The Apostle saith He hath wrought in us grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. So that the soul is now endeavouring to imitate Christ and to have some of every grace that is in Christ and this is also a help to try our souls by Vse 2. The second Use is of Exhortation to all the Saints that they love and prize Christ very highly that they make him the beloved of their souls as we see the Spouse doth the Saints should love Christ dearly because he is their All in all 1. He is their Saviour who died for them 2. He is their Root from whence all their good and happiness springeth upward to God 3. He is their Head through which is given down all their enjoyments 4. He is their Life and Crown of Glory 1. He is their Saviour who died for them to save them and them only from eternal damnation 1 Thes 1. 10. It was the blood of Christ which God accepted the pretious blood of Christ as Peter saith 1 Pet. 1. 19. And therefore how canst thou that callest thy self a Saint choose but love Christ deerly and account him precious who poured out his precious blood for thee Think on this for certainly it is highly to be prized that Christ the son of God should die on the Cross for poor souls to make them like himself 2. The Saints ought to love Christ because he is the Root that beareth all which God requires of them you are compleat in him Coll. 2. 10. He is a perfect Christ for poor imperfect Saints he makes up the wants of the Saints in his own obedience and offers it up to God as a sweet smelling savour How much then are all the Saints bound to love Christ as their Root or Bottom on which they stand in regard they are poor weak Creatures and can do nothing without Christ that is any better then dung in the sight of God Thirdly Christ is deerly to be beloved by the Saints because he is their head through which God gives all that they enjoy to them Nay God hath laid up all his fulness in Christ for the Saints as Col. 2. 9. For in him dwels all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ver 3. Paul saith All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ And in the same Epistle chap. 1. ver 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell By this you may see all Grace is laid up in Christ and that is the way through which God gives all these Treasures to the Saints our Comfort our assurance our earnest our All in all is through Christ And therefore let this exhort every Saint to follow Christ to love Christ and to account him pretious and though thou see vain and carnal hearts to slight Christ and their Obedience yet do thou love him the more t is a good warning for thee to quicken thee in thy love to him 4. He is their life and Crown no life out of Christ thou hast reason to love him who is thy life Col. â— 3 4. Our life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ which is our life shal appear then shall we appear How should this engage all the saints to love Christ seeing he is thy all in all and thou nothing at all Love him for thy own sake if thou hast not any better principles For I tell thee thou oughtest to love him deerly like the Spouse of Christ Vse 3. The third Use is to all that yet want this Assurance of Christ That they now whilest yet t is to day accept of mercy you see that all the Saints have a full Assurance of the Love of God and you see how God works on them you see that there is no life but in Christ Let all this set your hearts on work to look after this Christ that you may come to have all those high priviledges made yours and have your sins done away in the blood of Christ that you may no longer be children of wrath and under the curse but that you may be made like the Sons of God I shall not stand on this Use longer in regard here followeth a larger Invitation to all such to which I shall refer all that desire to be made partakers of this mercy and proceed to the next Use Vse 4. Which is the fourth and last and is also a Use of Comfort to all that do enjoy Christ and that can say upon good and sure grounds God is my God and Christ my Christ and let this Comfort all the Saints and bear up their spirits in every Condition this should be indeed the very life and comfort of the Saints to consider their neer relation to God and Christ this made the Apostle Paul say as he did in 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard what capacity God hath put the Saints in yet God hath revealed it to them by his Spirit Here is exceeding comfort that the great God should do such great things for the Saints as these are 1. He hath made them his sons 2. He hath made them heirs of heaven 3. He hath sealed up their souls to the day of Redemption 4. He hath given them the earnest of his Spirit 5. He hath made them partakers of his own nature 6. He will make them like himself 1. That they are his sons you may see in 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. Now are we the sons of God and not only called so but really to be so 2. God hath made all the Saints heirs of heaven Rom. 8. 17. so in Tit. 3. 7. They are made heirs of eternal life 3. Their souls are sealed up God hath set a seal on them Joh. 6. 27. Such a soul hath the Father sealed Their souls are sealed to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. 4. God hath given the Saints the earnest of his Spirit as a pledge of his love till they enjoy him fully 2 Cor. 1. 22. so in Eph. 1. 14. it is called the Earnest of the Saints inheritance 5. He hath made every Saint a partaker of his own nature 2 Pet. 1 4. And 6. He will make them like himself 1 Joh. 3. 2. Put all these things together if thou art a Saint and apply the comfort to thy self here is an abundance of it well mayest thou cry out with Paul O the depth and riches of the love of God to make poor sinners so near to himself Two Questions answered The first is How shall we know a Godly man or a man in the state of Grace The second is How shall we know an Vngodly man or a man in the state of Nature BEcause many nay most miscarry herein thinking themselves godly when indeed there is no such matter therefore we shall endeavour to lay open to publike view so that every Conscience shall and must confesse who indeed is the Godly man and who the Ungodly And this we shall prove by Scripture and also by experience which
