DIVINE MEDITATIONS AND HOLY CONTEMPLATIONS BY That reverend Divine R. Sibbes D. D. Master of Catherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Grayes Inne LONDON LONDON Printed for Iohn Crooke and Richard Sergier in Pauâ— Churâ— yard 1638 DIVINE MEDITATIONS AND HOLY CONTEMPLATIONS BY That reverend Divine R. Sibbes D. D. Master of Catherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Grayes Inne in LONDON LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes for Iohn Crooke and Richard Sergier and are to be sold at the signe of the Gray-hound in Pauls Church-yard 1638. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER COurteous Reader thou hast here Meditation upon Meditation offered to thy consideration as a helpe to thee when thou art privately alone As sweete spices yeeld small savour untill they are beaten to powder so the wonderfull workes of God are either not at all or very slightly smelt in the nostrils of man who is of a dull sense unlesse they be rubbed and chased in the minde through a fervent affection and singled out with a particuler view like them which tell money who looke not confusedly at the whole heape but at the valew of every parcell So then a true Christian must endeavour himselfe to deliver not in grosse but by retaile the millions of Gods mercy to his soule in secret thoughts chewing the cud of every Circumstance with continuall Contemplation And as a thriftie Gardi ner which is loath to see one Rose leafe to fall from the stalke without stilling so the Christian soule is unwilling to passe or to stifle the beds of spices in the Garden of Christ without gathering some fruit Cant. 6. which containe a mystery and hidden vertue and our Champhire clusters in the Vineyards of Engedie Cant. 1. must bere solved into droppes by the Still of Meditation or else they may be noted for weedes in the Herball of men which hath his full of all kindes but some are slightly passed over as the watery herbes of vanity which grow on every wall of carnall mens hearts and yeeldbut a slight taste how good the Lord is or should be to their soules It therefore behoveth us first to mind the tokens of his mercy and love and afterwards for the helping os our weake digestion to champe and chew by an often revolution every part and parcell thereof before we let it downe into our stomackes that by that meanes it may effectually nourish every veine and living artery of our soule and fill them full with the pure blood of Christs body the least drop wherof refresheth chereth the soule and body of him which is in a swound through his sinne and maketh him apt to walke and talke as one who is now living in Christ. By this sweete Meditation the soule taketh the key where all her evidences lie and peruses the bills and articles of Covenant agreed and condescended unto betweene God and man there shee seeth the great grant and pardon of her sins subscribed unto by God himselfe and sealed with the blood of Christ. There hee beholdeth his unspeakable mercy to a prisoner condemned to die without which at the last in a desperate case he is led and haled unto execution by the cursed crue of hellish furies Here she learneth how the holy land is intailed and retaileth by discourse the descent from Adam unto Abraham his son Isaac and so forward unto all the seede of the faithfull by Meditation the soule prieth into the soule and wit ha reciprocall judgement examineth her selfe and every faculty thereof what she hath what shee wanteth where she dwelleth where she removeth and where shee shall be By this shee feeleth the pulses of Gods Spirit beating in her the suggestions of Sathan the corruptions of her owne affections who like a cruell steppe-Dame mingleth poysons and pestilent things to murther the Spirit to repell every good motion and to be in the end the lamentable ruine of the whole man Here she standeth as it were with Saul upon the mountaines beholding the combat betweene David and Goliah botweene the Spirit and the uncircumcised raging of the Flesh the stratagems of Sathan the bootlesse attempts of the world Here appeare her owne infirmities her relapses into sinne her selfe astoned by the buffets of Sathan her Fort shrewdly battered by carnall and fleshly lusts her Colours and prosession darkened and dimmed through the smoke of affliction her faith hidden because of such massacres and and treasons her hope banished with her mistrust her selfe ho vering ready to take flight from the sinceritie of her profession Here she may discerne as from the toppe of a Mast an armie comming whose Captaine is the Spirit garded with all his graces the bloody armes of Christ by him displaied the Trum. pets sound Sathan vanquished the world conquered the flesh subdued the soule recvived profession bettered and each thing restored to his former integritie The consideration hereof made Isaac goe meditating in the evening Gen. 24. This caused Hezekiah to mourne like a Dove and chatter like a Pye in his heart in deepe silence Esa. 58. This forced David to meditate in the morning nay all the day long Psal. 63. and 119. 148. ver as also by night in secret thoughts Psal. 16. This caused Paul to give Timothy this lesson to meditate 1 Tim. 4. And God himselfe commanded Ioshua when hee was elected Governor that hee should meditate upon the Law of Moses both day and night to the end hee might performe the things written therein Ioshu 1. And Moses addeth this clause teaching the whole Law from God himselfe These words must remaine in thy heart thou must meditate upon them both at home and abroad when thou goest to bed and when thou risest in the morning Deut. 6. This meditation is not a passion of melancholy nor a fit of fiery love nor covetous care nor senselesse dumps but a serious act of the Spirit in the inwards of the soule whose object is spirituall whose affection is a provoked appetite to practise holy things a kindling in us of the love of God a zeale towards his truth a healing our benummed hearts according to that speech of the Prophet My heart did waxe hot within me and fire did kindle in my meditations Psal. 39. Tho want whereof caused Adam to fall yea and all the earth into utter desolation for there is no man considereth deepely in his heart Ier. 12. If Caine had considered the curse of God and his heavie hand against that grievous and crying sinne he would not have slaine his owne brother if Pharaoh would have set his heart to ponder of the mighty hand of God by the plagves already past hee should have prevented those which followed and have foreslowed his haste in making pursuite with the destruction of himselfe and his whole Army If Nadad and Abihu had regarded the fire they put in their Censers they might have beene safe from the fire of heaven To conclude the want of meditation hath beene the cause of so many fearefull
frame it hinders all the rest If we will hold out because the errour is in want of deepe apprehension of the miseries wee are in by nature let us labour therefore to have our hearts broken more and more Vpon this fault it was that the stony ground spoken of in the Gospell wants rooting therefore it is Christian pollicie to suffer our soules to be humbled as deepe as possible may be that there may be mould enough otherwise there may be a great joy in divine Truths and they may be comfortable but all will be sucked up like dew when persecution comes if it be not rooted What is the reason that Gods children sinke not to hell when troubles are upon them because they have an inward presence strengthening them for the holy Ghost helpes our infirmities not onely to pray but to beare crosses sweetening them with some glympes of his gracious countenance for what supports our faith in prayer but inward strength from God In prosperitie or after some deliverance its the fittest time for praise because then our spirits are raised up and cheared in the evidence of Gods favour for the greater the crosse is from which wee have beene delivered the more will the spirit be enlarged to praise God When ever we receive any good to our soules or to our bodies who ever is the instrument let us looke to the principall as in the gifts wee receive wee looke not to the Bringer but to the Sender Take heede of Satans policie that God hath forgotten mee because I am in extremitie nay rather God will then shew mercie for now is the speciall time of mercy therefore beat backe Satan with his owne weapons Whatsoever God takes away from his children he either supplies it with a great earthly favour or else with strength to beare it God gives charge to others to take a care of the fatherlesse and widdow and will he neglect them himselfe That is spirituall knowledge which alters the taste and relish of the soule for wee must know there is a bitter Antithesis in our nature against all saving Truthes there is a contrarietie betweene our nature and that Doctrine which teacheth us that wee must deny our selves and be saved by another Therefore the soule must first be brought to relish before it can digest there must be first an holy Harmony betweene our nature and truth If we will walke aright in Gods wayes let us have heaven daily in our Eye and the day of judgement and times to come and this will sterne the course of our lives and breed love in the use of the meanes and patience to undergoe all conditions let us have our eye with Moses upon him that is invisible A man may know that hee loves the world if he be more carefull to get than to use for we are but Stewards and wee should consider I must be as carefull in distributing as in getting for when wee are all in getting and nothing in distributing this man is a worldling though hee be moderate in getting without wronging any man yet the world hath gotten his heart because hee makes not that use of it he should It is a sottish conceit to thinke that wee can fit our selves for Grace as if a child in the wombe could forward its naturall birth If God hath made us men let us not make our selves Gods As naturall life preserves it selfe by repelling that which is contrary to it So where the life of Grace is there is a principle of skill of power and strength to repell that which is contrary It is the nature of the soule that when it sees a succession of better things it makes the world seeme cheape when it sees another condition not liable to change then it hath a sanctified judgement to esteeme of things as they are and so it overcomes the world In the Covenant of Grace God intends the glory of his Grace above all Now faith is fit for it because it hath an uniting Vertue to knit us to the Mediator and to lay hold of a thing out of it selfe it empties the soule of all conceit of worth or strength or excellencie in the creature and so it gives all the glory to God and Christ. What wee are afraid to speake before men and to doe for feare of danger let us be afraid to thinke before God therefore wee should stifle all ill conceits in the very conception in their very rising let them be used as Rebells and Traytors smoothered at the first The heart of man till he be a Beleever is in a wavering condition its never at quiet and therefore it s the happinesse of the creature to be satisfied and to have rest for perplexitie makes a man miserable if a man have but a little scruple in his conscience hee is like a shippe in the sea tossed with contrary windes and cannot come to the Haven The righteousnesse of Workes leaves the soule in perplexitie that righteousnesse which comes by any other meanes than by Christ leaves the soule unsetled because the Law of God promiseth life onely upon absolute and personall performance Now the heart of man tells him that this he hath not done and such duties he hath omitted and this breeds perplexitie because the heart hath not whereon to stay it selfe Glory followes afflictions not as the day followes the night but as the Spring followes Winter for the Winter prepares the earth for the Spring so doth afflictions sanctified prepare the soule for glory This life is not a life for the body but for the soule and therefore the soule should speake to the body and say stay body for if thou movest mee to fulfill thy desires now thou wilt lose mee and thy selfe hereafter But if the body be given up to Christ then the soule will speake a good word for it in heaven as if it should say Lord there is a body of mine in the earth that did fast for me and pray with me it will speake for it as Pharaohs Butler to the King for Ioseph Afflictions makes a divorce and separation betweene the soule and sinne it is not a small thing that will worke sinne out of the soule it must be the Spirit of burning the fire of afflictions sanctified heaven is for holinesse and all that 's contrary to holinesse afflictions workes out and so frames the soule to a further communion with God When the soule admires spirituall things it s then a holy frame and so long it will not stoope to any base comfort Wee should therefore labour to keepe our soules in an estate of holy admiration All those whom Christ saves by vertue of his merit and paiment to those hee discovers their wretched condition and instead thereof a better to be attained hee shewes by whom wee are redeemed and from what and unto what condition the Spirit informing us throughly that God enters into covenant with us Spirituall duties are as opposite tâ—â— flesh and blood as Fire to Water
good in Books and to heare good of men that are dead but they cannot indure good in the lives of others to be in their eyes especially when they come to compare themselves with them they love not to be out-sh ined As the Sunne goes his course though we cannot see it goe and as plants and herbes grow though we cannot perceive them even so it followes not that a Christian growes not because hee cannot see himselfe grow but if they decay in their first love or in some other grace it is that some other grace may grow and increase as their humilitie their broken heartednesse sometimes they grow not in extention that they may grow at the roote upon a checke grace breakes out more as wee say after a hard Winter usually there followes a glorious Spring Gods children never hate corruption more than when they have bin overcome by corruption the best men living have some corruptions which they see not till they breake out by temptations Now when corruptioÌ„s are made knowne to us it stirres up our hatred and hatred stirs up endeavour and endeavour revenge so that Gods children should not be discouraged for their falls When the truth of grace is wrought in a Christian his desires goe beyond his strength and his prayers are answerable to his desires Whereupon it is that young Christians often times call their estate in question because they cannot bring heaven upon earth because they cannot be perfect but God will have us depend upon him for increase of Grace in a daily expectation Christ is our Patterne whom wee must strive to imitate its necessary that our Patterne should be exact that so wee might see our imperfections and be humbled for them and live by faith in our sanctification Consider Christ upon the Crosse as a publique person that when he was crucified and when hee died hee died for my sins and this knowledge of Christ will be a crucifying knowledge this will stirre up my heart â—o use my corruptions as my sinnes used Christ as hee hated my sinne so it will worke the same disposition in mee to hate this body of death and to use it as it used Christ answerably as we see this clearely it will transforme us With our Contemplation let us joyne this kind of reasoning God so hated pride that hee became humble to the death of the Crosse to redeeme mee from it and shall I be proud and when wee are stirred up to revenge consider that Christ prayed for his enemies when we are tempted to disobedience thinke God in my nature was obedient to the death and shall I stand upon termes and when wee grow hard hearted consider Christ became man that he might shew bowels of his mercy let us reason thus when we are tempted to any sinne and it will be a meanes to transforme us from our owne cursed likenesse into the likenesse of Christ. When wee see God blasphemed or the like let us thinke how would Christ stand affected if he were here when hee was here upon earth how zealous was hee against prophanenesse and shall I be so cold when hee saw the multitude wander as sheepe without a Shepheard his bowells yearned and shall wee see so many poore soules live in darkenesse and our bowells not yearne Wee must looke upon Christ not onely for healing but as a perfect patterne to imitate for wherefore else did hee live so long upon the earth but to shew us an example And let us know that wee shall be countable for those good examples which we have from others there is not an example of an humble holy and industrious life but shall be laid to our charge for God doth purposely let them shine in our eyes that we might take example by them As the spirits in the arteries quickens the blood in the veines so the Spirit of God goes along with the Word and makes it worke Saint Paul speakes to Lydia but the Spirit speakes to her heart As it was with Christ himselfe so it is with his members Hee was conceived by the Spirit anointed by the Spirit sealed by the Spirit hee was led into the Wildernesse by the Spirit he offered up himselfe by the Spirit and by the Spirit hee was raised from the dead even so the members of Christ doe answer unto Christ himselfe all is by the Spirit we are conceived by the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctified him sanctifies us but first wee receive the Spirit by way of Vnion and then Vnction followes after when we are knit to Christ by the Spirit then it workes the same in us as it did in him When a proud wit and supernaturall truths meete together such a man will have some thing of his owne therefore in reading and studying of heavenly Truths especially the Gospell wee must come to God for his Spirit and not venture upon conceits of our owne parts for God will curse such proud attempts Many men thinke that the knowledge of divine Truths will make them divine whereas it is the holy Ghost onely that gives a taste and rellish for without the Spirit their hearts will rise when the Word comes to them in particular and tells them you must denie your selfe and venture your life for his truth When men understand the Scriptures and yet are proud and malicious wee must not take scandall at it for their hearts were never subdued they understand supernaturall things by humane reason and not by divine light Those that measure lands are very exact in every thing but the poore man whose it is knowes the use of the ground better and delights in it more because it is his owne so it is with those Ministers that can exactly speake of heavenly truths yet have no share in them but the poore soule that heares them rejoyceth and saith these things are mine This life is a life of Faith for God will trie the truth of our faith that the world may see that God hath such servants as will depend upon his bare Word it were nothing to be a Christian if wee should see all here but God will have his children to live by Faith and take the promises upon his Word The nature of Hope is to expect that which Faith beleeves what could the joyes of heaven availe us if it were not for our Hope it is the Anchor of the soule which being cast in heaven it stills the soule in all troubles combustions and confusions that we daily meete withall It is too much curiositie to search into particulars as what shall be the glory of the soule and what shall be the glory of the body rather study to make a gracious use of them and in humility say Lord what is sinfull man that thou should'st so advance him The consideration of this should make us abase our selves and in humilitie give thankes afore hand as Peter did 1 Pet. 1. 1. when hee thought of an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not hee gives
thankes Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us c. When wee see men looke bigge and swell with the things of this life let us in a holy kinde of st ate thinke of our happinesse in heaven and carry our selves accordingly If wee see any thing in this world le ts say to our soules this is not that I looke for or when wee heare of any thing that is good let us say I can heare this therefore this is not that I looke for or when wee understand any thing here below this is not the thing I looke for but for things that cye hath not seene nor eare heard nor that ever entred into the heart of man There are foure things observeable in the nature oflove first an estimation of the Partie beloved secondly a Desire to be joyned to him thirdly a Setled contentment fourthly a desire to please the Partie in all things So there is first in every Christian an high estimation of God and of Christ he makes choice of him above all things and speakes largely in his commendations secondly hee desires to be united to him and where this desire is there is an entercourse hee will open his minde to him by Prayer and goe to him in all his consultations for his counsell thirdly hee places contentment in him alone because in his worst conditions hee is at peace and quiet if hee may have his countenance shine upon him fourthly hee seekes to please him because hee labours to be in such a condition that God may delight in him his love stirres up his soule to remove all things distastfull it seekes out as David did Is there never a one left of the house of Saul to whom I may doe good for Ionathans sake Infirmities in Gods children preserves their grace therefore it is that in Gods Scripture where God honours the Saints their weakenesses are made knowne Iacob wrestled with God and prevailed but hee halted and Peter Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church yet get thee behind me Satan Paul was exalted above measure with Revelations but hee had the messenger of Satan to buffet him It is the poysonfull nature of man to quench a great deale of good for a little ill but Christ cherishes a little grace though there be a great deale of corruption which yet is as offensive to him as smoake therefore wee should labour to gaine all wee can by love and meekenesse Christians find their corruptions more offensive to them than when they were in the state of nature and therefore it is that they thinke their estate is not good but then corruption boyles more because it is restrained The more will the more sinne when wee venture upon sinfull courses upon deliberation it exceeding ly wasts our comfort when wee fall into sinne against conscience and abuse our Christian liberty God fetches us againe by some severe affliction there shall be a cloud betweene Gods face and us and hee will suspend his comforts for a long time therefore let no man venture upon sinne for God will take a course with him that shall be little to his ease The reason why meane Christians have more loving soules than men of greater parts is because great men have corruptions answerable to their parts great gifts great doubts they are intangled with arguments and study to informe their braines when others are heated with affection A poore Christian cares not for cold disputes in stead of that hee loves and that 's the reason why a poore soule goes to heaven with more joy whilest others are intangled Many men are troubled with cold affections and then they thinke to worke love out of their owne hearts which are like a barren Wildernesse but wee must begge of God the Spirit of Love wee must not bring love to God but fetch love from him When wee love things baser than our selves it s like a sweete streame that runnes into a sinke as our love therefore is the best thing wee have and none deserves it more than God so let him have our love yea the strength of our love that we may love him with all our soules and with all our mind and with all our strength As the Sunne when it hath gotten to any height it scatters the clouds so a Christian is then in his excellencie when hee can scatter doubts and feares when in distresse hee can doe as David did comfort himselfe in the Lord his God Many men would be in Canaan as soone as they are out of Egypt they would be at the highest pitch presently but God will leade us through the wildernesse of temptations and afflictions till we come to heaven and it is a part of our Christian meekenesse to submit to God and not to murmure because wee are not as we would be but let us rather magnifie the mercies of God that workes in us any love of good things and that hee vouch safes us any beginnings As noble mens children have Tutors to guide them so Gods Children have the Spirit telling them this you should doe and that you should not doe the Spirit not onely changeth but leades forward unto holinesse wicked men have the Spirit knocking and faine would enter but they will not heare but Gods children have the Spirit dwelling in them A Christian is now in his Nonage and therefore not fit to have all that hee hath a title to but yet so much is allotted to him as will conduct him and give him passage to heaven If therefore hee be in want hee hath contentment and in suffering hee hath patience c. All things are his as well what he wants as what he hath The Word of God is then in our hearts when it rules in the soule when it rules our thoughts affections and conversations so that wee dare not doe any thing contrary but wee shall be checked who shall get out that which Gods finger hath written in our hearts no Fire nor Faggot no temptation whatsoever Wee shall never be satisfied to our comfort that the Scripture iâ— the Word of God unlesse we know it from it selfe by its owne light and it shewes it selfe abundantly to a Beleever in casting downe the soule and altering the minde and conversation when the Word is onely in the braine if there come a temptation stronger than our faith then we despaire the Word is farre off from those that can onely discourse and talke of it when they see it onely as a naturall truth when they looke upon holy things not in a divine but in a humane manner When the Word dwels as a familiar in the heart to direct counsell and comfort then its a signe it is there the devill knowes good and hates it therfore knowledge alone is nothing but when the promise doth alter the temper of the heart it selfe then it is ingrafted God excepts against none if wee doe not except our selves therefore thou and
and have a care to sanctifie the Lords Day Revel 1. 10. Iohn was ravished in the Spirit on the Lords Day God takes nothing away from his children but instead thereof hee gives them that which is better happy is that selfe-deniall that is made up with joy in God Happy is that povertie that is made up with Grace and comfort Therefore let us not feare any thing that God shall call us unto in this world It is hard to perswade flesh and bloud hereunto but those that finde the experience of this as Christians doe finde withall perticular comforts flowing from the presence of Christs Spirit Saint Paul would not have wanted his whippings to have missed his comforts Christ doth chiefely manifest himselfe unto the Christian soule in times of affliction because then the soule unites it selfe most to Christ for the soule in time of prosperitie scatters and looseth it selfe in the creature but there is an uniting power in afflictions to make the soule gather it selfe to God Christ tooke upon him our nature and in that nature suffered hunger and was subject to all infirmities therefore when wee are put to paines in our callings to troubles for a good conscience or to any hardshippe in the world wee must labour for contentment because we are hardly made conformable unto Christ. There is not any thing or any condition that befalls a Christian in this life but there is a generall Rule in the Scripture for it and this Rule is quickned by Example because it is a practicall knowledge God doth not onely write his Law in naked Commandements but hee enlivens these with the practise of some one or other of his servants who can read Davids Psalmes but hee shall read himselfe in them He cannot be in any trouble but David is in the same c. As children in the wombe have eyes and eares not for that place but for a civill life afterwards among men where they shall have use of all members even so our life here is not for this world onely but for another we have large capacities large memories large affections large expectations God doth not give us large capacities and large affections for this world but for heaven and heavenly things Take a Christian that hath studied mortification you shall see the life of Iesus in his sicknesse in a great deale of patience and heavenly mindednesse when his condition is above his power his strength above his condition As men doe cherish young plants at first and doe fence them about with hedges and other things to keepe them from hurt but when they are growne they remove them and then leave them to the winde and weather so God be sets his children first with proppes of inward comforts but afterwards he exposes them to stormes and windes because they are better able to beare it Therefore let no man thinke himselfe the better because hee is free from troubles it is because God sees him not fit to beare greater When wee read the Scriptures we should read to take out some thing for our selves as when wee read any Promise this is mine when wee read any Prerogative this is mine it was written for me as the Apostle saith What soever was written aforetime was written for our learning c. As the Spirit is necessary to worke faith at the first so is it necessary also to every act of Faith for Faith cannot act upon occasion but by the Spirit and therefore wee should not attempt to doe or to suffer any thing rashly but begge the Spirit of God and waite for the assistance because according to the increase of our troubles must our Faith be increased for the life of a Christian is not onely to have the Spirit worke Faith at first but upon all occasions to raise up our former graces for Faith stirres up all other graces and holds every grace to the Word and so long as Faith continues we keepe all other graces in exercise There is no true Christian but hath a publike spirit to seeke the good of others because as soone as he is a Christian hee labours for selfe deniall he knowes hee must give up himselfe and all to God so that his spirit is inlarged in measure unto God and to the Church and therefore the greater portion a man hath of the Spirit of Christ the more he seekes the good of others If we would have hearts to praise God we must labour to see every thing we receive from God to be of Grace and abundance of Grace answerable to the degrees of good whatsoever wee have more than nature is abundant Grace whatsoever wee have as Christians though poore and distressed in our passage to heaven is abundant Grace There are three maine parts of our salvation first a true knowledge of our misery and secondly the knowledge of our deliverance and then to live a life answerable The holy Ghost can onely worke these he onely convinceth of sinne and where hee truly convinceth of sinne there also of righteousnesse and then of judgements That wee may be convinced of sinne the Spirit must worke a cleare and commanding demonstration of our conditionin nature It takes away therefore all cavills turnings and windings even as when wee see the Sunne shine wee know it is day the Spirit not onely convinceth in generalls that wee are all sinners but in particulars and that strongly Thou art the man this convincing is also vniversall of sinnes of nature of sinnes of life sinnes of the Vnderstanding of the Will and of the Affections of the misery of sinne of the danger of sinne of the solly and madnesse of sinne of sinnes against so many motives so many favours proud Nature armes it selfe with deftnesse strong translations strong mitigations It s necessary therefore that the holy Ghost should joyne with mens consciences to make them confesse I am the man The convincing of the Spirit may be knowne from common conviction of conscience by this that naturall conviction is weake like a little Sparke and convinceth onely of breaches of the second Table and not of Evangelicall sinnes Againe common conviction is against a mans will it makes him not the better man onely he is tortured and tormented but a man that is convinced by the Spirit hee joynes with the Spirit against himselfe hee accuseth himselfe hee takes Gods part against himselfe hee is willing to be laid open that hee may finde the greater mercie It is not enough to know that there is a righteousnesse of Christ but the Spirit must open the eyes of the soule to see else we shall have a naturall knowledge of supernaturall things It s necessary to have a supernaturall sight to see supernaturall things so as to change the soule and therefore the Spirit onely workes Faith to see Christ is mine Further onely the Spirit can worke the conscience to be quiet because he is greater than the conscience and can answer all inward objections and cavills of flesh and blood
unlesse therefore the holy Ghost apply what Christ hath done the conscience will not be satisfied The best men in the estate of Grace would be in darkenesse and call their state into question if the holy Ghost did not convince them and answer all cavills for them and therefore we must not onely be convinced at the first by the Spirit but in our continued course of Christianity This therefore should make us to come to Gods Ordinances with a holy devotion Oh Lord vouch safe the Spirit of Revelation and take the scales from mine eyes that as these are truths so they may be truths to me doe thou sway my soule that I may cast my selfe upon thy mercy in Christ. Spirituall convincing is not totall in this life but alwayes leaves in the heart some dregges of doubting though the soule be safe for the maine as a shippe that rides at anchor is tossed and troubled but the anchor holds it so it is with the soule that is convinced weakely it is sure of the maine yet it is tossed with many doubts and feares but the anchor is in heaven The Spirit of God doth so farre convince every Christian of the Righteousnesse of Christ as preserves in him such a power of Grace as to cast himselfe upon the mercy of God God will send his Spirit so farre into the heart as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire he will let such a beame into the soule as all the powers of hell shall not quench When we neglect prayer and set upon duties in our owne strength and in confidence of our owne parts if we belong to God we shall be sure to miscarrie though another man perhappes may prosper and therefore wee should be continually dependant upon God for his direction and for his blessing in whatsoever wee goe about As many women because they will not endure the paine of childbirth doe kill their children in the wombe so many men who will not be troubled with holy actions doe stifle holy motions therefore let us take hee de of murdering the motions of the holy Spirit but let us entertaine them that when they are kindled they may turne to resolution and resolution into practise This is a common Rule that wee cannot converse with company that are not spirituall but if they vexe us not they will taint us unlesse we be put upon them in our callings wee should therefore make speciall choise of our company and walke in a continuall watchfulnesse It is rebellion against God for a man to make away himselfe the very Heathens could say that we must not goe out of our station till wee be called It is the voyce of Satan Cast thy self down but what saith S. Paul to the Iaylor Do thy self no harme for we are all here Wee should so carry our selves that wee may be content to stay here till God hath done that worke he hath to doe in us and by us and then he will call us hence in the best time He is a valiant man that can command himselfe to be miserable and hee that cannot command himselfe to endure some bondage and disgrace in the world it argues weakenesse Christ could have come downe from the Crosse but he shewed his strength and power by enduring their reproaches and torments The reason why many Christians stagger and are so full of doubts is because they are idle and labour not to grow in grace therefore we should labour to grow in knowledge and mortification for in that way wee come to assurance Whatsoever good is in a naturall man is depraved by a selfe-end selfe-love rules all his actions hee keepes within himselfe and makes for himselfe he is a god to himselfe God is but his Idoll This is true of all naturall men in the world they make themselves their last end and where the end is depraved the whole course is corrupted The sense of assured hope cannot be maintained without a great deale of paines diligence and watchfulnesse 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling election sure Insinuating that it will not be had without it it is the diligent and watchfull Christian that hath this assurance otherwise the holy Ghost will suffer us to be in a dampe and under a cloud if wee stirre not up the Graces of the Spirit It is grace in the Exercise and love in the Exercise that 's an earnest and so Faith and Hope in the Exercise is an earnest Iâ— Grace be asleepe you may have Grace and not know it therefore wee should labour to put our graces into exercise Those that have assurance of their salvation have oftentimes troublesome distractions because they doe not alwayes stand upon their guard sometimes they are lifted up to heaven and sometimes cast downe even to hell yet alwayes in the worst condition there is something left in the soule that suggests to it that it is not utterly cast off He to whom this pilgrimage is over-sweete loves not his country yet the pleasures of this life are so sutable to our nature that we should sit by them but that God followes us with severall crosses therefore let us take in good part any crosse because it is out of heavenly love that we are exercised least we should surfet upon things here below In melancholy distempers especially when there goes guilt of Spirit with it we can see nothing but darkenesse in wife children friends estate c. Here is a pittifull darkenesse when body and soule and conscience and all are distempered now let a Christian see God in his Nature and Promises and though he cannot live by sight in such a distemper yet let him then live by Faith Though God doe personate an enemy yet faith sees a Fatherly nature in him it apprehends some beames of comfort Though there be no sense and feeling yet the Spirit workes a power in the heart whereby the soule is able to claspe with God and to alledge his Word and Nature against himselfe The reason why the world seeth not the happy condition of Gods children is because their bodies are subject to the same infirmities with the worst of men nor are they exempted from troubles they are also subject to fall into grosse sinnes and therefore worldly men thinke Are these the men that are happier than wee They see their crosses but not their crownes they see their infirmities but not their graces they see their miseries but not their inward joy and peace of conscience To walke by Faith is to be active in our walking not to doe as wee list but it is a stirring by rule Since the fall we have lost our hold of God and wee must be brought againe to God by the same way wee fell from him wee fell by infidelity and we must be brought againe by Faith and lead our lives upon such grounds as Faith affords We must walke by Faith looking upon Gods Promise and Gods Call and Gods Commandements and not live by
Opinion Example and Reason In the exercise of our callings when wee thinke wee shall doe no good but all things seeme contrary yet Faith faith God hath set me here I will cast in my net at thy Commande ment Let us looke upon God and see what hee commands and then cast our selves upon him A Christian hath sense experience of Goes love together with his faith it is not a naked faith without any rellish but that sense and experience wee have here is given to strengthen faith for time to come and therefore when wee have any sweete feelings we must not rest in them but remember that they are given to incourage us in our way and to looke for fulnesse in another world There is a double Act of Faith First the direct act whereby I cast my selfe upon Christ and there is a reflect Act whereby I know that I am in an estate of Grace by the fruits of the Spirit it is by the first act that wee are saved feelings are oftentimes divided from the first act for God may enable a man to cast himselfe upon Christ and yet for some ends he shall not know it because hee will humble him God gives the reflect act which is assured hope as a reward of exact walking but wee must trust to that closing act of Faith as to that which saveth us wee ought to live by this direct act of Faith till wee come to heaven but adde this that there is no man walkes by Faith that wants comfort God oftentimes deferres to helpe his children untill they be in extremity till they be at their wits end because he will have them live by Faith and not by sight as good Iehosaphat Wee know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee So Saint Paul received the sentence of death in himselfe that he might trust in the living God This is the cause of Divine desertions why God leaves his children in desperate plunges seeming to be an enemy to them because hee will have us live by Faith and when wee live by it then hee rewards it Howsoever things are in fight yet wee should give God the honour to trust to his Promises though his dealings towards us seeme to be as to Reprobates yet let us beleeve his Word he cannot deny it say Lord remember thy Promise to thy servant wherein thou hast cause me to trust Therefore wrestle with God for thereby hee doth convey secret strength to his children that they may be able to overcome him The reason why many men at the houre of death are full of feares and doubts and their hearts are full of misgivings is because in their life time they have not beene exercised in living by Faith Confidence doth then arise from Faith when troubles makes it the stronger therefore it is a true evidence when confidence increaseth with opposition great troubles breeding great confidence Againe it s a signe a mans confidence is well bred when a man can carry himselfe equall in all conditions when he hath learned to want and to abound he needes a strong braine that drinkes much strong water now when a man hath an even Spirit to be content in all conditions it argues a well grounded confidence None can be truely confident but Gods children other mens confidence is like a mad mans strength he may have the strength of two or three for a time but it is a false strength and it is when they are lifted up upon the wings of ambition and favour of men but these men in the time of triall sinke The hope of the Hypocrite shall perish Wicked men depart out of this world like malefactors that are unwilling to goe out of prison but Gods children when they die they die in obedience Lord now let thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word To be in the body is a good condition because we live by Faith but it is better to be with the Lord because then wee shall live by sight An Ambitious man is an undermider of others and if any stand in his way he will make way through blood he will tread upon his friends to get to honour so a soule that is graciously ambitious considers what stands in his way he hates Father and Mother nay his owne life he pulls out his right eye he cuts off his right hand he offers violence to every thing that stands betwixt him and his God Wee should study the Scriptures that wee may finde what is acceptable to God and Christ. Now that which most pleaseth God is holinesse so doth Grace and Mercy therefore wee should study to be holy and gracious and mercifull This is the Will of God saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 4. even your sanctification that is to be holy as God is holy Those that will be acceptable to God must be good in private in their Closet because sinceritie supposeth that God sees all they must be humbled for the rising of sinne because these things are seene of Christ with griefe and hatred If in our Recreations or other lawfull things wee be so religious as wee should wee will then have Christ in our eye and see how this may further mee in his Service or how this may hinder me for the most glorious Actions of Religion are no service at all if not done in faith and with respect to Christ. Let no man be discou raged in the doing of good actions though otherwise they may be bad men having no interest in Christ for so farre as any outward action is outwardly good it shall be rewarded The Scribes and Pharisees had the promise of men for their reward the Romanes were straight in their civill governement and God so blessed them for it that their Common-wealth flourished for many hundred yeares Let the people be what they will if civill they shall have their reward sutable to that good they doe as for heaven and happinesse in another world they care not for it yet every man shall have his penny It is a great art in Faith to apprehend Christ suteable to our present condition as when we are fallen into sinne thinke of the terrours of the Law but when we are broken hearted then present him as a sweete saviour inviting all to come unto him and thus neither shall Christ be dishonoured nor our soules wronged It is much to be desired that there were that love in all men to teach what they know and that humility in others to be instructed in what they know not God humbles great persons to learne of meaner and it s our dutie to imbrace the truth whosoever brings it and oftentimes meane persons are instruments of comfort to greater than themselves as Aquiia and Prisilla instructed Apollo Acts 18. ver 26. He that seekes us before wee sought him will he refuse us when wee seeke after him Let no man therefore despaire or be discouraged if there be in thee the height and depth and length and bredth of sinne
humility and for this purpose God hath furnished us with the Spirit of all Grace Let us therefore remember when we have any dutie to doe to pray unto Christ to blow upon us with his Spirit God doth not so much looke at our infirmities as at our uprightnesse and sinceritie and therefore when we are out of temptations wee should consider and examine what God hath wrought in us and then though there be infirmities and failings yet if our hearts be upright God will pardon them as wee finde that David and others were accounted upright and yet had many imperfections Watching is an exercising of all the graces of the soule and these are given to keepe our soules awake we have enemies about us that are not asleepe and our worst enemy is within us and so much the worse because so neere we live also in a world full of temptations and wicked men are full of malice wee are passing through our enemies Countrey and therefore had neede to have our wits about us the devill also is at one end of every good action and therefore we had neede to keepe all our graces in perpetuall exercise we should watch in feare of jealousie taking heede of a spirit of drowsinesse labouring also to keepe our selve unspotted of the world It may be asked how we shall know the Scripture to be the Word of God For answer Doe but grant first that there is a God it will follow then that he must be worshipped and served and that this service must be discovered to us that wee may know what hee doth require and then let it be compared what Word of God can come neare to be the same with this Besides God hath blessed the superstition of the Iewes who were very strickt this way to preserve it for us and the Heretickes since the Primitive Church have so observed one another that there can be no other to this Word But now wee must further know that we must have some thing in our soules suitable to the truthes contained in it before we can truely and savingly beleeve it to be the Word of God as that we finde it to have a power in working upon our hearts and affections Luke 24. 32. Did not our hearts burne within us when he opened to us the Scriptures Againe it hath a divine operation to warme and pacifie the soule and a power to make a Felix tremble it hath a searching quality to divide betweene the marrow and the bone we doe not therefore onely beleeve the Scriptures to be the word of God because any man saith so or because the Church saith so but also and principally because I finde it by experience working the same effects in me that it speakes of it selfe and therefore let us never rest till when we heare a promise wee may have some thing in us by the sanctifying Spirit that may be suitable to it and so assuring of us that it is that Word alone that informes us of the good pleasure of God to us and our duty to him There is in God a fatherly anger after conversion he retaines that and this Fatherly anger is also turned away when in sinceritie we humble our selves There is one saith well A child of anger and a child under anger Gods children are not children of wrath but sometimes they are under wrath when they doe not carry themselves as sonnes when they venture on sinnes against conscience c. but if they humble themselves and reforme and flie to God for mercie then they come into favour againe and recover the right of sonnes Wee may know that God loves us when by his Spirit he speakes friendly to our soules and wee by prayer speake friendly to him againe when wee have communion and familiaritie with him whom God loves to them hee discovers his secrets even such secrets as the soule never knew before Hee reveales them to us when our hearts are wrought to an ingenuous confession of sinne and when we have no comfort but from heaven even as a father discovers his bowells most to his child when it is sicke so God reserves the discoverie of his love especially untill such a time when wee renounce all carnall confidence therefore if wee can assure our soules that God loves us let us then be at a point for any thing that shall happen to us in this world whether it be disgrace or contempt or whatsoever because we may fetch patience and contentednesse from hence that Gods love supplies all wants whatsoever After a gracious pardon for sinne there are two things remaining in us Infirmities and Weakenesses Infirmities are corruptions stirred up which hinders us from good and puts us forward to evill but yet they are so farre resisted and subdued that they breake not forth into action Weakenesse is when we suffer an infirmitie to breake out for want of watchfulnesse as if a man be subject to passion when this is working disturbance in the minde it is infirmitie but when for want of watchfulnesse it breakes forth into action then it is weakenesse and these diseases are suffered in us to put us in minde of the bitter roote of sinne for if we should not sometimes breake forth into sinne wee should thinke that our nature were cured Who would have thought that Moses so meeke a man could have so broken out into passion we see it also in David and Peter and others and this is to shew that the corruption of nature in them was not fully healed but there is this difference betweene the slippes and falls of Gods children and of other men when other men fall it setles them in their dregges but when Gods children falls they see their weakenesses they see the bitter roote of sinne and hate it the more and are never at quiet till it be cast out by the strength of Grace and Repentance Therefore let no man be too much cast downe by his infirmities so long as they are resisted for from hence comes a fresh hatred of corruption and God lookes not upon any sinne but sinne ungrieved for unresisted otherwise God hath a holy end in suffering sinne to be in us to keepe us from worse things There is none that out of sinceritie doe give themselves to holy conference but are gainers by it Many men aske questions and are inquisitive to know but not that they might put in practise this is but a proud desire to taste of the tree of knowledge but the desire of true affected Christians is to know that they might seeke Christ we gaine oftentimes by discourse with those that are punies in Religion Saint Paul desires to meete with the Romanes though they were his converts that he might be strengthened by their mutuall faith Rom. 1. 12. When once the Spirit doth fasten the wrath of God upon the conscience of one whom he meanes to save then there followes these afflicting affections of griefe and shame and from hence comes a dislike and hate of