health thine estare that thy body is not full of boiles that thy house was not on fire about thee in the night that it falls not upon thee and thy children in the day dost thou not know that this is from the good providence of God dost thou not know that Satan is a roaring Lion seeking whom hee may devoure Do you think the devil is so kinde to thee or any one that hee spares thee out of love or do you think that he wants power to cast down thy house or smite thee with boils or bring down fire from heaven hee did these things to Job and who is that that restrains him Hast thou any iron chains that can hold this roaring Lion What weapons offensive or defensive against this enemy Well then bless God for those temporal blessings which thou hast for it is evident that it is not thou that makest an hedge about thy selfe and all that thou hast but God 2. If thou canst finde no positive spiritual mercies to bless God for then bless him for those that are privative or negative as for example Canst thou not see any evident cause to bless God for giving thee grace yet bless God for keeping thee from such and such sins in this sense thou mayest humbly bless God that thou art no adulterer no murtherer no blasphemer as to the outward acts of them let not God loose the praise that is due to him for his preserving of thee from such abominations and let thy heart bee much affected and highly prize these spiritual preservations 3. If thou canst not find any distinguishing spiritual mercies then bless him for common spiritual mercies If thou canst not finde any such mercies that distinguisheth thee from Reprobates bless God for those that distinguish thee from Turks Jewes Heathens viz. that thou hast been born and brought up where the Gospel is profest purely spiritually frequently preached 4. If you can finde no grace in your self yet bless God for the graces of others Do you not finde your heart sometimes inlarged with joy and thankfulness when you hear of such or such an eminent Christian for the grace that God hath given them And if you can finde your hearts affected with Gods preserving of you from sin and with the light of the Gospel and with the graces of others bee of good comfort it is a singular sign of grace in thy self For I may say as Epictetus did in somewhat the like case Others are sick so am I others are poor so am I but I willingly His sickness nor poverty did not distinguish him from others but his willing submission did So others that are wicked men God preserves them from many sins gives them to live in the light of his Gospel and they see and know others that are holy but they do not blesse God for these things nor prize them above all other temporal blessings 5. In case you should not finde any thing or not bee affected with any thing that hee hath done for you as in some sad times of desertion it may come to pass partly from their great undervaluing of all things that are nor distinguishing mercies as also from their ignorance that any such mercies belong to them yet in such cases wee must remember that we must give the Lord that glory that is due to his name Psalm 29.2 96.8 If thou canst finde nothing to bless God for wherein hee hath been good to thee bless him for his own Excellencies for that goodness which hee hath and is in himself If thou canst not bless him for the new name that hee hath given to thee If thou canst not bless him for thy name yet give him the glory due to his name If thou canst not bless him for his promises because thou thinkest they do not belong to thee yet bless him for his Attributes and Excellencies and give him that glory that thou knowest belongs to him for by thy admiring and adoring God for his own Excellencies thy heart will bee brought in frame and disposed for the manifestations of his love to thee Now I will help you a little in this matter shewing you how you may act the admirings and adorings of God in those Attributes of Eternity Power Wisdome Goodness for as for his truth as long as thou canst not perceive thy interest in any promise the faithfulness of God being a meer relative Attribute it will little affect thee 1. Think with thy self and say from everlasting to everlasting thou art God think of his eternity and thou shalt quickly finde that it is such an Ocean that thou canst neither fathom or see the shore of it for the thoughts of Eternity are overwhelming thoughts and when thou findest that thy thoughts are at a loss and that God dwells in thick darkness then cry out and say Lord manifest thy self unto us for as long as thy thoughts are able to master their work when their object is God they are neither worthy of him nor able to affect thee until they come to bee lost in admiration in admirings and adorings of God they are little better than Idolatry for thou thinkest of God as of a creature 2. For the power of God consider that standing miracle in setting the Sands as bounds to the Sea that though the waters thereof lie on heaps and notwithstanding all those tempests and stormes that make the Sea rage yet the Sand is a rope which can binde it nothing sets bounds to the Sea further If you consider how that the devils notwithstanding their number and their strength cannot do any thing without his leave their malice certainly against God is so great that they would not do any thing that God would have them to do if they could tell how to help it Further if wee consider how that all things were made by God of nothing without the least labour or help or instruments to think that all that God did to create light was his saying Let there bee light that all things should obey him is not comparably so wonderful as that nothing it self should obey him and that hee should call and command those things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 Well might the Heathens say That all the praise and high expressions that all the Poets used in the praise of their gods came not neer that one expression of Moses when hee said Let there bee light and there was light 3. For the Wisdome of God consider how infinite it was by these particulars 1. That God should make this world consisting of such innumerable variety of creatures and they of so many parts as for example mans body of how many parts bones veins nerves sinews arteries c. so wee may say of all birds fishes beasts trees c. Now for God to make all these without any pattern at first without consulting as wee consult for the first thoughts that ever God had for contriving the world were his last for God did not
