mischief they conceive for lack of the Midwifery of fit instruments and opportunities to bring it forth Good men are unable to act all the good they would because they want power and ability for Execution As Paul acknowledgeth that he was better at willing then performing but every man hath liberty to devise and meditate to study and contrive what he willâ— Though a mans hand or actions may be over awed and over-ruled against his own will yet his heart and thoughts cannot As he thinks in his heart saith the wise man so is he Pov. 13. 7. Practiceâ— may be swayed by outward ends but the thoughts are always genuine and natural Violence may cause the former but love carrieth the latter in its own way Hence good men have been signalized for Saints from the holiness of their thoughts They thought upon his name they meditate in his law day and night and they have even appealed to God with comfort upon their confidence of their uprightness from the goodness of their thoughts Try me O God and know my thoughts as being the purest and most unfeigned issues of the soul Mal. 3. 17. Psalm 1. and such as have least danger of infection from forreign aimes It s observable also that wicked men are set forth by this secret mark They devise mischief they imagine wickedness the thoughts and imaginations of his â—eart are evil God is not in all his thoughts because as Adam begat a son after his own likeness so doth the heart of every man beget thoughts according to its own likeness whether it be spiritual or carnal The Bowl runs as the Bias inclines it The Ship moves as the Râ—dder steereth it and the mind thinketh according to the predominancy of vice or vertue in it The more the fire of grace burns clear in the soul the more of these sparks will ascend towards Heaven The more earthly a soul is the more his thoughts will tend downward the more he will mind earthly things Philip. 3. 17 18. Naturalists tell us of the Gnomon commonly called the Mariners needle that it always will turn to the Northâ—star though it be closed and shut up in a Coffer of Wood or Gold yet it loseth not its nature So the true Christian is always looking to the star of Iacob whether he be shut up in a Prison or shut himself up in his Closet he is ever longing after Jesus Christ. A true lover delights most to visit his friend alone when he can enjoy privacy with him Our blessed Saviour doth not without cause call the Pharisees Hypocrites though they faâ—ted and prayed and gave much almes because they performed those duties chiefly if not onely in company and to be seen of men The applause of others was the weight that set their clocks a going when that was taken off as when they were alone they stood still Therefore Christ adviseth his Apostles to take another course if they would evidence the truth of their Christianity Enter into thy closet shut thy door and pray to thy father in secret One fervent prayer in secret will speak more for our sincerity then many in publique Mat. 6. â—â—it When a Prince passeth by in the streets then all even strangers will flock about him and look upon him but his Wife and Children think not this enough but follow him home and are not satisfied unless they can enjoy him there A false Christian and one that is a stranger to God if he have but a superficial view of him in his Courts is pleased but the true believer and one that is nigh to him in Christ must have retired converses with him in his Closet or he is not contented SECT III. I Come now to shew how a Christian should exercise himself to godliness in Solitude 1. If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness when thou art alone guard thy heart against vain thoughts This is the first work to be done without which all that I have to commend to thee will be in vain It s to no purpose to expect that a glass should be filled with costly wine when it s filled already with puddle water When the house before-hand was taken up by strangers there was not room for Christ himself in the Inne If such flies be suffered and allowed in our hearts they will spoil our best pots of Oyntment Some persons though poor when they are solitary delight in the fancies and imaginations of great preferments and pleasures and riches as if they were real whereas they are the meer Chimera's and Fictions of their own brains and have no existence but in their thoughts No wonder our Saviour saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of the heart of man proceedeth madness Mark 7.21,22 Such thoughts are distracted thoughts and sutable to those that are out of their wits who please themselves in thinking that their filthy holes in Bedlam are stately Palaces that their nasty rags are royal robes that their iron fetters are chaines of gold and the feathers stuck in their caps are imperial Crowns As the Spanish Page in an high distemper of fancy imagined himself to be some great Emperour and was maintained in that humour by his Lord so some foolish men build these Castles in the air and then allow themselves a lodging in them Others please themselves in the thoughts of sinful sports or cheats or unclean acts and sit brooding on such Cockatrice eggs with great delight It is their meat and drink to roul those sugard-plums under their tongues Though they cannot act sin outwardly for want of strength of body or a fit opportunity yet they act sin inwardly with great love and complacency As Players in a Comedy they act their parts in private in order to a more exact performance of them in publique Others entertain themselves with needless and useless thoughts such as tend neither to the informing the mind nor reforming the heart or life Like vagrants a man meets with these in every place but can neither tell whence they come nor whither they go they have neither a good cause nor do they produce any good effect Such thoughts might be in a Davids heart but they were the object of his hate Psa. 119. 