking under the hidden leaves of filthy consciences of ugly monsters harboured in their bosomes proud vain-glorious envious malicious adulterous unrighteous oppressive Atheistical prophane abominable thoughts every day flying up and down in their souls like birds in the air and that this filthy hellish vermin crawling up and down the
am betrayed by a professed Friend A tearm of Exprobration and just Condemnation Christ forgave not this false Friend He dyed impenitently in the abuse of his grace and had not Faith to believe his betrayed innocent blood should heal the Traytor 3. Question Shall I have the heaviest wrath in Hell Capernaum Bethsaida's high abuse of Grace should have more intolerable vengeance then Sodoms wantonnesse against nature Mat. 10. 15. The least of Hell will be intolerable If I perish under grosse abuse of Grace the Oven of Eternal fiery Wrath will be heated seven times hotter for me then for Heathens Ah soul-hater and self-destroyer Shall I cast my self into hottest eternal flames 4. Question Shall my mouth be stopt in the accounting-day Can these thoughts be born without Spirit-woundings when inlightned conscience shall say I wanted not offered convincing means of the necessity beauty advantage of Grace I hated the life of garce and consumed the time of grace in playing the wanton not working by the light of grace All under means of grace are invited to the Gospel Wedding-feast of the Son of God and to come in fitting Wedding-cloaths that the Feast-maker and the Feast be not disparaged Every guest pretends to come handsome in sitting Ornaments but the abusive guest that is found without his Wedding-garment will be speechlesse Ista vestis nuptialis quasi Bicolor rubra sanguine Alba sanctitate Matth. 22. 12 15. This Wedding-garment is party-coloured red and white Red in the Blood of the Lamb White in the sanctifying grace of the Spirit 5. Question Shall I be kicking against the Bowels of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At ille Capistratus Piscator It was a sad charge I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1. 2. Is there nothing for wanton feet to spurn at but a Fathers Bowels Do you say Our Father which art in Heaven and when ever you say so professe God your Father and spit in his loving face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my Son Caesars Son stâ—b him in the Senate Shall Gods Sons in large profession stab his name and cause him to be reproached in the world by gross abuse of his grace 6. Question Shall I make sport and triumph for Devils It was Davids grief by Saul and Jonathans death the uncircumcised Philistines would rejoyce and triumph 2 Sam. 1. 20. The uncircumcised infernal Philistines rejoyce and triumph at the wrongs of grace Davids enemies watched for and were glad at heart at his halting Psal 38. 16 17. His wellfare was their grief his falls their Songs These invisible enemies of Mankinde triumph when any that own the Christian name and the grace of the Gospel grosly prophane both 7. Question Shall I tread under foot the Son of God Heb. 10. 29. Strong thriving wanton lusts are the impure feet that tread under foot the Son of God in his humbling Incarnation who came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil in his bitter Passion who died as a Ransome to redeem from the reign of his Sin in his Soveraign Dominion who is a ruling Lord over all he saves The gross abuse of his Grace plainly what in it lyeth declares that he was Man in vain died in vain and that he is but a Precarious titular Lord and King 8. Question How shall I look the Judge in the face The time is coming when he shal appear in terrible flames of Wrath How dreadfully will he judge when the precious ends wherefore in his Fathers Counsel and his own Covenant he was judged to death are not obtained but abused If David commenced a War against Hanun the King of the Ammonites because he abused the Message and Messengers of kindnesse sent in Embassage to comfort him who instead of loving entertainment were shaved had their Garments cut off in the midst shamefully and ungratefully dismissed 1 Chron. 19. 4. What a dreadful and eternal War will the Lord Jesus commence against those Hanunites unworthy the name Christian who abuse the Messages and Messengers of Gospel-kindnesse and grace to open prophane licentiousnesse Lay all these Queries to heart and let them stick on O grosly loose Reader till they have produced Fears Astonishments Prayers for Amendment and Resolutions by the help of Gods grace not to live a notorious Libertine for the future against the call and honor of Grace SECT 5. 2. Vse of Caution is concerning the close wronging of Gods 5. Second part of the use against close wronging of grace grace 1. Take heed of wresting Gospel-grace to the allowance of the least sin Holy Paul durst not do it in his own person The grace of God was abundant in him through Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 14. and though through the power of this grace he was no absolute Perfectist yet an universal Enemy of sin the root and branches of it least and greatest had his disallowance and abhorrence Rom. 7. 