TO THE Religious Worthy Mr. IOSEPH HOLDEN OF LONDON Gent. And my much Esteemed Friend Dear Honored Sir THE Dedication of Books unto Persons of Worth and Interest Service and Honor though often abused to Vain Flattery is of Antient Use and oft-times doth Secure the same from the Euroclydons of a Censorious Age And therefore the Custom is not to be Despised especially considering that one of the Pen-men of Holy Scripture hath Hallowed it by his Practice who Inscribeth his Gospel and his Acts to Theophilus a Person both Eminent in Religion and Dignify'd with Birth and Place which ever since has been Imitated by the Best and Wisest of Men in all Ages So that I shall use no further Apology on this Account But the Reasons why I Address my Self to You in this manner and Prefix your Name to this Work are many a few whereof may not be needless here to Insert viz. Your eximious Piety Faithfulness and Zeal towards God your laudable Love towards and Tenderness of all under what Names of Discrimination so-ever that have but aliquid Christi in them which is rare now a-days Sir I speak my Conscience That this is as an Orient Pearl shining in your Breast and in which lies much of your Eminency viz. Unfeigned Love to the Brethren which is one of those Excellent Things that accompany Salvation And that your Love is Unfeigned appears from the Spirituality and the Universality of it Your Love is Spiritual because it is a Love for the Image of God that is stamped on the Creature In the next place It is Universal in that it extends to all Saints as Saints how-ever Distinguished among us and not making this or that Difference in Judgment a Difference in Affection which too oft-times is Saintship is the Ground of your Love and where-ever you Espy it you Like it Love it and Admire it though their Errors may be many so they be not Fundamental and Approved Your Faith is enough to Justify this before God and your Good Works enough to Justify it before Men Of your Good Works many poor Souls besides God Angels and your own Conscience are Witnesses of Among whom I may well be accounted one who am able to attest the Largness of your Heart unto poor Christians and the Filling-up that Relation in which you stand viz. Your Succouring me in my Tempted Condition your Fervent Prayers Set and Occasional Solemn and Sudden that were made with and for me your gracious Words feeling Expressions pious Discourses wholsom Admonitions divine Cordials simpathizing Epistles And lastly which Crowned all was your incouraging and forwarding me in that Holy Work and Function where-unto God has called me of which I must have despaired as to all secundary Causes and outward Instruments assisting of me had not God stir'd up your Heart towards me on the Fore-sight of what I am now through Divine Providence arrived unto In a word You believed for me what I could not believe for my self So that my present State is an Effect of your Faith and a Fruit of your Hope and Labor which I desire may be to the Glory of God the Good of Immortal Souls and the Fulfilling of your Expectations which I know are High concerning me And well they may because of Expence that I have put you to Besides Your owning of me against the furious Onset of some prejudiced * Persons whose Names I shall conceal for the Glory of God's Sake and their own Reputation that would have parted between Friend and Friend by whispering in your Ears things of me unbecoming them of their Place to say especially considering me to be a Brother though the Younger One and the Unworthiest of all Yet none of these Things could byass your Unbyassed Disposition towards me and by vertue of that Spirit of Discerning which God has given you was more able to Judg of me than they And therefore they could not come to a Person with whom their Tales could be more unwelcom than with you Whence it is that notwithstanding those Jealousies which they would have fomented you have continued your Favor hither-to unto me This together with many other of your Favours which to enumerate I know would but disgust you have obliged me to this unfeigned Expression of my Gratitude and Service in what I may or can especially for your constant Countenance your undeserved Bounty and your propitious Acceptance of my poor fore-past Labors So that if you will but accept of this Plain and Unpolished Discourse also it will be an Additional Favor unto all the former My Confidence beloved Sir is in your Self and not in any thing of my Stile here that may merit an Admission into the Cabinet of your more serious Thoughts Matter and Method being both plain Only this I can say for my Book The Things contained in it are Weighty and High though the Expressions are Plain and Familiar And I know not of any thing here handled but I first tried it by the Touchstone of the Word and could Seal to it by my own Experience So that what comes to the View of your Eye will I question not but be approved Some Rhetorical Flourishes that some much use are here wanting yet I am almost confident that it will prove Acceptable unto you that be my Friend and whose Property all along has been to wink at small Faults This Book I hope though it is not set out as some are may be useful to Christians of all sorts and sizes viz. Babes Little Children Young Men and Fathers and I suppose the Unconverted may find something here-in to Chew also When I Preached these things it was not without good Acceptation and Success as I have not a little Cause to presume The Happiness of Believers and the Unhappiness of Unbelievers is here opened The Nature of True Saving Faith is handled Iustification by Faith hinted The Potency of Christ's Intercession on the Behalf of the Elect Believers Perseverance Satan's Wiles Discovered Together with many other Useful Things All very Material Practical and Soul-searching Now these Good Sir do I Present unto you not that you needed them For I question not but that you have Treasured up every Thing that may be of Excellency in this Book long before my Time that am but of Yester-day My Desire is only as in part I have said already to express what I would if I could And more-over To let you see something that God has done for me and that your Endeavours have not been in vain 〈◊〉 the Lord. What is here was intended you sooner but some Emergent Occasions intervening prevented Besides my Design was â—…o have buried it in Oblivion â—…ut only that some that were Friends to it Revived it If this â—…ittle Spark may give Light or Heat to any Heart I shall have my desire What now remains ever Honored Sir but that God may Prosper you in all your lawful Undertakings That
Life that is Sealed and turn thee to thy Name or who shall bring thee a Certificate that it is Written there Behold it is nigh thee even in thine Heart The Work of Grace there the Law Written on the Tables of thine Heart by the Finger of the Spirit is the Exemplification and Counterpane of that Decree The safest Way the best Way the only Way to make sure of Election is first to make sure of thy Vocation SECT VI. Fourthly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to pore too much upon its own Unworthiness You are Unworthy saith Satan of the least Crumb of Bread or of the least Drop of Water and how canst thou therefore think of expecting any Good from the Hands of God Remedy The only way to stop Satan's Mouth in this Respect is by Assenting thus far That I am Unworthy it is true and that I do not deserve a Crumb of Bread or Drop of Water it is alike true And yet I do not erre if I say I am Unworthy and yet Worthy I deserve Nothing and yet Merit what I Have Unworthy and yet Worthy like the Spouse in the Canticles Black and yet Comely Black in Her Self and yet Comely in Her Beloved SECT VII Fifthly Satan Tempts to Despair by suggesting to the Soul that no Man's Faith is so Weak as his Behold how Weak Imperfect Staggering and Trembling it is Remedy What of all that may the Soul Reply A little Faith is ‖ Faith as a Sparkle of Fire is Fire Faith though weak yet it will Entitle us unto Christ. A Child's Hand can receive a Pearl as well as the Hand of a Gyant Out of this little Grain of Mustard-Seed Heaven will grow In this Smoking Flax there 's a Divine Spark Though the Smoke of Doubts and Temptations muffle it up in Obscurity it will break out at last into Flames of Love and Ioy. Our Imperfect Faith will entitle us unto a Perfect Righteousness SECT VIII Sixthly Satan Tempts to Despair by making the Soul to infer Evil from Adversity Thou art Poor and Indigent Beggarly and Despicable saith Satan In Answer unto which I would refer the Reader unto Pag. 66 67. where this is Answered fully SECT IX Seventhly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to think much on the Sharpness of Death Thou Gloriest now saith Satan but ere long thy Condition shall be changed Thou Rejoycest but yet know that still thou art a Dying Creature It is not thy Faith Love and Hope that can shroud thee from Death which is the King of Terrors That Universal Monarch which hath made even the Strongest and Stoutest to stoop unto him Remedy What though Death may the Believing Soul say is stiled The King of Terrors yet if I am a Child of God it can do me no hurt 'T is an Enemy I know to the Mortal Part but a Friend to the Spiritual The Bee by Stinging looseth its Sting so Death while it Stung Christ on the Cross hath quite lost its Sting to a Believer Death is the Gate of Life It puts off our Rags and gives us Change of Rayment All the Hurt it can do us is to put us into a better Condition The Devil therefore is a Liar in saying That it is not our Faith Love and Hope that will Exempt us from Death Whereas we know well enough that though we shall not be freed from Death yet by having Faith in Iesus Christ we shall be freed from that which renders Death so Formidable viz. its Sting Death's Pale Face looks Ruddy in the Blood of Sprinkling Death will free us from all Corporal and Spiritual Maladies It is our Best and Last Physician It will Cure the Aching Head and the Unbelieving Heart Sin was the Mid-wife that brought Death into the World and Death shall be the Grave to Bury Sin Why then should we be unwilling to Die seeing Death gives us a Receipt of Ease from Infirmities and Weaknesses from all Aches and Pains Griefs and Gripings Distempers and Diseases both of Body and Soul Here Sin will keep House whether we will or no Evil Thoughts are continually arising out of our Hearts as Sparks out of a Furnace When we would Pray the Heart is as a Viol out of Tune When we would like a Bird flie up to Heaven upon the Wing of Meditation our Corruption like a String tied to the Leg pulls us down again But after Death we shall be Proud no more grieve the Spirit no more Come hither therefore Oh ye Trembling Souls who through the Fears of Death have all your Life-time been subject to Bondage Set your Feet upon the Neck of this King of Terrors Assume that Triumphant Challenge of the Apostle Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor. 15. 