mutable and subject to change Heaven The Saints enjoy heaven out of heaven Heaven and glory are ready for the Saints if they were ready for them No man can set his affections on things above untill he see a vanity and emptinesse in all things below Such as count heaven their home reckon the world a strange Countrey Humility The more we see our selves the more we loath our selves and stinke in our own nostrils worse then carrion Nothing huumbleth us more then the knowledge of our selves According as our humility is so is our knowledge of our selves One may be humbled but not humble Such as are content to be sharply reproved of their faults have humility Our ignorance coldnesse dulnesse deadnesse c. might humble us Heart The heart thoughts words deeds are of one and the same nature What the heart likes best the minde studieth most A man knows not what is in his own heart â—ill tryalls and temptations come Great joy in worldly things and little joy â—n things spirituall shew plainly what kinde of hearts we have for God We daily finde our hearts are worse then we took them to be The heart of man is ready to be glued to every poore contentment Many mens braines deceive their hearts Unlesse the Lord fix the heart on himselfe it will bâ—â—xed and fastened on things below and wander after vanities to fill it selfe withall O the vanity of the minde Watch. If we cease to watch our hearts they quickly become vaine A carelesse watching our own hearts will cost deare Hatred Hatred is irreconsilable That sinne that a childe of God most loved before conversion he hates most when converted Healing God sometimes healeth corruption by not healing it Hope The Saints hope is in heaven in God The naturall mans hope is to get riches honour costly apparrell good cheare ease and pleasure Habits In acquired habits the act goeth before the habit and prepares for it but in infused habits it 's contrary for as we have first the faculty of seeing before we see so we have first the infused habit before we exercise the operation of it Of infirmities No childe of God is free from infirmities errors falls and defects If we did live more by faith our infirmities would be lesse An infirmity is some weaknesse which hindreth us that we cannot doe the good we would but doe the evill we would not An infirmity is an impediment that one would faine remove but cannot A sin of infirmity is alwayes attended with griefe and sorrow if it be an infirmitie those in whom it is do desire to be informed of the evill of it and are willing to be reproved for it and would know how to leave it they plead not for it but complaine to God against it they are ashamed of it and are grieved and abased for it and use all the meanes they can against it Interest Interest blinds mens eyes Inclination Our inclinations declare what we love Idlenesse An idle person is fit for nothing but sinne and temptatation An idle life is much loved and entertained of most men Ignorance Ignorance is the cause of all evill Devotion with ignorance breeds superstition idolatry and persecution Hope with ignorance causeth presumption Feare with ignorance causeth desperation Ignorance causeth men to lay a plaister on a sound place Judgement True judgement stands not upon number nor multitude Impossible things It 's impossible to be conformable to Christ and the world to obey God and the world Joy Every heart seekes joy such as it is There is no sound joy in outward things they reach not the heart but the fancy Worldly joy and sorrow last but a night Outward joyes make a great noise but never truly heale and comfort the heart While we live here we have joy and griefe mixed not this life nor our bodies will admit of perfect joy Spirituall joy opposeth carnall and carnall spirituall the more we relish heavenly the lesse we relish earthly and the more we relish earthly the lesse we relish heavenly In temporall things our joy is greater then the cause in spirituall the cause is greater then the joy Spirituall joy eats out carnall mirth and carnall mirth hinders spirituall mirth None can joy in God but such as injoy him The strength of our joy depends upon the infallibility of our hope Noâ— joy is in the Saints when they are in heaven they shall be in joy Knowledge Knowledge is better then gold and wisdome is better then understanding Knowledge is not given to keep but to impart Knowledge is good but the means of getting it is not alwayes good Knowledge onely in the braine will not subdue finne nor Satan He knows not himselfe that knows not that he is in himselfe as base as the Devill We know but in part It 's easier to informe the understanding then to subdue the will and affections Knowledge is to be reckoned by practice Such as know good things cannot but love and affect them That knowledge that is from God subjects the soule to God By neglect a childe of God may exceedingly decay in his knowledge in the truth In the use of the Scriptures knowledge is gotten Light Light causeth them that see it to follow it Many goe beyond their light The light of truth is knowne but to a few Life The most men seek life where it is not We live in that we minde and love Where our life is our hearts are Such as our life is such is the nourishment of it naturall or spirituall Every life is sed with that which is sutable to it the body cannot be satisfied with that which is spirituall nor the soule with that which is naturall It 's a poore life to live naturally and be dâ—â—d spiritually This life is a dying being we are borne crying and we live laughing and dye sighing The life of man is like a shadow something next to nothing This life keeps us in slavery at the best it 's but a variety of vanities Mans life is vaine and subject to many discommodities and miseries without number Mans life is folly and his death rottennesse Many have comforts few crosses frequent pleasures short and paines lasting God mixeth the life of man with prosperity adversity to shew they are both empty This life is beset with death tends to death and ends in death Love Love begets and kindles love Love disputes least and doth most Nothing is more active and stronger then love Love will venture upon great difficulties Love is strong and powerfull to carry on through all Love and labour goe together What will not one doe for that he loves Love may be perswaded but it cannot be compelled Love not begun upon good termes will end in hatred Love is the greatest Commander in the world Love will have i'ts way at the last Love built on beauty and wealth will not hold because the foundation is sandy Love is active when it is not knowne and cannot be requited Love
love thy law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 169. 3. Seeing they are the inspirations of God it should cause us to cleave to the Scriptures heare nothing against it prove all things by the Scriptures it will be a speciall means against errors and heresies Christ made use of the Scriptures Luk. 4. 17. to 22. and directed others to doe so Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life for they testifie of me Some deny that Jesus Christ is God The Scriptures prove that Christ is God 1. Because as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath the Sonne Joh. 5. 26. 2. Because the Angels ought to worship him Heb. 1. 6. 3. Because he laid the foundation of the earth Psal 102. Heb. 1. 3. He created all things Col. 1. 6. He made the worlds Heb. 1. 2. 4. He upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. 5. He is the first and the last Rev. 1. 8. 6. He was before the world Joh. 17. 5. 7. He is the everlasting Father Isa 6. 9. 8. The Scripture saith expresly He is God Christ is God The mighty God Isa 6. 9. Very God Joh. 5. 20. The Word was God Joh. 1. 1. 14. Christ who is God over all Rom. 9. 5. Unto the Sonne he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Heb. 1. 8. That the holy Spirit is God the Scriptures declare the Spirit is eternall Gen. 1. 2. 1. Because God is a Spirit therefore the Spirit is God Joh. 4. 24. 1 Cor. 12. 4. God is truth the Spirit is truth 1 Joh. 5. 6. The Lord is that Spirit 2. We are baptized in the Name of the Spirit Mat. 28. 19. We are equally baptized in the name of the three therefore they are one equall in authority 3. The Spirit creats Joâ— 35. 10. Ps 104. 30. God the Spirit are one inseparably God creats 4. To be the Temple of God and to be filled with the Spirit are all one 1 Cor. 13. 16. with 1 Cor. 9. 19. Luk. 1. 67. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 5. To lie to God and to lie to the Spirit is all one Acts 5. 1. To lie unto the holy Spirit 3. v. Thou hast lied unto God v. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. with Acts 16. 6. The Spirit anointed Christ and sent him to preach Isa 16. 1. Luk. 4. 18. see Isa 48. 17. 7. If the holy Spirit were not God whence is it that a sin against him shall not be forgiven Mat. 12. 32. Shall a sin against God be forgiven and not a sinne against a creature therefore the Spirit of God is God 1 Cor. 3. 6. So for those that deny the Resurrection of the body try it by the Scriptures of them there are two sorts some deny the Resurrection because they beleeve it is past already and there is no Resurrection but that which is in us Ans Christ saith in the Resurrection there is neither marriage nor giving in marriage but are as the Angels in Heaven Mat. 22. 30. If you be in this Resurrection why doe you marry c. or will you lay marriage waste make it needlesse to you and know who you please Gen. 4. 1. Heb. 13. 4. Are you like the Angels in Heaven Sort 2. Are those that deny the Resurrection of the body because they cannot see reason for it Ans The Scripture doth fully and clearly prove the Resurrection of our bodies after this life Marvell not at this all they in the gravâ— shall heare his voice Joh. 5. 28 29. At the 〈◊〉 of God the dead shall rise 1 Thes 4. 16. that sleep in the dust shall awake Dan. 12. 12 And the Sea gave up the dead that were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them Rev. 20. 13. Christ is risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 20. I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 44. Thy dead men shall live Isa 26. 19. 2. The dead shall rise because he that hath said it is able to doe it There is nothing impossible with God Luk. 1. 37. 3. The Saints have beleeved the Resurrection of the body Job saith Though worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Job 19. 26. I know my brother shall rise againe at the last day Joh. 12. 24. Our vile body shall be like his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. 4. If the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine then they also which are fallen asleepe are perished 1 Cor. 15. 16 17 18. But Christ is risen therefore the dead shall rise Acts 3. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 14. 5. If the dead rise not and in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. It 's our comfort death cannot dissolve the union between Christ and a beleever Rom. 8. 38 39. If not any thing shall separate us from the love of God with then death shall not Whether we live or dye 1 Cor. 9. are the Lords Rom. 14. 8. 5. To Consider Acts 26. 8. 2 Tim. 2. 18. Mat. 22. is all one 31 32. Marâ— 12. 18. 26 27. Though it be incredible to reason yet we ought to beleeve it because God hath said it But some will say this is but the letter the mystery of it is no such thing I answer 1. The mystery was revealed to the Apostles Eph. 1. 9. Eph. 3. 4 5. Eph. 6. 19. 2. Christ is a mystery Col. 4. 3. Col. 1. 27. Christ in us by his Spirit Col. 2. 27. Col. 2. 2. Gal. 1. 16. 3. They speake the mystery of Christ Col. 4. 3. and made it knowne by the Scriptures Rom. 16. 25 26. Behold I tell you a mystery and 〈◊〉 written 1 Cor. 15. 51. c. Eph. 3. 7. Eph 〈◊〉 â—2 The mystery is made manifest to the 〈…〉 Rom. 1. 26 27. And seeing the myâ—◠〈…〉 â—clared in the Scriptures we are not 〈…〉 another mystery of the mystery 〈…〉 â—erstand the Scriptures They worâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—in the Spirit Phil. 3. 3. They were 〈…〉 of the mystery yea they knew 〈…〉 â—â—ese last times many would depart from the faith and bring in a mystery of iniquitie and call it the mystery of God and of Christ and the Spirit and so should deceive many Wee are forewarned and commanded to hold the forme of sound words and seeing the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and to furnish him for every good work 2 Tim. 3. We neither may nor need presume above what is written Rev. 22. 18. And so for other things bring them to the Scriptures to be tryed and beleeve nothing but what God faith in his Word and expect not to satisfie Reason in matters of Religion We beleeve God is without beginning and present in every place who knoweth and ordereth all things but what reason can be given that God is so is it not
causeth us to be accepted Eph. 1. 6. Actions without faith are not accepted neither for Christ nor for faith Our happinesse consists not in Gods accepting our actions but in our union with him and in that our sinnes are not imputed unto us Psal 32. 1. Our actions are accepted because our persons are accepted Gen. 4. Ans It s strange you will offer to say so oh the horrible and tragicall effects that naturally flow from this doctrine that he that beleeves cannot sinne or his sinfull actions are accepted if so then Davids adultery and murther was accepted yea all the sinnes of beleevers are accepted we abhorre to open such a gap for sinne to enter The word Reconcile declares that God is at enmity with us and we with him Re signifieth againe con signifieth together ciliation to call or move to how is there a removing where there was never a removing how together of those who were never asunder how againe unlesse the onenesse had been broken apieces Ans Though the word signifie so it will not follow that God was ever at enmity with the Elect. We are full of movings and removings because changeable but it s not so with God although the Elect sinne and depart from God yet the Scripture saith not that God was at enmity with them or that they fell from the love of God or that God hated the Elect consider 1 Joh. 5. 16. Isa 27. 4. Rom. 5. 9 10. Heb. 13. 8. In saying God was never an enemy to the Elect you make the fall of Adam in whom the Elect were included a fiction and the story of Christs sufferings a fable and Christs passion a vanity and overthrow the nature of God whose purity cannot indure sinne ye deny many Scriptures which testifie that God was at enmity with the Elect Eph. 2. Isa 63. 10 11. Lev. 26. 40 41 42. Ezek. 16. 62 63. Ans These are hard words and high charges indeed Jud. 13. 15. like the raging waves of the Seas that looke big and rise high and fall as suddenly so will your words fall into meere fables or slanders for no such thing will follow we say the â—all of Adam Christs death are no fictions nor fables but reall things by nature in Adam the Elect did sin and fell in Adam c. And had not Jesus Christ been made a curse for us we had perished therefore the death of Christ did more then reveale love men can reveale love each to other without dying much more could God in the love of God and Christs death lyeth our eternall happinesse Consider whose doctrine is against the purity of God yours or ours You say we deny many Scriptures tell us of one we deny not any we deny your false glosses and mis-interpretations I pray tell us in what place of Scripture we may reade that God was ever at enmity with the Elect or that he did not love them untill they did beleeve You say Till conversion comes God is an enemy with the Elect. Ans The Scripture you alledge to prove it says not as you doe the word wrath Eph. 2. is the curse that nor any other place doth not say that by the word wrath is meant Gods enmity against the Elect if it doe we will say so too In Isa 63. 10 11. is the word enmity viz. In some of his dispensations he was so for he fought against him So Levit. 26. God walked contrary to them yet it will not follow that God did so from any enmity and hatred to them for he did then love them and own them for his as appeares vers 45. I have given the dearly beloved of my soule into the hands of their enemies Jer. 12. 7. As for Ezekiel 16. 62 63. When I am pacified towards thee it appeares by the foure last verses that it s to be understood of the knowledge of his love for he saith Thou shalt know that I am the Lord thy God Joh. 14. 20. God may seeme angry yea seeme an enemy and hide himselfe and handle them roughly and yet love them not the worse for that as Jer. 31. 20. He changeâ—h not Mal. 3. 6. He saith He is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. Anger is not in me Isa 27. 4. Therefore your brother was very much mistaken to conceive that there was anger in God till he was pacified If Gods enmity had not concurred with Eves enmity against him shee had not in all likelihood eaten the forbidden fruit Ans You are hard put to it and have no Scripture to prove that you affirme it appeares you have no more but a likelihood for it therefore we must take that or nothing The fall was not from any enmity in God against her but God by that meanes was pleased to bring about his glory see Eph. 1. 6. to 12. Rom. 3. 19. God is a God of wrath to us till faith in Christ comes Eph. 2. Rom. 5. 1 2 It s as evident as evident may be that by faith in Christ God is reconciled to us and we to him Ans It s as evident as may be in your booke though the Scripture say not so Faith is a cause of Justification Ans You ascribe as much to faith as to Christ a cause this your opinion is very dishonourable to Christ in setting faith above Christ in making it a cause whereas Christs death is but a meanes a cause is above a meanes the cause is the love of God I say actually God cannot be said to be reconciled to man while man is not reconciled to God Ans I see you say it and say more then you can prove we say and prove that we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 9. 10. What Christ did was actuall unlesse you will make it a fable if Christ dyed before we beleeved we were reconciled before we did beleeve Faith brings us into Christ Eph. 2. 8 9. Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 3. Ans You say into Christ and that faith is a part of Christ and a part of the divine nature but the Scripture doth not say so the divine nature is God and incommunicable if it could be divided in parts it were not infinite we partake of it by union not by inâ—usion it s no wonder ye ascribe all to faith as you doe if ye thinke faith is God So you ask â—f God saves us without our being in Christ and whether God doth not love to see us in Christ rather then out of him is this to speake like a Doctor Tell me how could we be chosen in Christ before the world if God did not consider us in him Eph. 1. 4. Can you â—ell when God considered us out of Christ or or in what Scripture it is said that ever any of the Elect were out of Christ or that they by â—inne fell out of Christ or out of the love of God When in Ephes 2. 5. doth not import a difference of time Ans