dishonour Christ whom God hath exalted far above all heavens and given him a name above all names that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and hath set him on his right hand and will that all men shall honour the Sonne as they honor the Father Upon this Theodotius calls back Amphilochius and receiveth him into favour calls in his Edicts that gave liberty to the Arrians Thus God honours them that honour Christ A Christian Matron of excellent parts and piety languishing long under the pressure of hideous temptations wofully at length yeelded to dispair and oft times attempted the destruction of her self and after often and curious seeking occasion for that bloody fact at last getting upon a rock that hung over into the Sea putting off her apparrel shee threw her self headlong into the same but receiving no hurt by her fall shee was there miraculoussy preserved for the space of two hours labouring all that while industriously to drown her self after which time being found and with much difficulty drawn forth and recovered shee did yet conflict with that extremest desperate horrour almost a whole year after But at length by Gods Providence listening on a time though very unwillingly at first to her Husband reading that Text Isaiah 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy 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 by little and little abundance of spiritual comfort flowed into her heart in which condition shee continued many years after even until her death which fell out Anno Christi 1595 Bolton Mrs. Katherine Brettergh upon her death-bed was assaulted with most grievous temptations which made her cry out that a roaring wilderness of Wo was within her that her sins had made her a prey to Satan and wished that shee had never been born or that she had been made any other creature rather than a woman crying Wo wo wo c. a weak a woful a wretched a forsaken woman but at length by Gods wonderful mercy shee recovered such comfort that in the ravishments of spirit shee cryed out O Lord Jesus doest thou pray for mee O blessed and sweet Saviour how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful are thy mercies O! thy love is unspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with mee O Lord my God blessed bee thy name for evermore which hast shewed mee the path of life Thou didst O Lord hide thy face from mee for a little season but with everlasting mercy thou hast compassion on mee and now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea thou art come to thy hand-maid with fulness of joyes and abundance of consolations O the joyes the joys the joys that I feel in my soul Oh they be wonderful they bee wonderful they bee wonderful O Lord I feel thy mercy and I am assured of thy love and so certain am I of thy love as thou art the God of truth even so sure do I know my self to bee thine and this my soul knoweth right well O blessed bee the Lord O blessed bee the Lord that hath thus comforted mee O the joy the joy the delight some joy that I feel O! praise the Lord for his mercies and for this joy which my soul feeleth full well praise his Name for evermore Mr. Peacock a blessed servant of God being in horrour of conscience recounting some smaller sins burst out into these words And for these now saith he I feel an hell in my conscience and afterwards groaning most pitteously hee cryed out O mee pitteous wretch Oh! mine heart is miserable Oh! oh miserable and woful the burthen of my sin lyeth so heavy upon mee I doubt it will break my heart Oh how woful and miserable is my state that thus must converse with Hell-hounds being asked whether hee would pray hee answered I cannot Then they said Let us pray for you Take not replyed he the Name of God in vain by praying for a Reprobate But after a while this tempest of temptation being over Truly said hee my heart and foul hath been far led and deeply troubled with temptations and many inconsiderate speeches have flowed from mee in the same for which I humbly and heartily ask mercy of God I now finde that the Sea is not more full of water nor the Sun of light than the Lord of mercy yea his mercies are ten thousand times more What great cause have I to magnifie the goodnesse of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched miscreant and of so base a condition to an estate so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured mee with his goodness I am sure he hath provided a glorious Kingdome for mee the joy that I feel in my heart is incredible Bolton In the Marian Persecution there was one Mr. Samuel a godly Minister convented before Bishop Bonner who committed him to Prison and there chained him up to a Post in such sort that standing on tip-toes hee was fain to bear up all the weight of his body in that manner to his intollerable pain besides hee allowed him but three morsels of bread and three spoonfuls of water a day so that hee was extremely tormented with hunger and thirst and had his body so miserably dryed up that he would fain have drunk his own water but could not make one drop But after that hee had continued in this miserable case three dayes hee fell asleep and one clad all in white seemed to stand before him telling him that from thenceforth hee should neither hunger nor thirst any more which also came to passe though he was not burnt till many dayes after One Mr. Laremouth alias Williamson Chaplain to the Lady Anne of Cleve a Scotch man being cast into prison for the Truths sake as hee was on a time meditating hee heard a voice probably of an Angel saying to him arise and go thy wayes whereunto when hee gave no great heed at the first the second time hee heard the voice again upon this hee fell to prayer and about half an hour after hee heard a voice the third time speaking the same words whereupon rising up immediately part of the prison wall fell down and as the Officers came in at the outward gate of the prison hee went out at the breach leaped over the prison ditch and escaped and in his way meeting a beggar hee changed his Coat with him and coming to the Sea shore hee found a Vessel ready to go over into which hee entred and escaped Acts and Mon. Mr. White of Dorchester being a member of the Assembly of Divines was appointed Minister of Lambeth but for the present could get no convenient house to dwell in but one that was possessed by the Devil This hee took and not long after his Maid sitting up late the Devil appeared to her whereupon in a great
thy condition of life thy imployments the place wherein and the persons with whom thou livest do incline thee Abraham bâ—ing to leave his Fathers house and his Kindred to leave all and wholly to depend upon the providence directions and especial commands of God was most eminent in the grace of Faith which was most suitable to those temptations to which hee was most incident by reason of that his condition of life Moses having to do with a stiff-neck'd and perverse people who by their continual obstinacy and rebellions would often provoke him to anger and impatience was most eminent in meekness Elias living in times of so great idolatry and general Apostacy was most eminent in zeal Solomon having a great people to judge and hee being but young about twelve years of age desired especially to bee eminent in wisdome Now as I said before my meaning is not that the choice of any of these graces should bee with the neglect of others but as in embroyderies there are divers colours and materials purple blue and Scarlet Silk Gold and Pearles c. but the ground is but one so this one grace which thou chusest must bee imbroidered with all other graces and duties Now where two or three or more of these rules do concur that grace is to bee chose the more rules concur in your choice of any grace the better if it might bee it were best that all these might agree in the grace that you most desire to exercise and excel in CHAP. XII The eighth and ninth Directions for the attaining the power of godliness viz. We ought not without just cause to leave off any duty before that effect be wrought for which wee use it as also concerning frequent examination IT is an excellent practice not to leave any Duty without just cause untill wee have attained to that for which end wee did beginne the Duty as for example if wee go to confesse our sinnes before God wee should not leave off until wee finde our hearts affected with the sinfulness of sin with an hatred and detestation of it and an abhorring of our selves for it so if wee set our selves to praise God wee should not leave off meditating of the excellency mercy loving kindnesse of God and speaking good of his Name untill our hearts are wrought up to an holy admiring of him For in this case it fares as it doth with one that is rowling a stone up to the top of an hill if hee leaves off before he hath brought it to the top and let it goe his labour is utterly lost and the stone rowls back again as at the first but if he brings it to the top there it rests and returns not whence it came so if when thou prayest thou doest not bring thy self to that frame of spirit to which thou shouldest bee wrought thou wilt fall back to the same frame and temper of spirit as thou hadst when thou didst begin to Pray It was reported of Mr. Bradford as I remember that this was his practice And indeed I have heard of one who at his first Conversion had assurance called and sealed the same day and it was thus One being at a Sermon where the excellency sweetness and everlasting profit of the love and favour of God was set forth and the Minister did very much presse every one to get assurance of his interest in Gods love This Saint was converted by that Sermon and being wonderfully affected and enflamed with a desire of knowing God to be his God resolved to set upon the duty of prayer and resolved not to rise from his knees untill hee obtained and through his importunity and wrestling with God did prevail and lived holily and comfortably ever after This story I commend not to others as a President nor dare I absolutely condemn it in him neither though I am much enclined so to do and to judge it a rash resolution but since the extraordinary motions of Gods spirit are not to be judged or limited as well as not to bee made a rule for others I dare not censure it in that particular onely I wish that every one of us were more resolute and importunate in and for the things of God and that we would not bee so easily denyed when wee beg spiritual mercies from the Lord for if wee will be denied God will deny us and if we will not be denyed God will not deny us that which makes us generally not to be importunate and give God no rest is either our undervaluing of the spirituall mercy we beg or our hard thoughts of God judging him not to be willing to bestow them both which considering the abundance of mercy and love which God hath shewn us do wonderfully provoke him and indeed would do so with us for any one desiring some Jewel of inestimable price if we should plainly perceive he had a low and base esteem of it we should upon that very account deny him so also if a friend one upon whom we have bestowed abundance of favours yet when he comes to us for some curtesy we should fully understand that he thought all our expressions of love to him to be but counterfeit and that notwithstanding all our protestations of love we did not mean what we professed would not this wonderfully exasperate us yet notwithstanding there are some cases wherein we must leave off our duty before we find our Hearts wrought to that frame wherein they are suitable to the matter of that duty if you shall ask what those just causes are First Ministers praying in the congregation since the main of their businesse respects others at that time and not themselves and every thing they do ought to be done as may be most for the edification of those to whom they are sent therefore though as for the fervency of their prayers they ought to act to the utmost that their hearts may be brought to that spiritual frame which is suitable to the duty they perform yet as for their continuing the duty it ought not to be such as might justle out other Ordinances or hinder others edification as for example if a Minister should in his prayer before Sermon and in that passage wherein hee makes confession of sin because his heart is not wrought to an humble frame should continue so long that it should take up all or most of the time allotted for his Sermon that were justling out one ordinance with another and minding himself more than the Congregation this also holds in Family duties and in all others wherein one is a publick Minister wherein we are to suite our selves for the remedying of their wants rather than our own Secondly As for secret and closet Duty yet even there also we are not to continue so long as to neglect necessary Family duties which concern either their temporal or spiritual good or any other imployment that is incumbent upon us Thirdly And least this should bee a snare to any I do
A TREATISE OF THE POWER OF Godlinesse Consisting of THREE PARTS 1 Wherein it consists 2 Cautions against and Discoveries of several mistakes and hinderances most common to the people of God 3 Several means and helps for attaining of it By THOMAS WHITE Preacher of Gods Word in LONDON London Printed by R. I. for Joseph Cranford and are to bee sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Kings Head in St. Pauls Church-yard 1658. White 's Power of God liness To my dearly beloved friends the Inhabitants of Andrewes Holborn Grace Mercy and Peace Dearly beloved in the Lord BY the special and I doubt not by the good hand of Providence it was and is that God hath appointed me to bee a Co-labourer in this part of his Vineyard with your reverend Pastor who it is that bears the burthen and heat of the day and I bless God for that encouragement that I have received from you in respect of your love and great appearance whereby God hath put a great opportunity into my hand of doing good and I hope my labours have not been in vain in the Lord I do account you my Crown and my joy and I have with much comfort and rejoycing preached amongst you and when I have had occasion sometimes for one Lords Day though but for one Lords day to bee absent I have returned with as much satisfaction to my self unto the Congregation as I have done to see my dearest friends when I have been a long time from them Of those several subjects upon which I have preached amongst you I have judged this that I have now published most to edification being plain and practical for you can and mine own conscience doth bear mee witness that I have not used the enticing words of mens wisdome but have endeavoured in some measure to Preach in the power and demonstration of the Spirit which I account not only fittest for those which are as they call them of the more ignorant sort but even for those which are learnedest wisest and of greatest understanding for wee are commanded to Preach as the Oracles of God and Oracles use to bee plain as to their language though it may be profound as to their sense and I account it the hardest task of learning to make the Mysteries of God plain and that wood to bee fittest for building which is least knotty therefore I desire you would not bee offended but edified by the plain stile and matter of this Treatise If by reading of it you bee brought to that which is the title and sum of it viz. The Power of Godliness it sufficeth when one chooseth a Sword not for ornament but for use one looks not so much to the Scabbard or other curiosities of it as to the mettle and therefore wee rather choose one whose blade is made of steel than of gold The two-edged Sword of Gods Word if it pierceth and divideth between the joynts and the marrow it doth the work for which wee use it though it be not sent forth and made glittering by humane eloquence though I desire in this particular also to avoid mistakes for though I decry a garish yet I commend and I desire to use a decent dress for Truth to walk abroad in I remember it is said of a young Painter who was to draw the picture of a fair woman Pulchram non potuit pinxit divitem he could not paint her fair but painted her rich so that her picture was rather gaudy than comely and beautiful and therefore though I desired you would pardon the plainness of this Treatise and my preaching among you yet now I do recall that request accounting it unpardonable because it is not a crime but I can advise you so that you may commend the Treatise and indeed no other commendation do I desire of it viz. practise it and I dare considently say you will commend it or rather that you will bless God for the truths and directions that are set down in it Live those holy books that you read and you will like them and doubtless it is impossible to like holiness without practising of it for when by reproofs or practical directions the conscience is awakened it will bee clamorous if not obeyed for if it sleeps not it will not bee silent it will bee telling of us our duty which if not performed our guilt it is index judex vindex it sheweth us what wee should do which if wee do not it condemns us and becomes not only our Judge but our Executioner for this is that worm that dieth not but if wee hearken to the whispers and teachings of conscience guided by the Word of God it will prove the best friend wee have next to Christ besides your practising what you have heard and may read in this Treatise I have one thing more to request of you which is your continual fervent prayers for a blessing upon mee and my labours amongst you And it is not easie to determine whether those your prayers will bring greater advantage to your selves or mee for if by your supplications God shall enlarge his gifts and graces in mee I shall endeavour to lay them out to your edification which also I desire you would beg of the Lord for mee who am Your Servant for Jesus sake Tho. White VVherein the Power OF Godliness consists CHAP. I. In Inward Admirings and Adorings of God 1. TO admire and adore God in Spirit and in Truth for in such inward admirings and adorings consists the very spirit life and power of Holiness if the knowledge we have of God doth not raise our souls so high as to admire him and humble them so low as to adore him it is but carnal and utterly unworthy of God this is that frame of spirit which the Angels have Matth. 18.10 it is not a glance of the eye but behold that is looking upon with admiration and this is continual they never have their eye off they alwayes behold though their imployments are as to the object various for they are Ministring Spirits sometimes imployed about the preserving or delivering the people of God from temporal dangers Now let us seriously consider whether we have not as great cause to admire adore love and praise God as they it is true they are in possession of that happiness which we have not as yet in possession but are as sure of as if wee had wee have the Word the Covenant the Oath of God for it in which it is impossible for him to fail if we have not strong consolation it is not his fault but ours that wee do not believe him nor should our not having possession be thought any sufficient cause of the least abatement of our love or thanks To that purpose this simile hath much satisfied me viz. Suppose there were twenty poor men to whom some very rich man had promised and upon his promise was actually bestowing one hundred pound apiece the tenth or last of those poor men