103. I hate vain thoughts The best Christians heart here is like Solomons ships which brought home not onely Gold and Silver but also Apes and Peacoks it hath not onely spiritual and heavenly but also vain and foolish thoughts But these latter are there as a disease or poison in the body the object of his grief and abhorrency not of his love and complacency Though we cannot keep vain thoughts from knocking at the door of our hearts nor from entering in sometimes yet we may forbear bidding them welcome or giving them entertainment How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Jerem. 4. 14. It s bad to let them sit down with us though but for an hour but its worse to let them lye or lodge with us It s
of fire be kept from consuming and as Gideons fleece be moyst when all the earth about it is dry O that I might as Fish retain my freshness in the saltest waters and never savour others vices or follow their steps who depart from the Commandements of my God Lord whose promise is to thy Disciples They shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them Mark 16. 18. Is it not thine own hand writing and canst thou fail of fulfilling it O let thy powerful presence accompany me whithersoever thy providence calleth me Let thy preventing grace preserve me from receiving harm and thy quickening mercy enable me to do good that whereas thine enemies are apt to speak evil of me as an evil doer they may be ashamed who falsly accuse my good conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 16. I Wish that I may be so far from receiving prejudice that I may be profited by the worst of those with whom I associate As my God created nothing in vain so he permits nothing but to some good purpose T is true wicked men are Dogs Mat. 7. 12. prone to faun on me that they may defile me but even of Dogs there may be a good use The Flock is the more safe from Wolves and the House from Theives through their watchfulness They are dust apt to breed vermine but some creatures live upon it as their Aliment and in it as their Element and the basest rubbish may be serviceable about the foundation of a building The Guts and Garbage of some beasts are food to others Doth not experience teach us that many Fowls draw nourishment from unclean and filthy Carcasses Why may not my stomach be so good and my spiritual constitution so strong as to concoct such unwholsom food Lycurgus taught the Lacedemonians vertue not onely by the pattern of their Sober Ephori but also of the drunken Helots their slaves Poisons are as necessary as the best diet if they be in the hands of him who is able to improve and prepare them Beer is the better the more lively and brisk for the grouns that are in the same vessel with it O that my graces might be the more quick and active for the lees of others vices that their sins might increase my sanctity both in making me more thankful to him who maketh me to differ and more watchful over my self lest I fall from my own stedfastness The Mariners are directed in their sailings by Rocks and Shelves as well as by the Northern star My God instructeth Jonah by the shadow of a Weed Go to the Pismire thou sluggard consider her provident ways and be wise to follow them Observe the men of this world O my soul consider their wicked ways and be wise to avoid them Ask these beasts of the earth and they will teach thee nay shame thee How unwearied are they in the pursuit of the world how diligent about their works of darkness how often do they lose their sleep to do mischief and neglect their food and callings to indulge their fleshly lusts whilst thou whose Master is the Lord of Glory whose service is the onely freedom and whose recompence will be infinite art loytering and lazing upon the bed of security O that thou mayst learn industry about the concernments of heaven and eternity from others industry about the affairs of this earth for a few days and take shame to thy self that Satans Servants should be more forward to gratifie their Soul-destroyer then thou art to please the blessed Saviour Lord it is thy prerogative to cause light out of darkness and to bring good out of evil teach thy servant to gather figs from these thistles and to be the better because others are so bad Because the wicked forsake thy law therâ—fore let me love thy commandements above gold yea above much fine gold I Wish that though in pursuance of my calling I do afford my â—ompany to sinners I may never bear them company in their sins True Gold will not change its colour or nature for the hottest fire The Rock keeps its place and is immoveable notwithstanding the continual dashing of the water The earth is not hurt either by the heat of Summer or cold of Winter Though much dirt be flung at a post well oyled it will not stick My God hath enjoyned me Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness Whence I learn these three things 1. That sin is a work of darkness The Prince of darkness is its Father It s his natural off-spring therefore called the work of the Devil Iohn 8. 