As a mans end is in his eye proportionably he useth the meanes to attaine it When the chiefe end is apprehended and minded nothing can divide between the soule and it The more God is intended the more he is desired When God is chiefly desired no bounds nor limits is set to the desires and endeavours to attaine it Every thing rests in it's proper place the attaining the end quiets the heart Unlesse we know and minde our end we cannot have the comfort of our obedience The chiefe end beareth the greatest power in us Such as a mans principle is such is his end The end declares to us the goodnesse of our action The end rules the meanes and is above them We may know what is our chiefe end by the place and power of it A man is constant to that which is his end and acts freely to attaine it Wee are strongly inclined and moved to our end willingly diligently patiently constantly to attaine it As we attaine our end so are we contented so farre as we intend God we desire him The end is first in the intention and last in execution A beleever is true to his end however he may faile in the meanes The place of the end is in the intention and affection Not the endeavour but the ground of it discovers the end whether it be God or selfe Error Ignorance is the foundation of error It is the property of all men to erre and be deceived When errors prove profitable many will imbrace them It 's common for error to be called truth and truth to be called error One way to suppresse errors is silence for by this meanes they will dye alone whimsicall persons that affect novelty will lay them downe as fast as they took them up if you will let them alone Excuses It is easie to frame an excuse for any evill To cover an evill with an excuse is to cover à lesser evill with a greater When we have sinned Satan and our corruptions will helpe to cover it with excuses Such things as we cannot justifie we oft excuse Extremities No extremitie holds long It 's common to run from one extremitie to another It 's hard to be angry without sinning to grieve for sinne without despairing to feare without doubting to be merry without lightnesse to be sad without heavy and unprofitable dumpishnesse Most men love extreames men eate too little or too much and worke too little or too much Of education Good education doth oft cause an outward Reformation Evill education is a great provocation to evill Election The doctrine of election and appointment unto wrath and how much the first cause causeth all actions the certainty of the event the certainty of the state of every person and the like doctrines cause a corrupt heart to be more loose and carelesse therefore to teach these to the world is to cast holy things to dogs witnesse experience Examples The worst examples are most observed The examples of men are forcible when they are universall An evill example of a good man is very dangerous The examples of the best men ought not to be a Rule for us to walke by Excesses Most men are drowned in adversitie or drunke with prosperity The drinking healths is an excessive wast To drinke others healths is the way to loose our own Effects Effects are in order to second causes not to God who most certainly necessarily and wisely hath willed them nothing falls out accidentall to him whose knowledge and purpose reacheth every thing The eye Davids roving eye caused him to fall greatly and procured him much sinne shame vexation and griefe who would have thought an idle glance could occasion so much mischiefe Fancy will take fire before we be aware It 's in vaine to expect better fruit if we suffer our hearts to run after our eyes Experiences By observation we get experience Experience makes men wise because it gives understanding Experience teacheth what doth helpe or hinder a gracious temper in us Experience strengthens faith Without experience we know not where our strength and weaknesse lieth Things imaginary historicall traditionall will vanish in time of need Envie Envie torments the minde and dryeth the bones No good man can escape the envie of others Expressions Such as leave the Scripture expressions will soone loose the faith of Christ and receive error in stead of truth Extraordinary To doe to all as we would be done unto is extraordinary For men not to seek themselves is extraordinary For a man to deny himselfe is extraordinary To practice the truth against great oppositions is extraordinary To imbrace disgrace poverty prison and paines rather then to deny any truth is extraordinary To be more humble by knowledge and to goe against custome is extraordinary To be more humble when exalted is extraordinary For the rich to take reproose willingly and profitably from their inferiors is extraordinary For to refuse to joyn house to house when he can is extraordinary To part with riches as freely as they were received is extraordinary For man to seek not his own but others welfare is extraordinary To tell great persons of their faults in love wisely is extraordinary A minde that cannot be provoked is extraordinary To be willing to leave the world and to be zealous for God in prosperity is extraordinary Eternity Untill we have some serious thoughts of eternity we minde not our soules Serious thoughts of eternity will weane us from the world The favour of men The favour of some is much desired The favour of men is a vanity The favour of men is uncertain oft soone got and sooner lost The more some desire the favour of men the more God denieth them to exercise their faith or to weane them from the world or because we performe not our duties to them Folly It 's folly to meddle with other mens businesse and neglect our own Many never see their folly untill it be too late A fooles minde is all for thingâ— below and present but the wise prize most the things above they look beyond this life A foole multiplieth words Feares We feare what we should wish and wiâ—h that we should feare Feares make the understanding weake and the judgement dull Of all passions anger and feare doth most disquiet the heart The feare of an evill doth more afflict then the evill it selfe To be alwayes in feare is to be alwayes in misery it 's painfull to dwell upon the expectation of evill Feare betrayes care and hinders reason of affording it's help Feares hinder faith Feares multiply evills but faith diminisheth them Feares make dangers greater and helpes lesse then they are Feares present too many wayes of helpe So much as we feare men so much we slight and forget God Faith Faith is the staying of the minde upon God Faith quiets comforts and strengthens the soule Faith excludes not all doubting but fights against it Faith is under God the supporter of the Saints under many
that is not constant is false love Fooles love lightly and leave as lightly Forced matches are empty of love In love there is no lacke in good will there is no want A man will beare much when he knows it comes from love Union breeds love and love simpathy and compassion but where selfe-love prevailes union and love are absent Arguments of love are sutable to the nature of man We are made like the things we love Kindnesse puts an obligation upon the spirit of love Where love is duties are frequent and done with ease and delight Where love is wanting all things are taken in the worst part Such love the way of God who hate all that is contrary to it and practise it when it is most despised The more we love Christ the more we remember him and his love As our love is to God so is our love to his Word It 's naturall to love ease liberty and carnall pleasure The power of sin stands in the love of it self-Selfe-love blinds us and deceives us exceedingly it's a dangerous enemy When our love to God runs high our love to the world runs low so on the contrary We may apprehend the love of God but we cannot comprehend it The love of God makes a soule mourne for sin more then any thing else Such as would be affected with Christs love must dwell upon the consideration of the excellency of it Such things as we love we keep with care possesse with joy and loose with griefe As our longing is to enjoy God so is our love to him such as greatly love the Lord greatly long to enjoy him for as our love is to any thing accordingly is our endeavour to enjoy it According to the measure of the manifestation of the love of God to the soule so accordingly it is filled with peace and joy and beares Christs yoke obeys him and is content to suffer for him and doth all freely Such as see Gods love to be the same to them in all conditions are not troubled when God altereth their condition Losses There is no losse in loosing for God what we loose for God will be made up unto us in God One benefit that follows the losse of outward things is that we shall never be troubled with them any more Many get by their losses Labour All things are full of labour man cannot utter it Lust Lust is violent and is past sense and shame Bad discourse inflames lust Laughtâ—r Laughter is a vanitie the wise laugh least Liberty When men thinke to use their libertie they loose it We are more prone to desire outward liberty then to know how to use it Such as plot and plead for liberty for the flesh are very carnall It is not fit to give young people halfe the liberty they would take Young people doe not know not will beleeve how slippery their state is till they come to feele it by their falls Many study more how to keep outward liberty then how to part with it the last is the best It is the greatest liberty to enjoy God and a free heart to serve him and to have the lets removed Too many of the Saints abuse their Christian liberty To be free from sin is liberty indeed Motions Forced motions cannot be perpetuall Minde This world cannot satisfie nor containe the minde of man Worldly things are not good enough to stay our minds upon Such as minde things above favour them and have interest in them By minding things above we are freed from many idle fancies When our minds are not fixed they rove any where and are no where to purpose Our minds are where our hearts are and that is where we love Our minds doe too much partake of the temper of our bodies God hath enabled some to make glad the sorrowfull minde Mirth In vaine mirth there is no true joy The mirth of the wicked is vanity and madnesse Naturall mirth ends in sorrow and sadnesse In naturall mirth when we are most merry we are nearest to danger When men are most chearfull and merry they are most free and bountifull Meditation Meditating on the sweetnesse of outward contents glues our hearts to them The more our thoughts are above the more is our joy and the more we avoyde the snares below It is no burden to fix our minds thoughts on things above where our life joy and treasure is There is much sweetnesse and profit in the consideration and view of the severall passages of Gods providence to us ours inward and outward of the time past if it were well minded it might strengthen our faith and draw out our hearts to God and inlarge our thankfulnesse who so is wise to observe these things shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. By meditation we retaine truths and are enriched by them it makes them sweet to us it 's the way to knowledge the mother of wisdome it refines the judgement it cuts off errors in judgement and practice it makes the mercies of God fresh and sweet to us it increaseth love it 's the life of hearing reading conference c. it reveales truths to us and acquaints us with our selves it makes all to become our own it settles truth upon our spirits it removes lets and breeds affections and quickens them it makes hard things easie it fills the soule with experience and inableth us to apply it to our own benefit and others it fires the soule with love and sends it up to heaven By the neglect of meditation we loose a great treasure Unlesse by meditation the judgement be refined and setled and so work it upon our affections and lay it up in our minds Gods meanes and our hearing and reading comes to nothing Mâ—sery Extreme miseries last not long It 's no small misery to have the body and soule and conscience all distempered God knows the miseries of his and will send help in the fittest season The better the man is the lesse he needs to be bid to share with others in their miseries Mercies We injoy more mercies then we are aware off The mercies we injoy are more and greater then our crosses Many possesse many mercies and yet want the comfort of them We come to know the worth of mercies by their want Of marriage There is no outward comfort under the Sunne so great and sweet as a married estate affords what is equall to marriage for the being and well being of life it s the prop of mutuall content the aide of nature the perfection of health wealth beautie honour no condition is sweet where marriage supplyes it not it 's the pillar of the world the preserver of chastity the glory of peace and the life of the dead no union so strong as this no joy in any outward union so contentfull as this There are comforts in marriage that a single life is not acquainted with and so there are many crosses The crosses in marriage goeth to the very heart
a right end meanes and time Untamed passion is the cause of unquietnesse The cause of anger and passion is ignoâ—ance and pride Contrary passions are cured with their contâ—aries as mourning is with joy As unhewen stones so unhewen spirits are uâ—fit for the house of God Of poverty Some to escape poverty run into greater poverty It 's better to be poore and weaned from the world then rich and covetous Many are much afraid of poverty yet it never did any hurt The poore are out of danger of being flattered The heires of heaven are oft pinched with poverty Saints who are Kings lie in prison Men spend their time in idlenesse and wast their estate in costly apparrell and fare and then say they are not able to supply the necessities of the poore people of God A childe of God in his greatest want of outward things is not poore because God is his God A slack hand in giving to the poore and a slâ—ck hand in labour each maketh poore Some have sweetly injoyed God when fed with bread and water and have had sweet smiles from God when they could not see the face of one friend In the want of outward comforts the Saints have injoyed sweet comforts from God they have more experience of Gods faithâ—ulnesse care and love see more of their own hearts are more spirituall and humble and live more upon God and are more weanâ—d from the world then those that are rich Prospeâ—ity Prosperity swels â—he heart with pride The prosperity of fooles destroys theâ— Prosperity causeth men to forget 〈◊〉 and themselves Many a childe of God hath found prosperity hath done him more hurt then good Outward peace begets plenty plenty begets security and idlenesse and idlenesse begets all evill It 's in vaine for those in prosperity to think it will last long Of pleasure Pleasure is a flattering delight The pleasures of the body are the poyson of the soule Those whose eyes are open see outward pleasures to be but meane things The more carnall the heart is the more it affects naturall pleasures In idlenesse delight and pleasures the Devill-easily intangleth men in his snares Theâ— mistake the time and place of pleasures that expect it in this world heaven is the Saints place of pleasure Sin is desired for the pleasure of it but there is more griefe misery then pleasure Sinfull pleasure ends in sorrow Such as delight in pleasure shall finde their greaâ—est pleasure become their greatest pains Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sin are deceived and insnared Promises The promises of God are a great stay and comfort to a childe of God The promises of God are the foundation of the Saints comfort The promises of God are free full and firme The promises of God beares up the soule in all straights There was never any ashamed that did rest onely upon God in his promise The promises of God do not make His neither wicked nor carelesse but more fruitfull and serviceable The wicked desire promises for peace and not to strengthen them against sin One promise from a man pleaseth them more then ten from God Some men are freeâ— in promises then in performances Of praises of men He that prizeth others praises he injoyes not God nor himselfe Prayer Necessity teacheth to pray When the heart is filled with feares prayer powres them out