25. The Glimmering Presence of God with a Believer here below may Conquer the Fear of Death But how much more methinks should the Consideration of the full Enjoyment of him after Death Faith gives us a Propriety in Heaven and Death gives us a Possession in Heaven Death is only a Dirty Lane saith one through which the Saint passeth to a Kingdom to a great Kingdom to a glorious Kingdom to a quiet Kingdom to an unshaken Kingdom to a durable Kingdom to a lasting Kingdom yea to an Everlasting Kingdom Death is a dark short Way through which the Saints pass to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb. Ever with the Lord saith an Eminent Divine This puts Lillies and Roses into the Gastly Face of Death and makes the King of Terrors to out-shine Solomon in all his Glory A few Lines that Comforted me once in the same Case I will adventure here to Transcribe out of that Little Useful Treatise of Reverend Mr. Wadsworth my Spiritual Father viz. Oh! when Death draws near do not startle Cry not out as one undone as if when thou Diest thou must needs totally Perish But rather then lift up thy Head and Triumphantly proclaim to the Standers by Now doth the Day the Hour the Moment of thy Redemption draw nigh Now art thou drawing near thy Home Heaven is within Sight and its Melody almost within Hearing Thy Lord hath the Curtain in his Hand ready to draw it to shew thee all that Glory that hitherto he hath been but telling thee of and give thee a Possession of all that which hitherto thou hast enjoyed only in Hopes and Title What dost thou fear and shrug and tremble at my Soul Thou peevish froward Creature Shall thy Father tell thee thou must go Sleep and lay his Commands upon thee to lie down in Peace Shall thy dear Lord and Saviour stand by perswading thee so to do and by the Sweet and Glorious Promises of Eternal Life and Living with him in the Heavens allure thee quietly to obey thy Father and Himself to go to Rest Shall he sing thee a Lullaby of his own falling Asleep and
us and they do keep our Graces in Vigour For it is Grace in its Actings that Resemble God who is Himself a Pure Act alwayes in Action And every Thing the nearer it comes to God the more it hath its Perfection in Working When Spices are Beaten then they send forth their Fragrant Smell So when God's Servants are in the Furnace of Tryals then their Graces send forth their Sweetness Grace is alwayes the better for its wearing A Tool that is daily used is kept Bright and Shining And so Grace when it is most Exercised it is most Glorious and Beautiful God is highly displeas'd when Graces in our Souls lye Dormant God loves that his Children should be in Exercise For the Soul without Action is like the Instrument not Play'd upon or like a Ship alwayes in Haven Tenthly and Lastly We are Tempted that we may be Glorifyed The more Temptations we have now the more Glory we shall have hereafter Gerhard in his Meditations saith thus Christ Descended first into Hell and afterwards he Ascended up to Heaven and so it must be with all the Faithful They must first Descend into the Hell of Temptation before they can Ascend up to Heaven And therefore the more Temptations here the more Glory will be heaped up in Heaven Rom. 8. 17. If we Suffer with Him Christ we shall also Reign with Him And so 1 Pet. 1. 7. Nay further Our Temptations will also Sweeten as well as Augment Heavenly Glory The Philosopher Zeno said Pleasures were nothing worth if Torments sometimes were not Experienced Tertullian hath a very Pathetical Expression and very pregnant to the Matter in hand The Greater the Combates the Greater are the following Rewards Temptations do but add Pearles unto our Crown No Wearing of the Crown but by Bearing of the Cross. I shall conclude with an Excellent Speech of St. Austin That I may after this Languishing Life see Christ in Glory and be Partaker of so great a Good VVhat though Sickness weakens me Labours oppress me VVatchings spends me Cold be-nums me Heat inflames me nay though my whole Life be spent in Sighs and Sorrows VVhat is all to that Rest which shall ensue in the Life to come The Result of all from this Doctrine shall be this If Satan be a Chained Enemy let not Christians fear him over-much Look upon all Satan's Fiery Darts to be but as the VVaves tossing the Ark yet saving Noah Or as the Whale swallowing up yet preserving Ionah Or as the Dragon pursuing the Woman yet procuring her greater Preservation Or as the File grating the Iron yet making it Clearer and Brighter than before Or as the Mill grinding the Wheat yet making it Useful Or as the Coals heating Perfume yet making it thereby more Odoriferous CHAP. XIII I Have now done with the Second Point of Doctrine and therefore shall proceed to the Third the VVords do afford Viz. That Satan in all his Assaults strikes principally at Faith This is that which he makes as his Butt at which he shoots viz. our Faith This he would fain weaken and if he could shatter to Pieces But that this Point may be rightly improved this Method shall be us'd 1. What this Faith is 2. What that Faith is which the â—…il strikes at 3. Confirm the Point 4. Assigne some Reasons for the same 5. Make Application SECT I. First For the First What this Faith is Unto which I Answer The VVord Faith hath many Acceptions in Scriptures Sometimes it is taken Objectively and so it imports the Gospel or Object of Faith Thus St. Paul Preached the Faith Gal 1. 23. That is the Gospel which is the great Engine that lets down God's Faith to Men and catches up Men's Faith to God Sometimes it imports a Dogmatical or Historical Faith which is an Assent to the Word of God as True and Infallible Thus the very Devils believe a God and which is more than many Sinful Worms they Tremble Iam. 2. 19. Sometimes it imports a Temporary Faith which is but a Dogmatical Faith Budding and Blossoming with some Tasts and Joyes in the Things of God Thus the Stony Ground Received the VVord with Ioy Matth. 13. 20. Sometimes it imports Saving Faith called by the Apostle Precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. This Faith Virtually includes all the rest and it is this which the Devil strikes at SECT II. Secondly What is that Faith which the Devil strikes at VVhy it is Saving Faith Because that Faith doth apprehend Christ and his Merits and fetches from thence Power against the Devil And therefore he strikes at it So that when-ever we talk of a Faith that the Devil strikes at we must still understand a Saving Faith SECT III. Thirdly This Point of Doctrine is to be Confirm'd viz. That Satan in all his Assaults strikes principally at Faith Now this appears in these Things First In that God's Childrens Faith hath very often Strong Conflicts and Combates in so much that they are forced to cry out and say Wo is me VVhat shall I do VVhat shall I do The Saints Faith and the Devil's Temptations do oft-times strive together like the Sun and the Cloud to me a fit Emblem thereof One would get the Mastery and the Other would get the Mastery Secondly In that God's Children's Faith is sometimes weakned and lost Gradually as to some Degrees of it though it shall Recover it self again by the Powerful Influences of the Holy Ghost All that I have said about this may be confirm'd in Abraham David Peter and Paul SECT IV. The Reasons of the Point may be these First The First Reason may be this Faith hath the Preheminence above all other Graces It is the Chiefest of Graces It is among Graces as the Sun is among the Planets or as Solomon's Vertuous Woman among the Daughters Prov. 31. 29. Though every Grace hath done Vertuously yet thou O Faith Excels them The Apostle indeed gives the Precedency to Love and sets Faith on the Lower Hand 1 Cor. 13. 13. Now abideth Faith Hope Charity these Three but the Greatest is Charity But you must observe That this Prelation of it before Faith hath a particular Respect to the Saints Blessed Estate in Heaven where Love remains and Faith ceaseth In which regard Love indeed is the Greater because it is the End of our Faith We apprehend by Faith that we may Enjoy by Love But if we consider the Christians present State while Militant on Earth in this respect Love must give place to Faith 'T is true Love is the Grace that shall Triumph in Heaven but it is Faith not Love which is the Conquering Grace on Earth 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is the Victory that over-cometh the World even our Faith Love indeed hath its Place in the Battle and doth Excellent Service but it is under Faith its Leader Gal. 5. 6. Faith which worketh by Love Even as the Captain Fighteth by his Souldiers whom he Leads on
