with God out of Phil. 4 5. Now out of those Sermons and from fresh meditations and collections I have compiled into a short sum so much as I thinke may be sufficient to satisfie your desire touching these demands The best way to please God and the nearest readiest way to heaven also to get a chearefull and quiet heart in the mean time till you come thither is To walke with God in vprightnes being carefull in nothing but in every thing by prayers and supplications with thankesgiving to make your requests knowne unto God Whiâ—â— if you doe The peace of God â—â—ich passeth all understanding shall so establish and guard your heart and mind in and through Christ Iesus that you may live in an Heaven upon earth and may bee ioyous and comfortable in all estates and conditions of life whatsoeuer That you should walke with God in vprightnes is commended to you in the cloud of Examples of Enoch Noah Iob David Zacharias and Elizabeth with many other renowned in Scripture And is commanded to Abraham and in him to all the faithfull Gen. 17. 1. To live by faith which is to frame your life according to the will of GOD revealed in his Word the obiect of faith and to walke with God are all one Enoch was said to have walked with GOD what was this else but to beleeve and rest on God whereby he pleased him For according to what we live according to that we are said to walke The morall actions of mans life are aptly resembled by the Metaphor of Walking which is a moving from one place to another No man while â—e liveth here is at home in the â—lace where he shall be There â—â—e two coÌ„trary homes to which every man is alwaies going either to Heaven or to Hell Every â—…ction of man is one pace or step whereby he goeth to the one place or the other The holinesse or wickednesse of the action is the â—everal way to the place of happinesse or place of Torment So that Gods owne children while they live in this world as pilgrims and strangers are but in the way not in the Countrey which they seeke which is heavenly This life of saith and holinesse what is it but a going out of a mans selfe and a continuall returning to God from the way of â—in and death and a setled going forward in all those acts of obedience which God hath ordained to be the way for al his children to walk in vnto eternal life A godly life is said to be a walking with God in respect of foure things that concur thereunto First whereas by sinne we naturally are departed from God and have gone away from his waies which he hath appointed for us we by the new and living way of Christs death and resurrection and by the new and living workâ— of Christs spirit are brought neare to God and are set in the wayes of God by Repentance from dead works and by faith towards God in Christ Iesus which are the first principles of true Religion necessarily to be presupposed to be the first steps in this walking with God Now to beleeue to continue in the faith is to walke in Christ therefore to walke with God Secondly the revealed will of God is called Gods way because in it God doth as it were come forth of the secret of his holy Maiesty to shew his people their 〈…〉 to him so takes them aâ—… to himselfe according to â—…t in the Ps Righteousnes shall before him and shall set us in the 〈…〉 of his steps Now this way of righteousnesse revealed in the â—…ord is the rule of a godly life â—ee which walketh according â—â— God 's law is said to walk beâ—â—re God compare 1 King 8. 25. with 2 Chr. 6. 16. So that he which walketh according to Gods wil in the passages turâ—ings of his life keeping himselfe to this rule walketh with God Thirdly he that liveth a godly life walketh after the Spirit not after the flesh Hee is led by the Spirit of God having him for his guide wherfore in this respect â—he is said to walke with God Fourthly that a man may live godly it is requisite that by the eye of saith he see God present before him in all his actions thinking of him oft vpon al occasions remembring him in his wayes Setting the Lord alwayes before him as David did Seeing him that is invisible as Moses did Doing all things as S. Paul did preach as of God in the sight of God Now hee that so walketh that hee alwayes observeth Gods presence and keepeth him stil in his eye in the course of his life and that not only with a generall habitual but as much as he can with an actual inteÌ„tion to please and glorifie God this man must needs be said to walke with God Would you in a word know when you walke with GOD 1 When you daily goe on to repent of sinnes past beleeve in Christ Iesus for pardon and beleeve his Word for direction 2 When you walk not according to the will of man but of God 3 When you walke not after the flesh but after the spirit 4 When you set God before you walk as in his sight â—…en you walke with before afâ—â—r and according to God That â—ou may walke with God conâ—â—der these arguments farther convince and induce you First you are commanded to â—alke as Christ walked and it concernes you so to doe if you would approve your selfe to be member of his body for it is nonstrous nay impossible that â—he head should go one way and â—he body another Now our Savior observed al the three later â—â—quisiâ—es of walking with God The former namely justifying â—aith and repentance belonging â—ot to him because hee was without Sinne. Secondly it is all which the â—ord requireth of you for al his â—ove goodnesse shewed unto â—on in creating preserving reâ—eeming and saâ—ing you For what doth the Lord require of â—ou but to doe iustly and to love â—ercy and to walke humbly with our God Thirdly if you walke with God and keepe close to him you shall bee sure to goe in the right way in that good old way which is called the way of holinesse in a most streight most neere and to a spirituall man most pleasant way whose paths are peace which endeth in the rest of your soule For God teacheth his children to chuse this way And if they happen to erre or to doubt of their way they shall heare the voyce of Gods Spirit behinde them saying This is the way walke in it Fourthly if you walke with God you shall walke safely you shall not need to feare though ten thousands set themselves against you For his presence is with you and for you His holy Angels encampe about you
brotherly 1 When you love them out of a pure heart fervently which â—s when you love them because they are brethren partakers of the same Faith and Spirit of Adoption having the same Father and being of the same houshold of faith with you 2 When you love them not onely with a love of humanity as they are men for so you love all men even your enemies nor yet onely with a common love of Christianity wherewith you love all professing true Religion though actually they shew little fruit and power thereof but with a specialty of love for kinde spirituall and for degree more abundant Therefore it is called brotherly kindnesse and a servent love distinct from charitie or a common love 2 Pet. 1. 7. Where this love is it will knit hearts together like â—onathans and Davids making you to be of one heart and soule It will make you enjoy each others societie with spirituall delight It will make you to beare one with another and to beare each others burthens It will make you to communicate in all things communicable with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart as you are able and that by a specialtie beyond that which you shew to them which are not alike excellent Yea it is so entire and so ardent that you will not hold your life to be too deare to lay downe for the common good of the brethren When therefore you meete with those that feare God make improvement of the Communion of Saints not onely by communicating in naturall and temporall good things as you are able and as there is neede but especially in the communion of things spirituall edifying your selves in your most holy faith by holy speech and conference and in due time and place in reading the holy Scriptures good Bookes and by prayer and singing of Psalms together That your singing may please God and edifie your selfe and others observe these Sing as in Gods sight and in matter of prayer praise speake â—o God in singing The matter of your Song must be spiritual either indited by the Spirit or composed of matter agreeing thereunto You must sing with understanding You must sing with judgement being able in private to make choise of Psalmes befitting the present times and occasions And both in private and publike to apply the Psalme sung to your owne particular â—s when how â—o pray and praise in the words of the Psalme taking heede that you do not apply the imprecations made against the enemies of Christ and his Church in generall to your enemies in partilar also know how to confirme your faith and incline your will and affections when you sing the prophesies of Christ promises threats commands mercies judgements c. You must make melody to the Lord in your heart which is done 1 by preparing and setting the heart in tune it must be an honest heart 2 the heart must be lift up 2 the minde intentive 4 the affections fresh and new the heart beleeving and in matter of prayse and thanks joyous Lastly the voyce must be distinct and tuneable Lose not your short and precious time with idle complemeÌ„ts worldly discourses or talke of other mens matters and faults nor yet Athenian-like in a barren and fruitlesse hearing and telling of newes out of affectation of strangenesse and novelty But â—et the matter of your talke be â—ither of God or of his Word and â—ayes wherein you should walk â—r of his works of Creation Preservation Redemption Sanctificaâ—ion and Salvation of his Iudgements which he executeth in the world and of his mercies shewed towards his people or matter of Christian advice either of the things of this life or of that which is to come Impart also each to other the experiments and proofes you have had of Gods grace and power in this your Christian warfare And as there shall be cause Exhort admonish and comfort one another To doe all these well it will require a specialty of godly wisdome humility and love If these three be in you and abound your societie will bee profitable The strong will not despise the weak neither will the weake iudge the strong You will be farre from putting a stumbling-blocke or an occasion to fall in your brothers way but you will follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith you may edifie one another You will then beare with each others infirmities and not seeke to please your selfe but your neighbour for his good to edification You must first be wise to make choise not onely of such matter of speech as is good and lawfull but such as is fit considering the condition and neede of those before whom you speake In propounding questions you must not onely take heed that they be not vaine â—colish and needlesse such as ingender strife and doe minister and multiply questions rather than godly edifying but you must be carefull that they be apt and pertinent both in respect of the person to whom they are propounded in respect of the person or persons before whom they must bee answered Some men have speciall gifts for one purpose some for another Some for interpreting Scripture some for deciding of controversies some for discovering Satans methods and enterprises some are excellent for comforting and curing afflicted and wounded consciences some are better skilled more exercised in one thing than in another And some also of Gods deare children as they are not able to â—eare all exercises of Religion so neither are they capable of hearing and profiting by all kinde of discourses of Religion If this were wisely observed Christian conâ—rence would bee much more â—uitfull than usually it is Secondly you must be lowlyâ—â—ded and of an humble spirit or presuming above your gifts â—nd calling When you speake â—f the things of God be reveâ—end serious and sober keeping your selfe within your sine both of your calling and the measure of the knowledge and grace which God hath given you speaking positively and confidently only of those things which you clearly understand and whereof you have experience or sure proofe Thinke not your selfe too good to learne of any neither harden your necke against the admonitions and reproofes of any If you have an humble heart you will doe as David did when he was admonished and advised by a woman He saw God in it and blessed him for it he received the good counsell and blessed it he tooke it well at Abigails hands and blessed her Now blessed bee God which hath sent thee to meet me this day saith he and blessed be thy advice and blessed bee thou which hast kept mee this day from comming to shed bloud c. Thirdly there will be need of the exercise of much servent love and charitie even amongst the best For sith that Satan doth
hath not said that all men without exception shal be saved by Christs death albeit he saith Christ died for all but Salvation is promised to all onely under the Condition of Repenting and Beleeving in Christ that dyed I call them conditions not for which GOD ordained men to life but conditions to which they were ordained by which as by the fittest way man being a reasonable and voluntary agent God might glorifie himselfe in bringing them to eternall life Wherefore notwithstanding Christs infinite merit whereby he satisfied for mankinde and notwithstanding the universalitie of the offer of salvation to all to whom the Gospell is preached both Scripture and experience shew that not all nor yet the most shall be saved and that because the number of them which repent and unfainedly beleeve whereby they make particular and actuall application of Christ and his merits to themselves are fewest For of those many that are called few are chosen Wherfore let none ignorantly dreame of an absolute universall redemption as many simple people do Not yet let any think that because of the large extent of Christs Redēption they may be saved when they wil. For thogh Christ bee said to suffer to take away the sinnes of the whole world yet the Scripture saith that the whole world of unbeleevers and of ungodly men shall perish eternally Many wil yeeld that they must have faith and repentance and that they must be ingrafted into Christ and become new creatures else they cannot looke to be saved but they thinke they are all this already whence followeth quiet of Conscience Whereas when it commeth to the tryall their faith and repentance are sound not to be sound As shall thus appeare They thinke they have faith nay more they presume