Gospel-Mysterie OR The great Vnion that is betwixt CHRIST and the SAINTS From Cant. 2. 16. WITH A true Way to discern a Godly man from a Carnal or Vngodly man AND The way how the Saints return after Back-sliding Also The Worth of a good Conscience By Robert Dornford Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man will open I will come in and sup with him LONDON Printed by R. W. for Francis Tyton and are to be sold at the three Daggers in Fleet street neer the Inner-Temple-Gate 1652. Christian Reader I Have made bold to present thee with a few lines in which it is like thou mayest find much weakness I shall humbly intreat thee to bear with that and to lay aside all prejudice that may arise in thy heart and do desire thee to read it over on this consideration That God makes use of weak Instruments for many good ends And this I will assure thee that I do not tell thee of that which I partake not of but of that which I have both heard and learned seen and felt and do offer it to thee not as my own fancy but thou seest it no more then the Word of God witnesseth and therefore whether I please man or no it matters not much I know many Pretenders to be Saints yet deny the Power of Godliness The Lord turn all the hearts of his People away from them In a few words my desire is that thou and I may not have a name to live yet be dead that we may not own the titles of Saints and yet live as carnal as others which many do at this day But it is no more then we may expect in regard the Lord CHRIST and the Apostles have foretold of Wandring Stars and Clouds without water carried about with wind I tell thee whosoever thou art either Spiritual or Temporal here is something for thee to do And therefore weigh that which thou readest in the ballance of Truth and the Lord make both thee and me not only hearers of his will but doers also Which is the earnest desire of Thy Christian Friend R. D. A great Neerness Betwixt CHRIST and the SAINTS THe words of Scripture on which I shall discourse is in the 2. Chap. of Canticles My Beloved is mine and I am his In this and also in the whole Treatise we have the Expostulations of Love betwixt Christ and the Saints I shall not stand upon the variety of it but shall keep to the words in which we have chiefly these four parts 1. We have the Spouses assurance of Christ My Beloved is mine 2. We have her great esteem of Christ He is her Beloved or He is greatly beloved of her 3. We have her assent to Christ I am his 4. We have the Union betwixt them I shall endeavour to open these Heads in order according as they lie And from the first thing I take notice of the Observation will be this That every Saint of God hath a full assurance of the love of Christ My Beloved is mine There is no being a Saint untill thou canst say Christ is my Christ untill Christ be thine and in thee thou art but a Reprobate 2 Cor. 13. 5. But the Spouse here hath a full assurance that Christ her beloved is hers the Spirit of God doth witness this unto her as it appears by that Scripture in Rom. 8. 15 16 17. where the Apostle saith that the Spirit of God doth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God This in it self were enough to prove the truth of what hath been said but take a place or two more for confirmation 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. The Saints they have a full assurance that they are the sons of God saith John And if thou art a son of God then thou canst not fail of the love of Christ See Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath the Spirit of God then Christ is his if he hath not Christ is none of his It is this assurance of the love of Christ that makes the Saints so confident it was that which made them lay down all lives and all for him I know that my Redeemer liveth saith Job c 19. v. 25 26. From the second thing I take notice of the Observation will be this Obs 2. That Christ is deerly beloved and highly prized by every believing Soul I am now upon the cleerest truth and the easiest proved that is and therefore shall not stand long on it Only by the way take notice That it is one thing to love Christ after this manner and another thing to tell of loving him Many speak high words and fine smooth speeches but they love not Christ so as to part with all for him But Christ is so deerly beloved to the Saints that are Saints indeed that all things are as nothing when it comes to competition with Christ To you that believe saith the Apostle Peter Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. There is nothing so dear to a poor Saint as his dear Christ who shed his blood for him The Apostle Paul how doth he declare his dear affection to Christ Phil 3. 