a sweet delightful boldness and make you 〈◊〉 to him as your help and refuge in all your necessities When you find the great promise fulfilled to your selves I will put my Law in their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more you will have boldness to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by the new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh And having an high Priest over the house of God you may draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience or the conscience of evil as your bodies are washed in baptism with pure water Heb. 10.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. In Christ we may have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 3.12 This intimate acquaintance with our great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens and yet abideth and reigneth in our hearts will encourage us to hold fast our profession and to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.14 16. When by unfeigned Love we know that we are of the truth and may assure our hearts before him and our Heart condemneth us not then we have confidence towards God and whatever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight 1 Joh. 3.18 19 20 21 22. 6. When once you know that you have Christ within you you may cheerfully proceed in the way of Life when doubting Christians that know not whether they are in the way or not are still looking behind them and spend their time in perplexed fears lest they are out of the way and go on with heaviness and trouble as uncertain whether they may not lose their labour and are still questioning their groundwork when the building should go on It is an unspeakable mercy when a believing Soul is freed from these distracting hindering doubts and may bodily and cheerfully hold on his way and be walking or working when other men are fearing and enquiring of the way and may with patience and comfort wait for the reward the â—rown of life when others are still questioning whether they were ever regenerate and whether their hopes have any ground We may be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord when we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 We may then gird up the lâ—ins of the mind and in sobriety hope unto the end for the grace that is to be brought us at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 7. When you are assured that you have Christ within you it may preserve you from those terrors of soul that affright theâ— that have no such assurance O he thâ—â— knoweth what it is to think of the intolerable wrath of God and says I fear I 〈◊〉 the object of this wrath and must bear thâ—â— intolerable lead everlastingly may knowâ— what a mercy it is to be assured of our escape He that knows what it is to think of Hell and say I know not but those endless flames may be my portion will know what a mercy it is to be assured of deliverance and to be able to say I know I am saved from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 And that we are not of them thâ—â— draw back to perdition but of them that believe to â—he saving of the soul Heb. 10.39 And that God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who dyed for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him We may comfort our selves together and edifie one another when we have this assurance 1 Thes 5.9 10 11. They that have felt the burden of a wounded spirit and know what it is to feel the terrors of the Lord and to see Hell fire as it were before their eyes and to be kept waking by the dreadful apprehensions of their danger to be pursued daily by an accusing conscience setting their sins in order before them and bringing the threatnings of God to their remembrance these persons will understand that to be assured of a Christ within us and consequently of a Christ that is preparing a place in glory for us is a mercy that the mind of man is now unable to value according to the ten thousandth part of its worth 8. Were you assured that Christ himself is in you it would sweeten all the mercies of your lives It would assure you that they are all the pledges of his love And love in all would be the Kernel and the Life of all your friends your health your wealth your deliverances would be steeped in the dearest Love of Christ and have a spiritual sweetnss in them when to the worldling they have but a carnal unwholsome luscious sweetness and to the doubting Christians they will be turned into troubles while they are questioning the Love and meaning of the giver and whether they are sent for good to them or to aggravate their condemnation and the Company of the Giver will advance your estimation of the gift Mean things with the company of our dearest friends are sweeter then abundance in their absence To have money in your purses and goods in your houses and books in your studies and friends in your near and sweet society are all advanced to the higher value when you know that you have also Christ in your hearts and that all these are but the attendants of your Lord and the fruits that drop from the tree of life and the tokens of his Love importing greater things to follow Whereas in the crowd of all those mercies the foul would be uncomfortable or worse if it mist the presence of its dearest friend and in the midst of all would live but as in a wilderness and go seeking after Christ with tears as Mary at his Sepulchre because they had taken away her Lord as she thought and she knew not where they had laid him Joh. 20.13 All mercies would be bitter to us if the presence of Christ do not put into them that special sweetness which is above the estimate of sense 9. This assurance would do much to preserve you from the temptation of sensual delights While you had within you the matter of more excellent contentment and when you find that these inferiour pleasures â—re enemies to those which are your happiâ—ess and life you would not be easily taken with the bait The poorest brutish pleasures â—re made much of by them that never were â—cquainted with any better But after the â—weetness of assurance of the Love of God â—ow little relish is there to be found in the pleasures that are so valued by sensual unbeâ—ievers Let them take them for me saith â—he believing soul may I
ready to discourse about matters of â—he heart and that they so much relish â—â—ch discourse and that they have so much 〈◊〉 say when you come to such a subject â—t is because they know themselves in some â—ood measure They have studied and â—re acquainted with the Heart And thereâ—ore can talk the more sensibly of what is â—ontained in a book which they have so â—ften read and are so conversant in â—alk with them about the matters â—f the world and perhaps you may â—ind them more simple and ignorant then many of their neighbours But when you â—alk about the Corruptions of the heart â—nd the secret workings of them the matâ—er and order and government of the thoughts and affections and passions 〈◊〉 wants and weaknesses of believers the nâ—â—ture and workings of inward temptationâ— the wayes of grace and of the exercise 〈◊〉 each grace the motions and operatioâ— of the spirit upon the heart the breathiâ—â— of Love and desire after God the aâ—â—dresses of the soul to Christ by faitâ— and dependance on him and receiviâ—â— from him about these secret matters 〈◊〉 the Heart he is usually more able in dâ—â—â—course then many learned men that are 〈◊〉 sanctified And hence it is that upright self-obsâ—â—â—ving souls are so full in prayer and 〈◊〉 to pour out their hearts so enlargedly â—â—â—fore the Lord in confessing their sins 〈◊〉 petitioning for grace and opening thâ— necessities and thanking God for spiritâ—â—â— mercies Some that are themselves acquaiâ—â—â—ed with themselves and the workings 〈◊〉 grace despise all this and say It is but 〈◊〉 ability to speak of the things which they 〈◊〉 most used to I doubt not but meer acâ—quired abilities and custom may advanâ—â— some hypocrites to pray in the languagâ— of experienced Christians And I doubt noâ— but natural impediments and want of use anâ— of right education may cause many to 〈◊〉 â—onvenient expressions that have true deâ—â—res But the question is from whence it â—â—mes to pass that so great a number of â—hose that are most carefull and diligent â—or their souls are so full in holy conference â—â—d prayer when very few others that exâ—â—ll them in learning and natural parts â—ave any such ability And doubtless the â—hief reason is that the care and study of â—hese Christians hath been most about their â—piritual estate And that which they set â—heir hearts upon they use their tongues â—pon Generally it cannot be imagined why they should use themselves to those â—tudies and exercises which procure those â—bilities but that they highlyest esteem â—nd most seriously regard the matters that concern their salvation which are the subâ—ect I doubt not but God bestoweth his gifts upon men in the use of means and that it is partly use that maketh men able and ready in these services of God But what reason can be given why one part of men use themselves to such imployments and another part are unable through disuse but that some do set their hearts upon it and make it their business to know themselves their sins and wants and seek relief when by the others all this is neglected Some hypocrites may be moved by lower ends both in this and in other duties of Religion but that 's no rule for our judgeing of the intentions of the generality or of any that are sincere As a man that hath lived in the East or West Indies is 〈◊〉 to discourse of the places and people which he hath seen and perhaps another by a Map or historie may say somewhat of the same subject though less distinctly and sensibly but others can say nothing of it so a man of holy experience in the mysteries of sanctification that is much conversant at home and acquainted with his own heart is able if other helps concur to speak what he feels to God and man and from his particular observation and experience to frame his prayers and spiritual conference and an hypocriâ—â— from Reading and common observation may do something affectedly that 's like it but careless self-neglecting worldlings are usually dumb about such matters and hear you as they do men of another Countrey that talk in a language which they do not understand or at least cannot make them any answer in But if any of you will needs think more basely and maliciously of the cause of holy prayer and conference in believers let us leave them for the present to the Justification of him that gave them the spirit of supplication which you reproach and let us only enquire what is the Reason that men that can discourse as hansomely as others about worldly matters have nothing to say beyond a few cold affected words which they have learnt by rote either to God or man about the matters of the soul the methods of the spirit the workings of a truly penitent heart or the elevations of faith and the pantings of desire after God Why are you dumb when you should speak this language and frequently and delightfully speak it Is it because your Reason is lower then those mens that do speak it whom you despise and that you are naturally near kin to ideots No you are wise enough to do evil You can talk of your trades your honours or employments your acquaintance and correspondencies all the day long You are more wordy about these little things then the Preachers themselves that you count most â—edious are about the greatest You are â—uch longer discoursing of your delusory â—oyes then the Lovers of God whose souls â—ong after him are in those Prayers which trouble you with their length Many a time have I been forced to hear your dreaming incoherent dotage how copious you are in words that signifie no greater matters then flesh pleasing or fancifull honourâ— and accomodations I had almost said theâ—â— chaff or straw or dirt One may heâ—â— you from morning to night from day to day discoursing in variety of company on various subjects with freedom and plausible ingenuity And when all is seâ— together it is but a hodge podge of earth and flesh and windy vanity a frothy puddle Aâ— the ridiculous Orator Magno Conatu hiatu nihil dicitis You strein and gapâ— an hour or a day together to say nothing set all the words of a day together and peruse them at night and see what they are worth There 's little higher then visible materials that I say not then the dunghil or your shadows then meat and drink and play and complement then houses or lands or domineering affections oâ— actions in many hours or days discourse I think of you sometime when I see how ingeniously and busily children do make up their babies of clouts and how seriously they talk about them and how every 〈◊〉 and clout is matter of employment and disâ—ourse and how highly they value them and â—ow many dayes they can unweariedly â—pend about them Pardon my compariâ—on If you repent not of your discourses â—nd imployments more then they and do not one day
terrible avenger and you may confess his judgements to be just but can you amicably embrace the consuming fire and love to dwell with the everlasting burnings O therefore as ever you would have the Love of God to animate and sanctifie and delight your souls study the greatness of his Love to you and labour with all possible speed and diligence to find that Christ by his spirit is within you It is the whole work of sanctification that Satan would destroy or weaken by your doubts And it is the whole work of sanctification that by Love would be promoted if you knew your interest in the Love of Christ 12. It is the knowledge of Christ dwelling in you and so of the special Love of God that must acquaint you with a life of holy Thankfulness and prase These highest and most acceptable duties will be out of your reach if Satan can hide from you that mercy which must be the chiefest matter of your Thanksgiving Will that soul be in tune for the high Praises of the Lord that thinks he meaneth to use him as an enemy Can you look for any cheerful thanksgiving from him that looks to lie in hell will he not rather cry with David Psal 6.5 In death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Psal 30.9 What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit shall the dust praise thee shall it declare thy truth shall the damned praise thee or shall they give thee thanks that must be scorched with the flames of thine indignation Can you expect that Joy should be in their hearts or cheerfulness in their countenances or praises in their mouths that think they are Reprobated to the fire of Hell Undoubtedly Satan is not ignorant that this is the way to deprive God of the Service which is most acceptable to him and you of the pleasures of so sweet a life And therefore he that envyeth both will do his worst to damp your spirits and breed uncomfortable doubts and fears and wrongful suspitions in your minds Whereas the Knowledge of your interest in Christ would be a continual storehouse of thanksgiving and praise and teach your hearts as well as your tongues to say with David Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye Righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 32.1 2 11. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Who healeth all thy diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.1 2 3 4. O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit sing unto the Lord O ye saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness for his anger endureth but for a moment in his favour is life Psal 30.2 3 4 5. Thanksgiving would be the very pulse and breath of your assurance of Christ dwelling in you You would say with Paul Eph. 1.3 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in celestials in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in Love having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved In whom we have redemption through his blood the remission of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us c. Thus faith and assurance as they have an unspeakable store to work upon so it is natural to them to expatiate in the praise of our Redeemer and to delight in amplifications and commemorations of the ways of grace Just so doth Peter begin his first Epistle Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you who are kept by the power of Goâ— through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time wherein ye greatly rejoyce c. No wonder if the Heirs of Heaven be inclined to the language and the work of Heaven I think there are few of you that would not rejoice and by your speech and countenance express your joy if you had assurance but of the dignities and dominions of this world And can he choose but express his Joy and Thankfulness that hath assurance of the crown of life What fragrant thoughts should possess that mind that knoweth it self to be possessed by the Spirit of the living God! How thankfull will he be that knows he hath Christ and Heaven to be thankfull for What sweet delights should fill up the hours of that mans life that knows the son of God liveth in him and that he shall live in Joy with Christ for ever How gladly will he be exercised in the praises of his Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier that knows it must be his work for ever No wonder if this Joy be a stranger to their hearts that are strangers to Christ or strangers to their interest in his love No wonder if they have no hearts for these celestial works that have no part in the celestial inheritance or that know not that they have any part therein How can they joyfully give thanks for that which they know not that they have or ever shall have or have any probability to attain But to that man that is assured of Christ within him Heaven and Earth and all their store do offer themselves as the matter of his Thanks and do furnish him with provisions to feed his Praises What a shame is it that an assured heir of Heaven should be scant and barren in comfort to himself or in Thanks and Praise to Jesus Christ when he hath so full a heap of Love and mercy to fetch his motives from and hath two worlds to furnish him with the preciousest materials and hath no less then Infinite goodness even God himself to be the subject of his Praise O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever what ever others do Let Israel say let the house of Aaron say let them that fear the Lord say that his mercy endureth for ever Psal 118.1 2 3 4. The
esteemed And the lesser will be misesteemed And while you are unthankfull for what you have you will be absurdly thanking God for that which indeed you have not What inestimable Mercies are daily trodden under feet by sinners that know not their worth because they know not their own necessities They have Time to Repent and make preparation for an endless life But they know not the worth of it but unthankfully neglect it and cast it away on the basest vanities As if worldly cares or wicked company or fleshly lusts or Cards or Dice or revellings or idleness were exercises in which they might better improve it then the works of Holiness Justice and Mercy which God hath made the business of their lives Or as if the profits and pleasures and vain glory of this world did better deserve it then their Creator and their own souls and the Heavenly inheritance But if their eyes were opened to see where they stand and what they are and what are their dangers and necessities how thankfull would they be for one year one moneth one day one hour to Repent and cry to God for Mercy and how sensibly would they perceive that a hundred years time is not too long to spend in serious preparation for eternity They have now the faithfull Ministers of Christ inviting them in his name to come to him and receive the riches of his grace and beseeching them in his stead to be reconciled unto God Mat. 22. 2 Cor. 5.19 20. But they stop their ears and harden their hearts and stiffen their necks and love not to be disturbed in their sins but are angry with those that are sollicitous for their salvation and revile them as too precise and strict that tell them of the One thing needfull and perswade them to choose the better part and tell them where their sin will leave them They take them for their friends that will encourage them in the way that God condemneth and be merry with them in the way to endless sorrow and flatter them into security and impenitency till the time of grace be past but they hate them as their enemies that faithfully reprove them and tell them of their folly and call them to a safer better way Alas Sirs there would not be so many Nations Congregations and Souls now left in darkness and misery by their own doing having driven away the Mercy of the Gospel and thrust their faithfull Teachers from them if they knew themselves Men would not triumph in their own calamity when they have expelled their faithfull Teachers the dust of whose feet the sweat of their brows the tears of their eyes and the fervent prayers and groans of their hearts must witness against them if they knew themselves They would not be like a mad man that glorieth that he hath beaten away his Physition and his friends and is left to himself if they knew themselves When they have the earnest Calls of the Word without and convictions and urgings of the Spirit of God and their Consciences within they would not wilfully go on and cast these mercies at their heels if they knew themselves They have leave to joyn in the Communion of Saints and to enjoy the benefit of holy Society in prayer and conference and mutual love and spiritual assistance and in the publick worship of God but they pass these by as having more of trouble and burden then of mercy because they little know themselves And their inferior Mercies of Health and Wealth and food and rayment and friends and accommodations they misesteem and misuse and value them but as provision for the flesh and the satisfaction of their sensual and inordinate desires and not as their necessary provision for their duty in the way to Heaven And therefore they are most thankfull for their greatest snares For that honour and abundance which are stronger temptations then they can overcome For those fleshly contentments and delights which are the enemies of grace and the prison of their noblest faculties and the undoing of their souls If they could for shame speak out they would thank God more for a whore or a succesfull gain or the favour of their earthen gods or for preferment or commodity lands or houses then ever they did for all the offers of Christ and grace and all the invitations to a holy life For there is much more joy and pleasure in their hearts for the former then the latter And Self-ignorance will also corrupt your Thanksgiving and turn it into sin and folly Is it not shame and pitty to hear an unpardoned enemy of Holiness and of God to thank God that he is Justified and Reconciled to God and Adopted to be his child and made a member of Jesus Christ And to hear a carnal unregenerate person give thanks for his Regeneration and Sanctification by the Holy Ghost As it is to hear a leper give thanks for perfect health or a fool or mad man thank God for making him wiser then his neighbours Is it not pitty to hear a miserable soul thank God for the Grace which he never had and one that is near eternal misery to thank God for making him an heir of Glory O how many have thankt God Pharisaitally for the pardon of their sins that must for ever suffer for those sins How many have thanked him for giving them the assured hopes of Glory that must be thrust out into endless misery As I having known many that by their friends and by theâ—â—selves have been flattered into consiâ—â—â— hopes of life when they were ready 〈◊〉 die have thankt God that the were 〈◊〉 well and the worst was past which in 〈◊〉 eyes of judicious standers by was not 〈◊〉 least aggravation of their sad and deploâ—â—â—ble state Methinks it is one of the sadâ—dest spectacles in the world to hear a 〈◊〉 thanking God for the assurance of salvaâ—â—â—on that is in a state of condemnation and like to be in Hell for ever These absurdities could not corrupt your highest duâ—ties and turn them into sin if you knew your selves A man that knoweth his own necessitiâ—â— and unworthiness is thankfull for a little to God and man Mercy is as no mercy when there is no sense of need or misery Sapienti notum est quanti res quaeque taxanda sit saith Seneca Therefore God useth to humble them so low in the work of conversion whom he meaneth ever after to imploy 〈◊〉 the magnifying of his grace And then that which is folly and hypocrisie from a Pharisee will be an acceptable sacrifice from a humbled gratefull soul and he that by Grace is differenced from other men may modestly thank God that he is not as other men For had he nothing more to thank God for then the ungodly world he would be rejected and perish with the world And if he have more then the world and yet be no more thankfull then the world he would be guilty of greater unthankfulness then the world Non
fall their sin and misery of the Redeemer and the sure and free salvation which they may have if they will but come to him But alas we cannot make them believe that they are so sick as to have so much need of the Physicion and that they are dead and have need of a new creation as to the inclinations of their hearts and the end and bent and business of their lives We are sent to tender them the mercy of Christ but we cannot make them believe that they are miserable We are sent to offer them the riches and eye selve and white rayment of the Gospel but we cannot make them know that they are poor and blind and naked We are sent to call them to Repent and Turn that they may be saved and we cannot make them know that they are so far out of the way as to need a change of heart and life Here they sit before us and we look on them with pitty and know not how to help them We look on them and think alas poor souls you little see what death will quickly make you see You will then see that there is no salvation by all the blood and merits of Christ for any but the sanctified but O that we could now but make you understand it We look on them with compassion and think Alas poor souls as easily and quietly as you sit here a change is neer It will be thus with you but a little while and where will you be next We know as sure as the word of God is true that they must be converted and sanctified or be lost for ever and we cannot make them believe but that the work is done already The Lord knoweth and our consciences witness to our shame that we be not half so sensible of their misery nor so compassionate towards them as we ought to be but yet sometimes our hearts melt over them and fain we would save them from the wrath to come and we should have great hopes of the success if we could but make them know their danger It melts our hearts to look on them and think that they are so near damnation and never like to scape it till they know it till they know that their corruption is so great that nothing but the quickning spirit can recover them and nothing less then to become new creatures will serve the turn But if we would never so fain we cannot make them know it O that we knew how to acquaint them with their case O that we knew how to get within them and to open the windows that the light of Christ might shew them their condition But when we have done all we find it past our power We know they will be past help in Hell if they die before they are regenerate And could we but get themselves to know it we could not but hope that they would better look about them and be saved but we are not able it s more then we can do We cannot get the grossest worldling the basest sensualist the filthiest letcher the proudest child of the Spirit of pride to know that he is in a state of condemnation and must be sanctified or be damned much less can we procure the formal Pharisee thus to know himself We can easily get them to confess that they are sinners and deserve damnation and cannot be saved without Christ But this will not serve The best Saint on earth must say as much as this comes to There are converted and uncoverted sinners sanctifyed and unsanctified sinners Pardoned and unpardoned sinners Sinners that are members of Christ and the children of God and heirs of Heaven and sinners that are not so but contrary They must know not only that they are sinners but that they are yet unconverted unsanctified unpardoned sinners not only that they cannot be saved without Christ but that yet they have no special interest in Christ They will not Turn while they think they are turned already They will not so value and seek for Conversion and Remission and Adoption as to obtain them while they think they have them all already They will not come to Christ that they may have life while they think they have part in Christ already Paul after his Conversion was a sinner and had need of Christ but Paul before his Conversion was an unsanctified unjustified sinner and had no part in Christ This is the state of sin and misery that you must come out of or you are lost And how can you be brought out of it till you know that you are in it O therefore that we knew how to make you know it How should we make poor sinners see that they are within a few steps of everlasting fire that we might procure them to run away from it and be saved we cry so oft and lose our labour and leave so many in their security and self-deceits that we are too discouraged and remit our desires and lose our compassion and our selves alas grow dull and too insensible of their case and preach too oft as coldly as if we could be content to let them perish We are too apt to grow weary of holding the light to men asleep or that shut their eyes and will not see by it When alâ— that we have said is not regarded and we know not what more to say then hath been said so long in vain this flats our spirits this makes so many of us preach almost as carelesly as we are heard Regardless sleepy hearers make regardless sleepy Preachers Frequent frustration abateth hope And the fervour and diligence of prosecution ceaseth as hope abateth This is our fault Your insensibility is no good excuse for ours But it s a fault not easily avoided And when we are stopt at the first door and cannot conquer Satans out works what hopes have we of going further If all that we can say will not convince you that you are yet unsanctified and unjustified how shall we get you to the duties that belong to such in order to the attainment of this desireable state ANd here I think it not unseasonable to inform you of the reason why the most able faithfull Ministers of Christ do search so deep and speak so hardly of the case of unrenewed souls as much displeaseth many of their hearers and makes them say they are too severe and terrible preachers The zealous Antinomian saith they are Legalists and the prophane Antimonian saith they rail and preach not mercy but judgement only and would drive men to despair and make them mad But will they tell God he is a Legalist for making the Law even the Gospel Law as well as the Law of Nature and commanding us to preach it to the world Shall they escape the Sentence by reproaching the Law-maker Will not God judge the world and judge them by a Law and will he not be just and beyond the reach of their reproach O sinner this is not the smallest part of
as he goeth further for the world and setteth it nearest to his heart and holds it fastest and will do most for it and consequently loveth it better then Christ he is no true Christian nor in a state of grace The Scriptures put this also out of doubt as you may see Mat. 10.37 38. Luke â—4 26 27 33. He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me c. Whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Whoâ—ver he be of you that forsaketh not all that â—e hath he cannot be my Disciple Know â—e not that the friendship of the world is â—nmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God â—am 4.4 No wonder then if the world must be renounced in our Baptism Love not the world neither the things that are in the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2.15 You see by this time what it is to be Regenerate and to be a Christian indeed by what is contained even in our Baptism and consequently how you may Know your selves whether you are sanctified and the heirs of heaven or not Again therefore I summon you to appear before your consciences and if indeed these Evidences of regeneration are not in you stop not the sentence but confess your sinfull miserable state and condemn your selves and say no longer I hope yet that my present condition may serve turn and that God will forgive me though I should die without any further change Thosâ— Hopes that you may be saved without reâ—generation or that you are regenerate wheâ— you are not are the pillars of Satans forâ—tress in your hearts and keep you froâ— the saving Hopes of the Regenerate thaâ— that will never make you ashamed Upâ—hold not that which Christ is engageâ— against Down it must either by Graâ—â— or Judgement and therefore abuse noâ— your souls by underpropping such an ill-grounded false deceitfull hope You have now time to take it down so orderly and safely as that it fall not on your heads and overwhelm you not for ever But if you stay till death shall undermine it the falâ— will be great and your ruine irreparable If you are wise therefore Know your selves in time II. I have done with that part of my special Exhortation which concerned the unregenerate I am next to speak to those of you that by Grace are brought into a better state and to tell you that it very much concerneth you also even the best of you to labour to be well acquainted with your selves and that both in respect of 1. Your sins and wants and 2. Your Graces and your duties I. Be acquainted with the root and remnant of your sins with your particular inclinations and corrupt affections with their quality their degree and strength with the weaknesses of every grace with your disability to duty and with the omissions or sinfull practises of your lives Search diligently and deeply frequently and accurately peruse your hearts and wayes till you certainly and throughly know your selves And I beseech you let it not suffice you that you know your states and have found your selves in the Love of God in the faith of Christ and possessed by his Spirit Though this be a mercy worth many worlds yet this is not all concerning your selves that you have to know If yet you say that you have no sin you deceive your selves If yet you think you are past all danger your danger is the greater for this mistake As much as you have been humbled for sin as much as you have loathed it and your selves for it as oft as you have confessed it lamented it and complained and prayed against it yet it is alive Though it be mortified it is alive It is said to be mortified as to the prevalency and reign but the relicts of it yet survive were it perfectly dead you were perfectly delivered from