UAAjikA
LIBKA.IIY
OF THE
Theological Seminar
y,
PRINCETON, N. J.
Cose,
Shelf,
Jiook,
v-^^ C DJ.v.iaiD.n
CTSv^ ' Osectia:.
No,,,,, ,
MEDIA,
t/i/f
i^.U.:l
PRIMA, MEDIA.
U L T I M A;^
O R, T H E
FIRST. MID D L E
AND
LAST THINGS
CONTAINING:
Part I. The Doarine of Re-
generation, the beginning
of a Godly Life.
Part II. The Means, Du-
ties, Ordinances, both
Secret, Private, and Publick;
for continuance and increafe of
a Godly life once begun, till
we come to Heaven.
Part III. Meditations on Lite,
Death, Judgment,
Hell, the Sufferings of
Christ, and Heaven.
i
By ISAAC AMBROSE, Minifter of the Go/pel at
Trejlon in ^nioundernefs in Lancafiire,
To which is added,
A Colle6\Ion of the beft Thoughts on Several important Subjefts, taken from the writ-
ings of the moft famous Divines ; never before printed in the former Editions of
this Book.
The SEVENTH EDITION, Correaed and Improved.
GLASGOW:
Printed by James Knox, and fold at his Shop near the Head of the
Salt-mercat. M, DCC, L VIL
ADVERTISEMENT.
TH E Publi(hci;^of this BOOK intends (if he meets with fuitable encouragement)
topublifh atone and the fame time, an Edition of two fcarce and valuable Books
viz. WATSON'S Body of Divinity, and AMBROSE'S Lookitig unto Jefus. ^ '
. WATSON'S Body of Divinity will be printed on the fame Type with this Book but
on a larger and better Paper, and will confift of about 80 Sheets ; 1 he price to fubfcrib-
crs will be only Five fliillings fterling ; to be paid at the delivery of the book neatly
bound and lettered on the back.
AMBROSE^s Looking unto Jefus will be done on a quite new type, and a fair pa-
per, confining of about 53 (heets. To be fold to fubfcribers at three fhillings and fix
pence Herling ; to be paid at the delivery of the Book, neatly bound and lettered on
the .Back. — Thofe who fubfcribe for Twelve copies, will have one gratis, Subfcripti-
ons are taken in for thefe two Books by all thofe whp took in fubfcriptions for this
one.
Thofe who incline to encourage one or either of thefe two Books, are entreated
to fend in their fubfcriptions without lofs of time, becaufe neither of thofe Books
will be put to the Prefs, until a fufficient number of fubfcribers is got in. No more
copies will be printed off than what are fubfcribed for. The Publifher hopes for en-
couragement from the Publick, as he offers to publifli thefe Books at as low a rate as
they can polfibly be fold £t.
To the Worniipful, The
MAYOR. ALDERMEN,
And other Inhabitants of the Town of Prefton in Amoundernefs,
1^ H E Apoftle Peter knowing (as he faith 2 Pet. i. 14, 15.) that (hortly he
was to put off that his tabernacle of the flefh, as our Lord Jefus Ghrifl:
had fliewed him ; he therefore endeavoured that God's people, after
his deceafe, might have thofe things he taught them always in remem-
brance : And thus it came to pafs, that to this day we have that
portion of holy writ, which he then left in writing. If Peter's practice be imitable in
this kind, I fuppofc the fame duty lies on me. Revelation I have none, but many
flitches and infirmities, which I take tofce forerunners of my departure hence. Some
things, and among the reft, thefe FirJ} Things I have taught you ; what remains now,
but that, after my deceafe, you might have thefe things always in remembrance I To
that purpofe, the fame I delivered once to your ears, I now prefent to your eyes; as
you were then pleafed to hear them, fo I truft you will now perufe them : only, one
thing you may pleafe to obferve through this treatife. That whereas, in the name of
Chrift, I often befeech, exhort, command the unregenerate to believe, to be reconciled
to God, to pray, to fall on this, or that duty ; it is not as if they could do any thing
of their own ftrength or power, but becaufe Jefus Chrift, in exhorting, entreating,
commanding, puts forth his own power, and his own flrengih to enp.ble them. While
Paul exhorted the Jaylor to believe in the Lord Jefus, that he might be faved, God en-
abled the Jaylor to believe. Life and power is conveyed to the foul in gofpel-commands
and exhortations. While Ezekiel prophefied over dead bones, breath came into them,
and they Uved : fo, while the prophets of the Lord do preach over finful, and impeni-
tent hearers, who are like to the Prophet's dry bones, the breath of Heaven, the Spirit
of the Moft High, in the miniftry of the gofpel, enters into them, and fo they are made
new creatures, and fee the kingdom of God. I have no more to fay, only I befeech
God, you may receive ableffing by thefe poor labours upon your poor fouls: it is the
hearty prayer of,
Tours to be commanded^
In all Chrijiian Services ^
ISAAC A M B R S E.
iV
To the R E A D E R.
OF many books there is no end, and much Jludy is a ivearifomneCs of the flejh, Ecc.
xli. 12. The experience of this truth, efpeciallyin thole latter days, hathfomc-
tipies put me to fad and ferious thoughts, How fhoulda Chriftian furnifta hira-
felf with a fufficient library to help him heaven ward ? Should he buy up all the An-
cients, or, in cafe he want the tongues, fhould he buy up all our modern Englilh
writers, pofiiive and polemical, they might fill his clofet, but he fhould find no end
of buying, as there is no end of making books : and if herefolvedly fell co reading, he
might conclude with the Wife-man, much ftudy is aivearinefs of the fltj}}\ nay, in.
fuch variety, he would find the moft of his ftudy fo impertinent, fo unprofitable, that
he might further conclude. Such a ftudy is a lofs to his foul, and rather an hinderer,^
than an helper of it in the way to heaven. To prevent this, fome have advifed Chri-
ilians to choofe out,^^^amongft that world of variety we now enjoy, fuch Authors as
are moft fuitable to their genius and employment. The Lord Verulam, wi-th fome
others, give their opinions, *' That, if the choice and beft obfervations, which
have been made difperfedly in our EngliOi fermons (leaving out the largenefs of ex-
hortations and applications thereupon) were fet down in a continuance, it would be the
beft work in divinity that hath been written fince the apoftles times." And Dr. Hack-
will repeats almoft the fame words, faying, " That the fermons of tliis latter age, e-
fpecially in this land, have doubtlefs been more exquifite and effe6\ual, than ordinarily
they have been in any precedent age; infomuch as it is obferved, that if there were a
choice colleaion made of the moft accurate ilnce the entrance of Queen Elizabeth, to
thefe prefent times (omitting the large application thereupon) it would prove one of
the rareft pieces that hath been publiftied fince the apoftles times." Indeed, had we
inch a book extant, I would advife the Chriftians of our age to buy the Bible, and that
book and to ftudy them, and no more, as to their fpiritual good : but, alas ! this
book'is rather wifticd for, than hoped after; we may expcft and wait for it never
lb long, without perhaps being ever the nearer. However, it was my defign to have
carried on fuch a bufinefs as this in the main neceflary things ; not that I would read
over all Authors on at! fubjeas, but that I would limit mylelf to luch fubjtc^s, and
then upon them cull out the beft and choiceft obfervations of many godly and learnr
ed Authors. In this defign I have praaifed and obferved thefe particulars ;
1 1 have brought into method the duties of a Chriftian, which I call. The Middle,
rhinos in reference to The Firjt and Laji Things ; the matter 1 have for the mo(r p^rt
draw^nVrom others, only the method I have framed, as the Lord hath enabled ; L^nd
wherein all Authors, that ever I faw, wercfilent, I have thereto added, to complete the
work, for the matter alfo. ^ . ,. >-r r i-
2 I have purpofely omitted the many controverfics and tedious difputes of this
ape* for my part, I fee little edifying in them; nay, is not the fat and marrow of
Chriftian religion loft by them ? Were I t© advife againft any error, or herefy, I had.
lather bid my adverfaries read fome books of pofitive, praaical divinity wJicrem truth
and relieion is laid out in its life and power, than all the voluminous controvcrfies that
ever I could write, or ever have been writ by any of the ions ot men. I deny not, but
thofc tind of books, the Spirit concurring, may convince mens judgments; but ihe o-
To the R E A D E R. v
ther fort works both on the judgment and confcience, on their heads and hearts ; the
controverfial way of arguing, /ro f/co;;?/-^, [for, and againft] I cannot but approve;
but the way of the Spirit, in which he leadeth and convinceth the foul irrefiftibly, I
muft needs prefer. Hence you fee the reafon of the method I have propounded ;
wherein I dare fay, yet with a fpirit of fubmrflion, the workings of the Spirit, the
breathings of Chrifl, the pantings of a foul after Chrift are more fully manifefted, than
in all the jarring pamphlets which this age hath copioufly afforded. My defire is both
to inform, and to reform ; to inform the judgment, and to reform the life.
3. I have the rather fallen on this fubje(ft of duties, both bccaufe neceflary in their
way, and becaufe they are fo much oppofed by many of our age, who furely are not ac-
quainted with them (with the workings of the Spirit in them, and by them, ) for other-
wife it could not be fo : If this error fpread, it will quickly eat out all religion, and
throw down fouls to hell. Their pretence is, who are the abettors of it, That they
have found out a near and eafy way to heaven ; But, " I rather believe Chrift (faitii
Rutherford) who tells us, it is a way of many miles, flrait, narrow, and thorny; in-
deed, the meritorious way to us is eafy, but the way of a Chriftian converfation (whe-
ther they will or no) lieth thro' duties; it is not words, Lord, Lord; but working,
fweating, running, wreflling, fighting, driving, overcoming, bleeding, fufFering, aboun-
ding in the work, denying ourfelves, taking up the crofs, enduring temptation, fowing
to the Spirit, ferving the Lord with all hujuility, and with many tears and temptati-
ons, watching, praying, taking Chrift'syoke upon us, felling all our fweeteft delights,
keeping the commandments of Chrif>, which, howfoever they are not grievous, yet
they are not fo eafie, as that only the bare aft of believing ftiould be the only Gofpel-
work. Matt. vii. 21. i Cor. ix. 24, 25. 2 Tim. iv. 7. Lukexiii. 24. Rev. ii. 7. A(.\s
xiv. 22. Rev. i. 9. i Cor. xv. 58. Heb. xii. 4. Matt. xvi. 24. Jam. i. 12. Gal. vi. 8.
A6Vs XX. 19. Mat. xxix. 42. Mat. xi. 29. i John v. 3. Might we flill lie in our ivory
beds, under no law, no obligation of doing, no danger of finning, no broken bones,
no terrors, no fenfe of forrow for fin, no progrefs ii> perfonal repentance, mortificati-
on, fanftification, no care of watchful v/alkiug to perfect holinefs in the fear of God^
no abftaining from worldly Infts, no Oriftnefs of converfation, but only believe that
Chrift hath fuffered, and Chrift hatbdone all duties for us, repented for us, mortified
luftsfor us, walked ftriftly and hollly for us, this were an eafy work indeed. " For my
part, I would not make the way to heaven longer than Chrift hath made it; hut if we
believe the Scriptures, we fhall find other commandments on us under the Goipel,
than believing only for righteoufnefs; Rom. xiL i, 2, 3.. Eph. v. i, 2, 3,4. Col. iii.
1^2,3,4. X Thd.iv. I, 3. Jam. ii. 13, 14, 15. i John iii. 17." There is the righ-
teoufnefs, of Chcift received by us, and working In us; the firft is the righteoufnefs of
juftification, the fecond of fanftification ; and our eftablifhment lieth in both.
4. I have in every duty, prefcribed the manner of perfoiming it;, not that I would
tie every fpirit to this particular way or method t thole who are accuftomed to thefe
exercifcs of devotion, may perhaps device more fittir^ coarfes, or ways of proceeding,
than thefe are ; and it is reafon, and a point of wifdom,. for every rayn to moke ule
of thol'c rules which in his own experience he findethmoft proper to his- own difpofiti-
on, and moft powerful for his own reformation; only, the reader, that is not belter
furnifned, may pleafe tx> make ufe of thefe; and I truft (by God's bleffing) he may fiud
them profitable; which if he do in any meafure, Itfliall be to me fufJicieat joy,, cou-
tentmeut, recompcnce.
5. Ihava
^'i . To the READER.
5. I have made ufe in this treatife not of one or two, but of many precious men;
as. AngIcr,Ani, Ball, Bolton, Burroughs, Hyfield, Downham, Dyke, Goodwin, Gouge',
Hooker, Leigh, Mafon, Rogers, Shepherd, TorHiel, White, etc. that the adverfaries
of duties may fee what a cloud of witneffes are for duties. It was fometimes Elijah's
trouble, The children of Ifrael have for faken thy covenant ^ thrown down thine altars,
and I, even I only am left, i Kings xix, 10. 18. But it was the Lord's encouraeement
of Elijah, I have left me [even thoufand in Ifrael who have not bowed the knee toliaal. I
blefs God it hath encouraged me, and methinks it might trouble the oppofites, that not
only many thoufands of God's people,but many Elijahs among thofethoufands, fl\ould
appear with me, and againft them. This is one reafbn, why I choofe rather to bring
in the Authors, who fccm to be, and indeed arc, pillars in the tanple of our God, Gal.
ii. 9. Rev. iii. 12. than to fpeak only in my own dialed, or altogether from my own
invention.
6. I have writ nothing, but in fome meafure I have, by the Lord's afTiftance, praftl-
/ed the fame, and felt the comfort of it in my own heart and foul; yet, by way
of caution, I defire the reader to remember, if at any time in the exercife of any of
the duties within written, he alfo feels his heart warnned or favingly alfefted (which is
the very fpirit, power, grace, comfort, prefence, and fwectnefs of Chriil) that he con-
sider, it is not the duty, it is not the bare ordinance that elicites fuch divine and noble
a(fi;s in the heart and aHc6\ions, but it is the blood of Chrift, the interccfTion of Chrifl
fprinkling thefe duties, that makes them work fuch graces in the foul. In this cafe,the
blood of Chrift is as the falve, and duty is as the cloth or leather to which it flicks, and
by which it is applied. Now from the cloth (the duty) comes no virtue; no, no, it
is only the blood of Chrift which by duty heals and chcars the foul. Many have won-
dered why fometimes they are lifted up in duties, and fometimes again they are no
more moved by them than a mountain of brafs is moved by the winds, ** AVhy fliould
the fame truth, the fame fcripture, the fame meditation affedl me at one time, and not
at another, when I am as fitly difpofed to be afFe(fled as at the firft ? "Why fliould the
fame inftru(flion, the fame reproof, the fame confolation awaken, wound, and revive
my fpirit at one time, and move me no more at another than a charm doth a deaf ad-
der, as the Pfalmift (peaks ? Pfal. Iviii. 4, 5." I grant, in refpccl of the fubje(f>, the
fpiritual fenfe is fometimes benumbed, and fometimes awakened; but in refptd of
the efHcicnt, it is only Chrift's bloody Chrift's interceflion that doth all by an admirable
and fecret operation. I have no more to fay of this book, only, the Lord give a blef-
llng to it, and to the reader of it: So prayeth
Thy Servant in Chrif} JefuSy
I. A.
A {hort Account of the I/ife and Charafler of the Author.
MR. Isaac Ambrose was bom in the year iS9U anci, though we are at a lofs to know his pa-
rentage, yet, by the figure he made both in the learned world, and more efpecially in the church,
it appears his education was liberal, and himfelf affiduous in his application to his ftudies ; of which
he has given evident proof in his writings, (it being impoflible that fuch precious fruit fhould grow
cither in a barren, or uncultivated foil) through all of which there fliineth the greateft piety, zeal
for God's glory, and concern for the falvation of fouls.
During the long parliament under Oliver Cromwell, he was fettled at Prefton, in Lancafhire, where
he laboured in h!s minifterial work, for a confiderable time, with great fuccefs,^ and regarded of all ;
from thence he was removed to Ganlang, within ten miles of Prefton, where the a^ of uniformity
found him in the year 1 662, which was the fecond year after the refloration of king Charles 11. when
he, with near two thoufand more miniiters, ^(fturers, <hc. were filenced and laid afide from the
publick work of the miniilry, for not conforming to the eftabliihed church of England, and he was
never again reftored during life : yet that time was not fpent in inadivity by him, but employed to the
mofl valuable purpofe ; for then it was he revifcd, and gave the finifliing flroke to the grcateft part
of his works, and wherein he compofcd other parts of them, in particular his difcourfe concerning an^
gels, which was the laft of all thefe his performances : through which, and through all the reft of hig
works there run a conftant drain of piety, holy devotion, and meditation, and the greateft fervour
of fpirit ; which very well agreeth with the foHov/ing chara^er given of him by a ve-
ry learned and eminent hand * : while fpeaking of the reverend Mr. Ifaac Ambrofe,. ^^ , j."
he fays, " He lived and died a NonconfoiTnid, and was a man of that fubftantial x page 400/
" worth, that eminent piety, and that exemplary life, both as a minifterand a Chri-
" rtian, that it is to be lamented the world fliould not have the benefit of particular memoirs concern-
" ing him from fome able hand." The fame author addeth further, " One thing that was peculiar-
" in him deferveth to be mentioned here : it was his ufual cuftom once in a year, for the fpace of a
" month, to retire into a little hutt in a wood, and avoiding all human converfe, to devote himfelf
" to contemplation. Poffibly by this pradtice. he was fitter for his facred miniflration all the reft of
" the year. He lived, in the latter part of his life, at Prefton, and when his end drew near, w^sj
<' very fenfible of it. Having taken leave of his friends abroad with unufual folemnity, as if he
" forefaw that he fhould fee them no more, he came home to Prefton from Bolton, and fet all
" things in order. In a little time fome of his hearers came from Garftang to vifit him : After dif-
" courfing freely with them, and like a man fenfible of his death being near. He accompanied them
" to their horfes, and when he came back, fhut himfelf in his parlour, the ufual place of his folilo-
" quy, meditation and prayer; they thought he ftayed long, and fo opened the door, and found;
" him juft expiring. This was in the year 1664, Aged 72. He was holy in his life,, happy in-his4
'* death, and honoured by God, and all good men. ■ or>
TliCL
The Subfcribers NAME S.
REvercnJ Mr. John Anderfon Miniflcr of the Gof-
pd at Porlglafgow
John Aiken Maltman in Glafgow, 13 copies.
Charles Algic Weaver tlicrc
■VVilliam AJam Shoemaker there
Robert Anderfon Weaver there
Wilham Allan tobacco fpinncr there
James Aiken Hammerman ia Ruthcrglen
Thomas Adam Weaver in Andcrftoun
Ifobcl Anderfon in Pittodric
Alexander Anderfon Farmer in R3'hJll
James Albrdyce in Hillcnd of AfslieJ
I'ittrick Anderfon of Bourty Efq ;
Charles Anderfon cuflomcr in Old Meldrum
James Airth farmer in Round Lightnct
"William Alexander farmer in the parilh of Bourty
B
GEorge Buchanan MAman late Bailie in Glafgow
Walter Buchanan Weaver there
James Burns Shoemaker tliere, 13 copies
Andrew Buchanan Mcalman there, 26 cop.
'John Brycc Weaver there
John Burnet Weaver there
John Bulloch Weaver there
Villiam Brock Weaver there
Janet Brown Indweller there
Robert Bulloch Merchant there, 13 cop.
James Browfter Weaver there
Robert Barr Maltman there
John Blair Brewer there
William Beatty bleacher there
George Brown Merchant there
Clirillopher Black Weaver there
John Broun Maltman there
James Broun merchant there
John Barbour jun. weaver there
John Brock weaver there
• John Bowman taylor there
John Uryce there
Robert Bogle weaver in Ruthcrglen
George Buchanan weaver in Anderftouo
Michael Buchanan weaver there
■William Buchanan weaver there
James Buchanan weaver in Grahamftoun
Walter Brock in Welkr Kilpatrick
Joflph Balfour Schoolmaller in Abberfoil
Alexander Buclianan weaver in Mcikle-Govan
James Barr weavei tlierc
Jo"hn Bainc in Cardrofs
"William Brycc there
Robert Baine there, 13 cop.
Jolin Bogle Coal-hcwer in Shcttlcdouii
John Blackwood at Finick kirk
James Baird coal-hewer at Lightbum
Mofes Bain gardener at Fintray Houft
J jhn Begric gardener at Barra
Henry Broughton EI4. colleftor of excife at Aberdeen
Mr. Robert Bruce factor to the FLarl of Kintorc
James Bruce merchant in Saplinbrae
Rev. Mr. John BifTet miniiicr at Culfalmond
John Booth in Bu(h miln
C
Robert CafTcls Weaver in Anderfloun
Matthew Connel Weaver in Grahamfloun
William Cochran Weaver in Paiflcy
Thomas Cochran Weaver there
James Clark Weaver there
John Cherry Weaver there
John Gumming Shoemaker in Glafgow
Robert Connel Weaver there
Peter CalJcrhead Weaver there
Thomas Caldcrhcad Weaver there
David Ciiriflie tliere
Mifs Jean Clark in Meikle-Govan
Thomas Campbell \^'eavcr there
Daniel Curric Merchant in Cardroft, t j cop.
Mr. Thomas Campbell Student of divinity, in tbeUni-
vcrfity of Gla(gow
William Caldwell of Yardfoot, Lochuinnoch
Peter Cruikflianks Clerk to the Town-Hofpitalof Glaf.
Robert Gumming Carrier there
Alexander Col^uhoun there
Ifobel Cruikfhanks in Pittodric
George Cruicklhanks farmer in Over Garden
Mr. William Craig officer of excife at Old Mcldnim
Mr. John Clark jun. advocate in Aberdeen
Mr. James Cock minifler of the gofpel at Montkepgie
Mr. James Chalmers minifter of the gofpel at Daviot
Mr. Alexander Gumming merchant in Abcruccn
D
J Ames Donald Elq ; late Bailie in Glalgow, 1 cop.
Baillic William Duguid, Merchant in Old Meldrum,
a 6 copies
William Drew Weaver in Glalgow
Silvefter Donaldfbn Shoemaker there, 6 cop,
David Dalglilh Weaver there
Patrick Davie Bookbinder there. 1 1 cop.
Mr. Dalien Officer of Kxcife there
Robert Dowgal Inn-keeper there
Robert Donaldfon Weaver in AndcrflouB
John Duncan Weaver there
John Dykes Weaver there
John Dick Weaver in Shtttleftoun
John Dick Weaver in Partick
John Donaldfon one of the fcrvantt to the Univetfity of
Glafgow
John Davie in Cardrofs
William Davie there
Patrick Dennirtoun there
James Davie there
David Dunn Coalicr in Ruthcrglen
Adam
The Subfcribers NAMES.
IX
Adam Dickfon farmer at miln of Saffock
Patrick Dngiiid farmer in Ardiffry
Robert Dinfure deacon of the coallicrs in Lightburn
Alexander Diack fervant to tiie LairdtjfPittodric
Mr. George Duriic fcliool-maflcr of Gareoch
Alexander Davidfon farmer in Parkbrae
William Diack in Guttertown
William Davidfon farmer in Ardfork
Mf. Alexander Dovvnie at Crimmond
Mr. William Duthie officer of excife at Peterhead
E
John Ewing weaver in Pollock-diaws
Jofeph Edmond in Bunn-houfc
Ifobel Elmflie in Pittodrie
William Elmflie merchant in Old Mcldrum
F
J Ames Falconer Weaver in Anderftoun
James Fyfe Weaver there
John Fleckfield Weaver in Glalgow
John Fergus weaver there -
David Ferry Weaver there
John Forfyth weaver there
Robert Fleming there
John Ferguflbn weaver in Shettlefloun
James Ferguflbn weaver in Govan
James Fillan gardener at Kcithhali
Mr. Robert Forlyth fchoolmafter at Daviot "*
Mr. John Foibls fador to the laird of Meldrum
Rev. Mr. Robert Far^^uhar minider at chapel of Garioch
Margaret Findlay in Pittodrie
Rev. Mr. John Forbes minifter of the gofpcl at Udny
Mr. Thomas Fergus ftudent of divinity in the Univer-
fity of Glasgow
"Vl'illiam Findlater linen manufafturcr in Old Meldrum
William Forfyth cooper there
Thomas Fergus there
G
REv. Mr. John Gillies one of the minifters of Glafgow
James Graham Maltman there
James Graham Merchant there
James Graham fenior Taylor there
Elizabeth Gardner Indweller there
James Galbrcath Baker there
John Giivan weaver there
John Graham Soap-boiler there
Mr. James Gouilay Student of Divinity io the Univer/i-
ty of Glafgow
Robert Gilfillian Weaver in Anderrtoun
Thomas Graham Cooper in Three-mile-houfe
Andrew Gall Merchant in Gorbalis
John Glen Millar in Cardrofs
James Grecnlies weaver in Caltour*-
William Gemmel vvtiver in Govaa
John Gilfon weaver there
Walter Gl'-n wright in Cardrofs
Robert Gitre there
Walter GaV there
Walter Graham (chool-mader at Blatvuiock
James GiUcfpie aialbn in'Gialgow
William Govan hatter there
Robert vTillefpie in Edinburgh
John Gardener gardener at Pittodrre
Mr. Alexander Gordon officer of excife at Old Meldruna
Baillie John Gillefpie officer of excife there
John Gibfbn farmer at Kindale
Rev. Mr. Alexander Gordon minifler of the gof^l at
KLitorc
Mr Alexander Gordon at Haddo houfc
James Gall farmer in Longhaven
H
BMllie William Harvie in Gorbalk
Mr. William Howe Preacher of the gofpel
John Howie weaver in Glafgow
James Hafle Upholfterer there
George Hutchifbn weaver there
Chrilfian Herbertfon there
William Hamilton Hat-maker there
Alexander Hope weaver in Anderfloun
John Holmes Smith in Paifley
James Hill weaver in Partick
Robert Hill there
Patrick Hendry in Govarr
Charles Hall in Pollockfliaws
Alexander Hamilton Maltman in MarchtouB
Mr. James Hay dyer at Fivie
Johrr Hay farmer at Cruden kirk
William Home farmer in Bogan
John Harper farmer in Oyne
I
ALexander Irvine Printer in Glalgow 3*? cop.
James Jack weaver there
Archibald Jacklbn there
Alexander Jamiefbn weaver there
William Jack weaver there
James Johnflon farmer in Black hogg
John Johnfloun farmer in Ballgreen Tarves parifh
Mr. Adam Ingram merchant in Old Meldrum
Mr James Innes merchant in Aberdeen
Wilham Johnfion taylor there
Robert Jofs at miln of Eafierton
William Johnfloun farmer in Old Meldrum
K
HUgh Kerr weaver in Paifley
Alexander Knox weaver in Glafgow
James Kiflaen Dyer there
William Kinloch weaver there
Alexander Kennedy in Cardrofs *
Willum Kirkwood Gardener in Renmuir
John Knox merchaiit in Bogbrae
George Kirkton merchant in Tillyill
L
Mr. David Lyle Student of Divinity in die Univerfity of
Glafoow
Walter Leckie weaver there
William Lang Hat-maker there
George Lang Hat-maker there
Peter Love Printer in Glafgow j coPt
"William I-egg Hat-maker there
The SubfcriKcrs NAMES.
Henry LcdibeaJ in Hillington
David Lamin^t in weaver in Anderftoun
James Lochli^a.l in Meililc-Govan
Robert Law Smith in Shettleftouii
William Lang Bookbinder in Greenock
Villiam Love Coallier in Rutliciglen
Mr. Alexander Lellie merchant in Aberdeen
Mr. Tohn Lind fchooimafler in Tarves
M
MR. Patrick Maxwell preacher of the gofpcl
Mr. James Morifon preacher of the gofpcl
Robert Motifon weaver in Glafgow
Charles M'Kay weaver there
James Mitchell weaver there
John M' Walter in CarJrols
John M'Farlane there
JDonald M'Farlane farmer in Culiigartan
Alexander M'Ferfon merchant at Linton in Tweedale
John Minties weaver in Clayflap
Patrick Maxwell tanner^ Glasgow
' John Morifon weaver there
John Millar flioemaker there
James M'gill hammerman there
Robert Mufie weaver there
John M'Lae weaver there
John Moachland weaver there -
Archibald M'Calla gardener there
Mifs Mary M'Caflane there
John M'Kair weaver there
Patrick M'Kimmin there
Andrew M'Nair jun. weaver there
John M'Caflane gardener there
Andrew Mitchel innkeeper there
Mr. James M'Kenzie teacher in Hutchlfon's ho(p. Glaf.
Mr. John Morifon ftud. of divinity in the Univer. of Glaf.
John M'Kendrick taylor in Andcrftoun
James M'Cauflane in Cardrofs , '
John M'Leati in Anderftoun overfeer to Mr. Hugh Ni.
yen's bleachficld
Robert M'Klquham weaver in Andcrftoun
James M'Kain weaver there
James Meiklt John weaver there
George Mitchtl weaver in Paiflcy
Robeit Nhiir Taylor in Meikle-govan
Andrew M'Farlan^ maltman and diftillerin Camlacbie
W ill. M'Do»albookftll(T in Greenock 39 cop.
Waher Mii zics in Cardrofs
Mr lames M'W'illiam (ludent of divinity at Oyne
Rev. Mr. Alexander Mcarns minifter at Infch
George Mitchell merchant there
Mr. Adam Maiilandfchoolmancr there
John Maitland farmer in Kirkton of Oyne
John Morifon fcrvant to the laird of Pittodric
John Mathitfon in Hal ton of Ardoney
John Murray mrnhant in Inveiury
] >hn Moir in miln of Balcairn
Air. Alexander Milne merchant in Banff
Mr. |aints Murdocli fchoolmaftcr at Old Meldrum
; li. Gtoigc Moiifon watchmaker there
Mr. James Miln merchant in Turriff
Mr. William Martin officer ofcxcifc at Crudtn
Mr. John Moii merchant at Watcrfitii
Peter .Nlutch black fmith in Peterhead
W illiam M'farlane in Glafgow
N
William Neil weaver in Mcikle-govao
U illiam Norris cooper there
>Iary 'Nifbet in Paifley
Archibald Nivcn in Cardrofs
Archibald Niven Barber in Gla(gow 13 copies
David Niven weaver there
Alexander Nicol in i'remnay
O
THomas Ofburn weaver in Govan
James Orr Smith in Lochuiimoch
P.
REv. Mr. John Patifon niinifter of the gofpcl to the
aflociatc congregation in Edinburglj
Alexander Provan wrigl t in Camlachie
John Paul fhoemaker in Glalgow
'I'homas Pcttigrew weaver there
Andrew Paterfbn fhoemaker there
1 homas Paul weaver there
Archibald Park wool-comber there
Thomas Paul in Cardrofs
\\'iHiam Paterfon weaver in Meikle-govan
James Purdon indweller there
John Perflon merchant in Gorbals, 100 copies
James Porter farmer at Kirkton of Bourty
"lames Paterfon in Tarves
Mr. Robert Pitindrech merchant in Afshallow
R.
MR., James Roy preacher ot the gofpel
James Ratcliff weaver in Glafgow
Hugh Ronald mercliant there 13 cop.
James Robcrtfon weaver there
. John Rcid jun. maltman there
Archibald Robb taylor there
Robert Ritchie weaver in Govan
John Robertfon weaver there
John Robertfon fmith there
John Robertfon weaver there
James Robertfon weaver there
"William Rofsburgh weaver in Caltoun
James Rellon weaver in Shettlefloun
John Robertfon weaker in Rutherglen
William Rowand weaver in Govan
Alexander Riddel fmith at Montkcggie
Kenneth Ramfay merchant in Old Meldnim 1 cop,
>Ir. Gcnrge Rcidfoord fchoolmalKr at Rayne
William Rebecca gardcinr at Pittodric
Tames Rcid hillman at Lightburn
S
REv. Mr. Alexander Stracban miniftcr at Keig
Patrick Simfon taylor in Glafgow s* cop.
Huntzcr Steven weaver there
Jolui ^hitls weaver in Govan
John Smith weaver ihtro
David
The Subfcrlbcrs NAMES.
Rev. Mr. Tlios. Shepherd min. of the gofpcl at Roorty
Rev. Mr. James Strachaii min. of the golpcl at Kinkell
David Spenfe weaver in Glafgow
Will. Somerveil innkeeper there
Alexander Steven weaver there
James Somerveil weaver there
Robert Simfin weaver there
Duncan Stuart there
James Smith weaver there
William Stuart gardener there
Thomas Smith wriglit there 13 copies.
Alexander Smellic hat-maker there
Robert Spier, portioner in Dalgarvan, KiUvinniog parilh
John Scott weaver in Govan
Thomas Stevenfon weaver in AndcrflouB
John Smellie weaver in Shettleftoun
William Stuart weaver there
Robert Struthers bleacher in Kilmarnock
John Siller laylor in Govan
Jjmcs Stevenfon weaver there
John Sprucil weaver in Anderfloun
John Scot in Rutlierglen
John SmtUie farmer in Shettlefloun
George Stephen in miln of Pittniedcn
William Singer farmer in Old Bethelme
Mr. Alexander Smith jun. merchant in Aberdeen
Mr. John Shand at miln of Rain
Mr. Arthur Shand at Wedhall
Mr. Thomas Spark merchant in Aberdeen
George Seton of Mounie Efq.
Mr. James Simpfon merchant in Old Meldrum
|ames Stephen fmith there
Sir. Thomas Simp(<>n merchant at miln of Ardendraught
William Souter vintner in Longhaven ,
John Sliepiey in Hyde in Stockport pari(h, Chelhife
George Stuart in Renfrew
T
REv. Mr. Pat. Thomfon min.of thegoipelat Touch
James Thomfon in GlendifiU
Alexander Taylor weaver in Glafgow
Thomas Taylor weaver there
John Todd fen. maltman there
John Taylor cooper there
XI
John Turner weaver "'n Paifley
Mr. Av'xander Thomfon, merchant and overfcer, in
Glafgow, 13 cop.
Baillie William Thomlbn merchant in Aberdeen
Jolin Thom fquare wright in Whiteftoi.cs
William Taite farmer in miln of Garden
George Taite in Craigmiln
Margaret Thomfon in Old Wefthall
Thomas Turner of Godley in the parifh of Motteram,
Chclhire
W
MR. Alexander Wylie Maltman in Glafgow
Mr. James Wyllie portioner of Galabcrry in Dun-
lop parifh
Mrs. Margaret White of Hollingwortfi Hall in Holling-
worth, Che(hire
Thomas Walker in Ccrnhill, parifh of Afhton, Lanca-
fhirc
David Wilfon weaver"..! Anderftoun
John Wiifbn weaver in Paifley
Robert Witherfpoon hammerman there
John Witherfj30on weaver in Rcnmuir
William Wilfon lenior weaver in Paifley
William Willbn junior weaver there
Robert Winning weaver in Glafgow
John Watfbn weaver there
Matthew Winning taylor there
•Jofeph Whitchill printer there'
Matthew Whitlaw maltman there
Thomas White innkeeper in Govan
Wilham Walker weaver there
John Walker in Gardrofs
James White of Wood-fide, in Kil*jnning parilhi
James Wright merchant in Waule
Thomas Watt at Craigwell
John Watt in Newland
Mr. J-ames Walker at miln of Lumquhart
Mr. George Wilfon jpn. merchant in Aberdeen
Y
MR. Francis Young officer of excife at Fraftrburgfe.
James Young weaver in Anderftoun
William Yool merchant in Glafgow
Andrew Young Maltman there.
Names ofStiifcribers,. ftuhich had been omitted, or came too lats to hand to he inferted above,.
MR, William Buckley ftudent in divinity, in Afli-
ton, Lancafhire
Mifs Betty Buckley in Duckinfield, parifli of Stockport,
Ckefhire
William Burgefs in Ninton-muir, parirti of Motteram,
Chefliire
Bcraleel Butterwith ih Duckinfield, parilh of Stockport,
Chcfhire
James Buckley in Stayley, in the parifh of Motteram
Hugh Brown merchant in Dairy
Robert Brown farmer in Lin, Dairy parifh
Jphn Boyd in Wood, in Kilwinning parifh
John Brown farmer in Lin, in Dairy parifli
James Craig farmer in Old muir, Dairy parifli
George Chadwick in Duckinfield, in the parifli of Stock-
port, t hefhirc, i copies
Hugh Dunlop of Wood end, in Kilwinning parifli
Robert Dunlop portioner in Smifloun, in Kilwinning;'
parifh
John Ferguflon taylor in Shettlefloun
Mr. William Freebairn in Glafgow
John Freeland portioner there
John Fcgns weaver in Pollockfhaws -
Michael Gticve fh^emakcr in Glafgow
Jph»
Xll
Jolin GartfiJc in Stayley, in Chefhirc
Mr. James Gladftons in DuckinficlJ, Clicfhire
Mrs. Harrop in Hardflay in Afhtan parifli, LanoaOiire
Todiua Heginbotliem of Hollingworth, in Chclhirc
Robert Hyde in Shepley, pariih of Afliton, Lancafhirc
Arthur Holrin Alhton, Lancadiire
Mr. John Jack fchoolmaftcr in Baidlandmiln, Dairy
parifh
Williarq Kirkwood. merchant in Bcith
James Jamiefon coallicr in Glafgow
Mary Kinder in Stcciy-wood, parifh of Afliton, Chcfhirc
The Subfcribers NAMES.
James Logan (hoemaker in Dairy
John Lcitcli in Rochdale, Lancalhirc
Alexander M'Alpine, reader in Glafgow
David Millar farmer in Campfic
John M'Kcchnic (locking- maker in Glafgow
Thomas M'farlane diflillcr in Renfrew
RoKrrt Pollock jimior, in Dairy pariflt
William Ronald weaver there
James Robinfon mafon in Govan
George Ronald mafbn in CampHc
John Ronald there.
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THE
NEW BIRTH.
John 111. 3.
Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom ofGO D;
WE read in the former chapter, John
ii. 23. lVhe7t Jcfus -was at Jerw
fakm, at the feaji of the pujjo-
ver, tnany believed in his name, ivhen they
faw the miracles ivhich he did', amongft
thofe many, here is one of them (faith Au-
ftin * ;) What one ? of all men the mofl:
unlikely is a Jew, of all Jews a ruler, of all
rulers a Pharifee; John vii. 48. Have a-
ny of the rulers, or Pharifees believed on
him? But howfoever it feem thus unlike-
ly unto us, the Spirit of God bloiveth
ivhere it lifieth: here is amongft many be-
lievers one Nicodemus, verfe 1. and he is
a man of the Pharifees, a ruler of the
Jeivs ; a Jew, a Ruler, a Pharifee : Cod is
able even of thefe flones to raife up chil-
dren unto Abraham, Lukeiii. 8. ; yea, we
fee here, be they never fo flony, our Sa-
viour melts one of them with a miracle,
and, by a New Birth, he will make him
a fon of Abraham indeed. A miracle
brings him to Chrift, and Chrift brings him
to a New Birth. The Firft Nicodemus
confeffeth, John iii. 2. Rabbi, (faith he to
our Saviour) -we know that thou art a
teacher come from God : for no man can
do thefe miracles which thou dofl^ except
God be -with him. The Second our Savi-
our affirmeth, as if he had anfwered. To
fay lamfejjtfrom God, and not to be born
again, will never help thee to heaven ; thy
confefTion is right, that / am fent from
Gody but thy converfation is wrong, that
art not horn again : thou comefl to me
with confeflion of thy faith, but here is a
further catechifm, another leflbn ; and
therefore, as thou callefl: me Rabbi, if thou
wilt be a fcholar in my fchool, thou muft
learn thefe principles, thefe rudiments,
thefe /r/? things, this text, this A, B, G of
Chriltian religion. Except a man be born
* Nicodtms ex his erat qui crediderant in mmine ejus, viderJes figna et prodigia quaefacicbat. i.e. Nicodcmus was on*
of tholc who haJ believed in his name, when they law the figns and miracles which he did. Aug. Trad, on Joh„.
fi again,
:, 7he NE W
again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God.
In profecution of \v*hich words, (all ten-
ding to this one point, the New Birth) we
fliall follow the order fet down by the ho-
ly Ghoft, where is,
1. ThcNeceffitjr of it, no going to hea-
ven without it ; except.
2. The Generality of it ; every man is
bound to it ; a man.
3. The Manner of it ; how a man is
wrought in it; he muft be born again.
4. The Ifliie of it, what effefls are an-
nexed to it, The kingdom of God., and fight
cf that kingdom ; a man that is born again
(hall fee the kingdom of God : and, except
,a man be bcrn agaiJi, he /hall not fee the
kinp^dom of God.
Thefe be the branches ; and of every of
them (by God's affiftance) we ftiall gather
fome fruit for the food of your fouls. The
firfl branch is the fir ft word, except.
Except.']
THIS except is without exception ;
for unlefs we are new born, there is
no going to heaven : before we live here,
we.are born ; and before we live there, we
are new born. As no man cometh into
this world, but by the firft birth ; fo it is
jmpolTible that any ftiould go to heaven in
another world, but by the fecond birth.
And this gives us the Neceffity of Rege-
neration *.
D06I. Except a man be new born, he can
never be favcd. It is our Saviour's fpeech,
and he confirms it with a double aflevera-
tion, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee. Twice
verily, which we find not any where
BIRTH.
but in John's gofpel f , and no where in
the golpel fo oft, as on this argument :
how then ftiould we difbelieve this truth,
where we have fuch a witnefs as Chrift,
fuch a teftimony as his verily, verily, J fay
unto thee ?
Again, God the Father thus counfels not
only Nicodemus, but all the Jews of the
old church, faying, Make you anew heart,
and a new fpirit : for why will ye die, O
houfe of Ifrael? Ezek. xviii. 31. Not
withftanding all their privileges (for they
are Jfraelites, to whom pertaineth the a-
doption, and the glory, and the covenants^
and the giving of the law, and the fervice
of God, and the prcmifes, Rom. ix. 4), yet
here is ^unum necejfarium] one thing ne-
cejfary, that muft crown all the reft; they
muft have a new heart, and a jtcw fpirit,
i. e. they muft be new born, or there is no
way but death ; from which death, fee
how the Lord pulls them with his cords
of love ; alluring, wooing, queftioning,
JVhy will ye die, houfe of Ifrael ?
And yet again, not only the Son and the
Father, but the holy Ghoft too will a-
vouch this truth ; He that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit faith unto the
churches ; And what is that ? To him that
overcometh, will I give a white Jlone \, and
in the /tone a new name written : yea, I
will write upon him new Jerufalem ; and
1 will write upon him my new name. Rev.
ii. i7.andiii. 12. The meaning is, He that
is new bcrn, and fo overcometh fin, God's
Spirit will give him his grace, the white
fione, and his kingdom, the new Jeru/a-
• This is one way of Ihewing the Neccflity of it; and it is will if men are convinced, by any argument whatever,
of //!»flrneceffity : but, to the intelligent Reader, it is necdlefs to obfcrve. That the N<ctfriiy of Regeneration is nor
founded h much on any analogy between the natural and fpirituai birth, as upon the authority of God, and the
nature oftl.e heavenly liappincfs. God, the fuprcme governor and judge of ail, commandcth us to bepofllircd
of d certain temper of mind, and to purfue a certain courfe of life, implied in this great ciiange or rt volution, empha-
lic-Uy rtiled the New Birth; bcfidcs, //w/ temper of mind, and courfoof life, which he cnjoircih u;, isablolutely nccef'
fary to fit us for lieaven : and therefore we arc bound, in point of intercfl as well as duty, to obey this law of him
who is our great Sovereign and Friend. f Rupert.
i Alluding to an ancient cuftom in courts of jiiflice; where he who was condemned liad a bl^ck flopc given him;
kut lietha' was acquitted, had a white one put into his hand, with his name written in the Aonc. Sec Ovid's mc-
tamorphof. book xv. and ]?crlius' isatirci.
iem)
Tne NEW BIRTH,
lent, and a r.eii) ftafne, the name of filiati-
on, (faith a modern, Aretius o>i the place.)
whereby truly he is called the neiu born
fon. of God. See here how Old things be-
ing done away, all things are become neiv,
2 Cor. V. 17. By tf neiv birth man has
got a ne-w name, a new inheritance : and
therefore as the Spirit, fo the New Birth
is called a F//r, that purgeth away drofs,
and maketh fouls bright and new ; fo that
we mufl: pafs through this Fire, or no
paiTage into Paradife.
Nor is this doctrine without reafon or
ground.
For, except by the fecond birth, man
is, "^firfl, unholy, and therefore mofl: un-
fit to enter into heaven ; for -without ho-
linejs, no man Jh all fee God, Heb. xii. 14.
And what is man before he is 7ie-jj born ?
if we look upon his foul, we may fee it
deformed with fin, defiled with luft, out-
raged with paffions, overcarried with af-
fediions, pining with envy, burthened with
gluttony, boiling with revenge, tranfport-
ed with rage: and thus is that image of
God transformed into the ugly fliape of
the devil. Or fhould we take a more par-
ticular view : every faculty of the foul is
full of iniquity ; the underftanding under-
ftands nothing of /^«? things of God, i Cor.
ii. 14. The will willeth nothing that is
good, Rom. vii. 20, the afFeftions affedl
nothing of the Spirit, Gal. v. 17. In a
\\'ord, the underfianding ib darkened, the
will enthralled, the affedions difordered,
the memory defiled, the confcience be-
nummed; all the inner man is full of fin,
and there is no part that is good, no not
one. But what fay we of the body ? fure
that is noching better ; it is a rotten car-
rion, altogether unprofitable, and good for
nothing. Should we view it in every part
and member of ii ? the head contri\ es mif-
chief, the eyes behold vanity, the ears let
in fin, the tongue fends out oaths. Come
we lower ; the heart lodgeth lufi^, the
hands commit murder, the feex run to
evil : all the fenfes are but fo many match-
es to give fire to Iufl:s, deceits, envies, and
whatnot? How needful now is a Ne~u
Birth to a man in this cafe? Can he enter
into heaven, that favours all of earth ?
Will thofe precious gates of gold and
pearl open to a finner ? No, he muft firft
be new moulded, and fanftified ; or he ii;
excepted ; Except a man be new born.
Secondly, Except'] This, and man ii!
God's enemy; no greater oppofition than
betwixt God and a finner: confider we
him in his eflence, or in his attributes ?
in his effence he is called Jehovah, both in
refpeft of his Being, and of his promifes ;
in refpedl of his Being, and foGod is con-
trary to fin; for fin is ataxy, diforder,
confufion, a not-being ; and God is or-
der, perfeftion, holinefs, an abfolute and
*a fimple Being : in refpedl likewife of his
promifes, wherein there is a main oppofi-
tion to fin ; for howfoever he promifeth
a reward to the regenerate, and fo the
name Jehovah is a golden pledge unto us,
that, if we repent, he will forgive us ; yet
withal he promifeth Jlorms and tempeji,
fire and perdition to the unregenerate :
and thus his name and nature is altogether
oppofite to fin and finners. But view
we thofe attributes of God, I mean his
jufiice, truth, patience, holinefs, anger,
power; hisjuftlcein punidiing the impeni-
tent according to his deferts, his truth t\^t^-
ing thofe plagues which he hath fpoken in
his time, his patience forbearing fins de-
firuftion till they are grown full ripe, his
holinefs abhorring all impurities. He cannot
behold iniquity , his anger fiirring up re-
venge againft all offered injuries, his power
multering up his forces, yea, all his crea-
tures againfl his enemies : and what can
we fay, but if all thefc attributes-are at
enmity with finful man, wo worth to man
B 2 , becaufe
4. Ahe NEW
becaufc of offences! better he had never
been born, than not to be nc^u born; alas,
what fliall become of him ? Can he that is
God's enemy fee God in his glory ? No,
there is no way but one. Except herepenty
Except'] he be bom again.
Thirdly, Except by a new birth, man
is without Chrifty Eph. ii. 12. for If any
man be in Chrift, he is a new creature :
and if he be not in Chrift, what hopes of
that man ? It is only Chrifl that opens
heaven, it is only Chrift that is the Il''ay
to heaven ; befidcs him, there is no xuay,
no truth, no life: and, if wc be in him,
as the branch in t^e vine, it is of necefTi-
ty that we bring forth good fruit. Upon
thefe terms his death is effeftual, if we
become neiu creatures ; or otherwife, all
his merits (his blood that was flied, his
body that was crucified, his foul that was
agonized) they are nothing iinto us, we
. nothing bettered by them. He died for
all, but his death is not applied, his king-
dom is not opened, fave only imto thoi'e
that have learned and praftifed this rule
o'f exception : Except'] a man be born again.
Fourthly, Except before excepted, a
man is a very limb of Satan, a child of
darknefs, and one of the family of hell.
Conlider this, ye ihat are out of the flate
of grace, in what miferablc thraldom are
;^'Our fouls ? Should any call you fervants,
or flaves of Satan, you would take it
highly in difdain ; but take it as you pleafe,
if you are not regenerate, you are in no
better cafe ? Paul appeals to your own
knowlege; Knew ye not, that to whonifo-
evtr you give yowfelves as fervants to
obeyy his fervants ye arc to whom ye obey?
Rom. vi. 16. If then ye obey the devil's
fuggeftions (which you do, being unborn)
what are you but the devil's fervants ?
And if he be your maflcr, what is your
B 1 RTH.
wages? You may fee it, Rom. vi. 2j.
The wages of fin is death; death of the
body, and death of the foul; death here,
and death hereafter in hell-fire. Alas, that
Satan fiiould have this power on man ! that
he who is the enemy, and means nothing
to a finner but death and damnation,
fliould be his lord, and tyrannize it over
him at his own will and pleafure ! AVould
any man be hired to ferve lions and tygcrs ?
And is not the devil a roaring lion, walk-
ing about ^and fecking who7n he may devour?
I Pet. V. 8. To ferve him that would de-
vour his fervant, is a raofl: miferable bon-
dage; and what pay can one cxpeft from
devils, but roaring, and devouring, and
tearing of fouls ? In this plight are the fer'
vants of corruption, Haves of Satan, fo I
rightly call them ; for, Of whom a man
is overcome, of the fame is he brought in
bondage, 2 Pet. ii. 19. To wind up this
point ; Lord, who fhall abide in thy taber-
nacle, who fh all dwell in thy holy hill?
If we believe David, Not he that flander-
eth with his tongue, or doth evil to his
neighbour, or giveth his money upon ufury,
or taketh a reward againj} the innocent,
Pfal. XV. I, 3, 5. Ko; fuch are the fer-
vants of Satan, and here is matter of ex-
ception againft them ; except a man be born
again, he cannot fee the kingdoin of God,
The fum of all: Without Regeneration
no Kingdom; for whether we confider
man in regard of himfelf or of Cod, or
of Chrifl, or of Satan, hQ U {except he be
new born) unholy. Cod's enemy, cut of
Chrif}, in Satan.
Ufe. And if the New Birth be thus ne-
cell'ary.how fliould we f labour to be born
again ? I mean not, as Nicodemus, to enter
into our another s womb again, and be born.
It is not the feed of man in the woriib of
our mother, but the feed of grace in the
\ Thus isthclanguage of God; I faii. Mold me, to a nation that wat not called by my name, Ifa. Ixv.
womb
The NEW B I R TH,
womb of the church, that makes us blef-
fed (<a) : and if we are thus born by grace,
then are we fanflificd, made fons of
God, heirs with Chrift, over whom Sa-
tan can have no power at all. Now then,
as you tender your fouls, and delire hea-
ven at your ends, endeavour * to at-
tain this Qtie thing necejjary \ \ Lift up
your hearts unto God, that you may be
•wafhed, jujiified, fan6iified in the name
of the Lord Jefiis ; and that by the Spirit
of God you may walk in new ways, talk
with new tongues, as being new creatures,
created unto good works. Thus would
you % wait on God in his way, I trufl the
Lord in mercy would remember you,
and his Spirit would blow upon you, and
then you would find and feel fuch a change
within you, as that you would blefs God
for ever, that you were thus bom again :
otherwife how woful are you, confidering
this bar in heaven's door, to keep out th&
unregenerate, except'] Except a man be bom
again, he cannot fee the kingdom 0} God.
Thus far of the exception ; we now
come to the perfon, that is in a nifi prius
in the front, except : this is the party that
muft profecute the caufe, a man.
A Man]
AND this man] is every man, and e-
very part of man. It implieth all
men ; for all are bound to it : and all man ;
for all the parts of his body, and all the
powers of his foul are to be renewed, or
he cannot be faved. 1 he word then is
general, whether we refpeft genera Jingn-
lorum, the kinds, all men ; ox fingida ge-
nerum, the individuums, all man, or all
the parts of man, body and foul.
A\'e will firft begin with the kinds.
Do(5l. I . J!l men {or all mankind) mufl
be regenerated before they he faved. Not
one of all the fons of Adam that fhall ever
go to heaven, except he he born again.
IMay your contemplations, guided by God's
M'ord, go into that paradife above, there
walk the ftreets, behold the towers, view
the fubjefts, frojjithe one end of heaven to
another : and whom find you there ? Not
one that liveth and dieth in fin ; there is
not in it, nor fliall enter into it any thing
that defileth, neither xvhatfoever ivorketh
aboynination, or maketh a lie. Rev. xxi.
27. Yet if fuch repent them of their fins,
the gates fiall net be ftmt againfi- them :
all the faints that now -coalk in the light of
it, were finners ; but firft they were purg-
ed by the Lamb, and fan6\ified by the Spi-
rit; firft they were regenerated, and fo
they were faved.
You may obie(^, If all men that go to
heaven mufi: be new born, what fliall be-
come of infants, that die ere they be born?
Can a inan enter the fecond time into his
mother's womb, and be born ? (faid Nico-
demus). But can a man enter into the
fecond birth in his mother's womb, (fay
you) and be born again, before he is once
born ?
I anfwer [To he born again] fuppofeth
to be once born indeed ; therefore, ac-
cording to the letter, our Saviour fpeak-
eth of a man already born info the world,
that he mufl be born again : but if we feek
out the fenfe, [To he horn again], as our
Saviour interprets, is to be born of wa-
ter and of the Spirit ; and fo may infants
not born into the world, be horn again.
{a) Thefe exprefllons, although pithy and juU, are yet coarlertban tl.ofe fcnpture phrafcs; where the fameftn-
timent is exprelfcd, but in finer language ; John in, 13.
* Tbui ivhijjl the minljier [peaks, it is ChriJ} Cometh with poiver in the "word, Ezek, xviii. 3 1 .
t Pray, becauji God Inddcth yon pray : it may be he ivill come in ivbeii you prciy. When Simon Magus -wes in the
gall of hitteniejs, TeUr biddeth him pray, A<fls viii. ai.
\ Not that -we can imit by a power of our own, but he that faith. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be
gracious to you, Ifa.xxx, 18. He draweth and giveth a power to wait en him, and he comctliin, when kehatb waited,
in the fttejl time.
Thus
rhe ISl EJF B IRTH.
Thus we read offeremiah, The word of the
Lord came unto hirn, faying. Tie fore 1 form-
ed thee in the belly ^ I knew thee ; and be-
fore thou came ft forth out of the womb, I
fanclified thee, Jer. i. 5. And thus we
read of; John thebaptifl, the angel of the
Lord faying of him, \}c\z\. he fhould he filled
with the holy Ghoji, ei>enfrom his mother'' s
womb, Luke 1. 15. By thefe examples
we fee what the Lord can do ; yea what he
doth indeed, although we know not how,
nor can it be obferved by us.
You may yet objefl, ["To be horn again"]
is (faith our Saviour) \Jo be horn of water
and of the Spirit :1 now water is the out-
ward bnptifm, ana^he Spirit is the inward
grace, (thus all the Ancients % haveconftru-
cd this text,faith Hooker) but children not
born, howfoever they are fanftified by the
Spirit, they cannot be baptized with wa-
ter, and therefore they cannot fee the king'
dom of God,
I anfwer. In cafes of extremity, or im-
poITibility, if aftual baptifm be wanting,
vocal is enough, and thus far fome of our
adverfaries grant us; Though it be wanting
indeed, (faid Aquinas, 3. part. q. 68. art.
2.) yet baptifm in defire is fuffi:ient to fal-
vation : and to this end he citeth Auftin,
faying, San^ification may be without bap-
tifm, and baptifm without fan^ification :
if fan£iification be, though baptifm be not,
it availeth to falvation ; but if baptifm be,
and fan^ if cation be not, it availeth no-
thing at all. Our conclufion is this, All
men, (or all mankind) young men and
maidens, old men and children, Pf. cxlviii.
12. all muft be regenerated, or they can
never Cee the Kingdom of God.
Doci. 2. Secondly, As all men, fo all
man"] all the members of liis body, all the
faculties of his foul. San^ification, if
faving, mufl be perfe^ and entire, though
not in r(fpc6} of degrees, yet in refpeci of
parts; every part and power of body and
foul mufl: have its part of fanftification,
though no part his full perfeftion, before
the difTolution of our earthly tabernacles:
hence (fiy divines) there is a regenerati-
on, or fanfrificntion (it is all one) inchoata
and confionmata ; inchoata, begun in this
life, confummata, perfcfted in that other :
and of tkis faith our Saviour, Matth. xix.
28. Verily I fay unto yon, that ye rv ho
have followed me in the regeneration, when
the Son of man (hall ft in the throne of
his glory, ye fiall alfo Jit upon twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael:
we fpeak not of this Regeneration, but of
that which bringeth to this ; for we mufl
be regenerate here, or have no part there
with God in his glory.
And fliould we confider Man in his
parts, every part mufl: bear a part in this
birih ; his Body mu(t be regenerated," his
Soul mull: be renewed. We will begin
with the body : As ye have yielded your
fnembers fervants to uncleannefs, and to
iniquity unto iniquity ; even fo no-dj yield
your members fervants to righteoufiefs,
unto holinefs, Rom. vl. 19. As every mem-
ber of the old ?}ian is full of fin ; fo every
member of the new born ?nan is to be re-
newed by grace. To inftance in fome of
them ; the Heart, that in the old ?nan is
full of evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, falfe witnefs, blafphe-
mies, Matth. xv. 19. In the new man, it
is the member that mufl hrft be renewed ;
here grace firft (eats itfelf, and after is dif-
perfcd over all : as in natural generation
the heart is firfl framed; fo in fpiriiual re-
generation the heart is lirfl reformed.
Some call it the firlt mover of all mtns'ac-
\ Bcllarn-.inc {in V'jL ii- hr,k 1. Of the cfTi -acy of t'le ficramcnts) wftancdh in no lejs th,vi fifteen Fathers, wko ilvn
coKjinut! this text, liowkcr's Ecdcf. I'olit. book. v. fed, 59.
tions ;
rhe NEW
lions ; for as the firll mover carrieth all
the fpheres of heaven with it, fo doth the
heart carry all the members of the body
with it; and therefore it is, that the new
7«i7« begin neth firfl with his heart: for, if
that fountain be right, all the dreams of
his delires, purpofes, afFe6\ions, fpeeches,
adlions, converfations run fweet, and clear,
and pleafant. Again the eye, that in the
old man is the broaker, that goeth between
the heart and the objecft, to make up the
iinful bargain ; that which our Saviour
calleth an evil eye, Matth. vi. 23. St. Pe-
ter termeth an adulterous eye, 2 Pet. ii.
14. In the new man itmufl: be exercifed on
other obje£ls; / made a covenant with mine
eyes (faith Job, chap. xxxi. i.) Why then
Jloould I look upon a ?naid ? I will lift up
mine eyes unto the hills (faith David'), Pfal.*
cxxi. I .) from whence comet h mine help.
Again, the ear, that in the old man \°, flop-
ped againjl the voice of the charmer, charm
he never fo wifely; Pfal. Iviii. 5.' or if it
be open, like death's porter, it letteth in
fin and Satan at every occafion ; in the
new man it mult be the gate of life, or the
door of faith : therefore there is not a mem-
ber that the devil more envieth than the
ear, as we fee in the man poHeired with a
deaf devil, Mark ix. 25.; who poiTefTed that
fenfe, as the moft excellent, to hinder him
from hearing. Again, the tongue, that in
the old jnan is a world of iniquity, that
defileth the whole body, that fetteth on (ire
the courfe of nature, and is fet on fire of
hell, Jam. iii. 6. In the new man it mufl:
be the trumpet of divine praife, or (as
David calleth it) the pen of a ready writer,
Pfalm xlv. I. uttering only thofe things
which the heart inditeth in fincerity and
truth. To fum up all in one : the heart
is it, where, grace beginneth firfl, and is
felt lai\; and therefore faith God, Son, give
BIRTH. 7
tne thy heart, Prov. xxiii. 26. And there-
fore prayeth David, Create in me a clean
heart, Pfal. li. 10. And therefore willeth
Solomon,A><r/> thy heart with all diligence ;
jor out of it are the ijfues of life, Prov. iv.
23. Would any man that is regenerate en-
counter fin in his heart, it wei-e impofiihle
to break out into action : Would the heart
of any man that \s born again, but meet
fir^ with this dilemma: ' If I commit this
* fin, I mufl either repent, or not repent
' for it ; if I do repent, it will coit me
' more heart-break, and fpiritual fmart,
' than the fenfual pleafure can be worth :
* if I never repent, it will be the death and
* damnation of my foul:' fure this thought
conceived, and rightly followed in the
heart of the regenerate, would be enough
tocrulh fin at the firfl rifing of it ; and'fo
it is, for if he be regenerate, he doth not
^fin *, JVhofoever is born of God doth not
commit fin, i John iii, 9, He is mould-
ed anew, and all the members of his body
are conformed to the fovereignty and rule
of grace; yt2L,his body is preferved blame-
lefs, holy, acceptable unto God, i ThefT. v.
23. Rom. xii. i. It is a ynember ofChriJi;
the temple of the holy Ghofl, i Cor. vi.
15. 19. Happy man that isblefiwith this
body ! fure, a man thus born again, he
Jh all fee the kingdom of God.
Secondly, as the Body, fo the Soul of
this man is to be renewed by grace ; There-
fore glorifie God in your body and in your
fpirit, (faith Paul, i Cor. vi. 20.) The
body and the fpirit muft both glorifie God;
and as all the parts of the body, fo all the
powers of the foul.
Firfi, Thq Underflanding, that in the
old man, Eph. iv. 18. is blind and ignor-
ant about heavenly things; or howibever
it may know many things, yet never can
attain to faving knowledge : in the new man
* The meaning is, he doth not fin haHtually; he does not delight in finning ; he is not zjlavc to fin. or the fcrvant
of it; and if. at any time, through the force of temptation, or the weaknefs and impcrfcaion ot'his graces, he'
faileth into fin, he is heartily ^rit-w^/ for it, finct rely repents, and rtturntth to hisduty.
it
8
The N Eir B I RTH.
it muft be anointed with the eye-/h/ve of
••he Spirit, J^ev. iii. i8. infpircd with the
Knowledge of divine truths, cfpecially with
thofefacredand faving myftcries which con-
cern i/^e kingdom of God. Again, t he JH II thtii
in the crlcl man affe(^ls nothing but vile and
vain things, is froward and perverfe in the
ways of godlinefs ; in the «(?xu man'w. mufl:
prove and approve what is x!nt good, and ac-
ceptable, andperfeclivillofCod, Rom. xii.
2. Yea, it muft attend and be fiibordinate to
thegraceofGod,finceGod indeed, and God
onlyiuorkethinus both thewill andthe deed,
Phil. ii. 13. Again, the Memory that in
the old man Is flipp^ry in the things of God,
or if naturally good, yet not fpiritually
nfeful; in the new man it mufl be fanfti-
fied to good performances; and although
it cannot increafe to a great natural perfec-
tion, (for grace doth not this) yet the per-
feflions it hath mufl be Araight, and right,
and guided to God- ward ; Remember the
Lord thy Cod, faith Mofes, Deut. viii. x8.
Again, the confcience that in the old man
fleepeth and flumbereth, or, if it be awake,
teareth and roareth as if a legion of devils
now pofleifed it : in the new man it mufl
be calm and quiet; and yet not fleep or
Ilumber, but rather, in a friendly loving
manner, check and controul wherefoever
fin is; yea, never be quiet, until with kind
and yetearnell expolUilations, it draw the
finncr before God to confefs his fault, and
fo feek pardon for it. Again, the affe^i-
ons that in the old man are fenfual, inor-
dinate, bewitched, and fet on wrong ob-
jects ; in the new man ihey mufl be turn-
ed another way. Mary Magdalene, you
know, was given to unclean lulls, but the
Lord diverted this linful pafTion, and fo flie
became penitent, and tliirltcd after grace.
To fum up all : all mufl be renewed, the
Undtr (landing, J nil, Memory, Confcience,
Jfcaions.
But to feel more of their fweetnefs, I
will pound thefe fpices, and dwell a while
on them. Now then for your better ac-
quaintance with the regenerate man, and
that you may know his diiference from the
man unregenerate, obferve, I pray, thefe
palfages :
Firf}, I fay, in the }ieiv man the Under-
flanding mufl be renewed ; fo the apoflle.
The nexv man is renewed in knowledge, Col.
iii. 10. And this knowledge implieth two
habits, (fapientiam) IVifdom, and (pruden-
tiam) Prudence, Col. i. 9. Firfl, IVifdom,
and that is fpeculative. Secondly, Pru-
dence, and that is praflical. By the one
the child of God having the eyes of his mind
opened and enlightened, doth fee the my-
fleries of falvation, the fecrets of the king-
dom, the whole counfel, and the wonders
of the law of God : by the other he is ena-
bled with a judicious lincerity to deliberate
and determine in cafes of confcience, in
the pra£lice of piety, and the experiment-
al palTages of a Chriftian man. If we con-
lidcr the firfl, (wifdom) how is it poffible
that a man that is unregenerated fhould
know the myfleries of falvation I It may
be he may go as far as the power of natu-
ral difcourfe, and light of reafon can bear
fway ; he may be furniihed with flore of
rare and excellent learning, and yet for all
this, want the true knowledge oijpiritual
wifdom. A\'hy fo ? Becaufe all his knowledge,
like the light of the moon, is difcharged
tipon others, but never returneth and re-
ile<fleth upon his own foul *. He fliould
know but knoweth not the darknefs of his
own underflanding, the diforder of hisown
afl'e<flions,thcllumberofhisown confcience,
the dcadnefs of his own heart; but the man
* I(c that knows every thing but hisown licait, knows iiotl •n(» at all.— One moy-fay of fclf-knowleJgc, what
the apoHle fays of ciiarity ;. Thow^h I fpfuk vAth the to gna of mot and cf aiigch ; yea, tho' I have the gift of pro-
fhecj, uiidcrjiand (ill najlenes, and all hio-alct'^e, and have not the knowledge ofm)rclf. it Iroftcth m natU'ij.
re-
n^e NEW
regenerate (know he never fo little) he hath
tkefavi72g know/edge, and in this he exceed-
eth the greateft rabbles, the profoundeft
clerks ; he only knoweth God with a fted-
faft apprehenfion, he only knoweth him-
felf a moft mean, bnfe and contemptible
thing : his ne-jj birth hath learned him how
wicked a creature he naturally is, and
therefore in that refpe<fl is he odious to
himfelf, and loaihfome in his own eyes.
Or if we confider xht fecond, (prudeniiam.
Prudence) how is it poffible that a man un-
regenerate fhould experimentally know the
pradlice of piety in a Ghriflian courfe ?
Should we inftance in this myfiery of rege-
neration : here is one NicodemuSy a ruler of
the JewSy and a teacher of Ifrael ; yet as
learned as he was, if he confer with Chrifl
about the falvation of his foul, he is ftrange-
ly childhh, and a mere infant : tell him of
the Ne-w Birthy and he thinketh it as im-
polTible, as for an old wan to return into
his 7nothei'''s womb, and be born again. The
natural man cannot difcern the operations
of grace, he knoweth not that dark and
fearful pafTage, which leadeth from the Aate
of nature through ftrange terrors and tor-'
ments of foul, int9 the rich and glorious
happinefs of the kingdom of Chrift: where-
as on the contrary, the regenerate man,
that hath had the experience of the power
of godlinefs upon his own foul, he can fee
and judge of the light of grace, he can tafte
and relifh of the fruits of the Spirit ; and
hence it is, that many a filly one (man and
woman) whom the worldly-wife pafs by
with fcorn and contempt, are often in fpi-
ritual affairs more wife and learned than
the learnedft doctors.
Secondly^ The will muft be renewed ;
and this Will of the regenerate containeth
two things, (re£litudinem) Rightnefsy and
BIRTH. i^
(promptitudinem) Readinefs i it is firft rec-
tified, when it is conformed to the wil!
of God. 2dly, it is fo inflamed wiih the ■■'
love of goodnefs, that he wi'Iingly purfu-
eth it with alacrity of fpirit. If we con-
fider the Firjl, (reSiitjidinem, the Recfi-
tude of the Will) we fee by experience the
will of the unregenerate is all out of
courfe, he willeth nothing but that which
is evil : how flaould he, confidering his want
of God's image, his blindnefs of heart, his
pronenefs to evil, together with the vehe-
mency of his afTeftions, which draw the
will after them, and trouble the judgment ••
But in the man that is regenerate, the will
being moved, it afterwards moveth itfelf,
God's grace that concurreth with it, quick -
eneth it and reviveth it ; fo that now his
will is nothing but God's will : if it may
appear that God biddeth him, or forbid-
deth him, to do this, or that, he choof-
*th above all to follow his commands,
whatfoever becomes of him ; why this is
the X very heart and marrow of regenera-
tion; you may be fure, the man that choof-
eth above all to pleafe God, is the only man
of God, and fhall be rewarded by God. — •
Or if we confider the Second (promptitudi-
nem, the Readincfs of the will to good) alas,
the will of the unregenerate hath no plea-
fure in goodnefs, he underftandeth not the
fweetnefs of it, and therefore nothing is
more irkfome to him than the ways of god-
inefs, Job xxi. 14. Whereas on the con-
trary, the will of the regenerate is willing,
and this willingnefs indeed is the perfedion
of his will ; yea (if we can fay more) it is
the higheft degree of his perfedlion in this
life, to be willing to do good.
Thirdly, the Memory muft be renewed;
and this memory refledeth occafionally on
a double objeft (Deum et Dei verbum ; on
VT '"'.' P"*^' °'' *° choofe Chnft, or to confent that Cluirt (hall be ours, together with hij benefits, may be
coT.n.lent with an unregenerate eftate : but to ^\\\ or choofe Chrifl more heartily, firongly and prevailingly than his
plealures ct mfcnor good ; no wicked njan can do. Baxter's cvalafdng Reft, ^^ "^ ^ "• ^ >
G Cod,
The JSl EW B IRTH.
lo
C(yd, and the things of Cod.) Firft On God,
by remembrance of his prefence every
where. Secondly, On the things of God,
by calling them to mind at ufeful times.
If vc confider the firft objeifl:, {Deum) God,
the unregenerate hath no mind on God :
Cod is not in all his thoughts, Pfal. x. 4.
Like the hood-winkt fool, that feeing no
body, thinketh no body feeth lym ; fo hath
he faid in his heart, Hovj doth Cod know ?
can he judge through the dark cloud ? Thick
clouds are a covering to him that he feeth not,
and he lualketh in the circuit of heaven, Job
xxii. 13, 14. But contrariwife, the regene-
rate man, he retneiyibereth his Creator in
the days of his yd%th, Ecclef. xii. i. And
though God, as being a Spirit, is, in fome
fort, abfent from his fenfes, yet by virtue of
his landlified Mtmory (which maketh things
abfent as prefent) his eye is on God, and he
confiders God as an eye-witnefs of all his
thoughts, and words, and doings, and deal-
ings ; he knows nothing can be hid from
that all-feeing eye : though fin tempt him
u'ith the fairefl opportunities of night and
darknefs, yet Hill he remembers if his eye
feeth nothing, all thofe eyes of heaven (of
God and of his angels) are ever about him ;
and therefore he anfvvers the Tempter,
* How dare I fin to his face, that looks on
* me what I am doing ? If I dare not do this
* folly before men, how dare I do it before
* thofe heaven-fpeftators, God and his an-
gels V Or if we confider ihtfecond objed^
(^Deiverbum, thewordofCod) the unregene-
rate never burdeneth his memory with fuch
blefled thoughts; if fometimcs he falls up-
on it, it is either by conftraint, or by ac-
cident, never with any fettled refolution to
dwell on it, or to follow it : but the foul
that is regenerate, with Mary, keepeth all
■thefe things in his heart, Luke ii. 51. Or
"with David, gives it out, Thy word have I
hid in my heart, Pfal.cxix. 1 1. Whatfoever
lelFons he Icarneth, like fo many jewels in a
caiket, he lays them up fafe, and then as
need ferveth, he remembers bis Acre, and
makes all the good ufe of them he may. I
will not deny, but any man, good or evil,
may retain good things according to that
ftrength of retainment, which nature af-
fords him ; but the regenerate, whofe me-
mory only is fandVified, whatfoever he re-
tains, he hath it opportunely at hand; in
temptation or afHidtion he remembers and
applies, and fo remembering to apply, and
applying that he remembers, he is thereby
enabled to refift evil, or to follow thofe
good things which the Lord hath com-
manded.
Fourthly, the Ccnfcience muft be renew*
ed, and that two ways ; either by drawing
the foul [_ad bonum, or a malo'] to good,
or from evil, i . To good, by inclining and
encouraging; 2. From evil, by reftraining
and bridling. If we confider its firft oN
fice, in that it draws and leads the foul \_ad
bonitm'] to good, I con fefs the unregenerate
is not of that confcience, for the moft part
his confcience lies dead in his bofom, or,
if it flir fometimes, he labours all he can
to fmother it in his waking : to fuch an
one fhould men and angels preach, yet fo
far is he bewitched with fin that he hath no
mind of goodnefs, or if he do any good
a£l (which is a rare thing with him) it is not
out of confcience to do good, but for fome
finifter end or refpeft. It is otherwifc with
the regenerate, his confcience incites him
to good, and he doth good out of confci-
ence; he ftands not upon terms of plca-
fure or profit, but his confcience being
guided by the rule and fqvaare of God's ho-
ly truth, he fubmits to it merely out of his
obedience to God : hence it is, that come
what will come, well or wo, his eye is fixt
on God, and if man oppofe where God
commands, he is quickly refolved out of
that in Ifaiah li. 12. / even I am he that
comforteth you ; who art thou, that thou
f}}ouldefi be ajraidof a man that (hall die,
and of the fon of man who fh all be made as
grafs ? and forgettej} the Lord thy Maker,
that hath Jlrstched forth the heavens, and
laid
The NEW BIRTH.
laid the fmindaiions of the earth ? Or, if
we confider the fee on d office of confclence,
in drawing the foul \_a malo'] from evil,
the unregenerate either hears not, or heeds
not his reclaiming confcience ; if it fpeak,
he firft goes about to lull it afleep again ;
or if it cry out, and will not peace, then,
(in fpite of goodnefs) he runs out of one
jfin into another, and ufually from pre-
fumption to defpair. On the other fide,
the regenerate hath a confcience that draws
him from, and keeps him out of evil : 'tis
known efpecially by thefe two properties,
remorfe and tendernejs : remorfe hath an
eye on ^fins pafi ; tendernefs hath an eye
on all y7«i to come : by remorfe is bred for-
row for fin, and loathing of fin ; no fooner
he confiders how by his manifold fins he
hath offended God, crucified Chrift, griev-
ed the holy Spirit, but his heart bleeds and
breaks that he hath done fo wickedly a-
gainft fo gracious a God ; this forrow for
fin brings with it a loathing of fin, he can-
not but hate it that hath caufed his heart
break, yea, he hates it and hates the very
thought of it ; every look-back is a new
addition of deteftation, and every medita-
tion makes the wound of his remorfe to
bleed again and again : by tendernefs of
confcience is bred a care and watchfulnefs
to avoid fin to come ; for no fooner is fin
prefented to his confcience but he ftartles
at its fight, and thinks on its vanity, and
meditates on that ftrift and general account
he muft one day make for it ; which thoughts
and fin put together in the baknce, he dares
not do wickedly for a world of gain : and
you may obferve it, this tendernefs, or
eafinefs to bleed at the apprehenfion of fin,
is proper and peculiar to that confcience
alone that is enlightened and fanftified, and
purged by Ghrift.
ir
Fifthly, the JJfeHions muft be renew-
ed, and that is done by fettingthem upon
right objeas. I fhalfinftance in fome of
them, as Love, Hatred, Hope, Fear, Joy^
Sorrow. Love, I place firft, which, in the
unregenerate man, is faftened inordinately
upon the creature ; and, as one fin begets
another, fo on whatfoever objeft it fall, it
begets fome fin : thus the love of honour
breeds ambition, love of riches breeds co-
vetoufnefs, love of beauty breeds lull, love
of pleafure breeds fenfuality ; whatfoever
he loves (the objecfl being earthly) it brings
with it fome fin, and thereby (the worft of
all) he wickedly prefers earth before heaven,
a dunghill before paradife, a few bitter-
fweet pleafures for an inch of time, before
unmixed and immeafurable joys world with-
out end : but the regenerate man fettles
his love upon other obje<5ls ; as he that is
carnal mindeth things carnal, fo he that is
*fpiritual loveth things fpiritual ; na foon-
er is he turned (by a found and universal
change of the whole man) from darknefs
-to light, and from the power of Satan un-
to^ God, Aflsxxvi. i8. but he prefently be-
gins to fettle with fome fweet contentment
upon the flowers of paradife, heavenly
glimpfes, faving graces, and his infinite
love runs higher and higher, till it imbrace
him that dwelleth in the higheft, * God al-
mighty : and how fweet is that love that
cafteth itfelf wholly into the bofom of his
Maker? how blefled is thatman, that yearns,
and melts, and cleaves, and flicks unto his
gracious God above all ? why, this is right
love, and for this is the Church commend-
ed, Cant. i. 4. The righteous love thee, or,
as others tranflate, amat in re&itudinibus,
fhe loves thee righteoufly ,• her love is fet
above all upon the right object, God : not
that the regenerate loves nothing tiie, for
• I am perfi,adcd there is no wicked man amongft us. but he bath fome love to Chrift. better or lefs; only
JcrHheth B^r\t^^ ''' ' ""'"' ^^ ^°''" ^" '''^'"''' "'"^"S* '"'''*^ '^*n ^"^^ ^'l ^»' 'his he
C« he
^2 The NEW BIRTH.
be loves the law, Pfalm.cxlx. 165. the mi- trcd, which David calls a perfeSl hatred,
mfters, 1 ThelT. v. 13. and all the ordi- according to the perfe6lion in parts, but
nances'of God appointed for his good; but not in degrees (Jnlcn/ive non extetifive)-.
w'hofoever he loves, it reflects upon God, never any but Chrill hated lln to the full,
he loves all for God, and God for himfelf. with all his ftrength, and with all his might;
The fecond affection is Hatred, which but in fome meafure his fervant's hatred is
in the unregenerate is fo inordinate, that perfeff, which makes him alwa3's hate /In
he is an hater of Cod, Rom. i. 30. not in others and often in himfelf, when after
that he hates God in himfelf (for God is the commiffion of any evil he begins to re-
univcrfally good, and cannot be hated) but pent him, and to abh-.r himfelf {zs Job did)
in fomc particular refpe^:, becaufe he re- in dufi and afhes, Job. xlii. 6.
drains him from his pleafure, or puniQieth The third affeaion is hope (this I rather
him for his fin, or croflTeth his Icud ap- name than dejire, becaufe whatfoever we
petites by his holy commands. And as he hope for, we cannot but ij: defire it, and fo
hates God, fo lik(%ife his brother, 1 John it is implied in it.) Now this hope in the
ii. II. Hence arlfe thofe envies, emulati- unregenerate is faflened on this -world, and
ons, jars, contentions amongft thofe that the things of this -world-, he hopeth for
profefs themfelves chriftians ; of which preferment, riches, or the like ; as for his
Paul could hy, A brother goeth to la-w-with hope of heaven, it is but {foynnium vigi-
a brother. I Cor. vi. 6. But of all hreth- lantium) a waking man's dream ; a dream,
ren, he hates them moft, of whom ovix Sa- faid I ? Yes, as dreams in the night fill us
- i)iouris thefirfl-born-, Rom. viii. 29. God's with illufions and vain forms, (you know
faithful ones ever were, and ever will be a beggar may dream he is a king) fo hope
figns, and -ivofiders, and monfters unto ma- abufing the imagimtion of the unregene-
'tty - afcorn, reproach a>rd derifion to them rate, filleth their fouls many a time with
that are round about them, Ifa. viii. 18. vain or empty contentments : but the hope
I'fal Ixxi. 7. Pfal. Ixxix. 4. But he that of the regenerate both enjoys the right ob-
is regenerate hates fin, and in whomfoe- jeft and right means j his eye is fixed on
ver fin rules or reigns, he cannot but hate future good, and he endeavours to purfue
them, Do not 1 hate them, Lord, that hate it till he get the pofleffion ; if in the pur-
thee '■" (faith David) and am not I grieved fuit he meet with crofles, lofles, griefs, dif-
i^vith thofe that rife up againji thee ? Pfal. graces, ficknefTcs, or any other calamities,
2 1 Not that David, or any faint his hope is able to fweeten the bitterefi mi-
cxxxix
of God! hates the perfon of any one, but fery that can poOibly befal him ; the afflic-
iin in the perfon, or he is faid to hate them tions of this life bid him look for a better,
for fins fake that is in them ; in this refpea a crofs here minds him of the glory above ;
he bids them defiance in the vcrfe enfuing, and howfoever this hope may have many
/ hate them -with a perfc-a hatred, 1 count diffiailties and wreftlings in him, (thcre-
■ihemmine enemies, Pfal. cxxxix. 22. I fore it is compared to an anchor, which
know there is a perpetual combat in the holdeth the fiiip in a ftorm, Hch. vi. 19.)
rcscnerate betwixt the flcfii and the fpirit, yet it holdeth and flicks fo firm to God
and therefore we mufl underftand this ha- and his promiies above all, that he is con-
1 Many that pcrllli. may def.re. and hope, and love Gcxi. and Chria. and heaven ; but they dcfire. and hope and
lovl iome inferior Kood more ; he th.t ddirc*. and hopes, and loves God hnccrely and iavingly. he dotn all th.s
fuprcmciy ; Ggd above all tilings clfc. BasUr'i nJU fident
The NEW B
•fident, that after this life an heavenly crown
fliall be fet on his head by the hands of
God and his angels.
The fourth affection is fear, which in
the unregenerate is either worldly, or fer-
vile : if it faften on the world, then he f car-
et h the lofs of his credit or of his profit,
and becaufe he and the world muft part at
lafl, he feareth this feparation above all
fears : deaths (faith the wife man) how
bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man
that liveth at refl in his pojfejfons, unto
the man that hath nothijig to vex him, and
that hath profperity in all things, Eccl. 41.
I . O thefe thoughts of thefe grifly forms
and ugly face of death, of the parting
from all worldly pleafures for ever, of his
rotting in the grave, dragging to the tri-
bunal, and terror of the lafl: day, they can-
not but make his heart to ^fhrug together
for horror, and many time to quake and
tremble like an afpine-Ieaf : or, if his fear'
reflect on God, then is it a fervile fear :
for, as the fervant or hireling worketh
not for love of his mafier, but only for
fear of puni/hment ; or, as the adulterotis
woman is afraid of her husband, not out
of love or affedion, but left he reward her
to her foul demerits : fo he feareth God
for fear of punilhment due unto him from
God : it is otherwife with the man that is
born again, his fear is either initial ox fi-
lial; in pangs of the new birth, or in the
new born babe it is called initial {yjeems~\^
becaufe then he cafteth away fin, both out
of God's love, to which he hath partly at-
tained, and out of the v/oeful efFefts of
lin, which he hath thoroughly confidered ;
with the right eye he beholdeth God, and
with the left eye he beholdeth punifliment ;
fo that this fear is a middle (as it were) be-
tween fervile and filial fear : and as the
needle draweth in the threed, fo this fear
draweth in charity, and maketh way for
filial fear, to which, if by growth in grace
IRTH, II
he be fully ripened, then he feareth God
out of love to God, as the prophet Ifaiah
proclaimeth. The fear of the Lord is his
treafure, Ifa. xxxiii. 6. Never was treafure
more dear to the worldling, than is God's
fear to the regenerate ; his love of God,
his defire to pleafeGod, and his fear of be-
ing feparated from God keeps him in fuch
awe, that though no punifliment, no death,
no hell were at all, yet he would not hn
wickedly, wilfully, and malkioufly, for a
world of treafures.
Tht fifth affeftion is Joy, which in the
unregenerate is merely fenfual and bruti(h ;
it hath no better object than gold, or great-
nefs, or offices, or honours, or the like :
and what are all thefe but a fliadow, a
(liip, a bird, an arrow, a port that pafTeth
by, or rather as crackling of thorns under
a pot, as liaihes of lightning before ever-
lalfing fire ? But the joy of the regenerate
'is a fpiritual joy, and the inatter of it is
the light of God's countenance, or the robe
of Chrift's righteoufnefs, or the promife
of God's word; or,above all, God Almighty,
blefTed evermore : thus David ; lVho?n have
1 in heaven but thee P and there is none up-
on earth that I defire befides thee, Pfal.
Ixxiii. 25. Why, this is that joy which
no man can conceive, but he that enjoy-
eth it ; this is that white fione, Rev. ii. 17.
whofe fplendor fhineth only upon heaven-
ly hearts ; this is that glimpfe of heaven's
glory, which fpringing up in a fandtified
heart, out of the wells of falvation, and
carried along with adddition of frefh com-
forts (from the word and facraments)
through a fruitful current and courfe of
man's life, is at lafl entertained into the
boundlefs and bottomlefs ocean of the joys
of heaven. I will not fay, but fometimes
it may be affaulted, and flopped with fome
doubts, or diflruff, or weakneffes of de-
gree, yet in refpe£l of its creation, or ef-
fence, or blifsful iffue, it is (faith one *)
Bolton's Walk -with Cad,
very
14 ^^^^
a very gltmple of heaven^ a pure tajle of
the rivers of life, and firfl- fruits (as he
cdllsit) ofcvcr!af}ingjoys.
Thefixth affeflion isforrow, which in
the iinregeneratc is a \vor\d\y for ro-M, and
the effedts of it are death : fo the apoftle,
the forrow of the ivorld worketh death, 2
Cor. vii. 10. In this kind how endlefs are
the forrows of men for their lofTes or crof-
fes that fometimes may befal them ? And
howfoever fome may endeavour to com-
fort them in Chrift, they are fo dead heart-
ed that notliing can perfuade, nothing re-
lifli with them that concerns heaven or fal-
vation : but in the regenerate,y5rroiy looks
up to God wards, ^ot that the beholding
of God in himfelf can bring forrow to a
man, for he is a moft comfortable objefV,
•which made David fay, The light of thy
countenance is gladnefs to my heart, Pfal.
iv. 6, 7. but the beholding of fin which
hindereth from the clear fight of that ob-
jecV, this is it which breeds forroxv, and
this the apoftle czXhgodly forroiVy "working
repentance tofalvation, not to be repented
of 2 Cor. vii. 10. It is not t\evy farroiv,
h\ii godly forrow, ver. 9. 1 rejoice, faith the
apoftle, not that ye were made forry, but
ihatyeforrowedto repentance : And would
you know who forrows to repentance ? it
is he, and only he that groans and fighs
under the heavy weight and burden of
his fins, that is of a broken and contrite
heart, that tre77ibleth at God's word, that is
grieved at his enormities, that forfaketh all
fins, and that refigns up himfelf in all holy
obedience to God's blefled will ; this forrow
is a blefled forrow that brings forth joy
and immortality : therefore comfort ye,
comfort ye all that mourn in Sion ; what
though for a night (in pangs of the new
birth) you ly forrowing and weeping for
your fins ; mark a while ; and the day
will dawn, ride on, hecaufe of the word of
truth, and a day-ftar will arife in your
hearts that will never fet : nay weep and
weep again, till you can fay with David,
NEJV BIRTH,
all the night make I my bed to fiuim with
my tears, Pfal. vi. 6. and prefently the
fun of righteoufnefs will appear, and he
will dry away our tears, and fhine upon
you with everlafiing light. Certainly
thus it is with every regenerate man, he
loves and hates, and hopes and fears, and
joys and forrows, and all thefe paffions are
renewed in him. To give an infiance in
one David for all the regenerate ; his
love appears, Pfal. cxix. 47. I will delight
myfelf in thy commandments which I have
loved : h\s hatred appears, Pfal. cxxxix. 22.
1 hate thy enemies with a per feci hatred :
his hope appears, P/al. Ixii. 5. My foul, wait
thou only upon God, for my expeSlation is
from him : his fear appeareth, P/al. cxix.
120. My fief ) trembleth for fear oftkee, and
J am afraid of thy judgments. Hisyoy ap-
pears, Pfal. cxix. 162. I rejoice at thy word
as one that findeth great fpoil: His forroiu
appears, P/al. ckik. 136. Rivers of waters
run down mine eyes : becaufe they keep_ not
thy law. Here is love and hatred, and hope
and fear, and joy and forrow, and all are
fet upon their right fpiritual objects.
You fee now a pourtraiture of the new
man, which fliould be the cafe of all men ;
my text faith indefinitely a man"] implying
every man, and every part of man ; every
man fliould be regenerated, every part of
man (hould be renewed : and whereas man
confifts of two parts, the body and foul, all
the members of his body, the heart, the eye,
the ear, the tongue in fpecial ; all the powers
of the foul, the underfianding, the will,
the memory, the confcience, the affe<flions
in general, all mud be renewed, and the
whole man born again.
Ufe. And yet (beloved) I mean not fo,
as that a man renewed is never overcome
with fin : I know there is in him a contin-
ual fight betwixt the flefti and the fp'irit,
each of which Ihivcth to make his party
firong againll the other, and fometimes
Amaleck prevails, and fometimes Ifracl
prevails ; fometimes his heart falls a lufl-
ing,
rhe NEW BIRTH.
ing, his eyes a wandring, his ears a tick-
ling, his tongue a fpeaking idly ; fome-
times his underftanding errs, his will re-
bels, his memory fails, his confcience
fieeps, and his affections turn the ftream
after fenfualobjefts ; but (that which differs
him from the unregenerate man) if he fin,
it is with a gracious reluftation, he refifts
it to the uttermoft of his abilities, and if
at laft he commit fin through the violence
of temptation, fubduing the infirmity of
the flefh, he is prefently abafhed, and then
begins he to fet repentance a work in all
the parts and powers of his body and foul ;
then begins his confcience to trouble him
within, and will never be at quiet until the
ciflern of his heart (being overcharged)
hath caufed his eyes, the flood-gates, with
moift finful X humours, to overflow the
cheeks with tears of contrition; and thus he is
-ujafhed,juj}ified,fan&ified, i Cor. vi. ii.
and reftored to his former integrity again.
Examine then yourfelves, you that defire
heaven at your ends, would you inherit the
kingdom ? would you live with angels ?
would you fave your fouls ? examine and
try whether your bodies andjouh befanc-
iified throughout ; and if you have no fenfe
or feeling of the new birth (for it is a myf-
tery to the unregenerate) then never look
to fee (in that ftate) the kingdom of God \
but if you perceive the working of faving
grace effeflually in you, (and you cannot
but perceive it, if yoy have it) if you feel
the power of godlinefs firft feizing the heart,
and after difperfing itfelf over all the parts
and powers of body and foul ; or, yet more
in particular, if your hearts be foftened
by the Spirit ^ if your eyes wait upon Gody
if your ears liften to his word, if your
tongues Jhew forth his praije, if your un-
derjlanding attain to faving knowledge, if
your -wills conform to the will of God. If
your memories be ftored with heavenly
15
doctrine. If your coyfciences be tender and
fenfible of the leaft fin whatfoever, if you
love^ that which is good, if you hate that
which is evil, if you hope for the bleflings
above, if you fear him that can deftroy
both body and foul ; in a word, \{yo\x.joy
in goodnefs, if you forrow for fin, then
are you born again, Happy man in this
cafe that ever he -was bom ; and thus every
man mufl be, or he cannot be happy : Ex-
cept a man ] (every man, every part of a
man) be born again, he cannot fee the king-
dom of God.
Thus far of the fubje^l Man.] We come
now to the a£l, or deed to be doncy he muji
be born again.
Be born again.'}
THE children are brought to the birth',
andlefl: the faying be true of us, there
is no ftrength to briiig forth, 2 Kings xix.
3. I fhall now (by God's afllftance) proceed
Jo the ^/r//6 itfelf. Herewe havethe manner
of it,and wemayobferve a double manner.
Firfif Of the words containing the fievj
birth.
Secondly f Of the new birth contained in
the words.
The manner of the words appears
in the original, yhvY,^n avaety] two words,
and each of them has its divers reading.
rjvw»,3-v. Valla would have to be genitus,
begotten ; Except a man be begotten.'} O-
thers ufually fay natus^ born ; Except a
7nan be born.} And as yfwA, fo avaSev, fome
would have to be aiu^iv cufavuStv^ above or
from heaven ; Except a man be born from
above.} Others ufually avuBiv to T«Xiy. a«
gain ; Except a man be born again.}
Chryfoftom cites both thefe ; and of each
reading, we fliall gather fomething for
our own inflru£lion.
Doft. Except a man be regenerated,. or
begotten (faith Valla.) As man that is born
of a woman is begotten by a man, fo he
I Sioful, becaufc (bed for fin, not finful iu thcmfelvcs.
that
?^)
Ihe NEW BIRTH,
mud have a begetting terminated immediately in God the
that is born ngatii
too : and theicfore fometimes it is called
renafcentia ; a new birth, and fometimes
regeneraiio, [Erfamus' annotations on the
place.] n >teiv bei^etting, or regenenati-
cn. If^j'ouaflv, Of whom is the new
man begotten ? James tells you, James i.
l8. Of his own will begat he us with the
"word of truth: the former words note the
impulfive caufe, thcfe latter, the inflru-
ment ; it was Gcd that begat us, and with
the Seed of the word.
Firft, Cod begat us, and fo are we cal-
led God's fans, born not of blood, nor of the
-will of the fief}, nor of the will of man,
but of God, John ^. 13. Regeneration is
the work of God, and becaufe it is a work
external, it is therefore communicable to
each perfon of the Trinity : Te are fan^ii-
fied (faith the apoflle) in the name of the
Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God,
I Cor. vi. II. The Father, Son, and Ho-
ly Ghoft all fanftifie, all work the fame
work : but as in the Godhead there is but
one eflence, and three manners of being
of the fame elfence ; fo in God's outward
operations, all the perfons work rem can-
dem, one thing ; but all work not eode7n
modo, after one manner. For inftance,
the works of creation, redemption, and
fandlification are the common works of
God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Ghoft, 1 Cor. viii. 6. John i. 10.
Job xxvi. 13. yet every one of thefe, com-
mon to all three, are terminated in fome
one of them ; fo the Father is faid to cre-
ate, the Son is faid to create, the Holy
Ghofl is faid to create; fo the Father is
faid to redeem, the Son is faid to redeem,
the Holy Ghoft is faid to redeem ; fo the
Father is faid to fancftific, the Son is faid
to fantSliHe, the Holy Ghofl: is faid to fanc-
tifie: thus all Three concur to every one
of thefe works, and yet every one of thcfe
works, is terminated, fpecified, and form-
ed (as it were) in the very lalt aft by one
of ihefe three : the work of creation Is
Fa-
ther, the work of redemption is terminat-
ed immediately in God the Son, ihe work
of regeneration is terminated immediately
in God the holy Ghofl. And it is memorable,
that as the community of thefe works, ad
extra, depends on the unity of God's ef-
fence, fo the diverflty of their determina-
tions depends on the divers manners of
God's exiftence, or fublilVmg: the Father
is of himfelf, neither made nor begotten,
and therefore it bell agrees with him to
make all things of nothing, which is tiie
work of crecition ; the Son is of the Fa-
ther alone by relleftion of his intcllcft,
and fo called the reprefentation of his Fa-
ther's image, and therefore it beft agrees
with him to reprefent his Father's mercies
to mankind, by faving them from death
and hell, which is the work o^ redemption ;
the Holy Ghoft is of the Father and Son,
proceeding (and as it were breathed) from
them both by the adt of the will, and there-
fore it beft agrees with him (that bloweth
where he lijhth) to blow on our wills,
and by his breath to purge and purify us,
which is the work of regeneration. To
fum up all in a word : This work of re-
generation (or fanilijication, or whatever
elfe you will call it) in refpeft of the work,
it is of the Father, Son and holy Ghoft ;
but in refpefl of the laft aft, it is of the
Holy Ghoft, and not of the Facher, nor the
Son; and thus our Saviour concludes,
John iii. 8. Tha' which is born of the
Spirit, is fpirit : and fo is every 7nan that
is born of the Spirit.
Secondly, as God's Spirit is the princi-
pal, fo God's word is the inftrumental
caufe of our regeneration,' Tc are born a-
gain, faith Peter, not of corruptible feed ^
but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abidcth fo*" ever, i. Pet.
i. 23. this Word John calls the Word of
life, I John i. i . ; Paul the producer of
faith, and the power of God unto falvation,
Rom. i. 16. : yea, lliis word is quick and
power-
Ibe NEW
foxverfulf and (harper than any tvjo-edged
/iuordy piercing even to the dividing a/un-
der of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a difcerner of the thoughts
and intents of the hearty Heh.'w. 12. They
that are born again, cannot but remember
how quick and powerful and Jharp God's
word v>'2LS nithoiv regeneration: firfl, like
an hammer it beat on their hearts till it
broke them all to pieces; and then like a
fword by a terrible, cutting, piercing pow-
er, it ftruck a rtiaking and trembling into
the very center of their fouls ; laft of all
like oil (when, as the man in the gofpel,
Luke X. 30. they were wounded indeed)
it began to fupple thofe wounds, and to
heal the bruifes, and to refrefh the weak
and tender heart with all the promifes of
God revealed in Chrif]-.
And thus a man being begotten of the
Spirit with the word of ti uth, he comes
at lafl: to the birth ; fo we read, Except a
man he born. And this I fuppofe to be
fuller than the other, becaufe, a begetting
may be, and no birth follow; as many
that are ftiffled in the womb are begotten^
rot borji ; but if the 4iirth be, it doth pre-
fuppofe a begettingf and fo it implies it :
except a man be born again, that is, except a
mat! be begotten and born, he cannot fee
God's kingdom. If you afk, Of whom
born ? I anfvver. As God is the Father, fo
the-church is the mother of every child of
God ; to this purpofe faith the apoflle,
Jerufalem, which is above, is free, which
is the mother of us ^//, Gal. iv. 26. What
is Jerufalem but the church ? for as that
city was the feat of David, Pfal, cxxii. 5.:
fo is this church the throne of Chrift, fi-
gured by the kingdom of David, Rev. iii.
7. and therefore of both thefe God thus
proclaims. This is my refi for ever, here
will I dwell, for I have defired it, Pfalm
cxxxil. 14. And rightly is the church cal-
led our mother, i. becaufe fhe is the
fpou(e of our Father betrothed, Hof. ii. 19.
coupled and made one. Cant. vi. 3. I ayn
D
BIRTH. 17
my beloved's, and my beloved is mine; and
2. becaufe we are children born of her,
this teacheth us to honour our mother, and
like little children to hang at her brenlfs
for our fuftenance. Suck, and be fatisfied
with the breafis of her confolaticns ; inilk
out, and be delighted with the abundance,
of her glory, Ih. ]K\i. ir. It is the church
that brings forth children to God by the
miniflry of the word, and if we are chil-
dren of this mother, we murt feed on tha^
milk w hich flows from her two hreaHs,
the Old and New Teftament; Js rtew-horn
babes, faith the apoftle, defire the fincers
milk of the wordy that ye may grow there'
by, I Pet. ii. 2. In a word, out of the
church there is no (alvation : * Who have
not the church for their mother, cannot
have God for their Father,' was the faying
of old ; and good reafon, for out of the
church there is no means of faivation,
no word to teach, no facraments to con-
firm ; but all thefe, and all other means;
are in the womb of the church; it is here,
and here only, where the Spirit o'i immor-
tal feed begets grace in the heart, and fo a
man is born again.
Do£i. This avwOEv, fome read cypavaSfp,
from heaven, and fo the words run. Ex-
cept a man be born from above. From above
it is that every good and perfeSi gift com-
et h. A man can receive nothing except it
be given him from heaven, John iii. 27.
But how then faith our Saviour of the
wind (to which he compareth every one
that is born of the Spirit) that we know not
whence it comet h, and whither it goeth?
ver. 8. I anfwer, This whence refpe(fts
more the caufe than place, we know the
wind comes from the South, or North,
or Eaft-, or Weft, but why fo and fo, we
cannot tell; we know the Spirit is above,
and the new birth, or regeneration comes
from the Spirit ; but [to c^0T/] why it is fo,
or what moves the Spirit to do fo, befides
his \_iu$',y.,ciM'] the good pkafure of his willy
we cannot tell.
Or,
i8
The NEW B IRTH.
Gr, If we read a^toS-f* to t^mv, as otliers bove which there needs no afplrlng, and
dio, \_Bcda and Erafm, paraph, on the
place] the words then run thus. Except a
man be born again. To this Nicodemus'
reply feems more direft, How can a man be
born luhen he is old ? can he enter thefccond
time into his mother's womb P No quefti-
on he took Chrift's av^fv pro TrarA.v. [from
above, for again] only thus he miilook,
that the fecond birth fhould be after the
manner of the firft birth, and therefore he
faith, Can a man that is o/^/,fuch as he him-
felf was, be bom again F No, faith our
Saviour, thai zvhich is born of the fleflo is
fie/Jjy and there is but one birth, after this
manner; but to T^e born again, is to be
born after the Spirit, and this is the fe-
cond birth ; a tnan is firft born of the flefh,
and he miifi be again born of the Spirit.
under which there is no happinefs, no hea-
ven, no kingdatn. Except a man be born
again, he cannot fee the kingdom 6fGcd.
Thus far o; the manner of the words,
which contain the Neiv Birth ; it appears
in them, the Father of it is God, the feed
of it the word, the mother of it the church,
the place of it, whence ? from heaven; the
time of it, when ? after a man is once
born, then he muU be again born ; except
a man be born.
Secondly, as you fee the manner of the
words containing the new birth; (o now
fee the manner of the new birth contained
in the words. I know it is not wrought in
all after one manner, nor is the man net-
known to us, but only fo far forth as it is
fenfible in us, and therefore we muft con-
Do^. Hence appears the difference of fider man before baptijm, in baptifm, after
the firft and J'econd birth; the firft birth baptifm.
is of the earth, earthy ; the fecond birth In feme is the New Birth wrought be-
-is of the Lord from heaven, heavenly: the fore baptifm, as in the eunuch under Can-
lirfi birth is of nature, full of lin; thefccond dace queen of the Ethiopians, Afts viii.
is of grace, full of fandlity : the firft birth 37. and in Cornelius the captain, together
IS orii^inally of fiedi and blood, the fecond with his kinfmen and near friends. Ads x.
birth is originally of the .S/);;// ^«^/ u'^/dT ; 47. and in Lydia, Ads y.m. 14. and fo
in a word, the firft birth kills, the fecond
gives life: generation loft us, it muft be
regeneration that recovers us : O blefied
birth, without which no birth is happy;
in comparifon of which, though it were to
be born heir of the whole world, all is but
mifcry ! this was Mofes' praife, that he e-
our charity tells us that every infant, dy-
ing before baptifm, is renewed by the 6^1-
rit ', but the manner of this working we
know not, for it is one of the fecrets of
the Spirit of God.
In others is the New Birth wrought in
baptifm, which indeed is the facra?nent of
/teemed the reproach of Chrift above all the new Birth, ^n^feal of regeneration ;
the treafures in Egypt; rather would he buthowfoever in poedo-bapti/m we fee the
be the Son of Cod, than to be called the fn outward feal, yet we fee not, we feel not
cf Pharaoh's daughter, Heb, xi. 24. No the manner of the inward working; for
queftion it is a great dignity to be called thisalfois the fecret oixht Spirit \ of God.
the fon-in-law to a king, i Sam. xviii. 23. In others is the New Birth wrought
but nothing in comparifon of being the after baptifm ; fo Polanus * : but whe-
Sonof Cod: thlsfon/hip is that degree, a- iher after baptifm, or in baptifm we will
not
\ Bellanmne, vol. x. of Saci am. Baftifm. chap. 10. Uahnt fiJcmhahitualem. They have thehabitof faith. 5ff Dr.
F»fW concerning ilic Author oftlic gicuiiJs oi the cU and ntw religion, S. 1,, Fida ejl in infautibus ptcntia &
rhe NEW B JR TH.