his Blessing which alone maketh Rich may be on your Head and that you may see the Fruit of your Loins in a good Old Age to â—…ample Satisfaction and Comfort God heard your Prayers in the â—…ame Case as he did Abraham of Old Now Sir you know Mercy calls for Duty If God hâ—… had an Ear to your Voice 〈◊〉 Prayer I hope you will not 〈◊〉 fuse an Ear to God's Voice 〈◊〉 his Commandments 'T is bâ—… reasonable That those whoâ—… God has done much for shouâ—… be much in doing for him agaâ—… My Prayer shall be that as yâ—… do out-strip many in Mercy 〈◊〉 you may out-shine in Life aâ—… Conversation I shall conclude with a Woâ—… of Counsel or two being as fâ—…loweth First Let nothing lie so neâ—… your Heart to delight you 〈◊〉 God and his Glory Christ aâ—… his Merits Grace and the Meaâ—… of Grace the Soul and its Saâ—…vation Let God be your chieâ—… est Good and his Glory thâ—… Scope you level at in all yoâ—… Actions Natural Civil and Religious For this you were Born and New-Born and this is the End of Life Natural Spiritual and Eternal Next to this Let many of your spare Hours be spent in considering the Preciousness of the Soul together with the necessity of Salvation The Soul is a Precious Substance for it is of a Spiritual Nature and the Principal Part of the Man The Body is but a Casket the Soul is the Jewel and yet the greatest Care usually is to gratify the Body The Wise-man saith All a Man's Labor is for the Mouth But Sir I hope better Things of you and that you know who ever are concern'd so with the Body as to neglect the Soul are like such that trim the Scabbard and let the Sword rust Man is in part an Angel and in part a Beast Why should we please the Beast that is in us rather than the Angel Our greatest Fear should be for the Soul and our greatest Care should be for the Soul Your greatest Fear Matth. 10. 28. Fear not him that can Kill the Body but Fear him that can Cast both Soul and Body into Hell There is a double Argument The Body is but the worser Part and the Body is alone But on the other side the Soul is the more Noble Part and the State of the Body dependeth upon the Well-or Ill-being of the Soul He is able to Cast both Soul and Body c. And therefore it is the greatest Imprudence in the World out of a Fear of the Body to Betray the Soul But in the next place Your greatest Care should be for the Soul Matth. 16. 26. What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul 'T is but a sorry Exchange Sir God has Honoured you with the Bona Throni and the Bona Scabelli The Good of the Throne and the Good of the Foot-Stool But I suppose you look upon all Earthly good Things to be but Conveniencies for the Body and such as will not profit when you shall be laid in a Cold and Silent Grave But Salvation How Excellent is it How Sweet is it as being that without which the Soul cannot be Happy Now Christ and his Merits procures this Salvation for the Soul Grace and the Means of Grace together will confer Grace on that Soul that it may be Happy But my last Word of Counsel is this As I would have you to let nothing lie so near your Heart as those Four Things afore-said to Delight you so I would that you let nothing lie so near your Heart as these Four Things to Humble you First Your Sins You and I and all of us have our Sins notwithstanding our Regeneration A Saint and a Sinner in some sense may stand together The Best have the Remainders of Corruption in them And tho we are Renewed we are but Renewed in part Have we been Humbled for Sin Why yet we have cause to be more Humbled Secondly The Hiding of God's Face is another thing that calls for Humiliation The Face of God is the Favor of God The shining of his Face and the lifting up of his Countenance is the Manifestation of his Favor but the hiding of his Face is the loss of the Sense of his Favor Now the Shinings of God's Face no Soul on Earth alwayes Enjoyes but at sometime or other he is a Child of Light walking in Darkness he hath but his Lucid Intervals No perfect Settledness can be attained to in this Life Our Day will have a Night our Sun-shine will have its Eclipses Suavis hora brevis mora hath been an Old Saying But Thirdly The Imperfection of Grace Grace while on Earth is Militant and not Triumphant till it arrives to Heaven Sir Your Faith is not so perfect but there is Unbelief enough to humble you and your Love is not so perfect but there is Luke-warmness enough to humble you and your Patience is not so perfect but there is Impatience enough to humble you and your Humility is not so perfect but there is Pride enough to humble you Sir In speaking this to you I speak it also to my self and all that may Read these Lines Lastly The Affliction of the Church should lie very near our Hearts O Sir that you and I could but weep when we â—…emember Zion Psal. 137. vers 〈◊〉 We Wept when we remembred Zion If we are Members of the Body Mystical there will be â—…ome kind of Simpathy But Oh the Paucity of them that zhew themselves to be Members of the Body Mystical by making Zions Troubles their own Oh the Miseries of many Christians in Germany the Dukedom of Savoy and other Forreign Parts of the world who have been driven from their Habitations because they would not Desert the Protestant and Espouse the Popish Religion Besides the Oppression of the Church of God in Scotland has been great for some considerable Time When we consider these Things our Eyes should be bedewed with Tears God's Church is a Bleeding Vine and the Spouse of Christ has now her Garments rowled in Blood which is enough to make a Tender Heart to bleed So that Sir you may by this time see what should lift up the Heart of a Saint and what should cast it down Pray God direct us both that our Tears may alwayes run in the right Channel and our Rejoycing may be alwayes in the Lord. Sir May You and your Consort and your young Son live long that God may have the Glory of all you have do and hope for Humbly begging your Perusal of this Treatise in which you will find these Things more at large And so you will oblige him that is From my Study in Bartholomew-Close London May 16. 1678. SIR Yours in all due Observance Thomas Powel TO HIS Most Honored Uncle Mr. William Cawthorne OF LONDON Gent. My Dear and Honored Sir ALthough I know not well how you may Resent
use of he knows that may happen then which may never again Unto every thing saitâ—… the Wise Man there is a Season Eccles. 3. 1. Christ can speak a Worâ—… in Season and Satan saith one caâ—… Tempt in Season And now there are five Advantageous Seasons that Satan makes use of in tempting Believers unto a sinful Licentiousness And the First is Before Believers come to be Believers And now this is the most Advantageous Time of all in that he hath an old sinful Nature to work upon without the least Opposition being held unto him Nature not Refined doth contribute much to Satan's Help it being as I may term it Matter fitted for all his Temptations to be workt upon Is not Man Corrupt all over even from Top to Toe But especially in the Five Faculties of the Soul All which do side with the Devil So that much Advantage the Devil gets before Elect Believers are effectually Called What is the Understanding but the first Door that the Devil knocks at Do not the Conceptions of Sin begin in the Understanding Do not the Seeds of Error and Heresie grow up naturally in it without any Teacher Is not the Memory dull and slippery Do we not forget all good things that we should remember and do we not with readiness remember that which we should not retaining Errours and Vanities as Tales and Playes much more than Godly Matters Is not the Will the Chair of Lust which should be the Throne of Grace What an Impotency is there in it to will any thing that is Good and How is it enslaved to Sin and Satan so that it only desireth and lusteth after that which is Evil And are not the Affections also Corrupted such as Love and Hatred Ioy and Sorrow Hope and Fear Anger and Desire c Are not all these subject to Excess and being setled on wrong Objects Lastly Is not the Conscience Corrupt also very much distemper'd and defil'd both in giving Directions in Things to be done and in giving Judgment upon Things done Doth it not often-times become a Blind Guide forbidding to do a thing which God alloweth and commanding to do things which God hateth 1 Cor. 8. 7. Col. 2. 21. Ioh. 16. 