further that they have true faith and that they are truly religious and in state of grace It is not enough for a man to seeme to himselfe to bee religious for he may deceive his owne heart a close hypocrite may thinke himselfe to be something when yet he is nothing deceiving himselfe as no doubt the foolish Virgins did But many will think that they have good reason to judge that they have true faith c. and that 1 Because they beleeve the whole Scripture to bee the good Word of God 2 They beleeve not onely that there is a GOD but that Iesus Christis the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world yea according to the letter they beleeve all the Articles of the Christian faith 3 They thinke they are beleevers because they have beene Baptized and have given their names unto Christ they professe the onely true Religion they have the very true forme of godlinesse in all the externall exercises of Religion so that it may be said of many of them as it was said of the lewes They seeke God daily and delight to know his waies as a Nation that did righteousnesse c. Whereas if they beleeve no more nor no better they may know that their faith is onely an historicall and generall faith or onely a temporary faith at the best necessary indeed to Salvation but not sufficient to save The Devils beleeve as much as the first and very hypocrites may and doe professe and doe as much as the second and third The Apostle Paul having to doe with hypocriticall Iewes who because of the Sacraments and forme of knowledge and profession though without practice did nourish in themselves a vaine perswasion that they should be saved he removeth this false ground of their hope thus saying He is not a Iew which is one outwardly but he is a Iew which is one inwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but that which is of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose prayse is not of men but of God In like manner Saint Peter doth give all Christians to know that that Baptisme which is only a putting away of the filth of the flesh doth not save but that Baptisme which giveth proofe that the heart is sprinkled from an evill conscience as well as the body washed with pure water shewing it selfe by the answer which a good conscience maketh in beleeving in truth consenting unto and imbracing the new Covenant whereof Baptisme is a seale of which anciently men of yeares made profession when they were Baptized Neither is it any thing worth to have the forme of godlinesse in profession when the power thereof is denyed by an evill conversation as you may see by the exceptions which God taketh against the Iewes albeit they seemed to love Sacrifices and Sacraments Prayers Fastings and Sermons For howsoever such as these are most apt to claime an interest in Christ yet so long as their faith is not a particular faith drawing with it affiance sole reliance on Christ for Saluation declaring its truth and life by indevouring to performe the new Covenant on their part by new obedience in an endeavour unto all manner of good workes Our Saviour professeth that hee knoweth them not but biddeth them depart from him because they were workers of iniquity But secondly many of these presume that their faith is a lively saving faith that because as they thinke they have repented and are become new creatures And all because they have had such an inlightning as by nature man cannot attaine unto nay the Word hath affected them much and somwhat altered them from what they were namely 1 when they were hearing a Sermon or when Gods rod was over them they have mourned wept and shewed some kinde of humiliation 2 At the hearing of Gods precious promises in the Gospel in the glad tydings of Salvation they have felt a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come And 3 they finde that they doe not commit many of those sinnes which they were wont to commit and that they doe many good duties towards GOD and man which they were wont not to doe 4 They desire that Gods people should pray for them 5 They desire to dye the death of the righteous and to goe to heaven when they dye And 6 which is more some can say that sometimes they have wished that they could leave sinne and that they had grace to doe well Besides 7 They see that the best of them that truly feare God both Ministers and others are well perswaded of them But what of all this These men as neere as they come yet going no farther are farre from Salvation For the Common gifts of Gods Spirit given unto men in the Ministery of the Gospell may elevate a man higher and carry him farther towards heaven than nature art or meere humane industry can doe and yet if the saving graces of the same Spirit be not added hee will be left farre short of
course of their lives only observe this that in judging â—…our actions you must not judge â—â—em so much by the muchnesse â—ad greatnesse of the quantitie as â—…y the soundnesse ripenesse and goodnesse of the quality If it bee good in truth according to the measure of grace received God accepteth it in Christ She hath done what shee could faith our Saviour A little sound and true fruit though weake in comparison is farre better than many blades and blossomes yea then plenty of grapes if they be wild and sowre SECTION 2. Of the markes of uprightnesse THat you may coÌ„ceive more distinctly may better remember the signes of uprightnesse I reduce them to these heads They are taken 1. from universalitie of respect to all Gods will 2. From specialtie and prioritis of respect to such things as God requireth specially 3. From a will and desire to please God in one place as well as another in secret as well as open 4. From a constancie of will to please GOD at one time as well as another 5. From the true causes efficient and finall 6. From the effects that follow well-doing 7. From the effects that follow evil-doing 8. From the conflict which shall be found betweene uprightnesse and hypocrisie First the upright man is universall in his respect to the whole will of God For first he unfainedly desireth and indevoureth to know what manner of man hee ought to be what he ought to do He would know beleeve any one part of Gods will so farre as it may concerne himselfe as well as another Threats as well as promises Commandements as well as either and that not some but all the threats all the promises and all the Commandement Comming to the light readily that his deeds may be made manifest He is willing to know and beleeve what he should doe as well as what he should have and hope for But the hypocrite not so hee winketh with his eyes and is willingly ignorant of that sinne which he would not leave and of that dutie which hee would not doe and of that judgement which he would not feele He is willing to know the promises of the Gospell but willingly ignorant of the precepts of the Gospell and of the conditionâ— annexed to the promises 2. Secondly His universall respect to Gods wil is not onely to know but todoe and to submit unto it in all things willing to leave and shun everie sin willing to doe everie thing which he knoweth to be his dutie willing to beare patiently thankfully fruitfully everie correction wherwith the Lord doth exercise him He disliketh sinne in all Hee loveth grace and goodnesse in all Hee would keepe a good conscience in all acts of Religion towards God and in all acts of righteousnesse and sobrietie towards and amongst men Hee would forbeare not onely those sinnes to which his nature is not so much inclined or to which his condition of life affoordeth not so manie temptations but those to which his nature and condition of life doth most carrie him he will crossâ— himselfe in his dearest iust namely his darling and beloved sinnes his * owne sinne as David calleth it Neither doth he indevour to abstaine from those vices which may bring losse and are out of credit which some men punish all men cry shame on but such as through the iniquitie of the times are in countenance with the greatest and practised by most the forbearance whereof may threaten and procure danger and discredit the doing whereof may promise and performe much worldly gaine and honour Moreover the upright man doth not only strive to doe those holy and vertuous actions which are in credit and for his advantage in the world but those also which may expose him to disgrace and losse even of his life and livelihood He would abstaine as well from lesse evils even from appearance of evils as from grosse sinnes And would so doe the greater things of the Law as not to leave the other undone But the hypocrite not so there is some sin he wil not leave some dutie he will not doe c. Follow the opposition 2. Secondly an upright man is knowne by this Where GOD hath laid a speciall charge there he will have a first and speciall respect to it As to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that one thing necessary and to shew a specialty of love to the houshold of saith To be first and most at home reforming himselfe and his pulling out the beame out of his owne eye To be most zealous for matter of substance in religion and lesse in matter of ceremony and circumstance Lastly his chiefe care will bee to apply himselfe to a â— conscionable discharge of the duties â—f his particular calling knowing â—hat a man hath no more conscience nor goodnesse in truth then â—e hath will and desire to shew â—â— in the workes of his particular â—…ace and calling The hypocrite â—â— contrary in all these Thirdly the upright man indeâ—oureth to approve himselfe to God â— well in secret as openly as well â—â— the inward man as in the outward as well in thought as in â—ord and deed But it is quite â—therwise with the hypocrite if â—â— may seeme good to men it is â—â— he careth for Fourthly the upright man is constant his will is that he might alwayes please God He doth as well bethinke himselfe how to doe well in prosperity as in adversity and even then studieth how to be able to hold out before God if his state should alter I do not meane such a constancy as admitteth of no intermissions or stoppages in the open course of his life A constant running spring may betweene two hils be stayed in his course for a time by damming it up yet the spring will approve it selfe to run constantly for it wil be stil thrusting to get thorow or get under or if it can doe none of these it will raise it selfe in time according to its strength and get over all lets and will beare down all before it and will run with a more full streame afterwards by as much as it was before interrupted so it is with an upright maâ— But the hypocrite is but by fiâ—â— and starts as he calleth not on Goâ— at all times so it is with all other his goodnes it is but as the corne in stony ground and amongst thornes and as a morning dew it endureth but for a season Fifthly An upright man is known by the causes from which all his good actions spring and to which they tend for these two the efficient and the end denominate the action 1. That which causeth the upright man to endevour to keepe a good conscience alway is an inward principle and power of grace causing him through faith in Christ in and from whom as from the roote of all grace he bringeth forth
and strive to be obedient to his will as well as to beleeve his promises to hope for happinesse this iâ— to strive Now never any did thus strive in seeking to enter though it were but the last day of their life that was put backe and not received Wherefore say not it is to late But say the more time I have lost the more cause there is why now I should presently set to Religion in earnest not loose time in questioning whether I shal be accepted or no. And whereas you said you are afraid to use the meanes of Salvation for the reasons before objected hereby you may see that all this is but the malice and craft of the Divell by keeping you from the meanes to keepe you from Salvation For it is most false to say that to pray heare the Word c. is to increase your sin because you cannot performe these as you should and as you would I am sure it is a greateâ— sinne in you to for beare these necessary duties out of despaire that they shall ever profit you or that you shall be accepted oâ— God You should thinke thus if â—â— doe not use the meanes of salvation I shal certainly perish everlastingly but if I do pray heare c. I may be saved therefore in obedience to God I will doe as well as I can But little doth a man know how well hee may doe if he would indevour neither can a man conceive how acceptable a little indevour shall be if he doe but desire to be true in his indevour For as GODS power is seene in mans weakenesse so is Gods grace seene in manâ—insufficiencie When wee are weake then God in us can be strong And when wee in humilty like our services worst then through Christ God may be best pleased with them But whatsoever you doe Doe not neglect nor absent your selves from exercises of Religion for weakest observances where is truth are farre more acceptable than whole emissions Wherefore if as you say you would not increase your sinne and thereby your damnation be willing to use and to joyne with others in the use of all good meanes of Salvation then if you be not saved yet you shall have the lesse punishment But you may be assured that if in obedience to Gods Commandement you shall pray heare the Word receive the Sacrament and have communion and conversation with those that feare God you shall be saved in the end What if you doe not yet feele benefit and comfort when you use these meanes of salvation according to your desire yet you must waile the good houre both of grace and comfort even as the impotent folke did who lay waiting for the Angels comming to move the waters that they might be healed of their diseases at the â—oole of Bethesda For if when God hideth his face you will waite and looke for him then God will waite his time to be gracious and blessed shall you be that waite for him It may be it commeth justly upon you that God should make you waite his leasure and cause you to buy wisdome wise deare experience because you did once account it an easier matter to beleeve and repent and therefore you did not take the first offers but made God wait If it were thus yet despaire not of grace onely be humbled For God doth not deale with us after our sinnes nor reward us after our iniquities but according to his rich mercie and promise made to us in Christ Iesus SECTION 4. A removall of feares rising from doubts of Gods love THere are very many who have true proofes that they are the Elect of God and have reason to thinke that God not onely can but will doe them good yet because they will deny that to bee bestowed upon them and to be in them which indeed is therefore they feare and are causelesly disquieted I would have such to consider first whether they have not in them already evident proofes and sigues of GODS effectuall love towards them in Christ These will acknowledge that it is most true that if they were sure that GOD did love them they should not feare but this is all their doubt that GOD doth not love them Some give this reason of their doubt God hath afflicted them and still doth Plague them yea albeit they have professed the name of Christ they are in some thing or other chastened daily in so much that they seeme to bee in the condition of those whom GOD hath threatned to curse in every thing they put their handes unto Therefore say they GOD doth not love them Such weake and inconsiderate reasonings are incident to those whom GOD truely loveth Did not the holy men of GOD reason and conclude thus But when doe Gods Children thus It is in their haste before they be well advised what they think or say And whence is it Is it not from their ignorance and brutishnesse being carried away by sense So foolish was I and ignorant saith the Prophet c. But when they come to themselves and doe come to learne what is truth by the Word then they learn that it is not outward prosperitie will make wicked men happie neither is it outward affliction that can make a good man miserable Then they will neither applaud nor envie the prosperity of the wicked nor yet misconstrue nor repine at their own afflictions For they learne that no man can know Gods love or hatred by any outward thing that doth befall the sonnes of men in this life They learne that God doth oft smile on his enemies and that he doth oft frowne upon is angry with and doth correct those whom he dearely loveth even as a Father doth his Children They learne by the Word likewise that GOD hath excellent ends in all this even in respect of them and all for their good namely for tryall of their graces for prevention of sinne for to remove sinne bringing them to repenrance and that they might be made partakers of his Holinesse Besides herein he doth much glorifie himselfe shewing that he is wonderfull in Counsell excellent in Working causing the affliction to worke for his glory in his peoples good Yea you may learne by the Word and by your owne experience that although the childe of God in his infirmitie and passion when he is under the rod may let goe his hold of God yet that God in his love and compassion towards his childe will hold him fast by his right hand and will not leave him but will guide him with his Counsell that he may afterward receive him unto Glorie This is the way of GOD with his Children wherefore none from hence hath cause to question GODS love but to conclude it rather But I have brought afflictions upon my selfe by mine owne sin and folly I am impatient under them and am little or no whit better for
joy and comfort if you would feele for them Amongst many I will reckon these First you may know you have Faith by your feeling and opposing of the contrary if you feele a fight and conflict betweene beleeving and doubting fearâ— and distrust and in that combat you take part with beleeving hope and confidence or at least desire heartily that these should prevaile and are grieved at heart when the other get the better If you feele this doe not say you haue no feeling Doe not say you have no faith This conflict and desire to have faith gaue proofe that the man in the Gospel who came to Christ to cure his child had faith I beleeve Lord saith hee Lord helpe my unbeliefe Doe not say as I have heard many this man could say I beleeve but we cannot say so I tell you if you can heartily say Lord helpe my unbeliefe I am sure any of you may say I beleeve For whence is this feeling of unbeliefe and desire to beleeve but from Faith Secondly You may know you have Faith I speake still to an afflicted soule which dareth not sinne wittingly for that you wil not part with that Faith which you have upon any termes I will aske you that have given hope to others that you doe beleeve that yet doubt you have not truth of faith hope in God only these questions and as your heart can answer them so you may judge Will you part with that faith and hope which you call none for any price Would you change present states with those that presume they have a strong Faith whose consciences do not trouble them but are at quiet though they live in all manner of wickednesse Or at best are meerely civilly honest Nay would you if it were possible forgoe all that faith and hope and other graces of the Spirit which you call none at all and returne to that former state wherein you were in the dayes of your vanity before you did indevor to leave sinne and to will to indevour to settle to Religion in earnest Would you lay any other foundation to build upon then what you have already layd Or is there any person or thing wheron you desire to rest for Salvation and direction besides Christ Iesus If you can answer no but can say with Peter To whom shall wee goe Christ onely hath the words of eternall life you know no other foundation â—o lay then what you have laid and have willed and desired to lay it right you resolve never to pull downe what you have built thogh it be but a little It is your griefe that you build no faster upon it By this answer you may see that your conscience before you are aware doth witnesse for you and will make you confesse that you have some true faith and hope in GOD or at least hope that you have For let men say what they will to the conttary they alwaies thinke they have those things which by no meanes they can be brought to part with Thirdly If you would have feeling and proofe of your faith and Iustification feele for it in the most certaine effect which is the exercise of your Sanctification Doe you feele your selves loaden and burthened with sinne Doe you feele your hearts â—ke with sorrow for sinne And with all do you feele your selves to be altered from what you were Doe you now beare good will to Gods Word and Ordinances And doe you desire the pure word of God that you may grow in grace by it Doe you affect Gods people therefore because you thinke they feare God Is it your desire to approve your selves to God in holy obedience And is it your trouble that you cannot doe it Then certainly you have Faith you have an effectuall Faith For what are all these but the very Pulse breath and motions of faith If you feele grace to be in you it is a better feeling then feeling of comfort for grace in men of understanding is never severed from effectuall Faith but comfort many times is for that may rise from Presumption and false Faith Grace onely from the Spirit and from true Faith SECTION 6. A removall of feares rising from doubting of Sanctification IT is granted by all that if they be truly Sanctified then they know that they have Faith anâ— are iustified But many feare they are not Sanctified and that foâ— these seeming reasons First some feare they are noâ— Sanctified because they doe noâ— remember that ever they fâ—â— those wounds and terrours of conscience which are first wroughâ— in men to make way to