Prayer puts the heart into possession of peace Prayer sweetens all troubles That which a man obtaines by prayer it inlargeth his spirit God by prayer supports his in the greatest troubles Verball prayer causeth great deadnesse There is no duty so counterfeited as prayer is Prayer is more of the minde and heart then of the mouth When prayer is wanting the action of fin is as ready as the tentation Some pray when they should sleep and sleep in prayer and pray when they should worke but wisdome divides to each their proper time and season By prayer we attaine a more sense and feeling of our wants and more strength to pray A good conscience nourisheth faith and faith prayer He that makes prayer the end of his praying rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose What many build up by prayer they pâ—ll downe by their practice by remisness â—lightnesse and frothinesse of spirit Princâ—ples When a principle of error is taken â—or a principle of truth the more it is relied on the worse it is Preacher He that doth not rightly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel is not a good Preacher nor a good Christian Quietnesse Man disquiets himselfe in vaine A quiet soule is the seate of wisdome In tâ—e worst times a Saint may quiet himselfe in God In quietnesse confidence is our strength Untill men be satisfied they cannot be setled quietnesse is the fruit of both Satan hath most advantage against us when we are troubled and disquieted He that is troubled because others words answer not his desires cannot injoy quietnesse They injoy most quietnesse of minde that most submit themselves to the providence of God Reason Naturall Reason cannot be satisfied in things spirituall because they are above the fight and reach of nature Religion The Saints finde sweetnesse in the bitterest things in Religion Where Religion is in truth it is in power and it enableth a man to practise it There are no people one indeed that dissent in Religion It 's not possible for all men to be of one Religion and judgement because their understandings and ends differ When a man differs in Religion those from whom he dissents load on him false things to make him odious thus many condemne as odious those whose arguments they cannot answer nor dare offer to answer Most men love that Religion best which best sutes with their lusts as honour pleasure ease and their bellies A forme of Religion with riches is imbraced rather then the power of Religion with poverty The Religion of many is to be irreligious In these dayes iniquity abounds and many depart from the faith to needlesse dispâ—tes and principles that destroy the foundation of Religion Most men take their Religion upon trust and hold it by the copy of mens countenances and certain reservations and the permission of their lusts Mens lives and Religions are commonly alike He that will not leave his sin for his Religion will leave his Religion for his sin A little Religion will goe a great way in great persons His Religion is to little purpose whose knowledge is not distinct and certain It makes much for the benefit and comsort of a Christian to understand the grounds and principles of Religion Rules When we come to the particular case if it concerne our selves we forget the Rule A weak mens Rules may be better then the best mens actions The Rules of many mens actions are onely tâ—eiâ— own wills Suâ—h as like not the Rules of God in his Word like the Devils and their own Of Ruling When a man comes to Rule he
fools he convinceth the soule of the folly of it's own wisdome and of a necessity to be taught and causeth the soule to see that it is not in it's own power to attaine true wisdome Those God teacheth he meekeneth their spirits and humbleth the soule to make it teachable and causeth them to have right ends in desiring knowledge and in using meanes to attaine it and makes them content to be at Gods disposing for the manner and measure of his teaching Gods teaching humbleth the soule the more they know the more vile they are in their own eyes Gods teaching causeth the soule to trust in God also their knowledge is sutable to their soules wants and strengthens them against temptations and preserveth them from many evills others fall into So much as we are taught of God so much we practice Gods teaching attaines the end of it which is practice therefore if thou art taught of God thy conversation shall shew it the wisdom from above is full of good fruits so it causeth them to be afraid to sin and to hate all false wayes Gods teaching causeth and raiseth the affections it 's no cold businesse the more they know the more they love God and doe act more for him as our knowledge is so is our practice He that is taught of God he never thinkes he hath knowledge enough but still thirsts after more and is thankfull for that he hath Toleration Where persecution is there is no toleration where there is toleration in differing opinions in Religion there is no persecution Those who make others causes their own plead for toleration It is but hypocrisie to professe another Religion then that which is in their heart Talent He that useth not or abuseth his talent looseth it Teares The apprehension of Gods love will cause teares freely Trouble There is nothing but trouble under the Sunne It 's in vaine to expect to live in this world without trouble The lesse trouble men expect the more they oft meet withall We should not be so troubled in trouble if we did look more to God in his promise and lesse upon the trouble God removes great troubles from his or giveth them strength to beare them There is no trouble so great as the trouble of an evill conscience Selfe cannot stay or check it selfe much lesse recover it selfe out of sinfull trouble A soule cast down by selfe or Satan rests 〈…〉 God but in trouble To say in great troubles be content and joyfull it is easie but to be so is hard So much as a Christian is stored with promises he is able to beare troubles In trouble we are prone to forget that which makes for our comfort He that is little in his own eyes will not be troubled if he seeme so to others A troubled soule is not fit to doe or receive good Weake mindes seek ease in changes There are but a few that in trouble expresse a free spirit and an inlarged heart to God Few in trouble expresse faith wisdome patience humility contentednesse comfort joy and thankfulnesse Trialls Those who are least exercised with tryalls have the least wisdome and experience Thoughts Our evill thoughts are many All actions are nourished by thoughts Thoughts kindle and inflame affections A mans most worst sins are his thoughts The most of our thoughts are vaine and come to nothing oh the vanity of the minde Evill thoughts defile our soules and spirits A childe of God loaths himselfe for the evill and vanity of his thoughts If one sinfull thought be admitted concerning the sweetnesse and pleasure of sin the will is ready to consent to the motion and the understanding to forecast the accomplishment and the affections to adde heat and strength then the heart travels with iniquity and by time and opportunity sin is brought forth Where our treasure is there are our thoughts The more our thoughts are above the more we injoy God and the more we avoid the soares below He whose thoughts are exercised in the things above injoyeth content sweetnesse and delight Temptations Temptations tryeth mens strength He is wise and strong that stands in strong temptations When temptation is absent a foole is wise and strong and the froward patient Every person hath his speciall temptation against which he ought to watch God lets Satan tempt his to keepe downe their pride Strong and lasting temptations are to shew us our selves and our pride God takes men off their pleasant lusts by hideous temptations Ranke affections are eaten out by strong temptations Satan tempts that he may tempt and he tempts not that he may tempt Those temptations are most dangerous that most sute with holy ends An over much fearing a temptation and a weake purpose to resist it weakeneth us and incourageth Satan to tempt Such as slight temptations are most like to fall by them The more of the fruits of the Spirit any hath the more they need to pray against Satans temptations When we are tempted it 's not best to stand reasoning with the temptation but immediatly shun the occasion and fall to prayer We cannot withstand the least temptation without the helpe of God Tongue Rule the tongue and rule all The tongue no man can tame Thankfullnesse Our natures are averse to it The sence of want of one mercy steales from us the remembrance of many and all thankfulnesse for them Thirst Spirituall thirst is as strong as naturall if not stronger Unbeliefe Impatience and discontentednesse with our estates immoderate care and desire of the world are the fruits of unbeliefe Unbeliefe is the cause we depend no more on God for soule and body Of Unwillingnesse What men doe unwillingly they doe not effectually Of Unthankfullnesse The more spirituall any are the more thankfull they are to God and man Ignorance forgetfulnesse and pride cause unthankfulnesse The not observing the severall passages of Gods providence to us is a cause of unthankfullnesse The beholding and minding the things of heaven provided for the Saints causeth them to be content and thankfull in any condition and straight Of Usury Usury is and is like to be in request because to lend without is out of fashion Who oppresseth most he that lendeth upon use or he that can lend freely but doth not To be tyed to pay use when the profit is uncertain is a meanes to fill men with care trouble distrust if not with oppression Vertue Some pretend a vertue to cover a vice this is base Vanitie Every man at his best state is altogether vanitie The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vaine Of Want Some have little and want little many have much and want much He that can beare outward want contentedly is a strong man It 's a sin and a great dishonour to a childe of God to say or thinke he shall want or to say what shall I doe If hands state and friends faile God will supply some other way A childe of God never is in want though
he may thinke he wants because he is possessed with all things God is his God It 's best to want that which we cannot injoy unlesse we sinne Weeping Excesse in weeping is against nature reason and Religion Many make a Christ of their teares World The whole world is a vanitie of vanities and vexations Will. To will is naturall but to will spirituall is above nature He cannot resist a sinfull will who hath no other then a sinfull will A man may perswade the will but it cannot be compelled To make Gods will to depend on mans will is to deprive God of his honour When we want a will to doe a thing wee pretend want of power and say I cannot Many prefer their wills before their lives for when they are crossed they wish for death The creature cannot doe more or lesse then God will Those vertues that adorne the will as love mercy justice are more glorious then those that adorne the understanding as wisdome power c. If the will gets into the understanding it puts all the powers of the soule upon action As the will is so answerable is the endeavour Wit A dull wit is fittest and best for him that wants discretion Winde Most men feed upon winde yet there is no satisfaction in it Words Many in stead of proofe will give big words but bare saying is no proofe Wonder For men not to prise their best workes is a wonder Naturall men wonder at worldly and sensuall things It 's no wonder if a naturall man seeke himselfe in all things Wisdome Wise men forecast how to doe most with least noise It 's wisdome sometimes to let passe and take no notice of a fault To feare to sin is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Wisdome goeth as farre beyond folly as light beyond darknesse It 's a speciall piece of wisdome to finde out and improve such places of Scripture as are sutable to our present condition The way to be wise in things naturall and spirituall is to observe and consider the reasons and causes of things It 's wisdome to doe that which is safest Wisdome is better then strength Worldly wisdome few have but what they paid too deare for The wisdome of man cometh from conference of things past and to come The more wise a man thinkes he is the more foole he is World This world is insufficient uncertain and perishing Every worldly thing is inconstant and a vaine vanitie Many are deceived by the false and vaine shews of the world The nourishing in our selves the love and care of worldly riches choakes the love of heavenly and kils many good things in us The things of this world are sutable to our spirits The world affords no stable comfort it perisheth in the using and when wee have most need of it The lesse the Saints desire the world the large their hearts are for God The more we love this world the lesse minde we have to leave it The more men are afflicted the more willing they are to leave this world The consideration of the end of the things of this world tends to weane from the world Such as are full of the world are empty enough of spirituall things He that is full of worldly businesse needs no other trouble The world is a great snare and deadly enemy to spirituallnesse they are the strangers that devoute our strength According as the world is sweet unto us so accordingly spirituall things are bitter The more men possesse of this world the lesse many use and injoy the more we love it the more we are crossed with it and the more we have of it the more we are in want Weaknesse Weaknesse with watchfulnesse stands when greater strength with selfe-confidence faileth The wisest and strongest Saints are most sensible of their own weaknesses Workes To be saved by Christ and to be saved by works are contrary the one excludes the other Christ will be all or nothing It 's possible for a person that beleeves through weaknesse to goe aside to the covenant of works Watchfulnesse Spirituall watchfulnesse is a speciall gift of God a chiefe part of godlinesse and a speciall helpe to holinesse and a Saints great priviledge Because the Saints watch no more they fall so much There is no good order in their lives who watch not Watching keeps the soule awake and fits us to exercise seasonably the fruits of the Spirits Of zeale The height of the affections is zeale Zeale is the height of love and the heat of the intention and affection Zeale is an affection wound up to the highest peg Zeale is the fire of the affections and it 's very hot Zeale is good when it 's for God it 's evill when it 's against him The command of God and Christs love to us and ours to him begets zeale for him it kindles it and makes it burne and flame Riches honour pleasure ease consumeth the Saints zeale and cooleth them The world and carnall friends powre much water to quench our zeale Zeale should eate us up and we eate it up Every man is zealous for God or himselfe To be zealous for a trifle is a great weaknesse Zeale cannot indure to see God dishonoured in no kinde A Saint loaths himselfe because he hath so little zeale for God c. AS it were with wings Mount thy selfe my spirit Vnto stable things Without alterings Which all comfort brings Them for to inherite Earthly things despise In them take no pleasure But thy selfe advise Higher for to rise Where true substance lies And the chiefest treasure Shadowing things are here Better things are higher In the Heavens cleare Let it then appeare That as things right deare Thou doest them desire Earthly things we know Soone away are sliding Here on Earth below They doe ebbe and flow And to dust they goe Without long abiding Yea they are by kinde So base and unstable That they should not binde To Earth a pure minde The which we may finde To be honourable Counsells Concerning Actions 1. SEe that what yee doe be lawfull see that your actions have a good foundation a word of God to warrant them else they are evill to doe things not required of God is the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3. 17. that when God shall say Who required this at your hands Isa 1. 12. Deut. 12. 32. we may say thou O Lord. 2. Look what yee doe be expedient the circumstance of time place and person must be wisely conâ—idered to a good action is required that all the circumstances be good 3. Look to your end why yee doe what yee doe the end and scope of an action conduceth to the being of it if two duties come together doe the chiefest first unlesse works of mercy and necessity hinder 4. Look yee doe what is required because it is required and as it is required and when it is required to doe one dutie and neglect another is uncomely give each dutie it 's due