J9
not difpute ; only, as the cafe flands with
us, this I affirm, T/:ere is no manifefia-
iion of the neio Birth, until after bap-
iifm. But, When after baptifm ? I anfwer,
Wbeyifoevcr men receive Cbrifi by faith,
"which, thcugh it he many yean after, yet
then do they feel the pozuer of God to rege-
nerate them, and to work all things in them
-which he offered in baptifm. Now the
manner of this feeling, or of God's Spi-
rit working, proceeds ufually thus.
There be certain fteps of degrees, fay
divines, by which it pafl'eth, and how-
foever in thofe whom God hath bleifed
with that great favour of holy and Chrifti-
an education, the Spirit of God dropping
grace into their hearts, even very betimes;
thefe fteps or degrees are not fo eafily per-
ceived : yet in thofe men who have lived
long in fin,whofe fins have been grofs, and
great, and grievous, no fooner come they
to a new birth, but they can feel grace^
work in them ftep after fiep, and thefe
fteps we (hall reckon to the number of
eight.
The firfl is ^ fight of fin, and this our
Saviour reckons for the firfl work of the
Spirit, IVhen he is come he -will reprove {or,
convince"} the -world of fin, John xvi. 8.
Of fin; how? Why, thus : no fooner be-
gins this bleffed change from nature to
grace, but the confcience, wrought on by
God's word, opens its book, and prefents
to the foul a bed-roll of thefe tnany, migh-
ty, hainous fins committed againft God
and man ; there he may read in bloody bur-
ning lines the abominations of his youth,
the fins of all his life. And, to bring them
into method, tlie commandments of God
ftand as a remembrancer before his eyes:
thtfirfi tells him of his loving fomewhat
above God : they?(r(j;;^/of his wordupping
a falfe god, or the true God after a falfe
manner: the //"zVy/ of his diflionouring the
great and mighty name of God : the
fjiirth of his breaking the Lord's day, ei-
ther in doing the works of the lleili, or in
leaving undone the works of the fpirit ;
nor is this all : as againfl God, fo againft
his neighbour hall) he finned; the fifth
tells him of his llubbornnefs, and dilbbe-
dience : the fixth of his pallions and de-
fire of revenge : xhefcventh of his lewd-
nefs and luflful courfes : the eighth of
his robberies and covetous thefts : the ninth
of his lies and llanders, back-bitings, and
i-afli judgments : the tenth of his covetous
thoughts, and motions of the heart to all
manner of evil. Good Lord •' what a
number of evils, yea what innumerable
fwarms of lawlefs thoughts, and words,
and actions doth he read in his confcience?
But above all, his darling delight, his be»
loved fin, is writ in greateft characters;
this be finds to have bewitched him moft,
and to have domineered above all the
reft in his wailed confcience; this fin,
in fome is worldlinefs, wantonnefs, ufury,
pride, revenge, or the like; in others it
is drvmkennefs, gluttony, gaming, fcurril
jefting, fimony, or the like : whatfoever
it is, the confcience tells him of it again
and again, where that he may read it to-
gether with his other fins : the Spirit of
God now opens the eyes of his mind, and
lets him fee the very mud and filth of his
foul, that lay at the bottom before unfeen,
and undifcerned. Thus is the firft worI>
Ing of the new life, to wit, a feeling of
the old death of his foul in fins and tref-
pafTes ; and here the axiom is true, * Ab
' generation -without corruption ;' a man
indinatioae, Urfinus parte (tcunda catcchtf. quefi. 74. Faith is in jnrants by power, and inclination. Ur Jin's cat cchifm
part X. quiji'ion T^ Spint:is cperaiur hi fbtenlus nnimae ip!br:ivt. ut Bcliar. The Spirit operates in the powers of tlie
Ibulof tilde infdotsj accordingly Biilarminc. Hoki:t J^iritu7tj fidci. They have the Ipuit of faith. Z./«f/;. on the 3. of
EpLcf.
D 2 muft
20 The N E W
muft firft feel this death, before he is born
again.
The fecond flep is, finfe of divine
ivrath, which begets in him fear; fo the
apoftle, the fpirit of bondage begets fear,
Rom. viii. 15. and thus it works: no
fooner hath the man a fight and feeling of
his fin, but then God's Spirit (now ealUd
the fpirit of bondage) prefents to him the
armory of God's flaming wrath, and fiery
indignation; this makes him to feel (as if
he were pricked with the flroke of an ar-
row or point of a fword, or fling of an
adder) that he is a mofl; curfed and dam-
nable creaturC; jullly dcferving all the mi-
ferics of this life, airt! all the fiery torments
'in htll in that life to come; yea, this makes
him tremble, and (land and look as if he
were throughly frighted with the angry
countenance of God almighty : would you
view him in this cafe ? His confcience has
now awaked him out of his dead fenfual
ileep, by the trumpet of the law; his
heart is now fcorched with the fecret fenfe
of God's angry face ; his foul is now full
forely crufhed under the mofl: grievous
burthen of innumerable fins; his thoughts
are now full of fear and aftonifhment, as
if no lefs than very hell and horror were
ready to feize upon his body and foul. I
fay not what meafure of this wrath is
poured on all men in their converfion;
for I fuppofe fome feel more, and fome
have lefs of it; but I verily believe, fome
there are that, in thefe pangs of the Nevj
Birth, have been fcorched, as it were, with
the very flames of hell, infomuch that they
might truly fay with David, Cod's lurath
lieth hard upon ?ne, and he hath affii^ed
me -with all his ivaves, Pfal. Ixxxviii. 7,
And no wonder, for this is the time of
fear; now it is that Satan flrives bufily to
llifle the neij wan in the womb, and
therefore he that before diminiflied his
fins, and made them appear little or no-
ihiog ifl his eyes, when he once fees the
BIRTH.
man fmittcn dov/n into the place of dra-
gons, and covered with the fhadow of
death, Pfal. xliv. 19. then he puts into
his mind his innumerable fins, and (that
which imm^'diately follows) thecitrfcofthe
law, and the wrath of God, which he yet
makes more grifly and fierce, with a pur-
pofe to plunge him into the bottomlefs pit
of horror and defpair. By this means he
perfuaded Cain to cry out, when he was
in this cafe. My punifoment is greater than
I can bear, or, as others tranflate. Mine
iniquity is greater than can be forgiven,
Gen. iv. 13. And therefore thus far the un-
regenerate goes with the man born again ;
both have a fight of fin.and fcnfe of wrath ;
but here they part; for the man unrege-
nerate either finks under it, or labours to
allay it with worldly comforts, or fome
counterfeit calm : but the vian born again,
is only humbled by it, and feeks the right
way to cure it ; and at iaft, by the help of
God's Spirit, he palfeth quite through ir,
I mean, through this hell upon earth, into
the fpiritual pleafures of grace; which is
to be born again.']
The third Itep isforrcw for fin, and this
is more peculiar to God's child : There is
a forrow, which is a common work of
grace, which an hypocrite may have ; and
there is ^forrow, which is a work of fpecial
grace, and this likewife precedes the ex-
ercife of faith.
But fome obje*^, * Chrifl mufl work
' this forrow, or it is good for notliing ;
* now if Chrifl be in the foul working for-
* row, then there is faith; therefore faith
' muft go before forrow.'
I anlwer, although it is trxie that Chrift
cannot be in the foul, but in the fame in-
flant there is the habit of faith ; yet it fol-
lows not that faith is before forrow, for
the habits of thefe graces are both together,
and at once in the foul ; or howfoever,
it follows not that the ,foul is enabled by
an a(il of faith to apply Chrift to itfelf as
fooQ
The NEW
foon as Chrift is in the foul, or as foon as
the habit of faith is iniufed inco the foul :
the queftion is, ' Whether the foul in re-
* fpeft of us, who can only judge of the
* habit by the aft, cannot be faid to have
* forrow or repentance before faith V The
queftion is not, ' which the foul hath firft
* in refpeftof God's gift, but which it ads
* firft for ourapprehenfion ?' Surely to us
it firft forrows for fin, and then it a61s or
exercifeth faith by coming to Chrift, and
relying upon Chriil for falvation, ar. Ob-
ferve, this forrow is fometimes taken large-
ly, for the whole work of converflon ;
fometimes ftriftly, for conviftion, contri-
tion, and humiliation ; in like manner re-
pentance is taken fometimes largely, and
fometimes ftriftly : by this diftinftion it
may eafily appear how forrow goes before
repentance, and how repentance goes be-
fore faith. Indeed, for the latter is the
great controverfie; bvtt fome reconcile it
thus: repentance hath two parts, theaver-
fion of the foul from fin, and the conver-
flon of the foiil to God; the latter part of
it is only an elfeft of faith, the former
part of it, vi'z. the turning of the ioui
from lin is alfo an effe6V, but not only an
eiTecl; for it is begun before faith, though
it be not ended till our life end. Some
cbjeft, ' That God ivorks repentance and
* faith together :' but we difpute not how
God works them, but how the foul afts
them ; not which is in the foul Erft, but
which appears out of the foul firll: nei-
ther is it any new thing in philofophy
to fay, Thofe caufes which produce an
effeft, though they be in time together,
yet are mutually before one another in
order of nature in divers relpedts, to
their feveral caufalities. Thus a man mufl
have repentance before he have faving
and juflifying faith ; and yet a man mult
have faith before the work of repen-
tance be perfeft in the foul. As we main-
tain repentance to be a precedent work, fo
we deny it not to be a fubfequcnt effect i
BIRTH, 21
and that forrow is before the birth too, the
apoftle intimates, 2 Cor. vii. 10. (>odly
forroxu works repentance ; that is, Jorrow
prepares a man for repentance, it goes a-
fore it, and prepares for it. And now it
is, that God's Spirit begins to renew his
heart; as God himfelf proclaimeth, I xuill
put a new fpirit within them, and I will
take theftony heart out of their bodies, and
will give them a heart of fle/h, Ezek. xi.
19. His heart that before was.hard as flint,
now begins to relent and foften, and brealc
in pieces ; how fo ? It is God's Spirit that
pricks the heart, Afts ii. 37. and this
pricking foftens it. Dum pungit, ungit,
faith Jerom; [i. e. ' while it pricks, it a-
* nointeth.'] compunction foftens and fup-
ples the heart, fo that be it never fo ftony,
prefently it becomes an heart offlejlj : you
know thofe that are apt to weep, or yern
or forrow, we call them tender-hearted ^
^ou may be fure then he that is pricked,
until his heart bleed inwardly, he that
weepeth blood, (which every heart doth
that is pricked in this manner) fure his
heart is tender indeed ; I fay, tender, for
as the very word importeth [icxaia to weep,
from xxai, to break,'] his heart weepeth,
why ? his heart is broken ; David joins
thefe together, A broken and a contrite
heart, Cod, thou wilt not defpife, Pfalm
11. 17. And no wonder if an heart that is
broken, and rent, and wounded, and prick-
ed, falleth a-weeping blood ; well might
David fay when he was broken, Pfalm
xxxviii. 8. I have wept, nay more, I have
rored for the very grief or difquietnefs,
of my heart: and again, my foul, or my
heart, melteth, or droppeth,/or very hea-
vinefs, Pfal. cxi-x. 28.. Not that his heart
dropped indeed, but becat»fe the tears
which he fhed, were not drops of water
running only from his eyes, (an onioa
may caufe fo much) but iflbing from his
heart ; which heart being grieved, and fore
grieved, it is faid to be wounded; and fo-
his tears coming from it^ they may be
cal-
22
The NEW BIRTH,
called no lefs than very blood, * Drops of
* blood ifTuing from a wounded heart.'
Thus ix is with the man now labouring in
his New Birth; his heart grieves, his eye
weeps, whence the proverb, ' The way
* to heaven is by weeping crofs :' the way
to God's kingdom is to cry like children
coming into the world ; the way to be new
horn is to feel throws (as a woman labour-
ing of child) and lb isChrifl: formed in us.
Can a man be born again without bitter-
nefs of foul? No, if ever he come to a
Ught of fin, and that God's fanclifying
Spirit work in h\m for row for Jin, his foul
■will mourn until he may fay with Jere-
miahf Aline eye tmckletb doxon, and ceaf
' eth not, without any intermiffion: mine eye
affecteth my heart, hecaufe of all the
- daughters of my city, becaufe of all the
fins of my foul. Lam. ill. 49. 51. True
it is, as fome infants are born with more
pain to the mother, and fome with lefs :
fo may the new man be regenerated in
fome with more, in fome with lefs anxiety
of travel; but more or lefs, it cannot be
lb little, but the man that laboureth in
The fourth ftep is. Seeking rightly for
comfort. He runs not to the world, or
flelh, or devil, 7niferah!e comforters all\
but to (cripture, to prayer, orto the mi-
niftry of God's word; if he find comfort
in fcriptures, he meets with it in the } gof-
pel ; not the law, hui the gofpel (faith the
apoftle) is the power of God to filvation, to
every one that believeih, Rom. i. 16. 7'he
law is indeed the ?niniflry of death and
damnation, 2 Cor. iii. 7. : but the gojpel
is the glad tidings cf falvaticn, Luke ii.
10. The law ihews a man his wretched e-
ftate, but fliews him no remedy ; and yet
we abolifli not the law, in alcribing this
comfort to the gofpel only; though it be
no caule of it, yet it is the occafion of it :
thole doleful terrors, and fears of con-
fcience begotten by the law, may be in their
own nature the very gates and downfal to
the pit of hell ; yet I cannot deny, but
they are certain occafions of receiving
grace; and if it pleafe God that the man,
now labouring in his pangs, of the New
Birth, do but rightly fettle his thoughts
on the gofpel of Chrifi, no doubt but
thcfe pangs ihall mourn and mourn ; There thence he may fuck the fweetefl comforts
flyall be great mourning, as the ?nourning and delights that ever were revealed to
of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megid- man. Or if he find comfort in prayer (to
//^w, Zech. xii. ir. What elfe.' He cannot which he ever and anon repaireth in every
look on a faint, that failed not firfi through
the ocean of tears, and therefore he fallcth
on his face with Abraham, Gen, xvii, 17.
he wreftles with God like Jacob, Gen.
xxxii. 24. he roareth out his grief with
Job, Job iii. he poureth out his foul with
Hanna, i Sam. i. 15. he wecpeth rivers
of tears with David, Pjal. cxix. 136. he
mourneth as a dove with Hezekiah, yea
like a crane or a fwallow, fo doth he chat-
ter, Ifa. xxxviii. 14. O the bitter pangs
and fore travel of a man, when he mull
be born again.
of thefe fteps) then it is by Chrift, in whofe
name only he approacheth to that heaven-
ly throne of grace : no fooHer had the
king of Nineveh humbled himfelf, but his
proclamation runs. Let man and .be a fl be
covered with fack- cloth, and cry mightily
unto God. Who can tell if God will turn
and repent, and turn away frotn his fierce
anger, that weperijh not ? Jonah iii. 8, 9.
And thus the man now wrefiling with the
grievous afflictions and terrors of his con-
fcience, Who can tell (faith he) if God will
turn away his fierce anger ? Let 7ne then
\ Lex ojlmdit peccation, at foUim evnngcllum pcccati rtmcdium. i, e,
" the x«mcJy of lin." ^ug. trad 17.011 Joh.
The law fliewtthfin, but the golf cl alone,
cry
The NEW BIRTH.
23
cry mightily unto the Lord of htavoi, let
7ne cry, and continue crying, until the
Lord of mercy do in mercy look upon me ;
and if for all this God give him a repulfe,
for reafons beft known to himfelf, if at the
ftrft, fecond, third, fourth, or at many
more times, he feem to have cried in vain,
at laft he iiies to the miniftry of the word,
and if he may have his will, he would hit
upon the mofl: fkilful, experienced, Ibul-
fearching and found-dealing man amongfl:
all God's mellengers ; and thus was it with
Peter's hearers, whofc hearts being prick-
ed, and rent with legal terrors, then could
they begin to cry it out, I^Ien and brethren,
ivhat muji we do? A6\:s ii. 37. Thus was
it with the jaylor, who after his ^rcw/'////^
and falling down to the ground \n an hum-
ble abafement, could then begin to lay,
Sirs, what fhall 1 do to be faved? Afts
xvi. 30. And thus the man now ready
to be born again, if he find no means to
alTwage the rage and terror of his guilty
confcience, at lafl hecometh to God's mi-
nilter with a ' WhatHiali I do, whatmuft
* I do to be faved ? Alas ! now I feel the
* wounded confcience, the broken heart,
* the fpiritual blindnefs, the captivity and
* poverty, of which often you have told
* me ; if then there be any inllrucfion, di-
* re£lion or duty, which may tend to my
* good, or free me from this evil, now
* open thofe lips that fiiould preferve know-
* lege, now direct me in God's fear, and I
* will willingly follow it with my utmoll
* endeavours.'
And now, and not till now, hath God's
minifter a flrong and feafonable calling to
amplifieand raagnifie the foul faving fuf-
ficiency of Chrift's death and paffion: were
the blood of Chrift,and promife of falvati-
on proffered to an unwoiinded confcience,
•what were it but like the pouring of a mofl
fovereign balfam upon a found member of
man ? It is the only, right everlafting me-
thod, firfl to wound by the law and then
to heal by the gofpel j iirll to caufe fmart
for fin, and then to lay to a plai/ter of
Chrift's blood ; and therefore when the
heart is broken, then hath the man of God
his warrant to bind it up again, then may
he magnifie God's mercy, then may he fet
out to the height the heavenly beauty of
Chrift's paflion and perfon, and thus play-
ing the midwife by his high and holy art of
comforting the afflicted, at lafl the child
of God (prepared for his birth) becometh
a man born again.
The fifth ftep is a clear (I' fay not a ge-
neral fight, which he had before) but the
clear fight ofChrifi laid open to the eye of
faith : no fooner is the poor wounded foul
informed throughly in the myflcry and
mercy of the gofpel, but he then looketh
on his Saviour as the Jews on the brazen
ferpent, and feeing him lifted up on tlie
crofs, he cannot but fee in him an infinite
treafury of mercy and love, a boundlefs
and bottomlefs fea of tender-heartedncfs
*and pity, a whole heaven of fweetnefs,
happinefs, peace and pleafures; after the
Jpirit of bondage entereth xhefpirit of a-
doption, the terrors of the law lead him
to the comforts of the gofpel, his forrow
for fin brings him to the clear light of his
Saviour; and then as a man in death's
pangs, that lifts up his eyes to heaven
whence comcth his help) fo he in birth's
pangs lifts up his eyes to Chrifl, who mufl
either help him, or he finks under his fin
to the bottomlefs pit of hell. And I mufl
tell you this fight of Chrifl Jefus to an
humble finner (together with thofe glori-
ous privileges which he brings with him,
as reconciliaiion to God, forgivenefs of
fins, adoption, juftification, righteoufnefs,
wifdom, fanftification, redemption) it is
a moflplealant, ravifhing, heavenly fight:
}iot Solomon in all his royalty, no, nor the
lilies of the field arrayed better than Solo-
mouy Matth. vi. 29. not all the curious
fights on earth, nor all thofe glittering
fpangles in heaven, can poffibly afford
fuch pleafure or delight to the eye of man,
as
24 I'he NEW
as doth this one objeft, Chrift bleeding on
thecrofs to the foul of a finner. Imagine
that you faw fome malefa(flor, whofe trial
and doom were part, to be led to the dole-
ful place of execution ; imagine that you
beard him wail and weep for his mif-fpent
time, for his bloody a6\s, for his hainous
crimes; yea imagine his wailings and
■weepings fo bitter that they were able to
force tears from others, and to make all
eyes flioot and water that but looked up-
on him; if this man in this cafe fliould
iuddenly fee his king running and riding
towards him with his pardon in his hand,
what a light would this be ? fure there is
none to this. Thus, thus it is with the
man forrowing for*lin, whilft he is weep-
' ing his cafe, and confeiTmg what a little
Hep there is betwixt him and damnation
'(as if he were now at hell's mouth, the
very place of execution) in a maze he
lookcth upon ChriH:, whom he fees with a
fpear in his fide, with thorns in his head,
with nails in his feet, with a pardon in his
band, offering it to all men that will but
receive it by faith. O here is a fight indeed,
able to revive the wickedefl: man upon
earth, dead i)7 fins and trejpajjis. And
now there is hopes of the birth, if it once
come to this, there is more than probabili-
ty of an happy delivery, we may call it
the flirrings of God's child, or the firfi:
feelings of life, before he is born again.']
The fixth ftep is, An hungering dejire
after ChriJ} and his merits ; and to this
llep blcifed are they that arrive; BleJ-
fed are they that hunger and thirji after
righteoufnejs, for they (hall be filled, Mat.
v,6. Filled ? how ? Iivillgive unto him that
is athirp, of the fountain of the ijuater of
life freely, Rev, xxi. 6. This is the fiep
(as if it were in Jacob's ladder) that raifeth
him on high towards heaven ; it is fuch a
token of true faith, that he who hath it,
iiccds no more doubt that he believeth,
than he that breatheth needs to doubt
BIRTH.
that he liveth ; and why? his thlrft of
worldly things is cooled, his thirft of hea-
venly things inflamed.
Ohje^. But Chria faith, • Hethatdrink-
* eth of the water that I ftiall give him,
* fliall never thirfl:.'
Sol, Not after the "world, hut he fhall
thirfl more and mere after Chrifi. No
hungry man did ever with more appetite
wiili for meat, nor thirfty man for drink,
nor covetous man for mone}', nor ambiti-
ous man for glory, than he now longeth to
be reconciled unto God in Chrift ; in this
cafe, had he the plcafurcs and profits of a
thoufand worlds, willingly would he part
with all for the application of Chrift's fuf-
ferings; it is that fovcreign blood that can
only heal his foul ; it is that bitter paflion
which can only quench his thirfi : give him
but the merits of ChriiVs death (whereby
God and he may be at one) and he cares
not though he fufFer death and hell again,
yea he will venture goods, life, all; or if
that be not it which the Lord requiretb,
he will do whatever behoves him, even fell
all, all that he hath, part with all fin that
he loveth, yea were it his right hand, or
his right eye, nothing (liall be dear to him,
fo that he may enjoy his Saviour. O here
is a ihirfi above all thirfis ! itbreedeth ar-
dent defires, vehement longings, unutter-
able groans, mighty gafpings, jufi like the
dry and thirlly ground, that gafps, and
cleaves, and opens for drops of rain. Da-
vid, though in the defert of Ziph, a barren
and dry land without water, yet he com-
plaincth mofi becaufe of his thirfl, Alyfoul
thirfttth for thee, God, Pfalm Ixiii, i.
This is that violent afFe<flion that God puts
into the hearts of thofe that feck him in
fincerityand truth: never was Ahyb more
fick for a vineyard, nor Sifera for milk, nor
Sampfon for water, Judg. xv. 19. when
God was fain to open him a fountain in
ihcjaw of an afs, than is a truly humbled
foul after Chriil, ever 'thiriting and long-
The NEW
ing, that he may hide himfelf in his righ-
teoufnefs, and bathe hlmfclf in that blood
which his Saviour (hed for him. I have
read of a gracious woman, who labouring
in thefe pangs, and longing after Chrift
Jefus, cried out, * I have borne nine chil-
dren with as great pain as other women,
and yet I would with all my heart bear
them all over again, yea bear them, and bear
them all the days of my life, to be allured
of my part in Chrift jefus.' One reply-
ing, ' Doth not your heart defire and long
after him ? Oh, faidjhcy I have an huf-
band and children, and many other com-
forts, I would give them all, and all the
good I (hall ever fee in this world, or in
the world to come, to have my poor thirfty
foul refreflied with that precious blood of
my Saviour.' So eagar and earneft is the
heart of each man, parched with the an-
gry countenance of God, after this blood
of his. * I thirft, I faint, I languifh, I
long,y^//^^?,for one drop of mercy ; my
fpirit is melted in me into tears of blood ;
my heart, becaiife of fin, is fo fliaken and
Ihivered; my foul, becaufe of forrow, isfo
wafted and parched, that my thirft is infa-
tiable, my bowels are hot within me, my
defire after Chrift is extremely great and
greedy.' Stay ! all thefe expreflions are
far ftiort of thofe longings, Noynan know-
eth them, fave he that receiveth theniy
Rev. ii. 17. fave he that is born again.
The feventh ftep \s, A relying on ChriJ} :
no fooner he confiders and remembers
thofe many melting invitations of our
Lord and Saviour ; If any man ihirj}, let
him come unto me * : Ho, every one that
thirjhth, come ye to the ivaters I : come
unto me all ye that are weary and heavy
laden with dnX: but, refting himfelf on
the impregnable truth of thefe blelfed pro-
mifes, he throws himfelf into the merci-
ful and meritorious arms of his crucified
Lord. Come life, come death, come hea-
BIRTH. 125
ven, come hell, come what Come^iU, here
will he ftick for ever: IVho, faith Paul,
Jhall feparate us ftom the love of Chrift ?
Shall tribulation, or diftrefs, cr perfecu-
tiony or famine, cr nakednefs, or peril, or
fword? No, I am perfuadcd (not thefe,
nor more than thefe) neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, mr
poivers, nor things prefent, nor things t9
come, nor height, nor depth , nor any 0-
ther creature, Jhall be able to, feparate us
from the love of God, which is in Chrifi
Jefus our Lord, Rom. viii. 35, 38, 39,
Thus it is with the man labouring in thi^^
Birth : * What ? (faith he) doth Ghrifl
call the heavy laden ? why. Lord, I am
heavy laden with a weight, a mafs of fin,
and if he may come that is called, Lord, I
come, I come, and now I am come, with
thee will I build my tabernacle, with thee
will I reft for ever.' Nor is this any won-
der, experience tells us, the hunted beafl:
flies unto his den, the wounded man hies
unto the furgeon, and fo the poor man
broken and bruifed with the weight of fin,
how fhould he otherwife but caft himfelf
willingly into the fweet compaflionate in-
viting arms and embracements of Chrift,
whofe promifes run, / -will eafe him, I
will refrejh him? Matth. xi, 28. You
may fee fometimes a little infant, upon
apprehenfion and approach of fome fud-
den danger, how haftily he runs into his
mother's arms : even fo a truly wounded
foul, purfjed by the terrors of the law,
and frighted with the angry countenance
of almighty God, it flies with fpeed into
the bofom of its bleft:ed Redeemer, there
it clings unto his blefTed wounds, there it
refts upon his meritorious death, there
it grafps about his crucified body, there
it hides itfelf in the clefts of this rock,
yea there it fticks with this full relolu-
tion, thatfliould all terrors, all temptati-
ons, all men, all devils combine together to
John vij. 37;
t Ifa. 1y. I.
\ Matth. xi.»8.
caft
:26
The NE
■n T -D cr rr
U J. I\^ 1 l~x.
caft him Into hell, they fliould not tear him,
rend him, pull him hale hun, from the
bleeding wounds, and tender bowels of his
heavenly Saviour. This was Job's cafe,
who in the bittereft of his pangs could cry
it out, faying. Though the Lord /lay me, yet
ivill I trufi in him. Job xiii. 15. And I
mu ft tell you, this* Affiance, Dependance,
Adherence, Reliance (or whatfocvcr elfe we
call it) upon the merits of Chrift, is the
right juftifying faith ; whither if a man once
come, there is but one degree more, and
he is then born again.
The la/} and higheft ftep is, univerfat
obedience to Chriji. No fooner hath he
caft himfclf upon^him, but he takes him,
not only as a Saviour to redeem him from
the miferies of fin, but as an hufband, a
Lord, a king, to ferve him, love him, ho-
nour him, and obey him: now will he take
his yoke upon him ; now will he bear his
cro/s and follo^v after him ; now will he
• enter into the narrovj luay ; now will he
'i'.'aU: in the holy path ; now will he affoci-
ate himfclf to that fcSi and brotherhood that
is every ivhere fpoken againfi, Afts xxviii.
22. Now will he oppofe himfelf againft
all fin whatfoever ; now will he ftiake^ otF
Ills old companions, brethren in iniquity ;
now will he keep peace and a good confci-
ence towards God and man ; now will he
watch over his fecret fins, luftful thoughts,
occafions of evil ; now will he dircift his
words to the glorifying of God, and to
give grace to the hearers ; now will he con-
form all his anions to the foveraiguty of
grace ; now will he delight in the word,
the ways, the faints, the fervices of God ;
now will he never more turn again unto
folly, or to his trade of fin ; yea though Sa-
tan fet upon him with baits and allurements
to detain him in his bondage but by one dar-
ling delight, one minion fin, yet he refolves
to anfwer him as Mofes did Pharoah, There
(hall not fo much as an hoof be left behind; for
wtll he knows, one breach in the city ex-
pofeth it to the enemy, one leak in a (hip
will fink it in the Tea, one ftab in the heart
will fpecd a man to death, one knot in a
thread will ftay the needle's paflage as well
as five hundred, and therefore he ivill fell
all, that he hath, even all his fins, to the
lafi filthy rag of his minion-delight, his be-
witching, beloved, bofom fin. And now
is the new man born araongft us, will you
view him ? Old things are pajfed azuay, be-
hold, all things are become new, 2 Cor. v.
1 7. His heart, his eye, his ear, his tongue;,
his underftanding, his will, his memory,
his confcience, his love, his hatred, his hope,
his fear, his joy, his forrow ; will you a-
ny more ? his thoughts, his words, his ac-
tions, his affeflions are all new : this con-
verfion is univerfal, this change is a tho-
rough change ; now is Chrift formed in
him ; now is he transformed into a new
creature, before he was in making a new
man, but now he is made new : God the
Father accepts him for his fon, God the
Son ftamps on him the image of his Fa-
ther, but more immediately, God the holy
Ghoft hath thus moulded and fafliioned
him, as I have let you fee him, and now
he is born again ; which except a man be,
he ftiall not, cannot fee the kingdom of God,
Lo here thofe fteps that raife up a man to
the ftate of regeneration, A Sight of fin,
Senfe of mifery, Sorrow for fin, Seek-
* Urfin. fecunja. catcch. <\. <5. Fides juflificant non eft tantum noiitla, fd etiatn fiducia. qua tanquam medium appli-
Car^tts nobis tucritiim Chrljii, ac in eo acquufdtnus. Trcl. 1. 1. inaitutus. Loqucns dc nalura fidd juj}ificar.tis„ afprc
henfio tius dtiple.x ; wia cootiitionis in intclleBu, altm fiducin in volmtaie, vtramqtte indudtt fides,— At Koluit Bdlarm.
aiem elfe in volmtate. Vrjin's catec. q. 6. fays Juftifying faith is not only intcllcaual [//w/ is, relating to, the un-
'dcrliaiJdiKO-] but fUuciaJ. [that is, effcHin^ iruji or confidence] by which wc rely upon, or^trufl in the mcnts of Ch„(j.
as our NUdiator. and do heartily ac^uicfcc in Iiim. And Tr. book z. inftitut. fpeaking of the nature of juftifying
nith, fop, the notion of it is twofold ; one, of knowlege in the intclka, the other of affiance in the will, both
whkii faitii inciudcs ;— — But PclUrmine would not have faith to be in the will,
ing
rhe NEW BIRTH,
jng for comfort, A fight of Chrift, De-
fire after Ghrift, Relying on Chrift, O-
bedience to Chrill. One word before
ve have done.
Ufe I . You fee how God brings along
the man whom he purpofeth to make his ;
and yet let no truly humbled flnner be dif-
couraged if he obferve not fo diflinftly the
order of thefe fteps, and efpecially in that
degree as you fee we have related : for, if
in fubflance and effeft they have been
wrought in them, if he have them in truth,
though perhaps not in this degree, I dare
pronounce of him that he is furely born a-
gain. It is one of our worthies hath faid
t, * That in our humiliations, and other
preparative difpofitions, we do not pre-
Icribe precifely juft fuch a mcafure and
quantity, we do not determine peremp-
torily upon fuch and fuch a degree and
height, we leave that to the wifdom of
our great Mafter in heaven, the only wife
God, who is a mod free agent: but fure
we are, a man mull: have fo much, and
in that meafure, as thoroughly to hum-
ble him, and then to bring him to his
Saviour ; he rauft be weary of all his fins,
and of Satan's bondage wholly, willing
to pluck out his right eye, and cut off
his right hand, I mean to part with his
bed beloved bofom-lufts, to fell all, and
not to leave not fo much as a hoof behind ;
he muft fee his danger, and fo hafie to the
city of refuge ; he muft be fenfible of his
fpiritual mifery, that he may heartily thirft
for mercy ; he muft find himfelf loft and
caft away in himfelf, that Chrift may be all
in all unto him ; and after muft follow an
hatred of all falfe and evil ways for the time
to come, a thorough change of former
courfes, company, converfation, and fet-
ting himfelf in the way and practice of fo-
briety, honefty, and holinels.' And ano-
ther fpeaks to the fame purpofe, * That the
difcovery of the remedy aifoon as ihe mi-
fery, muft needs, prevent a great p^irt of
the trouble, and make the diftind effe^h
E
27
' on the foul to be with much more diffi-
* culty difcerned ; nay, the actings of the
* foul are fo quick, and oft fo confufed,
* that the diftinft orders of thefe workings
* may not be apprehended, or remember-
* ed at all. And perhaps the joyful ap-
' prehenfion of mercy may make the fenfe
* of mifery fooner forgotten.' The fum is;
Of every foul is required thus much -. r. A
truly penitent fight, fenfe and hatred of all
fin. 2. A fincere and infatiable thirft after
Jefus Chrift, and righteoufnfefs both im-
puted and inherent. 3. An unfeigned and
unreferved refolution of an univerfal ner,t
obedience for the time to come. If any
man hath had the experience of thefe af-
feiHiions and effe(5ls in his own foul, what-
foever the order, or whatfoever the mea-
fure be (lefs or more) he is fafe enough, and
may go on comfortably in the holy path,
Ufe 2, Now then let me advife thee, who-
foever thou art that readeft, to enter into
thine own foul, and examine thine own
ftate, whether or no thou art yet born a-
gain ? Search and fee whether as yet the
fpirit of bondage hath wrought its effefts iti
thee ; that is to fay, whether thou haft been
enlightened, convinced, and terrified with
a fenfible apprehenfion and particular ac-
knowledgment of thy wretched eftate .'
Search and fee whether as j'et the Jpirit of
adoption hath fealed thee for his own ; that
is to fay, whether, after thy heart being
broken, thy fpirit bruifed, thy foul hum-
bled, thy confcience wounded, and awak-
ed ; thou haft had a fight of Chrift, and haft
thirfted after him, and haft caft thyfelf on
him, and haft followed his ways and com-
mandments by an univerfal obedience ? If
upon fearch thou canft fay, without felf-
deceit, that £b it is with thee, then mayft
thou blefs God that ever thou waft born j
certainly, I dare fay it, thou art born again. '
But if thou haft no fenfe or feeling of thefe
works, if all 1 have fpoken are very myfte-
ries to thee, what fiiall I fay ? but if ever,
if ever thou meanefl to lee the liingdom of
2 God,
28 rbe NEW
God, ftrive, flruggle, endeavour with thy
might and main to become truly regene-
,rate : \Thus while the minifier /peaks, it
is Chrift that comes ivith power in the word,
Ezek. xviii. 31,32.* Rem::Tnber that.'] Thou
mayefl: fay, periiaps, It is not in thy power,
thou art only a mere patient, and God's
Spirit the agent, and who can command
the Spirit of the Lord, that blowcth where
he liftcth, at his*own will and pleafure. I
anfwer, It is indeed the Spirit, and not man,
B IRTH.
XX xi. 18. / have Curely heard Kphraim he-
moaning himfelfythus. Thou haj} chaJHj-
ed me. and I was chaftifed, as a bullock tin-
accujiomed to the yoke : turn thou me, and
I Jljall be turned. l he foul may objcft :
I may fay tlius, and be no better : But I
anfwer, Say it, .though you be no better,
becaufe God bids you fay it ; fay it, and
fay it again ; it may be he will come in
when you fay it, Hof. xiv. 4. The foul
may objecft again, How can I pray, and
that regenerates or fanftifies: but, I anfwer have not faith ? I anfwer. Put thyfelf up-
withal. The doftrine of the gofpel is the on prayer, and who knows but afliftance
miniftration of the Spirit, and wherefoe- and blefling may come ? Pray that God
ver that is preached, as I preach it now to would pleaie to prepare thy heart, to fanc-
thee, there is the Holy Ghoft prefent, and tify thy affections, to order thy will, to
, Thither he comes to* regenerate: nay, lean
lay more, There is a common work of il-
_ lumination that makes way for regenerati-
on, and this common work puts power in-
to a man of doing that, which when he fhall
do, the Spirit of God may, nay, will in
the day of his power mightily work in him,
to his quickening and purging. If then, as
preferve thee from fin, to prepare thee for
growth unto full holinefs and righteouf-
nefs : this was the effect of Jeremiah's pray-
er, Jer. xxxi. 18. Convert me, Lord, and
Ifhall be converted; — Heal me, Lord, and
I /hall be healed ; /ave me, Lord, and I
/hall be/aved, Jer. xvii. 14. Turn thou us,
Lord, and fb xve/hallbe turned. Lam. v.- 2 1 .
vet thou feelert not this mighty work of It is the Lord that converts and heals, and
God in thee, and yet fain wouldeft feel it, faves, and turns ; and prayer is the means
and gladly doft defire it, (otherwife I con- to produce this effedl in thee. When we are
fefsitisin vain to fpeak) follow me in thefe required to pray, to repent, and believe,
paflTages; Ifhall lend thee two wings to bear we are not to feek Ilrengih in ourfelves,
thee, two hands to lead thee to the foot of but to fearch into the covenant, and turn
this ladder, where if thou afcendthefefleps the promife into prayer. As the com-
aforefaid, I dare certainly pronounce of mand is, Repent, A6ts ii. 38. fo the cove-
thee, Thou art the man born again. nant is, ChriJ} /hall give repentance, Afts
ThefirflwingisPrayer, which firft brings v. 31. and therefore pray, Turn thou me,
thee to God's throne, and (there, if thou and l/hallbe turned, Jer. xxxi. 18. There-
haft thy requeft) then to the New Birth ; fore bow thy knees, and humbly, heartily,
if I muft acquaint thee how to pray, Hof. frequently, fervently implore the iafluence
xiv. 2. Take with you words, and turn to of God's bleffed Spirit : cry, with the Spoufe
the Lord ; Jay unto him, take away all i-
7nquity, and receive us graciou/ly. And
then it foUoweth — / will heal their back-
Jliding, Jwill love them /reelyy ver. 4. Jer.
in the Canticles, Awake, north-wind, and
come thou /outh-wind, and blow upon my
garden, that the /pices thereo/ may flow
out, Cant. iv. 16. The more rufhing and
• Ca[i G-i>.iy from you all your tranrgrefftons, -whereby ye have tranfgrcffid. and make you a ne-.v hcr.rt, and a new fpl-
rlt ; for -u,hy -wHl yon die, houfe of IJrael ,» For I have no fUafura in (he death of him that dteth, faith the Lord Cod .-
■wberefore turn yourjclves, and live yc, . ^
^ mighty
The NEW B IR T H.
migHty this wind of the Spirit is, the more
will he make thee fruftify in his graces and
bleffings; therefore cry again and again,
Lord, let thy fpirit come upon me : cre-
ate in me, a clean heart, God, and re-
new a right fpirit within me, Pfal. li. lo.
* O Lord Jefus, fend thy Spirit into me,
which may reftore me from this death of
fin, unto the life of holinefs,' Thus
wouldft thou a (k, and continue a/king;
thus wouldft thou cry,and continue crying,
then could I aflure thee of the promife,
when the Lord cometh in, which God hath
made, and cannot deny, He that a/keth,
receiveth ; and he that feeketh^ findeth ;
and to him that knocketh (by continuance
and perfeverance) // Jhall be openedj Mat.
vii. 8.
The fecond wing, or hand, that bears
and leads thee to thefe fteps of the New
Birth, is, Conftant hearing of the word :
thou muft attend the gates of wifdom, and
29
day to repair to God's houfe, left the day
of thy negle(fl might have been the day of
thy converlion : certain it is, no man ihould
expert God's blefling without his ordinan-
ces ; no eating of bread without plowing
and fowing, no recovering of health with-
out eating and drinking, no polling on
land without fomevvhat to ride on, no paf-
fage on feas without fomewhat to fail in :
fo no blefling, no grace, no regeneration,
no New Birth at all, without waiting up-
on God in his ways, and in his ordinances.
Now then, as thou delireft heaven, or (the
way to heaven) to be born again, I befeech
thee make high account of this ordinance
of God, the preaching of his word : in
preaching of the gofpel, light, motion and
power goes out to all, which men refilf ;
and fome are deftroyed, not becaufe they
could not believe, but becaufe they refiff,
and will not obey, and fo die, A(fls vii. $i.
Luke xiii. 34. Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Hof. xiii.
wait on her ports; thou mufl: come to *9. and yet I wifh thee not only to hear it.
God's houfe, and hearken to the miniftry
of the word : no doubt, but if thou beeft
conftant in this duty, God will flir up fome
good Samuel, God will ufe fome of his
priefts, confecrated to that office, to beget
thee again : underfland this foberly ; for
if Jefus Chrifl himfelf fhould preach to the
foul every day, and give not out of him-
felf, the ordinance would be empty to it :
it is Ghrift's coming in to his people in the
ordinances, that only fills the empty foul
with good things. And yet God's mini-
flers are called fpiritual fathers, I have be-
gotten you, faith Paul, through the go fpd,
I Cor. iv. 15. The paflor's tongue is the
Lord's conduit-pipe, and hereby he drives
the fweet and wholefome waters of life in-
to the fouls of his chofen ; only, do thou
frequent the means, and thou fliak fee at
one time or other God will remember thee
in mercy : it is true, I know not when ;
and therefore I wiih thee mifs no Lord's
but after thou hafl heard, confider of it,
ponder on it, and lay the threats and re-
proofs, the precepts and promifes unto
thine own foul : thus if thou hearefl and
mcditatefl, I doubt not but God's word
will be a word of power to thee, and (to-
gether with prayer) bring thee towards the
New Birth, whither except a man come,
he cannot pofTibly fee the kingdom of God.
Thus far of the New Birth : you fee we
have mounted thofe fleps, whofe top, like
Jacob's ladder, reachethup to heaven, Gen.
xxviii. 12. witnefs the next word. He that
is born again ihzWfee the kingdom of Cod,
but he that is not born again, he canru/tfes
the kingdom of Cod.
He cannot fee the kingdom of God.
THE privileges of the New Birth are
thefe two, to fee'\ and tojee the king-
dom of God.
Firit, to fee.l Which is all one (faith a
30 rhe JSIEW
modern *) ns to enjoy : yet a man may fee
that which he doth not enjoy ; but with-
out regeneration there is no fight, much
lefs pofTeffion of the kingdom of God.
To fee then is the leller hnppinefs, of
which the unregenerate are debarred ; but
to fee, in itfelf is a great and gracious pri-
vilege, f to which the regenerate are ad-
mitted : for, whither by God's kingdom
be meant the kingdom of grace, or the
kingdom of glory, Happy are the eyes that
fee thefe things.
But whofe eyes are they ? if we examine
the unregenerate, he fees no whit into the
awful majefly of God the Father, he fees
no whit of the beauty, mercy and pity of
his Saviour, he fee^no whit into that glo-
rioushighnefs of God's Spirit in heaven, nor
yet of his nighnefs to his brethren on earth :
' hence it is, that when he comes among the
congregation of God's faints, his foul is
rot delighted with their prayers, praifes,
pfalms, and fervice j he fees no comfort,
no pleafure, no content in iheir anions.
But the new man is of better fight, the
graces of the Spirit, and the % ward-robe of
God's glory are all produced to his eye, as
if the Lord fhould fay, Venite dr videte,
* Come and fee :' fo Mofes, Stand f}ill and
fee the falvaiion of Cod ^ ; fo Chrift to his
apoftles. It is given to your eyes to fee thefe
thingSy to others but by parables. He that
is born again hath a fpiritual eye, and a ce-
lebrated objeft; The eye of his underfland-
ing is enlightened, faith Paul ; anointed^
faith John **, To what end ? But that he
may kno-<v ivhat is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his in-
B IRTH,
heritance is in the faints, Eph. i, r&. See
a privilege, of which the unregenerated is
ever barred, his mind is dark, even dark-
nefs itfelf, Eph. v. 8, And therefore it is
no wonder, what is faid by our Saviour,
that he cannot, cannot fee the kingdotn of
God.
The Second privilege is the obje£l of this
fight, here called the kingdom of God. By
which fome underftand heaven ; fome the
way to heaven ; moft of the ancients fay,
that by this kingdom is meant heaven : Cal-
vin is of mind, that * not heaven, but a fpi-
ritual life is thereby underftood -] f.' Areti-
us faith (and I am of his mind) that whether
we underftand the one or the other, pa'
rum refert XX* it matters not much; fure
we are, that both thefe, grace and glory,
are annexed to the New Birth, and both
very well may be implied in the word, the
kingdom of Cod.
Firfi: then, if by the kingdom of Cod, is
meant the kingdom of grace whereof our
Saviour fpeaketh, The kingdom of Cod is
ivithinyou, Luke xvii. 2 1 . fee to what a pri-
vilege the new man hath attained, all the
graces of God, all the fruits of the Spirit
are now poured into him ? If you afk, what
graces? what fruits? Paul tells you. Gal. v.
22.Love,joy,peace,long-fi<jfering,gentlenefs,
goodnejs, faith, mceknefs, temperance, or,
would you have us to contract them ? Paul
doth it elfewhere, The kingdo?n of Cod is
righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghof}, Rom. xiv. 17.
I . Righteoufnefs, and that is either ac-
tive, or paffive ; holinefs of life, or the
caufe of this holinefs, our righteoufnef;
* Aretius.
\ One reafon, perhaps, wliy the fciipture clnifeth to fet fortli the enjoyment of the heavenly luppinefs, by that
of fifing, m?y be this, becaufe figlit is of all tlie other fenfts the moll cupucms and Jliitjl ; and therefore moll
fit to fliadow forth the enjoyment of a happiucfs fo cxtcnjive and ccrtmii as tliat of heavm is.
\ And the ward-robe of CioJ's glory is produced to his eye] Tlie meaning is, That God's glor)-, \v!iich was
formerly concealed from his view, is now, in fome mcafure, manifclled to him. — The reader will do well to fc'.
parate, in his own mind, all low notions from the word [-u'drd-robe] in the text, when he applies it to any thing
relating to God ; of whom we can never think highly and Iionourably enough.
§ Exod, xiv. 13, *• Rev. iii, 18. ff Calvia on ihc iLice. \\ Aretius on the place.
in
rhe NEW
in Chrift : If the firft be meant, no foon-
er is man born again, but he enters into
the holy path, he declines all evil, and
ftands at the fword-point with his moft be-
loved fin J or, if ever any fin through the
violence of temptation feize on blm again,
he is prefently put again into the pangs of
the new birth, and fo renewing his forrow,
and repaii'ing repentance, he becomes more
refolute and watchful over all his ways :
and as he abhors evil, fo he cleaves to that
ivhlch is good, Rom. xii. 9. his faith, like
the fun, fets all thofe heavenly ftars on
fhining, as hope, and love, and zeal, and
humility, and patience ; in a word, uni-
verfal obedience, and fruitfulnefs in all
good works. Not one, but all good du-
ties of the firft and fecond table begin to
be natural and familiar to him : and though
he find fome duties more difficult ; yet he
refolveth, and ftriveth to do what he can,
and is much difplea fed and grieved, if he,
do not as he Ihould. Orif byrighteouf-
nefs is meant paffive righteoufnefs, to wit,
cur righteoufnefs in Chrifl, i Cor. i. 30.
no fooner is a man born again, but he is
cloathed with this righteoufnefs; the o-
ther, God knows, is but weak, and full of
imperfe£lion, and therefore,' to fpeak pro-
perly, // is the righteoufnefs in God that
makes us appear righteous before Cod * :
would you have a plain cafe ? As Jacob, to
procure the bleffing of his father, hid him-
felf into the apparel of his brother, and fo
received it to his own commodity under
the perfon of another J : thus the new
man puts on the righteoufnefs of Chrift,
with which being clad as with a garment,
God accepts him in his flead, \^not indeed
by miflake, as Ifaac took his fon Jacob j or
Efau,'] his faults being covered with his Sa-
viour's perfeftion.
2. From this righteoufnefs arifeth peace :
BIRTH, 31
no fooner is man righteous, but he is st peace
with man, at peace with God, at peace with
himfelf. He is at peace -with mam the ivolf
fhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
-with the kid, faith the prophet,7/2f. xi. 6. The
meaning is, that in the kingdom of Chrift,
when a man is called into the fiate of
grace (howfoever by nature he is as a wolf,
or a leopard, or a lion, or a bear, yet) he
fhall then lay afide his cruelty, and live
peaceably with all men; wjth all men, I
fay bad and good ; for if bad, the apofile
implies them, As much asliethin you, live
peaceably with all men, Rom. xii. 18. Or
if good, then he cannot but have peace
with them ; yea, although before his con-
verfion he hated and maligned them, yet
now he is ravilhed with the delight and
love of them, and to this end he labours
might and main to ingratiate himfelf into
their blefTed communion; true, how fhould
, he but love them, and fympathize with
them, whom be believes one day to meet
in heaven, and there to enjoy them, and
they him for ever ? Nor is this all, he is at
peace with God : he hath humbled himfelf,
and confcfi"ed his fault, and cried for mer-
cy, and caft himfelf upon Chrift, and vow-
ed amendment of life: fo that now God
by his word hath fpoken peace to his foul;
by the mediation of Chrift it is obtained,
and by the teftimony of the Spirit he feels
it within him. This is that peace which
pafiTeth all underftanding : it made the an-
gels fing, peace upon earth ; it makes his
foul reply, /l/y peace is in heaven : what
elfe ? the ftorm is paft, and the rain is gone
away, he that lay for a night in the dark-
nefs of forrow, and weeping for his fins,
now he beholds the fun of righteoufnefs ap-
pear (as tlie difciplcs often did upon the
mount of Olives, fignifymg peace) all
quiet and calm, and pleafant. Nor is this
Extra ties eji juliltia, non in nobis: i. e, ' A ri^hteoullicfs without us, not in us.' Lutkcr'i Ckrijiian injlltut.
\ Gen. xx7ii, 1 5, &c.
all;
Z7. The NE W
all; he is at peace with himfeir, T mean
his own conicience : that which before
birred up the fire, that brought him to a
fight of fin, and fenfe of divine wrath,
that filled him with fearful terrors, com-
punflion, remorfe, and true forrow for
lin, it is 'now turned good and quiet. So-
lomon calls it a continual fea/l, Prov. xv.
15. Who are the attendants, but the holy
angels ? What is the chear, but joy in the
holy Ghoft P Who is the feaft-maker, but
God himfelf, and his good Spirit dwelling
in him? Nor is this feaft without mufick ;
God's word and his aftions make a bleffed
harmony, he endeavours to continue it by
keeping peace and^a good confcience to-
wards God and man.
3. From \.\\\s peace ifTuesyoy in the holy
'ChoJ}\ no fooner is a man at peace with
man, with God, with himfelF, but he is
filled with joy that no man can take from
him : this joy I take to be thofe bleffed
flirrings of the heart, when the feal of re-
mifTion of fins is firft fet unto the foul by
thtfpirit of adoption. For thus it is, the
foul having newly palfed the pangs of the
new birth, it is prefently bathed in the
blood of Chrift, lulled in the bofom of
God's mercies, fecured by the fpirit of its
inheritance above ; and fo ordinarily fol-
lows a fea of comfort, a fenfible tafle of
everlafling pleafure, as if the man had al-
ready one foot in heaven. But I hear
fomc objeft, They have felt the pangs, cafl
themfelues on ChriJ}, refolved againf} all
Jin, and yet no comfort comes. It may be
fo, though not ordinarily ; certain it is,
wholoever hath this joy, is new born ; yet
not every one new born hath this joy ; if
any then be in fuch cafe, let him hear what
the Spirit of truth faith, Since the beginning
of the ivorld men have not heard, nor per-
ceived by the ear, neither hath the eyefeen,
God, bcfides thee, what he hath prepared
for him that ivaiteth for him, Ifa. Ixiv. 4.
* Waiting patiently {faith a modem') for
* the Lord's coming to comfort us, either
BIRTH.
* in temporal orfpirltual diflrefTes/isaright,
' pleafing and acceptable duty and fervice
* unto God, which he is wont to crown
* with multiplied and overflowing refrefh-
* ings when he comes.* To this end faith
the prophet, They that -wait upon the Lord
fl)all renevj their firength, they floall ynount
up -with -wings as eagles : they fhall run
and not be weary, and they f}all vjalk and
not Jaint, Ifa. xl. 31. * Nay, -and fhould
* a man die' (faith my author) * in this
* flate of waiting, if his heart in the mean
* time fincerely hate all fin, heartily thirfl
* for the mercy of God in GhrifV, and re-
' folve truly upon new univerfal obedi-
' ence for the time to come, he fliall cer-
* tainly be faved; becaufe the Holy Ghoft
* faith, Ble/fed are all they that -wait for
' ^w.Ifa.xxx. i8.' Or if this will not fatisfy
his defire, let his defire quicken and fet on
work (with extraordinary fervency) the
fpirit of prayer, let him have recourfe a-
gain and again to the promifes of fcripture
towards the poor, heavy-laden, penitent
fouls ; and when the time is come (if it
will come)which God hath appointed, then
fhall he feel this joy unfpeakable, the joy
of the holy Ghoft ; and this is the head, the
height, the top, the highefl ftep in this
kingdom of grace, the kingdom of God.
Or, Secondly, If by//'^ kingdom of God,
is meant the Kingdom of Glory, fee then
what a privilege waits on the new man :
no fooner fliall his breath and body be di-
vorced, but his foul, mounted on the
wings of angels, fliall ftraight be carried a-
bove the ftarry firmament; there fhall it
inherit the kingdom, Luke xii. 32. an hea-
venly kingdom, Matth. vii. 2 i. the kingdom
of God, Afts xiv. 2 2. and truly called fo,
for it is a kingdom of God's own making,
beautifying andbleffing; a kingdom be-
feeming the glorious relidence of the King
of kings ; a kingdom creating all kings
that but inhabit in it. But here my dif-
courfe niufl give way to your meditations :
I cannot fpeak this privilege, therefore
con-
rhe_ NEW BIRTH.
conclude with Auftin, Jnima quae amat^
afcendat frequenter ^ <tf currat per platens
coelejHs Jerujalem^ <bc. ' Mount your
* meditations on the wings of faith, and
* behold in heaven thofe (tates of wonder,
' patriarchs fl^ining, prophets praifing,
* faints admiring, hands clapping, harps
* warbling, hearts dancing ; the exercife,
* a fong; the ditty, allelujah; the quirifters,
' faints ; the conforts, angels ;' &c. In
this fountain of pleafure, let the New
born Chriftian bathe his foul, for his it is,
and he it is only that fhall fee it, enjoy it;
Except the matt be born again, no man
(It all ever fee the kingdom of God. See
more of this in my Lafl Things.
Thus far of the privileges of the New
Birth ; there waits on it the Eye of Faith,
and Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Joy in
the Holy Ghofl: ; in a word, the Kingdom
of grace, and the Kingdom of Glory.
Ufe. And now, beloved, fay, what would
you do to obtain thefe privileges ? fliould
any hand reach you a crown for the pains
to take it ? (hould any but caft: at your
feet a bag of gold, and you might make it
your own for the ftooping, would j'ou
not for fo great a reward do fo little a fer-
vice ? and what is God's fervice but per-
feft freedom ? the yoke is eafy, the bur-
den is light. Mat. xi. 30. but the reward
is grace, glory, cndlefs felicity. Beflir
then yourfelves, and if ever you mean to
fee the Kingdom of God, endeavour to
33
run through this new Birth, and fo lead a
better life than heretofore yon liave done
Only remember, Thus whiKl the minifter
fpeaks, Chrifl comes with power, and there-
fore he fpeaks and perfuades. I conclude
with my fpeech to thee (whofoever thou
art) into whofe hands this book is fallen ;
the truth is, the work is weak, and anfwe-
rable in that kind to the author of it ; ma-
ny and many a flitch in my iide, many a
pull at my heart, many a grip at my flo-
mach, befides the pangs of my foul (en-
deavouring to praifllfe what I have writ)
have I fufFered and felt fince I firft begun
it ; and yet the comfort I received in this
one neceflary fhing,hath made me (contrary
to the defirc of my befl: friends) to run
through this fliort work, by taking a long-
er time as my continual difeafe would now
and then fufFer me. If, when I am gone,
thou reapeft any fpiritual good by this
sny furviving pains, it is, next to God's
glory, all my defirc. Yet I live; but, to
fave thy foul, I care not how foon I might
die; yea, on that condition I could be wil-
ling (if God fo pleafed) the lines that thou
readell: were writ with the warmeft blood
in my heart: willing, faid I ? yea, I could
be willing and glad (as little blood as I have
in my body) to let it run and run, for
thy fpiritual good, to the v.ery lafl drop
in my veins. I fay no more ; confider what
I have faid. Except a man be born again,
he cannot fee the kingdom of Cod,
A^
C 34 )
A N
APPENDIX,
CONTAINING
A more particular T^.lethod, for the Man not yet born again, to have
his Part in the Second Birth,
CHAP. I.
The occafion, and method of this treatife.
SOME there are, who hearing the
New Birth (or firft repentance) to be
fo necelTary to falvation, but never feeling
in themfelves any fuch change or conver-
fion, have therefore defired further helps,
though naturally they are blind, and wret-
ched, and miferable, and poor, and naked ;
yet the Lord hath not left them without
means and helps: to this purpofe he hath
fet up his ordinances ; not that man of
himfelfcan difpofehimfelf unto grace, but
that the fpirit of Chrifl in the ufe of the
ordinances without any habitual or fan6li-
fying grace in man's heart, can difpofe of
man to the reception of habitual or fanfti-
fying grace. True iiis, I advifed them in
the former treatife to be frequent in pray-
er, and hearing the word : but fo we have
done, fay they, and yet we feel no conver-
iion. It may be fo : for, not always the
doing of them, but perfeverance in them
through Chrifl, obtains the blclling defired.
And yet, if they will out of hand fettle
ihemfelves to the work (feeing it is the
Lord that {2\ih, Break up the fallow grounds ,
Jer. iv. 3. i. e. * Seek to tlie Lord to break
them for thee : be in the ufe of means,
that the Lord may come in and break thy
heart') I fhall, for their further fatisfafli-
on, give them a more particular method,
and, without a text taken, take myfelf
more liberty to put them in the way.
Two things I fuppofc necelfary for them
that would have part in the New Birth.
I. To get into it.
IL To be delivered of it.
L The means to get into it, is,
1. Examination of themfelves.
2. Confelfion of their fins.
3. Hearty prayer for the foftening of
their hearts.
By which three are obtained the three
firft Steps, Sight of fin ; Senfe of Divine
wrath ; Sorrow for fin.
IL The means to be delivered of it, is
by application of the promifes, and thefe,
according to their feveral objects, produce
their feveral effects ;
Some a fight of Chrift.
Some a dcfire after Chrifl.
Some a relying on Chrifi.
Some an obedience to Chrifl.
Some a comfort in Chrifl, not only
fought for, but obtained, if the promifes be
rightly applied.
CHAP.
The N E7V B I RT H. zs
in God > 9. Haft thoU obferved God's
CHAP. II. S E C T I.
the Fir ft means to get into the New Birth.
THE means to get into the New
Birth, is, firft, Examination; and
the way to examine, is to fet before men
that chryftal glafsofthe law for their light
and rule : to this purpofe,I have here annex-
ed a Catalogue, or table, to (hew them their
offences ; not that I can poffibly enumerate
all fins, but only the kinds, and, if herein
I come fliort, yet confciences awakened
may be occafioned hereby to bring into
their thoughts thofe others not mentioned.
Now then, whofoever thou art that be-
ginneft this bleffed work, examine thyfelf
by this catalogue, but do it warily, and
truly ; and where thou findeft thyfelf
guilty, either note it in this book, or tranf-
cribe it into Tome paper, that fo they may
be ready for thine eye when thou comcft
to Gonfeifion.
SECT. II.
Sins again/} the fir ft Commandment.
IN every commandment we muft obferve
both the duties required, and the fins
forbidden, for both thefe are implied in
every one of the commandments ; if in
the firft thou art guilty, thou mufl anfwer
negatively ; if in the fecond, thou mufl
anfwer affirmatively : now then to proceed.
It is the firfl commandment, Thou /halt
have no other Gods but me.
For the duties here required.
Say, I. Hafl thou ever in mind, will,
and afieftions took the true God in Chrifl
to be thy God ? 2. Haft thou abounded in
thofc graces by which thou fhouldft cleave
unto God, as in the warmth of knowlege
and love, and fear, and joy, and trufting
3-
mercies, and promifes, and works, and
judgments upon thee, and by a particu-
lar application took fpecial notice there-
of? 4. Haft thou communicated with
the godly ? and joined thyfelf to God*»
people, and delighted chiefly in them/
Or, for the /ins here forbidden.
Say, 1 . Haft thou not fometimes been
guilty of blafphemy, or idolatry, or witch
craft, or atheifm, or epiciirilxn, or herefy ?
2. Haft thou not been guilty of pride, a fin
flatly oppofing God, and firft committed
by devils? 3. Haft thou not had inward
reafonings that there is no God *, or that
he feeth not, or knoweth not f, or that
there is no profit in his fervice :j: ? 4. Hafl
thou not failed to love God, and fear God,
and put thy whole truft in God ? 5. Hafl
thou not trufted in man §, or feared man,
or loved the world; and thereby alienated
thy heart from God? 6. Haft thou notre-
forted to witches, or in the firft place to
phyficians, and not to the living God ?
7. Haft thou not tempted God, and, in the
matters of God, been either cold or luke-
warm, or prepofteroufly zealous ? 8. Haft
thou not a pronenefs to fin, yea, to rebel
againft God in thy whole man ? 9. Haft
thou not been carelefs to perform the in-
ward duties of God's worfhip in fincerity
and truth ? If in thefe thou haft tranfgref-
fed, then haft thou broken this command-
ment, Thou /halt have no gods but me.
SECT. III.
Sins againft the fecond commandment.
IT is the fecond commandment. Thou
/halt not make to thyfelf any graven
image.
For the duties here required.
Say, I. Haft thou ever worfhipped the
true God purely, according to his will ?
Pfalxiv.i,
t Ifa, xxix, 1$.
I Job xxi. 14.
§ Jcr. xvii. J.
2 Haft
\/y
The: NEW
2. Flaft thou obferved all thofe outward
duties of his worfhip, as prayer, and vows,
and farting, and meditating, and the reft ?
3. Haft thou repaired to God's houfe, ob-
lerved family- duties,^ received the preach-
ers of the gofpel ?
Or, for the fins here forbidden.
Say, I. Haft thou not fometimes walk-
ed after the imaginations of thy own heart* ^
lerving God out ofcuftom, or (after the
manner of thy forefathers) by vvill-wor-
ftiip, and fupcrftitions ? 2. Haft thou not
committed idol- worfhip, conceiving of God
'n thy mind, or rcfpefling him in thy fenfe,
in the likencfs of a creature ? 3. Haft
. rhou not mentioned the names of other
, cods f , either by way of fwearing, or a-
pology ? 4. Haft thou not made an image
to liken Cod to it %, or ufed any gefttire
■o^ love and reverence to any fuch image ?
5. Haft thou not been carelefs to ivcrfloip
uod *t, to call upon the Lord f f to re-
ceive God's minijhrs ±J, or to perform a-
ny of the outward duties of God's wor-
ihip? If in any of thefe thou haft tranf-
greftcd, then haft thou broken this com-
mjindmcnt, Thou fait not make to thyfelf
any graven image.
SECT. IV.
Sins againfi the third commandment.
IT is the third commandment, 77;<5«y^^//
not take the name of the Lord thy Cod
in vain.
I or the duties here required.
Say, I. Haft thou been ever a conftant
learner,liearer,and d ocr of God's word and
will ? 2. Haft thou prayed with perfevcr-
ance, underftanding, and power of the Spi-
rit, without doubting, or wavering? 3. Haft
thou come preparedly to the facrament of
the Lord's fuppcr, and being come, hafl
thou difcerned the Lord's body i 4. Haft
BIRTH.
thou ufed all the titles, and properties, nnd
works, and ordinances of ihe Lord with
knowlegc, faith, reverence, joy, and fin-
cerity ?
Or, for the fins here forbidden.
Say, T . Haft thou not fometimes in thy
talk diflionoured the titles, attributes, re-
ligion, word, people of God, or any thing
that hath in it the print of his holinefs i
2. Haft thou not fworn, or forfworn, or
loved falfe oaths l 3. Haft thou not caufed
the name of religion, or people of God to
be evil thought of by thy illcourfe of life,
or by committing fome grofs fin ? 4. Haft
thou not rafhly, or unpreparedly, or
heedlefly read the word, heard fermons,
received the facraments, or performed any
other part of the worlhip of God ? 5.
Haft thou not thought or fpoken blafphe-
moufly, or contemptuoufly of God, or of
any thing whatfoevcr pertaining to God? If
in any of thcfe thou haft tranfgrefted, then
haft thou broken this commandment, 7"/;c«
flnilt }tot take the name of the Lord thy Cod
in vain.
SECT. V.
Sins againfi the fourth commandment.
IT is the fourth commandment, Remem-
ber that thou keep holy the fabbath-day.
Tor the duties here required.
Say, Firft, haft thou, according to the
equity of this commandment, ever obferv-
ed the Lord's day, and other days and
times fet apart for God's fcrvice ; Second-
ly, Haft thou on thofe days refted from
the fcivile works of fin, and refted and
relied upon Chrift for the remiilion of fins,
and led an holy and religious life, that fo
thou may efi enter into that rcfi of heaven?
Hcb. iv. II. Thirdly, Haft thou always
prepared thy heart, before thou wentefl
into the houfe of the Lord, by meditation
• \fx. ix. 14.
I Exod. xxiii. 13.
\\ Matth, X. i4>
\ m. xi. 18.
*f Zlcch, xiv. 17.
of
The N E
of God's word and works, by examinati-
on and reformation of thy ways.by prayer,
thankfgiving, and holy refoliition to carry
thyfelf as in God's prefence, and to hear
and obey whatfoever thou fhouldft learn
out of the pure word of God ? Fourthly,
Haft thou repaired to God's houfe in due
time, and ftayed the whole time of prayer,
reading, preaching of the word, finging of
Pfalms, receiving of the facraments ? Fifth-
ly, Haft thou performed private religious
olfices upon the Lord's day, to wit, in
private prayer and rhankfgiving, in ac-
Jcnowleging thy offences to God, in re-
conciling thyfelf to thofe thou haft oiiend-
ed, or with whom thou art at variance;
in vifiting the fick, comforting the atflift-
ed, contributing to the necellity of the
poor, inftru6ting thy children and fer-
vants, and the reft of thy family, in the
fear and nurture of the Lord ?
Or for the /ins here forbidden.
Say, Firft, Haft thou not fometimes
fpent the Lord's day in idlenefs, or in
worldly bufinefs, in vanities or in fin ?
Secondly, Haft thou not omitted public
duties, or cameft in too late, or wenteft
out too foon I Ezek. xlvi. lo. Thirdly,
Haft thou not in thofe days fold wares,
carried burdens , brought in floeaves, or
vjrought in the harvefi ? Neh. x. 31. and
ch. xiii. 15. Fourthly, Haft thou not em-
ployed thy cattle, or fervants, or children,
or any other, though thou workedft not
thy felf? Fifthly, Haft thou not profaned
the Lord's day, by needlefs works, words
or thoiights about thy calling, or about
thy recreation ? Sixthly, Hath not the
ftri£> obfervance of the duties of that day
been tedious unto thee, faying in thine
heart. When -will the day be gone P Amos
viii. 5 If in any of thefe thou haft tranf-
grelfed, then hift thou broken this com-
mandment, Remember that thoukeep holy
the Sabbath day.
W BIRTH,
37
I
SECT. VI.
Sins again]} the fifth commandment.
T is the fifth commandment, Honour
thy father and thy ryiother.
For the duties here required, they are
either in the Family, Common-weal, or
Church.
Firft, For the family : fay, if thou art
an hulband; i. Haft thou evev loved thy
ivife, and divelt -with her ^according to
knoxvlege, giving honour to her as to the
weaker vejfel, and as being heirs together
of the grace of life, that your prayers were
not kindred? Eph. v. 25. I Pet. iii. 7.
If tliou art a wife: 2. Hafi thou fubmit-
ied to thine own hufhand, as unto the Lordy
in every thing? Eph. v. 22, 24. 3. Hnjt
thou put on the ornainent of a meek and
quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of
great price ? i Pet. iii. 4.- If thou art a
» parent : 4. Hafi thou brought up thy chil-
dren in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord? Eph. vi. 4. 5. Haji thou corred'
' ed them, yet not provoked them by irnmO"
derate corredion ? 6. Hafi thou provid-
ed for them in their callings, or outward
eftates ? i Tim. v. 8. If ihou art a child i
7. Hafi thou obeyed thy pareJiis, and re-
ceived correction with fubmiffion and re-
verence I Rom. i. 30. 8. Hafi thou re-
lieved them in their wants ? Heb. xii. 9*
9. Hafi thou obferved their itifiruciionSy
and covered their infirmities ? Prov. xv»
15. Gen. ix. 22 If thou art a mafter : 10.
Hafi thou entertained God's fervants. Gen.
xix. 2, 3. and given unto thy fervant that
whichisjufi and equall Col. iv. i. If thou
art a fervant : 1 1 .HaJi thou been obedient to-
thy mafier according^ to thefiefJj, with fear
and trem.biing, in finglenefs of heart, as
unto Chrifi> Not anjwering arain, rot-
purloining, but fijewing all good' fidelity I
Tit. ii. 9, 10.
Secondly, For the com.mGn-weai ; if
thou art a magiftrate : 12. Haft thou ex-
ecuted juft laws ? 13.
Haft thou reformed
others
38 The NEW
others abufes,according to the power that is
in thee ? If thou art a fubjeft : 14. Haft
thou obeyed the higher powers in all juft
commands? 15. Haft thou been y?/^/V^
unto therriy not only for wrath, but aljofor
confcience fake ? Rom. xiii. 5.
Thirdly, For the church ; if thou art a
minifter: 16. Haft thou taught in feafony
and out offeafon ? 17. Hath thy light JJnn-
ed before men, that they might fee thy good
tuorksy Mat. v. 1 6. If thou art an hearer :
18. Haft thou communicated to them that
teach thee in all good things ? Gal. vi. 6.
19. Haft thou obeyed them, and prayed for
them, and loved them, and folloived them,
confidcring the entkof their converfation,
Heb. xiii. 7, 17, 18.
Or for the Jins here forbidden.
' And firft, For the family : fay, if thou
art an hulband : i. Haft thou not fome-
times abufed thy wife, Prov. xxi. 19. or
fmitten her, or injured her in thought,
word or deed? If thou art a wife : 2.
Haft thou not been wafteful, or froward
or idle? If thou art a parent: 3. Haft
thou not been carelefs, efpecially of thy
childrens fouls? If thou art a child: 4.
Haft thou not defpifed thy father's, or mo-
ther's inflruClions ? Prov. xv. 5. 5. Hafi
thou not mocked them, or defpifed them, or
curled them, or fmitten them, or foamed
them, or grieved them ? Pro. xxx. 17. and
ch.xx. 20. If thou art amafter: 6. Haft
thou not governed thy family negligently ?
7. Haft thou not withheld that which is juft
and equal in diet, wages, encouragement ?
If thou art a fervant : 8. Haft thou not
been idle, and flothful ? 9. Haft thou not
ferved grudgingly, and not from the heart.
Secondly, For the common-weal : if
thou art a magiftrate : 10. Haft thou not
been as a lion or a bear, roaring and
ranging over the poor people P Pro. xxviii.
15. II. Haf thou not decreed unrighte-
ous decrees F refpe^ling the perfons of the
poor, or honouring the perfons of the migh-
ty ? Ifa. X. I. Lev. xix. 15. If thou art
B 1 RTH,
a fubjeft : \2. Flaft thou not reviled the
gods, or cur fid the ruler of thy people?
Exod. xxii. 28. 13. Haft thou not <^«/o-
heyed the higher powers', or not denied
tribute, or cuflom, or honour, or fear to
whom they are due ? Rom. xiii. I and 7.
Thirdly, For the church; if thou art a
minifter : 14. Haft thou not been pro'
fane and wicktd in thy life and converfa-
tion ? 15. Haf} thou not run before thou
waft fent ? Jer. xxiii. 21. or being fent,
hart ihou not been negligent in the gift
that is in thee? 1 Tim. iv. 14. 16. Haft
thou not prophefied in Baal, and caufed
God's people to err? Jer. xxiii. 13. 17.
Haft thou not committed fimony, or
fought indiretflly for the fleece, not re-
garding refpe^lively the flock ? 18. Haft
thou not ftrengthened the hands cf evil
doers, in preaching peace to wicked men ?
Jer. xxiii. 14. 19. Haft thou not given
heed to fables, or tofome unprofitable 7nat-
ter, rather than to a godly edifying, which
is in faith ? i Tim. i. 4. If thou art an
hearer: 20. Haft thou not refifted the mi-
nifter, and the word preached by him ?
Heb. xiii. 7, 17, iS. Whatfoever thou
art, hujhand, or wife, or parent, or child,
or mifter, or fiervant, or magiftrate, or
Jubje£i, or minifter, or hearer (if in any of
thefe thou haft tranfgrefTed) then haft thou
broke this commandment. Honour thy fa-
ther and thy mother.
SECT. VII.
Sins again fi the fixth commandment .
IT is the fixth commandment. Thou
fijalt do no murther.
For the duties here required.
Say : haft thou ever delired and ftudied
byall means lawful, to prcferve thine own
perfon and the perfon of thy neighbour ?
Or for the fins here forbidden.
Say: I. Haft thou not fometimes en-
vied others for their wealth, or for their
gifts, or for their refpedls with others ?
Gen. xxvi. 14. Num.xi. 29. G^n, xxxvii.
II.
ne NEW B I RTH.
2. Haft thou not offended others in thy mouth ? 4. Haft
II.
geftures, gncijhing on than with thy teeth,
or Jlmrpening thine eyes on them ? Jot), xvi.
p. 3. Hafl: thou not olfended others in
words, by cenfuring, or reviling, or ren-
dering evil for evil, or railing for railing?
I Pet. ill. 9. 4. Haft thou not otFended o-
thersin deeAs,plotting again/t thejufi, Pfal.
xxxvii. 12. or doing evil to any man?
5. Haft thou not been angry with thy
brother without caufe, Matth. v. 22. or
continued long in anger, keeping thy
ivrath (as it were) for ever ? Amos i. 1 1.
6. Haft thou not rejoiced at others fatly
or luifhed a curfe to their fouls ? Pro. xxiv.
17. job XX xi. 30. 7. Haft thou not done
evil to thyfelf, by inordinate fretting, or
grieving, or drinking, or furfeiting, or fay-
ing in thy paffions, Would God liver e deadl
Numb. xiv. 2. 8. Haft thou not been a
fo-iver of difcordy Prov. vi. 14. or fome
way or other, a juft occafion of the dif-^
comfort, or of the death of thy neighbour?
If in any of thefe thou haft tranfgrefTcd,
thou haft then broken this commandment,
Thouflialt do no murther,
SECT. vni.
Sins againft the feventh commandment.
IT is the feventh commandment, Thou
fhalt nut com.mit adultery.
for the duties here required.
Say : Haft thovi ever kept thyfelf pure
in foul and body, both towards thyfelf and
others ?
Gr for the fins here forbidden.
Say: I. Haft thou not fometimes been
defiled with buggery, fodori:iitry, inceft,
whoredom, adulteiy, polygamy, fejf-pol-
lution, or with changing the natural ufc
into that "which is againfl nature ? 2.
Haft thou not oftendcJ in the occafions of
uncleannefs, as in idlenef', gluttony,,
drunkennefs, wanton company, whoiifh
attire, or perfumes ? 3. Hall thou not
finned in thy fenfes, or geftures, or words,
by filthy communication proceeding out of
39
4. Malt thou not harboured
in thy heartburning \\x^%,impure thoughts^
inordinate affeSiioyts ? ';•, Haft thou not
behaved thyfelf immodeflly, unfoberly, or
ftiamelefly abufingthy body, or ufing fome
manner of dalliance and wanton nefs? If
in any of thefe thou haft tranfgrcired, then
haft thou broken this commandment, TAum
fhalt not commit adultery s See Rom. i.
26. Prov. vii. 16, ij. Col. iii. 8. Matth..
V. 28. Col. iii. 5.
I
SECT. IX.
Sins again]} the eighth commandment.
T is the eighth commandment, Thou
fmlt not fie al.
For the duties here required.
Say : Haft thou ever, by all good means,
furthered the outward eftate of thyfelf,
and of thy neighbour ?
Or for the fins heue forbidden.
Say : Firft, Haft thou not fometimes
got thy living by an unlawful calling ? 2.
Haft thou not impoveriftied thyfelf by idle-
nefs, luxurious or unneceftary expences ?
3. Haft thou not withheld from thyfelf or
others, that which (hould have been ex-
pended ? 4. Haft thou not gotten, or kept
thy neighbour's goods by falftiood or force,
and made no reftitution ? 5. Haft thou
not ftollen by ufury, or oppreffion, or
fraud in buying or felling ? An abomina-
tion unto the Lord ? 6. Haft thou not rob-
bed God of his tithes and offerings by fa-
crilege or fimony ? 7, Haft thou not fome
way or other impaired thy neighbour's
ftate ? If in any of thefe thou haft tranf-
grefted, then haft thou broken this com.-
m^ndmtm. Thou ftjalt not f}eaL See Deut^
XXV. 16. Mai. iii. &.
SECT. X.
Sins againfl the ninth comynavdment.
T is the ninth commandment, Thou/
fnalt not bear fa fe xv it nefs.
For the duties here required.
Say, Haft thou ever by all means fought
to
40 TJ)e NEW
to maintain ihy own and thy neighbour's
good nainc, according to truth and a good
confcience ?
Or for the fins here forbidden.
Say, I . Hall thou not fomctimes loved,
or made a lie ? 2. Haft thou rot raifed a
jalfe report, to the de famine^ of many ?
3. Haft thou not ceitfuredor judged others y
yet never confidered the beam that is in
thine own eye? 4. Haft thou not flattered
thyfelf and others, faying unto the vjicked.
Thou art righteous ? 5. Halt thou not con-
demned fome without witnefs, or forborn
to witncfs for others when thou kneweft
the truth ? 6. Haft thou not been un-
charitably fufpicioij^s, or a defpifer of thy
' neighbour ? 7. Haft thou not told a lie,
whether jeflingly or officioully, or perti-
-nacioufly? If in any of thefe thou haft
traufgrelfed, then haft thou broke this
commandment, Thou flialt not bear falfe
•witnefs, Rev. xxii. 15. Jer. xx. 10, Mat.
vii. 3. Prov. xxiv. 24.
SECT. XL
Sins againfi the lafl commandment.
IT is the laft commandment, Thou floalt
not covet.
For the duties here required.
Say : I . Haft thou ever been truly con-
tented with thy own outward condition ?
1. Haft thou rejoiced at others good, and
loved thy neighbour as thyfelf? JMa t .xi x . 1 9 .
Or for the fins here forbidden.
Say : I. Haft thou not fometimes con-
ceived evil thoughts in thy heart ? Matth.
XV. 19. 2. Haft thou not delighted in the
inward contemplations of evil ? 3. Haft
thou not been full of difcontent with thy
own condition and ftate ? 4. Haft thou
not felt another law of thy members war'
ring againfi the law of thy mind ? Rom.
vii. 23. 5. Haft thou not coveted after
fomething or other that was thy neigh-
bour's, either with will, or by actual
concupifcence ? If in any of thefe thou
haft tranlgrefted, then haft thou broke
BIRTH,
this commandment, Thou fh alt not covet.
CHAP. III.
The fecond means to get into the new birth.
AFter Examination, which may well
ferve thee for one day's work or two,
the next duty is Confefiion. Now then
take the catalogue of thofe fins, or if thy
awakened conlcience can tell thee of any
other, which thou knoweft thou haft com-
mitted, and noted, either in this book, or in
fome other paper ; and kneeling on thy
knees, fpread thy catalogue before the
Lord ; I lay, fpread thy catalogue before
the Lord, as Hezekiah did his letter, 2
Kings xix. 14. There read thou feriouf-
ly and particularly, faying, * O Lord, I
confefs I have committed this fin, and the
other fin, as they are before thee in order,
of all thefe fins I am guilty, efpecially of
thofe fins wherein I delighted, my darlings,
my minions, my bofom fins' (take notice
of them, and confefs them again) ' of all
thefe fins I am guilty ; and now, O Lord,
ftanding, as it were, at the bar of thy tri-
bunal, 1 arraign myfclf, and accufe mj felf,
and judge myfelf worthy of the utmoft of
thy wrath and indignation ; for one fin
thou caftedft Adam out of paradife ; for
ore fin thou caftedft the angels out of hea-
ven, for one fin thou deftroyedft a world
of men; and what then iliall become of me,
that have committed a world of fins ?' — ^
[Here paufe a while,and meditate on thyun-
worthinefs] * O that I fhould be fo foolifh,
fo brutifii, fo mad to commit thefe fins,
thefe manifold fins ! O that by thefe fins
I Ihould break fo holy a law, provoke fo
good and great a majefty ! what fhall I do,
but remembring my evils ways, even loath
myfelf in my own fight, yea abhor my
fclf in duft and afties, for my iniquities,and
my abominations .' Ezek. xxxvi. 31.' For
conclullon ; thou mayft imitate the publi-
can, who not daring to lift up his cyes^
/mote his breajt ; fo do thou, and figh, an j
fau
77;^ NEW BIRTH,
fay with him, God, be merciful io me a
* /tuner y Luke xviii. 13.
CHAP. IV. SECT. I.
The third weans to get into the New Birth.
AFtcr ConfelTion, which may well ferve
thee for another day's work, the next
duty thou mufl labour for, is to fcek for
true forrow and mourning for thy fins :
feek thou muft, and never leave feeking,
till thou feel thy heart melt within thee.
To this purpofe readfome tracts of death*,
of judgment f, of hell **, of Chrift's paf-
fion ft, of the joys of heaven4| LafI:
of all (and I take it beft of all) rcfolve
to fet every day Come time apart to beg it of
the Lord'. When Daniel fet himfelf to
pray, the Lord came in to him, Dan. ix.
3. When Peter had gone apart to pray;
and when Paul had prayed in the temple,
then the Lord came into them, A6ls x. 6.
and xxii.i/. And why may not I bid thee
pray, as well as Peter bid Simon Magus,
yet beir:g in the gall ofbitternefs and bond
cj iniquity^ Ads viii.22,23. Refolve then,
and at the time appointed fall down on thy
knees, fpread thy catalogue, confefs, ac-
cufe, judge, condemn thyfelf again ; which
done, beg, beg of the Lord to give thee
that foft heart he promifed, Ezek. xxxvi.
§ ii new heart will I give youj and a new
41
fpirit will I put within ycu, and I will take
away thejlony heart out of your JleJJ}, and
J will give you an heart offiefh. Say then
to thyfelf, * Is ihis the Lord's promife ? O
Lord, perform it to my heart ; take away
my flony heart, give me an heart of flefli,
a new heart, a new fpirit, etc' [Here
make thine own prayer, be not careful of
words, only let the words be the true voice
of thy heart:] and the more to woik
foftening thou mayeft fob, and figh, and
beat thy brealt (c), above all thou mufl
pray, and call, and cry with vehemency and
fervency not to be uttered (^). When
thou haft done, if the Lord do not yet
hear thee, pray again the next day, and
the next day, yea put on this refoiution,
that thou wilt never leave praying till
the Lord hear thee in mercy, till he make
thee to feel thy heart melt within thee,
yea, if it may be, till thou feeft thy *f
Tears trickling do%vn thy cheeks, becaufe
'of thy offences. The Lord will perhaps
hear thee at the firft time, or at the fecond
time ; or if he do not, be not difcouraged,
God hath his times ; Mofes fmote the rock
at Horeb twice before it would yield.
Numb. XX. 1 1, and at laft it fent out a-
bundant ftreams of living waters; God
fpeaketh once and twice, and man perceiv
eth not ; happy he who relenteth at laft :
give it not over, perfift thou, thy fuit is
§ As, Sherlock on dcatli. f Sherlock onjui?gmcnt. *• Our Author himfelf on hell's horror,
ft The gofpels. \\ Dr. Scot's Chriftian life. vol. i. and our Author hi.vftlfon this, as well as the other
fiihjefls.
§ The prpmifes of Jeremiah, xxxi.351, Heb. viii. 10. Hof. ii, tj. andxiv.4. Ifa. Ixv. 4 are ab(blute promifcs
whicli are n'.ade not only to ihem liiat aic for the prelcnt his people, but to them which for tlie preftnt arc not:
which I. Raife up the foul of an hclplcfs finner to fome hope at Icaft of mercy and help from the LorJ. And
J. They (crve to cr<:3te, and draw out faitli in Jcfus Chriftiii the promifcs : it is obfcrved, that no con Jitioiul pro-
mife fihily begins faith ; for he that is under a condition, is piefuppofed to have faith ; in the firft place theiefore
look on the ablbhite promilcs, Ezek. xxxvi. ap.
(fl) This uirt<Qi..n is not to be underltood in the literal (enfe. Our Author doth not advife any one tofi^h,
fib, or beat his brealf, in order to produce inward f irrow ; — which, though it were produced by that means, would
little avail any one. It is more reafonable to fuppoff, he meant only to (ay, that inward forro-ui, wrougl)t in the
mind by a fenfe of fin, would ihew forth itdlf in thefe exprcdive figns, viz. fighing, fobbing, and beating of the
brraft. As we fee in the inftanct of the Publican, conjijfmg his Jlns, Luke xviii. 13.
(i) The fame is to be underftood of this other direction.
••{■ Ut hoc niido confritguS CJpita ikeconum tiiovuni in aquii.
G juft,
^,^ The ISIEW
juft, and impoitunity will prevail; yea I
can fay, Thy defire to forrow being re-
folute, it is a degree of godly forrow itfelf,
and no doubt the Lord will encreafeit, if
thou beggeft hard a while.
SECT. II.
The fir J} reafon for this forrow.
THIS muftbe done; Firft, becaufe
without pangs no birih : the pangs
of a penitent man, are as the pangs of a
ivomaii t- Now as there can be no birth
without pains of travail going before, fo
neither true repentance without fome ter-
rors of the law, and llraits of confcience.
Te have uot receiimd the fpirit of bondage
again to fear, faith the apoftle to the Ro-
mans, ch. viii. 15. And what is that? but
■ to fhcw us, they once did receive it ;
when : but in the very firfl: preparation to
converfioh : then it was that the Spirit of
t^od in the law did fo bear witnefs unto
them of their bondage, that ic made them
to fear. x-\nd certainly thus it is with every
man in his firft convcrfion, his contrition
n->uft becompungent,and vehement, bruif-
injt, breaking, renting the heart, and feel-
ing the throws, as a woman labouring of
child, before there can be a new birth, or
tiie new creature be brought forth.
S E C T. III.
The fecond reafon for this forrow.
A Cain, Without contrition no Chrift;
/'\. therefore it was that God firft open-
ed the eyes of our fir ft parents to make
them lee and be fenfiblc of their fin and
miCery, Gen. v. 7. before he promifcd
Chrift, ver. 15. * Therefore it was that
John Baptift' (faith Chryfoftom, in ch. 3.
Mat. horn. 11.) * firft thoroughly frigh-
ted the minds of his hearers with the terror
of judgment, and expefiaiion of torment,
B IRTH.
aHd with the name o-f an ax, and their re-
jef^ion, and entertainment of other chil-
dren, and by doubling the punifhment, to
wit, of being hewn down, and caft into the
fire; and when he had thus every way
tamed, and taken down their ftubbornefs,
then at length he makes mention of Chrift.'
* Why then is Chrift feafonably revealed'
(faith Mufciilus :j: ) * when the hearts of
men being foundly pierced by preaching
repentance, are pofTelfed with a dellre of
his gracious righteoulnefs.' Or if you will
hear Calvin, f* ' To whom is Chrift pro-
mifed, but to them alone, who are hum-
bled and confounded with the fenfe of
their own fins?' Certainly the firft thing
that draws to Chriif, is to conftder our mi-
ferable eftate without him; no nian will
come unto Chrift except he be hungry;
no man will take Chrilf'syoke upon him,
till he come to know and feel the weight
of Satan's yoke; to this end vlierefore
muft every man be broken with threats,
and fcourges, and laihes of confcience,
that fo defpairing of himfelf, he may flee
imto Chrilt.
SECT. IV.
The third reafon for this forrow.
A Gain, ^Vlthout hearty forrow, no fpi-
ritual comfort. We muft firft be hu?n-
bled before the Lord, and then he will lift
us up, James iv. 10. Chrift indeed was a-
nointed to preach good tidings, but to
whom ? To the poor, to the brokenhearted,
to the captives, to them that are bound, to
the brui/ed, Ifa. Ixi. i. God pours not
the oil of his mercy fave into a broken vef-
fel ; God never comforts thoroughly, fave
where he finds humiliation and repentance
for fin. * The word ofGod(/ii///;o;/(f*)hath
three degrees of operation in the hearts of
his chofen : firft, It falleth to men's ears as
+ What elfe (lavs Ao(iin) are tbc pnngs of the penitent, but t!ic pangs ota woman "in travail ? Au;r. on Pfal,
xlv'.ii. \ M-'f. on Mutt. ch. ili. Sc^, Tunc acadit Jcf.s. i. e. Then comtth jelus,&c, f* Calvin on Jfa. ]xi.
• fwrbcs yn Rcvd, wh, iv.
the
The NEW BIRTH.
thefoundof many waters, a mighty, great,
and confufed found, and which common-
ly bringeth neither terror nor joy, but
yet a vvondring, and acknowledgment of
a ftrange force, and more than iiuman
power; this is that which many felt hear-
ing Chrift, when they were afioniihed at
his doflrine, as teaching with authority f
JVhat maimer of doSlrine is this ? Mark i.
22. 27. Luke iv. 32. Never man /pake
like this man, John vii. 46. The next
effect is the voice of thunder, which bring-
eth not only wonder, but fear alfo;
not only filleth the ears with found, and
the heart with aftonifhment. but moreover
(haketh and terrifieth the confcience. The
third e/Fedl is the found of harping, while
the word not only ravifheth with admirati-
on, and ilriketh the confcience with terror,
but alfo, laftly, filleth it with fweet peace
and joy. Now, albeit the two firfl: de-
grees may be without the laf}, yet none
feel the laft, who have not in fome degree
felt both the firfl.' He faith true, in fome
degree, tho' commonly the deeper is the
fenfeof mifery, the fweeter is the fenfe of
mercy. * In our dead fecurity before con-
verfion (Jaith another f ) God is fain to
let the law, fin, confcience, Satan, a deep
fenfe of our abominable and curfed flate
loofe upon us, and to kindle the very fire
of hell in our fouls, that fo we might be
rouzed, and afterwards more fweetly and
foundly raifed and refre(]ied; for after
the moft toilfome labour is the fweetefl
fleep, after the greatefV tempefts theflillefl
calms : fan(5lified troubles and terrors e-
fiablidi the furefl peace, and thefliaking of
thefe winds makes the trees of God's Eden
take the better rooting. Spiritually there
is never a pcrfe6l calm but after 3 tempefl;
the wind and earthquake and lire make
way for the foft voice.'
43
C H A P. V,
E C T. I.
The means to be delivered out oj the pan(fs
of the Nt-w Birth.
AND now, if by God's Wtlling, thou
feclefl this forrow and mcliing of
heart, the next thing thou mull do, is \.q
feck for the remedy ; which remedy con-
fifts of thefe ingredients: i. A fight of
Chrifl:. 2. A defire after Chrifl:. 3. A
relying on Chrift. 4. An obedience to
Chrifl. 5. A comfort in Chrifl fought for
and obtained. Thou wilt fay, Thefe in-
gredients are pearls indeed, but how
(hould I obtain them T I aufu'cr. By appli-
cation of the promifes ; and fith every in-
gredient hath its particular promifes, I ihall
let thee fee them in order, only do thou
apply them thyfelf ; it is enough for the
phyfician to prepare the medicine, thy
own body mufl receive it : fo in this me-
*dicine it is, thou muft apply it if thou wilt
have foul's health. Some may objeft, t
dare not look to the promife, I cannot
believe; if I could believe, then I could
expe(ft good from the promife. I anfvver.
Thou flialt never beheve upon thefe terms,
thou muft not lirft have faith, then go to
the promife, but thou muft Jirft go to the
promi.^e, and from thence receive pow-
er to believe : The dead (faith Chrift) O^all
bear the vmce of the Son of God, and they
that hear it fhall live, John v. 25. It is
fpoken of the dead in fin ; firft, there is
the voice of Chrift to the foul, before
there can be again an eccho of the foul
to Chrift ; the Lord faith, Come foul, and
the foul faith, I come Lord : O then go to
the promife, and expert faith from thence ;
this is the rule, I muft not bring faith
to the promife, but receive faith from ir,
3nd therefore there will I hang, and wait,
till the Lord pleafe to work it.
W;o«'i inQruilions for a/BI^cd conHienccs,
G 2
SECT.
44
n^e N EW B IRTH.
SECT. II.
The promt fcs procuring a fight of Chrifl.
TH K firft ftep, or ingredient that
brings comfort to thy heavy foul, is
ihe fght of Chrift: and to procure this
fight, thou haft thefe promifes.
Matth. i. 2 1. Thou fj ah call his name
Jefus, for hefhallfave his people from their
fins.
Luke ii. lo, n. Behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy that flmllbeto all
people, that is, that unto you is horn thit
day in the city of David a Saviour, -which
is Chrifl the Lord.
John i. 29. Behold the Lamb of God,
•which taketh a-way^the fins of the world,
John iii. 16. Cod fo loved the -world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, to the
' end that all that believe in him P)ould not
ferif}), but have life everla firing.
John iii. 17. Godfent not his Son into the
•world to condemn the -world, but that the
•world through him might be faved.
Romans \\\. 25. Cod hath fet forth
\^Chrifl Jefus'] to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood.
• I Cor. i. 30. Chrifl Jefus of God is
made unto us -wifdom, and right eoufnefs,
and fanSHf cation, and redemption.
1 Tim. i. 15. This is a faithful faying,
imdivorthy of all acceptation, that Chrifl
Jefus came into ihe -world to fave finners.
Heb. xiii. 12. Jefus, that he might
faiiSlify the people -with his own bloody
Jltffered without the gate.
I John ii. 1,2. If any man fin, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrifl
ihe righteous : and he is the propitiation
for our fins ; and not for curs only, but aljo
for the fins of the whole world.
Rev. V. 9. Thou wafl flain, and hafl re-
deemed us to Codhy thy blood, out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and m-
tion.
All thefe tell thee, That as thou art a
fmner, fo thou haft a Saviour; only do
thou apply them, and certainly they will
help thee in the firft ftep, the firft ingre-
dient of thi'; remedy to thymifery, to wit^
the fight of Chrift.
SECT. III.
The promifes procuring^ a defire after Chrifl.
THOU mayft fay, I fee Chrift, and I
fee that his perfon, and death, and
blood-flied are precious and faving; but
how may I make him mine ? how may £
know that he is my Saviour? I anfwer^..
Thou muft hunger, and thirjl after him ;
this delire is the fecond ftep : and to pro-
voke thee to this duty, confider of thefe
promifes.
Ifa. Iv, I. Ho, every one that thirfleth,
come ye to the waters, and he that hath no
money, come ye, buy ard eat, yea, come,
buy wine and milk without money^ and
without price.
Matth. V. 6. BleJfed are they who hunger
and thirfl after righteoufnefs ; for they
fhall be filled.
John vii. 37, 38. In the lafl day>, that
great day of the feafl, Jefus flood and cri-
ed, faying. If any man thirfl, let him corrte
unto me, and drink : he that believeth on
me, as the fcripture hath faid. Out of his
belly fhall flow rivers of living water.
Rev. xxi. 6. I will give to him that is
athirfl, of the fountain of the water of
life freely.
Rev. xxii. 17. Let him that is athirfi
come, and whofoever will, let him take the
•water of life freely.
Pfalm Ixiii. i . God, thou art my God,
early will Ifeek thee ; my foul thirfleth for
thee, my flefh longeth for thee, in a dry
and thirfly land, where no water is.
Pfalm cxlv. 19. He will fulfill the defire
of them that fear him.
All thefe may provoke thee to thirft after
Chrift, that moll: fovereign and foul-fav-
ing fountain, opened to the houfe of David,
and to the inhabitants of Jerufalem far
fin J and for uncleannefsj Zech. xiif. i.
SECT.
The N EW B IRTH. 45
come ye to the waters, atid he that hath
S E G T. IV.
7 he Promifes procuring a Relying on ChriJ}.
YET thou mayft fay, I thirft indeed,
but I dare not drink ; I defire, but
I dare not come near to lay hold on Chrift :
how fo ? I am, (fayft thou) a moft vile,
imworthy, wicked wretch^ and my fins are
of fcarlet, crimfon dye: true it is; for thee
to pretend part in Chrili, wallowing yet in
thy fins, for thee to believe that Chrift is
thy rightecufnefs, pur poling yet to go on
in the practice or allowance of any one
known fin, it were a moit curfed horrible
prefuraption indeed ; but where all fin is a
burden, every promife, as a world of gold,
and the heart fincere for a new way, there
a man may be bold : a man may ? Yes, he
muft ; if thou groaneft under fin, if thou
longeft after Ghrift, apply thefe promifes,
and they will force thee to lay hold upon
the rock, to take Chrifl for thine own, to
throw thy finful foul upon the blooding
wounds of Jefus, and to caft thyfelf with
confi<lence into the bofom of his love.
I. Then, *■ Take notice (faith a modern)
that Jefus Chrifl keeps open houfe for all
hungry and thirfty fouls.' f
Rev. xxii. 17. Let him that is athirfi
come, and -whofoever ivill, let him take the
ivater of life freely. Or if open houfe will
not fit, without invitation, hear him call;
Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me all ye that
labour, and are heavy laden, and 1 will give
you reji. Or if invitation will not fit, with-
out proclamation, hear him proclaim ;
John vii. 37. Jefus flood, and cried, fay-
*"S> ^f ^''^y ^^^" i^^^fii ^^' ^im come unto
me, and drink : he ihat believeth on me,
out of his belly fhall flew rivers of waters.
Or, lelt thou H^oufdft think, thou mud
come to thy coll, and bring fomewh u in
thy hand, hear how he doubles, and trebles
his cry to the contrary ;
Ifa. Iv. I. Ho, every one that thirfteth.
no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come,
buy wine and tnilk, without money, and
without price. And yet, left thou fay, I
am fo far from bringing any thing in my
hand, that I bring a world of wickednefs
in my heart, and my fins, I fear, will hin-
der my acceptation : no ; (faith he again.)
Ifa. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts, (and
this is thy defire, thy cafe) and let him re-
turn unto the Lord, and he wilt have mercy
upon him, and to our God, for he will abun-
dantly pardon. Or, if all this will not do-
without a more folemn invitation, fee thea
how the Lord of heaven fends forth his
ambafiadors to move thee, and entreat thee
to come in.
2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are amhaffa-
dors for Chrif}, as though God did hefeccb
you by us, ,we pray you in Chrift^s Jiead;
be ye reconciled to God. Or, if he cannoc
wooe thee, lo, he commands thee ;
I John iii. 23. And this is the command-
ment, ihat we fhould believe on the name
of his Son Jefus Chrif}. Or, yet to drive
thee to Chrili, he not only commands, but
threatens ;
Heb. iii. 18. Jnd to whom fw are he that
they fhould not enter into his reJi, but to
them that believed not ?
And what can he do more unto his vine-
yard ? I . To bid thee welcome, he keep*
open houfe. 2. He invites. 3. He pro-
claims. 4. He calls thee fans-fee, without
money or money-worth. 5. He apologiz-
eth. 6. He fendeth. 7. He commandetb.
8. He threateneih. Hear what mine author
concludes from thefe premiffes '.' ' How cru-
el then is that man to his own wounded
confcience, who in his extreme fpiritual
thirft will not be drawn by this eight-fold
merciful cord, to drink his fill of the foun-
tain of the water of life, to caft himfelf
with confidence and comfort into the arms
t Bolton's iuftrnftions tor affliilcd conkiencss,
tain
46 The NE
of the Lord Jefus ? Yea, how is it pofTible,
but that all, or fome of thefe, (hould bring
in every broken heart to believe, and eve-
ry one that is weary of his fins, to rely
upon the Lord of life for everlafling wel-
fare i'
SECT. V.
T/}e promifes procuring obedience to Cbrifl.
AN D yet thou mayft fay, I have caft
myfelf on Chrift, is this all I mud
do ? No, there is yet another ftep, he is not
only to be thy Saviour, but thy hulband,
thou mufl love him, and fcrve him, and
honour him, and obey \\\m. ; thou mufl:
endeavour not only for pardon of fin, and
falvation from he|^, but for purity, new o-
, bedience, ability to do, or fuffer any thing
for Chrift. And to provoke thee to this
. duty, confider of thefe texts:
Jer. xxxi. 33 but this J)) all be the cove-
nant that 1 will make vaith the hoicfe of If-
rael, after thofe days, faith the Lord, I
will put ?ny law in their imuard parts, and
write it in their hearts, and I will be their
Cod, and they f jail be my people. See the
fame promife in Heb. viii. 10. Heb. x. 16.
.Matth. vii. 2 1 . Not every one that faith.
Lord, Lord, floall enter into the kingdom of
heaven, but he that doth the will of my Fa-
ther who is in heaven,
IMatth. xi. 29. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart ; and ye fhallfind refl unto your fouls.
Matth. xvi, 24. if aiiy man willjollow
me, let him take up his crofs, and follow me.
2 Cor. V. 15, He died for all, that they
who live, Jhould not henceforth live unto
ihemfelves, but unto him that died for theju.
2 Cor. V, 17. If any man be in Chriji,
let him be a new creature : old things are
paffed away, behold, all things are become
new.
I John i. 6, 7. If v:e fay that xve have
fellow fhip with him, and xvalk in darknefs,
we lie, and do not the truth. But if xi'e
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowfhip one with another ; and the
W BIRTH.
blood of Jefus Chrifi his Son cleanfeth us
from all fin.
I John ii. 5, 6. He that keepeth his word,
in him verily is the love of God perfei^ed :
hereby know we that we are in him. He
that faith he abideth in hint, ought himfelf
alfo fo to walk, even as he walked.
I John iii. 6. 9. Whofoever abideth in
him, finneth not. IVhofoever is born of God,
doth not commit fin ; fhr his feed remaineth
in him, and he cannot fin, becaufe he is born
of Cod.
1 John iii, 24. He that keepeth his com-
mandments, dwelleth in him : and hereby
we know that he abideth iH us, by the Spi-
rit vjhich he hath given us.
I John V. 18. IVe know that whofoever
is born of Cod, finneth not : but he that is
begotten of Cod, keepeth himfelf, and that
wicked one toucheth him not.
All thefe may invite thee to enter into
the holy path, and to fight under Chrift's
banner again ft the world, the flelh, and
the devil, unto thy life's end.
SECT. VL
The Promifes procuring comfort in Chrif}.
ONCE more, thou mayft fay, * I have
been truly humbled with the fenfe of
fin, and fenfe of milery, and forrow for
fin ; yea, 1 havefeen and thirlted, and re-
lied, and purpofed, univerfal obedience to
my Saviour, and yet no comfort comes:'
It may be fo ; but haft thou praifed God
for this work of wonder, the New Birth
wrought in thee ? If fo, then is there ano-
ther duty expe£led from thee, right preci-
ous and plealing unto God, and that is,
waiting : Yet, I could wilh thee to addrefs
thyfelf to thefe precious promifes ; f(jttle
thy foul on them with fixed meditation and
fervent prayer, and where thou perceiveft
the condition of the promifes to be by God's
grace formed in thee, thou mayeft laiejy
alfure thyfelf of fo much favour as is ex-
prcfly contained in the promifes.
Lev. xxvi. 40, 41, 42, 44. Ij they piall
confefs their iniquity, — If their UHcircum-
cijed hearts he humbled, Then ■will I re-
member my coveiiant, — -That 1 might be
their God ; I am the Lord. The conditi-
on is, to confefs and be humb)ed ; and this
if thou dof>, the covenant is fure, the Lord
is thy God.
Job xxxiii. 27, 28. If any fay, I have
finned, and perverted that which is right,
and it profited me not ; he will deliver his
foul from going into the pit, and his life
fhall fee the light. The condition is. If
any fay I have finned, if thy heart fay thus
in fincerity and truth, the promife is fuie,
Cod will deliver thy fiul from hell, and
thou Jhalt fee the light of heaven.
P(al. li. 1 7, A broken and a contrite heart,
God, thou wilt not dcjpife. The condi-
tion is, a broke?i and a contrite heart tor
fin ; and if thy heart be thus; be fure God
will not defpife it.
Prov. xxviii. 13. Whofoever confeffeth
andforfaketh his fins fhall have mercy . I'he
condition is, to confefs and for fake fin ; and
this if thou doft, as fure as God is God,
thou fhalt have mercy.
I fa. Ivii. 15. I dwell in the high and ho-
ly place, with him alfo that is of a contrite
and hu77ible fpirit, to revive the fpirit of
the humble, and to revive the heart of the
contrite ones. The condition is, to be of
a C07ttrite and humble fpirit ; and if thou
art thus, God is true who hath faid it, he
dwells in thee, to revive thy fpirit, and to
revive thy heart.
Ifa. Ixi. I. The Lord hath anointed me
to preach good tidings unto the meek ; he
hath ftnt me to bind up the broken-hearted.
The condition is, to be meek and broken-
hearted; and if this be thy cafe, then ^:;o^
tidings belong to thee, and Ghrilt is lent
to bind up thy broken heart in the bundle of
peace.
Jer! xxxi. 19, 20. Surely, after that I
-was turned, I repented (faith Ephraim) and
after that I was inflru6ied, I fmote upon
my thigh : I -was afhamed, yea even con-
BIRTH. ^y.
founded, hecaufe I did hear the reproach of
my youth. Therefore (faith God) my bow-
els are troubled for him, I will furely have
mercy upon him, faith the Lord. The con-
dition is, to repent, to l^e afmmed, con-
founded for fin ; and if thy cafe be like E-
phraim's, God is the fame to thee, his
bowels yearn for thee, he will furely have
mercy on thee.
Matth. V. 6. Blejfed are they who hun-
ger and thirf} after right eoitfmf. The
condition is, to hunger and thirfi after the
righteoufnefs of Chrifl ; and if this thou
doll, then art thou b leffe d ^rom the mouth
of our Saviour.
Matth. xi. 28. Coine unto me all ye that
labour, and are heavy laden, and I will
give you refi. The condition is, to come
to Chrifi, and if thus thou wilt, God's word
is fure, thou fhalt have reft fpiritual and
eternal.
* Rev. xxi. 6. 1 will give unto him that is
athirf}, of the water of life freely. The
condition is, to thirfi after the heavenly
flreams of God's favour, and Chrifl's fove-
reign blood ; and this if thou dofl, then
haH thou part in the fountain of the water
of life that proceeds cut of the throne cf
God, and of the Lamb, Rev. xxii. i.
All thefe are fo full of comfort, that if
thou but crufli them with the hand of faith,.
they cannot but yield feme juice of fweet-
nefstothyaffliaedfoul. Oalas! fayfome,
I have done what I may, and yet no com-
fort comes: fweet foul, be not difcour-
aged, but be the more humbled ; in this
cafe thou mull fall down with Mary, and
ly flill wadiing the feet of Chrifl with thy
tears; and then look up again, view agaia
and again ihefe promifes of Chrifl, it may
be, he will even now, or before long take
thee up in his arms, and kifs thee with the
kiffes of his mouth.
SECT. VII.
The Means to apply the faid Projnifes.
I SAID before, it was enough for me
to prepare the medicine, it is thou mud:
apply
4« The NEW
apply it ; yet if thou feeleft a backwardnefs
to perform thy part, I lhj.)I tell thee of
fome means to incite thee, and help thee
onward to the performance of this duty.
Take then the promifes, and carry thtm,
as thou didftthe catalogue of thy fins, in-
to the prefence of the Lord ; and, fallen
down on thy knees, bcfeech God for thy
Saviour's fake to incline thine heart to be-
lieve thofe promifes. If thou haft the re-
pulfe, pray again and again, yea, refolve
never to make prayer, but to ufe this peti-
tion, ' That the Lord would pleafe to let
thee have fome feeling of the life of thofe
promifes.' Some foul may object ; I have
no heart nor fpirJ^to pray: yet ufe thy en-
deavour, and in thy endeavours God may
come in ; and whenfoever thou feeleft any
of them to be fpirit and life to thee, when-
foever thou feeleft by a certain tafte, the
joys of the Holy Ghoft to fall upon thee,
O happy man that ever thou waft born !
then art thou to thy own knowledge, new
born indeed ; then haft thovi, without
doubt, done this moft glorious exercife of
palFing thorow the New Birth, and then
baft thou caufe (as thou canft not chufe)
to fing and praife God day and night,
world without end : fo, true is that of
Chrift, llle(jed are they that mourn, for
they Jhallbe comforted, JMatth. v. 4. Amen.
SECT. VIII.
The Conclujion.
HE R E is an end, and to you, to whom
I have dedicated this work, my con-
clufion is this : The year hath now run his
round ilncc 1 firft came amongft you, and
how the Lord hath wrought by mc, you
yourfelves know bcft : for my part, if I did
but know one poor I'oul amongft you truly
converted by fuch a weak unworthy inftru-
ment, I would ever think myfclf moft hap-
py in thac foul, and richly paid for my
pains. I know it, neither Paul nor Apol
lo can do this, except God give the increafc :
however, I niuft tell you, with Paul, my
^iciifcs have been this way; i ha\e, Hncc
BIRTH,
my coming, travailed of you, and travail-
ed again, that Chriji may be formed in you^
Gal. iv. 19. And what's the iifue ? once
could the Lord fay. Shall I bring to the
birth, and not cauH to bring forth P I fa.
Ixvi.9. And, to join iffue with you, have I
travailed of 50U in birth, and not one of
you brought forth ? The Lord forbid. I
confefs, beloved, I have received from you
many kindneftes of love ; now, for the
Lord's fake, do me this one kindnefs more,
give me, at leaft, one foul among you, that
I may give it unto God : O what a kindnefs
would you then do me! not all the wealth
of your town, nor all the increafc of your
ftate, nor all you have, or ever (liall have,
would do me fo much good, in the day of
my Lord jefus, as this one boon I alk ;
then could I fay, ' Lord, I have not loft
the fruits of my labour in this town, fee
here the foul now ftiining in glory which I
converted by thy power ; fee here the foul
of fuch a one, and fuch a one which through
thy grace, and my miniftry were convert-
ed unto thee.' If this were thus, why
then, beloved, you would blefs me for e-
ver, and I fliould blefs you for ever, and
we ftiould all blefs God for ever, for this
fo gracious and fo blelfed a work. Now
the Lord of his goodnefs give you a light
of your fins, and a true forrow for im ;
and if not afore now, yet now, this day,
the Lord this day fet his print and feal up-
on you.
The time draws on, and I have but a
minute, a little time to fpeak to you ; for
a farewel then, let thefe laft words take a
deeper impreffion in your hearts ; if you
would do all 1 would have you do, I could
wifti no more, but, that to this humiliati-
on or repentance you would add charity
love; the firft you owe to God, and the
fecond to your neighbour; by the firft you
may become new creatures, by the iecond
true Chrillians, like, them in the church's
infancy, of one mind, one heart, and one
foul ; fure it; is not polfible that we ihoi.Id
have
rhc NEW
have Torglvenefs of fins, but that we muft
be of the communion of faints. A thou-
fand pities it is to hear of the many h&i-
ons in our church, and kingdoms, and
towns and families: O pray for the peace
of Jerufalcm ; they fliall profper that love
it : and let us pray (as need we have too)
for our own peace one with another : you
cannot come to a communion, but you
hear this leffon in the invitation ; you that
do truly and earneftly repent of your fins,
and be in charity and love with your neigh-
bours, etc. Here's both repentance to God,
B I R r H.
49
and charity (nay, more than charity, as we
• ufe the word commonly) even love of our
neighbours. For my part, I widi that my
very heart-blood could cement t/je divifi-
ons of Reuben y Judg. v. 15. (for which are
great thoughts of heart) in this town, in
this church, in thefe kingdoms. I will fay
no more, but conclude with thofe words
of the apoftle. Finally, brethren, fare ye
well: beperfedl, be of gocd comfort, be of
one mind, live in peace, and the Cod of love
and peace be with you for ever and ever,
2 Cor. xiii. 1 1.
THE
Do^rine and D'lreBionSy But more efpeci ally, The Tratiiceand Behaviour
of a man in the Atl of the New Birth,
A Treatise by way of Appendix to the Former.
The Qccafion of this Treatife.
ITHERTO I have given the doc- on his death-bed, that he never taught any
godly point, but he firfl: wrought it oa
his own heart. %' The fame, do I more than
probably think, was the pra<Stice of this
man. Now therefore, I thought fit, not
only to contrail his books in this appendix,
(which fome without his privity, have un-
fkilfully put out) but alfo, and that more
efpecially, to fet afore you (whofoever
H
trine and application of the foul-fav-
ing New Birth ; but fome there are^ whofe
hearts are fo fieely, that all this cannot
work upon them: if any fuch defire 5'et
any more, (and defire they mufl:, or there
is no remedy for them) I have for their
help in the praftice, brought a pradlitioner
afore them. It was Cefar's great praife,
that he bade his foldicrs, fiill come ; and if you are) thofe prime, powerful, patl eti
men had but many Cefars or leaders in
thefe practical points, I fuppofe there would
be more followers. A plain doftrine may
win fome, and a particular direction may
win more, but a good example winsmoft.
Howfoever then, concerning the New
Birth, I have delivered the dodtrine, in the
fermons ; and directions, in the appendix :
yet, one thing is wanting, which may help
cal expreflions of his foul pangs in the
New Birth, as matter for your imitation :
thefe exprefiions indeed are they I mofl ef-
pecially aim at, which, if you obierve, are
always delivered in the firfl perfon [I,]
and I verily believe, they were not feigned,
but feeling from his heart and foul. What
needs more ? if either do<f>rine in the firft
part, or diredion in the fecond part, or
more than either, to wit, The praftice of pra£lice in the third part of the book (which
fome faint in this one nccefi^ary thing : confifis mofi of practice) can work on your
And what faint ? what man hath writ more fouls, I hope fome of thefe, or all of thofe
on this fubjeft, than T. Hooker ? It was will help you on in the way from corrup-
faid of blefied Mr. Bolton, That, ' for tion to chriftianity, and from the fiate of
himfelf, he could profefs, to his comfort nature into thr kinrHom of prare.
\ Mr, Bolton's luncrrtl krinuD.b^ Mi. £ltvMCK.
H
G H A ?
JO The NEW
CHAP. I.
The SouVs Preparation.
BE F O R E the foul can Oiarein Ch i^'s
merits (to fpeak in the aothor's liile or
language, without any alteration) two
things are required.
1. A preparation to receive and enter-
lain Chrift.
2. An implantation of the foul into
Chrift.
That there muft be a preparation, is
the firft ground we lay j and herein obferve
we I. the matter^ 2. the manner, 3. ihe
jneans of this preparation.
I. For matter: the foul of a /Inner
iivaft be prepared for Chrift, before he
can entertain him. When kings go to a-
jiy place, they fend (to make readinefs)
their harbingers afore them ; if Chrifl:
\the king of faints) come into a foul, there
i-nufl: be a preparation before he enter ; and
good reafon, he is not a mere man, an
ordinary perfon, but a king, a king of
glory. David, in this cafe, could call u-
pon his foul, (fo we may expound his gates
and doors) Pfa. xxiv. 7. Lift tip y cur heads ^
\e gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlaft-
inp doors, and the king of glory fh all come
in ; as, who fliould fay, be enlarged, love,
joy, hope, fct open, give way, for the
Lord is coming : But who is the Lord F
it is the Lord of hojh, the Lord flrong and
mighty y the Lord mighty in battle : and with
that he knocks again. Lift up your heads ^
O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlafi-
zng doors, and the king of glory Jhall come
in ; as if he fliould fay, what fliall the
Lord knock ? (hall the king of glory fland ?
open fuddcnly, and make all preparation.
2. The manner of this preparation con-
fifts in thefe three paflbges ; i . The foul
breaks that league which formerly it hath
bad with corruptions, and referves itfcif
for Chrift. And, 2. The foul is moft wil-
ling to give way to Chrifl Jefus, and to let
B IRT H,
-him overthrow whatfoever VazW oppof?
him, 3. The foul is content that God
fhould ru!e all, not only the eye, or hand,
or tongue, or heart ; but the whole man ;
if opens all the gates, and defires Chrifl
to c-rrie, and take all the keys of the houfe
upon i;im.
3, The means of this preparation is the
powerful miniflry, which (jod hath ap-
pointed for this work ; and it is difcovcred
in three particulars : i. In a particular ap-
plication of the truth to the fouls of men
with courage. 2. In a confirmation of
the truth by foundnefs of argument, and
plain evidence of fcriptures. 3. In a kind
of fpiritual heat in the heart and afFe£\i-
ons of the minifter, anfwerable to that
which he communicates to the people.
And this powerful miniflry works on the
foul, ( I .) By difcovering what is in a man's
heart, fo that the foul leeth what it never
faw before, and fo is driven to a (land.
(2.) By drawing the foul into an awe of
fin, fo that it dares not meddle with fin as-
formerly it hath done.
Ufe. If any foul that hath enjoyed thefe
means any while, is not yet fitted and pre-
pared, it is a fearful fufpicion, that God
will never confer any good to that foul :
go home then, (if there be any fuch) and
reafon with your own fouls, and plead with
your own hearts, faying, Lord, why not
yet am I humbled and prepared ? will ex-
hortations never prevail with me ? will
terrors and reproofs never. break my heart
into pieces ? I have heard fermons that
would have fliaken the very flones I trode
on, that A'ould have moved the very feat
I fate on ; the very fire of hell hath flalli-
cd in my face ; I have feen even the plagues
of hell, and if any thing can do me any
good, why not then thofe exhortdtions,
inlfruflions, admonitions and reproofs
that I have often bad ? I have had as
powerful means as mr.y be, which never
yet did me" good. The Lord be merciful
to fuch a poor foul j the Lord turn the
heart
The N EW B I RT H.
ficart of Tuch a poor finner, that he may
lay hold on mercy in due time.
C H A P. 11. SEC T. I.
The general circumjlanccs of preparation
en Cod's part.
BUT for a further diftribution, which
fhall be our method ; in this prepara-
tion two things are confiderable;
1. The general circumftances.
2. The fubftantial parts.
The general circumftances are twofold,
fomeonGod's part; and fome on man's part,
Cn God's part they are theje,
1. The offer of Chrift and grace.
2. The condition of this offer.
3. The eafinefs of this condition.
On man's part f two things are conjiderahle :
1 . That corruption doth oppofe this grace.
2. That God will remove this corruption.
The firft general circumftance of the
foul's preparation, is on God's part ; where-
in is The offer of Chrift Jefus; the condi-
tion of this offer, and the eafinefs of this
condition ; we may have all in this one com -
parifon : as with a malefaiftor convi6led of
high treafon,for plotting fome wicked prac-
tice againft his prince, if, after the difcove-
ryof all paffages,the king make a proclama-
tion, that, upon the furceafing of his enter-
prifes, he (hall be pardoned ; nay, if the king
lliall continue to fend meffage after mef-
fage, fecretly to tell him, that would he
yet lay down his arms, and take a pardon,
he fliail freely be remitted, and gracioufly
accepted into favour again : if this traitor
now (hould rather fling away his pardon
than his weapons, then fhould the king raife
an army, and overcome him, and take him,
and execute him without any pity or mer-
cy, I appeal to your ownconfciences, is he
not juilly rewarded ? what will the world
fay ? he had a fair offer of pardon, and the
king fent mefienger after meffenger unto
him ; feeing therefore he refufed and neglec-
ted fuch oliers, it is pity [it isjnfl] but con-
demnation Ihould befal him ; thus would all
H 2
fay. Why, this is the condition of every
poor foul under heaven, we are all rebels
and traitors; by our oaths and blafphemies
we fet our mouth againfr heaven ; and yet
after all our pride, and ftubbornnefs, and
loofenefs, and profanenefs, and contempt
of God's word and ordinances, the Lord is
pleafed to proclaim mercy flill to every
one that will receive it : * All you that
have difhonoured my name, all you that
have prophaned my fabbaths, and contem-
ned my ordinances, all you curled wretches,
come ; come who will, and take pardon ;*
therein is the Offer : only let them lay a-
fide all their weapons ; therein is the Con-
dition ; and then have Chrifl for the tak-
ing ; therein is the Eafinefs of the condition.
' Bleffed God, (may every foul fay) if
I will not do this for Chrift, I will do no-
thing : had the Lord required a great mat-
ter of me to have attained falvation ; had
i?e required thoufands of rams, and ttxx
thoufand rivers of oil ; had he required
the firft- born of my body for the lins of
m,y foul ; had he required me to have
kneeled and prayed until mine eyes had
failed, until my hands had been wearied,
until my tongue had been hoarfe, and un-
til my heart had fainted, one drop of mer-
cy at the laft gafp, would have quit all this
coft : but what goodnefs is this, that the
Lord fhould require nothing of me, but
to lay down my weapons, and to receive
Chrift offered V Lo, the Lord this day
hath fent from heaven, and offered falvati-
on unto you fons of men ; the Lord Jefus
has become a fuitor to you, and I am
Chrift's fpokefman, to fpeak a good word
for him : O that we may have our errand
from you ! that there -were fuch a hearf
in my people (faith God) to fear me, and
ktep my commandments akvays ! Dcut. v.
29. Shall the Lord and hismeffengers thus
wooe and intreat ? and will any yet ftand
out againil God, and fay, ' I will none
of Chrift, I will try it out ro the lalt V O
then, if the great God of heaven and earth
fhali
j2 The NEW
Hii^ll come with ten thoufand thoufand of
judgments, and execute them upon that
man; ifhe fhall bringa whole legion of de-
vils, and fay, ' Take him,devils, and torment
})im, devils, in hell for ever ; becaufe he
would not have mercy when it was offered,
he fhall' not have mercy ; becaufe he would
Fiot have falvation when it was tendred,
let him be condemned :' If Cod /liould
thus deal with that man, the Lord fliould
be juft in fo doing, and he juftly milera-
ble.
S E C T. II.
The general circumjlances of preparation
on -man's part.
THE Second general circumftance of
the foul's Preparation, is on man's
part ; and herein is obfervable,
J. That corruption oppofeth grace.
2. That God will remove this corruption.
1. The Firft is clear, i Cor. ii. 14.
. "ht; natural man receiveth not the things
of the fpirit of God, neither can he know
them ; and A6ts vii. 51. Ye fHff-necked,
and uncircumcifed in heart and ears, ye
do' a hi ays refifi the Holy Chojl, as your
fathers did, Jo do ye. Give us a man in
the flate of nature, and though all the mi-
iiiders under heaven fhould preach mercy
unto him ; though all the angels in heaven
ihould exhort and intreat him ; though all
r.lory and happinefs were laid before him,
ind he were withed only to believe and
take it, and it fliould be his for ever ; yet,
in his natural condition, he could have no
power to receive fo blelfed an offer : how-
foever, this hinders not, but he is to wait
upon God in the means. And then,^
2. Cod may remove this corruption,
which he himfelf cannot do : herein obferve
we 1. The author of this grace : and 2.
the time of it.
I. The author is God ; / will take a-
way their Jiony hearts (faith God) and give
them an heart of ficfh ; Ezck. xi. 19. I
will remove that'lhirdy heart which is
BIRTH.
in them, and will give them a frameable,
teachable heart, which fhall ply, and yield
to whatfoever I fhall teach them : the tak-
ing away of the indifpolition of the foul to
any duty, and the fitting, framing and dif-
pofing of a foul to perform any fpiritual
fervice, is the alone work of God.
life I. Qiiiet then thy foul, and content
thy heart ; thou mayefl fay, * I have an
hard heart within, and it will receive no
good from without, the word prevails not,
the facraments have no power over me, all
the means, and cofl, and charges that God
hath bellowed upon me is loll, and my
heart is not yet humbled, my corruptions
are not yet weakened ;' but in this be thou
comforted, tho' means cannot do it, which
God ufeth at his pleafure, yet the Lord
can do it, there is nothing difficult to him
that hath hardnefs itfelf at command.
Ufe 2. Be then exhorted, you that have
ftony hearts, to have recourfe unto this
great God of heaven. Should a phyfician
fet up a bill, that he would cure all" that
were troubled with the ftone in the reins,
and that we fluould hear of many healed
by him, this would flir up all to repair to
him, that laboured of this difeafe : why,
the Lord this day hath fet up a bill, that
he will cure all llony hearts that will but
come to him, and all the children of God
have found the proof hereof, to the com-
fort of their fouls. You wives, that have
hufbands with flony hearts, and you pa-
rents, that have children with ftony hearts^
tell tliem, you have heard this day of a
phyfician that will cure them, and exhort
them to repair unto him.
Secondly, The time of this grace, is ei-
ther,
I. In regard of the means : or, 2. in re-
gard of the men.
I. In regard of the means; and that is,
when the fons of men have the gofpel
fliining in their faces ; if ever God work
upon their hearts, it will be then.
ure. I . This Ihould teach us how thank-
^ ful
The NEW
fill we ought to be unto the Lord, that
enjoy thefe liberties 5n the land oFthe li-
ving ; that a man was born in fuch a time,
in the lall age of the world, in fuch a place,
in this kingdom, wherein the way of life
and falvation is fo fully, fo plainly, and fo
powerfully made known, that the fun of
the gofpel fiiines full in his face, and is not
yet fet : O how thankful fliould he be !
Ufe 2. And for thofe that neglc<5l the
means of their falvation, how fhould we
pity them ? Methinks I fee a poor creature,
that flighted mercy and falvation when it
was offered him ; methinks I fee that foul
lying upon his death-bed, light is depart-
ing from his eyes, and his foul is departing
from his body : O the name of a minifler,
of a church, they are as bills of inditements
againft the foul of this man j methinks I
hear fuch a man fay at his laft gafp, ' The
BIRTH.
53
a good day to me, now blefled am I for
ever.*
2. In regard of men on whom God work?,
that is to fay, on fome in their tender age,
on fome in their ripe age, on fome in their
old age : but however the Lord doth at feve -
ral times convert feveral of his fervants, yet
moft, and moftufually before their old age;
and that fome interpreters wittily obferve
out of the parable of the vineyard, Mat.
XX, 3, 4, 5. The majter of the vineyard,
faith the text, luent out at the, third, fixth,
and ninth hour, and faxvjome /landing idle,
and he fent them into his vineyard : He
went then, fay interpreters, on purpofeto
fee, and hire, and to fend in labourers to
work in his vineyard ; but he went out at
the eleventh hour, not to hire any^ he ex-
peded not then to have feen any idle ; he
went out upon fome other occafion, and
day is gone, the gate is Hiut, and now it . therefore feeing them (landing, he wonder
ed atit, faying, IVhy Jiand ye here all the
'^day idle P As ifhefhould fay, ' No man will
hire you now, it is but an hour to night,
and therefore rather a time to leave work-
ing, than to begin to work.'
Vfe. O let this provoke us, that while
the flower is in prime, we would ufe all
means for our good ; let us now in the
heat and fummer of our days, improve our
felves in good works, that fo when the
harvefl comes, we may be gathered into
God's barn : O, would we be exhorted to
take the beft time and opportunity of fal-
vation, then might we receive the fruits of
our labours, the falvation of our fouls.
is too late to enter :' and thus the foulde
parts from his body, the body to the grave,
and the foul to hell ; O what bitter lamen-
tations will that foul make in hell, * O the
golden time that 1 have fcen, and not re-
garded ! O the gracious opportunities of
falvation that my eyes have beheld, and
yet I negle<fted I O the mercy, and grace,
and goodnefs of God, that have been of-
fered unto me! all thefe I have contem-
ned, and trampled under my ietx, and
therefore now mufl I be tormented with
the devil and his angels, from everlafting
to everlafling.' Now the Lord give us
hearts to take notice of thefe things. If
I were now breathing out my laft breath,
I would breathe out this legacy to all fur-
viving chriflians, This is the accepted time,
this is the day of falvation. Do you hear ?
this day is grace offered ; and if any here
would entertain it, O what comfort might
he have ! * I was never humbled afore,'
(might he fay) * but this day was I hum-
b|led ; I could never before receive mercy,
but this day have I received it O this was
CHAP. III.
The fubftantial parts of preparation an God'r
part ; or his difpenfations of his work
on the fouL
T I ITHERTOof the general cir-
8 1 cumflances of the foul's preparing for
Chrifl. Now the fubflantial parts of this
preparation are generally two :
I . The difpenfatioii of God's work on,
the foul.
2. The
54
The NEW B 1 B.r H.
2. The dlfpofitlon of the foul by God's
work.
The difpenfatlon of God dlfcovers itfelf
in drawing the foul from Hn tohinmfelf.
But becaufe thefe two are made up by
one a£Vion and motion, we fhall therefore
handle them together ; and the fum is this ;
• That God by an holy kind of violence
(wiiich is called drawing, John vi. 44.) doth
pluck the foul fromthofe fins that harbour
in it, unto himfelf :' wherein we may con-
fider two things :
1. "What the nature of this drawing is.
2. The means whereby God draws.
1. For the nature of this drawing, it is
of a double kind : ^(i) There is a moral
, drawing, when, by reafons propounded
and good things offered to the underftand-
.ing and will, a man comes thereby to have
his mind enlightened, and his will moved
to embrace things offered : thus was it with
Paul, when he was * conffrained by Lydia
to abide in her houfe,' Afts xvi. 15. (2)
There is a phyfical drawing, when the
Lord is pleafed to put a new power into
the foul of a finner, and withal to carry
the. will to the objeft propounded, that it
may embrace it ; when the Lord not only
offers good things to the foul, but enables
the foul to lay hold upon the things offe-
red. And thus the Lord draws a finner
from fin unto himfelf.
2. For the means whereby he draws,
they are thefe four :
Firftj The Lord lets in a light into the
foul of a poor finner, and difcovers unto
him that he is in a wrong way. This the
foul marvels at, becaufe ufually it comes
on a fudden, the finner perceiving nothing
lefs, Ifn. Ixvi. i.
Secondly y Tho' a man would defeat the
power of this light, yet God IHU follows it
with forcible aigumcnts, and draws with
the cord of his mercy ; / tauf^ht Ephraim
ioi^o, faith God, iaUnq them by the arms ;
I dreiu them by the cords of love, andivith
the b:nds of a vianj Hof. xi, 4. This mercy
confiils in thefe bonds, or this love is made
up of four cords.
1. The Lord reveals himfelf to be ready
to receive, and willing and eafie to enter-
tain poor finners when they come unto him:
Let the vjicked, faith the prophet, forfake
his ivay, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts, and let him return unto the Lordy
and he ivill have mercy upon him, and to
our Cod, for he will abundantly pardon^
Ifa. Iv. 7. The word in the original is,
* He will multiply pardons :' Haff thou
m.ultiplied rebellions ? the Lord will alfo
multiply pardons : thebowels ofcompaffion
are ftill open, and the arms of mercy are
ftili fpread abroad ; he pardoned A'lanaJ/es,
and Paul, and Peter, and fo will he thee ;
his pardons are multiplied, there is yet
mercy for thee alfo, and for a thoufand
thoufand more.
2. The Lord is not only ready to for-
give when men come to him, but, that
they may come, he alfo calls and com-
mands them. O but may I, (faith a poor
finner) fliall I, dare I go unto the Lord
God for mercy ? May I be fobold to prefs
in for favour at the hands of the Lord ? I
have been a grievous finner, and have
heaped abomination upon abomination, I
am afraid therefore to approach near unto
the Lord's prefence. Is it fo ? hear what
the Lord faith, Come unto me, ye rebellious
people, and 1 will heal your rebellions, Jer.
ill. 2 2. * You that never prayed, never
came to hear, all rebels, come unro me :'
and then the people anfwer. Behold, we
come unto thee, for thou art our Cod.
This is great encouragement to a poor
finner, he begins now to wonder, and
fay, * Lord, fhall all my fins be pardoned ?
fliall all my oaths and abominations be for*
given ? I that flighted fo many mercies, and
committed fo many follies, fliall I be en-
tertained ?* Yes' (laith the Lord) 'come
unto me, and thou fhalt be forgiven ;
come, I command you, come.'
■^ . The Lord doih not only command
a poor
a poor finner to come in, but when he is
nice in this cafe, faying, There is mercy
with God, but not for me ; the Lord then
followeth him ftill, and fends another cord
after him, that, if it be poffible, he may
win him, and wooe him to receive mercy
of him: if Command , therefore prevail
not, he intreats and befeeches him to come
and receive mercy and this, raethinks,
fliould move the hardefl heart under hea-
ven. fVe, faith the apoftle, are ambap-
fadors for Chrifty as though God did be-
feech you by us, we pray you in Chrift^s
Jleady be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. v.
20. Rather than you fhould go away
from Chrift, even Mercy itfelf will come
and kneel down before you, and befeech
you, and intreat you, for the Lord Jelus'
fake to pity your poor fouls, and to re-
ceive pardon for your fins : a finner is not
able to comprehend this, but he begins to
be at a ftand, and at amazement; VV^hat,
that the Lord fliould befeech him ! O that
thou wouldefl receive pardon for thy fins,
and be ble/fed for ever ! Good Lord, faith
the foul, is this poffible, that the great
King of heaven fhould come and befeech
fuch a traitor, fuch a rebel as I am, to take
pardon ? That a king on earth fhould pro-
claim a pardon to fome notorious traitor,
this were much, but that the King of hea-
ven fhould lay down his crown ; and come
creeping to me, and befeech me, on his
knee as it were, to take mercy ; this is a
thing beyond all expedation : what, (hall
Heaven (loop to earth ? fl:iall Majefty fioop
to mifery ? fhall the great God of heaven
and earth, that might have condemned my
foul, and, if I had perifbed and been dam-
ned, might have took glory by my dellru-
(.Yion ? Is it poflible, is it credible, that
this God fliould not only entertsin me
when I come,' and command me for to
come, but intreat and befeech metocome,
and receive mercy from him ? O the depth
of the incomprehenfible love of God ! I-
njagine you faw the God the Father in-
The NEW B IR TH. ss
treating you, and God the Son befeech -
ing you, as he doth this day, ' Come now^
and forfake your fins, and take mercy,
which is prepared for you, and fhall be
beftowed upon you :' would not this make
a foul think thus with itfelf, * "What, for
a rebel ? not only to have mercy offered,
but to be entreated to receive mercy, it
were pity [it were juft] if I will not
take it, but I fhould go to hell and be
damned for ever.' The Lord complains,
Ezek. xviii. 31. IFhy tvill ye die ? As I
live, faith the Lord, Idefire not the death
of a /inner, Ezek.xxxiii. 11. Turn ye,
turn ye, why will ye die, ye finful fons of
men i* Mercy is offered you,the Lord Jefus
reacheth out his hand to you: fain would
he pluck the drunkard out of the alehoufc,
and the adulterer from his whore : O, if
you break this cord, I know not what to
fay to you, this is able to break a moun-
tain in pieces ; Shake, mountains, faith
the prophet; Why ? becaufe God hath re-
deemed Jacob, Ifa. xliv. 23. The redemp-
tion of Jacob was enough to break a
mountain, let his mercy break our hearts ;
it is God that begs, the bleffing is our
own.
4. Ifyetallthis prevail nothing at all,. the
Lord will then wait, and flay in long pati-
ence and fuffering,to fee whether any time
a finner will turn unto him. Our Saviour
follows poor finners from alehoufe to ale-
houfe, and.fays, * I befeech you, drunkards,
take mercy, and have your fins pardon-
ed :' the Lord (as we may fay) tires him-
felf, and wearieth himfelf with waiting one
day after another, and one week after a-
nother : ' It may he,faith Chrlji, this week,
this fabbath, this fcrmon a finner will turn
xmto me; what will it never be V Are you
not afhamed, my friends, that the Lord
Jefus fhould thus wait your leifure, and
follow you from houfe to hoiife, and from,
place to place; nay, that Chriil: fliould e-
very morning appear to your underftand*-
ing, and every night come to your bed-
fide>.
5^ TJje N E W
fide, faying, ' Let this be the laft nic/ht of
finning, and the next day the firfl: day of
your repentance : O, when will you be
humbled ? when will you receive mercy,
that it may go well with you, and with
yours for ever V If none of the other will
move you, yet, for (hamc, let this cord
draw you to the Lord : hear, hear his
doleful pangs, Jerufalem, Jerufalem^
luilt thou not be made clean ? when xvill
it once be ? Jer. xiii. 27. A woman that
is in travail, O how Ihe experts and longs
for her delivery ! now a throb comes, and
then fl\e cries ; anon comes a fecond throb,
and then (he cries again, ' O when comes
deliverance?' Thus God the Father takes
on him the perfon of a travailing woman ;
he travails and travails until he bring forth
a fon ; until fome foul be converted, and
brought home unto him, Jerufalem,
■wilt thou not be made clean ? ivhen xvill it
once be? ' I have waited one, ten, twenty,
thirty, forty years long have I waited on
this generation ; when will it once be •'
The Lord thus travails in patience, look-
ing when we will receive mercy ; will ne-
ver our proud hearts be humbled ? will
never our ftubborn hearts be foftened ?
will never our prophane hearts be fan<5ti-
fied ? when will it once be ? Ghrift hath
waited this day, this week, this month,
this quarter, this year, thefe ten, twenty,
thirty, forty years on us: you old iln-
ners, that are gray headed in yourwicked-
nefs, how long hath the Lord waited on
you ? O for fhame let him wait no longer,
but turn, turn ye unto him, that ye may
receive mercy from him.
3. If bonds of love move not, the Lord
hath iron cords, that will pluck in pie-
ces; to wit, the cords of Confcience;
which thus difputes, * He that being often
reproved, doth flill harden his heart, fliall
pcrifh everlaftingly :'
* But thou, being often reproved, doft
flill harden thy heart; therefore thou dial t
pcrilh cverlaltingly.'
BIRTH,
In this fyllogifm are contained (i.) the
Monition; (2.) the Accufation ; and (3.)
the Condemnation of Confcience.
In the firft propofition, Confcience gives
the fmner a monition to come from fin,
upon pain of the heaviefl judgment that
can be infli6lcd. It is the Lord that fends
the confcience on this errand, ' Go to fuch
a man, and tell him, you haveblafphemed
God's name, and you have fpoken againfl:
God's faints, and you have broken God's
fabbaths, and you have contemned God's
ordinances : be it known unto thee then
(faith confcience,when it delivers the mef-
fage) that I have a command from hea-
ven, and from God, I charge you, as ye
will anfwer it at the dreadful day of judg-
ment, take heed of thofe evils and finful
practices that heretofore you have com-
mitted, left you damn your fouls for ever.'
Will you queftion his commiffion ? fee
Prov. xxix. I. He that, being often rC'
proved, hardeneth his neck, Jlmll Jud4en-
ly be de[iroyed : If you often be reprov-
ed, and will not be bettered, then the
Lord fays, and confcience from the Lord
tells you, ' Be at your own peril, ye
fliall fuddenly be deftroyed.' No fooner
confcience thus perks upon the crown,
[No fooner does confcience, feize as it
were, upon a man, and fliew him his fin]
but the finner hangs the wing [is caft
down] and withdraws himfelf from his
former lewd courfes. But now, when
wicked perfons fee their companion is gone,
they make after him amain, and then Con-
fcience plucks one way, and they pluck
another way; at laft, by carnal company,
and curfed perfuafions, the foul is arawn
back again to his former wicked courfes,
and fo perhaps this twilt is broken, and tlie
finner is gone.
2. If fo, then Confcience, that was a
Monitor, now turns Accufcr in the minor
propofition ; before if was only God's he-
rald to forewarn him,but now it is become
a purfevant and fcrjeant to arrcll him ; it
fol-
rhe NEW
follows him to the alehoufe, and purfues
him home, then takes him In his bed,
and arrefts him in his fleep; there (by a
meditation) it hales the foul before the tri-
bunal-feat of Ghrifl, faying, ' Lo, Lord,
this is the man, this is the drunkard, adul-
terer, biafphemer; this is he. Lord; an
enemy to thy fervants, an hater of thy
truth, a defpifer of thy ordinances; at
fuch a time, in fuch a place, with fuch a
company this man defpifed thy truth, this
is he, Lord this is the man.' And when
Confcience hath thus dragged him before
God, and accufed him, then ' Take him,
jaylor, take him, devil, (faith the Lord)
and imprifon him ; let vexation and hor-
ror, and trouble, and anguifh ly upon
his foul, until he confefs his fins, and re-
folve to forfake them.' In this cafe was
David, when he was forced to fay. My
bones waxed old through my 7 oaring all the
day long ; for day and night thy hand luas
heavy upon fne; my moi/lure is turned into
the drought offummer : what then ? then
(faith David) / acknowledged my Jin unto
thee, 1 confejjld my tranfgreffion unto
thee, Lord, and fo thou jorgaveft the
iniquity of my Jin^ Pfal. xxxii, 3, 4, 5.
David folded up his fins at the firfi, and
therefore his bones were confumed, and
he roared continually ; when the Lord
had him on the rack, he made him roar
again, and would never leave tormenting,
till David came to confefling ; but when
he confeffed this fin, and the other fin, then
the Lord forgave him the iniquity of his
fin. Thus Confcience brings the foul of a
finner on the rack (as traitors are ufed
that will not confefs otherwife) and makes
him to confefs his fins, and then he cries,
* O the abominations I have committed
which the fun never faw; in fuch a place,
at luch a time, O then I railed on God's
fervants, and blafphemed God's name, I
profaned God's fabbaih, and contemned
his ordinances: what then? Confcience
will make him confefs more yet ; to the
BIRTH.
57
rack again with him ; and then he cries and
roars for anguiili of fpirit, then he confef-
fes all, and refolves to amend, then he
will pray, and hear, and fanrtify God'^-
fabbaths, and lead a new life. Thus Con«
fcience receives fome fatisfaaion, and be-
gins to be quiet ; and now having got
fome quiet, his curfed companions fet up-
on him again, ' Refrefh (fay they) your
foul with fome ancient dalliance, etc' To
this, and the like temptations,^ of Satan,
he lifiens again, and then he begins to fol-
low his old fins, perhaps with more vio-
lence and eagernefs than ever he did before;
and now is another twifl: broken likewife!
3. If fo, then Confcience that was a
Monitor and Accufer, now turns Execu-
tioner. The firfl: propofition admonilh-
ed, the fecond accufed, if neither of thefe
prevail,then Confcience concludes, * Thou
mufi: to execution, thou Hialt peri/h ever-
l^ingly.' And now Confcience cries, * Mo-
nitions or accufations could not prevail
with this man ; come, come, ye damned
ghofts, and take away this drunkard, this
biafphemer, this adulterer, and throw hint
headlong into the pit of hell : he would
not be amended, let him be condemned ;
he would not be humbled, therefore let
him be damned.' 1 he man hearing this,
then he is amazed, and thinks himfelfpafl:
hope, paft help, pafi cure : did you ever
fee or hear a tormented confcience in thefe
pangs? Now he calls, then he cries, * Lo,
where devils fiand,the heavens frown, God
is incenfed, hell mouth is open :' and now
a minifier is fent for, whodifplays to this
defpairing foul the mercy and grace of God
in Chrifi Jefus : ' O (repHes he) this is my
bane, my damnation, if 1 had never heard
of mercy. If I had never lived under the
gofpel,and the means of falvation, then had
I been an happy man. Alas ! it is mercy
I have neglected, it is falvation I contem-
ned, how then ihould I be faved ? O the
perfuafions of the Lord that I have had !
the Lord hath even wept over me, as he
I did
58
did over Jerufalem ;
known the things belonging to thy peace !
yet all thefe perfuafionshave I contemned,
and therefore certainly to hell I muft go.'
The minifler replies, Truth it is, you have
done thus, but would you do fo flill ? Is
it good'now to be drunk, or toblafpheme,
or to rail on God's faints, or to contemn
God's ordinances? * O no, no, (faith he)
I now find what the end of thofe wicked
courfes will be : God's word could not pre-
vail with me, the minifler could not per-
fuade me: O the good fermons that I have
heard, the rery flames of hell have even
fla/hed in my face, the minifter hath fpent
his pains, and woWd have fpent his blood
' for the good of my poor foul ! but alas!
I defpifed the word, and mocked the mi-
- nifter : wo, wo unto me for ever ! now
my confcicnce gnaws and tears and terri-
fies my foul here, and I fliall to hell here-
ftfrer, and perifh for ever and ever,' The
rninilier replies again, The truth is, you
have done tluis, but would you do fo
now ? wruld you ftill blafpheme andcurfe,
and be drunk, and riotous ? or, rather
would you not now part with all thefe,
and take mercy inftead of them ? Then
the poor foul cries out, ' Now the Lord,
for his mercies fake remove thefe fins from
me: O I had never fo much delight in my
lins heretofore, as now I have wo, mifery
and vexation for them; but, alas! it is
Tiot in my power to help my foul ; if the
Lord would do this, let him do what he
will with it.' What ? (faith the minifler)
you are then willing and content to part
•with your fins : ' O yes, (faith the foul)
I would rather offend all the world than
God; I had rather go to hell than to the
committing of a fin ; if it would pleafeGod
to help me, I would forfake my fins with
all my heart.' Why, now the poor foul is
coming again, God is drawing him again
from his corruptions and finful dillempcrs.
4. When the foul is thus loofened, the
11)6 NEW B IRTH.
O that thou hadft his Spirit ; with an almighty hand he plucks
the foul off from fin, and takes it into his
own hand, that he may govern him, and
difpofe of him according to his own good
will and pleafure. Thus much of prepa-
ration for thefubfiance of it on God's part.
CHAP. IV. SECT. I.
T/je fubjlantial parts of preparation on
man's part, or the difpojition of the foul
by God's ivork.
NO W are we to obferve the dlfpofi-
tion of the foul on man's part, which
God works on the hearts of whom he
draws. It is known in two works :
1. Contrition, whereby the foul is cut
off from fin.
2. Humiliation, whereby the foul is cut
off from itfelf.
For fo it is, that either the foul feeth no
need to depart from fin, or elfe it thinks
it can help iifelf out of fin ; the firfl is
called fecurity, when the foul being blind,
takes refi, and feeing no need to be better,
defires it not therefore : againfl this the
Lord fends contrition, caufing men there-
by to know the mifery of fin, and to fee
need of a change : the fecond is carnal con-
fidence, when a f inner begins to feek fuc-
cour, and to fcramble for his own comfort
in his felf-fufficiency ; againll this the Lord
works humiliation, caufing the foul here-
by to fee the weaknefs and emptinefs of
its duties, and that there is enough in its
befl fervices to condemn him for ever. Be-
fore we fpeak of the works, itisnotamifs
to begin with the lets, [or hindrances3.
The firfi is Security : when the foul is
taken up with a fecurecourfe,andrefls itfelf
well apayed [wellpleafed] in his own prac-
tices, and therefore it never feeth any need
of a change,nor ever goes out for a change :
now while a man lives thus, and blefTeih
himfelf in his fin, it is impollible that ever
he (liould receive faith, or by the power of
Lord then fully plucks it by -the cord of faith repair untoGhrift; where faith comes.
»
rhe NEW BIRTH.
S^f
it ever works a change. Old things are
done away, and then all things are become
new ; the Lord therefore to remove this
let, he burthens the foni extremely, and
fays, * \ou will live in drunkennefs, in
covetoufnefs; you will have your fins,
then take your fins, and get you down to
hell vviili them.' At this voice the finner
begins to fee where he is : * Is this true ?
(faith he) then I am the moil miferable
creature under heaven ;' therefore as they
faid, A<^s ii. 37. Men and brethren, what
fhall we do ? ' We have been thus and
thus, but if we reft here, it will be our
ruin for ever ; O what (liall we do ?' So
the foul comes to a reftlefs diflike of itfelf,
and faith, ' I muft either be otherwife, or
clfe I am but a damned man for ever.'
2. When the foul is thus refolved, that
it muft of neceffity change, when it feeth
his wound and his fin ready before him to
condemn him, and it hath,as it were.a little
peep-hole into hell ; the foul, in this dif^
trefs, fends over to prayer, and hearing,
and holy fervices, and thinks b}' his wits
and duties, or fome fuch like matters, to
fuccour itfelf; and it begins to fay, * My
hearing, and my prayer, will not thefe
fave me V Thus the foul in conclufion
refts on duties : I will not fay but thefe
duties are all good, honourable and com-
fortable, yet they are not gods, but the
ordinances of God. It is the nature of a
finful heart, to make the means, as meri-
torious tofalvation: a man that feeth his
drunkennefs and his bafe contempt of God,
O then he voweth and promifeth to take
up anew courfe, and he begins to approve
himfelf in reformation of his ways : then
he cries, * Now I will have no more drun-
kennefs, now no more fcoffing and fcorn-
ing at thofe that go to hear the word :
and then he thinks, what can I do more ?
muft go. All this is but a
why fo? Chrift, who is the
fubftance of all, and the pith of a promife,
a Chrift in hearing, a Chrift
I2
to heaven I
man's ftlf:
is forgotten
in praying is not regarded, and therefore
the poor foul famiHieth with hunger. Mif-
take not, I pray you, thefe duties muft be
had and ufed, but ftill a man muft not
ftay here. Prayer faith, There is no Jal-
vation in me; and the facraments and faft-
ing fay, There is no falvation in us : a!!
thefe are fubfervient helps, not abfolute
caufes of falvation. A man will ufe his
bucket, but he experts water from the
well ; thefe means are the buckets, but af!
our comfort, and all our life and grace i^-
only in Chrift: if you fay, your bucket
(hall help you, you may ftarve for Chrift,
if you let it not down into the well of wa-
ter : fo, though you boaft of praying, and
hearing, and fafting, and of your alms,
and building of hofpital?, and of your
good deeds, if none of thefe bring you to
a Chrift, or fettle you on a Chrift, you
fliall die for Chrift, though your works
Ni'ere as the works of an angel. As it is
with a graft, therefore, i. It muft be cut
off from the old ftock ; 2. It muft be par-
ed, and made fit for implantation into a-
nother : fo the foul, by contrition, being
cut off from fin, then humiliation pares
it, pares away all a man's privileges, and
makes it fit for the ingraffing into Chrift
Jefus. Thus much of the lets, now for
the works of contrition and humiliation.
SECT. ir.
^/^g^'f of fin.
BUT for a further difcovery of thefe
two necefl^ary things, we (hall enter
into particulars, and begin firft with con-
trition ; which contain thefe fteps ;
A fight of fin.
Senfe of divine wrath.
Sorrow for fin.
The firft ftep is, A fight of fin ; and fin
muft be feen Clearly, and Convicftingly.
I. Clearly : It is not a general (iglit,
and confufed fight of fin that will ferve the
turn ; it is not enough 10 fay, * It is my
infirmity, and I cannot amend it, we are
all
(^o rhe NEW
all finner? :' no, this is the ground why we
miftake our evi]s,and reform not our ways;
a man muft fcarch narrowly, and prove
his ways, as the goldfmhh doth his gold
in the fire; / covfidered my ways (faith
l^avid) and turned my feet unto thy tej}i-
monies,; in the original, 1 turned fny /ins
upfide doivny Pfal. cxix. 50. he looked all
over his ways. And this clear light of fin
appears in two particulars.
1. A man mull fee his fin nakedly in its
own proper colours: we muft not look
on fin through the mediums of profits, and
pleafurcs, and contentments of this world,
for fo we miflake fin: but the foul of a
true Chriflian that would fee fin clearly,
he muil firip it or all content and quiet
that ever rhe heart received in it : as the
ndulrerer i-avW not look upon fin in regard
of the fweetnefs of it, nor the covetous
man on his fin, in regard of the profit of
it : you that are fuch, the time will come
when you muft die, and then confider
what good thefe finful courfes will do you:
how will you judge of fin then, when it
fhall leave a blot on your fouls, and a
guilt on your confciences ?
2. A man muft look on fin in the ve-
nom of it ; and that you may do partly, if
you compare it with other things, and
partly, if you look at it in reg.nrd of itfelf.
J . Compare fin with thofe things that are
mod fearful and horrible, as, fuppofeany
<bul here prefent were to behold the dam-
ned in hell, if the Lord fhould give any
one of you a little peep-hole into hell,
that you faw the horror of the damned,
then propound this to your heart, "What
are thofe pains which the damned endure i
and your heart will fliake and quake at it ;
yet the kaft fin that ever you did commit,
is a greater evil, in its own nature, than
the greaiefl pains of the damned in hell,
1. Look at fin fimply as in itfelf, what is
it, but a profeA oppofing of God himfelf ?
A finful creature joins fide with the devil,
and comes in battle-array againft the Lord,
B IRTH,
and files in the face of the Lord God of
hofis. I pray you, in cold blood, confider
this, and fay, ' Good Lord, what a finful
wretch am f ? that a poor damned wretch
of die earth fliould fiandin defiance againfl
God ! that I Ihould fiibmit myltlf to the
devil, and oppofe the Lord God of hofts!*
IL Convit^tingly ; that fin may be fo ta
us as it is in itfelf; and that difcovers itfelf
in thefe two particulars :
1. When wchi^vea particular apprehen-
fion in our own perfon,that whatfoeverfin
is in general, we confefs it the fame in our
own fouls : it is the curfed difiemper of
our hearts, howfoever we hold the truth
in general, yet when we come to our own
fins, to deny the particulars. The adul-
terer confefieth the danger and filthinefs
of that fin, in grofs, but he will not ap-
ply it to himfelf: the rule therefore is,
• Arreft thy foul, wholbever thou art, of
thofe fins particularly, whereof thou (land-
eft guilty:' to thispurpofe, lay, ' Is mur-
ther, and pride, and urunkennefs, and
uncleannefs fuch horrible fins? O Lord,
it was my heart that was proud and vain;
it was my tongue that fpoke filthily, and
blafphemoufly ; my hand that wrought
wickednefs, my eye that was wanton ; and
my heart that was unclean and filthy ;
Lord, here they are :' thus bring thy heart
before God.
2. AVhen the foul fits down with the
audience of truth, and feeks no fhift to
oppofe truth revealed ; when the Lord
comes to make racks in the hearts of fuch
as he means to do good to, the text faith,
He ■will reprovi the -world of fin, John x vi.
8. that is, He will convince the world of
wickednefs ; he will fet the foul in fuch a
fiand, that it fhall have nothing to lay for
itfelf, he cannot (hift it off. The miuifter
faith, God hates fuch and fuch a fintier ;
* And the Lord hates me too,' faith the
foul, 'for I am guilty of that fm.' Thus
many a time, when a finner comes into
the congreg:.rion (if the Lord pleafe to
work
The NEW B IRTH.
•work on him) the mind is enlightened, and
the minifler meets with his corruptions, as
if he were in his bofom, and he anfwers ail
his cavils, and takes away all objections:
with that the foul begins to be in a maze,
and faith, * If this be fo (iS it is, for
ought I kpow) and if all be true that the
minilkr (aith^ then the Lord be merciful
to my foul, I am the moll miferable finner
that ever was born.'
UJe of advice. You that know your
fins, that you may fee them convi6tingly,
get you home to the law, and look into
the glafs thereof, and then bundle up all
your fins thus : * So many fins againfl
God himfelf in the firft commandment, a-
gainft his worfhip in the fecond, againft
his name in the third, againft his fabbath
in the fourth: nay, all our thoughts,
words, and adtions, all of them have been
fins,able to fink our fouls into the bottom
of hell. And, 2. That you may fee them
clearly, confider of their efFecft, both in
their doom, and in the execution : only
to inftance in their doom ; methinks I fee
the Lord of heaven and earth, and his at-
tributes appearing before him, * The mer-
cy of God, the goodnefs of God, the
wifdom of God, the power of God, the
patience, and long-fuffering of God,' and
they come all to a finner, an hypocrite,
or to a carnal profeflbr, and fay, mercy
hath relieved you, goodnefs hath fuccour-
cd you, wifdom hath inftruCled you, pow-
er hath defended you, patience hath born
with you, long-fufFering hath endured
you: now all thefe comfortable attributes
will bid you adieu, and fay, * Farewel,
damned fouls ; you muft go hence to hell,
to have your fellowfhip with damned
ghofts: mercy Ihall never more relieve you,
goodnefs fliall never more fuccour you,
wifdom ftiall no more inftruft you, pow-
er (l^ all never more defend you, patience
Ihall never more bear with you, long-fuf-
fering -'iiall never more endure with you :'
And then ihall you to endlefs, eafelefs, and
remedilefs torments, where you will ever
remember your fins, and fay, * My cove-
toufnefs and pride was the caufe of this, I
may thank my fins for this. Think of thefe
things.l befeech you,ferioufly,and fee your
fins here, to prevent this fight hereafter.
SECT. IIL
Senfe of Divine wrath.
THE finner by this time having his
eyes fo far opened that he beholds
his fins, he begins then to confider. That
God hath him in chafe : and this fenfe of
Divine wrath difcovers itfelf in thefe two
particulars;
1. It works a fear of fome evil to come.
2. It pofiefleth the foul with a feeling
of this evil.
I. The foul confiders, that the punifii-
ment, which God hath threatened, Ihall
be executed on him fooner or later ; he
c*ies therefore, * What if God Ihould
damn me ? God may do it ? And what if
God fhould execute his vengeance upoa
me ?' Thus the foul fears that the evil dif-
covered will fall upon him : this is the rea-
fon of thofe phrafes of fcripture. We have
not received the fpirit of bondage to fear
again, Rom. viii. 15. the fpirit fhews our
bondage, and thence comes this fear : again,.
Cod hath not given us the fpirit of fear ^
I Tim. i. 17. that is, the fpirit of bondage
that works fear. It is with a foul in this
fear, as it was with Belihazzar, when he
comrnanded the cups to be brought out of
the houfe of the Lord; Jn hand-writing
carne againji him on the "wall, and luhen
he fanv it, his thoughts troubled hifn, and
his face began to gather palenefs, and his
knees knocked againfl one another ; Dan.
ix. 5. as if he fliould fay, ' Surely there is.
fome ftrange evil appomted for me ;' and
wLch that his heart began to tremble and
fiiake : juft fo it is with this fear ; he that
runs riot in the way of wickednefs, and
thinks to defpife God's Spirit, and to hate
the Lord almighty, and to rtfill the work
62
The NEW BIRTH.
ofh'ts grace; now it may be there comes
this fear, nnd hand-writing againjl him,
and then he cries, * Thefeare my fins, and
thefe are the plagues and judgments threat-
ened againft them, and therefore why not
I be damned ? why may not I be plagued ?'
2. The Lord purfues the foul, and dif-
charges that evil upon him which was for-
merly feared; and now his confcience is
all on a flame, and he faith to himfelf, ' O
1 have finned, and offended a jufl God, and
therefore I muft be damned, and to hell I
muft go:' Now the foul ihakes, and is
driven beyond itfelf, and would utterly
faint, but that the Lord upholds it with
one hand, as he be*ts it down with the o-
ther; he thinks every thing is againft him,
he thinks the fire burns to confume him,
and that the air will poifon him, and that
hell-mouth gapes under him,and that God's
wrath hangs over him, and, if now the
Lord fliould but take away his life, that he
fhould tumble down headlong into the
bottomlefs hell: fliould any man, or mi-
nifter perfuade the foul in this cafe to go
to heaven for mercy, it replies in this man-
ner, * Shall I repair to God ? O that's my
trouble ! is he not that great God, whofe
juftice, and mercy, and patience I have a-
bufed ? And is not he the great God of
heaven and earth, that hath been incenfed
againft me ? Oh, with what a face can I
appear before him ? and with what heart
can I look for any mercy from him ? I have
wronged his juftice, and can his juftice par-
don me ? I have abufed his mercy, and
can his mercy pity me ? What, fuch a
wretch as I am? If I had never enjoyed the
means of mercy, I might have had fome
plea for myfelf ; but oh, I have refufed
that mercy, and have trampled the blood
of Chrift under my feet, and can I look
for any mercy ? No, no, I fee the wrath
of the Lord incenfed againft me, and that's
all I look for.
SECT. IV.
Sorrcw for fin.
THE next ftep is forrow for fin ; con-
cerning which, are two queftions:
1 . Whether it be a work of faving grace?
2. AVhether God work it in #11 alike?
To the firft, I anfwer,There is a double
forrow, one in preparation, the other in
fa notification: they differ thus; forrow in
preparation, is when the word of God
leaves an impreffion upon the heart of a
man, fo that the heart of itfelf is as it were
a patient, and only bears the blow of the
Spirit ; and hence come all thofe phrafesof
fcripture, as wounded, pierced, pricked,
in the pafTive voice : fo that this forrow is
rather a forrow wrought on me, than any
work coming from any fpiritual ability in
me: but forrow in fancStification flows
from a fpiritual principle of grace, and
from that power which the heart hath
formerly received from God's Spirit; fo
that in this a man is a free worker : now
both thefe are faving forrows, but they
differ marveloufly ; many think, that every
faving work, is a fandlifying work, which
is falfe: Thofe "whom he calleth, (faith the
apoftle) them he alfo juflifies, and "whom
he jufijies, he glorifies^ Rom. viii, 30.
You may obferve, that glorification in this
place implies fan£tification here, and glory
hereafter; now before glorification, you
fee there is juftification and vocation, and
both thefe are faving.
To the fecond, I anfwer, Howfoever
this work is the fame in all for fubftance,
yet in a different manner it is wrought in
moft : two men are pricked, the one with
a pin, the other with a fpear; two men are
cut, the one with a pen-knife, the other
with a fword : fo the Lord deals kindly
and gently with one foul,and roughly with
another : there is the melting of a thing,
and the breaking of it with hammers; fb
there is a difference in perlbns : for in-
ftance, if the perfon be a fcandalous liver,
and
and an oppofer of God and his grace. 2.
If a man hath harboured a fikhy heart,
and continues long in fin. 3. If a man
hath been confident in a formal civil
courfe. 4. If God purpofe by fome man
to do fome extraordinary great work : in
all thcfe four cafes he lays an heavy blow
on the heart, the Lord will bruife them,
and rend the caul of their hearts, and
make them feek to a faithful minifter for
direftion, and to a poor Chriftian for
counfel, whom before they defpifed. But
if the foul be trained up among godly pa-
rents, and live under a foul-faving mini-
ftry, the Lord may reform this man, and
cut him off from his corruptions kindly,
and break his heart fecretly, in the appre-
henfion of his fins, and yet the world never
fee it. In both thefe we have an example
in Lydia and the Jaylor : Lydia was a fin-
ful woman, and God opened her eyes and
melted her heart kindly, and brought her
to a tafte of his goodnefs here, and glory
hereafter : but the Jaylor was an outragi-
ous, rebellious wretch, for when the a-
poflles were committed to prifon, he laid
them up in flocks, and whipped them fore,
now there was much work to bring this
man home : when the apoftles were finging
pfalms, there came an earthquake, which
made the prifon-doors flie open, and the
prifoners fetters to fall off, but yet the jay-
Jor's heart would not fliake : at lalf the
Lord did ihake his heart too, and he came
trembling, and was ready to lay violent
hands upon himfelf, becaufe he thought
the prifoners had been fled ; but the apo-
flles cried to hiin. Do thyfdfno hs^rm, for
ive are all here. With ihct he fell down
before them, and faid, IVlen and brtthreriy
luhatjhall I do to be favcU? Arts r.vi. ^?o.
For conclufion, give n^e a Chriftisn ihat
God doth plcale to wotk upon in :nis ex-
traordinary manner, and to break his
heart foundly, and to throw him dovv:i to
purpofe, though it coft him full dear, this
man walks ordinarily with more care and
rhe NEW BIRTH. 63
confcience, and hath more comfort com-
ing to himfelf, and gives more glory unto
God.
Ufe. I. Is it fo, that the foul of a man
is thus pierced to the quick, and run
through by the wrath of the Almighty ?
then let this teach all how to carry them-
felves towards fuch as God hath dealt
withal : Are they pierced men ? O pity
them ! let our foul, O let the bowels of
commiferation and compafTion be let out
toward them ! let us never eeafe to do
good to them, to the very uttermofl of our
powers: and to the performance of this,
reafon and religion and pity, methinks,
fhould move us : hear the cry, ' Oh (faith
the poor foul), will thefe and thefe fins
never be pardoned ? Will this proud heat t
never be humbled V Thus the foul fighs
and mourns, and fays, ' O Lord, I fee this
fin, and feel the burden of it, and yet I
have not an heart to be humbled for it,
rfor to be free from it : O when will it
once be ?' Did you but know this, it would
make your hearts bleed to hear him : Oh !
the fword of the Almighty hath pierced
through his heart, and he is breathing out
his foirow, as tho' he were going down
to hell, and he faith, ' If there be any mer-
cy, any love, any fellowfliip of the Spirit^
have mercy upon me a poor creature, that
am under the burden of the Almighty !"
O pray, and pity thefe wounds and vexa-
tions of fpirit, which no man finds nor
feels, but he that hath been thus wound-
ed. It is afign of afoul wholly devoted ta
deftrurtion, that hath a defperate difdaiti
againft poor wounded creatures : is it pcf-
fible there fiiould harboi-r fuch a fpirit in
any man ? If the devil himfelf were incar-
nate, I cannot conceive what he could da
worfe.
U/e. 2. If ever thou wouldeft be com-
forted, and receive mercy from God,, la-
bour never to be quiet, till thou dofl bring
thy heart to a right pitch of forrow ; thou
hafl a little flight forrow, but oh ! labour
to
64
The NEW BIRTH.
to have thy heart truly touched, that at
laid it may break in regard of thy many
diftempers; remember, the longer feed-
time, the greater harveft : Bleffcd are they
that mourn, for they (hall be comforted,
Matth. V. 4. But TOO to you that are at eafe
in Zion, Amos vi. i . Thou hadfl; better
now be wounded, than everlaftingly tor-
mented; and therefore if thou dcfireft to
fee God's face with comfort,if thou wouldft
hear Chrift fay, ' Come, thou poor heavy-
hearted finner, I will eafe thee,' labour to
lay load on thy heart, with forrow for thy
fin ; O what a comfort (hall a poor bro-
ken heart find in that day !
S EC T. V.
The extent of this forrow.
Hitherto of Contrition ; the next work
is Humiliation, which differs from
the other, not in fubftance, but circum-
ftance: for humiliation, as I take it, is
only the extent of forrow for fin, of which
we have fpoken ; and it contains thefe two
duties. I. Submiffion. 2. Contentednefs,
to be at the Lord's difpofal.
• The firfl part of Humiliation, Is fubraif-
fion, which is wrought thus : the finner
having now had a fight of his fins,and a for-
row in fome meafure for fin, he feeks far
and wide, improves all means, and takes
up all duties, that if it were pofiible, he
might heal his wounded foul : thus feek-
ing and feeking, but finding no fuccefs in
what he hath or doeih, he is forced at laft,
in his defpairing condition, to make trial
of the Lord : it is true, for the prefcnt he
apprehends God to be juft, and to be in-
ccnfcd againfi him, he hath no experience
of God's favour for the while, no certain-
ty how he (liall fpeed, if he go to the Lord;
yet bccaufe he fees he canno be worle
than he is, and that none can help him but
God, if it would pleafe him ; therefore he
f?lls at the footUool of mercy, and he lies
grovelling at the gate of grace, and lub-
mlts himfdf to the Lord, to do with him
as pleafeth himfelf, or as it feemeth good
in his eyes.
This was the Ninevites cafe, when Jo-
nah had denounced that heavy judgment,
and as it were, thrown wilJfire about the
Areets, faying, Within forty days Nineveh
fhall be dcfiroyed, Jon. iii. 9. See what
they refolved upon. They faftcd and pray-
ed, and put en fackcioth and afjes ; who
can tell, fa id they, but God may turn, and
repent him of his fierce wrath, that we
perijh not ? As if they had fud, ' We
know not what God will do, but this we
know, that we cannot oppofe his judg-
ments, nor fuccour ourfelves :' Thus it is
with a finner, when he feeth hell-fire to
fla(h in his face, and that he cannot fuc-
cour himfelf, then he faith, * This I know,
that all the means in the world cannot fave
me, yet who can tell, but the Lord may
have mercy on me, and cure this diftrefied
confcience, and heal all thefe wounds that
fin hath made in my foul V This is the
lively picture of the foul in this cafe.
Or for a further light, this fubjedion
difcovers itfelf in four particulars.
1 . He feeth and confefieth that the Lord,
for ought he knows, will proceed in juftice
againft him, and execute upon him thofe
plagues that God hath threatened, and his
fins have deferved; he feeth that jufiice is
not yet faiisfied, and ihofe reckonings be-
tween God and him are not yet made up,
and therefore he cannot apprehend but
that God will take vengeance on him :
whatelfe? when he hath done all he can,
he is unprofitable ftill; jufiice remains un-
fatisfied, and faith, ' Thou hall finned,
and I am wronged, and therefore thou
flialt die'.
2. He conceives, that what God will do,
that he will do, and he cannot avoid it ; if
the Lord will come, and require the glo-
ry of his juftice againft him, there is no
way to avoid it, nor to bear it; and this
cruiheth the heart, arid makes the foul to
be beyond all llufts and evafions, whereby
it
The NEW B I RT H. 6j
It may feem to avoid the dint of the Lord's pifture of thofe poor famidied lepers may
blow. fitly refemble this poor finner, when the
3. He cafts away his weapons, and falls famine was great in Samaria, There were
down before the Lord, and refigns himfelf four leprous men fate in the gate of the ci-
into the fovereign power and command of ty, and they faid^ Why fit we here until we
God. Thus David, when the Lord cart die? if we enter into the city ^ the famine
him out of his kingdom, he faid to Zadok, is there, and if u'<? fit here, we die alfo \
Carry back the ark of Cod into the city ; if rtow therefore, let us fall into the hands of
J Jha I I find favour in the eyes of the Lord, our enemies, and if they fave us alive, we
he vjill bring me back again, and fhew me
both it and his habitation : but if he thus fay
to me, I have no delight in thee : behold,
here I am, let him do with me as feemeth
good in his eyes, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26. This
is the frame of a poor foul ; when a poor
finner will ftand upon his privileges, the
Lord faith, * Bear my juftice, and defend
thyfelf by all thou haft, or canft do : and
the foul anfwereth, I am thy fervant, Lord,
do what is good in thine eyes, I cannot
fuccour myfelf.'
4. The foul freely acknowledgeth, that
it is in God's power to do with him, and
difpofe of him as he will; and therefore he
lies and licks the dull, and cries, Mercy,
Mercy, Lord : he thinks not to purchafe
mercy at the Lord's hands, but only faith,
* It is in God's good pleafure to do with
me as he will :' only he looks for favour,
and cries, * mercy, Lord, mercy to this poor
diftrefled foul of mine :' O, (replies the
Lord) doll thou need mercy ? Cannot thy
Hearing, and Praying, and Fading carry
thee to heaven without hazard ? Gird up
now thy loins, and make thy ferventeft
prayers, and let them meet my juftice, and
fee if they can bear my wrath, or purchafe
any mercy : ' No, no, (faith the finner) I
know it, by lamentable experience, that all
my prayers and performances will never
procure peace to my foul, nor give any fa-
tisfa<ftion to thy juftice, I only pray for
mercy, and I delire only to hear fome news
of mercy, to relieve this miferable, wretch-
ed foul of mine ; it is only mercy that muft
help me; O mercy, if it be poflible, to this
poor diftrelTed foul of mine.' Merhinks the
fh all live, and if they kill us, we f)all but
die, 2 Kings vii. 3, 4. They had but one
means to fuccour themfelves withal, and
that was to go into the camp of the ene-
mies, and there, as it happened, they were
relieved. This is the lively pi61ure of a
poor finner in this defpairing condition,
when he feeth the wrath of God purfuing
him, and that the Lord hath befet him on.
every fide ; at lad he refolves thus with
himfelf, ' If I go and reft on my privileges,
there is nothing but emptinefs; and if I
Xeft in my natural condition, I peri{h there
alfo: let me therefore fall into the hands
of the Lord of hofts. I confefs he hath
been provoked by me, and for ought I fee
he is mine enemy ; I am now a damned
man, and if the Lord caft me out of his
prefence, I can be but damned,' And then
he comes to the Lord, and he falls dov/n
before the footftool of a confuming God,
and faith, as Job did, * What ftiall I fay
unto thee, O thou Preferver of men ? I
have no reafon to plead for myfelf, and I
have no power to fuccour myfelf, my ac-
cufations are my heft excufe, all the pri-
vileges of the world cannot juftifie me, and
all my duties cannot fave me ; if there be
any mercy left, O fuccour a poordiftreffed
finner in the very gall of bitternefs.' This
is the behaviour of the foul in this work of
fubjeflion.
The fecond part of humiliation, is, con-
tentednefs to be at the Lord's difpofal ;
and this point is of an higher pitch than
the former : for example, take a debtor
who hath ufed all means to avoid the cre-
ditor, in the end, he feeth he cannot avoid
K the
66
The NEW B IRTH,
theTuit, and to bear It he is not able : there-
fore the onl}' way is'to come in, and to yield
himfelfinto his creditor's hands; butfuppofe
the creditor fhould exadl the utmoft:, and
throw him into prifon, to be content now
to undergo the hardeft dealing, it is an hard
matter, and a further degree. So v.-hen
the foul hath offered himfelf, and he feeth
that God's writs are out againft him, and
he is not able (whenfoever the judgment
comes) to avoid it, nor to bear it, there-
fore he fubmits himfelf, and faith, * Lord,
whither fliall I go ? thy anger is heavy and
unavoidable ;' nay, whatfoever God re-
quires, the foul lays his hand on his mouth,
and goes away conftnted, and well fatisfied,
and hath nothing at all to fay againfl the
Lord. This is the nature of Contentednefs.
Or, for a further light, this contented-
nefs difcovers itfelf in thefe three following
particulars :
I. The foul reflefls on God's mercy,
which though he begged when he fubmit-
ted, yet now he feeth fo much corruption
and unworthinefs in himfelf, that he ac-
l^n.owlcdgcih himfelf unfit for mercy: O
mercy, mercy,Lord ! What? faith theLord,
I had thought your own duties would have
■purchafed mercy : * O no, faith the foul,
it is only mercy that muft relieve and fuc-
cour me ; but fuch is my vilenefs, that I
am not fit for the leafl mercy and favour ;
and fuch is the wickednef* of this wretch-
ed heart of mine, that whatfoever are the
grcateft plagues, I am worthy of them all,
though never fo unfupportable : all the
iudgments that God hath threatened, and
prepared for the devil and his angels, they
are all due to my wretched foul ; O, faith
the foul, had the devils the like hopes,
and means, and patience that I have enjoy-
ed, for ought I know, they would have
been better than I am.' It is that which
lliames the foul in all his forrows, and makes
him fay, * Had they the like mercy ? O thofe
fweet comforts, and thofe precious promifes
that 1 have had .! how many heavy journeys
hath the Lord Jefus made to mc ? How oft-
en hath he knocked at my heart, and faid,
Come to me, ye rcbelliour: children ; turn
ye, turn ye, why will ye die ? O that mer-
cy that hath followed me from my houfe
to my walk, and from thence to my clo-
fet ; her6 mercy hath conferred with mc,
and there mercy hath wooed me ; yea, in
my night-thoughts, when 1 awaked, mercy
kneeled down bef'^'re me, and befought me
to reno\ince my bad courfes, yet I rcfufed
mercy, and would needs have mine own
will ; had the devil but fuch hopes, and fuch
offers of mercy, tl.ey thai tremble now for
want of mercy, they would, for ought I
know, have given entertainment to it; and
what, do I leek for mercy ? iliall I talk of
mercy > What, I mercy ? 1 he leafl of God's
mercies are too good for rne, and the hea-
vieA of God's plagues are too little for me;
I fuppofe (for fo is my opinion) that God
cannot do more againft me than Ihavejuft-
ly deferved, but be fure, God will not lay
more upon me than I am juflly worthy of.*
Nay, lure it is, the foul cannot bear nor
fuffer fo much as he hath deferved, if God
fliould proceed in rigour with him ; there-
fore it reafons thus : * I, only for one fin,
defcrve eternal condemnation, for the wa-
ges of all fin is death, being committed a«
gainft divine jufiice, and again ft an infinite
majefly ; and then what do all thefe my
fins deferve, committed and continued in,
againfl all checks of confcience, and cor-
redlions, and the light of God's word ! hell
is too good, and ten thoufand hells too lit-
tle to torment fuch a wretch as 1 am : what,
I mercy ? I am afliamed to expctSl it ; with
what heart, I pray you, can 1 beg this mer-
cy, which I have trodden vujdcr my feet ?
The Lord hath often wooed me, and when
his wounds were bleeding, and his fide gor-
ed, and his hideous cries coming into mine
ears,' My God, my God, why haft thou for-
faken me ? ' then, evert then this Chrifl have
I flighted, and made nothing of his blood ;
and can this blood of Chrift do me now a-
ny
The
ny fervlce ? Indeed I crave grace, but how
do I think to receive any ? All the pillars
of the church can teftifie how often grace
and mercy have been olfered and offered,
but I have ever refufed : how then can I
beg any grace? O this flnbbornnefs and
villainy, and this wretchednefs of mine !
v/hat, I mercy ? it is more than 1 can ex-
pert, I am not worthy of any ; Oh no, I
am only worthy to be caft out for ever.'
2. The foul reflertson juftice, and now
it acknowledgeth the equity of God's deal-
ings, be they never fo harfh ; he confefTeth
that he is as clay in the hands of the pot-
ter, and the Lord may deal with him as he
will ; yea, the foul is driven to an amaze-
ment at the Lord's patience, and that he
hath been pleafed to reprive him fo long,
that God hath not cafl: him out of his pre-
fence, and fent him down to hell long ago :
it is the frame of the fpirit which the poor
lamenting church had, // is of the Lord's
mercy that we are not confumed, hecaufe his
compajfions fail not. Lam. iii. 22. When
the Lord hath humbled the heart of a drunk-
ard or adulterer, he begins thus to think
with himfelf, * The Lord faw all the evils
I committed;' and what then ? O then the
foul admires that ever God's juftice was a-
ble to bear with fuch a monfter, and that
God did not confound him in his drunken-
nefs, or burning lufts, and caft him down
into hell. * Oh, faith he, It isbecaufe his
mercies fail not, that my life and all have
not failed long ago.' Hence it is that the
foul will not maintain any kind of mur-
muring, or heart-rifing againft the Lord's
dealings; or, if nature and corruption will
be ftriving fometimes, and fay,
not my prayers anfwered ? I know fuch a
foul humbled, and I fee fuch a foul com-
forted, and why not I as well as he V Then
the foul Rifles, and crufiieih, and choaks
thcfe wretched diftempers, and doih alfo
abafeitfelfbefore the Lord, faying, ^ What
if God will not hear my prayers, .vhat if
God will not pacific my confcience, cloth
JSt E W B I R T n, 67
the Lord do me any wrong ? Vile hell-
hound that I am, I have my fin and my
fhame ; wrath is my portion, and hell is
my place, tliither may I go when I will,
it is mercy that God thus deals with me,'
And now the foul clears God in his juftice,
and faith, * It is juft with God that all the
prayers which come from this filthy heart
of mine, fliould be abhorred, and that all
my labours, in holy duties ftiould never
be bleffed ; it is I that have finned againft
checks of confcience, againft knowledge,
againft heaven, and therefore it is juft that
I (hould carry this horror of heart with me
to the grave; it is I that have abufed mer-
cy, and therefore it is juft that I ftiould go
with a tormenting confcience down into
hell : and O that (if I be in hell) I might
have a fpirit to glorify and juftifie thy name
there ; and fay, now I am come down to
hell among you damned creatures, but the
liord is righteous and blefled for ever in
all his doings and dealings, and I am juftly
condemned.'
3. Hence the foul comes to be quiet and
frameable under the heavy hand of God in
that helplefs condition wherein he is ; it
takes the blow, and lies under the burthen,
and goes away quietly and patiently : O
this is an heart worth gold ! ' O, faith he,
it is fit that God fhould glorifie himfelf,
though I be damned for ever, for I deferve
the worft : whatfoever I have, it is the re-
ward of my own works, and the end of
my own ways: if I be damned, I may thank
my pride, and my ftubbornnefs, and my
peevilhnefs of fpirit : what, ftiall I repine
againft the Lord, hecaufe his wrath and his
Why are difpleafure lies heavy upon me ! Oh no !
let me repine againft my fin, the caufe of
all ; let me grudge againft my bafe heart
that hath nouriOied thefe adders in my bo-
fom, but let me blefs the Lord, and not
fpeak one word againft him.' Thus David,
/ held my tongue, laith he, and f pake no-
thing, hecaufe thou Lord haft done it, Pfal.
xxxix. 9. So the foul, when the fentence
K2 of
6H The NEW
of condemnation Is even fclzing upon him,
and God feems to call him out of his fa-
vour, then he cries, * I confefs God is juft,
and therefore I blefs his name, and yield
vinto him ; but fin is the worker of all this
rnifery on me.' Jeremiah pleading the cafe
of the church, now going to captivity, Wo
is me for my hurt^ faith he, my wound is
grievous ; hut I faidy truly this is my grief
and I mufl bear it, Jer. ji. 19. Such is
the frame of an heart truly humbled, it is
content to take all to itfelf, and fo to be
rjuiet, faying, ' This is my wound, and I
mufl bear it: this is my fcrrow, and I will
i'litier it.' Thus you fee what is the behavi-
our of the foul in Bbis contentednefs to be
-at the Lord's difpofal.
Ohjefl. But fome may objecV, ' Mufl the
-^oul, or ought the foul to be thus content
to be left in this damnable condition V
ylyifw. For anfwer, This contentednefs
implies two things; i. A carnal fecurity,
and a rcgardlefnefs of a man's eflate, and
this is a mofl curfed fin. 2 . A'calmnefs of foul,
not murmuring againfl the Lord's difpen-
fation towards him ; and this contentednefs
is ever accompanied with the fight of a
• man's fin, and fuing for mercy : it ever im-
proves all means and helps that may bring
him nearer to God ; but if mercy fliall de-
ny it, the foul is fatisfied, and refts wellapay-
, cd, [contented] : and thiscontentednefs(op-
pofedtoquarrellingwiththe Almighty) eve-
ry humbled foul doth attain to, tho'in every
one it is not fo plainly feen. To give it in
a com pari fon : A thief taken for robbery,
on whom the fentence of death hath pafTed,
he fliould not neglcdl the means to get a
pardon, and yet if he cannot procure it,
he mult rot murmur againfl the judge for
condemning him to death, becaule he hath
done nothing but law : fo wc fliould not
be carelefs in ufmg all means for our good,
but Hill feek to God for mercy : yet thus
we mufl be, and thus we ought to be, con-
tented with whatfocver mercy fliall deny,
becaufe we are not worthy of any favour.
BIRTH,
The foul in a depth of humiliation, It firf^
floops to the condition that the Lord will
appoint, he dares not liy away from God,
nor repine againfl the Lord, but he lies
down meekly. 2. As he is content with
the hardefl meafure, fo he is content with
the longefl time; he will flay for mercy, be
it never fo long: 1 ivill ivait upon the Lord
(faith Ifaiah, ch. 8. i 7.) that hidcth his face
from Jacob ; and I vjill look for him : fo
the humbled finner, * Although the Lord
hide his face, and turn away his loving
countenance from me, yet 1 will look to-
wards heaven, fo long as f h?vc an eye to
fee, and a hand to lift xip ; the Lord m.ay
take his own lime, and it is manners for
me to wait:' nay, the poor, broken licart
refolves thus, * If I lie and lick the dufl all
my days, and cry for mercy all my life
long, if my laft words might be mercy,
mercy, it were well, I might get mercy at
my lall gafp. 3. As he is content to flay
the longefl time, fo he is content with, the
leafl pittance of mercy ; * Let my condition
be never fo hard, (faith the foul) do. Lord,
what thou wilt for me ; let the fire of thy
wrath confurne me here, only recover me
hereafter; if I find mercy at the lafl, I am
content, and whatfoever thou givefl, I blefs
thy name for it :' He quarrels not, faying»
' Why are not my graces increafcd ; and
why am I not thus and thus comforted r*
No, he looks for mercy, and if he have
but a crumb of mercy, he is comforted and
quieted for ever. And now you may fup-
pofe the heart is brought very low.
Lfe I. Hence we coliccl, i. That they
who have the greateft parts, and gifts, and
ability, and honour, arc, for the mofl part,
hardly brought home to the Lord Jefus
Chrifi; they that are moll hardly humbled,
are raofl hardly converted ; what is hurnili-
aiion, but the einptying of the foul from,
whatfocver makes it fwell ? The heart mufl
notjoy in any thing, nor-refluponany things
but only yield to the Lord, to be at his dif-
pofing and carving : now thefe parts, and
gifts.
7 he NEW
gifts, and abilities and means are great props
and pillars for the heart of a carnal man to
red upon, and to quiet itfelf withal; whence
the apoftle. Not many ivife msn after the
fiefh, not many mighty men, not many no-
ble men are called, I Cor. i. 26, Indeed,
blefled be God, fome are, but not many;
few that have fo much of themfelves are
brought to renounce themfelves; and no
wonder,for a rich man to become poor, and
a noble man to be abafed, and a wife man
to be nothing in himfelf, this will coft hot
water, [much work] : and yet this muft be in
all that belong to the Lord : not that God
will take away all thefe outward things and
parts, but that they muft loofen their af-
feftion from thefe, if they will have ChriH.
2. That an humble heart makes all a
man's life quiet, and marvelloufly fweeten-
eth whatfoever eftate he is in. Indeed fome-
times he may be toffed and troubled, yet
he is not diftraftcd, becavife he is content-
ed ; as it is with the fliip on the fea, when
the billows begin to roar, and the waves
are violent, if the anchor be faftened deep,
it ftays the (l^ip : fo this work of humilia-
tion is the anchor of the foul, and the deep-
er ir is faftened, the more quiet is the heart :
when Job, in time of his extremity, gave
way to his proud heart, he quarrelled with
the Almighty, his friends, and all ; but
when the Lord had humbled him, then.
Behold, 1 arn vile and bafe, once have Ifpo-
ken, yea, twice, but nozu no more.
And this humiliation quiets a man, both
in fierceft temptations; and in heavieft op-
politions.
I. In fiercefl: temptations; when Satan
begins to belicge the heart of a poor finner,
and lays battery againft him, fee how the
humbled heart runs him out of breath at
his own weapons : Dofl: thou think (fays
Satan) to get mercy from the Lord, when
thy own conTcicnce dogs thee ? Nay, go
to the place where thou liveft, and to the
chamber where thou liefi, and conllder thy
fearful abomlnaiions j fure God will not
BIRTH, 67
refpedl the prayers of any fuch vile finners.
' True, faith the poor foul, I have often
denied the Lord when he called upon me,
and therefore he may juflly deny me all the
prayers I make ; yet thus he hath command-
ed, that feek to him for mercy I muft ; and,
if the Lord will call me away, and reje£l
my prayers, I am contented therewith;
what then, Satan V What then, faith the
the devil ? I thought this (hould have made
thee to defpair ; but this is not all, for God
will give thee over, and leave thee to thy-
felf, to thy lufts and corruptions, and thy
latter end fhall be worfe than thy begin-
ning; thou mayflcall and cry, and, when
thou haft done, be overthrown ; God will
leave thee to thyfelf, and fuffer thy corrup-
tions to prevail againft thee, and thou Ihalt
fall fearfully, to the wounding of thy con-
fcience, to the grieving of God's people,
to the fcandal of the gofpel, to the reproach
of thy own perfon. To this anfwers the
humbled foul, * If the Lord will give me up
to my bafe lufls, which I have given myfelf
fo much liberty in, and if the Lord will leave
me to my lins, becaufc I have left his gra-
cious commands; and if I fliall fall one
day, and bedifgraced and diflionoured, yet
let the Lord be honoured, and let not God
lofe the praife of his power, and juflice,
and I am contented therewith : what then,
Satan ?' What then, faith the devil ? I fure
thought now thou wouldft have defpaired ;
but this is not all, for when God hath left
thee to thy fins, then will he break out in
vengeance againft thee, and make thee an
example of his heavy vengeance to all ages
to come; and therefore it is befi: for thee
to prevent this untimely judgment by fome
untimely death. To this replies the foul,
* Whatfoever God can do, or will do, I
know not, yet fo great are my fms, that
he cannot, or at leaft, will not do fo much
againlt me, as I havejuflly deferved : come
what will come, I am contented ftill to be
at the Lord's difpofal : what then, Satan V
And thua he runs Satan out of breath.
The
70 The NEW
The want of this humiliation many
times brings a man to defperare (lands, and
fomctimes to untimely deaths : alas, why
will you not bear the wrath of the Lord ?
it is true indeed your fins are great, and
the wrath of God is heavy, yet God will
do you good by it, and therefore be quiet.
In time of war, when the great cannons fly
off, the only way to avoid them, is to lie
down in a furrow, and fo the bullets fly
over : fo in all temptations of fatan, lie
low, and be contented to be at God's dif-
pofing, and all thefe fiery temptations fliall
not be able to hurt you,
2. In heaviefl: oppofitions ; when Satan
is gone, then come*troubles and oppofiti-
ons of the world, in all which humiliation
will quiet the foul. A man is fometimes
fea-fick, not becaufe of the tempeft, but be-
caufe of his full flomach, and therefore,
when he has emptied his ftomach, he is well
again ; fo it is with his humiliation of heart,
if the heart were emptied truly, though a
man were in a fea of oppofitions, if he have
no more trouble in his ftomach, and in his
proud heart than in the oppofitions of the
world, he might be very well quieted. Caft
difgrace upon the humble heart caufelefly,
and he cures it thus ; he thinks worfe ofhim-
felf than any man elfe can do, and if they
would make him vile and loathfome, he
is more vile in his own eyes than they can
make him : O that I could bring your
hearts to be in love with this bleffed grace
of God!
Is there any foul here thathathbeen vex-
ed with the temptations of Satan, oppofi-
tions of men, or with his own diflempers?
and would he now arm and fence himfelf,
that nothing fliould difquiet him, or trou-
ble him, but in all, to be above all, and to
rejoice in all ? O then be humbled, and
then be above all the devils in hell : cer-
tainly they fhall not fo difquiet you, as to
caufe you to be mifled, or uncomforted,
if you would but be humbled.
Ufi' 2. AVhat remains then ? Be exhort-
BIRTH,
ed, as you defire mercy and favour at
God's hands, to this humiliation. And
for motives, confider the good things that
God hath proraifed, and which he will be-
llow upon all that are truly humbled :
I (liall reduce all to thefe three following
benefits ;
1. By humiliation we are made capable
of all thofe treafures of wifdom, grace,
and mercy that are in Chrifi.
2. Humiliation gives a man the comfort
of all that good in Chrift : many have a
right to Chrift, and are dear to God, yet
they want much fweet refrefhing, becaufe
they want this humiliation, in fome mea-
fure. To be truly humbled, is the next
way to be truly comforted : The Lord ivill
look to him that hath an humble contrite
heart, and trembles at his wordy Ifa. Ixii.
8. The Lord will not only know him (he
knows the wicked too, in a general man-
ner) but he will give him fuch a gracious
look, as fliall make his heart dance in his
breaft. Thou poor humbled foul, the
Lord will give thee a glimpfe of his favour,
when thou art tired in thy trouble; when
thou looked up to heaven, the Lord will
look down upon thee, and will refrefli thee
with mercy ; God hath prepared a fweet
morfel for his child, he "will receive the
humble : O be humbled then, every one
of you, and the Lord Jcfus, luho comes
with healing under his wings, will comfort
you, and ye fliall fee the falvation of our
God.
3. Humiliation ufhers glory, Whofoever
humbles himfelf as a little child, fhall be
greatefl in the kingdom of heaven y Matth.
xviii. 4. He fliall be in the highefl degree
of grace here, and of glory hereafter: for
as thy humiliation, fo fliall be thy faith,
and fan£tification, and obedience, and glory.
And now, methinks your hearts begin
to fiir, and fay, ' Hath the Lord engaged
himfelf to this ? O then, Lord, make me
humble.' >iow the Loid make me, and
thee, and all of us humble, that we may
have
n^e NEW
have this mercy. See how Everlafting
Happinefs and BiefTednefs looks and waits
for every humbled foul ; ' Gome, (faith
Happinefs) ihou that haft been vile, and
bafe, and mean in thy own ej'es ; come,
and be greateft in the kingdom of heaven.
Brethren, though I cannot prevail with
your hearts, yet let Happinefs, that kneels
down, and prays you to take mercy, let
that, I fay, prevail with you : if any man
be fo regardlefs of his own. good, I have
fomething to fay to him, that may make
his heart fnake within him. But oh ! •
"Who would not have the Lord Jefus to
dwell with him ? who would not liave the
Lord Chrift, by the glory of his grace to
honour and refrefh him ? Methinks your
hearts fliould yearn for it,and (ay, ' O Lord,
break my heart, and humble me, that mer-
cy may be my portion for ever :' nay,
methinks every man fhould fay as Paul
did, ' I would to God that not only I, but
all my children and fervants were not only
thus as I am, but alfo, if it were God's
will, much more humbled, that they might
be much more comforted and refreflicd.'
Then might you fay with comfort on 3'our
desth-bed, ' Though I go away, and leave
wife and children behind me, poor, and
mean in the world, yet I leave Chrift with
them :' when you are gore, this will be
better for them, than all the beaten gold
or honours in the world. What can I fay ?
but fince the Lord offers fo kindly, now
kifs the/on^ Pfal. ii. 12. be humble, yield
to ail God's commands, take home all
truths, and be at God's difpofing : let all
the evil that is threatened, and all the good
that is offered prevail with your hearts,
or, if means cannot, yet the Lord prevail
with you ; the Lord empty you, that
Chrift may fill you ; the Lord humble you,
that you may enjoy happinefsand peace, and
be lifted up to the higheft pinnacle of glory,
there to reign for ever and ever.
B IR TH.
7»
CHAP. V.
Tke call on God's part, for the foul to clofe
ivithy and rely on ChriJ}.
HITHERTO of our fir ft general.
to wit, the
preparation of the foul
for Chrift :' the next is, the * implantati-
on of the foul into Chrift;* and that hath
two parts ;
1 . The putting of the foul into Chrift,
2. The growing ofthe foul with Chrift,
As a graft is firft put into the ftock,
and then it grows together with the ftock :
thefe two things are anfwerable in the foul,
and when it is brought into this, then
a finner comes to be partaker of all fpiri-
tual benefits.
The firft part is, the putting in of the
foul : when the foul is brought out of the
world of fin, to lie upon, and to clofe with
the Lord Jefus Chrift ; and this hath two
particular paffages :
The call on God's part ; and the anfwer
on man's part.
The Call on God's part is this, when
the Lord, by the call of his gofpel, ai^d
work of his Spirit, doth fo clearly rcve.*!
the fulnefs of mercy, that the foul hnmbied
returns anfwer.
In which obferve i. the means, and 2.
the caufe, whereby God doth call.
I. The means is only the miniftry of
thegofpel ; the fum whereof, is this, ' That
there is fulnefs of Mercy, and Grace, and
Salvation, brought unto us through the
Lord Jefus Chrift.' Hence the phrafe of
fcripture calls this gofpel, or this mercy,
Atreafury, Col. ii. 2. All the trea/ures
ofijjifdojn and holinefs are in ChriJ} : not
one treafure, but all treafures ; not fome
treafure, but all treafures ; where the gof-
ptl comes, there is joy for th.e forrowfu},
peace for the troubled, ilrength for the weak,
relief feafonable and fuitable to all wants,trii-
feriesandnecelfities,bothprefentandfuture»
Vfe. If then forrow alfail thee (when
thou art come thus far} look not on thy
72 The NEW
fins,, to pore npon them ; neither look In-
to thy own fufficiency, to procure any
good there. It is true, thou mud fee thy
fjns, and forrow for them, but this is for
the lower [clafs] and thou muft get this
lelTon before-hand ; and when thou haft
gotten this leffbn of Contrition and humi-
liation, look then only to God's mercy
and the riches of his grace in Ghrift.
2. For the Gaufe: the Lord doth not
only appoint the means, but by the work
of the Spirit, he doth bring all the riches
of his grace into the foul truly humbled :
If you aflc, how ? i. With ftrength of e-
vidence; the Spirit prefents to the broken-
hearted /inner, the«rightof the freenefs of
God's grace to the foul : And 2. The Spi-
rit doth forcibly foak in finfufe] the re-
liQi of that grace, and by an over- piercing
work, doth leave fome dint of fupernatural
and fpiritual virtue on the heart.
Now the word of the gofpel, and the
work of the Spirit always go together ; not
that God is tied to any means, but that
he tieth himfelf to the means : hence the
gofpel is called, The poiver of Cod to falva-
tioHy Rom. i. i6. becaufe the power of
God ordinarily, and in common courfe
appears therein : the waters of life and fal-
vatioii run only in the channel of the gof-
pel ; there are golden mines of grace, but
they are only to be found in the climates
of the gofpel : nay, obferve this, when all
arguments prevail not with corruption, to
perfuade the heart to go to God, one text
of fcripture will ftand a man inftead above
all human learning and inventions, becaufe
the Spirit goes forth in this, and none elfe.
Ufe. I. This may teach us the worth of
the gofpel above all other things in the
world, for it is accompanied with the Spi-
rit, and brings falvation with it. "What
if a man had all the wealth and policy in
the world, and wanted this ? he were a
fool : what if one were able to dive deep
into the fecrets of nature, to know the
motions of the liars, to fpeak with the
BIRTH.
tongues of men and angels, and yet know
nothing belonging to his peace, what avails
it ? Why do we value a mine, but becaufe
of the gold in it? or a cabinet, but becaufe
of the pearl in it ? O this is that pearl we
fell all for.
Ufe. 2. Wouldft thou know whether
thou art carnal or fpiritual ? Obferve then,
if thou h,aft the Spirit, it ever came with
gofpel : fee then how the foul ftands af-
fe<5\ed with the gofpel, and fo it Aands af-
fected to the Spirit. * Is it fo'(may every foul
reafon with itfelf) * that I will not fuffer the
word to prevail with me ? then fhall I mifs
of the Spirit, then will Ghrift none of me.'
remember, the time will come when you
muft die, as well as your neighbours, and
then you will fay, ' Lord Jefus, forgive my
fins ; Lord Jefus, receive my foul :' but
Ghrift will anfwer, ' Away, be gone,
j'ou are none of mine, I know you not.'
Any man, whether noble, or ignoble, let
him be what he will be, if he has not the
Spirit, he is none of Chrift's; His you are
to vj horn you obey, Rom. vi. i6. but pride
and covctoufnels you obey ; pride there-
fore will fay, * This heart is mine, Lord,
1 have domineered over it, and I will tor-
ment it: Corruptions will fay, * we have
owned this foul, and we will damn it.' You
therefore that have made a tu(li at [defpif-
ed] the word, *this wind Ihakes no corn, and
ihefe words break no bones ;' little do you
think that you have oppofed the Spirit :
what, refift the Spirit ? methinks it is e»
nough to fink any foul vinder heaven :
hereafter therefore think this with thyfelf,
* Were he but a man that fpeaks, yet
would I not dcfpife him ; but that is not
all, tliere goeth God's Spirit with the word,
and ftiall I defpife it ? There is but one
ftcp between this and that unpardonable
fin againft the holy Ghoft, only adding
malice to my rage : I oppofe the Father,
perhaps the Son mediates for me; I de-
fpife the Son, perhaps the holy Ghoft pleads
for
The NEW
for me ; but if I oppofe the Spirit, none
can fuccour me.
G H A P. VI. SEC T. I.
The anpiuer on man's part for the foul to
cicfe with, and to rely on ChriJ},
HIcherto of the call on God's part;
now we are come to the anfwcr on
man's part. No fooner hath the gofpel and
God's Spirit clearly revealed the fulnefs of
God's mercy in ChriO:, but then the whole
foul (both the mind that dilcovers mercy,
and Hope that expefts it, and Defire that
purfues it, and Love that entertains it,
and the will that refls on it) gives an-
fwer to the call of God therein. Mer-
cy is a proper obje£l of all thefe ; of the
mind to be enlightened, of hope to be
fuflained, of defire to be fupported, of
love to becheared : nay, there is a full fa-
tisfaftory fufficiency of all good in Chrift,
that fo the will of man may take full re-
pofe and reft in him ; therefore the Lord
faith. Come unto me, all that are weary
and heavy laden, Matth. xi, 28. Come,
mind, and hope, and defire, and love, and
will, and heart: they all anfwer, Wecome:
the mind faith, Let me know this mercy
above all, and defire to know nothing but
Chrift and hi?n crucified : let me expcft
this mercy, faith Hope; that belongs to
me, and will befal me : Defire faith. Let
me long after it : O, faith Love, let me
embrace and welcome it : O, faith the
heart, let me lay hold on the handle of
falvation; here we will live and here we
will die at the footftool of God's mercy.
Thus all go, mind, hope, defire love, joy,
the will, and al! lay hold upon thepromife,
and fay, ' Let us make the promife a prey,
let us prey upon mercy, as the wild bealls
do upon their provifion.' Thus the fa-
culcies of the foul hunt and purfue this
mercy, and lay hold thereupon and fatis-
fy themfelves herein.
SECT. IL
J Sight of Chrift J or of mercy in Chrijl.
BUT for a further difcovery of thefe
works of the foul, we (hall enter in-
BIRTH. 7^
to particulars: and for their order, i. The
Lord lets a light into the mind, for what
the eye never feeth, the heart never de-
fireth, hope never expefteth, the foul ne-
ver embraceth : if the foul then feemeth to
hang afar off, and dares not believe that
Chrift will have mercy on him, in this cafe
the Spirit lets in a light into his heart, and
difcovers unto him, that God will deal gra-
cioufly with him. It is with a finner, as-
with a man that fits in darknefs, haply he
feeth a light in the ftreet out of a window,
but he fits Aill in darknefs, and is in the
dungeon all the while, and he thinks,
' How good were it if a man might enjoy
that light?' fo many a poor, humble-heart-
ed broken finner feeth, and hath an ink
ling of God's mercies, he heareth the faints
fpeak of God's love, and hisgoodnefs, and
compafTion ; Ah, (thinks he) how happy
are they ? blefiTed are they, what an excel-
lent condition are they in ? But I am in
darknefs ftill, and never had a drop of
mercy vouchfafed unto me : at laft, the
Lord lets a light into his houfe,and puts the
candle into his own hand, and makes him
fee by particular evidence, * Thou flialt
be pardoned, and thou fhalt be faved.'
The manner hov/ the Spirit works this,
is difcovered in three paffages :
1 . The Spirit of the Lord meeting with
an humble, broken, lowly, felf-denying
finner (he that is a proud, ftout-hearted
wretch, knows nothing of this matter) it
opens the eye, and now the humbled (in-
ner begins to fee (like the man in the gof-
pel) fome light and glimmering about his
underftanding, that he can look into, and
difcern the fpiritual things of God.
2. Then the Lord lays before him all
the riches of the treafures of his grace :
no fooner hath he given him an eye, but
then he lays colours before him {,the un-
Cearchable riches of Chrijl, Eph. iii. 8.)
that he may fee and look, and fall in love
with thofe fweet treafures ; and then faith
the (oul, O that mercy, and grace and par-
don were mine: O that my fins were done
L awav
74 The NEW
away ! The Lord faith, T will refrerti them
that are heavy laden; then faith the foul,
* O that I had that refrefhing !' * You (hall
have reft,' faith God ; * O that I had reft
too,' faith the foul ! and now the foul be-
gins to look after the mercy and compaf-
lion which is laid afore it.
3. The Spirit of the Lord doth witnefs
or certify throughly and effeftually to the
foul, that this mercy in Chrift belongs un-
to him, and without this, the foul of an
humble, broken-hearted finner hath no
ground to go unto Chrift : what good doth
It an hungry ftomach to hear that there is
a great deal of cheer and dainties provided
for fuch and fuch Then, and he have no
part therein ? Take a beggar that hath a
rhoufand pounds told before him (he may
apprehend the fum of fo much gold, and i'o
jTiuch filver) * but whafis all that to me,
(faith he) if in the mean time I die and
ibrve ?' It falls out in this cafe with a bro-
ken-hearted finner as with a prodigal child:
the prodigal he hath fpent his means, and
abufed his father, and now is there a fa-
mine in the land, and poverty is befallen
him ; he knows indeed there is meat and
cloaths enough in his father's houfe, but
slas ! what can he ex pe(St thence but his
father's heavy difplcafure ? If a man fhould
fay, * Go to your father, he will give you
2 portion again ;' would he, think 5'ou, be-
lieve this ? ' No, (would he fay), it is my
father I have offended, and will he now re-
ceive me?' Yet Hiould a man come and
tell him, that he heard his father fay fo,
:md then fl'>ew him a certificate vmder his
father's hand that it was fo, this would
fure draw him into fome hope that his fa-
ther meant well towards him : fo it is with
a finner when he is apprehenfive of all his
rebellions; ifamanfliould tell fuch afoul,
* Go to God, and he will give you abun-
dance of mercy and companion ;' the foul
cannot believe it, but thinks, * AVhat, I
mercy? no, no : bleffed are they that walk
humbly before God, and conform their
BIRTH.
lives to his word, let them take it j but
for me, it is mercy I have oppofed, it is
grace I have reje6\ed ; no mercy, no grace
for me :' but now if God fejid a mcffcnger
from heaven, or if it come under the hand
of his Spirit, that he will accept of him, and
pafs by all his fins, this makes the foul grow
into fome hopes, and upon this ground it
goes unto the Lord ; but here oblerve me,
that none either in heaven or in earth, but
only God's Spirit can make this certifi-
cate; when it is night, all the candles in
the world cannot take away the darknefs;
fo all the means of grace and falvation, all
the candle-light of the minifiry, they are
all good helps, but the darknefs of the night
will not be gone, before the fun of righ-
teoufnefs ariie in our hearts. Hence it is
that it proves fo difficult a matter to com-
fort a diflrellcd foul ; / Jhall one day pe-
rifj, faith David ; I fall one day go dovjn
to hell, faith the foul: let all the miniflers
under heaven cry, * Comfort ye, comfort
ye :' flill he replies, * I Mercy ? and I com-
fort? will the Lord pardon me ? It is mer-
cy I have defpifed and trampled under my
feet, and I mercy? no, no.' Thus we mi-
niO-ers obferve by experience, fome that in
their own apprehenfions are going to the
bottom of hell, we make known to them
reafons, and arguments, and promifes, but
nothing takes place; what's the reafon .^
O none but God's Spirit can do it, hemufl
either come from heaven, and fay, Cotn-
fort ye, comfort ye, my people, or it -will
never prevail : let me fpeak therefore to
you that are minifters, you do well to la-
bour to give comfort to a poor fainting
foul, but always fay, * Comfort, Lord:
O Lord, fay unto this poor foul, Thou
art his falvation.'
SECT. III.
Hope in Chrijt.
THE mind being thus enlightened, the
Lord calls on the affections ; Come,
Defire: Come, Love: but the fiifl voice
is to Hope i now Hope is a faculty of the
foul
7he NEW B IRTH,
foul that looks out for mercy, and waits
for the fame ; fo the apoflle, Phil. i. 20.
According to my earnej} expcSIation : it is
a (imilitude taken from a man that looks
after another, and lifts up himfelf as high
as he may, to fee whether any be coming
after him : io here the foul ftands as it
were a tip-toe, [or, earneftly] expelling
when the Lord comes ; he hath heard the
Lord fay, ' Mercy is coming towards thee,
mercy is provided for thee :' Now this af-
feftion is fet out to meet mercy afar ofij
it is the looking out of the foul : ' O when
will it be, Lord ? Thou fayefl: mercy is
prepared, thou fayeft mercy is approach-
ing ;' the foul ftandeth a tip-toe, [or,look-
eth earnefUy] * O when will it come,
Lord!' here is the voice of Hope j * This
finful foul of mine, it may through God's
mercy be fanftified ; this troubled, per-
plexed foul of mine, it maj' through God's
mercy be pacified; this evil and corruption
which harbours in me, and hath taken pof-
felFion of me, it may through God's mer-
cy be removed ; and when will it be ?
