the day of Christ Neglect thy selfe for the present and give thy selfe lost for ever sowe now to the flesh and reape corruption 3. The order First the inside spirit and soule and then the body First wash the inside saith our Saviour get faith which is a purifier apprehending Christs righteousnesse for 1. Can wee draw a cleane thing from that which is uncleane Iob 14.4 or sweete fruite from a bitter roote 2. Satan lyeth closest here as a serpent in thickets 3. It is the most compendious way to damme a streame in the fountaine to quench the fire in the sparke else if it live within it will kindle and flame on tinder or tow where the disease begins there must begin the remedie 4. God lookes out of what treasurie good things come if not out of the good treasury of the heart if not from a pure heart if not from faith all is sinne hence the workes of unregenerate men as good in shew and beautifull are rejected because they flow not from a pure fountaine and mites with the heart put to them weigh downe many glorious workes 5. Distinguish thy selfe from the hypocrite he washeth the outside Pilate washeth his hands not his heart as if sinne stucke onely in the fingers ends the harlot wipes her mouth and it was not shee But wee are to know that the Lord is as well angry with intentions and inward impurity as with outward enormities And therefore let us labour to keepe first our spirits and soules and then our bodies unblameable Here we will somewhat largely consider certaine directions for each of them I. Directions for the Spirit First Labour to have a right spirit renewed within thee Psal. 51.10 Now to a right spirit there goe five things 1. Illumination even an heavenly light to discerne and judge aright of things that it may preferre heavenly things before things of earth and out of sound judgement forecast and provide for them first and principally David joynes it with creating a new heart for this is not in nature but a worke of new creating grace The Agent is God alone who gives light to the blinde who takes away the vaile and makes the scales fall from Paules eyes in his conversion The companion is sound conversion 2 Cor. 3.16 the turning of the heart to the Lord and the remooving of the vaile joyned and the signe of it is a base estimation of the world with the profits pleasures and preferments of it the pursuing of which makes most men so blame-worthy in the day of Christ. 2. Poverty of spirit which stands in the sense sorrow shame and hatred of sinne and cannot stand with selfe-wisdome or high-mindednesse or a proud spirit puft up with conceites whom God resists but a contrite spirit is acceptable and the poore in spirit are blessed and blamelesse Matth. 5.3 3. Purity of spirit which is attained by daily bringing in and increasing of the graces of the Spirit as faith love of God sincerity charity mercy meeknesse c. these fruites of the Spirit argue cleannesse of spirit though it were formerly never so foule and blame-worthy Col. 3.12 Decke the minde with graces 4. Spirituall worship Rom. 1.9 Whom I serve in my spirit not bodily formally hypocritically coldly but with my whole heart in sincerity and fervency This fervency is a motion of Gods Spirit inflaming the spirit of the beleever with great love of God and hatred of whatsoever hee hateth And where this spirituall worship stands up in the Spirit downe must Dagon goe and all the idols that men have set up in their hearts downe goes the externall and carnall worship of civill men who what ever they pretend respect not in their spirit the worship and service of God but their owne pleasures ends and praise and that in their most slightly duties 5. The testimony of the Spirit that thou art the child of God Rom. 8.16 This testimony is sure when the Spirit of God renewes our spirits and upon firme and unfailing grounds makes us able to call God Father working sound tranquillity in our conscience through our union with Christ boldnesse and confidence towards God fervent love of God constant obedience with other fruites not common or competent to hypocrites This testimony sealeth up our acceptance yea the inheritance of children The spirit that wants any of these is not a right or renewed spirit Secondly labour as Saint Paul did Acts 24.16 for a good conscience before God and before men To a good conscience are required foure things 1. Clearenesse 2. Clearing 3. Peace 4. Watchfulnesse 1. It must be a cleare or pure conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 This is when the conscience is cleared or purged from naturall impurities which the Apostle calls dead workes This purity is not native as it was in the first Adam but acquisite and obtained by the second Adam for the materiall and meritorious cause of the goodnesse of conscience is the blood of Iesus Christ who by the obedience of his death hath freed us from all guilt and punishment of sinne reconciled us to God and become our peace whereby this and all other faculties are purged through faith in his blood Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead workes The companions of this purity of conscience are two First a frameing of conscience to the rule of the word which is a torch-light for the direction of it for the conscience being the eye of the soule must be lightsome not erronious blinde or doubtfull Secondly a studie to preserve the purity and himselfe unspotted before God and man and no man hath purity of conscience that wanteth this care 2. It must be a clearing conscience taking the Masters part against all accusers It selfe is not blamelesse unlesse it can justly pronounce the Master blamelesse And this is First when it beares witnesse concerning our sinnes 1. That there is no sinne we have committed but we have repented the same 2. There is none committed but wee hate it wee purpose against it and keepe a watch that it be never committed any more Secondly when it witnesseth concerning our persons that we are now righteous and justified by faith in Iesus Christ of uncleane blackmores we are washed and made white in his blood and sonnes of God who of an enemy is become a friend and Father to us Thirdly when it witnesseth concerning our graces that as by the former wee are freed from the guilt of sinne so we are now freed from the power of sinne and are no more servants of unrighteousnesse but now our conscience tells us we are in part sanctified that the evill wee doe wee hate and love the good wee doe not and that in the inner man we delight in the Law of God Fourthly when it witnesseth concerning our course and actions that now they are wrought according to God by the warrant of his word and because he hath commanded so to
determine thy will with his as David Psal. 39.9 I held my tongue and spake nothing because thou Lord didst it There must be but one will betweene God and a faithfull soule betweene Christ and a Christian. Quest. How may I know my will thus denied renewed freed and framed to God Answ. The signes of it are 1. in respect of it selfe 2. in regard of sinne 3. in regard of good duties 1. In respect of it selfe it will not runne before but will waite upon sanctified knowledge and renewed reason it will not inthrall the light of the minde to inordinate desires it will be prooving still what is the good and acceptable will of God It will resolve and purpose that so long time as it is in the flesh to walke after the will of God 1 Pet. 4.2 2. Thou shalt know it in regard of sinne 1. It is resolute in resistance of sinne and the occasions for although the will renewed admit sinne in respect of corruption yet it selfe is in great part set against sinne that it willeth it not fully it purposeth not to sinne as David I vowed I will keepe thy judgements it hath a fast purpose to cleave to God Psal. 119.104 and hates all the wayes of falshood 2. When it yeelds to sinne it is with griefe it doth not sleepe in sinne so but that the heart waketh So the Apostle Rom. 7.15 he even hateth sinne while he is a doing of it I hate that I doe 3. After sinne it riseth timely by repentance if he fall into sinne he hardens not his heart Prov. 28.14 he wills it not neither before nor after there is a strugling and a reluctation in him against it and thus you may know the will rightly framed 3. In regard of good duties it will not onely be well-doing but chearefull in well-doing he doth good duties willingly freely There is a difference in doing one and the same action betweene a good man and a wicked man the worke of the will renewed is not onely to take opportunity to doe good but seeke opportunity to doe it it will not doe good of constraint but will doe it with willingnesse he will doe it cheerefully as a good Pastour feedes his flocke not by constraint but of a willing minde 1 Pet. 5.2 Quest. Why should wee thus looke to our wills Answ. First the state of Christianity is rather a willing than a doing the will of God thou that canst doe no more wouldst thou doe lesse Secondly no greater plague can befall a man than to be given up to his owne will the holding to a mans owne will is the losse of the will and soule too Thirdly as thy will is pleased with the sinne so it shall be revenged in the sorrow of it that will of thine that will not be compelled to obey shall be compelled to suffer all the plagues of sinne by a just recompence are laid upon the will as his sinne was a resistance and renouncing of the will of God for in hell no sinner shall ever obtaine what hee would but shall ever sustaine what hee would not Thus God brings the wayes of the wilfull sinner upon his owne head Ezek. 11.21 Thirdly to keepe the soule blamelesse we must narrowly watch all our affections wherein the soule moves it selfe every where for man by his fall hath lost not his affections but the holinesse and rectitude of them for now man naturally hateth the Lord and his image in his word in his servants and graces he feares and flies what hee should most joy and delight in that is God himselfe he joyes in swallowing the pleasures of sinne the baytes of his perdition hee is angry and impatient at God himselfe as Ionas and carried with a rageing madnesse causelesly and intemperately on any occasion And therefore we must fly to the grace of regeneration which doth not abolish affections but the disordered motions of them and restores them towards their originall rectitude and goodnesse Where this worke of grace is not and where the spirit hath laid no bridle upon the affections no marvaile if that soule runne riot into all unruly lusts and make it selfe blame-worthy and guilty every moment of foule sinnes Yea where this grace is care must be to preserve it even in every affection the least disorder of any of which is enough to impure the soule and leave it under blame Now the rules of keeping the affections unblameable and then for the reasons I. To keepe thy affections unblameable thou must labour seeing they cannot be unblameable if they be not good in the rise to get a good rise for thy affections a good motion must be from a good mover labour to see who is the mover of thy affections whether the Spirit of God or the wicked spirit or thine owne carnall spirit Excellent are those affections that are moved by the Spirit of God as when feare anger love joy griefe are 1. grounded on just causes 2. guided by the rule of renewed reason for the Spirit never moves but according to the word 3. tempered in ordinate measure now they become servants of grace Whereas if thy owne carnall spirit move them contrary to the word for their subject object manner or measure now they turne enemies to God and to thine owne soule II. Be sure they be carried upon right objects onely set thy affections where Gods Spirit would set them Here first the proper object of love is God himselfe and not for his gifts but for himselfe and of Iesus Christ whom if any man love not let him be accursed and that not as a Iesus onely but as a Lord And then the things of God wee must covet the most excellent gifts and with Mary choose the better part even our part in the Gospell and word of Christ and then entirely love the friends of God all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue Secondly the object of our anger is sinnes not persons nor so much the sinnes of others as our owne which are nearer us Thirdly the object of our joy is pardon of sinne Gods favour and countenance Psal. 4. It is wrong placed when it is in the creature not in the Creatour when in the gift not in the giver Fourthly the object of our patience is evills of punishment which we must patiently suffer but not evills of sinne as Moses Fifthly of our feare the true object is God more for his goodnesse than greatnesse more for his mercy than justice Mercy is with thee to be feared Psal. 130.4 more lest we offend him than be offended by him And so in the rest What a businesse now is it to keepe our affections upon allowed and warrantable objects III. In these best objects see they be most vehement and intense To doe this observe these rules First bestow on the best things the best affections thou must love the Lord thy God with all thy soule all thy heart and strength nay more thou
it is said Thou lovest all words that may destroy oh thou deceitfull tongue How did the Divell use a tongue otherwise than in lying and deceiving for when hee speakes a lye he speaks his owne saith Christ. And God will destroy all them that speake lyes Psal. 12.3 because nothing is more contrary to his nature being truth it selfe 3. Take heed of an oily and a flattering tongue that can sooth and smooth and justifie an evill man in his evill Prov. 29.5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreades a net for his steppes as a fowler layeth in waite to bring the bird into the net and holde him in it implying that this flattery is the Divells invisible net by which he catcheth and holdeth men fast in the snare For what man will not delight in any base lust when hee shall not onely not feare reproofe but be commended and graced in it But of all flatterers none is so serviceable to the Divell as a flattering Minister who brings whole flights of foolish birds into the snare and holds them fast to death 4. Beware of a slanderous and smiting tongue of which Ierem. 18.18 Let us smite him with the tongue because blowes and strokes hurt not nor wound a mans body more than the slanderous words hurt his name The slanderer is a monstrous creature for a tongue he hath a sting for words he carries swords in his mouth his breath is poysonfull and loathsome as gall of aspes yea hee carries a fire in his mouth set on fire from hell One compares the slanderer to the butchers mastiffe hee lies still in the shambles hee waites for the blood of the beast his mouth is ever bloodie But especially when he slandereth godly men in their godly wayes hee lies in the Divells sinne who is an accuser of the brethren Revel 12. And hee is often paid with his owne coyne that as hee sits as a moth fretting the names of others his name is wounded and gnawed on by others Whereas by the same overruling power of God a man chary of anothers name comming through his hands hath his name often defended and tendered passing through the hands of others 5. Beware of a wanton and filthy tongue addicted to unseemely and ribauldry speech full of corruption both in the speaker and hearer the one making no conscience of foule words easily comes on to foule actions the others good manners easily corrupted by evill speeches 1 Cor. 15. Say not with thy selfe Though I sometimes speake foolishly and merrily yet my heart is good I live well and honestly for all that I assure thee thy heart and tongue are both of one constitution and thou that saist thou art so honest of thy body but neglectest thy tongue carriest a world of wickednesse about thee still in that little member Thirdly use the meanes to keepe thy tongue unblameable For first it is a little member but unruly and as hard to keepe as a Citty without walls Secondly by thy words thou shalt be justified or condemned Thirdly all thy religion and profession is in vaine if thy tongue be unruled Fourthly a wholesome tongue is the tree of life How carefull will an husbandman be to preserve a tree of delicate and precious fruite Such a tree is a well governed tongue But if a man had the least sprig of the tree of life by which hee were sure to thrust away diseases paines sicknesse death and preserve himselfe in an happy healthfull undying and immortall estate oh how carefully would hee tend and charily watch it But Salomon commends a well ordered tongue to that whole tree of life Prov. 15.4 for the fruite of a long and comfortable life 1 Pet. 3.10 Quest. What are these meanes Answ. First set a watch before the doore of thy mouth and resolve with David not to offend with thy tongue Psal. 39.1 I purposed and vowed with my selfe to looke to my wayes and that I sinne not with my tongue and that man that will not sinne with his tongue must set a strong watch before the doore of his mouth And consider here first it is too much for a Christian to lodge corruption and filthinesse in his heart and yet if some uncleannesse will still hide it selfe in those deceitfull corners choake it there let not the tongue utter it nor the mouth vent it to the poysoning and infecting of others Secondly that a thought may be corrected but a word once spoken is irrevocable and therefore wisdome will examine every word first before it passe out of the mouth Secondly take lawes for our lippes from God and put them on our tongue Prov. 31. the godly woman the law of grace is upon her tongue the word of God is the bound of her tongue and speeches both for matter manner measure and end of her speeches A man cannot learne a forreigne tongue Hebrew Greeke Latine French unlesse he be taught the elements or observe the rules of speech Now to speake gracious speech is not our native language it is the language of Canaan to which wee are naturally strangers and can never get it of our selves unlesse wee acquaint our selves with the rules of it in the word of God Who can speake familiarly with God savourly of God or Christianly with men without Gods owne teaching in his word Thirdly labour to get a good heart for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 15.18 and Prov. 16.23 The heart of the wise guideth the mouth wisely for as the shop is furnished out of the ware-house so the mouth with speech out of the heart Whence it must follow that the want of good and savoury speech argues a barren and naughty heart To speake the language of Canaan be a Iew within get a wise pure and converted heart and then thou art one of the people of a pure language 3 Zeph. 9.13 Fourthly accustome thy selfe to good and savoury speech flowing from grace in the heart that all thy speech may be the issue of knowledge faith holy affections of love joy zeale desire of godly sorrow c. and tending to the praise of God and to the exhorting instructing counselling and comforting of men as the damosell to Peter let thy speech bewray thee a Disciple of Christ a good Christian see the matter be good and pertinent the manner seasoned and bounded with godly discretion and the end tending to minister grace to the hearers The reason of this rule is First because corrupt communication slippes in for want of better communication which might have prevented it Secondly no way so expedite to breake off a bad habit than by frequent contrary acts which will grow habituall and familiar Thus much of the directions for keeping the outward man blamelesse If any thinke them not so necessary to be insisted upon or taken up carefully into his practise let him remember 1. That the heart is never renewed unlesse the outward man be reformed 2. It shall one
