I look upon as a Saint I should love him though he love not mee I should not only love him when hee loves mee honours mee speaks well of mee but when hee doth the contrary that so should his love quite dye towards mee yet mine might bee as hot and lively towards him as ever now to do this consider 1 That I shall give an account not of my Brothers love to mee but of my love to my Brother Christ will not ask mee did your Brother love you but did you love your Brother if hee love not mee let him look to that hee shall answer for that but if I love not him let mee look to that I shall answer for that if hee will walk so as to give his account with sadnesse shall I do so too It is said 1 John 4.17 That love gives us boldness in the day of Judgement how so which will absolve or condemn as I said before as men have behaved themselves towards his Saints in loving or not loving them and therefore such as have been more full of love shall more boldly appear at that day 2 That my spiritual comfort lies not in my Brothers love to mee but in my love to my Brother What comfort were it though all the men in the world should love a Saint if this were all it were poor comfort But now if I can love a Saint because it is my Fathers will I should when yet hee loves not mee what comfort is here when the heart can as'twere say I love thee Brother because thou art a Saint hate mee as much as thou wilt I care not for it for I am resolved to love thee because thou art a Saint whether thou wilt or no. 3 That the excellency of love lies in this in loving my brother when he loves not mee to love when I am loved is no excellent love this is only to do as Publicans do as wicked men may there is no singular thing in this Mat. 5.46 47. 4 My love comes nearest to Gods love when I love but am not loved God loved us when hee was not loved of us before we loved him 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us Now that we may do this take this rule for in truthes of this nature we must have precept upon precept and line upon line as the Prophet speaks ever make this the ground of thy love to thy brother that thou art beloved of God and because thou art beloved of God therefore thou wilt love thy brother say soul when thy Brother hates thee I am beloved of God my Brother hates me but I am beloved of God he speaks evil of me but I am beloved of God and because I am beloved of God and that God that loves mee commands me to love my brother therefore I will love him though he love not me This John lays down as the ground of our love to our brethren 1 Epist 4.11 If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 3 Account thy self least of Saints and judge every one better than thy self Thus did Paul Ephes 3. and this rule Paul lays down to maintaine love amongst the Philippians Let each one esteeme others better than themselves Phil. 2.3 My Brethren you know it for it is an evil that at one time or other we shall all of us finde in our own hearts that it I do but see a little more love expressed to another than my self I am presently ready to think that another hath all the love and that I am not loved at all and so am ready to hate both the party that loves and the party that is loved Now whence comes this but only hence I am of a proud and filthy Self-conceit think my self better than another and that therefore I deserve more love than he whereas did I account every one better than my self then when the case is thus I should reason thus What though such a one be loved better than I and such a Brother love him better yet is there no reason that I should be offended either with him that loves or him that is loved because he that is loved is better than I and so deserves more love than me I will not therefore be angry with my Brother because he loves him better than I nor envie him because he is so loved but I will ever honour love and prize both the one and the other Now that thou maist come to look upon thy self as the least of Saints consider 1 The opportunities and means thou hast had above others Say yonder is a poor Saint suppose I have more than he yet if I consider the opportunities and means I have had which hee hath wanted in this respect I have less I have had the Word plentifully in the power and purity of it taught been in Church fellowship so many years he poor soul hath wanted all this and yet how lively is he had he had my opportunities he would have been ten times better than I. 2 The time thou hast had say I have been ten twenty thirty forty years in Christs Schoole and yet what a Sot am I what a dead heart have I yonder is one but of yesterday a year two year old in grace and yet how farre is he got and fair on the way to get before mee already 3 The several ways God hath taken to make thee grow one while I have been afflicted in my body another while in my estate I have lost such a ship c. another while in my Children such a Childe lost c. yet after all I am as carnal as ever O had God taken so many ways with such and such there would have been other fruit of it in them 4 Rule Get a heart taken up with Spiritual things you shall seldome see a Saint whose heart is taken up with Spirituals to bee of a wrangling or quarrelsome spirit but ordinarily those that are lowest in Spirituals are highest in strife and contention A Spiritual heart hath so many admirable objects to employ its self and time about that hee findes no leasure to brawl with or to buffet his Brother as take a man that hath his head taken up with high things a noble spirited man let him pass the streets and one laughs at him another miscalls him hee takes no notice of it but now take a low spirited man and if they grin at him hee 'l grin at them miscall him hee 'l miscall them this comes from the lowness and baseness of his spirit so here-hence comes our divisions hence our strife Christians are of low and childish spirits and we know it is a very ordinary thing for Children to wrangle and fall together by the ears in their Fathers house but grown men wont do so Would you maintain love get your hearts exercised with spiritual things if thou art one who art of a wrangling and contentious spirit it is a sign thou hast an idle heart thou dost
