world and lose his soul Or what shall a man give in Exchange for his soul When such Texts as this is brought home to the conscience it doth so awaken where not willingly withstood that sins hold must needs fall Fifthly The Spirit furnisheth the Christian with spiritual Arguments bearing such force upon his heart as makes him able to break out with such replies as these First All the Devil hath to make an argument of is but present things and they suit not with my person for my person is made up of soul and body and all he offereth doth but respect and serve that body that shortly must be worms-meat and therefore it will not profit me to lose my soul for present things Secondly As all he hath to make an Argument of suits not with my person in like manner it suits not with my condition for if I have all that heart can wish it carries me but to the grave and there leaves me and wo be to me if such works follow me for alas I must be raised again and he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Sixthly The holy Spirit helps in lending the immediate supplies of new strength proportionable to our straits and will not suffer those that wait on him to be tempted above what they are able to bear but will with the temptation make way to escape that they may be able 1 Cor. 10. 13. Seventhly The holy Spirit helps by striving with the heart to draw it after holy performances following the soul up and down with sweet visits and secret whispers prompting and inclining it God-ward preparing a season for the heart to draw nigh God and then preparing the heart for that season The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. May not all this teach us to put a high value upon the holy Spirits Help to the great work of Mortification by all means striving to please and not grieve this holy Spirit by which we are sealed to the day of Redemption Having now spoken of the holy Spirits help may not some from hence inquire what may be done to the obtaining not only its visits now and then as a wafaring man that tarrieth for a night but its constant company to abide with the soul Answ There may be three Directions laid down briefly for its obtaining with three Directions for its keeping First for its obtaining Get a deep sense of its want and worth Secondly Get longings of heart after its supply Thirdly Make humble supplications to the Father for it First Get a deep sense of its want and worth it s Jesus Christs own argument that the world cannot receive this Spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him John 14. 17. Now by personal examination of that souls barrenness where the holy Spirit either comes but seldome or stayes not long may some considerable sense of its want be discerned and consequently of its worth all those black sinful works acted by the sons of men are the effects of the holy Spirits absence and indeed to what degree a good man is a stranger here to that degree he is weak an unable either to make right judgment of the best things or to withstand the temptations and vexatious assaults of the evil one and although a man be thus destitute where the holy Spirit is wanting yet can there be no expectation of his company till a deep sense both of its want and worth affect the heart to the rendring the soul capable of setting a valuable estimation of its company Secondly for its obtaining Get longings of heart after its supply breathings and pantings from a sense of its want bastens its coming a foul that goeth sadly up and down all the day long sick as it were of love for its frequent visits to revive comfort and strength and to discover its own wants and the tempters wiles making the soul taller by head and shoulders than those temptations that frequently attend it saying with David As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for the living God when shall I come and appear before thee Or be filled with supplies from thee Psal 42. 1 2. Thirdly for its obtaining Make humble supplications to the Father for it not only sick of love with the Spouse but also panting and thirsting with David yet rests not here but is again and again upon its knees with humble hearty supplications to God even the Father like the thirsty traveller that going from Fountain to Fountain from means to means till he get what his soul travelleth after when Jesus Christ were about to leave the Disciples this was one of the last Legasies he gave them And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14. 16. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. In the second place we may offer three Directions in order to the sure keeping the holy Spirits company or holding constant fellowship and dear inward intimate familiarity with so happy a companion First A constant withstanding the beginnings of all evil Secondly A ready complyance with new motions to all good Thirdly A retaining in the heart a high value of its company First A constant withstanding the beginnings of all evil is that which will wonderfully engage the Spirits company when you crush sin in its least and first motion Now the dearest of Gods Children are lyable to temptation and it is not their sin to be tempted to sin Jesus Christ was tempted to sin their sin lyeth in closing with the temptation but if instead of closing with it you do in the Spirits strength constantly oppose it mistake me not here I pray you a constant opposing sin doth not intend less than these three things First A firm withstanding the very first least motion even a glance as it were at the eye ear or thought to sin Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Secondly As the first least motion so in all cases and conditions whether the temptation set upon you when ye are full or hungry sick or well strong or weak rich or poor in affliction or out of affliction it will be coming with new assaults in all conditions waiting to kill you by a Goliah or Bathshebah temptations more piercing or more pleasing Constant intends a withstanding here Thirdly Constant intends continual Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life James 1. 12. Revel 2. 10. Secondly A second Help to retain the holy Spirit may be this A ready complyance with new motions to all good it
Doth not he here consider their inward constitution and prepare his dish to their stomack and is not this Heavens road-way to bring in the greater by an orderly first bringing in the lesser witness this holy Apostles carriage 1 Cor. 12. 17 18 19 Did I make a gain of you by any of them I sent to you I desired Titus and with him I sent a brother did Titus make a gain of you We speak before God in Christ we do all things dearly beloved for your edifying he had respect to the great design Edification and when requiring their performance of a lesser duty to wit giving their temporals to them from whom they received spirituals even as the Lord hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel yet as I said but now if the calling for the performance of this duty will not stand with their edification in the main he will rather preach the Gospel of God freely 2 Cor. 11. 