2 All which things well pensitated and considered it will be very obvious that the time of Elect Believers Unconverted Estate is an Advantageous Season for Satan to work in Secondly The time of a Believer's High Estate is another Advantageous Season that Satan makes use of in Tempting It often falls providentially out that when Elect Believers are called God exalts them not only above others in the Church but also above others in the State as that they are thereby rendred very Capable of doing extraordinary Service for God either way Then Satan thinks it high Time to be pulling them down either by putting them â—…ut of their Authority or driving â—…hem into some gross Enormity or â—…ther whereby their former Glory and Eminency in Holiness and true Sanctity may be stained and diminished This is evident in that of Ioseph who when he was just upon his Preferment and being Advanced Satan thence conjecturing what use â—…e would be in such a Place assaults him with his Mistriss Other like Instances we also have as David and Solomon Thirdly The time of Christian's Low Estate as well as his High Estate is a Season of Satan's Tempting for he doth as I told you before fore-cast for the Time of Man's greatest Weakness and thereto he reserves his strongest Assaults Now a Man is most Weak when he is under any Trouble either in Mind or Body and then is the time that Satan works in When a Deluge of Afflictions is let-in upon a Believer When Deep calleth unto Deep at the Noise of thy Water-Spouts all thâ—… Waves and thy Billows are gone oveâ—… me And is not this evidenced in ouâ—… Saviour who when he was in thâ—… Wilderness and began to be Hungry the Devil supposing him theâ—… to be Weak for want of Food tempts him Fourthly A Time of Licentiousness is another Advantageous Season that Satan makes use of to tempâ—… in He knows that then is the only Season to spread Snares of those kind abroad The Season in which Sin is most Tolerated Satan knows is the Time in which he must work When and where Sin is Tolerated then and there Satan knows he can best plead and argue it out with the Soul Now saith Satan Godliness is frown'd but Ungodliness is smil'd upon Be you therefore Ungodly that the World may look pleasant on you but not Godly because few or none countenance it Fifthly and Lastly The Time in which a Christian is most Negligent â—…s another Advantageous Season that â—…atan makes use of to Tempt in While the Men slept the Envious Man came and Sowed Tares Matth. â—…3 25. When all are secure then â—…he Thief breaks in and when Chriâ—…tians are off their Watch and le ts down their Care then Satan Tempts Sirs whil'st you are sleepy and prayerless stretching your selves on a Bed of Ease you even lay a Cushion for Satan to lie down by you Tempâ—…ations do thereby enter into you and ye into Temptations SECT III. Secondly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Temptations themselves being mixt with Policy and Craft in the highest Degree Satan's Temptations are his Stratagems and his Stratagems are Stratagems indeed Now the Devil's Temptations are several chiefly these 1. To Atheism 2. Security 3. Love of the World 4. Hypocrisie 5. A False Faith SECT IV. I shall now shew some-what oâ—… Satan's Subtilty in Tempting to Atheism and what Article is there oâ—… our Faith but Satan many timeâ—… makes poor Souls call into Questionâ—… I might insist on every one of them and so shew you how it is that hâ—… Cavils at them but I shall only speak of the Chief viz. The Being of a God and so shew you what Satan hath against this Primordial Verity and also furnish you with Answers sufficient to stop the Mouth of this Roaring Lyon and prop up thy Faith in this Point The First pretended Ground of Atheism is this What Reason saith the Devil is there for thee to believe One whom thou or no Body did ever see Thou didst never see God neither know'st thou any that did see Him and yet notwithstanding this what a Talk is there of this supposed Deity We must Walk with Him we must not Offend Him but How can we Walk with one we see not and Offend one who is not Answ. What of all this may the Soul answer Because I see not the Wind is there no Wind and because 〈◊〉 see not my Soul have I not one What absurd Ratiocination is this More-over I see God saith the Soul which positively Denyes what yoâ—… have Asserted for do I not see him though not as he is in the Workâ—… of Creation and Providence Do noâ—… the Works of
things â—…ither with Means without Means or â—…ontrary to Means and against all Opâ—…osition what-so-ever And do you think there is any Existing so Almighty Why is it then that the Interest of God which you call it is so opposed in the World as it is Answ. To which the Soul may Answer That God is Almighty I do firmly Believe and that he can do Things either with Means without or contrary to Means is a Verity that 〈◊〉 do not at all question And thaâ—… God's Interest in the World is oftentimes opposed is not but that he caâ—… Advance his own Interest withoâ—… Opposition but he permits it to be opposed that the Glory of his Omnipotency and Wisdom in effecting such and such things notwithstanding Opposition may shine forth more Perspicuously And thus I have giveâ—… you a Sight of the Wiles of Satan especially those that he makes use oâ—… in Tempting to Atheism abusing 1. The Invisibility of God 2. The Trinity of Persons in One Diuine Essence 3. Several of his Incommunicable Attributes SECT V. I have already shew'd something of Satan's Subtilty in Tempting unto Atheism I now come to speak of Satan's Subtilty in his Temptations unâ—…o Security being such as follow Temptation I. One way that Satan hath to make â—…oor Souls Secure is by presenting God unto them as a God only of Mercy O! saith the Devil why â—…rt thou so concern'd about thy Salvaâ—…ion Dost thou think God that Made â—…hee will be so Cruel to Damn thee â—…nd He who Form'd thee will not Save â—…hee Alas God is more ready to Pardon than to Punish Mercy is his â—…areling Attribute but Judgement is his Strange Work And thus Satan doth to make Souls Careless and Fearless Careless of their Salvation and Fearless of their Damnation Reply To Repel this Temptation must be by considering that as God is Merciful so he is Just Just in himself and so will Punish all Sin Merciful in the Face of Christ and so will Punish no Sin he having in our stead born the Punishment A Just God towards an hard-Hearted Sinner a Merciful God towards an Humble Sinner God is not all Mercy and no Justice nor all Justice and no Mercy Submit to him his Mercy embraceth thee Resist him his Justice pursues thee Do not the Devils themselves and all the Howling Reprobates in Hell shew that God is ‖ Just Is not Hell and Sodom a Monument of God's Iustice And are not all the Crosses Losses Sicknesses and Diseases that be in the World Tokens of God's Displeasures Besides Doth not the pouring-out of his Wrath upon Iesus Christ his dearly Beloved Son shew that our God is a Just Iudge More-over to argue from Grace to Sin from Love to Lust from Mercy to Iniquity from Immunity to Impiety is the Dialect of Hell and the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness To sin I say because Grace abounds is the Devil's Logick and who-so-ever useth such kind of Language you may write THIS SOUL IS LOST In fine The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. and the Saints all a-long have made God's Mercy the greatest Motive to Repentance Temptation II. Another way that the Devil maketh use of to make poor Souls Secure is by telling them That all the World are Sinners as well as them and they may make as good a Shift as the rest What if you do go to Hell You shall not go alone you shall have others with you Reply Here is Audacity and Absurdity One would think that the Devil should be ashamed to argue thus considering what a Scholar he is in Logick Philosophy and School-Divinity and yet by Raciocination of this kind doth he prevail upon dark Souls Such kind of Reason if it may be called Reason in effect is thus much Some have Cut their Throats I must do it also because in it I shall do no more than what others have done before me A great Multitude of People are resolv'd to run into the River of Thames to see how they can tread Water and Dance upon it therefore I must do the like because with me I shall have Company though in the Close I shall lose my Life I 'le leave you to apply it Temptation III. The next thing that Satan doth to make poor Souls secure is by telling them That Christ is a Saviour and what though they do sin Christ has Dy'd and is Risen again for their Justification Reply It is true Christ is a Saviour but if He is not My Saviour may the Soul say what doth this argue for me Christ hath Dyed but if I cannot believe his Death and Sufferings will be of little Advantage unto me He is Offered but if I do not Receive Him I shall not be Sav'd There may be Vertue enough in a Plaister to Heal a Sore but if it be not Applyed it will not Heal my Sore So there is Vertue enough in Christ to Wash and Cleanse but if it be not Applyed to my Soul by Faith it won't Wash or Cleanse me Temptation IV. Surely saith Satan God loves thee or else he would not Bless thee in thy Outward Estate as in thy Corn Children Calling and Friends Reply Seriously consider O Soul that God's Love is Two-fold Common and Special God's Common Love I reckon is that which all partake of viz. Good Men and Bad Men. Now for any to have a great Estate and to Prosper therein together with his Wife and Children is that which is common to all some only excepted Now it is not Common Favour but Special Favour that must save thee and a Token or Evidence of it will Comfort thee but this thy Prosperity in the World is not being that which is more ordinary to those who go to Hell than such who go to Heaven And therefore let not the Children of God grudge and repine at the Wicked Man's Prosperity because all the Wicked shall have Misery enough Hereafter for the little present Pleasure that they enjoy Here. They that have their Heaven Here are in danger to lose it Here-after God seldom gives his Children Heaven and Earth too Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium saith St. Augustine The Wicked Man's Felicity is great Infelicity Doubtless hence it was that David prayed Deliver me from the Wicked who have their Portion in this Life only Psal. 17. 14. Nothing is so great a Signe of God's Curse as the Prosperity of the Wicked The Lord will proportion Torment to all the Pleasure the Wicked have had Revel 18. 7. How much She hath lived Deliciously so much Torment and Sorrow give Her That Story of the Roman who was by the Court-Marshal Condemned to Dye for breaking his Rank to steal a Bunch of Grapes is pregnant to our purpose For as he was going to Execution some of the Souldiers envyed him that he had Grapes and they had none Saith he Do you envy me for my Grapes I must pay dear for them So Wicked Men