be hot and fair his cloaths will bee dried again but one that rideth in continual dropping weather cannot bee dry so a contentious Wife never suffers her husband to have a quiet hour A solemn fervent prayer is like a great shoure in a journey very disturbing to Satan but hee will recover himself but continual ejaculatory prayers like a contentious woman will never let Satan have a quarter of an hours rest so it also will eat out our corruptions Gutta cavat lapidem non viâ— sed sepe cadendo a continual dropping upon a stone wears it So thou wilt finde that thy stony heart will bee wrought upon more by continual ejaculatory prayers than by solemn duties only 12. Ejaculatory prayers are the freest from distraction whether it is because they generally arise from the heart except in prophane persons who have their accustomary O Lords and Lord have mercy upon mee without thinking of God whom they name who are neer of Kin to common swearers or whether they being so short sudden and mental they do not awaken Satan to tempt us until they bee over and then though they awaken him yet they weaken him also As for solemn prayers our preparations to them if only by the alteration of our gestures gives notice to Satan what wee are about to do but in ejaculatory prayers wee have done as soon as Satan perceives what wee are a doing hee cannot shoot any of his darts that are set on fire of hell so soon against us but our darts that is an ejaculatory prayer set on fire with the love of God will bee in heaven before 13. These kinde of prayers are very powerful one of the strangest Providences that wee read of in Scripture viz. that a Heathen King that had led the Jewes captive should bee so active in building and re-building the Temple I say that was attained by a mental ejaculatory prayer Neh. 2.4 and a vocal ejaculatory prayer obtained a vocal answer from heaven John 12.28 By Christs ejaculatory Prayer on the Crosse Father forgive them they know not what they do thousands were converted Acts 2. So the conversion of S. Paul was procured by the ejaculatory prayer of Stephen 14. In these kinde of prayers especially God deals familiarly with man and doth as it were put off the robes of his Majesty or rather God suffers man to deal familiarly with him for in our solemn prayers wee do as those that with a great deal of ceremony and distance and abundance of outward reverence delivers a Petition to a great Monarch who doth not hereby abate any thing of his Majesty nor doth the delivering of a Petition so argue any familiarity or acquaintance but if one shall see one speaking two or three words to the King and as often as hee pleased to speak so to the King wee should argue that hee had the Kings ear and that the King dealt after a familiar way with him So our solemn duties do not argue our acquaintance with God so much as these ejaculatory prayers A stranger may deliver a Petition in a solemn way wee give God the glory of his Majesty more in our solemn prayers but God doth more glorifie his goodnesse and condescention in giving us leave to use frequent ejaculatory prayers 15. They may bee most frequent so that what they want in magnitude may bee supplied by their number It 's a Proverb among some that light gains make a heavy purse so those spiritual gains by ejaculatory prayers though it seems to bee small and light yet will much encrease the weight both of grace and glory Solemn duties can bee but seldome since they require retirement and more time than this kinde of prayer doth though wee read but of three times of solemn prayer that Daniel used and seven times that David used it yet it may justly bee thought that ejaculatory prayers were or might bee without number 16. These kinde of prayers if wee use not there is no excuse for 1. They hinder nothing they hinder not customers from coming to your Shop nor them that come from buying they disturb no business but they are like Varnish that puts a lustre on all colours but changeth them not it makes a vermilion colour not less red but orient like the Bee that gathers honey from every flower but leaves it as fragrant and beautiful as shee found it 17. As they hinder no business so no business hinders them riding selling walking nay nor sleeping hinders these prayers although thou sleepest thy heart may wake those that keep thee from solemn prayer cannot keep thee from these thy person may bee imprisoned but not thy prayers though they should cut out thy tongue as they did Policarpus his and so keep thee from vocal yet they cannot hinder thee from mental prayer wicked persecutors may hinder solemn but nothing but a wicked heart can hinder from ejaculatorie prayers 18. It shewes that thou art but an hypocrite that is a Stage-player for so the word properlie signifies for thou dost carry thy self just as they do for the Church is but a stage for hipocrites to act their parts in For as those that act upon a Stage their fear joy sorrow though they are acted to the life yet as soon as the Play is done there remains not any impression of these affections if he was sad before though hee acted a Part of joy returns to his former sadness and if hee acted the Part of sorrow yet hee remains not sad when the Play is done for that matter which hee pretended to bee so much grieved for on the Stage but for that for which hee was affected before nay while hee acted his Part of sorrow it was not that which hee pretended to bee sorrie for but his former cause of grief hath made him act so to the life So when Hipocrites confess their sins as soon as ever their prayer is ended and their confession is ended they return to their imployments there remaines nothing of their acted sorrowes nay many times when an hypocrite seems to weep for his sins while hee is confessing of them his teares flow from another fountain viz. from the sense of some affliction that lies heavy on him Now if when thy prayer is done thy joyes forrowes desires breathings after God all expire with the last word of thy solemn prayer it shewes that thou hast been but acting of a part for sorrowes that are rooted and fixed in us do not fall from their paroxisme quite to cease but by degrees When did you ever see a tender mother that was weeping like Rachel for her children to fall from the heighth of her sorrowes to mirth and laughter such a carriage is rather fit for those that were hired to mourn at Funerals amongst the Jewes than for those that imploid them 19. No temporal or spiritual imployment can bee rightlie mannaged without it while thou art selling thy wares thou wilt danger to sell thy soul also while thou art
