that bloudie act But that which is the accomplishment of all miseries and terrour they iustly fall into the hands of the liuing God who will certainely iudge them after the manner of them that shead their owne bloud and will giue them the bloud of wrath and of iealousie And whereas they looked to leaue a name behind them it shall rot away with as vile detestation as their carcases in the graue The memoriall of the iust faith Salomon shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot If it doe liue it shall liue to their shame and infamy For I dare say this boldly There was neuer any man rightly informed either in the principles of nature or in the gracious way to heauen in the sober passages of moralitiâ— or in the iustice of state and policie or acquainted with the fairenesse of true honour that euer gaue any allowance or euer will to the reputation of manhood falsely so called purchased in priuat quarrell in the field This is then all they get for the losse of soule and bodie of heauen and earth of name and posteritie they onely gaine the damned applause of diuels swaggerers and wicked men But if it fall out otherwise that they be not kild but kill marke what befals themâ— they depart the field drunken with blood as with new wine and therefore they shall be sure at length to be fild with drunkennes and with sorrow euen with the cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the very dregs For presently after the murder committed they haue Caines fearefull marke stampt vpon them The furies of conscience and cries of blood shal for euer persecute them with restlesse horrour As they clothed themselues with rage like a raiment so shall it now come into their bowels like water and sinke like oile into their bones In the meane time they shall liue in the hell of conscience vpon earth and expect euerie houre to be tumbled into the hâ—ll of wicked diuels for euermore in the world to come Let me then in the name and feare of God aduise them if they would win an opinion of true valor indeed if they look for any portion in the mercies of God or honour amongst his Saints to settle and compose such wild affectionâ— by the word of truth to turne the greatnesse of their courage and gallantnesse of Spirit to the subduing and conquering of their owne corruptions and to the wrastling against principalities and powers against the worldly gouernours the princes of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places This fight is Christian and couragious indeed the victory is glorious the reward is immortalitie A third note of difference may be this Euery child of God by the power of sauing grace doth hunger and thirst after all those meanes God hath ordained or offers for his furtherance in the way to heauen and for his comforting and confirming in a Christian course and doth make a holy vse of whatsoeuer is either publickly or priuately laid vpon him for his amendment and therefore he continually profits and proceeds in sanctification by his word his iudgements and his mercies by the exercise obseruation and sense of which hee growes sensiblie in heauenly knowledge faith humiliation repentance thankfulnesse and all other spirituall graces But the formall hypocrite doth so farre take notice and regard of them as they further his temporal happinesse and as his neglect of them by consequent threatneth danger and ouerthrow to his outward worldlie state For the present perhaps hee is mooued with the hearing of the word of God with the terror of his iudgements while they lie with some extraordinarie waight vpon himselfe or the whole land and with the sweetnesse of his mercies because they secure him in his prosperitie But these things sinke not into his soule with the power of mortification to the destroying of his sinfull affections and the shaking off of euery knowne sinne Beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus let vs euery one of vs I beseech you trie himself faithfully by this note of difference And the rather because our gracious God hath most plentifully and incomparablie vouchsafed vs in this land all meanes to bring vs vnto heauen He hath visâ—ted vs with his word his iudgements and mercies to the astonishment of the whole world Now let vs consider whether as they haue bred admiration in men and Angels so they haue brought saluation to our owne soules First for his word For these fiftie yeeres you know hee hath spread out his hands all the day long he hath sent all his seruants the preachers of his word rising vp earely and sending them saying Returne now euery man from his euill way and amâ—nd your workes Let vs then examine our selues in this point Hath this glorious Gospell which hath so long shined bright in our eies and sounded loud in our cares hath it I say bin mightie in operation vpon our soules in planting in them the power of true godlinesse Doe wee daily grow more sound by it in the knowledge of the truth and see more particularly into the way and whole course of Christianitie Doth it continually build vs vp more strongly in faith repentance and an holy obedience to all his commandements Why then blessed is our â—ase for this powerful experience in our soules of daily growth in godlinesse by the word is a notable mark vnto vs that we are in the state of grace and so al the blessings in the book of God belong vnto vs and pleasures moe then the starres of the firmament in number But if otherwise which is rather to be feared if we haue either bin no hearers or but now and then as our worldly commodities would giue vs leaue or hearers onelie of forme and faâ—â—â—on not of zeale and conscience to profit by it and yeeld obedience vnto it or onely hearers and no doers why then we may assure our selues we are yet short of the state of grace and marke what will be the end both of vs and the whole land it must needs be the same with that of Iuda and Ierusalem for they were as wel beloued of God as euer England can be Goe saith God vnto Ieremie Goe and tell the men of Iuda and the inhabitants of Ierusalem I haue sent you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp earely and sending them but you would not encline your care you would not obay me therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Behold I will bring vpon Iuda and vpon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem all the euill that I haue pronounced against them I will doe vnto this house whereupon my name is called wherein also ye trust as I haue done vnto Shilo I will cast them out of my sight And will make â—his City a curse vnto all the nations of the earth And the Lord was so vnremoueable
I speake the truth I vse no Hyperbole the Spirit of all comfort and consciences of all true Christians bearing me witnesse Good Sir let me humbly entreate you with a proportionable zeale and feruencie to encline and enlarge your affections to the pursuit and practise of so excellent and glorious an happinesse Which that you may doe I will continuallie prostrate and powre out my soule in prayer before the throne of Grace and mercie And rest Your Worships to be commanded euer in the Lord Iesus Robert Bolton AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER CHristian This Discourse which now stands so close together was deliuered in fiue seuerall sermons but all to a most iudicious and intelligent auditorie therfore there is a continuance of matter coherence and stile I must entreat thee out of thine â—ngenuous discretion to distinguish the places where they were preacht as thou shalt find the direction of my speech and some particular applications more naturally and necessarilie with indiuiduall reference appropriated thereunto The reasons why I spent the most of my meditations and sticke so long in descrying and desciphering the state of formall hypocrisie for therein I haue trod a something vncouth and vnusuall path are these First I considered that in this full light of the Gospell a great number of men applâ—â—d and content themselues with a superficiall glistering of a formall profession outward conformitie to the Ministrie of the word and some false flashes of an vnsound persuasion that they are in the ready and right way to heauen when as indeed it hath not inwardly illightned their vnderstandings with sauing knowledge heated their affections with true zeale subdued their sinfull thoughts and noisome lusts with the power of grace nor softned and sanctifiâ—d their hearts to yeeld a cheerfull sincere and vniuersall obedience thereunto And so after a few miserable daies spent in a prosperous securitie they fall into the iawes of hell before they mistrust any such matter and the pit of destruction shuts her mouth vpon them before they know and acknowledge their broken and bankrout state in spirituall things I therefore desire and endeauour to awake them out of their golden dreame of imaginarie future happines that with open eyes they may see their present spirituall pouerty and so betimes preuent the anger to come I hope in the Lord and wish hartily that by a dispassionate and thorow perusall of this Treatise they may take some scantling of their owne estate with God and entring a serious and impartiall search and examination of their consciences discouer and reueale themselues vnto themselues and so if they belong vnto the euerlasting couenant of grace sâ—ep forward into the state of grace the paradise of true Christianitie and practise of holinesse that their deare and pretious soules may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesâ—s Secondly I did conceiue that there is a threefold cord three maine and capitall causes that violently hale downe vpon vs from heauen many both corporall and spirituall plagues and bind them fast to the bowels and principall parts of this kingdome and doe daily more and more ripen the iust wrath of God for the powring out of his last vengeance vpon this sinfull nation They are those 1. The ouerflowing torrent and vnbridledrage of many crying sinnes fearefull abominations and desperate prophanenes 2. A sensible declination from their first loue and decay of zeale euen in Christians 3. A luke-warmenes and want of thorownes and sinceritie in formall professors As for the first By our horrible sins and hatefull ingratitude for mercies without measure and miraculous deliuerances wee grow so heauie vpon the Lord that we presse him and the bowels of his tenderest compassions as a caâ—t is pressed that is full of sheaues so that it is impossible but that shortly without great humiliation and generall repâ—ntance wee should wrest out of his hands the vials of his last wrath and force him to come against vs with the beesome of vtter desolation It is to bee feared so grieuous and endlesse is the impietie and impâ—nitencie of this land that his forbearance in the meane time is not for any hope he hath of vs for what good hath a durable and extraordinarie plague done vpon vs but onely by reason of the cruell and implacable insolencie of our enemies because â—ee is loth to make vs a prey to the Wolues of Rome and matter of triumph to such a mercilesse and murderous generation Who knowes but that the Match had reached vnto the Powder had not the Lord out of the bottomlesse depth of his vnlimited mercies laid hold vpon his owne argument Deut. 32.26.27 I haue said I would scatter them abrode I would make their remembrance to cease from amongst men saue that I feared the furie of the enemy lest their aduersaries should waxe proud Left his and our aduersaries those breathing diuels the Gunpowder Papists should too proudly and barbarously haue insulted in the ruines of his people and the banishment of his glorious Gospell The Lord giue vs vnderstanding hearts to consider these things in time lest he come vpon vs with his wrath neuer more to bee appeased and teare vs in peâ—ces when there is none to hâ—lpe May any man driue away an hungry Lion in the wood or quench the fire in stubble when it hath once begun to burne may one turne againe the arrow that is shot of a strong archer If the Lord once whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on iudgement with purpose to roote out a sinfull and rebellious nation there is no power or policie no multitude of men or magnificence of State no armour of the mightie or arme of flesh shall euer bee able to giue any succour reliefe or deliuerance Concerning the second Certaine it is that our blessings of peace and strength of State breed by accident much abatement of forwardnesse and zeale in godlines secret indeuotion and coldnes euen in many true Professours carelesnes in obseruing their waies wearinesse and vncheerefulnesse in doing good and performing holy duties vnpreparednesse in comming to diuine seruices religious exercises and the Lords Table sleightnesse and vnprofitablenesse in prayer meditation Christian conference and dailie examination of their consciences neglect of opportunitie in winning their brethren vnto the feare of God and of working vpon and preuailing with their kindred acquaintance familiars and families Thus wickedly and vnthankefully turne we the mercies of God into occasions of sinne and suffer our temporall happinesse to wast and consume our spirituall blessings And the more we are secured in our outward state the more heartlesse we are in the seruice of God and the affaires of the life to come But let vs looke vnto it for as the louder and crying sinnes of this land are the great and strong cartropes so vndoubtedly these as lesser cords haue their part and some power in drawing vpon vs heauie iudgements and in preparing further vengeance except wee amend and returne to
the faithfull Christian. The fifth reason whereby the formal hypocrite doth falsly perswade himselfe to bee truly happie and so by consequent that keeps him short of the state of grace may be this When by some good motion of Gods spirit stirred vp in him by the preaching of the word he begins to set and addresse himselfe to a sanctified vse and exercise of religion and to a faithfull and constant course of true holinesse indeed hee presentlie meets with a sore and strong opposition by his owne inward corruptions by tempâ—ations of Satan and vexation from the world which he perceiuing and being very sensible of such sudden disturbance from his former securitie perswades himselfe that the passage to grace is not so rough and boisterous and therefore retires and reposeth himselfe vpon his formall Christianitie as the best state he sees any possibility of attaining vnto But if hee will saue his soule he must acknowledge and feele by his owne experience the truth of that saying of Isai. 59.15 He that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a pray For what child of God is there truly conuerted who at the very first step out of the world and the vanities thereof met not with many crosses and discouragements He knowes and may remember full well whosoeuer he bee how his owne flesh fretted when it felt it selfe snaffled and guided by the Law of the spirit how by making conscience of sinne he laid himself more open to the aduantages wrongs and insultations of his enemies how the companions of his former leaudnesse and iniquitie railed and raged against him as against an Apostata from goodfellowship and high resolution And Satan that he may giue edge and