pleasures of it too well Demas forsooke the truth to embrace the present world Iudas by the same corrupt affection fell from the Apostleship Ioh. 12.41 Many chiefe Rulers beleeved Christ but durst not confesse him because of the Pharises for they loved the praise of men more than God Oh that we did not so cleerely see the strength of this lett in these dayes wherein so many baulke the way of holinesse and fall backe almost to open profanesse because they neither see many men nor great men yeeld approbation or countenance to such strict courses 2. Shunne lewd society and familiarity with profane persons if we would not fall from our owne stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3.17 18. there is not more strength in any infectious pestilencious ayre to poyson the body than in this poysoned ayre to kill the soule Society with gracelesse men is a very blasting of grace fire is not more apt to burne than we to learne their wayes 4. The labour and paines of holinesse and mortification makes many weary of the good way but consider it is not in vaine to serve the Lord and there is profit in walking humbly before him thy paines shall be abundantly recompenced a small measure of holinesse with an upheaped measure of happinesse Every man will be contented to swallow much paines for a little earthly profit and is the state of heaven worth no labour 5. Persecutions drive many away much seed which comes up faire when the sunne of persecution ariseth withereth away But against this wisdome must cast the costs and prepare to defray the charges of this great building and the same Sunne that dries and burnes up the shallow seede shall set and ripen ours Many heare holinesse reviled and spoyled of her vaile and value they heare this sect every where spoken against and would as farre forget themselves as Peter to heare that voice Thou art one of them and perhaps renounce Christ and profession and all for if even the very Disciples of Christ and all they leave him and fly when afflictions comes neare Matth. 26.56 what marvell if they that want soundnesse shrinke in the wetting 1. But here remember and looke upon Christ Heb. 12.2 who endured such speaking against of sinners not for himselfe but for thee lest thou be weary 2. Hee that is now ashamed of Christ Christ will one day be ashamed of him and then he that will no◠beare the reproach of a blast of words for him shall be filled with an everlasting reproach before men and Angells 3. Sound judgement esteemes it the greatest honour to be highly dishonoured for Christ and his causes Matth. 5.12 Blessed are yee when men revile you and speake all manner of evill against you for my sake rejoyce and be glad great is your reward in heaven Object I could better endure mens words but I shall also sustaine great losse if I should be so precise I should lose my custome trading and profits Answ. Wilt thou receive a religion and not know it to be truth or knowest it to be so and wilt not be ready to confesse and professe it according to thy place and calling even in the middest of the different conceits of men 2. The Saints knowing this to be truth did for it joyfully suffer the spoyling of their goods 3. Put together in the ballance the losse of the world and the losse of thy soule and consider whether is fitter to save if thou cāst not save both For the losse of the world is an abundant recompence promised by a sure pay-master but what recompence is there for the losse of the soule Matth. 16.26 Nay if thou shouldest venture and give thy life for thy profession if God call for it it is no lesse than thou oughtest who oughtest to strive unto blood Hebr. 12.4 and yet this greatest losse were the greatest gaine Thus to lose thy life is to save it and to save it in this case were to lose it III. Procure to our selves and exercise the helpes of perseverance and keepe them neere us as our continuall companions And for this end First let the word of God be deepely rooted in our hearts for this is a speciall preservative from declining Psal. 119.102 I declined not from thy statutes for thou didst teach me Now the word sundry wayes keepes us As first by inlightening us to see our way both to chuse the right way and decline the wrong Psal. 119.105 Thy law is a light and lanthorne to our paths Secondly by comforting and incouraging us in the good way Rom. 15.4 Through consolation of the Scripture wee receive our hope Thirdly by preventing sinne in us Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne Fourthly by keeping out of sin and redressing our way Psal. 119.9 Secondly labour to preserve in thee a love of grace and holinesse let thy scope be in all the meanes of holinesse to gaine not knowledge and illumination onely but sound affection also to grow up in this as well as in that For first as a tree low and deepe rooted is stablished and continued in fruitfulnesse so when faith and grace is deepely rooted in the affection of the heart there will be perseverance Secondly it is not good words good actions or good knowledge that holdes out but good affections will Thirdly what other is the cause of so generall backsliding in the world which is the proper punishment of not receiving the truth in the love of it 2 Thess. 2.11 Thirdly feare God This is a wellspring of life to make us escape the snares of death Prov. 14.27 and 19.23 Anchora mentis pondus timoris Feare holds the heart steady as the anchor the shippe and joyne thy selfe to such as feare God delight in such as excell in vertue and grace these are able to encourage strengthen direct uphold raise and comfort thee in thy difficulties wearinesse and weaknesse and set thee forward not by their gifts onely but by their example Fourthly be instant in prayer for perseverance so our Text teacheth for it is the Lord that both beginneth and finisheth his owne worke hee not onely sets us in the way but leades us in the way and at length brings us into Canaan Fifthly looke still to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ as a good servant hold thy selfe in expectation of the appearing so the Text Luke 12.36 Blessed is that servant whom the Master shall finde so doing Doest thou expect him from heaven and is not thy conversation there doest thou expect his comming in glory and meetest not him in grace lookest thou for him as thy head and wilt thou not as a member holde an happy union and fellowship with him expectest thou thence a Saviour and continuest thou not unto the end seeing onely such shall be saved Matth. 10.22 Now the motives to the meanes of perseverance First this is a true signe of a true friend of God who loves at all
of the world what a change is there in a man effectually called He was in the world and of the world hee could follow it as earnestly as any other hee gave the world his heart his hands his thoughts his time his tongue he minded nothing so much as earth he savoured nothing but earth hee spake of nothing else cheerefully hee treasured nothing but earthly things he was unsatiable unmeasurable unweariable in gathering earth earthly things but now God hath called him out of his owne Country as Abraham in which he tooke so great content he is called out of the world Iohn 15.19 Now he is become a stranger at home his heart is estranged from things below his minde is on things above godly thoughts and meditations begin to take him up his affections are weaned that now he aimes and desires other wealth than before his tongue can speake of heavenly things without tediousnesse hee treasures now in heaven and will be a gainer by godlinesse Matthew being called forsakes his unlawfull yea and lawfull gaines for Christ chap. 2.9 Zacheus at a word speaking enricheth himselfe by impoverishing himselfe and making restitution Happy is that man that findes this change in himselfe that he hath got above the world that though hee have the world in his hand yet hee hath cast it out of his heart Never could this be done by the strength of nature never worldling attained it III. In respect of Graces which discover themselves 1. in their kindes 2. in their soundnesse 3. in their growth This grace will appeare in setting forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvelous light 1 Pet. 2.9 By vertue of this holy calling we are sanctified throughout as we have heard in the former verse so as there will appeare First A new life of grace He that onely lived the life of nature but starke dead in respect of the life of God and past all feeling a carcasse without the soule of Gods Spirit stinking in the grave of corruption hath now heard a voice of Christ saying come forth and now the bands of death are loosed a new life of grace succeedes that hee may now say as Christ Rev. 1. Behold I was dead but am alive for ever 2. A new light in the things of God Hee that was blinde and could not see one steppe before him to eternall life hath now his sight restored to him that he can say with the blind man One thing I know that whereas I was blinde now I see the man Iesus hath opened mine eyes Not his understanding onely is restored but his spirituall senses are quickened that now he can taste how good God is he can heare the voice of God he can savour things of God can feele the prickes of conscience and hee whose tongue was tyed from good speech can now speake of the things of God with understanding 3. Grace will discover it selfe in all new affections He that was an hater of God is changed into a deare lover of God which sincere love is made a manifest note of effectuall calling Rom. 8.28 such as are called of purpose are said to be such as love God and this love of God as a sweet perfume rectifies all the other affections it will expresse it selfe in a studious care to please him in all things and in a feare of displeasing him In a constant delight in his word and ordinances being his love-letters in a surpassing joy in all the meanes of our sweete fellowship with him whom before we shunned as an enemy In a love and admiration of his graces wheresoever which are as jewells and pledges of his love In an earnest and fervent desire of immediate fellowship with him whom we love best of all 4. Grace will bewray it selfe in new motions which is a new obedience unto the voice discerned and beleeved even in difficult dangerous costly and selfe-denying duties for alwayes with effectuall calling there goes a power enabling the Christian to the fruitfull practise of the doctrine of godlinesse Acts 3.7 And from the inward obedience of the heart flowes all outward obedience in the life Ineffectuall calling moves not or is not from within but from some externall plummet or can produce leaves rather than fruite or sound fruite but not much nor lasting or in some things not in all as Herod But this moveth and obeyeth sincerely universally constantly Thus will grace discover it selfe in all kindes through the whole man Secondly The graces of effectuall calling discover and distinguish themselves by their soundnesse Hypocrites want soundnesse in the common graces they have and all for want of this change by effectuall calling Ineffectuall calling may beget a kinde of love of God but that is not for himselfe but for wages not as children love their father but as hirelings love a strict master Whereas true love of God attending effectuall calling workes feare of offending him not to be offended by him delights in his presence in his ordinances and love-letters and in his graces as so many jewels and pledges of his love Ineffectuall calling may come to some feare of God but onely by the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 which true love casts out as Israel in the Mount feared revenge But true feare of God saith as Ioseph Hath my Master done this for me and shall I doe this Ineffectuall calling may attaine some zeale for God as in Iehu in Ahabs case but rather against others sinne than his owne and for durance it is but as a blaze in straw as his being unsound lasted not But zeale of effectuall calling hates sinne in another because it hates his owne first Ineffectuall calling may attaine a kinde of love of the brethren but this is neither ordinary nor well grounded it is not for Gods image and it is rather a reverence of good men than love of their goodnesse Herod reverenced Iohn but loved him not neither can that love that is so light and set upon indirect ends and occasions continue but will be easily changed into deadly hatred as Herods was Thirdly The grace of effectuall calling will distinguish it selfe by the growth of it and proceeding in sanctification Hence it is called an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 both in respect of the authour the holy Ghost and of the meanes the holy word sanctified hereto and of the effect because it workes holinesse in heart and sanctimony in life But also in regard of the end to which Saints are called namely by the degrees of holinesse to rise to the perfection of it A counterfeit may be washed over and goe for currant but it wants 1. weight 2. sound 3. substance so counterfeit sanctification wants three things that suffer it not to abide the tryall 1. Vnion with Christ being onely tyed by a thred of profession not set or incorporate into him he hath no substance of Christ in him 2. Righteousnesse