the conversion of his brother who came home next munday a much reformed man in so much that hee frequently afterwards kept daies of humiliation by himself alone and gave evident tokens of his conversion and lived and dyed I verily beleeve a child of God I knew both the Brothers very well A Christian Gentlewoman of mine acquaintance being very dangerously sick sent to a Christian Friend of hers about twelve miles off desiring to see her before shee dyed sending her word that shee was afraid shee would come too late she went up to prayer desiring of God that in case shee might come time enough to do any Christian service to her friend hee would encline the heart of her husband to bee willing to let her go for he never used to bee willing that she should go any whether from home when shee came down from her prayer her Husband met her and told her that such a friend of hers was sick and wish't her immediately to go and did forward her exceedingly and it pleased God shee came in time to bee a help and comfort to her Christian friend with whom I am very intimately acquainted About the year 1646. We kept a publike fast in New-Sarum in the County of Wilts where a woman whom to my knowledge I never saw before nor since sent a Bil to be prayed for largely setting forth how shee was vexed by Satan and accordingly the bill being read effectual prayers were made for her deliverance from that sore and strange affliction the next Lords day following the fast the same Woman sent another Bill desiring that thanks might bee rendered to the Lord for hearing the prayers of that Congregation on the womans behalf and for his mercy in delivering her from the Devils power On both those daies there was a Citizen present who cursed both the Minister and woman in his heart saying within himself this is a meer juggle a holy Sister forsooth must bee brought in pretending to be possessed of the Devil and then prayers must bee made for her deliverance and after thanks must bee returned for the mercy obtained by their prayers and whereto doth all this tend but to win credit to them and their prayers But while the Citizen became thus a judge of unrighteous thoughts the righteous God met with him For immediately was the man surprized by Satan in like manner as the woman formerly had been as hee himself about a month after being weary of his life comming to me of his own accord confessed and after private conferences and both publike and private prayers hee found relief Here was a judgement turned into a blessing for by this means God was pleased I hope to work a good change in him About a year after another Inhabitant in that City was addicted to some courses displeasing to God and his friends especially his wife who desired nothing more than his Conversion and perceiving the next Lords day by the drift of a Text whereon the Minister then treated that some thing might bee handled the next Lords day following which would highly concern her husbands spiritual condition shee importunately sought God for him and invited him to bee present at the next Sermon but hee whether hee suspected any thing or no that shee had informed the Minister ought concerning him that so hee might fit his matter to his particular I cannot say but so it was when the morning of the Sabbath-day was come hee could by no means be perswaded to rise out of his bed till the Sermon bell had ceased and then said hee presumptuously now will I rise in spight of any but having raised himself half up hee was there held how they knew not but so as hee could not rise up nor lye down again this continued for some time till his wife by her earnest prayers obtained his release and then hee got up and dressed himself and made haste to the Church and by reason of some occasion falling out at that very time he came before Prayers or Sermon began and heard the subject which his Wife had desired of God he might hear At Ballyhaes in the County of Cavan after the English were almost all departed the Rebels stopt three Brethren viz. Thomas North Richard North and William North and because they was skilful workmen they stayed them to work for them at length there came to the house where they were a Jesuite a Priest and a Fryer with Souldiers attending them who told them unlesse they would turn Roman Catholikes they should be hanged who answered we hope you will satisfy our Consciences first about the truth of your Religion why said the Jesuite what do you make doubt of in our religion Sir said Th. North do not you affirm that some of you can keep the whole Law of God yea said the Fryer so can I then Tho replyed St. John teacheth us if any say he hath no sin hee deceiveth himself and there is no truth in him whether now shall wee beleeve St. John or you in the mean time the Priest found a Bible lying in the shop which the Fryer took and opened and perceiving it to bee an English Bible hee tore it in peices and uttered these words This is the Book which maketh so many Hereticks then said Thomas North Sir you said even now you could keep the morral Law but now you have broken both Law and Gospel which words so incensed them that they commanded the Souldiers to take the said Themas and to pinion his armes behind him and to carry him to the Gallowes which they did and when they came to the place of execution Thomas had a cloth before his eyes and hee desired so much liberty as to pray before hee went up the Ladder and obtained leave hee fell upon his knees and imagining that to be his last prayer continued therein a good while when hee had done hee raised up himself but heard no body about him then hee made a shift to pluck the cloath from before his eyes and saw no man and so came home to his brethren who unbound his arms and told him that the Jesuite Priest and Fryer had been there before him and told them their Brother was yet alive and that they were beaten with lightning from the Gallowes That was strange said Thomas that there should be lightning on such a fair day as this hath been for my part I saw none neither did I minde their departure my spirit being taken up in Prayer These passages the three brethren comming afterwards safe up to Dublin all justified to be true Dr. Teate CAAP. IX Of watching over one another and divers other great advantages that wee gain for the increase of holinesse from the acquaintance with Gods people ANother great advantage from our Communion with Gods people is from our serious and solemn engagement to watch one over another and faithfully to reprove whatsoever wee see amiss and whosoever will not onely patiently but thankfully receive reproof
