most weak let thy Fortifications and Guards be strongest 17. FLY Idleness that lazy Matron of all Evil and Basis of Mischief Ever employ thy self about acts of Vertue and then there will be no space or room for the Tempter What advantage did he reap upon the Royal Prophet by staining so glorious a Life which was produc'd by his few hours Vacancy Dally not with Temptations for happy shall he be who parleys not with them but is Careful and Vigilant and is ready to say as Elisha said of Jehoram's Messenger 2 Kings 6.32 When he cometh shut the Door and hold him fast there Is not the sound of his Master's Feet behind him The same Remedy we must use to Satan's Messengers who are sent to Destroy us We must crush the Cocatrice Eggs lest breaking out into a fiery Serpent we cannot Conquer it but say too late as the Turk mention'd of Scanderberg This Enemy should have been Subdued in his Minority for a Attemptation is Nourished that Hour it is not Mastered 18. INVOKE the Almighty constantly and fervently use his own Words Lead us not into Temptation In many Instances these are a Divine Revenge on some precedent unrepented Sin against which the Sanctimonious frequently make their Supplications And if as often as Satan assaileth we could address our selves to earnest and zealous Prayers we should worst him at his own Weapon receive frequenter Allarms to awaken us to a stronger Guard even the shadow of the Almighty The first Enemy that assailed Israel in his way to Canaan was vanquish'd by Prayer When Moses held up his Hands Israel prevailed Exod. 17. The same repulse we must use to our grandest Enemy The Prayer O LOD God Almighty the Examiner of all Hearts and the Tryer of the Reins who knowest before we ask what our Necessities are and by thy Holy Spirit helpest our Infirmities Lord I acknowledge my Ignorance in not Praying unto thee as I ought but thou alone canst make request for me according to thy blessed Will with unutterable Groans which thou only understandest Help I beseech thee my Infirmities regulate my Devotion and restrain the busie Malice of the Tempter Direct and accept my Prayers as Incense in thy sight and let them enter thy Presence through Jesus Christ my only Redeemer and Advocate 2. THOU who art Truth it self hast promised that all things shall work together for good to them that love thee and keep thy Commandments Lord I put all my trust and confidence in thee and do stedfastly believe that it is good for me that I have been afflicted for I am assured that after the tryal of my Faith and exercise of my Patience I shall receive of thee the only giver of all good things the quiet Fruits of Righteousness But O Lord how shall frail dust and ashes appear before thee which is full of Infirmities Fears Doubtings and Failings for mine Iniquities have taken such hold upon me that l am not able to look up Nay they are more in number than the hairs on my head and my heart hath failed me Neither have I to deal O Lord with Flesh and Blood only but with Invisible Powers of Darkness which with restless encounters assault my Soul to destroy it 3. BUT O Lord God of my Salvation be not thou far from me Shew thy Power and deliver me from the Messengers of Satan which are too mighty for me O rescue me and bridle their Insolent Malice bind the Strong man and deliver thy Vessel from his Usurping Tyranny that I may in every faculty of my Soul serve and please thee Pardon all my sins for thy Blessed Son's sake who died for me Heal my wounded Soul which hath to the anguish of my heart so often sinned against thee Hide not thy face from me in time of my trouble forget not my bitter affliction which makes me go mourning all the day long while the insulting Enemy heavily oppresseth me Thou art my King O God and canst Command deliverances Lord I am poor needy and destitute of help and strength to resist the Fiery Darts of Satan 4. PUT thy whole Armour upon me I beseech thee that I may be able to stand Arise for my aid O thou preserver of all Men redeem me from the devouring Lyons Mouth and for thy Infinite Mercies sake think upon me make hast to help me and make no long tarrying O my God O suffer me not for any tryals to fall from thee Lay no more upon me than thou wilt be pleased to give me Strength Patâ—ince and Perseverance to bear Cheerfully Confirm me unto the end that I may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Give me a blessed Effect and Issue out of every tryal that the more thou permittest me to suffer the more Experience I may acquire of thy Mercy and the greater assurance that thou wilt never fail me nor forsake me That I may through him who hath by suffering vanquished death hell and him who hath the power of death overcome all these Spiritual wickednesses which war against my Soul 5. LORD I have trusted only in thy Mercy thou hast ordained Strength in the Mouths of Babes and Infants O strengthen me unto the end that my heart may rejoice in thy Salvation Lord spare me that I may recover my strength Put thou a new song into my mouth that I may praise thee for my deliverance and declare unto afflicted Sinners what thou hast done for my Soul Lord hear me and have mercy upon me Thou who art ever readier to give than poor Mortals are to ask deny not the Humble and Earnest Requests of me the vilest and worst of Sinners This I beg O Lord through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen The Close HAVING run through the several Parts I intended I shall now Calculate the whole and give a Specimen of Reducing it into Practice Be very careful to stifle every Sin in its primitive motion and give no place to the Wiles of Satan but crush betimes the Cockatrice Egg lest it break out into a Serpent Permit not vain Imaginations to possess thy Mind which are impossible for thee to attain or unprofitable if they are attained but rather contemn and behold them as empty shadows and lighter than Vanity 2. BUT labour daily more and more to inspect into thy self that thou mayst attain to that cognizance If thou shouldst upon the Enquiry be asked what is the vilest Creature in the whole Earths Circumference thy nearest and most intimate Friend thy Conscience may report thy own self by reason of thy Sins And if on the contrary thou wert ask'd the Question What is the truest Catholicon for it Thy Heart may readily reply The Blood of Christ which speaks better things than the Blood of Abel Affect not vain Glory nor Popularity lest it prove more pernicious than Contempt and avoid entertaining a male-contented mind for that may produce thee more misery than thou
His sake I humbly implore thee to convert this Judgment I now labour under into Mercy Let it operate in my Soul a true detestation of all Sin a stedfast purpose to forsake all my evil ways a comfortable experience of thy Mercy pronouncing Pardon to my afflicted Conscience by the infallible Evidence of thy Holy Spirit and assurance of Peace with thee O make me to hear of Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Cast me not away from thy presence neither take thy Holy Spirit the Comforter from me but restore me to the joy of thy Salvation and uphold and establish me with thy free Spirit 5. O thou who despisest not a broken and contrite heart pour the Oyl of thy Mercy and heal my wounded Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy way that they may fear thee and melt at the sight of thy Judgments then shall Sinners be Converted unto thee who art the Fountain of all Mercy and Consolation Lord hear me and incline thine Ear in this day of my Calamity Lord Consider and perform thine own promise made through thy beloved Son Jesus Christ the Righteous to whom with thee O Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth from this time forth and for ever more Amen CHAP. XXXIII The Sense of Spiritual Wants THE next thing which wounds and afflicts the Conscience is Sense of defects and Spiritual Wants As want of Faith Hope and Assurance of Salvation Want of Sanctification Purity of Heart the Spirit of Prayer and Hearing and want of ability to perform other Holy Duties In these the Spirit is stupified and overcast even in the best of Christians for a time The Religious Person sometimes is sensible of a dulness and want of Fervency in Prayer and of a comfortable assurance that God heareth or regardeth it because he doth not presenty answer or not grant our Petitions Sometimes they feel a Deviation of the Mind and discomposure of thoughts in attention and unbelief in hearing and reading the Word Sometimes want of Patience want of Love to God and Charity to Men In short such a general debility or distemper of the Internal Man that he readily concludes with St. Paul That in his Flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 These are great Maladies of the Soul and Wounds of the Spirit but it inferreth a good Prognostick of a bad Cause Where these are and the Sinner is insensible they are desperate Symptomes 2. IN this Case let us consider that the very same measure of Grace which to the present sense of a Regenerate Man seemeth incompetent may yet be a sufficient measure to save him And when he Invocates the Divine Assistance he is most strong though in his own sense he is weak and deficient For in St. Paul's distress the Lord thus answered his Petition My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 It saith not it shall be but it is sufficient meaning the present measure of Grace he had in his Possession when he looked upon himself as a weak Vessel 3. THE most Pious their measure of Assurance is such as they are not only enjoyned to give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure that so an entrance may be administred to them abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom but they are in duty bound also to Work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 All Incredulity inferreth not a Reprobate sense There is Incredulity in the very Elect before and a perplexing Remnant after their Calling yea even in their best Estate here else why did the Holy Apostles pray Lord encrease our Faith Luke 17.5 And why did our Saviour upbraid them with unbelief Mark 16.14 4. AND Saving Faith differeth in degrees So that there is a stronger and a weaker Faith yet both true and justifying So do all other Graces one hath a greater and more Excellent measure of the Spirit of Prayer than another One hath a more discerning and attentive Spirit of Hearing than another and yet in either instance the minor may be true and sufficient For to every Man is given according to the measure of Christ Ephes. 4.7 One hath ten Talents and another but two Nay even in one and the same Person 's Faith there is sometimes a grander and sometimes a diminutive measure of Confidence and Assurance And so we must judge of other Gifts sometimes there is more fervency in Prayer and other times less The Sun doth not display his Radiant Beams on us always alike neither doth the light of Gods Grace illuminate us after one manner 5. A true saving Faith may be very impotent and the Believer may be insensible for some space but yet the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it as may appear in St. Peter's Example There are doubtings and failings in the best on Earth by Reason we are but here partly Spiritual We are not yet arrived to perfection Faith here must receive continual encreases and be subject to Tryals And the like does ensue to all other Vertues and Graces That true Faith never shall finally fall away or utterly fail though it be subject to Intension and Remission because Christ interceeded for us as he said to St. Peter behold Satan hath desired that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Luke 22.31 32. Because his Grace by which we are called and stand is immutable in the Counsel and Decree of Heaven and are Sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise 2 Cor. 1.22 And the like we are to judge of of all the Fruits of Sanctification which being the Donations and Graces of God are such as he repenteth not of neither finally withdraweth Rom. 11.29 6. THOU hast indeed a true sense of thy Spiritual wants and mournest at thy Corruptions of Heart which on every occasion produce sinful Acts against thy Maker if this be a heavy burden unto thee receive this Comfort that thy sin is excluded its proper place and become a Stranger unto thee For nothing in its own proper station is so ponderous The danger is want of Sense and taking pleasure in Unrighteousness If a wounded Person is insensible he is either dead or in some dangerous Exstacy No part hath sense but the Living though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole yet sense of smart in thy wounds inferreth Life and indeed in Gods Medicaments who makes all things operate for the best to them that love him 't is a better State in respect of the quiet Fruits of Righteousness accruing to them that are thereby Exercised and the Ulcerous Corruptions of our Souls often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed than the secure prosperity of Sinners for it is good and beneficial at the last for the just that they have been afflicted Psal. 119.67 7. WHEN thou hearest or readest the Scriptures art thou sensible of the want of Faith
Supream Court of Judicature within us and above us and a silent Register of our Thoughts and Words It is a thousand Witnesses as the Apostle says Accusing or Excusing Rom. 2.15 Such is the Impartiality of this Judge that no Bribery can tempt him to Justifie the Wicked nor Condemn the Just but he is the first Revenger of Impiety and an excluder of the Guilty from Absolution 2. IN true Tranquility of Conscience the Heart is cheerful in every Estate and Condition Rom. 5.1 3. and dreadeth no Judge nor Witness It is a continual Feast the Soul's Paradise the Mind 's fair Haven an unvaluable Possession which renders every owner Happy It is an immoveable Comfort the first Fruits of Heaven and Riches which shall never be taken away As no Wind can move or shake the Sun-beams so neither Life nor Death Prosperity or Adversity can Transfix this While this is secure tho Men receive many sharp Encounters as the Citizens of Ai did Josh. 7. Yet are they confident to resist they can resolve with that pattern of Patience Job 13.15 Tho he Kill me yet will I trust in him But if that fail and the Smoak ascendeth their Hearts are under a great Consternation Josh. 8.20 3. THE Almighty Woundeth and Healeth Deut. 32.39 Job 5.18 But it is with his Justice and Mercy The Wise Man says Prov. 6.32 33. We wound our selve by Sin and God healeth us by Afflictions as Chirurgions do with the Lancet and Cautery Sins are the Thieves which rob us and leave us wounded us by the way till the good Samaritan appears with his Wine and Oil to cleanse supple and bind up our Wounds He scourgeth the Conscience with a sense of his Anger to make us sensible of our Sins and to bring us to an abhorrence of them And thus he sometimes Disciplines us with external Afflictions 4. GOD sometimes wounds the Heart and terrifies the Conscience by the Word Preached and then we are Pricked at the Heart and with St. Peter's Auditors cry out Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 Sometimes he smites the Conscience with an inward sense and apprehension of his fierce Wrath and severe imminent Judgments in which as the Psalmist complains of Psalm 55.4 5. An Horrible fear overtaketh them like the Earthquake at Horeb preceeding the Still small voice of Mercy 1 Kings 19.11 12. In sense of a Spiritual Desertion while he hideth away his Face Spiritual Wants or permission to some grievous Temptation cold Fits of Despair and Buffetings by the Messengers of Satan in all which tho there be means of Comfort appointed yet none can prevail till the Spirit of God the Comforter return and Heal. 5. THE same Hand giveth the Wound and prescribeth the Plaister as it was said Hos. 5.13 The Assyrians and Jareb could not heal Judah and Ephraim of their Wound so no Mortal Creature can administer Comfort whereby to heal a wounded Spirit till he who correcteth in Measure approaches and bindeth it up Jer. 30.11 c. He only he says the Psalmist Psalm 147.3 He healeth the broken in Heart and bindeth up their Wounds Even he who was Wounded for our Sins and bruised for our Iniquities and by whose Stripes we are Healed Isa. 53.5 CHAP. XXVII What things principally wound the Conscience THERE are some things which Principally afflict and wound the Conscience and comes up as the Prophet mentions 1 Sam. 13.17 like those Philistim Spoilers in three Companies to destroy and drive Men into Despair And the first Apparition and Assault is the apprehension of God's Wrath for some Hainous Sin committed An Instance we have in Cain having Murdered his Brother cryed out My Sin or Punishment is greater than I can bear Gen. 4.13 And Judas having betray'd his Lord and Master durst not approach to him to beg Mercy by reason he apprehended an implacable Anger in Christ. 2. IT is certain according to the Apostles saying That the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of Disobedience Col. 3.6 And that his Wrath is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men Rom. 1.18 And that the Impenitent by their hardness of Heart treasure up to themselves Wrath against the day of Wrath That theâ—e shall be Indignation and Wrath to them that obey not the Truth Rom. 2.5 8. But when thou who art of a wounded Spirit and broken Heart hast well considered perhaps thou wilt find that these things are of no Concernment to thee but to those who live in Sin 3. THE second Obstacle in wounding the Conscience is sense of Spiritual Wants as Hope Faith assurance of Salvation the Spirit of Sanctification and Prayer These being the Graces of the Almighty and the Presence of his Holy Spirit in the Regenerate may yet for the time be an hidden Treasure an Immortal Seed under the frozen Clods without any appearance of Life And the truly Devout may weep and complain like the Penitent Magdalen in the Garden for the loss of Christ when at the same season he is discoursing with them but they are ignorant of his Presence John 20.14 4. THE third Obstacle is fear of some strong Temptations and Tryals at which the afflicted and affrighted Conscience is Amazed as the Disciples were when Jesus slept in the Storm and the Ship was Over-mastered with Waves and ready to Travel to the bottom of the Sea upon Death's Errand Matt. 8.24 25. Or like St. Peter on the Water when he beheld the rough Billows come Plowing before him cryeth out Save Master we Perish Matt. 14.30 When it evidently appears they cannot Perish who are with Christ nor they cannot be Safe who are without him CHAP. XXVIII Divine Considerations of the Afflicted AS God is Just so he is Merciful he is no enexorable Radamanth but he is easie to be entreated Concerning whom we have a Word more sure than any Testimony of Man for the Almighty in Exod. 34.6 being his own Herald thus proclaims himself The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin Now if that which others report of the Kings of Israel 1 Kings 20.31 That they were merciful Kings Could perswade them to seek Mercy and to enjoy their Lives and Liberties how much more should that which God who cannot lye hath declared himself Tit. 1.2 move the afflicted Soul humbly to Petition him for Mercy who is more ready to grant it than we are or can be to entreat it for ask it we never could except his preventing Grace and holy Spirit invisibly moved us 2. GOD delights not in the Death of Sinners but in their Conversion Ezek. 18. And as it is a true Prognostick of a Guests being welcome by the good Aspects and Deportment of the Family So it is an evident signal that a Penitent Sinner is welcome to Heaven by the Angels loud Exultations If God in his good Pleasure would have destroyed thee how often
and justly might he have taken thee away in thy Sins But now that his Eye hath spared thee his Goodness is to lead thee to Repentance which never comes too late if seriously performed He terrifieth with present Sense of his Anger against Sin that Men may be excited to Repentance and by forsaking their Sin be more assured of the Mercy of God and their own Salvation As stormy Winds by shaking the Trees do fix and root them deeper and seasonable Weather purifies the Air and Water by their Agitation so doth the Almighty mundifie the Minds and Hearts of his Servants by Menaces Judgments and Afflictions 1 Cor. 7.11 Psal. 119. 3. IT is God's Mercy to afflict thee now that thou mayst Repent and be Saved It is the most unhappy Condition of a Sinner when God concealeth his Anger to the last and then denounceth the Impenitent as incorrigible Isai. 1.5 So that if no Remorsness of Conscience appears thy Case is desperate But this Soul's Conflict concludes another Co-ercive Power in thee resisting Sin whereby thou mayst be capable of a state of Regeneration for tho the Spirit of God at the present in its Motions are but weak in thee yet it is invincible 4. St. Paul tells you Rom. 3.23 24. All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Which plainly demonstrates that 't is not a Man 's own Righteousness that can contribute to his Salvation and David in Psal. 32.1 2. says Blessed is the Man whose Sins are covered and to whom the Lord imputeth no Sin Not who hath no Sin for on those Terms none could be blessed It is not in the quantity of the Debt as in St. Luke 7.42 43. where fifty and five hundred are equa1ly forgiven And where an Infinite Majesty is offended in the least never any of God's Servants were Saved for being less guilty than thou art Thou fearest God's Wrath because thy Sins are great and appear so to thy Conscience They which are Saints had some and he that breaketh one Commandment is guilty of the breach of all and liable to the Curse of the Law James 2.10 11. A diminutive wound to the Heart will as surely Kill as the deepest and widest Orifice A small Shelf of Sands will as surely bulge the Ship as the greatest Rocks A little Postern-gate or breach in a City Wall unguarded will let in the Enemy So the smallest Sins if not covered by Faith and cured by Repentance will destroy the Soul 5. WHEN we consider Noah's Drunkenness David's Murder and Adultery Solomon's Idolatry Manasses's Murder Witchcraft and Idolatry St. Paul's Persecution and St. Peter's denial of Christ it is apparent that these committed sinful Acts of a deeper die than thou canst charge thy Conscience withall and that if God's Justice should be executed according to the rigor of his Law No flesh living could be justified Psal. 143.2 Rom. 3.20 Therefore is Christ the End of the Law to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 An Instance of which we have in the Patriarch Abraham the Prophet David the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and all those that are Saved when we rely on him and his Merits by God's own Covenant of Grace and the Rigor and Curse of the Law is suspended God therefore gave us his Son with this Proviso That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3.16 And the Apostle intimates Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God And Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus And if God Justifies who shall Condemn 6. NO Sin is of that extent or Equivalent to the Mercy of God and the Merits of Christ. All Actions of the Creature are finite but the Mercy of the Creator and the Merits of a Saviour are infinite A drop of Water holds some Proportion with the Sea being both finite but finites with infinites holds none Fear not then nor let Pusilanimity over-rule theâ— if thou canst Repent and Believe for there is Balm in Gilead there is a Physician there Therefore let not Despair seize upon thee CHAP. XXIX Considerations of Humility HUMILITY is Religion's Basis and God giveth Grace to the Humble but resisteth the Proud When the subtle Tempter cannot prevail in his Perswasions to evil he insinuateth himself into the Minds of them who have performed some Pious Acts of Christianity by his mischievous Suggestions elevating them to a secret Admiration of the same whereby they may be deprived of that Grace which enabled them to that Performance The Poor Publican in his Humility not daring to lift up an Eye toward that heavenly Majesty he had so grievously offended having nothing to say but only God be merciful to me a Sinner went home justified rather than the Proud Pharisee who boasted of much Sanctity 2. HUMILITY is the securest Virtue but Pride the Worm at the Root of Religion eateth up the Vitality of it Now by reason it is difficult for Dust and Ashes to enjoy any extraordinary Temporal Blessings without being puft up in Mind above his Opinion of others in a lower Sphere God justly permits many of his Servants to depend on their own Strength like a tender Nurse who withdraws her Hand a little from her Charge to make it sensible of its own Weakness and to check it from a dangerous Presumption so that by falling under some great Temptation they may be disciplined in Humility safely to distrust their own Strength and fix their Dependence on God For St. Peter was in a better posture Weeping than when he presumed to lay down his Life for his Master then he fell by abjuring his Lord but now he rose again by his bitter but sincere Repentance Now if the serious Considerations of thy Sins do truly humble thee thou hast acquired a speedy way to thy Repentance 3. THE Almighty often in his great Council orders the greatest Enormities of some of his People to stand upon Record that we may draw from thence this Conclusion That if we can Repent sincerely of Sins of as deep a Die as they are we also shall find Mercy but by the way with this deep Consideration that we never entertain any of them in our Thoughts to be guilty of Presumption but as Motives to Repentance whereby we may lay hold with Faith on him who freely forgiveth the Penitent not the obstinate Presumptuous Sinner and nothing more offends the Divine Providence than a despairing of his Mercy which is a secret questioning the Veracity of his Promises and Impenitency which is the undoubted Issue of Incredulity Indeed there is no greater Injustice to God's Mercy than by Despair to persevere in Sin seeing his Truth is engaged for our Pardon if we believe and Repent for he has not declared in vain Isai. 1.18 Though your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be red
greater advantage of Assurance 12. NOW the Conclusions necessary to be considered are these First The Almighty's Judgments are ever just yea when Flesh and Blood says with Nichodemus How can these things be John 3.9 When the too Curious Inquests after them are to be Stayed with a Nay but O Man Who art thou that Repliest against God Rom. 9.20 And so also his Mercies are as the unsounded Deeps beyond all apprehension of carnal Reason often Medicable by Wounding and Afflicting the Guilty Conscience Comforting by terrifying introducing to Glory and Immortality through Corruption killing Sin in the Flesh by Death the Fruit of Sin and guiding to Heaven as I may say by the Gates of Hell and fear of Damnation 13. THE most Notorious Sins committed in Ignorance and Incredulity after Repentance are no Arguments to Despair For the Apostle tells you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers â—f themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall Inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And the same Apostle was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter and Injurious but obtained Mercy forasmuch as he did it ignorantly and in unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 In his Conversion these Sins fell off as the Viper of Melita from his hand without any danger to his Life Acts 28.5 So God pronounceth of the Convert by the Mouth of his Prophet Ezek. 18.22 All his Transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him 14. SINS of the Regenerate though violent Perturbations of Mind or Tentations ensnaâ—ing them are not to be reckoned among Symptoms of Reprobation or Apostacy Such was Peter's denyal and Davids Adultery and Murder Therefore the Apostle's Counsel is very charitable Gal. 6.1 If any Man be overtaken in any fault ye that are Spiritual restore such a one with the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And Christ hath taught us without distinction of great and little Sins to say daily forgive us our trespasses This Life is a Spiritual Combate a Truceless War against the Powers of Darkness wherein the Strongest may be and often are carried away Captive and yet be healed and recovered Eph. 6.12 Their Captivity concludeth not their not being true Israelites who would fain return 15. EVERY Sin against Knowledge doth not presently infer a Reprobate Mind The most Exquisite and Dexterous are sometimes taken in Satan's snares St. Peter though forewarned denyed Christ through sudden apprehension of fear Not out of Malice but infirmity We nay the best of Men are but partly Flesh and partly Spirit so that we can neither perform the good we are inclin'd to nor avoid the evil which we behold and detest St. Paul and all that are Regenerate doth allow the Law of God yet sometimes feel another lawless Law carrying them away Captive to Sin Rom. 7.23 16. THOUGH every Sin against Conscience is very dangerous and every perseverance therein the very Suburbs of Hell yet every such Enormity excludeth not Repentance and Remission Because sin not only allureth but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a Tyrant and Captivates us against our Wills There may also be a Lethargy or Epilepsie of the Soul There is such mischievous subtilty in Satan that his Snares though visible are not always avoided whose Messengers though felt with grief of Soul are not always overcome yet he that gave Waters to the Horeb Rock Exod. 17. 6 7. can smite our harder Hearts and make the Waters of Life flow Plentifully to Repentance never to be repented of 17. THOUGH every Relapse into Sin is very dangerous yet if a man be not entangled and vanquish'd those breaches may be repaired by Repentance 2 Pet. 2.20 And Solomon tells you The Just man falleth seven times a day Prov. 24.16 Satan doth not always present New Scenes but sometimes dresses up his Old Artifices therewith to beguile Though our Infirmities are numerous God's Power is made manifest by sustaining us that though we fall we shall not fall away Though Satan's power subtilty and restless malice are very potent yet he and his Messengers are limited by their Chain and can receive no Commission if it be but to enter into a Herd of Swine but from the Almighty Mat. 8.31 And the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.13 That God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able So that we may resolve that neither Life nor Death nor any Creature shall be able to saparate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.39 CHAP. XXXII Rules of Practice FIRST use thy utmost endeavour to possess the Testimony of a good Conscience which thou canst by no means attain but by being vigilant over thy Soul and with a fixed Constancy resisting Temptations Every Sin yea even the least woundeth the Soul afresh Be not secure of minor Sins but let a good Conscience be most precious unto thee part not from it for any Pleasures Honours or Riches of this World but rather part from Life it self Enjoy a tender Conscience A seared one like Callous Flesh is insensible of that which toucheth it to this Custom creates a proneness to sin and takes away the sense of it 1 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 15. 2. APPROVE thy self in every Action to God fixing thy self ever in his presence who beholdeth a far off all thou thinkest or actest 1 Pet. 3.12 And value not whoever is disgusted if God approveth thee Walk not according to the Wisdom of the Flesh but by the Rule of Gods Grace which shall at last be thy rejoicing 2 Cor. 1.12 Resign not thy self to Sins Dominion which is impossible except thou wholly deliverst up thy self by consenting to thine own Captivity as the Ear-bored Servants who professed love to their Masters and so would not be Manumissed and freed from them Exod. 21.5 6. Detest Sin and it shall not prejudice thee No sin is so pernicious as that which is most facetious but espicially beware of presumptuous sins lest they get the Dominion over thee Psal. 19.13 Numb 15.30 31. Deut. 17.12 3. CONTEMPLATE on God's Justice and Mercy together let them be inseparable in thy Thoughts For if thou inspectest into his Justice only thou art liable to Despair upon the sight of thy sins And if thou viewest his Mercy only thou wilt with facility presume when thou beholdest that transcendent Immensity which is ever ready upon unfeigned Repentance to pardon Sinners The Sailers of Old upon the Yards of their Ships conjectured the Ignis lambens for a good or a bad fatality if they beheld but one flame they denominated it an unlucky Helena but if two they accepted it for Castor and Pollux Good Prognosticks of fair and prosperous Weather Even so it is in Mercy and Justice the Consideration of
them singly may prove pernicious but both linked together may compleat thy Happiness 4. LABOUR for true Faith in Christ who is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 Whose Blood cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And holding Faith and a good Conscience That we may avoid being Shipwrack'd 1 Tim. 1.19 1 Tim. 3.9 There was no cure for a wounded Israelite against the venome of Fiery Serpents but to look up to the Brazen Serpent which Prefigured Christ apprehensible by Faith the only Medicament for Sin-wounded-Consciences Permit but this very sense and apprehension of God's Wrath which now appaleth thee to induce thee the more arduously to detest all Sin and thou shalt thereby be ascertain'd that God hath wounded thee only to heal thee 5. REMEMBER that what the Law averrs it declares only to them who are under the Law not under Grace Rom. 3.19 They are under the Law who plead Not guilty and insist upon their Justification by works of the Law We are under Grace who perceiving our Sin and Misery by the Law fly wholly to him for Mercy who freely justifieth the Sinner Rom. 3.24 The Imprecations and Menaces of the Law are not to break the bruised Reed nor quench the Smoaking Flax but to depress the heart that is elevated with an opinion of self merit who safely go on to undo themselves after a presumptuous manner 6. LET thy Repentance be speedy that Sin take no root in thy heart Neither let thy Wound putrifie before thou apply the Remedy But ascend with all diligence to the Throne of Grace to implore Mercy before Wrath is gone out against thee Rely on this Second Table Repentance who hast lost the first of Innocency Condemn thy self and Christ will Justifie thee He only expects thy voice to give thee audience When thou comest with thy Accusation and confessest thou hast sinned then Christ he readily receiveth the Humble Penitent and Proclaims thy Sins are forgiven thee Observe how quickly the Pardon followed David's Confession no sooner had he acknowledged I have sinned against the Lord but Omnipotency declares by the Prophet The Lord also hath put away thy Sin 2 Sam. 12.13 St. Peter quickly Repented and as quickly found Mercy Esau stayed too long and so found no place for Repentance though He sought it carefully with Tears Heb. 12.17 If the Granado fired be suddenly retorted it proves prejudicial to the Assailant Such are the product of Satan's Fire-Works if thou cast out his Temptations and heartily repent thee where any of his Darts pierce thee 7. GIVE not thy self up to pensive Dedolency mundane Sorrow and fruitless Solitariness that will but animate the bitterness of Spirit Think not too much of thy Afflictions but dulcifie them with remembrance of God's Mercy towards thee Assume not to thy self a Worldly Sorrow that is unto death 1 Cor. 7.10 But comfort up thy self in God as David did Psal. 43.5 Why art thou so sad O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Trust in God for I shall yet praise him And Solomon tells ye A merry heart doth good like a Medicine but a broken Spirit drieth the Bones Prov. 17.22 And again a merry heart maketh a Cheerful Countenance but by the Sorrow of the heart the Spirit is broken Prov. 15.13 8. BE very attentive to God's Word For he is the God of all Consolation and the Word is his Mind and Revealed Will for the benefit of our Salvation It is a full Magazine and there is no Affliction incident to frail Mortality but may there meet with a proper Antidote There thou shalt find Rules to guide thee and preserve thee from sin There thou shalt have a prospect of the Divine Mercy of God in Christ Jesus to wash away the guilt of all thy Transgressions But then appear not only to be a hearer but a doer of the Word and Treasure up those Gracious Promises in thy heart so shalt thou in due season feel the Operation of the Holy Spirit distilling the former and the Latter-Rain upon the seed whereby it may take root and be fruitful 9. LASTLY Add Zealous and Frequent Prayer as God's Servants have practised in all their distresses Psal. 6.9 And be ascertain'd that he will not leave thee Comfortless but will at length appear with great assurance of thy Salvation and will infinitely recompence thy Patience in suffering and perseverance in invocating for pardon Satan is never more baffled and infatuated in his own Stratagems than when he gains a License to wound the hearts of those who are precious in the sight of the Almighty For as Romanus the Martyr told the Tormentor Look how many Wounds thou givest so many Mouths thou settest open to cry to God for help and indeed these Jewels cannot arrive to their Glorious Lustre without being Ground hard by Affliction The Prayer O MOST Gracious and Merciful Lord God rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy hot Displeasure My Soul is sore vexed but Lord how long wilt thou punish me Have Mercy upon me for I am weak Lord heal my Soul and deliver it for I have sinned against thee O save me for thy never failing Mercies sake I am weary of my continual Groaning mine Eyes are consumed with my grief of Tears But Lord hear thou my Supplication and receive my Prayer 2. O Lord I am sorely afflicted but quicken me in thy Righteousness according to thy word In thy loving kindness and multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my transgressions wash O wash me and purge me throughly from my sins and cleanse me from all my iniquities the magnitude and number being of that Extent that my guilt flyeth in my Face and I am afraid of thy Blessed Presence I acknowledge my self unworthy to look up to Heaven to appear before thee with a Petition of Mercy who have so incessantly provoked thy Justice The filthy Leprosie of my sins stink and are corrupt that they stop my own mouth but my heart readily answereth that I am of all men most unworthy of this thy Condescention in inclining thy Gracious Ear unto so wretched a Creature as I am 3. THESE Terrors of Conscience wherewith thou hast now afflicted my Soul are thy just Judgments The fears of Hell and eternal Condemnation wherewith thou hast wounded me are incomparably less than my sins have deserved But Lord remember them not who canst not forget the sufferings of thy blessed Son Jesus for them all Lord I am not able to answer thee one word of a thousand nor can thy Justice require that of me for which my Saviour and Redeemer hath satisfied Therefore I renounce my self that I may be found in a bleeding Jesus not having on my own Righteousness according to the Condemning Letter of the Law but that I may be Clothed in his Righteousness who hath long since Cancelled the Hand-writing of Ordinances that were against me and hath payed the debt for me 4. O Lord for
of his not hearing our Prayers It was no small tryal when David cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the Words of my Roaring Psal. 22.1 But the Acclamation on the Cross carryed a louder sound Mat. 27.46 Moses was denied entrance into Canaan but was received into Heaven The Cup did not pass away from Christ but God's Will was perform'd in the operation of Man's Redemption and so he was heard Heb. 5.7 15. DOTH thy Faith endure many sharp encounters of the Tempter Then observe the Almighty by this means doth more confirm it Is not every Temptation as the shaking of Trees which loosing the ground Engrafts them the deeper Thou art sensible of thy great defects in Sanctity and of many dubious conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit provoking thy Soul to cry with Rebecca when perplex'd with her wrestling Twins Why am I thus Gen. 25.22 Despond not but consider the work of him with whom we have to do Thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him and to Consult his Oracles Thus he exerciseth thee to humility without which the most Excellent Graces could not save thee He that Prayed for St. Peter's falling could have prevented him from falling into that Sin But in so doing he kept him from presumption and fitted him to confirm his Brethren 16. IN all Humility beg Holiness of God who hath expresly said ask and ye shall have And to consider that God is perfect Holiness is a vehement Motive conducing to it and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own Image in us and freely give us that which he loveth It pleased the Author of our Being that Solomon before Riches Revenge and Life it self should petition him for Wisdom upon which he did not only grant his request but additionally gave him Riches and Honour And undoubtedly it doth so much please God that any of his Servants doth in the sense of their wants before all things give Grace the Preferrence and they that in the sincerity of their heart Petition to him for Sanctity of Life he will not deny them but will insert to their grant more than we are able to ask or think of The Prayer O Almighty God Infinite in Mercy and perfect Verity who delightest not in the destruction of Wretched Creatures nor despisest the Groans of a Troubled Spirit Lord I am poor and afflicted and do in bitterness of Soul acknowledge my vileness and vacancy of Grace the Corruption of my sinful nature the misery which I have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy Holy Laws and my Impotency to any thing that is good Lord I am as that wretched Traveller wounded and cast down only sensible of my Wounds but utterly unable to move or help my self The Priest and Levite pass by and afford me no relief neither is it in the power of the Creature to assist me Nay even thy just and holy Law which wholsomely instructs Do this and live is so far from aiding me or administring Comfort that my sins make it appear to me a killing Letter or at best resembling the Prophets Staff sent before by the Ministry of thy Servant not able to give Life but a Prospect of my Sins and rendring me guilty before thy dreadful Tribunal and at the Bar of my terrified Conscience 2. BUT O Lord let the good Samaritan the Prophet himself Christ Jesus thy dear Son and my alone Saviour inspire me with his Holy Spirit for he only can bind up my wounded Soul and heal it Thou hast wounded me by an heavy apprehension of thy Justice O now heal me by the assurance of thy Mercy Strengthen my Faith in Christ who freely justifieth Sinners And as thou hast in thine Eternal Love given him to Death for my Redemption so give me an infallible assurance that he is my Saviour and Deliverer That according to thine own Gracious Promise in him I may live with thee 3. AND O thou who art the Saviour of all the World who sentest the Holy Ghost the Comforter of all thy Servants to thy Afflicted Disciples to strengthen them send him to my Enervated and Wretched Soul It is neither of him that Willeth nor of him that Runneth but of thine own Infinite Goodness shewing Mercy Thy Omnipotence is effectual in the Operation of thy good Will and Pleasure O be Graciously pleased to Sanctifie my Corrupted will and affections And as thou hast freely given me a will and a hearts desire to serve and please thee that I might be saved so perfect thine own work in me and establish what thou hast begun Give me O Lord true Holiness and repair thine own Image in me that thou mayst own me for thine and then manifest thine own work in me and unto me 4. LET not the good Spirit which has possession of me remain any longer in obscurity but blessed Lord manifest thy self unto my Soul And let the Illumination of thy Spirit break out in full assurance of Faith that I may no more doubt of thy Mercies Grant me an entire Victory over Sin and Despair by the apparent presence of the Comforter My afflicted Soul O Lord knoweth no Sanctuary to flie unto but thy infinite mercy Unto thee alone it Gaspeth as a thirsty Land O shower down such a plentiful Dew of thy Grace which may refresh my wearied Spirit and fill me with the Fruits of Righteousness which may evidently appear in my Life and Conversation to thy Glory and the assurance of my Election Vocation Sanctification Perseverance and Salvation in thy beloved Son and my alone Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit Three Persons one Immortal Incomprehensible Omnipotent only Wise God be rendred all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth now and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXXIV Fear of Temptations NEXT We are to Consider the Conscience afflicted with Fear of Temptations and a defection through them enclining it to a despair of Grace sufficient to resist them by this means the Soul is immerst with heaviness through manifold Temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 In which case it is necessary to consider That first A Temptation is a Tryal or taking an Experiment of something or other The Devil who cannot compel tryeth men whether he can allure them to Sin and this is apprehensively Temptation 2. THERE is a Temptation of Tryal which you see Acts 20.19 1 Cor. 10.13 Rev. 3.20 and St. James saith My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations And Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him St. James 1.2 12. God is said to tempt no man that is to Evil Evidently implying as there is no Sin in him so neither is there any occasioned by him yet tried Abraham to manifest him openly to others and himself For no man knoweth himself which is untried