standing or falling soul How this and you will not easily be seduced in other points The Scripture tells you P. cts 4.12 There is no other name give under heaven by which men can be saveâ— Neither is there salvation in any other It is the whole business of St. Paul almoâ—â— throughout the Epistle to the Roman and that to the Galathians to proâ—â— his St. Paul desires to be found â—â— Christ alone Phil. 3.9 10. not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but the righteousness of God the righteousness of faith Hence Christ is called The Lord our righteousness And he is said to have been made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And to be made of God for us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 6. That every soul thus justified is effectually called He is not only as many are called called out of the Pagan world to believe and receive the Doctrine of the Gospel but by the Spirit of God powerfully joyning with the Word he is made to see and be sensible of his lost condition out of Christ and enabled by a true and lively faith to receive and lay hold upon and trust in Christs righteousness he is also regenerated that is made a new man by a thange wrought by Gods Spirit in his heart affections whole man And without this none is justified none can be saved Joh. â— 5 Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he can never enter into the Kingdom of God Ro. 8.13 If you live after the flesh you shall die Ro. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit If a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And in many other Texts Let men talk what they please of Baptismal Regeneration who so lives to years of discretion and hath no more shall never see the face of God I know the most learned assertors of it conclude it of little value ponentibus obicem as they say that is if men after Baptism wilfully sin against God who lives and doth not So as that limitation makes their novel Doctrine but a security to baptized persons dying in infancy They have a fancy to merit the name of Blandi instead of Duripatres infantum as Augustine was called All that is to be feared of the imbibing in that new Doctrine is lest people should be luâ—led asleep with that notion of being justified in Baptism and think that iâ— afterward they run to all excess of riot they need only to wash their feet by aâ— slighty repentance and never look after a true sight of sin or an actual believing in the Lord Jesus Christ 7. That Christs Righteousness is not imputed to any soul without the exercise of faith eying receiving resting upon Christ and Christ alone for salvation Nor can any true act of sanctification flow from any other principle So as one who never in the fight of his sin and lost condition fled to Christ and laid hold upon his righteousness be he under what other circumstances of birth breeding Church-membership moral righteousness formal and constant performance of religious duties is in a state of damnation and so dying perisheth for ever John 3.18 Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Ver. 36. He that believeth on the Son bath everlasting life he that believeth not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God And again Without faith it is impossible to please God 8. That regeneration and faith and every other habit that is truly spiritual cometh from the special distinguishing grace of God and is wrought in the soul by his alone power and by him drawn out into exercise and we have no power of our selves so much as to think one good thought Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit Joh. 3.5 John 3.5 Born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of man but of God Phil. 1.29 Phil. 1.29 It is given you on the behalf of Christ to believe Faith is not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Eph. 2.8 Every good and perfect gift cometh from above Jam. 1.17 James 1.17 Without me you can do nothing John 15. John 15. We have no sufficiency of our selves to think one good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.5 Abide in this Christians Christ doth not say Without me you can do no great things nor without me you can do little but without me you can do just nothing 9. That whosoever is thus justified and regenerated sinneth often but yet in some sense sinneth not Not as others do not making a trade nor taking a pleasure in sinning not with plenary acts and consent of his will He cannot be an habitual constant Drunkard Unclean person Swearer Curser Lyar Blasphemer Prophaner of Sabbaths or the hoâ—y Name of God he cannot live in a known course of cheating and defrauding but though he falls seven times a day yet it is by sins of infirmity and if he be overcome by temptations to greater sins as Noah Abraham Job Peter David c. yet he lyes â—ot in them but with Peter weeps bitterly 10. That although a child of God may â—n many things be ignorant of his duty and wherein he knows it may sometimes â—ant strength to perform it and he who â—oth most is not perfect yet no true child of God will live in the wilful and instant omission of any known duty â—or in the wilful ignorance of any part â—f his duty but striveth to grow in â—race and knowledge and for what he knoweth To will is present with him though he hath no strength to perform and as to his inward man he will delight in the Law of God and though he â—e not perfect yet he striveth after peraction Phil. 3.12 Phil. 3.12 He followeth after that he may apprehend that for which he is also apprehended of Jesus Christ counteth not himself to have appâ—â— hended But doth this one thing forgting those things which are behind reacheth forth to those things that are fore and presseth toward the mark forâ— price of the high calling of God Christ 11. That in order to this he who â—â— would see the face of God must make Word of God his rule Isa 8.20 Mat. 15.9 Joh. 4.23 Deut. 12.32 both of faith 〈◊〉 life Believing no Divine Truth but upon credit of the revelation of it in the Sâ—â—ptures indeed otherwise it can beâ—â— Divine faith taking his Rule for Wâ—â—ip from the Scriptures Col. 2.23 Psal 119.109 both for 〈◊〉 Acts and for the manner and directâ—â— all the actions of his life
