the soul to know that he is not able to satisfie Divine justice and so the Law may be called a School-master to Christ though the Text leads to the Ceremonial the Ceremonies being the Gospel of the Jewes These three steps of Love Christ takes in the Law by his first approach Secondly In his Gospel approach he takes these steps First He holds forth himself to the sinner a Mediator of the New Covenant and a free pardoner of sin this keeps the soul from despair Secondly He lets you know that he is as able and as willing as ever to do it Colos. 1.19 c. This keeps the soul in heart and hope Thirdly By that which they call the Reflex Act he brings home a particular Promise of grace to the soul as Revel. 3.17 and the Spirit of Christ thus argues He that is athirst must freely come But saies the Spirit Thou art thirstie Therefore come freely Thus I use to say A pitiful nasty ragged fatherless friendless Child is lying dying in a ditch A noble bountiful hand means to save him and adopt him first sends a servant to awaken him and bring him to his Court-gate then bids another let him in a third to wash him and put him on clean clothes another to read him the Order of his House another to set him at Table with his Children another to shew him his present and future estate Thus the Spirit of Humiliation first wakens a miserable lost sinner and that by the Law and can onely bring him to the Gate Then Vocation opens the Door Then Justification puts on Christs Righteousness Sanctification teacheth him how to walk taking away the Power of sin Adoption makes him a Brother and gives him his Priviledges And Glory begun here in part by sanctifying shewes him his estate And all this hath its rise from Free Grace Ezekiel 16. for God found us in our Blood The Lord open your eyes and make this a time of Love to you dear Child 27. But whilst I speak to you of Free-grace I must let you know that in the next place I must commend unto you accurate walking as the fruits thereof and for your better understanding I commend unto you divers of the aforesaid Books so my own thoughts are that it consists in all manner of Christian Circumspection Ephes. 5.15 to look within you without you about you beneath you to all and every duty and the rather because God's eye is ever and every where upon you Oh that you could so walk so think and not only so but you have bad men observing who by your negligence may either infest your Liberties or infect you with their Evils or at best be harder drawn-on to the wayes of God by your carelesse example Adde hereunto that you have the eyes of good men upon you and if they be young Christians you may make the Wayes of God like Giants and Brazen Walls unto them carry much difficulty and discouragement with them or if ancient Christians you may send them with grief to their graves by your miscarriages and not only so but the very way of Religion is like a narrow Bridge you need step advisedly that you may keep upon it or if fall you may recover with much trouble there is great cause you should be wise for Free-grace will never teach sin nor folly which that you may have help in consider what is said from the above-said Arguments and weigh them well and not only so but study the Lives of all the Saints in Scripture and do but see what trophees of their failings sin hath hung up and Satan David's sins of Adultery and Murder Peter's Denial of his Master Hezekiah's Pride and Vanity in shewing his Treasury Jonah's Impatience and Folly with the like And see Paul's and Samuel's Integrity Phineas his Zeal Nathaniel's Truth c. On the other hand Oh walk in this Gallery among these Pictures and for your security rest not without Assurance of God's Love which will make you wary Who would endanger it much lesse forfeit it The empty Purse fears not the Thief but the full looks to every Danger every Temptation And really nothing is a greater safeguard than the freeness of this Love communicated to the Soul stay you no-where on this side of it it will keep you steady in a trembling world Thus may you walk and from this blessed Principle dear Child 28. And that all this may be carried-on and is property the life of Faith remember That the hardest thing in the world is To believe in Jesus Christ to these and all other good ends Faith is a short word and easily spoken but Oh how hard is it in the nature of it when if ever the Lord works it in us he findes nothing not a spark of it till he comes nay he finds us opposit to the work of it nay he finds us unwilling to be made willing to close with the offer of Christ though made so freely Hypocrisie and all evil hath its fountain here we believe not all the other graces sink when this fails all must have its cure we bind the lame arm we anoint it we warmit and yet nothing helps because it is out of joynt Oh we believe not Anger rageth Lust provokes Covetousness cozens c. and all is We believe not Nature cannot reach this Art cannot compasse it to look near 1700 years back upon the Son of Mary who was the Son of God lived not forty years preached but three years and half reproached home to his grave and to believe in him for a Savior I say this must be the work of another world and the outstretched Arm of God See Ephes. 1.18 19 20 c. To believe that another will pay all my debts and become poor to make me rich to dye to make me live Oh Miracle of Mercy My Child to believe things incredible to hope things delayed and to love God when he seems angry are Luthers wonders and mine and thine It is unbelief is that death in the pot that lifts up sense that brings an ill report of God that overhastens our mercies and sets God a time for our deliverances Faith is the gift of God and the greatest which overcomes difficulties sets Mercy to work against Justice fetcheth the work done either by without or against Means throws Mountains into the Sea A little little grain like Mustard-seed will do Wonders enliven a dead heart save even a damned soul for such we are This will not be had without the Word and Spirit Rom. 10.17 and the Glory of it See Heb. 11. for this hear beg pray weep fast seek labour strive use violence read ask wish sigh and if you do believe the Lord help your unbelief dear Child 29. In the next which looks like the last indeed I must give you my thoughts about Death which certainly must be your portion though young and I must tell you it is a great word to say I dare dye many Books and
this you must know that all labour tends not to growth no more than Ants grow in bulk though very much in labour Every great Hearer is not a great Grower Nay a tree may grow in parts though not in all Grow soundly in the Root Jesus Christ and the Freeness of his Grace and then you wil not grow as Weeds do but as good Grain To which purpose I advise you observe what you gain against Corruption and so much you may hope you may thrive in Grace as the House of David and the House of Saul Do not therefore keep the Devils counsel but let some able Friend watch you to whom communicate your Decays or Growth When a Ship is observed by a Land-mark her way is easily observed Therfore mind much this one thing in all make much of a Rule and keep to it as few under the warm Gospel but know whether they be hypocrites or otherwise Even so you shall feel your Growth An old stock will not serve turn which hath been the delusion of many when every day needs new Incomes of the Spirit and so advancement to Heaven Long to grow strive to grow bewail decayes grow in both the Tables Duties The Apostle tells us of growth from Vertue yea at last to patience by affliction if we hear the Rod c. Christ's method is He hath all Grace He giveth out what he pleaseth He maintains what he gives He perfects what he maintains He crowns what he perfects And thus Christ loves you more than ever you could hate him without whose watering by his Blood you can never grow The best Evidence of Growth is to grow more humble more holy attend that well and see how it is from Meal to Meal from one Sabbath to another one Sermon to another are you fed or surfeited A very very little Grace if true is saving a little Growth if right is comforting Believe and live Believe and grow all decays comes through want of Faith to fetch blood from the life vein the Lord Christ The South North blow upon thee for Growth my Child 7. In all things as you will have use so you need to study Conscience well for it eats drinks walks sleeps buyes sells accompanies you to every duty service work doing or suffering for which you have Ames his Cases and some others It is a judging your self according to the judgment of God I write none of these Heads to you as intending any common place which this and others would make but only to leave with you a few practical thoughts upon each Our Saviour made the Jews to buy a Knife to cut their own throats when he told them the Parable of the Servants and Son sent and killed and so the Spirit by the Jews Isa. 5. when he made them impannel a Jury among themselves and by Conscience their Judge So Nathan by David it is a witness with a witness and Judge Paramount therefore I wish you to observe it narrowly if you suffer it to be defiled with the least sin whilst it hath life you may hear of it and therefore Samuel and Paul in all kept all clear there the least filth must be washt out by the Blood of Christ David paid dear for it Cains Building and Sauls Harping will do but little to cure it it may be quiet and good unquiet and good and so on the other hand but this I have noted that false Lights or dim ones have helpt much to the violation of it present things and the out-sides of things have also broke in upon it and in sinning whether the wound be in the Head or Conscience first is a question but not hardly resolved Your wisdom will be to live upon a directing word and then Conscience will make a soft bed for you in your greatest sorrow A wounded Conscience who can bear Go to our first Parent and he will tell you so who might have gathered fruit to eat rather than leaves to cover himself Do not grieve Conscience twice it must be your best friend yea when friends and world and all leave you to sollitariness If it whimper a little do not make it roar out and yet do not stifle it but attend it and carry it up to Mount Calvary for peace Remember good Conscience and Sin cannot live together Let but this Bird sing sweetly within and let Heaven and Earth come together thou shalt be safe my poor Child 8. Next I am to remember you that you have much work to do in a little time which calls you up to labour as the Day the Lark and the Lark the Husbandman Eccles. 12. the whole Chapter I hope you have it About Redemption of time you have many Treatises The greatest of your work in your short time is to get Christ and live upon him and to him And this is the life of Faith which you can never live unless Faith have to live upon it self which will digest nothing but word and promises Therefore now you are young lay in a good Stock for Faith to live on but you must do it seasonably you are young I say and may have a little time before you which certainly hath Eternity hanging upon it called a Race a Day or Hour the old World had their Day Jerusalem a Day the Gospel is called the Day of Grace Therefore lay in seasonably and not only so but abundantly for your market may be at the highest foolish Virgins had Oyl in their Lamps none in their Vessels Store is no Sore for you know not what Promises you may need for Want for Reproach for Sickness and Death The Kingdom of Heaven must suffer Violence Violent Faith Love Prayer must storm it The time will come when wishes will not help your own Works and Righteousness will fail Lastly Lay up your stock for Faith conveniently that you may reach a word when you need it most Ah that you would be wise Ask your heart at night what you have done that day in this point because every night may be your last Therefore secure your Principles walk up to the compass of every duty clear your Evidences keep close Communion with God Look out to growing Evils and fit for them And these is the work of your Generation I say it is your work you may easier make barrs to the Sea and order the Influences of Heaven than call back yesterday Therefore work and pray repent believe get assurances of Heaven to day I say to day and be happy for ever Dear Child 9. I must also invite you to Content in a Low Condition for which you have great furtherance as Mr. Burroughs for Contentment whose Writings are all savory But for my own thoughts they are these That though many write and speak of the Contempt of the World some cloyster up themselves from it yet very few are Masters of this Art which the Apostle himself had been long learning Constitution Age Experience Parts Afflictions Fulness Honor Glory will
about God before they change about his Waies I could be very large in this accounting it my very great Mercie that temptation never led me from that Honest Old Godly Puritane Profession of the everlasting truths of the Gospel Secondly Inquire whether they have been carried more to God and Holiness since their change For that which comes from God will carry us to God but if onely to Pride Censuring Libertinisme c. you know what to make of it Beware of Leaven of the Pharises Christ saies for Leaven will sowre the Dough will swell it will harden it and these you meet with in mens spirits leavened with Error Where men once leave the Rule there will be no end of their running till they come to Atheism Therfore stand in awe of God and fear him alwaies Hold to the Word as to Life Question not Truths Look to your Company Value the meanest Ordinance You will need all Be very low and humble before the Lord and Grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3 18. My dear Child 24. And because the first Child that appears in view of this Jesabel the Mother of Mischief Errour so called by John Rev. 2.20 is about the Sabbath either wholly slighting it or counting it Jewish or our day not the right day not the Seventh yea that every day is a Sabbath with the like I mean besides all such as profanely look upon it as a day of Sport Pleasure and Vanity I think it my duty to Charge you as ever you mean or hope to enjoy that everlasting Rest hereafter that you would value the Sabbath Read Dod and others about it I do not remember that I have ever met with a truly Godly gracious soul that lived above or beyond this The