therefore this never came from the nature of man besides it is a strong argument that the Scriptures came not originally from man but from God because they are no whit agreeable to our natures hence it is worth observing that we naturally choose and delight to reade any Booke rather then the Scriptures as we see by experience that those that read much reade little in the Scriptures 4. Because the Scriptures require that which is beyond the power of man to doe as that he should deny himselfe which to doe requires a divine power as the Scriptures and experience teach selfe is for it selfe how then can selfe deny it selfe nature doth not require nor desire any such thing therefore it 's required by some other which must needs be God also it affirmes that which is impossible to the reason nature and wisdome of man as that a Virgin should conceive a Son this is beyond the reach of nature and therefore it is from God 5. The Scriptures are not from men because the more any are ruled by it and obey it the more they are hated and persecuted by men which shewes it was never the will of man and therefore it came not from nature but from God 6. The Scriptures came from God because they tend to God this is a rule in nature every thing tends to it's center a stone to the earth the waters to the Sea from whence they came So the Scriptures tend to God they run to God they shew God in his goodnesse wisdome power love in the Scriptures there is a divine wisdome they speak for God they call men to God and to be for God which is the center of the Scriptures 7. The Scriptures are not from men because the way of bringing them forth into the world is quite contrary to the wisdome and expectation of man who in great matters imply persons that are wise great and honorable but they came forth in a quite contrary way in that meane and contemptible silly tradesmen fisher-men and Tent-makers c. were the publishers and pen-men of the Scriptures although at the same time there were men naturally wise learned at Athens 8. The Scriptures are from God because God hath wonderfully strangely preserved them in making the Jewes who were enemies to Christ and his words preservers of the Scriptures also in preserving them when the greatest men have sought their destruction by searching for them and burning them c. The like preservation cannot be declared of any other writings that have had so great opposition 9. The miracles which were wrought at the first publishing of the Scriptures prove them to be from God and that there were such miracles wee have the testimony of those who were enemies to Christ and the Scriptures those Jewes who did not own Christ nor his doctrine who lived in Christs time saying There was a man one Jesus if I may call him a man who did great miracles c. as Josephus others in their writings testifie Now what reason can be given that the enemies to Christ and his doctrine should confesse such things of Christ if they were not true 10. Lastly We know the Scriptures to be from God because we see in our dayes some of those things the Scriptures have foretold come to passe which things came not to passe in the course of nature nor in the eye of reason as Mat. 24. 5. 24. Luk. 12. 52 53. 1 Tim. 4. 1. c. 2 Tim. 3. To beleeve the Scriptures are of divine inspiration is a work of faith and unlesse the holy Spirit perswade the soule of the truth of them there will be doubting the Lord perswade his of the truth of them and of their interest in them Seeing the Scriptures came from God by divine inspiration they must needs be truth therefore we ought to beleeve what it saith and rest upon it whether there be reason to satisfie reason or no our reason is blinde and corrupt 2. Seeing they are the inspirations of God it should cause us to prize and love the Word of the Lord David did so Psal 119. 97. he loved it vehemently exceedingly unspeakeably the Saints love the Word and they are not ashamed to declare their love to it they love it for the excellency that is in it they see love wisdome truth purity c. The Word is very pure therefore thy servants love it Psal 119. 105 151. It 's a light to our feete the rule of our life it tends to perfection it cures all distempers it 's the ground of our confidence it keeps us from perishing in affliction 92. It quickeneth us 93. It rejoyceth the heart 111. It 's lovely and such as love the Lord love his word Job 23. 12. Love to the Word is a holy and strong inclination of soule or affection of heart arising from the apprehension of the Author of it and the excellency and sutablenesse of it which causeth the soule to desire prise it above all things Psal 119. 17. 25. If yee love the word then yee will highly esteeme it above gold above fiâ—e gold above thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. 72. Secondly then you desire it love works by desire great love is attended with great desire and longing to injoy it Thirdly then you will take paines to injoy it and obey it love and labour goe together Psal 27. 4. Fourthly then you thinke often upon it for so wee doe what wee love Psal 1. Fiftly then it shall rule you I have refrained from every evill way that I might keepe thy word Psal 119. 101. To obey it is a fruit of love so contrary Psal 81. 11. Sixthly then it 's a griefe to you that others contemne reject the word I was grieved because men kept not thy word Psal 119. 158. Rivers of waters run downe mine eyes because men keepe not thy law 135. see 139. v. Seventhly then you hate every thing that is contrary to the word love works by detestation of that which is contrary to that they love I hate every false way Psal 119. 104. Eightly then you rejoyce in the Word as one that findeth great spoyle Psal 119. 162. Ninthly then you will rest on what the Word saith I trust in thy Word 42. Tenthly then you will part with your sweet sin for the Word Psal 119. with 2 Cor. 5. 14. We have cause to be ashamed for our want of love to the Word our seldome meditation on it might convince us of our want herein To love the word 1. Pray that thou maist see the beauty and excellency of the Word 2. Reade and meditate on it 3. Practise it and you shall better know it Joh. 7. 17. 4. Abate in carnall affections for they are enemies to holy love 5. Consider the Word deserves thy love 6. Consider it 's thine and those good things contained in it the more we beleeve the interest in the word the more we love it Great peace have they that
to deny him his own 2. Love is the best thing we have therefore we should give it to God who is the chiefest and best good therfore he hath right to the highest pitch of our love and it 's pittie so sweet an affection as love is should be spent upon any thing but himselfe 3. Love will be fixed upon somewhat and it 's unreasonable to deny it to God and give it to the creature this were to forsake a living fountaine for a broken Cisterne Jer. 2. 4. God is the same he was when yee first loved him then yee looked upon him to deserve the highest measure of love and could not be loved enough God is not changed Heb. 13. 8. Therefore the change is in thy selfe 5. So much as you have left your first love so much you have left God God counts himselfe charged with iniâ—uitie when he is forsaken see Jer. 2. 6. In so doing yee greatly dishonour God as if there were not a fulnesse of perfection in him if there be in him what yee expected why doe you love him lesse thy practise declares thou repentest thee in loving him so much as if he is not worthy of it tell me canst thou mend thy selfe in bestowing thy love elsewhere 7. Lastly God hath done much for thee he hath saved thee from wrath hell and destruction and provided for thee a place of happinesse with himselfe yea given thee himselfe could he give thee more is all this as nothing to thee canst thou doe too much for him that hath done so much for thee why then doest thou not give him thy fiâ—st love and love him dearely and vehemently that hath so loved thee Use Leaving our first love is so great an evill that it should greatly humble us The meanes God prescribes for their recovery are three first to remember from whence thou art fallen secondly repent thirdly to doe their first workes Fallen persons may recover for God useth meanes to recover such this his love should worke upon us one great cause we doe not our dutie is because we doe not minde it our declinings might easily be discerned by us if we did but minde it The consideration and remembrance of what we once were and what we now are is a speciall meanes to convince one that is fallen Consider and see if you cannot remember the time 1. When your soules thirsted more for God and â—anted and brayed more vehemently after him then now short breathing is a signe of spirituall decaying therefore know you are fallen from your first love Psal 42. 1 2. 2. See if you cannot remember that time was when you tooke more sweet joy and delight in drawing neare to him and in communion with him then now then yee are fallen and your affections are divided 3. If you can remember the time was when you had more faith and confidence in God then now you have then you are fallen for a decay in faith and a decay in love ever goe together the lesse faith the lesse love so much unbeliefe so much want of love 4. If there was a time in which you were more willing to doe and suffer for God and to dye to goe home to him then you have left your first love 5. Are you as frequent in duties and as much in them now as ever are not spirituall duties something more wearisome and burdensome to thee then once they were then thou art fallen from thy first love Some may say once I prayed with more faith and fervency but now they are as my selfe more cold 6. Have you as much zeale for God and his truth now as ever the communion of Saints once more desired loved and delighted in then now if it be so then you are fallen from your first love 7. If ever you did love the things of the world lesse then you doe now then you are fallen for love to the world causeth a decay in our love to God love not the world so much as we love the world so much we come short in our love to God 8. Can you not say time was when I was more affected with the love of God and did more minde him and his love then you are fallen for so much as we forget Gods love to us so much we forget to love him the apprehending his love begets love in us to him We love him because he first loved us When Gods love in saving us did appeare to us to be great and wonderfull it set out hearts afire with love to him to live and dye with him and for him and because we minde his love lesse therefore we love him lesse If we should compare our selves with these Ephesians whom God finds fault withall because they left their first love what thoughts can we have of our selves when we consider how far short we come of them God saith of them vers 2 3. That they could not beare with them that are evill they could not marke that their love was so to him and zeale for him was so strong that it over-powred them they could not beare with sinners But alas wee can beare with fin and sinners They laboured in the worke of the Lord which implies carefulnesse and diligence in Gods worke but alas we are sloathfull and dead-hearted they were patient they indured all oppositions within and without they met withall for keeping the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus they suffered much patiently as appeares Rev. 1. 9. We are impatient even at words Thou hast borne which implies afflictions sufferings pressures we can hardly beare with any thing And hast not fainted here was their courage for God and his truth they bore great trials without fainting we faint under small trials yea at the hearing of them For my Names sake their ends were holy they sought not themselves backs nor bellies but did all for the name and sake of God this holy frame of spirit is a sweet thing oh how farre short doe we come of them Obs Many good actions may proceed from them that are fallen from their first love many good actions cannot excuse for one fault Use Exhortation You who are convinced you are fallen from your first love oh lay it to heart your declinings from God a decay in our outward estate is laid to heart but our inward decayings should trouble us much more And repent the Lord bids thee repent what repentance is see Jer. 31. 18 19. The least declining in our love to God is cause enough of repentance it 's to be laid to heart Repentance is a duty sutable for a Saint that hath assurance of the love of God And doe thy first workes Doe saith God the life of a Saint is a life of action to live to God and for God is no idle life God requires many things to be done Doe thy first workes Repentance without reformation is not sufficient Such as leave their first love leave their first workes as we decay in our love
wherein â—e hath made us acceptable in the beloved Eph 1. 5 6. To whom be all the praise honour now and for ever Amen The end of the first Part. DIVINE CONSOLATIONS OR The Consolations of God The Second Part. Declaring how a soule may know and live in the sweet injoyment of the love of God c. Are the Consolations of God small to thee Job 15. 11. How sweet are thy words unto my tast Psal 119. 103. His lips drop downe sweet smelling myrrhe Song 5. 5. By Samuel Richardson I heard sweet Jesus Christ unto me say Rise my love my faire one come away â—ONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Aldersgate-streete 1649. To Mr. Daniel Tayler Silkman Mr. Nathanael Andrews Merchant Mr. John Fountaine Merchant Mr. Samuel Penoire Merchant Mr. Edward Wright Goldsmith in Norwich Fulnesse of joy happinesse and glory Much honoured and worthy Sirs GOD hath in his wisdome and love mixed crosses with comforts and comforts with crosses He hath said In the world yee shall have trouble but in me yee shall have peace peace in trouble is a sweet mercy behold a fountaine of joy and rest sufficient to satisfie the soule at all times which ever floweth full of sweetnesse and life to refresh our soules withall at all times Loving friends the love you have manifested to me it s so great so free and full and undeserved and unexpected the more I view it the more I see God in it and the more sweet it is to me I have cause to be affected with it with great thankfulnesse to you and to God for you in that he hath ordered you to be so sweet a mercy to me I trust he will take the kindnesse you have shewed to me as done to himselfe Mat. 25. 40. I know not how to require your love I cannot doe more nor lesse then to present you with the best I have as a testimony of my sincere and hearty thankfulnesse to you for the favour and kindnesse I have received by you not doubting but these spirituall and divine Consolations will be savoury and acceptable to you The Lord blesse you and keepe you from all evill so he prays that remaines Your much obliged Samuel Richardson The second Part. DIVINE CONSOLATIONS Of the first Chapter of the Song of SOLOMON 1. A Song of Songs the most excellent Song because it is of the most excellent things viz. the excellencies of Christ his love Which is Solomons which is Christs The soule saith of Christ 2. Let him kisse me Kisses are expressions of love and signes of peace and reconciliation 1 Thes 5. 26. 2 Sam. 14. 23. He is my love and my love is to him I prize and desire him and the manifestations of his love he is full of sweetnesse he is perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankinsence with all powders of the Merchants Song 3. 6. Let him kisse me There are no kisses so excellent nor so full of sweetness none so comfortable as his therefore none so desireable and acceptable as his therefore let him kisse me O that he would kisse me With the kisses of his mouth His mouth is sweet Song 4. 16. The roofe of his mouth is like the â—est wine very sweet Song 7. 7. His words are sweet Prov. 16. 24. I long to injoy the discoveries of his sweet and everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. The kisses of his mouth are sweet whose heart is full of love his lips drop down sweet smelling myrrhe Song 5. 13. Honey and milke are under thy tongue Song 4. 11. The expressions of his love doth quiet my troubled heart and heale my wounded soule Comfort me with apples for I am sicke of love the smell of thy nose like apples Song 7. 8. Apples are of divers and severall tasts yet all comfortable to the body So are the fruits of his death of divers and severall tasts all which are comfortable to raise and refresh the soule I raised thee up under the apple tree Song 8. 5. Let me heare thy voyce make hast my beloved Be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountaines of spices Song 8. 13 14. For thy loves Many loves Redemption Justification Salvation c. are the fruits of his love and as so many loves he hath drowned all our sinnes in the Ocean of his loves Are better then wine More good then wine more profitable more comfortable more strengthening more satisfying more sweet and pleasing more joyfull and lasting then wine Wine maketh the heart glad Eccle. 10. 19. Psal 104. 15. It causeth to forget sorrow and affliction So Christs loves chaseth away the soules feares and sorrowes as the comforts of the soule exceed and are better then the comforts of the body so much better are his loves then wine In the sence of sinne our soules are comforted and satisfied with his loves in Christ and his loves are all my consolation happinesse and glory This wine is spâ—ced wine Song 8. 2. it goeth downe sweetly and causeth the lips of him that is asleep to speake Song 7. 9. Drinke of this juice of apples for in this there is sweet consolation Acts 2. 18. His fruit is sweet unto my taste Song 2. 3. 5. 1. 3. For the savour Thy smell is as sweet Odours smell is a very sweet and comfortable savour pleasant words are as an honey-combe sweet to the soule and health to the bones Pro. 16. 24. Of thy good ointments Good made of precious things of sweet spices odours and perfumes Exod. 30. 23 24 25. The fruits of Christs death are the good ointments healeth all his ointments are very good very sweet and precious to the soule ointments and perfumes rejoyce the heart Pro. 27. 9. Thy name an ointment The Lord our Righteousnesse is this name This is his Name that they shall call him the Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. This Name is this ointment The smell of which is better then all spices Song 4. 10. Christs righteousnesse is the best and most precious thing in the world this makes us righteous in the sight of God in this ointment there is contained all precious things pardon peace reconciliation redemption justification happinesse and glory and what not Psal 34. 6 7. This is very good very sweet this ointment healeth all our wounds 1 Pet. 2. 24. They that know thy Naâ— will trust in thee Psal 9. 10. Therefore we leane on thee we venture all on thee leaning upoâ— her beloved Song 8. 5. Powred forth In the powring forth it is discovered and evidently seene in its sweetnesse as a sweet ointment being opened and powred forth the sent thereof fills the place with sweetnesse so Christs Namâ— our Righteousnesse filleth the soule with love so that his breath where this love is smels strong of love he cannot but sent it forth Therefore the Virgins love thee Virgins chast ones who are content alone with Christ they follow Christ Rev. 14. 4. love thee the Name the Righteousnesse of
