Christ hath given sinne its deaths wound by his power spirit death and resurrection yet it will die but a lingring death As a man that is mortally wounded dies by little and little so doth sin in the heart of a Saint The death of Christ on the Crosse was a lingring death so the death of sin in the soule is a lingering death now it dies a little and anon it dies a little c. as the Psalmist speaks Slay them not least my people forget scatter them by thy power and bring them downe oh Lord our shield He would not have them utterly destroyed but some reliques preserved as a memoriall so God dealeth in respect of sin 't is wounded and brought downe but not wholly slaine something is still left as a monument of the Divine grace and to keep us humble wakefull and watchfull and that our armour may be still kept on and our weapons alwayes in our hands The best mens soules in this life hangs between the flesh and the spirit as it were like Mahomets Tomb at Aleppo between two load-stones like Erasmus as the Papists paint him betwixt The Romanes lost many a battel â—nd yet in the issue were Conquerors in all their wars 't is just so with the Saints Heaven and Hell like the Tribe of Manasseh halfe on this side Jordan in the Land of the Amorites and halfe on that side in the Holy Land yet in the issue they shall overcome the flesh and trample upon the necks of their spirituall enemies The Sixth Device that Satan hath to keep a poor soule in a sad doubting and questioning condition is BY suggesting to the soule that surely 6 Device his estate is not good because he cannot joy and rejoyce in Christ as once he could because he hath lost that comfort and joy that once was in his spirit Saith Satan thou knowest the time was when thy heart was much carried out to joying and rejoycing in Christ thou doest not forget the time when thy heart used to be full of joy and comfort but now how art thou fallen in thy joyes and comforts Therefore thy estate is not good thou doest but deceive thy selfe to think that ever it was good for surely if it had thy joy and comfort would have continued And hereupon the soule is apt to take part with Satan and say 't is even so I see all is naught and I have but deceived my owne soule c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy against this Device 1 Remedie of Satan is to consider that the losse of comfort is a separable adjunct from grace the soul may be fâ—ll of holy affections when 't is empty of Divine consolations There may be and often Ps 63. 1 2 8. Isa 50. 10. 7. Mic. 7. 8 9. Psal 42. 5 is true grace yea much grace where there is not a drop of comfort nor a dram of joy Comfort is not of the being but of the wel-being of a Christian God hath not so linked these 2 choice lovers together but that they may be Spirituall joy is a Sun that is often clouded though it be as precious a flower as most Paradise affords yeâ— 't is subject to side and wâ—â—ther put asunder That wisdome that is from above will never work a man to reason thus I have no comfort therefore I have no grace I have lost that joy that once I had therefore my condition is not good was never good c. but 't will inable a man to reason thus tho my comfort is gone yet the God of my comfort abides though my joy is lost yet the seeds of grace remaine The best mens joyes are as glasse bright and brittle and evermore in danger of breaking The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the precious things that thou still injoyest are far better then the joyes and comforts that thou hast lost Thy union with Christ thy communion with Christ thy son-ship thy saint-ship thy heir-ship thou still injoyest by Christ is far better then the comforts thou hast lost by sin what though thy comforts be gone yet thy union and communion with Christ remaines though thy comforts be gone yet thou art a Son tho Jer. 31. 18 19 20. a comfortlesse Son an heir though a comfortlesse heir a Saint though a comfortlesse Saint Though the bag of silver thy comforts be lost yet the When one objected to Faninus his chearfullnesse to Christs Agony and sadnesse he answered Christ was sad that I might bemerry he had my sins and I have his righteousnesse box of Jewels thy union with Christ thy communion with Christ thy Sonship thy Saint-ship thy Heir-ship which thou still injoyest is far better then the bag of silver thou hast lost yea the least of those precious Jewels is more worth then all the comforts in the world well let this be a cordiall to comfort thee a star to lead thee and a staffe to support thee that thy box of Jewels are safe though thy bag of silver be lost The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedy of Satan is to consider that thy condition is no other then what hath been the condition of those precious Psal 51. 12. Psal 30. 6 7. Job 23. 6 8 9. 30. 31. Lam. 1. 16. Mat. 27. 46. soules whose names were written upon the heart of Christ and who are now at rest in the bosome of Christ One day you shall have them praising and rejoycing the next day a mourning weeping one day you shall have them a singing Psal 42. 5. The Lord is our portion the next day a sighing and expostulating with themselves Lam. 5. 15. Why are yee cast downe oh our souls Why is our Harp turned to mourning And our Organ into the voice of them that weep c. The fourth Remedy against this Device 4 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the causes of joy and comfort are not alwayes the same Happily thy former joy and comfort did spring from The spirit doth not every day make a feast in the soul he doth not make every day to be a day of wearing the wedding robes the witnesse of the spirit he bearing witnesse to thy soule that thy nature was changed thy sins pardoned thy soule reconciled c. Now the Spirit may upon some speciall occasion bear witnesse to the soul that the heart of God is dearly set upon him that he loves him with an everlasting love c. and yet the soule may never injoy such a testimony all the dayes of his life again Though the spirit be a witnessing spirit it 's not his office every day to witnesse to believers their interest in God Christ Heaven c. Or happily thy former joy and comfort did spring from the newnesse and suddennesse of the change of thy condition for a man in one
and by the strongest and the choicest Arguments that the Scripture doth afford And why doe they kill two at once The faithfull Labourers name and their own souls by their wicked words and actings because they are put upon repenting which Satan tells them is so easie a thing surely were repentance so easie wicked men would not be so much enraged when that doctrine is by evangelicall considerations prest upon them The fift Remedy against this Device 5 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that to repent of sin is as great a work of grace as not to sin By our sinfull falls the powers of the soule are weakned the Yet it is better to be kept from sin then cuâ—ed of sin by Repentance as it is better for a man to be preserved from a disease then to be cured of the disease strength of grace is decayed our evidences for Heaven are blotted feares and doubts in the soul are raised will God once more pardon this scarlet sin and shew mercy to this wretched soul and corruptions in the heart are more advantaged and confirmed and the conscience of a man after falls is the more inraged or the more benummed now for a soul notwithstanding all this to repent of his falls this shewes that 't is as great a work of grace to repent of sin as 't is not to sin Repentance is the vomit of the soul and of all Physick none so difficult and hard as 't is to vomit the same means that tends to preserve the soul from sin the same means works the soul to rise by Repentance when 't is fallen into sin We know the mercy and loving kindnesse of God is one speciall means to keep the soul from sin as David spake Thy loving kindnesse is alwayes before mine eyes and I have Psal 26. 3 4 5. walked in thy truth I have not sat with vain persons neither will I go in with dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evill doers and will not sit with the wicked So by the same means the soul is raised by Repentance out of sin as you may â—ee in Mary Magdalen who loved much and Luke 7. 37 38 39 c. Hos 6. 1 2. wept much because much was forgiven her so those in Hosea Come let us returne unto the Lord for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will binde us up after two dayes he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight or before his face as the Hebrew hath it i. e. in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 favour confidence in Gods mercy and love that he would heal them and bind up their wounds and revive their dejected spirits and cause them to live in his favour was that which did work their hearts to repent and return unto him I might further shew you this truth in many other perticulars but this may suffice onely remember this in the gnerall that there is much of the power of God and love of God and faith in God and fear of God and care to please God and zeale for the glory of God requisite to work a man to repent 2 Cor. 7. 11. of sin as there is to keep a man from sin by which you may easily judge that to repent of sin is as great a work as not to sin and now tell me oh soul is it an easie thing not to sin we know then certainly 't is not an easie thing to repent of sin The sixt Remedy against this Device 6 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that he that now tempts thee to sin upon this account that repentance is easie will ere long to work thee to despaire Beda tells of a certain great man that was admonished in his sicknes to repent who answer'd that he would not repent yet for if he should recover his companions would laugh at him but growing sicker and sicker his friends pressed him again to repent buâ—then he told them it was toolate Quia jam judicatus sum condemnatus for now said he I am judged and condemned to say we are thine and we must follow thee Now Satan will help to work the soul to look up and see God angry and to look inward and see Conscience accusing and condemning and to look downwards and see Hells mouth open to receive the impenitent soul and all this to render the work of repentance impossible to the soul what saith Satan doest thou think that that is easie which the whole power of grace cannot conquer while we are in this world Is it easie saith Satan to turn from some outward act of sin to which thou hast been addicted Dost thou not remember that thou hast often complained against such and such particular sins and resolved to leave them and yet to this hour thou hast not thou canst not What will it then be to turn from every sin Yea to mortifie and cut off those sinâ— those darling lusts that are as joynts and members that be as right hands and right eyes Hast thou not loved thy sins above thy Saviour Hast thou not preferred earth before Heaven Hast thou not all along neglected the means of Grace and despised the offers of Grace and vexed the spirit of Grace There would be no end if I should set before thee the infinit evils that thou hast committed and the innumerable good services that thou hast omitted As one Lamachus a Commander said to one of his souldiers that was brought before him for a misbehaviour who pleaded he would doe so no more saith he Non li cet in bello bis peccare no man must offend twice in war so God will not suffer men often to neglect the day of grace and the frequent checks of thy owne Conscience that thou hast contemned and therefore thou mayest well conclude that thou canst never repent that thou shalt never repent now saith Satan doe but a little consider thy numberlesse sins and the greatnesse of thy sins the foulnesse of thy sins the hainousnesse of thy sins the circumstances of thy sins and thou shalt easily see that those sins that thou thoughtest to be but motes are indeed mountaines and is it not now in vain to repent of them Surely saith Satan if thou shouldest seek repentance and grace with tears as Esau thou shalt not find it thy glasse is out thy sun is set the door of mercy is shut the golden Scepter is taken in and now thou that hast despised mercy shalt be for ever destroyed by Justice for such a wretch as thou art to attempt repentance is to attempt a thing impossible 't is impossible that thou that in all thy life couldest never conquer one sinne shouldest master such a numberles number of sins which are so near so dear so necessary and so profitable to thee that have so long bedded and boarded with thee that have been old acquaintance
so the good things we have from thee though they may refresh us yet they satisfie us not without thy self Ber. It is an excellent speech of Bernard bonus es domine animae quaerenti quid invenienti Good art thou oh Lord to the soule that seeks thee what art thou then to the soul that finds thee God and to act for God and the sense of the excellency and sweetness of communion with God and the choise and precious discoveries that the soule hath formerly had of the beauty and glory of God whilst it hath been in the service of God The good looks the good words the blessed love-letters the glorious kisses and the sweet embraces that gracious soules have had from Christ in his service do provoke and move them to waite upon him in holy duties ah but restraining grace temporall grace that puts men upon religious duties only from externall motives as the eare of the creature the eye of the creature the rewards of the creature the keeping up of a name amongst the creatures and a thousand such like considerations as you may see in Saul Jehu Judas Demas and the Scribes and Pharisees c. The Abbot in Melancton lived strictly and walked demurely and look'd humbly so long as hee was but a Monke but when by his seeming extraordinary sanctity he got to be Abbot hee grew intollerable proud and insolent and being asked the reason of it confessed that his former lowly look was but to see if he could find the keyes of the Abbie Such poore low vaine motives work temporary soules to all the service they do perform c. 8. Saving grace renewing grace wil cause a man to follow the Lord fully in the desertion of all â—in and in the observation of all Gods precepts Joshua and Numb 14. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath fulfilled after me a metaphor taken from a ship under saile that is strongly carried with the wind as fearing neither rocks nor sands Luke 1. 5 6. Rev. 14. 4. Mat. 23. 23. Caleb followed the Lord fully Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous before God and walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse The Saints in the Revelation are described by this that they follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes but restraining grace temporary grace cannot enable a man to follow the Lord fully all that temporary grace can enable a man to do is to follow the Lord partially unevenly and haltingly as you may see in Jehu Herod Iudas and the Scribes and Pharisees who paid tithe of Mint and Anise and Cumming but omittted the weighty matters of the Law Judgement Mercy and faith c. True grace works the heart to the Psal 119. 104. 128. I had rather goe to hell pure from sin then to Heaven polluted with that filth saith Anselm hatred of all sin and to the love of all truth it works a man to the hatred of those sins that for his blood he cannot conquer and to loath those sins that he would give all the world to overcome So that a soule truly gracious can say though there be no one sinne mortified and subdued in mee as it should and as I would yet every sinne is hated and loathed by me So a soule truly gracious can say though I doe not obey any one command as I should and as I would yet every word is sweet every command of God is precious dearly prize and greatly love those Da quod jubes jube quâ—d vis give what thou commandest and command what thou wilâ— Psal 119. 119. 127. 167. verses commands that I cannot obey though there be many commands that I cannot in a strict sense fulfill yet there is no command I would not fulfill that I do not exceedingly love I love thy commandements above gold above fine gold My soule hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly 9. True grace leads the soule to rest in Christ as in his summum bonum chiefest good it works the soul to center in Christ as in his highest and ultimate end Whether should we goe thou hast 〈◊〉 6. 68. Cant. 5. 10. Cant. 3. 4. Grace is that star that leads to Christ 't is that cloud pillarâ— of fire that leads the soule to that heavenly Canaan where Christ siâ—s chiefe the worlds of eternall life My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand I found him whom my soule loved I held him and would not let him goe That wisdome a Beleever hath from Christ it leads him to center in the wisdome of Christ and that love the soule hath from Christ it leads the soule to center in the love of Christ and that Righteousnesse the soule hath from Christ it leads the soule to rest and center in the Righteousnesse of Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 9. True grace is a beame of Christ and where it is it will naturally lead the soul to rest in Christ The streame doth not more naturally lead to the fountain nor the effect to the cause then true grace leads the soule to Christ But restraining grace temporary grace works the soule to center and rest in things below Christ Sometimes it works the soule to center in the prayses of the creature sometimes to rest in Mat. 6. 1 2. Zach. 7. 5 6. the rewards of the creature verily they have their reward saith Christ and so in a hundred other things c. 10. True grace will inable a soule to sit down satisfied and contented with the naked enjoyments of Christ The Cui cum paupertate bene convenit pauper non est saith Seneca A contented man cannot be a poor man enjoyment of Christ without honour will satisfie the soule the enjoyment of Christ without riches the enjoyments of Christ without pleasures and without the smiles of creatures will content and satisfie the soule 'T is enough Joseph is alive So saith a gracious soule though honour is not and riches are not and health is not and Charles the great his Motto was Christus regnat vincit triumphat And so 't is the Saints friends are not c. It is enough that Christ is that he reigns conquers and triumphs Christ is the pot of Mannah the cruice of oyle a bottomlesse ocean of all comfort content and satisfaction hee that hath him wants nothing he that wants him enjoys nothing having nothing saith Paul and yet possessing 2 Cor. 6. 10. Saint Austine upon Psal 12. brings in God rebuking a discontented Christian thus what is thy faith have I promised thee these things what wert thou made a Christian that thou shouldst flourish here in this world all things Oh! but a man that hath but temporary grace that hath but restraining grace cannot sit downe satisfied and contented under the wanâ— of outward comforts Christ is good with honours saith such a soule and Christ is good with riches and Christ is good with pleasures and he is