first Commandment sets up the true God The second his Worship according to his own will The third his Reverence and Honour and The fourth Time the seventh part of Time for him is holy Time Works of Necessity and Charity not crossing that Holiness I say the seventh part of Time because it is Night in one place when Day in another which Time begins at the Evening as Time is distinguished into Daies Gen. 1. And though the Questions about the Sabbath and Baptism breed much Dispute in the World yet we must Study to know Gods Will in both I must say more to you Where the Sabbath is at an undervallue in any Country say it be France Holland Germany c. there you shall find Religion low and at best wasting it self into Disputes But know that England which is most famous for Religion got it from the Sabbaths upon which day the Lord is pleased as Princes by their Almoners to give out his Gifts and Craces to the sons of men I was a witness that Middleburgh in Zealand grew famous for Religion by Teeling their Preacher fetching the keeping of the Sabbath from England Certainly the Fourth Commandment is the Key to all the rest for how shall the rest be practised if not taught and how taught if not time allowed and what time more likely to carry a Blessing than Gods Appointment It were as good to take down Ministry and all Ordinances as to take down the Sabbath The wonders of God have born witness as Burton and others write against the Breakers of it Wherefore look well about you Isa. 58.13 Love the Lord in his Sabbaths as you would have rest hereafter Look to this Rest here and remember the Sabbath that is Prepare for it all the week long especially the Evening before The Jewes had two Preparations to the Sabbath at Three and Six Do you keep on and gather home all Affections to wait upon the Work and let the day be dear to you The God of Sabbath be yours dear Child 25. The Premises considered I should a little open what I mean by Free Grace to which I send you so often for succour in Cases and truly it hath been much spoken of and as much abused as if men from thence might take leave for any evil and on the other hand also filth cast upon men that have labour'd to hold it forth for which Dr. Crisp suffered also and some of that mind who meant faithfully to the Church of Christ and have written much for the abasement of the Creature and lifting up Grace I wish we may judge right judgement of all men and things But a little Practically to cast in something to profit you The Grace so spoken of should mainly be minded as the Root and Fruits of the New Covenant Jer. 31. and that in Hos. 2. 19 20 c. Which you will find lie upon two-Parties Christ and the poor Believer and Christ to be considered in a double Act of his First In his loving or rather manifesting his love in time to the soul And Secondly In passing over that Right he hath in himself to the believing soul Answerable whereunto the soul first from Christs love is warm'd to love again and from his bounty in his second Act turns over all the soul hath to the Lord Jesus Christ whether Name Estate Wit Parts yea all its Interests Now Christ thus loving the soul and giving himself upon no Meritorious or procuring Cause on the souls side is called Free Grace indeed when the Father shall freely give his Son and the Son freely his Heart-blood and the Spirit freely all its operations and make a free Covenant of grace and mercy to pardon all sin to receive a sinner into his bosom without money or price nay not to offer any thing of his own either Duty or Righteousness Isa. 55.1 this call Free Grace though when Christ comes to manifest this he by the Law gets Parly with the sinner he means to save by some uncouth waies and often very cross to flesh and blood which makes the work hard to judge of at first yet be assured that the whole work will be Free in the Whole Frame of it But because this point is of such singular concernment and that I have formerly delighted to speak to others touching the same and would have the comfort of it my self I shall let you know what I know about the order of the working hereof that you mistake not 26. And in the letting you in this Light to give you the summe of true practical Divinity and therefore observe with diligence That when a discovery is made of this Love to the sinner the Lord Jesus makes a double approach to the soul the first is by the Law where he takes three steps And first by the Law he stops the sinner in his course and makes him to see sin in the very nature of it not in the Hell onely and consequence but in that it separates the soul from the greatest good Romans 7.7 And Secondly makes the soul bear the burden and weight of it which makes David himself cry out often and so others It pincheth hard where sin hath got time and strength c. Thirdly it lets