for us and why so for thou hast wrought all our Works in us other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name Isai 26.12 13. It may be said of a Souls coming to God in the Name of Christ as aforesaid as David said of his and the peoples Willingness to offer Provision for the building of the Temple But who am I and what is my People that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 2 Chron. 29.14 For such a frame of Spirit doth flow from a supernatural Work wherein the Creature is taught of God the Duties which he performs do flow as Fruits and Effects of what he hath received from the Lord to the Glory of his Name Thirdly a Christian comes to the Father in the Name of Christ not only upon the account of the Commands nor only because Christ by Divine Discoveries hath wrought an earnest Desire in him after further Enjoyments but also when he comes unto the Father upon the account of the Merits of Christ making his Address to this or the like effect saying Most glorious God and merciful Father in Jesus Christ although my Sins of Omission and Commission by which I have transgressed thy holy and just Law and offended thy Majesty do render me not only unworthy of the least of thy Mercies but also worthy of thy just Condemnation to proceed against me yet forasmuch as thy only Son Jesus Christ in the prosecution of his Prophetick Office hath revealed unto my Soul that the exceeding Riches of thy Grace and free Mercy to thy unworthy Creatures is so abounding that thou hast given thy Son who hath fulfilled thy Law by his actual Obedience thereunto to the end that I thy poor Creature which stand condemned thereby by reason of my manifold Sins whereby I have transgressed the same might receive a free full and absolute Remission Pardon and Deliverance from the Guilt Dominion and Punishment of Sin having an interest in the Righteousness which thy Son by his Obedience hath obtained through the Exercise of that supernatural Grace of Faith wrought in my Soul by the Influence of the Word and Spirit of thy Son I therefore thy poor unworthy Creature am emboldened and somewhat enabled to appear before thee in hope of Acceptation forasmuch as the Riches of thy Grace and free Mercy to thy unworthy Creature is so abounding that thou hast not only given thy Son to fulfil thy Law by his actual Obedience but also passively to suffer the Ignominy and Reproach of the World and patiently to yield and offer up himself in obedience to thy Will and determinate Counsel unto Death even the most shameful Death of the Cross shedding his most precious Blood and undergoing the Terrors of Divine Wrath due unto us for our Transgressions upon which account thou hast declared thy self to be a God well pleased in thy Son and reconciled unto such as through a true and lively Faith are united to unto Him whom thou hast raised again from the dead and set at thine own right hand in Glory now to appear in thy glorious presence for us as an Interceder and Advocate Now therefore most righteous Father as thou hast given unto thy poor Creature this new and living way unto the Throne of Grace to approach thy presence with free access I come unto thee utterly renouncing all my own Righteousness as being not any ways meritorious or deserving the least of the Mercies which thy poor Creature doth enjoy and casting my whole dependency upon the Merits of Jesus Christ my only High-priest Mediator and Advocate for my acceptance with thee I beseech thee therefore even upon the account of thine only Son to grant me a free and full pardon of all my Sins and to seal the assurance thereof unto my Soul by that illuminating quickening sealing and sanctifying Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from thy blessed self and from thy Son my blessed Saviour Therewith do thou enlighten my Understanding that I may understand thy Mind and Will contained in thy Word therewith confirm my Judgment in thy Truth and let me experience the Demonstrations of thy Love in Christ therewith transform and rectifie my rebellious Will and bring it to a conformity to thy Will in all things thereby inable me to mortify my Corruptions and let not Sin have dominion over me thereby do thou draw my Affection unto thy self and let not worldly Vanity be my delight O do thou replenish and satisfie my thirsting Soul In want of Grace we sadly may Our sad Estate condole Nothing but Grace can satisfie The thirsting Christian Soul Grace is attained by that Soul That unto God doth cry By Prayer in the Name of Christ That asks believingly with the rich treasures of thy Grace in Christ through the operating power of thy Spirt of Truth that my heart may abundantly rejoyce in thy saving Benefits and be thoroughly furnished to praise thy Name O Lord hear accept and answer thy poor Creature in these and all other particulars which thou in thy infinite Wisdom judgest most expedient for thy poor Creatures temporal and eternal well-being to the Glory of thy Name even for the meritorious Name sake of thy Son my only Redeemer and Advocate by whom I have received Command Direction and Encouragements to appear before thee for whom thy poor Creatures have always cause to bless and praise thy holy Name unto whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed as is most due all Glory Power Praise and Obedience by us thy Creatures everlastingly Amen Thus have I briefly delivered my Apprehensions concerning the Creatures going to God the Father by Prayer in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ wherein we may take notice of some particulars as First what great Concernment Christ is to the Believing Soul now in the days of his Exaltation whose Name is a prevailing Principle with the Father in the behalf of all those that come unto God therein Secondly how highly it doth concern every Soul to have an Eye of Faith fixed on him and consider him with a due consideration in all his Benefits Thirdly consider that as I am upon a use of Direction towards the Attainment of that excellent Ornament Prayer in Christs Name is an excell nt means for the attaining to an estate in the Ornament Holiness because it hath precious Promises thereunto annexed Holiness so Prayer in the Name Christ is not one of the least of the means whereby it is attained inasmuch as Jesus Christ who is Truth and cannot lye hath crowned the Duty with a Promise of the Fathers Gift as he hath said Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Joh. 16.23 And lest any should reply Lord we know not the Father and how shall we come unto him he annexeth this Promise also to the other
thereof by an imbracement adhearingly Every word of God is pure saith Agur He is a Sheild unto them that put their trust in him Prov. 30.5 Every word of God is pure his Testimonies his Commands his Promises his Invitations Exhortations Admonitions and Reproofs yea all his whole Counsel is pure flowing from a pure God given out to pure ends to bring defiled Sinners to a state of purity every word of God is pure in it self and pure in the esteem of every true Child of God the sanctified heart I esteem all thy precepts in all things to be right saith David Psal 119.128 Wisdom is justified by her Children saith Christ Math. 11.19 Poor Publicans justify God Luk. 7.29 by esteeming and embraceing of his Counsel but have any of the Rulers or of the Pharises believed on him Joh. 7.48 The Pharises and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves See Luk. 14.16 to the 24. Luke 7.30 They would not justify God by esteeming and embraceing of his Counsel as held forth by his Authority although God witnessed to the same by his mighty hand The Poor the Lame and Maimed come in at the invitation and partake of the benefits while the worldly interested persons slight the invitation and the loving kindness of the Inviter for their worldly interest sake to the procuring to themselves the displeasure of the Inviter the Lord and to their loss of a participation of the benefits And so by observing lying Vanities Jonah 2.8 they forsake their own mercy that they happily might have had upon their imbraceing and improving what they were invited to Wherefore A Word to the inordinate and open Prophane consider all ye that act the Prodigals part in Ryoting and Drunkenness and other prophane and vicious Vanities to the wasting of your precious time and opportunities your temporal Estates and Wits and all in the service of sin to the impoverishing of your poor souls and the souls of your Children for want of Education in the knowledge of God unto the Condemnation of your own souls and the souls of your Children by your evil Example as much as in you lyeth O consider that by reason hereof not only your Children but also your Wives and other Relations yea the whole land of your Nativity is forced into mourning and especially when God shall visit for these things as saith the Lord by his Servants the Prophets see one Testimony among many Hos 4. where it is said that the Lord had a controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land the cause seemeth two-fold first They lay aside truth and the knowledge of God by the same and acts of mercy which the knowledge of God and truth leadeth to as things out of request and estimation with them Secondly as effects ensuing and demonstrations thereof they fall into those great and gross abominations of Swearing Lying Killing Stealing and committing Adultery and all excess even unto blood and therefore shall the Land mourn c. O that every such Soul would consider and act the Prodigals part in his return and that timely while the Fathers armes of mercy are open to embrace them O saith the Lord that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandements always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Deut. 5.29 Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit that leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a River and thy Righteousness as the Waves of the Sea Isa 48.17 18. Note Gods desire is that Sinners should return and live to him Note Those that hearken to God's Commands so as to walk therein are those that live to God and are blessed of him Blessed are all they that do his Commandements that they may have right to the Tree of life and may enter in thorow the Gates into the City for without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Rev. 22.14 15. I but what Estate shall these without possess and where the same Authour tells us chap. 21.8 But the Fearful and Vnbelieving and the Abominable and Murtherers and Woremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21.8 I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testify these things unto the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David the bright and morning Star Rev. 22.16 Secondly A word to the industrious Worldling O consider ye in whose hearts the world hath full possession that cannot spare one corner to give entertainment to the word of God by way of meditation and contemplation thereupon although God requires the whole heart unto himself Consider ye that are in an immoderate pursuit after this earthly treasure Take heed saith our Saviour Christ and beware of Covetousness for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth Here me-thinks I should hear some say that as to matter of Covetousness I think I am clear for although I am industrious in my pursuit after the things of this world yet I have not taken any thing from any man but what I pay for neither do I wrong any man but pay every man his own and therefore I think I am not guilty of Covetousness But then the question is whether we can say as much in the case between our selves and God and between us and our Souls and between us and our Relations and first Let us consider a little as in the matters of God have we not in our earnest pursuit after our worldly interest spent the most part of that time that God hath required for his Service upon our worldly interest have not our minds and affections been exercised upon our worldly and carnal interests when they should be exercised by meditations and contemplations with love and delight in God his word and works and celebrating praises unto his name do we not by our earnest pursuit after this worlds interest make our bodies and spirits so dull drowsy and unfit for God's Service that if we appear but one hour in a week therein we spend the most part thereof in sleep Do we not by our earnest pursuit after this worlds interest deprive our Children of that Soul-Education that is due unto them from us by God's requirement Do we not by our earnest pursuit after this worlds interest with-hold more then is meet from the Poor and Needy as in acts of Mercy Charity Pitty and Compassion by Gods commanded And if so is it not Coveteousness yea is it not Covetousness which is Idolatry when that our time our strength meditations considerations our wills and affections are so dedicated to the world whereby God wants that Honour and
their Spirits for Comfort and Encouragement in times of Sorrow and Affliction and as a piece of Divine Counsel useful upon all occasions Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full these things have I spoke unto you in proverbs the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs but I shall shew you plainly of the Father at that day ye shall ask in my Name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Joh. 16.23 24 25 26 27. If Christ enjoyn his People must obey But their Priv'ledg is he helps ' em in their way I cannot well pass these Words without observing some of the particulars therein contained first the thing enjoyned and that is Prayer secondly the Person enjoyning that is Jesus Christ thirdly the Persons enjoyned which are Disciples or persons learned and taught by Christ fourthly the Person to whom the Disciples are directed to present their Petitions and that is God the Father fifthly the means or way of Acceptation that is they are to pray unto the Father in Christs Name Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name saith Christ he will give it you There are three Specialties included in word Three Specialties in Christs Name the which being observed in our approaches to the Father are very prevailing for our Acceptance with him Name which we are to observe in order to the right performance of the Duty of Prayer The first is Christs Authority or Command as when a poor Soul in the sense of its Wants and Weakness shall approach unto God upon this or the like account The first is Christs authority saying Father I thy poor unworthy creature being made in some measure sensible of my own Wants and Imperfections and of thy Fulness and All-sufficiency do humbly appear in thy presence being directed to Thee the Fountain of all Supplies by the special Command of thine only Son in whom thou art well pleased in whom thou hast made many gratious Promises to thy People have respect I pray thee as thou hast to thy Son so also to thy poor Creature that exerciseth Faith in the Promises and in the Commands of thy Son True Faith applies both Promise and Command whom thou hast ordained to be King of Saints and by whose Authority I now approach thy presence and for whose sake I pray thee grant fupplies of Grace and spiritual Assistance according to thy Divine Wisdom and good Pleasure to the further enabling thy poor Creature to glorifie thy Name in this my present Pilgrimage that my Soul may be supported in the many straights and troubles that this World affords and so confirmed in the assurance of everlasting Peace and Consolation with thy Son and with thy Saints in eternal Bliss and Happiness Thus when a poor Soul through the Exercise of Faith in the Commands of Christ is drawn forth conscientiously to act in obedience thereunto â—t is doubtless an argument greatly preâ—ailing with the Father for Obedience â—o the Son is agreeable to the Fathers Will and hath many precious Promises â—nnexed thereunto A second Specialty or prevailing Arguâ—ent included in Christs Name doth arise â—om the Influence and Operations of the Word and Spirit of Christ upon the Creaâ—â—res Affections whereby the Love and â—esire of the Soul is bent toward the enâ—yment of Spiritual things with holy â—â—ngings thirstings and pantings after â—od and for further participations of â—s Grace making its address unto God these or the like words saying Faâ—â—er I thy poor unworthy Creature unto â—â—om thy Son Jesus Christ hath appear'd 〈◊〉 the Divine Illuminations and Operatiâ—â—s of his Spirit in and through thy Word â—ereby I am in some measure made sensible of my own Wants and of thaâ— Fulness All-sufficiency that is in thee 〈◊〉 supply the same do humbly approaâ—â— thy presence upon the account of thâ— Son Jesus Christ being directed to the for Supplies by him whom thou hast ordained not only King of Saints but also thâ— Prophet of thy People to teach them Obedience to thy Will Behold O Lord the chief Cause as Ground of my coming to thee even tâ—â— Son thine only Son he it is that quickeâ—â— me and raiseth up my Affections towarâ— thee by the powerful Influences and Operations of his holy Spirit whereby thâ— Riches of thy Grace is in a measure 〈◊〉 my Soul discover'd my hope of acceptatioâ— with thee much reviv'd my love unto thâ— somewhat enflamed and the desires of 〈◊〉 Soul after more enjoyments of thy speciâ—â— Grace and Favour much enlarged therâ—fore O Righteous Father I pray theâ— behold me in thy Son as being enlightneâ— moved and quickened to come unto the by him it is his work upon my heart sâ—pernatural and divine even the Effect his Prophetical Office whereby I tâ—â— poor Creature am made sensible of 〈◊〉 own Wants and Necessities and whereâ— I behold a Fulness for Supply in thy blâ—ed Self and whereby my Soul is drawn forth towards thee with earnest desires after more Communications of thy Grace and Favour And now Dear Father I pray thee behold the Work of thy Son upon my Soul yea thine own Work in and through him and satisfie those longing Desires wrought in me by vertue thereof with assurance of Acceptance with thee and of the Communication of the Gifts and Graces of thy holy Spirit to the replenishing of my Soul with spiritual injoyments and to the further enabling me to walk before thee in the ways of Holiness to the Glory of thy Name and to the everlasting Consolation of my Soul through Jesus Christ to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed all the Honour Praise and Glory both now and for ever Amen Thus when the poor Soul can make its approach to the Father of Mercies experiencing the Work of Divine Grace by Jesus Christ enlightening and quickening to holy Duties so that the Creature can truly plead that Jesus Christ executing his Prophetical Office upon the inward Man is the Ground and Cause of its approaches to the Father This doubtless is an Argument greatly prevailing with him for Acceptation and for an Answer of Peace from him seeing the original Ground and moving Principle is his own work of free Grace upon the Creature wrought by his own Son through the operative Power of his holy Word and Spirit to the Praise and Glory of his Name It was the main Argument of the Prophet Isaiah When the Lord doth work the Love and Desire of a Soul unto himself it is a sign that be intends to that Soul a farther Benefit wherewith he moved God and strengthened his own Confidence in him Lord saith he thou wilt ordain Peace
CHAP. IX Containing a use of Reprehension and Admonition unto several sorts of men in this Generation who notwithstanding the Excellency of Holiness and the great concernment thereof to the advancing of Gods Glory and the Creatures Comfort and Eternal Consolation do wilfully neglect or carelesly improve the way and means for the attainment thereof as if it was an Ornament altogether out of fashion and of no use nor comlinest to be found in it Of these Persons are first THe Ignorant Soul that sitteth down contentedly in an Estate of Ignonorance making the Custome of their Country and the Traditions of their Ancestors the only rule and ground for their chiefest actions but as for the matter of Holiness with the way and means of its attainment the poor Creatures are meerly strangers The Estate and Condition of such Souls is much to be lamented in that so much means of knowledg is afforded and so much ignorance remaining under the same by reason of a careless negligence of applying the rational faculties of the Soul in the diligent use of the means afforded by a serious search into the revealed will of God with due consideration and meditation of the same thereby to gain the knowledge of him acquaintance with him to glorify his name and to the establishing of the Soul in the knowledge of its Salvation The Spirit of God in Scripture reckoneth the said carelessness and negligence in this matter under the notion of folly and indeed it is a point of the greatest folly in the world and to be admired that God having given forth such excellent means of Knowledge and Salvation in the same and the Creature not esteem it worth the improving Solomon was a man endued with great Wisdome and yet he seemeth not to reach the depth of the Creatures negligence herein or at least Gods great mercy in affording such excellent means unto the Creature and waiting upon him in the same Wherefore saith he is there a price in the hand of a Fool to get Wisdome seeing he hath no heart to it Pro. 17.16 yet Solomon layeth the cause of a persons not attaining to Wisdom in his not improving the means and his not improving the means to be his folly as we may understand him in his expressions Prov. 24.7 Prov. 24.7 Wisdom is too high for a Fool saith Solomon and why He openeth not his mouth in the gate as if he had said The way and means in which Wisdom is attainable is by him neglected As without Knowledg the Mind cannot be good so doubtless it is generally possessed with Carnality the which as saith the Apostle is Enmity with God Rom. 8.7 and through Ignorance is alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 It were much to be desired that every Soul in this Estate would take Counsel of the Spirit of God given out by Solomon to cry after Knowledg and lift up the Voyce for Understanding to seek for her as for hid Treasures implying a diligent search into God's Word with earnest supplications to the Throne of Grace for the attainment thereof Then saith the Text shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the Knowledg of God for the Lord giveth Wisdom out of his mouth cometh Knowledg and Vnderstanding Pro. 2.2 3 4 5 6. I shall only present two or three Scriptures more to the consideration of those persons that sit down as satisfied and contented under this Estate of Ignorance and so leave them to the good pleasure of the Almighty the first Scripture is recorded in Pro. 24. ver 3 4. Through Wisdom is an House builded and by Vnderstanding it is Established and by Knowledg shall the Chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant Riches These words admit of a spiritual sence and meaning as it may be thus The House builded to signify a Person or People built up in the Faith of Christ and observation of his Truth as Saint Peter teacheth in his first Epistle chap. 2. vers 5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual House c. to this sence are those words of Jude But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost c. Jud. 20. Secondly You have the means by which the building is reared up and that is here said to be through Wisdom intimating the divine Wisdom and Counsel of God contained in his Word Thirdly The way of Establishment and that is said by Vnderstanding As if a right understanding of the Mind and Will of God or the Truth as it is in Jesus were the only way to a Souls Establishment therein Psal 119.34 Give me Vnderstanding saith David and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart when Wisdom entereth into thy heart saith Solomon and Knowledg is pleasant unto thy Soul Prov. 2.10 11 12. Discretion shall preserve thee Vnderstanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evil man c. Fourthly It is said by Knowledg shall the Chambers be filled with all pleasant and precious Riches intimating the inward and uppermost Roomes of the Soul as the Mind the Will Affections yea all the rational faculties of the Soul shall through the true knowledge of God in Christ be filled and furnished with the precious qualifications of divine grace according to Christ Jesus in a measure and with the pleasant and comfortable manifestations of God's love in Christ wherein is satisfying Joy and Pleasures for ever-more This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 Hereunto agreeth those words of Peter in his second Epistle recorded in the first Chapter ver 3. whose words are these Grace and Peace be multiplyed unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord according as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue whence we may note these particulars by the way First The gift given unto us of God and that is all things that pertain to Life and Godliness Secondly The way of conveyance of these things unto the Soul and that is said to be through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. Thirdly The effects wrought in the Soul by the means received in knowledge and that is an Estate of Godliness and assurance of Eternal Life and also preservation in this Estate Whence we may observe that an Estate of Holiness or Godliness and Eternal Life with all things appertaining thereunto is the free and proper gift of God and is highly to be prized Observe and carefully improved to the Glory of God by every Soul that desires his own well-being in the knowledge and enjoyments of God wherein the true felicity and comfort of the Soul doth consist the which attainments is enjoyed through a true knowledge of God in Christ To this
