clear 2 Tim. 3.4 they loved God who loved pleasures more than God They may have Faith Simon Magus believed they may hate sin in others Acts 8.13 2 Sam. 13.22 if not in themselves Absalom hated Amnons uncleannesse they may delight in God and in his wayes Isa 58 2. They may have a zeale for God and such a a zeale as may prevail more with them than temporall things The Jewes were so zealous of the Law Rom. 10.2 and for the traditions of the Elders that they would have ventured their lives for them so Paul before his conversion how zealous was he Acts 22.3 4. Gal. 1.14 To come more particularly and closely to the question Though Conversion be wrought in an instant yet men have some praevious dispositions thereunto who live under the sound of the Gospel and obtain such knowledge as worketh in them several things which I shall shew unto you from Acts 2.37 38. v. And when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said men c. Many preparative dâ—spositions or qualifications they had unto repentance or conversion but they had not yet repented for Peter saith notwithstanding these repent 1. Men may be convinced of sin as these were they found they had transgressed the law of God and were guilty before him for they were pricked in their hearts Men may have strong convictions of sin and not converted from sin 2. They may mourn for sin and grieve that they have done such and such things These men had crucified the Lord Christ put an innocent person to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acutum animi dolorem significat Piscat saw themselves in an ill condition and thereupon mourned and grieved sorely as the word pricked intimates they had such grief as pained and afflicted their hearts There 's a How set upon Ahabs humiliation by the Lord himself Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself 1 King 21.29 3. They may be fil'd with fear and dread the threatnings and punishments of God due to sin This was the case here they had provoked the Lord against their soules felt their consciences condemning of them apprehended the judgements of God near unto them and so were possest with much fear lest the Lord should destroy them and therefore say Men and brethren what shall we do We know not whither to go where to hide our selves or what to do that we may escape the things we have deserved and fear 4. They may confesse their sin renounce it and reform much these Auditors of Peter being pricked in their hearts said What shall we do We have sinned and that greatly we confesse and acknowledge it before God and you it was a cursed act of ours we abhor it we will never do so hereafter They were sick of sin and vomited it up as they in Peter 2 Pet. 2.22 and would change their minds and manners walke in any way the Apostles should direct them The Merchant Mat. 13.46 sold all that he had for the pearle before he bought it This selling all is made by som Interpreters to be his restraint from all inward sin and his conformity to all outward duties This was much and yet not more than unconverted persons may attain unto Herod reformed many things the foolish Virgins went far as was said before they were Virgins free from spot and pollution they had Lamps visible professions they went forth to meet the Bridegroom they had some faith in him and affection to him else they would not have gone forth 5. They may justifie the Law and the Lord should he condemn them deal severely with them what shall we do say these persons we are guilty we have broken the Law which is holy righteous and good and so is God likewise who is the Author thereof if therefore we be condemned and must bear the curse and punishment of the law we must both justifie the Lord and it Men may accept the punishment of their iniquity and justifie the inflictors thereof man hath no cause to complain of the punishment of his sins It 's brought in by way of objurgation Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain for the punishment of his sins He may complain of his sins not of his punishment Many Malefactors after sentence passed on them do justifie both Judge and Law 6. Men may seriously consider the nature of their sin what circumstances it is cloathed with what aggravations it admits what crimson and skarlet is in it what light love mercies means ingagements it is against What shall we do say these troubled souls We have sinned against the light of nature the Law of Moses our own consciences the love of God and Christ towards sinners in that we have crucified Christ a man approved of God whom we knew had done many miracles wonders and signes Acts 2.22 and deserve not death oh what shall we do our sins are so dreadful It 's in mens power to lay to heart what wrong an infinite blessed holy God hath by their sins what mercies they keep from them how greatly they defile them what miseries and mischiefs they bring upon them what a weight of wrath hangs over their heads for them They may consider what checks of conscience they have stifled what motions of the Spirit they have withstood what precious seasons of grace they have neglected and slighted what paines they have taken to satisfie a lust how dear it hath cost them how carelesse they have been of their soules what a separation their sins have made between God and them They may mind and meditate on it that mans life is short the pleasures of sin but for a season that there is absolute necessity of turning to God Except you repent you shall all perish That turning is acceptable to God else he would not call for it nor make such gracious promises to it as are in holy Writ 7. They may come to it to see no help in themselves or in any creature whatsoever What shall we do say these wounded men we cannot help our selves we have no playsters that will stick no medicines which will heal we are wounded in our Consciences and as our hands so theirs are too short to help us it s not in humane power to bind up our breaches What shall we do men may see themselves helpless that they are without strength shut up under sin guilt and unbelief children of wrath and in a lost condition the Law cursing them and sentencing them to suffer 8. They may arrive to a resolution of doing or suffering any thing to be saved What shall we do we are resolved if we may find mercy and live to do whatever shall be commanded to suffer whatever shall be imposed The pride of their spirits was broken their hearts become teachable and tractable and their resolutions high for any thing to be done or suffered so was it with the Jaylor Act. 16.30 when men are in storms at sea or
is not thine inevitable l 2 Cor. 12.10 weaknesse nor thy sensible dulness m Mar. 14.38.40 nor thy lamented roavings n Psal 86.11 nor thy opposed distractions o Gen. 15.11 nor thy mistaken unbelief p 1 John 5.13 it is not any nor all these can shut out thy prayer If thou doest not regard q Psal 66. â—8 iniquity in thy heart therefore be encouraged ' â—is the voyce of your beloved that saith r John 16.23 24. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you Hitherto have ye asked nothing to what you might ask in my name Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full But this and the two next rules will be spoken to in the following Cases I shall therefore but little more then name them VI. Let every action have reference unto your whole life and not unto a part onely Å¿ Episcop Inst theol l. 1. c. 1. p. 3. propose some end to your selves in every thing t Si aliquem excuntem domo interrogaveris quo tu quid cogitas respondebit tibi non mehercule scio sed aliquos videbo aliquid agam cursus est qualis formicis per arbusta repentibus quae in summum cacumen deinde in imum inanes aguntur domum cum super vacua redeuntes lassitudine iurant nescisse se psos quaâ—e exierint Seneca de Tranquil c. 12. p. 685. and let all your lesser and subordinate ends be plainly reducible unto the great end of your living The emphasis of the Apostles Exhortation is very great u 1 Tim. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est propriè exerceri in gymnade Grot. in loc Exercise thy selfe unto godlinesse q. d. Be as diligent in Religion as thou wouldst have thy children that go to School to be in learning Or thus let thy whole life be a preparation for heaven like the wrestlers or combatants preparation for victory Or thus strip thy self of all incumbrances that thou mayest attend unto piety Pleasures may tickle thee for a while but they have an heart-aking farewell Thou mayest call thy riches goods but within a few dayes what good will they do thee Men may flatter thee for thy Greatnesse but with God thy account will be the greater Therefore always mind that which will always be advantage VII Live more upon Christ then upon inherent grace Do not venture upon sin because Christ hath purchased a pardon that s a most horrible and impious abuse of Christ For this very reason there was no sacrifice under the Law for any wilfull wickedness lest people might think they knew the price of sinne as those do that truck with Popish indulgences and pardons But that none may be overwhelmed with the over-sense of their unworthinesse be it known to you We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous w 1 John 2.1 and our salvation is better safer more for Gods glory and our comfort in his hand then in ours VIII Be every way nothing in your own eyes x Descendendo coelum ascenditur Drexel de praed 't is the humble soul that thrives exceedingly and alas what have we to be proud y Vnde superbit homo cujus coÌ„ceptio culpa nasci poena labor vita necesse mori quando vel quomodo vel ubi nescire Bernard de inter dom c. 53. Mallem non esse quam talis esse Ibid. c. 33. Accuso me non excuso nec idcirco justus sum quoniamsi alter ita mea accusaret sicut ego meipsum accuso patienter sustinere non possem Ibid c. 34 c. p. 1078. of Look we either at our constitution or conversation our conception sinfull our birth poenal our life toylsome and our death we know not what but all this is nothing to the state of our soul A Stoick could give this rule that if any one z Epictetus c. 48. p. 276. Simp. com tell you of anothers speaking evill of thee do not excuse thy self but say he did not know me or else he would have spoken worse A Convert when he once comes to be sensible of sin sees more cause to be weary of his life then proud of his graces To rise and fall confesse sin and commit it to see others out-run us that set out after us to recover that time for communion with God which we trifle away in unobserved impertinencies Surely for such persons to be low and vile in their own eyes deserves not to be call'd humility though the contrary be worse then devillish pride Be perswaded therefore to believe your selves of your selves in the use of Agurs some suppose Solomons words of himself Pro. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish then any man c. q. d. I do not make use of my reason vers 3. I have not the knowledge of the holy q. d. my knowledge of holy mysteries is very little in comparison of my ignorance nothing Be as willing that others should speak ill of you as you are to speak ill of your selves and be as unwilling that others should commend a Multos vidisse qui potuèrint perferre multa incommoda in corpore fortunis qui autem potuerit contemnere laudes suas neminem Luther T. 4. p. 149. com in Gal. ex al. you as you are to commend your selves IX Entertain good thoughts of God b Psal 73.1 what ever he doth with you what ever he requires of you what ever he layes upon you c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epict. c. 38. Simpl. p. 212. We never arrive to any considerable holiness or peace till we lose d Hoc est totaelem dei voluntate conformitatem consonantiam habere nimirum nos totos ei offerendo ut quodcunque quandocunque quomodocumque ipse voluerit de nobis faciat ac statuat idque fine ulla exceptione contradictione nihil prorsus nobis reservando Rodericius exerc perfec pt 1. tr 8. c. 14. p. 355. our selves in Deity till our understandings be fil'd with admiration till our wils be in a sober sense divine till our affections be in a spiritual sense transported When we can at once unriddle Gods methods of Grace make good constructions of Gods methods of Providence making a spiritual improvement of both then we are not far from being universally and exactly conscientious there 's yet one thing wanting and that 's implyed in this but it must be eminently exprest X. Do all you do out of love to God Spiritual lâ—ve-sickness is the souls healthfullest constitution When love to God is both Cause Means Motive and End of all our activity in the business of Religion then the soul is upon the wing towards its rest Then e Ita sola bonitas dei movet ad amorem charitatis erga proximum sola ratio sanitatis movet ad utendum porione medica omnia quae
his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
other two offices and if thou hast any love to Christ in sincerity it was the sight of him in this that first kindled it And thus bespeak thy self Didst thou ever oh my soul seriously consider what Christ hath undertaken in thy behalf with the jealous God whose face thou couldst not see and live wa st thou ever convinced that all thy prayers duties outward priviledges and devotions were little worth and could not have ought availed thee Heb. 10.10.12 1 Cor. 2.2 unless by his own blood hee had first entred within the vail and made attonement for thee And then with the same blood went afterwards to the right hand of God and put him in minde of his Covenant to procure actual Grace and Peace and Adoption for thee And is it a pleasure to thee as well as thy admiration to be alwaies musing and searching what such an Abysse of grace and goodness should mean And in the midst of thy musings was it that thy affections first took this holy fire and were even surprized into love Rom. 8.34 Phil. 3.7 8. Is it by his Mediation that thou findest thy expectations from God and thy delight in him supported And dost thou rejoyce in him as one whose goodness thou adorest and whose favour with God purchased by his own merit thou admirest And therefore art most willing to trust all thy concernments in his hands and in all thy addresses to God comest leaning upon the Arms of him Cant. 8.5 as thy Beloved Mediatour and Intercessor why thus to renounce our own Righteousness and â—â—â—â—el our hearts warmed into a further estimation of his to attributâ—â—â—l our acceptance with God to him Briefly to be intensively willing of Christ and to look upon him with full satisfaction of spirit in all his priestly Administrations This is sincerely to love Christ as our High-Priest And on the contrary to undervalue his blood either as needless by presumption or as worthless by desperation to be ascribing to our selves when wee receive any kindness or favour from God to doate upon our own worth and righteousness as that which is sufficient without either Christs Righteousness Satisfaction or Intercession Heb. 10.28 This is interpretatively to reject him from being our High-Priest and to hate the person of our Lord. Thus try your selves whether yee love Christ in his Priestly Office and when you have done with that take thy soul to his Prophetical Office and make a further trial by bespeaking thy self after the same manner Thus Didst thou ever oh my soul seriously consider that thou wast made for an eternal life and that none could ever chalk thee out the way thereto it being only to be learnt in the School of this great Prophet And thereupon hast thou wholly ceased from listening unto any other and as a loving Disciple hast thou found pleasure in seeking the Law even the word of thy Salvation at his mouth Doth thy heart throughly savour his Doctrine and dost thou like the Discipline of his School Dost thou make it thy study to know and lay it as a charge upon thy self to keep the words of this great Master and Prophet Ioh. 14.23 24. And even now that hee is gone to Heaven and hath left his word in the Scripture behinde him and hath sent his Spirit and set up under Officers in his School and precious Ordinances for thy guidance and direction dost thou value the Scriptures above all other writings in the world and witness thy esteem of them by thy daily perusal and study of them dost thou bear a Reverence in thy breast to all Christs Officers and Institutions Cant. 5.16 Psal 1.2 Heb. 2.1 Dost thou account the mouth of Christ most sweet and even delight to hear his voice in the Scripture and in every Ordinance and when thou hast heard doest thou lay up what thou hast been taught as the faithful counsel of thy dearest Teacher and rejoyce therein More particularly what is thy carriage towards his Spirit dost thou hear when hee calls and art thou