Repentance and Faith are conditions sufficient so saith that Gospel which reveals our salvation To say the Consequence is fallacious because this condition of setting up of the glory of Grace above our salvation is contained in them Say in which Define them both and see if we can find it For Faith in Christ That we said is that saving Grace whereby we receive him as he is offered in the Gospel and so rest upon him alone for salvation This definition agreeth with the Scriptures and is not at all deficient we have proved it before having opened how Christ is offered and how Christ is received c. it is not contained in this For Repentance to life the essence of it lyes in the Souls turning from all sin with grief and hatred of it unto God I will not set down a large description of it Our Catechisme gives it Now how can that condition be contained here being I am not to turn from my own salvation this is no term from which I am called I must turn only from sin God requires no more as to the term from which I turn Arg. 5. Lastly This Condition of setting up the glory of Gods Grace above our salvation must be had in Heaven Therefore to require it here and that upon this penalty the loss of our Souls for want of it agrees not with solid reason Quest Why do you tie it up to Heaven I answer So long as the means to an end is incomplete imperfect so long the end to which that means tends is but imperfectly attained Now so long as believers are in this world with a body of death within temptations from World and Satan without lying in so many dangers and fears every day that many times the Soul knoweth not what to say of it self but thinks it shall one day perish this heart of mine will undo me temptations without drive so hard against the Soul the means as yet is very imperfect though the Soul seeth it is Grace only through Christ which can save it and thinks it shall magnifie his Grace if he will save it yet it fears often it will not be its portion hence as yet God hath not his end or but very little but when the Believer is got into Heaven out of the Gun-shot of all temptations when it is secure and safe for ever knowing danger any more salvation is perfected and the means to Gods end compleated now begin the Songs to the praise of the riches of Grace and the Lamb to be sung and shall be sung to eternity now God hath his end compleated Grace in our salvation and above our salvation for ever triumphing If the authority of Mr. Rogers being a man so eminent in abilities and grace do make you think it must needs be true for such mens Opinions as these do prevail exceedingly upon Christians that are not able to examine Doctrines then take his Opinion which I had from his own mouth for as I preached against this Doctrine when I lived by him so I conferred with him about it and wrote down what he said to me in the Margent of his Book when I came from him his words were these The Soul in its first coming home to Christ doth seek its own salvation after union with Christ it seeks the honour of God and its own salvation subordinate to it It must first have a good savour of God it must first have tasted of his love before it can come to this That is to exalt his glory above its own salvation But this saying and his Books do not agree For if so be the Soul must have union with Christ first and in its union doth and may seek its own salvation and must have a taste of Gods love he must mean by this favour and taste a secret intimation of his reconciled love some good evidence of it before it comes to this setting up the glory of his Grace above its own salvation how is it that this self-love in not subordaining its own salvation to Gods glory which will deprive the Soul of all its labour and pains as he saith so dangerous that it will undo it how is it I say that this is found in a person united to Christ yea and there lieth till the Soul gets a taste of the love of God This I cannot understand How long is it before many poor Souls can get a taste and how little of it when it comes how short a time doth it stay Bara-hora brevis mora Thus I have endeavoured to remove those blocks which were layed in the way by these eminent men whom I do so much honour they have been a trouble to my self as to my own state which hath made me to examine them and weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary which must determine all questions and sit Judge upon all our writings the men being holy able and experienced men made me more to fear had they been young men in the heat of their affections I should not have regarded them as I saw one book the Authors name I forgot who gave such signs of hypocrisie that will cut off many a gracious heart but I saw by his picture at the beginning he was but young and so did not regard him How far that I have written may tend to the satisfaction of those Souls who have been or are troubled with these doubts which have been raised by these worthy men to the troubling of the peace and evidence of many gracious Christians I leave to the judgment of judicious and experienced Divines I bless God for my own part I am at rest as to these doubts though I have been disquieted by them unless I meet with better Scriptures and Arguments then yet I have done Having then opened the work of Effectual Calling and shewn how the Spirit of God prepares the Soul for Christ and unites it to Christ I will now make some improvement of the whole by way of Application though in this I intend to be but short by reason there are so many excellent books printed and men of such eminent gifts so excellently skilled in Gospel work that had it not been for these doubts which I know have troubled divers and for some of them no Divines that I knew had spoken to them though I found by discourse with them they were not of the same judgment with these reverend men I say had it not been for this I would never have set pen to paper for I know not for substance what I can write that hath not been written by more able pens yet variety of gifts may please the Reader and help on his spiritual edification From the whole work then I will conclude if this be effectual Calling and that which makes real Christians Then First The number of Real Christians is but small whatever those who are called Christians think Secondly The number of Real Christians is greater than those who are Real Christians giving judgment upon
Socinus was of that Judgment yet they would follow Socinus no further than they saw cause But for the Sacraments let those who feel the need of them make use of them To wit such a God as they make Christ such Subjects they are to him I thought the Institution and Command of Christ with the worship and honour which is given to Christ had been grounds sufficient to command our obedience if we were attained to such a height of what I cannot tell for Grace I must not call it that we felt no need of his Institutions but it seems his Institution Command and worship in this particular are little with them if they feel any need they may use them Obedience good enough for a Dependent God Now if men can thus dispense already with one part of his worship and throw it by I doubt not but upon the same principle they may cast off the other part of his worship and the Reasons urged by Francken and others of that party are so strong that they will at last prevail with English unsound Christians whom God for the abuse of his Gospel will I fear give up to their own Reason and since Reason they will have Reason they shall have When the Religious worship of Christ is cast off then the Turks will be every way as good Christians as these Socinians for they speak honourably of Christ and acknowledge him to be a great Prophet Bradwardin was a man sound in the Doctrine of the Trinity De Causo Dei P. 29. and the union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ and in other Articles of our Faith And thus he speaks concerning these Articles Scio Philosophe confidenter me scire affirmo quod non est Articulus aliquis magnus vel parvus de substantia fidei Christianae quam Deus non prius multis temporibus ante Fidei hujus exordium per Prophetas solennes velut per quosdam praenuntios revelavit c. non enim est Articulus Fidei Christianae qui etiam Philosopho judice non corrupto non sophistico non protervo sed indifferente solido sobrio veritatis amico efficaciter possit fundari in veteri Testamento in veteribus Prophetiis sicut constat antiquitus veraciter contigisse What kind of Philosophers the Socinians are in Bradwardin's account we may easily judge Afterwards * p. 59. he frames this Argument Whatever God hath revealed and attested that is true But God hath revealed and attested the Christian Faith Therefore The Christian Faith is true The Christian Faith that Bradwardin means is that which the Socinians do oppose then he answers to that which some wanton cavilling Wits might object that he had not demonstrated that God hath revealed this Faith the answer is too long to transcribe The Socinians I see are very angry with Athanasius and look on him as if he were the first Inventer of these Articles of the Trinity and of the Divine and Humane Nature united in the Person of Christ making the world believe if they could that none of the ancient Writers before him were of their Opinions As appears by Mr. Biddle's Quotations out of those Authors whom he labours by the gloss he cast upon them to make them speak his Doctrines against the Divinity of Christ and the Trinity Thus the Socinian Pamphlet lately printed and published by William Pen tells the Reader as I observed the little time I had it in my hand I suppose that Author took it out of Mr. Biddle I shall briefty give the Reader what I find in those Authors which I have but not transcribe all that I find to this purpose For Clemens Romanus in his Epistle to the Corinthians I find not much the occasion of that Epistle did not lead him to speak of the Verson of Christ he contents himself with the phrase of the Apostle calling Christ as the Apostle Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 47. The brightness of his that is Gods of whom he spake before magnificence being so much greater than the Angels as he hath obtained a more excellent Name The Angels are ministring Spirits but to the Son he saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee set thou at my right hand c. I think he intends his Divinity in his second Epistle of which only we have a Fragment beginning his Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And after pag. 6. speaking of Jesus Christ our Saviour saith of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How far those words are from Christs satisfaction in his first Epistle the Reader may judge p. 64. He gave his blood for us and his flesh for our flesh and his Soul for our Soul And for our Justification which concerns the Socinian Doctrine also We who are called in Christ Jesus p. 41 are justified not by our wisdom understanding piety or works which we have wrought in purity and holiness of heart but by Faith by which the Almighty God hath justified all from the beginning The next are the Epistles which go under the name of Ignatius In his Epistle ad Ephesios ad Magnesianos ad Trallianos ad Romanos ad Philadelphenos in all these Epistles I read Ignatius asserting Christ to be God man and giving warning to the Churches to take heed of those who said he was but meer man I will only write one Sentence out of this last Epistle If any one say there is one God and doth confess Jesus Christ but thinks the Lord to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer man and not the only begotten God the Wisdom and word of God what Word he tells us in his Epist ad Magnesianos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but thinks he consists only of Body and Soul this is a Serpent and Seducer preaching an error for the perdition of men c. Justin Martyr Apolog. 2. asserts the Divinity of Christ and in his Dialogue with Trypho he often asserts it in so much that Trypho tells him That Christ should be God before the world began and after to be born though not as other men seemed to him not only a Paradox but foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnto whom Justin Martyr answers page 267. Irenaeus Adv. Haeres l. 2. cap. 43. comparing man with the Son of God saith to man Thou O man art not one that is not made neither didst thou alwayes coexist with God as did his proper or own Word And in the third book cap 8. thus he writes Never did any Prophets or Apostles call any other God or Lord besides the true and only God To the same purpose he speaks in the ninth Chapter and there Fevardentius in his Animadversions upon the Chapter hath out of several places of Iraeneus shewn how opposite he was to this Doctrine of Mr. Biddle and the Socinians that he declares himself as erroneous in his quoting of Authors as he is in his Opinion Clemens Alexandrinus speaking of Christ
healed of his blindness Acts 9.18 Paul's understanding had scales of darkness upon it whatever he thought of himself while a Pharisee Christ set up a light there the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 Elies sons brought up under a godly father and Priests also so dealt in things appertaining to God yet sons of Belial they knew not God 1 Sam. 2.17 Who then should know him if the Priests who ministred before him did not know him though they had the Scripture-light yet they were dark in their understandings The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him no wonder then he doth not receive them if his dark understanding looks on them as foolishness neither can he know them and why not because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 The Spirit of God then must have his work upon the understanding before a man can know the things of the Spirit The Tempter dealt with our understanding or intellectual part first Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 Deceit belongs to the intellectual part Transgression follows deceit The sin was compleated in the will Licet error judicii electio voluntatis duo sunt entia in genere naturae unum tamenens sunt in genere moris Christ undoes the Devils work and begins where he began Adam was now as Sampson with his eyes put out Secondly God in Conversion or drawing to Christ works upon a rational Creature and works upon the soul as such He calls the will and affections off from the objects to which they are glewed to close with other objects A reason for that saith the will and a sufficient convincing reason too else you may call long enough before I will stir the will is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational appetite It is but Potentia caeca it must have one to lead and guide it therefore doth the Spirit set up this light in the understanding first While we are in our natural state we think we have reasons sufficient for what we do in following our lusts so that we wonder at others think strange if they run not the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 they seem to be irrational people else we would not think it strange the carnal heart thinks it hath all reason on its side God preserves the workings of all the faculties of the soul not the least violence offered to any one in Conversion the will shall have as good reason given it to close with Christ as ever it had to close with its lusts Hence we read so much of Teaching This deals with the understanding sets up a light there They shall be all taught of God John 6.45 the Father teacheth the Soul certain Lessons before it will come to Christ Hence Christ is made a Prophet and that not barely to reveal the Will of God as other Prophets did but teacheth effectually also That was the first office he executed when he declared himself to the world began his publick Ministry and that is the first office he executeth when he declareth himself to the Soul in Conversion teaching or enlightning the understanding This is that David so often prayes for Psal 119. v. 18. and in v. 102 gives that for the reason why he had not departed from the judgments of God for thou hast taught me It is Divine teaching which bringeth the Soul first unto obedience and holds it fast in obedience to the Commandment I shall lay down my thoughts concerning this work of Illumination in several Positions First Position That illumination which is wrought in a soul converting or drawing to Christ is such as none but the Spirit of God can effect So thick is that Cataract which is grown over the eye of our understanding that none can couch it but God himself Christ was sent Isa 42.6 7. to be a light to the Gentiles so he illightens the medium and to open the eyes of the blind so he heals the organ he is the only Oculist he hath that eye-salve Rev. 3.17 which healeth the blindness of our understandings He must be taught of God he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6.45 whoever comes to Christ Cathedram in Caelo habet c. as B. Austin several times saith He hath his Chair in Heaven who teacheth the converting Soul those Lessons effectually which it must learn before it can come home to God Who teach like him said Elihu Job 36.22 none teach like him nor none beside him as to effectual and saving teaching Let a man be what he will as to his understanding hath he a head fit for a Jesuit he shall never learn the truth as it is in Jesus unless he be taught by him Ephes 4.21 The wise and the prudent man if but a natural a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man and of wants this Teacher shall never be able to know things of eternal concernment to his own salvation Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 2.14 It is a terrible Proverb but I believe too true Hell is paved with the souls of great Scholars and paled in with the bones of rich men The things of God are too low for great heads to exercise themselves about them and the soveraignty of God is so high that he will not give them eyes to see Deut. 29.4 But he blindeth their eyes and hardneth their hearts that they should not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and bo converted John 12.40 Holy Austin * Do paccato meritis contra Pelag. l. 1. who was one of Gods Scholars knew so experimentally the necessity of this Teacher that he could say Let who will be the Teacher Man or Angel unless Christ who is the eternal Light doth irradiate the mind man will not feel or know the truth of what he hears And if he be the Teacher no matter what the Scholar be he will make him learn He maketh wise the simple Psal 19.7 Let simple be such B. Austin calls tardissimi ingenio this Teacher makes such simple ones wise to salvation yea sometimes not only such simple ones but those whom saith he the Greeks call Moriones we call them Fools and gives a notable instance of such a Fool * Aug. Tom. 7. Col. 669. Edi. Prab who with great folly would bear and put up all injuries offered to himself but if he heard any abuse or blaspheme the name of Christ he bare such a reverence to Christ that he would spare no such man but would throw stones at him Thus he reveals to babes even so Father so it seemed good in thy sight Matth. 11.25 26. Second Position That illumination which the Spirit works in the elect converting or calling to Christ differs * Whether I should say it differs essentially and so the whole work of grace in the sincere Convert differs essentially from what the Hypocrite hath and not only gradually I do not much
and convince men of the goodness and content that is to be found in the wayes of God None rejoyce more heartily then those who rejoyce in the Lord to which Christians are so much exhorted this joy is spiritual heavenly Yet there is another joy lawful as we are rational Animals have bodies as well as souls these bodies call for many things and whilst we do enjoy things that support and comfort them we may rejoyce in the goodness God conveyeth by them Some Christians that think we should rejoyce only in the Lord and are persons of a more sowr melancholy temper how offended are they if they see others laugh as if Risibility were an evil quality that befell us after our fall from God but surely being an essential property having its emanation from the rational Soul even in our creation it belongs to us as rational Animals and so Christians may laugh upon other causes provided no sin be mixed besides that joy they have in God Grave deportments especially of Ministers and men in places I honour but that a Minister must be alwayes so grave that he must speak nothing to make others laugh according to his Monkish Divnity as if gravity and chearfulness ordered with prudence were inconsistent receive this who will It was a notable answer old Mr. Richard Rogers gave to a Gentleman in whose company he was the Gentleman told him Mr. Rogers I like you and your company very well but you are so precise O Sir said he I serve a precise God It is very true but cannot Christian chearfulness stand with holy and due preciseness Austerity may awe inferiour persons but it will never take with persons of good breeding nor ever win to the Gospel I heard that the former * A Gentlewoman since told me it was his Son Mr. Daniel Rogers and indeed it was like him but I had it from one of his Relations and question whether he were so inward with Mr. Knewstubl Mr. Rogers and Mr. Knewstubs who preached his Funeral Sermon were once riding abroad Mr. Rogers riding before the other at some distance there meets him a person whom he knew one of a good estate but a carnal man Mr. Rogers rides by him takes no notice of him Mr. Knewstubs riding after meets him also and salutes him very courteously and talks with him a little space of time very affably and so parted when Mr. Knewstubs overtook Mr. Regers he asks Mr. Knewstubs Why do you shew so much familiarity to such a wicked man this is the way to harden him in his sinful course To whom Mr. Knewstubs answered Ah my Brother this kind of austerity he meant carriage is not the way to win wicked men to a liking of the Gospel and the wayes of God but rather to beat them off This was the sense of his answer though for the very words so many years since spoken there may be some difference That Gentleman I mentioned before at whom his Companions took such great offence when he was under the workings of God in Conversion being then sad who before in time of his vanity was as vainly merry after God had settled him in good hopes of his Love he proved an excellent Christian and now returned to his chearfulness again but purged from former sin and froth he grew so merry that he feared he was too merry so he and I rode to old Mr. John Rogers of Dedham and after the Lecture he puts his case to Mr. Rogers and relating what God had done for him and now he was afraid he was too merry to whom Mr. Rogers gave this answer take heed you mix nothing that is unsavoury with your mirth do not break in upon the Word of God or upon his Line and be as merry as you will for it is the chearful Christian that glorifieth God and commendeth his wayes unto men This I have observed and it was the fault of this Gentlemans Companions to make a Jest to provoke laughter they did not spare the Word of God Some so foolish they will loose their friend and God too but they will not loose their Jest and laughter The nature of man as man cannot but incline to chearfulness unless some predominant melancholy humor or cold distemper of body or other accidental evils keeps him under both as Risibility is proper to man flowing from the rational Soul per emanationem in its purest estate And as chearfulness especialy when not defiled with sin is the Sun-shine of a mans life A merry heart doth good like Medicine Prov. 17.22 and more good many times then many Medicines which sometimes do little good through Heaviness in the heart of man which maketh it stoop Prov. 12.25 Men are not alwayes taking of Medicines nor alwayes upon the merry pin Yet to conclude my answer to this Devils delusion I doubt not to affirm there have been and are many good Christians who have been and are more chearful in their Journey to Heaven then have been and are many who have stumbled at the wayes of God are offended with them looking upon them as good for nothing else but to make men mopish and sad Thus much in answer to the Objections which the carnal heart maketh against my Use which I draw from this Head of Illumination and Conviction only before I leave this Head I must leave one Caution This counsel which the carnal heart is shy of many poor Christians are forward enough to take it they are following this Position hard O that God would open their eyes to see sin they never yet saw sin enough they fear they shall prove rotten Hypocrites for want of this thorough discovery of sin yet examine them well and you will find a good work in them and it may be have their loads also yea some I have observed have such loads that they cannot lift up their heads or hearts in a day of darkness yet cry out they cannot see sin enough It is a meditation that I have thought of often and I judge it to be a truth God cannot discover sin too much if he will not discover his grace and Christ too little Let him please but to discover his grace and Christ and then discover sin what he please but without this the sight of sin is a dreadful sight Let therefore Christians take heed here and not teach God what he shall do lest you meet with the same answer that Mr. Leaver did in the same case mentioned by that Learned and Eminent Divine Doctor Sibbs p. 375. in his precious piece of the Souls Conflict God gave Mr. Leaver his request he did discover sin to him in the most ugly colours he had such a fight of sin that he saw no comfort in his following dayes and therefore thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdom to mingle their portion of sorrow then to be their own chusers More Uses I might make of this Head but I purposely break off to make haste to the
next CHAP. IV. Of Compunction THe Spirit of God having set up this Divine Light in the understanding and convinced the sinner what his state is there is a sad report carried to the Will and Affections which now begin to be moved the same Spirit accompanying this Light hath his operation in the heart as before in the understanding Acts 2.37 When by the Spirits working with Peter's Sermon they were enlightned and convinced of their great sin in crucifying the Lord Christ presently Compunction follows it was not some weeks or months after but presently Compunction follows at the heels of Conviction why did they not oppose or dispute against Peter No there was one did so dispute within them that there was no opposing men may have much illumination to know sin and can speak much what an evil sin is they have Conviction that they are sinners but no Compunction follows that Conviction but it shall not be so in the day of Christs power Psal 110.3 when the Spirit comes to work on the Vessel of Mercy That the heart must needs be much moved appears upon these two grounds First The greatness of the evil which now it is convinced of and feeleth it lieth under Let a man see and feel himself under the bonds of guilt in danger of hell under the power of his lusts enmity against God and God a stranger to him let but the sense of this condition lye upon his heart and let him go on in his jollity if he can What a woful Creature doth a man see himself now to be He envies the happiness of the beasts that are filled and play in their pastures We have heard of him who when he saw a Toad stood weeping because God had made him a Man so excellent a Creature and not a Toad so abominable the goodness of God then it seems as he apprehended it made him weep but this man he meets a Toad and he weeps also but why because he is a man who thinks his estate infinitely worse then the condition of a Toad and if it were possible to obtain it would change states with the Toad that hath no guilt of sin fears no wrath of God is not under power of lusts or creatures God is no enemy to it which is his miserable state We shall need no other man to dispute with Doctor Twisse upon that strange position of which I know no need in that Controversie Miserum esse quacunque miseria poenae magis est eligibile Vind. gra l. 2. dig 1. quam omnino non esse I have thought many times had Doctor Twisse felt what others have done he would never have asserted such a Position whatever a man may say for such an Assertion in Aristotles School from some Philosophical notions yet in the Divinity Schools those notions will be contemned by him who lies under the sense of his miserable undone and damned state by sin let the Doctor tell him never so often he lies as he doth a few lines before Whether non-entity be eligible or not or what truth there may be in those notions taken in the abstract I dispute not what they are in the concrete I know full well to dispute against sense is non-sense Secondly It must needs be so from the scope of God in this work that which he intendeth namely to loosen the Soul from its lusts to make it willing to part from them to turn from them to himself the strength of sin as to the point in hand lieth in that hold or room it hath in the will with the affections of love and delight which it gets by the pleasure and profit which it propounds and brings to the will and affections Poor Christians in the day of their temptations when they are in combate with their corruptions be what they will they find their wills love and delight incline very much to those corruptions and hence conclude themselves to be Hypocrites why I pray they suppose the work of Conversion and true mortification leaves no will no love no delight for sin What no then I would not care a rush for all the temptations in the world they would be light and very easie to conquer the prevalency in these affections must be observed But to come to our head Here is one way to loosen the Soul from loving and delighting in them what the Spirit doth Physically I do not speak of that these lusts in themselves and in their effects appear to be the greatest evil in the world therefore not to be chosen not to be loved or delighted in The other way which helps this that-being apprehended thus evil instead of love and delight working towards them there are other Affections acting contrary to them and while they are acting love and delight cannot so move towards them What affections those are is easily apprehended by the evil tidings brought to the heart and against the truth of which there is no disputing here is the wrath of God the everlasting burnings which though they have not seized actually upon the Soul but are future yet certain intollerable and very difficult if not impossible in his own thoughts to avoid hence fears rise and act strongly if the thread of his life be cut which may soon be he is gone for ever As to the present state he feels bonds of guilt accusations of Conscience apprehends God is an enemy to him Christ a stranger from him he under the power of his lusts and enmity against God which causeth all this misery this causeth sorrow to work strongly Hatred that lies at the bottom but that doth not so appear as the other Acts 2.37 Men and brethren what shall we do the men speak as if they were afraid so did the stout Jaylour Job 15.21 A dreadful sound is in his ears What to make of those sounds or voices that some have heard I know not That Gentleman who was my intimate Friend and Companion for whom I did verily think God had mercy when he was in the midst of his swearing and drinking with his Companions upon one ground which I mention not he told me that in the time of his sickness with the Small-pox when God did grapple with him none but God and he no Christian came at him he thought verily he heard these words spoken to him No mercy which made him cry out sadly How the Fancy works in that Disease I know well but here seemed to be more then a fancy not only by the effects it had upon him in his disease but afterwards for when he was recovered and so well that he married his Companions came and got him out again but for being drunk any more that he was not but coming home riding with his Companions something dark it was the words came again No mercy and struck him so down that his Companions got him out no more and after that the work went on to make a through and excellent Convert Another I knew but I cannot say
all these have born up bravely by your faith above sinking and afflicting thoughts and solaced your Soul with the joyes of Heaven if it be so magnifie mercy and yet pity those who would walk with God uprightly and do for the main but have not yet attained to that measure you have but if you have not been under these conditions and experienced what the temptations are if you will teach them their duty how they should walk do it but yet let it be with compassion the poor body will complain we live an Animal as well as a rational and spiritual life and though I know God can send in that which shall lift up a Soul above all discouragements under these conditions yet that all Christians under these conditions have such influences of grace and comfort from God alwayes abiding by them to do it though sometimes a glimpse they meet with I do not find it Secondly As to the fixing of the thoughts upon such an object so as no other thoughts intermix themselves more than they should in prayer I have nothing to say against it if this be the duty that we must separate so much time for these thoughts or meditations only What others find of intermixing of thoughts in prayer I know not but this I know who hath cause to be ashamed and humbled for such intermixings had we not a High-Priest to bear the iniquities of our holy things I know it would go ill with some body When the mind of a man is like a Spannel that runs before his Master one while he keeps before him in the path presently he is hunting on the other side the hedge then into the path he comes again and runs a while by and by gone again thus the mind one while attends the business it is about presently it slips aside to other matters then in again but to hold it firm fixed in the work alwayes in the path this some body finds hard But when we come only to thinking meditating who will fix this Quicksilver The Bird hops off one bough to another stayes long on none this vanity and inconstancy is a wretched distemper and this makes the duty of meditation so hard If the heart be laden with sorrows or filled with fears it can fix the mind upon the Objects which cause these fears or sorrows if it be enlarged with joy delight it will fix on the Object that causeth it so if love and desire be greatly drawn forth after an Object it will fix the mind upon the Object Voluntas imperat intellectui quoad exercitium actus Impellit intellectum ad considerationem But the affections must be much enlarged else they will not fix the mind Hence many Christians I do not mean such as bear the name only but real and serious Christians if I have any skill to judge by the inward acquaintance I have with them and observation of their conversation have complained much and said they find this to be such a hard duty when they set themselves apart only to think and meditate that they cannot perform it after that manner which Divines write not out of a corrupt spirit and enmity to the duty for they are very willing with it and try to do it but cannot fix their minds and make them hold to the thing they propound but for secret prayer there they make up what they cannot in meditation And in truth the prayers of many Christians what are they but their spiritual meditations expressed in words to God But if other thoughts should come in are they as sinful as in prayer wherein we deal with God immediately in Divine worship Thirdly For the time allotted for this duty one hour or half an hour To hold the mind fixed one hour or half an hour together without any other thoughts intermixed about Heavens Joyes or iudeed about any other Grace what say poor Christians to this Hath the blessed God revealed this to be his will hath he set down the time how long Christians must meditate What if a Christian cannot hold his mind fixed a quarter of an hour what if not half a quarter doth he break any Command or Rule of God form editation I know very well the Scripture speaks of meditating in the Word day and night but the meaning of that Text I hope is not according to this duty of meditation which is urged in this manner Many poor Christians who cannot meditate of Heavens Joyes or other Graces half an hour nor quarter without thoughts intermixing do yet labour to meditate in the Word both day an night Psal 1.2 that is endeavour to have their conversation framed according to the Word both day and night I honour much that holy man whose name I have forgot but he was Minister either in Wales or near Wales the same man it was as I remember whose conversion was so observable two Livings he had before his conversion but discharged not his duty to one being at a Fair and buying something at a Pedlers Stall he rends off a leaf of Mr. Perkins Catechism to put the thing into which he bought and reading a line or two in it God set home something out of it which did the work presently he parts with his best Living kept the least and proves a faithful Labourer in Gods Vineyard This holy man was observed by those who lived in the house with him to keep Fasts alone and they observed this was his manner sometimes to walk then fall down upon his knees to prayer and was not at prayer but a very short time may be five or six minutes then walk again and pray again a few minutes and thus spent his day in meditation and prayer This man I much honour that could do thus and so I do those who can meditate if two hours or ten hours but to set down times how long men should meditate I know no ground for that First I conceive under favour meditation is then rightly performed when the affections are wrought up unto a sutableness with the object I am meditating upon Would I meditate upon the vanity of the Creature to which I see my self enslaved too much if I can by meditation come to see the vanity of it by the Spirit of God assisting me that I find my affections are more loosened from is get more above it and take up more in God I conceive meditation hath in its measure attained its end If it be any lust or sin that I would see the evil of it if the Spirit helps me in meditation to see the evil of it so that I fear it I tremble at it my will turns away from it and begs grace and strength against it a heart to hate it meditation hath its end If my Object be God Christ Grace Holiness and I would see the good of these if the Spirit assisting me I come so to see the good of these that my will chuseth love desire run out after these with an unsatisfied spirit