had seene his glory as the glory of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth 1 John 14. greatest horror or sorrow the soul can be under for sin nor in the sweetest or chosest discoveries of Gods grace and love to the soule as for ever to fence and secure the soule from relapsing into the same sin Grace is but a created habite that may be prevailed against by the secret subtile and strong workings of sin in our hearts And those discoveries that God makes of his love beauty and glory to the soule doe not always abide in their freshnesse and power upon the heart but by degrees they fade and weare off and then the soule may return again to folly As we see in Peter who after he had a glorious testimony Mat. 16. 15 16 17 18 19. 22 23 24. from Christ his own mouth of his blessednesse and happinesse labours to prevent Christ from going up to Jerusalem to suffer out of base slavish fears that he and his fellows could not be secure if his Master should be brought to suffer And againe after this Christ had him up into the Mount and there Mat. 7. 1 2 3. shewed him his beauty and glory to strengthen him against the hour of tentation that was a comming upon him and yet soone after he had the honour and happinesse of seeing the glory of the Lord which most of the Disciples had not he basely and most shamefully denies the Lord of glory thinking Mat. 26. 69. ult by that means to provide for his owne safety And yet again after Christ had broke his heart with a looke of love for his most unlovely dealings and bade them that were first acquainted with his resurrection to goe and tell Peter that he was risen I say after all this slavish fears prevail upon him and he basely dissembles and plays ehe Iew with the Iewes and the Gentile with the Gentiles to the seducing of Barnabas Gal 2. 11 12 13. c. Yet by way of caution know it 's very rare that God doth leave his beloved ones frequently to relapse into one and the same grosse sin for the law of nature is in armes against grosse sins aswell as the law of grace so that a gracious soule cannot dares not will not frequently returne to grosse folly And God hath made even his dearest ones dearly smart for their relapses as may be seen by his dealings with Samson Iehosaphat and Peter Ah Lord what a hard heart hath that man that can see thee stripping and whipping thy dearest ones for their relapses and yet make nothing of returning to folly c. The eighth Device that Satan 8 Device hath to keepe soules in a doubting and questioning condition is BY perswading them that theis estate is not good their hearts are not upright their graces are not sound bâ—cause they are so followed vexed and tormented with ' temptations 't is his method first to vex and weary the soul with temptations and then to tempt the soule that surely 't is not beloved He may so tempt as to make a Saint weary of his life Job 10. 1. My soule is weary of my life because 't is so much tempted and by this stratagem he keeps many precious souls in a sad doubting and mourning temper many years as many of the precious sonnes of Sion have found by wofull experience c. Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device 1 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider that those that have been best and most beloved have been most tempted by Satan Though Satan can never rob a Christian of his Crown yet such is his malice that hee will therefore tempt that he may spoyle them of their comforts such is his enmity to the Father that the nearer and dearer any child is to him the more will Satan trouble him and vex him with temptations Pirats do not use to set upon poor empty vessels and beggars need not feare the thiese those that have most of God and most rich in grace shall be most set upon by Satan who is the greatest and wisest Pirate in the world Christ himselfe was most neer and most deare most innocent and most excellent and yet none so much tempted as Christ David was dearly beloved and yet by Satan tempted to number the people Iob was highly praised by God himselfe and yet much tempted witnesse those sad things that fell from his mouth when he was wet to the skin Peter was much prized by Christ witnesse that choise testimony that Christ gave of his faith and happinesse and his shewing him his glory in the Mount and that eye of pity that he cast upon him after his fearfull fall c. and yet tempted by Satan And the Lord said Luke 22. 31 32. Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile thee not c. Paul had the honour of being exalted as high as high as heaven and of seeing that glory that could not be exprest and yet hee was no sooner stept out of Heaven but he is buffetted by Satan lest he should be exalted above measure If 2 Cor. 12. 2. 7. these that were so really so gloriously so eminently beloved of God if these that have lived in Heaven and set their feet upon the stars have been tempted let no Saints judge themselves not to be beloved because they are tempted It is as natural for Saints to be tempted that are dearly beloved as 't is for the Sun to shine or a bird to sing the Eâ—gle complains not of her wings nor the Peacock of his train nor the Nightingale of her voyce because these are naturall to them no more should S t s of their temptations because they are naturall to them For wee wrestle not against Ephes 6. 12. flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places The second Remedie against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is to consider that all the temptations that befall the Saints shall be sanctified to them by a hand of love ah the choise experiences that the Saints get of the power of God supporting them of the wisdome of God directing them so to handle their spirituall weapons their graces as not only to resist but to overcome of the mercy and goodnesse of the Lord pardoning and succouring of them And therefore saith Paul I received the messenger 2 Cor. 12. 7. Viâ—e Bâ—zam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lather said there were three things this made a Pâ—eacher Mâ—â—itation prayer and temptation Satan for to buffet me lest I should be exalted lest I should be exalted above measure 't is twice in that verse he begins with it and ends with it if he had not been buffeted
deadly consumption to fall upon some Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy against this Device 1 Remedie of Satan is to dwell more upon one anothers graces then upon one anothers weaknesses and infirmities 't is sad to consider that Saints should have Flavius Vespasianus the Emperour was more ready to conceal the vices of his friends then their virtues can you think seriously of this Christians that a Heathen should excell you not blush 2 Cor. 2. 7 8. many eyes to behold one anothers infirmities and not one eye to see each others graces that they should use spectacles to behold one anothers weaknesses rather then looking glasses to behold one anothers graces Erasmus tels of one who collected all the lame and defective Verses in Homers works but passed over all that were excellent ah that this were not the practice of many that shall at last meet in Heaven that they were not carefull and skillfull to collect all the weaknesses of others and to passe over all those things that are excellent in them The Corinthians did eye more the incestuous persons sinne then his sorrow which was like to have drown'd him in sorrow Tell me Saints is it not a more sweet comfortable and delightfull thing to look more upon one anothers graces then upon one anothers infirmities Tell me what pleasure what delight what comfort is there in looking upon the enemies the wounds the sores the sicknesses the diseases the nakednesse of our friends Now sin you know is the souls enemy the souls wound the souls sores the souls sicknesse the souls Non Gens sed mens non Genus sed Genius Not race or place but grace truly sets forth a mâ—n disease the souls nakednesse and ah what a heart hath that man that loves thus to look Grace is the choicest flower in all a Christians garden 't is the richest Jewell in all his Crown 't is his Princely Robes 't is the top of Royalty and therefore must needs be the most pleasing sweet and delightfull object for a gracious eye to be fixt upon Sin is darknesse grace is light sin is hell grace is Heaven and what madnesse is it to look more at darknesse then at light more at hell then at Heaven Jam. 5. 11. 2. 25. 1 Pet. 2. 6. vide Sin is Satans work Grace is Gods workâ— is it not most â—â—â—et that the child should eye most and mind most his Fathers work c. Tâ—ll me Saints doth not God look more upon his people graces then upon their weaknesses surely he doth he looks more at Davids and Asa's uprightnesse then upon their infirmities though they were great and many he eyes more Job's patience then his passion Remember the patience of Job not a word of his impatience c. He that drew Alexander whilest he had a scar upon his face drew him with his finger upon the scar God puts his finger upon his peoples scars that no blemish may appear ah Saints that you would make it the top of your glory in this to be like your heavenly Father by so doing much sin would be prevented the designes of wicked men frustrated Satan out-witted many wounds healed many sad hearts cheared and God more aboundantly honored c. The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan iâ— solemnly to consider that love and unity makes most for your own safety and security We shall There was a Temple of Concord amongst the Heathens and shall it not be found among Christians that are Temples of the holy Ghost be insuperabiles if we be inseperabiles invincible if wee be inseperable The world may frowne upon you and plot against you but they cannot hurt you unity is the best bond of safety in every Church and Common-wealth And this did that Scythian King in Plutark represent lively to his 80 Sons when being ready to dye he commanded a bundle of Arrowes fast bound together to be given to his Sons to break they all tried to break them but being bound fast together they could not then he caused the band to be cut then they Pancirollus saith that the most precious pearle among the Romans was call'd unio union broke them with ease he applyed it thus My Sons so long as you keepe together you will be invincible but if the band of union be broke betwixt you you will easily be broken in â—ieces Plinie writes of a stone in the Island of Scyrus that if it be whole though a large and heavy one it swims above water but being broken it sinks so long as Saints keep whole nothing shall sink them but if they break they are in danger of sinking and drowning c. The third Remedy against this Device 3 Remedy of Satan is to dwell upon those commands of God that doe require you To act or run crosse to Gods expresse command though under pretence of Revelation from God is as much as a mans life is worth as you may see in that sad story 1 Kings 13. 24. to love one another oh when your hearts begin to rise against each other charge the Commands of God upon your hearts and say to your souls oh our souls hath not the eternall God commanded you to love them that love the Lord And is it not life to obey and death to rebell Therefore looke that you fulfill the commands of the Lord for his commands are not like those that are easily reversed but they are like those of the Medes that cannot be changed Oh! be much in pondering upon these Commands of God A new Commandement I give unto you that yee John 13. 34. love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another 'T is called a new Some conceive it to be an Hebraisme in which language new rare and most excellent are Synonima's John 15. 12. 17. commandement because 't is renewed in the Gospel and set home by Christs example and because 't is rare choise speciall and remarkable above all others This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you These things I command you that ye love one another Owe no man any thing but love one another for he that loveth another hath Rom. 13. 8. fulfilled the Law Let brotherly love continue Heb. 13. 1. Love one another for love is of 1 Iohn 4. 7. God And every one that loveth is borne of 1 Pet. 1. 22. God and knoweth God See that ye love Chap. 3. v. 8. one another with a pure heart fervently Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another Love as brethren be pittifull be courteous For this is the message 1 Iohn 3. 11. that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another And this is his Verse 23. Commandement that wee should beleeve on the name of his sonne Jesus Christ and
hottest oppositions against those vessells that are most richly laden so doth Satan that arch Pirate against those truths that have most of God Christ and Heaven in them met with from Satan in the study of this following discourse hath put an edge upon my spirit knowing that Satan strives mightily to keep those things from seeing the light that tend eminently to shake and break his Kingdome of darknesse and to lift up the Kingdome and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the soules and lives of the children of men c. Its exceeding usefulnesse to all sorts ranks and conditions of men 4. Reason in the world here you have salve for every sore and a plaister for every wound and a Remedy against every disease especially against those that tend most to the undoing of soules and to the ruine of the State c. I know not of any one or 5. Reason other that have writ of this Subject all that I have ever seen have only toucht upon this string which hath been no small provocation to me to attempt to doe something this way that others that have better heads and hearts may be the more stirred to improve their Talents in a further discovery of Satans Devices and in the making knowne of such choice Remedies as may inable the soules of men to triumph over all his plots and stratagems c. I have many precious friends in 6 Reason severall Countries who are not a little desirous that my pen may reach them now my voice cannot I have formerly been by the help of the mightie God of Jacob a weake instrument of good to them and cannot but hope and beleeve that the Lord will also blesse these labours to them they being in part the fruit of their desires and prayers c. Lastly not knowing how soon 7. Reason my Glasse may be out and how soone I may be cut off by a hand of death from all opportunities of doing further service for Christ or your soules in this world I was willing to sow a little handfull of spirituall seed among you that so when I put off this earthly Tabernacle my love to you and that deare remembrance of you which I have in my soule may strongly engage your minds and spirits to make this Book your Companion and under all externall or internall changes to make use of this heavenly Salve which I hope will by the blessing of the Lord be as effectuall for the healing of all your Wounds as their looking up to the brazen Serpent was effectuall to heale theirs that were bit and stung with fiery Serpents I shall leave this Book with you as a Legacie of my dearest Love desiring the Lord to make it a far greater and sweeter Legacie then all those carnall Legacies are that are left by the high and mighty ones of the earth to their nearest and dearest relations c. Beloved I would not have affection carrie my pen too much beyond my intention therefore onely give me leave to signifie my desires for you and my desires to you and I shall draw to a close My desires for you are That he would grant you according to the riches Ephes 3. of his glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Vers 17. man That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to Vers 18. comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth Vers 19. and height And to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge That ye might be filled with all the fullnesse of God And that yee might walke Colos 1. 10. worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke and increased in the knowledge of God Strengthned with all might according Vers 11. to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfullnesse That ye doe no evill That 2 Cor. 13. 7. your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgement Phil. 1. 9. That yee may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere Vers 10. and without offence till the day of Christ And that our God would 2 Thess 1. 11. count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of Faith with Vers 12. power That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ And that you may be eminent in Psal 93. 5. Sanctitie Sanctitie being Zions glory that your hearts may be kept upright your judgements sound and your lives unblamable That as you are now my joy so in the day of Christ you may be my Crown That I may see my labours in your lives that your conversation may not be earthly when the things you heare are heavenly but that it may be as becomes the Gospel That as the Fishes which live in the salt Sea yet are fresh so you though you live in an uncharitable world may yet be charitable and loving That ye may like the Bee suck Honey out of every Flower That ye may shine in a sea of troubles as the Pearle shines in the skie though it grows in the Sea That in all your trials you may be like the stone in Thracia that neither burneth in the fire nor sinketh in the water That ye may be like the Heavens excellent in substance and beautifull in appearance that so you may meet me with joy in that day wherein Christ shall say to his Father Loe here am I and the children that thou hast given me My desires to you are That you would make it your businesse to study Christ his Word your own Hearts Satans Plots and Eternity more then ever that ye would endeavour more to be inwardly sincere then outwardly glorious to live then to have a name to live That yee would labour with all your might to be thankfull under Mercies and faithfull in your Places and humble under Divine Appearances and fruitfull under precious Ordinances that as your meanes and mercies are greater then others so your account before God may not prove worse then others That ye would pray for me who am not worthy to be named among the Saints that I may be a precious instrument in the hand of Christ to bring in many soules unto him and to build up those that are brought in in their most holy Faith And that Utterance may be given to me that I may make knowne all the will of God That 2 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26 27 28. I may be sincere faithfull frequent fervent and constant in the worke of the Lord and that my labour be not in vaine in the Lord That my Labours may be accepted of the Lord and his Saints and I may daily see the travell of my soule