is Tâ—y necke with Chaines Christs commands are these chaines Our necks are not too good for Christs chaines chaines are for use and for ornament for use for service and to keep in order and restraine Chaines Many chaines chaines are for service and for strength to hold and last long a horse may snap a bridle asunder but a chaine will hold him if not many chaines will The Law of God is this bridle or chaine to restraine order and guide us in the right way in which wee are to walke the many commands of God are the chaines which are as a bit to be put in our mouthes and upon our cheekes and about our neckes if the commands of God were not strong and durable we have such stiffe necks we need chaines to hold us else we would breake them snap them asunder as Sampson did his cords by nature we are like the Horse and wilde Asse and swift Dromedary Jer. 2. 23. We are not easily catched and when we are we need be chained Also chaines are for ornament so are Gods commands My sonne beare thy fathers instructions they shall be as a comely ornament unto thy head and as chaines for thy necke Pro. 1. 8 9. Chaines of gold Song 1. 10. The more of these chaines we have in our mouths and about our neckes the better and the more faire and beautifull our neckes are no Jewels of gold or pearle can adorne any so as these chaines adorne they are ornaments to us it s a shame to us not to have these chaines about our neckes we live in evill times the commands of God men reject and perhaps count it Religion to doe so but yee that love the Lord abhorre such a thought Gods own people are to be ruled by him by his commands allow our selves to be set free from the commands of God is unreasonable and abominable 11. We will make for thee we saith God as Gen. 1. 26. Rowes of gold with specks of silver Divers ornaments severall fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. They are from God created by him Phil. 1. 29. Eph. 3. 16. Phil. 2. 13. to beautifie our conversation c. that it may be for his glory else it is not comely The soule saith 12. While the King Jesus Christ Sitteth at his Round Table With his Church at the Lords Table Mal. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 21. With his Church at his spirituall banquet the Lords Supper a Round Table hath no upper end My spikenard is very costly spice Joh. 12. 3. A sweet smelling spikenard full of vertue see Song 4. 13 14. The breaking of Christs body in the Supper is this sweet precious Spikenard that fils the place with sweetnesse so the fruits of Christs death is held forth in the 〈◊〉 of ointment of Spikenard with which Christ was anointed Joh. 12. 3. Giveth forth the smell thereof The sent thereof fills soules with sweetnesse Joh. 12. 1 2 3. It sents forth Redemption Salvation happinesse and glory and what not Oh! the sweetnesse of these none can expresse nor conceive what joy delight or consolation is like this of Christ dying for my sinnes c. It causeth the soule to extoll Christ and say 13. A bundle of Myrrhe is my beloved unto me This holds forth the greatnesse of the contentment satisfaction and joy the soule takes in Christ in the fruits of his death the soule desires ever to take comfort in these benefits and bundle them up together least they be scattered and to seeke tie them up together in a bundle its the sweetest poesie ever to smell on to comfort refresh thy selfe withall A bundle of Myrrhe is sweet but nothing so sweet as Christ and his benefits is to me I finde by experience he is so to me there is nothing to be compared to him there is nothing so sweet and pleasing as is sweet Jesus unto me What is a mountaine of myrrhe and a hill of frankinsence Song 4. 6. Dropping sweet smelling myrrhe Song 5. 13. The bundle of my workes is not so sweet to me Love is as strong as death the coales thereof hath a most vehement flame Song 8. 6. The heate of these coales were so exceeding hot and the flame so vehement it scorched and burnt up all my righteousnesse ere I was aware that bundle is gone now I need it not for my beloved is a better bundle unto me I leane not on any thing but on my beloved Song 8. 5. I have nothing else to leane upon nor is any thing else worth the smelling on he is my delight and all my pleasure in the sence of sinne and wants I comfort my selfe in the Righteousnesse of Christ He shall lie all night The night is the saddest time by reason of darknesse the night is a sad time by reason â—f feares Song 3. 8. Many walke in darknesse Isa 50. 11. When my soule is most sad and darke he shall lie all night the soule is to own and imbrace Jesus Christ and rest satisfied in him Between my brests When I am at the worst Christ I desire and nothing but Christ I leave all to imbrace my beloved he shall lie as near my heart as may be he is onely sweet to me I will have him alone and nothing else to lie between my breasts that I may smell on him and be satisfied with his sweeetnesse when I am at the worst he is enough for me he alone will I imbrace and fill my soule with his loves and sweet solace The breasts is the place of consolation and satisfaction Isa 61. 10 11. A bundle of myrrhe is sweet for sent but not so sweet as he my soule solace thy selfe with him and take thou no content but in him I am my beloveds and his desire 〈◊〉 towards me Song 6. 10. 14. A cluster of Cipres is my welbeloved unto me Cipres is sweet it hath reference to Christ in the fruits of his death Redemption Salvation Justification c. are all clusters together in one and not to be parted Christ hath joyned them in one part them not In the vineyard of Eâ—gedy A fruitfull soile Jos 15. 6. 2. Ezek. 47. 10. So Christs death is wonderfully fruitfull who can reckon up his benefits all which are the fruits of his death Christ saith to the soule 15. Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art all faire It s twice repeated because Christ would have his to know and minde their beautie Isa 62. 5. Song 7. 6. Thine eyes are as doves eyes Good eyes and cleare as the eyes of doves by the Rivers of waters washed with milke Song 5. 12. It holds forth the soules quick-sightednesse in the mystery of Christ Eph. 3. 4. Secondly Doves eyes are chaste Doves eyes within thy looks Song 4. 1. It holds forth the soules chastnesse to Christ they are covered except it be to Christ their eyes are fixed on him they looke not to their workes for life but freely part with all their
lovers and rest content in Christ alone The soules answer to Christ 16. Behold thou art all faire my beloved My beauty is not mine but thine it all belongs to thee take thee the praise thereof for thou art onely beautifull I desire to see the King in his beauty for thou art glorious in thy beauty Psal 45. 2 3. Psal 115. 1. Psal 90. 17. Isa 30. 18. Psal 27. 4. thou art my glory Isa 45. 24. Yea pleasant Christ is very pleasant comfortable amiable and delightfull in him is all pleasantnesse Song 7. 6. 4. 16. Pro. 16. 24. I sat downe under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste Song 2. 3. Christ is that tree under which we have protection and defence and dwell safely and quietly no heat can scorch us sit we rest in Christ we goe no further the fruits of his death are sweet unto my taste they not onely smeell sweet Song 4. 11. but taste sweet there are no fruits so sweet as the fruits of his death Song 5. 1. Also our bed is greene Viz. fruitfull and flourishing communion with Christ in the bed of love causeth spirituallnesse fruitfulnesse they increase in good workes inward and outward to God and man such cannot be barren Psal 92. 13 14. 2 King 6. 2. 5. Song 4. 2. 〈◊〉 is none barreâ— among them Song 6. 6. See Song 8. 12. 1â— The beameâ— of 〈◊〉 house The rafters of our house which is the Church of Christ 1 Tiâ— 3. 15. Heb. 3. 6. 〈…〉 A Cedar is a tall tree full of sap Psal 104. 16. It s a tree that grows well it s a tree of worth and of great use and a rare and excellent tree Excellent as Cedars Song 5. 15. It s a sound tree it s no pâ—thy nor rotten tree it holds forth what the matter of the Church of God should be choice matter excellent Saints the Candlesticks were made of pure gold 1 King 1. 49. See Rev. 1. 20. Cedars many Cedars make an house Our galeries The galeries are â—igher then other parts of the house so are those that are the Teachers above the rest in honour c. the King is held in his galery Song 7. 5. Christ is most seene in his galeries they are his galeries where he walkes the galeries are on the outside of the house and seene by those abroad they declare the truth to them that are without Are brutaine trees or fit tree Psal 104. 17. The brutaine trees are of a sweet and pleasant smell it holds forth that those that teach the truth should smell best their conversations holy and sweet not of those whose practise make them stinke The smell of thy garments is like Lebanon Song 4. 11. It holds forth their sweet gifts and excellent knowledge in the truth of Christ who teach Christ they are to teach truth with speech comely Song 4. 3. and comfortably to the beloved of the Lord. Psalme 16. THis Psalme is a Prophesie of Christ David speaks concerning him see Acts. 25. to 35. 13 35. This Psalme is a golden Jewell it declares the riches of love to the sonnes and daughters of Christ their exceeding safe and happy estate in which is great consolation Vers 1. Preserve me O God There is no preservation in any thing but in God Preserve me Christ in the dayes of his flesh put up strong cryes and supplications to his Father Joâ— 17. For in thee doe I put my trust There is no trust to be put in any thing but in God 2. I put my trust Christ as he was man had faith and it was in God Gal. 2. Thou art my Lord Christ in acknowledging him honoureth the Father yea Christ is equall with him My goodnesse Christs goodnesse was of and from himselfe therefore his own Goodnesse Jesus Christ is full of goodnesse Col. 2. 3. therefore all that Christ hath done must needs be exceeding good and excellent in this is our happinesse and comfort Extendeth not to thee Appertaineth not to God God is perfect and infinite therefore he is not capable of any addition of goodnesse this is his perfection 3. But to the Saints Those that are made so by me they had no goodnesse of themselves their rigâ—tâ—ousnesse is of me Isa 45. 17. Extendet to tâ—e Saints It reacheth to theâ— there is no sonne or daughter in any place to whom my goodnesse doth not reach they have interest in it it s theirs and they shall injoy the fruit of it Goodnesse The Saints goodnesse is in Christ This goodnesse of Christ was not for every person in the world but to the Saints that aâ—e in the earth Saints Christs goodnesse made them Saints Vse Oh Saint admire the riches of Christ and his love to thee rest satisfied in Christs goodnesse which is thine rejoyce in it admire at it be thankfull for it walke sutable to it and improve this goodnesse against all thy doubts and feares c. To the excellent The Saints are excellent to Christ yea all of them are alike excellent beautifull glorious unspeakeable infinite excellent with the excellency of Christ they are more excellent then the whole creation of heaven and earth Christ calls them excellent and esteemes them so Eph. 5. 27. Oh Saint esteeme thy selfe as Christ doth to be excellent in his excellency for thy beauty it is perfect through my comelinesse I have put upon thee saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 14. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garment of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse Isa 61. 10. Use Oh glorious Saint the world knowes not thy worth therefore it esteems thee not yet slight not thy selfe because Christ hath made thee excellent In whom is all my delight Jesus Christ is fully pleased and contented with his All my deligâ—t An infinite delight Christ takes in his All One Saint is more esteemed by Christ then the whole creation of heaven and earth for those things have not any of his delight the Saints have it all the quintessence of all fulnesse Use O precious Saint delight thy selfe in God rest satisfied in him in his love and the delight he takes in thee Vers 4. Their sorrowes shall be multiplied that hasten after another God those that have another God they shall have sorrow and increases in griefe those that are not mine their drink offering of bloud will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips they are not in so happy a condition they shall finde the contrary from Christ he will not once name their names to God I will not be made an offering for them their offerings of bloud their costly services shall be rejected they shall finde no acceptance they are in a miserable condition Vers 5. Mine inheritance and lot Given me of my Father alotted to me Christs lot and inheritance is his people The Lords portion is his people
a lost sinner then he is or can be willing to be saved This should teach and incourage all that desire Christ to beleeve though thy sins aâ—â— many you need not doubt of his love for 't is infinite without time or measure full free and eternall I will love them freely Hos 14. 4 We pray you a loving way Obs Gods way of saving man is in a way of love Therefore God saith I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love Hos 11. 4. Behold I will allure her and speake comfortably to her Hos 2. 15. Wee pray you Obs Fallen man is contented to be as he is he is so seduced and deceived by sin that he need to be prayed and intreated to be reconciled We pray you in Christs stead Obs If Christ were with us he would pray us to be reconciled to him in his absence he hath sent some to pray us in his stead Obs Ignorance of Christs love is a cause of our feares when it is discovered our doubts are resolved and our hearts revived and inlarged Psal 63. 5 6. Be yee reconciled to God Obs The best estate of nature is a state of enmity against God for if these need any reconciliation how much more enemies Sight of reconciliation to God is consolation We are to distinguish betwixt Gods love and Reconciliation to us and our love and reconciliation to him they differ in nature and time and is grounded upon severall causes as to instance the cause of Gods Reconciliation to us is Gods love and the death of Christ our Reconciliation to God is the holy Spirit of God revealing to us Gods love and Christs Righteousnesse to be for us Reconcile us Obs Even such sinners as God doth love and sends after and will save they look upon God as their enemy and have hard thoughts of him For he hath made him Obs God the Father hath set apart the Lord Jesus to save man There is no other name whereby we may be saved Acts 4. 12. Heb. 9. 14. 22. Obs The way and meanes God hath chosen to free a sinner from sin is onely by Jesus Christ This should teach us to prize him and rest satisfied in him and not suffer ouâ— foolish hearts to seek after nor desire any other meanes or way of deliverance from fin but onely him Made him to be sin Some understand a sacrifice for sin and no more so as the guilt and punishment shall be translated unto Christ and not the fault but is it not unequall if not unjust and impossible to impose our guilt upon Christ and not our sin sin and guilt are inseperable for where there is no sin there can be no guilt therefore that our guilt might be laid on Christ necessarily our sins must after a sort be made his and annexed unto him by imputation all the sinnes of the Elect their adulteries murders blasphemies c. were laid upon him Isa 43. 5. Obs Sin must be charged upon Christ or the sinner and had not Christ undergone the penalty of sin no man could be saved as appeares Joh. 1. 1. 7. Joh. 1. 29. Rev. 8. 2. Eph. 2. 14 15. Heâ— 9. 22 Col. 1. 20. Zach. 9. 11. Our happinesse lieth in this that our sinnes are not â—mouted unto us Psal 32. 1 2. Obs God hath imputed our sins unto Christ and so laid them upon him that they are not ours no more but Christs who hath â—reed us and himselfe from them and so he shall apâ—eare without sin Heb. 9. 28. We should rest â—atisfied in Christs satisfaction because it is a â—ull perfect and infinite satisfaction Obs It appeares that the sence and guilt of â—in doth discourage a soule and cause it to desire to be at a further distance from God as Luk. 5. 8. Obs There needs strong reasons and earnest â—ntreaties to reconcile a soule to God yea â—he arme of the Lord must be revealed in them â—o make them effectuall Isa 53. 1. Obs The way to reconcile a soule to God â—s to let him understand the cause way and â—eans of his salvation therefore the Apostle â—aith He hath made him to be sin to us and â—hat we are justified freely Obs The words us and we in this verse wee are to understand them in the 19 verse to whom God doth not impute their trespasses therefore they are blessed Psal 32. 1 2. They shall not misse of glory they have Redemption by his blâ—ud the remission of sinnes Col. 1. 14. Rom. 5. 10. Therefore by us and we cannot be understood every sonne and daughter of Adam Obs For us That which is spoken in generall to beleevers every beleever is to apply it to himselfe in particular so Paul saith He loved â—e and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. Obs For us for me The word and promise of God that it is for me is that which the soule should fix its eye upon and for eveâ— relie upon to a full satisfaction to my soule knowing that the word and promise of God is the onely ground of faith and is securitiâ— sufficient for my salvation Obs Jesus Christ being made sin for me 〈◊〉 as good for me yea better for me then iâ—â— had never sinned as much better as a spirituall body is better then a naturall and 〈◊〉 the image of the heavenly is better then thâ— image of the earthly as much better 〈◊〉 strength is better then weaknesse and heâ—ven better then earth 1 Cor. 15. 43 44 〈◊〉 55. Obs As soone as the soule is convinceâ— that Jesus Christ is made fin for me and he made the Righteousnesse of God in him aâ— the soules feares doubts and discouragement and objections vanish and Christ is beleeveâ— in and lived upon with thankfulnesse aâ— joy Obs Which knew no sin Christ was wholly free from sin personally Luk 1 35. inherently Heb. 14. 5. and actually Joh. 8. 40. Obs Seeing Christ is so holy and so qualified as he is there is no reason why we should doubt of the sufficiency meritoriousnesse and effectuallnesse of that which Christ hath done for us Heb. 10. 10. 14. Obs That we mâ—gâ—t be made Whatsoever Jesus Christ hath done and suffered was for those whose fins were laid upon him and are fully pardoned by him Rev. 1. 5. Rom. 5. 19. That we might be made the Râ—ghteousnesse of God There is a twofold Righteousnesse according to the diversity of his nature the one uncreated and infinite which is the Righteousnesse of the Deity the other is created and finite which is the Righteousnesse of the humanity the first is infinite and therefore incommunicable the latter is the Righteousnesse of God also because it is in him who is not onely man but God So then Obs Christs Righteousnesse is the Righteousnesse of God The Righteousnesse which freeth a sinner from the curse of the Law is a perfect Righteousnesse Heb. 1. 8. Heb. 10. 3. see Job 33. 24. Obs Mans best Righteousnesse is imperfect it cannot justifie him