9. But when I was present with you And Wanted I was chargeable to no man and in all things I have kept my self from being burthensome to you and so I will keep my self you see though he wants necessaries he will take nothing of them but rather over-burthen other Churches that are better spirited to bear it then among this people labor in vain may not all mourn for Gospel loss through the want of such walking one towards another in our dayes How prosperous in probability may not I say in certainty had the truth been over it is through our Nation had it not been for those divisions that now are among the Churches whose beginnings came in this way I do secretly rejoyce to think what a blessed issue would have been reaped of general harmony amongst Gods Children while all persons in all places and among all people spoke the same things Doth not the adversary hinder the building greatly while he can truly say do you not see how they are divided among themselves and lay low one another doth not also the conscious seeker stumble greatly at this and say what shall I do where to settle I cannot tell Doth not the carnal Christian because of this please himself that he is got into the world of liberty from all Church way O that the Lord would be intreated to awaken the upright yet to make it their prayer and care night and day how they may in places times things especially in the main both to speak and do the same thing this will be blessed with better success to God and Gospel in one year then the best indeavours of another kind for time past hath been in some years I have done and the good Lord begin to set this my humble caution to Churches home that they all may take the good Apostles rule 1 Cor. 14. 26. How is it then brethren when you come together every one hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a tongue hath a revelation hath an interpretation Let all things be done to Edifying CHAP. XXVIII Shewing the necessity of humble waiting and confident depending upon the holy Spirit to help in the great work of mortification the necessity whereof is shewed in seven particulars with six directions how to get and keep this holy Spirit SIGN XXVIII VVHen the holy Spirits help to the great work of mortification seems not of absolute need to you That is its working help and way is not taken heed to necessity of the holy Spirits help in this matter of great concernment cannot be known so as to be to this great end worthily improved without knowledge to a good degree how in this great work the holy Spirits help is concerned and whether so concerned that without its help mortification of sin in its right order cannot be brought about Now where the holy Spirit is sought unto and humbly waited upon for help he doth show himself helpful in these particulars First in fortifying the mind of a Christian with spiritual materials meet to wage war with the spiritual adversaries flesh world and Devil all which are strongly ingaged against a poor convert Gal. 5. 7. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit desiring and striving to do what is directly contrary to the Spirit like a perfect opposite aiming and striving to set up all impurity contrary to or against the Spirits purity Now the mind being the most noble part in man that the flesh is most ingaged against so that Peter in his 1 Epist 2. 4 12. cautions to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul or mind therefore saith the holy Apostle St. Paul Rom. 7. 23. I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind to lead me captive to the Law of sin in my members And saith Jesus Christ Mat. 22. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul and with all thy mind All which together proving the mind to be the most noble part at which the holy Spirit to possess with good the adversary to possess with bad hath a chief only aime knowing right well that conquest there carries away the whole man and therefore the actions of good men and wicked men are more or less reputed good or bad as they are more or less managed with the Mind Nehem. 4. 6 17. The builders that wrought upon the wall with one hand held a weapon and with the other hand wrought in the work for the people had a Mind to work which notes how mightily a willing mind doth contribute to a succesful work that this is greatly esteemed of by God read Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee thou wilt keep them such are the proper subjects of Gods great care whose minds on God is stayed and they shall have peace peace that is peace in its best performances and in all its degrees peace at home abroad in stormes in calmes within without equivolent with that blessing annexed to commandement keepers Deut. 28. beginning But on the contrary Prov. 21. 29. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he brings it with a wicked Mind So that at the best the wickeds sacrifices are abominable but how much more when they come with a mind set on wickedness Phil. 3. 18 19. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping they are enemies of the Cross of Christ who mind earthly things now all this premised be speaks the necessity of the holy Spirits help to fortifie the mind with spiritual materials meet to wage war with the spiritual adversary for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth proving what is acceptable to God and is therefore put in opposition to the works of the flesh Ephes 5. 9 10. Gal. 5. 22. But the fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace meekness long-suffering gentleness goodness faith now a mind destitute of this
is as proper for the holy Spirit to be prompting the heart to good if hearkned to as for the fire to give heat waiting upon the soul in every season whether of rejoycings or weepings whether of doing Gods will or suffering for his name still to be putting such as wait upon it into some such action as tends to their enlargement heaven-ward but it must be quietly and silently heeded that when it saith Seek my face the answer may be Thy face will I seek Great care and feâ—r therefore must be had that we neither grieve it by not hearing what it saith or not doing what it bids nor yet quench or lightly esteem those gracious services it prompts us to Thirdly A third Help may be this A retaining in the heart a high value of its company this is the way to keep and to be richly encreast with the company of the holy Spirit it cannot dwell where it is not valued at the highest rate and that because ignorance of its worth and work incapacitates the soul to high expectations being ignorant both of the ability and delight that essencially abides in the holy Spirit to be greatning in the heart things to come and lessening in the heart things present Christ Jesus could not in one place do many mighty works because of their unbelief the low and mean esteem of him lessened their expectation from him Now the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God We are therefore called upon to be filled with the Spirit and if we live in it to walk after it being strengthened with its might in the inward man to a full understanding the deep things of God Labour therefore praying over this to retain in your hearts an high value of its company CHAP. XXIX Treating of Spiritual Ignorance of our everlasting condition and five Scriptures tending to reducement from carnal security and three special Causes of such a damning Decay SIGN XXIX VVHen your are so Ignorant of your Spiritual standing that you know not whether you grow or decay This is not only a Sign of great Decay but a prediction of a speedy fall or total throwing off those holy badges by which a Christian is known from other men such being of a Laodicean spirit neither hot nor cold yet say they are rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing Being in a besotted careless state not minding when they do well or ill when Professors come to this pass they grow useless and fit for nothing but to be laid aside for were such hot that is zealous active and lively they were fit for encouragement and were they cold that