44. A dark heart is its Mother there it s conceived thence it s brought forth In dark holes these vermine breed and swarm Ephes. 4. 18. Hos. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 4. It s portion is utter darkness blackness of darkness for ever all its inheritance lieth in darkness and the shadow of death 2. I learn that the works of darkness are unfruitful The sinner makes a sad market of all his wicked wares He soweth vice and reapeth vanity promiseth himself much pleasure and sindeth it wholly unprofitable What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death O what a frightful monster is this miscreant It hath fruitlesness in the beginning shame in the middle and death in the conclusion 3. I learn that I onght not to have fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness Indeed I have little reason if I consider the two former particulars yet how prone am I to it either by my silence when they sin or by my secret complyance with them in their sin My corrupted heart is like Touch-wood ready to take fire by the least spark When others are bold to blaspheme God I am apt through an ungodly bashfulness to hold my peace little considering that I must one day answer as well for my sinful silence as for every idle word It s my duty to hold the jewel of my faith fast lest Satan steal it from me to hold my profession to the end lest by leaving my Colours I lose my Crown but not to hold my peace in the quarrel of truth lest by suffering sin in others I wrong my own soul Where is my love to others if I stand still whilst they destroy themselves It may well break the strings of my tongue as of the Son of Cyrus when sin like the Persian is ready to kill my Father or Brother or Neighbour Evil men are like Traytours with whom if we act or conceal we are guilty Where is my love to my self if I take others intolerable burthens on my own back Sin is a load too heavy for the stoutest for the strongest to carry Should I by my silence give consent to others Oaths or Lyes or Ieers at godliness and godly men I become a party in their bonds and liable to make satisfaction for their debts and may
esteems himself in good company He had rather Gods deputy conscience should admonish him to contrition then that God himself should do it to his confusion According to the Apostles Doctrine Every one of us must give account of himself to God therefore every one of us must take account of himself befare-hand It will be but a sad account which some will give at the great Audit-day when conscience shall confess against them They made me keeper of others vineyards but my own vineyard have I not kept And it is but a poor trade that they drive at present who make little use of their Shop-books The greatest Merchants and the most thriving are much in their Counting-house 5. In solitude accustom thy self to secret ejaculations and converses with God Lovers cast many a glance at each other when they are at a distance and are deprived of set meetings A little Boat may do us some considerable service when we have not time to make ready a great Vessel The casting of our eyes and hearts up to Heaven will bring Heaven down to us My meditations of him shall be sweet Psa. 104. 34. Secret ejaculations have meat in their mouths and will abundantly requite such as entertain them If they be much in our bosomes as Abishag in Davids they will cherish us and put warmth into us They are sweet in the day like the Black-bird cheering us with their pleasant noats and do also afford us wiâ—h the Nightingale songs in the night A true Israelite may enjoy more of his God in a Wilderness then in an earthly Canaan Christians are nearest their heaven when farthest from the Earth What care I how much I am in solitude so I may but enjoy his desirable society Ah how foolish are those persons that neglect the improvement of this glorious priviledge They that like swine can look every way but upward may well lie rooting in the earth desiring no more then fleshly pleasures because they know no better Surely the company of my God is of such weighty consequence and universal influence that I need no other I can have none to equal it The society of my best friends for all their love to me and tenderness of me is but as the company of Snakes and Serpents to the company of my God They have not pity enough for the thousandth part of my misery nor power enough to answer in any degree my necessities Their hearts are infinitely short of my Gods his love to me like his being is boundless but their hands come far short of their hearts though they are not unwilling they are unable to relieve me How often have I told them of my doleful case and distressed condition in vain when thereby I have rather added to their