bee affected with present mercies at the very time of Gods bestowing of them but to keep them in remembrance for so David did Psalm 103.2 Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Hence it is that the Saints of old have given names to places to their children to continue the memory of mercies they received So wee read 1 Sam. 7.12 that Samuel named the place Eben-ezar to keep in memory an outward deliverance so in respect of soul mercies David can tell you what God hath done for his soul Psalm 66.16 So Paul can tell you of the great Raptures hee had twelve years before 2 Cor. 12. 2. There is as little doubt but we ought to remember sins so David My sin is ever before mee Psalm 51.3 Deut. 9.7 remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the Wilderness 3. It is a Christians duty also especially when hee hath signally prayed for any mercy to keep in memory that hee hath done so or else when the mercy comes it will neither bee so sweet since he cannot receive it as an answer of prayers if hee have forgot that hee prayed for it nor will hee bee incouraged upon the account of Gods answering his prayer to pray with more confidence afterwards nor yet give God the glory due to his mercies in any measure as hee ought to do since the giving of a mercy as an answer of prayer doth exceedingly exalt the mercy and in some cases is greater than the mercy it self as in temporal blessings 4. It is very profitable nay I may say it is a necessary duty for every Christian to examine the growth of his graces it is a duty that God commands 2 Peter 3.18 to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 5. It is a necessary duty for us to keep the vowes and promises that wee make to God exactly in our remembrance nay and indeed except wee keep them verbatim they will bee very great snares unto us for to many vowes there are many circumstantial expressions and cautions to be had of which I have largely spoken in my Treatise of Meditation Chapter the tenth 6. It is also of great advantage to know our sins before they come to bee customary or of any long standing to know them when they are but a day old which I have also more largely shown and am not willing to repeat in my Treatise entituled Directions for Christian Perfection in the Chapter where the benefits and directions for Diurnal examination are set down All these things being duly considered it being without controversie that all these fore-named duties are necessary for every one that owns the name of Christian Now the onely question is what is the best expedient to help us to remember our sins Gods other mercies and in particular his signal answers of prayers our vowes c. Now I am confident there is no expedient comparable to this viz. keeping a Diary And whosoever through laziness or undervaluing the performance of these duties above-named effectually I say if upon that account any do neglect to keep a Diary hee highly sins against God and his own soul because hee neglects that spiritual profit that hee might reap thereby I will set down some other benefits and motives that may perswade you to keep a Diary 1. Thy very writing down all the Spiritual passages of the day will much affect thee and necessitate you particularly to remember them and so put you upon that profitable duty of Diurnal examination though it is true there is much more required to perform that duty solemnly than a bare writing down what wee have done that day 2. In times of desertion it will bee of great advantage since wee may have recourse to our songs in the night and to all our spiritual experiences and those often sealings that God hath bestowed on us at Sacraments since all such things are to bee set down in our Diary 3. Upon dayes of Humiliation to look over our grosser failings nay and Gods mercies also will serve very much to the melting of our iron and breaking of our stony hearts 4. It is evident that divers callings that are exact in their observations do keep Diaries of all their proceedings as Seamen Travellers States men Physitians Tradesmen Merchants c. and why should onely Christians neglect that course that is so profitable to others What Tradesman almost is there that doth not keep an account of his expences and his receipts and Merchants keep several kindes of books nay divers of the Heathen have observed this though but in civil matters as I could give you instances if it were convenient in this place But I must answer divers Queries and divers Objections that the way may bee made clear before you Quere 1. You will ask What are the things that we must set down in a Diary I answer I have already mentioned them though I shall a little more fully and particularly speak of them you are to set down 1. The mercies of God 2. Your sins 3. Your special signal prayers for any peculiar mercy as suppose you have set a day a part on purpose to seek God in the behalf of such a relation that walks in wayes destructive to his own soul write down in that day which you set a part for this end the cause and motive of your keeping that day a day of Humiliation 4. If God shall give you an answer of this or any other like special prayer write it down 5. You are to write down every vow and promise that you make unto God in this Diary on that day when you make it and the causes and motives of making such a vow if you keep a larger Diary 6. You are to have some mark in your Diary which you are to joyn to every duty whereby you may know how you perform that duty whether with special fervency and inlargements or whether in such a way as nothing is remarkable either in respect of excellency or deficiency 7. Wee are to set down in this Diary the afflictions that God layeth on us or ours and our carriage under them as when God smites a childe with sickness such a day and I was exceedingly impatient or through mercy patient under it and I examin'd what might bee the cause of this chastisement and I found it to bee such or such a sin and set upon reformation of it Quere 2. What mercies and what sins are to bee set down in the Diary For to set down all were endless and impossible for it is in him wee live and move and have our being every time wee speak breath move c. are mercies wereceive from God so also for our sins of infirmity and humane frailty wee may say of them as David saith Who knowes how often hee offends So also for afflictions we are not to set down every light affliction as if a finger doth but ake a little