15. David too that had a large share in Gods grace his sweet experience Thou art my Portion O Lord Psal 119. 57. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant according to thy word 65. was so devoted to the fear of God 38. as this produced an hatred of vain thoughts 113. and every false way 128. and therefore hid Gods Word in his heart that he might not in the least willingly sin against him The choice subject of saving grace may not continue in the least sin because grace abounds When Believers finde inward perswasion in their spirits to adventure on little sins on vain thoughts small inordination in Creature-desires and affections yielding to dulness and deadness in Holy Duties pride of Apparel self-lifting thoughts of spiritual Precedency This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth them Gal. 5. 8. The grace of God doeth neither father nor nurse the least sin but commands and inables to be holy in all maner of conversation SECT 6. 2. BEware of judging wantonness against Grace by a false 6. Beware of judging wantonness against grace by afalse rule rule The example of the best Others good Opinion The judgement of thine own heart are not true Rules to judge abuse of Gods grace by 1. Not the example of the best Though the Apostle bad the Philipians be followers of him and them that traced the Apostles steps Phil. 3. 17. yet elsewhere he limits his counsel Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. They are both joyned 1 Thess 1. 6. Ye became followers of us and of the Lord of us as we followed the Lord The Lord is sub-joyned to correct the easie common error of following the best of men sometimes in Doctrinal sometimes in practical Error Even Paul the brightest Star in the Churches Firmament had his Eclipse He is not to be followed in all things though the wariest goer he stept awry He that wrote in his Epistles against bitterness of spirit yet in the difference
when God forgives a thousand to one shall they not blot out a few I dare boldly say Those that take it for granted their sins are pardoned that are implacable that write wrongs in marble not in the dust be their confidences never so high do both un-Christian and un-Man themselves 1. They strip themselves of Christianity It s a choice and hard rule to flesh and blood to forgive enemies but this is neglected despised How can you say Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors when your consciences tell you that you cannot forgive you doe not so much pray for as curse your selves as if you should say Lord forgive not my sinnes for I will not forgive others Doe we not read the example of Christ that forgâ—ve his enemies He prayed for it Father forgive them Luk. 23. 34. this difficult piece of Christianity was in Stephen Act. 7. 50. That choice Apostolical precept to the Colossians As Christ forgave you so also do ye Col. 3. 13. And is it Christianity never to forgive nor forget ever to treasure up wrath and revenge Certe consanguinei sumus ideo maximum scelus putandum est edisse hominem vel nocentem Propterea Deus praecepit inimicitias per nos nunquam faciendas semper esse tollendas scilicet ut eos quisint nobis inimici necessitudinis admonitos mitigemus Lactant. l. 6. c. 10. Notanda est Carnis appellatio qua intelligit universes homines quorum neminem intueri possumus quin velut in speculo carnem nostram contemplemur Summae igitur inhumanitatis est eos despicere in quibus imaginem nostram agnoscere cogimur Calv. in loc 2. They strip themselves of humanity Even the Law of nature requires forgiveness We are all the off-spring of Adam come of one blood Acts 17. 26. There is a consâ—nguinity in all man-kinde We have kindred with all the children of men It is therefore the inference of Lactantius We are all of a blood and therefore it is to be reputed the greatest wickedness to hate any man although an hurtful enemy And upon this natural consideration enmities between men and men are never to be practised but ever to be abolished Inspiration of souls forming of Bodies from the same common Heavenly Father speaks us Brethren The admonition of the universal natural kindred of the World should allay yea and break the spirit of enmity into love we little consider it but it is a real truth When we take revenge of any man we are revenged of our selves Every ones flesh is ours The Prophet Isaias calls every ones flesh our own Isaiah 58. 7. That thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Calvins exposition is pertinent to this purpose The word flesh is to be noted whereby the Prophet understands every man of whom we can behold none but as in a glass we contemplate our own flesh It is therefore a part of highest inhumanity to despise those in whom we are constrained to behold our own likeness Consider this all ye Christians who think your selves safe under the security of Gods pardoning Grace How have you abused this Gospel-priviledge whom neither the serious sense of Christianity nor the common tie of humanity can prevail with to forgive When you cannot give nor forgive reason thus Shal I not succor and pardon mine own flesh Shall I both sin against grace and nature Shall I by my uncharitable and implacable Spirit sin both against redemption and creation goodness Such Meditations cannot be too frequent to drive away irreligious and unnatural hardheartedness and revenge out of the spirits of Christians SECT 12. 