7 8 9. I saith he account all lost for Christ nay more then lost I account all dung that I may win Christ and be found in him You may take notice a little how the Spouse by which is meant the Saints doth express her love to Christ Cant. 1. 7. O thou whom my soul loveth and so almost all the Canticles is filled with the like expressions by which you may easily see that it is a dear love the Saints have to Christ Christ is so highly prized you see by Paul that all things are by him accounted dung nothing is so lovely in all the world as the Lord Christ Thirdly from the Spouses assent to Christ we may draw this Observation Obs 3. That all the Saints do give themselves freely to Jesus Christ Or That all the Saints are given to Christ Thev are given to him by a twofold gift First God gives them to him Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me saith Christ shall come to me and Joh 10. 29. My Father which gave them me is greater then all and therefore no man is able to pluck them out of my hands Secondly the Saints give up themselves to Christ I am his saith the Spouse to do what please him with me and now I am to follow him whithersoever he goeth as it is in Mat. 16. 24. He that hath given himself to Christ as the Spouse as all the Saints do he is to bear his Crosse although in a field of blood The Saints they give themselves to Christ to be at his dispose to obey what he commands as appears plainly in Joh 10 27. My sheep hear my voice saith Christ I know them and they follow me But I shall not stand here in regard I know that all that are Gods must witness to this That the Saints do give
find a godly man endevouring to search out the great mysterie of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and therein lifting up the praise of God and trying his heart by the Word of truth keeping a Diurnal of his daily practise and so can say as Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I walked before thee I see 2 King 20. This work is fit for a godly man and by this thou mayest know him So much of the first mark He is a new man 2. A godly man wouldst thou know him thou shalt know him in the second place by his Will his will is now subject to the will of God See an example of this in Saul Act. 9. Although he was going with a full consent to persecute the Saints of God and that with zeal yet so soon as God doth but speak to him see the change in him Lord what wilt thou have me to do And let the will of God be what it will he will be willing to submit to it and therefore it is that the godly man sets such a high esteem upon the Word of God in the Scriptures because the revealed will of his God is discovered there there he finds it the will of his God that he should hear the voice of his Son This is my dear Son saith God hear him To which the godly man answers Must I hear the voice of Christ nothing in the world is more sweet to me He looks not on it as a burden but as a high priviledge and would be content to enjoy it continually Further the godly man eyes the will of God in all things and endeavours to bring his will under it As to instance in some things first in that which Paul saith 1 Thess 4. 3. The will of God is our Sanctification the godly man sees it to be the will of God and therefore he endeavours according to his strength to possess his vessel in honour and sanctification I mean acts of godlines by humbleness patience prayer thanksgiving c. By which thou mayest see clearly that he is such a one as I have told thee of And so likewise in all things in every dispensation of God the godly man is willing to yield to God either to take up or to cast down in all things he is content as Paul saith of himself content in every condition And yet further he is very inquisitive after the knowledge of Gods will a gratious heart is not content to follow God in some things and neglect others no he is inquiring still further and strives to go on to higher attainments he presseth forward as the Apostle Paul saith to the mark And here thou mayest discern him also from the formal man who keeps much ado about his knowledge as if he knew all things and would force all to live as he and that none should step beyond him but a godly man in the state of grace he is so far from this kinde of temper that he sees nothing in himself and as Paul saith 1 Cor. 8. 2. neither knows as he ought to know Therefore his desire is that all men who are godly should press forward he knows there are yet higher attainments to be enjoyed and therefore is industrious to finde out truth and when he hath found it out he confers not with flesh and blood but goeth on to do as he is commanded 3. Wouldst thou know a man in the state of grace a godly man thou shalt know him by his love to God and his wayes such a soul loveth the Lord Christ dearly O how delightful are all these to him he cries out as the Spouse the Saints of Christ Cant. 1. 2. and 7. O thou whom my soul loveth the heart and soul of a godly man is engaged to love God and Christ and the wayes of God that he thinks he never loves them enough and cries out as David Psal 31. 