in thy estimation doe now seeme lesse and lesse dangerous if sometimes thou couldest not be comforted in the sence of sinne and the same sinne now move thee nothing at all thou couldst not abide cursed speaking in others now thou fallest to it thy selfe thou couldst not away with idle and gracelesse companions now thou canst now hast thou quenched the spirit 2. If thou be apt to rush into sinne once conquered thy strength is abated 3. If thou be unwilling to heare any of thy sinnes reproved the spirit is quenced because he rebuketh sinne 4. If the word and rodde preserve thee not from sinne the spirit is not present in thee 5. If after sinne committed thou doest not more hate it and sorrow for it than before thou lovedst it and rejoycedst in it if thou hast not a more constant care to avoid sinne than before yea if thou hast not a greater zeale in doing good know for a certaine that some sinne in thee or other is as water cast upon the spirit Fifthly and lastly examine thy selfe concerning the worke of Gods Spirit on thy affections thus If thy love of heavenly things be abated or be more to earth than to heaven if thy joy be troubled if thy conscience be perplexed with accusations if there be in thee an excessive feare of death or the like certainly the spirit is now quenched looke well unto it Object Alas I have found my affections more fiery than now they be I have had a great measure of zeale for God much indignation against sinne fervent affection in Gods service joy in God comfort in my selfe and in good duties but now it is not so with me I could never attaine the like affections as at first what may I thinke of my selfe Answ. We must wisely distinguish of the diffusing of grace from the decaying of it In earthly marriage love will be more vehement at first because lesse diffused but afterward is rather more extended than languishing so it is in the heate of grace But how may I know it thus 1. If thou be displeased that thou canst not get thy heart to the highest pitch of delight in grace 2. If thou still hungrest after grace and a further measure as one that hath tasted hony desireth more so having tasted of the spirit doest earnestly desire a greater measure of it 3. Stickest thou to the meanes in publicke and in private and wilt not be driven off still lying at the Poole where the spirit mooveth then discourage not thy selfe but goe on comfortably this small affection toward the Lord and his grace be it but as a graine of mustard seed it shall outgrow all choke weedes and master and kill whatsoever affections would overtop it So much for the second use Thirdly seeing negative precepts include the affirmative every Christian must hence be stirred up to stirre up the gift of God that is in him and not suffer it to decay 2 Tim. 1.6 A fit lesson even for Timothy himselfe For first the Spirit is ever working something in Gods children worthy the stirring up he is no where idle but still beautifying perfecting his own dwelling 2. Every Christian hath some graces to stirre up else were there no difference betweene him and a naturall man who wants the Spirit 3. No Christian hath any grace so perfect but it needes stirring up where growth is there is no perfection 4. Without stirring the fire dies so the Spirit for which cause the Apostle useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow up Quest. What meanes may wee use to blow up the Spirit Answ. 1. The word of God in the publicke and private use of it First the preaching of the word as it begets so it nourisheth grace The Ministry is instituted and gifts given to men not onely to lay to foundation of our happinesse but to build us up till we meet together in a perfect body Ephes. 4.11 12 13. Naturall food strengthens the body by the daily use of it spiritual food strengthens the soule by the continuall use of it Those that say they know as much as they neede or as much as the Preacher can tell thē never truly saw their great weaknesse for let any good conscience say if it neede not the word continually David a man of singular grace yet lay fouly in his sinnes till Nathan came and stirred him saying Thou art the man Despise Prophecy and quench the Spirit where vision faileth grace perisheth Secondly the word must be privately read and conversed in for such is the excellency and power of it that it transformes the minde conversant in it unto it selfe and to be affected as the pen-men were holily and graciously Besides it begets and furthers found judgement whereas others erre not knowing the Scriptures and it stirres up good affections and gracious desires Againe the word must be meditated on in private without which hearing and reading are to little purpose Psal. 1.1 Blessed is the man that meditates in the law of the Lord continually And here is mutuall helpe for hearing and reading doe feede meditation and meditation doth fasten them Why else hath God given man a reasonable soule but to meditate upon his word and workes Or why else hath he set apart a whole day in seaven especially for meditation if it were not a notable meanes to excite grace Or why else did our Lord take all occasions from the workes of God to teach and instruct us but for our example that we should tread in his holy steppes We see the first meanes 2. The Sacraments were instituted to strengthen our faith which in it selfe is weake and to keepe in continuall memory the covenant betweene God and us with the meanes thereof yea the very preparation to them includeth a speciall meanes of stirring up our graces of repentance of renewing our faith of obedience thankfulnesse and all the meanes of growth in the covenant And much more strength doth a good heart finde in the celebration of them Therefore to forbeare them of contempt argues no member of Christ and of negligence to forbeare is to cast ones selfe into the judgement of God 3. Prayer sets all graces on worke as faith in Gods promises charity toward our brethren hope which lookes for the performance of that we pray for humility in confession of sinnes and sense of wants thankfulnesse for supplies and leave to pray and by exercise in prayer wee get the spirit of prayer Luke 11.13 Our Father will not deny his Spirit to them that aske him 4. Company or commerce with the godly doth exceedingly sharpen our graces One candle lights another and one sticke of fire kindles another A lesser sticke may kindle a billet so the strongest Christian may receive furtherance from the weakest Paul himselfe might be comforted by the Romanes chap. 1.12 And when Silas came Paul burned in the Spirit But how can one coale alone by it selfe keepe it selfe glowing Yea evill men
great and unspeakable wickednesse were it to despise so great salvation to despise the word of life of grace of light of peace of faith and the end of it which is salvation for it is the ingraffed word able to save soules Iam. 1.21 3. Manifold is the evill that overtakes a despiser of Prophecy 1. He is destitute of the Spirit who hath no being no delight to be there as the connexion of the precepts witnesseth 2. Prophecy being neglected piety is lost and men prove profane persons this was a brand of Esaus profanesse that hee cared more for a meales meate than he did for the blessing Heb. 12.16 3. Despise thou prophecy thy prayer shall be despised and all thy service is abominable Prov. 28.9 and chap. 1.28 Because I have cryed saith the Lord and yee would not heare yee shall cry and not be heard 4. It ties and fastens sinne on men yea and heapes up judgement for first it nourisheth ignorance a maine supporter of Satans kingdome secondly it resisteth faith by refusing the onely and ordinary meanes of it thirdly it barreth out repentance because this is the meanes of our regeneraration and change of heart and life fourthly it makes sinne farre more sinfull because here is a refusall of mercy and grace offered by prophecy Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken they had not sinned but now they have no cloake for their sinne Fifthly the refusall of prophecy provoketh the Lord to give up men to vile affections to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thess. 2.10 Lastly it tyes on judgement as fast as sinne and wraps the despiser in the curse of God Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect much more despise so great salvation Consider the threatnings Acts 13.41 Beholde ye despisers and wonder and vanish away Beholde I will worke a worke in your dayes which a man would not beleeve for the terrour of it out of Habak 1.5 This serves to reproove 1. Anabaptists and Enthusiasts who pretend the Spirit and despise prophecy they have the Spirit to guide them and therefore neede no preaching 2. Those profane Atheists at home who despising the Spirit of grace and the word of grace live as without God in the world Many who have Iacobs voice professe in word better things yet prize the preaching of Christ as a thing of nought It is better to be casting up some account or reading some history or walking in the fields or visiting some friends or perhaps going to a play than to a Sermon Are these the sonnes of Abraham or the sonnes of God and not rather the profane sonnes of profane Esau What can hee tell me saith one which I know not As if thy knowledge could priviledge thee to despise Prophecy And what thinkest thou These Thessalonians had knowledge as well as thou for they were taught of God 1 Thess. 4.9 yet must not they despise Prophecy and wilt thou despise it We see not saith another but that all this preaching doth breede barrennesse as an immoderate raine and brings preaching into contempt As if the abundance of prophecying did priviledge the profane heart to despise it The Israelites made just such another reason Oh wee have nothing but Mannah Mannah and our soule is weary of this Mannah and yet by their owne confession if they loathe this Mannah they must have nothing else to live by they shall surely die and their blood be upon them Object Wee see not that this preaching doth any thing but breede contention among Preachers and hearers Answ. As if because a bad stomacke turnes wholsome meate into bad humours therefore good meate must be despised and because mans nature spider-like turnes wholsome doctrine into poyson therefore wholsome doctrine may be despised Many other allegations the Divell puts into the mindes and mouthes of men against Prophecy because he knowes by preaching his kingdome falls like lightening Luk. 10.18 But those that feare the Lord will abhorre them 3. Others are reprooved who can be content to heare the word read and thinke themselves in good case if they can reade the word or good bookes at home but despise prophecy and interpretation which what else is it but to reject Gods wisedome in his owne meanes who hath set us apart to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled to God The conversion of men was never committed to mens owne private reading no nor to the ministery of Angels no nor Christ himselfe undertooke to convert the world by his owne industry but left his Disciples to doe greater things than himselfe Ioh. 14.12 Contemne Gods meanes and thy owne shall never succeede Besides will not any say that hee understands better by interpretation of things than by bare reading Yes any but grosse malice and wilfulnesse 4. Others will heare the word not read onely but preached and yet despise Prophecy because they despise the practise of that they heare as Herod That which a man cares not to keepe hee despiseth Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it and doe it Therefore beware of despising Prophecy and of receiving the grace of God in vaine 2 Cor. 6.1 but rather heartily and sincerely embrace it Meanes 1. Labour to see the necessity of it being the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 and a principall ordinance of his to reveale the great mysteries of salvation which thou canst never understand without a teacher 2. Make conscience of hearing the word often 1 Pet. 2.2 As new-borne babes feeling their want would sucke every houre of the day and night Esteeme it with Mary the one thing necessary 3. Attend at the gates of wisdomes house Prov. 8.33 It was the praise of these Thessalonians that they heard the word with all readinesse Act. 17.11 and a great worke of God in Lydia chap. 16.14 The Lord opened her heart to attend to the words of the Apostles 4. Rejoyce in it as the Iaylor Act. 16.32 Hee rejoyced that hee and all the household beleeved And the wise Merchant went away rejoycing Not to delight in the word is to despise it Ierem. 6.10 Beholde the word of God is to them a reproach why they have no delight in it 5. If thou wouldest not despise Prophecy despise not Prophets This were to despise Christ himselfe for Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Luk. 10.10 But have them in singular love for their workes sake as our spirituall fathers begetting us unto Christ. Wee see how the Prophets of the olde Testament were esteemed even of Kings themselves as Ioash though a wicked King finding Elisha ready to die fell on his face and wept and cried My father my father the horsemen of Israel and the chariots thereof 2 King 13.14 And shall not beleevers in the new Testament honour the Prophets of the new Testament who as good lampes consume themselves to give others light But
loseth the word in temptation we must arme our selves against the tryalls of the truth and having obtained to beleeve we must also get of God strength to suffer for his sake The third generall proposed is Motives to hold that which is good 1. Let us consider how little we have kept heretofore of all that wee have heard If a man lay coyne or jewells in a chest and afterward come and finde none in it he will presently conclude certainly a theefe hath beene here so may wee in these losses certainly the Divell hath beene here Looke to it more narrowly 2. This is all the commendation of a Christian 1 Cor. 11.2 I commend you that you keepe the ordinances as I delivered A good husband will keepe and save his stocke yea and increase it 3. Keepe them and they will keepe thee as Salomon saith Prov. 4.6 Forsake not wisdome and she shall keepe thee Hold them and they shall uphold thee love her and she shall preserve thee keepe them safe and they will keepe thee Iohn 8.26 If the Sonne set you free ye shall be free indeede that is from errours in doctrine and corruptions of life So long as we keepe the word we cannot fall quite away because the seede of God abideth in us 4. There is no such losse in the world as to lose the good things that thou seemest to lay hold on Losse of wealth of honour of children is nothing to the losse of spirituall good things A man had better lose all the seede he sowes upon his ground than the good seeede sowne in his heart Better for a man to lose all the joyes and pleasures of the world than the joy of his salvation Better to lose all the labour of his calling and put all his gaines in a broken bagge than lose what hee hath wrought in his generall calling Therefore suffer the word of exhortation 2. Iohn 8. Looke to your selves that ye lose not the things you have done but may have a full reward 5. Let us consider that this is more necessary for us than for any seeing Satans aime and scope is to make great places and townes more backward and carelesse to hold good things than others Hee sets his throne in great places because he knowes that thence wickednesse shall be plentifully derived into the Country round about as tradesmen doe their wares Wee for example sake must labour to know love and obey the truth that Gods throne may be set up every where that our godlinesse and obedience may come abroad and provoke others Let it be said of other great places that pride pleasure and profit choake the word and that there is but a forme of godlinesse without power Let us stirre up our selves to our first beginnings our first diligence in receiving the Gospell Object No doubt but we shall keepe good things Answ. 1. You are indeede that which you are in tryall You hardly keepe them while you have good meanes what would you doe if the meanes were gone 2. What if tryall should come as wee may justly feare it could wee then stand Oh now lay a good foundation provide for it that thou faint not in the day of adversity VERSE 22. Abstaine from all appearance of evill AS a carefull father who is come to the end of his life hath but a while to speake and therefore heapeth up his lessons shortly together which he would have his sonnes remember when hee is gone So the Apostle here drawing to the end of this Epistle heapes together his most necessary precepts in short manner as knowing what a friend brevity is to memory God who hath put an infinite distance and disproportion betweene light and darknesse betweene which as the Apostle saith there can be no communion their natures being so fully abhorring hath under that similitude shewed how hee hath separated and put as great contrariety betweene good and evill truth and falshood which are a spirituall kinde of light and darknesse so as they can never agree in one subject but where light comes darknesse is chased before it and when darknesse succeedes the light gives place unto it And as darknesse is the privation of light so evill is the absence of of good and as it is impossible for a man at the same time to be both good and evill so neither can he affect evill and good at the same time but if hee will hold that which is good he must abstaine from the contrary evill or if he will not abstaine from evill let him never professe the holding of good Whence not onely this Scripture but many other joyne these two by an inseperable band Psal. 34.14 Eschew evill and doe good Esay 1.16 Cease to doe evill learne to doe well Rom. 12.9 Abhorre that which is evill and cleave to that which is good And here Hold what is good Abstaine from all appearance of evill for there can be no holding of good if a man withhold not himselfe from evill 1. By evill is meant whatsoever departeth from the rule of good and 2. by abstaining is meant refraining or removing a mans selfe from it as farre as may be so the word is used Matth. 15.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their heart wandreth farre from mee 3. The Apostle saith not Abstaine from evill but from the appearance of evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or species is that which seemes to be a thing but is not a shape or representation of a thing rather than a thing it selfe So the same word is used Iohn 5.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee saw not his shape 4. The extent of the proposition all appearance yet more helpeth us to the true sense of the words which requires of us to runne as fast away from whatsoever hath any shew of evill as if it were evill in it selfe for the same word is used 1 Pet. 2.11 Abstaine from fleshly lusts and in 1 Thess. 4.3 the will of God is that ye abstaine from fornication All noting that we must avoid the least shew of evill with the same care that wee doe the greatest evill it selfe and even all shews as making conscience of all Christians must not onely avoid that which is apparantly evill but that also which seemeth to be evill or may carry some evill with it though it selfe be be not so For the explaining hereof we must know that in every action there bee three things First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the action or evill it selfe whether it be an evill of doctrine or manners as all false doctrine heresie superstition and all sinnes of all sorts which stand not in conformity with the law This is not so much aymed in the text Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leaders incentives or moovers of our selves or others unto any sinne so Eves looking on the Apple was not in it selfe evill but so farre as it drew on her appetite yea her conference with the Serpent and Adams with her in that subject
or argument should have beene avoided This first peeping or appearance of evill in our selves or whatsoever we may lay as a stumbling blocke in the way of another though it be not evill in us nor in it selfe yet being an occasion of evill to another by this precept we must shunne and fly from it Paules eating of flesh was lawfull in it selfe and lawfull to him but rather than hee would offend his weake brother he will never doe it while the world stands 1 Cor. 8.13 and Rom. 14.21 he will remove that which seemeth and appeareth evill to another Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consequents of actions are to be considered and in things which be indifferent that may be done or not done we must sometime forbeare lawfull things if wee suspect evill consequents It was lawfull for David to walke upon his gallery but had hee foreseene the consequents he would doubtlesse have beene otherwise occupied It was lawfull for Paul to have circumcised Titus as he did Timothy but espying an evill consequent that hee should confirme the errour of the Iewes who held circumcision as necessary to salvation he would not doe it Gal. 2. It was as lawfull in it selfe for him to make a vow shave his head and purifie himselfe at one time as at another Acts 18.18 yet sometimes he inveighes against these observations as beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 and will not meddle with any of them where hee might confirme any in their errour or obstinacy All which examples teach us either warily to doe or leave undone things which are liable to misconstruction 2. Here remember that in all lawfull and necessary duties let all the world misconster and be offended wee must yeeld absolute obedience unto God though to the world it appeare never so evill Christ himselfe in his doctrine and conuersation was so generall an offence that he pronounced him blessed that was not offended in him He must preach himselfe to be the bread from heaven though it offend the Iewes Iohn 6. He will heale the paralyticke though they be offended Mat. 9.1 Iohn must preach against Herodias though all the Court be offended Daniel will pray three times a day though it cost him his life 3. In all indifferent things we are to avoide all appearance of evill and scandall with these limitions First so they be not in things simply necessary to life in these things wee must not forbeare if others be offended If one take offence that I eate bread or drinke beere I must doe it because life is maintained by foode but if I can be without it and live I must respect my brothers weaknesse as to abstaine this or that flesh this or that wine c. Secondly the like in things simply necessary for my calling But a thing of indifferency may not put me out of my way I must hold my calling I must preach the Gospell This is a necessary duty imposed and good of this nature must be done though a shew of evill to some be annexed to it Thirdly in these things of indifferency we must abstaine from appearances of evill and things that carry an evill colour if we be nostri juris and the things be left to our free liberty and disposing But if higher powers restraine our use of liberty and determine and limit us then we are overruled by lawfull authority in things subjected to it and them in these things of indifferency wee cannot avoide all things wherein some may conceive an appearance of evill Fourthly in these things we are not alwayes to avoide things wherein some conceive offence and appearance of evill but for a time till such ignorant and weake persons may be taught we may not offend weake ones by undue exercise of our liberty but if they bee wilfull and will not bee taught we must peremptorily stand to our liberty So did the Apostle Gal. 5.3 For I testifie againe to every man that is circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And Titus 3.10 A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject Now for the proofe of the point Gen. 3.3 When the Lord forbade our first parents the evil and sinne of eating the forbidden fruite hee forbids also the appearance Yee shall not touch it Avoid the occasion In the Law not onely the person legally polluted was uncleane but whatsoever touched him the garment which he wore the bed on which hee lay the seate on which hee sate and whatsoever he touched All which did nothing else but enforce on them a care to avoid all appearance and all occasions of uncleannesse The truth whereof Christians also in the time of the Gospell must hold themselves bound unto who Iude 23. are commanded to hate even the garment spotted by the flesh 1. Because the Lord hates all evill and all appearance of it Rev. 2.6 the Church of Ephesus is commended for hating the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which I also hate saith the Lord. See how pleasing our conformity of affections with the Lord is in whose eye the least evill is hatefull enough And herein we testifie our love unto him Yee that love the Lord hate all that is evill for indeed all true hatred of evill must be from the love of God especially of the chiefe good and as our love is in degree so is our hatred fervent love earnest hatred 2. It is a chiefe part of repentance and of the nature of sound grace not onely to hold that which is good but also to shunne and fly evill of all kindes yea when good is not so present with Gods children as they desire to hate evill is ever present with them yea they hate the evill which they themselves doe and that vehemently according to the phrase Rom. 12.9 Abhorre evill And he that out of the worke of grace and out of conscience abstaines from one evill will abstaine from all even the least as David Psal. 119. I hate all vaine inventions but thy Law doe I love 3. The wisdome of a Christian is to avoid the appearances and the beginnings of evill and give no way to it as Salomon counselleth to stoppe the passages of waters at the beginning Prov. 17.14 As rivers so evils come out of a little hole but make their way and swell and become broader till they become almost boundlesse And indeede hee that cares not to avoid the appearance of evill by little and little commeth to esteeme of the evill and the appearance alike Therefore remember to give no place to the Divell Eph. 4.27 4. Here is a difference betweene a sound Christian and an hypocrite the worst man that is can avoid evill in extreames but hee cares not commonly for appearing and petty evils if hee can carry them cleare away This hyocrisie the Lord detecteth among the Iewes Esay 65.4 they would both eate of the polluted flesh the broth of it was found in their vessells A sound Christian will not meddle
indeede Did ever any or can ever any attaine to this perfection Answ. This question brings us to the explication of the fourth thing in the Text How a man may be said to be blamelesse in spirit soule and body in this life Whereto we say No man ever attained to this unblameable perfection of degrees in this life except the first Adam in his innocency and the second Adam who had sanctification in all parts and degrees for Paul a most holy man after regeneration confesseth how farre hee was from perfection Rom. 7. and Phil. 3. But a man regenerate may be said to be blamelesse and throughly renewed 1. In respect of his relation with Christ his head who is made to him sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and in whom hee is perfectly holy and unblameable Ezek. 16.14 Thy Beauty was made perfect by my Beauty 2. In respect of open and grosse crimes which might impeach the honour of his profession so Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods ordinances without reproofe Luk. 1.6 so did Samuel and Iob and other holy men For though no man can be without sinne yet a man may be without crime when after his conversion hee carries himselfe so uprightly as he cannot be noted for any reigning sinne before men 3. In respect of Christian indeavour and inchoation when the beleever labours and aymes at full sanctification in all his faculties and parts for sanctification produceth holy motions in the soule and holy actions in the body See it 1. In the spirit 1. In the soule First the spirit i. the minde and understanding of a sanctified man is indued with a sound and distinct knowledge of heavenly things and he still indeavours to a further measure Psal. 119.33 34. Teach mee give mee understanding c. Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome not to others And it is joyned with a speciall faith applying the promises which maketh his person and worke acceptable Ioh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Vnder the spirit include the conscience in the purging of which the beleever striveth and loseth not his labour For 1. it is a tender conscience and remorsefull for sinne 2 Chron. 34.27 Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law 2. It is calme and peaceable it blameth not nor accuseth seth it selfe but giveth good witnesse first that the person may be assured of his reconciliation with God Rom. 5.12 and 8.36 And secondly that he walketh with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimony of a good conscience that in simplicity and good sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world 1 Ioh. 3.21 If our heart condemne us not we have boldnesse with God The second faculty called the soule here includeth the will and affections in both which this worke of sanctification is begunne and increased 1. In the will when being renewed it is now subject and pliable to God in all things Rom. 7.18 To will now is present with mee not onely in doing but in suffering as 1 Pet. 4.9 in suffering it can commit the soule to God in well-doing as unto a faithfull Creatour 2. In the affections herein is a change being guided and carried by the minde and will renewed His love is not the olde carnall love of himselfe and the world but a new affection Love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 His hatred which was against God and his Saints is now against the haters of God and things which God hates Psal. 139.21 His joy which was sensuall and earthly is now delightfull in doing the will of God yea in suffering it Rom. 5.3 We rejoyce in tribulation His sorrow which was for worldly losses crosses c. is now for sinne and for the afflictions of Gods people His delights which were in carnall profits pleasures corne wine or prosecuting his lusts are now in Gods countenance in Gods Law in Gods house in Gods Ordinances the Word and Sacraments and in Gods children above all persons as those that are excellent on earth His desires are answerable what ever his former desires were now he desires the presence of God the pleasing of God pardon of sinne softnesse of heart the constant fruition of the meanes of salvation with a blessed successe of them Hee desires the prosperity of Zion the salvation of the Israel of God and the comming of Iesus Christ to his full redemption Thus we see how a sanctified man profiteth and prospereth in the whole inner man But fire within will breake out and so will grace which is like fire and the body shall be a weapon of righteousnesse his outward actions shall be done in an holy manner his whole life is changed 1. For the matter of his actions Gods word is the rule of them all Psal. 119.35 Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight 2. For the manner they are done first in humility Mich. 6.8 Walke humbly with thy God Luke 17.10 Say thou art an unprofitable servant Secondly in sincerity without guile of spirit Psal. 32.2 Thirdly with cheerefulnesse delighting greatly in his commandements Psal. 112.1 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man wisheth in his heart The Lord loves a cheerefull giver Fourthly with courage and stoutnesse Dan. 3.17 We are not carefull â—f this matter our God whom we serve will deliver us Acts 4.19 Peter and Iohn said to the Rulers Whether it be meet to obey God or men judge yee Gal. 2.11 I withstood him to his face 3. For the end first hee will approove his heart to God and lookes not so much to men for his praise is not of man but of God Secondly hee desires to please God in that hee doth Acts 11.23 wâ—th fall purpose of heart cleave unto God Thirdly he doth not good things for his private ends as ease profit credit but even against all these if he be called thereunto The 4. respect in which a beleever may be called unblameable even in this life is in Gods account and gracious acceptation Where himselfe workes and sees such beginnings proceedings and indeavours it is accepted as perfection by meanes of Christs merit promise and intercession Thus Paul saith Rom. 7.17 It is not I that doe evill Whence our Lord pronounceth of his Church that she is all faire and that no spot is in her 5. In respect of that perfect sanctification in all degrees which is growing unto and shall attaine in the day of Christs second comming when every beleever shall be free from all blame and staine and set into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God which now they have onely in desire in in faith in promise in an earnest and inchoation the Lord mercifully accepting them for that they are growing unto And thus we have expounded this worthy petition of the Apostle The summe and substance whereof is this
By their instructions and exhortations 1 Thess. 5.11 Wherefore exhort and edifie one another One Christian stirres and whets up another by gracious and edifying speech Eph. 4.29 and the lippes of the wise feede many as one sticke kindles another Pro. 13.20 hee that walketh with the wise shall be wise He that is in the Sunne shall be coloured though hee finde it not and he that sits long in a sweete shoppe shall carry away some smell 2. By their prayers making mention one of another wherein were there not much force the Apostles would not with such instance every where call for the prayers of meane Christians that by them they might get increase of holy graces as here after the Text verse 25. Pray for us 3. By their example we are commanded to marke the upright man and behold the just in his proceedings and end for this is a notable meanes to stirre up our selves Psal. 37.37 Heb. 13.7 Remember them which haue the oversight of you whose faith follow considering what hath beene the end of their conuersation Pro. 2.20 Walke in the way of good men sort thy selfe with such as fight against the corruptions of the world V. Meanes Afflictions and corrections in their holy use Heb. 12.10 Hee chasteneth us for our profit that wee may be partakers of his holinesse Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest in thy Law Dan. 11.25 Some that are of understanding shall fall to try others and purge them and make them white Now afflictions doe set forward sanctification sundry wayes 1. When they are as touchstones and set us on the worke of searching and examining our selves Zeph. 2.1 Search your selves search I say before the decree come forth Iosephs brethren could finde out a sinne that was unrepented of many yeares when they were troubled in Egypt So when the mariners in the shippe were troubled for Ionas they went to a narrow search for whom the trouble was Ionas his sinne had not beene found out but for the tempest 2. When they are as bridles to pull us backe from sinne Psal. 119.71 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I doe keepe thy statutes Therefore the Prophet Hosea calls afflictions an hedge of thornes set before Ephraim Hos. 2.6 3. When they are as Vshers to teach us many lessons which wee are loath to get and ready to forget Psal. 119.71 It is good for me to be afflicted that I might learne thy statutes They make a man humble and fit him to be taught for God teacheth the humble And many things which a man will not learne by the vocall word hee shall be taught by this reall word 4. When they are as whetstones to put an edge in our prayers for in afflictions the worst will seeke God diligently Esay 26.16 they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was on them Hard-hearted Pharaoh while the plague is upon him will begge prayers of Moses Much more will David feeling the hand of God and terrour of conscience for his two sinnes upon his repentance exceede himselfe in holy and fervent prayer Psa. 51.1 and Paul finding the prick in his flesh will pray the Lord thrice that is often and earnestly 5. When they are as fire to purifie the golde and burne up the drosse of their corruptions 1 Pet. 1.7 Yee are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious than golde might be found to your glory and praise Gods flaile purgeth wheate and drives away the chaffe As we doe with our vessells so doth God with his vessells of honour oyle and soyle them but all to make them brighter When is the time for starres to shine but in the darke night so doe graces in the darkest night of adversity Wee see the Meanes Now wee come to the Markes whereby wee may know whether wee grow up to full holinesse or no. These Markes are five The first is Separation if wee finde our selves separated from the profane courses of the world gathered out of the world and dedicated to good and holy services Come out from among them and separate your selves saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you For sanctification consists in three things 1. The imputation of Christs holinesse who of God is made to us sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 His sanctified nature healeth our corrupt nature 2. The infusion of morall holinesse into our natures peculiar to the elect a receiving of his fulnesse by meanes of union 3. Separation from the common courses of the world unto speciall service this is made a marke of such as are made partakers of the divine nature to fly the corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 The farther thou gettest thee from the evill fashions of the world the farther thou proceedest in holinesse The second Marke of full holinesse is an Alteration and change in thy selfe both in thy spirit and soule and body 1. The spirit is altered first when the minde having a sound and distinct knowledge in heavenly things and the light of renewing grace doth grow brighter and brighter till perfect day Secondly when the conscience is tender and peaceable as we heard before 2. The soule is altered when the heart the will and affections are ordered as before 3. The body is altered first in respect of the members when the same that the flesh most abused doe most glorifie God in some speciall manner Zachary by his mouth sinned in distrusting God therefore so soone as hee could speake with the same mouth hee glorified him So the woman Luke 7. that had abused her eyes haire and lippes to wantonnesse now takes them from Satan to wash and wipe and kisse her Saviour Christ. So in Bishop Cranmer that hand that subscribed was first burnt Secondly in respect of the outward fashion there will be a change if the body have abused meate and drinke for surfetting and drunkennesse if garments and apparell for pride and wantonnesse if sports and recreations in excesse or for covetousnesse you shall see even in the outward man a checke of all such excesses and a manifestation that they be not the men they were before sanctification Thirdly in respect of the deedes to be done by the body both for matter manner and end as wee heard before The third Marke of full holinesse is sound Affection and singular love of grace which affection where it increaseth holinesse increaseth accordingly This love and measure of it we may know 1. By striving not onely to preserve the measure of holinesse received but to grow daily to the measure that is wanting accounting that as yet he hath not attained Phil 3.12 13 I count not my self that I have attained but one thing I do I presse hard to the marke c. Keepe still in thee a thirst after the water of the well of life and Christ will give it thee freely
Rev. 21.6 A tast of that which is delicate makes a man long after his fill 2. By a diligent and constant using the meanes of increase A worldly man because hee loves wealth and money will take great paines for it and be laborious in the meanes Now faith purifieth Acts 15.9 therefore a godly man labours still for the increase of faith the word sanctifieth Iohn 17.17 a property of Saints is they are humbled at his feet to heare his word Deut. 33.3 see Exod. 19.5 6. 3. When we envie not grace to another but rejoyce in it and love it because it is Gods image Iohn 3.30 Hee must increase but I must decrease Moses the more grace himselfe had the more hee wished to others Num. 11.29 Enviest thou for my sake yea I would all Gods people were Prophets 4. True love of holinesse longeth and wayteth and sigheth to put off all the corruption of sinne and attaine that perfect happinesse wherein is perfection of holinesse Rom. 8.23 Wee that have received the first fruites of the Spirit sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption of sons Find in thee this affection to the first fruits here and full fruits hereafter to receive daily strength and increase and thy holinesse increaseth with thy hunger and thirst after it Never was there so happy an hunger the more hungry the more full The fourth Marke is Detestation or dislike of opposites of holinesse which as it increaseth so doth holinesse also Now this is manifest 1. In carefull avoiding things which quench shake or hinder grace and holinesse 1 Iohn 5.18 Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and the evill one toucheth him not 2. By rising into greater dislike of corruption without seeking base extenuations as to say this is a little sinne or a small sinne no every sinne will swell as a toade in his eyes 3. By crying out on the law of the members rebelling against the law of the minde Rom. 7.23 4. By complaining of secret and lesser evills which were never wont to trouble him 5. By ceasing from particular and beloved sinnes as Ephraim said to his idols Get you hence what have I to doe with you Hosea 14.8 my house is taken up already here is no roome for you 6. By the spirit of judgement and burning Esay 4.4 judging and condemning sinne The Spirit keepes an Assize in the soule pronounceth sentence against corruption and kindles a fire to burne up those bewitching evills and a fire of zeale and indignation against them Thou growest not in holinesse who growest not in the measure of hatred of evills answerable to thy former love and liking of them The fifth Marke is Disposition to good duties this is an argument of soundnesse of sanctification 1. When thou canst ever set the Lord before thee walking with God contented and glad to have him witnesse and judge of all both inward sincerity and outward innocency 2. When in all the workes of thy calling thou seekest not so much thine owne things as the things of Christ Phil. 2.21 3. When in the sober use of all Gods creatures thou art led to the contemplation of the Creatour Psal. 8.1 4. If when thou hast performed any good duty in any good measure thou rest not therein but labour more earnestly to doe it better 5. If when thou hast either omitted or slightly performed any good dutie thou be humbled and so bewailest that which is past as thou makest it up in duties behinde Now if these be the markes of proceeding in sanctification how rare is this duty 1. Where is the man that takes up this order of God that begins this worke at the spirit of the minde notwithstanding that God being a Spirit begins his chiefe worke in the Spirit and the law the rule of holinesse being spirituall especially requireth inward sanctity Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem wash thine heart first loathe sinne inwardly and then outwardly Many will mend their lives but let their hearts alone which is all one as to cut off a waste bough and not to strike at the roote to seeke to draine a streame but not meddle with the fountaine 2. Where is the man that having changed his understanding from errour to truth changeth also his will from evill to good Here many faile who see what is good and approove it but themselves are as bad as ever they were 3. How few refine every part of their life and bring all the members within the whole rule who can say I hate all the evill which I loved and all the good which like a swine I trampled under feete offered in the meanes I now in some measure imbrace and practise I was intemperate now sober wanton and foule now chaste and pure a great swearer now I tremble at an oath and so in the rest One that is a foule monster still may reforme some things yea many things yea most but to come to through sanctification casts off many some are just not mercifull some have care of honesty not of godlinesse some are better in some company than in other few have respect to all the commandements 4. How many be there who have made some faire offers of beginning in the Spirit but have ended in the flesh They made men beleeve they had the substance of holinesse and would goe through the businesse but end in meere ceremony nay scarce that but are haters of holinesse Better it had beene for them that they had never beene inlightened never washed never purged than forget they were cleansed Now let him that filthy be filthy still and let him that is holy be holy still Rev. 22.11 The third generall thing proposed is Motives to grow up unto full sanctification I. Motive Consider that whatsoever thou castest thine eyes upon it calls upon thee to proceede in thy sanctification If thou lookest upward to God the further thou proceedest and the greater measure of sanctification thou attainest the more thou art like him and the more is he glorified Iohn 15.8 In this my Father is glorified that ye bring forth much fruite If to the Angels these holy and ministring spirits incessantly expect his charges and unweariably execute the same besides they are joyfull witnesses of thy profiting in grace and holinesse for if they rejoyce at the first peeping of holinesse in thy conversation how joyfull will they bee when it proceedeth to perfection in conversation If thou lookest round about thee to thy brethren thou must bee so farre from offending or scandalizing them that thou must be ready by all good offices to helpe them to edifie them especially by a godly and zealous example these must behold the shine of thy light both for the glorifying of God and their owne direction and encouragement at least thou must be blamelesse in the midst of a naughty generation holding out the word of life Phil. 2.14 15. If to the creatures even the whole world heaven and earth Sunne Moone and stars beasts
must delight thy selfe in the Lord which goes beyond love Psal. 37.4 delight thy selfe in the Lord make him thy chiefe seeke God himselfe the peace of God the favour of God the glory of God with most fervent affections Secondly love and affect all things in God and for God and God onely for himselfe thou must love nothing like him much lesse above him and least of all against him in all his creatures in all his actions in all his gifts labour to taste his sweetnesse Psal. 34.8 true love of the word is to love God in his word the true love of our neighbour is to love God in our neighbour c. Thirdly get your affections more to heaven than earth as an higher and more noble object Col. 3.2 it is not enough to affect heavenly things unlesse thou doest it with the chiefest of thy affections Set your affections on things above and not on things below that is comparatively for two Masters cannot be served with like affection we must seeke spirituall and heavenly things simply and absolutely as being simply good and to be affected and asked whatsoever become of other things but temporall and earthly with condition and limitation as being but conditionally good at the best IIII. Hate the worst things most The worst thing of all is sinne it is simply evill and so is nothing else wee must then hate sinne more than punishment sinne simply and directly resisteth Gods glory so doth not punishment makes for it it in the manifestation of his justice A wise man should rather chuse hell than Gods offence Sorrow for nothing so much as thy owne sinne count nothing so shamefull as that and thy selfe for it feare the evill of sinne more than the evill of torment because evill of sinne is more evill V. Rejoyce in nothing so much as in the pardon of sinne the righteousnesse of Christ the favour of God and that thy name is written in the booke of life Luk. 10.20 Get Gods image into thy affections frame thy affections to God for matter manner and measure to love or hate most where God loveth and hateth for so doth the man after Gods owne heart First God loveth his Sonne Iesus Christ above all men and Angels so must then the Christian esteeme Iesus Christ above ten thousand Secondly God loveth his word dearely as himselfe being a resemblance of himselfe in all his Attributes so must thou love the word as God himselfe nothing so dearely nothing in comparison Psal. 119. Oh how love I thy word all the day long it is my delight Thirdly God loveth the congregation and assemblies of his people the places of his worship he layeth the gates of Zion above all the habitations of Iacob Psal. 87.2 so must thou dearely love his house and the place where his honour dwelleth esteeming one day there better than a thousand elsewhere Fourthly God loveth his Saints so dearely that he will not dwell in heaven without them so must thou love the Saints dearely for the image and in imitation of God On the contrary the Lord hateth every sinne with an infinite hatred yea his soule abhorres it so must thou avoid and hate every evill way even all the wayes of falshood yea the appearance of evill and the very garment spotted by the flesh 2. He hateth the society and congregations of wicked men they shall not come into his presence so must we hate the company and society of wicked men Psal. 26.5 3. Hee hates wicked and false doctrine Revel 2. Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which I also hate 4. Hee hates the wicked manners and fashions of men though never so much approved and applauded amongst men so must thou hate the works of them that fall away they must not cleave to thee Psal. 101.3 Thou that lovest the Lord must hate all that is evill Psal. 97.10 VI. Bring thy affections often before God appeale to God and his word for the right carriage of them Ioh. 21.15 Lord thou knowest I love thee thou knowest I love thy word thy servants thy house thy glory So Lord thou knowest I feare thee as Ioseph feared to sinne against God and Nehemiah I feare God Lord thou knowest I hate sinne and sorrow for nothing so much as sinne and then bring them often to the rule of the word to confine and bound them The word teacheth that the measure of our love to God is without measure but the measure of all our love to other things is so farre as it may stand with the love of God in summo that is above all it teacheth that all earthly joy is with reference to God our chiefe joy The word will measure our anger and confine it to a small time the Sunne must not goe downe on our wrath it alloweth us to be angry but not to mingle our sinfull corruption with it Doe this the rather because our affections must be presented before God one day Now let us examine our selves and try our affections by these rules before named First Aske we our selves what it is wee love or hate whether our affections are set on the right objects and carried towards God or against evill as they ought to be 1. Hath the Spirit carried us not to a dislike but to an utter hatred of all sinne none is so bad but hateth some sinnes The prodigall hates covetousnesse The Iew can hate a Samaritane and mixt worship The Pharise can say I thanke God I am no extortioner no adulterer But just hatred excited by the Spirit is generall of whole kindes against all that is called sinne as the lambe hates all wolves and we hate all serpents none excepted The Law bound the Iew to hate all uncleannesse to touch none but that defiled onely the body the least of this uncleannesse impureth the most precious soule of man 2. The Spirit never raiseth hatred of evill but out of the love of good to which it is contrary Aske we our selves then whether doe we love or hate that which we may lawfully love or hate because God loveth or hateth it for many can dislike many foule evills and yet be farre from good Many can forbeare evill because the law of nature proclaimes against it the law of men condemne it rulers punish it shame attends it a gracelesse man can doe it So to love religion love the truth because the law favours it the kingdome embraceth it and for the present it is the safest all this is but pollicie an Atheist can doe it But grace embraceth truth because it is so because the Truth himselfe honoureth promoteth and prospereth it and commendeth it to our love and trust 3. For the manner doe wee love and hate as God loveth and hateth as he loves not vices for persons sake so hee hates not persons but vices Wee know what workes are hatefull to God but not whose persons belong unto him therefore wee must hate the workes of them that fall away but
shew all love to their persons still All which discovers a great deale of corruption in our affections First Many hate sinnes in another and not the same sinnes in themselves and this is the hatred of the person and not of the sinne Secondly many seeme to hate evill but not out of love to goodnesse some say they hate Popery but are farre from the love of the truth they dislike grosse profanesse drunkennesse adultery but have no affection to true godlinesse hatred of evill is joyned with cleaving to good Thirdly many hate most where God most loves as persons for grace sake and two sorts of men are the butts of the hatred of this age 1. Zealous and godly Ministers because their life and doctrine reproove evill mens workes Ahab hateth Eliah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy the more they love the lesse they are loved for a Minister to hate mens sinnes or to speake the truth doth it deserve such hatred If we should love mens sinnes wee should hate their persons and if we hate not our brothers evill we could not wish his good 2. A generation of men who are so precise they will not sweare nor be drunke nor game away their time they are Iewishly strict in keeping the Saboth so zealous as they cannot abide the sent of Popery they repeate sermons pray in their families cleave to the Scripture in all things so curious and nice they will touch nothing that is uncleane But are these hated of God Nay are they not in singular favour with him 2. Are not their workes objected against them the workes of God imposed by God upon all Christians upon paine of damnation as to hate swearing to be strict in the Saboth to detest Popery to be frequent hearers of the word to set up Gods worship in the family to cleave to the Scriptures and get out of the way of evill men In this way which they call heresie must we worship God 3. All this zeale against zeale is kindled not with a coale from the Altar but fired with a flame from hell Iohn 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 4. How generall is the hatred of grace by gracelesse men that pinch and reproach good affections zeale they call distemper sorrow for sinne is but melancholy and next to madnesse love of the word is but precisenesse and more than needes love of good men but faction and partiality hatred of every evill worke but singularity holinesse a kinde of heresie purity hollownesse and all that is nought How unlike is the world to God and Christ who commended shewes of goodnesse in the young man never quenched smoking flaxe but kindled it and enflamed it and whosoever hateth grace in another first hates it in himselfe 5. How generally doe we love and cherish in our selves what the Lord hateth First hath hee not specially manifested his hatred against an outward forme of religion severed from the power and life of it Esay 1.14 My soule hateth your feasts and new Moones his owne institutions because they were severed from faith truth and inward holinesse But how generall is the profession of religion without power prayer of words not of spirit hearing without conscience of doing washing the outside when all is foule within Secondly how great indignation hath he testified against people unfaithfull in the covenant as a jealous husband hates the wife of his bosome that playeth false with him Ier. 12.8 yet how universall is our unfaithfulnesse to God the contempt of grace the slighting of the meanes the Apostacy and turning backe of the kingdome from God So as we see how our affections are swerved from the rule and what great neede we have to be stirred up to a more carefull watch over our affections Consider therefore and see the mischiefe of disordered affections First how powerfully they draw us from Christian duties as how they interrupt prayers which was the Apostles argument betweene man and wife an heart troubled with passions cannot be familiar with God nor behold his face no more than a man can see his owne face in a troubled water Consider how they hinder the powerfull working of the word 1 Pet. 2.1 Therefore lay aside all malice envie c. and then receive the word A full vessell can receive no liquor sweete water in a fusty vessell is but lost seede cast among thornes commeth to nought how they unsettle the heart in grace pulling it off from confidence in God love of the truth from exercise of grace from the joyes and consolations of the Spirit For as no man can see the beames of the Sunne when the heavens are covered with clouds so cannot the soule discerne the shining beames of Gods love when it is clouded with passion Secondly how potent are unruly affections to draw us from our duty so suddenly and violently doe they carry us into many sinnes how suddenly are great professours snatched into the love of the world and so become Apostates as Iudas and Demas How doth the love of the world draw on a number of sinnes and drowne men in lusts and perdition How suddenly was David snatched into foulest sinnes not watching his affections How was Peter pulled from his purposes and promises by inordinate self-selfe-love to the deniall of his Master Acquaint thy selfe with the difficulty of guiding the affections aright for though the common errour thinke it the easiest thing in the world yet the whole power of nature cannot reach it for what a divine wisdome is required holily to temper the affections and keepe them even To temper faith and feare that they enterfeare not to mingle love and hatred that they entrench not one another to holde the ballance even betweene Moses zeale and Moses meeknesse to contend for faith and not be contentious to be couragious and bolde and yet suspitious and alwayes fearefull to be christianly patient and not stoically insensible The same Spirit must afford this wisdome that appeared in the shape of a dove and of fire Consider the necessity of this care and carriage of our affections 1. In beholding the numbers of occasions which daily thrust in upon us to thrust them besides their right objects and enthrall us in pride unjust anger envie wantonnesse carnall love feare c. And were there no such outward occasions who feeles not the spirit in him lust after envie and after the world and after all forbidden fruites so as all care is too little wisely to watch and prevent the continuall disorder of the whole man by his affections 2. What great necessity is it that wise Christians difference themselves from common men it is a great weaknesse to corrupt our affections by the provocations of wicked men to shoote in their bowe to doe as they doe But the godly must be different from them not feare with their feare nor joy with their joy nor kindle anger by theirs nor curse when they
curse but blesse and pray nor walke in their way for as wilde beasts cannot hurt him that keepes out of their walke so wicked men cannot seize on us to wrong us if we enter not into their way and walke Consider the praise the comfort of all religious duties Yea First that the practise of all religion it selfe stands in affection and desire Christian perfection is in affection not in action much lesse speculation and contemplation and hence receives his denomination Iob 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisdome All wise and religious walking is included under the affections of the feare of the Lord to the duties of the whole law are all comprized under the affection of Iob. Secondly the comfort of these duties riseth out of the affection rather than action Art thou a Minister whether is thy comfort more to speake of good things than to affect them what if thou hast Angelicall abilities to discourse of faith love zeale hatred of evill and thy selfe scorne and hate these things when and where thou seest them If I had all gifts and want love saith Paul I were nothing knowledge puffeth up but it is love that edifieth Art thou a hearer and wouldest have comfort of hearing what doest thou affect in hearing to censure the Preacher curiously to feede thy judgement or to enable thy discourse this will not doe it But to heare with pure intentions of feeding the soule of doing duties to get our hearts sanctified our affections whetted our obedience bettered and to get the power of godlinesse and the power of the life to come within us all which the Lord knowes is the intent of a very few Thirdly the acceptance of these duties is more by the affection than the action and the action without the affection is as a body without a soule yea where the action was gloriously performed the Lord still wanted some proportion of affection as in many of the Kings of Israel Such a one did such and such good things but not with all his heart and affection and then all the labour is lost the reward perisheth and thy expectation is frustrate And in the feeblest actions of his children the Lord sees a good compensation made of the defect by the sincerity of the affection Consider the fruite of this care worth all our labour in it for First As one disordered affection drawes on another pride begets anger anger begets envie and envie begets hatred and so murther So one good affection begets another love begets feare feare begets humility and humility is a fruitfull mother of many vertues So good affections beget good actions good actions good habits good habits a good unblamable life Secondly this care settles and fastens the affections upon solid objects and comforts if the matter of our joy love feare desire and delight be God the fruite is internall and eternall this joy none shall take away But the wicked mans heart in laughter is sorrowfull and for continuance is as of thornes crackling under the pot and so are all affections displaced on wrong objects so they lose both affections and objects Thirdly looke what way we will the well guiding of our affections seasons our lives with much sweetnesse 1. Looke at God it holds Gods affection to us how well is the Lord pleased when our desires and affections are conformable to his How acceptable is our obedience to him when wee are holy as hee is holy mercifull as hee is mercifull when we walke in love as he hath loved us when his affections are the rule of ours and so are framed to his will for all his affections flow from his righteous will 2. It holds Gods presence with us in his ordinances Rev. 2. the Church of Ephesus had fallen from her first love and yet a little sparke was left shee hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which he hated and therefore the Lord will not remove the Candlesticke at least if shee recover her affection And this is our case the Church of England is wonderfully fallen from her first love and why doth the Lord spare our Candlesticke and holde up our light and peace and the Gospell above all Countries about us surely though wee are fallen from our first love and zeale yet a little sparke of love is left in some poore despised ones which holds life and soule in us and some hatred of Romish Nicholaitans for by the blessing of God the body of the kingdome the lawes and doctrine of the kingdome hates the doctrine and workes of the Nicholaitans and for this weake affection yet God spares our Candlesticke But let us quicken our hatred more for as our first love is in great part gone so if our hatred of evill goe to all is gone God shall see nothing to spare our Candlesticke 3. It holds us with God in the sweete fruition of his ordinances it kindles and keepes in us love feare zeale in his service which is the life of our service and soules and in all these the affection is more respected than the action It holds us fast to the truth What is it but zealous affection that will make us buy the truth at any rate what is the truths keeper but love what else but love makes us labour for it suffer for it die for it 4. Strong and earnest affections to God make us profitable to men provokes us to mercy compassion beneficence helpefull to all that neede us 5. It makes us enjoy our selves by patience wee possesse our soules love holds God in possession charity makes us possesse our brethren and patience puts us in possession of our selves Sanctified affections uphold the heart with joy unspeakable and glorious and leade a man happily to an happy estate 6. The well guiding of affections begins the life of heaven upon earth for the life of heaven is when the soule so cleaves unto God as to become like him when wee shall never love any thing but what he loveth nor hate but what hee hateth and this perfection wee must begin even here upon earth III. Now after the spirit and soule we are to consider these directions by which the body and outward man may be kept blamelesse All of them may bee reduced to that precept in the 1 Tim. 4.12 Be examples unto others in conversation and in communication the outward man must exercise inward grace First for conversation that is either private or publicke and in both a Christian must set himselfe a patterne of godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation in Gods house thine owne house in thine owne closet and privacy Psal. 101.2 David walked wisely in the midst of his house Isaac in the field alone meditates and prayeth Gen. 24.63 yea the women must be in such behaviour as becommeth holinesse 2 Tit. 2.3 Rules for conversation are 1. Generall 2. Particular The generall rules are five Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20
all his hellish temptations no marvel then if he would by all his strength and seven heads wrest this grace from us How needfull then is it for us to stand fast in the armour of God against these assaults of the Divell Ephes. 6.13 Vse 1. of reproofe 1. Generall 2. Speciall Our Nation hath dealt with the light of the Gospell as the Iewes did with Iohns light who rejoyced in it for a season Time was when in the beginnings of the Gospell our fathers received it with love joy zeale diligence and most earnest affection The violent tooke the kingdome by force But now how generally are we fallen from the love of the Gospell and turned religion into formality and policie Time was when men hasted out of Popery as fast as the Israelites out of Egypt Then was idolatry cast out then was not onely the uncleane flesh but broth hated then were godly men busie at worke to lay the foundation and grounds of Religion then were Gods worthies worthily and thankfully received and esteemed and the restorers of Religion duely honoured then men used their peace to edification and growth in grace and in the comforts of the holy Ghost But what doe we now have not many among us changed our hatred of Popery to the hugging and cherishing of it Doe not wee generally not onely looke backe but runne backe to Popery as Israel into Egypt See not we Idolatry and the Breaden god and the Altars Vestures and Priests encroach upon us which cost so much precious blood of Martyrs to cast out Doe not some question now the grounds of Religion and dispute our Catechisme which Turkes dare not doe and begin to determine that the differences betweene us and the Papists are not so great and substantiall In stead of honouring Gods worthies the restorers of holy Religion have not some of our pulpits presses and discourses disgraced Calvin Beza and such as stood more stiffe against Popery Are there not they that mingle not a little leaven but abundance of poyson of Popery and father it upon our Church Are not the numbers of Papists increased upon us notwithstanding all the lawes against them that these sonnes of Zerviah are growne in number and strength almost too great for us Oh who can without heart-sorrow compare our selves now with our selves then as the olde men wept when they compared the second Temple with the first Will not wee yeeld this generall Apostacie let him that runneth reade it in the effects of it For 1. Why hath the Lord given up numbers to strong delusions 2 Thess. 2. to beleeve lies but that they received not the truth in the love of it 2. For what other sinne did the Lord abhorre Israel Psal. 78.60 and forsooke his owne Tabernacle and why doth the Lord thrust us from his care but that we have thrust our selves from his Covenant 3. Why are we fallen from the honour of our Kingdome and the ancient glory of our Nation but because we have not set up nor held up the honour and kingdome of God amongst us and therefore hee hath cast downe the honour of our Kingdome 4. Why is our peace within our selves disturbed by many discontents among all sorts but because we have not allowed the Lord a peaceable dwelling among us as in times past 5. Why cannot wee now peepe out of our coasts but become a prey to a base despisable company of robbers and theeves and why doth not God goe out with our navies our armies which returne home with losse and dishonour but that the sentence is gone out as against Israel Iudg. 10.13 Yee have served other Gods I will save you no more Goe and cry to the Gods yee have chosen let them save you in the day of danger 6. Whence are those sinnes written with the point of a Diamond in the face and forehead of our Nation As 1. Coldnesse in profession lukewarmnesse in religion denying the power of it 2. A generall scorning of the profession of grace Oh that ever it should be said in time to come that after 60 or 70 yeares of the Gospell it should be attended or rather chased out with such generall scorne of faithfull Preachers and professours of true religion as no age of the Gospell can patterne 3. That generall corruption in manners in the body of our people too too apparant in 1. Cursed oathes in olde and young high and low in open and shamefull manner for which the land doth and must mourne 2. Generall pollution of the Sabboth by working playing journeying by water and land and open profanesse and weake hopes of reformation unlesse we may thinke these sinnes to die of themselves but the land is like to keepe her Sabboths first 3. The deluge of drunkennesse which hath drowned our Land and is risen 15 cubits higher than ever which was sinne wont to be covered formerly with ragges now with silkes Whence are all these and many other hainous profanations of manners but from our Apostacy from God from his covenant from his word from the profession of holy Religion Oh that wee could consider the state of revolters worst at last that wee would returne to our first love and workes before the remooving of our candlesticke and before our spuing out 2. For personall Apostacy This may be a warning to many men who have desisted from good and hopefull beginnings who have rejoyced in the light for a season who seemed to have beene washed to have got out of the filthinesse of the world begun to reade the Scripture set up Gods worship in their families to keepe some watches with God but are fallen backe to the world or wallow in some lusts as if nothing were worth forsaking but Gods wayes Let these consider 1. How lightly they offend the Majesty of God Heb. 10.38 If any withdraw himselfe my soule shall have no pleasure in him The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a military word frō souldiers who recoyle and leave their standing in whom the Captaine delights not no more in our Christian fight can wee by retiring and recoyling please our Captaine But the Martiall law for such is in the text They withdraw themselves to perdition 2. Better it is not to begin in a good course than to desist and breake off 2 Pet. 2.20 It had beene better not to have knowne the latter end is worse than the beginning for they lose all their labour all their hopes all they have wrought all they have suffered all is in vaine to them As a man having made a long voyage and sailed prosperously many hundred miles but bringing his shippe within sight of shore and thrusting into the haven suffered wracke in the havens mouth this man hath lost all his gettings his wealth his journey his labour sufferings his life himselfe and all Oh never content thy selfe with good beginnings in the spirit to end in the flesh Oh foolish Galathian wilt thou suffer so many things in vaine The Lord
we have a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God Heb. 2.17 who faithfully performes all his office both in expiating of our sinnes by one perfect sacrifice in earth and now interceding before God in heaven In the great worke of our justification we behold him just and faithfull to forgive our sinnes if wee acknowledge them 1 Iohn 19. for God is so faithfull that he cannot but justifie beleevers having said that hee that confesseth his sinnes and forsaketh them shall finde mercie Prov. 28. In the great worke of protection and preservation of his Church in earth He is faithfull and true that judgeth and fighteth righteously Revel 19.11 Yea and in heaven his faithfulnesse upholds their eternall happinesse 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have beleeved and hee is able to keepe what I have committed to him against that day 4. Hee is faithfull in all his words and speeches because 1. They be the issue of a most faithfull and righteous will void of all insincerity and unfaithfulnesse 2. Never was word uttered by him but it declared both the thing in it self and as it was in the minde of him the speaker 3. Every word of his resembles his faithfulnesse As first his commandements are all just holy true and pure as hee is yea the rule of truth and faithfulnesse to us Psal. 19.9 Secondly his predictions all of them are faithfully accomplished many thousand yeares after as Christs incarnation in the fulnesse of time The Scepter departing from Iudah thousands of yeeres after the prediction Gen. 49.10 Thirdly his menaces and threatnings are most faithfull and true The olde world found them so after an hundred and twenty yeares warning Ierusalem overthrowne 40. yeares after our Saviour foretolde that not a stone should be left on a stone Fourthly his promises are most sure of accomplishment and his faithfulnesse shines in them all Abraham had a sonne promised in his youth God accomplished it in his age Israel had a promise of departing out of Egypt after 400 yeares and the same night went out with all his armies Exod. 12.41 Hebr. 10.23 Hee is faithfull that hath promised God is most faithfull and true 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye are called 2 Cor. 1.18 God is true and his word is not yea and nay Revel 19.11 He that sits upon the white horse is called faithfull and true First because of his most just and righteous nature whose most righteous will is the rule of all his wayes Psal 145.17 And because himselfe is absolutely holy yea holinesse it selfe hee must be holy in all his workes as a light in whom is no darknesse from which image of God so soone as the Angels themselves fell they delighted in lies falshood and all unfaithfulnesse Secondly because hee is most perfect and unchangeable in perfection a nature most simple in which can be no composition much lesse contrariety Now if the Lord should be unfaithfull he must be changed from himselfe and so denie himselfe which the Apostle saith he cannot doe and be God Thirdly his most pure and holy affection makes him most faithfull his love to his children suffers him not to disappoint them in any of his promises his just conceived displeasure against sinne and sinners suffers not one word of threatning to fall to the ground his zeale to his owne glory makes him magnifie his truth and faithfulnesse above all things Fourthly all imperfection is removed from him which makes the creature often faile in his purposes and promises as 1. Want of wisedome to foresee something which if it come to passe doth disappoint us lay all our plots in the dust But he is wisdome it selfe foreseeing all things and forecasting all things and ordering them so as nothing shall crosse his purpose or promise 2. Weaknesse or impotency may hinder us in effecting that wee verily purposed or promised But strength is his nothing can resist him Is any thing impossible to God Luke 1.47 no though he say a Virgin shall conceive and beare a childe it must be so if all created nature say contrary 3. Distance of place may make us faile of our purpose and promise wee cannot be present alwayes where we would and have purposed But hee is omnipotent fills both heaven and earth Whither shall I flie from thy presence If I ascend into heaven thou art there if I goe downe into hell thou art there c. 4. Discontinuance in time may hinder our projects and purposes wee may die before wee can performe our promises But hee is for ever and of his yeares there is no end his owne eternall being gives an everlasting being and truth to his promises Is God faithfull 1. Imitate our heavenly Father herein in all our words workes and wayes expresse faithfulnesse and truth seeing wee professe our selves children of him who is faithfull and just in all his wayes Let not us by contrary courses disclaime and disgrace him But First see that all our words be faithfull as his are agreeing with the truth of the thing whereof we speake and with the truth in our mindes Beware of all lies and falshood in earnest or in jest Consider 1. It is a property of Satans broode to love lies whereof he is the authour whose first sinne was not to stand in the truth if wee would be like unto God wee must hate the Divells qualities especially wherein hee is most contrary to God 2. God hates lying so as hee rangeth it among most monstrous sinnes that wee also should so hate it Revel 21.8 and 22.11 and fly it as a most hatefull and enormious offence 3. The stile of a Christian is to be of the truth being sanctified by the spirit of truth And a marke of the remnant of Israel that they speake no lies Eph. 3.13 4. The danger God will destroy all them that speake lies Psal. 5.6 and not onely keepes them out of the gates of the great Citty but provides a lake of fire and brimstone for them for being most unlike God of all men they shall be cast furthest from him Secondly bâ—ware of slipperinesse in our promises and covenants All the promises of God are in Christ yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 our promises also must be yea and amen firme and faithfull Alas that in the dayes of such light men should be so light and false in promises so unfaithfull in contracts and covenants that words and bands almost are but winde as if mens honest words should be as sure as bands onely in dayes of darknesse and superstition or as if the word of truth had chased away true and faithfull dealing among the professours of it or as if Christian faith and fidelity could not live together in the same world nor in the same age Doth nature teach a man to be ashamed of a verball lie and doth not grace much more of an actuall Thirdly we must be faithfull in our actions and wayes and in both
Nay perhaps those that have built an Arke to save others as Noahs Carpenters shall be drowned themselves Yea more a man may defend the word as Iulian and receive within him the seede of the word and bring forth some fruites as the bad ground did and all this is like effectuall calling Thirdly by ineffectuall calling a man may come to see his sinne to sorrow and grieve for it to confesse his sinne be humbled for it ashamed of it to acknowledge his estate to be nought and preferre the state of the godly before his owne yea wish and desire to change estates with them as Balaam He may crave pardon of his sinne desire the prayers of Saints as Pharaoh and Simon Magus He may refraine himselfe in many sinnes as Haman He may fast and rent his clothes and lie in sackcloth as Ahab He may doe many things at the direction of the word as Herod for Iohn and yet be in the gall of bitternesse And is not this like effectuall calling Fourthly by ineffectuall calling a man may attaine to some kinde of faith can beleeve Christ a Saviour can get a perswasion that Christ redeemed him can taste some sweetnesse as if hee drew vertue from Christ can rejoyce as in a good estate as the stony ground received the seede with joy Luke 8.13 And some that being not onely enlightened but taste of the good word and power of the life to come shall quite fâ—ll away Hebr. 6.6 And some we reade of denying the Lord that bought them that is both in their owne profession and perswasion and in the charitable judgement of others This is so like effectuall calling as no man but would thinke them sheepe of Christ as themselves doe but are not Fifthly by ineffectuall calling a man may partake of the Spirit of God and be in some sort sanctified by the blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.29 Hee may attaine unto many excellent graces as joy in hearing sweete gifts in praying power in preaching a kinde of love of God humility under the hand of God as Ahab a reverencing of good men as Herod reverenced Iohn a seemely externall worship of God bounty and freenesse to uphold the worship of God and not sticke at thousands of rammes and rivers of oyle Vnto a fiery zeale for the Lord of hoasts and upholding his worship as Iehu who seemed a servant that could not abide his Masters dishonour but departed not from the sinnes of his fathers All which a man would thinke belongs to sound and effectuall calling This likenesse therefore of the one with the other makes effectuall calling the more hardly discerned Now therefore seeing this outward and ineffectuall calling brings us not into grace with God without the inward 2. Seeing it is common to good and bad Matth. 22.9 Call in all you finde 3. Seeing it is unprofitable as what profit had Ismael of his Circumcision Esau in Isaacks family or Iudas in Christs family being profane 4. Seeing to be in the Church and not of it is to deprive himselfe of the chiefe priviledges of the Church which is remission of sinnes and life everlasting We must therefore labour to finde in our selves such sure markes of effectuall calling as yet were never found in hypocrites that wee may be sure our calling is sound and saving proper to the elect a note and forerunner of eternall glory Quest. What are these markes Answ. 1. A discerning of the voice of him that calleth this implies hearing For hee that heareth not Gods word is not of God Ioh. 8.47 But besides hearing First here is a spirit of discretion putting difference betweene truth and errour good and evill Cant. 2.8 It is the voice of my welbeloved and Ioh. 10.8 My sheepe heare my voice and a stranger they will not heare Secondly there is a perswasion of him that calleth Gal. 5.8 which is beyond hearing called the hearing eare which hypocrites want Thirdly there is a yeelding unto the perswasion that it passe not without some such effect as is not to be found in any hypocrite The faithfull have an oyntment given them and see Christ in his voice comming every day nearer them than other It is the voice of my welbeloved Beholde hee comes leaping over the mountaines skipping over the hills See this in some instances The Lord pleaseth to speake and utter his voice sundry wayes outwardly and inwardly 1. Outwardly 1. In the ministery of the word and Sacraments 2. He calleth by the voice of his mercies and corrections 2. Inwardly by the still voice of his Spirit to the conscience Now wee shall see effectuall calling answers all these I. If God speake in the ordinary meanes and Ministery an heart effectually called heareth the word not onely to know it but to be directed by it not onely to consent to the truth of it as hypocrites and Divels may but to approve and like it to receive it not into the eare onely but into the affection and not into the affection of joy onely as the hypocrite but of love feare trembling and the rest and not into the affections onely but into the conscience whereby they let it in further and allow it a deeper rooting than any hypocrite can doe And therefore in the one it is an illumination like a blaze soone extinct againe in the other it is a cleare light and lampe that carries them along into the bride-chamber In the one it is like a sodaine flash of lightening as soone gone as come in the other it is like the Sun-shine that shines all the day long for direction and comfort For the parts of the word the Law and the Gospell If God speake in the Law an heart effectually called heares that voice not onely to see his sinne and sorrow for it which an hypocrite may but to hate his sinne to loathe it and leave it yea not to leave many or all but one all but our Herodias but to forsake even the most beloved and bosome sinnes Hee heares the voice of God in the Law as a rule of life not onely to restraine corruption but to drive him out to sound renovation and reformation Hee heares the voice of the Law to get out of his estate of nature and to get into the state of the godly not at death onely as Balaam but in his life and to apprehend so the end of godlinesse as he useth the meanes to compasse it whereas an hypocrite aimes at the end but either passeth over or slubbers the meanes If God speake in the Gospell an heart effectually called heareth that voice offering grace and pardon to it which because it is weary and laden this voice is as flagons of wine to revive his soule ready to faint in him but an hypocrite being not seriously humbled heares carelesly The former heares this voice as an instrument of saving faith by which he beleeves Christ not onely a common Saviour but his in speciall not to wish onely
on our faithfulnesse whereas our Apostle makes it wholly depend upon Gods 2. This devise makes Gods faithfulnesse dependant upon ours which is as absolute as his owne unchangeable essence is and no unfaithfulnesse of man can make him unfaithfull 2 Tim. 2.13 3. This conceit plainly dissolves our Apostles Argument which he hath so firmely knit together God is faithfull and therefore hee will doe it and God hath already called and he will glorifie And if wee looke into the Scripture wherein this faithfulnesse of God manifests it selfe wee shall see it descrying it selfe in two things neither of which will suffer his end to be frustrate First in keeping the Saints from evill 2 Thess. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who will stablish you and keepe you from evill Doth Stapleton still doubt that those that have received true grace shall fall away see here the faithfulnesse of God puts it out of doubt for it shall keepe them from all such evills as might frustrate their perseverance Secondly in confirming the Saints in grace received Who shall confirme you to the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. Papists doubt whether the Saints shall lose their grace but where then is Gods faithfulnesse who shall confirme them in grace to the end This faithfulnesse stirres them up to the meanes excites them in their dulnesse raiseth them after their falls and leades them by the hand to eternall life Object The Arminians drawing the same line with these Bellarminians object That God in all his decrees implies some conditions and deales with a man as a physitian doth in restoring a patient He tells him he will cure him conditionally that he follow his directions keepe good dyet abstaine from the feeders of his corrupt humour But Answ. There is a difference betweene these Physitians one cannot rule his patient but the Lord can and will keepe his patient temperate his grace shall remove all lets and impediments of cure 2. Gods promises of perseverance imply conditions of holinesse watchfulnesse unblameablenesse But Gods faithfulnesse enables him to keepe these conditions Iohn 6.3 Whosoever are given unto Christ shall be raised up at the last day III. In his will God is unchangeable he hath bound himselfe by his promise and oath to effect the salvation of the heires of life Heb. 6.17 God being willing to shew to heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation Object I finde my will so mutable and so inclinable to grosse evills that I have great cause to feare my falling away Answ. But art thou effectually called then is this will of thine by Gods over-ruling will confirmed to perseverance unto the end IV. For Gods affection to the Saints it is perpetuall Iohn 13.1 Whom he loved once he loveth to the end Ier. 31. His love it is everlasting love This love causeth him to keepe them as the apple of his eye This love makes them love him and it will uphold them in his love This is the first reason Secondly The second reason is drawne from the power of God which preserves them to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 His strength is such as none can plucke them out of his hands The Father is stronger than all Iohn 10. 