afflictions then lessened my own But my God is all-sufficient both for pity and power he hath bowels and mercy enough for my greatest sufferings and sorrows and strength and might enough for my support and succour My best friends are waspish and upon a small cause are ready to snap asunder their friendship when my Gods good will everlasting and thongh he scourge me he will is never remove his loving kindness from me What need I those puddle streams whilst I have this Well of living water O let me enjoy him more though I never enjoy frâ—end more Because I shall have opportunity to speak more to soul conferences and also to converse with God in secret duties in other parts of this Treatise I shall speak no more in this place A Good Wish about the exercising our selves to Godliness in Solitude wherein the former particulars are applied THe blessed and infinite wise God who made my soul for himself and knoweth it will never be satisfied without himself commanding me in all company to converse with his sacred Majesty and calling me sometimes to solitude that being freed from worldly distractions I might have more of his society I Wish that my nature may be so sutable to his holy being and my love so great to his gracious presence that though his providence should cast me alone into a Prison yet enjoying his favour there I may esteem it sweeter and pleasanter then the stateliest Palace It is both his precept and my priviledge that in the greatest company I should be alone to him and in my greatest solitude in company with him There is not the most solitary place I can come into nor the least moment of my life but I have still business with my God and such as is neither easie nor of mean concernment All my transactions with men about House or Land or Food or Cloaths or the most necesâ—ary things of this present life are nothing to my businesse with God about my unchangeable being in the other world If they were all laid in the ballance with this they would be found infinitely lighter then vanity and nothing My understanding is ready to be overwhelmed with the apprehension of an endless eternal state All my business with meat or drink or sleep or family or friends or mercies or afflictions nay or the means of grace or ordinances themselves is no more worth or desireable then they tend to the furthering my everlasting good All other things are but as passengers to which I may afford a short salute but it is my home where I must abide for ever that my heart must be always set upon and it is my God upon whom this blissful endless life depends that I have most cause to be ever with O my soul by this thou mayst gather with whom to deal and about what to trade when thou art alone tell me not henceforward in the words of the lazy worldling I am idle for I have nothing to do Hast thou pardon of sin the Image of thy God an interest in thy Redeemer freedom from sin the Law the wrath to come a title to life and salvation to get and secure without which thou shalt be a firebrand of hell for ever and hast thou any while any time to be idle Hast thou that high that holy that weighty work of worshipping and glorifying the great God of Heaven and Earth and of working out thy own salvation and yet hast thou nothing to do O that I might never hear such language in thy thoughts much less read it in thy life when thou hast so much business of absolute necessity to be done lying upon thy hands that if all the Angels in Heaven should offer thee their help unless the Son of God himself do assist thou canst not dispatch it in many millions of ages Lord I am thine absolutely thine universally thine all I am is thine all I have is thine O when shall I live as thine I have no business but with thee and for thee O that I could live wholly to thee I confess it is thine infinite graâ—e to suffer such a worm as I am to converse with thy glorious Majesty that Heaven should thus stoop to earth
obtain them what ever it cost or to dye in the undertaking T is by the sap which from the root is derived through the bark to the branches that makes them fruitful T is from â—he strength which faith derives from Christ that the Christian becomes so abundant in holiness cut off the bark and the tree withereth Take away faith and no more good works The extension of the branches ariseth from the intension of the sap and how shall that be conveyed but by the bark Christ like Ioseph keeps the granaries wherein is abundance of soul-food and faith unlocks those Store-houses and takes out supplies As Pharoah when the Egyptians cryed to him for bread said Go ye to Joseph and what he saith to you do So God saith to Christians that call on him for Grace Go ye to Christ by Faith and he will relieve you It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Here is 1. Fulness abundance not a drop or a small degree of living water 2. All fulness a redundance the fulness of a spring a fountain not of a vessel 3. All fulness dwelling abiding there to eternity running over and running ever But you will say What is a Christian the better sor it I Answer Of his fulness by faith We all receive grace for grace As a Pipe from the River supplieth the house upon all occasions and the several offices therein with