agreeth those words of St. Paul Col. 3.10 The new Man is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created him in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.24 Whence note also by the way that in and through a true Knowledge of God in Christ are the Mortifications of the Old Man of Sin and the qualifications of Grace wrought in a Soul O what 's the Reason that there is so little Renewedness in the qualifications and Conversations of many people in our days and so much abusing of the Sacred Name of God by Swearing and Cursing and many prophane speeches as also the abuse of the Creatures by Drunkenness and the like excess Also the many vain carnal loose licentious practices acted and observed with delight therein Is it not the want of this Knowledge of God in Christ Is not Ignorance the Mother of such Prophaneness and Impieties and what 's the Reason that God's dear Children are many times hated and reproached reviled and villified Yea saith Christ the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think they do God Service Christ gives us this Reason All these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Joh. 16.3 O consider all ye that content your selves in an Estate of Ignorance and solace your selves in Carnal and Worldly Vanities and are careless and negligent in applying and improving the means of Knowledge to the end you might glorifie God and thereby be enabled to answer the end of God in your Creation his end in giving his Son to die for your Redemption and his spiritual Word Counsel and Advice therein for your Sanctification that thereby in a good improvement of the same you might be made meet to glorifie his Name and to enjoy his glory O consider the loss and damage that you hereby sustain by slighting or carelesly neglecting such precious means granted forth unto such gracious ends for a little Carnal Vanity Consider how you will answer it in the day of account when for all these things God shall bring thee to Judgment O! how do many Parents in this case not only prejudice their own Souls but also the Souls of their Children and those within their jurisdiction whereas it is the requirement of God that Parents should lay up the words of God in their hearts and teach them to their Children that they might know the Lord and set their hope in God they not only neglect this great concernment but also by their own viscious lives evil example rather teach them the Vices of Swearing Cursing Drunkenness and much Prophaneness to God's dishonour and their own ruine both of Body and Soul not considering that God will require it of them and bring them to Judgment for the same O how many Parents although not so vicious and prophane yet are so earnest in their pursuit after this worldly interest to gain for themselves and enrich their Children with great Portions of this earthly Treasure as wholly to give up themselves thereunto not minding those Treasures that are Divine and of a more greater concernment to the gaining an interest in Christ either for their selves or Children by instructing of them thereunto until death seise upon them and summon them to the Grave and then perhaps send for a Minister to pray for them the which I do not condemn because I know God is merciful yet I know that God is also just and will bring Souls to Judgment and then whither God will accept this last Sacrifice for the whole I shall leave to the only wise God to determine But know and consider that it is the undoubted Will and Requirement of God that Parents should Treasure up the word of God in their hearts by Consideration Meditation and Application believingly and diligently endeavour to plant the same word of God in the hearts of their Children as they come to be capable of the teachings of it to the end that they might know the Lord and reverence his Holy Name observe his Will and place their hope in him To this purpose see and consider Deut. 6.6 7 8. Deut. 11.18 19 20. Deut. 4.9 10. Psal 78.5 6 7. to these Testimonies of the Will of God do those words of the Apostle Paul bear witness Eph. 6.4 Solomon saith by Humility and the Fear of the Lord are Riches and Honour and Life Would we have our Children truly Rich and Honourable and live Everlastingly so then lay up the Word of Grace in our own hearts treasure it up there Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom Col. 3.16 Secondly Let your diligent endeavours be to answer God's Will in making forth the same unto your Children to their Edification to the planting of that Immortal Seed of the Word in their hearts that they may set their hope in God and fear before him and humbly walk with him in the way of his Commandements Train up a Child in the way that he should go and when he is Old he will not depart from it Pro. 22.6 Objection If God hath Elected me or my Children unto Salvation he will one time or other bring us to an Estate of Salvation But if God hath not Elected us thereto all my labour in that kind will be to little purpose for if there be a particular Election of persons as there seemeth to be then what I do in that case is but needless or to strive against the stream Answer That there is an Election is certain and that God hath placed this Election in his Son Christ is as certain see Eph. 1.4 and that persons do partake of and witness this Election in themselves as they imbrace Christ believingly and conform to him in holy Sanctity is also true See 1 Thes 1.3 4. 2 Thes 2.13 And therefore so much the rather should you give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure by a growth and increase of Grace unto an attainment of the qualifications of grace wrought in you according to the qualifications of Jesus Christ and as the Apostle teacheth Giving all diligence saith he add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. And as there is an Election in Christ unto Salvation through believing in Christ and conforming to him in the way of Holiness attainable through a careful applying and improving the means thereunto appointed so also is there a Reprobation determined and decreed of God from Eternity unto those persons that in love to their Lusts and carnal and worldly Vanities do obstinately persist in opposing or carlesly neglecting do slight the means afforded so as not to imbrace it in the love thereof and carefully improve it to the glory of the Lord that like as they reject God's Counsel and his Love and Mercy in the same to satisfie their Lusts in worldly and sinful Vanities so
the Lord hath determined that in their Unrighteousness he will reject them and leave them to Sathans delusions that divine Justice may be satisfied in their Condemnation To this purpose consider well some Testimonies among many given out by God's Spirit in his Servants of old as in 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. the Epistle of Jud. 4. Here observe they are persons turning the grace of God into Laciviousness denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ and withal observe that this denial is not to be confined only to such Atheists that say there is not any God but also those persons are herein comprehended that in words do acknowledge there is a God and Christ but yet although they live under the dispensation of Gods gracious word and word of grace yet refuse to live in God's Counsel therein contained to live in those ways works that their own ungodly Lusts do lead them to and such are those persons that Paul to Titus speaketh of that confess they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work Reprobate Tit. 1.16 and with these Scriptures consider Wisdoms Voyce Prov. 1. ver 20. to the end of the Chapter Wherefore all ye that lye down securely upon the bed of Ignorance and Prophaneness solacing your selves in Carnal Vanities and the Mammon of this world O look unto the Lord who desires the Knowledge of God rather than burnt Offerings Hos 6.6 and obedience to his Will rather than Sacrifice Look up and behold it is not Ignorance and Prophaneness but Holiness that leads to Happiness It is not the qualifications of the Old Man as Hatred Malice Envy Evil-speaking Back-biting and Devouring nor any Prophane and Carnal Vanities but the qualifications of love to Christ his Truth and Members yea love to Enemies to all men as they are the Creatures of God the workmanship of his hands with Peace towards all men Mercy Pitty and Compassion towards the Oppressed and Distressed Meekness Patience Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith and Temperance with joy and delight in the exercises of Piety and Charity that leads to Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord against such saith the Apostle there is no Law And they that are Christs have Crucified the Old Man or the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Neither is it Ignorance but a true Knowledge of Christ through which the Old Man is Crucified and these divine graces or qualifications of Christ are begotten conceived nourished and preserved in the Soul and brought forth into action to the perfecting Holiness in the fear of God Neither is it a Mind and Meditations exercised chiefly in temporal things but a diligent and careful exercising the mind and meditations in the divine Precepts and Counsel of God contained in his word with a wrestleing at the Throne of Grace for a sanctified use thereof unto the Soul whereby the true Knowledge of Christ and the truth in him is obtained VVherefore wouldst thou have Heaven for thy Inheritance press after Holiness VVouldst thou be Holy suffer not the Old Man to lye Uncrucified in thee but press hard after the attainments of the divine qualifications of Christ so as to have them ruling in thee and from that principle let all thy actions flow both towards God and men And wouldest thou attain to this degree press after a right knowledge of Jesus Christ and God in him And wouldest thou attain to a right knowledge of God in Christ Take the Testimonies of the Mind and Will of God contained in his Word for thy Counsellors Advise therewith by a diligent exercise of thy mind and meditations therein waiting upon God with supplications for a blessing thereupon Wherewith saith David shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Psal 119.9 As if he had said by making the Word of God his chief Counsel and regulating his thoughts words Psal 119 93 104. and actions by that rule Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me O that every Soul in an Estate of Ignorance and Prophaneness would in time consider David's foot-steps and the foot-steps of all the flock of God and consider the experienced Benefit they did attain unto by walking in the Counsel of the Lord contained in his word and by way of imitation turn their feet their affections unto the Testimonies of the Lord and up and be doing while it is called to day before the night cometh when no man can work He that gathereth in Summer is a wise Son saith Solomon but he that sleepeth in Harvest is a Son that causeth shame Prov. 10.5 These words in the spiritual sence of them giveth us this note or observation by the way That it is a point of excellent wisdom in a person or people diligently to improve opportunities and means for Heavens Attainments while the season serveth but shame and contempt are the attendants of a person or people careless and negligent in improving opportunities and means for Heavenly attainments in their season or while they are afforded to them If thou beest wise thou shalt be wise for thy self Prov. 9.12 Thy diligence in season shall redound to thy own advantage and eternal benefit But if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it for God hath not called us to Vncleanness but unto Holiness 1 Thes 3.7 8. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God at whose Wrath the Earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation Jer. 10.10 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished Prov. 22.3 In the fear of the Lord is strong Confidence and his Children shall have a place of refuge Prov. 14.26 Surely he scorneth the scorners but he giveth grace unto the lowly The Wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of Fools Prov. 3.34 35. The heart of the Prudent getteth Knowledge and the ear of the Wise seeketh Knowledge Prov. 18.15 The words of the Lord are pure words Psal 12.6 They are the words of Wisdom Knowledge Understanding they proceed from the Fountain of Wisdom Knowledge Understanding God doth give Wisdom Knowledge and Understanding thereby unto such as imbrace his Counsel in the same and improve it accordingly waiting upon him therein in love thereunto as saith David Thy Word is pure therefore thy Servant loveth it Psal 119.140 Thou through thy Commandements hast made me wiser then mine Enemies Psal 119.98 for they are ever with me the entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 David experiencing the truth of the words of God and the vertue use and efficacy of the same unto his Soul doth here set forth the excellency thereof to the praises of God and to the encouragement of others to prove the excellency
himself and be made capable of that glory that no mortal eye is able to behold nor tongue express But Secondly As the body shall at that day admit of a glorious change as to be like his glorious body so the will the affections with every faculty of the soul shall in this re-unity be transendently glorious with the Image of God That soul that in this life by some beams and influences of Christ's love is drawn and contracted in love to Christ and holy longings after further Communion with him shall then have its desires accomplished in the glorious presence of her Beloved then will that glorious Marriage between Christ and his Spouse be gloriously solemnized with the glorious presence of God the Father and Christ the Bridegroom attended with an innumerable company of Angels then shall souls Espoused to Christ here in this day of grace by some streams of Christ's love be then filled with the Ocean of divine love from Eternity then will Christ beautifie and adorn his Beloved with the glorious beauty of himself and make her beautiful and comely and delightful unto himself yea in that day will Christ give his Spouse the right hand of fellowship he will set them on his right hand with this sweet salutation Come ye Blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the World O consider if some drams of Divine Love in Christ will in this day of grace comfort and refresh a soul and give cause of rejoycing how much more will the soul be filled with joy and consolation when it cometh to live in the full Ocean of Divine Love from Eternity Surely this is joy unspeakable and full of glory but Thirdly A third priviledge belonging to this Kingdom or reward of Inheritance may be considered consisting of most excellent Associates Companions in fellowship and communion together That soul now pressing after holiness in this day of grace and now delighting in such Companions in whom evidences of grace appeareth shall there live in the full enjoyment of Communion with God the Father of all our mercies and with God the Son the Redeemer of all our comforts and with the Holy Ghost God equal with the Father and the Son See Heb. 12 22 33 24. the Illuminator of our understandings the quickner of us in the life of grace the sanctifier of us to the subduing of sin the helper of our weaknesses and infirmities in our Christian duties the seal of our Redemption and witness of our Adoption the souls comforter in Tribulation and director in all the paths of holiness together with an innumerable company of Angels and glorious Saints whose Communion of persons shall flow from a perfect union of spirit solemnizing a perpetual Sabbath to the Lord in Praises and Thanksgivings in perfection of purity and real-hearted sincerity in fulness of joy and consolation while the Ignorant and Prophane the Carnal Worldling and the Voluptuous with the Time-serving Formalist that have spent the day of grace in pursuit of their own carnal interest little minding the interest of Jesus Christ in the footsteeps of the New Man which is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness shall have no part in the Resurrection with them that shall be counted worthy or made meet for these priviledges but shall be everlastingly excluded this Heavenly fellowship with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging having not so much much as one dram of God's love and favour to abate the flames of those horrors and terrors ceasing upon their souls through the sence of Sin and Condemnation for the same in that Eternal Wrath and fiery Indignation of the Almighty where the Worm of Conscience is always gnawing with Accusations of disobedience to the just and holy Laws of a Righteous God the Fire of whose Wrath and Flames of Divine Vengeance never goeth out but will be everlastingly burning in the soul time without end where the best Associates and chiefest Companions will be the Devils and damned Spirits in Hell and the best harmonious melody will be Confusion of howlings for extremity of pain and gnashing of Teeth in endless sorrows But Fourthly A fourth priviledge in this Reward of Inheritance or glorious Kingdom to be enjoyed by those persons that in this day of grace press after holy attainments perseveringly may be considered consisting in a due proportion of the Inheritance and Heavenly Mansions every one an Heir joynt-Heir with Christ every one a free possession and every one free in his possession every one a full possession and every one full of true content with his possession every one a possession full of true delight comfort and satisfaction and every soul taking a full delight comfort and satisfaction in his possession every one a peaceable possession and every one acting peaceably in his possession every one a possession full of divine love and every one acting in his possession in that principle of divine love which worketh no ill to his Neighbour every one a possession full of the glory of the Lord and every one rendering glory unto the Lord in his possession He that overcometh shall Inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son Rev. 21.4 And if Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-Heirs with Christ if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Rom. 8.17 And there shall be no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in the City of their Habitations and his Servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads Rev. 22.3 4. But Fifthly A fifth priviledge considerable in this Inheritance may be in the perpetuity thereof A man Heir to an Earthly Inheritance and entering into possession of the same in considering the great benefit that it will be unto him many times his heart is raised up with joy and delight therein but considering again on the other hand how soon death may take him away from it or an Enemy by force and violence take it from him or considering how soon he may be surprised with afflictions in body or mind or in both whereby the comfortable enjoyment of this possession may be taken off he considering the uncertainty thereof how doth this abate the delight and comfortable satisfaction that the poor Creature did seem to fancy to himself But as for this Heavenly Inheritance it is perpetually sure to every soul possessed thereof and therefore as it is a possession yielding a fulness of true delight and comfort unto perfection of satisfaction in the first enjoyment of possession So the consolation thereof is no whit abated or lessened by any fears or doubts that may arise concerning a deprivation There is no place left for fears nor doubts where the possession is so surely founded and confirmed As for this Inheritance saith Peter it is incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away it s a Kingdom that cannot be
moved It is an Eternal Everlasting Inheritance founded upon the Basis of Eternal love even the infinite love of the Eternal God and confirmed unto the Heirs thereof by the Eternal decree of the incorruptible unchangable God upholden maintained by the Omnipotency Omnisciency Omnipresence Immortality Incomprehensibility of the same Eternal Infinite and Everlasting God Everlasting in his love to those Souls in possession of this Inheritance Everlasting in his peace which passeth all understanding Everlasting in his glorious presence that filleth all in all And there shall be no Night there and they need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall raign for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 Therefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear Heb. 12.28 For as much as the Kingdom is Unmovable and Everlasting so also is the joy and consolation of the Inhabitants thereof an Everlasting Joy and Consolation which neither Men nor Devils can deprive the soul of Death cannot do it there shall be no more death no more sorrow no more pain no more hailing into Captivity nor complaining in the Streets by reason of Oppression but all Violence shall be done away and Everlasting Joy Peace Comfort and Consolation shall be as a Crown upon the heads and hearts of these Inhabitants God shall be all in these souls and these souls shall be all in God by a Union of qualifications Divine and the sweet enjoyments of his glorious benefits the height the length breadth depth whereof eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive Too narrow is the capacity of mortal man to comprehend and the tongue of Men and Angels to express the Latitude thereof Wherefore gird up the loyns of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your Ignorance but as he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1.13 14 15 16. But sixthly A sixth priviledge appertaining to the Heirs of this Kingdom to be by them enjoyed at Christ's personal appearing at his second coming may be considered herein for to consist that he that is their Head and Husband with whom there is a unity of Affection and Covenant-Contract and is the Recorder for his Espoused Souls that puts their tears in his Bottel and Records their sufferings in his book of Remembrance and by whom and for what even for their love to him and loyalty to his Supremacy in the observation of his Laws and for rejecting the contrary This is a great ground of consolation that he that is their Recorder their Head and Husband is the only potentate King of Kings and Judge of all the World who will bring his Records with him and make his personal appearance in the glory of his Majesty and seat of Justice attended with his glorious Angels and glorified Saints to Judge the World in Righteousness who will not respect persons in Judgment nor pervert Judgment for gifts nor reward but in Righteousness will he Judge the cause of the Poor and with Equity will he plead for the Meek of the Earth who will then plead the cause of his people with a witness against those that in this time of their Pilgrimage have oppressed and persecuted them A poor man being oppressed by one that is too potent for him and being not able to relieve himself he maketh his address unto the King laying open his cause before him resolving to wait with patience for his relief at length the King ariseth and taketh this poor mans cause into his hand and pleadeth it with his Adversary and rights him in his wrongs and avengeth him of his Oppressor O how doth this administer comfort to this poor man O how doth this oblige and endear the affections of this Poor man unto his Prince and fill his heart with joy and gladness and thanksgiving for such a benefit and shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them they having committed their cause unto Him and cast their burthen upon him yea saith our Saviour I tell you he will avenge them speedily O what Consolation doth this bring unto oppressed Souls in the cause of God and especially when the Lord shall plead their cause with their Adversaries what praises will it bring forth unto his Name I heard saith Saint John a great voyce of much people in Heaven saying Alleluja Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God for he hath Judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her Fornications True and Righteous are his Judgments for he hath avenged the blood of his Servants at her hand and again they said Alleluja and her smoak-rose up for ever and ever in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and all that were slain upon the Earth Rev. 18.24.19.1 2 3. Note the Heavenly Host rejoyceth when God pleadeth the cause of his people with their Adversaries Rev 19.5 And a Voyce came out of the Throne saying praise our God all ye his Servants and ye that fear him both small and great Babylon rejoyced in the day of Sions troubles and helped forwards her Afflictions and Sion must rejoyce in the Lords hand of Justice upon Babylon in the day of her Desolation Wherefore all ye that in this day of your Pilgrimage are in God's way pressing after holy Attainments in order to the adorning of your souls for further Communion with your holy God your Head and Husband although many troubles may attend you and many difficulties oppositions and temptations compass you about Yet cast not away your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward Heb. 10.35 But raise up your hearts and labour to strengthen your Confidence in the Lord by a serious Meditation and Application of the Testimonies and Promises of God contained in his Word unto all long-suffering and patience For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 For as sure as he was once offered to bear the sins of many so surely to them that look for him will he appear a second time without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9.28 And then assuredly will the Lord own a people that now in this day of Grace press after Holy Attainments in the way of God for his People peculiarly as Taught by him Redeemed by him Sanctified by him and Justified by him the effects of the Fathers Election in himself and the fruits of the Travels of his Soul in the sufferings of himself his Beloved Espoused to himself his Inheritance
