would eye Christ in his Offices particularly as the great Prophet who can teach as never man taught so teach as to make the soul receive the doctrine and to hold it fast to receive it in love and lay it up in the heart as a rich and enriching treasure 4. They would eye him in his relations unto his people as their Head Husband Brother Leader Commander Captaine c. for those give ground of approaching unto Him with confidence in the day of darknesse and mists for light and direction and for strength and courage in the day of temptation and give ground of hope of helpe in that day of tryal and difficulty 5. They would eye and act faith upon the promises of assistance and through bearing in the day of calamity such as those Esa. 43 2. when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thow walkest through the fire thou shall noâ—… be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee And Esai 41 13. for I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee feare not I will helpe thee and particularly they would eye the promises oâ—… light in the daâ—… of darknesse See Esai 58 8 10. 60 20. 2 Sam. â—…2 29. 6. They would look on Christ as an exalted conquerour now risen and glorified as a victorious captaine that hath fought and overcome that they as his followers may be made partakers of his victory and conquest and so reape the fruit of his resurrection and ascension in their establishment in the truth when it is borne down and questioned yea and condemned by men He abode stedfast and unmoveable in the midst of all the stormes that blew in his face and as He came to bear witnesse to the truth so did He faithfully and zealously avow truth even to the death and in death got the victory of the Arch liar and deceiver Now the beleever would eye this for the strengthening of his faith and hope of victory also through Him and therefore would waite patiently for his help and not make haste for they who beleeve make not haste Esa. 28 16. knowing that He is true and faithful and will not disappoint his followers that trust in Him And moreover it would be of advantage to them in this case to eye that gracious and comfortable word Iohn 14 19 because I live you shall live also and so by faith conclude that seing Christ now liveth as a conquerour over darknesse untruth reproaches calumnies and opposition of liars yea of the father of lies they through Him shall also live and ride out that storme and this will give much courage to the soul to endure temptation and to waite in patience for an outgate 7. They would study much and suck at the grand promise of his coming againe and of finally dispelling all clouds and of fully clearing up his glorious truths that are now covered over with obloquie and buryed under reproaches and this will encourage the soul to stand to truth in the midst of all opposition beleeving that at length truth how much soever opposed now shall be victorious 8. They should be single in their dependence on Him for strength and throwbearing in that day of tryal not leaning to their own understanding but acknowledging Him in all their wayes Prov. 3 6. and when they see no hope of outgate in the world nor appearance of the clearing up of the day they would comfort themselvs and encourage themselves in the Lord as David did in a great straite 1 Sam 30 6. 9. Upon the forementioned grounds they would cast all the care of their throughbearing on Him who careth for them 1 Pet. 5 7. rolling all their difficulties on Him consulting only with Him his Word and not with flesh and blood and so they would commit their wayes to Him who disposeth of all things as He seeth good forbearing to limite the holy one of Israel or to quarrel with Him for any thing he doth and patiently wait for his out-gate and delivery 10. It were good in this time of tryal to be remembring the worth of truth and intertaining high thoughts of the smallest piece of truth that is questioned for his sake who is the Truth that a sight of the glorious worth thereof may make them account the lesse of all they can lose in the defence and maintenance thereof 11. So were it good at this time when truthes come to be questioned to be lying neare to the Truth for light and to be keeping fast what He by his Spirit cleareth up to be truth though the light should not be so full as to dispel all objections This were to depend upon Him for light with singlenesse of heart and in godly simplicity and sincerity to follow his direction and torch though it should not shine so bright as they would wish Cautions A few words of caution will be usefull here also as 1. The beleever though taking this course would not think to be altogether free of fear of stepping aside in lesse or in more God may think good to let much of this abide to the end he may be keeped watchfull tender and diligent for fear maketh the soul circumspect and watchfull and this is a good preservative from defection 2. Nor would the beleever think that hereby he shall be keeped altogether free of fainting The heart now and then through fear and misbeleef may fall into a fit of fainting and think all is gone and yet He may carry poor souls thorow and make his strength perfect in their weaknesse 2 Cor. 12 9. That when they are supported and carryed through the temptation they may sing praise to Him and not ascribe any thing to themselves remembring how often they were fâ—…inting and almost giving over the cause as desperate and hopelesse 3. They would not think it strange if in the time of their wreastling with difficultyes the Lord hide his face from them and give them not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him in prayer that sometimes they have met with for the Lord may see it fit to put them to this point of tryall among the rest to see if the love of his glory and truth will keep them standing when they want the encouragements that might be expected in that way and if pure conscience to the command and authority of God will keep from siding with an evil way when the soul is destitute of all sensible encouragement both from within and from without 4. In all this businesse beleevers would carry singly with an eye to God's glory and would not be acted with self-ends or drawn by carnal and selfy motives They would not desire stability and through bearing to be seen of men or to gaine applause and the praise of Men lest God be provoked to leave them to themselves and they at length come off with discredit as Peter did Therefore they would strive against these carnal
him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath which is so plain that to many of these pleaders for this new way and their prosâ—…lyts in the righteous judgement of God it happeneth according to the true proverb the dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire It cannot escape thy observation how busie Satan is this day upon the one hand to keep men under the call of the Gospel to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure idle all the day so that no perswasion can enduce them to engage seriously to fall about a working out their own salvation in feare and trembling and on the other equally diligent and industrious to divert men from trusting in the name of the Lord and staying upon their God seting them on work to go and gather fewel and kindle a fire and compasse themselves about with sparks that they may walk in the light of their own fire and in the sparks that they have kindled knowing well that they shall this way most certainly lose their toil and travel and have no other reward at his hand of all their labour but to ly down in everlasting sorrow while the stout hearted and far from righteousnesse and salvation shall get their soul for a prey and be made to rejoyce in his salvation and blesse him who hath made them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light It is fit therefore in order to thy own establishment in the present truth and that thou mayest so work that thy labour be not in vaine but God may accept thy works often to think and seriously to consider in thy own soul what that Gospel holinesse is and what these men substitute in the place of it that thou may choice the perfect and pleasant way of Gospel holinesse and exercise thy self to that godlinesse which is profitable for all things haveing the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come I am neither the fit person for so great an undertaking nor do these limits within which I must bound my self permit me to expatiat in many notions about the nature of this excellent and precious thing true Gospel holinesse Oh if in the entry I could on my own behalfe and others sob out my Alas from the bottome of my soul because be what it will it is some other thing then men take it to be few habituat themselves to a thinking upon it in its high nature and soul enriching advantages till their hearts receive suteable impressions of it and their lives be the very transumpt of the law of God written in their heart the thing Alas is lost in a noise of words and heap of notions about it neither is it a wonder that men fal into mistakes about it since it is onely the heart possessed of it that is capable to understand perceive its true excellency But if it be asked what it is we say it may be shortly taken up as the elevation and raising up of a poor mortal unto a conformity with God As a participation of the divine nature or as the very image of God stamped on the soul impressed on the thoughts affections and expressed in the life and conversation so that the man in whom Christ is formed and in whom he dwells lives and walks hath while upon the earth a conversation in heaven not only in opposition to those many whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who minde earthly things but also to these pretenders unto personaters of religion who have confidence in the flesh Worship God with their own Spirit which in the matters of God is flesh and not Spirit and have somewhat else to rejoyce in then in Christ Jesus and a being found in him not having their own righteousnesse True Gospel holinesse then consists in some similitude and likenesse to God and fellowship with him founded upon that likenesse there is such an impression of God his glorious attributes his infinit Power Majesty Mercy Justice Wisdom Holinesse and Grace c. As sets him up all alone in the soul without any competition and produceth those real apprehensions of him that he is alone excellent and matchlesse O how preferable doth he appeare when indeed seen to all things And how doth this light of his infinit gloriousnesse shineing into the soul darken abscure to an invisiblenesse all other excellencies even as the riseing of the sun makes all the lesser lights to disappear Alas how is God unknown in his glorious being and attribute When once the Lord enters the soul and shines into the heart it is like the riseing of the sun at midnight all these things which formerly pretended to some lovelinesse and did dazil with their lustre are eternally darkened now all natural perfections and moral vertues in their flowr and perfections are at best looked upon as aliquid nihil what things were formerly accounted gaine and godlinesse are now counted losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord and the soul cannot onely suffer the losse of them all without a sob but be satisfied to throw them away as dung that it may win him and be found in him Now the wonder of a Deity in his greatnesse power and grace swallowes up the soul in sweet admiration O how doth it love to lose it self in finding here what it cannot fathome And then it begins truely to see the greatnesse and evil of sin then it is looked upon without the covering of pleasure or profit and loathed as the leprosy of hell Now the man is truely like God in the knowledge of good and evil in the knowledge of that one infinit good God to the knowledge of that one almost infinit evil sin This is the first point of likenesse to him to be conformed to him in our understanding that as he knowes himself to be the onely self being and fountain good and all created things in their flour and perfection with all their real or fancied conveniencies being compared with him but as the drop of a bucket the small dust of the ballance or nothing yea lesse then nothing vanity which is nothing blown up by the force or forgery of a vainly working imagination to the consistence of an appearance so for a soul to know indeed and beleeve in the heart that there is nothing deserves the name of good besides God to have the same superlative and transcâ—…dent thoughts of that great and glorious self being God and the same diminishing and debaseing thought â—…o all things beings besides him And that as the Lord seeth no evil in the creation but sin and hates that with a perfect hatred as contrary to his holy will so for a soul to aggravat sin in its own sight to an infinitnesse of evil at least till it see it onely
this for â—… time to try thy Seriousnesse Patience Submission and Faith and to sharpen thy diligence and kindle up thy Zeal And should we not submit to his wise dispensations 5. How can thou say that thou gainest no advantage as long as thou are not made to lay aside the matter wholly as hoplesse of any good issue but on the contrary art helped to stand and to resist sin to cry out against it to fight as thou canst and at least not to yeeld 6. What if God see it for thy advantage that thou be keeped so in exercise for a time to the end thou may be keeped Humble Watchfull and Diligent He may see more of thee than thou canst see of thy self and so may know what is best for thee and should thou not condescend to be disposed of by Him as He will and to let Him make of thee and do with thee what He will 7. What if God be about to chasten thee thus for thy former Negligence Securâ—…y and Unwatchfulnesse and giving too too much advantage to those lusts which now after his awakening of thee thou would be delivered from Should not thou bear the indignation of the Lord because thou hast sinned against Him as the Church resolved to do Micah 7 9. 8. Is it not thy duty the more that corruption stirre to run with it the oftner to Christ that He may subdue it and put it to silence May not thou improve this to advantage by making many errands to Him 9. May it not come in a day that hath not come in a year Art thou sure that all thy paines shall be in vaine Or thinks thou that all his children have goâ—…e victory alike soon over their lusts What cause is there then to complaine thus 10. May not all this convince thee that it is thy duty to waite on Him in the use of his appointed meanes and to be patient standing fast to thy post resolving when thou hast done all yet to stand 11. May not this satisfy thee that God through grace accepteth thy labour and wreastling as thy duty and accounteth it service to Him and obedience But againe it may possibly be Objected thus So long as I am in this condition keept 〈◊〉 under with my lusts I cannot get God glorified and served as He ought to be I answer Though so long as it is so with theeâ—… thou cannot glorifie and serve Him in such a particular manner as others who have gote more victory over those evils under which thou art groaning yet God can get glory and service of thee another way as 1. By thy Submission with calmnesse of spirit to his wise dispensations when thou dar not speak against Him and say with Rebecca in another case if it be so why am I thus But sweetly and willingly casts thy self downe at his feet saying good is the will of the Lord let Him do what seemeth Him good c. 2. By thy Patient onwaiting when thou are not wearying nor fainting but saying why should I not waite upon the great king's leasure Is He not free to come when He will Dar I set limites to the holy one of Israel 3. By thy Humility when thou blesseth Him for keeping thee so long out of hell and thinketh much of his giving thee grace to see and observe the stirrings of corruption which carnall wreatches never perceive and helping thee to withstand and complean of corruption which they sweetly comply with 4. By thy Hatred of sin when all that Satan can do cannot make thee comply with those lusts or sweetly imbrace those vipers or lye down in peace with those rotten members of the old man as others do 5. By thy Watchfulnesse when all thy disappointments cause thee the more earnestly watâ—… against that enemy 6. By thy Acting faith when still thou art carrying sin in its lusts to Christ to kill and subdue as beleeving the tenour of the gospell and 〈◊〉 covenant 7. By thy Hope which appeareth by thy not despaireing and giving over the matter as a hopelesse businesse and turning aside to wickeâ—… courses 8. By thy Praying when thou cryest to Hâ—… continually for help who only can help 9. By thy Wreastling and standing against all opposition for thereby is his strength made perfect in weaknesse 2. Cor. 12 9. 10. By thine Obedience For it is his command that thou stand and fight this good fight of faith So that if thou hast a desire to glorify Him thâ—… wants not occasion to do it even in this condition wherein thou complainest that thou cannot gâ—… Him glorified And if those grounds do not satisfie thee It is to be feared that it is not so much â—… desire to glorifie Him that moveth thee to â—…y so earnestly for actuall delivery from the trouble of the flesh and the lusts thereof aâ—… some thing else which thou may search after and finde out such as love to ease quietness applause and commendation of others or the like But in the Third place it may be objected Is it not promised that sinne shall not have dominion over us as not being under the law but under grace Rom. 6 14. How can we then but be troubled when we finde not this promise made good I Answere 1. Sin is not alwayes victorious and domineering when it seemeth to rage and stirre most your opposition thereunto fighting and wreastling against it sheweth that it hath not full dominion So long as an invadeing â—…rper 〈◊〉 opposed he hath not full dominion not having peaceable possession of what he is seeking â—…d thus the promise is in paâ—…t accomplished 2. Victory and a full conquest over the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the lusts thereof is not promised to any beleever at his first appearing in the fields to fight nor granted to all in any measure at their first puttiâ—… on their armour 3. Therefore it is thy part to fight on and waite for that full victory viz that sin shall not have dominion over thee for it shall come in due time 4. God hath his own time and seasons wherein he accomplisheth his promises And we must leave Him a latitude both as to the time when and as to the manner how and as to the degree in which He shall make good his promises and He is wiâ—…e in his dispensations Therefore though the promise as yet appeareth not to be accomplished there is no true cause of trouble of minde because it shall be afterward fully accomplished and thy wreastling against sin sayeth that it is in a great measure accomplished already because where it hath a full dominion it suppresseth all opposition or contradiction except some faint resistence which a naturall conscience for carnall ends on carnall principles grounds may now or then make against this or that particular corruption which occasioneth shame disgrace losse challenges of a carnall conscience and disquietnesse that way when yet it is not hated nor wreastled against as sin or as a member of the old man
the gracious workings of the gospel grace of God upon their hearts and so are in case as having this witness within them to give verdict against those assertions yea moe and many moe than were in several ages before yet Satan should become so bold as to vent these desperate opinions so diametrically opposite to the Grace of God declared in the Gospel and ingraven in the Hearts of many hundereds by the finger of God confirming in the most undoubted manner the truth of the gospel doctrines This would seem to say that there are such clear sun shine dayes of the Gospel and of the Son of man a coming and who can tell how soon this night shall be at an end that all these doctrines of nature shall receive a more conspicuous and shameful dash than they have received for these many ages Hithertil when Satan raised up and sent forth his qualified instruments for this desperat work God alwayes prepared carpenters to fright these horns and thus Gospel truth came forth as gold out of a furnace more clear and shineing And who can tell but there may be a dispensation of the pure grace of God in opposition to these perverting wayes of Satan yet to come that as to the measure of light and power shall excell whatever hath been siace the Apostles dayes Even so come Lord Iesus However Madam the Grace of God will be what it is to all the chosen and ransomed ones They will finde that in it which will make whatever cometh in competition therewith or would darken it contemptible in their eyes And happy they of whom in this day wherein darkness covereth the earth and grosse darkness the people it may be said the Lord hath arisen upon them and his glory hath been seen upon them for whatever others whose understanding is yet darkned and they alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts imagine of the Gospel Grace and however they discerne nothing of the heavenly and spiritual glory of the Grace of God yet they being delivered or cast into the form and mould of the doctrine of the Gospel which they have obeyed from the heart through the powerful and irresistible efficacy of the mighty grace of God have seen such an allureing excellency in 〈◊〉 gracious contrivance of infinite wisdome to set forth the unparallelableness of the pure grace of God and are dayly seeing more and more of the graciousness wisdome of that heavenly invention in its adeqâ—…at sâ—…teablness to all their necessities that as they cannot but admire and commend the riches of that grace that interlineth every sentence of the gospel and the greatness of that love that hath made such a compleatly broad plaster to cover all their sores and wounds so the longer they live and the more they drink of this pure fountain of heavenly nectar and the more their necessities presse them to a taking on of new obligations because of new supplies from this ocean of grace the more they are made to admire the Wisdom Goodness of the Author and the more they are made to fall in love with to delightâ—… and lose themselves in the thoughts of this incomprehensible grace of God yea and to longe to be there where they shall be in better case to contemplate and have more wit to wonder at and better dexterity to prize a stronger head to muse upon and a more enlarged heart to praise for this boundless and endless treasure of the Grace of God with which they are enriched through Jesus Christ. Sure if we be not thus enamoured ravished with it it is because we are yet standing without or at most upon the threshold border of this Grace were we once goto within the jurisdiction of grace and had yeelded up ourselves unto the power thereof and were living and breathing in this aire O! how sweet a life might we have What a kindly â—…lement would Grace be to us As sin had reigned unto death even so grace should reigne through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5 21. Grace reigning within us thâ—…ough righteousness would frame fit our souls for that eternal life that is ensured to all who come once under the commanding enlivening strengthening confirming corroborating and perfecting power of Grace and seeking grace for grace and so living and walking and spending upon Grace's cost and charges O how lively and thriveing proficients might we be The more we spent of grace if it could be spent the richer should we be in grace O what an enriching trade must it be to trade with free Grace where there is no losse and all is gaine the stock and gaine and all is ensured yea more labouring in Grace's field would bring us in Isaack's blessing an hundered fold But Alas it is one thing to talk of Grace but a far other thing to trade with Grace When we are so great strangers unto the life of grace through not breathing in the aire of grace how can the name of the Lord Iesus Christ be glorifyed in us and we in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thes. 1 12 Consider we what an affront and indignity it is unto the Lord dispenfator of Grace that we look so leane and ill favoured as if there were not enough of the fatning bread of the grace of God in our Fathers house or as if the great Steward who is full of grace and truth were unwilling to bestow it upon us or grudged us of our allowance when the fault is in ourselves we will not follow the course that Wise Grace and Gracious Wisdome hath prescribed we will not open our mouth wide that He might fill us nor goe to Him with our narrowed or closed mouthes that Grace might make way for grace and widen the mouth for receiving of more grace but lye by in our leanness and weakness and alas we love too will to be so O but grace be ill wared on us who cary so unworthily with it as we do yet it is well with the gracious soul that he is under grace's Tutory and care for Grace will care for him when he careth not much for it nor yet seeth well to his owne welfare Grace can will prevent yea must prevent afterward as well as at the first that Grace may be Grace and appear to be Grace and continue unchangeably to be Grace and so free Grace Well is it with the Beleever whom grace hath once taken by the heart and brought within the bond of the Covenant of Grace its deadest condition is not desperat when corruption prevaileth to such an hight that the man is given over for dead there being no sense no motion no warmth no breath almost to be observed yet Grace when violently constrained by that strong distemper to retire to a secret corner of the soul there to lurk and
lye quiet will yet at length through the quickening revivâ—…ing infâ—…uences of Grace promised in the Covenant granted in the Lords good time come out of its prison take the fields recover the impire of the soul and then the dry withered stocks when the God of all grace will be as the dew unto Israel shall blossome and grow as the lilie and cast forth his roots as lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the olive tree and his smell as lebanon It is a happy thing either for Church or particular soul to be planted in Gâ—…ace's 〈◊〉 soyl they lye open to the warm beames of the sun of righteousness and though winter blasts may be sharpe and long clouds may intercept the heat and nipping frosts may cause a sad decay and all the sap may returne and lye as it were dormant in the root yet the winter will passe the raine will be over and gone and the flowers will appear on the earth the time of the singing of birds will come and the voice of the turtle will be heard in the land then shall even the wilderness and solitary place be glade and the desert shall rejoice and blossome as the rose it shall blossome abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God We wonder that it is not alwayes hote summer dayes a flourishing and fruitful season with Souls and with Churches But know we the thoughts of the Lord See we to the bottom of the deep contrivances of infinite wisdom Know we the usefulness yea necessity of long winter nights stormy blasts hail raine snow and frost Consider we that our state and condition while here calleth for those vicissitudes and requireth the blowing of the north as well as of the south windes If we considered how Grace had ordered all things for our best and most for the glory and exaltation of Grace we would sit down and sing under the sadest of dispensations and living by faith and hope we would rejoyce in the confident expectation of a gracious outgate for as long as Grace predomineth and that will be untill Glory take the Empire all will run in the channel of grace and though now sense which is oft faiths unfaithful friend will be alwayes suggesting false tales of God and of His Grace unto unbeliefe and raising thereby discontents doubts feares jealousies and many distempers in the soul to its prejudice and hâ—…rt yet in end Grace shall be seen to be Grace and the faithful shall get such a full sight of this manifold Grace as ordering tempering timeing shortening or continueing of all the sad and dismal dayes and seasons that have passed over their own or their Mothers head that they shall see that Grace did order all yea every circumstance of all the various tossings changes ups downs that they did meet with And O what a satisfying sight will that be when the general assembly and Church of the first borne which are enrolled in heaven and every individual saint shall come together and take a view of all their experiences the result of which shall be Grace began Grace carryed on and Grace hath perfected all Grace was at the bottome of all and Grace crowned all What shoutings Grace Grace unto it will be there when the head stone shall be brought forth What soul satisfying complacency in admiration at all that is past will a back look â—…hereat yeeld when every one shall be made to say Grace hath done all well not a pin of all the work of Grace in and about me might have been wanted now I see that the work of God is perfect Grace was glorious Grace and wise Grace whatever I thought of it then O what a fool have I been in quarrelling at and in not being fully satisfied with all that Grace was doing with me O how little is this beleeved now In confidence Madam that your La to me no wayes known but by a savoury report shall accept of this bold address I recommend your La my very noble Lord your Husband and off spring to the word of His grace and subscribe my self Your and Their Servant in the Gospel of the Grace of God JOHN BROWN Christian Reader IF thou answer this designation and art really a partaker of the Unction which is the high import of that blessed and glorious name called upon thee thine eye must affect thy heart and â—… soul swelled with Godly sorrow must at last burst and bleed forth at a weeping eye while thou looks upon most of this licentious and loathsome generation arrived at that hâ—…ight of prodigious profanity as to glory in their shame and boast of bearing the very badge and blake marke of damnation but besides this swarme who savage it to hâ—…ll and make such hast thiâ—…her as they foame themselves into everlasting flames carrying under the shape and visage of men as Devils in disguise The face of the Church is covered with a scâ—…me of such who are so immersed in the concerns of this life and are so intense in the pursute of the pleasures gaine and honours thereof as their way doth manifestly witnesse them to be sunk into the deep oblivion of God and desperat inconsideration of their precious and immortal souls But in the 3. place besides these who are hurried into such a distraction with the cares of this life that they as natural brute beasts made to be taken and dâ—…stroyed are never at leasure to consider either the nature and necessitie of their noble souls or to converse with the notion of a Deitie Thou may perceive a company of self deceiving speculatists who make broad the phylacteries of their garments and boast of some high attainements in religion yea would have others look upon them as arrived at the very porch of heaven and advanced to a high pitch of proficiency in the wayes of God because they can discourse a little of the mysteries of salvation and without ever diveing further into the depth and true nature of Religion dream themselves into a confidence of being saints and conclude themselves Candidats for glory This is that heart-moveing object which presents itself to thy eye observation this day this is that deplorable posture wherein thou mayst perceive most men at the very point of perishing eternally who are within the pale of the visible Church some danceing themselves headlong in all hast into the lake of fire and brimstone some so much concerned in things which have no connexion with their happiness as to drop inconcernedly into the pit out of which there is no redemption and others dreaming themselvs into endlesse perdition all of them unite in a deriding at or despiseing the means used essays made in order to their recovery Now while Religion which is the beautie of the soul
and the basis of mans blessednesse advanceing him both to a conformity to God and qualifying him for the fruition of Him by the generality of those called to be saints that they may be haved is not onely upon deliberation and choice laid aside as having nothing in it to recommend and endeare it to the souls of men but hated floured fled from and forsaken as if it came on purpose to marre mens tranquillity and torment them before the time While I say it is thus some faithful Servants who make conscience to carry on His work who came to destroy the works of the Devil and went about while in the world healing all that were oppressed of him set themselves to pray preach and perswad the things concerning the Kingdome of God yea to write and warne and weep men into a compliance with their own happipinesse they endeavour solicitously to informe mens minds that they may reforme their manners and rescue them with feare who are runing upon their own ruine but alas with so little successe that they doe the work of the Lord with grief and have much sorrow of those of whom they ought to have joy and after all their beseechings obtestings requestings and cryings this is the way walke yee in it turne you turne oh why will you dye have this as the last returne to all their importunities Nay there is no hope speake no more to us of that matter do not offer to perswade us to relinquish the old road or disswade us from following our lovers for when ye have done all after these we will go we resolve to abide what we have been children of imperswasion But if his Servants in following their work closly seem to have gained a little ground upon men and almost perswaded them to be Christians Satan to the end he may make all miscarry and counter worke these workers together with God and poison poor souls by a perversion of the Gospel beyond the power of an antidot hath raised up instigat and set on work a race of proud Rationalists for they are wiser then to classe themselves amongst those poor fools those base things those nothings to whom Christ is made all things to whom Christ is made wisdome that he may be righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to them nay they must be wise men after the flesh wise above what is written a crucified Christ is really unto them foolishnesse and weaknesse though the power of God and the wisdome of God they will needs go to work another way they will needs glory in his presence and have a heaven of their own hand-wind O my soul enter not into their secrets and O sweet Jesus let thy name be to me the Lord my righteousness thou hast wone it weare it and gather not my soul with such who make mention of any other righteousness but of thine onely to bring-in another Gospel amongst men then the Gospel of the grace of God as they determine to know some other thing then Christ and him crucified so with the inticeing words of mans wisdom they bewitch men into a disobedience to the truth setting somewhat else before them then a crucified Christ And this they do that they may remove men from those who call them into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel A Christ it is true they speake of but it is not the Christ of God for all they drive at O cursed and truely Antichristian designe is that he may profite them nothing while they model all Religion according to this novel project of their magnified morality This is that which gives both life and lustre to that image they adore to the Dagon after whom they would have the world wonder and Worship That there is such a moralizeing or muddizeing if I may be for once admitted to coine a new word to give these men their due of Christianity now introduced and comeing in fashion many of the late pieces in request do evince Now that Christianity should moralize men above all things I both give and grante for he who is partaker of the divine nature and hath obtained precious faith must adde vertue to his faith But that it should be only conceived and conceited as an elevation of nature to a more cleare light in the matter of morality wherein our Lord is onely respected as an heavenly teacher and perfect paterne proposed for imitation is but a proud pleasing fansie of self conceited darkened and deluded dreamers robing God of the glory of his mercy and goodnesse our Lord Jesus Christ of the glory of his grace and merit The Spirit of the efficacy of his glorious and mighty operations and themselves and their pilgrimes who give them the hand as guids of the comfort and frute of all This is the pilgrimage we are perswaded to undertake to the holy Land this is that reasonablenesse of Christianitie which with great swelling words of vanitie is ventilat to the allureing and ensnareing of such who had almost escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust and the pollutions of the flesh through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ This is the way which they who undertake to publish to the world the true causes of the decay of pietie take to revive and introduce that pietie which they complain is wanting O impious invention not only encroaching upon the unsearchable mysterie of the Gospel but subversive of the whole method and blessed and beautiful contrivance of salvation and rendering salvation impossible to the greatest proficients in this studie and the grand patrons and practitioners in this new art the greatest opposers of that grace of God which bâ—…ingeth salvation unto all men It is true they will not plainly plead for profanitie Nay they may and do make a great noise about the practise of pietie as if they were the only patrons thereof that with lesse observation and greater facility they may beguile themselves and their followers of the reward they may possibly perswade even to a pinching of the body that they may puffe up and pamper their fleshly minde and while they overdrive men to the practise of will worship and performance of those things which have a shew of wisdome it is that they may withdraw them from holding that blessed head from which all the body by joints bands having nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the encrease of God yet the grace of God that onely liveing principle of all true pietie which they dispute out of the souls of men that they may debauch them into a contempt of the Spirits working in men to will and to do takes frequent vengance on this their invention by leaving them not onely to play the Devil in disguise that they may be known by their fruits but also to lay aside that garbe of external godlinesse for the Devil nor his Domesticks cannot long weare a strait doublet that it may appeare how it is verified in them from
commanded duties are full measure heaped up shaken together and runing over And though he who hath much hath nothing over yet he 〈◊〉 hath little hath no inlâ—…ke for he abounds towards us in 〈◊〉 wisdome I say therefore againe unto thee take heart let not thine hands fall down essay nothing thou would have well done or easily done in thine own strength but yet how difficult so ever the duty be approach it as haveing no confidence in the flesh but with an eye to thy stocâ—… that rich store house of all furniture and it shall be with thee as it was with the priests before whom jordan recoiled so soon as their foot entered within the 〈◊〉 God shall make thy difficulties evanish and by the 〈◊〉 the Spirit of power and might from Jesus Christ depended upon shall so strengthen thee that thy duty is made easy to admiration and becomes the delight of thy souli 〈◊〉 I have exceeded the just limits of an Epistle pray for the continuance of the life of the Author who by his assiduous working for Christ hath been often neir unto death not reguarding his own life to supply the lake of other meus service 〈◊〉 the interest Church of God let him be comforted for this piece of travel undertaken for thy soul's mâ—…erest by hearing thou dost improve it to thy advantage for which it is so exactly calculat And withall I beg thy fervent earnest intercessions for grace more grace to him who is Thy poor yet souls well wisher and servant for Christ's sake R. Mc. W. The Author to the Reader Christian Reader AFter the foregoing adress I need not put thee to much more trouble only I shall say That he must needs be a great stranger in our Israel or sadly smitten with that epidemick plague of indifferency which hath infected many of this Generation to a benumming of them and rendering them insensible and unconcearned in the matters of God and of their own souls and sunck deep into the gulfe of dreadful inconsideration who seeth not or taketh no notice of nor is troubled at the manifest and terrible appearances of the unexpressibly great hazard our all as Christians in this life is this day into I meane the mystery of the Gospel of the grace of God wherein the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus hath been shoune VVe have enjoyed for a considerable time a clear and powerful dispensation hereof in great purity and plenty but Alas is it not manifest to all that will not wilfully shut their eyes that this Mercy and Goodness of God hath been wickedly abused and the pure administration of His Grace Love perfidiously sinned away by this Apostate Generation Are our spots this day the spots of his children Are there fruits answerable to the Lord's paines and labour about us to be seen even among the greatest of Professours Is there that gospel holiness tenderness watchfulness growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that growing up 〈◊〉 Christ in all things that heavenly mindedness that followshipe with the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus and that conversation in heaven that the dispensation of grace we have been favoured with beyond many and have been long living under did call for at our hands Alas our grapes are but wilde and stincking VVherefore and who can think it strange if it be so the Lord seemeth to be about to contend with us by covering our horizon with Egyptian darkness many who would not receive the love of the Truth that they might be saved being already given up to strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie and many moe in hazard to be drawn aside to crooked pathes by men of corrupt mindes who have been and are still busie to vent and spread abroad with no little petulancy and confidence damnable doctrines to the perverting of the doctrine of the Gospel of Iesus Christ and to the subverting and overturning of the very foundations of our Hope Assurance and that in such a way and by such meanes and stratagems as seem to have wrath written upon them in legible letters for the more plausible and taking a corrupt doctrine be it is the more dangerous judgment-like and moe are thereby in hazard to be deluded and drawn away Nay which is yet more terrible and dreadful it is to be feared that the jealous God in his holy and righteous judgment hath given a providential commission to speak so unto the seduceing Spirit to perswade and prevail for is not this the clear language of the present holy and righteous dispensations of God and of the stupenduously indifferent frame and disposition of the generality of men called Christians not only provoking God to spew them out of his mouth but disposeing them also unto a receiving of whatsoever men lying in waite to deceive shall propose and obtrude Alas the clouds are not now a gathering but our horizon is covered over with blakness and great drops are a falling that presage a terrible overflowing deluge of errour and Apostasie from the Truth and Profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ to be at hand if the Lord wonderfully prevent it not And behold O wonderful the generality of Professours are sleeping in security apprehending no danger Satan is more cunning now than to drive men to Popery by rage and cruelty and yet what he may be permitted to do after this manner who can tell or by openly pleading in his emissaries for this abomination and yet even thus is he already prevailing with not a few or to send forth his agents for Arminianisme and Socinianisme though even this way too he is too much prevailing But his maine work now seemeth to be to bring in another Gospel and yet there is not another or rather an Antievangelick and Antichristian delusory dream overturning at once the whole Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and for this end he inployeth the Quakers one the one hand Men of desperat and antievangelick principles the very sinke of all abominations old and late as I shall show if the Lord will continue health and strength in an examination of their doctrine and principles lately emitted by one Robert Barclay and on the other hand Men or Moralists if you will call them so pleading for and crying up an antievangelick holiness a meer shadow without substance or reality and that in place of Christ himself And in order to the carrying on of this desperat designe The old dragon is imploying men of seeming different principles and wayes whom though their faces seem to look to contrary aâ—…rths yet he holdeth notwithstanding fast tyed by their tails as Samson's foxes were that thereby if the Lord permit it he may by the fire of enmity to the pure Gospel of the grace of God burning in their tails cause a conflâ—…gration of that Truth wherein lyeth all our hope for this new model of Religion
Edifying and Satisfying discovery of this Necessary Important Truth viz. Christ made of God to us Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification Redemption and withall Point out plainely particulary the way how Beleevers in all their Particular and various exigéncies maâ—… and should so make use of and apply that all fulness which is treasured up in the Head for the benefite and advantage of the Members of the Mystical body as they may not only theoretically see but practically also experience this truth That in Him they are compleat and so they may be helped to understand how through the necessary constant usemaking of Him as all in all they may grow up in Him in all things If this be I say done by any to better purpose I shall think this my adventure not altogether fruitless in part at least excusable As for thee O Christian whose instruction edification and confirmation in the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints I mainly intended in this undertaking I have a few things to adde knovv then that there are certain men as the Apostle Iude speaketh crept in unawares who were of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ for in these last dayes vve see that these perillous times are come of vvhich Paul advertised Timothy 2 Tim. 3 1. c. vvherein men shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce breakers false accusers or make bates incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitours heady high minded lovers of pleasure morethan lovers of God having the forme of godliness but denying the power thereof for of this sort are they which creep into houses lead captive silly women laden with sinnes led away with diverse lusts ever learning never able to come to the knowledge of the truth And because it is so be exhorted to give deligence to make your Calling Election sure by giving all diligence to adde to faith vertue to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity for if ye do these things ye shall never fall As the Apostle Peter assureth us 2 Pet. 1 5 6 7 10. for itis the Elect vvho are secured from full and final defection and Apostasie Mat. 24 24. Mark 13 22. Rom. 11 5 7. 9 11. 8 33. Mat. 24 31. Mark 13 27. and the promise of Salvation is made to such as shall endure to the end The Crown is for the Overcomers such as are faithful to the death Mat. 10 22. 24 13. Mark 13 1â—… Revel 2 10 11 17 26 27 28. 3 5 1â—… 21. All vvhich and the like are sct dovvne that hereby his people might be rationally moved to a constant seriousness in the working out of their owne Salvation in fear trembling and the forevvarnings given of the great difficulty of reaching the end of our faith the salvation of our souls because of the many Active Vigilant Indefatigable Subtile and Insinuating adversaries who by good words faire speaches vvill readily deceive the hearts of the simple are to avvaken the more His people to be sober vigilant because their Adversary the Devil vvho acteth and moveth his under-agents in their several Modes Methods and Motions so as he may best according to the various Tempers Present Dispositions Advantages or Disadvantages of such as he intendeth to seduce vvhich he carefully studyeth and plyeth for this end obtaine his designed end their ruine and destruction as a roaring lyon walking about seeking whom he may devoure And this calleth them to haste out of their slumber and security lest their Adversary who will be loath to misse his Opportunity surprize them to their great losse and disadvantage It is Beloved high time novv to awake to look about us to consider where we are upon vvhat ground vve stand vvhether the Enemy or we have the advantage hovv and in vvhat Postour vve are to rancontre with deceivers that seek to cheare us of all of our souls and of our Salvation because they vvould cheat us of the Lord our Righteousness and dravv us off the pathes of life that vvhen vve come to die beside the unspe akable great losse vve vvould thereby be at even here in missing the comfortable accestes to God through lesus Christ the inflowings of grace strength for spiritual duty through the Lord our Strength the sweet communications of peace and joy in the holy Ghost the shedings abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the holy Ghost vvhich is given unto us and the full assurance of hope through the Lord Iesus our hope vve might be frustrated of all our expectations and finde that all that vvhich Men made us grip to lay hold on and leane unto in stead of Christ vvas but a meer shadow and a lie in our right hand to the unexpressible griefe vexation and sorrovv of soul vvhen all should end in a dreadful and horrible disappointment But let us not think that our Purposes firme-like Resolutions to adhere to the Truth and our present Abhorrence at and Detestation of errours novv broached to the overturning of the very foundations of true Christianity vvill sufficiently guaird us from and make us proof against the shotes and assaults of these crafty seducers Nor think that our learning and knovvledge in the Theory of the Truth nor our Abilities to rancontre Sophisters vvill secure us from a fall let us not think that the Enemies are contemptible and therefore vve need be the less anxious nor yet think that former experiences throughbearings in the like cases vvill be a pillow vvhereupon vve may novv lay our selves downe to sleep If vve do vve shall certanely deceive ourselves if all our strength standing be in ourselves and through ourselves and if this be the ground of our hope the Righteous Lord in his holy justice may give us up to be a Prey Peters instance should never be forgotten bâ—… us and such as tempt the Lord have no ground to expect his last issue Our strength must be in Christ to the rock of ages must vve flee to our chambers in Him must vve retire and there must vve hide ourselves on Christs lee side can vve only ride salfe and be free of the hazard of the storme To Him therefore must our recourse be dayly by new fresh acts of Faith In and through Him and His Influences communicated according to the tenor of the Covenant of grace through Faith eyeing the Promiser the Promise vvith the Price purchaseing and so dravving and sâ—…king Light Direction Strength Stability and vvhat our present exigent calleth for must vve think to stand and happy they vvho conscious to
cursed is every one that abideth not in all that is written in the law to do it Deut. 27 26. Gal. 3 10. What way this conviction is begun carryed on in the soul and to what a measure it must come I cannot now stand to explaine only in short know That upon whatsoever occasion it be begun whether by a word carryed home to the heart by the finger of God or by some sharpe crossing dispensation feare of approaching death some hainous outbreaking or the like it is a reall thing a heart reaching conviction not generall notionall but particular plaine and pinching affecting the heart with fear terrour making the soul seriously really to minde this matter to be taken up with the thoughts of it and anxiously earnestly to cry out what shall I do to be saved and finally will make the soul willing to hearken hear what hopes of mercy there is in the gospell and to imbrace the way of salvation which is there laid downe And the reason of this is because Christ himself tells us The whole needeth not the phisitian but the sick Mat. 9 12. He is not come to call the righteous that is such as are righteous in their owne eyes but sinners that is such as are no more now whole at the heart as seeing no evill no hazard or danger but pricked pierced with the sence of their lost condition being under the heavy wrath vengeance of the great God because of sin and seeing their owne vilenesse cursednesse wickednesse desperat madnesse Because naturally we hate God Christ Iohn 15 23 24 25. and have a strong naturall antipathy at the way of salvation through Iesus therefore nothing but strong inevitable necessity will drive us to a complyance with this gospell device of love 2. There must be some measure of humiliation under this conviction the man is bowed down and made mute before God no more boasting of his goodnesse of his happy condition no high or great thoughts of his righteousnesse for all are now to be looked on as filthy rags Esai 64 6. what things were as gaine before to the soul must now be counted losse yea and as dung Phil. 3 7 8. The man must be cast downe in himself and far from high and conceity thoughts of himself or of any thing he ever did or can do for the Lord resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam 4 6. 1 Pet. 5 5. He reviveth the Spirit of the humble Esa 57 15. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted Mat. 18 4. 23 12. Luk. 14 11. 18 14. 3. There must be a despaireing of getting help or relief out of this condition by our selves or any thing we can do a conviction of the unprofitablenesse of all things under the sun for our reliefe No expectation of help from our supposed good heart good purposes good deeds works of charity many prayers commendation of others sober harmlesse walking or any thing else within us or without us that is not Christ for so long as we have the least hope or expectation of doing our owne businesse without Christ we will never come to Him Our heart hangeth so after the old way of salvation through works that we cannot endure to hear of any other nor can we yeeld to any other could we but have heaven by the way of works we would spare no paines no coast no labour no expences Nay we would put ourselves to much paine torment by whippings cuttings fastings watchings and the like we would not spare our first borne nay we would dig our graves in a rock with our nailes and cut our owne dayes could we but get heaven by this meanes such is our antipathy at the way of salvation through a crucified Christ that we would choose any way but that cost what it would therefore before we can heartyly close with Christ accept of him we must be put from those refuges of lies and see that there is nothing but a disappointment written on them all that all our prayers fastings cryes dutyes reformations sufferings good wishes good deeds c are nothing in his eyes but so many provocations to the eyes of his jealousie and so further causes of our misery 4. There must be a rational deliberate resolute relinquishing of all those things in our selves on which our heart is ready to dote The Man being convinced of the vanity of all things by which he hath been hopeing for salvation must now purpose to loose his grips off them to turn his back upon them to quite them with purpose of heart say to them get you hence as Esa. 30 22. This is to deny our selves which we must do ere we become his disciples Mat. 16. 24. This is to forsake our Fathers house Psal. 45 10. and to pluck out our right eye to cut off our right arme Mat. 5 29 30. This abandoning of all our former false props subterfuges must be resolute over the belly of much opposition within from the carnall naturall inclinations of the heart and of much opposition without from Satan's insnareing suggestions deceitfull temptations It must be a real rational act of the Soul upon solide and through conviction of their unprofitablenesse yea of their dangerousnesse destructivenesse 5. There must be some knowledge of the nature of the gospell covenant and of the way which now God hath chosen whereby to glorifie his grace in the salvation of poor sinners That God Father Son Holy ghost thought good for the glory of free grace and wisdome in a way of Justice mercy to send Jesus Christ to assume mans nature and so become God man in two distinct natures one person for ever to become under the law to undergoe the curse thereof and to die the cursed death of the crosse to satisfie Iustice and to pay the ransome for the redemption of the elect In which undertaking our Lord was a servant Esa. 42 1. 49 6. 52 13. 53 11. Zech. 3 8. Matth. 12 18. and had furniture from God for all his undertaking Esai 42 1. â—…1 1 2. Mat. 12 18. and had a promise of seeing his seed of prolonging his dayes c. Esa. 53 10. 11. Thus there was a covenant of Redemption betwixt God the Mediator and the Mediator undertaking was obliged to performe all that he undertook and accordingly did so for as the Lord laid on him or caused to meet together on him the iniquitie of us all Esa. 53 6. So in due time He bear our griefs and carryed our sorrowes He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him He was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the transgression of his people He made his soul an offering for sin bear the iniquities of his people Pouring out his soul
would be also eyeing Christ by faith as his store house and generall Lord dispensator of all the purchased blessings of the Covenant which he standeth in need of and looking on Christ as standing engadged by office to compleate his work of salvation and to present him with the rest to himself holy without blemish yea and without spote or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes. 5 27. 3. He would by faith gripe to the promises both of the generall stock of grace the new heart heart of flesh and the Spirit to cause us walk in his statutes Ezech. 36 26 27. and of the severall particular acts of grace that he standeth in need of such as that Ier. 30 8. I will cleause them from all their iniquities c. so Ezech. 36 25 Ier. 31 19. as the Church doth Micah 7 9. He will subdue our iniquities c. And so having or gripping these promises we are to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh Spirit and perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7 1. 4. As the beleever would by faith draw out of Christ through the conduite of the promises which are all yea amen in Him 2 Cor. 1. 20. grace strength knowledge courage or what ever his fight in this warfare calleth for to the end he may be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 6 10. So he would by faith roll the weight of the whole work upon Christ and thus cast himself and his care and burden on Him who careth for him 1 Pat. 5 7. Psal. 37 5. 55 22. and so go on in duty without anxiety knowing who beareth the weight of all and who hath undertaken to work both to will and to do according to his good pleasure thus should the work be easie and saife when by faith we roll the burden on Him who is the chosen one fitted for that work and leave it on Him who is our strength patiently waiting for the outgate in hope Thus the beleever makes use of Christ as made of God Sanctification when in the use of meanes appointed eyeing the covenant of grace and the promises thereof and what Christ hath done to Sanctifie and cleanse his prople he rolleth the matter on Him and exspecteth help salvation victory through Him CAUTIONS But least some should be discouraged and think all this in vaine because they perceive no progresse nor grouth in grace for all this but rather corruption as strong and troublesome as ever I would say a few things to them 1. Let them search and try whether their short-coming and disappointment doth not much proceed from this that the matter is not so cleanly cast over on Christ as it should be Is it not too oft found that they goe forth to the battell in their own strength lippening to their owne stock of grace to their own knowledge or to their duties or the like How then can they prosper 2. Let them mourne as they get any discovery of this and guaird hereafter against that corrupt by as of the heart which is still inclining them to an engadgment without the Captane of their salvation and a fighting without the armour of God 3. Let them try and see if in studying holinesse they be not led by corrupt ends and do not more laboure after sanctification that they may be more worthy and the better accepted of God and that they may have quietnesse and peace as to their acceptance with God as if this were any cause matter or condition of their righteousnesse and justification before God then that they may shew their obedience to the command of God 1 Thes. 4 3. Ephes. 2 10. Ioh. 15 16. and expresse their thankfulnesse to Him and glorifie God Mal. 1 6. Mat. 5 16. Iohn 17 10. Ephes. 4 30. and if so they ought to acknowledge Gods goodness in that disappointment seing thereby they see more and more a necessity of laying aside their own righteousness and of betaking themselves to the righteousnesse of Christ and of resting on that alone for peace and acceptance with God 4. They would try and see if their negligence and carelesnesse in watching and in the discharge of duties do not occasion their disappointments shortcomeing God sometimes thinks fit to suffer a lion of corruption to set on them that they may look about them and stand more vigilantly upon their watch tour knowing that they have to do with a vigilant adversary the devil who as a roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5 8. and that they fight not against flesh blood but against Principalities against powers against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Ephes. 6 12. It is not for nought that we are so often commanded to watch Mat. 24 42. 25 13. 26 41. 14 38. Luk. 21 36. Mark 13 33 34 35 37. 1 Cor. 16 13. 1 Thes. 5 6. 1 Pet. 4 7. Col. 4 2. through the want of this we know what â—…efell David and Peter 5. They would try and see whether there be not too much self confidence which occasioned Peter's foule fall God may in justice and mercy suffer corruption to break loose upon such at a time and tread them underfoot to learne them afterward to carry more soberly and to work out their salvation with fear trembling Phil. 2 12. remembering what a Jealous holy God He is with whom they have to do what an adversary they have against them and how weak their owne strength is 6. This would be remembered that one may be growing in grace and advancing in holinesse when to his apprehension he is not going forward from strength to strength but rather going backward It is one thing to have grace and another thing to see that we have grace so it is one thing to be growing in grace and nother thing to see that we are growing in grace Many may question their grouth in grace when their very questioning of it may evince the contrary for they may conclude no grouth but rather a back going because they perceive moe and more violent and strong corruptions and hidden works of darknesse and wickednesse within their souls than ever they did before while as that great discovery sheweth the Increase of their spirituall knowledge and an increase in this is an increase in grace So they may question and doubt of their grouth upon mistakes as thinking corruption alwayes strongest when it makes the greatest stirre noise Or their complaints may flow from a vehement desire they have to have much more sanctification which may cause them overlook many degrees they have advanced or some such thing may occasion their darknesse and complaints yea God may think it fittest for them to the end they may be keeped humble and diligent to be in the dark as to their progresse whereas if they saw what advancement progresse they had made in
self ends and carnal by 〈◊〉 respects lest thereby we marre all 2. It would be carryed on without partiality against all and every one of the lusts and motions of the Old man for if there be a complyance with and a spareing of any one known lust the whole work may be marred they may meet with a disappointment as to the particular lust they aâ—… desireing victory over and the lust they are harbouring though it may seem little may open a door to many stronger and so occasion sad dayes to the man ere he be aware 3. As they would bring the particular lust or lusts unto Christ as chiefe Lord justice so they would alwayes lay the axe to the root of the tree and crave justice against the maine body that yet lieth within the soul and these particular corruptions and affections that are as members of that body of sin should put them in minde of the old man for they should crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5 24. the body and the members these lusts are the lusts of sin or of that Head-sin which hath a law or the force and impulse of a law in the soul and therefore their maine designe would be against this root where lyeth the strength and body of the enemy and which acteth in those members this is the capitall enmity and should be mainely opposed and the following of this course would prove more succesfull than that which many a time we take out nibling at or wreastling against this or that member of the body of death is but of little advantage so long as the maine body of sin the bitter root of wickednesse the carnall minde this innate enmity is miskent and not opposed but on the contrary strick at this we strick at all 4. This would be the beleevers constant work to be crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof to be mortifying their members wherein the members of the old man quarter and lodge Colos. 3 5. to be spiritually minded and to minde the things of the spirit Rom 8 5 6. for this carnall minde is enmity against God Rom. 8 7. and so is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be It is not only an enemy which may be reconciled but enmity in the abstract which never can be reconciled and this enmity will never be idle for it câ—…nnot till it be fully and finally destroyed the flesh is alwayes lusting against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. for they are contrary one to the other So that though to our sense it may sometimes appear as sleeping in regaird that it doth not by some particular lust so molest and perplexe the soul as formerly it did yet it is restlesse and may be more active in another lust and so by changeing weapons upon us deceive us Here then is much spirituall wisdome and vigilancy required when they think they have gotten one lust subdued they must not think the war is at an end but after all their particular victories watch and pray that they enter not into temptation 5. This way of laying the weight of the matter on Christ should and will keep them humble and teach them not to ascribe the glory of any good that is done unto themselves but to give Him all the glory who is jealous of his glory and will not give it to another that the crowne may alone floorish on his head who is the Captane of their salvation and who by his Spirit worketâ—… all their workes in them 6. Nor would this way of carrying the matter to Christ and putting it over on Him cause the beleever become negligent in commanded dutyes reading hearing prayer c. for it is there he must exspect to meet with Christ there must he seek Him and there must he waite for Him and his Spirit to do the work desired for though He hath not limited himself to these meanes so as He cannot or will not any other way helpe yet He hath bound us to them and it is our duty to waite there where He hath commanded us â—…o waite though He should sometime â—…hink good to come another way for the manifestation of the soveraignity of hiâ—… grace 7. Yet while we are about the meanes we would guaird against a leâ—…ning to them lest in stead of getting victory over corruption we be brought more in bondage thereunto another way we must not think that our Prayers or our Hearing or Reading c. will bring downe the body of death or subdue any one corruption for that were but an yeelding to corruption and opening a back door to the carnal minde and to another deadly lust and a beating corruption with a sword of straw This is not to mortifie the deeds of the body through the Spirit but through the flesh and a fleshly weapon will never draw blood of this spirituall wickednesse or old man or of any corrupt lust or affection thereof and yet how many times doth our deceitfull heart by as us thiâ—… way Our work would be as is said to use the ordinances aâ—… meancâ—… whereby we may get the businesse laid on Christ and help from Christ to do the bâ—…sinesse We must go to the meanes with our prisoner to finde Christ there at his court and aâ—…ifes that He may take course with the Traitor 8. In all this there would be a looking to and dependance on Christ for helpe and grace because of our selves as of our selves we can not do this much we cannot complean aright of corruptions nor take them away to Christ not ask for justice against them aâ—… constableâ—… and other officers must carry malefactores to the courts of justice uâ—…on publick charges so Christ will not have us doing or attempting this mâ—…ch on our own charges for He giveth noble allowance 9. In following of this course we would not think alwayes to come speed at the first Sometimes the Lord for the encourageing of his children may give them a speedy hearing and deliver them from the tyranny of some particular lust or other that hath troubled them that for some time at least it shâ—…ll not so trouble them as it did Yet He will not do so alwayes but may think it good to keep them waiting on Him and hanging on his courts for soâ—…e considerable time that He may thereby exercise their Faith Patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Diligencâ—… So that it should not seem strange to us if we be not admitted aâ—… the first and get not our answer at the first cry 10. When the Lord thinketh good to delay the answer to our desires and the execution of justice on the Malefactor Traitour or to deliver us from his tyranny and trouble we would beware of thinking to capitulat with the enemy for our peace and quiet or to enter into a ceâ—…lation of armes with him that is our â—…mity against him should never abate nor should our desire after the mortification and crucifixion of this lust grow lesse
to rejoyce in this that the enemy is already conquered by the Captaine and that we share in his victory and that the very God of peace shall quickly bruise Satan under our feet Rom. 16 20. CHAP. VII How Christ is to be made use of in reference to Growing in grace I Come now to speak a little to the other part of Sanctification which concearneth the change of our nature and frame and is called Vivification or Quickening of the new man of grace which is called the New man as having all its severall members and parts as well as the old man and called New because posteriour to the other and after regeneration is upon the growing hand This duty of growing in grace as it is called 2. Pet. 3. uâ—…t is variously expressed and held forth to us in scripture for it is called an abideing and bringing forth fruit in Christ Iohn 15 5. adding to faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. 2 Pet. 1 5 6 7. a going on to perfection Heb. 7 1. a growing up in Christ in all things Ephes. 4 15. a working out our salvation Phil. 2 12. a perfecting of holinesse 2. Cor. 7 1. a walkeing in newnesse of life Rom. 6 4. a yeelding of our selves unto God as alive from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God Rom. 6 13 18. a bringing forth of fruit unto God Rom. 7 4. a serving in newnesse of spirit Rom. 7 6. a being renewed in the spirit of our mindes and a putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes. 4 23 24. Col. 3 10. and the like some whereof do more immediatly expresse the nature of this change as to the root and some as to the fruit and effects thereof and some the progresse and advancement that is made or to be made therein And all of them point out a speciall piece of work which lieth on all that would see the face of God viz. to be holy gracious and growing in grace This then being a speciall piece of the exercise and dayly work of a Christian and it being certane as some of the places now cited do also affirme that without Christ they cannot get this work either begun oâ—… carryed on the maine difficulty and question is how they are to make use of Christ for this end For answere whereunto though by what we have said in our former discourse it may be easie to gather what is to be said here yet I shall briefly put the Reader in minde of those things as usefull here 1. The Beleever would consider what an ornament this is to the soul to have on this new mâ—…n which is created after the image of God Ephes. 4 23. what an excellency lyeth here to recover thâ—… lost glory holinesse and the image of God and what advantage the soul reapeth hereby when it is made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1 12. and walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Col. 1 10. and strengthened with all might according to his glorious pover unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse vers 11. and when the abounding of the graces of the Spirit make them that they shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 1 8 and to be a vessell unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work 2. Tim. 2 21 what glory and peace is here to be found obedient unto the many commands given to be holy What hazard is in the want of holinesse when without it we cannot see God Heb. 12 14. How unanswereable it is unto our profession who are members to such a holy Head to be un holy What profite joy and satisfaction there is iâ—… being temples of the holy ghost in walking after the spirit in bringing forth fruit unto the glory of the Father c. The consideration of these and other motives unto this study of sanctification would arme the soul with resolution and harden it against opposition 2. It would be remembered that this work though it be laid upon us as our duty and we be called thereunto of God yet it is beyond our hand and power it is true at conversion the seed of grace is cast into the soul new habites are infused a new principle of life is given the stonny heart is changed into an heart of flesh yet these principles and habits can not act in themselves or be brought into act by any thing that a beleever considered in himself and without divine helpe can do But this work of sanctification and grouâ—…h in grace must be caryed on by divine help by the Spirit of Jesus dwelling and working within and therefore it is called the sanctification of the spirit 2. Thes. 2 13. 1. Pet. 1 2. The God of peace must sanctifie us 1. Thes. 5 23. We are said to be sanctifiâ—… by God the Father Iud. 1. and by the holy ghost Rom. 15 16. See also 1. Cor. 6 11. We would remember that of our selves we can do nothing 2. Cor. 3 5. and that He must work in us both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2 13. Albeit no beleever will question the truth of this yet it may be it shall be found after tryal that one maine cause of their not growing in grace and making progresse in this work is their not acting as beleeving this but setting about the work as if it were a work which they themselves could master and do without speciall divine help Therefore the beleever would abide live and act in the faith of this truth 3. Therefore beleevers would not in going about this work either trust to their own strength to the habites of grace to their former experiences to their knowledge and pairts or the like nor yet would they trust to any externall meane which they are to go about because the wisdome strength and helpe which their case calleth for is not to be found in them yet they should not think of laying these meanes and dutyes aside for then should they sin against God they should prejudge themselvs of the helpe strength and supply which God useth to convey to the soul in by the use of the meanes and withall they should tempte the Lord by prescribing another way to Him than He hath thought good to take The beleever then would use the meanes and duties prescribed and that diligently seâ—…iously and constantly and yet would leane as little to them and exspect help reliefe as little from them as if he were not useing them at all as we said above And indeed this would be a right way yea the most advantagious and profitable way of going about dutyes to be diligent in the use of them because of Gods command and yet to place
out hope and exspectation in God alone and to look above the ordinances for our help 4. Albeit it be true that the power and grace of God alone doth beginne and carry on this work of sanctification in the soul yet though he might did He but see it for his glory carry on and finish this work in the soâ—…l without the intervention of second causes or meanes he hath notwithstanding thought it fit forth â—… glory of his name to worke this work by meanes and particulary by beleevers setting about the work He worketh not in man as if he were a block or a stone but useth him as a rationall creature endued with a rationall soul having useful and necessary facultyes and having a body fitted by organs to be â—…ubservient to the soul in its actions Therefore the beleever must not think to lye by and do nothing for he is commanded to worke out his owne salvation and that because it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do Because God worketh all therefore he should worke so reasoneth the Apostle so that God's working is an argument and motive to man to worke and not an argument to him to lye by idle and do nothing And here is the holy art divine skill requisite in this businesse to wit for the believer to be as diligent and active as if he could bring forth fruit in his own strength and by his owne working and yet to be as abstracted from himself his owne grace ability knowledge and experience in his working as if he were lying by like a meeâ—… block only moving as moved by externall force 5. The soul that would make progresse in Christianity and grow in grace would remember that Christ is proposed to us as a copy which we are to imitate and that therefore we should set Christ continually before us as our patterne that we may follow his steps 1. Pet. 1 15. and 2 â—…1 But with all it would be remembered that He is not like other ensamples or copies that can helpe the man that imitateth them no other way than by their objective prospect for looking by faith on this copy will bring vertue to the man that studyeth to imitate whereby he shall be inabled to follow his copie the better O 〈◊〉 we knew in experience what this were to take a look of Chrâ—…'s Love Patience Long suffering Meeknesse Hatred of sin Zeal c. and by 〈◊〉 to pore-in till by vertue proceeding from that copie we found our hearts in some measure framed into the same disposition or at least more inclined to be cast into the same mould 6. The beleever would act faith on Christ aâ—… the Head of the body and as the stock in which the branches are engrafted and thereby suck sap and life and strength from Him that he may work walk and grow as becometh a Christian. The beleever must grow up in Him being a branch in Him and must bring forth fruit in Him as the forementioned places clear Now Christ himselfe tells us that the branches cannot bring forth fruit except they abide in the vine and that no more can his disciples bring forth fruit except they abide in Him Iohn 15. Therefore as it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith that the soul as a branch is united to Christ as the vine and as it is by faith that they abide in Him so is it by faith that they must bring forth fruit and this faith must grippe Christ as the Vine and the Stock or Root from which cometh sap life and strength faith then must look to Christ as the fountain of 〈◊〉 as the head â—…om whence cometh all the in â—…ces of strength and motion Christ 〈◊〉 strength and life enough to give out for the fulnesse of the God head dwelleth in Him bodyly and he is also willing enough to communicate of his fulnesse as the relations He hath taken on do witnesse Thâ—… head will not grudge to give to the members of the body spirits for action and motion 〈◊〉 will a vine grudge to give sap unto the branches â—…ay life strength and furniture will as it were natively flow out of Christ unto beleevers except they through unbeleef and other distempers cause obstructions as life and sap doth natively and kindely flow from the root to the branches of from the head to the members unlesse obstructions stoppe the passage It is necessary therefore that beleevers eye Christ under these and the like relations and look upon Him as standing to speak so obliged by his place and relation to grant strength and influences of life whereby they may become fruitful in every good work and so with holy humble and allowed boldnesse presse in faith for new communications of grace vertue strength courage activity and what else they need for from the head all the body by joints bands having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2 19. Ephes. 4 16. 7. For this cause beleevers would lye open unto the influences of Christ and guaird against the puting of obstructions in the way through grieving of the Spirit by which He conveyeth communicateth those influences unto the soul and through questioning misbeleeving Christ's faithfulnesse and unchangable willingnesse which as a violent humore stoppeth the passage So then beleevers would lye open by looking and waiting drawing seeking from Him what they need and by guarding against every thing that may provoke the Lord to angerâ—… whether in omission or commission Here is requisite â—…n holy humble sober and watchfull walk an earnest serious and hungry looking out to Him and a patient waiting for supply and furniture from Him This is to open the mouth wide that He may fill it to lie before the sun of righteousnesse that the beames thereof may beat upon them warme revive them and to waite as a beggar at this kings gate till he give the almes 8. For the strengthening of their hope faith in this they would lay hold upon Christ dying and by his death purchaseing all those influences of life and strength which are requisite for carrying on of the work of grace and sanctification in the soul for we must be blessed in Christ with all spiritual blessings Eph. 1â—… 3. The beleever then would look on these influences as purchased at a deare rate by the blood of Jesus Christ so that the divine power giveth unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory virtue 2 Pet. 1 3. And this will encourage the soul to wait on and expect the flowing down of influences and spiritual blessings and showres of grace to cause the soul to flourish and become fruitfull and to urge and presse more earnestly by faith the bestowing of the purchased benefites 9. Moreover the beleever would look on Jesus as standing engaged and obliged to carry on this work both as receiving them for this end from the Father
our looking long and waiting and asking and labouring and yet seeing no sensible advantage Such and such a beleever sayeth the soul made great progresse in a short time but I come no speed for as long as I have been at this school O! we should beware of limiteing the holy one of Israel Let us be at duty and commit the event to Him 9. It is not a fit time to take the measure of our graces as to their sensible grouth and fruitfulnesse when devils are broken loose upon us temptations are multiplyed corruptions make a great noise and we are meeting with an horrible tempest shaking us on all hands for it will be strong grace that will much appear then It will be a strong faith that will say though He kill me yet will I trust in Him At such a time it will be much if the man keep the ground he hath gained though he make no progress It will be much for a tree to stand and not be blowne out of the ground in the time of a strong and vehement storme of winde though it keep not its flourishes yeeld not fruit The trees which in a cold winter day bear neither leafs nor fruit must not be said to go back nor not to grow because when the spring cometh againe they may revive and be as fruitfull as ever 10. We would not alway measure our graces by what appeareth outwardly for there may be some accidental occurrence that may hinder that and yet grace be at work within doors which few or none can observe The Believer may be in a sweet and gracious frame blushing before the Lord yâ—…a melting in love or taken up with spirituall meditations wondering when as to some externall duties it can finde no present disposition through some accidentall impediment or other so that to some who judge most by out ward appearance no such thing as the active working of grace in life can appeare 11. We would think it no small measure or degree of holinesse to be with singlenessâ—… of heart pursueing it even though it should seem to flee from us to be earnestly panting after it and hungering and thirsting for it Nehemiah thought this no small thing when he said Neh. 1. last O Lord I beseech thee let now thine eare be attentive to the prayer of thy servants who desire to feare thy name 12. Whatever measure of holinesse the beleeveâ—… win to he would take speciall heed that he place no part of his confidence of his being accepted and justified before God in it as if that could come in as any part of the price to satisfy justice but when he hath done all let him call and account himself an unprofitable servant Though beleevers will not be so grosse as to speak thus yet sure their justifying of their holding aback from God because they finde not such a measure of grace and holinesse as they would have looketh too much this way and sayeth that they leane too much hereunto in the matter of the acceptance of their persons before God Now this would be specially guairded against lest their labour be in vaine Objections answered An Objection or two must here also be removed and first some may say That though they have been labouring and striveing and working now for some long time yet they can perceive no advancementâ—… they are as far short as ever Answer 1. Hath it not been found that some have compleaned without cause Have not some complained of their fruitlesnesse and want of grouth that other good Christians would have thought themselves very happy if they had but advanced half so farre as they saw them to have done 2. But be it so as it is alleiged what if the fault be their owne what if the cause of this be that they attempt things in their owne strength leaning to their own understanding or habites of grace or meanes c. and that they do not go about duties with that single dependence on Christ that is requisite nor do they suck life strength and sap from Him by faith through the promises nor give themselvs up to Him by faith that He may worke in them both to will and to do Should not this be seen mourned for and helped 3 If all this shortcoming and disappointment cause them lye in the dust and humble themselves more and more before the Lord the grace of humility is growing and that is no small advantage to be growing downward 4. Withall they would do well to hold on in duty looking to Christ for help and rolling all difficulties on Him give themselves away to Him as their Head and Lord and so continue their life of faith or their consenting to let Christ live in them by faith or work in them by his Spirit what is welpleasing in his sight and waite for the blessing and fruit in God's own time Next it will be Objected Though we might wait thus yet how unedifying are we unto others when there appeareth no fruit of the spirit of grace 〈◊〉 Answer A Christian behaviour and deportment under the sence of fruitlesnesse expressing an holy submission of soul unto God as Soveraigne much humility of minde before Him justifying of God and taking guilt to themselves with a firme resolution to waite on patiently in the use of meanes appointed cannot but be edifying to Christian soules such exercises being really the works and fruit of the Spirit of grace working within But thirdly Some may say How are then the promises of the covenant made good Answere 1. The same measure of sanctification and holinesse is not promised to all 2. No great measure is promised to any absolutly So much indeed is secured to all beleevers as shall carry them to heaven as without which they cannot see God but much as to the degrees depends on our performing through faith the conditions requisite to wit on condition of our abideing in the vine of our acting faith on Him c. and when these the like conditions are not faithfully performed by us what can we exspect So the Lord hath appointed a way wherein He will be found and will have us to waite for strength and influence from Him and if we neglect those meanes which He hath appointed how can we exspect the good which He hath promised in the use of these means 3. The Lord hath his owne time of making good all his promises and we must not limite Him to a day 4. Hereby the Lord may be trying and exerciseing thy Faith Patience Hope Dependence Submission Diligence c. and if these be in thee and abound they shall make that thou shall neither be barren noâ—… unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Pet. 1 11. But lastly it will be enquired what can support the beleeving soul in this case Answere 1. The consideration and saith of the covenant of Redemption wherein both the Fathers engadgment to the Son and the Sons engadgment to the Father secureth
and filthinesse taken away that we may be holy As to the first For the purging away of the filth of our dayly failings and transgressions Christ hath done those things 1. He hath died that He might procure this benefite and advantage to us and thus he hath washed us meritoriously in his blood which he shed upon the crosse Thus he loved us and washed us from our sins in his owne blood Revel 1 5. and this is from all sins as well such as are committed after as such as are committed before conversion Thus He by himself purged our sins Heb. 1 3. viz by offering up of himself as an expiatory sacrifice to make an atonement and so procure this liberty So also it is said Ephes. 5 25 26 27. that Christ gave himself for his Church that He might sanctify and cleanse it that He might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy without blemish So Tit. 2 14. He gave himself for us that he might purify to himself a peculiar people Zealous of good works Here then is the foundation and ground of all our cleanseing and purification Christ's death procuring it 2. As He hath procured so he sendeth the Spirit to effectuate this and to worke this washing and sanctification in us Hence it is said 1 Cor. 6 11. that we are sanctified and washed in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God We are said to be saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost which he shed upon us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3 5 6. The sending then or shedding of the holy and sanctifying Spirit upon us whereby we are sanctified and consequently purified and purged from our filth is a fruit of Christ's death and mediation being purchased thereby and is an effect of his resurrection and glorification and intercession in glory 3. He hath made a fountaine of his blood for this end that we may go to it daylie and wash and be cleane thus his blood cleanseth from all sin 1 Ioh. 1 7 9. This is the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannesse Zech. 13 1. 4. He hath purchased and provided the externall meanes whereby this cleansing and sanctification is brought about viz the preaching of the gospell which He himself preached and thereby sanctified Iohn 15 3. Now are yee clean through the word that I have spoken unto you Ephes. 5 26. the Church is sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word 5. So hath He procured and worketh in the soul those graces that promove and cary on this work of sanctification and purifying such as faith which purifyeth the heart Act. 15 9. whereof he is the author and finisher Heb. 12. and hope which whosoever hath purifyeth himself even as He is pure 1 Iohn 3 3. 6. He hath confirmed and ratified all the promises of the covenant which are ample and large touching this cleansing and washing Ier. 35 8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me Ezech. 36 25. Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse So Ezech. 37 23. and I will cleanse them And all the other promises of the covenant apprehended by faith have no small influence on our cleanseing 2 Cor. 7 1. having there oâ—…e these promises let us cleanse our selves c. all which promises are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1 20. Thus Christ hath made all sure for the cleanseing and washing of his people conforme to that article of the covenant of Redemption So shall he sprinckle many nations Esai 52 15. Secondly As to the way of our usemaking of Christ for the purging away of our filth and daylie pollutions Beleevers would take this course 1. They would remember and live in the conviction of the exceeding abominablnesse and filthinesse of sin which is compared to the vomite of a dog and to the mire wherein the sow walloweth 2 Pet. 2 22. to filthy rags Esai 64 6. to a menstruous cloath Esai 30 22 and the like that this may move them to seek with greater care and diligence to have that filth washen away 2. They would remember also how abominable sin maketh them in the eyes of an holy God who cannot behold iniquity being a God of purer eyes than to behold it Habak 1 13. nor can He look on it And how therefore no unclean thing can enter in into the new Jerusalem nor any thing that defileth And this will make them so much the more to abhore it and to seek to be washen from it 3. They would look by faith upon the blood of Christ that is shed for this end to wash filthy souls into and run to it as a fountaine opened for this end that they might come to it and wash be cleane 4. For their encouragement they would grip by faith to the promises of the new covenant which are large and full 5. And remember the end of Christ's death viz to purchase to himself a holy people Zealous of good works to present them to Himself holy and without spot and wrinkle or any such thing and this will be a further encouragement 6. They would put the work by faith in his hand who hath best skill to wash a foule soul and to purge away all their spots and by faith pray for and exspect the Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse them from all their filthinesse that is they would make known and spread forth their abominations before the Lord and eyeing Christ as the only great Highpriest whose blood is a fountaine to wash in would lay the work on Him and by faith put Him to wash away that filth and to purifie their souls by his Spirit pardoning their bygone iniquities renewing them in the spirit of their mindes by grace that they may walk before him in fear Thus they would roll the work on Him and leave it there Cautions Directions 1. The beleever would in all this work be keeped in the exercise of those graces following 1. Of Humility seeing what a vile filthy wreatch he is that stands in need of washing and purging dayly because of his daylie pollutions and transgressions 2. Of Love considering with what a loving God he hath to do that hath provided so liberally 〈◊〉 things for him and particularly hath provided a fountaine and such a fountaine whereto he noâ—… only may but is commanded to resort dayly 3. Of Thankfulnesse remembering how great this mercy is how unworthy he is on whom it is bestowed and who He is that doth grant it 4. Of Fear least God's goodnesse be abused and He provoked who is so gracious to us 5. Of Sincerity and godly ingenuity avoiding all hypocrisie and formality knowing that we have to do with Him who
truth should no more be mentioned are promoveing his work His wheel is the great wheel that ordereth all the lesser and subordinate wheels whatever contrary motions they may have the one to the other and all or many of them may seem to have to this great wheel So that do they what they will the work of our Lord goeth on Their opposition is setting his work forward though they intend the contrary However their faces look they row to the port He would be at This is an undoubted truth and confirmed in all ages and yet is not firmly beleeved and a truth it is which if beleeved would do much to settle our staggering souls in a stormy day 10 That at last He shall come to be glorifyed in his saints 2 Thes. 1 10 when He shall be revealed from heaven with all his mighty angels vers 7. Then shall it be seen whose shall counsel stand His or mens and whose work shall prosper His or Satans Cautions Yet let me adde a few words for caution and direction here 1. The consideration of those things mentioned should not make us slacken our diligence in prayer and other duties and when they are a right considered they will rather prove a spurre and a goad in our side to set us forward than a bridle to hold us aback 2. We would not think that Christ's work and interest is going backward alwayes when it seemeth so to us Even when He is casting downe what He hath built up and plucking up what He hath planted his work is prospering for all that is in order to the laying of a better foundation and to the carrying on of a more glorious work when He shall lay all the stones with faire colours the foundations with saphires and make the windowes of crystal c. Esai 5 4 11 12. 3. Though his work be alwayes going on and his truth prospering yet we would not think that it will alwayes prosper alike in our apprehensions many times we judge by rules of our own making and not by the rule of truth and hence it is that we mistake oftentimes We walk little by faith and too much by sense and hence we judge too much by sense and so passe a wrong judgement to his dishonour and the sadning of our own hearts 4. Nor would we think that His Truth and interest is ruined and gone because it is sore oppressed in this or that particular place of the world as if his work were not of an universal extent and in all the churches If his truth thrive and prosper in some other place of the world shall we not say that his kingdome is coming Or shall we limite all his work and interest to one small part of the world 5. We would not think the worse of his work because it is carryed on with so many stops and doth meet with so many Impediments in its way We are not acquanted with the depths of his infinite wisdome and counsel and so we see not what noble ends He hath before Him in suffering those impediments to lie in the way of his chariot We think He should ride so triumphantly all alongs that none should once dar to cast the least block in his way but we judge carnally as unacquanted with the many noble and glorious designes which He hath in ordering matters As Himself was for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence so will he have the way of the carrying on of his work prove in his holy and spotlesse justice a stumbling stone to many that shall stumble thereat and fall and never rise any more 6. We would beware to think that Christ-hath forgotten his work because He seemeth to take no notice of our prayers which we are putting up now and then for his work He may be doing that which we are desireing in the general and yet not let us know that He is answering our prayers that for wise and holy ends to keep us humble diligent He may seem to misregaird our suites and yet be carrying on his work and granting us our desires upon the matter 7. Hence we â—…ould beware of desponding and growing heartlesse and fainte when we see few owneing truth Or standing upon Christ's side for He needeth not mans help to carry on his work though He sometimes thinketh good to condescend so far as to honour some to be instrumental in setting of it forward who yet have nothing but as He giveth let us not then think that his work cannot prosper because great ones and meane ones oppose it and such as should stand for it and owne it are few and fainting without strength courage or Zeal CHAP. XV. How to make use of Christ for stedfastness in a time when truth is oppressed and borne downe WHen enemies are prevailing and the way of truth is evil spoken of many fainte and many turne aside and do not plead for truth not stand up for the interest of Christ in their houre and power of darknesse many are overcome with base feare and either side with the workers of iniquity or are not valient for the truth But being faint-hearted turne back Now the thoughts of this may put some who desire to stand fast and to owne Him and his cause in a day of tryall to enquire how they shall make use of Christ who is the Truth so as to be inabled to stand in the day of temptation and to keep fast by Truth when it is loaded with reproaches and buryed under an hâ—…pe of obloquy For satisfaction to this question I shall shortly point out those directions which if followed may prove helpful to keep the soul from fainting misbeleeving doubting quarrelling at the Lord's dispensations and from yeelding to the temptatitions in such a day 1. The beleever would live in the conviction of his hazard through the slight of Satan the strength of the temptation the wickednesse and treachery of the heart the evil example of others and the want of sanctified courage Zeal and resolution and this will keep the soul humble and farr from boasting of its own strength which was Peter's fault 2. They would live in the faith and perswasion of this That it is Christ alone who is the Truth who can help them to stand for truth in a day of temptation and that all their former purposes vowes resolutions solemne professions and the like will prove but weak cables to hold them fast in a day of storme and that only the rock of ages must save them and their being a ley ward of Him and partaking of his warme and saife protection will do their businesse That all their stock of grace and knowledge and that confirmed with resolutions and sincere purposes will helpe but little in that day and that new influences of grace and truth from the fountaine that is full of grace and truth will only prove establishing to the soul and confirme it in the truth in that day 3. Therefore they
is a piece of the bond that bindeth us to him and his way we receive it then as a piece of his doctrine which we must owne and stand unto O if we learned all our divinity thus we would be more constant and stedfast in it then we are 15. When controversies arise and they know not which side to choise both seemeth to them to be alike well founded on the word they would exerce their spiritual sagacity and set their gift of discerning a work to see which of the two tendeth most to promove piety and godlinesse and the kingdome of Christ and so see which of the two is the truth which is after godlinesse as the Apostle speaketh Tit. 1 1. they must look which of the two is the doctrine which is according to Godliness 1 Tim. 6 vers 3. That is thetruth which is Christ's and which should be owned and imbraced viz which floweth from a Spirit of godlinesse tendeth to promove godlinesse and â—…eth with the true principles of godlinesse even gospel godlinesse wrought according to the tenor of the covenant of grace that is by the strength of the Spirit of Jesus dwelling and working in us and not according to the tenor of the covenant of works that is wrought by our own strength c. 16. Yet withal they would take heed that they mistake not here for they may look upon some wayes and doctrines as having a greater tendency to promove godlinesse then others which indeed have not but only seem so They would therefore consider well what is the way of godlinesse laid down in the noble device of the gospel which is the way that only glorifyeth God Father Son and Holy Ghost and see what suiteth most with that according to the word and not what seemeth most suitable to godlinesse in their apprehension The word is the best judge and teste of true godlinesse and in the word we have the only saifest meane of true godlinesse held forth therefore we should see what doctrine tendeth most to promove godlinesse according to the way held forth in the word and choose that 17. They would guaird against pride and selfe-conceite as thinking they are wise enough and understanding enough in those matters and so need not take a lesson of any This may be of great prejudice for itis the meek that God guideth in judgment And to the meek will He teach his way Psal. 25 9. Therefore it were good for his people in such a day to be meek and humble willing ready to learne of any person how meane so ever that can teach the wayes of God The Lord may bless a word spoken by a private person when he will not bless the word spoken by a Minister for his blessings are free And itis not good to despise any meane Apollos though instructed in the way of the Lord mighty in the Scriptures fervent in Spirit and teaching diligently the things of the Lord Act. 18 24 25. Yet was content to learne of Aquila of his wife Priscilla when they expounded unto Him the way of God more perfectly vers 26. 18. In such a time itis not unsaife to look to such as have been eminent in the way of God and lye neare to Him for itis probable they may know much of the minde of God in those questioned matters Hence we finde the Apostle putting Timothy others to this duty in a time when false teachers were going abroad saying 2 Tim. 3 10. But thou hast fully known my doctrine manner of life 1 Cor. 4 16. wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me 1 Cor. 11 1. Againe Phil. 3 17. Brethren be followers together of me All which say that though we should call no man Rabbi as hanging our faith absolutely on Him yet in such a time of prevailing errour and of false teachers going abroad some respect should be had to such as have found gracâ—… of the Lord to be faithful in times of tryal anâ—… have maintained truth and stood for it in times persecution and have with singleness of heart followed the Lord It not being ordinare with God to leave such as in sincerity seek Him and desire to follow his way in truth and uprightness and to give the revelation of his minde and the manifestation of his Spirit to others who have not gone thorow such trials 19. They would also at such a time be much in the sincere practice of uncontroverted duties and in putting uncontroverted and unquestionable and unquestioned truthes into practice and this may prove a notable meane to keep them right for then are they in God's way and so the devil hath not that advantage of them that he hath of others who â—…re out of the way of dutie David understood more than the Ancients because he keeped God's precepts Psal. 119 100. 20. It were good and suteable at such a time to be much in the feare of God remembering what an one He is and how hazardous itis to sin against Him by drinking-in the least point of errour The promise is made to such Psal. 25 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall He teach in the way that he shall chuse 21. Finally at such a time they would be much in communion with Jesus lying neare Him much in prayer to Him studying his Relations Offices Furniture Readiness to helpe with light and counsel and they would draw neare to Him with humility boldness faith confidence love tenderness and sincerity and then they shall not finde that He shall fail them or disappoint them Enough of this I proceed therefore to another case which is CHAP. XVII How to make use of Christ as the Truth that we may get our case and condition cleared up to us THe beleever is oft complaining of darkness concearning his case and condition so as he cannot tell what to say of himself or what judgment to passe on himself and he knoweth not how to win to a distinct and clear discovery of his state and condition Now it is Truth alone and the Truth that can satisfie them as to this The question then is How they shall make use of and apply themselves to this Truth to the end they may get the truth of their condition discovered to them But first let us see what this case may be Consider then 1. That grace may be in the soul and yet not be seen nor observed this is manifest by daylie experience 2. Not only so but a gracious soul that is reconciled with God in Christ and hath the Spirit of grace dwelling in it may suppose itself a stranger yet unto this reconciliation and you of the grace of God and so to be still in the state of nature 3. Yea a soul may not only suppose and conclude it self in nature while it is in a state of grace but â—…urder may be filled with terrour and apprehensions of God's wrath and indignation and that in such a measure
Him till He should be pleased to come to them with salvation And who can tell how soon He may come But enough of this there is a Fourth case of deadnesse to be spoken to and that is this CHAP. XXIV How shall the soul make use of Christ as the life which is under the prevailing power of unbeleef infidelity THat we may helpe to give some clearing to a poor soul in this case we shall 1. See what are the several steps and degrees of this distemper 2. Consider what the causes hereof are 3. Shew how Christ is life to a soul in such a case and 4. Give some directions how a soul in that case should make use of Christ as the Life to the end it may be delivered therefrom And first There are many several steps to and degrees of this distemper we shall mention a few as 1. When they cannot come with confidence and draw ouâ—… of Him by faith what their souls case calleth for they cannot with joy draw waters out of the wels of salvation Esai 12 3. But keep at a distance and intertaine jealous thoughts of Him this is a degree of unbeleefe making way for more 2. When they cannot confidently assert and avow their interest in Him as the Church did Esai â—…2 2. saying Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraâ—…ed for the Lord Ie hovah is my strength my song He also is become my salvation 3. when they much question if ever they have indeed laid hold on Christ and so cannot go to Him for the supply of their wants and necessities 4. When moreover they question if they be allowed of God and warranted to come to Him and lay hold upon Him yea and they think they have many arguments whereby to maintaine this their unbeleefe and justify their keeping aback from Christ. 5. Or when if they look to Him at all it is with much mixture of faithlesse fears that they shall not be the better or at least doubting whether it shall be to their advantage or not 6. This unbeleef will advance further and they may come to that not only to conclude that they have no part or portion in Him but also to conclude that their case is desperat and irremediable and so say there is no more hope they are cut off for their part as Ezech. 37 11. and so lye by as dead and forelorne 7. Yea they may come higher and vent some desperat thoughts and expressions of God to the great scandal of the godly and to the dishonour of God 8. And yet more they may come that length to question all the promises and cry out with David in his haste Psal. 116 11. that all men are liars 9. Yea they may come to this to account the whole gospel to be nothing but a heap of delusions and a cunningly devised fable or but mere notions and fancies 10. And at length come to question if there be a God that ruleth in the Earth These are dreadful degrees and steps of this horrid distemper and enough to make all flesh tremble Let us see next whence this cometh The causes hereof we may reduce to three heads First The holy Lord hath a holy hand in this and hath noble ends and designes before Him in this matter as 1. The Lord may think good to order matters thus that He may magnifie his power and grace in reseueing such as were returned to the very brinke of hell and seemed to many to be lost and irrecoverably gone 2. Thaâ—… in punishing them thus for giving way to the first motions of unbeleefe he might warne all to guaird against such an evil and not to foster and give way to groundlesse complaints nor intertaine objections moved against their condition by the devil 3. To warne all to walk circumspectly and to worke-out their salvation with fear and trembling not knowing what may befal them ere they die 4. To teach all to walk humbly not knowing what advantage Satan may get of them ere all be done and to see their dayly need of Christ to strenthen their faith and to keep their grips of Him fast 5. So the Lord may think good to dispense so with some that he may give a full proof of his wonderfully great patience and longanimity in bearing with such and that so long 6. As also to demonstrate his Soveraignity in measureing out his dispensations to his own as he seeth will most glorifie himself Next Satan hath an active hand in this for 1. He raiseth clouds and mists in the believer so that he cannot see the work of God within himself and so is made to cry out that he hath no grace and that all was but delusions and imaginations which he looked upon as grace before 2. He raiseth up in them jealousies of God and of all his wayes and puts a false glosse and construction on all which God doth to the end he may confirme them in their jealousies which they have drunk in of God 3. Having gained this ground he worketh then upon their corruption with very great advantage and thus driveth them from evil to worse and not only to question their present interest in Christ but also to quite all hope for the time to come 4. This being done he driveth the soul yet further and filleth it with prejudices against God his glorious truthes and from this he can easily bring them to call all in question 5. Yea he will represent God as an enemy to them and when this is done how easie is it with him to put them on desperat courses and cause them speak wickedly and desperatly of God 6. And when this is done he can easily darken the understanding that the poor soul shall not see the glory of the gospel and of the covenant of grace nor the lustre and beauty of holinesse yea and raise prejudices against the same because there is no hope of partaking of the benefite thereof and so bring them on to a plaine questioning of all as â—…eer delusions 7. And when he hath gotten them brought this length he hath faire advantage to make them question if there be a God and so drive them forward to Atheisme And thus deceitfully he can carry the soul from one step to another But thirdly There are many sinful causes of this within the man self as 1. Pride and haughtinesse of minde as thinking their mountain standeth so strong that it cannot be moved and this provoketh God to hide his face as Psal. 30. 2. Self confidence a concomitant of pride supposing themselves to be so well rooted that they cannot be shaken whileas it were better for them to walk in feare 3. Want of watchfulnesse over a deceitful heart and an evil heart of unbeleef that is still departing from the living God Heb. 3 12. It is good to be jealous here 4. Giving way to doubtings and questionings too readyly at first It is not good to tempt the Lord by
Lord 's hideing of his face whereby the soulâ—… case will appeare 2. Shew the reasons of this dispensation 3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case and 4. Point out the souls duty or how he is to make use of Christ for a recovery As to the first we may take notice of those particulars 1. They complaine of God's hideing of himself and forsakeing them Psal. 22 1. my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and Psal. 13 3. how long wilt thou forsake me c. 2. They cry out for a blaink of his face and get iâ—… not for He hath withdrawn himself Psâ—… 〈◊〉 1. How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Heman Psal. 88. cryed out night and day but yet God's face was hid vers 1 9 14. The spouse seeketh long Cant. 5. See Ps. 22 1 2. 3. They are looking for an outgate but get none And hope deferred maketh their heart sick Prov. 13 12. 4. They are in the dark and cannot tell why the Lord dispenseth so toward them why said Heman Psal. 88 14 castest thou off my soul why â—…idest thou thy face from me They cannot understand wherefore it is So Iob cryed out Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Iob 10 2. 5. They may also be walking in the meane while without light or counsel so as they shall not 〈◊〉 what to do How long shall I take counsel in my soul Psal. 13 2. 6. Moreover they may have their heart filled with sorrow as we see Psal. 13 2. having sorrow in my heart said David He also sayeth Ps. 38. that his sorrow was continually before him vers 17. and Psal. 116 3. I found trouble and sorrow 7. They may be so as that the sweet experiences of others may yeeld them no supply of comfort at present Psal. 22 4 5 6. Our Fathers trusted in the said David and thou didest deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded But that gave him no present ease or comfort for immediatly he addeth vers 6. But I am a worm and no man a reproach of men c. 8. Yea all their own former experiences may yeeld them little solace as we see in the same place Psal. 22 9 10. compared with vers 14 15. Thou art He sayes he vers 9 that took me out of the womb c. and yet he complaines vers 14. that he was poured out like water and his bones out of joynt that his heart was melted in the midst of his bowels c. 9. They may be brought neare to a giving over all in despondency and be brought in their sense to the very dust of death Psal 22 16. If it be enquired why the Lord dispenseth so with his own people We answere and this is the Second particular That he doth it for holy and wise reasons whereof we may name a few as 1. To punish their carelesnesse and negligence as we see he did with the Spouse Cant. â—… 2. To chastise them for their ill improving of his favour and kindenessâ—… when they had 〈◊〉 as the same passage evidenceth 3. To check them for their security and carnal confidence as He did David Psal. 30 6 7. when he said his mountaine stood strong and he should never be moved then did the Lord hide his face and he was troubled 4. To try if their obedience to his commands be pure and consciencious and not in a sort mercenary because of his lifting up upon them the light of his countenance and to see if conscience to a command driveth them to duty when they are in the dark and have no encouragement 5. To put the graces of the Spirit to tryal and to exercise as their Faith Patience Hope Love c. Psal. 13 5 6. 22 24. 6. To awaken them from their security and to set them to a more diligent following of duty as we see in the Spouse Cant. 5. 7. To sharpen their desire and hunger after Him as that same instance cleareth Even in such a case as this Christ is life to the soul which is the Third particular 1. By taking away the sinful causes of such a distance having laid down his life and shed his blood for the remission of their sins so that such a dispensation is not flowing from pure wrath but is rather an act of mercy and love 2. By advocating the poor â—…ans cause in heaven where he His makeing Intercession for His own and thereby obtaining a delivery from that condition in God's own time even the shining againe of his countenance upon them 3. By keeping life in as to habitual grace and by breathing thereupon so that it becometh lively and operative even in such a winter day 4. By supporting the soul under that dispensation and keeping it from fainting through the secret influences of grace which He conveyeth into the soul as He did to the poor woman of Canaan Math. 15. 5. By seting the soul a work to use such meanes as God hath appointed for a recovery as to cry to plead to longe to waite c. Their heart shall live that seek Him 6. By teaching the soul to submit to and acquiesce in what God doth acknowledging his Righteousnesse Greatnesse and Soveraignity and this quietnesse of heart is its life 7. By keeping the heart fast to the covenant of grace So that whatever come they will never quite that bargan but they will trust in Him though He should kill them and they will adhere to the covenant of grace though they should be dragged through hell 8. At length when He seeth it fit and convenient He quickeneth by drawing-by the vaile and filling the soul with joy in the light of God's countenance and causing it to sing as having the heart lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. As to the last particular concearning the duty of a soul in such a case we say 1. He would humble himself under this dispensation knowing that it is the great God with whom he hath to do and that there is no contending with Him and that all flesh should stoop before Him 2. He would justify God in all that He doth and say with David Psal. 22 3. But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel 3. He would look upon himself as unworthy of the least favour of that kinde I am a worme said David Psal. 22 6. and no man 4. He would search-out his provocations and run away to the fountain the blood of Christ that these may be purged away and his conscience sprinkled from dead works and his soul washen in the fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse 5. He must also imploy Christ to discover to him more and more of his guiltinesse whereby he had grieved the Spirit of God and as sins are discovered to him he would repent of them and run away with them to the blood that cleanseth from all
sin This was Elihu's advice to Iob Cap. 34 vers 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend That which I see not teach thou me is I have done iniquity I will do no more 6. He would grip to Christ in the Covenant and â—…est there with joy and satisfaction he would hold that fast that he may ride out the storme in a darke night Though he make not mine house to grow said David 2 Sam. 23 vers 5. Yet this was all his salvation and all his desire that He had made with him an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure The Spouse took this course when he could not get a sight of Him whom her soul loved Cant. 6 vers 3. and asserted her interest in Him I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine 7. He would be intertaining high and loving thoughts of God commending Him highly let His dispensations be what they will So did the Spouse Cant. 5 vers 10 16. 8. He would earnestly seek after Him The Spouse did so Cant. 5 vers 6. the discouragement she met with at the hands of the watch men did not put her off her pursuite Vers. 7. but she continued yea was sick of love Vers. 8. and here looks had a prevailing power with him as we see Cant. 6 vers 5. where the Bridgroom uttered that most astonishing word Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me 9. This new manifestation which he is seeking for must be expected in and through Jesus who is the true Tabernacle and he who was represented by the Mercy seat He is the only trysting place in Him alone will the Father be seen 10 He would also look to Him for strength and support in the meane time and for grace that he may be keeped from fainting and may be helped to waite til he come who knoweth the fittest season wherein to appeare But it will be said what if after all this we get no outgate but He hideth his face still from us I answere Such would know that life is one thing and comfort is another thing Grace is one thing and warme blainks of Gods face is another The one is necessary to the very being of a Christian the other not but only necessary to his comfortable being and therefore they should be content if God give them grace though they â—…isse comfort for a time 2. They would lairne to commit that matter to Christ who knoweth how to give that which is good and what is best for them 3. They would be hanging on Him for strength for duty and in his strength seting about every commanded duty and be exercising Faith Love Patience Hope Desire c. 4. Let the well ordered covenant be all their salvation and all their desire and though they should not get a comfortable blaink of God's face so long as they were here yet holding fast this covenant they should at length be saved souls and what would they have more and when they get this what will they misse CHAP. XXVII How shall one make use of Christ as the Life when wreastling with an angry God because of sin THat we may give some satisfaction to this question we shall 1. Shew what are the ingredients in this case or what useth to concurre in this distemper 2. Shew some reasons why the Lord is pleased to dispense thus with his people 3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case 4. Shew the beleevers duty for a recovery and 5. Adde a word or two of caution As to the first There may be those parts of or 〈◊〉 in this distemper 1. God presenting their sins unto their vieu so as they shall cry out our sin is ever before us Psal. 51 3. and say as it is Psal. 90 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance and so cause them see the Lord contending for sin as the Church did Esai 59 we roare all like bears and mourn sore like doves we look for judgment but there is none for salvation but it is far off from us for our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us for our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them c. 2. Yea God may bring upon them the iniquities of their youth as Iob speaketh Cap. 13 26. and so bring upon them or suffer conscience to charge them with their old sins formerly repented of and pardoned And this is more terrible David is made to remember his original sin Psal. 51. 3. And as Iob speaketh Cap. 15 17. God may seem to be sealing up all their sins in a bag that none of them may be lost or fall by without being taken notice of and as it were be gathering them together in a heape 4. He may pursue sore with signes of wrath displeasure because of those sinnes as we see in David Psal. 4. 38. 51. and in several others of his people chastened of the Lord because of their trangressions whereof there are many instances in scripture 5. Yea and that for a considerable time together and cause them cry out with David Psal. 4 3. but thou O Lord how long 6. And that not only with outward but also with inward plagues And strokes as David's case cleareth in the forecited Psalmes 7. Yea and not only themselves but even their posterity as Davids childe was smiten with death and the posterity of Manasses who found mercy himself 2 Chron. 33 13. was caryed into captivity for his sin 2 Kings 23 26 27. 8. Further the Lord may deprive them of all their former joy and comfort which made David cry out Psal. 51 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and grant me thy free Spirit 9. And which is yet more terrible write their sin upon their judgment as when He caused the sword and whoredom follow Davids house 10. And finally He may cause them feare utter offcasting as Psal. 51 11. cast me not away said he from thy presence And this the Lord thinketh good to do that we may speak a word to the second particular for those and the like reasons 1. To discover to them and to all the world how Just Holy and Righteous a God He is that cannot approve of or beare with sin even in his own children 2. To make all fear and tremble before this great and holy God who is terrible in his judgements even when they come from a Fathers hand that is not pursueing in pure anger and wrath but chastening in love Sure all must think that his dispensations with the wicked will be much more fearful and horrible seing they are not yet reconciled unto Him through the blood of â—…esus 3. To presse Believers more earnestly in to Christ that they may get a new extract of their pardon and their souls washen in the blood of Iesus 4.