12. THe Grace of imputed righteousness is turned into wantonness 12. The grace of imputed Righteousness is turned into wantonness Even the everlasting Righteousness Daniel prophesied which should be wrought in the Person of the Messiah Dan. 9. 24. hath had no little Injury in the World This stupendious Gospel-mystery That a lost sinner should be justified by anothers righteousness which is the holy Angels wonder and will be glorified Saints ravishing admiration hath been ill intreated even of professed Christians And lest the charge seem too general I shall clear it in two particulars The Grace of imputed Righteousness is wronged when this is abusively pleaded against inherent Righteousness When inherent Righteousness is foolishly and perilously rested on for salvation without imputed Righteousness The former is a plain Libertine in wickedness the latter doth play the wanton with Christs goodness 1. The grace of imputed righteousness is abused when it is 1. Imputed righteousness is abused when it is pleaded against inherent righteousness pleaded against inherent righteousness This is an easie and common cheat Corrupt flesh and the arch Deceiver can easily please the Fancy and perswade the Judgement that the fair hand of Grace hath put the rich and large Robe of Christs Personal Righteousness on the leprous and unmortified Body of sin yea that this holy cover is so thick that in the absurd Antinomian God doth not so much as see Believers sins as if one Divine Attribute had swallowed up another his mercy his omniscience Now when the loose sinner can say the Lord is his righteousness he believes himself in a state of Grace as if now nothing could indanger his immortal Soul and he had enough for Glory If unregenerate nature give the deceived Transgressor the largest line and scope to live in sinful lusts pleasures and idolized sensualities and the Conscience begin to grumble in the free choice affections and pursuances of sinful courses This is ever the remedy at hand We are all sinners This is our infirmity Christ died for us Hath satisfied his Fathers justice He is our righteousness Thus while they plead to Christs legal righteousness without them they live without Christs Gospel righteousness within them It is enough for them they are justified above they seek not to be sanctified within as if there were not need as well of an Evidence to Salvation by inherent righteousness as of a Title to eternal life by imputed righteousness This great abuse of the glorious imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in opposition to inherent and the singular peril to be lost for ever that they are in who are contented with a bare imputed righteousness will appear in seven things As 1. No glory will redound to God in such a contentment Can the free gift of Christs perfect obedience made over to the sinner have the glory of praise when it hath the infamy of this dishonor This heavenly Robe is purposely put on the most licentious persons to hide them not to amend them Though there be no absolute change from the state of sin to the dominion of sanctifying Grace Though the state of total unregeneracy be enmity to the holiness of Christ and his Gospel Sins servants are Heavens darlings by the favor of a pretended imputation Can God have the glory of bringing forth much fruit while there is no
implantation in Jesus Christ Iohn 15. 5. Can God be honored in his Sons honor John 5. 23. and magnified in the glorifying of his name 2 Thess 1. 12. when there is no new nature to honor him but the predominant old man to abuse him A solitary imputed righteousness without is wronged without a righteousness within God misseth of his honor where these are put asunder 2. No honor will be to the Gospel Bare appropriating Christs obedience will not secure the glorious Gospel from that unrighteousness and unholiness that licentious wickedness would pin upon it This part of Gospel Christ is our righteousness the flesh will like but that part of it The Justified must be holy penitent mortified it cannot endure It pleasingly believes the Gospel is to them the power of God unto salvation though it never was the power of God unto Conversion It is a Gospel Precept we should walk as becomes the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. Can an unregenerate man so walk Can night Birds abide the noon Light Can Children of darkness walk as children of light Can they be thought translated into the Kingdom of Christ that are strongly kept and abide in Satans Kingdom No confidences of imputed righteousness can keep a wicked man from an infamous un-gospel life When his corruptions break out the Gospel suffers Then Satan jeers in his Instruments These are your Professors These are your Gospellers as if the holy Gospel gave liberty to sin But nothing less for as it proclaims imputed righteousness so on pain of damnation it requires inherent 3. No thankful return will be to Jesus Christ The gift and benefit of everlasting righteousness deserves everlasting thanks It was never yet known that an unsanctified person was thankful to Jesus Christ He challengeth cordial verbal vital thanks but all this is above the reach of unregeneracy A carnal person can complement Christ with the cheap praise of the lips but his soul and all that is within him Psal 103. 