is one reason why God bids us so much to pray one for another that by improving one anothers graces wee might have more love each to other 12 Take as little notice as possible may bee of injuries Many times it may bee I take notice of a little matter a trifle and this sets my spirit a boyling and quencheth my love to my brother and my brother hee seeth mee so captious that I take snuffe for every trifle and this raiseth his spirits and incenseth them more against me Therefore the best way to maintaine love is not to take notice of injuries no further then as I am bound to do sometimes it is my duty to do it when as I see my brother in injuring me doth highly offend against God then it is not my pride but rather my self-denyal to take notice of it Thus much of the second thing How Saints may have their hearts brought up to the practice of this duty 3 Is to answer some Objections which lye in the way to hinder it Object But some will say I know as well as you can tell mee that I should love Saints and so I do but I do not think such and such to bee Saints Ans 1. Is he such a one who in the judgement of other as godly as thy self and it may be more unprejudiced and who both know him and his conversation as well and it may be better than thou doest is accounted a Saint and doest thou know nothing of him to evidence the contrary which they do not then though this bee not sufficient ground for thee to conclude him a Saint yet so much ground there is that without breach of charity thou canst not conclude the contrary Let mee tell you that some of Gods people when they see ground to question anothers sincerity yet he professing himself to bee a true Saint and other godly men so esteeming of him if the ground be not very clear and evident when they shall come to pass any censure upon such a one their hearts will smite them and they will reply upon themselves why should I be suspitious of such a one this is my base corruption hee may for ought I know bee ten times better than I and more holy in Gods sight than I c. 2 Let me by way of answer farther tell thee that it is not necessary thou shouldest certainly know him to bee a Saint whom thou lovest but it is a ground sufficient for thee to love if hee appear to bee so and thou seest nothing expresly to the contrary If I should onely love those whom I certainly know to bee Saints and should bee or a censorious spirit I might it may bee sometimes see cause to question whether or no I should love any and if others should bee diligent observers of my actions and walk by this rule might they not sometimes it may bee see ground to question whether or no they ought not to withdraw their love from mee would I bee willing they for every failing they see in mee should do so Let mee then take heed of doing that to others I would not have done to my self Therefore I say it is enough for thee and mee that those whom we love appear to bee Saints and we do not see clear and evident ground to the contrary though really they are not so And doth not Christ intimate as much when hee tells his Disciples Whosoever shall give a cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple Mat. 10.41 42. Yea let mee tell you that a true Christian hath many times as much comfort in a deed done to one as a Saint though he should bee none hee judging the best as though hee were a Saint indeed As for example I give an Alms 3 Take heed thou doest not as many do make this an object to colour over some corruption Thou hast a corruption in thy heart will not let thee love such a one and to hate him and satisfie thine own conscience sayest hee is not a Saint 4 What if he should bee a Saint What if God at the day of judgement should own him as one as one saith of one abusing a Scripture what if at the judgement day this should not be the meaning of the Text So what if this thy interpretation of thy Brother that hee is an Hypocrite should not be Gods 2 Object But he is not of my opinion Answ Thou art in a miserable condition if thou lovest thus If thou hast no better evidence for Heaven than this love such love will not evidence thou lovest God but thy self 2 Hee differs from thee how if his should be truth and thine error May not such a thing bee 3 Hast thou done thy duty in matter of practice to bring him out if not wilt thou blame him because hee goes from his duty in matter of opinion 4 How if Christ should measure out to thee in the same way Say soul you love onely those that are of your opinion you are not of mine because you do not love Saints as Saints which is my minde should bee done therefore expect no love from me 3 Object But he hath so many corruption I cannot love him Answ God doth love him notwithstanding 2 Wouldest thou bee willing God should deal thus by thee 3 If thou wilt not love till Saints bee perfect then thou wilt never love Vse This reproves many Consider 1 How sad will it bee to have Saints go and tell God of their wrongs 2 How wilt thou bee ashamed when Christ shall vindicate his Saints 3 What wilt thou do when Christ shall come Mat. 24. last 4 Christ takes all done to Saints as to himself Saul Saul Why persecutest thou mee 5 It is a signe of a graceless heart 1 Joh. 2.9.11 Hee that saith hee is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even untill now But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither hee goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Chap 3.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and yee know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Chap. 4.8.20 Hee that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love If any man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a lyar For hee that loveth not his brother whom hee hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen Vse Love one another Consider how the Apostle urgeth this Eph. 4. begining and beg for it as one for life Phil. 2. begining Of Offences Mat. 18.7 VVoe unto the world because of offences IN the words read we have First a fearful woe coming upon the world viz. the men of the world such persons as are without Christ and God in the world Woe unto the world Secondly The inlet of this fearful woe unto the world what that is which is the original cause of the woe or that opens the door to the woe to come in upon the