tractable to all his Motions dost thou grieve him or art thou willing to be instructed and guided by him why thus to cease from leaning to our own understandings to give up our selves to Christ and his Spirit in the Scriptures and in all the Ordinances of the Gospel to be the serious and willing Disciples of Christ This is to love Christ as our Prophet in sincerity That is the second office Once more to make thâ—â—â—al by this mark Compleat and that will respect his Kingly office 〈◊〉 this is as easie as either of the former for our loyalty and voluntary Subjection to Christ as commanding and governing this is love And the hearts rebellion against Christ rejecting his dominion murmuring against his Laws finding fault with his administrations disturbing his subjects and disquieting the peace of his Kingdome envying him the multitude of his subjects and yeelding no obedience to his commands all these are several branches of enmity against Christ as King and Soveraign Put the case therefore home to thy own soul if thou wouldest not be mistaken and say Doth Christ rule within thee oh my soul or doth self and Satan Art thou glad with his Soveraignty or is it the yoak thou canst not bear do the Laws of his Kingdome bear sway within thee Rom. 6. or is it the Law of thy Members and carnal self when both come in competition whose command doest thou in the course of thy life most commonly fulfill whose Kingdome art thou most delighted in the advancement of Is it a pleasure to thee that thy Lord doth reign and that his Throne is more universally exalted or else doth thy heart rise against the advancement of Christs Kingdome In whom dost thou finde thy greatest delight is it rather in the company of Rebels that would pull the Crown from the head of Christ then in the humble and obedient subjects of thy Lord dost thou take Christ to be thy Prince and Soveraign and dost thou love the peace and glory of his Kingdome as becomes an obedient subject of so great a Lord why this is intensively to will Christum Regem or to love him as King And this is the third Office and the fourth Character If you would make sure work this is a Rule which will not deceive you 5. Character If wee have a fellowship with Christ in his honour and dishonours or in his joyes and sorrows then is our love not feigned unto Christ but in sincerity True-love if I may be allowed so to speak mixeth concernments my meaning is that it makes anothers joyes and sorrows to be mine as well as his they may write hatred upon themselves who are regardless whether it go well or ill with Christs interests in the world No communion with Christ no love Even the personal reproaches and abuses which Christ indured here below though so many hundred years since do yet affect them and they that love
together with his person hee offers Heaven and Earth for a Dowry Rom. 8.17 All things are his by purchase and thou shalt bee a Copartner or Coheir with him when thou art espoused to him 4ly 1 Cor. 3.22 23. He will manifest the highest Indulgence and Tenderness towards thee Not all thy cross walkings if through temptations it shall so fall out shall put him upon any more then a moment any departure from thee Isa 54.7 8. for hee hath resolved that his faithfulness towards thee shall never fail Isa 89.33 and therefore when thou seemest almost lost and ready to despond hee will return to thee again and the more time he hath lost by absence the more full will his heart bee of ravishing love and affections to thee 5ly Hee will Turn all to thy good neither thy sins Cant. 6.3 though many and great nor thy miseries though overwhelming and discouraging no nor lastly shall death it self Rom. 8.28 38. bee ever able to make a divorce between thee and him but serve as a passage to thee when thy work is done into the Bridechamber of thy Lord and now tell mee Phil. 1.21 hast not thou Reason to love him 4. Consider but thy case while this Virgin affection to thy Saviour is wanting 1. Thou multipliest thy whoredomes and thy abominations continually for what are thy Intensive willings of other things but so many acts of spiritual adultery and base prostitutions of thy soul to thy dishonour and disadvantage while other things usurp the room of Christ 2. Thou art a treacherous Hypocrite and deceiver forasmuch as thou pretendest to the eye of the world to bee Christs and yet art nothing less than his 3. You lay a barr in against your selves and the acceptance of all your duties when faith works by love then is obedience illustrious and meet for a gracious acceptaotin that obedience which owes no part of it self to love is worth little and brings in no more Gal. 5.6 then it is worth 4. You make bonds for your selves in death Iob 27.6 and lay up terrible reprâ—oches in the Consciences against the day of Judgement 5. You make your damnation necessary there being no Congruity to any of the Divine Attributes much less to the offices of Christ that that man should ever bee saved who never had any sincere affection to him These are some of the Considerations which may bee of use to them that have no spark of love yet kindled in their hearts There are a few of the other kinde which may provoke to get this love Inflamed where it is such are these Consider 1. The love of Christ to thee was a growing Increasing love I do not mean in respect of the habit but in the outward demonstration thereof The neerer hee was to his death the more exuberant in love and when hee rose again his heart did overflow with tender indulgence as appears by the meltings of his bowels towards Mary and over Peter and much more may wee beleeve him now to be full of them now that hee is at the Right hand of God 2. There is more lovelyness in Christ than ever thou canst finde out or fathome when wee have let out our affections to the utmost there will still bee more than wee can finde affection for our love to eternity will have something of admiration mixed with it 3. It 's all you can return to him it 's all hee looks for at our hands that which lies in love and which flowes from it is the whole that is required to compleat Christianity 4. The more you love him the more lovely you are unto him Then hath Christ the highest complacency in us when our hearts are under the greatest Raptures of love to him Beatus est qui intelligit quid sit amare Jesum contemnere scipsum propter Jesum A Kempis de imitatione Christi l. 2. c. 7. 5. It is the honour of a man to love Christ superlatively It is the sweetest part of our lives and that which Christ values us more by than by any thing else It 's Heaven on Earth 6. According to the measure of your love so will all the rest of your services and graces be i. e. either more or less better or worse Love is like the Master wheel in an Engine making the whole soul to move faster or slower These are the considerations of the last kind will some say oh but what shall wee do to get this blessed affection into our souls which was the third thing proposed And in order thereto I offer these Directions 1. Direction Bee well acquainted with the nature of this great duty The great mistake of the world lies in this That is thought to be love which is not and thence men and women grow bold and confident and value themselves more than they ought I have given in my best assistance so far as the nature of the first case would permit to prevent mistakes in this matter before and therefore I will not do it over again Only remember if you would not miscarry that it is not a Naked Christ but a Christ advanced by incomparable Personal Excellencies and cloathed with his offices of King and Priest and Prophet that is the Christ to bee loved and you cannot well miscarry This is that damning mistake of the world they love Christ but not as dignified by God with any of his offices 2. Direction Bee much in the study of your selves what you were originally and what you are since become through your own miscarriage wilfulness and folly Take your souls to the glass of the Law and go from one precept to another and when you have done there go to the Gospel And be sure you do not deal sleightly but understand throughly how much you have offended And when you have well studied the number and quality of your sins then consider the justice and holiness of the Eternal God which you shall understand by the same Law and Gospel where they speak the Divine Terrour against offending-sinners but more specially shall yee know is by going to the Cross of Christ and wisely and seriously considering the horrour of that punishment which Christ there indured for wee never know as wee ought the evil of sin and our misery thereby until wee know what hee indured to make an Expiation for it Do this and do it faithfully They that never knew themselves they are most certainly without love to Christ And it is enough to prove it because unless this foundation be first laid they can see no sufficient reason for it 3. Direction Get a true Conviction concerning thy own ultimate end and happiness Where it lies viz. not in the objects of sense but in the Beatifical vision of God possesse thy soul by Scripture light Mat. 16.26 of the grand importance of securing thy Interest therein while you think your happiness lyes any where else than in God it will be
