the power of binding lost sinners under the power of the spiritual death and guilt of eternal Heb. 2. is cast out in the merits and power of infinite redemption John 12. 31 32. Grace is not a shadowy but real war though it be often worsted yet it rallies again and by the renewed Auxiliary Forces of Divine power it beats down strong corruptions before it What injury is it to Grace to contemplate but never practice Mortification to profess the Christian warfare but never to fight or in undue arms or without skill to put on Gods Armor or to sleep in them or to lay them by or to run to the enemy and so to do no execution on carnal Lusts and Affections What is this but to disparage and endeavor what in us lies to degrade Divine Power from the glory of its victorious ability as if the contracted corruption from the first Adam could still be too hard for the Grace of the second How doth a powerless profession over sin proclaim it self a stranger to the mighty Arm of the Prince of Grace never feeling the power of these truths Christ brings forth judgement unto victory Matth. 12. 20. Greater is he that is in victorious Believers than he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4. 4. Are there not many among us that have notions fancies expressions of Grace yea infused gracious heavenly motions speaking in them But do they leave these sins and do these duties in the fear of God How can they that are false to their own Convictions Confessions and the Holy Ghosts Inspirations What mocking of God is there in unmortifying profession as is too legibly to be read in the lives of men Doth not all the Grace of vain idle opinionative Christians that seems to be expressed in Prayer ex tempore or of set forms in appearing to be taken with gracious examples Sermons Chapters good Books and Conference evacuate into lazy Speculation and powerless profession In holy duties of worship there seems to be Evangelical Grace but in the frame of the heart and course of life in dealings with men in Callings Conditions Relations with many there is no being of Grace and with the gracious no constant sufficient convincing exercise of Grace a few excepted that make Religion their business What a disgrace is put upon the grace of God What temptation to blaspheming Sons of Belial that the Grace of God men speak of is a Fable a Dream a Fancy no Reality Such do-nothings or nothing to purpose as beat the air in their cold professâ—ons and dead convictions of Gods grace may blâ—sh and be ashamed of their wanton spirits and conversation when they read these Scriptures From the day the grace of God was known in truth by Deus ex peccatorum sordibus ad frugem meliorem â—ecare dignatur Gualther de Matthaeo the beleeving Colossians they brought forth fruit Col. 1. 6. Wee beseech you receive not the Grace of God in vain by offensive conversation to God and men unrepented of 1 Cor. 6. 1 3. The Gentiles had their understandings darkened alienated from the life of God past feeling given over to lasciviousnesse working all uncleannesse with greediness but you have not so learned Christ Eph. 4. 18 19. The grace of God O holy Ephesians hath over-powered your hearts to an abhorring and declining these sinnes and to walk in the blessed paths of holinesse Grace acting to purpose in regenerate Zacheus put him upon liberal contribution to the poor and honest restitution of ill gotten estate Luk. 19. 8. When the Gospel came to the Thessalonians not onely in word but in power it enabled them to turn from idols in the zealous worship and preservation whereof Idolaters are usually mad Jer. 50. 38. to serve Idolis renunciaveritis vosque in servitiuÌ„ Dei addixeritis Diksonus Magices libros intelligimus Gualt in loc the living and true God 1 Thes 1. 5 9. when the same word of grace took possession of the hearts of them that used curious and Magical Arts they brought their books together and burnt them before all men though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver Act. 19. 19. O shame of the common powerless Christian profession of the Age The Gospel of grace by the mighty breathing of the Spirit came near the hearts of Magicians made them Christians and open penitents even to a publick sacrificing of their wicked Propriori numinis afflatu tacti libros publicè congestos exurunt books to the flames but a thousand Sermons of Gospel grace may reach the eare the fancy the understanding of professed Christians but never change the heart to a powerful reformation Oh that bare Illuminists and verbalists in Religion that live as if the essentials thereof were onely notions and words would consider three things 1. The Kingdom of God stands not in word but power 1 Cor. 4. 20. It s reall subjects are as well diligent doers as good speakers Lay moreâ— stresse on hearts and lives than lips had rather be than seem to be penitents rather run in the way of Gods Commandements than talk of them A groundlesse intitling to Christ Lord Lord will speak no faithfull Subjects of Christ at the great day why should it now The kingdom of God is righteousnesse Rom. 14. 17. not onely imputed but inherent not onely of Justification but Sanctification In the Kingdome of grace all saved Professors have holy hearts and good lives Satans subjects though they take Christs Press-mony in Baptisme use the badges of his Government yet never did set one foot into Christs kingdome 2. Such as call Christ their Lord and Saviour yea often bind their sayings by these words as they hope to be saved when they neither rightly understand salvation nor true hope yea all Libertines of stricter profession that have carnall loose epicurean hearts and lives they are no better than the enemies of Jesus Christ and self-destroyers The compassionate Apostle could not but speak of these with teares They are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who mind earthly things Phil. 3. 18 19. Let them look over this Text and weep who either in larger professions or stricter but easie religious formalities are effeminate delicate flesh-pleaser belly-students and gloriously back-adorners money-idolaters almost in nothing denying themselves in their sensualities they are enemies to the crosse of Christ Did they Epicurei jurâ— dicuntur hostes Christi videntur enim velle regnum suum illis restituere quod Christus â—n cruce spoliavit Daven in Colos never read Our Old man was crucified with Christ Rom. 6. 6. That as corruption was crucified meritoriously on the cross so it should be crucified efficaciously in the heart was it not the great design of Christ crucified that the body of sin should die are not these enemies to his cross that pamper it and keep it alive Besides are not they enemies to Christs cross who
covenant of works If Freemen by profession are as willing and industious flaves by dispoâ—tion and practise as if they had heard of the author of Liberty the infinite price of Libeâ—ty the bounds of Liberty the peace of Liberty the purity of Liberty the designe of Liberty which was to imprison chain up and chastise felonyous Traytors Rebells evill thoughts carnal reâ—sonings perverse desires inordinate â—ffections dissolute courses not to give them the least allowance latitude and affection What honour can this be to Christian liberty when as huge multitudes of Libertines manage it Hell is broken loose under the favour of it whose intendment was to open heaven in a free practise of piety and pardon of be vailed failings in a free assiâ—anâ—e by the spirit of Libertine to endeavour to do every part of â—ods will and a free acceptance of imperfect yet sincere service Carnal worldly Liberty saith indulge your â—enius feast your senses deny your sensitive appetite in nothing the pleasures of this life are the chiefest good be not a slave to straight laced mopish melancholly rules exercises and society but true Christian Liberty sayes use no unlawfull delights you deny your self in lawful be not under the power of Creature sweetest allowances it counts that part of life most sweet freedome that in the zeal pursuit and affection of spirituall delights can be contented without and mortified to â—eihâ—y unnecessary delights he words of Tertul. are weighty Delicatus es O Christiane si in saeculo voluptatem concuâ—iscis c. Quid jucundius quam Deâ— Patris reconciliatis quam veritatis revelatio quam errorum recognitio c. Quae majorvoluptas quam fast idium voluptatis c. Hae voluptates haec spec tacula Christianorum Tertull De spectaculis pag. 592. Thou art delicate O Christian if thou seekest worldly pleasureâ— yea a fool if thou accountest this pleasure what is more pleasant then Reconciliation with God then acknowledgment of errors then pardon of sin past What is greater pleasure then the loathing of pleasure the contempt of the whole world then true liberty then an upright conscience then a life of contentment then living above the fear of death these are the pleasures these are the spectacles the rare sights of Christians Indeed an holy authority over sensuall delights a vacation and attendance to and pursuance of spiritual pleasures do speak the only Free-man in the World T is rare to find that mighty Apostolicall spirit among professed Christians not to be under the power of any thing they use not specular delights with Liberty but slavery not being possessors of them so much as possessed by them not to help but hinder the spiritual Race not to sharpen but dul the edge of holy Devotion Meditation and delight in God not as Ladders of scension to him but as Leaden Plummers to pul down the soule from him SECT 3. 3. COnsideration The credit of the Gospel how doth the 3. The credit of the Gospel should ingage us to beware of abusing the grace of God Schoole boy honour his Master when hee is a thriving Grammarian the Pupill his Tutor when he is a rare proficient in the Liberal arts and the Beleever his great Teacher Christ when in the Gospel Schoole he is come to high attainments in the deep and holy practical mysteries of Faith T is said of Demetrius He had a good report of the truth 3 Epist Joh. v. 12. The gospel of Salvation the highest word of truth gives a good Report of its strict Professors when it is so powerfull over them as to make them stand in awe of its Lust-curbing-requiries when its spiritual weapons are mighty through God to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ to hush the peevish insurrections of discontented imaginations to curb loose inward filthy motions to purge out their defilements to bewaile inward pollutions to watch them and beat them down in holy indignation and chastity of Spirit as they rise up and importune with their flattering insinuations to Rebellion and draâ—ing aside from God When the Gospel is thus the power of God to holy strictnesse it speaks wel of itsreligious observers so taking is its Majesty in the minds and mouthes of loose wicked men â—ho commend strict Gospellers yea wish sometimes they were in their case It speakes wel of fellow conscientious Christians who are glad to see their fellow Travellers in the Road of Christianity making hast to their eternal inheritance their fathers house It speaks wel in the joyous observance of the holy Angels who rejoyce in the Teares Prayers Strict services of the penitent it wil speak wel in the Lord Christ who wil be admired in careful and conscionable Bellevers at the great day 2 Thessal 1. 10. Who have not put off themselves and others with the words but shined forth the power of the Gospel in holy humble heavenly close walking with God and living up according to the measure of Grace to its injunctions SECT 4. 4. COnsideration The strict and heavenly call of Christians they are called from the Creature to Christ from The strict high and heavenly call of Christians should keep us from abusing the grace of God dissolutenesse to regular life from lying vanities to the blessed realities of Eternity from the delights of sense to those of faith from a portion in this life to an inestimable one in God from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit to the clean paths of holiness from the cursed impure life of Devils to the holy Angels conversation Great spirits called to Court dignities and delights have ordinarily an answerablenesse of spirit to their secular greatnesse Christians are called to be the high Courtiers of the Heavenly Court their very call if seriously weighed is a mighty motive to strictnesse God hath not called us unto uncleaness but unto holinesse 1 Thes 4. 7. When God called us we were unclean lived in uncleannesse but noâ— saith Musculus He hath called us that of profane and unclean we might be holy As if Perinde ac siquis vocetur ad halneum Et puer qui mittitur ad ludum literariuÌ„ Et qui vocat ad se medicuÌ„ c. Musculus one be called to a Bath he is not called to abide in his impure distempers but to purge them out As if a boy be called to school he is not sent thither for barbarous rudenesse bâ—t to get learning Or as he that sends for the Physitian doth not call for him for siâ—kness but health to remove not to retain his disease Such is the condition of our calling in Jesus Christ to accommodate our selves to the will of God and not to wander from the scope of our calling hence the Apostle mentions Christians call as argumentative of a strict life and regular conformity to the Gospels precepts SECT 5. 5. COnsideration A lively sense of the Excellency of grace 5. A lively sense of the excellency of grace is a
neighbours Before I leave this point I am constrained to warn and exhort all you that are carnal wicked Libertines of the present adulterous generation Make use I beseech you of your reason I say not of your grace for yet you have none to argue down your wicked peece of non-sense Godly men sin and therefore you may Will their falls priviledge yours Seriously consider three things 1. You should reason Gods children sin so and so therefore I must not I dare not If their grace hath not kept them innocent how can I be clean that am wholly corrupt If they trade poorly in heavenly commodities that have a stock of grace must not I be a bankrupt in goodnesse that have not a dramme If they sin thus that have a principle of life what danger am I in a dead sinner of eternal death To follow a good mans sin is at once sin and punishment a piece of sad vengeance God in wrath against me may suffer them to fall and break their shins that I may fall and lose my life Non voluit ea scribi spiritus sanctus ad statuendum morale exemplum sed in censolarionem non ad confirmandam licentiam peccati in posterum sed ad spem fidem excitandam Luth. in Gen. 2. Scripture examples and present instances of scandalous Saints were not proposed for but against sin not to embolden the presumptuous but comfort humble afflicted consciences Luthers saying is notable The Holy Ghost would not have the sinfull examples of the Saints recorded in sacred Writ that their examples should teach sin but to comfort fainting tempted penitents not to confirme a bold license of sinne for the future but to stirre up the faith and hope of pardon upon repentance Since their great yet purged sins have not blockt up the way to glory The Saints falls should be like fire in the chimneys top and the roof to warn neighbouring houses not like to fire in the hearth to warm and encourage others like a stake in the water to avoid it where some were drowned not to come near it 3. You will learn to your smart and shame without repentance in the great day a broad difference between the sinnes of the godly and your own in seven things 1. They sin who are in a state of Grace espoused to Christ and have him to be their surety for pardoning and purging grace and their advocate to plead the infinite merits of his obedience 2 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 7. 22. but you sin and are in the state of fin and wantonly run a whoring from Christ whom you pretend to match with and have him not your suretie to pardon and purge you by the benefit of his intercession Heb. 7. 25. Act. 5. 31. 2. Sin is not their deliberate purpose but obedience is Psal 17. 3. Psal 119. 106. They cleave to God with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. even then when they sin against their purpose As the Marriners purpose is to sail to his intended Port when cross winds drive him off from his Compasse But your heart is set in you to doe evill Eccles 8. 11. Why will you die Ezek. 18. 31. We will not come to thee Jer. 2. 31. We will not do the word of the Lord Jer. 44. 16. 3. Sin is not their choice The evil I would not doe Rom. 7. 19. But duty is holy wisdom and understanding Prov. 16. 16. The way of truth Psal 119. 30. Christ the good part Luke 10. 42. One day in Gods service Psal 84. 10. Above a thousand in vanitie and sin yea an eternity But you chuse not duty the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 29. but your own waies Isa 66. 3. The life of sense not faith earth not heaven 4. Sin is not their love but loathing They abhor it and themselves Rom. 7. 15. Ezek. 6. 9. They love God Ps 18. 1. Christ 1 Tim. 1. 14. The regenerate 1 Joh. 5. 1. The commandements Ps 119. 127. The divine presence in Ordinances Psal 16. 8. Whe coming of Christ to Judgement 2 Tim. 4. 8. But you love simplicitie Prov. 1. 22. secure slumbers Pro. 20. 13. covetousness Hos 4. 18. to wander Jer. 14. 10. Sinne is your darling the dearly beloved of your soul not your abhorrence Ps 36. 4. 5. Sin is not their delight The joy of their soules is the Law of God Rom. 7. 21. Doing his will Psal 40. 8. The sweet fruitfull graces of Jesus Christ Can. 2. 3. The Spirits comforts Psal 94. 19. The excellent The Saints in earth Psalm 16. 3. But sin is your delight 'T is clear 't is so you are glad to borrow a cloak to cover it made of good mens sins you sport in sin Prov. 10. 23. Take pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2 12. Scorning Prov. 1. 22. Frowardness Prov. 2. 14. Abominations Isa 66. 3. 6. They rise from sin and after their falls turn to God Jer. 31. 19. but you are not renewed unto repentance Heb. 6. 10. but lie in wickedness 1 John 5. 19. Refuse to return Jeremiah 8. 5. 7. When they are risen they dread falling again have care to please God fear to offend him 2 Cor. 7. 11. You sin without fear in lawful things Jude ep v. 12. and unlawful things 2 Pet. 2. To have no care nor conscience to please and honor God and therefore the eternal difference between them and you is They sin and will be saved you sin and unless you draw better Arguments then loosness from the sins of Gods servants will be damned SECT 19. 4. TEmptation that hath much contributed to the abuse of 19. Divisions and contentions about Christian Religion ecause abuse of grace Bona pars Christiani orbis hoc tempo re potius videtur esse bustū quam Christianae gregis domicilium Otho Casmannus Miseram Christianitatem wiseram Ecclesiam Sententiarum animorum divortia Gods grace is division and contention about Christian Religion That in Christian Churches there are too sad contentions Mens spirits pens and tongues being dipt in Gall and that Victory mostly is more contended for then verity wants not truth nor proof Wrangling warring Divinity hath made the Church to be rather like a Bon-fire then the House of God One speaking of Christianity and the Church affixeth to them a sad Epithete Miserable Christianity miserable Church Indeed Scriptureless rending division is not her glory but misery Divisions of opinion and practices beget divorce of affections yea 't is too much a fault a siding Opinion is cryed up above a Saint and the shriller the voice is for highest discovery in point of Doctrine and Discipline sometimes the lower and calmer the truer and safer is more to be attended too 'T is sad experience in our Contests our Moderation is not known there is running from extreams to extreams While Satan hath the boldness and success to get into Christs Quarters and in the visible Kingdom of Christ not in all his Subjects infallibly true nor