23. O love the Lord ye his Saints and then for his love to Christ he is sick of it longs to be with Christ Cant. 25. Tell such a soul of what thou canst t is in vain his love cannot be drawn from his God and dear Redeemer and therefore that is the reason why a godly man holds on in his love to God and his wayes because it is fixed firmly and on good and sure grounds and here now thou mayest discover why those that have made fair shews in Religion have fallen away because they had not this love firmly fixed they reserved to themselves other lovers which at last stole away the heart after them And again the hearts of such were never new modell'd they never saw as yet what it was truly to enjoy the love of God and therefore how should such love him so as to hold out all weathers God will by one way or other discover all such Wandring-stars but chiefly his way is to do it by themselves he gives them up to that lust which they were most in love with so that all the world may see that they never loved God nor his ways in truth We see many in these dayes so laid open and made manifest I hope it will not be long that such rotten-hearted men shall have any shelter under the profession of godliness God hath begun to lay them open some of every form Some in turning with the sow and dog to build that which they cryed so often to destroy and to accomplish their ends joyn themselves with that Crew which God hath as appears designed to ruine and this they do as 't is pretended out of zeal But wilt thou know what the practise of a godly man is then see Gal. 5. 22 c. to the end of the Chap. thou shalt in spight of thy teeth by this word be condemned for in no part is this to be found in thee in stead of these thou art no better then a rigid Railer who art not content with Gods will but wouldst have thine own accomplished as appears by thy late actings which 't is a shame to name And instead of admiring at the goodness of God in delivering his people from that trouble which they were in before these wars and in bringing down the proud looks of the greatest Enemies they had even Mighty and Noble ones are fallen and that he hath raised a poor despised small Number and given them the Rule of this Commonwealth and hath by them in some measure sorely wounded the hairy scalp of the wicked I say in stead of thy admiring and blessing God for this thou art discontent and hast not a heart for but against this great work I tell thee and thou shalt find it true that if thou return not from this thou wilt even perish with the enemies of God and his people I can only lay it before thee Be not wise in thine own conceit To be short Thou seest many others discovered Some for defrauding the State and such like have been Cashieâ—'d with their sin on their head Others more wicked for denying
To come more nearly to the business Thou shalt know him by his will he hath yet a perverse will his will is not subject to the Law of God Rom. 8. 7. Tell such a man of the righteous laws of God and of his sad condition what cares he it may be he will mock or else bid you hold your tongue his will is so set upon sin that you may see his shame daily As for the Word of God it may be he reads it but to no purpose for he never carries away any part of it and for any duties or service of God it is not pleasing to him and he sees no life in it Mal. 3. 14 15. He eyes not the will of God but his own will he delights in Further his desires are not to know God Then his Conscience terrifies him 3. Wouldst thou find out an ungodly man thou needst not go far For thou mayst know him by his hatred to God and his wayes Dost thou not hear him blaspheme curse swear revile and rend the name of God this is easily proved by most of the sad souls in England Others are more Civilized yet some secret sins keep off their love from God and his wayes pride covetousness and such like Alas if thou set thy heart upon any sin though thou think t is not worth taking notice of yet this is enough to keep off thy heart for ever from God See Ananias and Sapphira in Act. 5. They kept back part of the price and that did undo them for ever And now here thou mayst take notice of many in these dayes who pretend they are godly do but mark them and thou shalt see they keep much or at least part of the price they when time serves can break out so that discovery is made a rotten heart cannot hold out because his love is where his treasure is as Christ saith Mat. 6. 21. Read and lay this to heart 4. We may discern an ungodly man by his desires What is that which he desires most 'T is mostly to be rich to have honour to live without care and enjoy outward contentments Mark him now when didst thou ever see him lament in his desires after the enjoyment of God when didst thou ever find him disputing for God and his wayes It may be thou shalt find them going to hear the Word and thrusting among godly men but do but mark them and as soon as he is departed his mind is on what he desires and that he followeth And this is the sad tone of many poor Professors at this day they profess to know God but in works deny him 5. Thou mayst know an ungodly man by his hatred to the Saints such a man loves not the Saints he can see nothing wherefore he should love them that are indeed the Saints he looks on them as simple poor mean-spirited fools he knows no better Saint then himself for saith he I hope to be saved as well as the best of you that are so precise and so shifts off all upon an unsound rotten hope Poor soul know thou art yet in the gall of bitterness what account wilt thou give to the Lord Christ when thou shalt stand naked before him with all thy sins about thee what thinkest thou wouldest thou not love a Saint then Remember Christ is coming in flaming fire to render vengeance on thee and all others that hate his Saints and obey not his Gospel Mat. 25. 