doe not make us the better before God nor the more beloved of God but they declare us to be what we are made by God The Papists doe as they say many good works to be saved but we abhorre it because it is condemned of God Not of workes least we should boast If it were of works it were not of grace Therefore all those that expect hope for mercy because they leave their sinnes and doe many good workes as they thinke alas they are greatly deluded they are not taken off of selfe-works and selfe-concurrence with Christ you are ignorant of the righteousnesse of Christ therefore yee goe about to establish your own righteousnesse and so long as yee doe so yee cannot submit to the righteousnesse of God see Rom. 10. 3. But if thou didst know what a righteousnesse Christ is thou wouldst have preferred it before thy own yea it would be esteemed by thee but dresse and dung to his Phil. 3. 8 9. Publicans and Harlots are neerer salvation then thee as righteous as thou art who work for life as the blind Pharisees did and perished see Mat 21. 31 32. Luk. 7. 29 30. We are not commanded to doe any thing to procure the pardon of our sinnes but in reference to service and duty I doe count my selfe never the nearer heaven for my best works then if I had never done any thing but swore and blasphemed God it s to him that worketh not Rom. 4. 2 3 4 5. We are saved not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1. 9 Doth not God speake plaine enough to the question in saying it is not according to our works And when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. I will doe away thy offences for my Names sake Isa 43. 25. When thou wert polluted in thy own bloud I said unto thee live then was the time of love Ezek. 16. 6. 8. From hence it is that all that see this mystery of Gods free grace that salvation is not according to our works they cry grace grace Christ Christ Christ is all in all nothing but Christ now all their prayers teares duties devotions all of theirs is nothing to them in respect of their acceptation justification or salvation they are dead to working they will not stirre to doe the least worke in the world to attaine any of these c. Heb. 4. 10. All ours is vanished in the infinite ocean of Gods free love it s so that God might have all the glory Eph. 1. 6. Jer. 9. 24. and that man might not boast Rom. 3. 9. but obey God freely Luk. 1. 74. I have no worke of God wrought in me The Spirit shall convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse Joh. 16. 7 8 9 10. God hath begun his worke in thee if he hath convinced thee of sin and of righteousnesse to be convinced of sin is for the soule to see it selfe utterly lost and undone by reason of sin they confesse thâ—y are vile and abhorre themselves Job 42. 6. They loath themselves for their deeds Ezek. 20. 43. 2. The soule is convinced so as to have no hope in any thing it can doe to help it selfe this is to be undone in nature so as he cannot doe any thing from whence he may expect salvation or have any hope of it for a man cannot expect life and salvation from Christ alone untill the soule be taken off all other things in respect of life This vision of God causeth the soule to see themselves and say There remaineth no strength in me my comelinesse is turned in me into corruption Dan 10. 8. That is now the case is altered from what it was now my best workes my righteousnesse is defiled and is sin now sinfull-selfe and righteous-selfe are alike if there be any difference the last is the worst now the creature hath nothing to procure Christ nor no strength to beleeve in him the Spirit of God reveales to the soule that there is nothing but darknesse and death in our best duties it is from grace to be taken off of nature and he that is taken off of nature hath grace is borne of God When the soule is taken off its own bottome it must have another to rest on or else it sinkes therefore when God takes away the soules false foundation which is her false hopes he gives the soule a better in himselfe this is the teaching and drawing of the Father Joh. 6. That in Christ there is a ransome in which is life and that all that Christ hath done is for him and that nothing will stand the soule in any stead but him when the soule hath learned this there is a secret power goeth with this teaching and carrieth the soule to Christ to beleeve in him for the teaching of the Father and faith goeth together Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6. So that to convince the soule of righteousnesse is to convince it of Christ to reveale that in him onely is helpe and in his righteousnesse is deliverance I have laid helpe upon one that is mighty Psal 89. 19. So that the Lord doth fix and settle the soule upon Christs righteousnesse onely at least he puts the soule under the hope of it Ezek. 16. 5 6. When the soule seeth nothing but death God saith live and when the soule is a going downe into the pit God saith Stay hearken I have received a Ransome for thee see Job 34. 23 24. Now the soule wonders at the love of God in pardoning his sinne he is taken up as Luk. 1. 41. 43 Though for the measure it is not in all the Lords alike The Spirit discovers to the soule that it hath chosen something else besides Christ upon which the soule resteth and satisfieth her selfe withall and expects mercy and comfort from her best workes and other lying vanities telling the soule that there is nothing but death in them God by this teaching turneth the soule from darkness viz. selfe Satan and all other lying vanities to light to Christ where life is telling the soule there is life in Christ and that it need not seeke life in nothing else but to waite upon Christ for it and that the soule shall not loose its waiting but shall certainly have it at last Isa 57. 13. These things are wrought in some measure Some are strong others are weake and are called carnall and not spirituall yet they are babes in Christ therefore they were in a happy state 1 Cor. 3. 1. 3. In the same measure this work is wrought in the soule in the same measure faith is wrought and as it appeares to the soule so faith appeares to the soule I know not whether I may beleeve for some shall not be saved The Scripture doth declare that he that beleeves shall be saved Joh. 3. 16. You are to rest satisfied in the Word of
God But I have no love to Christ I am an enemy to Christ and not fit for Christ 1. The reason you doe not love Christ is because thou doest not know Gods love to thee Wee love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. As soone as we know Gods love to us that love constraines us to love him 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2. Art thou an enemy to God so were all that ever did beleeve see Eph 2. 12 13. While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Enemies cannot deserve Christ yet God gives Christ to such 3. It s a foolish conceit to thinke of fitting thy selfe for Christ it can never be 4. If thou desirest Christ goe to him and you shall speed He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. You see you have his word for it also Christ is in you if you desire him for no man can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse that is Christ but such as are blessed Mat. 5. 6. They that are led out of themselves to Christ for light and life and strength are the children of God Rom. 8. 9 10 11 14. This desire is from the in-being of the light and life of Christ in you Indeed there are many great and sweet promises in the Word but they are all for beleevers but I am none I grant none may apply a promise of life but such as beleeve yet the promises are for all the Elect thou doest not know but thou art one of them when God shall give thee faith thou shalt know thou hast an interest in them Acts 13. 48. In the meane time stay thy selfe with this that the Lord Jesus gave himselfe for enemies and justifieth the ungodly Rom. 5. 4. see Rom. 5. 8. 10. Be not discouraged God may save you also the Lord saith I will have mercy upon her that hath not obtained mercy and I will say to them that are not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God Hos 2. 23. Oh sweet place therefore by no meanes yeeld to thy feares doe not nourish jealousies against his love resolve thee in Christs strength to cleave to his Word as Psal 119. 49. And hold there saying My beloved is mine and I am his Song 2. 16. FOr he Jehovah is and changeth never Strong gracious he is and mercifull The same this day as yesterday and ever Kindness truth as from their fountain flow Though thou hast nothing wrought no kinde of way That might deserve his mercy on thy part Doe not thou faint therefore or doubt to speed He gracious is and loves without desert If thou hast waited long and also pray'd And yet no comfort from him thou canst finde Still hope in him and be not thou dismaide He in the end will shew himselfe full kinde Declaring love yet in his judgement just All that doe know his Name will in him trust He is a Father O come taste and see How sweet he is and how he loveth thee I would gladly beleeve but I dare not 1. There is no reason in the world for thee to doubt or be afraid seeing Christ cryeth saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Joh. 7. 37. The Spirit and the bride say Come and whosoever will let him come Rev. 22. 17. Doth God say come come come and are you afraid come he will not quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 20. Hope thee in his mercy and know The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 11. 2. The feares in many are occasioned or much increased by such teachers who bid persons beleeve and then unbid them againe saying take heed what yee doe you may be deceived it s no easie matter to be saved you must first be humbled and so sensible of sin before yee may beleeve and they conceive they are not so humbled nor so qualified and therefore they dare not beleeve So sometimes they scare them exceedingly with the many things hypocrites may doe and how far they may goe and so set them short of hypocrites which must needs discourage them and terrifie them so they build up one day and pull it downe againe the next if not the same day The word of God requires no such teaching for men to learne before they doe beleeve for when the soule seeth it selfe lost the first thing they are to doe is to beleeve in Jesus Christ as appeares Acts 16. 31. The word requires nothing of them before they may beleeve therefore we may not for none may presume to teach what is not written Rev. 22. 18. 3. If thou desirest to beleeve thy will is in part regenerated and thou dost in some measure beleeve though weakly as he that said Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. Gods servants are described by a desire to feare his Name Nehe. 1. 11. Psal 145. 89. Psal 147. 11. Those desires which worke towards God came from God The spirit returnes to him that gave it if thy desires be spirituall thou art spirituall to will to repent and beleeve evidenceth that such do repent and beleeve to will to be regenerate is the effect and testimony of regeneration It is God that worketh in you to will Phil. 2. 13. Holy desires cannot be in the soule that hath no spirituall life Psal 145. 19. Desires after Christ are an act of spirituall life an act is from a faculty a faculty is from life and being a dead man desires not spirituall desires flow from the Spirit and are a part of the worke of God in us the will of man in it selfe is not able to effect a supernaturall action 2 Cor. 3. 5. insufficient to thinke Gen. 6. 5. He cannot perceive the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. He cannot repent Rom. 2. 4 5. He cannot come to Christ unlesse he be drawne Joh. 6. 44. God must give eyes to see and a heart to understand Deut. 29. 4. There can be no desires without saith 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. A man cannot desire that which he doth not love nor that he beleeves not to be Heb. 11. 6. Many doe give God their hearts and doe not know it and so are troubled because they doe not know what is meant by the heart nor where it is seated I speak not of the heart of flesh Rom. 8. 5 6 7. There is a carnall minde and a spirituall minde I speake of the heart mystically and spiritually which is principally seated in the will so that what it wills or desires there is the heart and to that which the will most wills or desires to that the bent of the heart is unto now if any one were to have its choice of any one thing in the world that one thing that the soule should choose would any question whether they loved it and whether their hearts were to it so in
live Which voice of his unto me life did give 3. When I heard this sweet voice of God to me Vpon my heart effectually it wrought That I was then so set at liberty That oft times I did ponder in my thought From sin Satan curse wrath and hell so free That I feare not what they can doe to me 4. Love caused God for me his Sonne to give Love caused Jesus Christ for me to dye Love caused God to say to my soule live Love in my soule doth now againe reply In Songs how lovingly Christ did come forth A mighty and ransome of great worth 5. What glorious sight of love is this I see That being had before the world could be Without all time bounds measure or degree Is this his love which he hath set on me One glorious sight of this so great love Will cause a soule for to be sicke of love 6. This love made known to me made me to muse That ever God should be to me so good To give his Sonne for me and me to choose Which was his enemy and in my bloud When I fled from him after me came he I sought not him but he sought after me 7. The love of God to me is passing great Which had a being ere the world began It boundlesse is and every way compleate And longer doth endure then this world can Like love to this hath never yet been heard And there is none can be to this compar'd 8. That many in their sinnes should be destroy'd Whose first condition was as good as mine And yet to me this mercy is injoyd Thus being freed I shall in glory shine This shews his love to me is great and free And could not be deserv'd at all by me 9. Oh! who could wish himselfe a thing so rare As to be hem'd in and compast about With boundlesse love oh who can it declare Or who by fathoming can finde it out My heart my hand tongue are all too weak Of matchlesse love to thinke or write or speak 10. It is through faith injoyed so excellent It comforteth and elevates on high The saddest heart and fills it with content Yea it revives a soule ready to dye The apprehending it brings joy and peace When it is clouded then our joys decrease 11. Each soule that doth this boundles joy possesse May well be swallowed in admiration And to the praise of God may it expresse And have it in their meditation Well may it cause us to serve feare and love This infinite Giver ever God above Glory be to God on high The end of the second Part. DIVINE CONSOLATIONS OR A fountaine of life and comfort The Third Part. Declaring that the Elect were justified from the punishment of sin by Christ when he was upon the Crosse and the objections against it are answered And that Christ alone is our life happinesse peace strength comfort joy and all perfection Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Rom. 4. 8. Being justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8. 33. For they are without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14. 