worke whilst we have the light Joh. 12. 36. And whilst it is called to day to râ—turne unto him and to accept of grace offered and not to harden our hearts against it Heb. 13 13 15. And our Saviour bâ—wayleth Jerusalem because she had let slâ—p the day of her visitation therefore all those that have let slip the first tender of grace have cause to â—epent of it but no cause to despaire for if God make them now willing and desirous to accept of mercy then the day of salvation is not yet past to that man or woman nor the date of Gods acceptance of him in Christ as yet out but he or she may in the carefull and conscionable use of meanes appointed by God finde comfort And hereof we have a lively example of Manasses for though the Lord spake often unto him by his Prophets he would not regard but still refused all grace offered unto him as appears in 2 Chron. 33 10. yet at last though but in his tribulation he called unto God for mercy and humbled himselfe before him he was heard of him and received to mercy ver 12. 13. And for that place in Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called and ye refused they shall call upon me but I will not answer by calling here is not meant an hearty praying with godly sorrow for sin but a crying and howling rather like those in Hos 7. 14. under the sense of Gods judgements desiring only to be eased of it as Pharaoh was wont to do but for all this God is mighty to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145. 18. and by refusing here is meant a constant and obstinate refusing of wisdoms counsell untill such time as God hath brought upon them some fearfull judgements Again for that place in Heb. 12. 17. touching Esau his seeking of repentance with tears it is as much mistaken as the ormer for it is not to be understood of Esau his own repentance from his profanenesse but of his Father Isaacs repentance he would have his Father repent of what he had done and to change his mind by revoking the blessing which he had given to his brother and to bestow it on him but he could finde no such repentance in his Father no though he sought it with tears as appeareth Gen. 27. 34 38. And as for the other place Mat. 25. 11 12. touching the foolish Virgins being excluded out of the bride-chambâ—r for coming too late we are to consider that this is a parable and parables must not be urged beyond their generall scope now the generall scope of this parable is this that formall professors viz. such as have only a fo … of godlinesse without the power of it although they will not live the life of the righteous yet they could wish with Balaam that their end might be like theirs but forasmuch as they have not provided the oyl of truth and righteousnesse and holinesse therefore at the day of judgement they shall be disappointed of entring into heaven so that this parable is not to be understood of what shall betide poore penitent sinners but of what shall betide hypocriticall professors at the day of Judgment when the gate of mercy shall be shut And for that place Luke 13. 24. Many shall strive to enter in and shall not be able that is as much mistaken as any of the rest or rather more for Christ saith not many shall strive to enter in and shall not be able but many shall seek to enter and shall not be able betwixt which there is a great difference for seeking imports only a bare professing of Christ but to strive is to put all his indevours thereunto to withstand all lets and hinderances that may oppose him to take every advantage that may make the way more passable and to make use of the time and meanes that is offered when the way is so opened this is properly to strive to enter Now never did any thus strive as we read of in Scripture though it were but at the last day of their lives but they received mercy witnesse the penitent Theef Luke 23. 40 41. VII Well saith the poor soul I am fully satisfyed in all the forementioned particulars which were as so many mountaines or at least so many stumbling blocks in my way But behold here is another unmoveable mountain in my way that I fear I shall never get over And in briefe that is this I feare I am not elected to salvation and I finde in Scripture that none shall beleeve and be saved but those only that he hath chosen or elected predestinated and ordained Eph. 1. 4. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 29. Answ Thou art not to enquire after or once to question thy election till thou doest first beleeve and so the Apostle teacheth Rom. 10. 6 7. Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead looke neither upon election nor predestination but looke upon the invitation that is laid before thee and preached unto thee Isa 55. 1. Ho! every one that thirsteth come and he that hath no money come without money and without price Revel 22. 17. The Spirit of the Bride say Come and let him that heareth Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him come and take the water of life freely there are in each of these texts three whatsoevers I say again there are three whatsoevers 1. What person soever he be viz. Jew Gentile Barbarian Scythian Bond or Free or whether an unconverted sinner or a backslider Act. 10. 35. Joel 2. 32. 2. What sinner soever he be either for number or nature Isa 1. 18. 1 Joh. 1. 7 9. Act. 13. 39. 3. What time soever he doth come he shall finde mercy Luke 23. 43. Now election and reprobation are not as many imagine the causes of salvation and damnation for Christ is the proper and meritorious cause of salvation and sin the proper and meritorious cause of damnation Election and reprobation they are but president and peculiar acts or decrees and the causes of salvation and damnation they come in between the decrees and the execution thereof The Woman of Canaan had as great cause to question her election as any other vile sinner for Christ tels her that he was sent but only to the lost sheep of Israel and she was an Heathen a Canaanite and so tels her It is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to dogges Mat. 15. 24. 26 c. Now when there be temptations about election and predestination thrown in upon thee the best way for the present is to lay that dispute by as this woman did and to run to mercy and say as she did Lord helpe me Election was never laid down as the ground of faith nor as the ground of repentance but rather