shall pay dear for their great Grandieur Dignities and Offices How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer Son of the Morning Isa. 14. 12. Temptation V. The Thief on the Cross saith Satan though a Sinner during his whole Life yet Repenting was saved So saith Satan if thou canst but Repent or Reform an Hour before thou Diest doubt not but God will have Mercy on thee Reply It is true the Thief Repenting and Believing in Christ was saved at the very Last But was not this Miraculous Did not Christ now upon a special Occasion to shew the Effect of his Blood the Power of his Passion and to demonstrate unto the World his Deity even now at his lowest Ebb of Humiliation shew his Power in the Conversion of the Thief Must this Extra-ordinary Example now be propounded as a President for ever that was but once Miraculous and Wrought upon special Occasion But further consider First It is not Impossible but that this was the First Time of the Call of this poor Thief that he never heard Christ's Sermon before or had any Outward Call before this time and so his Sins being of Ignorance might excuse in part as Paul speaketh of his The Lord shewed Mercy because I did them Ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. 13. But now thou canst not plead this Ignorance in-as-much as thou hast lived under the Gospel and hast had an Outward Call by the Preaching of the same Secondly This Example of the Penitent Thief as it was Extraordinary so we see it Singular the Scriptures not leaving us one Example more of the like Now Particular Examples are not to be urged for a General Practice especially in so weighty a Thing as the Salvation of the Soul is If therefore Satan doth suggest unto thee of Repenting at thy own Pleasure tell him from me That it is a Thousand-fold more probable that thou shalt Die as thou hast lived and so be Damned rather than to have such a Singular Grace given thee and Mercy shew'd at the last Hour Many more Temptations of Satan probably there are unto Security but I shall add no more SECT VI. The Third thing that Satan Tempts unto is The Love of the World Ah! saith Satan All these things the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and Worship me Here are fine and brave things Grandeur and Gallantry Pleasures Pomp and Profit Here are the Lusts of the Eye the Flesh and Pride of Life And thus Satan doth in making poor Souls fall in Love with the World Now there are several Antidotes that might be prescribed to expel this Poison which Satan would fain invenom poor Souls with Consider the World in its Honour Pleasures and Profits and you shall find abundance of Deceit in all these 1. What is the Honour and Glory of this World but fading and dying Is it not a Gilded Misery a secret Poyson a hidden Plague the Engineer of Deceit Mollerus on Psal. 73. 20. tells the World Honours and Dignities are but as idle Dreams Splendid Braveries and Lucid Phantasies St. Matthew calls the World's Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Opinion St. Luke calls â—…grippa's Pomp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Phantasie or Vain Shew And St. Paâ—… calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mathematical Figure which is a meer Notion and nothing in Substance How many have been blown to Hell while they have failed with the Wind of Popular Applause Doth the Honour of this World make a Man really the Better Surely no but often the Worse Is it not Magnum Nihil a Great Nothing and a Glorious Phantasie What is become of Proud Haman and Pharaoh And what will become of thy Honour when thou art in the Grave when Death makes its Approach towards thee Will the Glory and Honour of this World stand thee instead at the Day of Iudgement Will not Heaven's Glory â—…en transcend it Wilt thou not â—…hen be mad with thy self to think â—…hat Heaven's Glory was once offered â—…nto thee but thou to chose the World's refusest Heaven 's Secondly Consider this World in the Pleasures of it And what are they Be they Satisfying No And are they not Killing Yea. Some of the Philosophers did place Men's Happiness in the Pleasures of this World which are but the sad Transformations of Men into Bruits sayes that Worthy Gentleman Mr. Polhil And yet how many are there that cannot refrain themselues from these ‖ Sensual Pleasures but whose Delight in them is Inordinate singing the Epicurean's Divinity Ede bibe lude post mortem nulla voluptas Let us Eat Drink and be Merry for to Morrow we shall Die Carnal Man is for the Things of the Flesh pleasing his Flesh and loving that which is Fleshly But consider O vain Man that pursues so hotly after the Pleasures of this World these three things Death Iudgement and â—…ternity Let the Remembrance of Him that was Crucifyed Crucify in thee all the Desire of Pleasures Let the Remembrance of Hell-fire quench in thee all the Fire of Lust. Compare the short Moment of Pleasure with Eternal Punishment Pleasures do but Captivate our Hearts that they cannot be free in the Love of God Thirdly Consider this World in that which they call the Profits of it and you may easily understand the Vanity of them This Life is the Way to our Eternal Country What then do much Riches profit They do rather burden the Traveller Christ the King of Heaven is the Riches of God's Servants The true Treasure must be within a Man and not without him That is the True Treasure which thou canst carry away with thee to the General Iudgement but all these outward Goods are taken from us in Death Riches do but take themselves Wings and fly away Nothing more uncertain than they Fading Dying and Perishing they are For their Transitoriness they may be compared unto a Shadow a Ship a Bird an Arrow a Post that passeth by Comforts here below are no Comforts though supposed and so eagerly pursued after by Faithless Men and Women Luther did solemnly protest God shouldnot put him off with these things here Below Things present may be Pleasing but then they are not Permanent SECT VII The Fourth thing that Satan Tempts unto is Hypocrisie Oh! saith Satan if thou art resolved to be Serious rather than so get a Shew of it Paint thy self and play the Hypocrite and so thou mayest go amongst Men for a Good Christian. Reply But hereunto the Soul may Answer in this Form First Thou may'st tell the Devil That it is true by having the Form of Godliness thou may'st seem Holy Pious and Religious among Men in the Sight of Men but not in the Sight of God Thou may'st indeed deceive Men but thou canst not deceive God He is privy to all thy Treachery though thou keeps it under Lock and Key Thy Heart he
can read without a Commentary Time will not be long when God shall pull off thy Paint unmask thee and put thee in thy Proper Dress Though thou goest among Men for an Eminent Saint yet at the Day of Iudgement God shall show what a Devil Incarnate thou art what a Gilded Hypocrite thou hast been SECT VIII The Fifth thing that the Devil Tempts unto is a False Faith If thou art so much for Jesus Chrisi believe that he is able to save thee and so thou hast this Lively Faith which will justify thee live as thou wilt Reply Tell the Devil That Presumption is not Faith and that the Faith which will enable thee to lay hold on Christ will also enable thee to walk in Him And though Faith Justifies us not yet Works there must be to Justify our Faith SECT IX Thirdly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Methods of Tempting As First He paints his Temptations with pleasing Colours and Plausible Pretences If Satan's Temptations were to appear like themselves the Heart of Man would not consent so soon as many times it doth but rather flee from the same Hence therefore it is that Satan very frequently Transforms himself into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. The Devil knows very well that unless he is Disguised he cannot prevail and have what he designes upon the Souls of Men and Women Many Vices there are that the Devil Tempts us unto and this he doth by giving them pretty Names and Titles As for Instance When he Tempts to Pride he presents it to the Soul under the Name and Notion of Neatness and Comliness Covetousness he calls Good Husbandry Drunkenness Good Fellowship Riotness Liberality and Wantonness a Trick of Youth Secondly He is Gradual in his Temptations a little now and a little then The Devil won't Tempt too much at first lest Suspicion gets ground He creeps into the Soul by degrees and that Step by Step until such times the Soul becomes his own Satan will first draw thee to Sit with the Drunkard and then to Sip with the Drunkard and at last to be Drunk with the Drunkard Thirdly He is in his Temptations full of Politick Retreats The Devil many times makes the Soul believe that he flies when it is only under a Pretence and with a Designe to over-come Pray take notice of this Satan is not alwayes over-come when he flies from you He sometimes draws back that the Christian by following him and going out of the Trenches may suddenly on the Plains be foyl'd Fourthly He doth in his Temptations reserve still fresh On-sets as occasion shall require Satan Commander-like hath more Assaults to bring on as others do decay When one Temptation is beat back he can soon come on with another Therefore Soul cry not Vici Vici when thou over-comest one Temptation or so but let this Rule be observed by thee scil When one Temptation is over-come expect another CHAP. V. I Have treated of Satan's Subtilty in Tempting unto a Sinful Licentiousness I shall now consider it in his Tempting Believers unto a Sinful Despair And Satan's Subtilty as in the former so in this it shews it self in Two things 1. In the Seasons of Temptations 2. In the Temptations themselves SECT I. First Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in choosing those Seasons for Tempting unto Despair that may proue most Advantageous unto him being such as followeth First Satan Tempts to Despair after great Manifestations of God's Favour and Love to the Soul When God smiles and opens himself a little Familiarly unto us we grow Wanton and thereupon God with-draws we sink in our Faith and Satan eyes us on to Despair by making of us to conclude That because God is withdrawn he will never come again There is not a larger and more pregnant Proof for this than Peter Had ever any a greater Testimony from Heaven than Peter Who making an Excellent Confession of his Faith Matth. 