Conveâ—sion as it was in them who weâ—â— priâ—â—â— aâ— heart at Peters Seâ—… mon and in S. Paul and the Iaylor Or if they felt aâ—â— terrâ—… they feare they we but certaine flashes and for runners of Hellish â—â—â—ments liâ—â— those of Cain and Iudas As it is in the naturall birth with the mother so it is in the spirituall birth with the childe There is no birth without some travell and paine but not all alike Thus it is in the new birth with all that are come to yeares of discretion Some haue so much griefe feare horror that it is intolerable and leaveth so deepe an impression that it can never be forgotten others have some true sense of griefe and feare but nothing to the former in comparison which may easily be forgotten There are causes why some have or at least feele some more some lesse 1. Some have committed more grosse and more hainous sinnes than other therefore they have more cause and neede to have mâ—re terrour and heart-breaking than others 2. God doth set some apart for greater imployments than others such as will require a man of great trust and experience wherefore GOD to prepare them doth exercise such with greatest tryals for their deepe humiliation and for their more speedy and full reformation that all necessary graces might bee more deeply and more firmely rooted in them 3. Some have beene religiously brought up from their infancie whereby as they were kept from grosse sinnes so their sinnes were subdued by little and little without any sensible impression of horror Grace and comfort being instilled into them almost insensibly 4. Some by naturals constitution and temper of body are more fearefull and more sensible of anguish than others which may cause that although they may bee alike wounded in conscience for sinne yet they may not feele it all alike 5. There may be the like feare and terror wrought in the conscience for sinne in one as well as another yet it may not leave the like lasting sense and impression in the memory of the one which it doth in the other Because God may shew himselfe gracious in discovering a remedy and giving comfort to one sooner than to the other As two men may be in perill of their lives by enemies the one as soone as hee seeth his danger seeth an impregnable
proofe of the graces of his children to give them experience of their owne weakenesse and of his grace towards them and strength in them even in their weakenesse preserving them from being vanquished albeit they fight with Principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses For Gods strength is made perfect in mans weakenesse That you who are troubled with blasphemous and other abhominable thoughts may be lesse troubled or at least not hurt by them follow these directions which will 1 shew you how to arme your selves against them before they rise oâ— be suggested 2 How to carry your selves when they are iâ— you 3 How both before in and after your conceiving oâ— them First arme your selfe with evident proofes that there is a God that there is a divine spiritual absolute and independent Being from whom and to whom aâ—… all things and by whom aâ—â— things doe consist Next confirme your selfe in a sure perswasion that the Bible and holy Scriptures are the pure word of this onely true God Then labour with your heart that it may so awe and love God and his will that it he alwaies ready to rise against every motion to sinne especially these of the worst ranke with loathing and detestation To be assured that there is a God Consider first the Creation preservation and order of the Creatures How could it be possible that such a world could be made and upheld or that there should be such an order or subordination amongst creatures if there were not a God The heavens give their influence into the ayre water and earth these by vertue hereof and by their inbred properties support afford meanes to all living creatures The creatures without sense serve for the use of the sensitive and all serve for the use of man who although hee be an excellent creature yet of himselfe he is so impotent that hee cannot adde one cubit to his stature nay hee cannot make one hayre white or blacke therefore could not be the maker of these things Moreover If the Creatures were not limited and ordered by a superiour Being they would one devoure another in such sort as to bring all to confusion For the savage beasts would eat up and destroy all the tame and gentle the strong would consume the weake the Sea if it had not bounds set to his proud waves would stand above the mountaines and the Devill who hateth mankinde would not suffer a man to live at any quiet if there were not a God one stronger than the strongest creatures to restraine Satan and to confine every thing to his place order How could there be a continuall vicissitude of things How could we have raine and fruitfull seasons and your soules fed with food and gladnesse if there were no God Thus by the Creation the invisible things of God that is his eternall power and God-head are clearely seene for by these things which are thus made and thus preserved he hath not left himselfe without witnesse that God is and that hee made all things for himselfe even for his owne glory Secondly If all things came by nature and not from a God of nature how then have Miracles which are many times against nature and doe alwayes transcend and exceed the order and power of nature beene wrought For nature in it selfe â—oth alwayes worke even in its greatest workes in one and the â—â—me manner and order For Nature is nothing else but the power â—â— God set in the creatures to support them and to produce their effects in a set order Wherefore if any thing be from Nature or from Miracle it is from GOD the one from his power in things ordinary the other from his power in thing extraordinary wherefore whether you look on things naturall or above nature you may 〈…〉 there â—â— a God Thirdly looke into the admirable workemanship of but one of the Creatures namely your owne soule and in it particularly into your Conscience whence are your fears that you shal be damned What need it nay how could it trouble you for youâ— blasphemous thoughts and other sinnes if it were not privie to iâ— selfe that there is a God which will bring every thought â— judgement Fourthly make use of the eye of faith whereby you may â—â— God who is invisible that morâ— distinctly more certainely anâ— more fully Remember that it is the first principle of all Religion which is first to bee learned namely That God is that all things are made by him and that hee is a rewarder of all those that so beleeve this that they diligently seeke Him That you may assure your selves that the Scriptures are the word of God Consider first how infallibly true they are in relating things past according as they were many hundred yeares before also in foretelling things to come many hundreds of yeares after which you may see to have come to passe and daily to come to passe accordingly Which they could not doe if they were not Gods Word 2. They lay open the particular and most secret thoughts lusts and affections of mans heart which it could not doe if it were not the word of him that knoweth all things in whose sight all things are naked and open 3. They command all duties of piety sobriety and equity and doe prohibit all vice in such sort as all the writings and lawes of all men laid together neither doe nor can doe 4. As the Scriptures discover a state of eternall damnation unto man and conclude him in it so they reveale a sure way of Salvation which is such a way as could never enter into the imagination and heart of any man or of all men together without the Word and revelaâ—â—â—n of the Spirit of GOD wâ—â—â—â— his wisedome found out â—â—d ordained this way 5. The Scriptâ—â—â—â— are a word of power almighâ—â—â— beyond the power of any creature pulling downe strong holds casting downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. 6. Lastly the Scriptures have an universall consent with themselves though penned by divers men which argueth that they are not of any private interpretation but that those holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Much more might bee said to this point but this may suffice Moreover Against temptations to offer violent hands upon other or your selves you must have these and like Scriptures in readinesse Thou shalt not kill And see thou doe thy selfe no harme and such like And that you may be prepared against all other vile temptations possesse your hearts before-hand with this that these are great wickednesses and against God against your God When Ioseph could say Shall I commit this great wickednesse and sinne against GOD no temptations could prevaile against him Thus much for fore arming
may and oft doth befall those in whom is truth of grace but commonly through their owne fault And to speake to you It may be you were not thankfull to God for your joyes and comforts when you had them but did ascribe too much to your selves or unto the outward meanes by which you had them Or it may be you did too soone let goe your hold of these spirituall comforts betaking your selfe to worldly businesse or to other thoughts before you had sufficiently digested these and before you had committed them unto safe custodie in so much that the Devill finding your comforts to lye loose and unguarded stealeth them from you or else happily the Lord knoweth that you are not able to beare the continuance of your joyes and comforts but your hearts will be over-light and over-joyed and exalted above measure therefore either as just chastisements or in his loving wisdome GOD may suffer deadnesse in this sort to seaze upon you There are also some when they perceive that some new commers on to Religion which have not had one halfe of the time and meanes to be good as they have had yet out strip them in knowledge faith mortification and willingnesse to dye they cannot pray nor yet remember or discourse of good things so well as they wherefore they doubt of the truth of their own graces It is more then you can certainly know whether they have more saving grace than you for when you shall with a charitable eye looke upon the outside of anothers behaviour and shall look with a severe and searching eye into the corruptions of your owne inside you may easily through modestie and charitie thinke others better than your selves and it is good for you so to doe an errour in that case if you doe commit it is tolerable Many also can utter what they have it may bee better than you and can make a small matter seeme much and a little to goe far when many times you in modestie may not set forth your selfe or if you would cannot Counterfeit Christians may make a greater shew then the true who are not so apt to make a shew or to put forth themselves Also an hypocrite may have abilitie to pray and performe all externall exercises of Religion by reason of his naturall parts and education better then others who are more sincere But let it bee granted that many of short standing in the Schoole of Christianity have got the start of you in grace If it was through Gods grace accompanying their diligence and from his just hand upon you following your negligence then they are to bee commended and you are to be humbled and to be provoked unto an holy aemulation by them to quicken your pace and to double your diligence But take heed that it be not your pride and selfe-love which causeth that you cannot brooke it that others should betterthan your selves It may bee that it is not your fault but it is from Gods abundant grace unto others above that which you have received For the Scripture maketh it evident that God giveth unto severall men differently according to his good pleasure hence it was that David became wiser than â—u teachers and ancients and the Apostle Paul attained more grace than those that were in Christ before him GOD giveth unto some five Talents when he giveth unto others but two Hee that had most given him gained in the same space of time twice as much as the other yet he that gained but two Talents had his commendation and his proportionable reward of his well-doing For the Lord saith unto him also Well done faithfull servant enter into thy Masters â—â—y For he improved his Talents according to the measure of grace received though hee gained not so much as the other What though the little finger or any other inferiour members of the body have not such excellent abilities as the eye the tongue or some other parts shall it therefore make question whether it bee of the body Take heede that your eye bee not evill because GOD is good May not hee give as much to the last as unto the first and more if hee please Wee should rather bee thankefull for the increase of grace in others then either to repine at them or without grouÌ„d to conclude against the truth of our owne For wee are much the better if wee would see it for others graces Gods kingdome is enlarged strengthned thereby the common good of Christs bodie which is the Church gaineth by it Now the more excellent any member of the body â—s according to his gifts place the rest of the members should herein the more reioyce Many yet will say he that is truly sanctified doth grow in grace but I doe not If you grow not it is your sinne of which you must repent But you may grow in grace when yet you may thinke that you doe not A tree may grow in the generall when yet some particular branch may in part decay so it may be with grace Besides true grace may grow most when those in whom it is may thinke that it groweth least namely when through the sense of their not growing as they would they are truly humbled and stirred up to desire heartily and to pray that they may grow and to use all meanes whereby they may grow Moreover growth of grace like the growth of trees is as well out of sight and under ground in the root even when it is outwardly nipt or driven in by the blasts and winters of afflictions and manifold temptations as when in Summer in sight above ground it sheweth his growth in the branches blossomes and fruit thereof He that groweth inwardly in humilitie and in a greater love and desire of holinesse he groweth better indeed though not bigger in his owne conceit Lastly Many yet will say that their hearts remaine hard and stonie yea they say that they grow harder and harder wherefore they thinke that the stome heart was never taken out of them and that they remaine unsanctified Know that there are two sorts of hard hearts One totall and not felt which will not be broken nor brought unto remorse either by GODS Threats Commandements Promises Iudgements or Mercies but obstinately standeth out in a course of sin being past feeling The second is An hardnesse mixt with some softnesse this is felt and bewayled This is incident to Gods Children of this the Church complaineth saying unto God Why hast thou hardned our hearts against thy feare Now when the heart feeleth its hardnesse and complaineth of it is grieved and disliketh it and would with all a mans soule that his heart were tender like Iosiahs so that it could melt at the hearing of the Word this is a sure proofe that the heart is regenerate and not altogether hard but hath some measure of true softnesse for it is by softnesse that hardnesse of heart