3. 15. and 13. compared together 2. Neither did ye enquire after me till the Decree came forth Zeph. 2. 1 2 3. Now my fierce anger is comming upon you c. 3. It shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah then for you Mat. 10. 15. and Mat. 11. 24. Good had it been for you if ye had never been born or at least if ye had not been invited or waited upon by me 4. Ye sought not unto me untill ye had abused my patience so as to weary me so as that I could bear no longer Jer. 15. 6. Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord and gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee for I am weary with repenting Jer. 44. 22. So that the Lord could no longer beare because of the evill of their doings 5. They did never heartily seek to me untill I had said none of those which were bidden should tast of my Supper Luke 14. 24. and sworn surely they shall not enter into my rest Psal 95. 11. and therefore Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Do ye think ô ye rebellious souls that I would have cast the Angels out of Heaven for one sin and spare you who are guilty of so many millions of sins did not one sin make Saul lose his Kingdome and Esau his Birth-right And how can ye escape seeing ye have judging your selves unworthy of eternall life in neglecting so great salvation I am sure I have waited upon some of you ten twenty thirty fourty fifty years or upwards ô ye stout-hearted sinners that are far from righteousness O ye damned souls I will set your sins in order before your sight with the number nature aggravations and circumstances that ye may be your own Judges and so despaire with Cain and hang your selves with your Cousin Judas Are ye come now it is too late to my Supper without a Wedding Garment Go mine Angels binde them in chains and cast them into utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 12. 17. For they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have digged themselves pits even broken pits that can hold no water Jer. 2. 13. If ye would then if ye could give all the world to recall one day againe that ye have mispent ye cannot have it your sins against mercy will bring the greatest misery ye have spun fair threads in going on from folly to folly untill ye are ripe for eternall misery from which there is no redemption for sin and punishment are linked together Ye have been wicked and ye must be tormented Oh condemned souls Did ye never read that in all ages I have severely punished sin in mine own people in Covenant with me and as dear to me as the apple of mine eye and yet think ye that I would spare you did ye never read Mat. 12. 36. That For every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of Judgement And do ye think to be freed who are guilty of the breach of every command 1. Consider to your torment That whereas I have promised to pardon the sins of my people so I have pronounced that your sinnes shall not be pardoned Isaiah 22. 14. Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye dye saith the Lord God of Hosts Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee See Heb. 10. 29. and Numb 15. 31. 2. Whereas the Lord is able to bring in the mercy promised to his people as we have held forth at large so he is able to bring all the plagues threatned upon all unbelievers Mat. 10. 28. to destroy soule and body 3. And whereas the Lord is mindfull of the mercies promised to his people so he is as mindfull of the judgements threatned against his enemyes See Eccles 8. 12 13. 4. Whereas he is faithfull to do all that he hath said for his people so he is as just in pouring out the vialls of his wrath upon obstinate stout-hearted sinners 1 Sam. 3. 14. 5. Whereas the Lord hath covenanted to and with his people to assure them that he will not faile them so also hath he entred into Covenant with all unrighteous people that he will ease himselfe of them his adversaries and avenge himselfe on his enemyes Isaiah 1. 24. and bring upon them all the curses of the Covenant as in Deut. 29. 21. 6. Whereas the Almighty God hath sworn that he will make good all things to his people in Covenant with him and withhold no good thing from them So he hath sworne that the iniquity of those wilfull opposers and neglecters of him shall never be purged with Sacrifice nor Offerings for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Yea The Lord hath sworne in his wrath that they shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. 11. Behold here is the portion of all filthy dreamers Jude ver 8. Loe here is the reward of all Raging waves of the Sea foming out their owne shame wandring Starrs to whom is reserved the mist of darknesse for ever Jude 12 13. Loe these are those naturall bruite-beasts made to be taken and destroyed Speaking evill of the things that they understand not and so shall utterly perish in their own corruptions These are those wells without water clouds that are carryed with every tempest to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2. 12. 17. c. Ye Serpents saith Christ how can ye escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23. 33. The Lord in Scripture giveth a man a name suitable to his nature The Scripture calleth them Lyons for their fiercenesse and Bears for their cruelty and Dragons for their hideousnesse and Doggs for their filthinesse and Wolves for their subtilenesse In a word the Spirit of God styleth them Scorpions Vipers Thornes Bryars Thistles Brambles Stubble Dust Chaffe Dirt Drosse Smoak Scumme Loe here are your titles of honour O ye great ones that stand so much upon your gentility and look so big to jet up and down the Streets Isa 23. 9. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed to stayne the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Oh ye that fare deliciously every day ye must goe to Hell with your Brother Dives Oh ye that adorne a stinking carcase with the best aray and Lord it over your brethren ye are most of you the poorest men in the world for all that ye thinke your selves rich A wicked man though a Gentleman is the poorest needyest man in the world for he wanteth trust in God Christ the Spirit the Promises the Covenant of grace he wanteth peace of Conscience and peace with God he wanteth acceptation and reconciliation with God he wanteth righteousnesse justification adoption
see Josh 1. 5. compared with Heb. 13. 5. 4. Consider in our weak endevours to keep the promises we should beleeve the performance to us in and through and by Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. When we can see nothing in us why they should be performed to us even then we are to claim them for Christs sake to whom the promise was made and in whom we have the condition Again sometimes generall promises are applyed particularly as you may see 1 King 8. from the 37. 39. and sometimes the same promise that is particularly in one place is made generall in another place viz. 2 Sam. 7. 14. If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rods of men Psal 89. 29 32. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements then will I visit their transgressions with a rod. Again sometimes one and the same promise is applyed in severall cases as Josh 1. 5. compared with Heb. 13. 5. that promise which was made to Joshua against fear is applyed to the Hebrews against Covetousnesse c. Object Well saith the weakned sinner or rather young Saint I have considered all this and yet I remain unsatisfied the Lord Jesus doth affirm to me Mat. 6. 15. that If I forgive not all men their trespassâ—s against me then his Father will not forgive me Nay the Lord Christ tels me further in Mat. 18. 35. So likewise will my heavenly Father doe also unto you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses So again in Luk. 6. 37. forgive and you shall be forgiven and in Mar. 11. 25 26. this is more fully confirmed viz. And when ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses Vers 26. But if ye do not forgive neither will your heavenly Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses By all which I see that I must forgive not only some but every one not some offences but all injuries and wrongs of what kinde degree nature or quality soever and that from my heart too or else the Lord doth assure me by these Scriptures he will never forgive me but this I cannot doe how then can I beleeve that God will pardon me or how can I presume to apply any promise seeing I have not the conditions of the promise in me Answ It is true mercy in us is but a drop of his Ocean and but a beam to the fulnesse that is in him yet we ought to forgive all wrongs and injuries done to us even before they acknowledge it and that from our hearts Mat. 18. 35. though the manifestation of that forgivenesse may be sometimes concealed till the party wronging confesse his fault Again consider that although the Lord tels us in all the fore-alleadged Scriptuâ—es that we must forgive every one before he will forgive us here is a mystery in these words for he doth forgive us before we can forgive others yea and in some measure manifest the pardon of our sin to us but the full confirmation of that manifestation is given to us after we have forgiven from the heart every one every thing but before all this the Lord lets into the heart a little light of his love to us in Christ and that makes us more like unto Christ Luk. 23. 34. Oh saith Christ Father forgive them they know not what they doe Christ did not stay for an acknowledgement a poor and a low thing for a Christian enough for a Heathen to say so Mat. 18. from the 23. to the end of the Chapter In this Parable we read of a certaine King that would take an account of his servants and one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents now a talent containeth three thousand shekels Exod. 38. 25 26. and every shekel is two shillings six pence so that every talent maketh three hundred seventy and five pounds well this man thus deeply in debt intreateth his Lord to have patience with him and he would pay him all in the 27. ver we read that the Lord forgave him all the debt being ten thousand talents he desired but dayes of payment and the King remitted the whole debt Luke 7. 42. and when he had nothing to pay we read he frankly forgave him all Now put put all the wrongs together that ever any of us have received from others and it amounts in comparison but to an hundred pence how can we expect to have ten thousand talents forgiven us seeing we are unwilling so as this man was to forgive his brother an hundred pence shall the Lord forgive thee and I a thousand talents a piece and we deny our fellow servant time to pay an hundred pence Surely if we gather up a Catalogue of all our sinnes against the Almighty God originall and actuall of omission and commission secret and open and lay them in one ballance and then gather up all the injuries donâ— to thy selfe from all thy fellow servants and lay them in the other ballance thou wilt finde at least ten thousand talents â—hat thou owest and scarce an hundred â—ence owing thee and if thou art not freely forgiven all thy debt by the God of mercy thou must perish for ever and wilt thou not forgive thy fellow servant his hundred pence And but by the way consider that this hath relation to personall injuries not to nationall such as doe oppose Christ and his Kingdome for the Scripture saith Cursed is that man that keepeth back his Sword from shedding their bloud Jer. 48. 10. and John tels us in the Revelation that we should give her to drink double of the cup that she hath given us VI. Object Well the poor soule having gotten over the forementioned stumbling blocks begins to clear up and immediately Satan throwes in another stumbling block and indevours to perswade the soule that the day of mercy is past saying to the soule in these or the like words Thy glasse is out thy sun is set the door of mercy is shut the golden scepter is taken in as thou mayest see by these ensuing Scriptures there is no hope oâ— thee Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called and ye have refused ye shall call upon me but I will not answer Heb. 12. 17. When Esau would have inherited the blessing he was rejected and found no place for repentance though he sought it carefully with tears Mat. 25 12. The foolish Virgins coming too late when the door was shut cryed Lord Lord open unto us and yet could not be admitted Luke 13. 24. Many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able from hence many a poor drooping soul being under temptation do conclude that the time and date of their conversion is past Answ It is true Repentance is a worke that must be timely done or men be utterly undone for God would have us to walke and
