as a convicted enemy of mankind Hence he is called by one the dedicatour of the condemnation of Christians But when they say that the Lord stood by him and delivered him out of the mouth of the Lion 2 Tim. 4. ver 17. and that he had obtained liberam custodiam freedome to go abroad with his keeper nay that he had hired an house in Rome and received all that came unto him preaching the kingdome of God and teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him that he was neither slain or shut up nor yet silenced then they took courage and not onely professed but preached the Gospel without fear and scattered that precious seed within the walls of Caesar's pallace Thus the Lord governs the sufferings of his people when not unto bloud to the strengthening of weak hands which hand down and the feeble knees and to the making of streight paths for their feet that the lame are not turned out of the way but rather healed Heb. 12. ver 12 13. There 's much healing mercy to weak believers who like Mephibosheth are lame of their feet as to profession and are apt to get a wrench in rough wayes when the Lord stayes the rage of men and brings off his suffering Saints with safety both of cask and conscience Lay up this Consideration against a day of tryal And let me add further 4. That if the Lord should leave you in the hands of bloody persecutours and should give them a full commission not onely against your liberties but your lives also yet even your death would be life unto the dead in a saving sence unto others this hath been often witnessed that sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church Many Believers have arose out of the ashes of one dying Phoenix Indeed the Gospel is the white seed wherewith the Lord soweth the great field of the world having ploughed and prepared it by the law and here and there a Church groweth up in this and that Nation and here and there a Believer springeth up in this or that family and town Dedicator damnationis Christiancrum Tertuâ— This is the most usuall seed faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word preached Rom. 10. ver 17. Yet the Lord hath a red seed which sometimes he sprinkles the field withall and that 's the blood of the martyred Saints which also through a secret blessing-power is fruitfull both to the gain and growth of many souls Ecclesia totum mundum sanguine oratione convertit the Church converts the whole world with her praying and bleeding as the lilly is increased with her own juice that flow's from it so is the Church with her own blood Julian saw this which made him spare the lives of some Christians not out of mercy to them but out of malice to the Lord Jesus lest by cutting them off he should cast seed into the ground to bring forth a fuller harvest O did ye but work this consideration home upon your hearts how would it comfort you in an evil day How would it render you strangely willing not only to suffer joyfully the spoiling of your goods but also the spilling of your blood that so ye may minister seed unto the Lord and encrease his harvest what is it besides the glory of God and the discharge of duty with comfort and conscience which quickens up faithful Ministers to spend themselves and strength in the work of the Gospel is it not that they may gain over souls unto the Lord that they may bring sinners home to God and what encourageth to this doth not the hope and expectancy that they shall shine as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12. ver 3. and not onely as starres of the lesser magnitude but even as the Sun in the kingdome of their father Matth. 13. ver 43. O! to what an height of glory shall a poor clod of clay be advanced How shall he be the object of divine love the wonder of Angels and the envy of devils to all eternity and that the saving of souls contributes much through grace to this glory that quotation in Daniel doth fully speak not to the attainment of it by way of merit but to the enlargement of it by way of mercy Now how much of argument is there in this consideration to perswade Ministers to breath and Christians to bleed out their lives to winne souls unto God give me leave to apply that passage Psal 126. ver 5 6. To this purpose though it hear another sence they that sow in tears shall reap in joy I know if ye die Martyrs in the presence of your relations ye will sow your bloud and lives in the tears of wives and children tears are a tribute that living friends do ow to the dead upon the account of nature and grace and if your death be a Martyrium cruentum a bleeding Martyrdome it will be a wet seeds-time with you I but ye shall reap in joy it will be matter of joy unspeakable and full of glory to you if the seed ye sow takes root to bring in souls to God There 's joy in heaven at the conversion of one sinner O if a blessed Martyr when in heaven and freed from that body of sin which hinders the soul in its purest acts of joy should know what a precious seed of grace through grace his bloud was to some poor sinners how they received life from his death what rejoycing would this bring forth in him if that fulnesse of joy in the presence of God will admit of any encrease however he that goeth away weeping bearing precious seed or his seed-basket with him shall doubtlesse come again with joy bringing his sheaves with him O the great day will be a day of solemn triumph untoyou when ye shall bring those Saints yea sheaves of Saints which were gathered in and rooted to life and fruitfulnesse in your bloud Come on brave souls let the sense of former deliverance fortifie your spirit against a day of persecution and adde to them this consideration we now propose and draw up gallantly after the pattern of your great Lord and master Heb. 12. ver 2. Looking unto Jesus the authour and finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of God in glory or of the throne of God it is clear that the manhood of Christ or the man Christ Jesus considered in an abstracted notior from the Godhead feared death Heb. 5. ver 7. at least the ignominy shame and sorrow of the crosse therefore we hear him once and again praying that if it was possible that cup might passe from him Matth. 26. ver 39. and yet for the joy which was set before him he endured this crosse and despised the shame it brought along with it for malefactours of the
The Art of Divine Improvement OR The Christian Instructed How to make a right use of Duties Dangers Deliverances Both as they concern himself and others Opened and applied in several SERMONS By NATHANIEL WHITING M.A. and Minister of the Gospel at Aldwinckle A work very suitable for all sorts of Christians and very seasonable for these times 1 Tim. 4.8 Exercise thy self unto Godliness LONDON Printed for R. T. and are to be sold by Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms next to Grocers-Alley in the Poultry 1662. To the Ransomed ones of the Lord with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Dear Friends WHen with my own people I thankfully owned before the Lord an eminent Deliverance from an imminent Danger I then entred uppon this Discourse which was suited to that Providence And having often reflected upon that signall mercy duely considering the opportunities of doing and receiving good which I have had since that gracious reprieve from death I have since drawn up my Meditations which then were short suddain and confused into a more enlarged orderly and methodicall Treatise I do not covet the applause of men nor court your Acceptance with strains of wit an affected Eloquence new lights put into a dark Lanthorne or Seraphicall Notions high and sublimate but present you with a plain and practical Discourss desiring to speak from the heart to the heart The Treatise is Tripartite thereby resembling the heart which is Triangular and 't is my single designe to endeavour that upon the points or corners of your hearts may be engraven your Dangers Deliverances and Duties that so the mercies of God which are Records of greatest Import may be preserved with greatest care and you may be provoked to act with greatest Conscience for God We cannot look back upon Adam in his lapsed Estate but we may see a deluge of wrath breaking in upon whole mankinde at the breach of the first Covenant we cannot read over our own Diaries but we may read our own Dangers drawn up in black Characters of our sins as provoking God unto displeasure against us nay the times that lately passed over us presented us with danger from the sword of men in the heat of warr and now are we in dayly hazards from the arrows of the Almighty in various and violent distempers Again we cannot seriously study the Gospel but our great Deliverance from wrath to come by the precious bloud of our Crucified Jesus presents it self unto our view nor can we considerately survey our own Soules but we may read the counterpane thereof transcribed by the Eternal Spirit nor own Experiences but we may meet with large Volumes of eminent Deliverances personall and Nationall wrought for us by the outstretched arme of an Almighty God Again if we turn over those holy leaves of the Scriptures of Truth if we consult the Experiences of Gods people in the Ages that are past or seriously advise with our own spirits when in a right frame we shall finde many Duties charged upon us as our returnes to God for our great Deliverances The great God will not be a loser by his mercies he exspecteth some incomes into the bank of his glory if he have it not from us he will have it out upon us If we do not give it he will take it Deliverances are a great Talent put into the hands of men to trade withal for God They that lap up this Talent in a napkin by forgetfulness or squander it away by unsuitable actings heap guilt upon their own soules and shall be sure at the reckoning day to finde this sin as the Israelites did an ounce of their golden calf in all the rebukes of God upon them The sad Consideration whereof hath been and is much upon my heart and hath been a principall inducement to thrust this Treatise into the world which is not Polemical in the main intention of it my Standard bearing this Motto Zech. 8.19 LOVE THE TRVTH AND PEACE nor is it provoking I hope to any Iames 3.17 being the product of that wisdome which is first pure then peaceable c. I have avoided all bitterness that I might not stirr up any prejudice my business is to be a Remembrancer from the Lord unto you and to provoke unto love and good works as the genuine improvement of grace and mercy received I have not exactly methodised this Treatise nor cast it into the mould of the Title Page but laid down all Sermon-wise handling the Saints Dangers and Deliverances in the Doctrinall and their Duties in the Applicatory part of it in which I have respect as well to Spiritual as to Temporal Dangers and Deliverances and with respect to all as they stand in a personall or Relative capacity I will not Cramben bis coctam dare by Epitomizing in the Epistle what is largely pressed in the body of the Discourse I shall therefore onely entreat you to bewail before the Lord that root which bringeth forth wormwood and gall amongst us that discontent and sullenness of spirit by means whereof God is not owned in nor honoured for those glorious vouchsafements of mercy which have been matter of envie and astonishment in all the Nations about us that land-flood of corrupt Principles and practises which like a swift and spreading Torrent hath laid a great part of the Nation under water that spirit of bitterness and enmity against Godliness in the power and Religion in the purity of it and those sad divisions about which sadly hinder the work of a thorough Gospel-Reformation c. all which are sowre grapes yea clusters of Gomorrah and not such a Vintage which the Lord might reasonably exspect from a people of such rich mercies such signal preservations and under the enjoyment of such encouraging advantages as ours have been O that your souls would mourn in secret places for these things O that you were so affected with them that you would refuse your pleasant bread O that you would so reprove a carnal and careless Generation of men by your lively acttings for God that many yea all who have experienced the goodness of the Lord in eminent preservations may glorifie the name of the Lord by an Evangelical conversation that so the presence of God may still give us rest that our English Zion may be made an Eternal Excellency a joy of many generations Isay 60.15 18. that our walls through the divine Custodiency may still be called Salvation and our gates praise But though this spiritual Lethargy be incurable in many yet be ye O ye Ransomed ones of the Lord awakened unto duty and let the sense of mercy in the eminent appearances of God to your help in the daies of your distress carry you like wind and tide full sail in your zeal for his Glory in order to which I shall humbly offer these hints unto you and I entreat the people of my own charge to take special notice of them as
harvest of souls unto him Oh then we shall have a welcome to heaven with that blessed euge Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.23 Let us apply the Apostles charge as given to us in his Apostolical visitation 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nemâ—e quod ad carms prudentiam utinet Beza in loc Luther who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and in his kingdom preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort withall long suffering and doctrine the Ministery is not an easie trade an idle mans occupation Sudor aeconomicus est magnus politicus est major Ecclesiasticus est maximus as Luther was wont to say the Master of a family hath a great work lying upon his hands the Lord lay it upon his heart the Magistrate hath a greater the Minister hath the greatest of all Oh then let the sence of that great freedom we now injoy and the dear rate it hath been purchased at the blood of many Saints quicken us up to duty and diligence and perswade us to act up to the rules laid down by a Reverend Brother Mr. Baxter in his Gild. Salvi and to work after the patterne of our Worcester-shire Brethren 3. Again hath the Lord broken the staff of our oppressors and their yoaks from off our necks Oh! let us not lay the staff of oppression upon one another nor put yoaks on one anothers necks least our bands be made stronger Jerusalem is in deed a glorious City when the buildings thereof are compacted together and contiguous and the Inhabitants thereof are at unity among themselves Psal 123. Wring not men consciences you may hap to break the wards of them if you do Dr. Sibs but we must not so pursue unity as to neglect purity nor press uniformity so as to degenerate into Tyranny Order in disciplinary points is beautiful and agreement defirable but to force it begetteth confusion and breedeth animosities How can we bear witness against the Prelates Lordship if we should Lord it over one another or against the Popes infallibility if we should impose upon one another if we should prescribe laws to one anothers consciences or make our own intetpretations in doubtful Scriptures and relating to order onely canonical and binding to all Mr. Clarke in vâ—ta patrum it would be indeed a crown of beauty and Diadem of glory upon our heads if there was that peace among us as was betwixt Miconius and his Colseagues concerning whom he useth these words Currimus certavimus laboraviwus pugnauimus vicimus viximus semper conjunctissime when the watchmen of Israel do lift up their voice and with their voice together they do sing when they see eye to eye Isa 52.8 When they all do speak the same things when there are no divisions among them but are perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgemen 1 Cor. 1.10 But if we cannot attain this unity in circumstantials let us bless God that we do it infundamentals and let our union in the head untie us in the heart carrying it with all tenderness one toward another in differences of smaller moment under this assurance that Ibi tandem conveniemus ubi Luthero cum Zuinglio optime jam convenit there 's no clashing in heaven betwixt Luther and Zuinglius about the Sacrament we shall all be of one minde in heaven and why should we clash upon earth Though some of us dispense the Supper to a select company judging it most agreeable to Gospel order and pattern yet why should we urge this upon our brethren who judge otherwise or why should our Brethren urge a general admission upon us Why should the disputes be so hot and contests so high among brethren about modelling the Congregations whether by casting out or leaving out the scandalous and profane when as we all own the Lords Supper to be a standing ordinance and do not antiquate it with the Quakers nor withhold the cup from our people with the Papists nor maintain a Consumbstantiation with the Lutherans nor dispense it promiscuously to all of age in our parishes mad men and fools onely excepted with some Episcopal men but endeavor a pure administration agreeing in that as our great end that it may be dispensed onely to visible Saints Why should such wormwood and gall appear in our pens and Pulpets one against another upon this subject have we not other work to do may we not imploy our stock better would it not add more to Gods honour and our own also if we did lay out that zeal which we spend one against another against Papists and Impostors Is it a time for Shepherds to quarrel about folding of their Sheep when Wolves are broke into the flock Is it a time for Officers of an Army to dispnte titles and trifles when the enemy appears in the field with a formed Army against them Is it a time for us to spend our strength in anger and animosities one against another when the Nation swarms with Hereticks when they make such havock of the flock in many places and when they all combine against us for however they differ among themselves they agree in their hatred and opposition of us like a Brigado of horse that Scout up and down in several parties yet meet together at the head quarters Surely the undermining of a Gospel-Ministery is the general Rendevouz of all our Sectaries at least most of them Oh then let the sence of danger perswade us to body in love and the sence of duty provoke us to improve our personal safety preaching opportunity Gospel-liberty freedome of communion maintenance and Ministery most to the glory of a good God and this we shall best do and best reach the great end of God in our great deliverances if we set up the Apostles counsel as our great way-mark Act. 20.28 Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood and we shall better understand this text and our duty by perusing Master Baxter upon it in his Gildas Salutanus 3. This Doctrine hath a word of friendly advice to military men which I hope shall meet with a friendly resentment because it comes from a friend with a friendly intent I am no Cynick nor apt to quarrel if I was I would be more prudent then to enrage them by tart language who have so often fought an enraged enemy in the open field and more ingenuous then to spend my choler against them who have spilt their blood for my safety And therefore O ye valiant ones of Israel consider how far this doctrine is applicable to you in that capacity are the appearances of God eminent and immediate in the day of his
they might get a name and repute among believers and be counted somebody would be forward enough in this work speaking lies in hypocrisie and pretending to great things which they never expe rienced like that Amalekite 2 Sam. 1.6 7 8 9. who told David a fair tale how he stood upon Saul and slew him and took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was upon his arm c. and all this that he might win credit with David and gain his favour by slaying his enemy who stood betwixt him and the crown when as the whole story was false this would be the case of some false-hearted hypocrites Again some of the servants of the Lord who are real converts would be at a loss within themselves not being able to give an account when and how the Lord first wrought upon them who can onely say with the blind man Joh. 9.25 This one thing I know that whereas I was born blinde I now do see the work of grace upon the hearts of some as to the quando and quomodo time and manner is undiscernable by them The Lord spiritualizeth their morals sanctifies their principles of education and drops down his spirit upon the seed and his blessing upon the off-spring so that they spring up as among the grass as Spring Flowers which lye buried under ground the Winter season and sprout forth as the year ariseth Isa 44.3 4. To this the Lord Jesus speaketh Mark 4.26 27. So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and the seed grows up he knows not how God sows the seed by the hand of a godly Parent or Pastor and in due season when and how they know not neither Parent Pastor nor the Person himself it bringeth forth fruit the word works sometimes many years after as they say of the Elephant that she brings not forth till the thirteenth year after she hath conceived The first springs in the womb of grace are precious and carefully preserved by the spirit and when they put forth it may be without any noise For the Kingdom of heaven doth not always come with observation Thus Timothy knew the holy Scriptures from a child 2 Tim. 3.15 not onely the bare letter and form of words that 's but little but knew them so as to love them to read them with delight and look for salvation wisdom in them through faith which is in Christ Jesus and probably by the care of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice sure gracious parents and godly education do contribute much though not infallibly to the seasoning of tender years and it was well if parents would make it much their care as blessed be God some do to furnish their children whilest children with Gospel-knowledge Mr. Trap. in 2 Tim. 3.15 It is reported That the Lady Wheatenhall so plyed her young Neece Mistris Elizabeth Wheatenhall that before she was nine years old she could say the New Testament by heart and was able to name the book and chapter where any word or passage was A singular president worthy of admiration Oh that Christian parents would take this hint The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 That 's the genuine and native fruit of it at least through the blessing power of the spirit conversion is in it and from it and who knows whether the word being engraffed by godly parents may not bring forth early conversion in their children Sure we are there have been and are young Saints in the world who have rellished the ways of God and walked in them before they have travailed many years journey from their mothers wombs now to these I do not direct this particular advice but to those whose conversion hath been visible their change so signal that the whole Town ye Country hath rang of it some such there are who are able to say that at such a time under such means by such a word in such a way the Lord was pleased first to work upon them they can circumstantiate their conversion in all the occurrences of it Paul could tell the errand he went upon which was bad enough the company with whom the time of the day the manner how and the plat of ground as it were upon which he fell when the Lord fell in with him by converting grace as he discourseth at large Act. 22.6 7 8. compared with Chap. 26.12 13 c. Now then to such in a more peculiar manner I speak as thou dost observe and discourse over the passages of Gods providence toward thee in helping thee out of great straights and tellest thy friends what they were and how nigh unto death thou wast and how the Lord came in at such a time in such a manner and by such means and brought thee off with safety so be much in observing and shewing forth what God hath done for thy soul what providential passages were antecedent to thy conversion what awakening teaching and leading providences were in order to thy conversion whether God did not first awaken thee by such an affliction give a check to thy spirit in the high careers of sin by such an humbling providence or made way for the entertainment of Christ and Gospel by disappointing thee in such a worldly design or won upon thee by some notable deliverance as was the Jailors case Act. 16.28 or how the Lord was pleased to bring thee into such a family or into acquaintance with such godly Christians or under such a powerful and soul-searching Ministery these all through grace have had a sub-serviency to the great end of God in bringing sinners home unto him Then again consider those ways of God which were concomitant and as means were instrumental to thy conversion in what method the Lord was pleased first to work upon thee what measure of the spirit of bondage to fear thou wast under what sin thou wast first convinced of how long thou wast under conviction before conversion was brought forth in the fruits and evidences of it what lust the spirit first struck down in thy flesh what repentance and godly sorrow for sin was wrought in thee what attempts the divel made upon thee how forceable they were and with what success and how long thou didst ly under the sence of sin and wrath before thou hadst any quieting apprehensions of pardoning and accepting grace through the blood of Jesus let these and things of like nature be observed by thee and reports thereof seasonably made to others Nay Lastly take notice of the after-visits of the spirit of God and grace to thy soul what sweet and suitable returns the Lord gave thee in to thy prayers what seasonable succours thou receivedst in an hour of temptation what power from the spirit of holiness came in in thy contesting with some Lady-lust what measure of consolation was cast in after thy days of mourning how far thou hast been sealed with
many of the Gentile-Grecians here the hand of the Lord implyed the blessing power and concurrence of the spirit of Christ so Christ put in his hand by the key-hole that is sent in his spirit to awaken reprove and convince the spouse of her great unkindness toward him by the way take this note Note That the spirit can finde a passage into the heart though the doors be barred and bolted never so fast The key of David will open any lock Satan with all his skill and artifice cannot frame a lock of such cross and curious wards and work that this key cannot open the spirit acts with irresistibility in the saving communications of grace to the stoutest sinner Lord what wilt thou have me to do was Sauls question the lock was soon opened the spirit had quickly got into his heart So here the spirit was quickly within doors and what then her bowels were moved for Christ she had no rest in her spirit her bowels yearned after him There was a strange tumult raised within her Heb. the word carries that signification her heart aked and quaked being by the spirit convinced of her unkind and inconjugal carriage toward her dear Lord This brought her off from her bed now she could put on her coat and feared not the fouling of her feet she starts and stirs and hastens to open the door and as soon as she had taken the key in her hand Her hands dropt with myrrhe and her fingers with sweet smelling mirrhe that is she had new tokens of Christs good-will refreshing consolations from a comforting spirit which being added to her former experiences of love had such a force upon her heart that she breaks off all delay runs to the door and opens and not finding her beloved there she fails poor heart she sinks down and swouns the sence of Christs dear affection to her and her disloyal carriage to him did so seize upon her that she sinks under it And being come to her self she seeks and enquires after him suffers for him breaths out her soul in strongest affection towards him breaks forth into highest Eulogies and commendations of him and through the whole Song you never finde her under any of this heart-deadness any more but full of love and full of life Thus it was with the Church of Israel Hos 2. The Lord brings her in vers 5. speaking forth such resolutions as these I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water my wooll and my flax mine oyle and my drink as if she had said I am resolved to stick close to mine Idols who have recompenced my service with such plenty and abundance The allusion is to a man and his wife betwixt whom before there is a final divorce and departure there is usually some decay of conjugal affection some neglect of conjugal duties some eminent failing in conjugal offices and thereupon follows a strangeness and at length a parting asunder So heart-deadness damps of zeal flatness of spirit freezings of affection neglect of communion in the Gospel-duties and appointments formality in profession earthly-mindedness and some kind of liberty and boldness to sin are usually precedaneous to an Apostacy and departure from God Thus it was with Ephraim But how doth she recover her self Why verse 7. she argues her spirit into a returning frame Mr. Ier. Burroughs in loc I will go and return unto my first husband for then was it better with me then now Hence it is the note of a late godly Divine That the sight and sence of this how much better it was when the heart did cleave to Christ then it is now since its departure from Christ is an effectual means to cause the heart to return unto him He brings in a repenting backslider under these reasonings of heart Heretofore I was able through Gods mercy to look upon the face of God with joy when my heart did cleave to him when I did walk close with him then the glory of God did shine upon me and caused my heart to spring within me every time I thought of him But now now God knows though the world takes little notice of it the very thoughts of God are a terrour unto me the most terrible object in all the world is to behold the face of God Oh it was better with me then it is now Before this my Apostacy I had free access unto the throne of grace I could come with humble and holy boldness unto God and pour out my soul before him such a chamber such a closet can witness it but now I have no heart to pray ye I must be haled to it merely conscience pulleth me to it yea every time I go by that very closet where I was wont to have that access to the throne of Grace it strikes a terrour to my heart I can never come into Gods presence but it is out of slavish fear Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh the sweet communion my soul enjoyed with Jesus Christ one dayes communion with him how much better was it then the enjoyment of all the world but now Jesus Christ is a stranger to me and I a stranger unto him Before Oh those sweet enlargements that my soul had in the Ordinances of God! when I came to the word my soul was refreshed was warmed my heart was enlightened when I came to the Sacrament oh the sweetness that was there and to prayer with the people of God it was even an heaven upon earth unto me but it is otherwise now the Ordinances of God are dead and emptie things to me Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh the gracious visitations of Gods spirit that I was wont to have yea when I awaken'd in the night season oh the glimpses of Gods face that were upon my soul what quickening and enlivenings and refreshings did I find in them I would give a world but for one nights comfort I sometimes have had by the visitations of Gods spirit but now they are gone Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh what peace of Conscience I had within whatsoever the world said though they railed and accused yet my conscience spake peace to me and was as a thousand witnesses for me but now I have a grating conscience within me Oh the black bosome that is in me it flyeth in my face every day after I come from such and such company I could come before from the society of Saints and my conscience smiled upon me now I go to wicked company and when I come home and in the night Oh the gnawings of that worm It was better with me then then it is now Before The graces of Gods spirit how were they sparkling in me active and lively I could exercise faith humility patience and the like now I am as one bereft of all unfit for any thing even as a dead log before
your hearts this will answer all carnall cavills it will silence all the objections of your distrustfull hearts and bring up your spirits bravely to Jobs resolution Job 13. ver 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him he shall not be so rid of me I will hang on him still and if I must dy I will dy at his feet I and remember the wayes of God unto me his wayes of grace and mercy and free redemption when my estate was sad and bad and therefore under all those showers of arrows which fly from the Almighty against me and drink up my moisture I will roul my self upon him trust in him I and he also shall be my salvation see further ver 16 17 18 19. Oh if any man lives to God the just man doth who lives by his faith and fetcheth life and strength for his faith from his own experiences All the world could not shake the holy confidencies of Saint Paul when he had argued out the experiences of the grace and good will of God in Jesus Christ unto himself and believers Rom. 5. ver 16 17 18. then chap. 8. he begins conclusively there is therefore now no condemnation not one condemnation and carries it on at that high rate of affiance that ver 33 34. he doth arietem mittere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take the field and give a generall challenge to all his adversaries to plead and preferre what indictments they can against him who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect who shall condemne who shall separate us from the love of Christ As if he had said O thou malicious devil that dost let fly at me with thy darts Mr. Banter Spirits witness to the truth page 124. Oh ye deluded Hereticks and infidels that fill my ears with your foolish Sophismes and trouble me with your disputes against the Lord my Redeemer go to them that make a Religion of their opinion and whose belief was never any deeper then their fancies go to them that never knew what it was to love Christ to desire after him to delight in his salvation nor to hope through believing for his promised blessednesse hereafter these you may possibly draw away from Christ and make Infidels of them that were never true Believers but do you think to do so by me what weapons what arguments do you think to prevail by shall tribulation be the means why I have that promise in the hand of my faith and that glory in the eye of my hope that will bring me through tribulation shall distresse do it why I will rather stick so much the closer to him that will relieve me in distresse and bring me unto his rest And so this reverend Author proceeds and you may further prosecute in your own thoughts Oh! that soul that hath the advantage of experiences and wisely improves the sense of grace received is bravely fortified against temptations to infidelity and will act faith upon the sure mercies of David the oath and covenant of God in the saddest conflicts 2. You will live best to God Because you will live most in the love of God when you consider much and with much seriousness what God hath done for you in order to eternity you will be drawn out in your affections unto God God will have more of your hearts then he hath of many others who make as big and bulke a profession as you do and how can it be otherwise when you fasten this meditation upon your hearts we might have been in hell in an undone condition past all hope or possibility of help from Angels or men had not God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins quickened us together with Christ Eph. 2.4 5. when you look upon the whole business of your salvation as transacted and carryed on by God and that in a way of free-grace rich mercy and meer good will and love this will marveilously draw out your love to God for amor amoris magnes love is the loadstone of love there is a magnetick vertue in it to draw out the very heart of a beloved person Cant 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast behearted me taken away my heart as he that hath his head taken away is said to be beheaded Oh! Christ knew the affections of his Spouse unto him and therefore makes a full return of love unto her again So the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constrains me I am wholly under the power of love made willing to do or suffer any thing or to be led any whither by this cord of love that is cast upon me by the Lord Jesus Christ indeed the Lord is first in affection 1 Joh. 4.19 He first loved us The air receives its light from the Sun the Sun must first shine and send forth his beams before the air can be radiant So the Lord must let in some sence of good will into the soul before she stirs out in affections unto him but now when she comprehends with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and knows the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. and lives in the sense of Gods peculiar and discriminating love unto her Oh! this fills her with holy affections unto the Lord the Church is then sick of love David cryes out O how I love the Lord my heart is ready to break it is so full of love to God I cannot make a narrative of my love it is so vast so boundless unto God This fixeth the creatures love upon God the stability of the Saints love doth very much arise from this Satan will have a hard pluck of it to pull a truely-loving-believer from the arms of his beloved Jesus when he remembers that love of his first espousals how Christ took upon him and washed him from his blood and spake peace to his wounded self-condemned soul when he remembers the straights that his Jesus brought him out of and the miseries which he rescued him from when he thinks thus with himself Oh what sohould I have done if I had not had a Christ what should I have done in my fears and griefs what should I have said to an accusing conscience how should I have escaped the jaws of the devourer Oh! these reviews do mightily renew his love these thoughts and remembrances do kindle such a strong and sacred fire of love in his heart that many waters cannot quench it and all temptations to break with Christ are made invalid It is the heart and not the head that holds Christ fast I held him and would not let him go says the Church Cant. 3.4 Love will hold Christ when reason alone will let him go Rom. 8.35 Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ Paul puts the question in this verse but draws up a peremptory conclusion and that with a
dangerous condition of those persons who lye and dye in those sinful practices they shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven Thirdly The precious mercy of God unto them in recovering renewing pardoning and healing grace vers 9. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Fourthly Their union with Christ and their engraffment into Christ vers 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Fifthly The indwelling of the holy Spirit whereby their bodies are consecrated to be the temples of God Know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you whom ye have of God Sixthly That these bodies of theirs should be raised up by the power of God at the last day vers 14. And now what is the answer of a gracious heart to these arguments It is true I have lived in uncleanness that sin unpardoned excludes from heaven but through free-grace I am redeemed by the Lord Jesus and incorporated into him as a member into the head my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and it shall be raised up at the last day fashioned like unto the glorious body of my dear Saviour And shall I soil my self again in the sink of my former uncleanness Shall I spot my robe again which hath been washed and made white in the blood of the Lambe Shall I prostitute a member of Christ and defile a temple of the holy and eternal Spirit of Grace Oh no! 〈…〉 abire sâ—let I will not I dare not Surely such arguings will bring forth such resolutions as to an hatred of sin and love to holiness if we rightly improve them If Scipro an heathen rejected the offer of an harlot with vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not a General A Saint may much better with à nolo Christianus sum I will not I am a Christian this is the first benefit you will receive from your keeping up a lively sense of grace received and surely you do then live best to your selves when you live freest from sin For 1. You will then be freest from the rod a towardly child is not often laid over the knee nor a close-walking Christian often under the rod sin usually bringeth forth sufferings Psal 89.30 If his children forsake my law then vers 32. I will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes 2. You will have quicker and safer returns of your prayers the dutiful child soonest speeds in his requests Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayers and the Apostle teacheth us that the way to draw nigh unto God with assurance and acceptance must be this To get our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water Heb. 10.22 3. You will keep up closest and sweetest communion with God the obedient child lyes most in his fathers bosom 1 Joh. 1.6 If we say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness we lye but verse 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another God and we our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 4. You will have clearest and fullest evidences of your heavenly inheritance when the eldest son pleaded Luk. 15.29 That he never transgressed at any time the commandment of his father presently the reply of the father is All that I have is thine and when David feasted the wayfaring man with Vriahs Ew-lambe the joy of his salvation was lost as to the sense and comfort of it Psal 51.12 5. You will live in the nearest resemblance of heaven which consisteth in a perfection of holiness glorified souls are termed Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Hence he expressed himself thus Ansclme That if sin stood on the one hand and hell on the other he would choose hell rather if it might be without sin then heaven with sin 2. This serious reflection upon what the Lord hath done for you will be of excellent use to keep your souls close with God it will work your hearts into a steady frame and sure you will live best to your selves when your hearts are most fixed upon god and most fixed for God it is a singular mercy to be standing Christians in falling times this stability of spirit is much valued by God and receives much in way of spiritual incomes from God Apoc. 3.7 to the 13. the contrary is much disliked by the Lord Psal 78.8 the people of Israel are charged with this crime that they set not their heart aright and that their spirit was not stedfast with God and vers 9. The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of battail bewraying their false-heartednoss to and faint-heartedness in the Lords quarrel Ah how is the Scripture sadly made good in our days We have hearts bent to back-sliding revolting spirits from the truths ways and cause of the Lord Jesus though the Lord hath opened his Gospel-Magazine amongst us given forth his spiritual armor in all the pieces of it furnished us with a gallant train of Artillery formed us into compleat bodies put us under the conducts of skilful leaders given us the advantage of winde and hill and the ark of his presence hath marched in the middest of us yet what dishonorable retreat have many of us made how have we flung down our Arms and forsooke our standard in the day of battel nay The swarm is up and setled in so many parts that it will be very hard to bring them again into one Hive Mr. Vines how have we been like a routed Army scattered here and there into small parties and all endeavors as yet prevail not to rally us again what a full comment is England upon and how parallel unto that Eze. 34.5 6. They were scattered and became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered my sheep wandered upon every mountain and upon every high hill let us make a little stay and gather up some observations As 1. That the word of God is the walk of Christs sheep the Scriptures of truth set boundaries to their Pastures 2. Every departure from the word in judgement or practice is an aberration the sheep that seek pasture beyond the bound of Scripture are straglers 3. That the sheep of Christ especially the fat and lusty of them are apt to wander to go beyond their bounds and in somethings to depart from their flock and fold but I would not be mistaken as though I interpret the departure of conscientious Christians from the common road of carnal Gospeling or from the foot track of formal profession nor yet their declining communion with the whole rout of professors at
hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth See Mr. Baxter in loc crucified among you This onely would I learn of you received ye the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith c Oh did ye much and often read over the passages of divine love unto you and would be true to your own experiences it would antidote you against many errors of the times and keep your hearts close with God 3. This serious recognition and review of the Lords mercies brings most comfort unto the soul and sure he lives best to himself who lives most to his own comfort a life of comfort is the sweetness the desireableness and life of life What is life to the bitter in soul which long for death and dig for it more then for bid treasures which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they finde the grave Job 3.21 22 23. And what comfort have men in living upon a natural account when those dayes are come wherein they say we have no pleasure in them Eccl. 12. ver 1. and is it not so in a spirituall sense a wounded spirit who can bear but a good conscience is a continual feast and the Kingdome of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. vers 17. Then do we come nearest heaven and live in the suburbs of it when we are filled with peace and joy in our soules when we experience a sedateness and serenity of spirit rejoycing in hope of the glory of God now sence of grace received doth marvellously comfort the soul 1. In our addressments unto God by prayer when we have any request to make at the throne of grace this will work a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and holy boldness of spirit in us we may encourage our selves to hope that we shall speed in our desires and have acceptation in heaven when we consider that God hath manifested the love of a father and given the portion of a childe unto us how he sought us up when we were gone astray met us with a welcome home at our returne and clasped us in the embraces of his paternall affections when we have the robe and ring to shew the spirit of Adoption which cryeth Abba Father and therefore if parents that are evil know how to give good things to their children See Mr. Teat in Matth. 7. vers 11. much more will our heavenly father give the holy Ghost to us that ask him Luke 11. vers 13. even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good things yea all good things for the Holy Ghost is a comprehensive and superlative terme all good things and that which is more then all besides sure we should not have that listlesness and loathness unto prayer that heart-deadness in prayer and those dead hopes as to expectancy of comfort from prayer if we were much and often in the meditation of Gods love Oh t is an excellent heart preparatory unto prayer and the readiest way to find the returnes of our prayers Care his Plus cum Deo quam hominibus loquitur while prayer standeth still the trade of Godliness stands still also and soul-wants are great and many all good comes into the soul by this door and all true treasures by this Merchants ship And sure they who have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water that have the sence of justifying and sanctifying grace have boldness and heart-willingness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus and may draw near to God with full assurance of faith Heb. 10. vers 19 22. in which the life of comfort doth much consist and by which it is much preserved in the soul 2. This heart-commanding will give you comfort in your attendance at the posts of wisdome O when you sit at the feet of Jesus in his teaching ordinances and your hearts are heated and heightened with a serious meditation upon the truth and work of grace you 'l taste comfort in every word and draw sweetness out of every dug if sin be roundly dealt withall and the arrowes of the Lord be keen to strike through the very heart of a lust you will rejoyce in it because 't is done against an enemy sin and you are now implacably fallen out and therefore you dare speak in the words of the Psalmist Psal 139. ver 21 22. Do not I hate them which hate thee and am not I grieved with them which rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Indeed in a sense we are to love our enemies but those that would draw off our hearts from the Lord and loosen our affections from holiness as sin would Oh they are enemies indeed and we shall bless God when the word wounds them deepest that they bleed and breath out their last Time was when we had secret heart-risings against the word when a reproof came too close and Ahab-like we have hated the Micaiah and have gone home to our houses heavy and displeased because of the word which hath been spoken unto us 1 Kings 21. vers 4. I but now we take pleasure in a sin-wounding Sermon a lust-laming discourse when the word gets a leg or an arm from the body of death so when impenitency is reproved and sentenced we shall be comforted when we find that God hath given us soft hearts and granted repentance unto life Acts 11. verse 18. If Gospel unbelief be threatened and the wrath of an eternal God denounced our hearts will be comforted by a reflection upon our faith of which Jesus Christ hath been the Author and will be the finisher Heb. 12. ver 2. nay if the bottomless pit be opened and a vision of that brimstone-lake belching forth smoke and sulphur be presented the sight whereof makes the sinners of Zion afraid and surpriseth the hippocrites with sinking fears crying out in the greatness of their distress who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33. ver 14. our hearts will feed upon this sad truth with comfort when we know that with Noah we are in the ark and with Lot we are in Zoar waiting for our Jesus from heaven who hath delivered us from wrath to come 1 Thes 1. vers ult The Devil is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a roaring lion roaring after the prey but our comfort is that the Lord Jesus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lion of the Tribe of Judah which rescueth us from the paws of this Lion Nay farther if Gospel priviledges be displayed Gospel-promises be applyed Gospel-treasures be opened and the name of Christ like oyntment be powred forth we may by an Act of believing grasp at all and say all is ours we are Christs 1 Cor. 3. ver ult yea Christ is ours Cant. 5. ver ult In a word if the state of after
and lift up the shield of faith to receive and quench his fiery darts by considering 1. That the same afflictions that is temptations are accomplished in your brethren that dwell in the world you are not single in this temptation though that is much the thoughts of tempted ones Satan doth not fight you with a new weapon that lately past the forge 2. That you stand related to and are in covenant with that God who is the God of all grace who hath all weapons ready for war in his Armory and can supply a tempted Saint with those graces suddainly and fully which he stands in need of 3. That your relation to the God of all grace is founded upon Jesus Christ and evidenced by your effectual calling for you are called into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ not unto implying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that grace gives the soul an entrance into glory effectual vocation is a call from heaven into heaven the soul is taken up into heaven from the time of its new birth as to the certainty of it and safe keeping unto it 4. That your suffering condition will not be long it is the Lord not Satan who times your temptations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall suffer but a while sharpe they are and therefore termed sufferings yet but short therefore phrased awhile hence Rev. 2.10 You shall have tribulation ten dayes that is your imprisonment shall be short 5. That your temptations shall be in order to your establishment the God of all grace will make you perfect establish strengthen settle you your sufferings shall be in order to your setling your temptation in order to your consolation parallel to that 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory O then do but in the hour of temptation draw up the main body of your experiences and evidences of Gods love in Christ unto you and Satan cannot hurt you though his main battail be against you though he may pluck of some rath grapes he shall never destroy your Vintage though he may pick up some scattered ears he shall never carry away your harvest and though he may trouble you in your passage to heaven he shall never keep you out of heaven what a day of comfort is this unto the foul 3. Are you summoned by the King of terrors do his batteries play upon you are there breaches made in your mud-walls is there a mine sprung and your life in all likelihood to be blown up Why the lively sense and evidence of grace received will like a cordial water warm your hearts and stay up your spirits at such an hour as this is that light of life within you if heeded will clear up the counsels of God unto you as to your after and eternal well-being it will convince you of Gods soveraignty conquer your renitency and make you bow head and heart with much submission to the father of spirits this will ballance and ballast your souls too and poise them evenly between hope and fear that neither shall be inordinate and that in two particulars 1. Where grace sits at the helm of Government in the soul it brings the unruly passions into subjection to the divine pleasure and preserves the Saints from over-much hoping of life seeing their dayes are determined and their bounds set and antidotes them against overmuch fearing of death seeing the number of their mouths are with God Job 14.5 6. the indefinite is equivalent to an universal so that it was not Jobs single case but the common lot of all mankind and therefore you may safely argue that all the rare feasts which Paracelsus professed to do for the lengthening of mens lives the use of all remedies cannot make you out-live nor the missing of them cause you to fall short of those bounds which God in his secret and irreversible decrees hath set you This consideration will much quiet your hearts in God when you have the sentence of death within your selves it will excellently prevent that distemper which is an evil that I have seen even amongst the Saints of God viz. an over-eager desire of life and a greedy catching at any hopes thereof even to some neglect of that preparation and those precedaneous duties which the seriousness of death and eternity do call for at their hands not that I condemne a modest and humble desire of life or a sober use of means and medicines in order thereunto onely propound this as a cure of that heart-distemper mentioned and to perswade my self and others to say with David Here I am let the Lord do to me as seemeth good unto him 2 Sam. 15.26 2. Your gathering up your experiences of converting renewing adopting and accepting grace in Jesus Christ will fill your souls with ravishing comforts upon an everlasting account even then when your nearest friends fill your heads with weepings sighings and sad lamentings as seeing your dying breath draw faint and short and other symptomes of death report your change to be very near you will then gather up your spirits as old Jacob did his feet and not be afraid to speak with your enemy in the gate the gate of eternity Oh grace improved will shew you your names written in the Lambs book of life will give you some foretasts of those joys which are in the presence of God will lead you in a vision of the Spirit into your fathers house that you may see those mansion places of glory which are prepared for you and will open your eyes that you may see the Angels of God those blessed ministering spirits waiting at your pillows to waft your souls into the everlasting embraces of your dear Redeemer that you may say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 to still the sobbings of your sad relations We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building with God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Dr. Kendall in his answer to Mr. John Goodwin p. 53. That with Moses you may dye upon the mount of vision and with David full of riches and honor in a spiritual sense Oh this consideration will make death-tokens love-tokens and represent death as a messenger from your dear Jesus who brings the glad tidings of everlasting life if you fall by an arrow yet is that arrow shot by the hand of God in more love then Jonathans was to David if by a stroke of the pestilence yet that pestilence is no Plague but somewhat a harsher plaster of all miscries whatever be the fury of the disease it is but a chariot of fire to carry you to heaven None of the blessed Fathers ever complained of the untowardness of the way so happy are they in being seized of their inheritance among the Saints in light though they were hurried thither through the darkest valley of the shaddow of death Thus that learned Author
house and in the field a plain text and that which teacheth great personages to commit their affairs to the trust and care of Josephs as Stewards and Bailiffs it would go better with them then it does But alas Josephs Religious men are not the onely men in great families more 's the pity and more is there loss the Lord help them to see and all men else how much good the Lords Josephs are instrumental unto in the world that they may be more prized by all and masters may labor more to store their families with such servants how desirous soever the profane world is to be rid of the Saints sure I am they would dearly miss them Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are yet he prayed in a great drought and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth fruit Jam. 4.17 make much then of Jacobs Josephs and Elijahs O ye men of the world you 'l miss them in your barns and in your borders I 'le warrant you when they are gone 3. They keep off many a blow from the places where they live they either divert or at least delay the execution of judgements Ten righteous persons would have preserved four Cities from perishing by fire from heaven Gen. 18.32 How did David and the Elders of Israel by their prayer and humiliation keep off the sad stroak of the pestilence from Jerusalem when the Angel was now stretching forth his hand to destroy it 1 Chron. 21.15 16 17. And truely how should we admire the goodness of the Lord that the plague hath rid circuit through most Nations in the world in late years and that by a desolating mortality in some places and yet hath not for this many years broke forth in any raging manner in this Nation of ours ought not this distinguishing providence of God since reformation first began in the long Parliament be much admired and the Lord be thankfully adored for it and may we not own a remnant in the Land as a blessing from the Lord who stood in the gap Nay farther it is upon the account of the Saints that the world continues that the fire of God doth not kindle upon the whole Creation which is combustible to melt the heavens and burn up the earth with the works that are therein the floud of waters was onely respited until Noah and his family were secured in the Ark which being done the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windowes of heaven were opened Gen. 7. ver 11. When Lot was entred into Zoar then the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom Gen. 19. ver 23 24. 2 Pet. 3. v. 9. The Lord is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any of his should perish but when the whole election is brought in then cometh the end when the sealing Angel Apoc. 7. ver 1 2 3. had sealed the servants of God in their foreheads then had the four Angels that stood on the four corners of the earth full commission to fall pel mel upon the earth It will be a dooms day with the world when the cloudes shall catch up the elect to meet their Lord in the air 1 Thess 4. vers 17. 5. And Lastly The Saints of God may mostly advantage their carnal neighbours in promoting their conversion herein they would shew themselves friends indeed if they would use all humble and earnest endeavours to bring them home to God The Judicial Law commanded every Israelite to bring a straying ox or ass home to his master How much more doth the Law of God and Christian love oblige every true Israelite indeed to bring a straggling Prodigal home to his Fathers house All the Saints own it as their duty to glorifie God in their generation and wherein can they bring more glory to God then in helping soules to heaven and how can they find out a readier way to effect this great business then by telling Vnless the Lord had been their help their soules had well nigh dwelt in silence by making a faithfull narrative of their own conditions by nature and by grace when and how the goodness of the Lord was made known unto them upon a saving account Some of the Saints I may boldly affirm have taken this course and prospered Oh that this might be a word from the Lord to awaken up all to this great duty my soul even bleedeth within me to observe the general neglect and great aversness of most to this great business some think their gifts too low and their parts too inconsiderable to carry on a design of this importance others have such honorable thoughts of a Gospel Ministery rightly called and qualified that they judg the anointing of the Lord to be upon them onely for that work and therefore will not take their work out of their hand least they should sin in such an attempt Others cry out let them do the work who receive the wages as though they worked onely for wages which is a very unjust and uncharitable censure Some there be that go higher yet who bid the Ministers sit still for they can do the work better then they and load them with many foul aspersions that they may the better get their work out of their hands I mean their people from under their Ministerial care and oversight indeed the distemper is very sad at this day in the Nation and not a few fall under this last classis I think in no Nation more the Lord rebuke that bold and blaspemous spirit which is gone abroad humble us for our sinnes and shew us the pattern of his house in all the in-goings out-goings and ordinances of it that men of daring spirits may be bounded I like not an invasion upon the Ministry so as to destroy the office of it nor yet an intrusion unto it by men not duly called unto it neither that any who are not in some measure of Gospel-fitness qualified for it should be thrust or thrust themselves upon a people though called by man unto it much less that any should improve their gifts to set up themselves and throw down the faithfull Ministry in the hearts and affections of people least of all that any should be suffered much more encouraged who corrupt the truths and people of God who bring in damnable heresies to draw away disciples after them by reason of whome the way of truth is evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2. vers 1 2. formerly made good in those reproaches which were cast upon Religion by the Pagans in the Primitive times and are now cast upon it amongst us by Papists and carnal Professours and both upon the account of Heresies and therefore as I owne the office of a Pastor as distinct from the people being the great bequeathment of the Lord Jesus to his Church and for the spiritual edification of his Church Eph. 4. ver 8 11 12. Bless God for those able pens who have with much learning gravitie weightiness of Arguments
spirits in any assault when ye can say in your greatest distresses as Paul 2 Tim. 4. ver 16 17. No man stood with me but all men forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me Here 's a clear appearance of God Or with Daniel My God hath sent his Angel and stopped the mouthes of the Lions that they have not hurt me or with David in my distress I cried unto the Lord and he heard me Psal 120. ver 1. And surely some of the Saints deliverances have been such I can instance in mine own which were singly and signally wrought by God But now in other cases where instruments have been used as many such cases there have been be sure you give them even all created helps the name of instruments and own God as the principal Agent that his arm moved everey wheel and his hand guided and wrought with every tool do this and ye are well enough Psal 77. ver 20. Thou leddesi thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron to wit through the the red sea Moses struck the waters with his rod I but God divided the sea thou leddest is onely applicable to God and by Moses onely intimates an instrument so Psal 88. ver 65 66. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep or like as a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine and he smote the enemies in the hinder parts he putteth them to a perpetuall shame However the army is marshalled the stroak is from God the horse is prepared against the day of battel but safetie is of the Lord Prov. 21. ver 31. But suppose Sathan should deny the consequence of the Major for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a subtle opponent and argue though God did deliver in temporals yet he will not in spiritualls Who is he that shall deliver out of my hands I le make you know that ye are wrastling not with flesh and bloud men that are your matches but with principalities and powers who are much above your match there is impar congressus a great disparity in strength and wisdome and all things between me and you What are all the powers of the world to the God of this world what are all the dark plots of men to the projects of the Prince of darkness What are all the whiffling waters to the great Apollion who is the destroyer why answer greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world 1 John 4.4 thy power Sathan is but a limitted power Christ our Redeemer hath thy chain in his hand thou canst not break one link of it nor pass one hairs breadth beyond thy boundaries besides Thou canst have no power against me except it be given the from above If thy Commission hath not pass'd the Signet-Office in heaven it is but a blank piece of parchment Nay farther thy head and thy heart and thy hand too have been all at work in those mischiefs that were plotted and acted against us and yet thou seest we have a sure footing in peace and safety when we were under water we had never come up again but had been quackned in the deep if the strength of thine arm could have kept our heads down when we were shut up in prison we had never came forth if thy bolts and locks could have made fast the doors when we were under the power of our enemies we had never come of with life if thy malice could have turned the points of their weapons against us But God made us to be pitied of all those that carried us away captive Psal 106. ver 46. Our sicknesses had been mortal if thou couldest have spilt the potion or stirred up the humours to have encreased the malignancy of the distempers but in all things wherein thou didst deal proudly God was above thee and he that rebuked thee in thine instruments will rebuke thee also in thine agency He that defeated thee as worldly Governors will defeat thee as spirituall wickedness also That wisdome goodness and power which secured our temporalls against thee will much more secure their spiritualls If thou couldest not spill our blood much less shalt thou be able to split our souls If thou couldest not take away our credit we are sure thou shalt not take away our crown If our goods were out of thy reach much more shall our graces and our glory be He that delivered us out of the mouth of the Lion will deliver us from every evil work and preserve us to his heavenly kingdome But further if Sathan shall argue Who doubts the power of God or who disputes against his omnipotency but wherefore should God put forth his Almightiness to secure you against me what claim can ye make to that mercy and goodness ye speak of let your reply be Gal. 1. ver 4. That Christ gave himself for your sinnes that he might deliver you from this present evil world according to the will of God even your father And that sin and Sathan are they that make this present world evill all evills flow from them If therefore God our father willed the death of his Son to deliver us from this present evil world he willed his death to deliver us from thee and that bastard brat of thine sin also And more John 14. ver 30. The Lord Jesus said of thee the Prince of this world hath nothing in me nor any power over me and if not in Christ then neither in us at least not over us so that thou shalt be able to undoe us and destroy us We are one with Christ he is the head and we the members and we can lay a Gospel claim which is a good title to all Christ and to all of Christ which is communicable to the creature The Apostle gives us good warrant 1 Cor. 3. ver 21. All things are yours and why ye are Christs yea so Christs as that Christ is yours a relative propertie as is between husband and wife Hence 1 Cor. 1. ver 30. He is made unto us of God wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption as if the Apostle had said the wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption which are in and wrought by Jesus Christ are by deed of gift through grace made over unto us So then against thy wiles and stratagems and cunning methods O Sathan We have the wisdome of Christ which is ours for direction to secure us Against thy accusations enditements and charges for sin we have the righteousness of Christ which is ours for justification to acquit us against those heart-defilements corruptions and concupiscences wherewith thou wouldst soil us and foil us we have the holiness of Christ which is ours for Sanctification in some measure to defend us and against thy might and malice treachery and tyranny we have the kingly office of Christ his authority his omnipotency which are ours as to Redemption to protect us Oh this this name of the Lord thus displayed and
For their unjust charge of Hypocrisie upon them who so envious as evil men who are so much the objects of their envy as the godly are and why is their malice so much against them surely it is upon the account of Religion of differencing Grace and holiness This was the seed of the first quarrel betwixt man and man this was that which made Cain a fratricide and wherefore slew he his brother because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous 1 John 3.12 and now though the laws of men and the power of God restrain wicked men from murdering the godly yet they shed the bloud of their soules and slay their sincerity by charging Hypocrisie upon them which is the highest degree of murther and that which the seed of Cain shall one day pay dearly for But what makes them so bold to call the Saints Hypocrites what colour have they for such a charge or what ground have they thus to traduce the sincere servants of the Lord why the false gloss they put upon the humbling Providences of God they expound unsoundness of body in them to an infallible Evidence of an unsound spirit rottenness in their bones to be the proper fruit of a rotten heart and that the voyce of the Lord in their present sufferings doth fully speak all their professing praying watching waiting humility and holiness to be but mere dissembling what do the arguings and deportments of Job's three friends import and in special that passage of Bildad Job 8.6 7. to the end of the Chapter If thou wert pure and upright surely now he would awake for thee and make thy righteousness prosperous What doth this Hypothesis this uncharitable Supposition import but a secret charge of Hypocrisie may it not be sensed thus ah Job thou wantest that heart-purity and heart-uprightness which renders the Persons and services of Gods sincere ones acceptable in his sight thou hast had indeed a great deal of the name and form of godliness thou hast carried it fairly and plausibly before men and hast purchased to thy self the reputation of a godly person in the world but alas the heart-searching God whose eyes are as a flame of fire ten thousand times brighter then the light of the Sun hath scarched thy reins and weighed thy spirit and having followed the streams of thy devotion to the fountain hath found that Hypocrisie hath been the head and Self the spring of all thy services thou hast but serv'd thy self upon God thy Religion hath been but mercenary and thou hast been his servant onely because he gave thee good wages therefore hath this calamitous condition overtaken thee and the Lord doth not awake to thy help which he would certainly do if he found thy heart upright in his wayes This he confirmes by the observation of the fathers who were men of great age great wisdome and great experience in the world ver 8 9 10. and that by three elegant similitudes ver 11. from the rush which cannot grow up without mire 2. from the flag which cannot grow without water both which ver 12. being removed to a drie unwatered soil do die and wither at the root so ver 13. are the wayes of all that forget God and the hypporites hope shall perish being at a distance from the fountain of living water and having the root of his confidence in himself A third Similitude is laid down ver 16 17. He is green before the sun and his branch shooteth forth in his garden his roots are wrapped about the heap and seeth the place of stones Succosus ex Tremel There being in many gardens fountains of stone Other senses of this passage are given by Expositours however all conclude that Bildad chargeth Iob with hypocrisie which is the chief thing I aim at in this quotation comparing an Hypocrite to a green and sappy tree which growes up under the warm influences of the Sun and spreadeth his roots receiving secret moisture from the garden-springs yet the ax shall be brought and cut it up being like the Cyparit which bears small berries and bitter leaves that yeild an ill smell before God and therefore he cuts him up and casts him out of his garden this further appears to be that which Bildad drives at and wherewith he chargeth Job upon the account of his present sufferings because Ver. 20. he affirmes that God will not cast away a perfect man neither will he help the evil doers That the perfect man in Scripture language however otherwaies glossed upon by some in our dayes denotes a sincere servant of the Lord one whose heart is upright with the Lord is clear in many passages now what measure Job had from Bildad and his companions the same have many of the suffering Saints had from the censorious and carnal world and that upon the same grounds but be wise O ye snarling doggs be instructed ye blind Barbarians call not a suffering Saint because in distress an hypocrite for they are branches bearing fruit in Christ and the great vine-dresser doth but purge them by affliction cutting off their luxuriant branches that they may bring forth more fruit Joh. 15.2 Take heed ye sin not by such uncharitable censures against the generation of Gods children lest his wrath be kindled against you and ye perish in the way even in this your way of traducing and slandering the footsteps of Gods anointed ones and lest the Lord speak suddenly against you as he did against Aaron and Miriam in the quarrel of Moses Numb 12.8 and say How were you not afraid to speak against my suffering servants 3. For that definitive sentence which they pass upon the Saints when under suffering as though they were cast off by God and delivered over by Justice unto destruction indeed wicked men are very peremptory in their conclusions against the Lords people and when they see load laid upon them by the Lord in some calamitous estate they presently determine upon the question that they are forsaken of God Thus David in Psal 71.7 brings in his enemies encouraging themselves in their furious attempts against him under this assurance that God had cast him off Hear at what a rate they speak God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him But why so confident that David is now one of the forlorne hope that his condition is desperate and irreparable have you not seen what stormes he hath borne up under and sailed against have you forgot the formidable armies he hath broak through and broak why should you think that Absalom's Rebellion or Sheba's Mutiny for it is conceived the Psalm was penned upon one of those occasions should cast such an old and experienced Souldier into a lost condition O! God was wont to go out with him and his good presence was as a munition of Rocks unto him whereby he became not onely safe but successfull in all his enterprises but now the case is altered David stands alone
is me I am undone I am in a lost and perishing estate and indeed needs must it be thus with them those especially who have been brought out of a state of great profanenesse who have acted high and long against the Lord and there is great reason for it because they are brought home by a through conviction both of sin and wrath alas fools as they were formerly they made a sport of sin it was but childrens play with them to swear be drunk profane Sabbaths commit uncleannesse c. they went as nimbly away with all the load of sin upon their consciences as Sampson did with the gates of Gaza on his shoulders they wondred at the down exact-looks and scoffed at the whining complaints of mourning sinners I but now the case is altered when the spirit of bondage is upon them to fear now they find that guilt in sin feel those pangs of conscience and fear that indignation from a sin-revenging God that there is no rest in their bones the arrows of the Almighty stick fast and deep in their souls now they are pricked in their hearts they feel as those Jews did Act. 2. ver 37. the nails wherewith they had crucified the Lord Jesus sticking like so many goads yea stings of Scorpions fast in their hearts and cry out men and brethren what shall we do or like the Goaler brimmed up with tetrour and astonishment they call out for help Sirs what must we do to be saved Oh! what will become of us what will a righteous God do with us how shall we escape wrath to come What shall we do what course shall we take Oh! we shall be in hell in hell before help from the Lord will come unto us It was well replied by a reverend Divine to one that was under trouble of soul about his salvation I tell thee it is able to trouble the whole world how many can speak much to this the extremities that many awakened sinners have been brought unto have been very sad they have been struck down with Paul yea laid for dead brought into a despairing condition they have said and sigh'd yea sob'd it out also can such a wretch as I am hope for mercy did the Lord Jesus shed his precious bloud for such a vile sinner as I am Is it possible that my abominations should be pardoned that there should be any accepting grace for me for me who have been so great a sinner yea the chief of sinners a sile-leader in the black regiment of sin Oh much of this nature farre beyond what I felt or can expresse hath fallen from the lips and lain upon the Spirits of some of the Saints at their first awakening being in their own apprehensions irrecoverably undone hath this been any of your cases as sure it hath been Oh then how should your hearts be drawn out into thankfulnesse to the Lord when ye call to remembrance your fears and tears and terrours at your first conversion and then consider how welcome Consid 3 and unexpected grace mercy comfort and the good news of a Saviour were unto you in these bitter agonies O how welcome was Moses and his message of freedome from the Lord to the children of Israel when they were weary of their lives by reason of their hard bondage how welcome is a calme after a violent storm to the affrighted Mariner how pleasant is a bright morning after a black night to the wearied traveller and how doth the heart leap up to meet a message of mercy when 't is broken and even spent with misery when David said my foot slips then it follows thy mercy O Lord held me up and who can estimate the worth of succouring and supporting mercy at such a pinch the mothers eye is upon her child and her hand also to stay it from falling or to snatch it up so soon as down the child shall not cry long upon the ground in the mothers hearing and yet a mother may forget the son of her womb but God will not forget his children Isa 49. ver 15. So soon as ever Israel had cried our our bones are dried up and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Ezek. 37. ver 12. The Lord replies Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come forth of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel When the pangs of new birth are strong and violent even ad deliquium animae to the fainting of the soul then doth the comforter come in with his cordial spirits and stay 's up the sinking soul when the Jews laboured for life being stab'd to the very heart Peter presently applies the promise and brings forth the new birth in them Act. 2.38 when the Goaler was even sinking into hell Paul claps to him and stay 's him with this Gospel-assurance believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. ver 31. And what follow 's did the plaister stick had the word any saving work upon this desparate wretch yea ver 34. he rejoyced believing in God with all his house here 's a strange and sudden change a blessed turn of things he that just now was upon the borders of hell is now brought within the suburbs of heaven in the joyful apprehensions of pardoning and accepting grace through Jesus Christ The out-goings of God in comforting his drooping Saints and his returns unto them after his withdrawings from them are not lesse or lesse refreshing How did the Spirit of the Church fail within her Cant. 5. ver 6. when she could not find her dear Redeemer in his wonted presence of joy and comfort yet at the end of the chapter she find's and feel's Christ in her soul and in a full sense of her interest in and her union with him breaks out into these joyful acclamations this is my beloved O ye daughters of Jerusalem and this is my friend memorable is the story of Mr. William Cooper a Scotch Divine who was early brought into Christ even when he was a School-boy and approved himself before God and good men to be a pious painful and profitable Pastour of the Lords flock his usual course being to preach sive times aweek but this could not secure him from Sachans buffettings being exercised with inward temptations and great variety of spiritual combats a short account whereof with the gracious returns of God in mercy to his soul I shall give you in his own words reported by Mr. Clark in vita patrum Once sayes he Mr. Clark in vita Patrum in great extremity of horrour and anguish of spirit when I had utterly given over and looking for nothing but confusion suddenly there did shine in the very twinkling of an eye the bright and lightsome countenance of God proclaiming peace and confirming it with invincible reasons Oh what a change was here in a moment the silly soul that was even now at the brink of the pit was instantly raised
to heaven to have fellowship with God in Jesus Christ then was I touched with such a lively sense of a Divinity and power of a Godhead in mercy reconciled with man and with me in Christ as I trust my soul shall never forget Glory glory glory be to the joyful deliverer of my soul out of all her troubles forever How fully doth this president speak to the consideration proposed He that was under such an eclipse of light and comfort that his soul did almost dwell in silence now found such sweet and seasonable out-breakings of peace and joy from the presence of the Lord that were to him as life from the dead and gave him a blessed opportunity of praising God in the land of the living How many examples of the like nature may be gathered up and how many Saints now alive can bear witnesse to these things in their own experience how have the wounded in spirit found truth and healing in that passage Hos 16. ver 1 2 3. He hath torn and he will heal us he hath broken and he will bind us up after two dayes he will revive us and in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord that his going forth in relieving and refreshing mercy to his distressed ones is prepared Note nay decreed as the morning First suddenly second certainly third comfortably past all possibility of disappointment Sathan and his agents may as easily hinder the day from dawning and the Sun from rising when the appointed minute for each is come both which are fixed by the unrepealable ordinance of the great Creatour Jer. 33. ver 20. as prevent the dawnings of comfort or darken the irradiations of the Son of righteousnesse when he is pleased to shine into the souls of his drooping ones Nay farther He shall come unto us as the rain as the latter and the former rain to the earth both were certain in the land of Canaan unlesse held back in wrath the first at seed-time to soften the ground and the latter a little before harvest to plump and pumple the corn in the ear in like sort as renewing so reviving grace is certain as the former came unto us Mr. Burroughs Lecture in loc to convert us when we were sinful so the latter shall come to comfort us when we shall be sorrowfull O precious mercy read and enlarge this in your own thoughts and take these few hints as helps which are more insisted upon by Mr. Burroughs 1. The Time of Gods delivering his people is the morning he takes the first and fittest opportunity after a sad and dark night 2. T is Gods presence that makes morning to the Saints all naturall helps cannot do it 3. Gods mercies to his people are prepared and decreed mercies 4. The Saints in the night of affliction comfort themselves with this that the morning is a coming 5. The Church hath no afflictions upon her but there comes a morning after them 6. A little before the Saints deliverance out of their greatest disturbances of misery and trouble the darkness of their night is the greatest therefore be not dismayed although not a starre appears in your night of trouble for the morning is approaching that darknesse is the Prodromus it ushers in the Phosphorus the bright morning starre of joy and comfort neither let the scoffing Ismaels of the world take advantage from the drouping of Saints to reproach Religion for Psal 97. ver 11. Light is sown for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart they have light and gladnesse insemine at their first conversion and at their first entrance into a distressed estate the husband man sets a harvest value upon his land when the seed is harrowed in because he trusts to the word of Gods Covenant with Noah So may a believer who hath had a seed time of grace passe over his soul comfort himself that he shall have his harvest time of joy also 't is sown and covenant dews will ripen it in due time and therefore you who think so basely of the Gospel and the professours of it because at present their peace and comfort is not come at least in any measure unto some but rather sorrow and mourning know it is on the way to them and comes to stay everlastingly with them where is your peace is going from you every moment and is sure to leave you without any hope of ever returning to you again Look not how the Christian begins but ends The Spirit of God by his convictions comes into the soul with some terrours Mr. Gurnall part 2. of his Christian in compleat armour pag. 396. but it closeth with peace and joy as we say of the moneth of March it enters like a Lion but goes out like a Lamb Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace O then ye servants of the Lord be much and serious in meditating upon recovering and relieving grace under those three particulars mentioned and you will find excellent advantages thereby you will live at the best rate of a spiritual and happy life which I shall evince in three considerations Consid I. You will live best to God 2. You will live best to your selves 3. You will live best to others I. You will live best to God and for God if you often remember how near to silence your souls have been upon a spirituall account if you often meditate in what dark and dangerous paths you once walked what a load of lust and sin you lay under how thwart your principles and practices were to God and godlinesse how you walked in time past according to the course of this world the mundaneity and worldlinesse of the world as the Syriack renders it which is wholly set upon wickednesse and lyes soak't in sin and according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. ver 2. as a Smith worketh in his forge and an Artificer in his shop that ye were the devils journey-men your members as his working-tools your souls as his shop wherein and by which he carryed on that cursed trade of sin Oh! the sense of this will marvellously draw the soul after God and prevail with you to live unto God which is the great end of living Rom. 14. ver 8. the truth whereof is evidenced in three particulars 1. You will live most by faith upon God you will act faith in a more immediate and fiduciall dependency upon the Lord Try and then trust is the worlds motto now when you have a present sense upon your souls of what the Lord hath done for you how and in what methods of grace the Lord appeared to you when you walked upon the brink of hell and were ready every moment to drop into the pit this will work an holy boldnesse in