that he rises by repentance Behold I am vile saith he what shall I answer thee Job 40. 4 5. ch 42. 5 6. I will lay my hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further I have heard of thee by the hearing of the â—are but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my Tertullian saith that he was Nalli rei natus nisi penitentiae borne for no other purpose but to repent selfe and repent in dust and ashes Peter fals dreadfully but rises by repentance sweetly a look of love from Christ melts him into tears he knew that repentance was the key to the Kingdome of Grace As once his Faith was so great that he leapt as it were into a sea of waters to come to Christ so now his repentance was so great that he leapt as it were into a sea of tears for Luther confesses that before his conversion he met not with a more displeasing word in allhis study of Divinity then Repent but afterward he took delight in the work poenitens de peccaio dolet de dolore gâ—udet to sorrow for his sin and then to rejoyce in his sorrow that he had gone from Christ Some say that after his sad fall he was ever and anon weeping and that his face was even furrowed with continual tears he had no sooner took in poyson but he vomited it up again ere it got to the vitals he had no sooner handled this Serpent but he turned it into a rod to scourge his soule with remorse for sining against such clear light and strong love and sweet discoveries of the heart of Christ to him Clement notes that Peter so repented that all his life after every night when he heard the Cock crow he would fall upon his knees and weeping bitterly would beg pardon of this sin Ah soules you can easily sin as the Saints but can you repent with the Saints Many can sin with David and Peter that cannot repent with David and Peter and so must perish for ever Theodosius the Emperour pressing that he might receive the Lords Supper excuses Theodorit hist l. 4. c. 17. his own foul fact by Davids doing the like to which Ambrose replies Thou hast followed David transgressing follow David repenting and then think thou of the Table of the Lord. The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that these Saints did not make a trade of sin they fell once or twice and rose by Repentance that they might The Saints cannot sin voluntate plenâ sed semiplena with a whole will but as it were with an halfe will an unwilling willingnes not with a full consent but with a dissenting consent keep the closer to Christ for ever they fell accidentally occasionally and with much reluctancy and thou sinnest presumptuously obstinately readily delightfully and customarily thou hast by thy making a trade of sin contracted upon thy soul a kind of cursed necessity of sinning that thou canst as well cease to be or cease to live as thou canst cease to sin sin is by custome become as another nature to thee which thou canst not which thou wilt not lay aside though thou knowest that if thou dost not lay sin aside God will lay thy soul aside for ever though thou knowest that if sin and thy soul doe not part Christ and thy soul can never meet if thou wilt make a trade of sin and cry out did not David sin thus and Noah 2 Pet. 2. 14. Pro. 4 14. 16. Though sin doe habitare dwell in the regenerate as Austin notes yet it doth not regnare reign over the regenerate they rise by repentance sin thus and Peter sin thus c. No their hearts turn'd aside to folly one day but thy heart turns aside to folly every day and when they were fallen they rise by repentance and by the actings of Faith upon a crucified Christ but thou fallest and hast no strength nor will to rise but wallowest in sin and wilt eternally dye in thy sins unlesse the Lord be the more mercifull to thy soul Dost thou think oh soule this is good reasoning Such a one tasted poyson but once and yet narrowly escapt but I doe daily drink poyson yet I shall escape yet such is the mad reasoning of vaine soules David and Peter c. sinned once foully and fearfully they tasted poyson but once and were sick to death but I tast it daily and yet shall not tast of eternall death Remember oh souls that the day is at hand when self-flatterers will be found self-deceivers yea self-murtherers The third Remedy against this Device 3 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that though God doth not nor never will disinherit his people for their sins yet he hath severely punished his people for their sins David sins and God breaks his bones for his sin Make me to Psalm 51. 8. Josephus reports that not long after the Jews had crucified Christ on the crosse so many of them were condemned to be crucified that there were not places enough for crosses nor crosses enough for the bodies that were to be hung thereon hear joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce And because thou host doâ—e this the Sword shall not depart from thy house to the day of thy death Though God will not utterly take from them his loving kindnesse nor suffer his faithfullnesse to faile nor breake his Covenant nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth yet will he visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89. 30. 35. The Scripture abounds with instances of this kind this is so known a truth among all that know any thing of truth that to cite more Scriptures to prove it would be to light a Candle to see the Sun at noon The Jewes have a Proverb that There is no punishment comes upon Israel in which there is not one ounce of the Golden Calfe Meaning that that was so great a sin as that in every plague God remembred it that had an influence into every trouble that befell them Every mans heart may say to him in his sufferings as the heart of Apollodorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the kettle I have been the cause of this God is most angry when he shewes no anger God keep me from this mercy this kind of mercy is worse then Qui non est crucianus non est christianus saith Luther there is not a Christian that carries not his crosse all other misery One writing to a sick friend hath this expression I account it a part of unhappinesse not to know adversity I judge you to be miserable because you have not been miserable 'T is mercy that our affliction is not an execution but a correction he that hath deserved hanging may be glad if he scape with a
thy sin God will pardon thee and yet send thee to Hell there 's a pardon with a contradiction Negative goodnesse serves no mans turn to save him from the axe It is said of Ithacus that the hatred of the Priscillian Heresie was all the vertue that he had The evill servant did not riot out his Talent Those Reprobates Mat. 25. robbed not the Saints but relieved them not for this they must eternally perish sense for godly sorrow sometimes Repentance is taken in a large sense for Amendment of Life Repentance hath in it three things viz. the Act the Subject and the Termes 1. The formall Act of Repentance is a changing and converting 't is often set forth in Scripture by Turning Turne thou me and I shall be turned saith Ephraim after that I was turned I repented saith he 't is a turning from darknesse to light 2. The Subject changed and converted is the whole man 't is both the sinners heart and life first his heart then his life first his person then his practice and conversation Wash yee make you cleane there 's the change of their persons put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe evill learne to do well there 's the change of their practises So Cast away saith Ezekiel all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed there 's the change of the life and make you a new heart and a new spirit there 's the change of the 3. The Tearmes of this change and conversion from which and to which both heart and life must be changed from all sin to God the heart must be changed from the state and power of sin the life from the acts of sin but both unto God the heart to be under his power in a state of grace the life to be under his rule in all new obedience as the Apostle speaks To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of satan unto God so the Prophet Isaiah saith Let the wicked forsake their wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord. Thus much of the nature of Evangelicall Repentance Now soules tell me whither it be such an easie thing to repent as Satan doth suggest besides what hath been spoken I desire that you will take notice that Repentance doth include a turning from the most darling sin Ephraim shall say What have I to doe any more with Idols Yea it 's a turning from all sin to God Ezek. 18. 30. Therefore I will judge you O House of Israel every one according to his wayes saith the Lord God repent and turne your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Herod turn'd from many but turn'd not from his Herodias which was his ruine Judas turn'd from all visible wickednes yet he would not cast out that golden Devil Covetousnesse and therefore was cast into the hottest place in Hell He that turnes not from every sin turnes not aright from any one sin every sin strikes at the Honour of God the Being of God the Glory of God the Heart of Christ the Joy of the Spirit and the Peace of a mans Conscience and therefore a soul truly penitent strikes at all hates all conflicts with all and will labour to draw strength from a crucified Christ to crucifiâ— all a true penitent knowes neither father nor mother neither right eye nor right hand but will pluck out the one and cut off the other Saul spared but one Agâ—g and that cost him his soul and his Kingdome besides Repentance is not onely a turning from all sin but also a turning to all good to a love of all good to a prizing of all good and to a following after all good Ezek. 18. 21. But if the wicked will turne from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live be shall not die that is onely negative righteousnesse and holinesse is no righteousnesse nor holinesse David fulfilled all the wills of God and had respect unto all his Commandements and so had Zacharias and Elizabeth 'T is not enough that the Tree bears not ill fruit but it must bring forth good fruit else it must be cut downe and east into the fire So 't is not enough that you are not thus and thus wicked but you must be thus and thus gracious and good else Divine Justice will put the Axe of Divine Vengeance to the root of your souls and cut you off for ever Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn downe and cast into the fire besides Repentance doth include a sensiblenesse of sins sinfulnesse how opposite and contrary 't is to the blessed God God is light sin is darknesse God is life sin is death God is Heaven sin is hell God is beauty sin is deformity Also true Repentance includes a sensiblenes of sins mischievousnesse how it cast Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise how it laid the first corner-stone in hell and brought in all the curses crosses and miseries that be in the world and how it makes men liable to all temporall spirituall and eternall wrath how it hath made men Godlesse Christlesse hopelesse and heavenlesse in this world further true repentance doth include sorrow for sin contrition of heart it breaks the heart with sighes and sobs and groans for that a loving God and Father is by sin offended a blessed Saviour a fresh crucified and the sweet Comforter the Spirit True repentance is a sorrowing for sin as it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo this both comes from God drives a man to God as it did the Church in the Canticles and the Prodigall Ezek. 20. 22 23. grieved and vexed Again Repentance doth include not onely a loathing of sin but also a loathing of our selves for sin as a man doth not onely loath poyson but he loaths the very dish or vessel that hath the smell of the poyson so a true Penitent doth not onely loath his sin but he loaths himselfe the vessel that still smels of sin So Ezek. 20. 43. And there shall ye remember your wayes and all your doings wherein yee have been defiled and ye shall loath your selves in your owne sight for all your evills that ye have committed true Repentance will work your hearts not onely to loath your sins but also to loath your selves Againe true Repentance doth not onely work a man to loath himself for his sins but it makes him asham'd of his sin also What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed saith the Apostle so Ezekiel And thou shalt be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God When a penâ—tentiall soul sees his sins pardoned the anger of God pacified and Divine Justice satisfied then
that other precious Saints that were once glorious on earth and are now triumphing in heaven have turned from the occasions of sin as Hell it selfe as you may see in Joseph Gen. 39. 10. And it came to passe as she spake to Joseph day by day that he hearkned not unto her to lye by her or to be with her Joseph was famous for all the four Cardinall vertues if ever any were in this one temptation you may see his Fortitude Justice Temperance There are stories of Heathens that would not look upon excellent beauties lest they should be insnared and Prudence in that he shuns the occasion for he would not so much as be with her and that a man is indeed that he is in a temptation which is but a tap to give vent to corruption The Nazarite might not only not drink wine but not taste a grape or the husk of a grape The Leaper was to shave his haire and paire his nailes The Devill counts a fit occasion halfe a conquest for he knowes that corrupt nature hath Democritus pluck't out his own eyes to avoid the danger of uncleannesse a seed-plot of all sin which being drawn forth and watered by some sinfull occasion is soon set a work to the producing of death and destruction God will not remove the temptation till we remove the occasion A Bird whiles a loft is safe but she comes not near the snare without danger the shunning the occasions of sin renders a man most like the best of men a soul eminently gracious dares not come near the traine though he be far off the blow So Job 31. 1. I made a Covenant with mine eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cut a Covenant In making Covenants it was a custome among the Jewes to cut some beast or other in pieces and to walk between the pieces to signifie that they desired God to destroy them that should break the Covenant why then should I think upon a maid I set a watch at the entrance of my senses that my foul might not by them be infected and endangered the eye is the window of the soule and if that should be alwayes open the soul might smart for it A man may not look intently upon that that he may nat love intirely The Disciples were set a gogg by beholding the beauty of the Temple 't is best and safest to have the eye alwayes fixt upon the highest and noblest objects as the Marriners eye is fixt on the star when their hand is on the sterne so David when he was himself he shuns the occasion of sin Psal 26. 4 5. I have not sat with vaine persons neither will I goe in with dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evill doers and will not sit with the wicked Stories speak of some that could not sleep when they thought of the Trophies of other Worthies that went before them the highest and choycest examples are to some and should be to all very quickning and provoking and oh that the examples of those worthy Saints David Joseph and Job might prevaile with all your souls to shun and avoid the occasions of sin every one should strive to be like to them in grace that they desire to be equall with in glory He that shooteth at the Sun though he come far short will shoot higher then he that aimeth at a shrub 't is best and it speaks out much of Christ within to eye the highest and the worthiest examples The fourth Remedy against this Device 4 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the avoiding the occasions of sin is an evidence of grace and that which lifts up a man above most other men in the world that a man is indeed which he is in temptation and when sinfull occasions doe present themselves before the soul this speaks out both the truth Plutarch saith of Demosthenes that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of his Ancestors but not so at imitating them oh that this were not applicable to many professors in our times and the strength of grace when with Lot a man can be chast in Sodome and with Timothy can live temperately in Asia among the luxurious Ephesians and with Job can walk uprightly in the land of Vz where the people were prophane in their lives and superstitious in their worship and with Daniel be holy in Babylon and with Abraham righteous in Chaldea and with Nehemiah zealous in Damasco c. Many a wicked man is big and full of sinful corruption but shews it not for want of occasion but that man is surely good who in his course will not be bad though tempted by occasions a Christlesse soul is so far from refusing occasions when they come in his way that he looks and longs after them and rather then he will go without them he will buy them not onely with love or money but also with the losse of his soul nothing but grace can fence a man against the occasions of sin when he is strongly tempted thereunto therefore as you would cherrish a precious evidence in your own bosomes of the truth and strength of your graces shun all sinfull occasions The eight Device that Satan hath to 8 Device draw the soule to sin is by presenting 'T was a weighty saying of Seneca Nihil est infelicius eo cui nil nunquā contigit advers◠there is nothing more unhappy then he who never felt adversity to the soule the outward mercies that vaine men inioy and the outward miseries that they are freed from whil'st they have walked in the wayes of sin Saith Satan do'st thou not see oh soule the many mercies that such and such inioy that walk in those very wayes that thy soul startles to think of and the many crosses that they are delivered from even such as makes other men that say they dare not walke in such wayes to spend their dayes in sighing weeping groaning and mourning and therefore saith Satan if ever thou wouldest be freed from the dark night of adversity and injoy the sun-shine of prosperity thou must walk in their wayes by this stratagem the Devil took those in the 44 Jeremiah 16 17 18. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but we will certainly doe whatsoever thing goeth forth of our mouth to burne Incense unto the Queen of Heaven and to pour Some of the Heathens would be wicked as their Gods were counting it a dishonour to their God to be unlike to him Lactan tius out drink-offrings unto her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem for then had we plenty of victualls and were well and saw no evill But since we left off to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink-offerings unto her we have wanted all things and have
