these things neither do you follow the imaginations of your own hearts in these things but labour to get a distinct understanding in your own souls of whatsoever is to be beleeved for Doctrine or for whatsoever is to be practised in matters of worship for if you walk in darkness you will walk uncomfortably but if you walk in the light and knowledg of his will your walking wil both please him and bring much comfort and peace to your own Soul Vse 2. But I shall now speak one word to provoke those wretched man thet live without God in the world to consider of their condition and so conclude I beseech you my dear friends do not live still so estranged from the life of God neither do you go on to abuse his mercy and loving-kindness from day to day as you have done but let the goodness and long-suffering of the Lord lead you to Repentance you have heard what a God of Holiness power wisdom goodness and faithfulness he is yea what an eternal unchangeable invisible infinite Being he is you have heard something both of his Name and of his Works and much more is to be known and may be known of him in the Word of Truth and will you continue so unthankful and ungodly abusing this grace and love of God who hath manifested himself in his holy Word that you might come to the knowledg of him and so to salvation and do not you think it a most grievous sin to live as many of you do as void of the knowledg of him as those that never heard of his written Word it is a most unthankful abuse of his goodness O where would such men be glad to hide themselves at the great Day even under a Rock if they did know how to get under it and as for many of those that cannot chuse but know something of God how unanswerable to that little knowledg that they have do they walk neither loving nor fearing his great Name having no respect at all to his worship nor to any of his Commandements nor trusting in him at all no more than if he had never made them any promises Beloved how evident be these things notwithstanding all that God hath made known of himself unto men yet how little love have they for him and how little zeal for his glory loving pleasure profit yea sin it self better than God fearing the frowns of men more than the displeasure of him and trusting in the promises of their honest Neighbours yea in a little durty wealth or any vanity in the world rather than in the power and truth of God casting his worship and Commandements behind their backs as if they owed him no service now I pray you bethink your selves how you shall appear before the Lord at the great Day and how he will take it at your hands that you should live so prophane a life being alienated from the life of God and rooted and hardened in all wickedness as if you had never known nor heard of the Name of God Oh Repent in time and thankfully imbrace that means of grace which God in the riches of his mercy doth yet afford unto you and so much I shall commend to your consideration and to the blessing of the Almighty THE SIXTH EXERCISE John 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I Shall now come to speak to this third and last general Head in this Text namely the Lords sending of Jesus Christ and for this end and purpose that I may proceed both with brevity and plainness I shall proceed in this order First I shall shew you the excellency of the person of Christ even as he is the Son Secondly I shall clear it unto you by the Scriptures how that Jesus Christ had a Being with the Father in glory before the world was and from thence was sent into the world to take upon him our Nature Thirdly I shall endeavour to set before you the ends of his coming into the world And now for the first of these I pray you take notice that the Scriptures in many places do exalt the Lord Jesus above all other Creatures whatsoever I shall name you some few of them look Hebrews 1. the whole Chapter but especially note two or three passages in the beginning he is there said to be appointed heir of all things and to be the brightness of his Fathers glory and to be made much better then the Angels which word made better must needs have respect to his Creature-nature also he is there said to be him by whom God did make all things and doth uphold them And in the Revelations 3.14 he is called the beginning of the Creation of God and in Col. 1.15 16 17. he is called the first-born of every Creature all things are said to be created by him and for him and he to be before them that by him they all consist So that from these and other like Texts I gather that God did first create the Spirit of Christ filled him with his own glory and then by him brought forth the whole creation I say that Spirit of Christ which afterward took flesh of the Virgin Mary and so became true man was the first and the choicest piece of all the workman-ship of God for you must know that Christ had a created Spirit that was set up and brought forth and brought up with the Lord and was by him before any of his other works had a Being Prov. 8.22 to the 30. and this is he that the Lord possessed in the beginning of his way and is the same that talked with Abraham and that Abraham made intercession to for Sodom Gen. 18. and that brought the children of Israel through the wilderness and is the same that God commandeth them to obey Exod. 23.20 21 22 23. But this I shall say no more to now but come to the second particular and that is to shew you that the Lord Christ was sent from the bosom of the Father into the world for us you will see this plain in many places I wil name you some of them John 3 13. No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man The words are very plain the son of man you see came down from heaven and in the 31. ver He that cometh down from heaven is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all I pray you mark it Christ is here opposed to all other men in this that they are from the earth but he is from heaven yea as he is the son of man he is from heaven but if he had received his first beginning in the womb of the Virgin as well in respect of his spirit as in respect of his body he could no more have been said to have been sent
beleeve Here you may see plainly not only that preaching saves mens souls but also what preaching it is that does it I pray you note it wel you may see the cure that is necessary for salvation by the disease that hinders it it is very evident the worlds disease that hinders their salvation is this they know not God therefore it must be such preaching as makes God known to the soul that must bring it to beleeving and so to salvation I shall name you but one text more and that is in the 2 Thes 1.7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God Take notice I pray you that one of the two great sins which Christ will come to punish with everlasting flames at the great day is ignorance of God Now therefore it must be removed and the knowledg of God in the stead thereof must possess the Souls of all those that shall inherit eternall life I shall give you the reason of this truth and so hasten to the application Now the reason is most evident if you look Heb. 11.6 For without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must beleeve he is Here you see faith in God is of absolute necessity to the pleasing of him But no man in the world can beleeve further then he hath ground to know the truth of that he beleeveth as it is written Rom. 10.14 How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard The answer must be they cannot for so much the question intends So that without hearing or some means to know the Lord it is impossible to come to beleeving I shall now come to open this point unto you and to shew you in what particulars the knowledg of God and of Christ is of such use and help to you in point of beleeving and so of salvation First then my beloved a person that knows God in his Son is thereby kept from desparation and sees in God a ground of boldnesse and incouragement to cast it self upon his free grace which one ignorant of God cannot do But he that knows his name will trust in him Psal 9.10 how low soever a mans condition is though he be never so unworthy a sinner and sees not the least ground of hope in himself it doth not discourage him nor keep him from beleeving but he sees that in God and in Christ that not only gives him boldness but such a ground of boldness and incouragement that he clearly sees that if he come in good earnest now he shall not be cast off although he have formerly been never so wicked and the ground of this confidence is the name of God You know that in a very great number of places the Lord hath manifested himself a God of mercy and love yea a sin-for-giving God and a gracious God but I shal name you but one text for this Exod. 34.6 the Lord there proclaims his own name by which he will be known for ever Jehova strong mercifull and gracious c. and you must know that God is not one thing his name another neither is he one and his mind intentions and decrees or desires another but he is unchangeably eternally the same for ever Now I pray you consider it grace and mercy being not qualities in God but in him it is nature and it is his essence and unchangeable Being and therefore he doth not nor cannot want mercy for the most ungodly yea the veriest hypocrite and enemy he hath in the whole world and the reason wherefore any soul misseth of mercy is not through any want of mercy in God no nor for want of mercy to that soul in particular that misseth of it but because it will not stand with the glory of his other attributes in some cases to shew mercy for you must know that God can do nothing unworthy of his own glorious Name and Being and therefore such persons as will not come to Christ and that chuse darkness rather than light and turn the grace of God into wantonness and do this wilfully and obstinately it doth not stand with the wisdom justice and Soveraignty of God to give eternall life to these persons but if persons do not wilfully refuse there own mercies there is that grace in God which will and doth extend it self wheresoever it can without dishonour to his justice and prudence Now where a person knows this and that which may be known of God and of Christ that is revealed in the word and ought to be known I say such a one cannot but see sufficient ground to come to God and to depend upon him for mercy Nay further there is no objection whatsoever can be raised by the devill against a sinners coming to Christ but he that knows what may be known of God and of Christ will have wherewithall to answer it for if the Devill come and say it is true as great sinners as thou hast been have been pardoned and so might est thou too if that were all but alass thou art an impentient and an unconverted wretch hardened in thy sins there is no hope for thee Yes sayes the soul but there is and good hope too through grace for God is a God of grace and faithfullness and hath not only promised eternall life to gracious souls but he hath also promised grace to ungracious ones as in Prov. 1.22 23. there converting grace is promised to scornners if they will yet hearken to God and many more like promises there be But it may be the Devill will further object and say it is true indeed God is gracious to invite unconverted sinners to seek him and hath promised them mercy as in Isa 59.6 7. but alass thy case is worse then so for thou hast no mind to seek him but art for ever lost a very slave to sin and the very captive of the Devill taken by him at his will yea saith the soul that knows God and Christ Satan thou canst not well say worse of me then I do deserve yet is there good ground for me to go to God for mercy and to trust in him also for he hath sent his Son to seek and to save those that be lost And although I cannot yet bring my heart to seek him as I should yet Christ is faithfull and will do the work he hath undertaken and seek such lost ones as I am and although I am a slave and a captive to the Devil Yet I know Christ came to set at liberty such captives yea and I know that whatsoever my sins have been or whatever my lusts are for strength my souls diseases cannot be too great for Christ to cure all the ends of the earth and I although I be the worst in the company may look to him and be saved saved from sin as well as from wrath and he workes repentance as well as gives
there is one and but one Eternal Infinite Unchangeable and Invisible God from whom all things were are for evermore who is alone to be feared and obeyed and to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and to be had in especial reverence of all that come about him But I shall say no more to this trusting none of you will deny it but shall come in the next place to shew you that what is Attributed unto the true God and that which in a proper sence is only meet to be ascribed unto him is also ascribed both unto the Lord Jesus and also to the Holy Spirit Now therefore for the first of these you shall see how pregnant and plainly the Scriptures do acknowledg the Lord Jesus to be God and do give as much honour unto him as is or as can be given to the Father look Isai 6.9 the words are these For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders Here you see plainly that this is spoken of the Lord Jesus and can be applyed to no other Now you shall see what is there further said of him and what Names and Titles are Attributed to him in the following words and his Name shall be called wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace now tell me I pray you what ever was or can be ascribed to the Father more than this to call him The mighty God what can be in that word less than this the acknowledging of him to be the Author and Fountain of might and power likewise to call him The everlasting Father what can it signifie less than his being the first cause of all things and he that by himself alone and his own might and power hath produced them and brought them forth Again look Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty I pray you think of it for my part I cannot see that in these termes beginning and ending first and last as it follows in verse 11. there can be less than the magnifying of himself to be the first cause of all things and the upholder of them to all Eternity and the manifester of himself in them to be even from eternity the only true God for if there had been any other either before him or together with him from Eternity then could he not be called the first and for this word the Almighty it is so full a word to express the Godhead by that I cannot tell where you can find a fuller for if in him be all might then no part of this Almightiness can be found in any other and so much this word the Almighty must needs signifie now if you compare this with vers 17 18. you will clearly see that all this the Lord Jesus speaks of himself and therefore he cannot be less than God Again if you please to look Phil. 2.6 there you will find the Apostle saying that he thought it not robbery to be equal with God but if he had not been truly God indeed it could not have been less than robbery either so to speak or so to think for it is impossible for any created Being that is the Off-spring of God to reckon it self equal with God without committing those most horrible great sins of Pride and Blasphemy and therefore it is most evident that he that thinks it no Robbery to be equal with God cannot be less than God himself and if you please to look in the first Epistle of John chap. 5. Verse 20. there you shall find the name of the True God ascribed to Jefus Christ but no where in all the Scriptures shall you find that the name of the true God is used in a figurative sence but he to whom this honour is given must needs be the most high God Further in John 20.28 there you shall find Thomas acknowledging of him to be both his Lord and his God but if it had not been a Title fully due unto the Lord Jesus both he and Thomas had greatly failed the one in giving and the other in taking this great glory to himself Now I shall come in the next place to shew you that the Holy Spirit also is God and that that which is ascribed unto him in the Scriptures could not be ascribed to him if he were not God First consider what Names and Titles the Holy Spirit taketh unto himself Isai 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy Mark it spray you for any Man to call himself by the Name of the most High and lofty One that is inferior to the most High it is impossible or to ascribe to himself Eternity or the Name of the Holy One that is not the most High and Eternal God it cannot be but this is spoken by the Spirit and that of himself as you may see by that which follows in the next words I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Here you see by the gracious work and Office here undertaken who it is that speaks for it is granted of all men that it is the proper work and office of the Spirit to be the Sanctifier and comforter of the people of God and that it is he which doth refresh and revive and comfort the hearts of poor humble contrite sinners but if men should deny it yet the Scriptures do clearly witness it I will name you but one Text for this Iohn 14.16 17 18. there Christ tells his Disciples That he will pray the Father to send them this Comforter this holy Spirit that should abide with them for ever and dwell both in them and with them and they should not be left comfortless whence you see plainly that the in-dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart is that which doth support and comfort and revive it and he that doth this gracious work for and in the souls of Gods poor people is that high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity which must needs be the only true God But some men may say how can the Holy Spirit be God seeing Christ saith that he will pray the Father to send him and when he comes he shall not speak of himself can he be the Messenger of the Father or of Christ to bring their minds unto the understandings of men and yet be the same true and only God For answer unto this you must know that all the mercy that is or that can be extended unto the sons of Men comes unto them through the mediation of the Lord Jesus and therefore it was necessary that Christ should dye and rise and ascend yea I must tell you if Christ had not gone on and finished the work of
bring him into acceptation with God but only through the worthiness of the Lord Jesus Again there is that weakness in poor man that he is no way able to help himself he can neither repent beleeve nor obey no nor get any Grace into his own heart nor mortifie any Corruption nor of himself find out the way by which any of all these great works should be done but for ought that he can do for himself he is in a necessity of perishing for ever there is no help for him but only in Jesus Christ and if the Lord had not in the riches of his free Grace provided such a Mediator as was able to save to the uttermost sinful man had never been recovered and therefore the Father sent him that was fully able both to justifie and to sanctifie to open the blind eyes and to purge the Conscience and in a word to lay the first and the last stone in the building of Salvation and if God would any way shew his love to poor lost fallen man then must he take this course for there was no other way to do it let us now come to make some use of this Point And in the first place let it serve to provoke the very worst and wickedest of sinners to come to Christ for help and deliverance Beloved you have heard what a Saviour he is therefore I beseech you do not stand to dispute your own badness but how bad soever you be cast your selves upon him for help and to that end that this work may be done throughly and as it ought to be done labour in the first place to know the worst of your own hearts there is many a poor Soul that is afraid to think the worst of himself for fear he should see so much badness as should take off his hopes and discourage him for going to Christ for mercy But I pray you learn to be wiser than so search your hearts to the very bottom and how bad soever that thou findest it yet be sure that thou dost not fail to go to Christ for a cure although thou hast been never so bad worse than Manasseh or any wretch that ever thou readest of or ever heardest of if thou findest thy self upon due search to be the veriest Hypocrite or the veriest enemy to God and godliness that is in the whole world yet let it not keep thee from going to Christ but make so much the more hast by how much thou findest thy self the more wicked and although thy sins be never so great and never so many there is no sin but he can pardon yea and he will pardon it if thou come unto him I say again there is no sin nor sinners if they come to Christ but he will surely be gracious unto them He that comes to me will I in no wise cast out saith the Lord John 6.37 therefore go unto him and be assured he will receive you whatever your Souls diseases be sear not to go unto him with them for he cures all that come unto him see what woful diseases Christ was sent to cure Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised Now I pray you let us a little consider of this text he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel and what is the Gospel why the Gospel is free mercy through the blood of Christ pardon regeneration and salvation yea all the happness that comes to a soul by Jesus Christ this is the Gospel and this Christ was anointed to preach and therefore doing it by the spirit it must needs be truth that he preacheth other men may preach lies but so doth not the fountain of truth you may be sure But who is all this mercy to be preached to saith Christ it is to be preached to the poor and who is poor a man is not accounted poor if he have either land or goods or mony and so it is in spiritual things also one altogether destitude of whatsoever might commend him to God one that hath no purity neither in heart nor life no faith no love no knowledg no mortification nor renewing of mind no delight in God nor his word nor having the light of his countenance shining upon the soul now one that hath none of all this spiritual riches he is poor but he that is inriched with any of these spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ is not poor now I hope you see who Christ was anointed with the spirit to teach the Gospel to but see what follows in the next words to heal the broken hearted saith he and who is that why one that hides his head for debt and owes more then he is worth this man we account a broken man So likewise when a man is through the sight of his undone condition afraid of Arrests and executions from God dayly and knows not where to hide his head being in fear and anguish of spirit Christ was sent you see to heal this spiritually broken estate In the next place he came to preach deliverance to the captives and this is a worse degree of evil when a man is the divils prisoner taken and kept in his snare this is a very sad condition indeed when a man can do nothing but as the devil his keeper will give him leave how can his condition be worse except he were in hell and yet if such a man will but hearken to the word of Christ he shall be sure to be delivered yea but my case is worse then all this may some poor soul say for I am not only the divels prisoner but I have given my self up so to his will and suffered him so to blind mine understanding that now if Christ should come and throw open the prison doors yet shall I never find my way out Yea saith Christ in the next words but I came to open the blind eyes also and although the divell have put them quite out yet suffer me to put but some spitle and clay upon them and I will recover them again take but my direction turn at my reproof at left do not despise it and set it at nought and then be sure I will poure out my spirit and that will fully cure thee Yea but the soul may further object and say I have waited on the Ordinances and endeavoured to get out of the snare of the divel and he hath fetcht me back and beaten me sore when I have but asseyed to get from him so that I see the more I strive the worse I am bruised and therefore there is no hope for me yes saith Christ I came to set at liberty such bruised ones and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord as it follows in the next words and although thou hast waited
years and been bruised by Satan yet be sure the year of Jubile will come when the trumpet shall sound for the diliverance of such bruised captives as thou art See one text more Isaiah 57.17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth saith God And I shewed it to for I smote him saith he Yea but it is like it was but a very geritle stroke for if he had smitten hard it is like the man would have repented and turned yes saith the Lord but I did strike hard for I hid me and was wrath that is a great blow indeed beloved when the Lord hides himself that takes away all comfort and all hope sure the sinner will turn now or never there will be some fruit now of this stroke or else he will be given up as one incureable no saith the text he went on frowardly for all that and how does God deal with this wicked wretch now will he not throw him to hell immediately or if he spare him any longer sure it is but for distruction that will be the end of him No saith God I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him Who would look to hear such gracious words as these from God Oh the riches of his free grace and mercy to old froward wetched sinners therefore fear not to cast your selves upon him although you be never so bad but if you be not able to cast yourselves upon him yet do not run away from him but lie at the Pool I mean the Ordinances and wait on Christ and he will find a time to visit you and to heal you and although you be so lost that you cannot return to him yet be sure you hide not your selves from him and then be sure Christ will not fail to do that good work for which his father sent him namely to seek and to save such lost ones as thou art And in the next place labour to beleeve the promises sir down and consider how many precious promises there be made in the Scriptures to sinners to undodly ones to all the ends of the earth to all comers come whose will and whosoever will let him come and take the water of life freely Revel 22.17 without money or price as Isaiah saith Isaiah 55. that is without any condition of worth on your part in the least degree I have laid many precious promises before you this day already read them over again and say to your selves these promises are held out to me and to such as I am and it is my duty to beleeve them and to apply them to my self do this the very first work you do think not to repent and to humble hy self first but before ever thou goest about that labour to beleeve and be not so foolish as to think to amend either thy heart or thy wayes before thou beleevest It is true I would not go about to perswade you other-wayes but that it is your duty to be humbled and to repent and to cast away all your trangressions and to study to be holy both in body and in spirit and also in conversation but if you think to do any of all these great works before you beleeve you go about a foolish work that will never prosper nor come to any thing for you must receive all that grace and power from Christ by faith through which you are inabled to all that is good and therefore if you would repent or obey or get your hearts changed or your lusts subdued go to Christ and rest upon him for grace to do all these duties And in the third place go to the Lord and ask repentance of him and begg a new heart and what ever else thy soul stands in need of and tell him how great thy wants be and what gracious promises he hath made to sinners and pray him to make them good to thy poor soul But me thinks I hear some poor soul say indeed if I were able to pray it were to be hoped that I might speed but alass I am not able to pray in the spirit and therefore I had as good say nothing I answer no more can young Ravens pray in the spirit and yet God heareth their cry and so he doth hear also the cryes of wicked men else how came Manaseh out of Bahylon 2 Chron. 33.13 also such as are wicked are incouraged to seek the Lord Isaiah 55.6 7. Oh but sayes the poor soul the prayer of the wicked is a bominable therefore how can I pray I answer if indeed thou meanest to go on in the wickedness without any purpose or desire to be better he will not hear in such a case but if thou go to him to be delivered from sin as well as from wrath he will surely hear thy cry and wil help thee Oh but the scripture saith that if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me To this I answer if indeed thou do regard iniquity thou must not look to be heard but the question is what it is to regard iniquity now I will tell you that man that goes to God with a forme of words and with them thinks to please him but hath no desire at all to ask nor yet to receive any help against sin but resolves to live and continue in that still this man regards iniquity but on the other hand that man that hath lusts that he cannot master but yet he would be well content if the Lord would be pleased to subdue them for him and there is no request that he hath more desire to be heard in then in this that he might be delivered from his beloved sin Now this man doth nor regard iniquity although it may be strong in him But if he cry to the Lord for help he will surely hear his cry and will save him But if thou judgest that thou canst not pray yet ask for mercy for all that there is a sweet text in the Prophesie of Hoseah 14.2 the Lord tels wicked men there what they shall say to him for you most know that this Prophesie was sent to Israel in there backslidden and Idolatrous estate and yet the Lords goodness is such that he perswades them to return and seek for mercy but he takes it for granted that they cannot pray for it and therefore he tels them what they shall say take with you words and say untu hom saith the Prophet take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Mark it I pray you if they had had a spirit of prayer the Lord need not have bidden them take words to them and say receive us for where a spirit of prayer is there it helpeth our infirmities and reacheth us to make request according to the will of God as it is Rom. 8.26 27. if we have the spirit it will sufficiently open our minds unto our father but if we have it not then let us take words to us and
and mercy of God that shines forth in the works of God Add to this the consideration of the great provocations wherewith he is provoked every day by them he hath done all these great things for how many oaths lies unclean and covetous cruel and abominable evils of all kindes are committed every day by them and yet the Lord is patient and kind for all that Oh be perswaded to mind his dayly compassions that are so clearly manifested that you may learn to love and trust in him and that you may be drawn to repentance remember that the long suffering bounty and goodness of God is extended for that very end therefore abuse it not Again if you would cast your eyes abroad and take notice of the works of God that he is doing dayly it would much help you in the understanding of his justice wisdom mercy al seeing eye over the world Beloved there be evident demonstrations of the Lords warchfull eye and care over the saints when they have been under oppression and have cried to God he hath seen their affliction and heard their cry and hath marvellously delivered them and hath brought down their oppressors when they have been too mighty for men to deal withal and hath given them such a reward of their tyranny sometimes that whosoever did but observe the judgement might wel know from whence the stroke came and for what cause it is not for want of the Lords manifesting of himself that he is no more known in the world but it is our want of taking notice of his works that makes us ignorant of him Next I pray you consider his word for there he hath more plainly revealed himself make therefore the Scriptures your constant study you have there very many descriptions and characters of God and of the Lord Jesus I pray you labour to understand them you have a very notable discription of God in Exod. 3.15 there he cals himself the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and tels us that this is his name and his memorial unto all generations note it I pray you well that you may know him by it But you will say it may be what is it to us that he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob how shall we know him ever the better for this name Yes Beloved you may know the Lord much the better for this name if you consider this that Abraham Isaac and Jacob were true Beleevers it is as much as if he should tell you that he will be the God of all those that walk in the steps of these men so that whosoever beleeves and comes to God with uprightness of heart depending upon him for strength to walk in the steps of Abraham he will be the God of such a one and what is it to have God to be our God that you shall fee is a great blessing it is as much as if he should tell us that all the sufficiency that is in himself his power wisdom mercy truth and all his goodness it shall be exercised and put forth for our good Another Name that God ascribes to himself who best knows his own Name we find in Exod. 63. there the Lord tels Israel that although their fathers knew him not by his Name Jehovah yet they should know him by this Name that is as much as to say I am he that have my Being of my self and I give Being to all things else and I give a Being to my Word and that you shall see for I will make my promises good unto you you shall see the sulfilling of them Oh if this Name of God were known and beleeved in how would it advance godliness in the hearts and lives of men if men did beleeve that he would give a Being to his promisses how would they trust in him and likewise if they did beleeve that he would give Being to his threatenings they would learn to fear him and to give up themselves to holiness Likewise I pray you labour to know Christ and to mind the ends of his coming he hath the name of a Saviour labour to understand the meaning thereof whether he came to Save men from Hell only or to save them from sin likewise or whether he came to take away some sin or all sins and to bring every thought into the obedience of his will and whether he is not a Prince as well as a Saviour and wil reign in the consciences and rule and order the conversation of those that he will save I am not now so much a teaching you the knowledg of God as a endeavouring to perswade you to study the word of God and to make it your business to get the knowledge of God and of his Son Jesus Christ I have laid before your eyes in some measure the preciousness of this jewel I pray you labour to get it with all your gettings get knowledge and increase in it dayly for it is a pearl of great worth But it may be that some of you may say that if knowledg were so excellent a thing as I would make it wherefore then doth Solomon that had so much of it and knew it so well speak of it as he doth Eccles 1.18 For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth knowledg increaseth sorrow The answering of this would take up too much time I shall therefore leave it to the after-noon Let us commend what hath been said to the blessing of the Almighty THE THIRD EXERCISE John 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent THese words have been opened already and in part appiled I will not stand to repeate but begin where I left You know I was come to answer an Objection that might seem to be grounded on the words of the Preacher Now I shall shew you how this Doctrine and that text are fairly reconciled together a man that knows God may easily procure to himself sorrow by his knowledg and yet knowledg is not a tittle the lesse worth for all that A person that knows God and walks up to his knowledg wisely and holily shall never want enemies that either with open force or by secret practises will work him sorrow enough as you may see in the case of David in the 1 of Samuel 18.14 15. And David behaved himself wisely in all his wayes and the Lord was with him And what does this procure to David will not Saul love him and honour him now no saith the text When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely he was afraid of him and what then why then he must have Sauls elder daughter to ingage him to such a service as might cause him to fall by the hand of the Philistines and then he must have at last his younger daughter that she might be a snare unto him and when al this would not do then Saul becomes his open enemy
not unlawful such a reward may be received neither do I speak as if there were no lawfulness in any remove I know it is lawful when a mans work and not his wages is the cause thereof I shall say no more to this because I am not speaking to an Auditory of Preachers but I intreat you al to look to your hearts that you use your knowledg not for the advancing of your selves in the world but for the glory of God the good of your own souls and the good of the souls of others learn by it more to fear and to trust in the Lord dayly learn to delight in him by it and let it be a means of bringing you into a neerer communion with him every day and forget not to communicate your knowledge to others but be distilling of it dayly into their souls it is true ignorant ones should be asking their fathers and their elders and such as can teach them Deut. 32.7 but seeing they are commonly backward to their duty therefore every knowing person should be wisely and humbly forward to draw them to the knowledg of him Another duty you must be intreated to take special notice of is this if you professe to know God remember to live holily you are ingaged to it eminently therefore I yray you above all things let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel and let every one of you that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim 2.19 The Apostle Titus 1.16 speaks of a sort of men that professe to know God but in works they deny him being abominable saith he and well may he say so for it is abominable indeed to know God and to carry ones self as if they had never heard or known that there is a God I beseech you take heed that none of you be found among that abominable nūber but let your works manifest that you are such as doe indeed know the Lord it concerns every one of you to shine as lights in this present evil world you have no other way to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men at lest no way without this although you speak never so knowingly and holily that will not serve the turn actions speak lowder then words therefore I pray you let us study holiness without it we cannot see the Lord hereafter nor please him here without it we shall do no good in the world nor draw any ignorant ones to the knowledg of God or love of his truth but contrarily you will be a means to drive men from Christ and to cause them to abhor his truth without holiness you neither will nor can be of any better use in the world then to be stumbling blocks for blind men to tumble over into hell therefore let us cast away every work of darkness and put on the whole armor of light studying to be holy in all manner of conversation and bring forth those fruits of humility patience justice mercifulness love self-denial and the rest of the fruits of the spirit that the world may see that God is in you of a truth and that they may be able to say these men do indeed direct us into the path that leads to eternal life but if you walk contrary to holiness you will do no good but hurt with all your knowledg the better you talk the more mischief you will do the world will be apt to think there is no beleeving you whatever you say but the better you speak of God the more they will question whether there be a God or no for say they if these men did beleeve as they speak would they live as they do therefore if you would not be instruments to bring the world into stark Atheisme live holily if this follow not namely there turning Atheists yet that wil follow which is bad enough the world wil certainly conclude that you are hypocrites and that you have your bad ends in all your good words and so they will be brought to have an evil opinion of all your undertakings and so you will be in no capacity to do them any good therefore I pray you consider and beware of all those sins that will procure so much mischief especially beware of those sins the World is so apt to charge upon you it is a charge the World hath had against professors this thirty years and more in my knowledg that they are a proud people and none so covetous as they and that they be uncharitable and do no good in the World Now I pray you Brethren consider whether this be true or no if this be a slander then you may bear it the better but if your proud carriage covetous words or actions close-fistedness and the like have procured this report then I beseech you repent and let your attire be below your Rank rather than above it let your words and actions be free from Covetousness give not the World occasion any more to speak or to think so hardly of you abound more in doing good according unto your ability and let no more such complaints be heard by your means it were better a great deal that you were out of the World than that you should live in it to bring forth such fruit as will cause the Gospel to have an evill savour in the World There is one duty more that I would intreat you to mind if the knowledg of God and of Christ be of so great use then let us not forget to be thankful that he is pleased to afford us such a gracious means of knowledg as the Word of Truth is Oh consider of the greatness of his Mercy that the Lord should be pleased to write so many plain and gracious characters of his great and glorious Name and send it to us and that we should at least see so much of his back parts as may incourage and inable us to beleeve and that he should so preserve the Scriptures as he hath done although they have gone through so many foul hands and he hath very plainly manifested the ends of our Lord Jesus Christs coming into the World and thereby opened a door of Salvation unto us poor unworthy sinners this should cause us to exalt his Name and tell forth his praises and wonderful works with rejoycing that we may affect the hearts of others and cause them to love the Lord and to trust in him for ever Vse 5. I have but one Use more to make of this Point and that is a word to Men that know not God I must let you know that it is your duty to be thankful also and although you do not know the Father nor the Son yet that you might have known them and may yet possibly come to know them it is a great mercy and although you care not to know him yet it is his mercy nevertheless in affording you so gracious a means of knowledg I say although you neither do nor will know him yet is he merciful
Redemption as well as undertook it I say if Christ should have left the work in the midst as his poor Disciples through their ignorance would have had him there could never have been so great a mercy extended neither to them not to any others as the coming of the Holy Spirit and therefore our Lord tells them he must go or else the Comforter will not come now the reason wherefore the Spirit is said to be sent to do so many good Offices for the Saints is not to make us think that he is an inferior Messenger but to let us know that all that joy and comfort peace and sanctification and in a word all that Grace that is extended through the Divine operation of the Holy Spirit it all comes unto us through the blood-shedding of our Lord Jesus Christ and truly my Brethren if you do but consider the work of the Spirit in the hearts of Men me thinks it is enough to convince you or any knowing men in the world that he that doth it must needs be God If a man be but an experienced man and doth but mind the great blindness that is in the mind and the hardness that is in the heart and doth but consider how the soul is in slaved under the power of sin and Sathan living in the love and service of Wickedness being alienated from the life of God being far from the fear and love of him having no delight in his Commandements but being ungodly and graceless dead in trespasses and sins and then on the other hand considers what an Estate the soul must be brought unto before it can be fit for eternal communion with God If a person do but thus mind the greatness of the work the Spirit is to do in taking away the filth and pollution of the heart and cleansing the whole man from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and the renuing of the soul in knowledg and holiness and making it meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Now I say what man that hath Prayed and fasted and watched and used all the means he can and yet finds in what a frame his heart continueth how far from that purity and God-like-ness that one day he hopeth to enjoy but now which way could a man expect it if he that had undertaken the work were not infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness for my part I look upon this work as the greatest of all those wonderful works that God hath done or hath promised to do and therefore it is not likely that the greatest of all works should be laid upon the shoulders of him that is less than God Again if you look Psalm 139. there you shall find that the Prophet ascribes both Omni-presence and the searching of the heart unto the Holy Spirit which plainly speaks out his being God and Rom. 9 1. you find Paul calling the Holy Ghost to bear witness of the truth of his heart sorrow for his Brethren the Israelites which plainly proves that he is God See two Texts for this 1 King 8.39 For thou even thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men the same words you have in 2 Chron. 6.30 in both which places you see it is the peculiar prerogative of the only true God to know the hearts of the sons of men and I think no man is or at least should be so weak as to think the Apostle would call him to bear witness of the truth of the heart that doth not understand and know the heart I shall name you but one Text more for this and that is Luke 1.35 And the Angel answered and said unto her the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Here you see that the Holy Spirit is called the highest and I think a title beyond this is not given any where nor cannot be given to the only true God but besides the Angel tells Mary that the Holy Ghost shall come upon her and by the power of him she should conceive and therefore this Son of hers should be called the Son of God Now therefore me thinks this should put the business beyond all dispute for if the Holy Spirit be the Father of our Lord Jesus sure he cannot be less than the only true God But it may be you will say unto me How shall all this that I have said be reconciled Can the Father be God and the Son be God and the Holy Spirit be God and yet there be but one only true God Beloved I pray you do not cast away an Opinion because it is old neither do I perswade you to receive it therefore but measure all Opinions both old and new by the measuring line of Truth the Word of God unto which I shall leave you for the tryal of this great mystery of godliness and shall commend two Texts more unto you for the reconciling of what hath been said the one is in 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mysterie of godliness God was manifest in the flesh Here me thinks the Apostle shews you how all this is reconcileable God was manifest in the flesh saith he not the Godhead of Christ without the Father and without the Spirit but God saith He was manifested in the flesh that is the God-head as it is written Iohn 10.30 I and my Father are one not only in communion as some may think but also in union and One-ness as it is plain Iohn 14 9 10 11. another Text you have in Col. 2.3 9. In whom speaking of Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Mark it I pray you if all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg be hid in Christ then are you like to find none of them out of him but all the wisdom of the Father and of the Spirit it will be all found in Christ as it followeth here in verse 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God head bodily I know not how you can have more express and plain words all the fulness of the Father and of the Spirit if that be the fulness of the God-head you see dwells in Christ that is it hath such a real union an One-ness with the humane nature of the Lord Jesus that in Act. 20.28 his Blood is there called the Blood of God I shall leave these Texts of Scriptures to your serious consideration and proceed no further at this time but leave the Application till the Afternoon THE FIFTH EXERCISE John 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I Have in the morning from these words as you know opened the Doctrine of the God-head unto you a work which I have not been forward in nor should I have medled with it being a work of an high nature and requireth the
man can never be disappointed by trnsting in him for he is a Rock on whom you may rest with full assurance all those that trust in him shall never be ashamed therefore trust in him at all times and for all things that your souls stand in need of you may go to him for it not only by Prayer but also by dependance whatever your wants be whether you want pardoning or purging mercy or sanctifying grace or outward things in all cases whatsoever trust perfectly and fully upon him without fear for a supply of all your wants for he is the only true God that is to say he is the fulness and perfection of all power wisdom mercy truth and goodness whatsoever and one that can no more disappoint the soul that trusteth in him than he can cease to be God but I beseech you take heed that you trust in no other person nor thing whatsoever but only in him for if you do you commit Idolatry against him therefore set up no other gods to your selves I pray you see what the Prophet saith to this case Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord here you may see how this sin is cursed of trusting in man it would make one tremble to fall under the curse of the Holy Spirit what is the matter that procureth this Curse why the sin is trusting in man and that is a very grievous sin for it is a making flesh his arm that is his strength and that is to set up another god as you may see in the words following and whose heart departeth from the Lord mark it I pray you when a man depends upon the Creature for any thing that is proper for God to give this is to ascribe that to the Creature which is due to God and it is a very high degree of sin to depart from the Lord and that in heart and to rest upon the Creature for help instead of God it is plainly to deny him and to honour the Crearure and that in heart with the greatest honour that can be given to the Lord for it is to acknowledg the Creature to have both power and mercy to help in time of need and to deny it to be found in God see Psalm 62.10 11 12. If riches encrease set not your hearts upon them but what if we should wherein lies the sin note it I pray you the sin is great and lies in this that a man saith in his heart there is both power and mercy in Riches to help me and this saith the Prophet only belongeth unto God as it followeth in the next words Now therefore I pray you trust in nothing but in the living God neither for spiritual nor for temporal things Oh I depend neither upon Friends nor Riches no nor yet upon wisdom nor strength nor trade nor any thing in the world that is below the only true God But you will say what is it to trust in these things I would not willingly do it for I know it is a sin I answer when a man promiseth himself comfort from any thing whatsoever he trusteth in it let him say what he will to the contrary as for example when a man thinketh thus in his heart I have a Friend that will not see me want or I have a good Trade or so much Riches or Land therefore it shall go well with me this man trusteth in these things or whosoever promiseth himself Bread to eat or Clothes to put on from any other ground save only this the power mercy and truth of God he having undertaken to provide for him trusteth in that thing whatever it is therefore let Rich men especially remember Pauls charge in 1 Tim. 6.17 and look well to their hearts that they do not trust in their Riches no not for Bread for to morrow but only in the promises of the living and only true God The fourth duty that you owe to this only true God is obedience this use Moses makes of this point Deut. 4.39.40 the Lord saith he s God both in Heaven and in earth there is none else and what follows Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his Commandements I pray you observe it his Commandements must be obeyed that is all of them you must obey for if you should obey some of them and leave the rest undone the Lord would never take it well at your hands no Beloved you must give up your selves to walk universally obedient unto all the Commandements He that shall break one of the least of them Mat. 5.19 shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven that is that shall allowedly and wilfully break the least of them God looks to be obeyed in all things whatsoever you know to be a duty although it be never so small or never so contemptible you must yeild obedience to it or whatever you can come to know to be a duty hereafter you must have your hearts in a ready frame to obey when you do come to know or can come to know more or whatever you know or can come to know to be a sin you must avoid and mortifie there must be no bearing with any sin no nor with any corruption if it bring never so much profit or never so much pleasure all must be cast away that is contrary to his most holy will and all this is to be done willingly or else the Lord accepteth it not the Lord looks for the whole heart and therefore if you do dot willingly and in love to God yeild up your selves to live to him in all things he will not account it sincere obedience And as you must take heed you obey no sin so likewise you must obey no Creature but in the Lord therefore if the Magistrate or thy Husband Master or Father Landlord or whosoever commandeth thee to do any thing that is not according to the will of God let this be an everlasting Law to thee in all such cases obey God rather than men but if any that hath authority over thee shall command any thing which is lawful and may be done without scruple of Conscience in all such cases thou art to yeild ready and willing obedience unto them as unto Christ And the last but not the least duty that I shall now press upon you is this Take heed that you learn of no man or men what worship you must give unto God nor after what manner it must be performed but learn all this of the Lord himself get a ground from the Scriptures for all the Doctrines that you receive for truth I say get a ground for them in your own understandings and all the wo ship of God both for matter and manner and all the circumstances thereof see that it be grounded upon the word of truth if you would be sure not to commit Idolatry then take heed of being lead by the judgements of men in any of
easily he is tempted finding his own heart alwayes ready to betray him into the Tempters hands this is indeed enough to work amazing thoughts and to drive a person to utter despair if it were not for that ground of hope we have in Jesus Christ but here is a strong ground of considence in this that Christ hath undertaken to save men from sin and to subdue it and that he hath provided weapons to pull down Sathans strongest holds and to bring under every lust though never so strong and high so that there shall not be an imagination or a thought but Christ can and will conquer and bring into subjection by the power of his Spirit yea his business into the world was to purge the Conscience from dead works and to cleanse and purifie the soul from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to purge us from our very Idols Now therefore consider how great the goodness of God is to put this work into the hands of Christ alass if it had been left in our hands it would never have been done but he hath undertaken it himself and therefore it will prosper Again another end of our Lord Jesus his coming into the world is to comunicate the graces of his Spirit to all that come to him for them John 1.16 and Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him saith the Text here you see upon what terms you may obtain the Holy Spirit it is but going to Christ to ask it he hath promised it and he cannot deny it for he is truth it self and cannot deny himself it is impossible Again Jesus Christ came to bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.10 Mark it I pray you his coming hath brought life and immortality that is as much as to say he hath brought an immortal crown of life and glory yea may some poor soul say it is a good portion indeed if a man knew which way to come to inherit it but alass I do not know which way I can come by this blessed inheritance that is answered in the next words he hath brought it to light through the Gospel that is as much as if he should say he came also to bring a Gospel that should bring light with it unto the understandings and souls of men Beloved it is not promised to men whether they attend to the Gospel or no therefore deceive not your own hearts but if you do attend on the Gospel and take its direction it will bring that light into thy soul that will bring thee to see how to come to enjoy this blessed inheritance there be many precious promises of the like nature in the Scriptures look Prov. 2.6 first verses and do but consider them there is a plain promise that if you use the same diligence in praying and seeking for this spiritual riches as men use to do for temporal Riches you shall be sure to find it and the ground of this is because that out of the mouth of the Lord cometh knowledg and understanding it is not therefore because a man makes diligent search and so deserveth it no nor yet because it lyeth either in his diligence or the Ordinances unavoidably but because the grace and love of God is such that he sent Jesus Christ for that very end that whosoever would be but perswaded to wait upon him in the use of the means appointed by him for that end and purpose should not miss of that grace and sweet advantage to his poor soul another end of his coming is to tread down Sathan under our feet so that although he be full of subtilty and craft and strength and makes use of all the means and instruments he can yet shall he never be too hard for that soul that comes to Christ for Refuge no although the poor soul be laden with ignorance lust hardness of heart and unbelief too and never so many sinful and soul-destroying diseases if he do but come to Christ in good earnest and desire him to deliver him he wil certainly do it nay if when Christ knocks at the door of a sinners heart to bid him stand up from the dead and he will deliver him out of the paw of the Devil if then I say you shut not Christ out of door and bid him depart from thee and tell him thou desirest not the knowledg of his wayes I say again if thou deal not thus with him it is the proper work for which Christ came to seek out lost sinners and to save them and therefore he will not be wanting to do it again he came to be a fellow-feeler of our infirmities that he might know what it is to suffer adversity and to be tempted to the end he might be a merciful High Priest and might minister that help comfort and strength which would be needful upon all occasion therefore you may be sure that whatever your souls distress is whether it be sin sorrow temptation or of what kind soever there is help for you in Christ if you do not neglect it or refuse it but you must know also that Christ came to command sinners to Repent and Beleeve and obey him and if you shall for the love of pleasure or profit wilfully refuse the offers of his Grace you must know he came with Authority to execute judgement in all such cases and thus much for this present THE SEVENTH EXERCISE John 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent YOu know that in the morning I came to speak to this third general head of Doctrine in the Text namely the sending of Jesus Christ and I have shewed you who sent him and from whence he came and what he was sent to do all that I shall now add to that I have said already is only this that as the Father hath sent him to take upon him these three great Offices King Priest and Prophet so he hath furnished him with power and ability to do all the work that doth belong unto these Offices therefore you need not fear to cast your burthen upon the Lord for God hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psalm 89.19 Isai 63.1 one strong enough to break down the power of all your enemies sin lust snare temptation or whatever else lies in the way of your peace he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Heb. 7 25. Now the reason of this wherefore it was necessary for Christ to be sent of the Father for the doing of this great work is this such is the helplesness of poor fallen man he is so dead in Trespasses and sins and in so miserable and lost a condition that nothing but the free Grace of God in Christ can possibly help him for he in himself is so utterly unworthy of any mercy that there is no other way to
vanities of this world and the letting of the golden oppertunities slip in which you should make sure eternal life Beloved the most lawful and the most excellent injoyments that you can meet withall under the sun what are they but very husks and doggs-meat nay drosse and dung in comparison of that eternal inheritance which is surely kept for all them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Think of it I pray you and be not so wilfully foolish and mad as to lose this blessed and rich portion for any present pleasures or profits whatsoever although they may seem never so sweet if you should see a man in the time when his harvest is ripe run up and down to catch butterflies or go every day to the woods a nutting till his corn were loft would you not think this man to be worse then a fool beloved so foolish yea ten thousand times more foolish is that man that shall gain the whole world and all the glory of it with the losse of eternall life now therefore once more I beseech you as you love your own poor souls mind what I have said unto you Beloved your own happiness and comfort only is concerned in it as for the Lord you cannot hurt him neither will he lose any glory although you should be eternally condemned and parish and as for me althovgh I should be glad and exceedingly rejoice that you might reap the fruit and comfort of all my labours and that upon this account we might all rejoice together in the day of Christ yet if you do not but foolishly and wickedly forsake your own mercies I pray you take notice that I know the losse will be your own and I shall receive my reward according to my labour 1 Cor. 3.8 whether you profit by it or no and although Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord saith the Prophet Isaiah 49.5 Now therefore consider that your own eternal welfare meerly is concerned in it and if that which I have said will not prevail with you I cannot help it I shall to this text speak no more but commend you and what I have said unto you unto him that is able to blesse you and that also delighteth to pour down blessings FINIS Signes of a Dying Christian Signe I. WHen you are so indifferent to assemble that you can come or you cannot come Signe II. When in your purest worship you are quickly weary Signe III. When you care not to hear one matter often though sutable truth Signe IV. When few Sermons will please you either you like not matter or manner or man Signe V. When you think that you know enough you may think hat you know enough upon these deceivable accounts 1 When you measure what you know by your own oyes or light you think that you know enough not measuring what you know by the rule of Knowledge the word of God 2 When you measure what you know by what once you did know not considering that further light forceth further knowledg cals for proportionable practise 3 When you measure what you know by what you see others that profess to know do what they do 4 When you measure what you know by what you are disposed to practice or do picking or choosing such commands of God as like you 5 When you measure not what you know by what God in his word calls you to do Signs how you may know you are clothed with this spirit of Deceit 1. When you have a low value of that meanes that under God first brought you to know 2. When you are mighty prodigall of what you know thinking no matter well managed that you have not most voice in 3 When you please your selves with the thought that few or none outstrip you in knowledg having a secret scorn to compare your selves with any 4 When in all things material you are not careful to take counsel of God before you bring matters to action Signe VI. When a smal offence will keep you from Christs Table Signe VII When you have no great mind to prayer in which there is necessity and excellency lets helps Necessity 1. from Command 2 From the Example 3 The Provision 4 The importunity 5 The Danger 6 the Advantage It s Excellency First it engageth Gods strength 2 It holdeth with holy reverence Gods hands 3 It makes every condition savory or sweet 4 In no condition we can be barr'd from it Letts 1 Wandring thoughts 2 Presumption in an unreverent adventuring before the Lord 3 Bosom fin or pleasant delight in some secret Lust 4 VVant of reconciliation to Brethren 5 Despairing doubts of being answer'd Helps to Prayer for say some I would but I cannot Pray I want words when I go to my Knees all I can do is but to sigh 1 From the necessity and excellency of Prayer labour to get a feeling of the necessity and excellency so as that thy heart goeth under a grievous burden because thou canst not pray 2 Study much to be sensible of your great want of Gods daily help 3 Consider God hath provided no way for you to acqualnt him with your wants but Prayer and if you cannot pray how will you make your Complaints to God 4 Consider that all your mercies become blessings to you no other way but through Prayer 5 Consider what a miserable condition wil yours be if cast into the Lyons Den VVhales Belly or the Stocks 6 Intreat Jesus Christ to teach you to Pray Signe VIII VVhen you have no great delight in reading the Holy Scriptures ignorance whereof brings these six Calamities 1 It makes you in a wilderness when sickness and affliction comes because you will not know how and why they come 2 Ignorant that your uneven walking with God may bring upon your selves death before its time 3 Ignorant how to ask in Faith the things you want for soul or body 4 Ignorant wherein you may prevent the presence and comforts of Gods Holy Spirit 5 Ignorant that there is a Legion of evil Spirits waiting hourly to take advantage against you 6 Ignorant that you may hinder Gods holy Spirit from doing any effectual work upon your souls Signe IX VVhen you are mighty inquisitive after novelties rather than wholsome Doctrine Signe X. VVhen you can hear of foul miscarriages in others with little or no heart remorse Signe II. VVhen in your comings together your talk is not savory and Heavenly Signe XII VVhen you are so little prepared for the solemn Assemblies as that they come before you think of them or long for them Signe XIII When you come to the Assembly more for fear of Brethrens eye than Christs eye Signe XIV VVhen the decay in Christs house less troubles you than the decay in your own house Signe XV. VVhen you can see Christs Children stoop with trouble and you not sympathize with them Signe XVI VVhen you will rather betray the Name of Jesus and the credit of his Gospel by your silence than appear for it to your own suffering and disparagement Signe XVII VVhen at a smal offence you are so impatient that you commit great sin Signe XVIII VVhen you are more careful to get the words of Christs people than the Spirit of Christs people the form than the power Signe XIX VVhen you are not much troubled at your own miscarriages while they are kept from publick view Signe XX. VVhen you love least those Brethren that deal most faithfully with you Signe XXI VVhen under more than ordinary troubles you are not more than ordinary in Prayer Signe XXII VVhen you are mighty careless to enquire after the spiritual cause of affliction and mighty careful to enquire after the natural cure Signe XXIII VVhen you pray more for afflictions being removed than sanctified Signe XXIV VVhen under Gods calamity you can neither find necessity nor excellency to humble your selves by fasting Signe XXV VVhen Gods Rod worketh so little upon your hearts that you can neither tell wherefore it s come nor what good it hath done Signe XXVI VVhen you have an evil eye to your fellow Brethren because they outgrow you Signe XXVII When the thoughts of your dearest Lust or any sin is pleasing to you Signe XXVIII When you are mighty curious about the lesser matters of Gods Law but mighty careless about the weightier Signe XXIX When the Holy Spirits help to the great work of Mortification seems not of absolute need to you XXX When you are so ignorant of your spiritual standing that you know not whether you grow or decay FINIS