2 Tim. 1.28 I know he is able to keepe that I commit to him Object I know hee is able too But will hee keepe me Answ. Yes if thou beest effectually called this brings thee within compasse of Christs intercession Ioh. 17.14 15. They are not of the world I pray that thou shouldest keepe them from evill Hath Christ prayed his father to keepe thee certainly then he will keepe thee safe for he was heard in all things Object God is strong enough I know but I am weake Satan is strong against mee sinne is strong in me how then may I holde out Answ. 1. No mans weaknesse shall disappoint the strength of God but manifest it rather 2. No strength of Satan can prevaile against the faith of him that is effectually called for God is faithfull and will not suffer him to be tempted above his strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Thirdly The third reason may be taken from the gifts and calling of God which are without repentance Rom. 11.29 that is such peculiar gifts as flow out of Gods eternall love and election whereas naturall morall and many spirituall gifts are sometimes lost This calling of God according to purpose is never frustrate Object But though God repent not of his gifts yet the gifts of God are in themselves changeable and men may cast away their gifts and fall from their faith and repentance and shake off the calling Answ. 1. The gifts are indeede in themselves changeable for nothing is simply unchangeable but God himselfe But they are all kept by another gift namely of perseverance which crowneth all the rest 2. If the elect should cast away the gifts received then should they be tempted above their strength and God should be unmindfull of his promise which is impossible Nay Gods strength suffers them not to cast away their gifts 3. For shaking of the calling if you speake of the inward calling it is false for then how should God abide constant to them or his word be true which saith Whom he calleth he glorifieth Or how holdes he under his hand in their falls Besides he giveth these gifts to none but such as know the worth and use of them and not to such as will reject them or cast them away Fourthly The last reason is taken from the stat◠of a Christian who as a member must be conformed to Christ his head for as Christ being once risen from the grave never returnes againe or dieth any more so the life of grace in his members once called out of the grave of sinne never dies more no not in death nor in the grave It is the Apostles reason Rom. 6.8 9 11. As Christ raised dieth no more so thinke ye Object The prodigall sonne after a sonne was dead and alive againe a sonne lost and found againe Answ. It is a Parable and nothing but the maine scope proves any thing 2. The prodigall is every man lost in Adam who by creation was the sonne of God but in Adam lost and dead and in the second Adam found and quickened if by faith set into him 3. This lost and dead childe was so both in his fathers opinion and in his owne seeming So may the childe of God even after conversion seeme lost and dead in his owne sence and others conceit but is indeede alive and found First This serves for humiliation of us who are so weake and wretched as having our salvation put into our hands yet cannot keepe it so many temptations from without and corruptions frō within that it is Gods great mercy that keeps us in grace unto
love another and not pray for him Some say they love their Minister and like preaching but as the worldling boasts of false liberality when didst thou ever pray unto God for him that hee would be pleased to give him strength and ability successe freedome from molestation from unreasonable men and every good encouragement in his place scarce in all thy life Then may I say to thee as Dâ—lilah to Sampson How canst thou say thou lovest mee and doest not this thing for mee How canst thou say thou lovest mee and keepest this thing from me even thy prayers and best wishes 2. The object must be right the things prayed for Many wish well to their Ministers and much love they shew them and pray for them that God would give them good livings two or three and for meanes of further preferments to raise them to the fayre of dignities wish them good Lords and Patrons and countenance of great men Oh the happinesse of Ministers stands not in these things A Turke or Heathen can wish all these to their friends and yet Christians wish no more These are wishes of carnall men But pray thou for liberty spirit courage power faithfulnesse to stand against men and Divels that by force or subtlety would discourage him from the worke grace and faithfull dispensation makes an happy Minister Pray for this and yet I doubt many Ministers themselves pray more for the other than these 3. With prayer thou must bring the other companions of love and thankfulnesse We must not deale by our Ministers as many answer beggers God helpe you but give them nothing you must yeeld us not onely good words and good prayers but audience redence maintenance you must doe that you pray for It is but hypocrisie to pray in a set forme of prayer for all Bishops Curates and all Congregations committed to their charge if thou doest not set thy hand to thy prayer If love set thy mouth on worke to pray for a Ministers prosperity it will set the hand on work to uphold his person his comfort his Ministery his cheerefulnesse in the worke of the Lord all thy pretences leave thee but an hypocrite an enemie of righteousnesse who art hyde-bound and hand-bound who valuest not sundry yeares labours of thy Pastour at so many farthings Heathens and Savages would be loath to reject their Idolatrous Priests so farre but either conscience or shame or feare or company would force some expressions of love to them But Heathenish Christians nothing can worke them FINIS THE TABLE A. ACtions of renovation discerned in three things 198 Actuall sins more violently quenching the fire of the Spirit above other 3 sorts 23 Every action must be done 1. by vertue of a word 2. in Gods presence 3. for Gods glory 110 Action to bee good must proceede from a good agent 115 Admiration of mens persons no good rule for 6 reas 84 Affections crooked no safe rule to follow 3 reas 81 83 Affection to inferiour things must shame us for want of like affection in attaining better 227 Affections must be narrowly watched 256 Affections naturally exceedingly corrupted 5 instances 263 Sound affection to grace discerned by foure signes 218 Afflictions sanctified set forward sanctification 5 wayes 214 Aime of a Christian must be absolute conformity betweene the whole word and the whole man 89 All things to be beleeved or done must first be tryed by the Scriptures 4 reas 61 All things are to be tryed but all things must not be held 125 All the Articles of religion turned into a questionary Divinity among Schoolemen 129 Alteration and change of spirit soule and body a sure signe of growth in holinesse 217 Ancient Christians refused ceremonies used by Heathens 3 instances 160 Appearances of evill must be avoided as well as apparant evills for 5 reasons 147 Apostates their fearfull danger in 4 things 319 Arts wicked with which seducers come armed to deceive 5. 63 Severall Attributes of God to be conceived according to our suites 5 Instances 178 B. Baptisme must not be required of a Popish Priest 5 Reas. 158 C. Calling effectuall and ineffectuall differenced 353 His owne effectuall calling every man ought to know 4 reasons 356 Calling effectuall the worke of God onely 5 reasons 361 From effectuall calling a man may certainly conclude his owne salvation 363 Calling effectuall often hardly discerned 3 reas 367 Calling effectuall heareth Christs voice many wayes vttered 371 Ceremonies ordained of God so as Iewes must differ from Heathens as well in them as in doctrine 4 Instances 159 Wofull changes in the soule of Gods childe who hath quenched the Spirit 5. 17 Change in a man effectually called is wonderfull 1. In respect of sinne 377 2. In respect of the world Ibid. 3. In respect of grace in kinde 379 soundnesse 380 growth 382 Change no shadow of it in Gods nature 386 Nor in his decrees 387 Nor in his will 389 Nor in his affections Ibid. Charity how it beleeveth all things 4 cautions 69 Christians must proceede to full sanctification for five reasons 201 Christians must be as carefull to retaine grace as to attaine it 4 reasons 232 Christ must be magnified in our bodies 5 wayes 280 Christ not corporally present in the Sacrament 4 reasons 309 Christians must not onely labour for full but finall holinesse 4 Reasons 311 Christ raised dieth no more no more doth the Christian. 391 Civility is farre from sanctity 6 differences 205 Comfort in affections well guided in 3 things 268 Comforts from Gods faithfulnesse in 4 things 393 Communication in other mens sinnes to be avoided both before and after 165 Conformity with Idolaters must be avoided in 3 things 156 To a good conscience are required 4 things 239 Conscience cleareth his master 4 wayes 240 Consideration of Christs second comming encourageth godlinesse 6 wayes 301 Considerations to move people to pray for their Ministers sundry 403 Contemplation of creatures in their severall rankes call us to progresse in holinesse 222 D. David sinned in numbring the people in 4 things 113 Davids mourning for Absolom blame-worthy for 4 reasons 114 David refused to drinke the water of Bethlem 3 reas ib. Depth of learning pretended by seducers 63 Difference betweene the peace of Christ and the peace of the world in 6 things 180 Difference betweene sound peace and sencelesnesse of conscience in 5 things 185 Dislike of evill if sound discerned in 6 things 219 Disposition to good tryed by five signes 220 Directions concerning sanctification of the spirit 5. 237 Distinction must be made betweene diffusing of grace and decaying of it 32 Doctrines to be sound must all agree with the analogie of faith 3 instances 90 Doctrine of doubting of a mans owne salvation is against the analogy of faith 91 All sound doctrine tyeth the two tables together 6 Instances 92 All true doctrine leades men unto Christ. 100 Sound doctrine is most contrary to corrupt nature 103 The soundest doctrine most soundly comforteth
that which is an effect of Gods mercy in Christ. 183 Perseverance of Saints set on 3 sure grounds 303 Perseverance is never divorced from true faith 3 reas 312 Perseverance most assaulted by Satan 314 Lets of it 5.324 Meanes 3.322 Meditations to stablish it 326. Motives to it 329. Examples 330 People must pray for their Ministers 3 reas 401 People neglecting to pray for their Ministers lay themselves under the guilt of many sins 5 instances 402 Perseverance of Saints all grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 351 Places choyse and safe to keepe good things in 4. 140 Popish doctrine leades men away from Christ 6 instances 101 Popery most pleasing to corrupt nature 6 instances 104 Popish doctrine a most desperate and uncomfortable doctrine and therefore false 5 instances 107 Pope a strange mysticall name unknowne to the learned Papists themselves 135 Power of Christ discernable in our effectuall calling by 4 signes 362 Preservatives against decay in the measure of graces 3. 29 Present at Idolatrous service unlawfull with pretence of keeping the heart to God 5 reasons 156 In all our prayers we must behold God a God of peace 177 Prayer a meanes of growth in holinesse in 4 things 212 Prayer for perseverance not in vaine for them that shall persevere 3 reas 306 Prayers of faith all grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 347 Prophecy what 40 Prophets not to be despised 49 Propound to our selves still an higher pitch and degree in grace 37 Prosperity of the wicked no true peace 4 differences 182 Profession of faith must all be grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 348 Q. To quench the Spirit more damnable than to want him 16 Questions Whether a doctrine backed with consent of ancient Fathers or the authority of Councels or other Antiquity may not be free from tryall 54 Whether any thing comming backed with example of great men or of the generall multitude or custome ofttimes be free from triall 55 Whether any thing comming with Caesars authority and superscription be exempted from triall 56 Who must try all things 57 How a man may know anothers calling 354 Whether a man called alwayes know his calling 359 R. Reason corrupt no right rule of tryall for 3 reasons 74 Recreations on the Sabbath of what kinde 119 Regenerate said to be blamelesse in 5 respects 196 199 Renovation in all the faculties 197 Renovation must be without as well as within 3 reas 278 The retentive faculty of the soule strengthened by 4 meanes 140 Rules of tryall whether the Spirit be quenched reduced to 5 heads 27 Rules in respect of our owne sinnes shewing the Spirit to be abated 5. 31 Rule of all tryalls what 58 Our Rule must be ever in our hand 88 Rules for tryall of all doctrines 6 132 Rules for holding good 6 90 Rules to keepe the affections unblameable many 257 S. Sanctification unsound wants 3 things which should make it hold out 382 Sanctification the description explained in 4 things 189 Sanctification of the Spirit why so called sundry reas 190 Sanctification in perpetuall motion 4 reas 191 Thorow sanctification in this life in 4 things 192 Full sanctification in the life to come in 4 things 193 Sanctification stockes up the roote of sinne civility onely cuts off some waste boughes 307 No Saint in earth none in heaven â—â—8 Saints have all the same Spirit for 4 reasons 6 Scriptures the rule of all tryalls 4 reasons 59 Scriptures afford us five safe rules concerning following our forefathers 78 Shew of evill in doctrines must be avoided 153 All shewes of evill must be shunned in practise and behaviour 154 Signes of the Spirits presence 6. 1â— Signes of generall Apostacy among our selves 6 316 Silence of God must not animate sinners 4 reasons 85 Singlenesse of heart knowne by 3 signes 249 Similitude betweene calling effectuall and ineffectuall five instances 367 Sinnes of others great meanes to quench the Spirit 24 Small evills to be shunned for 4 reasons 156 167 Speech given men why 3 uses 294 Spirit what is meant by it in Scripture 1 Spirit the same in the godly and wicked but differently 7 Spirit subject to be quenched in the best 14 Spirit of God is holy both in his nature and operation 15 Spirit discerned to be quenched both in the 1. number 2. measure of graces 27 Spirit referred to man what it meaneth 193 Spirit how taken away from the Saints 4 wayes 307 Stage-playes ought not to be frequented 6 reasons 121 Successe no certaine rule for actions 85 T. Teachers no way disparaged by triall of their doctrines but the truth a gainer by it 70 Things to be tryed what 52 Theeves and robbers incessantly stealing good things from us 3 sorts 142 Three things in a mans selfe call on him for growth in holinesse 223 Thoughts how to be holily ordered 242 Thoughts to be watched and why 243 Time of a mans calling not alwayes knowne 3 reas 357 Tongue abused 5 wayes 295 Tongue to be ordered and watched for 4 reasons 298 Trialâ— whether the Spirit be quenched in regard of good motions 29 Whether in regard of good duties 4 rules 30 Triall of things what 52 Trialls of growth in holinesse 5. 16 Traditions unwritten rejected 4 reasons 61. â—01 Transubstantiation against the analogy of faith â—0 Truth not to be tryed by persons but persons by truth 54 True teachers not so assisted but that they may deceive and be deceived â—â— That is the true doctrine which giveth mos◠〈…〉 â—â—stances â—7 V. Vniversall election and redemption derogateth from Gods glory 99 Vsury condâ—mned 96 W. Well watching of the heart stands in 4 things 250 The will to be rightly ordered 4 rules 253 The will must determine with God and for God in every thing Instances 254 The will renewed knowne by many signes 255 The will of man why it must be well bended 3 reasons 256 Wicked men esteeme the godly unpeaceable because they will not lose their peace 188 Christian wisdome will avoid all beginnings and appearances of evill 151 Seeking to witches condemned by 6 reasons 118 Whole man sanctified throughout in 3 things 195 Word and Sacraments in their reverent use doe notably excite the Spirit in us 33 Word a meanes to increase holinesse 4 wayes 212 The word upholds us in our way 4 wayes 327 Our words must be faithfull 4 reasons 338 Working on the sabboth day condemned 7 reasons 119 Worst things must be most hated 260 GOod Reader among some smaller faults in printing which wee desire thy curtesie to passe by two are observed as changing the sence Page 268. line 28. reade those 4 lines thus All wise and 〈◊〉 walking is included under the affections of the feare of the â—ord 〈◊〉 the â—uties of the whole Law are all 〈◊〉 prized under 〈…〉 Love Page 319. liâ—e 3 〈…〉 highly 2 Tim. 2.25 Magnes amoris amor From my study Novemb. 17. the happy day of that admired Queene Elizabeth the worlds wonder the famous Mother of our