5. By Samuel Richardson LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Aldersgate-streâ—te 1649. To all that love Jesus Christ in sincerity heires of the purchased possession to as many of them as this shall come understanding to know and love to embrace the truth Holy and beloved in the Lord BEhold I present to your view Christ crucified which is the sum and substance of the Gospel The Priesthood of Christ and the sufficiency of his Sacrifice to save is the main thing I contend for against the Papists who say Christs sacrifice is not sufficient without their sacrifice Charity saves saith one without good workes no salvation saith another a third saith that Christs sacrifice is not sufficient for our Salvation without beleeving that beleeving saves and that without beleeving we cannot be saved Yee see they all urge a necessity of something for salvation besides Christs Sacrifice without which something they say we cannot be saved so that they deâ—y the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice to save and so deny that Christ doth save for those that he saves he saves by his sacrifice Also if Christ and something else saves us Christ saves us not for he is no Saviour if he be but a part of a Saviour therefore in adding something to Christs sacrifice they deny the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice so that their opinions are dishonourable to Christ therefore as we tender the honour of Jesus Christ we are to hate and abhorre them being enemies to the Crosse of Christ and therefore abominable If we consider how generally these are received and scarce contradicted by any that beleeving and Christ and beleeving together saves us sure it should greatly stirre us up and provoke us to contend for the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice though our contending should cost us our lives There is no truth more honourable to Christ nor of greater concâ—rament to his glory and our salvation then this is take away any thing of the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice and our salvation is destroyed what a dishonour were it to God to send Christ to save us and yet for him not to save and not to be sufficient to save there is no opinion in the world that my soule doth more abhorre nor against which I would more freely lay downe my life for then this This Treatise tends to exalt Christ alone selfe is not exalted nor nothing of man this doctrine puts a man upon a whole deniall of himselfe because man and his best works are not onely wholy shut out in this worke but trampled upon in respect of Justification and Salvation This doctrine strips us naked from all things else but Christ it is not I and my workes nor Christ and my workes together that saves me but Jesus Christ alone is he that saves us from our sinnes c. Many want this light desire and hope of doing good moved and incouraged me to take paines herein and send it into the world I have no prejudice against the persons of any nor would I have any thinke ill of them in many things we sinne all in one kinde or other it s in vaine to expect better so long as we are in this world neither dâ—e I know that I take any pleasure in writing against any no further then I thinke my selfe bound in conscience to witnesse to the truth and then especially when others omit it Mr Gerees Booke against Dâ—ctor Crispe hath been published above foure yeares and no answer given to it by any neither have I heard that any other hath given any answer
to the other foure Treatises the most of them have been published severall yeares O yee that love the truth is it a small matter to you for Christ to be dishonoured and his truth condemned Doe yee not regard what violence is offered to the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice if yea why are yee so silent as if there were none to answer God complaineth None pleadeth for truth Isa 59. 4. It might grieve us to consider that others take more paines for errour then we doe for truth Can we say we love the Lord and his truth as we should and not lay it to heart In these cold dayes the love of many too many waxeth cold to God and man many professe love to Christ yet few love him as will appeare ere long for the knowledge and practise of the truth shall be slighted and hated there shall be found but a very few that will own it The more darke or doubtfull any thing appeares the more narrowly search the Scriptures and consider them the benefits will answer the paines set aside partiality prejudice and the opinions of men neither receive nor refuse without sufficient tryall pray to God to reveale his truth to thee I trust the Lord that hath directed this to thee will blesse it to thee so as thou shalt praise and honour him all thy dayes which is the desire of Samuel Richardson To Collonell Robert Tichborne Mr. Moris Thompson Merchant Mr. William Packer Captain and Mr. Methusalah Turner Linnen Draper Fulnesse of joy happinesse and glory Much honoured and worthy Sirs CHrist and him crucified is the best and most desireable object that can be presented unto your view what can be better or more desireable this is our happinesse glory and our chiefest joy Joy sweet satisfying unmixt pure spirituall glorious full and eternall there is no sweetness like to this of Christ dying for my sinnes his suffering for us the whole punishment of sinne so that God will not impute sinne to that soule for whom Christ dyed therefore we are for ever freed from the punishment of sinne The more we know this truth the more sweet is Christ to us and the more fixed on Christ our hearts will be the more we love and obey him and contend for the truth once delivered to the Saints This subject is love the best love which is most sweet and full of divine consolation In the view thereof I trust you shall finde some sweetnesse and if you had not injoyed this sweetnesse you could not have sented it forth so naturally fully and sweetly to me as you have done I have great cause to be thankfull to you and to God for you your love to me hath caused me to dedicate this small Treatise to you as a testimony of my hearty thankfulnesse to you for your love the Lord blesse you and keepe you from all evill So he prayes that remaines Your much obliged Samuel Richardson Of the Justification of a Sinner before GOD. Rev. 1. 5. Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in bis own bloud THese words declare the vertue fruit and efficacy of Christs bloud and the priviledges and happinesse of the Elect by it The word our comprehends the Elect as appeares John 17. 29. 6 37. c. Rom. 11. 17. Acts 20. 26. By the word sin here we are not to understand the being of sin for sin hath still a being in the Saints Paul saith Sin dwelleth in me Rom. 7. 17. see 1 Joh. 1. 8. In many things we sin all nor are we to understand it of the pollution and defilement of sin for sin is as filthy or and as abominable as ever and as defiling â—he ever therefore by sin we are to understand oâ— the charge curse wrath the condemnation of sin viz. the whole punishment of sin The word washed is a borrowed word from washing the dirt and filth from cloths c. so here washed us from our sinnes separated and clensed us from sinne viz. the punishment of sinne This him that hath washed us is Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 5. The word bloud comprehends his death and something else as appeares Heb. 9 22. 2â— He offered himselfe through the eternall Spirit 1 Joh. 1. 14. The life and substance of all lay hid under this vaile that is to say his flesh Heb. 10. 26. By vertue of this union there was such a worth in Christs bloud as was able to doe it 1 Pet. 1. 19. with Acts 20. 28. Hath washed us in his own bloud which declares that it is done and therefore it s not a doing nor to be done for he did it in his own bloud that is when he shed his bloud his own bloud that is the bloud of his body by his death he did wash and clense us from our sinnes that is from the punishment of them The cause why he washed us from our sinnes that was his love which was in himselfe nothing in us or done by us did cause him to y dye for us Doct. That Jesus Christ by his death upon the Crosse he fully freed his from sin that is to say the punishment of sin for ever as fully as if they had never sinned For prooâ—e consider these Arguments or Reasons drawn from Scripture and I shall be the 〈◊〉 large in it because there is much consolation in it also it is denied by many who ascribe our Justification from sin to beleeving c. For from the Scriptures I thus reason Argu 〈◊〉 Iâ— Jesus Christ hath suffered for our sinnes then he hath suffered the whole punishment of sin if so then we are freed from the punishment of sin and if he freed us not from that his suffering for us was ineffectuall and he freed us not from any thing at all for there was nothing we were liable unto but the punishâ—ent of sinne But Christ suffered for us for our sinnes the just suffered for the unjust 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. He offered himselfe for the errors of the people Heb. 9. 7. The punishment of our sin was death In the day thou earest thereof thou shalt dye Gen. 2. 17 Christ tasted death and underwent the same Heb. 2. 9. He gave himselfe for our sinnes Eph 2. He laid downe his life for ours Joh. 10. 15. Christ shed his bloud for the remission of sinne Mat. 26. 28. Therefore it was sufficient for the remission of sinne if it be remitted the punishment is taken away if his life was not sufficient for ours his precious bloud sufficient to satisfie for all our sinnes 1 Pet. 1. 19. to what purpose did he die for us The law said Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3. 10. So that we were under the curse nor liable to it the curse was the punishment of sin Christ to free us from it he was made a curse for
remission â—eb 9. 22. 26. None can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give to God 〈◊〉 for him the redemption of the soul 〈…〉 89. 7 8. Rom. 7. 14. The cause of our being delivered from destruction and our eternall happinesse in heaven is ascribed to Christs bloud to his ransome God saith Deliver him from going downe into the pit for I have received a ransome Job 33. 24. see Zach. 9. 11. Our not being condemned is ascribed to Christs death It s Christ that dyed who now shall condemne Rom. 8. 33 34. Therefore Christs ransome his death is the thing which delivereth us from the punishment oâ— sin heaven is called our purchased possession Eph. 1. 14. All except election and the love of God is attributed to Christ Wee preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thus I have fully proved that Christ upon the Crosse did suffer the whole punishment of sin for all his Elect for ever if it were not so Christ did die in vaine or is not a full and a compleat Saviour if he suffered but part of the punishment of sin he had saved us but in part and not fully and perfectly but Christs dying for us was to free us from all the punishment due to us for sin Christ bare all in being made a curse for us for what he did bare he bare for us and that which he hath borne for us we shall never beare and therefore it is a most certaine truth that all the Elect are for ever fully freed from the whole punishment of sin and his death is our justification and freedome from the curse and punishment of sin and this is no small part of our happinesse and comfort Vse of this Doctrine Vse 1. To exhort all that are the Lords to ascribe their salvation to the free love of God and to the death of our sweet Lord Jesus Christ and Christ alone and to nothing but Christ Who was made sin for us but Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21 Who bare our sins in his own body but Christ 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who was ordained to take away sin but Christ Heb. 9. 20. Who hath redeemed us from all iniquities but Christ Psal 130. 8. Titus 2. 14. Who finished transgressions and made an end of sin but Christ Deut. 9. 24. Zach. 3. 9. Heb. 10. 4 5. 7. Who appeared to take away sin but Christ 1 Joh. 3. 5. Who came into the world to save sinners but Christ 1 Tim. 1. 15. Who washed us from our sins and purged them away but Christ Rev. 1. 5. Heb. 1. 3. Who gave himselfe for our sins but Christ Eph. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who was made a curse for us and delivered us from the curse but Christ Gal. 3. 13 14. Who laid downe his life for ours but Christ Joh. 10. 15. Who bare our griefes and carried our sorrowes but Christ Who was stricken and smitten afflicted and wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities but Christ Isa 53. By whose stripes are we healed but Christs 1 Pet. 1. 24. Who is that just one that suffered for the unjust but Christ 1 Pet. 3. 18. Who made peace for us but Christ by the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1. 20 21. Who reconciled us but Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. By what means are our trespasses forgiveÌ„ but only by him Col. 2. 13. Who hath so blotted out our sins that they cannot be laid to our charge Rom. 8. 33. Who could deliver us from the wrath to come but Christ 1 Thes 1. 10. What bloud could clense us from all sin but Christs Joh. 1. 29. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Who hath carried away our sinnes but Christ What could justifie us but Christ by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. What could make us compleat Col. 2. 10. and all faire Song 2. 10. Without â—ault Kev 14. 5. Without spot Song 4. 7. and perfect us for ever but Christ Heb. 10. 14. What could make us one with Christ Heb. 2. 11. his fellowes Heb. 1. 9. and make us the righteousnesse of God but Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. Who is our righteousnesse but Christ Jer. 23. 6. Job 33. 23. by whose obedience we are made righteous Rom. 5. What ransome could deliver us but Christs Zach. 9. 11. Job 33. 24. What could make us free from the law of sin and death but Christ Rom. 8. 2 3. What could make us free but Christ Gal. 5. 1. Who could present us holy to God but Christ Col. 1. 20. Who brought salvation but Christ Who â—ought our battell got the victory and delivered us from all our enemies but Christ Luk. 1. 68. What Redeemer and Saviour have we but Christ who is all in all And seeing all is attributed to his bloud 1 Cor. 1. 18. 18. 23. we may not attribute it to beleeving justification and salvation are proper onely to Christ to his bloud to effect it to attribute it to beleeving as some doe is to rob Christ to give it to beleeving And if the preaching of Christ in wisdome of words made the Crosse of Christ of none effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. this opinion of theirs doth much more Gal. 5. 9. 2. Prise this doctrine contend earnestly for it Jude 3. Be content to suffer for it 3. Fetch all thy comfort from Christ in this truth meditate on this truth and endeavour that others may enjoy it with thee 4. Thinke nothing too much for him that hath done so much for you walke holily as it becometh the Gospel obey Christs coâ—mands tremble at the thought of giving way to sin least ye dishonour Christ and his truth and open the mouths of the wicked against the people of God Of the excellency and benefit of this Doctrine 1. There is no doctrine in Religion more honorable to the Lord Jesus Christ then this is this is the doctrine that gives all to Christ and exalts him alone that God may be all in all this doctrine cryeth nothing but Christ for he hath done all for us and is all unto us Col. 3. 11. The maine thing the Apostle desired to know was nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. 2. This doctrine most magnifieth the free love of God in that he hath loved us justified and saved us freely many are not able to behold this light it is so great as when the Sun shineth in its strength weake eyes are not able to beare it onely the Eagle can behold it so none but the Eagle-eyed Christians are able to behold the Sonne of Righteousnesse shining in his glory therefore few receive it the Prophet speaking of this doctrine saith Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. So that unlesse the power of God causeth the soule to see this truth there is no beleeving it men are ignorant of the fulnesse of the perfection of Christs righteousnesse therefore they condemne it goe about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. They reproach this doctrine