41. to the end If thou hast ears to hear then hear 6. Wouldst thou know an ungodly man thou shalt know him by this He loves sin it is so sweet to him that he cannot part with it Tell such a man a carnal story let him see another drunk and hear another blaspheme he laughs at it let it be what sin it will it never troubles him he delights either in these or some other poor soul he knows not how hateful it is in the sight of God Take notice now in these times where in the hand of the Magistrate is lifted up against sin and thou shalt see what shift poor souls make to sin They will be drunk in the night others more secret yet God finds them out of which we have many examples of late and it s like more will follow speedily Fear then and tremble at your sins and repent that thou mayst be hid in the day of the Lambs wrath See Rev. 6. 15 16 17. 7 8. A man in the state of nature is known by this He makes no conscience of Time neither cares he how it is spent he never considers what it cost and that had it not been for the sakes of the Saints he had now been in hell he minds not holy duties they are irksom to him Take notice of him and thou shalt see him employed about his own lusts most of his time is spent in vain company he thinks not of his uncertainty except it happen that sickness fall on him and then his Conscience flies in his face but being recovered he returns with the sow to wallow in the mire This is the sad condition of many poor souls who if they continue so will one day cry for the hils to fall on them to hide them from the presence of God 9. And lastly an ungodly man may be known by that mark which Christ used Mat. 7. 18. A corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit Thou mayest know a wicked man by his fruit See what his fruit is it is of the flesh it is sin that he bears as the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 19. 20 21. Well know now from this Word of God that being in this condition thou hast a sad sentence lying on thee Thou shalt be cut down and cast into the fire Mat. 7. 19. They are the words of Christ and thou art under this condemnation and whither wilt thou flie from his presence See in Psal 139. v. 7 8. God will find thee out one day do what thou canst and then what will become of thee See Rev. 22. 15. there 's thy portion The wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God Vse Is it so that a natural man is ungodly and that we have found him who he is and that he is in so sad a condition O then poor soul take this advice flie to the Lord Christ there is no way but that or be damned Let no time slip now yet whilest thou hast life it may be thou mayst finde grace Christ came on purpose to save sinners Cry to him that thou mayst be one of them Turn now from sin and set thy face against the appearance of it Love the Saints get acquainted with them thou hast heard who they are they will inform thy dark judgement Leave off thy old Companions think it no shame to do it for thou must do it if ever thou be saved Turn from Satan to God that thou mayst receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those that are sanctified Read the 3.
themselves to Christ and follow him in that way he commands I shall draw one Observation more which lieth in the way that is Obs 4. That there is an unseparable mutual union betwixt Christ and every Saint From these words My Beloved is mine and I am his there is the union as if the Spouse had said I am united to Christ and he to me as the Vine is to the branches Joh 15. 5. so is Christ to me and I to him and as the head is to the members so is Christ to the Saints and the Saints to Christ and as the head is governour of the body so is Christ over the Saints and the Saints act by his light and motion This union is mutual as it is with the consent of will and truth of love so it is unseparable the love of Christ never changes it holds out for ever As the Prophet Jeremy c. 31 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore in loving kindness have I drawn thee Christ will never depart from his Saints he will never leave them untill he hath saved them to the utmost point of salvation Heb. 7. 25. There is no peace no quiet neither in Christ nor in the souls of the Saints longer then they enjoy each other And that made the Apostle Paul say Our life is hid with Christ in God Our life is in Christ there is no life for a Saint out of Christ Again God hath given all the Saints to Christ All that the Father giveth me saith Christ shall come to me and all those that come to Christ shall never be plucked out of his hands Joh. 10. 28. So likewise in Hos 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever The Spouse of Christ is joyned to him for ever there is no separation See one Scripture more 1 Thess 4. 