in his gâ—â—tal calling in his particular relation cording to the general and particular Rules of the Holy Word of God â—â— turning aside from them 12. That as we shall all dye there shall be a resurrection from the diâ—â— and a day of Judgement When Christ shall judge the quick and the dead iâ— cording to his Gospel When the feâ—ful the unbelieving Rev. 11.8 the abominable mâ—â— dere's whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and all lyars all those that trouble the â—rvants of God that know not God that they not his Gospel all thieves 2 Thes 1.7 8. covetous persons drunkards revilers 1 Cor. 6.9 10. extortioners c. shall be adjudged to the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone to have their portion in fire and brimstone in everlasting burnings with the Devil and his Angels On the contrary Those who by believing and obeying the truth and by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. Evidence That they are such whom God from Eternity hath chosen to life on the behalf of whom Christ made an Eternal Covenant with his Father for whom he died To whom he hath given his Spirit in a way of a special and distinguishing grace shall have a joyful resurrection and hear that blessed sentence pronounced to them Matth. 25. Come you blessed of the Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you These are some of those Gospel Propofitions which you have been taught Abide in them Search the Scriptures see if they agree not with them if they do take heed how you change your persuasions as to them for any new systeme of Doctrines leadiâ— you to salvation This faith will leâ—â— you unto holiness and strictness of life will not give you that liberty to thâ— flesh which other doth It will maâ—â— you live in the daily view of the truth Straight is the way and nanrâ— is the gate that leadeth to eternal liâ—â— and few there be that find it Which will remain true when all the worâ—â— shall be found liars I pass to the â—â—â—ond branch of the Exhortation Abide in your faith in Christ 2. Br. I shall not her take faith in so strict and abstract a notion as it is sometimes take in Scripture but as it comprehendeth 1. Adherence to and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ and him alone for salvation 2. Hoping in him 3. Patien waiting for him The two latter are the daughters of faith strictly taken but they have so much of their Mother that in Scripture they are often taken for it and called by here name 1. Abide in your stedfast adherence to and reliance upon the Lord Josus Christ and him alone for salvation There are some that despise salvation some that neglect it some that vainly seek it some have no hope some have no true foundation for their hope Some never think of another life so neither hope for it nor despair of it but live like Beasts in the world crying Let his eat and drink for to morrow we shall â—lye and so call out their souls to no â—ct of faith or adherence to any â—hing at all in order to it I hope I peak to such as believe they have souls and that their souls are not given them meerly pro sale to keep their â—odies from putrefaction but that they are immortal beings capable of and ordained to an Eternal existence which must be either in eternal life â—r in eternal misery and who live in the waking conviction of this and so are concerned to think what they should trust to for eternal salvation Some are thus far awakened but like Browning men lay hold on every twig and bulrush never considering whether â—t will bear their weight or no. One man thinks if he be baptized he shall be saved Another if he keeps his Church and payes every man his own he shall be saved Another if he give his goods to the poor builds Churchâ— Hospitals This is all to say we have our life in our hands You have been otherwise taught viz. To do all that you can in obedience to the commandments God and when you have done all to sâ—â— you are unprofitable servants to say the is not my Righteousness Isa 64.6 to say after the Church We are as an unclean thing and all our righteousness as a filthy ragâ— to cry out None but Christ None bâ—â— Christ Hold there Christians live in daily view of eternity in a daily exercise of faith adherence to and relianâ—â— upon the Lord Jesus Christ as he hâ— whom alone you can be brought to blessed Eternity Let the Papist if hâ— will trust to his own merits Trust you to the merits of Christ alone Their Learned Cardinal when he came to dye could cry out It is the safest do so Video melior a proboque Deteriora sequor Let them if they will trust to the superlative merits of other Saints it may be they were no Saints if they were they must be better supplied â—an the Wise Virgins if they have oil mough for themselves and you too if they had there is no way of conveyance to you ordained by God but very man hath use enough of his own righteousness and at the great say it will be found that those have â—een mistaken who have dreamed that â—ny but Christ have had any to spare or â—ny that could be imputed to another â—â— trust in Jesus Christ and in him â—one 2. Abide in your lively hope In â—our hope of a glorious resurrection In â—ur hope of a day when God shall judge be world by our Lord Jesus Christ In our hope of eternal life This very age will tell you that if such as fear God and strictly walk in his wayes Following the severer paths of Worship and â—oliness had hope in this life only they were indeed of all men most miserable These are the worlds reproach these almost are the only transgressors accounted Drinking Swearing Blaspheming Cursing Uncleanness these are but venial tolerable sins Close walking with God fearing to offend him â— matters of Worship praying meeting together to fast and pray these are the Capital Offences for which Prisons oâ— are prepared But Christians theâ— will be a Resurrection of the body theâ— will be a day of Judgement There will a revelation of eternal life The body of Gods people may be abused waste in Prisons and consumed there but they shall live again Men now judge the world it stands them in hand consider whether they make righteoâ— Laws and decree righteous judgement â—â— on them For there is another day Judgement appointed when all Law and Acts of Judgement upon them wiâ— be examined again by the Divine Law and by the Standard of Heaven tryed The issue will be then tryed whether Drunkards Swearers Cursers Vnclean Persons such as wallow in all manner â— filthiness or such as live according to the strict rule of Gods Word and defire no more than that they may quietly live so according to the just dictates