Geree saith that Doctor Crispe condemnes doing any thing for our own salvation and is not ashamed to say there is no condition on mans part I say nothing is more evident in the Gospel then Conditions on the Covenant on mans part to wit Faith and Repentance without which he cannot be in the Covenant nor have any share in Jesus Christ As Masters covenant with their servants so doth God with his people and they with him and if it be not performed the covenant is frustrate Rom. 3. 27. Acts 27. 24. 31. 2 Cor. 6. 14. to 19. If we meane to have God for our God we must repent and come out and God will receive us and upon no other termes in the world therefore I conclude that Doctor Cripse is fully deceived and strangely deluded and so are all others as did and doe beleeve him Epist side 9. pag. 35. 37. 43. 67. 72. 75. 77 78 79. 80. 99. 102. Ans You prove not what you affirme Rom 3. 27 declares salvation is not of works this is a full place against you Acts 27. Except yee abide in the Ship yee cannot be saved this is a temporall salvation from drowning unlesse he brings this place to prove his soule shall not be saved whose body is drowned it s not to the question for the 2 Cor. 6. he alledgeth to prove that God is our God upon termes not else whereas these words were written to the Saints who were converted and the Church of God before this Epistle was written to them this Church of Corinth had some communion and fellowship with Idolaters therefore the Lord exhorts them to come out from amongst them and he would receive them declare himselfe to be their God and owne them to be his people in a Church Relation as Rev 1. 20. 2. 5. see pag. 170. To understand it concerning our eternall condition is to contradict the Scripture which saith He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities Psal 103. 10. Psal 89. Gods love to his depends not upon what wee doe see Gods eternall good will to his Jer. 31. 3. 34. 40. Joh 13. 1. Luk. 22. 32. Joh. 17. 20 21. Mat. 21. 22. Rom. 8. 9. Joh. 14. 16. Joh. 10. 28. Phil. 2. 6. Rom. 11. 29. 1 Joh. 3 9. Mat. 24. 24. Tell me is Election Christs death conversion c. fruits of hatred or love if of love then God loved the Elect before they beleeved yea before they were borne Eph. 1. 4. If we are chosen to life according to the good pleasure of his will then we are not chosen to life according to our beleeving and repenting c. But the first is true Eph. 1. 5 6. Therefore the latter is true also nor are men chosen to life because God foresaw they would beleeve God is eternall the will of God is God he was never without his will what he now willeth he ever did therefore there could not be any cause to goe before it to cause it to be or so to be man cannot Elect without an act and time but it s not so with an infinite being Election is his eternall and immutable decree from eternitie Rom. 9. 11. Eph. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. It is the more wonderfull and glorious that it is without beginning his love is everlasting Jer. 31. 3. Therefore without beginning as God is infinite without beginning so is his love for God is love 1 Joh. 4. 16. see Joh. 17. 23. Therefore God loves his as much before they beleeve as after The Scripture doth not say God began to love when we began to beleeve nor that he loves any the better because they beleeve it is a certain truth that Gods love to us is not as ours is to him In that yee would have men to doe something for salvation it appeares you are ignorant of the taking away of sinne by the death of Christ hence it is that you urge our works to be necessary to salvation and so did the Seducers Acts 15. 5. 20. 30. If it were as you say wee are under an absolute covenant of works Doe this and live men must do so and so saith the Papist or else no salvation so say you Though God hath promised and Christ purchased all good for beleevers yet they shall not have it unlesse they doe so c. Doe you not see how you exalt your workes above the skies yea above God and his promise and the death of Christ and make workes all in all because without them all is frustrate and comes to nothing What no share in Christ without our workes all is frustrate if it be so then our works are joynt Saviours with Christ chiefe Saviours is not this pure Popery and the Popes Doctrine to a haire yet it hath an Imprimatur J. C. is there not a cleare light of the Gospel in such Licensers see Jer. 5. 31. Gal. 5. 2. Christ undertook to obtaine for his remission of sinnes by his death but he did not performe it perfectly if it be in part by our workes if it depends upon our workes then it depends not upon the death of Christ or doe you bring in Christ to merit that your workes may merit salvation Most truly and worthily did Doctor Crispe contend for the sufficiency of Christs bloud to save us and you contend against him and contend for the sufficiency of your doings in bringing in your workes to salvation and so undervalue the bloud of Christ therefore I contend against you our workes are imperfect and that which is so cannot please God if yee say Christ makes it up with his perfection in adding Christ to piece it out to make it up its apparent yee make Christ but a piece of a Saviour which is the greatest indignity yee can offer to him We doe condemne the doing of any thing for our own salvation and the Reasons why we doe so are 1. We doe nothing to be saved because Christ hath saved us He came into the world to save us and he saved us before he ascended therefore we are not now to be saved from our sinnes Heb. 10 10. 12. 14. 1 Tim. 1. 9. It s too late for us to be paying the debt of our sinnes by our worke the debt being paid before by Christ for us God did execute on him in his death all the punishment that was due to us for our iniquities God doth rest satisfied in Christs satisfaction for the sinnes of his past present and to come Isa 53. 5 6. 11. Heb 10 10. 14. Blessed he the Lord God of Isael for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David that wee should be saved from our enemies c Luk 1. 68 69. 71. Christ is the horne of Salvation 2. God requires no righteousnesse of us to save us because Christ hath fulfilled all righteousnesse for us Mat 3. 15. His
are justified in the beloved so we are compleat in his compleatnesse not in our selves but in him is our perfection Col. 2. 10. 28 Argu. Our Justification is a part of our compleatnesse therefore where we are compleat there we are justified but we are compleat in him Col. 2 10. Therefore we are justified in him therefore we are not justified in our selves nor by beleeving 29 Argu. If we be justified by grace and beleeving is not grace then we are not justified by beleeving but we are justified by grace Rom. 4. 24. Titus 3 7. Beleeving is not grace the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. are called graces by men but not by God the Scripture calls them not so faith love meeknesse temperance peace joy c. are not graces but effects of grace gifts of grace or from grace grace is but one there are not many graces though there be many gifts of love which are the effects of it which all are the gifts of grace Rom. 2. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 4. Grace is out of us in the good will and pleasure of God and Christs death was an effect of grace of Gods grace is love Titus 3. 7. We are exhorted to grow in grace viz. in the knowledge of the love of God c. He that beleeves hath the witnesse in him but faith is not this witnesse 1 Cor. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 13. The seed that remaineth in us is not God but the Word of God Luk. 8. 11 12. Rom. 10. 17. Rom. 8. 30. It declareth the order of Gods dispencing these priviledges to us the setting of one thing before another doth not alwayes prove the being of it before it see 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rev. 5. 9. If men be called before justified men are not justified by beleeving for if they be called they beleeve or else how are they called if they be beleevers and yet are not justified it is because beleeving could not justifie them We are also to consider when Scriptures were written if before Christs death or after Some of those before his death saith as some object He shall redeeme Israel Psal 130. 8. He shall justifie Isa 53. 11. He shall save his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 20 21. These speake in the Future tense he shall come for as yet Christ was not borne but after Christs death the Scripture speaketh in the Present tense because he had then actually done it see Heb. 10. 10. 12. 14. Rev. 1. 5. 5. 9. Before Christs death it was commonly expressed that he should do it now Christ hath done it wee may not say it is to doe Justification by beleeving is not to be understood of Justification it selfe but the manifestation of it in the conscience for the Scripture attributes that to a thing which is not a cause nor meanes nor effect of it but a meere shadow of it as appeares Levit. 16. 30. compared with Heb. 10. 11. Col. 2. 17. Till Christ dyed there was no satisfaction for any one sinne the Father trusted Christ for the sins of the Elect till Christs death and then Christ made payment for the sinnes of his Elect to the end of the world 30 Argu. If we are healed by Christs stripes then we were healed before we beleeved for his stripes were before his death when he dyed upon the Crosse but Christs stripes healed us By whose stripes we are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. Therefore beleeving doth not heale us then ever since Christs death we have been sound and whole even before we knew it see Eph. 2. 16. 31 Argu. If men are given to Christ before they beleeve then beleeving doth not make men belong to Christ but the first is true Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 17. 6. Therefore the latter is true also 32 Argu. If salvation is in Christ then it is not in us much lesse in beleeving but salvation is in Christ 2 Tim. 2. 10. Mat. 1. 21. 33 Argu. If the cause why we shall live is because Christ lives Joh. 14. 19. then beleeving is not the cause why we shall live if we are alive to God through Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5. 7. then not through beleeving see Rom. 6. 10 11. for beleeving is not Jesus Christ 34 Argu. If our salvation depends upon the promise of God then it depends not upon our beleeving but it depends upon the promise of God Heb. 13. 8. Heb. 6. 17 18. 35 Argu. If the Reason why we shall not perish is because none are able to plucke us out of his hand then the Reason of our not perishing is not because we beleeve but the Reason we are saved is because none are able to pluck us out of his hand John 20. 28 29 30. 36 Argu. If our salvation depends upon the faithfulnesse of God then it depends not on our beleeving but it depends upon the faithfulnesse of God 1 Thes 5. 23 24. Mica 7. 18. 20. 37 Argu. If the Reason why we are not consumed is Because the Lord changeth not Mal. 3. 6. Then it is not because we beleeve we change oft but he never Heb. 13. 5. The ground of my confidence is not in any thing in me or done by me but in God in his promise Psal 62. 7 8. I rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. and that my name is written in the booke of life Luk. 10. 20. O yee that love the Lord Rejoyce in the Lord Phil. 3. 1. Alway Phil 4. 4. Evermore 1 Thes 5. 16. I would know of you that hold we are justified by beleeving whether faith in the nature and power of it doth justifie or no if yea I would know how the power to beleeve apart from the exercise of it can be knowne to us and how it may be called faith when there is no beleeving and whether the light and power by which we beleeve be not the same by which we obey the rest of the commands of God and how it can be distinguished apart or without beleeving if it justifieth us without its act can you tell how and when you were justified for if it may be in the soule one houre and not act why not two seven yeares and whether this opinion doth not imply that a man may have faith and be justified by it and yet not know it nor beleeve if faith justifieth in respect of the righteousnesse and meritoriousnesse of it whether it will not follow that we are not justified by the righteousnesse of Christ but by that of faith which is in our selves and so need not looke at a righteousnesse in another in Christ if the act of faith justifie whether we are justified by one act or many if by one how we may know it or distinguish it that we may not so act faith againe needlesly for what need is there of more then one if one be enough if many acts of faith be required to justifie us it is necessary to know how many that so we may know when we are justified
himselfe to be theirs and own them for his visibly My people Isa 5. 13. called so Rom. 9. 25. And so shall they own him in this sense they were not his people nor God to their God before Geree We must make our Election sure 2 Pet. â— 5 6 7. 10 11. Ans This place is to be understood of the knowledge of our interest in it that is we are to use all the meanes to attaine to the knowledge of it as for Election it selfe is sure enough it was before the world therefore nothing we can doe can cause it to be nor cause us to have an interest in it Eph. 1. 4. Our help comes too late to doe that which was done before we were borne we grant that untill men beleeve we cannot tell who is elected or shall be saved till it appeares to us Acts 13. 48. Geree All justified persons please God but without faith none can please God Heb. 11. 6. I herefore without faith no man is justified Ans God was ever pleased with the persons of the Elect Jacob was loved before he had done good or evill Rom. 9. 11. 13. This love is from everlasting Jer. 31. 3. God loves the Elect as he loves Christ and Christ was loved before the foundation of the world Joh. 17 23 24. Therefore the persons of the Elect pleased God before the world therefore before they beleeved nor doth God love any the more or the better because they beleeve as appeares Rom. 5. 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. Rom. 11. 28. 1 Joh 4. 16. Therefore Heb. 11. 6. is to be understood of actions not done in faith are not according to the Word therefore are not acceptable therefore your Sylogisme is not true nor safe if ye learne the truth ye must learne a new Logicke your Doctrine inferres that a beleever doth not sinne or if he doe he pleaseth God if ye grant its possible for one that is justified to displease God then ye contradict your selfe then its possible for a man to displease God and yet be justified Geree Faith and repentance on mans part are conditions of the Covenant of grace is evident Joh. 3. 16. p. 73. Ans I would see Scripture for this I heare it from men but not from Christ the Scripture doth not say that beleeving and repentance are conditions of the covenant of grace nor that there is any conditions on mans part of the Covenant of grace When you write againe alledge the Scripture that saith so or say nothing if there be conditions in the covenant of grace then the covenant is frustrate if the condition be broken if it were so we could not be certaine of salvation Joh. 3. 16. Mark 16. 15 16. and the like places are not conditions of the covenant of grace but directions how the Gospel is to be preached and applyed if any aske who shall be saved the Scripture answers He that beleeves The Scripture saith He that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Ye see Baptisme is required as well as faith the thiefe on the Crosse was not baptized yet saved if he was saved and yet wanted the one by the same reason another may be saved in the want of the other if he belong to the election of grace seeing beleeving repentance baptisme are workes in nature one Whereas it is said He that beleeveth not shall be damn'd and is condemned already Such Scriptures hold forth what men are in appearance and not what they are in respect of the eternall decree and appointment of God for those who beleeve were once unbeleevers Rom. 11. 32. And if it were his will that they should be damn'd God hath or must change his will or they cannot be saved For the Lord of hosts hath sworne saying as I have thought so shall it come to passe as I have purposed it shall stand Isa 14. 24. 46. 10. Acts 2. 23. Heb. 6. 17. To be condemned already is to be understood they are condemned in the Scriptures and in their own consciences yet if elected they shall be saved The Word of God is his will viz. his signifying will it reveales some part of his pleasure it is not his decree or pleasure it is not so properly his will as the will of his good pleasure is By the event the not slaying Isaack it appeared that it was not the will and decree of God that Abraham should kill his Sonne nor Niniveh be destroyed The word of God is his signifying will and it concernes us to looke upon it to binde us to the observation of it untill he signifie the contrary thus it was in Abrahams case concerning the killing of his Sonne Also the providence of God declares his will as well as his word though it be not in the same way instance the sparing of Niniveh c. Geree Righteousnesse is imputed to us by faith p. 102. Ans The Scripture saith God imputeth Righteousnesse you say faith imputes it faith and beliefe you make one p 85. Doe you make God and beliefe one or doe you deny that God imputeth Righteousnesse 1. Nor doth God impute our beleeving for Righteousnesse if it be said Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse So Phineas executing Judgement was imputed to him for Righteousnesse unto all generations Psal 106. 30 31. That is it was an action commendable 2. It what it was imputed his beleeving or that which he beleeved it was Christ his Righteousnesse that was imputed not his beleeving the word beleeving implyeth so much that Righteousnesse is elsewhere and not in beleeving nor in our selves for by it we apprehend something out of our selves in another in Christ 3. If God imputed his beleeving to him for righteousnesse then it was his righteousnesse or God imputeth it for that which it was not for Christ is our righteousnesse This is his Name that they shall call him the Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. We are to aske in his Name viz. his Name is his Righteousnesse He is made unto us Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. In his Name that is in the confidence of his Righteousnesse wee are accepted and shall have what we need in this confidence goe to God without wavering 1. Righteousnesse is in Christ In the Lord have I righteousnesse Isa 45. 24. Rom. 2. 24. 2. Beliefe is in us Christs righteousnesse is without us it covereth us Rev. 19. 8. 7. 9. 13 14. Isa 61. 10. 3. Daniel beleeved yet righteousnesse was not then brought in Dan. 9. 24. Isa 61. 1. 4. The Saints did not count beliefe to be their righteousnesse Psal 71. 16. Mica 7. 9. I shall behold his righteousnesse Righteousnesse and glory consists not in faith but rather subsists in us by it I meane the comfort of this Righteousnesse 5. To say that any thing is our righteousnesse besides Christ is to deny him the preheminence in all things Col. 1. 18. 6. Therefore the Saints cry O Lord thou art