its predominancy in the heart may seem to be of that generation that Agur speaks of Prov. 30.14 There is a Generation saith Agur whose Teeth are as Swords and their jaw-Teeth as Knives to devour the Poor from off the Earth and the Needy from among men so saith David My Soul is among Lyons Psal 57.4 6. I lye even among them that are set on fire even the Sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword they prepared a Net for my steps Wrath is cruel and Anger is outragious but who can stand before Envy saith Solomon Prov. 27.4 It is a sad thing and of dangerous consequence to the Creature for to be carried on by the influence and instigations of this Blood-worm bred in the heart and nourished by corrupt affections in affinity with Self and the World when every member of body and faculty of the soul must be active in their places to contrive and wait for opportunities and improve all means to accomplish a satisfaction to this blood-thirsty-worm although in the blood of the Innocent as Cain to Murther his Brother Abel Jospephs Brethren to sell him King Herod to kill the Children in Bethlehem to satisfie these greedy Blood-worms in the death of Christ and saith the Scriptures the Priests moved with Envy cryed Crucifie him Crucifie him They must not spare their Breath nor Counsel nor Pains nor Money to move and stir up the people both Magistrates Officers Souldiers and all the rude multitude to satisfie Envy in the blood of the Innocent Another greedy Worm of the race and off-spring of the Horseleach and her Daughters bred in the heart of Unregenerate man is Malice this Brat by its influence and operation is a great obstructor of Peace Unity Charity and all good humane Society Yea this heart-worm is so insatiable that its cry is always Revenge Revenge and by the instigations and movings thereof together with unsanctified love and carnal desire in affinity with Self and the World through their crying Give Give doth enslave every faculty of the soul and member of the body to ride and go contrive and studdy spare no cost nor pains to improve all opportunities ways and means and counsels for an accomplishment of a design for Revenge to satisfie this Brat no different satisfaction nor composure by Friends in moderation will serve Malice crys Revenge Revenge And what strifes and variances contentions sad consequences doth ensue both Scripture-evidences and the sad experiences of our times do sadly manifest Another of this Horseleach-brood is Hypocrisie This is of a more smoother deportment outwardly than the former this Brat by its influences and opperations will get into all the performances of that Creature in whose heart it is predominant and like a worm in the Nut destroys the kernel the very marrow and quintessence of the said performances leaving only a fair smooth out-side shell Hypocrisie will permit the Creature to do civil curtesies to a Neighbour and Religious performances to God provided always that the interest of Self and the World with whom the affections are united be not thereby prejudiced for this Brat Hypocrisie hath always a respect to self-interest A poor Creature that is over-run with this distemper if he Pray or Preach or give Almes all must be dedicated to Self self-honour self-applause and estimation profit and worldly advantage But this end that God may be glorified his truth promoted and his people edified and comforted and encouraged in the truths of God this as the very kernel marrow and quintessence of Religion is by this heart-worm Hypocrisie devoured and nothing left but a meer out-side a form of Godliness without the power Our Saviour Christ like a skilful Physitian could discover this distemper in the Scribes and Pharisees of old and their works they do saith he they do to be seen of men and many of the chief Rulers believed but did not confess him for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Christ compareth the Scribes and Pharisees unto painted Sepulchres and such as make clean the out-side of the cup and platter but leave the in-side filthy Those persons whose course is steered by the influence of this heart-worm seems like unto that Generation that Agur speaketh of Prov. 30.12 There is a Generation saith Agur that are pure in their own eyes but are not washed from their filthiness Self and the World is still retained in affinity with the affections whereby many evils is produced Yea the residence of Hypocrisie in the heart unsubdued is of dangerous consequence for as it shuts out the glory of God in the end of our actions of Piety and Charity so it shuteth the Creature with all its performances out of God's acceptance to glory When poor Creatures shall say Lord Lord open unto us have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name done these and the other works And the Lord shall Answer I know you not depart from me ye workers of Iniquity go to your Lusts whom ye have served as ye have dedicated all your works to the interest of Self and the World now see if Self and the World can save you and herein will these words of Job be found true What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul Job 27.8 The hope of the Hypocrite shall perish Job 8.13 Whose hope shall be cut off and their trust as a Spiders Web ver 14. Another of this Horseleach race is Infidelity whose proper nature is to oppose God in his dispensations That Creature in whose heart this greedy worm is predominate it will give no rest until by its instigations and continual crying Give Give it hath brought every part member and faculty of the whole man to a conformity to its self This Brat hardens the heart blinds the mind darkens the understanding stops the ears against the voyce of God clincheth the hands against actions of Mercies and Charity and makes the will averse and stubborn against the will of God Yea it doth by its influences and operations work up the Creature into its own proper nature to oppose God in his dispensations If God say I have given my Son to Redeem thee from thine Iniquities and to be unto thee both King Priest and Prophet whose Counsel thou must observe whose Righteous Laws thou must obey unto a Conformity unto him and upon whose Attonement and Intercession thou must depend for justification unto life and for his sake thou must break that bond of affinity between thy affections and Self and the World thou must deny Self crucifie the world and set thy affections on things that are above Infidelity with the Creature subjected thereunto presently replies it s no such thing we will not have this man to raign over us thus Infidelity would make God a Lyar as Saint John saith He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he
believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son Joh. 5.10 O what an obstruction is here to the Creatures attainments unto Holiness and Heavens Happiness O what a sad consequence doth follow hereupon He that believeth not is Condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.18 O what a heart-worm is here that eateth out the very life of the Creature to Gods great dishonour and the Creatures ruine except such obstructions to be timely removed Another of this brood is Sloath in God's Service This greedy Heart-worm is a great obstruction to the use and efficasy of God's word and to the efficacy of the Creatures performances in God's Service This greedy Worm by its influence and operation in the heart devours all the Creatures Zeal for God and fervency in any performances in order to the worship and service of God This worm doth much hinder the Creature and obstruct its improvement of Gods Word and Ordinances to Gods Glory and its own benefit by application and meditation and action as it ought to do and hence or hereunto are those words of Solomon The sloathful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting Prov. 12.27 that is he doth not improve the means afforded as aforesaid What need saith Sloath so much strictness and preciseness in spending so much time in reading hearing preaching prayer meditation and assembling so often it is time enough for these things hereafter and the like the which 〈◊〉 of sad consequence for hereby God wants that honour that is due from the Creature unto his Name and the poor soul wants that spiritual nourishment to refresh comfort strengthen and support it in the way to its eternal rest whereby the poor soul is impoverished and destitute or at least much weakened in its knowledg faith hope love zeal and comfortable assurance in the Lord which in a good improvement of the means through Gods blessing hereupon happily it might have enjoyed Consider the foolish Virgins and the sloathful Servant that improved not his Talent Another of this Generation is Voluptiousness whose nature is most delightful in excessive feasting and drunkenness with other carnal delights and pleasures This Brat once getting residence in the heart and suffered doth much obstruct and destroy those vertues of moderation temperance sobriety and charity c. This is likewise an insatiable greedy Worm and doth much enslave the Creature for by its influence and operation it doth strongly work upon the Creature to yeald both Person and Purse Lands Livings and Lordships Time and Opportunity though never so precious all must be dedicated to the use and service of this greedy-guts this unsatiable heart-worm by whose influence those persons seem to be steered that Paul to the Philippians speaketh of chap. 3.19 Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things but as Solomon saith A word to the Wife is sufficient So I do but give a hint of these things to put you in mind of the sad effects of sin and of that conjunction wherein the Creatures affections and the world and self are united I have heard an Astrological story that when two malignant Planets as Mars and Saturn happen in Conjunction together in one Aspect House or Sign that that altogether operate to the prejudice of man by producing the sad effects of losses crosses sicknesses wars contentions death and the like But whether this be so or not sure I am that this is truth that when there is a Conjunction between the Creatures affections and self and the world that the operations and effects thereof is sad indeed for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for thereby the understanding is darkened and the clear light of the Son of Righteousness eclipsed from the Soul the apprehensions be-nummed the judgment mis-informed the will obstinate and averse to the things of God the bowels of compassion shut up the hand of pitty clinched fast so that God may call in his word his spirit may strive Christ may weep and Lazarus may beg and Christs Ministers may like a Candle spend themselves to give light to others and yet all will do but little and why Corruption hath wrought a Conjunction between the Creatures affections and self and the world and therefore self-denyal and the loss of the worlds favour to follow Christ in his ways is become a hard saying who can bare it Many of the Rulers believed on Christ saith the Scriptures but they did not confess him for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God and many could follow Christ for the Loaves for self and worldly interests but when it cometh to pass that this conjunction must be broken and self and the world must be denyed to follow Christ in all his precepts and examples of sanctity and true holiness of life then the young man and the old also goes away sorrowful Demas must rather forsake Christ and his ways and all those of Asia forsake Paul and the true profession of the Gospel rather than self and the world must be parted with Oh saith Corruption that Horseleach and unsanctified Love and carnal desire her Daughters favour thy self let not these things be Yea so prevailing are these Blood-worms even in many Gospel-professors that it was the sad complaint of the Apostle Paul in his days that he had no man like-minded to Timothy whose special care was for the promoting of Christs interest in his truth and people for saith he all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ And therefore it is that God doth so often give unto his own people even his chosen ones and dear Children the bitter cup of the wormseed of Afflictions on purpose to break the bed of these Heart-worms and subdue them and the oftner because his people do often through carelesness and negligence of improving the means afforded suffer these greedy worms to breed and multiply in their hearts whereby the stomack groweth weak as to a spiritual digestion of the Heavenly Manna of Gods word and the conjunction between the affections and self and the world the more strengthened It is Gods usual way in such cases ever and anon to give his people a cup of that wormseed-bitter-afflictions yet mixt with Divine love and saving ends as to break the aforesaid conjunction and to cleanse the heart of corruption and to bring the affections home unto himself and to quicken the appetite unto a good digestion of the administrations of his grace in all his dispensations In their affections they will seek me early But is it so that corruption hath brought forth such a separation of the Creatures affections from God unto a conjunction with self and the world to the conception of many evils which cannot be cured but by a supernatural means it may put us into an admiration upon a two-fold account as first we may stand and wonder with
composed to the end that these lines within contained may be your Companions to consult with as you have opportunities thereunto and to remind you of your great concernments and be some direction to you in the way of Holy and Heavenly attainments when I have put off this my Tabernacle and am Deceased from you Wherefore let me remind you with the words of David to Solomon his Son Know ye the God of your Father and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts If you seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will cast you off for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 Take this promise also along in your Considerations which saith Then shall ye know if ye follow on to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the Morning he shall come unto us as the Rain as the former and latter Rain upon the Earth Hos 6.3 As the going forth of the Morning light expelleth the darkness of the Night away and increaseth more and more unto the perfect day so will the Lord with the light of the Son of Righteousness the beams of his special favours in Christ break forth upon your souls to refresh nourish comfort and rejoyce your souls and cause you to grow up unto a state of perfection in Jesus Christ as the fruits of the Earth by the former and latter Rain For the Eyes of the Lord run too and fro throughout the whole Earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose hearts are perfect towards him 2 Chron. 16.9 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1.7 Wherefore eye the Lord in his providences and wait upon him in his dispensations praise him for all his Benefits trust in him at all times in all conditions and confide in him for the performance of all his promises in Christ unto you always remembring that he is faithful that hath promised One Text more I would mind you of which saith thus And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his Father David 2 Cor. 17.3.4 and sought not unto Baalim but sought to the Lord God of his Father and walked in his Commandements and not after the doings of Israel And now my dear Children my desire is that you would make my failings your warnings and what you have heard and seen in me of good make that examplary for your imitation and the God of peace be with you and make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen So I commit you to the Lord and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among them that are sanctified hoping in Heavenly glory You to see enjoying of each other in felicity Your loving Father Josias Bonham A word to my Book and I have done BEhold I send thee forth to th'Church and World Not knowing in whose hands thou may'st be hurld As well as Friends thou maist meet with Foes That will thy Plainness and thy Truth oppose Some may perhaps thee friendly entertain Whilst other-some behold thee with disdain But whether it be so or whether not Thou may'st expect it as thy adverss Lot For this be sure thou must expect to pass Through good and bad report for why alass Who so Gods Errand tells must bare his Cross Deny himself to his external loss
CHVRCHES GLORY OR THE Becoming Ornament BEING A seasonable Word tending to the Provoking Encouraging and Perfecting of Holiness in Believers Wherein is discovered the Nature Necessity and Excellency thereof Also many grand Obstructions or Impediments removed which hinder the Saints growth and increase therein Whereunto is added A Glass for the Vnconverted shewing the woful state of Fallen Man and the only way of his Recovery As also several Articles of Faith briefly laid down for the further establishment and confirming of the Faithful By Josias Bonham sen of Byfield in Northamptonshire Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 London Printed for the Author 1674. To the Church of JESUS CHRIST Congregated In the order of the Gospel by Confession of Faith and Baptisme meeting at Priers Marson in the County of Warwick wishing the abounding of all Grace Mercy Peace and Unity in and through Our Lord Jesus Christ and one with another as the Truth is in Jesus Beloved in the Lord HAving for some Years been a Companion with you in the felâ—owship of the Gospel and by the hand of God upon me and your requirement have been â—nstrumental among you as â—pportunities have been offered to impart unto your Edification what I through grace received Now considering that Mortality is approaching near towards me and having those words of the Apostle Peter upon my spirit which saith Moreover I wilâ— endeavour that after my Decease you may be able to havâ— these things always in Remembrance 2 Pet. 1.15 And likewise considering the abounding of Iniquity Errors botâ— in Opinion Practice in thesâ— latter days all which do witness the truth of that in a greaâ— part which our Saviour Chrisâ— and his Apostles in holy wâ—â— have fore-told the which â—â— much manifested in Papisâ— Rantisme Quakerisme and superstitious Ceremonalism as also the abounding of self-love self-endedness and prophane and vicious Atheisme I thought it my care and duty to present unto you this small Treatise wherein is comprised most of the chief heads and principle grounds of doctrine that by me hath been delivered unto you hoping that you will make these lines herein contained your Companions sometimes when you sit at your Table or Window or by the Fire-side that they may be your Remembrancers how you have heard and received and that you may hold fast unto all stability perseverance in judgment and practice thâ— truths therein contained thaâ— are agreeable to the revealed will of God that when I have put off this Tabernacle and am Deceased these few gleanings out of Gods Vintage may be of some use unto you the better to enable you to stand fast in the Truth in unity of the Spirit striving together for the faith of the Gospel So with my Prayers to God for you hoping to see your faces in Heavenly Mansion places I remain your Servant in what I may for Jesus sake both Night and Day John Bonham TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Christian Reader CAsting mine eye and considerations upon the holy and pure Word of God and exercising my mind and meditations therein I beheld through Grace the habit of Holiness to be of high acceptation with God and of great concernment to the Christian Soul Also I harkned and heard as it were the Lord in his word calling unto and commanding the Sons and Daughters of men to put on the said habit in the use of the means thereunto appointed and many argumental grounds and reasons he produceth to move and draw the Creatures love thereto and to cause him to delight therein But casting mine eye and considerations on the other hand I beheld the present state of the Sons and Daughters of men in this Generation to see what acceptation this habit of Holiness found among them And loe its interest seemed very small and mean as to true holiness in its proper nature scarce here and there a man that affectionately seeketh after it in comparison of the contrary Wherefore I receiving some glimpse of the excellent properties of Holiness and the necessity and benefit thereof did think it my duty to promote its interest in the best manner I could according to what I have received and to that end I here present unto thee these ensuing considerations humbly requesting thee that in thy perusal of the same thou wilt view them with an impartial eye And seriously consider the doctrin therein affirmed and weigh it in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and what thou findest to hold weight therewith for the God of truths sake accept the same as the work of God that worketh all in all according to the operations and manifestations of his holy Spirit Let not the meanness of the Instrument nor any Imperfection in the method cause thee to despise the work but rather with Aquilla and Priscilla expound to me the way of God more perfectly Act. 18.26 I have not penned these insuing considerations as any new light or administration that hath not been of old but rather as a witness to that antient Apostolical Doctrin of Faith and Holiness which was once delivered to the Saints the which through grace in the operative power of the spirit hath wrought in me to bear this Testimony according as I have received That Servant that improved his two Talents into four was aceepted as well as he that had improved his five into ten whiles he that had made no improvement was rejected with the fruitless Fig-tree If the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work If day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge Psal 19.1 2. how much more should man whom God hath endowed with the faculties of Reason and Vnderstanding above other Creatures that so he might be apprehensive of divine demonstrations and especially that soul whose understanding God hath in a good measure enlightened to understand his mind and will contained in his Word and hath given him a state of grace here and an assurance in Christ of glory hereafter Our Saviour having held forth some Divine Truths to his Desciples asketh this question Have ye understood these things they say unto him Yea Lord then saith he unto them Therefore every Scribe that is instructed unto the Kingdom of God is like unto a man that is an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his Treasury things New and Old The term therefore is a relative to the enlightened understanding and stands as a Reason why the understanding soul should be as this Housholder bringing forth as if he should have said Because ye understood these things therefore ye ought to bring them forth like this Housholder and the good man mentioned Mat. 12.35 Which out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Whence I Note what Divine Truths being received into the understanding ought not to be there concealed but to be brought forth to the glory of God who hath discovered them and to