The manner how God's Spirit works
this, is difcerned in three particulars.
1. The Lord doth fweetly (lay the
heart, and fully perfuade the foul, that a
man's fins are pardonable, and that all his
fins may be pardoned, and that all the
good things he wanteih, they may be be-
flowed : this is a great fuftainer of the foul;
when a poor finner feeth his fins in their
number, nature ; when he feeth no reft
in the creature, nor in himfelf, though all
means, all help, all men, all angels, fiiould
join together, yet they cannot pardon one
fin of his ; then the Lord lifteth up his
voice, and faith from heaven, * Thy fins
are pardonable in the Lord Jefus Chrift.'
2. The Lord doth fweetly perfuade the
foul that all his fins fliall be pardoned ; the
Lord makes this appear, and perfuades his
heart that he intendeth mercy, that Chrift
hath procured pardon for the foul of a
broken-hearted finner in Ipecial, and that
75
be cannot but come unto It; by this means
Hope comes to be aifured, and certainly
perfuaded to look out, knowing the pro-
mife fliallbe at the laft accompliihed: the
former only fuftained the heart , and
provoked [or, encouraged] it to look for
mercy, but this comforts the foul, that
undoubtedly it fhall have mercy : The Lot\i
Jefus came to feek and tofave that ivhich
luas lojl : now faith the broken and hum-
ble finner, * I am loft ; did Chrift come to
fave finners ? Chrift muft fail of his end,
or I of my comfort. God faith, Come unto
me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden :
• I am weary, and unlefs the Lord intend
good unto me, why fliould he invite me,
and bid me come ? furely he means to fhew
me mercy, nay he promifeth to relieve me,
when I come, therefore he will do good
unto me.'
3. The Lord lets in fome relilh and
tafte of the fweetnefs of his love, fome
fcent and favour of it, fo that the foul is
deeply affefted M'ith it, and carried migh-
tily unto it, that it cannot be fevered ; it
is the letting in the riches of his love, that
turneth the expeflation of the foul ano-
ther way, yea it turneth the whole ftream
of the foul thitherward.
Ufe I. This reproves,
1. Thofe that caft off all hope.
2. Thofe that without ground will do
nothing but hope.
I. If the Lord ftir up the heart of his
to hope for his mercy, then take heed of
that fearful fin of defpair. Defpair we muft
in ourfelves, and that is good; but this de-
fpair we fpeak of, is hainous in the eyes
of God, and hurtful to thee. i. Injuri-
ous to God, thou goeft to the deep dun-
geon of thy corruption, and there thou
fayeft, * Thefe fins can never be pardon-
ed, 1 am ftill proud, and more flubborn,
this diftrefs God feeth not, God fuccours
not, his hand cannot reach, his mercy can-
not fave. Now mark what the prophet
faith to fuch a perplexed foul, Why fayejl
2 thou
76
The NEW BIRTH.
thou thy way is hid from the Lord P Ifa.
xl. 27. The Lord faith, ]Vhy Jay eft thou?
Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? O you
wrong God exceedingly, you think it a
matter of humility, when you account fo
vilely of your felves : * Can God pardon
fin to fuch unworthy creatures? It is true,
(faith the foul) ManafTes was pardoned,
Paul was converted, God's faints have been
received to mercy; but can my fins be
pardoned ? can my foul be quickened ?
No, no, my fins are greater than can be
forgiven.' Why then, poor foul, Satan
is ftronger to overthrow thee, than God
to fave thee; an^ thus you make God
to be no God, nay you make him to be
weaker than fin, than hell, than the devil.
2. This fin is dangerous to thy own foul,
it is that which taketh up the bridge, and
cutteth off all paffages, nay it plucks up a
man's endeavours, as it were quite by the
roots : ' Alas,(faith he) what availeth it for
a man to pray ,' what profits it a man to
read \ what benefit in all the means of
grace ? The fione is rolled upon me, and
my condemnation fealed for ever: I will
never look after Chrifi, grace, falvation
any more ; the time of grace is pad, the
<3ay is gone.' And thus the foul finketh
in itfelf; Will the Lord caji me ojf for e-
vcr ? and ivill he be favourable uo more ?
IJaidy faich David, This is my infirmity,
Pf. Ixxvii. 7. 10, The word in the origi-
nal is, This is my ficknefs ; as who fhould
fay, ' What \ is mercy gone for ever ?
This U'ill be my death, then is life gone.'
2. This reproves and condemns that
great fin of Prcfumption, a fin more fre-
quent, and, if pofTibly may be, more dan-
gerous ; as they faid, Saul had Jlain his
thoufands, and David his ten thoufands :
So hath Dcfpair flain his thoufands ; but
Prefnmption his ten thoufands. It is the
counfcl of Peter, that every man P^ould
be ready to give an account of his faith
and hope that is in him, i Pet. iii. 15. Let
US fee the rcafous tlwt perfuade you to
thefe groundlefs fooIi(h hopes ? You fay,
' You hope to be faved, and you hope to
go to heaven, and you hope to fee God's
face with comfort;' and have you no
grounds?' It is a fooliih hope, an unrea-
fonable hope.
Ufe 2. But comfort ye, comfort ye,
poor drooping fpirits; They that wait up-
on the L<,rdfhall renew their ftr ength, Ifa.
xl. 31 . You fay, ' You cannot do this,
and you cannot do that;' I fay, ' If you
can but hope, and wait for the mercy of
the Lord, you are rich Chrifl:ians.' If a
man havemany reverfions.ihey that judge
of his efiate, will not judge him for his
prefent efiate, but for the reverfions he
fiiall have: haply thou haft not for the
prefent the fenfeand feeling of God's love
and afTurancc; away with that feeling, do
not dote upon it, thou haft reverfions of
old leafes, ancient mercies, old compani-
ons, fuch as have been referved from the
beginning of the v.'orld, and know thou
haft a fair inheritance.
Ufe 3. You will fay, ' Were my hopes
of the right ftamp, then might I comfort
myfelf; but there are many falfe, flaftiy
hopes, and how fliould I know that my
hope is found and good ?' 1 anfwer, you
may know it by thefe particulars.
I. A grounded hope hath a peculiar cer-
tainty in it, it doth bring home unto the
foul in fpecial manner,thegoodnefsofGod,
and the riches of his love in Ghrift Jefus.
It ftands not on Ifs and Ands, but faith,
• It muft undoubtedly, it muft certainly be
mine ;' and good reafon, for this hope
hath a word to hang an hold upon : What
is that? / will wait upon the Lord, and I
will hope in his -word, Pfal. cxxx. 5. It
is a fcripture-hope, a word-hope : the word
faith. The Lord came to fave thofe that
were lofh Matth. xviii. u. Why, * I find
myfelf to be loft, (faith the foul), and
therefore I hope : the Lord will fcek me,
though I cannot fcek him ; I hope the
Lord will find me, though I cannot find
my-
The NEW
myfclf ; I hope the Lord will fave me, tho'
I cannot fave myfelf.' So the word faith,
* He appointeth unto them that mourn in
Zion,togive unto them beauty for aflies:'
will you have a legacy of joy, mercy and
pity? Here it is,theLord Chrifl left it you,*I
bequeath and leave this to all broken-heart-
ed finners, to all you humble mourning
finners, this is your legacy, fue for it in the
court, and you (hall have it for ever.'
2. A grounded hope is ever of great
power and ftrength to hold the foul to the
truth of the promife ; hence take a poor
finner when he is at the weakefl, under
water, when all temptations, oppofitions,
corruptions grow ftrong againfi him, and
he faith, * I fhall one day perilh by the
hand of Saul, this proud, foolilli, filthy
heart of mine will be my bane, I ihal! never
get power, ftrength and grace againft thefe
lins.' Here is the lowefl: under of a poor
foul. If a man fhould now reply, ' Then
cad off all hope and confidence, rejefl the
means, and turn to your fins :' Mark how
Hope fleppeth in, and faith, * Nay, what-
foever I am and do, whatfoever my con-
dition is, I will ufe the means; I am fure
all my help is in Chrifl, all ray hope is in
the Lord Jefus, and if I mu^ peri(h, I will
periilii feeking him, and svaiting upon him,'
"Why, this is hope, and I warrant that Ibul
fhall never go to hell ; / ivill u-ait for the
Lord, yea though he hath hid himfelf from
the houfe of Jacob, Ifa. viii. 17.
Ufe 4. The laft ufe is of Exhortation :
I defire you, I intreat you (I will not faj',
I command you, tho* this may be enjoy-
ned) If you have any hope of heaven, if
you have any treafurein Chrill, labour to
quicken this afTedion above all : the means
are thefe.
1 . Labour to be much acquainted with
the precious promifes of God, to have
them at hand, and upon all occafions:
thefe are thy comforts, and will fupport
thy foul; as the body without comfort is
unfit for any thing, fo it is here, unlefs a
BIRTH. yy
man hath that provifion of God's promifes,
and have them at hand daily, and have
them [fo to fpeak] diihed out, and fitted
for him, his heart will fail.
2. Maintain in thy heart a deep and fe-
rious acknowledgment of that fupreme au-
thority of the Lord, to do what he will,and
how he will.according tohispleafure : alas,
we think too often to bring God to our
bow, [or will] ; * "VVe have hoped thus
long, and God hath not anfwered, and fliall
we wait ftill ?' Wait! Ah wait, and blefs
God that you may wait : if you may lie at
God's feet, and put your mouths in the
duft, and at the end of your days have one
crumb of mercy, it is enough ; therefore
check thofe diftempers, * Shall I wait ftill?'
It is a mofl admirable flrange thing, that a
poor worm, worthy of hell, fhould take
up ftate, and ftand upon terras with God ;
* He will not wait upon God ;' who muft
w^it then? mufl God wait, or man wait?
It was the apoflles queftion. Wilt thou at
this time rejhre the kingdom to Ifrael? To
whom our Saviour anfwered. It is not for
you to know the times orthe feafons; As who
Ihould fay, Hands off, [aflc no fuch que-
ftions] it is for you to wait, and to ex-
peft mercy, it is not for you to know. If
you begin to wrangle and fay, * How long^
Lord ? When, Lord ? And why not now.
Lord, Why not I, Lord V Now check thy
own heart, and fay, * It is not for me to
know, it is for me to be humble, abafcd^
and to wait for mercy.'
SECT. IV.
A Defire after Chrifr.
WHEN the foul is humbled and the
eye opened, then he begins thus ro
reafon ; ' O happy I that fee mercy, but
miferable I, if I come to fee this, and ne-
ver have a (hare in it? O why not I, Lord ?
^V'hy not my fins pardoned? And why not
my corruptions fubducd? My foul now
thirfleth after thee as a thirfly land, my
afieftions now hunger after righteoufhefs
botk
78
The NEW B IRTH.
both infii fed and imputed:' Now this de-
fire is begotten thus.
When the foul is come fo far, that af-
ter a thorough Convi6lion of fin, and
found Humiliation under God's mighty
hand, it hath a timely and feafonable re-
velation of the glorious myfteries of Ghrift,
of his excellencies, invitations, truth, ten-
der-heartednefs, etc. of the heavenly fplen-
dor, and riches, of the pearl of great price ;
am heavy laden with my fins, which are
innumerable, I am ready to fink, Lord,
even into hell, unlefs thou in thy mercy
put to thine hand and deliver me; Lord,
thou haft promlfed by thine own word cut
of thy own mouth, that thou wilt re-
frefli the weary foul.' And with that he
thruft out one of his hands, and reaching
as high as he could do towards heaven,
with a louder voice and a flralned, fee
then doth the foul conceive by the help of cried, ' I challenge thee. Lord, by that
the holy Ghoft, this defire and vehement word, and by that promife which thou haft
longings and left any couzen themfelves made, that thou perform and make it good
by any mifconceits about it, as the notori
ous finner, the mere civil man,and the for-
mal profefror,it isihen known to be faving:
I . When it is joined with an hearty wil-
lingnefs and unfeigned refolution, ' to fell
- all,to part with all fin,' to bid adieu for ever
to me, that call for eafe and mercy at thy
hands, 6^r.' Proporiionably, when heavy-
heartednefs for fin hath fo dried up the
bones, and the angry countenance of God
fo parched the heart, that the poor foul
begins now to gafp for grace, as the thirfty
to our darling delight ; it is not an effeft of land for drops of rain ; then the poor fin-
felflove, not an ordinary wifti of natural ner, (though duft andafhes) with an holy
appetite (like Balaam's. Numb, xxili. lo.) humility thus fpeaks unto Ghrift; *0
of thofe who defire to be happy, but are merciful Lord God, Thou art Alpha an4
unwiUing to be holy; who would gladly Omega, the beginning and the end; thou
be faved, but are loth to be fanftified ; no,
if thou defireft earneftly, thou wilt work
accordingly ; for as the defire is, fo will
thy endeavour be.
2. When it is earneft, eager, vehement,
extremely thirfting^ after Ghrift, as the
parched earth for refreftiing fliowers, or
the hunted hart for the water-brooks. We
read of a ScotKh penitent, f who a little
before his confelfion, * freely confeffed his
fault, to the fliame, as he faid, of him-
felf, and to the (hame of the devil, but to
fayeft it is done, of things that are yet to
come ; fo faithful and true are thy decrees
and promifes, that thou haft: promlfed by
thine own word out of thy own mouth,
that unto him that is athirft,thou wilt give
him of the fountain of the water of life,free-
ly, Rev. xxi. 6. O Lord, I thirft, I faint,
I languifli, I long for one drop of mercy:
as the heart panteth for the water-brooks,
fo panteth my foul after thee, O God, and
after the yearning bowels of thy wonted
compafiions ; had I now in pofTcfllon the
the glory of God ; he acknowledged it to glory, the wealth and pleafures of the
be lb hainous, and horrible, that had he
a thoufand lives, and could he die ten
thoufand deaths, he could not make fatis-
faflion: notwithftanding, faid hey Lord,
thou haft left me this comfort in thy word,
that thou haft faid. Gome unto me, all ye
that are weary and heavy laden, and I will
refreftiyou: Lord, I am weary. Lord, I
whole world ; nay, had I ten thoufand
lives, joyfully would I lay them all down
and part with them, to have this poor
trembling foul of mine received into the
bleeding arms of my blefied Redeemer. O
Lord, my fpirlt within me is melted into
tears of blood, my heart is {hivered into
pieces ; out of the very place of dragons
f See the preface wtitten by G. Abbot, D. D. bcioic the cxaminatiun tf George Sprat, p. ^j.
and
TJie NEJV
and /hadow of death, do I lift up my
thoughts heavy and fad before thee ; the
remembrance of my former vanities and
pollutions, is a very vomit to my foul, and
it is forely wounded with the grievous re-
prefentation thereof; the very flames of
liell, Lord, the fury of thy juft wrath, the
fcorchings of my own confcience, have fo
wafted and parched mine heart, that my
thiril is infatiable, my bowels are hot with-
in me, my defire after JefusChrift, pardon
and grace, is greedy as the grave ; the
coals thereof are coals of fire, which have a
moft vehement flame : and, Lord, in thy
bleffed book thou calleft and crieft, Ho,
every one that thirfteth, come ye to the
Waters, Ifa. Iv. i. In that great day of
the feaft, thou ftoodeft and criedft with
thine own mouth, If any man thirft, let
him come unto me, and drink, John vii.
37. And thefe are thine own words, Thofe
who hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs,
ftiall be filled, Matth. v. 6. I challenge
thee, Lord, in this my extreameft thirft
after thine own blefl'ed felf, and fpiritual
life in thee, by that word, and by that pro-
mife which thou haft made, that thou per-
form, and make it good to me, that lie
grovelling in the duft, and trembling at
thy feet : Oh ! open now that promifed
well of life, for I muft drink, or elfe I die.'
The means to obtain this defire, are
thefe three.
1. Be acquainted thoroughly with thine
own necelfities and wants, with that no-
thingnefs and emptinefs that is In thyfelf :
a groundlefs prefumption makes a man
carelefs; fee into thine own neceflities,
confefs the want of this defire after the
Lord Jefus Chrift.
2. Labour to fpread forth the excellen-
cy of all the beauty and furpafting glory,
that is in the promifes of God: couldft
thou but view them in their proper colours,
they would even ravllli thee and quicken
thy dcfires.
3. After all this, know it is not in thy
BIRTH. 79
power to bring thy heart to defire Chrift,
thou canft not hammer out a defire upon
thine own anvil, dig thy own pit, and hew
thy own rock as long as thou wilt ; nay, let
all the angels in heaven, and all the mini-
fters on earth provoke [i. e. encourage]
thee,3'etif thehand of the Lord be wanting,
thou flialt not lift up thine heart, nor ftep
one ftep towards heaven ; then go to him
who is able to work this defire in thy foul.
It is the complaint of a Chriftian.O they are
troubled, becaufe they cannot fetch a good
defire from their own fouls, and one falls,
another finks, a third ftiakes, and they
are overwhelmed with difcouragement :
' What a wretched heart have I ? (faith
one) I grace ? No, no ; the world I can
defire, the life of my child I long for, and
I fay with Rachel, Let me have honour or
eKe I die : but I cannot long for the ua*
conceivable riches of the Lord JefusChrift ;
aritl will the Lord ftiew any mercy upon
me ?' Is it thus ? Remember now, defires
grow not in thy garden,they fpring not from
the root of thy abilities : O feek unto God,
and confefs, ' In truth. Lord, it is thou
fiom whom come all our defires, it is thou
muft work them in us as thou haft promif-
ed them to us ; and therefore. Lord, quick-
en thou this foul, and inlarge this heart of
mine, for thou only art the God of this de-
fire.' Thus hale down [derive] a defire from
the Lord, and from the promife, for there
only muft thou have it : The fmoahing flax
God will not quench^ Matth. xii. 20. Flax
will not fmoak, but a fpark muft come in-
to it, and that will make it catch fire and
fmoak ; thus lay your hearts before the
Lord, and fay, * Good Lord, here is only
flax, here is only a ftubborn heart, but
ftrike thou by thy promife one fpark from
heaven, that I may have a fmoaking [ar-
dent] defire after Chrift, and after grace.
SECT. V.
A Love of Chrifl-.
WE have run through two afle(51ion5^
Hope and Defire, and the next is
Love ;
yo
The NEW BIRTH.
Love : a pofUble good ftirs up Hope ; a
neceflary excellency in that good, fettletli
Defire; and a relilh in that good fettled,
Icindies Love. Thus is the order ofGod's
work: if the good be abfent, the Under-
flanding fairh, ' It is to be dcfired, O that
I had it!' Then it fends out Hope, and
that waits for that good, and ftays till it
can fee it ; and yet if that good cannot
come, then Defire hath another proper
work, and it goes up and down wander-
ing, and feeketh and fueth for Chrift
Jefus. After this, if the Lord Jefus be
pleafed to come himfelf into the view of
the heart, which longeth thus after him,
then Love leads him into the foul,and tells
the Will of him, faying, * Lo, here is Je-
fus Chrift the Meffiah, that hath ordered
thefc great things for his faints and people.'
The motive or ground of this Love, is
God's Spirit in thepromife, letting in fome
intimation of God's love into the foul ;
thus Pfal. xlii. 8. The Lord -will command
his loving- kind nefs in the day-time : this
is a phrafe taken from kings and princes,
and g-reat commanders in the field, whofe
■words of command Hand for laws : fo the
Lord fends out his loving-kindnefs, and
faith, 'Go out, my everlafting love and
kindnefs, take a commiflion from me, and
^o to that humble, thirfty, and hunger-
bitten finner, and go and profper, and
prevail, and fettle my love efiedlually up-
on him, and fallen my mercy upon him ; I
command my loving-kindnefs to do it.
Thus the Lord doth put a commiffion in-
to the hands of his loving-kindnefs, that it
fhall do good to the poor foul, yea though
it withdraw itfclf, faying, ' AVhat, I mer-
cy? will Chrift Jefus accept of me? No,
no ; there is no hope of mercy for me :
indeed if I could pray thus, hear thus, and
perform duties with that enlargement, and
had thofi; parts and abilities, then there
were fome comfort, but now there is no
hope of mercy for me.' We demand, Is
this your cafe? is it thus and thus? are
you thus humbled? and have you thus
longed for the riches of his mercy in
Chrift ? Lo then, the Lord hath put a com-
miffion into the hands of his loving-kind-
nefs, faying, * Go to that poor foul, and
break open the doors upon that weary,
weltring heart, and break off all thofe bolts,
and rend off that veil of ignorance and car-
nal reafon, and all thofe arguments: go
(I fay) to that foul, and chear it, and
warm it, and tell it from me. That his fins
are pardoned, and his foul fliall be faved,
and his fighs and prayers are heard in hea-
ven ; and I charge you do the work before
you come again.'
Here is the ground of love; God's love
afFe<^ing the heart, and fettled upon it, it
breeds a love to God again; IVe love him,
becanfe he loved us firp^^ i John iv. 19.
Theburning-glafs muft receive heat of the
beams of the fbn before it burn any thing;
fo there muft be a beam of God's love to
fall upon the foul, before it can love God
again : / drei\3 them with the cords of a
man, even toith the bands of love, Hof. xi.
4. God lets in the cords of love into the
foul, and that draws love again to God ;
He brought me into thebanqueting-hou/e,and
his banner over me was love ; flay me with
fliiggons, cornfortme with apples, for 1 am
fick oj love. Cant. ii. 4,5. When the ban-
ner of Chrift's love is fpread over the foul,
the foul comes to be fick in love with Chrift.
Now this Love of God doth beget our
love in three particulars :
X . There is a fweetnefs and a relifli which
God's love lets into the foul, and warms
the heart with ; you ihall fee how the fire
is kindled by and by: As when a man is
fainting, we give him aqua-vitce ; fo a fain-
ting finner is cold at the heart, and there-
fore the Lord lets in a drop of his loving-
kindnefs, and this warms the heart, and the
foul is even filled with the happinefsof the
mercy of God ; Let him kifs me with the
kiffes of his mouth (faith the" fpoufe, in the
Canticles, chap. i. 2.) J or his love is bet'
ttr than wine: the kiffts of his mouth,
are the comforts of his word and Spirit ;
the
The NEW
the foul faith, * O let the Lord refrefh me
with the kifTes of his mouth, let the Lord
Jpeak comfort to my hearty' and tj-us is
better than wine.
2. As tliat fweetnefs warms the heart,
fo the freenefs of the love of God let in
and intimated, begins even to kindle this
love in the foul, that it fparkles again :
God fetteth out his love towards us, feeing
that -while we were yetjinners, ChriJ} died
for us, Rom. V. 8. This commends the
love of God ; the Lord fends to poor and
miferable, finful, broken-hearted finners,
and faith, * Commend my mercy to fuch
a one, and tell him; that though he hath
been an enemy to me, yet I am a friend
to him, and though he hath been rebelli-
ous againft me, yet I am a God and Fa-
ther to him : when the poor (inner con-
fiders this with himfelf, he faith, ' Is the
Lord fo merciful to me? I that loved my
fins, and continued in them, had it not,
been juft that I ihould have periflied in
them ? but will the Lord not only fpare
his enemy, but give his Son for him ? O
Jet my foul for ever rejoice in this uncon-
ceivable goodnefs of God!' be thy heart
never fo hard, if it have but the fenfe of
this, it cannot but llir thee to humiliation.
3. The greatnefs of the freenefs of this
mercy of God, being fettled upon the
heart, inflames it; the Sweetnefs warms
the heart, this Freenefs kindles the fire ;
and when the greatnefs of the fweetnefs
comes to be valued, this fets the heart all on
a flame ; the apoftle defires, that the Ephe-
fians, being rooted and grounded in love,
7night be able to comprehend zvith all Jaints ^
what is the breadth, and height of the love
of God in Chrijl ; Eph. iii. 17, 18. as if
he had faid, The unmeafurablenefs of
God's mercy will blow up the foul, and
inflame the heart with admirable love of
God again, and will make the foul fay,
* AVhat, I that have done all I could againft
this good God ? O, it breaks my heart to
thiuk of it ! there was no name under
BIRTH. gr
heaven that I did blaPphcme and tear m
pieces more than this name; no command
under heaven I fo much dcfpifed as the
command of God, and of Chrift; no fpi-
rit I grieved fo much as the good Spirit of
God ; and therefore, had the Lord only
given me a look, or fpoken a word to me,
it had been an infinite mercy, but to fend
a Son to fave me, it is incomparable; I
could not conceive to do fo much evil a-
gainft him, as he hath done good to me:
the breadth of tliat mercy beyond all
limits ! O the length of that mercy beyond
all time ! O the depth of that mercy below
a man's mifery ! O the height of that mer-
cy above the height of my underftandingl
if my hands were all love, that I could work
nothing butlove,andifmine eyes were able
to fee nothing but love, and my mind to
think of nothing but love, and if I had a
tlioufand bodies, they were all too little to
»love that God that hath thus unmeafura-
bly loved me a poor, finful hell-hound:
1 will love the Lord dearly, (faith David)
Lord, my ftrength, Pfal. xviii. 1. Have
1 gotten the Lord Jefus to be my comfort,
my buckler, and my fliicld i If I have any
good, he begins it; if I have any comfort,
he bleffeth it; therefore, I will love thee
dearly, O Lord, my ftrength, O how
fhouid I but love thee !'
Ufe I. Methinks there is a poor, fin-
cere foul that faith, ' My underftandings
are not fo deep as others, my tongue runs
not fo ghb as fuch and fuch ; I cannot talk
fo freely of the things of grace and falva-
tion, I have meaner parts, and cannot en-
large myfelf in holy duties and holy fer-
vices; I cannot difpute for a Saviour, or
perform fuch duties as others can do :' yet
fweet foul, canft thou love Chrift Jefus'
and rejoice in him i * O yes ! I blefs the
name of the Lord, that all I have, all my
friends, and parts, and means, and abili-
ties, are but as dung, and drofs in com-
parifon of Chrift jefus; it were the com-
fort of my foul, if I might be ever with
^^ him.'
82 The NEW
him.* Say you fo? Go thy way, and the
God of heaven go with thee : this is a work
of God that will never leave thee, it is a
badge and proper livery that the Lorrl Je-
fus gives only to his faints; never a mere
profellbr under heaven ever wore it, never
any hypocrite under heaven to whom God
did intend it, but only to thofe vUioni he
hath effeflually called, and whom he will
fave ; therefore though thou wantell all,
thou hafl: this to comfort thee in the want
of all ; and thou mayeft fay, * I can fay
little for Chrift, my tongue faulters, and
my memory is weak, yet the Lord knows,
I love the Lord Jefus.' This is enough,
David defired no m*re, but what God was
wont to do to his children that loved his
name, Do to me (faith the text, Pfal. cxix.
J 32.) (IS thou ufcft to do unto thofe that
love thy name \ * 1 know thou lovefl them
that love thee, and wilt fave and glorify them
in the end ; I dcfire no more but this,' do
iis thou ufcft to do laito thofe that love thy
name. And doth David, a king, defire no
more? fure then, if thou, poor foul, haft
fo much as he had, it is enough, be quiet
with thy child's part ; ' Thy lot is fallen
into a marvellous fair ground.'
ObjeO:. * Some may fay, this is all the
difficxilty : how may I know whether my
lovebeatruelove,orafalfe love? How may
I know that my love is of the right ftamp?'
Anfw. Let every man put his love upon
the trial, and examine thus, ' A\'h ether
doft thou welcome Chrift and grace accord-
ing to the worth of them ?' if thou dort,
it will appear in thefe particulars: i. Ob-
ferve the root and rife from whence thy
love came ; canft thou fay, ' I love the
Lord, becaufe he hath loved me ?' Then
thy love is of the right mettal, and know
it for ever, that that God which cannot
but love himfelf, he cannot but like that
love which cam.e from himfelf : is thy foul
afletfted and enlarged in love to the Lord,
becaufe thou hafl felt and retained the re-
lifli and fweetnefs of his grace \ Gaaft thou
B IRT H.
fay, * The Lord hath let in a glimpfe of
his ffivour : and the Lord hath faid in
h'!!= truth, he looks or him that trembles
at his word ; the minifler faid it, and the
Spirit faith it, that my mercy is reglHred
in heaven : O how ihould I love the Lord !
my fins are many, which I have bewailed;
my fi'hs and fobs 1 have put up to heaven,
and, at the laft, the Lord hath given me a
gncious anfwer : O how fliould I love the
Lord my ftrength dearly?' If it be thus with
thee, thy love is fovind, and will never fail.
2. If thou entertain thy Saviour, as it
befeems him, thou muft entertain him as
a king, and that is thus; give up all to
him, and entertain none with him upon
terms of honour, but fuch as retain to
him, or be attendants upon him ; love all
in Chrift, and for Chrift, but exprefs thy
love and joy to Chrift above all : he is as
a king, and all the reft are but as retain-
ers; he that loves any thing equal with a
Chrift, it is certain he did never love Chrift ;
to fet up any thing cheek by jole with Chrift,
it is all one as if a man did put a Have in-
to the fame chamber with the king, which
is, upon the point, to drive him away.
3. The foul that rightly entertains Chrift,
and ftudies wholly to give him content-
ment, he is marvellous wary and watchful,
that he may not fad that good Spirit of
God to grieve him, and caufe him to go
away as difpleafed : fee this. Cant. iii. 4,
5. the fpoufe fought long for her beloved,
and at laft brought him home, and when
ftie had welcomed him, ftie gave a charge
to all the houfe, not to ftir or awaken her
love till he pleafe. When a prince comes
unto the houfe of a great man, what charge
is there given to make no noife in the
night, left fuch and fuch a man be awake-
ned before his time ? The foul, when • it
hath received the Spirit of the Lord Jefus
Chrift, doth thus; he gives a peremptory
charge to keep watch, and ward, and gives
a charge to Hope, and Defire, and Love,
and Joy, and the Mind^ and ail, not to
grieve
The N E W B I R r H.
gfleve and moleft the good Spirit of God.
* Let there be no motion but to entertain
it, no advice but to receive it, and do
nothing that may work the leafl kind of
diflike unto it.'
4. He that truly entertains ChriO, re-
joyccth in the good and glory of Chrift :
when Mephibofheth had been wrongfully
accufed to David, and when David, who
had taken away all the inheritance from
him, was returned in fafety; then faid Da-
vid, to comfort him. Thou and Ziba di-
vide the laud: 2 Sam. xix. 29, 30, Nay^ faid
Mephibojheth, let him take all, forafmtich
as my lord the king is come again in peace,
* It matters not for inheritance, and for my-
felf and my life, I pafs not, fith the king is
returned in peace ; it is enough that I en-
joy thy prefence, which is better to me than
goods, life, or liberty ;' fo it is with a kind,
loving heart, which cannot endure to fee
Chrift's honour and glory laid in the dufl,
but if his prai.^e be advanced, then is he
glad, * Lord, I have enough,' faith the
foul, ' that Chrifl: is mine, and that his
honour and glory is magnified, whatfbever
becomes of me it matters not ; let the
world take all, if I may have Chrifl, and
fee him praifed and magnified :' let this try
any man's fpirit under heaven, and labour
to bring the foul to this pitch: a minifter in
his place, and a mafter in his place, and e-
very chriftian in his place ; let it be our
care to honour God, not ourfelves; and
let it be our comfort, if God may be bet-
ter honoured by others, than by ourfelves:
this is our bafenefs of fpirit, we can be
content to lift up Chrill upon our flioul-
ders, that we may lift up ourfelves by it ;
but we fliiould be content to lie in the duft,
that the Lord may be praifed; and if any
of God's people thrive and profper more
than thou, let that be thy joy.
5. He that welcomes Chrift truly, co-
vets a nearer union with Chrift : love is of
a lir:king and gluing nature, and will car-
ry the loul with fome kind of flrength and
83
earneftnefs, to enjoy full pofleflion and
fellowPaip of the thing that is loved ; it can-
not have enough of it: ' Nothing' (laith
the foul) • but Chrifl, Hill I dcfire more
of that mercy, and holinefs, and grace, and
Jove in Chrifl Jefus. As it is with parties
that havehved long together in one houfe,
and their affeflions are linked together in
way of marriage, they will ever dcfire to
be talking together, and to be drawing on
the marriage ; fo the foul that loves Chrifl
Jefus, and hath his holy afieflion Idndled,.
and his fpirit enlarged therein ; when the
Lord hath let in fome glimpfe of his Jove,
he thinks the hour fweet when he prayed
to the Lord Chrifl, he thinks the Lord's
day fweet wherein God revealed, by the
power of his holy ordinances, any of that
rich grace and mercy of his : it is admira-
ble to fee how the heart will be delighted
to recount the time, and place, and means,
..when and where the Lord did re\eal it •
* Oh this is good,' faith the foul ; ' Oh
that I might be ever thus cheared and re-
frefiied !' Or, as the fpoufe con traded
thinks every day a year, till fhe enjoy her
beloved, and take faiisfafiion to her foul
in him : fo the foul that hath been truly
humbled, and enlightened, and is now con-
traded to Chrifl Jefus, * Oh when will that
day be,' faith it, ' that I fhall ever be with
my Jefus r He takes hold of every word
he hears, every promife that reveals any
thing of Chrill; * But oh ! when will that
day be, that I fhallever be with Chrifl, and
be full ofhisfulnefs forever ! Phil. i. 23.'
Ufe 2. And now let me prevail with your
hearts, and work your fouls to this duty.
Love the Lord, all ye his faints ; Pfal. xxxi.
23. whom will you love, if you love not
him ? Oh, you poor ones, love you the
Lord, for you have need ; and all you lich
ones, love you the Lord, for you have
caxife ; and you little ones too, (if there be
any fuch in the congregation) he knocks
at every man's heart, and perfuades every
man's foul, love ye the Lord.
M 2 The
84 The NEW
The means are thefe, i. Labour to give
attendance daily to the promife of grace
and Ghrift ; drive away all other fuitors
from the foul, and let nothing come be-
tween the promife and it ; forbid all other
bands, that is, let the promife confer daily
with thy heart, and be exprefhng and tel-
ling of that good that is in ChriTl, to thy
own foul. If all things be agreed be-
tween parties to be married, and there
wants nothing but mutual affeftion ; the
only way to fix their affeflions upon one
another, is to keep company together, fo
as they meet wifely and holily ; fo let the
foul daily keep company with the promife.
And this is the firft %ay.
2. Labour to be throughly acquainted
with the beauty and fweetnefs of Chriftin
fhe promife. Now there are three things in
the promife we mufl eye and apprehend,
that our hearts may be kindled with love
in the Lord ; i. The worth of the party
in himfelf, Ghrift is worthy of it. 2. 7'he
defert of the party, in regard Chrifi: dc-
ferves it. 3. The readinefs of the party
in himfelf to feek our good, Chrift feeks it.
(i.) Ghrift is worthy in himfelf: if we
had a thoufand hearts to beftow upon him,
we were never able to love him fufficient-
ly, asKehemiah faid. The name of the Lord
is above all pra'tje. Will you let out your
r love and affections .^ you may lay them
here with good advantage : what would
you love ? wouldft thou have beauty ? then
thy Saviour is beautiful. Thou art fairer
than the children of men, Pfal. xlv. 2.
"Wouldft thou have ftrength ? then is thy
Saviour ftrong, Gird thy fivord upon thy
thigh, mojl mighty, Pfal. xlv. 3. Wouldft
thou have riches ? thy Saviour is more rich
(if it be pofTible) than he is ftrong, He is
heir of all things, Heb. I. 2. Wouldft thou
have wifdom ? then thy Saviour is wife,
yea, v/ifdom itfelf ; In hitn are hid all the
treafures of wifdom and knowledge, Gol. ii.
3. Wouldft thou have life eternal ? Ghrift
w> the author of life and happinefs to all
BIRTH,
that have him ; and he hath not only thefe
in himfelf, but he will infeoffthee in them,
if thou wilt but match with him,
(2.) Ghrift deferves our love, in regard
of benefits to us. Be man never fo worthy
in himfelf, yet, if he hath wronged, or ex-
preffed the part of an enemy, a woman faith,
* I will not have him though he have all the
world;' this takes off the affedlion : it is
not fo with the Lord Jefus ; as he is wor-
thy of all love in himfelf, fo he hath dealt
mercifully and gracioufty with you : In
your ficknefs, who helped you ? in wants,
who fupplied you ? in anguifh of heart,
who relieved you ? It was Jefus Ghrift, Oh
therefore love him, deal equally with him,
and as he deferves, fo enlarge your hearts
to him for ever.
(3.) Ghrift feeks our love.. Here is the
admiration of mercy, that our Saviour, who
hath been rejected by a company of (inful
creatures, fliould feek their love: for fhame
refufe him not, but let him have love ere
he go : Had the Lord received us, when.
we had come to him, and humbled our
hearts before him ; had he heard, when
we had fpent our days, and all our ftrength
in begging and craving, it had been an in-
finite mercy : but when the Lord Jefus
Ghrift ftiall feek to us by his meffengers (it
is all the work we have to do, to wooe you,
and fpeak a good word for the Lord Jefus
Ghrifi ; yea, and if we fpeak for ourfelves,
it is pity but our tongue ftiould cleave to the
roof of our mouth) when the Lord Jefus.
ftiall come and wait upon us, and feck our
love, O this, this is a wonder of mercies !
think of this, O ye faints ! the Lord now,
by us, offers love to all you that are weary
and have need ; what anfwcr (hall I return
to him in the evening ? fliall I fay, Lord, I
have tendered thy mercy, and it was refu-
fed : brethren, it would grieve my heart
to return this anfwer ; O rather let every
foul of you fay, Gan the Lord Jefus love
me ? In truth. Lord, I am out of love
with myfelf, i have abufed thy majefty, I
have
7 he NEW
have loved the world, I have followed bafe
lufts, and can the Lord Jefus lo ve fuch a
■wretch as I am ? Yea, faith the Lord, I will
heal their backflidingj -will love them freely,
Hof. xiv. 5. He looks for no portion, he
will take thee and all thy wants : get you
home then, and every one in fecret labour
to deal truly with your own hearts ; make
up a match in this manner, and fay, Is it
poflible that the Lord fhould look fo low ?
that a great prince (hould fend to a poor
peafant ? that Majefty fhould floop to
meannefs ; Heaven to earth ? God to man ?
hath the Lord offered mercy to me ? and
doth he require nothing of me but to love
him again ? Call upon your hearts, I charge
you, and fay thus, Lord, if all the light of
my eyes were love, and all the fpeeche? of
my tongue were love, it were all too little
to love thee : O let me love thee dearly !
If thou wilt not fay thus, then fay hereaf-
BIRTH. 85
And this repofing or refling itfelf, dif-
covers a five-fold aft :
I . It implies * a going out of the foul to
Chrifl :' When the foul feeth this, that
the Lord Jefus is his aid, and muft eafe
him, and pardon his fins, then. Let us go
to that Chrift, faith he, It is the Lord's
czWfiome to me, all ye that are weary : now
this voice coming home to the heart, and
the prevailing fweetnefs of the call over-
powering the heart, the fouLgoes out, and
falls, and flings itfelf upon the riches of
God's grace.
2. * It lays fall hold upon Chrift ;' when
the Lord faith, Covie, my love, my dove i
come aw ay J Cant. Behold, I coyy.ey
faith fhe, and when fl:ie is come, flie * fafle-
neth upon Chrift,' faying. My beloved is
7nine, and I am his : faith lays hold on the
Lord, and will not let mercy go, but cleaves
unto it, though it conflict with the Lord ;
ter, you had a fair offer, and that a poor* Should he flay me, (faith Job, ch. xiii. 15.)
minifter of God did wifh you well. Alas be
not coy and fqueemifa, the Lord may have
better than you ; lie down therefore and
admire at the mercy of the Lord, that fhould
take a company of dead dogs, and now at
the laft, fay as the Pfalmift did, Lift up
your heads, ye gates ! and be ye lift up,
ye everlafting doors, and the King of glory
[hall come in, Pfal. xxiv. 7.
SECT. VI.
A Relying on Chrift.
WE are now come to the work of the
will, which is the great wheel and
commander of the foul. The former af-
feftions were but as hand-maids to ufher
HI Chrift and the promifes ; the Mind faith,.
* I have feen Chrift :' Hope faith, ' I have
waited :' Defire faith, * I have longed :'
Love faith, * I am kindled :' then faith the
"Will, * I will have Chrift, it fhall be fo :'
And this makes up the match ; the fpawn
and feeds of faith went before, now faith is
eome to fome peifeftion, now the foul re-
pofeth itfelf upon the Lord Jefus^
yet will 1 truft in him. The cafe is like
Benhadad's, who being overcome by Ahab,
his fervants thus advifed him ; We have
heard that the kings of Ifrael are merciful
kings, we pray thee let us put ropes about
our nechs, and fdckcloth on our loins, and
go out to the king, peradventure he will
fave thy life, i Kings xx. 31, 32, 33^
Thus the fervants go; and, coming to A-
hab, they deliver the meffage ; Thy fer-
vant Benhadad faith, I pray thee, let me
live : and he fnid. Is he yet alive F he is
my brother : Now the men diligently ob-
ferved whether any thing would come from
him, and did haftily catch at it, and they
faid, Thy brother Benhadad and they went
away rejoicing : this is the lively pifture
of a broken-hearted finner, after he hath
taken up arms againft the Almighty, and
that the Lord hath let in juftice, and he
feeth (or hath feen) the anger of God bent
againft him ; then the foul reafons thus,
* I have heard, though I- am a rebellious.
Cnner, that none but finner? are pardoned,,
and God is a gracious God> and therefore.
«fS
The NEW BIRTH,
unto bim let me go : with this be falls down
at the foot flool of the Lord and cries, * O
what fliall I do ? what (ha'I T fay nnto tbee ?
thou Prefcrver of men ! O !et me live,
1 prny thee, in the fight of my Lord ! the
foul thus bumbled, the Lord then lets in
his fweet voice of mercy, and faith, * Thou
art my fon, my love, and thy fins are par-
doned : thefe words no fooner uttered, but
he catcheth thereat, faying, * Mercy, Lord?
and a fon. Lord ? and love, Lord •• and a
pardon, Lord?' The heart holds itfelf here,
and will never away.
3. It flings the weight of all its occafions
and troubles, guilt and corruptions, upon
the Lord Jefus ChrilT : He that ivalks in
darknefs, and hath no light, let him trufl
in the name of the Lord, and flay upon his
God, Ifa. I. 10. That is, if a man be in
extremity, hopelefs in mifery, and walks
in defperate difcouragements, yea, and hath
no light of comfort, let him truft in the
name of the Lord, and flay upon his Cod :
as when a man cannot go of himfelf, he
lays all the weight of his body upon ano-
ther J fo the foul goes to a Chrifl, and lavs
all the weight of itfelf upon Chrifl:, and
faith, ' I have no comfort, O Lord, all my
difcomforts I lay upon Chrifl:, and I rely
upon the Lord for comfort and confolati-
^on :' IVho is this, faith Solomon, that com-
et h up from the wildernef, leaning upon her
beloved? Cant. viii. 5. Tiie party coming
is the church, the wildernefs is the troubles
and vexations the church meets Vv'ithal, and
the beloved is the Lord Jefus Chrifl: ; now
the church leans hcrfclf all upon her huf-
band, (he walked along with him, but he
bare all the burden : Cafl all your care up-
on him, faith Peter, 'for he caret h for you,
1 Pet. V. 7. The original is, Hurl your
care upon the Lord: The Lord will not
thank you for carrying your cares and trou-
bles about you, he requires that you hurl
them upon him, for he caret h J or you.
4. It draws vertue, and derives power
from the Lord Jefus Ghrift for fuccour and
fupplies, and here is the efpecial life of faith,
it goes for mercy, and grace, and comfort
in Chrifl:; he knows 'tis to be had from
him, and therefore he fetcheth ail from
him ; IVith joy f mil ye draw water out of
the wells of Jalvation, Ifa. xii. 3. The
fountain of falvation is Chrifl, and all the
waters of life, of grace and mercy, are in
Chrifl Jefus : now it is not enough to let
down the bucket into the well, but it rauft
be drawn out alfo ; it is not enough to
come to Chrifl:, but wemufl: draw the wa-
ter of grace from Chrifl to ourfelves : They
ftmll fuck and be fatisfied, faith Ifaiah, with
the breafls of her conflations, that they
may milk out, and be delighted with the a-
bundance of her glory, Ifa. Ixvi. i\. The'
church is compared to a child, and the
breafls are the promifes of thegofpel ; now
the elect mufl: fuck out, and be fatisfied with
it ; the word in the original is, Exa£l upon
the promife, and opprefs the promife : as the
opprcfTor grinds the face of a poor man ;
fb with an holy kind of oppreffion, you
fliould exact from the promife, and get
what good you may from it.
5. Faith leaves the foul with the promife :
yea, notwithftanding all delays, denials, dif-
couragements, from God, faith brings on
the heart Hill, it will be fure to lie at the
gate, and keep the foul with the promife,
whatever befals it. Excellent is that paf-
fage. Gen. xxxii. 26. when the Lord and
Jacob were wreflling. Let me go, faith the
Lord, * I wUl leave thee to thyfelf, I care
not what becomes of thee '.'no, 1 will
not let thee go, until thou hafl bleffed me,
faith Jacob : fo the faithful foul lays hold
upon the Lord for mercy, pardon, pow-
er and grace, and though the Lord feem
to give him up to the torment of fin and
corruption, yet the foul (hith, * Tho' my
foul go down to hell, 1 will hold here for
mercy, till the Lord comfort and pardon,
and fubdue gracioufly thefe curftd corrup-
tions, which I am no: able to mafier my
fclf.' As it is with a fun-dial, the necdic
is
The NEJF B I RTH.
87
is ever moving, and a man may jog it this
way and that way, yet it vviil never (land
flill, till it come to the north-point : fo
when the Lord leaves oif a believing heart
with frowns, and with the expre.Iion of
difpleafure, and the foul turns to the Lord
Chrift, and will never leave till it go God-
ward, and Chrift-ward, and grace-ward, and
faith, * Let the Lord do what he pleafe, I
Avill go no further, till he be pleafed to ihew
mercy.' Thus the foul once come to ChriH-,
it will never away, but ever cleaves to the
promife, and is turned towards God and
Chrift, whatfoever befals-it.
UJe I. Poor foul ! art thou yet fliut up
in unbelief? do then as the prifoners in
Newgate, what lamentable cries do they ut-
ter to every paffenger-by ? So do thou, look
out from the gates of hell, and from under
the bars of infidelity, and cry, that God
will look on thee in mercy, and fay, * Spare,
Lord, a poor unbelieving wretch, lockt up"
under the bars of unbelief : good Lord, fuc-
cour, and deliver in due time. David could
fay, Lei the Jighing of the prifoner come up
before thee^ Pfal. Ixxix. 1 1. That indeed
was meant of bodily imprifonment, yet the
argument prevails much in regard of the
fpiritual : ' Good Lord, let the (ighing of
prifoners come up before thee ; let the figh-
ing of poor diftrullful fouls come up be-
fore thy majefty: O fend help from hea-
ven, and deliver the foul of thy fervant
from thofe wretched diftempers of heart.'
Is there not caufe thus to pray ? He that be-
lieveth not, faith our Saviour, is condemn-
ed already, John iii. 18. He is cad in hea-
ven and earth, by the law and gofpel, there
is no relief for him abiding in this conditi-
on ; lay this xmder thy pillow, and (ay,
* How can I fleep, and be a condemned
man ? What if God Ihould take away my
life this night? Alas r I never knew what
it was to be enlightened, or wounded for
fin ; I can commit fin, and play with fin,
but I never knew what it was to be wound-
ed for fin J I never knew what it was to be
zealous in a good caufe ; O I confefs I have
no faith at all.!' Beloved ! would you yield
thi?, then were there fome hopes that you
might get out of this condition and ftate;
to have a fenfe of its want, to go to the
Lord by prayer, and to afK hearty counfel
of fome faithful minifter, are the firfl: fteps
to obtain it. And to help a por^r wretch
in this cafe, O you that are gracious, go
your ways home, and pray for him : bre-
thren, let us leave preaching and hearing,
and all of us fall to praying and mourning:
in truth, I condemn my own foul, becaufe
I have not an heart to mourn for him;
we reprove his fin, and condemn him of
his fin ; and we muft do fo : but where are
the heart-blood petitions that we put up for
fuch a one ? Where are * the tears that we
make for the /lain of our people ?' You ten-
der-hearted mothers, and j'ou tender-heart-
ed wives, if your children or hufbands be
' in this woful cafe, O mourn for them, let
your hearts break over them, and fay, * O
wo is me for my children ! O wo is me for
that poor hufband of mine !'
Ufe 2. Or Secondly, Hafl: thou gotten
faith ? then labour to hulband this grace
well, and to improve it for thy befi good..
It is a marvellous fhame, to fee thofe that
are born to fair means, I mean the poor
faints of God, that have a right and title
to grace and Chrifl^, and yet to live at fuch
an under-rate: I would have you to live
above the world, for the Lord doth not
grudge his people of comfort, but would
have them live chearfully, and have firong
confolations, and mighty affurance of God's
love ? Is there not caufe ? Why; faith, if
it be right, will make the life of a Chrifii-
an mofl: eafie mofl comfortable. Unfaith-
ful fouls fink in their forro'As wpon eveiy
occafion, but faith gives eafc to a mm in
all his converfation : r. Becaufe faith hath
a flcill, and a kind of flight to put over ,',11
cares to another; we take up the crofs,
but faith hurles all the care on ChriO ; rii
eaiie matter it is to lie under the burden,.
wheu
88
n^e N EW B I RT H.
when another bears all the weight of it.
Look how it is with two ferry-men, the
one hales his boat about the rtioar, and
cannot get off, but tugs and pulls, and never
puts her forth to the tide ; the other puts
his boat upon the ftream, and fets up his
fail, and then he may fit flill in his boat;
and the wind will carry him whither he is
to go : juft thus it is with a faithful foul,
and an unbeliever; all the care of the faith-
ful foul is to put himfelf upon the flream
of God's providence, and to fet vip the fail
of faith, and to take the gale of God's mer-
cy and providence, and fo he goes on chear-
fully, becaufe it is rmt he that carries him,
but the Lord Jefus Chrift: : whereas every
unfaithful foul tugs and pulls at the bufi-
riefs, and can find neither eafe nor fucccfs :
alas ! he thinks by his own wits and power
to do what he would. 2. Becaufe faith
fvveetens all other affliflions, even thofe
that are mofl: hard and full of tedioufnefs;
and howfoever it apprehends all troubles
End affli(5tions, yet withal it apprehends the
faithfulnefs of God, ordering all for our
good : and that's the reafon why all our
troubles are digefted comfortably, without
any harflmefs at all : when the patient takes
bitter pills, if they be well fugared they go
down the eafier, and the bitternefs never
troubles him : fo it is with faith, it takes
away the harfhnefs of all inconveniencies,
which are bitter [as] pills in themfelves, but
they are fwectcncd and fugared over by the
faithfulnefs of God, for the good of the
foul ; and therefore it goes on chearfully.
You will fay, if faith bring fuch eafe,
how may a man that hath faith, improve
it to have fuch comfort by it ? I anfwer,
the rules are four :
I. Labour lo gain fome evidence to thy
own foul, that thou haft a title to the pio-
mife : the reafon why poor Chriftians go
drooping, and overwhelmed with their fins
and miferies, is, becaufe they fee not their
title to mercy, nor their evidence of God's
love ; To the iijord, and to the teJIimonicSy
Ifa. viii. 20. Take one evidence from the
word, 'tis as good as a thoufand ; if thou
haft but one promi(je for thee, thou haft
all in truth, though all be not fo fully and
clearly perceived.
2. Labour to fet an high price on the pro-
mifes of God : one promife, and the fweet-
nefs of God's mercy in Chrift is better than
all the honours or riches in the world :
prize thefeat this rate, and thoii canft not
choofe but find eafe, and be contented
therewith.
3. Labour to keep thy promifes ever at
hand. What is it to me if I have a thing
in the houfe, if I have it not at my need .'
Ifa man ready to fwoon and die, fay, * I
have as good cordial water as any in the
world, but I know not where it is ;' he
may fwoon and die before he can find it :
fo when mifery comes, and thy heart is
furcharged, * O then fome promife, fome
comfort to bear up a poor fainting, droop-
ing foul, my troubles are many, and I can-
not bear them :' Why, now Chrift and a
promife would have done it ; but thou haft
thrown them in a corner, and they are not
to be found : now for the Lord's fake let
me intreat thee be wife for thy poor foul ;
there is many a fainting and anguifti fit and
qualm comes over the heart of many a poor
Chriftian ; perfecutions without, and for-
rows and corruptions within ; therefore
keep thy cordials about thee, and be fure
that thou haft them within reach, take one,
and bring another, and be refrelhed by a-
nother, and go finging to thy grave, and
to heaven for ever.
4. Labour to drink an hearty draught of
the promife; beftow thyfelf upon the pro-
mife every hour, whcnfoever thou doft find
the fit coming ; and this is the way to find
comfort: Eat, fritnds, and drink ye a'
hundantly, ivell-beloved, Cant. v. 1. The
original is, in drinki^ig drink. Ye cannot
be drunken with the Spirit, as you may
with wine, drink abundantly ; were dainties
prepared, if an hunger-ftarved man comes
ln>
The NEW
jn, and takes only a bit and away, he muft
needs go away an hungred : think of it fadly,
you faithful faints of God ; you may come
now and then, and take a fnatch of the pro-
mife, and then comes fear, and temptation,
and perfecution, and all quiet is gone again j
it is your own fault, brethren, you come
thirfty, and go away thirfty, you come dif-
comforted, and fo you go away. Many
times it thus befals us miniflers ; when we
preach of confolation, and when we pray,
and confer, we think we are beyond all trou-
ble; but by and by we are full of fears, and
troubles, and forrows, becau fc we take not
full contentment in the promife, we drink
not a deep draught of it : of this take heed
too ; I . Of cavilling and quarrelling with car-
nal reafon. 2. Of attending to the parlies of
Satan's temptations ; if we liften to this chat,
he will make us forget all our comfort.
CHAP. VII.
The growing of the Soul vjith Chrljl.
HITHERTO of the firfl part of the
foul's implantation ; to wit, of the
putting of the foul intoGhrifl:: we are now
come to the fecond, which is, the grow-
ing of the foul with Chrift. Thefe two
take up the nature of ingrafting a finner
into the flock Chrift: Jefus. Now this grow-
ing together is accompliflied by two means.
1. By an union of the foul with Chri/l:.
2. By a conveyance of fap or fweetnefs
(or all the treafures of grace and happinefs)
that is in Chrift to the foul.
1. Every believer is joined unto Chrift,
and fo joined or knit, that he becomes one
fpirit. I . He is joined, as a friend to a friend,
as a father to a child, as an hufband to a
wife, as a graft to a tree, as the foul to a bo-
dy : fo is Chrift to a believer, I live, yet not
/, but the Lord Jc/us livcth in me, Gal. ii,
2o. Hence the body of the faithful is cal-
led Chrift, I Cor. xii. 12. 2. So joined,
that the believer comes to be one Spirit
with Chrift ; this myftcry is great, and be-
N
BIRTH. %
yond the reach of that little light I enjoy :
only I Ihall communicate what I conceive,
in thefe three following conclufions. i.
That the Spirit of God, the third perfon.
in the Trinity, doth really accompany the
vyhole word, but more efpecially the pre-
cious promifes of the gofpel. 2. The Spi-
rit, accompanying the promife of grace and
falvation, it doth therein, and thereby leave
a fupernatural dint and power, a fpiritual.
and over-powering virtue upon the foe.!,
and thereby carries it, and brings it unto
Chrift: it is not fo much any thing in the
foul, as a fpiritual afTifting and moving, and
working upon the foul, by virtue whereof
It is moved and carried to the Lord Jefus^
Chrift. 3. The Spirit of grace in the pro-
mife working thus on the heart, it cauferh
the heart to clofe with the promife, and
with itfelf in the promife ; and this is to
he one Spirit. As it is with the moon (the
philofopher obferves, that the ebbing and
flowing of the fea, is by virtue of the moon)
fhc flings her beams into the fea, and not
being able to exhale as the fun doth, flie
leaves them there, and goes away, and that
draws them, and when they grow wet, they
return back again ; now the fea ebbs and
flows not from any principle in itfelf, but
by vertue of the moon : fb the heart of a
poor creature is like the water, unable to
move towards heaven, but the Spirit of the
Lord doth bring in its beams, and leaves a
fupernatural virtue by them on the foul,
and thereby draws it to itfelf.
Ufe r. Hence an nfe of inftru(51ion : this
may fliew us that the fins of the faithful,
are grievous to the blcfll'd Spirit ; not on-
ly becaufe of mercies, bonds and engage-
ments which the believer hath received, but
becaufe a man is come fo near to Chrift
and the Spirit, to be one Spirit with Chrift.
Should a wife not only entci toin [receive] a
whoremonger into the houfe, but alfo lodge
him in the fame bed with her hufband, this
were not to be endured : and wilt thou re-
ceive a company of bafelufts, and that in the
very
90 The NEW
very face and fight of the Lord Jefus Ghrlft ?
What ? lodge an unclean fpirit, with the
clean Spirir of the Lord ! the holy Ghoft
cannot endure this ; Let no filthy commu-
nication come out of your mouth, Eph. iv.
29 . JVhat if there do ? (you may fay) What ?
a Chriftlan and a liar ? a Chriftian and a
fwearer ? grieve not the holy Spirit of
Cod, becaufe by it you are fealed unto the
day of redemption, Eph. iv. 30. The good
Spirit of the Lord hath fealed you imto re-
demption, and knit you unto himfelf, and
will you rend yourfelves from him and
grieve him ? O grieve not the holy Spirit !
' Ufe 2. For examination : If thy heart be
therefore eflranged from fuch as walk ex-
^6tly before Cod, becaufe they are humble
and faithful, it is an ill fign ; when they
r.re made one fpirit with Ghrift, wilt thou
be of two fpirits with them ? I confefs a
godly heart will have his fits and excurfi-
ons now and then, but all this while this
is poifon, and the foul of a godly man fees
this, and is weary of it, and is marvelloufly
burdened with it, and faith, * O vile wretch
that I am, what would I have ? and what
13 he that I cannot love him ? Is it becaufe
the good Spirit of the Lord is there ? (hall
I relift the good Spirit of the Lord ? and
jb commit the fin again ft the holy Ghoft ?
away thou vile wretched heart, I will love
liim :' thus the foul labours and ftrives for
that exaftncfs, and would fain have that
goodnefs which he fees in another.
2. As there is an xmion with Ghrift, fo
there is a conveyance of all fpiritual grace
from Ghrift, to all thofe that believe in him :
if you would know the tenor of this cove-
nant, and how Ghrift conveycth thefc fpi-
ritual graces unto us, it difcovers itfelf in
thefe particulars : i . There is fully enough
in the Lord Jefus Ghrift for every faithful
foul. 2. As there is enough in Ghrift, fo
Ghrift doth fupply or communicate what-
foever is m oft fir. 3. As the Lord doth
communicate what is fit, fo he doth pre-
ferve what he doth bcftow and communi-
BIRTH.
cate. 4. As the Lord doth prefer\'e what
he communicates, fo he quickens the
grace that he now doth preferve. 5. As
the Lord quickens what he preferves, fo
he never leaves till he perfects what he
quickens. 6. As the Lord perfefts what
he quickens, fo in the end he crowns all
the grace he hath perfected. And now may
I read your feoffment to you, you poor
faints of God, you live beggarly and bafe-
ly here: oh, if you have a Saviour, you are
made for ever ; it is that which will main-
tain you, not only Ghriftianly, but trium-
phantly ; what you want, Ghrift hath, and
what is fit, Ghrift will beftow ; if you can-
not keep if, he will preferve it for you ; if
you be fluggifh, he will quicken it in you ;
what would you have more .' he will per-
fect what he quickens ; and laftly, he will
crown what he perfefls, he will give you
an immortal crown of glory for ever and
ever.
Ufe. Hence we fee whither the faints of
God fliould go to fetch fuccour and fupply
of whatfoever grace they want, yea increafe
and perfection of what they have already.
Ghrift is made all in all to his fervants; why
then, away to the Lord Jefus; he calls and
invites, / counfel thee to buy of me eye-falve^
Rev. iii. 18. If thoubean accurfedman.buy
of Ghrift juftification ; if thou be a pollu-
ted creature, buy of Ghrift fan6lification.
With thee is the ivell-Jpring of life, faith
David, and in thy light lue Jhall only fee
light, Pfal. xxxvi. 9. It is not with us, but
with thee ; it is not in our heads, or hearts,
or performances, 'tis only in Ghrift to be
found, only from Ghrift to be fetched : I
deny not but we fhould improve all means,
and ufe all helps, but in the ufe of all, feek
only to a Ghrift, with him is the well of
life ; away to Ghrift ; wifdom, righteouf-
nefs, etc. all is in him, and there we muft
have them.
You will fay, < what are the means to
obtain thefe graces from Ghrift V I anfwer,
I . Eye the promife daily, and keep it with-
io
In view. 2 . Yield thyfelf, and give way
to the ftroke of the promife, and to the
power of the Spirit : for inftance, imagine
thy heart begins to be peftered with vain
thoughts, or with a proud, haughty fpi
The NEW B IRTH. 91
I may live, though in mifei^ : fo it is with
a poor believing foul ; every man that hath
committed fin, muft fuffer for fin, faith
juftice ; the fentence is pafTed, Every man
that believeth not, is condemned already^
rit, or fomebafe lufts and privy haunts of faith our Saviour, John iii. i8. Whatwould
heart, how would you be rid of thefe ?
you muft not quarrel and contend, and be
difcouraged ; no, but eye the promife, and
hold faft thereupon, and fay, * Lord, thou
haft promifed all grace unto thy fervants,
take therefore this heart, and this mind,
and thefe affections, and let thy Spirit frame
them aright according to thine own good
will : by that Spirit of wifdom. Lord, in-
form me ; by that Spirit of fandlification.
Lord, cleanfe me from all my corruptions ;
by that Spirit of grace. Lord, quicken and
enable me to the difcharge of every holy
fervice: thus carry thyfelf, and convey thy
foul by the power of the Spirit of the Lord,
and thou fhalt find thy heart ftrengthened
and fuccoured by the virtue thereof upon
all occafions.
For conclufion, to dart this ufe deeper
into your hearts ; If every believer be join-
ed with Chrift, and from Chrift there be a
conveyance of all fpiritual graces unto e-
very believer ; then sbove all labour for a
Chrift in all things, never let thy heart be
quieted, never let thy foul be contented un-
til thou haft obtained Chrift. Take a male-
faflor, on whom fentence is pafTed, and exe-
cution to be adminiftred, fuggefttohimhow
to be rich, how to be honoured, or how to
be pardoned, he will tell you, * Riches are
good, and honours are good, but O pardon,
or nothing :' ah, but then ftiould you fay, he
muft leave all for a pardon ; he will anfwer
again, ' Take all, and give me a pardon,
that I may live, though in poverty ; that
you have now ? Thou fayeft thou wouldfl
have a pardon, but w ouldft thou not have
riches ? Alas ! ' What is that to me, faith
the foul, to be rich, and a reprobate ? ho-
noured, and dam.ned ? let me, be pardon-
ed, though impoveriflied ; let me be jufti-
fied, though debafed, yea, though I never
fee a good day.' "Why, then labour for a
Chrift, for there is no other way under hea-
ven ; get a broken heart, get a believing
heart ; but, O, above all, get a Chrift to
juftify thee, get a Chrift to fave thee : if I
could pray like an angel, could I hear and
remember all the fermon, could I confec
[or fpeak] as yet never man fpake, what
iithat to me, if I have not a Chrift ? I may
go down to hell for all that I have or do -
yet take this along, and underftand me a-
right, * Chrift is not only a Saviour of alf
his, but he is the God of all grace ; as he is
the God of all pardoning, fo he is the God
of all purging and purifying unto the foul
of each believer :' grace therefore is good ;
and'duties are good ; feek for all, we fhould
do fo ; perform all, we ought to do fo ; but,
oh, a Chrift, a Chrift, a Chrift, in all, above
all, more than all. Thus I have fhewed
the way to the Lord Jefus, I have fliew-
ed you alfo how you may come to be im-
planted into the Lord Jefus ; and now I leave
you in the hands of a Saviour, in the bow-
els of a Redeemer j and I think I cannot
leave you better.
Soli Deo Gloria.
FINIS,
THE
CONTENTS OF PRIMA-
Page
THE necejjity of regeneration 2
The generality and fuhje^i of regeneration ' c
The manner of regeneration j r
The ijjue and effeds of regeneration 29
APPENDIX.
Chap.
I. 'T"^ UE occafion and method of this treat ife 34
II. JL § i- The fir/} means to get into the New Birth 35
§ 2, etc. Sins again ft the firfl commandment to the lafl 35, etc.
§ 3. The fecond means to get into the Neiv Birth 40
IV. § I. Tthe third means to get into the New Birth] 41
§ 2, etc. The firf}, fecond, and third reafon for forrow 42
V. § I. The means to be delivered out of the pangs ofths New Birth 43
\ 2. The prornifes procuring a fight ofChriJi 44
§ 3. The promifes procuring a dejire after Chrifi ib^
\ 4. The promifes procuring a relying on Chrifl 45
\ 5. The promifes procuring obedience to Chrift 46
§ 6. The promifes procuring comfort in Chrifl ib.
§ 7. The means to apply the faid promifes - 47
\ 8. 77;f conclufion 48
The Doftrine and Directions, <bc.
THE occafion of this treatife 49
The foul's preparation 50
II. § I . ?'/-'£• general circumflances of preparation on God's part 5 1
§ 2 . The general circumflances of preparation on man's part j2
III. The fubflantial parts of preparation on Cod's part ^ or, his difpen-
fations of his work on the foul 53
IV. § 1 . The fubflantial part of preparation on man's part^ or the difpo-
fition of the foul by Cod's work 58
^ 2. J fight of fin ^ _ 59
§ 3. Aftnfe of divine wrath ' 61
§ 4. Sorrow for fin 62
§ 5 . The extent of this forrow 64
V. The call, on Cod's part, for the foul to clofe with and to rely on
Chrifl ^ 71
VI. § I. The anfiuer, on man's part, for the foul to clofe with and to rC'
ly on Chrifl ^ 73
§ 2. -^ fight ofChrtfl, or, of mercy in Chrifl - ib.
§ 3. Hope in Chrifl 74
§ 4. y^ defire after Chrifl yy
\ ^. A love of Chrifl * 79
\6.j4 relying on Chrifl 85
yil. The growing of the foul with Chrifi Ip
MEDIA;
THE
MIDDLE THINGS.
In Reference to ♦
The Firfl and Lafl Things ;
OR, THE
Means, Duties, Ordinances,
Both Secret, Trivate, and TubUck ;
for Continuance, and increafe of a Godly life, once begun, till we
come to Heaven.
Wherein are difcovered many blefTed Mediums, or Duties, in their
right Method, Manner, and Proceedings; that fo a Chriftian (the
Spirit of Chrift afTifHng) may walk on in the holy Path, which leads
from his New-Birth, to Everlajiing Lije.
Drawn, for the moft Part, out of the moft eminently pious and learned writings of
our Native Praftical Divines : With the Author's own Additional.
Matth xii 50. Whofoever Shall do the will of my Father -who. is m Heaven, the Jams is
my brother, andjifter, and mother. "^
John xiii. 1.7. If ye 'knoxv thefe things, happy are ye if ye do them.
John XV. 14. Ye are my friends, if ye do -whatfoever I command you.
w. ''''"■ ' I' In ^r-^^^^ ^'''^' '^°"' ^^^ '^"/^ '^'^'^^ -^^^'/^ ^^' commanded you, fay.
We are unprofitable fervants, we have done that which was our duty to do.
THE
BELIEVERS PRIVILEGES-
CHAR I. SECT. I.
The Troem, or Entrance into the Book,
YO U have heard in my Firft Things
the doftrine, precepts, and the pat-
tern of a man in his Second or New
Birth : now remains what follows all his
life; and therein is confiderable,
I . His privileges. 2. His duties.
I. His privileges (as he is now a believ-
er in Chrift) are, Juftification, Reconcili-
ation, Adoption, Sanftification, Gloriifi-
cation.
Of thefe Tome of our worthies have writ-
ten largely; and among the reli, that
watchful foul-rouzlngjfoui-fearching Shep-
herd * : I (hall not therefore dwell on
them, but fum what he hath delivered in
thefe following fedlions.
SECT. n.
of the firjh privilege, viz. Jujiification.
THE firfl privilege which immediately
follows our union with Chrift, is,
Juftification ; which confifts in thefe par-
ticulars. Imputation of Chrifi's righteouf-
nefs^ and remijfion of Jin.
To prevent erroneous mifconceits, which
fpring from the confounding of things that
differ, underftand, That a man may befaid
to be juftified, either intentionally, or,
virtually, or adlually ; either in. God, or
in Chrift, or in himfelf.
I. Intentionally in God, i. e. in God's
purpofe and decree : this is from all eter-
nity, but this decree and intention doth
not put any thing into an eftate of aftual
being, but in the fulnefs of time.
2. Virtually in Chrift : and this is froni
the day of Chrift's paflion, and in the vir-
tue of his fatisfaftion ; yet this intendeth
no more, but that fatisfaftion is made, and
remifTion purchafed by the blood of Chrift.
3. AcTtually in himfelf : when amanhatb
the pofleilion of Juftification, immediate-
ly after his Union with the Lord Jefus
Chrift. Now this Juftification confidered,
as it is a ftate of favour, a covenant-ftate
with God, which a man at his firft believ-
ing is put into, is not reiterated, no more
than a wife, after that firft entrance intO'
the relation, is frequently made a wife ;
yet, the particular a£ls of pardon, and im-
putation of Chrift's righteoufnefs, are con-
tinually by God communicated unto the
believer. In this refpe(ft, this actual juf-
tification, or particular afts of pardon,,
hath its degrees of progrelTion : the be-
ginning thereof is laid in our firft union
and incorporation into Chrift; the con-
fummation of it is not till the Judge at
the latter day hath folemnly pronounced
the fentence of final abfolution, and fo
fet us in full poftelfion of entire remifti-
on : between both thefe, there is a pro-
greffive work of juftification, by the con-
ftant agings of the Spirit, applying the
blood of Chrift by the hand of faith> to
the (^uiet and comfort of the foul : the
Slicpbcrd's.Sound Believer,
firft
q(y The BELIEVER'S
firft we may term, initial juftification, the
fecond progrelfive, the laft, perfeftlve :
the fecond is the fruit of the firft, and the
preludial aflurance of the laft: the firft is
wrought and fealed in the firft facrament,
the fecond is wrought and fealed in the
fecond facrament ; and both thefe branch-
es of facramental juftification are, to us,
the pre-alfurance of that complemental and
perfeftivc juftification, the fentence where-
of putteth an end to all fears, changing
our faith and hope into fruition and full
poffeflion.
It hath been commonly faid by fome of
our beft divines, That juftification is tranf-
afted in our firft i^ion and incorporation
into Chrirt ; at which time it is conceived,
That the pardon of all fin is fealed to the
believer at once. But I fear the mifun-
derftanding of this point (not untrue in
itfelf, if not miftaken and mifapprehendcd)
hath laid the ground upon which fome
build that unhappy ftrudurc, which turn-
eth the grace of God into ivantonnefs ; who
knoweth not that juftification, in the pro-
per acceptation of the word, according to
the fcripture phrafe, is, * The aft of a
judge pronouncing a judicial fentence,
wherein he abfolveth the perfon of a fin-
ner from all fin and punilhment due to
him for fin, and that for the alone righte-
cufnefs of the furety Ghrift, freely imput-
ed, and by faith received of him V And
according to this, I fuppofe we ftiall not
err from the truth, if we fay, i. That the
main work of juftification, is even as yet
to us future, viz. at the great and laft day
of judgme'nt, when we IhaJl receive a final
quietus eji and difclxarge, and when God
ftiall wipe away all tears from our eyes: and
yet, 1. 1'hat in our firfl union with Chrift,
there is a work of juftification, viz. actual
imputation of Chrift's riG,hteoufnefs, and
adtual remifiion of what fin for the prcfent
PRIVILEGES.
the foul ftands guilty of, at that time when
it is firft united to Ghrift. Idare notfay,that
juftification, quatenus it comprehends im-
putation, and remifiion of fin, is one in-
diviJual aft; or, that all fins paft, pre-
fcnt, and to come are remitted to the be-
liever at once; but this I fay. That in our
firft union, all our fins, paft, and prcfent,
are aftually pardoned; and this favour
received, is a pledge of afturance. That
in future alfo, by applying ourfelves to
Chrift, we may and Ihall receive the for-
givenefs of our daily fins, and that at the
laft day we (hall at once be abfolvcd from
all accufations and charges laid in againft
us; and that juftification (befides thofe
particular afts of pardon, and imputation
of Chrift's righteoufnefs) doth connote a
ftate that the fubjeft at his firft believing is
put into, viz. * A ftate of grace, and fa-
vour, and reconciliation with God, for the
imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift, M'ithout
apoftacy from it either total or final.'
O glorious privilege ! efpecially in tTiefe
refpefts :
1 . By this a finner is righteous ; a won-
der that may aftonilh angels, for a man
accurfed and finfulin himfelf, to be at that
very inftant blefled and righteous in ano-
ther: our own duties, works, and refor-
mation may make us at the beft but lefs
finful, but this righteoufnefs makes a fin-
ner finlefs. t
2. By this a finner is righteous before
the judgment-feat of God : // is God that
ju/}ifics,ivhoJhall condemn? Rom. viii. ^X,
34. iNot chrift, he is our advocate ; not
iin, for chrift was made fin for us ; not
the law, for Chrift hath fulfilled the law
for us ; not Satan, for God is his judge,
and if he have acquitted us, what can the
jaylor do ?
3. By this we have perfeft rightcouf-
ncls: we are as pcrftftly righteous, as
f ^o.d rcaium. i.e. hs to his^i.illincrs, or being callid in 4ucftbn.
t ChriJ}
The BELIEVER'S TRIVILEGES. 97
X Chr'tJ} the ri^htecus. Little children, let fie hath made an end of fin, and brought
no man deceive you, he that doth righteouj- in aneverlafting righiccupiefs, Dan. ix. 24.
nefs is righteous, even as he is righteous. 6. By this we plesfe God more, than if
Indeed our own righteoufnefs, though it we had a perfedt righteoufnefs in our-
be the fruit of the Spirit of grace, is a felves : do not fay, ' This is a poor righ-
blotted, flained righteoufnefs, very imper- teoufnefs, which is out of myfelf in ano-
fe£V, and very little ; hut by this, the faith
of David, Peter, and Paul, was not more
precious than ours is, becaufe we have
the fame righteoufnefs as they had : what
fincere foul but efteems of perfeft holinefs what is angelical righteoufnefs, when corn-
more than of heaven itfelf? O confider, pai-ed to the righteoufnefs of God?' Tis
ther:' fuppofe it were in ourfelves, fucha
righteoufnefs at beft would be nothing but
man's righteoufnefs, but this is called. The
righteoufnefs of God, 2 Cor. v. 2 i . Now
we have it, in the fenfe I now fpeak of, in
the Lord Jefus.
4. By this we have continual righteouf-
nefs : do we complain becaufe we feel new
fin, or old fins confefled, lamented, fub-
dued, returning upon us again, and the
fprings in the bottom filling our fouls a-
gain, that we are weary of ourfelves i O but
remember, this is not a ciftern, hut a foun-
t.iin opened for us to xvafl} in, Zech. xiii. I.
Jsjin abounds ^fo grace, in this gift of righ-
teoufnefs, abounds much more : the Lord
hath changes of garment for us, Zech. iii.
4. by means whereof there (hall never en-
ter into the Lord's heart one hard thought
towards us, of calling us off, or of taking
revenge upon any new occafion, or fall
into fin, fo as for final defiru(5>ion.
5. By this we have eternal righteouf-
nels, that never can be loft : if the Lord
finould make us as perfe(ftly righteous as
once Adam was, or as the angels in hea
but as a glow-worm before the fun ; the
fmell of Efau's garments (the robes of this
righteoufnefs of the Son of God) are of
fweeter odour than ours can be, or ever
ftiall be.
7. By this we glorifie God exceeding-
ly : Abraham believed, and gave ghry unto
Cod, Rom. iv. 20.: So when we believe,
we glorifie God, we advance his raercy
»and free grace, and triumph in it.
8. By this we have peace in our con-
fciences : for Chrifi's blood is fpr inkle d on
them, Heb. ix. 14. and that cools the bur-
ning torments of them : none of our du-
ties can pacific confcience, but as they car-
ry us hither to this righteoufnefs ; only if
this rainbow appear over our heads, it is a
certain fign of fair weather, and that there
fhall be no more deluge of wrath to over-
whelm us.
9. By this all miferies are removed:
when our fins are pardoned, there is fome-
ven are, we might be in danger of lofing thing like ficknefs, fiiame and death, but
they are not ; The inhabitant of Zion
fhall not fay, I am fick : the people that
dwell therein fhall be forgiven their ini~
quity, Ifa. xxxiii. 24. 'Tis no ficknefs in
this; but now the Lord hath put our
righteoufnefs into a fafer hand, which ne-
ver fliall be loft : Chrift hath obtained an
eternal redemption for us, Heb. ix. 12.
\ Non formoM et intrw/ecn jiijfitia, fed rdativa, mn quoad quaiititali'ii Jed veritatcm, fit enim jiit'ua upplicatlo infih\t£
juftilix. Si aliter, oeque jifti efjemits ut Chrijlus, pojjlmiis alios Jhlvure ut Chrijins ; at non, juftit.a Chrijli fit nojirn,
noil quoad uuiverfakm valon-m, fed partictilaiem tiectjjitatetn, et iinputatur nobis, mn ut caujis falvatioins, fed ut fu jeFfis
falvai.dis ji'iiitia ■Chrifii efl vcre meritoriii, iiojlra autcm ex mera gratia, jtijiilia Cbrijii cJIfntjeHive inbacftva.nob:s t n-
tnm comiiiuiticativa quoad vit tut em et efficacuim. i. e. " We are as perKilly righteous as Chrilt the rijjhtecus "] I ut,
not by a forn^al and intrinficrightcoufnef':, but relative, not as to quantity, but verity, for tlicre is made a finite ap.
plication of infinite righteoufnefs. If it were ctherwife, we would be as righteous as Chiill, we might f^vt o-
thers as Clui'l ; but far from tiiat, for Chrift's righteoufnefs becomes ours, not as to univerfal ■ fficac) , bit par-
ticular ncccdity, and it is imputed to us, not as caufes of falvation, but as (uhjccJts to he favcd, Ciiriit's rigbteoi.fru ft
is iruly meritoiioui, but ours is of mere giacc ; the righteoufnefs cf Chrjfl is liibjiilivtly inhirtiit, atid communica-
tive to us, only as to its own virtue »ni efficacy upon us.
O « man*
98
ne BELIEVER'S TRIVILEGES.
a manner, nor forrow, nor afflidlion, if
the venom, fting, andcurfe be taken away
by pardon of fin, this is the bleffednefs of
all believers. BleJJed is he ivhofe iniquity
is forgiven, and ivhofe Jin is covered :
blejjed is the man to luhom the Lord iniput-
ethnot iniquity y Pf. xxxii. i, 2. Here's a
bleffing pronounced ; what fliould we do
but believe it, and rejoice in it i
SECT. III.
Of the fecond privilege, viz . Reconciliation.
THE fecond privilege is Reconcilia-
tion : this I called the ftate or con-
dition which a believer in his juftification
, is put into; and ^re I confider it as a
privilege, which in order of nature fol-
lows pardon of fin, as pardon of fin in
order of nature follows imputation of
Chrift's righteoufnefs ; Being juftified by
faith, we have peace with God, Rom. v.
I. (/. £".) Chrifii's righteoufnefs being im-
puted, and our fins pardoned, we have
peace with God ; not only peace from
God in our confcicnces, but peace with
God in our reconcilement to him, and
in his favour towards us ; in our impu-
tation and pardon the Lord accounts us
juft, in our reconciliation the Lord ac-
counts us friends: indeed our meritorious
reconciliation is by Chrift's death : as the
king's fon, who procures his father's fa-
vour towards a malefafVor, who yet lies
in cold irons and knows it not ; and this
is before aftual pardon, or adual being :
but aftual and efficacious reconciliation,
whereby we come to the fruition and pof-
feflion of it, is, to my weak conception,
after pardon of fin. Now this reconcili-
ation confifts in two things : i. In our
peace with God, whereby the Lord lays
by all afls of hoftility againflus. 2. In the
love and favour of God : he now loves us
not only with a love of good-will, as in
our election, but with a love of compla-
cency and delight. O confider what a blef-
fed Itate is this !
1. That God fhould be pacified with
us after anger, after provocation by fin,
after fuch wrath, which like fire hath con-
fumed thoufand thoufands, and burnt
down to the bottom of hell, and is now,
and ever ftiall be burning upon them in
hell.
2. That God fiiould be pacified wholly
and throughly, that there fiiould be no
confuming fury left for us to ht\ : Fury is
not in me, faith God, Ila. xxvii. 4. In-
deeds briar and thorns, /. e. obftinate fin-
ners, that prick and cut him to the very
heart by their impenitency, he will burn
them together. God out of Chrifl: is a
confuming fire, but in Chrifl he is Love,
I John iv. 16. And though there may be
fatherly frowns, chafiifements,reproofs and
rods, though he may for a time hide his
face, fliut out our prayers, defer to fulfil
promifes, yet all thefe are out of love to
us in fome fort, and we (hall fee it, and
feel it fo in the latter end.
3.That the Lord fhould be pacified eter-
nally, never to cafl^ us off again for any
fins or miferies that we fall into: this is
wonderful. Thofe whom men love, if
their love be abufed, or if their friends be
in affliftion, they many times forfake, but
the Lord's love and favour is everlafiing :
The mountains may depart, and the hills
be removed, but my kindnefs fhall not de-
part from thee, neither fijall the covenant
of my peace be removed, faith the Lord,
that hath mercy on thee, Ifa. liv. 10, Nay,
that which is fomething more, the abound-
ing of our fin, is now the occafion of the
abounding of his grace, Rom. v. 20. Our
very wants and miferies, are the very ob-
jects and occafions of his bowels and ten-
der mercies : O w^hat a privilege is this ! did
the Lord ever fiiew mercy to the angels
that finned ? Did not one fin caft them out
of favour utterly ? and yet tiiat fo many
thoufand thoufands of fins Ihould gu(h
out of my heart, and thy heart that read-
^ft:, againft the mercy, love and kindnefs
of
rhe BELIEVER'S
©f owr good God, and for all this he not
be incenfed ; thit the Lord who poured
out all his anger upon his own Son for
us, cannot now pour out, nay hath not
one drop left, though he would, to pour
out upon us for any»one of our fins !
ftand amazed, ye angels, and all the hoft of
heaven at this !
4. That the Lord fl^ould be thus paci-
fied with enemies: a man may be ealily
pacified with one that offends him but a
little, but with an enemy that ftrikes at
his life (as by every fin we do at the living
God,) what can we fay to this ?
5. That he Ihould be pacified by fuch a
wonderful way as the blood of JefusChrift:
this is fuch a love, as one would think
the infinite wifdom of a blefled God could
have devifed no greater : it is enough to
burft the heart with aftonifiiment and a-
mazement, to think that the party offend-
ed, who therefore had no caufe to feek
peace with us again, fhould find out fuch
a way of peace as this : wo to the world
that defpife this peace.
6. That being thus pacified, we may
come into God's prefence with boldnefs at
any time, and alk what we will; I won-
der what he can deny us, if he love us:
This is the confidence that ive have in
him, That if we afk any thing according
to his will, he heareih us, i John v. 14.
7. That all creatures fliould be at peace
with us: Thou /halt he in league with the
J} ones of the field, and the beafls of the
field fio all be at peace with thee. Job v. 23.
As when the captain of an army is pacifi-
ed, none of the foldiersmufl hurt or flrike
that man : fo no creature muft hurt us, nay
all the creatures that feem our enemies,
fhall be forced to do us good : death,
where is now thy fling ? grave, where
is thy victory ? iCor.jtv. 55. All our
v'ants will make us pray the more, our
forrows humble us the more, our tempta-
tions make us exercife our graces, ourfpi-
riiual defertions make us long for heaven.
PRIVILEGES. 99
and to be with Chrift; not only Paul and
Jpollcs, and the iJCorld, and life, but death
itfelfis ours, to do us good : we may now
fleep, and none fo all make us afraid. Job
xi. 19. We fliall not be afraid of evil tid-
ings, our hearts are fixed, trufling in the
Lord, Pfal. cxii. 7.
SECT. IV.
Of the third privilege, viz. Adoption.
'" I "^ H E tliird privilege Is Adoption , wliich
X in order of nature follows Reconci-
liation ; whereby the Lord accounts us
fons, and gives us the fplrit and privilege
of fons : Behold what manner of love the
father hath heflowed upon us, that we
floould be called the fons of God, I John
iii. I. The Lord accounts us jufl in our
Juftification, friends in our Reconciliation,
fons in our Adoption: now this Adoption is
either begun here in this life, or perfe6led
in the world to come, when we fliall re-
ceive all the privileges of fons, not one ex-
cepted. For this latter Adoption, to wit.
The redemption of our bodies, Rom. viii.
23. we wait ; but of the former we fpeak,
the manner of which is thus :
1. God loves Jefus Chrifl with an un-
fpeakable love, as his only Son, and our
elder brother.
2. Hence when we are in Chrifr his Son,
he loves us with the fame love as he doth
his Son.
3. Hence the Lord accounts us fons,
having pre de.flinated us unto the adoption
cf children by Jefus Chrijl to himfelf, ac-
cording to the good pleajure of his will,
Eph. i. 5. O the excellency of this privi-
lege ! it appears in thefe refpeds.
1 . That the Lord fliould prize us as his
fons : a man that hath fons, efleems them
more than all his goods and fervants ; fo
the Lord efteems of the poorefl, unwor-
thiefl believer, more than of all his houf-
hold-ftuff, more than of heaven, earth,
and all the glory of ir, more than of all
the kings and great men in the world.
2. That the Lord fhould take care for
2 us
100
The BELIEVER'S TRIVILEGES.
VIS as For fons: in times of want we are
ready to queftion, IVhat we /hall eat or
drbik ? ' how fhall we live V Mat. vi. 31.
O confider, are we the fons of God ? then
he that feeds the ravens, and clothes the
lillies, will provide for us ; or fuppofe we
continue in the want of temporal things,
why the Lord is therein plotting our eter-
nal good : No chajlening for the prefent
Jeemeth joyous, but grievous : neverthelefs,
(ifterivardit yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
right coufncfs, unto them who are exercif-
i-d thereby, Heh. xii. 11.
3. That the Lord fhould love us as his
fons: fometimes we think that the Lord
loves us not, beca^fefe we do not feel his
love, or know his love; but do not we love
our fons becaufe while they are young,they
know not their fathers, or becaufe their
lathers are fometimes out of fight, and
have not them always in their arms ? Zion
/'aid, 'The Lord hath Jorfaken me, and my
Lord hath forgotten me : Can a woman for-
get her fucking child, that fje fhoidd not
have compaffion on the fan of her womb P
yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget
'thee, Ifa. xlix. 14, 15. 'Wt may think,
becaufe we have fo man}' fins, or fo many
afflictions, that therefore the Lord loves
lis not ; but judge we righteoufly ? Have
our children no love from us, becaufe they
' are lick, and we keep them under a fpare
diet? ' God knows our mold, and that
we are but dull :' he hath freely chofen us
to he his fons, and therefore, notwith-
ilanding all our fins and fufferings, he
joves us ftill : if he fees Ephraim bemoan-
ing his fiubbornnefs, as luell as ficknefsy
the Lord cries out, and cannot hold. Is
Ephraim my dear fon P Is he a pleafant
child P forftnce Ifpake again ft him, 1 do
earneflly remember him fUll : therefore
7ny bowels are troubled for him ; I will
furely have mercy upon him^ faith I he Lordy
Jer. xxxi.20.
4. That the Lord fliould make us heirs
and co-heirs with Chrift, Rom.viii. 1 7. Sons
by nature are not always heirs, but all
fons by Adoption ^re ; we are heirs i. Of
the viftble world, i Cor. iii. 22. 2. GJ the
other world, i Pet. i. 4. 3. Of all the
promifes, Heb. vi. 17. And herein Jeho-
vah himfelf comes to be our inheritance
and portion for ever : O that fuch veflels
of wrath, fire-brands of hell by nature,
fliould thus become the children of God
by grace, and heirs of heaven !
5. That the Lord fliould give us the
fpirit of fons. The fpirit of adoption, where-
by we cry Abba Father, The fpirit of af-
fiirance, witneffmg with our fpirit, that
we are the children of God, Ro. viii. 1 5, i 6.
It doth not only witnefs to our fpirit s,h\i\.
with our fpirit s, i. e. with our renewed
confciences, thus, ' All believers are fons,
* but I am a believer, therefore I am a fon :'
herein the Spirit bears witnefs with us in
every parr, premifes, and conclufion ; on-
ly it tefiifies more clearly, certainly, com-
fortably, fweetly, ravilhing the foul with
unfpeakable joy, and peace, in the con-
clufion : fometimes indeed it may be fuf-
pended, and fometimes we may not hear
it ; or if we do, we may objedl againfl it,
through the unbelief in part remaining in
us; yet f *if we want it in the witnefs
and comfort of it, we have it in the holi-
nefs of it :' hence it is called. The holy
Spirit of Cod, whereby we are fealed unta
the day of redemption, Eph. iv. 30.
SECT. V.
Of the fourth privilege, viz, SaJi^ification,
THE fourth privilege is Sandlirication,
which in order of natiue follows a-
doption . no fooner are we fons, but we
receive the image of our heavenly Father in
i ^uando aBus intermittilur, habitui not amittitur, i. e. When the aft is difcoutinucd, the habit is not loft.
^ Sane-
The BELIEVER'S TRIVILEGES,
loi
Sanft'ification ; The manner of it is thus : The excellency of this privilege appears
I. The Spirit works in us a principle of in thefe particulars :
This is our glory, and beauty, even
fpirituallife : thefcripture fornetimes calls
it zfted, I John iii. 9. fornetimes a fpring,
or fountain, John iv. 14. fornetimes the
life of Chrifty 2 Cor. iv. 10, 11. becaufe
it is conveyed unto us by the Spirit of
Chrift, by means of our infeparable union
with Chrifl. What name foever we give
it, we may conceive it to be a new faculty
added unto thole which are in men by na-
ture, but an improvement of thofe abili-
ties to work fpiritually, as they did na-
turally before regeneration. Hence it is
that a regenerate man in fcripture, is faid
To walk after f he Spirit, Rom. viii. i. To
be led by the Spirit, To walk in the Spirit.
Gal. v. 18. 25.
2.' From this fountain fpring all thofe
habits of fpiritual grace, which are feveral-
]y diftingui(hed by the names of Faith,
Hope, Love, &c. although to fpeak pro-
perly, they are but the diverllfications of
that fpiritual principle within us, diftin-
gui(hed by thefe names.
From thefe habits of grace abiding in
us, ordinarily proceed fpiritual motions
and operations according to thofe habits.
And as it is with natural habits, fo it is
with fpiritual, they are much increafed and
ftrengthened by their motions, operations,
3. e. by the ufc andexercife of them, and
are as much weakened by difufe, and ne-
gle6l of fuch an exercife. I deny not but for
all this, there is within us a woful, finful
nature, crofs and contrary unto holinefs,
and leading us daily into captivity : yet
here's our privilege, even Sanftification in
part; furely the Lord hath given us ano-
ther nature, a new nature: there is fome-
thing elfe within us, which makes usv/ref-
tle againft lin, and ihall in time prevail o-
ver all fin: Ahrulfed reed fhall he not break,
and fmoaking fta'x fhall he not quench, till
he fend forth judgment unto vi6iory, Mat.
Xii. 20.
glorification begun : what greater glory
than to be like unto God ? We are chang-
ed into the fame image, from glory to glory ^
2 Cor. iii. 18. Every degree of grace is
glory, and the perfe£lion of glory in hea-
ven, confifis chiefly in the perfection of
grace.
This will give us abundance of fweet
peace. For whence come troubles, and
doubts of God's favour and love .-* Is it
not fome guile, or decay here .■' Is it not
fome boldnefs to fin .•' Is it not our fe-
cret dalliance with fome known fin, con'
tinued in with fecret impenitency ? On
the other fide, what was Paul's rejoicing ?
Hezekiah's peace ? The one cried. That
in all fincerity and fimplicity he had his
converjation among ft men; the oiher, Lord,
remember f I have walked before thee up-
rightly ; not that this was the ground of
their peace, for that is only free grace in
Chrifl, but the means of their peace, 2
Cor. i. 12. Ifa. xxxviii. 2, 3. That is a
curfed peace, that is kept by looking to
Chriif, and yet loving our lulls.
3. This will make us fit for God's ufe :
a filthy unclean velTel is good for nothing,
till cleanfed ; a man mufi firfi purge him-
felf, and then he fhall be a veffel unto ho-
nour, fari6iified, and meet for the maf}er's
ufe, and prepared unto every good work,
2 Tim. ii. 21.
By this we have a fweet and comfortable
evidence of our juftification : nor is this
a running upon the covenant of works :
Is not Sanftification (the writing of the
law in our hearts) a privilege of the cove-
nant of grace, as well as juUification ? and
can the evidencing of one privilege by a-
nother, be a running upon the covenant
of works? O confider, how many evan-
gelical promifes are made to pei !bns in-
verted wiih fuch and fuch graces ! as^
of Poverty, Mourning, Meekatls,. etc.
Matti;.
102 O/DUT
Matth. V. 3, 4, 5, 6. and to what end?
but that every one may take, and be aflured
of his portion manifefted particularly there-
in ? furely none are jiiflified, but they
arc fanfViHed ; or if not fanftified, they
are not juftiiied.
SECT. VI.
Of the fifth Privilege, viz. Clorificathn.
TH E fifth privilege, is, glorification,
which is the laft, in execution, of
God's eternal purpofe towards all his be-
loved and choftn ones : and hereby are we
I E S in General,
made partakers of thofe endlcfs and unuttC'
rable joys, which neither eye hath /ecu, nor
ear hath heard, nor the heart of man cott'
ceived'. but of this you have feveral fer-
mons in my La ft Things, enough to chear
up all thofe prcciovis hearts that have any
title to, or intereft in the Lord Jefus Chrilh
my meaning therefore, is, to pafs by thofe
privileges, and, Secondly, to come to the
Duties, which gracious fpirits, in all faith-
ful and thankful obedience unto him that
hath called them, are ready to fall upon.
CHAP. II.
SECT. I.
Of the Equity of Duties.
NO fooner is the foul tranflated info
the ftate of grace, and crowned with
thofe glorious privileges, but immediately
it cries out, ' O Lord, what (hall I now
Of DUTIES In General.
ofChrift, and P^exu forth the praifes of him
ivho hath called them ? Dearly belovedy
(faith the apoAle) / befeech you, as (Iran-
gers and pilg7'ims, abjiain now from fief} -
ly lujls, which war againj} the foul : hav-
ing your converfation honefl among . the
Gentiles, that whereas they fpeak again/}
do for thee ? how ft^all I now live to thee ?' you as evil doers, they may by your good
Good reafon, the foul fnould now give up
herfelf to Chrifl:, for flie knows, flieisnot
her own, but Chrift's. Can there be fuch
an heart in any ChrifHan, as now to cafl:
off duty, and continue in fin, becaufe fo
much grace hath abounded? O no ! The
love of Chrijl conftraineth us ; (faith the a-
poftle) becaufe we thus judge, that he died
for all, that they who live, fijould not
henceforth live unto themfelves, but unto
him who died for them, and rofe again.
works which they flyall behold, glorifie Cod
in the day of v'tfitation. But W'hat duties
mull: they fall on ? i. Submit yourfelves to
every ordinance of man for the Lord's fake.
2. Honour all men. 3. Love the brother-
hood. 4. Fear God. 5. Honour the king.
6. Suffer wrongs, i Pet. ii. 11, 12, 13,
17, 19. You have herein Chrift for exam-
ple, and you mull; do all forChrift's fake ;
or, if thefe duties will not contain all, Za-
chary tells us, that beino delivered out
2 Cor. V. 14, 15. There is a principle of of the hands of our enemies, we muj} fcrve
love now in the hearts of believers, and
this love of Chrift conftrains them to live
to Chrift, Te are now a chofen generation,
a royal prieflhood, a holy nation^ a pecu-
liar people, that ye fl^ould floew forth the
praifcs of Chrijl, who hath called you out
ofdarkncfs into his marvellous light, i Pet.
ii. 9. What bleffed titles are thefe ? and
to what end ? but that they who are fo eno-
bled by Chrift, may now adorn the gofpel fure.
hitn without fear, in holinefs, (in all the
duties of the firft table) and right eoujnefs,
(in all the duties of the fecond table) all
the days of our life, Luke i. 74, 75. In-
deed, how can we love Chrift, and negle(ft
duty to Chrilt ? If you love jne, faith Chrift,
keep n?y commandments, Jolin xiv. 15. the
love of Chrift will conftrain us to embrace
his commandments, as amoft precious trea-
* I hope affuredly, that the God of
grace
ofDvrrEs
grace and mercy will keep, by his power
to falvation, all thofe perfons he doth de-
liver ; and that he will fow the feeds of
grace in their hearts, that they may not
fin prefumingly. And I hope alfo, God
will meet with fuch as are difturbers of the
truth of Chrift, and peace of thegofpel, by
(heir bafe and vile converfations: and I
fhall recommend to them the reading of
the epiftle of Jude, where they may fee the
fearful wrath of God upon fuch perfons as
abufe the grace of God to ^m. O let not
the love of Chrifl: thus manifefted, be fo
bafely requited at your hands, feeing the
Lord hath fo freely loved you, and given Jure to the Almighty, that thou art righte-
tn General, 103
Chrift, and therefore ftands ready to fpeak
forth the praife of the glory of his grace,
that hath fo freely faved him, it muft needs
be an acceptable fervice to God in Chrift.
SECT. II.
Of the Infufficiency of Duties.
BUT alas, what are thefe duties to my
Lord ? Or what are thefe duties in
themfelves ?
I. All the duties of man, they are no-
thing at all unto God : Can a man be profi-
table unto God, as he that is ivife may
be profitable unto him/elf? Is it any plea-
Chrifl: to you, that you might be to the
praife of the glory of his grace, in agodly
chriftian converfation, whereunto you are
ordained *. For you are Cod's workman-
Jhip, faith the apoflle, created in ChriJ} Je-
fus unto good ivorks, which God hath before
ordained^ that you fioould walk in thtm^
Eph. ii. ID. And I befeech you always to
remember, that you cannot anfwer the free
love of God towards you any other v,'ay,but
by fhewing it in a fruitful converfation in
the world ; confidcring/^i^^ one end of your
Or is it gain to him, that thou makeft
thy ways perfect r'Job. xxii. 2. 3 . If thou
be righteous, what givefi thou him ? or
what receiveth he from thine hand P Job
XXXV. J. my foul, thou haflfaid unto the
Lord, Thou art my Lord, Pfal. xvi. 2. And
what then ? what recompence to God for
this propriety ? Nay, David is here non-
plufs'd, /)fy goodnefs extendeth not to thee.
All the fervices of men and angels, though
they run parallel with the longell: lines of e-
ternity, are an infufficient recompence for
redemption, that Chrift, who gave himfelf my foul's deliverance : When we have done
for you, might redeem you from all iniquity,
and purify you unto himjelf, a peculiar peo-
ple, zealous of good works,' Tit. ii. 14.'
Here's good equity for duties : the foul
cannot confider her deliverance by the blood
of Chrift, and by the fpirit of Chrift, but
Ihe cries, What fimll I render unto the Lord,
for all his benefits towards me P I will
take the cup of falvation, and call upon the
name of the Lord : I will pay my vows un-
to the Lord, now in theprefence of all his peo-
ple : Lord, truly I am thy fervant, I am
thy fervant, and the fon of thy handmaid ;
thou hafl loofed my bonds. For a man that
hath a touch of the loving-kindnefs of
all we can, fiill we mufi fay. We are un-
profitable fervants, Luke xvii. 10,
2. All the duties of man, as they are
done by man, are, in that refpefl, finful.
AVhat is duty, but man's tye to that which
is due ? or, if we follow the Latins, what
is duty, but obedience commanded by God,
to be performed by man ? Now wherein
any thing is to be done as of man, therein
is fome mixture of fin : All our righte-
oupnefies is as filthy rags, as a menjlrous cloth,
Ifa. Ixiv. 6. How ? All our righteoujnejfes ?
Is it true, whilft a believer's heart is over-
caft with grofs vapours, and is more than
ordinarily dull in hearing, whilft it fties
* An ingenuous conftrtion of Dr. Crifp. an open adverfary of good works : fyme ti.atcxtollhim, may do well t.->
remember it. Ste Dr. Crifp's Afluiauce of Faitli.
low
164
\o\!r and llow in praying, and is fomewhat
ftiff, and untoward in farting above mea-
fure, fuch righteoufnefs goes ufually for
fin : but if a foul gets under full fail ; if
it be filled with a ftiffgale of the Spirit of
Chrift ; /if floods of meltings flow from it,
if it cry mightily, be fwift to hear, be greedy
in fuckingr in divine truths, and be fome-
what exacSi in obferving pra^lical righteous
means, to mourn, and pray fervently, being
helped by the Spirit herein : are fuch pray-
ers, mournings and other divine exercifes
in any fort finful ? yes, as there is fome
mixture of man's infirmity in them -.and in
our beft duties there is fome fuch mixture ;
for all our right e^fneffes is as filthy rags,
as menfirous cloths. I know who hath faid
it, and yet I know not wherein to contra-
dict it : * Chrirtians may difl;ingui(h be-
tween that which is the Spirit's, in works
after renovation, and the whole work af-
ter they have done it : now although the
motions and affifliance of the Spirit be pure,
holy, and without fcum in the fpring, to
wit, in itfelf ; yet, by that time thefe mo-
tions and affirtance have pafled through the
channels of their hearts, and have been
mixed with their manifold corruptions in
doing, even the whole work thereby be-
comes polluted t'. ^Vith him agreeth one
truly orthodox; faying, ' Albeit our good
works are perfect in refpe£l of the Spirit,'
from whom they firrt flow, yet are they
polluted, when they pafs from us, becaufe
they run through our corrupted hearts and
wills, as fair water runs through a dirty
channel X\ If this be fo,that our beft recom-
pence to Chrifl:, for his loves, be unprofi-
table to him, and finful, as done by man ;
what fliall I fay? how muft I carry, faith
the foul, to my Redeemer ?
Of DVT IE S in Gcmrol
SECT. III.
Of the Healing of Duties.
I Dare not difobey ; tho'all the duties in
the world are infufficientto recompenfe
thofe bowels of God's mercies in Chrifl, I
mufl not therefore caft away duties. It is
true, I cannot but fin in all I do, mybefl:
duties (nakedly and barely confidered in
themfelves) are tainted, poifoned, and
mingled with fin * : But will it follow,
that, becaufe I cannot be more clean, there-
fore I mufl be more filthy than needs? Nay,
O my foul, if thou art married to that
bridegroom Chrifl, duties and all things
elfe are clean to thee ; * The whole filth
and dung of our works, through faith in
Chrifl, is extradled by Chrifl, and he pre-
fenting the fame purged by himfelf alone,
they are accepted with God :' In this re-
fpe£V there is an healing of duties, if we be
in Chrifl. Certainly, that fruit which
Cometh from a root of faith, mufl needs
be good fruit ; I believe, therefore Ifpeaky
faith the Pfalmifl, Pfalm cxvi. lo. O my
foul, canfl thou fay thus ? I believe, there-
fore I pray ; I believe, therefore I fan6>ify
the Lord's day ; I believe, therefore I do
all duties of obedience : thy obedience then
is the fruit of paradife, for it grows on the
very tree of life. Chrifl is The Sun of
riphteoufnefs that arifeth with healing in
h^s -wings, Mai. iv. 2. Chrifl is that fun,
that by his heat of love extra61-s all the
filth of fin out of thy duties performed ;
and fo thy duties are healed, and the fpiri-
tual part of them being prefcnted by the
interceflion of Chrifl, and the carnal defe(f^s
covered by the righteoufnefs of Chrifl,
in whom the Father is always well pleafed.
^. I. Of the Manner of healing our Duties.
NOW the manner, O my foul, ho^r
Chrifl heals our duties, it is t>jus :
t Dr. Crifpin \<^% fcrmon on Philip, iii- «• A known aJvcrfavy to the pure do£\niie ofduiies.
\ Tukc's high-way to htavcn. • Dr. Crilp in his lamon m. Tialip. iv. 3.
I. He
Of DU T IE S in General
1. He takes our perfons, and carries
them into God the Father, hi a moft un-
perceivable way to us ; he knows, that if
our perfons be not firft accepted, our du-
ties cannot be accepted : Love me, and love
my duty ; hate me, and hate my duty. It
is true, that in the covenant of works, God
fir A accepted of the work, and then of the
perfon ; but in the covenant of grace, God
^Irfl: accepts of the perfon, and then of the
work : now therefore, that our works (our
duties) may be accepted, Chrifl; Jefus our
great High Prieft firil tnkes our perfons,
and carries thsm into the prefence of God
the Father. This was plainly fhadcwed
out to us by that of the high Prieft,
who went into the holy of holiej}, with
the tmmes of all the tribes upon his breaft^
Exod. xxviii. 29.
2. As Chrift takes our perfons, and car-
ries them in to God the Father : fo, when
we perform duty, he obferves what evil
or failing there is in that duty, and draws
it out before he prefents it to God the Fa-
ther : as a child that would prefent his fa-
ther with a pone, he goes into the garden,
and gathers flowers and weeds together ;
but coming to his mother, fhe p5cks out
the weeds, and binds up the flowers by
themfelves, and fo it is prefented to the
father. Thus we go to duty, and we ga-
ther [as it were] weeds and flowers toge-
ther, [i. e. fin and duty] but Chrift comes,
and picks out the weeds, [or fin] and fo
prefents nothing but flowers [or pure du-
ty] to God the Father : Who may abide
the day of his coming (faid the prophet of
Chrifl:, Mai. iii. 2, 3, 4.) and who fJmll
fland when he appear eth P for he is like a
refiner's fire, and like fuller's foap : and
he jhallfit as a refiner and purifier of fil-
ver, and Jhall purifie the fons of Levi, and
purge them as gold and filver, that they
may offer unto the Lord an offering in righ-
te-MfneJs ; then fljall the offerings of Judah
and Jertfatem he pleafant unto the Lord-.
Mark, Then Jhall their offerings be pleafant :
105
Then ? when ? when he had purged their
facrifices and their offerings. Thus it was
in the days of his flelh, and much more
now.
3. As Chrift takes away the iniquity of
our holy things, fo he obferves what good
there is in any of our duties, [not that there
can be any good in them, until his own
Spirit work it ; but, after he hath done fo,
he obferveth what good there is in thefe du-
ties] and with that he mingles his own
prayers, interceffions, and inc^nfe, [and
he had much need, becaufe tho' the good
put into thefe duties by hirnfelf was at firft
pure, as being derived from the Fountain of
purity ,yet thefe duties have contradled a fin-
ful mixture of imperfedlion, by running
through the channel of corrupt nature, that
is to fay, by our manner of performing
them] and prefents all as one work ming-
led together unto God the Father : And
another angel (viz. the angel of the cove-
riSnt) came and flood at the altar, having
a golden confer, and there was given to him
much Incenfe, that he Jhould offer it with
the prayers of all faints upon the golden al-
tar, which was before the throne : and the
fmoak of the incenfe which came with the
prayers of the faints, afcended up before
God, out of the angels hand, Rev . viii. 3, 4.
§.2. The Soul's ^eries in this Cafe.
^lefi, I . T F this be fo, O my foul, what
X. is thy cafe ? Are not moft of
thy duties performed with many failings,
infirmities, hardnefs of heart, ftraitnefs of
fpirit, diftra£ling thoughts ? and is there
any healing for fuch a duty as this ?
Anfw. O yes! For, i. In every duty
we perform, there are two things ; there is
the facrifice, and there is the obedience in
offering of the facrifice ; the faci ifice may
be imperfect, and yet our obedience in of-
fering the facrifice may be perfeiH: with
golpel perfeflion. 2. God deals with our
duties as with our perfons ; though he tind
a great deal of ungodlinefs in them, yet he
P im-
io6 Of DVT
imputes his righteoufnefs unto them, and
fo he juftifies our duties, which, in our
eyes, are moft ungodly. This indeed is a
wonder ; did we ever hear or read of any
feal, that, when it was fet upon the wax,
would change the wax into its own mettal ?
Or, did we ever hear or read of any ftamp,
that being fet upon brafs, it would change
the brafs into fllver ; or, being fet upon
filver, it woxald change the filver into gold ?
O, but when Chrifl: comes unto a duty,
and fets his own ftamp, and his own righ-
teoufnefs upon a duty, that which v/as
brafs before, *. e. full of failings and much
unrighteoiifnefs, he changes it into filver,
into gold : he only hath the philofopher's
Hone (as I may fo Tpeak) and all that Chrift
toucheth, it prefently turneth into gold ;
[that is,] he turns all our duties into gol-
den duties, and fo prefents them unto
the Father.
^{er. 2. ' Buthowfhould I know that
Chrirt thus takes my duties and heals them,
and mingles theni with his own incenfe,
and carries them in unto God the Father ?'
Anf-w. Confider, didft thou ever find a
fpiritual fire come down (as it were) upon
thy heart in duty, or after duty ? In the
time of the Old Teftament, if they offered
up a facrifice, and a material fire came
down from heaven, and burnt up the fa-
crifices to alhes, it was a certain teftimony
that the facrifice was accepted : now in the
times of the gofpel, we muft not expefl
material fire to come down upon our du-
ties : but hath the Lord at any time caufed
an inward and fpiritual fire to fall down
upon thy heart, warming thy fpirit in duty ?
there the Lord fpeaks thus much to thee,
That thy facrifice is turned into alhes,
and it is accepted by Jefus Chrifl:.
j^ver. 3. * O but whence comes this fire
now in thtfe gofpel times V
Anfvj. It ilfues from the blood and in-
tercelfions ofChrift cur great High Prieft i
it is the efficacy of his blood, and power
of his glorious intercelfion, that when thou
IKS in General.
feeleft any good in duties, doth that very
inftant prevail with God the Father for
what thou feeleft : Say then, * Do I now
in this ordinance, or in this duty, feel my
heart warmed, or favingly affefted ? O I
fee, I am bound to believe, that the Lord
Jefus who fits in glory at the right hand of
God, now, now he remembers me a poor
worm on earth ; now I feel the fruit of
his death, and interceflion in heaven ; now
I feel his fpirit, power, grace, comfort,
prefence, fweetnefs ; now I tafte, I drink,
I enjoy, and am abundantly fatisfied with
his rivers of pleafures : and if this prefence
ofChrift be fo fweet, what is himfclf then ?'
O my foul, if ever thou doll thus relifh
the blood and Spirit of Chrift upon thy
fpirit in duties, go thy way, and give glo-
ry to God.
SECT. IV.
No rejiing in Duties.
AND yet be warj^ O my foul : it was
Luther's laying, * Take heed not on-
ly of thy fins, but alfo of thy good duties;'
they are apt (by reafon of our corruption)
to bring men into themfelves, and this is
very dangerous. Certainly a man may not
only exclude Chrift from his foul by grofs
fins, but by felf-confidence ; Tou are they
ivho ju/tifie yourfelves, faid Chrift, to the
pharifees, Luke xvi. 15. Take a profane
man, what makes him drink, fwear, cozen,
game, whore ? Is there no God to punifh ?
Is there no hell hot enough to torment ?
Are there no plagues to confound him ?
Yes : "VVhy fins he then ? Oh ! he prays to
God for forgivenefs ; he forrows and re-
pents in fecret (as he faith) and this bears
him out in his lewd pranks. Take a mo-
ral man, he knows he hath his failings, and
his fins, as the beft have, and is overtaken
fometimes as the beft are ; why dotii he
not remove thefe fins then ? \V"hy is he not
more humbled under his fins ? the reafon
is, he conftantly obferves evening and
morning prayer, and then he craves for-
give^
Of DUr I E S in General J07
givenefs for failings, by which coiirfe he thy fins can be quenched by all thefe duties*
hopes to make his peace with God : and nor by any of thefe forrows or tears, f
hence he finncth without fear, and rifeth It was Auftin's faying, though it founds
out of his fall into fin without forrow; he har/h, * That repentance damns more thaa
maintains his fins by his duties. Take fin;' meaning, that thoufands did peridi
a profeflTor, fuch a one as may be exceed- by refting therein : It is not digging with-
ingly troubled about his fins, as endeavours in ourfelves, for power to leave fin, to be
very much after mourning, repenting, re- more holy, and humble, and religious, and
forming, and others commend him for a
diligent Chrifiian ; E>o you not Tee how
he mourns, and weeps, and prays ? and
now the wind Is over, the tcrapefl down,
and there is a great calm in iiis foul, how
comes he to this quiet ? Oh ! his a.riidH-
ons were enlarged, he hath reached fo high,
as to a very proportion of repentance, and
tears, and forrow, and fafting, etc. rnd
this hath given him eafe, this hath taken a-
way the burden, and laid his foul at reft ;
O poor foul, is this all the remedy lo rid
thee of the fling and guilt of fin ? Haft
thou no more pantings, but only after bit- 4ie3, if he never found it a hard raacter to
confcientious, and fo to think to vvork out
ourfelves in time out of this ftatc : the
words which the prophet putjnto Ifrael's
mouth, if they would iruly turn unto God,
were thefe, AJhur JhcAlmt fave us, iveiui/l
■>:ot ride upon korfts, Hof xiv. 3. q. d.
We v/ili truT: no more to thefe outwird
means, we will not fave ourfelves by our
graces, or abilities.
* But how fhall any man know thathe
refts in his duties ?'
I anfwer by thefe figns folIovv^ing:f:.
It is a fign that a man refis in his du-
tcrnefs, heavinefs, mourning, melting, ex-
traordinary enlargements ? Why then, let
me tell thee, all thy righteoufnefs, though
it were more perfedl than it is, is but as a fil-
thy rail, If^' l^iv- ^- Gouldft thou weep
thy heart out, fiiould thy heart melt like
come out of his dutlk:;s: examine, if thou
never yet faweft, if thou canft not tell the
time when thou didft reft in duties, and
then didft groan to be delivered from thefe
intunglements, thou haft juft caufe to fear.
2. It is a fign that a man refts in duties.
wax, diflblve into water: * Gouldft thou ifhe exceedingly prize the bare performance
defire and pray till heaven and earth (hook,
till thou hadft worn thy tongue to the
flumps : couldft thou faft till thy flcin and
bones cleave together; couldft thou pro-
mife and purpofe with full refolution to be
better ; couldft thou reform thy heart, head,
life, tongue, fomCy nay, all fins ; couldft
thou live like an angel, ftiine like a fun,
walk up and down the world like a diftref-
fed pilgrim ; couldft thou die ten thoufand
deaths, lie at the fire- back in hell fo many
millions of years as there be piles of grafs
on the earth, or fands on the fea-ftiore, or
ftars in heaven, or motes in the fun ; I tell
of duties ; thofe duties that carry thee out
of thyfelf unto Chrift, make thee to prize
Chrift : now tell me, doft thou glory in
thyfelf? Doft thou fay, ' Now I am fome-
body ? I was before ignorant, forgetful,
hard-hearted, but now I underftand better,
now I can forrow for my fins, I can pray
with fome life, now I have done very well.*
Alas poor foul ! if thou refteft here, if thou
thus inhanceft the price of duties, that thou
beginneft to dote on them, then do I pro-
nounce from God, * That thou doft reft
in duties:' Thefe things, faith Paul, I ac-
counted gain (i. e. before his converlion)
thee, not one fpark of God's wrath againft but now 1 account them lofs, Phil. iii. 8. This
f Shepherd's Sincere Convert.
P2
IS
ic8 Of DUTIES
is the rea(bn why a child of God common-
ly after his prayers doubts much of God's
love towards him ; whereas another man
that falls ftiort of him, never fo much as
queftions his eflate : the firft feeth much
rottenn^fsand vilenefsinhisbeftduties, and
fo adjudgeth meanly of himfeH; but the other
is ignorant of any fuch vilenefs, and there-
fore he prizeth and efleems highly of them,
3. It is a fig n that a man refls in his du-
ties, if he never came to be fenfible of their
poverty, and utter emptinefs of any good
in them. Didft thou never feel thyfelf in
this manner ? ' Oh I am as ignorant as a-
ny beafl-, as vile a^any devil ; what a neft
' and litter of fin and rebellion works in my
heart ? I once thought, at leaf}, my heart
- and dcfires were good, but now I feel no
fpiritual life; O dead heart, I am the poor-
elt, vileft, bafefl and blindeft creature that
ever lived !' If thou never feeleft thyfelf
thus, thou never cameft out of thy duties.
4. It is a fign that a man refts in his du-
ties, if he gain no evangelical righteoufnefs
by duties, /. e. if he prize not, defire not,
delight not in union with the Lord Jefus
Chrift ; hence a child of God aflcs himfelf
after fermon, after prayer, aftcrfacrament,
* What have I gained of Chrift ? Have I
got more knowledge of Chrift ? more ad-
miring of the Lord Jcfus Chrift ?' On the
contrary, a carnal heart, that refts in his
duties, alketh only, * What have I done ?'
/ thank Cod, faid the pharifee, / am not as
other men are ; I fnfi twice in the week.
J give tythes of all that IpoJJefs, Luke xviii.
IX, 12. So M pray, and hear, and reform,
and forrow for fin, therefore I think veri-
ly I (hall be faved ?' No fuch matter ; let
a man have a bucket of gold, doth he think
to get water, becaufc he hath a bucket; no,
nor he muft let it down into the well, and
draw up water with it : fo muft thou let
down all thy duties into the Lord Jefus
Chrift, and draw life, and light from his ful-
refs, otherwife, though thy duties be gol-
den duties, thouftialt perifli without Chrift.
in General.
SECT. V.
Of the Ufe and End of Duties.
AND canft thou not, O my foul, be
faved by thy duties? to what end
ftiouldeft thou pray, or hear, or forrow,
or repent, or meditate, or examine, or
confer ? I anfwer, There are many ends
and purpofes, for which Chriftians may,
and mi! ft perform duties.
1. Thar herein, and hereby, they may
exprefs their obedience to God's will : Be-
joice evermore, pray without ceajing, in
every thing give thanks, for this is the
will of Cod in Chrijl Jefus concerning
you, faith the apoftle, i Theft", v. 16, 17,
18. And this was the ground of David's
inference. Thou haft commanded us to keep
thy precepts diligently : and what then i
that my ways were directed to keep thy
Jlat'utes, Pial. cxix. 4, 5.
2. That God the Father of our Lord Je-
fus Chrift may be honoured by the per-
formance of thefe duties : Herein is jny Fa-
ther glorified, that you bear much fruity
John XV. 8. And as the apoftle, Te are a
chojen generation, a royal priefi-hood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye fijould
Poew forth the praifes of him who hath cal-
led you out of darknefs into his marvellous
light ; I Pet. ii. 9. Abraham believed, and
gave God glory : fo we ftiould pray, and
meditate, and hear, and all fhould tend to
the glory of God. Indeed, hypocrites aims
are at other ends, by giving ahns, and
praying, and fafting, that they may have
glory of men : That they may be feen of
men : that they may appear unto meny
Matth. vi. 2, 5, 16. But the child of God
aims at the glory of God. I confcfs 'tis
God's grace to account of man's duty as
his glory, feting it is fo deftifblve.
q. That duties may be as evidences of
God's everlafting love to them who are in
Chrift Jefus : They cannot fave, but they
let the foul into Chrift, and follow, and
accompany fuch a man as ftiall be faved.
* We hear of fome that boaftof joys, feel-
ing, gifts, fpirit, and grace ; f but if they
walk in the commifTion of any one fin, or
in the omiflion of any one known duty,
or in the flovenly ill-favoured performance
of duties, they can have no a durante (fay
what they pleafe) without flattering of
Of DV TIE S in General. 109
poftle, having promlfts of the life thai
now is, and of that -which is to come, I
Tim. iv. 8. There are many promifes
fcattered up and down in the word>
and hereby if God be not a debtor unto
thee, yet he is to himfelf, and to his owrv
themfelves :' If thcfe things he in you, faithfulnefs. Reddis debit a, nulli dcbens,
(faith Peter,) and abound, they will make cried Auflin ; * Thou Lord payefl: debts,
you that ye /hall neither be barren, or un- and owefl: to none; it was free for theebe-
fruitfulin the knowledge of our Lord Jefus
Chrif} : and he that lacketh thefe things is
blind : Wherefore, brethren, give diligence
to make your calling and election jure, 2
Pet. i. 8, 9, 10. Duties bring you in to
Chrift, and are evidences when you are
in Chrift, that the Lord and mercy is
yours, even as at the facrament, the ele-
ments of bread and wine are outward
figns to bring Chrift and the heart toge-
ther ; indeed the heart muft not reft in
thefe figns, but when the foul is let in to
Chrift, then faith muft let go the outward
elements, and clofe, and treat immediately
with the Lord Jefus Chrift. So grace and
duties are inward figns, and whiles men
make ufe of them only, as figns and
means to let them come in unto Chrift,
and their rejoicing is not in them, but in
Chrift ; their confidence is not pitcht u-
pon them, but upon Chrift ; there is and
will be no danger at all in making fuch ufe
of figns ; efpecially feeing in nature, the
eiFeft is a fign of the caufe : Neither is it
fore thouhadft promifed, whether to give
me heaven or no : But now the word is
out of thy mouth, I ufe duties as means,
tho' I adhereonly to thee, and to thy faith-
fulnefs, who haft promifed.' To prevent
mlftake, duties are confidered in a double
relation : i. As fervices, in refpect of the
command ; and 2. As means to obtain
blelllngs at God's hands in relation to his
promife. Now the moft in the world per-
form duties as acfts of obedience only, and
fo reft in the prefent performance ; but if
\ve do them in faith, we \ ftiall have an
eye to the promife, and look on duties as
means to obtain fome mercy ; yea, falvati-
on itfelf at God's hands, Phil. ii. 12. Rom»
X. 10, 2 Cor. vii. lo. i Pet. i. 9.
But is not this to be faved by duties ?
No fuch thing : for herein we fpeak not
of Duties originally, ox per fe, but inftru-
mentally, and with relation to the Lord
Jefus Chrift; not as meritorious caufes,
but as fubordinate means of our fali-ation:
in the name of Chrift. The beft of duties
more derogatory to free-grace,or to Chrift's carry not fuch luftre, beauty and energeti-
*■ '' ^ '' ' '^ ' -"^'^'^ cal virtue in their own faces and natures;
they are but mere empty pits, and dry
channelS)Ofthemfelves,though never focu-
riouflycut out, but Chrift fills them (and
as fome defire minifters to do) fo I ara
willing for my part to ' fay and exprefs
thus much of Chrift, that the people may
clearly underftand and remember fo much^
honour, for God to make fuch effeds figns
of our union with him, than it was to
make outward figns of his prefence : 'Tis
true thefe are not full teftimonies without
the Spirit of Chrift.
4. That they that ufe and exercife du-
ties may obtain the promiles : Godlinefs
is profitable unto all things, faith the a-
\ Shepherd's Sincere Convert. J Certainly duties are not only as figns, but they are means. waysanJ qualifi-
cations, which Godliath appointed antecedcmiy to grace and falvation ; Tho' fiiU we fay ihcy have no merit or
condignity in them to pui chafe falvation, yet they are ufed as means whereby heaven is obtaii.ed. Bunci oixViC true
dodtrine of jullificatioD,
2.1 d
no Of D U T I E S in General
and be guiJcd explicltely to the fountain my delight, Pf. xvi. 2, 3
itfelf, Chrift alone. 4.
5. That thefe duties may turn to our
comfort : not fo, as to put confidence in
them, to take comfort from them as a
caufe ; that cannot be, for who can look
upon' any thing he doth with tliat bold-
Jerom faid of
Auftin, * That he loved Chrift dwelling in
Auflin ; fo ought we to walk, that others
may love Chrift dwelling in us. There's
an exhortation to wives, fo to lualk that
their hxjhands r.iay be won to the Lord^
I Pet. iii. I. ' Sweet foul! itmay bethou
refs i* but as the teflimony of God's eter- prayed for thy hulband, in a carnal con-
ral love to us. Thus Hezekiah, not as a dition,thou dcfireit him to go to hear fuch
proud pharifee, but as a thankful acknow- a minifter, fuch a fermon ; goon in thtfe
ledger of what was in him, prayed, I be- duties, adding, this to the reft, fee that thy
feech thee, Lord, remember ::ie, hovj I life alfo may convert him.'
have walked before thee in truth, and \iith 7 . That duties may carry us to the Lord
a per feci heart, and have done that which Jefu's, the only Saviour ; he alone is able
is good in thy fight, 2 Kings xx. 3. Some
fuppofe, ' That*fuch a temptation as this
might fall on Hezekiah, that when he had
laboured to demolifh all thofe fuperftiti-
ons, and now became dangeroufly fick,
that he had not done well ; and therefore
he comforts himfelf in his heart, that he
did thofe things with a perfect heart, not
abfolutely, but comparatively perfeft :' we
may therefore take comfort from duties.
to favc theta to the uttermofi that come
unto God by him, Hcb. vii. 25. /. e. in
the ufe o; the means : hear a fermon to
carry thee to the Lord Jcfus : fa ft and
pray, and get a full tide of affections in
them, ' to carry thee to the Lord Jefus
Chriif, /. e. to get more love of him, more
acquaintance with him , more union in
him, and communion with him; ufe thy
duties, as Noah's dove did her wings, to
not fo as to reft in them, but foas to praife carry thee to the ark of the Lord Jefus
God thereby. 'Tis a good way, nefciendo
fcire, in not knowing to know, that fo we
may praife God for them ; and fciendo ne-
fcire, in knowing, not to know, that fo we
may be humble in ourfelves.
6. That others might receive good, and
thereby be occafioned to glorifie God :
Theft things are good, and profitable to men.
Chrift, where only there is reft : if Ihe had
never ufed her wings, fhe had fallen in the
waters; and if flie had not returned to
the ark, fhe had found no reft : fo, if thou
fhalt ufe no duties, but caft them all off,
thou art fure to periih ; and if they con-
vey thee not to Chrift, thou mayeft lie
down in forrow : Or as it is with a poor
faith theapoftle, Tit. iii. 8. and. Let your man, that is to get over a great water for
light fo flnne before men, that they may a treafure on the other fide, tho' he can-
fee your good works, and glorifie your Fa- not fetch the boat, he calls for it, and ufeth
iher who is in heaven, Matth. v. 16. it to carry him over to the ticalure : fo
Chrift doth not here encourage vain-glory, Chrift is in heaven, and thou on earth, he
but he propounds the true end of our vi- doth not come to thee, and thou canft not
fible holinefs; for godlinefs being light, it get to him, now call for a boat; though
ought not, in fuitable duties, to be hid un- there is no grace, no good, no falvation
<ler a bufliel : My goodnefs extendeth not in a pithlefs duty, yet ufe it to carry thee
t4nto ihee, but to the faints that are in the over to the treafure. The Lord' Jefus
earth, and to the excellent, in whotn is all Chrift: when thou comeft to hear, fay,
;} Dr. Crifp on Phil. iii. 8.
• Shcplierd'sSinccic G>nvcrC.
Have
Of DV T I E S in General
' Have over. Lord, by this fermon ;' when
thou comeft to pray, fay, ' Have over,
Lord, by this prayer to a Saviour :' but
this is the mifery of people, like foolifh
lovers, when they are to woo for the lady,
they fall in love with her handniaid,that is
only to lead them to her: fo men fall in love
with and dote upon their own duties, and
reft contented with the naked performance
of them, which are only hand-maids, to
lead the fovil unto the Lord Jefus Chrift.
8. That the Lord Chrift may be exalted,
and advanced by duties. The main end
of duties, is the glory of him who hath
redeemed us with the price of his blood,
and the power of his Spirit ; this fets the
crown on his head : Behold king Solomont
-with the croivn, ivhereivith his mother
crowned him, Cant. iii. n. How many
perform duties, not to fet the crown on
Chrift's head, but to fet the crown on
their own heads ? So do hypocrites, that
feek their own praife, and credit and pro-
fit ; fo do all, efpecially that do any thing
with a conceit of meriting at God's hands.
Now this is the main end of right obedi-
ence, that the crown may be let on Chrift's
head, that he who is king of faints, may
have the honour given him, due to his
kingly office. In this refpe<5l, I cannot
blame tncm who blame others, for crying
up, and magnifying mah's works in their
own name. To fay. That Chrift is always
fuppofed as principal, is no fufficient apo-
logy : for why only fuppofed ? M'hy not
he named, as well as duties and righteouf-
nefs ? Certainly, it is not good manners,
to fay no worfe, to forget him, while his
poor inftruments are fo highly remem-
bred. When fervants bring prefents from
their mafters to any, they do not fay, * I
beftow fuch and fuch a thing on you,' but,
* My mafter fends it you;' if he fliould
take it on himfelf, he fliould go for an ar-
III
rogant fellow : nor will it falve the matter,
when he is taxed for fuch arrogancy, to
fay, ' My mafter fliould have been fup-
pofed,' when he gave no hint of him.
* Methinks it were comely (faith the Au-
thor * rightly in this) in extolling of man's
righteoufnefs, explicitely to afci ibe all the
praife to the glory of Chrift, and his grace :'
* and I fee not (faith f another ingenioufly)
but that minifters may be humbledjthat they
have prefted religious duties, but not fo as
to fet up Chrift : and hereby people have
been content with duties, and facraments,.
tho' no Chrift in them, but asvelfels were
to be of pure gold in the temple, fo ought
all our duties to be of pure and mere Chrift
for acceptation.' Again, * if Bernard faid^
* He did not love to read Tull}^ becaufe he
could not read the name of Chrift there;
how much rather may we fay. That in ma-
ny fermons, in many a man's miniftry, the
drift and end of all his preaching is not,
th1\t Chrift may be advanced.' And again,.
* Let Chrift be the matter of our righte-
oufnefs and comfort, more than he hath
been ; you know the pofts that were not
fprinkled with blood, were fure to be de-
ftroyed, and fo are all thofe perfons and
duties that have not Chrift upon them.
How fweet is the harmony of diflenting
brethren? Methinks, I would not lofe a
ftired of that gold which both authors (fo
ftrongly my heart beats and pants after
unity) -give out to be weight in the bal-
lance of the fanftuary : it is obferved by
the former, That when the church grew
into credit, then, Religio peperit divTtias^
et filia devoravit matrem |; I as truly fay,.
Chrijius peperit jujtitianiy et filia dcvora^
vit 7natrevi § : juft as if a king ftiould pra-
mote a favourite, and then he Ihould be
fo applauded for his ufefulnefs to the fub-
je6ls, that the king muft be dethroned, and
he crowned in his place. Inallexigences>.
* Dr. Ciifpon Phil. ili. 8. + Mr. Bulges Vuid'iciae le^n. \ Ihatls, Religion bruiij;lu forth ncl>es, rn.l riches
[the daughreij dtvd.rcd her mother [Religion]. § Thai a, ChrUl broujit fortii lightcouOicfs, and ji^l.tcoulh.-fs a-
bulcd Clirlll, who gave it being,
waiitft
I 12
Of DUTI E S in General,
v-nnts and cxtremlt'ies, how few followers
harh Cbiift himfelf? how rarely are men
f(nt to fiiclter themfelves tinder the ftia-
dow of his whigs ? In the mean while,
what hideous. outcrys for prayers, m.our-
nings, faftings, <bc. to help men at a dead
lift ? What fending and pofling to them
in extremities, as if they kept a court by
themfelves ? For Chrift is feldom heard of,
at Icaft not fet upfohighastodoall; and
that this righteoufnefs is but merely his
minllhing fervant : what the apoftle faid
of himfelf, I may as truly fay of the beft
righteoufnefs bed affifled, 11^ hat is prayer,
mourning, jajliug, hearings hut ryiinijlers
by whom ye beli9ved, and received mer-
cy ? i Cor. iii. 5. And if but as minifters
at heft, fliall they be greater than the
" Lord ? Let me not be miftaken, * I intend
no derogation to righteoufnefs, but the
bringing of it into its own place, namely
that it is to be ufed as that, where accord-
. ing to Chrift's dire^ions we may meet
with him, from whofe hands alone we
may expe£l whatever we pant after, ac-
cording to his will; referving a fubmif-
Hon to be difpofed of otherwiie, if he fee
fit.' X Again, ' It is not the fpiritual-
nefs, nor the fervency in the performance
of duties that carries it, but when duties
are performed as to the Lord, and for the
Lord, and not to and for ourfelves.' O
my foul, in refpeft of all thefe ends, ufe
and exercife duties, and be fure of Chrifl
in all, above all, more than all. O let
Chrift have the crown fet on his head, give
him all the glory. Caft not away duties,
but cafl them down at the feet of Jefus
Chrifl, as the twenty four elders cafl: their
crowns, faying, Thou art -worthy, Lord^
to receive glory , and honour, and power :
for thou haft created all things, (all duties)
and for thy pleafure they are and were
created, Rev.iv. 11.
SECT. VI.
Of the Saints akiliiieSf or power to do
duties.
Objea. '"OUT alas, howfhould I per-
JJ3 form my duty ? by nature
I am dead, and except God give me an
heart and flrength, what can I do ? PfaL
Ixxvii. 10. There is no power in my
hands, I am nothing in myfelf, and there-
fore till God come, or naked Chrifl come,
I will fit down in difcouragements ; let
God do all, I fee I have no ability at all,etc.'
J)jfw. What fayft thou, O my foul?
furely this is thine infirmity; thefe con-
clufions are ill dravv'n from a true princi-
ple; it is true, all is of God, and by na-
ture I am dead : but it is ill urged in this
cafe, for that the regenerate have in them
a feed, a fpiritual principle, a power to do
good ; I . Becaufe fuch are living, and all
life is a power to a£V. 2. Elfe there is no
fpecifical difference betwixt a man, rege-
nerate and unregenerate, if both were ftill
dead, and without flrength. 3. Grace is
a renewing of that image of Cod and ho'
linefs, which we loft in Adam, Eph. iv.
24. But that was a power to do what God
required, therefore fo far as that image is
repaired, fo far there is power. 4, Elfe
we fhould not have as much benefit by
the fecond Adam, as we had by the lirfi: ;
for the firft would have communicated his
power to do good, and being corrupted,
doth communicate power to do fin ; there-
fore much more by Chrifl have we a life, a
power to do good in our meafure.
Ohj. It may be objefted, Without me ye
can do nothing.
Sol. The meaning is, * Except ye be
implanted into me, ye can do nothing;'
The word {choris cmou, without me) figni-
fieth, Separate from me, or apart from
me ; and intimateth this only, * That till
Dr. Crilp on Phil. iii. 8.
we
Of DUTIES
^e are knit unto Chrift, we are but dead
and barren branches;' and fo Chrift ex-
plains himfelf, y^s the branch cannot bring
forth fruit of it/elf , except it abide in the
vine, ffi more can ye, except ye abide in
me, John xv. 4.
Obj. It may be objefted again, ' It is
God that worketh both to will and to do
of his good pleafure.'
Sot. This denies not that the faints have
in them, ' A ktA, a fpring, a principle of
life, a power;' but on the contrary, it af-
firms. That they have a power, only that
/*/; General. 113
hearts, by our underftandings ; as the flrik-
ing of the flint and flee! together bcgetteth
fire, fo the meeting of thefe two faculties
having an internal life in them, do quick-
en the foul. Thus we fee David pleading
with himfelf, fometimes chiding, IVhy art
thou coj} doivn, my foul, and why art thou
difquieted -within me? Pfal. xlii.5. Some-
times exciting himfelf to duty, Praife the
Lord my foul, and all that is ivithin me
praiTe his holy name, Pfal. ciii. i. Some-
times comforting himfelf in God, Return to
thy refi my foul, for God hath dealt howt-
this power is of God; we ftiould work -^//«//)/ ay*//; /^c^-y Pfal. cxvi. 7. It was an
' ' " ufual thing for him to talk with himfelf,
and he found fo much good in this way,
that he puts all upon it. Commune 'with
your ovjn hearts u^on your beds, and be
flill, Pfal. iv. 4. The underftanding is to
the heart, as the flomach to the body, all
is fed by it: fet therefore upon our hearts
>yith quickening thoughts : for as rub-
bing and chafing the hands with hot oiis,
is a means to recover them when they are
benumbed ; fo the plying of the heart
with flirring thoughts, and enforcing ar-
guments is a means to revive it : and a-
mongft all thoughts, there are none more
prevalent, than ' of lins paft, of heaven,
hell, eternity, love of Chrift ;' thefe are
ftrong cordials to chear up the fpirits.
2. To fall on the duty; for if we be
doing, he will work * with us, in us, and
for us. Is it thus, O my foul, that thy
heart is ftirred, rouzed, revived •' then fet
to thy hands : idle beggars muft be whip-
ped ; he that will not work muft not eat ;*
Remember, we have a life in us if we be in
Chrift : and as we have a life, fo there is a
never-faiiing prefence of the Spirit, to at-
tend that power which we have: if then
we put forth ourfelves to that we are able,
and as far as our power extends, God will
draw near to us. It is true, that which we
want is cut of our reach, we are not able
to make crookc d things to become ftraight,
to lay thofe fwelling mountains of cor-
Q, ruptioa
out our falvation in humility, not boaft
ing in our own felves, for all is received
of God : more fully, God is faid To -work
the will and the deed; 1. By giving a
principle of fpiritual life, habitual grace,
a renewed frame of heart. 2. By exciting
and ftrengthening this g' ace ; and both
thefe are ever afforded to the faints, only
the latter is more or lefs, according to
his pleafure; fo that in the worft times
a believer hath power to do good, though
not alike at all times; and this power
we muft ufe, and put forth ourfelves as
we are able, or we cannot with reafon ex-
pert his help. A Ihip hath inftruments of
motion, though not an internal principle,
and if the mariner would have help by the
winds, he muft loofe his cables, and hoife
his fails ; fo muft we, or elfe we may lie
ftill.
Now that which we are to do, is,
I. To ftir up ourfelves; for God hath
promifed to meet us, and to reach out his
hand to help us, if we be not wanting to
ourfelves : it is certain, a godly man can-
not by his own endeavours alone raile up
his foul, nor recover his lofs, though he
(liould lay mountain upon mountain, and
pile endeavours upon endeavours ; yet as
endeavours without God cannot, fo God
without endeavours will not htip us here-
in; and therefore labour we lo quicken
ourlelves, i. e. work we upon our own
1 14 Of DUTIES
ropiion level, but yet we muft fet to the
work ; Jolliua could not with the ftrength
of Rams horns founding cajl down the
ivalls of Jericho, but yet he muft fet up-
on the work : when the Midianites fall,
there muft be, The pivord of the Lord, and
Gideon, Judg. vH. 18. The father holdeth
an apple to the child, the child cannot
reach, yet his (hort arm mud be put forth,
and then the father whofe arm is long e-
nough will reach it to him ; we mufl be
doing, and yet when ail is done, our hearts
mufl learn habitually to fay, Not /, but
Chrift in me : let us flill intereft Chrift in
all we do, as the efficient, final caufe.
in General,
SECT. VII.
Cf the faints delights in duties.
MT yoke is eary,and my burden is light,
faith Chrill:, Matth. xi. 30. And
that which makes it fo, is, The delights
■which the faints have in God's fervice:
Pfal. cxix. 14. / have delighted in the
•way of thy teflimonies, faith David : /
have ? V. 1 6. yes, and I xvill delight in
thy Jlaiutes, v. 24. J ivill ? yes, and /^_y
tefiimonies are my delight : they are ? yes,
and V. 47. My delight fh all be in thy com-
mandments : they Jlmll be ? how long ? e-
ven to perpetuity iifelf J V. 117. 1 ivill de-
liaht continually in thy fiatutes. Thefe are
the firings David beats upon, and they
make heavenly mufick: mullck even chear-
ing him in the midfl of his for rows; v.
143. Trouble and angui^j are upon me, yet
are thy commandments my delight ; and v.
02. Unlefs thy law had been my delight, I
fhould have perijhed in tny affli^ion.
Now the reafon why God's people find
fuch delight in duties, is, i. Becaufe in
duties they come to fee the face of God in
Chrill: htnce duties are called, The face
cr prejence of God; the worfliip of the
Jews was called, //;; appearing before God,
£xod. xxiii. 17. David breathes out his
defires in the fame exprefTion, When Jljall
J come and appear before God^ Pf. ^lii, 2.
The queen of Sheba counted It a high fa-
vour to ftand before Solomon • what high
favour then is this to fland before Jefus
Chrift, and to hear Wifdomitfelf fpeak to
our fouls? 2. Becaufe in duties they have
converfes, and communion with God, who
is the God of all confolation ; and with
the Spirit of God, who is called the com-
forter : now as a man that walks aitiongfl
perfumes, muft needs fmell of the per-
fume; fo they that converfe with the God
of all joy, muft needs be filled with all joy :
and therefore David calls God, His ex-
ceeding joy, Pfal. xliii. 4. The faints look
upon duties (the word, facraments, pray-
ers, be.') as bridges to give them a pafTage
to God, as boats to carry them into the
bofom of Chrift, as means to bring them
into more intimate communion with their
heavenly Father, and therefore they are fo
much taken with them. When they go to
the word, they go as one goes to hear news
of a friend ; when they go to pray, they
go to talk with a friend ; when they go to
read, they go to read a letter from a friend;
when they go to receive, they go to fup
with a friend; they look upon duties and
ordinances, as thofe things whereby they
have to do with God and Chrift, and there-
fore are duties fo precious. Indeed, to
them who have to do with nothing but du-
ty in duty, but prayer in prayer, but hear-
ing in hearing, to them duties are dead and
dry, and fpiritlefs things; but they that
have to do "with God and Chrift in duty, to
them duties are pafTing fweet and preci-
ous. This fecms a riddle to unregenerate
men, they wonder what the faints find in
duties, where the fweetnefs, what the com-
fort is, what fecret golden mines they find
in thefe diggings, when themfelvesfind no-
thing but burdenfome ftones and claylr
oh the faints meet with Chrift in duties,
and therefore they cannot but find great
treafure: David's foul was athirft, not
for a kingdom, but /or God, for tbe liv-
ing Cod, Pfal. xlii. 2. It is the highefl re-
ward^
Of DUTIE S
ward, the very wages which the faints look
for in duti'es, to find God in them ; BleJJed
is the man luhom thou choofeft, and caufefi
to approach unto thee, that he may dive II
in thy courts : ivejhall be fatisfied ivith the
goodnefs of thy houfe, even of thy holy tem-
ple, Pfal. Ixv. 4.
A good caveat in thefe days, when fo
many do cry down duties: what, my bre-
thren, (hall we look upon that as our bur-
den, which is our delight ? our bondage,
which is our privilege ? what is the hap-
pinefs of a glorified faint, but that he is
always under the line of love, ever in the
contemplation of, and converfes with
God? and fhall that be thought our bur-
then here, which is our glory hereafter?
Take heed of thisj take heed you do not
think it an hell, a pain, a vexation to be
in God-approaching, and Chrift-meeting
duties. I know wearinefs may be upon
the flefh, there are weaknefTes and dif-
tempers there, but chide rhem away, en-
tertain them not; number it among your
choicefl privileges, comforts, delights, to
converfe with God in Chrift; confider if
there be an heaven, it is the very prefence
of this God in Chrifl. Hence they who
meet with God in duty, nfually find their
hearts fweetly refrelhed, as if heaven were
in them, For in thy prefence there is ful-
nefs of joy, and at thy right hand are pie a-
fures for evermore, Pfal. xvi. ii.
Objed. I . But if there be fuch delight
in duties, what is the reafon that wicked
men account it a wearifomnefs, and bur-
then, and fnuff atit : beholdy what a 'wea-
rinefs is ity and ye havejnuffed at it, faith
the Lord, Mai. i. 13.
Anf-w. A wicked man cannot delight in
God's fervice, becaufe it is above his capa-
city : whiles he is at duty, he is like a fifh
out of his element; the duty is heavenly
and fpiritual, but he is worldly and natu-
ral, no wonder therefore he delights not in
it. But more particularly, a wicked man
delights not in duties,
tfi General . u^
1 . Bccaufe of his ignorance of the worth
and excellencies of duties, he cannot pof-
ftbly delight in what he knows not: fo
much as we know, fo much we defire and
delight, and no more.
2. Becaufe of his infidelity: faith is the
main organ of comfort, and therefore no
wonder, as it was faid of the Jews, if the
ivord preached do r.ct profit him, not being
mixed "with faith in him that heard it.
3. Becaufe of the abfence of the all fee-
ing and quickening Spirit: It is the Spirit
that quickeneth, the flefh profiteth nothing;
the 'words that 1 fpeak to you arefpirit and
life, John vi. 63. As the body is dead
without thefpiritjfo duties, withoxu Chrift's
quickening Spirit, are dead and lifelefs.
Objed. 2. But if there be fuch delight
in duties, what is the reafon that the faints
themfelves do mifs of their comforts in
duties?
^ Anfw. I anfwer, i . There are none of
God's people but they do, fometimes or
other, find comfort, either in duties, or
from duties. 2, If at any time they mifs
of comfort, it is becaufe they do not meet
with God, whom they came to converfe
withal : as when a man goes to meet with
a friend, and meets him not, he comes a-
way fadded in his fpirit; fo when a child
of God comes to fome duty, hoping to
enjoy fweet communion with God in ir,
and then fails of his expecflation, thismufl
needs fill him full of fadnefs. It was an
excellent fpeech of Bernard, Nunquam abs
te recedo Domine, fine te; I never go from
Cod 'without Cod. Happy Chrillian, that
when he goes «ro converfe with God In
fome duty, can fay, ' I never go from
God without God: I never go to God,
but I meet with God ; and I never go from
God, but I carry God with me.'
0bje6i. 3. But if no comfort, no delight
without God in our duties, M'hat then is
my cafe, that have no fenfe, no feeling of
God's prefence in duties ? When I have
done
0.2
II6
done all I can, methlnks T cannot find God,
I cannot meet with Chrill.
Jnfw. I anfwer, Haft thou indeed no
fcnfe of God's prefence, and yet haft thou
a fenfe of God's want? It is good then to
obferve the different effects of God's pre-
fence, or elfe thou mayeft wrong God, as
well as thyfelf; to fay he was not with thee,
when yet he was: As, i. There are mani-
feft and evident fruits of God's prefence in
duties: as, much liberty of fpirit, much
joy, much peace, afturance of faith. 2.
There are more inward and referved fruits
of his prefence; as, fenfe of want, forrow
for want, defire of enjoyment, willingnefs
unto further duties^^to^nd that which we
want in fome other : In the former, God
is with us, and we know he is with us; in
"the latter God is with us, and we know
not fo much : This was the cafe of the two
difciples going to Emmaus, Their eyes were
holden, that they could not knoiv Chrifty
Luke xHiv. i6. y6t afterwards when they
did know him, they remembred, that they
had fufficient evidence of his prefence, even
when they knew him not. Did not our
hearts burn within us, -while he talked "with
us by the way, and opened to us the fcrip-
tures? Luke xxiv. 32. Now whence was
that fire, but from the Spirit of Chrift con-
veyed in his word ?
Objed. 4. But what is the reafon that
God's people do fometimes mifs of God's
comfortable prefence in duties?
Anfw. I anfwer, They mifs of God's
comfortable prefence, i. Becaufe, it may
be, they bring not at all Velfels to hold the
Confolations of God; I mean, no hunger
after God's prefence in the ordinance : Or,
1. Becaufe they bring VefTels fo little, and
fo narrow-mouthed, that they will hold but
very lit tie water; I mean, they bring fo little
hunger after God, that God will not vouch-
fafe to fatisfy it: Or, 3. Becaufe they bring
their ordinary hearts, their carnal and
worldly hearts to heavenly and fpiritual
duties, hearts unfuitable to the duties.
OfDUriES in General
hearts infenfible of the duties : Thus a
man finds no fweetnefs in his meat ; the
reafon is not, becaufe his meat is unfavou-
ry, but becaufe his tafte is diftempered ;
the ordinances are fometimes fweet, and
would always be fo, were the foul's pa-
late always in the fame temper: Or, 4. Be-
caufe there is fome Achan unftoncd, fome
fin unrepented of, that eclipfeth the light
of God's countenance, fome fpiritual ob-
ftru£\ions; thefe, and fuch like are the cau-
fes, why the faints fometimes mifs of iheir
comforts. But the fault is never in the
duty, which is brim-full of rare and ravifh-
ing comfort; that as Bernard relates the
ftory of himfelf ; Beatum me praedicarewj
etc. Sed rara hora, brevii mora, oh Ji du'
raret : * Sometimes when he went to his
prayers, he found himfelf dull and heavy;
but after he had ftruggled a while with his
dulnefs, all on a fudden he was vifited with
the vifitations of the Almighty : I fhould
account myfelf happy, faid he, if thefe. vi-
fitations would always laft; but oh, it con-
tinues but a while!*
And Auftin relates this ftory of himfelf ,
* That upon a time when he and his mo-
ther Monica were difcourfing together a-
bout the joys of heaven, and the comforts
of God's Spirit, they were fo filled with
joy, that Auftin ufeth thefe words, ^/am
mundui eviluit cum omnibus Juis dele£lati'
onibus ; ' Lord, thou knoweft in that day,
how vilely we did efteem of the world with
all his delights.' The comforts of the world
are not worthy to be named that day that
we fpeak of thefe comforts : O the pure, the
iindefiled comforts and delights that are to
be foxmd in duties, when God is found in
them ; Can a man who is cold, come to the
fire, and not be warmed ? Can he that is
in the dark, come into tlie open fun, and
not be enlightened ? God is the fpring of
comfort, and therefore furely our hearts
will be comforted, if ws meet with God in
our duties.
SECT.
Of
SECT. VIII.
Of the ejfintial Requijites in Duties.
BUT what are they we call duties ? or
what are thofe eflential Requifites (O
my fovil) in duties? Many by duties intend
nothing but that which is external and fen-
fible, as coming to the church, and receive
ing of facraments, etc.
I anfwer, Thefe are like clothes upon a
dead man, that cannot warm him, becaiife
there is no life within : The foul of all du-
ties Is that which is internal, or effential ;
In which refpe^ three ingredients are ne-
cedary, viz. That they be, i. From God.
2. Through God. 3. To God.
1. From God : It is of the very elTence
of duty, that it be commanded by God.
Hence in one chapter we read thirteen fe-
veral times, I am the Lord, Lev. xix. q. d.
fuch and fuch commands I enjoyn you :
Would you know the grounds .-' / am the
Lord, a God of fovereign power and autho-
rity, and my will it is that fuch duties be
done. Look to this, O my foul, in thy duties,
know the commands, and do them, becaufe
they are commanded : If thou doft them,
and yet knoweft not that God commands
them, this is no true obedience; or if thou
knoweft they are commanded, but yet dofl:
them not becaufe they are commanded, or
in confcience to his command, neither is
this obedience to God. In all duties rightly
performed, there mufl: be a knowledge of,
and an eye to the will of our God, Rona.
xii. 2. Eph. V. 17.
2. Through God,, /. e. i. Through the
Spirit, who doth fpiritualize them. 2.
Through Chrill who prefents them, and
makes them acceptable to God.
(i.) Through the Spirit of God: Now
the Spirit works on our fpirits, ftirs up the
regenerate part to the perfoimance pt our
duties : and therefore look how much there
is of the inner man, of the regenerate
part, of the holy Spirit in duty, io far it
is fanif^ified, fo far it is accepted, and no
D U T I E S in General, i \y
further. God is my ivitne/s, faith Paul,
whom Iferve ivith my fpirit, in the go/pel
of his Son : In every fervlce we perform,
our fpirit ftirred up by God's Spirit, mufk
needs have a hand in it, or it is but the
body and carcafe of a right fervice : The
foul, will, and affections, muft go toge-
ther with our duties, (that I mean by our
fpirit) or the vitals are wanting. Ex. Gr.
If a man come to confefs his fins, and yet
flights them inwardly in his heart; if a man
pray for reconciliation with God, and yet
have no longing, and fighing in his heart
after it ; if he earneftly afk grace, or the
Spirit of mortification, and yet his heart
doth not inwardly feek it, now he prays
not in the Spirit, and therefore God will
not accept it ; For God is a Spirit, and they
that ivorPnp him, mufl worfhip him infpi'
rit, and in truth, John iv. 24. In fpirit,,
i. e. not only in the underftanding and
mind, (prayer is not a work of wit or of
memory) but alfo in will and affecflions ;
when all within us is opened, and expli-
cate, and expofed to the view of the Lord ;
when we call in all our thoughts and affec-
tions, and recolleft them together, as the
lines in the center, or as the fun-beams in
a burning-glafs, that makes prayer to be
hot and fervent ; whereas otherwife, it is
but a cold and diffipating thing, that hath
no ftrength nor efficacy in it.
^efl. If this fpiritualnefs in duties be fo
neceffary, how is it that the faints have fo
much of earth and fleih ordinarily in their
duties?
Anfw. I anfwer, In every regenerate
man there is both flefli and fpirit ; It may
be the fle(h lies uppermoft,. and the fpirit
lies in the bottom, fo that a man, thougb
a faint, may hear carnally, receive carnally,,
pray carnally, that is, when the fleAi hath
gotten upper-hand, as in fome fits it may,
when the mind is filled with worldly for-
row, worldly rejoicing, and worldly de-
fires; fuch duties the Lord regards not, be
the man never fo holy: but il the regene-
rate
ti8 OfDUriESinGenerah
rate part be a^Ved and ftlrred up by God's
Spirit, and tlie fledi, that always hinders,
be removed by the lame Spirit, then are
the faints able to do their duties to God in
Chrifl: Jcfus fpiritually.
2. Tiirough Chrift : For Chrift perFccfl:?,
perfumes, and prcfents our duties to his
heavenly Father: as duties come from us,
they favour of flefli, but the Angel of the
covenant wingleth much incenfe ivith them,
and fo he offers them upon the golden altar
-ivhich is before the throne. Rev. viii. 3.
Here is fweet comfort, O my foul, * What
though thy duties are weak, and cold, and
confufed, full of diftempers and damps ?
yet, through ChriTl they are fortified, and
enlivened with his pacifying perfe6\ion, and
intercefTory Spirit: Through Ch rift they
nre perfumed with the precious odours of
his freQi bleeding merits, and bleffed me-
diation, and fo they are made acceptable
to God, that he may receive them, that he
may not refufe and reje6\ them.
Obferve here, a double interceftbr:
One is the Spirit, that helps our infir-
njities.
The other is Chrift, that makes them
acceptable to God.
3. To God; /. e. to fet forth his glory,
and free grace; for as his name is blaf-
phemed when we walk in wickednefs, fo
it is glorified in doing our duties : this is
the end of all our duties, indeed of all our
doings; Whether ye eat, or drink, or ivhat-
fotver ye do, do all to the glory of God,
I Cor. X. 31. One duty fandtifying Chrift
and free-grace in the heart, is more than a
thoufand. Young Ghriftians it may be do
more works, but not as works of grace;
the more evangelical our works are, and
the more to God, (for that is the end of
the gofpel, to honour Chrift and free-grace)
the better they are : IVe are the circumci-
fion, who rejoice in the Lord Jefus, ivor-
jlnp God in the Spirit, and have no confi-
dence in thejkjh, Phil. iii. 3.
SECT. IX.
Of the Kinds of Duties in fever alDivi (torn.
THESE duties, fome have diftribut-
cd, according to their fevci al obje<fts.
Cod, our Neighbour, and ourfelves : i.
The Lord claims our Love, Fear, Honour,
and Obedience. 2. Our iMeighbour claims
our Duty, Gourtefy, Bounty. And for
ourfelves, we m\ift, 1, Inftruft the Un-
derftanding: 2. Bridle the "Will : 3. Mo-
derate the Affeftions. Others, in Retri-
bution to Chrift, give us another fcheme
of fuch duties, as they call mere gofpel-
duties. So it is our duty, \ . To think and
mufe much on Chrift, and upon his loves
towards us. 2. To fpeak much of Chrift,
and to commend him to others: When
the fpoufe was afked, What her Beloved was
above others? Cant. v. 9, 16. ftie fets him
forth in every part of him, and concludes
with this, He is altogether lovely. 3. 1 o
be oft in the company of Chrift, and to
grow up thereby in a familiar acquaintance
with him. Now Chrift is with us here,
but thefe two ways, cither, in his ordinan-
ces, or, his providences, by his holy Spirit:
fo that to be oft in Chrift's company, is
to be much in his word, in prayer, in fa-
craments, in Chriflian communion, in me-
ditation, in examination of our hearts, in
his providences of mercies, crofTesand tri-
als. 4. To do much for Chrift, and that
willingly; i John v. 3. This is love indeed
to keep his commandments, and thofe are
not grievous. 5. To fufter and endure a-
ny evil for Chrift; H^hat tell you me (faith
Paul, A£\s xxi. 13.) of bonds and imprifon-
ments ? I am ready, not only to be bounds
but to die for the fake of Chrifl at Jerufa-
lem. Rom. viii. 36. My life is not dear
to me, that 1 may finifh my courfe with
joy : For thy fake we are kilted all the day
long. No queftion thefe heads will in-
clude all forts of duties: but the method
I fliall profecute (wherein 1 defire to con-
found Duties, Ordinances and ]\Ieans,
whereby
DV T I E S in General 119
whereby a Chrmian walks on in the holy path) I have othcrwife digened thus.
The duties of a Chriftian 7 The firft kind, as Watchfulnefs.
S The fecond kind ; and thefe have reference—
f Self-trial.
Of
are either of
I* Secret ordinances, as
Self-denial.
Experiences.
Evidences.
Meditation.
^Life of Faith,
f only to ^ > In one Family, as Family Duties.
{ f Private ordinances, either^ In more Families joined, as ChriAiaa
J (^ Society.
Either L
I
Publick ordinances, as
Jointly to all three, and they are either*
Object. It may be objefted, * That in
this Analyfis, there is not that exprefs
mention of Chrifl: ; and the reafon why
fome vilifie duties, is becaufe the very
name of Ghrift is not in them.
Sol. But I anfwer, i. If the name be
wanting, yet Chrift is not. 2. In the open-
ing of them, we fliall find the very name
of Chrifl ufually, frequently ; only, ob-
ferve by the way, I have heard of many
that have flood much, in appearance for
Jefus Chrifl, fo that they would bow,
and do homage to the very found and
fyllables of his name ; and yet none more
enemies unto Chrifl than they, being the
very limbs of Antichrifl : Many (faith
Chrifl, Matth. vii. 22, 23, 24, 25.) will
fay to me in that day. Lord, Lordj have ive
5 Hearing the "Word.
i Receiving the Sacraments.
^Praying.
Ordinary, as 1^ Reading.
(^Suffering.
„ J. c Falling.
lExtraordmary,as^P^^^j^g^
7iot prophejied in thy name, and in thy
name caft out devils, and in thy name
done many ivonderful works ? (as if the
name of Chrifl had been a fpell f) And
then will I profefs unto them, I never
knew you ; depart from me, ye that work
iniquity : and thereupon he concludes, that
he only is a wife man, and builds upon the
rock, who hears Chrifl' s fayings, and doth
them. Hence learn, O my foul, that he
that prefTeth to the pradice of the word
of Chrifl, he preacheth Chrifl, he fets up
Chrifl, though he do not diredlly name
Chrifl, or tho' his text be not literally of
Chrifl ; even as a man may have no other
fubje6lofhis fermon but Chrifl, and yet
betray Chrifl. Thus much of duties in
general.
CHAP. III.
Of DU T I E S in T articular.
S E G T. I. is the eye to fee them all well done and
Of the nature of Watchfulnefs, ufed, and therefore we fet it in the front
Atchfulnefs is the firfl and principal of all duties : AVe are to watch unto pray -
help to all exercifes of religion j it cr, Eph. vi, \^, and we are to watch unta
hsay*
W
I 20
hearing, Luke vIH. i8. and we
nvatch unto faftingy Matth. vi. i8. and we
are to ivntch to alms-giving, Matth. vi. i.
and we are to -watch in alt things ^ i Tim.
iv. 5.
Now .for our better dire(flion in the ex-
ercife of this duty,
r Nature,
obferve we the \ Obje(fls.
(_ Manner of it.
For the nature of it : * Watchfulnefs
is a continual, careful obferving of our
ways in all the palfages and turnings of
our life, that we ftill keep clofe to the
Written word of God.' Keep thy heart in
all diligence, Prov. iv. 23. Ifaid, I ivill
take heed to my ivays, that I Jin not with
my tongue, Pfal. xxxix. i . Whereivithjhall
a young man cleanfe his way ; by taking
heed thereto, according to thy word, Pfal.
cxix. 9.
SECT. 11.
Of the objects of Watchfulnefs.
TH E objeft of our watch is either, i.
Evil works, or fin. 2. Good works,
or duties, or any thing, in its own being,
good.
I. Watch we muft over fin,
Original fin, or, cor-
WATC HFU LN ESS.
are to about us, obferve we thefe rules
More general, -^
More fpccial, as,
Sins oj our
rupt Nature.
A6iual Sin,
^ Calling.
Conjtitution.
1 Watch we mufl: over any thing, in
its own being, good ; and herein if we
look for the adequate cbjeft, including
every thing that ought to be watched,
r Hearts,
It is either ^ Tongues, q which
(_ A6\ions, J
liowfocvcr good in thcmfelves, yet, if we
watch not, tliey will ibon contract evil.
SECT. III.
Of the Manner of JVatchfulncfs over Sin
Original.
THAT we may watch over fin original,
or that iinvard corruption we carry
1. Let us take matter and motives lo
humble our fouls under the fight and fcnfe
of this inherent pollution. And to that
purpofe, conlider we the rueful complaints
of the holieft faints againft it ; wretched
man that lam, (faith Paul, Rom. vii. 24.)
who fhall deliver me from the body of this
death P Behold, I was fhapen in iniquity,
(faid David, Pfal. li. 5.) and in Jin did my
mother conceive we. Did not God in Chrift
accept of our complaining, flriving, griev-
ing, and hating this, how could we find
any comfort ?
2. Let us pray againftit, that tho' it be
in us, yet it may not hurtus,nor be imput-
ed tons: That God would give us his Spirit
to bridle our corruption, and efpecially
that he would give us the Spirit of fanfti-
fication, that he would cleanfe us from
this filth more and more, that he would
feafon the fountain, and at lafi dry it up.
3. Let us ftrive after contrary holinefs,
and endeavour the reformation of our na-
tures and lives ; Put we off the old man,
which is corrupt, according to the deceit-
jul lujls, and be we renewed in the fpirit
of Gurmind, Eph. iv. 22, 23.
4. Let us confider the promifes of re-
miflion, and thofc privileges which the
faints have in the blood of Chrifl ; and let
us aftuateand exercife our faith in refpcft
of fuch promifes : / htew that thou would/}
deal treacheroujly (faith God) and that
thou waft called a tranfgrrjjor jrom the
womb ; yet for my name's Jake, will I de-
Jer mine anger., and for my praife will I
refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off,
Ifa. xlviii. 8, 9.
SECT. IV.
Of the manner of Watchfulnefs over Sins
J^ual.
THAT we may watch over a(f\ual fins,
obferve* we thtfe diredlions:
I. Avoid we all occafions of evil : Be
afraid not only ofthe fire and flame, but
of the very fmoak of fin: it is dangerous
to
WArCHF U L NESS.
Ill
to approach near the whirl-pit, or, lo play give confent, can hecaufe you to fin.
about the hole of the afp, or the den of the
cockatrice ; and therefore prayed David,
Turn aivay mine eyes from beholding vani-
ty, Pfal. cxix. 37. notmy heart only from
affefling it, but my eyes aifo from behold-
ing it : There is a fl\utting of the eyes from
beholding evil, brought in, amongft other
duties, by the prophet Ifaiah, ch. xxxiii.
15, 16, to which is affixed this promife,
that fuch a one fhall dwell on high, his
3. Confefs we our fins, mourn we for
fin, and efpecially labour we for hatred of
fin ; The fear of the Lord is to hate evil^
Prov. viii. 13. not only to forbear it, but,
as the apoflle fpeaks, to abhorr it, Rom.
xii. 9. as the meat that fometimes we have
furfeited of, our ftomach naufeates and
goeth againftit : fo Ihould our hearts rife
againll fin; And to this purpofejConlidcr we
I. The foulnefs of fin ; it is foakr than
place of defence fhall be the munition of the foulcll fiend in hell. 2. The illnefs oP
rocks. fin : it is a greater ill than the damnation
of a man's foul, or than the deftrudlion of
all the creatures in the world. 3. The ih-
fec^ioufnefs of fin, it is of that peftilential
property, that it pollutes every thing it
comes near. 4. The pernicioufnefs of fin ;
it deprives us of God's favour, of our part
and portion of the blood of Ghrifl, of the
providence of that blefi!ed Trinity j of the
guard of angels, of the communion of
faints, of heaven's joy ; and it brings up-
on us infinite forrows, as blindnels of
mind, hardnefs of heart, deadnefs of fpirit,
defperate thoughts, horror of thoughts.
2. Refill we the temptations to fin : It
may be, notwithftanding of all our care,
temptations will offer themfelves, and
urge us to evil, but then we mufi con-
flantly refill, and this is praife-worthy ;
if a man keep him felffober, when he can-
not come to wine, or flrong drink, it is
nothing ; but for a man to be care-
ful not to break the bounds of fobriety,
when he Ihall be in a place where wine is
plenty, and no refiraint of it, and where
company will be urging him to take more
than is meet, that is true temperance in-
deed : If a man live chafily, when he wants vexation of fpirit, and, without repent-
his leud company, it is nothing ; but for ance, all the terrors of hell. 5, Chrift's,
a Jofeph, Cfued and fought to by his mif- fufferings for fin ; fiiall we not hate him,'
trefs, yea, urged and follicited day after that kills our friend, brother, father ? how
day to condefcend to her adulterous de- much more fin, that put to death the Lord
fires) to refufe then, and to choofe rather of life, who is indeed our deareft friend,
lofs of prefent liberty by not finning, than brother, father. Saviour ? Look on Chrift
to gain further preferment by confenting crucified, and fee if this will not make us
to fin, this is true chafiity indeed. Away hate fin.
then with thofe idle apologies, * I was ur- 4. Believe, and by faith expeft viaory
ged to fin, I was provoked to leudnefs,' over our fin ; yea, by that faith in which
&c. Neither man nor devil can compel we have confelfed, mourned, prayed, let
you to fin, unlefs you will your own felf : us reft perfuaded, That fuch means fliall
X ' The devil may perfuade, intice, fug- not be ufed of us in vain : Olift we up the
geft, and provoke, but he cannot inforce hand of faith towards heaven, and lay
nor conftrain'; nor, unlefs your own hearts
\ SiiaJcre&foUicitare poteft, cofcreomnino nonpoteft. j^ug. Hem,
torn cogcndi. Idem in Pfalin xci. «>- in John xii.
R
Habet aftutian) fuaJcndi, non poterta
hold
122
hold on the promifcs of pardon, on the
mercy of God in Chrifl Jefus.
SECT. V.
Of the fnanner of IVatchfuInefs over Special
Sins .
THAT -we may watch over our fpe-
ctal fins, our Dalilah fins, our dar-
ling delights, obferve we thefe rules :
1. Endeavour we the mortifying of this
Tin : Some one fin there is in every foul
of us that is moft predominant. Now it is
the main work of a Chriflian, as to fall
out for ever with all fin, fo efpecially to
improve all his fpi^itua! forces and aid from
heaven, utterly to deraolirti and to beat
down to the ground this hold, this bofom-
iln.
2. Lay we load of deepefl: groans, and
flrongeft cries for mortifying grace againfl
this domineering fin ; efpecially every
jnorning and evening drive with God in
our prayers for a comfortable conquefl o-
ver it, inforce and inlarge that paflage with
jrn extraordinary pang of fervency, cry we
mightily to God for power and ftrength a-
gainft this luft, that continually wars a-
gainft the foul.
3. Bend we ourfelves againfl the fpecial
a£ls, occafions, and opportunities of this
fin ; as, fuppofe Rafh-anger, the fin which
a man fifteth and purfueth to the extirpa-
tion of it ; in this cafe, he ihould refolve
with himfelf not to fpeak harthly, nor to
Jook fiercely, nor to ufe any churlifh be-
haviour, whether his fervant difpleafe him
with negligence, or his friend offend him
with unfaithfulnefs, or his enemy provoke
him with ill language, or ibme malicious
dealing.
4. As oft as we find any motion of this
fm to ffir, and fhew itfelf in us, it will
be convenient, not only to withhold our
confcnt.but withal, to exercife fome a(fl of
contrary holinefs; As, fuppofe Defire of
Revenge be the fin, which ftirreth up our
blood, aad boilcth within us, we mwA not
WATC HFU LNESS.
only forbear to avenge ourfelves, but alfo
bend ourfelves to pray for him that hath
offended us ; and, if he hunger, to feed
him; if he thirji^ to give him drink.
5. Settle we in ourfelves a purpofe of
heart to forbear it for time to come : In
undertaking of which purpofe, it will be
expedient to fet ourfelves fome fhortfpace
of time, in which we may force ourfelves
to the forbearance of it, as for a day,
or a month,or the like : and when the pre-
fixed time is come, we fhould then quefti-
on ourfelves, ' How well we have perfor-
med ? or how, or wherein we have fail-
ed V And then begin a new purpofe, and
prefcribe ourfelves a like time, for fhun-
ning of the fame fin ; and fo on from time
to time, till we have gotten a full vicflory.
6. If in our daily or monthly review we
find that we have been defef^ive in perfor-
ming of what we had propofed, then with
an holy revenge we fhould correal our
former errors, beg pardon for our defefts,
and puniili ourfelves for fuch flothfulnefs,
or willfulnefs, by abffinence from meat,
eale, recreation ; Keeping under your bo-
dies, and bringing thsm in fubjeSiion, i
Cor. ix. 27* by mulct, or forfeiture of
fome portion to the poor, whereby we
may feel fmart : This holy revenge is
commended by the apoftle, a Cor. vii.
29. as a worthy fruit of ferious repen-
tance.
7. Above all, without which all the refl
are nothing. * Believe the promifes of par-
don in the blood of Chrifl ;' It is faith in
the promifes which will be able to cleanfe,
and purge the heart from this fin : If the
blood of bulls and of goats, faith the a-
poftle, and the ajhes of an heifer, fprink-
ling the unclean, fandlifictb to the purify-
ing of the fief}}, how much more ftjall the
blood of Chr if}, "who through the eternal
Spirit offered himfelf without fpot to God^
purge your confciencc from dead works, to
ferve the living God ? Heb, ix. 13, 14.
The fenfe is, When a man hgth once ap-
plyed
WATC H FU LNES S.
plyed the blood of Chrift for his juflifica-
tion, this effe6l will follow it, that there
will accompany it a certain vigour, virtue,
power, and (Irength, which will alfo purge
his confcience from dead works ; there will
go a power of the Spirit together with this
blood, that fhall not only forbid him, and
(liew him that he ought not to do fuch and
fuch evil things, but it fliall cleanfe his con-
fcience from thofe roots of dead works,
thofe corrupt lulls and finful affeftions,
that are in him, and that difpofe him to
that evil : Now this power is gotten by ap-
plying the blood,/, e. by applying thepro-
mife of pardon and forgivenefs by the
blood of Jefus Chrift : Let no man think
by his own ftrength to prevail againft any
luft; it is not our endeavouring, prajang,
bending ourfelves againft the fpecial a<^s
and occafions, exercifing fome afls of con-
trary holinefs, purpofing to forbear it, pii-
ni(hing ourfelves for it (if gone about by
our own might, and power, and ftrength)
will ever kill this fin : No, no, we muft do
all thefeat the feet of Ghrift,and draw virtue
from Chrift ; we muft believe the promifcs,
get aftii ranee of pardon, get aftlirance of
God's love to us in Chrift ; we muft labour
to delight in God, toget communion with
Chrift, and then our hearts will grow to
an application of the commandment ; and
whereas before they refifted it, rebelled a-
gainft it, they will then cleave to it, and
love it and delight in it, and receive an im-
prefTion from it. This, I take it, is the
meaning of that text, 2 Pet. i. 4. Whereby
arc given to us exceeding great and preci-
ous promifes, that by thefe we might be par-
takers of the divine nature, having efcap-
ed the corruption that is in the world thro*
luft ; q. d. By believing the promifes we
are made partakers of the godly nature,
and we overcome our corruptions and
lufts : Confona'nt to which, is that of the
aportle, Know ye not, that as many as are
baptifed into Chrift, are baptifed into his
death? Rom. vi. 3. q. d, as many as are
12'
baptifed into Chrift, for reconciliation with
God, muft needs be baptifed into his
death ; they muft be dead to fin, as he was
dead : We cannot be baptifed into him for
reconciliation or juftification, but wemuft
be baptifed likewife for mortification of
the flefh, and for refurrcfiion to newnefs
of life. To wind up all in a word, he
that hath the ftrongeft faith, that believes
in the greateft degree, ' the promifes of
pardon and remiffion;' he hath the holieft
heart, the moft mortified life : .Sanftifica-
tion and mortification arifefrom that root
of juftification. The blood of Chrift hath
not only a power to wafti us from the
guilt of fin, but alfo to cleanfe us, and
purge us from the power and ftain of fin :
And therefore I fay, the beft way to get a
great degree of fanflification, the beft way
to get a greater meafure of the graces of
the Spirit, the beft way to mortify our fin-
ful lufts, the beft way to watch over our
fpecial fins, is to labour to grow in faith,
in the ' belief of thofe promifes of the gof-
pel of Chrift ;' and this would be wellob-
ferved by thofe that are a little legally by-
afled, or carried to mortifie fin only by
vows, promifes, ftiunning occafions, re-
moving temptations, ftridlnefs and feverlty
in duties, fear of hell and judgments, fcarce
rifing fo high for their mortification, as
Chrift. Now thefe in them (elves arc but
empty weak means of prevailingagainft fin,
like the mighty fails of a fiiip without
wind and tide ; no queflion but fiiunning
occafions, ftri(5\nefs and feverlty in dutict,
watchfiilnefs, 6t. dwell in their place and
order, like oars in a boat (§ce Saltmarlh,
Free-grace, page 68.) which tho' \i be car-
ried with the tide, if well managed, yet
they may help it to go the fafter : Howfo-
ever, it is Chrift crucified which is the pow-
er of all in all ; it is Chrift lifted up as
Mofes litted up the ferpent, which ftrikcs
more foundnefs into the wounded be-
holder, than any other way ; wherein lome
have toiled ail their time for power over
R 2 cor
124
corruptions, end like Peter have caught
little or nothing, becaufe Jefus Ghrift was
not in the company.
SECT. VI.
Of the munner of Watchfulnefs over our
Hearts.
THAT we may watch over our hearts,
obferve we thefe direcftions.
I . Guard we the windows of our fouls,
the fenfes : I made a covenant ivith mine
eyes^fa\d Job, ivky then fhouid 1 think upon
a maid? Job xxxi. i. Turn mine eyes
from beholding vanities, faid David, and
quicken thou me in thy luay, Pfalm cxix.
37. It is incrediblei^what a deal of polluti-
on and ill the devil conveys infcnfibly into
the heart, thro' thefe flood-gates of fin,
Jind therefore we had need to watch over
ihc fenfes.
2- Go we down into our hearts, and
confider well all our thoughts ; thefe if
WA TCH FU LNESS.
accufing, Ifa. xxxiii. 14. 18. There Hisrlt
thou meditate terrors, and fludy God's
wrath, together with thy own fins and
miferies, for ever and ever.
4. Refifl: and cruQi we every exorbitant
thought which draws to fin, at the very
firrt rifing : Is tiie temptation flrong ? En-
counter it with this dreadful Dilemma ; 'If
I commit this fin, either I muft repent, or
not repent; If I repent, it will cofl me
more heart-break and fpiritual fmart, be-
fore I can purchafe affurance of pardon
and peace of confcience, than the fenfual
pleafure can be worth ; If I never repent,
it will be the death and damnation of my
foul.'
5. Lodge we not fo much as light
thoughts, unprofitable or vain thoughts in
our hearts; they will fiill be entring in,
whilfl we are in rhefe houfes of clay, yet
lodge they"" muft not. Hence the apofile,
Eph. iv. 26. Let not the fun go down upon.
good, will bring forth good fruit ; and if your ivrath\ q. d. If thoughts of anger
evil, they are the parents and begetters of
Jill fins, thefirfi plotters and contrivers of
all treafons and rebellions of our life, the
l.fllows as it were and incendiaries of all
inordinate aifeffions, the panders to all o-
ther lufts, that 'take thought to provide
for the fatisfying of them ;' the difturbers
of all good duties, that interrupt, and foil,
Dnd fly-blow all our prayers,that they ftink
in the noflrilsofGod ; and therefore con-
lider and weigh well all our thoughts; for as
cur thoughts are,fo be our affedtions, pray-
ers, fpeeches, actions.
3. Let us make confcience of our
thoughts: By ihcm cfpecially do we fiinc-
tifie, or fin againfl: (jod ; by them efpecl-
rlly do we evidence ourfelvcs,ro bcfinccre-
hearted Chriltians, or diffembling hypo-
crates; by them efpecially, will the Lord
judge us at the lafl day, when he will make
manifefi the counfels of our hearts, i Cor.
iiv. 5. By them efpecially, if we will not
make confcience of them, will God lafh
lis in hell to ail eternity, even by Thoughts
come in, in the morning or day time, tiiey
mufl be turned out ere night ; or if idle
thoughts offer to come to bed to thee, let
them not lodge with thee. I deny not but
many good thoughts and motions may pafs,
as firangers thro' a bad man's heart, and
multitudes of vain thoughts and motions
may make a thorough-fare of a believer's
heart, and diflurb him in good duties, by
knockings, and interruptions, and break-
ings in upon his heart, but flill tliey lodge
not there, they are not there foficred and
harboured.
6. Forget and flifle \ve nil thoughts of
finful anions already palfcd. The mind
is very apt to run over the paflages and
circumflances of the fame fins, long fince
committed, with a new and freh deligln ;
this argues wickednefs of heart, and fuch
as when it is ordinary witb the heart
to do fo, is not compatible with grace :
l^hat fruit had ye oftlxfe things whereof
ye are noxu ajhamed? Rom. vi. 21. All
that the laints reap out of fuch fiuits, is
Iliamc
WATCH F ULNESS.
{bame and forrow, and many a fad figh :
Ji^hen Ephraim remembred his /ins, he was
afhamed and repented ; a truly ran<^iHed
foul will hate the appearance o! his former
fins, and will have his hcarc inHamed with
a zeal ond revenge againfl it. W^hat, do
you repent to your felves your old fins
with delight ? This provokes God exceed-
ingly, you thereby Aand to, "and make
good your former a6t ; you (hew a delight
125
into captivity every thought to the obedi-
ence of ChrtJ}, 2 Cor. x. 5. If thy change
in words, actions and all outward car-
riages were angelical, yet if thy thoughts
be finful and unfancftified, thou art a limb
of Satan ftill : Purity in the inward parts
is the mofl found evidence of our portion
in the purity and power of Chrift. Je-
rufalem, xvafh thine heart from ivicked-
nefs, that thou mayejl be faved : How long
to rack in thofe wounds you have given JJiall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ?
Chrill already ; ' and therefore in hell it Jer. iv. 14. God feeth, faith the Pfalmifl,
•u'ill prove the greatef> gall, to remember and underftandeth our thoughts afar offy
your old iins: every circumflance in every
iin then, will be as a dagger in your hearts.
O fludy not thefe thoughts, forget them,
ftiflethem !'
7. Entertain all good motions put into
your hearts, by the bleffed Spirit, howfo-
ever occafioned ; whether by the miniflry
of the word, mindfulnefs of death, chrifti-
an admonition, reading fome good book,
fome fpecialcrofs,or extraordinary mercv;
feed, enlarge and improve them to the ut-
mofi:, fo fnall we preferve our hearts in a
foft.comfortable temper, and heaven- ward,
which is a fingularhappinefs.
8. Endeavour we to preferve and keep
up lively, holy and fpiritual affedions, and
fuffer them not to cool ; or if we have
grown remifs, endeavour to recover thofe
affedtions again. Thoughts and affe<^ions
arc mutual caafes of each other ; IVhilfi I
mufed, the fire burned, faid David, Pfal,
xxxix. 3. And again, How love J thy law?
It is my meditation day and night , Pfal.
cxix. 97. ' I. His thoughts were the bel-
lows that kindled and inJlamed his aifefti-
ons : And 2. His affections inllamed, made
his thoughts to boil, and to meditate on
God's law day and night. Hence it is that
men newly converted to God, having new
and (Iron^ affections, can .vith more plea-
fure think of God than any elfe can.'
9. Let us captivate and conform all the
thpughts and imaginationsof our licart?,to
t^e rules and fovereignty of grace ; Bring
Pfal. cxxxix. 2. And hence it is tha^ many
humble fouls, fenfible of their fccret fins,
in the^prefence of God's pure eye, are
more grieved (fetting afide ill example, and
fcandals) for the rebellioufnefs of their
thoughts, than the exorbitancy of their
aftions,for of thefe the world fees the worflj
but concerning the other, it cuts them to
th^ heart, that they are not fo well able
to preferve their inward parts in purity,
towards the all-fearching eye of God, as
their words and adlionsinPlaufiblenefs ta-
wa-rds man.
10. Get we our hearts poifeft with deep,
flrongand powerful apprehenfionsand im-
preffions of G od's holinefs, majelty, omni-
fcience : If any thoughts be of power to
fettle, fix and draw in the mind of man,
they are thoughts of him. What is the
reafon that faints and angels in heaven have
not a vain thought to eternity, but that
their eye is never off him .^ AVe find.by
experience, able/fed means to avoid dillrac-
tionsin prayers, to enlarge a man's thoughts
in his preparations before, or at the be-
ginning, if with a coniideration of Gods
attributes and relations to us, he fets on the
duty.
1 1. Let us elevate, and often lift up cur
hearts towards heaven ;• Confider the bli/s-
ful depths of God's boundlefs mercies in
Chrid ; confider the glory, the evcrlaliing-
nefs, the unutterable excellencies of tha:
immortal ihining crown above, which af-
ter
126
WATCHFULNESS,
ter this life (and this life is but a bubble,
a fmoak, a (hadow, a thought) (hall be fet
on our hea-ds by the hand of God ; a very
glimpfe whereof is able to fweeten the blt-
terert griefs that can be, and to difpel thofe
mills of fading vanities, which the world
(heated by the fire of inordinate lufts) is
wont to evaporate and interpofe betwixt
the fight of mens fouls, and the blifs of
heaven.
12. Let us fpend fome thoughts, yea
many thoughts, about the faving excellen-
cies of Jefus Chrifl: ; confider the wonder
of our redemption, the mod admirable,
and molt aftonill^ng plot of the bleffed
- Trinity, fitting in council about the faving
of our fouls; a myftery which the angels
. ftoop down to pry into, an orient pearl,
that will out-fhine all the fparkling jewels
of the whole creation ; confider the love-
letters of Chrifl: in his glorious gofpel,- the
love-tokens he hath fent to our dear fouls.
* And ah! "What flames of divine affefti-
on ? What raptures of zeal ? What ravifli-
ments of delights ? What brinilla forrows,
and great indignation againft fin ? What
extafies of obedience can be enough for
our blefiTed Lord, and deareft redeemer V
SECT. VIL
Of the Manner of Watchfulnefs over our
Tsngues.
THAT we may watch over the
tongue, two things muft: be heeded:
1. That it be not unfeafonably idle.
2. That it be not finfully exercifed.
' That it be not unfeafonably idle ;' and
herein obferve thofe generally, and much
neglected duties of chriflian reproof, and
of heavenly difcourfc.
I . For chriflian reproof, obferve thefe
Direftions :
1 . If a brother be overtaken with a fault,
or fome lefs otfence, admoniflj him in the
Jpirit of mecknefs, confidering thyfdj, left
thou alfo be tenjptedy Gal. vi. i.
2. If he oiicnd more grievoufly, then
reprove hkn freely, andfuffer not fin to rej}
upon his foul y Lev. xix. 17.
OhjeSl. But in this cafe, when, or how
muft we reprove ?
Sol. This cafe is cloathed with fuch va-
riety of circumftances, and conflancy of
alterations, that we cannot give any par-
ticular Directions ; only, the chriflian that
is perplexed what to do, let him confult
with thefe bofom-counfellors :
r. With his fpiritual wifdom ; it is that
mufl: fuggefl: to him, when, and how to re-
prove, whether prefently upon it, orfome-
times afterwards ; whether dire<Sily and
downright, or indireftly and by intimati-
on ; whether perfonally, or in the general ;
whether in a fair and milder manner, or
with a more bold and refolute fpirit; whe-
ther only by difcountenance, or by dif-
courfe, he,
2. With his heart: a reproof muft not
fpring from any imperious humour of cen-
furing, and meddling with his brethren ;
from any fecret ambitious defire, to pur-
chafe an opinion and reputation of holi-
nefs to himfelf, or from any other by-end,
but from an heart truly humbled with a
fight and fenfe of its own infirmities, gra-
cioufly refolved into compaflion and com-
miferation of the offender, and lifted up
in a fecret fupplication for the fuccefs of
the reproof, and falvation of the party, all
at once to God's throne of grace.
2. For fpiritual and heavenly difcourfe,
obferve thefe directions.
I. Apprehend all opportunities and oc-
currences which may minilter matter of
digreflion from worldly talk, into divine
difcourfe. It is pity that profeffors fhould
ever meet, without (ome talk of their
meeting in heaven, or of the blefiTed ways
and means that lead thereunto ; and there-
fore by fome wife tranfition, turn thou
the current of the difcourfe towards fome
heavenly good : it was the praiftice of our
Saviour, upon mention of bread, he preft;
upon his difciples a diffuafion from the /c?tr-
WATCUF
vett of the Pharifees, Mat. xvi. 5, 6. And
upon occafion of drink being denied him
by the Samaritan woman, John iv. 10. he
(forgetting his weaiinefs, hunger and thirfl)
labours to allure her to the well-head of e-
verlafting happinefs.
2. Have ever in a readinefs forae com-
mon heads of more ftirring and quickning
motives to mind heavenly things ; as the
curfed condition of our natural ftate, the
dear prrchafe of Ghrift to redeem our fouls,
the incomparable fweetnefs of chriftian ways,
the vanity and vexations of earthly things,
the uncertainty and raifery of this fliort
life, the everlaftingnefs of our flate in ano-
ther world, the terrors of death, the dread-
fulnefs of that great and lafl day drawing
on now apace, the horrors of damned
fouls, <bc. Mention of ihefe things many
times may ftrike full cold to the heart of
themoft fenfuai Beljlmzzer, and drive him
into his dumps; and by God's bleffing may
fometimes prepare the hardeft hearts, for
fome thoughts of reraorfe, and more hea-
venly impreflions.
3 . Get we into our hearts a habit of more
heavenly-mindednefs, by much exercife,
and intercourfe, and acquaintance with
God, by often contemplation, and forecaft
of the fweetnefs, glory and eternity of thofe
manfions above, by reflecting on time pafl,
how long thy foul was detained in the (late
ofdarknefs, what bitternefs and terrors it
pafled thro' in the pangs of its new birth,
what relapfes and defertions it hath been
incident to, ever fince that time to this;
and being thusbulied at home in our own
hearts, we fhall find ourfelves much more
pregnant and plentiful in holy talk when
■we come abroad : men for the mofl part
fpeak moO, and moft willingly of thofe
things they mind moft ; fuch provifions
within, will make the tongue fo ready, that
it cannot be unfeafonably idle.
2. Watch we muft over the tongue, that
it be not finfully exercifed ; and herein ob-
ferve thefe diredions.
ULNESS, ' 127
Be dumb to all unfavoury communicati-
on ; as lying, fwearing, curfing, «drc. O
how do thefe fins wound the heart of
Chrift, and crucifie again the Lord of
glory ?
2. Be filent from flandering, backbiting,
falfe accufing, cenfuring : A true heart is
ever moft angry and difpleafed with, moft
eagle-eyed, and watchful over, moft ftri£t
and fevere againft its own fins ; which
home-bred imployment haply hmders, and
Moderates a man from too much medling
abroad.
3. Give not that "which is holy unto dogs y
neither ca/i your pearls before fwine, left
they trample them under their feet, and
turn again and rent you. Mat. vii. 6, By
dogs are meant obftinate enemies, that
malicioufly revile the minifters of the word,
and the mefTengers thereof: by Swine are
njeant thofe fottiih, fcurrile v/retches, who
fcornfully and contemptuoufly trample
under foot all holy inflrudions, reproofs,
admonitions, tendered unto them by any
chriftian out of the word of truth. Now
if accidentally fuch a fon of Belial, or
fcoffing Idimael, be in our company, we
are commianded by Ghrift to fay nothing,
at leafl of the confolations of Ghrift, of
the fpecial promifes of Ghrift, of the gen-
tle entreaties of the gofpel of Ghrift. Gon-
fider this, and tremble, all ye that are fcorn-
ful, and furious oppofites to the purity
and power of the word ; is is the Lord's
will that you ftiould runfurioufi/ towards
the pit of hell, and that ncrbo^y fhould ftay
you ; not a man muft call and cry unto
you, to tell you of fuch things as are pe-
culiar to the faints, in way of application
to you ; But he that is filthy, let him he fil-
thy flill, Rev. xxii. ir. * Let him drink,
be drunk, defpair, and be damned :' All
this while not a word of comfort belongs
to you.
128 WATCHFVLNESS.
Contrafts, Covenants, Dealing?, negotl-
Of the Marnier of ivatchfultjefs over our ations, etc. obferve thefe directions,
Aciiom. I. Think we ferlcufly and folemnly of
OUR a(niors are either natural, civil, or that principle, ' Do as thou wouldtfl be
religious. done by: in a fellow-feeling real conctit,
In all which obferve thefe direifHons. put thyfclf into the place, and impartially
I . Concerning natural aftions.as Eating, put on the perfon of the party with whom
t)rinking, Sleeping, Vifitations, recreati- thou art to deal, and then returning to th}'-
ons, etc. no conftnnt rule can be prefcrib- felf, deal out and proportion unto him that
ed,t becaufe it is much diverfified by health, raeafure in every particular, which thou
ficknefs, age, conftitution ; and every one wouldeft be willing to receive at another's
hath either learned by his own experience, hand, if thou were in his cafe : Whatfoe-
what feafons, and proportions of fuch na- vcr (faith our Saviour) ye -would that men
tural helps are fitteft for his temperament, Jhould do to you, do ye even fo to them :
or he is mofl: un\wrihy of that precious for this is the law and the prophets, Matth.
'thing (an underftanding foul) which he vii. 12.
bears in his bofom ; only let me inform 2. Abhor with an infinite difdain, to get
"chriflians, * That they may fin in any of any thing by any wicked means, wrong
thefe a6tions,and therefore let them beware doing, or unconfcionable dealing. \^'e may
and watch over themfelves in the ufe and allure ourfelvcs in fuch cafes, * That be-
enjoyment of thefe things, which howfo- lldes the fecret grumbling of our felf-accu-
ever lawful in their own nature, yet by fing confciences, the angry eye of God
our corruption arecapableofinordinatenefs fees fecretly our doings, and will ihortl}',
and cxcefs.' Some are of opinion, * That and moft certainly revenge.'
chriftians are in more danger of being fpi- 3. Let our defire and delight never faf-
rltu'ally undone, by a file infinuation and ten itfelf immoderately upon any earthly
infnarementof licentioufnefsand immode- thing, tho' never fo excellent : exorbitan-
ration in fuch lawful things, than by the cy and error this way, brings many times
grofs affaults of foul fins and temptations; with it either a lofs of the thing fo doted
their hearts may rife againft any work of on, or it may be a crofs, or howfoever a
darknefs, as adulter}', murder, fwearing, curfe. O confider we the vanity of thefe
profaning the Lord's day, fpeculative wan- earthly things ! confider we the glories a-
tonnefs, (be. which yet may too often be bove! Methinks this one prefcrvative would
infenfibly feized upon, by an exceffive fin- be powerful enough to keep the heart of
ful delight, in things unfinful in them- every chriflian from doling upon the world,
("elves ; and therefore we had need to or fuffering it to be poifelfed thereof, it is
watch over our natural anions.' this, ' Every chriflian by a fruitful faith,
2. Concerning civil aflions, as Bargains, may be allured of a crown of life, either
byalfurance of adherence, or evidence, or
f Only we may, in gmcial, (according to Bieroclcs, in his excellent commentary) advife every man to ufe fuch
drink, meat, aid cxcrcifc. as will render the body obedient to the commands of virtue, and as v\ill not provoke
the (enfual'and bmtal pit to be r< frj<ftory and iiniuly againfl rca!on that guides it: every roan ou^ht to ab-
lldin from allhi'.'.Ii feeding, becaufe it makes the body heavy and fluggilh, and drags the foul into all fortsof earthly
and carnal aflc<ni'on As to the quantity and lime of citing ik^. every one is, or ougfit to be, the fittcll judge
himfelf. Moderation in (iieh things is bift. This condemns all excefs in thefe fou of things, and excludes what-
ever is Inirtful, and that dcbafes and drags down the foul, which afpircs Inwards the iuttlliger.ee, that is, towards
God. — HicrocliS' commcntaiy upon the Golden \ crfLs,id. iidiiion, p. 116, 130.
both :
WATCH F
both : Now if that once a day he (hould
take a ferious furvey of the glory, ever-
laftiugnefs, and unutterable excellencies
of that immortal crown, which our dear
Redeemer holds for him in his hand, ready
to fet upon his head, when he Ihall be dif-
folved from this vale of tears ; methinks
it were able fo to dull the edge, and diflblve
the droflinefs, of all earthly defires, that
they Ihould never be able to heat or harden
his heart any more.
3. Concerning religious actions, as me-
ditating, hearing, reading, fafting, praying,
almfgiving, <bc. obferve thefe dired^ions.
I. in general. 2- in fpecial.
1. In general, obferve, ' That we draw
and derive from Chrift by theattraf^ive force
of faith, fpecial abilities, i. To perform
all duties. 2. Toexercife all graces. 3. To
refift and overcome all temptations and
corruptions which fliall befal us.' To this
purpofe are thofe promifes of grace and
itrength, Ifa. 3{.iiv. 3. Ezek. xxxvi. 27.
Zech. X. 12. John i. 16. And thefe are fe-
curities, given us from God, that we (hall
receive grace through duties, which are the
conduit-pipes or inftruments of conveying
the fame into the foul from Chrift. This
is to do all in the ftrength of Chrift, and
to take forth a great deal of Ghrift into the
foul, fo that not /, but Chriji may live in
me, Gal. ii. 20.
2. In fpecial, obferve thefe direflions.
1. That before the doing of duties, we
remove all lets and impediments which may
hinder, and improve all occafions which
may forward us thereunto.
2. That in doing of them, we behave
our felves well and wifely, performing
ihem rightly and religioufly.
3. After all is done, that we be careful
all be not loft through our own vilenefs,
and vicioufnefs^, privy pride, or fecret hy-
pocrifie.
For inftance, would we -watch unto
ULNESS. iicj
prayevy as the apoftle injoins us, Eph. vi.
18.
1 . Then, before we fall on our knees,
let us ftiake off three impoifoning and hea-
vy hindrances, which otherwife will clog
and clip the wings of our prayers, that
they will never be able to afcend up into
heaven ; as Sin, Anger, and Diftruft ; and
let us polTefs ourfelves of three excellent
helps and inflaming furtherances; the Firfl:
is a right apprehenfion of God's dreadful-
nefs, purity, power, ^c. The Second
is, a true fenfe of our own vilenefs, abo-
minablenefs, nothingnefs, isc. The Third
is, an hearty furvey of the infinitenefs,
and unexprelTiblenefs of God's bounty,
bleffings and compaflionate forbearance to-
wards us.
2 . After we are down on our knees, i .
Repel with an undaunted fpirit, Satan's
blafphemous injeftions. 2. Watch over
ihe world with care and timely oppofiti-
on, that if it be poffible, not an earthly
thought may creep into our heart all the
while. 3. Strive to hold our hearts in hear,
as well in confelFion as deprecation, in de-
precation as petition ; as well for purity
of heart, as for pardon of fin throughout :
prayer is the creature of the holy Ghoft,
every part whereof we fhould heartily wifh,
and earneftly wreftle, that he would pro-
portionally animate and enliven, even as
the foul doth the body.
3. After we ars rifen ofF our knees, i.
Take heed of refting in the duty, take heed
of privy pride, and fecret hypocrifie, take
heed of returning with the dog to his vo-
mit. 2. Purfueand prefs after the things
prayed for, by a timely apprehenfion, fruit-
ful exercife, and utmoll improvement of
all occafions, and heavenly offers, which
may any ways concur to the compaffing
of them: but of this I lliall (peak more
largely, when I come to the du^y of Pray-
er, Thus much of Watchfulnefs.
i CHAP.
( 13^ )
CHAP. IV. SECT. I.
Of the Nature of Self-tnaJ,
WE have done with Watchfulnefs, the
eye that overfees and direds all o-
ther duties. Now to the duties themfelves ;
wherein we (hall follow this method : i . To
confider them as in reference to private per-
fons. 2. As in reference to families. 3. As in
reference to publick alTemblies. Thephilo-
fopher in his method of pra<Slical philofophy,
firft handles Ethicl^, in reference to par-
-ticular perfons ; and then he proceeds to
his Oeconomicks, in reference to fami-
-lies; and, laftly, to his Politicks, in refe-
rence to cities and countries. Of many
particulars arlfe a family; of many fami-
lies is conftituted a city ; the fame order
(hall we follow in thefe divine arts of our
Ethicks, Oeconomicks, and Politicks, And
we ihall firH handle duties in reference to
particular perfonJ ; of which fort are thefe :
1. Self-trial. 2. Self-denial. 3. Expe-
riences. 4. Evidences. 5. Meditation. 6.
Life of Fait/;.
The firft duty is Self trial : and for our
better direftion in the exeicife of this duty,
cbferve we r. 77;*? Nature. 2. The Objeds.
3. The Manner. 4. The Time of it.
For the nature of it ; Self-trial • is a
kind of judiciary proceeding, in which a
man keepeth private feflions at home, paf-
fmg a fentence on his thoughts, words and
actions.
Or, for more diftin^l knowledge, two
forts of anions are implied in this duty of
trial, viz. fome EJfential, fome Accidental.
1. Of the former fort, or of Effentials,
are thefe three, viz. i. Difcuifion. 2. Ap-
plication. 3. Cenfure.
I. Difcuifion is a Shifting of our life and
«lealings, by which we pull things out of
the heap, where before they lay confufed,
and unfeen, and by whicli we fet every fa<ft
of ours in open view, that it may be fcan-
ned, and feen by itfelf what it is.
2. Application is a laying of thefe a(fls,
thus fearched and found out, to the rule
of God's law, which is the touchftone of
all our doings, according to which God
will judge at the laft.day.
3. Cenfure is the judgment that our
minds and confciences give upon our
thoughts, words and deeds, according to
the rule of the law. Thefe three laid to-
gether, make up the nature of this work
of Examination, or Self-trial ; fo that we
may not unfitly defcribe it out of its own
principles, thus ;
' Self trial is a difcuflion of a man's
life, that his thoughts, words and deeds
may be feen, and cenfured according to
the rule of God's law.'
2. Of the latter fort, or of Accidentals,
are thefe two, viz.
The one going before. Self-trial. The
other following after it.
1. That which goes before it, isapurpofe
to better a man's fpiritual eflate, viz. by cor-
redling what isamifs, and confirming what
is right.
2. That which follows after, is a prac-
tice of fuch rules as may back our trial,
and make it more effeftual to us: I Ihall
mention only thefe three rules ;
1. That after we have tried, we then
compare our prefent with our former ef-
tate, and confider whether we have increaf-
ed or decayed in grace.
2. That if we have profited in grace, we
then confider by what means we have pro-
fited, that fo we may make more conitant
ufe of fuch means ; or,' if we have decayed
in grace, we then obferve by what temp-
tations we were overcome, that fo our
morf
former errors may make us more wary, and
more refolute againft them for the future.
3. That as ue meet with many occafions
of moment concerning which we had a
purpofe to better our Tpiritual eftate, we
then recaU home our thoughts, and make
ufe of our former refolutions, and prac-
tife what we did purpofe. Out of all thefe
laid together, we may more fully defcribe
it thus:
* Self-trial is a difcuffion of a man's life,
for the finding out the true eftate of a man's
foul towards God, accompanied with a
purpofe and praftice of whatfoever upon
trial (hall appear requifite for the falvati-
on and good of a man's foul.'
SECT. II.
Of the Obje^s of Self-trial.
THE objeft of our trial is either i. evil
works, or fin; or^ 2. good works y or
duties.
1. We muft examine or try our lin in
General and Special.
In General, whether of omillion or
commiffion : For, as in the la fl: judgment,
our Lord will not only give fentence a-
gainft murthers and opprelTions, but a-
gainft vmcharitablenefs, and unmerciful-
nefs, in not feeding the hungry, in not
lodging the flranger, in not clothing the
naked, in not vifiting the fick; fo when
we judge ourfelves, we muft cenfure not '
only our robbing the poor, but our not
relieving the poor ; not only our commif-
ilons of evil, but our omifTions of good.
2. In Special, whether of our calling or
nature : thefe fms may breed fpecial dan-
ger, becaufe \xq are ready to drop into them
of our own difpofitions; and therefore, in
the daily care of our fouls, we had need
to try oxufelves concerning thefe fins.
2. As we muft examine and try our e-
vil works, fo Our good works.
I . Becauf^wearemany times deceived with
fijews, thinking that good which is evil : thus
Paul thought he ftiewed much zeal, when
h^ pufecuted the churches ofChrif}, Phil, iii,
S
SELF-^TRIAL. 151
6. and Micah thought he highly merited
God's favour, when he kept a priej} for
idolatrous ferviccy Judg. xvii. 13.
2. Becaufe in the very works which are
truly good, we do many times intermingle
corruptions of our own, fometimes evU
ends, and fometimes evil thoughts, and
fometimes we perform them in an evil man-
ner ; but always in our beft devotions there
are many imperfe61ions and failings. In-
deed this trial is a duty neceflary to all du-
ties ; if we believe, we muft do it with the
heart, Rom. x. 7. if we fing pfalms, we
muft do it with the Spirit, i Cor. xiv. 15,
if we come to the Lord's Supper, firft Let
a man examine himfelf and fo let him eat,
I Cor. xi. 28. if we pray, we muft there^
in examine : and hence, as fome obferve,
the fame Hebrew word fignifies to pray, and
to judge a man's felf.
But becaufe duties are of feveral forts,
* I. hiward, of the heart. 2. Outward,
of the tongue, and aflions. In trying thefe
three, we ftiall inclufively try all forts of
duties that are in reference to them.
SECT. III.
Of the Manner of trying, ar, examining
our fins in general.
THAT we may try, or, examine our
fins of all forts, obferve thefe rules,
1. Procure we a catalogue of our fins,
both before, and fince our converfion; and
to that purpofe, go we through the com-
mandments one by one, and in each of
them conlider what fins are condemned,
and what duties are enjoined : and hereup-
on queftion with our own hearts, * Whe-
ther have I committed this or that fin ? 2.
Whether have I negle6Vcd this or that duty •"
and as the heart anfwers, be ready to note
down thefe fins whereof we ftand guilty.
2. The fins thus found out, make we a
folemn confeflion to God, with deep hu-
miliarion ; let them be dolorous confcffi-
ons, with grief and forrow for fin and from
a fight and lenfecf it : Thus Ephraim did,
and God was fain to acknowledge it, J have
i fure-
furely heard Ephraim bemoan himfelfy Jer.
xxxi. 1 8. O the Lord loves to hear fuch
bemoaning Ephraims, and fuch bemoaning
confeflions.
3. The fins thus confefled and bewailed,
Jet us judge and condemn ourfelves: this
is that duty inftanced in by the apoftle. If
we iMOuld judge ourfelves, ive vjould not be
judged, I Cor. xi. 31. There is a tribunal
that we (hould every one ere<5l within us,
where confcience is the accufer, reafon the
judge, fear the jaylor, forrow the executi-
oner.
4. After we have thus judged ourfelves,
let us then appeal » God's throne of grace ;
Jet us defire of God falvation in the Lord
Jefus Chrifl ; let us cafl: all our confidence
' on him, who never fails them that put
their truft in him, and in his precious me-
rits.
SECT. IV.
Of the Marnier of trying^ or examining
our fpecial fins .
THAT we may try, or examine our
fpecial llns, our Dalilah fins, obferve
•we thefe rules;:
I. Endeavour we to find out this fin j
and in our fcrutiny we may difcover it by
thefe marks:
I . * That is the Dalilah, which thy own
confcience and the finger of God in the
miniflry many times meets with, and chief-
ly checks thee for,'
2. ' That which thou art lotheft to leave,
haft leaft power to refift, and which moft
hinders the refignation and fubmilfion of
the foul and body to the word and will of
God.'
3. ' That which God often corrects in
thtc, even in the interpretation and guil-
ty acknowledgment of thy felf-accufing
heart ; and, if ever the fvvord of the Spiiit
fhall cleave it from thy bofom (which is in-
finitely to be defired) it will coft the bitter-
til tears, and decpeft groans.'
4. ' Thoughts, plots, and projefts about
SELF'TR lAL,
it (a thoufand to one) ordinarily fnze up-
on thy heart at thy very firfl weiring, if
they have not broken thy fleep, and trou-
bled thee in thy dreams.'
2. The fin once found out, do we pur-
fue it, and make we a folemn confefiion
to God of it: mourn we under it, and de-
fire we help from God for his mortifying
grace.
3. Settle we in ourfelves a purpofe of
heart, to forbear it in time to come : in
undertaking of which purpofe, it will be
expedient to fet ourfelves fomc fiiort fpace
of time, as for a day, or month, <bc. and
when the prefixed time is come, we Ihould
then queftion ourfelves, how well we have
performed, or how, or wherein we have
failed ; and then begin a new purpofe.
4. Be we ever jealous of ourfelves, and
of our infirmity and pronenefs to this fin.
Now we have two grounds of this jealoufy :
1. Left we be deceived about it.
2. Left we be overtaken with it.
I. We may be deceived, in fuppofing
that we are utterly divorced, and quite de-
livered from this bofom -fin, when it is no-
thing fo ; as thus :
1 . We may change only in the outward
form, and not in truth : for inftancc,
' whereas the fame fin of covetoufnefs doth
utter and exprefs itfelf by ufury, fimony,
facrilege, bribery, grinding the faces of the
poor, detaining ill gotten goods, without
reftitution ; we may perhaps infenfibly
glide out of one gulf of gripping cruelty
into another, or, it may be, from one of
thefe more notorious, to fome other Icfs
obferved, and lefs odious in the world, and
yet ftill abide in the chambers of death, and
under the tyranny of this reigning fin.
2. We may furceafe, and refrain from
the outward grofs atls of fuch hateful vil-
lainies, and yet our inwards be ftill defiled
with infatiable fenfual hankerings after
them : for inftance, * whereas the foul fin
of uncleannefs doth afluate itfelf by forni-
cation, adultery, felf-pollulion, immoderate
abufe
SELF-TR lAL.
abufe of the marriage-bed, fpeculative wan-
tonnefs.wemay, perhaps, forbear the exter-
nal afts of uncleannefs, and yetly and lan-
guifh in the delightful revolvings of them
in our mind, in adulteries of thought.
3. We may change the kind of our bo-
fom-fin, in refpe(ft of the matter, form,
objeft, every way ; and yet upon the mat-
ter itfelf, it is but the exchange of one
foul fiend for another. For inftance, ' wan-
tonnefs may be our fweet fm in youth, and
worldlinefs in old age ; Hypocrify may
reign at one time, apoftacy at another ;
Furious zeal for one while, profane irreli-
gioufnefs for another f.
4. We may for a time pull our necks
out of this ftrong yoke of Satan (out of
a melancholic pang of flavilh terror, feri-
ous fore-thought of death, lying everlaft-
ingly in bell) but becaufe it is not the
'work of the word, humbling us foundly
under God's mighty hand, planting faith,
and infufing mortifying power, anon will
this unclean fpirit return, and rule in us
again far more imperiouily than before.
I know it is not impoflible, but that a man
after his converfion, by the fudden fur-
prifal of fome violent temptation, and
cunning train of Satan, may be haled back
to commit his fweet fin again (tho' it be
an heavy cafe, and to be lamented, if it
were poilible, with tears of blood) yet he
never doth, nor never can return to wal-
low in it :again, or to allow it : Here is
the difference, The temporary man, after
his former inforced forbearance, engulphs
himfelf again with more greedinefs into
the fenfuality and pleafures ofhisbofom-
fin, he lies in it, and delights in it, and
hardens himfelf more oblTinately in it :
But the found convert, after a relapfe, his
heart bleeds afrefh with extraordinary bit-
ternefs, and he cries more mightily to God
^33
for the return of his pleafed countenance,
and he prays, and fortifies the breach with
flronger refolution, and more invincible
watchfulnefs againft future afTaults. Ob-
ferve then, if our change be but formal,
outward, miftaken, temporary, we are
ur.erly deceived, and therefore we had
need to be jealous of ourfelves.
2. We may be overtaken with this fin,
before we be aware ; our nature is very apt
to take fire, our corrupt heart is like tin-
der, or gun-powder : This fin is called,
Peccatum in deliciis, * Our darling plea-
fure, our minion delight ;' it is ever ready
at every turn to allure us, tempt us,
perfuade us ; and the foul, by a fecret fen-
fual inclination, is apt to follow it, to feed
upon it with much aiieftionate fweetnefs :
It may be, we have fometimes given it a
death's wound, by the power of his might
who is our /ill in All, and yet, as it is faid
of the firft beafl, this deadly wound is
ready to be healed again. Rev. xiii. 12. it
is an Hydra with many heads, and if we be
not fiill hacking and hewing, it will revive
and recolle(51: flrength, and at laft rage
more than before ; and therefore what
need have we to this holy jealoufie !
5. Above all, without which, all the refl
are nothing, believe we the promifes of
pardon, and of fanflification. The pro-
mifes of the firfl fort, I fpoke to in our
watchfulnefs over this fin, and therefore
now I fliall fpeak of the latter. The Lord
hath promifed to deliver us from all our
enemies, that xue may ferve him in right e-
oufnefs and halinefs all the days of our life,
Luke i. 72, 74, 7$. The Lord hath/ro^
mifed to write his law in our hearts, Heb.
X. 16. and that can never be, except he
obliterate all the old writing : Now
then believe thefe promifes, and prefs the
Lord with them, or we Ihall never be able
f Proud of an eaCy conqucft all along,
Sbe but removes weak pafltsns for the Qrong.
So, when foiall humours gathcc to a gout,
'I he doCttix fincies he ha driv'n them oat.
Pope..
to
»34
SE L F-7
*o outwreftle our lufts. What tho' we
find out our fwcet fins, confefs them, re-
folve againfl them, be jealous over them ?
unlefs we go to God and Chrifb in the pro-
mifes for Orength, we fliall ly down in
forrow. Could we of ourfelves fubdue our
corruptions, God would not take this upon
him, * to giveus new hearts, and new fpirits,
to fan£lifyus, to make us new creatures, to
crucify the flefh, to weaken the dominion
of fin :' Alas! he knows our weakncfs, and
he knows all is in his own power ; and
therefore, if we would mortify thefe lufls,
we muft go to him, and befeech him to
do it. When a man is once in Chrift, he
lives by a principla^without himfelf; I live
' by the faith of the Son ofCod^ faith Paul,
-ivho loved 7ne, and gave himfelf for me,
• Gal, ii. 20. If we aflc, Why will the Lord
have ourflrength out of ourfelves ? Why
may not a man have fufficient habitual
ftrength in himfelf, by which he may be
able to outwreflle lufls, and overcome
temptations ? The reafon is, ' Becaufe no
fle(h (hall rejoice in itfelf, and therefore
Chrift is made fanftification unto us :' O let
\isr believe thefe promifes, and have con-
tinual dependance on the Lord Jefus
Chrift.
SECT. V.
Of the manner of trying ^ or examining our
Hearts.
THAT we may rightly try, or ex-
amine our hearts, obferve we thefe
rules.
I. Ufe we retirednefs when we fall on
this work : To this purpofe, faith the
Pfalmift, Commune with your oivn hearts,
upon your beds, and be JHII : Pfal. iv. 4.
When we get alone purpofely tolludy our
hearts, our hearts will then come to us,
they will be more apt to difcourfe with us
privately than in n croud ; and therefore
fct we fomc time apart out of our public
or particular occafions to deal with our
hearts, as V)7i\\^ ^ ivho after the public bu fi-
ne fs ivas done, returned home to vifit, and
R lAL, _
to blefs his own houfe% 2 Sam. vl. 20.
2. Try what thoughts are within, and
which way runs the flream of our
thoughts: thehcart isanhoufe of common
refort, into which multitudes of thoughts,
like fo many guefts enter, and have free and
open accefs ; only, if it be fandlified, it
ordinarily difiils holy, fweet and ufeful
meditatons, out of all objefts : as the bee
fucks honey out of every flower, and a
good ftomach fucks fwcet and wholfome
nourishment out of what it takes to it-
felf ; fo doth a holy heart (fo far as fan6li-
fied) convert and digeft all into fpiritual
and ufeful thoughts : But on the contrary,
if it be wicked, then a world of vain, light,
wanton, profane and diffolute thoughts
lodge there, and defile thofe rooms they
lodge in ; which made the Lord fay to Je-
r\i^3\em,0 Jerufalem,ivafh thine heart from
ivickednefs, that thou mayefl he faved :
Hoxv long fiall thy vain thoughts lodge
within thee? Jer. iv. 14.
3. If upon trial we find a lothnefs to en-
tertain holy thoughts, and unfteadinefs in
them, a mifplacing of them (which diforder
is a vanity and fin, be the thought material-
ly never fo good) or, if we find in us many
times a taking thought to fulfill the lujls of
the fit [h J Rom. xiii. 14. a reprefenting,
or acting over fin in our thoughts (O
how much of that precious fand of our
thoughts run out this way !) then let us
humble ourfelves for them ; and thus A-
gur teacheth. If thou haft done foolifl^ly in
lifting up thyjelf or if thou haft thought e-
vil, lay thine hand upon thine mouth ; /. e.
be humbled, be afliamed of thefe thoughts.
4. After humiliation, we muft pro-
ceed to judgment : And to that end, con-
fider what will be the fubjefl of that great
inqueft at the laft day ? The apoftle an-
fwers, the ccunfels of the heart, iCor.
iv. 5. And who will be the executioner? e-
ven thoughtsaccufing.> O then let us prevent
this doom, and this execution, by our own
judgment and felf condemnation ; let us
fen-
fentence our hearts, and whip out our evil
thoughts, and give them their pafs.
5. Let us watch over, and obferve our
hearts ever after. Thoughts will be croud-
ing in, when we have done all we can,
yet let them know, that they pad not un-
feen: Where (lri(ft watch and ward is kept,
where magiftrates, and marfhals, and con-
ftables are diligent to examine vagrant per-
fons, you fhall have few of them there :
The reafon that fuch fwarms of vagrant
thoughts make their rendevouz, and pafs
iji our hearts, is, Becaufe there is noflrift
watch kept, we obferve not our hearts,
with alt diligence.
6. Set our thoughts in order every
morning, Arengthen and perfume our
fpirits with fome gracious meditations on
God's holinefs, majerty, omniprefence,
omnifcience : My foul waiteih for the Lord
(faid David) more than they that ivatch
for the morning, Pfal. cxxx. 6. Obferve
it, if you pleafe, when we firfl open our
eyes, there ftand many fuirors attending
on us tofpeak with our thoughts, even as
Clients at Lawyers doors ; but fpeak we
firft with our God, and he will fay fome-
thing to our hearts, and fettle them all
the day after.
7. Now and then propofe we to our
hearts thefe two queftions : i . Heart, how
doft thou ? a few words, but a very ferious
queftion : You know, this is the firft
queftion, and the firft falute that we ufe
to one another, How do you, fir ? I would
to God we would fomeiimes thus fpeak
to our hearts, ' Heart, how deft thou ?
how is it with thee for thy Ipiritual eftate?
SELF-TRIAL, 155
and me ?' as that dying Roman once faid
Animula, vagula, blandulay <^c. ' Poor,
wretched, miferable foul, whither art
thou and I going, and what will become
of thee, when thou and I fhall part?'
This very thing doth Mofes propofe to
Ifrael, though in other terms, that they
would confider their latter ends ! Deut,
xxxii. 29. And O that we would propofe
this queftion conftantly to our hearts to
confider and debate upon ! Commune with
your own hearts, faid David, Pfal. iv. 4.
q. d. debate the matter betwixt you and
your own hearts to the very utmofl : Let
your hearts be fo put to it in communing
with them, as that they may fpeak their
very bottom. Commune,'] or, hold a feri-
ous communication, and clear intelligence
and acquaintance with your own hearts :
It was the confeflion of a Divine, fenfible
of j?is negleft, and efpecially of the diffi-
culty of this duty, * * I have lived (faith
he) forty years, and fomewhat more, and
carried my heart in my bofom all this while,
and yet my heart and I areas great ftran-
gers, and as utterly unacquainted, as if
we had never come near one another : —
Nay I know not my heart, I have forgot-
ten my heart ; Ah my bowels, my bowels !
that I could be grieved at the very heart,
that my poor heart and I have been fo unac-
quainted!' We are fallen into an Athenian
age, fpending our time in nothing more
than in telling or hearing news, AiSs xvii.
21. * How go things here ? How there ?
How in one place ? How in another ?' But
who is there that is inquifitive, * How are
things with my poor heart ?' Weigh but
in the ballance of a ferious confideration^
2. Heart, What wilt thou do ? or. Heart,
what doft thou think will become of thee what time we have fpent in this duty, and
• Mr Lighfoot in his fermoa b:tore thejHoufc of Commons on Pfal.'iv.^. "Where obferve that I (et rot
the author here under the confcdion of a wilful nejleft of that main duty till that veiy time that he wDScxhcir-
it)g, oti ers to it ; 1 rather look upon ir as 1 is daily confelTion, both bcft re and fincc : W iiich argues not an impi-
ous, voluntary, wilful neglcfl ; butrathtra fender, bimblc, watchful, left, and fciifible (pit it, truly Iccfibic of that
noglc^ wbich i$ infirmity, Jfaac ^4mirofe,
what
13^ SELF
what time otherwife ? and for many fcores
and hundreds of hours or days that M'e owe
to our hearts in this duty; can we write
iifty ? or where there (hould have been
fifty yeffels full of this duty, can we
find twenty, or ten? O the days, months,
years we beAow upon fin, vanity, the af-
fairs of this world, whiles we afford not a
minute in convcrfe with our own hearts,
concerning their cafe.
SECT. VI.
Of the manner of trying^ or examining our
Tongues,
THAT we may rightly try, or exa-
mine our Tongues, obferve we thefe
rules :
I. Search w^e into our difpofitions, whe-
ther we are men of few words, or given to
much fpeaking ? The tongue may offend
both ways, but efpecially if we are wordy.
2..Perufe with a broken heart and bleed-
ing 2ffe6\ions, the many kinds of thofe
fins of the tongue, whereof (no doubt at
one time or other) we have been deeply
.guilty. Some number them in thirty par-
ticulars; 35 'Blafphemy, murmuring, de-
fence of fin, fwearing, forfwearing, lying,
equivocating, flandering, flattering, cur-
fing, railing, brawling, fcoffing, giving ill
counfel, fowing feeds of difcord amongfl:
neighbours, double-tonguednefs, boafiing,
difcovering of fecrets, hafiy or indifcreet
threatening, rafii promifes and vows, idle
words, loquacity or immoderate talkative-
nefs, filthy talking, fcurrility or foolifh
jcfling, tale-telling, raifing of rumours,
finful filence, rafli cenfuring, malicious in-
forming, whifpering.'
3. Confidcr we the laft judgment, when
men fliall give acccioit for every idle u-ord;
for by cur words ive niuft be juftifiedy
and by our words ive mufl be condemned^
Matth. xii. 36, 37. Will it not be a fear-
ful bill, wherein muft be written every
word that we fpoke all our life long? O
let us tremble to think of it, and judge and
condemn ourfelves, and feal up our lips
JTRl^L,
with amazement,as if we were Aruck dumb.
4. Let us ever after fet a watch at the
door of our lips: I faid, I -will take heed
to my ways, that I fin not with my tongue;
1 will keep my mouth with a bridle^ Pfal.
xxxix. 2. It is ftoried, that when this verfe
was read, or leflured upon to a religious
perfon, he cried out, * Stay there, and I
will hear the reft when I have learned that
vcrfe,' [Tripart. lib. cap. i.] A long time
after, being demanded. Why he returned
not to his old mafler, he anfwered, that
' as yet he was not perfeft in his firft \ti-
fon :' and hence the apoftle could fay, If
any man offend not in word, the fame is. a
perfe6i man, and able alfo to bridle the
whole body. Jam. iii. 2. It is an hard work
to bridle the tongue, and therefore we had
need to watch over it.
5. Pray we the Lord for the guidance
of his Spirit in the right governing of our
tongue ; 77;!? preparations of the heart in
man, and the anfwer of the tongue is from
the Lord, Prov. xvi. i . and therefore pray-
ed David, Set a watch, Lord, before my
mouth, keep the door of my lips, Pfa. cxli.
3. O the tongue is a fire, a world of ini'
quity, Jam. iii. 6. as the fire flies about,
fo the tongue is faid to have wings ; as the
fire aflimulates, and turns every thing into
its own nature, fo the tongue aflimulates
the hearts of men to whom it fpeaks ; we
had need therefore to pray, that God
would order this fire in our mouths, left
we kindle fuch a fire in thebreafts of others
as we ftiall never live to quench again, and
fo kindle the fire of God's wrath, which
fliall fmoke to our dcftrudtion.
SECT. VII.
Of the manner of tryingy or examining our
ASiions.
THAT we may rightly try, or exa-
mine our anions (I mean fuch ac-
tions as are matters and concernments
of the foul, whether the work of faving
grace, or the individual companions of
this
this faving work, as duties and graces) ob-
ferve we thefe rules :
I. For the work of faving grace or con-
veriion, try, (r.) Whether ever our fouls
were wounded by a clear difcovery and
wide opening of our many ulcerous fecret
corruptions? Whether ever they were af-
fected and prefTed with a through fenfe and
feeling of the fierce wrath of God, ready
to break into unquenchable flaines of ven-
geance againll us ?
(2.) Whether, after thefe bruifingsand
breakings, our fouls ever caft their eyes up-
on that infinite fea of God's mercy, glo-
rioufly flreaming thro' the infinite bleed-
ing wounds of Jefus ChriH: upon every
truly broken, contrite and wounded heart ?
"Whether ever they fettled and fafiened
their fight ftedfafily upon their bleffed Re-
deemer, as he was hanging on the crofs,
ftruggling with his Father's wrath for our
(ins, and crying out at lafi, // is finijhed.
(3.) Whether, after this fight, and confi-
deration of the work ofour redemption,our
fouls ever hungered and thirfi^ed after the
precious blood of the Lord Jefus, far more
greedily, and infatiably, than ever the pan-
ting hart thirfied after the rivers of water?
Whether ever with firong cries, prayers,
groans and fighs, they threw themfelves
with fome comfort and confidence into the
bleeding and bleffed bofom of our dear
Redeemer, and there hid themfelves fweet-
ly and deeply in his facred wounds, and
goared fide, from the eager purfuit of the
wounding law, the rage of Satan, and
ftingings of their own confciences ?
(4.) Whether after this fafi; hold upon
the paflion and merits of Chrifi, our fouls
ever received this comfortable news, * That
we were pardoned, juflified, intitledby the
covenant of grace, unto a crown of im-
mortaUty, and endlefs joys in the heavens V
Whether this ever melted us into an e-
vangelical repentance, * to bewail heartily
all our fins, and former wretchednefs of
life, for having fo vilely and rebellioufly
SELF-TRIAL, j^y
grieved and offended fo gracious and lov-
ing a Father ?'
(5.) Whether, after thefe comforts and
forrows, our fouls ever refolutely aban-
doned the practice of every grofs fin, and
threw out of their afteftions the liking and
allowance of every the leafl infirmity ?
Whether we have ever fince fettled our
felves to holinefs of life, univerfal obedi-
ence to all God's commandments, though
not in perfeftion and height of degree, yet
in truth and fincerity of heart.
It may be every foul, truly converted,
cannot fpeak affirmatively to every of thefe
queries in intention, or height of meafure,
tho' for the fubfiancethey can ; and if fo,
we may conclude, there is ' the work of
faving grace.'
For the individual companions of this
faving work, as Duties and Graces.
J. For duties, try, i. How we manage
them before, in, and after the work ? Of
this we fliall inform more particularly in
moA of the duties, as we handle them in
order. 2. What fenfible and quickening
communion we have with Chrift in our
duties ? This is the main bufinefs andend
of all the ordinances of Chrifi:. It is or-
dinary with us to terminate our devotions
with a circular courfe of praying morning
and evening, or of coming to church eve-
ry Lord's day; we look no further, but
only to the exercife of the body, we fee
not any thing of the power of Chrifi: (hin-
ing out in firength in thefe duties: and
therefore try we particularly,
1 . ' Whether we have, in the ufe of any
divine ordinance, an intimate, tender and
effeftualprefence of Chrifi: himfelfwith us?'
2. * Whether we have a conftant influ-
ence, a quickening power of fpiritual re-
frefiiing, a fenfible fpiritual taile of divine
love, or of God himfelf by this prefence
of Chrift ?' In right performance of duties,
we come to have fuller union with Chrifi-,
and by this coming to him, we come to
and fee the Father by him ; and hence iol-
T" lows
138 SELF^rRlAL.
lows by this prefence of Chrift,thefe three Pfal. Ixxvii. 6. And thus he bids us, Com-
things, I. Peace with, and a fpiritual joy
in God. 2. A ftrength communicated to
walk with Chrift, and in his power with
God. 3. A fealed aflurance of eternal com-
munion with God in glory.
2. For Graces, examine, (i.) The truth
of our graces. (2.) The growth of our
graces. (3.) The wants of our graces: all
which we ihall difcufsat large in the Sacra-
ment of the Lord's fupper.
SECT. vnr.
Of the ti?ne of our Self-trial.
THE fcriptures have determined no
fct time, jjif t fome rules there are,
partly in fcripture, and partly prefcribed
by holy men, which we may make ufe of,
as thus.
1. There is no danger of furfeiting up-
on too much ; the ofrencr we reckon with
our fouls, the fewer things we Hiall have
to reckon for every time; and the fewer
things there be, the more readily will they
be called to mind, and more exa(5Vly be
fcanned : this made Bernard fay of this
work, * If we will do it as often as we
need, we mufl: do it always.' {Serm. 48.)
2. The time that learned and devout
mencommend to us, is once every day :
So * Chryfoflom, Let this account be kept
every day; have a little book in thy con-
fcience, and write therein thy daily tranf-
grcflions; and when thou layeft thee down
on thy bed, then bring forth thy book, and
take an account of thy fins.' {Ex. c«Pf. 4.)
3. The time that efpecially fcripture
holds forth to us, is at evening or at night :
/ cali to reniembra7ice, faid David, myfong
in the night ; I commune with my own
heart, and my fpirit made diligent fearch.
mune with your own heart upon your bed,
and be fill, Pf. iv. 4. Upon which words
fays Chryfoflom, * What means this that
he faith, Commune with your own hearts
upon your beds ? q. d. after fupper, when
you lie down, and are ready to lleep, and
have great quietnefs and filence, without
prefence or difturbance of any, then ereiTt
a tribunal for your own confciences.' f
4. Other times may be as occafion re-
quires : when the church of Ifrael was in
diflrefe, and fighed to God, then they en-
couraged each other. Let usfearch and try
our ways, and turn again to the Lord,
Lam. iii. 40. When Chriftians purpofe to
receive the Lord's fupper, then. Let a man
examine himfelf, and Jo let him eat, \ Cor,
xi. 28. When we obferve days of faft for
humiliation of our fouls ; or when we ob-
ferve a (abbath of feafts, or efpecially when
we are cart down upon our lick-beds, and
in expt£lation of our diflblution, then 'tis
time to examine, and to judge ourfelves,
that we be not judged, i Cor. xi. 31.
5. Befides thofe daily and cafual times,
it is convenient alfo, after fome good fpace
of time, to try our felves over again, ex.
gr. After a month or a year, to confider
our felves for the month or year part, that
we may fee how we have profited or decay-
ed for that fpace of time ; for as our mem-
bers grow, and our fliape every day chang-
eth,andour black hairs turn gray, while we
perceive it not, yet after fome fpace of
time, we may eafily difcern ; fo it is in our
fouls, befides the manifeft changes which
fometimes appear at the inftant, there are
certain infenfiblealterations, which are not
to be difcerned, but after fome continu.
\ Let not the Uciling GoJ of lleep furprizc,
"tJor creep in flumbers on tliy weary eyes,
K'C ev'iy a^tiun of the foimcr day
t)'.ri£lly tliou doll and rigliteoudy furvey,
Witli rev'ientc at tl»y own tribunal (landj
And anfwcr jullly to thy own demand.
Wlicrc have I been? in what have I tranfgrefsM ?
Wlmt good or ill lias this day's life exprcfsM?
I Where have I fail'd in what I ought to do ?
In what to God, to man, or to myfcif, I owe?
Inquire fevere what-c'cr from firft to laft,
I From morning's dawn 'till ev'ning's gloom, has pad.
If evil were thy deeds, rejJtnt and mourn,
And let thy foul with ftrong remorfc be torn.
I If good, the good with peace of mtnd repay, •\
I And to thy fccret filf with plcafurc fay, >
I Rejoice, my heart, for all went well to-day. T>vth. J
Tyth.
ance
ance of time: and for re(rtifyingbfthere, It
is neceflary to take a more general view of
our fouls, in a monthly or yearly trial ;
by this means we (hall fee wherein we are
better or worfe, how our zeal is increafed
or decreafed ; if we are bettered fince our
laft general account, we ftiall have occafi-
on to praife God ; if otherwife, we mufl:
therefore be humbled, and blow the coals
of zeal, and ftir up the grace of God in us,
that we may flrengthen the things which
remain, and are ready to die, Rev. iii. 2.
To this purpofe we read of many an-
cients that were accuftomed to keep diaries
or day-books of their a6lions, and out of
them to take an account of their lives :
Such a regifter (of God's dealings towards
him, and of his dealings towards God in
main things) the Lord put into a poor
creature's heart to keep in the year i 641.
ever fince which time he hath continued it,
and once a year purpofes, by God's grace,
to examine himfelf by it. The ufe and end
of it is this ;
1. ' Hereby he obferves fomething of
God to his foul, and of his foultoGod. 2.
Upon occafion he pours out his foul to
God in prayer accordingly, and either is
humbled or thankful. 3. He confiders
how it is with him in refpeft of time paft,
and if he hath profited in grace, to find
out the means whereby he hath profited,
that he may make more conltant ufe of
Inch means : or wherein he hath decayed,
to oblerve by what temptation he was o-
vercome, that his former errors may make
him more wary for the future,'
Befides many other ufes, as of his own
experience and evidences,which he may, by
the Lord's help, gather out of this diary.
SECT. IX.
The daily regifter of a weak unworthy Ser-
vant of Chrijl for fome Tears.
T may be expected, that I give fome
example hereof, wherein if I might any
way advance Chrift or benefit his church,
though I lay in the duft, I fnould willingly
T
SELF^TRIAL, 139
publidi and fubfcribe the dally regiAer of
a poor unworthy fervant of Chrift, indeed
one of the meaneft of his Mafter's family,
for fome fpace of time : As thus,
1651. M.^r 13. I retired myfelftoa
folitary and filent place to pradlife, efpe-
cially the fecret duties of a ChrilHan : my
ground is that of Cant. vii. ii, 12. Come
my beloved, let us go forth into the fields,
etc. there will I give thee my loves. ' The
bridegroom of our fouls, faid Bernard, is
badiful, and more frequently' vifits his
bride in the folitary places.' MAY 14.
In a pleafant wood, and fweet walks in it,
the Lord moved and enabled me to begin
the exercife of fecret duties : and after the
prolegomena, or duties in general, I fell
on that duty of Watchfulnefs; The Lord
then gave me to obferve my former ne-
gligence, and to make fome refolutions.
I found the Lord fweet to me in the con-
clufion of the duty ; Allelujah. AI /IT
15. I fell on the duty of Self trial, and in
the morning confeffed my fins before and
fince converfion, wherein the Lord fweetly
melted my heart. In the evening I per-
ufed my diary for the laft year, whereia
many pafiages of mercies from God, and
troubles for fin, 6(?. MAT 16. In the
morning I went through the duty of Ex-
periences, and felt fome ftirrings of God's
Spirit in my foul. In the evening I fell on
the duty of Evidences, when I a^ed faith,
and found my evidences clear. Oh how
fweet was my God ! MAT ij . This
day in the morning, I meditated on the
love of Chrift, wherein Chrift appeared,
and melted my heart in many fweet pafia-
ges. In the evening I meditated on eter-
nity, wherein the Lord both melted, and
cheered, and warmed, and refrcft>ed ray
foul. Surely the touches of God's Spirit
are as fenfible as any outward touches.
Allelujah. MAT 19. In the former
part of this day I exercifed the Life of
Faith, when the Lord ftrengthent d me to
aft faith on feveral promiles, boih tem-
2 poral,
J40 S E LF-
poral, fpiritual, and eternal. I had then
fweer, refrefliing and encouraging impref-
fions on my foul againfl: all the fearful, fin-
ful, and doubtful dreams I had the night
or two before dreamed. In the evening I
confidered the duty of Prayer, obferved
forae workings of God's Spirit in my per-
ufing the rules, and afterwards in the prac-
tice of this duty. Blefled be God.
MAY 20, In the morning I fell on Reading
the word, perufed the dire(n:ions, and then
fearched into the * common places and ufes
of my corruptions in nature and praiftice ;
of my comforts againfl: the burdens of my
daily infirmities ; of eflablifhing my heart
, againft the fear of^alling away : ofdire6>i-
ons in my calling; of comforts againll out-
. ward crofTes ; of my privileges in Chrifi: a-
boveall the wicked in the world :' In every
of thefe Chrift appeared in fome meafure
fuitably to my foul. In the evening I
proceeded in the common places and ufes
of fweet paflages that melted my heart ;
of fenfible comforts, and of places hard to
be underflood : In the firH: my heart was
fweetly melted, in the fecond cheered, in
the conclufion the Lord ftruck me with a
reverence of his majefly and prefence, fil-
led my (bul with fpiritual refrediings, in-
larged my heart with praifes of him, and
defires to live unto him, who hath given
me in this time of love fo many fweet
TR lAL.
vifits, and kijjes of his mouthy Allelujah.
MAT 22. Occafionally, though not
in courfe, I fell on fome parts of the duty
of Self denial : The Lord in mercy
wrought in my foul fome fuitablenefs to
that fpiritual gofpel-duty ; * Lord keep this
fire up in a flame flill. Oh it is a fweet, but
a very hard lefl^on. M AT 31. I prafti-
fed.as the Lord enabled, the duty ofSaints-
fufferings ; into which condition as I was
cafl, fo the Lord gave me to fee my fiii
wherefore, and to bewail it, and to pray
for the contrary grace and God's favour.
The Lord was fweet to me in the prepara-
tions to, but efpecially in the improving
of fufferings. Now the Spirit left in my
foul a fweet fcent and favour behind it.
Allelujah. Amen, Amen.
I had proceeded in this diary, but that
I doubt whether the knowledge of many
fuch particulars may not prove offenlive
either to the weak or wilful. And I would
not willingly occafion any matter of of-
fence to thofe that are within or without
the church. Thus much, only for edifi-
cation and imitation, I have written.
And though with David I declare what
God hath done for my foul, Pfalm Ixvi.
16. yet with Paul, I ever delire to cor-
reft my felf; Hive, ytt not /, but Chriji
liveth in me.
C H A P. V. S E G T. I.
Of the Nature of S E L F-D E N lA L.
IF any man will come after me, faid nary Self-denial. * It fignifies to ' deny ut-
Chrift, let him deny himfelf Mat. xvi. terly, totally, not at all to fpare, or regard
24. The word in the original is a com- a man's felf :' It imports a perfecff, or uni-
pound, noting more than a fingle, ordi- verfal Self-denial ; it is as much as to re-
• Abucgct. i. e. omnioo ncget, Leigh critica facra. Ptrnegct, & prorfus nfget. Rtymldt.
k^
SELF.de N lAL.
je£l and caft offa man's felf, as a man doth
a gracelefs fon whom he will not own any
more for his. From the word opened, we
may difcover the nature of it, which diverfe
give in, though with fome variety, as thus.
* To deny a man's felf, fay fome, it is to
forfake the motions of our own corrupt
reafon and will,' which is the very fame
with mortifying of the old man, and cru-
cifying the flefh. ' To deny a man's felf,
fay others, it is to refufe to be fubjeft to,
or to work for a man's felf, as if it were
our mafter :' And this defcription is taken
from the fimilitude of a fervant who re-
nounceth to be under the government of
lUch a Lord. * To deny a man's felf,
fay others, it Is not to deny himfelf to be
a man, or to put off human affects, but
to humble himfelf.' This likewife is true,
but 'tis not full enough for a Chriftian
Self-denial. And therefore ' to deny a
man's felf, fays others, it is to put himfelf
and all that he hath in hazard, rather than
to negleflthe glory of Chrift.' This Anti-
thefis much inlargeth it ; and in this fenfe
a man is faid to deny himfelf when he
comes up to that height of the apoftle, as
to fay, I live, yet not /, but Chrijl liveth m
/«<?, Gal. ii. 20. q. d. * The life that I live in
refpefl of the original, it is not of nature,
but of grace ; not of myfelf, but of Ghrift :
in refpeft of the rule ; it is not after my
own fancy, but according to the will of
Chrifl ; not after my own lufts, but after
the Spirit ; in refpedt of the end : It is not
to myfelf, but to Chrift, not to exalt or
magnify my felf, but to be all that I am
xmto Jefus Chrift : In refpeft of opinion,
it is not to make my felf my own Lord and
mafter, but to proflrate all at the feet of
Chrift ; not to fuffer any thing in me to
exalt it felf, but to make all veil and bow
to Chrift.' And hence I ftaall give this de-
fcription of it, ' that Self-denial is a total,
through, utter abnegation of a man's own
ends, counfels, affeftions; and a whole
proftration of himfelf and of all that is his,
141
under Chrift Jefus.' And thus we have the
meaning of Chrift, If any man -will come
after me, let him deny himfelf, i. e. Let
him lay afide his own wifdom as an empty
lamp, his own will as an evil commander,
his own imagination as a falfe rule, his
own afFeftions, as corrupt counctilors, and
his own ends as bafe and unworthy marks
to be aimed at. Let him deny himfelf
whatfoever is of himfelf, within himfelf,
or belonging to himfelf as a corrupt and
carnal man ; let him go out of himfelf,
that he may come to me s let him empty
himfelf of himfelf, that he may be capable
of me, and that I may reign and rale with-
in him. As in Jofeph's vifion, the fun,
moon, and the eleven fiars did obeyfance
to him, and all the flieaves in the field veil-
ed to his flieaf. Gen. xxxvii. 7, 9. So in
the life, way, work and foul of a regenerate
man, all the fupernatural gifts and graces^
all ihe moral endowments and abilities,
all the natural powers and faculties of the
foul, with all the members of the body,
and all the labours of the life, and whatfo-
ever elfe, muft do obeyfance, and veil,
and be made fubjecfl and fcrviceable unto
Jefus Chrift. And this is true Self-denial.
B
SECT. IL
Of the Biflribution of Self and of the
Manner hoiv every Self is to be denied^
U T for the better underftanding
of this duty of Self-denial, we muft:
firft diftinguifh of Self, and then apply it
accordingly.
I. There is a threefold Self, viz. a fin-
ful, Self, a natural Self, and a moral, vir-
tuous, or renewed Self.
The firft Self,, which is finful Self, or
corrupt Self, is that which the apoftle calls
the old man, Eph. iv. 22. the earthly Jdam,
I Cor. XV. 47. the body of death, Rom. vii.
24. the carnal mind, Rom. viii. 7. In
which fenfe, to deny a man's Self, it is, ia
the apoftle's phrafe, To deny ungodlinefs.
and -worldly lujls^ Tit. ii. 12,
The
142 S E L F^D
• The Second felf, which is natural Self, is
either confiderable in regard of being, or
of well-being, i. In regard of being and
fubftance, and fo it imports our life, which
is the continuance and prefervation of our
being,^ together with the faculties and
powers of nature, our underftanding, will,
affections, fenfes, fie(h!y members. 2.
In regard of well-being, or the outward
comforts of life, and they are either, i.
External relations, as betwixt hufband
and wife, parent and child, brother and
brother, friend and friend. Or, 2. Special
gifts and endowments, as learning, wifdom,
power, or any other abilities of mind and
body. Or, 3. Common ends, which na-
turally mien purfue and feek after, and
they are by the apoftle comprized under
three heads, of profit, pleafure and ho-
nour ; The lu/i of the eyes, the luj} of the
flefl), and the pride of life, i John ii. 16.
Of this kind are, * Houfes, lands, pofTef-
fions, fleflily, worldly, natural, unnatural,
artificial delights; liberty, praife, favour,
applaufe, any thing from which a man
doih draw any kind of content or fatis-
fadtion in order to himfelf.'
The third Self, which is moral Self, or
virtuous Self, or renewed Self, it is a man's
duties, holinefs, obedience, righteoufnefs,
the graces of his Spirit, the image of
Chrift, Col. iii. ro. Rom. viii. 29. For as
the firft Adam begets us after his image,
fo thefecond Adam regenerates usafter his
image ; from the one we receive lull for
lull, and from the other grace for grace.
Now according to this three-fold Self,
there are three branches of Self-denial ; for
jome things are to be denied fimply and
abfolutely, fome things conditionally, and
xipon fuppofition ; fome tuings compara-
tively, and in certain refpedts.
r. Some things are to be denied fim-
ply and abfolutely, and fo a man is to deny
ilnful felf; \. Generally as it imports the
whole body of corruption and concupif-
cence, which we are to mortifie andjul;due.
E N I^ L,
to crucifie and to revenge the blood of
Chrift againftit, Col iii. 5. Rom. viii.
13. 2. * Specially in regard of thofe per-
fonal corruptions, which we in our parti-
culars are more notably carried into, luhich
David calls the keeping of himfelf from his
own iniquity, Pfal. xviii. 23.'
2. Some things are to be denied condi-
tionally, and upon fuppofition of God's
fpecivil call, and fo a man is to deny his
Natural Self, whenfoever it ftands in op-
pofitlon unto, or in competition with
Chrifi:, his glory, kingdom, or command.
And this we are to do. i. Habitually, in
preparation of the foul, and that always.
2, Aftually, whenfoever any thing dear
unto us Is inconfifient with the confcience
of our duty to God : And thus Paul re-
garded neither liberty nor life in compari-
fon of the gofpel of grace, and of the
name of the Lord Jefus, A6ls xx. 24.
xxi. 13. Thus Micaiah regarded not his
fafety or reputation in Ahab's court, i
Kings xxii. 14. Thus Levi regarded not his
father, or mother, or brethren, or child-
ren in the zeal of God's honour, Deur.
xxxiii. 9. Thus Ezekiel regarded not his
dear wife, the delight of his eyes, when
God took her away with a fi^roke, and for-
bade hira to mourn for her, Ezek. xxiv.
16, 17, 18. Thus Matthew regarded not
his receipt of cuflom, Luke v. 27. nor
James and John their nets, their fhips,
their father, when they were called to fol-
low Chrifl:, Matth. iv. 2r, 22.
3. Some things are to be denied com-
paratively, and in fome refpeft ; and fo a
man is to deny his * renewed felf, his very
duties, virtues, graces.' I deny not but in
the nature and notion of duties we are
bound to feek, to pray, to praftifc, to im-
prove, to treafure up, and exceedingly to
value them ; but in relation unto righte-
oufnefs, in order to jufiification in the
fight of God, and in coiiiparifon ofChrilT",
we mull ellecm all thefe things but as lofs
and dung, Phil. iii. 8 .
SECT.
S E
SECT. III.
Of the denial of Sinful Selfs and firfi of
Cautions.
FIRST, we muft deny Sinful Self,
and this we are to deny fimply and
abfolutely, whether it be the whole body
of corruption and concupifcence; or thofe
perfonal corruptions which we in our par-
ticulars are more notably carried into.
Concerning both thefe, I fliall give fome
cautions, and directions.
The cautions in general are thefe.
1. That the denial of linful Self is ftill
imperfeiSt in this life, even in the moft ex-
cellent fervants of Chrift : the befl of us
feel in ourfelves another law and power of
fin, rebelling againfi the law of our mind^
and leading us into captivity to the law of
Jin that is in our members, Rom. vii. 23,
24. Howfoever felf-denial is as a deadly
wound given unto fin, whereby it is difa-
bled to bear rule, or commanding power
in the heart of a regenerate man, yet felf-
denial is not perfe6l ; it doth not fo flay
Hn, as that we have no fin at all in us, or
that we ceafe to fin ; there is ftill the fap
of fin in the heart of the mofl regenerate
and holy man ; hence felf-denial is not
for a day only, but it mufl be a continual
\vork ; as we have denied fin to-day, fo
■we mufl deny it to-morrow, for fin is of
a quickening nature, it will revive, if it be
not deadly and continually wounded.
2. As this felf-denial is imperfe£l,fo It is
unequal, every man having a portion of
grace according to the meafure of the gift
efChrif}, Eph. iv. 7. The fame meafure
of the Spirit is not to be expected in all ;
all have not the fame meafure of for-
row for their fin that others have, yet
it may be true and unfeigned, and fo ac-
cepted of God ; the fruits of repentance
are in fome thirty, in fome fixty, in
fome an hundred-foldy Matth. xiii. 8.
Tho' every true believer have the Spirit,
Rom. viii. 9. and be a fpiritual perfon, i
Cor. ii. 14, i^. yet fome truly fpiritual
L F-D E N 1 A L. 143
are fo weak, that in comparifon of others
they are not fpiritual, i Cor. iii. i. And
therefore ought not any for this to be dif-
couraged if they find themfelves inferior
unto others.
3 . As this felf-denial is unequal, fo it is in
fomerefpefts unlike in the faithful ; as there
arediverfemealuresofit, fo there are diverfe
manners of it : Hence fome that have not
fo ftrongly denied the outward a£VIons of
fin, may have flriven more in tl^e felf-de-
nial of their inward lufls and affeftions :
And fome that have not denied themfelves
for a time in refpe£l of more hainous fins,
may yet exceed others in Self-denial which
never fell into fuch grofs and hainous
tranfgreffions. It is hard for any to de-
termine whether it was greater grace in Jo-
feph refifting the temptation, and not com-
mitting adultery with his miftrefs, or in
David after his fall to humble himfelf fo
far-as being a glorious king to fhame him-
felf by publick confefTion of his adultery ;
for as God magnifies his mercy by fin \i\
forgiving it, more than if no fin had been,
Rom. V. 20. : fo the godly may fometimes
manifefl their grace, by open and effe<ftual
repentance, more than if that fpecial fin
had not been committed by them, Luke
vii- 44, 45> 4^, 47-
4. Howfoever this felf-denial is in the
beft faints imperfeft, unequal, unlike ;
yet we muft endeavour abfolutely and
fimply to deny finful-felf : We mult ever
be hacking and hewing at this tree till it
falls : we muft grieve at it, ftrive againft it>
and thus continue grieving and ftriving all
the days of our life. Say not now, I have
grace enough, but, as that great apoftle, fiill
prefs forward to have more virtue from
Chrilt i If we have prevailed againfi the
outward aft, reft not, but get the rifing
of luft mortified, and that rowling of it
in our fancy j get our hearts deadened to-
wards it alfo : and reft not there, but get
to hate it, and the thought of it : The
body of death inuft not only be crucified
with
144 SELF-DENIAL.
with ChriO-, bnt buried alfo, and fo rot,
and molder away more and more after its
firft death's-wound, Rom. vi. 4. 6.
SECT. IV.
Of the manner of denying our natural Con-
cupii'cence.
THE dire6lions have refpeifl either to
our natural concupifcence, or to our
perfonal coiTuptions.
I , We are abfolutely to deny the whole
body of corruption and concupifcence ;
^ve are to mortifie and fubdue, to crucifie
and to revenge the blood of Chrifl: againft
this fin. This is the meaning of the apoftle.
Mortify your mermers which are upon the
earth, fornication , uncleannefs, inordinate
affeSiion, evil concupifcence, Col. iii, 5.
Isiow for the denying or mortifying of this
concupifcence, obfervethefe directions.
I. Be fenfibleofit, cry out with Paul,
Rom. vii. 24. wretched man that I am,
' ivho floall deliver me from the body of this
death ?
1. Endeavour we to get a willing heart
to, have this fin mortified. Bleffed are they
ivhich hunger and thirft after right eon f-
nefs, for they f hall be filled, Matth. v. 6.
3. Be we peremptory in denying the re-
quefts of concupifcence, bar up the doors,
give it no audience ; nothing is better than
a peremptory will if it be wellfet, nothing
worfe if it be ill. \Vhen Abifnai would
have perfuaded David to flay Shimei, Da-
vid gives him a peremptory denial, faying.
What have I to do with you, ye fons of
Zeruiah P 2 Sam. xvi. 10. and xix. 22.
So Chrift gave Peter a peremptory denial
when he would have dilfuaded him from
hispaffion, faying, Get thte behind me, Sa-
tan, '^\zx.i\\. xvi. 23. The old man is of our
old acquaintance that hath been born and
bred with us, and therefore is ready to de-
ceive us ; look toit, and whenfoever itfug-
gefts, give it a peremptory denial.
4. Take we pains to mortify this fin. /
/•;;;/ not in vain, as one that beats the air,
I Cor, ix. 26. that is, I take pains, but not
in vain, I take no more pains than I mufi:
needs, if I tookany lefs, I could not come
to that I aim at : The lefs pains we take in
fubduing this corruption, the more will it
increafe; but what pains ? I anfwer. We
muft ufe the means God hath appointed,
as the Word, and Prayer, and Fafiing,
and Watching, and Weeping, and Mourn-
ing, to thcfe, I may add Covenants and
Vows: Provided that, i. They be of things
lawful. 2. That we efl:cem them not as du-
ties of abfolute neccffity. And 3. That we
bind not ourfelves perpetually, Jefi our
vows become burthens to us ; if we will
vow, let us but vow for a time, that when
the time is expired, we may either renew,
or let them ceafe, as necefllty requires.
5. Let us intermix thefe means, duties
or fervices one with another. Chrifl: hath
variety of blelfed employments for us, and
we fliould flee from flower to flower ; as
fomcrimes hear, other whiles pray, fre-
quently meditate, and be not feldom in
godly company. When our luflings fol-
licitc us to this or that obje6t ; aik our
fouls the queflion that the prophet did A-
haziah's meffengeis. Is there not a God in
Ifrael, that thou f)ouldft go to Baal zebub
the god of Ekron? 2 Kings i. 2. Is there
never a promife in the fcripture ? never a
faint of my acquaintance \ never a mercy
to be thankful for ? no beauty and glory
in heaven to be panting after ?
6. Labour we to get the afliflance of
the Spirit of Chrifl. This you may think
flrange, The wind bloweth where it lijleih,
John iii. 8. /. e. the Spirit worketh where
it lifleth; yet this hinders nor, but that the
Spirit may 11(1 to blow in the ufe of the
means: Surely there are means to get the
Spirit, and to hinder the Spirit; the Spirit
may be won or lofl in the doing or not
doing of thefe things.
I. If we would have the Spirit, then we
muft know the Spirit ; we mufl fo know
him, as to give him the glory of the work
of
S E L F'D
of every grace: The want of the know-
ledge of Chrifl's Spirit is the very reafon
why men receive not the Spirit. / will
fend unto you the Comfortery whom the
world cannot receive, becaufe they know
him not, John xiv. 17. The world knows
not the precioufnefs of the Spiiit, and
therefore they lightly efteem of him. The
firfl meanstohave the Spirit, it is to know
the Spirit, that we may give him the glo-
ry of every grace.
2. If we would have the Spirit, take heed
that we quench not the Spirit, i ThefT. v.
19. I mean not by quenching the Spirit,
a quite putting of it out : But, i. A grow-
ing carelefs and remifs in the duties of re-
ligion. 2 A not cherilhing every good
motion of the Spirit in our hearts, either
to pray, or to hear, <bc.
3. If we would have the Spirit, take heed
thziwc grieve not the Spirit; let us not drive
him by our fins out of the temples of our
fouls, difturb him not in his gracious and
comfortable operations there, but fo de-
mean ourfelves that he may flay in our fpi-
rits, and manifeft without any eclipfes or
interruptions his fweet and powerful pre-
fence within us. Surely the Spirit is a clean
fpirit, as he loves a clean habitation : It is
fin makes the Spirit loath the foul of a
man : Evil fpeeches, and evil a6tions grieve
the Spirit of Chrift.
4. if we would have the Spirit, take heed
that we re/i/} not the Spirit, Adis vii, 51.
Now we may be faid to refifl: the Spirit,
1. By not doing the good required, when
we hang off from that good to which we
are flrongly moved by the inward pulfati-
ons and perfuafions of the Spirit of God.
2. By finning againft light; in this refpeft,
the fins againd the fecond table refifl more
than lins againft the firft, becaufe thefe are
fins againft a multiplied light, againft the
light of the word, and light of the Spirit,
and light of nature. 3. By falling into
foul fins, fuch as are the manifeji deeds
of the fitfh, aSf adultery ^ fornication, un-
E N lA L,
H5
cleannefs, lafcivioufnefs, GaJ. v. 19. In-
deed thefe fins are not fit to be named a-
mongft Chriftians. But fcrnicntion, and
all uncleamtcfs, or covetoufnefsy let it not
be once named among ft you, as become ih
faintSy Eph. v. 3. This laft is called ido-
latry. Col. iii. 5. Now the name Idol, in
fcripture, doth fometimes fignify an image,
or fculpture, or reprefcntation; fometimes
an heathen god under the notion of a falfe
God, and fometimes an heailieaGod, un-
der the notion of filthy, unclean, and a-
bominable, i Pet. iv. 3. 1 Cor. x. 7, 8.
Ifa.lvii. 5. iCor. vi.9. The reafon where-
of was, becaule in their idol feafts and i-
dol-worihips they ufed thofe heathen vil-
lainies of filthinefs and uncleannefs, Rev.
ii. 14. or at leaft their idol-feafts were wont
to be previous, and preparatory to forni-
cations, A£ls XV. 20. Rev. ii. 14. O thefe
are foul fins, which were a fhame for Chri-
ftia-ns to name, or fpeak out, much more
to commit. But why is covetoufnefs un-
fit to be named ? And why is it called ido-
latry ? Some criticks obfervc very well,
that the word in the original is Pleonexiay
which is not Covetoufnefs properly, but
inordinate Defire, not only of wealth, but
alfo of lufts, thofe nefanda, that were
common to the Gentiles. O take heed of
thus refilling the Spirit; this is a defperate,
and a dangerous fin.
5. If we would have the Spirit, let us
pray for the Spirit : This was the means
that Chrifl ufed, 1 will pray the Father ^
(faith he concerning his apoftJcs, John xiv.
16.) and he will fend the Comforter to you.
And this was the means Chrift puts us up'
on. For if your earthly parents can give
good things unto their children, how ?nuch
more will your heavenly Father give the
Holy Ghoft to them that afh him? Luke xi.
13. Prayer is prevailing with God, it is
reftlefs and pleafing to God, it will have
no denial.
6. If we would have the Spirit, then let
us walk in the Spirit, do the actions of the
U new
J46 S E L F ' D
new man : *We know fome phyfick is for
reftoring, to preferve the ftrergth of the
body, and fuch is this walking in the a6\i-
ons of the new man ; it preferves the
ftrength of the foul, it preferves fpirirual
life in a man, it enables him to fight a-
gainfl corruptions and Infts, H'a/k in the
Spirit y and ye Jlmll itot fulfil the lujis of
the fief}. Gal. v. 16.
But the faints may objeft: * Ail this we
have done in our meafure, but ftill we find
a body of death, many lufts yet remaining
and rifing up in us, and rebelling againft
the law of cur mind, yea, fometimes cap-
tivating and lea^ng us away to the mind-
ing and feeking of ourfelves, and ferving
our own bafe affc<5lions.'
I anfwer. It may be To, nay, I told you
it would be fo, in the firft caution ; and
yet if we pray againfl them, if by an holy,
gracious and con flan t conteflation we fight
and war againft them, if by a godly grief
and forrow of heart, we mourn and are
troubled for them, then here is our com-
fort, though we are not fully freed from
them, yet we have truly denied them.
There the lulls of a man are denied,
"where they do not reign, and bear do-
minion, where they have not the full and
peaceable poUcflion. Paul was one that in
a very high meafure denied himfelf, and
though he complained of fin, and of <? law
in his members rebelling againjl the law of
his mind, and bringing him into captivity
to the law of fin and death; yet this being
his trouble, the Lord th€reupon comforts
him with the fufficiency of his grace, My
grace is fufjicitnt for thee, 2 Cor. xii. g.
S E C T. V.
Cf the I^anner of denying our perfonal
Corruptions.
2. WJ^ arc abfolutely to deny thofe
VV perfonal Corruptions which we
in our particulars are more notably carried
unto. Now for the denying or mortify-
ing of this fin ( whatfpever it may be) ob-
E N I y4 L.
ferve thefe DirefVions.
1. Labour we to fee the dlfeafe ; No
man will feek for cure, except he fee the
difeafe : The fight of the difeafe is half the
cure of it. O then endeavour we to find
out what is our fpecial fin, our Dalilah
fin, let us be perfuaded and convinced of
it. See the marks whereby to difcover it,
in Chap. 4. Seft. 4.
2. Obferve the bafenefs of this conditi-
on, which appears, partly in the nature of
it, and partly in the evil it brings, i. For
its nature, it is the baleft flavery in the
world. Ifrael's bondage in Egypt was but
a (hadow to this : Men that will not deny
their corruptions, they are lervants to fin,
and fervants to Satan, they walk after the
prince of the power of the air, Eph. ii. 2.
nay, they are fervants to their own cor-
rupt mind, they are led by their lufls as a
fool to the flocks. 2. For the evil that
comes by it, it deprives us of God's favour,
and brings upon us infinite forrows, as,
Blindnefs of Mind, Hardnefs of Heart,
Decidnefs of Spirit, Horror of Confcience,
and, without repentance, all the Terrors of
Hell.
3. Abfiain we from all beginnings and
occafions of this fin : Qiiench it at firfl; if
we cannot put out a fpark, how fhould
we put out a flame ? If we get not the ma-
fiery over the firft motion to fin, how fhall
we overcome it when it is brought to ma-
turity in aftion ? As a ftream rifeth by lit-
tle and little, one Hiower increafing it fome-
what, and another making it bigger fiill,
fo fin rifeth by degrees, James i. 14, 15.
And therefore take heed of the beginning
of our affeflions, look we to the be-
ginning of this inordinate luft; if we per-
ceive but a glimpfe of it, let us quench and
refifl: it ; if we hear it knocking at the door
of our hearts, do not prefently let it in,
but a Ik his errand, plead the caufe with it,
confider the hinderance and inconvenien-
cies that come by it.
4. Proportion the remedy to the difeafe.
As
S E L F '
As the luft is greater, fo ufe we greater ab-
ftinence ; make Ihonger vows againfl: it ;
if the tide beat ftrongly, keep the bank
good ; repair it by new renewals of our
graces in us ; make we new covenants a-
gainft it. W^hat though we are weak and
frail, and fubjeft to break our promifcs in
this kind ? Yet, remember that they are
(Jod's ordinances, and he will put to his
helping hand to enable us.
c;. Turn we our delights to God, and
Chrift, and heavenly things : There is no
true felf-denial that is only private; a man
cannot leave his earthly-mindednefs, but
prefently he muft be heavenly-minded; as
a man cannot empty a veffel of water, but
prefently air will come in its place, fo a
man cannot deny iinful-felf, but grace will
immediately enter, and take pofleffion of
his heart. And, Oh ! when it is thus, when
the intentions of our mind (as our morn-
ing thoughts, ^c) which we fpent upon
vanities, are now drawn unto prayer by
holy meditations, then lufls wither, then
doth corruption (lnole off more and more.
6. Maintain in our fouls the authority
of Goci 3 truth. Either Self or Ghrift will
rule in the foul; and therefore fet up truth,
and let that be the fpring of all our adli-
ons; he that will free himfelf from being
an hired fervant to this or that mafter, he
muft hire himfelf. When David went to
Achifti, he was free from Saul ; if we would
rot have Saul and finful Self to rule in us,
we muft give up ourfelves to the command
of God and his word.
7. Labour to thwart that particular cor-
ruption to which we are inclined: Ex. Gr.
Are we given to wrath ? Endeavour we to
be humbler and meeker than other men :
Are we given to the world ? Look after
that better and more enduring lubftance
in heaven ? Confider that the reproaches of
Chrif} are greater riches than the ireafures
of Egypt, Heb. xi. 26. Contraries in na-
ture do expel one another, cold is expelled
DENIAL. 147
with heat ; darknefs with light : thus it is
with grace.
8.. Pray that Ghrift would baptize us with
the Holy C ho/}, and vjith fire, Matth. ill.
II. that like fire he would heat the facul-
ties of our fouls, and inflame our loves un-
to God; for as our love to God is ftrong-
er, fo our love to holy things will be more
earneft, and confequently our hatred to
finful Self will be more ftrong and perfe(5t.
pray for the Spirit, and wait for the Spi-
rit, and labour to be baptized -with the
Holy Ghoft more and more fully. If we
be left to ourfelves, it is impofTible for us
to deny Self, to mortify Self; and there-
fore M'e are to pray to God to give us his
Holy Spirit. It is he that is the refiner's
fire, and fuller's foap, Mai. iii. 2. Now,
as in refining and purifying, ufe what means
you will, except you ufe fire you can ne-
ver refine filver; fo if a man be left to his
Qi\'n fpirit, he will run into a thoufand
noifom lufts ; but when God's Spirit is
clothed in a man's heart, then he is kept
from fin.
9. Labour after further difcoveries of
Ghrift. Believe more, and depend more
upon Ghrift, yea, let us trade immediate-
ly with Ghrift, for Ghrift is the only agent
in the work of Self-denial. Miftake not,
1 do not fay, that we are mere paffives ia
Self-denial ; indeed at that firft habitual be-
ginning of it at converfion, and at that fi-
nal perfefting and finifhing of it, and car-
rying away all fin at death, I believe we
are mere paffives; but now in our progrefs,
we are workers together with Ghrift: And
therefore it is faid that we purge ourfelves^
2 Tim. ii. 2 1 . and that we purify ourfelves,
1 John iii. 3. and that we by the Spirit
mortify the deeds of the flefiy, Rom. yiii.
13. becaufe Ghrift ftill going on to purge
us, purify us, and mortify our lufts, he
doth it by ftirring up our graces, and uf-
eth therein afls of our faith, and love, and
many motives, and confiderations to do it.
Let us therefore ule all means required,
U 2 but
14^
S E L F.D E N lA L.
but above all, let us bring our hearts more
and more acquainted with Chrift. It is
Chrift is that great ordinance appointed
by God to get our lufts mortified; how ma-
ny fouls have gone puddring on (as I may
fo fpeak') in the ufe of other means? And
though in them Chrift hath communicated
fome vertue to them, yet, becaufe they did
not trade with him, they had lirtle in com-
parifon : The moredifi:in(ftly a man under-
stands Chrift, and how to make ule of him,
the more eafily he will deny himfclf, and
get his lufts purged ; fuch a one as trades
immediately with Chrift, will do more in
a day, than another will in a year. Now
this is as God opens our faith to fee him,
and know him, and to be acquainted with
"him : Hence it wks Paul's defirc, Phil. iii.
JO. That I might know him, and the pow-
er of his refurreSlion : That I may know
him as a prophet inflrufling me, as a prieft
fan6lifying me, as a king reigning fpiritu-
ally in me; that I may know the power of
his rerurre(ftion in the vivification of my
foul, in the abolition of my fin, a.id efpe-
cially of mine oivn iniquity, Plal. xviii. 23.
It was Chrifl that Paul made wie of in this
work. By Chrijl the "world is crucified
unto ?ne, and J unto the "world. Gal. vi. 14.
Thus much for the denial of finful Self.
SECT. VI.
Of the denial of our external relations ;
and fir fi of Cautions.
SEcondly, we mult deny Natural Self;
and this we mufl deny only conditi
onally, and upon fuppofition of God's call,
whether it be in regard of our being or
■well-being. I (hall begin with the latter,
and that contains either External Relatione,
fpecial Gifts, or common Ends .
I. We are conditionally to deny our
external relations ; to this purpofe, faith
Chrilt, Luke xiv. 26. If any man comet h
to rnc, and hateth }iot father and tnother,
and children, and brethren, and wife, and
Jificrs, he camiQt be my difcipk. Not that
religion teacheth or commandeth, or en-
dureth a faint to break the ties of religion
or nature ; you fee it puts in a plea againft
(uch unnaturalnefs, Honour thy father and
mother, is the fir fi commandment with pro-
mife , Eph, vi. 2. And the ravens of the
valleys fhall pick out their eyes that mock
and defpife their father and mother, Pro v.
XXX. 17. God's commandments do not
interfere, the gofpel in this cafe gives no
fuperfedeas to the law [or fuperfedes the
obligation of it :] and therefore in the de-
nial of relations, I ftiall lay down fome
cautions, and dire«ftions.
The cautions are thefc.
I. That relations are the bleffings of
God : they are God's gifts, and beftowed
on the faints in a way of promife ; Blef/cd
is every one that feareth the Lord, that
walketh in his ways : How may that ap-
pear ? Thy wife fhall be as a fruitful vine
by the fides of thy houfe, thy children like
olive plants round about thy table. Behold,
thus floalL the man be blejfed that feareth
the Lord, Pfal. cxxviii. i, 3, 4. Now thus
we muft not deny, but love and cheriHi,
and dearly elteem of our relations : they
are the gifts of God's bounty, of his gra-
cious covenant, proceeding from the free
undefervcd love of God, they are the to-
kens of God's fpecial good-will and favour
in Jefus Ghrilt : they are love tokens
which Chrift fends to our Ibuls, that fo he
might draw our loves to him again ; and
hence it is lawful and commendable to re-
joice in them in their way, and efpecially
to lift up our fouls in thankfgiving to God
for them, For every creature of God is good
(much more the children of our loins, and
wives of our bofoms) if received witl>
thankfgiving, 1 Tim. iv. 4.
2. Notwithftanding they are the blef-
fmg of God, yet we muft deny them for
God, as in thefe cafes :
1 . If they retard us in the way to Chrift,
if they intice us to make baitings in our
runnings through lire and through water
to
S ELF'D ENIA L, i49
to the Lord Jefns. Thus as it was faid of feaion, if a man be not difpofed (where
Levi, fo aiould it be faid of every faint, thefe loves are incompatible) to hate fa-
He faid unto his father and mother^ I have
not feen him, neither did he acknowledge
his brethren, nor know his cxvn children,
Deut. xxxiii. 9. This is meant, either of
theprieft's continual duty, who, if his fa-
ther, mother, brother or child died, he
might not mourn for them ; but carry
himfelf as if he did not refpe^l, know, or
care for them ; or, it is meant of that fa<ft
of the fons of Levi, who being command-
ed of Mofes, they killed every man his
brother, friend, neighbour, and fon, that had
linned in making and worfhipping the gol-
den calf, Exod. xxxii. 27, 28. and to this
latter the Chaldee refers it, tranflating thus.
Who had no compaffion on his father, or
on his mother, when they were guilty of
judgment, and accepted ?iot the perfons of
his brother^ or of his Jon. If our deareft
relations (hould beckon us out of the way,
or retard us in the way to Jefus Chrift,
[in that cafe] we muft not refpeft father
or mother, we muft not acknowledge our
brethren, nor know our own children.
And Chrift gives the reafon. He thai lov
eth father or mother more than me, is not
worthy of me ; and he that loveth fon or
daughter more than me, is not worthy of weep as tbd" they wept not, and they that
ther and mother, and all for the love of
Chrifr, he cannot belong to Chrift. Thefe
two cafes may be fummed up thus ; if our
relations do either retard our way to Chrift,
or draw us from Chrift, in this fenfe they
ought to be forgotten, yea, to be hated.
Chrift, in this cafe, called Peter Satan;
we muft not love father, or mother, or
wife, or daughter, or child more than
Chrift J fo Matih. x. 37- expounds that
place of Luke xiv. 26. This is plain, for
we muft love Chrift with all our heart, and
with all our foul ; and tho', by the fecond
commandment, we muft love our neigh-
bour as ourfelf, yet we muft not love our
neighbour as our Chrift.
SECT. VIL
Of the Manner of denying our external
> Relations.
THE directions of Self-denial, in re*
fpe<5l of our relations, are thefe.
I. Let us have them as if we had them
not. This is the expreftion of the apoftle ;
The time is fhort, faith he, and, What then ?
// remains that both they that have wives
be as though they had none, and they that
7ne, Mat. x. 37. A man ftiould love father
and mother, and a man will love fon and
daughter, for love defcends rather than af-
cends ; but if any man love father or mo-
ther, or fon or daughter more than Chrift,
he is not worthy of Chrift, he is not fit to
be a difciple of Chrift, or to be faved by
Chrift.
2. If they draw contrary ways to Chrift,
if their ways be crofs, Chrift drawing one
way, and relations drawing another way.
Now in this cafe, as Chrift faid. If a man
hate not father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and fifters ; yea,
and his own life alfo, he cannot be my dif-
ciple, Luke xiv. 26. If a man hate not,
i. e. if a man renounce not all carnal af-
rejoice, as if they rejoiced not, i. Cor. ViJ.
29, 30. The time is (Ijort : the apoftle here
alludes to fea-faring men that have almoft
done their voyage, and begin to ftrike fail,
and to fold them up together, and are even
putting into harbour : fo it is with us, our
time is ihort, as foon as we begin our voy-
age,we are ready to ftrike failprefently. 2.//
remains that both they that have wives be
as though they had none, (be. q. d. You
that are ready to caft anchor, trouble not
yourfelves about thefe things, but rather
be ye ftedfaft, gird up the loins of your
minds, let your care be greateft for hea-
ven ; and as for thefe outward relations,
be as if you had none, or think, as foon
as you are^alhore, you IhalJ have aone ;.
da
150 SELF^D
do not glut yourfelves, but moderate your
hearts in all fuch comforts as thefe.
2. Let us refign up all to God. This
•we have done, and this wc mull do ftill.
I. This we have done in that day when
we have made up our bargain for Chrift.
Every foul that comes to Chrift, he parts
with all to buy that pearl, and in felling
all he fells not only his corruptions and lulls,
but his father, mother, wife, children, all
relations conditionally.
3. This we muH: do flill; we muftgive
up all to God ; we, and they, and all muft
be at the command of Ghrifi:, at the plea-
(ure of God and Chrill ; indeed nothing
is properly calledV)ur own but God and
Chrift ; all other things are God's gifts,
lent of God, and therefore of due (as oc-
calion is) we muft give all to God again.
4. In all things, yea, above all things, be
we filled with the Spirit. This will take off
our thoughts from other things that are
inferior : if our fouls be once filled with
the things of a better life, then wife, chil-
dren, parents, friends will never draw a-
way our hearts. O that our fouls would
but mount up, and take a viewofthofe
rare things that are provided for us in a-
nother life ! what ? to have God our fa-
ther, angels our keepers, to be the chil-
dren, brethren, companions of angels ?
weigh thefe things daily, and then we fliall
deny our relations here : thefe on earth
may be comforts, but what is earth to hea-
ven ? what are thefe joys to joys eternal ?
5. Let us mufe on the many relations
betwixt Chrill and us ; he is our creator,
we the work of his hands : he is our fliep-
herd, we the flock of his paflure ; he is our
father, the great father of the family, who
provides all things necelFary for them that
be under his government, and we are his
children ; he is our bridegroom, we his
(poufe : now if Chrift be inftcad of all re-
lations, how Ihould we but leave all for
Chrift? As a woman leaves her father's
houfe, and her own people, to cghabite
ENIAL,
with her huftjand, fo fliould we ' leave our
country with Abraham,' Gen. xii. i. * leave
our friends with Levi,' Deut. xxxiii. 9.
' leave our polTefTions with the difciples,'
Matth.iv.22. yea be * ready to leave our life
with Paul' for the teftimony, honour and
fervice of Chrift, The foul that is related to
Chrift, hath enough in Chrift to pleafe
and delight icfelf. Tho' all friends accord-
ing to theflelh become ftrangers, or prove
enemies, yet Chrift is inftead of all friends.
6. Let us imitate them (as occafion is)
who for Chfift's fake have not only in will,
but a£lually parted with their deareft rela-
tions. Thus Mojes refufed that r elation ^
to be called the fort of Pharaoh's daughter,
choofing rather to fuffer affH^ion with the
people of Cod, than to enjoy the pleajures
of fin for a Jeafon, Hcb. xi. 24, 25, 26.
Thus the apoftles of Chrift refufed not fome,
but their all relations ; Behold lue have
forfaken all, and followed thee : to whom
Chrift anfwered. Every one that hath for '
faken houfe s, or brethren, or fifters, or fa-
ther, or mother, or ivife, ■ or children^ or
lands for my names fake, fhall receive an
hundredfold, (which Chrift gives them in
beftowing himfelf on them) and fhall in-
herit everlafting life, Matth. xix. 27, 29.
It was Jerom's faying, * If the Lord Chrift
fliould call rre tohim, tho'my father ftiould
ly in the way, and my mother ftiould hang
about my neck, I would go over my fa-
ther, and fliake off my mother, and run
to my Chrift,' But this was only faid ; if
you would know a greater matter than this
done and praflifed, I (liall give you one
notable inftance, enough to inflame all
our hearts towards Chrilt and his truth in
the very publifliing of it.
I have read a notable ftory of one Gale-
acius Caracciolus, the noble marquefs of
Vico : This Vico was one of the paradifes
of Naples, and Naples was the paradife of
Italy, and Italy is the paradife of Europe,
and Europe the paradile of all the earth :
yet, this marquefs being brought to hear
a Icr-
SELF-DENIAL.
1.5^
a fermon of Peter Martyrs, God pleafcd fo
to work upon his fpirit that he began to
enter into ferious thoughs, whether his
way of popery wherein he was trained, was
right or not. At laft, having further light
let into his foul not only of feeing truths,
but likewife of delivering himfelf from
that idolatry which he apprehended him-
felf defiled withal ; his refolutions were
flrong to leave the court, and his honours,
together with his father, wife and children,
and whatfoever was dear to him. Many
grievous combats he had betwixt the flefh
and the fpirit when he refolved of his de-
parture, but the greateft troubles were his
relations; for,
I. As often as he looked on his father,
which he alftioft did every hour, fo often
he was ftrucken at the heart with unipeak-
able grief; his thoughts run thus, * What I
and mull I needs forfake my dear and lov-
ing father ? and cannot I elfe have God
my Father ? O unhappy father of my bo-
dy which muft ftand in competition with
the father of my foul !'
3. No lefs inwardly was he grieved in
refpecV of his noble wife ; for having no
hope that fhe would renounce popery, and
go with him, he refolved alfo for Chrift's
fake to leave her, and to follow Chrill,
whereupon his thoughts run thus : * And
fhall I fo, yea, fofuddenly, and fo unkind-
ly leave and forfake my dear loving wife,
the only joy of my heart in this world,
and fliall I leave her not for a time, but
for ever ^ Poor lady ! how many doleful
days without comfort, how many waking
nights without fleep fliall (he pafs over ?
"VVhat will flie do, but weep and wail, and
pine away with grief ?'
Thefe two cogitations of his father and
wife greatly tormented him, and the more
becaufe he laboured to keep cloie this fire
which burned and boiled in his heart; he
durft not make known his departure, left
it fhould have been hindred, which he
would .not for a world.
3. There wasyet a third and fpccial care
that pinched him, and that was for his
Children ; which were fix in all. It was
the more grief in that they were fo young,
as that they could not yet conceive what
it was to want a father; the eld eft: was
fcare fifteen, and the youngeft fcarce four
years old : towards them, faith the ftor}'',
his thoughts run thus : * And fliall I with-
in thefe few days utterly forfake thefe
fweet babes ? fliall I leave them ro the wide
and wicked world, as though they had ne-
ver been my children, nor I their father ?
and you, poor orphans, what fliall become
of you when I am gone ? your hap is hard,
even to be tatherlefs, your father yet liv-
ing. And what can your woeful mother
do when flie looketh on you, but weep
and wring her hands, her grief ftill increaf-
fing as flie looks upon you ? yet thusmuft
I leave you all confounded together in
heaps of grief, weeping and wailing one
with another, and I, in the mean time,
weeping and wailing for you all.'
This noble fpirit thus refolved, at laft
he left his family, and went to Geneva,
who no fooner gone, but his friends and
family were fo aftoniflied, that nothing
was heard or feen amongft them but la-
mentations. The ftory is large : I fliall
wind up all in this one paflTage. By his fa-
ther's commands, and his wife's intreaties
he was perfwaded to fee them once in his
life, and to take his journey from Geneva
to yico ; thither come, and having ftaid a
while, and now ready again to return to
his dear Geneva, his father at his farewel
* gave him many an heavy and bitter curfe;'
his wife embraced him, and took him about
the neck, befecching him in a moft loving
and pitiful manner, that ' he would have
care of himfelf, of his dear wife and children,
and not fo willingly caft them all away ;
his young children all upon their knees with
arms ftretchcd out,and hands holden up,and
faces (wollen with tears cried unto him
* to have piiy on them his own bowels^
and
152 SELF
and not to make them fa thcilefs before the
time :' his friends with heavy countenances
and watry eyes looked ruefully on him, and
thnugh for grief they could not fpeak a
\vord, yet every look and every counte-
nance abd every gefture was a loud cry,
and a ftrong intreaty that ' he would flay,
and not leave fo antient and noble an houfe
in fuch a woeful and defolatc cafe.' But
above all, there was one moft lamentable
fight : among all his children, he had one
daughter of twelve years old, who crying
out amain, and wallowing in tears, fell
down, and catching faft hold about his
thighs and knees, Wield him fo hard as he
could by no means fhake her off, and the
affe£lion of a father wrought fo with him
* as he could not offer with violence to hurt
her ; he laboured to be loofe, but (he held
fader ; he went away, but fhe trailed after,
crying to him * not to be fo cruel to her
. his own child, who came into the world
by him : this fo wonderfully wrought
with his nature that he thought, as he often
reported, that ' all his bowels rowled a-
b6ut within him, and that his heart would
have burft prefently, and there inflantly
have died.' But notwithftanding all this,
he being armed with a fupernatural and
heavenly fortitude, he broke through all
thofe temptations, and for Ghrifl'sfake de-
nied all, and fo returned to Geneva, (where
Mr. Calvin then lived)a glorious felf-denier,
or a glorious denier of his natural felf.
And thus much of denying our lelations.
SECT. VII r.
Cf the denial of our fpccial gifts ; and firjl
of cautions .
WE are conditionally to deny our
fpecial gifts and indowments ; as
learning, wifdom, power, or any other a-
billties of mind and body. In profecuti-
on of this I Ihall give fome cautions, and
directions.
The cautions are thefe ;
I . That learning, wifdom, abilities are
-DENIAL,
in themfelves excellent things. Aeneas Syl-
vius, in his Epiftle to Sigifmund Duke of
Auftria faid, that * if the face even of hu-
man learning could but be feen, it is fair-
er, and more beautiful that the morning
or evening ftar.' How much more may be
faid in refpedt of divine, Ipiritual, theologi-
cal learning, whofe fubje(5t is God, and
Chrift, and the things of God ? in this re-
fpeft therefore we muft deny them.
2. Noiwithftanding the excellency of
learning, wifdom, or other abilities, yet
muft we deny them, as in thefe cafes.
1. In refpeft of any high thoughts of ours,
of any overweening conceit of our own
excellencies. Be not ivife /'« our own con'
ceits, faith the apoftle, Rom. xii. \6. To
which agrees that of Solomon, Lean not
to thine oivn underftanding ; be not "wife
in thine own eyes, Prov. iii. ^,y. It is a fad
thing to fee in thefe times how all our de-
bates, diflerences, controverfies, even in
fpiritual matters, do almoft favour nothing
elle but of the affedtation of natural wif-
dom, fiibtility, eloquence ; how doth pride
move men to outitrip one another, either
by Q^cwing their parts, as wit, language,
reading, philofophy, hiiiory, and other
learning ; or by lalhing, and fmiting one
another with the tongue, to feek a conqueft
rather by the infamy of others than by the
armour of righteoufnefson the right hand
and on the left ? by thcle unchrifiian and
unconfclonable ways the more able men
are, the more deflru(5\ive they make them-
felves to the comforts of their brethren,
and the nearer their debates relate unto re-
ligion, the further off" they fet themfelves
and others from tlie kingdom of Jcfus
Chrift. The refpe(ft which is had to gain
credit with men, to lofe no ground in the
debate, and to be thought leaders in the
caure,togeilier with the fear kfl they Jliould
be foiled in any thing, doth even flrip
them of all chrillian fimplicity. JVith the
lowly is wi/dcrUf faith Solomon, whereas
frow pride cometh jhame, Prov.xi. 2. Th;.t
wif-
SELF-DENIAL.
^51
wifdom cannot be true, which brings
us nearer to our own wit, and further off
from the fimplicity and humility which
is in Chrirt Jefus, I fuppofe this is one
caufe why fo much contempt is now caft
upon the name of learning, tho' it maybe
wrongfully by men, yet defervedly as from
God ; and I believe God will not ceafe to
flain the pride of all their glory, and their
greatncfs, by a full difcovery of their fhame,
till they that are learned do fliew them-
felves willing to be reformed herein.
2. In refpeft of any ufe of them accord-
ing to the world, according to man, or ac-
cording to the flefli. Of this God fpeaketh
when he faith, / will dejlroy the ivifdojn
of the wife, and luill hring to nothing the
under/} anding of the prudent, i Cor. i. 20.
And thus the apoftle triumphed over the
wifards of the world, faying, Where is the
-jjife ? ivhere is the fcribe ? inhere is the
difputer of this world P hath not God made
foolilli the wifdom of this world ? i Cor. 19.
"Worldly wifdom ufually fcornsand difdains
the great myfteries ofgodlinefs, fooliftinefs
of preaching, fimplicity of the faints ; but
this wifdom defcendeth not from above,
faith the apoftle, James iii. 15. ' This
wifdom is but earthly, fenfual, devilifh.'
1. Earthly, it minds only earthly things;
though a man be to pafs perhaps the next
day, the next hour, the next moment to
that dreadful tribunal of God, yet it fo
glues his hopes, defires, projects, refoluti-
ons to earthly, tranfitory things, and things
of this life, as if both foul and body, at their
dinblution,{hould be wholly and everlafling-
ly rcfolved into earth or nothing, 2. It is fen-
fual ; it prefers the pleafure of fenfe, and
pleafing the appetite, before the peace of
confcience and fenfe of God's favour; it
provides a ihoufand times better for a bo-
dy of earth, which mufl: fliiortly turn to
dufj-, and feed the worms, than for a pre-
cious immortal foul that can never die;
it highly prefers a few bitter-fwcet plea-
fures for an inch of time in this vale of
tears, before unmixt and immeafurable joys
through all eternity in the glorious nian-
fions of heaven. 3. It is deviJilh, for it
imitates the devil in plotting and contriv-
ing mifchief and ruin againfl: the glory of
God, theminiflry of the word, the palfagc
of his gofpel, the plantation of his gract*
in the hearts of men : or it is devllin:!, be-,
caufe the devil ufually fets ihofe on work
that have a little more wit to do him fer-
vice ? he knows they are more Ale, and
a(ftive to quarrel, rail, flander, difgrace the
truth of God, or minillry of Chrift. O
poor fouls ! how do you bark and fnatch
at thofe hurtlefs hands, which would hesl
and bind up your bleeding fouls ! O poor
ideots, what wifdom is it for you to en-
deavour their extirpation, who are z^flars
in the right hand of Chrif} I Rev. i. 16.
They that would do Chrift's minifters any
deadly harm, they muft pluck them hence.
I could wifh thofe worldly, earthly, fenfu-
al, devililh-wife, that imploy their wits,
their power, their malice, their friends,
their underhand dealings, to flander, dif-
grace, hinder, flop the palFage of a confci-
onableminiflry, but to remember thofe few
texts; He that toucheth you, toucheth the
apple of my eye, Zach. ii. 8. and, He that
defpifeth you, defpifeth me, and he that def-
pifeth me, defpifeth him that fent me, Luke
X. 18. Surely there is fomething in it that
God fo ftridlly chargeth, Pfalm ciii. 15.
Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets
no harm-
SECT. IX.
Of the manner of denying our fpecial gifts.
TH E direftions of Self-denial in re-
fpeft of our fpecial gifts are thefe.
I . Think we fobcrly of our felves accor-
ding as Cod hath dealt to every 7nan the
meafure of faith, Rom. xii. 3. AVe were
not fober in the apoftle's phrafe, if either
we took that upon us which we have nor,
or bragged of that which we ha.ve,
2. Mind the true ends of learning, wif-
X dom>
154 S E L F-D
doi"n,abJlines,etc.aridaimat them. i. What
are thofe ends? I anfwcr, i. To do God
more excellent, and more glorious fervicc. *
2. To furnlfh the foul for an higher de-
gree and a greater meafure of fanftification.
3. ' To do more nobly in Ephrara, and to
be more famous in Bethlehem.' V/hat a
fiiame and fin is it for men by their abili-
ties to hunt after certain fecondary prizes,
as pleafure of curiofity, ability of difcourfe,
vi«5lory of wit, gain of profeffion, inable-
ment for imployment and bufinefs, and fo
(by the abufe and ijjifapplying of it) to put
their great engine of gifts into the devil's
hands, for the enlarging and advancement,
of his kingdom ? O confider thofe more
noble cndi-, ;md feek after them.
3. Endeavour to walk before God in
humility and lowlinefs of mind. ' What?
are thy gifts more eminent than others?
it is the Lord that makes thee differ ; and
as God hath been favourable to thee, fo
Ihould his favours be as obligations to obe-
dience, humility, meeknefs in thee. .
4. Remember it is not the greatnefs of
the gift, but the well-ufing of the gift that
is the glory of the receiver ; it is not the
having of any thing whether much or lit-
tle, but the having of Ghrift with it, that
makes it full and fatisfaflory, fweet and
comfortable, ufeful and beneficial unto
man.
5. Know and be afTured, that whatfo-
ever we have, if it puff us up, and make
us fwell, it is not food but poifon, no
jncrcy but a curfe, no evidence of divine
E N lA L.
favour but of fevere anger to our fouls.
6. Obferve and weigh w^l that the
ifTue and event of all depends not upon
the abilities of man, but upon the all-dif-
pofing hand of God. The race is not to
the pivift, nor the battle to the Jlrong, nei-
ther yet bread to the ivife, nor riches to
men of under/landing, Eccl. ix. 11. All
our abilities are under God's providence,
who puts an efficacy into man's abilities e-
ven as he pleafeth.
7. Eileera we all abilities, gifts, know-
ledge as dung and drofs in comparifon of
the excellency of the know ledge of Chriji
Jefus our Lord, Phil. iii. 8. Thus Paul
determined to knoiu nothing but Chrifi and
hirn crucified, I Cor. ii 2. All knowledge,
art, learning, is nothing to Chrift ; there
is no fulnefs, no divine excellency in that
man's knowledge that knows not Jefus
Chrifi. Si Chrifium nefcis, etc. * If we
know not Chrirt, it is nothing if we know
never fo much.' Si Chrifium di/cis, etc.
* If we know Chriff, it is enough though
we know nothing more ;' enough indeed,
for in knowing him we have all knowledge;
In Chriji are hid all the treafures of ixjif-
dojn and hnovjledge. Col. ii. 3. Among
wife men he is the choice^ that knows
moll of Chrilt ; it is Chrift that puts a
fulnefs into our knowledge, as the ihin-
ing of the fun in the air pu:s a fulnefs of
light into the eye; hence Paul made Chrift
crucified the center and circumference of
his knowledge, the breadth, the length
and depth, and height of his kno'coledge^
* AnJ wc do fo mod eflc<fluilly, when we apply all our talents, our gifts. anJ pofTilTiMis to tliof iifcs for which
our kind Creator did Utllow tlitm, namely tlic promoting our own good and tliat of others. It is then only we
j|lorify God in all thcf..' tl/mg.s when, by the proper application of them, wc render ovirfclvcs public b'crtiiigs : as,
V hen th(,- rich employ their wealth in feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, re^varding wortliy men, or in
doing sifls of ch.irity and g<nerofity ; — when the great employ their power to protirt the innocent, to relieve the
oppv.fl'.d, and piinilh the opprclfor, to encourage a fpirit of lib rty, religion, ond virtuf (which are the gljry, the
ilchcs. and the flrtngth of any people) and to lupprcfs and difcouragc vice and immorality, that arc the difgracc,
and roiii of all : — when the Icarmd employ their wildom to inHruift the ignorant, to be a faithful counfellor cither
in publick or private, to be a direflor to youtli : and other g )od purpofts. In a word, when all men employ
<!icir talents, whatever they be, in fuch a manner, as lo do good to thcrofclvcs, and to that body politick, where-
of they atciDunbets. Di. Swit'T.
Eph.
SELF-D ENIAL. 155
This was the full latitude of profeffion, but we hsve tra^Jf c? In won •
Eph. iii. 18
of his knowledge to know Jefus Chrift-,
and this is excellent knowledge, Phil. iii. 8.
excellent for the author, matter, fubjeft,
fruits, and effecfls of it ; this is faving
kno'Johdge, this is life eternal to know thee
and Jefus Chrift whom thou haf}fent. O
never (peak of learning, wifdom, gifts, abi-
litieSjin comparifon of Ghrid:. Bernard could
fay, Sifcribis nonfapit mihi, niji legero ibi
Jefumyttc. * If thou writeft, it doth not re-
]i(h with me, unlefs I read Jefus there ; if
thou difputeftor conferreft, it doth not re-
lifn with me, unlefs Jefus found there :' All
learning is but ignorance in comparifon of
the knowledge of Chrift Jefus our Lord.
CoTTie then, and down with all carnal know-
ledge in this refpcft ; come then, and fubmit
to that true, fpiritual, applicatory, experi-
mental knowledge of Jefus Chrift. Hence-
forth, faith the apoflle, we know no man"
after the fiefj, yea though we have knoivn
Chrifi after the fie fh, yet henceforth know
■7ve him no more, 2 Cor. v. 16. We
know him not after an earthly car-
nal manner, but after a divine and fpi-
ritual manner agreeable to the flate of glo-
ry whereunto Chrift is exalted.
8. Confider that gifts and abilities are
the ftay, and ftaff, and ftrength only of
hypocrites; they only lean on thefe, they
only fecure themfelves in thefe : are they
not hypocrites that dare to plead thus
with God himfelf ? Mat. vii. 22. Many
will fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophefied in thy name, and in thy
name caf} out devils, and done many great
wonders P They trufted upon. Have we
not prophefied ? have we not prayed ? have
we not done wonders ? q. d. * God hath o-
pened the fecrets of heaven to us, and do
you think he will ihut the gates of heaven
upon us • We have preached, we have been
inftruments of laving others, and Jhallnot
we be faved ourfeKes > Wc have caft out
<levils, and Ihall we be caft to the devil >
^\'e have not walked in an ordinary tradl
X
ders and done miracles, we have amazed
the world with reports of the great things
we have done, is all this nothing ?' Thus
they plead with Chrift, as if he were bound
to fave them by the law of thefe fervices ;
yet Chrift tells them, Depart from me, I
know you not. One of the ancients repre-
fents them in fuch an amazement, * What
means this ftrange unexpedled anfwer from
Chrift, Depart, etc Muft we depart, wha
have lived fo near thee ? muft we be damn-
ed, whom thou haft thus honoured V
9. Conclude hence, ' Though a mart
have never fuch parts and gifts, yet if he
have not grace withal, he may go to hell
and perifti to all eternity ; for by his gifts
he is not united to Jefus Chrift, nor mad-
the child of God, nor eftated into the cef^
venant of grace.' You fee how it is with
• children playing together in the day, when
nightcomes.onechild goes to his father, and
the other to his father ; it may be all the day
they are fo like, that you cannot fay, whofe
child is this or that: but, when night comes,
the father then comes to his child, and
faith, ' Come my child, come in at doors:'
and if the o{her offers to go in there, * No
child, you muft go home to your father :'
fo while we are living, grace and gifts are
mingled together; fome men have gifts,
and fome men have graces, and they look
v^ry like : ah but when night comes, and
when death comes, then faith God to ihofe
that hg^e grace, ' Come my children, en-
ter in ;' but if thofe that have gifts only
come, he fends them away. And if a man
do go to hell and perifh, the more gifts he
hath, the deeper will he fink into hell ; as
it is with a man that is in the water, fink-
ing in the water, the more he is laden with
gold, the more he finks ; and as he is fink-
ing, if he have any time to cry out, he faith,
* Oh take away thefe bags of gold, thefe
bags of gold will fink me, they will indoe
me :' So I fay, ' Thefe golden parts, and
golden gifts will undoe men ; when men
2 coiue
156 SEL F-DENIAL.
come to hell, and fiiall pcrifh indeed, the
more golden gifts and parts they have had,
the deeper ihey ftiall fink into hell.' And
thus much of denying our fpecial gifts.
SECT. X.
Of the denial of our worldly profits : and
fir/} of cautions.
3. T7f 7E are conditionally to deny our
VV common ends, which naturally
men purfue and fcek after, as profit, plea-
fure, and honour. I ihall begin with the
firft, viz. Profit; in profecution of which I
ihall give fome cautions, and direiflions.
The cautions are thcfe.
1. It muft be granted that worldly pro-
-fits, fuch as houfes, lands, pofTeffions, are
a bleffing of God, and ufeful in their kind
and places; namely becaufe they ferve for
the refrelhing, comforting, fupporting of
our frail weak bodies, while we live in this
world. And hence it is that God of his
infinite bounty and free-grace hath under-
taken and promifed to make competent
provifion for his children. fear the Lord,
ye his faint Sy for there is no want to them
that fear him ; the young liens do lack and
fhfitr hunger, but they that Jeek the Lord
Jhall not want any good thing. Trufi in
the Lord, and do good, fo fhalt thou dwell
in the land, and verily thou fioalt be fed.
"The meek jhall inherit the earth, and fiiall
delight them felve sin the abundance of peace,
Pfal. xxxiv. 9, ro. and xxxvii. 3, 11. Seek
ye firfi the kingdom of Cod, and ail thcfe
thin']S fihill be added unto you, Matth. vi.
33. All thefe argue that earthly enjoy-
ments are in thcmlclvcs mercies, and the
bleffings of God to godly men.
2. Notwithftanding this, w^muft deny
them, as in thefe cafes.
I. As temptations and fnares, * when
they are either baits unto fin.' Thus Si-
mon Magus orfering money for the gifts of
the Spirit, A<fts viii. 20. the apofile doth
abhor fo abominable a negotiation. Though
an idol be made of iilver and gold, yet being
an idol it muft be thrown away with detefia-
tion like a menfiruous cloth, Ifa. xx. 22.
Even the brazen ferpcnt when it became a
fnare by the abufe of men, it is no longer
prtferved as a monument of mercy, but
broken in pieces as Nehuflitan, a piece of
brafs, 2 Kings xvi. 4. Or, * when they are
themfelves the fruits and wages of fin.'
Thus Zacheus denies himfelf in all his un-
juft gain which he had gotten by^fycophancy
[orfalfeaccufation] and by defrauding ; and
when Chrift offered to come into his houfe,
he would not fuffer mammon to (hut the
door againft him : refiitution as it is a moft
necelfary, fo it is one of the hardcfi: parts
of Self-denial ; when a covetous heart muft
be forced to vomit up all his fweet morfels
again, unjuft gain is like a barbed arrow,
it kills if it ftay within the body, and pulls
the Hefli away if it be drawn out.
2. Asoblationsand faciifices, when Chrift
calls us to dedicate then-s unto him, then we
muft deny them. I'hus when Abraham
was called from his country into a land of
fojourning which he kntw not ; and when
Daniel was called from a king's court to a
den of lions ; when Mofes was called from
the honours of Egypt to the afflictions of
God's people ; when the dilciples were cal-
led from their nets and fhips to follow
Chrift, ' immediately they confuhcd not
with flefii and blood,' but willingly left
their own comforts to obey God's com-
mands.
' All we are, or have, we have it on this
condition, to ufe it, to leave it, to lay it our,
to lay it down, unto the honour of our
Mafter, from whofe bounty we received it.'
SECT. XI.
Of the manner of denying our worldly profits.
THE direftions of Self-denial in re-
fpc«^ of our worldly profits are thefe.
I. Look we on worldly profits as vani-
ty, nothing ; IViit thou fet thine eyes upon
that which is not, faith Solomon, for riches
Certainly make themfelves -wings, they fly
away
S E L F ' D
away as an eagle, Prov. xxiii. 5- Obferve
I. The Holy Ghoft fays that riches are
not, they are nothing: thofe things that
make men great in the eyes of the world,
are nothing in the eyes of God. 2. Ob-
ferve the Holy Ghoft would not have us fo
much as fet our eyes upon riches, they are
not ohjef^s worth the looking on. 3. Ob-
ferve with what indignation he fpeaks a-
gainft thofe that will fet their eyes upon
them, Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that
•which is not? q. d. ' What a vain, unrea-
fonable, fottifli, fenfelefs thing is this ?' 4.
Obferve that he fays, their parting from us
is by way of flight, that is a fudden, fwift,
and irrecoverable motion. 5. Obferve that
this flight is by the wings of an eagle, which
of all birds hath the moft fudden, the moft
fwift, and the moft irrecoverable morion. 6.
Obferve that none needs to put wings upon
them to flee away, for they makethcmfel^s
wings, there is matter enough in tiiemfelves
to workout their own corruption, and to
put themfelves into a flight. We think
when we are called to deny our profits,
that we are called todeny feme great things;
but the truth is, had we eyes to difcern the
vanity of them, we (hould fee that we are
called to deny nothing but a mere fancy,
a thing of nought, and that which is not.
Oh that the glory of the world were dark
ened in our eyes as once it ihall be, that
it might not be fo dear un;.o us as it is !
2. Confider them as iuftabilities, uncer-
tainties; all worldly things whatfoever are
mutable, changeable, tranfitory ; and hence
the apoftle ftiles riches uncertain riches^
1 Tim. vi. 17. Witnefs Zedekiah who was
deprived of his kingdom, honour, eftate,
nobles, wives, children, liberty, and his
light in one day, 2 Kings xxv. and wir-
nefs Job, who of the richeft became the
pooicft man in one very day. Iliftovy
tells us of one Bellifarius, a noble and fuc-
cefsful captain under juftinian the empe-
ror, that upon fomc di.^plcofurehe was turn-
ed out of his office and eliate, and had his
E N I A L, 157
eyes put out, and (o was forc'd to beg from
door to door ; Date oholum Belli/ario, ' give
one half-penny to Bellifarius, whom for-
tune made great, and envy hath made blind.'
All worldly things are like the fea, ebbing
and flowing; or like the moon, always in-
creafing or decreafing ; or like a wheel, al-
ways turning up and down. Such a ftory
we have of Sefoftris king of Egypt, who
would have his chariot drawn with four
kings, and one of them had his eyes conti-
nually on the wheel ; whereupon Sefoftris
afl<ed him, ' What he meant by it ?' fJe an-
fwercd, * It put him in mind of the muta-
bility of all earthly things ; for I fee, faid
he, that part of the wheel which is now
upon high, is prefently down beneath, and
that part which is now below is prefently up
on high :' whereupon Sefoftris being mov-
ed, confidering what mutability might be
in his own eftate, he would never have hia
chariot drawn after that manner any more.
3. Conflder them as fnares : To this
purpofe cried Solomon, ^411 is vanity, and
vexation of fpirit, Eccl. ii. 26. World-
lings! do you not feel this true ? Mark but
how your worldly cares do rufli upon you
in the morning as foon as you awake, mark
but how they accompany you in the day,
mark but how they follow you to your
beds at night, mark but how they hinder
ycur fleeps, and affli(fl you in your dreams;
O what fears? what fufpicions? what un-
derminings of one another ? what difap-
pointments? what vexations? what a clut-
ter of buflnefl^es croiftng one the other?
what fnares and temptations ly in your
way at every hand ? You walk all the day
long upon fnares, Job xviii, 8. upon dan-
gerous fnares that bring much fin andguilr,
and will bring much forrow and mifcry.
Hence fome give the reafon why Jofrph,
although he had power to have advanced
his brethren in court, yet he would not
have them live there, but by themfelves in
Colhen tending their Iheep ; for himfel'f
he had an extraordinary call to be there,
bu«
158
SELF-DENIAL.
but he fokrtcw the encumbrances and cares
of the court, that he fought it not for his
brethren.
4. Confider them as fading in regard of
ufe, which, yet may prove eternal in re-
gard of punlfnment. O what a dreadful
roife is that in hell, ' We have loft eter-
nity for fetting our hearts upon things that
were but momentary.' A ftrong motive
to work in us a felf denial of thefe profits:
* What ? (hall I lofe eternity for things
momentary? fliall I while away that time
that I have to improve for eternity, to feck
after you, and to take content and plca-
fure in you ?' This is no ordinary motive
or argument. Indeed the knowledge of
this in fome general notion may be ordi-
nary, but to know it powerfully indeed,
and efFeftually indeed, it is a parable, a
riddle to the world, Pfal. xlix. 4. Some
obferve, That when God works any faving
work upon the foul, he begins in this way,
to fettle upon the foul this truth, that all
things here are fading, and what is a year
or two to enjoy all the contentments in
this world, if then I muft be gone, and bid
farewel to all ? Have not I an immortal
foul ? and when ftiall be the time that I fliall
provide for eternity ? To help on fuch a
Ibul, (now I am upon this fubje(fl) confi-
''der, whofoever thou art, thefe two or three
queftions. i. What is thy heart upon ?
1 urge this queftion as in the name of
Chrili, and anfwcr thou that readeft,
* What is thy heart upon ?' It is either u-
pon things momentary, or things eternal:
If thou lookeft upon things eternal as high
notional things, and fitter for fome
thoughts hereafter: then, 2. What will be
thy thoughts at the hour of death ; it may
be thefe: * Now are all my hopes at an
end, now I muft bid farewel to all my
comforts, I ftiall never have mirth and jol-
lity any more, the fun is fet, the feafon is
:it an end for all my comforts; now I muft
fee before rac an inhnite vaft ocean of c-
tcrnity, and of neceflity I muft launch in-
to it; O Lord, what provifion have I for
it ? O there's a thought that will rent the
heart in pieces ! O what a dreadful fliriek
will that foul give, that fees before it that
infinite ocean of eternity, and fees no pro-
vifion that it hath made for it.^ What will
it think, but ' here's an ocean of hot fcald-
ing lead, and I muft launch into ii, and I
muft fwim naked in it for ever and ever.*
I know not how this word may work, but
if it be trampled under foot, it may be
within this year, or two, or three, it will
be faid of thee ; * Such a one was at fuch
a fermon, or fuch a one read fuch a book,
and learned, that worldly profits were but
momentary, but now he is gone :' Or it
may be thou wilt fay on thy death-bed,
* Such a book, and fuch a thing I read,
that all worldly profits were but momen-
tary, and that I had not only a little river
to fwim over, but an infinite ocean to
launch into, and yet I would not be warn-
ed, and now my feafon is gone, and I am
launching into eternity, the Lord knows
what ftiall become of me.' And if thou
perifti indeed, then, 3. What will be thy
thoughts in hell? (I fpeak only to fuch as
go on refolvedly in their fin, or will take
no refolutions of better courfes). It was
the fad cxpreftion of one Lyfimachus, who
loft his kingdom for one draught of wa-
ter, * O for what a ftiort plcafure have I
loft a kingdom ?' O confider what a foul-
finking thought will this be to think here-
after, * O God, for how ftiort a pleafure
have I loft a kingdom ? the kingdom of
heaven ?' And again, ' For what a ftiort
pleafure have I made myfelf a bond ilave
to hell and devils for ever ? It is reported
of pope Sextus the V. that ' to enjoy the
glory and pleafure of the popedom for
fcven years, he fold his foul to the devil.'
AVhat infinite folly poftclfeth the hearts of
the children of men, who were made for
eternity, to venture eternal mifcarryings
for a few years, yea, a few hearts content-
ments to the flefti,
5. Com-
S E L
5. Compare Chrift, and the things of
Chrift, with riches, or worldly profits in
the particulars forementioned, and thence
draw out conclufions: as, Worldly Profits
are Vanities, but Chrift:\and the things of
Chrift are Realities, they are true, real, fub-
flantial, folid things, John vi. 27. 2. World-
ly Profits are Inftabilities, Uncertainties,
but Ghrift and the things of Chrift ^xq /ta-
bic things ; they are things that perifh not :
an tn.iuringjubjlance; eternal things^ Heb.
X. 34. So the apoftle. The things luhich
arefeenare temporalyviz. Riches, honours,
hoiifes, but the things -which are not feen,
as Chrift, grace, holinefs, God's favour,
heaven, are eternal, 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18.
3. Worldly Profits are Thorns, Vexation
of fpirit, but Ghrift and the things of Chrift
are full of Joy and Comfort ; not like t^e
joys of earth, that blaze for a time, that
are like the crackling of thorns under apot,
but yield no durable, folid heat ; no, no,
they are inward, found, fubftantial, laft-
ing joys, and when we come to heaven,
they fhall be unmixt joys, pure comforts
without any mixture of difccmfort, or
grief of any kind. 4. Worldly Profits are
but momentary, and of a fading, peri(h-
ing nature ; but Chrift and the things of
Chrift are all durable, and lafting, yea, e-
verlafiing : Chri/} is the fame yefhrday^
and to day, andjor ever, Heb. xiii. 8. And
heaven (wherein Chrift is) is an inheri-
tance incorruptible, undt filed, that fadeth
not away, 1 Pet. i. 4. Spiritual joy is an
everlajling joy, and falvaiion is an ever-
lafiing falvation, Ifa. xlv. 17." Upon thefe
premifes may we not refohitely conclude ?
What ? are we not willing to do or lufter
any thing for Ghrift ? to part with all for
Chrift ? to make an abfolute choice of Chi ift
before the world ? We read much of the
primitive Chriftlans, that when riches, pre-
ferments, eafe, liberty, were olfered to them
to deny but fome truth of Chrift, they re-
fufed it with difdain. they embraced the
flake, they IdftTed it, they cried out, ' Wel-
F^DENIAL, 159
come death, and none bnt Chrift, none but
Chrift.' Yea, fome, with Paul, have faid.
To me to live, is Chrifl, and to die is gain,
I defire to be dijfolved, and to be with Chrift,
Phil. i. 23. I know it is an hard leftbn to
fiefh and blood ; many have their hearts fo
glued to the world, that they are as un-
willing to part with their wealth, as Lot's
wife was to leave Sodom .^ Oh, but mufe
on thefe differences betwixt Chrift and pro'
fits ! What wife man would make it his
bufinefs to fill his coffers with pebbles,
when he may have pearls, gold or filver ?
What is a man profited, if he fhall gain the
whole world, and Icfe his own foul? Matth,
xvi. 26.
6. Go on in the ways of godlinefs,
though all our profits be hazarded ; keep
on your way, and pafs not for them, trufl
God with them; if we do ftill enjoy them,
fo it is; if not, yet maintain a conftant
ftrong refolution of keeping on in the ways
of God's fear: Thus did Daniel, chap. vi.
10. notwithftanding the princes and nobles
watched him in the matter of the Lord his
God, yet he abated not one whit, he went
on in his courfe for ail the hazard he was
in, the conftant ways of godlinefs, in com-
munion with his God, was more fwcet and
precious to him than all his court prefer-
ments. Thus did Nehemiah, chap. vii. i.
notwithftanding the oppofition he had, not-
withftanding the confpirings, complaints,
and many letters fent to inform againft
him, yet he went on in the work of the
Lord. Thus David profelfeth. Though
princes fpake againp him, yet he did, and he
would meditate on Cod's law, Pfal. cxix. 23.
7. Appear for God and his caufe, his
truth and people, tho' the iffue may feem
dangerous, and when none elfe will. Thus
Efiher, chap. iv. 16. died with that biave
refolution of hers, If I perifii, 1 perifh.
Thus Nehemiah did, chap. ii. 4, 5- who,
though he was fomething afraid at firft to
fpeak to that hcathenifh king in the behalf
of his religion and people, yet having life
up
1^0 SELF'DENIAL.
up his heart to God, he fpake freely unto
him. Oh let not a publick good caufe be
daflied and blafted, and none have an heart
to appear' for it, for fear of the lofs of
worldly profits: Gbriftlans fliould have that
nobility of mind which the prophets had,
and the apoftles had, and which they that
ferve riches cannot have. What? do pu-
blick caufes for God and his people call
you out to venture your eftates ? Surely
it is beneath true noblenefs of fpirit to pro-
vide only for your eafe and fafcty. Wc
fliould value duty, %iore than fafety.
8. Confider that our hearts are not per-
feft with the Lord till we come to a difpo-
fition to let go every thing for the Lord.
Look under the whole heaven, if there be
any thing we would not forfake, or any
thing we would not fuffer for the Lord,
our hearts are not perfect with God.
"VVhofoever he be that forfakes not all (in
vote, or acl) for Chrift, he cannot be a
difciple of Chrifl: ; if thou art born to a
thoiifand pound lands a-year, yet, if God,
and a good confcience to witnefs the truth,
call for it, thou mufl: forfake all. As Chrift
faid to the young man. If thou ivi/t be per-
fect, go fell all that thou haft, and give it
to the poor^ and thou flmlt have treafure in
heaven, Matth. xix. 17. Were Chrift now
on earth, he might fay as much to any man,
and we were bound upon pain of damna-
tion to obey him. O get our hearts into
this habitual frame ! thefe thoughts, if well
meditated on, would much abafe us, and
keep us from contemning any man for his
mean condition in the world, for we know
not how foon a good confcience may bring
lis into the like condition. Certainly, to
have thefe loofe and dying affections to the
enjoyments of the world, are greater mer-
cies than the enjoyments themfelves.
9. Let all go indeed, rather than be
brought to the committing of any fm : it
is belter to endure all the frowns and an-
ger of the grcatell of the earth, than to
have an angry confcience within our
breaft ; it is better to want all the profits
and pleafures that earth can afford, than to
lofe the delights that a good confcience will
bring in : O let the bird in the breaft always
be kept finging, vvhatfoever we fufTer for
it ; it is better we lofe all we have, than
to make ft^ipwreck of a good confcience:
In this cafe, we mufl be willing to lofe all,
or elfe we are loft in the enjoyment of all.
I confefs it is no little matter for them who
have much of the world, to deny them-
felves in thofe things that give content to
the flefli, confidering the corruption that
is in the hearts of the children of men ; it
is an hard thing, and feldom hath fuccefs,
to give rules for the ordering of life to
men who are in great profperity in this
world ; ' For a man to be fet on high, and
5'et to have the heart kept down, it is hard
and unufual,' fays Bernard, Ep. xlii. But
the more unufual, the more glorious; the
more hard, the more honourable ; the more
rare, the more comfortable it is to yield
unto it.
SECT. XII.
Of the Denial of our loorld'y PleaCureSy
and fir ft of Cautions.
THE next common end which natu-
rally men purfue and feek after, and
which we muft deny, it is Pleafure : In
profecution of this, as in the former, I
fhall give fome Cautions and Directions.
The Cautions are thefe.
I. That pleafures, delights, recreations
are, in fome fenfe, laudable, namely, as
in a fober, moderate, feafonable ufe of them
they ferve for the re/relliing, comforting
and fupporting of our frail, weak bodies,
whilft we live here in this world. In wtiich
refpeft the preacher could fay, There is no-
thing better for a vian^ than that he fhould
eat, and drinks and delight hisfenfes. And
again, / perceive there is nothing better,
than that a man fjould rejoice in his oivn
works, /or that is his portion. And agaii7.
To every thing there is a feafon, and a time
to
S E L F' D
to every purpofe under the fun : A time to
loeep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn,
and a time to dance, Eccl. H. 24. iii. 22.
iii. I, 4. Thus, and in this fenfe, and in
their feafon we need not to deny them.
2. Notwithflanding the lawfulnefs, and
laudable ufe of pleafures, yet we mufl de-
ny them, as in thefe cafes.
I. When they are baits to draw us un-
to fin ; thus it is faid of the wicked, They
take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at
the found of the organ, they fpend their
days in mirth. And then it follows. There-
fore they Jay unto God, Depart from us, for
ive defire not the knoxuledge of thy ways ;
and what is the Almighty, that we fhould
ferve him? and what profit fo all we have,
if we pray unto him? Men given to plea-
fure are very ready to call: off their God.
2. AV^hen they are fin, or the concomh
tants of fin, or the fruits and wages of fin.
Thus Solomon found them, and therefore
denied them, I faid in my heart. Go to now,
J will prove thee with mirth, therefore
enjoy pleafure ; and behold this alfo is va*^
nity : I faid of laughter, it is mad, and of
mirth, what doth it? Eccl. ii. i, 2. The
fum of that book is this, When Solomon
forfook God, then he ran to pleafures and
vanities, and fought every thing that fhould
pleafe his carnal eye, and tickle his vain
fancy; but he no fooner returns to him-
felf (as the prodigal did) but he fays of
pleafure,This is vanity, and of mirth, This
is madnefs, and of laughter. What is this
thou dofi:?
SECT. xiir.
Of the manner of denying our worldly plea-
lures.
THE dire£>ions of felf-deuial, in re-
fpeft of our worldly pleafures, are
thefe ;
I. Look on pleafures as vanity and no-
thing. Thus Amos, ch. vi. 4, 5, 6. charg-
ing the courtiers of riotojfnefs. he tells
them, They lie upon beds of ii cry, and
fir etch themfelves upon their couches, and
E N 1 A L. 161
eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves
out of the midfi of the fi all ; they chant to
the found of the vial, and invent to them-
felves infiruments of mufick like David :
they drink wine in bowls, and anoint them-
felves with the chief ciniments, they are
not grieved for the affiiciion of Jofeph.
This their life might appear to fome a mofl
brave and defirable thing,- but mark what
the holy Ghofi fays of it, Tewho rejoice in
a thing of naught, q. d. all thefe pleafures
put together were, in a true judgment, but
a thing of naught, they had nothing, no
reality in them.
2. Look on pleafures not only as vain,
but as vanidiing; they are foon gone
from us, or we are foon gone from them,
I. They are foon gone from us, The
fafhion of this world pafieth away, i Cor.
vii. 31. Solomon compares all the pro-
fperity of the wicked to a candle ; and
how foon is the candle of the wicked blown
out? Prov. xxiv. 20. All pleafures are
but like a mountain of fnow that melts a-
way prefently. 2. We are foon gone from
them, it is but a while, and then we, and
all our pleafures muft together vaniih ; if
death draw the curtains, and look in upon
us, then we muft bid a farewel to them all,
never laugh more, never have merry meet-
ing more, never ^e in jollity any more, now
all is gone, as Adrian faid, when he was to
die, ' Oh my foul, whither goeft thou ?
thou fhalt never jell it, fport it any more.'
Oh, when we are called to eternity, then
all our delights will leave us, and bid us
adieu for ever, and how doleful will this
found be then to all the fons and daugh-
ters of pleafure, your feafon is done, you
have had your time, it is gone, it is pall,
and cannot be recalled.
3. Confider this is not the fea^.n that
fliouldbe for pleafure. Son, remember in thy
lifetime thou had ft thy pleafure i Luke xvi.
25. it fhould not have been then: theapofile
James, ch. v. 5. lays it as a great charge
upon thofe in his time, that they lived in
Y p'ea-
lf)2
SELF-DE NIAL.
pleafure on earth and were ivanton. This
is a time for virtuous actions, to do the
great hufinefs for which we were born ;
Oh, did we think that our eternity depend-
ed upon this little uncertain lime of our
lives, we would not fay, that fenfual plea-
fures are now in feafon. Surely this time
/hould be fpent in feeking to make our
peace with God, in humbling our fouls to
get off the guilt of fin ; this is a time of
fuing out our pardon, of mourning and
forrow, and trouble of fpirit ; and no time
for jollity and flefhly delights. IF a con-
,demned man had tu^o or three days grant-
ed him that he might fue out his pardon,
were that a time for pleafures and fpotts ?
Thus it is with us, the fentence of death
is upon us, only a little uncertain time is
granted us to fue out a pardon, let us
know then, what is our woik we have to
do, and let us apply ourfelves to it.
4. Meditate upon that lafl and flrl(fl ac-
count that muft be given for them all. Re-
joice, young man in thy youth, walk in
the ways oj thy hearty and in the fight of
thine eyes, Ecclef. xi. 16. q. d. Live after
thy luits, and do what thou wilt ; it is an
ironical conceffion : but remetnber withal,
that for allthefe things God will bring thee
' into judgment, for all theft things : thtve
is not one merry meeting, not one hour
fpent in pleafure, not one pleafurable a6l
or thought, but an account muft be given
Jbr it. There are three heads upon which
the enquiry at the day of judgment will be
roncerning our plca(vues. i. What kind
of pleafures they were, whether wicked in
their own nature or not ? 2. What time
was fpent in them ? 3. How far the heart
was let out upon them ?
5. Weigh the fearful end of thefe dc-
lightfuf things; thofe morfels which are
Iweet in goin^ down, they muft come up
agnin as bitter as gall : hence Solomon ad-
vifeth, Look net upon the wine it is red,
when it giveth his colour in the cup, when
it mcveth itjelf aright s at the lajl it biteth
like a fer pent, and Jlingcth like an adder,
Prov, xxiii. 31, 32. The young man that
follows the enticing of a whore, he gocth
as an ox to the fciughter, and as a fcol to
the flocks, till a dart frike through his li-
ver, Pro. vii. 22, 23 Sen fual pleafure leads
to, and fits for deilru<ftion; Hell hath en-
larged herjelf, and opened her mouth with-
out meafure ; he that rejoiceth falldcfcend
into it, 1 fa. V. 14. They take the timbrel
and harp, and rejoice at the found of the
organ, theyfpend their days in wealth, and
in a moment go down into hell, Job xxi. 1 2,
I 3. And it was faid of Babylon, How
much fhe hath glorified herflf, and lived
delicioufy, fo much torment give her. Rev,
xviii. 7. O how grievous will eternal pain
be to them who are now altogether for de-
light and pleafure ? now they cannot en-
dure any fad thoughts, O they make them
melancholy, but how will they endure-the
difmal thoughts of an accuUng, tormenting
confcience everlaftingly .' i^ow their flelh
is dainty, delicate and tender, it muft ly
foft, and fare deliciouily, but how will it
endure thofe everlafting burnings ? if after
every intemperate draught there fliould be a
draught of fcaldinglead poured down, how
grievous would it be .' the end of mens in-
temperate pleafures will be worfe ; for, as
Job fays, ch. xxi. 20. They fkall drink of
the wrath of the Almighty, this fhall be the
portion of their cup; they who delight in
long fittings at it, they ftiall drink of this
eternally, thofe curfed delights in burning
lufts fhall end in eternal burnings.
6. Ponder the carriage of the faints be-
fore us. You know the mean proviiion
that John the Baptift, the forerunner of
Chrifl had, his fare was locufl and wild
hony, Matth. iii. 4. and yet there was not
a greater born of woman before. Daniel
was afraid of taking liberty to his flelh in
eating the king's meat,and the time he had
molt heavenly vifion, Ht. ate no pUa/dnt
bread, neither came fie fh nor wine into his
mouth, neither did he anoint himfelf at all,
Daa.
S E LF-DENI^L.
"Dan. X. 3. Pa\il was careful to beat doivn
his bodyy I Cor. ix. 27. to club it down,
even till it was black and blue, fo the word
Upotiazo fignifies. Timothy, though he
was fickly, yet would not take liberty to
drink a little -wine, but only water, till
Paul wrote to him, and in that liberty
there was but a little granted, and that/cr
iiis ftomach'sjtike, and bis often infirmities,
I Tim. V. 23. If I (hould fpeak of the
mean provilion for the flefh that many of
the ancients were contented withal, and that
before the fuperflition of popery prevailed,
it would feem incredible unto you. Bafil,
in an epiflle to Julian mentions the mean
fare he, and others with him, lived with-
al, he ate no ^t'['\^^ they had no need of
cooks, all their provifions was but the
leaves of plants, and a little bread : and
Hierom reports of Hilarion, that he ne*
ver ate thing before the fun went down,
and that which at any time he ate, was
very mean : and Hierom himfelf lived fo
abftemioufly, that he had nothing daily but
a few dried figs v;ith cold water.
7. Do we in fome meafure for Chrift,
as Chrift out of meafure hath done for us.
"What? was he content to part with the
pleafures of heaven, the bofom of his Fa-
ther to redeem poor man ? and fhall we
not part with the pleafure of a little meat
or drink for him ; What ? was he content
to part with his blood for us : and fhall not
we be content topart with our lufls for him?
Is not all his glory revealed in his word and
work fufficient to fhew him worthy of our
loves, and to make us willing to part with
fuch empty, poor, flight things, as a deal of
fenfual pleafures? Surely the daughters of
pleafure mufl undrefs ; if ever they will
be beautiful in Chrift's eyes, they mufl lay
alide their paintingsanddreffings, their curl-
ings and perfumings of the hair ; Their or-
nament muj} not be the outward adorning^
^pla
^H
laiting the hair, and of wearing of gold,
and putting on of apparel, but let it be the
hidden man of the heart, in that which is
not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek
and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of
God of great price, i Pet. iii. 3,4.
8. Keep on in the ways of godlincfs ; by
this means we fliall not lofe, but change
our pleafures for the better^: if things may
be rightly fcanned, there is more pleafure
in the very a£l of felf-denlal, than in all the
pleafures of mens lives ; and if fuch plea-
fure be in the denial of falfe pleafure, vi hat
is therein theenjoyingof true? Surely God
hsth pleafure enough for us, if we had an
heart to truft him with our pleafure, v.e
fhall hereby only lofe our fin, but not our
pleafure. Bernard * hath a notable ex-
prefTion to the purpofe, ' If you be willing,
fay he, to facrifice your Ifaac, which fig-
nifies laughter, your Ifaac, your pleafure
fhall not die ; it is the ram, your f^outnefs
of fpirit, your felf-willednefs that fliall
die, but Ifaac fhall live, you fliall have your
pleafure flill.' Do not harbour ill thoughts-
of God, do not think God is an enemy to
your pleafure ; if you would truft him with
your pleafure, you fhould have pleafure
enough, it may be, in this world, or how-
foever, in the world to come. Auguflin
hath fome expreffions to the like purpofe, f
' How fweet was it to me of a fudden, faidf
he, to be without thofe fweet vanities !
thou Lord, who are the true fweetnefs didft
caft them from me, and inflead of them
didfl enter in thyfelf, who art more delight-
ful than all pleafure, and more clear than
all light.' Keep on therefore in God's ways;
* if we would not be fad, let us live well,*
§ faid Bernard.
9. Underfland what are the ways ofGod-
linefs, and what is in the ways ofGodlinefs
to caufe delights. Nothing more deadens
the deart to falfe delights than rightly to
• Beroard de Bonis difilrendU. f Aug. Coiifeff. I. 9- c 1. § Bero. de Intern, dom, c 45.
known
r64 S EL F-DEN lAL.
know what it is in God's way that caOT-
eth true delights. Now it is the love of
God that appears upon our fouls in every
duty, which caufeth delight, it is the pre-
fence of'God and the glory of God that
appears in every gracious aftion which
makes it delightful ; let us therefore thus
look upon the ways ofgodlinefs. Many
go on in duty haled by confcience, but
i.hcv li'.tle underftand of the plenfantnefs
t)f Gods ways, and for want of thefenfe
of thofe fpirlrual pkafures, no wonder if
rhey fail in the denial of outward, ^tn-
luai, carnal pleafimc.
ID. Meditate on thefe pleafurcs above,
and fny (you that have the experience of
-the plcafantnefs of God's ways) if the ne-
ther (pringsbefo fweet,what will the upper
be ? If the lower Jcrufalem be paved with
gold, furely that upper Jerufalem is paveJ
■with pearls It is an excellent fpeech of Ber-
nard, ' Good art thou, O Lord, to the foul
that feeks thee ; W hat art thou to the foul
that finds thee ? If grace be pleafant, how
plc^fantis glory ?' Therefore the faints die
fo pleafantly, becaufethere is a meeting of
''race and glory ; grace is delightful, glory
?nore delightful, but when both thefe meet
together, what delight will there then be ?
It is a fpeech of one fpeaking of carnal de-
lights, 'None can go from delight to de-
light ;' but it is not fo fpiritually ; the
more delight we have here, the more we
ihall have hereafter : And therefore let
this be all our prayer, * Lord, give us ever-
more this pleafure, fatisfy our fouls with
th.is pleafure ;' if the drops be fweet, the
livers of pleafure and joy that are at
Chrift's right hand. How fweet are they ?
II. Above all, Oh tajle and fet how
fvjett the Lord is even in the want of all
outward plenfure ; this will bear up the
heart when all is gone. Although the fig-
free fnill not blolfoni, neither Piull fruit
be in the vines, the labour of the olive fhall
fail, and the felds fhall yield no meat
he fi:':k fhall be cut offjrem thi J old, and
there fhall be no herd in the flails ; yet I
•will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the
Codofmy falvation,\\zh. iii. 17.18. When
all is dark abroad in the world, then let
our fouls rejoice in God alone, yea, then
let us expatiate our joys to theutmofl. As
it is a work of grace to moderate all car-
nal pleafures, and to keep them down,
fo it is a fpf cial work of grace to expatiate
the foul to theoutmoft in all fpiritual plea-
fures, and rejoycings in the Lord. And
to this purpofe we fhould exercife our
faith in the work and office of the Holy
Ghoft : Look upon the Holy Ghort as de-
figned by the Father and the Son to bring
joy and delight to the fouls of his people.
O what a vail: difference is betwixt the com-
forts of a carnal heart, and the comforts
of the godly ? The one comes from a
little meat and drink, ^c. but the other
comes from the exercile of faith about the
office of the Holy Ghofl, who is defigned
by the Father and the Son to be the com-
forter of his faints. What fay we then ?
Are all outward pleafures gone .' let them
go : only by the help of the Spirit, rejoice
in the Lord, and again, I fay, rejoice in the
Lord. Oh tafie and fee how good the
Lord is even in the want of all outward
pleafures.
SECT. XIV.
Of the Denial of our Honour, Praife, Fa-
vour, good narrie among men : and firft
of Cautions.
TH E next common end, which natur-
ally men purfue and feek after, and
which we muff deny, is Honour, Praife,
Favour, good Name.
In profecution of this, as in the for-
mer, I fhall give fome cautions and direc-
tions. The Cautions are thefe.
1. That Honour, Praife, Favour, good
Name as the gifrs and- bleffings of God.
Mofes was honourable ; and before Mofcs
was gathered unto his people, the Lord
bade him to put fome of his fionour upon
Jofliuah, that all the congregation oj the
chil'
S E L F • D
children of Jfrael might be obedient unto
him. Numb, xxvii. 20. And God blelTed
the children of Jfrael them felves "with ho-
nour^ he made them high above all nations in
praife, and in name, and in honour, Deut.
xxvi. 19. And becaufe Solonnon begged
wifdom of God, the Lord told him that he
would give him riches and honour toboot, i
Kings iii. 13. Yea, that thefe are God's
gifts, David in his prayer fpeaketh expref-
ly, both riches and honour come of thee,
and thou reigneft over all. i Chron. xxix.
12. and for a good name, which is true ho-
nour indeed, the Lord hath made apromife
to his, that he/ivill give them in his houfe a
place, and a name better than sffons and
cf daughters : an everlafling name, that
(Imll not be cut off, Ifa. Ivi. 5. Yea, he will
make them a name and a praife among all
the people of the earth, Zep. iii. 20. Surely^
tliefe are the bleflings of God, yea, com-
paratively, far above all other bieflings. ^4
good name is better than precious ointment,
Ecclef. vii. i. Yea, a good name is rather
to be chofen than great riches, and loving
favour rather than filver and gold, Pro v.
xxit. I.
2. Notwithftanding they are bleflsngs
of God, yet we mud deny them for God,
as in thefe cafes.
i. When they are as fnares or baits
unto fin. And in all thofe, fc. Honour,
Praife, Favour, good name, there are
dangerous fnares: how prone do they make
a man to thofe fins of vain-glory, felf-
exaltation, felf-admiration, felr-eftiraation?
Surely it is a great mercy of God, if any
man be preferved from thefe fins that en-
joys thefe blelfings. And hence it is, that a
few honourable men prove Self-deniers,
becaufe they are mofl prone to thole fins
which are mbft formally oppofite unto
Self-denial : What is more oppofite to
Self-denisl than Vain-glory, Self-love,
Stlf-feeking, Self-advancing, Defire of
mens praife ? In this relpeft Bildad truly
fpeaks of fuch men, that they are cajl into
E N I A L. i6s
a net by their own feet, and they walk upon
frares. Job xviii. 8. Take heed of thefe
fnares : in this refpedl we had need to
deny them.
2. When we are called by God to de-
dicate them to God. The Lord never
gave us thefe things. Honour, Praife, good
Name upon any other terms, but that
we fhould be willing to part with them
for the honour of his name ; God never
made us owners, but fiewards of them
for his ferx'ice, and if ever we were brought
to Chrift, into covenant with God in him,
we then refigned up all to him, we pro-
feft to part with all for him, we entered
into bond that we would give up whatfo-
ever we were or had to the Lord when
it fliould be called for. And good reafon,
for whatfoever honour or excellency we
, have it is he that gives it ; it is he that
made the difference betwixt us and others;
the rain-bow is but a common vapour,
it is the fun that gilds it, that enamels it
with fo many colours j the beft of us are
but a vapour; and if any of us be more
glorious, more honourable than others,
it is the Lord that hath fliined upon us, and
hath put more beauty, more luflre upon,
us than upon other vapours. The Ho-
nour, Favour, good Name we have, God
hath put upon us, and feeing it is of him,
the glory of it is infinitely due to him ; if
he calls for it, good reafon we fliould deny
it.
SECT. XV.
Of the Manner of denying our Honour, fa-
vour, Praife, good Name among iMen^
THE direarons of Self-denial, in
refpeft of our Honour, Favour,
Praife, good Name among men, are thefe.
I. Look on Honour, Praife, Favour,
Applaufe, as vanity, nothing. Fanity of
vanities, faith the Preacher, vanity cf
vanities, all is vanity, Eccl. i. 2. Ob-
ferve his expreffion, 1. Vanity, not only
vain but vanity itfelf. 2. Excellive vanity,.
fo«
1^)5
SELF-DENIAL.
for it Is vanity of vanities. 3. An heap of
vanities, for it is in the phiral number,
vanity of vanities. 4, All is vanity, not on-
ly Profit, and Pleafure, but Honour too ;
Solomon- had an experience of them all,
and all is vanity. 5. He adds his name to
that he faith, Vanity of vanities^ faith the
preacher. The word lignifies the foul
that hath gathered wifdom. There is no
reality in Honour, Praife, Favour, Ap-
plaufe of men, which are fo much admir-
ed and magnified by the moft. Honour is
but a fliadow, a fancy, a wind, a breath f,
an external additam^nt, for there is no in-
ternal excellency in it ; a mere fable, as
AuguftusGaefar could fay on his death-bed,
-* Have not I feemed to have aded my
part fufficiently in this fable of the world ?
now then, Farewel.'
2. Beware of thofe attendants, or com-
panions of Honours, as Vain-glory, Self-
love, Self-exaltation, Self-admiration. Let
us not be dcfirous of vain-glory. Gal. v.
Let us not exalt ourfelves above others,
let us not ftrive or ftudy to be magnified
by others, let us not pleafe and blcfs our-
felves in the vain applaufe of others. It is
not human applaufe, but God's approbation
which minifters matter of true honour to
a Chriftian \. 'Wt (hould rejoice to fee
God honoured, but fear to hear ourfelves
applauded, left either we be idolized,
our hearts elevated, or God's honour ob-
fciircd. Certainly fhame will be at laft that
man's portion that exalts himfelf. O how
ihould Chrift put the crown of glory on
his head, who takes the crown of praife
from the head of Chrift ? Them that ho-
nour me, faith God, / will honour , and they
that defpife vie,fhall be lightly ejteemed, t
Sam. ii. 30.
3. Be convinced, that of all vices, Vain-
glory, Self-admiration, Self-exalration, hun-
ting after men's praife, is the moft invin-
cible. The roots thereof are fo deep and
ftrong, and fo largely fpread in the heart
of man, that there is no difeafe in the foul
fo hardly cured, no weed in the garden of
man's heart fo uneafily plucked \ip § : It
is the hardeft talk that ever man under-
took, to deny himfelf, and fully to prof-
trate, and put himfelf under God and
Chrift'syoke. Pharaoh did many things in
the way of love and honour to Jofeph, he
put his ring upon his hand, he arrayed him
in veftures of fine linen, and fet him over
his houfe, but he referved this to himfelf,
to be greater in the throne than Jofeph ;
io man may do much in the way of out-
ward zeal for God, he may exalt God
very far, above his profit, above his plea-
fure, above his peace, yea, above his life,
and yet ftill referve to himfelf a prehemi-
nence above God, to be greater in the
throne than God : A man may clothe the
naked, feed the hungry, and give his body
toheburnt too, in the caufe of God, and
yet do all this for himfelf more than for
God ; for his own applaufe, for his own
name, more than for honouring of God's
name. Of all conqueft this Self-conqueft
is the moft difficult, the moft excellent.
t What's fame ? a fancy M life iiu tlicr's breath, | \ All fame is foreign, but of true dtfcrt,
A thing beyonil us, cv'n before our death I Plays round the head, but o-mes not to tlic heart:
All that we feel of it begins and ends 1 One felf-approving hour whole years outweighs
In the fniall circle ofour fo<r$ and friends. Ef. on man. \ Of flupid llarcr;, and of loud huzz:i>. tlhiy en num.
§ lo iTi(dtrateoi:r dcfirc cf fioie. let us confidcr not only the vanity of it in itfelf. but its infi.fficiency to
Tender us wifer, bitter or happier pcif)ns, than we were before. Let men alio dilliuguilh betwixt faiii and tiue
pjory. Let tlam confiler too that true glory may be obtained in the lowclt llaiionof life, as wtll as in the highcil :
Ti.usthc n.cchanick, and the plov\maii. by excelling in iiisait, and pcifciming hii duty, n;ay, ai:d unJoiibudiy
tsi'l, acquiit aortal and folid glory.as the niii.ilKr of Ibtc, the gcr,tr;.l,or the fcholav can obtain by excelling \a theirs.
Honour and fhanie from no (oniUii'-.n rile ;
A^ well your fart, there uU the ioiiour lies.
the
S E L F-D
the moH: noble, the moft glorious. He
that ruleth his oivn fpirity faith Solomon, zj
better than he that taketh a city, Prov.
xvi. 32. The overcoming of a kingdom is
nothing in compririfon of a man's over-
coming his own corruption. O this Self-
exaltation will Hand it out like a mighty
champion in the heart, when all other lufts
feem to fly, as Shammah was faid 10 ft an4
it cut, and to defend the field when the peo-
ple fled, 2 Sam. xxiii. 12. Other lufts may
go out like fire that wants feul, yet this
luft wiil ftill put forth, and foar aloft,
and ftrive to climb up into the throne of
God fo long as any thing of the old man
remains in man. Of all the evils that are
within us, we have moft caufe to be con-
vinced, yea, to watch and pray againft this
evil of Vain-glory, Self-exaltation, Self-^
admiration.
4, Learn inwardly, by heart, this gof-
pel-truth. That man's honouring of Chrift,
or being honoured by Chrifl, is the truelt
honour of man. If any man ferve me, him
luill my Father honour, John xii. 26. As
the honouring of the father, hufband,
fovereign, is the honour ofafon, a wife,
a fubjeft ; fo the honouring of GhrifV, and
efpecially being honoured by Chrift, it is
the glory of them who are the children,
fpoufe, and fubjefls of Jefus Chrllt. Vain
and carnal men think no honour compar-
able to the honour which men give, as
it was faid of the chief rulers in Chrifi's
time. They lovethepraijeofmenmore than
thepraije of God, John xii. 43. and there-
fore they ftrive more to have theteltimony
of man applauding them than the witnefs
of God's Spirit fealing them up unfo the
day of Redemption. O bvt ihis honour
fhould darken the other in our eyes; what
great matter is it though the glory of the
oiher be loll, fo that God do but highly
honour us with this ? "Whofoever knows
himfeU to be the Son of God, he never
wonders more at that which is human.
Surely he dcbafes hiinfelf from the height
ENIAL. 1^7
of true generoufnels, who admires at any
thing befides God and Ghrift himfelf ; all
other honour is but of nature, but tliis
honour is of grace ; it is a fparkle of the
divine nature, a ray of the very glory of
God himfelf fhining into the fouls of his
faints.
- 5. Let us herein conform ourfelves to
Ghrift. He came from the bofom of his
Father, and from that infinite glory he
had with him before the world was ; for
fo he prays, that the Father would glorifie
him with that glory he had with him before-
the world was, John xvii. 5. He left the
riches and pleafures of heaven, and that
honour which he might have had from
all the angels, and all to fave poor wretch-
ed finful creatures ; he that was equal with
God fo emptied himfelf that he became
man, nay he was made a fcorn of man,
he was called the carpenter's fon, as one
that was contemptible, he made himfelf of
no reputation, he came in the form of a
fervant, yea, of an evil fervant that was to
be beaten, he was made a curfe, as if he
had been the vileft of men living ; and yet
this \yas the honour of Ghrift himfelf, be-
caufe it was all for God and good of fouls.
O then who is he that knows any thing of
Jefus Ghrift, that can think it much to lay
down all his honour, or any outward dig-
nity iinder heaven for him ? What can be
ipore unworthy ? What more deteltsble
than that a man fliould magnify himfelf
after he hath feen God humbled ? It is in-
tolerable impudeney, that where majefty
hath emptied itfelf, a worm Ihould be puf-
fed up and fwell.
6. Let us fubmit to the meancft fervice
of our God, though it darken our honours
never fo much in the eyes of the world.
Thus Jerom wrote to Pamachius a godly
young nobleman, that ' he would have
him to be eyes to the blind, feet to the
lame, hands to the weak, yea, if need were,
to carry water, and cut wood, and make
fires ; for what are all thefe, faith he, to
bonds.
i68
SELF-DENIAL.
bonds, bnfTettings, fpittlngs, whippings,
death ?' t To this purpofe Conftantine,
Valentinian, Theodofius, three emperors,
called themfelves the vairalsof JefusChrifl:,
as Socrates reports of them : and Theodo-
fius efpecially did manifeft it in the work
of his humiliation, when in the face of a
full congregation, he cart himfelf down u-
pon the pavement, weeping and lamenting
for his fin ; which many haughty fpirits,
though inferior to him, would have fcor-
ncd to have done.
7. Let us willingly join with thofe of
' lower degree in any way of honouring
God. Mind not high things^ faith the a-
- poftle, but condefcend to men of loiu e/}ate,
Rom. xii. 16. Thus Jerom advifed Pama
chius to ' equal himfelf with the poor, to
go into the cells of the needy.' Who
knows but that the pooreft creature may
be far more honourable in the eyes of
God and of his faints than we ? Where
greater graces fit below us, let us acknow-
ledge their inward dignity. J\ly brethren,
have not the faith of our Lord Jefus Chrifi
the Lord of glory, with refpecl ofperfons.
Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not
Cod chojen the poor of this world, rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he
hath pr(,:infed to them that love him F
fames ii. i. 5- It may be fome of them
were in Chrifl; before us, and others of
them are in Chrift as well as the befl of us,
and if we muA differ in glory as we do
differ in grace, who can tell but they may
be in heaven as the ftars of a bigger mag-
nitude, and of a greater glory ?
8. Let us bear or fuffer the moft dif-
graceful thing that can be put upon us
for the caule of Chrift ; yea though all
the world Ihould frown upon us, and caft
us off", and (corn us, and account us as a
ilifgrace unto them. As 1 heodoret re-
ports of Hormifda a nobleman in the king
of Perfia's court, becaufe he would not de-
ny Chrift, he was put into ragged clothes,
deprived of his honours, and lent to keep
the camels ; after a long time the king
feeing him in that bafe condition, and re-
membring his former eftate, he pitied him,
and caufed him to be brought into the pa-
lace, and to be clothed again like a noble-
man, and then he pcrfuades him to deny
Chrifl: ; at which he prefently rent his
filken clothes, and faid, ' If for thefe you
think to have me deny my faith, take
them again,' and fo with fcorn he was caft
out. We rauft be content to be made a
by-word and reproach for Chriff; : But this
is an hard leflbn,and for which I had need
to give other more particular diredions in
another fedion.
SECT. XVL
Rules how to bear Reproaches for the n-ame
of ChriJ}.
TH E directions for reproaches I ftiall
reckon up negatively and politively.
I. Negatively thus,
1. We muft not bear Reproaches Stoi-
cally, infenfibly, for in fome fort they are
afflictions. ^4 good name is better than
a precious ointment. A good name is ra-
ther to be chofen than great riches, and
loving favour rather than Jilver and gold,
Eccl. vii. I. Prov. xxii. 1.
2. We muft not bear them defperately
as many defperatc wretches do, who
ufually fay, * Let men fpeak the worft, I
care not, I muft appeal unto God.' Tho'
it be true that innocency is a good bul-
wark, and a good confcience is a brazen
wall ; yet we are not only to care to ap-
prove ourfclves unto God, but to -men
alfo ; we are to provide things honeft be-
fore all men, efpecially amongft the peo-
ple of God, and the churches of Chrift.
3. AV'e muft not carry ourfclves paf-
f HiuoTi. Efijl. /ePamath.
fionately
S E L F-D E N lyi L.
Ijonately under Reproaches ; there are
many evils follow upon this diftemper of
heart, as, i . Thereby we greatly difturb
our own fpirits. 2. We difcover a great
deal of evil within us. 3. We fliow the
bafenefs of our fpirits to be fo foon put
out of frame. 4. ^^''e feed the humours
of reproachers, and we make others think
we are guilty of thofe reproaches they lay
upon us. It is true we fhould be more
fenilble of the wrong done to our names,
than of any Avrong done to onr eftates,
3'ct neither are the wrongs of the one or
the other to be born pallionately.
4. We muft not carry ourfelves re-
vengefully under reproaches. To this pur-
pofe faith the apofile. Being dtfmncd, we
ititreat, i Cor. iv. 13. It is unbefeeming
Chriftians to revile sgaln, and to fpeak evil
for evil. It is faid of Chrift, that when he
•wai reviled, he reviled not again, i Pet,
ii. 23. and if we profefs ourfelves to be
CiiriiVs, we mufl: not revile again when we
are reviled ; there is no contending this
way where the overcomer is the lofer :
"When Demofthenes was reproached by
one, 'I will not, faid he, ftrive with thee
in this kind of fight, in which he that is o-
vercome is the better man.'
5. We muft not be hindered in our way,
or break ofTourcourfe of chriftianity when
we are reproached. What though filth be
cart in our way, iTiall we decline the way ?
What though the clouds do arife and dark-
en the light of the fun, doth the fun ceafe
fhining,becaufeitisdarkened? no,itgoes on
in its courfe, and Jhines till it breaks forth ;
Pfalm xxxvii. 6. So you that are fliining
in a good converfation, go on, and in
time you will break through the clouds.
2; Pofitively thus,
I. Wemuftbearour reproaches wifely.
Though we rtiould not be infenfible. yet
we llvJuld not take too much notice of
every reproach. Chrift himfclf was'filent
in this cafe, fo that the rulers ivcndered,
Matth. xxvi. 63. Pavid could fay, They
l6p
/peak mifchievous things, but I as a deaf
man heard not, Pfal. xxxviii. 12, 13. But
how then (hall we ftop their mouths ? I
anfwer, i. Let us walk innocently; In-
nocency will clear all, and will overcome
all in time. 2. Let us labour to be emi-
nent in that which is quite contrary to that
we are reproached for. Perhaps you are
reproached for a diffembler, labour for the
greateft eminency of plainnefs of heart and
fincerity ; perhaps you are reproached
for covetoufnefs, labour to be eminent in
liberality, in heavenly-mindednefs, in doing
good wifely ; perhaps you are reproached
for pride, clear up yourfelves (not by
yielding to their humour, but) by emi-
nency of humi]ity,that thofe that can judge
right, may fee there is humility in you.
2. We muft bear reproaches patiently.
* What are we ? or what is our names that
we fl\ould think much to bear reproach ?
Confider, have not others of God's fer-
vants, far holier than we are, been under
exceeding reproach ? Nay, how is God and
Chrift reproached ? how is the name of God
flighted ? how is themajefty, and fovereign-
ty,and authority of God contemned in this
world ? how are the dreadful threatenings
of God, and the revelation of God's wrath
fcorned in the world? M'hat reproaches
indured Chrift in his own perfon, in his
preaching ? how was he contemned when
he preached againft covetoufnefs ? the
pharifees /corned at hii.i, Luke xvi. 14. the
word fignifies,they blew their nofes at him.
He was called a devil, a Samaritan, a
wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and iin-
ners ; Whatworfe can be imagined than
was caft upon Chrift ? They fpat on his
face, that bleffed face of his that the waves
of the Tea were afraid of, and that the fun
withdrew his light from, as not being fit
to behold it: They put thorns upon his
head, and bowed to him in reproach. This
argument ftiould, methinks, move us to
bear reproaches patiently. But how fhould
we
SELF-DENIAL.
170
^e do It ? How fliould we bear reproach
es patiently ?
1. Be we fure to keep confcience clear.
let not that upbraid us ; be we careful of
what we do, and then we need not be
much careful of what men fay : if con-
fcience doth not reproach us, reproach will
not much move us ; one of confcience's
teftimonics for us is more than ten thou-
fand (landers againft us. As theflorms and
winds without do not move the earth, but
vapours within caufe the earthquakes: fo
all the railings of all the Shimei's in the
world cannot much trouble us, if our con-
fciences within do abound with good works;
if I can but fay with Job,ch. xxvii. 6. My
heart Jljall not reproach mefo long as Hive;
1 am fafe enough from the evil of reproach.
2. If we are failing in anything, let us
begin with our felves before any others be-
gin with us: let us accufe ourfelves firft.
So fome interpret that place, Pf. cxix. 98.
Jam wifer than mine enemies ; q. d. ' Tho'
mine enemies are witty, and do plot, and
their malice helps on their invention, yet
I am wifer, I can find out the ways of
mine own heart, and mine own evils better
than all mine enemies.'
3. Let us exercife ourfelves in great
things, in the things of God and Chrii>,
and eternity. Labour to greaten our fpi-
rits in an holy manner, and be above re
proach. Surely if our fpirits were but tru-
ly greatened (I mean not with pride, but
with the exercifing of our fpirits in things
that are above the world) reproaches would
be nothing in our eyes. It is a notable
exprelTion that John hath againft the evil
tongue of Diotrephes, He prates again/}
us with malicious words, 3 Joh. 10. in the
original it is, he trifles. Altho' his words
were malicious, and Diotrephes a great
man, yet all was but trifles, fo high was
John's fpirit above them. The finking of
the heart under reproaches argues too vile
a pufillaniniity, fuch a poor low fpirit, as
is not confiftentwith the true magnanimi-
ty of a true Chriftian.
4. Make we our moans to God, and lay
our cafe before him, as Hezekiah (when
Rabfheka came and reviled God, and the
people of God) he went and fpread the
letter before God, and made his moan to
God : fo if we can but do likewife, we (hall
findunfpeakable rcfre(hments to our fouls,
and that will be a great argument of our
innocency. My friends fcorn me, faiJ Job,
ch. xvi. 20. but mine eye poureth out tears
unto Cod : and the mouth of the ivickedf
(faith David) and the mouth of the deceit-
ful are opened again/} me : they have fpo-
ken again/} me -with a lying tongue. But I
gave my/elf unto prayer, Pfal. cix. 2. 4.
5. Get our hearts quietly and kindly
to lament the condition of our reproacb-
ers. Their folly (liould caufe us to pity
them, to be patient towards them, and to
pafs by the wrongs they do to us. This
was one cf the arguments that Abigail
brought to David to quiet his fpirit that
was fo ftirred againft Nabal, becaufe of
his reproaches, 0, faid (he, Nabal is his
name, and folly is with him, i Sam. xxv.
25. q. d. It is his folly, David, and there-
fore rather pity him, David, it is too Iowa
thing, for fuch a fpirit as David's to be ftir-
red with folly. Indeed inftead of being
troubled withrepr6achers,our fpirits fliould
be moft troubled for their fin ; alas ! they
fin by their reproaches, and God hates
them for it. Pride, and arrogance, and the
evil way, and the froward mouth do 1 hate,
Prov. viii. 13. If we have any love, we
fliould think thus; * This poor man, what
hath he done .' he hath brought himfelf
under the hatred of God.' O this (hould
mightily affeft the hearts of the godly.
3. We muft ' bear reproaches fruitful-
ly.' Chriftians fliould not think it enough
to free rhemfelves from reproach, but they
muft improve it for good ; and to that end;
I. Confider what ends God aims at by
it.
S E L F - D
it, and labour to work tfcem upon our-
feWes that we may attain to thofe ends.
[Which ends are,To humble our pride;
to make us circumfpe£l in our walk ; to
lead us to felf-acquaintance, and an ex-
amination into our temper and conduft ;
To raife in us a fpirit of moderation and
charity, patience and forbearance; To
wean us from this world, and to raife us
to the hopes of a better ; and excite our
truft in God, the clearer of our good name.]
2. Draw what good inflruftions we can
from the reproaches of others, as thus ;
when I hear men reproach and revile,
* Oh, what a deal of evil is there fec'retly
in the heart of man that is not difcovered
till it have occafion ?' Again, * Do I fee
another fo vigilant over me to find out any
thing in me to reproach me ?. how vigilant
(hould I be over myfelf to find out what^
is in me to humble me ?'
3. Set upon what duty God calls for at
the prefeni ; * The Icfs credit I have in this
world, the more credit let me defire after
in heaven ; if there be a breach of my name
here, let me feek to make up my name in
heaven. [To which may be added, That
the more we are reproached for what is
bad, we ought to excell in what is good.
It is the duty, and will tend to the honour,
of a man, whenever he is calumniated, to
fludy to be quite the reverfe of what his
enemy reprefents him to be. To this pur-
pofe the apofllePeter exhorteth, i Pet. iii.
16. Having a good confcience, that ivhere-
gs they fpeak evil of you, as of evil doers y
they may be afhamed that falfely acciife
your good converfation in Chrifi.']
4. We muflbear reproaches joyfully and
triumphantly. JVe glory in tribulation, faid
Paul, Rom. v, 3. And // / muj} needs
glory,! will glory in things concerning mine
infirmities. 2 Cor. xi. 50. By infirmities,
we are not (fay fome) to underftand the
infirmities of fin, but his weaknefs and e-
vils that he endured for Chrift. Therefore
/ take plea fur e in infirmities fin reproaches.
E N 1 A L. 171
in necefilties, in perfecutiotts , in difirefies
for Chrifi" s fake, 2 Cor. xii. 10. Jerom
Upon that, Bleffed are you when menfhall
fpeak evil of you, and revile you, Matth. v.
ir. * O, fays he, who would not be
willing to fuffer ? who would not wifh to
be perfecuted for righteoufnefs fake ? who
would not defire to be reviled ? Oh that
all the rout of unbelievers would perfecute
me for righteoufnefs fake ; " I would this;
foolifh world would all rife up againft me
to reproach me.' (Hierora. Epifl. to O-
cean.) "W^hen Chrifi appeared to Saul, he
cried, Sauly Saul, why perfecute fi thou me?
Who art thou. Lord? anfwered Saul. / am
Jefus of Nazareth, replied Chrift, A<Sts.
xxii. 7, 8. But why Jefus of Nazareth?
doth any good come out of Nazareth ?
Surely there is fomething in this ; he faith
not, I am the Son of God, thefecond per-
fon in the trinity, the king of the church;
no, but I am Jefus of Nazareth ; that was
a reproach caft upon Chrift, and Chrifi
glories in that. Reproaches are the enfigns
of heavenly nobility, Chriftians therefore
fhould not fear them,but bear them joy fully.
5. We muft return good for evil, and
then we come to the top of Chriftianiiy.
This is a fign of great progrefs in religion:
' If I be weak, faith one, perhaps I may
pardon one charging me falfely, but if I
have profited, although not altogether per-
fe<ft, I hold my peace at his reproaches,
and anfwer nothing; but if I am perfeifV,
I then blefs him that reviles me, according
to that of Paul,being reviled we blefs.' (Am-
brof offic. 1. I . c. 48.) If we can do thus, if
we can heartily pray for our reproachers,
and defire good to them, and fo heap
coals of fire upon thtm, this is a great fign
of grace. Blefs thtm, faith Chrift, that
curfe you, pray for them that defpitefully
ufe you, that you maybe the children of your
Father, etc. Mat. v. 44, 45. Why ? were
they not children before ? yes, but this de-
c!ares it, now God owns them for his chil-
dren indeed. And thus much of* denying
- 2 our
J 72
SELF-D ENIAL.
our common ends, Profit, Pleafure, and
Honour.
S E G T. XVII.
OJ the dental of our very beings our Itfcy
for Jefus Chrifl ; and fir ft of cautions.
I Have done with the Denial of Natural
Self in regard of Well-being. I fhall
now confider the denial of Natural Self
in regard of very being, and fo it imports
our life, together with the faculties and
powers of nature, our Underftanding,
"Will, AfFeftions, Senfes, flefhly MemberiT;
all within us muftjje * captivated to the o-
' bedience of Chrift,' and all without us mufl:
endure to fuffer for the name of Chrift.
Por them we call faculties or powers of
nature, as the Underftanding, Will, Af-
feftions, Senfes, I Hi all difpatch in a word.
I. The Underftanding muft be captivated
as it hinders from Chrift. Suppofe the
u-ord of Chrift be contradifled or check'd
by way of reafon or underftanding, as in
the buftnefs of the trinity, union of two
natures, refurre6tion of the body ; in this
. cafe I muft deny my reafon, and believe
Chrift; I muft bow down and wordiip,
I muft captivate my underftanding to the
obedience of faith. We fee by experience,
thofc are fooneft brought to Chrift who for
the raoft part are foolifti, llmple, and of
weak conceits ; whereas thofe who have
been moft famous for worldly wifdom and
underftanding, they have been hardly
brought to the fubjeftion of God's wifdom
and truth. [Not that Chriftianity is a re-
ligion for fools, and perfons of an eafy
faith ; no, it is wife in itfelf, has had men
of the greatcft abilities, and moft diftin-
jTuillied for wifdom, for its profeftors, and
folemnly requires the exercife of wifdom
and mens rational faculties, towards their
erabracement of it, nay, and commends
a free inquiry into it, as in the exam-
ple of the Bereans ; but the meaning of
our author is, That fimplicity of mind
and an honeft heart with a weak head, will
better difpofe a man for the reception of
the gofpel, than much knowledge and wif-
dom, without fjncerity and probity of
heart.] This is that which the apoftle doth
teach. Not mofjy wife, not many inighty
are called^ etc. IVe preach Chrift crucified,
unto the Jeivs a ftuwbling block, and to the
Grecians fooUPmcfs. i Cor. i. 23. 26.
2. The will muft be renounced in re-
ference to Chrift. Servants muft not fol-
low their own will, but their mafters di-
redtions ; how much more ought we who
always may juftly fufpc(5l our felves, and
can never fufpeft the will of Chrift, it be-
ing the fquare of right ? For therefore is a
thing good, and juft and equal, becaufe
God wills it; hence f our will, if good,
yet fometimes it muft be denied ; that if
evil, and contrary to the will of God, it
muft be fubdued. It is meet that Hagar
fhould ftoop to Sarah, our will to Chrift's
will.
^, *■ Our afteflions and fenfes muft be
denied,' both as good, and as they areche-
riihers of evil, or oppofers of good. This
latter is that crucifying of the fief?, ivith
the lufis and afi'ciiionSy which the apoftle
mentions. Gal. v. 24. But all thefe being
within the compafs of natural life, I fliall
only infift on that Self which we call Life.
And concerning which, as in the former,
I fliall give fome cautions and diredVions.
The cautions are thefe. i. That our be-
ing, or life ' is in itfelf the gift of God and
thebleflingof God.' It was God thztbrea-
thed into man the breath of life y Gen. ii. 7.
The Spirit of God hath made me, faid Elihu^
I Voluntaics non folum niahi, fed ir bmas abnc^emus, niquc enim in Chrifto fucrunt mft !o>k!r, & itihilonnnus eum il-
las abncgajji leghnui. Joli. v. 30. Luke xxii. 41. Non tneii vohintus, fed tuafut. That is. Wc mull deny our own
will riot only when bad, but even, fometimes, wlien good : for, though ChrifVs will was perfe<f^iy good, yet wc
read that he deiMcd it, fajiing to God, Nft mj -will, but Thing bt deiu. John v. 30. Luke ax- 41,
and
SELF-
and the breath of the Almighty hath given
me life. Job xxxiii. 4. He gives it, for he
is the fountain of it. With thee is the
fountain of life, and in thy light fh all ive
fee light, Pfal. xxxvi. 9. This was the fum
of Paul's fermon to the Athenians, He giv-
eth to all life, and breath, and all things ;
and to this purpofe he cites Aratus, one of
their "Greek poets, In him ive live, and
move, and have our being, A6ls xvii. 25,
28. And as it is the gift, fo it is the blef-
ling of God ; hence the promife of life,
and of long life is made to obedient chil-
dren, Exod. XX. 12. and this turned unto
a prayer by the believing parents, it is u-
fually called by the name of Blefling.
2. Notwithftanding it is the blelling of
God, yet we muft deny it for God. As
in thefe cafes.
I. As a facrifice. If God will rather be
honoured by the death, than by the life,
by the fufFerings, than by the fer'vices of
his faints, in this cafe we fliould be willing
to fubmit to God, Thus many of the
martyrs who had opportunity offiight, yet
tarried to witnefs the truth, and gave their
lives to the flames for it. It is not what
I, or others may think, that God will be
honoured this way or tiiat way, but we
fhould obferve what is God's will, and
which way God will be honoured. All
our intentions and aims at the glory of
God are nothing, GocI cares not for them,
if they be out of his way. It was an ex-
cellent reiblution of David, If I floall find
favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will
bring me back again; but if he thus fay, I
have no delight in thee, behold here I am,
let him do to me as Jeemeth good to himy
1 Sam. XV. 25, 26.
2, As a temptation. Thus rather than
fin, the primitive Chriftians, when appre-
hended, choofe willingly to die. We have
a notable ftory of that heroical mother,
and her feven fons, 2 Mac, vii, who ra-
ther th:in they would break God's law in
eating forbidden meats, they died one af-
DENIAL. 173
ter another, the mother in the tnean whil^
being content to fee them all butchered be-
fore her eyes, and laft of all fhe dying al-
fo. Surely life is nothing in comparifon of
thofe glorious invifible rarities which fin
may hinder us from ; and therefore if it be
on this condition, that we may avoid fin,
that we may be fure of the main, that by
lofing life we may go to Chrrfi, in whon>
we (hall find, with an infinite overplus,
whatfoever we can lofe for his fake;, then
we mull deny life itfelf.
SECT. XVIII.
Of the Manner of denying our natural Life
for Jefus Chrifl.
TH E direOions of felf-denial in re-
fpeft of our natural being, or life,
are thefe.
* I. Apprehend God's love to our fouls
in his Son : He thought nothing too good
for us, Godfo loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, John iii. 16. and
this he did for us ivhen ive were enemies,
Rom. v, 8. Nay, God hath not only giv-
en us his Son for a faviour, but he hath
given us himfelf for an hufband ; now as
the hufband loves all his family, but gives
himfelf to his wife, lo God beftows hisy^«
to fhine, and his rain to fall on the good
and bad, but he gives himfelf only to his
faints, O let us apprehend this love, let
us often by fad and folemn meditation re-
new the fenfe of this love to us in Chrif},
and we cannot but give up all we have, and
all we are, to God,
2, Get we a fovereign love to God a-
gain- It was from this fovereign love that
thofe admirable Self denials of the martyrs
fprung ; we muft not think they had bo-
dies of brafs, or mufcles of fiecl, or that
they were not as fenfible of torments as
others were ; Oh no, it was their love to
God did fwallow up all; as the heat of a
fever fwallows up the heat of an ulcer, or
as the heat of a fire fwallows up the heat
of a fever y fo the heat of the martyrs love
tQ»
174 SELF-D
\o Cod fwallowed up the heat of all fires,
together with the heat of all loves to their
wives, children, friends, and their own
lives. , 1 deny not but we may love thefe
comforts with a fubordinate love, as an
buiband will allow that his wife ftiould love
her friends with an inferior love, only the
prime love muft be kept for him ; nor wilt
it be fufficient that (he love her hiifband
better than many thoufands, if there be one
in her affeftions before him ; fo it will not
be fufficient that we love the Lord better
than many things, but we mufllove him bet-
ter than every thin^. Such a love was in Paul,
l*hil. iii. 7. and in the brethren -who loved
not their lives unto the death, Rev. xii. 1 1.
We muft love the Lord above all, not fub-
ordinately as a creature, but fovereignly
as a Creator.
3. Let us cleave to God with ftedfaftnefs
and refolvedncfs of fpirit, come what will
come. Thus Barnabas exhorts the bre-
thren, that with purpofe of heart they would
cleave to the Lord, A£ls xi. 23. Thus
Daniel was purpofed not to defile himfelf
\vith the portion of the king's meat, tho'
it coft him his liberty or life, Dan. i. 8.
David could fay, that the princes fpake a-
gainft him, and the princes perfecuted him,
yet he was refolved, and his refolution was
ys ftrong as an oath, / have /worn, and
ivill perform it, that 1 will keep thy righ-
teous judgments, Pfal. cxix. 23, 161, 106.
1 his is the nature of Clhriftian refolution,
that it choofes that which the Spirit reveals
to be good, noiwithftanding all oppofiti-
ons that come betwixt. AVhen credit, and
profit, and vain fears put in, and fuggeft
that the witnelfing of fuch truths may coft
us our life; refolution anfwers all, * It mat-
ters not, fo 1 can retain Chrift, tell me not
of the difficulty of the way, only kt me
know which is the way; I am refolved to
follow the Lamb whitherfocver he calls me;
I know there is no threatening fo terrible as
Chrift's is, no promife fo fweet as Chrift's
is, no command ("0 holy as Chrift's is, and
therefore I am refolved to cxpofe myldf
EN J A L.
to drink that cup, how bitter foever, which
my Father (ball give to drink.'
4. Endeavour after a difpofition or habit
to lay down life for a good confcience. It
is a true faying, that ' Kone are faved but
martyrs ;' I mean, martyrs either aftually or
habitually, having faith enough to encou-
rage, and love enough to conftrain them to
bemartyrs, if the honour of their profefTion
fliould require it. This takes away their
obje(ftion who fay, * It is harfh and unfea-
fonable to trouble us now with any thorny
difcourfe of martyrdom.' i. We muft
know that the habit of martyrdom is in-
cluded in the moft fundamental principles
of Chriftianity, and therefore they deferve
no anfwer but filence, who think a dif-
courfe of it at any time harfh and unfea-
fonable. 2. The church never enjoys fuch
a calm, but a terrible ftorm may unexpec-
tedly dafh it away, and therefore there is
no man, though born in the moft peacea-
ble time of the gofpel, but ere the glafs of
his life be run out, he may be overtaken
with a fiery trial. 3. There is no profef-
for of the gofpel, though he live and die
during the,publick tranquillity of it, but he
may privately be brought to that plunge,
that cither he muft hazard his life, or elfe
in fomc fearful horrible manner, againft
his confcience, difhonour Chrift; as, fup-
pofe a ruffian, that had no religion of his
own, ftiould pull any of us into a corner,
and with a naked blade, either make us
forfwear our religion, or lofe our life. 4.
As the prophet E/.ekiel forewarned the
Jews, JVe have had mifchief upon mifchief
and rwnour upon rumour, Ezek. vii. 37.
and if mifchief and rumours continue, and
multiply upon us as fait as they have done
of late, the days may be fooner upon us
than we are aware, when there may be too
much occallon to pi^dfife this point oi{c\{'
denial, and no time to preach it ; howfoe-
ver, let 11s feek of God for the habit or dif-
pofition of it, for that is fundamental,
'^. Maintain « godly jcalouly and fear.
of
S E L F - D
of our own hearts; for want of this all
the difciples fainted, efpecially Peter, and
/hamefully denied Chrift. Memorable is
that ftory of Pendleton and Sanders; San-
ders was fearful he (hould endure the fire;
Pendleton feemed refolute/Be not fearful,'
faid he to Sanders, * for thou ihalt fee me,
and this fat flefh of mine fry in the fire be-
fore I will yield.' Yet he that was fo ftrong
in his own flrength fell away, and the o-
ther, fo fearful, was enabled by God to
burn for his truth. To fear martyrdom,
and to pray againft it, with fubmiftion to
God's will, is warranted by our Saviour's
own example, He prayed earnejlly, that if
it "ujere pojpblej the cup might pafs away
from him ; but ftill with fubmiJfion to his
Father's pleafure. That place concerning
our Saviour, is very remarkable, Who, in
the days fif his flejh, ivhen he had offered
up prayers and fupplications^ ivith flrong
cries and tears unto him that xias able to
fave him from deaths and ivas heard, in
that he feared, Heb. v. 7. Heard ? how
was he heard ? Not in removing the cup
from him.but in ftrengchening him to drink
it with viftory. If we pray as Chrift pray-
ed, the cup (hall be removed from us, or
fweetened unto us.
6. Refill: wherein we can, flefhiy im-
pediments ; for the fle/h will be ready by
all means to hinder us from offering this
facrifice to God. As, i. By difiinftions.
Is a man refolved to hold his eftate, liberty,
life, come on what will ? fuch a one ne-
ver wants a difiindion to mock God
withal ; fo the teachers of circumcifion at
Galatia. ^^s many as defire to make a fair
Jhevj in the flefo, thefe confirain you to be
circumcifed, only left they Jhould fuffer
perfecution for the crofs of Chrift, Gal. vi.
12. They did not fee, but to avoid per-
fecution, they might preach circumcifion,
being they did it pro abundanti cautela^
* in a cautious manner,' not to overthrow
the faith of Chrifl: crucified, but for their
fecurity. Such diAin^ons many ufe at thefe
E N I ^ L. 175
times. 2. By perfuafions. Thus carnal
reafon pleads the cafe, * Give a little to the
times, fave thyfelf and thine.' Or thus,
* What, are you the only quickfighted
men ; wifer than a church, than a ftate ?
May there not, will there not, a law come
out in a moment, whereby you may be
defranchized, or exiled, or banifhed, or
burned ?' But to anfwer thefe reafonings,..
remember Chrift's anfwer to Peter, Get
thee behind me, Satan, for thou favour-
efl not the things of God, but of men^
Matth. xvi. 23. A certain perfon perfuad-
ing another to recant the truth, told him
that he fpoke to him out of love. * O
yes,' faid the martyr, *I confefs it,but there
is fomething in you that is mine enemy,
meaning the flefh.' And it is faid of Mr.
Hooper, than when a box was brought,
and laid before him on a fiool with his
pardon from the queen in it, if he would
recant ; he being now at the flake, at the
very fight of it cried out, * If ye love my
foul, away with it, away with it.' 3. By
terrors. Thus when the Spirit of God
had fuggefted unto Spira to fuffer, or if
he doubted of the iffue to go away
though never fo far rather than deny the
Lord of life, prefently the flefh begun in
this manner, * Be well advifed, fond man,
confider reafons on both fides, and then
judge. Dofl thou not forefee what mifery
this raflinefs will bring upon thee ? Thou
ftialt lofe thy fubflance, thou fiialt under-
go the moflexquifite torments that malice
can devife, thou fhalt be counted an he-
retick of all, and thou fhalt die fhameful-
ly. What thinkefi: thou of the flinking
dungeon, the bloody ax, the burning fag-
got ? Wilt thou bring thy friends into
danger } thou haft begotten children, wilt
ihou now cut their throats ?' It concerns us
in this cafe to outwit the flefti ; If it tells
us of prifonsjlet us tell it how much more
terrible is the prifon of hell ; if it prefent
to us the condemnation of tribunals, di(>>
we prefent to it that great condemnation o£
the
•176
SELF-
the great tribunal ; if it threaten us with
difpleafiire of friends, prcfent to it the dif-
pleafure of God, and of glorified fpirits.
7. Confider, and perufe the afts and mo-
numents of the church in the cafe of mar-
tyrdom. Others fufFerings cannot but be-
get fome rcfolutions in us. And herein if
\vc begin with the beginning of the world ;
As foon as we hear of any work of religi-
on, we hear of the perfecution of Abel.
Noah's ark on the waters was a type of the
Condition of the church of Chrift in afflic-
tions? What hard things did Abraham, and
the reft of the paTViarchs endure in their
generations ? Hiflory tells us, that Ifaiah
■was fawn afunder with a wooden faw ; Je-
remiah was put into a dungeon, (licking
in the mire, as fome ftories fay, even tip
to the ears, and after was ftoned to death;
Ezekiel was flain in Babylon ; Micah was
thrown down from a fteep place, and his
neck broke ; Amos was fmitten with a club,
and fo brained. Tl>e ftory of the perfecu-
tion of the Maccabees, prophefied, Dan. xi.
36. and recorded by the apoftle, Heb. xi.
3^, is exceeding lamentable; The Text
fays that they were tortured, mocked, fcour-
ged, imprifone d,J} one d, fawn afunder, (lain
with the Jword, wandered up and down in
Jloeep-fkinSy and goat- [kins ^ being deftitute,
alfltcled, tormented, they wandered in dc-
ferts, and mountains, and dens, and caves
in the earth. And for the Chriftian church,
we know what Chrifl himfelf, the great
leader of his people* fuffered : "When Ste-
phen, the firft Chriftian martyr, was fton-
ed, Doratheus witnefteth that two thoufand
of others who believed on Chrift were
put to death the fame day. That many
fuffered in thofe very times, is plain to me
from thofe very texts, .4nd Saul made ha-
vock of the church : Jnd Herod vexed the
church, Afts viii. 3. and xii. i. E/fe what
Jhall they do who are baptized for the
dead, if the dead rife not at all? why then
are they baptized for the dead? I Cor. xv.
iy. This place is difficult, and many in-
DENIAL,
terpretations are given of it; but this I pre-
fer, as being moft agreeable to the fcope
of the apoftle; Elfe what foall they ^(?(wh3t
(hall become of them, in what miferabie
condition were they) who are baptized
(with their own blood, not only fuffering
grievous torments, but even death itfelf)
for the dead (for the caufe and quarrel of
the dead, for the faith of them that now
are dead, and in fpecial, for maintaining
this very article of the refurreiftion of the
dead). The force of this argument is very
evident, and it well agrceth with the argu-
ment of the apoftle, that en lueth,ver. 30, 31,
32. IVhy ftand we in jeopardy every hour? I
proteft by our rejoicing which I have in
Chrifi, I die daily. And ij I have fought with
beafh at Ephefus after the manner of men,
what advantageth it tne, if the dead rife not
at all? As for the word Baptizing, it is on-
ly fo taken frequently by the fathers,, and
fchoolmcn, who ufually diftinguiih bap-
tifm into Baptifma flaminis, fluminis, et
fanguinis, Of the Spirit, water, and blood;
but alio in fundry places of fcriptxue, as
IMatth, XX. 22. Mark x. 38, 39. Luke xii.
50. I have a baptifm to be baptized with,
and how am fftraitned till it be accompli-
fjed. All the apoRlcs, after many fore
and grievous aftliflions, fuffered many vio-
lent deaths, John only excepted, who yet
was banifhed into Patmos, and by Domi-
tian thrown into a tun of fcalding lead,
though by a miracle delivered. Brightman,
fpeaking of the ftories of thofe times, fays,
* That every page and leaf is, as it were,
all red coloured in blood.' The covenant
of grace is a bloody covenant, both in re-
gard of the blood of Chrift firft fealing it,
and the blood of the blefled martyrs adding
likevvife their feals in confirming it.
It is a moft heartbreaking meditation
to confider the ragings, madnefs, and fiuy
of the heathcnagainft ihcChriftiansin thofe
times. Hierom, in an epiOle toCromatius,
fbys, ' that there was no day in a whole
year, unto which the number of five thou-
land
S E L F - D
fand martyrs cannot be afcribed, except
only thefirftday of January.' All the poli-
cy, wit, ftrength and invention of men
and devils were cxercifed and ftretched out
to the titmoft, for the devifing the mod
miferable torments, and exquifite tor-
tures ; as plates of iron burning hot, laid
upon their naked flefh ; pincers red hot
pulling off the flerti from the bones; bod-
kins pricking and thrufting all over their
bodies ; calling into lime-kilns, and into
caldrons of fcalding lead ; whipping until
almoftallthe fledi was torn off their bodies,
and their bones and bowels appeared, and
then laid fiat upon fliarp fliells and knives;
their (kins were Head off alive,and then their
raw flefli was rubbed with fait and vine-
gar, their bodies were beaten all over with
clubs until their bones and joints were beat-
en afunder ; they were laid upon gridirons.*
roafled and bafted with fait and vinegar ;
one member was pulled from another ; by
faftening them to boughs of trees, they rent
their bodies afunder ; they were tofTed
upon the horns of bulls, with their bowels
hanging out ; they were caft among dogs
to be devoured ; they were put under the
ice naked into rivers ; they were tor-
tured on the rack, on the wheel, and on
the gibbet with flaming fire under them ;
they made it their fports to fee them
devoured by wild beafls ; and in the night,
inftead of torches, they burn'd the bodies
of the faints to give them light for their
paftimes. In after-times antichrifl: began
to rife, and to bring a fearful darknefs o-
ver the face of the church ; of which times
the Holy Ghoft prophefied, Rev. viii. 12.
The moony and fun, and ftars ivere fmitten.
Never will be forgotten thefe lamentable
extremities that God's poor people then
endured ; large volumes are extant, the
reading whereof might caufe the hardeft
heart that lives to break. O let us warm
our hearts at thefe fires ! Let us perufe
and condder thofeadls and monuments of
the church in the cafe of martyrdom.
2 A
E N I A L. 177
8. Be acquainted with the promifes of
Self-denial ; have always a word at hand
to relieve ourfelves withal in the worfl of
fufferings. Mow thefe promifes are of feveral
forts. I. Of ajfiftance^h.xyi. 18, Pf. xxxvii.
24. Pfal. xlvi. I. to the end. 2. Ofaccep-
tanccj Exo. ii. 24, 25. Exo. ili. 7. 1 Pet.
ii. 20. 3. Cf reivard. Mat. xlx. 29. Luke
xviii. 30. And again the promifes of reward^
are, 1. Of this life. He that Jotfakes all for
Chrifl (l)a\l receive an hundred fold, faith
Matthew : Manifold more in this prefent
time, faith Luke ; the joy, the peace he
ihall have in his confcience fliall be many
times an hundred times better than the
comfort ofall thefe outward things. * O but
(may fome fay) what will become of my
pofterity ? Peace of confcience, and joy
in the Holy Ghoft redounds only to my
felf, but for my children, I fliall leave them
fatherlefs and helplefs :' To this by way of
anfwer ; God often ftiles himfelf the Father
of the fatherlefsy and if of any fatherlefs,
then furely of thofe whofe parents have
lofl their lives for Jefus Chrifl. Leave
thy fatherlefs children, faith the Lord, / '
tvill pre ferve them alive, and let thy widows
truf} in me, Jer. xlix. 1 1 . 2 . Of eternal life,
fuch fid all inherit eternal life, Matth. xix.
29. Mark x. 30. Luke xviii. 30. ' Be of
good comfort,' (fald Bradford to his fel-
low martyr,) * we fliall have a merry fup-
per with the Lord this night.' Chriftians !
"What would we have ? the foul indeed is
of a large capacity, all things here below
can never fatisfy it, but eternal life ;
the inheritance above will fill the under-
flanding with knowledge, and the will with,
joy, and that in fo great a meafure, that
the expeftation of the faints fhall be ex-
ceeded ; for he jloall be admired of than
that believe, 2 Thelf. i. i6.
9. Mind the principle that mufl carry
us through death, and make death itfelf
honourable. We read Heb. xi. 3.^, '>,$*
37. that by faith fome quenched the
violence of fire ; Others ivere tortured.
They
J78 SELF'D
They 'were /ioned, they -were fawn afun-
der, they were tempted, they were /lain
•with the/word ; and all this by faith. Faith
\i the grace that enables us to deny our-
felves, yea, life itfelf ; other graces may
do much, but faith hath the principal
work in this. By faith ye f}and, faid the
apoflle to the Corinthians, chap. i. 24. it
is faith that makes a man ftand in his
greateft trials, and therefore when Chrifl:
faw how Peter (liould be tempted, he tells
him that he had prayed that his faith
fhould not fail, Luke xxii. 32. noting that
while his faith heli^ all would be fure;
'faith in this cafe is like the cork that is u-
pon the net, though the lead on the one
'ii^t fink it down, yet the cork on the o-
ther fide keeps it up on the water : David
frofeffed, that he had fainted, unlefs he had
believed, Pfalmxxvii. 13. Believing keeps
from fainting in the time of trouble.
10. When fufferings come, then ftir
up, and put forth the grace of faith in
the exercife of it : Look up to God for
flrength and afliftance, commit ourfelves
and caufe wholly to him, plead the pro-
mife, plead our call that he hath called us
to this, plead the caufe that it is his. Mr.
Tindal in a letter of his to Mr. Fryth who
was then in prifon, hath four expreflions
of the work of faith in the time of fuffer-
ing ; * If you give yourfelf, caft yourfelf,
yield yourfelf, commit yourfelf wholly,
and only to your loving Father, then fhall
his power be in you, and make you ftrong,
he fti^all fet out his truth by you wonder-
fully, and work for you above all your
heart can imagine.' But becaufe faith is
the root, or principle of Self-denial in this
cafe of fuffcrings, I fliall therefore pro-
pound two queftions in the following
paragraphs.
Queft. I, What are the differences be-
twixt faith and pride of heart in fuffcr-
ings ?
I anfwer, i. If pride be the principle, a
plan is ready to put forth himfelf though
ENIAL.
he be not called : It Is true that in fomc
extraordinary cafes, a man may have an
inward calling by fome extraordinary mo-
tion of God's Spirit, as fome of the martyrs
had ; but in an ordinary way, a gracious
heart fears itfelf, and dares not venture till
God calls, it depends more upon God's call,
than any ftrength it hath to carry it thro'.
2. If pride be the principle, a man cares
not for God's name any further tha n
is interelled in it ; flaould God ufe others
to honour his name, and he no way come
in, he regards it not.
3. If pride be the principle, a man doth
not fo much ftrengthen himfelf with the
confolations of God ; or the fweet of the
promifes, as he doth with his own felf-
proud thoughts ; the heart is not fo much
taken xip with the glorious reward of God
in heaven, as with fome prelent felf-good
here : whereas faith is altogether for fpirit-
ual and fupernatural good, it carries the
foul beyond all prefent things.
4. If pride be the principle, there is na
good got by [ufferings, the foul doth not
thrive under them, it doth not grow in
grace by them, it grows not more holy,
more heavenly, more favoury in all the
ways of it, the luflre and beauty of godli-
nefsdoth notincreafe upon fuch a one, he
is not more fpiritual, he doth not cleave
clofer to God, he is not more frequent
with God in fecret, he doth not enjoy
more inward communion with God than
formerly ; but if faith be our principle in
fuffering, there is never fuch thriving in
grace as then, then the Spirit of glory and
of God ufeth to reft upon God's fervants j
a godly man's fervice prepares him for fuf-
fcrings, and his fufferings prepare him for
fervice ; the church never ihined brighter
in holinefs than when it was under the
greateft perfecution.
5. If pride be the principle, there is not
that calmnefs, meeknefs, quietnefs, fweet-
nefs of fpirit in the carriage of the foul in
fufferings, as where faith is : Pride cauf.
eth
S E L F'D
eth the heart to fwell, to be boiftrous and
difquiet, to be fierce and vexing, becaufe
it iscroffed ; but faith brings in the Spirit
of Jefiis Chrifl, and that was a quiet and
meek Spirit in fufFerings, as the Jheep be-
fore the fhearer, Afts viii. 32. When he
•was reviled, he reviled not again, I Pet.
ii. 23. Where is reviling and giving ill
language, there is pride ftirring in that
heart. Cyprian fpeaking of the martyrs
contemning death, faith, * We fee not
that humble loftinefs, or that lofty hu-
mility in any but in the martyrs of Jefus
Chrift.*
6. Ifpridebethe principle, there is join-
ed with that man's fufferings a defire of
revenge; he would, if he could, return
evil for evil, and doth as far as he dares ;
but thofewho have faith to be their prin-
ciple, they commit their caufe to God ;^
* though men curfe, they biefs ; they can
heartily pray for their perfecutors,as Ghrift
and Stephen did for theirs :' The Banner
over a gracious heart, in all troubles that
befals it, is love ; and therefore whatfo-
ever the wrongs be that are offered to fuch,
there is flill a fpirit of love preferved in
them.
Queft. 2. Wherein lies the power of
faith to carry us through fufferings and
death ?
I anfwer, i. Faith difcovers the reality
of the beauty and excellency of fpiritual
things, which before were looked upon as
notions, conceits, and imaginary things ;
hence Faith is defcribed to be the fubflance
of things hoped for, and the evidence or de-
ntonflration of things not feen, Heb. xi. I.
The things of Ghrift, of grace, of heaven,
what poor empty notions were they to
the foul, what uncertain things, before
faith came in ? But faith makes them to
be glorious things ; Faith difcovers fuch
real, certain excellencies in them, and is
fo fure,that it will venture foul and body,
it will bear any hardftiip, yeait will venture
the infinite lofs of eternity upon them.
2 A
EN lA L. 179
2. Faith makes the future good of fpiri-
tual and eternal things to be as prefent to
the foul, and works them upon the heart
as if they did now appear. This comes
to pafs, becaufe faith fees things as the
word makes them known, it pitches up-
on the word in that way that it reveals
the mind of God ; now the word fpeaks
often of mercies that are to ,corae, as pre-
fent things. Break forth into joy, fing to-
gether, ye IV a fie places of Jerufalern, for
the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath
redeemed Jerufalern, Ifa. liii. 9, 10. Thus
the prophet fpeaks of the deliverance of
the church from captivity, as a thing al-
ready done, which was not fulfilled many
years after. As foon as Jehofaphat had re-
ceived the promife, he falls on praifing the
Lord, as if the mercy were already enjoy-
» ed, Praije ye the Lord, for his mercy en-
dureth for ever, 2 Ghron. xx. 17, to 22.
Ghrift faith of Abraham that he faw, and
rejoiced, and was glad, John viii. 56.
Ghrift's day was unto him, as if it had been
then. And it is faid of the godly who
lived informer ages, that though the pro-
mifes were afar off, to be fulfilled, yet
they embraced them, Heb. xi. 13. The
word in the original fignifies, they faluted
them. Nowfalutations are not but betwixt
friends when they meet together. Faith
takes hold upon eternal life, 1 Tim. vi.
19. it takes prefent polfeilion of the glorious
things of the kingdom of God ; itmakesthe
foul to be in heaven converfing with God,
and Ghrift, his faints, and angels already :
That which is promifed. Faith accounts it
given. And the land which I gave to Abra-
ham, to thee will I give it. It was only pro-
mifed to Abraham, but Abraham's faith
made it to him as given, Gen. xxxv. 12.
3. Faith makes ufe of things part as if
they were prefent. i. It makes ufe of
God's mercies to our forefathers ; thus
the church makes ufe of the mercy of
God to Jacob, when he wreftledwith him,
and prevailed, as if it were a prefent mercy
2 to
1^0
SELF-DENIAL.
to themfelves. lie hadpoiver over the an-
gel, and prevailed, he xvept, and made
fupplicatioa unto him, he found him in
Bethel, and there he /pake ivith us, Hof. xii.
4. not 'only with Jacob, but with us, q. d,
"VVhatfoever mercy God fhewed to him,
we make it ours. God [pake ivith us.
Thus David and his people did, when he
faid, He turned the fea into dry land, they
luent through the flood on foot, there did
ive rejoice in him, Pfalm Ixvi. 6. The
comfort of the mercies of God for many
years pafl to their fore-fathers, they make
as theirs, there di4^ lue rejoice in him. 2.
Faith makes ufc of all the promifes that
<7od hath made to any of his people, iho'
.never fo long ago, yea, it fetcheth out the
comfort of thefe promifes, as if they were
made now to us. Compare Jofhua i. 5.
with Hcb. xiii. 5. God faith to Jolhua, /
"ccill be ivith thee, I will not fail thee, nor
forfake thee. This Paul applies to the
believers in his time, as if it had been made
to them, Be content, faith he, ivith fuch
things as ye have, for he hath faid, I ivill
not leave thee, nor forfake thee. Upon
this one inftance, whatfoever promife God
ever made to any of his people fince the
beginning of the world for anygood,if our
condition comes to be the fame, faith will
jnake it her own, as if God had but now
made it to us in particular. 3 . Faith makes
»ife of God's former dealings with our-
felves ; when all fenfe of God's mercies
fails, that God fcems to be as an enemy,
faith will fetch life from his former mer-
cies as if they were now prcfent. I have
confidered the days of old{S'X\\\\ David) the
years of ancient time, 1 call to remembrance
my fong in the night. I faid this is my
infirmity, but I will remember the years of
the right hand of the mojl high, Pfalm
Ixxvii. 5, 6, 10. He checks himfelf for
doubting of God's mercies, becaufe of
his former mercies, and he recovers him-
felf by bringing to mind the former deal-
ings of God with him. Now ia this work
of faith what abundance of flrength doth
it bring in from former mercies, former
promifes, former dealings \ O this mufl
needs wonderfully ftrengthen the heart to
any fuffcring whatfoever.
4. Faith carries the foul on high, above
fenfe, above reafon, above the world ; when
faith is working, Oh how is the foul raifed
above the fears and favours of men? ' I care
not (faid Ignatius, a little before his fuf-
fering) for any thing vifible or invifible,
fo that I may get Chrilt ; let fire, the crofs,
the letting out of beaf^s, breaking of my
bones, tearing of my members, the grinding
of my whole body, and the torments of
the devils come upon me, fo that I may
get Chrifl,' Eufeb. 1. 3. c. 39. Faith puts
an holy magnanimity upon the foul, to
flight and overlook with an holy contempt
whatfoever the world profcrsor threatens:
faith railes the foul to converfe with high
and glorious things, with the deep and
eternal counfels of God, with the glorious
myfleries of the gofpel, with communion
with God and Jefus Chrift, with the great
things of heaven and eternal life. ^len,
before faith comes into their fouls, have
poor low fpirits, bufied about mean and
contemptible things, and therefore every
offer of the world prevails with them, and
every little danger of luffering fears them ;
but when faith comes, there is another
manner of fpirit in a man, a princely fpirit
(as Luther calls it) that dares to adventure
thelofs of life for thenameof Chrift. When
Valens the emperor fent his officers to
Bafil to turn him from the faith, they firlt
offered him great preferments. But Bafil
rejeded them with fcorn, ' Olier thefe
things (fays he) to children ;' then they
threatened him molt grievoufly ; * -Nay,
threaten (faid Ba(il) your purple gallants,
that give themfelves to their pleafures.'
What great fpirits di^ faith put intothofe
worthies, who through faith fubdued king-
doms, flopped the mouths of lions, quenched
the violence of fire f of -weak were made
firoiig, etc. Heb. xi.
faith is as glorious a grace now as ever it
was, and if it be put forth, it will enable
the foul to do great things ; the raifing
of the foul above reafon and fenfe, is as
great a thing as any of thefe ; the faith of
Abraham was moll: glorious, for which he
is filled the father of the faithful, and yet
the chief thing for which he is commend-
ed, is, that he believed againft hope, Rom.
iv. i8. When the foul is in fome llrait,
it looks up for fome help, and fenfe fays,
it cannot be ; reafon fays, it will, wicked
men fay, it fhall not be ; yea it may be,
God in the ways of his providence feems
to go crofs : as if he would not have it to
be ; yet, if faith have a word for it, it fays,
it fliall be : Yea, when God feems to be
angry, when there appears nothing to
fenle and reafon, but wrath, yet even then,
faith hath hold on God's heart, that his"
hand cannot ftrike.
5. Faith gives the foul an intereft in
God, in Ch rill, in all thofe glorious things
inthegofpel, and in the things of eternal
life : Faith is an appropriating, an apply-
ing, an uniting grace ; it is a blefled thing
to have the fight of God, there is much
power in it ; but to fee God in his glory,
as my God,to fee all the majefly, greatnefs,
and goodnefs of God, as thefe things that
my foul hath an interefl in, to fee how the
eternal counfels of God wrought for me
to make me happy ; to fee Chrifl:, in whom
all fulnefs dwells, in whom the treafuresof
all God's riches arc, and all thefe are mine;
to fee Chrifl coming from the Father for
me, to be my redeemer ; Oh what a bleffed
powerful thing is this ! What is all the
world now to fuch a foul ? Where is all
the bravery of it, or the malice and op-
pofition of it i the lofs of outward things,
liberty or life, are great evils to thofe who
have no interefl in better, but to fuch as
have interefl in higher things, there is no
great matter though they lofe all thefe.
6. Faith fets all God's attributes on work
SELF-DENIAL. i8i
33, 34. Certainly for the good and relief of a believer ; it is
one thing to have interefl in God and
Chrifl, and another thing to have God and
Chrifl working for us. I will not deny
but God and Chrifl: are working ftill ; yet
when faith lies flill, and is not a(flive, al-
though we do not lofe our interefl in God,
yet we cannot expe6l fuch fenfible mani-
feflations of God's workings for us. We
have a notable expreffion of God's flirring
up his flrength and wifdora for thofe whole
hearts are right with him'. The eyes of the
Lord run to and fro throughout the earth, to
JJjew himfelfftrongfor thofe luhofe heart is
perfefi toxuards him, 2 Chron. xvi. 9.
Although we be in the dark, and know
not how to order our fleps, yet there is
an infinite wifdom working for us ; al-
though we have but a little flrength, yet
if we have faith to fet God's flrength on
work, -ive foall (as the church of Phila-
delphia) keep God's word, and not deny his
name, Rev. iii. 8. Thus much for the de-
nial of natural Self.
SECT. XIX.
Of the Denial of religious, gracious, or
reneiuedSelf; and fir]} of Cautions.
IMuft now direft in the lafl place how
we are to deny religious, gracious, or
renewed felf ; as a man's own Duties, Ho-
linefs, Righteoufnefs, the graces of the
Spirit. In profecution of which (as in
the former) I fliall give fome cautions, and
diredlions.
The cautions are thefe.
I. That graces, duties are the fpeclal
gifts and blefTmgsofGod. It is of the ful-
nefs of Chrif} that all we have received,,
even grace for grace, John i. 16. And
the apoftle tells us. That God hath hlefjed.
us with all fpiritual blejjings in heavenly
places in Chrift, Eph. i. 3. Methinks here
1 fee die tranfcendent excellency of the
faints, the betternefs of their condition a-
bove all the men of the world ; if God have
given a man grace, he hath the beft and
choice-
l82
<;hoiceft of all that which God can give ;
Cod hath given us his Son, and God hath
given us himfclf, and God hath given us
his fpirit, and God hath given us the graces
of his fpirit ; thefe are the fined of the
flower, and the hony out of the rock of
mercy ; they that have this gift need not
to be difcontented at their own, or envious
at the condition of any other; they have
the principal verb, the one neceHhry thing.
blejfcd he the God, and father of our Lord
Jefus Cdn-ijl ivho hath thus blejfed us :
How ? ivtth all fpiritiial blejfings in hea-
venly places, Epheti i. 3.
Motwithftanding they are God's fpecial
gifts, yet we miifl deny themcomparative-
"ly, and in fome refpefts, as in thefe cafes.
I. In point of Juftification, in relation
to righteoufnefs, in comparifon of Chrift,
in the notion of a covenant of life and fal-
vation. It is a dangerous thing to hang
the weight of a foul upon any thing which
hath any mixture of weaknefs, imperfec-
tion or corruption in it, as the pureft and
beft of all our duties have ; it is a danger-
ous thing to teach, ' That faith, or any other
evangelical grace as it is a work done by us,
doth juftifie us :'there is nothing to be called
our righteoufnefs, but the Lord our righte-
oufnefs, ]cv. xxiii.6. Faith itfelf doth not ju-
ftifie habitually, as a thing fixed in us, but
inftrumentally,as that which receives andlets
in the righteoufnefs of Chrift fliining thro'
it upon us ; as the window enlightens by
the fun-beams which it lets in, or as the
cup feeds by the wine which it conveys.
So then in point of juftification ' we are
to renounce all our duties and graces.'
2. In point of fan6Vification : for fo we
are to attribute the ftrength, the power,
and the glory of all our graces and duties
unto Jcfus Chrifi, and nothing toourfelves.
And yet imdcrftand we aright, tho' every
believer is thus to deny himfelf, in fpiri-
lual things, even in the point of fan^lifica-
tion, yet he is not to fpeak evil of the
grace of God within himfelf; he may not
SELF-DENIAL.
mifcall his duties and graces, faying, ' thefe
are nothing but the fruits of hypocrifie,*
for then he (hould fpeak evil of the Spirit
whofe works they are ; neither is he to
trample or tread on thefe graces of God :
a man tramples and treads upon the dirr,
but he will not trample upon gold or fil-
ver ; why ? becaufe that is a precious
mettal, and the ftamp or image of the
prince is upon it : Now our * duties and
graces, our righteoufnefs and holinefs,'as
to the matter of juftification, they arenc'
thing worth, and fo we trample upon all ;
but as to the matter of fanftification, they
are precious mettal, and they have the i-
mage of Chrift upon them, and therefore
for a man to tread on them, for a man to
fay, * All this is nothing but hypocrifie,*
that is not fclf denial ; properly felf-denial
in fpiritual things, as to the matter of juf-
tification, * it is to renounce all ;' and as
to the matter of fa notification, it is to at-
tribute ' the ftrength, the power and glory
of all unto Jefus Chrift, and nothing to
ones felf.' This is true felf-denial.
SECT. XX.
Of the manner of denying our religious^
gracious, or renewed felf.
THE directions of Self-denial in refpeft
of our religious, gracious, or re-
newed felf, are thefe.
I . * Be we fenfible of, and humbled for
our pride in fpiritual things.' There is
nothing that a chriftian is more apt to be
proud of than fpiritual things. Before he
takes up profeflion, poflibly he is proud
of his cloaths, or friends, or honours, or
profeftions ; but afterwards there is no-
thing that he is more apt to be proud of
than of his parts and gifts, and graces, and
fpiritual things ; for look, where a man's
excellency lies, there his pride grows ; now
the excellency of a Chriftian lies in fpirit-
ual things, and therefore there his pride
grows, and there he is nioft apt to be proud ;
O be we fenfible of tliis, and mourn
fcr
SELF-DENIAL,
iZt
for this ! It was Mr. Fox his fpeech,
* As I get good by my fins, fo I get
hurt by my graces'. It is a dangerous
thing to be proud of a man's duties and
fpiritual gifts, we had better to be proud of
clothes, or friends, or honours ; for this
pride of fpiritual things is diredtly oppofite
to a man's juftification. The firft ftep to
humility is to fee one's pride ; the firft ftep
of Self-denial is to be convinced of one's
inclination or defire after Self-exalting,
Self-admiring, Self-advancing. * O what
a proud heart have 1 1 what a felf-advancing
heart have I ?' There is no believer but
he hath fomething of felf ; be he never fo
humble, yet he hath fomething ftill that
taftes of the calk ; there was never any
that was fo transformed, melted or
changed into the mold of the gofpel, but
there was ftill fome favour of felf remain-
ing in him : we had need therefore to be
jealous of ourfelves, and to watch over
ourfelves ; and if at any time felf break
out, if at any time the foul begins to be
advanced in regard of duty or fpiritual
things, * let us fall down before God, and
humble ourfelves for the pride of our
hearts.*
2. * Look up, and confider the glory,
purity and holinefs of God.' This con/i-
deration will humble a foul, and caufe it
to ' deny itfelf in fpiritual things.' See
this in Job, no fooner had he a great prof-
pefl of the glory of God, but he denies
himfelf concerning his own righteoufnefs,
which before he flood much upon to his
friends. I know it is Jo of a truth, but how
Jhould man be juj} with God ? if he will
contend with him, he cannot anfwer him
ene of a thoujand. Job. ix. 2, 3, God's fuf.
nefs will convince ^s abundantly of our
emptinefs, his purity will fliew us our fpots,.
his ali-fufficiency our noihingnefs. When
Job was brought a little nearer unto God,
he was more humbled before God. 1
have heard of thee by the hearing of
ihe ear, but now mine eye feeth thee.
Job xlii. 5, 6. (i. e.) * I have a clear-
er and more glorious manifeftation of
thee to my foul than ever : I now perceive
thy power, thy holinefs, thy wifdom, thy
faithfnlners, thy goodnefs, as if I faw them
U'ith my eye, wherefore I abhor myfelf ia,
dull and afhes.' He could not go lower in
his thoughts of himfelf than this expref-
fion laid him ; abhorrence ' is a perturba-
tion of the mind arifing from vehement
diflike, or extreameft difefteem ;' abhor-
rence ftri(flly taken * is hatred wound up
to the height ;' and ' to abhor, repenting
in dull and aflies,' is the deepell aft of ab-
horrence : thus low Job goes, not only to
a diflike, but to the furtheft degree of it,
abhorrence of himfelf when he faw the
Lord. See this in Ifaiah, when God came
near him, and he faw much of God, then
be cried out, P/o is me, for J am undone^
becaufe I am a man of unclean lips. Ifa.
vi. 5. How knows he that ? Why, mine
eyes have feen the king the Lord of hofts.
"What did not Ifaiah know he was a man
of polluted lips till then .-' yes, but he was
never fo fenfible of it as then : he faw his
pollution more than ever by the light of
the glory of God that flione round about
him ; he never faw himfelf fo clearly as
when the majefty of God dazzled his eyes..
When the fun (hines bright in a room, we
may fee the leafl: mote in the air ; fo when
the glory of God irradiates the foul, we fee
all the motes and atoms of fin, the leaft
fpot, and unevennefs of our hearts and
lives.
3. ' Have Chrifl: in eye.' The more we
fee an humble Chrift, a felf-denying Chrift,
the more fliall we learn humility and felf-
denial. Now Chrifi:w2s the molt eminent,,
tranfcendent example of fcifdenial that
ever was. He thought it no robbery to be
equal with God, and yet he humbled him-
felf and took upon him the form ofajervant,
Phil. ii. 6, 7. O what felf-denial is here ?
was there ever fuch a felf denial as this?
* Chriflians ! confider your Chrill, and the
more
1 84
SELF-DENIAL,
more will you learn to deny your felves
even in fpiritual things.'
4, ' Acknowledge we ourfelves debtors
to Chrift for all our gifts, and for all our
graces.' PofTibly a man may wear brave
apparel, but he owes for them at fuch a
fliop, whiles he is abroad he fwaggers, and
is proud of his cloathes, but when he
comes into the fhop, and looks upon the
book, and confidcrs what he hath to pay,
he ftrikes fail then : thus the gofpel is the
gj-eat fliop, and fr or* Chrift in the gofpel
we have all our gifts and graces, and tho'
I may be proud in fpirit at another time,
yet if I come into the gofpel, and fee what
an infinite debtor I am to Chrift, and to
free-grace for all that ever I have, then I
think, ' What ? fliall I be proud ? what ?
(hall I not deny myfelf in fpiritual things ?'
5. * Study the gofpel, and the way of
the gofpel.' Where fliall we fee an hum-
ble Chrift but in the gofpel ? where fliall
we fee the rich and free grace of God in
Chrift, but in the gofpel ? where fliall we
get faith in Chrift, but in the preaching of
the gofpel, and in the ftudying of the gof-
pel ? Surely this grace of felf-denial in
' fpiritual things grows only in the gardenof
the gofpel : I deny not but there is a com-
mon-field humility, or Self-Denial, as I
may fo fp'eak ; fuch a fclf-denial I mean,
as grows among the heathen, and among
moral men : but betwixt that and this we
may obfcrve thefe differences.
1. Take a moral, civil man, and though
he may feem to be humble and to deny
himfelf, yet he is proud of his humility.
A philofopher coming into Plato's houl'e,
and feeing it very neat, * I trample upon
Plato's pride,' faid he. * But, faid Plato,* not
without your own pride.' Now, a believer
doth not only deny himfelf, but he is fen-
llble of his own pride in that very thing
wherein he is humble.
2. Take a moral, civil man, and though
he may feem to deny himfelf, yet it is but
ui this or tliat particular thing ; but a be-
liever denies himfelf in every thing. I count
all tl.ings ht4t dung and drofs, faith the a-
^o{i\(^, for Jefus Chrift, Phil. iii. 8.
3. Take a moral, civil man, and though
he may feem to deny himfelf, yet it is but
the artifice of his reafon and refolution ;
* if I go on in fuch and fuch a way,' fays he,
* I am undone.' Hence he denies this plea-
fure, and that company. But now a be-
liever ' denies himfelf in fpiritual things by
the beholding of Jefns Chrift.'
4. Take a moral civil man, and though
he may feem to deny himfelf, yet there
is no myftery in it; but there is ever a
great myftery of grace in a believer's felf-
denial. As thus, he ever cries, what Jloall
I do to be faved ? And yet he profelfeth
that he doth not expeft to be faved by his
doing ; here's a myftery. Again, he counts
himfelf kfs than the lea fi of all God's mer-
cies, and yet he thinks God hath done
more for him than if he had given him all
the world ; here's a myftery. Again, he
looks upon himfelf as the greateft finner,
and thinks of every one better than him-
felf, and yet when he looks upon a drunk-
ard, or a fwearer, or the like, he profelfeth
that he would not change his condition
with fuch a man for all the world ; what a
myftery is this i
5. Take amoral, civil man, and though
he may feem to deny himfelf in temporal
things, whichdevils themfelves maydo, yet
he cannot, as the believer, * deny himfelf in
fpiritual things.' One makes mention of a
certain godly man that was fore tempted by
Satan in his time, the godly man was much
in duty, to whom fatan faid, ' why takeft
thou this pains ? thou doeft watch,, and
faft, and pray, and abftaincft from the fins
of the times ; but O man, what doeft thou
more than I do ? art' thou no drunkard,
no adulterer, fays Satan ? no more am I.
Doft thou watch, and faft, fays Satan ? I
never flcpt, I never ate, nor drank ;
what doeft thou more than I V I will tell
thee,' faid the godly man, * I pray, I ferve
tiie
SELF-DENIAL.
the Lord, I walk humbly, I deny myfeif ;'
* Nay then, fays fatan, thou goeft beyond
me, for I am proud, and I exalt my fcif,
and therefore herein thou goeft beyond
me.' And thus we may difference betwixt
true fclf-denial and falfe.
6, * Refl: not on any thing below Jefus
Chrift.' Neither grace, nor duties, norho-
linefs are to be trufled upon. We muft
hold them faft in point of practice and o-
bedience, but it is our fin and danger to
hold them faft in reliance and confidence.
I defire to be rightly underftood in this
truth. Some becaufe they need not to
rely on duties, they let go their duties,
they let prayer and repentance and forrow
for fin go, they fay, ' It is no matter for
duties, they need not to trouble them-
felves, Chrift hath done all.' This is to"*
* turn the grace of God into wantonnefs.*
"We muft let go both our graces and du-
ties in point of juftification, but hold them
we muft as our lives in the tenour and
converfation of our lives. Prayer, hear-
ing, fafting, repenting muft not die whilft
we live ; do them we muft, but glory in
them we muft not : we muft not reft in
any thing whatfoever below Jefus Chrift.
I fhall inftance in thefe particulars.
1. \\'e muft not reft upon our own
preparations for duties. It is a commend-
able thing to prepare our heart ; we muft
pray that we may pray ; we fhould have
fecret communion with our God, be-
fore wc come to feek communion with
him in a fermon ; but we muft not
reft upon our own preparation when we
have prepared ; if we advance that into
the throne of Jefus Chrift, and reft upon
that when we ftiould only reft upon him,
it is the way to make all our preparations
niifcarry.
2. We muft not reft upon our enlarge-
ments in duties. It may be we have a
fpring-tide of affiftancc comes in ; a mini-
flcr preaches with great prefence of the
%irit cf-God, and a Jaint prays, as we
i8j
find it, if: the Holy GhoJ}, Jude 20. i. e.
He finds the holy Spirit of God leading him
from petition to petition, meltinahim with
brokennefs when he isconfeffingfin, filling
him with rejoicing when he is rcmembriirg
mercy, raifing him with an high wing, as it
were, of importunity, when he is bepglng
of favour (as it was an admirable temper
in holy Bradford, that he was not content
till he found God coming into his fpirit
with feveraldifpenfations according to the
feveral parts of his prayer) j and now as
foon as the duty is done, it may be he
goes away, and flroaks himfelf. ' Oh what
an admirable prayer was here ! furely I
fliall do well this day, I ftiall be able to
wreftle with all temptations,' this is the
very way to mifcarry, thoufands have
• found it ; fo that when he comes to pray
again, it may be he prays moft dully and
flatly, the Spirit is grieved, and gone, and
he can fay little or nothing.
3. We muft notreftupon the comforts
we have ifi duty, or after duty. It may
be when we have been at duty and have
had fome foul-ravifliments, O now we
think our neft is built very high, and our
rock is firm, and we fhall go on vigoroufly ;
Chryfoftom hath a faying to this purpofe,
' Methinks, faith he, a faint when he comes
from a facrament, fliould be able to file in
the face of a devil, and tho' he walk in
midft of fnares, yet he fhould be able to
encounter with them all.' Comforts are
very fweet things, and indeed ftrengthen-
ing things ; The joy of the Lord is our
Jlrength, faith Nehemiah, ch. viii. jo. No-
thing more animates fouls than joy, only
here is the danger, if we reft on thefe joys
and comforts ; furely if fo, we provoke God
to withdraw them. The Spirit of God is
a moft choice and tender thing, it dwells
in none but a clean pure temple moft clean-
ly fwept ; if any pride fpring up in our
hearts we lofe our comforts.
4. * We muft not reft upon, graces.'
This was Peter's fault, he was full ofccn-
B b ceil
ih6 S E L F-
celt and felf-confidence, he had grace, and
be relied on it, Lord) though allforfake
thee, yet -will not /,Mat. xxvi, 33. Yet foon
after Peter did forfake and deny his maf-
ter, and we do not find Peter fo confident
afterwards: when Chrifl; faid to him, ^i-
mon Peter y lovejl thou me more than thcfi ?
no comparative words now ; no more that
Lcrd thou hnovjeft Hove theey John xxi.
I 5, etc. Peter was whipped with felf-confi-
dence, and the woeful fruits of it, and
npw in a good degr^ it was purged out
of him. Surely It was a lefibn well worth
the learning though it coR: the whipping.
\Ve mufl not reft on grace?, nor on any
thing elfe on this fide Jcfus Chrift.
7I * Be often putting forth new aftings
of faith in Jcfus Ghriih' The more we
believe, the more do we deny religious
felf. Hence it is that * felf-denial in fpi-
ritual things' is not to be found in the law,
but in the gofpel ; the law though it hath
its ufe (and we dare not but make ufe of it)
yet properly it will not make a man to
deny himfclf, but rather to feek himfelf in
rpiritual things : ' Obey and live ;' faith the
law, * but if thou failefl: in any one point,
'thou are loft for ever :' in this cafe (if there
were no other way) who would deny his
own righteoufncfs .' nay who would not
feek to Awe himfclf by his own righteouf-
nefs ? but now fays the gofpel, * By works
thou can ft not live, but if thou wilt throw
down all thy own righteoufnefs at the feet
of Chrift, and believe on him, and reft on-
ly on him, thou Ihalt be faved.' O this
will make a man to deny his own righte-
oufnefs, and to * deny himfelf in fpirirual
things.' Go we therefore to Chrift, let us
maintain believing apprehenfions of the
Lord Jefus Chrift. He alone is the humble
felf-denying perfon that feeks juftification
not by works, but by faith only.
DENIAL.
8. Let it be the joy of our fouls to ex-
alt and fet up Chrift within our fouls.
Though in order to juftification we muft
deny our graces, eye Chrift without us ;
yet we muft have a care to fee and feel
Chrift's kingdom within us, to fet up Chrift
in our hearts, and to difcern him ruling
and commanding there as a king in his
throne. And there is true felf-denial ia
this, for whereever Chrift reigns there fin
goes down. As the people would have all
the men put to death whicli wovild not
have Saul to reign over them, 2 Sam. xi.
22. fo doth a true believing foul mortifie
whatfoever oppofeth Chrift's kingdom, he
removeth whatfoever may hinder Chrift's
fpiritual dominion, he makes all veil and
ftoop for Chrift's exaltation within him,
O then let Chrift reign over all within us,
in our underftandings as a prophet enlighte-
ning us, in our wills as a king command-
ing us, in our aife(5tions as a prieft morti-
fying us, in our loves as an hulband marry-
ing us ; let the whole man be fubjeflunto
whole Chrift. This is the character of a
true felf-denier, Chrift rules within him,
he every way fubjefts himfelf to Chrift, in
his underftandingtoknow Chrift, in his will
to choofe and embrace Chrift,in his thoughts
to meditate upon Chrift, in his fear to
ferve and honour Chrift, in his faith to
iruft and depend upon Chrift, in his love to
afFeft Chrift, in his joy to delight in Chrift,
in his defires to long after Chrift, in his
endeavours to exalt Chrift, in all his * du-
ties, graces, gifts, abilities, to make them
ferviceable unto Chrift :' why this is to at-
tribute the glory of all our duties and
graces to Jefus Chrift, and nothing to our-
felves. Now is Chrift all in all, now we
truely * deny ourfelves,'Our finful felves,
our natural felves, our religious felves.'
Thus much of Self-denial.
CHAP.
( iS7 )
CHAP. VI.
SECT. I.
Of the Nature of Experiences.
' 17 XPERIENCE (fay fome) is a
Pj knovvledge'and difcover}' of fome-
thing by fenfe not evident in itfelf, but
manifefted by fome event orefFeft.' This
defcription contains both natural and fpi-
ritual experience ; but my purpofe is to
fpcak only of the latter, and in that refpe£t
I look ftriftly at Experiences, as * real
proofs of fcripture-truths.' AVhen I mark
how true every part of God's word is, how
all the doflrines, threatenings 'and pro-
mifes contained therein, are daily verified
in others, and in myfelf, and fo improve
or make ufe of them to my own fpiritual
advantage, this I call Experience.
SECT. II.
Of the gathering of Expert encei.
THAT our experiences may further
us in the way to heaven, we muft
learn, i. To gather them. 2. To im-
prove them.
I . For the gathering of them, the only
way is,
1. * To mark things v/hlch fall out;' to
obferve the beginnings and events of mat-
ters, to eye them every way, on every fide,
that they may (land us in flead for the fu-
ture : this obfervation and pondering of
events, with ihecaufes that went before, is
the- ripener of wit ; Who among you xvill
give ear to this ? -who will hearken for
the tifne to come ? Ifa. xlii. 23. Whofo is
ivi/e, and will obferve thofe things, even
they fmll underftand the loving- kindnefs of
the Lord, Pfal. cvii. 43.
2. * To treafure up, and lay In thefe ob-
fcrvations, to have ready in remembrance
fuch works of God as wc have known and
obferved.' The philofopher faith, that Ex-
perience is multiplex immoriuy i. e. Amul-
Bb
iJplied 77iemory j becaufe of the memory of
the fame thing often done, ^rifeih Experi-
ence : 1 remember the days of eld, faith Da-
vid ; Pfal. cxiiii. y. I remember how thou
didfl rebuke Abimelech, and overthrow
Nimrod, and Pharaoh, and Achitophel :
and thus would we treafure up Experi-
ences, the former part of our life would
come in to help the latter, and the longer
we live, the richer in faith we fliould be;
even as in victories, every former over-
throw of an enemy, helps to obtain a fuc-
ceeding vi(Story. This is the ufe of a fanc-
tified memory, it will lofe notliing that
may help in time of need, or in the evil,
day ; it records all the breathings, mov-
ings, fiirrings, workings of a foul towards
Chrift, or of Chrift towards a foul.
3. To cart thefe things thus marked and
laid in under feveral fpiritual heads, of
Promifes, Threats, Deceits of the heart,
Subtiltics of Satan, Allurements of the
world, etc. I might enlarge the heads in-
to any thing that \% good or evil, i . Into
any thing that is goody whether it be Gcd^
or the things given us by Cod^ his Spirit,
his counfels, his ordinances, his work of
fandlification, and all the fruits of the Spi-
rit. 2. Into any thing that is evil, whe-
ther it hefi>i, or the fruits of fin, as cor-
ruptions, inabihty to good, vanity of all
the creatures, the judgments of God. Thus
we mull fort our experiences, as the apo»
thecary forteth his di ugs.
SECT. III.
Of the improving of experiences,
2. T^OR the improving of Experiences,
X I. We muft confider what fcrip-
ture truth is verified thereby in others, or
in our felvcs,
^ . I. In
i88
EXPERIENCES,
1 . In ethers, as if we confider hpw God
blefTeth and cheareth the religious; wherein
that text is verified, Blejfed are the righte-
CHS, for it /hall be -well ivith them, for they
Jhall eat the fruit of their doings, Ifa. iii.
lo. Or if we obferve how God punifheth
the carnal and hypocritical ; wherein that
text is verified, fVo unto the wicked, it
Piall be ill -with them, for the reward of
their hands flmll be given them, Ifa. iii. 1 1.
2. In ciirfelves, as if by a fpiritual Ex-
perience we tafle Go^to be good ; wherein
that text is verified, Iffo be ye have^ tajied
that the Lord is gracious, i Pet. ii. 3. If
WTs find the things given us of God to be
good ; as that his Spirit is good, according
to that text, Thy Spirit is good, Pf. cxliii.
10. That his ordinances ore good, accord-
ing to that text, // is good for me to draw
near to Cod, Pfal. Ixxiii. 2S. and, This is
my comfort in afiidion, for thy word hath
quickened me, Pfal. cxix. 50. Thatfan6\i-
fication, and the fruit of the Spirit, are
good ; according to that text, // is good
ihat a man JJjould both hope, and quietly
wait for the falvation of the Lord, Lam.
iii. 26. // is a good thing to give thanks un-
40 the Lord, and to fing praifes unto thy
name,0 moft High, Pfal. xcii. x. // is good
to be zealoufly ajfeflcd always in a good
thing. Gal. iv. 18. It is a good thing that
the heart be efiablijhed with grace, Heb.
xiii. 9. or if by experience we difcern the
evil of fin itfelf out of meafure finful; ac-
cording to that text, Sin by the command-
vient is become exceedingjinful, Rom. vii.
J 3. If we find out the corruption of our
own nature ; according to that text, De-
hold, I was fhapen in iniquity, and in Jin
did friy mother conceive tne,VL li. 5. If we
difcover the abomination of our own righ-
teoufntfs; according to that text, IVe are all
as an unclean thing, and all our righteouf
nejjes areas filthy rags, Ifa. Ixiv. 6, If we
fee our own inabilities to do any good ;
according to that text. To will is prefent
'Mith mC) but hi'M to perform that which
is good, I find not, Rom. vii. 18. Not ihat
we are fufficient ofourfelves, to think any
thing as of ourfelves,but our fufficiency is
of God, 2 Cor. iii. 5. If we have trial of
the vanity of all creatures, as of riches, ho-
nour, wifdom ; according to that text, Va-
nity of vanities, all is vanity, Ecdef. i. 2.