it and might say you have no sin but it is not yet so happy with you It will find work for the blood and spirit of Christ and for your selves as long as you are in the flesh And alas too many that know themselves to be upright in the main are yet so much unacquainted with their hearts and lives as to the degrees of grace and sin as that it much disadvantageth them in their Christian progress Go along with me in the carefull observation of these following Evils that may befall even the regenerate by the remnants of self-ignorance 1. The work of Mortification is very much hindered because you know your selves no better as may appear in all these following discoveries 1. You confess not sin to God or man so penitently and sensibly as you ought because you know your selves no better Did you see your inside with a fuller view how deeply would you aggravate your sin How heavily would you charge your selves Repentance would be more intense and more effectual and when you were more contrite you would be more meet for the sense of pardon and for Gods delight Isa 51.15 66.2 It would fill you more with godly shame and self-abhorrence if you better knew your selves It would make you more sensibly say with Paul Rom. 7.23 24. I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And with David Psal 38.18 I will declare my iniquity I will be sorry for my sin 40.12 They are more then the hairs of my head 32.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Repentance is the Death of sin and the knowledge of our selves and the sight of our sins is the life of Repentance 2. You pray not against sin for grace and pardon so earnestly as you should because you know your selves no better O that God would but open these too-close hearts unto us and anatomize the relicts of the old man and shew us all the recesses of our self-deceit and the filth of worldliness and carnal inclinations that lurk within us and read us a Lecture upon every part what prayers would it teach us to indite That you be not proud of your holiness let me tell you Christians that a full display of the corruptions that the best of you carry about you would not only take down self-exalting thoughts that you be not lift up above measure but would teach you to pray with fervour and importunity and waken you out of your sleepy indifferency and make you cry O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me If the sight of a Lazar or cripple or naked person move you to compassion though they use no words if the sight
that fear God The depths and deceits of the heart are wonderfull and you little think what an hour of temptation may discover in you or bring you to oh therefore know your selves and fear and watch 3. A man that in adversity is touched with penitent and mortifying considerations and strongly resolveth how holily and diligently he will live hereafter if he be recovered or delivered from his suffering doth ofttimes little think what a treacherous heart he hath and how little he may retain of all this sense of sin or duty when he is delivered and that he will be so much worse then he seemed or promised as that he may have cause to wish he had been afflicted still O how many sick-bed promises are as pious as we can desire that wither away and come to almost nothing when health hath scattered the fears that caused them How many with that great imprisoned Lord do as it were write the story of Christ upon their prison walls that forget him when they are set liberty How many are tender-conscienced in a low estate that when they are exalted and converse with great ones do think that they may wast their time in idleness and needless scandalous recreations and be silent witnesses of the most odious sins from day to day and pray God be mercifull to them when they go to the house of Rimmon and dare scarcely own a down-right servant or hated and reproached cause of God! O what a preservate would it be to us in prosperity to know the corruption of our hearts and forsee in adversity what we are in danger of We should then be less ambitious to place our dwellings on the highest ground and more fearfull of the storms that there must be expected How few are there to a wonder that grow better by worldly greatness and prosperity Yea how few that held their own and grow not worse And yet how few are there to a greater wonder that refuse or that desire not this perilous station rather then to stand safer on the lower ground Verily the lamentable fruits of prosperity and the mutability of men that make great professions and promises in adversity should make the best of us jealous of our hearts and convince us that there is greater corruption in them then most are acquainted with that are never put to such a trial The height of prosperity shews what the man is indeed as much as the depth of adversity Would one have thought that had read of Hezekiahs earnest prayer in his sickness and the Miracle wrought to signifie his deliverance 2 Kings 20.2 3 9. and of his written song of praise Isa 38. that yet Hezekiahs heart should so deceive him as to prove unthankful You may see by his expressions his high resolutions to spend his life in the praise of God Isa 38.19 20. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day The Fathers to the children shall make known thy truth The Lord was ready to save me therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord Would you think that a Holy man thus rapt up in Gods praise should yet miscarry and be charged with ingratitude And yet in 2 Chron. 32.25 it is said of him But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem And God was fain to bring him to a review and humble him for being thus lifted up as the next words shew ver 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart O Sirs what Christan that ever was in a deep affliction and hath been recovered by the tender hand of mercy hath not found how false a thing the heart is and how little to be trusted in its best resolutions and most confident promises Hezekiah still remained a holy faithfull man but yet thus failed in particulars and degrees Which of us can say who have had the most affecting and engaging deliverances that ever our hearts did fully answer the purposes and promises of our afflicted state and that we had as constant sensible thanksgivings after as our complaints and prayers were before Not I with grief I must say Not I though God hath tryed me many a time Alas we are too like the deâ—â—itfull Israelites Psal 78.34 When he slew â—â—em then they sought him and they returnâ—â— and enquired early after God and they â—â—membred that God was their rock and the 〈◊〉 God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did â—â—tter him with their mouth and they lyed â—â—to him with their tongues For their â—â—art was not right with him neither were â—â—ey stedfast in his Covenant Prosperity oft â—â—ews more of the hypocrisie of the unsound 〈◊〉 the infirmity of the upright then apâ—â—ared in adversity When we feel the 〈◊〉 resolutions of our hearts to cast off 〈◊〉 sin to walk more thankfully and â—â—uitfully and accurately with God then 〈◊〉 have done we can hardly believe that â—â—er those hearts shoul lose so much of those â—â—fections and resolutions as in a little time 〈◊〉 find they do Alas how quickly and 〈◊〉 sensibly do we slide into our former inâ—â—nsibility and into our dull and heavy â—â—uitless course when once the pain and â—â—ar is gone And then when the next â—â—fliction comes we are confounded and coâ—â—ered with shame and have not the confiâ—ence with God in our prayers and cryes â—s we had before because we are conscious of our covenant-breaking and backâ—liding and at last we grow so distrustfull of our hearts that we know not 〈◊〉 to believe any promises which 〈◊〉 make nor how to be confident 〈◊〉 any Evidence of grace that is in theâ— and so we lose the comfort of our sincerâ—â—â— and are cast into a state of too much hâ—â—â—viness and unthankfull denyal of our deâ—â—â—est mercies And all this comes from 〈◊〉 foul unexpected relapses and coolings 〈◊〉 declinings of the heart that comes not 〈◊〉 to the promises we made to God in 〈◊〉 distress But if Exaltation be added to Deliveraâ—â—â— how often doth it make the Reason druâ—â— so that the man seems not the same If 〈◊〉 see them drowned in Ambition or worlâ— cares or pleasures if you see how bolâ— they can play with the sin that once thâ—â— would have trembled at how powerfâ—â—â— fleshly arguments are with them 〈◊〉 strangely they now look at plainheaâ—â—â—â— zealous heavenly Christians whose 〈◊〉 they once desired to be in and how 〈◊〉 they are ashamed or afraid to appear 〈◊〉 for an opposed cause of Christ or opeâ—â—ly to justifie the persons that he justifieth As if they had forgot that a day is comiâ—â— when they will be loth that Christ shouâ—â— be ashamed of them and refuse to Justifâ—â— them when the grand Accuser is pleading for their condemnation I say if you see these men in their prosperity would you not ask with wonder
filled is an insufficient evidence of the life of grace and will do as little for the soul of the giver as for the Body of the receiver And how little hazardous or costly Love is found among us either to enemies neighbours or to Saints Did we better know our hearts there would be more care and diligence used to bring them to effectual fervent Love then to those duties that are of less importance and we should learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice Mat. 9.13 12.7 which Christ sets the Pharisees twice to learn More instances of greatest duties extenuated I might add but I proceed 8. Another instance of unobserved corruption of the heart is The frequent and secret insinuations of selfishness in all that we do toward God or man When we think we are serving God alone and have cleansed our hearts from mixtures and deceit before we are aware self-interest or self-esteem or self conceit or self-love or self-will or self-seeking do secretly creep in and marr the work We think we are studying and preaching and writing purely for God and the common good or the benefit of souls and perhaps little observe how subtilly selfishness insinuates and makes a party and byasseth us from the holy ends and the simplicity and sincerity which we thought we had carefully maintained so that we are studying and preaching and writing for our selves when we take no notice of it When we enter upon any office or desire preferment or riches or honour in the world we think we do it purely for God to furnish us for his service and little think how much of selfishness is in our desires When we are doing Justice or shewing mercy in giving alms or exhorting the ungodly to repent or doing any other work of Piety or Charity we little think how much of selfishness is secretly latent in the bent and intention of the heart When we think we are defending the truth and cause of God by disputing writing or by the sword or when we think we are faithfully maintaining on one side order and obedience against confusion and turbulent disquiet spirits or the Vnity of the Church against division or on the other hand that we are sincerely opposing Pharisaicall corruptions and hypocrisie and tyrannie and persecution and are defending the purity of Divine worship and the power and spirituality of religion in all these cases we little know how much of carnal self may be secretly unobserved in the work But above all others Christ himself and the Holy Ghost that searcheth the hidden things of the heart hath warned one sort to be suspicious of their hearts and that is those that cannot bear the dissent and infirmities of their brethren in tolerable things and those that are calling for fire from heaven and are all for force and cruelty in religion for vexing imprisoning banishing burning hanging or otherwise doing as they would not be done by proportionably in their own case He tells his two Disciples in such a case Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9.55 As if he should say You think you purely seek my honour in the revenge of this contempt and opposition of unbelievers and you think it would much redound to the propagation of the faith and therefore you think that all this zeal is purely from my spirit But you little know how much of â— proud a carnal selfish spirit is in these desires You would fain have me and your selves with me to be openly vindicated by fire from heaven and be so owned by Goâ— that all men may admire you and you may exercise a dominion in the world and you stick not at the sufferings and ruine of these sinners so you may attain your end but 〈◊〉 tell you this selfish cruel spirit is unlike my spirit which inclineth to patience forâ—bearance and compassion So Rom. 14.1 2 c. 15.1 2. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye who art thou that judgest another mans servant Why dost thou judge thy brother and why dost thou set at nought thy brother We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ Every one of us shall give account of himself to God We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification So Gal. 6.1 2. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Bear ye one anothers burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ So also men are fouly and frequently mistaken when they are zealously contending against their faithfull Pastors and their brethren and vilifying others and quenching love and troubling the Church upon pretence of greater knowledge or integrity in themselves which is notably discovered and vehemently prest by the Apostle James 3.1 c. where you may see how greatly the judgement of the spirit of God concerning our hearts doth differ from mens judgement of themselves They that had a masterly contentious envious zeal did think they were of the wiser sort of Christians and of the highest form in the School of Christ when yet the Holy Ghost telleth them that their wisdom descended not from above but was earthly sensual and divelish and that their envy and strife doth bring confusion and every evil work and that the wisdom from above is neither unholy nor contentious but first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated Jam. 3.17 You see then how oft and dangerously we are deceived by unacquaintedness with our selves and how selfish carnal principles ends and motives are oft mixed in the actions which we think are the most excellent for wisdom zeal and piety that ever we did perform O therefore what cause have we to study and search and watch such hearts and not too boldly or carelesly to trust them And it is not only Hypocrites that are subject to these deceitfull sins who have them in dominion but true Believers that have a remnant of this carnal selfish principle continually offering to insinuate and corrupt their most excellent works and even all that they do 9. The strong eruption of those passions that seemed to be quite mortified doth shew that there is more evil lurking in the heart then ordinarily doth appear How calmly do we converse together how mildly do we speak till some provoking word or wrong do blow the coals and then the dove appeareth to partake of a fiercer nature and we can perceive that in the flame which we perceived not in the spark When a provocation can bring forth censorious reviling scornfull words it shews what before was latent in the heart 10. We are very apt to think those affections to be purely spiritual which in the issue appear to be mixed with carnality Our very love to the Assemblies and ordinances of
And some sins are also of so heynous a nature or degree that he that Habitually hateth sin cannot frequently commit them nor at all while his Hatred to them is in Act And he that truly Repenteth of them cannot frequently return to them because that sheweth that Repentance was indeed either but Superfiâ—ial or not Habitual But some sins are not so great and heynous and therefore do not â—o much deterr the soul and some are not so fully in the power of a sanctified will as â—assions thoughts c. and therefore may â—fter be committed in consistency with Haâ—itual Repentance or Hatred of sin To exâ—mine particulars would be tedious and digressive 2. And I must further answer that our â—afety and consequently our Peace and â—omfort lieth in flying as far from sin as we â—an And therefore he that will sin as much â—s will consist with any sparks of Grace shall â—ury those sparks by his sin and shall not know that he hath any Grace nor have the comfort of it as being in a condition unfit for Actual assurance and comfort till he be brought to Actual Repentance and amendment Thus I have shewed you by what you must try your sanctification if you will know â—t which I before proved to you from Scripture and further may do when the occasion will excuse me from the imputation of disproportion and unseasonableness â—n repeating the proofs of all that we speak in Explication or Application of the principal point 4. Another cause that many Christians are ignorant of their state of Grace is their looking so much at what they should be anâ— what others are that have a high degree 〈◊〉 grace and what is commanded as our duty that they observe not what they have already because it is short of what they ought 〈◊〉 have We are thus too much about oâ—â—â—ward mercies too We mourn more 〈◊〉 one friend that is dead then we rejoyce 〈◊〉 many that are alive We are more trouble for one mercy taken from us then comfortâ—â— in many that are left us We observe 〈◊〉 diseases and our sores more sensibly then 〈◊〉 health David for one Absalon is so afflicteâ— that he wished he had dyed for him though a rebell when his comfort in Soâ—lomon and his other children is laid aside As all the humours flow to the pained place so do our thoughts as was aforesaid and so we overlook the matter of our comfort 5. And it very much hindereth the knowâ—ledge of our Graces that we search upon 〈◊〉 great disadvantages as hinder a true discovery Among many others I will instance but in two or three 1. We surprize our souls with sudden questions and look for a full and satisfactory answer before we caâ—â— well recollect our selves and call up our evidences and we expect to know the summ or product before our consciences have had leisure deliberately to cast up their â—ccounts Yea when we have set to it and â—y diligent search with the best assistances â—ave discovered our sincerity and recorded the judgement if Conscience cannot presentâ—y recall its proofs and make it out upon every surprize we unjustly question all 〈◊〉 past and will never rest in any judgement but are still calling over all again as â—f the cause had never been tryed And â—hen the judgement passeth according to â—ur present temper and disposition when many of the Circumstances are forgotten and many of the witnesses are out of the way that last assisted us 2. Perhaps we judge as I said before in the fit of a passion of fear or grief which â—mperiously over-ruleth or disturbeth reason And then no wonder if in our haste we say that all men that would comfort us are â—yars And if with David Psal 77.2 3 7 8 9. in the day of our trouble our souls do even refuse to be comforted and if we remember God and are troubled more and if our spirit be overwhelmed in us when he holdeth our eyes waking and we are so troubled that we cannot speak and if we question whether the Lord will cast off for ever and will be favourable no more whether 〈◊〉 mercy be clean gone for ever and his promise fail for evermore Whether he hath forgotten to be gracious and hath shut up 〈◊〉 tender mercies in displeasure till a calâ— deliver us from the mistake and make 〈◊〉 say This is our infirmity We thinâ— that God doth cast off our souls and hideâ—eth his face from us when our soul is fuâ—â— of troubles and our life draweth nigh 〈◊〉 the grave When we are afflicted and reaâ—â—â— to die from our youth up and are distracted while we suffer the terrors of the Lord 〈◊〉 he complaineth Psalm 88.3.14 15 16 Passion judgeth according to its nature anâ— not according to truth 3. Or perhaps we judge when ouâ— friends our memory and other helps are 〈◊〉 of the way and we are destitute of 〈◊〉 assistance 4. Or when our Bodies are weak or distempered with Melancholy which representetâ— all this in black and terrible colours to thâ— soul and will hear no language but forsaken miserable annd undone You may aâ— well take the judgement of a man haâ—â— drunk or half asleep about the greateâ—â— matters of your lives as to take the judgement of Conscience in such a state oâ— â—isadvantage about the condition of your â—ouls 6. Another hinderance to us is that we â—annot take comfort from the former sight of â—race that we have had unless we have a conâ—inued present sight And so all our labour in â—rying and all our experiences and all Gods former manifestations of himself to â—he soul are lost as to our present comfort when over Grace is out of sight Like foolâ—sh travailers that think they are out of â—he way and are ready to turn back when ever any hill doth interpose and hinder them from seeing the place they go to As if it were no matter of comfort to us to say I did find the Evidences of Grace I once recorded a judgement of my sincerity But the former is still questioned rather then the later When with David we should consider the dayes of old the years of antient times and call to remembrance our songs in the night and commune with our hearts in such a diligent search and remembrance of the mercies formerly received Psal 77.5 6 7. 7. Lastly the operations of mans soul are naturally so various and from corruption are so confused and so dark that we are oft-times in a maze and at a loss when we are most desirous to judge aright anâ— scarce know where in so great disorder 〈◊〉 find any thing that we seek and knowâ— not when we find it so that our hearts 〈◊〉 almost as strange to themselves as to one aâ—â—â—ther and sometime more confident of othâ—â— mens sincerity then our own where thâ—â— is no more matter for our confidence HAving thus shewed you the Causes 〈◊〉 our Ignorance of our Sanctification I shall briefly tell you some Reasons thâ—â—
shall find more favour then he that flattereth with the tongue And Prov. 27.6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemie are deceitful When prosperity is vanished the flatterer and the faithful dealer will be better known Deceitful prosperity and deceitful men will at once forsake you None of them will admire or applaud you when you are low and the tide is gone and hath left you in contempt These kind of men will be as ready as any to reproach you As Shimei that honoured David in his prosperity but curseth him and revileth him as a Rebel against Saul and casteth stones at him when he saw him flying in distress Plutarch likeneth flatterers to lice that forsake the bodies of the dead because the blood is gone that did maintain them Commonly men in misery or at death have better thoughts of faithful plainess worse of smoothing man-pleasers then before But whom can the prosperous blame so much as themselves if they are undone by the deceit of flatterers It is their own choice They love to have it so They will not endure faithful dealing When they contract those diseases which will not be cured without bitter medicines they hate the Physicion that offereth them Their appetites and sensual lust and not their Believing-Reason doth choose their work their pleasures and their company and prescribe what language must be spoken to them And he that resolves to cast away the remedy and will please his appetite and fancie come on it what will must take what he gets by it and bear the endless wrath of God that could not bear the necessary warnings and self-knowledge that should have prevented it Did these men hate sin and the messengers of Satan they would not hate the Justice and messengers of God But while they damnably Love fleshly pleasures they cannot savingly Love the word that chargeth them to let go those pleasures nor the persons that cross them in the things they love And thus poor worldlings are ruined by their own desires It seemeth so sweet to them to live in sin that they cannot endure to know the bitter fruits of misery which it will at last bring forth They are conquered by their fleshly lusts and therefore they hate the messengers of that spirit which would fight against them Satan doth perfect his former victories in them by dispelling or dispersing the auxiliaries of Christ that were sent for their rescue and relief They live as if they were purposely made great that they may be able to drive away the messengers of salvation and to keep the voice of mercy far enough from their ears and to command that which the Gaderenes did intreat that Christ would go out of their coasts Mark 5.17 because they would not be troubled with him They so much love the way to Hell that they cannot abide to be told whither it leadeth them and therefore they come thither before they are aware and must know themselves by the unquenchable fire because they would not know themselves by the discovering recovering Light And thus by Prosperity and flattery Satan pursues and wins his game Dir. 2. IN opposition to this Hinderance two things are to be done 1. Desire not so perillous a station as worldly Prosperity and greatness is Love not and seek not a condition so hazardous to your souls Leave that to them that take it for their Portion as not believing what they must lose and suffer by it or what God hath revealed of the life to come Or if you be in such Prosperity not by your Desire but by the will and Providence of God let your fear and watchfulness be doubled as your dangers are Be not like those sensualists Jud. 12. that feed themselves without fear Use not prosperity to the pleasing of the flesh and the prospering of your lusts but deny your your selves in the midst of your abundance and turn it into an adversity to your sensual inclinations by taming the body and bringing it into subjection and suspecting your selves and walking humbly with God and man And when Adversity is upon you improve the opportunity for the knowledge of your selves Then take a just survey of your former course of life Then try your ways when the drunkeness and deceits of prosperity are past and the hand of God hath brought you into a sober and considerate state O how many souls do know that in one day when adversity hath made them wise and sensible which before they knew and would not know they saw it but did not understand and feel it Then on a sudden they are able to pass a righter judgement upon their yielding to temptations and the value of the things that tempted them and upon their worldly designs and fleshly wisdom and their neglects of God and Heaven and duty then before they could do though they had never so much instruction and though they could speak the same words of sin as now Affliction taketh away the deceiving advantages of fleshly objects and unmasketh the glory and profit of the world and awakeneth the rational faculties to perform their office and therefore is an excellent opportunity for self-acquaintance The prodigal came to himself when he was denyed to fill his belly with the food of swine Luke 15.16 17. Nature teacheth men to understand that it is the principal Lesson that Affliction readeth to us To know our selves and our ways as they are related to God and to his judgement 2. If you are in Prosperity be the more suspicious of flatterers and drive them away with the greater detestation Be more careful to keep them from you then to keep your bodies clean from vermine And be the more solicitous to procure such faithful Overseers and Physicions for your souls as will do their best to save you though they displease you O that you knew what an advantage it is to have a faithful Pastor and a faithful Friend that seek not yours but 〈◊〉 and make no advantage to themselves by flattering you but choose the means that tend most to your salvation And O that you knew the great disadvantage of those that want such a Pastor and such a friend You would then be sure to give it as your strictest charge to both to deal plainly with you and never to hide or extenuate your sin or danger You would charge your Teachers What ever you do deal faithfully with my soul If you see me in any dangerous course I beseech you tell me of it If I should be hardened against your warnings and reproofs I beseech you deal not lightly with me but labour to awaken me and set it home and pull me out of the fire and save me as with fear Jud. 23. O suffer me not to be quiet in my sins The like charge also you would give to your friends that are about you and converse with you choose such Pastors and choose such friends as are fittest thus to prove your friends indeed And
our sermons Yea how oft doth the medicine irritate the disease So that a poor wretch that is under the wrath of God and knoweth not when he is gone out of the assembly whether the justice of heaven will not take vengeance on him before he come hither again yet cannot abide to hear of this but with Ahab hateth the Preacher that prophesieth evil of him be it never so true It is pride that leadeth up that armie of corruptions that here strive against the light of truth that is sent to convince and convert the guilty And is a man like to be saved by the word while he hateth it and bends his thoughts and passions all against it Dir. 1. HE therefore that will ever know himself must first let in so much of the light as may take down his arrogancy and bring him as a little child to the school of Christ First know what thou art as Man and then know what thou art as a sinner and sentenced by God that so thou mayst come to know what thou art as one that is under the hopes and duties of the Redeemed When thy proud heart rebelleth against conviction remember with whom thou hast to do Will God speak submissively to thee for fear of offending thee will he cry thee mercy for handling thee so roughly as to tell thee thou art yet the child of wrath Is he afraid to talke to thee of death or of damnation Will he recall his threatnings and repent him of the severity of his laws because such worms are angry with them or will not believe them Perhaps thou mayst make a false hearted frightful man-pleasing Minister to change his strain of plainer dealing and become thy flatterer or be silent But will God be silenced will he stoop to thee and bend or stretch his word to humor thee O no he will one day tell thee what thou arâ— with another voice then this of a mortal and despised man and in another manner then preachers tell it thee If thou canst frown the Preacher out of the pulpit or out of his fidelity to God and thee yet canst thou not frown God out of heaven He will speak to thee more terribly then the terriblest preacher that ever thou heardst And if thy Pride shall rise up and tell him that he doth thee wrong how quickly will thy mouth be stopped and thou be forced to confess thy guilt Rom. 3.5 6 19. O stoop man to the humbling word of grace or God will make thee stoop to the words and strokes of wrath Fear him that will make the proudest fear before he hath done with them Judged thou must be by thy self to self-abasing and conversion or by God to desolation and confusion And canst thou easier bear Gods judgement then thy own Stoop foolish self-deluding dust Stoop sinful wretch and know thy misery If thou stand it out a little longer an undiscerned blow will bring thee down and thou shalt not see the hand that strikes thee till thou art humbled to the grave and hell O how absurd yet pittiful a sight is it to see poor sinners brave it out against the humbling message of the Lord as if they could make good their cause againg him and scorn to know that they are going to Hell till they are there And then will Pride preserve them from the knowledge of it It is shameful folly to be Proud and obstinate where a man knoweth beforehand that he must submit at last and is not able to stand it out 2. THE second Intrinsecal Impediment to self-acquaintance is an unresonable tenderness of our selves when an inordinate Love of ease and quietness of mind doth prevail with us to hold fast all that thus quieteth us at the present without regard of due provision for the time to come In this there is a mixture of unreasonableness and self-love It is indeed the very brutish disposition A beast will not willingly be dieted for his future health Let him have at present what he loveth and you please him though you feed him for the slaughter for he hath not reason to foresee what followeth An ox must be bound and cast and held down by force if you will shooe him though it be to the keeping of his feet from hurt or if you will pull out a thorn or do any thing for his good that hurteth him at the present you please not your horse by letting him blood though you save his life by it Fleshly-minded men have thus bruitified themselves so that they judge of things by present feeling and have not Reason and Faith to look before them and judge of things by what they tend to even by the good or hurt that will follow in the end It is a very terrible troublesome thing for a man that is unregerate unjustified and unreconciled to God to know it For a man that hath any feeling left to find himself in a state of condemnation This is to stir up all the terrors of his soul and cast him into perplexing fears and disquietments of mind so that he cannot eat or drink or sleep in quietness but the troublesome thoughts of sin and everlasting wrath torment him And the inconsiderable man that judgeth of things by present feeling will not endure this and therefore must needs have the windows shut and the light removed that sheweth him these perplexing sights As most men hate those that speak against them be the matter never so true so they cannot endure those thoughts that do accuse them nor to have a reprover so neer them even in their own breasts A Conscience within them to preach to them night and day not one hour in a week but where-ever they go and whatever they are doing to be so neer so constant so precise and so sâ—vere and terrible a Preacher as usually a newly enlightened and awakened conscience is this seemeth intolerable to them And whatever come of it this Preacher must be silenced as turbulent and vexatious and one that would make them Melancholy or mad And this is the condemnation of these miserable souls that light is come into the world and they loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.19 20. And thus while men are so tender of themselves that they will do nothing that troubleth or hurteth them at the present they venture upon all the miseries that they are forewarned of Dir. 2. BE not unreasonably tender of a little disturbance at the present nor unbelievingly careless of the misery to come Cannot you endure to know your sin and misery and yet can you endure to bear it will you go to Hell for fear of knowing that you are in the way Must you not know it with everlasting woe and vengeance when you come thither if by knowing your danger you prevent not your coming thither Is it easier to bear