house which do most Adorn the same to make it comely and delightful unto the Lord. And that is Holiness Holiness becometh thine House O Lord. Fourthly we have here set forth unto us the duration of this Ornament Holiness how long its comeliness is acceptable in the sight of God and that is here said to be for Ever Holinesâ— becometh Thine House O Lord for Ever Secondly By way of Explication We have several particulars very considerable First who this Lord is thaâ— claimeth propriety in this house Secondly what the House is and how considered Thirdly what Holiness is And Fourthly how far the term Ever doth Extend Of these particulars Briefly And First who this Lord is that claimeth proprieâ—â— in this House Now among the multitude of Scripturâ— Testimonies which do unfold this Questâ—on that of Jeremiah is very full and clear where the Lord by the Prophet doth discover himself in these words But the Lord is the true God He is the living God and an everlasting King at whose wrath the Earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation Jer. 10.10 To this may be added Hebrews 3.4 the Words whereof are these For every House is builded by some Man but he that built all things is God who is a Spirit * J h. 4.24 or spiritual Essence pure †Hebr. 1.13 perfect * Psal 18.30 eternal †Deut. 32.4 incomprehensible * Deut. 33.27 having his Being of and from himself and giving Being to all Creatures of which he is the supream Governour Orderer and Disposer by his Omnipotency Providentiality Omnipresency and Omnisciency according to his Infinite Wisdom and Divine Will Jer. 13.23 24. Heb. 4 13 See Psal 22.28 Rev. 19.6 Ps 65.9 Ro. 13.1 Ephes 1.11 Thus much to the first particular Who it is that claimeth Propriety in the House The Second Question concerns the House it self under what Consideration it may be taken The term House doth signifie a Dwelling-place a place of Abode Habitation or of Rest Now it is not to be conceived that any one particular place can comprehend an Incomprehensible and Infinite God Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jerem. 23.24 If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there saith the Psalmist If I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy Hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me Psal 139.7 8 9 10 11 12. So that God dwells in Heaven by his glorious essential Presence in Hell by his Wrath and just Judgments in the World by his common Mercies and in his Saints by his Spirit whereby they are regenerated sanctified assisted and assured oâ— his Favour in the use of all his Ordinances And under this last Consideration iâ— my ensuing Discourse I shall consider thâ— House of God That a Believing people in whom the Covenant of Grace is confirmed by the in-dwellings of the Spirit oâ— Grace in its Operations and powerful Influences whereby they are drawn forth to walk with the Lord Christ in the Faith and Practice of his Truth according to his Revealed Will contained in his Word such a People upon a Scripture-account may be called the Lords-House The Apostle Peter writing to the Saints scattered abroad considering them as People in Covenant with Christ and Partakers of the Spirit unto Sanctification and Obedience putteth them under this Denomination Ye also as lively Stones saith he 1 Pet. 2.5 are built up a spiritual House an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ So Hebr. 3.6 Christ as a Son over his own House whose House are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the Hope firm into the end The Believing Ephesians likewise being in Christ by Faith and Christ in them by his Spirit operating and working them up to Sanctification and Obedience and sealing the Promises unto them The Apostle considering their near Relation unto God which they were hereby brought â—nto hath these Expressions concerning them Now therefore saith he Eph 2 1 20 21 22 ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold â—f God and are built upon the Foundation â—f the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ â—imself being the chief Corner Stone in whom all the Building fitly framed together â—roweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord â—n whom ye also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit Thus Gods People are his Habitation as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2 Cor. 6.16 The Prophet Isaiah doth bear testimony to this truth Isai 66.1 2. Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne the Earth is my Footstool where is the House that ye build unto me saith the Lord and where is the place of my Rest for all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my Word Two things briefly we may note in these words First the Question propounded Where is the House that ye build unto me saith the Lord and where is the place of mâ— Rest Secondly the Lords Answer to hiâ— own Question But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contritâ— Spirit and trembleth at my Word Now how will the Lord look to this man surely to make his abode with him to takâ— up his residence and dwelling with him and in him by his Spirit of Grace quickning reviving comforting and replenishing the Soul with assurances of his Favouâ— in Christ endowing them with sucâ— Gifts and Qualifications of Grace whereby they are enabled to offer up spiritual Sacrifices of Prayers and Praises acceptable to God by Jesus Christ I dwell in the high and holy place Is 57.15 saith the Lord with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Judas one of Christs Disciples but not Iscariot putting forth this Question to his Lord Lord faith he how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World Jesus answered and said unto him If any man love me he will keep my words Joh. â—4 23 and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Gods Work in the Sâ—ul by his in â—â— dwelling there Now how will the Father and the Son come to such a Soul to take up their abode surely by that illuminating and quickning spirit of Truth proceeding from the Father and the Son enlightening the Understanding informing the Judgment rectifying the Will subduing Corruption and
exhortation by vertue of the same command But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1.15 16. So that God's people are to be an holy people because they are enjoyned thereunto by special command And this is the fourth Reason A fifth Ground and Reason why it ever becometh God's people to be an holy people The fifth Reason is grounded on Psal 29.1 2. may be taken from the consideration of the beautifulness of holiness It doth beautifie and adorn the Christian and the Christian-profession or the profession of Christianity It is of great excellency to the advancement of God's glory to the promoting of the Gospel and to make Christian performances in the way thereof delightful in the sight of God and therefore the spirit of God by the Psalmist hath this exhortation unto the Sons and Daughters of men Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give unto the Lord the glory and strength give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness Psal 96. The sixth Reason is grounded on 2 Cor. 7.1 A sixth Ground and Reason why it ever becometh God's people to be an holy people is because they are a people unto whom God hath made exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 The Apostle Paul to the Corinthians makeing a recital of many excellent promises which God hath made to his people as to dwell in them and walk in them to be a God unto them and to accept them as a people unto himself repeats an exhortation laid down by the Prophet Isaiah Esa 52.12 2 Cor. 6.17 18. to come out to be separate and not to touch the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty As if the Lord should say my Divine power and providence shall be over them for their protection my Spirit of Wisdom and Counsel shall be in them by its influences and operations to instruct them in the way of Life My mercy shall be exercised in remission of their sins The experiences of my Love shall replenish their hearts with consolation and support in time of trouble My Righteousness shall plead their cause and right their wrongs against all their Oppressors As a Father will I take care of them in this their present Pilgrimage and interest them in an Heavenly and Everlasting Inheritance that it may be well with them for ever Upon these and the like considerations the Apostle groundeth this Exhortation Having these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 So that God's people are a people unto whom God hath freely given exceeding great and precious Promises therefore it becometh them to be an Holy people And so I shall proceed to some Considerations by way of Application only make a brief recital of the six particulars laid down for the proof of the point namely It ever becometh God's people to be an Holy people and to be found therein is matter of great concernment First Because they do therein most resemble God their Heavenly Father Secondly Because they are thereunto Elected in Christ from Eternity 3dly Because they are thereunto called with an Holy means or calling Fourthly Because God hath enjoyned holiness upon his people by special Command Fifthly Because holiness is a beautifying Ornament unto a Christian and Christianity Sixthly Because they are a people unto whom God hath made exceeding greaâ—â— and precious promises CHAP. III. Containing some Considerations by way of Application The first Vse of Information THe foregoing Considerations may be of use unto us in several particulars by way of information First To inform our Judgments wherein the beauty and comliness of a Christian doth consist that is to say not in fleshly beauty nor the adornings of gay Apparel but in Holiness God delighteth in the likeness of himself where he seeth his own Image in a person or people that 's the soul he delighteth to honour with the Communications of his choycest favours The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal 4.3 Secondly We are hereby informed into the original or first moving cause of holiness in a people with the means and promises thereunto appertaining and that is God's electing Love in Christ Jesus as the Apostle teacheth But God who is Rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved Eph. 2.4 and herein is Love not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 John 4.10 So that Jesus Christ with all the means of holiness and promises thereunto appertaining are the effects of the Fathers Love see Deut. 7.6 7 8. Thirdly The third Vse of Information We are hereby informed into the knowledge of the will of God concerning holiness in his people It is certainly the will of God that his people should be an holy people seeing he hath chosen and called them thereunto as the effects of his Love towards them For this is the will of God even your Sanctificaâ—ion that ye should abstain from Fornicatiâ—n that every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour 1 Thes 4.3 4 7. for God hath not called us to Vncleanness but unto Holiness So that it is the will of God that his people should be aâ— holy people Fourthly It may inform us of our Duty in answer to God's command God's command implyeth his peoples duty in obedience to the command by a careful improvement of the means which he hath ordained to accomplish that end The Lord said to the Israelites of old Sanctifie your selves and be ye holy for I am the Lord which sanctifie you Levit. 20.7 8. As if he should say I am the Lord which seâ— you apart for my self and sanctifie the means whereby you may be an holy people therefore sanctifie your selves by a careful and diligent walking in the use of that means that you may be an holy people unto me So likewise the Apostle to the Romans saith If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Also to the Philipians he gives this Exhortation Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.12 13. All which Scriptures do shew that God is the chief Author of the means and thâ— mover to the means yet there is something enjoyned on the Creatures part in obedience to the command wherein the Creature by the direction and assistance of the means ought to be
experience will be an evidence that thou hast attained unto a good degree in the ornament of holiness and hast an interest in the promises thereunto belonging But on the contrary if thy mind will affection desire delight and meditation is chiefly exercised on carnal and wordly objects with expectation of content therein but as to the things of of God which concern his glory and the eternal welfare of thy Soul thou hast but little affection thereto thy mind and meditation but little exercised therein thy love desire and delights but cold to the exercise thereof it is an evident sign thou art but in the Old Man and in thy corrupt Estate in the carnal mind earthly affections obstinate will worldly desires and vain delights thou hast not yet put on the New Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness for look how far a man hath proceeded in the work of Mortification of the Old Man with his deeds and in putting on the New Man with the ftuits and effects thereof so far hath he attained towards the Ornament of Holiness Wherefore first Let us examine our selves and consider what sins we have cast off what Lusts we have subdued what Corruptions we have conquered through the holy means and Heavenly calling and divine assistance which we have Received They that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Secondly Let us examine our selves and consider how far we have proceeded in putting on the New Man what Works of Faith what Labour of Love 1 Thes 1.3 what Patience of Hope we have been exercised into the glory of his name that gives the means and commands obedience It may be some Soul may say within it self I have spent much time in hearing God's Word Preached I have been often in Prayer and Fasting and in receiving the Sacraments yea and have preached in Christs Name to others and many Alms have I given and many good deeds to my Neighbours and Brethren have I done as need required also many Sins and Vices which formerly I delighted in I have now cast off therefore I hope I have attained to a good degree in the Ornament of Holiness These Exercises of Preaching and Hearing Gods Word Prayer and Fasting Alms and good Deeds done to Neighbours and Brethren are all Duties belonging to a Christian which he ought to do according to the measure of the Gift given But let us examine our End in the performance of such Undertakings it is the End that crowns the Action if we perform these or the like Christian Duties to by and base Ends as to be seen of men to obtain the favour and applause of some persons with whom such Duties are in estimation or because it is the Fashion or Custom of the Countrey wherein we live at least of the better sort or for lucre of some temporal Benefit or that thereby we might deserve Gods Love or purchase Heaven These and the like Ends will be unto our performances but like unto the dead Flies in the Apothecaries Ointment it will destroy the sweet Savour thereof in the Nostrils of God and we shall be forced at last to lie down in sorrow with that doleful Sentence I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Matth. 7.22 23. But when Christian Performances do flow from an inward work of Grace received from a renewed Mind and sincere Love to God to the end we may thereby glorifie him in faithful Obedience to his Commands and obtain strength against corruptions and temptations that do so frequently assault us and that we may be instrumental to edifie and build up others also in the Knowledg of God and in obedience to his Will that they may set their hope in God and glorifie his Name by becoming obedient to his Commandments then the more active we are in those Christian Duties the more is our Comliness in the fruits of Holiness the more is our power and strength against our Corruptions the more increase of Grace the more communion with God the more we glorifie his Name the more peace of Conscience the more comfortable enjoyments of Gods Favour and the more rejoycing in his Promise of our eternal Happiness through Jesus Christ Wherefore let us examine our selves first whether we are moved or acted by a right Principle viz. an inward work of the Spirit of Grace quickening sanctifying and renewing the inward man Secondly whether we perform our Christian Duties in a right manner according to the Direction of Christ in his Word Thirdly whether we perform them to a right end viz. that God may have the Glory in all our Obedience through Jesus Christ and if we can experience these particulars we may have the comfortable assurance of Gods favourable acceptation of us upon the account of Christ as an holy people comely in his sight Objection arising through doubts fears But happily some Soul may say I have a long time pressed after the attainment of Holiness and I have thought it hath been from a right Principle in a right manner and to a right end and yet me thinks I cannot attain to the perfection of Holiness so as to be without many spots and stains of Sin by reason of which I am afraid my best and holiest Duties will not find acceptance with God Answer to the Objejecting or doubting Soul In answer whereunto we may consider that spots and stains of Sin may be and are in the best of Gods Servants by reason of our present state composed of Flesh and Spirit two contraries the Flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh which occasioneth much weakness and frailty in the best of Gods Servants by reason of which weakness and the strong temptations many times that do assault them for want of a careful watchfulness the poor Servant of God is overtaken with Sin although he approveth not of it nor delighteth in it but beholdeth it with sorrow and grief of heart And in this condition God sometimes suffereth his dearest Servants for good Reasons as first because they should not be exalted above measure with high thoughts and conceits of themselves but beholding their own Imperfections they might be the more humbled in the sense of their own weaknesses Secondly that they may be provoked to depend upon God and to seek unto him for his Grace and holy Spirit to comfort support and strengthen them upon all occasions Thirdly that seeing their own imperfect state they might be moved to prize Jesus Christ and that atonement made by him with the higher estimation The whole have no need of a Physitian Mar. 2.17 but they that are sick Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This is not spoken to encourage any to continue in sin that Grace may abound Rom. 6.1 but by way of support to that Soul that seeth it his duty to be holy in all manner of conversation and therefore
presseth after it but lying under the sense of his own weakness is cast down with doubts and fears of his not being accepted with God because he cannot attain to Holiness in the perfection thereof But although the full perfection of Holiness will not be attained till this vile Body be changed and this Mortal hath put on Immortality yet notwithstanding when the Creatures Endeavours after Holiness do arise from the work of Grace and renewed Mind and are performed in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ the spots and stains of Sin being beheld with grief of heart and the Blood of Christ thereunto applied by Faith both Persoâ— and Performance shall assuredly be accepted and through the sanctifying Grace of Christ shall appear in the comely Ornament of Holiness without spot before the Throne of God who did from eternity behold and accept his people in his Son and not in themselves as hath been before considered CHAP. IV. Of the Use of Exhortation A Fourth Use that presenteth it self unto us from the aforementioned Considerations is an Use of Exhortation Hath God chosen his people in Christ that they should be holy hath he called them thereunto with an holy Calling hath he commanded them to be holy in all manner of Conversation Then let us be exhorted to strive to answer Gods end in electing calling and commanding us to be holy by pressing after Holiness in the use of that means that God hath ordained to accomplish that End let us put on that noble Spirit of Blessed Paul that Servant of God I press towards the Mark saith he for the price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.14 Holiness is an high Calling yea it is an high Calling of God in Jesus Christ well becoming the people of God Men are most earnest after a Comodity when they consider these two particulars in it first the Necessity of it secondly the Excellency of it wherefore to press on the Exhortation on our Spirits let us consider Holiness in these two particulars First Holiness is of great necessity for saith the Scripture without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Hebr. 12.14 Want of Holiness deprives a Soul of the comfortable enjoyment of God Adam when he had defiled himself with Sin was thrust out of Paradice from the comfortable enjoyments and paradicical priviledges he was there invested with It is true that wicked men may and many times do enjoy a great measure of this worlds felicity in respect of the Riches Honours and Pleasures thereof while Gods faithful Servants suffer hard things which made David at a stand till he went into the Sanctuary of God and gained understanding in the Promises of true Felicity in eternal life made to the sanctified ones and then he understood the End of those wicked and unholy men That as to true peace with God and assurance of his favour as to enjoyment of Communion with him in Grace here or in Glory hereafter there is no Promise made to them in that their unsanctified estate and therefore he puts on this resolution But as for me I will behold thy Face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17.15 There is no beholding God without Holiness with true satisfaction to thy Soul Wherefore let that Exhortation of the Apostle be an Exhortation to us Follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. O let the consideration of the necessity of Holiness strengthen the Exhortation upon our Spirits so as to quicken us in our motion after the attainments thereof Secondly let us be exhorted to put on this Ornament of Holiness upon the consideration of the Excellency of it the which is very great in several respects first it is very beautiful in the sight of God it beareth his Image and adorns the Soul with the likeness of himself it beautifieth the Profession of Truth and filleth the Soul with Love both towards God and towards all men yea those excellent fruits of the Spirit as Love Joy Peâ—ce Long-suffering Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against which there is no Law What are they but effects of Sanctification 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Pet. 1.2 therefore let all persons that make profession of Christ be exhorted to worship the Lord in the Beauties of Holiness Ps 110.3 Ps 96.9 Secondly Holiness is of great Excellency in respect of its Descent it is of an heavenly Birth those only are the persons invested with it that are born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Joh. 1.13 Joh. 3.3 5. It is the Church that is sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 and for the Church he gave himself that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water through the Word that he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.26 27. Holiness is therefore of great Excellency as also the Excellency of Holiness doth demonstrate it self by its Valuation nothing below the precious Blood of Jesus Christ could be a valuable price to purchase it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. yea those excellent Vertues that are in Charity must needs accompany 〈…〉 viz. it suffereth long and is kind 〈…〉 not it vaunteth not it self is not pâ—â—â—eâ— up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth it may be said though I speak with the tongues of Men and Angels though I understand all Mysteries though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and give my Body to be burned and have not Holiness it profiteth me nothing O! therefore follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Thirdly Holiness is of great Excellency in regard of the priviledges it brings to the Soul it gives peace of Conscience and Comfort in a dying hour it gives Boldness to appear before the great tribunal Seat of Justice to behold the Face of the Judg with assurance of his Favour when the great Men of the Earth and the rich Men and the chief Captains and the mighty Men and every Bond-man and every Free-man that is not adorned with Holiness shall call to the Rocks and Mountains to hide them from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb Revel 6.15 16. O! what would many a poor Soul give to be found in this Ornament of Holiness when Death shall summons him to the Grave and this Consideration is upon his Spirit that the next thing he hath to do after Death is to arise and come too Judgment when all his Riches Honours Pleasures and delightful Vanities carnal Friends and Companions in Iniquity with all those goodly things his Soul hath lusted after shall be turned into
Gall and Bitterness to his Soul and become his miserable Comforters to the greater horrour of his Conscience and the furtherance of his condemnation See Rom. 2.9 When tribulation and anguish shall be upon the Soul then will the poor Soul bewail his former Folly and careless Negligence in slighting the Means of Grace and the precious Price put into his hand and he had not a heart to improve it Prov. 17.16 and all those things whereon his heart was fixed shall be dissolved according as it is written But the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3.10 11. Fourthly let us consider this Ornament of Holiness in respect of the Duration of it Holiness is an everlasting Ornament unto the people of God it becometh Gods House for ever It is the Wisdom of the Children of this world That when they want any Commodity as Apparel or otherwise they will endeavour to obtain it with these three considerations in their eye first where they may buy at the best hand or cheapest rate secondly which Commodities are likely to be of longest continuance thirdly which are most beautiful and fashionable Now let us cast our eye upon this Ornament of Holiness of which there is so much necessity that without it no man shall see the Lord and we may behold it tendred unto us at a very cheap rate as on our part for although Gold and Silver will not purchase it yet God doth freely give it in the use of the means that he hath ordained to effect it Let us then improve the means and God hath promised a Blessing It will indeed cost us the parting with our rotten rags of the Old man but what are they in comparison to the Ornaments of the New man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness it may be it will cost us the parting with our former Companions in worldly vanities and not only our gross sins but our own Righteousness which is of the Law Phil. 3. It may be it will cost us the parting with a good Name among men and with our Goods Liberty and Life which are things near and dear unto us but if we part with all these for Holiness we shall be abundantly gainers by the hand for what are corrupt Lusts and carnal Vanities in comparison of the Gifts and Graces and spiritual enjoyments of Christ and what is the Fellowship of carnal Friends and vain Companions unto the Communion of God in Jesus Christ and the Fellowship of the Saints and what are the Sufferings of Gods people though in Name Person and Estate in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of Glory promised unto a holy life Holiness doth far surpass all valuations that can be laid in opposition to it wherefore let us lay out for Holiness it is a rich bargain at the highest Rate Secondly Holiness is an Ornament exceeding durable in respect of its Use and Service the more it is made use of the more excellent it is Holiness is every way serviceable to the Creature it helps the Creature to glorifie God in obedience to his Commands as to find acceptance with him it helps towards peace of Conscience and Comfort in a dying hour it helps towards a sanctified use of all the Creatures with comfort in the enjoyments of them it helps a Soul to the sight of God and that blessed enjoyment of Communion with him in Glory Yea it is serviceable upon all accounts at all times in in all places in all companies in all conditions provided the Creature cast it not off as a Garment out of fashion esteem but put it on and gird it to him and be always found in it and it will be so serviceable to him that as abovesaid the more it is made use of the more excellent it is For Thirdly Holiness is never out of fashion and esteem with God and good men it is that which God in Christ designed from Eternity to accomplish in his people and Holiness shall be the Ornament of the people of God unto Eternity when all these outward things shall be dissolved holiness shall remain in its primitive beauty Holiness accompanieth and beautifies a Soul not only in this life but also in the life to come as saith the Text Holiness becometh thine House O Lord for ever O let us be exhorted and moved therefore by all these forementioned considerations to run the Race set before us to press after the Mark for the Price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.14 to follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 CHAP. V. Containing some Directions how to puâ— on the Ornament of Holiness I Shall now apply my self to the enquiring Soul which happily may propound this question You exhort us to Holiness and to press after it because iâ— is excellent and of great necessity buâ— what course may we take that we may so press after Holiness as to obtain it In answer hereunto I shall lay before you these ensuing Considerations by way of Direction First I shall propound to your consideration the center where Holiness togetheâ— with the means for the obtaining thereof is placed Secondly the way in which a man must walk and the manner how he must press on to the Center where Holiness is centered so as to obtain the same First as Holiness in its perfection resideth in God the Father so Holiness together with the means for the effecting the same in the Children of Men is of the Father centered in God the Son Jesus Christ both God and man and by the holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son in its powerful influences and operations upon the inward man is wrought and effected in them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be Saints through the exercise of Faith in Christ Now for the clearing up of these things to our understanding let us consider some Scripture-Testimonies The Apostle Paul speaking of Jesus Christ hath these Expressions For it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Coll. 1.19 And in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 Saint John saith And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Joh. 1.14 in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2.3 and of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 So that in Christ is centered both Holiness and the means to produce Holiness in the Sons and
Daughters of men unto whom he tenders Holiness in the Gospel as John the Evangelist teaches He came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Joh 1.11 12. And hence it is that God hath chosen his people in Christ that they should be holy even because the perfection of Holiness is inherently in Christ with sufficiency of the Spirit of Grace to effect Holiness in his people through believing If then thou wouldst press after Holiness so as to attain such a degree thereof that thou mayst have the comfortable sight of God and be enabled to stand before him with joy then observe these ensuing particulars The Eye fixed on Christ by Faith is a great help towards the attainment of Holiness 1. In all thy undertakings look unto Jesus have an eye of faith fixed on him he is the Center where Holiness is centered if we look short of the Center we are like to fall-short of our purpose let us therefore take the counsel of the Apostle Let us run with patience the Race set before us looking unto Jesus the Authour and Finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Heb. 2.1 2. Yea whether we read the Word pray or perform any other Christian Duty whatsoever let us still look to Jesus with desire that we may have more Knowledg of him more Faith in him and more Love and Obedience to him let us look unto Jesus with an Eye of Faith fixed on him and behold his performances on our behalf let us behold his humility who was very God and yet assuming the human Nature became also Man and taking upon him the form of a Servant became obedient not only to the divine Precepts of his Fathers Law but also unto Death even the most shameful Death of the Cross O let us look unto Jesus and behold him in his Sufferings and in the Cause and End of his Sufferings The Cause of his Sufferings was our Sins the End of his Sufferings was to free us from Divine Wrath due to us for Sin and to obtain Eternal Salvation for us To look unto Jesus and with an Eye of Faith to behold him as aforesaid Gods way is a sure and a safe way is to take Gods way to hearken to his Call and to observe his counsel for our better attainments unto Holiness and Heavens Happiness as saith the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles Isai 42. I said behold me behold me unto a Nation that was not called by my Name Isai 65.1 Secondly let us not only look unto Jesus and behold him but also consider him this is a piece of Divine Counsel A due Consideration of Christs sufferings a great help towards the attainment of Holiness also consider the Apostle and High-priest of our Profession Christ Jesus Heb. 3.1 O let us consider the Greatness of his Burthen in his Sufferings of Death wherein he did not only suffer a natural Death but also did bear the burthen and weight of Divine Wrath due to Mankind for Transgression the which being set home upon his precious Soul by the hand of Divine Justice forced him into that Agony that his Sweat was as if it were great Drops of Blood falling down to the ground and to cry out Luk. 22.41 Matt. 27.46 O my God my God why hast thou forsaken me as if the sense of Divine Wrath had so overwhelmed his precious Soul that all the appehensions of his Fathers Love had been ecclipsed from him One sin set home to the Soul by the hand of Divine Justice is a heavy burthen how great then is the weight which Christ underwent for us Surely saith the Prophet he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all Isa 53.4 5 6. Certainly if the Sons and Daughters of Men did but look through all their outward transitory and fading Felicities unto Jesus Christ with a serious consideration of those hard things he hath undergone to procure Redemption for their poor sinful Souls it would more draw up and endear their Affections to the Lord and produce in them a delightful endeavour to honour him in the way of Holiness Thirdly as we should look unto Jesus and consider him in his great Undertakings for us so ought we to consider his Faithfulness towards his Father in respect of the Trust he reposed in him and towards Man also in the prosecution of poor fallen Mans Redemption Had he shrunk back in those great and hard Undertakings how had the Father lost his Glory and Man his true Felicity but he like a faithful and valiant Souldier set his Face like a Flint * Isai 50.6 7. against all the oppositions the World and Devils could raise against him until he had faithfully compleated his Undertakings to the Glory of his Father so that he could boldly make up his accounts saying Father I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Joh. 17.4 5. O let us look unto Jesus with a serious consideration of his Faithfulness to our Cause and it will both quicken and direct in the way to Holiness and we being faithful after his example shall have boldness in the day of account Consider Christs Love which is strong of great power Fourthly let us look unto Jesus and consider with a due consideration his tender affectionate Love and yerning bowels of Compassion towards Mankind manifested in his great Undertakings for us Surely if ever that Saying of Solomon in his Song of Songs be made good in any it was abundantly manifested in Christs Love to Man his Love indeed was strong as Death Cant. 8.6 the many Waters of Affliction nor Flouds of the Ungodly nor Death the King of Terrors could not be able to quench the Flames thereof greater Love hath no man than this that a man lay down his Life for his Friend but so great was the Love of Christ to poor worthless Creatures that while we were ungodly and enemies to him he died for us Rom. 5.6 8 10. so that Redemption Justification Sanctification and Glorification are the effects of
and from the Wrath of the Lamb Rom. 6.15 16. for nothing in that day shall be found to be a shelter vers 17. but an Interest in Christ by Faith which in this day of Grace bringeth forth the fruits of Obedience to the Supremacy of Christ We usually say a man forewarn'd of a danger is fore-arm'd he will seek to secure himself in time and take him for a Friend that gives him the warning O! how many friendly warnings hath the Lord by his Spirit in his Word given unto poor sinful mortal man of the great and eminent dangers approaching as the fruits and effects of Sin O what friendly Counsel and advice hath he laid before us for security did we improve the same accordingly as if his very bowels yerned towards us for our eternal preservation O how are his Warnings and Counsels made out in his Word to all sorts of men of what Degree Rank or Quality soever high and low rich and poor free and bond as if he was no Respecter of persons in his Warnings Advice and Counsels as he is no Respecter of persons in Judgment The Lord having made known by his Spirit in his Servants the certainty of his accomplishing his Decree and fore-Determinations in exalting his Son Jesus Christ into the Throne of Kingship and Seat of Justice The Lords Advice to Majest a es gives this Counsel and Advice unto Kings and other inferiour Magistrates saying Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way while his Wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are are all they that put their trust in him Psal 2.10 11 12. As if he should have said O ye Kings and Judges of the Earth in whose hands the Sword or Power of Magistracy is entrusted herein doth the principle part of your Wisdom consist let the Salutations of your Love and chief Respects be manifested towards Christ Jesus the Son of God whom the Father hath exalted into the Throne of Government Seat of Justice King of Kings and Lord of Lords Let the Salutations of your Love and chiefest Respects be manifested towards him The Wisdom of the majestrate chiefly consists in making Christ chief in his Counsel in his Laws and Government for thereunto is the Blessing promised by embracing his Counsel for your Counsel his Laws for your Laws his Government for your Government his Subjects that desire to obey him in his Laws and righteous Government the people of your chiefest protection and objects of your Praise that you may be as nursing Fathers unto them but a terror to those that do evil as it is written Isai 49.23 Rom. 13.3 The Lord hath signed this with the Promise of his Blessing as before expressed The Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul asserting the Soveraignty of Christ into which God the Father hath exalted him Phil. 2.9 10 11. doth lay down this Exhortation vers 12. as drawn from the aforesaid consideration of his Soveraignty Phil. 1.12 Wherefore my Beloved as ye have always obeyed not only in my presence but much more in my absence work out you own Salvation with fear and trembling As if he had said wherefore as ye have hitherto subjected your selves to the Soveraignty oâ— Jesus Christ by Obedience to his Laws and Form of Government so that noâ— only in my presence but also in my absence you have been growing and increasing in the same so let your careful endeavours be in a holy awful reverential fear spirit of Humility to be still growing increasing with all perseverance in the Faith and Practice of all the Will of God in as much as true Faith in Christ doth demonstrate and shew forth it self by the fruits of sincere Obedience to Christ and perseverence therein hath the promise of Salvation thereunto annexed as Christ himself did intimate unto those Jews that believed on him Joh. 8.31 If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free O did we with David set the Lord Jesus Christ always before us Psal 16.8 having an Eye of Faith fixed on him as in his Priestly Office so also in his Kingly Office executed in his giving forth Laws Statutes Ordinances and Order of Government with Rules of Observation and Commands and Examples for our better Obedience thereunto see Genes 49.10 Isai 9.6 did we behold him and seriously consider him the anointed and appointed King and Lawgiver by the Father ordained Head over all things to his Church in the great concerns of Gods Worship and our Salvation the alone exalted King of Sion and Judg of the World with a due consideration Isai 33.22 Psal 2.2 Act. 5.31 32. Jam. 4.12 doubtless we might thereby the more be induced and the better behold the great concernment that lieth upon us to quicken our motion in the use of the means appointed by God the Father for our better attainment unto Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord to his eternal Consolation The Man Christ Jesus Judg of the World by the Fathers Ordination whereof his Resurrection is a sure testimony the which inviteth all persons to live to Christ in his way of Holiness that their Account may be comfortable in that day for God hath appointed a day in which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Act. 17.31 CHAP. VII Wherein is contained some considerations concerning the Propheticall Office of Christ necessary to our better attainment of a Degree in the Ornament of Holiness OF all Wisdom demonstrated in or among the Sons and Daughters of Men the Divine Wisdom of God in Christ is the most excellent and wonderful most to be admired and desired Christ the Wisdom of God and the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2.3 in comparison whereof all the Wisdom of this world is but Foolishness in Gods esteem 1 Cor. 1.20 Of all cases that we are concerned to seek for Counsel in the Case of our Souls for the Salvation thereof is our great concernment and of all Counsellors for Advice in this case we are most concerned to advise with Christ and seek to him for Counsel herein Lord saith Peter to whom else should we go thou hast the Words of Eternal Life Joh. 6.68 neither is there Salvation in any other Act. 4.12 It was commendable Prudence in Mary that she was careful in this case of great concernment she sits at Jesus's Feet to hear his Words and makes all other Concernments for to give place hereto Luk. 10.39 40 41 42. And what was the reason think ye that Mary was taken up in so high esteem with the Words
of Christ Doubtless this was one among the rest the Vertue and Tendency of his Words was unto the Aâ—tainments of Holiness and Heavens Happiness to her Soul the words of Eternal Life This is that Lyon of the Tribe of Juda and Root of David that hath prevailed to open the Sealed Book Revel 5.5 even the Mysteries of the Kingdom and way of Holiness which from the beginning was hid in God but now made manifest for the Obedience of Faith This is that great Prophet of whom Moses spake saying A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you and it shall come to pass that every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off from his people or I saith the Lord will require it of him Deuter. 18.18 Act. 3.22 23. Whence note by the way First That God the Father according to his fore-determination and ancient Promise hath raised up Jesus Christ and orâ—ained him chief Prophet to his People Secondly Christ the Mediator between God and Man Jesus Christ is here said to be a Prophet like unto Mosâ—s that is as Moses in that day did stand as a Mediator between God and his People to receive the holy and lively Oracles of the Mind and Will of God from the Mouth of God and dispence the same unto the People in that Dispensation so Christ is the Mediator between God and Man now under the New Covenant to receive of the Father the lively Oracles of the Mind and will of the Father and to communicate them unto the Sons and Daughters of Men in this Dispensation of the New Covenant Thirdly An Advertisement to all persons to observe the Voice of Christ in the Ministry of his Word a third thing to be noted here is the Injunction or Command of the Father Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Fourthly the Danger that will ensue to that Soul that doth not hearken to this Prophet I will require it of him saith the Lord Deut. 18.19 Fifthly One thing more is considerable in vers An Advertisement to all Preachers to take heel they preach not any thing that the Voice of Christ in his Word doth not own 20. that if any Prophet shall presume to speak a Word in my Name saith the Lord that I have not commanded him or that shall speak in the Name of other Gods that Prophet shall die Would a poor Soul attain to Holiness so as to have an Interest in that comely Ornament then consider Jesus Christ in the Execution of his Prophetical Office which standeth in a revealing or discovering the Mind and Will of God the Father unto the Sons and Daughters of men with Advertisements and Perswasions to a Reception of the same and a walking answerable thereunto The Prosecution of which Office he did perform doctrinally in his own person in the days of his Humiliation and in the days of his Exaltation by his Spirit in his Apostles by immediate Inspiration whose Doctrine and Practice for Church-Constitution Order of Worship and Discipline he confirmed to all succeeding Generations with Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 and since more ordinarily by the Ministry of the word confirmed as aforesaid I say more ordinarily by the Offices and Officers as Pastors and Teachers gifted for the work of the Ministry to teach those confirmed Truths of Jesus Christ contained in his Gospel unto the Sons and Daughters of Men for their Conversion Edification Comfort and Confirmation of them in the Faith and Practice of all his holy Laws Ordinances and Order of Government and Discipline according to his own Institution Pattern and Appointment together with all those Promises and Priviledges in his Word of Truth given out to them that in Love and Loyalty unto him and his Soveraignty subject unto him and walk with him in the same Hereunto doth the Holy Ghost by the Apostle Paul witness Eph. 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men and vers 11. he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the Fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning Craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ Ephes 4.11 12 13 14 15. Some few things I would here note by the way The Gospel Verities are Gods Oracles by him confirm'd to us for standing truths to be highly prized and faithfully embraced the Fountain from whence they flow being considered First that the Gospel-Dispensation is the lively and holy Oracles or Word of God the Father which Christ by his Prophetical Office hath received of the Father and made known to us the Sons and Daughters of Men and confirmed to us by the witness of the Father not only by the Resurrection of his Son but also by signs and wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost for the Glory of his Name and the Salvation of those that so embrace it as the Oracles of God so confirmed Secondly those Pastors and Teachers that in Love and Obedience to the Lord do make the Apostolical confirmed-Doctrine and Practice their Rule and Ground of Doctrine and Practice for Conversion of Souls to Christ An Advâ—rtisement to Gods people both Preachers and Hearers to keep close to the Gospel-Rule Constitution of Churches Admittance of Members Order of Government and Discipline accordingly are such as Christ hath given and gifted as Ministers in his hand Revel 1.20 whereby he doth prosecute perseveringly from age to age his Prophetical Office in order to Mans Salvation Thirdly the natural Use The Gospel is of great excellency and concernment to poor sinners the use tendency of is being coâ—sidered Vertue and proper Tendency of the Gospel Apostolically taught observed and confirmed as aforesaid is the ordinary means by the Father put into the Heart and Hand of Christ for Mans Edification in the Knowledg of Christ Unity in the Faith of Christ a Participation of the Fulness of Christ unto an attainment of Perfection in Christ together with Stability in Christ unto Salvation by Christ through believing in Christ and conforming to Christ in the Teachings and Administrations thereof wherefore as I am upon an Use of Direction to the enquiring Soul after the way to Holiness Attainments or the Attainment to Holiness so I have set before thee Jesus Christ in his Offices as an Object whom
Soul-nourishment in holy and heav nly Attainments for the Glory of his Name and the eternal Consolation of the Soul yea although the Lord doth many times work and operate by his Word in the Ministery thereof upon the Mind Affections and understanding Faculties both to will and to do according to his good pleasure and that by his loving Invitations and perswading Arguments Exhortations and Promises yet notwithstanding what Ignorance of God and Fruitlesness in the things of God what little strength of Grace remains in the greatest part of the men of this Generarion And what 's the reason thereof Suâ—ely saith the Lord Wine and Musick is in their Feasts i. e. they give themselves up to the Vanities of this world in the Profits and Pleasures thereof to fulfil the fleshly lustings of a carnal Heart but they regard not the Works of the Lord neither consider the Operation of his Hands Surely would we seriously consider the great Work of God in Jesus Christ and the Operation of his Word and Works manifested in this our day how useful would it be unto us for Direction unto Holiness and to quicken our motion thereunto CHAP. VIII Containing some Directions tending to our better Attainment of that comely Ornament Holiness by putting on of Jesus Christ and abiding in him GReat Care and Cost is exercised by many for the putting on upon the Body not only such Raiment necessary for the Preservation of its Health and Modesty but also for such Attire that they think may most beautifie and adorn it to an esteem in the Eyes of Men mean while that Attire that is of greatest concernment for the adorning of both Body and Soul to make them comely and delightful in the sight of God is laid by disregarded as Ornaments out of fashion Holiness is the comely Ornament well becoming Gods House Gods People As I am upon a Use of Direction to the inquiring Soul for its Attainment to Holiness and in the foregoing Chapters have laid some Directions before you in order to that Attainment by an Act or Exercise of the Eyes of the understanding Faculties upon Jesus Christ in his Offices as King Priest and Prophet anointed and appointed thereunto by the Father Also an Act of Consideration to consider him in the prosecution of the said Offices with the Use End and Tendency thereof towards the Sons of Men as the Eye-Salve for the clearing the Eyes of the Understanding to behold the way of Holiness and the Excellency of its Attainments Now in further prosecution of this Use of Direction I shall propose a further Action in order to our perfecting Holiness in the fear and way of God The which is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Would we attain to an Estate in the Ornament of Holiness then our great concernment is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ It is a piece of Divine Counsel not mine but the Lords given by his Spirit whose Office it is to lead Souls into all truth But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 Three things are here liable to be proposed in way of Inquisition by the enquiring Soul as first wherein persons are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly how persons are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly why persons are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to that Attainment of Holiness To the first Proposal wherein Christ is to be put on and that is in a threefold respect in order to that Attainment First in respect to his Offices Secondly in respect to his Qualifications Thirdly in respect to his VValkings To the second Proposal how Christ is to be put on in respect to his Offices Qualifications and VValkings And First to his Offices And that is by an Act of Faith adheringly and dependingly as when a Soul beholding God the Father tendering his Son in all his Offices as King Priest and Prophet to the Soul the Soul is hereby moved to accept and take by Faith Jesus Christ with all his Offices so as wholly to confide in him and depend on him and on him alone for a free pardon and a full Remission of its sins and for its acceptation with the Father through his Atonement and Satisfaction made by Vertue of his Priestly Office Secondly to confide in him and depend upon him in order to his Kingly Office as the only Lawgiver unto whose Laws the Subjection and Obedience of the Creature is due and ought to be performed and as its great Protector to eternal Bliss Thirdly adheringly by applying and relying by confiding in him and depending upon him in his Doctrine teaching Advice and Counsel contained in his VVord as the only Rule and Guidance of a Soul into the paths of Holiness and way of Salvation by Vertue of his Office Prophetical Thus to put on Christ doth put a Soul into possession of most excellent Priviledges as First Christs Merits obtained by vertue of his Priestly Office doth become the Souls Righteousness and Justification unto the Fathers Acceptation Secondly Obedience to the Laws of Christ as King is attended with many Blessings from the Father who accepts it as Honour done as unto his Son so also unto himself Thirdly by a Souls putting on of Christ as its Prophet the Soul is put into possession of a sure word of Prophecy an infallible Counsel for Direction how to stear its Course both in Word and Action so as to please God and to possess his favour in whose favour is Life saith the Psalmist Psal 30.5 Secondly the second thing proposed wherein persons are concerned to put on Jesus Christ is in his Qualifications of Grace It is not enough for persons to hear the Word of Christ nor to act in the visible Ordinances of Christ but also to endeavour so to improve the Word and Ordinances of Christ by an Application of Christ in the same to the Heart through believing that by the Power of the Word of Christ in our Hearts we may attain to the Qualifications of Christ in their proper nature ruling in our Hearts by the Dominion and Power thereof to the enabling of us to subdue the Qualifications of Corruption and to bring our Thoughts Words and Actions our Minds our Wills and our Affections into a conformity unto Christ And for Testimony hereunto that persons are concerned to put on Christ in his Qualifications and wherein these Qualifications do consist I shall call in two or three Scripture Evidences among many which that infallible Spirit of Truth proceeding from the Father and the Son hath recorded Phil. 2.1 If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem others better than themselves let this Mind be in you
enquiring Soul in order to its Attainment to Holiness forasmuch as Baptism as before considered is a holy Ordinance instituted by the holy God unto holy ends and uses neither is it of the Matter of putting on of Christ as before asserted in order to the Attainment of Holiness but is comprehended in the same that is to say his Offices Qualifications and Example of Walkings In order whereunto consider those Words asserted by the Apostle Paul Gal. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and so I shall proceed to the next perticular which is to abide in him Fourthly as we are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ as aforesaid in order to our Attainment unto Holiness so also we are concerned to abide in him It is a piece of Divine Counsel delivered by our Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ unto his Disciples Joh. 15.4 5. Christians must abide in Christ in order to their perfecting Holiness Abide in me and I in you as the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Sometimes in Scripture we have this abiding in him set forth by the terms continuing and persevering The Apostle Paul Col. 1.21 22.23 putting the Colossians in mind of the End of Christs Death for them which was First to reconcile them unto himself and unto the Father in him Secondly to present them unto the Father holy unblameable and unreproveable in his sight he addeth this proviso If ye continue in the Faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard Whence note by the way that a well-grounded Faith in Christ attended with stability therein according to the Apostolical Ministration is the principal way to attain to Holiness to the Fathers acceptation such will Christ adorn with the holy Robes of his own Righteousness and therein justifie them to the Fathers acceptation unto Life eternal Therefore as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him as ye have been taught abounding therein with Thanksgiving Col. 2.6 I may not omit Saint Johns Exhortation and Advice in his first Epistle chap. 3.24 25 28. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father and this is the Promise that he hath promised us even eternal Life And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Whence note by the way First that as persons are concerned to put on Christ in order to Holiness and Heavens Attainments so it is their stability or abiding in it that crowns them with the same Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown Revel 3.11 Secondly note that a person near conformity to and abiding in the Apostolical Doctrine in all things wherein the Faith and Practice of a Christian is concerned is the best visible Demonstration of a Souls being and abiding in the Father and the Son see 2 Joh. v. 9. Thirdly note that a people abiding in the Gospel-Doctrine and so in the Father and the Son by Faith they do thereby much augment the joy comfort and confidence of the true Gospel-Minister in the day of Christs second appearing under whose Ministry they have been conducted into that estate And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 Joh. 2.28 For what is our Hope or Joy or Crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our Glory and Joy for now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord 1 Thess 2.19 20. chap. 3.8 Thus having briefly laid down these four Rules for the enquiring Soul to observe in its progress towards the Attainment of Holiness as 1. That he look to Jesus with an eye of Faith as he is held forth in the Gospel-Administration 2. To consider him in his Undertakings for us and in his Benefits to us 3. To put him on in the particulars afore-premised And 4. To abide in him Now whereas there was three particulars proposed in order to the putting on of Christ as 1. Wherein he is to be put on 2. How he is to be put on and 3. Why he must be put on in order to that Attainment Having laid down something to the first and second it remains that something be said to the third Why Christ must be put on by those that would attain to Holiness And First because he is the Center in whom all the means appertaining to Holiness is by the Father centered In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are compleat in him Coloss 2.9 10. Christs Person is holy his Word is holy his Works are Holy his Name is holy his Nature is holy his Laws Ordinances Government Councel yea all in himself and proceeding from himself is holy he is the Fountain of Holiness full of the Springs of God Secondly Persons must put on Christ in that Attainment because it is the Will of God and his fore-determination and appointment from Eternity that in Christ should that Attainment of Holiness be unto all persons through believing or putting on him as aforesaid There is no other way standing in the Election or Counsel of God to attain unto Holiness but only in Jesus Christ as saith the Apostle According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.4 Wherefore would we attain unto an Estate in the Ornament of Holiness would we have Christ formed in us and we transformed into his likeness so as to bare his Image his Name and Nature Would we answer God the Fathers Predestination Election and Calling Would we have the assurance thereof sealed unto our Souls and have an entrance into his Kingdom Then put on the Lord Jesus Christ and abide in him as afore considered in his Offices Qualifications and Example of walking it s the great design of God in Christ from Eternity it s the joy of every faithful Gospel-Minister to behold such effects wrought in a people fulfil ye my joy saith the Apostle that ye be like minded having the same love It s the Beauty of a Christian the very quintescence of Christianity the honour of Religion to the glory of God O put on the Lord Jesus Christ and abide in him and make not provission for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof
concerning Christ and his building of his Gospel-Church under the denomination of his Zerubabel not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 4.6 7. Hereunto agreeth those words of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 10.4 The Weapons of our warfare are not Carnal but mighty through God to the casting down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ the which weapons he doth further explain Ephes 6.14 Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with Truth and the breast-plate of Righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace taking the shield of Faith and the helmet of Salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance These and the like weapons are the weapons of the holy Catholick Church that believeth aright and is universal in the truth by which they manage their contention with those that are without and those that withstand that meanes are to be left out of the Church in the world during the pleasure of the Almighty and to be judged by that means they have rejected and condemned with the world in the day that God shall judge the world by Jesus Christ But secondly The text saith there are certain men crept in unawares ungodly men c. It seemeth that there were some in those times that by pretending Faith in Christ were admitted into Church-membership which afterwards discovered themselves by an ungodly lacivious life These it seemeth had no right unto Church-membership although a right to the hearing of the Word by vertue of Christ's Commission yet not unto Church-membership they crept in unawars that is their counterfeit Faith was not discerned until afterwards that it appeared by error in opinion or practice But how must the Church contend for the Faith with these persons and carry on the management thereof First In a respective love to their persons tendering the good of their souls but with a hatred of their sin and in love to their souls to reprove and admonish them laying before them that part of Gods Law against which the crime is acted that thereby they may the better be convinced and reforme and so by the sword of the spirit the word of God to deal with them if possible unto a Reformation But in case no Reformation doth appear then to proceed in the severity of Justice against them by Excommunication according to Christ's rule and order and thereby cast them out of the Church into the world again as not to have any further priviledge in the Church then what the Lord affords the world which is admittance to hear the Word for their Conversion But what is the end of this severity There are divers ends as first To signify God's severity against sin and obstinate sinners that as they are justly for sin cast out of Communion with his Church and the gracious priviledges thereunto afforded here on Earth So assuredly without timely Repentance unto a Reformation such persons are by God's determination and shall be by the sentence of the just Judge of all the world See Math. 18.18 excluded from Communion with the Church triumphant and all her glorious priviledges in her glorified state Secondly To the end that the Sinner may consider and see his sin be humbled for it 1 Tim. 1.20 and ashamed of it and repent unto a reformation that the soul may be saved in the day of the Lord see 1 Cor. 5. Thirdly To the end the Church may preserve her own purity and holy-state from being defiled with those sins which if suffered may get into other members and corrupt them and it becometh a sin unto the Church in her neglect of duty see the Church of Corinth chap. 5. the Church of Pergamus and the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. all under reproof here upon the neglect of this duty Neither is the Church in general nor the Officers thereof in particular to make Edicts of their own devising and enjoyn them as parts of God's worship and to be observed which are not Apostolically confirmed as to be the will of God nor to Excommunicate any person for not observing the same without defiling their holy state with the guilt of sin for saith Christ unto those persons that stood steadfast in the Apostolical Observations and received not the contrary I will put upon you saith Christ none other burthen but that which ye have already hold fast till I come Rev. 2.24 25. Whence note by the way First That it is the will of Christ that his people should observe that way of Church-constitution Doctrin order of Worship and discipline which was Apostolically confirmed without diminishing ought therefrom until the second coming of Christ Secondly That it is not the will of Christ that any Innovasions or Additions to that order of Worship should be brought in or imposed upon the Consciences of his people but that the Innovators Observers shall bear their sin and in retaining the Observations of the said Innovations do thereby cease from being Catholick or a people universal in the Truth But in case Innovations are brought into the Church and maintained by the power of the Church and imposed upon the Members and some of the Members cannot in Conscience bear them what way may they take to secure themselves from the guilt of sin that attends the Church in the Observations of such Innovations and not sin against God Answer first By contending against them by the rule of truth that if by any means the Church may be convinced of their Evil and if this will not prevail then to answer the call of God and his Counsel therein which is To come forth from among them and be separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you saith the Lord 2 Cor. 6.17 Depart ye depart ye go ye out from thence touch no unclean thing go ye out of the midest of her be ye clean ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord Isa 52.11 Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues Rev. 18.4 The which call of God I do presume was justifiable in Luther and Calvin and other Protestants who for the abominable Innovations of the Roman Church did dissent and separate from her which although she was once a true Church of the Gospel-Constitution and Order as the Apostle Paul in his Epistle giveth Testimony of them calling them Beloved of God and giveth thanks to God that their Faith was spoken of through-out the whole world as in chap. 1.7 8. And I my self saith Paul also am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another chap. 15. 14.
with the Laver of brinish tears and lamenting sorrow yet had not infinite Mercy come in to his help how had he been foyled under the same wherefore admire God's Mercy but presume not upon the same for any allowance to sin for he hath said Rom. 9.15 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy Esau found no place of Repentance although he sought it carefully with tears Heb. 12. Therefore of Sin in time beware If you 'd prevent an after care But Secondly All ye that have begun in the spirit and set your faces Sion-wards O be very cautious and take great heed and be very watchful against sin because as it is of a defiling nature so is it also of a depriving nature Sin in God's people many times deprives them of many comfortable enjoyments which otherwise they might happily enjoy Sin depriveth Angels of their Heaven Man of his Paradice Israel of his Canaan and many a poor soul of the manifestation of God's favour both in temporal and spiritual enjoyments as is evidenced by the word of the Lord in many Testimonies whereof let us consider one testimony Jer. 2.2 Thus saith the Lord concerning Israel I remember thee the kindness of thy Youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown Israel was Holiness to the Lord and the first-fruits of his increase all that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. In which words the Lord puts them in mind of their former kindness and love unto him and their walking with him in that their former state then Israel was holiness unto the Lord and yet in the next verses the Lord is taking up this complaint against them What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity and become vain and in chap. 5. he saith Your sins have with-holden good things from you From which words we may note four particulars First That God's people are very apt to decline from their first degree of holiness obtained in their first Illuminations and Experiences of God They were holiness to the Lord in their first Espousals but now become vain and gone from God the Church of Ephesus was eminent for God but now fallen from her first love Rev. 2. Secondly Note that the people of God are usually most holy and walk most close with God when they have but little of these outward things to depend upon When thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown then Israel was Holiness to the Lord. Thirdly Note that the more close God's people keep to him in the way of Holiness the sooner shall their Adversaries in their enterprises be defeated All that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. Fourthly Note that God's people declining the way of Holiness deprive themselves of comforts very great and not their Enemies but themselves do oft thereby defeat Hos 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good the Enemy shall pursue him But Thirdly by way of Caution As God's people are greatly concerned to take heed and be very cautious of medling with sin because it is of a defiling nature and also of a depriving nature so is it also of a destroying nature Sin suffered in the Creature and not washed out by true Repentance and rich Mercy as aforesaid and especially when entertained with delight O how will it not only stain our Ornaments of Grace and Holiness but also eat up and destroy by degrees like the Moth in the Garment and the Worm in the Nut the very life marrow and quintescence of Christianity or power of Godliness even that love zeal reality and sincerity of heart with all those gifts and spiritual endowments and enjoyments formerly attained until there be nothing left but an out-side form of Godliness if that so that the Creature becometh as to spiritual performances and acts of grace in the life and power thereof but like unto a man whose soul is departing or departed little left but an out-side Carkass and if a little yet but weak in motion as the Holy Ghost doth seem to testify concerning the Estate of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 2. I know thy works saith the Lord Thou hast a name that thou livest but art dead be watchful and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to dye Whence observe here was only a name that is to say an out-side form or shew of Godliness but as for the power of Godliness the very marrow and quintescence of Christianity that was as it were even at the last gasp in a dead or a dying condition and this seemeth to be the state of most in that Church excepting a few names saith the Lord that have not defiled their Garments from whence we are given to understand that the main ground and reason that the life and power of Godliness were thus destroyed in them was their want of watchfulness against sin but suffering it to grow and increase in them either by omision of duties required or committing sins forbidden or both they being allowed and continued without a true Repentance to a Reformation To this doth the Estate of the Churches of Ephesus and Laodicea witness as also many other presidents in holy Scripture the which to run over so large a field my present time and occasions will not permit wherefore let us be very cautious how we meddle with it but watch against it take heed and be ware of it and the occasions thereof whether they be sins of Omission or Commission all sins are of a destructive nature and especially sins against Knowledge and Grace received being allowed and approved of or winked and connived at How plentifully doth the Scripture set forth the destructive nature of sin and particularly those Grandees Infidelity Hypocrisy Heresy Drunkenness and Gluttony prophane Swearing and Blasphemy Whoredom and Adultery Coveteousness and Idolatry Pride Presumption and Oppression and the like The which sins are with many other not only destructive to soul and body gifts and graces but also unto Families and Church-fellowships Cityes and Countrys Kings and Kingdoms as the Scriptures do plentifully evince as saith the Lord by Samuel chap. 12.25 But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both you and your King in which words are intimated as to Israel so to us that if a people do live in such a wicked vicious life as highly to provoke God's Justice against them that then God would consume them with such Judgments as they nor their King should be able to withstand Whence note by the way that men of a wicked vicious Conversation thereby endeavour ruine to their King Nation concerned therefore is the Kings Authority for to suppress such wickedness and grand impiety Secondly Note by the way that men in whom is civil honesty and Godly sincerity are the best Subjects
not only command us to be holy because he is holy but attends upon us with all holy means appertaining to the attainment of an holy state that we in a good improvement of the means according to his Counsel against Sin and Satan and our own Corruptions for the attainment of a holy life we might both Plow in hope and Sow in the hope of Reaping a sure and certain Estate of holiness in its perfection to the great joy and consolation of the Soul in the sweet enjoyments of Communion with the Lord But Thirdly As we may be encouraged in this design by the warrantableness of it God highly approving of it and secondly from the promise of God to assist us in the management of the design So thirdly we may be much encouraged upon the consideration of the faithfulness of him that hath promised assistance to us Know therefore saith Moses that the Lord thy God is God the Faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a thousand Generations Deut. 7.9 This is an excellent encourageing argument and attribute of God to strengthen the courage and confidence of a Christian in his design for the perfecting holiness in the fear of God if a Christian in the management of this design do meet with temptations and oppositions by the Lusts of the flesh the Devil or Wicked men here is a special ground of courage and confidence God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 Should a Christian in his management of this designe be possessed with some fear or jealousie of its own Imperfections and Weaknesses that by reason of the same it shall not attaine unto an estate of Holiness to stand acceptable without blame in the sight of God Here in this Case-consider that God is faithful who hath Called you unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 1.8 9. who will also confirme you unto the End that ye may be blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore thou Christian Soul pressing after the attainment of Holiness consider Gods faithfulness as a remedy against any fears doubts or jealousies that may arise upon the sight or sense of thy own weakness and imperfections hath God also called thee unto the fellowship of his Son to walk with him in his holy Laws and Council contained in his Word striving against Sin for to attain unto an Holy state God hath also called thee unto the fellowship of his Son in the participation of his Righteousness and true Holiness in which Robes he will accept thee as unblameable in his sight Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it 1 Thes 5.24 Therefore press after Holiness but against the defilements of sin depending on Christ for perfection therein who Crowns Saints endeavours and adds to their store his own perfect purity to acceptance evermore Thou hast a few names saith the Lord to the Church of Sardis That have not defiled their Garments It seemeth these few persons did carefully endeavour in the use of the means to keep up and nourish the life and power of Godliness in them so as not to allow themselves in that deadness and sloathfulness that others were found in nor in those false doctrins and opinions that were on foot among others neither in those loose and lacivious practices and abominations of the times but their hearts being real to the Lord and their careful endeavours was to keep themselves undefiled from the sins of the times So the Lord Jesus Christ doth record them here according to their careful endeavours and integrity of their hearts although they might have failings and imperfections without which there is no man on this side the grave yet they being not allowed but endeavoured against the Lord seems to take not any notice thereof nor layeth any thing to their charge on that account for as much as such souls thus consciencious of sin do in the sence of their own imperfections the more humble themselves before the Lord admiring his mercy and judge themselves unworthy of the same Well but what of these few They saith the Lord shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Note here for encouragement in this design for holy attainments two things especially laid down in promise to such First Union with Christ in his white robes of Innocency Righteousness and Holiness in the perfection thereof Christ will cover the failings and imperfections of such souls with his own perfections Secondly Here is Communion with Christ Christ accepts them in Communion with himself They shall walk with me in white Christ puts his perfections upon them as aforesaid and makes them meet-Companions for himself They shall walk with me O what rich grace is this what an encouragement is here to press after such attainments when Christ hath engaged himself to make up our wants with his own fulness our imperfections with his own perfections and thereby make us meet for fellowship with himself They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Note Here Christ seems to attribute a worthiness in them of these priviledges although in all that they have done is but their duty and not deserving at the hand of Christ so great priviledges but such is the gracious goodness of the Lord that he will not let the gift of a cup of cold water Math. 10.42 that is given to one of his Disciples for his sake go unrewarded how much more respects will he freely show towards those that for his sake in love to him do improve his Counsel unto a denial of themselves in all ungodliness and worldly Tit. 2.11 12. Lusts and Vanities to walk with Christ in his Counsel confessing his Name and professing his truth in opposition to Sin the World and the Devil to the management of this design of perfecting holiness in the fear of God to the glory of his Name Yea so doth Christ respect such souls that he confirms his former words with a second Confirmation He that overcometh the same shall be Cloathed with white Rayment and I will not blot his name out of the book of Life but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels Rev. 3.5 O what great encouragements hath the Lord laid before us if we are upon the management of this design for holiness in the way of Christ's Counsel He will Cloath us with his own Robes and keep our names clear in the book of Life and confess our names and bear his Testimony for us before his Father and before his Angels as he also testifyeth Math. 10.32 O behold the faithfulness of God that as he hath commanded us to be holy so hath he graciously promised his assistance to us in our endeavours by his Divine Counsel in his Word
to inform us by his Spirit to enable us his Angels to secure us and by his Son to Crown our weak performances with his own perfections to his gracious acceptation He hath made us accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 Thus having briefly presented three general grounds comprehending many particulars for encouragement to the Christian soul that in love and loyalty to the Lord entereth a design for holy attainments As first The warrantableness of the design God manifesting his approbation of it by his command thereunto Seconddly God's promise of assistance Thirdly His faithfulness in performing of his Promise I shall only present a fourth ground of encouragement which is as followeth A fourth ground of encouragement in this design is The sure reward that is annexed by promise unto those souls that in the way of God do manage a design for the attainment of a holy state unto such souls there is a sure reward as saith the Spirit of God by Solomon The Wicked worketh a deceitful work but to him that soweth Righteousness is a sure reward Prov. 11.18 This Reward is sometimes in Scripture called the Reward of Inheritance as in Col. 3.24 Whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of Inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ also this Inheritance is said to be an Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9.15 and an Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 Sometimes it is called a Kingdom as in Matth. 25.34 and in Luk. 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom a Kingdom that cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 Sometimes in Scripture this Inheritance or Kingdom is called Eternal Life as in Joh. 10.28 My Sheep hear my Voyce and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand See further Matth. 25.46 Rom. 6.23 Quest But where is this Inheritance or Kingdom saith the enquiring soul that I may behold it Answ The Apostle Peter tells us It is reserved in the Heavens for you that are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Note it s by the power of God that ye are kept thereunto the power of God in the operation of his Word and efficacy of his Spirit working in and by the Word therefore love the Word delight therein hold it fast it s the power of God unto Salvation unto every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 Note also it s through faith therefore look well to your faith make not shiprack of faith but keep up faith in its due exercise for ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation The Servants of God of old did behold the promised Inheritance by faith to their great comfort and encouragement as saith the Authour to the Hebrews chap. 11. These all dyed in faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth Moses by faith beheld this recompence of reward and in respect thereunto he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward Quest But when will it be that this promised Inheritance and Reward shall be possessed by the Believer pressing after holiness many have been in the expectation of such a thing indeed but since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.4 Answ The Apostle Peter affirmeth That the Lord is not slack as some men count slackness but is long suffering to usâ— ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 It may be that God hath some people yet to Convert and to add unto his Church that his coming is prolonged But the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness It is enough for us that we have the word of promise made out and confirmed to us by the Eternal and Infinite God to exercise our faith and hope upon and it is our duty to wait upon him in faith and patience for the performance of the same unto us in his time It is his own free gift not our deserts and that he will at last accomplish it to any soul it is infinite mercy to be admired The spirit of God hath signified unto us that it will be performed at the second coming of Christ personally as in Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory whereunto agreeth the words of Paul to the Thessalonians chap. 4.16 17 18. which words are these For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayr and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words and in chap. 5. Comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do vers 11. Whence Note by the way that it is the duty of Christians and the property of souls espoused to Christ so to apply and improve the promise of Christ's second personal coming as to make it a ground of comfort and encouragement one to another of edification in and the observation of all his holy appointments perseveringly Our Saviour Jesus Christ a little before his sufferings being conversant with his Disciples and fore-seeing the sorrow and trouble that would attend them after his departure he for their better support encouragement and comfort under the same leaveth them this Cordial to feed upon Let not your hearts be troubled saith he ye believe in God believe also in me in my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Joh. 14.1 2 3. The Lord hath furnished the holy Scriptures with plenty of provision of this nature as if his faithful Servants were likely to have great need of encouragements support and comfort after his departure by reason of the many
troubles and oppositions the world would raise against them in their faithful obedience unto him so that as the reward of Inheritance is sure and certain to the faithful so the more full accomplishment thereof will at the second coming and glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be performed But of the day and hour knoweth no man saith our Saviour no not the Angels in Heaven but the Father only Matth. 24.36 But as a Thief in the Night will it come suddenly upon all that dwell upon the Earth the which doth invite every soul to a diligent watchfulness in the way of God and a patient waiting in the expectation thereof Matth. 24.42 The Husband-man saith Saint James waiteth with long patience for the precious fruits of the Earth until he receive the former and latter Rain Be ye also Patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Jam. 5.7 Cast not away therefore your cenfidence which hath great recompence of reward for ye had need of Patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise for he that shall come will come and will not tarry now the Just shall live by Faith c. Heb. 10.35 36 37. Saint John saith he saw under the Alter the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and the Testimony that they held crying how long Lord wilt thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth and white Robes were given to every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest for a little season until their fellow Servants also and their Brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Rev. 6.9 10. It may be the Lord hath some of his Servants yet to suffer for his sake that his comeing is yet prolonged And white Robes were given them and it was said that they must rest for a little season c. whence Note first That Innocent blood cryeth for the hastening of Christ's coming to judge and revenge its cause against its Persecutors and the Lord will assuredly in due time answer the cryes thereof Secondly Note That Christ's Perfection with the Reward of Salvation being sealed and assured to a Soul by the influences and opperations of the spirit of Christ as a pledge of the Fathers love and special favour should be unto every such soul of an inducing nature to move and draw forth the soul to exercise faith and patience to wait upon the Lord with a dependency upon him to plead its cause and to revenge its wrongs and to perform the accomplishment of all his promises in his own time he that believeth maketh not hast he waiteth God's time as the best time Wherefore considering that the management of a design for holy attainments is attended with such encouragements as God's Approbation and Command and his promise of assistance in the way of attainment and his crowning our endeavours with perfection in his Son and with a Reward of an Eternal Inheritance to be fully possessed by the holy people the Saints of the most high God at the second coming of Christ personally bringing his reward with him therefore Beloved Building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life Jude v. 20. CHAP. XII Containing a Use of Comfort and Consolation unto those persons that are industrious in the management of a design for holy attainments in the way of God's Counsel CHristian Friends having related something in the former Chapter concerning a Reward of Inheritance or Kingdom to be possessed by the holy people at the second comeing of Jesus Christ personally as a matter or ground of encouragement unto Holiness so for a ground of Consolation I would put into consideration something of the priviledges the heirs of this Inheritance shall possess in the possession thereof But I must confess that my capacity is too narrow to comprehend and tongues of Men and Angels too short to declare the excellencies of those priviledges in the latitude thereof But when we shall come to experience the priviledges of that Inheritance by a full possession thereof in the glorious presence of the Majesty of the Eternal Deity in the Heavenly Mansions we may with admiration say as the Queen of Sheba concerning Solomons Wisdom and Magnificence that the one half had not been declared to us And as the Queen of Sheba was by the report she had heard drawn forth to make an experiment of Solomons Magnificence by putting her self upon a Journey to his Court So hoping that some souls may be provoked to put forth it self upon a journey towards the Heavenly Court in the paths of Holiness upon the report of the excellent priviledges thereof to an experiencing of the Magnificence of the same although not the one half be declared Consider with me these few particulars as privilegdes appertaining to the heirs of the aforesaid Inheritance or Kingdom to be experienced by a perfect possession at the second coming of Christ personally The first general priviledge including many particulars we shall consider to consist in that excellent and glorious change of the body which at that day shall be effected in the Resurrection thereof with a uniting of body and spirit in which glorious change the body will be Immortal no more subject unto death a spiritual body no more subject to hunher thurst cold sickness nor any putrifaction whatsoever an Incorruptible body no more subject to sin temptations sorrow fears tears nor terrors neither from the apprehensions of any oppression by man nor any displeasure of Almighty God but a glorious body altogether capable of beholding the glorious Essence beautifical presence of the glorious Majesty of the Lord which excelleth the beholding with a mortal eye for evidences hereunto see 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 7.16 Rev. 21.4 Our Conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.20 21. We know saith Saint John that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now we know in part but then shall we know as we are known 1 Cor 13.12 He that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure O thou that art in the management of a design for Holy Attainments here is a ground of comfort encouragement and consolation to thy soul although men may kill this vile body and cut thee off in the way they cannot deprive thee of thy end thou shalt be raised again a glorious body like unto him who is able to subdue all things unto
Purchased with his own blood unto himself and his Fellow-heirs to possess Eternal Glory with himself unto whom every wrong done he taketh as done unto himself Act. 9.4 5. and Recordeth it every Tear by them shed through their Oppression he bottleth up for a Witness against the Oppressor in the day of his Vengeance Psal 56.8 when he maketh Inquisition for blood he remembreth them then will he not only take account of actions done against his people but also of the omission of that good they might have done unto them and should have ministered to them in the day of their distress In as much as ye have not done it to one of the least of these ye have done it unto me Matth. 25. See this Omission is rewarded with go ye Cursed with what reward then will the Act of Oppression be rewarded the Lord hath spoken he will also bring to pass the Lord will perform and none shall hinder his proceedings Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth Luk. 18.8 True Faith in Christ works by Love to Christ a stability in the way of Christ the which by the words of Christ is likely to be very rare and scarce to be found among the Sons and Daughters of men in the latter days immediatly before his coming unto which the Apostles in their holy writings do bear their Testimonies Therefore when ye shall see but little true Faith on Earth as it were but here and there a man or a few that are stedfast in the Profession of Christ as the truth is in Jesus according to the primitive Institution and Law of Love but great instability in ways of worships turning and twisting soon this way and soon that way and but few performing obedience as to the Lord by the rule of God's Word and when ye shall see the Iniquity of prophaneness in actions and erronious opinions to abound Mat. 24.11 12 23 24. and the love of many to wax cold and actions of Charity to be almost grown out of use scarce here and there a man acting in the principle of true love to Christ in obedience to him neither towards God in his worship nor the Neighbour in civil Curtesies but almost all carryed on by a self-ended principle of self-love in their actions 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. all which are evidences of want of true faith then lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh then behold the Judge standing at the door as it were ready to plead your Cause and to revenge your wrongs and to give you a full and free Possession of his glorious Kingdom He that shall come will come and will not tarry even so come Lord Jesus Now the Just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him saith the Lord Heb. â—0 37 38. 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore as the Apostle Peter teacheth Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all points tempted even as we are yet without sin Heb. 4.15 for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succor them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 O let every one of us in this our present Pilgrimage endeavour to have the word of Christ dwelling richly in our hearts and Heavens glory in our eye and let us run with patience the holy Race for holy Attainments considering that holiness is an Ornament ever becoming the people of God to be found therein is a matter of great concernment First Because therein God's people do most resemble the Image of God their Heavenly Father and Christ their Redeemer Secondly Because thereunto they were Elected in Christ from Eternity Thirdly Because thereunto they are called with an holy calling Fourthly Because thereunto they are enjoyned by special Command Fifthly Because holiness is a beautiful Ornament well becoming a Christian and Christianity Sixthly Because God's people are a people to whom precious promises appertain Seaventhly Because holiness is an excellent Ornament is respect of its duration the more made use of and improved the more comely and perfect it is Eighthly Because there is a great necessity of it for without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Ninethly Because there is a sure Attainment of a holy state in pressing after it in the way of God Tenthly Because thereunto is anexed a sure reward of an Eternal Inheritance Eleventhly Because holiness puts a Soul in a capacity to see the Lord and to enjoy Union and Communion with him in a state of glory to its Eternal Consolation Twelfth Because negligence and carelesness in improving the means appointed of God for holy Attainments puts a Soul in a capacity of possessing God's great displeasure under his Eternal wrath Wherefore dearly Beloved having an holy God that requires holiness in us and holy Services to be performed by us in the way of his own holy appointments to the glory of his Name and he having made out unto us such great and precious Promises in the same Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God always considering that holiness is an Ornament well becoming the House of God his people for ever to be found therein is a matter of great concernment and so with that Exhortation 1 Sam. 12 24. I shall conclude Only fear the Lord and serve him in Truth with all your heart for consider how great things the Lord hath done for you A GLASS FOR THE UNREGENERATE TO BEHOLD Their Heart-Conceptions OR A brief discourse tending to the Discovery and Removal of some grand Obstructions to Spiritual Health and Heavens Attainments with some Directions and Motives necessary thereunto By JOSIAS BONHAM of Byfield in Northamptonshier And Judah said the strength of the Bearers of Burthens is decayed and there is much Rubbish so that we are not able to build the Wall Neh. 4.10 Printed in the Year 1674. A Glass for the Unregenerate to behold their Heart-Conceptions WHen Honest-hearted Nehemiah had tidings of the decays and breaches made upon Jerusalem that the Walls were broken down and the Gates burnt with fire and the Inhabitants Captivated by their Enemy he so lays it to heart as to become sencible of Jerusalems condition and in the sence thereof he mourns with tears he fasts from food he humbles himself and intercedes with God by Prayer on Jerusalems behalf Yea the sadness of his Countenance did demonstrate the sorrow of his Heart to over-weigh all the honours profits and pleasures that he did possess in King Artaxerxes Court Yea so did he prise Jerusalem and
commiserate the condition of the same that he must leave his King and his Office in the Court with all the honours profits and pleasures thereof to visit his Brethren and to repair the decays and make up the breaches with endeavours to set Jerusalem in her former state or primitive beauty unto which work he thought not much to set his hand his heart his all for to compleat the same And canst not thou O Unregenerate heart be wrought upon to a sensibility of thy own Estate by all the tydings brought home unto thine ears by the infallible word of Truth and Ministry thereof informing thee of the sad decays and breaches made upon thy precious Soul by sin and Satan the grand Enemies of man-kind Hast thou not heard that thy Walls of Security and Ornaments of Beauty are much decayed and many breaches made therein that is to say thy beautiful state of Righteousness and true Holiness in which man was at first Created in which man did God's Image bare and unto which Estate God did vouchsafe his Presence for security of thy self thy Peace thy Comfort and Consolation And hast thou not heard how by the Enemy all the faculties of thy Soul and members of thy Body are Captivated under the dominion of Sin and Satan A sad servitude unto thy Eternal desolation except a supernatural means timely applyed and carefully improved to effect a Restoration to thy primitive Estate And hast thou not heard that a Supernatural King hath granted and given forth a supernatural means compounded with Divine Love and Pitty to thy poor distressed Soul and Captivated state together with an order sealed with his own Signet for liberty to improve the means unto the aforesaid end with directions in the same and calls thereto And canst thou with those by the Holy Ghost Recorded Amos 6. Chant to the sound of the Viol and invent to thy self Instruments of Musick drink Wine in Bowls and solace thy self in worldly Vanities and not lay to heart the sad condition of Joseph of Jerusalem of thy poor Soul and Body in their Captivated state plundred of all their chiefest good O that thou wouldst act Nehemiahs part which is thy great concernment to lay to heart thy Condition so as to become sensible of thy Estate wherein thou standest and in the sence thereof to go unto God and humble thy self before him with Chastisements by Fasting and Tears of Mourning and lay thy Cause before the Lord with supplications in the name of Christ on thy Jerusalems thy precious Souls behalf and in order to thy sensibility hereunto and the quickening of thy motion herein Consider the words of Christ to the unprofitable Servant thou oughtest to have put my money to the Exchangers As if he should have said thou oughtest to exercise those noble faculties of Rationality and Memory that God hath bestowed on thee by a due Consideration and serious Meditation in the Word So now may I say to thee as God hath bestowed upon thee those noble faculties of Rationality and Memory wouldest thou exercise them in the Word of God by a due Consideration and serious Meditation and in those Ballances weigh the Adorning Ornaments of Righteousness and Holiness and the benefits and priviledges thereunto appertaining against the deformed habit of Ungodliness and the sad slavery thraldom and wrath that attends thereon and weigh well the value of thy precious Soul by the price laid down for its Redemption against the value of those sinful Vanities that procure thy Souls Condemnation and Christs Love and Faithfulness against Sin and Satans Deceitfulness then happily thou mightest obtain a sence of thy condition as thou standest in thy Unregenerate and Barren state and see that it is time for thee to seek the Lord and to break up thy fallow ground and to Sow in Righteousness in hope to Reap in Mercy see Hos 10.12 and to wait upon God in the use of God's appointed means until he rain the dews of Grace and Righteousness upon thee When Nehemiah came to Jerusalem Neh. 4.10 to view the decays and breaches therein made he found there much Rabbish the which must in wisdom first be removed and cleansed away otherwise the Rubbish would obstruct the work and cause it soon for to decay and fall again And although this obstructive Rubbish was so very much that it required many hands and heavy burthens with much difficulty and industry to remove and clear away yet this Obstruction must first be done away otherwise it would deceive their work and cause their labour to be in vain Now wouldest thou in the sence of thy decayed and falne state act Nehemiahs part in the use of the means appointed thereunto to be a Renewer or Repairer of those decays and breaches in thee made by the Enemy of thy Prosperity Peace and Happiness then thou must with Nehemiah wisely seek God's assistance and set thy self with all diligence to remove the Rubbish those corrupt Lusts and Sins that lye as grand obstructions in the way to our Attainments in the work of our Reparations and Restoration of our first Estate in Holiness and Righteousness true Peace and Happiness Wherefore in order to our better discovery and sensibility of those grand obstructions prejudicial to the work and for our better inducement to improve our utmost abilities with all diligence to a removal thereof that our atchievements may be the more prosperous and effectual Consider with me the ensuing discourse raised upon these following words written Prov. 30.15 The Horseleach hath two Daughters crying Give Give Prov. 30.15 AS all Scripture was given by Inspiration and is profitable and whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our Learning so doubtless this small part or portion of holy Scripture afore-mentioned hath something in it of profit and use to the Sons of men in the right Application of it Should we consider the words by way of division we may therein observe three parts First A subject bearing the denomination of a Horseleach Secondly A second part relating to the Horseleach as conceived and brought forth by her demonstrated by the denomination of her Daughters Thirdly A third particular observable is their qualifications or natural properties demonstrated in these words Crying Give Give Should we consider the words by way of Explication it will not be unnecessary in the first place to consider that it is often-times the method of the Holy Ghost in Scripture-Record by way of similitude or parable to illustrate the natural properties of one thing by the name of another thing of the same nature as for instance The Spirit of God by the Prophet Zephaniah illustrateth or setteth forth the natural properties and dispositions of Jerusalems Rulers in respect of their Oppressions and Cruelties imposed upon the people under their jurisdiction by the names of Lyons and Wolves Her Princes within her saith he are roaring Lyons her Judges are Evening Woolves they gnaw not the bones till the morrow Zeph. 3.3 So
stand in their Unregenerate state demonstrated by these four Reasons First They bare her Name Secondly They bare her nature Thirdly By their subjection to her Law Fourthly by their Conjunction with the world and self-renouncing God and his Covenant as not having any true love or desire thereunto and that by the influence of Corruption whereby they are brought forth into that Estate The Inference drawn from the words thus considered is briefly thus That Corruption hath brought forth a separation of the Creatures affections from God and joyned them in a Conjunction with Self and the World in which Estate the Creatures affections are very insatiable and greedy after Self and the Worlds interest by which conjunction God is dishonoured and every faculty and member of soul and body enslaved in such servil motions and actions as may promote the said interest in order to the satisfying of these greedy Worms until by their continual instigations of Give Give they have drained out of the poor soul all its spiritual blood or life of God and power of Godliness to its eternal ruine except a supernatural means be timely applyed and effectually improved for the reducing the said affections unto their first Estate Now for proof of this inference here asserted I think there needeth no further Testimony then what is contained in the explication of the words especially if Doctor Woful experience his evidence may be heard and credited by you yet for order-sake and lest I should be thought wanting in the case of evidence I would produce some further evidences that will give in their Testimonies to the separation and conjunction aforesaid as first Those many Testimonies of God in Scripture whereby God calls to the Sons of men to return unto him O Israel return to the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thy Iniquity Hos 14.1 Secondly Gods Expostulation with man about his Apostacy thus saith the Lord What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity Jer. 2.5 See Ezek. 18.23 32. Thirdly Those many Exhortations the Lord hath laid before us in his word Set your affections on things that are above not on things on Earth Col. 3.2 Love not the World if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Yea the Lord calls for self-denyal and crucifying of the world to mortifie every member of the body of sin and to set our love and delight in him and that with all our hearts and soul and strength all which do imply and hold forth their evidences in witness of the aforesaid Conjunction Fourthly I would add one Testimony more among many that might be produced and that is the multiplication of that Succession or natural Generation that is conceived and brought forth by vertue of the aforesaid Conjunction of those Horse-leach Daughters corrupt affections in affinity with Self and the World as the off-springs thereof And for brevity sake I shall only name some few of this off-spring and leave the rest to Doctor Woful's experience his evidence to evince one part of the generation conceiv'd and brought forth by the said Conjunction is Pride Envy Mallice Hypocrisie Infidelity and Sloth in God's Service and Voluptuousness These as a part of that Brood and Generation of the Horseleach and her Daughters in affinity with Self and the World are by their influence conceived and nourished up in the heart of Unregenerate man where the said conjunction hath dominion These do evidently demonstrate themselves to be of that race by their natural qualities and language insatiable greedy Worms alaways crying Give Give as for Pride that is an insatiable greedy Worm of an aspiring nature insatiable and greedy after self-honour and the worlds applause It looks high and lofty as if it was one by whose influence that generation was steered by which Agur speaketh of Prov. 30.13 There is a generation saith Agur O how lofty are their Eyes and their eye-lids are lifted up Agur here seemeth as not able to express the Latitude of the aspiring nature of Pride and those whose course is steered thereby but stands in admiration at it as if by the influence of Pride those Creatures in whose heart it is predominant were carryed up into that airy Region with that Prince spoken of Ephes 2.2 as Retainers to his Court. But into the third Heavens where Christ sitteth at the Right Hand of God they have no inspection for saith the Spirit of God by the Prophet David The Wicked through the Pride of his Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10.4 Whence Note that Pride by its influence doth work the thoughts of God and his ways out of the minds of those in whose hearts it is predominant Yea This Brat bred and nourished in the heart of Unregenerate man by those Horseleach Daughters Unsanctified love and Carnal desire through their affinity with Self and the World doth not only plunder a soul of its thoughts of God but also of the qualifications of Humility Penitency Charity and all the peaceable habits of true Humanity as considered in its first estate Yea like a greedy heart-Worm it devours and eateth up the very bowels of tender Pitty and Compassion and Commiseration and yet like one of Pharoahs lean Kine is never the better This Brat is still crying Give Give always moving the Creature to satisfie its greedy Appetite in order whereunto the Creature must improve its Time and Opportunities Pains Labours and Meditations Considerations Moneys Lands Livings Lordships yea all must be improved and dedicated to the satisfying of this Brat in beautifying the Face powdering the Hair new fashions in Apparel sumptious Buildings delicious Fair places of Honour and worldly Preferments and honourable Greetings and to be called Rabbi Rabbi Mean while God and the power of Godliness and the souls happiness is little considered Yea where Pride is predominant in the heart and unsanctified love and carnal desire joyning therewith produceth very sad and dangerous effects to the Creature for it maketh Angels to become Devils and Men to become Slaves to their Lusts Enemies to God Persecutors of the Godly and themselves Subjects of Perdition The Wicked in his Pride doth Persecute the Poor Psal 10.2 It seems this greedy heart-Worm of the Horseleach brood is a great mover to and stirrer up of Contention so saith Solomon Only by Pride cometh Contention Prov. 13.10 Another greedy heart-Worm of the Horseleach-race and her Daughters is called Envy this is a bloody Brat as greedy after blood as the Horseleach and her Daughters by whose influence it is in mans heart conceived This Envy seems to be of a nature cruel and blood-thirsty of Countenance fierce and grim yea this Brat looks as if it would devour all the interest of God and Godliness with the Profession and Professors thereof Those persons whose course is steered by the influence of Envy through
unexpressible by the tongue of Men or Angels whereby Faith is the more confirmed and hope revived patience the more perfected the affections the more enflamed with desires and holy longings after further communion and fellowship with Christ whence these streams of living waters flow Stay me with Flagons saith the Espoused Soul For I am sick of Love Cant 2.5 chap. 8.6 chap. 2.14 chap. 5.16 chap. 1.2 Set me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thine arm Let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy Voyce for sweet is thy Voyce and thy Countenance is comely he is altogether lovely Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better than Wine Thy Name is as oyntment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee And hence it is that Paul so highly esteemeth the knowledge of Christ as the most excellent of all knowledge and his Being in Christ the most excellent Being There he might drink his fill of the River of the most excellent pleasures even the pleasures of God and the joy of the Saints And therefore if ever we would overcome our corruptions and break off our affections from self and the world if ever we would have our hearts cleansed of sin and furnished with the qualifications of grace and evidences of assurance of eternal life then let us run the race that is set before us improving the means given out unto us looking to Jesus that spiritual Rock in whom all the the springs of free grace is centured and from whom all the streams thereof do flow unto Believers for their comfort support strengthening refreshing and confirming of them in the assurance of a possession in the promised Inheritance and weight of glory far exceeding all the glory of this present world If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drink Thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Joh. 4.10 Motive the Sixth A sixth Motive and encouragement to a careful improvement of the aforesaid means against the aforesaid distempers may arise from the consideration of our sad estate whilst we are slaves unto those corrupt Lusts what heart so hard as will not a little commiserate the condition of such as are in captivity and slavery under the dominion of the Turks What poverty and want what hard service and cruel bondage such under-goe we have had related to us O what would such poor slaves give if they had it to be freed from such a bondage that they might enjoy the liberty and plenty of their Fathers house O how welcome would a Ransom be to such how readily would they accept thereof And shall not we consider and commiserate the sad estate of our selves whilst we are in bondage and slavery under the dominion of sin the Horseleach and her Brood Corrupt Lusts which war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 and force the Creature to run and go at every beck wait all opportunities and improve all means to satisfie the greedy appetites of carnal desire and unsanctified love to self and the world whilst the poor soul is faint to feed on Husks and pine and starve for want of food and bread enough in the Fathers house and a Ransom given for liberty thereunto and invitations to partake thereof and acceptation promised upon return and the poor carnal is so blinded with the God of this world and so enslaved to its Lusts through that contract between the affections and self and the world That although there be a price put in the hand to get Wisdom as Solomon saith yet he hath no heart thereunto Motive the Seaventh Seaventhly We may be moved and encouraged to a careful improvement of the means aforesaid in order to a Cure of our aforesaid disease by the due consideration of that eternal woful misery that this slavery to our Lusts will bring upon us if the aforesaid conjunction be not timely broken and the heart cleansed of the lusts therein conceived through that contract when God shall say unto us Go unto the Gods your Lusts whom ye have served Remember now in Youth and Age Thy sinful Lusts to mortifie For they sad Evils do presage To those that to them live and in them dye and let them deliver you then shall they call upon me saith the Lord but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me for that they hated knowledg and did not chose the fear of the Lord they would none of my Counsel they despised all my reproofs therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own doings the turning away of the simple shal slay them And as the Apostle Paul affirmeth 2 Thes 8 9. The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power O sad slavery and servitude that bring-forth such sad effects To be Slaves to the Turks is but a temporal slavery of the body for a short time but the slavery to the lusts of Corruption tendeth to eternal wo and misery if not timely prevented Wherefore as ye have yeilded your Members servants to your Lusts unto Iniquity so now yeild your selves Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness For whilst ye are the Servants of sin ye are free from Righteousness and the end thereof is death Rom. 6.19 20 21 22. Motive the Eighth The eighth Motive to the aforesaid work may be the consideration of the little time we have in this life to mortifie our Corruptions and subdue our Lusts and crucifie the world and to deny self and so follow Christ in the way of his Commandements in holy sanctity to the glory of the Father and honour of the Son and edification and comfort and encouragement of his people and to get a stock of grace to help us in a time of Need. When our time is over our opportunities cease and therefore as Solomon faith Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do i. e. in answer to the will of God Do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccle. 9.10 Therefore saith the Holy Ghost To day if ye will hear his voyce harden not your hearts that is neglect not the time reject not the means while they are afforded for time and means will not always attend upon us as saith the Holy Ghost Now is the acceptable time now is the day of Salvation i. e. now Christ with Salvation in him is freely tendred now the voyce of Christ in the Gospel is clearly demonstrated and the true light now shineth with the bright and beautiful beams of the Son of Righteousness now Christ waits upon us in the dispensation of his precious
esteem with the Lord. But happily some soul may question in it self if not of some other saying what is Charity that is of such concernment I Answer briefly That Charity is a real affectionate love to the Lord and all actions by the Creature performed in this principle of love to the Lord may be deemed actions of Charity or Charitable actions as when the Creature is drawn forth to do that which is the manifest will of the Lord by the powerful influence of real affectionate love unto the Lord then the Creatures end and aime and drift and scope in all its actions will be honour praise and glory to the Lord the object of its love Yea by this principle of love to the Lord the Creature is drawn forth with endeavours to vindicate promote and with high esteem prefer the name of the Lord the interest of his truth and people for the Lords sake above all other things But why is this love to the Lord called Charity and those actions arising from thence acts of Charity and not that love in the Creature that is fixed upon other objects here below as self and the world which you have so much condemned in this your former discourse This love to the Lord may be called Charity First From the purity of its original from whence it doth arise which is the pure eternal free and undeserved love of God in Christ the which by its influence and operation upon the heart doth work up the Creatures affections into its own nature to love the Lord and all his interest for his sake and to demonstrate this love unto the Lord as occasions do offer themselves and ability doth afford and so Saint John lays the original cause of mans love to God to be Gods love first made out to man We love him saith John because he loved us first Secondly It may be called Charity upon the consideration of the purity of the object upon whom it fixeth its respects Thirdly It may be called Charity to distinguish the excellency of this love from and above all love fixed upon other objects Fourthly It may be called Charity in consideration of the purity and excellency of the natural properties of it which it worketh in those hearts where it doth reside as saith the Apostle Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envieth not Charity vaunteth not it self it is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in Iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Fifthly There is no love but is failable except this of Charity and Charity never faileth and therefore Charity Sixthly There is no love hath a reward like this of Charity for Charity hath an eternal reward in Glory annext unto it So that when the Creatures actions do flow from this inward principle of real love to the Lord and therewith compounded they become actions of Charity and of high acceptation with the Lord But when this ingredience is wanting neither person nor performance is approved of the Lord as faith the Lord by the Prophet Zachariah unto Israel of old When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seaventh moneth even those seaventy years did ye at all fast unto me even unto me and when ye did eat and when ye did drink did not ye eat for your selves and drink for your selves And what 's the reason that their meat-offerings drink-offerings their fastings and mournings their solemn meetings and religious services found not acceptance with the Lord Surely their hearts were destitute of Charity there wanted this compound of a real love to the Lord and a real desire to promote the interest of his truth in the power and purity of it to the glory of his Name and to be an example to others thereunto But contrarily all their performances were rather dedicated to carnal self and worldly interests with whom the Horseleach Daughters their corrupt affections were joyned in affinity and therefore all was nothing in the Lords esteem Many shall come to me saith Christ in that day saying Lord Lord open unto us have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wondrous works Then will I profess unto them I know them not Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Wherefore consider When as self-ends and wordly interests become Our wheele of motion in Religion Our reward from God then is like to be Rejection from his presence in Eternity Motive the Fourteenth or a Use of Encouragement We may be further moved and encouraged to a careful use and improvement of the aforesaid means against the Horse-leach and her Daughters and their Brood for the destroying of those heart-worms by the recommendation and experimental testimonies of the faithful in all ages commending to us this means the streams of free grace in Christ Jesus flowing from the fountain of the Eternal Love of the Father the Lord Jesus Christ in the days of his Pilgrimage here upon the Earth did thereby preserve his heart from Corruption by drinking of these waters of this fountain as it is written of him Psal 110. ver 7. He shall drink of the Brook in the way therefore shall he lift up his Head The streams of Gods free grace flowing from the fountain of his Eternal Love is that Aqua-vitae water of Life that hath a powerful vertue in it to do the work if rightly applyed David having tasted a cup or two thereof is drawn forth into admiration of it with these expressions How excellent is thy loving kindness to God! Therefore the Children of men put their trust in the shadow of thy wings They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of life in thy light we shall see light Psal 36.7 8 9. The Fathers of old saith the Apostle Paul did all drink of the same spiritual drink for they drank of that Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 Sweet are those streams of living waters sure That 's sweetened with Love divine and pure That streams to us in Christ the rock of age 'T is life eternal that this love presages Hereby Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the faithful cleansed their hearts of self and the world and kept up their affections to God so as to make the will of God their ground of action and the glory of God their end in the same to the denial of self and the world in the lusts and vanities thereof choosing rather to suffer affliction then to disobey the will of God or to infringe his glory It is said of Moses that he refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter and denyed himself of all the Honours Treasures and Pleasures of Pharoahs Court choosing rather
Service that is due unto him and our Souls want that nourishment that is of its greatest concernment and our Children want that Soul-Education that is their right and due from us to be performed to them and the poor and needy eyes want that refreshing that of right by God's requirement and the bond of Nature and the bond of Charity we ought to communicate unto them There is that scattereth saith Solomon and yet increaseth and there is that with-holdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to Poverty The liberal Soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Prov. 11.24 25. The merciful man doth good to his own Soul but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh Prov. 11.17 The sence of these words is made out and confirmed by the Apostle Paul to Timothy 1 Epist 6.17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal life verse 19. O consider ye that have the world chief in your hearts that sins of Omission are condemning sins as well as sins of Commission See Matth. 25. where you have a large description of several under the sentence of Condemnation only charged with Omissions as the foolish Virgins for omitting the time and season for providing themselves of Oyle and the sloathful Servant that improved not his Talent to the advantage of his Lord and the hard-hearted and close-handed that did not visit relieve and shew mercy unto the poor distressed and oppressed Members of Jesus Christ Wherefore consider and Sow to your selves in Righteousness that you may Reap in Mercy break up the fallow ground of your hearts for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain Righteousness upon you Hos 10.12 Thirdly A word to the more knowing and seeming Religious yet acting the qualifications of the Old Man Is Holiness of such concernment as before considered and the way of its Attainment is by putting on of Christ in his offices qualifications and example of walking It may administer a word of Reprehension and Admonition unto those of us in particular and also all persons that have attained a great measure of knowledge in the Doctrin of Christ yea in the foundation-principles of Christianity and yet do not persevere to the putting on of Christ in his qualifications of grace and example of walking to the Crucifying of the qualifications of the Old Man O how doth Pride abound in many knowing people whose knowledge should teach them humility how many Professors even men of great knowledge do suffer their desires to run on in an immoderate pursuit after the riches and honours of this world whose knowledge should lead them to covet earnestly the best gifts O how is self-love and self-endedness abounding in this Generation and that among knowing persons whose knowledge should lead them to deny themselves more in worldly things to follow Christ in the way of holiness but as if those words of Paul were made good in our days Phil. 2.21 All seek their own not the things of Jesus Christs O how doth that old deformed qualification of the Old Man even Envy Hatred and Malice shew it self unmortified among many knowing people bearing the denomination of Christians only upon the account of some differing opinions about ceremonial circumstances or it may be some difference in Judgment in the manner of Church-constitution or observation of Ordinances or order of Discipline to the exposing one another unto the devouring jaws of Cruelty by Imprisonment loss of Estate and Life for not conforming the one to the other in an outward conformity although in judgment and conscience there is no union as experience doth manifest in the dealings of the Papists with the Protestants and the Protestants one towards another in the case of non-conforming outwardly in religious worship in those things that in judgment and conscience they cannot act Faith in as to be agreeable to the will of God whereas if Christians in name would be Christians in nature and act one towards another in the qualifications of Christ if difference in judgment should cause a dividing in the matter of assembling in religious worship for conscience-sake yet Ephraim need no more envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim but each enjoy his own priviledges and liberty of Conscience in Religious Worship without any more hailing into Captivity or complaining in our streets by reason of the tender Conscience being oppressed Obj. But we are commanded to contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints the more because of certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation Vngodly men turning the grace of God into Laciviousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Jude 1.4 Ans First We are to consider the persons concerned in the duty of contending to be Christians called into a Church Assembly in the faith and order of the Gospel Secondly For what they should contend and that is said to be for the Faith once delivered to the Saints or the Doctrine of the Gospel and the observation thereof accordingly Thirdly With whom they should contend and those are gain-sayers of corrupt principles and gain-sayers of corrupt practices Fourthly The manner of the mannagement of this contention also is considerable and that is two-fold as 1. Respecting persons without the Church as not being Church-members 2ly Persons within the Church as Church-members As to persons without there is no way of contending with them to bring them into an imbracement of the Gospel and Church-membership thereby but the management of the word of God unto them and the example of a Godly life and if they will not be won thereby there is no other forceable means upon Gospel-record approved that the Church of Christ should by temporal penalties force them into Church-membership before through Faith in Christ they are made willing thereunto for temporal penalties may force the body into a way of worship but they cannot force the spirit and God requireth no such worship for the time is come saith Christ that they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Joh. 4.23 24. And Paul asserteth his remembrance of the believing Romans in his Prayers with this testimony God is my witness saith he whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing c. Note here Pauls Spirit and Gospel-truth are joyned together in the worship of the Father such the Father seeks to worship him Now Club-law cannot beat these two together although laid on by human might and power As saith the Lord