A WORD IN SEASON OR Three Great Duties of Christians in the worst of Times Viz. Abiding in Christ Thirsting after his Institutions and Submission to his Providences The first opened from 1 John 2.28 The second from Psal 42.1 2. The third from Jer. 14.19 By a Servant of Christs in the Work of his Gospel To which is added by way of Appendix the Advice of some Ministers to their People for the reviving the Power and Practice of Godliness in their Families Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel than that which we have preached let him be accursed Ver. 9. As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be accursed London Printed 1668. To all CHRISTIAN READERS More especially such Who either occasionally or more fixedly have at any time sate under the Authors Ministery AND by it being dead yet speaketh saith the blessed Apostle of Abel either by his faith by which he offered up to God a more excellent Sacrifice or by the witness which he obtained that he was righteous God testifying to his gifts or by both By the first he spake unto all Believers to instruct them in their duty by the latter he spake unto them instructing them in the success of duty by both he speaks unto us to go and do likewise There are this day many eminent servants of God that must be reckoned amongst the dead the greater the lamentation and not in the Gospel sense as the Apostle saith the woman that lives in pleasures is dead while she lives no they are persons known to you not to have lived in Ale-houses in rioting and luxury but in a daily keeping under of their bodies that they might be in subjection to their spirits that whiles they preached to others themselves might not become reprobates according to the Apostles rate of living 2 Cor. 9.27 But they are legally dead dead as to you though alive to God alive to the world or rather in the world Most of these being dead yet speak their former pains amongst you their holy conversation while they went in and out before you speak Their lives their labours their present patience speaketh It speaketh what they were what they are what you should be Yea and some of their written Books yet speak to you you have some milk from the bottle though not from the breast The Author of the following sheets is one of those thus dead your importunity hath made him thus to speak Something you would have him say And when you had brought him to a resolution in this to listen to you he knew not better what to say than Brethren abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed at his coming You are his witnesses that when you heard him in the Pulpit he used not to say to you Come to me to my opinion or party but only Come unto Christ that you may have life He pleaded then for his Master and insisted upon the one thing necessary having a latitude of charity though not an indifferency as to his own practice for any parties of any perswasion whom he saw walking in the path of Justification by the righteousness of Christ alone and in paths of holiness suted to that faith He thought railing and smiting of little value to the soul that neither hears the one nor feels the other and judge the Scottish Horning and the English Significavit of equal value for the reformation of mistakes in the understandings of Christians And that the rational soul forfeited its name that day that it should be thus conquered This made him though he could have wished all as he was excepting the obloquy which men of his perswasion were subjected to from those who speak evil of the things that they know not yet in his preaching to pursue a nobler design and to call you to come to him who without respect of persons receiveth men of all perswasions holding the foundation In him he trusteth he hath left many of your souls set upon the Rock that is higher than he is having your faith not standing in the wisdom of men but in the power of God builded upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone He being now dead yet speaketh and speaketh the same language after the beloved Apostle abide in him He desires this of you that if the way of worship wherein you together with him formerly walked appear less according to the pattern of the mount the rule of holy Scripture than some other you would forsake it and adhere to what you see most conformable to the rule of Scripture the example of Christ and his Apostles He assures you he would himself do it and if in any thing he differs from you this is the reason He sees or thinks he sees what he embraceth most according to the will of God revealed in Scripture He would in this point say more to you if he did not think the holy Scriptures perfect as to a rule of Worship and as able in that as in matter of Doctrine to make the man of God wise to salvation and were not afraid of making himself wiser than his Master one piece of whose errand to earth was to reveal his Fathers will This hath made him repeat to you the Apostles words Abide in him thinking it the onely thing necessary for you and a seasonable word whiles so many tempters envy you that happy station As a means in order to this he hath also fubjoyned something to preserve and quicken your appetite to Gospel-institutions He knows that Union is maintained by Communion and that communion with God is much in and by those appointments of Worship which Christ hath instituted This is the substance of the following sheets Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepheard of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Joh. 2.28 And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming THE first words of my Text speak the Pen-man to be some aged spiritual Father whose years and authority might justifie him in so relative and familiar a compellation So indeed he was not Paul but John the aged the beloved Disciple 1 Joh. 1.1 who had seen and heard what he declared and this Epistle is judged to have been wrote by him in his extreme old age at Ephesus The true Shepherds this treat their Masters Lambs The world can find no nick-names harsh and infamous enough for Saints the beloved Disciple calls them Little children The words of an aged