17. At the time of death when all ungodly men shall for ever be separated from Christ then is the time for the Saints to enjoy their Beloved fully and for ever You see now that this is a truth that there is both a mutual union and unseparable between Christ and the Spouse which is his Church or the Saints Well now from these Heads or Observations there will proceed Uses The first will be a use of Examination to all in general whether we have this assurance of Christ yea or no. The second will be a use of Exhortation to all the Saints that they love and prize Christ dearly as it is their duty The third to all that as yet are without Christ that they be perswaded to give up themselves to him The fourth is a use of Comfort to the Saints in general The first Use is of Examination to search our hearts and souls thorowly whether we have Christ or no And in the doing of this beware that you do not look on those Evangelical Marks and Signes in the Word of God as notions but bring thy heart to the Word and see what thy Portion is there and what thy fruits appear to be and what Condition soever thou finde thy self in deal plainly with thy self if thou finde thy self yet in a state of Nature then think it thy duty to confess it and do not deny it because it is a sad Condition but own it and take those courses to come out of it that thou findest hereafter mentioned 2. Consider the equity of this Duty and the great need all men and women have to be sure of Christ You must have Christ or else you are but Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Again God chooseth and setteth apart the Godly for himself as you have it in Psal 4 3. and therefore I tell thee of nothing but what thou standest in great need of and which thou art required to do if thou intendest to be a sharer in the Lord Christ Therefore now let us put the Work upon examination and search after our assurance and if we are willing to see our selves in our own condition then take notice of these marks which follow First Take notice what men and women are by Nature 2. Consider what the work of Conversion is and what blessed effects there is that followeth this work First Consider what estate all are in by nature All by nature are the children of wrath Ephes 2. 3. In this estate thou art in darkness and hadst nothing to do with Christ thou hadst no fellowship with him neither wast thou any way taken with the Commands of God as to see any loveliness in them every soul in the world in this estate is alienated from God and as Adam hid himself from God for fear of his sin so do all poor creatures run from God for fear of punishment and as they are by nature they never desire to have to do with God the guilt of sin lies hard on every unregenerate soul and that makes him a stranger both to God and his wayes and therefore now let us search into our souls and try if our condition be not such a one as this is 2. Let us consider what the work of Conversion is and we shall finde it to be A changing of this nature and a quickening of the soul as you may see in Eph 2. 5. It is a working over of the soul into obedience to the Commands of God And usually the great God is pleased to do it by these six particular degrees which follow First By Illumination 2. By Inspiration stirring up the soul to do the will of God 3. By Operation working up the soul to the love of Christ 4. By Direction teaching us to do the will of the Lord. 5. By assisting us to do that which is directed to us 6. By a full evidence of his Spirit that we are the Sons of God First The Lord illuminates the soul the poor soul being in darkness and knowing no way to come out the Lord enlightens him and brings him to see his miserable estate John 1. 5. the Lord shews the soul the filthiness of sin and his lost and undone condition that he is in by nature and his great need of Christ makes him to long for his Assurance of the love of Christ more then ever he did for any thing in the world and now being enlightened all things to him are as bad as may be sin is exceeding sinfull to him and he sees himself loaden with it and therefore he is like those in the Acts who were so enlightened Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Acts 2. 37. 2. The Lord works by Inspiration carrying on the soul to Actions of life making him fit for such service as is now to be done makes him still in motion and ready not only to see but obey As Paul saith in Rom. 6. 17. Ye obeyed from the heart the doctrine delivered This is worth something to have the heart lifted up to God in Obedience and to have the soul at an utter enmity with sin striving against it in a continual motion never
destroy both open sins in others and secret sins in himself and he is most busie with that at home he will harbour no sin so neer the spirit of God Seventhly A godly man makes Conscience of time he accounts his time precious and therefore he takes much care how he spends it and by this indeed may every man be discerned in taking notice how men spend their times A godly man takes all opportunities to do his duty is carfull that he waste not that which was bought at so deer a rate he knows it cost the blood of Christ as 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And also the blood of many a Saint hath been spent for it to gain this liberty and time we now enjoy and therefore the godly man will not squander it away he knows how to employ himself in it he is not like to those that say they know not how to pass away time and therefore use foolish gaming and carnal mirth no he is not to seek what to do in any spare time his heart is on God and his glory and therefore when time is to be had he studies how he may advance that glory Again he knows that Fellowship and Communion with God is sweet to him and therefore hath no time to spend wherein he desireth not this enjoyment Also he sees much of the minde of God in his Word and therefore all spare time that he can have he imploys himself to search it out He sees Communion with the Saints and Communion with the godly both pretious and profitable and therefore his heart is so after it that he cannot waste any of his precious time in carnal and fruitless Discourses his delight is to meditate in