of money and their hearts to be riveted to the earth to be so inslaved to their lust to make gold their god and commodity the stern of their consciences For else the one would fly from present sinful pleasures with as great zeal as now they seek after them Neither would the other like Iudas sell Christ for thirty pence who is not to be valued with many millions of worlds did they but seriously think of those treasures of wisdom and riches Col. 2. 3. that will never fade those comforts that are everlasting They would not be such fooles as to better their estates by making themselves worse nor impoverish their soules to inrich their bodies Much lesse would they sell both soul and body to purchase a great estate which when gotten they have not power to partake of For such is their sottishnesse they never think that dear which stands them in no lesse price then their own soules For in them is that fulfilled Nihil cuique se vilius the vilest basest and cheapest thing we have we hold our selves 15. Yet no wonder for this is the misery that notwithstanding God hath set life and death Heaven and Hell before us and given us our choyce Offering Heaven to all that will confide in serve and obey him threatned Hell in case we forsake him to serve sin and Satan few men have faith to believe either Yea being fleshly not having the spirit they can believe nothing but that they are led to by sense Otherwise did men but really believe either of these they would not instead of obeying Christs Gospel make the World only their god and pleasure or profit alone their Religion Men fear a Iayl more then they fear Hell and stand more upon their silver or sides smarting then upon their soules and regard more the blasts of mens breath then the fire of Gods wrath and tremble more at the thought of a Sergeant or Baily then of Satan and everlasting perdition Else they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth multiplyed as many times as there be sands on the Sea shore to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of Or to purchase and plunge themselves into those caselesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in Hell there to try body and soul where shall be an inumerable company of devils and damned spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them 16. But O the madnesse of these men that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute in the weak flame of a farthing Candle and yet for trifles will plunge themselves body and soul into those endlesse and infinitely scorching flames of Hell fire If a King but threatens a Malefactour to the Dungeon to the Rack to the wheel his bones tremble a terrible palsie runs through all his joynts but let God threaten the unsufferable tortures of burning Topheth we stand unmoved undaunted And what makes the difference the one we believe as present the other is as they think uncertain and long before it comes if ever it do come Otherwise it could not be since the soul of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soul Since as painted fire is to material such is material to Hell fire And yet if fire be but cryed in the streets we run and bestir our selves how to quench it or at least how to avoid it O that men would believe the God of truth that cannot lye touching spiritual and eternal things but as they do these temporary and transitory O that thou who art the sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldest give them hearts to believe at least thus much That things themselves are in the invisible World in the World visible but their shadowes onely And that whatsoever wicked men injoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a River of sorrow and displeasure And whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery before a River of mercy and glory That though thou the great and just Iudge of all the world comest slowly to Judgment yet thou wilt come surely As the Clock comes slowly and by minutes to the sâ—râ—ak yet it strikes at last That those are onely true riches which being once had can never be lost That Heaven is a Treasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives That when all is done how to be saved is the best plot That there is not mention of one in the whole Bible that ever sinned without repentance but he was punished without mercy For then there would not be a Fornicator or Prophane person as Esau who for a portion of meat sold his inheritance Heb. 12. 16. Then they would not be of the number of those that so doted upon purchases and Farmes and Oxen that they made light of going to the Lords Supper Luke 14. 18 19 20. Nor of the Gadarens mind who preferred their Hogs before Christ Then would they know it better to want all things then that one needful thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needful They would hold it far better and in good sadnesse to be saved with a few as Noah war in the Ark then in good fellowship with the multitude to be drowned in sin and damned for company Nor would they think it any disparagement to their wisdomes to change their minds and be of another judgment to what they are 17. Wherefore my Brethren let me beseech you not to be such Atheists and fooles as to fall into hell before you will fear it when by fearing it you may avoid it and by neglecting it you cannot but fall into it What though it be usual with men to have no sense of their souls till they must leave their bodies yet do not you therefore leap into Hell to keep them company But be perswaded to bethink your selves now rather then when it will be too late when the Draw-Bridge will be taken up and when it will vex every vein of your hearts that you had no more care of your soules CHAP. XXII 1. FOurthly and lastly these things being so how doth it concern all to see that they are Believers Wouldest thou then have it fare so with thee Wouldest thou have thy very poysons turned into cordials thy terrours changed into pleasures and thy greatest evils made beneficial unto thee Wouldest thou be loosed from the chains of thy sins and delivered from the chains of plagues Wouldest thou have the same Christ with his precious Blood to free thee that shall with his Word sentence others As who would not except Satan hath strangely bewitcht him If thou wouldest I say then learn of this Believer imitate him in what hath been declared and what I shall further rehearse touching his knowledge belief and life for I have onely brake the thred of my Discourse to let in this use in way of
upright and just man Job 1. 1. Or another Ionathan 1 Sam. 23. 16 17. Or Eliâ—zer Gen. 15. 2. who could rejoice in others welfare by whom themselves were deprived of great honour and reveâ—ues Or one that does unto all others as he would have others do unto him Matth. 7. 12. CHAP. II. 1. THis Christian indeed this true Beleever is one that God of his free grace and good pleasure hath chosen and elected to eternall life before the foundation of the world and whom Christ hath redeemed with his prâ—cious bloud 2. He is effectually called and become a new Creature by regeneration being both begotten and born anew of God by the immortall sâ—ed of the Word and the Spirits powerfull working with it And without this new birth there is no being saved as our Saviour himself affirms Iohn 3. 5. 3. He is industrious after the means of grace loves to hear Christs voice and delights in it as finding a sweet rellish therein is able to know when Christ speaketh and when the tempter he receives the Word not as the word of men but as it is indeed the Word of God with all readinesse for he resists not as the wicked do but obeys Christs call which worketh in him mightily for he findes it by experience quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and to the discerning of the very thoughts and the most secret intents of the heart 4. His heart is circumcised or rather God takes away the stony heart out of his flesh and gives him a new heart in which he writes his Law and puts a new spirit into him â—vâ—n his own Spirit causing him to walk in his statutes and keep his ordinances so as to do them 5. God sheds his love abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost who witnesseth to his conscience that he is become the childe of God whereby he hath union and communion with Christ partakes of the divine nature and becomes like God in holinesse 6. He is brought out of darknesse into marvellous light hath his eyes opened to see the wonders of Gods Law and that vail or curtain which before was dâ—awn over his heart 2 Cor. 3. 15 16. taken away and is turned from the power of Satan unto God 7. He is ashamed of his former conversation bewailes and mourns bitterly 〈◊〉 sins actuall and originall of omission and commission secâ—et as 〈◊〉 known lesser as well as greater yea as well for the evil which cleaves to his best works as for his evil works being more grieved for offending so good a God then for that it doth or might bring him shame or punishment in this life or in hâ—ll 8. He now findes that the Law is spirituall binding the heart as well as the hands to which holy and just rule he brings all his thoughts words and actions and so sees himself out of measure sinfull as being guilty of all manner of concupiscence having broken every one of those righteous precepts Exodus 20. more times and waies then he hath haires on his head not bâ—ing able of himself to think a good thought for that all the powers of his soul and members of his body are whoâ—ly and originally corrupted 9. He sees himself as guilty of Adams sinne being in his loyns as any Heir is liable to his Fathers debt and esteems it the Mother and Nurse of all finding it like the great wheel in a clock that sets all the wheels on moving while it seems to move slowest and therefore hates and bewails it as the most foul hatefull secret deceitfull and powerfull evil CHAP. III. 1. VVHereupon finding himself in a lost condition and confessing that he hath deserved all the plagues of this life and of that which is to come and groaning under the burthen of sinne utterly dispairing of all help in himself he is solicitously carefull in the use of the means to attain faith in the promise of Gods merey made in Christ finding no rest untill he get some assurance vehemently hungring and thirsting after and earnestly praying for the pardon of sinne waiting on the Lord with patience 2. He humbly unfainedly and freely confesseth all his sins so far â—s he is able with the severall circumstances which aggravate the same to his own shame and Gods glory 3. He will take a holy revenge on himself even to the denying of his own reason and affections his credit carnall friends profits pleasures and whatever else might hinder and by restoring goods or monies evil gotten though it were long since and when he was a servant in case he be able 4. He unfainedly desires to forsake all sinne as being in some measure dead to it Christ by his Spirit having freed him from the power and dominion thereof and in part abolished it at least he so parts from all iniquity and hates every false way that no one sinne doth raigne in him for when he doth commit any evil it is full sore against his will as being led captive to it by the strength of Satans temptations and his own corruptions for he never commits it freely and willingly and with full consent he allowes not of the evil he does no he will not premeditately and in times not utterly deserted do the least evil that the greatest good may come of it neither is there any sinne he knows by himself were it formerly never so pleasing to him but he desires as heartily that he might never commit it as that God should never impute it He likewise haâ—es sinne throughly and universally and therefore is throughly grieved for the abominations that are done by others to the dishonour of God and slander of religion or the ruin of mens souls 5. Nor does he only abhor and depart from evil but he cleaves unto that which is good he is not only dead to and made free from sin but as he hath once been the servant of sin so he becomes the servant of righteousnesse and as he hath been instrumentall to Satan so he will now be as active to serve Christ and be as fruitfull in good works as he haâ—h foâ—merly been in evil works 6. He is conformed to the Image of Christ and is led by the Spirit walks in newnesse of life lives holily justly and unblameably for now he walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit and brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. so that he is changed and renewed in every part power and faculty his understanding is enlightned his minde renewed his will changed his affections sanctified c. and he who thinks he beleeves and findes not a paâ—pable change in his judgement affections and actions does but deceive himself CHAP. IV. 1. HE goes often and upon all occasions unto God in prayer in which lies all his strength yet not as his but as it is the intercession of Gods own
old age can hurt him his fingers pain makes him not forget the health of his whole body one dayes or weeks sicknesse makes him not forget many years health He is not so sensible of a present distresse nor so ingratefull for favours past as not to remember many years injoyments more then one weeks misery Yea he considers that it is in great love that God thus visits him that he dealeth mercifully with him least he should fall from him and despair that he beateth him least he should grow proud and forget him and so perisâ— Besides he findes by experience that as every other affliction rubs off some rust melts off some drosse strains out some corruption c. so also that sicknesse cuts the very throat of all his vices be it pride lust covetousnesse or the like for the very worst Fever can come does not more burn up his bloud then his lust and together with sweating out the surfits of nature at the pores of the body he weeps out the sinfull corruption of his nature at the pores of his conscience And indeed God scourgeth his flesh to this end only that his spirit may be saved in the day of Jesus Christ And the like of old age his soul waxeth as his body waineth and he is wisest to prescribe when his bones and sinewes are weakest to execute CHAP. XVII 1. SIxthly Suppose he is in distresse of conscience and at the very brink of despair expecting nothing but hell and damnation suppose God hides his face and seems to have utterly forsaken him and to reject his prayers yea suppose the terrours of God fight against him and the Arrowes of the Almighty stick so fast in him 〈◊〉 the venom thereof hath drunk up his spirit so that in his own apprehension God is become his mortall enemy as it fared with Iob yet all this is for his good and shall do him good yea this extream severity of God argues favour for nothing more usuall then for God to work joy out of fear light out of darknesse and to bring to the Kingdom of Heaven by the gates of hell and thus he deals with his dearest darlings When he meant to blesse Iacob he wrestles with him as an adyersary even till he lamed him when he meant to preferre Ioseph to the Throne he threw him down into the Dungeon and to the Golden chain about his neck he laded him with Iroâ— ones about his leggs Nor would Christ cure Lazarus till after he was dead buried and stunk again no question to teach us that we must be cast down by the Law before we can be raised up by the Gospell and become fools before we can be truly wise Nor hath he cause to fear be his case never so desperate for God will measure his patience and make it proportionable to his suffering and equall his strength to his temptations his grace shall be sufficient for him at the least 2 Cor. 12. 9. Phil. 1. 29. and he that made the Vessel knowes her burden and how to ballast her The Bush which was a type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it The Anchor lyeth deep and is not seen yet is the stay of all The Bladder blown may float upon the floud but cannot sink nor stick in filthy mud Sinne Satan and the world may disturb him but they can never destroy him his head Christ being above he cannot be drowned there can be no disjunction unlesse he could be pluckt from his arms that is Almighty for his life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. Besides if he suffers much it shall not be long if he suffers long it shall not be much if his sorrowes be sharp they are the shorter Grievous and sore trials last but for a season 1 Pet. 1. 6. a little while Ioh. 16. 16. yea but a moment 2 Cor. 4. 17. For a moment in mine anger saith God I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee Isa. 54. 8. Weeping may abide for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal. 30. 5. And it is ever seen that his joy both succeeds and exceeds his sorrow that his sadnesse ends in gladnesse and his sorrow in singing and the more grievous his exigent the more glorious his advancement But the last which is the best gain of all he growes more holy then ever for like the Vine he bringeth forth the more and better fruit for paring and â—â—uning and bleeding and though his outward man perish yet his inward man is renewed daily even as a Lambe is much more lively and nimble for shearing these very tempestuous showers bring forth spirituall flowers and herbs in abundance 2. Seventhly Let judgements be iâ—â—licted upon the whâ—le Land they shall not touch him nor his family he shall be singled out for mercy Or if they do they shall be so sanctified that they shall rather pleasure then hurt him As if the Corn be cut down with the weeds the one shall be carried into Gods barn as Lazarus was the other cast into the fire like Dives yea every stroak in the judgement shall be a monitor and serve as a Sermon to him when he sees another struck he takes warning for he will be put unto duty even by the shadow of the wand 3. Eighthly The strictest and severest Laws if they be not contrary to Gods Law have not power to smite him for he does those things unbidden which others can scarce do being compelled Yea the Law protects him against his enemies who fear the Jayl more then they fear Hell and stand more upon their silver or their sides smarting then upon their souls Good Magistrates also are the breath of his nostrils and protect him while they take vengeance on them that do ill Yea they are the Ministers of God for his wealth and bound to see him righted when he receives wrong in his person goods or good name CHAP. XVIII 1. NInthly His very sins and infirmities by Gods grace do work his good and he is by much the better for them for he will from hence grow more holy Yea he gains strength by every fall for hence issues deeper humiliation stronger hatred of sinne fresh indignation against himself more experience of his hearts deceitfulnesse renewed resolutions untill sinne be brought under it makes him more earnest with God by prayer to keep a more careful watch over himself to pity others more and censure them lesse when they offend or are overtaken to rest wholly upon the assistance of Gods Spirit and to aâ—cribe all glory to him of whom whatsoever he hath he holds True his offending God brings much misery upon him and God seems to have left him and to reject his prayers and humiliation but at length and so soon as the poor soul ceaseth to do evâ—â— and learns to do well the Lord repenteth him of