as a seal or undenyable confirmation of our relation unto and interest in Christ and the promises for a Christian must be well grown in grace before he can be well assured that he was elected before the world and since called out of the world although these things be sure enough in its selfe by Gods decree and immatability 2 Tim. 2. 19. Mal. 3. 6. Joh. 6. 40. Rom. 11. 29. VIII Well saith the fainting misgiving soul you have holpe me over this stumbling block touching my election I see I have no just ground to question that no more no nor yet so much as that woman of Canaan had Mat. 15. 24 26. so that I am gotten over that stumbling block and have for a few weeks had a little peace and comfort and me thought my soule began steadily to rest upon the mercy of God through the merits of Christ and whiles I was thus solacing my selfe behold another stumbling block was cast in my way viz. That I am not one of Gods children neither doe I belong to him because I have fearfull thoughts suggested unto me as to blaspheme God his Word the Lord Jesus Christ and to make away my selfe or to kill some other body Answ This temptation is no other then what is common to man nay the best of men have had their share in these and the like things see Heb. 4. 15. the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe was not free from temptations for the text saith We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sinne Mat. 4. 6 9. Job had the same temptations upon him Job 7. 15. So that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather theâ—… life Now strangling was one of those punishments used amongst the Jewes for the punishment of Capitall offenders such as struck Father or Mother or that prophesied in the name of an Idoll and such as committed folly with a Priests daughter c. and when the Romans overcame the Jewes they brought in Crucifying in stead of it In a word there is no ground for any man or woman to thinke they are not Gods children nor belong to him because he permitteth the Devill thus to tempt and trouble them 2 Cor. 12. 7. Paul had the messenger of Satan to busset him Luke 22. 31. Satan doth sift the best as well as the least Christians I say he doth sift them as wheat James 1. 12. Blessed is the Man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life And that the Lords own beloved ones have been in all ages thus troubled with inward and outward temptations it will yet further appear if you read these insuing Scriptures 1 Cor. 10. 13. Gen. 3. 15. Rom. 16. 20. Revel 2. 10. Eph. 6. 12. Revel 12. 17. Luke 4. 13. Isa 50. 10. Psal 88. throughout Psal 6. 3. Prov. 3. 11 12. Heb. 12. 6 7 8. Revel 3. 19. The dearest Saints and servants of God may be buffeted and sifted with such sad temptations and horrid thoughts against God the Father Sonne or holy Ghost blasphemous thoughts arising in our hearts yet not consented to by us but rather abhorred these are the Devils sinnes not our sinnes they be our sorrowes afflictions and miseries but not our sinnes an upright heart is no more guilty of them then Benjamin of Josephs cup put into his sack fearfull thoughts not consented to by us are not our sins but the Devils and Satan must answer for that himself IX The ninth stumbling block is this Surely if the Lord did love me and intend mercy to me he would not continually follow me with afflictions wrath and misery for so it hath been with me for a long time as one hour passeth away and another cometh so doth one crosse after another come upon me like hail and if the Lord doe intend good to me why is it thus and thus with me was any sorrow like my sorrow Answ Thou maiest be dearly beloved although sorely afflicted for Gods house of Correction is his Schoole of instruction he had one Sonne without Corruption but no Sonne without Correction God had one Sonne without sinne but no Sonne without sorrow the Almighty can look sowrely and chide bitterly and strike heavily and even where and when he loves dearly for there may be true grace where there is not one drop of comfort nor one dram of joy It is true the mercies are thine but the time of giving them to thee is the Lords Was not Job the justest man then alive fought against by the terrours of the Lord Job 6. 4. Was not David a man after Gods own heart so washed with the grief of his heart that his moisture was turned into the drought of the summer Psal 32. 3 4. Must Hezekiah who walked before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart have the anger of the Almighty break his bones like a Lion Isai 38. 13. Nay must the Sonne of God himself by bleeding upon the Crosse cry out in the bitternesse of his Spirit My Ged my God why hast thou forsaken me and doest thou think to bee brought out of the state of nature into a state of grace and grow up in that state without afflictions and temptations Doest think that the Devill will let goe a prisoner and send no Hue and Cry after him or doest think he will lose one of his goats and not endeavour to look after him and finde him and bring him home again No surely he will leave no stone unturned no means unattempted to betray thy soul he will throw out his golden bait and hide the hook and if that will not doe then he throwes out his golden bait and transformes himself into an Angell of light that he might draw thee and others again into a state of darknesse he doth spread his nets and cast forth his baits in all places and in all companies he hath snares for the wise and snares for the simple snares for the rich and snares for the poor snares for the aged and snares for the young in a word he tryeth all opportunities to bring us back again and to break our peace to wound our consciences to lessen our comfort to impair our graces to slurre our evidences and to damp our assurances for he knowes if he can trip up our heels by yeelding to the least sinne willingly it will cost us more grief sorrow heart-breaking and soul-bleeding be fore conscience will be quieted Divine Justice satisfied and our comforts and enjoyments restored our evidences cleared and our pardon in the Court of conscience sealed see Judg. 6. 13. and Gideon said If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us but the Lord was with Gideon notwithstanding as appears in that Chapter so that these and the like troubles is no signe of Gods hatred but rather of his love Isai 48. 10. I have chosen thee