may judge theÌ„selves to be more barren in their age then they were in their youth It may be you feele not in you that vigour heat and abilitie to performe good duties now in age as you did in your younger dayes But may not this arise from naturall defects as from want of memorie want of quicknesse of wit and from want of naturall heate and vigour of your spirits all which are excellent hand-maids to grace You may observe this in those elder people that studie to approve themselves to God untill their age and in their age they have these naturall defects recompenced with other better and more lasting fruit as with more staydnesse and soundnesse of Iudgement more humility more patience and more experience where with their gray hayrs are crowned they continuing in the way of righteousnesse Looke for these and looke to approve your selves in these in your age and these will prove more beneficiall to you than your fresh feelings and your sensibly-felt zeale in your younger times There are yet others it may be the same when they observe that many who are of longer standing than themselves who have had much more knowledge and have made a further progresse in the practice of godlinesse than they are yet fallen fear fully into some grosse sinne or sinnes yea some of them are departed from the faith have embraced with Demas this present World either in the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye or pride of life They are some of them fallen to Popery or to some other false Religion Wherefore they feare that they shall fall away also and that their hearts will deceive them in the end That the falls of others should make all that doe stand to take â—eede lest they fall is according â—o the expresse will of God It is â—â— high point of wisedome for â—ou to observe and doe it Likeâ—ise to feare so much as to quicken you to watchfulnesse and â—â—ayer is an holy and commendable feare But to feare your totall or finall falling away onely because some that have made profession of the same Religion are fallen is without ground For it may bee those which you see to be fallen away never had any other than a forme of godlinesse and never had more than the common graces gifts of the Spirit For if they be quite fallen from the faith it is because they were never soundly of the faith Moreover grant that some of them which are â—â—â—â—n had saving grace may they not with David and Salomon recover their fals This you should hope and pray for rather than by occasion of their falls to trouble your selfe with false and fruitlesse feare Last of all some yet feare that if persecution should come because of the Word and the Religion which they doe professe that they should never hold out but should fall away Doe you thus feare Then buckle close unto you the compleat armour with the girdle of sinceritie exercise your selves before-hand at your spirituall weapons make and keepe your peace with GOD under whom at such times you must shelter your selves by whose power it is that you must stand in that evill day But know that a child of GOD need not feare persecution with such discouragefull and such desperate feare neither should you for this will but give advantage to your enemies of all sorts and will make your â—â—andsfeeble your hearts faint Raise up your spirits and chase way your feare thus Consider he goodnesse of your cause Consider the wisedome â—valour and prowesse of him that hath already â—edeemed you with his bloud who hath already led captivitie â—aptive who is your Champion and hath engaged himselfe for you not to leave you untill he hath brought you to glorie I meane Christ Iesus who is Lord of heasts under whose Banner you fight in your whole Christian warfare Consider likewise the faithfulnesse of Gods promise made to all his Children concerning his presence and helpe in time of persecution commanding them not to take thought thereabout having promised to give them a mouth and wisedome which all their adversaries shall not be able to resist And suppose that you have or at least feele that you have but little strength yet consider if it bee cherished thankfully acknowledged what this will doe it will cause you to keepe Gods word and that you shall not deny Christs name and it hath a promise of being kept from the houre of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth you shall be kept at least from the hurt of the temptation Consider last of all the blessed experience which the holy Martyrs have had of GODS love and helpe according to his promise in their greatest persecutions and fiery trialls Observe the wisedome and courage of those who in their owne nature were but simple and fearefull Reade the Booke of Martyrs next unto the Scriptures for this purpose and through GODS grace though you were naturally as feareful as Hares you when you shall bee called to it shall be as couragious as Lyons It is not hard for you to know now whether you shal be able in time of persecution to stand fast and not fall away If you now in the peace of the Gospell can deny your selves in your lusts in love to God and for Conscience sake towards him and can rather part with them than with the sincere following of CHRIST then you shall be able and you will deny your selves in the matter of your life if you be put to it in time of persecution rather than deny CHRIST For this first is as difficult as the latter and the same love to GOD and Conscience of duty which doth now uphold you and beare you through the one will then rather uphold and beare you thorow the other For in times of triall and suffering for his name you may looke for his more speciall assistance Wherefore I doe wish all that are troubled with false feares to rest satisfied in these answers to their doubts and I would have them give over calling their Election Gods love their Iustification their Sanctification or their finall perseverance into question but rather fill your selves with hope and assurance of GODS favour I speake still to burdned Consciences comforting your selves therein abounding in thankesgiving to GOD for what you have rather than repining in your selves for what you want Yet I know there are some as if they were made all of doubting will object my heart is deceitfull I doubt all is not I doubt all will not be well with mee If your heart bee deceitfull Why then doe you beleeve it when it casteth in these doubts And why doe you trust to it more than unto the evidence of the Word and Iudgement of Gods faithful Ministers who by the Word give most satisfying resolutions to your doubts