The Godly Mans Gain, AND THE Wicked Mans Woe; OR, Good News from Heaven for the Righteous.

THese words are the words of the Prophet Isaiah, unto rebellious Ju­dah and Jerusalem; having shew­ed them in the former verses, the trouble and confusion which comes by sin; it is the cause of the loss of Temporal and Spirituall Enjoyments, thence ariseth disobedience to Parents, as you may read in the 5, and 6, verses; he comes in these two verses read to you; to shew that though it be a day of publique Calamity, when the shews of mens countenances do witness a­gainst them, and shews their sin as Sodom, yet [Page] then is there good news from heaven for the righteous soul, here is glad tydings of peace and safety for him, It shall be well with him: here is all good things comprehended in this word, Well: it shall go well with him here, well with him hereafter: this shall be his comfort, this his joy: He shall eat the fruit of his doings, and be satisfied. But what shall become of y^e wicked? shall it be so with them? read the next verse, behold their doom, and a­void it if possible: Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Better for him he had never bin born, for eternal misery is his portion, he hath done ill, and the fruits of his evil déeds shall he receive: not a word of mercy to him, not a word of comfort for him▪ he hath had his good things in this life: and the Children of God their evil things: but now they are com­forted, and he is formented, they have the good spirit, the holy Ghost to comfort them, but the wicked man the evil spirit to torment him: in a word all the woes and denuncia­tions of wrath shall be executed against him, which are written in the Book of God.

The observation that I would note from these words, is this,

[Page]Doct. That in the midst of misery, the Lord Jesus Christ hath bowels of mercy for the Righteous person; but in the day of ac­count, he will have nothing but dregs of fury for the wicked, who study to make void his Law.

Here is good news for you, who have fought the good fight of faith, who have contended earnestly for the cause of Christ: a Crown of glory is prepared for them, which shall ne­ver fade away: There is mercy for them in the midst of misery; joy for them in y^e midst of sorrow; the smiles of Gods countenance shall chear up their hearts: though they may have sorrow for a season, yet joy cometh in y^e morning; the swéet and gracious carriage of y^e Lord Jesus Christ shall even ravish their souls. That this is so, That in the midst of mi­sery, t [...]e Lord Jesus Christ hath bowels of mer­cy, see Heb. 13.5. Be content with such things as you have, for he hath said: I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; As if y^e Lord should say to any poor soul in misery, that is ready to di­spond or despair, under the burthen of his af­flictions; bear my hand patiently, be content with such as you have, whether it be affliction tribulation, or persecution in this world, I have prepared a better Kingdom for you; Ile never leave you in six troubles, or in seven: [Page] I'le guide you by my Counsel, and afterward re­ceive you into Glory, Psal. 138.3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me, and strengthe­nedst me with strength in my soul. Though the world frown upon them yet there is a se­cret support, there is an everlasting arm that bears them up; his swéet & gracious carri­age to the Church, declares that they are the beloved of his soul, they are his Darlings, sée Cant. 4.8,11. Come with me from Lebanon (my Spouse) from Lebanon, &c. thou hast ra­vished my heart, my Sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck, how fair is thy love my Sister, my Spouse, how much better is thy love than Wine, and the smell of thine Oyntments then all spices? And thus the Lord Iesus goes along, shewing forth his love in most excellent terms, to make the soul more enam [...]ured of him.

But now to shew you why it is so, or how it comes to pass that the Lord is so full of bowels of mercy towards the Righteous, I shall give a few Reasons for it.

1. Because they are those whom he hath ransomed, whom he hath bought at a [...] rate, even the price of his own blood. These are the persons, (the Righteous I mean) for whom he was reviled, despised, was in bitter [Page] Agonies, and suffered a cruel death upon the Cress: And think you will he leave these in misery, and not remember he is a God of mercy? will not he stay these with Flaggons, & comfort them with Apples, when they are sick of love? The blood of the Lord Iesus Christ was not shed in vain, but he dyed, that his might live, he went through sorrows, that his might have joy, he was Crowned with Thorns, that his might be Crowned with glory. They are those whom he hath called out of darkness into this marvellous light; for these he hath procured a salvation, & an e­verlasting rest: They shall not be led Cap­tive at the Devils will, because they are re­déemed by the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, shall it go well with them.

2. Because they are those whom he hath chosen, & those whom the Father hath given him: Therefore hath the Lord bowels of mercy for them. As he hath accomplished his part on the Cross for them, so will he accom­plish his part in heaven for them; John 6.36. Of all that the Father hath given him, he will lose nothing. They are the fruit of his death and resurrection; to these he will be a Father in time of trouble: when y^e world cast them off, he will receive them into his protection, he will open his everlasting arms, & receive [Page] them into his imbraces. Christ will not lose his interrest, he will not lose those whom he hath chosen, and whom the Father hath given him; but the light of his countenance shall shine upon them, and he will compass them a­bout with mercy, all the dayes of their lives.

3. Why hath God bowels of mercy for y^e Righteous? because God hath peculiarly promised to these, and none but these, that he will be a Father to them, and they shall be his Children.

Now beloved, hath not a Father yerning bowels of affection towards his Child? doth not he love his own, & cherish his own more affectionately then he doth others? if he see them wronged, doth not he right them? even so y^e Lord Iesus Christ as a Father, is very pitiful & very loving, & affectionate towards his Children: Oh how his spirit is grieved to sée his grieved, when his Children are mo­lested, & despised it pierceth into his soul, and presently he is ready to deliver them; he will never leave his comfortless, but he will come unto them, he will be with them in joy and sorrow, in prosperity and adversity, in life & death, and at last will lead them into his hea­venly habitation, that they may partake of the glory promised, and receive the reward of their Righteousness, even the salvation of [Page] their precious souls: thus have you heard why y^e Lord Iesus Christ hath yerning b [...]w­els of mercy towards the Righteous. Indéed many more might be given, but these I think are enough to satisfie any reasonable soul, and n [...]w let me procéed to make a little improvement of it by way of use.

1. Vse of Exhortation; Let it be to exhort you who are Righteous in the sight of God, you to whom Iesus Christ hath bowels of mercy, to be continually lifting up Prayers and Praises with your whole heart and soul unto the Lord, who hath translated you out of darkness into his marvellous light, & out of the Kingdom of Satan unto God, y^t he should take pity of you, when you were in your blood when the Priest & the Levites pass'd by, that Christ the good Samaritan should look on you, & heal you. Oh admire this goodness of God! & be not slothful, but be fervent in spirit, ser­ving the Lord y^t hath had such compassion on you, that hath washed your souls in his own blood, that hath purg'd your consciences from dead works: what, will not you serve y^e Lord with fear and trembling? you to whom the Lord hath revealed himself in love and mer­cy; Oh be exhorted in the fear of God, to live answerable to those enjoyments you enjoy; and are like to be partakers of.

[Page]2. Vse of comfort and consolation to poor dejected souls, who go mourning all the day long, here is good news for you converted sin­ners, you who have felt the misery under the burden of sin, and do believe and ende [...]vour to avoid the power of Satan and the Wrath of God, and do believe what Christ hath done for your restauration and salvation, and have thankfully accepted of him as your onl [...] Sa­viour & Lord, on the terms that he is offered in the Gospel, as one y^t calls, justifies sancti­fies, and brings at last to everlasting Glory. Hold up your heads poor souls, and open the everlasting gates of your souls, that y^e King of glory may come in in triumph: hitherto you have clouded the bright rayes of his glo­ry, n [...]w open your eyes and your souls, y^t you may behold it: learn to say with David, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, who will yet be the light of my countenance, and my God: Hold up your heads you have cause to rejoyce, O ye Saints & Servants of the most high God, you néed not fear what man can do unto you, it shall be well with you, you shall have joy, when others shall have sorrow, you shall have peace when others shall have trouble, you shall enjoy eternall life, when o­thers shall have eternal death & damnation: [Page] So let me leave you in y^e bosome of your Fa­ther, sucking from y^e breasts of his consolati­on: and let me speak a little to the wicked, to those who will not have the Lord of life to reign over them. Something I shall speak, to shew them their danger and desperate condi­tion; and something by way of perswasion, to perswade them to come into the Lord Iesus Christ, that they might not be the objects of his fury at the great day. And when I begin to speak of these things: I confess it séems terrible to me, and makes me almost afraid, people will run out of their wits, when they hear it, but a little experience shewing us y^t many are like a Dog, bred in a Forge or Furnace, y^t being used to it, can sléep, though the hammers are beating, & the fire & hot I­rons flaming about him; when another that had never séen it, would be amazed at y^e sight: Lo thus they who have 10 or 20 years heard talk of the danger of enduring the wrath of God at the day of Iudgment, but sée it not, nor féel any hurt, they think it is but talk, and make nothing of it, and thus they thank God for his patience; Because his Sentence is not executed speedily, therefore they set them­selves to do evil, Eccles. 8.11. This conside­ration moded me, & awakened my soul, that I might unburden my conscience before you, & [Page] speak the truth in God, and lie not. And, Oh [...]hat I could teach your hearts; Oh that who­ [...]oever reads this little Book, might fear and [...]remble, and that séeing his danger, he may [...]ndeavor to avoid those unquenchable flames [...]f the fury of Gods Wrath, Sée 2 Cor. 5.10,11. and tremble when you read it; For [...]e must all appear at the Judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things [...]one in his body, according to that he hath [...]one, good or bad. Knowing therefore the [...]rrours of the Lord, we perswade men: 'Tis [...] you I am to speak, who have done ill; W [...]s [...] you, for the reward of your works shall be [...]iven you, and what is that? Nothing but [...]ell & horror, nothing but the fury of Gods [...]rath, a sad sentence shall be passed on you, [...]hall make your hearts to tremble then, [...]hough you will not tremble now.

2. Let us enquire wherein this horror con­ [...]sts, that is, first in the sentence of condem­ [...]ation it self, which expresseth the misery [...]hey are judged to.

1. They are cursed, and that denounceth a [...]eople destinated of & adjudged to utter un­ [...]appiness, & to all kind of miseries without [...]emedy: and their cursedness is described in [...]he next Words: Depart from me into ever­ [...]sting fire, prepared for the Devil and his [Page] Angels; from whom must they depart? from that God that made them in his Image, from the Redéemer that bought them with th [...] price of his blood, & offer's to save them fréel [...] for all their unworthiness; & many time intreated them to accept his offer, that the [...] souls might live; from the Holy Ghost th [...] Sanctifier, & Comforter of the faithful, wh [...] strove with their hearts, till they quenche [...] and expelled him: O [...] sad departing! wh [...] would not then chuse to depart from all th [...] friends he had in the world, or from any thin [...] imaginable: from his life from himself, [...] it were possible, then from Christ; Depar [...] from what? from the presence of the Iudg [...] from all future hopes of salvation for [...]ve [...] from all possibility of over being saved, an [...] living in the joyful inheritance of the Righ [...] eous. And then consider:

2. Whether must they depart? 1. In [...] fire. 2. Into y^t fire which is prepared for devil & his Angels. 3. Into everlasting fir [...] not into purifying, but into a tormenting fi [...] and thither wilt thou go without remedy: [...] Christ now to intercéed for thee: in vain no [...] to repent, & wish [...]ō had not slighted your salvation, or sold it for a little pleasūe for y^e fle [...] it will be then in vain to cry, Lord open to us Oh spare us! O pity us! Oh do not cast a [...] [Page] [...]nto those hideous flames! Oh do not turn us among devils, do not condemn thy Redéemed [...]nes! but all shall be in vain, you cry & call too late, the gates of Heaven are shut against you, you [...]āt sinned, therefore you shall suffer; [...]he coals of his fury shall always be burning of you, but you shall never be burnt; consider­ing the company you shall have, none but tor­menting devils; this will aggravate your misery: & the time it shall endure, not a year [...]r ten, or a hundred years, but for ever: you [...]hall be always consuming, but never consu­med; as the blessedness & joy of the godly is perpetual, so shall also the torments of the wicked. Oh poor sinner! y^t readest or hearest these lines, I beséech thée in compassion to thy [...]oul, consider how fearful the case of y^e man will be, that is newly doomed to the everlast­ing fire, and is haled to the execution without [...]emedy. The time was, when repentance might have done thée good, but then all thy re­ [...]entings will be in vain: now while thy day of visitation lasteth, hadst thou but a heart to [...]ry & call for mercy in faith & fervency, thou mightest be heard, but then praying & crying will do thee no good; shouldst thou roar out in [...]he extremity of thy horror and amazement, [...] beseech the Lord Iesus but to forgive thée one sin, or to send thée on earth once more, [Page] or try thée once again in the flesh, whether thou would love him, and lead a godly life, [...] would be all in vain: shouldst thou besée [...] him by all the mercifulness of his nature, [...] all his sufferings & bloody death, by all y^e merciful promises of y^e Gospel, it would be all [...] vain: nay, shouldst thou but beg for one day reprieve, or stay one hour before thou we [...] cast into those flames, it would not be hear [...] how earnestly did Dives beg of Abraham, t [...] one drop of Water to cool his Tongue? b [...] cause he was tormented in y^e flames; & whi [...] was he the better? he was bid Remember t [...] good things he had in this life, and y^e remembrance would torment him more. Christ wi [...] not be intreated by the ungodly, but he wi [...] soon stop thy mouth, or leave thée spéechless And say, Remember man, y^t I did once se [...] thée a message of peace, and thou wouldst n [...] hear it: I did once stoop to beseech thée to return, and thou wouldst not hear: I besoug [...] thée by y^e tender mercies of God: I besoug [...] thée by all the love that I had shewed thée [...] my holy life, my cursed death, by the riches my grace, by the offers of my glory, & I cou [...] not get thée to forsake the World, to deny th [...] flesh, to leave one beloved fin; for all this, [...] waited on thée many a day, and year, th [...] wouldst not consider and return and live, an [...] [Page] now 'tis too late, my sentence is past, & can­not be recalled, away from me get thée hence, thou worker of iniquity, Mat. 7.22,23. Ah! beloved friends, what a case is then the poor desperate sinner left in? how can you y^t read or hear, once think without trembling, of the condition that such forlorn wretches will be in, when they look about them, and sée God that hath forsaken them, because they forsook him first; and when they look about them, and sée the Saints on y^e one hand, whom they de­spised, now sentenced unto glory, & the wicked on the other hand, whom they accompanied and imitated, now judged with them to ever­lasting misery: When they look below them, and sée the flames that they must abide in, e­ven for evermore, and when y^e Devil begins to hale them to y^e execution: Oh poor souls! now what would they give for a Christ, for a promise, for a time of repentance, for a ser­mon of mercy, which once they slept under, or made no account of: How is the case altred now with them? Who would think y^t these are the same men, y^t made light of all this on earth; that so stoutly scorned the reproofs of y^e Word, that would be worldly, and fleshly, & drunk, and proud; let Preachers say what they would, and perhaps hated them that did give them warning: now they are of another [Page] mind, but all too late: now would they draw back, and lay hold of any thing, rather then be dragged away into those flames: but there is no resisting: Satans temptations might have béen resisted, but his exacutions cannot: Gods judgments might have béen prevented by faith & prayer, & a holy life, but they can­not be resisted when they are not prevented: glad would the miserable sinner be, if that he might but turn to nothing, or y^t he might be any thing rather then a reasonable creature: but their wishes are all in vain, there is but one time, and one way for a sinners delive­rance: if he fail in y^t one, he perisheth for ever, all y^e world cannot help him after that, 2 Cor. 6.26. I have heard thée in a time ac­cepted, and in a day of salvation: behold, now is the day of salvation, Rev. 3.20. Be­hold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him and he with me, but for the time to come hereafter, hear what y^e Lord saith, Prov 1.24.25 26. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, but they have set at nought my counsel & would none of my reproof, I wi [...]l also mock at your calamity. I will laugh when your fear cometh, when your fear cometh as de­solation, and your destruction as a whirlwind, [Page] when distress and anguish cometh upon them: then shall they call upon me, but I will not an­swer, they shall seek me early, but shall not find me, for that they hated knowledge, and did not chuse the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsels, they despised all my reproofs, therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices, for the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them; but who so hearkeneth to me, shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet for fear of evil. This God him­self hath plainly told you, and Oh! that you would consider of it in time; will you thus wilfully sin, and think to escape the wrath of God? nay, let me tell you, except you like­wise repent, ye shall all likewise perish; all the world shall not, cannot save you, no Act of In­demnity shall be passed upon you, you have sin­ned, & you shall suffer. and Gods Name shall be justified by it, and Ah; that your Consci­ences would be awakened by a serious appre­hension of the deadly torments, and smoaking flames, that shall certainly one day seize upon your body, & y^t the fear of it might move your hearts into a relenting and repenting frame, & your souls might be affected with y^e wayes & truths of God, which are both pleasant and peaceable, and in them you shall find eternal life.

[Page]And now I have in brief shown you the danger of resisting the Lord Iesus Christ, suffer me to persawde you, & Oh y^t you would be perswaded before the woes and denunciati­ons of Gods Wrath be pronounced against you! Oh that you would believe y^t one day you shall receive y^e fruit of your doings: will you suffer your souls to sink in the last day, for want of care, & self-preservation? Oh that I could perswade you by the tender mercies of God, by that precious Blood of the Imacu­late Lamb of God, to awake presently, and resolve to lose no more time, but set upon the work. Oh that there were such a heart in you as you were truly willing to follow the gra­cious guidance of the Lord, and to use those swéet and reasonable means which he hath prescribed in his word, that you may be ready for the day of the Lord, for you will not be a­ble to make any shift to kéep your souls from continual terrors, as long as you remain in a Carnal and unregenerate condition; let the sudden approach of death & judgment, con­tinually move you, and the terrible apprehen­sions of the falling into those furious flames prapared for the wicked, rouse up your sléepy souls from sin and security How do you think to escape at the last day, you that never once trembled at the thoughts of that great day: [Page] let me perswade you to confirm your thoughts in the belief of this, that you shall suddenly appear at the Bar of Gods Iustice, and there shall be brought to answer for thy déeds done in the flesh, whether good or evil, what then wilt thou be able to say before y^e great God? then it will be too late to say; Lord be merci­ful to me a Sinner, then shall you wish too late, that you had done the good, and the acceptable will of God; & that you had left the Creature and served the Creator. Then shall you be ready to cry out: Woe is me, how shall I be able to bear this dreadful & heavy burthen of the Wrath of God: Oh how shall I live a­mong those scorching & never dying flames? How shall I be able to endure those fearful shrikes, and sad complaints of those damned souls? and then beholding the swéet Harmony that is among the glorified Saints, their con­tinual blessedness shall more amaze thée; then wilt thou wish thou wert received into their swéet society: Then wilt thou be ready to say, Lord receive me into thy Kingdom. But alas thou hadst thy good things in this life, there­fore nothing but wrath and curse is thy por­tion, this will be thy condition unless thou in time consider, and are fully prepared for the coming of the Bride. I would lay down a few helps and directions, to poor seduced and delu­ded [Page] souls that séeing their danger, they might also look out for a recovery.

1. Direction. Labour to get your selves e­stablished in this belief, y^t the judgement of the great day is at hand, and that you must answer for all your déeds done in the flesh: Friends s [...]ut not your eyes against the light. If you do not believe such a day is at hand, you will never prepare for it, it is the Word of the God of truth; certainly you dare not give him the lye; John 5.28.29. The hour is coming, in which, all that are in their Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the Resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the Resur­rection of damnation. Heb. 9.27. It is appoin­ted to all men once to die, and after death to Judgement. Nothing more true then this, and dare you live without the faith of this?

2. Direction. Make it the business of your lives to be ready for that day. All other busi­ness should depend upon this, what else have you to do, but to provide for eternity, & to use y^t means prescribed in Gods word. Remem­ber when you awake every morning, you are nearer to eternity, and that the day of your account is at hand, and when you go to bed, examine your hearts; what you have done in preparation for the last day are you ready for [Page] judgement, or are you not? Consider a while with your Souls? doth not y^e Scripture say: Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, John 3.3. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather then light, because their deeds are evil. Sée the case of the unprepared soul, at the great day, Mat. 25. Cast the unprofitable Servant into utter dark­ness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. But those mine enemies, who will not have me to reign over them, bring them hither and slay them before me, Mat. 22.12,13. Friend, how camest thou hither, not having a wedding Garment? and he was speechless: then said the King to the servants bind him hand and foot, and take him away, cast him into utter dark­ness. Labour to be ready for the great day.

3. Direction. Get Faith and Repentance sown in thy heart, or else thou shalt never be accepted or justified by the blood of Christ: without Faith it is impossible to please God, and without Repentance no Salvation. Oh make not a light matter of sin and misery, lest thou be pressed by them into infernal flames, but Repent from the bottom of thy heart, and be grieved for this, that thou didst not repent sooner: turn to the Lord with thy whole heart, & let God be in all thy thoughts, [Page] then he will pardon and pass by all your iniquities, and receive you graciously, & prese [...] you as pure and spotless before the Throne [...] his Father, & then you shall be taken into h [...] imbraces, and have his Banner of love sprea [...] over you.

4. Direction. Let it be y^e daily care of yo [...] souls to mortifie fleshly desires, and overcom [...] the world: fleshly desires, & carnal self, wi [...] draw you of from God. This therefore mu [...] be the earnest work of thy life, to subdue th [...] flesh & to set light by this world & resist the devil y^t would destroy thée: Live loose from a [...] things in this world, if you would be read [...] for another world, you must not live after th [...] flesh, but mortifie it by the spirit; Rom. 8.13 If you would be accepted in the last day, & b [...] able to give up your account with joy, th [...] must be the course of your life; then he hath promised to receive you graciously and to tak [...] you into his everlasting Rest.

5. Direction. As you renew your Life, s [...] daily renew your repentance, & do all your works, as men that must be judged for them at the last day: O y^t you would remember when temptations are upon you! how careful you should be of your words and thoughts, i [...] you seriously remember you must be judged for what you have done, and give an account [Page] [...]or every talent received, certainly you would [...]ot be so vain; so carnal, and so dead to the [...]hings of God, were you fully convinced that [...]ou must answer for all, were God in all your [...]houghts, the devil would be under foot: Oh [...]hat poor miserable souls would, before it be [...] late, lay to heart these things, and remem­ [...]er what they are born for, and what will [...] the issue of an ungodly, careless, unre­ [...]enting life.

6. Direction. Be in this vigilent and obedi­ [...]t course, that with confidence you may rest [...]pon God as a father, and upon the promise of [...]cceptance, and remission, through the merits [...]d intercession of Iesus Christ; Look up in [...]pe, to the glory that is set before you: serve [...]t droopingly, but with love, and joy, & filial [...]ar; get into communion with the Saints, [...]ke heed you be not excluded by your unwor­ [...]y walking, left you be cast out of y^e presence [...] Christ & his Saints for ever. And that I [...]ight draw to a conclusion, I would say to [...]or sinners, judgment is near, be prepared, [...]st you bewail whent is to late. O y^t y^e Lord [...]uld open your eyes, & turn you to himself: [...]hen y^e judgement day will not be dreadful [...] you: then your Saviour whom you have o­ [...]ed, will not condemn you, but if you will [...] obstinate, when y^e Lord Iesus Christ is re­ [...]aled from Heaven, with his mighty Angels [Page] in flaming fire, taking vengeance on the [...] who know not God, & obey not the Gospel [...] our Lord Iesus Christ, you who have resisted his will, shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of y^e Lor [...] when the day of the Marriage of the La [...] comes, & y^e reception of y^e Saints into Glor [...] then you who are not prepared for y^e Brid [...] groom; the door shall be shut against you, a [...] though you cry: Lord, Lord, open to us, y [...] shall be repulsed with a verily I know you n [...] when others long, hope, & wait for comfor [...] then shall you fear and tremble at the r [...] membrance of it. And oh that the words co [...] tained in this little Book, might move so [...] poor soul to a serious view of their lives a [...] conversations, whether they are those to wh [...] y^e Lord will say: Woe to you wicked, you sh [...] receive the fruit of your doings, y^t you may [...] time prepare for judgment, y^t when y^e time [...] your departure is at hand, you may be abl [...] look back on the good fight you have foght [...] y^e course you have finished, & y^e faith you ha [...] kept, & may confidently conclude, y^e hen [...] forth there is laid up a crown for you of rig [...] eousness, which y^e Lord Iesus Christ y^e Iu [...] shall give you at y^e last day, & not to you on [...] but to all them who love his appearing, t [...] you may be able to say: even so, Come L [...] Jesus come quickly: Amen.

The Sinners Sobs; OR, The Sinners Way to Sions Joy.
Plainly demonstrating the absolute ne­cessity of true godly sorrow for sin, and true confession of Sin.

IN this Chapter you have an account of the effects of the Apostle Peter's fa­mous Sermon; having told the Jews in the verses before my Text; That they were the men that had cru­cified [Page 2] the Lord of Life, and shed the blood of God: that they had consented to it, and imbrewed their hands in it: thi [...] stung their consciences, and pricked thei [...] hearts; the Arrows of the Lord, whic [...] the Apostle had shot secretly into thei [...] souls, came home to their hearts an [...] consciences, that they could bear no lo [...] ger, but came to Peter and the rest, an [...] said, What shall we do to be saved?

The Doctrine which I would bries [...] speak to, from these words, is this:

Doct. An unfeigned sorrow and co [...] trition of heart, conceived of Go [...] displeasure for Sin, is absolute [...] necessary to salvation.

This is that we call the beginning [...] the Work of Grace, even in the bruisi [...] of a sinners heart, under the sence of an [...] sin committed.

To prove this to be absolutely n [...] cessary to salvation, not only Scriptur [...] but reason will tell us: for Scriptur [...] see the 1 Corinth. 7. chap. 10. ver [...] Godly sorrow causeth Repentance u [...] alvation. And as the Prophet Da [...] [Page 3] [...]n the bitterness of his spirit, said, Thou keepest my eyes waking, and my sin is ever before me. If the Lord love a sinner, and means to do him good, he will not let [...]he sinner alone in his own sinful courses, [...]ut will fret him from his D [...]n, and [...]ruise him, and beat him as in a Morter: what caused Davids sorrow, but his sin? [...]e had needed no restoring, had he not [...]een degraded.

Well then, Is this a work of Grace? [...]s this contrition and sorrow for Sin? [...] beginning of repentance? then it must [...]eeds be of great necessity to salvation: [...]or without repentance there is no salva­ [...]ion.

Now that something might be hint­ [...]d, to put poor sinners in a way to this [...]nfeigned Sorrow and Contrition: let me beg you in the bowels of love, ear­ [...]estly desiring your souls eternal wel­ [...]are, to meditate seriously on these three [...]hings, which will, if set home by the Spirit of God, help you to the after work, even Hearty Sorrow, and true Contrition.

1. Look over your life past, and labour [...]o see the mercy, goodness, and patience of God, that hath been abused and despised [Page 4] by that unkind dealing of yours: O [...] souls, remember the daies of old, and reckon up Gods gracious dealing with you; were you ever in want, who sup­plied you? were you ever in weakness, who strengthened you? in sickness, who cured you? in miseries, who succoured you? in poverty, who relieved you? was it not the Lord? and how can you for­get him, who forgot not you in you [...] low estate? will you reward the Lord thus? what shall I say of you? Hear, oh Heavens, and hearken oh Earth; the Oxe knoweth his owner, and the As [...] his Masters Crib, and will not you ac­knowledge Gods kindness and goodness to you? Look into your Houses, go to your Tables, and your Beds, and say▪ who gives these, and continues these? doth not the Lord: and yet Sin agains [...] this God: certainly my friends, seri­ous meditation on this, must break the heart, and cause sorrow for Sin: But

2. If the mercy, goodness, and pati­ence of God, will not move or melt you [...] Consider it, (God is just too) if mercy cannot prevail, you shall have justice enough. Take heed, oh hard-hearted and [Page 5] undaunted Sinners, the just law that hath been contemned, and those righteous sta­tutes that have been broken, and that God that hath been provoked by you, and will be revenged of you: Where's Nimrod and Nebuchadnezzar, and Pha­roah, and Herod, and all those proud per­sons that set their mouths against God, and their hearts against heaven, what's now become of them? they are now in the bottomless pit of Hell.

As the Apostle saith, Our God is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. And if my fire be kindled it shall burn to the bot­tom of Hell. Oh therefore meditate on the justice of God, provoked, lest thou art called to the Bar too soon, to answer for thy sins: and certainly a serious Me­ditation here, must needs provoke an un­feigned Contrition.

3. Meditate on the cost and the punish­ment of sin: consider, O stubborn sinner! what will sin cost you? Namely, those endless torments that cannot be con­ceiv'd: hath not the God of Heaven and Earth, with all his attributes, passed be­fore you; to wit, his mercy, his goodness, his power, his long-suffering; hath not all these come to your hearts, and whis­pered [Page 6] in your ear, and said, bounty hath kept you, patience hath born with you, long-suffering hath endured you, mercy hath relieved you, the goodness of God hath been great unto you: all these will bid you adiew, and say, Farewel damned Soul, you must pack hence to Hell: to have fellowship with damned Ghosts, where you shall have everlasting pain, without one jot of pleasure: continual sorrow, without one drop of joy.

Conceive in thy soul, the just God cannot but justly be angry with you, and he will not let Sin go unpunished: and let the consideration of this fetch tears from thy eyes, and sorrow from thy heart. Meditation upon these things, if solid and serious, must needs cause a heart-breaking for sin: but to give you some Reasons, why there must be this piercing and wounding of Soul for Sin.

1. Reason. Because Sin is the greatest evil of the Soul, and the greatest burden also: that is most grievous, which is most heavy: now as there is no evil, so properly and directly evil to the soul, as the evil of Sin: so there is nothing that [Page 7] can properly do good to the Soul, but God: Now while a sinner comes to see his sin, he cannot sorrow for his Sin: now it is godly sorrow causeth Repen­tance unto life, as you may see in the 2 Cor. 7.10. And assuredly, the soul that sees not the evil of sin, shall fall by the evil of punishment.

2. Reason. Why unfeigned sorrow and contrition of heart for sin, is neces­sary to Salvation: because by sound sorrow, the Soul is truly prepared and fitted for the Lord Jesus Christ; as you may see in the 9. of the Prophet Jere­miah, and the 3. verse, Plow up the fal­low ground of your hearts, and sow not among thorns. What is it else, but to have the heart pierced with the terrors of the Lord, by a sound, saving sorrow for sin? Plow up the corruptions, which are the Thorns and Thistles in your hearts, as the Prophet David saith, Psalm 51.27. It's a broken and a Con­trite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise: the heart must be broken all to pieces, even to powder, and must be content to be weaned from all sin, which is the way to be fitted for Jesus Christ.

[Page 8]3. Reason. The soul cannot part with his Sins and Lusts, which are his God, until he find himself wearied with them, and as gall and worm-wood to him, and now this weariedness and burthen of Sin, must needs cause in the soul, a sound sorrow for it, before the soul sees the venemous and ugly nature of it, he is not willing to part with it: go to pull away the Adulterers Whores; and the Drunkards Pots, you had as good go kill them: the reason is, because they find sweetness in those base courses, and they are all their delight: but now when the Lord comes to lay a heavy weight upon this man's shoulder, those Sins which were so sweet before, he finds them now as bitter as gall and worm-wood, and now he lies down in sorrow, and crys out: Oh! is Sin such a dead­ly killing evil, as it will certainly de­stroy body and soul in Hell? and is there no entring into Heaven with the guilt of these upon my soul? Good Lord, do what thou wilt with me, only take my soul and save me, and take away my lusts and corruptions from me.

Thus have you briefly the reasons of [Page 9] the Point, that this is the way of Gods working: That sorrow and Contrition of heart for Sin, is the way to conversion from Sin, and a turning to God.

I proceed to application:

• The first shall be for instruction.
• The second for Reproof and Com­plaint.
• The third for Exhortation.

1 Ʋse. Is it so? that this sorrow un­der the burthen and weight of Sin, will pierce a mans Soul to the quick, and grind him as it were to powder, being run through by the Arrows of the Al­mighty, and that is of so great necessity to be humbled, and soundly sorrowful for Sin: then let this teach brethren how to carry themselves one towards another, even to such as God hath dealt thus withal. Are their Souls pierced? Oh, do you pity them! Do they lie down in sorrow, and eat the bread of ad­versity, and drink the water of affliction? Oh have compassion on them; See what the Lord says by Moses, Deuteronomy 22.1,2,3. If a man see his Neigh­bours Oxe, or his Ass fall into distress by [Page 10] the way, the Lord commandeth him to ease him, and succour him, nay, to lay aside all business, and not to hide him­self from him: hath the Lord command­ed mercy to be shown to the unreasona­ble creatures, that is wearied with the weight he carries? hath the Lord care of Oxen? and oh! wilt not thou help to ease the heart of thy Brother, that is thus tired with the wrath of the Al­mighty? do you see? and cannot you mourn for them, and pray for them, and speak in the behalf of distressed souls? See what Job saith, Chap. 19. v. 21,22,23. Oh (saith he) that my sorrows were all weighed, they would prove hea­vier than the sands. As if he had said, Oh my friends have pity upon me: What, have you no regard of a man in misery? have you no pity, though he cry in bit­terness of soul, help, help, for the Lords sake: Oh pray for, and pity those wounds and vexations of spirit, which no man feels but he that is thus wounded: the poor man lies crying under the burden of Sin, sighing and mourning, and say­ing. Oh when will it once be, that God will receive his drooping Soul: certainly it would make ones heart [Page 11] bleed to hear the swoundings away of such a man, that the sword of the Al­mighty hath pierced his heart, and he lies breathing out his sorrow, as though he was going down to Hell: It is a sign that soul is marked out for destruction himself, who harboureth such a desperate disdain against poor wounded Souls. Oh could you see a Job smitten all over with boils, and lie miserably forlorn in the eyes of men, and would not you lend him a hand, nor mouth neither, to help him? can you endure to see them pricked to the heart? roar­ing and staring under the heavy yoke and burthen of their Sins crying out, What shall we do to be saved? Oh what shall we do to escape Hell and damnati­on, and those unsupportable and un­quenchable flames of the wrath of God? canst thou stand still, and say or do no­thing, or rather canst thou upbraid them? Oh soul! assuredly the Lord will remember thee in the day of thy death; and as thou hast shewed no mercy, so shalt thou receive no mercy in that day; such willing and violent opposers of Gods Grace, the Lord will bring them one day on a B [...]d of [Page 12] languishing, and make them roar by force, under the violence of his wrath. Oh friends! be troubled at others trou­bles, and mourn in secret, for them that mourn under the terrible burden of Sin.

2 Ʋse. And here let me take a lamen­tation, in the Nature of Reproof, a­gainst the secure souls in the generation wherein we live; the Lord be merciful to a world of men, that live in the bo­som of the Church: Oh that we had a fountain of tears, to bewail this age, in this respect! As Diogenes went about Athens with a Lanthorn and Candle at noonday, to seek for honest men; so should a Minister go from Country to Coun­try, and from Shire to Shire: O how few would he find mourning for their Sins? Sin is so far from being a bur­then, or poison to them, that it is their sport and pastime; just Esau like, what did he? when he had eat and drunk, he rose up to play, Genesis 25. How few are there like Ephraim who smite upon their thigh, and cry out, What have I done? Men upon their Ale-benches can swear, and drink, and rail against God, [Page 13] and defie the holy one of Israel: Oh but how few rail against their sins, and wish the death and destruction of them? How few cry out, Men and Brethren, what shall we do to be saved? but on the con­trary (and Oh that it were soundly la­mented for, and reproved) many do des­pight to the Spirit of Grace and Glory, in those things for which they have cause to be ashamed: Says the vile swearer I swore such a man out of his house? saith the drunkard, I drank such a man under the Table dead. Oh sin­ners pray read that place of the Apostle, and there you may see your doom: I speak to impudent and incorrigible sin­ners: 2 Thes. 2.12. That all they might be damned, which believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Methinks these words should shake a mans heart to think on them, the Lord in mercy look upon you, and make sin as lothsom and bitter to you, as ever it hath been sweet and pleasant. O sport not your selves with Sin: Consider Dives for a Drunken feast here, had a dry feast in Hell, and could not get one drop of water to cool his tongue: so will it be with you, you must either buckle and [Page 14] mourn for sin, or else burn for ever; what wilt thou do, O man, when God shall come to tear thee in pieces, and there be none to help? when God shall grant the Devil leave to take thee into his ac­cursed mansions, and there shalt thou lie and weep and gnash thy teeth for ever, then thou shalt lie blaspheming, with Gods wrath like a pile of fire up­on thy soul, burning with floods and Seas of tears, which thou mayest shed, shall never quench it: which way soever thou lookest, thou shalt see matter and cause of everlasting grief, look up to Heaven, and there thou shalt see (Oh) that God is gone for ever: Look about thee, and thou shalt see Devils about thee, and thou shalt see Devils qua­king and cursing God, and thousands, nay, millions of sinful damned crea­tures, crying and roaring out with doleful shrieks, Oh the day that ever I was born! Look within thee, there is a guilty Conscience, continually gnaw­ing thee; look to the time past, O those golden daies of grace, and sweet seasons of mercy are past and gone: Look to the time to come, and there shalt thou be­hold devils, troops and swarms of sorrow, [Page 15] woes, and raging waves, and billows of wrath coming roaring upon thee; flie from it, Oh souls before you feel it, be­wail your selves, be sorry, grieve and mourn, humble your selves in the sight of the Lord, be pricked to the heart: go tell God you cannot bear your sins, they are too heavy for you: much more the punishment: complain to him who is able to ease you: Oh vex not the righteous soul of the godly, from day to day: neither grieve the holy spirit of God, but be converted that ye may live: Cry mightily to the Lord, peradventure he may hear, and forget and forgive all your provocations; weep, that you have la­mented no more; and grieve that you have no more grieved for Sin.

3. Ʋse, Is of exhortation, to exhort and beseech poor sinners that are under the command of the Prince of the power of the Air, who are strangers to God, aliens to the Covenant of promise, who have lived all this while without God in the world, to come in hither; and take the right way, to bring your hearts to a right pitch of sorrow: Let me tell you, it will never repent you at the last day, [Page 16] that you have had your heart humbled, it will never repent you that you have wept, when the Lord comes to wipe away all tears from your eyes: hear what our blessed Saviour saith, Mat. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. You had better now be wounded, than be everlastingly tormented: Oh therefore if you desire ever to see the face of God with com­fort, and to have Christ speak for you, break your hearts with sorrow for Sin soundly: Oh for the Lords sake, do not couzen your souls, do not cheat your selves: it is not only the tears of the eye, but the blood of the heart, your sins must cost, and till you come to this, ne­ver think your sorrow is good: This sor­row consists not in a bare rending of garments, or change of Apparel, or de­nying themselves those outward Orna­ments, as some people of late daies do foolishly conceive, who had been filled with desperate hypocrisie, having left off here, and gone no further: but you must break your hearts, wound your selves here, and be driven into amaze­ment for Sin, or else it will live with you here, and in hell too: Oh therefor [...] [Page 17] when God begins to work, follow the blow, and say with the Prophet David, in the 3. Psalm, and the 2. verse, Our eyes are upon thee, till thou have mercy on us; get your Consciences wounded, and resolve not to hear the Counsel of car­nal friends. Go and lie at Gods foot­stool, and confess your Sins before him, for 'tis he that confesseth and forsaketh, shall find mercy: and where there is this true and hearty confession, there must needs be a godly sorrow for Sin.

To provoke you to it, let me leave you two or three Motives.

1. Consider. It is not a vain thing you are exhorted to, but that, upon which the life of your souls depend, for without a through sense, and pricking at the heart for Sin, there is no salva­tion from Sin; he that would be Christs Disciple, must leave all he hath, Father and Mother, Wife and Children, all that's near and dear to him, and take up the Cross and follow Christ. He that would be a true convert, must both confess and grieve for Sin, as the Prophet Ezekiel saith, they shall remember their waies that were not good, and shall be ashamed. Oh be per­swaded, [Page 18] poor careless Sinners, to mind the check of your conscience within you, and the clear perspicuous light of the Gospel without you, and come among the number of mourners, to mourn for Sin: you may weep your eyes out hereafter to no purpose: better weep here a while, than for ever in Hell: for our Lord Jesus hath said, Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comfort­ed. Oh souls, these are not trivial things I press you to, the Lord make you serious in your sorrow for Sin, that it be such godly sorrow as worketh life and peace.

2. Consider. Deep and hearty sorrow for, and true confession of Sin, is a very honourable thing in the eyes of God, and good men: Oh souls! it will tend to your everlasting honour and renown in the great day, when God shall acquit you before all the world, both Angels, Men, and Devils: and say, here, behold the ingenious confessor, and the true godly mourner! who was not ashamed to say, In Sin was I conceived, and in Iniquity brought forth. This weeping soul have I comforted with my Spirit, [Page 19] and he stands justified by my Sons merit: [...]le honour him with a Title that is bet­ [...]er than that of Sons and Daughters: Come then, Oh souls, and be among the mourners in Zion, as ever you desire to be [...]omforted, and as ever you would be so [...]ighly honoured.

3. Consider. Godly sorrow and con­fession of Sin, is a safe thing: It is the [...]ure and safe way to Heaven and Glory. [...]s it safe to contend with God? can bry­ [...]rs and thorns contend with God in bat­tel? Is it safe to fall into the hand of the living God, with the guilt of all your Sins upon you?

Now if all that I have said concern­ing this point be true, as I hope it is, according to the word of God: and if godly sorrow for Sin, be the way to for­sake Sin, then surely it is a very safe way, and dare you leave your eternal estate at uncertainties: Were you now to die, it would surely exceedingly star­tle you, to think you did not know whi­ther you were a going: into which of the two eternities you are launching, ei­ther to eternal perdition, or to an eter­nal [Page 20] fruition of the Heavenly Mansions: The way to heaven is the safest way for your souls ease: and this way I have treated upon, viz. Godly sorrow, and heart-breaking for Sin, is that which the Saints and Servants of God, have found in their journey to heaven and Glory.

Consider therefore, what hath bee [...] said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. Amen.

THE Swearer and the Drunkard, Two Brethren in Iniquity, Arraigned at the Bar.

COnsidering the numberless number of those, who, calling themselves Protestants, discredit the Protest­stant Religion; who, because they have been Christned, as Simon Ma­gus was, and received the Lords-Super, like Judas, and for company go to Church also, as Dogs do, are called Christians, as we call the Heathen Images Gods, yea, and being blinded by the Prince of darkness, think to be saved by Christ, though the [...] take up arms against him: who are so graceless, that God is not in all their thoughts, unless to Blaspheme him, and to [Page 2] spend his days in the Devils service; who justi­fie the wicked, and condemn the just; who call Zeal, Madness; and Religion, Foolishness; who love their Sins so much above their Souls, that they will mock their admonisher, scoff at the means to be saved, and make themselves bondslaves for an apple; and like Esau, sell their birth-right of Grace, for a mess of Pottage: who prefer the pleasing of their Pallats, before the saving of their Souls; who have not only cast off Religion, which should make them good men, but Reason also, that should make them men; who wast Vertues faster then Riches, and Riches faster then any Vertues can get them; who do nothing else but sin, and make others sin too; who spend their time and Patrimonies in Riot, and upon Dice, Drabs, and Drunken­ness: who place all their felicity in a Tavern, or Alehouse: who desire not the reputation of Honesty, but of Goodfellowship: who, in­stead of quenching their thirst, drown their sen­ses, and had rather leave their Wits, then their Wine behind them: who place their Paradice in throats, Heaven in their Guts, and make their belly their God: who being displeased with others, will flye in their makers face, and tear their Saviours Name in pieces with Oaths, and Erecrations, as being worse then a mad dog, who flyeth in his masters face who keeps [Page 3] him: who swear and curse, even out of custom, as Curs back, and have so sworn away all Grace, that they will count it a Grace to swear; and being reproved for swearing, they will swear they swore not: who will do what God forbids, yet confidently hope to escape what he threatens: who will do the Devils work, and yet expect Christs wages, expect that Heaven should meet them at their last hour, when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten road towards Hell: who expect to have Christ their Redéemer and Advocate, when their Con­sciences tells them, that they seldom remember him, but to Blaspheme him; and more often name him in their Oaths and Curses, then in their Prayers: who think their wickedness is unséen, because it is unpunished, and therefore live like beasts, because they think they shall dye like beasts.

Considering, I say, the swarms, legions, and millions of these persons, and fore-seeing the sad effects which will unavoidably ensue such wicked courses, if not timely prevented by a serious and speedy repentance. I have therefore drawn up this charge against Drunkards and Swearers, to the end that they may be convinc­ed of the odiousness of their practises, and di­swaded from those sinful courses, which if wil­fully persisted in, will prove distructive both to soul and body.

[Page 4]And first to speak of Drunkenness, which is, as I may say, the Queen of sins, the root of all evil, the rot of all good, a sin which turns a man wholly into sin, that it were far better, to be a Toad, or a Serpent, then a drunkard; for the drunkard is like Ahab, who sold himself to work wickedness: he wholy dedicates, resigns, surrenders himself to serve sin and Satan: his only imployment is to drink, drab, quarrel, swear, curse, scoff, slander, and seduce, as if sin were his Trade, and he would do nothing else; like the Devil, who was a sinner from the be­gining, and a sinner to the end. These Sons of Belial are for the belly, for to drink God out of their hearts, health out of their bodies, wit out of their heads, strength out of their joynts, all their money out of their pockets, wife and chil­dren out of doors, the land out of quiet, plenty out of the Nation, is all their practice: in which their swinish swillings, they resemble so many Frogs in a puddle, or Water-shakes in a pend, for their whole exercise, yea, Religion, is to drink: they even drown themselves on the dry land. And as drunkards have lost the preroga­tive of their Creation, being changed with Nebuchadnez [...]r, Dan. 4.16. from Men into Beasts, so they turn the Sanctuary of Life, into the Shamble of Death: Yea, thousands, when they have made up the measure of their wick­edness, [Page 5] are taken away in Gods just Wrath, in their drink, it faring with them, as it did with the Pope, whom the Devil is said to have slain in the very instant of his Adoltry, and carry him quick to Hell: some Drunkards be­ing suddenly strook with Death, as if the Exe­cution were no less intended to the Soul, then to the Body: And no wonder, for Drunkards are indéed the Devils Captains, at his comand, and ready to do his will, he rules over, and works in them his pleasure, 2 Tim. 2.26. Eph. 2.2. He enters into them, and puts into their hearts what he will have them to do, John 13.2. Acts 5.3. He opens their mouths, and speaks in, and by them, Gen 1.3,4. He be­ing their Father, their King, and their God, Gen. 3.15. John 12.31. 2 Cor. 4.4. And which is worst of all, Drunkenness not only duls, and dams up the head and spirits with mud, but it bestiates the heart, and being worse then the sting of an Aspe, poysoneth the very Soul and Reason of a man: whereby the facul­ties and organs of resolution and Repentance, are so corrupted, and captivated, that it makes men utterly uncapable of returning, unless God should work a greater miracle upon them, then was the Creating of the whole world. These agents for the Devil [Drunkards] practice nothing but the Art of Debauching [Page 6] men, for to turn others into beasts: They will make themselves Devils, wherein they have a notable dexterity; as 'tis wonderful to see how they will wind men in, and draw men on, by drinking: first, a health to such a man, then to such a woman my Mistress, then to every one's Mistress; then to such a Lord or Lady, their Master, their Captain, Comander, &c. And never cease till their Brains, their Wits, their Tongues, their Eyes, their Féet, their Sences, and all their Members fail them: They will drink till they vomit up their shame again, like a filthy Dog, or lye wallowing in their beastli­ness, like a bruitish Swine: they thi [...]k nothing too much to do, or spend, that they may make a Sober man a Drunkard, or make a Religious man excéed his bounds, at which they will, and rejoyce, as at the devision of a spoil: But what a Barbarous, Graceless, and Antichristian-like practice is this, to make it their glory pastime, and delight, to sée God dishonoured, his Spirit grieved, his Name blaspheamed, his Creatures abused, themselves and their friends Souls damned: yet such is their wickedness, and so pernicious are they, that to damn their own Souls is the least part of their mischief, for they draw vengeance upon thousands, by seduc­ing some, and giving ill examples to others: so that one Drunkard makes a multitude, be­ing [Page 7] like the Bramble, Jude 9.15. which first set it self on fire, and then fired all the wood; or like a malicious man sick of the Plague, that runs into the throng, to disperse his Infection. And this shews that they not only partake of the Devils nature, but they are very Devils in the likeness of men, and that the very wicked­ness of one that feareth God, is far better then the good intreaty of a Drunkard: yet the Drunkard is so pleasing a Murtherer, that he tickles a man to death, and makes him like Solomons Fool, dye laughing: whence it is that many, who hate their other enemies, yea, and their friends too, imbrace this enemy, because he kisseth when he betrayeth: Hence it is also, that thousands have confest at the Gallows, I had never come to this, but for such a Drunk­ard; for commonly the Drunkards Progress, is, from Luxury, to Beggery, from Beggery, to Thievery, from the Tavern to Tiborn, and from the Ale-house, to the Gallows. Thus these bawds & panders of Vice, breath nothing but infection and study nothing but their own and other mens destruction. The Drunkard is like Julian the Apostate, who never did a man a courtesie, but it was to damn his Soul: but little do they think how they advance their own damnation, when the blood of so many Souls as they have drawn away, will be required at [Page 8] their hands; for let these Tempters know that they do not more encrease mens wickedness on earth, (whether by perswasion, or provocation, or example) then their associates wickedness shall increase their damnation in Hell, Luke 16.27,28.

Now it were endless to repeat the vain bab­ling, scurrilous jesting, wicked talking, impi­ous sweating and cursing of the drunken crew when they are got together in a Tipling house, where they sit all day in troops, doing that in earnest, which we have seen boys do in sport, stand on their heads, and shake their heels against heaven: where, even to hear how the Fame of the Lord Iesus is pierced, and how Gods Fame blaspheamed, would make a sober man to tremble. A Drunkards tongue is like the sayl of a Wind-mill; for as a great gale of wind whirleth the sayls about, so a­bundance of drink whirleth his tongue about, and kéeps it in continual motion: now he rails, now he scoffs, now he lies now he slanders, now he seduces, talks bawdy swears, bans, foams, and cannot be quiet till his tongue be wormed: so that from the begining to the end he beleheth forth nothing but what is as far from Truth, Piet [...], Reason and Modesty, as Heaven is from the Earth. Oh the beastliness which burns in their unchast and impure minds, that smoaks [Page 9] out of their poluted mouths: a man would think that even the Devil himself should blush to hear his child so task: yea, did any sober man but hear, and sée, and smell, and know what is done in these Taverns and Ale-houses, you would wonder that the earth could bear the houses, or the Sun endure to look upon them. The Land doth every where abound with these Caterpillars, so that in Country and City thou­sands may be found, who do in shear drink, spend all the cloaths on their beds and backs, they drink the very blood of their Wives and Children, who are néer famished, to satisfie the Drunkards throat or gut, wherein they are worse then Infidels or Canibals, 1 Tim. 5.8. Much more might be spoken against the wick­ed and abominable practises of Drunkards, for the Drunkard is like some putrid Grave, the deeper you dig, the fuller you shall find him, both of stench and horrour; or like Hercules's Monster, wherein were fresh heads, still arising one after the cutting off another. But there needs no more then this last, to make any wise man, or any that love their own souls to detest, and beware these Bawds and Pandors of Vice, that breath nothing but infection, and study nothing but their own and other mens destruction.

Thus I have unmasked their faces, that [Page 10] they may appear odious to themselves and o­thers: and I have declaimed against Drunk­enness, that men may become sober; for Vices true picture, makes us Vice detest. Oh that I had dehortation answerable to my detestation of it: And, Oh that every drunkard would take warning hereby and be perswaded, if not for Gods sake, yet for their souls and bodies sake, to leave their immoderate drinking, and to live godly, righteously, and soberly in the World. Consider what I say, and the Lord give you un­derstanding in all things.

I come now to speak to the prophane Swear­er, by reason of whose oaths, the Land mourns, Jer. 23.10. For indeed Swearing is a sin that hath so much over-spread the whole Nation, that it is almost grown as customary a thing, both to young and old, to swear, as to speak; yet of all other sins, this sin of swearing is most inexcusable.

1. Because it is a Sin, from which of all other Sins, we have most power of abstinence: for if men were forced to pay ten groats for every oath they swear, as the Law enjoyneth: or if they were sure to have their tongues cut out, which is too light a punishment for this Sin, damnation being the due penalty thereof as the [Page 11] Apostle sets it down, James 5.12. they both could, and would leave it.

2. Because it is a Sin, to which, of all other sins, we have the least temptation, for all that men can expect by it, is the suspition of being common Lyers, by being common Swearers: It brings not so much as any apearance of good, to induce us: For whereas other Sins have their several baits to allure us, some the bait of profit, some of honour, some of pleasure, this sin is destitute of them all, and only brings much loss here: namely, of Credit, and a good Conscience, and the loss of Gods fa­vour, and the Kingdom of Heaven here­after; which is of more value then ten thousand Worlds: which shews that men love this Sin, only, because it is a great Sin, and Swear, out of meer malice to, and contempt of God; which is most fearful, and (as a man would think) should make it unpardonable: I am sure the Psalmist hath a terrible word for all such, if they would take notice of it, Psal. 25.3. Let them be confounded that transgress without a cause. O that men would seriously repent of this their sin, and forsake it lest the Lord should deal by them, as he hath threatned, Deut. 28 58,59. that if we do not fear and dread his Glorious and Fearful Name, [Page 12] the Lord our God, he will make our plague wonderful, and of a long continuance, and th [...] plagues of our posterity: but woe is me, m [...] take so little notice of the number of the [...] Oaths and Curses, that they will not acknowledge they did swear or curse at all: yea, thoug [...] the [...] be taken in the manner, and told of it, y [...] they will not believe it, though all that a [...] present can witness the same, and Satan also who himself will one day be a swift witne [...] against swearers, Mal. 3.5. For of all oth [...] Sinners the Lord will not hold him guiltie that taketh his Name in vain, as the th [...] Commandment tells us, Exod. 20.7. But fares with common Swearers, as with desperate persons, desperately diseased, whose exer [...] ments, and filth comes from them at unawares for as by much labour y^e hand is so hardned th [...] it hath no sence of labour; so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of sencelessness to over-spread the heart, memory, and Con­science, that the Swearer sweareth unwillingly, and having sworn, hath no remembrance of his oath, much less repentance for his Sin But some who are a little civilized, will think to excuse themselves by aledging, that if the [...] did swear, it was but faith and troth, by o [...] Lady, by this light, or the like, which they sa [...] is no great matter. To whom I answer, though [Page 13] blind sensualists, that have no other guide, but the flesh, may deem, or dream it to be but a mite, a mote, a matter of nothing, yet such as have the least knowledge of the Law of God, or skill in Scripture, well know that God expresly for­bids it, and that upon pain of Damnation, Jam. 12.5. and that Christ commands us not to swear at all, in our ordinary Communicati­on, saying: that whatsoever is more then yea, yea, or nay, nay, cometh of evil, Mat. 5.34,35. If the matter be light and vain, we must not swear at all: if so weighty, that we may law­fully swear, as before a Magistrate, being cal­ed to it, then we must only use the glorious name of our God, in a holy & religious manner; as you may see, Deut. 6.13. Jer. 5.7. Isa. 45.23. Josh. 23.7. Exod. 23.13. And the reasons thereof are weighty, if we look into them: for in swearing, by Faith, our Lady, the Light, or any other Creature, you ascribe that unto the said Creature, which is only proper to God: namely, to know your heart, and to be a discern­er of secret things: Why else should you call the Creature as a witness unto your Consci­ence, that you speak the truth, and lye not? which only belongeth to God. And therefore the Lord calls it a forsaking of him: As mark well what he saith, Jer. 5.7. How shall I spare thee, for these thy Children have forsaken me, and [Page 14] sworn by them that are no Gods. And do you make it a small matter to forsake God, and make a God of the Creature. Will you believe the Prophet Amos, who speaking of them that swore by the Sin of Samaria, saith that they shall fall and never rise again, Amos 8.14. A terible place to vain swearers: Yea in swear­ing by any Creature, we do invocate the Crea­ture, and ascribe to it divine Worship, a law­ful oath being a kind of invocation, and a part of Gods Worship: Yea, whatsoever we swear by, that we invocate, both as our Witness, Surety, and Iudge, Heb. 6.16. and by conse­quence Deifie it, by ascribing, and communi­cating unto it Gods incomunicable Atributes, as his Omnipresence, and Omnisciency, of be­ing every where present, and knowing the secrets, thoughts, and intenteons of the heart: and likewise an Omnipotency, as being Al­mighty, in patronizing, protecting, defending, and rewarding us for speaking the truth, or punishing us if we speak falsly: all which are so peculiar to God, as that they can no way be comunicated, or ascribed to another: so that in swearing by an [...] of these things, thou comitest a high degree of gross Idolatry, thou spoylest, and robest God of his Glory, (the most impious kind of theft) and in a manner dethronest him, and placest an Idol in his room: neither are [Page 15] we to joyn any other with God in our oaths, for in so doing, we make base Idols, and filthy Creatures corrivals in honour, and competi­tours in the throne of Iustice, with the Lord, who is Creator of heaven and earth, and the Iudge, and sole Monarch of the World: Or, in case we do, our doom shall be reamidiless: for the Lord threatneth by the Prophet Zepha­ny, that he will cut off them that swear by the Lord, and by Malcham, which Malcham was their King, or as some think, their Idol, Zeph. 1.4,5. But as if swearing alone would not press men deep enough into Hell, they add cursing to it, a sin of an higher Nature, which none use frequently, but such as are desperately wicked, it being their peculiar brand in Scripture: as how doth the Holy Ghost Stig­matize such a one: His mouth is full of cursing, Psal. 10.7. and Rom. 3.14. or, he loveth cursing, Psal. 109.17. And indeed, whom can you ob­serve to love this sin, or to have their mouths full of cursing, but Ruffians, and sons of Be­lial, such as have shaken out of their hearts the fear of God, the shame of men, the love of hea­ven, the dread of Hell not once caring what is thought or spoken of them here, or what be­comes of them hereafter: yea, observe them well, and you will find that they are mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Devil: [Page 16] besides, it is the very depth of sin: roaring and drinking is the horse-way to hell, whoring and cheating the foot-way, but swearing and cur­sing follows Korah, Dathan, and Abiram: and certainly if the infernal Tophet be not for these men, it can challenge no Guests: For Consi­der, thou that art used to curse, thou art a mur­therer in heart, and in Gods acount, in wishing him that crosseth thee the Pox, Plague, or that he were Hanged, or Damned, nor will it be any rare thing at the day of Iudgement, for Cursers to be indited of Murther, for like Shimei or Goliah to David, thou wouldst kill him if thou durst: I would be loath to trust his hands, that bans me with his tongue. But let them, then the best of them that use to curse (for I pass over them that call for a curse upon themselves, saying, God damn me, confound me, the devil take me, and the like: which would make a rational man even trem­ble to name, because I were as good knock at a dead mans Grave, as speak to them,) let them, I say, take notice what will be the issue: the causeless curse shall not come where the curser meant it, Prov. 36.2. Yea, though thou cursest, yet God will bless, Psal. 109.28. But thy curses shall be sure to rebound back into thine own breast, Psal. 7.14,15,16. Prov. 14.30. Cursing mouths are like ill-made Pieces, [Page 17] which while men discharge at others, recoyl in splinters on their own faces: their words and wishes be but whirlwinds, which being breathed forth, return to the same place: as hear how the Holy Ghost delivers it, Psal. 109. As he loved cursing, so shall it come unto him, and as he loved not blessing, so shall it be far from him: as he cloathed himself with cursing like a garment, so shall it came into his bowels like water, and like o [...]l into his bones: Let it be unto him as a garment to cover him, and for a girdle wherewith he shall always be girded, verse 17,18,19. Here this all ye whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand, you loved cursing, you shall have it, both upon you, about you, and in you, and that everlastingly, if you persevere and go on; for Christ himself at the last day, even he which came to save the world, shall say unto all such; Depare from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the de­vil and his Angels, Mat. 24.41. where they shall do nothing but curse for evermore. For Con­sider, whence do these Monsters of the earth, these hellish Miscreants, these bodily and visible Devils learn this their damnable Cursing and Swearing? are not their tongues fired and edged from Hell? as St. James hath it, Jam. 3.6. Yea, it is the very language of the damned, as you may see, Rev. 16.1,21. only they learn it [Page 18] here, before they come thither, and are such pro­ficients therein, that the devil counts them his best Schollars, and sets them in his highest form, Psal. 1.1. and well they deserve it, with whom the language of Hell is so familiar, that Blasphemy is become their Mother-tongue. If they be crossed by some one, perhaps their Wife or Child, or Servant, or else their Horse, the Weather, Dice, Bowls, or some other of the Creatures displease them, then they fall a Cursing and Blaspheaming, wish­ing the Plague of God, or Gods vengeance to light on them, or some such hellish spéech falls from their foul mouth: and so upon every fool­ish trifle, or every time they are angry, God must be at their beck, and come down from Heaven in all haste, and become their Officer, to revenge their quarrel, and serve their malici­ous hu [...]our: Oh monstrous Impiety! Oh shameful Impudence! to be abhorred of all that hear it; not once taking notice what he com­manded in his word, as, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that hurt you, Luk. 6.28. Bless them that persecute you: Bless I say, and Curse not, Rom. 12.14. Thus with Swearing and Cursing men do not only wound their own souls worse then the Baalites did their bodies: but they are so pernicious, that they draw ven­geance upon thousands, by their infection, and [Page 19] damnable example, as how can it be otherwise? they do not only infect their Companions, but almost all that hear or come near them: yea, little children in the streets have learned of them to rap out oaths, and belch forth curses and scoffs almost as frequently as them­selves, and through their accustomary swear­ing, learned to speak English and Oaths toge­ther, and so blaspheam God almost as soon as he hath made them. It were easie to go on in agravating their sin and wretchedness, and making it out of measure, and the souls that miscarry through the contagion of their evil example, numerous: For is not the Gospel and the name of God blaspheamed among the very Turks, Jews, and Infidels, and an evil scandal raised upon the whole Church, through their superlative wickedness: yea, doth not this kéep them off from embracing the Christian Religi­on, and cause them to protest against their own conversion, which makes me wonder that Swearers, Drunkards, and all such wicked and prophane wretches are not (like dirt in the house of God) thrown out into the street by Excomunication, or as excrements and bad humours in mans body, which is never at ease till it be thereof disburthened: that they are not marked with a black coal of infamy, and their company a voided, as by the Apostles or­der [Page 20] they ought, Rom. 16.17. Eph. 5.5,7. 1 Tim. 1.20. That they are not to us, as Leapers were among the Jews, or as men full of Plague­sores are amongst us. We well know the good husbandman wéeds the fields of hurtful plants, that they may not spoil the good Corn, and the good Chirurgeon cuts off a rotten member be­times, that the sound may not be endangered, nor will the Church of England ever flourish, or be happy in her reformation until such a course is taken. O that every prophane swear­er, who tears Heaven with their blasphemies, and bandy the dreadful name of God in their impure and poluted mouths, would take warn­ing hereby, and not still persist in their abomi­nable practice to swear and curse, as if he that made the ear, could not hear; or as if he were neither to be feared, nor cared for: who for sin cast the Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradice, drowned the old World, rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom, com­manded the earth to open her mouth and swal­lowed down quick Korah and his company: he who smote Egypt with so many plagues, o­verthrew Pharaoh and his Host in the red-sea, destroyed great and mighty Kings, giving their Land for an inheritance to his people: and can as easily with a word of his mouth, strike them dead, while they are blaspheaming him, and [Page 21] cast them body and soul into Hell, for their odious unthankfulness: yea, it is a mercy be­yond expression, that he hath spared them so long.

When a Dog flyes in his masters face that keeps him, we concludue him mad: are you then rational men, that being never so little crost, will flye in your makers face, and tear your Saviours name in pieces with oaths and execrations, which is worse then frenzy: no, you are demoniacal, Obsessed, or rather posses­ed with a Devil, and more miserable then such a one, because it is a Devil of your own chus­ing. O, be perswaded, if you have any spa [...]k of reason left, or do in the least love your selves, leave of your damnable and devilish swearing and cursing: and to that end lay to heart the many and fearful threats that God hath made, and set down in his word, against this horrid sin, and against all those that so daringly and audatiously provoke him, lest you be plagued with a witness, and that both here and here­after: for God who cannot lye, hath threatned that his curse shall never depart from the house of the Swearer, as it is, Zach. 5.1. And per­adventure you are already cursed, though you know it not: that either he hath cursed you in your body, by sending some foul disease, or in your estate, by suddainly consuming it, or in [Page 22] your name, by blemishing and blasting it: or in your seed, by not prospering it: or in your mind, by darkning it: or in your heart, by hard­ning it: or in your conscience, by terrifying it: or will in your soul, by everlasting damning it: if you repent not: wherefore take heed what you do, before it be too late.

The Lord set these considerations home to your hearts, and open your eyes to behold those things which concern your everlasting peace.

THE WAY TO HEAVEN Made Plain.

AMongst those many Lets and Im­pediments whereby the gene­rallity of Men and Women in the world are hindred from a serious applying of themselves to seek after [Page 2] life and happiness, I find this one thing to lie as a stumbling-block in the way of a great many: That is to say, The Diversi­ties, which by frequent controversies and disputings are so resolutely maintained by men professing godliness, who are of diffe­rent perswations.

For this very cause, many are apt to reason with themselves after this man­ner:

There are so many Religions abroad in the World, that a man cannot tell which to chuse; one saith this is the true way, another saith, that's the true way▪ One saith: Lo here is Christ; another saith, Lo there is Christ.

Some say the Episcopal. man, those which stand for the Common Prayer, and other Ceremonies, that they are Gods people: Others say, the Presbyterians, are more likely to be the people of God: a third sort say the Independants way of worshipping is the right way: a fourth sort say, the Baptists way is most agreeable to the word of God, a fifth sort say, the Quakers, are [Page 3] the only People to whom the will of God is known.

Thus so many men' so many minds, and we know not whom to beleive, and there­fore we had as good sit still and do nothing as to do something to no purpose: And hereupon they continue to go on in sinful courses: following the desires of their own hearts, and never so much as seek af­ter the knowledge of God, whereby they might come unto his fear, and be happy for ever.

But my friends, let me tell you these things ought not to be: but such consequences will end in desperate and dan­gerous conclusions For although it were greatly to be wished and desired, that all those that fear the Lord were of one heart, and of one minde, yet fince the Lord in Wisdom is pleased to suffer his people to be some of one minde, and some of another, concerning circumstantial and ceremonial things, for in the fundamentals and essen­tials of Religion, and in all things that are absolutely necessary for salvation: they do joyntly agree: But seeing I say, God is pleased to permit such as truly fear him, to be of different perswasions con­cerning [Page 4] things less considerable, this should in no wise discourage us from seek­ing, but rather stir us up with much more fervency and earnestness to see [...] out the true way, and to finde out what the accept­able will of the Lord is that so by doing the same, we may purchase rest and quietness to our Souls. And that no one may think their labour herein will be in vain here what the Lord saith, ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall finde. Here is the word of the holy and true God for thy security, he hath faithfully promised, that if thou dost seek thou shalt find; and again, Christ saith, If any man doth the Will of my Father he shall know the Doctrine; that is, where­soever God sees a willing mind, and that any poor Creature doth truly desire to fear him, and to keep his Commandements then he will reveal to that Soul so much of his will as is needful for its present satis­faction and future happiness.

Now to encourage us farther in the per­formance of this so necessary and profitable a duty the Lord hath been pleased so far to condiscend to our weak capacities, as that he hath set before our eyes all those [Page 5] things which are of greatest concernment, in such plain and legible Charcters, as he that runs may read them, and not only so, but he hath also graciously promised free­ly to give us what he doth require of us, and to enable us to perform whatever he commands us to do: therefore we have no reason to have harsh thoughts concerning God, or to account him a hard Task-Ma­ster, for the ways of God are pleasantness, and his paths peace. The Yoke of Christ is easie, and his Burthen light.

Doth God command thee to be­lieve in him? why he will give thee faith whereby thou shalt be able to do it; for faith is the gift of God he is both the Au­thor, and the finisher thereof: doth he bid thee repent? why he will grant thee re­pentance unto life, he will turn thee, and thou shalt be turned, doth he require a new heart? why he hath promised to give a new heart, a soft and tender heart, such as shall bleed for the least prick of Sin: doth he command thee to love him? why he hath said, I will circumcise thy heart, that thou shalt love me with all thy heart, and with all thy strength: doth he command [Page 6] thee to fear him? why 'tis his promise to put his fear into thy inward parts, and to write his Law in thy heart, and so in all o­ther things, 'tis he that works both to will and to do of his own good pleasure: for we cannot of our selves or in our own strength do any thing that is good, but our duty is to wait upon God, for in him we live, move and have our being, he it is that hath created us, 'tis he that cloathes and feeds us, and preserves our lives: from him alone, we are to expect new sup­plyes of whatsoever is needful for our Be­ing and Well-being in this world and also in reference to our future happiness accor­ding as the Prophet David said: My fresh springs are in thee: the well-spring of life flow from God, as Christ saith: He that believeth on me, out of his Belly shall flow forth Rivers of Living Water; whereof whosoever drinketh, shall live for ever: God is the fountain of all goodness, what­soever our Souls can desire, 'tis to be found in him, and he communicates out of his fulness unto the necessities of poor creatures, but it is through Christ, for he is Gods treasury and store-house. It hath pleased the Father that in him should all [Page 7] fulness dwel, he receives of his Eather, and gives to us all things requisite and ne­cessary, both for Soul and Body: he it is that of God is made unto us wisdom, righ­teousness, sanctification and redemption; by him we have access with boldness unto the Throne of Grace, and all the petitions we put up to the Father in his name, be­lieving on him we shall be heard therein, and our requests shall be granted: so far as it shall be for Gods glory and our good. Christ is that new & living way in which God will meet with us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us, by the light of whose countenance, our hearts are made more glad then in the time when Corn and Wine, and Oyl encreased: Oh! therefore let every one strive to get an in­terest in Christ who alone is worth more then all the world bsiede, he is the true Riches that will make us happy to all e­ternity; he hath purchased salvation for all that will forsake their sins, and come and accept of his free tender of Grace for all that will lay down those weapons, wher­with they have been taking Sathans part, and fighting against God, if they will now lay hold upon his mercy, and upon his [Page 8] strength, and are willing to be reconciled to God, they shall be received into his fa­vour: for whosoever cometh unto me, saith Christ, shall in no wise be cast out; for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be­lieved on him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3.15.19. It was Gods purpose in sending his Son, and Christs design in coming into the World, that poor lost sinners should be restored to that estate of happiness, which they had lost in the fall, and from this free proffer of grace none are exempted, for God hath made an open Proclamation. Ho every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and ye that have no money, come buy Wine, and Milk, without money and without price, as in the [...] of Isaiah, So in the Revelations the Spirit and the Bride said, Come, and whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life freely. Here we see that all are invited to come to Christ, from the highest to the lowest, and if we will not, the fault is our own▪ God hath done his part in sending Christ to dye for us and in laying upon him the iniquities of us all: and Christ hath done his part in perform­ing [Page 9] the Law for us, and in undergoing the wrath of God, and the Curse of the Law, which was due to our sins: and the spirit hath revealed the same unto us, and is of­ten knocking at the Doors of our hearts, and calling us to repentance, but if not­witstanding all this we will fully persist in evil, and refuse to hearken to the voice of God, but hearden our hearts, and make light of Christ, then it will be just with God, to leave us to our selves, and let us perish in our own doings, which the Lord us unwilling to do, for as the Apostle Pe­ter, saith, He would fain have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth; he desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he would return from his wickedness and live. But man is of such a perverse and stubborn disposition, that he will not accept of mercy upon Gods terms although never so reasonable.

The great Controversie betwixt God and Man, is about the Will, God would have his Will and Man would have his will: as Christ saith: Ye will not come to me that you might have Life: They will not their [Page 10] will is that which hinders them of injoy­ing God and in him life and happiness: And in another place, How would I have gathered you together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but ye would not.

Men are obstinate, and perverse, and will oppose the Holy and good will of God, though it prov [...]es their own Ruine in the end, but the folly and madness, and desperate wickedness that lodgeth in the hearts of Sinners that will rather go to Hell by following the desires of their own wills, then to Heaven by o­beying the will of God which is holy and righteous, and is made known unto us for our good: God might as well be glorified in our Destruction, as in our Salvati­on, but he pitties our condition, and is pleased so far to condiscend as to entreat and beseech us to consider our latter end: and whilst he gives us life, and means of repentance to come in and be reconciled unto him, 'tis we that are enemies to God, God never was an enemy to us yet he first seeks us before we seek him: O the Depth of Gods love: O the riches of his [Page 11] grace, his long suffering and kindness to­wards vile sinful Creatures: Let this good­ness of God lead thee to repentance, for the long suffering of God bringeth salvati­on, as the Apostle Peter saith: O therefore rent your hearts and not your garments, turn to the Lord for he gracious.

Why should any sinner stand off: doth the multitude of thy sins affright thee? why Gods mercies are infinite, he can blot out thy transgressions, though never so many: he will abundantly pardon this is a faithful saying, saith Paul, and wor­thy of all acceptation, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am cheif. If thou be the cheif of Sinners, thou art but such a one as Christ came to save, dost thou question whether Christ can save thee? why the Apostle tells thee, He is able to save to the utmost all that come to the father by him dost thou want faith? go and say: Lord I believe, Lord help my unbelief. Dost thou want wisdom? ask of God who gives liberally and upbraideth not: wouldst thou truly repent thee of thy Sins, and yet findest little strength to do it? say unto the Lord, Turn thou me, and [Page 12] I shall be turned, create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right Spirit within me.

Thus in every thing make thy re­quests known to God, by prayer and sup­plication, and he will help thee: Oh my friends the night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore put off the works of darkness, and put on the Armour of light, and let every one be exorted even in this day, to work out their Salvation, with fear and trembling, and to further us therein it is necessary, that we should wait upon God, in his ordinances. O do not make slight of using the means which God hath appointed for your good, make conscience of hearing the word preached, for it is the power of God unto falvation, to every one that believes, let us not then be careless in this so necessary and profi­table a duty, for how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation? Consider what the Lord hath said; Hear and your Souls shall live. Would you have life up­on easier terms? Methinks this loving invitation of the Lords should work upon your spirits to be obedient to his word, [Page 13] O therefore come and wait upon God in this Ordinance, for it is of Gods appoint­ment, and while thou art a hearing, thou art in Gods way If the five foolish Virgins had been in the way, they might have gon into the wedding as well as the other: but they were out of the way, they were gone to buy when it was too late: If ever you think or desire to go to Heaven, keep in Gods way: now if thou beest at an Ale-house, or walking in the Fields, or idle at home, or in thy bed, when thou shouldst be at Church: this out of Gods way: but if thou keepest in the way, and continuest in well doing, thou shalt not loose thy la­bour, but God will fulfil his promise, for he hath said: Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.

If thou hast not what thou wouldst have at present, yet wait, as the man did at the Pool of Bethsada: though it was many years, yet at length Christ came to cure him.

Now that all of us may know how to use this means in a hopeful way of success, to bring about this new ond of glorifieing God [...]an save our Souls, let us take heed:

[Page 14] First, That we do not hear the Word barely out of Custome, as to say: I will g [...] to Church because my Neighbours go, or be­cause I cannot open my shop to day, and know not how to spend my time otherwise: O let us not do thus, but let us go to hear the word preached out of conscience, as them that go to seek for salvation, not making light of it as if it were an indifferent thing, wh [...] soul and eternity are therein concerned, ei­ther a Heaven full of joye, or a Hell full of woe, but let us go out of meer love to the word and wait at wisdoms gate, seek dili­gently as for silver and search as for hid­den treasure, and that is the way to attain to it: But then,

Secondly, Pray to God for his power upon the means it is not bear hearing will do it, we may hare and be little the better if we do not pray to God for his blessing, we must hear and pray, and pray and hear, how sweet was the word of God unto Da­vid? sweeter then the Honey or the Honey comb, as himself saith: The Commande­ments of God were of more esteem with him, than all the treasures of Gold and Silver in th [...] world. And why was that? Because he meditated in the Law of God day and [Page 15] night, he was continually praying to God, morning and evening, and at midnight, he rose early to call upon the Lord, and he found the benefit of it, as is exprest at large in the book of the Psalms, therefore let prayer and meditation accompany our hearing: But then,

Thirdly, We must yield unto all con­victions, when ever the word of God doth convince of sin, when he doth Alarum us to come in, let us take heed that we stand it not out, when it comes to a drunkard, and saith: Thou canst not go to Heaven: Then hearken to this and leave thy drun­kenness, and when it Alarums the swearer or proud person, or covetous, or unclean person, or whomsoever, when it strikes thee upon the heart and saith: Thou art the man: O then fall down and say as Saul did: Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Whatever the sin be that God convince thee of, though it be as dear to thee as thy right eye, or thy right hand, yet pluck it out, or cut it off, and cast it from thee, and that is the way to procure Gods bles­sing upon the means, so that it shall accom­plish the end for which it is appointed. But if thou art unwilling to forsake thy [Page 16] sins and to part with thy lusts, and yet still hopest to find mercy in the end, and to be saved by Christ: Let me beseech thee to put such thoughts far from thy heart, and let not the Devil any longer delude thee therewith, lest thou miserably deceive thy own Soul, for he that hideth his sins shall not prosper; 'tis only he that confesseth and forsaketh them who shall find mercy: Christ did not come to save thee in thy sins, but from thy sins: if he be thy Priest to save thee, he will also be thy King to rule and govern thee: thou must no longer live to thy self but to him that dyed for thee, he hath bought thee with a price, he hath paid thy ransome, he hath shed his pretious blood to redeem thee, and thou art to obey him, and to do whatever he commands thee to do, thou must part with thy old companions, I mean thy darling sins, and bosome lusts, which thou hast took such pleasure in, and now thou must walk in newness of life, for if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away, behold all things are be come new, though heretofore thou walk­est after the flesh, yet now thou must mortifie the deeds of the flesh, and serve [Page 17] the Lord with thy spirit and truth, so sin shall not have dominion over thee: but thou being set at liberty by Christ, shall through his might and power get the vi­ctory over Satan, Sin and Death, and at length reign in glory with God to all E­ternity, which the Lord of his Mercy grant unto us all, for Jesus Christ his sake.

THE Pathway to Saving KNOWLEDGE: OR, A Description OF TRUE WISDOM.

KNowledge is so Fair a Vir­gin, that every clear eye is in Love with her; it is a Pearl despised of none but Swine. Wisdom hath ever carried that shew of Excellency with it, that not onely the good have highly affect­ed it (as Moses, who Studied for Wis­dom: [Page] and Solomon, who prayed for Wisdom: and the Quéen of Sheba, who traveled for Wisdom: and David, who to get Wisdom, made the Word his Counsellour, hated every False way, and was a man after Gods ow [...] Heart) but the very wicked have La­boured for it, who are ashamed of other Vertues, they that care not for one Dram of Goodnesse, would yet have a full scale of Knowledge, as O the plea­sure that rational Men take in it! A­mongst all the Trees in the Garden, none so pleaseth them as the Tree of Knowledge, Pro. 2.3. and 10.14. Phil. 3.8. And as wisdome is excellent above all, so it is affected of all, as Oyl was both of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. It hath been a mark that every Man hath shot at ever since. Eve sought to be as Wise as her Maker, but as a hun­dred shoot for one that hit the White, so an hundred aim at Wisdome, for one y^e lights upon it, Eccles. 7.28. Because they are mistaken in y^e thing, for as Jacob in y^e dark mistook Leah for Rachel, so many a blind soul takes y^t to be Wisdome, which is not like Eve, who thought it wisdome to eat the forbidden Fruit, and Absolom [Page] who thought it Wisdome to lye with his Fathers Concubines in the fight of all the People, and the false Steward who thought it wisdome to deceive his Ma­ster, and so of Josephs Brethren, of Pha­raoh and his deep Counsellours: of A­chitophel, of Herod, of the Pharisees in their project to destroy Iesus, and many the like; all these thought they did wise­ly, but they were mistaken, and their projects proved foolish, and turned to their own ruine: For indeed the best knowledge is about the best things, and the perfection of all knowledge to know God and our selves: Knowledge and Learning saith Aristotle consisteth not so much in the Quantity as in the quality, nor in the greatnesse but in the good­nesse of it. A little Gold we know is more worth then much Drosse, a little Diamond then a rocky Mountain: so one Drop of Wisdome guided by the fear of God, one spark of Spiritual experi­mental and saving Knowledge is more worth then all humane Wisdome, and Learning, yea one scruple of holinesse, one Dram of Faith, one Grain of grace, is more worth than many pounds of na­tural [Page] parts, and indeed Faith and Ho­linesse are the Nerves and Sinews, yea the soul of Saving Knowledge: what saith Aristotle, No more than the know­ledge of goodnesse maketh one to be na­med a good man, no more doth the Knowledge of Wisdome alone cause any person properly to be called a Wise man: Saving Knowledge of the Truth worketh a love of the Truth Known: yea it is an uniform consent of Knowledge and Action. He onely is wise for his own Soul. He whose Conscience pulleth all, he hears and reads to his Heart, and his Heart to God, who turneth his Knowledge to Faith, his Faith to féel­ing, and all to walk worthy of his Re­deemer. He that subdues his sensual desires and appetite to the noble facul­ties of Reason and Vnderstanding, and makes that understanding of his to serve him, by whom it is and doth un­derstand: he that subdues his Lusts to his Will, submits his will to reason, his reason to faith, his faith, his reason, his Will, himself to the Will of God, this is practical experimental and Saving Knowledge, to which the other is but a [Page] bare Name or Title. A competent e­state (we know) well husbanded is bet­ter than a vast patrimony neglected, ne­ver any meer Man since the first, knew so much as Solomon, many that have known lesse, have had more command of themselves. Alas! they are not al­ways the wisest that know most, for none more wise and learned in the Worlds account than the Scribes and Pharisees, yet Christ calls them four times Blind, and twice Fools in one Chapter, Mat. 23. And the like of Ba­laam, 2 Pet. 2.16. Who had such a pro­phetical knowledge, that scarce any of the Prophets had a clearer Revelation of the Messiah to come, and the same may be of Judas and Achitophel, for many y^t know a great deal lesse are far wiser, yea one poor crucified Thief be­ing converted in an hours time, had more true wisdome and knowledge in­fused into him, than had all the Rulers, Scribes and Pharisees: It is very ob­serveable what the High Priest told the council when they were set to condemn Christ, ye know nothing at all, he spake truer than he meant it, for if we know [Page] not the Lord Iesus, our knowledge is ei­ther nothing or nothing worth, rightly a man knows no more than what he pra­ctiseth. It is said of Christ, he knew no sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. Because he did no sin. In which sence he knows no good that doth no good. These things if ye know, saith our Saviour, Happy are ye if ye do them, John. 13.17. And in Deut. 4.6. Keep the Commandments of God and do them, for this is your Wisdome and Vnderstanding before God and man, what is the national sweetnesse of Ho­ney, to the experimental cast of it, it is one thing to know what riches are, and another thing to be Master of them, it is not the knowing but the possessing of them y^t makes rich: Many have a depth of Knowledge, and yet are not Soul-wise, have a library of Divinity in their Heads, not so much as the least Cate­chism in their Consciences, full Brains, empty Hearts: yea you shall hear a flood in the Tongue, when you cannot sée one Drop in the Life, insomuch that in the midst of so much light and means of Grace, there be few I fear that have the found and saving Knowledge of Ie­sus [Page] Christ and him Crucified, which was the onely care and study of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 2.2. And that I am not mistaken, the effect shews, for if Men knew either God or Christ they could not but love him, and loving him they would keep his Commandments, John 14.15. For hereby saith St. John, it is manifest that we know him, if we kéep his Command­ments, John 2.3. But he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his com­mandments is a Lyar, and there is no Truth in him, vers. 4. What saith our Saviour? This is Life Eternal to know thee, the onely true God and Ie­sus Christ whom thou hast sent: But how shall a Man know whether be hath this knowledge? Answer. St. John tells you in these last Words mentioned, and so plainly that you cannot be deceived un­lesse you desire to deceive your own Soul. The Knowledge of God that saves us is more than a bare apprehen­sion of him, it knows his power, and therefore fears him, knows his justice, and therefore serves him, knows his Mercy and therefore trusts him, knows his Goodnesse and therefore Loves [Page] him, &c. For he that hath the Saving Knowledge of God and of Christ hath e­very Grace: There is a sweet corre­spondence between every one, where there is any one in truth, as in the Ge­neration the head is not without the bo­dy, nor the body without each Member, nor the Soul without its powers and fa­culties, so in the Regeneration, where there is any one Grace in Truth there is every one, 2 Cor. 5.17. If you will see it in particulars read, Psal. 9.10. Jer. 9.24. John 4.10. Job 42.5.6. 1 John 4.6,7. Which Scriptures shew that as feeling it inseparable to all the Or­gans of sence, the Eye sees and feels, the ear hears and feels, the Pallat tasts and feels, the Nostrils smell and feel, so Knowledge is involved in every Grace. Faith knows and believes, charity knows and loves, patience knows and suffers, Temperance knows and ab­stains, Humilitie knows and floops, repentance knows and stoops, obedience knows and does, Confidence knows and rejoyceth, Hope knows and expects, Compassion knows and pities. Yea as there is a power of Water in every [Page] thing that grows, it is fatnesse in the Olive, Sweetnesse in the Fig, Cheer­fulnesse in the Grape, Strength in the Oak, Tallnesse in the Cedar, Rednesse in the Rose, Whitenesse in the Lilly, &c. So Knowledge is in the Hand, o­bedience in the Mouth, Benediction in the Knee, Humility in the Eye, Com­passion in the Heart, Charity in the whole Body, and Soul Piety. Alas! if men had the true Knowledge of Ie­sus Christ, it would disperse and dispel all the Black Clouds of their reigning sins in a Moment, as the Sun doth no soon­er shew his Face but the Darknesse va­nisheth, or as Cesar did no sooner look upon his Enemies but they were gone: He cannot delight in Sin, nor dote up­on this World that knows Christ sa­vingly: Vertue is ordained a Wife for Knowledge, and where these two joyn, their will proceed from them a Noble Progeny, a Generation of good Works. Again, as the Water engendereth Ice, and the Ice again engendereth water, so Knowledge begets Righteousnesse, and Righteousnesse again begets Know­ledge: When Solomon would acquaint us [Page] how to become Wise, he tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdome, Prov. 1.7. As if the first lesson to be Wise were to be Holy: If it be asked why the Natural Man perceiv­eth not the things of the Spirit of God, St. Paul answers he cannot know them because they are spiritually discernd, how should they discern them, that have not the Spirit, for though the outward Man receives the Elements and Ru­diments of Religion by Breeding and Education, yet his inward Man re­ceives them by heavenly Inspiration, 1 Cor. 2.11,12,13. Mat. 16.16,17. Luk. 24.45. Jo. 15.15. And this alone is enough to prove that no Wicked Man is a Wise Man, for if God alone be the giver of it we may be sure that he will reveal his Secrets to none but such as he knows will improve their Knowledge to his Glory, and the good of others, even as the Husbandmen will not cast his Seed but into Ground that will return him a good Harvest, Psal. 25.14. Mark 4.3,4. 1 John 4.7. Gen. 18.17. A great many Men desire Knowledge, for no other end but to remove their ignor­ance, [Page] as Pharaoh used Moses but to re­move the Plagues, others again study the Scriptures, and other good Books onely to make gain thereof, or to be the abler to dispute and discourse, as Boys go into the water only to play and padle there, not to wash and be clean, with Eve they highly desire the Tree of Know­ledge, but regard not the Tree of Life, for if we consider what Fruit or Effect doth the Knowledge of most Men pro­duce in them, except it be to inable them to dispute and discourse to increase wit, or to increase wealth, or to increase pride or perhaps to increase Atheism, and to make them the more able and cunning to argue against the Truth and power of Religion, is not the utmost of their aim to enrich, dignifie, and please them­selves, not once casting the Eye of their Souls at Gods Glory, their Neigh­bours good, or their own Salvation; is it not their Main Drift to purchase a great estate for them and theirs without either fear of God, regard of Men, or the discharge of their Duty, and calling, and for the most part of these men, if they may be thought great Rabies, déep [Page] and profound schollars, this is the height of their ambition, though neither the Church be benefited, nor God be glorifi­ed by it; whereas they ought the contra­ry: for as the Grace of God is the Foun­tain from which our wisdom flows, so the Glory of God should be the Ocean to which it should run: yea, that God may be honoured with and by our wisdom, is the only end for which he gives us to be wise. Now they that are puft up with their knowledge, or do not part with their sins, shew that they never sought it for Gods Glory, and certainly if we séek not Gods Glory, in doing his work, he will give us no [...]ges at the latter end. But for men to do no good with their gifts, is not all: yea, it were well if that were y^e worst, for not a few of them resemble Achitophel, & Jonadab who imployed their wit wick­edly, and do mischief instead of good with their wisdom, like Herod: whom you shall sée turning over the Bible, searching the Scriptures, examining the Prophets, but to what end and purpose? To know good, but to do evil: yea, y^e greatest evil under y^e sun, slay Christ in y^e Cradle: with many their Learning and knowledge is not for God, & for Gideon, but for Antichrist, & for [Page] Babylon, & so of all other gifts: how many are the worse for them? as give Saul a Kingdom, and he will tirannize, give Na­bal plenty, & he will be drunk: give Judas an Apostleship, and he will sell his Master for Money: let Sarmantus have a good wit he will exercise it in scoffing at Holiness: Briefly, how oft doth Wisdom without grace, prove like a fair estate in y^e hands of a Fool, which not seldom becomes the owners ruine, or Absaloms Hair, which was an Ornament wherewith he hanged himself: so that wisdom without grace, is but a cuning way of undoing our selves: at last, when our knowledge makes us prouder, not better: more rebellious, not more serviceable: as it is in Isa. 47.10. Thy Wisdom & thy Knowledge, they have caused thee to err, & very often this falls out: that as the best soyl usually yeildeth the worst Ayr, so without grace there is nothing more pestilent than a déep wit, no such prey for the Devil as a great wit unsanctified. Now when it comes to this, y^t they fight against God with the weapon he hath given them, when with those the Psalmist speaks of, Psal. 73.9. They set their Mouth against Heaven, and [Page] are like an unruly Iade that being full fed kicks at his Master, what course doth the Lord take with them? Read but that parable, Luk. 19.24. John 7.17. and it will inform you, for to him that useth his talent of Knowledge well, he giveth more, but to them which use not their knowledge well; much more if they abuse it, he taketh away that which he had formerly given them: I will turn the wise men backward, and make their knowledge foolishness, saith the Lord, Isa. 44.25. He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse, and the counsel of the wicked is made foolish, Job 5.13. and most just it is, y^e they who want grace should want wit too. But further, These great Knowers, & wise men, are so far from de­siring soul-wisdom, & saving knowledge, to the ends before specified, that they do not at all desire it, for y^t it suits not with their Condition, for natural men desire only humane & mundane knowledge, spi­ritual men, y^e which is heavenly & super­natural, & the reason why they desire it not, is for y^t they know it not. A man de­sireth not y^t he knoweth not, neither are unknown evils feared, saith Chrisostom; wherefore y^e work of regeneration begins [Page] at Illumination, Act. 26.16. Col. 1.13. Now acording as men are wise, they prize & value this wisdom, & endeavour to obtain it, Prov. 18.15. and so on y^e contrary; according as men are ignorant & blockish, they undervalue and disestéem it, hate it, & are prejudic'd against it, & hereupon carnal men being blinded by y^e Prince of darkness, together with their own wickedness, and being of a reprobate judge­ment, do most usually term and estéem this Soul-wisdom, this Divine, spiritual, experi­mental, & saving knowledge to be méer fool­ishness, or madness, Wisd. 5.3, to 9. & the pro­fessors thereof to be fools & madmen; Elisha was counted no better, 2 King. 9.11. & the rest of y^e Prophets, Hos. 9.7. & Paul, Act. 26.20. & all the Apostles, 1 Cor. 4.10. yea, our Saviour Christ himself, with open mouth was pro­nounced mad by his carnal hearers, Jo. 10.20. Mar. 3.21. to worldly men, Christian wisdom séems folly, saith Gregory, & well it may, for even the wisdom of God is foolishness with y^e world, 1 Cor. 1.18. therefore no disparagement to Gods servants, if the wise men, & polititi­ans of y^e world repute them fools: nor any ho­nour to such Sensualists y^t so repute them. However, to give such men their due, we grant y^t in some kind of skill they outstrip the best of Gods people; who if they are put to it, may answer as Themistocles did, when one [Page] invited him to touch a Lute, for as he said, I cannot fiddle, but I can make a smal town, a great state: so y^e godly may say, We cannot give a solid reason in nature, why Nilus should overflow only in the sum­mer, when waters are at the lowest: why the Loadstone should draw Iron, or incline to the polestar, why a flash of Lightning should melt the Sword; without making any impression in the Scabard: kill the Child in the womb, and never hurt the mother: how the Waters should stand upon a heap, and yet not overflow the earth: why the clouds above being heavy with water, should not fall to the earth sudainly, seeing every heavy thing descendeth, except the reason which God giveth, Gen. 1.6. Iob 3.8.8, to 12. Psa 104.9. But we know the Mystery of the Gospel, and what it is to be born anew, and can give a solid reason of our faith; we know that God is reconciled to us, the Law satisfied for us, our sins pardoned, our souls acquited, and that we are in sa­vour with God, which many of these with their great Learning, do not know, and thus the godly are proved wiser then the wisest Humanist that wants Grace.

You have likewise the reasons why these great knowers know nothing, yet as they might and ought to know.

First, because they are mistaken in the thing, they take speculative knowledge for soul-wisdom, and soul-saving knowledge to be foolishness and madness: now if a m [...]n take his aim amiss, he may shoot long enough ere he hi [...] the mark, and these men are as one that is gone a good part of his journey, but must come back again, because he hath mistaken his way. Secondly, Because they are unregenerate, and want the Eye of Faith. Thirdly, For that they seek not to God for it, who is the giver there­of, and without whose spirit there is no attaining it. Fourthly, Because they are proud, and so seek not after it, suposing they have it already. Fifthly, Because if they [Page] had never so much knowledge, they would be never the holier or the better for it, but rather the worse: nor would they imploy it to the honour of God, or the good of others. Sixthly, because they either do or would do mischief, instead of good, with their knowledge. Sevently, because they will not consult with the word about it, nor advise with others that have already at­tained to it: or thus, they read and hear the Scriptures, but mind not (I mean) the spirituality of the word, or mind, and understand not, or understand and remember not, or remember and practice not. No, this they intend not: of the rest: and they that are unwiling to obey, God thinks unworthy to know. When the Serpent taught knowledge, he said, if ye eat the forbiden fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall know good and evil: but God teacheth another lesson, and saith, if ye will not eat the forbiden fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall know good and evil, Ro. 12.12. Ps. 119 97, to 100. or if you do eat, you shall be like Images that have ears but cannot hear, Rom. 11.8. Isa. 6.10. Mat. 13.14.

From all which reasons we may collect that there are but a few amongst us that are wise indéed, & to purpose, for these seven hindrances are apliable to 77 parts of men in y^e Nation.

Besides, if these great knowers know so little, how ignorant are the rude rable, that despise all knowledge? nor can it be denied but all Impenitent persons who prefer their profits and pleasures before pleasing of God are errant fools, for if they were wise saith Bernard, they would foresee the torments of Hell, and prevent them: and so wise are the godly, for they prefer Grace and Glory, and Gods favour, before ten thousand worlds.

Now if any be desirous to get this spiritual, and expe­rimental knowledge, this divine and supernatural wis­dom, let them observe these five Rules.

First, let such a soul resolve to practice what he doth [Page] already know, or shall hereafter be acquainted with, from the word of God and Christs faithful Messengers, for he that will do my Fathers will, saith our Saviour, shall know the Doctrine, whether it be of God or no, Joh. 7.17. A good understanding have all they that keep the Commandments, saith Holy David, Psa. 111.10. and proves it true by his own example and experience. I understood, saith he, more then the Antient, and become wiser then my Teachers, because I kept thy Precepts, Psa. 119.97, to 100. To a man that is good in his sight, God giveth knowledge and wisdom, Eccles. 2.26. The spiritual man understandeth all things, 1 Cor. 2.15. Wicked men understand not judgement, but they that seek the Lord, understand all things, Prov. 28.5. Admi­rable encouragements for men to become godly and conscientious: I mean practical Christians.

Secondly, if thou wouldst get this precious grace of saving knowledge, the way is to be frequent in hearing the word preached, and to become studious in the Scriptures, for they, and they alone, make wise to salva­tion, 2 Tim. 3.15. Ye err, saith our Saviour, not know­ing the Scriptures, Mat. 22.29. We must not in the search of heavenly matters either do as we see others do, nei­ther must we follow the blind guide, carnal reason, or the deceitful guide, our corrupt hearts, but the unde­ceiveable and infallible guide of Gods word, which is truth it self; and great need there is, for as we cannot perceive the foulness of our faces, unless it be told us, or we take a Glass and look our selves therein, so neither can we see the blemishes of our souls, which is a nota­ble degree of spiritual wisdome; but either God must make it known to us by his spirit, or we must collect the same out of the Scripture that celestial glass, though this also must be done by the spirits help: Therefore,

Thirdly, If thou wilt be soul-wise and truly profit by studying the Scriptures, be frequent & fervent in pray­er to God who is the only giver of it for the direction [Page] of his holy Spirit, for first humble and faithful prayer ushered in by meditation is the cure of all obscurity, e­specially being accompanied with fervour and fer­vency: as you may see, Math. 21.22. If any want wisdom saith St. James let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be given him, Jam. 1.5. Mark the words, it is said, if any, wherefore let no man deny his soul this comfort, again ask and have, it cannot come on easier terms, yea God seems to like this suit so well in Solomon, as if he were beholding to his Creature for wishing well to it self. And in vain do we e [...]pect that alms of grace, for which we do not so much as beg, but in praying for wisdome do not pray for it without putting difference, desire not so much brain knowledge as to be soul-wise, and then you will imploy your wisdome to the glory of the giver. Let thy hearts desire be to know God in Christ, Christ in faith, faith in good works, to know Gods will that thou mayst do it, & before the knowledge of all o­ther things, desire to know thy self, and in thy self, not so much thy strength as thy weakness, pray that thine heart may serve thee as a commentary to help thee, un­derstand such points of Religion as are most needful & necessary, and that thy life may be an exposition of thy inward man, that there may be a sweet harmony be­twi [...]t Gods word, thy Judgment, & whole conversation, that what the natural man knoweth by roa [...] thou mayst double by feeling the same in thine heart & affections; as indeed experimental and saving knowledge is no less felt then known, and I cannot tell how it comes, rather out of the abundance of the heart, than by extream study, or rather is sent by God unto good men, like the R [...]m that was brought to Abraham, when he would have Sacrifized his Son Isaac. When Christ taught in the Temple, they asked, how knoweth this man the Scriptures, seeing he never learned them? So it is a won­der what Learning some men have, that have no learn­ing, [Page] like Priscilla and Aquila, poor Tentmakers, who were able to School Apollos that great Clerk, a ma [...] renowned for his Learning. What can we say to it, for no other reason can be given, but as Christ said, Father, so it pleaseth thee. For as Jacob said of his Venison, when his father asked how he came by it so suddainly, because the Lord thy God brought it suddainly into my hands; So Holy and Righteous men do more easily understand the words of God, than the wicked, because God brings the meaning suddainly to their hearts. As we read, Luk, 24. Prov. 1.23. Psa. 25.14. Dan. 12.10. Luk. 8.10. Mar. 3.11. Again, it is not enough to pray, except also it be in Christs name, and according to his will, believing to be heard for his sake, and that it be the intercession of Gods own Spirit in you, and being tru­ly sensible of your sins and wants, that you chiefly pray for the pardon of sin, the effusion of grace, and for the assistance of Gods Spirit, that you may more Firmly believe more [...]oundly repent, more zealously do, more pa [...]iently suffer, and more constantly persevere in the practise and profession of every duty: but above all you [...] must know that as Sampsons Companions could never have found out his Ridle, if they had not plowed with his Hefer, so no man can know the Secrets of God, but by the Revelation of his Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.8. Mat. 16.17. Yea, Suppose a man be not inferiour to Portius or Pi­thagoras, who kept all things in memory that ever they had read heard, or seen. To Virgil, of whom it is report­ed, that if all Sciences were lost they might be found a­gain in him. To Aben Ezra, of whom it is said, that if Knowledge had put out her Candle, at his Brain she might light it again, and that his head was a Throne of wisdom. Or Josephus Scaliger, who was Skilled in 30 Languages: yet if he want the Spirit of God to be his Teacher, he is a Dunce to the meanest and most Illite­rate Believer. For one necessary and excellent Preroga­tive of the Spiritual Man, is this: He hath God for his [Page] Teacher, he learns the Councels of God, of tha [...] Spirit which only knows Gods Councels. Luk. 21.15. Which is no small priviledge, for the Scholar learns quickly when the Holy Ghost is his Teacher. The eye [...]ees di­stinctly when the Holy Ghost doth enlighten it, with the spirits help, the means can never be too weak, with­out, never strong enough, Luke 24.44,45.

Fourthly, Thou must get an humble conceit of thine own wisdom. The First step to Knowledge, is to know our own ignorance. We must become fools in our own opinion, before we can be truly wi [...]e; as the Apostle sets it down, 1 Cor. 3.18. And indeed the opinion of over-knowing, is one of the greatest causes of our Knowing so little, for what we presume to have attain­ed, we seek not after; yea, the very First Lesson of a Christian is Humility; He will teach the humble his way, Psa. 25.9. Jam. 4.6. And he that hath not learned the first lesson, is not fit to take out a new: Pride is a great let to true wisdom, Jam. 4.6. Whence it comes to pass, that few proud wits are reformed, Joh. 9.39. And for this cause also did our Saviour propound his woes to the Pharisees his Doctrines to the people. A heart full of Pride, is like a vessel full of ayr. This self opinion must be first blown out of us, before Saving knowledge will be poured into us, Christ wil know none but y^e humble, & none but humble souls truly know Christ: now y^e way to become humble is to take a serious view of our wants. The peacoks pride is much abated when she looks on the blackness of her legs & féet: now sup­pose we know never so much, yet y^e which we [Page] know is the less th [...]n y^t which we are igno­rant of, & the more we know, y^e more we know we want, Pro. 1.5,7. and the less sensible we are of our blindness, sickness, deformity, &c. the more blind, sick, and deformed we are.

Fifthly, Thou must labour to get a true and lively faith, for as without faith we cannot please God, so without Faith no man can Know God. Faith most clearly beholds those things which are hid both from y^e eye of sense, & the eye of reason, Joh. 12.46. Vnregenerate men y^e want faith, are like Sampson without his guide, or like Polyphemus, who never had but one eye, and that Ulisses put out, for so doth the pleasure & custom of sin blind y^e sensualist: we must have minds lifted above nature, to sée & love things above nature; heavenly Wisdom, to sée hea­venly Truth; or else y^e Truth which is saving will be to us a mystery, Mark 4.11. if it séem not foolishness, 1 Cor. 2.7,8. To them y^t are lost the Gospel is hid, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. Where­as the Believer discerns all things, even the déep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. Yea, God giveth him a mouth & wisdom, against which all his Adversaries shall not be able to speak or resist, Luk. 21.15.

These are the Five steps that lead us to the Palace of Wisdom, which all must ascend by that mean to enter. Therefore consider seri­ously what hath béen said, & the Lord give you understanding in all things.

THE TOUCHSTONE OF A CHRISTIAN.

COnsidering that Satan the Prince of Darkness hath so blinded the Eyes of most men and women in the World, that being void of saving Know­ledge, they are apt to put evil for good, and good for evil, having their minds possessed with a good opinion of themselves, and the safety of their condition, in refference to Eternity; which notwithstanding, if it be throughly tryed, will appear to be far otherwise, and that they do indeed but [Page 2] deceive their own Souls. Therefore, th [...] all which read or hear this little Boo [...] may be exhorted to examine themselves and to prove their works, whether they a [...] such, to whom eternal life is promised, [...] shall in my following discourse speak [...] such principal qualifications which are re­quired to be in every true Christian, an [...] are of such absolute necessity to the leading of a godly life, that whosoever is not [...] some measure endued with the same, c [...] not have any reasonable ground from the Word of God to expect Salvation.

Those necessary Graces, or Qualificati­ons which I shall treat of are these five Humility, Faith, Repentance, Love; and Obedience.

And first to speak of Humility, which h [...] the very first Lesson of a Christian: for [...] it is in Psal. 25.6. He will teach the hum­ble his way. And Jam. 4.6. God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. The first step to saving Knowledge, is to have an humble conceit of our own wis­dom, to know our own ignorance. Behold, (saith God, the high and mighty one that inhabiteth Eternity) even to this man will I look, who is of an humble spirit, and [Page 3] trembleth at my word. Christ will own none but the humble soul: he himself was the true pattern of Humility, whose exam­ple we are to follow: for he that expects Salvation by Christ, ought so to walk, even as he walked: Learn of me (saith Christ) for I am meek and humble. And he hath pronounced a blessing to such as imitate him here: as in Mat. 5.5. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And again he saith, Mat. 23.12. Whosoever exalteth himself, shall be brought low, but whosoever humbleth himself, shall be ex­alted. The Lord is high, saith the Psalmist, yet he beholdeth the lowly, but the proud he knoweth a far off, Psal. 138.6. The pride of a man shall bring him low, but the humble in spirit shall enjoy Glory, Prov. 29.23. Thus you see it is only to the humble soul, that God will have re­spect, for a proud look, and a proud heart, are an abomination to the Lord.

Now this Humility doth consist in having a mean and low esteem of our selves, and a deep sence of our unworthi­ness, by reason of the filthiness and pollu­tions wherewith Sin hath defiled our Nature, and doth stain and pollute all [Page 4] our Actions. Hereby we come to abhor ou [...] selves, to renounce all merit of our own and all sufficiency in our selves, to any thing that is good, acknowledging tha [...] the least mercy we enjoy, is more th [...] we deserve: this made David say; I a [...] less then the least of all thy mercies: what am I, that thou shouldst do such great things for me? this made the Cen­turion say to Christ; I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: and John the Baptist; I am not worthy to unlose the latchet of his shoes: and Paul, I am less then the least of Apostles not worthy to be called an Apostle So all Gods Servants were very caref [...] not to think of themselves above wha [...] is meet. When Paul had been speaking how he had been labouring in the Gospel, he presently corrects himself, and saith: Not I, but the Grace of God in me. This is the frame of a Christians spi­rit, to give all the Glory to God, and to think every one better than himself. Therefore whosoever thou art, that art highly conceited of thy own worth, that seemest wise in thy own eyes, that ar [...] apt to boast of thy good parts, and ne­ver [Page 5] as yet sawest thy self to be a poor, miserable, naked, empty [nothing] creature, [...]void of all goodness, and utterly unwor­thy to receive any favour or blessing from the Lord, thou hast not yet attained to true Humility, nor set one step forward towards Heaven.

But Secondly, The second Qualifica­tion required in a Christian, is Faith, Mark 16.16. Whosoever believeth, and is Baptized, shall be saved; but he that will not believe, shall be damned, John. 3.15,16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believ­ed on him, might not perish, but have ever­lasting life. He that believeth not, is con­demned already, because he hath not be­lieved on the only begotten Son of God. But because it is common for all sorts of persons to think that they do believe, and that therefore they may lay claim to the promise of eternal life, I will give you the character of a lively saving Faith, without which it is impossible to please God.

1. True Faith worketh by love, con­sumeth our Corruptions, and sanctifieth the whole man throughout: so that our [Page 6] Faith to God, is séen in our faithfulness to men; out invisible belief, by our visible life; Faith and Holiness, are as insepera­ble as Life and Motion, the Sun and Light, Fire and Heat, Ice and Coldness, Honey and Sweetness.

Again, Faith believeth the threats of the Words, as well as the promises; and if such as think they have Faith, did be­lieve the truth of those threatnings which God hath denounced against Swearers, Drunkards, Vnclean, Covetous, Ambiti­ous, Vnjust, Envious, Malicous Persons, and such like Sinners, how durst they then so wallow in these sins? that if God instead of Hell, had promised Heaven for a re­ward unto them, they could not do more then they do. Many do sottishly deceive themselves with an opinion of Faith, who indeed believe not so much as the Devil doth, for he believes the threatnings of the Word, and trembles for horrour; but they go on in sin, eve [...] [...]ocking at the Menaces, and in the infidelity of their hearts, even give them the lye, saying, no such things shall befal them: but what saith the Apostle, When they shall say, peace and safety, then comes on them sudden destruction, 1 Thes. 5.3.

[Page 7]But Thirdly, True Faith is wrought by the Spirit of God, in the hearing or reading the Word at the time of a mans conversion, when God enlightens his mind, to see his lost, undone, and pe­rishing condition, and convinceth him of his unbelief: so that whosoever never saw himself to be without Faith, hath as yet, no Faith: for however many think it an easie matter to believe, yet he that goes about it, shall find that it is as hard a work to believe in the Gospel, as to keep the Law; and only God must enable to both: It is easie indeed for a soul that was never burthened with sin, that was never sensible of the filthiness thereof, and of Gods wrath due unto it: such a one thinks it a small matter to believe; but this is a sure rule, that that perswasion only which fol­lows Humiliation, is Faith, and that which goes before it is Presumption. Then,

Fourthly, True Faith, as it is wrought by the Spirit of God, [...]it brings forth the fruits of the spirit; mentioned, Gal. 5.22,23. Faith never goes alone, but hath a whole train of other Graces to follow her; as the Apostle saith, Add to your Faith Vertue, and to Vertue Temperance, and to Tempe­rance [Page 8] Patience, and to Patience Brotherly kindness, and to Brotherly kindness Charity; these and many more do always accompa­ny a lively Faith. But to proceed.

The third Qualification which I men­tioned, is True Repentance; and that is through change, wrought in the whole man, whereby he becomes a new Creature, and turns from every sin, to the contrary good; from Pride, to Humility; from Drunkenness, to Sobriety; from Vain Discourse, to Holy Communion; from Covetousness, to Liberallity; from Laci­viousness, to Chastity: and this not only for a little while, but even so long as he lives: which repentance is ever accompa­nied with a hatred of the sin we turn from, and a love of that good we turn unto; and is usually procured by the consideration of Gods unspeakable goodness towards us, according to the Apostle; The goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance. When we come to consider what God hath done for us, how he Created us after his own Image; and when by sinning we had lost the same, and plunged our selves into misery, he sent his only Son to redeem, and regain our happiness, how his merits are [Page 9] renewed daily towards us, in preserving, providing for us, and how ill we repayed the Lord for the same, when instead of living to his Glory, we have gloried in doing such things as do greatly disho­nour him, being rebellious, stubborn, disobedient to all his Holy Laws and Commandements, abusing his Merits, slighting his Promises, despising his Iudgements, and turning his Grace into Wantonness, thereby vexing, grieving, and quenching his Holy Spirit: and yet, notwithstanding this, and much more, the Lord doth still spare us, and let us live, whereas he might justly cut us off, and cast us into Hell: he doth still wait to be gracious, he calls us to come and accept of frée Mercy, and promises to pardon and pass by what is past, if for the future we will amend our lives. This is that which makes us to loath our selves, to lye low before the Lord, to be exceedingly sorry that we should be so vile, and so unworthy, as to offend so gracious a God; this breeds a displeasure against our selves, and our ways, and a hatred against sin: from hence ariseth in our hearts a full pu [...]pose and resolution [Page 10] to forsake every evil way, and to walk in newness of life; and this is true repen­tance, without which none can be saved: for except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: and except a man be born again, he shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever doth repent him of his sins, from the bottom of his heart, so as utterly to forsake them, he shal find mercy: the Lord hath promised it, and it shall surely be performed. But,

Fourthly, The next qualification I am to speak of, is Love, and that is two­fold.

1. To God himself: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

2. To our Brethren: This is my Com­mandment, saith Christ, that ye love one-another, even as I have loved you: And that we may know how to express our Love, he saith in another place, If ye love me, keep my Commandments: he that saith he loves God, and yet keepeth not his Commandments, is a Lyar. If we have a friend that we love dearly, how care­ful are we to please him? how unwilling [Page 11] to do any thing which might procure his anger? we think no labour nor pains too much, imployed in serving him, we spare no cost nor charge, to express our high esteem of his friendship: but hath not God been a greater friend to us then any man can be? ought we not much much more to love him, who is infinitely worthy to be beloved for his own sake, if he had never done any thing for us? but now if we be careless in his service, negligent in performing what he requires of us, unwilling to part with any thing, that he calls to us for, it seems [...]r Love is very cold: this is not loving God with all our hearts, when we will do more for an acquaintance, or a relation, then for him. Indeed, God doth not stand in need of what we can do; he is beyond the reach of our good works: our love cannot add to his Blessedness; as David saith; My goodness tendeth not to thee. Yet he requires that in testimony of our Love and thankfulness to him, for what we have received from him, we should shew forth the same in all expressions of Kindness and Charity, to those that may be benefited thereby: and it is a sure [Page 12] rule, he that loves God, for his own sake, will love his Brother for Gods sake. A true and pious Christian destres to do something for Christ, who hath done and suffered so much for him, and who is pleased to take that so kindly, which we do for his sake, that he hath promised whosoever shall give but a cup of cold water in his Fame, he shall not go unrewarded: Therefore if thou bearest any good will to God or Christ, whom it is not in thy power to pleasure, thou wilt shew thy thankfulness to him in his Children, who are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: it is im­possible that he who hath Love should be ungrateful: Mary Magdalen had re­ceived much, and this made her love much, and loving much, she thought nothiog too much to bestow, even upon the most remote members of Christ, to express her thankfulness. An ingenious disposition cannot receive favours with­out thoughts of return: Behold thou hast been careful for us, saith Elisha to the Shunamite: with all this care, now what is to be done for thee? so saith the true Christian: Behold O Lord, thou hast been [Page 13] exceeding gracious, thou hast conferred great benefits upon me, now how can I sufficiently express my thankfulness unto thee, for the same. What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies? saith David. Indeed all that we can do is too little, but God doth not look for such Love and Service from us, as he is worthy to receive, but as we are able to give: and it is for our own good that he would be served and magnified by us, that so he may reward our labour of Love, with everlasting bliss and hap­piness.

Now the best way to make it appear that the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, is to be fruitful in the Works of Piety and Charity, Pure Religeon, and undefiled before God, saith St. James, Is to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted from the World. Love is the fulfiling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. We ought so to love our Neighbour as our selves. But how do we so, if we take not care for them, as we do for our selves? Dost thou see any one in affliction, or want comfort? consider, [Page 14] if thou wert in such a condition, as God knows how soon thou maist, wouldst not thou in thy need be relieved? Why then surely 'tis reason thou shouldst do to others, as thou wouldst have them do to thee; and for our encouragement to this duty of Love or Charity. Consider that Christ accounts that which is done to his poor members here on earth, as done to him­self; as appears by many express Testi­monies of Scripture. VVhen I was an hungred, ye fed me; when I was naked, ye cloathed me; when I was in prison, ye visited me; for in as much as ye did it to one of these little ones, that believed in me, ye did it unto me, Mat. 25.34, &c. He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord, Prov. 19.17. To do good and to distribute, forget not, for with such Sacrifice God is well-pleased: look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of other men: let the same mind be in you, which was even in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2.4,5,6. He that is endued with this Grace of Love will open his hands to such as are in want: and so far as his ability extends, will lend or give to them sufficient for their need: as God commands, Deut. 15.8. It will [Page 15] make a man of Jobs Spirit, who would not eat his morsels alone, but invited the fatherless to eat with him, Job 31.17. It will make a man love his enemies, and do good to them that do hurt to him, Luke. 6.35. Yea more, it will make a man lay down his life for the brethren, 1 John. 3.16. These are the properties of Christian Love, which will appear more or less in the life of every true believer: but he that hath this worlds good, and seeth his Brother in want, and yet hath no com­passion of him, how dwells the love of God in that man?

But in the Fifth and last place, Obedience to Gods will and Command­ments is the main Duty of every Chri­stian, Heb. 5.9. Christ is said to be the Author of eternal Salvation unto all that obey him: not unto them which continue in their rebellious wickedness, and never submit to be ruled by the Scepter of his word: Christs blood was shed for ablution, as well as absolution: as well to cleanse from the soil and filth of sin, as to clear and free from the guilt of sin, Rom. 6.5,6. God hath chosen us in Christ from the Creation of the World, that we should be holy, and [Page 16] without blame before him in Love, Eph. 1.4. They therefore that never come to be Holy, never were chosen. We are said to be Created in Christ Iesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them: Christ came not to save us in our Sins, but from our sins: to redeem unto himself a peculiar people, Zealous of good works: and it i [...] his Commandment: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. Yea, the Lord hath bound it with an Oath: that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spi­ritual enemies, they shall worship him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their life, Luke 1.73, &c. This is that obedience which is better then Sacrifice, and without which let none expect to be saved: for God hath said, VVithout Holiness no man shall see the Lord: be ye therefore holy, even as God is holy. There are many wicked men, who go on in a continual course of sin, and make no conscience of obeying Gods Word, or of walking in his ways: yet they [Page 17] think themselves good Christians, and doubt not of their Salvation: every drunk­en beast and blaspheamer thinks to go to Heaven, though none shall come there, nor once see God without Holiness, which they abhor.

One minds nothing but his Cups: ano­ther nothing but his Coyn: a third only his Curtizan: yet all these appoint to méet in heaven, but this is not the way thither, 1 John 2.16. The Lust of the Eye, and the pride of Life is a broad way indeed, but not to Heaven: Or, Know ye not, saith the Apostle, the unrighteous shall not enter in­to the Kingdom of God: be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Adulterers, nor Unclean persons, nor Covetous, nor Drunk­ards, nor Swearers, nor Lyars, can claim any interest in the promise of eternal life, by Christ Jesus: For that grace of God which bringeth salvation, teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live god [...]y, righteously, and soberly in this present world, Tit. 2.12. If Christ be not our King to govern us, be will neither be our Prophet to forewar [...], nor our Priest to expiate. Except we forsake our sins, God will never forgive them: it cannot [Page 18] consist with his Iustice to pardon such as continue in an evil course of life, if Christ hath freed us from the damnation of sin, he hath also freed us from the dominion of sin: if with his blood he hath quenched the fire of Hell for us, he hath also quenched the fire of Lust in us: Christs Iustifying blood, is given by his Sanctifying Spirit. Therefore such as have no government of their Passions, no conscience of their Actions, no care of their lives: whatever they think or pretend, they have no portion nor share in the promises of the Gospel. How many that would be accounted Chri­stians, and think to go to heaven, yet in sundry particulars fall short of many wick­ed reprobates recorded in Scripture, who never had the hearts, upon the hearing the threatnings of the Word, to relent, and humble themselves with Ahab, to confess their sins, and desire the people of God to pray for them: with Pharaoh to be affected with joy in hearing the Word, and practice many things: with Herod to be zealous against sin: with Jehu, willing to part with a good part of their goods: with Ananias, to forsake the world and all their hopes in it, to follow Christ as Demas [Page 19] and others, to venture their lives with Alexander the Copper-smith, in cleaving to the truth. Yea, it is said of Judas him­self, that he repented: there is Contrition: he saith, I have sinned: there is Confession: and he restored the money again: there is Satisfaction, which is all the Papists re­pentance: and yet he is Judas the Son of perdition still. Now examine thy self, and try whether thou dost not come short of these: if so, it is but madness for thee to please thy self in a false conceit of thine own Happiness. Vngodly men think God is all mercy, yet the Word tells us he is a consuming fire, and a jealous God: and how can they expect he should be merciful to them, who are [...]nmerciful and cruel to him, to his, and to their own souls? Indéed the Lord is very gracious and ready to for­give such as are humble and penitent sin­ners, who are willing to be cleansed from their sins, and to put away the evil of their doings, and abhor themselves because of their iniquities: he is exceeding merciful, and full of compassion to such: but to those that wilfully go on in wickedness follow­ing the lusts and desires of their own hearts, he will not speak peace to them, [Page 20] but if they repent not, he will come in flames of Fire to take vengeance upon them.

Therefore consider this, all ye that for­get God, least he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Yea, consider well all you that read or hear this Book, wha [...] great difference there is betwixt a Christi­an in name, and a Christian indeed: exa­mine your hearts throughly, and try your selves by this Touchstone, and sée whether you were ever as yet truly humbled under the sight and sence of your Original Cor­ruption, and Actual Transgression: whe­ther sin hath ever been a burthen unto you, and your greatest grief: whether you were ever savingly enlightned to discern the hidden misteries of the Gospel, and ena­bled in same measure to lay how upon Christ by a lively Faith, such as purifieth your hearts, and makes you prize Christ more then all things in the world? whe­ther you did ever with hatred of your [...], turn from them, and return unto God [...] true repentance, and are become new Creatures, to what once you were: whe­ther you love God with all your hearts, being careful to please him, fearful to [Page 21] offend him, willing to part with any thing that is near or dear unto you, when he calls for it: whether you are obedient to his will, in keeping his Commandments, in sanctifying his Saboths, in walking in his ways, in observing his Statutes to do them, in leading a Godly, Righteous and Sober Life, in doing good to all, where it lies in your power, in loving your ene­mies, and rendring good for evil, in ho­nouring God with your substance, and living holily, righteously, and unblamably in this present World: if not, then all your confidence is but presumption, and Christ will say unto you in the last day, Depart from me, I know you not.

O that God would open your eyes, and let you see those things which concern your everlasting peace, before you go from hence and be no more séen.

Every Man's Duty, AND The Godly Man's Prastice: OR, Exhortations to Love GOD.

AS great favours bestowed up­on a Person of an Ingenious disposition, are as so many Cords to draw his Affections towards the Benefactour, so the conside­ration of those unspeakale Mercies and Benefits which we have received from [Page] God is the strongest Matide to stir up our hearts unto thankfulness, and to knit our hearts unto the Lord in the inseparable bands of Love. Now to the end that all which read or hear this Book, may know how much they stand engaged unto God, I shall give you a taste of his goodness, & let you see what he hath done for us, as in the first place he gave us our selves, and all the Creatures to be our servants, yea be created us after his own Image, in Righteousness and Holiness, and in per­fect knowledge of the Truth, with a pow­er to stand, and for ever to continue in a most blessed and happy condition, and this deserves all possible thankfulness, but this was nothing in comparison, for when we were in a sad condition, when we had for­feited all this and our selves, when by sin we had turned the Image of God into the Image of Satan, and wilfully plunged our Souls and Bodies into eternal Tor­ments, when we were become his ene­mies, mortally hating him, and to our ut­most, fighting against him, and taking part with his enemies Sin and Satan, not having the least thought or desire of reconcilement, but a perverse and obsti­nate [Page] will to resist all means thereunto, he did redéem us, not only without ask­ing, but even against our wills, so make­ing of us (his cursed Enemies) servants of servants, Sons of Sons, Heirs and Coheirs with Christ, here was a fathom­less depth, a wonder beyond all wonders. But that we may the better consider what an alms or Boon God gave us when he gave us his Son, observe that when neither Heaven nor Earth could have yeilded any satisfactory thing besides Christ; that could have satisfied Gods justice, and merited heaven for us, then God in his infinite wisdom and goodness did not onely find out a way to satisfie his justice and the Law, but gave us his Son, his only beloved Son out of his bo­some, and his Son gave himself to dye the most Shameful, Painful, and Cursed death of the Cross to redéem us: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life, John 3.16. The very thought of which death when he came to it, together with the Weight and burthen of our sins, put him into such an Agony in the Garden, that it made him to sweat even Drops of Blood, [Page] a mercy bestowed, and a way found out, may astonish all the Sons of Men, and Angels in Heaven, wherefore wonder at this ye that wonder at nothing, that the Lord should come with such a price to re­deem our worse then lost souls, and to bring Salvation unto us, even against our Wills. The Lord Iesus being rich for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. 2 Cor. 8.9. Even the eternal God would die that we might not Dye Eternally, and that which is further considerable, it cost God more to redéem the World then to make it. In the creation he gave us our selves, but in the redemption he gives us him­self, the creation of all things cost him but six days to finish it, the Redemption of Man cost him thrée and thirty years: in the creation of the world, he did but only speak the word. In the Redemption of Man, he both Spake, and Wept, and Swet, and Bled, and dyed; yea the sav­ing of one Sould is more and greater then the making of the whole world, but fur­ther to illustrate this Love, consider that Salvation stands in two things.

• [Page]First, In Freedom and Deliverance from Hell.
• Secondly, In the possession of Heaven and eternal life.

• Christ by his Death merits the First for us.
• And by his Obedience, fulfilling the Law, Merits the Second.

O! who can express how great a Mercy it is to be delivered from Hell, where we should for ever have lain in fire and Brimstone, kept in the highest Flame, by the Vnquenchable Wrath of God, where there is nothing but Dark­ness and Horror, wailing and wringing of hands, desperate yellings and gnashing of Teeth. There shall be Punishment without pity; Misery, without any mer­cy; sorrow, without succour; crying with­out Comfort, Malice without Measure, Torment without ease, where the wrath of God shall seize mens souls and bodies, as the flames of fire doth in the Lump of Pitch and brimstone, in which flame they [Page] shall ever be burning and never consum­ed, ever dying, and never dead, ever roar­ing in the pangs of death, and never rid of those pangs, so y^t after they have endured them, so many thousand years, as there are blades of Grass on the Earth, or sands in the Sea, they shall be no nearer the end of their Torments then they were the very first day that they were cast in­to them, yea so far are they from ending, that they are ever beginning. It were Misery enough to have the Headach Toothach Chollick Gout, burning in the fire, or if there be any thing more griev­ous, yet should all these and many more meet together in one man at one instant, they would come infinitely short of the pains of Hell, yea they would be but as stinging of Ants to the Lashes of those Scorpions, but as drops to those Vials of Wrath, as Sparks to that flame, the Furnace of Babel was but a flea biting to this tormenting Tophet prepared of old, so that it were happy for reprobate Spi­rits if they were no worse then Toads or Serpents, as consider if a dark dungeon here be so loathsome, what is that Dun­geon of eternal, of utter Darkness? if na­tural [Page] fire be so terrible, what is Hell fire where both Soul and Body shall fry in everlasting flames, and continually be tormented by infernal Fiends, whose so­ciety alone would be sufficiently fright­ful? These things deeply weighed, O! how would it heighten our love to God and to Christ, who might have left us in our wretched estate to have undergone much more then is here spoken of. But blessed be his Name who hath delivered our Souls from the pit of destruction, and not only so but hath reinstated us again into Gods favour, and prepared Mansi­ons of Glory for us in the Kingdome of Heaven, where we shall sée the Blessed Face of God, which is the Glory of all sights; the sight of all glory: there shall all tears be wiped from our Eyes, there shall be no pain nor complaint, no Hun­ger, Thirst, Wearisomness, or Templa­tion to disquiet us, there is no death nor dearth, no misery nor sickness, but joys and pleasures; never ebbing, but ever flowing to all contentment. There, O there, one day is better then a thousand, their is rest from our labours, peace from our enemies, fréedome from our Sins, [Page] what pleasure shall we take in the com­pany of Saints and Angels, in whom there is nothing, but what is amiable, comfortable, and delectable? There is all things that we can desire, Beauty, Rich­es, Honour, Pleasure, long life, or what­ever else can be named, no place so glo­rious by creation, so beautiful with de­lectation so rich in possession, so com­fortable for Habitation, nor so durable for lasting, there are no estates, but inherit­ances, no inheritances but kingdome, no Houses but palaces, no Meals but feasts, no noise but Musick no Rods but Scep­ters, no Garments but Robes, no Seats but Thrones, no Coverings for the Head but Crowns: there we shall rejoyce for the pleasantness of the place we possesse, for the glory of our Souls and Bodies, which we have put on for y^e World, which we have overcome, for Hell which we have escaped, for the joys of heaven which we have attained unto, we shall have joy above us, by the Beatifical Vision and sight of God, joy within us by the peace of Conscience, even the joy of the Holy Ghost, and joy round about us by the bles­sed Company and Fellowship of our Asso­ciates [Page] the Holy Saints and Angels: Oh! the multitude and fullness of these joys, so many that only God can number them, so great that he onely can estimate them, of such rarity and perfection, that this World hath nothing comparable unto them: Oh! the Transcendency of that Paradise of Pleasure, where is joy with­out Heavinesse, Blessednesse without Misery, light without darkness, health without Sickness, Abundance without Want, Ease without Labour, Liberty without Restraint, Security without Fear, Eyes without Tears, hearts with­out sorrow, Souls without Sin; where shall be no evil heard of to affright us, nor good wanting to chear us, for we shall have what we can desire, and we shall de­sire nothing but what is good. Here we have knowledge mixed with Ignorance, faith mixed with doubting, peace with Trouble, but then we shall know God, e­ven as we our selves are known of him, then shall faith be swallowed up in frui­tion, and then shall we have peace, even full without want, pure without mixture, and perpetual without all fear of forgo­ing.

[Page]What shall I say? God of his goodness hath bestowed so many, and so great mer­cies upon us, that it is not possible to ex­press his bounty therein, for if we look inward we find our creatours merits, if we look upwards, his Mercy reacheth up into the Heavens, if Downwards, the Earth is full of his goodness, and so is the broad Sea, if we look about us, what is it that he hath not given us? Air to breath in, fire to warm us, water to cleanse and cool us, Cloaths to cover us, Food to nou­rish us, Fruits to refresh us, yea delicates to please us, Beasts to serve us, Angels to attend us, Heaven to receive us, and which is above all, himself, and his own Son to be enjoyed of us, so that whither­soever we turn our Eyes, we cannot look besides his Bounty, yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for, but that he would continue those Blessings which he hath bestowed on us already, yet, we covet still as though we had no­thing, & live as if we knew nothing of his Beneficience, we are bound to praise him above any Nation whatsoever, for what Nation under Heaven enjoys so much [Page] light, and so many Blessings as we? God might have said before we were formed, let them be Loads, Monsters, Infidels, Beggars, Bond-slaves, Idiots, or Mad­men, so long as they live, and after that, cast aways for ever and ever. But he hath made us to the best likenesse, and nursed us in the best Religion, and placed us in the best Land, and appointed us to the best and only Inheritance, even to re­main with him in Blisse for ever: Yea thousands would think themselves happy if they had but a peice of our Happinesse, for whereas some Bléed, we sleep in safe­ty, others Beg, we abound, others starve, we are full fed, others grope in the dark, our Sun still shines, we have Eys, Ears, Tongues, Feet, Hands, Health, Liberty, Reason, others are Blind, Deaf, Dumb, Sick, Maimed, Imprisoned, Distr [...]ct­ed, and the like, yea God hath removed so many evils from us, and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought and imagination, for if all the World were turned into a book, and all the Angels deputed writers therein, they could not set down all the good which Gods Love in Christ hath done us. For [Page] those millions of mercies which we have received since we were born, either for Soul or Body, even to the least bit of Bread, or shall to eternity (of which we could not well want any one.) Christ hath purchased of his Father for us, and yet God the Father also hath of his frée grace and mercy given us, in giving us his son. Yea God is many times Working our good, when we least think upon him, as he was creating for Adam an help-meet for him, when he was fast asleep, and as much do we owe God for the Dangers from which he delivereth us, as for the great Wealth and Dignities whereunto he hath always raised us.

Now what shall we render unto the Lord our God, so good and Gracious in way of Thankfullnesse, for all these his Merits. The Contribution of Blessings require Retribution of Thanks, or will bring distribution of Plagues, neither could we possibly be unthankful, if we seriously thought upon what God gives, and what he forgives, for in Reason hath he contrived so many ways to save us, and should not we take all occasions to glorifie him? hath he done so much for us, [Page] and shall we deny him any thing that he requires of us? though it were our lives, yea our Souls, much more our Lusts: we have exceeding hard hearts, if the Blood of the Lamb cannot soften them; stony Bowels, if so many Mercies can­not melt them, was Christ Crucified for our Sins, and should we by our sins cru­cifie him again? Oh let the meditation of what God and Christ hath one for us, make us do what we are able for him a­gain; for did Christ do all this for us, and shall we do nothing for him? like favours require like gratitude. Mary Magdalen was a great Sinner, and she had much forgiven her, therefore she loved much, so should every one of us do likewise, wherefore if we have any ingenuity in us, it will make us direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to Gods glory, as he hath directed our Eternal Salvation thereunto.

But to help and further you herein, if you be willing so to do, take these few di­rections.

First, Let these things be never out of the Minds, memories, and Mouths of those whom Christ hath done thus for, [Page] let every one of us, say with Holy Ber­nard: Lord if I owed my whole self unto thee, forgiving me my self in my Creati­on, what have I left to pay for giving thy self for me to so cruel a Death, to pro­cure my Redemption? which was not so cheap as my creation, great was the Bene­fit that thou wouldest Create me of no­thing, but what tongue can sufficiently ex­press the greatness of the grace that thou didst redeem me with so dear a price when I was worse then nothing, we are full of thy goodness: O! let our Hearts run o­ver with Thankfulness: and let us say with David; O Lord what is Man that thou art so mindful of him? What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all these thy Benefits, but Love thee my Creatour and Redeemer and become a new Creature. How can any Rational Man meditate on such unbottomed a Love, and not study and strive for an answerably, thankful, demeanour? if a friend had given us but the thousandth part of what he hath, we should heartily love him all our lives, and think no thanks sufficient: what price then should we set upon Iesus Christ, who is the life of our lives, and the Soul of [Page] our Souls: Surely this should at least make us part with our nearest, dearest, and sweetest darling Sins to serve him in Righteousnesse, and Holinesse, every Day, every Hour, all the Days of our Lives, what a Brutish and Barbar­ous unthankfulnesse and shame, were it that God should part with his Son, and his Son with his own precious blood for us, and we not part with our sinful Lusts and Delights for him.

But Secondly, Hath Christ done all this for us his Servants? so much, and so many ways obliged to him, then let us do what we are able for him again.

1. Let us be zealous for his Glory, and take his part when we see or hear him dishonoured, for as Augustine saith, There can be no Love where there is no Zeal. Well Born Children are touch­ed to the Quick with the Injuries of their Parents. And it is a base Vile and unjust Ingratitude that can endure the disgrace of them under whose shel­ter they live.

[Page]2. Let us seek to draw others after us from Satan unto him.

3. Do we all we can to promote his Worship and Service.

4. Take all good occasions to pub­lish to others how good God is, and what he hath done for us.

5. Let us wholy ascribe all the good we have, or do to free Grace, and give him the Glory of his Gifts, imploy­ing them to our Masters best advan­tage.

6. Let us (that we may expresse our Thankfullnesse unto him) shew kind­nesse to his Children and poor Mem­bers, who are Bone of his Bone, and Flesh of his Flesh.

7. Abhor we our selves, for our for­mer unthankfulnesse, and our wonder­ful provoking of him.

8. Hearken we unto Christs Voice [Page] in all that he saith unto us, and ex­presse our Thankfullnesse by our Obe­dience: Yea all this let us do, if we do it but for our own Sakes, for what should we have if we did thus serve Christ who hath done all these things for his Enemies, neglecting and disho­nouring him. 'Tis true we cannot properly be said to do any thing for him, that have all we have from him, or if we could give him our Bodies and Souls, they would be saved by it, but he were never the better for them, yet we may do these and the like things, which he accounts and rewards as done to himself.

Now these things we ought to do, thus thankful we ought to be to God, for his inestimable and unspeakable Be­nefits towards us. But do we thus re­quite the Lord? or do we what we are able for him again. O that I could say we did, yea I would we were but so thankful to Christ for all his Mercies (the least whereof is great­er then all the Courtesies of Men) as we are to a friend for some one good turn. But Wo worth us a people not worthy [Page] the Crumbs of Christ, and our Masters least Mercy, yea well worthy of more Plagues, then either Tyre or Sidon; Sodom or Gomarah, or any People since the Creation, for as if all that Christ hath done for us, were nothing to move us, we are so far from being thank­ful, from loving, and serving him, that did we seriously think of Christs love, and our odious unthankfullnesse, and compare Gods goodnesse with our in­gratitude, rightly, weighing how we have from time to time abused his Mercy, and those many means of grace which he in his long-suffering hath af­forded for our reclaiming, it would e­ven make us Speechlesse like him in the Gospel, as neither expecting par­don, nor daring to ask it; yea it is the unspeakable Mercy of the Lord, that our Land hath not long since Spued us out, and that we are not at this present frying in Hell, for where­as God hath removed so many evils Spiritual and Corporal; Temporal and Eternal from us, and conferred so ma­ny good things upon us that they are beyond Thought and Imagination, we [Page] have striven to multiply offences against him, and to make them as infinite in Number as his Blessings, we have done nothing from our Infancy, but added Sin for Sin, as he hath added Mercy to Mercy, whereby our Sins are become for Number as the Sands of the Sea, and as the Stars of Hea­ven, may not God justly another day call heaven and earth to witnesse against us, that he would have sav'd us, yea, did woe us to accept of Salvation, saying: Turn ye, turn ye, for why will you Dye O People of England: But we would not be Converted nor Saved, for whereas God hath offered us a Par­don (in rendering Christ unto us up­on the Condition of Faith and Re­pentance) even his own Son, to be a means of our Reconciliation, we are so far from accepting it thank­fully, that we not onely Refuse and Contemn it, but in a manner derided the offer of it our selves, ap­pose the Gospel of glad Tydings, and persecute Christ in his Mem­bers, either with Hand or Tongue, or both, we are (most of us) so [Page] far from being Holy our selves, that we hate Holinesse in others, for if any become Religious and Conscientious, and will not for Company grievously Sin against God, Wrong their Bodies, destroy their own Souls, and Willfully leap into Hell Fire with us? we Envy, Hate, Censure, Scoff at, Nick-Name, Rail on and slander them, that we may Discourage them in the Way to Heaven, ba­ffle them out and make them a­shamed of their Holy profession, and Religious Conversation, and so con­sequently pull them back to the World, that so we may have their Company here in Sin, and here­after in Torment: Oh foolish Peo­ple and unwise thus to requite the Lord: Our horrid Sins are grown up unto Heaven, in regard whereof we may justly be confounded and ashamed to lift up our Eyes to him who is a Lord, so great and terrible, of such Glorious Majesty and Infinite Purity, what then shall we say to these things. Is there any Hope left for such Vile [Page] Creatures as we are, yea surely for God doth still afford us time to Repent, and the Gospel of glad tydings doth still continue amongst us; the Ministery of Reconciliation is Preached unto us, and if we will at last come in with hum­ble submission, and yield to be governed by the Lord Iesus Christ, and live the rest of our days to his will, in beleiving in him in Loving, Honouring, and obeying him, there is no question but God will frée­ly forgive what is past, and receive us again into his favour; which the Lord of his Mercy grant for Iesus Christ his sake.

THE Ready way to get Riches: OR, THE Poor man's Counsellour.

HOw to become wealthy and hap­py is a thing so generally desired that it seems to be a principal naturally rooted in the Heart of every man, as who and where is the man y^t desires not to be rich and happy, I dare say if the great Chain who is said to have a Tree full of Pearls hanging by clusters should but make Proclamation that whosoever would [...]pair to him should have plenty of Gold, he might drive such a trade as would soon make him a Bankrupt, for as y^e Prophet observes, every one from the greatest unto the least is given unto Covetousnesse, Jer. 6.13 All gape after Gain, and how to get is each Mans thought from Sun to Sun. Now to answer every mans desire, & to acquaint them how of poor melancholly and miserable they may become rich, happy, and chearful, is my pre­sent purpose, and the task I have taken in [...]and, the which I shall do from the Word of God. Nor need it seem strange, that for the [Page] improving of Mens outward estates, I pre­scribe them rules & directions from thence, for would we be instructed in any necessary Truth, whether it be concerning private fa­milies our selves, or be it touching God, the Church, the Comon-wealth, our Neigh­bors, and Friends, our Temporal, Ci­vil, Spiritual, Eternal Estate, or in re­ference to our souls, bodies, names, estates, posterities. We need but have recourse to the written Word, for that alone is a Maga­zine of all needful provisian, a Store-house of all néedful Instruction, and let a man study Machiavel and all the Machiavilians, and State-politians that ever wrote, he can add nothing, or nothing of worth, to what may be collected thence touching this subject, where­fore if any of poor would become rich, let him use y^e means which tend thereunto, observe and follow those Rules and directions which God hath prescribed & appointed in his word which are principally fix, for as the Throne of Solomon was mounted unto by six stares, so is this Pallace of plenty & riches ascended unto by six steps, set upon this ground alrea­dy laid, for I find in the word six Infallible ways to becom rich, or six sorts of men whom God hath promised to blesse with riches and outward prosperity, y^t is to say, 1. The Godly, 2. the Liberal. 3. the Thankful. 4. the Humble, [Page] 5. the Industrious. 6. the Frugal. These of all other men in y^e world are sure never to want. And these are the Main Heads unto which I shall draw all I shall say upon this subject.

First, If any of poor would become rich, let him become religious, for godlinesse hath the promises of this life, as wel as of the life to come, yea all temporal blessings that can be named are promised to y^e godly, & to their seed, and to them onely, as both the old and new Testament do plainly and plentfully prove, as for instance, in Duteronomy y^e 28. God hath promised that if we will hearken diligently unto his voice, observe and do all his Commandments, and walk in his ways, we shall be blessed in the City, and be blessed in the Field, blessed in our going forth, and in our comming home, blessed in the fruit of our bodies, and in the fruit of our ground, & in the Fruit of our Cattle, the increase of of our Kine, and the Flocks of our Sheep, y^t he will blesse us in our Store-house [...] and in all that we set our hands unto, and make us plentiful in all good things, and that we shall have where with to lend unto many, and not to borrow, Vers. the 1, to 15, and Chap. 7. vers. 11, to 19. To which is added many the like places, as blessed is the man that fear­eth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his [Page] Commandments, wealth and riches shall be in his House, Psal. 112. vers. 1, to 4. Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt thee to inherit the Land, Psal. 37.34. The Lord will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly, Psal. 84.11. De­light thy self in the Lord, he shall give thee thine hearts desire, Psal. 37.3. Fear ye the Lord ye his Saints, for nothing wanteth to them that fear him, the Lyons do lack and suffer Hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good, Psal. 34.9,10. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him, be­cause we keep his Commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight, 1 John 3.12. What rare and precious pro­mises are these? [...]o which I might add many of the like nature, all which David had the experience of, who tells us that he greatly rejoyced in the Strength and Salvation of the Lord, and the Lord gave him his hearts desire and did not with-hold the request of his lips, yea he prevented him with y^e bles­sings of goodnesse, and set a Crown of Gold upon his head, Psalm 2.1,2,3,4. And the like of Abraham and Lot and Job and Solo­mon. Let us first seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse, and all other things shall be Ministred unto us, or come in as it [Page] were upon the Bargain, as our Saviour hath assured us, Mat. 6.33. Neither are these promises made onely to the obedient them­selves, but riches and all Earthly Blessings are entayled upon their seed also, Psal. 112.2,3. His séed shall be mighty upon the earth, the Generation of the Righteous shall be blessed. Nor is riches & outward prosperity promised to the Godly and their seed, as o­thers usually enjoy them, that is, singly and barely, but they've a promise of them, with a supply of all other good things to be added thereunto, w^ch may make them every way happy, as that their prosperity shall be dura­ble and lasting. That with riches they shall have credit, honour, & promotion, with long life added, that they shall be happy, and pros­per in all they have or do, as having God their protector, who with Mercy is said to compasse them about on every side, Psal 32.10. That they shall be free'd from all fears and dangers, and obtain victory over al their enemies, together with Death, Hell, and the Devil, that they shall be fréed from the Law, and likewise from sin, and the penalty thereof, that they shall have peace external, internal, eternal, and joy, even the joy of the Holy Ghost, which is both glorious and un­speakable. That they shall not onely perse­vere, [Page] but also grow in grace and true Wis­dome, that all things whatsoever shal make for their good, that both their persons & per­formances shall be good & acceptable, which before were vile and abominable. That by the prayer of Faith they shall obtain of God whatsoever they shal ask in Christs Name, and according to his Word: and in fine, all o­ther good things that can be named, whether Temporal, or Spiritual, or Eternal, are by the promise of God entayled upon them that love him and keep his Commandments, nor need we wonder at this, or once question the same, for if he spared not his own Son; but delivered him to death for us, how shall he not with him freely give us all things also, Rom. 8.31,32. It is the Apostles argument; great, yea too great things for us to receive, but not too great, for the great and good God of Heaven and Earth to give, all the fear is on our part, whether we be such to whom the promise is made, for all Gods promises are conditional, and though of these outward good things he hath promised abundance, yet it is upon the condition of faith & obedience, as appears by the afore mentioned pla­ces, so that if we be not wanting in our duty & obedience to God, God would not be want­ing in any good thing to us, nor can we lock [Page] that God should make good his promises, if we make them void by not observing the condition, if we will not dare to trust God up­on his promise so confidently, as we would a Friend or some great Man that is able and honest: Besides the Lord hath promised that there shall be no want to them y^t fear him, & no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly, Psal. 34.9, and 84,11. Where observe two things, there shall be no want to such, and such shall want no good thing, so that he must be such a one to whom the promise is made, and he must also be sure that it is good for him which is pro­mised; but oftentimes it is not good for a man to abound with earthly Blessings, as strong Drink is not good for weak Brains, yea if any thing be wanting to a good man, he may be sure 'tis not good for him, and then better that he doth want it, than that he did enjoy it. And what wise man will complain of the want of y^t which if he had, would prove more hurtful than gainful to him, as a Sword to a Mad-man, a knife to a Child, drink to them that have a Feavor or the Drop [...]e. No good thing will God with-hold, &c. And therefore not wants themselves, which to many are also good, yea very good things, as I could reckon up many want, sanctified is a notable [Page] means to bring to repentance to work in us amendment of Life, it stirs up to prayer, it weans from the love of the World, it keeps us always prepared for the spiritual Com­bate, discovers whether we be true believ­ers or Hypocrites, prevents greater evils of sin and punishments to come, it makes us humble, comfortable to Christ our head, in­creaseth our faith, our joy, our thankfulnesse our spiritual wisdome, and likewise our pa­tience, as I have shown at large in another Book cal'd the Christians Comfort. To con­clude, all good things were created for the good, and therefore they are called goods be­cause the good created them, for good men to do good withal. Therefore as Jacob got the blessing, so he got y^t inheritance also, to shew that as the faithful have y^e inward blessing, so they have the outward blessing too; when they will do them good, and cause them to do good, yea in this case even as the sheafs fell before Ruth, so the Kiches shall fall in our way, as they did to Abraham and Lot, and Jacob, and Job, and Joseph, upon whom rich­es were cast, they knew not how, but as if God had onely said, be rich, and they were Rich straight, but that this is the true and onely way to Wealth and Happinesse néeds no more proof then that which is recorded of [Page] Solomon, 1 Kings 3. 2 Chron. 1. Where the Lord appearing to him in a dream said, [...]k what I shall give thee, and he asking onely an understanding Heart to discern between good and evil, that he might the better Dis­charge that great place whereunto God had called him, wherein Gods glory and the peo­ples good were his Principal Aim and end: hear what the Lords Answer is: Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not ask­ed Riches, Wealth, or Honour; nor the life of thine enemies neither, yet hast asked long life but hast asked Wisdome and Knowledge for thy self, that thou mightest judge my people, over whom I have made thee King, Wisdome and Knowledge is Granted unto thee, and I will give thee Riches, and Wealth, and Hon­our, such as none of the Kings have had that have been before thee: neither shall there any after thee have the like. Yea he was so sur­passing rich that he gave Silver in Jerusa­lem as stones, 1 Kings 10.27. Loe the true way to Wealth, Honour, and Happinesse is to desire Grace that we may glorifie God, and do good: For clearing whereof I'le give you a Similitude. A Man spies a fair Apple on a Tree, hath a longing desire unto it, whereupon he falls a shaking the Trée with all his might, at length it not onely comes [Page] down but many other come down to him to­gether with it, and so much to prove that the way to become rich is first to become God­ly.

Secondly, He that would be a Rich Man let him be a merciful Man, and do good with what God hath already given him, be it ne­ver so little, for there is not a more sure and Infallible way to Increase and Multiply a mans outward estate, then in being charit­able to y^e poor, if we will believe Gods word, as what saith our Saviour, Give and it shall be given unto you, Good Measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your Bosome, Luk. 6.38. Mat. 7.2. Mark 4.14. And to this accord that place in the Proverbs. There is y^e scat­tereth and is more encreased, but he that spareth more then is right, shall surely come to poverty. The liberal person shall have plenty, and he that watereth shall also have rain, Pro. 11.24,25. And y^e like in y^e Psalms; Wealth and Riches shall be in the house of him that hath compassion of and giveth to the poor, Psal. 112.3, to 10. See here how bounty is the best and surest way to Plenty. But notable to this purpose is that, Pro. 28.37. He that giveth to the poor shall not lack, a rare and incomparable priviledge never to [Page] want, and yet this is a bargain of Gods own making, plenty shall furnish the table where Charity takes away and gives to the Poor. He hath dispersed abroad saith the Psalmist and given to the poor, his Benevolence re­maineth for ever, Psal. 112.9. He hath al­ways to give that hath a free and bountiful Heart to give, saith St. Bernard, and of this the Prophet Isaiah doth assure us. The libe­ral man saith he deviseth liberal things, and by liberality he shall stand, Isa. 32.8. A man would think he should rather fall by being so liberal & bountiful, but this is the best course to thrive & hold out. Nor was it ever known that God suffered a merciful and a bountiful man to want, ordering his affairs with dis­cretion, Psal. 112.5. But you have not heard a Tith of these promises, for the Scriptures no less abound in them, than silver did in the days of Solomon, of which only a few more, is what saith the wise man, Pro. 3. Honour the Lord with thy substance, & with the first fruits of all thine encrease, so shall thy barns be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with new Wine, in which regard that which is this way expended, may be likened to those loves and fishes in the Gos­pel, for as they did increase and multiply, e­ven while they were distributing, so doth our [Page] Riches, and indeed all other gifts, even out o [...] which the Hand reacheth to, the Mouth it self is nourished, and thus you see that ei­ther Old or New Testament be true, not getting but giving is the true & ready way to abundance, that to give in this case is the way to have, and that we are the richer for disoursting, which makes Chrisostom say: That the gainfulest art is Alms giving, and hence it is that the Scripture compares it to sowing of Seed, 2 Cor. 9.6. He y^t soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, but he that soweth bountifully shal also reap bountifully, the Apostle compares giving to sowing, to note unto us the great gain and advantage that commeth thereby, and the Scriptures likewise compareth it to lending or putting money to interest, Pro. 19.17. He that hath pitty on the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him a­gain. The Lord is content to acknowledge himself the charitable Mans debter, yea by our liberality to the poor, our most gracious redeemer acknowledgeth his self gratified & engaged, Math. 25.35,36, &c. And for as much as ye did it to the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me, the poor mans Hand is Christs Treasury or Bank; and by putting thereinto a man becomes a [Page] Creditour to his Savior, neither will he pay or recompence us as we do our Creditours, for as Augustine well notes, what we receive by way of return, is not ten for an hundred, nor an hundred for ten, but an hundred for one, yea a thousand thousand for one, an hun­dred for one here in this World, and in the World to come, Life everlasting, together with a Kingdome, even an immortal, eter­nal Kingdome of Glory and Happinesse in Heaven, which is not to be valued with ten Thousand Worlds, and why all this but in recompence of feeding, cloathing, and visit­ing his poor Brethren and Members when they were destitute, where note but the in­comparable and infinite difference between the receit and the return, as O the unmea­surable measure of our Saviours Bounty; How happy is that man that may become a Creditour to his Saviour, heaven & earth shall be empty before he shall want a Royal payment; wherefore hearken to this all you self-lovers y^t are onely for your own ends, do you indeed love your selves & your souls, would you be rich indeed, and that both here and hereafter, then be charitable to the poor, even to the utmost of your Ability; for this giving is not onely an act of Charity, but of Christian policy, since we shall not onely re­ceive [Page] our own again, but the same also with great encrease, which made St. Augustine say: That the Charitable man is the greatest Usurer in the World: This is the Second means which God hath appointed for the Improvement of our outward estates, or the second step to riches and all outward prospe­rity: Viz. Bounty and Liberality to the poor.

The Third and Fourth are thankfullnesse and humility, which are no way inferiour to the former.

Thankfulnesse and Humility are the on­ly means to enrich us with Gods blessings, but Pride and Vnthankfulnesse is the onely way to make God withdraw, and take from us both himself and his Blessings: Because the King of Assyria said: By the power of mine arm have I done it, and by my Wisdom, for I am prudent. Therefore saith the Lord I have removed the Borders of the people, and have spoiled their treasures, & have pul­led down y^e inhabitants like a valiant man; Isa. 10.13. Even so doth God deal with all proud ingrateful persons. There is nothing more pleasing to God, nor profitable to us, for the procuring the good we want, or continu­ing the good we have, then humility & thank­fulnesse, God will sow their, and their only, plenty of his blessings, where he is sure to [Page] reap plenty of Thanks and service, ingrati­tude forfeits mercies, as Merchants do all to y^e King, by not paying of custome; because Pharaoh saith: The River is mine own, there­fore God saith, I will dry up the River, Ezek. 29.3. Isa. 19.5,6. When the People sought themselves onely, and how to have their houses scited and sumptuous, neglecting the house of God and his honour, thus it fa [...] ­ed with them, yea have sown much and have reaped little, & he that earneth wages, earn­eth wages to put it into a bag with holes, ye looked for much and lo it came to little, & ye brought it home, I did blow upon it, I called for a drought upon the Land, and upon all that it bringeth forth, and upon all the la­bour of y^e hands, &c. Again when they saught Gods glory, and were thankful, mark the difference, even from this very day will I blesse you saith the Lord, Hag. 1.4,5,6, &c. He y^t is unthankful for a little is worthy of nothing, whereas thanks for one good turn is the best introduction to another, holy Da­vid was a man after Gods own Heart, and therefore he ever mixeth with his prayers, praises. Bless the Lord O my Soul saith he, and forget not all his Benefits, Psal. 103.2. And being of a publick spirit he discovers the secrets of his skill, let the people praise thée [Page] O God, yea let all the People praise thee; the [...] shall the earth bring forth her increase, and God even our God shal give us his bles­sing, Psal. 67.5,6,7. Wherefore be not like the Swine that feed upon the acorns, with­out ever looking to the Oak from whence they fall, or the Horse y^t drinks of the Brook & never thinks of the spring, yea since God is the fountain from which al our enjoyments flow, let this be our continual determinati­on. He hath given us all the Grace, good, and happinesse we have, and we will give him all the possible Thanks & Honour we can: yea, Teach us O Lord to receive the Benefit of thy merciful favour, and to return thee the thanks and the Glory, and the like of Humi­lity. Blessed are the meek saith our Savior for they shall inherit the earth, Math. 5.5. The reward of Humility & the fear of God is riches, and honour, and life, Pro. 22.4. If there be a hollow in a Valley lower than a­nother thither the waters gather, and the more lowly we are in our own Eyes y^e more lovely we are in Gods. The more despicable in our selves, the more acceptable in him, as is seen in the example of the Publican, Luk. 18.13,14. And the Prodigal, Luk. 15.18,19. Nor can any thing make us more accepta­ble to God then the Conscience of our own [Page] unworthinesse, when with Jacob we can say: O Lord I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies which thou hast shewed unto thy ser­vant, for with my staffe I passed over this Jor­dan, & now I am become two bands, Gen. 32.10. This is y^e way to obtain what we would have at the hands of God, who resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble, [...]am. 4.6. Vnto him will I look saith the Lord, e­ven to him that is poor, and of a contrite spi­rit, and that trembles at my words, Isa. 57.15. He hath filled the Hungry with good things, but y^e rich he hath sent empty away, Luk. 1.52. So y^e if thou expectest to have God bless & prosper thée, then beware thou forget­est not at whose cost thou livest: beware least when thou hast eaten and art full, and when thy heards and thy flocks multiply, and thy Silver and gold is increased, and all y^t thou hast be enlarged, thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, and thou say­est in thine heart, My power and the might of my hand hath got me this wealth: but on the contrary remember that it is the Lord thy God y^e hath given thée power to get wealth, and that it is only his blessing which makes rich, this is Gods counsel, set home with [...] very strict charge to all y^t have not a mind to perish, Deut. 28.10,11,12, &c. Many are [Page] the examples I might give you of such as have been undone by their pride, when Saul was little in his own eyes, God made him head over the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and gave him abundance, but when out of his greatness he abused his place and gifts, God took them all away again, and so it had like to fared with Hezekiah, when he but began to be puffed up with the wealth & precious things that God had given him, 2 Kings 20.12, to 19. But most remarkable is the exam­ple of Nebuchadnezzar, who when be ascri­bed all to himself, saying: Is not this great Babel which I have built with the might of my power, and for the Glory of my Majesty, was presently deprived of his Kingdome, & all that he had, and sent to grasse with the Beasts, but when he was humbled to y^e very ground, acknowledged the Authour, and a­scribed all to the God of Heaven. He had his Kingdome and all else restored unto him, Dan. 4. The way to obtain any benefit is to acknowledge the Author, & devote it in our hearts to the glory of that God, of whom we receive all, for by this means shall God both pleasure his Servants, and honour himself, and indeed that he may be honoured by our wisdome, riches, graces, is the onely end for which he gives us to be wise, rich, and gra­cious, [Page] and who hath more interest in the Grape then he that planted the Vine, who more right to the Crop than he that oweth the ground and soweth the seed? Therefore let not the wise man glory in his Wisdome, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches, Jer. 9.23. For we have not onely received our Talents from God, but the improvement also is his meer bounty, of him and through him and for him be all things, to whom be glory for ever, A­men.

Fifthly, The next means which God in his Word hath appointed for this end is La­bour and Industy in some lawful calling, for it is the beating of the Brain and sweating of the Brow, not the bare talk of the lips, or desire of the Heart that makes rich, accord­ing to the comon Proverb, wishers & woul­ders are seldome or never good Housholders, the idle person saith Solomon shall be cloth­ed with rags, & the sluggards poverty com­meth upon him as an arm'd man, but y^e hand of the diligent maketh rich, Prov. 10.4. and Chap. 12.17. The Greeks have a saying that plentifulnesse follows painfullnesse, and that all things are made servants to care and in­dustry: Cajus Furius by his painful dexterity and unwearied labour, got more means out [Page] of one small field then his Neighbours out of many great ones, whereupon he was ac­cused to y^e Magistrate, as if by Witch-craft he had convey'd y^e Corn of other mens ground into his own, but he came with all his goodly rustical Instruments, with his strong and lusty Daughter, and his well fed Oxen, and spake thus to the judges, See my Lords, these be my Witchrafts and Sorceries, which be­ing done and spoke, he was presently absol­ved by the sentence of al, whence the Apostle exhorts y^e Ephesians to labor in their several callings, if they would have sufficient for themselves, and wherewith to help others, and this makes Solomon in praising the ver­tuous Woman for her bounty, note that she works diligently with her hands, and that her candle was not put out by night. Prov. 31.10, &c. And St. Luke the like of Dorcas her pains and industry, in making coats and garments, Acts 9.36,37, &c. And what but idlenesse makes so many Beggars, and base persons, it is the most corrupting flye that can blow in any humane mind. We learn to do ill by doing what is next it, nothing: whence, it is that vice so fructifies in our Gentry and Serving-men, who have no­thing to imploy themselves in, for they only At to eat and drink, lie down to sleep, & rise [Page] up to play, this is all their Businesse, & this brings Thousands of them to Beggery, or worse. Be therefore painful and industrious in thy calling, and God will undoutedly pro­sper, and replenish thee with the good things of this life. This is another step.

Sixtly, If thou wouldst grow rich, then be frugul and thrifty in spending, for Thrift which is a due saving from néedlesse and sin­ful expences, and a wary husbanding of what we get, hath made as many Rich Men as painful getting. It is our Saviours rule so to dispose of that plenty which God in his goodnesse bestowed upon us, that nothing be lost, John 6.12. And it is a rule which all good men will be sure to observe, for he who gets what he hath justly pays what he owes duly; requites favours, receiv'd thankfully, considers the case of the poor cordially; will not, yea dare not spend wastfully, let means come in never so plentifully, and yet he of all men is sure of a lasting Competency, Prov. 28.27. Frugality saith Justine is the Mo­ther of Vertues, but an expensive Man whatsoever his getting be by wasting and overlashing of his estate, is sure not to thrive as it fared with that Captain in Tully, who was not a penny the richer for y^e huge sum of Money given him, because he had done with it as a naked man would do with the nuts, [Page] he gathers, carry them all away in his belly, for lack of pockets: to want and wast differ: but in time a poor man hath riches, a pro­digal shall have none, the vessel that runneth out unduly, will be empty when men come to draw out of it, so will the state be if we let it leak like a Crackt Vessel. But what the difference is betwixt a wise & prudent fru­gality, and a vain expence of Gods benefits, we may learn from, Gen. 42. &c. Where not­withstanding the 7 years of Famine, Aegypt had Corn enough when all other Countries were without, & the people ready to Famish, which needed not have béen if they had béen more sparing in the 7 plentiful years, for those years of plenty were not confined to Aegypt, other Countries adjoyned were no lesse fruitful, as the learned aver. But that prodigality brings many rich men to pover­ty, & poor men to Beggery, daily experience do abundantly Testifie. Therefore if thou wouldst be rich wast not any part of thy sub­stance in vain néedlesse superfluous expen­ces, but beg of God wisdome y^t thou mayst improve his blessings to the best advantage y^t so he may be glorifi'd, & thy store encreased. Then shalt thou live happily and contented­ly all thy days. And so much of the means how of poor to become rich. Consider what hath been said, and the Lord give you under­standing in all things.

A Short and Sure Way TO Grace and Salvation: OR, Proper means to Expel Gross IGNORANCE.

AS when God created the World, the first thing he made was light, Gen. 1.3. So when he makes us new creatures, he first Creates light in the understanding, whereby the poor soul may sée his spiritual mise­ry and wretchedness, which before by reason of that Vail or Curtain, which is drawn over every natural mans heart, 2 Cor. 3.14,15,16. he is so far from descerning, that with Laodicea, he thinks himself rich, and to want nothing, when yet he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked of all spiritual en­dowments, Rev. 3.17. Now this being the case of many Millions in this Land, how can we other than conclude that even few shall be saved? for without Knowledge, the mind cannot be good, as wise Solomon affirms, Prov. 19.2. A man may know the Will of God, and [Page 3] yet not do it, but he cannot do it, except he know it, neither can he be born of God, that knoweth him not, 1 John 4.7. nor can he love God, verse 8. whence that terrible Text, Jer. 19.25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen, that know thee not, Psal. 79.6. And that more terrible. The Lord shall be revealed from Hea­ven in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God; which being so, I hold my self bound to acquaint them what every one must of necessity know, or they cannot be saved: the which I will do in a few lines, that all who will, may have the benefit hereof; where­fore let all such if they have ears, hear what I shall say unto them out of God's Word, in laying open these three Fundamental Princi­ples of Religion: Viz.

• How man was at first Created.
• 2. How he is now Corrupted.
• 3. How he may be again Restored.

Touching the Bounty and Goodness of God in Man's Creation, these things would be known.

• 1. That God in the beginning made men in Paradise after all his Works, that he might come as to a sumptuous Palace ready furnished.
• 2. That he was made a Compendium, and Abridgement of all the other Creatures, as be­ing [Page 4] a little world of himself, and contains in him more Generality then the Angels, having being, life, reason, as they have, and sence which they have not.
• 3. That as he was made Lord of, and had dominion over all, so he did excel all other visible Creatures.
  • 1. In that he had a reasonable Soul.
  • 2. In that he had a speaking tongue.
  • 3. In that he was made upright, with his face lifted up to Heaven.
  • 4. In that all things were made subject to him.
  • 5. In that he was made after the Image of God.
  • 6. In that his Soul is Immortal.
  • 7. In that he was ordained to eternal Glory.

More especially we are to know, that as God made all things else for Man's use and service, so he Created Man, Male and Fe­male, more immediately for his own Honour, and Service, and did accordingly adorn him with Gifts and Abilities above all other visible Creatures, for God made us, had not we un­made our selves, after his own Image, endow­ing us with perfection of all true Wisdom, Holi­ness, and Righteousness, writing his Law in our hearts, and giving us ability to obey and fulfil the same in every point, and withal, a power to stand, and for ever to continue in a most [Page 5] blessed, and happy condition, frée from all mi­sery, and to enjoy a swéet and blessed Commu­nion, with his Creator, so that man was created very good, did clearly and perfectly know the whole Will and Works of his Maker, was a­ble out of the integrity of his Soul, and fitness of all the powers, fully, willingly, and chear­fully, to love, observe, and obey his Maker in e­very tittle and circumstance he required, and to love his Neighbour as himself; so that neither the mind did conceive, nor the heart desire, nor the body put in execution any thing, but that which was acceptable, and well-pleasing unto God, as these ensuing Scriptures doth plainly prove, Gen. 1.26,27,30. Eccles. 7.29. Rom. 2.14,15.

In the second place, to shew you how man came to be corrupted.

God at first entred into Covenant with our first Parents, as publique Persons, both in behalf of themselves, and all that should proceed out of their Loyns, and so that whatsoever Gifts, Priviledges, and Endow­ments they had bestowed upon them, should be continued to them and theirs, onely upon condition of their Loyalty and personal Obe­dience (of which the tree of life was a pledge) and they should have, and enjoy them, or lose, and be deprived of them, as well for their off­spring, [Page 6] as for themselves; as they should keep or transgress his Royal Law. But see how unworthily they demeaned themselves towards their Bountiful Maker and Benefactor, for whereas God placed them in Paradise, and gave them frée liberty to eat of the fruit of every trée of the Garden, save only of the Tree of Know­ledge of good & evil, prohibiting them that alone, even upon pain of eternal death to them & theirs, they most persidiously contemned and brake this Law, which (as sundry circumstances that do agravate it, shew) was a most execrable and damnable Sin; as observe the several circum­stances set down by Moses to amplifie the foul­ness of their fall: As,

First, That they despised and made light of the promise of God, whereby they were com­manded to hope for everlasting life, so long as they continued their Loyalty and Obedience.

Secondly, There was in it an unsufferable pride and ambition, in that he could not content himself with being Lord of the whole Vniverse, but he must be equal unto God, and every way like his Maker.

Thirdly, What greater unbelief could there be? when he gave more credit to the Serpent, in saying he should not dye, then to God, who im­mediately before tells him, that if he did eat the forbidden fruit, he should surely dye.

[Page 7]Fourthly, In this sin was not only unkind­ness, not to be paralel'd, but withal, Murder of himself and all his posterity, who he knew were to stand or fall with him.

Fifthly, Herein was foul Apostacy from God, to the Devil, to whom (in effect) charging God with Lying, Envy, Malice, &c. He re­volted and adheared, rather then stick to his Maker. And to these might be added many the like circumstances, which exceedingly a­gravated the Sin of our first Parents, and make it so deadly in effect; for hereby it is we not onely lost our blessed Communion with God, that the Image of God after which they were created, was forthwith abolished, and blotted out, but that many grievous Miseries, and Punishments came in the room of it; so that in the place of Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Truth, Righteousness, and the like: Orna­ments wherewith we had been cloathed, there hath succeded these, and the like. This their Sin hath filled our whole man with Corruption; it hath made us become Vassals unto Sin, and Satan, it hath disabled us from understand­ing the Will, and observing the Command­ments of the Lord, it caus'd us to lose our right unto, and Soveraignty over the Crea­tures, it makes our persons and actions un­acceptable to God, it hath cast us out of God's [Page 8] favour, and made us liable, and subject to all the plagues and miseries of this life, and to endless, easeless, and remediless Torments in the World to come. And the reason is, our first Parents, being the Root of all Mankind, and instead of all their posterity before they had Issue; and the Covenant being made with them as publique persons, not for themselves onely, but for their posterity, who were to stand or fall with them, they being left to the freedom of their own Wills, in Transgres­sing the Commandment of God, by eating the Forbidden-Fruit, through the Temptation of Satan, have made us and all Mankind de­scending from them by ordinary Generation, as guilty of their Sin, as any Heir is liable to Fathers Debt, their act being ours, as the act of a Knight or Burgess in the Parliament-House, is the act of the whole County, in whose name and room they sit, and whom they re­present, by which means our Nature is so corrupted, that we are utterly indisposed, and made oposite to all that is spiritually good, and wholy inclined to all evil, and that continually, and have also lost our Commu­nion with God, incurred his displeasure and Curse, so as we are justly liable to all punish­ments both in this life, and that which is to come, for the confirmation of this point, these [Page 9] following Scriptures, amongst many others, are the most pregnant: I will onely name them, because I will be brief, Jer. 31.29. Rom. 5.12, to 21. Job 14.4. Isa. 64.6. Rom. 3.20,21,22,23. Gen. 6.5,6. Mat. [...]5.19. Gal. 5.19,20,21. James 4.1. Tit. [...].15. Rom. 7.14, to 25. Ephes. 2.2,3. Gal. [...].10.

Our first Parents were the Root, we are [...]he Branches, if the Root be bitter, we cannot [...]e better; they were the Fountain, we are the Springs, if the Fountain be filthy, so must the [...]prings: whence it is that Holy David cries [...]ut; Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in [...]n did my Mother conceive me, Psal. 51.5. [...]s in the little and tender bud is infolded the [...]eaf, the Blossom, and the Fruit, so even in the [...]eart of a young Child, there is a Bundle and Pack of Folly laid up, as Solomon affirms, Pro. 22.15. And as Moses speaks, The thoughts of Mans Heart are evil, even from his Child­ [...]ood, Gen. 6.5. and Gen. 8.21. As a Furnace [...]ontinually sparkles, as the raging Sea forms, [...]nd casts up mire and dirt, and as a filthy [...]ung-hill does continually reak forth and eva­ [...]uate odious odours, so do our hearts Natu­rally stream forth unsavory erutations, unholy [...]usts and Motions, even continually, and as [...]he healthiest Body is subject to the mortal­est [Page 10] Disease; so there is no Sin so odious, unt [...] which of our selves we are not sufficiently inclinable: for Original Sin, in which we are a [...] born and bred, containeth in it self the séed [...] all Sins, and never was there any villany committed by any forlorn Miscreant, whereunto we have not a disposition in our selves. Ther [...] is no part, power, function, or faculty, either [...] our Souls or Bodies, which is not become ready Instrument to dishour God, our heart are a root of all corruption, a séed-plat of all si [...] our Eyes are Eyes of Vanity, our Ears are Ears of Folly, our Mouths are Mouths [...] Deceit, our Hands are Hands of Iniquity, an [...] every part doth strive to dishonour God; fo [...] Sin like a spreading Leprosie is so grown ove [...] us, that from the Crown of our Heads, to th [...] Sole of our Féet, there is nothing whol [...] therein, but wounds, and swellings, and sores full of Corruption. And so much of Original Sin, which is the pravity, naughtiness, and corruption of our Nature, Psal. 51.5. Now o [...] actual Sin, which is the transgression of God's Law, 1 John 3.4. When evil thoughts ar [...] consented unto and performed in outwar [...] déeds, Jam. 1.15. Touching which we are t [...] know and take notice that the Law of God i [...] Spiritual, and therefore requireth not onely outward obedience in Word and Déed, bu [...] [Page 11] also inward, in mind and heart, and that chief­ly; neither doth it forbid onely the committing [...]f outward Sins in Word and Déed, but also all the secret Corruptions and Heart, Rom. 7. [...]3,14,15. Mat. 5.21,22,27,28. 1 John 3.15. [...]gain, where any Duty is commanded, there [...]e means which tend thereunto is enjoyned, [...]nd where any vice is forbidden, there the Occasions, Provocations, and Allurements, [...]nding thereto, are also forbidden. Again, it [...] not enough to do that which is good for sub­ [...]ance, except we do it well also in regard of [...]f Circumstances; as namely, that it flows from [...] pious and good Heart, Sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and be done in Faith, Obedience [...] the Word, Humility, Saving-Knowledge, [...]nd sincere love to God, zeal of his Glory, and [...] desire to edifie and win others, for Love is [...]e Fountain of Obedience, and all eternal O­bedience to God, without inward love, is Hy­pocrisie, whereas Christ commends to his Disciples, the care of kéeping his Command­ments aright, as the utmost Testimony of their love unto him: which being so, how [...]ft, and how many ways do we all offend? for [...]f we but narrowly look into our hearts, and [...]ves, we shall easily perceive that there is [...]ot one of those Righteous Precepts set down, Exod. 20, Which we have not broken ten [Page 12] thousand times; yea, if we do but watch ove [...] our own hearts narrowly one day, we shall fin [...] an Army of unclean thoughts and desire [...] there perpetually, fighting against our Souls whereby we are continually tempted, draw [...] away, and enticed through our own Concupiscence: as, how many Temptations com [...] in by those sinck-ports, the Sences. How many more by Satans injections, presenting t [...] the affections things absent from the Sences but most of all by Lust it self, a thing not created, yet as quick as thought, tumbling ove [...] a thousand desires in one hour, to engende [...] [...]ew Sins, which is the reason our Sins accounted amongst those things that are infinit [...] as the Hairs of our Head, the Sands of th [...] Sea, the Stars of Heaven, our very Righteousness is as a menstruous cloath, what the is our sinfulness, as bring we our Lives t [...] the Rule, look how many sins are cherished so many false Gods there are chosen; look how many Creatures thou inordinately lovest fearest, trustest, rejoycest in, so many new God hast thou Coyned, and wilt thou not then plea guilty, when the first and second Commandment arraigneth thee? thou canst not awa [...] with Swearing, but dost thou reprove other for their Swearing, didst thou never hea [...] Sermon unpreparedly, irreverently? &c. Do [...] [Page 13] thy Heart upon a Sabath-day, rest from Worldly thoughts, much more thy Tongue, [...]om Worldly Spéeches? Hast thou not mur­ [...]ered thy Neighbours Soul, by thy Negli­ [...]ence, Perswasion, Evil-example? &c. There [...] Murther of the Heart, which is Hatred and Malice. Thou hast not Stoln, but hast thou [...]o [...] Coveted, hast thou béen liberal to those [...]t are owners of a part of thy Goods? hast [...]ou not rob'd thy Brother of his good name, [...]hich is above Silver and Gold, hast thou [...]ot rob'd God of his Worship, of his Sabath, [...]f his Tithes? &c. Hast thou not born false wit­ [...]ess, by Lying, Flattering, Detracting, List­ [...]ing to Tales: yea, by not defending thy [...]rothers good name? hast thou kept the tenth Commandment, which condemns the very first [...]otions of Sins, springing out of our hearts, [...]ough presently rejected, and a thousand the [...]ke? and yet for every drop of Wickedness [...]hat is in the life, there is a Sea in the heart [...]hat féeds it. True, if thou lookest on thy Sins [...] Satans false Glass, that will make them [...]eem light, and contemptible; but behold [...]hem in the clear and perfect Glass of God's [...]aw, and they will appear abominable; which makes our Saviour call, Hatred, Murther, [...] wanton Eye, Adultery, &c. Yea, consider [...]hy Sins rightly, and they will appear as the [Page 14] Judasses that betrayed the Souldiers tha [...] apprehended, bound, smote, and wounded thy Saviour, as the Gall and Vinegar in his Mouth, the Spittle on his Face, Thorns o [...] his Head, Nails in his hands, Sp [...]ar in his side. This is the way to know [...]hy self sin­ful, and as thus to know thy self, is the bes [...] Divinity; so thus to agravate thy Sins in thine own sight, is the only way to have them extenuated in the sight of God, whence it is, that the more holy a Child of God is, the more sensible he is of his own unholiness, thinking none so vile as himself, as it fared with Holy Job, Job 40.4. and 42.6. And with Isaiah in the 6 Chap. 5. Verse. And with St. Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. Rom. 7.14, to 25. And with holy David who almost in every Psalm, so much be­wails his Sins, Original and Actual, of Omi­sion and Commission. And so having given you a short Survey of our Wretchedness, by reason of Original Corruption, and Actual Transgression, by which we must confess to have deserved double damnation. I come now to declare the means, which God of his infinite goodness hath found out, both for satisfying of his Iustice, and also fréeing us the Guilt and punishment of either, and that with as much brevity as may be.

First, In general we must undoubtedly know [Page 15] that the sole perfection of a Christian is the im­ [...]itation of Christ's righteousness, and the nor­ [...]putation of his own righteousness, as appears [...] the whole current of Scripture: of which a [...]w, 1 Cor. 15.21,22. As in Adam all dyed, so [...] Christ shall all be made alive, Rom. 5.18,19. [...]s by one mans disobedience, many were made [...]inners, so by the obedience of one, shall many [...] made righteous: as by the offence of one, [...]dgment came upon all men to condemnation, [...]hen so by the righteousness of one, the frée gift [...]me upon all men to justification of life, 2 Cor. [...] 21. He hath made him to be sin for us, who [...]ew no sin, that we might be made the righte­ [...]sness of God in him, Rom. 4.25. He was de­ [...]ered to death for our Sins, and is risen again [...] our Iustification, 1 Pet. 2.24. Who his [...]on self bear our sins in his own body on the [...]rée, by whose stripes we are healed, Isa. 53.5. [...]e was Wounded for our Transgressions, [...] was broken for our Iniquities, the cha­ [...]sement of our peace was upon him, and [...]ith his stripes we are healed; see further in [...]cts 4.12. Rom. 6.23. John 11.25. Ephes. [...] 1 John 4.16. John 1.29. Acts 13.39. Col. [...] 14. Gal. 3.22. Heb. 9.28. 1 Pet. 1.18,19,20. [...]s Christ was a Sinner onely by the Impu­ [...]tion of our sins, so we are just, onely by the [...]mputation of his Righteousness: our good Works, be they never so many and rare, can­not [Page 16] justifie us, or deserve any thing at God's hands, it is onely in Christ that they are ac­cepted, and onely in Christ that they are re­warded; yea, the opinion of thine own righte­ousness makes thy condition far worse than the wickedest man alive; for Christ that came to save all weary and heavy laden Sinners, be they never so wicked, neither came to save or once to call thée that hast no sin, but art righte­ous enough without him. Therefore unti [...] with St. Paul thou renounceth thine own righ­teousness, and séest thy self the greatest of sin­ers, art able to discern sin in every thing thou canst think, speak, or do; and that thy very righte­ousness is no beter then menstruous cloath, thou canst have no part in Christ, and until Christ shall become thine by regeneration and a lively faith, thou art bound to kéep the whole Law actually and spiritually, with thy whole man, thy whole life, or else suffer eternal death & destruction of soul and body in hell, for not kéeping it. But this being a main fundamental point, which every man is bound to know, I will more particular­ly, and fully explain it, as thus. Man being in a most miserable and undone condition, by reason of Original and Actual Sin, and of the Curse due to both, being liable to all miseries in this life, and adjudged to suffer Eternal Tor­ments in Hell after Death, having no possi­bility to escape the fierce Wrath of Almighty [Page 17] God, who had already pronounced Sentence upon him, when neither Heaven nor Earth could have yeilded any satisfactory thing be­sides Christ, that could have satisfied God's justice, and merited Heaven for us.

Then, O then, God of his infinite Wisdom and Goodness, did not only find out a way to satisfie his Iustice, and the Law, but e­ven gave us his own Son out of his bosom, and his Son gave himself to dye, even the most shameful, painful, and cursed death of the Cross, to redéem us, that whosoever believ­eth in him should not perish, but have everlast­ing Life. Which Salvation stands in two things. First, in freeing and delivering us from Hell. Secondly, in the possession of Heaven and eternal Life. Christ by his death merits the first for us, and by his obedience fulfilling the Law, merits the second. Hear this all you that care to be saved, God will pardon all your Sins, he will give you an e­ternal Crown of Glory in Heaven, if you un­feignedly repent, and wholly rely upon Christ for your Salvation, by a lively Faith, and that because he is just, for although the Lord can­not in justice let sin go unpunished, for the wa­ges of sin is eternal death, Rom. 6.23. Death in the person, if not in the surety, yet Christ hath sufficiently satisfied for all the sins of the faith­ful, and paid their debt even to the utmost far­thing, [Page 18] as is evident by, Isa. 53.4,5. 2 Cor. 5.21. Heb. 9.29. 1 Pet. 2.24. Rom. 3.25,26. And sundry other places: as we are bound to perform perfect obedience to the Law: Christ performed it for us: were we for disobedience subject to the sentence of condemation, the curse of the Law, and death of body and soul? he was condemned for us, and bore the curse of the Law, he dyed in our stead an ignominious death: did he deserve the anger of God? he endured his fathers wrath­ful displeasure, that he might reconcile us to his Father, and set us at liberty; therefore was the Son of God made the Son of Man, that the Sons of Men might be made the Sons of God.

And so much for explication of the 3 Princi­ples mentioned in the beginning. But now comes the hardest part of my Work to be per­formed; for admit the natural man be convinced of the truth of these thrée fundamental Princi­ples never so clearly, yet he will draw such a conclusion from the promises, that he will never be the better for what hath been told him, yea, he will deceit all, even the mercy and goodness of God into poyson, for what will such a one suggest to himself, the Devil helping forward? Let it be granted, will he say that I were every way wretched and miserable, a great sinner, both ori­ginally and actually, and likewise liable to all the plagues of this life, and of that to come, yet I I thank God I am well enough, so long as Christ [Page 19] hath paid my ransom, and fréed me from all, by a new Covenant, the Tenure whereof is, Believe and Live; whereas at first it was, Do this and Live: To which I answer, although Christ in the Gospel hath many large and precious promi­ses, yet there are none so general, which are not limited with the condition of faith, and the fruit thereof, unfeigned repentance, and each of them are so entailed, that none can lay claim to them but true believers, which repent and turn from all their sins to serve him in Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. 12.24. [...]sa. 59.20. As for instance, our Saviour hath made publique proclamation, Mark 16.16. That whosoever shall believe and be baptized; but mark what withal is added, he that will not be­lieve shall be damned. Again, John 3.15,16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begoten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; and that [...]one may deceive themselves, he addeth, he [...]hat believeth not is condemned already, be­cause he hath not believed on the onely begoten Son of God. Again, Heb. 5.19. He is said to [...]t the Author of eternal Salvation, to them that [...]hey him, not unto them which continue in their [...]ebellious wickedness, and never submit them­selves to be ruled by the Scepter of his Word: Christ's blood w [...]s shed, as well for ablation, as [...]solution; as well to cleanse from the soil and [Page 20] filth of sin, as to clear and assoil from the guilt of sin, Rom. 6.5,6. God hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the World, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Ephes. 1.4. They therefore that ne­ver come to be holy were never chosen. He is said to have given himself for us, that he might redéem us from all iniquity, and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good Works, Tit. 2.14. Luke 1.74,75. Yea, the Lord binds it with an Oath, that whosoever he redéemeth out of the hands of their spiritual e­nemies, they shall worship him in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. And the Grace of God which bringeth salvation, teach­eth us, that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and Godly in this present World, Tit. 2.12. By all which is plain, that as Christs Blood is a Chartar of Pardon, so withal it is a Covenant of Direction, and he that refuseth to live, as the Covenant prescribes, may perish as a Malefactor, that is hanged with a Pardo [...] about his Neck. But alas, say what can be said, carnal men who love their sins, better the [...] their Souls will answer all, yea, confute what soever can be alledged, with God is Merciful [...] or in case that will not serve, yet they have another shift, the Devil blinds them, and makes the [...] believe they have a strong faith, good hearts, an [...] [Page 21] mean well, they repent of their Sins, have as good wishes and desires as can be, are Elected, hope to go to Heaven as well as the best. But to every of these I will answer: First, True faith purifieth the heart, and worketh by Love, con­sumeth our corruptions, and sanctifieth the whole man throughout, so that our faith to God, is séen by our faithfulness to men; our invisible belief, by our visible life; Faith and Holiness are as inseperable as Life and Motion, the Sun and Light, Fire and Heat, Honey and Swéet­ness. Again, Faith believeth the threats of the Word, as well as the promises. Now thou who pretendest Faith in the promises, shew me thy belief in the Threatnings; for didst thou believe the truth of these Menaces which God hath de­nounced against Vnclean, Covetous, Ambitious, Vnjust, Envious, Malicious Persons, and such like Sinners; how durst thou then wa [...]low in these Sins, that if God instead of Hell, had pro­mised Heaven as a reward, thou couldst not do more then thou dost, why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of Faith, when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devil does, for he believes, namely the threatnings of the Word, and trembles for horror, Jam. 2.19. Again, Faith is wrought by God's Spirit, and where it is wrought, it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit, mentioned Gal. 5.22,23. Whereas presumption, as it is of the flesh, so it brings forth [Page 22] the fruits of the Flesh, v. 19,20,21. Now this is a sure Rule, the perswasion onely which fol­lows sound Humiliation, is Faith; that which goes before it, is Presumption; for no man can repent of Sin, but he that believeth the pardon of Sin; for none can believe his Sins are pardo­ned, except he hath repented.

Secondly, As for their good hearts, and in­tentions, they may think what they will, but every wise man knows that the outward acti­ons, declare the inward intentions. A good Conversion is proved by a good Conversation; and in case the hearts of such men could be séen by others, as their works and words are, their hearts would appear worst of all; as they do to God, who séeth them: nor is any evil in the mouth or hand, which was not in the heart first of all; as the stream in the Fountain; the heart of Man is deceitful above all things, and whilst they think there is no deceit in it, even in that they are most of all deceived.

Thirdly, Touching their Repentance, my Answer is: True Repentance for Sin, is a turning from every Sin, to the contrary Good. True Repentance is a change both in the Iudg­ment, from Errour, to Truth, and in the Will, from Evil, to Good, and in the Affections, from loving Evil, and hateing Good, to love Good, and hate Evil, in the whole man, from Darkness, to Light, and from the power of Satan to God, [Page 23] without which change, no repentance, no being saved.

Fourthly, As for their assurance of Salva­tion, it is upon as good ground as all the rest, for they slumber, and suppose themselves good Chri­stians, their Faith is but a dream, their hope but a dream, their charity but a dream, their obedi­ence but a dream, their whole Religion but a dream, and so their assurance of salvation is but a dream, they have regeneration in conceit, re­pentance and righteousness in conceit, they serve God well in conceit, do the works of justice and [...]iety in conceit, and they shall go to heaven only [...] conceit, or in a dream, and never wake till they féel themselves in the flames of hell; every [...]unken beast and unclean person, and prophain swearer, and covetous muck-worm, thinks to go [...] heaven, though none shall come there without [...]oliness, which they abhor. But let every wicked [...]an and formal professor know that if Christ [...]th freed them from the damnation of Sin, he [...]ath also fréed them from the dominion of Sin. Christ's justifying blood, is given us by his sancti­ [...]ying spirit. He being consecrated, was made the [...]uthor of eternal salvation, to them, and only [...]em that obey him, Heb. 5.9. But vicious men [...]nk God is all mercy, when the Word tells us [...]t he is a consuming fire, and a jealous God, Deut. 4.24. Heb. 12.29. And then we may find in Deut. 28. thrice as many cursings, as blessings; [Page 24] dost thou expect to have him merciful to thée, that art bloody, cruel, and unmerciful to him, to his, and [...]o thine ow [...] soul? none that have eyes in their heads, and open, can be so sottish; but Sin is like the juyce of Poppy, which if the quantity excéed, bringeth the patient into a déep stéep, that he never awakneth; Sinners dream they are a­wake, but indéed they are fast asléep; yea, with Sardis they are dead, while they think they are alive. But in the last place, touching their electi­on, this is an infallible truth, whomsoever God hath appointed to salvation, to them he hath ap­pointed the means also, which is holiness. Indéed a man may be so hold of his predestination, as to forget his conversation: so he may dream himself in heaven, and awaken from the dream in hell: God's purpose towards the end, includes the means. Though God had promised Paul that his company should not be drowned, yet he told the Marriners, that unless they kept the ship, they should be drowned, Acts 27.22.23. As if their safety should not be without means; R [...]bekah had God's Oracle for Jacob's life, yet she sent him away out of Esaus reach. It was impossible for Herod to kill the Child Iesus, yet he must flye into Aegypt. And so I have shown in the last place, what are the conditions of the New Covenant, and to whom the promises belong. Consider what hath béen said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.

THE Christians Comfort: OR, The Goodness and Mercy of God unto his Children in their Greatest Misery.

It is good for me that I was afflicted.

THe point of Doctrine which I shall observe from these Words, is this.

Tis for the Benefit and Advantage, for the Spiritual and Everlasting good of Gods Children that they are afflicted: for the proof hereof to make the same more clear, I shall give you a demon­stration of several particular advanta­ges, which the people of God gain by their Afflictions.

In the first place, they are a notable [...]eans to rouze them out of carelesse se­curity, [Page] and bring them to Repentance, Job 33.16,17. God openeth the Ears of Men even by their Corrections, that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprize, and that he might kéep back his Soul from the Pit. Our afflictions are as Benhadads Counsellours, that sent him with a Cord about his Neck to the merciful King of Israel. The Church of God under the Crosse is brought to a serious Consideration of her estate, and saith: Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord, Lam. 3.40. Affliction is the Hammer which breaks our Rocky Hearts, adversity hath whipt many a Soul to Heaven, which other­wise Prosperity had couched to Hell: was not the Prodigal riding post thither till he was soundly lasht home again to his fa­thers house by those hard hearted and pi­tilesse Naballs which refused to fill his Belly with the Husks of the Swine: and indeed seldome is any Man awakened from the sleep of Sin but by Affliction: for as Aloes kills worms in the stomach, or as Frost and Cold destroys Vermin, so doth bitter Afflictions crawling Lusts in the Heart: my wants saith one kills my Wantonnesse, my Poverty checks [Page] my Pride, my being slighted quells my Ambition and vain Glory, and as for Sicknesse it cuts the Throat of Vices; yea how many will confesse that one Af­fliction hath done more good upon them, then many Sermons that they have Learned, more good in one Days or Weeks misery, than many years Pro­sperity could teach them: Repentance seldome méets a man in jollity, but in af­fliction the Heart is made plyable and ready for all good Impressions. True, if Gentlenesse would serve, we should not smart, for God like a good Chirurgeon first strokes the Arm before he opens the Vein. He sends for us by his Ambassa­dours the Ministry, yet we come not. Let him fire our field, as Absolom did by Joab, we come presently: when singing will not still the Child, the Rod must: hard knots, must have hard wedges, strong af­fections, strong afflictions, great corru­ptions, great Calamities to cure them. Affliction is but the Shepheards Dog to fetch us into Christs Fold, perhaps by Barking onely, and then we are more scared then hurt, perhaps in his Mouth, and the poor Sheep thinks surely he will worry it, but he is taught to fetch onely, [Page] and therefore gripes not, but only carrys it, and delivers it to his Master, when Children have done a fault Mothers use to fright them with Bull beggars, the Child thinks surely they will have him, but the Mother hath a double pollicy: Viz. To make them hate the fault and love them the better, for they run to the Lay to bide them, and then will she make her own Conditions, and so the very end which God aims at in setting those Ad­ders upon thee, is that thou shouldst turn thine Eyes inward, that thou may see, for what thou sufferest, pry narrowly in­to thine own fore [...]ast actions, which if thou dost, a hundred to one thou will find sin, it may be this very sin the cause of thy present affliction, & until thou dost [...]ft & [...]ry thine own heart, & find out which is thy beloved sin look for no release, where­fore let this Correction bring forth Con­version, cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purifie your hearts ye double mind­ed, Jam. 4.8. Not your Hands onely with Pilate, but your Hearts with Da­vid, yea & your Eyes too with Mary Mag­dalen, if it be possible, though dry Sor­row may be as good as wet, whose Eyes were a Laver, and Hair a Towel to wash [Page] and wipe the feet of Christ, humble thy self like the Ninevites, Jonah 3.6. Who put sackcloath upon their Loins, and Ashes upon their Heads, as those that de­served to be as far under ground as they were now above it. An Humble submis­sion is the onely way to disarm Gods in­dignation, and be rid of his Rod. 1 Pet. 5.6. Sin bringeth judgement, and only judgement preventeth it, thy Sin hath kindled the fire of Gods Wrath, and on­ly Repentance is as Water to quench this fire. King Edward the first Riding furiously after a Servant of his that had displeas'd him, with a drawn Sword in his hand, as purposing to kill him, séeing him submit, and upon bending Knee sue for his Life, not onely spared him, but re­ceived him again into favour. Go thou and do the like, be thou but throughly sorroy for thy sin, my Soul for thine, God will be throughly satisfied, yea grow thou better by it, and God will love thee better for it, for as Lovers are best Friends after falling out, so when God and we are reconciled by repentance, his affections are stronger to us then before: the repenting Prodigal received such to­kens of Favour, as his Elder Brother [Page] who never brake out into riot never did: and whom did Christ Honour wi [...]h his first appearance, but Mary Magdalen? and the Angel, but Peter? Go saith he and tell his Disciples, and tell Peter that he will go before you into Gallilee, Mark 16.7. Though Peter had Sined above the rest, yet r [...]penting he is named above y^e rest.

Secondly, Afflictions serve to work in us amendment of Life, every Affliction Sanct [...]fied Rubs off some Rust, melts off some Dresse, strains out some Corrupti­on, &c. Which done we rise ou [...] of trou­ble as Christ rose out of the Grave, for when the Gold is fined, the [...]re shall hold it no longer. The outward cold of Affli­ction doth greatly increase the inward heat and fe [...]vour of the Graces of God in us: indeed no Chastisement saith Saint Paul for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. But afterwards it bring­eth the quiet fruits of Righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised, Heb. 12.11. God beats us that he may better us, he hedgeth us about with Thorns that he may keep us within Compasse, lest we break over into Satans Pasture, which indeed would but fat us for the slaughter. God strips the Body of plea­sure [Page] to cloath the Soul with Righteous­nesse, and oftentimes strengthen our state of Grace by Impoverishing our Temporal estate, for commonly the more Prosperity the lesse Piety. The Poor saith Christ receive the Gospel, though the Rich are more bound. Few men can digest great felicity, many a Man hath been a looser by his gains, and that that which multiplyed his outward estate hath abated his inward, and so on the contrary David was never so tender as when he was hunted like a patridge, 1 Sam. 26.20. Jonah was at best in the Whales Belly: Stevens face never shone so fair as when he stood before the Coun­cel, Acts 6.15. Now if the Winter of the one is found to be the spring of the o­ther, and the Corruption of Prosperity the Generation of Piety, who will estéem those things good which make us worse, or that evil which brings such gain and sweetnesse? Before I was afflicted, saith David, I went astray, but now I keep thy Commandment, Psal. 119.67. These evils do press us, but it is to God and ho­linesse, yea how much lower our Afflic­tions weigh us down on Earth, so much the more earnestly our affections mount [Page] up to Heaven. Devotion like fire in frosty weather burns hotest in Afflicti­on. When the Waters of the flood came upon the face of the Earth, down went stately Turrets and Towers, but as the waters rose, the Ark rose still higher and higher, in like sort when the waters of affliction arise, down goes the Pride of Life, the Lust of the Eyes: in a word, all the vanities of the world, but the Ark of the Soul ariseth as these waters rise, and that higher even neerer and neerer to­wards Heaven. Oh! admirable use of Afflictions, Health from a wound, cure from a disease, out of greif joy, gain out of losse, out of Infirmity strength, out of sin, Holinesse: out of death Life, yea we shall redéem something of Gods dishonour by sin, if we shall thence grow more Ho­ly: But,

Thirdly, They serve to quicken our Devotion, and make us pray unto God with more fervency: Lord saith Isaiah, in trouble they will visit thee, they poured out prayers when thy chastning was up­on them, Isa. 26.16. In their affliction saith Hosea they will séek thée diligently, Hos. 5.15. That we never pray so féel­ingly, fervently, forcibly as in time of [Page] affliction, may be seen in the examples of the Children of Israel, Judges 3.9,15. Elisha, 2 Kings 6.18. Hezekiah, 2 Kings 19.15,16.

And Lastly, Jehosophat, who being told that there was a great multitude com­ing against him from beyond y^e Sea, out of Aram: it follows y^e Jehosophat feared, & set himself to fear the Lord, & proclaim­ed a fast throughout all Judea, yea they came out of all parts and joyn'd with him to enquire of the Lord, 2 Chron. 20.3,4. Neither doth it make us alone, which suffer, earnest in Prayer, but it makes o­thers also labour in prayer to God for us, 2 Cor. 1.10,11. Again, Crosses are the files and whetstones that set an edge on our devotions, without which they grow dull, and ineffectual: Jonah sleeps in the ship, but prays hard in the Whales belly: Prayer is the wing of the Soul, where­with it flyes to Heaven, as meditation is the Eye wherewith we see God, but our Hearts are like flint-stones which must be smitten e're they will send forth these sparks of Devotion: Christ never heard of the Canaanitish Woman until her daughter was miserably vexed with a Devil, but then she comes to him and [Page] doth not speak but cry, need and desire have raised her voice to an importunate Clamour. The God of Mercy is light of hearing, yet he loves a loud and vehe­ment solicitation, not to make himself in­clinable to grant, but to make us Capa­ble to receive Blessings, and indeed the very purpose of affliction is to make us Importunate. He that hears the secret murmures of our grief, yet will not séem to hear us till our crys be loud and strong: as Demosthenes would not plead for his Clyent till he cryed to him, but then an­swered his sorrow, now I féel thy cause. The child have escaped many a stripe by his loud crying, y^e very unjust judge can­not endure the widdows Clamour: so un­to fervent prayer God will deny nothing. Néed will make us both humble and elo­quent▪ if the case be woful it will be ex­prest accordingly, the despair of all other helps sends us importunately to the God of power, but while money can buy Phy­sick, or friends procure enlargement, the great Physitian and helper is not [...]ought unto, nor throughly trusted [...]n. It is writ­ten of the Children of Israel, that so soon as they cried unto y^e Lord he delivered them from their servitude under Eglon King of [Page] Moab, yet it is plain they were eightéen years under this Bondage undelivered, Judges 3.14,15. Doubtlesse they were not so unsensible of their Misery, as not to complain sooner then the end of eighteen years, the first hour they sighed for them­selves, but now they cryed unto God, they are words and not prayers that fall from carelesse lips, if we would prevail with God we must wrastle, & if we would wra­stle happily with God, we must Wrastle first with our own dullnesse, yea if we felt our wants or wanted not desire, we could speak to God in no tune but crys, and no­thing but crys can pierce Heaven: affli­ction to y^e soul is as plummets to a clock, and wind to a ship, holy and faithful, pray­er as Oars to a Boat, & ill goes the Boat without Oars, or the ship without wind, or the clock without plummets. Now are some afflicted in reputation, as Susanna was, others in Children, as Ely, some by enemies, as David, others by friends, as Joseph, some in body as Lazarus, others in goods as Job, others in liberty as John. In all extremities let us send this Mes­senger to Christ for ease: faithful and fer­vent prayer, if this can but carry the bur­then to him he will carry it for us, & from us for ever.

[Page] Fourthly, Our sufferings we an us from the love of the world, yea make us loath and contemn it, and contrariwise fix up­on Heaven, with a desire to be dissolved: St. Peter at Christs Tranfiguration en­joying but a glimpse of happinesse, he was so ravished and transported with the love of his present estate that he breaks out into these words: It is good for us to be here, he would fain have made it his dwelling place, and being loath to de­part, Christ must make 3 Tabernacles, Mat. 17.4. The love of this world so makes us forget the world to come, that like the Israelites, we desire rather to live in the troubles of Aegypt, then in the Land of Promise: whereas S. Paul having spoken of his Bonds in Christ, and of the spiritual Combate, concludeth: I desire to be dis­solved and to be with Christ which is best of all, Phil. 1.22,23. Yea it transported him to heaven before he came thither, as Ma­ry was not where she was but where her desire was, and that was with Christ, pro­sperity makes us drunk with the love of the world, like the Gadarrens who pre­ferred their swine before their Souls, or him in the Parable that would go to see [Page] his Farm and loose Heaven, & thousands more, who if they have but something to leave behind them, 'tis no matter whe­ther they have any thing to carry with them. But as sleep composeth drunken­nesse, so the Crosse will bring a Man to himself again, for when the staff we nou­rish to bear us becomes a Cudgel to beat us, when we find the world to serve us as the Jews did Christ, carry us up to the top of a Hill and then strive to throw us down headlong, Luke 4.29. When y^e mind is so invested with cares, molested with grief, vexed with pain that which way so ever we cast our Eyes we find cause of Complaint, we more loathed the World than ever we lov'd it, when no man would harbour y^e unthrift son in y^e Gospel, he re­turned back again to his Father, but ne­ver before: when Satan is let loose upon us to shew us our sins, and the danger we are in, then farewel profit, farewel plea­sure, treasure and all, rather then I will endure such a rack, such a hell in my con­science, whereas if we should onely hear of Misery, or read what is threatned in y^e Word, though it might a little fright us, it would never amend us. A delicious life [Page] when every thing about us is resplen­dent and contentful makes us that we have no desire to go to heaven, wherefore as a loving mother when she would wean her Child from the Dugg, makes it bit­ter with Worm-wood or Aloes, so deales y^e Lord with us, he maketh this life bit­ter unto us by suffering our enemies to persecute and oppresse us, to the end we may contemn the world, and transport our hopes from earth to heaven, he makes us weep in this ve [...]l of misery, that we may the more eagerly long for that place of felicity, where all tears shall be wiped from our Eyes. And this is no small a­batement to the bitternesse of adversi­ties, that they teach us the way to hea­ven, for the lesse comfort we find on earth the more we seek above, and the more we esteem the best things: and we are very ungrateful if we do not thank God for y^t which so overcomes us, as that it over­comes the love of the world in us. No­thing féeds Pride nor kéeps off repent­ance so much as prosperous advantage. 'Tis a wonder to see a favourite study for ought but addition to his greatnesse, God shall have much a doe to make him know [Page] himself. Many shal one day repent y^t they were happy too soon, many a Man cries out: O that I were so rich, so healthful, so quiet, so happy, &c. Alas though thou hadst thy wish for the present, thou shouldst perhaps be a looser in the sequel. A good man finding himself hated, persecuted, af­flicted, & tormented by enemies of all sorts he can as willingly leave the world, as o­thers can forgo y^e Court, yea as willingly [...]is as dine, yea no servant so desires y^e end of his years, no stranger so longs to be at home as he expects the promise of Christs coming, it is y^e strength of his hope, y^e swéet object of his faith, in y^e midst of all sorrows the comfort of his heart, y^e heart of all his comforts, the encouragement of his wea­ried spirits, the common Clausulce, the continual Period and shutting up of his prayers, come Lord Iesus come quickly.

Fifthly, The Lord permitteth his peo­ple to be often afflicted and assailed, to the end they may be always prepared for tribulation, as wise Marriers in a Calm make all their tackling sure and strong, that they may be provided against the next storm, which they cannot look to be long without, or as experienced Souldi­ers in time of peace, prepare for the day of Battel, and so much the rather, when [Page] they look every day for the aproach of the enemy, the way to be safe is never to be secure, we are oft times set upon, to y^e end that we may continually buckle unto us the whole Armor of God prescribed by Paul, Ephes. 6.13, to 19. That we may be always ready for the Battel by Walking surcumspectly, not as Fools but as Wise, Ephes. 5.15. For as those that have no e­nemies to encounter them, cast their Ar­mour aside & let it rust, because they are secure from danger, but when their ene­mies are at hand, and sound the Alarum they both wake and sleep in their Armor, because they would be ready for the as­sault, so if we were not often in skirmish with our enemies, we would lay aside our spiritual Armour, but when we have con­tinual use of it, we still keep it fast buck­led unto us, that being arm'd at all points we may be able to make resistance, that we be not be surprized at unawares, neither would it be good for us at present if we had not these enemies to stand in awe and fear of, but more inconvenient in divers respects, as wise Scipio that mir­rour of wisdome told some, who with no small joy avouched y^t the common wealth of Rome was now in safe estate, seeing [Page] they had vanquished the Carthaginians, and conquered the Inhabitants of Pontus, neither would he for that onely reason have Carthage destroy'd because it should hinder Rome from sléeping, yea God him­self would have the Hitites, Gargesites, Amorites, Canaanites, Peresites, Hivites, and Jebusites; strong & warlike Nations to be in y^e midst of Israel, lest Israel should sleep in sin and want matter for exercise, fight and conquest here, may be felicity with security never with safety.

The time when the envious man did sow his séed was whilst Men were in bed, no Servants more orderly use their Ma­sters Talent, then those that ever fear their masters suddain return, no houshold­er more safe then he who at every watch suspects y^e Thiefs entring, Sampson could not be bound till he was first got asleep, wouldst thou not be overcome be not se­cure flye from the works of darknesse at a great distance, and consider as well the bitternesse of what will follow, as y^e swéetnesse of a momentary pleasure, an assaul­ted City must keep a careful watch or it will not long hold out, yea the provident Fenman mends his Banks in Summer left his Ground be drown'd in the winter, [Page] and we must so take our leaves of all af­flictions, that we reserve a lodging for them and expect their return, and so much the rather because what hath been long expected falleth the easier, and evils pre­cogitated strike but weakly.

Sixthly, Afflictions discovers what we are, it make us experimentally know our selves, and be known of others, whether we be true believers or Hypocrites.

First, Our selves, divers play Alexand­er on the Stage, but few or none in the field, many can suffer Martyrdome in speculation, who being put to it cannot concort a foul Word, we are all Valiant Souldiers till we come to fight, excellent Philosophers, till we come to dispute; good Christians, till we come to master our own Lusts, but it is opposition that gives the tryal, when corruptions fight against the graces, many while wealth last are very honest men & square dealers, at least seem so, yea they will maintain that all hardnesse is to be endured rather then conscience violated or God offended, but fall they into Poverty, & then y^t they may maintain themselves, they will lye, de­ceive, steal, prostitute their Chastity, sell their Consciences, and what not, then [Page] Hazael before he met with an opportuni­ty could say, What is thy Servant a Dog? & Balaam could brag; though thou wouldst give me thine house full of Gold, I would not, &c. Yet when it came to the tryal, he did as bad for little or nothing, but a man is indeed what he is in tryal, if our souls shall like of Christ for a Suitor when we find no other joynture but the Crosse we are sure we are Christians.

Secondly, That others may know us, a Souldier is best known in the front of [...] battle, a Pilot in a storm, a nin [...]ble activ [...] man in a Race, and a Champion in t [...] Lists. How well the strings of an Instr [...] ment are tuned & set, is best known when they are touched by the hand of a skilful Musitian: There must be differences a­mongst you, saith S. Paul, y^t the approved may be known, 1 Cor. 11.19. For as thrash­ing seperates the straw, and winnowing y^e Chaffe from the Corn, so persecution sep­erates the Hypocrite from the Company of Believers, Luke 22.31. When a ser­ving-man follows two men walking to­gether, we cannot tell which is his Ma­ster till they part, so when the Gospel and outward prosperity go together it is hard to judge which is most respected. We all [Page] call our selves Christians. Why it is an honourable thing to be so accounted, but who are such is known onely where the power of Godlinesse is in contempt. Oh how wicked men manifest their hatred & enmity against God and his people, so soon us persecution ariseth because of y^e word. There is no tryal of friendship but in ad­versity, he y^t is not ashamed of my Bonds nor daunted with my Checks, nor aliena­ted with my disgrace is a friend for me, one dram of y^e mans love is worth a world of Inconstant formality, but the friend is false hearted, who observes me onely for his own ends, affliction trieth whether a man hath grace in his heart or no, set an empty Pitcher (the resemblance a wick­ed man) to y^e fire it crack presently, wher­as the full (which resembles the Child of God) will abide boyling afflictions, are the waters wher our Gideon will try whether we are fit Souldiers to fight the Battel of faith. A faithful wife said Bradford is never try'd so to be until she be assaulted, nor a faithful Christian so approved till proved by affliction. None but a regene­rate heart can chuse rather to suffer af­fliction with the People of God, rather then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a [Page] season. A litle intreaty will serve to move Nature to be good to it self: but to persist, in actions of goodnesse, though Tiranny torment death and hell stood in our way, this is that which shall be Crown'd with Glory: finally; affliction and persecution is both a whetstone and touchstone to each particular Grace, it humbles the spirits of the repentant, trieth the faith and pati­ence of the sincere Christian, but harden­eth the hearts of the ungodly, for wicked men grow worse after affliction as water grows cold after any heat, yea like some beasts they are mad with Baiting, if cros­ses of losses rush in upon them they fall to the Language of Job's Wife, Curse God and dye; or to that of the King of Israels Messenger, Why should I serve God any longer, 2 Kings 6.33.

Seventhly, The Lord by this evil of Chastisement for sins past, preventeth the evils of sin, and greater punishments for the time to come, we are chastened of the Lord saith the Holy Ghost that we might not be condemned in the world, 1 Cor. 11.32. If we be not chastened here we shall be condemned hereafter, erring souls be Corrected that they may be Convert­ed, not confounded. If Paul had not been [Page] buffeted by Satan and wicked men▪ he had been exalted out of measure, 2 Cor. 12.7. Pride is so dangerous a poison, that of another poison there was confected a counter-poison to preserve him from it, God would rather suffer this choson vessel to fail into some infirmity, then to be proud of his singular priviledges. Lest I should be exalted above measure, through the abundance, through the abundance of Revelations (there was y^e poison of Pride inst [...]uating it self) I had a Thorn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan to buffet me, there was the Counter-poyson or An­tidote which did at once make him both sick and whole, yea we gain strength by every new fall, from hence issues deeper Humiliation, stronger hatred of sin, fresh indignation against our selves, more ex­perience of y^e deceitfulnesse of our hearts, renewed resolutions, until sin be brought under, but my purpose is to speak chiefly of affliction, not sin: Bodily sicknesse, saith St. Gregory cleanseth away sins com­mitted, and hindreth those that in health might have been committed, the flesh in­deed is nourished by softnesse, but y^e spirit by hardnesse, that is fed by delights and pleasures, this groweth by Bitternesse, [Page] [...]nd hereupon when a religious man pray­ [...]d, John the Anchorite to frée him of a cer­ [...]ain Ague, he answered him, truly thou de­ [...]rest to have a very necessary Companion [...]ast out of doors, for saith he, as Cloaths are [...]ash'd with sope, so is the mind purified by [...]iseases, & the same may be avered of all [...]inds of crosses, for is it not comonly seen [...] the pleasures of the Body are the poisons [...]f the Soul: heap riches and honours upon [...] evil man, you do but Minister wine [...] him that hath a feaver: saith Aristotle, [...]oney to one oppressed with Cheller, and [...]eat to one troubled with Morbus Co­ [...]aliacus, which increaseth y^e disease, saith [...]utarch: for as Noah was drunk with his [...]on wine, so the cup of prosperity hath in­ [...]ricated many a soul, & God hath no worse [...]eants in our Land then they, that can [...]e of their Lands, & care for nothing else, [...]monly where is no want is much wan­ [...]nnesse, & as we grow rich in temporals, [...] grow poor in spirituals. Nabal cannot [...]und but he must surfeit. Tertulus cannot [...] Eloquent, but he must turn the edge of [...] wit against the Gospel. Many cannot [...]e beauty but they must love their faces [...]ore then their souls. The enjoyment of y^e [...]orlds peace might add to my content, but [Page] it will endanger my soul. How oft doth the recovery of the body, state or mind, occasion a relapse in the Soul. All the life of Solo­mon was full of prosperity, & therefore we find y^t Solomon did much forget God, but y^e whole life of David had many enemies and much adversity, and therefore we sée by his penitential Psalms, and others, that David did much remember God, & indeed if God did not often visit us we should serve him as y^e women of Tartary do their husbands, who Marry if they be absent but Twenty days: but the fire of correction eats out the rust of corruption, many are able to say they have learned to stand by falling, got strength by weakness, burnt child dreads the fire, & a broken bone well set is faster ever after, like Trées we take déeper root by shaking, and like Torches we flame the Brighter for brusting and knocking, God suffered Satan to spoil Job of his substance, rob him of his Children, punish him in the body; yet mark but the sequel well and you shall find that he was crost with a blessing, as the Physitian in making of Treacle or Mithridate for his patient, useth serpents adders and such like poyson, that he may drive out one poyson with another, even so our spiritual Physitian is pleas'd to use the [Page] Malice of Satan and wicked men, when he tempereth us the Cup of affliction, that hereby he may expel one evil with ano­ther: yea two evils with one: namely, the evil of sin, and the evil of punishment, and that both Temporal and Eternal, God suf­fers us to be afflicted because he will not suffer us to be damn'd, such is the goodnesse of our heavenly Father to us, that even his anger proceeds from Mercy, he scourgeth the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of Iesus Christ, 1 Cor. 5.5. Yea Joseph was therefore abased in the Dungeon that his advancement might be the greater. It is true in our thoughts, we often speak for the flesh, as Abraham did for Ishmael: Oh! y^e Ishmael might live in thy sight: No, God takes away Ishmael and gives Isaac, he withdraws the pleasure of the flesh, & gives delight to y^e Soul, crossing us in our wills, that he may advance our Benifit. A Man is sick of Pleuriste, the Physitian lets him Blood, he is content with it, the arm shall smart to ease the heart. The Covetous man hath a Pleuriste of Riches, God lets him blood by poverty, let him be patient, it is a course to save his soul. Though affliction he hard of Digestion to the natural man, yet the shéep of Christ know that to féed up­on [Page] this salt Marsh is the onely preserva­tive against the rot, y^e experienced Christi­an knowe that it is good for the soul, y^t the body is somtimes sick, & therefore to have his inward man cured, he is content his outward man should be diseased, & cares not so the sin of his soul may be lessened, though the sores of his flesh be increased, it is bet­ter saith S. Hierom to have a sick stomack then a grieved mind, yea be desires with Saint Augustine y^e God will send him any plague rather then the plague of y^e Heart, and why is it not so with thée? I hope thou desirest thy souls safety [...]bove all, and thou knowest the stomack that is purged must be content to part with some good nourish­ment, y^t it may deliver it self of more evil humour. Of what kind soever sufferings be, it is doubtlesse the fittest for thy souls recovery, or else God the onely wise Phy­sitian would not apoint it; now who would not be willing to Bleed, when by y^e means an inveterate sickness may be prevented? yea it is a happy bloodlett [...]ng which saves the life, which made S. Augustine say unto God: Let my Body be Crucified, or Burnt, or do with it what thou wilt, so thou save my soul. And another, Let me swim through a River of Boyling Brimstone to live eter­nally [Page] happy, rather then dwell in a Para­dise of pleasure to be damned after death.

Eightly, That we may have an humble conceit of our selves, & wholy depend upon God. We received the sentence of death in our selves saith the Apostle, because we should not trust in our selves, but in God y^e [...]iseth us up from y^e dead, 2 Cor. 1.9. When Babes are afraid, they cast themselves into y^e Arms & Bosome of their Mother. A Hen [...]eading her Chickens into the sun, they fall [...] playing with y^e Dust, she may cluck them to her long enough they will not come, but when they see the Kite, then they come without calling, and so it fares with Gods Children, till affliction comes the prodigal [...]ever thought of his Father till he wanted Husks, the Widdow y^t is left alone trust­eth in God, saith y^e Apostle, 1 Tim. 5.5. Who when she had an Husband leaned too much upon him, the poor man depends not upon the relief of others till he finds nothing at home, till our means is spent we are apt to trust in uncertain riches, but after in y^e name of the Lord, Zeph. 3.12. Asa bore him­self hold upon his forces, as being five hun­dred and fourscore thousand strong, till he was overmatch'd with an Army of a thou­sand thousand Ethiopians, this made him [Page] cry: Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee, 2 Chron. 14. I thought in my pros­perity, saith David, I shall never be moved but thou didst hide thy face & I was trou­bled, then cryed I unto thée: It is high time to humble them that do not find themselves to stand in need of God, who so nourisheth his Servant daintily from his Childhood, shall after find him stubborn in prosperity; We are apt to think our selves men good enough, we see not our néed of God, but let him send the Crosse it confutes us present­ly of our nothingnesse: even St. Paul was sick of this disease, he began to be puft up untill the Messenger of Satan was sent to take him down, 2 Cor. 12.7. And St. Peter, Math. 26.33. Though all men should forsake thee yet I will never forsake thee, brave­ly promised, but Peter y^e same night sware I know not the man, cowardly answered; It is one thing to suffer in speculation and another in practice. It is common for men to brag and crack of what they can do, yea one that hath but a wooden head and lead­en heart, how wil he help it out with a bra­zen face, and a golden hand: for being as great in Pride as he is small in desert, he Will kéep a doe in an audactous Masterly­nesse, as if with Symon Magus he would [Page] beat down all with large proffers, but this cannot be so pleasing to Nature as it is hateful to God, neither can there be a worse sign of ensuing evil, than for a man in a Carnal presumption to vaunt out his own abilities: how justly doth God suffer y^e man to be foiled purposely that he may be ashamed of his own vain self confidence. At hath been profitable for proud men saith St. Augustine to fall into some grosse of­fence, for they have not lost so much by their fall as they have got by being down, it is better to be humble under sin then to [...]e proud of grace, of y^e two to be a Pharisee is worse than to be a Publican, to be proud of good endowments is worse than to have neither pride nor good endowments, yea in this case y^e party is not onely bettered, but others learn humility thereby, for who can [...]o other than yearn and fear to see so rich and goodly a vessel split as David or Solo­mon was.

Again it makes us pitiful and compassi­onate to others, they (said Sophocles) are usually the most compassionate to others, who have suffered miseries themselves, & what saith the Tyrian Queen: Evils have taught me to bemoan all that affliction makes to groan.

[Page]And Lastly, The Devil hereby is the at­ed, who if he cannot beat us down with sin, will blow us up with pride. He wil under­mine us if he cannot overthrow us. And nothing doth more advantage Satan than pride: For first, a man shall never be a pro­ficient that thinks himself already suffici­ent. Secondly, When he can poyson our good works with Pharisaism, he makes us by overvaluing them to loose them, confi­dence in God doth onely support us, with­out him we are like Vines unpropt, which on the earth do crawl, if we escape temp­tation it is his mercy, if our wills consent not, 'tis his mercy, if we consent & the act be hindred tis his mercy, if we fall and rise again by repentance, all is his mercy, nei­ther are we sufficient of our selves to think much less to speak, lest of all to do y^t which is good, 2 Cor. 3.5. We have no good, we do no good, but we may we must thank grace for it, which is al in all, yea can bear no fruit faith our Saviour except ye abide in me, John 15.4. Ye more expresly, with­out me, ye can do nothing, ver. 5. So that we cannot put too much trust in him nor too little in our selves: So proud are we by nature y^t before we come to the Tryal we think y^t we can repel the strongest assault, [Page] and overcom all enemies by our own pow­er, but when we feel our selves vanquished and foyled by every small temptation, we learn to have a more humble conceit of our own ability, and to depend wholy on the Lord, God wil not give his over til he hath made them kisse y^e Rod which the wicked bite, and when he hath brought us to this, the greater submission the more grace, if there be one hollow in the Valley lower then another thither the waters gather, & the more lowly we are in Gods eyes, the more lovely we are, the more despicable in our selves, the more acceptable in him.

Ninthly, That we may be conformable to Christ our Head, & like our elder Bro­ther who was consecrated through afflicti­ons, reviled, buffeted, spit upon, Crucified, what not, for y^e Scribes were against him, the Pharisees against him, y^e rulers banded themselves against him, y^e Atheists against him, Herod & all y^e spiteful & envious Jews against him, whose birth was mean, whose life was contemptible, & whose death was ignominious, yea his pallace was a stable, his Courtiers Beasts, his chase of state a Manger, his royal Robes a few rags, no Bells Ring, no Bone-fires proclaim his [...]th through the populous stréets, no great Ladys came to visit his mother, & answer­able [Page] to his ingresse into the world, was hi [...] progresse in it, & his Egresse out of it. And we must suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him, Rom 8.17. When the Jews offered Iesus Gall and Vinegar he tasted and would not drink, he left the rest for his Church & they must pledge him, whosoever saith our Saviour beareth no [...] his Crosse and commeth after me cannot be my Disciple, Luke 14.27. For hereunto are ye called saith St. Peter, for Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example y^e w [...] should follow after his steps, 1 Pet. 2.21. Y [...] S. Paul made this the most certain Testi­mony and seal of his adoption here & glory afterwards, having delivered that the spi­rit of God beareth witnesse with our spi­rits that we are the Children of God, an [...] having added, if we be Children we are al­so Heirs, even Heirs of God, & joint heir [...] with Christ, then he useth these words, If so be that we suffer with him that we also may be glorified with him, making suffering as a principal condition annexed, which is as if he had said: It is impossible we should be Glorified with him, except we first suffer with him, Rom. 8.16,17. Wherupon having reckoned up all priviledges which migh [...] Minister unto him, occasion of boasting h [...] concludeth y^t what things were gain unto [Page] him, those he accounted loss for Christ, y^t he might know y^e fellowship of his sufferings, & [...]e made conformable to his death, Phil. 3. [...]0. so y^t as he bare his Cross before he wore his crown, & began to us in y^e cup of his fa­thers displesure, so we must pledge him our part, & fill up y^t which is behind of his suf­ferings, Col. [...] 14. Suffering is the way to reigning, through many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Acts 14.22. And indeed who would not be ambitious of the fame entertainment that Christ himself had, yet our sufferings as they are nothing to what our sins have de­served, so they are nothing to what our Saviour hath suffered, for he endured ma­ny a little Death all his life long for our sakes & at length y^e painful & cursed death of the Crosse, to say nothing of the soul of his sufferings, which his Soul then suffered when he sweat clots of blood in the garden, now why must we pledge our Savior & fill up the measure of his sufferings, not that Christs sufferings are incompleat nor to satisfie Gods justice for sin, for y^t is done al­ready once for al by him who bare our sins in his body on the trée, neither doth God af­flict his Church for any delight he takes in their trouble, for he afflicts not willingly, Lam 3.33. Jer. 31.20. Isa. 63.9. Nor yet to [Page] shew his soveraignty, Isa. 45.9. Nor is it méerly for his own glory, without any o­ther respect, but out of pure necessity & a­bundant love to us, as the reasons both be­fore & after shew, wherefore let us be ex­horted in the words of St. Peter, to rejoyce in suffering, forasmuch as we with all the saints are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his Glory shall appear we may be glad and rejoyce, 1 Pet. 4.13. And what greater promotion can flesh & blood be ca­pable of, than a conformity to the Lord of glory. Christ wore a Crown of Thorns for me, & shal I grudge to wear this paper cap for him, said John Huss, when they put a cap upon him that had ugly devils painted on it, with the title of Heresie. Never did neck-kerchief become me so well as this Chain, said Alice Drivers, when they fast­ned her to y^e stake to be burnt, & what said a French Martyr when a rope was put a­bout his fellows neck? give me that Gold Chain, & dub me a Kt. of that noble order.

Tenthly, Afflictions serve to encrease our faith for the time to come, when we con­sider how the Lord hath delivered us for­merly: as when Saul tells David thou art not able to go against this great Philistine to fight with him, for thou art a Boy, & he a [Page] man of War from his youth, what saith David? thy servant kept his fathers Shéep & there came a Lyon, & likewise a Bear, & took a Sheep out of the flock, & I went out after him & smote him, & took it out of his mouth, & when he rose against me I caught him by the Beard, & smote him & slew him; so thy servant slew both the Lyon and the Bear. Therefore (mark the Inferrence) this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, yea (saith he) the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon, & out of the paw of the Bear, he wil deliver me out of y^e hands of this Philistine, 1 Sam. 17.33, to 37. Observe how confidently he speaks: God hath delivered me saith Paul out of the mouth of y^e Lyon (meaning Ne­ro) & he will deliver me from every Evil Work, & will preserve me unto his Hea­venly Kingdome, 2 Tim. 4.17,18. That tree is deepest rooted in the Earth which is most shaken with the Winds, and they weak usually that are planted in pleasant Valleys, so the tree of saith, the more it is [...]haken with the violent storms of trouble, the faster it becomes rooted by Patience, [...]e can never be a good Souldier that ne­ver hath felt the toyl of a Battel: the more deliverances David had the greater was [Page] his faith, for after y^e Lord had delivered him often out of extream exigents, namly from this great Goliah, y^e cruelty of Saul, y^e un­natural insurrection of Absolom, & the un­just curses of Shimei, he was able to say: I trust in God, neither will I fear what man can do unto me, Psal. 56.4. & in Ps. 3. I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round, & in Ps. 18.29. By thée I have broken through an Host, & in thy name have I leaped over a Wall: we men indéed therefore shut our hands because we have open'd them, mak­ing our former Kindnesse arguments of sparing afterwards, but contrariwise, God therefore gives because he hath given, making his former favours arguments for more: that we may live by faith & not by sence, he first strips us of all our earthly confidence, and then gives us Victory, & not before; lest he should be a looser in our gain, his help useth to shew it self in extre­mity, Daniel is not delivered at the be­ginning of his trouble, he must first be in the lyons den, & then he finds it, those thrée servants, Dan. 3.26. are not rescued at the Ovens mouth in the Furnace they are, that is a gracious & well tried faith, that is able to hold out with confidence to the last, [Page] like Abraham, who is said to hope against Hope, Rom. 14.18. Which with God is a thing much set by, yea, such he acounts his Champions & worthies, whence it is many are trained up in trouble all their days, as it fared with David, for as a Bear came to David after a Lyon, & a Gyant after a Bear, & a King after a Gyant, & Philist­ines after a King, & all to make him more hardy and confident in his God: so when they that are intended for Christs Cham­pions, have fought with the Devil & their own Lusts, they shall fight with Envy, when they have fought with Envy, they shall fight with Poverty, when they have fought with Poverty they shall fight with Infamy, when they have fought with In­famy, they shall fight with sicknesse, when they have fought with sicknesse, they shall fight with death like a Labourer y^t is never out of Work, & this not onely proves but mightily improves their faith: & in­deed till we have been delivered out of a lesse trouble, we cannot trust God in a greater. As the Prophet could say: Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, In­stantly follows (and not till then) the Lord heard me, the Lord saw him sinking all the while, but lets him alone till he was at the bottom.

[Page]In the Elevrnth place: Our manifold sufferings, and Gods often delivering us, doth increase our joy & thankfulnesse, yea, make after blessings more swéet, by this we have new songs put into our Mouths, & new occasions offered to praise the Au­thour of our deliverance, when the Lord brought again the Captivity of Sion (saith David in the person of Israel) we were like them that dream) (meaning the Happi­nesse séemed too good to be true) then were our Mouths fil'd with laughter (saith he) and our tongues with joy, the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we re­joyce, Psal. 136.1,2,3,4. Is any one afflict­ed, I will say to him as that harbinger an­swered a Noble man, complaining that he was lodged in so homely a Room, you will take pleasure in it when we are out of it, for the more grievous our exigent, the more glorious our advancement. A desire accomplished delighteth the soul, Prov. 13.19. We read how that lamentable & sad decree of Ahashuerus through the goodness of God was an occasion excéedingly to in­crease the Jews joy & thankfulness, inso­much that as the Text saith: The days that were appointed for their death & ruine were turned into days of feasting and joy, [Page] and wherein they sent presents every man to his neighbour, & gifts to the poor, Esth. 9.17, to 28. And this joy & thankfulnesse was so lasting y^t the Jews cease not to celebrate the same unto this day: Gods dealing with us is often harsh in y^e begining, hard in the procéeding, but the Conclusion is always comfortable; the joy of Peter & the rest of the Church was greater after he was de­livered out of prison by the Angel, Acts 12. And the joy of Judith & the rest of Bethalia when she returned with Holoferness head, then if they had never béen in distresse, Judith 13. The Lord deprives us of good things for a time because they never ap­pear in their full Beauty till they turn their backs & be going away: Again he de­fers his aid on purpose to encrease our de­sires before it comes, & our joy & thankful­ness when it is come to inflame our de­sires, for things easily come by are little set by to encrease our joy for that which hath béen long detained, is at last more swéetly obtained, what (think we) did he that was born blind think when his eyes were first given him, how did he wonder at heaven and earth, the strange and goodly varieties of all the Creatures, & chearful­nesse of the light, every thing did not more [Page] please then astonish him, as Mothers love their Children more tenderly then Fa­thers, because they stood them in more, so we prize the comforts and joys of Gods favour more by having for a season béen deprived of them through afflictions & descretions. The benefit that comes soon & with ease is easily contemned long & ea­ger pursuit endears any favour. The wise men rejoyced excéedingly to find the star, the woman to find her piece of silver, the Virgin Mary to find the Lord Iesus, who always returneth with increase of joy. He may absent himself for a time, but he in­tends it only as a preparation to make us relish that swéet food, the better he may kéep us fasting, but it is on purpose that our tryal may be perfect, our deliverance welcome, our Repentance glorious, we never know the worth of a Benefit so well as by the want of it, want teacheth us the worth of things most truly. Oh! how swéet a thing is peace to them that have béen long troubled with wars and tedious contentions: how swéet is liberty to one that hath béen long immured within a case of Walls? How dear a jewel is health to him that tumbles in distempered blood for then onely we begin to prize it when we have lost it: Let a man but fast a Meal [Page] or two, O how swéet is brown bread, though it would not down before, we are never so glad of our friends company, as when he returns after long absence, or a Tedious Voyage. The Nights darkness makes the light of y^e Sun more desirable, & a Calm is best welcome after a tempest. And thus we sée that good things then ap­pear of most worth, when they are known in their wants. And as when we would have some fires flame, y^e more we sprinkle water upon them. Even so when the Lord will encrease our joy & thankfulness he al­layeth it with the tears of affliction, misery swéetneth joy, yea the sorrows of this life shall like a dark veil give a lustre to the glory of the next, when the Lord shall turn this water of our earthly affliction into y^e wine of gladness, wherewith our souls shal be satiate for ever, well then art thou vex­ed, persecuted, & afflicted by some cruel and malitious Saul, & is it grievous to thée for the present, why that which hath béen hard to suffer is sweet to remember, at last our songs shall be louder then our cries.

In the Twelfth place: Our sufferings make us teachable, & increase in us spiri­tual wisdome, Job 36.15. He delivereth y^e poor in time of affliction, & openeth their ear in trouble, and again, Job 33.16. He [Page] openeth the ears of men even by their cor­rections, we are best instructed when we are most afflicted, Pauls outward blindness took away his inward blindnesse, & made him sée more into the wa [...] of life then could all his learning at the féet of Gamaliel, and what saith Neoman upon the cleansing of his Leproste, now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel: O happy Si­rian y^t was at once cured of his Leproste, & his misprisson of God: the prodigal son re­garded not his fathers admonition so long as he enjoyed prosperity, when we smart not we believe not, and God is not feared till felt, but that which makes the Body smart makes the Soul wise, even to loose is some ways profitable, it makes a Man wary. Algerius the Martyr could say by experience he found more light in the dun­geon then without in all the world: The Scottish King Prisoner in Mortimers hole learnt more of Christ then in his Pallace. Luther betwéen a divine in outward pomp and a divine under the Crosse, neither could he understand some Psalms till he was in affliction: The Christs cresse is no letter, yet it taught him more understand­ing then all the letters in the row, y^e crosse opens mens eyes as the tasting of Honey [Page] did Jonathans, yea what will not afflicti­ons teach us? when even the Savagest beasts are made quiet and docible with a­bating their food and rest, or by adding of stripes, even as the clay with water, and the Iron with fire, are made plyable & apt to receive impression from the workman, even so when we are soaked in the floods of sorrow & softned in the fire of affliction, we are aptest to receive the impression of Gods law into our hearts, when he speaks to us by his Ministers: If y^e Lord breaks us in pieces with the plow of his Iustice, then let the séeds men his Ministers sow y^e séed of his word, we shall receive it through the furrowes of our ears into the Ground of our hearts, & grow up in wisdome & sa­ving Knowledge, we hear & read much of the corruption of our natures odiousnesse, of our sins necessity, of a Saviours sweet­nesse, of Gods love in Christ, &c. But we never fully aprehend these things, nor tast how good y^e Lord is, till some sharp afflicti­on comes: thus Gods corrections are our in­structions, his lashes our lessons, his scourg­es our schoolmasters, his chastisements our advertisements, & comonly y^e soul waxeth as the body waiueth, & is wisest to prescribe when y^e bone & sinews are weakest, to ex­ecute, [Page] neither do we hereby become wise for our own souls good onely, but afflicti­ons make us wise, & able to do others good also y^t are in any the like affliction. Blessed be God saith St. Paul who comforteth us in all our afflictions, y^t we may be able to comfort them y^t are in any affliction, by y^e comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God, 2 Cor. 1.4. Yea y^e whole Church & every particular Member ther­of have their wisdome & knowledge im­proved even by their greatest Enemies. He reste makes men sharpen their wits y^t bet [...]e [...] to confute it, as wormwood though it b [...] bitter to y^e taste, yet it is good to clear the eyes, yea the very storms of persecuti­on makes us look to our Tackling pati­ence, & to our Anchor hope, & to our Helm faith, & to our Cord y^e word of God, & to our Captain Christ, whereas security like a Ca [...] makes us forget both our danger & deliverer, so that to be altogether exempt from misery is a most miserable thing.

Lastly, Our troubles & afflictions make for y^e increase of our patience, we rejoyes in tribulation saith S. Paul, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, Rom. 5.3. M [...] Brethren saith St. James, count it excéeding say when ye fall into divers [Page] temptations knowing that y^e tryal of your faith worketh patience, Jam. 1.2.3. Thus the malice of our enemies doth both prove & improve our patience, sée it exemplified in Job & David, whose practise doth most excellently confirm this point, you know Job was not so miserable in his afflictions, as happy in his patience, Job 31.35,36. And David after he had bin so many years train'd up in y^e school of affliction, & exercis­ed with continual sufferings, from innu­merable enemies of all sorts, became a wonder of patience to all succéeding Ages, as take but notice of his carriage towards Shimei, & you will say so when this his im­pudent subject cursed & cast stones at him, & all his men of War call'd him Murtherer, wicked man, &c. He was so far from re­venging it, when he might so easily, or suf­fering others, y^t you shall hear him make y^e an argument of his patience, which was y^e exercise of it, behold my son, saith he, which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life, how much more now may this Benjamite do it, y^e wickedness of an Absalom may rob his father of Comfort, but shall help to add to his Fathers goodnesse, what a lead of in­juries can some Christians digest that have been frequent in suffering, and long exer­cised in the School of Affliction.

[Page] Now if it be so as you have heard, that affliction by a divine and supream providence doth make so much for our advantage and benefit here and here­after, as namely that it opens our eyes, no less than peace and prosperity had formerly shut them, that nothing doth so powerfully call home the Consci­ence, and that we need no other memory for sin be­sides Misery, if commonly we are at Varience with God, Men were at peace with our enemies and that it is both hard and happy, not to be the worse with Liberty. If God the alwise Physitian knows this the fittest Medicine for our Souls sickness, and that we cannot otherwise be cured, if Pride causeth God to let us fall by temptation, that we may see our own frailty and weaknesse, and grow more Humble, if Affliction will above all things make us pray to God with heat and fervency, if true and Saving Joy be onely the Daughter of sorrow, if it weans us from the love of earthly things, if it discovers unto us the truth of our Graces, and prevents greater evils of sin and punishment to come, if it makes us humble and conformable to Christ our Head, if it increaseth our saith, our joy and thankfulness, our spiritual wisdom and patience, if by smarting in our Bodies States or Names, we are saved from smarting in our Souls: Then as Solomon adviseth: Refuse not the Chast­ning of the Lord, neither be grieved with his Cor­rection, Pro. 3.11. But let us all willingly submit to Gods afflicting hand, and suffer chearfully what is laid upon us, admiring at the infinite wisdome, pow­er, and goodness of our gracious God, who turns all our Poysons into Cordials, who doth change our terrours into pleasures, and makes the greatest Evils Beneficial unto us. Consider what hath been said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things: Amen.