time it is humbled and admiring God and cryeth out What shall I say What shall I do O what shall such and such corruptions lodge within mee When there is a purging the soul then the evidence is true 2 If thy evidence when it is lost bee out of thy power to recover it again when it is injoyed out of thy power to keep it When it cometh in at first by an Almighty power throwing down all before it and thouloosest it and canst not regain it it is a sign it is no evidence of thy own making for if it were of thy own making thou mightest get it up again Nor it is no evidence of the Devils making to humble the soul to make God all to make the soul more watchfull If thou wouldest clear up thy interest in Christ then entertaine nothing that may go against that interest Some things do darken it as 1 Groundless fears and surmises give not way to such fears for the further off you will be from God they drive you from God 2 Giving way to reason against thy faith Some souls will dispute out the case to the utmost not to mee and not to mee and so stand reasoning out faith It is faith whereby thou must see thy interest if thou blindest the eye how shalt thou see I speak not to loose livers 3 Vnstedfastness in the doctrine of Christ As a mans principles are so is his faith if his principles be uncertain so is his faith If his knowledge bee too and fro hee is not setled Do not change opinions as men do fashions I mean in the principles of grace foundation truths of the Righteousness of Christ Justification c. for if thou dost thou shakest all for thy evidence being from thence this being taken away thou fallest Use 6. To all that are without Christ Are these things so that all the promises are made to us in Christ then Come to Christ How should the consideration of this provoke every poor beggared soul now to make a close with Jesus Christ Thou poor soul which if thou wert to dye to morrow hast never a promise to run to to take comfort in to bear thy poor dying soul upon O come to Christ and all shall bee thine for all the promises are his they are all in him and by having him thou shalt have all O souls did you but know the worth of Christ in this respect I mean considering this that all the promises are stored up in him you would not go quietly out of this place you would not sleep one night more without hearts breathing after Christ and rowling your selves on him Saith Christ to the woman of Samaria Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water So say I poor soul if thou didst but know the gift of God Jesus Christ if thou didst but know the worth of Christ If thou didst but know what precious promises what multitudes of them and what transcendent worth is in every one the meanest of them are in Christ thy heart would not contain without breathing thy tongue would not be silent any longer without asking the Father to give thee this Christ O how many poor souls now here which did they but know the worth of one promise would now cry out to God O Christ Christ Christ Lord give this Christ to mee and to mee Were the worth of promises known then the worth of Christ in whom all the promises are would bee better known Put case man woman thou wert sure thou shouldest dye to morrow and hadst now all the sins that ever thou hast committed from thy cradle to this day lying upon thee and burdening of thee and thy conscience tormenting thee for them and thou wert at hell gate and hell fire ready to receive thee and swallow thee up for ever what then in thy account would a promise of pardon and remission of sins a promise of heaven and eternal life bee worth What Why all that I have in the world saith the man yea a whole world ten thousand worlds were there so many or had I so many But it may bee some of you are so blockish and senseless and regardless of things of this nature that by this that I have said you are so little acquainted with such things you would not know the worth of a promise therefore to speak in a more familiar way and to shew you the worth of a promise a little from things you do know Put the case now man or woman thou wert condemned to dye some cruel death full of the greatest tortures that can bee imagined such a death as some Histories tell us one Ravillac which traiterously murdered the King of France was put to who had first one of his hands cut off then the other then was carried to the place of execution where hee had the flesh of his body plucked off with burning red hot pincers and then incisions and holes were made into the fleshy parts of his body and there they poured in scalding melted lead and so kept him alive some dayes torturing of him in this and a more cruel manner till in the end hee dyed Now suppose thou wert condemned to dye such a death as this was and this were to be executed upon thee to morrow if so bee the Prince should come to thee over-night and give thee a promise of pardon that hee would pardon thee and save thee from this cruel death what thinkest thou suppose the case were so in thy account would such a promise bee worth O I am perswaded if the case were so thou wouldest not know how thy heart would bee so extraordinarily taken to speak the worth of it the very hearing of a word of pardon at such a time would so overcome thee as that thou wouldest be ready to dye for joy And poor soul know it that such a promise as this is but a poor promise not worth the being called a promise in respect of the promises of God in Christ the meanest the least of which are far greater and of more invaluable worth than hundreds of such as this This is onely a promise of temporal life and of deliverance from a temporal punishment which may last three or four dayes but the promises of Christ are promises of an eternal life and of deliverance from eternal torments and if one of these promises of Christ are of so great and of such invaluable worth then what is Christ himself in whom all the promises are in whom there are innumerable promises of such great value every one of which sinner shall bee thine Christ being thine O sinners sinners did you know but the worth of a promise and so the worth of Christ your hearts would presently fall in love with him and you would run about as the Spouse in the Canticles who having lost her beloved and