members of the publick and have to do with others and see what moderation we must use for the preserving external peace Now each Christian having a double capacity as a man his civil capacity in the State as a Christian his religious capacity in the Church wherein he lives I shall speak to both these in reference to peace Political and Ecclesiastical to the former more briefly being so near akin to that part we have already dispatched 1. In Civil matters Herein we may be considered Actively or Passively 1. Actively We must moderate our speeches that we give no just provocation thereby according to prudence That we may neither provoke those of whom or to whom we speak we must duly consider the nature of the matter we speak of and the quality and temper of the persons concerned In our discourses with others not trifling in weighty matters and fervent in trifles of no moment not rashly to thy Superiors without respect not superciliously to thy Inferiors not coâ—tentiously to thy equals we also must have regard to their temper if passionate and angry with soft not grievous words or if tender and meek-spirited with the like for these two different tempers must be alâ—ke though for different ends dealt with all if contumacious more sharply if flexible gently if teachy or jealous more tenderly and cautiously if equal with more freedom and liberty and so of all others Yea we must also observe their present condition if distressed or joyful and comfortable and the like and the disposition they are in which for the most part is sutably thereto as sad and dejected or chearful and pleasant beyond their accustomed temper and accordingly moderate our speeches as the Wise Man adviseâ—h Prov. 25.20 At no time stirâ—ing up contention or speaking swords and darts but as the wise whose tongue is health Prov. 18.6 and 12.18 In our Judging characterising and censuring of others we must also consider for what of whom and to whom we â—o it not for every failing and weaknesse or miscariage nor upon slight grounds not readily taking up a reproach against our neighbour and rashly venting it Prov. 10.12 nor jealously framing one and according thereto passing verdict for though there be a charitable and godly jealousie we may exercise towards those we have special interest in or charge over such as St. Pauls towards his Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.2 and Job his children 1.5 in reference to our admonishing or other dealings with them yet not to our judging and censuring them to others And when the carriages of others are such as no due candor can excuse we must rather interpret them better than aggravate them as worse according to the favour of charity to the offendor though in no wise to the offence Nor this without necessity nor to every one blazoning others nor of all alike without respect to quality age temptatioâ—s and the like of which and all oâ—her circumstances consideration must be had and due allowance made In our rebuking and reproving of others we must likewise see that it be a matter so deserving and consider the persons we so deal with In counsel and admoniâ—ion though prudence be required yet in them we assume not so much to our selves nor apt so passionately to miscarry Great need of this in Superiours Masters especially towards Servants and Schollers that they deal with them according to their dispositions forbearing or as the Greek moderating threatning Ephes 6.9 and Prov. 11.24 and Parents often towards children Fathers provoke not your children lest they be discouraged Colos 3.21 And as great need of Superiors moderating their passion towards Inferiors so great need of these using prudence towards those and their equals Rebuke not therefore saith Paul to Timothy 1 Ep. 5.1 an elder but intreat him as a Father and the younger men as Brethren 2. We must moderate our contests with others according to equity So long as sinne Sathâ—n and meum tuum thine and mine are in the World there will be strife and contention about the things of the World And where interest ingâ—ges us we are subject to be byast thereby and drawn away by our passions from all equality Great need therefore of Moderation here 1. In considering the matter that it be of moment and the person we have to do withal whether faulty and not about toyes and rashly with any thaâ—'s next us we think upon the blush guilty enter the lists of contention and strife Go not forth hastily saith Solomon to strive lest thou knowest not what to do in the end thereof when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame Prov. 25.8 2. If so In trying by all fair means the obtaining thy right wheâ—her of estate good name honour or the like by arguments and perswasions by seeking accommodation by willingly referring it to the equal judgment and determination of others or the like Agree saith our blessed Saviour Matth. 5.25 with thine Adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him i. e. to the Magistrate as Luke expounds it 12.58 lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison 3. If these will not prevail for thy right In voluntary yielding some part thereof rather than contest It must be thy own right thou must yield not anothers except thou be intrusted therewith and so far forth as he consents thereto for this being a gift must be of such things as are our own which thou oughtest to do for peace-sake How eminent was Abraham for this Gen. 13.8 9. who stood not upon his terms of superiority with Lot though his Unkle and Guardian formerly and Governor nor his right nor his Nephews first seeking to him and the like but that there might be no strife offers him his choice of the Land if thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to the right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will go to the left and performs accordingly How far are we from following our Father Abraham's example how many that will not yield others any of their right but by compulsion of Law how few that yields their own right voluntarily How far or how much we must yield our own and those we deal with circumstances best determine We must not be injurious to our selves for as St. Austin saith well quis aliis aequus qui sibi iniquus who that 's unequal to himself will be equal to others We must not yield that which is greatly to our detriment except our yielding be as easie terms as further contesting as it proves often when we proceed to Law c. and here that may be very considerable to one that is but small to another as poorer or richer for matters of estate as entering the stage of the World or well known in it for credit and good name c. And very considerable to the same man at one time that may be small