neverthelesse mine eyes spared them from destroying them notwithstanding they rebelled against me and walked not in my statutes Ezek. 20. 16 17 21. I have spread out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious people Isa 65. 2. God is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7. 11. Sin is an abomination to him Psal 53. 1. He can in Martial Law soon arraign condemne and execute the sinner The sword is whet it is drawn is near the bold Transgressour yet it strikes not Psal 7. 12. The how is bent made ready Psal 7. 13. The arrow is on the string The divine strong hand of vengeance could every minute draw it up to the head let fly pierce ungodly men through and through shoot them into hell yee God spares the sinner and this is the unworthy and ungratefull return he spares his sinne but forsakes it not Job 20. 13. Is like the Felon that is spared burning and hanging and he grows more insolent and violent in his old wickednesse like the truantly boy that is spared whipping and he grows malepart saucy lazy stubborn in his Masters presence The Lord spares the Lyar Swearer Tipler Whoremonger Adulterer Defrauder Oppressour that Riots with the bread of deceit Prov. 20. 17. and the wine of violence Prov. 4. 17. The subtle yet foolish Hypocrite whose craft and wisdome of the flesh is to undoe his soul and yet these in a frolick dalliance and loosenesse of spirit wallow in their old wickednesse and pleasingly dance over Non dubitamus esse donum dei ut quis in see ere aliquandiu toleretur Pet. Matt. the mouth of Hell They abuse that Grace which was never offered to the faln Angels God spared them not no not a moment but cast them down to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. Justice would spare the sinner not a moment its free Grace that spares It is an undoubted gift of God that any man in his wickednesse is spared a minute How full is the world of daring wantons that sinne securely before and against sparing Grace The interceeding kindnesse of the Lord Jesus is abused Such as are Gods provoking Rebels who are spared under the time and means of Gospel grace are beholding to the prevalent pleadings of Jesus Christ who hath dayly grants of his Father to spare carnall Gospellers ad put them to the triall whether they will repent and be fruitfull in obedience The vine dresser pleaded for the unfruitfull vineyard Let it alone this yeare till I shall digg about it and dung it and if it hear fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it downe Luke 13. 8 9. This Vinedresser says one is Iesus Christ the Colonus hic est filius Dei Iesus Christus quem suae vineae sacerdotem Deus Constituit Fit Christi intercessione quod non semper illico excidunt qui hoc jampeidem suis sceleribus meruerunt Gualterus in Loc. Son of God whom he hath Constituted the Priest of his Vineyard Were it not for the intercession of Christ barren Vineyards fruiteless Churches would soon be destroyed Professed Christian Congregations Private families would by the axe of death be cut downe as fit fewell for hell fire Sect. 3. 3. LOng-suffering grace is Turned into Wantonness Because 3. Long suffering grace is turned into wantonnesse judgment is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of wicked ones are set in them to doe evil Eccles 8. 11. My Lord delays his comming and then the evil servant is tempted to smite his fellow servant and to be drunk c. Mat. 24. 28 29. How often would Christ have gathered the Jewes under his saving wings as the Hen the Chicken under hers Mat. 23. 37. But they proudly rejected subjection to him salvation from him God endures with much long suffering Vessels of wrath and they abusively and foolishly are still fillng up sin and wrath Rom. 19. 22. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Deus pro sua lenitate expectabat poenitentiam atque emendationem eorum Piscat gracious long-suffering of God waited for the Repentance and Amendment of the disobedient old world 1. Pet. 3. 20. and yet the holy wooing Spirit of God speaking by Noah solliciting and striving in gracious motions to reformation was rejected Gen. 6. 3. The whole earth was corrupt and filled with violence v. 11. I gave Iezabel space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Rev. 2. 21. As a Creditor gives his Debtor long time to pay his debts and yet forbearing kindnes is abused by a profuse lavishing intemperate life and running more in debt and as a gracious Kings act of favour that gives a Condemned Traytor a long time to sue out a pardon is slighted and despised when he spends it in whoring drinking and gaming so the mercyfull and liberall allowances of large seasons of grace the Lord grants out to deeply debted and Treasonable sinners are signally wronged when the more mercy forbeares and God is slow to wrath the more sin abounds Ah daring folly is there not difference between Long suffering and Eternall suffering are there not many sad monuments of divine justice because Patience is lasting will it be everlasting Long accounts are at length stated The longest summer day of Gods sufferance will have an end and goe downe in an endles night of unappeased fury Provoking slight gospellers are every day hastning to the period of Gods reprieves Writts of execution will be opened and served upon incorrigible sinners the worse for mercys warnings and Judgments delay The Lord Christ his pleading that barren Figg-trees may stand a yeere or yeeres longer neither Non nequitiae impreborum hominum qui incurabili malitiâ peccant Christus Patronus est Gualther Deus non perpetuo parcit sterilibus in suavinea arboribus Gualth speaks him the Patron of uncurable wickednes not assures their perpetuall security they were at length cut down as withered trees and God will likewise cut down withered Professors God doth not always spare barren trees in his vineyard Those Christians that are the shame of Gods Husbandry The abusers of Christs Intercession The contemners of the Gospel they boast of that bear the name of Believers bear up in the repute of Christs domestick Family that cumber the ground where they stand useless to the purposes of holiness and righteousness in the World as dead twice dead at best but flourishing in the leaves of a worthless profession shall at length be pluckt up by the roots be cast into hell fire as the worst of men reproachers of God and his Gospel destroyers of their bodies and souls for ever The Devil the Father of lies keeps his children fast bound in the chains of destroying lies Amongst the rest this is a main one and a common damning cheat Poor deluded sinners that have numbred 40 50 years forbearance in their sins at once collect Gods allowance of them and their own Necesse est ut ipsa prorogatae pietatis
tempora quasi damnationis tempora timeamus Greg. Mor. l. 17. c. 3. Quanto vita nostra est longier tantoculpa nostra fit numerosior gravior c. Otho Casmannus Innocence but without Book After 400 years suffering the seed of the Amorites to oppress Gods Israel Gen. 15. 13. black doom-day put a period to their Prosperities and Persecutions A long lived Libertine under the days of Grace hath more reason to fear his approaching destruction then salvation The Counsel of an ancient is wholsome well were it if accustomed slighters of Gods grace would lay it to heart it would fire them out of their perilous security It is necessary said he that we fear and tremble lest the prolonged times of Gods mercy do prove the times of our damnation It is the lamentation of a serious modern Writer The longer we live the more numerous is the account and the more heavy the weight of sin Hence when the just Judge comes he will turn the indulged times of mercy into an eternity of wrath and penalty SECT 4. 4. THe whole time of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse 4. The whole time of grace is turned into wantonness not onely sparing and long-suffering Grace but all the daies of Grace even to their late dying periods are also abused Backsliding is perpetuall The most under Gospel times refuse to return Ier. 8. 5. The Lord questions in his Word O Ierusalem how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee Jer. 4. 14. Wilt thou not he made clean when shall it once be c. 13. 27. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Prov. 1. 22. How long The answer is not more sad then true for ever Should the loose persons of unconverted hearts and unreformed lives not bettered under a threescore years convincing and awakening Ministry and the frequent woings of the Holy Ghost be left to themselves should they live an eternity on earth they would still wrong the grace of God There is a Countrey phrase To while away the time O how many do while away precious time most do the works of darkness while Gospel light shines round about them yea in their mindes they cannot deny and yet they defame the glory of it While Christ knocks at the doors of their souls for entrance the Divel is bid welcome while the Spirit crys Repent repent the flesh wallows in the pollutions of the World while he passionatly solicits and perswades to accept of salvation upon salvations tearms the pathes of damnation are still troden in The hardened house of Israel will die While God is tendred as an everlasting portion the world is violently pursued while the pilgrimage delights of the spirit and the Heavenly Countrey Pleasures of Gods right hand are held forth to unregenerate mindes foolish souls hunt after the pleasures of sin and vanishing Creature delights While precious seasons to sue out a pardon are granted out for sins past more Treasons and Rebellions are heaped up against God while this vanishing life is proposed as a probation for Eternity lying vanities are skilfully and uncessantly pursued Five things will load this ause 1. Time one of the most precious things in the world is abused 1. Time is abused Nil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodie vilius invenitur Bernard Nothing says Bernard is more precious then it and alass nothing now a days is more slighted and vilified It is made the numbring measure of unholy and unrighteous motions but very rarely of heavenly conversation the thriving opportunity of Satans Kingdom but rarely as to the multitude of Christs The preciousness of time industriously heavenly as well as earthly merchants will tell you The worth of time an enraging afflicted Conscience on a death bed will tell you that breathed out lamentable crys Call time again call time again The excellency Veniet tempus quo vel unam horam ad resipiscendum redimere mirum quantum optabimus Otho Casmannus of time most awakened loose departing souls will tell you who will abound in fervent wishes to admiration that they might redeem but one hour to repent The dignity of time the damned in hell were they among us would tell us That had they a world they would give it to escape their torments they feel and shall endure for ever and to be in a state of Grace of Salvation The glory of time the glorified in heaven would tell us were they suffered to acquaint us with their unspeakable Joys Eternity it self will be little enough to bless God they have not lost their time but obtained salvation in the days of Grace It will ravish their hearts when as one phraseth it they shall think within themselves O blessed moment of Grace O happy days of Conversion O choicely spent time in holy mournings O beatum momentum gratiae and obedience O rarely improved time to be the shining witnesses of God against the wicked world O Heavenlized time in communion with God that contemned the world O 2. The possibility of escaping eternal misery is abused Quomodo eos pudebit pigebitque qui videbunt se opportuno tempore gratiae impenso potuisse in vita sua acerbam illam horribilem lamentabilem aeternitatem evadere the wise use of time that hath laid up treasures in Heaven and fitted espoused souls for the joyous eternal imbracements of their heavenly Bridegroom 2. The possibilities of escaping eternal misery and obtaining everlasting life are abused when the whole provisional space of preventing the wrath to come of preparing for glory in the foolish pursuit of the worlds shadows is lost when loose Prodigals of the time of Grace are impossibilitated to have a moment more What shame and grief will surprise them when they shall consider their secure neglect of the Jewel of time and the force of Eternity prevailing thoughts when set home on the conscience to make the profuse lavishers of the golden seasons of Grace the most thrifty Husbands How stinging will this sad conviction be if the opportune time of Grace were well managed they might have escaped that bitter horrible and lamentable Eternity wherein they are plunged and safely arrive to the Port of everlasting rest These things were once possible now they are not O sinners fear and tremble your sporting with sin your indignities and injuries put upon the grace of God doth exceedingly slight and despise your saving possibilities while the mouth of the bottomless pit is not shut upon you do no more disparage but honor your Gospel-seasons of Grace if you crucifie the Son of God and still despise the Spirit of Grace either laugh at or delay the necessary change of your hearts and lives be assured the next minute after your death you shall see a dreadful fixed unalterable gulf before your eyes that as the Saints in glory cannot come to your Hell so it will appear everlastingly impossible