as thou hast done what say you to Paul and others Object 5. But Christ doth not belong to me Answ 1. Thou shouldest not hearken to an objection which tends to drive thee from Christ when he commands to come to him 2 If God gives thee a heart to come then is the matter out of doubt Christ belongs to thee for beleeving gives thee a right Gal. 3.22 That the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might bee given to them that beleeve 3 Whether Christ belong to thee or no it s better to cast thy self upon him and dye in obedience than to run from him and dye in disobedience 4 Whatsoever makes against faith is assuredly from the Devil and not to bee beleeved this doth so Object 6. But I am not elected Answ 1. Election is a secret secrets belong to God I am not to question Gods secret will whether or no I am elected but to obey his revealed will which commands to beleeve 2 The way to know election being a secret is not to question the same but beleeve in hope against hope Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen 3 Upon this ground thou shalt never beleeve for if thou canst not know thine election but by beleeving and wilt not beleeve till thou knowest thou art elected thou shalt never beleeve 4 By this thou wrongest Gods intention in revealing it who never revealed it to keep souls from coming to Christ but to strengthen their faith being come 5 Thou hereby settest one part of Gods will against another that which discovers election against that which requires beleeving 6 Thy questioning thou art not elected proves not the thing if any thing the contrary because Satan the father of lies tells thee so Object 7. But I have no power to come to Christ Ans Seek a power of God see a Promise for encouragement Isa 40.29 30 31. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength vers 30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall vers 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Obj. 8. But I have not a heart to seek Ans Hast no tongue neither seek though with thy lips God may give a heart whilst thou art speaking Hos 14.1 2 Take words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Obj. 9. But alas I have a long time sought a power and finde none which hath made me weary and to give over seeking Ans 1. God is a free Agent and therefore will not be limited to time or ways in working but will work when and how he pleaseth and likewise an infinite being and therefore a Creature may not comprehend him in time which destroys his infiniteness but leave him all time to work in his own It was Israels fault to limit God Psal 78.41 Yea they turned back and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel 2 Thou hast not sought perhaps in faith therefore not found what thou seekest for Jam. 4.3 Yee ask and receive not because yee ask amiss Israel sought righteousness yet obtained not why Rom. 9.31 32 with Chap. 11.7 Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness vers 32. Wherefore because they sought it not by faith So 3 Wilt thou say because thou hast not thou never shalt this conclusion follows not 4 God works all for the glory of his grace which as yet may be more magnified in denying than giving when a soul can live no longer without a mercy it comes with a welcome and grace is exalted hence God oft seems to deny a mercy not because hee wil not give but because the extreamity is not so great as may stand with the advancement of his grace in giving Isa 30.18 And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you Isa 33.10 Now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self Isa 63.12 13 14 Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm dividing the water before them to make himself an everlasting name vers 13. That led them thorow the deep as an horse in the wilderness that they should not stumble vers 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest so didst thou lead thy people to make thy self a glorious name 5 The longer a thing hath been sought the more sweet and satisfying when found long seeking will make Christ sweeter Mercy sweeter 6 Thou faintest and art weary see what God saith to one in this condition Isa 40.28 to the end Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary There is no searching of his understanding 7 Adde to thy seeking waiting if inferiors wait on Superiors much more should creatures on the Creator seeking shews want and desire this may have self-self-love in it waiting shews subjection to God and submission to his will this is true Self-denial to such a blessing is pronounced Isa 30.18 Blessed are all they that wait for him Object 10. But I am filled with fears as I think none that I am a rejected person a cast-away and therefore in vain to come Answ This ariseth onely from Israels mistake Isa 40.27 My way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Yet see her folly vers 28 29 c. Hast thou not known Yea Sion from the same mistake saith as much yet false Isa 49.14 15 16. But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken mee and my Lord hath forgotten mee vers 15. Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee vers 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before mee It can be nothing but sin can make thee think thus See what God saith to it Jer. 51.5 For Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of hosts though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel Object 11. But I have been with Christ and since am a notorious backslider and dare not come again Answ Though it hath been thy sin to run from him yet now it is thy duty to come again to him thou hast not been so ready to run away but hee is as ready to receive thee Consider but one example of God to Israel Jer. 2.3 both Chapters 1