saith the Lord in the furnace of affliction so that afflictions are a seal of adoption no signe of reprobation for the purest corn is cleanest fanned and the finest gold is oftnest tryed the sweetest grape is hardest pressed and the truest Christian heaviest crossed c. see Heb. 12. 6 7 8. X. The tenth stumbling block that a poor doubting Christian doth many timâ—s meet with is this Oh but I have been a blasphemer my self for many years and have caused others to blaspheme also and how do you think that I can expect pardon and mercy from the Lord whose name I have so frequently and fearfully dishonoured Answ Were there not a height and a depth a breadth and a length in Gods pardoning mercy and had he not pardoned others left upon record in Scriptures then there were cause to doubt and fear indeed that he would not pardon thee for thy blasphemies but thou hast no cause to doubt of thy interest in him and pardon from him and that for these two reasons 1. Because he hath promised to pardon thy blasphemies and all other sins Mat. 12. 31. 2. Because he hath left thee an example in his Word of one that blasphemed himself and compelled others to blaspheme and yet he received pardon and became a most glorious Saint see Act. 26. 11. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 13. It is said of Paul in Scripture that he punished the Saints oft in every City and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceeding mad against them persecuted them even unto strange Cities Act. 26. 10 11. and yet the Lord had mercy on him and called him when he was in his course of destroying his Church Act. 9. 1 2 3. 26. 12 13. Nay the persecutors and murtherers of Jesus Christ himself finde mercy and are converted Act. 2. 36 37. Oh let heaven and earth men and Angels admire this mercy he pityed him that was cruell to his Saints yea he pardoned them that crucified his Sonne who would despair when Christ opens to us such a doore of hope c. XI The eleventh stumbling block cast in a weak Christians way either by the World Flesh or Devill is this Oh saith the poor staggering sinner I fear I was never firmly built upon the true foundation Jesus Christ because I have fallen and fallen into one and the same sinne often so did not the Saints or children of God as I can finde I fear my heart is not right with God surely my estate is not good I should but flatter my self If I should think that ever God will eternally own and embrace such a one as I am who complaine against sinne and yet relapse into the same sinne who with tears and groanes confesse my sinne yet ever and anon fall into the same sin c. Answ I must confesse this is a sad condition It doth give Satan an advantage to triumph besides it doth raise such fears and terrours horrours and doubts in the soul that the soul can not be so frequent in duty as formerly nor so confident in duty as formerly nor so bold and familiar and delightfull with God in duty as formerly nor so constant in duty as formerly but for all this the soul hath no cause to distrust much lesse to despair of mercy for though grace doe free from the dominion of sinne and from the damning power of sinne and from the love of sinne yet grace doth not free any man from the seed of any one sinne and therefore it is possible for a soul to fall again and again viz. Lot was twice overcome with wine John twice worshipped the Angell Abraham out of fear did often dissemble and lay his wife open to adultery to save his life see Gen. 20. 13. Gen. 12. David was resolved to kill Naball and all his innocent family and a little after he fell into the foul murther of Vriah Jehoshaphat though a godly man yet joynes affinity with wicked Ahab and though he was saved by a miracle yet soon after he fals into the same sinne 2 Chr. 18. 1 2 3 30 31. and joyned himself with Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly Sampson also fell often into one grosse sinne as is evident Judg. 14 15 and 16. Chapters Again Peter relapsed often and so did Jonah Our falling into sinne then should humble us but not utterly discomfort us for sinne shall never be our bane if it be our burden for those that were borne of God have relaps'd again and again Jacob twice told a lie for compassing the Blessing Gen. 27. 19 21. Lot twice made drunken committeth incest with both his daughters Gen. 19. Peter thrice denies his Master and every time worse then other Mat. 26. c. These are in record to caution them that stand that they fall not and to comfort them that have relapsed that they despaire not XII The twelfth stumbling block is this Sir saith the fearfull timorous drooping soul I have according the Apostles command 2 Cor. 13. 5. examined my self and put my self upon the tryall to see whether I were in the faith or no and whether Christ were in me or no but upon this tryall and examination I can finde no such thing in me and therefore by the Apostles verdict I must needs be a reprobate and so a castaway Answ None of the elect before their conversion can know by any search that they are in the faith or that Christ is in them for that cannot be known which is not yet manifested Again many are not converted untill they be thirty forty fifty years old or upwards and shall we say that such in their younger years were reprobates we might indeed say that they were in the state of damnation but cannot nor dare not say they were reprobates c. Again it is not proper for a man to conclude that he is not in the faith and not to have Christ in him because doth not know so much for many of Gods dear children may have faith and Christ and yet for a season not know so much as we may see by daily experience Again this text 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your selves whether you be in the faith examine your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates This place is often mistaken for the thing now in question by the Corinthians was this whether Paul were lawfully called to the Apostleship and therefore they require of him to give them a proof of Christs speaking in him to which his answer is this or to this purpose I will goe no further to seek a proof of Christs speaking in me then unto your selves Hath not the Word and Gospell of Christ been powerfull by my Ministry to convert you and to beget faith and to forme Christ in you look into your selves examine whether you be not in the faith for if you finde this it need no other proof of my calling if you finde it not then you have
made many promises unto us viz. that he will withhold no good thing from us that he will never faile us nor forsake us yea we may find in the Old and New Testament whole cloudes of promises suitable to every condition that a man or woman is subject to be in 3. He is one that is alwayes mindfull of his promise Psalm 111. 5. Isaiah 49. 15 16. 4. He is able and willing to make good his promises Rom. 4. 20 21. See Micha 7. 18 19. 5. He is so faithfull he cannot lye Heb. 10. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithfull that hath promised 1 Cor. 1. 9. and 2 Thes 5. 24. and 2 Thes 3. 7. Tit. 1. 2. 6. Consider that he is one hath entred into covenant to make good every tittle promised Isa 54. 10. The mountaines shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed Jer. 33. 20. If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there shall not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken it is true we may fall and lose degrees of Faith and recover them againe we may fall off and be restored and backslide and be recovered but God hath said Jer. 32. 40. I will write my Lawes in their hearts and they shall not depart from me 7. He is one that hath sworne to us that he will make good his Covenant with us Heb. 6. 17 18. Ezek. 33. 11. 8. He hath sealed his Promise Oath and Covenant with the blood of his Son Heb. 9. 23. and Revel 1. 5. by all which we may see he is immutable unchangeable the same yesterday to day and for ever and whosoever doth thus know his name cannot but trust in him c. 3. Consider what are the particular promises in it we have spoaken already to the two first namely First whose word it is Secondly what he is that spake it now the next thing to be considered is what are the particular promises in it to which I answer as before there are promises of all sorts viz. there are promises Absolute or Conditionall Evangelicall or Legall Generall or Particular Common or Speciall Direct or by Consequence Spirituall Temporall or Eternall or promises for the life that now is or that which is to come there are informing and assuring promises promises to one sensible of Sin promises to a Child newly begotten to the Faith promises for the young man promises for an old man in a word I know no State Nation or People but in one sence or other have promises relating to them unlesse those people that have sinned against the Holy Ghost and the nature of that sinne is discovered in removing the 15. stumbling block Now me thinks a Spirituall soule should stand upon his guard and when Satan comes with his temptations he should resist him with the promises as our Saviour did Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10. the only way to conquer is still to plead t is written therefore when a soule is tempted to uncleannesse plead 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. It is written be ye holy as I am holy and let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of the Lord as in 2 Cor. 7. 1 2. and when he tempts us to distrust Gods providence and Fatherly care of us let us plead it is written they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal 34. 9. Againe Psal 84. it is written the Lord will give us grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly If we feare we shall faint on our way then plead it is written Job 17. 9. the righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall waxe stronger and stronger Jer. 32. 40. It is written I will make an everlasting Covenant with them I will not turne away from them to doe them good I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Isa 40. 31. It is written they that wait upon the Lord they shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not be faint It is written Micha 7. 19. He will turne againe he will have compassion upon us and cast all our sinns into the depths of the Sea Isa 54. 7. T is written For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee ver 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer verse 10. T is written the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isay 49. 15 16. It is written Can a woman forget her child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee for I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy walls are ever in my sight Obj. Now who is this that hath made these and a thousand such like promises Answ We have proved before that it was God Those holy men spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God To whom he did make these pretious promises that we have also answered before that these were made to us now in being as well as to those then in being as we have fully proved Quest But what is this God that hath thus covenanted with us Answ 1. He is one that delighteth in mercy 2. He is one that is mindfull of his promises 3. He is one that is able to make good what he hath promised 4. He is faithfull he cannot lye 5. He hath sworne that he will make good every tittle by him promised 6. He is one that sealeth all with the Blood of his Son and giveth us the reason of all this Heb. 6. 18. That we might have strong consolation which have our refuge to lay hold upon that hope that is set before us This also made our Father Abraham to live in hope against hope The stability of a Promise Covenant or Oath standeth much upon the qualifications of the promiser as to instance if a man make me a promise to do such and such things for me and yet I question whether he will make it good it must be from a doubt of the want of one of these ensuing things in him that maketh the promise as Master Owen in his book called The stedfastnesse of promises very well observeth Our staggering or doubting then doth arise 1. Either from the truth of him that maketh the promise 2. Or from his ability to make good his word 3.
rich and miserable with Dives Oh! I see I see that one storm at Sea one coale of Fire one false Friend one unadvised word one false Witness may make a rich man a Beggar and a Prisoner altogether Surely if this had been considered some things had been reformed that were not Did you never read Psal 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighs of the poore I will up saith the Lord and will set at liberty c. And in Psalm 146. 9. The Lord keepeth the Stranger he relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widow c. Did you not know that the oppression of the poor which was so great in the midst of us would pull down the judgement of God upon the heads of those that had power to relieve them and would not May not many of you hereafter say as Philip the third of Spain whose life was free from gross evils being in the Agony of death fear struck into him and these words burst from him Oh would to God I had never reigned Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God and not opprest the people What doth all my honour profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my death My day of account is very neere and all men shall know and feel that the sleeping of vengeance causeth the overflowing of sin and the overflowing of oppression causeth the overflowing of vengeance Abused oportunity will most certainly turn into fury for Gods long forbearance is no acquittance the day is at hand when he will pay negligent men and women for mispending precious time and for the abuse of new and old mercies in the day of account Mens actions are all in print and they shall be read aloud in the eares of all the world that all the righteous Nation that shall enter in may say Amen to that righteous Sentence that Christ shall pass upon all those that had a prize put into their hands to mind his glory and to unload his people of their heavy burthens that the oppressed might go free but they had no heart to it as in the Proverbs But instead thereof sought great things for themselves as in Jer. 45. 5. Nay though Moses and Aaron two choice Christians and Champions did lead and govern Israel for a long time notwithstanding many dangers and difficulties yet they were at last shut out of Canaan because they did not sanctifie the Lord God at the water of Meribah Deut. 32. 15. and Numb 27. 14 15. For ye were disobedient unto my Word in the strife of the Assembly c. A word of Advice to the present Supream Authority of ENGLAND c. Most noble and honoured Sirs WHom God even the God of the spirits of all flesh hath at present intrusted with the highest places not only in the Field but also in the seat of Justice My prayers to God for you are that the Lord would make you rather gracious and inwardly holy then outwardly happy and give you a spirit of divine wisdome and valour suitable to the work that lyeth before you that ye may improve the present oportunity that is put into your hands for the glory of God that gave it you Consider the presence of the Lord is in the midst of you the prayers of his Saints and Servants are continually poured out for you the eyes of the people are upon you all expecting some great things to be done by you yea and the other parts of the world look upon you if ye go on in a way of righteousness they will follow you It will be a glory for the English Nation to give a blessed example to all the people of the earth to free themselves from tyranny and slavery If a worm might be thought worthy to advise you then give me leave to tell you there is but one thing in the main that God and his people doe expect from you viz. That ye would eye the Lord Jesus in all your actings and advance his Kingdome as much as in you lyeth and if this be uppermost in your hearts first in your thoughts and most constant in your purposes so that ye do in your judgements prefer and in your wills deliberately mind the glory of God the advancement of the Kingdome of his dear Son by the assistance of his holy Spirit then shall the work of the Lord prosper in your hands and the day shall be light before you and his footsteps that are not yet known shall be discovered to you and ye shall see your work before you Christ was once humbled that we might be exalted let him now be exalted that we might willingly be humbled by him although he be willing to give you grace yet his glory he will not give to any other Let it be a comfort for you that he hath exalted you in the hearts of his people although you are a table-talk and a by-word and a scorn in the hearts and by the tongues of his enemies Well would you stand your selves now others are fallen and not only keep but also add to the honour which God hath given you Then make it your business to exalt the Kingdome of Christ not only in your selves but also in this and the neighbouring Nations and remember that the rock of ages pulleth down some to the end that others might not exalt themselves when they are in power for the Lord hath decreed to stain the pride of all earthly honour and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth that so all flesh might be humbled and the Lord alone exalted therefore seek not ye great things for your selves as many of those that went before you lest ye be laid aside and no eye pitty you Provide nothing more for your selves then ye have I beseech you but to seek for the honour of Christ and the freedome of the Saints and these Nations wherein your owne freedomes and safeties are involved Consider that the Lord hath hitherto made some of you friends to his people and a terrour to their and his enemies and our prayer to the Lord is that he would teach you as once he did good Nehemiah to do many years hard service freely because the payments were heavy upon their fellow creatures as you may see in Neh. 5. 14. 18. That ye may say as that servant of Christ did to the glory of God and the shame of the former self-seeking powers ver 15. But the former Governours that had been before me were chargable unto the people and had taken of them their Bread and Wine besides fourty shekels of Silver but so did not I said this good man because of the feare of the Lord. I have but a few things more to begg of you as upon my bended knees and with weeping eyes which if ye will but hear and grant it may make much for the glory of God the honour of the three Nations and the Comfort of your owne Souls The first thing is that
them hath promised to open our understanding that we may be able to understand and apply them ibid. Three questions answered concerning the Promises by whom and to whom they are made 29 The fift stumbling-block cast in the way is that I know not how to apply the Promises saith a mis-giving-heart 32 Means to help a soul to apply the Promises understandingly orderly particularly and strongly 32 Means to help us to forgive all injuries done to us 37 The sixt stumbling-block cast in the way by the World Flesh or Devil is to perswade the poor drooping soul that the Day of Mercy is past his Glass is run out his Sun is set the Doore of Mercy is shut the Golden Scepter is taken in 39 This stumbling-block also is removed and the doore of the Kingdome of Heaven opened 40 The seventh stumbling-block cast in the way is I feare I am not elected to Salvation 44 This block is removed and the nature of Election and Reprobation discovered 45 The eight stumbling-block cast in the way is that I fear I am none of Gods Child because I have so many fearfull thoughts cast into me one after another 46 This block is also removed and the way to Heaven cleared 47 The ninth stumbling-block cast in the way is that surely saith another I am none of the Lords beloved because he followeth me with affliction wâ—ath and misery 49 Proved by many instances that a man may be dearly beloved although sorely afflicted And so this block is fully removed 50 The tenth stumbling-block cast in the way of many a pâ—ecious Châ—istian is that I have been a Blasphemer my selfe and caused many others to blaspheme therefore no hope for me 52 This block also is removed and Satan concerning the same foyled 53 The eleventh stumbling-block cast in the way is Oh Sir I have fallen into one and the same sin often 54 This block is removed and many scruples of conscience answered 55 The twelfth stumbling-block cast in the way is that I have according to the command of Christ examined my selfe whether I were in the Faith and finde I am not 56 This block removed and assurance of salvation discovered 57 The thirteenth stumbling-block cast in the way is that I have been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and am fallen away 60 This block also removed and falling away distinguished 63 The fourteenth stumbling-block cast in the way is Oh saith a poor misgiving soule I cannot believe 65 This block removed and ability to believe is promised 66 The fifteenth stumbling-block cast in the way is that I feare I have sinned against the Holy Ghost 70 The nature of this sin discovered and this feare removed 71 The sixteenth stumbling-block cast in the way is all a mans sins may be set in order before him and the judgements of God due unto him for them and he despairing under them 79 For the removing of this block consider all thy sins put together are but finite but the mercy of God is infinite 82 The seventeenth stumbling-block cast in the way is oh Sir there is no hope of me for I am ignorant of the Trinity I do not know God he will come in flaming fire against me 88 This block is removed and the Trinity revealed or the blessed mystery thereof in some good measure unfolded 89 The eighteenth stumbling-block cast in the way is that I have no hope of being saved because many Heathens have out-stript me in the way of civil obedience 106 This block also removed and the compleat righteousness and obedience for Christians unfolded 107 The nineteenth stumbling-block cast in the way is O Sir I feare I have but only a form of godlinesse withouâ— power 121 This block removed by a clear distinction of a power in and with a form and a form without a power 122 The twentieth stumbling block cast in the way is oh Sir I have no power to doe any thing that you have laid before me 136 This block removed and the power that the Creature received from the Creator declared 137 The one and twâ—ntieth stumbling block cast in the way is that there are so many Opinions and Societies all pretending to bâ— in the right way that I know not with whom to joyn 147 This block also removed and the true Church of Christ from all false Churches discovered 148 A word of friendly reproofe to the scattered and dâ—scontented Members of the late Parliament 191 And a word of advice to the present Supream Authority of England Scotland and Ireland 197 There are many other particulars held forth in this liâ—tle Book very seasonable and usefull the heads whereof for some reasons I forbeare to mention in this Table FINIS