the Creature and carries up the Heart unto God No evil in the City No penal evil either on me or mine but the k Am. 3.9 Lord hath done it Thus David Dumâ— because thou didst it Psal 39.9 and The Lord hath bid Shimei curse 2 Sam. 16.10 David could read Gods Hand at the foot of the Commission though His Commanders could not Thou couldest have no power against me unless l Joh. 19.11 given thee from above saith our Saviour to Pilate And Holy Job when plundred of all saith not The Lord gave and the Chaldeans and Sabeans have taken away The Lord enricht but Satan hath rob'd me No but as if they all had been but Cyphers and meer standders by The Lord gave and the Lord only or at least chiefly hath taken Job 1.21 II. Let the King of Heaven do his worst yet even Then He can do no wrong This is a grand Maxime in the Rolls of Eternity One of the Fundamental Laws of Heaven and that because 1. God is the most Soveraign God The Supreme Lord That knows no Law but His Own Will which is the Highest and most unerring Rule of Righteousness Gods Hand is Gods only Rule and therefore what ever Line He draws it must needs be right Our God is a Law to Himself who only can write on His Imperial Edicts and proceedings stat pro ratione voluntas God doâ—h and may justly do whatsoever pleaseth him Dan. 4.35 and can most justly resolve the Reason of all His Actions iâ—to his own will That gteat Potter may do with his clay what he pleaseth and that without the least Controul or contradiction Rom. 9.20 21. On this Account Faith counts it wisdom not to play the Censorious Critick on Gods Administrations considering that He alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to that of Elihu Job 33.12 13. God is greater than man why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his matters 2. God as he is most just in himself so also he acts most justly to me saith a Believer Faith justifies God in all his proceedings i. e. subscribes and gives Testimony to the Righteousness of God even in his sharpest Corrections Thus David I Know O Lord that thy Judgments are m Ps 119.75 right Thus the Church when under the Babylonish Captivity the heaviest Judgment ever inflicted on any people yet then humbly sets her seal to Gods Justice The Lord is n Lam. 5.18 Neh. 9.33 Righteous for I have rebelled against him III. 'T is not sit that poor weak short-sighted sinful creatures should be their own Carvers If they should they would like rash children cut either Too much or Too little or Their own fingers Well for us That as our o Psal 31.15 Times so our Conditions are not in our own but in Gods hands Not what I please saith Faith but what my God pleaseth He knows best what 's good for his people and I know had God granted my requests and fulfilled my desires I had long since been undone The cooling drink which I so passionately desired in my burning Paroxysm would have added to my flame and quickly dispatcht me to the house of darkness Hence it was That the honest Shepherd being askt What weather it should be to day replied even what weather I please Not so saith the Other but what pleaseth God Yea so replies the Shepherd for whatever pleases God shall be sure to please me IV. Better to want Outward Comforts Than enjoy them without my Fathers good will Israel had been better to have been without Quails They had sour sauce to their sweet meat while the Flesh was in their mouths The p Numb 11.20 plague of God was in their nostrils You will needs have this and That and T'other Thing why Take it saith God but then take my Curse with it too The Sack but poyson with it You shall have it but in wrath See 1 Sam. 8.5 6 10 11 12. Hos 13.11 Rachel you will have children or else you will take pet and q Gen. 30 1. dye You shall have children a Benjamin to your Joseph which yet shall prove a Benoni His Intrat will prove your Exit his life your death Gen. 35.18 Better were it for David to be without Michol than that she should being enjoy'd become a r 1 Sam 18.21 snare V. Seem it never so ill yet it is Really well On these Two Accounts 1. It cannot but be well with him with whom God is 'T was not Ill with the three children though in a fiery Furnace so long as God was There Dan. 3.25 Suppose David walking in Å¿ Ps 23.4 the Suburbs of death and danger yet not ill with him because God with him When God saies I will bewith you as he has Isa 43.2 and I feel Him saith Faith It is infinitely more to me than if he should say peace health credit honour plenty shall be with Thee God being with me is all these and infinitely more In these I could have but a particular good In a single God I have all good Now God who is with his people at all times is most with Them and most sweetly with them in The * Domitianus in Jovis sinu Sueton. worst Times As their afflictions increase without so do their Consolations within 2 Cor. 1.5 when the child is most sick then it is most dandled on the mothers knee when it begins to faint Then is the Closet ransackt for the choicest Cordial This blessed Baynham found when at the stake He told the Bloody Papists O ye Papists said he you talk of Miracles behold here a True One These flames are to me a bed of Roses God is wont to give Believers in such a time their Exceedings their five messes That part of the Army which is upon Action in the field and upon hard service shall be sure to have their pay What are all the promises but vessels of Cordial wine tunn'd on purpose against a groaning hour when God usually and speedily broacheth them Psal 50.15 2. All is well that ends well Now saith Faith all sad and gloomy dispensations have sweet Ends whether I respect God or my self I. In respect of God And that 1. For the manifestation of His Infinite Wisdom who so contrives the passages of His Providence as that One shall qualifie Another God knows that should I Alwaies prosper I should have been apt to swell and presume and therefore he pricks my bladder to let out that wind Had I been alwaies fed with sweet meats 'T is very probable I might have surfited and therefore He mingles my sweets with these Tart Ingredients Were not this Base added to my Trebble I should never have made any Harmonious Musick 2. For the declaration of His Almighty Power God many times brings his people into such a condition as not to know what to do that they may now know what the Lord can do Thus Deu. 32.36
lawfully made now by us Christians because what was lawfull to the Jew on Morall considerations and not on any Ceremoniall considerations that is also lawfull now unto us Christians Let it be noted I do not say what was once lawfull to them is now lawfull unto us for it was lawfull for them to sacrifice it is not now lawfull unto us But I say what was once on Morall grounds lawfull to them is now lawfull to us because the morality of the thing which is supposed the ground of this Vow is the same to them and us It was lawfull for Jacob on Morall motives to engage himself more closely to God if God would indeed be with him It is as lawfull for any of us on the same occasion and for the like motive to vow unto God Jacob was moved to it lest he should be found lesse than ordinarily thankfull for a more than ordinary providence and mercy to him So may you or I * Neque enim à pii hominis officio tunc abhorret votivam oblationem velut solenne recognitionis Symbolum consecrare ne ingratus erga benignitatem ejus videatur Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 13. for it is not abhorrent to the duty of a pious man at such time to consecrate as a solemn testimony of his acknowledgement an offering by Vow lest he should seem unthankefull for his bounty If there were then Vota moralia Vowes that were morall in their matter manner motives and ends and that such there were Job's covenant with his eyes and David's swearing to keep Gods Commandments prove to us either we must say they did what was unlawfull or else we cannot make such moral Vowes which is not rational to suppose or else yeelding such Vowes so made to be lawfull to them they are so to us But thirdly Vowes may lawfully be made by us Christians 3. Vowes by generall consent of Nations approved for it is a kind of thankfulness and acknowledgement made to God with the universall approbation and consent of men It is such a chief Rent that no Nation in the world putting a value on Gods goodnesse and putting a difference between great and little dangers between great and little blessings Quid enim nisi Vota supersunt Ovid. but did constantly approve this way of preventing great dangers by great Vowes and resenting great blessings by like vowed praises Thus addressing themselves in a more than ordinary manner to their Gods on more than ordinary exigences And if I must bring my witnesses to depose for the truth one speaks in English thus Votum omnibus gentibus populis in periculo constitutis usitatum Szegedin loc com de Votis Vow was used frequently by all Nations and people beset with danger Another learned Pen at once intimateth the universality of the custome and censureth the vanity and blind folly of the Heathens in their Vowes to their Idol-Gods Hence the * Hinc illa Votorum ineptiae imo prodigiosae absurditates apud Ethnicos quibus nimis insolenter cum diis suis luserunt Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 13. follyes and monstrous absurdities of the Heathen in their Vowes wherewith they did too insolently abuse their Gods It were endlesse to attempt what testimonies might be gathered up in this point but by these it is apparent that thankfulness is a debt which all Nations apprehended might and ought to be ensured to God by Vow So that hence I would collect that as gratitude is not only lawfull but a duty imprinted on the soul of man so this high degree of gratitude is a Copy or Transcript of that Original It is lawfull doubtlesse to us to be thankfull in the highest degree Now the return of more than ordinary duty for more than ordinary mercy is the highest and is the Vow we speak of Fourthly Vnlesse such Vowes may be accounted lawfull to us 4. Vowes the only Gospel free-will offering extraordinary I cannot see how we have any way of making free voluntary and extraordinary acknowledgements unto God For since all duty is commanded and so determined as to matter and manner ordinarily that the Law prescribes and enjoyns them and we may not superadde any thing to the Law yet sometime more than ordinary mercy gives us command to be more than ordinary in our acknowledgements which since it may not be by doing any thing not commanded must be done by adding our own promise and word to have more than our ordinary care was or otherwise would have been to do what is commanded or else it must be left undone as unlawfull which is in the issue to leave us without any way of binding our selves to acknowledgements suited to extraord nary providences In a word Seeing the Law of God is the standing rule of our daily obedience and is the same unchanged rule of our daily duties but withall the mercies and varieties of providences are a Law likewise to us Christians and when great require great and suitable deportment in us We must have some way and that lawfull to measure out our resentments which can be no other but the laying bonds and voluntary obligations on our selves unto God which is the same with this Vow Either there must be some such lawfull way or else great providentiall mercies which call for greater returns and are a reall Law to us cannot be duely observed and obeyed Now I know riches of grace in the Gospel have not so intrenched on or done injury to providences I know that as grace is no enemy to the standing Law nor patronizeth licentiousness so neither is grace an enemy to providence nor warranteth any one to overlook the greatnesse and extraordinary mercy in any providences or to be carelesse and sleight in answering them with unsuitable return of thankfulnesse But 5. Vowes best ensure duty and ensnare not us Fifthly That is lawfull to us Christians which doth most certainly ensure our duty to God yet doth not ensnare us in the ensuring of it That you or I may do lawfully which will not ensnare us but more strongly engage us to our duty none will doubt this In dealing with a man you or I or any reasonable man would be ready to give any security that we might give without ensnaring our selves Judg. 11.35 Now Vowes well composed do more ensure the duty for we cannot go back it is a Vow yet do not ensnare for we can perform them they are Vowes well composed Jephthah's Vow bound him fast for it was the bond of a Vow but this bond ensnared him for it was rash and ill composed such was unlawfull to him and is to us David's Vow here was an ensuring him to God and his duty it unalterably bound him yet it was no snare to him for he had so vowed that he could say I will pay my Vowes such Vowes were lawfull to him such are lawfull to us Now all well composed Vowes will be such they will very firmly
Falls of Godly and Wicked 79. Family sins 177. Family Instructions 195. Family Duties 202. Faults How to bear with others Faults 401. How to correct them 204. Fight Against sin how to bee managed 331. Flesh What meant by Flesh and Spirit 84. G God Alwaies justified by Good men 455. Why hee doth not hinder sin 167. How hee is manifested to us 417. 418 Wee must not limit him 452. Hee can do no wrong 455. His Goodness 21. 340. 421. 435. His justice in punishing 174. His power 434. Good Moral Good and evil eternally distinguished 89. Grace all from Christ 679. Growth in it 318. Truth of it not dâ—â—rees to bee examined p. 319. Gentleness To be observed in Reproofs 208. H. Hand What meant by right Hand 40 41. Excellency of it 43. Heart Must be narrowly watched 58 93. 165. And much laboured withall 684. Health the proper time for working out Salvation 119. Holiness is communicative 214. Christ the pattern of it 24. Hope Nature of that Christian Grace 430. From Creatures vain 565. Hospitality 287. Humility the souls ballast 454. Makes us thrive 21. Makes good men have the worst thoughts of themselves 663. Hypocrisie what it is 657. Why compared to leaven ibid. Danger of it 659. Six signs of it 666 c. How to cure it 671 672 c. Motives to use those means 675. I. Impatience 452. Inconstancy in all things 255. Indeavours not vain before Conversion 28 29. Inequality between men inconsiderable 254. Intercession of Christ its power 311. Justice An exact and easie Rule of it 249. Rules for it in Trade 260 c Advantage must not be taken of mens ignorance 263. It must be mixt with Charity 275. Gods Justice in punishing 174. Injury How it must be prosecuted 4â—4 L. Law It is six fold 324. When Lawful things undo us 562. How wee may know that wee abuse them 564 c. Do not all that is Lawful 264. Liberty What Liberty Gods Spirit gives 518 c. How to deal with others in matters of Liberty 258. Love It will put Life into us 506. The best preservative against the least sin 88. In the Will and in the Appetite 221. To God and Christ how distinguished 222. What is it to Love Christ 222. Twelve Characters of it 224. Do all out of Love to God 22. False Love 237. Want of Love to him the greatest sin 238 c. Brings the greatest punishment 240. Motives to Love him 241 c. How to inflame our Love to him 244 c. How to increase the flame 247. M. Marriage 579. Misery Of a sinner 360 c. Of those that love not Christ 240 368 Ministry Difficulty of that Imployment 118. Meditation Two benefits of it 477 Makes the Efficacy of Ordinances continue 682. Morning Morning thoughts to be observed 54. Mortification A continued Act. 63. Mourn For the sins of others 179. Moderation What it is 382. The Rule of it 384. In what things to be used 388. How towards good things of this life 389. How towards the evil 394. Towards persons 397. In Civil matters Actively 397. Passively 401. In Religious Negatively 405 Positively 408. Reasons to inforce this duty 412 c. N. Neighbour Duties toward him much to bee regarded 266. O. Obedience It must be compleat 59 62 63. Occasions Of sin to be avoided 56 95. Omniscience Of God to be beleeved in prayer 338 c. His Omnipotence also 340 434. Opinions Moderately to be contended for 408 409. Original sin 84. 104. Ordinances To be frequented 203 686. Their vertue from Christ 621. What wee must do to make their Efficacy abide 679. What we must avoid for that end 688. P. Parents Must instruct their children 195. They must command them to obey it 197. Persons Must not be respected 184. Pleasure Pleasant things dangerous 57. Power of God 434. No Power to convert our selves 27. Threefold Power 26. Men can do more than they do 28. Poor A stock to be made for them 298. Prayer Necessity of it 102. For our Relations 213 214 For Charity 296. Why God hears wicked men sometimes 336. Wicked men are bound to pray 336. Why God will not give without prayer 341. To pray in Faith what 335 337 c. How for temporal things 345 c. How for spiritual 346 c. To be made with an eye to Christ 435 343. Distraction in Prayer 468. Danger of careless thoughts in Prayer 463 c. Answer of Prayer makes a mercy sweeter 493. Do nothing but what you can pray God to bless 24. Praise Incourages to do well 205. Prosperity A time for Trust in God 439. How it must be done 440 c. Propriety In Goods and Lands lawful 289. Promises To be beleeved in Prayer 342. A ground of our trust 435. They quicken the soul 507. Providence of God 339 437. Prudence in avoiding sufferings 640. Q. Quickening What it is to Quicken 500. Means of spiritual Quickning 504. Ten Quickning Considerations 509 c. R. Rashness In making vows to be avoided 591. Reason It must alwaies govern 98. Rational Arguments to be used 212. Recreation to be moderate 579. Regenerate Not without conflicts 325. Relation Study to save our Relations 190. Gods Relation to us a ground of trust 435. Religion A Christians business 573. Wherein it doth consist ib. seq When it is our business 577. How to make it so 583 c. Sweetness of it 584. When promoted by vows 592 c. And how 596. To be secured above all things 638 How to preserve it among enemies to it 640. It bindes the duties of the second Table upon us 267. How to converse with men of a different Religion 646 647 c. Repentance when it is true 81. Madness to defer it 19. Reproof Sin to be Reproved 179. Discovers beloved sins 52. How to manage it 2â—0 201 208. 398. Qualifications of a Reprover 180. Of a Reproof 182 183 c. 649. What must be Reproved 181. Win the affections of those you Reprove 212. Season of Reproof is to be marked 182 c. 280. Resolution against beloved sins 55. Revenge not to be taken 265. Rewards great incouragements 206. Riches not to be confided in 272. S. Scruples not to be cherished 17. Self-Knowledge How excellent 91 244. To be got in Solitude 54. And in Sufferings 55. Self-denial of great advantage 628. Salvation Of our friends should be laboured 190. Strife al ouâ— it 37 38 504 505. Sensual ty 569. Security 571. Sick Instruction to Sick persons of great advantage 112. How to be dealt withall 113. The same method improper for all 115 Errours which they are subject to 116 117. Sin to be killed 42. Never to live again ibid. It is from ouâ— selves 44. Ugliness of it 91. Why expressed by the parts of our body 45. Of Belâ—v d Sins 46. Whence they proceed 47. 12 Marks to discover them 50 c. Nine Helps to subdue them 55. Smallest Sins to be avoided 73 328. 331. Means against its first rising 88 c Take heed of beginning of Sin 107. In our children as well as selves 198. Eight waies of becomming guilty of other mens Sins 163. Five devilish sins 164. Sin how to be cured by Revulsion 101 Sloth three-fold 500. Ten Remedies against Spiritual Sloth 504 c. Eight Questions to Slothful Christians 314. Spirit the witness of it 318 521. We may know that we have Gods Spirit 313. What to walk in it 85. When activity is from Gods Spirit 416 c. Superiours must uphold their authority 193. How to be reproved 210. Superfluities to be cut off 297. Sufferings how prudently to be avoided 646 c. Or couragiously to be indured 631. c. T. Temper of body may incline to sin 46 47. Temptations how to be resisted 94 96. Thanksgiving due to God continually 480. Specially from his children 481 c. The grounds of it 482 c. For every thing 484 c. For afflictions 486. The reasons of that 487 c. How to obtain this frame of Spirit 491 492 c. Thoughts a conscience to be made of them 463. Time care to be had of it 575. Trouble inward and outward meet sometimes together 364. Whence it arises 365 c. To live among the ungodly a great Trouble 633 c. Truth not all equal 408. Trust what it is to Trust in God 428 Effects of it 431. Obâ—ect of Trust 432. Grounds of Trust in God 439 450. V. Verbs Active Verbs how sometimes used 26. Unthankfulness several sorts of Unthankful men 495 496. The evil of this sin 497. Vows the nature of them 588. Whether lawful to make them 589. When they are useful in Religion 592 c. How they promote it 596 c. Danger of breaking them 604. They must bear some proportion to mercies 605. W. Way A four-fold Way 503. Weakness very great in us unto good 27. Word of God the best weapon 85 99. Worldly-mindedness hinders its operation 689. Moderation in our words 397. Watchfulness necessary in doing our duty 504. Against our enemies 33 580. Worship how to conceive of God in it 416 c. He is tender of it 462. We must worship him in Christ. 423. Zeal Consistant with Moderation 407. FINIS
matter Good Lord what sloth stupidity negligence hath possessed our hearts surely if thou didst beleeve that thou mightest bee in thy grave to morrow wouldest thou not make sure of heaven to day if the lease of thy house be almost expired and the Land-lord hath given thee warning to provide thee another Habitation for hee will not suffer thee to renew it any more dost thou not presently enquire of thy friends and of thy neighbours Sirs can you tell mee where I may have a convenient dwelling I have but a little time in the house where I am and I have had warning to go out by such a day art thou not careful to have an house ready to go to upon the very same day thou leavest the former Alas man dost thou not know the lease of thy life is almost out nay dost thou not know that thou art only a tenant at will and God may turn thee out at an hours at a moments warning and yet dost thou not make sure of an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens hath not God given thee warning did thy head never ake was thy heart never sick surely if thou didst not forget thy own mortality thou wouldest be more careful painful diligent in thy business I see frequently men upon their sick-beds when they think they must dye begin to inquire after Heaven and how they may know their sins are pardoned and whether their souls shall be saved because the apprehension of the neerness of the grave doth rouze them and for all thou knowest thou though now in health mayest be as soon in thy grave as hee that lieth sick God can stop thy breath when hee pleaseth Art thou mortal look then after thy soul 4. Is not this too great a sleighting of the comforts of the Spirit of God of Christ and Happiness is there not so much excellency in all these and sweetness in discerning thy propriety to them as to provoke thee to diligence in making sure of them 5. Dost not thou know that others have looked long after it and dost thou think thou shalt come so easily to it others have prayed much and searched themselves often and yet have not been able to satisfie all their own doubts whether they have gone farther than ever any hypocrite went and dost thou think it will be so easily discerned whether thy heart be sincere with God many finde it a hard thing to distinguish betwixt the highest degrees of common grace in hypocrites and the lowest degrees of saving grace in a true beleever 6. Dost thou think that conscience will never be awakened to disquiet thee when thou canst not satisfie it about thy salvation will it alwaies be in this spiritual slumber dost thou think that sickness will never come and that death will never come and that trouble will never seize upon thee when thy conscience shall be so alarmed that thou wouldest give all thou art worth to know what shall become of thy soul oh then for an infallible evidence of Gods Love oh then that thou mightest know whether God will pardon thy sin and save thy soul oh dreadful case when thou comest to dye and conscience shall accuse thee for thy sloth when thou feelest thy spirit begin to fail and apprehendest thy self neer the grave and conscience rageth and is not at peace because thou dost not know whether thou shalt go to Heaven or Hell It is dreadful doleful sad to hear these complaints from a dying man oh woe is mee that I must take my farewell of all my friends and death is impatient of delay and yet I cannot say my sins are pardoned oh woe is mee though I lye a dying I cannot say my sins are pardoned within a little while my body must be carried from my bed to my grave but oh it breaks my heart that I cannot tell whether my soul my precious and yet too much neglected Soul shall be carried to Heaven by holy Angels or dragged down to Hell by cursed devils oh that God would grant mee a month or two a little longer that I may work out my salvation but thy conscience shall tell thee thou hadst time but thou didst mis-spend it thou hadst it but thou didst not improve it in getting this grand Question resolved Whether thou hadst made thy peace with God Consider now how dreadful it will be when conscience is awakened and thou in this case unresolved 7. If thou be a true Christian yet herein dost thou not act too much like the careless ungodly world they take no care to make sure of Heaven and wilt thou justifie their practice and harden them in it There are some carnal ones in the family a carnal husband or a carnal wife or ungodly children or graceless servants that minds not God nor care for their souls that look not after Heaven and