manifestations of the love goodness power of God c. So long as these remain they adhere to the promise but so soon as these are a little decayed or the sense of them withdrawn they are off the hinges and cannot adhere to the Promise any longer so that it is but now and then rarely when and whilst affections are up that these rest on the Promise they are five times more off than on they live ten days in unbelief for one of faith Some others will adhere it may bee though they finde none of these to the Promise for a little moment and then they look that the thing for which they cleave to this promise should instantly bee theirs but finding the contrary they faint and give over adhering both these are hereby distinguished from living by faith 2 Quietly i. e. It rests upon the Promises without murmuring or repining though the thing promised be delayed and every day it is looking for and desiring the coming thereof O when will it come yet it is quiet it doth not speak evil of God nor of the Promise though it thinks long every day to have the Promise fulfilled yet doth it not think it too long though the fulfilling thereof bee delayed for a good time but contents it self herewith I have a promise though when or how I shall have it fulfilled I know not when God will give this do this or how I know not only here I have a promise this I adhere to Yea sometimes the soul may say Whither God will give this to me I do not certainly know only here is a promise and I have no reason to think the contrary and therefore I will wait upon him let him do what seemeth him good Lament 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. This Habakkuks Vision teacheth us chap. 2.4 Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him hut the just shall live by his faith He whose heart is lifted up swolne with pride and impatience cannot bear Gods delay but the life of faith teacheth quietness under this Now this distinguisheth living by faith from that impatient waiting of many souls accompanied with murmuring and repining if the promise be delayed which was the fault of that wicked King 2 King 6 33. And he said behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Of Rachel though a godly woman Gen. 30.1 When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no Children Rachel envied her sister and said unto Jacob Give me children or else I dye And of Israel for forty years together whilst they were in the Wilderness if they wanted any thing Bread Flesh Water presently they murmured which murmuring of theirs is described wherein it lay Psal 78. vers 17. to 23. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lust yea they spake against God they said can God furnish a table in the Wilderness vers 21. therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth vers 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his Salvation And we are bid beware of it 1 Cor. 10. vers 1 2 c. 3. Orderly it rests and relies on Gods Promise in Gods way using means those means which he hath appointed it should wait in the use of as Hearing Reading Prayer Meditation Christian Society c. Isaac had a promise he should have seed and yet seeks God for his wife wait but wait orderly The Spouse in Canticles Chapters third and fifth when her Beloved twice had with-drawn himself and was gone she waits for him but in an orderly way she doth not lye still sleeping and slugging upon her bed and say Well my beloved is gone for the present but he will come again but up she gets her and about the streets she goes and enquires of every one she meets with Saw you him whom my soul loveth shee runs to the Watch-men O! saw you him whom my soul loveth from them to the Daughters of Jerusalem O! saw you him whom my soul loveth thus she waits yet is active using means Now this distinguisheth living by faith 1 From a careless waiting and resting upon the promise as to say Well God hath promised such a thing it matters not what I do God will fulfill his own promise and so neglects and throws away all means and Ordinances this is not living by faith but a carnal presumptuous and secure frame of spirit 2 From a disorderly waiting a waiting upon God for a mercy but a going out of Gods way to obtain it by following some way of my own or anothers invention which is not Gods Saul was twice in this and it cost him dear once when he offered a Burnt-offering 1 Sam. 13. and when he went to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28. As in living by faith I must rest on the promise so in Gods way or my resting is nothing 2 The second thing in living by faith is the ground of faith A man stands as hee hath his footing so faith I shall here shew in order to the other 1 VVhat is not the ground of faith 2 VVhat is Q. What is not the ground of faith A. 1. Not duties Some beleeve that God loves them because of such and such things done by them this is not the ground of faith in living by faith 2 Not affections Some others though they will not ground faith upon a bare duty done yet if they have had affections therein they will ground their faith upon those or these and the duty put together Many a poor soul thinks this duty is accepted this prayer shall be answered ask the reason they can give no other but their hearts have been warmed affections up therein they wept much c. and sure such a duty cannot but speed and hence poor souls when they finde as mostly it proves so their great expectations of this duty come to just nothing they are ready to cast off not only their hope but duty and every thing else the reason of all being this they go upon a false and mutable ground and therefore are so mutable in their opinions of themselves and what they do This is not the ground the soul which lives by faith goes upon nay a soul will never live by faith but beleeve one day and call in question the next till he is got off this ground 3 Not Graces Some do not make duties the ground of their faith and knowing the deceitfulness of affections are shie of them also who yet upon sight or discerning of the graces of the Spirit in themselves will beleeve If they finde in themselves a sweet heavenly frame of Spirit an humble frame of heart hearts full of love to the brethren c. they will then beleeve and make these things a ground of their faith but whilst they do thus sure enough they never live by faith for how ordinary a thing is it
and its fruit both in the soul together and though every soul which lives by faith hath not the other i.e. a perswasion that Christs righteousnesse is certainly its own yet every soul which lives by faith so far as it lives by faith hath this that possibly it may bee mine so far at least as that it dares not conclude the contrary as the Ninevites Jona 3. v. 8 9. Repent from such a consideration Who can tell if God will turn and repent And as Job offered sacrifice for this children from an It may bee my Sons have sinned And the four Lepers ventured into the host of Assyria from an It may bee they will save us alive So a poor soul which lives by faith goes to the promise and takes hold thereof and though it cannot say this is certainly mine or shall certainly be mine yet it saith It may bee mine however I will not conclude the contrary 5 Faith in the point of Justification causeth the soul that lives by it to shun all disputes either with the Devil or a mans own carnal reason as to the question whether it bee justified or no Satan comes and layes heavy charges upon the soul thou art such a sinner hast so often been proud unbeleeving worldly minded so many sins thou hast committed against the love and free grace of God against thy own light and conscience so many duties thou hast neglected so many been formal hypocritical in and therefore thou art not justified Carnal reason that comes in and sayes its Amen to the Devils arguments saith Carnal reason the Promises are true I know them to bee so and therefore surely the conclusion must bee thus I am no childe of God I am an unjustified person Faith now that comes forth and encounters the furious charge of both these raging Lions who would at once swallow up the peace and happiness of the poor soul and saith Faith you enemies Satan and my own reason if from all your charges you had concluded against my Sanctification reason would that I should bear with you but if the question bee about my Justification I will bee no disputer in that matter because it is not for mee to meddle with that business or to take the work out of anothers hands who is intrusted with it I grant I am as vile as you have made mee and viler too yet were I ten times viler than I am yet would not all this touch my Justification because that is wholly without mee and in the hands of another so as that no good or evill within mee or done by mee comes at that Yea O yee my enemies saith the soule you are much beside the question which fain you would affirm and prove when from these charges you would assaile my Justification for Sanctification and Justification are two things and all you charge mee with in your premises is some defect in the matter of Sanctification and in the conclusion you run into Justification which is to raise another question and therefore saith the soul had you concluded thus thou art not sanctified I would freely without dispute have concluded with you for this I do acknowledge that I am a poor sinner a wretched man in my self often captivated with a body of death I am not indeed so sanctified as I should bee but I see something in my self which I desire to mourn for and to walk humbly underâ—â— and which I see daily need to go to my Father about which also I do beseeching him and waiting upon him for the healing this filthy puddle of my nature but because of this that I am not justified that I will not conclude neither are you my enemies untill you have proved that there is a defect or want of righteousnesse in Christ as in mee till you have proved that there is not righteousnesse enough in Christ upon whom my justification lyes as it is my duty I shall still desire notwithstanding all my weaknesses and imperfections to beleeve my Justification Sixtly and lastly Faith looks strictly and narrowly to the conscience Conscience is the strong hold and castle of the soul whilst that is quiet free from tumults the whole man is at peace let there be a tumult there and the whole man is at war and put into distraction therefore faith in the business of Justification makes the soul to use all diligence of secure that hold out of the hands of the enemy by securing which the whole man injoyes peace and truly this looking too and securing of conscience is a business of greatest concernment in living by faith for justification For the Devill and Sin do the soul more mischief when these get into conscience than they do or can do any where else Now there are three wayes by which Faith secures Conscience 1 By putting a strong garrison into Conscience and keeping it there This strong Garrison is the Righteousnesse of Christ which faith brings into conscience and keeps there Faith knows that nothing else can defend conscience when Sin and Satan storm it but Christ Righteousnesse Hence 1 Pet. 3.21 wee are said to have the answer of a good conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ for the Resurrection being the time wherein Christ did appear in all his Righteousnesse and shew forth himself as one that had now fulfilled all Righteousnesse and upon the very same account was now risen from the dead when hee had been acting the last part of that sad Tragedy as to himself but glorious work of Righteousnesse as to us is put for the whole Righteousnesse of Christ both active and passive and so it is as if the Apostle should say The Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ being put into our Consciences is that whereby they are secured and kept peaceable so that instead of tumults and insurrections in conscience our consciences are in peace instead of accusing us wee have the answer of a good conscience towards God 2 By clearing the conscience of all those enemies who formerly have done or do disturb the peace thereof As faith brings a strong garrison into conscience so it ejects all malignants or disturbers of consciences peace these are those dead works Heb 9.14 which creep into conscience i. e. the guilt of all sin whether of omission or commission which get into conscience and disturb its peace Now faith garrisoning conscience with Christs righteousnesse ejects all these the first thing this garrison doth being entred is the clensing of the place where it is from all such as are enemies to the peace of it Whatsoever guilt of sin past or present which lyes in the conscience and wrangles all is cast out the Righteousnesse of Christ being made governor of conscience and the conscience injoyes abundance of peace whereas before it had not quiet an hour in a day many times for a month together now it is full of peace Sin which before lay gnawing and tormenting it is now cast out and everlasting righteousnesse
little as Boys whilst they are in the School at their Books they 'l agree but turn them out to play though but half an hour they 'l be together by the ears so here 5 Walk wisely A great part or the greatest part of those differences which are amongst Saint arise from indiscretion Indiscretion it is the mother of strife and division Had but we Spiritual wisdome how to walk and behave our selves towards each other though there are many corruptions in our hearts which otherwise would divide us yet this would prevent it had wee wisdome there would bee oneness of heart and affection though there bee difference in judgement and opinion And therefore it is not in vaine that Paul speaks so much of wisdome and presseth beleevers on so much to walk wisely Wisdome would make up many a breach which folly opens I have known Christians whose principles in many things have differed one from another and in some smaller matters their practices too who yet have walked through wisdome given to them with so much love and tenderness and sweetness each to other as none could think by their carriage each to other that there were the least difference amongst them so much love tenderness meekness c. as if there were no difference at all now would we have and maintaine love then walk wisely Walk wisely in admonitions and reproofs if thou art one who mayest reprove with more authority than another may doe not always stand upon it and bring thy authority along with thee when thou art to reprove Sometimes and in some cases a man may bring his authority along with him as Paul bids Titus chap. 2.15 Rebuke with all authority that is in case his authority is despised and in this sense I take it Paul speaks so much of his own authority to the Churches of Galatia and rebukes them sharply for their back-sliding because they through the secret and subtil insinuations of the false Apostles were brought in a great measure to despise Pauls authority but always a man is not to do so see in what a milde and winning way Paul speaks to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 10.1 he is loath to use his authority and therefore in a milde way beseecheth them that hee might overcome them that way and not bee put upon it to use his authority So again Chap. 13.10 hee gives this as a rule to the Galatians Chap. 6.1 so 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Again if thou art the case requiring it to rebuke with sharpness as Paul tells the Corinthians if he came and found them in such ways they were in he must use sharpness then endeavour so to carry thy self that it may plainly appear that thy sharpness it is not the wrath of man but a true zeal of God This wee may see in Paul 2 Corinthians 13.1 2. verses compared with 7 8 9. Again let it appear unto them that thou hast a heart as well sensible of their evil and to mourn over the same as a tongue to reprove them for it how sensible Pauls spirit did use to be when hee was to reprove you may see 2 Cor. 12.20.21 Again let it appear that thy design is not their trouble or the destruction of their peace but their good and Christian edification 1 Cor. 12.19 chap. 13.10 though it is a hard thing to make a man sensible in reproving that his good and nothing else is aimed at yet if once that bee attained then is the reproof likely to prove effectual Again do not make reproof a common customary thing to reprove a man for every thing and every trifle this will hinder the fruit of it upon the heart of him whom thou reprovest Again reprove private offences privately publike publikely do not reprove every private offence in publike that man which would thank thee for a reproof in private may speak evil of thee for thy reproof in publike yet if an offence be publike it must be reproved publikely 1 Tim. 5.20 Gal. 2.14 Again for the time forbear thy reproof whilst a man by some present distemper of passion c. is uncapable to receive good thereby Walk wisely in respect of thy knowledge and practice in lesser matters if thou hast more light in some things than thy brother hath and thou canst not practise thine own knowledge without offence to thy brother forbear thy practise Rom. 14.20 21 22. 1 Cor. 8.9 to the end and Chap. 10.28 29. yet here take this caution if it be not weakness which is the cause why thy brother stumbles but wilfulness and obstinacy then it is thy duty to practise Gal. 2. 6 Rule Look not so much upon what is evil as upon what is good in thy brother Wee are ready every one of us to look upon our Brothers worst side and that breeds dis-affection in one to another but we should ever look upon his best side that would beget love and affection in one to the other when I see pride or passion or any corruption stirring in my brother then I should say this is my brothers worst side let me look upon him on the other side and there I shall see a hatred of these things there I shall see him groaning under these as his burden I say do not look so much upon the evil as the good that is in him True I see such and such failings and weaknesses in my brother O but though these things lye at the top yet there is grace at the bottome there is pride at the top but a heart that desires to be humble at the bottome unbelief discontent c. at the top but faith and submission to the will of God at the bottome 7 Put not an ill construction upon that which way have a good put upon it it is the nature of the Spider to suck poyson from that which the Bee gathers honey now we should all imitate the Bee suck honey where it is to bee had If I see an action of my brothers that may have a double construction put upon it a good and a bad Charity it bids me to chuse the best and not to take the worst Charity saith the Apostle beleeveth all things hopeth all things it beleeveth hopeth the best of all things Thus should I do ever put the best construction I can upon the thing which may be doubtfully taken for whilst I put a good construction upon such a thing I do well because I follow the rule of charity whilst I do otherwise I do very evil because I break that rule 8 Get forbearing spirits This the Apostle stirres up to Ephes 4.2 With all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love The more Christian forbearance there is amongst Saints the more love there will be what causeth division more than this if the division arise from different principles it is because I cannot forbear my brother speaks contrary to me and I cannot forbear him neither he me it from practise hence likewise it grows
my brother injures me speaks evil of me I cannot forbear him I do so to him and he cannot forbear mee were there but that forbearance should bee in any one it would heal the difference of either side O Saints would you love forbear one another forbear one another Obj. But such a one hath injured me and I have given him no cause Ans Why then forbear him thou wilt have the more comfort and peace in so doing Again now thou art like a Christian in forbearing him a man may from natural light forbear another who hath injured him if he himself gave the other cause to do so but now if thou canst forbear another who hath injured thee when thou hast not given cause this is to act like a Christian Thus did Christ he gave no cause to any to revile him or Crucifie him yet when they did it he forbare them when he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2.23 Isa 53.7 innocent as a Lambe yet led to the slaughter and opened not his mouth Obj. But if it were once I could bear it but it is often Ans The oftner it is the more noble spirit shalt thou be of to forbear him a Childe can forbear a thing a while but a man can longer Again hath not God forborne thee often when he might have poured his wrath upon thee and when thou hast dealt as injuriously with him as thy brother hath with thee and wilt not thou forbear thy brother often Say with thy self O how long has God forborne me Obj. But wert it a small injury I could forbear but it is a very great one Ans Let me ask thee one question Is it greater than ever thou didst commit against God if so then indeed it were much to forbear him but if otherwise wilt not thou forbear him as God thee Again the greater injury the more grace exercised in forbearing and the more comfort in it Obj. But I were not a man if I should bear every thing and put up all tread on a worm and he 'l turn again Ans Thus flesh and bloud will reason and thus Centiles reason but it must not bee so amongst us Hear the Exhortation of Paul Rom. 12.19 20 21. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 9 Consider all are but men Thou seest something in thy Brother which possibly might provoke thee to with draw thy love from him he sees something in thee which might provoke him to the same now let each consider of my brother why my brother is but a man and therefore he hath his failings as other men have indeed were he an Angel I might expect other actions and other carriage but he is but a man and I must look upon him as a man subject to failings as I my self am Yonder I see weaknesses but they are the weaknesses of man a poor man 10 Acquaint your selves with one anothers spirits more Strangers have not that affection the one to the other that intimate friends have so whilst Saints are strangers one to another there will not be that love and communion amongst them that there should be and were they more acquainted with one anothers spirits would Whilst the Disciples were unacquainted with Pauls spirit they were affraid to own him into their company though he assayed to joyn with them but when by Barnabas his relation they understood something of his spirit and the work of God thereupon Paul and they sweetly closed so afterwards a long time the Apostles at Jerusalem were affraid to own Paul as an Apostle through some suspicion or doubt they had of him but afterwards when through Conference and communion one with another they perceived the grace that was given Paul they then owned him and gave him the right hand of Fellowship acknowledging him an Apostle as well as themselves so that we see what comes by acquainting our selves with one anothers spirits Christians which before stand aloof off the one from the other and will not speak to each other may come when they know one anothers spirits sweetly to close and embrace one another yea many a Saint upon this instead of falling foul upon his brother as before hee did now falls foul upon himself What a filthy wretch was I my cursed heart would not close with my brother but I was ever full of suspicions jealousies surmisings thinking and speaking the worst and now I see blessed bee God I see it at last that my brother is a true Childe of God and there is more grace in him for ought I know than in my self O Saints let us get acquaintance with one anothers spirits I may know Master such a one and Mistris such a one well for outward acquaintance yet a stranger to his or her spirit and assure your selves of this that there is nothing in the world will more beget and maintaine love amongst you than this as I shall by being acquainted with my brothers spirit see the grace of God in him which will much draw my heart ten times more than any gifts or parts which I behold outwardly can do so likewise by near familiarity with him and acquaintance with his spirit there will bee twenty things which through my mis-interpretation of outward actings or some such thing did hinder love and beget dis-affection in me to my brother prevented as for instance Suppose I see my brother occasionally walking and dis-coursing now and then with a prophane man presently whilst I look barely upon the outward action my heart is ready to boyl with strange jealousies Now that we may get acquaintance with one anothers spirits 1 Bee much in communicating experiences and the dealings of God with you one to another 2 Be much in finding out and knowing the reasons of thy brothers outward actings this will bring to much acquaintance with thy brothers spirit and how and in what manner it usually works 11 Improve one anothers gifts and graces more as get acquaintance with one anothers spirit so improve them Hath God given thy brother a spirit of prayer improve it get him much to pray for thee hath God given thy brother more faith then thou hast improve it desire him in thy wants and streights to beleeve for thee now in so doing love will be abundantly increased thy brothers love will work more towards thee whilst he is improving of his grace for thee and thine to thy brother whilst thou seest that such and such mercies thou hast through thy brothers faith and prayer This is a certaine rule the more I do good to any in a spiritual way the more I shall love him the more any receive good will hee love mee And I take it this