vigour to all these vexations hee busilie bestirres himselfe and casts about to hinder our conuersion While a prisoner lies in a dungeon fast in fetters the Iaylor is quiet and secure but if hee once knocke off his bolts breake the prison and escape there is presently a tumultuous clamour in the house the Countrie is raised and he is followed with Hue and Cry Euen so while we lie quietly in the captiuitie of sinne vnder the chaines of eternall death he neither disquiets himselfe nor vs But if by the mercies of God we bee once enlarged and set foot into the libertie and light of grace why then all the powers of hell are presently in armes and vprore and with much malice and furie the instruments of darkenes are set on foot to regaine vs into his kingdome This point appeares in the fifth of the Canticles Our blessed Sauiour is there said to stand at the doore and knocke being full of the pretious dew and drops of diuine grace and waiting patiently in the cold and darknesse of the night but yet we see what ado and stirre there is with the Christian soule before she can get vp out of the bed of pleasures and vanitie the sweetnesse of sinne and sensualitie had so deepely possest and bewitched her that by her excuses and delaies she hazards so great saluation and happines tendered vnto her by her spoâ—se Yea and at length after she is resolued to renounce her pleasures and in some good measure hath conquered her inward corruptions so that shee opens the doore followes Christ besides other troubles and encumbrances she finds abroad the very watchmen that should haue told her the way and directed her after her spouse euen they set vpon her and smite her and wound her and take away her vaile Euery man then that will come vnder the banner of Christ and haue part in the conquest must together with the new man put on a Christian courage both to tame and represse the rebellions of his owne flesh and to withstand and repell assaults and persecutions from abroad The sixth reason whereby the formal hypocrite doth falsely perswade himselfe to bee in state of true happines may be an obseruation of the death and ends of other men whose liues he perswades himselfe come short of those perfections and degrees of goodnesse he findes in himselfe As if he take notice of a notorious sinner who vpon his deaths-bed by a perfunctorie shew of penitencie and some formall eiaculations for mercy and pardon makes the world beleeue he dies a Saint Or if he obserue the end of an honest ciuill man yet neuer acquainted with the power of grace to bee quiet peaceable and confident without impatiency feare or despaire he presently out of a comparatiue examination of his owne state which he finds not onely free from notorious sinnes but besides morall honestie graced with outward religiousnesse I say he presently conceiues his owne workes in respect of theirs to be works of supererogation his owne life certainely to be without all exception and so himselfe without all danger of damnation And this conceit is notably confirmed if there follow some glorious and flattering Panegyricke of funerall commendation For then he holds the assurance of his happinesse to be sealed vnto him by the mouth of the minister and so with resolution and obstinacie sticks fast in his present state and will no further Mistake me not in this last point beloued in Christ Iesus For first I do not go about to confine the boundles and vnlimited mercies of God nor absolutely to exclude repentance from the deaths bed I know that pretious truth registred in Ezechiel At what time soeuer a sinner c. like a Pearle in a ring and a Starre in his Orbe shines amongst many other gracious promises in the booke of God with speciall comfort vnspeakable and glorious vpon the darkened and drouping soule of euerie true penitent at what time soeuer But yet this I say in this point That any man that knowes and is acquainted rightly and truly with the narrownesse of the way to heauen the nature of Gods iustice the cunning sleights of Satan the difficultie of true repentance how fearefully mans heart is hardned by custome and continuance in sin he would not deferre his repentance to his old age or deaths-bed for ten thousand worlds I adde this That As a sudden death in respect of time or a death wherein appeares much impatiencie fiercenesse and vncomfortable behauiour by reason of the qualitie of the disease or some extraordinarie temptation for the time or that God will be so glorified by iustly hardning the wicked may bee the way to euerlasting happinesse so a lingring patient and lamblike death may be a passage to endlesse woe and miserie For that great iudgement is to passe vpon our soules not according to the strange effects symptoms of our sicknesse not according to the short moment and violent passions of our death but according to the actions of our health the former affections of our hearts and the generall course of our life Secondly I would by no meanes be too busie or vncharitable in my iudgement vpon those which haue alreadie stood or falâ—e to their owne master But as I esteeme that crueltie and