wilt thou be guilty of incouraging them in their carelesness and hardening them in their forgetfulness of God by thine own remisseness but if thou wast serious in the use of means pressing following hard after God thy strictness might shame them out of their wickedness and might reflect upon themselves if such a one that lives so circumspectly and taketh such pains in duties and yet doubteth and fears and would fain be resolved what a careless wretch am I never to regard my own soul they are ignorant of God and his excellency of Christ and his beauty of Grace and its necessity and therefore desire them not nor care to make sure of them but God hath opened thine eyes to see all these Stir up thy self then to get a certainty of thine interest in them 8. Art thou not too much guilty of hypocrisie when thou goest to the table of the Lord and yet dost not give diligence to make thy calling and election sure nor to have the certain knowledge of the pardon of thy sin and of thy peace with God is not the Lords supper an ordinance for the helping the right receivers to assurance of the pardon of their sin in the blood of Christ is it not for that end a seal of the covenant of grace if thou sayest thou usest it for this end why then dost thou look after it no more when thou returnest from that Ordinance Having premised these things to awaken you and rouse you out of your sloth supposing that now you are resolved to take any course that can bee prescribed from the word of God That thou art one who weepest mournest complainest because thou dost not discern thy spiritual condition I shall lay down my advice to thee in these following directions 1. Direction 1. Get some Characteristical distinguishing signs of true saving grace by thy serious searching the word of God Directions to get assurance God hath told thee in his word who shall bee damned and who shall bee saved though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described In the Bible there are the statute laws of
Heaven and the standing rule by which thou must bee tryed thou must stand or fall bee eternally blessed or everlastingly miserable as thy condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the Scripture Thou that hast deserved eternal death mightest know before the day of the general assize whether thou shalt bee acquitted or condemned But if thou know not how to gather these thy self go to some godly faithful Minister and desire him to give thee some Characters of a sincere Christian from the word of God wherein hypocrisie and sincerity are differenced and bee sure the signes thou tryest thy self by bee not short of saving grace or that will not hold tryal or bear thee out at the day of judgement I cannot here insert any partly because I have not room to croud them in partly because by what I have already laid down under that head that a man might know that hee is sincere beleeveth and loveth God something to this purpose might bee picked up 2. Direction 2. When thou hast thus furnished thy self thy next work must bee to set thy conscience on work and reflect upon thy own heart and upon the mâ—tions of thy will and compare thy self with the word of God The former sent you to study the book of Gods word this calleth upon you to study the book of your own hearts The other is a direct act of the understanding this is a reflect act to make a judgement of thy state whether there bee a transcript of those things in thine own heart for every beleever hath the Gospel-laws written upon the table of his soul by the spirit of God Assurance cannot bee had ordinarily without the examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of the scripture the other by the reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus Hee that beleeveth and is justified shall bee saved that is the word of God then by the search of his own heart hee must bee able to say But I beleeve and am jusâ—ified and from these two doth result this assurance that hee may conclude Therefore I shall bee saved Luke 15.8 The woman that had lost a peece of silver did light a candle and swept her house and thereby found what she had lost Conscience is this candle the scripture is the fire at which it must bee lighted and self-examination is the broom whereby the heart is swept and so the state of the soul which before was not discerned comes to bee discovered But here take heed thy heart bee not rash in affirming or denying suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow strict inquiry into thy soul as thou lovest thy soul do not presume as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to bee a fruit of the spirit Search throughly and judge impartially Say therefore to thy soul Deus est ocâ—â—us infinitus to make thy self more serious in this weighty work thou art now oh my Soul in the presence of the great heart-searching God that knoweth certainly what thy state and condition is what thy will heart and affections are thou must oh my Soul shortly stand at the bar of God as now thou standest at the bar of conscience and must bee searched judged by the Lord and have the sentence of life or death of absolution or condemnation according as thy state shall bee found to bee Consider oh my Soul thou art now about the greatest concernment in the world many have been mistaken many are now tormented in hell that once thought their condition was good it is not therefore for thee to flatter thy self and it is easie to bee mistaken and if thou shouldest bee mistaken it is as much as thy soul is worth if thy condition bee bad and thou conclude it to bee good thou wilt but go more merrily to hell It is as much as thy comfort is worth if thy condition bee good and thou conclude it to be bad thou wilt go more sadly to Heaven and wilt be unthankful to thy God and keep the glory from him and the comfort from thy self Thou art indited oh my soul arraigned and sound guilty that thou hast sinned against the Lord the question is Whether thou hast repented and are pardoned I charge thee therefore oh my soul that thou speak truly and answer rightly to these demands Art thou so far convinced of sin of the vileness of its own nature the evil in it the evil after it that thou art weary of it thou groanest under it thou loathest it and art unfeignedly willing to be broken from every sin without any reserve and what thou canst not extirpate that thou wilt bewail art thou so far convinced of thine own insufficiency to help thy self that all thy tears cannot wash thee and make thee clean all thy duties cannot save thee that though thou darest not neglect them as means yet thou darest not rely upon them as a Saviour so that thou seest the necessity of a Christ the suitableness of Christ the sufficiency and willingness of Christ offering himself unto thee in the Gospel calling to thee crying after thee saying ah thou poor miserable forlorn sinner thou hast undone thy self wilt thou now be cured thou hast wounded thy self wilt thou let mee apply a plaister of my blood my healing pacifying blood to thy bleeding soul to thy distressed disquieted conscience all that I expect from thee is to take mee for thy Lord and Husband to rule govern sanctifie and save thee thou hast withstood thine own mercy I have often asked thee and thou hast often denied mee but yet if now thou wilt receive mee behold I bring pardon along with mee and peace along with mee and eternal life and every good thing along with mee yet mercy is not gone it is not yet denied to thee When thou mayest gather such things from the Word of Christ put the question to thy self what sayest thou oâ— my soul thou hearest the gracious words of the Lord Jesus hee commands thee to come hee inviteth thee to come hee promiseth thee acceptance if thou come art thou willing or art thou not wilt thou persevere in thy former denial and be damned or wilt thou yeeld and be saved wilt thou consent to take him for thy Husband and subscribe unto his terms doth thy judgement value him above all and thy will chuse him above all and thy affections go out after him above all things in the world as a woman doth in all those three respects when shee taketh a man to be her Husband Art thou so far convinced of the excellency of the everlasting Glory of the Saints and the perfection of that Happiness that is above as it is a state or perfect Holiness as well as a state of real Happiness