from presumptuous 〈◊〉 saith the Psalmist Psal. 19. 13. let them â—ot have dominion over me q. d. Lord I find â—ropensions to sin in my nature yea strong â—nes too if thou leave me to my self I am â—arried into sin as easily as a Feather down â—e Torrent O Lord keep back thy servant â—nd there is no petition that upright ones our out their hearts to God in either more â—equently or more ardently than in this 〈◊〉 be kept back from sin 8. Eightly and Lastly This shews the soul not to be under the dominion of sin that it doth not only cry to God to be kept back from sin but uses the means of prevention himself he resists it as well as pray aginst it Psal. 18. 23. I was also upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity So Iob 31. 1. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes and yet more fully in Isa. 33. 15. he shaketh his hands from holding bribes and stoppeth his ears from hearing blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil See with what care the portals are shut at which sin useth to enter All these things are very relieving considerations to poor souls questioning their integrity under the frequent surprisals of sin And the next tryal no less SECT VIII 5. FIfthly Our opposition to and conflictâ— with sin discover what we are gold or dross There are conflicts with sin both in the regenerate and in the unregenerate but there is a vast difference betwixt them as will appear in the following account 1. First There is an universal and there 〈◊〉 a particular opposition to sin the former 〈◊〉 found in regenerate the latter in unregeneâ—rate souls a gracious heart hates every false way Psal. 119. 104. and must needs do so because he hates and opposes sin as sin sâ— â—â—at he can no peccatum in deliciis no exâ—epted or reserved Lust but fights against â—â—e whole body and every limb and memâ—er of the body of sin But it is not so with the Hypocrite or carâ—l Professor he hath evermore some reserâ—â—â—d sin that he cannot part with 2. Secondly There is an opposition beâ—ixt the new nature and sin and there is an â—position betwixt natural Conscience and sin â—â—e former is the case of an upright soul the â—ter may be of a self-deceiver A regenerate Person opposeth sin because â—ere is an irreconcileable Antipathy betwixt and the new nature in him as is clear â—om Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spiâ— and the spirit against the flesh and these are â—â—trary the one to the other by flesh underâ—nd corrupt Nature by spirit not only the â—irit of Man but the spirit of God or prinâ—â—le of Regeneration in Man by the lustâ— of these two against each other underâ—â—nd the desire and endeavour of each others â—â—struction and ruine and the ground of all â—s is the contrariety of these two natures These are contrary one to the other there is wofold opposition betwixt them one forâ—l their very natures are opposite the â—er effective their workings and designs are posite as it is betwixt fire and water But the oppositions found in unrenewed Souls against sin is not from their nature for sin is suitable enough to that but from the light that is in their minds and conse ences which scares and terrifies them Suc was that in Darius Dan. 6. 14. He was so displeased with himself and set his heart on Dani to deliver him and laboured till the going dow of the Sun to deliver him here the contest waâ— betwixt sense of honour upon one side an conviction of Conscience on the other sidâ— Sometimes a generous and noble disposit on opposes sordid and base actions majâ— sum ad majora natus quam ut corpor is m sim mancipium I am greater and born â— greater things than that I should be a slaw to my Body said a brave Heathen 3. Thirdly There is a permanent and theâ—â— is a transient opposition to sin the former the case of God's People the latter of â—enâ—â— porary and unsound Professors The Saint when he draws the sword this warfare against sin throws away th scabbard no end of this combate with sin tâ—â— life end their life and their troubles are nished together 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought tâ—â— good fight and have finished my Course But in other Men it is but a transie quarrel out with sin one day and in anâ— ther and the reason is plain by what wâ—â— noted before it is not the opposition two natures it is like the opposition of tâ—â— Wind and Tyde these may be contrary and make a stormy sea to day but the wind may come about and go as the T-yde goes â—o morrow but in a Christian it is as the â—pposition of the river and the dam one must give way to the other there 's no reconciling them but the other like the dog â—eturns to his vomit 2 Pet. 2. ult 4. Fourthly There is an opposition to he root of sin and an opposition to the fruits of sin A gracious soul opposeth root and fruit but others the latter only The great design of an upright soul is not only to lop off this or that branch but to kill the root of sin which is in his nature Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death but the great care and endeavours of others is to suppress outward acts of sin and escape the mischievous consequents of it yea their study is as Lactantius phraseth it Potius abscondere quam abscindere vitia to hide rather than to kill their Lusts. 5. Fifthly There is an opposition to sin in the strength of God and an opposition to sin in our own strength The former is proper to a real Christian the later is found frequently with unsanctified persons when a Christian goes forth against any sin it is in the strength of God So you read their rule directs them Eph. 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might take unto you the whole armour of God and suitabâ—â— you shall find them frequently upon theâ— knees begging strength from heaven againâ— their Lusts 2 Cor. 12. 8. For this cause I bâ— sought the Lord thrice saith Paul i. e. Ofteâ— and earnestly that the temptation migâ—â— depart from him But Others go forth against sin only iâ— the strength of their own resolutions so diâ— Pendleton in our story these Resolutions oâ— vows which they have put themselves undeâ— are as frequently frustrated as made 6. Sixthly There is a successful oppositioâ— to sin and an opposition that comes to nâ—â—thing The former is that of true Christianâ— the later is found among unregenerate meâ—â— The work of Mortification in the Saintâ— is progressive and increasing hence Rom. 6. 6 Our old man is Crucified with him that the boâ—dy of sin might be destroyed Sin dyes in beâ—lievers much what as crucified persons use tâ—â—â—ye viz. a slow lingering gradual buâ— sure death its
its Commandments but so do its own Servants it 's their daily practice Ier. 9. 3. They proceed from evil to evil 3. Thirdly Delight in sin proves the dominion of sin So the Servants of sin are described Isa. 66. 3. They have chosen their own ways and their soul delighteth in their abominations Look as our delight in God is the measure of our holiness so our delight in sin is the measure of our sinfulness Delight in sin is one of the uppermost rounds of the Ladder much higher the soul of a sinner cannot go till it be turned off into Hell It 's a sport to a fool to do mischief Prov. 10. 23. Never merrier than when he hath the Devil for his play-fellow saith one upon that place Mr. Trap. 4. Fourthly Impatience of Christs Yoke and Government argues the soul to be the subject of sin This is clear from the Apostles reasoning in Rom. 6. 17 18. But God be thanked that ye were the Servants of sin but you have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered you being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness where you see plainly that no man can have his manumission or freedom from sin that comes not into Christ's service and yields himself up to his obedience So then to fret at Christ's Laws that tie us up from our Lusts to be weary of all spiritual imployments as a burden intolerable never to be in our Element and Centre till we are off from God and plunging in the world and our lusts this is a sad note of a soul in subjection to sin Object But may not an upright soul find some weariness in spiritual things Sol. Doubtless he may for he hath flesh as well as spirit and tho' the spirit be willing the flesh is weak he is sanctified but in part and his delight in the Law of God is but according to or after the inner man Rom. 7. 22. but he sees another law in his members i. e contrary inclinations However if he be weary sometimes in the duties of Godliness to be sure he is more weary out of 'em and is not Centred and at rest till he be with his God again But the Carnal heart is where it would be when it is in the service of sin and as a Fish upon dry land when ingaged in spiritual duties Especially such as are secret and have no external allurements of reputation to engage him to them But what surprisals or captivities to sin soever may befal an upright soul yet it appears by these eight following particulars that he is not the servant of sin nor in full subjâ—ction to it For 1. First Tho' he may be drawn to sin yet he cannot reflect upon his sin without shame and sorrow which plainly shews it to be an involuntary surprize So Peter wept bitterly Mat. 26. 75. and David mouâ—ned for his sin heartily others can fetch new pleasures out â—f their old sins by reflecting on them and â—me can glory in their shame Phil. 3. 19. â—ome are stupid and senseless after sin and â—he sorrow of a carnal heart for it is but a â—orning dew but it is far otherwise with God's people 2. Secondly Tho' a Saint may be drawn 〈◊〉 sin yet it is not with a deliberate and full â—nsent of his will their delight is in the law 〈◊〉 God Rom. 7. 22. They do that which they â—ould not ver 16. i. e. there are inward â—islikes from the new nature and as for that â—ase of David which seems to have so much 〈◊〉 counsel and deliberation in it yet it was â—t in a single act it was not in the general â—ourse of his life he was upright in all things i.e. in the general course and tenour of his â—fe 1 King 15. 5. 3. Thirdly Tho' an upright soul may fall â—to sin yet he is restless and unquiet in that â—ondition like a bone out of joynt and â—at speaks him to be none of sins Servants 〈◊〉 on the contrary if a Man be ingaged in â—â—e external duties of Religion and be restâ—ss and unquiet there his heart is not in it â—e is not at rest till he be again in his earthâ—â— business this Man cannot be reckoned â—hrists Servant a gracious heart is much â—ter that rate imployed in the work of sin â—at a carnal heart is when imployed in the ork of Religion that 's a good rule ea tantum dicuntur inesse quae insunt per modum qui tis that 's a mans true temper wherein 〈◊〉 is at rest poor David fell into sin but he hâ—â— no rest in his bones because of it Psal. 51 1â— 11 12. if his heart be off from God and dâ—â—ty for a little while yet he recollects hiâ—self and saith as Psal. 116. 7. Return unto tâ— rest O my soul. 4. Fourthly Tho' a sincere Christian fâ— into sin and commit evil yet he proceeds 〈◊〉 from evil to evil as the ungodly do Ier. 9. but makes his fall into one sin a caution prevent another sin Peter by his fall got est blishment for time to come if God wâ— speak peace to them they are careful to 〈◊〉 turn no more to folly Psal. 85. 8. In that sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness wrought yea what fear 2 Cor. 7. 11. It is 〈◊〉 so with the Servants of sin one sin leaâ— them much more disposed to another sin 5. Fifthly A sincere Christian may be draâ— to sin but yet he would be glad with all heart to be rid of sin It would be more him than thousands of gold or silver that might grieve and offend God no more aâ—â— that shews sin is not in dominion over hiâ— he that is under the dominion of sin is lâ— to leave his Lusts. Sins servants are not â—â—ling to part with it they hold it fast and fuse to let it go as that Text expresses it 8. 5. but the great complaint of the upriâ—â—â—â— â—s expressed by the Apostle according to the â—rue sense of their hearts in Rom. 7. 24. Who â—hall deliver me from the body of this death 6. Sixthly It appears they yield not themselves willingly to obey sin in as much as it is â—he matter of their joy when God orders any â—rovidence to prevent sin in them Blessed â—e the Lord said David to Abigail and blessed â—e thy advice and blessed be thou that hast kept â—â—ne this day from shedding blood 1 Sam. 15. 32 33. Here 's blessing upon blessing for a sin-preventing providence The Author is blessed â—he Instrument blessed the Means blessed O it 's a blessed thing in the eyes of a sincere man to be kept from sin he reckons it a great deliverance a very happy escape if he â—e kept from sin 7. Seventhly This shews that some who may be drawn to commit sin yet are none of the Servants of sin That they do heartily â—eg the assistance of grace to keep them from â—in keep back thy servant
SIGNS of GRACE AND Symptoms of Hypocrisie Opened in A Practical Treatise Upon Revelations III 17 18 Being the Second Part of The SAINT INDEED By IOHN FLAVELL Minister of Christ. Devon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zephan 2 1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scrutamini vos ipsos scrutamini antequam pariat decretum c. 〈◊〉 legendis libris non quaeramus scientiam sed saporem Bernard LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Three Bibles and Crown in Cheap-side 1698. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER READER AMONG the difficulties and severities of true Religion the faithful searching and diligent keeping of our heartâ— are found in the first and highest rank of difficulties these two take up the main work ofâ—â— Christian betwixt them hic labor hoc opuâ—â—est I had hopes that these Essaies for the searching of the heart might much sooner have followed my former for keeping the heart but providence hath reserved it for the fittest season It comes to thy hand Reader in a day oâ— straits and fears a dark and gloomy seasonâ—â— when the Nations about us are made drunâ— with their own blood and filled with the 〈◊〉 of astonishment In a day when the 〈◊〉 ready to pass unto us and a storm seems to 〈◊〉 rising in the fears of many and threatning thâ— Protestant interest in these reformed Nations Stâ—e Men very considerable for Piety and Learning from that Scripture Rev. 13. 3. The deadly wound viz. that given the beast by the Reformation was healed have concluded that Popery will once more over run the reformed Nations and one of great renown in all the Churches of Christ foretelling this furious but hort srtom comforts the People of God with this that it is like to fall heaviest upon the Worshippâ—rs in the outward Court namely the formal Professors of the times Oh! How much is every Man now concerned to have his estate and condition well cleared and to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure It should both amaze and grieve a pious mind to see how some ingenious Persons can sit with unwearied patience and pleasure racking their brains upon some dry School Problem or â—ome nice Mathematical Point whil'st no Reasons or Perswasions can prevail with them to â—pend one serious hour in the search and study of â—heir own hearts It was the saying of the great Cicero Liâ—enter omnibus omnes opes concesserim ut â—â—ihi liceat vi nullâ interpellante isto moâ—â— literis vivere I would give all the Wealth â—n the World that I might wholly live in my Studies and have nothing to hinder me What a brave offer had that been if Heaven and the clearing of a title to it had been the subject-matâ—er of those studies Crede mihi extingui dulce esset Mathematicarum artium studio saith another i. e. Believe me it were a sweet death to dye in the study of the Mathematical Arts And I should be apt to believe it too did I not know that eternal Iudgment immediately follows death and that they who stand at the door of eternity have higher matters to mind than Mathematical niceties To discern the harmonies and proportions in nature is pleasant but to discern the harmony and proportion of the Signs of Grace laid down in the Word with the Works of Grace wrought in our Souls is a far more pleasant and necessary imployment and to be extinguished in such a work as this were a lovely death indeed Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing My Friends a day of trouble is near a dying hour approacheth us and when our Eye-strings and Heart-strings are breaking when we are taking the last grasp of Christ and the Promises yoâ— will then know to what purpose those hours spenâ— in such work as this were Search your selves â— yea search your selves before the decree brinâ— forth as that text may be read Zeph. 2. 1 2. Enteâ— into thy Chamber Christian and shut thy door sâ—â— close to this imployment thou art here directed to and however times shall govern whether it be fair or foul weather abroad thou shalt never repent such an expence of thy time Nusquam requiem inveni nisi in libro claustro said a devout soul once I am never better than when I am at my Book or on my knees This may seem but a dull melancholy life to the brisk and aiery Spirits of these times but let us be content with it as it is and leave them if we cannot have their company to their â—portiveness and frolicks never once grudging â—â—em their short and dear bought pleasures Assuâ—ance that sin is pardonedâ— and Christ is ours â—ith the unspeakable joys that are inseparably â—â—nnected therewith is that White Stone and New Name which none knows but he that â—â—eives it for no words can possibly signifie to â—â—other what that soul tasts and feels in such an our as that is And be not discouraged at the difficulty of obâ—ining it this White Stone is no Philosophers one which no Man could ever say he had in his own hand for many a Christian hath really found it in waiting upon the Lord by Prayer and diligently searching the Scriptures and his own heart Reader The time will come when they that â—coff at the serious diligence of the Saints and break many a pleasant Iest upon the most solemn and awful things in Religion will tremble when they shall hear the Midnight-Cry Behold â—he Bridegroom cometh and see the Lamps of all Vain and Formal Professors expire and â—one admitted into the Marriage but such whose Lamps are furnished with Oyl i. e. such whose professions and duties are enlivened and â—aintained by vital Springs and Principles of â—eal Grace within them It is a very remarkable Story that Melchior Adams â—ecords in the life of Gobeliâ—us That a little before his â—ime there was a Play set forth at Isenach in Germany of the Wise and Foolish Virgins â—herein the Virgin Mary who was one of â—he Five Saints that represented the Wise Virgins â—as brought in with the rest telling the Foolâ—â—h Virgins that cryed to her for Oyl that it â—as too late and then others representing the â—oolish Virgins fell a weeping and making â—ost bitter Lamentations Hereat Prince Frederick who was one of the Spectators greatly amazed cryed out Quid est fides nostra Christiana si neque Maria neque alia Sancta exorari potest c. What is our faith worth and to what purpose are alâ— our good works if neither Mary nor any other Saint can help us And such was his consternation that it threw him into a sore and violent disease which ended in an Apoplex whereof he died about four daies after If the representation of these things in a Play ended the Life of so great a Man so tragically Oh think with thy self Reader what will the effects of the Lords real appearance in the clouds of Heaven and the mourning and wailing
miracles thy wooings and beseechings thy knocking 's and strivings I have couzened thee of them at the very gates of Heaven for all their illuminations and tasting of the powers of the World to come I have shipwrackt them in the very mouth of the haven 3. Thirdly The common works found in unregenerate souls deceive many who cannot distinguish them from the special works of the spirit in Gods Elect see that startlinâ—â— Scripture Heb. 6. 4. where you find among the common operations of the Spirit upoâ— Apostates illumination which gives perspicuity to their minds in discerning spirituaâ— truths and that frequently with more distinctness and depth of Judgment thansomâ—â— gracious souls attain unto besides it is the matter out of which many rare and excellent gifts are formed in admirable variety which are singularly useful to others as they are exercised in expounding the Scriptures 〈◊〉 deâ—ending the truths of Christ by solid arguments preaching praying c. and make the subject of them renowned and honoured in the Church of God whilest mean time they are dâ—zled with their own splendour and fatally ruined by them There you find also Tasting as well as enlightening So that they seem to abound not only in knowledge but in sense also i. e. iâ— some kind of experience of what they know for experience is the bringing of things to the Test of spiritual sense They do tastâ—â— or experience the good that comes by the promises of the word and discoveries of heaven and glory though they feel not experimentally the transforming efficacy of these things upon their own souls Now that illumination furnishing them with excellent gifts as before was noted enabling them to Assent to Gospel truth's which the Scripture calls faith Acts 8. 12. and working in them conviction of sin 1 Sam. 15. 24. reformation of life 2 Pet. 2. 2â— and touching their affections also with transient joy in the discovery of those truthâ— And this Taste which comes so near to the experience which the sanctified soul enjoyes these things seem to put their condition beyond all controversie and lay a foundation for their ill built confidence nothing is more apt to beget and nourish such a Confidence than the meltings and workings of our affections about spiritual things for as a grave Divine hath well observed such a man seems to have all that is required of a Christian and to have attained the very end of all knowledge which is operation and influence upon the affections When they shall find heat in their affections as well as light in their minds how apt are they to say as these self-deceivers in the Text did they are rich and have need of nothing Now of all the false signs of grace by which men couzen themselves none are so dangerous and destructive to souls as those that come nearest true ones never doth Satan more effectually and securely manage his cheats than when he is transformed into an Angel of light Among this sort of self-deceivers how mâ—ny gifted men and among that sort some imâ—â—ployed in the office of the Ministry will bâ— found whose daily imployment being abouâ— spiritual things studying preaching prayâ—ing c. conclude themselves sanctified persons because they are versant about sacreâ— imployments as if the subject must be beâ—â—cause the object is sacred Oh that sucâ— would seriously ponder those two Scriptureâ— Mat. 7. 22. Many will say unto me in thaâ— day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful things and I Cor. 9 27. lest that by any meanâ— when I have preached unto others I my self shoulâ— be a cast away 4. Lastly To add here no more this strengthâ—â—ens self deceit exceedingly in many vizâ— their observations of and comparing themâ—selves with others Thus the Pharisees thosâ— gross self deceivers trusted in themselves thaâ— they were righteous and despised others Luke 18â—â— 9. their low rating of others gave them thaâ— high rate and value of themselves and thuâ— the proverb is made good regnat luscus inteâ—câ—cos he that hath but one eye is a King among the blind Thus the false Apostles cheated and beâ—â— fool'd themselves 2. Cor. 10. 12. but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wiâ—e God hath not made one Man a measure or â—â—andard to another Man but his Word is â—he common beam or scale to try all Men. These Men are as sharp sighted to note oâ—â—er Mens evils as their own excellencies 〈◊〉 eye the miscarriages of others with derisiâ—â— and their own performances with admiraâ—â—on They bless themselves when they behold â—â—e prophane in their impieties Luk. 18. 11. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this â—ublican q. d. O what a Saint am I in comâ—arison of these miscreants The Pharisees Religion you see runs all upon nots a negaâ—â—ve holiness is enough to him and the meaâ—â—re he takes of it is by comparison of himâ—elf with others more externally vile than â—imself A Christian may say with praise â—nd humility I am not as some men are but â—â—ough he know nothing by himself yet is he â—ot thereby justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. he neitheâ—â—â—akes together the enormities of the vilest on â—he infirmities of the holiest to justifie and â—pplaud himself as these Self deceivers do And these are the causes and occasions of that general deception under which so great a â—art of the professing World bow down â—nd perish SECT IV. 3. IN the last place I shall prove this poâ—variously according to the importanâ— and usefulness of it with as much breviâ— and closeness of Application as I can Anâ— Use. 1. Shall be for Caution to Professon before I tell you what use you should maâ— of it I must tell you what use you may nâ— make of it First Don't make this use of it to coâ—clude from what hath been said that all Pâ—fessors are but a pack of Hypocrites and thâ— there is no Truth nor Integrity in any Maâ— this is both intolerable arrogance to ascenâ— the Throne of God and unparallel'd Unchâ—â—â—ritableness to judge the hearts of all Men. Some Men are as apt to conclude others â— be Hypocrites by measuring their hearts bâ— their own as others are to conclude theâ—â—selves Saints by comparing their own exceâ— lencies with other Mens corruptions but bleâ—sed be God there is some grain among thâ— heap of chaff some true Diamonds amonâ— the counterfeit Stones The Devil hath noâ— the whole piece a remnant according 〈◊〉 election belongs really to the Lord. 2. Secondly Don't make this use of it thaâ— assurance must needs be impossible becauâ—â— so many Professors are found to be Self deâ—ceivers That assurance is one of the great diffiâ—â—lties in Religion is a great truth but that is therefore unattainable in this World is â—ery false Popish Doctrine indeed makes it â—possible but that Doctrine
â—is People Cant. 7. 6. Natural beauty conâ—â—sts in the Symmetry and comely proportion â—f parts each with other Spiritual beauty 〈◊〉 the harmony or agreeableness of our souls â—o God and as it is our chiefest beauty so â—ertainly it is our highest honour for it gives â—s access unto God who is the Fountain of Honour and Glory and this makes the righteâ—us more excellent than his neighbour let his Neighbour be what he will tho' the blood â—f Nobles run in his Veins the righteous is more excellent than he except saving graâ—â— be also diffused into his soul. 3. Thirdly Consider it in its receipient suâ—â— ject you will find its value still to increase for the precious oyl of Saving Grace is neveâ— poured into any other than an elect vessel Hence faith one branch of sanctification is with respect to its subject stiled the Faith 〈◊〉 Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Whosoever finds truâ— grace in his Soul may during the evidenâ—â— thereof from it strongly conclude his Eâ— lection looking backward and his Salvatioâ— looking forward Rom. 8. 30. it marks anâ— seals the Person in whom it is for glory Goâ— hath set apart him that is godly for himself Ps. 4. 3 4. Fourthly View the precious worth oâ— grace in its excellent effects and influences upâ— on the soul in which it inheres 1. It adorns it with incomparable Ornaâ— ments which are of great price in the sighâ— of God 1 Pet. 3. 4. yea it reflects such beamâ— of Glory in the soul where its seat is Thaâ— Christ himself the Author is also the Admireâ— of it Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished my heart witâ— one of thine eyes with one of thâ— chains of the neck And as one overcome with its excelling beauty he saith Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me Cant. 6. 5. 2. It Elevates and ennobles a Mans Spiriâ— beyond all other principles in Man It seâ—◠〈◊〉 heart and affections upon Heaven and 〈◊〉 them up with the glory of the invisible â—â—rld Phil. 3. 20. But our conversation is in â—â—ven from whence we look for a Saviour â—â—il'st others are trading for Corn Wine 〈◊〉 Sheep and Oxen for Feathers Trifles 〈◊〉 gracious Soul is trading with God for parâ—â—â— and peace for Righteousness and Life 〈◊〉 Glory and Immortality Truly our fellowâ—â— is with the Father and with his Son Christ 〈◊〉 1 John 1. 3. 3. It doth not only raise the Spirit by â—â—versing with God and things above but â—â—â—sforms the soul by that converse into 〈◊〉 likeness of those heavenly Objects it conâ—â— seth with It changeth them into the same â—â—ge 2 Cor. 3. 18. so that though the sanâ—â—â—â—ed Man still remains the who he was 〈◊〉 not the what he was before the very â—â—â—per of his spirit is altered 4. It doth not only transform the soul in â—â—ich it is but preserves the subject in which 〈◊〉 it is a singular preservative from sin â—hat though sin be in â—hem still and works them still yet it cannot prevail in them 〈◊〉 to fulfil the lusts of it as it was want to 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. 17. Sin conceives but cannot 〈◊〉 foâ—â—h fruit unto death this gives it a 〈◊〉 carrying womb 5. It doth not only preserve it from sin 〈◊〉 Grace establisheth the soul in whom it is far beyond any other Arguments without or any other principles within a Man It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace Heb. 13. 9. This is that which the Apostle calls our own stedfastness or that ballast we have within our selves which keeps us tite and stable O the excellencies of Grace 6 To conclude it is the root of all that precious fruit which we bring forth to God in this World It is the root of every gracious word in our lips and of every gracious work in our hands be the matter of our gracious thoughts never so excellent the matter of our heavenly discourses and prayers never so sweet still grace is the root of the matter Iob 19. 28. O then what a precious thing is grace 5. Fifthly View it in its properties and you will soon discover its transcendent excellencies the richest Epithets are no Hyperboles here we speak not beyond the value of it when we call it Supernatural Grace for so it is It comes down from above from the Father of Lights Iam. 1. 17. nature can never be improved to that height how much soever its Admirers boast of it nor do we strain too high when we call it immortal grace for so God hath made it this is that water which springs up in the sanctified soul into eternal life Iohn 4. 14. It will not dye when thou diest but ascend with the soul from which it is inseparable and be swallowed up with it into glory Rom. 8. 10. you may out live your friends you may outlive your Estates you may out-live your Gifts but you can't out-live your Graces Shall I say it is the most sweet and comfortable thing that ever the soul was acquainted with in this World next Iesus Christ the Author and Fountain of it Sure if I so speak I have as many witnesses to attest it as there be gracious souls in the World nothing is more comfortable than grace except Christ and yet without grace no soul can feel the comforts of Christ in the troubles of life or in the straits of death this is a spring of comfort 6. Sixthly Consider it in its design scope and you will still discern more and more of its precious excellency for what is the aim and end of God in the infusions and improvements of Grace but to attemper and mould our Spirits by it into a meetness and fitness for the enjoyment of himself in the world to come Col. 1. 12. giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light compare this with 2 Cor. 5. 5. now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God O blessed design how precious must that work be which is wrought for so high and glorious a purpose as this is no work morâ— excellent no end more noble 7. Seventhly Consider the means and â—â—â— struments both principal and subordinate iâ—â— ployed in this work many blessed instr â—â—ments are set on work to beget conservâ— and improve it in our souls and these 〈◊〉 speak the precious worth of it no wise maâ— will dig for a base and worthless metal witâ— golden mattocks The blood of Christ wâ—â— shed to procure it Heb. 13. 12. The Spirit of God is sent forth to form anâ— create it for it is his own workmanship Ephes. 2. 10. his fruit Gal. 5. 22. The Ordinances and Officers of the Gospâ—â— were at first instituted and ever since continued in the Church for this works sake Iohn 17. 17. and Eph. 4. 12. it's the fruit 〈◊〉 Christs blood yea and it hath
that hath thus incensed the anger of God against me God visits their iniquities with afflictions but they visit not their own hearts by self-examinations God judges them but they judge not themselves he shews their iniquities in a clear glass but none saith What have I done This phrase What have I done is the voice of one that recollects himself after a rash action or the voice of a Man astonished at the discovery afflictions make of his sins but no such voice as this is ordinarily heard among carnal Men. 3. Thirdly An unsound Professor if leâ—t to his choice would rather chuse Sin than Affliction and sees more evil in that than in this And it cannot be doubted if we consider the principle by which all unregenerate Men are acted is sense not faith hence Iobs friends would have argued his Hypocrisie Iob 36. 21. and had their application been as their rule it would have concluded it This viz. Sin hast thou chosen rather than affliction I do not say that an upright man cannot commit a moral evil to escape a poenal evil O that daily observation did not too plentifully furnish us with sad instances of that kind but upright ones do not dare not upon a serious deliberate discussion and debate chuse sin rather than affliction what they may do upon surprisals and in the violence of temptation is of another nature But a false and unsound heart discovers it self in the choice it makes upon deliberation and that frequently when sin and trouble come in competition put case saith Augustine a Ruffian should with one hand set the cup of drunkenness to thy mouth with the other a dagger to thy breast and say drink or die thou shouldst rather chuse to die sober than to live a drunkard and many Christians have resisted unto blood striving against sin and with renowned Moses chosen affliction the worst of afflictions yea death it self in the most formidable appearance rather than sin and it is the habitual temper and resolution of every gracious heart so to do tho' those holy resolutions are sometimes over-born by violence of temptation But the Hypocrite dreads less the deâ—ilement of his soul than the loss of his estate liberty or life If you ask upon what ground then doth the Apostle suppose 1 Cor. 13. 3. a man may give his body to be burnt and not have charity that the Salamander of Hypocrisie may live in the flame of Martyrdom The answer is at hand they that chose death in the sense of this Text do not chose it to escape sin but to seed and indulge it Those strange adventures if any such be are rather to maintain their own honour and enrol their names among worthy and famous Persons to Posterity or out of a blind zeal to their espoused erours and mistakes than in a due regard to the glory of God and the preservation of intiegrity I fear to speak it but it must be spoken saith Hierom. that even Martyrdom it self when suffered for admiration and applause profits nothing but that blood is shed in vain 4. Fourthly It is the property of an unâ—â—generate soul under adversity to turn froâ— creature to creature for support and comfort and not from every creature to Goâ— alone So long as their feet can touch grounâ— I mean feel any creature relief or comforâ— under them they can subsist and live in aâ—flictions but when they lose ground theâ— all creature refuge fails then their hearts fail too Thus Zedekiah and the self-deceivinâ— Iews when they saw their own strengtâ— failed them and there was little hope leâ—â— that they should deliver themselves from thâ— â—haldeans what do they in that strait Dâ— they with upright Iehosaphat say our eyes 〈◊〉 unto thee No no their eyes were upon â—gupt for succour not upon Heaven Welâ— Pharaoh and his aids are left still all hopeâ— is not gone Ier. 37. 9. See the like in Abaâ—â— in a sore plunge and distress he Courts thâ— King of Assyria for help 2 Chron 22. 28 2â—â— That project failing why then he will trâ— what the Gods of Damascus can do for him any way rather than the right way Flecterâ— si nequeam superos Acheronta movebo So it is with many others If one chilâ— die what do they do run to God and comâ—fort themselves in this The Lord liveth thâ— my Child die If an Estate be lost and a Faâ—mily sinking do they with David comforâ— â—â—emselves in the everlasting Covenant orderâ— and sure No no but if one Relation 〈◊〉 there 's another alive if an Estate be â—â—ne yet not all something is left still and 〈◊〉 case will mend As long as ever such Men have any visible â—â—couragement they will hang upon it and â—ot make up all in Christ and encourage â—â—emselves in the Lord. To tell them of reâ—â—ycing in the Lord when the Fig tree blosâ—â—ms not is what they cannot understand 5. Fifthly To conlude An unsound heart â—ever comes out of the Furnace of affliction â—â—rged mortified and more spiritual and hoâ—â— than when he was cast into it his scum 〈◊〉 dross is not there separated from him â—ay the more they are afflicted the worse â—â—ey are Why should ye be smitten any more ye â—ill revolt more and more Isa. 1. 5. and to â—eep to our Metaphor consult Ier. 6. 29. â—od had put that incorrigible people into â—e Furnace of affliction and kept them long 〈◊〉 that fire and what was the Issue why â—â—ith the Prophet The bellows are burnt â—e lead is consumed of the fire the founder melâ—â—h in vain c. reprobate silver shall men call â—â—em because the Lord hath rejected them If the fire of affliction be continually â—lown till the very bellows be burnt that is â—â—e tongue or rather the lungs of the Prophet â—hich have some resemblance to bellows though these be even spent in reproving and threatning and denouncing woe upoâ— woe and Judgement upon Judgement anâ— God fulfills his word upon them yet stiâ— they are as before the dross remains thougâ— Ierusalem be made a Furnace and the inhaâ—bitants the flesh boyling in it over a fierâ—â— fire of affliction yet as it is noted pertâ—nently to my Discourse in Ezek. 24. 6. 1â— the scum remains with them and cannot bâ— separated by the fire and the reason 〈◊〉 plain because no affliction in its self purgâ— sin but as it is sanctified and works in thâ— vertue of Gods blessing and in pursuanâ—â— of the promises O think on this you that have had thouâ—sands of afflictions in one kind and another and none of them all have done you good they have not mortified humbled or beneâ—fited you at all And thus you see what thâ— effects of adversity are when it meets 〈◊〉 graceless heart SECT IV. BY this time Reader I suppose thou arâ— desirous to know what effects adversitâ— and afflictions use to have when they meeâ— with an honest and sincere heart only beâ—fore I come to particulars I think
suffered so much for sin that have endured so many fears and sorrows for it the greatest 〈◊〉 in the world to return to sin again no no they admire the mercy of their escape from sin to their dying day and neveâ— look back upon their former state but with shame and grief Ask a Convert would you be back again where once you were would you be among your old companions again would you be fulfilling the lusts of the flesh again and he will tell you he would not run the hazard to abide one day or one night in that condition again to gain all the Kingdoms of the world the next morning 5. Fifthly The sincere soul hates sin with a superlative hatred he hates it more than any other evil in the world besides it Penal evils are not pleasant themselves but yet if he must endure them or sin then sufferings to chuse Heb. 11. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction than enjoy the pleasures of sin the worst of sufferings rather than the best of sin 6. Sixthly To conclude so deep is the hatred that upright ones bear to sin that nothing pleases them more than the thoughts of a full deliverance from it doth Rom. 7. 34. I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lord. What doth he so heartily thank God for O for a prospect of his final deliverance from sin never to be intangled defiled or â—roubled with it any more and this is one thing that sweetens death to the Saints as much as any thing in the world can do except Christs victory over it and lying in the grave for us To think of a grave is not pleasant in it self but to think of a parting time with sin that 's sweet and pleasant indeed SECT V. 3. THirdly The Children of God anâ— the Children of the Devil purâ— Gold and vile dross are manifest as in haâ—tred of sin so in their troubles and sorrow about sin All trouble for sin argues not sincerity some have reason to be troubled even foâ— their troubles for sin So have they 1. First That are only troubled for thâ— commission of some more gross sins thaâ— startle the natural Conscience but not for inâ—ward sins that defile the soul. Iudas waâ— troubled for betraying innocent blood buâ— not for that base Lust of Covetousness thaâ— was the root of it or the want of sincerâ— love to Iesus Christ Matth. 27. 4 5. Outâ—ward sins are sins major is infamiae of greate scandal but heart-sins are oftentimes majorâ— reatus sins of greater guilt to be trouble for grosser sins and have no trouble for ordâ—â—nary sins daily incurred is an ill sign of a baâ— heart 2. Secondly A graceless heart may be mucâ— troubled at the discovery of sin when it 〈◊〉 not troubled for the guilt of sin Jer. 2. 26 As the Thief is ashamed when he is found so 〈◊〉 the house of Israel ashamed Hence it is thaâ— they stick not to commit ten sins against God â—o hide one sin from the eyes of men It is a mercy that sin is the matter of mens shame that all are not arrived to that height of impudence to declare their sin as Sodom and glory in their shame but to be ashamed only because men see it and not with Ezra to say O my God I am ashamed and blush to look up unto thee Ezra 9. 6. ashamed that thou seest it is but Hypocrisie 3. Thirdly A graceless heart may be troubled for the rod that sin draws after it but not for sin it self as it provokes God to inflict such rods But the troubles of upright ones for sin are of another kind and nature 1. First They are troubled that God is wronged his Spirit troubled by their sins So the penitent Prodigal I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight Luk. 15. 21. Against heaven i. e. against him whose Throne is in Heaven a great glorious and infinite Majesty a poor worm of the Earth hath lifted up his hand against the God of Heaven 2. Secondly They are troubled for the defilement of their own souls by sin hence they are compared in Prov. 25. 26. to a troubled fountain you know it 's the property of a living spring when any filth falls into it or that which lies in the bottom of its chanel is raised and defiles its streams never to leave working till it have purged it self of it and recovered its purity again So it is with a righteous man he loves purity in the precept Psal. 119. 140. and he loves it no less in the principle and practice he thinks it is hell enough to lie under the pollution of sin if he should never come under damnation for it 3. Thirdly They are troubled for the estrangements of God and the hiding of his face from them because of their Sin It would go close to an ingenuous spirit to see a dear and faithful friend whom he hath grieved to look strange and shy upon him at the next meeting as if he did not know him much more doth it go to the heart of a gracious man to see the face of God turned from him and not to be towards him as in times past This went to Davids heart after his fall as you may see Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me q. d. Lord if thou turn thy back upon me and estrange thy self from me I am a lost man that is the greatest mischief than can befal me 4. Fourthly Their troubles for sin run deep to what other Mens do They are strong to bear other troubles but quail and fainâ— under this Psal. 38. 4. other sorrows may for the present be violent and make more noise but this sorrow soaks deeper into the soul. 5. Fifthly Their troubles for sin are more rivate and silent troubles than others are â—heir sore runs in the night as it is Psal. 77. 2. â—ot but that they may and do open their roubles to Men and it is a mercy when â—hey meet with a judicious tender and expeâ—enced Christian to unbosom themselves â—nto but when all is done it is God and â—hy soul alone that must whisper out the â—atter ille verè dolet qui sine teste dolet that 〈◊〉 sincere sorrow for sin indeed which is exâ—ressed secretly to God in the Closet 6. Sixthly Their troubles are incurable â—y creature comforts it is not the removing â—ome outward pressures and inconveniencies â—hat can remove their burden nothing but â—ardon peace and witnessed reconciliation â—an quiet the gracious heart 7. Seventhly Their troubles for sin are ordiâ—ate and kept in their own place they dare not stamp the dignity of Christs blood upon â—heir worthless tears and groans for sin Lava achrymas meas domine Aug. Lord wash my â—inful tears in the blood of Christ was once â—he desire of a true Penitent And thus our â—rouble for sin shews us what our hearts are SECT VI. â—4 FOurthly the behaviour and carriage of
the soul with respect to subjection â—o the commands of sin shews what our estate and condition is This will separatâ— dross from gold All unregenerate men arâ— the servants of Sin they subject themselves 〈◊〉 its commands This the Scripture sometime calls a Conversation in the lusts of the flesh Eph 2. 3. sometimes the selling of themselves to sin 1 King 21. 20. Now as a judicious Divinâ— observes tho' the Children of God comâ—plain with Paul Rom. 7.14 15. that they are sold under sin yet there is a vast difference betwixt these two the Saints are sold to it by Adam but other by their own continued consent But to sheâ— you the difference in this matter I conceivâ— it necessary to shew wherein the reigninâ— power of sin doth not consist and theâ— wherein it doth that you may plainly disâ—cern who are in subjection to the reigninâ— power of their corruptions and who arâ— not Now there be divers things commoâ— both to the regenerate and unregenerate and we cannot say the dominion of sin lieâ— in any or in all of them viz. abstractly anâ— simply considered 1. First Both one and other having Orâ—â—ginal Corruption dwelling in them may all find this fountain breaking forth into groâ— and scandalous sins but we cannot say thâ— because original Corruption thus breaks fort into gross and scandalous-sins in both thereâ—fore it must needs reign in the one as we 〈◊〉 in the other a righteous Man may fall â—â—â—efore the wicked as it is Prov. 25. 26. he may all in the dirt of grosser iniquities and furâ—ish them with matter of reproach So did â—avid Peter Abraham and many more of â—he Lords upright hearted ones whose souls â—â—evertheless sin did not reign over by a voâ—ntary subjection to its commands nor must his embolden any to sin with more liberty 2. Secondly Tho' an upright Soul fall once â—nd again into sin tho' he reiterate the same â—ct of sin which he hath repented of before 〈◊〉 it cannot meerly from thence be conâ—uded that therefore sin reigns over him 〈◊〉 it doth over a wicked Man that makes it 〈◊〉 daily trade I confess every reiteration of 〈◊〉 puts a farther aggravation upon it and 〈◊〉 sad we should repent and sin and sin 〈◊〉 repent but yet you read Prov. 24. 16. 〈◊〉 just man falleth seven times and riseth up aâ—â—in Iob's Friends were good men yet he â—lls them These ten times have ye reproached 〈◊〉 Job 19. 3. This indeed shews a heart that â—eally needs purging for it is with relapses 〈◊〉 spiritual as it is with relapses into naâ—ral diseases a recidivation or return of the â—sease shews that the morbifique matter was 〈◊〉 duly purged but tho' it shew the foulâ—â—ss it doth not always prove the falseness of 〈◊〉 heart 3. Thirdly Though one may be impatient of the reproof of his sin as well as the other yet that alone will not conclude sin to be in full dominion over one as it is over the other It's pity any good Man should storm at 〈◊〉 just rebuke of sin that such a precious Oyâ—â— as is proper to heal should be conceited to break his head but yet flesh will be tender and touchy even in good men Asa was 〈◊〉 good man and yet he was wroth with the Prophet who reproved him as you find 2 Chron. 16. 10. yet I doubt not but their Consciences smite them for it when pride suffers not another to do it a reproof may be ill tim'd and ill managed by another and and so may provoke but they will hear the voice of conscience in another manner 4. Fourthly Tho' in both some one partiâ—cular sin may have more power than another yet neither doth this alone conclude thaâ— therefore that sin must reign in one as it doth in another indeed the beloved Lust of eveâ—ry wicked man is King over his soul buâ— yet a godly mans constitution calling â— may incline him more to one sin than anâ—other and yet neither that nor any otheâ— may be said to be in dominion for thâ— ' Dâ— vid speaks of his iniquity i. e. his special siâ— Psal. 18. 23. which some suppose to be 〈◊〉 sin of lying from that intimation Psal. 11â— 29. yet you see in one place he begs God 〈◊〉 keep him from it and in the other he tells 〈◊〉 he kept himself from it and both shew he was not the Servant of it 5. Fifthly Tho' both may sin against knowledge yet it will not follow from thence that therefore sins against knowledge must needs be sins in dominion in the one as they are in the other there was too much light abused and violenced in Davids deliberated sin as he confesses Psal. 51. 6. and the sad story it self too plainly shews and yet in the main David was an upright Man still tho' this consideration of the fact shrewdly wounded his integrity and stands upon record for a caution to all others SECT VII WE have seen what doth not infer the dominion of sin in the former particulars being simply considered I shall next shew you what doth and how the sincere and false heart are distinguished in this trial And 1. First Assent and Consent upon deliberaâ—ion notes the soul to be under the dominion of sin when the mind approves sin and the will gives its plenary consent to it This sets 〈◊〉 sin in its Throne and puts the soul into subâ—ection to it for the dominion of sin consists 〈◊〉 its authority over us and our voluntary â—ubjection to it This you find to be the chaâ—acter of a wicked graceless Person Psal. 36. 4. He deviseth mischief upon his bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good he abhorreth not evil The best Men may fall into sin through mistake or be precipitated into sin through the violence of Temptation but to devise mischief and set himself in an evil way this notes full assent of the mind and then not to abhor evil notes full consent of the will and these two being given to sin not only antecedently to the acting of it but also consequently to it to like it afterward as well as before this puts the soul fully under the power of sin what can it give more This as one saith in direct opposition to the Apostle Rom. 12. 1. is to present their bodies a dead Sacrifice unholy and abominable to God acceptable to the Devil which is their unreasonable service all Men by nature are given to sin but these men give themselves to it 2. Secondly The customary practice of sin subjects the soul to the Dominion of sin and so he that is born of God doth not commit sin 1 Joh. 3. 9. Fall into sin yea the same sin he may and that often but then it 's not without reluctance repentance and a protest entâ—ed by the soul in Heaven against it So that sin hath not a quiet possession of his Soul he is not the servant of sin nor doth he willingly walk after
duties that are spiritual Some men deceive themselves in thinking they are spiritual men because their imployment and calling is about spiritual things Hosea 9. 7. this indeed gives them the denomination but not the frame of spiritual men and others judge themselves spiritual persons because they frequently perform and attend upon spiritual duties but alas the heart and state may be carnal notwithstanding all this O my friends it is not enough that the object of your duties is spiritual that they respect an holy God nor that the matter be spiritual that you be conversant about holy things but the frame of your heart must be spiritual an heavenly temper of soul is necessary and what are the most heavenly duties without it The end and design you aim at must be spiritual the enjoyment of God and a growing conformity to him in holiness else multiply duties as the sand on the sea shore they all will not amount to one evidence of your â—incerity God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit saith the Apostles Rom 1. 9. he seems to appeal to God in this matter I serve God in my spirit and God knows that I do so I dare appeal to him that it is so he knows that my heart is with him or would be with him in my duties the armes of my faith do either â—ensibly grasp or are stretched out towards him in my duties O how little â—avour do gracious hearts find in the most excellent duties if God and their souls do not sensibly meet in them Certainly Reader There is a time when God comes nigh to men in duty when he deals familiarly with men and sensibly fills their souls with unusual powers and delights The near approaches of God to their souls are felt by them for souls have their senses as well as bodies and now are their minds abstracted and marvellously refined from all that is material and earthly and swallowed up in spiritual excellencies and glories These are the real prelibations or foretastes of glory which no man can by words make another to understand as he himself doth that feels them These seasons I confess do but rarely occur to the best of Christians nor continue long when they do alas this wine is too strong for such weak bottles as we are Hold Lord said an holy man once it is enough thy poor creature is a clay vessel and can hold no more this is that Ioy unspeakable and full of glory which is mentioned 1 Pet. 1. 7 8. something that words cannot describe these seasons are the golden spots of our lives when we are admitted to these near and ineffable views and tastes of God possibly some poor Christians can say but little to these things their sorrows are exercised in duties moâ—â— than their Joys they are endeavouring 〈◊〉 mount but the stone hangs at the heel they essay but cannot rise to that height thaâ— others do who are got up by their labouâ—â—ing faith into the upper Region and therâ— display their wings and sing in the Suâ—â—beams but though they cannot reach thiâ— height yet have they no satisfaction in dâ—ties wherein there is no intercourse betwixâ— God and their souls That which contents another will noâ— content a Christian if the King be absent men will bow to the empty chair but iâ— God be absent an empty duty gives no satisfaction to a gracious spirit The pooreâ—â— Chrictian is found panting after God by sincere desires and labouring to get up that dead and vain heart to God in duty though alas it's many times but the rolling of the returning stone against the hill yet the never expects advantage by that duty wherein the spirit of God is not nor doth he expect the â—pirit of God should be where hiâ— own spirit is not 5. Fifthly Assiduity and constancy in duties of Religion makes a noâ—able discovery oâ— the soundness or rottenness of mens heartâ— The Hypocrite may shew some zeal and foâ—â—wardness in duties for a time but he will jade and give out at length Iob 27. 10 â—ill he delight himself in the Almighty will 〈◊〉 always call upon God No he will not If â— is motions in Religion were natural they would be constant but they are artificial e is moved by external inducements so â—ust needs be off and on he prays himself â—eary of praying and hears himself weary â—f hearing his heart is not delighted in his â—uties and therefore his duties must needs â—row stale and dry to him after a while â—here be three seasons in which the zeal of â—n Hypocrite may be inflamed in duties First When some iminent danger threatâ—ns him some smart rod of God is shaked â—ver him when he slew them then they sought im and returned and enquired early after God â—sal 78. 34 O the goodly words they give the fair promises they make and yet all the â—hile they do but flatter him with their lips and â—ye unto him with their tongues ver 36 37. â—or let but that danger pass over and the â—â—eavens clear up again and he will restrain â—rayer and return to his old course â—gain Secondly When the times Countenance â—nd favour Religion and the wind is in his â—ack O what a zeal will he have for God â—o in the stony ground Matth. 13 5. the â—eed sprung up and flouâ—ished till the sun â—f persecution arose and then it fâ—ded away for it had no depth of earth no deep solid inward work or principle of grace 〈◊〉 maintain it Thirdly When selfâ—ends and designs at â— accommodated promoted by these thingâ— this was the case of Ieâ—u 2 Kings 〈◊〉 16. come see my zeal for what for a baâ—â— self-interest not for God how ferventlâ— will some men pray preach and profelâ— whilest they sensibly feel the incomes profit of these duties to their flesh whilest theâ— aâ—e admired and applauded These external incentives will put an hyâ—pocrite into an hot fit of zeal but then as 〈◊〉 is with a man whose colours are raised bâ— the heat of the fire and not by the healâ—hâ— fulness of a good constitution it soon fadeâ— and falls again But blessed be God it is not so with all The man whose heart is upright with his God will keep judgment and do righteousnesâ— at all timeâ— Psal. 106. 3. whether dangeâ—â— threaten or no whether times favour Religion no no whether his earthly interest bâ— promoted by it or no he will be holy still he will not part with his duties when they aâ—â— stript naked of those external advantages as the addition of these things to Religion diâ— not at first engage him so the substraction oâ— them cannot disengage him If his duty become his reproach yet Moseâ— will not forsake it Heb. 11 26. If he loseâ—â— company and be left alone yet Paul will â—ot flinch from his duty 2 Tim. 4. 16. if â—azard surround duty on every side yet Daâ—el will not quit it Dan. 6. 10 for they conâ—dered these
increased Obj. If any upright soul be â—tumbled at this 〈◊〉 not being able to discern the increase of hâ—â— graces after all his duties Sol. Let such consider the growth oâ— grace is discerned as the growth of plants is which we perceive rather Crevisse quà â—â— crescere to have grown than to grown compare time past and present and yoâ— may see it but usually our eager desires after more make us over look what we have as nothing 9. Nintâ—ly The assistances and influences of the spirit in duties shews us what we are no vital sanctifyiâ—g influences can fall upoâ— carnal hearts in duties The spirit helps noâ— their infirmities nor makes intercession foâ— them with groanings which cannot be uâ—tered as he doth for his own people Rom 8. 26 27. they have his assistances in thâ— â—â—y of common gifts but not in the way â— special grace he may enable them to â—ach judiciously not experimentally to pray â—erly and neatly not feelingly believingly â—d broken heartedly for as many as are by the spirit of God they are the sons of God â—m 8. 14. he never so assists but where he â—h first sanctified Carnal men furnish the â—â—erials of their duties out of the strength â—heir parts a strong memory a good inâ—tion are the fountains whence they draw But it is otherwise with souls truly graâ—us they have ordinarily a three fold aâ—â—ance form the spirit in reference to their â—ies First Before duties exciting tâ—em to it â—â—ing them feel their need of it like the â—l of an empty stomach Psal 27. 8. Thou 〈◊〉 Seek my face my heart answered Thy â— Lord Will I seek Secondly In their duties furnishing both â—tter and affection as in that text lately â—ed Rom. 8. 26. guiding them not only â— at to ask but how to ask Thirdly after their duties helping them 〈◊〉 only to suppress the pride and vanity of â—ir spirits but also to wait on God for 〈◊〉 accomplishment of their desires Now though all these things wherein the â—â—eâ—ity of our hearts is tryed in duties be â—nd in great variety asto degrees among Saints yet they are mysteries unknown 〈◊〉 experience to other men CHAP. VIII Opening the Tryals of sincerity and hypocrisie sufferings upon the account of Religion SECT I. WE are now arrived at 〈◊〉 laâ—t tryal of grace propoâ— ded viz. bv sufferings for Religion Thousands of Hypocrites embarque theâ— selves in the profession of Religion iâ— Calm but if the wind riseth and the 〈◊〉 and they see Religion will not traâ—â—â—port them safely to the Cape of their eartâ— hopes and expectations they desire to 〈◊〉 landed again assoon as may be for they 〈◊〉 intended to ride out a strom for Châ—â—â—â— so you find Matth. 13. 20 21. He duâ—â—â— for a while but when tribulation or persecuâ— ariseth because of the word by by he is offenâ— But yet it is not every Tryal by sufferiâ— that seperates gold form dross and thereâ—â— my business will be to shew 1. First When the fire of sufferings â— persecution is hot and vehement enough separate them 2. Secondly Why it must needs discoâ—â— hypocrisie when it is at that height 3. Thirdly What advantages sinâ—â— Grace hath to endure that severe and shâ— trâ—al SECT II. NOW the fire of persecution or sufferings for Religion may be judged â—â—ense and high enough to separate gold â—nd dross First When Religion exposess us to emiâ—ent hazard of our deepest and dearest inâ—â—rests in this world Such are our liberties â—tates and lives now'tis a fierce and fiery â—yal indeed Sometimes it exposes the liâ—erties of its professours Revel 2. 10. The â—vil shall cast some of you into prison someâ—mes their estates Heb. 10. 34. ye took joyâ—lly the spoiling of your goods and sometimes â—eir lives Heb. 11. 37. They were stoned they â—ere sawn asunder they were slain with the â—ord Whilest it goes no higher than some â—all inconveniencies of life repâ—â—ation â—nse of honour will hold a false heart â—t when it comes to this few will be found â—le to endure it but those that expect to â—ve no â—ore by Religion but theiâ— souls and â—count themselves in good case if they can â—t save them with the loss of all that is dear 〈◊〉 them in this world Here the false heart boggles here it usualâ—ades and fauâ—ters Secondly The fiery Tryal is then high â—hen there remains no visible hoâ—es of deliâ—rance or outward incouragements to sense that the Scene will alter when we see not ouâ— Signs there is no more any prophet nor any thaâ— can tell us how long as the case with the Churcâ— was in Psal. 74. 9. then their hands hang down and their hearts faint nor is it to be wondred at when the length of troubleâ— prove so sore a temptation even to the upâ—right to put forth their hands to iniquity aâ— it is Psal. 125. 3. if such a temptation shakâ— such men as build on the rock it must quiâ—â— overturn those whose foundation is bâ—â— sand Thirdly When a false professour is engaâ—ged alone in sufferings and is singled oâ—â— from the herd as a deer to be run down now it 's a thousand to one but he quits Reâ—ligion to save himself good company wiâ— encouragâ— a faint hearted traveller to jogg 〈◊〉 a great way but if he be forsaken by all 〈◊〉 Paul was no man to stand by him if left â—lone as Elijah was what can encourage hiâ— to hold out Indeed if they had the same invisible sâ—â—ports those good men had that the Lord wâ— with them that would keep them steady but wanting that encouragement from witâ— in and all shrinking away from withouâ— they quickly tyre downright Fourthly When near relations and in â— mates oppose and tempt us The Propâ— speaks of a time When a mans 〈◊〉 â—hall be the men of his own house it may be â—he wife of his bosome Mica 7. 5 6. O â—hat a tryal is that which Christ mentions â—n Luke 14. 26. when we must hate Faâ—her and Mother Wife and Children or quit â—laim to Christ and heaven This is hard â—ork indeed How hard did that truly noble and reâ—owned Galeacius Caracciolus find this O â—hat a conflict found he in his bowels Now â—hrist and our dearest interest come to meet â—ke two men upon a narrow bridge if one 〈◊〉 forward the other must go back and â—w the predominant interest can no longâ— be concealed Fifthly When powerful temptations are â—ixed with cruel sufferings when we are â—ongly tempted as well as cruelly persecuâ—d this blows up the fire to a vehement â—ight This was the tryal of those preciâ—s primitive believers Heâ— 11. 35 37. They â—re stoned they were sawn asunder they werâ—â—pted here was life liberty and preferâ—nt set upon one hand and death in the â—st formidable shape upon the other This â—not but be a great tryal to any but esâ—ially when a cruel death tender tempâ—eet then the tryal goes high indeed SECT III. ANd that such sufferings as
But thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seen me and tryed mine heart towards thee I say who can duly value such an advantage who would exchange such a comfort â—o all the gold and silver in the world how many tryals soever God brings his poople under to be sure neither his own glory nor their interest shall suffer any damage by them SECT II. BUt more particularly let us bring our thoughts close to the matter before us and we shall find many great advantages and benefits rising out of these Tryals of sincerity for 1. First Hereby Hypocrisie is unmasked and discovered The vizard is pluckt off from the false professour and his true natural face and complexion shewn to the world and in this there is a great deal of good Object Good you will say where lyes it all the world sees the mischief and sad effects of it many are stumbled many are hardned by it woe to the world because of offenâ—es Matth. 16. 7. Sol. True some are prejudiced and hardened by it so as never to have good thoughts of the wayes and people of God more that 's sad indeed however therein God accomplishes his word and executeth his decree And though these perish yet First Others are warned awakened and set a searching their own hearts more narrowly than ever and this is good 1 Cor. 10. 11 12. now these were our examples wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Secondly Hereby sin is ashamed and it is good when sin that hath exposed men to so much shame shall be itâ—self exposed to shame This is the just reward of sin Ier. 13. 25 26. This is thy lot the portion of thy measures from me saith the Lord because thou â—ast forgotten me and trusted in falshood therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face that thy shame may appear The turning up the skirt is a modest expression of exposing a person to the greatest shame in the day of Tryal God by discovering hypocrisie shames the hypocrite and surely many such discoveries are made of men at this day we may see sin that lurked close in the heart before now laid open before all Israel and before the Sun Thirdly Hereby the poor self-couzening hypocrite hath the greatest opportunity and advantage that ever was before him in all his life to recover himself out of the snare of the Devil now all his pretences are gone now that which like a shield was advanced against the arrows of reproof and convictioâ— is gone now a poor creature stands nakeâ— and stript out of all his pleas as a fair and â— pen mark to the word and his own conscience and happy will it be for him if now the Lord make conviction to enter point-blank into hisâ—soul all these are blessed effects of the discovery of Hypocrisie 2. Secondly By these tryals integrity is cleared up and the doubts and fears of many upright and holly ones allayed and quieted resolved and satisfied O what would many a poor Christian give for satisfaction in that great point oâ— sincerity how many tears have been shed to God in secret upon that account how many hours have been spent in examination of his own heart about it and still jealoâ—sies and fears hang upon his heart he doubts what he may prove at last Well â—aith God let his sincerity then come to the test kindle the fire and cast in my gold Tryals are the high way to assurance let my child see that he loves me more than these that his heart is upright with me I will try him by prosperity and by adversity by persecutions and temptations and he shall see his heart is better than he suspects it to be This shall be the day of resolution to his fears and doubts The Apostle speaking of Heresies 1 Cor. â—â— 7. 9. puts a necessity upon them There â—ust be Heresies saith he that they which are apâ—roved may be made manifest The same necessiâ—y there is and for the same end of all oâ—her tryals of grace that the lovely beautiful â—weet face of sincerity may be opened someâ—imes to the world to enamour them and to â—he soul in whom it is to satisfie it that it â—oth not personate a Christian but lives the â—ery life of a Christian and hath the very â—pirit and principles of a Christian in him 3. Thirdly By these tryals pride and selfâ—onfidence is destroyed and mortified in the â—aints as much as by any thing in the world â—e never see what poor weak creatures we â—re till we come to the tryal It 's said Deut. â— 2. God led Israel through the deâ—art to â—rove them and to humble them when we â—re proved then we are humbled Those that â—ver reckon their graces before the tryal see â—â—ey must come to another account take â—ew measures of themselves after they have â—een upon tryal Ah! little did I think saith one that I had â—o much love for the world and so little for God till afflictions tryed it I could not have â—elieved that ever the creature had got so â—eep into my heart till providence either â—hreatned or made a separation and then I â—ound it I thought I had been rich in â—â—ith till such a danger beâ—elâ—me or such a want began to pinch hard and then I saw how unable I was to trust God for protection or provision O it 's a good thing that our hearts be kept humble and lowly howâ—rich soever they be in grace 4. Fourthly By tryals grace is kept in exercise and the gracious soul preserved fâ—om security and spiritual slothfulness tryals are to grace what the estuations and continual agitations of the waters are to the sea or what the racking of Wines from the Lees is to it were it not for our frequent tryals and exercises we should quickly settle upon the Lees and our duties would be as God complains of Ephraim like sowre or dead drink Hos. 4. 18. flat and spiritless Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into Captivity therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed Jer. 48. 11. Much after that rate it would be with our hearts did not the Lord frequently try and exercise them let the best man be without some tryal or other but a few months you may find the want of it in his prayers and conferences quickly O what a tanâ— of formality will be found in them anâ— is it for the honour of God or profit of hiâ— people that it should be so no no the Loâ—â— knows it is not but how shall their spiriâ—â— be reduced to the former zealous heavenly temper again why saith the Lord they must into the Furnace again I will melt them and try them for how shall I do for the daughter of my people Jer. 9. 7. I love them too well to lose them for want of a rod
alas if I should suffer things to go on at this rate what will become of them in a little time what delight can I take in their duties when the faith fervour humility holy seriousness of their spirits is wanting in them I will therefore refine them as silver is refined and try them as gold is tryed and they shall call upon my name and I will hear them and I will say it is my people aud they shall say the Lord is my God Zech. 13. 9. and thus the Lord chides himself freind again with his people Thus he recovers them to their true temper and thus his visiâ—ations do preserve their spirits and when the Lord sees these sweet effects of his tryals upon them it greatly pleaseth him O now saith God I like it This providence hath done them good this â—od was well bestowed the letting looseâ—of this temptation or that corruption upon â—hem hath made them find their knees again â—ow I hear the voice of my child again Beloved this is a blessed fruit and effect of â—ur frequent tryals and how ungrateful soâ—ver they are to flesh and blood that affects â—aâ—e and is loth to be disturbed yet it is necessary to the preservation of our spirits 5. Fifthly By the tryal of our graces Satan is defeated and his accusations of the Saints found to be meer slanders It is a very common thing with the devil and wicked men to accuse the people of God of Hypocrisie and to tell the world they are not the men and women they are taken to be and that if their inside were but turned out by some through tryal or deep search it would appear that Religion did not indeed live in their souls as they pretend but that they only act a part and personate heavenly and mortified persons upon the publick stage of profession Thus the Accuser of the brethren suggests the Hypocrisie of Iob Cap 2. 5. put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face q. d. Well might Iob serve thee whilest thou hast been so bountiful a master to him he hath been well rewarded for all the service he hath done thee but if thou stop the current of his prosperity thou shalt see how quickly he will stop the course of his duty a few lashes from thy hand will make him curse thee to thy face but O what shame and disappointment was it to that envious spirit what a vindication of Iobs integrity when under the greatest tryals of his faith and patience he still held fast his integrity and shews himself as great a pattern of patience under the cross as he had been of piety in the days of his greatest prosperity Satan gets nothing by bringing forth the saints upon the stage to be made a spectacle to angeâ—s men as it is 1 Cor. 4. 9. 6. Sixthly and Lastly The frequent tryals of grace exhibit a full and living Testimony against the Atheism of the world These prove beyond all words or arguments that Religion is no fancy but the greatest reality in the world men would make Religion but a fancy and the zeal of its professours but the intemperate heat of some crazy brains over-heated with a fond notion They that never felt the real influences of Religion upon their own souls will not believe that others do feel them Serious piety is become the ludicrous subject with which the wanton Wits of this Athestical world sport themselves But behold the wisdom and goodness of God exhibiting to the world the undeniable testimonies of the truth of Religion as often as the sincere professour thereof are brought to the test by afflictions from the hand of God or persecutions from the hands of men Loe here is the faith and patience of their Saints here is the courage meekness and self-denyal shining as gold in the fire they have the real proofs of it before their eyes instead of casting them into hell and convincing them by eternal fire he is pleased to cast his own people into the fire of affliction that they who scoff at them may be convinced at an easier and cheaper rate It is no new thing to see the enemies of Religionbrought over to embrace it by the constancy and faithfulness of the Saints in their tryals sufferings for it God grant that the Atheism of this present generation do not occasion a more fiery tryal to the people of God in it than they have yet suffered CHAP. X. Shewing that grace only is to be reckoned sincere and real which can endure those tryals which God appoints or permits for the discovery of it SECT I. BEfore I offer you the proofs evidences of this truth it will be necessary to prevent some mistakes that may be occasioned by misunderstanding of it Caution 1. And in the first place we are not to think assurance of our sincerity impossible to be had in this life because as long as we live here we are in a state of tryal and how many tryals soever have been made upon us already yet still there are more to come and we know not what we shall prove in future tryals though God hath kept us upright in former tryals no no this is none of my meaning nor doth such a conclusion necessarily follow this assertion for a Christian that hath rightly closed with Christ at first and been faithful in the duties of active and passive obedience hitherto may be assured upon good grounds of a victory before he come to the fire of his remaining tryals So was the Apostle Rom. 8. 35 c. who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword nay in all these we are more than conquerours through him that hath loved us here 's an assured triumph before the Combate So Job 23. 10. but he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tryed me I shall come forth as gold â—he appeals to God for the sincerity of his â—eart so far as he had hith â—to gone in the way of Religion and thence concludes â—hat whatever tryals God should bring him â—o for time to come he should come forth as gold i. e. he should not lose one grain â—y the fire and this confidence of a graciâ—us soul is built not only upon experience gained in former tryals but upon faith in the â—ower promises and faithfulness of God which aâ—e engaged for him in the Covenant of grace to keep him in the greatest dangers â—hat befal him in this world He believes the power of God is able to make him stand though he hath no power â—or might in himself to overcome the least â—emptation 1 Pet. 1. 5. you are kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept as with a garrison by the power of God through faith unto salvation when Christ hath once taken possession of the soul by his spirit he fortifies it by his power
they had â—amps of profession as well as others and saw â—ot the cheat till the cry was heard at midâ—ight and their unfurnished Lamps went â—ut Matth. 25. 2. Secondly The promises of salvation are â—ade over to tryed grace and such only as â—ill endure the tryal So James 1. 12. Blessed 〈◊〉 the man that endureth temptation for when 〈◊〉 is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life â—hich God hath promised to them that love him 〈◊〉 must be first tryed and then crowned 〈◊〉 a man strive for masteries yet is he not Crownâ—d except he strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2. 5. he â—anifestly alludes to the Roman Games to â—hich there were Judges appointed to see â—hat no foul play were offered contrary to 〈◊〉 Law for wrestling and where it was â—â—und the Crown was denyed them Not to â—im that sets forth in the morning with reâ—lution and gallantry but to him that holds 〈◊〉 till the evening of his life is the proâ—ise made Matth. 10. 22. He that endureth 〈◊〉 the end shall be saved so Rom. 2. 7. To â—em who by patient continuance in well doing 〈◊〉 for glory and honour and immortality eternal life and once more Heb. 3. 15. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end So that if you should endure some few slighter troubles and faint at last give out when a closer tryal befals you all your labours and sufferings are in vain Sincerity and final perseverance are the conditions of all special promises 3. Thirdly Every mans graces and duties must be tryed and weighed by God in the great day and if they cannot endure these lesser tryals to which God exposed them now how will they endure that severe and exact tryal to which he will bring them then No man can search his own heart with that exactness in this world as God will search iâ— in the world to come I may say in this case to you as the Lord spake to Ieremiah cl ap 12. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horses and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst they have wearited thee then how wilt thoâ— do in the swelling of Iordan This was spoken to encourage the Prophet to constancy in his work and as if the Lord had said O Ieremy do the strivings of the men of Anat hoth thine own Town dishearten thee pluck up thy spirits and faint not there are harder Tryals than these that thou must undergo at Ierusalem these are no more to what is coming than the running with footmen is to contending with horses or the passing a small Rivulet to the swellings of Iordan To allude to this If our graces and duties cannot bear these lighter tryals if a little lift of prosperity or lighter stroke of adversity discover so much falseness rottenness pride and selfishness in the heart If we cannot resist the motions of corruptions but yield our selves to obey sin in the lusts of it If we can neither keep our hearts with God in duties nor mourn for our wanderings from him If a few scoffs from wicked tongues or tryals of persecution from the hands of men will cause us to faint in the way and turn back from following the Lord what shall we do when he comes whose fan is in his hand and who will throughly purge his floor Mat. 3. 12. who will try every mans work as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 13. search the secrets of all hearts Rom. 2. 16. weigh every man to his ounces and drachms Surely we can take little comfort in that which is so unable to bear the severe tryals of that day that it cannot stand before the slighter Tryals of this day 4. Fourthly True grace is willing to be tryed and nothing is more desirable to an upright soul than to know his own condition If therefore we shun the tryal and are loth to search our selves or be searched by the Lord our condition is suspicious and we can take little comfort in it It was Davids earnest desire Psal. 139. 23. that God would throughly search his heart and reins and see if there were any way of wickedness in him false grace is shy of Gods eye it cares not to be examined but this is the delight of sincere ones every one that doth evil hateth the light lest his deeds should be reproved but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. 20 21. The reason is plain why Hypocrisie cannot endure to come to the. Touchstone and test for Hypocrites â—aving a secret consciousness of their own guilt unsoundness know that by this means their vain confidence would quickly be confuted and all their reputation for Religion blasted but O if men dare not stand before the word as it is now opened and applyed by Ministers how will they stand when it shall be opened and applyed in another manner by Jesus Christ O professour if thy condition be good thy heart right thou wilt desiâ—e to know the very worst of thy self and when thou hast made the deepest search thou canst thou wilt still fear thou hast not been severe enough and impaâ—â—â—â— enough to thy self nothing will give thee more content than when thou feelest the word dividing thy soul and spirit thy joynts and marrow nothing so much comforts thee under or after an affliction as the discovery it hath made of thy heart thou wilt seem to feel with what affections those words came from the Prophets lips Jer. 12. 3. But thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seen me and tryed my heart towards thee O what a freshing sweetness will stream through thy heart and all the powers of thy soul when thou canst make the like appeal to God with like sincerity And certainly without such a disposition of spirit towards the tryal of our graces we can have little evidence of the truth of them CHAP. XI Containing divers practical instructive Inferences from this doctrine with a serious exhortation to self-tryal and through examination SECT I. Infer 1. ARe there such variety of tryals appointed to examine the sincerity of mens graces how great a vanity then is Hypocrisie and to how little purpose do men endeaâ—our to conceal and hide it We say murder will out and we may as confidently affirm hypocrisie will out When Rebekah had laid the plot to disguise her son Iacob and by personating his brother to get the blessing Iacob thus objects against it My Father perad venture will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Gen. 27. 12. as if he should say but what if my Father detect the cheat how then shall I look him in the face how shall I escape a curse After the same manner every upright soul scares it self from the way of Hypocrisie
It 's said in the tryal of opinions that if a man superstruct hay or stubble upon the foundation he shall suffer loss yet he himself may be saved 1 Cor. 3. 12. but if Hypocrisie be in the foundation there is no such relief there is no possibility of salvation in that case Ah Reader thou must be cast for ever according to the integrity or hypocrisie of thy heart with God Summon in then all the powers of thy soul bring thy thoughts as close as it is possible to bring them to this matter if there be any subject of consideration able to drink up the spirits of a man here it is never was time put to an higher improvement never were thoughts spent upon a more important business than this is happy is the man that rescues the years months dayes yea the very moments of his life from other imployments to consecrate them unto this solemn awful and most important business Motive 4. Fourthly How evidential will it be of your sincerity when you are willing to come to the tryal of your own hearts Suppose your doubts and fears should in some degree remain with you yet in this you may take some comfort that if Hypocrisie be in your heart it is not there by consent you are not loth to rich and come to the tryal because like Rachel you sit upon your Idols certainly it is a good sign thy heart is right when it is filled with so much fear lest it should be false you know all the disciples said Master Is it I before Iudas who was the Traytor spake a word Last of all saith the text Iudas said is it I our willingness to be tryed is a good sign that the desire of our souls is to be right with God Motive 5. Fifthly Conclude it to be your great advantage to be throughly tryed whatever you befound to be in the tryal if you be found sincere you are richly rewarded for all your pains and labour never did that man repent of digging and toyling that after all hit upon the rich vein that he digged for what is a vein of gold to a vein of sincerity If upon search you find the contrary a false Hypocritical unsound heart yet in that very sad discovery you meet with the greatest advantage that ever you had in your lives for salvation This discovery is your great advantage for now your vain confidence being over-turned and your ungrounded hopes destroyed you lye open to the stroke of a deep and effectual conviction oâ— your sin and misery which is the introductive mercy to all other mercies to your soulsâ— and surely till you come to that to give up your false hopes and quit your vain pretensions there is no hope of you Christ told the Pharisees Matth 21. 31. Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you Publicans were the worst sort of men and harlots the worst sort of women and yet they stood in a fairer way for heaven than the Hypocritical Pharisees because conviction had easier access to their consciences they had not those defences and pleasâ— of duty and strictness to ward off the word that the self-couzening Pharisees had I may say of your vain and groundless hopes as Christ in another sense said to the officers that came to seize him in the gardenâ— if you seek me let these go their way So ' tiâ— here if you expect Christ and salvation by him let your vain confidences go their way away with your masques and vizards â—f ever you expect to see Christ. O 't is your â—appiness to have all these things stript off and your nakedness and poverty discovered â—hat you may be rich as the Text speaks Motive 6. Sixthly Consider how near the â—â—ay of Death and Judgment approach you Oh these are searching dayes wherein you cannot be hid will your consciences think you be put off in a dying day as easily as â—hey are now no no you know they â—ill not I have heard of a good man that consumed â—ot only the greatest part of the day but â— very considerable part of the night also in â—rayer to the great weakening of his body â—nd being asked by a relation why he did â—o and prayed to favour himself he returned â—his answer O I must dye I must dye plainly â—ntimating that so great is the concernment of dying in a clear assured condition that â—t's richly worth the expence of all our time â—nd strength to secure it You know also that after death the Judgement Heb. 9. 27. you are hastening to the â—udgement of the great and terrible God Death will put you into his ballance to be weighed exactly and what gives the soul a â—ouder call to search it self with all diligence whilest it stands at the door of eternity and â—ts turn is not yet come to go before that awful Tribunal O that these considerations might have place upon our hearts CHAP. XII Containing divers helps for the clearing of Sincâ—â—rity and discovery of Hypocrisie SECT I. YOu see of what importance the dutâ— of self-examination is how many thing put a necessity and a solemnity upon thaâ— work Now in the close of all I would oâ—â—fer you some helps for the due managemenâ— thereof that is as far as I can carry it thâ— Lord perswade your hearts to the diligenâ— and faithful application and use of theâ— The general rules to clear sincerity 〈◊〉 these that follow Rule 1. We may not presently conclude we are in 〈◊〉 state of Hypocrisie because we find some working of it and tendencies to it in our spirits the beâ— gold hath some dross and alloy in it Hypâ—â—crisie is a weed naturally springing in 〈◊〉 ground the best heart is not perfectly cleâ—â— free of it it may be we are stumbled wheâ— we feel some workings or grudgings of thâ— disease in our selves and looking into suâ—â— Scriptures as these Joh. 1. 47. Behold an 〈◊〉 raelite indeed in whom there is no guile and Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile This I say may stumble some upright soul not understanding in what an allayed and qualified sense those Scriptures are to be understood for by a Spirit without guile is â—ot understood a person absolutely free from all deceitfulness and falseness of heart this was the sole prerogative of the Lord Iesus who was separated from sinners in whose mouth was no guile found in whom the Prince of this world in all his tryals and atâ—empts upon him found nothing but we â—ust understand it of reigning and allowed Hypocrisie there is no such guile in any â—f the Saints distinguish the presence from â—he predominance of hypocrisie and the â—oubt is resolved Rule 2. Every true ground of humiliation for sin is â—ot a sufficient ground for doubting and questioâ—ing our estate and condition There be many more things to humble us â—pon the account of our infirmity than there
apparently do the same symptomes of Hypocrisie appear upon my soul which did upon Iudas Ioâ— 12. 6. and Iohn 2 Kings 9 13 14. Quest. 3. Have I not some secret reserves in my heart notwithstanding that face and appearance of zeal which I put on certainly if there be any sin that I cannot part with any suffering for Christ which I resolve against in my heart I am none of his disciple my heart is not right with God the searcher of hearts himself being Judge Luke 14. 26 27. Quest. 4. What Conscience do I make of secret sins do I mourn for a vain heart wandering thoughts spiritual deadness and do I conscientiously abstain from the practice of secret sins when there is no danger of discovery no fear of forfeiting my reputation by it is it Gods eye or mans that awes me from commission of sin certainly if I allow my self in secret sins I am not of the number of Gods upright people whose spirits are of a contrary temper to mine Psal. 119. 113 and Psal. 19. 12. SECT V. I Will shut up all with five or six concluding Counsels which the Lord-impress upon the heart of him that writes and those that shall read them to preserve and antidote the soul against the dangerous insinuation and Leven of Hypocrisie Counsel 1 Intreat the Lord night and day for a renewed and right Spirit all the helps and directions in the world will not antidote and preserve you from Hypocrisie nothing will be found able to keep you right till sanctification have first set you right Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes A Bowle may keep by a strait line so long as the impresâ—ed force of the hand that delivered it remains strong upon it but as that wears off so its motion fails and it s own Bias swayes and turns it a fright of conscience a pang of warm affection or the influence of some great example or a good education may influence an unrenewed soul and push it on in the way of Religion for a season but the heart so influenced must and will return to its own natural course again And I think there wants nothing but time or a suitable temptation to discover the true temper of many a professours spirit pray therefore as that holy man did Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Counsel 2. Alwayes suspect and examine your ends in what you do Sincerity and hypocrisie lye much â—n your ends and designs as they are so are you The intentions of the heart lye deep A man may do the same action to an holy end and his person and service be accepted with God which another doing for a corrupt end it may be reckoned his sin and â—oth his person and service be abhorred by â—he Lord we find two men riding in one Chariot and both of them concerned in the same expedition Iehu the son of Nimshi and Ionadab the son of Rechab 2 Kings 10. 15 23. but though the work they engaged in was one and the same yet the different ends they aimed at made the same action an excellent duty in Ionadab and an act of vile Hypocrisie in Iehu idem quod duo faciunt non est idem it was the saying of a good soul commended for a good action the work indeed is good but I fear the ends of it Self-ends are creeping and insinuating things into the best actions Counsel 3. Scare your selves with the daily fears of the sin that is in and the misery that will follow hypocrisie look upon it as the most odious sin in the eyes of God and men to want holiness is bad enough but to simulate and pretend it when we have it not is double impiety to make Religion the most glorious â—hing in the world a meer stirrup to preserment and a covert to wickedness Oh how vile a thing is it God made Christ a Sacrifice for sin and the Hypocrite will make him a Cloak for sin And as to the punishments that follow it they are suitable to the nature of the sin â— for as hypocrisie is out of measure sinful â— so the reward and punishment of it will be out of measure dreadful Mat. 24. 51. He shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Counsel 4. Be daily at work in the mortification of those Lusts that breed hypocrisie It 's plain without much sifting that pride vain glory self-love and a worldly heart are the seeds out of which this cursed plant springs up in the souls of men Dig but to the root and you shall certainly find these things there and â—ill the Lord help you to kill and mortifie these hypocrisie will spring up in all your duties to God in all your converses with men Counsel 5. Attend the native voice of your own consciences in the day of sickness fear or trouble and take special notice of its checks or upbraidings which like a stitch in your side will gird you at such times Commonly in that lyes your greatest danger beware of that evil which Conscience brands and marks at such times whether it be your living in the practice of â—ome secret sin or in the neglect of some known duty these frights of Conscience mark out the corruption wherein your danger mostly lyes Counsel 6. Let us all that profess Religion be uniform and steady in the profession and practice of it without politick reserves and byâ—ends O take heed of this Laodicean neutrality â—ndifferency which Christ hates be â—ure your ground be good and then be sure you stand your ground The Religion of â—ime-servers is but Hypocrisie they have â—luices in their Consciences which they can open or shut as occasion requires every Fox will have at least two holes to his Den â—hat if one be stopt he may escape at the oâ—her The hypocrite poyseth himself so evenly â—n a mediocrity that as it was said of Baldwin Let Anthony win let Augustus win all is one So let Christ win or let Antichrist win â—e hopes to make every wind that can blow â—erviceable to wast him to the port of his own interest The Hypocrite hath alwayes more of the Moon than of the Sun little light many spots frequent changes tit's easier to him to bow â—o the cross than to bear the Cross to sin â—han to suffer Our own story tells us of a poor simple woman thaâ— lived both in the reigns of Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth and would constantly say her prayers both in Latine and English that she might be sure to please one side or other and let God said she take which likes him best what is noted as an act of ridiculous simplicity in her the time serving hypocrite accounts a point of deep policy in himself The times under Dioclesian were Pagan under Constantine Christian under Constantius Arian under
Iulian Apostate and under Iovian Christian again and all this within the space of seventy years the age of one man O what shifting and shuffling was there among the men of that generation the changes of weather shew the unsoundnesâ— of mens bodies and the changes of times the unsoundness of their souls Christian if ever thou wilt manifest and maintain thine integrity be a man but of one design be sure that be an honest and good design to secure heaven whatever becomes of earth to hold fast integrity whatever thou art forced to let go for its sake Take heed of pious frauds certainly it was the Devil that first married those two words together for they never did nor can agree betwixt themselves nor was ever such a marriage made in heaven Never study to model Religion and the exercises thereof in a consistency with oâ— subserviency to your fleshly interests if your Religion be but a mock Religion your reward shall be but a mock heaven that is a real hell O the vanity and inutility of these projects and designs men strive to cast themselves into such modes and stint themselves to such measures of Religion as they think will best promote or secure their earthly interests but it often falls out contrary to their expectation their deep pollicies are ridiculous follies they become the grief and shame of their friends and the scorn and song of their enemies And often it fares with them as with him that placed himself in the middle of the Table where he could neither reach the dish above him nor that below him Esuriunt medii c. and which is the very best of it if earthly interests be accommodated by sinful neutrality and a Laodicean indifferency in Religion yet no good man should once feel a temptation to embrace it except he think what is wanting in the sweetness of his sleep may be fully recompenced to him by the stateliness of his bed and richer furniture of his Chamber I mean that a fuller and higher condition in the world can make him amends for the loss of his inward peace and the quiet repose of a good conscience these by-ends and self-interests are the little passages through which hypocrisie creeps in upon the Professours of Religion O let this be your rejoycing which was Pauls the Testimony of your Conscience that in all sincerity and godly simplicity not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God you have had your Conversations in this world 2 Cor. 1. 12. Let that be your daily prayer cry to heaven which was David's Psal. 25. 21. Let integrity uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee Counsel 7. Keep your hearts day night under the awe of Gods aâ—l-seeing eye remember he beholds all your wayes and ponders all your thoughts how covertly soever hypocrisie may be carryed for a time all must will out at last Luke 12. 3. secresie is the main inducement to hypocrisie but it will fall out with the hypocrite as it did with Ottocar the King of Bohemia who refused to do homage to Rodulphus the Emperour till at last chastised with war he was content to do him homage privately in a Tent but the Tent was so contrived by the Emperours servants that by drawing one Cord it was taken all away so Ottocar presented on his knees doing homage in the view of three Armies Reader awe thy heart with Gods eye know that he will bring every secret thing into Judgment Thus did Iob it preserved him Iob. 31. 1 4. Thus did David it preserved him Psal. 18 21 22 23. Thus do thou also and it will preserve thee blameless and without guile to the day of Christ FINIS A Catalogue of BOOKS sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap-side near Mercersâ—Chappel THE Fountain of Life open'd or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts Wherein the impetration of our Redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun carried on and finished by his Covenant Transaction my sterious Incarnation solemn Call and Dedication blessed Offices deep Abasement and Supereminent Advancement A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original excellent and immortal Nature of the Soul are opened its Love and Inclination to the Body with the necessity of its Separation from it considered and Improved The Existence Operations and states of separated Souls both in Heaven and Hell immediately after Death asserted discussed and variously applied Divers knotty and difficult Questions about departed Souls both Philosophical and Theological stated and determined The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contrived by the Father and accomplished by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto Gods Elect being the second Part of Gospel Redemption The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Providence its Being and Efficacy asserted and vindicated all the Methods of Providence in our course of Life opened with Directions how to apply and improve them Navigation spiritualiz'd or a new Compass for Seamen consisting of Thirty Two Points of pleasant Observations profitable Applications serious Reflections all concluded with so many spiritual Poems c. Two Treatises the first of Fear the second the Righteous Mans Refuge in the evil Day A Saint indeed the great Work of a Christian A Touchstone of Sincerity or Signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie being the second Part of the Saint indeed A Token for Mourners or boundaries for Sorrow for the Death of Friends Husbandry spiritualized Or the Heavenly use of Earthly Things All these Ten by Mr. Iohn Flavel A Funeral Sermon on the Death of that Pious Gentlewoman Mrs. Iudith Hammond late Wife of the Reverend Mr. George Hammond Minister of the Gospel in London Of Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the immoderate Desire of foreknowing Things to come Of Charity in Reference to other Mens Sins The Redeemers Tears wept over lost â—ouls in a Treatise on Luke 19. 41 42. With â—n Appendix wherein somewhat is occasiâ—nally Discoursed concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost and how God is said to Will the Salvation of them that Perish A Sermon directing what we are to do â—fter a strict Enquiry whether or no we â—ruly Love God A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampâ—on the late Wife of Mr. Henry Sampson Doctor of Physick who Died Nov. 24 1689. The Carnality of Religious Contention â—n two Sermons Preach'd at the Merchants Lecture in Broadstreet A Calm and Sober Enquiry concerning â—he Possibility of a Trinity in the Godhead A Letter to a Friend concerning a Postscript to the Defence of Dr. Sherlock's Notiâ—on of the Trinity in Unity relating to the Calm and Sober Enquiry upon the same Subject A View of that Part of the late Consideâ—ations Addrest to H. H. about the Trinity Which concerns the Sober Enquiry on that Subject A Sermon Preach'd on the late Day of Thanksgiving Decemb. 2. 1697. To which â—s Prefixed Dr. Bates's Congratulatory Speech to the King All these Eleven by Mr. Iohn Howe Protestant Union Or Principles of Reâ—â—igion to which English Protestants agreeâ—â— Wherein the main Principles of Religion owned by Dissenters agrees with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England in two Sheets Price Two Pence The Main Principles of the Christiaâ— Religion in One Hundred and Seven Artiâ—cles or Aphorisms of the Assemblies Shorâ— Catechism farther Cleared and Confirmeâ— by the Consonant Doctrine recorded in several Articles and Homilies of the Churcâ— of England under these Four Heads viz. 1 Of Things to be believed comprehendeâ— in the Creed 2. Of Things to be done in thâ— Ten Commandments 3. Of Things to bâ— Practised in the Gospel particulary the Twâ— Sacraments 4. Of Things to be Prayed foâ— in the Lords Prayer These Two by Mr. Tho. â— Adams M. A. * A Sain indeed Melch. Adams in vita Gobelini personae vixit Anno. 1420. Tot mysteria quoâ—verba Hieron Frigidos vocat planè à Christo alienos Fervidos verâ Christi cognitione in excellenti gradu praeditos Tepidos qui cum Christiani aici velint nec causam religionis serio agunt nec vitam confessioni conformem dignamque ducunt Sol. Glass Rhet. Sacra par 3. p. 165. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destitutus Iustitiâ Sanctitate verâ coram Deo Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nec morbum sciens nec remedium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carens justitiâ quaevâ—stitus est Christianorum Pareus Nil miserius misero non miserante seipsum Hoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Christi extra quod nulla est salus 1 Pet. 3. 17. Ar. Mont. Dr. Goodwin Child of Lightâ— Mr. A. Burges Dum probantur toti in fumum abeunt Quo ex judicio velut ex incendio nuddus effugit Chrysoft Magistratus indicat virum Tertul. in Apol. Timeo dicere sed dicendum est martyrium ipsum si ideo fiat ut admirationi laudi habeatur à fratribus frustrâ— sanguis effusus est Hier. Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. cap. 4. Dr. Reynolds Mr. Caryl Rara hora brevis mora fapit quidem suavissimè sed gustatur rarissimè Bâ—rnard A sum adv simulatio n. 4. Rosellain v. Hypocrisis n. 1. See my Saint indeed p. 191 192 193 c. Iohn Wolfe lect memor To. 2. ad An. 1 549.