is quite dead they were to be plucked up by the roots and cast into the fire now this sort of Peoples ignorance is a very high crime it being premised that their ignorance of their standing growing or declining in heavenly things doth not come upon them for want of Gospel means allowed on Gods part in order to their being fruitful but that under sufficient allowance in order to their growth they prove empty dry and huskish yea and such that were otherwise in the dayes of their first Espousal but length of time in Gospel standing for want of due care to observe Gospel ends they have by little little entertained Spiritual slumber so lose their stomack to and relish of the true use and powerful end Means from God to them hath been so long continued and so by long custome in his service come as his people come sit before him as his people do and hear his word day by day but do it not or live not like it having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof viz. the spiritual end designed by God in giving the forme being not listed up to provokes God to complain against such of old The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider though I have nourished and brought them up yet they understand not that I taught Ephraim to go taking him by the armes but he knew not that I had healed him though strangers devoured his strength yet he knew it not and though gray hairs were here and there upon him yet he knew not Hos 7. 9. Nay some were grown to that pass in spiritual slumbers that even under judgments they knew not how it was with them Isa 42. 25. He hath poured upon Jacob the fury of his anger and strength of battel and it hath set them on fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart By all this we may see that some were so ignorant of their spiritual standing under plentiful means that they knew not whether they grew or decayed though it is apparent the decay was great they knew not how it went with them At such a loss may Professors be in their heaven-born state that while they are objects of pitty and sorrow of heart to growing Christians that behold their decay yet all makes not for their awakening but still they think it well with them and that they have need of nothing though blind and naked Now the Causes why persons under Gospel means grow to this senseless pass in their spiritual estate may be these three First Carnal security in an evil time Secondly Contentment with out-side Christianity Thirdly Not being conversant about things to come First Carnal security of hereafter Glory which consists in a kind of confidence of Glory to come without certain care of being in that way through which Glory is promised It is such a state as promiseth safety to it self and yet lives a careless life when the children of Dan went to seek them an inheritance they come to Laish and found the people that were therein how they dwelt careless after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure this proves such an advantage to them that they take their City burn it with fire and upon the ruins thereof build themselves an Inheritance Judg. 7. 8. Clearly noting how dangerous a state some manner of security is When they shall say peace and safety then suddain destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. It seems in that good mans time there was some that had high thoughts of hereafter Glory yet should meet with disappointment and their expectations come to nothing though they might cry as in Jeremiahs time Peace peace yet peace there was none like the old world in Noahs time Sodom and Gomorrah in Lots time They eat they drank they builded they planted until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and Lot left Sodom being under such kind of security as no awakening word would warn them till at last Destruction ruins them We have the like instance from Jesus Christ speaking of the last dayes I say to you many shall come from the East and West and sit down
Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come to us as the raine the latter and former raine unto the earth God will be to such as follow on to know him in his way as the former and latter raine is to the earth which without it is dry and barren but being refreshed therewith proves green and fruitfull Now alass persons when once they are gotten in Christs Fould think their work well nigh done but God knows it is but then begun their Labour before was but to come into the vineyard and there I am sure they must not be idle they are put there to work to be lights to others and shew forth Christs vertues and there God will prune them dresse them water them but it is that they may be fruitfull else they must be plucked up as cumberrers of the ground do not therefore think your work is now neer done for you are but now begun you are now entred into the warr listed under your Captain Christ Jesus and must till death continue fighting striving and overcoming that at last you may overcome therefore if you read prayed fasted watched weeped assembled much before now do it much more 2 Cor. 5. We labour or made a business of it to be accepted of God and saith the holy Apostle Peter writing to them which had obtained like precious faith through the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ our Savour and had escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust exhorts them to give all diligence to add to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knewledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love for if these things be in you and abound they make you neither barren nor unfruitful But if they lack these things they are blind and cannot set a farr off but have forgotten they was purged from their old sins 2 Pet. 1. 2. One would think that persons that had gone thus farr as to obtain like precious faith with Gods elect and were purged from their old sins having escaped or were escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust might have well nigh done their work yet the holy Ghost here shews them that now their work is but begun and saith they must give All diligence so saint Paul to the Philipians Chap. 2. 12 My brethren as you have alwaies obeyed both in my presence absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling from all this we may learn that it s no being idle in Christs Vineyard if it cost us much diligence to get in it must cost us much more to keep in so I shall conclude this second Remedy with the holy Ghosts counsel to the Church of the Hebrews Chap. 6. 11 12. And we desire that every one of you marke it well do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end that you be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Thirdly a third Remedy may be this that you would humbly and constantly endeavour to profit something in every assembly make it your care to be still doing or geting good then you are about your daies work content not your selves to come together from day to day and wait under the ministry going a way without gain but come to the assembly with sensibility of many things you yet want this will quicken your zeal ripen your expectation and prepare way for God that delights to be rich in giving to give you richly You will profit little though you want never so much if you are little sensible of your wants and God will give you little because you will be but capable to improve little for where the sence of want is low there the pulse God-ward will beat faintly and nothing more doth occasion this indifferency to assemble then seeing it amount to little in the profit and advantage to persons that are frequent in attending it makes them count better stay at home than be never the better for their meeting together Mal. 3. 14. You have said it is a vain thing to serve the Lord and what profit is it that we have keept his ordinances and walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts They went not surely the right way to expect profit nor had their eye upon right profit but something they did propose to themselves in coming that they got not and so cries out it is in vain to serve him it is even thus among professors now if they see meetings come to little though the fault be only in themselves it ends to make them think lightly of assembling Who is there among you saith God Mal. 1. 10. that would shut the doors for naught or kindle a fire on my Altar for naught he that ploweth ploweth in hope he that soweth soweth in hope that is persons that do work expect and count upon fruit therefrom they will not do it for nothing and indeed it is but reasonable he that plants a vineyard should drink of the wine thereof great layings out preparing the heart for expectations of great returns and when persons do lay out count upon answerable returns as they righteously may God being pleased they should and this coming to pass tends much to their encouragement Object But some may say I have gone long to the assemblies and gone on purpose sensible of many wants and have counted upon to profit as here you direct me yet for al this I am ready to grow weary for I see it come to little I am still shalow in my understanding and weake in my memory Ans I shall answer this objection two ways first by praying you to enquire whether that little you do know and have learned you do put into practise What can ingage God more to teach you to know more than walking up to what you do know Oh thou that art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings Doth not my words do good to them that walks uprightly Mica 2. 7. see to it whether you live not much short of what you do know and if you find you do as some such defect must needs be the cause why you profit so little then you will see great reason God should not trust you with five Talents seeing you improve not two But secondly seeing you do profit little Be troubled much let it be your burthen while persons in assembling gain but little and are but little troubled they are not like to have their condition much mended To come often and profit little is very sad but to be unsensible of ones wants is much sadder Whereas on the contrary to be in want and so sensible of ones want that they go burthened up and down is the best way to get remedy when Joseph was in affliction some that were concerned to bear part
and others in one of these cases As for matter will they not reply it is such as I know already as well as the Minister can tell me otherwise it is but poor weak ordinary matter and as to the manner will they not reply either he speakes too high or too loud that they like not or in their account not high enough too low that they like not otherwise in their account too fast or too slow and all this they like not Now as to the man this being first premised he is one that hath ordinary approbation and seale from heaven to his Ministry in the working through grace sinners to conversion why as to such a man they dislike him and manifest their dislike yet being asked can give no reason nay it is probable to say truly they cannot tell why they dislike him but yet they do they are not free to hear such a man Is not this a silly weakeness got among some professors the good Lord undeceive and humble such surely it 's possible for some to show deslike in some or all these cases and as little cause for â—t as Corah and his company had to dislike as they did Moses and Aaron Numb 16. 3. They gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord. How causeless this carriage was from Corab Dathan Abiram with two hundred and fifty Princes the Lord from Heaven in a way not common discovers they that die die not the common death of all men as that Chapter fully shews so heinous was their sin in Gods account to murmur against his servants without a cause And is it then a new thing that such be in Churches now in this decaying Sign of dislâ—king matter manner or man was not this very Spirit got into the Corinth Church and bold even to shew it self against that holy man St. Paul that had begotten them to the faith 2 Epist 10 For his Letters say they are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence weak and his speech contemptible Here they was not sparing to vent themselves the small cause they had yea the unreasonableness of that their dislike let the considerate judge whose conscience is not asleep Again in 1 Cor. 4. such a like Spirit discovers it self after so ungratious a rate as that Wise-mans reply will evidence in vers 3. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or mans judgment they account the Apostles fools themselves wise the Apostles weak themselves strong by all this without adding what Scripaures more might be added it is very evident if we will take the holy Spirits testimony that such persons under this very Sign were in the Apostles dayes and doth not also the testimony of a good conscience say there are such even now Object But how comes this to pass Answ This defect seems to arise from this even selfe-conceitedness tall thoughts in some of their own great abilities comparing themselves with themselves and so think what they ought not of themselves But as a help against this disease I would remind what the Apostle writes to such like people or at least to prevent such a distemper Rom. 10. 3. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man which is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think But to think Soberly as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Clearly implying that God hath not dealt to every man the same measure or knowledg or reach in Gospel truths And least they be hasty to pass Judgment upon others he would have them think soberly of themselves And when they are ready to manifest dislike rather to account it their weakness than strength and so to be silent CHAP. V. Containing five Causes of deceit fully thinking we know enough with four marks to know when we are under that deceit SIGN V. VVHen you think you know enough The greatness of this defect and the danger of it may be seen if something be premised and considered When you think you know enough that is you are grown so tall in the knowledge of God and the Ordinances of his House the way to his Kingdome the strength of your adversaries the Flesh World and Devil and the plague of your own heart for all this must be premised as being in such persons as think they know enough if their thoughts be not gross deceit and then what need of Hearing or Assembling or crying after knowledge or lifting up the voyce for understanding Is not this gross deceit grown somewhat common but of dangerous tendency to knock both heart and hand from off the means God hath ordained to encrease and sanctifie Knowledg Is not such a conceit the road way to Atheisme Were it not gotten among some sleepy Christians in the Apostles time Doth not that saying 1 Cor. 8. 2 3. directly aim at such If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know But if any man love God the same is known of him As much as if the Apostle should say you think you know much truly if you know so much as that you love God you are known of him and if you know this you know what you can know in this life but if you know not this you know nothing yet as ye ought to know whatever you think of your selves and therefore look to it that you love God and dwell not about this or that tall conceit of your knowledge but if you or any man love him the same is known of him And this I shall humbly add if any man love God the same hath learned to think soberly or meanly of himself But the danger of this appears further if we consider that some for being under this Dying Sign were about to be spewed out of Gods mouth Revel 3. 17. Because thou saist I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of Nothing yet art so ignorant or knowest not that thou art wretched miserable poor blind and naked How doth the Holy Spirit illustrate to us the miserable estate of this People under this Dying Sign Wretched one would think that enough yet he adds Miserable and that is not enough to set it out but they are Poor Blind and naked in a word they are quite the contrary to what they think of themselves and what is in growing Christians Now I shall with Gods help show some Causes of this Deceit you may think you know enough First when you measure what you know by your own eyes or light you do think so not measuring what you know by the Rule of Knowledge the Word of God 1 Cor. 10. 12. For we dare not make our selves of the number or compare
our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves with themselves by comparing themselves among themselves are not wise Prov. 30. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet not washed from their filthiness By these texts you may see what miserable judgment men will make of things when they walk by the light of their own eyes contrary to Gods express charge Deut. 12. 8. You shall not do after all things ye hear this day every man what is right in his own eyes Secondly Another Cause may be this when you measure what you know by what once you did know not considering that further knowledge forceth further light and cals for proportionable practise When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things Thirdly When you measure what you know by seeing others that profess they know do as they do Tit. 1. 16. They profess they know God but in works they deny him Other mens actions must no further be a rule for us notwithstanding their knowledge then as their actions accord with Gods Word the rule of knowledge Fourthly When you measure what you know by what you are disposed to practise or do men pick and choose what Commands they will observe and how to observe them in our dayes Some Commands suit more with the nature and disposition of persons than other Commands do they that cannot endure Drunkenness can give way to passion they that cannot endure uncleanness can give way to Covetousness but as the victory is glorious when gotten over what was most difficult so measuring what we know not by what we are disposed to do but what God commands us to do is the truest way or rule to measure by for the carnal man will make the Law of Nations his guide the moral man the ten Commandments his guide the Antichristian man the false Spirit his guide and all measure themselves by their guide but the undeceived Christian man makes Gods Word his guide and measures what he knows by his walking like that To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word 't is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. Fifthly When you measure not what you know by what God in his Word calls you personally to do when those especial Commands that lyeth upon you as Husband to Wife Wife to Husband Father to Child Child to Father Master to Servant Servant to Master are left undone or so lamely done that they are full of cracks and flaws the Religion of such is vain and contrary comparisons to this as vain and deceitful This was the evil of the Scribes and Pharisees they minded Annise and Cummin but neglected judgment mercy and faith the weightier matters of the Law all doings are shows without substance while the weightier matters are left undone James 1. 26. If any man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue he deceives his own heart this mans Religion is in vain Consider this in the fear of God Object But how may we know we are deceived with this deceit Answ First When you have a low value of that means that under God first brought you to know Is not Sermons a low thing with you this and that Preacher that once was high in your account now weak and mean in your esteem Now you are full now you are rich and have raigned as Kings without us I would to God you did raign that we also might raign with you 1 Cor. 4. 8. Secondly When you are mighty prodigal of what you know thinking no matter well mannaged that you have not most voyce in Prov. 15. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright but the mouth of fools poureth forth foolishness So prov 29. 11. The fool uttereth all his mind but a wise man keepeth it in while afterwards Thirdly When you please your self with the thoughts that few or none in knowledge outstrip you having a secret scorn to compare your selves with any that is when you think none is able to say more to a text of Scripture than you have done or knows the holy Spirits mind more than your selves Jer. 8. 8. We are wise We by way of singularity and the Law of the Lord is with us At the same time God saith What wisdome is in them Fouthly When in all matters material you are not careful to take counsel of God before you bring them to action Prov. 15. 28. The heart of the wise studieth to answer but the mouth of fools poureth forth foolishness And Chap. 3. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths CHAP. VI. Containing in it Christians aptness through weakness to neglect coming to Christs Table with a short discription of offences that seemingly may hinder and three Causes of this Decay SIGN VI. VVHen a small offence will keep you from Christs Table By Christs Table here I would be understood Christ Jesus his own institution the night he was betrayed which he set on foot to his Penitent Believing Baptized Disciples 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body broken for you this do in remembrance of me And after the same manner he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Câ—â— is the New Testament in my blood This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me These Scriptures prove it to be Christ Jesus his own institution and therefore a duty for his people to be found in often But it being somewhat besides the business in hand to treat in particular of all the uses and ends of this blessed institution my work here is to be instrumental if the Lord will to deter believers upon some offences that they have taken from the neglect of this duty that is weighty and not to be omitted or abused as they will answer Christ Jesus who is ready to take an account it being that Ordinance that doth in a most lively manner express the certainty of his suffering in his body being broken and his blood poured out that he might finish the work of mans redemption and remain at the Fathers right Hand Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus against all the opposition of that corrupt Spirit that seeks in our dayes to disparage and extinguish this blessed Ordinance thereby to root out of mens understandings the certainty of Christ Jesus being a personal fleshly substance and so converting into a Spirit contrary to this saying of his after his resurrection Behold my â—ands and my feet that it is my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bone as you see me have Luke 24. 39. Acts 1. 9 10 11.
walking Fifthly Negligence in Scripture will make you ignorant that there is a Legion of evil Angels waiting hourely to take advantage against you no sooner in the Text but now mentioned had the good Spirit left Saul but a◠evil Spirit comes upon him 2 Chron. 18. 19 20 21. And the Lord said who shall in 〈◊〉 Ahab presently there came out a Spirit and said I will intice him and be a lying Spirit in the month of all his Prophets Job 1. 6. There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them and so soon as Joshua is standing before the Angel of God Satan is got at his right hand to resist him now ignorance that there is a Legion or very many evil Spirits waiting all advantages and opportunities to do us hurt occasions many to be secure when and where they have no cause and so their feet come to be insnared in by-paths to their shame and sorrow let us therefore be so studious in Scripture as to say in truth with the holy Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 10. 11. To whom ye forgive any thing I forgive also lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices Clearly noting how careful this good man was to keep the tempter at greatest distance while persons are not sensible that they are continually attended with wicked Spirits that seeks to insnare them by drawing them aside from God they shall be the oftner captivated and so in their spiritual estate in great danger to be spoiled When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none then he returns to his house or heart from whence he came out and finding it empty swept that is destiture of the good Spirits company then goeth he and takes with him seven more wicked Spirits than himself and enters in and dwels there Mat. 12. 43 44. Hence it is clear that evil Spirits both wait advantages and take them where they find suitable subjects to be gaining upon But I pass this and come to the last Calamity which negligence brings Sixthly It makes you ignorant that you may hinder Gods holy Spirit from working any effectual good upon you This may possibly seem strange to some that the good purposes of Gods good Spirit upon any may be by them hindered but if it be considered well it need not be strange for if the workings of the holy Spirit were unresistable then few if any could be ungodly it strove much with the old World and yet they was not worthy to be saved from the Deluge and striving need not be where there can be no resisting Again the holy Spirit was much grieved with Israels stubbornness testifying against them many years Neh. 9. yet would they not give ear how could it be said the Spirit grieved at their withstanding if they could not withstand Turn ye at my reproof and I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my words unto you but ye have set at naught all my counsel and would none of my reproof In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore mark that he was turned to be their enemy Now if the workings and strivings of the holy Spirit were unresistable certainly Israel with whom it so strove being so bemoaned of God for their rebellion neither could nor should have so withstood him How shall I give thee up O Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Adma or Zeboim my heart is hot within me my repentings are kindled together Would it not be blasphemy to say that Gods thus bemoaning was not real It is altogether certain that the very heart of God is set out in these expressions CHAP. IX Shewing that an itching ear in Christians after Novelties bespeak◠them decaying to godliness with four Remedies against it SIGN IX VVHen you are mighty inquisitive after Novelties or new things rather than wholsome Doctrine This Sign is too too common amongst Professors and commonly ariseth from some dislike that they take because things go not just as they would have them after the light of their own eyes such may know themselves or at least be known by their instability or running from one thing to another as Solomon saith given to change no longer contented than while they are prosecuting some notion or other that hath in it the face of new and if with their notion they prove to be accepted then perhaps quieted for a while till some other new conceit take them but if not accepted then they swell so big that the bounds of the Church is too strait to hold them And sure from hence hath risen the multitude of dividings in opinion that now are on foot in our Land men growing confidently conceited that they are in the right and no reason shall sway them but if their offer be rejected then presently they make a schisme and so striving to get a party crying out of great injustice as though truth were only in them and withstood because their Notion is withstood All this while the great end of Church-being and Ordinances appointing to wit edification not so much as thought of but forgetting that blessed rule of Christ Jesus best followers who became all things to all men that they might gain the more drive on furiously and come what will come in the issue all must presently be as they see or else they will be gone whereas God knows if they were narrowly looked into they would be found of the simple that are apt to believe every word while the prudent looks well to his goings not hasty to receive nor hasty to forgo what he hath already received By this I would not be understood to palliate men who count others giddy headed for leaving an old Romish form when by God they are otherwise perswaded light breaking in and truth being made manifest but I rather indeed would by this give such to understand that the drift of what is here pointed at hath respect to such as in a right constituted Church cannot be contented Not in the least incouraging any others to be contented with false settlement ignorantly concluding that if they change it will be to something new and not true Men may change but it must be for the better yet how apt are persons to be affected with changes that they will change though it be for the worst At such a sort of people my drift is it being an evil that the Scripture is not wanting to tell us of Exod. 32. in the beginning While Moses is but absent for a while from Israel they cry to Aaron to make them new Gods saying these be thy Gods O Israel in like manner as you may read in Numb 11. 6. compared with 21. 5. Gods own appointment that once was welcome
good things they once flourished in and this not working trouble of heart on fellow brethren and beholders must needs argue great decay That such decay in Christs House even among those in his spiritual profession hath been and too too much is very evident both from Scripture and experience First from Scripture 1 Cor. 3. begining And I Brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual but as to carnal even babes in Christ whereas there is among you envy division and strife are ye not carnal and walk as men First this same people as the first Chapter makes appear had such grace from God given by Christ Jesus that they were enricht in all utterance and in all knowledge so that they came behind other Chruches in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Again this holy Apostle in Ephes 2. 12. Complains greatly of their decay many had sinned and had not repented of the fornication and uncleanness they had committed From whence it is very obseveable that their decay was such that their Senses or Feeling were well nigh departed from them they were guilty of high crimes among which were debates envyings wrath strife backbiting whispering swelling tumults yet not humbled among themselves for all this In like manner the Galathian Church Chap. 4. That once if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to the Apostle St. Paul now counts him their enemy for telling them the truth so Revel 3. 17. Thou saist I am rich and increast with goods and have need of nothing but knowest not that thou art poor and miserable and blind and naked It would be tedious to tell what experience cound speak of the same thing in our dayes are there not many that at their first entrance into Christs Vineyard never thought that they loved Enough Heard Prayed Laboured enough that had mighty Parts Gifts and Graces and did mightily improve them to the best services yet now is grown huskish dry and barren and rare to hear any spiritual expressions from them Now count meetings burthensome duties tedious sit as dull under the use of Christs Ordinances as though their stomack did loath now what was once as the morning dew to them who can withhold being grieved and afflicted at this unless his eyes be out and his spiritual feeling gone It therefore may concern all those that read this to make inquiry with themselves what impression such tidings as these of decayes in Christs House make upon theit hearts for answerable to ones esteem of things and making any thing their treasure will their sorrow and trouble be to see it wasting whether husband wife children houses or lands or the prosperity and well-faring of Gods House lye nearer the heart may easily be discerned by the effects that will follow O Lord what shall I say when Israel turns their backs upon their enemies for the Canaanites the inhabitants of the Land shall hear oft it environ us round and what wilt thou do for thy great name Josh 7. 8 9. Joshua in the fight or flight might have been taken or slain yet that is not highest in his thought nor lyeth nearest to his heart his great fear is what to do for the Great Name fearing the Canaanite should have occasion to speak lightly of it I would not by what hath been said be thought to prohibit persons being troubled at outward decay that would be a way to hold them from such diligence as ought to be to romove or prevent it but we may know whether we are less troubled at decay in Christs House than in our own by these marks following First by observing which way the drift of our praying to God bends most Secondly In which channel our complaints to men runs most Thirdly whether the thoughts of it are so prevalent that they molest us in the highest of our spiritual performances Fourthly whether in compassion our choyce answers the lesser call and rejects the greater that is we will rather put our helping hand to the removing the decayes of our house than of Christs House Read and consider and then pass to the next Sgin CHAP. XV. Shewing that want of weeping in some when others of Christs Children with grief are stooping declares such to him a dying shewing also in four respects how we are to pitty with four Remedies against this Decay SIGN XV. WHen you can see Christs Children stoop with trouble and you not or little Sympathize with them Although affliction cometh not forth out of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground yet man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward Job 5. 6 7. And though in general it be a portion common to all yet in especial most of all to Gods dearest people the worst of men commonly being in the least of troubles here They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men Psal 73. Now this portion from the Lord for blessed ends to his people though deserved by them and as needful as their food to them yet it being that that bows their soul down greatly ought to be attended with suitable compassion from their fellow brethren as a help provided of God that they may bear it the better When trouble or afflictions of any kind from the Lord are great upon some it is an evident token of decay in such as have not a fellow-feeling towards them Woe to them that are at ease in Zion and lye upon beds of Ivory stretching themselves upon their coutches drink their wine in bowls and anoint themselves with chief oyitments but are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph in Amos 6. from the 1. to the 7. Some we may see there lived a careless life feeding to the full had even what heart could wish felt not the trouble in person that at the same time was their brethrens portion yet are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph but lived at the height of Joy under their own fulness and were not compassionately affected with others penury This hath been found among the people of God but ill taken from them Numb 20. We shall find that Israel was in great distress and begs their brother Edom who knew all travail that had befallen them to let them pass by his high way but he shewed them no pitty was fallen from that sympathizing Spirit that ought to be in him God will not forget to take notice of this and reckon for it which proves that pitty in his people one to another is Gods expectation from them Amos 1. 11. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pitty But some may Object and say shall we pitty those though Gods own people that have brought by their sinning what misery is come upon them Answ Yes God expects this
is so enflamed with zealous love and pitty to his suffering brother that he greatly suffers also The one is offended the other burns 2 Cor. 11. 29. When all the strength a poor tempted soul hath is engaged in hot fight with the Devil flesh and world then pitty from lookers on proves like a fresh recruit to a shattered Army it so suits with Gods will and with the tempteds want whereas on the contrary want of pitty in lookers on as it strengthens the hands of the Adversary and tempts the courage of the troubled to grow flat Now this sixth Mark is framed to that end if the Lord will that lookers on may not only know what frame of heart they are to be of in such a season but to provoke them to make haste to it in Amos 6. 4. there was neglect to this duty and it meets with a sad salute Wo to them that are at ease in Zion that lie upon beds of Ivory that drink Wine in Bowls but are not grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph No iniquity mark that so provokes God as to be preferred in punishment before this They must go into captivity with the first that go Captive Amos 1. 11. Numb 20. from the 14. to the 22. God will not bear such a pittiless heart in his very Enemies Isa 47. 6. I was wrath with my People and gave them into thy hands and upon the ancient very heavily hast thou laid thy yoak Therefore in one day shall come vpon thee loss of Children and Widdow-hood Remember therefore those that are in Bonds as bound with them and them that suffer Adversity as being also of the same Body Heb. 13. Read and consider and the good Lord give you understanding Amen CHAP. XXVII Shewing Satans way by which he Gets in our day most advantage upon Churches and a plain discovery of the first rise of the Quakers shewing also the great Law of Edification to be preferred in all Doctrine with Cautions to such as live out of all Church way SIGN XXVII VVHen you are mighty curious about the lesser matters of Gods Law and mighty careless about the weightier When Satan the grand Engine of beginning and perfecting a Christians ruin cannot at once knock his heart and hands from off the Ordinances of Gods House thereby to make him destitute of the very means to good He usually works this way where he finds meet subjects to be working upon viz. make some more curious by far than God would have them and so wholly taken up with the lesser matters of Gods Law that he may have the fairer opportunity to make them as careless in the weightier by this manner of dress he deceives far more than by his common known dress of visible prophaneness this being so far from the road of the rude ranting way that it shows yea and pretends to exceed even Christians in their right Saint-like way carrying with it profession of and contention for commands of God Which spirit meeting with ignorant and inconsiderate people makes a noise as though it would drive the World before it while the fairer surer Christian that carries on his matters temperately giving due respect to every command yet seems in their eye to burn so dim that they are ready to bid him stand further off they are holier than he This deceit is a wonderful mysterious one and without all doubt worketh mightily not only among the Churches but in and among the people called Quakers whose spirit is yet kept under by the wise God till a riper season from shewing it self in that Atheists dress that certainly it did rise from and certainly will end in They being of all people Pharasaical like out of all cry contenders foâ— that that comparatively is but the shell of Christianity and are so far from contending for that they set themselves even against the kernel or substance of Religion and the Church of God can truly witness this for from among themselves are some gone out with as fair pretences as can be of living more to God in the Spirit and power of holyness and yet quickly shewing themselves in the mystery of carrying on most abominable Atheisticall principles of denying both the Resurrection of the body from the grave of the earth and Judgment day to come And so bend their bow at the overthrowing the very foundation of godliness in the mystery of Egyptian darkness and yet under the highest pretences of Angel light It is clearly evident that the first rise of that spirit laid its beginning upon these very materials of being curious in the lesser and careless in the weightier making nothing secretly to act gross abomination as some can witness yet to publick view where they might have the fairer advantage to deceive the simple did make great show of tender respect to some lesser matters of Gods Law and indeed out-talk every body while God knows they did not thus plead out of true love to Gods Law that they had but because no bait would so fit their hook and carry on the business they designed like this Now Satan himself full well knows that it is in vain for him to expect the accomplishing any great design among the seperated Churches any other way for filthiness of flesh is so manifest that every body among them that knows but any thing knows they are redeemed from that but filthiness of the spirit which works secretly and yet ends carnally and mortally is his grand working way which doubtless the Apostle well knew when he gave this exhortation to the Corinth Church with this discription which I pray observe Chap. 7. 1. where he beseecheth them not only to cleansethemselves from all filthiness of the flesh but by way of distinction filthiness of Spirit also and that in order to their perfecting holyness in the fear of God Read also Isa 30. 21. And by this mysterious means he takes in some place and among some people by companies that most of them in their true Church standing were the carnallest mean ignorantest Christians having in them as little experience as could be of the power of Godliness so little that if they had any less would have had too little to be born by the Church yet intangling themselves with this spirit of deceit or filthiness of spirit have grown mighty confident bold and lifted up too wise for their teachers despising those far before them in grace yet far behind them in their account and very justly may and doth the Lord let such fall into spiritual deceit notwithstanding they plead for some of his own law they being most careless where he would have them most careful so renders their care in the lesser while careless in the gâ—eater of no account with him at all he taking no pleasure in such but greatly disdaining them Mat. 23. 23. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for you pay tyth of mint Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law They are
holy Spirits fruit is no way able to withstand the motions of the flesh but is carryed captive with every lustful bait at the tempters will for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and as it is the care of the evil one to have the mind of sinners in his possession even so the first work the holy Spirit doth upon the converted is to put Gods law into their mind by demolishing those dark works in those that turn to God both in debasing what was and in exalting what was not Ephes 4. 17. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that you walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanities of their mind vers 22. But that you put off concerning the former conversation the old man with his deeds and then is a necessity of putting on the new man with his deeds for if the house or heart be empty swept and garnished from all bad and yet not possest with like good the evil one enters again and makes the case worse than before All which notes the necessity of having dependance upon the holy Spirit Ephes 3. 16 17. To fortifie the mind with spiritual materials and thus I have done with the first mark and come to the second Secondly It is the Spirits work to discover to the Christian man wherein his danger most lies that is by what bait and to what evils the tempter is most like to draw him Ignorance here causeth people go into the tempters way and without defilement more or less they can hardly return and surely Solomon alludes to this in one of his petitions to God for Israel 1 Kings 8. 38. What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the Plague of his own Heart clearly implying that among Israel there might be that did not know their own Hearts Plague or wherein their danger most lay now the holy Spirit was given to instruct them and so witnesseth Nehem. 9. 20. Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them the manner how is set out in Exod. 13. 17. And it came to pass when pharaoh had let the people go that God led them not through the way of the Philistines although that was near for God said lest they repent when they see war and return to Egypt again It is very questionable if not out of doubt that this danger was not in their eye at all but God led them saith Moses by his Spirit saith Nehemiah clearly noting that persons hearkning find the holy Spirit not wanting to lead them in the best way and set before them the greatest danger one text more and so I have done with this Isa 29. 24. They also that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine They that through ignorance went astray shall come to understanding or know their best way and they that did repine shall learn Doctrine or be better taught Thirdly The Spirits work is to discover both the strength of the tempter and temptation showing to the Christian man these two things First that the tempter can but intice not inforce Secondly that the strength of his temptations lies in present things First he can and doth prepare suitable baits and snares but all he doth do and can do amounts but to thus much Therefore greater is he that is in you than he that is against you which consideration tends greatly to a believers support while he is able to say I know it must be my fault if I sin against my God for the tempter cannot force me neither did he ever force any he can and doth proffer his ware putting the best face upon it as you may see Gen. 3. 4 5. And the Serpent saith to the Woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know in the day you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and shall be as Gods knowing good and evil here he makes his bait pleasant and to promise greater priviledge than yet they had with which the woman is taken And when the Woman saw that the fruit was good and that it was pleasant to the eye shee took thereof and did eat contrary to the Law so Josh 7. 20 21. When Achan saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish Garment and a wedge of Gold he coveted them which notes that the Devils power to take centers in preparing fair outsides which carries some after destruction as the Oxe goeth to the slaughter not knowing that it is for his life and indeed as his trade lies in shows so the people he tradeth among without which he could not trade at all to any advantage are silly people and though silly people yet he tradeth altogether in the dark and therefore is called the Ruler of darkness Eph. 6. 12 And his Kingdome a Kingdome of darkness Col. 1. 3. dare not come to the light for fear his deeds should be made manifest Secondly as he thus trades and these are the people he tradeth with so the strength of his temptations centers in present things It is all he can make snares and temptations of as is evident by these Texts Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this Present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us so Gal. 1. 4. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from this Present evil World 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me having imbraced the Present World Now all these Scriptures speak the tempters strength to lie in present things which made the holy Apostle have light account of his suffering 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory he compareth it with the state to come gives it the next count to a cypher calling it momentary and the utmost we can make or any sinner that lives at greatest height of worldly pleasure must confess all present things will amount to but these three First Such as goeth but shin deep Secondly Such as may properly be called minute joy that that is ours this minute but either it taken from us or we from it next minute it lasts not Thirdly At the longest worldly pleasure serveth us but till we come to the grave and there it leaves us Having now done with the third Discovery of the holy Spirits help I shall briefly add two or three more and pass to the Twenty ninth Sign of a dying Christian Fourthly The holy Spirit discovers what unprofitableness is found in sin after committed working strong convictions upon the heart of the sinner and forceth him to confess that his eager pursuit after his sin now he hath had his hearts desire granted contracts but wo and sorrow though sweet in the mouth while eating yet bitter in the belly when eaten Mark 8. 36 37. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole