CHAP. I. The wicked and miserable estate of man by Nature.

BY Nature our heart which should be the best part of us, is the worst, a deep and bottom­less pit of sin: God saw the ima­ginaton of the heart of man was only evil continually, Gen. 5.5. God seeth it whose eyes are so piercing like a flaming fire; but few of us see it all our dayes, never until God anoint our eyes with his eye­salve; then we cry out, we are unclean, we are unclean; God many times begins in the con­version of a sinner with this, to shew him the sin of his nature, how desperately wicked his nature and heart is, beyond all the sin that hath [Page 2] broke out in his practice, that there is a great fire of sin upon the hearth of the heart, from whence all those sparks fly out of the chimney of the life and practice; O we are by nature full of sin as the Toad is full of poyson; and that poyson we spit out is but little to what is within: this Root of sin is of a spreading na­ture; it grows faster in wicked mens hearts then Grace doth in the Godly, that we grow worse and worse; and though by education, afflictions, terrors of conscience, the branches may be lopt off, yet the Root of sin in the heart doth spread daily; O wretched men that we are, that our heart which should be the Presence Chamber for the King of Heaven, that this is a cage of unclean Birds! and when we want opportunities of Uncleanness, Theft, Mur­der, Voluptuousness, outward pomp and ap­plause, then our wicked hearts will act over these things in a speculative way, delighting our selves in the thoughts of them; Therefore it is that the Scripture sets out conversion by A new heart, Ezek. 36. Washing the heart from wickedness, Jerem. 4.14. and forsaking our thoughts, Esay 55. because our hearts are so opposite to God by nature, and so contrary to the heart that God puts into us when he makes us new Creatures; and therefore it is that when our eyes are opened we grow sick of our own hearts, and cry out, Lord deliver me from this [Page 3] proud, worldly, unclean, deceitful, unbelieving, vain, hard heart.

There is no cozening and cheating tricks in the world but our hearts have them, that if there were no Devil to delude us, yet our own hearts would everlaftingly cheat us. Our hearts by nature are like a rotten stinking Fen, from whence arise continual fogs, mists and vapors, which are a stench in the nostrils of God.

Satan hath a mighty power over us, that ma­ [...]icious subtile strong man armed, he ruleth in the [...]hildren of disobedience, Eph. 2.2. Adam by his [...]all hearkening and yielding to Satan chose [...]im for his God; the Devil cals us his House, Matth. 12.44. there he is at bed and board; [...]e keeps the keyes, and bolts and locks all the [...]oors against Christ; and unless Christ that is [...]ronger then he bursts them open, he dwels [...]here for ever; O consider this all ye that are [...] your natural condition, that Satan hath pos­ [...]ssion of you, that you are possest with the Devil, though not in a bodily way as in Christs [...]me the Devil possessed many, yet he hath pos­ [...]ssion of the heart. Satan fortifies the hearts [...]f men, & makes them strong Garrisons against [...]e Lord Jesus.

Now we are in a faln estate, and liable to Gods everlasting wrath, and there is such in­ [...]itations to come to Christ that we may be de­ [...]vered from the wrath and Hell to come; we [Page 4] have such cursed perverse hearts that we will not come to Christ that we may have Life, but rather die in our sins: we say as those, Luke 19.27. that Christ shall never raign over us: as soon as ever we hear Christ knock and call at the door of our hearts, we run and bolt the door against him, and unless he please by an Almighty and irresistible power to change our wills we never believe on him. O how through unbelief we refuse great Salvation, and do as it were bid God shoot all his Arrows at us: we stand in the dreadful storm of Gods wrath, and will not come to Christ the shelter and covert [...] from the storm: we open our naked brests and bid God strike with the sharp sword. The way of our wretched hearts is that if God never look after us, we never look after him, if we should live never so many thousand years in the world: after we are converted we seek him i [...] some poor measure; we seek the Lord and hi [...] strength, and Grace and Spirit: but before w [...] look not after him, but if he come near to u [...] in afflictions, in the Ministry of his Word, o [...] common Reproofs and convictions of his spirit we say unto God, Depart from us, we desi [...] not thy Christ, thy Spirit, and the knowledge o [...] thy wayes.

We cannot do any thing that God will accept of, though we be never so serious & stric [...] ▪ as doubtless many Papists and others are; Aristotle [Page 5] and others of the Heathens that could write so many Books of Philosophy, yet could not tell how to make one acceptable prayer to God; all their vertues were but as a Toad painted over with fair colours, or as a Silken stocking upon a wooden Leg: a man by na­ture wants faith, hath not the spirit of Christ, hath not Christ to present his Duties to God the Father, and to take away the Iniquity of them, and then what can he do acceptible to God? Its the way of our hearts by nature that if we do any thing that is good for the matter of it, we make use of it to keep us at a further distance from Christ, and closing with him by faith, that we trust to our Duties for Salvation; and thus if we do any thing for God it is out of base ends, as Jehu did, either for applause to be accounted Religious and zealous for God, or to stop the mouth of conscience, or else we think to make our good works a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven by.

We are blind in spiritual things, having our understandings darkned and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in us, and blindness of our minds, Eph. 4. that all the my steries of the Gospel are Riddles to us: and till we plough with the Lords Heifer, the Spirit of God, we cannot understand those Riddles; when the Lord came to convert Nicodemus, how blind and ignorant did he find him? Joh. 3. [Page 6] and when he came to convert the woman of Samaria, how ignorant did he find her? we may see John 4. Its a wonderful thing how in con­version God makes the ignorant to understand Doctrine; how in a month or two God helps them to pray and discourse so knowingly and spiritually, that before were perfect sots, and al­most as ignorant of God as the Beast that perishes.

And in the Description of our natural estate, Tit. 3.3. we are said to be foolish; we are like fools and mad men; and indeed men will call themselves fools first or last; either here if they are converted, or in Hell. What fools are we to prefer the world before Christ? For this the Lord called the rich man fool, Luke 12. and what fools are we that having but one precious Jewel, our souls, that we will fell it for every base lust? we are more foolish then Esau was in selling his Birth-right for a mess of pottage. And what fools are we to make no provision for Eternity? The Ant is wiser that provideth her meat in the Summer; but we take no care for the long winter of eternity. And what fools are we to set our selves against the Saints of God who are as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye? Christ tels Paul its hard for him to kick against the pricks, Act. 9. He makes the persecuting of the Saints to be as foolis [...] and dangerous a thing as for a man to kick & knock [Page 7] his shins against the pricks. And what fools are we that though we will not neglect Fairs and Markets, yet will neglect the means of Grace and opportunities of getting Christ? And what fools are we that when Christ knocks at our doors, will not let in such a blessed guest that brings the Spirit and a new Heart, and a pardon and eternal life with him? And what fools are we that will build our eternal condi­tion upon the sands of our own Righteousness, and not upon Jesus Christ? If a man should build a house upon the sands, we should say he is a fool indeed; the next Tide will wash it away and the ground will sink and give way; all this folly and a thousand times more is in our hearts by nature, but we see it not.

There is a strange forwardness and earnestness in us naturally to sin, and a lothness to leave sin, insomuch that men will be in a rage against those that would stop them in their sinful cour­ses; and though God send many afflictions as upon Pharaoh, yet men turn not to the Lord: indeed when men can scarce turn them in their beds, they will say they will leave their wicked courses; but when the affliction is over, they will be as bad as ever; men are so loth to part with their sins naturally that they will undo their souls unto all eternity, rather then part with their lusts; as Nero's mother enquiring whether her son should be Emperour, she was [Page 8] told that he should be Emperour, but then he should kill her: she out of the pride and ambi­tion of her spirit said, Let him kill me so he be but Emperour: so the Word of the Lord tels us that if we go on in our sins, and are not converted, our souls will be damned to all eter­nity, and men say in their hearts, Let me be damned so I may enjoy my base lusts. O what wickedness is in the heart? Men will not fall out with themselves and sins until they come to hell, except they be converted: but in hell men will fall out with their sins, and say, O thou cursed pride, O cursed drunkenness, O cursed uncleanness, O cursed unbelief that hath undon our souls for ever!

And if the Lord never convert us, but leave us in a state of Nature to die out of Christ, how infinitely miserable shall we be for ever? The wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.14. Rom. 1.18. Eph. 5.6. The wrath of God like a huge Mountain will lie upon a sinners back in hell to crush him to pieces: you will alwayes see God frowning upon you: O think of this; if thou beest not brought out of the state of Nature, and ingraffed into Christ, thou wilt be separated for ever from the Lord: you shall never enjoy communion with him, a glimpse of whose Re­conciled face in Christ is worth ten thousand Worlds; you will never taste one drop of those Rivers of Gods pleasures for ever, of which the [Page 9] Saints shall have their fill: O that will be a dreadful word, Depart from me ye cursed, De­part from me whose Loving kindness is better then Life: Depart from me, a day in whose Courts is better then a thousand elswhere: go among the Devils who like roaring Lions seek to devour you. When once men come to Hell, there will be no means of Grace for ever, Ec­cles. 9.10. No work, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave: No more dealings of Gods Spirit with men, no inward nor outward comfort, nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, which shews extremity of torment in Hell. The Saints indeed when they die, their places and Relations know them no more nor they them: but then they know a better place, Heaven, and enjoy better Relations, but a na­tural man leaveth all his outward comforts and goes into infinite torments.

O thou that are in thy natural condition, give ear to this, and flee from the wrath to come: it may be now thou knowest not how to spend a day without some pastime or other; O how wilt thou spend eternity in Hell where thou shalt never have a drop of water to cool thy tongue! O consider what heart-distracting, heart tormenting thoughts you will have in Hell if the Lord never convert you here! how sadly will you remember what great sins you committed, and with what hardness of heart! [Page 10] how will it torment you to think how many checks of conscience and motions of the Spirit you put by? what terrour will it be to you to think what holy Saints you opposed and jear­ed, what precious means of Grace you slight­ed, and what pains you took for the world, and how careless you were for your poor souls! O think it no smal matter to die in thy natural estate and be damned: if once thou come to hell, there will be no ease nor end of thy misery for ever; If God should but say to the damned in hell that after a hundred thousand years they should come out of their torments, it would be some lightning to their hearts: but there will be no end: the worm dies not, and the fire goes not out. Christ goes over with those words three times almost together, Mark 9.44,46,48. be­cause he would have men in their natural con­dition take special notice of it, that if they die out of him, they will be miserable for ever; miserable indeed to be alwayes dying, alwaies burning, alwaies weeping, alwaies suffering the torments of Hell. O therefore consider the state that thou art in before it be too late: there is corruption and sin enough in one mans heart to undo all the men in the world if it were divided to them. O then how easily will it undo one soul? Know then if we be not justi­fied freely by Gods Grace in Christ, and san­ctified by the Spirit of the Lord, we must una­voidably [Page 11] perish for ever: Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Heb. 3.7,8. The time of Gods patience, the time of Grace, is but a short time, therefore called a day. To day if you will hear his voice. Its but a day in com­parison of Eternity; nay in comparison of Eter­nity, a mans daies upon earth are but as a mo­ment or the twinkling of an Eye, and the time of Grace is but a short time, but a day in com­parison of the greatness of the work that is to be done, the making of our calling and Election sure. Its but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our enjoying the means of Grace, and its but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our lives; for in a moment we go down to the grave, and all our thoughts perish. To day therefore hear his voice, come in to Christ: do not say to morrow is soon enough, do not put off the of­fers of Grace, for now is the accepted time, this is the day of Salvation.

CHAP. II. How natural men deceive themselves, and think that their Estate is good.

ITS a great mercy for a man that is not in a state of Grace, to know that he is yet with­out Christ: but men flatter themselves that they are Christians and Saints, when there is no cause in the world for it.

Men deceive themselves in their spiritual estate sometimes by not examining their condi­tion; many men never take thought, whether they have Christ or no; and if men do examin their spiritual Estate, usually it is by false signs, as outward performance of Duties, or out­ward abstinence from many gross sins: Its a sad thing when we have nothing to evidence a good estate but outward thing; no work upon our hearts, but only we have performed many Duties, and sat under Ordinances; so did they, Isa 58. the beginning.

And many deceive themselves in their spi­ritual Estate by shunning a heart-searching Ministry; they call for a Minister that may prophecy to them smooth things; there is many mens. Ministry that never touches upon the heart, hath little tendency that way.

And men have a way to excuse sin, and so think they are in a good estate, though they live in all manner of sin, as Adam laid the fault upon Eve, and Eve shifted it off to the Devil. Men that never pray in their Families, never read the word in their Families, lay the fault upon business.

Another way whereby we often deceive our selves in our spiritual estates, is by looking up­on the failings that the Saints have, and so flat­ter our selves, that our condition is the same with theirs: thus men will say, David did so and so, and Peter did deny Christ; Yea, But David and Peter believed in Christ, and mourn­ed heartily for their sins. A Saint hates all sin; do you do so?

Again, By Nature we are ignorant of the true nature of every Grace, and therefore are easily deceived in our estate; we do not know the true nature of saving faith; we think it lies only in knowing that Christ dyed for sin; we are ignorant of the nature of Repentance, how the Love of God in Christ doth break the heart, and we think, if we give to the poor, then we have Charity; whereas in the Scrip­tures account, a man may give all his goods to the poor, and yet want true Charity, 1 Cor. 13.

And then men are loth to examin themselves to purpose, whether they be in the faith or no, [Page 14] for fear they should despair if they come to see their estate is not good; though, alas, ve­ry few despair; and its one thing for a man to be convinced of his estate being bad, and ano­ther thing to despair: for though he be not converted, yet he may be converted after­wards.

Likewise the quietness and stilness of many mens consciences makes them think that they are in a good estate, when as that may be a great Judgement upon them; its one thing to have true Peace of Conscience, and another thing to have a seared Conscience.

There are certain plain signs that a man is not in a state of Grace, which are evident in many, and in such great Characters that he that runneth may read them; as if men jear at the Spirit of God, and jearat men for having the Spirit of God, that they will say. This is a man of the Spirit. Dost thou think that thou art a Saint? All Saints have the Spirit of Christ in them, and they are led by the spirit of God, Rom. 8.14. and they prize the Spirit highly.

And if men be wholly ignorant of the way of Justification by the blood of Christ, and de­clare plainly that they seek life by their own obedience and Righteousness, it is evident that they are not in a good estate; for all Believers desire to be found in Christ, having on them the Righteousness which is of God by Faith, [Page 15] and how many by this may be convinced that they are not in a good estate?

Or if men live in all manner of sin, allow themselves in drunkenness, swearing, and the like: These transgressions of the wicked, say within my heart saith David, That the fear of God is not before their eyes, Psal. 36.1. Let men say what they will, if that they commit iniquity with greediness, it is evident that they know not Christ in a saving manner, For he that saith he knoweth God, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a lyar, and the Truth is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.4. Indeed Hypocrites may deceive us, because of the inlightnings they have, and reformation of life and smooth carriage; but the common sort of narural men do plainly bewray themselves to be out of Christ; and it is a sign of a car­nal man to judge every body to be Saints that make such sleight and overly profession of Christ as the common sort of people do; if we be Saints, and know what the new birth is, we shall not think it is such an easie and com­mon thing to be true Saints; but that strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to eternal Life, and few there be that find it.

Some deceive themselves by building their hopes of salvation upon their gifts, parts and knowledge, when as Satan and many Re­probates outstrip many Saints of God in those things, and yet have no saving nor experimen­tal knowledge.

Others build their salvation upon the esteem that they have with others that are Saints; but thou maist be but a Judas or Simon Magus for all that: the Apostle bids us in that case, every man to prove his own work, to see what work of Grace he can find in his own heart, and then he saith, he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, Gal. 6.4.5.

Others again build their salvation upon this that they have left some gross sins, as swearing, drunkenness, whereas it may be their hearts are [...] bad a [...] ever, but only they were forced to leave those sins, they so galled their Consciences, but yet their reformation never proceeded from faith.

CHAP. III. Great Salvation in Christ for sinners.

GOD that might have damned all man­kind for sin, and might have left us in that lost estate for ever, hath so loved the world, that he hath sent his only begotten Son, that who­soever believeth in him might not perish, but have eternal Life.

Some things we shall here take notice of con­cerning him, in whom God accepts us, and giveth us eternal Life.

Christ our Mediator is God, Joh. 1.2. Phil. 2.7,8. 1 Tim. 3.16. He is God by nature. God the Father acknowledgeth him to be God, Heb. 1.8. when he saith to Christ, Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever; he knows the hearts of men, Joh. 2.22. All the Angles, every one of them is by the command of God the Fa­ther to worship him, which shews he is God, Heb. 1.6. He laid the Foundations of the earth, and the Heavens are the work of his hands, Heb. 1.10,11,12. He is God and therefore he is mighty to save: he is God, and therefore hath everlasting arms to hold his members from fal­ling into hell. O what a glorious head hath the Church! though we are but like Nebuchad­nezzars Image, the feet of clay and Iron, yet our head is of pure gold.

Christ Jesus our Surety and Mediator is man, he was made flesh, 1 Joh. 2. came in the like­ness of sinfull flesh, took our nature after it was corrupted. Rom. 8.3. Because the Children that God hath given him were pertakers of flesh and blood, he also took part of the same, Heb. 2. This is no small comfort to us, that Christ hath taken our nature, and was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, he knows what it is to be tempted, and can succour them that are tempted.

O, This is wonderfull that Christ should put on the poor suit of our nature, and after we [Page 18] had so stained it by sin: O, That God should be so mindfull of us, as to send his Son in our nature to die for us, that God who was infinit­ly happy before ever we were, that he should [...]o it; That God that had so many thousand Angels to sing praises to him, and could have created millions of creatures more glorious then the very Angels to praise him for ever, and that could have created a thousand worlds before this of men to praise him; that glorious God that took infinite delight in his Eter­nal Son, the Lord Jesus, before ever the world was, Prov. 8. that this blessed God should send his Son in our Nature, and humble him to death, even the death of the Cross; This is wonderfull indeed.

The Lord Jesus was a publique person, Rom. 5. therefore he is called a Surety, Heb. 7. A Savi­our, Luke 2.23. An Advocate, 1 Joh. 2.1. A Captain of Salvation, Heb. 2.10. The Cove­nant of the People, Isa. 42.6. A Ransom, 1 Tim. 2.6. A high Priest, Heb. 4.4. What he did was for others; for our sakes he sanctified himself; He was delivered for our offences, rose again for our Justification, Rom. the fourth and the last.

There is infinite merit in Christ to justifie all that believe in him, that nothing needs to be added to his Righteousness for Justification in him: in him alone without works shall the house [Page 19] of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Isa. 45. ult.

The Believers under the old Testament look­ed for acceptance with God only through Christ; and therefore offered up the Sacrifices that were Types of him; prayed in his name. Dan. 9.10. He set open his window, prayed towards Jerusalem, which was a Type of Christ, and prayed, verse 17. that God would look upon his Sanctuary which was desolate, for the Lords sake, that is, for the Lords Jesus sake.

Christ hath purchased all Sanctification, and is the Author of it to sinners: The precious Faith by which we believe to everlasting Life, is from Christ, 2. Pet. 1.1. There the Apostle saith, that precious Faith is obtained through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord; and so Heb. 10.2. And Repentance is from him, Act. 5.31. And of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace, Joh. 1.16. yea Phil 1.11. All the fruits of Righteousness, all Grace whatsoever is said to come by Jesus Christ; he was filled with Grace to communicate to us; He is that Fountain and River of Life that serveth all the City of God, that spiritual Joseph that laid in with abundance to serve all Aegypt.

The Lord Jesus had experience of all kind of sufferings and temptations, that he might be a pittifull and a mercifull high Priest for us, Heb. 2. ult. Heb. 4. ult. He was tempted in all [Page 20] points as we are, yet without sin. It was requisiite that the Lord Jesus our high Priest should be tempted in all points. (1) That he might know the malice of the Devil experi­mentally by his own feeling. (2) That he might overcome Satan. The Lord Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation fought a single duel with Satan that we might see his strength, and that Satan might be overcom, that so the Saints when they are set upon by Sathan, might have faith in him, that he who hath overcome him, and broke the Serpents head, where his wound is uncurable, will prevent all his designs against them. (3) That he might sympathize with the Saints, and succour them when they are tempt­ed; in that fourth of the Hebrews, v. 15. the Apostle saith, We have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infir­mities, but was tempted as we are, ( [...]) pierced through as we are The darts of temp­tation were thrown at Christ as well as they are at us. (4) Christ was thus tempted that the Saints might know that great Temptations might consist with great love; yea the greatest Temptations with the greatest love; For what greater Temptations then Christ had in the fourth of Matthew? But many poor Saints are fit to think that if God loved them, and they had Truth of Grace, they should not have such Temp­tations, [Page 21] whereas Christ him self who was so infinitely beloved of the Father, and had so much Grace, and was so full of the Spirit, had all manner of temptations; and truly Satan as he made the world his last temptation to Christ, Mat. 4. offering him the Glory of the World to see whether Christ would be allured with that; even so doth he deal oftentimes with the Saints, that after he hath tempted them much in their first conversion with blas­phemous thoughts, scruples about every thing almost, and with infinite more temptations, his last temptation when they grow old, shall be to draw them to the love of the World, to grow covetous and earthly in the old age of their profession, to see if he can slily draw their hearts from God, and take them off their zeal and life in religion by minding of earthly things, the Lord Jesus who himself overcame this Temptation, and who prayed for his mem­bers, Joh. 17. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world, yea and Gal. 1.4. gave himself for us, to deliver us from this present evil world. He breaks this snare of this cunning Fowler Satan, that our foot be not taken.

Again the Lord Jesus suffered by reproaches and persecution from the world; this also was requisite, (1.) That he might succour his people in such cases. (2.) That the Saints might not think much to suffer from the world, [Page 22] when the Master of the House had done it. (3. That the Saints might not think that they are Hypocrites and have not sincerity, because that the world raileth on them and persecutes them; for Christ he had no sin, and yet the world would have dirt to cast in his face. (4.) That the Saints in all these sufferings which they endure, might have an example of patience from Christ, who when he was reviled reviled not again.

O Blessed are they that fall into this pittiful Samaritans hands the Lord Jesus, a pittiful and merciful high Priest indeed: Are they poor? he knows how to succour and pitty them in that condition, for he had not whereon to lay his head: Do they lie under the apprehension of Gods wrath? Christ knows how to succour them in that condition; for he knows what a burden that is, which made him cry out, my God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Is a poor creature come to his dying hour? Christ knows what the pangs of death are. Thus the Lord Jesus hath not only infinite Love as God, but as Mediatour, and as one that hath shot the same gulphs of temptation that we are to pass through. The carriage of Christ upon earth towards sinners is to be diligently stu­died by those who would see the heart of Christ towards sinners, and what infinite riches of mercy God bestoweth upon us in him; he con­verted [Page 23] many in his own person, and of the poor­est sort, Fishermen and men of mean rank ma­ny of them; and as few of them were mighty and Noble, so few of them were of the Wise men after the flesh, though Christ could as easi­ly have made Herod & the learned men of those times have followed him as Matthew and the rest. That follow me, that Christ spake to Mat­thew, accompanied with that Almighty Power, of the Spirit, that it came to his heart withal, would have made any of them have followed Christ. O the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory, that he would condescend to keep company constantly with a few Fisher­men and other poor people in the dayes of his flesh, when he could have called all the Prin­ces of the earth to wait upon him the Lord of all; he could have fetcht them from the utter­most parts of the earth to hear his Wisdom and to minister unto him; and though Christ would use many harsh words to the Pharises because they trusted that they were righteous in them­selves, and despised others, yet how sweet in his carriage to others; even bringing Publicans and Harlots into the Kingdom of God! O his com­passions to the very bodies of men, healing their sick! O the affectionate expressions of Christ to his Disciples a little before his death recorded in John, and what affectionate Pray­ers he put up for them to the Father, and for [Page 24] all that should believe on him through their word, John 17. And behold what manner of affection he discovered after he was risen; He appears first to Mary Magdalen that had been such a great sinner, sends word to Peter that had denied him, of his Resurrection, and never mentions his fall; O what manner of Media­tour hath God provided, so full of merit, so full of Grace to be communicated to sinners, so full of compassions towards sinners! Thus God hath laid in Sion a sure Foundation, a tried Stone, a precious corner Stone; and he that believeth on him, shall not be ashamed.

Whatsoever evil and mischief sin brought upon us, Christ freeth us from it that are in him; Sin made God and us to be at odds; Christ Re­conciles us, and makes God and a poor sinner friends never to fall out more; He hath made peace by the blood of his Cross, Col. 1.20. Our sins made a horrible stench in the Nostrils of God, Christs death was a sweet smelling savour to God, Eph. 5.2. to take away that stench. Sin brought the wrath of God upon us; Christ de­livereth us from the wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1.10. Sin brought us into prison, Christ maketh us free, and we are free indeed, John 8. Esay 61.1. Eph. 1.7. We have the Redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

There is nothing but great things and won­ders in what God hath done for sinners in [Page 25] Christ. He raiseth a poor soul that believeth in Christ to a better estate then ever we had before we fell; that our latter end after all our prodigality is better then our beginning: for we are made immutably happy and Righteous by Christ; we have union with the Lord Jesus the second person of the Trinity in an intimate Conjugal manner, which Adam had not before the fall; we stand upon free Promises, an abso­lute Covenant; there was no such Promise so free and absolute without Conditions before the fall, as that after the fall, Gen. 3. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head: yea a Believer in Christ hath not only created gifts as the first Adam, but the Influences of the Blessed Spirit, and the strength of Christ by which a soul can do all things, Phil. 4.13. that so he is fitted for all spiritual Duty from an un­failing strength and spring of Grace in the Lord Jesus.

And if those that believe in the Lord Jesus, are brought into a better state then Adam at first was in: then much more is the Lord Jesus the Author of all this to them, worthy of more Glory then Adam: for the Lord Jesus had not only all those created gifts that Adam had, but besides he was God equal with the Father, and as Mediatour he was exalted far above Adam; for he had fulness of Grace in him, John 1.16. the Spirit without measure, John 3. had power [Page 26] over all flesh, John 17.2. Mat. 28. He doth not speak there of his Power as God, but of his Power as Mediatour, for that only could be given him, as he saith, thou hast given me power over all flesh.

Whatsoever a Believer hath, it is through Christ; for whatsoever God doth for a poor creature, either to justifie, sanctifie, quicken, or comfort, he doth all for us in Christ, He blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in him, Eph. 1.3. We are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, and God makes Christ our Life, Eph. 2.1. Gal. 1.20. We are naturally in darkness, and God makes Christ our Light, Eph. 5.8. He makes Christ our Sun to shine upon us, the glorious Sun of Righteousness that is so full of Light and heat to us: we are naturally in a famisht and starved condition like the Prodigal, and God makes Christ our food; he giveth us Christ as the true Manna & bread of Life, John 6. We are naturally poor and beggerly, and God makes Christ our riches and Treasure, Prov. 8.17,18,19. We are na­turally naked, and God makes Christ our cloa­thing, putting on us his Robe of Righteousness: We are impotent and weak, and he makes him our strength. Thus he makes Christ all in all to us, both Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption.

CHAP. IV. The freeness of the Salvation that we have by Christ.

THe Dispensation of Grace and Eternal Life in Christ Jesus, is every way free to us; the Lord hath shewn the greatest kindness when there was not the least desert, that every one that is saved by this Grace may say, O that ever such an ugly creature as I should have the best Robe put upon me; such a Prodigal as I have been, find such unexpected kindness; such a Blackamore as I am, that ever I should have the kisses of the fairest of ten thousand: this is wonderful indeed!

That God should chuse us to eternal Life, when he might have appointed us unto wrath, this can never be requited; that such a person as Christ the eternal Son of God should un­dertake to bring us to glory, this is free indeed; and that the Lord should do this without the least desire or engagement on the creatures part: and that the Lord Christ should not shun the greatest sufferings in order to our Salvati­on, but be wounded, bruised, bear the curse of the Law and the wrath of God: can this [Page 28] ever be requited? And that the Lord should do this after we had spent so fair an estate as we had in Innocency, and we had wasted it as the Prodigal did, what manner of love is this!

And that the Lord Jesus went through the work of our Redemption without grudging; did he ever say, Shall I die for such base wret­ches as these are? but when Peter would not have had him died, he took him up sharpely and said, Get thee behind me Sathan, Mat. 16.21,22,23. we read not that he took him up so when he denied him: can this ever be requited for ever?

And that the Lord Jesus should think of every thing, and purchase every thing that was requisite to make us happy in his Death; he purchased all Grace, he gave himself for us to deliver us from this present evil world, Gal. 1.4. He knew that was a great enemy, and he purchased Grace to keep us from the evil of that; and if we mind Christs Prayer, John 17. we may see how Christ thought of every thing for us. And that Christ after his bloody Sa­crifice should make intercession for us and bear our Names before Jehovah, and that he should take such care to send the Comforter in his ab­sence to abide with us for ever: this is not after the manner of mens love: O Lord our God, free! free! every way free! O let us say that believe in Christ, we must take this as free love; [Page 29] we never deserved it, and we can never requite it: O I will love thee for ever and praise thee for ever.

And what are we for whom the Lord hath done all this, all the while before we are con­verted? We hate God and are Rebels against him; and after we are converted, we perform but little Duty: we are but little in prayer, little in praises, little in heavenly meditation: some­times we have a holy thought, and then abun­dance of vain thoughts for it: sometimes we have a savoury word, and then abundance of vain discourse for it; and those few duties we do have a great deal of weakness and sin in them: our prayers full of deadness, formality, unbelief: we are proud when we have enlarge­ments, so sinful in our best performances that all Saints will confess, their Righteousness is as menstruous raggs.

O let this discovery of the freeness of Gods Grace in Christ draw the worst of sinners that are yet in their Natural estate to come to Christ: if Christ and Grace were not free, how should Paul, Mary Magdalen, Zacheus and such have ever been converted?

Object. 1. But the sinner will say, I have been a sinner of a thousand; may I be welcome to Christ, I have scoffed at the Saints and railed at them?

Answ. So was Paul before his conversion; I [Page 30] (saith he) was a Persecutor, a Blasphemer and in­jurious to the people of God, where ever he came; yet he obtained mercy, 1 Tim. 1.12,13. yea, he confesses to King Agrippa, that before his Conversion, he was mad against the Church; and yet the Lord turns this man in his full speed, and there was no qualification to move the Lord to it; he was going to persecute the Saints when the Lord met him and converted him.

Object. 2. But I have no good in me to com­mend me to Christ.

Answ. Christ expects none untill you be in him by faith; Christ doth not look for Grapes of thorns: how should you be holy until you be in Christ?

Object. 3. Ay, but whereas others though they be not converted, yet they have parts and un­derstanding, and can speak of Religion, but I have no parts nor knowledge.

Answ. The Lord hath promised to make the ignorant understand Doctrine; if God con­vert thee [...], he can make thee understand the things of Religion presently.

Object. 4. Ay, But I am a poor man or wo­man that live in obscurity & the Lord surely will never convert me; for of what use can I be to God? he will call Scholars and great men that may be more serviceable then ever I can be.

Answ. The Lord knows how to make use of the poorest child or servant that he converts: [Page 31] sometimes he converts a child or servant, and so brings Religion into a Family; his Love is not grounded upon our serviceableness; we bring glory to Gods Grace by our coming to Christ; and the poorer creatures we are, the more glo­ry redounds to the free Grace of God in saving us. Besides, The weakest Saint when he comes to Heaven, shall be able to sing Praises and Halleluiahs to God as well as the most emi­nent: and if God had only looked at service­ablness, he had made choice of the fallen Angles before us, who could have done more service then any of us. God can make the poor­est Creature an eminent Saint; and though it may be you may not have such gifts and op­portunities of service in an outward way, yet you may do God much service in an inward way, fearing him, loving him, trusting in him, admiring of his Love.

And let those that are in Christ, and justified freely by Grace, watch against any thoughts that may arise in their hearts of any worthiness in themselves, as if they had any form or com­liness for which they should be desired, but only that God hath been gracious because he would be gracious; and this is certain, that the more a man grows in Gospel-grace the more won­derfull will the Love of God in Christ be to him, that the souls of Believers are oftentimes astonished at the free Grace of God to them, [Page 32] and cry out in the warmth of their Spirits: Never love like to this Love, let all the Angels in Heaven wonder at it to eternity.

CHAP. V. The Convictions and Workings that are oftentimes upon men that are never converted.

MAny men that are never converted have mighty Convictions upon them, that they see they have been very sinfull, and are ready to despair as Judas did, Mat. 27. they are so troubled in their Consciences; sometimes men are convinced of the vanity of the world which they have set their hearts so much upon, they will cry out with Severus the Emperour, Omnia fui, & nihil mihi profuit; I have had honour and riches, and those things, and never the better; and they will sometimes say, Now none but Christ; O give me Christand I have enough; this is in some worldly disappointments and discontents, and in the trouble and confu­sion of their Spirits! How mightily was Ba­laam inlightned and convinced? Num. 23. and Num. 24. he was convinced of the blessed Estate of the Saints; and desired in his way to [Page 33] die the death of the righteous.

There are many that are so inlightned that they get a great deal of knowledge, and shall tell Christ at the last day, Mat. 7. We have pro­phesied in thy name, that they have preached Christ to others, and yet are shut out for ever from the presence of the Lord.

Indeed, Those that are not savingly wrought upon, and yet are much inlightned, common­ly they fall into great Errors; and if they be in Church-fellowship, they will, usually go out from the Saints, because they were not of them; joined as Members in Christs mystical body, 1 Joh. 2.19. This last age wherein Gifts and Knowledge are more common then heretofore, afford many sad instances of this, that many have had only common inlightning; and be­cause they never received the Truth and ways of God that they seemed to own in the Love and Power of them, therefore God giveth them up to strong delusions and errors, 2 Thess. 2.10,11. And these in Gifts go beyond many of the true Members of Christ; but they are kept, when the Lord leaveth others with their parts and gifts to be deluded with error.

God knows how to make use of the parts and gifts of Hypocrites, and those that have only common inlightnings, that while they are in the Churches of the Saints, God may make their parts and gifts of use to the Saints: God [Page 34] makes use of their falling away to shew his people by whom they are kept, and how excel­lent the Grace of Christ in the hearts is above parts and common inlightnings.

When this sort of Professors have been most flourishing and best in appearance, and high in the thoughts of many for Religion, some of eminent Grace and acquaintaince with the ways of God, have seen the rottenness of their hearts, and have said that they were but Hypo­crites, as their falling away did afterwards ma­nifest.

And this sort of Professors have usually a mighty itch upon their Spirits after novelty of opinions, that they rove from one opinion to another, and are seldom setled in any thing, but take up and lay down; and if they have found an opinion wherein they stick, they pre­sently pass sentence upon all Professors, be they never so eminent in Grace, that agree not with them in that.

Thus many that have common inlightnings will for a time make profession of Religion, and per­haps have high notions, & afterwards turn very Atheists, neither pray nor hear, nor discourse of heavenly things, but grow as proud and cove­tous, & prophane as any other, and so the Scrip­ture speaks of them, that they have Conscien­ces seared with an hot Iron, & return with the dog to his vomit; (being but dogs yet in the sight of [Page 35] God) and with the swine after all their out­ward washing and reformation, to their wal­lowing in the mire.

O, What deep convictions have many men, and cry out of their sins, and the people of God rejoyce and hope that these are the pangs of the new birth; and yet these men either pa­cifie their Consciences many times with legal Reformation, with their own righteousness, and leaving those particular sins which have so gal­led their consciences, without ever becoming new creatures, or else time wears out their trouble, and they grow more prophane and wicked then ever they were before, and among other sins, that they are given up to by the righteous hand of God, they will fall to migh­ty opposition, and rage against the Saints of God.

But were these men united to Christ by faith? No, in no wise; as the Heaven is higher then the Earth, so is the work of the Spirit upon a true Believers heart, above all the convictions and inlightnings, and profession and outward refor­mation of those that fall away.

Nebuchadnezzer had great convictions, yet we do not know that ever he was converted; however not before he was driven from men to the beasts of the field, Dan. 4.31,32. yet be­fore that he had great convictions. First, By Daniels interpreting of his dream. Dan. 2.47. [Page 36] He told Daniel that his God was the God of Gods, and the Lord of Kings; yet presently he fell to Idolatry; Dan. 3. and commanded all to worship the golden Image which he set up; and was so impudent, as if he had lost all his for­mer conviction, saying, (verse 15.) to the three Children when they would not worship his Image, What God is there that can deliver you out of my hand?

But this is observable, that many under their convictions remain all their days in a stoutness and sullenness against God, and will turn their heels upon duties and means, and cry out, All is in vain, I shall be damned; and thus their hearts were never truly humbled to lie at Gods feet; Lord, if thou damn me, thou art righteous, but O let me live, and I shall praise thee; but their hearts rise up against the Lord, and are fit to curse God and die; thus it is with many. And if they perform any duties, and use any means of Grace, and God do not reveal his Love and pardoning Mercy, they will take it ill at Gods hands, and say as they did, We have fasted, and he regardeth it not: and so under all legal work­ings and convictions, there remains a desperate proud heart in a man still.

If mens Convictions arise so high as to see that they are Unbelievers, and to be convinced of the greatness of that sin, (whereas many that have much trouble for sin, never go so far) [Page 37] then many times if God do not give them true Faith, they will content themselves in a faith of their one making, which is only a work of their understanding, whereby they say that they will be justified by Christ: but it will be such a dead faith, that for the most part it hath no Sancti­fication, not so much as outward Sanctification accompanying it. Neither doth it truly humble the Soul, and lay it prostrate at the Lords feet for a pardon, meerly from his own good Will and free Grace; but the soul is still full of its self, and confident in its own qualifications. Nei­ther doth this Faith bring joy in the holy Ghost, though there be some flashes of Joy, as there was in the stony ground Hearers. Mat. 13.

For men to be convinced of sin both in gene­ral and particular, is a thing worth the desiring; yet this is not the saving work of Gods Spirit: But how many are convinced of many gross sins, and sins that are more plainly forbidden in the Law, and their Consciences are troubled for them? but yet it may be all their days never see these more secret sins of trusting in their own righteousness, trusting in their own strength, speaking evil of the Saints and ways of God, quenching the motions of the Spirit, neglect of duties and means of Grace: These sins many are never convinced of, that yet will cry out, they are damned for some gross sins.

CHAP. VI. The ways and Temptations, by which many souls miscarry under legal Terrors and a Spirit of Bondage.

WHen a soul is awakened with a sight of sin, and hath legal terrors and warnings to flee from the wrath to come. Satan soon takes the Alarum, and bestirs himself to keep the Soul still in an unregenerate [...]ate. To find out all the stratagems of this cunning and long experienced enemy the devil, is a difficult thing: his ways are like the way of a Serpent upon a rock, or like the way of a ship upon the sea, which leave no fotsteps to trace them by Were it not that our Lord Jesus knows all his divices and wiles, and is able to prevent all his designs, no flesh would be saved, but all by one means or other would be devoured by this roaring Li­on; yet by the Light of the word, and by the observation that Believers are helped to make of the motions of Satan; we are not wholly ignorant of his divices: not to speak here of the way he taketh to keep them from Christ, who are wholly ignorant, and had never any common workings: nor to speak of the innu­merable [Page 39] temptations upon Believers and those who are sealed by the Spirit of God, whereby he endeavoureth to pluck them out of Christs hands, only that they are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to Salvation; on­ly here to speak of the ways and temptations by which Satan endeavoureth to ruin them that are awakened with a sight of sin, and are un­der legal terrors and fear of the wrath to come.

1. Satan endeavoureth to keep such as are thus awakened and troubled for sin, ignorant of the righteousness which is by faith in Christ Jesus; that free Justification of a sinner which is by the blood of Christ; insomuch that Satan, the god of this world doth so blind the eyes of many that have been much awa­kened by the sight of sin, that they never un­derstand all their days the remedy that is pro­vided for them; no, not so much as in a noti­onal way with brain-knowledge, but they set themselves in their own strength to reform their lives, and think that God will accept of their doings for satisfaction for the wickedness of their former life, and they have a kind of peace and satisfaction in their Spirits that God is at peace with them: thus many are ever­lastingly cheated, never knowing the things that belong to their everlasting peace; and be­ing ignorant of Gods righteousness, under all [Page 40] their zeal of God and legal performances, go about to establish their own righteousness, where none but Christs will be accepted, and so never submit to the Righteousness which is of God by faith, Rom. 10.3,4.

2. Satan endeavoureth to perswade such that those legal terrors and breakings are true con­version, that they bless themselves in their le­gal humiliation, as if it were Gospel-repen­tance, and the heart of flesh that is promised in the new Covenent.

3. Satan otherwhile puts those that are thus convinced and troubled for sin, upon some way of opinion and Judgement, and there by his delusion and the deceitfulness of their own hearts they find much peace and quiet: their sore is skinned over, and they are so far now from questioning their own Salvation as they did a little before, that they now question eve­ry bodies Salvation but their own, that do not fall in with that opinion that they are fullen upon.

4. If the Gospel be preached in the hearing of men under legal terrors, Satan will endea­vour to make them rest in a bare notion of Christ, and a faith of their own making, that they will either conclude Christ and all his benefits is theirs, because they have been so humbled and broken with the Law, and have so reformed and amended their ways, or else [Page 41] they will resolve in their own strength to be­lieve in Christ: and so though it may be they were convinced that they could not keep the Law in their own strength, yet they think that its an easie thing to believe in Christ, and so never saw themselves so fully undone; that as they could not keep the Law, so they could no more believe in Christ then they could raise the dead: that now they were undone for ever, if the Lord did not work faith by an Al­mighty power.

5. It is commonly known and observed how Satan doth give ease to many in these trou­bles and terrours by turning their thoughts to something else, sending them to company and pleasures to be cured of their wound, which so cures them that they are no more sad, but will grow as loose and prophane as ever they were; but if that soul belong to God; he will not let the soul sleep thus, as if a man should sleep upon the top of a Mast, but will awaken the soul and hunt it out of those wayes, that it shall find there is no peace and rest out of Christ.

6. But in these legal terrors and fears, if true peace do not come from the Lord to settle and quiet the troubled and perplexed Conscience, nor Satans Receipts put by these troubles, Sa­tan tempts these unto despair, and many times to self-murder, and many in this temptation have [Page 42] been wonderfully delivered by mercy: yet O with what violence wil Satan put these thoughts upon poor souls, yea and strangely answer the Objections that arise in the heart against it! As one that was in great troubles, when Satan tempted her to cut her throat, there was this Objection presently in her heart: O I have made profession of Religion, and how will this open mens mouthes against the good wayes of God? and say, This will be the end of them all that are these forward professors? Unto this Satan presently hinted this: that she might put a little penknife down her throat and that would do it, and would remain there and never be seen, and so no dishonour would come to re­ligion: but now when the Temptation was strengthened, behold, sudden and unexpected comfort and Discoveries of Gods Love came that brought peace to her spirit, and made the Devil go away with shame! O a cunning Devil! and O a gracious God that comes many times when there is but a step between the soul and destruction and makes it to live in his sight. Many ways might be mentioned whereby God hath delivered poor creatures from murdering themselves, as sending some to knock at their doors, when they have been going to hang themselves, sending some providentially to be in those places where they intended to drown themselves: sometimes sending some to dis­course [Page 43] with them about spiritual things where­by they have got some light and hope, and so have been put by that wicked intention; some­times rebuking the Devil and not suffering him to tempt them further, when they have been even almost overcome. But here it must be noted that but few of them that have made away themselves in the world, have done it from despair of mercy, though Judas did so: the only man that we read of in Scripture that murderd himself under terrours of Conscience for sin, which doubtless was permitted by God among other ends, for to clear the Innocency of the Lord Jesus our Mediatour, and to shew the greatness of that sin in betraying the Lord of Life. But though some few in the world have made away themselves through inward despair of Gods mercy, yet others have done it out of worldly discontent and pride, as Ahi­tophel that the Scripture speaks of, that because his Counsel was not followed, went home in a discontent and hanged himself; and how did Nero and many of the Heathens, and many of the Jewes horribly murder themselves when they were in danger because they would not fall into their enemies hands! how many of those Heathens whose wisdom and sayings ma­ny foolishly adore, did thus destroy themselves, sometimes great companies of them together! The greatness of this sin of self-murther might [Page 44] be many wayes made out; It is a breach of the sixth Commandement: Thou shalt do no mur­ther, and self-murder is the greatest murder; it is an unnatural sin; for all creatures indeavour self-preservation: it takes men away from the means of Grace for ever; for there is no work, nor device, nor wisdom in the grave whether they go, Eccles. 9.10. Self-murder refuseth the com­mon courtesie that is in Gods proceedings, in giving a Reprieve for a time before the day of execution; if men fear they shall be damned, yet there is no ground for self-murder; for while a man liveth, there may be mercy for ought he knoweth, God having pardoned such great sinners; and if a man be damned at last, yet self-murder being such a great sin will make mens damnation greater; and though men in despair would fain be dead, yet if they die out of Christ, they will wish themselves upon the earth again: for though they have great ter­rours of Conscience, yet they will have grea­ter in Hell; Selfemurder exceedingly pleases the Devil, and therefore as he is forward to put men upon it, so he is forward to be their Exe­cutioner; To say it is impossible for a man to be saved that commits this wickedness, and thus sins against God, is not so clear, but thus to aggravate the sin, may well be done, it being a sin so great as cannot be exprest! Yet hath Sa­tan drawn the wicked heart of man many times [Page 45] to it; sometimes in terrours of Conscience, but for the most part in excess of Melancholy, and in worldly sorrows and discontents; though those persons will many times pretend that sin is their great trouble; yet the Lord knows, and experienced Christians oftentimes find it out to be but the sorrow of the world, the distractions about earthly things; If God leave a man, he is like a Reed shaken with every wind of Temptation and trouble till he be broken in pieces.

CHAP. VII. The saving work of Gods Spirit upon the Heart.

ITs a mighty work of God to make a man a New Creature, and he alone can do it; we are his workmanship. Ephes. 2.10. [...], his Artificial work, a work wherein the Lord hath shewn singular skil: and God when he makes a man a Saint works very powerfully: therefore Conversion is compared to making children of stones, Mat. 3. to raising the dead, Eph. 2.1. To make our rebellious hearts to stoop to Christ; to turn Satan out of doors, requires Omnipo­tency [Page 46] How doth God in Conversion arm some word to turn a sinners heart? the same word that he hath heard often before, and it took no impression upon him. Is not thy word as an Hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces? Jer. 23.29. But then the Lord must strike with it. A blow of this Hammer with his hand will break a rocky heart in pieces; one blow of his hand; though we strike and strike again, sinners hearts are not broken.

God works very mysteriously in the Con­version of a soul, that the soul it self we see is able to give but a poor account of it. Gods workings are compared to the wind. Joh. 3.8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou knowest not whence it cometh, nor whether it goeth, so it is with every one that is born of the Spirit: the wind as it blows freely, so is it a mysterious thing; we see nothing but the Trees shake and tremble.

And Gods workings are compared to the way of the Spirit, which is a very mysteri­ous thing. Eccl. 11.5. If thou knowest the way of the Spirit, and how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child, then mayest thou know the works of God, who worketh all: and what a Mystery is this! the way of the Spirit, if we understand it of the Angels, or if we un­derstand it of the Spirits of men, children, how the Spirit comes into the child in the womb, and [Page 47] whetherin the Spirit be formed of some matter and of what, and how the Spirit and Life should be in the child so long, and it not to be stifled in the womb, These are mysterious things, and so saith he, is it to know the works of God.

Again, the workings of God in Conversion are compared to the secret Influences of Lea­ven, Matth. 13.33. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a woman that hid a piece of Leaven in three measures of meal until the whole was lea­vened. A mysterious thing how a little leaven spreads it self and leavens the whole Lump: and so how God speaks but a word to the Heart, doth but say to Matthew Follow me, and the soul leaves all and follows Christ: this is a mysterious thing. It is Infinite Grace that God sheweth in the Conversion of a soul, that he should put forth his Almighty power to con­vert us, which he might put forth to damn us and torment us for ever: that he should work Grace when he was not desired, when we sought him not: God first calls, and not the creature: and O that he should work though the creature resist and hang back; we linger in our natural Estate as Lot did in Sodom, and we should tarry in our natural estate till God raigned down fire and brimstone upon us as he did upon Sodom: and now as the Angel while Lot lingred, pulled him forcibly out, so doth the Lord pull us forcibly out, Col. 1.13. He [Page 48] snatcht us out of the power of darkness, so the word signifies: and O how doth God work Grace oftentimes upon the most cross and crabbed natured men, that if they had not Grace, there were no living with them!

In Conversion the Spirit convinceth the soul of sin, as John 16.9. stops it in its sinful course, and the soul seeth the Law meet him many times, as the Angel met Balaam in the way with a drawn sword in his hand, and con­vinces the soul of Righteousness in Christs perfect Righteousness, and draws the soul aban­doning all other Refuges to pitch upon Christ for Life and Acceptance with God: that the soul now it seeth its wound, doth not go to the Law but to the blood of Christ; that the soul saith, Lord, thou providedst me a Garment of Righteousness in Adam, one that is worn out, and is all menstruous rags; and now Lord, thou hast provided me a new Garment of Righteous­ness, the Righteousness of thine own Son, a Garment that will never wax old: Lord, I ac­cept of this Righteousness, I put on this gar­ment of mine elder Brother to come to thee in.

When the soul is converted, Christ becomes the souls all in all for Justification, Sanctificati­on, Consolation: Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and what do I desire in the earth but thee! all but dung, all but dross in comparison of Christ. Communion with God becomes the greatest [Page 49] nourishment and refreshment to the soul: Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, for thou art my exceeding Joy; this is the language of a true Saint.

Sin grows irksom and a tedious burthen to the soul, and not so much for fear of Hell, as from the Love we have to God and Christ, our dear Redeemer. Now the soul thinks that much that God doth for him, and that nothing that he doth for God: he thinks as Solomon, when he dedidated the tem­ple, The Heaven of Heavens is not able to con­tain thee; What is my poor prayers and preach­ing, and service? I with all my duties am less then the least of all the Mercics and kindness that thou hast shown to thy servant.

The soul now is much in the admiration of of Gods love and in desires after it, and in thankfulness for it: Thy loving kindness is bet­ter then Life, Psal. 63,3. though skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his Life. Life is so dear, yet thy loving kindness is better then Life. If a soul that is converted were going to die for Christs sake, that the Grace of God in him costs him his Life, yet he cannot but bless God that ever he had Grace wrought in him.

The soul that is converted, misseth God soon, and cannot miss him long. Psal. 63.1,2. My soul thirsteth to see God as I have seen him in [Page 50] such an Ordinance, in praying, hearing, medi­tating, breaking of bread, and I long to see him as I have seen him in such a Promise in which he hath sometimes strengthned me, quickned me, and revived me when I walkt in trouble.

And the nature of a soul that is converted, is to fear sin most when he fears sin least; that is, to fear to commit sin most when he through the assurance of Gods pardoning mercy to him fears sin least for damning of him.

In Regeneration the Lord infuseth a new life; the seed and habit of Grace, wherein in the Soul is passive at first: God by a Work of his own plucks up all other foundations, and laies down Christ for a foundation in the heart. Isa. 28.16. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I lay in Zinn for a foundation Stone, a tryed Stone, &c. which tryed stone and sure foundation is the Lord Jesus. Now its God that laies in Zion (that is, in the heasts of his people) this Foundation, behold I lay, Its my work saith the Lord: no man himself can lay this Foundation right. O, This is the saving work of Gods Spirit, when as God hath laid Christ for the Foundation in a Soul, that the soul builds all upon. Christ, he beareth the stress and weight of all, as the foundation bears the weight of the building that all our comfort and peace and strength is built upon Christ, and [Page 51] there is now an union between Christ and the soul, as there is between the foundation and the rest of the building; and this union the Lord makes by the Spirit, and by the faith whereby the soul is glued and cemented for ever unto Christ.

CHAP. VIII. The woful Backsliding of many Pro­fessors, and the way of their Reco­very.

MAny Professors are gone back mightily from the Lord, some by error of Judg­ment, some by loosness of Conversation and deadness, and formality, as if they had never been acquainted with the Lord: Its hard to come to a true sense of it, because a man may keep up the outward profession of Religion, he may grow in Gifts, may be in Church­fellowship, and yet be much backsliden in his Spirit: if the Lord will make use of any thing here written to make any sensible of it, and recover them out of it, it were a great Mercy.

Several signs of a backsliding Professor shall be laid down.

1. Sign, If the Conscience be not so tender as to sin, as it hath been, that is a sign of a back­sliding heart; I do not say if the Conscience be not so scrupulous, but if it be not so tender: for when a man comes from under the Law and the Spirit of bondage, he shall not have such a scrupulous conscience as he had before, as peo­ple in that condition many times will scruple Whether they may eat or drink, because they are unworthy of the creature, with iunumera­ble other Scruples of that kind; and it is a great Mercy to be freed from a scrupulous consci­ence; its one way by which God doth in a way of Judgement deprive men of the use of the lawfull comforts of this life when they have them in possession: but I speak of true ten­derness of Conscience a heart standing in a holy fear and aw of Gods word: such a tender Conscience as Joseph had, Gen. 39.9. How shall I do such great wickedness, and so sin against God?

2. Sign, If there be a general neglect of secret Duties, or constant deadness or formality in them, this is a sign of a backsliden heart, when a soul could have watcht for opportunities to pray, and could have prayed with groans and sighs that can not be uttered, and now duties are generally neglected, or we have nothing [Page] but hard hearts, and dry eyes in them.

3. Sign, If there be a general neglect and carelesness of assembling our selves with the Saints, and holding communion with them: its rare to see a man that hath left meetings and Communion of Saints, that doth not fall wo­fully either as to error of conversation.

4. Sign, If there be an itch upon the Spirit after novelty of opinions and teachers; and a dis­regard of those whom the Lord hath made In­struments of good to us heretofore: thus the people forsook Paul, 2 Tim. 1.15. Were not the Galathians much backsliden that now slighted Paul, whom God had made an Instru­ment of so much to them that they would have parted with any thing to him?

5. Sign of backsliding is, If Professors grow worldly and earthly who have sat loose from the world heretofore: Do we see a Professor that now holdeth his hands from doing good to poor Saints, and grows now an oppressor, and is all for racking, and that which is called now in these days by the fine word Improve­ment: know that, that man is backsliden, and gone back.

6. Sign, If men grow careless of offending their Brethren, and will grow touchy with a whole Church. Men usually when they break with God in some secret way, they are never well till they have broken with his People: time [Page 54] was when they could have born more from a single brother then now they can with a whole Church.

7. Sign. If men quite leave off using means to convert their Relations and Neighbours, to draw them to Christ; time was when thou hadst a heart to be speaking of the ways of God to thy friends and neighbours, and now thou canst come into their company, and no­thing but Complements or Worldly discourse: If men leave off to take care of the publique cause and interest of Christ, and mind not whe­ther Religion get ground in the town and country, this is a sad sign of a backsliden heart.

8. Sign. If men grow careless of Gospel­institutions, as hearing the word, Church-fel­lowship, breaking of bread: O, sometimes you counted it above all earthly things to have a name in Gods house, and to see the Lords go­ings in the sanctuary: and now you have no sto­mack: its a sign of want of Spiritual health.

9. Sign. If that though there be some stirring af­fections now and then; yet if the constant frame of the heart be worse then formerly, this is a sign of a backsliden heart; A man through ob­structions may have flushings in his face which may make him look wel; but if his constant com­plexion be pale and wan, we say he is not right: so here; if our hearts are grown dead in duties, hard after the commission of sin, backward to [Page 55] duties, and our thoughts generally vain, it shews some great distemper, though at times by fits we have some stirring Affections.

10. Sign. When we grow high and are puft up with our knowledge, that now all the Saints in Town and Country are nothing to them, and all their gifts they think are nothing to theirs.

11. Sign. When we grow intimate compa­nions of wicked men; the falling at ods with the Saints, and the falling in with wicked men, is a sad sign of a backsliden heart; they are both put together, Mat. 24.49. eating and drink­ing with the drunken, and smiting our fellow ser­vants.

12. Sign. If we cannot bear opposition from the world in our Christian course as we have done, but are fit to comply: time was when we made nothing of scoff and jears, and now we can scarce bear them, but are fit to suit our ways to the world, that they may let us a­lone, this is a sad saln Spirit.

13. Sign, If a mans heart is not affected with the thoughts of Gods free Grace in Christ as here­tofore, this is a sad sign of a spiritual consump­tion: time was when a Sermon of free Grace was like the honey and the hony comb; but if ever God recover us, the Doctrine of Gods free Grace in Christ will be the sweetest Doc­trine in all the world to us.

I shall not stand to aggravate this backsliding and revolting from the Lord, the Lord aggra­vate it upon our Spirits; only that (1) Though the sould be recovered, and come safe to heaven, yet it hinders our present serviceableness to God, and now is our working time; Heaven is the time of receiving, our time of enjoying. (2) The backsliding of professors grieves the Spirit of God more then the sins of other men. (3) They bring an evil report upon the ways of God, that those that are without will say, See what their Religion is, its only a little heat, a sudden passion, such a one hath done going to Sermons and Meetings now. (4) Its a mighty dis heartning to young Beginners to see old Professors backslide and grow so dead. Satan perswades them that they will do so too, and therefore you had as good never enter upon the profession of Religion: you see the ways of God are so strict that they soon grow wea­ry of them; thus Satan temps many young Beginners. (5) Backsliden Professors are dangerous company for any body; wicked men are hardened by their company, and thri­ving Saints are deaded and offended. (6.) That is a great aggravation of our sin herein, that it is without all cause; as the Lord said, Jer. 2.5,6,7. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they have forsaken me? Doth not God keep a good house, and doth he not boun­tifully [Page 57] reward, that we run away from him? (7.) Wicked men are constant, they don't fall off from their wayes, and shall we fall off from the wayes of God? Jer. 2.11,12,13. Have the Nations changed their Gods? but my people have changed their God for that which cannot profit: O shall the Heathens be constant to their dumb Idols, and shall not we be constant to the living God? (8.) Slighting of God after we have had some acquaintance with God is quite contrary to the course of his dealings with us, Ezek. 36.11. God promises to be better to us in the end then in the beginning: He will give us more Communion with him, and glory afterwards then he hath done yet, and if God be better and better to us, shall we grow worse and worse to him? God forbid.

Now O that we might recover, that we might remember from whence we are fallen, and Re­pent and do our first works.

1. Bathe our selves by faith in the blood of Christ for the pardoning of all our backslidings; look upon God in Christ as not ready only to pardon our sins when we were in gross igno­rance, but to heal all our back-slidings, because he loveth us freely, Hos. 14.4. Jer. 3. the be­ginning. Look upon our Father as having a best Robe to put upon a poor Prodigals back, and shoos to put upon his feet: though the poor backsliden soul hath scarce a shoo to his foot, [Page 58] as we say, he hath worn out all. (2.) O look for fresh and new workings of Gods Spirit up­on our hearts, to create in us clean hearts, and renew right spirits within us: Its said of the Lord, that he reneweth the face of the earth: that he doth every Spring, when Winter hath made the earth to look as if it were cloathed with sackcloath: the Lord in the Spring put­teth on a new face and dress upon the earth: the Birds sing, the Trees flourish, the grass grows: this is our case in our Winter of back­sliding, a Winter indeed, O look that God now should bring a spring time upon thy heart, is there not need? (3.) O look at the heart to be renewed: a clean heart saith David, good Lord, after his backsliding, Psalm 51.10. O I would have that bone set right, that I may walk in thy Statutes: that instrument well tuned; Dauid doth not say only Lord, let me never commit Murder and Adultery again, but Lord give me a clean heart; O that hath bred all this mis­chief, the foulness of my heart, Lord therefore cleanse that. (4.) If ever the Lord quicken us again, be more watchful and keep close to God; if we recover out of this dangerous dis­ease, let us have more care of our souls health, have a care of spiritual surfets. (5.) And look that our Recovery be through, that the humour be not only diverted, but purged away. (6.) Count all our outward enjoyments no­thing, [Page 59] but sit mourning in Sion until God gra­ciously visit us. (7.) Labour to see not only in general that we have backslidden, but parti­cularly wherein, that we may return no more to folly.

And those who yet have thriving spirits, keep in with that God that smiles upon you; say not that it is impossible that thy soul should wander as a Bird from her Nest, but watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. Often consider that these last times will be times of much backsli­ding of Professors, 2 Tim. 3. O get particular and distinct Knowledge wherein Professors do commonly backslide, and get your hearts deep­ly affected with them; and remember what special notice God takes of those that keep close to him in a time when many fall off: Thus he took notice of Noah, Gen. 7.1. and of the sons of Zadock, Ezek. 44.15.

Expect to be tempted and tried by an hour of temptation, and look not only to be tryed as to conversation, but as to Judgement; as to Opinions, Sathan will have a bout with you with that Weapon of Error: How many are fallen off that way; but labour to have more grounds out of the Word and clearer light for all you hold: Let plain Christians who have no skil in Controversies, yet furnish themselves with Scriptures for every point, as for the Godhead of Christ, Justification by Christ, and [Page] the like, and labour to have your hearts given up to the Truth you know: put not your selves upon Temptations in hearing every body, sus­pect those Opinions that neither further your Communion with God nor his most holy Peo­ple, but straiten you in both; stick close to the Word, and not move a hairs breadth from it: Don't love to dispute against that which you are convinced to be Truth, to shew your parts and reach; Take in the benefit of other light in your doubts, and look up to the Spirits gui­dance to lead you into all Truth.

CHAP. IX. Of Assurance and peace of Conscience.

ALL Believers have not Assurance: some Believers walk in darkness and see no light, Esay 50.10. A true Saint may be in great doubtings, so great as Heman complains, that his troubles were so great that they did as i [...] were distract him; yea a Believer may be a long time in that condition, Psalm 88.15. Heman was so exercised from his youth up: There are several causes why many Believers are in great doubts about their spiritual estates; as [1.] want of constant meditation upon Gods free Grace [Page 61] in Christ. (2:) Falling into great sins. (3.) The often prevailing of the same corruption. (4.) Want of answers of prayers. (5.) Some great cross and affliction that is befallen them, that they are tempted to think would never have befallen them if the Lord loved them: this mistake hath disturbed the peace of many a Child of God. (6.) The not meeting with communion with God in Duties; if God loved me saith the soul, would he let me come and go from his Ordinances and take no notice of me? (7.) The subtile Disputes of Satan against our Sincerity in the ways of God many times baffle us and make us fit to give up the cause. (8.) The observing that a Hypo­crite may go far, strikes many a Child of God into a great fear whether he be gone beyond a Hypocrite or no? (9.) Unacquaintedness with Gods workings upon our hearts; we know but in part: as we know not all the evil in our hearts, so a Saint doth not know all the good and Grace that God hath put into them. (10.) The weakness of Grace, but like a graine of mustard seed in our hearts, the least of all seeds: so Faith and Sincerity lies like a small mustard seed among huge clods of corruption, and the soul hath much ado many times to see this grain of mustard seed among these clods. Thus and many other wayes a true Child of God may fall into great doubts and fears about [Page 62] his spiritual estate; indeed if men know of no workings that have been upon their spirits, its a sign they are yet in a natural estate: the Saint of God knows that there have been workings of the Spirit and convictions upon him; but he feareth that they were but common workings, such as are upon Hypocrites and Reprobates, and not the saving work of Gods Spirit, that he questions whether he hath gone beyond the stony-ground hearers many times.

So that there is great need of the witness of the Spirit, besides all our evidences to put the matter out of doubt, that we are effectually called, and so it is writen, Rom. 8.15. The Spi­rit himself witnesses with our spirits that we are the sons of God; He makes a heart-affecting discovery of the love of God in Christ to the soul, Rom. 5.5. excites and stirs up Faith in the heart to act afresh upon the Lord Jesus, works some joy in the soul from the apprehen­sion of our Acceptance in Christ. The Holy Ghost sometimes in assuring us of Gods love in Christ, takes Promises in the Scriptures and sets them with power upon the heart, as, I am He that blotteth out thy Transgressions for my own Names sake, and will remember thy sins no more; Not that all words of Scripture that are cast into our minds are from the Spirit of the Lord, but sometimes from Satan; sometimes Promi­ses come into our minds in an ordinary way, as [Page 63] other things come to mind that we have read or heard; but when any word of Scriptute is given in and applied in a way of comfort to our spi­rits from the Spirit of God, (1.) It will take some Impression, though it may be that when the Spirit comes to comfort and witness, he ma­ny times comes not with such irresistibility as when he comes to sanctifie: yet some Impres­sion it will have upon the heart, if not to fill it with joy and Triumphing of spirit, yet some way to support it and bear it up. (2.) If it come from the Spirit, it will be suitable and sea­sonable to our condition; as if a poor Saint be in affliction, and the Holy Ghost should give in such a word as that in Heb. 12.9. He afflicts us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holiness, this is a seasonable word; but ma­ny will say, that such a Scripture was given in to them in such a condition when as the Scrip­ture was nothing suitable to their condition, but they mistook the meaning of the place. (2.) When the Spirit giveth in Scripture, usu­ally (though not alwayes,) it is when the soul is in some strait, some great strait, and then he giveth them in some word upon which he caus­eth them to hope. (4.) Such words of Pro­mise as the Spirit applies thus to a soul, are very dear to the soul ever after, yea it makes the whole Word of God more dear to them, and such words do abide upon the memory very [Page 64] long. (5.) They raise up thankfulness in the heart. (6.) They do not cherish us in any way of sin: if you thought you had any word from the Lord to put you upon any thing that the Word saith is sin, then you were mistaken. Somtimes the Spirit of God in comforting and witnessing to us doth not make use of any par­ticular places and Promises, but makes a gene­ral Discovery of the Gospel and New Cove­nant, and applies that to the soul, and shews him that he hath an Interest in the New Cove­nant; that he is one of those whose Names are written in heaven, and is sprinkled with the blood of Christ which cleanseth him from all sin.

This also I would here note, that the Spirit of God doth speak peace to the consciences of many Believers that yet think they have no peace, and question the truth of Grace in their hearts. I say, though it comes not so high as Ravishments of spirit, yet the Holy Ghost in some more secret way hath quieted their hearts; How comes it to pass else that those Believers notwithstanding all their doubtings, yet do really and experimentally find that they can go to God as to a Father in prayer, & they are carried out to put all their cases to God, and trust him with all their concernments; and they find that the rancour of their spirits is taken off against the Lord; these things declare plainly that in some secret way the Spirit of God hath [Page 65] quieted their hearts and given them some sa­tisfaction concerning their sincerity and Truth of Grace, though it hath not been so plain as to some other Saints that have had full assu­rance and abundance of joy in the Holy Ghost thereupon.

Let not the Saints be impatient and fret to do evil, if the Spirit don't presently give them assurance; neither let them think that they shall never have assurance because they have been long without it; The Lord oftentimes lets things come to the worst before he sends help: Peace and Assurance may be very near when thou thinkest that there is almost now no hope; yea, this is observable that when the Holy Spi­rit shall give assurance after much doubting, that assurance oftentimes is more lasting then others that have had comfort sooner.

But God lets some even spend their dayes in sighing and their years with heaviness, and even mourn out their eyes and hearts, and find no rest and peace in Believing; the Lord makes known to us by such examples the bitterness of sin, the power of his Terrours, the danger of backsliding and that he only can speak peace.

Let Christians beware of getting a habit of complaining and doubting, as I have known some have got such a habit of complaining, that upon all occasions, and in all company they must be laying out their doubtings; not but that [Page 66] Christians should make known their troubles and fears in suitable times one to another, both that others seeing the straits that they are in, may pray the more for them, and might com­fort them with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God: but I say many have such a habit of complaining, that I had al­most said, whether they have doubts and trou­bles upon their spirits or no, they think it not well if they have not some complaint to make, and think that their godly friends expect it al­wayes from them.

Some not considering what Faith is, viz. the souls being brought off from all other things to depend and relie upon the Lord Jesus for eter­nal life, they bear false witness against them­selves that they do not believe in Christ, think­ing that faith is nothing but some high Ravish­ments and almost perfection; whereas ask such souls, Hath the Lord convinced you of your miserable estate by nature, both in respect of the damning and domineering power of sin? and they can truly say yea; the Lord hath con­vinced me of this; Ask them further Hath the Lord shewn you that all your own Righteous­ness can never save you, nothing but a crucified Christ can do it? the soul can truly say yes, the Lord hath powerfully convinced me of this; ask the soul further. Hath the Lord ever made you truly sensible that you could not believe in [Page 67] your own strength, but Faith was the Lords free gift? and the soul can truly say yes; the Lord hath made me sensible of this; and you ask further, Did you ever find an Almighty power of Gods Spirit drawing your heart to Christ, to take him for the Lord your Righteous­ness, so that your troubled soul found rest and peace from his Blood? yea, the soul saith truly, This I have felt in some measure; why here is true Faith and Assurance, and yet many a poor soul not considering that this is the saving work; but seeing that it comes short in many things, doth question whether it be in Christ or no, whereas open and unravel but the work of Grace, and say, Have you gone this step and the other step? and it can say truly that These things God hath wrought in me.

How much means is used to many, and yet they can find no comfort and peace of consci­ence? The Covenant of Grace is clearly open­ed to them, servent prayers are put up to God for them, the experiences of other Saints are made known to them, but all will not do it: for indeed the Lord only can speak peace to the soul, he is the God of peace.

But let those that have peace of conscience and Assurance, be thankful for it as a great mer­cy; for all Saints have it not: indeed it is a great mercy, it yields much present refreshment to the soul; what will make us glad if the light [Page 68] of Gods Countenance will not? And so doth Assurance of Gods Love stand us in great stead in time of Afflictions; it keeps the soul from sinking in great Afflictions: it keeps Satan from many advantages, yea when we come to die, and look that King of Terrours in the face: Assurance of Gods Love makes grim Death look smilingly in our Eye.

CHAP. X. The Ministry of Angels, and their ser­viceableness to the Church.

THough curious and unscriptural Notions about the Angels are to be avoided: yet these things that the Scriptures reveal of them and their Ministry, are very profitable to be known. The Angels are called spirits, and a flame of fire, Heb. 1.7. They are active and quick at the Lords work; they are as a flame of fire not only for their terribleness but for their quikness; how quick fire goes out of a Gun, and how quick is a flash of lightning! The Angels were very forward to perform their service to the Lord Jesus; an Angel brought news to Mary that she should be the mother of [Page 69] our Lord, Luke 1.27.28. An Angel at Christs birth told the Shepherds the glad tidings of Christs coming into the world, and a multitude of them praised God, saying, Glory be to God in the Highest, on earth peace, and good will to men, Luke 2.9,13,14.

They had command to worship the Lord Jesus, Heb. 1.6. When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the Angels of God worship him; but why must all the Angels of God worship Christ when he came into this world, and was made flesh? (1.) To own and acknowledge Christ to be God now in that mean estate, the form of a ser­vant that he had put himself into; for worship only belongs to him that is God. (2) To acknowledge the benefit of confirmation that they have by the Lord Jesus, by whom they are made immutably happy. (3.) To shew an example unto men to worship and honor Christ, when as the Angels that are more excellent creatures do it. (4.) To shew their admi­ration of that glorious and wonderful way of Salvation by Jesus Christ.

And then at Christs death, the Angels came and ministred unto him, and strengthened him. And as the Angels were forward to do service to Christ: so they are to minister to the Saints; for the Lord hath made them ministring spirits to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation, The [Page 70] Lord makes use of them to keep his people out of many dangers, Psalm 21.11,12. He hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes; they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone; indeed God is so careful of his people, that he would not trust all the Angels in heaven wholly with the safety of his people, but hath given them unto Christ to be their Leader and Com­mander and bring them unto Glory, who will lose none of all that the father hath given him; who hath Infinite Power and Wisdom to ma­nage all their concernments; but the Angels are Ministers under Christ to be helpful to the Saints as the Pastors of Churches are Overseers, and have the charge of the flock under him al­so; And so the Angels lift up the Saints many times as Nurses do little children, that they don't dash their feet against a stone, whom every little thing would throw down; They have their Orders from Christ whose Ministers they are to do his pleasure; therefore Christ is said to sit between the Cherubins, Psal 99.1. to shew how he hath the Angels fit to send upon his De­signs: and how often doth he send them to encamp round about the Saints in their dan­gers and deliver them? and because of the An­gels serviceableness to the Saints, they are cal­led their Angels, Matth. 18.10.

The Lord giveth them great Power for to per­form [Page 71] this service and Ministry to the Saints; we see that the Angel, Act. 20.7,10. that was sent to fetch Peter out of prison, he did but touch him and his chains fell off, and when they came to the Iron gate it presently opened; the Lord gi­veth the Angels power over the fiercest crea­tures, that when Daniel was thrown into the Lions Den, the Lord sent an Angel and shut the Lions mouthes, that they should not hurt him, Dan. 6.32.

And as they serve the Saints in other things, so in destroying of their enemies; as an Angel smote Herod with death, Act. 10.23. Yea 1 Kings, 19.35. in that great strait that Heze­kiah and the people of God were in, when that huge Army of the Assyrians came against them, the Lord, the text saith sent an Angel that smote in one night on kundred fourscore and five thousand of them, whom they left all dead corpses. Its a wonderful Execution.

When Lazarus died, he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom, Luke 16. As they do rejoyce in the conversion of a soul, so in the finishing of our course; and are joyful to bring us home to our Fathers house: yea, the Scripture tels us that the Lord will send the An­gels at the last day to gather his people together from the four Winds, who will know them all in the utmost corners of the earth, having been ministring spirits unto them.

[...] may be stirring affections and freedom of speech from the apprehension of popular applause in some Auditories; but gracious men know a dif­ference between those inlargements and the soul-humbling assistance of Gods spirit. (10) Gods Spirit gives to his servants many times a more then ordinary assistance in their labors amongst the Saints for their sakes, for their quickning, comforting, strengthning and edifi­cation, whose building up was one great end of the ordinance of the Ministry, Eph. 4.10,11,12. (11) Gods Spirit gives his servants affections in preaching, as Zeal, Compassion to souls, and the like; but though something of this may be observed by the hearers in the delivery of the word; yet not so as to the Preacher himself by the observing of the in­ward frame of his heart: some mens tone and art of speaking may counterfeit affections, and other mens age and weakness of speech may hide very spiritual affections in that work.

(6) The blessed Spirit is the great thing in reading and hearing of the word. (1) How clearely will the Spirit open a Scripture to a mans understanding? when a man hath read many Expositors, the Spirit of God is pleased many times to be the best Commentator. (2) How the Spirit of God applyes the word read or preached with power many times upon the conscience, and indeed then comes the word [Page 85] with power when it cometh in the Holy Ghost, 1 Thes. 1.5. and we should not observe only what we read or heard, but what impressi­ons the Spirit of God made upon the hearts in reading or hearing. Those which Peter preacht to, Act. 10. the holy Ghost fell on them: when it is so with hearers, then the word affects them indeed. (3) The Spirit of God in hearing of the word sometimes enlargeth a soul and en­lightneth it into a Truth far beyond what the Preacher made out in expressions. (4) Yea, the Spirit makes use of some passage in a Ser­mon many times to work upon a soul that was but a parenthesis and circumlocution or reflexi­on upon the hearers ignorance and dulness, things that many would think might very well have been left out.

(7) The Spirit of God is of infinite use to us to lead us into Truth, Joh. 16.13. He leads Believers into all truth, all necessary truth to Salvation. Gods spirit doth as it were print a body of divinity in the hearts of Believers, and though many of them be of weak Judgement, and not able to answer the subtile Arguments that may be brought against a Truth, yet Gods Spirit keeps them in the Truth that they are not led aside.

(8) The Spirit brings things to our re­membrace, John 14.26. That though ma­ny an honest heart when he hath read or heard [Page 86] the word, complains he can remember very little, yet Gods Spirit will bring things seaso­nably to their Remembrance, that it may be many years after, when by reason of some Temptation or affliction they have most need of such a truth, then they have such a place of Scripture, or such a passage of a sermon heard long ago brought to their Remembrance by Gods spirit, and shall be of mighty use to them. The conscionable and diligent hearing and reading of the word is frequently blessed with seasonable remembrance: yea Gods Spirit hath sometimes convinced and converted a soul by bringing things to Remembrance that were read or heard many years ago, and then took no impression upon the soul, that the benefit of hearing and reading of the word both by Be­lievers and Unbelievers doth not always ap­pear upon that instant, but it may be a great while af [...]r.

CHAP. XIII. The Covenant between God the Fa­ther, and the Lord Iesus our Surety.

ITs a thing of unspeakable comfort to know that the Covenant of Grace is an everlast­ing Covenant, and that it was principally made with Christ as the head of the Elect; several things shew, that there was a Covenant and A­greement between God the Father & the Lord Jesus concerning the work of Redemption; Christ being called the surety of the better Co­venant, Heb. 7.22. shews that there was a Cove­nant between God the Father and him, as there is between a Creditor and a Surety, that Christ gave Bonds (as it were) to God the Father, and payed the debt: when Christ is called Gods servant, Esay 42.1. holds forth as much, that though Christ as to his Divine nature was equal with God, yet as Mediatour he became the Fathers servant; God the Father and he agreed and Covenanted about the doing of this great. Work of saving sinners. Yea in Psalm 89.28. God the Father saith, my Covenant shall stand fast with him, that is, which Christ (for many things in that Psalm shew, that its to be interpreted of Christ,) so then there is a Co­venant [Page 88] that God the Father hath made with Christ the Mediatour, which Covenant the Lord saith shall stand fast; upon this account the Lord Jesus is said Revel. 13.8. to be the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the world, because that it was agreed and Covenanted be­tween God the Father & Christ, that he should in the fulness of time be made flesh, and die for sinners, and therefore it was said to be done from the Foundation of the world, because so it was written in the Volume of Gods Book, that the Lord Jesus had agreed to come to do the will of God, Heb. 10. which was to offer up one Sa­crifice for sins for ever, which was himself; and for the same Reason it is said, that the Promises are made to Abrahams seed which is Christ, Gal. 3.16. not to seeds as of many; but they are prin­cipally made to one saith he, and that is Christ; and this the Apostle asserts, 2 Tim. 1.9. when he saith we are saved and called, not accord­ing to our works, but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus be­fore the world began: which shews that God the Father and Christ dealt together about the Redemption of souls before the world began; and all things agreed on and made sure be­tween them. This the Lord Jesus means, John 10.16. when he saith, there were other sheep which he must bring home; why must he bring them home? how was he bound to it? only by [Page 89] this Covenant and Agreement with God the Father wherein he had covenanted to do it.

Thus then it may be expressed in three parti­culars:

• 1. God the Father decreed the salvation of the Elect; all those expressions where he is said to chuse them, love them with an everlast­ing Love, evince so much.
• 2. God the Father appointed the Lord Jesus to be the Way and means by which they should be saved; therefore is Christ said to be appointed by God the Father, Heb. 3.2. there­fore God is said to lay help upon him for poor sinners, Psalm 89. and therefore God is said to appoint us to obtain by our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thes. 5.7. this is everywhere spoken of in the Scripture.
• 3. God the Father made a sure Covenant with the Lord Jesus, and agreed with him that he should do this great Work of bringing ma­ny sons unto glory.

And so as we may express it to our Capacities under the Notion of a Covenant, there were several things agreed on between God the Fa­ther and Christ our Mediatour.

1. They agreed of price what that Ransom should be that should discharge poor sinners, and make full satisfaction to Gods Justice; and it was agreed that it should be the death and blood-shedding of the Lord Jesus! this is ex­pressed, [Page 90] Heb. 10. where Christ saith to God the Father, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, according to the Law, but in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me, Lo I come to do thy will O God, that is, I come to give thee satisfaction according to thy own heart by that which we agreed upon, My own death.

2. They agreed of the time of payment; therefore it is said, Gal. 4. when the fulness of time was come God sent his Son, that is, when the time that was agreed upon between the Father and Christ, was come, then Christ was sent forth, not that Christ had time given him be­cause he was not able to pay our debt before, but God saw that the fittest time, after the Church had been so long under Ceremonies and hard services, then Christ comes forth to purchase a Redemption from sin and those things to, that we might see more of the great Benefits we have by him.

3. It was agreed what power the Lord Jesus should have to carry on the work of Redemp­tion, and all power was given to him, Mat. 28. and John 17.2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him; Now Christ as God had of himself power over all things, but now as Mediatour, God the Father gives him pow­er over all flesh; and so Ephes. 1.22. God the Father is said to have given Christ to be Head [Page 91] over all things to the Church: Now Christ as God was Head over all things without any gi­ving of it to him: but Christ as Mediator hath it given to him to be Head over all things to the Church, that is, for the benefit of the Church, that so the Lord Jesus is the Head over all things, hath command over the good An­gels, Devils, men and all creatures for the good of the Church, whose Head he is in another manner then he is Head of all things: so I say, this was agreed that the Lord Jesus should have universal power and dominion for the mana­ging of this great Work.

4. It was agreed in this Covenant between the Father and Christ, that the sins and failings of Christs members should not break the Co­venant that the Father and Christ had made for their salvation; therefore it is said in that 89. Psalm from 23. to 32. that the Covenant should stand fast with Christ; and saith God, if Christs children break my Commandements, I will visit their Iniquity with a Rod, I will have liberty saith God, to chastise them and whip them home when they play the Prodigals and wander from my House: but then it shall not break the Covenant that they sin against me, but I will pardon their iniquities, and remember their sins no more.

Upon the account of this Covenant between the Father and Christ, the Lord Jesus is said to [Page 92] trust God the Father as Mediatour, Heb. 2.13. Behold, I put my trust in him: and again, behold I and the children which God hath given me. Christ as Mediatour trusted God the Father to carry him through the great work of his Me­diation. (2.) He trusted him that he would accept of his death. (3.) He trusted him that in the appointed time he would bestow all the good things purchased by his death upon them for whom he died: which good things were especially forgiveness of sins, the Spirit, Sancti­fication, and eternal life; God the Father had trufted Christ with the salvation of his people, with which he would not have trusted all the Angels in Heaven: and therefore Christ might well trust God the Father in this matter; Christ knew Gods infinite Love to those for whom he died, and knew the Covenant between the Fa­ther and him on their behalf, and so trusted the Father fully in the business, relying upon the love and faithfulness of God: his love to the Elect, and his faithfulness to keep Covenant with him.

CHAP. XIV. The Saints Comfort against Death.

DEath in it self is the King of Terrours, a very terrible thing, (1.) In it self it is part of the curse, in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die: thou shalt be lyable to tempo­ral and eternal death when I please to exe­cute it; but indeed death is not kept up to the Saints as a curse, but as a servant to carry them home to their Fathers House. (2.) Death is an abhorrency to Nature, that nature dreads it exceedingly: it parts the soul and body that have been such intimate acquaintance, it leaves the body to be a dead carcass fit for nothing but to be laid among the clods of the earth. (3.) Its terrible to flesh and blood, as it de­priveth men of the comforts of this present life; it carrieth us from all the comforts of wife, chil­dren, friends, estate. Sigismund the Empe­rour when he was near death, charged them that were about him that they should not name death in his hearing; belike the thoughts of it were very terrible to him. (4.) Death is ter­rible to many mens thoughts in respect of the suddeness of it: sudden death comes sometimes, (1.) by a sudden decay of nature, such disea­ses [Page 94] as the Apoplexy may be breeding in the bo­dy that shall pluck down this earthly Taber­nacle in one moment. (2.) Sometimes by Accidents from without, as fire, enemies, falls, and the like. (3.) Sometimes by a sudden stroak of Gods hand when there is no natural cause, but men might live a great while: Thus God cuts off many in the midst of their dayes; not but that all men live to the time appointed and set down by God; but that the Lord cuts them off from that time, when they might ac­cording to the course of nature live a great while-longer: Thus the Lord smote Herod sud­denly with death; the hundred and fourscore and five thousand of the Assyrians in one night, Esay 37.36. (5.) The unavoidableness of death makes it terrible to the thoughts, that the stout­est spirits see they cannot grapple with it; what man is he that liveth and shall not see death? who can deliver himself from the power of the grave? Psalm 89.48. Death fetches a General out of his Tent when he lyeth environed with armed men; Death fetches the Prince out of his Pa­lace, goes through all his Life-guard, and none can withstand him: so that men of brave and stout spirits have no courage to deal with death, but their valour is turned into fear and amazement. (6.) The pains and pangs of death make it terrible to the thoughts of flesh and blood: to think what a strange confusion [Page 95] then will be in the spirits, when the eye-strings and heart-strings crack, and man can exercise no more his spirit and understanding. (7.) That which above all makes death terrible unto ma­ny, is the consequence of it, that after death comes the Judgement, the particular day of Judgement presently; O saith many an unwa­kened conscience, O what shall I do to appear before God to make up my accounts to him! so that the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 15. that the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law; that is, that the greatest sting of death is for a mans sins to be unpardoned, & unforgi­ven, & the strength and power that sin hath to damn is from the Law, that it is the breach of Gods holy Law; but he tels us that Believers are freed from the damning power of sin, and from the curses of the Law through Christ Je­sus; as terrible as death is to nature, flesh and blood, and to a man that fears hell, because it is the day of execution to all that are out of Christ; yet a Saint may look upon death with comfort; for though it be a dark entry, yet it leads to our Fathers House where are many Mansions, though it be a rough passage, yet it lands us safe in Heaven; infinite advantage comes to a Believer by death. (1.) Perfect enjoyment of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the sight of whose blessed face shall fill us in Heaven with unconceivable joy for ever. [Page 96] (2.) Clear understanding of God, his Grace and the mysterie of all his dealings with us in the world; now we see all these darkly, but the Apostle saith, then we shall see face to face; now how poor and confused is our knowledge; how little a portion know we of the Almighty, and of his Grace to us! then all will be clear. (3.) Freedom from sin, which though it doth not raign in Believers now, yet then it shall not in the least remain, but they shall be Holy throughout. (4.) Freedom from afflictions whereof all Gods children are partakers more or less in their Pilgrimage. (5.) Freedom from all Temptations either to sin or for sin. (6.) Spiritual and full enjoyment of the Saints, and not of Saints in their weaknesses and mistakes, which yet we in our Pilgrimage do rightly judge to be a great mercy; but then we shall enjoy communion with Saints, full of the Spirit, Saints made perfect; Many parti­culars might be added to these, which shall be omitted for brevities sake, but two questions must here be briefly resolved.

Quest. 1. How comes it to pass that many natu­ral men will often wish they were dead, and many time die like lambs, and others murder them­selves?

Answ. 1. Its seldom a real desire that ig­norant people have to die, but a sinful custo­mary expression. (2.) If they be in good ear­nest, [Page 97] it ariseth from ignorance. (1) Igno­rance, what a serious thing it is to die. (2) Ig­norance of their own condition; they think they are in Christ, and that so death will be an end of all troubles to them. (3) Ignorance of the torments of hell, as if they were not greater then the troubles they have here for which they wish themselves dead. (3) Those that murder themselves, are either so distracted by excess of Melancholy, or so dejected by some outward crosses, or so overwhelmed with de­spair, or so confounded in their understandings by Satan, that they are not able to put forth scarce a serious or rational thought, but are car­ried with a strange confusion, and hurry of thoughts into any thing.

2. But then it will be asked. Why many gra­tious persons seem to be wonderfully a fraid of death before it come, and die with very little Comfort seemingly upon their spirits, but ra­ther trouble?

Answ. 1. So far as a Saint is flesh and blood, and so far as there is corruption in him, so far death will be terrible to him; yet in the mean while the regenerate part in him desires to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, as that which is best of all; but as Ridley said when he came to die, I am not afraid, but the flesh will have its course. (2) A Saint knoweth more then other men what a serious thing it is to die, he [Page 98] considereth the account that is to be given to God, and the straitness of the way that lead­eth to eternal Life, and many times is not so assured of Gods love in Christ, and this damps his spirit as to death. (3) Though a Saint some­time seems to be unwilling to die, yet before the Lord takes them away he usually makes them not only willing but desirous to die, to be with Christ, and that is a wonderful thing how God can in one moment turn the scales in these things, and make that Saint that even now trembled at the thoughts of death, now to say, Lord, here am I, When wilt thou send for me home? This the Saints have some­times experience of. (4) Their Comfort at death may be damped much, and seeming trou­ble appear to standers by through some secret strong temptations of Satan, or through vio­lence of their disease.

CHAP. XV. The Holiness of Believers.

HOliness is most properly to be urged up­on Believers more then upon natural men; the great thing and the first thing that they are to do, is to believe in Christ, and af­ter they are in Chrst, then they are to be ur­ged to walk holily in him. Believers are to be holy both in soul and body, not only in the thoughts of their hearts, but in all the actions of the outward man: The Apostle Paul urg­eth the holiness of the outward man, of the bo­dy as well as the heart, by six arguments, all laid down in the sixth chapter of the first epile to the Corinthians. His first Argument is, v. 13. How the body is not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, that is, the Lord he is for the body of believers as well as the soul: he hath a care of their bodies, of their outward man, and bestowes many mercies upon the outward man, and therefore saith the Apostle, there is all the reason in the world that the body, the outward man should be for the Lord. His second Argument is in the 14. verse; he saith, that God will raise up our bodies at the last; there is much in that; if God [Page 100] will at last raise up the bodies of Believers, and glorifie them, and make them like to Christs glorious body: O, how should they glorifie God with their bodies now in the mean while! His third Argument is, That our bodies are the mem­bers of Christ, v. 15. His fourth Argument is, That our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost, v. 19. His fift Argumentis, That we are not our own. neither bodies nor souls, v. 19. His last ar­gument is, that we are bought with a price, v. 20. All these Arguments are very strong for a Be­lievers glorifying of God with his body as well as with his soul, both which are the Lords.

Several Arguments may be brought for the Saints holiness in general, as (1) the Grace of God in Christ should be such a prevailing Argument to holiness, that where there is any Gospel-ingenuity, we should reason as the A­postle doth, We were dead, and we judge that Christ having died for us to save us, that its but reason we should live to him, saith he in that place, 2 Cor. 5.14,15. the love of Christ constrains us, [...], the word signifies it keeps in, it stops, restrains, bridles: we have corrupt and wicked hearts by nature; but when a man comes to be in Christ the love of Christ doth bridle cor­ruption, it puts a mighty stop to it. (2) Sin is contrary to the work of God upon the heart of a poor creature when he converts him to Jesus Christ. (3. All sin is a transgression [Page 101] of Gods holy Law, 1 Joh. 3.4. and that is a great matter. (4) Sin is contrary to one great end of Christs coming, which was to destroy the Works of the devil, 1 John 3.5. Eph. 5 25.26. Titus 2.14. (5) Sins of Believers harden natural men, and embolden them in their sins, when they see them that have knowledge, and profess Religion, to do such things. (6) Christ that is our head, is holy; that is one of the Apostles Arguments why we should be holy. 1 John 3.5. in him saith he, is no sin, in Christ your head. O strive to be like him. (7) God dwels among his people in an intimate way of presence: Num. 5.1,2,3. There shall no uyclean thing be fomnd among you, because the Lord dwels in the midst of you: This is a strong Argument, the hearts of Believers are as it were the presence Chamber of the King of Glory; and shall not they be swept and clean? (8) Sin is con­trary to the use that Believers are designed to in the world they are to be lights of the world: sin makes them but dark Lanthorns; they are to be the salt of the earth to keep the world from stinking and putifying. (9) God hath glory from others by the holiness of his people; when they see our good works, they glorifie our Father which is in he aven. (10) Sin darkens the soul, and hinders it in its communion with God.

There are some corruptions in the hearts of [Page 102] Believers that do exceedingly dismay them as if they would never be subdued. Sons of Anak indeed, that we and all our graces look but like grashoppers in comparison of those great Goliabs; but God that at first infused such gracious qualities and habits, when we were stark dead in trespasses and sins; how ea­sily can he subdue the strongest corruptions in our hearts that believe! God that first con­verted Paul when he was in his ful speed against Christ, can pluck out the thorn in the flesh; 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9. He tels him that his Grace was sufficient for him: There are many things that Believers should have in their eye, as to holiness; as, (1) to avoid Temptation. (2) Get sound Repentance for former sins, which may prevent much sin for the future. (3) Take heed to the word, as our Rule in all our walk­ings, Psal. 119. (4) Pray servently and im­portunately against every lust. (5) But above all act faith; put forth your faith upon the Lord Jesus for the subduing of corruption; the heart, and so also the life is purified by faith in him. Act. 15.9. It is not a mans resolu­tions and vows against sin: it is not the auste­rity of the Papists, it is not the doing of so ma­ny outward things that will kill a corruption in the heart, but Christ believed on in the heart. For by faith, (1) we are ingraffed in­to Christ as our stock, that so we may grow up­on [Page 103] a new root, that by faith, as John 15.1,2,3,4,5. we are implanted into Christ. Now as the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the vine, no more can we except we abide in him: (2) By faith we get some hope and courage against sin that it shall be subdued, and are freed from those fears that cut off endeavours and sink the soul. (3) By Faith a soul is enabled to apply, pleade and ar­gue the promises that are made against the prevailing of sin in Believers, of which sort there are many in the word, as Jer. 31.31,32. Ezek. 36.26,27. Rom. 6.14. (4) By faith we receive the Spirit from Christ, which is he that can mortifie the deeds of the flesh, the strongest corruptions in the world. (5) Yea if we have not so much holiness in the outward bulk, yet it gives much comfort to a soul when it finds that the little holiness he hath doth flow from union with Christ, and that such a corruption was mortifyed meerly by faith in Christ.

CHAP. XVI. Of the gathering of Believers into Church-fellowship.

1. THis thing hath been wofully mistaken and neglected, that there is no differ­ence in most places between within and with­out, between the Church and the World, (2.) It is the duty of all that can to joyn them­selves to some Church of Saints for communi­on, as Paul when he was converted assayed to join himself to the Disciples, Act. 9. (3.) We are not to stay to be put into Church-order by the Laws of the Magistrate, seeing Christ who is the Head of the Church hath appointed the order of his House; the first Churches embo­died and walked in Church-fellowship when the Magistrate was against them and persecuted them: usually those that stay while the Magi­strate settles things in the Church, will submit to any thing right or wrong that the Magistrate shall appoint. (4.) There are many Privi­ledges of Believers joyned in Church fellow­ship, enjoying the Ordinances in Christs way, and watching over one another, comforting one another, yea such a presence of God as we [Page 105] seldom find out of it; hence it is said, that in his Temple, that is, in his Church every one speaks of his Glory, Psalm 29.9. God is known in Si­ons Palaces for a Refuge, Psalm 48.2,3. I am like a green Tree in the House of God, which House is his Church, Psalm 52.8. In Judah is God known, his Name is great in Israel; in Salem also is his Tabernacle, his dwelling place in Sion. Psalm 76.1,2. Blessed are they that dwell in thy House, they will be still praising thee. They shall meet with such blessed communion with God, Psalm 84.4. However those that are in Church­fellowship may not find all this through the deadness and formality of their hearts: yet all this provision is in Gods House. (5.) There is no Rule for partaking of the Lords Supper but in Church-fellowship: the Lords Table is to stand in his House, which is a Church of Saints. (6.) To find out the way of Church fellowship and Gospel-order, the way is not to go unto Antiquity, unless we go as high as the Apostles dayes; though something may be gathered to clear the Congregational way from the first centuries, but afterwards super­stition and ignorance came in like a Flood: it hath been the time of the Beasts Raign, and Sa­tans being loose to deceive the Nations: and therefore say not The former days were better then these; what a dark mid-night was it in Wickliffs time, 1371, and in John Husse's time [Page 106] when he was condemned? who would frame things now according to the way of the profes­sing party of the world in those times? and what were the Bishops times when we were so overspread with superstition, that as a godly man saith, the Table was an Altar, the Minister was a Priest, and the Sacrament was a Sacrifice, and there wanted nothing to be added to it but the Name of Mass, and to call it the Sacrifice of the Mass; there are many Promises in the Scripture that there shall be much light in the last dayes, Knowledge shall abound. (7.) A particular Church is a company of visible Saints that join themselves voluntarily together to enjoy the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus among themselves, and to build up one another in their most holy faith: this appears by the Epistles to the Church of Rome, Corinth, Ephesus & the rest, where they are called Saints, faithful, Brethren, sanctified in Christ Jesus, such as the Lord had begun a good work in, Phil. 1.6,7. The Apostle saith it was meet to think so of every member of that Church: yea, he calleth the members of the Church of the Thessalonians Elect, 1 Thes. 1.4. and giveth the Reason, ver. 5. because that the Gospel came to them not in word only, but with power and the Holy Ghost and much assu­rance; not but that in those Churches there might be some that in the sight of God might be unbelievers; but when they were taken in­to [Page] to those Churches, they had such knowledge and Grace, that so far as the Church could judge, they could own them to be effectually called. Many shifrs may be found out to with­stand the Truth, but (if the Epistles to the Churches be weighed, and the practice of the Apostles in the first Churches) they are of no weight. (8.) Whatsoever corruption crept into the Church of Corinth, & other Churches, doth no way alter the case; for they were all visible Saints when they were first gathered; and the Incestuous person and such were to be Excommunicated, 1 Cor, 5. else their Church­state would soon have been destroyed; for such leaven would soon have leavened the whole lump; and though that incestuous person was suffered a while, yet upon the Apostles writing to them he was cast out; and God so blessed that dreadful Ordinance of Excommunication to him that he repented and was taken in again; And for their disorders at the Lords Supper, they so repented and reformed upon the writ­ing of that Epistle, that the Apostle charges them not with those disorders in his second E­pistle to them: yea, the Apostle in his second Epistle to the Corinthians, giveth them great commendations as Ch. 7.12,13,14. Ch. 9.14. he speaks of the exceeding Grace of God in them (9.) The more evidence of Grace and satisfac­tion in every member, the purer the Church [Page] is at its first gathering. (10.) Most people amongst us make not so much as an outward profession of Religion; how many either hold fundamental Errors, or are grosly ignorant, or are prophane, and scoffers at the Spirit of God and power of godliness? yet the Apostle gi­veth a direction to Timothy to teach the Church what they should do in case of profession, that if men have a Form of godliness, and deny the power of it, declare themselves plainly by their conversations to have no Grace in their hearts, he bids us from such to turn away, 2 Tim. 3.5. (11.) The creeping in of corrupt members into Churches, the best Churches, is so far from being an Argument to lay aside all Rules and care of the Church in admitting members, that its a strong Argument to put them upon all Christian care; if so many enemies get into the Garrison, when every man that cometh in is questioned, what will there be when there is no watch nor care at all? because that Belie­vers after all their watching, praying and belie­ving have some sinful weaknesses, should they neglect all care and duty? this were a strange Argument; Nay, but therefore watch and pray, and strive and believe for power against cor­ruption. (12.) The way to come out of confusion into Church order? is by godly mens joyning together as a Church of Christ upon good satisfaction of one anothers Grace, and [Page 109] so to chuse their Officers that are to be their Overseers in the Lord; the choice of whom by the Church is part of their liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free; that society of people is no longer fit to be called a Church that must have their Officers imposed on them. (13.) In the common way there is little like Church-fellowship; instead of watching over one another to keep one another up, there is watching for one anothers halting & rejoycing in them; instead of Heavenly Discourse, swear­ing and cursing. (14.) Though the genera­lity of people amongst us do not in words deny Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel, but in words agree to it, as it is the Religion of their country commonly here professed, yet they no otherwise profess it then they would do any other Religion, if it should be publiquely com­manded; as the main Body in King Henry the eighths time, and Edward the sixt, Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth, turned four times in twelve years: therefore let not wise and gracious men lay weight upon such a sandy verbal Profession of men, that hath no signs accompanying it of Grace and sincerity in their hearts. (15.) When Believers enter into Church-fellowship, what can be said against a Holy Covenant, thereby professing and declaring the full purposes of their hearts, to walk in all the Ordinances of Christ, and in the fellowship of that Church as [Page 110] God shall give them light, assistance and op­portunity; such engagements in all Politique Bodies have their use. (16.) Although living together be convenient for those that joyn in Church-fellowship, especially some of them for to manage Church Affairs, that they may be alwayes present; yet rather then to live with­out the Ordinances all our dayes in a way sa­tisfying to our own consciences, we may joyn to the nearest Churches till God open a door of opportunity for us at home. (17.) The Church is not the Officers, but the Body of the Saints, Acts 15.4. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the Church, and of the Apostles and Elders; so that the Apostles and Elders were not counted the Church: and ver. 22. then it pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church; so the Apostle in his Epistles to Rome, Corinth, and the rest, calleth the Body of the Saints the Church; I know not how any Officers of the Churches can be the Church Representative as some phrase it, except they be Deputed and appointed by a Church to be their Messengers to transact any business for them and in their stead; and of Messengers of the Churches in that sense we read in the Scri­pture. (18.) If that one thing were done among the godly in the Nation, that visible Saints embodied together and chose their Offi­cers to go out before them in the Lord; all [Page 111] other differences about the power of particular congregations and the jurisdiction of Synods and the like, would either by light or love among the Churches be sweetly composed; but while many godly Ministers stand so stiff upon their former ordination, that will look for no solemn Call from those Churches they count themselves Pastors of, and observe no way of admission of members to maintain purity, and will manage all by themselves as it were with­out either presence or consent of the Church, it may be a great inconvenience and hinder communion of their and other Churches, which might else more comfortably own one ano­thers Church state notwithstanding other diffe­rences; those things are urged by the New En­gland men with many Arguments; and that of the holiness of those that are to be admitted into Churches, is excellently defended by Mr. Cotton in that Book of his called The Holiness of Church members, in which he answers all that is usually brought against it; so that he that would with small expence either of money or time see that point cleared, that may get that Book: (19.) To say that there hath been true Churches in England heretofore, no way pro­veth that there is a true Church in every Pa­rish; for though there might be true Churches in some Parishes, it doth not follow that there­fore there was in all: and because that there [Page 112] was a Church in such a place a hundred years ago, it doth not follow that therefore there is now: for God giveth Churches a bill of di­vorce many times; what is become of the Churches of Asia, the Church of Rome? Hath not the Lord taken away their Church-state? yet Rome still holdeth Christ that died at Jeru­salem to be the true Christ, the denial only of which some conceive will only unchurch a peo­ple, and not their prophaness and wickedness otherwayes, be it never so great; a very strange notion it is; but the Lord threatens to unchurch the Church of Ephesus for other grounds, be­sides such gross Infidelity, as was intimated; yea though they had many excellent things in them, yet Revel. 2,4,5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love; re­member therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candle­stick out of its place, except thou repent, where we may observe to our present purpose, (1.) That God doth sometimes remove a peoples Church state; for so I think all acknowledge that by Candlestick is meant their Church-state; for the seven Candlesticks were the seven Churches, Revel. 1.20. (2.) It shews us plainly, that though a people do not deny Christ that died at Jerusalem to be the true Christ, but out­wardly acknowledge and own him; yet if the [Page 113] Church generally leave their first love, and grow formal and carnal, that there is to be seen no difference between them and unrege­nerate men, God will unchurch them, will own them no more (after some time of his pa­tience and waiting for their Repentance) to be a Church and house of his. (3) That God doth not use to stay generations before he unchurch a people that fall off from him for he saith in this place, he will come quickly to re­move his Candlestick, except they repent. God will not have Churches now look for such for bearance as the Church of the Jews, which was an extraordinary thing, and not to be pa­ralleld; but saith he, I come quickly, not to wait now many hundred years as I did upon the people of Israel. (20) Although the Officers of Churches have a power of order, yet they have not all Church-power; for the Church of Corinth were to consent to put forth that Church act of excommunicating the incestu­ous person, 1 Cor. 5.4. Though some officer for order-sake be the mouth of the Church in the managing of it; they are by most allowed to choose their own officers, without which they should fall short of the priviledge of most societies and relations in the world; and this is some act of power that most grant is seated in the Church: and thus was an Apostle chosen, Act. 1. and the Deacons, Act. 6.3. and El­ders, [Page 114] Act. 14.23. In that Synod they were not chose neither by Magistrates or by the Offi­cers of the Churches only, but by the body of the Church, Act. 15.2,3. and so when any great affairs are to be transacted with another Church, the persons commonly called the Mes­sengers of the Churches are sent not only by the Officers, but by the whole Church. Act. 15.23. 2 Cor. 8.19. and these do represent the Church indeed from which they are sent; there­fore he saith in that place. verse 24. shew ye to them, and before the Churches the proof of your love; to shew that what is done before them when they are thus delegated and ap­pointed by the Churches, is done before these Churches; and the Church must say to Ar­chippus, Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received of the Lord, and fulfill it, Col. 4.17. but for a man to come only by a Patron in­to a place that he looks upon as a Church, and is not solemnly chosen by them, and then will take all Church-power to himself, is far from being according to Rule. (21) Believers may join together in Church-fellowship, though they do not agree in every thing, if they agree in the main: Churches gathered upon rigid Principles of uniformity in every thing makes way for breaches: if men be sound in the faith, and not of turbulent but peaceable Spirits, some mistakes about lesser matters may be born [Page 115] with until God shall reveal these things unto them. (22) Its observable that godly Ministers in most parts of the nation begin more and more to be unsatisfied with the com­mon way of taking all to the Lords Table; though yet they differ what is the way of Re­formation; but this serveth not only to coun­tenance the peaceable and sober separation that is practised by some, but promiseth much that God will reveal these truths of discipline more fully then hitherto: we know that the godly in the Bishops times first began to scruple one Ceremony, and then another, and so light came in by degrees, it is a good thing to see that men cannot bear such prophaning of Gods Ordi­nances, as hath been amongst us, and that they labor for purity of ordinances, though they do not presently come into Gospel-order in every thing. (22) The Pastors of the Churches must be godly.

It is a greater mischief then many are aware of, that many that are publique Preachers, and count themselves Pastors of Churches, are not gracious men; yea by those that put them into that work, and those that sit under their Mi­nistry, it is not regarded whether they be god­ly, only that they have some learning and parts. (1) John 21.15,16,17. Christ saith to Peter, Lovest thou me? then feed my Lambs: Christ doth not send others to seed his Lambs [Page 116] that neither love him nor them. (2) Mind the description of a Pastor or Bishop which are all one. 1 Tim. 3. He must be sober, no drun­kard, apt to teach from some gifts of knowledge and utterance that God hath bestowed upon him: he saith, he must not be greedy of filthy Lucre: Oh how many have entred upon the ministry meerly for filthy Lucre to get a li­ving! he saith, he must not be a Novice, [...], a young plant in Christ; he must not be one that is newly converted; then surely he must not be one that is not converted at all. (3) The Duty of a Pastor requireth it also, as it is set down, 1 Tim. 3.5. that he is to take care of the Church of God: now a natural man hateth the Saints of God, and will sooner devour and make havock of the Church of God, then take care to preserve and comfort, and help it; so they are said, Heb. 13.17. to watch for the peoples souls. And how can they do this that do not watch over their own souls? (4) We may consider also what rules the Apostle gives to Titus about this business. Tit. 1.8. He saith, that they that are called to this office, must be Lovers of good men, and that none can be but a Saint; hereby we know that we are passed from death to life, if we love the Brethren; and he saith also, that he must be holy, [...], the same word that is used, Act. 13.35. concerning Christ; and verse 9. he saith he must be one that [Page 117] will hold fast the faithfull word, which there is no hopes that wicked men should do when persecution ariseth because of the word. (5) Men that are not visibly Saints and cal­led, are not to be members of a Church, not­withstanding any parts and accomplishments they may have, much less should they be Pa­stors of Churches. (6) A carnal Mini­ster ascribes all to his parts and learning in his work, and not to the ability that God giveth, 1 Pet. 4.11. and so God hath not the glory. (7.) The Scripture saith that the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, and a stinch in his Nostrils. (8) Though many of them may have good parts, and may be seeming­ly sound in the matters of Religion, yet we have no ground to think that they will conti­nue sound, because the Scripture saith, that because they have received the truth not in the Love and power of it, God will send men strong delusions, 2 Thess. 2. (9) Though Christ sent Judas, yet he was never a Pastor of a Church of Saints, and he was outwardly a Saint, so in the esteem of the Apostles; and Christ did it not for our imitation. Christ limits us, though we must not limit him, and there is a particular Reason given of it that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. (10) Christs words concerning hearing the Pharises that sit in Moses chair, was rather a dispensation then [Page 118] an injunction; and its one thing to hear occa­sionally, and another thing to sit down under a mans Ministry; and it was only upon some points about the Law, not in all things; for they taught that Christ was the Prince of Devils, and a Deceiver; least of all did Christ counte­nance their Ministry in these words, to be good and lawfull; for see how Christ inveigheth against those Pharisees, Mat. 15. as if he he had been made up of invectives. (11) The Apostle, 1 Cor. 2.14. having spoken in the verse before of the spiritual man judging all things, and he himself is judged of none, pro­pounds that question, Who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? By him is meant the spiritual man, for of him he is speaking, not of instructing the Lord; but saith he, we have the mind of Christ, and there­fore can instruct them unto edification; so then this Argument is taken from their insufficiency for the work, that a natural mancannot reach a Saint who is above him. (12) So the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2.6. speaking of Ministers, useth that comparison, the husbandman that la­boureth must first be parraker of the fruits of the earth; How else can he sow? So hath a Mi­nister need to be partaker of some experience of the blood of Christ and comforts of the Spirit; How else can he preach Christ feelingly and powerfully unto others? (13) We [Page 119] see whom God hath used for conversion. Those that went under the name of Puritans and Non­conformists in the Bishops times, and go now under many more names in the world; but it is with those that are his servants that he is pre­sent: it is to them that he hath Promised to bless what they put their stands unto, and to be with them to the end of the world; it is not what God can do, or sometimes hath done: for we must not limit him; but whether the Lord hath appointed the preaching of wicked men as an Ordinance of his for conversion of sinners, or the building up of Saints. (14) In other things that are not of that concernment that this is, men will not trust those that have not experi­ence; as in Physick, though a man hath read several Physick books, and is able to define diseases, and to talk pretty well, yet you will not choose such an one to be your Physician if he want experience; much less should you trust that man with your soul that hath only read some Divinity books, and so is able to speak something, if he have no experience of the power and sweetness of the truths of God himself.

CHAP. XVII. The right use of the Law.

THE Law we are speaking of is the moral Law, the ten Commandments, with what comment and exposition is upon it in the Scripture.

This Law is of excellent use. (1) It disco­vereth to us the holiness of God, that he would have his creatures live according to rule, and not in sin and Confusion. (2) It serveth to discover sin to men, Rom. 7.7. and to this end all are to get knowledge of the Law, Rom. 7.1. and we are often to examine our hearts and lives by the Law, and to know the Law in the spirituality of it, that we may see spiritual and secret sins. (3) The Law serves to awaken the consciences of natural men with the fear of hell and damnation, and to set them more seriously to look after their eternal condition: but those that are in Christ they are not to fear hell by the Law, because they are freed by Christ from the damning power of it. (4) The Law rightly understood, will shew a soul an utter impossibility that ever he should get life by own works and righteonsness; for the Law requires perfect obedience, gives no strength to [Page 121] obey, admits of no repentance, neither will be satisfied to inflict temporal punishments and afflictions, but throws the sinner into hell, and lays him up there for ever, except the soul hath interest by Faith in the perfect righteousness of Christ which fully answereth the Law. (5) To Believers the Law may be a constant help to thankfulness: they see the strength of sin, 1 Cor. 15.56,57. that is, the power that sin hath to damn, is from the Law, because it is the breach of Gods holy and righteous Law: now to see how Christ hath delivered them from all the curses and damning power of the Law, this may make them cry out, Thanks be to God that hath given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. (6) The Law is taken into the hands of Christ, and is made a rule for Be­lievers to walk by; the Believers Salvation or Damnation doth not depend upon his obedi­ence or disobedience to the Law, for he is freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works; yet he is not freed from duty and filial obedience; but the Law, as it is a rule of obedience stands in force, and is to be obeyed by all Believers; Se­veral reasons to prove it. (1) Christ ex­pounds the Law, Mat. 5. and cleareth up the strictness and spirituality of the Law more. (2) Else the breaking of the Law would be no sin, which would be a monstrous opinion. (3) The same things that the Laws forbids are [Page 122] set down in the new Testament to bring dam­nation, 1 Cor. 6.9.10. as Idolatry, Adultery, Thest, Covetousness. (4.) The new Cove­nant promises the putting of Gods Laws into our mind, and writing them in our hearts. Heb. 8.10. therefore the Gospelis no enemy to the Law, but writes it in our hearts, as it was wri­ten in stone, and gives us principles to obey it. (5) Paul after his conversion looked upon it as a mighty work of Gods Spirit upon him, that he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man, Rom. 7.22. that is, that God had given him a heart to delight to do those things the Law called for, which shews that Believers are to make the Law as a rule of obedience. Thus a Believer is not without Law to God, but is un­der the Law to Christ, as Paul saith he was, 1 Cor. 9.21. that is, as the Law is taken by Christ into his own hands, and held forth by him to his people, as a rule for their obedience to him: so a Believer is under the Law: every Command of it, and every breach of it is sin, even in Believers. The Believer is not freed from the Do this of the Law, but when the Law saith, Do this and live, he is freed from that; he doth not expect life by his doing those things in the Law, for he is justified freely by Grace, he liveth not by his doing, but by the faith of the Son of God, who loved him, and gave him­self for him. And for the threatnings of the [Page 123] Law, Not'do this and die, the soul that sinneth it shall die; this a Believer is freed from, for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.1. Christ hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law, by being made a curse for them, Gal. 3.13.

Quest. How may a man know whether he hath a Gospel-work upon his heart, or that he is yet under Law as a Covenant of works, and hath only legal workings upon him?

Answ. 1. Such as do not think it is a hard thing to come off from the Law, as a Covenant of works, to trust alone in the righteousness of Christ, such may well suspect that there hath been only a legal work upon them; for its the hardest thing in the world to rest only upon Christ, though it is easily said. (2) Such as do not know the Law from the Gospel, and the Gospel from the Law in their main Princi­ples and terms: there are too many that know not in the least measure, no not with a notio­nal knowledge what the difference between the Law and the Gospel is; such may well think that they are not yet come off from the Law as a Covenant of works. (3) Such as have their hearts rise against Gospel-preachers and Pro­fessors, as Gal 4.29. As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. A man that is up­on the Law for life, hath a strange enmity in his [Page 124] heart against those that look to be justified freely by Grace. (4) Such are under the Law as a Covenant of works, as cannot bear the vi­lifying of mans righteousness as to Justificati­on, though he heareth the same persons urge it never so vehemently as to Sanctification, and walking before God to all well pleasing: O if thou canst not freely say that all thy own Righteousness is as menstruous rags, and that when thou hast done all, thou art but an un­profitable servant, then thou maist justly fear thy estate. (5) Such as think they have kept the Law themselves, like the young man in the Gospel, All these things have I kept from my youth. (6) Such are under the Law yet as have had legal breakings for sin, but never had the least Gospel sorrow for sin, who have never in the least mourned for sin, because it peir­ced Christ, but only because it pierceth them­selves.

Let all labor for a right understanding of the Law, in which take their directions. (1) Look upon the Law as requiring perfect obedience; so strict as that it will not abate one farthing to a sinner: there is no compounding with the Law. (2) Count your selves utterly unable to keep the Law. (3) Count the forfeiture for breaking of the Law to be no less then eternal damnation. (4) Always look upon Christ as having a righteousness answering the Law [Page 125] fully, Rom. 10.3.4. Rom. 8.3,4. (5) Count your selves under all the wrath and curses of the Law, except you be in Christ, Gal. 3.10. whatsoever are the intentions of God, and the merits of Christ for an elect person yet uncal­led, he being considered as a child of old A­dam, he is under the curse; he doth not in his own person enjoy the state of freedom which God hath graciously purposed to bestow upon him, and the Lord Jesus hath purchased for him, though yet it is impossible for the Law to throw the Elect person into hell, because God will certainly bestow upon them in his own fit season the Grace that Christ hath pur­chased for them. (6) If you be in Christ, reckon not your selves to have to do with the curses and threatnings of the Law, but see them all taken away by Christ from you. (7) Often seriously remember that many perish everlast­ingly by their mistaking of the Law, and resting in the Law; that you may see by the Epistle to the Romans and Galathians, where the Apostle shews the danger of resting in the Law, and shews how forward men are to do so. (8) Ne­ver go out in your own strength to obey the Law, but fetch strength from the promises of the Gospel to obey the commands of the Law. (9) In the reading of Scripture observe what places are most properly Law, and what places are especially Gospel, and make those which [Page 126] are Law and Duty to come in after free Justifi­cation, to come in as filial obedience to the Lord. (10) When a soul hath been en­abled to yield a good measure of obedience to the Law and Commands of God, yet he must rely upon the Lord Jesus by faith as free­ly and alone justifying him: he cannot spare the least part of Christs Righteousness after all the holiness he hath attained to, but is still to desire to be found in Christ, not having on him his own righteousness, but that which is by the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith.

CHAP. XVIII. The true Humility that is in the Lords People.

ALL Saints have more or less a humble frame of heart, that whatsoever Grace or Gifts God bestoweth upon them, they have low thoughts of themselves.

• 1. How a humble frame of heart is shewn towards the Lord.
• 2. How a humble frame of heart is shewn in our carriage towards other Saints.

I. Towards the Lord. (1) When after all [Page 127] our duties and performances we look upon our selves but as unprofitable servants and infinitely unworthy that God should deal so graciously with us, but we look upon all as free grace; with­out this a man hath no Gospel humility, but is a proud Pharisee, whose heart is puffed up with his own righteousness, and doth not glory only in the Lord. Where there is true humility of heart, the Soul saith with Jacob, Genesis, 32.10. I am not only unworthy of of Christ and Heaven, but I am less then the least of all the mercies and faithfulness which the Lord hath shewn to his servant; but a man un­der legal workings only, hath a desperate proud heart against God still, and is fit to stand upon terms with God, that he hath no cause to damn him, though he in words confess he might do it. (2) This is true humility of heart when a man can loath and abhor himself for sin, as David, Psalm 51.3,4. Job. 42. But when a man can think of old sins, and new sins, and no way affected, its a sign of a proud unhumbled heart. (3) When a soul is in some measure submitted to all Gods dealings, to all chastisements and afflictions, as David, Psalm 39.9. I was dumb and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it; there is much humility of heart seen in this when we are willing God should do with us, our Estates, Relations and enjoyments as it seemeth good in his own eyes: [Page 128] a proud heart will not bear to be crossed; but saith a humble heart, Though it be a grievous affliction that is befallen me, yet it is from the Lord, and I will be dumb and not open my mouth against it, because he doth it. (4) When a soul goes on to wait for a mercy and beg for a mercy when God delays a mercy, and seemeth to slight the soul; and yet now for the soul to wait and not to stir from the door of Mercy, but beg the Alms more humbly and submissive­ly, this is like the woman of Canaan: indeed she doth not go away in a snuff: let Christ call her dog, and she saith Truth, Lord I am no bet­ter; yet Lord, give the dog a few crums, but hearts that have not been truly humbled will fling up praying and hearing presently, if they cannot find Comfort soon; like a sturdy Beggar that, if the Alms do not come presently, goeth away in a rage: O but there is many a humble heart waits and prays many a year for a mercy. (5) When a soul can submit to God when he takes away a mercy that he had given us but a little before. O saith a proud heart, when God takes away a mercy; If God had never given me it, it had been better; I could have been content to have been without it; but did God give me Estate, Children, Honour to take them away so presently again? O but saith an humble heart, I was unworthy to have this mer­cy at all; I have cause to bless God that I have [Page 129] had any sun-shiny weather in my jorney. (6) It shews humility of heart, when after God hath made great use of a man, and God will now lay him aside, that yet now we are well content, and take great care that Gods work may go on, though we be not imployed in it; as Moses, Num. 27.14,15,16,17. when the Lord told him that he should die and not lead the people into Canaan, because of that sin at the water of Me­ribah, he doth not stand upon terms, and say. After I have done such great service, wilt thou be angry for such an offence, that I, who have had such a great deal of care and trouble with this people, should not see the end of the work? No, No; he doth not say a word to excuse his sin, or to shew the least discontent that he was laid aside, but takes care for the work going on when he is laid aside: saith he, Lord set a man over the Congregation that may go in before them and go out before them, that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheep without a Shepheard: a proud heart would have been so offended that he would not have cared what became of the work, if he were laid aside.

So secondly, Humility of heart is seen in our carriage towards other Saints: As (1) when we look upon our selves as the least of all Saints, as Paul saith of himself, saith an humble heart, Though it may be I can discourse better, yet I [Page 130] cannot pray so well as younder poor Saint, or I cannot trust God in straits and difficulties so well as he, or I have not that Gospel simplicity that he hath, or I am not so forward to hea­venly discourse as he is; or saith an humble heart, Younder Saint can submit better in af­fliction then I; or surely he hath not so vain a heart as I, or surely he hath not such distracti­ons in duties as I: so that an humble heart in one respect or another doth truly look upon himself as the least and unworthyest of all Saints. (2) When we can take a reproof from the meanest Saint in the world, the meanest for Estate or Gifts: whereas a proud heart saith, If such a one had told me of my fault, I could have born it; but for such as you to reprove him, he cannot take it well: but saith an humbly heart, Lord I bless thee that thou openst the mouths of any to deal faithfully with my soul. (3) Where there is an humble heart, we are de­sirous to partake of the Light and gifts of others as well as shew our own. (4) An hum­ble heart doth not envy others that out go him in Gifts and Grace, and success, and are more honoured then he is as John did not envy Christ that he out-stripped him, John 3.26,27,28. but could cheerfully bear witness unto Christs deserts, though he ecclipsed him. (5) An hum­ble heart can condescend to the meanest office [Page 131] to be serviceable to poor Saints: a proud heart is fit to think it a disparagement to go to the houses of poor Saints, and to be seen with such mean people: but saith an humble heart, Its a great Mercy and favour that I may enjoy Communion with the Lords people, or be any way serviceable to them; though they be ne­ver so mean and poor. (6) An humble heart is not so delighted and tickled, and puf­fed up with applause and commendation from others, but many times is the more humbled upon it, and is more sensible of his own un­worthiness.

All Saints have cause enough to be hum­ble and very low in their own eyes: a [...] for the sins of our unconverted Estate, which we should often think of so as to admire Gods free Grace, in calling of us out of dark­ness, and to have new sorrow for old sins; so as to put forth fresh acts of Faith for pardon; so as to avoid all Occasions and Temptations to draw us to those old sins again; so as to re­ly mightily upon Christs strength to keep us, and so as to be humble and very low all our days. The Lord many times sets on old sins upon the Consciences of his people with some terror; but then it is usually when we are ei­ther in danger of falling into those sins again, or have our hearts grow proud and puffed up, [Page 132] forgeting what we were formerly, but that God hath loved us freely.

And so our daily sins after Conversion, our deadness and formality, and unserviceableness, all call for great humility of heart and self­abhorrence.

CHAP. XIX. Some directions for Believers in their walking with God, and their con­versation in the world.

1. LEt all Saints be well acquainted with Gods workings upon their souls, the time and manner; and be sen­sible of the backwardness and opposi­tion of their own hearts to all the grace that God hath wrought in them: that God hath magnified his Grace exceed­ingly in all the good that he hath done them: Our Iniquities and the stubbor­ness of our hearts testifie against us; but God hath made it appear that he hath done all that he hath done for us for his own names sake.

2. Be sensible of the corruption of our hearts; remember all the iniquities of our youth; get sound Repentance for the sins of our unregenerate estate when we knew not God; observe our great [Page 134] backslidings, since our Conversion, and the sins that do most easily beset us, and loath our selves for them, and beg spe­cial Grace and strength from Christ where we are most weak and tempted.

3. Renew our Faith daily upon Christ, and meditate upon Gods free Grace in Christ, which is notonly to be taken as a cordial in some swooning fits, but our daily food; for we live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.20.

4. Getting Intimacy with the spirit of God, and wait daily for his comforting, teachings, strengthnings and sanctify­ing influences, and seasonable bringing of Scriptures and truths to our remem­brance: refuse not his light when he would teach us any thing, though it be a despised, persecuted Truth, and never so contrary to our former apprehensi­ons; quench not his motions when he would put us upon any duty; resist not his motions to stop us in any way of sin: be thankfull for all his visits: for his visitations preserve our Spirits; we will [Page 135] thank a godly man for a visit, much more the blessed Spirit: count all our Prayers and services but as dead carca­ses, if there be not the Spirits breath­ings and influences in them; grieve him not who is our Comforter, and makes us glad: be not proud of his enlargements, but let him have the praise of them.

5. Be constant in all duties and Or­dinances, private and publique, and be carefull that we neither be dead nor for­mal, nor rest in our duties; pray against distractions in duties, which is a sin that is very hardly mortified.

6. Watch against errors in judge­ment, be not taken with the outward appearance of those that bring opini­ons, knowing that Deceivers will come in Christs name, Mat. 24. and will trans­form themselves into Ministers of righ­teousness: Nay, follow not men that are really godly without light out of the word; for godly men know but in part: do not reject every thing that seemeth to be new; for many Truths, [Page 136] especially about Discipline, are revealed in these last times, which godly men in former times were ignorant of; that though God revealed to them the ne­cessary Truths to Salvation, yet in other things they are mistaken.

7. Expect Temptations every day, and be sensible of our own weakness to stand in an evil day; labor to know that our Temptations are Temptations; don't venture upon Temptations, don't come too near the devils forts, and think we can retreat when we wil: don't think that the devil plays only one game at once: he hath many stratagems at once; if he cannot prevail to draw to sinfull lusts, he will endeavour to draw to Error: if he cannot sink the soul with terrors, he will labor to puff it up with Gifts; be not confident when we have gotten a victory over Satan, and think we have routed him: he will not leave us so, but will rally his forces again, and give us open battell or lie in ambush for us; Sometimes Satan only feigns [Page 137] himself to be overcome, and comes af­terward with more success; yea a soul that hath got the better through the strength of Christ in some great tempta­tion wherein Satan hath seemed to fight with all his forces, yet may be worsted in a less temptation, if Christ the Cap­tain of our Salvation do not lead us on.

8. Be well skilled in the Promises, and meditate in them day and night, and go not to the Promise, upon legal terms: close with the Promises of free Grace, such as, Ezek. 36.27,28. Jer. 31.32,33. before we close with the Promises that are made to Grace alrea­dy wrought, such as are made, Mat. 5. to such as are poor in Spirit, and hunger & thirst after righteousness: close with Christ before we close with the promises: for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in him, and through him to them that are in him, 2 Cor. 1. And they are made first to Christ, Gal. 3.16. as the head of the Elect; let every Promise be as a stream to lead us to Christ, the head and [Page 136] [...] [Page 137] [...] [Page 138] wel-spring of the Promises, who hath all that in him, that all the Promises put together do contain.

9. Though in our young time we have been carried out in holiness in some comfortable measure, yet be care­ful least in our old age, and when we have been Professors a great while, we do not fall off from our first love and zeal, and tenderness of Conscience: we read of Asa, 2 Chron. 15. what great things he did for God in his young time; yet in the next Chapter we see how much he fell; and Solomon in his young time was fearfull of Idolatry, but in his old age he was mightily carried away with it: not only young Christians but old Saints of twenty or thirty years standing, had need walk circumspecty.

10. Practice that great duty of self­examination daily, and desire of God to search us, and try us, and make us to know our iniquities, and give us sound humiliation for them; for godly men [Page 139] may lie a great while in a sin before they be truly sensible of it, as David, before he was truly sensible of that sin of Adultery, as appears by 2 Sam. 12. that it could not be less then three quarters of a year: for when the Pro­phet Nathan came to him, the child that he had by Bathsheba was born; for in the fourteenth v. Nathan told him that the child that was born to him should die: and so verse fifteen, The Lord strake the child: and so for his sin in numbring the people, 2 Sam. 24.8,9,10. it was nine moneths and twenty days that the people were numbring; and all that time David was not sensible of the sin, but in the end of that time: the Text saith, His heart smote him, and he said I have done very foolishly; and what a sad thing is it, that a sin should be three quarters of a year unrepented of, and such great sins! A Saint of all men in the world had need have his eyes about him; and if it be possible, have a thou­sand things in his eye together: and sure­ly if there are some sins that we com­mit [Page 140] and don't know them, and mourn only in the general for them, we should mourn the more for these sins we are convinced of, and apply Christs blood to cleanse us from secret faults.

11. Think daily of the greatness and freeness of Gods Love to us, who hath taken such a course of mercy to us, when he might have taken a course of Judgement: well saith the Scripture, That as the Heavens are higher then the Earth, so is his mercy towards them that fear him: and so are his thoughts of Mercy above ours: What is all our mercy and pitty unto His? Peter talks to Christ of forgiving seven times a day; Christ tels him Ay, seventy times seven; such is Gods forgiveness, his Mercy: our mercy to others is com­manded, and is our duty; but Gods mer­cy is free: our mercy to others ariseth from Gods mercy to us; but Gods mercy ariseth from him self; our mer­cy is but to some few, his to thousands and ten thousands: we oftentimes re­pent [Page 141] of our Mercy, he repenteth not: O whilst we live, and when we die, think much, and speak much of free Mercy: O the infinite expressions of it in the giving of Christ for us, and to us! What a Miracle of Mercy is our perseverance, notwithstanding all our backslidings! the daily meditation of free Grace is an approved receipt against hardness of heart: this will soften the heart and bring it to godly sorrow for sin to admiration: we are said to have hearts like an Adamant stone, Zech. 7. Now the Adamant stone is the hardest stone in all the world, it will cut glass with ease; no hammer nor fire will stir this stone: yet this Ada­mant stone being steeped in Goats blood new and warm, that will soften it; so will our adamant hearts be softened, being steeped in the thoughts of Gods free Grace, being steeped in the blood of the Lord Jesus that scape-goat that carried away our sins into the Land of forgetfulness.

12. Though we shall have daily in­firmities whilst we are here below, yet watch against sin, and especially have a care we make no eminent turns from God: there are some sins that grieve Gods Spirit above others. David had many sinful failings, he told a lye to Abimelech, 1 Sam. 21.2. feigned him­self mad, 1 Sam. 21.13: made a rash oath concerning Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.22. was very cruel to the Ammonites, 2 Sam. 12. numbred the people in self-confi­dence, 2 Sam. 24. commited Adultety with Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 11. Yet it is said of David, 1 King. 15.5. that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of his life, but in the matter of Vriah. Some think it is spoken of his Government, that that only was amiss in his Government that he murde­red Ʋriah; but I rather think that this is only mentioned because it was the most eminent turn from the Lord that ever David made: the sin that grieved the Spirit of God above all other, in [Page 243] comparison of which God did not take notice of other failings: that sin of murdering Ʋriah was a mighty delibe­rate contrived sin, 2 Sam. 11.. He wrote letters about it and plotted it, which is a great aggravation of any sin: and he might have many checks of con­science that while it was a bloody sin; it was a very disingenuous sin to take away his life that was fighting for him, it was a cloaked sin, 2 Sam. 11.25. He put it upon the chance of war; it was a very scandalous sin, and his Adultery might be comprehended in it, for that was against Vriah as well as the murder: it was the effect of his Adultery: and where one sin is the effect of another, it is a great aggravation of it: O there­fore watch and pray, that though we have many weaknesses and much dead­ness, yet that we may not so wickedly depart from our God.

13. Labor to be heavenly in the night season; we are but a little heavenly in the day time: we had need be heavenly in that time of retirement in the night season: David meditated of the Lord in the night watches and at the dawnings of the day: commit our thoughts to God in the night seasons to prevent vain and sinful dreams. God can leave a sweet savour upon our spirits in the night.

14. Observe when we pray for others what hints of Gods Spirit we have that he will hear us: God hath a secret way to bring some into our prayers, and to cast others out of our prayers, as Jer. 7.16. God bad Jeremiah not pray for the people: its a sad thing when a Mi­nister finds no enlargement of Gods Spirit to pray for the people where he liveth: but I say, observe when we pray for any wicked man or for our relations, what hints of Gods spirit are upon our hearts that we shall be heard; a pray­ing [Page 145] Father sometimes praying for his child in the cradle may have such faith in Prayer, such hints of Gods Spirit, that he knows God will answer these Prayers, though it be twenty years hence, and he be dead and gone: others again when they pray earnestly for their Children, find no Faith, no Pto­mise, no impressions of Gods Spirit all their days that God will hear them for them.

15. Lay up Prayers for jorneyes and travails that God would make us hea­venly and holy abroad as well as at home: besides the need we have of his protection from the dangers that are in Travail: but the danger of sin is most to be taken heed of: many men will commit those sins abroad that they will not at home. Iudah, Gen. 38.14. at Timnah, a City of the Philistines fell in­to the sin of whoredom with his daugh­ter in Law unknown: this sin he com­mitted abroad in his jorneying which he was zealous against at home, and [Page 146] would have his daughter in law burnt for it: Therefore I say, Lay up Prayers afore hand for all our travails, not only for outward Protection and success in our affairs, but for our Spirits, that God would keep them holy and in commu­nion with himself; for abroad we may have these temptations that we have not at home, and we may want the company of Saints which hath a secret, strange in­fluence upon the Spirit; abroad we may want such opportunities of secret du­ties as we have used at home, which may put the heart much out of frame.

16. Its a great matter in Religion for Saints to walk with God in our relati­ons; if our Parents be alive, we are to honor them, and be subject to them: so was Christ to his Parents for our exam­ple, Luke 2.51. yea the Apostle would have Children requite their Parents for all their care and cost, and not be stuborn and undutifull, if they don't do for them as they would: if God brings into the Relation of a Husband, he is to [Page 147] love his wife, and not be bitter and harsh, and like a Nabal; that the wife may not miss her other dear relations that she hath left to cleave unto him, but find all made up in his love; yea, if the wife be barren, the husband must not think much with her; when Han­nah, 1 Sam. 1.6,7,8. was troubled because she bare no Children to her Husband Elkanah, he comforted her and said, Why art thou grieved? Am not I bet­ter then ten Sons? If God calls to the relation of a Wife, we know what directions the Scripture gives for the Wife to be subject to her Husband: yet many godly women that are close wal­kers and tender-conscienced other­ways; yet do not seriously consider enough, lay that Duty upon their con­sciences; but though their Husbands through their Love may cover it, yet they must look upon it as a sin before the Lord. Let Husband and Wife beg of God to give them suitable affections one to another, and mingle all their conjugal love with spiritual: If God [Page 148] call to be a Father, then the Scripture tells us, that we must bring up our Chil­dren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: be not an Eli to our Chil­dren: he though he was a good man, yet failed much in this, 1 Sam. 2.22,23,24,25. he was too indulgent to them; for he should not only have spoken as he did, but he should have reproved them more sharply, and should have put his sons out of their office in which they were so wicked: bless God if he work Grace in our Children, for he is not bound to them; he hath no need of our posterity, but can take out of the prophanest families if he please; the most eminent Saints have had pro­phane Children: care not only for out­ward things for them, but that they may be the Lords, that when we are dead and gone, they may know the God of their Fathers, and when we are rotten in our Graves, they may stand up in our steads to own and love, and walk with that blessed God that we in our pilgrimage walked with. If God call [Page 149] us to be maisters of Families, and have servants; then we are as David to walk in our houses with a faithful heart, in­struct our servants and family in Gods ways, as God knew Abraham would do, and forbear threatning, and give them that which is right for their service: and if they be sick, not to throw them off to shift for themselves; but as the Centurion went to Christ for the cure of his servant, so should we look out for cure for them. If we be to marry, we are to marry in the Lord, not to marry carnal yoak-fellows for their beauty or riches: some have paid dear for that; for while they have married carnal yoak-fellows, they have either been carried too much away with their sins, or have lost so much of their Liberty in Gods ways, that they have gone with sorrow to their graves.

Be well acquainted with the Cove­nant of Grace, get distinct knowledge of it: Many Professors are very dark in the blood of Christ, insomuch that [Page 150] they loose their peace almost upon eve­ry sinning, and so have legal repentance for sin, when they should have Gospel­repentance, which is the Repentance that Believers should have, called, Zach. 12.10. mourning over Christ crucified, and mourning as for an only Son, which is not only great mourning but mour­ning out of Love.

18. Count upon opposition from the world, and never think if we walk with God, to escape the worlds censures: the thoughts of this to frame our actings in Religion, so as to keep peace with carnal people, hath made some comply so far as to lose their zeal, and be a shame to Religion.

19. When we have any orderly op­portunities put into our hands in any thing, to lift up the name of God in our generations, let it not slip, but put our necks to the work if we are clear in the work and our call to it; for it may [Page 151] be there will never such an opportuni­ty of service to God be put into our hands all our days again: now is our working time, now we have opportuni­ties for Reformation and converting others, which we shall not have in the Grave whether we are going.

20. Walk in love with the Saints, break not with them upon every small difference of Judgement, if you see some truth that they are dark in; it may be they see much more in other things then you do: watch against the Beginning of differences: Do not every thing you may, when you are in the presence of weak Saints, 1 Cor. 10.32. consider the tempers of these Saints we converse with, their natural tempers, their edu­cation, temptations, corruptions, and walk tenderly and wisely towards them, carry our selves humbly towards all Saints, especially when we differ in any thing from them: for many times not so much the thing wherein we differ [Page 152] from others, breaks love between and us, as our high and proud carriage in that matter. In all our care to walk in love with the Saints, and not to give them offence, look up to God to send a Spirit of love between you; for som­times when a godly man hath it in his eye to order a business so as to give no offence to his Brother, yet not looking to God in it, offence is taken; whereas at other times when we have done that which might justly give offence to our Brethren, and our heart looks up to God to prevent offences and breaches, God covereth wonderfully these things, and holds our Brethrens eyes and thoughts from looking upon them, and so graciously prevents the folly and rashness of our spirits in making a breach with our Brethren; for God can send an evil spirit of discord between men as he did in a way of Judgement between Abimeleck and the men of Sechem, Iudg. 9.23,24. And God can send forth a Spirit of Love that brethren may live [Page 153] together in Unity: give always the re­spect that is due to godly men accord­ing to their age and condition that God hath placed them in the world: beware of vanity and unprofitable converse with godly men. God oftentimes pu­nishes that with foolish and causless breaches: let all our reproofs to our bre­thren be with tenderness and a Spirit of meekness, else they will provoke; forgive our brethren freely and from the heart what may be amiss in their carriage towards us, as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us: there will be something amiss in our carriages towards our Brethren; and if we do not forgive, where will our love be? Minister to the wants of the Saints according to our abilities, freely without grudging; do not unsaint our Brethren because of some ignorance and error. The Pa­triarcks are supposed to have been ig­norant that Polygamy, the having of more wives then one was a sin: the disciples ignorant of Christs death and [Page 154] resurrection at the first: visit the Saints, those that are the poor, especially when they are under afflictions, not only to comfort them, but because then usual­ly there is much good to our selves in converse with them.

21. If God hath made our days hither­to days of outward prosperity, & compas­sed us about with fulness of the creature, watch against sin the more. David com­mitted those three great sins of murder, adultery, numbring the people, when he was in prosperity and greatness. And do good while we have estates or oppor­nity, and look and prepare for afflicti­ons; don't think God will always use thee to such fair weather; and if God continue prosperity, learn heavenly­ness, not to stick in the creature; learn moderation not to surfer on the crea­ture, and daily make wise observation of the vanity and emptiness of the Crea­ture.

22. If Afflictions come, see if thou canst find out the particular cause of them, which sometimes may be known by the time when it comes. As for Ne­buchadnezar, Daniel 4. to be struck just when he had been saying, Is not this great Babel which I have built; it was easie to know that his pride and vain glory was the cause of that woful af­fliction that came upon him; and so He­rod, Act. 12. to be just smitten with death when the people cryed it was the voice of a God, and he took that to him­self; it was easie to see that that was the cause of his death: so also we may sometimes know the cause of our af­flctions by that way of affliction that God useth to us: it may be so like our sin as Davids affliction in the [...]eath of the Child that was by Bathsheba Vriah's wife. 1 Sam. 12. it was easie to know that that sin was the cause of the childs death; and so Adonibezeck, Judg. 1.6,7. when he had his Thumbs and great Toes cut off, he presently was convin­ced [Page 156] what was the cause of the affliction, because he had served threescore and ten Kings so himself. Sometimes God shews us the cause of our afflictions by setting it up upon the hearts of our Brethren among whom we live; Some­times he sets it home upon our own Spirits that such a sin is the cause of it: but if the Lord never let us know all our days, the particular cause of many afflictions: yet we are to kiss the rod, submit to his hand, search and trie our waies, humble our selves under his hand, and walk more closely with him in the whole course of our lives.

23. Take heed that we offend not with our Tongues; let our words be few, take not up most of the time in discourse, when better gifts are present, but be swift to hear; let our discourse be seasonable to time, place, company; if they be wicked, such discourse as may awaken and convince; if they be strong Saints, such discourse as may be [Page 157] sutable to them; sometimes it is not fit to speak in the company of weak trembling Saints what horrible temp­tations other Saints have, unless it be to comfort them that they are not alone, but others of Gods children are temp­ted as well as they; otherways weak Saints many times fall into great tor­ment of spirit that they shall be temp­ted as they are, and that they shall sink under the Burthen. Do not use to com­mend your selves, neither affect in dis­course to give others occasion to com­mend you: do not delight in rough and harsh speeches; be wary to whom we open our hearts in secret matters, not unless they can keep Councell and give Councell; use heavenly discourse among godly men: for want of that makes their company to be little better then other mens; in discourse be not silent when there is cause to speak, out of affected gravity; nor speak out of for wardness or indiscretion, when our silence is better.

24. Prize the Scriptures as the word of God; so they are called over and over: Blessed is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it. Now the Lord is revealing light out of the Scripture more and more, Satan tempts many to deny the word of God: all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. [...], the breathing of God, 2 Pet. 1.21. Holy men of God wrote the Scriptures, and they wrote them as they were moved by the holy Ghost, [...], forcibly carried out of themselves, and above them­selves by the holy Ghost; By the word of God, when the Scriptures are so cal­led, is meant that which God hath spo­ken, that which he hath said; and therefore for men to boggle at the ex­pression, and say the Scriptures are not the Word of God, but only Christ is the Word of God, it is as much as to say, the Scriptures are not what the Lord hath spoken, and what holy men wrote as they were moved by the ho­ly [Page 159] Ghost, as the holy Ghost indited: this is a horrible temptation: it is true, Christ is called the word, & so is he the Eternal Word of God; but the Scrip­tures also are the Word of God, the written Word of God. Where this temptation prevails upon men that they question the Scriptures being the word of God, by degrees they throw up all Religion, all truths, one after ano­ther; and though they do it at first un­der the notion of living in the spirit, and of the Light within them; yet at last they turn very Atheists; and thus after a generation of grosly ignorant and su­perstitious persons there is risen up a multitude of deluded and erroneous per­sons even in the fundamentals of Reli­gion: But O let those that are the Lords people study the word of God day and night; try all things by the Word; get sutable hearts to the Word that we may understand it the better; look up to the Spirit that indited the Scripture to be our Expositor and com­ment [Page 160] upon them; and often try our selves by the word, and take heed to all our ways according to the word; read it ofner then other books, and give up our hearts to all the Truths of it.

25. Lay up experiences which are bet­ter then Cabinets of Jewels; lay up experiences of the comfortings of the Spirit, of his gracious influence in prayer and other duties; lay up experiences of the ravishing consolation that flows from Christs blood; lay up experiences of the vanity and emptiness of the Creature, and of Gods care over us to keep us from many sins and errrors when we have had great temptations to them; take special times to meditate of all the special experiences we have had, both in inward and outward Mercy.

26. Beware of covetousness and greedi­ness after the things of this world; for there is no satisfaction in the creature; we [Page 161] think if we had so much as some others have, we could be satisfied; but this is certain, nothing but God can set bounds unto the desires of mens hearts after worldly things; but our hearts, if they be set upon the world, will cry Give still; all the world cannot redeem us from death, nor all our Silver or Gold buy off any of the pangs of death; and though men are earnest upon the world for their Children, that they may leave them great matters to be some body in the world; yet we must know that the happiness of our Posterity doth not lie in our leaving them great estates; for if they never have Christ, it usually makes them more sinfull in this world, and more miserable in the world to world to come: yea God oftentimes raiseth poor Children to greater Estate in the world then they ever come to, and blasteth and crusheth the great Estate that men leave without his fear; and though the next Heirs it may be may keep it together, yet their Heirs may suddenly consume; and too often [Page 162] the more money men lay up for their Children, the fewer Prayers they lay up for them; besides, as Christ bids us beware of covetousness upon that ac­count, Luke 12.17. a mans life, that is, the comfort of it doth not con­sist in the multitude of that we possess; not only the true comfort of a mans life doth not lie in multitude of riches, but in Communion with God; but the out­ward comfort of a mans life doth not consist in the multitude of riches: many men of ordinary estates do enjoy more outward comfort then men of great Estates. How many great men have no comfort in their Estates! either God denies them of Heirs, and that is a tor­ment to them, or gives them not Power to eat of that which they possess, or God sendeth them such pains and sick­ness of Body, that they spend their days with grief, and their years with sighing: Some way or other God sends them such crosses and troubles that eat out all the comforts of their Estates: therefore let our Conversati­on [Page 163] be without covetousness, and be content with the things which we have, though it be little; for God hath said, He will never leave us nor forsake us.

27. Beware of distracting cares, fears & sorrows about earthly things; for these heart-distracting cares are mighty con­trary to the life of faith; they work not only death of soul, but the sorrow of the world, and grief about these things, do hasten death of the body; they drink and suck up the juyce of our natural Spi­rits. All our distracting cares cannot add one Cubit unto our statures; they cannot keep any of those crosses off; yea they provoke God to bring those troubles and crosses that we in an un­believing way care and perplex our Spirits about; they make the troubles of our Pilgrimage more then other­wise they would be; for they provoke God to continue the rod longer upon our backs, and make the afflictions we have more tedious; as a man in the stocks, to take on, and gall his legs to get out, makes his suffering a great deal [Page 164] more then it would be if he sat quiet; there is no way but to submit to God in all that befals us, and not to distract our hearts in a carnal way about troubles before they come, and be impatient and murmuring when they do come; yet a Christian will find this a hard lesson to learn.

28. Beware of the leaven of Hypo­crisie as Christ calls it; leaven indeed that leaveneth and sowreth our duties exceedingly: beware not only of gross Hypocrisie, such as declareth a man to be an Hypocrite; but lay aside all other Hypocrisie that is more secret, as in such particulars as these; (1) When we are to pray before others, not to depend upon the assistance of Gods Spirit as we do at other times, but to fetch in some fine expressions by the strength of memory which we have used or read heretofore; this is an evil to be watch­ed against. (2) Its the working of Hy­pocrisie in our hearts when we are en­larged in secret prayer, to have a [Page 165] thought in our hearts to wish that such and such might hear us that they might think highly of our gifts. (3) And so when we purposely give others occasi­on to commend us in conference. (4) Or when we undervalew our selves not in the humility and truth of our hearts, but purposely that others might commend us. (5) Or when we boast of things be­yond, or live and speak at too high a rate of those things that God hath wrought by us, & too highly commend those that God hath wrought upon by us that we might have more praise.

29. Watch against spiritual pride, seeing that we have nothing but what we have freely received. Spiritual pride is of all things most contrary to the dispensation of Grace in Christ, where­in the Lord hath taken a way to save us, wherein we are nothing, but his free Grace is all in all: let all Saints look upon themselves as the greatest of sin­ners; for though we have not commit­ed many great sins as Murder, and the [Page 166] like that others have committed, yet we have the same corrupt nature that the worst of men have; and our sins have aggravations that make us grea­ter sinners, as the light we have of the love of God to us in Christ, the Or­dinances and means of Grace, all these aggravate the sins of Believers: and though we may be higher in Gifts and in place then many Saints, yet be not high-minded but fear, knowing that you are therefore a City set upon a hill which cannot be hid; and God having given you eminent Gifts, and brought you to some eminent place, God will be more dishonoured by your falls and miscarriages, which is a mighty hum­bling consideration that religion may have more dishonor by you then by twenty other Saints failings.

30. Reprove sin; for though some may turn again and rent you, yet some­times you may be an instrument of con­verting a soul; and if this fall out but once in all thy life, its a great Mercy; [Page 167] however it is thy duty to leave it to the Lord to give success in it.

31. Be not peremptory and too earnest for the suddain removing of any affliction; for if that it lasts long, usually the more good is done thy soul by it.

32. Be not weary of prayer and other duties, because you do not always find such extraordinary joys and com­munion with God, as sometimes you have done; as sometimes the Lord hath been so present in prayer with a Saint, that he cryed out, Lord I could spend eternity thus! Eternity thus! Then hours and days to be in duty is no wearisomness to the Spirit, though to the body: but at other times the souls is tyred with a short walk, a short duty: but continue in prayer and all duties; whether our Communion with God be more or less in them.

CHAP. XX. How the Lord is pleased effectually to call some after they have been long in their natural Estate, and have been very wicked.

GOd is pleased to suffer some of his Elect to go on a great while in Ig­norance and to fall into great sins be­fore he convert them, as Matthew, Za­chaeus; Mary Magdalene, an elect person, yet God leaveth her to be possest with seven devils, and to be a Harlot before he convert her. Paul an elect person, yet God leaveth him a great while to go on in a Pharisaical way, and to be a grievous Persecutor before the Lord convert him. The Thief upon the Cross was an elect person, yet the Lord let him run on a long time in his sins, & for these he is sentenced to die, & the [...] the Lord converts him: now there are [Page 170] many reasons why the Lord in his insi­nite wisdom suffers many elect persons to fall into so much sin before the Lord convert them; As (1) because God will make it more eminently appeare that it was his meer Grace to save them and convert them: God doth con­vert many in their young time, before they have run into much prophaness; others God leaveth to go on a long time in prophaness; and though he could have converted them before, yet he doth it to magnifie his own Grace. (2) And God doth it that men might be the more humble after their Con­version, remembring what great sins they fell into before the Lord called them. (3) Hereby mens conver­sion is more remarkable to themselves and to others, and tends much to the awakening of others when they shall see a notorious sinner so changed, it may startle others exceedingly. (4) That the worst of sinners might not be hardned, and go on desperately in their sins, and say, There is no hope; no [Page 171] but seeing others converted after they have gone on so long in sin that they might now come to Christ, and say, I will have no more fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but cast my self upon the free mercy of God in Christ. (5) That we might use means to convert the greatest sin­ners, and not say, There is no hope that that Drunkard and that World­ling should ever be converted, and so never use means to discover sin and Christ to them. (6) That God might shew the certainty of E­lection, that those that he hath chosen shall be called according to Gods gra­cious purpose, which purpose shall stand. By this we see that all the Fa­ther giveth to Christ shall come to him, and be effectually called, though they are long before they are con­verted. (7) Hereby God will shew us the infinite merit of his Sons blood that it will cleanse from all sin; that though an elect person hath so abound­ed in sin, yet the blood of Christ is [Page 172] able to save him to the utmost. (8) And thus God sheweth the power of his Spirit, that he is able to convert men, not only when they are less sinners, but when they are mightily hardened in sin, and have long ac­customed themselves to do evil.

Question, But doth God love an elect Person, and hath he care of them before they be converted?

Answ. Yes, God loved them from eternity; God loved Jacob, Rom. 9. before he had done good or evil: God doth not then begin to love a soul when he is converted, though then the effects of his love do more ap­pear. (2) God gave his blessed Son for his elect, while they were enemies then they were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; he died for the ungodly, Rom. 5.9,10. and this was infinite love. (3) If God did not love the Elect before they were converted, they would never be con­verted. [Page 173] Its his infinite love to them that he unites & draws them to Christ, without which drawing they could never come to Christ. (4) God Hath such a love and care towards an elect person, that he never suffers them to fall in­to the sin against the holy Ghost, though they fall into other great sins. (5) God hath such a care towards them that they never die unconverted. Rom. 8,30. Whom he did predestinate, them he hath also called. God either converts them in their young time, or else lengthens out their days upon the earth, and brings them to Christ, though it be at the eleventh hour; As God called some of all sorts of sinners, excepting those that commit the sin against the holy Ghost; so he calleth at several ages, some in their child-hood, some in their middle age, and some in their old age; but God cal­leth most in their young time, whilst their hearts are yet tender.

How hath the Lord been pleased to work Grace in them that have been [Page 174] mightily prejudiced against the power­full preaching of the word, as its re­corded in the life of that gracious man, Mr. Robert Bolton, that before his con­version, he hearing Mr. Perkins preach, he said, He was an empty dry fellow, but after he was converted; he had high thoughts of his powerfull Mini­stry. Another, was that afterwards one of the most eminent in grace and gifts, that our times have known when the Bel went for Mr. Perkins, secretly was glad in his heart that he was dead, that he might not be so startled by his heart­searching ministry, which thought did exceedingly humble him after­wards, and God pleased powerfully to work upon him, and make him a burning and shining light. Thus where sin abounds, Gods grace some­times cals a soul, and so abounds much more then sin abounded. If we knew all passages concerning those whom the Lord converteth; what prophaness in some, what strange ig­narance in others, what wicked resi­stance [Page 175] of the Spirit, it would make us cry out, O the wickedness of the crea­ture, and O the unsearchable riches of Gods free grace! some have gone to an Ordinance to sleep, and the Lord hath made such a noise by his Spi­rit in their hearts, that they have been past sleeping, their souls have been so effectually awakened; some have gone to ensnare the Preacher, and the Lord hath changed their hearts, and opened their eyes; some have gone boldly to outface the Lord in his Ordinances, and the Lord hath made their stout hearts tremble at his word; some have gone only out of novelty to hear a man, be­cause he was a stranger, or was a noted Preacher, and the Lord hath convert­ed them; some have gone with their hearts as full of prejudice against the Preacher as could be, and yet the Lord hath bowed their heares before they came away, and made them say, Surely God is in this man and in his Ministry of a truth.

Some shall certainly be converted, [Page 176] and must enter into Gods rest, Heb. 4.6. (1) because God hath ordained some to eternal life, Acts 13.48. and the Election must obtain it. (2) The Lord Jesus hath died for them, and hath made their peace by the blood of his cross; And God the Father hath given him power over all the de­vils, and over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to them that he hath given him and them; Christ saith, he must bring home, and they shall hear his voice, John 10.16. (3) The Lord hath made many free and absolute Promises, as Ezek. 36.26. A new heart­will I give you. Gen. 3.15. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head. Now these must be made good to some in their effectual Calling and salvation, and that is to the elect; for all the free and absolute Promises shew what God both can do and will do for his elect; & so though they sometimes live a long time in an unconverted estate, yet the Lord doth in his appointed time give them a new heart, writes his Laws in [Page 177] their hearts, and puts his fear in their hearts, and causes them to walk in his Statutes and Judgements to do them, according to the free and absolute pro­mises of the New Covenant, that they are all taught of God, and he will be their God, and they shall be his people.

And therefore when we are convert­ed, what an engagement have we upon us to live to God, and lift up his Name in the world: O all you that have been converted, and after all your sinfulness have been pluckt as brands out of the fire; O shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Consider, (1) you have but a short time to bring glory to God in the exercise of grace in this world. (2) There ariseth a great deal of comfort to a mans own soul in the exercise of grace. (3) There are but few converted; and therefore those that are savingly converted had need bestir themselves to glorifie God with that grace they have received. (4) Na­tural men do evil with both hands, and [Page 178] lay out all their strength against the Lord; and therefore how should you that are such monuments of his mercy bring glory to him! (5) You may more comfortably and cheerfully die, when you have improved that ta­lent of grace that you have received for to bring glory to God in your genera­tion, 2 Tim. 4.6,7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course: not that when we come to die, Paul or any Be­liever doth look for heaven for his ser­vice; for when we have done all, we say we are unprofitable servants; but we rejoyce that God hath used us and im­ployed us to lift up his name in the world. (6) The more you lay out your selves to bring glory to God, the more cause others will have to bless God for you in the day of their visitation; seeing your good works, they will glorifie your Father which is in heaven; and say, I bless God for the holy life, and heavenly discourse, and winning con­versation of such a one of thy children; for it was a means to convince me and [Page 179] convert me to Jesus Christ; but O what a sadder thing would it be if a natural man should have cause to say upon his death-bed, or in hell, that the life and conversation of such a professor har­dened himagainst the waies of God; he saw such a professor so deceitful in his calling, another so vain in his dis­course, another so proud in his carriage and apparel, another so worldly, ano­ther so loose in his conversation, that he looked upon Religion but as a fancy, and was hardened in his sins! O then be afraid lest you should receive the grace of God in vain, though not as to the salvation of your own soul, but in that respect it be well with you for ever, yet fear lest you should not glorifie God in the world, and make his name as ointment poured forth to others. O therefore (1) hold forth Religion in an holy, humble, heavenly, winning conversation: the good conversation of Believers may draw others to en­quire into Religion, and so the Lord may catch them. (2) Lay out that [Page 180] grace you have received for the com­forting and strengthening of weak Bre­thren. How do men of great gifts and experiences, through sinful bashfulness, or too much habit of vain discourse, become of little use to their Brethren, yea to those Brethren with whom they are joyned in Church-fellowship! We have got an habit of jesting and vain discourse in our converse together, when as the old Saints were serious and spiritual; and this same way of idle talking and jesting is almost every where; and should this prevail, that spiritual communion that should be among Saints would soon be lost; but O never come into one anothers com­pany, but do or receive good; com­municate your knowledge and experi­ences to the weakest Saints and poorest Saints. Christians must not be like some Philosophers that we read of, that would as soon part with an eye, as with some curious notions that they found out in their studies; but Christians should comfort one another with the comforts [Page 181] wherewith they have been comforted of God, and inform one another in all doubtful cases with the light which the Lord hath given them. (3) Lay out your selves to convert others; thus did Paul after his conver­sion, Rom. 15.19. compassed Sea and Land, took many a weary step, went through innumerable dangers to convert souls to Jesus Christ. O how do ma­ny professors grow careless of Family­worship? O labour that those that dwell with you may be converted in your Families, and may have cause to bless God that ever they came to such a service, where they got the know­ledge of Jesus Christ. (4) When the Lord laies afflictions upon you, have a care that you do not dishonour him then by murmuring and impatience; that carnal men will say, Are these the people that speak of such high things, of Communion with God and the Seal of the Spirit, and yet none more im­patient when any cross befalls them! and thus they will be ready to think [Page 182] that Religion is but a Notional thing, that hath no power to subdue the heart to the Lord; few are converted amongst us, and one cause of it may be, that the carriage and conversation of pro­fessors is very low, and carrieth little in it to hold forth conviction to those that are without.