Presumption is Presumption this also I shall branch out in five things 1. The Presumption of a Preposterous Confidence in Gods mercy this hath begotten carnall security and strengthened the hands of wickednesse Dreames of mercy have been the bane of duty Patrons of loosenesse and soft pillowes for delicate wantons to sleep on God is good God is mercifull and therefore the old man dares be sinfull as if God were not a prudent and pure dispenser but carelesse prodigall of his rich mercies he is beleeved to wast them on the Devills service and to rain down their Heavenly showers upon a barren wildernesse an unfruitfull Profession But where have we a word in sacred Writ that the servant of sin must first be confident of Gods mercy Did Bone Deus misericors Deus faciam quod mihi liber Aug. eyer mercy priviledge and owne a lost sinner but on its owne termes T is true mercy is to be found to the praise of the glory not the infamy of mercy as a cordiall to the fainting a plaister to the wounded sinner a spur to service not a Feast to riot on when loose Libertines take not mercy the childrens bread by Gods allowance but like Dogs endeavour to get it from his Table and are cudgelled off from it did they seriously consider the way of obtaining mercy the Lessons mercy teacheth the evidence of mercies possession the Distinction mercy maketh the reputation mercy must have in the world they would soon be convinced they are at as infinite a distance from mercy as they are from innocency and duty O that all loose Libertines that feast their lusts at mercies Table and that commit this spirituall Burglary of breaking into Gods house to snatch away his mercy would lay to heart five things 1. They are not yet in the way of obtaining mercy they understand not the method of mercy As that 1. Christ is the mercy seat the Throne of mercy a mercifull High Priest the great High Steward that gives out Almes of mercy and gives it to Subjects fit to receive it 2. That none enjoy it bit themthat are deeply sencible of their misery by sin despaire of mercy by any but Jesus Christ 3. That the obtainers of mercy are stil knockingat the beautifullgate of mercy get Heaven by violence wrastle for a Coelum tundimus Deum tangimus misericordiam extor â—uemus Tertul. Apol. c. 40. smile a word a Dole of mercy as the Christians did in Tertullians time We strike at Heaven sayd hee with our desires We are close suiters to God we pull down mercy from him as Jacob did that wrought hard in prayer for mercy as the importunate Woman was Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me speeders for mercy are not cold carelesse indifferent Suiters 4. That mercy receivers are humble selfe-abasing condemning Soliciters wonder they are not in Hell past mercy and the asking of it like the Servants of Benhadad that came with ropes about their necks at once confessing their deserts wooing the favours of a mercifull King 5. That the priviledged owners of mercy in an holy importunity will hear no â—ay but still lay prostrate before the Father of mercies untill he shew mercy Psa 123. 2. A sweet warme looke of mercy beaming upon a cold fainting soule the ordinary invaders of Gods mercy who are not so much the Almes-men as the Theeves of mercy ascend not to the Mount of mercie by mercies staires but feed on a presumptuous fancy of mercy wantonize with it and have no saving part in it 1. They learn not the Lessons mercy teacheth in speciall two Resignation and Subjection 1. Resignation the giving upthe whole person in a reall gratitude to Gods service who instead of a wonder of mercy might have made the provoking sinner a Monument of vengeance I beseech you by the mercies of God give up your bodies c. Pom. 12. 1. 2. Subjection As many as walke according to this rule mercy be on them Gal. 6. 16. Every mercy saith be dutifull but choice saving mercy calls for regular walking Those licencious daring ones that challenge mercy say with those in Jeremiah We are Lords we will not come to thee are their own Masters live as they list know no Law but their Lusts were never Schollars well trained up in the School of mercy 3. They have no evidence of mercies possession the fear of God is this great evidence The mercy of God is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear him psal 103. 17. Gods feare stands between two happy Eternities of mercy as the faire mark of both the decree of mercy from Eternity the enjoyment of mercy to Eternity is the sure Felicity of all that fear God O falshood folly madnesse Too many that neither feare God nor sin conclude a part in the mercy of the Booke of life and looke for the endlesse mercy of the other world and by the prefamed license of mercy live wickedly 4. They study not the distinction mercy maketh surely all designed for mercy are vessells of mercy all that are and shall be without it are vessells of wrath an unchanged heart and unreformed life under mercy maketh no difference between the persons of mercy and wrath If vessells of mercy may be Libertines they vessells of wrath both wil be carnall walkers mercy duty wrath sin wil be an everlasting distinction between the heirs of Heaven and the purchasers of Hell Vessells of wrath will be Libertines if vessells of mercy are so too the one is as good as the other 5. They bring not Gods mercy in Reputation in the world what honour hath God in pretenders to mercy that abuse his Grace They who are designed to mercy are vessells of honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Not only to import they are called to honourable priviledges but honourable services As God honours them in holding out his golden Scepter of mercy to them so they are to honour God in being glorious within and wearing without the golden apparrel of an heavenly shining conversation ps 45. 13. paul obtained saving mercy he was an high eminent vessell of Honour and he honourably used his mercy to the praise of its Author I obtained mercy and the Grace of God was abundant in me through Faith and Love 1 Tim. 1. 13. 14. The garment of mercy God bestowed on him was honourably and richly adorned by sanctifying grace Licentious Professors do not honour but cast dirt upon the Robe of mercy were it not for presumptions of mercy false Christians would not so play the wantons under Gospell Profession Did they think and speak the truth in our unregenerate hypocriticall and profane Estates that there is no mercy for us we are children of Wrath if we live and dye so we perish this would damp the pleasing merry fits of sin if this do not turn them Heavenwards it will force upon them inward gripes and conscience pangs in the way to Hell The same
and lives that with the repenting Jaylors they had had heart tremblings then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning a sun-shine of prosperity should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth How wise and safe had been their estate that at once have peace with sin and as they think with God had they at once seen God and sin their enemy their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes their sweetest comforts bitter vexations the creatures armed against them feared their very meat might prove their poyson every night might be the last that these awakening driving terrors might chase unquiet afrighted spirits into Jesus Christ that the fear and war of the spirit of bondage might end in the joy and peace of the spirit of adoption that tempestuous soules might hear these sweet calming words Be of good cheere t is I be not afraid Mat. 14 27. Fear not I am thy God Isa 41. 10. My Person Spirit Graces Comforts Glory infinite merits are thine Some in the Wildernesse of their sins feares and sorrowes have at length leaned on their beloved when the false peace of most presumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell As many there as have been tempted by secure flattery into their tormenting easelesse bed of Tribulation will have cause to think and say within themselves accursed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts lives that hath brought us to an eternall storme accursed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war accused be that sweetnesse that hath inticed us into eternall bitternesse accursed be that friendship with the world and Devill that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God SECT 14. 4. The presumption of setting death and Judgement at far distance Sect. 14. The setting of death and judgement at far distance causeth the abuse of Grace 1. Death Resentment of it as of a Traveller thousands of miles off at scores of yeares removes begets through the deceits of the flesh and lyes of the Devill a tolleration yea a resolution to play the wanton not only against Nature but Grace The Epicure that beleeves not the Soules immortality concludes wanton voluptuous life from probable short life Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15. 32. And the Christian though he beleeveth his Soule shall live for ever doth wantonize in carnall delights from probable length of dayes he shall have time enough to get the Grace of Repentance and therefore he abuseth the space and call yea the conviction of returning the vilest of Christians while under the sentence and on the bed of death seeme to have some sober thoughts of the excellency and necessity of Grace and of some complying desires and wishes O that they had it who when they beleeved it yea found it at vast distance from them despised and abused the motions of the spirit and word and of Grace How Saint like is the inlightned Libertine within a few houres of his death how dissolute ten years scores of years before it 2. Judgement Because particular Judgement after death and the generall Judgement of the great day is delayed Therefore The heart of the Sons of men is set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. wanton scoffers walke after their own ungodly Lusts saying Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. That cooling word in the Indulge exple animi cupiditates scito tan dem sis ratio nem Deo red diturus q. d. fac quicquid mali poteris tandem vapu labis aut in manus carnificis incides Mercer l. 5. c. 2. hot chase of sin Remember God will bring thee to Judgement Eccl. 11. 9. is too litle remembred the words of Mercer are observeable Feed and dandle thy lusts with most cockering indulgence coming to every desire of thy carnall mind yet know at length God will reckon with you fill up your measure of sin to your utmost possibilities at length you shall smart for it and fall into the hands of avenging Execution my Lord hath delayed his coming said the loose evill servants and therefore they were intemperate and injurious rioted in drunkennesse and Beate their fellow servants Matth. 24. 48 49. As the wanton whorish woman argued to uncleannesse Come let us take our fill of Loves let us solace our selves with Love for the good man is gone a long journey Prov. 7. 18. So the wanton Christian argues to licenciousnesse he may in the spacious intervalls between his healthy time and the last Judgement bathe his fleshly mind in fleshly loves and delights for it will be long ere the last Assizes come and will it be long what if millions of years it will come at length too soon and too sore upon the injurious slighters of Gods Grace Ah Christians that sport your selves with your own deceivings Irremediabile periculum sit aliquem cupiditatibus fraena laxare ut se rationem Deo non meminerit redditurum Bernard that Gospell Grace and liberty will favour your disordered walking that give your Lusts too large roome under the plain hearing and convincements of strictnesse that stumble in high noone day slacken the Reines to your head strong desires as if God would call you to account Bernard tells you this is an irremedilesse soule danger If the Faith of the last Judgement do not teach men holy Wisdome Repentance Temperance Obedience what will what can weep you said the Apostle James to the rich loose wantons of his time And howle for the miseries that are come upon you Jam. 5. 1. why Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth and have been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slangther v. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh As if he had said you play the wantons with creature mercies forgetting God and your duties but the accounting day is nigh Faciat jructū qui potest adest dominus qui fructum requirit faecundos vivificet steriles depre hendet Am. Super Luc. The Judge is at the doore They are good words of Ambrose Let every one bring forth the fruit of Grace the Lord is present in his word to faith who will require fruit will not be put off with leaves He will give eternall Life to fruitfull trees will take and cast barren ones into Hell SECT 15. 5. The presumption of time enough to repent hath brought 15. The presumption of time enough to repent doth cause the abuse of Grace forth this uncomely Monster The abuse of Grace There are not a few incurable instances in the other World who have first delayed and then everlastingly lost the space and Grace of repentance Those words of Christ concerning Jerusalem may be truly and sadly said of Grace-refusing and abusing Christians Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Hannibal bewailed the loss of his opportunity to master Rome when he would have
distinguishing mercies unto thee How hast thou forgotten the Lord in numberless sins Should he cast thee out of his mind thou hadst been cast into Hell long before this O let the thoughts of thy dear Lord be precious to thee Love quickens memory let him be the dearly beloved of thy soul as thou art of his and thy memory will be the faithful treasury of his glory and thy duty SECT 4. 4. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is secret acting of Heart-sinnes Close pollutions in the best hearts deny and 4 Secret acting of heart-sins is an evidence of abuse of grace oppose the savoury power of grace Scripture Records are sad experiences of a world of filth gathered together in the heart like an heap of dust a load of dung There is heart iniquitie that marrs Prayer Psal 66. 18. There are close heart Idols Ezek. 14. 3. which have too much account and adoration The heart in the time and place of solemn divine service goeth after covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. is the work-house where the practises of it are daily exercised 2 Pet. 2. 14. The heart is of a grosse brawny constitution Matth. 13. 15. insensible of fleshly or spirituall motions It is whorish corporally sometimes often spiritually had rather lye in an earthy yea sometimes an hellish than heavenly bed of Loves 'T is often the complaint of serious gracious spirits when their lips are pure their hearts are unclean when their language is heavenly their spirits are earthly Aliud corde prementes aliud ore promentes O the sighs the tears that are the issues of spiritual observing eyes when they turn inwards and behold defiling Pride Passions Dumb sins Abominable impurities yea which aggravates inward wickedness in pious soules even in cleansing times and means Hearing Praying Humbling houres so that were hearts transparent and their hideous filthiness exposed to Fenestrata pâ—ctora common view the Readers of bosom wickednesse would say Religious minds were not Gods Temples but the Devils Synagogues not the sweet Repositaries of the Holy Spirit but the Augaean Stables of the unclean How filthy is the scent of holy mens impure soules to their heavenly acute smell They are weary of their lives in their right sense when they see such close wickednesse to wrong the Grace of God but that there is â— discerning eye and loathing spirit of this filthy sink of sin all werâ— naught and all profession a delusion O Christian wouldst thou load thine heart with the sight and sense of those ugly hellish characters thy spirituall Lyncaean eyes behold see the vilenesse of it in a parable A King intirely affectionate to his Subjects his favourites especially would be honoured every where but especially in his Court what affronts do his ennobled and promocreatures put upon him who although they do not make him vile in the streets yet before his face pollute his chamber with mire and dirt yea spit in his face The King of Glory loving to all deserves every ones highest respects his favourites especially though the world wallowing in wickednesse abuse him he should not be wronged where he keepes his Court what affronts do his ennobled new creatures do to him who though they do not make him vile in the open streets of publick scandall yet they pollute the heart his chamber with the mire and Triâ—linium Dei. dirt of filthy sins yea spit on the fair face of his Grace by secret presumptions O infinite mercy compassion and condescension that the great God jealous of the State and Glory of his Majesty seeing his Mansion house so abused will yet vouchsafe to call it his and to dwell in it SECT V. 5. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods Grace is adventuring 5 Adventuring on lesser sins is an abuse of Grace on lesser sins Grace is that Wisdome that is from above without partiality in its Heavenly Executions will spare no sins fat and lean must all be a Sacrifice to its sword great and small like all the Egyptians in the Sea must perish it hath no reseâ—ves of cruell pitty sayes of all sins as Jehu of all the Worshippers of Baal Let none of them live 2 King 10. 20. Hypocrisy speaks like that hypocrite Saul spare some O Christian t is thy wanton indulgence when thou sparest any little it may be doest thou thinke when the flattering old man sayes spare this and this sin it is as if he should say damn thou soul little sins like little poyson being of a killing nature as well as greater that of Chrysostome is true experience He that a little is carried away by his carnall Lust will be a greater Revolter his Qui parum cupiditate abreptus discesserit multum etiam procedens abscedit Quamobrem cave parum hoc non est parum sed fere totum Chrysostom Counsell is safe wherefore sayes he take heed this little is not little it is almost all Sins motion is down hill motion like the stone when it begins a little to fall it still falls he that goeth one mile with his Lust and the Devill will go two ten twenty knowes not when to stop a little allowed weaknesse soon growes to allowed wickednesse what enemies are we to Grace and our own Soules when in the just day of its vengeance we will secure little sins say we not as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one and my Soule shall live Gen. 19. 20. This sin is a little one a Saints infirmity my Soule shall live how do we practically indent with God that his gracious Pattents should be securities for little sins Well were it if these had not too liberall allowances protections and Respect When I bow said Naaman in the Carnis nostra securitas infirmitatem primam ad pecca tum viaÌ„ sacit postea obdurat animam prava voluntate house of Rimmon in this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant 2 King 5. 18. So when we yeild subjection to little sins in these things there is scarce doubt the Lord will pardon his servants when we protect the least sins how do we forget that command Cast away all your transgressions Ezeck 18. 31. And what in us layes cast our selves out of mercies Protection Repentance must be as universall as Remission that Grace that pardons purgeth all sin though all sins are not equall yet all are mortall in their nature a little sin as well as a little needle sticking in the heatt is deadly vain thoughts idle words deadnesse of heart formality in duties foolish jesting petty oathes with many such sins of course though little sins in common repute by many Minima vocat ex sensu hominim nihil minutum de quo praecipere dignatus est coelestis Legislator Marl in loc thought no sins yet like little Toads and serpents spit poyson on the Soule we read indeed of least Commandements Matth. 5. 19. But it is in mens opinions not their own nature No command is little that hath
wofull estate till they worke on thee fear and trembling and then further awaken thy secure heart with these sad what iff's What if thou shouldst die suddenly What if thou shouldst shortly be forced into the presence of thine angry Judge whose Grace thou hast many thousand times desperately abused What if now I resist the movings of the Spirit of Grace and hee never stir up a thought of Repentance in me more What if in the other World the avenging remembrance of my wanton sportings in sin and mocking my plain dealing instructers more torment my wounded conscience than all the Tortures of Tyrants have tender bodies What if God laugh at my destruction who have laught at the Counsells of Reformation Then go further and thus upbraid thy selfe saying O monster of men and Women O wonder the Earth hath not swallowed mee up quick as weary of such a burden O marvell that I am not in Hell O fool O wretch O beast O mad one worse then a Devill He never had the time nor offer of Grace The grace of God teacheth to deny ungodlinesse I have an Atheisticall heart and have led an ungoldly life the grace of God teacheth to deny worldly lusâ—s and I have made provisions for them and pampered them the Grace of God teacheth to live godly but I have been so far from leading a godly life that I have not only hated the power but the form of godlinesse in my family The grace of God teacheth to live righteously but I am guilty of unrighteous dealings with my neighbours name and estate The grace of God teacheth to live soberly but I have been a wanton intemperate Glutton and Drunkard and an uncleane incontinent person if these thoughts and such as these O loose Reader shall put in thee resolves in the strength of Christ to repent of the worst of pardonable sins the gâ—osse Abuse of Grace if they shall bring thee on thy knees if thou shalt cry mightily to God to repent to give thee a better heart to honour that Grace of God and Jesus Christ which alone must save thee if ever thou be saved when thou shalt lye on thy Death Bed thou wilt never repent of following this Counsell delay not to search try and amend thy loose heart and life lest thy Libertinisme prove thine everlasting ruine SECT 2. 2. TAke heed of denying the proof of grosse afronts to Gods Take heed of denying the proof of gross affronts to Gods grace grace such as have been named herein the guilty plead innocent though they oppose Gospel merits and mercies to calling upon God they will say they though they do not though the Grace they pray for be never received into their hearts nor is seen in their lives yet think they yea they affirme the contrary though they shroud unrighteous and oppressive courses under the Grace of God they will not owne the charge though Lord have mercy on me and God give me his Grace be thought dayly satisfaction for dayly reigning sinnes in their account yet this will not be be beleeved and so other symptomes of palpable wrong to Gods grace are rarely credited This wickednesse was among the Jewes though the manifest tokens of impiety and cruelty were upon them they denyed it the Prophet was put to it to convince their injuries to Gods grace in abusing the Prophets their soule Physitians by ocular demonstrations Si fur deprehensus fuerit non poterit negare neque occultare sce lus suum Calv. Judaei respersi sanguine usque ad extremas partes vestium crimen vestrum plus quam notum est non E. tantum rebelles fuistis doctrinae meae sed crudeliter prophetas meos occidistis Calv. in loc the Theef is ashamed when he is found so the Jewes were taken in the open acts of wickednesse Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor Innocents Jer. 2. 26. As innocent Blood on the out-side of the Murtherers garments demonstrates cruelty so their open butchering of the Prophets and yet thou sayest I am innocent v. 35. Again How canst thou say I am not polluted I have not gone after Baalim Jer. 2. 23. Thus the open enemies of Gods grace that will not be perswaded though they be perswaded they are guilty are impudent denyers of their wickedness as Thieves and Murtherers deprehended in the Fact like Frantick men in a Feavor that talk idly rage have skâ—lding flesh spirits inflamed cannot sleep and yet say they are well like men that have the Plague sores in their faces and hands too very visible yet deny the infection Take heed of denying the palpable symptomes of wronging Gods grace This mischief comes on it As the mortally diseased that denies his danger will not seek out for nor welcome the Physitian so nor these be capable of healing grace SECT 3. 3. SEe to it that you slight not the conviction It is a small 3. Slight not the conviction matter to offer open injury to Gods grace Is it a light matter to have the fearful marks of the spiritual eternal death without sound repentance Is it the maner of condemned persons slight the convictions of death Wantons before it are serious spirit-smitten and wounded after it When Physitians tell their Patients they are dead in their disease if such and such means be not used and blessed Are not men usually deeply affected with such sad news O sinner thou hast the grosse Characters of abusing grace upon thee Thou hast the visible marks of death upon thee The Lord affect thine heart with thy condition that thou maist see it be converted and repent SECT 4. 4. REfuse not to put sad and serious questions to thy soul 4. Refuse not to put sad and serious Questions to thy soul these eight especially 1. Question Shall I make a mock of God and Christ This I doe If I professe my self a friend of Grace and kick against it and say Hail Master to Christ the Author of Grace and betray the honour and power of Grace I am one of those mockers the Apostle Peter and Jude prophesied of May not God mock at my destruction surely he scorns the scorner Prov. 3. 24. 2. Question Shall I be the worst of enemies David charged his pretended friends with higher guilt then his open enemies Psalm 55. 14. Christ will not bear it that his name should be wounded in the House of his friends The Duke of Florence said he read He was to forgive his enemies not his friends Turks Infidels are not such deeply guilty enemies against Jesus Christ as prophane Christians that openly abuse his Gospel-grace and Baptismal-mercy Such friends without deep Humiliation and Repentance Christ will not forgive When Judas prophanely ushered in his open Treason against his professed Lord with an Hail Master and a kiss Matth. 26. 49. Christs immediate word was Friend And Jesus said unto him Friend Wherefore art thou come v. 5 c. As if he had said I
you doe in Word and deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the father by him Col. 3. 17. And this will secure against loosnesse in the duties of our Relations worldly enjoyments Ordinances of Grace Talents committed to us SECT 9. 9. HElp is godly sorrow Those ill humors that are contracted 9 Godly sorrow is an help against abuse of grace Indicium re fipiscentiae sollicitudo securitatis excussio metus ne nevo peccato implicarentur Dickson by carnal mirth godly sorrow will help to cure as in Nature so in grace contraries cure Fasting is one remedy of distempering feasts Godly sorrow is the spirits sack-cloth and fast for sin When it wrought in the Corinthians repentance it wrought carefulnesse which shook off security and fear of relapse into the old sin by fresh temptation By the sadâ—ess of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7. 3. True sorrows eat out the love and liking of sin Men lay not to heart the abuses of grace and then adventure them The three principal things that God requires are Justice Mercy Mourning The last is a singular help to the two first Could we walk mournfully before the Lord we should love Mercy and do justly Mic. 6. 8. The Jews were wanton in their marrying Idolatrous Wives and their mourning ushered in their reformation Ezra 10. 1 3. Good natured childrens ingenuous sorrows for their soose pranks are Preservatives against like disorders In Malachy the prâ—â—â—ical Atheists did look upon Religion as vain serving God keeping his Ordinâ—nces and walking mournfully before the Lord of Hoast Mal 3. 14. Those mock-Gods and loose Libertines that laugh at mournful walking with God and are ever irreligious they keep not his Ordinances nor serve him at all The tears of repentance do sweetly water the seed of grace Zions mourners are the most thâ—â—ving Christians None are further off from the dangerous snares of soul-ruining wantonnesse then humble souls that soâ—e in tears They reap in Grace and Joy while others that soâ— in carnal security and delights reap in sin and wrath It is told in Gath and published in Askelon that many that seemed to set their faces Heaven-wards are loose â—ibeâ—tines They dâ—re to think speak and act what once to think on would make them tremble They dare sin without â—emoâ—se and count it their perfection And whence this sad â—postacy Surely as in part from an ungrateful glut of and formality in the â—rdinances of Grace partly from the spiritual pride of high attainments and partly from exchanging the house of mourning for the house of mirth walking mournfully before the Lord with them is Apochrypha sorrow for sin is legal and antiquated The holy Spirit exhorts rich Wantons to change their mirth into mourning Jam. 4. 9. But what Spirit it is that moves them to change their mourning into mirth you may easily guess It is just with God that when dissolute ones in sinful hardness have laid by sorrow for sin in judicial hardnesse they should be not more merry then mad jocund Wantons The Pulpit is no place The Sabbath no time to speak vainly I hope I speak the words of Truth and Soberness of all the holy frames of the Spirit I would desire of God in my sinful Pilgrimage of imperfection this choice gâ—â—cious indowment That the top-power of the Spirit in me might be in the Gospel-humblings of brokennesse of heart and contrition of spirit Pelievers are called should be little ones Matth. 18. 6. are ever best and safest yea nearest God when lowest SECT 10. 10. HElpe is close union to God The whorish woman at distance 10 Close union with God is a special help against abuse of grace Pe. didisti fornicantem abs te aliquid supra te amantem Pelican from her husband played the wanton Prov. 7 19. and impure soules fornicate when they thrust themselves out of Gods presence wanton spirits distance from God their choice and delight Job 21. 14. Is their damnation Lo they that are afar from thee shall perish Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee Psal 73. 27. They that love any thing above God leave Heavens bed of Loves for Earthly delights and shall pay dear for their wantonnesse The remedy against it was close union to God But it is good for me to draw nigh to God 28. As if he had said Unchast Fornicators that leave God the Fountain of living waters for lying vanities to their eternall losse shal be indited for whoredome but my soule enter not into their secret though they are Wantons behind Gods back I see it is sâ—fe it is happinesse to me to get neer his Fâ—ce in his presence is Aâ—e Purity and Joy I dare not be loose while I see him besore mine Eyes wil a promoted favourite abuse his Prince wrong his grace before his Face the close union of Gods Reverence Love Purity Joyâ— Contentment Admiration will not be abusive Appropinquatio ad Deum elongatio ab omni corruptione Parisiensis The neerer to the Holy God the further from corruption as the neerer the fire the further from cold the neerer the sun the further from darknesse it is sinners turning their backs upon God which makes them wantons the true vision fruition of and delectation in Gods face is grave serious holy and heavenly What Christian that ever had sweet tasts and close viewes of the blessed God but his experience is sweet testimony hee feared to thinke desire do say that evil in close addresses to God which at other tims of distance hath had too sinful allowance The happinesse of the next life wil be divine sweet vision and union without darknesse and separation eternal closures betweene God souls wil shut out wantoness so much as there is of spiritual conjunction now there is provision against sinne SECT 11. 11. HElp is a constant subduing the first depraved motions 11 A constant subduing the first depraved motions is a special help to prevent abuse of grace to carnal desires and affections he that denyes the first parly and specious offers of a trecherous enemy prevents consent when we give the subtil motions of sin audience and listen to their pleasing arguments it is a thousand to one but we grant them wanton indulgence and ready obedience turning the deaf side to the whorish flatteries of sweete corruption is a soveraign Antidote against Libertinisme Are we sure an enemy knocks at the door we loâ—k and bar against him but open not unto him spirituall Judgment sayes the loose motions of sin knocks at the door sayes open not O my soule open not they are Theeves and Robbers My Son saith Solomon If sinners intice consent thou not Prov 1. 10. So say O my Soul if that great Pandor to all the Wantons of flesh and spirit corrupt nature intice consent thou not when lust hath conceived in consent it is ready to bring forth in Execution