1. His conversation can never bless him He wants the Gospel-power of an holy and a righteous life 4. No reputation will be to Faith Indeed it hath the honor to be the Grace that lays hold on Christs perfect Righteousness but this is not its onely office It sanctifies as well as justifies Acts 26. 18. Rom. 5. 1. It purifies as well as pacifieth the heart Acts 15. 9. Rom. 5. 1. The Just lives by it as well religiously Hab. 2. 4. as safely and peaceably Mark 5. 34. and is not onely freed by it from the guilt but the filth of sin The name of Faith divided from holiness hath this aspersion and dis-reputation to be stiled a vain faith a dead faith Jam. 2. 20. a faith like the Devils faith Jam. 2. 19. 5. No conviction will be to unbelievers Can the Christ rejecting World be drawn to own and love such pretenders to interest in his perfect righteousness who live unrighteously They are apt to think the happiness of this imputation is but a fancy and a fable that produceth not shining and glorious fruits When they that for Christs sake stand righteous in Gods account arise and shine and the glory of Gods holiness is seen upon them even wicked men will enquire after Christ and be constrained to think well of that Master whose name is so sanctified and illustrious in his servants 6. No communion will be with the holy God Were it possible an ungodly Man should be cloathed with Christs righteousness yet if he have not Christs Spirit Christs Image God and such a one could have no fellowship Communion requires likeness Contrary natures can have no converse Two cannot walk together except they be agreed How can a wicked person and the pure God walk together 7. No capacity nor ability of new obedience Suppose a Rebel against Christs Crown and Government were justified yet if he were not sanctified he could not do the will of God 1 Pet. 1. 2. Till sanctifying Grace subdue the natural rebellion of the heart Gods commands will be laid aside as if a Traytors heart be changed he will be subject to his Prince if unreformed he will still rebel 2. The Grace of imputed righteousness is abused When 2 Imputed righteousness is abused when inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation without imputed righteousness inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation without imputed righteousness This is one of Satans wiles to ruine souls If there be appearing strictness in the ways of holyness and godliness be deemed a sufficiency for eternal life so that Christs perfect righteousness be cast out of the Saint-like Professors Creed and the great weight of the souls confidence of happiness laid on the sandy foundation of imperfect obedience then the great title to eternal life Imputed righteousness is shouldred out and abused The largest tale of duties and sharpest sufferings of this life cannot make up a compleat righteousness When personal deficicient performances will wantonly get up into the throne and justle out the absolute obedience of Christ This setting up of a weak righteousness within above Christs perfect one without will to the hazard of the guilty sinners perishing fail in seven things 1. There will be no pacification of an angry God No gracious hearts nor godly lives atone God Christs Sacrifice onely was Propitiatory We joy in the Atonement said the Apostle Rom. 5. 11. but by Christs death The highest measures of Believers doings or sufferings cannot turn away Gods wrath for the least sin It was Jobs Faith when a penitent sinner seeth his righteousness he seeth his atonement Job 33. 23 24. That is onely by Christ not a Believer His own Prayers Tears Alms Duties do not pacifie God but the righteousness of Christ It is a common practical error we will be weeping and doing to turn away Gods avenging displeasure For though these duties are means appointed by God yet we must look through them unto Jesus Christ 2. There will be no satisfaction of Gods Justice Sin hath done infinite wrong Justice would have an infinite reparation Now it is impossible that finite doings and sufferings can make infinite satisfaction A rest then in failing inherent holiness at once leaves infinite Justice unsatisfied and souls unsaved Who of the best can tell that he hath done and suffered enough to make God amends for his sins yea for the least sin 3. There will be no proportion to the rigid Laws requiries It will not abate one Law nor Circumstance of Duty The Law is exceeding broad The eminentest of Saints that have studied the Law and their own hearts and lives could never bring before God an exact obedience parallel to command Had not Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law the exactest Christians could have no grounded hope of Heaven The Law would say even to a Paul Here is much wanting He durst not expect Justification from the unparalell'd services sufferings and success of his Apostleship I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby