is taking away spiritual food As the Soul is more excellent than the Body so much worse is it to take away the bread of life far worse than to take away corporal food Pray consider how in consistent this is with love to God and Christ which all Christians profess Joh. 21. 15 17. Peter lovest thou me feed my lambs feed my sheep A Minister can no way better testify his love to Christ than by diligent and faithful feeding the flock with sincere milk of the word nor a Magistrate than by incouraging the faithful dispensers of the word whom to discourage and punish for doing their duty how highly displeasing and provoking to the Lord is such an act who rebuked even Kings for their sakes saying do my Prophets no harm Psal 105 14 Nor can you alledge justly that you punish them not for preaching and hearing but for transgressing the law when you know they have authority both to preach and hear by his Majesty's Declaration and License under his hand and Seal yea and a Bill of ease is under consideration of this present Parliment to justify their proceedings And doth it become inferiour Magistrates to interpose or rather to oppose that Indulgence which both King and Parliament have thought meet to grant Nor need you to fear the loss of an hundred pounds in case you had refused to act For men of judgment are of Opinion that the forfeiture is not at all reoverable in Law And if it were what Informer dare contend with you for it But suppose the worst read 2 Chron. 25. 9. What shall we do for the hundred Talents The Lord is able to give thee much more than this Oh how vile a thing is the love of money 1. Tim. 6. 9. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. I will not be so uncharitable towards you as not to hope and believe that you love Jesus Christ really yet if you love the world i. e. money esteem credit or any thing in the world above Christ you love him not sincerely Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother c. more than me is not worthy of me is no good Christian Give me leave to cite one passage out of Mr. Baxter In Q. Mary's days when Martyrs were condemned to the fire there were many great men who really loved them and wished them well and their hearts grieved in pity for them as knowing them to be in the right But they loved their honour wealth and safety so much better that they would sit on the Bench yea and give Sentence for their burning for fear of hazarding their worldly happiness was this sincere love c. Mr. Baxter Saints rest p. 3. pag. 238. Say not these men under conviction are Dissenters Phanaticks c. I will not hazard my reputation to be esteemed a favourer of such You know Christianity hath ever been reproached and hath suffered under black names Christ himself was blasted with the odious name of Samaritane His Apostles and the first Christians were termed the sect of the Nazarenes of which Paul himself was counted the Ringleader Acts. 24. 5. an Heretick v. 14. The Christians of former ages in England were called Lollards Hereticks c. and in our age Puritans Phanaticks But what if Christ own them for his people and members whom the world prosecutes with odious titles What a case are they in then that vex and spoil them of their goods What if you had been ill thought of by some vile persons for wicked men are vile Psal 15. 4. Dan. 11. 21. you should the more be had in reputation of wise and good men To be dispraised and disparaged by lewd men is no disgrace but a commendation yea God himself will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. But Christ will be ashamed of them that are ashamed of him Mark 8. 38. Oh! how fearful is their case who fear men more then God who will rather deny the truth or act against a good cause or a good conscience than they will displease an Informer Rev. 21. 8. The fearful are set in the forefront of the damned crew Now good Sir consider your ways look them in the glass of the word not in the glass of this world say what have I done It had been better wisdom to have done so before the act to have viewed the obliquity of it the consequences with all the circumstances of it and to have resolved with Joseph how shall I do this c. Gen. 39. 9. to have said with Nehemiah shall such a man as I do this I whom God hath blessed with so great an Estate invested with authority to sit in the Seat of Justice should not I honour God with my substance with my authority Should I be instrumental in vexing good people for righteousness sake Should I hinder the inlarging of Christs kingdom by surppressing the Gospel What evil hath the Gospel of Christ done That the preacher of it the professors of it should be thus despightfully used by the world by professing Christians What account can I render to the Lord of this when it shall be said give account of thy Stewardship for thou maist be no longer Steward Should I that was looked upon with much respect by all sober Christians be the first of all those of my rank and the leading Man in that action which tends directly to the pulling down the walls of Gods Jerusalem and make the builders thereof to cease by force and power which was the work of Heathens and enemies to Religion Ezra 4. 23. 24. Then ceased the work of the house of God Think how many sighs and tears you wring from the mourners in Sion how many prayers and cryes are sent up to Heaven for the enlargment of the Gospel and Gospel Ministers by your means silenced Acts 12. 5. And will not God avenge his own Elect Luk. 18. 7. which cryed day and night though he bear long Is it good that you do to incourage the Vipers and Caterpillars of the land who thirst after the spoil and prey that they may inrich themselves with the labours of innocent men For which cause even for filthy lucre they act the Devils part the grand enemy of mans salvation They as he go about seeking to devour To draw a conclusion wherefore O Sir to use Daniels words Chap. 4. 27. Let my counsel be acceptable break off your sin by righteousness and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor if it may be a lengthening of your Tranquillity Do what lyes in you to deliver the oppressed from violence and spoill let the Informers be checked and discouraged by Missing their expected pray Let reparation be made to the Sufferers by causing that every man have his goods taken from him restored again In cases of wrong and offences done to our Neigbours repentance to God is not sufficient without satisfaction to man if there be ability as
encreased Grace Victory what gain Glory to God Edification to others what Almes What shall I render Further in his Private Notes A Catalogue of Sins Sins in Youth In another place Sins to be reformed by Grace walk humbly thankfully watch return not to folly after peace spoken May 16. 1658. If overtaken with Anger after a Sacrament A note thereon and once followed with a Miserere mei Deus These are things that discovered Grace and were exercises of it I now come to Experiences mentioned in his secret Record Octob. 27. 1658. I was not well had a pain in my Belly from side to side in the beginning of the Night I feared falling into Sickness Communed with my heart upon my Bed had thoughts of Death my Conscience spake peace to me the light of Gods Countenance shone into me I was fully assured of Gods Mercy to me if I had dyed at that time I had no doubt of my eternal happiness for which Mercy I give God praise and desire to record it with much thankfulness But I slept well that night was well next day continued well for which Mercy double Mercy the Lord be magnified January 1650. By night on my Bed I awaked had sweet comfort the King led me into the Wine-cellar Bless the Lord O my Soul April 10. A Communion in nostro Thalamo i. e. in our Bed-Chamber April 8. We fasted I was in a reasonable good frame but had some disturbance April 9. I was very dull no quickening no comfort I read I reviewed the Catalogue of my Sins but was still dull After five a Clock I went to secret Prayer for less than half an hour after which I was chearful full of comfort so continued that night and next day much enlarged in comfort God spake peace to my heart I was lively in Prayer in Administration in the whole Service Bless the Lord O my Soul August 2. 1664. I went to Bed with some pain slept not had no ease walked in the House all night dull at first but after chearful had some good thoughts the light of Gods Countenance shone on my Soul all night I was willing to dye not questioning my estate but if I dyed I should be happy About four a Clock in the Morning I had ease was well presently after fell to work all day at Night voided a Stone slept all Night very well so continue to this day August 10. Immortal Praise be to God that healeth me but I render not to God according to his benefits Decemb. 2. 4. 8. 1664. We sought God received Sacrament returned Praise I was dull before was graciously enlarged in Prayer in Administration had Comfort in Receiving I was dull again before Thanksgiving Read a while in Baxter and Harris and much enlarged in Duty had sweet Peace at Sacrament and after Praise the Lord sealed to me Jesus Christ Covenant of Grace and Pardon of Sin O bless the Lord O my Soul March 1. 1664. We spent some time in Humiliation at our House by Night was in some good measure enabled in the Morning in a good frame poured out my Heart in secret had much Comfort and Peace bless the Lord O my Soul and so have had ever since Also at Sacrament April 2. 1665. What shall I render So January 16. 1665. At Sacrament much enlarged in Administration and Comfort Praise to God June 6. 1666. Early at five I awaked had sweet Meditations of Gods Love and great Comfort after some clouds and scruples God enlarged my Heart and put gladness more then when Corn and Wine encreased Lord grant I may abide in his Love April 2. 1667. An Ague siezed me after four fits sent for Mr. Cranwell he gave me a bitter Draught which sweat me an hour before the Fit I had no more Fits nor Relapse I bless God In the beginning dull and dark but after a Night or two sweet Comfort and so continueth to this day blessed be God May 2. 1667. I returned thanks among Christians on this Text Psal 103. 3. Who healeth all thy diseases July 5. 1668. A Sacrament at our House I was much enlarged in Administration in Receiving in Meditation Examination a day or two before had sweet peace and full assurance Praise be to God March 3. 1668. I awoke at four in the Morning had sweet Meditations and Communion with God Peace and full assurance Blessed be God Feb. 11. 69. I awoke at six in the Morning had Peace full Assurance Joy in the Holy Ghost that God was mine all his Attributes Christ his Blood Holy Ghost Word Promises Providences Comfort in all in Death it self and Christs coming to Judgment What shall I render to the Lord. Feb. 8. 12. 1671. I prepared according to my wonted manner was assisted enlarged had a good day Praise to God May 12. 1672. I meditated on Gods Presence was Chearful and Heavenly enlarged in Heart all day it was Lords day Praise to God June 30. A Sacrament enlarged much had a good day Praise to God August 31. At Morning Prayer in the Parlour I was much enlarged with broken-heartedness had Joy and Peace of Conscience graciously Ever bless the Lord O my Soul Aug. 3. 1673. Sacrament as also April 13. in both I was much enlarged had sweet peace a good day Ever blessed be God Praise the Lord. And watch O my Soul against passion idle words vain thoughts in Prayer Novemb. 2. God graciously enlarged me in Administration Sealed me c. What shall I render to the Lord O bless the Lord my Soul See walk worthy of God So in Feb. 8. 1673. and May 24. 1674. and August 16. God was gracious to me then Decemb. 6. 1674. How excellent is thy loving kindness A good day Praised be God Jan. 11. 1676. A blessed day Praise to God June 13. 1680. A joyful day Praise to God These are some hints But Oh that I had his enlargements upon them to impart Surely these things are like small Points and Marks in Maps that stand for Towns and Countries But Spiritual Eyes can in these discern what Spirit Mr. John Hieron was off A Man that lived near himself by Observation and near God by Communion A great receiver from God and yet never so much as fingering any part of the Honour due to God CHAP. IX Of his drawing to his end of the Sickness of which he dyed of his Death and Burial DEath threw not this good Man down the stairs but he was led down by many declining steps He had little Deaths that were forerunners of great Death decayes before dissolution The foundation of his Distempers began in that sore Feaver which he had in Winter 1661. which followed an ill Fit which he brought upon himself by overdoing in Jan. 1655. The Feaver did in the thoughts of some endanger him but he broke through that brunt He had a second fit of the Stone 1664 and a third 1665. In April 1667. some fits of an Ague In March 67 68. Not
into the Ministry but his Youth was not despicable being grave serious and savoury He was forced from his publick Ministry which he exercised at Sandiacre by the Act of Uniformity spent the residue of his time in divers private Families in Praying Preaching Catechizing all which he performed far beyond what might be expected from his years He was an hard Student a searching Man a pertinent profitable Preacher lived well and dyed happily Novemb. 27. 1684 Interred in Carsington Church 7. 8. The two Stanyforths Mr. Jonathan and Mr. Timothy one served Jesus Christ in the Gospel at Allestrey the other at Hogneston both their mouths stopped by the Act of Uniformity They were the Children of an Antient Godly Minister and an eminently pious and found Mother They were two good Men gave much attendance to Reading had a good Library After their outing and the entrance of the Oxford Act they were driven from pillar to post yet I find that in all places they were at work and the Lord gave them success I hope there are divers about Heage will bless God for their Night-labours There are some that look white for the Harvest and several Families long and follow after the Word These two Brothers lived some years together and dyed very near one to another They made their last remove to an honest but an obscure Family And from thence they took their flight one after another from that obscure corner to a lightsome and large place They dyed both of them with much inward satisfaction that they were going to that Heaven they had chosen and long laboured for They had lively hopes in their dying Moments 9. Mr. Samuel Hieron Brother to Mr. John Hieron made no great figure in the World but was an honest man and an useful Preacher he had a room in the hearts of Gods people amongst whom he laboured Few mens outward circumstances more pressed their Conformity than his did yet he followed his Conscience and left a pretty Living at Shirley upon August 24. 1662. and threw himself and all his into the hands of Gods Providence And though he removed from place to place and every where met with hard penny-worths yet he found God pityful and of tender compassion had enough to carry him to his Journeys end and through the workings of Gods good Providence his that he hath left behind him I hope will not be exposed to poverty or coutempt He dyed March 24. 1687. 10. Mr. Samuel Wright outed at Heanor a good Man a very able Preacher Lived in much weakness for divers years after his outing He could not preach as the rest of his more healthful Brethren but when he did he preached to very good purpose 11. Mr. John Bingham outed from Marston upon Dove A Man of much Integrity Zeal and Faith hearty for God and in worst of times and things kept up his heart waiting for and confidently expecting the Salvation of God Thus he hoped to the end and lived to see some dawnings of light which he hoped would grow to a more perfect day and so departed in peace 12. Mr. Joseph Sweinam was not formally put out by the Act of Uniformity but really he was for foreseeing that Acts commencement at Bartholomew day he thought good to make a mixtly voluntary secession sometime before its taking place and so was not and yet was expelled by it He was a Man very well qualified to fill so august a place as Allhallows in Derby a very able Preacher a great Master of Language and lives in his Son Mr. Thomas Swetnam whose abilities are well known by some few Sermons he hath Published and by his frequent labours 13. I mention not divers driven out of the Country men very valuable viz. Mr. S. B. Mr. R. M. Mr. S. C. who though they be alive yet are dead as to the Country and Places of their usefulness Thus have I done something to do my dear Brethren right and pay my respects to them And this I have done partly to provoke others to do the like in other Countries and especially to stir up those that are able to decypher the Brethren I have mentioned or any of them to write their Lives more fully than I have done Partly to stir up Derbyshire Christians to dear remembrances of their dead Ministers to reflect upon their Doctrine and Life and to stir them up to a Duty which I fear is much neglected of visiting their Fatherless and Widows in their distress Read the History 2 Kings 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. They were offered upon the sacrifice and service of your Faith in some sense you ought as David once did Ask whether there be any of theirs who need your kindness and show the kindness of the Lord unto them for their worthy Husbands and Fathers sake Their love to you like Jonathans to David passed the love of Women And furthermore to call upon you to adore and admire Gods goodness that hath raised you up many young Men that preach pray and live at a great rate that hold fast and hold forth the form of sound words which they have heard of Gods Servants in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Oh when you consider this Sing because so many are the Children of the desolate Ministry Their Rod hath blossomed and brought forth Almonds Say in your hearts who hath begotten me these Who hath brought up these seeing I am desolate a captive removing to and fro left alone Isa 49. 21. Oh you are not straitened in Ministers Cry to God that you may not be straitened in your own Bowels Yea lastly If it were possible to bring the rigid Men for Uniformity to repent of their great sin in composing and imposing such things as stopped the mouths of such Servants of God I have shewed you what mouths it stopped in Derbyshire and if you ask what it hath done in other Provinces Cities Towns and Counties you will find alike if not a sadder account So that as one opening the mischiefs of War concludes his paragraph hâ—c sunt Belli Decora so I may say when I have mentioned the outed Ministry these are the Decencies the Graces the Triumphs and Spoils of Uniformity What hath cast away vilely the shields of the mighty Uniformity What hath slain the Beauty of England and made the mighty fall Uniformity What hath despoiled the neck of the Church like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury whereon their hangs a thousand Bucklers all shields of mighty men Uniformity When the very ingenious Esquire Evelin in his Book of Forrest-Trees mentions the goodly Oaks of England he cannot forbear to pronounce his Dirae upon Iron Masters and Iron works in England that have made such wasts I am for no imprecations but expostulations with Men for rigid Uniformity And give me leave to close this Discourse by laying before you some sober thoughts by way of Question Quest 1. Where do you find in Scripture a power given to
these words Do not hearken to Satans suggestions to the contrary he is an Adversary If he cannot hinder your Salvation he will do what he can to damp your joy and peace in believing You ought not to give heed to him but to repel him as our Saviour did Get thee behind me Satan Your own unbelieving Heart for Faith is mixed with unbelief even in Gods Children also will raise Objections against you thus I have many Corruptions in me unruly Passions I am hasty to Anger Ignorant have little Knowledge considering the time and means I have enjoyed I am dull in Duty I Pray without any life or heat I am cold in love to God and Jesus Christ I grow not in Grace I am blockish and remember nothing I hear And many such things you have to say against your self To which I Answer Grant all this to be true These are Sins of Infirmity which may consist with true Grace Psal 40 12. David saith My sins are more then the hairs upon my head Psal 73. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee Read Heb. 5. 11 12. Ye are dull of hearing c. whom yet he highly commends Heb. 3. 1. and 6. 10. So long as sin reigneth not hath no dominion over you you need not question your interest in Christ and you may know that sin reigneth not when you are grieved for it confess and bewaâ—l it and pray for grace and help against it strive and watch against it and do what you can to keep your self from your iniquity Psal 18. 23. Consider that none are justified or saved because they are sinless pure and perfect but blessed are they whose sins are forgiven Psal 32. 1 2. And to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. 5. What was the end of Christs coming but to take away sin Mat. 1. 21. Joh. 1. 29. Also a chief branch of the Covenant of Grace in Heb. 8. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness And therefore be not faithless but believing as Christ said to Thomas John 20. 27 28 And let your heart make the same Answer that he did My Lord and my God It may be that your present condition is a grief to you that you cannot worship God as you desire or as in your Health you can do God no service Let not your heart be troubled at this for God requires no more than he gives And it may be no small comfort to you that you were diligent to attend upon God in your Health and when you had Legs you used them to Gods glory And now you are serving God in another way in the way of Passive Obedience in which if you submit to Gods will with Meekness and Patience you may do God as good service as they that preach or hear or travel far to the Word â— will conclude with those sweet words of Christ John 14. 1. Let not your heart be troubled Believe that God is yours Christ is yours the Covenant of Grace is yours your Sins are forgiven the Promises are yours even the great Promise 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father to you And that also Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God Even all the exceeding great and precious promises in Christ 2 Pet. 1. 4. which are yea and Amen true and faithful O bless God that ever you were born Spiritually that you were born again Say and sing with David Psal 103. 1. 2 3. Bless the Lord O my Soul And Psal 32. at the latter end Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death And with the Church Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation But I may save further labour and indeed might have spared this pains for you have a Book by you which contains all that I now write and much more to the same purpose The scope and substance of it is to chear up and comfort poor Souls that walk sad and sorrowful when they have no other cause but to rejoyce and serve the Lord with gladness in which kind of service the Lord is well pleased I pray you peruse it and read it through till you have got your Heart into a joyful frame Now I pray and let it be your Dayly Prayer That the God of Love fill you with Joy and Peace in believing to whose Grace I commend you Yours Vnfeignedly IT grieves me much for your sake that the hand of the Lord is gone out against you in so dreadful a â—rovidence that it puts me hard to it how to minister a word of Consolation to you in this your sad condition A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the heavyâ—ess of his Mother I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth So I know no greater affliction that can befall Parents then to have Children walking contrary to the Truth and dying in their Sins Yet is not your Case in this respect singular No Temptation hath befallen you but what is common to men to good men witness Aaron Ely David with many others whom I could name known both to you and me You are to acquiess in Gods Providential Administrations and not to disquiet your Soul with the doubtfulness of his Eternal Estate But to ascribe Righteousness to your Maker and say with the Psalmist Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments How unsearchable are his judgments and his â—aâ—es past finding out Take the Example of the Prophets and other Holy Men in Scripture for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience Set before you the Patience of Job who besides the loss of so great an Estate lost all his Children seven in number cut off by untimely death yet how Religiously doth he demean himself how Patiently to admiration Two of Aarons Sons in the flower of their Age and in the beginning and very first entrance upon that Sacred Function perish by fire from Heaven a heavy stroke arguing great indignation yet mark the Fathers pious behaviour under such a mark of Gods displeasure Aaron held his Peaâ—e As for Davids lamentation over Absalom it is not to be drawn into imitation For the bottom of his grief was not purely nor chiefly as far as appears sorrow for his sin and the eternal condition of his Soul but rather proceeded from Natural Affection and over much fondness and indulgence because of his exquisite Beauty which the Scripture doth highly extol For he takes not one sigh at the death of Ammon who also dyed in his sin and also by a violent
22. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Job 10. 2. If your Heart do not condemn you for any particular sin yet renew your Repentance for all sin labour to excite and stir up the Grace of God within you Be more fervent in Prayer diligent in hearing more watchful over your hearts and all your wayes mortifie corruptions and walk more closely with God and pray that this Affliction may be sanctified to you that you may come forth as gold after God hath tryed you Job 23. 10. That you may be able to say as David Psal 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes This is what I thought good to say to you Parents Now I speak to your Son Though God does sometimes visit the iniquity of Parents upon Children yet there is none upon Earth so just or innocent as to be Naturally pure and free from sin All are born in sin The imagination of the Heart of Man is evil from his youth You are therefore to be humbled for Original Sin the Corruption of your Nature the Mother of all abominations And pray that you may be born again with a new birth from Heaven David confesseth Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Every one therefore must be renewed taken off the stock of old Adam and ingrassed into Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Make sure of this that you be in Christ In him God is well pleased and with all that are in Christ If you may say with David Psal 118. 6 7. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what men or Devils can do unto me The Lord taketh my part with them that help me Again Psal 56. 11. In God I put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is my strength of whom shall I be afraid Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son c. Make sure of Gods love and then you need not fear the Devils malice For first the Devil is a conquered Foe He is a Dragon or Lyon in chains Rev. 20. 1. Christ that owns the Cross hath overcome and subdued him Heb. 2. 14. Through his death he hath destroyed him that had power of death that is the Devil He cannot go one link beyond his Chain He could not touch one Lamb of all Jobs flock till God gave him leave He could not enter into the Herd of Swine till Christ permitted him He cannot appear to you nor hurt you except God suffer him The very hairs of your head are all numbered Matth. 10. 30. By fearing him you do him too much pleasure and honour And will you pleasure a cruel enemy An enemy to God and your Soul By so doing you dishonour God and Christ who is your strength and Redeemer You do in effect say I doubt the Devil is too hard for God I fear God cannot deliver me out of his hands Whereas it is promised Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly 1 Joh. 4. 4. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world How foolish a thing is it to fear that which never did befal you nor any man not one of ten thousand What did you see the Devil or have you known one man or woman that ever did see him except Witches who call him in to their assistance His suggestions or temptations cannot harm you but molest and trouble you They are not your sins you may still keep your integrity for all them as Job and Christ did And if God should suffer him to appear to you yea and carry your Body from place to place as he did our Saviour yet it is not in his power to hurt you I have read of a Godly Minister that for want of a better was forced to dwell in a House that was haunted and one night when he was in Bed the Devil appear'd to him standing like a Man at his Beds feet The Minister saw him but was not affrighted only said to him If thou have nought else to do thou mayest stand there still I will betake my self to my rest and so he did and heard no more of his guest The Devil is a proud Spirit and loveth to domineer and have men stand in awe of him to fear him instead of God and this he triumpheth in But the best way is to slight and contemn him as the Minister did so shall you be sooner rid of him Leave thinking of him and have God more in your mind his Mercy Love and Care to all that fear him his Promises Providence These call to mind Gods Attributes his Allsufficiency his Almighty Power I am the almighty God Gen. 17. 1. and Gen. 15. 1. Fâ—ar not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Josh â— 5 6. I will be with thee I will never fail thee nor forsake thee Be strong and of a good courage These Promises though made to Abraham and to Joshua belong to every believer Believers are Heirs of the Promises Heb. 6. 17. And Paul applies them to all believers Heb. 13. 5. And so doth Peter 2 Pet. 1. 4. Do you act faith in the promises and reason thus Is God my God my Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ Doth he love me Psal 146. 8. Doth he care for me 1 Pet. 5. 7. Watch over me is he my shield and buckler Psal 121. 3 4 5. Prov. 2. 7. My strength rock fortress high tower my deliverer Psal 18. 1 2. Shall I then be so cowardly as to fear a creature the Devil all the Devils in Hell when God is for me God keepeth careth for me watcheth over me night and day Isa 27. 3. Where is my faith Check your self for unbelief as Christ did Peter Matth. 14. 31. O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt And as David did his own Soul Psal 42 Why art thou cast down O my Soul c. Lastly If you are in Christ then are you dear to God though you be never so poor you are a member of Christ of the family of Heaven of the Houshold of Faith a Lamb of Christs flock a Child of God an Heir of Heaven Will God suffer the Devil to harm any so dear to him Joh. 10. 28. My sheep shall never perish nor shall any man or devils be able to pluck them out of my fathers hand Christ is a good Shepherd Isa 40. 11. He will gather the lambs in his armes and carry them in his bosom He will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed As a Father pityeth his Children so the Lord pityeth them that fear him He may suffer men to ride over their heads Satan to buffit them 2 Cor.
12. 7. but still his eye of Fatherly care is on them Psal 34. 15. and all things shall work together for their good Now lay all these things together 1. Satan is a Conquered a Chained Enemy 2. By slavish fear you do him too much honour 3. You wrong God and Christ as if they were not able to save you 4. Call to mind Gods gracious Attributes Providence Promises 5. Your relatian to God and Christ to whom in Baptism you were devoted and so are a Member of Christ one of Gods Children whom he loves pityeth and careth for Say now as Nehemiah Should such a one as I flee should I fear the Devil No fear God fear to displease him by sin by this immoderate fear Resist the Devil by Faith and fervent Prayer Lay hold on Gods promises Apply them to your self by Faith as if they had been made to you by Name Hold no dispute with Satan he will be too hard for you But take the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God Answer his Cavils with that as our Saviour did Avoid solitariness as much as you may When you are alone yet remember you are not alone Believers have fellowship with the Father and the Son by the Holy Ghost And alwayes remember that the Holy Angels encamp round about them that fear God Turn to those Scriptures Psal 34. 7. and 91. 11. Get acquainted with Gods people hear their advice and beg their Prayers Wait on God be sure to keep in his way and the issue will be good Psal 40. 1. So the God of Peace grant you Peace by all means and the Peace of God which passeth understanding keep your hearts through Jesus Christ To his Blessing and Grace I commend you Yours Mar. 30. 1680. I Must desire to see you but it is thought not advisable for me to take such a journey at first not having been on horse back since my late sickness I am sorry to hear you are ill again being but lately recovered from an ill fit Man that is born of a woman is of few days and is full of trouble And because it is unknown to us which sickness is or may prove our last it is wisdom to improve the present as a warning to us So to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdom to consider our latter end and Eternity that follows after Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live saith the Prophet from God to Hezekiah much more should we set our Souls in order and see that we be on good terms with God ere we appear before his judgment-seat Which we must do the first moment after the departing of the Soul out of the body Heb. 9. 27. This is a work so necessary to be done in time that it is not ought not to be put off till a sick bed yet it must then be revived and renewed and then done in the best manner as being the last time of doing it and what is then done is like to stand for ever In order thereunto reflect and look back into the former part of your life Begin at your birth sin and corruption of nature Bewail that and lament over it so go on to the sins of youth and be humbled for them and so come a long to the sins of age and riper years confess and bewail them with their agravating circumstances as being committed against light knowledge and checks of Conscience and done with deliberation By this means you will find ease and rest to your Soul according to that promise Mat. 11. 29. If you cast your weary burden upon the Lord Jesus Christ he will stand between you and his fathers wrath he will take all your debts upon him and say as Rebeckah to Jacob upon me be thy curse my Son Fresh sorrow for old sins Repentance renewed will make Christ sweet and sin bitter to you and affect you more in his love in dying for you This will be a good evidence to you that your sins are forgiven Namely if you confess them with a broken and penitent heart and forsake them with detestation And now is a fit time for you to look up your evidences for Heaven that so you may not be afraid to dye but may look Death in the face with comfort If you say how may I be assured that my sins are forgiven and that Christ is mine To the first I have answered already He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our sins by faith resting on Christ for pardon he is faithful and just to forgive us To the second How may I know that Christ is mine Thus Are you you his Are you willing Do you consent to have him on his own terms for your Lord and do you obey him as your Lord Do you take his yoak upon you have you respect to all his commandments Do you hate every evil way John 15. 14. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Do you chuse the Lord for your portion Christ for your bliss and happiness Do you more highly prize him and desire to enjoy him more than all riches Do you account all things but loss and dung in comparison of him Had you rather be the most holy person upon Earth than the greatest or richest that ever was And do you use diligence in the means of grace to attain to more holiness If so you may without doubt be well assured your Estate is good and safe For you could not have chosen God and loved Christ unless he had chosen and loved you first Dwell therefore in the thoughts and tastes of Gods love to you Say how wonderful is Gods love to a poor worm and silly dust That the contrivance of infinite wisdom should be taken up about me That the eternall Deity should consult about my salvation ere the world began That God should pass by many wise men after the flesh many mighty and noble who if they had been converted might have done God better service an hundred times then I and make choise of me a dispicable sinner to be an Heir of salvation Lord what is man c. Thus raise up your heart in thankful admiration of Gods wonderful love to your Soul And Thirdly the assurance of Gods love will incourage your heart against the fear of death and give you confidence against the King of terrors I shall be glad to hear of your recovery though I thus write I commend you to God and if I never see you in this world I hope to meet you with other dear friends who are gone before in those mansions which Christ hath purchased and prepared for all those that love him to whose grace I refer you Yours J. H. May 31. 81. They are blessed that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness after Christ for justification and sanctification Do not you so Are not you empty naked barren of grace in your self a dry tree
Are not you sensible of your your wants and of your beggarly condition Do not you not say with David I am poor and needy Psal 70 5. And with Paul Rom. 7. 18. in me dwells no good thing Is not your appetite and thirst after grace as strong as Sampsons was for water or Rachels for Children give me Children or else I dye Do you not thirst after more grace and covet earnestly farther degrees of holiness and wish you were the holiest rather than the richest or greatest Lady or Princess in the world If so then I question it not but you are one of the blessed ones in the judgment of Christ who is infallible and cannot mistake What have you to say against this I hope you rest satisfied about vile and vain thoughts which do not lodge in you but you repel them and reject them These may be your grief and affliction but are not your sin cannot prejudice your good estate nor ought your imperfections passions corruptions from which the best on earth are not free to cause you to question your justification or your being in Christ So long as you bewail them strive against them and are humbled for them your desire is to reach after perfection and further Measures of holiness These desires are of and from the Spirit of God And he accepts the will for the deed as was shewed in divers instances Nay this to me makes it clear if God account impious desires vicious ungodly inordinate lusts for the sin it self or deed done as Hatred with him is imputed Murder 1 Joh. 3. 15. Lusting after a woman though she remain chast is Adultery in Gods account in the man So much more longing and thirsting desires after grace are beginnings of grace and such desires God accepts and will fulfil them Psal 145. 19. provided they be gracious and holy desires humble desires springing from a broken heart from one that is poor in Spirit if they be constant unsatisfied vehement in the use of means and that a man so prize Christ and his grace that he be ready to sell all to buy the Pearl Now this being your condition what cause have you to leave your doubting and spend your dayes in rejoycing and praising God for his singular Mercy in conferring on you so excellent a gift as is saving grace which is so rare a gift like gold to be found with few persons but more excellent than millions of gold and silver Let your meditation of God be sweet and admire his wonderful love to you in Christ and how great things he hath done for you Yours I Am sorry that the Sun and Stars are darkened with you and that the Clouds return after the Rain But be not discouraged this is a case common to many good Christians and no other than befalls the best of Gods people Do not fear but the light will break forth again though you be under a cloud at present The Son of Righteousness will arise upon you with healing in his wings Be sure you regard no iniquity in your heart Keep you from every accursed thing Wash you make you clean cease to do evil learn to do well and mark what follows If your sins were as scarlet they shall be as white as snow if they be as crimson they shall be as wooll If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Again If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World Now reach out the hand of Faith and lay hold on the promises and apply them for they are exceeding great and precious promises and they are all in Christ yea and Amen true and faithful And they are your promises yea directed to you in particular as if your name was put to them O be not faithless but believing And if you do believe with all your heart then are your sins forgiven according to the tenour of these promises Now are you justified and at peace with God through Jesus Christ O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Doubts in Gods people may arise from one of these causes The heinonsness of Sin the imperfection of Duties or the weakness of Faith For the first of these know that the Lord thinks never the worse of any for what they have been for any sins they have lived in when once they have truly repented of them Ezek. 18. 21 22. You may observe in the Church that Christ never shewed greater kindness to any than to such as had been most notorious As the woman of Samaria Zacheus the Publican Mary Magdelen And whereas there is but four women mentioned in the Genealogy of Christ Mat. 1. not one of them but the Scripture sets a mark of infamy upon them for some notorious sins Ruth was a Heathen an Idolater Tamar Rahab Bathsheba you know what they were yet these only have the honour to be upon record when Sarah and women though more spotless are passed by in silence What may be the reason thereof Take it from Mr. Hildersam To teach us that penitent sinners shall have never the less honour with God shall be never the less esteemed for that they have done after they have once truly repented and turned to the Lord So you see there is no cause why you should be dismayed at the hainousness of your sins having repented of them For the next True it is that after Conversion we are but in part regenerate and so our best Duties are imperfect and stained with many corruptions Isa 64. 6. yet God doth not reject them nor us for these defects but accepts them 1 Pet. 2. 5. delighteth in them Cant. 2. 14. will reward them Col. 3. 24. Heb. 11. 5. and not so much as take notice of the blemishes that are in our best services Mic. 7. 18. Cant. 4. 7. Thon art all fair my love there is no spot in thee Let not the poorness of your Duties discourage you but remember Christ sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for you By whose merits Saints Prayers are perfumed as it were with incense and so are made a sweet savour to God Rev. 8. 3. And for the third know that it is not the strength but the truth of Faith that giveth us acceptance with God through Faiths acceptance of Christ Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him c Now a weak hand may receive a gift as truly as a strong A single penny may be as good and clear Silver as a bigger piece Among Believers Heb. 11 some whose sincerity we should have doubted of so weak was their Faith if the Holy Ghost had not put them in the Catalogue of the Faithful As Gideon Barak Sampson Jeptha Rahab Him that is weak in Faith we are bidden to receive Rom. 14. 1. Sure God
will not reject such And now what place is there left for your doubting If God do not shine upon you by the light of his Countenance yet is he your loving Father reconciled to you in his Son A Father is a Father still though he do not alwayes smile on his Son Go you on in your Christian course of Godliness serve the Lord with chearfulness and believe that your poor services shall and do find acceptance with Christ Observe that in Lev. 1. 7. So much as is said of the offering of the poor Mans Sacrifice which was but two young Pidgeons Another to the same Person IAm distressed for you What shall I do for you Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted How shall a man comfort a Soul that refuseth to be comforted Your case is like Hagars in the Wilderness who was ready to perish through drought when there was a Well of Water by her but she saw it not till God opened her eyes Gen. 21. 9. like Mary Joh. 20. 15. who stood weeping for Christ who stood by her but she knew not that it was Jesus You have the Well of Water in you springing up to Eternal Life you have Christ in you the hope of Glory but your eyes are held that you perceive him not Like those two Disciples that went to Emanus Luk. 24. 16. You are in Christ there is no curse condemnation or wrath to come belonging to you you are washed you are sanctified you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God All things are yours Christ with all his benefits the Covenant of Grace with all its priviledges all the great and precious promises of the Gospel which are yea and Amen in Christ sealed in his Blood confirmed to you in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper God is your God your loving Father in Christ Heaven and Eternal Life is yours Fear not poor Soul it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom What shall I say more What can you desire more except you would have your name put into the Scripture promises You believe you shall dye because it is appointed for all men once to dye your Name is not there You believe the Resurrection of the Body because it is written There shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust yet your Name is not there The Scripture saith Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall be saved i. e. Whosoever being truly humbled for sin disclaims all opinion of his own Righteousness and with Paul desireth to be found in his Righteousness only he truly believeth And so do you therefore you shall certainly be saved The Scripture saith Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy Whoso loveth God the same is beloved of God Prov. 8. 17. He that loveth the Brethren is translated from death to life If you say these are general Promises How shall I gather assurance from them concerning my personal estate I Answer By looking into your own heart where if you find you are so qualified and have these Graces of the Spirit wrought in you viz. Faith Repentance Love to God and all Saints you may be assured of your Salvation as certainly as if Christ had said to you by name as he did to the Man that had the Palsie Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven or to Mary Magdalen her sins which are many are forgiven Mar. 7. 47. As to your vain Thoughts I can say no more but what I have said that neither they nor any other sin of infirmity which is your burden and trouble shall hurt or indanger your Salvation It 's the common lot of all Christians to suffer Afflictions outward or inward and sometimes both 2 Cor. 7. 5. We were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears God is only wise knoweth how to order all for the good of his people Wait on him with patience until he shine on your Soul with the light of his Countenance and fill you with Joy and Comfort according to the promise Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Beware of unbelief which maketh God a lyar 1 Joh 5. 10. Believe his Promises believe his Prophets so shall ye be established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Beware of entertaining hard thoughts of God dark misgiving thoughts as you seem to do when you fear lest God swear in his wrath against you he did so against murmuring rebellious Israel who despised the pleasant Land and would appoint a Captain to lead them back into Egypt What is this to your case God is good and doth good is Love Light Life Grace to all that trust in him Read Dr. Mantons first Sermon on Psal 119. 68. where he gives a check to such as yours Page 473. You say true I have not prayed for you of late more carnestly because I hoped you had been more settled and at peace hearing nothing from you to the contrary Now I shall tender your condition I cannot as yet promise you a solemn day I have been very ill since I wrote to you and am yet far from well I pray you have patience and when God makes me able I hope to see you I am hasting apace to the Grave my Legs swell which together with old Age tell me the Grave is ready for me God grant I may be ready for it I pray read these Lines peruse them and ponder them in your heart and pray that the Holy Spirit may let you know the things that are freely given you of God Yours J. H. Mar. 9. 81. IAm not without hope to fall to work again shortly I pray therefore in your next let me understand whether you continue in the same mind to have a day kept on your account or whether you have found him whom your Soul loveth whether the Son of Righteousness be risen in your heart with healing in his wings or the Day-Star from on high hath visited your Soul I pray you let me ask you one Question Have you not received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that worthily i. e. In a due manner becoming that Holy Ordinance with Gospel preparation and communing with your own heart in secret I know you have many times Now what is a Sacrament a Seal of the Covenant of Grace is it not Well then there must be mutual Sealing on both parts You put to your Seal that you will receive Christ with his yoke of Obedience with his Cross Persecution Did you not mean thus sincerely with a good and honest heart This is your Covenanting for your part which you will indeavour to perform faithfully all the dayes of your life though in many things you fail as in vain thoughts and divers other things And God Sealeth to you for his part that he will be to you a God allsufficient will give you his Son with forgiveness of Sins and all things pertaining to Life and Godliness
ought to submit to Gods will with patience and silence As we see in Job who beside the loss of all his cattle had all his Children at mans estate taken from him by a violent stroak yet how religiously he behaved himself under the hand of God you may read in his story So let us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt us in due time 1 Pet. 5. 6. What said the prophet to the King of Judah asking how shall we do for the hundred Talents The Lord is able to give the much more then this 2 Chron. 2. 25. 9. Gods hand is not shortened He can abundantly recompence a greater loss then this But I would not have you too earnestly set your hearts upon any outward blessing nor too eagerly desire issue but with submission to Gods will so far as may be for his glory and your good and comfort For though Children are an heritage from the Lord as it is Psal 127. 3. that is when God giveth them in love and blesseth them not when he giveth them in anger as he gave Israel quails Psal 78. 30 31 and gave to Ephraim Children Hos 9 13. for the murtherer Better it is to be barren then fruitful in Children that may be crosses to fathers and heart breakings to Mothers by their wickedness Prov. 17. 25. or by the evil of the times If Popery should come in or the sword of war should rage in the land we know not what evil may be in the earth But such times have been and we know not what may be when it shall be said Blessed are the barren that never bare and the paps which never gave suck Luk. 23. 29. Let me give you wholsome counsel which if God give you hearts to embrace it will be to your comfort And it is that which you find Lam 3. â—9â— 40. Wherefore doth a living man complaint a man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord. Leave off grieving for the affliction and inquire into the cause of it as Rebekah did being with child she inquired of the Lord why am I thus Gen. 25. 22. Go you and do likewise pray to God as Job 10. 2. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Search your hearts and ways Have you wrastled with God in prayer for the fruit of the womb and for a blessing on it Have you set up prayer in your family or neglected it If not then have you robbed God of his due and no marvel if he deceive you of your expected comfort You know or may know that family prayer is a duty commanded of God and put in practise by all Gods people And those are no Christian families that do not call upon God nay the wrath of God hangs over them Jer. 10. 25. pray turn to all these scriptures and weigh them well Eph. 6. 18. Luk. 18. 1. Jos. 24. 15. Job 1. 5. Act. 10. 2. Gen. 18. 19. And mark this one Instance Jsaac had a promise that his seed should be as the Stars of Heaven for multitude yet his wife was barren and without issue Twenty years until he prayed more earnestly and then Rebekah conceived and bare twins Gen. 25. 22 As blessings are obtained by prayer so are they sanctified to become blessings indeed by prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. It is sanctified by the word and prayer Every creature is so our meat our labours our enjoyments our relations are sanctified to us by prayer Otherwise the curse abides on them Prov. 3. 33. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked Tit. 1. 15. To the pure all things are pure but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure These things I pray lay to heart and resolve to reform and amend whatsoever is amiss as you would have Gods blessing and favour both here and hereafter And consider whether this neglect of family-prayer he not the thing which troubles M. and the grief of it be not the cause of her miscarriage For I really believe she hath in all other things as much content as her heart can wish a loving Husband a loving relation and fulness of all things that the earth affords but she cannot be satisfied to live in a family where God is not worshiped she with Mary in the gospel having chosen the good part which shall not be taken from her Therefore I earnestly desire she may be gratified in this one request if you think I speak reason resolve to put this advise in practise and begin presently and continue to the end They that call on the name of the Lord shall be saved pray let this Letter be read to or by your whole family So praying God to open your ears and heaâ—ts to hearken to the counsel of the word I leave it and you all to the blessing of God and with my love to you all I rest Your faithful friend I. Hieron Losco Feb. 21. 1679. THis is to let you know that your Aunt W. dyed yesterday after about ten dayes lying sick Thus we part with our loving Neighbours and Friends one after another till Death at length knocketh at our door And what better use can we make of every such occasion than to consider our selves and seriously to mind our own latter end Let us put this question to our Souls Soul art thou ready to depart Art thou in such a posture as thou wouldst be to appear befoâ—e the Tribunal of the great Judge Hast thou on the Wedding garment Take heed thou be not found naked to thy shame O put on the Lord Jesus Christ his Righteousness by Faith to Justification his Holiness to Sanctification Every one would have comfort and hope in Death but then we must lay up a good foundation of it in Life No man is like to find that treasure at or after Death which he never laid up in his Life time For what a man soweth that shall he certainly reap He that soweth to the flesh or to the world shall reap corruption damnation eternal O that we were wise O that we would consider the end of our wayes Whither are we going Heaven or Hell is before us To which of these doth my present way lead Resolve this Question ere you sleep because Time tarries for no Man Life is uncertain and upon this moment depends Eternity Time is irrevocable When once it is past it cannot be recalled not if you would give thousands of Gold and Silver for one day or hour longer Let every passing peal you hear ring every Grave you see opened preach to you this Doctrine Be ye also ready Those to whom those Skulls and Bones you see turned up belong were in their time as good Men as you perhaps What we see them to be now others will see us to be shortly The fashion of this World passeth away but Godliness Grace Holiness endureth for ever Choose with Mary that good part which shall