them down Psalm 56.8 I shall conclude the answer to this objection with this further argument or motive to keep a Diary you may read of Gods Diary that hee kept of his own works for God hath set down every day what hee did all the works of the Creation are set down in their several respective daies when they were created as you may read at large Gen. 1. Now certain it is that this is written for our instruction and I question not but for our imitation for as Gods reviewing of his works every day is an excellent president to put us upon diurnal examination so his setting down every thing that hee did upon every one of those six daies is an excellent president to put us upon diurnal Records of our actions Object 5. To set down what time wee spend in holy duties and the several incomes of God as to the actings of graces and bestowings of comforts seems to bee an act of pride and will bee subject to puffe us up I answer 1. Will not the remembrance of them have the same effect though they bee not written down in a Diary And are wee not bound to remember them to remember our songs in the night and the daies of the right hand of the most High nay are wee not bound in some cases to tell others what God hath done for our souls Psalm 66.16 In how many places of the Psalmes do wee read of Davids fervent prayers unto the Lord and his answering of them It is spiritual cowardize to neglect a duty for fear of the temptations that accompany it 2. But I suppose that the goodness and mercies of God will rather cause thee to fear than to pride thy self and nothing humbles a soul more than the consideration of Gods mercies therefore if thou shouldst finde at any time thy heart begin to bee puft up then do but look over thy diary and remember thy sins and the mercies of God will make thy sins out of measure sinful and by consequence make thee more humble and lay thee lower 3. Instead of puffing thee up thy former duties and Gods former mercies will stir thee up to more thankfulnesse and more obedience for when wee shall see in our Diary that many years ago Gods comforts and the actings of his graces were so and so and finde them no more now it will bee a shame and a grief unto us and it will provoke us to more diligence and stir up the graces of God in us and in case of back-sliding it is of singular use for wee shall see from whence wee are fallen and what our first works were that wee may do them Object 6. I can neither write nor read I answer it is a wonderful and a lamentable thing and a thing that we have cause to stay all people that come by and wish them to stand and wonder at it that Christians should bee so negligent of the great incomparable spiritual advantages that are to bee got by reading and yet to neglect to learn and the Prophet Isaiah seems to say as much Chapter 29. the 9. and 12. compared for there the Prophet doth wish all to stay and wonder and cry out when they see and consider that there is such a deep spirit of slumber and sottishness upon people that any one should say when the Scripture is given into their hands to read I cannot for I never learned to read and I believe there scarce can bee a better work through England than this that all the children throughout the whole Nation should bee brought up to reading writing and Catechisme that those Parents that are able should be compelled so to do and those that are not their children should bee taught upon the Parish or County charge therefore there is no other answer to this objection but that you must learn to write but howsoever learn to read I am confident it were better to have the use of ones eyes onely for reading the Scriptures and want them in all other things than to have the use of your eyes to all other things in the world and want them to read Scriptures It may bee some will say it is an imprudent thing to set down such particular instances and directions for the keeping of a Diary as I have done in this Chapter but when since they may bee profitable by helping those that know not which way at all to mannage this duty I am much of that Saints minde Ignatius Jordan who used to say fie upon this discretion I mean as hee did when discretion hinders us at all in the duties of holiness and indeed where one man makes use of his discretion for the furthering ten do make use of it for the hindering the glory of God In cases where there is no sin and where there bee much profit to others I think every Christian should say Let them have the benefit and me have the shame I think generally we do stand too much upon punctilioes of honour in such cases as these are Now I must desire you to remember if you keep this Diary to improve it to the utmost for your spiritual advantage by observing what vowes you have made and not kept or prayers unanswered that you may keep the former and bee more fervent in the latter and often to review your sins that you may mourn for them and so of the rest for you must know the writing of them down is not the onely work you are to do but serves only as an help to enable you to do those several particular works that are mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter CHAP. XV. The last help to a godly life wherein are set down several stories of Gods Providences examples of graces c. NOw I shall come to the last of those helps wherein I shall set down several signal stories of Gods Providence the actings of the graces of Gods people and Gods manifesting himself unto them and several others which I thought to have digested and set down under several heads but considering that many if not all the stories may bee made use of severally and so bee referred to several heads I thought good rather to set them down as they came to my memory little regarding curiosity of method in this or any other case I do acknowledge and bless God for it that many of them have much affected mee the Lord make them so to you and much more abundantly I shall begin with an excellent story of Origen the fame of whose excellent learning and singleness of life being brought to the ears of Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour hee sent for him to come to Rome and commanded the Provost of Egypt to furnish him with all things necessary for his journey When this Provost had provided him a Ship and all things necessary and beheld him but simply apparrel'd hee prepared for him divers garments in the most honest and comely sort that Phylosophers then used but Origen would receive no