Covenant of Salvation wherein the whole Trinity doth humble themselves The Father so much as to have thoughts of grace to relieve and succour lost sinners the Son that humbled himself to an obscuring incarnation a life of sorrows spotlesse obedience a bloudy death the price of Redemption The Holy Ghost to come into vile sinners to plead the acceptance and improvement of the Father and Sons love O inconsiderate sinners of what a scarlet tincture is your unworthy slighting of the Trinities kindness your treading under foot the blessed Gods acts of grace might he not have left you as the fall of Adam made you to be in a lost polluted helplesse and damnable estate Doth hee need your persons recovery services holynesse and happinesse Doth goodnesse in accepting Christ and his Gospel extend to him Is it his profit if you accept Is it his hurt if you despise him Psal 16. 2. Job 22. 3. 35. 6 8. Hath he humbled himself to enter into peace with you when he might have proclaimed and maintained everlasting War Will a King bear it that his descending below himself to save obstinate Traytors should be despised Surely the blessed God will not alwaies beare the insolent refusall of his mercifull condescensions who every minute could confound rebellious sinners 3. You abuse the infinite purchase of that grace that is offered 3 The infinite purchase of Grace offered is abused Now Christ hath by his active and passive obedience satisfied Justice and dearly payd for pardoning and purging grace He sits at Gods right hand to give unto Israel repentance and remission of sinnes Acts 5. 31. to offer it in common to the worst of sinners hath made an healing plaister of his blood Isa 53. 5. and offers the application of it to diseased sinners what else but a spiritual madnesse is it to cry out we will have none of the physick away with this mortifying Grace severities of repentance If we submit to unpleasing medicines of strict Gospell prescription we must never have merry dayes our deare lusts must be pinion'd and starved such adoe about Religion the new creatures that precise Puritans talk of will make our lives miserable We will not have this man to reign over us Luk. 19. 14. Take Christ who will we have made and we will keep our covenant with the world and the flesh we will have our ease and delights come what will of it Jer. 7. 9. Loose hearts and lives speak these sad things this deplorable injury to the Lord Jesus He is highly affronted that the price of grace the purchase of infinite redemption should be so unworthyly vilified 4. You abuse the heavenly messenger of Grace the Holy Ghost who proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and comes 4. The Holy Ghost the heavenly Messenger of Grace is abused with sweetest intelligence of Peace Pardon Purity and Glory The heavenly Spirits whispers would be powerfully taking if vile sinners their false loves and cursed lusts did not oppose them Hath not the Spirit told many of us a gracious conversation is incomparably better than a carnal and that there is to be found a more high noble pleasurable satisfying and gainfull life in Jesus Christ than the world flesh and devill can possibly afford Have not these inward speakings according with the outward written word the just standard awakened the soul that Sobriety Chastity Charity Liberality Faith Love Heavenly-mindednesse a fear of God a tender Conscience redeeming time c. are rather to be chosen than their contrary vices and corrupt inclinations and affections that resist them Have not many by the woings and strivings of the Holy Ghost with Agrippa not onely been almost perswaded to be reall Christians but often promised God their utmost and zealous endeavours for a through change But what is the issue a wanton loose spirit hath banished former serious gravity These warm heavenly motions are soon coold and dead by the world and the fleshes cold pourings in How ill doth the holy and delicate Spirit take it soon sensible of affronts that his gracious inspirations should either coldly be received or positively rejected or after entertainment be ungratefully forsaken The Spirits goads that prick and stir up lazy sleeping consciences are quickly blented O our unkind abuse of the good Spirit Those Divinos instinctus vel non animadvertimus vel dissimulamus in aliud tempus differrimus vel quod deterrimum est negligimus divine instincts wherewith we are excited and moved to holynesse of life and Gospell obedience either we take no notice of them or we dissemble them or we put them off to another time or which is worst of all we totally neglect them sayth an holy writer This O this is the spirits punishment not more dreadfull than disregarded the heavenly messenger bids an eternall welfare and never knocks again at those rebellious houses where he hath been never bid welcome but constantly refused My spirit shall not always strive with flesh Gen. 6. is a plague a fearfully avenging one Resolved Libertines will not follow the wisdome and saveing guidance of the spirit and the Lord chuseth their delusions Isa 66. 4. What safe Leader they will not have they shall not have they will wander from the way to heaven divine power now shall not stop them they shall dye without instruction and in the greatness of their folly they shall go astray Prov. 5. 23. Then those eyes deep securitie hath shut wrath will open either in a death-bed despaire or in hels flames after death O unkind Spirit greevers and resisters lay it to heart before it is too late Ingenspericulū divinis inspirationibus resistere Granatensis 5 The Messengers of grace are abused It is an eminent danger to oppose Divine inspirations 5. You abuse the faithly messengers of grace the Ministers of the Gospell Their worke is in the authoritie of their Master Jesus Christ to exhort and enjoyne you to beleeve and repent and if this prevaile not to beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled 2. Cor. 5. and if this mild course speed not but gospell grace is put away as it was by the hardned Jews Act. 13. 46. Their other sad part of their Commission is to tell them He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. and that very gospell grace that to others is a savour of life unto life embraced will be to them a savour of death unto death when it is despised As the Hanunites that cut of Davids Messengers garments had a warr Commenced against them for answering their kind errands with such shamefull indignities 2 Sam. 10. 3 4. 7. so the angry King of heaven will wage an eternall warre against them that unnaturally abuse the messengers and messages of grace O Take warning Loose-livers under the convictions of Gospel strictness that when you hear read of the saving overtures of the word of life you may no more be as slighty sensless under
them as the Pues you sit in and as walls and rocks The despising of wholsome heavenly instructions no lesse then the despising of the Lord Jesus Luk. 10. 16 is that which makes honest godly Ministers to set down with mourning and tears in their closer addresses to God that their hearers will not be converted saved and have eternal life Act. 13. 46. and Phil. 3. 8. 6. You will be unexcusable when you shall see the offers 6. Men will be inexcusable when they see offers of Grace at an everlasting distance from them and hopes of Grace at an everlasting distance from you How will paleness sit on your faces when you are before a dreadful Bar what trembling will surprise your hearts when conscience shall terribly inform you that the Lords Messengers in earnest desires and longings for your happiness in zeal love and tears offered you for Christs sake to embrace the Heavenly Treasures of the saving Covenant and you would not or soon stifled your Convictions lost your good resolutions and affections you secured the world and that great Idol flesh pleasing but not Eternity you can easily slight it may be jeer the Minister but remember you will be enforced to call to minde his passionate woings for Jesus and that your blood would be upon you that you would be your own destroyers if you disallowed and abhorred Christ if you knew not God and obeyed not his Gospel At such and such times in hearing and reading the Word in heart-searching godly Books the Spirit of Jesus held forth before you a Feasable Justified Adopted Sanctified and Glorified Estate and you liked not Christs conditions to fit you for and obtain Eternal Glory How have you abused Christ and his Gospel-Ministry when you were told his yoke was easie by Divine Power Did not you look upon the Preacher exhorting the duties of Religion as a proposer of intolerable and too severe tasks as if the glorious patern of Wisdom Righteousness and Sweetness should tyrannize over men and bid men be his servants to their loss and the Devil and the World could make more gainful honorable and comfortable bargains 7. You shall have no cause to blame the pure Justice of the 7. There will be no cause of blaming Gods Justice angry Lamb the Judge of the World if when you shall cry Lord Lord he be as deaf at your dreadful crys as you were at his calls if he know you not to save you when you knew him not to serve him This will justifie the direful last Sentence Go ye cursed and clear your eternal stripes from cruelty when you have wilfully abused the infinite love of the Son of God Grace was offered you but you would not be healed nor reformed you have destroyed your selves 'T is Divine Justice that the wickedness of the wicked in due penalty should be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. Wicked Gospellers even put fury into a gracious God and necessitate him to gain the reputation of his Holiness out of their damnation It becomes the natural Justice of his Majesty to be the Avenger who is not the Author of wilful unbelief The holy One of Israel is provoked Isa 1. 4. The holiness of God is read in the Characters of those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Judgements which he executes on the impenitent World It s just the heaviest of punishments should be the vindications of Gods Dishonors by the affronts of his Grace upon a threefold account 1. The ungrateful and voluntary high indignities that vain 1. Vain loose people put voluntary indignities upon Gods Grace Suadet terret hortatur excitat monet Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes loose hearts and lives put upon Gods Grace Wisdom hath sent out her maidens to invite sinners to be Saints Prov. 9. 3 4. and sit down at its heavenly Table v. 5. of all sufficient satisfying saving provisions comes with Perswasions Comminations Admonitions to accept the Call but the loose guests either come not at all or unprepared surfeit on good food turn it into ill humors The offended King of Heaven hath sent out his Heralds of Arms to proclaim Peace and Mercy on most righteous tearms but stout rebels will not resign up their hearts to Christ but keep them strongly garrison'd for Lust and the Devil and this is the success the Calls of Gods Grace meet withal Satan and Christ knock at the soul for entrance It is opened to Satan and locked to Christ Shall obstinate unprofitable hearers blame God under their everlasting smart when they have not so much despised their Ministers as Jesus Christ Shall loose unreformed Children that despised their godly wooing and warning Parents cry out of unjustice under eternal wrath when they did not so much abuse their holy Invitations as Gods It was his Qui mihi monitus muliebres tui erant Aug. Conf. l. 2. spirit that made by Religious Fathers and Mothers gracious proffers to gainsaying Children Conscience will give in testimony on Gods side that he graciously called froward wilful sinners that they might be pardoned not abide under condemnation they Libertatem pollicetur vos aufugitis in servitutem might be Saints not remain sinners they might be free not continue Captives obtain a blessing not lie under the curse and be saved in mortifying the deeds of the Body and not be ruined by cruel mercy and Indulgences to corrupt nature the worst of enemies 2. The bold abuses of heavenly inviting offers though God 2. The bold abuse of heavenly inviting offers hath complained of this long before in his holy Word and urged such injurious dealing as a most just Apology of his severest vengeance I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Prov. 1. 4. Therefore when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirl-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon you I will be even with you you shall call upon me but I will not answer seek me but not finde me v. 27 28. All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to again-saying people Isa 62. 5. Therefore the Lord Christ threatned these unbelieving Jews that the Christ and the Grace they rejected should be offered to better entertainers He would have a Church among the Gentiles the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Matth. 21. 42 43. I said you shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins John 8. 24. He that believes not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him Iohn 3. 36. How justly do the Wrongings of Gods grace bring endless misery when the Lord hath often complained of it before hand in the Scriptures cautioned us to fear and tremble lest we forsake our own mercies Jonah 2. 8. Threatning this abuse with eternal death 3. The Lord hath already acquainted us in his Word
that if 3. A Woe denounced against them who make excuses and refuse to come like the guests in the Parable we either finde excuses not to come and feed on Christs heavenly dainties Luke 14. 18. or we be unprepared wanton loose guests and come not to his Feast with the Wedding Garment i. e. Faith in Christ with the whole train of Graces but in the deformed rags and pollutions of our sins I say if we be like those that either openly and positively reject his offered Grace or like those wanton abusers of Gods grace in the Apostle Jude tread in their steps and die in this Libertinism as a Woe is denounced unto them Jude Ep. v. 11. under condemnation v. 4. to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever v. 13. So if we be fellow-wanton Gospellers with them we shall follow them in their everlasting misery He is deservedly hanged that seeth a Felon die before and yet greedily pursues his wicked courses We are told Sodomites Apostate Angels Abusers of Gospel-grace are already in Hell If the examples of their torments make us not to abhor and eschew their sinnes divine justice wrongs us not in our everlasting destruction whom should self-destroyers blame but themselues I have been the longer in this Section because of the mighty importance of the matter the common wofull lamentable damnable refusall of Gospel gracious calls and invitations to everlasting happinesse unchristianly prophanely dishonourably abused SECT 6. 6. THe means of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse This sad 6. The means of Grace is turned into wantonnesse experience I shall give out in three things shewing When the means of grace are abused The evil of that abuse and What means of grace are abused 1. When are the means of grace abused They are so 1. when they are set higher than they are Means are made Mediators set in the room of Christ when an equall yea a superiour confidence is put in Instrumental institutions The hand and the courage of the Warriour is disparaged when the Sword is set up above him and there be more confidence in a dead instrument than in a living agent The Word the Sword of the Spirit is dead and successelesse out of the strong and living hand of the Spirit It is a double and common wrong both to the means of grace and to Christ when Christ is not eyed sought to admired trusted in by the means The error not onely of ignorant prophane Christians that trust in a bare Baptism and a following of their Church to save them but most real Christians some whereof more admire their Preachers than Jesus Christ more look after an impotent man with all the glory of his gifts than the power and the transcendently eminent endowments of the Lord Jesus The Apostle Paul taught a better lesson who although he planted and watered Churches with miraculous successe owned his own nothingness 2 Cor. 12. 11. abhorred the thoughts of self-sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. was jealous of robbing Christ of his glory gave him the honour of his grace and power that he was used as the exalted and blessed instrument to convert multitudes of sinners and save their soules Rom. 15. 18 19. 2 When meās of grace are set lower then they are 2. When they are set lower than they are Then they are so when they are accounted as uselesse needlesse things as if heaven could be got without them grace might be had and kept though the means disused Nothing is more clear than that in ordinary dispensation extraordinaries not being our rule God hath confined grace and salvation to the use of means Knowledge Joh. 17. 3. The Gospel preached Rom. 1. 13. Baptism 1 Pet. 3. 21. Prayer Ro. 10. 13. The education of godly family guides Gen. 18. 19. Excommunications 1 Cor. 5. 5. The holy counsels and examples of Husbands and Wives one to another 1 Cor. 7. 16. The means of grace to the reproach of the God of grace are exceedingly undervalued when the sottish and conceited generation that live without Ordinances hold there is no dependance at all on holynesse and eternal happinesse upon Gods instituted means They are also set lower than they are when encumbred with Martha about needlesse things in the brood of earthly cares and employments neglect their attendances on heavenly means and make their affaires below excuses as too many doe to the dishonour of their regenerate part just as studious worldlings to put by heavenly exercises in the Worship of God 3. When they are contradicted and blasphemed as Paul's 3 Whē means of Grace are contradicted and blasphemed preaching was by the Jews true Prayer by the Spirit by unspiritual gracelesse Atheists that revile godly care of holy houshold guides to keep their children and servants in the knowledge fear and love of God whose pious endeavours to save the soules of their families condemning their wicked neighbours irreligion is the occasion but not the cause of their blaspheming their Prayers singing of Psalmes strict keeping of the Sabboth and week dayes holy and righteous conversation when the holy and heavenly institutions of the Lord Jesus are the markes at which sonnes and daughters of Belial shoot the arrows of their bitter words the meanes of grace are eminently abused 4. When they are judged and rested in as the onely evidences of grace The more ignorant carnall morall hypocriticall 4 Whē means are judged rested in as the only evidences of Grace sort of Christians have no better arguments that they are in the state of grace than this they have the means of grace It is an irrational conclusion A patient hath good physick therefore he shall recover a dunce hath good books and a good tutor therefore he will be a scholar a great Army is well furnished for war therefore it shall overcome The battel is not to the strong Eccles 9. 11. As unscripturall an inference it is The means of grace are enjoyed therefore the grace of the means is obtained Capernaum was lifted up to heaven in means and yet cast to hell Mat. 11. 23. Ordinances doe not confer grace as fire doth heat by their natural vertue but as the Lord Christ healed the sick by supernaturall Grace is not in the means as causes but by them as instruments Should many men have no use of the means to plead for their spirituall estate there would be nothing to speak them really Christian but they would be left as naked heathens It is not the having but the saving using of means that will stand by us 5. When they are made shelters of sin as dens are for Lyons 5 Whē means are made a shelter of sin cloaths are for bodies The Sacrifices and Temple were not to be a Sanctuary of Murder Adultery False swearing Idolatry Jer. 7. 9 10. Nor were the Pharisees to make long prayers to cloak the devouring of widdows houses Luk. 20. 47. The Harlots beginning with Gods services were poor fig
outward Passeover Jews without and not within wicked in hearts and lives These rest on Baptismal Water Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper Christians without and not within unconverted unsanctified in hearts and lives These doe prophane offered Sacramental grace utterly voyd of Sacramental graces and lives These by their own confessions are dedicated and devoted to Jesus Christ to forsake the flesh the devill the pomp and vanities of this wicked world and they doe nothing less These by taking the Bread and Wine the lively representations of the shed blood and broken body of Jesus Christ are supposed and obliged to have grace and grow in it but they neither have the beeing nor growth of grace prophanely take the bread of the Lord with unbeleeving impenitent hearts but not the bread the Lord with faith repentance Panem Domini non panem Dominum August and other graces It will not be the least aggravation of Christians wantonnizing with the grace of God The wicked abuse of the Sacraments will prove them undeniable Libertines What affinity is there between the cleansing water of Baptisme and Baptized persons wallowing in the filthiness of flesh and spirit lying and delighting like swine in the mire in the pollutions of the world What agreement is there between a pretended feeding on the pure immortal food Jesus Christ and feeding on Satans provisions the delicious lusts and sweet pleasures of sin Is not this to turn the Table of the Lord into the Table of Devils an holy into a prophane feast as if the holy Supper were instituted to pamper and quicken not starve and mortifie corruption How epidemicall and spreading is this abuse They are the words of an holy affectionate Writer Introspicite in omnes Christini orbis partes non negabitis passim apud mulios solutarem usum Sacramentorum frigore Otho Casmannus Look into all the parts of the Christian world and you will not deny many Christians are remiss and cold concerning the saving use of the Sacraments Be they used or abused there is rarely enquiring after their efficacy or contempt what good is got by them or what defaming contradictions and wrongs there are against them 5. Good Books are abused means By them their holy Authors 5. Good Books are means abused though dead speak to the living We have in them the lasting Monuments of pious Labors the breathings of the Spirits the experiences of Satans Wiles and Methods the goings of God in his Sanctuary the shewing forth of his Power and Glory in his living Temples well-digested and heavenly directions to walk holily safely joyfully in the way to Heaven frequent and passionate woings to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in spiritual Espousals The necessity and excellency of Regeneration and the issue of it the new Creature The unbottoming and discovery of the hearts deceits kinde and affectionate warnings in time to get out of the state of sin and damnation and be delivered from the wrath to come yea further serious heart-aking and wounding discourses of the woful Eternity of Hells Torments for the loose and ungodly World and ravishing Discoveries of the blessed Eternity of Heavens Joys for exact and Religious persons with much more that may be said of the drawing excellencies of holy Writings of old and the present age Now what is the use indeed abuse of these glorious gifts of the Spirits the Births not onely of understanding Brains but holy Hearts the wasters of Blood and Spirits precious time and labor in the Lords Workmen Are not these things the sad testimonies of their dishonor some never read Vtiles pii libri quam raro pervoluuntur them others very rarely some rather judge and condemn strict truths too unpleasing Prisons and Chains for their loose hearts then fall down before the power of their truth and holiness they rather come with Satans Index Expurgatorius and by the spirit of error boldly blot out Heavenly Truths and neither suffer them to come into their Creed nor Practice then rejoyce at their Imprimatur that the helps and methods of godly lives printed in Paper might be printed in their hearts Others do with the Books they read as with the Sermons they hear lend them an eye an ear a few slighty careless thoughts but do never with Mary ponder saving Counsels in their hearts Some when they read Divine Treatises labor to pick what errors they can and like Spiders suck poyson out of the sweetest hearbs wherefore they intermix worldly Lusts the saving of their Diana and Palladium the corrupt Idols of their hearts Their darling Peccata in delici is Benjamins their sweet feasting and feasted sins and these must comment on the Text they read If precious heart-purifying life-reforming sin-reproving and conscience-smiting discourses cross error and loosness then away with the Book it is stark naught Others would read Books but valued onely by the standard of a foolish Wit accounting of Books by lofty Strains fine gaudy Phrases not the golden massy worth of the matter the Heavenly Treasures set forth in a grave and sober significant Language plain yet eloquent expression I shall enlarge this point with an hearty advice to them that have a minde and time to read Books let them take heed what they read Satan I fear hath the liberty of the Press as well as Jesus Christ There are Books of Libertinism abroad It had been well for some had they never been published in the world whose mindes are dangerously infected without infinite mercy to their destruction In the other World what if undone souls by wicked Books should wish the eyes of their flesh had been blinde and ears deaf that they could have neither read nor heard of Printed Error and Loosness to their destruction The Devil hath his market and merchants foolish Chapmen are deceived and take the bad ware of darkness for light flesh for spirit O ye simple gulled People of this Nation cheated almost of your Christianity and Civility unless ye will be foolish and proud take the advice of your learned godly Ministers of settled sollid experienced Christians and ask them what Books you should read A few words of counsel I have to you that are jocund merry ones boon Companions if you read this Section I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ as you tender your Salvation and the glory of God spend your time better It will never repent you when you die you have left your covetous passionate Gaming the too frequent delights of the flesh you drench almost drown your souls in for the choosing reading meditating on Books of Mortification Heavenly-mindedness and preparation for Death and Eternity I am sure you cannot deny it now rationally I am most sure your awakened mindes cannot deny it on your death-beds that your diligent reading of Dike of the deceitfulness of the heart Baxters everlasting rest Greenham Bolton Preston Perkins c. and such Books as those were incomparably better to be
read then wanton Play-Books Romances debauching Amorous Writings If you will not believe me now whether you will or no you shall in the other World Read O read what will fit you for Heaven for your souls sake do not by reading vain frothy written delight and read your selves into Hell 6. Prayer is an abused means when this holy piece of Divine 6. Prayer is a means abused Worship the most sweet and frequent way of converse with God about Heavenly affairs is totally neglected When men come unto God without any serious thoughts of his Reverend Majesty rushing to the Throne of Grace as to a Theater a Market a merry Meeting When there are attempts of drawing nigh before infinite Purity with impure hearts and unclean hands after hot pursuit of the World and fervency in the service of carnal Lusts there is bold approach unto Gods presence as if God would regard their Prayers who regard iniquity in their hearts When Supplicants do not so much pray as complement in good earnest not Petition God but mock him declaiming against the sins they love unwilling to part with the Lusts they chide that God should take them at their words One would think that hears zealous arraignment and severe condemnings of some sins in Prayer would think the hatred of them were implacable and the forsaking of them would be everlasting when at the same time there is a strong habitual league with them yea after many hard words a securing of them living and delighting in them These and many more affronts are put upon this Heavenly means of Grace Prayer 7. Education is an abused means When lewd children and 7. Education is an abused means servants are not taken with the holy Counsels and exemplary Piety of their godly Guides Some either expresly hate instruction and correction or do but dissemble holiness who while they are in strict Families eternally conform to Holy Orders like the Fish Polipus that can turn it self into the colour of the Rock but when out of the Parents Wing and the Masters Government are no more the children and servants they were than a Player is a King when he is off the Stage or an Ape in mans apparrel is a man when undressed How will houshold Governors warnings and chastizings prayers and tears sweetest wooings and drawing promises to rebellious children and graceless servants that they may minde the marchless interest of Gods glory and their own salvation rise up in judgement against them in the accounting Day when it will appear exactest educations have been abused 8. Scriptural convictions are an abused means There are 8. Scriptural convictions are abused means not a few that know their duties and their sins It is as clear as noon-light that their intemperancies incontinences unrighteous dealings oathes lies neglect of Prayer are sins From a rouzing Sermon they can go home with smitten hearts grant that Sermon-Truths have been arrows directed to the breast of their dead corruption and in vanishing fits and moods of appearing goods promise to leave their drunken company oathes lies and worldliness yea weep over their confessed wickedness but after these suddain moods and pangs of piety are vanished the convinced sinner is as jovial drunken false in his dealing mad on his reprieved not mortified Lusts his sleeping not dead corruptions as if his sins had never stared him in the conscience and been represented to him as that which unforsaken would ruine him These do the works of darkness by Gospel-light go without miraculous conversion and exact repentance with open eyes to Hell and knowing their Masters will but doing it not shall be beaten with sharper Eternal stripes then ignorant Heathens and blinde vulgar Papists O inlightned Christians bless God for your light but fear and tremble lest the wickedness of loose hearts and ungodly conversation be greatned by your clear informations They who by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ have escaped the pollutions of the world and are out of choice and delight again intangled in them It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. 9. Afflictions are an abused means They ought to be the discipline 9. Afflictions are abused meanes of vertue the purgatory of corruption Isa 27. 9. the teachers of neglected holy duties Psal 94. 12. The reducers of foolish wandring sinners into their wits and way Luke 15. 17. Wearers from the worlds sweet dugs 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. Strikers of holy awe of the Divine presence in daring spirits 1 Sam. 6. 20. Snuffers of the candle of well instructed reason that it may give a clearer light to the inferior faculties Job 33. 16 19. Monitors not to commit Vexatio dat intellectum Mercerus over again the old sins John 5. 15. Abasers of proud spirits Job 33. 17 19. Converters of departed souls Psalm 119. 67. Instrumental Saviours of lost sinners 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. When the Lords rods are spent in vain These Heavenly ends of afflictions are not attained but hearts as hard as an anvile take no gracious impressions of Gods blows In Gods afflicting Furnace there is no golden refinings of Grace no purging the dross of corruption The ill humors of camal lusts and affections and loose manners under his Physick are more incurable unbettered afflicted ones will not be purged but revolt more and more Then afflictions the means of Grace are abused SECT 7. 7. THe examples of Grace are turned into wantonness They 7. Examples of Grace are turned into wantonnesse are then well used when from a right estimate of them admiration of Gods goodness in them Thankfulness for them Phil. 1. 3. Zeal to follow them Heb. 6. 12. shaming and blaming our selves for our unlikeness to them 1 Cor. 15. 14. Daily indeavoring to write after their fair holy and heavenly Copies Heb. 12. 1. Delighting in them above all persons of the World Psalm 16. 3. choosing of them to be our choice companions and bosom-friends Psal 119. 63. resenting them as shining Lights in the World Phil. 2. 15. to clear our way to the Heavenly Countrey Thus to improve the best of patterns that reflect and hold forth the glory of God in the World the fruits of the direct beams of infused holiness and to be won to Christ 1 Pet. 3. 1. and quickned to the power of Religion by others exemplary Piety Charity Innocence and Justice is to use well examples of Grace But now when men and women regard not the most shining Lights sleep and play the wantons before them and with them make them their may-game their sport the Theam of their prophane jests and scurrilous wits in their Houses Ale-benches Taverns the Road When David was the Drunkards song Psalm 69. 12. the scorn of many despised of Michal 2 Sam. 6. 16. When hypocritical mockers at Feasts make the heirs of glory
though they read and cannot deny it that Christ triumphed openly in his bloody passion over his enemies a World b Flesh and c Devil a Joh. 16. 33. b Rom. 6. 6. c Col. 2. 15. yet by their graceless hearts and dissolute lives like Traytors to their professed Lord restore to his enemies what in them lyes their vanquished Kingdom which the Lord Christ died for to destroy in the Crosse 3. From an holy profession powerlesse over corruption the Lord Christ is like to have no followers in the world Primitive Christians won repute to Christ and his Gospel not by their shadowy forms but substantial powers of Godliness The Apostle Peter exhorted Christian Wives so powerfully to adorn their Profession that their lives as really converting Sermons might win their idolatrous Husbands to Jesus Christ and his Truth 1 Pet. 3. 1. when powerlesse good speeches doe no good the practicall power of godlinesse would make converts When heathens found the christians not onely holy lives but miraculous power of casting Daemonibus ejectis omnes quiresanali fuerunt adhaeserunt religioni cujus potentiam senserint Justitia De Lact. l. 5. c. 23 Devils out of their bodies they stuck close to that Religion whose power they felt Were the lives of christians now adayes shining and convincing did the miraculous power of casting Devils out of souls appear not onely the delivered themselves but prophane observers would magnifie and keep close to that religious profession whose glorious victorious power is admirably discerned SECT 5. 2. THe grace of God is turned into wantonnesse when the The grace of God is turned into wantonnes when the sinner carries loosly as to God sinner carries loosely as to God hee doth so in four things 1. When Pretenders to Gods grace doe not retaine the light of God shining in their minds so that truths that would be saving and sanctifying are imprisoned in unrighteousnesse and God is not with liking and love in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. He is known but not glorifyed as God Rom. 1. 21. By the sin as well of wanton christians as wanton heathens Gods grace is injured Impure hearts and evill lives are sad contradictions to divine informations Carelesse servants minde not their Masters pleasure not carelesse Christians the pleasure of God 2. When the commands of God are cast behind the back the grace of God is abused As his Laws are sweetly qualified in Christ they are all Acts of Grace God favours us in requiring obedience of us on Gospel tearms His Laws are known to Jacob and his Statutes to Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation Psal 147. 20. To the Israelites pertained the giving of the Law Rom. 9. 4. Now to cast his gracious pleasure behinde the back is such an indignitie as to cast away a Princes gracious Proclamation wherein his pleasure is sweetned with many acts of grace God needs not our obedience we need his commands and in their obediential service there is not only work but wages The sweet peace and comfort of sincere gospel duty payes for its performance In conscionable and spirituall obedience as God is glorified so there is great reward Isa 49. 4. Psal 19. 11. What wrong do they to the grace of God and their own souls who under the favor of Grace neglect that holy compliance with the Divine Will which is rewarded with present purity and delight 1 Pet. 1. 22. Rom. 7. 22. and shall be with promised eternal happiness Rom. 2. 7. Heb. 6. 12. 3. When there is impudent irreverence in the presence of Erubescentia virtutis tinctura Laertius in vita Diog. God There is no fear of God in the eyes of daring sinners Rom. 3. 18. whereas true Grace would put on an holy blush either to prevent sin or repent of it The Philosopher resented modest shamefastness as virtues colour and the Scripture accounts of holy shame as the complexion of Grace O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee Ezra 9. 6. so Rom. 6. 21. O our hypocrisie we that stile the Lord our gracious God are ashamed of sins before men but blush not to sin before God O our slighting of Gods presence Though we see Gods All-seeing eye upon us and are convinced the Lord knoweth and exactly weigheth our sinful thoughts reasonings desires affections Perturbations close Atheisme irreverence filthiness pride envy malice and Books of sinful words Actions to be read over again in the great examining and Judging day yet the audacious sinner will pour out his pollutions before the seen face of God with a shameless whores forehead Frous illis erat meretricis nec vellent erubescere nullis Dei judiciis se corrigi sustinerent Calvin in Jer. 3. 3. and a spirit senseless of his severe judgements or prying presense Too many that go for Gods servants are like the loose ones of men that know their gracious Masters eye is before them yet abuse him and slight his pleasure before his face such a frame of spirit speaketh this wickedness as if such Language were uttered before the Lord O Lord thou art my loving Master but I so little regard thee that though I know thou feest me yet I will dissemble be unclean passionate unjust in my dealings worldly and follow the swinge of my corrupt lusts in thy sight such kinde of excuses carry great filth and guilt But be not deceived God will not be so mocked 4. When pretenders to the Grace of God live wholly to themselves Nisi quisque à semetipso deficiat ad eum qui supra ipsum non appropinquat Greg. and not to him This is an affront to Gods Grace It is the genuine and proper work of Grace to live to God He cannot draw nigh unto him that departs not from himself Grace is water of life it is with this as with other water it riseth as high as the Spring from whence it came The God of grace is the spring of grace this living water runs up to its own Spring He is the Sea of grace this sweet stream in a supernatural gratitude runs into its own Sea The Lord Christ designed this in his death that his redeemed ones should not live unto themselves but to him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. But now when carnal Gospellers follow the guidance of their own reason the imperious Law of their desires and affections like Israel bring forth fruit unto themselves Hos 10. 1. Center their Religious services hearing fasting praying reading for self not God Zach. 7. 5. When shining glorious profession is but a more unsuspected and politick sacrifice to that grand Idol Carnal self either in the whole or main of its services the grace of God is abused When all Christians by their profession should lay out and consecrate themselves wholly to Christ they are unworthy that the earth should bear them that do not fully resign and devote themselves to Christ They
Person is deeply and dearly paid for now what is bought passeth into the dominion of the buyer The ransomed of Christ are Peculium Christi Christs own possession It was an holy wish of an holy Writer O that Christs Lordship with deepest impressions might be rooted and fixed in our mindes The loose depravers of Redemption run the hazard of perishing when they refuse to be Christs possession 3. The greatest freedom pomp and glory of the world that Impii pre vilisfimis abjectissimis habentur licet spiendeant in oculis hominum Davenant in Coloss takes carnal eyes dischargeth no wicked Libertines from being the most vile and abject slaves Nobles though bound in silver chains are Prisoners The Devil and the old Man will never envy their spiritual Captives outward freedoms while efficacious Redemption hath made no powerful Translation unto Christs Kingdom of salvation 4. Carnal walkers conceits of Redemption by Christ are pleasing delusive and vanishing dreams While the Israelites served Quicquid somniant homines carnales de liberatione suâ est vanissimum Nam ut Israelitae dum Phaaroni inserviebant non erant libertate donati sic Christiani dum Diabolo parent dum peccati delitiis diffluunt Davenant Pharaoh they were not delivered so titular Christians never felt the power of Redemption while they obey the Devil and abound in the pleasures of sin The chained Prisoners thoughts of Ransome are very sorry ones while he still starves and dieth in his Irons 5. The avenging jealousie of the Lord Christ will flame out against them who rest yea boast in heart yea sometimes in tongue of his ransoming Grace and yet shake off his rightly purchased Government He counts them no better than enemies that refuse his dominion and threatens their destruction Luke 19. 27. He shall come from Heaven to revenge their disobedience to his Gospel 2 Thess 1. who prophanely rested on the Grace of his Redemption How can they answer their undoing fallacy of dividing what God hath joyned parting Redemption from iniquity and Redemption from Hell as if the whole of it were to rescue lost sinners from the smart not the filth of sin to give them a licentious ease not to fit them for their professed Lords use and their own eternal sweet communion with him to keep them from being vessels of wrath not to make them vessels of honour What a dishonour is this to the grace of God That Lust the Devill and the World should Lord it over Christs purchase What reproach to Redemption that those who beleeve they are ransomed by him will not be subject to him but abide Col. 1. 21. Enemies to him in their minds declared by wicked workes Are not these men like ransomed captives bought by a deare price who are so far from subjection and paying honour to that they rebel against their Lord 3. When Christ is desired for his comforts not for his service Gods grace is turned into wantonness Thus many take Christ to serve their turnes of him not to serve him for a shelter to comfort them in storms not a Master to doe his will When under the terrors and sorrows of death and hell they would have comfortable words from Christ even then when they have rebellious hearts against him I have heard from an eye and ear-witness a sad report of a tipling adulterous prophane man when he had the terrours of an angry God on his wounded soul and not onely fear of Hell but confessed feeling of the paines and flames of hell in his spirit was in his flesh like another trembling Balshazar at the hand writing against him a real afflicted Quaker sent for the Minister cried out of his grosse sinnes yea his barren and forsaken use of reading and prayer but the slavish sorrows were soon wasted and the terrified sinner soon grew vain frothy sensuall and voluptuous Such as like onely the pacifying but not the purifying part of Religion have whorish hearts wandring from God to other Loves even then when they are afraid of him Wanton unclean wives would have their husbands good lookes words and gifts though disobedient to them and defilers of the Marriage bed Thus too many adulterous hearts when the lips only matched with Jesus Christ would have the comforts of Reconciliation Remission Adoption the peace and joyes of the Holy Ghost even then when they contemn his holy strict Gospel-government The Apostle Paul will be a condemning instance against these selfish wantons As he obtained Pardoning mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. So he was the servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1. 1. yea laboured in Christs vineyard more than any of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 10. Should God put sound hearts to the choice whether they had rather have eminent grace to doe the will than see the sweet face of Christ they would prefer dutifulness before joyes and rather obey the commands than see the smiles of God But rotten hearts are all for the comforts Hypocritae magno supercilio jactant pietaetem sed pias monitiones rejiciunt Calv. Isa 50. nothing for the self-denying mortifying precepts of the gospel would be content to spend their daies in carnall rejoycing not working for the Lord Jesus It is just with God that all such who onely seek the comforts but not the labours and tasks of christianity shall everlastingly be strangers to the solaces who were enemies to the duties of the Gospel They who center Optimo jure nobis adimitur gaudium ubi in ipso gaudere nescimus Calv. in Isa 24. their joy in themselves shall never have true joy O that these men that fear no evill but wrath and Hell and so doe keep in not leave their wickednesse and see no good in Religion but its comfort and peace would seriously consider the experimentall words of Zanchy Evill men doe but inwardly restrain their wickedness which without feares they would wantonly powre forth Suam pravitatem intus cohibent quaÌ„â—lioqui petuâ—â—nter effusuri erant unde nec meliores nec justiores apud Deum quia licet timore impediti suam iniquitatem exercere non audent tamen intus habent cor peccatis aestuans neo renovatum ab obedientia Dei Zanchius de legis officio and this maketh them not the better nor more righteous in Gods account because though chained up by fear they dare not act their iniquity yet within they have sins impure flames pent up but no heart renewed by the obedience of God SECT 7. 4. VVHen the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God The Grace of God is turned into wantonness 7 When the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God This is done Doctrinally and Practically 1. Doctrinally When the Justifying grace of God is made 2 dis-obligement from the obedience of the Law Because they that are under grace are not under the damning power of the Law Therefore loose Opinionists teach they are not under the commanding power of the Law as if Christ dyed
Practical Adversaries of Gods grace clearly opened to see the Insolencies Indignities and Injuries they do against it they could not but in a trembling conviction conclude these and these things are certain dishonors of grace Stains of holy Profession Inconsistencies with the new Creature Lust and Satans methods of Damnation and denials of the hope of Glory As when Paul said to Ananias God shall smite thee thou whited wall he had not said so had he known hee was the High Priest Act. 23. 3 5. â—o had the bold abusers of Gods Summus Lethargus quasi mors humanae conscientiae ignorantia voluntatis divinae grace strong and clear convincements the frame of their hearts and carriages of their lives were the high injuries of Grace eminent perils of destruction and demerits of the hottest room in Hell in the noon-light of such an acknowledgement they would feare and tremble to stumble upon their owne ruin SECT 2. 2. VVAnt of Faith to believe the signall danger of sinne this 2 Want of Faith to beleeve the danger of sin is a wrong to Grace Caecus assensus plane temerarius sine praeeunte notitia non potest induere rationem fidei Parkerus de Traduct peccat ad Deum Thesis 56. huge sin is the wrong of Grace It is no wonder that the evill which is not known is not believed nor declined Unbeliefe is the evill heart that departs from the living God It sets not to its seal that God is true in his promises nor threatnings believes not the abominable damnable nature of sinne and dallies with it As daring wantons who know that the cup that stands before them is of poyson yet beleeve it not but drink and burst or the plague is in the house they goe into believe it not are mortally infected and die And as the Egyptians beleeved not that the cattle and men that were found abroad one storming day should die adventured abroad and were slaine so dallying adventurers that beleeve not the mischief of their sinfull pleasures contempts of Christ and his Gospel they are dancing over the mouth of Hell by the sudden push of death are kickt into it The loose old world beleeved not the destruction Preached by Noah in the making of the Ark were not moved with his holy example and penitentiall instructions The Sonnes of God playd the wantons with the fair idolatrous daughters of men Gen. 6. 2. and were at length swept away with the flood Faith would make Libertines fear and tremble Unbelief is daring Minatur Deus negligitis minatur terrenus Judex contremiscitis The wrath of man is more feared than Gods When God saith one threatens eternal punishment ye neglect it when an earthly Judge threatens temporal ye tremble at it SECT 3. 3. WAnt of Heat Intention and Livelinesse in Religion If 3 The want of life in Religion causeth abuse of Grace God be not served in fervency of Spirit Lust will If Satan cannot keep from Religious exercise he tempts to Luke-warmnesse yea Key-coldnesse in the performance of them Instinctu Satanae faith one by Satans deading and flatting instinct a drowsie tyring in good things steals upon body and spirit Faint fighting is not wont to overcome nor faint service of God to mortisie Lust How feâ— are there in a Christian congregation superabounding in spiritual joy alwaies pleasant and merry in the Lord fervent in spirit day and night meditating in the Law of God lifting up pure hands in prayer follicitous observers and students of their own hearts zealous witnesses of holy affections to good works to whom Christian discipline is amiable Fasting sweet long Watching short the whole pietie of a regular conversation is a delitious feast yea doth exceed the sweetnesse of the Quorum brevis rara compunctio animalis conversatio sermo fine circumspectione oratio sine cordis intentione lectio sine edificatione Bern. Virga calcaribus indigentes hony and the hony comb Alass how many are there who in an impartial inquest will be found remisse in the studies of Holyness fainting under Christs easie yoak and light burden whose compunction is short and rare conversation naturall speech without circumspection prayer without intention of heart reading without edification good purpose without execution religious exercise without fervencie who in the waies of godliness want the whipp and spurs but in the too prone and nimble motions of dislolute looseness need curbing bridles Licentious courses are so strong and impetuous that the modest shame of uncomeliness the bridle of reason yea the fear of Hell can hardly restrain them No wonder if corruption be daring dissolute and potent when religious exercises are flat dead cold and feeble Wee blush not Sine debita attentione fervore spiritus Bern. said one to pray to God without due attention and fervour of spirit He that hath no sweet communion with God will seek it in the world and pleasing his inticing lusts When the minde is senceless in reading and meditation and affections are dull corruption will be lively 'T is sad to consider how many seemed to discover the fervour of a pious conversation in whom by degrees charity hath waxen cold and iniquity abounded and what appeared to be begun in the Spirit ends it is to be feared in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee because of the savour of thine ointments Cant. 1. 3 4. Therefore there is need of Opus habeo trahi quia refriguit pauliâ—per in nobis ignis amoris tui Bernard drawing because the divine fire of the soules love for want of fewel to it and blowing of it by degrees abates ad cooles Drawing nigh the fire is for warmth and drawing nigh of God is for holy heat In near approaches to him the new creature is a zealous enemy to wanton looseness Cockering cooleness in the severe religious exercises of Mortification is the bane of Profession Adonijah was a very goodly man David his Father displeased him not at any time in saying why hast thou done so 1 King 1. 6. In the sist verse you sinde him a daring Rebel you may read in the Contents of the Chapter Adonijah Davids darling usurpeth the Kingdome Thus is it with every fair faced goodly lust The indulgent Christian is it too remisse in rebuking and chastizing it and it riseth up in arms against him Cockering Mothers cold in rebuking wanton sons teach them to be Libertines ost-times train them up for the Gallows and Hell so when the heart is remiss and cold for good and against evill Lust will have its reins and lawlesse liberty and ruin its servants SECT 4 4. WAnt of receiving the Truth in the Truth in the love of it is an Advantage 4. Want of receiving the truth in the love is an advantage to turn a Libertine to trun a Libertine The Apostle describes the Antichristian spirit that waxed wanton in taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse receiving
and lives that with the repenting Jaylors they had had heart tremblings then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning a sun-shine of prosperity should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth How wise and safe had been their estate that at once have peace with sin and as they think with God had they at once seen God and sin their enemy their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes their sweetest comforts bitter vexations the creatures armed against them feared their very meat might prove their poyson every night might be the last that these awakening driving terrors might chase unquiet afrighted spirits into Jesus Christ that the fear and war of the spirit of bondage might end in the joy and peace of the spirit of adoption that tempestuous soules might hear these sweet calming words Be of good cheere t is I be not afraid Mat. 14 27. Fear not I am thy God Isa 41. 10. My Person Spirit Graces Comforts Glory infinite merits are thine Some in the Wildernesse of their sins feares and sorrowes have at length leaned on their beloved when the false peace of most presumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell As many there as have been tempted by secure flattery into their tormenting easelesse bed of Tribulation will have cause to think and say within themselves accursed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts lives that hath brought us to an eternall storme accursed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war accused be that sweetnesse that hath inticed us into eternall bitternesse accursed be that friendship with the world and Devill that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God SECT 14. 4. The presumption of setting death and Judgement at far distance Sect. 14. The setting of death and judgement at far distance causeth the abuse of Grace 1. Death Resentment of it as of a Traveller thousands of miles off at scores of yeares removes begets through the deceits of the flesh and lyes of the Devill a tolleration yea a resolution to play the wanton not only against Nature but Grace The Epicure that beleeves not the Soules immortality concludes wanton voluptuous life from probable short life Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15. 32. And the Christian though he beleeveth his Soule shall live for ever doth wantonize in carnall delights from probable length of dayes he shall have time enough to get the Grace of Repentance and therefore he abuseth the space and call yea the conviction of returning the vilest of Christians while under the sentence and on the bed of death seeme to have some sober thoughts of the excellency and necessity of Grace and of some complying desires and wishes O that they had it who when they beleeved it yea found it at vast distance from them despised and abused the motions of the spirit and word and of Grace How Saint like is the inlightned Libertine within a few houres of his death how dissolute ten years scores of years before it 2. Judgement Because particular Judgement after death and the generall Judgement of the great day is delayed Therefore The heart of the Sons of men is set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. wanton scoffers walke after their own ungodly Lusts saying Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. That cooling word in the Indulge exple animi cupiditates scito tan dem sis ratio nem Deo red diturus q. d. fac quicquid mali poteris tandem vapu labis aut in manus carnificis incides Mercer l. 5. c. 2. hot chase of sin Remember God will bring thee to Judgement Eccl. 11. 9. is too litle remembred the words of Mercer are observeable Feed and dandle thy lusts with most cockering indulgence coming to every desire of thy carnall mind yet know at length God will reckon with you fill up your measure of sin to your utmost possibilities at length you shall smart for it and fall into the hands of avenging Execution my Lord hath delayed his coming said the loose evill servants and therefore they were intemperate and injurious rioted in drunkennesse and Beate their fellow servants Matth. 24. 48 49. As the wanton whorish woman argued to uncleannesse Come let us take our fill of Loves let us solace our selves with Love for the good man is gone a long journey Prov. 7. 18. So the wanton Christian argues to licenciousnesse he may in the spacious intervalls between his healthy time and the last Judgement bathe his fleshly mind in fleshly loves and delights for it will be long ere the last Assizes come and will it be long what if millions of years it will come at length too soon and too sore upon the injurious slighters of Gods Grace Ah Christians that sport your selves with your own deceivings Irremediabile periculum sit aliquem cupiditatibus fraena laxare ut se rationem Deo non meminerit redditurum Bernard that Gospell Grace and liberty will favour your disordered walking that give your Lusts too large roome under the plain hearing and convincements of strictnesse that stumble in high noone day slacken the Reines to your head strong desires as if God would call you to account Bernard tells you this is an irremedilesse soule danger If the Faith of the last Judgement do not teach men holy Wisdome Repentance Temperance Obedience what will what can weep you said the Apostle James to the rich loose wantons of his time And howle for the miseries that are come upon you Jam. 5. 1. why Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth and have been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slangther v. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh As if he had said you play the wantons with creature mercies forgetting God and your duties but the accounting day is nigh Faciat jructū qui potest adest dominus qui fructum requirit faecundos vivificet steriles depre hendet Am. Super Luc. The Judge is at the doore They are good words of Ambrose Let every one bring forth the fruit of Grace the Lord is present in his word to faith who will require fruit will not be put off with leaves He will give eternall Life to fruitfull trees will take and cast barren ones into Hell SECT 15. 5. The presumption of time enough to repent hath brought 15. The presumption of time enough to repent doth cause the abuse of Grace forth this uncomely Monster The abuse of Grace There are not a few incurable instances in the other World who have first delayed and then everlastingly lost the space and Grace of repentance Those words of Christ concerning Jerusalem may be truly and sadly said of Grace-refusing and abusing Christians Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Hannibal bewailed the loss of his opportunity to master Rome when he would have
more sad O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Hos 13. 9. Why will you die O house of Israel The Law of sin and death are yoâ—ked together Voleutes ultronei cu iditatuvus inserviunt Pet. Mart. in Rom. Rom. 8. 2. They that will walk after their lusts wil perish 2. Pet. 2. 10 12. Now the practical adversaries of Gods grace do most willingly and freely serve their own lusts and necessitate their ruin are like Phalaris that was burnt in his own Engine of crueltie like him that hangs himself in his own Halter His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins Prov. 5. 28. He shall die without refused instruction and in the greatress of his deliberate voluntary folly he shall goe astray ver 23. He shall finde no shelter in Gods decrees His wilfull abuse of grace will be his self-condemnation He shall have his sentence at the great day not qua now electus but qua impius not depart you cursed because I chose you not but because ye are workers of iniquity SECT 2. 2. Judgement of Perverting the grace of God is spiritual 2 Spiritual blindness is a judgement inflicted upon those who pervert the grace of God blindnesse I am come for judgement said Christ that they which see might be made blind Joh. 9. 39. Isaias saw the Gospel-glory of Gods grace and pâ—eached it to the loose reprobate Jews and the Lord in wrath blinded their eyes that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts Joh 12. 40 41. Who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant Isa 42. 19. Hear ye deaf and look ye blind ver 18. A sad reproof of the wicked Jews that did unworthily prophane the most excellent gift of gospel-light Though all others might be blind and deaf yet they that had the most bright Nulli coeciores nulli surdiores Probrose meminit Calvin Lamp of Truth shining the Silver Trumper of the Gospel sounding before them should not yet none more blind none more deaf than they an heavy judgement But if blind how Perfect how Servants They are the words of Exprobration not Commendation They should be perfect Duces via Leaders to others but were not They were punished with Blindnesse This sore punishment is clear in four things 1. They whom God punisheth with Blindness of mind are given up to the Devil to be blinded The god of this world blinds the eyes of them that beleeve not lest the light of Go spel-grace should sevingly shine in their hearts 2 Cor. 4. 4. It was a judgement on the wanton Sodomites that the Angels Diabolus est Dei carnifex atque divine ultionis execu tor Pet. Mart. blinded them Gen. 19. 11. It is a Judgement on wanton Gospellers when the evil Angels blind them with the dust dirt and srnoâ—k of abused creatures corrupt principles carnal reason their oâ—n ungoverned passions It is a Judgement when the Judge commits evil doers to the Goaler and the Hangman for execution The Devil in blinding the minds of those that are lascivious with grace is Gods Executioner 2. They whom God punisheth with Blindnesse of mind cannot find the way of Life And now sad is that to wander like the blind man that gropes for the way but finds it not The blinded Sodomites wearied themselves to find the door and found it not Gen. 19. 11. So many there be that grope after the narrow way of Life and find it not Mat. 7. 14. Strive to enter into the door of happyness but find it not The Jew wronging the grace of the gospel was blinded and found it not The Papist is blinded and finds it not the loose ignorant yea the loose though knoâ—ing Protestant yet is blind and beleeves it not How many grope for the way of eternal life in good meanings and supposed good hearts in Civilities in Formalities in Comparative goodness in partialities of Obedience and the like and yet darkness hath blinded their eyes that they see not the way of Life 3. They whom God punisheth with blindnesse of mind they fall on every stumbling-block they meet withall are taken in every snare of Company Relations Possessions Prosperity and Adversity sa 8. 14 15. yea shining spiritual gifts yea the sweet Promises of the Gospel wrested to loosenesse are turned into snares The blind man scapes not the block in his way nor the snare and gin that is layd for him Levit. 19. 14. And the blind Libertine scapes not stumbling-blocks in the wayes of death The worst things are causes the best things occasions of stumbling Yea the Lord Christ and Gods grace are a stone of stumbling unto unbeleevers 4. They whom God punisheth with blindness of mind fall into the pit of Hell Mat. 15. 14. As saving grace in Christ delivers soules from going into the bottomlesse pit Job 33. 24. So blindness of minde infallibly delivers into it The blind man falls into the Lime-pit the Cole-pit before him and the blind sinner into the pit of destruction Did he see it hee would tremble to move toward it SECT 3. 3. Iudgement of Dishonor done to the Grace of God is Hardnesse 3 Hardness is judgement inflicted upon such as abuse this grace of God instrumenta indurationis of heart The Jews abused Isaias â—ospel-ministry and God plagued them with Hard hearts Make the heart of this peopleâ— fat Isa 6. 10. He hardned their hearts Joh. 12. 40. Let my people goe that they may serve me The words of the Lord by Moses were the Instruments of Pharaohs Hardning is the Sunne the means of the Clayes Herdning â—â— grace of God in hâ—iâ— wâ—s preacheo o the Israelites in the Wilderness they heard the lively Oracles the gracious Truths of Salvation and Eternal Life in the Water from the Rock in the Manna from Heaven in the Teachings from Moses Act. 7. 37 38. in the inâ—ructions of the good Spirit of God Nehem. 9. 20. But they hardned their hearts in the provocation in the day of temptation â—eb 3. 8. they obeyed not the gracious voice of God v. 7. by the Ministry of Moses and the Lord plagued them with their own hard hearts Three things speak this an heavy judgement 1. There is no Impression of saving grace in an hard heart Where God hardens the hardens the heart he converts not he healeth it not Joh. 12. 40. A Seal leaves no print on an Anvil or an hard Cervix ferrea frons aenea flecti mitescere nescia cor intractabile quavis incude adamante darious Diaholica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stone but on the soft Wax The holy Spirit doth not seal his grace on an hard but a soft heart The Iron sinew Isa 48. 4. the brazen brow the untractable heart that is harder than the Anvil and the Adamant Diabolical insensbilitie an inflexible spirit to the divine pleasure are the spiritual penalties for
Graces injury Paul perswaded loose hearers concerning the Kingdome of Gods grace but they that were hardned beleeved not Act. 19. 8 9. The hardned mettal cannot be run into nor take the shape of the mold but the melted and soft Carnal gospellers after thousands of Sermons of Gods grace are not changed into the Image of its glory because their hearts are hardned 2. Hearts hâ—râ—ned by occasion of Gods goodness ripen for ruin After the hardness of thine heart thou treasurest up wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colligere reponere thesourum in longum tempus Polyc Lyses against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. Alluding to an huge bank of mony unto â—hich there is sil adding of hundreds and thousands or to an hooâ—ding or heating up of store of Corn. Hardened Libertines under grace are ever swelling the bank increasing the board of sin against the day of wrath by thoughts words and actions their real impieties and unrighteousnesses yea the unâ—ardoned iniquities of their holy things filling up their sinne alwaies I Thes 2. 16. 3. Their destruction who are punished with hardness of heart is infallible The Oath of God makes it sure I have sworniâ— my wrath they should not enter into my rest Heb. 3. 11. As the Ifraelites while the day of grace lasted in the wildernesse were hardened v. 7. 8. so are loose Christians under and against the voice of Gods grace The oath of God reacheth these to hastenwithout fail their everlasting destruction SECT 4. 4. IVdgement of injury offered to the grace of God is Incurableness 4. Incurable ness in sin is an injury of fered unto the grace of God in sin Gods Ordinances of grace and his Chasâ—sements are his Physick the fruit is to purge away sin God would have diseased Jerusalem take a Purge but the Physick wâ—ought not Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Ezek. 24. 13. As if the Lord had said Purgingmeâ—nes have not had Purging success therefore let thy wickednesse abide on thee to thy ruin Is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physician there is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered Jer. 8. 22. What is here said of a diseased lost State is true of lost soules past cure past hope when Gods Physick doth no good Is there no Palm is there no Physician why is not the health of diseased loose sinners recovered There are means of grace Christ is a Soveraign Physician but the wanton disordered Patients play with their Physick take it wrong cast it away and use it not aright and no wonder if the disease be incurable Two sad things speak this an heavy judgement 1. God is pleased with the destruction of those who are voluntarily incorrigible under the means of grace The Apostle gave thanks to God that the savour of Christs knowledge was made manifest by them in every place 2 Cor. 2. 14. One would think at first view this savour of Christs knowledge should be only the sweet power of it to salvation It is true that is the prime not the only savour of Cospel-grace It is a sweet savour in Damnation as wel as salvation in hardning as wel as softning So is the Apostles distribution for we are unto God a sweet savour in Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish ver 15. Though the gospel be a damning deadly gospel of death unto death of the death spiritual unto the death eternal unto them that perish Yet it is a sweet favour unto God as savoury oyntment is to the smel and savoury meat unto the tast Though God takes no pleasure in the death of a returning sinner yet he is pleâ—sed in the destruction of the impenitent He that made them will shew no mercy on them 2. God is eminently delighted in the destruction of incurable sinners under healing means I have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Ye have set at naught all my counsel Knowledge is hated the fear of the Opprobrium medici medicine Lord not chosen reproof despised Prov. 1. 25 26 29 30. Here is no cure by healing means Now see the judgement on these wantons the disease of the Physick and Physician I will laugh at your â—alamity Prov. 1. 26. Laughter proper to man is improperly said of God He speaks after the manner of men Men express their high delights by laughter and God his joyous complacencie in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incurable sinners ruine This laughter of God might make the proudest and stoutest sinner mourn Eternal weeping and wailing the everlasting testimony of Gods infinite delightfull vengeance will be the true and sad exposition of Gods laughing SECT 5. 5. IUdgement of prophaning the grace of God will be a terrible 5. Prophaning Gods grace will bring a terrible judgement at the â—st day Judgement at the last day Knowing the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2. Cor. 5. As if the Apostle had said the judgement will be terrible to such as are not reconciled to God Kisse not the Son Ps 2. but wrong him Therefore we perswade men to be careful and diligent that they may be accepted and to adorn the Gospel of grace Abide in him saith the A postle that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed 1 Joh. 2. 28. Implying that such loose Christians as abide not in him but depart from him and are enemies to him his merits and grace shall come with shame and despair before him Three things will shew the terrible Judgement on them that in heart and life wrong the grace of God 1. Their standing in Judgement will be terrible The ungodly shall not stand in the judgement Ps 1. 5. The Apostle saith all shall stand 2 Cor. 5. 10. They shall not stand with comfort but terror not as the Image of Christ but Satan not in the righteousnesse of Christ but their own nakedness not as the Friends of Christ but Enemies not as the Saved but the Damned not-as absolved Innocents but guilty Felons 2. Their Self-condemnation will be terrible There will be a testimony against them out of their own mouthes and hearts that they knew the reign of sin and grace could not consist they were told Mammon and God could not be served together thâ—t the called by grace were to live as Saints not in old sinnes thâ—t the grace of God shining in the heart teacheth to deny not fulfil ungodly lusts that that grace that reconciles the soul to God doth not reconcile it with the least sinne and yet their consciences cannot but accuse them they wilfully prophane the precious grace of God to vile affections and courses How dreadful will this be though there will be Juries enough to cast the enemies of Gods grace yet the conscience shall need none of them but be
as they desired in sin Psal 78. 29. Much of the Creatures is desired to consume upon Lusts Jam. 4. 3. Drunkenness Gluttony Pride Voluptuousness Ambition Doâ—ination Sad will be the account of vast expences of the Creatures sacrificed in and upon the service of Lust against which usurpation the voices of Reason Grace and the Creatures will give severe testimony 2. To the sinful end of hindring Gods service we should use the Creatures onely to fit and whet our attendances on God but when they prove Obstructions as mostly they doe take off our leisure and pleasure to doe his will we wrong God and our own souls Christ told the busie man who excused his following of Christ one would think a tolerable excuse by going home to bid his friends farewel that his civil courtesie at that time did unfit him for the Kingdom of God Luke 9. 61. yea concluded that the civil burial of the dead in opposition to religious service argued a soul dead in sin And so the Field the yoak of Oxen the married Wife are set down as Remora's and Impediments to come and feed upon Christs Gospel-feasts Matt. 22. 4. and those that flow in Creature-comforts say Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. Why doth Christ say Wo to you that are full Luke 6. 25. but to threaten at once rest in Creature-fulness is a temptation to forget God and duty The poor in the world rich in faith Jam. 2. 5. receive the Gospel Luke 7. 22. Have any of the Rulers believed on him Joh. 7. 48. 'T is true there is not an absolute inconsistency of grace with Riches and Greatness Rich Abraham as well as poor Lazarus are in Heaven But ordinarily the Creatures are used to a sinful end to estrange and arm the heart with weapons of Rebellion against God which should be inducements of obedience 3. When they are used onely to a perishing end a Belly that shall be destroyed a fine back that shall be uncloathed and lay in the chamber of death rottenness and silence a mortal body Belluinus vescendimos Mar lorat a posterity that must die When rational Creatures use the creatures unreasonably onely like bruit Beasts to satisfie sensualities that must give up the ghost with the Sensualists expiring breath when they have not an eternal end in their eye to use money meat drink health strength life to fit for eternity when men do not make them friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16. 9. and though they cannot at once serve God and Mammon yet do not so manage Creature use as to make Mammon serve God they are exceedingly unserviceable and injurious to the grace of God 4. When they are not used to Gods ends They are four 1. Stronger engagement unto God The pious intention of Jacob if he might have the mercy of Divine protection convenient His verbis se obstrinxit Jacob Calv. food and raiment he promised The Lord should be his God These were the holy Patriarchs binding words Gen. 28. 30 31. As courtesies binde to men so creature-mercies binde pious men to God When the sweet silken cords of mercies do not binde the heart to God grace is dishonored when it is common dis-ingenuity to break the bonds of kindness to despise the riches of creature-goodness this is a signal evident ingratitude to the God of grace 2. End of Gods Creature-mercies is faithful and chearful service Deut. 28. 47. But when it is usual and sad practice as Israel served not God in a good and fat Land Neh. 9. 35. so the unworthy Professors of Gospel-grace and the Christian name do not conclude a necessary joyous and rational service from the free and plentiful allowances of sweet Creatures do not seriously ponder with themselves Why have I hundreds and thousands by the year Why have I food convenient and competent allowance between envy and pitty Why have I any House to dwell in any food and raiment Why have I had sweet repose this night when others in waking tortures count the tedious hours Why have I health Am I strong Doe I live Have I so good a Master Is it that I should be a loose wanton servant and do him no work What blushing will sit on the face trembling on the limbs horror on the hearts of pretenders to Gods grace in the accounting day when large Creature-allowances shall in all their sad inventories be proved to be wrested from the imployments of Gods reasonable service 3. End of Gods Creature-mercies is the exaltation and commendation of his loving kindness Davids gracious spirit versed in the high praises of God did ordinarily take the elevation of Gods goodness and kindness from Creature-mercies and spent Psalms in Doxologies seeing the glory of God in the glass of the Creatures shining before his spirit and in and in high strains of praise exalted the great and glorious name of God made the Creatures Trumpets to sound his praise and an occasion of high thoughts of God Indeed he that is thankful to God for his unspeakable gift of Jesus Christ cannot but having the best Gospel-tenure of common mercies holding them in capite praise God for every perishing mercy as a token of special everlasting love and an earnest penny of eternal mercies His bread to him is Covenant-bread his Apparel Covenant-apparel his Money Covenant-money yea his Afflictions Covenant-afflictions whether he have much or little it s all to him the dispensation of choice kindness and the allotted sufficiency of infinite Wisdom and Love to bear his charges in the narrow road to life until he come to his Fathers House and eternal Inberitance But now to rob God of this glorious end the exaltation of his love or to resent no love but of Creature-mercies and to prostitute that to self-love and carnal sensualities How below is this to the honor of man the glory of God and the power of Grace 4. End of Gods Creature-mercies in spiritualizing the Creatures Turning Earth into Heaven making visible created Excellencies Ladders to climb up to the invisible God The pious practice of our Lord Jesus in his holy heavenly travels to lead the understandings of men by the light and hand of Creatures to the apprehensions of heavenly and immaterial things by a Well of water still springing up signifying the eternal Spring of the Spirit of grace in regenerate souls what by fleshly relations leading us to believe the high account he hath of spiritual kindred by seed lost in evil ground fruitful in good instructing us in the word lost to most hearers succesful in a few good and honest hearts by all his Parables elegantly picturing out the Orient Beauties and Glories of his Kingdom of grace and glory and the ugly face of sin Holy Bradford was happy this way who made Creature-mercies his advantage ground to see into Gospel-glories When putting on Apparel his thoughts were O Christ cloath me with thine own self that I catch
Father as that he is their King Though the name Father speaks boldness yet the name King speaks greater reverence Irreverent are saucy children more bold than welcome I am a great King saith God Mal. 1. 14. His name is great Mal. 1. 11. and reverend Psal 111. 9. We need grace to serve God with reverence and godly fear because he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 28 29. It is a wrong to grace when we do it not Is it the state of earthly gods to keep their distance with them on whom they shine the brightest beams of their royal favours and shall we think the infinite great and blessed God before whom the Kings of the Earth are as Grashoppers Worms Nothing less than Nothing will not have the rails and vails of holy reverence the humble tokens of distance The Apostate Angels at once lost their good manners and their happiness they kept not within their limited station Should the standing Angels loose their Reverence they should lose their Glory It is the â—â—lae volantes celeritatem promptitudineÌ„ significant Faciem tegentes indicant Angeli Majestatem Dei ferre nequeunt Pedes tegentts quod tenues divini splendoris radiolos in Angelis perspicere non possumus Calv. in Isa 6. Gospel Prophets Hieroglyphick The holy heavenly Angelical Hoast are Birds of Paradise and have six Wings two to cover their faces two their feet two to fly with are said to have flying wings to resemble their quick and nimble obedience facecovering wings to shadow out their reverence as not daring to pry into nor bear Gods infinite glory are said to have feetcovering wings to teach our distance from the Angels who are too weak to behold their finite little rayes of glory much lesse that infinite bright Sun of the divine Essence This Lesson the Prophet teacheth us those spotlesse Spirits that see the blessed face of God to their everlasting happinesse are ever full of a Reverential awe of Gods Majesty But how unsuitable are the heirs of salvation to their heavenly guard Angels are reverent Saints are unmannerly These are wanton those dare not bee so Believers study your hearts gestures words conversations that they all may be Holinesse to the Lord Is he sanctified in you when you draw nigh him Levit. 10. 3. When you are before him as in no minute no place no darkness no solitariness you are out of his flaming eyes piercing views your insides and external deportments are layd in his unerring ballance He tryes you every moment Job 7. 18. What mean your uncomely spirits your external indecencies your slight services Would your governour like such carriages you present to and abuse your gracious God with As Ahasuerus said to Haman Will he force the Queen before me Esth 7. 8. So lay it to heart will you abuse grace before God It was a God-wearing sin evil men did evilâ— and yet thought they were good in Gods sight Mal. 2. 17. What a God-affronting sinne is it to thinke because Free-grace hath made you good and accepted in Gods sight therefore you may abuse it to irreverence in his presence I know your hearts if sound abhorre this doctrinal inference from so glorious a principle but doth not the frame of your spirits words of your mouthes loose carriage prove you dare be irreverently and abusively bold with your Fathers kindnesse Who that seeth a grown Son come to years of understanding knowing his duty to walk mannerly yet standing with his Hat on playing ill feats before yea with his Fathers face slighting his commands but will say there is a wanton unmannerly boy It is no calumny to say so of many of Gods unmannerly children their unbecoming Irreverencies are their heavenly Fathers reproach A Reverent Christian that hath the mighty awe of God upon his spirit in all times places companies providences temptations is a Phenix an Angel among Professors Happy holy harmless preserved are they that maintain the reverent awe of God upon their spirits SECT 3. 3. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Forgetfulness of God The House of Israel perverted their way and forgot 3 Forgetfulness is an evidence of abuse of grace the Lord their God Jer. 3. 22. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee Deut. 32. 15 18. Too often the answers of Gods kindnesse are like the chief Butlers of Josephâ— The holy man gave a comfortable interpretation of the Butlers Drem Pharaohs restorement of him to his office with this rational caution but think of me when it shall be well with thee Yet did not the chief Butler remember Joseph but forgat him Gen. 40. 13 14 23. Thus the Holy God speaks comfort to many a gracious soul in the deeps of trouble with those equal motions upon their spirits that they would think upon this name and not return again to folly yet in sundry duties they doe not remember God but forget him They know not their own hearts that in the trust and boast of their own sufficiencies promise God if he will reveal his love in his Son to them they will be exact walleâ—s but many of his loose children after they have seen his face have opposed his will and answered the Kisses of his love by unkind Rebellions Gods Israel of the spirit have need of the same cautions the Israel of the flesh had When the Lord thy God shall give thee for his promise sake Cities Houses Wells Vineyards and Olive-trees when thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 10 11 12. So Beleever when the Lord thy God for his covenant sake shall priviledge thee in the heavenly blessings of Reconciliation Justification Adoption the Joy of Atonement and the sweet sight of thy name written in heaven when thou shalt eat and be full of the heavenly feast of fat things beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God 'T is no seldom indignitie put upon the grace of God to forget him in Temptations Vocations Relations Conditions in the world We charge upon our servants such and such duties call them to account our pleasure is neglected The excuse is we were forgotten doth not this speak a loose careless Spirit Surely the Lords servants forgetfulnesse of their charge argues their wantonness A serious faithful considering spirit would remember Christian charge home the basenesse and unfaithfulness of thy spirit with sharp reproof Ah foolish heart and unwise How have I requited the Lords grace I forget not vanitie but how have I forgotten the great concernments of Eternity A Bride will not forget her Ornaments the Worldling his Market and Teeming summes Pleasure-hunters forget not their delights nor the children of Revenge their opportunities of doing mischief How hast thou forgotten the Lord his blessings on thee his cautions to thee his motions in thee his hoped glory laid up for thee his everlasting love designing