the precepts of God day and night as David saith in Psal 1. where thou hast this largely set forth there thou shalt finde what are the ways of the godly and also what kinde of men wicked men are which make no conscience of time how they spend it And here now let none deceive themselves and shift off this Mark as though it did not concern them for assure your selves t is a truth that godly men account time precious and make Conscience how they spend it Lord teach me to number my dayes saith David that I may spend my time in wisdom Again the godly man knows that time is uncertain and therefore whilst he hath it he will not be imployed about base and unfruitful Acts. And therefore now who ever thou art that hast not thus valued time look into that 1 Pet 1 2 3 4 5. Is it not a shame that a godly man should live in sin what shall he spend his time as doth the wicked Did Christ die on the Cross for a people to make them sons of God Heirs with himself and shall they live to the flesh and spend their time after that as 1 Pet. 4. Then I pray from what did Christ Redeem his Saints was it not from sin from dead works as 1 Pet. 1. 17 18. if not what meaneth that saying of the Apostle Paul in Eph. 4. 1 2 3 what meaneth that 1 Pet. 1. 14 15 also that in 1 Pet. 2. 9 10 11 12. Read lay these to heart for thou seest it is a truth that the Saints make conscience of their time A godly man sees that he was called to that end and therefore makes aright use of it I shall end this branch with the same Advice Caution that the Apostle used to the Hebrews in ch 3. 12 13 14. And I say take heed lest thou hast an evil heart in departing from the living God and from the ways of godliness to spend thy time in idleness and profaness lest thou finde thy heart besotted with the deceitfulness of sin and so instead of holding out and persevering in holiness thou art cut off and cast out as a dead branch and so witherest away even to destruction See what Christ saith Joh. 15. 6. Read and consider this Chapter Eightly Wouldst thou know a godly man thou shalt finde him out by his manner of performing holy duties thou mayst perceive his heart to be affected with what he doth If he prayes thou shalt see how his words savour of the Spirit of God in him so in his Discourse his experience of God flows from him And here thou mayst know him from one who enjoys not the Spirit of God easily thus though the godly mans abilites be small yet his duties are performed rightly the other out of fear of Judgement or out of formality or to appease Conscience keeps much ado as the Pharisees did of whom Christ speaks in Matth. 6. thinking to get something by it and so salve up their wounded Consciences who cry guilty But the godly man doth his duties out of a tender love and obedience to the object who hath so loved him and so maketh good that word of the Apostle John we love him because he first loved us so he doth them out of love and also out of Obedience to his Commands A godly man performs holy duties because God commands them and so maketh good that saying of Christ If ye love me keep my Commandments A godly man in his duties rests not on them but flies from them to Christ and accounts all that is done in the creatures strength but as dung and dross Again a godly man hath a low esteem of himself and he thinks he is in his best but an unprofitable servant He desireth not a high esteem in the sight of men This thou mayst see in a godly mans performances of duties Ninthly and Lastly Wouldst thou know a godly man then take that course to finde him as Christ speaks of in the 7 of Matthew ver 16. to 21. See what fruit he beareth a godly man bringeth forth good fruit and by that thou mayst know him He is as David saith Like a tree planted by the rivers side which bringeth forth his fruit in due season his leaf withereth not it is not so with the wicked see Psal 1. Here thou mayst know a godly man from frothy turbulent-spirited men the godly man bringeth forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. But the other three sorts there mentioned were carried away they could not have patience to wait so long on God something choaks their hearts therefore be not deceived as Paul saith neither mistake in this for if thou doest miscarry here all is lost Ephes 5. where from ver 1. to 26. the Apostle discourseth what godliness is and what kind of men godly men should be and also the ungodly what they are Read and Consider A godly man is a fruitful man and therefore be not deceived Let men go under what title or name soever they will pretend what they will t is to no end except they bring forth fruits they cannot be godly and therefore now we come to the last pinch give me leave to tell thee who ever thou art great or small rich or poor let thy