been consumed by the sword and by the famine This is just the language of a world of ignorant prophane and superstitious souls in London and England that would have made them a Captaine 'T is said of one of the Emperours that Rome had no war in his daves because 't was plague enoâ—gh to have such an Emperour you are wise and know how to apply it to returne to bondage yea to that bondage that was worse then that the Israelites groaned under Oh say they since such and such persons have beene put down and left off we have had nothing but plundering and taxing and butchering of men c. and therefore we will doe as we and our Kings and Nobles and Fathers have formerly done for then had we plenty at home and peace abroad c. and there was none to make us afraid Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy is solemnly to consider 1 Remedy that no man knowes how the heart of God stands by his hand his hand of mercy may be towards a man when his heart may be set against that man as you may see in Saul and Tully judged the Jews Religion to be naught because they were so often overcome impoverish'd and afflicted and the Religion of Rome to be right because the Romans prospered and became Lords of the world yet though the Romans had his hand the Jews had his heart for they were dearly beloved though sorely afflicted others and the hand of God may be set against a man when the heart of God is dearly set upon a man as you may see in Job and Ephraim the hand of God was sorely set against them and yet the heart and bowels of God were strongly working towards them no man knoweth either love or hatred by outward mercy or misery for all things come alike to all to the righteous and to the unrighteous to the good and to the bad to the clean and to the unclean c. The sun of prosperity shines as well upon brambles of the Wildernesse as fruit-trees of the Orchard the snow and haile of adversity lights upon the best gardens as well as the stinking dunghills or the wild waste Ahabs and Josiah's ends concur in the very circumstances Saul and Jonathan though different in their natures deserts and deportments yet in their deaths they were not divided Health wealth honours c. crosses sicknesses losses c. are cast upon good men and bad men promiscuously The whole Turkish Empire is Nihil est nisi mica panis Luther nothing else but a crust cast by Heavens great House-keeper to his dogs Moses dies in the Wildernesse as well as those that murmured Nabal is rich aswell as Abraham Achitophell wise aswell as Solomon and Doeg honoured by Soul as well as Ioseph was by Pharoah Usually the worst of men have most of these outward things and the best of men have least of Earth though most of Heaven The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider That there is nothing in the world that doth so provoke God to be wrath and angry as mens taking incouragement from Gods goodnesse and mercy to do wickedly this you may see by that wrath that fell upon the old world and by Gods raining hell out of Heaven upon Such soules make God a God of clouts one that will not doe as he saith but they shall find God to be as severe in punishing as he is to others gracious in pardoning Good turnes aggravate unkindnesses and our guilt is increased by our obligations Sodome and Gomorah This is clear in that 44 of Jeremiah from the 20 verse to the 28 verse the words are worthy of your best meditation oh that they were engraven in all your hearts and constant in all your thoughts though they are too large for me to transcribe them yet they are not too large for you to remember them To argue from mercy to sinfull liberty is the Devils Logick and such Logicians doe ever walk as upon a mine of Gun-powder ready to be blown up no such souls can ever avert or avoid the wrath of God This is wickednesse at the height for a man to be very bad because God is very good a worse spirit then this is not in hell ah Lord doth not wrath yea the greatest wrath lie at this mans door Are not the strongest chaines of darknes prepared for such a soul To sin against mercy is to sin against humanity it is bestiall nay it is worse To render good for evill is Divine to render good for good is humane to render evill for evill is brutish but to render evill for good is devilish and from this evill deliver my soul oh God The third Remedy against this Device 3 Remdy of Satan is solemnly to consider that there is no greater misery in this life then not to be in misery no greater Religio peperit divitias filia devoravit matrem Religion brought forth Riches and the daughter soon devoured the Mother saith Augustine affliction then not to be afflicted woe woe to that soul that God will not spend a rod upon this is the saddest stroke of all when God refuses to strike at all Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Why should you be smitten any more you will revolt more and more When the Physician gives over the Patient you say ring out his knell the man is dead so when God gives over a soul to sin without controule you may truly say this soule is lost you may ring out his knel for he is twice dead and pluckt up by the roots Freedome from punishment is the mother of security the step-mother of virtue the poyson of Religion the moth of holinesse and the introducer of wickednesse nothing said one seemes more unhappy to me then he to whom no adversity hath happened Outward mercies oft-times prove a snare to our soules I will lay a stumbling block Ezek. 3. 20. Vatablus his note there is Faciam ut omnia habeant prospera calamitatibus eum à peccato non revocabo I will prosper him in all things and not by affliction restraine him from sin Prosperity hath been a stumbling block at which millions have stumbled and fallen and broke the neck of their souls for ever The fourth Remedie against this device 4 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that the wants of wicked men under all their outward mercy freedom from adversitie is far greater then al their outward injoyments They have many mercies yet they want more then they injoy the mercies which they injoy are nothing to the mercies they want 'T is true they have honors and riches and pleasures and friends and are mighty in power their seed is established in their sight with them and their off-spring before their eyes their houses are safe from feare neither is the rod
shall not be so hot to thee as to others yet thou must as certainly to hell as others unlesse the glorious grace of God shines forth upon thee in the face of Christ God wil suit mens punishments to their sins the greatest sins shall be attended with the greatest punishments and lesser sins with lesser punishments alasse what a poor comfort will this be to thee when thou comest to die to consider that thou shalt not be equally tormented with others and yet must be for ever shut out from the glorious presence of God Christ Angels and Saints and from those good things of eternall life that are so many that they exceed number The gate of Indulgence the gate of hope the gate of mercy the gate of glory the gate of consolation and the gate of salvatioâ— will be for ever shuâ— against them Mat. 25. 10. so great that they exceed measure so precious that they exceed estimation Sure it is that the tears of hell are not sufficient to bewaile the losse of heaven the worme of grief gnawes as painfull as the fire burnes if those soules Acts 20. wept because they should see Paul's face no more How deplorable is the eternall deprivation of the beatificallvision But this not all thou shalt not be onely shut out of heaven but shut up in hell for ever not onely shut out from the presence of God and Angells c. but shut up with devills and damned spirit for ever not onely shut out from 'T was a good saying of Chrysostome speaking of Hell Ne quaeramuâ— ubi sit sed quomodo illam fugiamus let us not seek where it is but how we shall escape it those sweet surpassing unexpressabl and everlasting pleasures that be at Gods right hand but shut up for ever under those torments that are easelesse remedilesse and endlesse Ah soules were it not ten thousand times better for yee to break off your sins by repentance then to goe on in your sins till you feele the truth of what now you hear The God of Israel is very mercifull ah that you would repent and returne that your soules might live for ever Remember this grievous is the torment of the damned for the bitternesse of the punishments but most grievous for the eternity of the punishments For to be tormented without end this is Surely one good means to escape Hel is to take a turne or two in Hell by our daily meditations that which goes beyond all the bounds of desperation ah how doe the thoughts of this make the damned to roare and cry out for disquietnesse of heart and teare their haire and gnash their teeth and rage for madnesse that they must dwell in everlasting burnings for ever The eleventh Device that Satan hath 11 Device to draw the soule to sin is by polluting and defiling the soules and judgements of men with such dangerous errors that doe in their proper tendency tend to carry the soules of men to all loosnesse and wickednesse as wofull experience doth abundantly evidence Ah! how many are there filled with these and such like Christ-dishonouring and soule-undoing opinions viz. That Ordinances are poor low carnall things and not onely to be lived above but without also That the Scriptures are full of fallasies and uncertainties and no further to be heeded then they agree with that spirit that is in them That 't is a poor low thing if not idolatry too to worship God in a Mediator That the Resurrection is already past That there was never any such man or person as Jesus Christ but that all is an Allegory and it signifies nothing but light and love and such good frames borne in men That there 's no God nor Devill Heaven nor Hell but what is within us That there is no sinne in the Saints they are under no Law but that of the spirit which is all freedome That sin and grace are equally of God and agreeth to his will with a hundred other horrid opinions which hath caused wickednesse to break in as a flood among us c. Now the generall Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy against this Device 1 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider that an erroneous vain mind is as odious A blinde eye is worse then a lame foot Lev. 13. 44. to God as a vicious life he that had the leprosie in his head was to be pronounced utterly unclean Grosse errors make the heart foolish and render the life loose and the soul light in the eye of God Errour spreads and frets The breath of the erronious is infectious and like the dogs of Congâ— they bite though they barke not like a Gangreen and renders the soul a leoper in the sight of God It was Gods heavy and dreadfull plague upon the Gentiles to be given up to a mind void of Judgement or an injudicious mind or a mind rejected disallowed abhorred of God or a mind that none have cause to glory in but rather to be ashamed Through animosity to persist in errour is diabolicall it were best that we never erred next to that that we amended our errour of I think that in these dayes God doth punish many mens former wickednesses by giving them up to soule-ruining errours Ah Lord this mercy I humbly beg that thou wouldest rather take me into thine owne hand and doe any thing with me then to give me up to those sad errours to which thousands have married their souls and are in a way of perishing for ever The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is to receive the truth affectionately and let it dwell in your soules plenteously when men stand out against the truth when truth would enter The greatest sinners are sure to be the greatest sufferers and men bar the door of their souls against truth God in justice gives up such souls to be deluded and deceived by errour to their eternall undoing 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Greek hath it the efficacie of errour that they should believe a lye That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Ah sirs as you love your soules doe not tempt God do not provoke God by your withstanding truth and out-facing truth to give you up to beleeve a lye that you may be damned There are no men on earth so fenc'd against errour as those are that receive the truth in the love of it Such soules Ephes 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. signifies cogging with a dye such slights as cheaters and false gamesters use at Dâ—câ— are not easily tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive
are apt to run after it though they loose God and their soules in the pursuit Ah! how many Professors in these dayes have for a time followed hard after God Christ and The inhabitants of Nilus are deafe by the noise of the waters so the world makes such a noise in mens eares that they cannot heare the things of Heaven The world is like the swallowes dung that put out Tobias eyes Ordinances till the Devill hath set before them the world in all its beauty and bravery which hath so bewitched their soâ—les that they have grown to have low thoughts of holy things and then to be cold in their affections to holy things and then to slight them and at last with the young man in the Gospell to turne their backs upon them ah the time the thoughts the spirits the hearts the soules the duties the services that the inordinate love of this wicked world doth eat up and destroy and hath eat up and destroyed where one thousand is destroyed The champions could â—or wring an Apple out oâ— Mâ—lâ—'s ha 〈◊〉 by strong hand but a faire maid by faire meanes got it presently by the worlds frownes ten thousands are destroyed by the worlds smiles The world Siren-like it sings us and sinks us it kisses us and betraies us like Judas it kisses us and imites us under the fifth rib like Joab The honors splendor and all the glory of this world are but sweet poysons that will much endanger us if they doe not eternally destroy us Ah! the multitude of soules that have surseited of these sweet baites and died for ever Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy against this device 1 Remedy The Prior in Melancton 〈◊〉 his hands up and down in a baâ—â—n full of â—â—â—ells thinking thereby to have charmed 〈◊〉 gour but 〈◊〉 would not â—oe of Satan is to dwell upon the impotency and weakness of all these things below they are not able to secure you from the least evill They are not able to procure you the least desirable good The Crown of Gold cannot cure the head-ach nor the velvet slipper ease the gout nor the Jewell about the nâ—ck cannot take away the paine of the teeth The Fâ—ogs of Egypt entered into the rich mens houses of Egypt as well as the poore our daily experience doth Nugas the Scythian despiseing the rich presents and ornaments that were sent unto him by the Emperour of Constantinople asked whether those things could drive away calamities diseases or death evidence this that all the honors and riches c. That men enjoy cannot free them from the collick the feaver or lesser diseases Nay that which may seem most strange is that a great deal of wealth cannot keep men from falling into extreame povertie In the first of Judges 6. ver you shall finde seventy Kings with their fingers and toes cut off glad like whelps to lick up crummes under another Kings table and shortly after the same King that brought them to this penury is reduced to the same poverty and misery Why then should that be a bar to keep thee out of Heaven that cannot give thee the least ease on earth The second Remedy against this device 2. Remedy of Satan is to dwell upon the vanity of them as well as upon the impotencie of all worldly good This is the summe of Solomons sermon Vanity of vanity and all is vanity This Gilimex King of Vandaâ—â—s led in