disowning or denying any of them 2. We are called to for a conversation close to the revealed will of God and conformable to that of Christ and to take heed of any loosness or remisness in the practice of holiness whether referring to our more religious homage to God in acts of Worship or to our more ordinary conversation in our behaviour towards men This is that abiding in Christ which I say is a duty of so high a concernment to Christians and that especially in evil times I shall First Evince it of general concernment to Christians Secondly I shall shew the special conconcernment of it in evil times First I say it is of general concernment to profession in all times This will appear to us if we consider it as an End as a Means or as a Condition or as an Evidence 1. As an End I mean as a duty of it self falling under a multitude of Divine Precepts Obedience to God in the great business of our lives In these two words Believe and Obey is summed up the whole duty of man Obedience is our duty to God as our Soveraign Lord should not the Servant obey his Master As the fountain of our Life and Motion and Preservation Should not the Child obey his Father though he be but in the hand of God a Second Cause of Being and Life and maintenance to him Obedience unto Christ is yet our further duty upon the account of redemption and manumission as he who hath bought us and that by no mean price out of the hand of our greatest Enemy and hath brought us into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God It is he that hath said to us Abide in me and again v. 10. Abide in my love I might multiply many Texts speaking though not in those words yet to that sense all those precepts that oblige to perseverance to a further progress and continuance in the wayes of God or that caution us against final or gradual Apostacy speak all to the same sense So as if it be any thing the concernment o◠Christians to fulfill the Will of their Lord who hath purchased them unto his service with his blood It is their concernment to abide in Christ 2. But Secondly Let us consider it as a means Many things which are not i◠themselves desirable are yet valuable with reference to their end Finis da◠amabilitatem mediis this is desirable a◠an end and as a means also I will open this in a few particulars 1. It is a necessary means in order to the Christians bringing forth fruit If he abides in Christ he shall bring forth fruit if he abideth not in him he shall not bring forth fruit You have both these Propositions from the mouth of him that could not lye and both brought us an argument to inforce this duty John 15.4 5. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the Vine so no more can you except you abide in me V. 6. He that abideth in me and I in him the same brings forth much fruit It is highly the concernment of Christians to bring forth fruit the fruits of the Spirit the fruit of righteousness unto life It is necessary in order to the glory of God Herein saith our Saviour is my Father glorified if you bring forth much fruit It is necessary in order to their own salvation But without their abiding in Christ they cannot bring forth much fruit nay they can bring forth no fruit you have this in the words of our Saviour John 15.5 Without me you can do nothing Nothing spiritually and formally good nothing that will bring God any glory or do us any good It is 〈◊〉 very emphatical Text he doth not say◠Without me you cannot do any great thing 〈◊〉 but without me you can do nothing Not without me you can do little but without me you can do nothing Yea and in the Greek are two Negatives which in their Idiome make a more vehement negation◠as much as if he said you cannot you cannot do any thing But if we had not so direct a Scripture reason standing upon a Scripture foundation would conclude it 1. It is a Principle in Natural Philosophy Operari sequitur esse and evident to every Vulgar eye that where there i◠no life there can be no motion or operation proper to that life All life lyes in some union Natural life in the union betwixt the soul and body spiritual life in the union betwixt the soul and Christ So as till there be such an union there can be no spiritual operation nor can it be any longer than that union holdeth 2. Nay further Operation depends not only upon union but upon communion Suppose a man to be alive the union betwixt the soul and body not dissolved if any thing hinders the souls communion with any part as in the dead palfie c. it moves it acts nothing So it is with the soul suppose the union with Christ not dissolved that once made cannot be dissolved yet if there be not a communion if the soul receives not from Christ it brings forth no fruit Yea and according to the degree that it receiveth influence from him so will its fruit be 3. Again it appeareth by the similitude used by our Saviour John 15.4 Saith he I am the Vine you are the branches Cut off the branch from the Vine it brings forth no fruit nay let it abide in the Vine if any thing hinder it that it receiveth no influence from it it brings forth no fruit let it receive but a little influence it keeps alive but it brings forth but little fruit let it on the other side receive much influence from the Vine then it brings forth much fruit It is the high concernment of the soul to bring forth fruit and to bring forth much fruit Hereby God hath a great deal of glory and the glorifying of God is the great end of our lives hereby a Christian hath much comfort and Peace and satisfaction in his own soul The fruit of righteousness is peace and assurance for ever and the End of it will be much glory he that brings forth much fruit shall sit upon a Throne This is my first Demonstration from the duty considered as a means Secondly Saith our Saviour John 15.6 If a man abide not in me he i◠cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and are burned All in a parable but the sense is easie Abiding in Christ is the means and only means for 〈◊〉 Professor to keep up his beauty and glory and vigour and to keep him out of He fire This is the sense in short of this Parabolical expression A branch separated from the Vine is cast aside as an useless thing not suffered to lye near th◠Vine being thus separated and cast out it withereth wanting the sap and juice of the Vine by vertue of
suffer him the far to prosper Hath God since that tiâ—â— blest you in your estate in your children in your trade c Or hath he blasâ—â— you If the latter Have you not 〈◊〉 cured this unto your selves in that ye 〈◊〉 forsaken the Lord your God when he led you by the way But it may be you cannot yet see divine vengeance thus pursuing you there is a time when poenalis nutritur impunitas God fatteth up some with the Maist of the world to the great day of slaughter though ordinarily these be such as never made any profession Judas that had been a Disciple quickly disgorged his thirty pleces you know That which I would have you principally enquire is how it hath been with your inward man as to your spiritual concerns St. John in his Epistle to his Host Gaius wisheth above all things that he might prosper and be in health even as his soul prospereth If there should be a Doeg that hath got anything by his treachery to Christ and the interest of his Gospel I would â—eg of him to consider whether his â—oul also prospereth and be in health as his outward man is You have pretended formerly to know what belongs to an inward serenity of mind to peace of conscience c. Have you at any time since your change found leisure to speak â—o your own souls and say Is it peace If you have not you have been very careless of Eternity If you have what hath it answered Have you gone to bed with as much satisfaction in your spirit after a day spent at a play or aprofane meeting as you did heretofore after a day spent in a religious meeting or at a fast Have you had no more melancholick thoughts no more sad reflections no more terrours than before Hath not the evil spirit sometimes so troubled you that you have been forced to send for a Minstrel to play it off Have not the images of those righteous servants of God whom you have been reviling whom you have been accusers of and instruments to hale into prisons ruine and as much as in you lay to make an end of sometimes appeared to you in your dreams and disquieted you in your sleep Have you not heard though not a voice from heaven God will not so much honour you who have so much spit in his face yet a voice from your own conscience Soul soul why persecutest thou Christ What evil hast thou formerly seen in that way wherein thy self did walk worthy of this death or these barbarous bonds Do you see what servants what home-born slaves you have made your selves How the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken your head O return into the right wayes of the Lord return to your first Husband speak sincerely Was it not then every way better with you than now 6. Consider seriously with yourselves if a day of trouble should come as certainly thou art not the only person exempted from the incurnt ances and accidents to which mortality is exposed and subjected would any of those things or persons help you to which you are turned and whom you have gratified in your departing from the right ways of God The Professor not abiding in Christ usually makes choice 1. Of New Principles 2. New Practices in his conversation 3. New Friends and a New Society 1. New Principles he must have a seared conscience that upon strict Principles can build a loose practice and retain the truths of God in unrighteousness Therefore the Backslider hath ordinarily an Almanack faith calculated for the Meridian of his present practice For example it was the old faith of Professors that all men and Women are by nature children of wrath Ephes 2.3 That they remain in this state of wrath till by the hearing of the word the holy Spirit working with it faith be wrought in them and they be brought to Receive the Lord Jesus Christ and to believe in him John 3.18.36 Till they be regenerated and born again by the Spirit of God John 3.3 5. that is till old things be passed away and all things become nâ—w with them for he that is in Christ is a new creature That true faith where ever it is purifieth the heart worketh by love to God to his people in a strict universal obedience to all the commandments of God As to which they must have a presence to will though they may in many things want stength to perform That who so thus believeth and is thus regenerated is justified by the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone and being justified sinneth not wilfully and presumptuously or doth not lye and abide in sin but though he sometimes falleth by sin yet he by and by purifieth himself and riseth again by repentance And it is the business of his life in all things to make the word of God a light to his feet and a lanthorn to his paths Thou hast possibly collected another system of practical principles That every one who is baptized is justified and regenerated That to believe is nothing else but to be perswaded of the truth of the Scriptures That indeed a man may fall away from his justified estate in Baptism by actual sins but a slighty acknowledgement of his sins in a formal confession or when he comes to dye will make up all again And if a man lives in Obedience to what he calls the Church making the dictates of men the rule of his practice without any particular enquiry whether they be according to the Scriptures or no he shall not need fear salvation I confess this sheweth an easie way to Heaven if it were as sure But suppose a day of trouble now to thy soul suppose now thy conscience awakened either whiles thou art in thy full career in thy prosperity or when thou comest to dye and some such Texts as these fall into thy thoughts at that day John 3.18 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and be that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the Name of the only begotten Son of God Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ whâ— walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit v. 5. They that are after the flesh 〈◊〉 mind the things of the flesh they that 〈◊〉 after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit ver 6. To be carnally minded iâ— death ver 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God ver 13. If you live after the flesh you shall dye Neither â—â—cumcision availeth any thing â—â—uncircumcision but a new creature Suppose these or other such like Scriptures should stick fast to thy thoughts in an evil day what should relieve thee Will it relieve thee when thoâ— comest to dye to remember thoâ— wer 't baptized in thy infancy Will noâ— thy thoughts reflect There are thousands that were baptized will be damoned Simon Magus was baptized yeâ—â— the gall of bitterness and in the bands of
iniquity Judas in all probability was baptized yet a Son of perdition Will it relieve thee to think thou hast believed the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Christ to be the Son of God so do the Devils believe and tremble Will it relieve thee to think that thou hast been obedient to the orders of the Church Dost thou not see that those are most universal in that Obedience which is so called whose lives proclaim the greatest opposition to the plain letter of Scripture in almost all the moral precepts of it Shall they also have peace 2. For thy new Practices Heretofore thou wer 't wont to pray in thy family and to instruct them in the things of God to spend thy time in reading the holy Scripture to spend dayes in fasting prayer communion with the Saints of God Believing thy obligation from a moral Precept to keep the Lords Day holy thou wer't wont in it to exercise thy self in reading the word hearing of it in prayer instructing thy children Now thou hast forgotten thy family duties thy chamber practice in Religion thy religious care of thy children and servants and all thy Devotion is turned into a little Formality of which thou makest no great conscience neither Thy Sabbaths are spent in vain and idle discourses and in a vain conversation and if any acts of devotion still continue possibly they are such as to which God will say to thee Who hath required these things at your hands Where did I ever speak a word to you or your Fathers of such homage to be performed to me nor did it ever come into my heart The time on other dayes which thou wer't wont to spend in fasting is now spent in feasting what was wont to be spared for hearing Sermons is now spent in hearing Playes Hark my friend shalt thou not one day thinkest thou be sick unto death as Hezekiah was Isa 38.1 will the Providence of God thinkest thou never speak to thee saying Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Wilt thou upon these practices be able to say as Hezekiah ver 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how lâ—â— have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Doth thy conscience tell thee these things are good in the sight of the Lord. Such an absurd verdict may possibly be given in by the conscience of one muffled up in ignorance but thou hast known thou hast proved better things thy conscience must tell thee the courses which I formerly took were better than these Thou after thou hast escaped the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 through the â—nowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ art again entangled therein and overcome Thy latter end is worse than thy beginning It had been better for you never to have known the way of righteousness then having known it to turn from â—he holy commandment delivered unto you 3. For thy new Company Thou heretofore wer 't a companion to those that â—eared the Lord. The Excellent on the Earth were those in whom thou didst delight or at least pretend to do so Ministers of the Gospel who had beside their habit something else to approve them such powerful constant Preachers of the word that knew hâ—â— to speak a word in season to the weary how to satisfie a doubt resolve case of conscience give to every oâ— their portion c. People who math a conscience of their wayes aâ— though they had possibly their error and failings yet they were not such 〈◊〉 the very light of nature and reason shewed abominable such as cursing aâ— swearing blaspheming the God whoâ— they served reviling persons an things that had ought of his Imâ—â— and Superscription upon them Thâ— art now become a companion of soeâ— such I mean as the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 leud profane persons Sons of Bâ—â— that live without any yoke either Scripture or Moral Principles thâ— catest with the Glutton and sittest with the Drunkard and thy Chair is set 〈◊〉 them who sit in the seat of the scornsâ— and whiles they are smiting thy onâ— fellow servants if thy hand be not wâ— them yet thy heart is if thy â— throwest no stones at the Lord 's Sâ—phen's yet thou holdest the cloaths them that do it Will thy day of vâ—tation thinkest thou never come Send in that day for those that have sat at the Tavern with thee and see â—f they be able to speak a word to thy â—oul weary of life Remember Saul who had rejected Samuel enough when he was in distress he goes to a Witch and who must she raise up but Samuel What satisfaction wilt thou have â—n an evil day in a dying day from â—hose whom living thou hast preferred to be thy companions before such as have feared the Lord. I shall shut up this Head with minding you that by this Argument God by his Prophet Jeremiah endeavoured to reduce backsliding Israel Jeremiah 2.28 Jer. 2.28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee Let them arise if they can save thee in the day of trouble I will only add one thing for thy termor It is like enough that in the day of trouble God may leave thee to fetch thy relief from these empty cisterns When Judas's conscience smote him God left him to his Masters the Scribes and Pharisees alone to comfort him how cold a cup of consolation they afforded him the Gospel tells you When the Jewes had apostatized and the Philistins and Ammonites opposeâ— them and they cryed unto the Lord they met with a rough answer ver 13. Jude 10.11 12 13 14. I will deliver you no mâ—â— Go and cry untâ— the Gods whom you haâ— chosen and let them deliver you in the day of your tribulation Take heed thâ— the Providence of God speaks not that language to your souls in the day oâ— their tribulation Go and fetch their comfort from the principles practice and company which you have chosen 7. I will add but one Argument more That shall be from the mercy 〈◊〉 God which he hath for backsliding children making timely returns unto him This is an Argument which the Prophet Jeremy largely insisted upon Chap. 3. v. 1 2 3 4 5 12 13 14 22. First He sheweth them that this is above the mercy of men If a mâ— putteth away his Wife shall he take bâ— again c. It is very observable that the Jews defection chiefly insisted upon by the Prophet was in matters of Divine Worship where the sin charged upon them was the highest in genere suo idoâ—try which is a failer in the object of Worship either more immediate or meâ—iate and therefore exprest in Scripture by the sin of whoredom which is the highest error in conjugal relations There 's no sin so separates a people or person from God as this sin Superstition which is failer in the more external manner and rites of
For a judicious Christian though he knows the efficacy of the Ordinance doth not depend upon the purity or ability of the Administrator yet he also knows that in this period of time God useth not to work miracles but to concur with probable means means that have some rational tendency to the end and suitably he observeth that God in the dispensation of his grace ordinarily co-operates with such Ministers as live their Doctrine and speak the Oracles of God as the Oracles of God with plainness gravity life and power He knows the end of preaching is not scratching a peevish humour nor tickling the ear but affecting and changing the heart Psal 63.1 David desired to see the power and glory of God in his Sanctuary Thirdly If we truly thirst after Divine institutions we will not despise a plainer draught provided it be wholesome God distributeth his gifts even to his Ministers variously to some he giveth more excellent abilities as to the same acts Some are not only able to preach the wholesome Word of God but as good Cooks they are able to make the wholesome food of the Word appear more lovely by handsome language apt similitudes neat allusions Others have not this ability yet it may be open and apply the Word of God faithfully I must confess the best of Christians have cold and feoble and teachy stomachs that they have need of all due art to commend their food to them yea and this excellency of gifts in some is the special priviledge of some with which God ordinarily blesseth them in order to some more â—â—inent services for souls than others â—â—all be honoured to do And therefore â—â—cannot blame Christians knowing the dulness and deadness of their hearts â—â— desire the best advantages they can give themselves and where choice is â—o desire to sit under the ablest Miniâ—try Austin once wished to hear Paul â— the Pulpit But yet the soul that truly thirsts after Gods institutions â—â—ill not despise his spiritual food hough it be not brought him in a Lordly dish He considereth thus with himself 'T is the word that nourisheth my soul not the wit not the quaiâ—â— expressions are which it is served to me the good of these is determined in my carnal part I must love thâ— word because it is pure not because 〈◊〉 is wittily delivered and the matteâ— neatly couched A good stomach we say needeth no sauce Thereforâ— though in a time of choice and plenty a gracious heart will prefer the ableâ— Preachers who can give the word moâ—â— advantage by their parts Yet as eveâ— then he will not despise the performances of him who hath the meaneâ—â— gifts and abilities provided that hâ— doth not handle the word of God deceitfully or negligently so in a timâ— of scarcity he will much less do it Fourthly The soul that truly â—â—â—eth after Divine Institutions will emâ—â—â—â—â— what he can when he cannot enjoy whâ—â— he would When I say he will embrace what he can I mean what 〈◊〉 is satisfied in his conscience that 〈◊〉 may enjoy without sin Sin is such 〈◊〉 thing as nothing can tempt a gracioâ—â— soul to it he knows that it is impossible he should please God by an action wherein he presumptuously sinneth against him especially too in matters of worship where he is more especially jealous he knows participation of Ordinances is not absolutely necessary to salvation if therefore he cannot hear a Sermon or receive a Sacrament but he must before or in it defile his soul with sin he rather chooseth to forbear the Ordinance than run the guilt of the sin But suppose circumstances such that a good Christian cannot enjoy every institution but some he may I say he that hath a true spiritual thirst will enjoy what he can when he cannot enjoy what he desireth The Disciples would gladly have heard Paul 〈◊〉 the Synagogues as they had wont Acts 19.8 9 10 11. â—â—swading the things concerning the Kingdom of God But when men come to be hardened and to speak evil of the righteous wayes of God before the multitude so as Paul can speak no more openly those that are true Disciples will hear him though in the school of Tyrannus If Paul cannot Preach at mid-day Acts 20.7 and break bread they will hear him till midnight I do not speak here to plead for those coetus antelucani which the Heathen so much scandalized Christians in Origens time for but only to shew you by these instances that it is no new thing for Christians to make any shift to taste any thing of Christ in his Ordinances The Antients justified the Christians of those days for those meetings though in times of liberty they had not been Eligibleâ— If a Christian truly thirsts after Divine Institutions if he cannot go with the multitude to the House of God yet he will not omit the homage of two oâ— three gathered together in the Lords name Jo. 20.19 The Disciples when they could not assemble openly nor have door open for fear of the Jews yet they assembled and shut the doors and enjoyed the Institutions of God and Jesus camâ— and stood in the midst amongst then and said Peace be unto you It argueâ— not a thirsty and ingenuous but a wanton and teachy soul when it will make use of no means of Grace because hâ— cannot enjoy all under such circum stances as he desireth 5. Fifthly Who so hath the true Spirit of a Christian in this thing will be content for the enjoyment of Gods institutions to encounter some difficulties We use to say Hunger will break through 〈◊〉 stone wall We see what those natural â—assions will do in brute creatures and 〈◊〉 reasonable creatures The spiritual â—unger and thirst will do much more with a Christian and in reason must as the preservation of a spiritual life and the prospect and hope of that life which is Eternal is more valuable than the preservation and enjoyment of a natural life 6. Lastly A true Christian when he cannot enjoy Divine Institutions yet will 〈◊〉 crying after them When shall I come â—â—d appear before God saith David and again Psalm 27.4 Psal 27.4 One thing have Ideâ—â—nd of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple But by this time methinks I hear some good Christians say to me Case Is this indeed the temper of every true Christian May I then conclude my self a true child of God if I find such a thirst in my soul after God in his Ordinances though I do not meet with those enjoyments of God in his Ordinances which I desire Saith another If this be true I 'am much afraid of my self I do not find such a thirst as you have mentioned or if any yet not after all Ordinances Noâ— is it so even a temper as I desire Sometimes I am
or at least to rage against instruments than to be angry with your selves for the deserving cause of these judgments If you have God hath not yet attained his end upon you the rottenness the proud flesh is still in the wound which must be eaten out before you can reasonably look for cure It was well said of the Church in the Lamentations Let us search and try our ways Lam. 3.40 and turn again unto the Lord. If Ephraim saith once What have I done God will quickly say Is Ephraim my dear child The end of Gods afflicting his people is their turning humbling themselves and acknowledging of their offences 4. How have you walked with God in the time of your sufferings Have you been a Law unto your selves whiles the rod of Discipline hath not been drawn out against you have you walked orderly Little could be seen as to your walking in communion but how have you walked in your families how have you kept up your private communion with God what have you been in your houses in your closets By the answer which your consciences secretly examine shall give to these Interrogatories you may know much whether you may warrantably look for peace and good yea or no. But Vse 2 secondly If you may look for it yet take heed how you look that you may not meet with disappointment 1. Do not in your expectations prescribe to God either as to time or as to persons or as to means He that hath promised his people deliverance hath not the certain time of it The case was otherwise with the Jews God had told them they should be in captivity just seventy years Mercy comes always best in its season God knows times better than we and hath reserved the knowledge of times to himself Trusting in God upon the credit of his word and waiting for him are things highly acceptable unto him but limiting of him is as much dishonourable to God It is ten to one but he who thus limiteth the Lord will be disappointed God will convince us that particular times is a secret we cannot find out and it is a very ill influence which ordinarily disappointments of our expectation in this kind have upon us That 's a good Christian that stedfastly believeth the matter of the Promise and patiently waiteth upon God for the fulfilling of it till his good time come It is a sad effect that some mens giddy confidence upon the year 1666 hath produced Some have acted since as if because God failed their expectation in that circumstance he were henceforth to be believed and trusted to more Take heed of such an errour as this 2. Let not your expectations either kinder your prayers or make you more unfit for a continuance of sufferings None can build an infallible expectation of good in the outward concerns of this life I mean sonsible good for any particular Church nor for any particular person Gods own people may have so finned that as to temporal judgments he will not pardon them The Nation of which they are a small part may have sinned to such a heighth Indeed were we never so certain yet our expectation should not hinder prayer Holy Daniel taught us this he never prayed more heartily than when he understood by books that the time of the captivity was just expiring True faith never hinders prayer it is the Mid wife that helps the mercy unto light And take heed that your expectation doth not discompose you as to further sufferings An ungrounded expectation of deliverance from an evil under which we groan doth often make us very unfit to bear it longer than the expected time of delivery 3. If your expectation be frustrated blame your selves but take heed of accusing God Let God be true though every man be found a liar It is most certain God deceiveth none themselves deceive themselves It is blasphemy in the heart to say God can lie There is no harm oâ— thy owning thy self mistaken 4. Expect nothing from vile persons noâ— by vile means It is true God hath ofâ— ten made use of Pagans and profanâ— men and the sins and corruptions oâ— his people and of others as means tâ— bring forth his glorious works in thâ— world but these are matters for ouâ— admiration not objects for our expectation The fulfilling of Gods promiseâ— can be regularly expected in none buâ— in Gods way 5. Suspect all thy expectations whiles thou findest in thy own heart or in the hearts of others whom thou lookest upon as dear to God a prevalency of corruptions I have before given you the reason of this God may deliver a people that have revolted but an instance cannot be given nor a promise named for Gods delivering a people justifying their revolting and continuing in it 6. Expect not much in a course of probabilities The reason of this lies in Gods usual deliverances of his people which have been upon the greatest improbabilities Out of Egypt and Babylon when one would have thought there had been least likelihood The cry of the Bridegrooms coming usually is at midnight There 's most ground of a spiritual believing hope when there is visibly no hope In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen 7. Let thy expectation of outward good be proportioned to the promise of it in which is always to be understood a reservation to God's wisdom All is not good that we think so Thy expectation cannot fail if it be commensurate to the promise if it be not it hath no foundation to stand upon and can have no certainty Remember that in all promises of this natures the judgment of the particular good whether under present circumstances it be so or no belongs unto God Expect deliverance from evils of this nature and the collation of good of this nature if God in his wisdom seeth it good for thee or that part of his Church wherein thou art But a further expectation it is more than I know if any promise will allow thee FINIS AN APPENDIX To the foregoing DISCOURSES OR An Addition of some necessary and seasonable Directions to Christians in order to firmer perseverance in their profession and better observance of Divine Institutions By the same Author Gal. 6.16 And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Revel 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth Printed in the Year 1668. The joint advice of some Ministers of the Gospel to their People for the reviving the Power and Practice of Godliness especially in Families and the propagating the Knowledge and Fear of God in those Societies Dearly beloved Brethren WE being Ministers of the Gospel who have formerly received a charge of some of your souls knowing how great the concernment of Gods glory in the preservation of Religion and