tempora quasi damnationis tempora timeamus Greg. Mor. l. 17. c. 3. Quanto vita nostra est longier tantoculpa nostra fit numerosior gravior c. Otho Casmannus Innocence but without Book After 400 years suffering the seed of the Amorites to oppress Gods Israel Gen. 15. 13. black doom-day put a period to their Prosperities and Persecutions A long lived Libertine under the days of Grace hath more reason to fear his approaching destruction then salvation The Counsel of an ancient is wholsome well were it if accustomed slighters of Gods grace would lay it to heart it would fire them out of their perilous security It is necessary said he that we fear and tremble lest the prolonged times of Gods mercy do prove the times of our damnation It is the lamentation of a serious modern Writer The longer we live the more numerous is the account and the more heavy the weight of sin Hence when the just Judge comes he will turn the indulged times of mercy into an eternity of wrath and penalty SECT 4. 4. THe whole time of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse 4. The whole time of grace is turned into wantonness not onely sparing and long-suffering Grace but all the daies of Grace even to their late dying periods are also abused Backsliding is perpetuall The most under Gospel times refuse to return Ier. 8. 5. The Lord questions in his Word O Ierusalem how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee Jer. 4. 14. Wilt thou not he made clean when shall it once be c. 13. 27. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Prov. 1. 22. How long The answer is not more sad then true for ever Should the loose persons of unconverted hearts and unreformed lives not bettered under a threescore years convincing and awakening Ministry and the frequent woings of the Holy Ghost be left to themselves should they live an eternity on earth they would still wrong the grace of God There is a Countrey phrase To while away the time O how many do while away precious time most do the works of darkness while Gospel light shines round about them yea in their mindes they cannot deny and yet they defame the glory of it While Christ knocks at the doors of their souls for entrance the Divel is bid welcome while the Spirit crys Repent repent the flesh wallows in the pollutions of the World while he passionatly solicits and perswades to accept of salvation upon salvations tearms the pathes of damnation are still troden in The hardened house of Israel will die While God is tendred as an everlasting portion the world is violently pursued while the pilgrimage delights of the spirit and the Heavenly Countrey Pleasures of Gods right hand are held forth to unregenerate mindes foolish souls hunt after the pleasures of sin and vanishing Creature delights While precious seasons to sue out a pardon are granted out for sins past more Treasons and Rebellions are heaped up against God while this vanishing life is proposed as a probation for Eternity lying vanities are skilfully and uncessantly pursued Five things will load this ause 1. Time one of the most precious things in the world is abused 1. Time is abused Nil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodie vilius invenitur Bernard Nothing says Bernard is more precious then it and alass nothing now a days is more slighted and vilified It is made the numbring measure of unholy and unrighteous motions but very rarely of heavenly conversation the thriving opportunity of Satans Kingdom but rarely as to the multitude of Christs The preciousness of time industriously heavenly as well as earthly merchants will tell you The worth of time an enraging afflicted Conscience on a death bed will tell you that breathed out lamentable crys Call time again call time again The excellency Veniet tempus quo vel unam horam ad resipiscendum redimere mirum quantum optabimus Otho Casmannus of time most awakened loose departing souls will tell you who will abound in fervent wishes to admiration that they might redeem but one hour to repent The dignity of time the damned in hell were they among us would tell us That had they a world they would give it to escape their torments they feel and shall endure for ever and to be in a state of Grace of Salvation The glory of time the glorified in heaven would tell us were they suffered to acquaint us with their unspeakable Joys Eternity it self will be little enough to bless God they have not lost their time but obtained salvation in the days of Grace It will ravish their hearts when as one phraseth it they shall think within themselves O blessed moment of Grace O happy days of Conversion O choicely spent time in holy mournings O beatum momentum gratiae and obedience O rarely improved time to be the shining witnesses of God against the wicked world O Heavenlized time in communion with God that contemned the world O 2. The possibility of escaping eternal misery is abused Quomodo eos pudebit pigebitque qui videbunt se opportuno tempore gratiae impenso potuisse in vita sua acerbam illam horribilem lamentabilem aeternitatem evadere the wise use of time that hath laid up treasures in Heaven and fitted espoused souls for the joyous eternal imbracements of their heavenly Bridegroom 2. The possibilities of escaping eternal misery and obtaining everlasting life are abused when the whole provisional space of preventing the wrath to come of preparing for glory in the foolish pursuit of the worlds shadows is lost when loose Prodigals of the time of Grace are impossibilitated to have a moment more What shame and grief will surprise them when they shall consider their secure neglect of the Jewel of time and the force of Eternity prevailing thoughts when set home on the conscience to make the profuse lavishers of the golden seasons of Grace the most thrifty Husbands How stinging will this sad conviction be if the opportune time of Grace were well managed they might have escaped that bitter horrible and lamentable Eternity wherein they are plunged and safely arrive to the Port of everlasting rest These things were once possible now they are not O sinners fear and tremble your sporting with sin your indignities and injuries put upon the grace of God doth exceedingly slight and despise your saving possibilities while the mouth of the bottomless pit is not shut upon you do no more disparage but honor your Gospel-seasons of Grace if you crucifie the Son of God and still despise the Spirit of Grace either laugh at or delay the necessary change of your hearts and lives be assured the next minute after your death you shall see a dreadful fixed unalterable gulf before your eyes that as the Saints in glory cannot come to your Hell so it will appear everlastingly impossible
Person is deeply and dearly paid for now what is bought passeth into the dominion of the buyer The ransomed of Christ are Peculium Christi Christs own possession It was an holy wish of an holy Writer O that Christs Lordship with deepest impressions might be rooted and fixed in our mindes The loose depravers of Redemption run the hazard of perishing when they refuse to be Christs possession 3. The greatest freedom pomp and glory of the world that Impii pre vilisfimis abjectissimis habentur licet spiendeant in oculis hominum Davenant in Coloss takes carnal eyes dischargeth no wicked Libertines from being the most vile and abject slaves Nobles though bound in silver chains are Prisoners The Devil and the old Man will never envy their spiritual Captives outward freedoms while efficacious Redemption hath made no powerful Translation unto Christs Kingdom of salvation 4. Carnal walkers conceits of Redemption by Christ are pleasing delusive and vanishing dreams While the Israelites served Quicquid somniant homines carnales de liberatione suâ est vanissimum Nam ut Israelitae dum Phaaroni inserviebant non erant libertate donati sic Christiani dum Diabolo parent dum peccati delitiis diffluunt Davenant Pharaoh they were not delivered so titular Christians never felt the power of Redemption while they obey the Devil and abound in the pleasures of sin The chained Prisoners thoughts of Ransome are very sorry ones while he still starves and dieth in his Irons 5. The avenging jealousie of the Lord Christ will flame out against them who rest yea boast in heart yea sometimes in tongue of his ransoming Grace and yet shake off his rightly purchased Government He counts them no better than enemies that refuse his dominion and threatens their destruction Luke 19. 27. He shall come from Heaven to revenge their disobedience to his Gospel 2 Thess 1. who prophanely rested on the Grace of his Redemption How can they answer their undoing fallacy of dividing what God hath joyned parting Redemption from iniquity and Redemption from Hell as if the whole of it were to rescue lost sinners from the smart not the filth of sin to give them a licentious ease not to fit them for their professed Lords use and their own eternal sweet communion with him to keep them from being vessels of wrath not to make them vessels of honour What a dishonour is this to the grace of God That Lust the Devill and the World should Lord it over Christs purchase What reproach to Redemption that those who beleeve they are ransomed by him will not be subject to him but abide Col. 1. 21. Enemies to him in their minds declared by wicked workes Are not these men like ransomed captives bought by a deare price who are so far from subjection and paying honour to that they rebel against their Lord 3. When Christ is desired for his comforts not for his service Gods grace is turned into wantonness Thus many take Christ to serve their turnes of him not to serve him for a shelter to comfort them in storms not a Master to doe his will When under the terrors and sorrows of death and hell they would have comfortable words from Christ even then when they have rebellious hearts against him I have heard from an eye and ear-witness a sad report of a tipling adulterous prophane man when he had the terrours of an angry God on his wounded soul and not onely fear of Hell but confessed feeling of the paines and flames of hell in his spirit was in his flesh like another trembling Balshazar at the hand writing against him a real afflicted Quaker sent for the Minister cried out of his grosse sinnes yea his barren and forsaken use of reading and prayer but the slavish sorrows were soon wasted and the terrified sinner soon grew vain frothy sensuall and voluptuous Such as like onely the pacifying but not the purifying part of Religion have whorish hearts wandring from God to other Loves even then when they are afraid of him Wanton unclean wives would have their husbands good lookes words and gifts though disobedient to them and defilers of the Marriage bed Thus too many adulterous hearts when the lips only matched with Jesus Christ would have the comforts of Reconciliation Remission Adoption the peace and joyes of the Holy Ghost even then when they contemn his holy strict Gospel-government The Apostle Paul will be a condemning instance against these selfish wantons As he obtained Pardoning mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. So he was the servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1. 1. yea laboured in Christs vineyard more than any of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 10. Should God put sound hearts to the choice whether they had rather have eminent grace to doe the will than see the sweet face of Christ they would prefer dutifulness before joyes and rather obey the commands than see the smiles of God But rotten hearts are all for the comforts Hypocritae magno supercilio jactant pietaetem sed pias monitiones rejiciunt Calv. Isa 50. nothing for the self-denying mortifying precepts of the gospel would be content to spend their daies in carnall rejoycing not working for the Lord Jesus It is just with God that all such who onely seek the comforts but not the labours and tasks of christianity shall everlastingly be strangers to the solaces who were enemies to the duties of the Gospel They who center Optimo jure nobis adimitur gaudium ubi in ipso gaudere nescimus Calv. in Isa 24. their joy in themselves shall never have true joy O that these men that fear no evill but wrath and Hell and so doe keep in not leave their wickednesse and see no good in Religion but its comfort and peace would seriously consider the experimentall words of Zanchy Evill men doe but inwardly restrain their wickedness which without feares they would wantonly powre forth Suam pravitatem intus cohibent quaÌ„â—lioqui petuâ—â—nter effusuri erant unde nec meliores nec justiores apud Deum quia licet timore impediti suam iniquitatem exercere non audent tamen intus habent cor peccatis aestuans neo renovatum ab obedientia Dei Zanchius de legis officio and this maketh them not the better nor more righteous in Gods account because though chained up by fear they dare not act their iniquity yet within they have sins impure flames pent up but no heart renewed by the obedience of God SECT 7. 4. VVHen the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God The Grace of God is turned into wantonness 7 When the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God This is done Doctrinally and Practically 1. Doctrinally When the Justifying grace of God is made 2 dis-obligement from the obedience of the Law Because they that are under grace are not under the damning power of the Law Therefore loose Opinionists teach they are not under the commanding power of the Law as if Christ dyed
of the sweet Creatures maketh a strong Body but niverso a weak minde Bodily delights are like an intoxicating Wine and Sunt in vinum inebriatienis augmentuÌ„ Corruptionis Ex eod c. 58. Nulla est carnis cupiditas quae non hominem inebriat Marlorat Qui honoratur in via in perventione damnabitur quasi per amaena prata in carâ—erem pervenit Gregor in Moral Danda esf opera ne se mundo ingurgitent si volunt ad Christi regnum properare Marlorat the improvements of corruption There is no lust of the flesh that the unwary sinner is not drunk with Its cravings and service unfit for duty as the over-charged Drinker is for his work It was therefore Christs caution Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Luke 21. 34. God hath not given the Creatures to hinder but promote obedience 'T is a sad exchange when the abused Honors of this life shall be swallowed up in the damnation and contempt of the other and the worlds voluptuous wantons pass through the pleasant Meadows of present delights to the stinking howling and smarting Prison of Hell They that would make haste to Christs Kingdom of glory had need be careful lest they cram and surfett their souls with the world Too much of thoughts desires affections to this is sadly punished with nothing in the other Wo to them that are intemperately full here they shall hunger hereafter and their dis-satisfaction will be a part of their Hell Christian liberty and Gospel grace will be no Patrons of Creature excesses 2. When the use of the Creatures is Idolatrous Gods grace is abused Joseph should be great in Aegypt but Pharaoh would be in the Throne above him We may use the creatures but they must not be set in the hearts Throne above God We make that an Idol that hath an equal or higher room in our hearts 'T is a kinde of Idolatry to place happiness in the Creatures Covetousness Est quoddam idololatriae genus foelicitateÌ„ in rebus creatis ponere Granatensis is stiled Idolatry Col. 3. 5. Inordinate sweet worldly loves are heart Idols God never gave the Creatures to be set in his room 'T is his high dishonor when the love of the world swallows up the love of God trust in the Creatures denyeth confidence in the Rock of Ages rejoycing in things of nought obstructs Joys in the things of Eternity The service of the Creature puts by the service of God Blessed for ever A Prince will not bear it that his promoted Creatures should be set above him so neither will the Jealousie of God bear it that the creatures he hath made should be set above him We usually say stand by and remove those things that stand in our light O our little account of God! we say not stand by nor remove from our irregular esteem and affections the things that stand in Gods light If we have not Grace enough to take our hearts off from the dark Eclipses of Gods glory and God intend mercy to us he will either remove them out of his light or imbitter their use Hence Parents and Children Husbands and Wives have been bitter-sweet one to another yea often times more bitter then sweet Lest a constant tenor of undisturbed contentment and delight should tempt and turn Relations into Idols upon this account too riches health and friends have fled away lest the Lords people too prone to adore and admire Creatures into Idols should set them too high The words of Augustine are not more true then sad experience Whatsoever you love that is from God will be justly imbittered to you because Bonum quod amatis ab illo sed amarum erit juste quia injuste amatur deserto illo Aug. Conf. I. 4 Misera anima a te refugit cum quo semper gaudet sequitur mundum cum quo semper dolet Aug. in Medit. it is injustly loved by departure from him They are also a part of his sweet meditation The miserable soul runneth from thee in whose sweet presence it is feasted with joy and followeth the World with which it meets with thorny vexations CHAP. V. Wherein are set down the Cà uses why the Grace of God is turned into wantonness SATAN a malicious enemy of Gods Grace knowing that the abuse thereof is a sin of aggravated and accumulated wickedness of a deep scarlet tincture and the highest affront that can be offered to a gracious God The Mediator and Spirit of Grace hath many pernicious Methods and destructive Wiles to tempt to this hainous sin Though all of them are not in every abuse of Gods Grace yet some of them in some and some of them in others are the causes of this eminent and dishonorable injury to the God of Grace I shall consider them under four Heads Wants Errors Presumptions and Temptations SECT 1. 1. WAnts The failings or omissions of nine things are 1. The omissions of several things are the causes of playing the wantons under Grace the deficient causes of wantonness under Grace 1. Want of knowing the work and abuse of Grace Many have confused notions of Gods grace who are ignorant of the wrongs they do unto it and think they are under the priviledge of grace when they are strangers to and enemies against it Many say that God is gracious and by Gods grace they will amend when they consider not that renewing active grace would put them upon constant conscionable regular and vehement endeavors for reformation when they practice but neither know nor are humbled for the contradictions to grace when they are not soundly convinced that saving Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. which they out of choice and delight fulfil That it abounds with faith and love 1 Tim. 1. 14. when it never produced these Graces in them that the will of God is their sanctification 1 Thess 4. 3. when they never saw the amiable beauty nor practiced the duties of holyness that grace changeth the heart when they know nothing of the inward mysterious miraculous work of conversion in its Doctrine and experience that grace is an effectual curb to and a cleansing Purgatory of vain and impure thoughts when they know no hurt in the vanity and pollution of them that grace leads the heart daily to the Throne of grace when they are strangers to Prayer in the Holy Ghost and think there is no hurt in its irreligious omission that it is Grace must save them when they know not that a principal part of its salvation is the mortification of lust and reformation of life Ignorance of the wrongs done to grace is a black concealing vail over them which at once hinders the accusing conscience tempts to dreams of innocence imboldens to a carnal indulgence to beloved sins were the eyes of the Doctrinal and
Two texts among others are the strong hold for their earthly minds Parents lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12. 14. And he that provides not for his own is worse than an Insidel 1 Tim. 5. 8 â—oth are true but miserably abused by uncompassionate covetous hearts The first of laying up for children was never intended to swallow up laying out in works of Charity and Mercy But what though Gods allowance and Parents indulgence may lawfully make their children the heirs in part of their Estates will this excuse their dis-inheriting Christ in the necessitous poor will this excuse their rebelling against the Gospel Old New Testament requities for liberal alms giving nothing or next to nothing in no proportion to estates Amongst the sayings of ancient modern holy writers yea the confessions of heathens that might easily swel into a Book Some sayings out of Salvian might make Scripture Worldlings to tremble who profess their portion is in God and give sad grounds of Jealousie 't is only in this life When they thus Apologize we know what Gods Justice demands what sacred truth requires but we â—â—rfess we are bowed under the yoak of our fleshly allience we Dedimus capâ—â—â— manus vincalâ—â— charitatis câ—ssâ— saenguint â—â—â—es vicerunt devotioneÌ„ relâ—gionis jura pictatis Salvian contra Avaâ—itiâ—â— Viâ—â—â—â— excuâ—â—â—unâ—â—â—â— non excusans have given our captive hards to the chairs of our Parental affections The voice of blood is lowder then that of faith and the rights of nature have swallowed up the devotion of Religion Something may be said to cover but not to cure the disease of worldliness a shadow of excuse not excusing giving to the guilty a shew of deprecation no security from the cry of guilt O worldly I arent whose all it is to heap up estates for thy children or the main of thy earthly travel and solace The unhappiest man in the World Doest thou think how well others shall live after thee and not how ill thou art like to die Tell me I pray thee O miser O Infidel when many are inriched with thy divided Patrimony and greedy Purchases have you so ill deserved of your self as not to advantage your soul by charity to strangers 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es â—am male meritus Take this choice admonition Let no man prefer his dearest childe above his soul Christians are so to consult the good of their Heirs in this life as to accommodate themselves in Eternity Facilius est hic deesse quippiaÌ„ quam parentibus in futuro multo est levior praesens tenuitas quam aeterna paupertas ib. 'T is better that children should want something here then Parients all hereafter Present mean estate is better then eternal poverty Better that Heirs want a large Patrimony then the Testators their salvation yea they to whom Inheritances are left if they have any piety bowels mercy to them that leave them should be glad of their pious liberality lest they perish Hearken hide-bound heart-bound Parents that have the judgement of withered hands upon you to the words of Christ He that loves Sonor Daughter more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10. 37. Have ye banished self-love from your selves soul love is true self-love O unbelief O perverseness 'T is a vulgar saying Charity begins at home This is a new kinde of Monster to consult the well-fare of any one but ones self Behold thou art to goe O man of matchless misery to a sacred tryal to that trembling and intolerable Judgement where onely a good Conscience an innocent Life works of Mercy will refresh thee Where a liberal minde a fruitful repentance and copious alms will befriend thee What if immoderate scraping together for thine beiâ—s shut Heaven against thee Mens larga Paenitentia fructuosa Eleemo synae copiosae and open hell to receive thee Will the memory of thine heirs vast and voluptuous Estate ease thy Bed of flames Will the thoughts of their delitious tables even to glut and wantonness afford thee a crum of mercy a drop of water to cool abate thy torturing pangs Hadst thou not been better by a Bill of Exchange to have sent a great part of thine Estate in works of mercy into the other world As to the other refuge of Tenacious covetousnesse he that provides not for his own house is worse then an Infidell how is this Text made to speak on the Misers side and how far from his Protection The mind of the Spirit and the Apostle in those words was not to countenance a confined use of christians estates within the Pale of their own families but to taxe and caution against the Abolishment of naturall affections and necessary provisions in carelesse family-guides under the Pretensions of piety This inhumanity to ones own flesh and bloud sets professed christians Sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 below Heathenish Infidells who are by the guide of Nature propense to love their own Of kin to this is that Popish Inhumanity which is cryed up for superlative Piety if any leave their wife children and aged Parents or go a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem or cloyster up themselves in a Monastery The Catabaptists as Marlorat noted were besotted with the same madnesse for leaving their wives and children as astonished witlesse fanatick men they run up and down To propagate as they fancied the Dominions of Christ The same wild course the brain-sick Ita se pomeria Christi propagaturos dixerant Marloin 1 Tim. 5. besotted Quakers take in these dayes leaving their dearest Relations in tedious journyes where Satan called the spirit is pleased to send them whom the Holy Spirit calls worse then Infidells for undoing their families to propagate the light within them from County to County such as these as oppose Religion to the necessary provisions of this life are here intended But Non ita claudenda est res familiaris ut eam benignitas aperire non posset neque ita referanda ut pateat omnibus Cicero 2. Offic. what speak those words for worldly Christians of the other extream Are not they worse then Infidells whose improved naturall reason and moralities have made them liberall to the poore and needy Have not these denyed the Faith of Scripture that abundantly commands charitable distribution yea the True faith in God that is ever fruitfull in the compassionate works of Almagiving Thus too many with Scripture leave as they thinke are Bad Stewards of their Wealth let the large waters of creature mercies run out almost only in the channells of their own Families are not the blessed cisterns to convey them into wanting houses Trace all the kinds of abusing Gods Grace to their proper Oirginalls and it will be experimented the wresting of some Scriptures or others hath been the cause of loose hearts and wanton lives SECT 11. THe third head of causes why the Grace of God is abused Sect. 11. The grace of God is abused by
Gospel Famine That the word of God the God of the word will depart from us and leave England in that Death Darkness Destruction it hath deserved May we not from likeness of sins fear likeness of Judgements Abuse of Grace hath been we may fear it will be an un-Churching sin O all you Zions mourners who are what you are by distinguishing Gospel grace bewail your own unsuitableness to Gods grace Sigh and cry for all the Abominations that are done in the midst of our sinful Jerusalem if days of desolation come it will cheer your hearts you were affected with Gods dishonor you will be markt out either for deliverance out of common evils supportance in them or an happy issue out of them CHAP. VII Wherein are set forth the Punishments of this great sinne Abusing Gods Grace WEE have seen the aggravated evil of this too common and dishonourable Sin the Abuse of Grace We can be in nothing more crosse to the choice design of God than in wronging his grace Not to give God the praise of the glory of his goodness in nature is deep ingratitude but to deny him the praise of the glory of his grace is deeper indignity The wrath of a King will be more enraged when he is abused in his Throne than in his Common Highway The Gospel acquaints us with Gods Throne of grace God slighted in his grace is an abused King in his Throne This without repentance will turn the Throne of grace into a Throne of angry Justice They that abuse the blood of the Lamb shall feel the wrath of the Lamb. No damnation like that which is heightned by the abuse of Salvation For the Gospel to be a savour of death unto death puts a sharper and fiercer sting into eternal death than when it punisheth onely unnatural sinnes God sets black marks of his displeasure upon the Abuse of Gospel grace He is wont to plague it with these punishments in special six sad ones wherein he expresseth dreadfull vengeance SECT 1. 1. IUdgement is giving up to carnal Lusts As God hath punished the abuse of his Goodnesse in nature so he hath revenged 1. Sheweth the greatness of the judgement to be given up to carnal lusts the wrongs of it in grace He shined forth the glory of his Godhead Eternal Power Love Wisdom and other glorious Attributes in the Workmanship of the World the Glass of his Glory the great Folio every Leaf whereof proves his Invisible Deity but when the goodnesse of God was abused to Idolatry the creature was served and worshipped more than the Creator the Lord in just wrath gave up wantons against the light of nature to their own lusts Rom. 1. 24. to vile affections 26. to a reprobate sense 28. to receive in themselves by these spiritual Judgements the recompence of their error v. 27. whip them with their rod chuse their own delusions and suffering them justly to perish in their own choice The like vengeance he hath exercised on the injuries done to his Gospel grace The Lord proclamed himself to the God of Israel in an external Covenant of Grace I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of AEgypt typifying the Grace of Redemption from Saran and the world sweetly inviting them to desire and accept his grace with enlarged hearts open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. But this sweet tender of grace in postive rebellion was wantonly rejected But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me and thus the Lord plagued them with their own choice and waies So I gave them up to their own hearts and they walked in their own counsels ver 12. The sadnesse of this Judgement in giving sinners up to their carnal Luds for the perverting of Gods grace appears in four things 1. It is a sad judgement for a sinfull weak erring creature to be deprived of a safe unerring guide the Grace of God When Contumaciae pana gravis desertio spiritualis Ames the offers and restraints of his Grace are removed man is like the Philistins house when the Pillars by Sampson were removed an heap of ruin like a Coach without a Coach-man to order it like a Ship without a Pilot like an Infant without a Nurse like an heady people without a Magistrate The spiritual departure of Gods grace is a great punishment of obstimte contumacie It is just that grace should forsake those that forsake it 2 Chr. 24. 24. that they should have none of its safetie that wil have none of its soveraignty that they should perish without it that would not be ruled by it It is Chrysostomes resemblance when a King seeth Rex cum perditum vidit fidium suwn abdicat eum boais suis deserit Chsys his Son lost and past recovery he casts him out of his Royal Protections Provisions and forsakes him so God strips loose sinners of his aide and grace As it is great mercy to be guided by Gods counsel so it is great severity to be deprived of it The way of man to obtain everlasting happiness is not in himself He is safe in Gods way but perisheth in his own 2. It is a sad Judgement for a sinful weak erring creature to have a false deceitful guide and so have all they that are given up to their own luâ—s They are like Traiterous Collonels that lead their Regiments into the very mouth of ruin within the Enemies Ambush Besides they are foolish Guides and unskillfull they know not the way of peace Who will take a naturall fool or a stranger to be guided in a journey That Ship with it 's Fraught and Passengers is in a poor case that hath an ignorant Pilot and the full Coach that hath a blind Couch-man Carnall Lusts are foolish 1 Tim 6. 9. O the folly of immortal soules that are led by the foolish guidance of their lusts 3. It is a sad judgement to be given up to carnal Lusts because these are Gods â—vengers He is revenged of men where they least beleeve it Even in those sweet Lusts they hugg and pamper will God plague the enemies of his grace No need of Non opus eâ— carnisicibus externis domesticos habemus ultores Pet. Mart. in Rom. Outward Punishments if we will plâ—y the wantons with his grace He hath his Avengers in our very bosomes The Lusts of wicked men are Gods â—ods xes Halters The servants of sinfull Lusts are an inestimable infinite masse of misery when they shall feele it in the other world they will beleeve it Men sinnes are Gods punishments though they see it not 4. It is a sad judgement to be given up to carnal Lusts because such are Volunteers in their own destruction It is sad to fall by the Sword but more sad like Saul willingly to fall by ones own Sword It is a sad judgement to die by Poyson but willingly to drink up a known cup of Poyson is
yea probably have been prevailing temptations to speed others damnation These and such like considerations set home by the Spirit of God on quickned sensible spirits will put them in a mourning frame before the Lord. 2. As pious hearts should bewail their own and others dishonors who have abused the love of God to them and the grace of God in them so also let them lay to heart the loose general carnal profession of them who in unregeneracy wrong the grace of God in five things SECT 2. 1. IN his sparing grace How sadly hath the abuse hereof been 2. Sparing Grace is abused tevenged God hath not onely spared the sons that serve him but the enemies that rebel against him When this goodness hath been answered by insolent provocation God hath dealt with the darers of his Majesty as Abner did to Asahel The adventurous man to his own ruine would needs be following Abner The angry man bid him once turn aside but he would follow a second time Turn thee aside Asahell why should I smite thee to the ground but he followeth still was smitten and killed 2 Sam. 2. 21 22 23. so audacious wanton sinners in the ways of sin are onâ—â—â—id to turn aside and are spared but following on still in wanton provocations are smitten dead and sent to hell The Lord of Hoasts deals like men of War that meet with galloping Travellers charged to stand or else they die for it are spared and bid again to stand or they are dead men but pressing on are shot and perish Many now in Hell have heard the Lords warning stands but though often spared would still gallop in the road to destruction and their blood is justly upon themselves Sparing grace abused hath been repaired with unsparing vengeance SECT 3. 2. BEwail the abuse of Gods long suffering grace Though 3 It is our duty to bewail the abuse of Gods long suffering Grace Gods patience be lasting it is not everlasting Vessels of wrath turn it into fury â—ow sad is it That which leads a few to salvation accidentally ripens others destruction As they fill up sin they fill up wrath God that is angry with the wicked every day smites not every day but hath the reserves of wrath which is paid out in whole-sale vengeance His sword is whet his bow is bent the arrows are on the string instruments of death are prepared the un-erring eye and hand of vengeance cannot miss the mark when the Decree comes forth to let flie Psalm 7. 4. Damnation slumbers not The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he have performed the intents of his heart Jer. 30. 24. Pharâ—ohs personal destruction spared Plague after Plague was at length effected in the Red Sea Visions of destruction as well as of salvation are for an appointed time and then terroâ—s and sorroâ—s come like a Woman in travel Long prosperious wickedness should be pitied not envied Fret not at the full Tables the silken Scarlet glory the gold of Ophir wherewith sin is served How sad will the â—eckoning be when the transitory sâ—eets of sin must have eteâ—nâ—l sowâ—e sâ—wce Habakkuks sense of suâ—e though long delayed vengeâ—nce on the enemies of God made his elly tremble his lips â—uiver and rottenness to enter into his bones Hab. 3. 16. The imagined Idea's of the sad ends of abused long-suffeâ—ing will make tender Bowels of compassion to yearn hearts to pray lips to cry out to God for mercy yea and eyes to weeâ— out charitable desires that those who are unbettered by large â—pace to repent may return and live SECT 4. 3. BEwail the abuse of Gods reconciling grace who almost 4 Bewail the abuse of Gods reconciling Grace under Gospel preaching but believe God and they are 〈◊〉 by Jesus Christ It is â—â—d to think how this is abused May not the Lord â—esus say of his false friends as David of his they that fed on his bounty lift up their heele against him Psal 41. 9. As Job of his Freinds that forgat him Job 19. 14. How is Christ forgotten when those who pretend interest in him wantonly cast his Lawes behind their backs and are malepart in his presence â—his loving stile Friend the title Christ gave to Judas Matth. 26. 50. was for his reproach not his honour that he who should have been the friend was the enemy of Christ You know his wofull end who eminently wronged the grace of Christ SECT 5. 4. BEwaile the abuse of Gods freeing grace How many boast of christian Liberty while they are loose Libertines Christ 5 Bewail the abuse of Gods freeing Grace hath bought them to doe his own wil whom he intends to save not to do their own This pleasing misery is common Outsides in christianitie vote themselves fâ—ee as the Jews did themselves Joh. 8. Christs Freemen â—hile they are the servants of sin the light is as sorrowful as to see a Prisoner in chains cry out of his civil freedom Can you believe him free that cannot stir fâ—om the block he is tyed to Christ hath called men to be free from the reign of sin and they think sinnes service liberty which is their thraldome yea which is lamentable after as one complains by the admirable and singular grace of Christ men are delivered from the chains of Papacie they would also be free and loose Posteaquam à vinculis papatus se liberatos esse vident volunt etiam esse liberi soluti ab evangelio praeceptis Dei. Johan Spangenburgius in Narrat Benif Dei Horrenda Epicures bestialis vita cernitur Aeque libere ac impune volunt peccare siâ—ut Papistae in sua Idololatria-Christiana disculina apud nos novus I 〈◊〉 nâ—vusque Monachismus Jacobus Andraas Conc 4. ad cap. 21. Luc. from the gospel and commands of God and that onely they would account right and just that seems so in their own eyes May not the complaint of the loose German Protestants be verified of the loose English prophaners of Gospel grace They are content the Word should be preached â—â—out there is no Reformation of manners but an horrid Epicurean bestial life in their drunken meetings worldly pomps Prophanations yea Blasphemies of the name of God They would as freely and impudently sinne as Papists in their Idolatry God requires serious and Christian discipline but this is among us a new Papacie and a new Monckisme The thanks wee moâ—ly give to God for being rescued from the yoake of Antichrist is mostly casting off the yoak of Christ O God provoking England that so abusest Christian Liberty Thine ungreatful and wanton throwing off the golden yoak of Christ cries for vengeance to put upon thee again to bear the Iron yoak of Antichrist It is O it is a sorrowful consideration that men count it their freedom under the gospel to sin freely and without sorrow O the numerous Libertines among us past feeling and as the word bears it past sorrow Eph. 4. 19. that
will charge those that are guilty I hope there are a few of you the successors as well of others religious Liberalitie as Patrimony As for you that are not you may be ashamed by what name soever you are called Presbyterians Independents or Anabaptists that are covetously scraping sordidly tenacious linked yea chained to your money fear and tremble in your perilous Prosperities Dominion and Riches are slippery places you that stand in Englands high ground take heed lest you fall Let not your wanton dissolutenesse give you the denomination of Kine Amos the plain country Prophet called the great wantons of Israel Kine of Bashan Amos 4. 1. for lusty fat feeding â—â—ine for rich Pastures Kine of Bashan a very fertile mountain Is this your all to graze and fill and luxuriate in the plentiful pastures of rich estates Are you Jesurun-like waxen fat better fed than taught kicking against your soveraign maintainer lightly esteeming and forgetful of the God of your salvation be sure of it the jealous God can soon pull you down from your Principalities and cause your abused Riches to take wings and fly to other owners God is no respecter of persons what is sinne in one he counts not innocence in another As the Wisdom so the Justice that is from above is without partiality God hath made many persons of sublime Honours and great Estates his angry rods to chastize others sins Successors in sinnes have reason to fear they shall be fellows in punishments White providence hath lifted you up O tremble lest black providence pull you down Do you abuse divine Protections Exaltations vast provisions for your selves and families to Pride Luxury Coverousnesse Impiety Vnrighteousnesie Are you wanton Libertines in opinion and Practise doe you fear black reckoning dayes are coming upon you lest you that have abused Providences and the grace of God drink the dregs of the cup of Trembling So I leave you and passe to another Generation of men persons of Honour and huge Estates that look upon themselves as the suffering party egregious abusers also of the grace of God in eminent worldlyness We have in this Nation a vast number of great ones who have and ought to have the civil titles of Worship and Honour that own Baptismal grace enjoy and use time and means of grace and hope to be saved by grace as well as others that give tokens of eminent earthly-mindednesse They keep not houses in their respective Country-Lordships get into Cities and Townes Corporate and either there they liberally riot in their Families Game Feast Drink away that Estate their poor naked hungry neighbours want or else if Parsimonious lay up every year vast summes for greedy Purchases and spend little or nothing in works of Mercy Though I knoâ—v not the dimensions of your yearly layings up yet it is twenty to one I may speak that which your consciences know to be true as to the secret methods and waies of your worldly increase One it may be at the years end hath layd up an hundred pound another two another five another a thousand pound another two another more And wherefore this Bank I beseech you hath the Lord Jesus for Religious uses acts of Pietie and Mercy the Tenth part the Twentieth part the Fortieth part the Hundreth part Have you honoured God with your substance your annual increase hath he had in nothing or next to nothing a thin inconsiderable charity a real-gratitude from you and will you appear good Stewards in the Accounting day When you shall be asked what you have done with Gods Money and Land and all the Items you will bring in will be Items of Pride Luxury costly fancies Coverousness c. Will he be put off with such returnes Learne Wisdom and holy Policie against the great day O all you thriving old and new Gentry rich thriving Merchants and Tradesmen wealthy Lawyers and Pulpit men and for the time to come abhorre the baseness of self-hatred which it may be you count self-love To greaten your Families and undoe your selves to make rich heirs and dis-inherit your selves to expose your selves to eteâ—nal penury that your successors may live in luxury 'T is without peradventure The grace of God that brings salvation teacheth to deny worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11. You have been bad Scholars in Christs School that fulfill them O doe no more in an hot greedy chase hunt after the Profits and Pleasures of this world Hearken to the words of one who hath spoken the true experience of present worldlings Is it not a crime that many now adaies who professe the name of Christ glue their hearts to the Mammon of Iniqurtie and the Treasures of Wickednesse 'T is a very base thing that Christians should enslave bodies and soules to the getting keeping increasing of treacherous perilous and uncertaine riches and are so captivated by them that they cannot serve the living God Take Augustines judgement of this vaine Saeculi hujus fallax suavitâ—â— perpetuus timor infructuosus labor periculosa sublimitas August world The sweetnesse of this world is deceitfull feare perpetuall labour unprofitable height perillous Why doe you set your hearts on vanitie and vexations Eccles 1. 14. Broken Cisterns Jer. 2. Lying vanities Jonah 2. 8. Shadows Psal 102. 11. Non-entitres that which is not Be ashamed O Christian Gospellers that stand on the worlds higher ground have best wages and yet doe your great Master least service to give up the strength of your soules your time your estates in the bruitish service of worldly and carnal pleasures contemning in mean time the sweet peace and joy of the Holy Ghost Such of you as serve pleasures Tit. 2. 3. Live in them 1 Tim. 5. 6. are voluptuous wantons as if you came into the world to bee as the Leviathan to take your Pastime onely to sport and feast your soules in your sensualities Seneca had a farre braver spirit than you have Hee thought it was true pleasure to contemne pleasures and is it your heaven to enjoy them you live not like men The delights of reason far excels those of sense You live not like Saints The delights of Grace transcend them both O come and see come and taste feed on the Marrow and Fatness the luscious sweet soul provisions of Gods House and the Heavenly dainties of grace will soon make you dis-rellish the perilous unsatisfying delights of this life SECT 10. THey may with little study run and read their gross abuse 10. They abuse grace who are sensless stupid lethargick Libertines of Gods grace 10. Who are senseless stupid Lethargick Libertines Are these the Darlings of Grace the Favorites of Heaven who in a dead cursed insensibility blunt the goads of Conscience are strangers to the fear of God are deaf to the Canon shot the dreadful volleys of the Laws curses who startle not when they hear Boanerges Pulpit Sons of Thunder but slight pious admonitions and grievous comminations as if they were vain Bugbears to fright
as they desired in sin Psal 78. 29. Much of the Creatures is desired to consume upon Lusts Jam. 4. 3. Drunkenness Gluttony Pride Voluptuousness Ambition Doâ—ination Sad will be the account of vast expences of the Creatures sacrificed in and upon the service of Lust against which usurpation the voices of Reason Grace and the Creatures will give severe testimony 2. To the sinful end of hindring Gods service we should use the Creatures onely to fit and whet our attendances on God but when they prove Obstructions as mostly they doe take off our leisure and pleasure to doe his will we wrong God and our own souls Christ told the busie man who excused his following of Christ one would think a tolerable excuse by going home to bid his friends farewel that his civil courtesie at that time did unfit him for the Kingdom of God Luke 9. 61. yea concluded that the civil burial of the dead in opposition to religious service argued a soul dead in sin And so the Field the yoak of Oxen the married Wife are set down as Remora's and Impediments to come and feed upon Christs Gospel-feasts Matt. 22. 4. and those that flow in Creature-comforts say Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. Why doth Christ say Wo to you that are full Luke 6. 25. but to threaten at once rest in Creature-fulness is a temptation to forget God and duty The poor in the world rich in faith Jam. 2. 5. receive the Gospel Luke 7. 22. Have any of the Rulers believed on him Joh. 7. 48. 'T is true there is not an absolute inconsistency of grace with Riches and Greatness Rich Abraham as well as poor Lazarus are in Heaven But ordinarily the Creatures are used to a sinful end to estrange and arm the heart with weapons of Rebellion against God which should be inducements of obedience 3. When they are used onely to a perishing end a Belly that shall be destroyed a fine back that shall be uncloathed and lay in the chamber of death rottenness and silence a mortal body Belluinus vescendimos Mar lorat a posterity that must die When rational Creatures use the creatures unreasonably onely like bruit Beasts to satisfie sensualities that must give up the ghost with the Sensualists expiring breath when they have not an eternal end in their eye to use money meat drink health strength life to fit for eternity when men do not make them friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16. 9. and though they cannot at once serve God and Mammon yet do not so manage Creature use as to make Mammon serve God they are exceedingly unserviceable and injurious to the grace of God 4. When they are not used to Gods ends They are four 1. Stronger engagement unto God The pious intention of Jacob if he might have the mercy of Divine protection convenient His verbis se obstrinxit Jacob Calv. food and raiment he promised The Lord should be his God These were the holy Patriarchs binding words Gen. 28. 30 31. As courtesies binde to men so creature-mercies binde pious men to God When the sweet silken cords of mercies do not binde the heart to God grace is dishonored when it is common dis-ingenuity to break the bonds of kindness to despise the riches of creature-goodness this is a signal evident ingratitude to the God of grace 2. End of Gods creature-Creature-mercies is faithful and chearful service Deut. 28. 47. But when it is usual and sad practice as Israel served not God in a good and fat Land Neh. 9. 35. so the unworthy Professors of Gospel-grace and the Christian name do not conclude a necessary joyous and rational service from the free and plentiful allowances of sweet Creatures do not seriously ponder with themselves Why have I hundreds and thousands by the year Why have I food convenient and competent allowance between envy and pitty Why have I any House to dwell in any food and raiment Why have I had sweet repose this night when others in waking tortures count the tedious hours Why have I health Am I strong Doe I live Have I so good a Master Is it that I should be a loose wanton servant and do him no work What blushing will sit on the face trembling on the limbs horror on the hearts of pretenders to Gods grace in the accounting day when large Creature-allowances shall in all their sad inventories be proved to be wrested from the imployments of Gods reasonable service 3. End of Gods creature-Creature-mercies is the exaltation and commendation of his loving kindness Davids gracious spirit versed in the high praises of God did ordinarily take the elevation of Gods goodness and kindness from Creature-mercies and spent Psalms in Doxologies seeing the glory of God in the glass of the Creatures shining before his spirit and in and in high strains of praise exalted the great and glorious name of God made the Creatures Trumpets to sound his praise and an occasion of high thoughts of God Indeed he that is thankful to God for his unspeakable gift of Jesus Christ cannot but having the best Gospel-tenure of common mercies holding them in capite praise God for every perishing mercy as a token of special everlasting love and an earnest penny of eternal mercies His bread to him is Covenant-bread his Apparel Covenant-apparel his Money Covenant-money yea his Afflictions Covenant-afflictions whether he have much or little it s all to him the dispensation of choice kindness and the allotted sufficiency of infinite Wisdom and Love to bear his charges in the narrow road to life until he come to his Fathers House and eternal Inberitance But now to rob God of this glorious end the exaltation of his love or to resent no love but of Creature-mercies and to prostitute that to self-love and carnal sensualities How below is this to the honor of man the glory of God and the power of Grace 4. End of Gods Creature-mercies in spiritualizing the Creatures Turning Earth into Heaven making visible created Excellencies Ladders to climb up to the invisible God The pious practice of our Lord Jesus in his holy heavenly travels to lead the understandings of men by the light and hand of Creatures to the apprehensions of heavenly and immaterial things by a Well of water still springing up signifying the eternal Spring of the Spirit of grace in regenerate souls what by fleshly relations leading us to believe the high account he hath of spiritual kindred by seed lost in evil ground fruitful in good instructing us in the word lost to most hearers succesful in a few good and honest hearts by all his Parables elegantly picturing out the Orient Beauties and Glories of his Kingdom of grace and glory and the ugly face of sin Holy Bradford was happy this way who made creature-Creature-mercies his advantage ground to see into Gospel-glories When putting on Apparel his thoughts were O Christ cloath me with thine own self that I catch
Father as that he is their King Though the name Father speaks boldness yet the name King speaks greater reverence Irreverent are saucy children more bold than welcome I am a great King saith God Mal. 1. 14. His name is great Mal. 1. 11. and reverend Psal 111. 9. We need grace to serve God with reverence and godly fear because he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 28 29. It is a wrong to grace when we do it not Is it the state of earthly gods to keep their distance with them on whom they shine the brightest beams of their royal favours and shall we think the infinite great and blessed God before whom the Kings of the Earth are as Grashoppers Worms Nothing less than Nothing will not have the rails and vails of holy reverence the humble tokens of distance The Apostate Angels at once lost their good manners and their happiness they kept not within their limited station Should the standing Angels loose their Reverence they should lose their Glory It is the â—â—lae volantes celeritatem promptitudineÌ„ significant Faciem tegentes indicant Angeli Majestatem Dei ferre nequeunt Pedes tegentts quod tenues divini splendoris radiolos in Angelis perspicere non possumus Calv. in Isa 6. Gospel Prophets Hieroglyphick The holy heavenly Angelical Hoast are Birds of Paradise and have six Wings two to cover their faces two their feet two to fly with are said to have flying wings to resemble their quick and nimble obedience facecovering wings to shadow out their reverence as not daring to pry into nor bear Gods infinite glory are said to have feetcovering wings to teach our distance from the Angels who are too weak to behold their finite little rayes of glory much lesse that infinite bright Sun of the divine Essence This Lesson the Prophet teacheth us those spotlesse Spirits that see the blessed face of God to their everlasting happinesse are ever full of a Reverential awe of Gods Majesty But how unsuitable are the heirs of salvation to their heavenly guard Angels are reverent Saints are unmannerly These are wanton those dare not bee so Believers study your hearts gestures words conversations that they all may be Holinesse to the Lord Is he sanctified in you when you draw nigh him Levit. 10. 3. When you are before him as in no minute no place no darkness no solitariness you are out of his flaming eyes piercing views your insides and external deportments are layd in his unerring ballance He tryes you every moment Job 7. 18. What mean your uncomely spirits your external indecencies your slight services Would your governour like such carriages you present to and abuse your gracious God with As Ahasuerus said to Haman Will he force the Queen before me Esth 7. 8. So lay it to heart will you abuse grace before God It was a God-wearing sin evil men did evilâ— and yet thought they were good in Gods sight Mal. 2. 17. What a God-affronting sinne is it to thinke because Free-grace hath made you good and accepted in Gods sight therefore you may abuse it to irreverence in his presence I know your hearts if sound abhorre this doctrinal inference from so glorious a principle but doth not the frame of your spirits words of your mouthes loose carriage prove you dare be irreverently and abusively bold with your Fathers kindnesse Who that seeth a grown Son come to years of understanding knowing his duty to walk mannerly yet standing with his Hat on playing ill feats before yea with his Fathers face slighting his commands but will say there is a wanton unmannerly boy It is no calumny to say so of many of Gods unmannerly children their unbecoming Irreverencies are their heavenly Fathers reproach A Reverent Christian that hath the mighty awe of God upon his spirit in all times places companies providences temptations is a Phenix an Angel among Professors Happy holy harmless preserved are they that maintain the reverent awe of God upon their spirits SECT 3. 3. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Forgetfulness of God The House of Israel perverted their way and forgot 3 Forgetfulness is an evidence of abuse of grace the Lord their God Jer. 3. 22. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee Deut. 32. 15 18. Too often the answers of Gods kindnesse are like the chief Butlers of Josephâ— The holy man gave a comfortable interpretation of the Butlers Drem Pharaohs restorement of him to his office with this rational caution but think of me when it shall be well with thee Yet did not the chief Butler remember Joseph but forgat him Gen. 40. 13 14 23. Thus the Holy God speaks comfort to many a gracious soul in the deeps of trouble with those equal motions upon their spirits that they would think upon this name and not return again to folly yet in sundry duties they doe not remember God but forget him They know not their own hearts that in the trust and boast of their own sufficiencies promise God if he will reveal his love in his Son to them they will be exact walleâ—s but many of his loose children after they have seen his face have opposed his will and answered the Kisses of his love by unkind Rebellions Gods Israel of the spirit have need of the same cautions the Israel of the flesh had When the Lord thy God shall give thee for his promise sake Cities Houses Wells Vineyards and Olive-trees when thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God Deut. 6. 10 11 12. So Beleever when the Lord thy God for his covenant sake shall priviledge thee in the heavenly blessings of Reconciliation Justification Adoption the Joy of Atonement and the sweet sight of thy name written in heaven when thou shalt eat and be full of the heavenly feast of fat things beware lest thou forget the Lord thy God 'T is no seldom indignitie put upon the grace of God to forget him in Temptations Vocations Relations Conditions in the world We charge upon our servants such and such duties call them to account our pleasure is neglected The excuse is we were forgotten doth not this speak a loose careless Spirit Surely the Lords servants forgetfulnesse of their charge argues their wantonness A serious faithful considering spirit would remember Christian charge home the basenesse and unfaithfulness of thy spirit with sharp reproof Ah foolish heart and unwise How have I requited the Lords grace I forget not vanitie but how have I forgotten the great concernments of Eternity A Bride will not forget her Ornaments the Worldling his Market and Teeming summes Pleasure-hunters forget not their delights nor the children of Revenge their opportunities of doing mischief How hast thou forgotten the Lord his blessings on thee his cautions to thee his motions in thee his hoped glory laid up for thee his everlasting love designing
the stamp of the great Law-givers authority what sacrilidge is it to slight the precepts of the great God as little The spiritual wisdome from above lookes upon every command and sin as great doing no little mischiefe against the soveraignty and purity of no little God deserving no little Hell the losse of no little Heaven Servants are not their own may not presume in little offences like and dislike pick and chuse obey and rebel as they please but obey in all things Col. 3. 22. Else they do not their Masters wil but their owne Insolentissimus abusus quod placet assumere quod displicet repudiare Salv. de Gub. Dei lib. 2. What we account a most insolent abuse and badge of pride in our servants is in Gods they wrong his Soveraignty when they are fast and loose wil do and not do and are not through paced in â—epentance and Obedience It speakes our soundness in the cause of God in our faithfulnesse to the crown of Christ if we dash in peeces the Babylonish brats the little Theeves of Latrunculos primorum motuum Paris sins first motions the petty traytors of Insurrection as â—ell as the signall Rebels happy are they that in the high improvements of and honourable respects to Gods grace dare not adventure on the lest sins A little Leaven will leaven the whole lump a little sin without great mercy will ruine the whole man SECT 6. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods Grace is discontent at 6. Abuse of Gods grace appeares in discontent at Gods gracious corrections Gods gracious corrections his frowns on his children are his favours his rods love tokens Heb. 12. 6. His family discipline hath not only good instructions and liberall maintenance but wholesome chastisements he is his childrens Father and Physitian as wise to know so able and willing to cure their diseases their sins are ill humours affliction Physick themselves patients But alas hoâ— under the discipline of correction are the Lords people like delicate wantons that will not take from but give their Physitian directions this Physick is not right that were better any Affliction any Potion rather than this as if God knew not better our disease the way of cure and our strength better then our selves we are no sit choosers of our rods the cross we would exchange for might be ten times heavier when we repine at the wise allotments of our heavenly physitian make faces and spit at his wayes of healing we discover our folly and wantonnesse that Loosenesse that contracts Diseases will not bear the method and smart of cure this is the holy and humble submission of Grace Lord give power to beare and blessing to sanctifie the Crosse and keep me under it while thou pleasest Shall good children pay â—everence to their chastising parents and not Gods children to him correcting Heb. 12. 9. chusing our trouble fretting under Gods present hand as imprudent or injurious despising his corrections declares us have wanton kicking spirits we never sweetly humbly and quietly bear the healthful indignation of the Almighty till we by Faith give him the glory of the gracious wisdom and soveraignty of his corrections then be the tryal never so fierie the soul will say I shall come forth as tried Gold SECT 7. 7. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is daring to doe 7 The daring to do that when the rod is off which one would not when the rod is on is a sign of the abuse of grace that when the Rod of God is off which would not be done when it is on In affliction there is powring out of prayers Isa 26. 16. Hanging down the head and heavyness of heart for sin sense of civil reverence of God a stop to carnal delights good words of Holynesse promises of better Obedience reforming appearances Saint-like deportments But it is frequent injury to the gracious chastisements of God that their Physick hath rather been a skinning over than a cure of diseases As unsound Recoveries break forth into old sores and worse relapses so the universall work of Correction betraies it self either into a neglect of Prayer or a Praying formalitie carnal Merriments Remorslesnesse of Spirit impudent Irreverence Breach of Vows loose Conversation these are great enemies to strictnesse There are not a few that have exceedingly shamed Gods School of Correction like some unbettered children under the Rod who acknowledge their sin kneel down and cry pardon and mingle the sense of their folly and smart with teares promise they will never doe so again fear and tremble at the next blowes are very humble and shew much good manners but when the smart is off the old sauciness stubborness and disorders return How hath that righteousnesse that hath light impression in the mind by affliction like the print of the Rod in the flesh soon worn out This Insinceritie is deservedly deplorable of all them that know their own hearts and finde these true charges flying in their faces Such as these that in and out of Affliction are so unlike themselves betray they are not sound in heart by their unsteadiness in Gods Covenant Psal 78. 37. Hath God in mercy not chastned us sore nor delivered us up to death and hell to cure not to kill us How dishonorable is it to the sparing chastising grace of God and perilous to our own souls when the holy manners we seemed to learn under the Rod are lost when it is taken off SECT 8. 8. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is shamelesness before 8 Shamelesness before the Lord for acknowledged sins is an evidence of the abuse of grace the Lord for acknowledged sinners If grace bee not so strong as to resist sin it is so sound and ingenuous as to blush at it The Moral blush at uncivil and unvirtuous baseness speak a good moral heart And the spiritual blush at ungospel unchristian vilenesse speaks a good gracious heart O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God Ezra 9. 6. Yee gracious Romans are now ashamed of your fruitless sinns Rom. 6. 21. Mary Magdalen an infamous sinner but famous Saint look'd on her sinnes with tears and shame and in token of her blushing conscience stood behind Christ as ashamed her once impure eyes should behold his sacred face Luke 7. 38. Were they ashamed said God of the impudent Jews Jer. 6. 15. They could not blush they wanted the colour of grace What disgrace is it to the grace of God that persons in grace weak ones God knowes are convinced of their sinfull foolish frothy idle yea sometimes eminently wicked language of venomous Serpents lurking under the hidden leaves of filthy consciences of ugly monsters harboured in their bosomes proud vain-glorious envious malicious adulterous unrighteous oppressive Atheistical prophane abominable thoughts every day flying up and down in their souls like birds in the air and that this filthy hellish vermin crawling up and down the
precious soul should possesse it with little or no shame in Gods presence Here is an affront indeed to Gods grace no wonder if the sense hereof beget this terrible Question in carelesse and too too shamelesse Professors Can I possibly have grace with such an heart Ah miserable wretch I fear I have none I see my soul like a vessel wherein there is no pleasure a stinking sepulcher like a miry sink and though I know it I cannot be ashamed before the Lord. Ah to be sinfull and shameless too that is double misery Ah Christian labour with thine heart to powre out thy sinnes with the sense of holy shame before the Lord. The Sacrament of Circumcission taught the Lesson of holy shame It cut off the foreskin of the flesh uncovered Pars illa corporis quae circumcinditur habet quendem similitudinem cordis est pudenda ob hanc causam Deus nuderi eam jussit ut nos admoneret ne involutum â— pectus haberemus id est ne quod pudendum facinus intra conscientiae secreta velemus Lactant. lib. 4. c. 17. the shameful part to teach as Lactantius thought That the foreskin of the flesh the inward shame of corruption should be uncovered before the Lord. Ah Christians never leave upbraiding and rubbing your shameless hearts till you made them blush Reason away the whoores forehead from your consciences thus What I think I should blush to say and doe before a child before a godly before a wicked man What do I make of God the great God the blessed God the infinitely pure and holy God the observing God the remembring God the avenging God the judging God Shall I set up a child above God a Saint above God a Son of Belial above God Shall I runne the hazard to hear of all my closet soul-wickednesse again before Angels and men Can I endure the blush of the great day and the everlasting contempt of unrepented impudence Will not mine ears tingle to hear this dreadful charge â—oe this is the man that sometimes had a golden tongue and a dirty one at other times that blessed God and cursed with the same mouth Lo this is the man that had an heavenly tongue and an hellish heart no Temple for my Holyness but a stable of filthy lusts that spaâ— on my face while he sought my face that came for mercy for his sinnes not against his sins that either thought me a senslesse stock I discerned not his shamelesnesse or thought me a spirit a living eternal spirit but an impure one like himself or a weak one that could not revenge my dishonours or an unjust one that would not make my threatnings good Such thoughts as these if we have any sense of a Divinitie any love to our own soules may make us ashamed for secret sins As the Lord said to Moses of Miriam if her Father had spit on her face should she not be ashamed Numb 12. 14. So Christian I say to thee if thine impure Lusts do spit on the face of Gods grace and his gospel and vent their poyson upon thine own soul shouldst thou not be ashamed Set the Apostles words home It is a shame to speak of those things which are done in secret Eph. 5. 12. When thou reflectest on the horrid wickednesse that lyes covered under the black Mantle of thy soules secrecie O then think it is a shame to think of them and yet thou must think of them and be ashamed Never leave shaming thy soul till holy shame for secret sin committed prevent and fortifie the soul against commission Shame keeps us from doing many things in the street in the Market let shame keep thee from thousands of inward sinnes that shamelesnesse hath brought forth and nourished SECT 9. 9. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is insensiblenesse of 9 Insensibleness of others miseries is an evidence of abuse of grace others misery Grace is life and life is sensible and sense apprehends its dolorous objects Grace hath bowels of compassion The gracious must put them on Col. 3. 12. It is a wonder to consider how boldly that is called grace that hath no tender bowels 'T is selfish wantonnesse that feels no miseries but at home They were Zions wantons that lived at ease and wallowed in sensual pleasures that were not grieved at the afflictions of Joseph When men either do or may and will not acquaint themselves with the miseries of others sinnes and sorrows and feel them no more than a stone doth the wounds cries and pangs of a dying man care not though others sink or swim may evils keep distance from themselves Call ye this grace Doth the God of grace the God of pitty and compassions cast off his miserable people with such senslessness Is not he to speak after Onera proximi levemus ac portemus ne gravemus the manner of men afflicted in their affliction Isa 63. 9. Is it his command weep with them that weep Rom. 15. 15. Is it not the Law of Christ Bear ye one anothers burdens Galat. 6. 2. increase not one anothers load Was it the practise of Christ who when he saw Many and her kindred weeping for dead Lazarus wept also not onely to shew his Humanity but a President of his holy Sympathy Joh. 11. 33 Was it Pauls practise Who is weak and I am not weak who offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11. 29. What mean ye to weep and break my heart Acts 21. 13. Implying his Converts tears would draw his Doth the life of Nature abhorre senslessnesse of misery Is one living members pain anothers torture If the foot be prickt the tongue cryes out Did you ever hear such a stupidity and monstrous carriage in the body Natural When the feet are tormented with the Gout the brains for pain are exceedingly afflictive doth the tongue usually rejoyce and sport and the countenance laugh This monster of uncompassionatenesse and strangenesse to bowels of Mercy is too common among Christians How little doe professed Christians mourn and weep under the burden of others sinnes Wants of grace absence of Christ the fiery darts of Satan the wounds of corruption the penury of creature comforts the sicknesses and diseases vexations imprisonments crosses in relations loads of afflictions they labour under Little or no feeling of others evils is a sad sign of little or no grace It hath grieved my heart at what mine eyes have seen what mine eares have heard that my wretched heart hath no more grieved The God of pitty make us more pittifull Want of compassion is a great blemish to Christian profession and Disparagement to Gods grace SECT 10. 10. EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is un-improvement 10 Un improvement of grace received is an evidence of abuse of grace of grace received Grace is a living new creature and life hath growth A painted child groweth not but a living doth A painted christian groweth not a living doth The Imaginary Birth
of the Spirit is like the Still-born in nature There are the delineaments and proportions of a child in face hands c. but no life of a child and so no growth Where there are the professions and convictions of a Sainâ— only not the life of a Saint there is no growth How dost thou wrong the stock God hath put into thine hand when not improved Thy little increase I will not say speaks thee no Christian it doth a Dwarf in Christianity There is some great fault in nature that living Dwarfs grow not Surely there is some great fault in profession that Christian Dwarfs grow not as others do Gods Talents are not to be hidden in a Napkin He looks to Dominus suae pecuniae quaerit usuram ut intelligamus dominum donrraÌ„ suorum exercitationem postulare bonarum actionum tributum ex iis exigere Ambr. receive his own with Vsury Luke 19. 20. It was the fault God charged upon Sardis The practise and profession of godlynesse in sundry of her members was ready to die Rev. 3. 2. A Christian is a Tradesman his dealing lies in heavenly commodities God intrusts some with a large stock of Knowledge and Memory heavenly Instructions of the Word and Motions of the Spirit Visions of his Love Where he gives he expects much and takes it ill his rich Merchants in a fair estate should trifle anâ— peddle and bring him in a smaller Revenue of glory than meanly gifted but more faithfull Trustees of his Goodnesse Cum augentur dona rationes etiam crescunt donorum Greg. Mag. Will not Merchants blame their Factors if neglecting their gaining opportunities their Estate increase not How may the Lord blame the professed Factors for his name in the world if they prove negligent in heavenly proficiencies SECT 11. 11. 11 Pride and desire of preheminence is an evidence of the abuse of grace EVidence of close abuse of Gods grace is Pride and desire of Preheminence Outward and inward Riches both puff up Charge the rich of the world they be not high minded 1 Tim. 6. 19. Be not high minded Rom. 11. 20. It is the Apostles Dehortation and Caution of the Gentiles excelling the Jews in means of grace It was the Corinthians carnal wantonness their parts were abused to puffing up and vain-glory 1 Cor. 4. 6. 7. The Apostle reproved their windy puffing humour 1 Cor. 5. 2. Precedencie in gifts puffed up one against another Gravissima ironia Dicks This vanity of swelling preheminence the Apostle derided Ye are full and reign as Kings 1 Cor. 4. 8. Your common Indowments have made you happy How poysonous is our nature that envenoms the best things How doth it turn shining Excellencies in gifts and graces into prevailing Temptations to scisme and contempt of inferiour endowments yea to darken the glory of God in a lesser Starre because a greater out-shines it It is the mischief of spiritual Pride it either over-magnifies or vilifies Gods gifts It idolizeth one and debaseth another is an unjust Judge of Gods gifts It saith one Christian hath more than he hath another lesse than he hath Yea this evil comes of it that the bestower of different gifts and graces is abused Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker Prov. 17. 5. He that reproacheth the poor Christian in gifts and graces reproacheth his maker such a one he is a poor Preacher though an holy sound one will you hear him such a one prayes poorly hath poor lean braines a silly soul though a precious Saint and so is slighted a no body a common Abuse of God and grace and gracious spirits discovered by high-flown Christians whose fancy runs before their judgement The abasing of some of loâ—er stature than others is an Interpretative abuse of God The Lord rejoyceth in all his works Psal 104. 31. They are all in wisdom Psal 9. 1. He seeth they are very good as they come out of his pure creating hands Gen. 1. 31. And he hath a sweet delightful complacencie in them all But cursed spiritual Pride is all for superlatives and singularities rejoyceth and triumphs in the Arrogantia honoris pedissequa Salvian chiefest works of the Spirit Take heed if when God honoureth thee above others Pride turn not his glory into shame Arrogance saith one is the Lacquey of Honour but Humility the Preservative Hast thou Eminence suspect and tremble at Self-conceit In opere misericordiae facit cordis superbiam pullulare Fulgent ad Probam Ep. 3. Satan knoweth how to make Pride of heart grow out of works of Mercy words of Piety tears of Humility This stinking weed grows out of the best soyl 'T is good to prick this bladder by these thoughts God resists the proud Jam. 4. 6. Sets himself against them like a fierce mighty enemy in battel array He scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1. 51. Wherein they deal proudly he is above them Exod. 14. 11 They are an abomination to him Prov. 16. 5. Are in the high road to destruction Prov. 16. 18. I have heard it was the confession of a proud Professor yet to seeming a peereless meek one of a very haughty spirit that the Lord suffered him to fall into wofull scandal to the reproach of his name and the Gospel to punish his Pride God gives grace to the Humble In Christ there was a Fulnesse of Grace and Eminence of Humilitie This rare shining grace is the Ornament and will be the Improvement of Grace SECT 12. 12. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is declining Hardship 12. Declining hardship in the practise of Religion is an abuse of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make it black and blew in the practise of Religion Christianity is a Warfare Christ the Captain of Salvation Every true Christian is a Souldier by profession 2 Tim. 2. 3. The spiritual as well as the civil Souldier must endure Hardship Paul a great Leader in this heavenly War was a man of sufferings * beat down his body 1 Cor. 9. 27. did bear in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6. 17. Grace inables to indure hardship 'T is the effeminate wantonnesse of corrupt nature if in Christian profession it can have beds of Down full Tables glorious Apparel sweet Pleasures to swim in securities from pain and losses Christ is allowed but when the Doctrine of the Cross and owning the hated truths of the Gospel brings persecution affliction call for Mortification the subtle self-preserving Old man can make a politick retreat out of dirty Lanes into the flowry Meadows and leave the hardship of flesh-curbing self-denying and pleasure-renouncing holy discipline for worldly gain and delights We can think and talk of the grace of â—â— but where is its stout masculine virtue to be found among us It is with much adoe and great regreat to suffer the exercises of Religion to injure us to Master the sensitive appetite in Fasting Watching Cold Hunger The
the Truth for by-ends not the love of it 2 Thes 2. 10. So Heretical loose prophane spirits are not in love with truth and as a Wife who is not in love with her Husband abuseth his kindesse so do these the truth Love is kind behaveth not it self unseemly 1 Cor. 13. 4 5. True love of truth is so kind to her as not to put unseemly affronts upon her I wonder not when David setting up a pair of ballances and weighing truth in one scale and the greatest glories of the world in the other in his judicious esteem Truth as most weighty and massie did preponderate His love run out in fullest stream to the Truth O how do I love thy Law Psal 119. 97. The joy of his high love was not onely parallel to the joy of all riches V 14. accounted as a rich fee-simple an heritage for ever V. 111. but the beauty and treasure of truth was better unto him than thousands of Gold and Silver V. 72. Above Gold yea above fine Gold V. 128. And now as a faithfull Spouse deeply in love with and betrothed to her dear â—ridegroom by no difficulties and afflictions is beat off from him quickens and sharpens her zeale after him by opposition so David espoused to the pure and lovely truth of God V. 140. was faithfull to the interest of it in all affictions the whetstone of his holy profession meditation of and conversation by it This was the sweet song of his pilgrimage v. 54. Neither trouble and anguish that took hold on him v. 145. nor Princes persecutions v. 161. nor the presence of Kings v. 46. nor his enemies despising of him v. 141. nor proud mens forging lyes against him v. 69. nor their digging pits nor laying snares for him v. 85. 110. nor their waiting to destroy him v. 95. nor their almost consuming him upon earth v. 87. could bring down his high esteem nor cool his burning love to the Truth whose guiding purifying comforting influence he had found in his heart life Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. buy it at any reat sell it at no rate as it is with persons deeply sick of love they will have such a man or woman though they beg with them so it is with the lovers of saving truth they will be match'd to it though they perish by it though it cost them the losse of their estates liberties and lives The word of truth the Gospel of salvation hath been dearer to blessed Martyrs than their hearts blood The Apostles could doe nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. and then no wonder they were zelots for the truth did neither Sancti viri amando discunt quod docendo proferunt Greg. super Ezek. deny the profession of it nor wantonly abuse it Reall Saints learn the truth by loving it professe the truth they have learned and stick to the truth they professe 'T is a true and sure experience they who have not received the truth for the love of it rience they who have not received the truth for the love of it but for and by carnall ends will make it their decoy and stalking Horse and as it was never heartily loved for it selfe in time Mollior solutior vita est quast lascivia adversus Christum Calv. in loc of Temptation they will reject it or dissemble it with which they have ever played the wantons to which they never yeelded hearty obedience The Apostle tells us that younger widdows professed Christians waxed wanton against Christ in their too soft and delicate life of pleasures 1 Tim. 5. 6 11. a reason is subjoyned Nemo vel tantillum potest a Christo deflectere quin Satanam sequatur Hinc admonemar quam exitialis sit c. 1b beca use they cast off their first faith v. 12. The faith of 〈◊〉 severe mortifying Christianitie These also are said to go after Satan v. 15. A sad Text that will prove many specious pompous christians to be fatanicall Calvin beginnes his Exposition of those words Some are turned aside after Satan with a Notanda loquutio Note the words well No man can a little turn from jesus Christ but he is in a ready way to follow Satan Hence we are admonished how deadly a sinne it is to turn aside from the right course which of the sons of God will make us the slaves of Satan and being drawn off from the government of Christ sets Satan over us to be out Leader SECT 5. 5. WAnt of laying to heart Gospel threatnings contributes 5. Want of laying to heart Gospel threatnings contributes to the Gods grace to the Abuse of Gods grace The Lord hath to prevent the abuse of it annexed the threatnings of the covenant of works to the violation of the covenant of grace Death Hell the wrath to come the curses of the Law were the threats of the covenant of Works These are used to Hedge in a reverend regard to and obedience of the covenant of grace God in infinite wisdome and love jealous of the Apostasy of his peoples hearts and zealous of his own glory and their salvation hath annexed dreadfull threatnings to the Preaching of the Gospel to keep down proud wanton flesh to be a thorny thick-sett preventive of over-leaping rebellions and preservative of obedience The fear of anger is a good expedient left the hope of Gods goodnesse be abused to carnal neglect Hence we read these comminations Expedit esse sub 〈◊〉 ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinae benignitatis solvamur in negligentiam Orig. We are not of those which draw back to perdition Heb. 10. 38. Perdition is implyedly threatned against A postasie from Christ He that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ in sinceritie let him be Anathema Maranatha accursed excommunicate for ever 1 Cor. 16. 22. The everlasting curse is threatned to Christs false friends He that believeth not is damned Joh. 3. 18. Except ye repent ye shall perish Luk. 13. 3. Yea there where the Lord proclaimes the glory of his name in grace and mercy left it should be wronged to wantonness he mentions a terrible threatning That he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 6 7. Such as by unbeleeving loose impenitent courses a second time crucisie the Son of God and prostitute his metits to wicked courses should doe well to study those angry words He will by no means clear such guilty ones Because pround secure Libertines either Impii simul metuunt contemnunt saenas Luth. in Gen consider not or fear not or positively contemn Gods threatned wrath Hence it is that they securely play the 〈◊〉 in the hopes of mercy 'T is rare these sad and serious thoughts are layd to heart If I do not beleeve in Christ I am lost for ever If I live in my sinne I shall perish If I depart from Christ I shall be 〈◊〉 one If I abuse the long-suffering goodness truth
and pardoning mercy of God Ishall never be cleard of this guilt the glory of his Justice will shine in my ruin the glory of whose grace hath been darkned by my looseness The daring thoughts counsels words and practices of all Libertines doe betray such a spirit as was in Marcion of old who fancied God made all of mercy and grace and removed severities and judicial penal authorities from the good God as if he were a stupid Essence insensible of any affronts and indignities put upon him Thus as if God were not essentially just as well as mercifull he is by impudent Libertinisme spoyled of his Justice who as hee is just and a justifier of true beleevers so he is just and a condemner of all his enemies the greatest whereof are they that continue in sin because grace abounds SECT 6. 6. VVAnt of Grace changing and affecting the heart that 6 Want of Grace changing the heart causeth Gods grace to be turned into wantonnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 violent uÌ„ quiddam significat Beza Vsurpatur de iis qui in carcere custodia detinentur Gen. 39. 20. Quotquot in officio suo tor pent dona spiritus ignavo otio defodiunt nec propriam nec alioruÌ„ salutem provehunt Gualt in Luk 19. Hom. 174. Verba in opera Bernard shines in the Head Convictions may and doe often stand with positive Rebellion The truth of God is held prisoner in unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. takes no hold on the wills and affections of men such violent restraint is laid upon it by over-powering worldly lusts that its sanctifying reforming liberty and authority is quite supprest It is with the lightsome beames of Gods grace as with the Sun The light may shine in the upper sleeping room but be shut out of the lower working rooms The grace of God shines often in the upper sleeping room idle drousie Speculation and conviction in the mind but is shut out of the lower working rooms the Will and the Affections Evil servants know their Masters will but have no hearts to doe it They are evill servants who in the Lords spirituall husbandry trading and occupation are negligent in their duty and hide the talents of the Spirits gifts in sluggish idlenesse and neither promote their own nor others salvation Family-guides cannot beare it who see their loose Attendants waste and abuse the light of great Candles to wantonnesse when their more conscionable Ministers doe much work by lesser lights What a shame will it bee in the reckoning day when persons of vast apprehensions but loose hearts and lives shall be condemned from the vast practice of Godliness in men of mean yet sound intellectuals who turn a few gracious notions into holy motions and words into works SECT 7. 7. WAnt of the upright and genuine use of Cods grace 7. Want of the genuine use of grace causeth it to be turned into wantonness Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assault because if the flesh have never so little liberty it will assault us as a Medicine to cure not as a Cloak to cover sin We read 1 Pet. 2. 16. a Cloak of maliciousness or wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the danger of usâ—rg liberty an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. which let alone will make assault upon us as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports The Sheeps-skin on the Wolves back doth indeed cover not alter the ravenous Creature While the cloak of grace doth but hide not heal the old Man he will be a Libertine The matter is not with carnal Gospellers whether they sin or no but whether concealed Unsound hearts are not so much troubled with the conscience as infamy of sin Much wickedness in the world appearing in its native colours would be abominable but when it borrows a dress from the grace of God it looks lovely and is unsuspected A pitty it is so fair a cloak as Gods grace should be put on so foul a body as sin it is as if a leprous Body were covered with Purple and a Dung-hill with Scarlet It was a part of Jeremiah's Lamentations That the Sons of Zion that were cloathed in Scarlet embraced Dung-hills Lam. 4. 5. It should be for a lamentation that spurious Gospellers the false sons of Zion clad in a rich scarlet glorious profession should stain themselves with durg-hill words and works To put the cover of nature upon unnatural unmorral sins is abominable to put the cloak of grace on works of darkness to wash the Devils face with holy-water is much more detestable It is as if Satan should court God to license his wickedness as if his pure nature should priviledge uncleanness They were false Jews uncircumcised in Spirit though not in flesh who made their ceremonious services which Jer 7. 8. Plus licentiae sibi in ceremoni is sumebant quae debebant esse paenitentiae â—â—â—ercitia Calv. should have been exercises of repentance the Patrons of Licentiousness and so they are adulterate Christians who prostitute their Religious Worship to irreligious designs and practices But sure Grace was never intended to cover but cure sin As the God of grace hath clearly vindicated grace from this dishonor in his Scriptures and in the mortified conversation of his real â—aints so will he in the great day of restitution of all things all things by their proper names set them on their own bottoms arraign sin as sin grace as grace the enemies of Christ as enemies and friends as friends and avenge before the world dishonors done to his Gospel-grace and invincibly clear it to the judgement both of elect and reprobates that grace is a destroyer not a Saviour of sin an help not an hindrance of good life Take with you words and say receive us graciously Hos 14. 2. This grace was an healing remedy I will heal their backslidings v. 4. Grace like the covering wings of the Chicken like the covering Plaister of the wound doth both cover and cure Pardoning and purging Grace go together As the wisdom so the grace that is from above is pure as well as peaceable It is the constant Petition of the sound Spirit of Prayer Lord pardon Lord heal my sins SECT 8. 8. VVAnt of sound conviction of the mischief of original 8. Want of conviction of original corruption is a cause of turning the grace of God into wantonness corruption and severe mortification thereof is an experimented account why grace is abused Here are two branches 1. Want of clear convincement of the old mans mischief The Character of his wickedness is very large when it is not known at all or but slightly no wonder if the bosome Enemy play Rex and rule as he he His sinfulness as followeth not discerned nor regarded begetteth high abuse of the Grace of God Were these things known and believed concerning original corruption professed Christians could not be so licentious Sad experience will give this evil report of it One saith truly