minde be what it will let thy judgement be how it can I tell thee except thou finde these in thee thou art yet a stranger to the life of God and godliness And yet further see what fruits these are in Gal. 5. 22. and so to the end of the chapter a spiritual man bringeth forth spiritual fruit as you finde in this Scripture he is full of love humbleness patience thanksgivings these are fruits fit for a godly man to bear and by these thou mayst know him Further Doest thou not see now who are the godly men in these dayes if thou doest not I will tell thee the reason is either because thou art carnal or else blinded with some forms or other in which thou doest take more delight then in the power of truth and that is also the reason why thou lovest not the godly man for his godliness but for his Judgement sake the examples of which are so sad in these dayes that it is a shame to name them Well now know that t is not thy form but thy fruit that makes it appear that thou art godly and God is glorified in thy fruits of righteousness and not in thy foolish fancy for which thou so frettest thy self See what Christ saith Joh. 15. 8. To be a disciple is to be fruitfull and in that God is glorified I shall close up this first Question with the saying of David in Psal 4. 3. Know that God hath set apart the godly man for himself and therefore they must needs be fruitfull Now a word or two by way of Comfort to such as are truly godly and also of advice Dear Saints Is it so that a godly man is such a one as these nine particulars prove and art thou so indeed delude not thy self but speak to thy soul art thou so Then to thine everlasting comfort consider in what relation thou standest 1. To God 2. To Christ 3. To the Saints and Angels For the first As thou standest to Godward thou art his son a son of God See 1 Joh. 3. 1 2. And because thou art so he hath sent forth his Spirit into thy heart whereby thou art made acquainted with that adoption of Son-ship Now God is thy Father and when thou hast to do with his name thou doest it in that relation My Father as Gal. 4. 6. Consider of what comfort this is to thee God is thy Father and this is not all thou shalt be made like him nay thou shalt see him as he is in the brightness of his glory And therefore let this advise thee that thou set not thy heart on any thing wherein thou mayst grieve his Spirit for he hath given it thee as thy earnest till thou enjoy him fully And further Thy life is hid in God therefore live up in thy affection to him where thy life is Again thou art a Child therefore with all dutiful reverence honour thy Father thou hast heard already how it must be done great will be thy comfort in the doing of it Vse 2. Secondly consider in what relation thou now standest to the Lord Christ he is thy Lord nay he is thy friend he is thy brother and he is not ashamed to own thee so Heb 2. 11 12. nay thou art a joint-heir with him If thou art a godly man here is comfort enough for thee thou art an heir of heaven I say if the Spirit of God doth witness this to thee what canst thou desire more see Rom. 8. 15 16 17. Gal. 4. 7. Well take this advice now in thy way if Christ be thy Lord give up thy self to him honour thy Lord if he be thy friend be faithful to him deal not deceitfully with thy friend I am brief in this for want of time else how far might I enlarge it I say if Christ be thy brother then love him dearly let thy love be as the Spouses in the Canticles Thou art also betrothed to him Art thou an heir of heaven then fit thy self for thy heavenly society prepare thy self to meet thy Lord thy brother and husband in the air that thou mayst for ever be with him 3. Art thou godly then see how thou standest in relation to the Saints and blessed Angels thou art a Citizen of the same City one of the same family a member of the same body and a branch of the same vine and much more might be said Thou art a Citizen with the Saints see Eph. 2. 19. and of the same houshold Thou art come unto Mount Sion to the Assembly of the Saints as Heb. 12. 22 23 24. and this is of infinite comfort to thee that thou art a Citizen of the new Jerusalem and that thy Companions are to be all Saints and Angels Take this advice now that thou make the Saints thy fellows here love them for they indeed are most fit for thy company it will be a great happiness to thee Art thou a member of the same body a branch of the same Vine what comfort is this to thee thy nourishment proceeds of the same root if thou art such a one thou canst not conceive of half thy comfort it affords thee I shall end my desires to thee with that advice which I know is wholsom for thee namely seeing thou art a member of the body of Christ act like a member and seeing thou art a branch of the same Vine let thy fruit appear abundantly that God may be glorified in thee through the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 2. 14 15. Mat 16 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee A wicked man an ungodly man knows not one title of this Psal 92. 6. The second Question is How shall we know a man in the state of nature or an Vngodly man I shall briefly and plainly discover such a man in doing of it I shall observe the same method that I did in the other Question Then if thou wouldst know an ungodly man my answer is Thou shalt know him by the same nine particulars that I used to prove a godly man by I mean by the Rule of contraries And then the first Mark will be this An ungodly man is an unconverted man he is still in the Old man he hath not yet had the work of God upon him such a man hath had no change wrought in him he is the same that ever he was he sees no ugliness in sin neither doth he apprehend any loveliness in Christ such men live ungodlily they are men of unclean lips nay their minds and consciences are defiled Tit. 1. 15. They are to every good work reprobate Again an ungodly man never yet repented truly neither can he endure to be governed by Christ the yoke of Christ is too heavy for him he cannot endure it Again an ungodly man walks in darkness and therefore note him his works are so he can delight to swear or lye or to be drunk or else to scoff and mock at godly men and by these he is discerned 2.