triumph by Bellisarius cried out Vanity of vanity all is vanity our first parents found and therefore named their second Abell or vanity Solomon that had tried these things and could best tell the vanity of them he preacheth this sermon over againe and againe Vanity of vanity and all is vanity 'T is sad to think how many thousands there be that can say with the preacher vanity of vanity all is vanity The fancie of Lucian who placeth Charon on the top of an high hill viewing all the affaires of men living and looking on their greatest Cities as little birds nests is very pleasant nay swear it and yet follow after these things as if there were no other glory nor selicity but what 's to be found in those things they call vanity Such men will sell Christ Heaven and their soules for a trifle that call these things vanity but doe not cordially beleeve them to be vanity but set their hearts upon them as if they were their Crown the top of all their Royalty and glory Oh! let your soules dwell upon the vanity of all things here below till your hearts be so thoroughly convinced and perswaded of the vanity of them as to trample upon them and make them a a foot-stoole for Christ to get np and ride in a holy triumph in your hearts Oh the imperfection the ingratitude the leâ—ity the inconstancy the perfidiousnesse of those creatures we most servilly affect Chrysostome said once that if he were the fittest in the world to preach a Sermon to the whole world gathered together in one Congregation and had some high Mountaine for his Pulpit from whence he might have a prospect of all the world in his view and were furnished with a voice of brasse a voice as loud as the Trumpet of the Arch-Angell that all the world might hear him he would chuse to preach upon no other text then that in the Psalnâ—es O mortall men how long will yee love vanity and follow after leasing Ah! did we but weigh mans paine with his paiment his crosses with his mercies his miseries with his pleasures we should then see that there is nothing got by the bargaine and conclude Vanity of vanity all is vanity Tell me you that say all things under the Sun is vanitie if you doe really beleeve what you say why doe you spend more thoughâ—â— and time on the world then you doe on Christ Heaven and your immortall soules Why doe you then neglect your duty towards God to get the world Why doe you then so eagerly pursue after the world and are so cold in your pursuing after God Christ and holinesse Why then are your hearts so exceedingly rais'd when the world comes in and smiles upon you and so much dejected and castdown when the world frownes upon you and with Jonah's Gourd withers before you The third Remedy against this device 3. Remedy of Satan is to dwell much upon the uncertainty the mutabilitie and inconstancie of all things under the Sun Riches were never true to any that trusted to them they have deceived men as Jobs brook did the poore traveller in the Summer season Man himselfe is but the dreame of a dreame but the generation of a fancie but an emptie vanity but the curious picture of nothing a poore feeble dying flash All temporalls are as transitory as a hastie head-long torrent a shadow a ship a bird an arrow a post that passeth
thousand worlds Ah! if the vailes be thus sweet and glorious before pay-day comes what will be that glory that Christ will crown his Saints with for cleaving to his service in the face of all difficulties When he shall say to his father Loe here am I and the children which thou hast given me if there be so much to be had in a wildernesse what then shall be had in Paradise c. The fourth Device that Satan 4 Device hath to keep soules off from holy exercises from religious services is BY working them to make false inferences from those blessed and glorious things that Christ hath done As that Jesus Christ hath done all for us therefore there is nothing for us to doe but to joy and rejoyce he hath perfectly justified us and fulfilled the Law and satisfied divine Justice and pacified his Fathers wrath and is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for us and in the mean time to intercede for us and therefore away with praying and mourning and hearing c. Ah! what a world of Professors hath Satan drawn in these dayes from religious services by working them to make such sad wilde and strange inferences from the sweet and excellent things that the Lord Jesus hath done for his beloved ones Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this device 1. Remedie of Satan is to dwell as much on those Scriptures that shew you the duties and services that Christ requires of you as upon those Scriptures that declare Tertullian hath this expression of the fulnesse of the Scriptures Adoro plenitudinem Scripturarum I adore the fulnesse of the Scripture Gregory calls the Scripture cor animam Dei the heart soule of God and who will not then dwell on it to you the precious and glorious things that Christ hath done for you 'T is a sad and a dangerous thing to have two eyes to behold our dignity and priviledges and not one eye to see our duties and services I should look with one eye upon the choise and excellent things that Christ hath done for me to raise up my heart to love Christ with the purest love and to joy in Christ with the strongest joy and to lift up Christ above all who hath made himself to be my all And I should look with the other eye upon those services and duties that the Scriptures require of those for whom Christ hath done such blessed things as upon that of the Apostle What know yee not that your body 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your owne For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And that 1 Cor. 15. 58. therefore my beloved brethren be yee stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And that And let us not be weary in well doing for in due Gal. 6. 9. 2. season we shall reape if we faint not And that of the Apostle rejoyce alwayes and pray without ceasing and that in the Philippians Worke out your salvation with Phil. 2 12 13 1 Cor. 11. 26. Heb 10. 24 25. feare and trembling and that This doe till I come and that Let us consider one another to provoke one another to love and to good workes not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the mannor of some The Jews were much in turning over the leaves of the Scripture but they did not weigh the matter of them John 5. 39. You search the Scripture Gr. there seemeth to be indicative rather then imperative is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching Now a soule that would not be drawn away by this device of Satan hee must not look with a squint eye upon these blessed Scriptures and abundance more of like import but he must dwell upon them he must make these Scriptures to be his chiefest and his choisest companions and this will be a happy meanes to keep him close to Christ and his service in these times wherein many turn their backs upon Christ under pretence of being highly interested in the great and glorious things that have been acted by Christ c. The second Remedie against this Device 2. Remedie of Satan is to consider that the great and glorious things that Jesus Christ hath done and is a doing for us should be so far from taking us off from religious services and pious performances that they should be the greatest motives and encouragements to the performance of them that may be as the Scriptures do abundantly evidence I 1 Pet. 2. 9. Luke 1. 74 75. This I am sure of that all mans happines here is his holinesse and his holinesse shall hereafter be his happiness Christ hath therefore broke the Devils yoke from off our necks that his Father might have better service from our hearts 2 Cor. 6. 6. 17 18. ch 7. 1. compared will only instance in some as that That we being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives Christ hath freed you from all your Enemies from the curse of the Law the predominant damnatory power of sin the wrath of God the sting of death and the torments of hell but what is the end and design of Christ in doing these great and marvellous things for his people 't is not that they should throw off duties of righteousnesse and holinesse but that their hearts may be the more free and sweet in all holy duties and heavenly services So the Apostle I will be their God and they shall be my people And I will be a Father unto you and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty mark what follows Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of the Lord. And againe The grace of God that Yit 2. 11 12 13 14. bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying all ungodlinsse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious Tace lingua loquere vita talk not of a good life but let thy life speak Your actions in passiâ—g pass not away for every good work is a grain of seed for eternall life appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave him selfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Ah soules I know no such arguments to worke you to a lively and constant performance of all heavenly services like
they are these partly to keep them humble and low in their owne eyes and partly to put them upon the use of all divine helps whereby sin may be subdued and mortified And partly that they may live upon Christ for the perfecting the work of Sanctification Lilmod lelammed we therefore learn that wee may teach is a proverb among the Rabbins After the Trojans had been wandering tossing up and down the Mediterranean Sea as soon as they espied Italy they cried out with exulting joy Italy Italy so will Saints when they come to Heaven and partly to weane them from things below and to make them heart-sick of their absence from Christ and to maintain in them bowels of compassion towards others that are subject to the same infirmities with them and that they may distinguish between a state of grace and a state of glory and that Heaven may be more sweet to them in the close Now doth the Lord upon these weighty reasons suffer his people to be exercised and molested with the operations of sinfull corruptions oh then let no beleever speak write or conclude bitter things against his owne soule and comforts because that sinne troubles and vexes his righteous soule c. but lay his hand upon his mouth and be silent because the Lord will have it so upon such weighty grounds as the soule is not able to withstand The sixth Remedy against this Device 6. Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that Beleevers must repent for their being God never gâ—ve a Beleever a new hâ—art that it should always liâ— a bleeding and that it should always be rent and torn in pieces with discouragements discouraged by their sins Their being discouraged by their sins will cost them many a prayer many a teare and many a groane And that because their discouragements under sin flowes from ignorance and unbeliefe it springs from their ignorance of the riches freenesse fulnesse and everlastingnesse of Gods love and from their ignorance of the power glory sufficiency and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ And from their ignorance of the worth glory fulnesse largenesse and compleatnesse of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ And from their ignorance of that reall close spiritual glorious and inseparable union that is betwixt Christ and their precious soule Ah! did precious souls know and beleeve the truth of these things as they should they would not sit down dejected and over-whelmed under the sense and operations of sin c. The second Device that Satan 2 Device hath to keep souls in a sad doubting and questioning condition is BY working them to make false definitions of their graces Satan knows that as false definitions of sinne wrong the soule one way so false definitions of grace wrong the soule another way I will instance only in faith oh how doth Satan labour might and main to work men to make false definitions of faith Some he works to define faith too high as that it is a full assurance of the love of God to a mans soule in particular or a full perswasion of the pardon and remission of a mans owne sins in particular saith Satan what dost thou talk of faith faith is an assurance of the love of God and of the pardon of sin and this thou hast not thou knowest thou art far off from this therefore thou hast no faith and by drawing men to make such a false definition of faith he keeps them in a sad doubting and questioning condition and makes them spend their days in sorrow and sighing so that teares are their drink and sorrow is their meate and sighing is their work all the day long c. The Philosophers say there are eight dâ—grees of heat we discern three now iâ— a mâ—n should define heat only by the highest degree then all other degrees will be cast out from being heat so if men shall define faiâ—h only by the highest degrees by assurance of the love of God and of the pardon of his sins in particular what will become of lesser degrees of faith If a man should define a man to be a living man onely by the highest and stâ—ongest demonstrations of life as laughing leaping running working walking c. would not many thousands that groan under internal and externall weaknesses and that cannot laugh nor leap nor run nor work nor walk be found dead men by such a definition that yet wee know to be alive 't is so here and you know how to apply it c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device 1. Remedy of Satan is solemnly â—o consider that there may be true faith yea gâ—eat measures of faith where there is no assurance The Canaanite woman in the Gospel had strong faith yet no assurance that we read of These things have I written unto you saith John that believe on the name of the Son of God that yee may know that ye have eternall life and that ye may beleeve on the name of the Son of God In these words you see that they did believe and had eternall life in respect of the purpose and promise of God and in respect of the seeds and beginnings of it in their souls and in respect of Christ their head who sits in Heaven as a publique person representing all his chosen ones Who hath raised us up together Ephes 2. 6. and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and yet they did not know that they had eternall life 'T is one thing to have a right to heaven and another thing to know it 'T is one thing to be beloved and another thing for a man to know that he is beloved 'T is one thing for God to write a mans name in the book of life and another thing for God to tell a man that his name is written in the book of life and to say to him rejoyce because thy name is written in heaven So Paul In whom yee also trusted after Ephes 1. 13. So those in â—haâ— Isa 50. 10 had faith though they had no assurance Mica 7. 8 9. yee heard the word of truth the Gospell of your salvation in whom also after that yee believed yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise So Micha Rejoyce not against me oh my enemie when I shall fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned c. or the sad countenance of God as the Hebrew hath it This soul had no assurance for he sits in darknesse and was under the sad countenance of God and yet had strong faith As appears in those words when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his
righteousnesse and let this suffice for the first answer The second Remedie against this Device 2. Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider that God in the Scriptures doth define John 1. 12. faith otherwise God defines faith to be a â—â—ceiving of Christ As many as received him to them he gave this priviledge to be Act. 11. 23. the sons of God to as many as beleeved on his name to be a cleaving of the soule unto God though no joy but afflictions attend the soule Yea the Lord defines faith to be a coming to God in Christ Mat. 11. 28. John 6. 37. Heb. 7. 25. 26. Isa 3. 4 c. and often to a resting and staying or rouling of the soule upon Christ 'T is safest and sweetest to define as God defines both vices and graces this is the only way to settle the soule and to secure it against all the wiles of men and devills who labour by false definitions of grace to keepe precious soules in a doubting staggering and languishing condition and so make their lives a burden a hell unto them The third Remedie against this device 3 Remedie of Satan is seriously to consider this that there may be true faith where there Mat. 6. 30. chap. 14. 31. chap. 16. 8. is much doubtings witnesse those frequent sayings of Christ to his Disciples Why are yee afraid oh yee of little faith Luke 12. 28. Persons may be truly believing who neverthelesse are sometimes doubting in the same persons that the fore-mentioned Scriptures speak of you may see their faith commended and their doubts condemned which doth necessarily suppose a presence of both The fourth Remedie against this device 4 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that assurance is an effect of faith therefore it cannot be faith The cause cannot be the effect nor the root the fruit as the effect slowes from the cause the fruit from the root the stream from the fountain so doth the assurance flow from faith this truth I shall make good thus The assurance of our salvation and pardon of sin doth primarily arise from the witnesse of the spirit of God that Ephes 1. 13. Gal. 5. 6. we are the children of God And the spirit never witnesseth this till we are beleevers for we are sonnes by faith in Gal. 4 6. Christ Jesus therefore assurance is not faith but followes it as the effect follows the cause Againe no man can be assured and perswaded of his salvation till he be united to Christ till he be ingrafted into Christ and a man cannot be ingrafted into Christ till he hath faith hee must first be ingrafted into Christ by faith before he can have assurance of his salvation which doth clearly evidence that assurance is not faith but an effect and fruit of faith c. Again faith cannot be lost but assurance may therefore assurance is not faith Though assurance be a precious Psal 51. 12. Psal 30. 6 7. flower in the garden of a Saint and is more infinitely sweet and delightful to the soule then all outward comforts Cant. 5. 6. Isa 8. 17. and contents yet 't is but a flower that is subject to fade and to loose its freshnesse There is many thousand precious souls of whom this world is not worthy that have the â—aith of reliance yet want assurance and the effects of it as high joy glorious peace and vehement longings after the coming of Christ and beauty as Saints by sad experience finde c. Againe a man must first have faith before he can have assurance therefore assurance is not faith and that a man must first have faith before he can have assurance is cleare by this a man must first be saved before he can be assured of his salvation for he cannot be assured of that which is not and a man must first have a saving faith before he can be saved by faith for he cannot be saved by that which he hath not therefore a man must first have faith before he can have assurance and so it roundly followes that assurance is not faith c. The third Device that Satan 3 Device hath to keepe the soul in a sad doubting and questioning condition is BY working the soule to make false Psal 77. 7. 11. Psal 88. 1. ult Psal 73. 2. 23. inferences from the crosse actings of providence saith Satan dost thou not see how Providence crosses thy prayers and crosses thy desires thy teares thy hopes thy endeavours surely if his love were toward thee if his soule did delight and take pleasure in thee he would not deale thus with thee c. Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this device 1 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider that many things may be crosse to our desires that are not crosse to our good Abraham Jacob David Job Moses Jeremiah The Circumcellians being not able to withstand the preaching writing of Augustine sought his destruction having beset the way he was to goe his visitation but by Gods providence he missing his way escaped the danger Jonah Paul c. met with many things that were contrary to their de fires and endeavours that were not contrary to their good as all know that have wisely compared their desires and endeavours and Gods actings together Physick often works contrary to the Patients desires when it doth not work contrary to their good I remember a story of a godly man who had a great desire to goe to France and as he was going to take shipping he broke his leg and it pleased providence so to order it that the ship that he should have gone in at that very same time was cast away and not a man saved and so by breaking a bone his life was saved Though Providence did worke crosse to his desires yet it did not work cross to his good c. The second Remedie against this device 2 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to consider that the hand of God may be against a man when the love and heart of God is much set upon a man No man can conclude how the heart of God stands by his hand The hand of God was against Ephraim and yet his love his heart was Ier. 31. 18 19 20. Gods providentiall hand may be with persons when his heart is set against them Gods providentiall hand was for a time with Saul Haman Ashur Iehu and yet his heart was set against them No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them Eccles 9. 1 2. dearly set upon Ephraim I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a bullocke unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh
is of wrought gold it makes men looke gloriously and speak gloriously and walke and act gloriously so that vaine souls shall be Acts 4. vers 8. to vers 15. forced to say that these are they that have seen Jesus as grace is a fire to burn up and consume the drosse and filth of the soule so it is an ornament to 2 Cor. 5. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creation new Adam new Covenant new Paradise new Creation new Lord new Law new hearts new natures go together beautifie and adorn the soule True grace makes all new the inside new and the out-side new If any man be in Christ he is a new creature but temporary grace doth not this True grace changes the very nature of a man morall vertue doth only restrain or chain up the outward man it doth not change the whole man a Lion in a grate is a Lion still he is restrained but not changed for he retains his Lion-like nature still so temporary graces restraine many men from this and that wickedness but it doth not change and turn their hearts from wickednesse but now true grace that turnes a Lion into a Lamb as you may see in Paul Acts 9. and a notorious strumpet into a blessed and glorious Penitent as you may see in Mary Magdalen c. Luke 7. 2. The objects of true grace are supernaturall true grace is conversant about the choisest and the highest objects 2 Cor. 4. 18. chap. 11. Hebr. 15. Prov. 14. A Saint hath his feet where other mens heads are Matth. 6. about the most soul-enobling and soul-greatning objects as God Christ precious promises that are more worth then a world and a Kingdome that shakes not a Crown of glory that withers not and Heavenly treasures that rust not The objects of temporary grace are low and poor and alwayes within the compasse of reasons reach 3. True grace inables a Christian when he is himselfe to do spirituall actions with reall pleasure and delight To souls truly gracious Christs yoke is Mat. 11. 30. 1 John 5. 3. Rom. 7. 22. easie and his burden is light his commandements are not grievous but joyous I delight in the law of God after the inward man saith Paul the blessed man is described by this that he delights in the law Psal 1. 2. of the Lord 'T is joy to the just to doe judgment Prov. 21. 15. saith Solomon To a gracious soul all the wayes of the Lord are pleasantnesse and his paths are peace But to souls that have but temporary grace but morall vertues religious services are a toile not a pleasure a burden and not a delight Wherefore have we fasted say they Isa 58. 3. and thou seest not wherefore have wee afflicted Mal. 3. 14. our soules and thou takest no knowledg c. Yee have said say those in Malachi it is vaine to serve God and what profit is it that wee have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts When will the new Moone be gone say those in Amos that Amos 8. 5. we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat making the Epha small and the shekell great and falsifying the balances by deceit Fourthly True grace makes a man most carefull and most fearfull of his owne heart it makes him most studious about his owne heart informing that examining that and P 〈…〉 51. 10. Psal 119. 36. 80. Psal 139. 23. Psal 86. 11. Matth. 23. watching over that but temporary grace morall vertues make men more mindfull and carefull of others to instruct them and counsell them and stir up them and watch over them c. which doth with open mouth demonstrate that their graces are not saving and peculiar to Saints but that they are temporary and no more then what Judus Demas and the Pharisees had c. 5. Grace will work a mans heart to love and cleave to the strictest and hâ—liest wayes and things of God for their purity and sanctity in the face of all dangers and hardships Thy word is very Psal 119. 140. pure therefore thy servant loveth it others love it and like it and follow it for the credit the honour the advantage that they get by it but I love it for the spirituall beauty and purity of it So the Psalmist All this is come upon us Psal 44. 17 18 19. Grace is a panoply against all troubles a paradise of all pleasures yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned backe neither have our steps declined from thy way Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadowes of death But temporary grace that will not beare up the soule against all oppositions and discouragements in the wayes of God as is cleare by their apostacie in that sixt Mat. 13. 20 21. of John and by the stony grounds falling away c. 6. True grace will inable a man to step over the worlds Crown to take up Christs Crosse to preferre the crosse of Christ above the glory and bravery of this world It inabled Abraham and Moses and Daniel with those other Heb. 11. Worthies in the 11. of the Hebrews to do so Godfrey of Bullen first King of Jerusalem refused to be crowned with a Crown of Gold saying that it became Few are of Hieroms mind that had rather have St. Pauls coate with his heavenly graces then the purple of Kings with their Kingdoms 2 Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 19. 20 21 22. The King of Navarr told Beza that in the cause of Religion hee would launch no further into the Sea then he might be sure to return safe to the Haven not a Christian to weare a Crowne of Gold where Christ had wore a Crown of thornes oh but temporary grace cannot work the soul to prefer Christs crosse above the worlds Crowne but when these two meet a temporary Christian steps over Christs crosse to take up and keep up the worlds crown Demas hath for saken us to embrace this present world So the young man in the Gospel had many good things in him he bid fair for Heaven and came neer to Heaven but when Christ set his Crosse before him he steps over that to enjoy the worlds Crown When Christ bid him goe and sell all that he had and give to the poor c. He went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions If Heaven be to be had upon no other terms Christ may keep his Heaven to himselfe hee 'l have none c. Then in the seventh place consider this that sanctifying grace renewing grace puts the soule upon spirituall duties from spirituall and intrinsical motives as from the sense of divine love that doth constrain the soul to wait on As what I have if offered to thee pleaseth not thee oh Lord without my selfe
be resolved of his doubts because he would not loose the pleasure in seeking for resolution So wicked men will not be rid of some sins because they would not loose the seeming pleasure of sinning his soule but a destruction of all those lusts and vermine that vex and rack his righteous heart it will not satisfie a gracious soul to see Justice done upon one sin but he cries out for Justice upon all he would not have some crucified and others spared but cries out Lord crucifie them all crucifie them all Oh! but now the conflict that is in wicked men is partiall they frown upon one fin and smile upon another they strike at some sins but stroake others they thrust some out of doors but keep others close in their bosomes as you may see in Iehu Herod Iudas Simon Magus and Demas Wicked men strike at gtosse sins such as are not only against the law of God but against the Laws of nature and Nations but make nothing of lesse sinnes as vaine thoughts idle words sinfull motions John 3. 20. petty oathes c. They fight against those sins that fight against their honor profits pleasures c. but make truce with those that are as right hands and as right eyes to them c. 3. The conflict that is in a Saint against sin is maintained by spirituall Arguments by arguments drawn from Though to be kept from sin brings comfort to us yet for us to oppose sin from spirituall and heavenly arguments and God to pardon sin that brings most glory to God 2. Cor. 12. 7 8 9. the love of God the honour of God the sweetness of communion with God and from the spirituall and heavenly blessings and priviledges that are conferred upon them by God and from Arguments drawn from the blood of Christ the glory of Christ the eye of Christ the kisses of Christ and the intercession of Christ And from Arguments drawn from the earnest of the Spirit the seale of the Spirit the witnesse of the Spirit the comforts of the Spirit Oh! but the conflict that is in wicked men is from low earnall and legall Arguments drawn from the eye eare or hand of the creature or drawn from shame hell curses of the Law c 4. The conflict that is in Saints is a 'T was an excellent saying of Eusebius Emesenus Our father 's overcome the torments of the flames let us overcome the fiery darts of vices Consider that the pleasure and sweetness that follows victory over sin is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetnesse that is in sinne constant conflict though sin and grace were not born in the heart of a St. together and though they shall not die together yet whilst a Beeleever lives they must conflict together Paul had been about fourteen years converted when he cryed out I have a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading mee captive to the law of sinne Pietro Candiano one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against the Nauratines with the weapons in his hands so a Saint lives fighting and dies fighting he stands fighting and falls fighting with his spirituall weapons in his hands But the conflict that is in wicked men is inconstant now they fal out with sin and anon they fall in with sin now 't is bitter anon 't is sweet now the sinner turns from his sin and anon he turns to the wallowing in sin as the swine doth to the wallowing in the mire one hour you shall have him 2 Pet. 2. 19 20. praying against sin as if he feared it more then hell and the next houre you shall have him pursuing after sin as if there were no God to punish him no justice to damne him no hell to torment him The conflict that is in the Saints is in the same faculties there is the judgement against the judgement the minde against the minde the will against the will the affections against the affections A Heathen could say their soule is in a mutiny a wicked man is not friends with himself he and his conscience are at difference Arist that is the regenerate part against the unregenerate part in all the parts of the soule but now in wicked men the conflict is not in the same faculties but between the conscience and the will the will of a sinner is bent strongly to such and such sins but conscience puts in and tels the sinner God hath made me his Deputy he hath given me a power to hang and draw to examine scourge judge and condemn and if thou doest such and such wickednesse I shall be thy Jayâ—or and thy tormentor I doe not beare the rod nor the sword in vaine saith Conscience if thou sinnest I shall doe my office and then thy life will be a hell and this raises a tumult in the soule 6. The conflict that is in the Saints is a more blessed successefull and prevailing conflict a Saint by his conflict with sin gaines ground upon his sin They that are Christs saith the Apostle have These two Grace and Sin are like two Buckets at a wel when one is up the other is down they are like the two Lawrels at Rome when one flourishes the other withers The more grace thrives in the soule the more fin dies in the soule 2 Tim. 3. 13. From naught they groâ— to be very naught and from very naught to be stark naught Lactantius saith of Lucian Nec diis nec hominibus pepercit hespared neither God nor man Mortification is a continued act 't is a daily dying to sin I dye daily A crucified man will strive and struggle yet in the eyes of the Law and in the account of all that see him he is dead 't is just so with sin Psal 58. 11. There is no such pleasure saith Cyprian as to have overcome an offered pleasure neither is there any greater conquest then that that is gotten over a mans corruptions crucified the world with the affections and lusts Christ puts to his hand and helps them to lead captivity captive and to set their feet upon the necks of those lusts that have formerly trampled upon their souls and their comforts As the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker and the house of David grew stronger and stronger so the Lord by the discoveries of his love and by the influences of his spirit he causes grace the noble part of a Saint to grow stronger and stronger and corruption like the house of Saul to grow weaker and weaker But sin in a wicked heart gets ground and growes stronger and stronger notwithstanding all his conflicts his heart is more encouraged emboldened and hardened in a way of sin as you may see in the Israelites Pharoah Jehu and Judas who doubtlesse found many strange conflicts â—umults and mutinies in their souls when God spake such bitter things against them and did such justice upon them But remember this by way of Caution though
houre to have A pardon given unexpectedly into the hand of a malefactor when he is on the last stâ—p of the ladder ready to be turn'd off will cause muâ—h joy rejoycing the newnesse and suddennesse of the change of his condition will cause his heart to leap and rejoyce yet in proces of time much of his joy will â—e abaâ—ed tho his liâ—e be as dâ—aâ— to him still as ever it was his night turn'd into day his darknesse turn'd into light his bitter into sweet Gods frownes into smiles his hatred into love his hell into a Heaven must greatly joy and comfort him It cannot but make his heart to leap and dance in him who in one houre shall see Satan accusing him his owne heart condemning him the eternall God frowning upon him the gates of Heaven bar'd against him all the creation standing armed at the least beck of God to execute vengeance on him and the mouth of the infernall pit open to receive him Now in this hour for Christ to come to the amazed soule and say to it I have trod the Winâ—-presse of my Fathers wrath for thee I have laid down my life a ransome for thee by my blood I have satisfied my Fathers Justice and pacified his anger and procured his love for thee by my blood I have purchased the pardon of thy sins thy freedom from hell and thy right to Heaven c. Oh! how wonderfully will this cause the soule to leap for joy The fifth Remedy against this Device 5 Remedie of Satan is to consider that God will restore and make up the comforts of his people though thy candle be put out Hudson the Martyr deserted at the stake went from under his chain and having prayed earnestly was comforted immediately and suffered valiantly So Mr. Glover when he was within sight of the stake cryed out to his friend he is come he is come meaning the comforter that Christ promised to send yet God will light it againe and make it burn more light then ever though thy sun for the present be clouded yet he that rides upon the clouds shall scatter those clouds and cause the sun to shine and warm thy heart as in formâ—r dayes as the Psalmist speakes a Ps 71. 20 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and sâ—re troubles shalt quicken me againe and shalt bring me up againe from the depths of the earth Thou shalt increase my greatnesse and comfort me on every side God takes away a little comfort that he may make room in the soule for a greater degree of comfort This the Prophet Isaiah sweetly shewes b Isa 57. 18. I have seen his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restâ—re comforts unto him and to his mourners Bear up sweetly oh precious soule thy storme shall end in a calm and thy dark night in a sun-shine day thy mourning shall be turn'd into rejoycing and the waters of consolation shall be sweeter and higher in thy soule then See also the 126 Psal 6. v. and the 42 Psal 7 8. ever the mâ—rcy is surely thine but the time of giving it is the Lords wait but a litâ—le and thou shalt find the Lord comforting thee on every side The seventh Device that Satan hath to keep souls in a doubting and questioning condition is BY suggesting to the soule his often 7 Device relapses into the same sin which formerly he hath pursued with particular sorrow grief shame and tears and prayed complained and resolved against Saith Satan thy heart is not right with God surely thy estate is not good thou dost but flatter thy selfe to think that ever God will eternally owne and embrace such a one as thou art who complainest against sin and yet relapsest into the same sin who with teares and groanes confessest thy sin and yet ever and anon art fallen into the same sin c. I confesse this is a very sad condition for a soule after he hath obtained mercy and pity from the Lord after God hath spoken peace and pardon to him and wip't the tears from his eyes and set him upon his legs to returne to folly ah how doe relapses lay men open to the greatest afflictions and worst A backslider may say opera impensa periit all my paines and charge is lost temptations How doe they make the wound to bleed afresh How doe they darken and cloud former assurances and evidenceâ— for Heaven How doe they put a sword into the hand of conscience to cut and slash the soule They raise such feares terrours horrours and doubts in the soule that the soule cannot be so frequent in duty as formerly nor so fervent in duty as formerly nor so confident in duty as formerly nor so bold familiar and delightfull with God in duty as formerly nor so constant in duty as formerly they give Satan an advantage to triumph over Christ they make the work of repentance moâ—e difficult they make a mans life a burden and they render death to be very terrible unto the soule c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this device 1 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider that there are many Scriptures that doe clearly evidence a possibility of the St. falling into the same sins whereof they have formerly repented c Hos 14. 4. I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them saith the Lord by the Prophet Hosea so the Prophet Jeremiah speaks d Ier. 3. 12. 14. Goe and proclaime these words towards the North and say returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull saith the The sin of backsliding is a soul-wounding sin I will heale their backsliding you read of no arms for the back though you doe for the breast Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Turne oh backsliding Israel saith the Lord for I am married unto you And I will take you one of a City and two of a family and I will bring you to Zion So the Psalmist They turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their Fathers they were turned aside like a deceitfull bow And no wonder for tho their repentance be never so sincere and sound yet their graces are but weak and their mortification imperfect in When a souldier bragged too much of a great scar in his forehead Augustus Caesar in whose time Christ was borne asked him if he did not get it when he looked back as he fled this life though by grace they are freed from the dominion of sin and from the damnatory power of every sin and from the love of all sin yet grace doth not free them from the seed of any one sin and therefore 't is possible for a soule to fall againe and againe into the same sin if the fire be not wholly
who knows how his heart would have swelled hee might have been carried higher in conceit then before he was in his extacie The school of temptation is a choise school a school wherein God gives his people the clearest and the sweetest discoveries of his love a school wherein God teaches his people to be more frequent and fervent in duty when Paul was buffeted then he prayed thrice that is frequently and fervently A schoole wherein God teaches his people to be more tender meek and compassionate to other poor tempted souls then ever A school wherein God teaches his people to see a greater evill in sinne then ever and a greater emptiness in the creature then ever and a greater need of Christ and free-grace then ever A school wherein God will teach his people that all temptations are but his Gold-smiths by which he will try and refine and make his people more bright and glorious The issue of all temptations shall be the good of the Saints as you may see by the temptations that Adam and Eve and Christ and David and Job and Peter and Paul met with Those hands of power and love that bring light out of darknesse good out of evill sweet out of bitter life out of death Heaven out of Hell will bring much sweet and good to his people out of all the temptations that come upon them The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedie of Satan is wisely to consider that no temptations don't hurt nor harm the Saints so long as they are not resisted by them and prove the greatest affliction that can befall them 't is not Satans tempting but your assenting not his enticing but your yeelding that makes temptations hurtfull to your soules if the soule when 't is tempted resists the temptation and saith with Christ get thee behind mee Satan and with that young Convert I am not the man that I Ego non sum ego was or as Luther counsells all men to answer all temptations with these words Christianus sum I am a Christian if a mans temptations be his greatest affliction then is the temptation no sin upon his soule though it be a trouble upon his mind when a soule can look the Lord in the face and say ah Lord I have many outward troubles now upon me I have lost such and such a neere mercy and such and such dear desirable mercies and yet thou that knowest the heart thou knowest that all my crosses and losses do not make so many wounds in my soule nor fetch so many sighes from my heart nor teares from my eyes as those temptations doe that Satan follows my soul with when 't is thus with the soule then temptations are only the souls trouble they are not the souls sin Satan is a malious and envious enemie â—â—metimeâ— he â—hewes his malice by letting those things abide by the soule as may most vex and plague the soule as Gregory observes in his leaving of Jobs wife which was not out of his forgetfulness carelesnesse or any love or pity to Iob but to vex and torment him c. and to work him to blaspheme God despair and die c. as his names are so is he his names are all names of enmity the Accuser the Tempter the Destroyer the Devourer the envious Man and this malice and envy of his he shewes sometimes by tempting men to such sins as are quite contrary to the temperature of their bodies as he did Vespasian and Julian men of sweet and excellent natures to be most bloody murtherers and sometimes hee shews his malice by tempting men to such things as shall bring hiâ— no honour nor profit c. fall downe and worship mee to blasphemie and Atheisme c. the thoughts and first motions whereof cause the bea rt and the flesh to tremble And sometimes he shewes his malice by tempting them to those sins which they have not found their natures prone to and which they abhor in others c. Now if the soule resists these and complains of these and groanes and mourns under these and lookes up to the Lord Jesus to be delivered from these then shall they not be put down to the soules account but to Satans who shall be so much the more tormented by how much the more the Saints have beene by him maliciously tempted c. Make present and peremptory resistance against Satans temptations bid defiance to the temptation at first sight When Constantine the Emperour was told that there was no means to cure his leprosie but by bathing his body in the blood of Infants he presently answered malo jemper aegrotare quam tali remedio convalescere I had rather not be cured then use such a remedie 't is safe to resist 't is dangerous to dispute Eve lost her selfe and her posterity by falling into the lists of dispute when she should have resisted and stood upon terms of defiance with Satan he that would stand in the hour of temptation must plead with Christ 't is written he that would triumph over temptations must plead still 't is written Satan is bold and impudent and if you are not peremptory in your resistance he will give you fresh onsets 'T is your greatest honour and your highest wisdome peremptorily to with-stand the beginnings of a temptation for an after remedie comes often too late Mistris Katherine Bretterge once after a great conflict with Satan said Reason not with me I am but a weake woman if thou hast any thing to say say it to my Christ he is my Advocate my strength and my redeemer and he shall plead for me Men must not seek to resist Satans craft with craft sed per apertum martem but by open defiance he shoots with Satan in his own bow who thinks by disputing and reasoning to put him off As soon as a temptation shewes its face say to the temptation as Ephraim to his idols get you hence what have I any Hosea 14. more to doe with you oh say to the temptation as David said to the sonnes of Zerviah What have I to doe with you 2 Sam. 16. 10. you will be too hard for me He that doth thus resist temptations shall never be undone by temptation c. Make strong and constant resistance I have read of one who being tempted with offers of money to desert Christ gave this excellent answer let not any man think that he will embrace other mens goods to forsake Christ who hath forsaken his own proper goods to follow Christ against Satans temptations make resistance against temptations by arguments drawn from the honour of God the love of God your union and communion with God and from the blood of Christ the death of Christ the kindness of Christ the intercession of Christ and the glory of Christ and from the voice of the Spirit the counsell of the Spirit the comforts of the Spirit the presence of the Spirit the seale of the Spirit
the whisperings of the Spirit the commands of the Spirit the assistance of the Spirit the witnesse of the Spirit and from the glory of Heaven the excellency of grace the beauty of holinesse the worth of the soule and the vildnesse or bitternesse and evill of sinne the least sin being a greater evil then the greatest temptation in the world And looke that you make constant resistance as well as strong resistance be constant in armes Satan will come on with new temptations when old Luke 4. 14. And when the Devil had ended all the temptation he departed from him for a season Christ had no rest untill he was exactly tried with all kinds of temtations Calvin ones are too weak in a calme prepare for a storm the temper is restlesse impudent and subtile he will sute his temptations to your constitutions and inclinations Satan loves to saile with the winde if your knowledg be weake he will tempt you to errour if your consciences be tender he will tempt you to scrupulosity and too much precisenesse as to do nothing but heare pray read c. If your consciences be wide and large hee will tempt you to carnall security if you are bold spirited he will tempt you to presumption if timerous to desperation if flexible to inconstancy if proud and stiffe to grosse folly therefore still fit for fresh assaults make one victory a step to another When you have overcome a temptation take heed of unbending your bow and look well to it that your bow be alwayes bent and that it remains in strength when you have overcome one temptation you must Be ready to enter the list with another as distrust in some sense is the mother of safety so security is the gate of danger a man had need to feare this most of all that he fears not all if Satan be always a roaring wee should be alwayes a watching and resisting of him and certainely hee that makes strong and constant resistance of Satans temptations shall in the end get above his temptations and for the present is secure enough from being ruin'd by his temptations c. For a close of this remember that t is He that will yeeld to sin to be rid of temptation will be so much the more tempted and the lesse able to withstand temptations dangerous to yeeld to the least sin to be rid of the greatest temptation To take this course were as if a man should think to wash himselfe cleane in Inke or as if a man should exchange a light crosse made of paper for an Iron crosse which is heavy toilesome and bloody the least sin set home upon the conscience will more wound vex and oppresse the soul then all the temptations in the world can therefore never yeeld to the least sin to be rid of the greatest temptation Sidonius Apolinaris relateth how a certain man named Maximus arriving at the top of honour by indirect meanes was the first day very much wearied and fetching a deep sigh said Oh Damocles how happie doe I esteem thee for having been a King but the space of a dinner I have been one a wholeday and can beare it no longer I will leave you to make the Application The fourth thing to be shewed is the severall wayes and devices that Satan hath to destroy and ensnare all sorts and rankes of men in the world I Shall begin with the honourable and the great and shew you the Devices that Satan hath to destroy them I will only instance in those that are most considerable His first Device to destroy the 1 Device great and honourable of the earth is BY working them to make it their businesse to seek themselves to seek how to greaten themselves to raise Selfe-seeking â—â—ke the deluge overflowes the whole world themselves to enrich themselves to secure themselves c. As you may see in Pharaoh Ahab Rehoboam Jeroboam Absolom Joab Haman c. But were the Scripture silent our owne experiences do abundantly evidence this way and method of Satan to destroy the great and the honourable to bury their names in the dust and their souls in Hell by drawing them wholly to mind themselves and onely to minde themselves and in all things to minde themselves and always to mind themselves All saith the Apostle minde Phil. 2. 21. themselves all comparatively in respect of the paucity of others that let fall their private interests and drowne all self-respects in the glory of God and the publick good c. Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device 1 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider self-Self-love is the root of the hatred of others 2 Tim. 3. 2. First lovers of themselves then fierce c. that selfe-seeking is a sin that will put men upon a world of sin upon sins not only against the Law of God the rules of the Gospel but that are against the very lawes of Nature that are so much darkned by the fall of man It put the Pharisees upon opposing Christ and Iudas upon betraying Christ and Pilate The Naturalist observes that those beasts which are most cruel to others are most loving to their own upon condemning Christ It put Gehezi upon lying and Balaam upon cursing and Saul and Absolom upon plotting Davids ruine It put Pharaoh and Haman upon contriving wayes to destroy those Jewes that God did purpose to save by his mighty arme It puts men upon using wicked ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights It puts mâ—n upon wayes of oppression and selling Amos 2. 6. the righteous for silver and the poore for a paire of shooes c. I know not any sin in the world but this sin of selfe-seeking will put men upon it though it be their eternall losse The second Remedie against this Device 2 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that self-seeking doth exceedingly abase A self-seeker is a Cato without but a Nero within Domitian would seem to love them best whom he willed least should live that 's the very temper of selfe-seekers a man it strips him of all his royalty and glory of a Lord it makes a man become a servant to the creature I often to the worst of creatures yea a slave to slaves as you may see in Iudas Demas Balaam and the Scribes and Pharisees Selfe-seekers bow downe to the creatures as Gideons many thousands bowed down to the waters self-seeking will make a man say any thing do any thing and be any thing to please the lusts of others to get advantages upon others self-seeking transforms a man into all shapes and formes now It was death in Moses Rites to counterset that Ceremoniall and figurative oyntment Exod. 30. what shall it then be to counterseit the spirit of life and holinesse it makes a man appeare as an Angell of light anon as an Angel of darkenesse now selfe-seekers
put out who would thinke it impossible that it should catch and burne againe and againe The second Remedy against this Device 2 Remedie of Satan is seriously to consider that God hath no where ingaged himselfe by any particular promise that soules converted and united to Christ shall not fall againe and againe into the same sins after conversion I cannot find in the whole Book of God where he In some cases the Saints have found God better then his word he promâ—sed the Children of Israel onely the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two other Kingdomes which he never promised And to Zachary he promised to give him his speech at the birth of the child but besides that he gave him the gift of Prophecy hath promised any such strength or power against this or that particular sin as that the soule shall be for ever in this life put out of a possibility of falling againe and againe into the same sins and where God hath not a mouth to sâ—eak I must not have a heart to believe God will graciously pardon those sins to his people that he will not in this life effectually subdue in his people I would goe far to speak with that soule that can shew a promise that when our sorrow and grief hath been so great or so much for this or that sin that then God will preserve us from ever falling into the same sin the sight of such a promise would be as life from the dead to many a precious soule who desires nothing more then to keepe close to Christ and feares nothing more then backsliding from Christ The third Remedy against this Device 3 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that the most renowned and now crowned Saints have in the dayes of their being on earth relapsed into one and the A sheep may often slip into a slough as well as a swine same sin Lot was twice overcome with wine John twice worshipped the Angel Abraham did often dissemble and Iay his wife open to adultery to save his owne life which some Heathens would not have done And it came to Gen. 20. 13. â—h 12. passe when God caused me to wander from my Fathers house that I said unto her this is thy kindnesse which thou shalt shew unto me at every place whether we shall come say of me he is my brother David in his Perhaps the Prodigall sets out unto us a Christian relapst for he was a son before and with his Father then went away from him and spent all and yet he was not quite undone but returned againe wrath was resolved if ever man was that he would be the death of Nabal and all his innocent Family and after this he fell into the foule murther of Vriah Though Christ told his Disciples that his Kingdome was not of this world yet againe and againe and again three severall times they would needs be on horse-back they would faine be high great and glorious in this world their pride and ambitious humour put them that were but as so many baggars upon striving for preheminence and greatnesse in the world when their Lord and Master told them 3 severall times of his sufferings in the world and of his going out of the world Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 18. ch 1. 2. 3. 30 31. though a godly man yet joynes affinity with wicked Ahab and though he was saved by a miracle yet soon after he fals into the same sin and joynes himself with ch 20. 35. 36 37. Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly Sampson iâ— by the Spirit of the Lord numbred among the faithful worthies Heb. 11. 32. and yet he fell often into one gross sin as is evident in the book of Judges Jud. 14. 15. 16. ch Peter you know relapst often and so did Jonah and this comes to passe that they may see their owne inability to stand to resist or overcome any temptation or corruption And that they may be taken off from all false confidences and rest wholy upon God and onely upon God and alwayes upon God and for the praise and honour of the power wisdome skill mercy and The Prodigal saw the compassion of his Father the greater in receiving him after he had run away from him goodnesse of the Physitian of our souls that can heale help and cure when the disease is most dangerous when the soule is relapst and growes worse and worse and when others say there is no help for him in his God and when his owne heart and hopes are dying The fourth Remedy against this Device 4 Remedie of Satan is to consider that therâ— are relapses into enormities and there are relapses into infirmities now 't is not usuall with God to leave his people Relapses into enormities are peccata vulnerantia divistantia wounding wasting sins Therefore the Lord is graciously pleased to put under his everlasting arms and stay his chosen ones from frequent falling into them frequently to relapse into enormities for by his spirit and grace by his smiles and frownes by his word and rod he doth usually preserve his people from a frequent relapsing into enormities yet he doth leave his choicest ones frequently to relapse into infirmities and of his grace he pardons them in course as idle words passion vaine thoughts c. Though gracious soules strive against these and complaine of these and weep over these yet the Lord to keep them humble leaves them frequently to relapse into these and these frequent relapses into infirmities shall never be their bane because they be their burden The fift Remedy against this Device 5 Remedy of Satan is to consider that there are There is a great difference betwen a sheep that by weaknesse fals into the mire a swine that delights to wallow in the mire between a woman that is forced though she strives and cries out and and an alluring adultress involuntary relapses and there are voluntary relapses involuntary relapses are when the resolution and full bent of the heart is against sin when the soul strives with all its might against sin by sighes and groans by prayers and tears and yet out of weaknesse is forced to fall back into sin because there is not spirituall strength enough to overcome Now though involuntary relapses must humble us yet they must never discourage nor deject us for God will freely and readily pardon those in course Voluntary relapses are when the soule longs and loves to return to the flesh-pots of Egypt when 't is a pleasure and a pastime to a man to return to his old courses such voluntary relapses speak out the man blinded hardned and ripened for rulne c. The sixth Remedie against this Device 6 Remedy of Sathan is to consider that there is no such power or infinite vertue in the Christ upbraded his Disciples for their unbelief and hardnesse of heart who
makes Proclamation that who-ever could bring the Rebell dead or alive he should have such a great summe of money The Rebell hearing of this comes and presents himself before the Emperour and demands the summ of money now saith the Emperour if I should put him to death the world would say I did it to save my money and so he pardons the Rebell and gives him the money Ah sinners shall a Heathen do this that had but a drop of mercy and compassion in him and will not Christ do much more Coloss 1. 19. Chap. 2 3 4. that hath all fulnesse of grace mercy and glory in himselfe Surely his bowels doe yerne towards the worst of Rebels Ah! if you will but come in you will find him ready to pardon yea one Nehem. 9. 17. Heb. but thou a god of pardons made up of pardoning mercy Oh! the readinesse and willingnesse of Jesus Christ to receive to favour the greatest Rebels The father of mercies did meet embrace and kisse that prodigall mouth which came from feeding with swine and kissing of Harlots Ephraim had Hos 4. 17. 5. 3. 6. 8. 11 12. 12. 14. 13. 12. vide committed Idolatry and was backsliden from God he was guilty of lukewarmnesse and unbelief c. yet saith God Ephraim is my deare sonne hee is a Jer. 31. 20. pleasant child my bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy or rather as 't is in the Originall I will have mercy mercy upon him saith the Lord. Well saith God Though Ephraim be guilty of crimson sinnes yet he is a sonne a deare sonne a precious sonne a pleasant childe Though he be blacke with filth and red with guilt yet my bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy mercy upon him Ah sinners if these bowels of mercy doe not melt win and draw you Justice will be a swift witnesse against you and make you lye downe in eternall misery for kicking against the bowels of mercy Christ hangs out still as once that warlike Seythian did a white flag of grace and mercy to returning sinners that humble themselves at his feete for favour but if sinners stand out Christ will put forth his red flag his bloody flag and then they shall dye for ever by a hand of Justice Sinners there is no way to avoid perishing by Christs iron rod but by kissing his golden Scepter The fourth Remedie against this Device 4 Remedie of Satan iâ— to consider that Iesus Christ has no where in all the Scripture excepted against the worst of sinners that are willing to receive him to belive in him and to rest upon him for happinesse and blessedness Ah sinners why should you be more cruell and unmercifull to your own soules then Christ is Christ hath not excluded you from mercy why should you exclude your owne soules from mercy Oh that you would dwell often upon that choise Scripture John 6. 37. All Iohn 6. 37. that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out or as the Originall hath it I will not cast out Well saith Christ if any man will come or is coming to me let him be more sinfull or lesse more unworthy or lesse let him be never so guilty never so filthy never so rebellious never so leprous c. yet if hee will but come I will not not not cast him off So much is held forth in that 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous 1 Cor 6. 9. 10 11. shall not inherite the Kingdome of God Be not deceived Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with man-kinde Nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherite the Kingdome of God And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Ah sinners do not thinke that hee that hath received such notorious sinners to mercy will reject you Hee is Heb. 13. 8. yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ was borne in an Inne to shew that he receives all commers his garments were divided into four parts to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come we shall be received If we be naked Christ hath Robes to cloth us if we be harbourless Christ hath room to lodg us That is a choise Scripture Acts 10. 34 35. Acts 10. 34 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him The three Tongues that were written upon the Crosse in Greeke Latine and Hebrew to witnesse Christ to be Iohn 19. 19 20. the King of the Jewes do each of them in their severall Idiom avouch this singular Axiome that Christ is an all sufficient Saviour and a three-fold cord is not easily broken The Apostle puts this out of doubt in that Heb. 7. v. 25. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the vttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Now he were not an Al-sufficient Saviour if he were not as able to save the greatest as the least of sinners Ah sinners tell Jesus Christ that he hath not excluded you from mercy and therefore you are resolved that you will sit waite weep and knock at the doore of mercy til he shall say souls be of good cheer your sins are forgiven your persons are justified and your soules shall be saved The fifth Remedie against this Device 5 Remedy of Satan is to consider that the greater sinner thou art the dearer thou wilâ— be to Christ when he shall behold thee as the travel of his soule Isa 53. 11. Isa 53. 11. He shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied The dearer we pay for any thing the dearer that thing is to us Christ hath paid most and prayed most and sighed most and wept most and bled most for the greatest sinners and therefore they are dearer to Christ then others that are lesse sinful Rachel was Gen. 29. 30. dearer to Jacob then Leah because shee cost him more he obeyed endured and suffered more by day and by night for her then for Leah Ah sinners the greatnesse of your sinns does but set off the freenesse and riches of Christs grace and the freenesse of his love this maketh Heaven and Earth to ring of his praise that he loves those that are most unlovely that hee shewes most favour to them that hath sinned most highly against him as might be shewed by severall instances in Scripture as Paul Mary Magdalene and others who sinned more against Christ then these and who had sweeter and choicer manifestations of divine love and favour then these The sixth Remedy against this Device 6 Remedie of Satan
is seriously to consider that the longer you keepe off from Christ the greater and stronger your sinnes wil grow All divine power and strength against sin flowes from the souls union Rom. 8. 10. 1 Iohn 1. 6 7. and communion with Christ while you keepe off from Christ you keep off from that strength and power which is only able to make you trample downe strength lead captivity captive and slay the Goliah's that bids defiance to Christ 'T is only faith in Christ that makes a 1 Iohn 5. 4. man triumph over sin Satan Hell and the world 'T is onely faith in Christ Mar. 5. 25-35 that binds the strong man hand and foot that stops the issue of blood that makes a man strong in resisting and happy in conquering Sin always dies most where faith lives most the most believing soule is the most mortifyed soule Ah sinner remember this there is no way on earth effectually to be rid of the guilt filth and power of sinne but by believing in a Saviour 'T is not resolving 't is not complaining 't is not mourning but believing that will make thee divinely victorious over that bodie of sinne that to this day is too strong for thee and that will certainly be thy ruine if it be not ruin'd by a hand of faith The seventh Remedie against this Device 7 Remedie of Satans is wisely to consider that as there is nothing in Christ to discourage the greatest sinners from believing in him so there is every thing in Christ that may encourage the greatest sinners to believe in him to rest and leane upon him for all happinesse and blessednesse If you look upon his nature his disposition his names his titles his offices as King Priest and Cant. 1. 3. Prophet you shall finde nothing to discourage the greatest sinners to receive Coloss 1. 19. Chap. 2. 3. Cant. 5. 10. him to believe on him Christ is the greatest good the choisest good the chiefest good the most sutable good the most necessary good he is a pure good a reall good a totall good an eternall good and a soul-satisfying good Sinners are you poor Christ Rev. 3. 17 18. hath gold to enrich you are you naked Christ hath royall robes hee hath white rayment to cloath you are you blind Christ hath eye-salve to enlighten you are you hungry Christ will be Manna to feed you are you thirsty Iohn 6. 48. Iohn 7. 38. he will be a Well of living water to refresh you are you wounded hee hath balm under his wings to heale you are Mal. 4. 2. Mat. 4. 23. Mat. 20. 28. you sick he is a Physitian to cure you are you prisoners he hath laid downe a ran some for you Ah sinners tell me tell me is there any thing in Christ to keep you off from believing No is there not every thing in Christ that may incourage you to believe in him Yes O then believe in him and then though your sinnes be as searlet they be as Isa 1. 18. white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool Nay then your iniquities shall be forgotten as well as Isa 43. 25. Isa 38. 17. Micha 1. 19. forgiven they shall be remembred no more God will cast them behinde his back he will hurle them into the bottome of the Sea The 8. and last Remedie against this 8 Remedie Device of Satan is seriously to consider the absolute necessity of beleeving in Christ Heaven is too holy and too hot to hold unbelievers their lodging is prepared in hell Revel 21. 8. But Revel 21. 8. the fear full and unbelieving c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death If ye believe not that I am he saith Christ Iohn 8. 24. you shall die in your sins And he that dyes in his sins must to judgment and to hell in his sins Every unbeliever is a condemned man He that beleeveth not saith John is condemned already because Iohn 3. 18. he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And hee that Vers 36. beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ah sinners the Law the Gospel and your owne Consciences has pass'd the sentence of condemnation upon you and there is no way to reverse the sentence but by believing in Christ and therefore my counsell is this Stir up your Isa 64. 7. selves to lay hold on the Lord Jesus and look up to him and wait on him from whom every good and perfect James 1. 17. Isa 62. 7. gift comes and give him no rest till he hath given thee that Jewell Faith that is more worth then Heaven and Earth and that will make thee happy in life joyfull in death and glorious in the day of Christ And thus much for the Remedies against this first Device of Satans whereby he keeps off thousands from believing in Christ The second Device that Satan hath to keepe poor sinners from believing from closing with a Saviour is BY suggesting to them their unworthinesse 2 Device Ah saith Satan as thou art worthy of the greatest misery so thou art unworthy of the least crum of mercy what dost thou thinke saith Satan that ever Christ will owne receive or embrace such an unworthy wretch as thou art no no if there were any worthinesse in thee then indeed Christ might be willing to be entertained by thee thou art unworthy to entertain Christ into thy house how much more unworthy art thou to entertaine Christ into thy heart c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device 1 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that God hath no where in the Scripture required any worthinesse in the creature before believing in Christ If you make a diligent search through all the Scripture you shall not find from Iohn 5. 29. the first line in Genesis to the last line in the Revelation one word that speaks Mat. 19. 8. out Gods requiring any worthinesse in the creature before the soules believing in Christ before the souls leaning and resting upon Christ for happinesse and blessednesse and why then should that be a bar and hinderance to thy faith which God doth no where require of thee before thou comest to Christ that thou maist have life Ah sinners remember Satan objects your unworthinesse against you only out of a Designe to keep Christ and your soules asunder for ever and therefore in the face of all your unworthiness rest upon Christ come to Christ believe in Iohn 6. 40. 47. Christ and you are happy for ever The second Remedie against this Device 2 Remedie of Satans is wisely to consider that none never received Christ embraced Christ obtained mercy and pardon from Christ but unworthy soules Pray what worthinesse was in Matthew Zacheus Mary Magdalen Manasseh Paul and Sydia before their coming to Christ before their faith