water so doth faith supply the Christian with grace from Christ answerable to his several exigencies and necessities Indeed all the graces act valiantly in their several places under the command of this General Hence though fear and love and heavenly mindedness were specially operative in many of the Patriarchs actions and passions for God yet still the crown is set upon the head of faith under whose banner and conduct they fought Heb. 11. per tot When this Champion like Goliah is vanquished the other graces as the Philistines are put to the rout As dark clouds obscure the glorious stars so doth unbeleif blemish the lustre of a Christians graces If this shepherd Faith be smitten other Graces like â—heep are scattered If this grace keep the field the rest always keep their ground The length of the days depends upon the shining of the sun as this shines more or less so the days are longer or shorter The degrees and measures of other graces depend exceedingly upon this grace The branches blossom answerable to the sap which they receive from the root Other graces bud and blow according to the sap which they receive from faith For example sake Repentance is more or less according to the degrees of faith T is the fiducial apprehension of divine love that mollifieth the stony hearâ— None mourn so much as they who apprehend God a father The hot beams of divine grace and favour by faith united in the soul thaw the most iâ—y heart They shall see him whom they have pierced i.e. with an eye of faith and mourn for him as one that mourneth for his onely childe Peter saw Christs love in his look and then went out and wept bitterly 2. Humility We are never lower in our own eyes then when faith assures us that we are high in Gods favour The Centurions humility seems to keep equal pace with his faith though Christ saith of his faith I have not found so great no not in Israel Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee When Nathan brought David word that God had a great respect for him and would build him a sure house for ever He presently crieth out What am I and what is my fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto c. 2 Sam. 7.18 3. Love The fire of love flames more or less according to the fuel which faith provides To whom much is forgiven the same loveth much The knowledge of a pardon granted by such a Lord who hath all the reason in the world to loath the soul turns it into a lump of love 4. Ioy Faith broacheth the pipe of the promises and presenteth that wine which rejoyceth the heart of the new man In whom beleiving we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.7 5. Patience He that beleiveth his bonds are good that his estate is in safe hands and that his forbearance doth abundantly encrease it will wait quietly for the day of payment He that beleiveth maketh not haste None quarrel or fret but from want of faith Run with patience the race set before you Looking at Iesus If the Christian be weak faith will give him the staff of the Word to lean on if he be weary faith will shew him his journeys end Lo yonder is heaven saith faith hold out a little longer your work is almost done As the Eagle by stretching her self towards the Sun through its heat hath her old feathers fallen off new ones growing in their places and her strength renewed so the Christian cleaving to Jesus Christ the Sun of righteousness by faith reneweth his strength as the Eagle runneth and is not weary walketh and is not faint It s reported of the Chrystal that there is a vertue in it to quicken all other precious stones when it toucheth them it puts a lustre and brightness on them It s true of faith it hath a vertue in it to enliven and quicken all other graces These stars have the greatest influence when in conjunction with this Sun As the Philosopher saith of water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is of all things the best most soveraign and precious because it s of universal influence in the life of man so I may say of faith it is of all graces most excellent in regard of the universality of its influence upon all duties graces providences ordinances T is by Faith that prayer becomes so prevalent Whatsoever ye ask of the Father beleiving ye shall receive Joh. 16. 22. An unbeleiving prayer is a Messenger without a tongue no wonder if he dispatch not his errand Heb. 11. 6 7. T is by Faith that Scripture is so powerful This sword of the Spirit doth no Execution save in the hand of Faith The word did not profit them not being mingled with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. T is by Faith that the Lords Supper becomes so nourishing and strengthning This is the hand that receiveth that flesh which is meat indeed this is the mouth that eats it this is the stomach that digests it without this thou mayst receive the Elements but not the sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. Unbeleivers like Waspes may sit upon the tops of these flowers and seem to gather honey but alas they are far from any such thing T is by Faith that Crosses are turned into comforts and afflictions into mercies This like Mithridates can digest poison and get strength from the wrath and rage of Men and Devils 1 Phil. 19. Heb. 11. 38. T