precious soul should possesse it with little or no shame in Gods presence Here is an affront indeed to Gods grace no wonder if the sense hereof beget this terrible Question in carelesse and too too shamelesse Professors Can I possibly have grace with such an heart Ah miserable wretch I fear I have none I see my soul like a vessel wherein there is no pleasure a stinking sepulcher like a miry sink and though I know it I cannot be ashamed before the Lord. Ah to be sinfull and shameless too that is double misery Ah Christian labour with thine heart to powre out thy sinnes with the sense of holy shame before the Lord. The Sacrament of Circumcission taught the Lesson of holy shame It cut off the foreskin of the flesh uncovered Pars illa corporis quae circumcinditur habet quendem similitudinem cordis est pudenda ob hanc causam Deus nuderi eam jussit ut nos admoneret ne involutum â— pectus haberemus id est ne quod pudendum facinus intra conscientiae secreta velemus Lactant. lib. 4. c. 17. the shameful part to teach as Lactantius thought That the foreskin of the flesh the inward shame of corruption should be uncovered before the Lord. Ah Christians never leave upbraiding and rubbing your shameless hearts till you made them blush Reason away the whoores forehead from your consciences thus What I think I should blush to say and doe before a child before a godly before a wicked man What do I make of God the great God the blessed God the infinitely pure and holy God the observing God the remembring God the avenging God the judging God Shall I set up a child above God a Saint above God a Son of Belial above God Shall I runne the hazard to hear of all my closet soul-wickednesse again before Angels and men Can I endure the blush of the great day and the everlasting contempt of unrepented impudence Will not mine ears tingle to hear this dreadful charge â—oe this is the man that sometimes had a golden tongue and a dirty one at other times that blessed God and cursed with the same mouth Lo this is the man that had an heavenly tongue and an hellish heart no Temple for my Holyness but a stable of filthy lusts that spaâ— on my face while he sought my face that came for mercy for his sinnes not against his sins that either thought me a senslesse stock I discerned not his shamelesnesse or thought me a spirit a living eternal spirit but an impure one like himself or a weak one that could not revenge my dishonours or an unjust one that would not make my threatnings good Such thoughts as these if we have any sense of a Divinitie any love to our own soules may make us ashamed for secret sins As the Lord said to Moses of Miriam if her Father had spit on her face should she not be ashamed Numb 12. 14. So Christian I say to thee if thine impure Lusts do spit on the face of Gods grace and his gospel and vent their poyson upon thine own soul shouldst thou not be ashamed Set the Apostles words home It is a shame to speak of those things which are done in secret Eph. 5. 12. When thou reflectest on the horrid wickednesse that lyes covered under the black Mantle of thy soules secrecie O then think it is a shame to think of them and yet thou must think of them and be ashamed Never leave shaming thy soul till holy shame for secret sin committed prevent and fortifie the soul against commission Shame keeps us from doing many things in the street in the Market let shame keep thee from thousands of inward sinnes that shamelesnesse hath brought forth and nourished SECT 9. 9. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is insensiblenesse of 9 Insensibleness of others miseries is an evidence of abuse of grace others misery Grace is life and life is sensible and sense apprehends its dolorous objects Grace hath bowels of compassion The gracious must put them on Col. 3. 12. It is a wonder to consider how boldly that is called grace that hath no tender bowels 'T is selfish wantonnesse that feels no miseries but at home They were Zions wantons that lived at ease and wallowed in sensual pleasures that were not grieved at the afflictions of Joseph When men either do or may and will not acquaint themselves with the miseries of others sinnes and sorrows and feel them no more than a stone doth the wounds cries and pangs of a dying man care not though others sink or swim may evils keep distance from themselves Call ye this grace Doth the God of grace the God of pitty and compassions cast off his miserable people with such senslessness Is not he to speak after Onera proximi levemus ac portemus ne gravemus the manner of men afflicted in their affliction Isa 63. 9. Is it his command weep with them that weep Rom. 15. 15. Is it not the Law of Christ Bear ye one anothers burdens Galat. 6. 2. increase not one anothers load Was it the practise of Christ who when he saw Many and her kindred weeping for dead Lazarus wept also not onely to shew his Humanity but a President of his holy Sympathy Joh. 11. 33 Was it Pauls practise Who is weak and I am not weak who offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11. 29. What mean ye to weep and break my heart Acts 21. 13. Implying his Converts tears would draw his Doth the life of Nature abhorre senslessnesse of misery Is one living members pain anothers torture If the foot be prickt the tongue cryes out Did you ever hear such a stupidity and monstrous carriage in the body Natural When the feet are tormented with the Gout the brains for pain are exceedingly afflictive doth the tongue usually rejoyce and sport and the countenance laugh This monster of uncompassionatenesse and strangenesse to bowels of Mercy is too common among Christians How little doe professed Christians mourn and weep under the burden of others sinnes Wants of grace absence of Christ the fiery darts of Satan the wounds of corruption the penury of creature comforts the sicknesses and diseases vexations imprisonments crosses in relations loads of afflictions they labour under Little or no feeling of others evils is a sad sign of little or no grace It hath grieved my heart at what mine eyes have seen what mine eares have heard that my wretched heart hath no more grieved The God of pitty make us more pittifull Want of compassion is a great blemish to Christian profession and Disparagement to Gods grace SECT 10. 10. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is un-improvement 10 Un improvement of grace received is an evidence of abuse of grace of grace received Grace is a living new creature and life hath growth A painted child groweth not but a living doth A painted christian groweth not a living doth The Imaginary Birth
and filthy will be so still Rev. 22. 11. ye will revolt more and more Isa 1. 5. Evil men under the Abuse of grace will wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. and under the form of godlyness increase the power of wickedness 2 Tim. 3. 5. continue in sinne because grace abounds Rom. 6. 1. It is here also as it is with two men that abuse their friends One doth it and seeth the ungrateful disingenuitie of it and mends the fault another doth it and loads his dear friend with more disgraceful insolencies So a gracious man wrongs his best friend Jesus Christ and sayes of his abuses as Ephraim of his Idols what have I to doe any more with them A gracelesse Professor wrongs the Lord Jesus his owned friend and multiplyes still ungratefull injuries SECT 5. 5. DIfference A real Christian wrongs Gods grace and as 5 A Regenerate repents and is pardoned it is repented of so it is pardoned This iniquity proves not his ruin There is pardoning grace for the abuses of pardoning grace The blood of Christ washes away beleevers wanton abuses of the blood of Christ Gospel grace like the Sun blots out the thin and thick clouds of sin A pretended Christian wrongs Gods grace and as he hath no repentance so no pardon He is not cleansed by the blood of sprinkling that hath been without ceasing and remorse abused by a prophane wanton heart and loose life The contrary events of Abusing Gods grace are like the different issue of two Subjects abusing their King The one doth it is humbled for it accepted and pardoned the other doth it is hardned rejected and hanged Be vailed pardoned Abuses of grace hinders not heirs of glory from their eternal Inheritance Unreformed wrongs of grace in vessels of wrath not blotted out by the blood of Christ will cast them into hell CHAP. XIV Containing an Vse of Exhortation 5. VSe is Exhortation in these things Observe the Use 5 for Exhortation helps to escape this great sin the Abuse of Gods grace Blesse God for Perservation Be alwaies jealous of the sin long for a riddance from it and joy in the hope of it SECT 1. 1. LEarn of the gracious and precious heart and life of Jesus Christ 1. Learne of the gracious and precious heart life of Jesus Chr. Fulnesse of grace dwelt personally in him Hee never in the least playd the wanton with his Fathers grace sought not himself in pleasing his own will nor glory had nothing of the loose spirit of the world in him was not taken with its empty pomps ever went about doing good Acts 10. 38. was his Father and his Churches faithful servant Isa 42. 1. busie in saving work while in the flesh Luk. 2. 49. wrought by did not idle and play away his light Joh. 9. 4. was solid weighty serious in all his affaires with God and men To bee still writing after his fair copy would mend the loose Errata of Christains lives 'T is the Apostles counsel Let us walk decently as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness Rom. 13. 13. If it be said how the next words shew But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill it in the lusts thereof v. 14. Christ is two waies put on By Justification when the chief Robe of his imputed Righteousnesse is put on and by Imitation when the Garments of his communicable graces are put on Put on as the Elect of God bowels of mercy kindness c. Col. 3. 12. Did wee learn the truth as it is in Jesus and trace the steps of his Faithfulnesse Zeal Meekness Humility Heavenly mindedness Divine communion Self-denial Spiritualitie we neither should nor could be such wantons with the Gospel as our loose spirits tempt us to doe Christian set before thee the heavenly purity gravitie soliditie of the Lord Jesus it will awe thy daring insolent spirit What is Christianity but a transcript from the original copy Jesus Christ Should not servants that goe in their Masters Livery doe his work Really put on the cloaths of Heaven and thou wilt not do the work of Hell What an horrid incongruitie is it to pretend to be like Christ and act like the Devil The lazy Philosopher talked of virtue but did it not and the lazy Christian can discourse of the grace of Christ and Quid inter se simile habeat Philosophus Christianus Graeciae discipulus caeli Tertul. in Apolog c. 46. act it not As the Greeks professed Philosophy so doe Libertines Christianity The real imitation of Jesus Christ would be a prevention of loosenesse These daily thoughts would do well I am a professed Disciple of Christ Did he think as I think Reason as I doe Were his affections like mine Did such words come from his mouth Were such designs driven by him SECT 2. 2. HElp is a cleansed purged heart Legal pollutions the 2 A cleansed purged heare is a special help to avoid abusing of the grace of God Types of Moral debarred from serving the holy God An impure heart serves not God but abuseth him The purging of the conscience from dead works and serving the living God are put together As well may a dead man ferve a living Prince as a polluted heart with dead works serve the living God To the pure all things are pure to the impure all things are in their use impure Tit. 1. 15. An impure heart makes an impure use of the holy God his Prayers Confessions Confidences Hopes are impure whose heart is so Cleanse your hearts said James then draw nigh to God Jam. 4. 8. It is with a pure heart as with a pure fountain it will work out mire and dirt It is with a clean heart as with a clean stomack it turns good meat into nourishment not ill huniour Christian purge thy heart by the wholsome working Physâ—ck of Gods grace of self-love worldly lusts voluptuousness covetous proud filthy desires vain-glory vanity of mind folly caâ—nal securitie and then wholsome meat the food of blessed Angels will not accidentally prove as hurtful to thee as the carrion food of Devils 'T is a sweet truth Beleeveâ—s draw nigh Absque cruore domini nemo appropinquat Deo Hier. to God by the blood of Christ Ephes 2. 13. Without a bloody skreen God would be a consuming fire to every sinner for the least sin But what doth the impure unwashen heart coâ—nt of the blood of the Covenant but as an unholy thing Heb. 10. 29. when not used in a way of gracious cleansing but emboldning allowance of sinne A cleansed heart will neither prophane the blood spirit nor word of Christ SECT 3. 3. HElp is the fear of God It is a Soveraign remedy against all 3 The fear of God is a help against abuse of Grace Religio esse non potest ubi â—imor nullus Lact. filthâ—nesse of the flesh spirit
you doe in Word and deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father by him Col. 3. 17. And this will secure against loosnesse in the duties of our Relations worldly enjoyments Ordinances of Grace Talents committed to us SECT 9. 9. HElp is godly sorrow Those ill humors that are contracted 9 Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace Indicium re fipiscentiae sollicitudo securitatis excussio metus ne nevo peccato implicarentur Dickson by carnal mirth godly sorrow will help to cure as in Nature so in grace contraries cure Fasting is one remedy of distempering feasts Godly sorrow is the spirits sack-cloth and fast for sin When it wrought in the Corinthians repentance it wrought carefulnesse which shook off security and fear of relapse into the old sin by fresh temptation By the sadâ—ess of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. True sorrows eat out the love and liking of sin Men lay not to heart the abuses of grace and then adventure them The three principal things that God requires are Justice Mercy Mourning The last is a singular help to the two first Could we walk mournfully before the Lord we should love Mercy and do justly Mic. 6. 8. The Jews were wanton in their marrying Idolatrous Wives and their mourning ushered in their reformation Ezra 10. 1 3. Good natured childrens ingenuous sorrows for their soose pranks are Preservatives against like disorders In Malachy the prâ—â—â—ical Atheists did look upon Religion as vain serving God keeping his Ordinâ—nces and walking mournfully before the Lord of Hoast Mal 3. 14. Those mock-Gods and loose Libertines that laugh at mournful walking with God and are ever irreligious they keep not his Ordinances nor serve him at all The tears of repentance do sweetly water the seed of grace Zions mourners are the most thâ—â—ving Christians None are further off from the dangerous snares of soul-ruining wantonnesse then humble souls that soâ—e in tears They reap in Grace and Joy while others that soâ— in carnal security and delights reap in sin and wrath It is told in Gath and published in Askelon that many that seemed to set their faces Heaven-wards are loose â—ibeâ—tines They dâ—re to think speak and act what once to think on would make them tremble They dare sin without â—emoâ—se and count it their perfection And whence this sad â—postacy Surely as in part from an ungrateful glut of and formality in the â—rdinances of Grace partly from the spiritual pride of high attainments and partly from exchanging the house of mourning for the house of mirth walking mournfully before the Lord with them is Apochrypha sorrow for sin is legal and antiquated The holy Spirit exhorts rich Wantons to change their mirth into mourning Jam. 4. 9. But what Spirit it is that moves them to change their mourning into mirth you may easily guess It is just with God that when dissolute ones in sinful hardness have laid by sorrow for sin in judicial hardnesse they should be not more merry then mad jocund Wantons The Pulpit is no place The Sabbath no time to speak vainly I hope I speak the words of Truth and Soberness of all the holy frames of the Spirit I would desire of God in my sinful Pilgrimage of imperfection this choice gâ—â—cious indowment That the top-power of the Spirit in me might be in the Gospel-humblings of brokennesse of heart and contrition of spirit Pelievers are called should be little ones Matth. 18. 6. are ever best and safest yea nearest God when lowest SECT 10. 10. HElpe is close union to God The whorish woman at distance 10 Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace Pe. didisti fornicantem abs te aliquid supra te amantem Pelican from her husband played the wanton Prov. 7 19. and impure soules fornicate when they thrust themselves out of Gods presence wanton spirits distance from God their choice and delight Job 21. 14. Is their damnation Lo they that are afar from thee shall perish Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee Psal 73. 27. They that love any thing above God leave Heavens bed of Loves for Earthly delights and shall pay dear for their wantonnesse The remedy against it was close union to God But it is good for me to draw nigh to God 28. As if he had said Unchast Fornicators that leave God the Fountain of living waters for lying vanities to their eternall losse shal be indited for whoredome but my soule enter not into their secret though they are Wantons behind Gods back I see it is sâ—fe it is happinesse to me to get neer his Fâ—ce in his presence is Aâ—e Purity and Joy I dare not be loose while I see him besore mine Eyes wil a promoted favourite abuse his Prince wrong his grace before his Face the close union of Gods Reverence Love Purity Joyâ— Contentment Admiration will not be abusive Appropinquatio ad Deum elongatio ab omni corruptione Parisiensis The neerer to the Holy God the further from corruption as the neerer the fire the further from cold the neerer the sun the further from darknesse it is sinners turning their backs upon God which makes them wantons the true vision fruition of and delectation in Gods face is grave serious holy and heavenly What Christian that ever had sweet tasts and close viewes of the blessed God but his experience is sweet testimony hee feared to thinke desire do say that evil in close addresses to God which at other tims of distance hath had too sinful allowance The happinesse of the next life wil be divine sweet vision and union without darknesse and separation eternal closures betweene God souls wil shut out wantoness so much as there is of spiritual conjunction now there is provision against sinne SECT 11. 11. HElp is a constant subduing the first depraved motions 11 A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a special help to prevent abuse of grace to carnal desires and affections he that denyes the first parly and specious offers of a trecherous enemy prevents consent when we give the subtil motions of sin audience and listen to their pleasing arguments it is a thousand to one but we grant them wanton indulgence and ready obedience turning the deaf side to the whorish flatteries of sweete corruption is a soveraign Antidote against Libertinisme Are we sure an enemy knocks at the door we loâ—k and bar against him but open not unto him spirituall Judgment sayes the loose motions of sin knocks at the door sayes open not O my soule open not they are Theeves and Robbers My Son saith Solomon If sinners intice consent thou not Prov 1. 10. So say O my Soul if that great Pandor to all the Wantons of flesh and spirit corrupt nature intice consent thou not when lust hath conceived in consent it is ready to bring forth in Execution