16. 17. Christ immediately pronounceth him Blessed puts a singular Honour upon him and makes him the Representative for all the Saints Now without doubt this Favour to Peter stirred up the Envious Spirit the sooner to Assail him No marvel it was that Satan did shew his Spite even when and where Christ loved most dearly Therefore soon after we find the Devil at Peter's Elbow making him his Instrument to Tempt Christ who soon espyed his Cloven Foot and therefore Rebukes Peter with a Get thee behind me Satan He that seem'd a Rock but just now is through Satan's Policy become a Stone of Offence for Christ to stumble at Secondly Satan Tempts to Despair at the Hour of Death and indeed his Assaults are usually sharpest then And the Reason why he is so busy with Christians when they come to Die is because he knows his time is then very short As our Extremity is God's Opportunity to help us so likewise it is the Devil's Opportunity in what he can to destroy us When Death approacheth we are Weak and our Strength beginning to decay Satan thereupon furiously Assails us yea he doth reserve his firiest Darts his deadliest Poyson and his sharpest Sting till he meets us on our Death-Bed SECT II. Secondly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Temptations themselves which he works from the Consideration 1. Of our Sins 2. Of God's Anger 3. Of Eternal Election 4. Of our Unworthiness 5. Of the Weakness of our Faith 6. Of great Adversity 7. Of the Sharpness of Death And here I shall shew you how Satan from these things makes many to Despair with proper Remedies against the same Prescribed and that in these following Sections SECT III. First Satan Tempts to Despair by making Sin very Great and drawing up a Black Charge against the Soul Thy Sins saith Satan are very many and very great nay they are Infinite for as much as they have been against an Infinite God Thou knowest very well that thy Sins are of no Ordinary Dye and that the Wages of the least Sin is Death Sin Indefinitely whether great or small And therefore how canst thou saith Satan expect Mercy who art a Sinner Mercy from God whom thou hast offended and provoked to Wrath Surely if ever any shall be Damn'd thou shalt Thou especially because thou hast been more than an Ordinary Sinner Remedy Truly when Satan doth Assail us in this kind I know no other way to Foil him than by Answering him as the Sick Man who when he was Dying the Devil appeared and shew'd him a Parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the Sins of the poor Sick Man Seest thou Behold thy Vertues saith Satan Unto which he Replyed It 's true Satan but thou hast not sâ—…t down all for thou should'st have added The Blood of Iesus Christ Cleanseth us from all Sins When Satan tells thee of thy Sins do thou tell him of Christ's Blood whose Blood is of a
deeper Purple than thy Sins There is as much Vertue in the Blood of Christ as there can be Venom in thy Sins Tell the Devil O poor Soul That though thy Sins have been against an Infinite God yet there is Infinite Mercy to Answer thy Sins God can easily drown and swallow up all thy Sins in the Ocean of his Mercy When the Tempter Magnifies thy Sins do thou then Magnify thy Saviour and Physician That I am a Sinner it is true but who else doth Christ Save That I am Ungodly it is true but who else doth God Justify Pore not so much upon thy Sins as quite to forget thy Saviour The Devil tells thee of thy Disease do thou tell him of thy Remedy Thou art Miserable by reason of Sin but thou may'st be Happy and Restored again by the Grace of God There is no Misery on this side of Hell and the Grave but God out of his Infinite Free Grace hath appointed some Means proper for the same viz. Hearing and Reading the Word for the Unconverted Prayer and Receiving of the Sacrament for the Weak in Gifts and Graces and Christ unto all in general who will Receive Him by Faith Mat. 11. 28. Let thy Sins be never so great Confess them but Humbly and Brokenly and thou shalt find Mercy David used the Aggravations of his Sins as an Argument with God to Pardon them Pardon my Sins because they are very great SECT IV. Secondly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to make a wrong Use of God's Anger God is Angry saith Satan and therefore what wilt thou do Behold how he Looks how he Chides and how he Strikes Dost thou think that he will ever be Reconciled Remedy The only way to give Satan the Fall in this Respect is by Answering him in this wise God may Chide bitterly Look sowerly and Strike heavily even when and where he Loves most dearly And moreover That God is not so Angry but while thy Soul is on this side of Eternity thou may'st Pacify him by what he hath appointed as the Means whereby those who have sin'd against him may now be Reconciled unto him viz. The Sufferings of the Lord Iesus which have satisfied Divine Iustice to the full God is Love and he writes not Injuries in Marble SECT V. Thirdly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to study that which it should not viz. God's Secret Will Thou art not Elected sayes the Devil and therefore all thy Praying and Reading and taking Pains with thy Heart will be but in vain Remedy The only way to invalidate Satan's Arguings in this Respect is by considering that he hath no Skill in the Black Book of Reprobation Neither Good nor Evil Angels can look into the Book of God's Decrees Therefore thou canst not for thou needst not Hast thou not the Book of thy Heart look into it and see what is Written therein He that finds the Bible Copied out into his Heart his Nature Transform'd the Byass of his Will turned the Signature and Engravings of the HolyGhost upon him looks not like a Reprobate When you see the Fruits of the Earth spring up you conclude the Sun has been there 'T is hard to climb up into Election but if we find the Fruits of Holiness springing up in our Hearts we may conclude the Sun of Righteoâ—…sness hath Risen there By our Sanctification saith one we must Calculate our Election The Infaâ—…lible Signes of Election in my Opinion should satisfy any one touching his Election Why now Hast thou not the Saving Graces of Faith Love and Repentance What are these but the Infallible Signes of Election Being not unsensible of the Intricacy which attends this Subject of Election and how the Devil puzzles many poor Souls by some Nice Questions resulting there-from Something already I have said of it But I do find much thereof for Substance Elegantly treated by the Elegant Culverwel in his White-Stone the Reading of which did exceedingly refresh my Soul and therefore hoping that it may have the like Effect upon thee I shall here insert it knowing that I cannot mend it my self what-ever others may be able to do The Lines are these That Astrologer sayes he was deservedly Laught at that was so intensly gazing upon the Stars so admiring their Twinkling Beauties as that unawares he tumbled into the Water where-as before if he had been but pleased to look so low as the Water he might have seen the Stars there represented in that Crystal-Glass Such as will needs be prying into Stars that will Ascend up into Heaven and gaze upon Election they do but dazle thine Eyes and sometimes by this are over-whelm'd in the Depths of Satan where-as they might easily see the Stars in the Water they might see Election in Sanctification Now Vocation does plainly and easily appear by that great and eminent Alteration which it brings along with it It is a powerful Call 't is an audible and quick'ning Voice the Voice of the First Trumpet that awakens Men out of the Graves and makes them Happy by having their Part in the First Resurrection great and sudden Alterations they are very Discernable Now here 's a most notorious and signal Change made Old things are past away and all things are become New Here 's a Change from Death to Life from Darkness to Light and what more Discernable than this A Living Man may know that he is Alive and that without any further Proof or Demonstration what-ever the Scepticks Old or New would perswade us to the contrary Will you not allow a Man to be certain that he Lives till a Iury of Life and Death hath past upon him Could not the Blind Man in the Gospel think you perceive when his Eyes were opened Could he not easily tell that now he could see and discern Variety of Objects or must he only conjecture that he sees and guess at a Sun-Beam Must he still at Noon-day go groping in Uncertainties And is there not an easie and sure Difference between those thick Veils and Shadows of the Night between those Dark and AEthiopick Looks and the Virgin-Blushes of the Morning those Beautiful Eye-lids of the Day The Smilings and Flow'rings out of Light much more the Advancement of Light to its Zenith and Noon-day-Glory And why then cannot an Intellectual Eye discern as well that now it sees that now it looks upon God with an Eye of Love with an Eye of Faith with an Eye of Confidence and that now God looks upon him with an Eye of Tenderness and Compassion with an Eye of Grace and Favour with an Eye of Delight and Approbation Who but an Anaxagoras will go about to perswade a Man to disbelieve his Eyes And if a Corporal Eye deserve such Credit why may not a Spiritual Eye then expect as much Say not then in thine Heart Who shall Ascend into Heaven to bring down Assurance from Above Who shall Unclasp the Book of
said of him in the Gospel and the Chains have been plucked asunder by him neither could any Man thus tame him He esteems as Iob saith of the Leviathan Iron as Straw and Brass as Rotten Wood It must be a Stronger than the Strong-Man that binds him and none Stronger but God the Father of Spirits The Devil lost indeed by his Fall much of his Power in relation to that Holy and Happy Estate in which he was Created but not his Natural Abilities He is an Angel still and hath an Angel's Power SECT III. Thirdly The Number of Devils adds to their Power What Lighter than the Sand yet Number makes it Weighty What Creature less than Lice yet what Plague greater to the Egyptians How Formidable then Devils be who are both for Nature so Mighty and for Number such a Multitude There are Devils enough to Beleague the whole Earth Not a Place under Heaven where Satan hath not his Troops Not a Person without some of these Cursed Spirits haunting and watching him where-ever he goes Yea for some special Service he can send a Legion to keep Garrison in one Single Person as Mark 5. And if so many can be spared to attend One to what a Number would the Muster-Role of Satan's whole Army amount if known And now tell me If we are not like to find our March difficult to Heaven if ever we mean to go thither that are to pass through the very Quarters of this Multitude who are scattered over the Face of the Earth When Armies are Disbanded and the Roads full of Debauch't Souldiers wandring up and down it 's dangerous Travelling we hear then of Murders and Robberies from all Quarters These Powers of Hell are that Party of Angels who for their Mutiny and Disobedience were cashier'd Heaven and thrust out of that Glorious Host and ever since they have straggled here Below endeavouring to do Mischief to the Children of Men especially them that Travel in Heaven-Road SECT IV. Fourthly Their Unity and Order makes their Number Formidable We cannot say there is Love among them that Heavenly Fire cannot live in a Devil's Bosom yet there is Unity and Order as to this They are all agreed in their Design against God and Man So their Unity and Consent is knit together by the Ligaments not of Love but of Hatred and Policy Hatred against God and his Children which they are filled with and Policy which tells them That if they agree not in their Design their Kingdom cannot stand And how true they are to this their Wicked Brother-hood our Saviour gives a fair Testimony when he saith Satan Fights not against Satan Did you ever hear of any Mutiny in the Devil's Army or That any of these Apostate Angels did freely yield up one Soul to Christ They are many and yet but one Spirit of Wickedness in them all My Name said the Devils not Our Name is Legion SECT V. Fifthly The Mighty Works that are Attributed to these Evil Spirits in Scripture declare their Power and these either respect the Elementary Sensible or Intellectual Part of the World The Elementary What dreadful Effects this Prince of the Power of the Air is able to produce on that see in the Word He cannot indeed make the least Breath of Air Drop of Water or Spark of Fire but he can if let loose as Reverend Mr. Caryl saith on Iob 1. go to God's Store-House and make use of these in such sort as no Man can stand before him He can hurle the Sea into such a Commotion that the Depths shall Boyl like a Pot and disturb the Air into Storms and Tempests as if Heaven and Earth would meet Iob's Children were Buried in the Ruins of their House by a Puff of his Mouth yea he can go to God's Magazine as the same Author saith and Let off the Great Ordinance of Heaven causing such dreadful Thunder and Lightning as shall not only Affright but do real Execution and that in a more dreadful Way than in the Ordinary Course of Nature If Man's Art can so sublimate Nature as we see in the Invention of Powder that hath such a strange Force much more able is he to draw forth its Power Again Over the Sensitive World his Power is Great not only the Beasts as in the Herd of Swine hurried by him into the Deep but over the Bodies of Men also as in Iob whose sore Biles were not the Breakings-out of a Distempered Nature but the Print of Satan's Fangs on his Flesh doing that suddenly which in Nature would have required more time to Gather and Ripen CHAP. VIII COntaining the Second Deduction SECT I. If it be so That such who are most Eminent and Renowned may Fall then this consequently follows Let him that Standeth take heed lest he Falls This is the same Exhortation that the Apostle makes use of in 1 Cor. 10. 12. Oh Christians Consider though now you are in your Beauty Vigour and Strength yet a Time may come wherein your Strength may be over-Match'd and Satan may be too Hard for you Peter was Confident that he should keep close to his Master in the Face of all Difficulties whatsoever but Satan was too hard for him Peter presumed upon his own Strength 'T is Just with God that he who trusts to Himself should be left to himself Self-Iealousie is very good Man is a Proud piece of Flesh He is apt to be highly opinionated of himself That which is my aim at this time is That Christians would deny all Supercilious Thoughts of themselves and not as Peter who denyed Christ for want of denying Himself Not as Pendleton who was Confident of himself and said This Fat of mine shall melt in the Fire for Christ. But instead of that his Courage melted Not as these Clouds of Witnesses who for some time were Glorious Professors and shined as Stars in the Church-Hemisphear yet have been Falling Stars Porphyry Iulian Cardinal Pool Gardiner Iudas Nay some Saints through God's with-drawing the Influence of his Spirit have for a time Relapsed As Cranmer and Origen whose Heart fainted in the Seventh Persecution and he Offered Incense to the Idol Who that knows the Fierceness of a Tryal or the Falseness of his Heart will not Fear The Trembling Reed oft stands when the Confident Cedar falls There are certain Helps which if observ'd I am confident will Antidote many that now Stands not to Fall SECT II. First Try thy self O Christian throughly afore-hand If we would Iudge our selves we should not be Iudged 1 Cor. 11. 3. Though I cannot say If we would Try our selves we should not be Tryed Yet this I can say If we would Try our selves we should be the more likely to abide the Tryal of the Lord. 'T is for want of this that many times we are shaken when the Winds of Temptation or Persecution blow a little upon us How is it with thee now O Christian in thy present Course Art thou
Converted and Born again Doest thou Walk with God Doest thou Live with God Suppose an hour of Temptation should come How dost thou think thou couldst endure it Suppose that now thou wast to Burn at a Stake and the Fire was kindled before thee Would'st thou embrace it rather than Deny Christ Put I beseech thee such Practical Questions and Soul-searching Queries as these are to thy self and as thou findest thy Heart to Echo there-unto accordingly thou may'st judge how it would be with thee in a time of Tryal What am I now in my Graces and my Obedience Do I Love Christ Believe in Christ and Abide in Him Is my Obedience also Sincere Impartial Evangelical Universal and Perpetual By thy Active Obedience guess O Christian what thy Passive may be Enter therefore O my Soul into thy Closet and there Rip up thy Self Dissect and Anatomize thy Entrails It is good to Try thy Self now because as afore-said thou may'st guess a little thereby how thou wouldst endure an Hour of Temptation should it come Besides it may Prevent God's Trying of thee Would we but Try our selves in Secret God would forbear Trying of so much as he doth But know If thou wilt not Try thy Self alone by the Sun-Light of God's Word thou shalt be Tryed by the Candle-Light the Fire-Light of his Dreadful Works The Flail of Tribulation will discover the Chaff from the Wheat and the Fire of Affliction the Dross from the Gold How doest thou think to Welcome a Prison Kiss a Stake Smile at Torments Look a Violent Death in the Face with Colour in thy Cheeks and Courage in thy Heart How doe'st thou think to endure such a Fiery Tryal that never did'st Try thy Self aforehand SECT III. Secondly The only way to Stand in Tryal is to Expect them This is one Chief Expedient No Man what-so-ever how Good Just Pious Wise so-ever can by any Means expect to be exempt from one kind of Trouble or other at one Time or another in one Measure or another and therefore why dost thou promise to thy self Safety and Security If thou art a Christian thou must be Tryed Christ thy Captain was Tryed although there was not any Fuel at all in him to invite Satan's Temptations This Life is a Ring of Misery We only Change our Troubles not Finish them Man's Life and Misery are Twins We may as well separate Weight from Lead as Trouble from a Man's Life We came inthe World with a Cry and we go out with a Groan And who will not say but these are Tryals and Man is Born unto them even as the Sparks fly upward And therefore if here is not Grounds to expect them I know nothing at all Now he that expecteth Trials will doubtless prepare for them What Man that is subject to sudden Qualms but will have some Comfortable Waters to take when-so-ever they come again You are Wise and know how to Apply it SECT IV. Thirdly Trust not thy Self against such a Time This is Self-Confidence and you know that was the Undoing of Peter and others that I have already instanc'd Believe thy own Weakness The Vine being weak Twists about the Elm to support it A good Christian being Conscious of his own Imbecillity Twists by Faith about Christ. Alwayes when a Trial comes go out of Self to Christ or else thou Fallest SECT V. Fourthly Wean thy Self from the Love of the World and Converse with things Above Let thy Thoughts Hopes and Desires Ascend up to Heaven Many are Foil'd by Satan through setting too great an Estimate upon the World the greatest Engine that the Devil hath whereby to Enchant and Ensnare poor silly Souls Who more free from Temptation than such that set lightly by the Things of this Life But alwayes observe such that Love the World Inordinately and are plung'd in the Business thereof are seldom or never freed from a Temptation SECT VI. Fifthly Give thy self to Prayer Prayer sets God at Work And one of the greatest Preparatives for Tryals we have When Christ Prayed he met Iudas This is the Compleation of all that I have said before PRAY Lead me not into Temptation but Deliver me from Evil. And for this thing I besought the Lord Thrice Prayer is the Key that opens God's Store-House and fetches out from thence those Mercies that our various Wants and Necessities calls for CHAP. IX COntaining the Third Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Deduction SECT I. If it be so That such who are Eminent may Relapse then let us not Censure all that have Relaps'd and been Guilty of Miscarriages Eminent Christians have been over-taken with a Fault and therefore be Tender in your Judging and not be as some who are Censorious and Rash mis-judging the Cases of such that have been over-come by a Temptation The Tempted are to be Succoured much less Censured Surely such have not Learnt Christ who have not learnt this So that there is great Cause of Lamentation when we consider what little Commiseration is shew'd unto the Tempted even by them that pretend very much unto Religion Ah! It grieves me exceedingly I can truly say because I see not that Sympathy in the Professors of this Age as there ought to be What Censures and Reproofs do we abound with to our Shame be it spoken We should consider our Selves as of the Body and such that may be Tempted Gal. 6. v. 1. Brethren although a man be over-taken in a Fault ye which are Spiritual restore such an one in the Spirit of Meekness considering your Selves c. I am verily perswaded that scarce any Age hath afforded less of Souls that understand the Doctrine of Temptation than this And therefore it is that a Loving Charitable Sympathizing and Gaining Carriage is no more manifested unto such that are attended with Temptations Thou that Censurest those that are Tempted may'st as well Censure our Saviour himself for he was Tempted Thou hast more Reason O Man to be Jealous of thy Self that hast not been Tempted than others that have been Tempted More-over none are able to Speak a Word in Season unto such that are Tempted than those who have been in like-manner Exercised A Man that hath Rid over a Place where are Boggs and Quick-Sands is the fittest to guide others through that dangerous Place Who can better Unmask and Discover Santan's Policies and Sugar'd Lies than those who have been long in the Fencing-School of Temptation SECT II. If it be so That the Confident Cedar may Fall such who are Eminent in Christianity may be subject to Lapses then let not Christians themselves as well as others think Evil of themselves because they may sometimes Halt and have a Fall How many Christians have I heard concluding Evil from their Temptations as if no such Promise as this was in the Bible viz. All things shall work together for Good for them that love God All Things that is the Best Things
but an Almighty Power There is no Power below that Power which Rais'd Christ from the Dead and Made this World can Raise the Heart of a Man to Believe When God Made the World there was nothing to Oppose He had only then to do with Simple Nothing But when God comes to make the Heart Believe he finds Opposition and Rebellion It is a Miracle for a Man to Believe Nay What is Faith but a Mystery Secondly Faith is very useful to such that have it It s Usefulness appears in these Three Particulars First In Repelling Temptations Without Faith we cannot Resist so much as one Temptation Ephes. 6. 16. By Faith we can Resist Temptations by Faith we Bear Afflictions by Faith we Foil Corruptions by Faith we Endure Persecutions by Faith we Over-come the World and by Faith we Subdue Sin in its Conception and do even make Sinful Thoughts Abortive No Wrestling with the Devil no Entring the Lists with him but by having this Shield of Faith which is so exceeding Useful therein Secondly Faith is Useful in an Art of Spiritual Extraction that it hath Faith can Extract Good out of Evil. An Unbeliever can see nothing in Affliction but a Lump of pining Grief and Sorrow But a Believer knows that there is a Blessing in it The Sharpness of it may let out his Corruption the Suddenness of it may Alarum his Spiritual Watch and the Bitterness of it may Wean him from the Breast of the Creature Faith explains that Paradox Can a Man gather Grapes of Thornes or Figs of Thistles Yea out of Tryals and Persecutions Faith can Extract Ioy and Peace Thirdly Faith is Useful in that it hath a Mighty and Universal Influence upon all our other Graces The Spirit of God indeed doth infuse all the Seeds and Habits of Grace But Faith is the Fountain of all the Acts of Grace It is as the Spring in the Watch that moves the Wheels and sets them all a-going How doth Love work but by Faith and How doth Humility work but by Faith and How doth Patience work but by Faith SECT V. Secondly Cherish Faith This is as I have told you the Cardinal Grace For the Sake of God and for the sake of your Soul Water this Root Now there are Two Ranks and Degrees of Persons that I shall take occasion to speak unto 1. Such who have Faith in a Great Measure 2. Such who have Faith in a Little Measure First Such who have Faith in a Great Measure And that which I have to say unto you is Grow Though you have a great deal of Faith yet you have need of more and it is possible for you to have more For God hath allotted unto every Believer such a Degree of Grace unto which he must attain before he is to be taken up in Glory The more Strong you are the more Formidable you shall be to the Devil Sirs Dream not of a Perfection in this Life Though you have much Faith yet you have need of more and therefore go Forward because not to go Forward is to go Backward Could the Heathen-Painter be so intent and industrious upon his Trade of Painting that he could say Nulla Dies sine lineâ Not a Day without a Line and all that he might Excel in that Art and Shall not Christians be more intent upon in their Attendance to the Work of Grace in their Souls Several Motives I shall lay down that you may thereby be excited to Growth Motive I. First God calls for it And shall we deny it 1 Thes. 4. 1. Further-more Then we beseech you Brethren and Exhort you by the Lord Jesus That as ye have Received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so you would abound more and more The Winds and Seas Obey God Shall We be Rebels Let us rather give an Answer like the Eccho Lord we will Grow Do thou Bless thy Word and Sacraments to us Purge us Cleanse us Water us Manure us make us Capable of Growth and let us Dayly Grow in every Grace and never give over till our Dying Day Say Lord make us every Day Better and Best of all at last Motive II. Secondly God is Honoured by our Growth A High-grown Faith Glorifies God The Husband-man is Honoured when his Field and Orchard is Fruitful Let God be Honoured by our Fruites of Piety Charity Righteousness Patience and Obedience that Men may say It is a Good God and a Good Gospel that hath wrought on this People Motive III. Thirdly God gives his Word and Ministers and Sacraments for this End All our Preachers call for Growth Let not God say I have given them the Great Things of my Law but they esteemed them as a Vain Thing Let not the Preachers say We have Laboured in vain and have been beating the Air and Plowing upon the Sea-Shore Motive IV. Fourthly If you Grow not you will Perish by the Hands of Satan that is The Devil will get the Advantage of you The Tree that Grows not must be Hewn down and cast into the Fire And is it not better to be Flourishing than Perishing If we take not pains to grow Better we must suffer Pains for being Worser Motive V. Fifthly The Truth of your Faith appears by the Growth of it Faith may be Little but if it be True it will not alwayes be Little Those that are of God's own Planting are Flourishing in their Old Age. If you begin in Hypocrisie you will end in Apostacy A sound Young Convert proves an Old Disciple O let it not be said Ye did Run well You had Good Affections You were once Zealous Let your Soundness appear by your Growth and Perseverance Motive VI. Sixthly A Growing Christian hath most Comfort There is Ioy in Knowledge The more Knowledge the more Comfort Let him that Glorieth Glory in this That he knoweth Me Jer. 9. 23. There is Joy in Believing Rom. 15. 13. The more Faith the more Ioy. The Growing Christian gets the strongest Evidences of God's Favour of God's Spirit working in him His Acts of Growth and Fruites of Obedience are Seeds of Ioy and the Ground-work of Consolation Motive VII Seventhly The Growing Christian wins Others Those which Decline do make as if there were not that Power in God's Ordinances that Sweetness in the Promises as was expected As if a Godly Life had not the Contentments nor God's Rewards were so Sure nor his Wayes so Happy as Men take them to be And therefore they give over But he that Grows Better and Better and holds on notwithstanding Opposing Heresies Schisms Reproaches and Pleasant Baits and Sweet Allurements He proclaims Vanity in the Creature Satisfaction in God Power in his Word Amiableness in Grace He brings Credit on God's Family Honour to the Truth Others see something in him which is Supernatural They desire to be like him They are Almost yea sometimes Altogether perswaded to become Professors They are drawn to Taste of God's Goodness to