O how will thefe blefTcd Experiences, back-
ed by fcriptnre truths, kindle our affefli-
ons! I deny not, faith works more fted-
faftnefs, and firmnefs of adherence, but ex-
perience ufuaily breeds the greater fircngth
of affections : Hove the Lord, faiih David,
and why fo ? becaufe (of this Experience)
he hath heard my voice, and my /applicati-
ons, Pfal cxvi. I,
2. We mud endeavour to produce that
fruit, that frame of heart, which the Lord
requires, directs, and looks for in fuch and
fuch cafes. Thus the fandlification of ex-
periences is evidenced by the difpofitions
anfwering God's mind, which are left up-
on the heart, and brought forth in the life
afterwards ; namely, when divine difcove-
ries are the more flrongly believed, the
heart by threats more kindly awed ; adhe-
rence to the promifes more lirongly con-
firmed ; the deceitful heart more nar-
rowly watched ; Satan's fuggeftions more
watchfully refilled ; the bewitchingsof the
world kept at a greater diflance from the
foul ; in a word, when by this experimen-
tal application of God's works to his word,
God is more advanced, and felf more abaf-
ed, the honour of the Lord is more ftudi-
ed, and the edification of his people endea-
voured, holy love encreafed, fervice quick-
ened, faith ftrengthened, Chrift improved ;
then is this bufinefschriltianly managed in-
deed: but of thefe more largely in the next
fedfion.
SECT." IV.
Of the Sandification of Experiences in
their fevtral Ufes.
THE fan(flification of experiences is
evidenced, as we faid, by fuch dif-
pofitions as thefe.
I. When
EXT ER
1 . "When divine dlfcoveries arc more
ftrongly believed ; this is one fruit of ex-
perience, it wonderfully ilrengthens our
faith : AVhen the Ifraelites faw the Egyp-
tians drowned, then they believed the Lord,
and his Jervant Mofes, Exod. xiv. 31.
"When we find all things in the event to be
as we believed, this confirms our faith, as
David kneiv that God favoured hirtiy by his
deliverances, Pfalm xli. 1 1 .
2. When the heart by threats is more
kindly awed : this is another fruit of expe-
rience ; The righteous alfo [hall fee and
fear, Pfalm lii. 6. firft /?■<?, and i\\tx\ fear :
when the primitive Chriftians faw Ananias
fall down, and give up theghof}, x}!\tr\great
fear came on them that heard thofe things,
Afts V. 5. This holy fear many a time pof-
feifeth the faints : My flefj trembkth for*
fear of thee, faith David,^«</ 1 am afraid of
thy judgments, Pf, cxix. 120. When I heard,
my belly trembled, faith Habakkuk, my lips
quivered at the voice ; rottennefs entered
into my bones, and I trembled in tnyfelf,
that I might refl in the day of trouble,
Hab. iii. 16. As the child quaketh when he
feeth his father correal a fervant, fo the
faithful tremble when they obferve the fe-
verity of God's wrath againfl impenitent
ilnners.
3. "When the deceitful heart Is more
narrowly watched : hath it couzened us
once and again ? Experience hereof will
breed in us a godly jealoufie and fufpici-
on over our hearts ; we are now confci-
ous of our own weaknefs, and of the fnare
that is in every creature to take and en-
tangle us ; and this will make waking be-
lievers circumfpeft and careful how they
entertain evil motions, how they keep up
holy thoughts, how they perform holy du-
ties, how their affections move towards that
which is above, left they fhould mifcarry
upon the fands.
4. When Satan's fuggeftions are more
watchfully refifled ; this is the voice of ex-
perience in fuch a cafe, < Doth Satan fu-
lENCES. 189
rioufly alTail us ? be not difmayed : are
his temptations moft fierce ? be we moft
diligent in the means of grace, the prac-
tice of holinefs, the labours of an ho-
neft calling ; pray earneftly, exercife faith,
ftick faller to the word of promife, flop
our ears againft fcruples and doublings ;
draw nigh to God, for Satan will then ceafe
to vex thee with his temptations any more:'
Refifl the devil, and he ivill fly from you,
James iv. 7. It is true, the believer is too
weak of himfelf to withftandtheleaftaflhult,
but if we rely on the Lord, we may thro'
his power be made victorious in the great
eft affaults whatfoever ; and here is the
comfort of experience, ' That a foul hav-
ing once returned with viftory, through
the power of his might, he will abide in
the fecret place of the moft High for ever.*
5. When thebewitchingsof the world are
kept at a great diftance from the foul : this
was Solomon's cafe and cure, after all his
travels and great delights, he no fooner
returns, as to himfelf, but he fills the.
world with this news ; what news ? Vani-
ty : and what more ? Vanity of vanities :
and what more ? y^ll is vanity. Experience
of its vanity, weans him from the love of
this earth,it takes him off the creature, and
lifts him unto the Lord his Creator ; fo
fhould we, if ever we were charmed with
fuch Syren fongs, be more careful, left we
be drawn away with the pleafant delights
of things tranfitory, and keep them at a
greater diftance from us.
6. When the Lord Jefus is more ftudi-
ed and advanced : the man that feels Chrift's
gracious power and virtue, will be fure to
exalt Chrift,and fet him up on high ; when
Ifrael faw the mighty work of David in o-
verthrowing Goliah, then David was much
fet by: the believer's experience of Chriit's
mighty and gracious working, makes Chrift
very precious to him, then he cries, as the
foldiers of David, Thou art -.vorth ten thou-
fands of us, 2 Sam. xviii. 3. Hence it is,
that God's people value him above all their
pro«
190 EXT ER
profits, friends, cafe, credit, and lives.
^Matthew left the receipt of cullom, James
and John their fhips and nets, and father,
and follovjed him : yea, many for his fake
loved not their lives unto death ^ Rev. xii.
1 1, no wonder, for they had many fweet
experiences of Chrift : Chrift to thcjr ap-
prehenfion was the fairej} of ten thoufand,
none but Chrift, none but Chrift.
7. When the peoples edification is en-
deavoured: have we tafted of the good-
nefs of God ? kt us then provoke others
to "believe, and to ferve the Lord together
with us; this is one end of experience, and
that ufc- we fliould make of it towards o-
thers. When Gideon heard the telling of
the dream, and the interpretation thereof,
he worlbipped, and turned into the hofi:
of Ifrael, and faid, Arife, for the Lord hath
delivered the hofi of Midian into your
hands, Judg. vii. 15.
8. When a man's own felf is more a-
bafed :" do we live the life of grace and
true holinefs ? this will teach us to deny
ourfelves wholly : If any man (faith Chrift)
-will come after me, let him deny himfelf,
Luke ix. 23. </■ d. If any man will come
after me in the knowledge of my will, in
the belief of my promifes, in the love of
my truth, in the obedience of my precepts,
let him deny himfelf, let him lay afide his
own wifdom, his own will, his own ima-
gination, his own aftedlions, his own ends,
as bale and unworthy marks to be aim-
ed : let him deny himfelf i whatfoever isof
himfelf, or belonging to himfelf, as a cor-
rupt, and carnal man ; let him go out of
. iiimfdf, that he may come to me; let
him empty himfelf of himfelf, that he
may be capable of me, that I may rule
and reign in him, and that he may wholly
fubjca himfelf tome and my fervice : this
the aportle ftiles, yl living, not to ourfelves,
hut unto him that died for us, 2 Cor. v. 15.
he alone underftands, and hath experience
of the end of Chrift's death, that makes
IE f^ CE S.
chrift's glory the end of his life, and lives
not to himfelf, but to Chrift..
9. When holy love is more increafed :
/ love the Lord, becaufe he hath heard my
voice, and nr; pMpplicaiion, Pfalm cxvi. r.
"We cannot tafte of the Lord, but we muft
have an hearty love to the Lord : will you
hear the voice of experience ? 'ris this,
tajle, andfe how good the Lord is, Pfalm
xxxiv. 8. and then, flay me with fag^
gons, and comfort me with apples, for I
am fick of love. Cant. ii. 5. fuch a one
truly afFcds C:hrift, and all that follow
Chrift; fuch a one loves the perfon of
Chrift, without his privileges; a naked
Chrift, as well as Chrift clothed with all
his robes, in all his glory and refplendent
beauty ; Chrift in a prifon, as well as Chrift
on a throne ; thus John (after all his expe-
riences of Chrift's love to him) could love
Chrift on the crofs, when others forfook
him, as well as in the temple, when he was
working miracles.
10. AV^hen hope is quickened: fuch times
may come, that death and darknefs may
furround us, and we may grovel in the
duft : but here is our comfort, that tribu-
lation -worketh patience, and patience ex-
perience, and experience hope, Rom. v. 4.
Have we any experience of God's gracious
dealings with us in former times ? have we
fomeiimes been refrelhed by his hand ^
hath he fometimes helped us? was he
found of us, when we fought him : nay,
often unfought for ? hath he come to our
fouls, and renewed our ftock, and filled
our becalmed fpirits witli fielh gales of
grace ? how fliould we then but hope ? As
it was in this refpeft, it is, and ever fliall
ht; if new temptations arife, and new lufts
break in, and fpoil, it is the voice of Ex-
perience, J was delivered out of the mouth
of the lion, and the Lord Pi all deliver me
from every evil work, and will preferve
me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be
nlory and dor?iinion for ever and ever, 2
Tim. iv. 17. And, ll^e have the fenter.ce
E XT E R
of dedfh in our/elves, that lue Jhould not
truft in ourfelveSy but in Cod ivho raifeth
the dead J -who delivered us from fo great a
deathy and doth deliver us, in whom xue
trufl he will yet deliver us, 2 Cor. i. 9, f o.
11. When joys of the Spirit are raifed
and ftirred up: Who is he that hath not
been delivered out of fome miferable exi-
gents? and if we have, we may well fay
with David, Thou haft foewed me great
troubles and adverfities, but thou wilt re-
turn and revive me, thou wilt come again,
and take me from the depths of the earth,
and comfort me, Pfal. Ixxi. 20. Former
comforts are [if I may fay fo] as a bill o-
bligatory under God's hand, to afTiire us
that he will not forfake us : JVhom God
loves, he loves unto the end, John xiii. i.
Becaufe thou haft been my help, therefore
in the f>adcw of thy wings will I rejoice,
Pfal. Ixiii. 7.
12. When faith is more and more
Arengthened, experiences (honld be turn-
ed into confidences; Thus David improv-
ed his experiences, The Lord that deliver-
ed me out oj the paw of the lion, and out
of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
out of the hands of this Philiftine, I Sam.
xvii. 36, 37. In like manner (hould we
take notice of God's dealings, and after we
have once tried him and his truth, let us
trufl him for the future ; Tried truth, and
tried faith unto it, fweetly agree, and an-
fwer one another. Hence it is that expe-
rience of God's love fhould refrefli our
faith upon any frefli onfet; So let all thine
enemies perif), faid Deborah, Judg. v. 32.
The heart of that bleffed woman was en-
larged, as it were prophetically; 'when
one fall?, they fliall all fall ;' there is the like
reafon. So let all thine enetnies perif),
Lord. Experience In ourfelves or others,
will enlarge our taith to look for greater
matters flill from our gracious powerful
God : Hath the Lord given us a vicflory
over the Philiftincs ? then awake, awake
Deborah, awake, and be enlarged, O
I E N C E S, rpr
my faith ! Every new experience is a new
knowledge of God, and fhould fit us for
new encounters : I deny not but we ought
to trufl God upon other grounds, though
we had never tried him ; but when he helps
our faith by former experiences, this fhould
ftrengthen our confidence, and fhore up
our fpirits, and put us on to go more
cheerfully to God, as to a tried friend. It
was the fpeech of one eminent in holinefs,
upon the occafion of the accompliihment
of a great requefl: made to God by him,
* I have tried God often, now I will trull
him indeed.' If we were read in the flory
of our lives, we might have a divinity of
our own, drawn out of the obfervation of
God's particular dealings towards us ; we
^ might fay, * This, and this truth I dare
venture upon, I have found it true, I dare
build all my happinefs upon it;' as Paul,
/ know whom I have trufied, and I am-
per/itaded he is able to keep that which 1
have committed unto him again/} that day,:
2 Tim. i. 22. q. d, I have tried him, he
never yet failed me, I am not now to feek
how faithful he is to all thofe that are his.
13. When fcruples and doubts are re-
moved, * O, (cries the foul) I have many
experiences, but no comfort as yet.' Thus
David, after the remembrance ofhisfongs
in the night, left his foul Itill in doubt ;
and he goes on to fay, IVilt the Lord caft
^fff^ tvtr? and will he be favourable no
more? Pfal. Ixxvii. 7. In this cafe, it is the
duty of Chriilians, to call to mind their
former experiences of faith and joy again
and again ; for though they comfort not at
one time, yet they may at another. Have
we found a promife, which is a Breafl of
Confolation, milklcfs ? yet again fuck,
comfort may come in the end : If after wc
have impanelled a jury and grand inquell
to fearch, and our firft verdiifi condemn
i^s, or they being in an igncra^r.us ; yet do,
as wife judges often do, fend them about
it again, they may find it the next time :
Jonah looked once; it feeras, and found no.
comfoitt:
192 E X 'T E R
Comfort; for he faid, /il>i/1 look again to-
•ward thine holy temple, Jonah ii, 4. So
feme have 'looked over their hearts, by
figns, at one time, and have, to their think-
ing, found nothing but hypocrify, unbe-
lief, hardnefs, felf-feeking, he. but not long
after, examining their hearts again by the
fame figns.they have efpied the image of
God drawn fairly upon the tables of their
hearts, and fo found a world of comfoit.
* O but (cries the foul) I have tofTed and
tumbled over my heSrr, I have fearched
into the regifters and records of God's
dealings, and raethinks, I can call nothing
into remembrance betwixt God and me.'
What, nothing ? Look again : Did God
never fpeak peace to our hearts ? Did Chrift
never fhed his love abroad in our fouls ?
Have we at no time found in our heart
pure drains of love to Chrifl? Pure drops
of godly forrow for offending Chrift ? Have
we never an old tried evidence, which hath
been acknowledged and confirmed again
and again in open courts? What, not one?
Surely, if we can now call to mind one,
if in truth, it may fupport us : If one pro-
mife do belong to us, all do ; for every
6ne conveys whole Chrift, in whom all the
promifes are made, and who is the matter
of them : As <n the facrament, the bread
conveys whole Chrirt, and the wine con-
veys whole Chrifl ; fo in the word, every
promife conveys whole Chrift ; if we can
but fay as the church of Ephefus, This thing
J have, that I hate fin, Rev. ii. 6. 'We
may plead this to God, yea, though it be
in a lelTer degree, if in truth and fincerity;
(for God brings not a pair of fcales to
\veigh, but a touch-flone to try our gra-
ces) if it be true gold, though never fo lit-
tle of it, it will pafs current with him: He
ivill not quench the fmoahing fiax^ I/a. xlii.
'^. though it be but a fmoak, not a flame;
though it be but a wiek in the focket, as it
is in the original, likelier to die and go
out, than to continue, which we ufe to
throw away, yet he will not quench it, but
I E N C E S.
accept it. O let us comfort ourfdves with
thefe words !
* O but (cries the foul again) I have
fearched all crevafes for light, but alas, I
cannot fee the leaft beam of it: What help
now remains ?' If it be thus, poor foul.
Be fiotfaithlefs, but believing. Chrifl helps
fome to live above glorious manifeftations;
fometimes in abfence of thefe manifeftati-
ons, jufl ones may live, and rejoice in the
invifible effence of God : Chriflians may
live waiting on God, when his face is whol-
ly hid from them ; or Chriflians may live
depending on God, when all other fubor-
dinate Aays or helps are loft : In fuch a
foul there may be this refolution, * Let
God do wiiat he will with me, I'll hang on
him ftill : Though he kill me, yet will I
truft in him;' and there is comfort in this.
' If fo, (faith the foul) then what need
of experiences, fo long as I have the pro-
mifes, and may live by faith ?' O but for all
this, be not carclefs of experiences : For,
I. It is the goodnefs of God, that befides
the promife of good things to come, he is
plealed to give us fome prefcnt evidence
and tafte of what we believe: This heigh. -
tens his mercy, diat befides faith, he fliould
train up his children by daily renewed ex-
periences of his fatherly care. 2. Though
it be one thing to live by faith, another
thing to live by light, 5'et the more we fee,
and feel, and tafte of God, the more we
fliall be led to rely on him, for that which
as yet we neither fee nor feel : This is the
very meaning of God, that by that which
we feel, we might be ftrengthened in that
we look for.
S E C T. V.
The Confideration of Experiences in a prac-
tical Courfe ; or, fome praciical Rules to
he chferved.
IT were good for Chriftians, intending
the practical part, to obferve thefe or
the like rules. Some Cautionary. Some
Dire(flory.
I. The cautionary rules may be thefe.
I. In
EXPERIENCES,
193
I. In gathering experiences, beware of i. That be fides a mere providence, we
mifprifion of God's providences. There take notice of fome promife of God on
are many miftakes now a- days, and there- which we build : Thus Paul, delivered
fore it is our beft and only courfe, for our from death at one time, argueth that God
fecurity, to interpret all God's works out would deliver him at another time ; but,
of his word: we muft make the fcriptures
(as we faid before) a conftruing book to
the book of God's providences: Judge nei-
-ther better of profperity, nor worfe of ad-
verfity, than God's word warrants us. This
was the Pfalmifl's cure, his experience put
a probatum eji to this prefcription, When I
thought to know this, it ivas too painful for
me, until Iioent into the fan&uary of God,
then under flood I their end, Pfal. xxxvii.
16, 17. God may profper a wicked man,
and he may conftrue this as an argument,
and note it as experience of God's gracious
dealing with him, and dear love unto him :,
O take heed ! To the laiv, and to the tefli
in his arguing, he eyes the promife, he
hangs on God, which, faith he, raifith the
dead, 2 Cor. i. 9, 10,
2 . That we confider the manner of the
promife, becaufe,
(i.) Some promifes are disjunctive; as
when God in hismercyconveysany thing to
us, either in particular, or in the equivalent,
by way of commutation and compenfation
with fpiritual things. Thus a Chriflian's
experience works hope, Rom. v. 4. but not
always of the felf-fame outward ifTue, and
manner of dehverance out of his trouble,
which he hath before-time found ; no, we
mufl hope according to the word, or accord-
mony, if they fpeak not according to this ingto thequality ofthepromife:Paul'slwpe,
after experience of many deliverances, was
not exprefly or peremptorily, that the prick
in his flefh (hould be removed,but that God's
grace (hould be fufficient, and fo he had the
fruit of his former experience, becaufe he
obtained an equivalent fupply, but not
otherwife. (2) Some promifes are con-
ditional, in reipeCl of us ; as when God
promifeth protccftion from contagious
ficknefs, and from trouble and war : If
word, it is becaufe there is no light in them,
Ifa. viii. 20.
2. In improving experiences, beware
how we argue from one experience to a-
nother : Judgments threatened, are not
always inflifted after one and the fame man-
ner ; God meets with the wicked fometimes
in this life, and fometimes he referves their
plagues for another. In like manner the
gracious providences of God are not al-
ways difpenfed after one and the fame my people, which are called by my name,
manner ; indeed David could fay, The fhall humble tbemfelves, and pray, and
Lord that delivered me out of the paw of feek my face, and turn from their wicked
the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he ways, then will I hear from heaven, and
will deliver me out of the hand of this will forgive their Jin, and will heal their
Philiftine ; I Sam. xvii. 36, 37. And /^W, 2 Chron. vii. 14. In thefe or the like
1 aul could fay, I was delivered out of the promifes, God may give us the experience
rnouth of tht lion, and the Lord fhall de- of his word at one time, but deny it at
another, becaufe we fail in the condition
of the promife on our parts. Obferve
Chriftians, would we conclude a deliver-
ance as formerly, be fuie then to look to
the frame and diipoiition of our fpirirs
liver me froin every evil work, 2 Tim.
iv. J 7, 18. and fo we may fay, that God
many times hath delivered us, and doth
deliver us, and therefore that he v.'ill deliver
us ftili : But this manner of arguing, as it
is dcmonflrative, fo it hath fome limitati- If we are in the way of the'promifc''"then
ens, which wcmuft carefully take notice we may conclude it for certain ; 'if we
^^ ' ^"' nieet God in the courfe of his providence,
or
Cc
194
EXT ER
or in the improvement of the means he
hath appointed, then we may fet it down,
that God will do whatfoever he hath pro-
mifcd to give, in his own way, or other-
wife not. (3.) Some promifes are inde-
finite ; as that in James v. 14, 15. Is any
fick among you ? let him call for the elders
of the churchy and let them pray over him ;
and the prayer of faith Jim II fave the fick,
and the Lord flmll raife him up. In this
cafe God may fometimes, yet doth not
always perform promife according to the
letter.tho' a man may^e truly qualified with
the conditions fpecified in that promife,
toties quoties, again and again. It only
intends thus much; That God may, and
fometimes will fave the fick, and raife him
up at the church's prayers, buf. he will not
ever do fo. Now as God doth not always
perform, fo neither are we abfolutely,
or infallibly, or univerfally to conclude ;
the promife is not univerfal, but indefinite,
and accordingly our conclufions fliould not
be univerfal, but indefinite : "VVe fliould
indeed, becaufe of the promife, adventure
ourfelves upon God in fuch a condition,
iiot knowing but in his outward difpenfa-
tionshemay make it good to us, yet with
■ fubmifiion to his plcafure, if otherwife he
difpofe of us : And as this is all we mufl:
do, fo this is all we can fay, or conclude in
fuch a cafe as this is.
2. The directory rules may be thefe.
(i.) Let us communicate our own ex-
periences to the good of others. David, in
his deliverances, invites others to have re-
courfe unto him. Bring my foul out of
frifon, that I may praife thy name, then
jl)all the righteous compajs me about, -when
thou (halt deal bountifully with me, Pfalm
cxli. 7. Conceal not within our bofoms
thcfe things, the communicating whereof
lEBC E S,
may tend to publick profit; furely it were
a courfe much tending to the quickening
of the faith of all, if we would impart
to one another our mutual experiences.
(2.) Let us trade [or improve] others ex-
periences to our ov. n particular profit.
Thus David, in defer tion, hath recourfe to
God's gracious dealings with his fore-
fathers ; Our fathers trufledin thee : they
trufled, and thou didjt deliver them : they
cried unto thee, and ivere delivered ; they
trujled in thee, and ivere not confounded,
Pfalm xxii. 4, 5. What favour God fliew-
ed to any one, he will vouchfafe to every
one that feeketh him diligently, if it may
be for his good. Thus we find in fcrip-
ture, that fometimes a perfonal experience
was improved to an univerfal advantage,
James V. 11. Heb. xiii. 5, 6.
(3.) Let us caft our experiences under
feveral heads, and make the word and
works face one another, and anfwer one
to another; or, to make the work complete,
it were not amifs to difiribute the frame
into three columns ; and in the firft to
fet down experiences, in the fecond the
texts, in the third difpofitions anfwering
God's mind, in fuch and fuch a cafe, to be
left on the heart afterwards.
(4.) Let us pray with fervency, when-
ever we fet a time apart to view our ex-
periences, that thofe difpofitions anfwer-
ing God's mind in every particular experi-
ence may be written in our hearts, and
brought forth in our life afterwards. This
will be the chief ufe, and choice comfort
of the foul in this duty. And this method
a poor creature and fervant of Chrifl hath
followed in his own particular praiTlice ;
whereof I (hall give you a talk in the fol-
lowing fe(^ion.
SECT.
EXPERIENCES.
195
SECT. VI.
The Experiences of a weak Chri/iian^ cajl into the Method propounded,
§. I. Judgments on the Wicked.
Experiences.
i(J43.
FE B. 9. Prefton was taken by
the parliament's forces ; feveral
papifts flaiii in it. Come naturally of
a good difpofition, and therefore
many mourned for their untimely
deatli, but rejoiced in the accom-
plilhment of the promife.
1(548.
OHob. X9. This day a foldicr was
(lain in Prefton, in the open fair, and
not long after, another foidier was
flain in the very a£t of drunkennefs;
it is repo ted that he was drunk the
night before, and that he threatened
that very morning, before night either
to kill, or be killed.
Texts.
Rev. xvi. 6, 7. Tlh-y have Jlrcd the
blood of faints, and thou haft given
them blood to drink. Even Jo, herd
God Ahmghty, true and righteous are
thy judgments.
Rev. xix. X, He hath judged the
great ivhore, -which did corrupt the
earth -with her fornication, &c.
Texts.
Gal. V. 1 9, lo, 1 1 . Novf the works
ofthefiefl) are manifeft, -which are thcj'e ;
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
ftrife, feditions, herefies,envyings, mur-
ders, drunkennefs, revellings, andfuch
like. >
Difpofitions required in this cafe, and
to be prayed for.
Rev. xviii. 4. Come out of her, my
people, ihityebe^ot pai takers of her
fins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues. Rev. xviii. ao. Rejoice o-
ver her, thou heaven, and ye holy
apofiles and prophets, for God hath
avenged you on her.
Difpofitions, &c.
Gal. V. 16. Walk in the Spirit, and
ye (hall not fulfill the lufts of the flf(h.
Gal. v. 14. They that are ChiilVs
have crucified the riefh, with the af-
fedions and lufis. i Cor. vi. ao. Yc
are bought with a price, therefore
glorify God in your body, and ia
your fpirit, which are God's.
Experiences.
1S41.
MAY to. This day the Lord
cart one into a fpiritual, hea-
venly, ravilhing love-trance; Jie taft-
ed the goodnefs of God, the very
irt'cctnefs of Chrift, and was filled
with the joys of the Spirit above
meafure. O it was a good day, a
blelfed fbretafte of heaven, a love-
token of Chrift to the foul.
1C47.
July 1 . This day R. M. lying on
his death-bed, was filled with the com-
forts of the Spirit, and fweet aOurance
qf faith ; at Uft driving nearer his
end, he proclaimed ' God's goodnefs
and fweetncfsand mercy,' which were
his lad words; and after in the mid(^
of our prayer$ he gave up the ghoft.
§•2
Cod's Love to his Saints-
Texts.
Cant. ii. 3. I fate down under his
fhadow with great delight, and his fruit
was fii'cet to my tajie.
1 Cor. vii. 4. 1 am filled with com-
fort, J am exceeding joyjul in all our
tribulation.
h(X% xiii. Si. And they were filled
■with joy, and with the Holy G-hoft,
Texts.
Pfal. cxvi. IS- Precious in the fight
of the Lord is the death of his faints.
Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice
front heaven, laying unto me, write,
Bleffed are the dead that die in the Lord
from hencej'orth, yea, faith the Spirit,
that they may reft from their labours,
and their works do follow them.
Difpofitions, Sec.
t Pet. i. 8. Whom having not
feen, ye love; in whom thu' now ye
fee him not, yet believing ye rejoice
with joy unlpeakable and full ofglory.
Rev. xaii. 17,10. And the Spirit and
the bride fty, ccme ; and let him that
heareth fay, come; and let him that
is athirft come : He who teftificth
thele things, faith. Surely I come
quickly, Amen. Even fo, &c,
Difpofitions, &c.
Deut. xxxii. 2,9. O that they were
wife, that they underftood this, that
they would confider their latter end!
Job xiv. 14. All the days of my
appointed time \sill I wait till my
change come.
Rev. xxii. lo. Surely I come quick*
ly. Amen. Even fo, come Lord Jefus.
§. 3. Several Chajlifements^ or Affii6lions on myfelf^ and others.
Experiences
1648.
IAN. 14. One had a grieved and
•* troubl.d heart by reafonof fome
oppofition of wicked people : at night
be read a feeling paflage of Mr. Ro-
gers
Texts.
John XV. 3,0. Remember the word
that 1 have faid unto you. The fervant
is not greater than the lord: if they
have perjecuted me, they will alfo per-
fecute you.
Co t Cor.
Difpofi:ioi:s, &c.
Mat. V. I i . Rejoice and be exceed-
ing glad, for great is your reward in
heavtn : for fo perKcuted they the
prophets which w ere before you. Ai a/.
V. 44. Pray for them which dcfpite-
fully
1^6
EXT E R lENCES.
Experiences. Texts.
g<"rsoi) JnJgesxiii. thus, ' I have of- i Cor. iv. 23. IVe are made as the
ten thought i^ God's mercy, to keep filth of the world, and are as the off-
the knowleiigc of fuch difcourage- Jbouring ofall tbings unto this day.
ments ffotn them that are to enter P(al. Ixix. 10. Reproach hath hro-
into the miniftry, left they fhould be kai my heart, and I am full of heavi-
<leterred wholly from it, till by ex- ncfs, &c.
peritnce they be armed agaiuft it.'
Difpofttions 8ic.
fully ufe you, and perfccute you. Rom.
viii. 35. U-Tio. fhall feparate us from
the love of Chrift ? (hall tribulation,
or diftrefs, or pei fecution ? &c. Rom,
xii. 14. Blefs them who pcrfecute
you ; blcfs, and curfe not.
§. 4. "Performancei of gracious Promifes to myfelf, and others.
Experiences. Texts.
r(54t. Zech. xii. 10. .And 1 will pour
JAN. 6. This day a private faft upon the houfe of David, and upon the
being obferved, the I^rd gave inhabitants of Jernfalcm, the fpirit of
fomc that exercifed, the very fpirit grace and of [up plications.
and power of prayer, to the ravilh- Kom.\\n. t6. Likcwife the Spirit alfo
ing of hearers : Surely it was the Spi-
rit fpake in t!)em, Cinifi maiiifell-
ing hispreftnce inthofevery inlarge-
jucnts. To hi.D only be the glory.
Difpofttions, &c.
Jer. xxix. 11, 13. Then (hall ye
call upon me.and ye llialigoand pray
unto me, and I will hearken unto
you ; and ye fliall leek me, and find
^ ^ , me, when ye (hall Icarch for me with
helpeth our infirmities, it niakelh inter:'.- all your heart.
cef/ion for us ivith groanings ivhich Jer. xxxi. 9. They (hall come
cjinnot tc littered, vvith weeping, and with lupplicati'
ons will 1 lead them.
§.5. The Temptations of the "world enfnaring^ of Sin prevailing, of Satan cheating.
Texts
t, 14. Vanity of vanities.
Experienus
1 64 7- Ecclcf i
MARCH 17. Ones heart was faith the Preacher, vanity of vanities,
overpowered, and exceeding- all is vanity. Behold, all is vanity and
ly troubled with the cares of this vexation of fpirit.
life. 'Obafe world, how doft thou
vex them that intermeddle with
tlicc!
hifpoplions. See.
Luke xxi. 34. Take heed to your-
felves. led at any time your hearts
be overcharged with the cares of
this life.
I John V. 4 This is the vic-
tory that overcometh the world.cven
our faith.
Experiences. '
1648.
April 4. and 17. A poor creature
in the night was fearfully troubled,
in his dreams, with devils and tor-
ments, and Satan's power over his
foul ; he apprehended llrongly that
Satan was with him, and very bufie
to eiifnare him, wljich at his very
firft awaking (Iruck him with trem-
bling and horror of heart.
Texts.
1 Cor. ii. II. JVe are not ignorant
of his devices.
Eph. vi. 1 1 . Of the luiles eflhe devil.
Rev. ii. 24. Of the depths of So'
tan.
I Thef. iji. 5. By fame means the
tempter hath tempted you.
I Pet. V. 8. 2'our advcrfary the de-
vil, as a roaring !wn,'walketh about, feek-
ing -whom to devour.
Difpofttions, &c.
Eph. vi. II- Put on the whole ar*
moui of God, that ye may be able to
(^and againll the wiles of the devil.
Ja. iv. 7 Refift the devil, ire. xPe. v.
p. Whom rtfirt, &c. x Pe. ii. jv. The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the god-
ly out of temptations. Eph. vi. iC.
Above all, take the (hield of faith,
wherewith ye (hall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked.
§. 6. Vi^Jories of the WorldyLufis, Temptations, Corruptions, Satan,
Experiences, Texts. Difpofi lions. Sec.
1(547. Eccl. ii. 14.andiii.21. and V. 19- PW/.iv.ii. 1 have learned in what-
MARCHxy. A poor foul being There is, t'.thinghelter, than that a man '•foeytr ibte I am, therewith to be
mightily enfnared with the fi^ould rejoice in his own -works for that
world, and finding by experience its is his portion : Every tnan alfo to whom
God hath given riches, and wealth, and
hath giirn him power to eat thereof,
and to take his portion, and to rejoice in
his labour, this is the gift of God,
Vanity and vexation, he refolved a-
j>ain(l it ; defiring thenceforth piouf-
Jy to make his foul to rejoice in
God's blcfTings and his own labours,
and to give himfelf to the L.ord
wholly for the remainder of his
days; This dcfirc he makes at the
I'cct of Cluift.
content.
I T('«. vi. 17, 18. Charge them
that are richnn this world, that they
be not high-minded nor tru(\ in un-
certain riches, but in the living God :
that they be rich in good works, ready
to diftribute.
1 Tim. vi. 8. And having food
and raiment, let us be therewith con-
tent,
E.xpcri'
EXTERIENCES.
Experttnces.
1648.
MARCH 6. This night in his
fleep a troubled foul was by
Satan tempted to fin. but the Lord
Hood by him, put prayers into him
tho' afleep, whereby he overcame the
temptation ; then awaking, he deep-
ly apprehended Satan's approach and
bufic temptations: it ftruck him into
fears, but praifing God for his afTift-
ance he received boldnefs, and then
flept again.
§• 7.
Experiences.
KS48.
MARCH r . This day one
mufmg on God's providences,
he occafionally took up a book, and
read in it, ' That the recording
of providences is not the leaft por-
tion of God's praife, of our duty, of
pofterity's patrimony.'
Texts,
a Cor. xii. 7, 8, 9. There -was
given to me a thorn in the fiejh : for
this thing I bcj'ought the Lord thrice
that it might depart from vie ; and he
faiduntome, my grace is ftifficient for
thee,for7nyJire)igthis made perfe^ in
■weaknefst
197
Difpojitms, &c.
I Corinthicms KV 57. But thanks
be to God, whogiveth us the vidlory
through our Lord Jcfus Chrift.
X Corinthians xii. 9. Mofl gladly
therefore will 1 rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Chrift
may reft upon me.
Jafnes iv. 5, 6. The fpirit that
dwelleth in us lufteth to envy : but
he giveth more grace.
Obfervations of God's Providences.
Texts.
Jrb V. 17. Lo this me havefearch-
ed, fo it is. hear thou it, and know it
for thy goad.
Job xhi. s. 1 have heard of thee by
the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye
fieth thee, ^
Difpofiticns, 8zc.
Pfalm xxxiv. 8, 9. O tafte and fee
that the Lord is good ; blefled is the
man that trufteth in him : fear the
Lord, ye his faiVits. Pfal. xlviii. 8, 9.
As we have heard, fo have we (een
in the city of our Lord : we have
thought of thy loving-kindnefs, O
God.
§ . 8. The Breathings of the Spirit in others and my own Soul.
Experiences
1648.
MAT 7. This day one felt many
fweetiraprefllons of God's Spi-
rit in his heart, fometimes melting, &
Sometimes chearing his foul in the
publick ordinances of the word and
facranients : this could not but be
the breathings of Chrift,
§. 9. The
Experiences.
1648.
J17 L r I . or thereabouts, one gave
me a relation of her fad dcler-
tion thus : That one night as (he
fat by the fire, flie thought (he faw
tie ground open, and a gulf of fire
appearing; whereupon (he cried, lam
damned, 1 am damned : If at any
time, (he faw any fire, fhe fuppofed
that the muftgointoit, & that the de-
vils would fetch her into it. Once
wringing her hands, (he cried out, O
what was I born into tliis world for ?
One ftanding by, anfwered, to glorify
God;to whom fhe replicd.you fay true,
for God (hall be glorified in my dam-
nation : if any offered to pray,or read;
flic ufually cried out.it was too late to
pray
Texts.
Cant. i. 5. I am come into my gar'
den, my fijier, my fpoufe, I have ga-
thered my myrrhe with my fpice ; I
have eaten w;v honey-comb with my
honey, I have drunken my wine with
my milk.
Withdraivifjgs of Chrijl from
Texts.
Job xiii. »4, a(S. Wherefore hide]}
thou thy face, and holdejt me for thy
enemy ? Thou writeji bitter things a-
gainj} vie.
Pfalm Jxxxviii. 14, 15, kJ, 18.
Lord, why cafiefl thou off my foul ? Why
hidefl thou thy face from me? I am
affliBed^ and ready to die; while
J fuffer thy terrors, I am diJlraBed,
thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy
terrors have cut me off. Lover and
friend hajl thou put far from jne,
and mine acquaintance into darknefs.
Prov. xviii. 14. The fpirit of a
man will fufiain his infirmity ; but a
■wounded fpirit who can bear F
Uaiah
Difpofitions, Sec.
Pfahn IxK-KiK. 15. BlefTcd is the
people that know the joyful found ~
they fhall walk, O Lord, in the
light of thy countenance.
Cant, V. I. Eat, O friends, drink,
yea drink abundantly, O beloved.
the SouL
Difpofitions, Sec.
Pfalm Ixxvii. s, <S. 7. lo. I have
conlidered the days of old, th«
years of ancient times : I call to re-
membrance my fbng in the night;
I commune with my own heart, anJ
m}' fpirit made diligent fearch.
Will the Lord caft off for ever,
and will he be favourable no more*
And I faid. This is my infirmity,
Jfai'ah I. 10. Who is among you
that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth
the voice of bis fervant, that walk-
eth in darknefs and hath no light ?
Let him tnift in the name of the
Lord, and ftay upon his God.
ft Cerihthians xii, 8, y, For tin's
tiling;
ipS
EXPERIENCES.
Expcnencii.
pray for licr, and t'ley (houlJ not read
that p'.iic word of God by her, for it
b.-longcd fiot to her. At laft God ap-
peared, & Ihe felt marvelous comforts.
§. 10
ExpertcMCCS.
OCTOBER 14. One tliat
t )ok notice of the flipperi-
ntfs of his heart in the very
aft of performance : ' Sometimes
it nilly ftejls away after idle
and windiing imaginaciAis : Some-
times it lets in vain thoughts of
I'raife, Vain-glory, &c. Sometimes
It raifcth up many good and ho-
ly motions, meditations, defires and
SfTecflions, which yet are nothing
to the prefent performance ; and
therefore come not from the Spi-
rit of grace, but from Satan .' O
cheating, cozening heart 1
Texts. Difpofitms,S(c.
Ifuiah liv. 6. Jn a little rvrath thing I befought the Lord thrice,
J hid my face from thee for a mo- that it might depart from me ;
mtnt, ^c. and he (aid unto me, My "race is
fufiicient for ihec.
. Deceits of Heart-beguiling.
Texts,
Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is (deceitful
dove all things, and defperately -wick-
ed, ivho can know it ?
Rom.vii. zi, ii, 13 I find then a
law, that -when I would do good, evil
is prefent with me : for I delight in
tiK law of God after the inward man;
but J fee another law in my niemters,
"warring ogainfl the law of my mind,
md bringing r)ie into captivity to the
law of fin, which is in my members.
Difpoftions, &c.
Gen. XV. 1 1. And when the fowls
came down upon the carcafcs, A-
braham drove them away.
Mat. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray,
that ye enter not into temptation :
the fpirit indeed is willing, but the flelh
is weak.
Rom. vii. 14, as- O wretched
man that I am, who fhall deliver
me from the body of this death ? t
thank God through Jelus Chrift our
Lord : So then, with my mind I
myfclf fcrve the law of God, but
with my flcfh the law of fin.
I Pet. iv. 7. Be ye therefore (b»
ber, and watch unto prayer.
J had gathered more Experiences ; but that all Offence^ though bvt taken ^ may be re-
moved, let 'thefefuffice.
CHAP. VIL SECT. I.
Of the Nature of EVIDENCES.
THE fcrlptures fet out the ways of dif-
covering things fpiritual by fight and
by taftc : by talle, experience is meant;
and by fight, faith and aflurance of faith
is intended : Peter fpeaks of ta/ling that
ihe Lord is gracious, 1 Pet. ii. 3. and Mo-
fes by faith faw him who is invifblcy Heb.
Xi. 27. David joins both together, tajle
and fee that the Lord is good : bleffld is
the man that irujleth in him, Pfal. xxxiv.
8. AV^e have done with tafting ; the next
is feeing, which I call afTurance, or evi-
dence : would we know what thcfe evi-
dences are ? I look on them as ' inherent
and habitual obfervations of the Spirit's
agings in the foul j' of which the beloved
apoflle fpeaks fo often. Hereby ive knoiu
that we know him, if we keep his command-
7nents. IVe know that we have paffed from
death unto life, becaufe we love the bre-
thren : by this we know that we love the
children of Cod, when we love God and keep
his commandments. Thcfe things have I
written unto you that believe on the name
of the Son of Cod, that ye may know that
ye have eternal life, i John ii. 3. and iii.
14. and V. 2. 13. And the apoltle Paul,
Now we have received, not the fpirit of the
world, but the Spirit which is of God, that
ive might know the things that arc freely
given to us of Cod, i Cor. ii. i2.
SECT.
EVIDENCES,
199
SECT. II.
Of the gathering of Evidences.
NOW for the Evidences, it is our du-
ty I. To gather them. 2. To keep
them. 3. To improve them.
For the gathering of them, obferve we
I. A right leafon. 2. The right way.
I. Seafons muft be obferved ; for when
thick mifts furround us, and black clouds
eover us, we cannot fo well judge either
of our felves, or of our own concernments :
David in defertion refufeth to be comfort-
ed, Pfal. Ixxvii. he fpilt all the cordials and
phyfic that was brought him, he was not
only void of comfort, but refufed it :
• What ? bring me promifes' (will a foul
then fay) ' you may as well carry them to
one in hell \ What ? are thefe the evidences
of God's love ? I fee no fuch Lhing, here's
nothing but fcruples, and doubts, and
flaws :' O how apt is fuch an one at fuch
a time, to forfake his own mercy, Jon. ii.
8. to take Satan's part, to plead againft his
own title, his own interefi:, in tije befl:
things he can have interefi in. Now there-
fore, if we will draw a book of evidences,
it is good to obferve times and fuch preci-
ous opportunitiesof comforts and refrefli-
ings as God vouchfafeth upon us.
2. The right way mufl: be obferved, and
that confifls in eying, i. The precious pro-
mifes of Ghrift. 2. The inward graces un-
to which thofe promifes are made. 3. The
truth of thofe graces written in our hearts.
4, The teftimony of the ' Spirit, witnelung
with our fpirits, that we are the children
of God.'
I. We muft eye the precious promifes,
and yet not fo as we muil clofe with them,
or reft on them alone, without feeking for,
or clofing with Chrift in thofe promifes ;
the promife is but [as] the cafket, and
Chrift [as] the jewel in it; the promife is
but [as] the field, and Chrift [as] the pearl
hid in it, and to be chiefly look'd at ; the
promifes are the means by which we are
affured, not the things on which we are
to reft : it were folly for a man to think
he hath an intereft in an heirefs' lands, be-
caufe by forae means or other he hath got
the writings of her eftate into his hands;
all know that the intereft of her lands goes
with her perfon, and with relation of mar-
riage to her, otherwife, without a title to
herfelf, all the writings may be juftly fetch-
ed out of his hands again : fo it is with the
promifes, they hang all upon Chrift, and
without him, there is no intereft to be had
in them.
2. AV'e mufl eye the inward graces ta
which the promifes are made, not that we
muft be too much carried away with the
figns of Chrift in our hearts, and not after
Chrift himfelf ; as pleafures that are law-
ful in themfelves, may be unlawfully ufed,
when our thoughts and intentions are too
long, or too frequent, or too vehement in
them ; fo as to deaden the heart either to the
prefent delighting in God, or purfuing af-
ter him with the joint ftrength of ourfo^Is,
as our only chiefeft good ; fo an immode-
rate recourfe unto figns, barely confidered
as fuch, is as unwarrantable, when there-
by we are diverted, and taken off from a
more conftant a<5\ual exercife of daily
thoughts of faith towards Chrift immedi-
ately, as he is fet forth to be our righteouf-
nefs ; and yet the minds of many are fo
wholly taken up with their own hearts,
that, as thePfalmift fays of God, Chrift is
fcarce in all their thoughts : let thefe confider,
what difhonour this will be to Chrift, that
his train and favourites, our graces, fiiould
have a fuller court, and more frequent at-
tendance from our hearts than himfelf,
who is the King of glory : now to recitfy
this error, the way is not wholly to rejedt
all ufes of fuch evidences, but to order
them rightly; as thus,
I. Let not the ufe of graces go before,,
but follow after an addreis of faiih firlt re-
newed, and ads of faith firft put forth up-
on Chrift hipifelf. Thus whenfoever we
wouid
EXTERIENCES.
200
would go down Into our own hearts, and
take a view of our graces, let us be fure
firft to, look wholly out of ourfelves unto
Chrift, as our juAification, and to clofe
with him immediately, as if we had no pre-
fent or by-paft grace to evidence our being
in him ; and if then, whiles faith is thus
immediately clafping about Chrift, we find
either prefent or by-paft graces coming in,
as handmaids, to attend and witnefs to
the truth of this adherence unto Chrift,
this will derogate nothing from Chrift's
honour, or the d^flrine of free-grace.
2. ' Let us in the clofure of all, begin
afrefh to aft faith upon Chrift immediate-
ly, with a redoubled ftrength.' As faith
fliould give a leading to the ufe of graces,
fo the fight of our graces fhould be as a
back-door to let faith in again, to converfe
with Chrift : even as at the facrament, the
elements of bread and wine, are but out-
ward figns to bring Chrift and the heart
together, and then faith lets the outward
elements go, and clofeth and treats imme-
diately with Chrift : fo grace is an inward
fign, and whiles men make ufe of it, only as
of a bare fign to let them come into Chrift,
and their rejoicing is not in it originally,
but in Chrift ; their confidence is not up-
on it, but upon Chrift : there is no danger
at all in making fuch ufe of figns; for thus
we make our graces fubordinate and fub-
fcrvient to faith, whilft it makes Chrift its
j^/pha ajid Omega, the beginning and the
end of all. I know it is ftrongly objected
againft Chriftians, That many forget, and
feldom ufe an intire, immediate clofe with
Chrift, whiift in the mean time the ftream
of their moft conftant thoughts and deep-
eft intentions, are ever running upon their
graces, and the gracious workings thereof
in duties towards Chrift ; others on the con-
trary run all on Chrift, dcfpifing the graces of
the Spirit, becaufe, fay they, ChrijHs all in
all to the/n : fo that if we alk fuch, Have you
any grace, change of heart ? ^c. ' Tufh,
what do you tell them of repentance, ho-
linefs, i;c. they have Chrift, and that is
fufficient ; they have the fubftance, and
what ftiall they now do with ftiadows of
ordinances, duties, graces? they have all
in Chrift, what fliould they look for evi-
dences, from any graces inherent in them-
felves ?' O let thofe mourn over themfelves,
that have with much affeftion been feeking
after Chrift's benefits, peace of confcience,
holinefs of heart and life, but have not
fought firft and laft to embrace, and have the
perfon of the Lord Jefus Chrift himfclf: and
let fuch tremble, who in advancing Chrift
himfelf, and free-grace, will needs abolidi
and defpife thofe heavenly graces which
fiow from him unto all the eledl * : The
law of Cod is written on the heart ofChriPy
Heb. X. 7. with Pfal. xl. 8. And if ever
he wraps us up in the covenant of grace.
He will "write his law on our hearts aljOy
Heb. viii. 10. The right way for both,
is to order their evidences aright ; and by
this courfe graces will have their due, and
the life of faith will ftill be aftually main-
tained and kept upon wing, in its full
ufe and exercife towards Chrift alone for
juftification.
^teji. * Why would not fome men have
grace or fanftification an evidence :'
j'ln/w. In fome it aiifeih from their lufts,
which they have a mind to live quietly in.
• Siicli as truth, jtiftkf, chaiity. tempcrana, liumility, and the l.kc. — TholL pcrlJins, who thuik meanly, or
fpcak cor.tcmptibly of tlicfe txccllfnt virtuts, oiij>|it to remember, that the pradicc of them is folcnirly required
by our .Saviour: that they are Urongly recomuitnJeJ by his eximple : that they are made by Chrilt hiniklf, as
the only tell of our love to him, and tounteo not only as the bri^lUcft ornament of our nature, but as the chief
glory cf God iiimfelf ; and thcief'ore they ought to confider, that n > f .undiitfa in the faith, no foiemnity of wor-
fnip, no cxttir.al obfcvvaiices, no fljilies of dc^•oti')n, nu pretended in.vard m;niifeftations, no zc;il lio* wartn foe-
vcr for fublkk matters, can ever compcnl'atc for the want of thcfc ilTcntial ingredients of the f^Mritual lite.
dcfirous
EV I D E
defirous to keep their peace, and yet un-
willing to forfake their lulls ; and hence
they exclude this witnefs of water or fanc-
tification, to teftifie in the court of con-
fcience ; in others, I think, it doth not
arifc from want of grace ; but becaufe the
Spirit of grace and (anflification runs very
low in them ; it can fpeak little, and that
little very darkly and obfcurely for them,
therefore they have no great mind that it
Ihould be brought in as any witnefs for
them ; others I think may have much
grace, yet for a time they caft it by as an
evidence unto them, becaufe they have
experience how difficult and troublefome
it is to find this evidence, and when 'tis
found, how troublefome to read it, and
keep it fair, and thereby to have con-
ftant peace and quietnefs : and hence a-
rife thofe fpeeches, ' Why do you look
to your fanflification ? It is a blotted evi-
dence, you may have it to-day, and lofe
it to-morrow, and then where is your
peace?' Thefemen, becaufe they feel not
that meafure of fanctification they would,
do therefore vilific and deny that they have;
becaufe ihey feel a law of Jin hi their mem-
bers, leadtJig them aivay captive, there-
fore they will not take notice of the law
of their minds, whereby that inner man
delights in the law of God, and mourns
bitterly under the body of death, by which
they might fee with Paul, that there is no
condemnation to fuch, Rom. viii. i. But
I fhall propofc one thing to confcience :
Suppofethou wert now lying on thy death-
bed, comforting thyfclf in thy ele£led and
juftified eftate; fuppofe the Spirit of God
flioxild now grapple with thy con(cience,and
tell thee, Ij thou art jujlified, then art thou
fanctified, 2 Thcff. ii. 13, Is it thus with
thee? What wilt thou anfwer? If thou
layell,' Thou art not fan^ified,' the word
and Spirit will bear witnefs againfl thee,
and fay, * 1 hou art not then juflified :'
If thou fayeft, ' Thou knoweft not, thou
lookeft not to fanftilication, or the fiuits
N C E S.
of the Spirit ;' they will
then canft thou know
ele<51ed or juflified ?' For it is a
2or
reply, ' How
or fay thou srt
truth as
clear as the fun, * None are juflified, but
they are fanftified, and if they are not
fanflified, they are not juflified :' O blefs
God for any little meafure of fan<ftificati-
on, fo it be in fincerity; do^not fcorn or
fecrctly defpife this Spirit of grace, know-
ing that without it thou (halt peridi, but
if thou hafl it, thou hail an evidence of
thy part in Chrifl ; furely grace is * the
image of Chrifl flamped upon the foul,'
and they who reflefting upon their fouls,
fee the image of Chrifl there, may be fure
that Chrifl is theirs; Chrifl hath given all
himfelf to thofe, to whom he hath given
this part of himfelf. Upon the view of thy
^evidences, fay, ' All thofe great and hea-
venly things could not be in my foul, were
not Chrifl and his Spirit there ; this rich
and glorious furniture could not be in my
foul, were not the king of glory there ;
the flowers of this gnrden would not fraell
fo fweetly, did not the wind blow upon
them.'
3. We mufl eye the truth of thofe graces
thus written in our hearts ; there is a great
deal of counterfeit grace in the world ; a
true Chriflian can have nothing, as difcern-
able to others, but an hypocrite may have
and do for the outward lemblance as much
as he ; it is good therefore to try the truth
of our graces, and herein the rife, manner
and end of our motions carry much ma-
nifeflation in them. But of this more
largely in the duties of Self-examination,
and Receiving of the Lord's fupper.
Only in this place, I think it mofl fui-
table to add a little further concerning this
truth of graces, as (f .) 1 here is, and may
be truth of grace, though not perfecSlion
of grace ; and hence it is that we may have
infallible affurance; but for any perfeft
certainty in degree, it cannot be attained
in this life. One [viz. Dr. Crifp] arguing
againfl univerfal obedience as an evidence.
Dd
be-
202 EVIDE
becaufe no man could perform it, or if it
fhould be limited to purpofe of heart, yet
none hath fuch a conftant piirpofe, be-
caufe of many corrupt fuggeftions and con-
cuffions within, by lufts; herein he fliew-
eth his error ; for we look not for perfec-
tion of grace, but only for truth ; the Icaft
grace difcovered in the foul that is fincere
and upright, tho' it be not grace to fatisfie
the defire of a Ghriftian, yet it ought to be a
fure evidence to confirm his judgment of
his intereft in Ch^jft. It is obferved that ma-
' ny c.f God's children may make fad wounds
for themfelves, in not diftinguilhing be-
- tween the truth and elfcnce of grace, and
the degree of grace; wheteas the fcripture
makes them blelled that hunger and thir/},
yea it doth often defcribe the godly by their
defires, andfeeking of his face ; now this
error is the more faflned upon them.becaufe
when they read in books of the nature and
property of any grace, they are not able
to find it in fuch a vigorous and powerful
manner in themfelves; whereas they ought
to know it is one thing to fpeak of grace
in idea, in fc, ' in its own nature and
definition', another thing to fpeak of it as
infuhjedoy * as the fubje6l partakes of it;'
for foit is much debilitated. We do not
argue afiurance, from perfeiftion of grace,
from a full and perfe6t obedience unto
God's law, but only from the truth and
Uncerity of grace, with many defe<^s that
are wallied away by Chrift's blood. (2.)
The fcriptiue attributes bleffednefs and fal-
vation to feveral graces; and we cannot
deny, but that all the graces to which thofe
promifesare annexed are good and proper
evidences : thus fometimes fear of God,
fometimcs poverty of fpirit, fometimes
hungering and thirfiing after righteouf-
ne/s, fometimes Repentance, fometimes
Love, fometimesPatience, fometimes Faith,
is a fign or evidence. And if a godly man
can find any one of thcfe, or the like in
bimfelf in truth or finccrity, he may con-
clude of his falvation and juAificatioji^
NC E S.
though he cannot fee all thefe in himfelf ;
and many times the people of God per-
ceive one evidence in themfelves, when
they cannot fee another ; in this cafe fup-
pofe doubts and temptations arife about
the truth of this or that evidence, yet 1 may
argue from that which is more known to
that which is lefs known; I may proceed
from thofe that are more eafy to thofe
that are more difficult : if I can but fay,
here is one evidence in truth or finceri-
ty, I may afiliredly gather all the reft
are there, becaufe of the harmony and
connexion of graces. (3.) As faith is the
root of all other graces, and fo in fome
fenfe more hidden than they arc, as the
root of the tree is more hidden in the earth,
than the body of the branches, yet if we
confider faith as an inward grace planted in
our hearts, as well as any other fan(ftifying
grace which fprings therefrom ; and as the
condition of the covenant exprefl'ed direct-
ly in the conditional promifes, all other
graces being only brought in, as accom-
panying faith, and flowing from faith, faith
Ihewing itfeif by them ; in thefe refpefts
there cannot be a moredireft, certain, and
infallible evidence than faith. This is fo
fure a way of trial, that the apoftle him-
felf directs us thereunto, Prove yourfelves
whether ye be in the faith, 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
If we would know ourlelves to be fuch as
are not adokimoi, to be * difallowed or re-
jected,' there is no better way to know it
than by our faith : a weak believer inqui-
ring how he may know that he (hall be
faved, the apoflle anfwers his doubt, not
by afcending or dcfcending hither or thi-
ther, but by looking 10 his faith, for if
thou believcfi with thine heart in the Lord
Jefus, thou JhaU be faved, Rom. x, 9.
ObjeSi. * But the efpecial aCt of faith is
to look wholly out of our felves unto
Chrift, as if we had no grace within us :
and the reafon why fome mifiake eviden-
ces is, becaufe Chrift without us is no
more looked upon.'
Anfw.
EVIDENCES,
20'
Anfw. The foul of man hath two kinds
of a6ts or workings ; the former are diredl
afts, fuch as go immediately to their ob-
jedl ; as when by faith I take Chrift, and
adhere to him ; the latter are reflex a6ls,
which are only in reafonabie fubjefts, and
this is when a man doth perceive or difcern
thofe dlreft afts in him, as when I perceive
that I do thus adhere to Chrift: : now our
evidence, certainty or aflurance is properly
in this latter way, when we know that we
believe, and therefore this afTurance is cal-
led by fome fhnfus fidei, * the feeling or
perceiving of faith.'
Object, * But what is this reflex a6l but an
human teftimony, which is fubjeft to falfe-
hoods and delufions ? and how incongru-
ous is that to witnefs the things of God V
Anfix). An human teftimony may be an
introduftory preparation to believe that
which is divine. 2. The feeling of faith
is efficiently from the Spirit of God, and
fo it is not a mere human fenfe or difcern-
ing, but divine and infallible, even as faith
is; in this refpeft we fear no delufion, for
as the Spirit of God cannot externally wit-
nefs any thing that is falfe, fo neither can
it inwardly in the foul of a man perfuade
that which is falfe.
Object. ' How is it then that the faints
are ufually fo full of doubtings?'
Anfw. Becaufe there is nothing in us
perfe£l in this life; in all our honey there
is fome gall. Such an afllirance as excludes
all doubting is only proper to the glorifi-
ed : not but that God is able to give us
perfeft grace^ and perfeft afliirance, but
he may do what he pleafeth with his own,
and accordingly he hath thought good in
this life to exalt imputed righteoufnefs ra-
ther than inherent.
0bje6i. * To what purpofe then is aflTu-
rance by the fenfe and evidence of imper-
fea grace ? doth not this derogate from
that relying ad of faith, and from the pro-
mife of grace, as if they were not enough ?'
Anfw. No, in no wife; we prefer faith
Dd
of dependance and adherence, and belief
in the promife, as a more noble and ex-
cellent way ; and yet the evidence of gra-
ces in us is not in vain ; for it hath pleafed
God to multiply thofe things which may
confirm our faith. Thus, although every
word of God hath immutable verity in it,
yet he confirmed it alfo with an oath, af-
ter the manner of men, to end all thofe
controverfies, which diffidence and diftruft
may raife between God and us, Heb. vi. 6.
And although God hath given us his pro-
mife, and nothing can be furer than that,
yet he addeth fervants to feal and confirm
his promife to us; fo although we do well,
chiefly to depend and rely immediately on
Chrift; yet there is great ufefulnefs of the
reflex aft of faith, and of all other eviden-
ces. For, (4.) Wemufteye the teftimony
of the Spirit, witnefling with our fpirit, that
we are the children of God, Rom. viii. 16.
As God hath fet up a frame of holinefs
in every believer, fo he hath given unto us
the earnefl of the Spirit ^ 2 Cor. v. 5. The
graces of the Spirit are a real earneft of the
Spirit, yet they are not always an eviden-
tial earneft, therefore an earneft is often
fuperadded to our graces.
There is a threefold work of the Spirit.
1. To convey and plant grace in the foul.
2. To aft and helpus toexercife the graces
which are planted there. 3. Tofliine upon
and enlighten thofe graces, or to give an
earneft of thofe graces.
This laft work the Spirit fulfils two
ways. 1. By arguments and inferences,
which is a mediate work. 2. By pre-
fence and influence, which is an immediate
work.
Thefe the apoftle calls Witnefs-bearing,
1 John v. 8. the Spirit brings, in the wit-
nefs of the water, and of the blood, which
is his mediate work ; but befides and a-
bove thefe, he gives a diftinft witnefs
of his own, which is his immediate work,
and is, in a way of peculiarity and tran-
fcendency, called, The witnefs of the Spi-
2 rit :
2 04
EVIDENCES,
rit : Concerning both, is that of the apo-
/lle : We have received not thefpirit of the
Ivor Id, hut the Spirit which is of God, that
•we may know the things that are freely
^ivenus of God, i Cor. ii. I2. The things
freely given us, may be received by us, and
yet the receit of them not known to us ; furance of Faith.)
evidence, which is faith ; the fpirit within
thee faith. Thy Jin is forgiven thee, and
faith receiveth it, and fits down fatisfied ;
now here is thy evidence, if thou haft
only thefe two, thou haft thy portion,
thou needeft no more. (Dr. CrispV y^f-
therefore the Spirit, for our further con
folation,doth, as it were, put his hand and
feal to our rcccits : whence he is faid, To
Jealus up unto the day of redemption^ Eph.
iv. 30. *
Queft. * But how may a man difcern be-
tween the teftimony of the Spirit, and the
illufion of Satan V
Anfw. I anfwer, There is ever an har-
mony and fwcet accord between the in-
ward and outward teftimony, between the
Spirit of God and tlie word of God, and
therefore we may difcern the teftimony of
the Spirit by the word. Thus in the old
teftament, all revelations were to be ex-
amined by the word, Deut. xiii. i. liaiah
viii. 20. And in the new teftament our
Saviour tells us. That//"*? Spirit (hall lead
you into all truth, John xvi. 13. How'fo ?
For hefhall not /peak of himfelf, but what
he flmll hear, thatfhallhefpeak : And what
is that which the Spirit heareth ? is it not
that which is already contained in the
fcriptures ?
Obje&. ' Nay then (fay fome) the credit
of the voice of the Spirit muft depend up-
on the word, but this muft not be allow
Sol. I anfwer, i . In this way, what pro-
fane perfon is there in the world, who
may not conclude for himfelf, if he will
but force upon himfelf this perfuafion,
• That the Spirit faith it, and I believe it :*
2. The revealing and receiving evidence,
/. e. The word of the Spirit, and fubfcrip-
tion of faith, do not lay the ground of
perfect peace, except there come in alfb
the evidence of inherent qualiHcations.
For the better underftanding of this, ob-
ferve, That the evidence of the Spirit is
either mediate, when it enables the foul
to frame a fyllogifm, wherein the Minor,
/c. the diftate of the confcience fo far
maketh to this evidence as our graces are
witnefted to by the Spirit, i Cor. ii. 12.
Or immediate, which is indeed without
any fuch difcourfe of our confcience, and
wherein our fpnit is merely pafTive or re-
ceptive ; it is an a<rt of irradiation or im-
prelfion of God's love, or (as fome call it)
a tranfcript of the decree of GoJ's ele<flion
fet upon the confcience ; thefcripture calls
this efpecially, a feal of the Spirit, which
imports the mere pafTivenefs of the heart to
it, as of the wax to the feal ; and this ev'i-
ed, that any thing ftiould be of fuch credit dence is folitary, without reference to in
as to give credit to the Spirit.' (Dr.CaispV
Jffurance of faith.)
Sol. I anfwer, Why not ? the fcrip<-
ture we know is already known and receiv-
ed as the word of God, and therefore what
Cometh after it, muft needs borrow credit
from it : indeed, the truth of what the
Spirit fpeaketh doth not depend upon the
■word, yet the credit of it doth.
ObjeSl. * But there is no more evidences
herent graces; yet howfoever it excludes
them not, nor comeih in till that mediate
evidence precede, Eph. i. 13. Hence I in-
fer, the mediate teftimony of the Spirit,
that ordinarily concludes for hie 6" i7/^,
'for this or that man,'dothnot fpeak accor-
ding to the word, but where a text of fcrip-
turehath ^.quicunque ' a whofoever' for the
proportion, and a work of the fanftifying
Spirit for the alfumption ; as thus, the
(fay they) fave only the revealing evidence, fcripture ia\i\\,They that repent and believe,
the Spirit of Chrift, and the receiving they that are kd by the Spirit of God,are
the
E VI D E N
the fbns o/Godt Mark i. 15. Rom. viii. 14.
Hereupon the renewed and famfiified con-
fcience faith, 'I do repent and believe, I
am led by the Spirit : therefore I am the
child of God.' Now this conclufion dedu-
ced, if afterwards the immediate teftimo-
ny of the Spirit, manifefted by a heavenly
impreffion and irradiation upon the foul,
comes in with his atteftation to confirm it,
we may not doubt either of this or the for-
mer teftimony, becaufe now they both
fpeak according to the word and work of
grace In the heart : the ground of all this
is in the nature of this teftimony of the
Spirit, which is rather an atteftation than
a teftimony; a fecondary, not firft depo-
nent : is not this rightly concluded (fo far
as it implies the immediate tefiimony)
fiom that of * Rom. viii. 16. The Spirit
witnejjeth with our fpirit ? where we have
two witnefles joining together their tefti-
monies to aftert this truth, * that we are
the fons of God ;' Two, I fay, viz * our
fpirit,' and the ' Spirit of God :' the wit-
nefs of our fpirit, *. e. of our renewed
confcience, is the firft ; the Spirit of God
is the fecond : his work is not Martureitty
but Summartureifi, to witnefs together
•with our /pirit i i.e. To confirm and ra-
tify what that hath alferted ; fo that indeed
the evidencing of this teftimony of the Spi-
rit, is after the teftimony of our own con-
fcience ; if this do not firft: fpeak and con-
clude, that other of the Spirit fpeaks not at
all : now the teftimonyiJof the confcience
is the conclufion of the pradlical fyllogifm,
and the certainty of this conclufion depends
xipon the verity of the afl\imption which
jnentioneth the work of grace in the heart:
C E S. 205
fo then let it be the care of the chriftian,
to make good the verity of the afifumption,
that he may truly fay, ' I do repent, I do
believe, I am led by the Spirit ;' and this
fhall not only afford him comfort by the
conclufion, but alfo (when the immediate
teftimony of the Spirit comes in with his
atteftation to confirm it) it will affure him,
that he is not mifled by the fuggeftion of
Satan, but guided by the Spirit in this
point of affurance : * Surely (will he fay)
this is the Spirit of God, for now he fpeaks
according to the word of God, and accord-
ing to the work of his own grace within me.'
SECT. III.
0/ the keeping of Evidences.
IF in eying the promifes, and graces, and
truth of thofe graces written in our
hearts, the Spirit fhall come in, and iTiine
upon our graces, either mediately by way
of argument from fan£lification, or more
immediately by way of prefence, then la-
bour to keep our evidences clear and fair ;
maintain that which we have gotten, and
keep it as the beft treafure under heaven.
Chriftians, we had need to preferve our e-
vidences clear and bright, that they may
be feen and read upon all occafions.
But how fhould we keep thus our evi-
dences ?
i. Hearken to the word, and hearken
to the Spirit, and hearken to our own con-
fciences. "What fay all thefe to our fouls ?
Ex. gr. The word faith thus, Whofoever
loves the brethren, he is tranjlated from
death to lifey i John iii. 14. now doth thy
confcience tell thee, that * fo do I, in truth,
and fincerity V Then here is the word and
* I know fome by our fpiiit, underOand the gift of regeneration, and that God's Spirit, by or in that gift
which he benoweth on us, witncffeth with and to our fpirits. q. d. The Spirit of God bearcth witnefs unto us.
with thcfe gifts and graces that are the fruit of the fame Spirit; fo that in tliis fenfe he fpeaks not immedi-
attly. but mediately by and with our fpirits, being enlightened and fanrtificd. For my part I niail not con-
tend ag.iinft this expofition ; and the rather, becaufe I grant that the teftimony which is by the effefls and fruits of
God's Spirit, is the ordinary, fafe and lure way ; yet as I dare not dcnv the immediate telUmony^ fo neither dare I
•xclude it out of hu text.
thy
2o6
EVIDENCES,
thy confclence for thee ; and doth the Spi-
rit come in, and witnefswich thyconfcience
that it is fo indeed ? then it is well with thy
foul, thou keepeft thy evidences to pur-
pofe.
2. Be daily renewing onr faith in Chrifl:,
efpecially that a(ft of faith, by which our
fouls knit, or tie themfelves to Chrifl: for
falvation : caufe your fouls every day in
folemn manner to a6l that part : put forth
this primitive aft of faith in our fouls ;
the daily exercife of this will increafe and
llrengthen the di\jjne habit of faith in the
, foul, and make the foul fenfible of every
a6l of it. By frequent believing we fhall feel
. at our very hearts-root that we do believe,
and fo ive fhall have thevjitnefs in our-
felves that we are in ChriJ}, i John v. lo.
we fhall knowingly carry in our hearts
the counterpart of all the promifes.
3. Perform all thofe duties and exercifes
of religion, which God hath ordained for
this very purpofe : As, i . Reading the word,
Thefe things write we unto you, that your
joy may be full, I Johni. 4. 2. Hearing the
word; for therefore is theminiflry of Chrifl:,
to give knowledge of falvation to his peo-
ple by the remiffion of their fins, Luke i.
77. 3. The facraments ; for they are ^/^<?
feals of the righteoufnefs of faith, Rom. iv.
II. 4. Prayer : Afk, and you fhall receive,
that your joy may be full, John xvi, 24.
To this purpofe is God's promife, I will
bring my people to my holy mountain, and
7nake them joyful in my houfe of prayer,
Ifa. Ivi. 7.
4. Maintain holinefs and purity of life.
The effe£l of righteoufnefs is quietnefs, and
afjurance for ever, Ifa. xxxii. 17. and to
him that ordcreth his converfation aright,
^ will //hew the fahation of Cod, Pfal. 1. 23.
The faints, while they keep their lincerity,
enjoy affurance; for the Spirit of God,
which is in them, fJ}eds abroad the love of
God in their hearts, enabling them to cry^
Jhha father : and bear witnefs with their
fpirits that they are the children of God, Ro.
viii. 15, 16. But when they fall into wil-
ful tranfgreflions, and grieve the Spirit of
God, afl'urance is gone. This made Da-
vid, after his foul fins to cry out fo vehe-
mently. Make me to hear joy, and glad-
tie fs. Re (lore me to the joy of thy falvati-
on. O take heed of fpotting our evi-
dences, of defiling our evidences by any
finful acls.
5. Take heed of yielding to any bafe
doubts or fears, or objeftions of Satan and
our own hearts ; deny not the work of
grace in us, \t'\k. we grieve the Spirit of
God : if any fliall yield fo flavifhly to the
mifgivings of their own hearts, or to the
temptations of Satan, that they (hall
conclude againft themfelves, ' they have
no faith, no love,' though all other Chrif.
tiars can fee thefe in them, what difho-
nour is it to God, and to the Spirit of
Godr What, hath God written thy name in
heaven ? and wilt thou attempt to raze it
out ; and to write thy name on the doors of
hell? fy upon thefe injurious, if not blaf-
phemous thoughts. What fliall a dark
humour, a melancholy thought prevail on
thy foul more than the word, and more
than the teflimony of thy own confcience
enlightened by the Spirit ? Take heed of
this, as of a great pride in thy heart : what,
to yield more to a flurdy, dark, unfubdu
ed humour, than to evidence itfclf? O
take heed ! O hearken not to what fear
fays, or to what humour fays, or to what
Satan fays, or to what the world fays ; but
hearken to what the truth itlelf fays, and
hearken to what confcience fays, when it
is enlightened by the Spirit.asingood times,
when we are at the beft; f Hearken to thefe,
and fo get our hearts aud wills overpower-
ed with the evidence, and yield and fub-
jeft ourfelves unto it.
6. Keep the graces of the Spirit in con-
tin-
I Get aloic, aiij iiucllioii with thyfclf. bring thy heart to the bat of trial, force it to anfvvcr the interrogatoric-s
put
tinual exercife upon all occafions ; habits
are not felt immediately, but by the free-
nefs and facility of their a6ls ; the fire that
lieth flill in the flint, is neither ken nor
felt ; but when you fmite it and force it
into aft, it is difcerned. Many queftion
their evidences, they know not whether
they have repentance, or faith, or love,
or joy ; but if tliey were more in the ac-
ting of thefe, they would eafily know.
Chriftians, draw forth an object for godly
forrow, or faith, or love, or joy, and
lay your hearts flat unto it, and take
pains to provoke it unto fuitabie acti-
on. Sometimes grief for fin is in us,
when we think there is none, it wants but
flirring up by fome quickening word ;
the like we may fay of love, and of every
grace : how can we doubt whether we love
God in the very aft of loving ? or whether
we believe in the very aft of believing ? If
we be afl"ured whether this facred flame
be kindled in our hearts, blow it up, get
it into a flame, and then we fliall know :
believe, till we feel that we believe ; and
love, till we feel that we love ; for grace
exercifed both brings and maintains certain
comfort: It maybe with a Chriflian in
his feelings, as with theworft man living,
but he may thank his own negligence, his
own diilnefs, his not ftirring up the graces
of God's Spirit in him ; O therefore it is,
that he hangs the wing [is difcouraged]
upon every petty crofs, upon every petty
occafion : labour to have an heart ready
to exercife grace fuitabie to every conditi-
on, for then grace will refleft fweetly, then
we fhall maintain and continue our com-
fort?. The foul that is befl furnKhed with
grace, when it is not in a6lion, is like a
lute well ftringed and tuned, which, while
it lieth flill, doth make ncv more mufick
EVIDENCES. 207
than a common piece of wood ; but whea
it is taken up, and handled by a fldlful la-
tenift, the melody is moil: delightful.
SECT. IV.
0/ the improving of Evidences .
FO R improving of Evidences , wc
mufl: endeavour to produce that
fruit, that frame, that difpofition of heart
which the Lord requires, direfts, and looks
for in fuch a cafe; as, the admiring of God's
unfearchable grace in Chrift; Jefus; a fo-
ber, moderate and felf-denying ufe of our-
evidence-comfbrts ; a fiducial pleading of
all the precious promifes of the gofpel ; a
chearful bearing of crofl'es ; a holy con-
tempt of creature-comforts ; a bold ap-
proaching to the throne of grace upon all
©ccafions; a valiant adventuring for ChrilT;
longings for the appearing of the Lord Je-
fus; a confident contefl: with fin, a cou-
ragious refifting of temptations : I may add,
humility, love to God, fear of offending,
zealous labours to advance Chrifl: in the
power of grace, e^rc. all which are the
fruits of legible evidences in true Chrifli-
an hearts : and our evidences thus improv-
ed, then is the whole bufinefs chriflianly
managed indeed. But of thefe in the next
feftion.
SECT. V.
Of the fanSiification of Evidences, in their
feveral ufes.
THE fanftification of evidences is ms-
nifefted (as we faid) by feveral dif-
pofitions. To enlarge myfelf : No fooner
is the foul fettled in its fcripture-perfuafi-
ons, and Spirit-perfuafions, that God hath
tranflated it unto Chrifl:, but immediately
there follows,
I. A deep admiring of God's unfearch-
able grace in the Lord Jefus Chrifl : * hath
put to it; fct thcconaions of tlie pofpfl. and qualifications of the (iints on one fide; and thy performance of
thafe cond.nons and the (jualificatiofls of thy foui en ;hc ether fide, and then jndgc how near they rtfcmblc.
3,ul:r i Lvctlafimi Reft, "" * ■'
the
2o8 EV ID E
the LorJ afTured me that I am his ? O my
foul, (land amazed at this cndlefs, bound-
lefs love of the Lord ; it is of his grace that
ever I did bethink myfelf of the danger of
my finful courfe I was formerly in ; it is
of mere grace that the Lord Chrift died
for my fins, and rofe again for my juflifi-
cation ; it is of his fpecial grace, that the
Spirit of Chrift (hould thus whifper to my
fpirit, * Thy fins are forgiven thee.' O the
bountifulnefs and love of God to man !
O I am fwallow^d up in this depth ! It
is a myftery which may aftonifli angel?,
an orient pearl which out-fliines all the
fparkling jewels of the whole creation.'
"When the Jews heard of the proclamation
of king Cyrus, by which they were fet free
fiom their long and tedious captivity, they
were rapt with joy, they were like to men
that rather dreamed, Pfal. cxxvi. i. than
pofielfed the things that their fouls longed
after : how much more will aflurance that
we are fet free from the perpetual bondage
of fin, and rcftored to the everlafiing free-
dom of righteoufnefs and life, make us
wonder at the infinite wifdom, and un-
fpeakable goodnefs of our heavenly father ?
The faints confidering the goodnefs of God
towards man in his creation, brake forth
into holy admiration, Lord, ivhat is man,
that thou art mindful of him ? Pfal. viii. 4,
5. The prophet calling to mind long after,
•what God had done for his foul, cannot
pafs it over without fervent praife, What
/hall I render unto the Lord, Jor all his be-
nefta towards me? Pfal. cxvi. 1 2. How much
more ought and will that man that is allur-
ed of Gtid's favour and love towards him,
for ever admire the mighty power, un-
fpeakablc goodnefs and rich mercy of God,
who hath delivered him from the pit of
hell, from the power of Satan, from the
curfe of the law, and from the waiting for
of all the wicked devils and damned fpirits,
and withal, ' hath tranflated him into the
kingdom of his dearcft Son ?' O needs mull
iV C E S.
his heart be inflamed with love, and enlarg-
ed in praifes ?
2. A fober, moderate and felf-denying
ufe of evidence-comforts; I fpeak not here-
in againft- the frequent a<5\ings of graces,
or againft the fimply looking on them, or
comforting ourfelves in them, efpecially
under fad hours; but againft the exceffive,
over-flowing, over-loving way of evidence-
comforts, againft the abufes thereof: which
may be in thefe particulars ; as, i. When
we pore more frequently upon the comfoi is
of our own gracious aftings than upon Jefus
Chrift and his death; when we live too
much upon the fight of a new-created birth
in ourfelves, and the image of the fecond
Adam, though indeed we have Chrift him-
felf to live on. 2. When we wonder fo
much at what is done in ourfelves by the
grace of Chrift, that we begin to make a
mixture of felf therewith, ' and immediate-
ly we fit down and write of ourfelves, an-
hundred inftead of fifty.' 3. AVhen we
think graces and comforts fb rooted in
ourfelves, that we negle<^ God and Chrift
for the upholding, encreafe and exercife
of them. 4. AVhen we reft upon, and
too much confide in the power of inherent
grace, former revelations, and witnefi>es of
God's Spirit, which are all but creatures,
a£ls of God upon us, and in us ; and there-
fore in doing thus, we make an idol of
Inherent grace, and put that truft in it,
which we Ihould repofe in the Lord alone;
and fo, as ihe Lord Ipeaketh, IVe go a -whor-
ing after our own heart, Num. xv. ^g.
Now all ihefe flow from the corruption of
our nature, and not from the nature of
aifurance ; the product of true evidences,
is a praifing of God for them, and a com-
forting ourfelves in them, as in the fruit
of his eternal and imchangeablclove: Our
rtjjicing is this, even the tejlimony of our
con/cience, that in Jimplicity and godly fin-
cerity, we have had our ccnvtrjaiion in the
world, I Cor. i. 12. but not a making of
them the only or chief grounds of our
hope
EVID
hope and comforts, for God in this cafe
may leave us to ourfelves, That no fiefh
(hoiild rejoice in his prefencCy i Cor. i. 19.
3. A fiducial pleading of all the preci-
ous promifes of the gofpel : ' And hath
the Lord indeed given me a kifs of his
mouth, a fure fign of his love ? Why then,
O my foul, arife, and lay hold on all the
promifes, which God of his mercy in Chrift
doth offer in the gofpel : be not difmayed
by reafon of thy unworthinefs, for the
promife is of grace freely offered, and free-
ly given, to them that be moft unworthy
in their own eyes : thou art unworthy of
the leaftcrum of mercy, but of the riches
of his grace God hath given thee the pro-
mifes of higheft advancement, if thou wilt
but embrace them. / -will be a father un-
to you ., and ye Jhall be my fons and daugh-
ters, faith the Lord Almighty. 2 Cor. vi,i8.
And it Jloall b^ in the place where it was
faid unto them, Te are not my people, that
there they jhall be called. The children of the
living God, Rom. ix. 26. He that over-
come th Jhall inherit all things, and I will
be his God, and he Jhall be fny Jon, Rev.
xxi. 7. Surely, Lord, I will lay hold on
thefe promifes, I will yet draw nigher to
thee, and put my trufl: in thy mercy ; I
will henceforth flee to the throne of grace,
to get my title made furer and furer to my
confcience. Lord, I believe, help thou
my unbelief.' Thus the foul pleads with
God, and God is well-pleafed with fuch
pleadings ; the foul is aflured of falvaiion,
and yet prayeth in the midft of afTurance,
*Who am I,Lord,that thou (houldeft make
fuch ample and i\et promifes unto thy
poor fervant ? Of thy free mercy, and ac-
cording to thine own heart hafl thou fpo-
ken all thefe great things, to make thy fer-
vant know them ;' and now, Lord God, e-
Jtablifh, I befeech thee, the word that thou
hajljpoken concerning thyjervant, 2 Sam.
vii. 25.'
4. A cheerful bearing of croffes : hence
Paul eyeing that objeft of affurance, that
ENCES. 209
weight of glory, he counts all his af-
fiicfions light and momentary, 2 Cor. iv.
ly. he fung in the dungeon, and reckon-
ed it a fpecial favour to be a fufferer for
Chrift ; the fire of divine love fo inflames
Chriftians in this condition, that much wa-
ter of perfecution cannot quench it ; yea,
fuch is the nature of this fire, that it feeds
on thofe waters, and grows more fervent
by that which would quench it : no won-
der ; it is but a light affliction, but it cauf-
eth unto us, a more excellent and eternal
weight of glory ; and part of this glory,
the Chriftian now receiveth afore-hand,,
as earneft of the whole : this makes him.
to rejoice (even in the midft of croffes and
loffes) with a joy unfpeakable and glori-
ous : and hence it is that a Chriftian de-
ipifeth the fufferings for the joys, yea, the
fufFerings are fo overcome by the joy?, that
the fufferings do not turn his joys into fad-
nefs, but his affurance turns the fadnefs of
his fufferings into joys, for he rejoiceth in
his fufferings, Phil. ii. J 7.
5. An holy contempt of creature com-
forts : this is another fruit of affurance, it
will make a man endeavour to rid himfelf
from fuch feculent matters here, to con-
temn them, to trample them under his feet,
and out of the greatnefs and goodnefs of
his fpirit, ambitioufly to long after the
prefence of the Lamb. Do I fpeak or write
to the denizens of heaven .' ' Tell me then,
you that carry the evidences of heaven in
your hands and hearts, is it not thus with
you ? Hath not God wrought your hearts
to this frame and divine difpofition V if
not, he will do it firft or laft; for citizens
of heaven fet not much by the beft things
on earth, when they are themfelves, and
afl like their Saviour. It was a good fpeech
of an emperor, whatfoever he himfelf was,
* You (faid he) gaze on my purple robes, .
and golden crown, but did you know what .
cares are under them, you would not take
them up from the ground for them;' but
fuppofe there had been no cares, but plea^i
Ec fure
E VID ENC E S.
210
fure in them, yet Mofes when he had this
afliu-ance of faith, He refufsd to be called
the [on of Pharaoh's daughter y choojing ra-
ther to fuffer a{Jiit}io>i loith the people of
Cod, than to enjoy the pie a fur es of Jin for
afeajon ; efieeming the reproach of Chrif}
greater riches than the treafures of Egypt;
for he had rtfpe£l unto the recompence of
the reivardy Heb. xl. 25, 16.
6. A bold approaching unto the throne
of grace upon all occaiions: becaufe we
are alfured, therefore we beg any thing of
God with greater afSance: ' Prayer is no-
'thing elfebut the ftream and river of faith,
and an iffue of the defire of that which we
■joyfully believe.' Our Saviour knew that
kis fheep Jhould never perifh, and yet he
prayeth, Holy Father, keep them in thy .
name^ John xvii. 28. and xix. 1 1. Paul
knew aflTuredly, that the L'-.rd would de-
liver him from every evilruork, yet with-^
out ceafing he prayeth to be delivered from
evil, 2 Tim. iv. 18. AlTurance adds fer-
veiicy to prayer ; the firmer our faith, the
more free is our accefs with boldncfs and
confidence to the throne of grace, the
more fervently and boldly can we pray,
Jbba, Father : afRirance hearkcneth what
the Lord fpeaketh, and fpeaketh back again
in fervent groans and defires; it hath the
promife of God, and therefore is bold to
pray, and will not keep filence, 2 Sam. vii.
27. Thou, Lord of ho/is, God of Jfrael,
hafi revealed to thy fervant, faying, I will
hitild thee an houfe, therefore hath thyfer-
vant found in his heart to pray this prayer
7iiito thee : nay, aflurance puts on the foul
rg a(k any thing it wants; thefe be the
times when the Spirit raoveth the waters,
therefore, * Now, faith afiurance, cart in
your petition, and whatfoever grief it hath
in it, you (laall be cured of it.' Now the
king holds out his goljen fcepter, ' And
therefore, faith a.Turance, let the queen
come in boldly with her requeft, though it
be for a kingdom ;' yea, this king hkcs it
beft, if frji we feek a kingdom, and the
righteoufnefs infeparahly annexed to it, for
then we Jhall have all other things with it,
Matth. vi. 33.
7. A valiant adventuring for Chrifi. Is
a man aflTured of God's love in Chrift ? fuch
a one fears not any troubles, he knows all
comes thro' his Father's hands, and that
man and devil cannot do what they would,
and therefore he goes on comfortably ' to
day, to morrow,and to the end ;' he is like
one of David's worthies, or like David him-
felf, that having got experience, fears no-
thing ; he walks up and down the world
like a giant, higher by head and rtioulders
than moft men, he holds in his hand a
ftrong (hield that the devil himfclf cannot
pierce, but it quencheth his fiery darts :
he gets a vi(flory againft the world by his
faith, and, Samfon-like, breaks all bands
of temptation as ftraw, he leaps over a
hall, breaks a bow offleel, lays heaps up'
on heaps.
8. An earneft longing for ^ht appear-
ing of the Lord Jefus : as he adventures
and conquers in life, fo he can think of
death without any prevailing fear ; he can
fay with Paul, / dejire to be dijfolved, and
to be with Chrif}, Phil. i. 23. and with
Stephen, Lord Jefus, receive ?)iy fpirit,
Afts vii. ^^, and with the fpoufe in the
Canticles, ch. viii. 14. Come away, ?ny be-
loved, and be thou like a roe or a young
hart upon the mountains offpices. It is the
voice of afTurance, * My life is hid with
thee, O Chrift, and therefore appear quick-
ly, my life, my Jefus, that I may quickly
appear with thee in glory ; let the day of
gladnefs quickly come, wherein both foul
and body, even my whole fclf, may eter-
nally enjoy thee: I cannot be flill put off
with thefe taftes and carnells, my love and
longing is rather inflamed by them to the
fruition of thee ; The very voice of thefe
earncfts is, Come : yea, they fcarce know
any other language but Come ; therefore
again and again they fay Come ; yea after
they have faid Come, as if that were not
enough.
E V I D E
enough, they fay, Come quickly ; and now,
what can the foul fay more to her Lord ?
only as before fhe ftill faid, ComCy fo now
will fhe ftill fay. Amen; even fo, Amen
and Amen.
9. A loathing of fin, indignation for fin,
conteft with fin, and a continual watch a-
gainfl: the baits and allurements of fin : how
can it be conceived that a man fhould be
N C E S,
21
firmity, fins of forgetfulnefs, inconfidera-
tion, paffion, pettilhnefs, inordinate fear,
whereto there is no advifed confent, snd
thefe may fiand with afiurance. And 2.
There are foul fins, enormous crimes (not
to fpeakof fins wilfully committed with full
confent, delight and contentment to the
utter cxtinguifhing of the Spirit of grace,
which fliall never befal them that are called
aflured of the pardon and forgivenefs of according to the purpofe of God :) and
many fins, but it will work a greater loath- thofe fins hinder affurance, fo that the fin-
ing and deteftation of fin, unfeigned abafe- ner cannot for the prefent lay aiflual clairu
ment for former weaknefs, and continual to any one privilege of grace formerly ea-
watchfulnefs, to keep himfelf pure for the joyed : I deny not but he may fiill retain
future, that he lofe not his comfort, nor his right and title to eternal life, but he is
di(l\onour God, who hath done fo great
things for him ? It is Satan's cavil againft
the taints, that * Afiurance begets fecurity :'
affuredly, if it be true affurance, it will
through Chrift mortify our luft, and quick
in this condition fufpended from aduai
claim, until he rife again by repentance,
and fo recover not a new right and title,
l>ut a new claim by virtue of the old title.
10. A contagious refifting of doubts.
en us to more fincere, fettled and conftant fcruples, temptations; not but that doubts
obedience ; nor is it poffible that a Chri-
ftian (hould hold his afiurance any longer,
than whiles he follows, cherifhes, and feeds
in himfelf this heavenly affeftion,
Objed. But fome may objeft, Jfivefay
tve have no fin, ive deceive our/elves, i
will come after afiurance : we fee the fun
is one day bright, and the next day is co-
vered : evidences may be loft, thoiigh in-
tereft be continued : yet afliirance and e-
vidences rightly improved and fan<5lified to
us, may help us againft all the fiiakings,
John i. 8. Who can fay his heart is clean ? and flii\rerings, and doubtings of the foul
Prov. XX. 9. There is no man jitjl, that and of theirown nature they do refift them:
Jinneth not, Eccl. vii. 20. * And how can hence the beft cure and remedy of doubt-
thefe twoftand together, fin and afiurance ?' ings, is to perfeft and ftrengthen our afiiir-
Sol. I anfwer, grofs fins, grievous fins, ance; the more purely the fire burns, the
are not compatible with the hope and afiTur- lefs fmoke it hath ; when the light and heat
ance of a Chriftian, efpecially reigning fins of the fun are grcateft, then the clouds and
committed with delight, or indulgence ;
and yet fuch fins, as we call infirmities,
blemifties, remainders of original corrup-
tion, under which the regenerate muft la-
bour fo long as they live : Thefe are not
altogether incompatible with afiurance, nor
mifty vapours are feweft : afiiarance and
doubting are like a pair of fcales, where the
weight of the one bears away the other.
Queft. I. * But howfliould afi^irancebe
ftrengthened ?'
Anfio. 1. Go we to God, for God who
do they hinder the lively workings of faith, gave itcan ftrengthen it: every grace depend
inreceivmgthe promifes; it isgood there- ""
fore to diftinguiih betwixt fins, which ad-
minifter matter of humiliation, and fuch
as may give occalion to the foul to quefti-
on its regenerate eftate : as i. There are
fins of fimple ignorance, unavoidable in-
upon him, not only for birth, but alio for
complement ; his ftrength muft lead us on
from ftrength to ftrength, and therefore '\i
we would have ftrong afiurance, we muft
go to a ftrong God, and beg of him for it ;
fay, * O Lord, my knowledge is dim ; ligh-
E e i tea
ai2
ten that candle, open mine eyes yet more
and more, that I may fee thy truth ; my
alFents many times fliake, but do thou e-
ftablifli and confirm my heart in thy truths;
my embracings, applications, are very
trembling, and broken, and interrupted,
but do thou guide my eye to look upon my
Saviftur, and do thou guide my hand to
lay hold on him, do thou enable my will
and affections to embrace all the goodnefs
of thyfelf, of thy Chrift, of thy word ; my
faith is but weak, but Lord, I would have
more faith, even full aflurance of faith,
and thou canfl work it, O do it for thy
weak fervant.'
2. Be in the way of ftrength : there are
ways in which God doth reveal his arm,
i. e. his ordinances ; he that is too good
for the ordinance*, will ever be too weak
in his faith. One thing (could David fay)
J?ave I dejired of the Lord, that 1 may dwell
in the houfe of the Lord all the days of my
life, Pfal. xxvii. 4. and to what end ? that
Jviay behold the beauty of the Lord, and en-
tjuire in his temple : what this beauty is, he
liimfelf expounds. We thought of thy loving
hindnejs in the midj} of thy teryiple, Pfalm
xlviii. 9. The loving kindnefs of God,
his mercy and countenance upon his own
fervants, that is the Lord's beauty, that
is it which makes him amiable to his own
^people.
3. Let affurance know its privileges, and
then it will grow ftronger. Te are a cho-
fcn generation, a royal priefthood, an holy
nation, a peculiar people, i Pet. ii. 9. They
who defcended from the blood of Abraham
had more privileges than others ; and have
not they greater who come of the blood
of Chrift ? The pricfts of the law had An-
gular exemptions ; and kings, of all men
are moft highly privileged ; and do believers
come fliort, who are not prophane, civil,
typical priefts, but royal prieAs I who are
EVIDENCES,
not priefts only, nor kings only, but both
kings and priefts : a royal priefthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people. If we did
once throughly know our privileges, the
grants of favour, the free accefs, the fm-
gular acceptance we have with God in and
through the Lord Jefus Chrift, how might
we keep down our fears, and our doubt-
ings, and with fulleft eagernefs embrace
our God, our Chrift, our promifes ?
4. Obferve, and call to mind our for-
mer experiences of God's favour and love :
I will remember (faith David) the years of
the right hand of the moj} High, Pf. Ixxvii.
10. i. e. the years and times of my life,
wherein I had fweet experiences of God's
mercies and love : why, what of that ? he
tells you, Becaufe thou hafl been my help,
therefore in the fhadow of thy wings will
I rejoice, Pfalm Ixiii. 7. But of this -point
in the laft chapter.
Queft. 2. * But what if after all thefe
means ufed, no fun appears, our evidences
are quite loft, God fufpends all comforts.'
Anfw. In fuch a cale, we muft endea-
vour to live above evidences, by working
the foul to clofe with, and depend upon
an abfolute promife : to this purpofe, it
pleafeth the Father of mercies, fometimes
to convince and perfuade the foul, that he
will fupply what is wanting, heal backflid-
ings freely, work both will and deed fully,
whereby he fuftains the foul in life, and
raifeth it up as it were from the grave of
defpair and dilmal diftrefs. Thus David
expe(fUd to receive his aflurance, when he
cried. Why art thou caji downi my foul ?
Hope thou in God, for 1 floallyet praife
him for the help of his countenance, Pfalm
xlii. 5, 12. And if at our iirft converfion,
when we had nothing but the offer of free
grace to look upon, Ave caft ourfelves on
God, why not now, when our affurances
wholly fail?
§. VI.
EVID ENC E S,
213
§. VI. The evidences of a weak unworthy
Servant ofChrifl laid down according to
the rules afore-mentioned.
THE life of all we have fald, is Prac-
tice : Hence I make bold to lay down
the evidence of a poor creature, not wor-
thy to be named, much lefs to have his
name written in the book of life. He
gives them thus : Wherein howfoever
he fpeaks in the firfl perfon, as intending
them for his own ufe ; yet he defires to
corrcft himfelf therein as Paul did, Never-
ihelefs I live, yet not I, but Chriji liveth
in mcy Gal. ii. 20. On every evidence he
defires this to be written, and thus to be
underftood, / live, yet not I. .
I. The Texts j a. The graces to which promifes are made j or my 1 3- The truth
containing pro- j particular evidences. ! of thcfe graces
mifes. 1 examined.
4. The Te-
ftimony of the
Spirit :
I. John iii. Si 8.
i Pet. i. 13.
z. Johni.ii,i&.
z Pet. i. 3, 4.
3. Gal. ii. 20.
4. Fla. cxix. 5, 7 .
5. Pfalm cxix. 5 ,
128.
6. 3, Cor. vii. 10.
7. Ezek.ix. 4. 6,
I'la. cxix. 135.
a Pet. ii. 7, 8.
£. Rom. X. I.
f. John iv. 19.
Pfa. cxix. i6j.
I John iii- 10,
14. ijohniv. 7.
10. Rom. vii. 13.
Cal.v. 17.
1 1. Pfa. xix. n,
12. I John iii, 3.
RcT. XV.3.
After Ads of Faith firft put forth upon Chrift him-
ftlf, and clofing with him immediately, as if
I had no prefent or by-paft grace to evidence
my being in him. I now brins; in thefe graces
or workings of the Spirit of Chrift in me, as
hand -maids to attend, and to witn^ft to the truth
of this adherence unto Chrift, which I call my
evidences.
I. My converfioD from corruption to Cbriltianity'
the time whereof (I blefs God) I remember.
2- My dcfire and endeavour to rely on the promifes
of Chriil, both for this life and that to come.
3. My experience that 1 could a<fl faith, and lay hold
and reft upon the promifes of God in divers cales and
conditions.
4. The chief aim and bent of my heart, which for
the main is God-ward and Chrift-ward.
J. My refpeft to ail God's commandments, defir-
ing that I would give up mylelf wholly to God, to do
all his will.
6. My renewed repentance for all my often failings,
and fins committed againfl Gcd.
7 • My grief for the fms of the times and places where
I lived.
8 . My carnefl dcfire and prayer to God for Ifrael,
and for all I know. That they might be faved.
9. My love to God in Chrift, to his word, fcrvices,
faints, and all things that belong to him.
10 My ftnfe and feeling of the fight and combat be-
tween the flefli and the Spirit.
1 1 . My watch to ftrive againft fecrct fin, or evil
thoughts, which no eye fees, as well as againfl publick,
notorious, Icandalous fins.
12. My defire after Chrifl for his holinefs, as happi-
nefs i taking him for my king and buiband, as for my
Jcfus and Saviour.
See in the duty
of Self-examina-
tion and receiv-
ing of the Lord's
fupper.
Which is ei-
ther by argu-
ments and infer-
ences from the
word and work
of grace in the
heart, or by pre-
fcnce and influ-
ence, manifefted
by an heavenly
impreUion and ir-
radiation upon my
foul.
13. My
2^4
E VI D E N C E S,
I. The Texts 1 l. The graces to which prom jfcs are made; or my par-
itainine pro- licular cvidcncf s.
conta
miies.
j }. The truth
j of tliefc graces.
I
4- The teOl-
mony of the Spi-
rit:
»3. M.;t. X. 39.
Mark x. ii.
Liikeix. 2}ii4-
14 Pftlm Ixxxix.
IS.
Ilaiah xii. 3.
John XV. II.
Rom. xiv. 17.
Gal. V. ^^.
I Pet. i. 8.
1$. Mai. iv. X,
Eph. iv. I J,
X Pet. iii. 18.
16. Pfa. cxix. <J7.
Heb. xii. 7, 8.
II.
17- Col. ii. X.
Heb. vi. II.
19.
Heb. X. IX.
a Cor. V. 17.
Gal. V. ax.
Rom. viii. ij,
\6.
i9.Pfa. xxvH.14.
Pfalm xl. I .
tp. P(a. xxviii. 6.
i'f.lxvi. 18, 19.
Pf. cxvi. I, X.
ao. X Tim. iv. 8.
Rev. xxii. xo.
ai.Phi.i.io, II.
a X. Pfalm cxxxix.
xj, 14.
13. Rom. vii. X4.
Rom. viii. 13.
Gal. V. 17.
Col. iii. 4, 5,
8.9.
Tit. ii. II, n.
I J. My wjllingners to fiiffcr (hame and dilgrace, and
(if my heart deceive me not) perfecution and dealli
for Cl.rirt my Saviour.
14. The unfpeakable joy of God's Spirit, which
Sometimes I have felt in and after ordinances ; and ef^
pecially once, when fi-r the fpace of two days I was car-
ried away into an extafie and ravifhmcnt : This was
when I began to fee fpiritual things, and upon
which followed more dcfire and endeavours after
grace.
^ij. My fenfible growth in the meafures of God's
fanflifying graces, as, in knowledge, and faith, and
hope, and praitnt expeftation of God's prcfence and af-
fiftancc in all things to come.
16. My patience under i nfirmitics and affliflions,
with an earneft dcfire that I may be bettered by my af-
fliftions.
17. My afTurancc of faith, si'd of my fpiritnal fafe-
ly, which is, I. Both by the evidences of internal
vifion or reflexion, for I know that I believe, as cer-
tainly as I know that I live : And x. By application
of the promifes of the gofptl. And 3. By the effcfts
and fruits growing from the root of grace : And 4.
By the teftimony of God's Spirit, which fometimes
(after prayer efpccially) hath fiiggened to my fpitit
that I am God's child.
18. A defirc to wait upon God, if at any time he
delay to hear prayers.
19. The returns of my prayers which many a time
God hath gracioufly made fcnfible and known to my
foul.
xo. My fincere and hearty longing for the time of
reftoring, and for the appearing of Chrift, who it my
chiefeft treafiire, and my All in All.
XI. My confcience hath born witnefs with me,
that my heart was fincere towards God.
xi. I reft not in the approbation of men, iinlefs I can
approve my heart unto God.
X3. Bcfidesthefe and the like, I may fetch ((ay fbme
divines) as good, if not better evidences ftom morti-
fication, in denying myfclf, in overcoming my paflions,
in crucifying my corruptions, as from any graces
whatfocver.
But, O my foul, reft not in thefc inward graces of
the Spirit ; now when all is done, begin again to aft faith
upon Chrift immediately with a redoubled ftrcngth.
His evidences thus gathered in, the prime and efpecial
work of the foul is the keeping and improving of c-
vidcnccs in their fcveral ufes. But of that before, Sc^.
I }, 4. And thus much ofcvidcnces.
See in the duty
of Stlf-cxarrina-
tionand receiving
of the Lord's fup-
per.
This is either
hy arjioment ard
inference from
the word <?: work
of grace in the
heart, or by pre-
fnce and inflir.,
ence of the Spi-
rit, manifefledby
an heavenly im-
prefTion and irra-
diation upon the
foul, by a fwcct
motion & feeling
ofGod'sgoodncfs,
and pardog, and
mercy, and faving
prefence to me,
without any refer-
ence to inherent
graces, -
CH A p
C 215 )
CHAP. VIII. SECT, I.
Of the Nature and Kinds of ME D IT AT 10 N.
MEditation * is a deep and earneft
mufing upon fome point of Chrifti-
an inftruftion, to the ftrengthening us a-
gainft the flefh, world and devil, and to
the lending us forward toward the king-
dom of heaven ;' or, * Meditation is a fted-
faft bending of the mind to fome fpiritual
matter, difcourfing of it with ourfelves,
till we bring the fame to fome profitable
ifTue.'
Now this meditation is either fudden^ or
fet ; occaJionaU or folemn, and delibtrate.
1. Sudden, occafional,or external medi-
tation arlfeth from fuch things as God, by
his providence offers to our eyes, ears
and fenfes. When I con/ider the heavens,
the work of thy fiugers , the moon andftars
which thou haji ordained : U'hat is man,
that thou art mindful of him, or the fon of
man that thou vifiteft him ? Pfalm viii. 3,
4. This meditation of David's was occa-
fional.
2. Deliberate, fet, or folemn meditation
arifeth out of our own hearts, when pur-
pofely we feparate ourfelves from all com-
pany', and go apart to perform this exer-
cife more throughly, making choice offiich
matter, time and place as are mofl requi-
fite thereunto. Now this meditation is
double, for it is either converfant about
matters of knowledge, for the finding out
of fome hidden truth, or about matters
of affeflion, for the enkindling of our
love unto God : The former of thefe two
we leave to the fchools and prophets ; the
Jatrer we fhall fcarch after, which is both
of large ufe, and fuch as no Chriflians can
rejeft as unnecefTary, or over-difficult.
$.2. The circumfhintials of Meditation.
THE circumflantials of our meditati-
on, are Time and Place j I fhall add
to thefe (though I cannot call it a circum-
ftance) the Subjedl-matter, which by way
of preparation to the duty, we may take
notice of.
1. For the Time : no time can be pre-
fcribed to all men ; for neither is God
bound to hours, neither doth the contrary
difpofition of men agree in one choice of
opportunities ; fome find their hearts mofl
in frame in the morning; others learn wif-
dom of their reins in the night feafon ; o-
thers find Ifaac's time the fitteft time, -who
iv£nf out in the evening to meditate. Gen.
xxiv. 61. No practice of others can pre-
fcribe to us in this circumfi:ance,it is enough
that we fet apart that time wherein we are
aptefl for that fervice.
2. For Place : we judge folitarinefs and
folitary places fittefl: for meditation, efpe-
ciallyfor fet and folitary meditation : thus
we found Jefus meditating alone in the
mount, John Baptifl in the defert, David
on his bed, Daniel in his houfe, Ifaac in the
field. ' The bridegroom of our foul, the
Lord Jefus Chriff is bafhful, faith Bernard,
and never comes to his meditating bride in
the prefence of a multitude :' hence was the
fpoufe's invitation, Ccme, my beloved, let
us go forth into the field: let us lodge in the
villages. Let us get up early to the vine-
yards, let us fee if the vine flourifh, whs'
ther the tender grape appear, and the
pomegranates bud forth ; there luill I give
thee my loves. Cant. vii. 11,12. AVe muft
in this cafe abandon worldly fociety, both
outward and inward; many fequeflerthem-
felves from the vifible company of men,
who yet carry a world within them ; both
thefe focieties are enemies to this medita*
tion.
3. For the jmatter of our meditation, it
mull
2i6 M E D I
muft be divine and fpintual ; viz. God's
word, or fome part thereof: itiswoful to
think how fome meditate on fin, contrary
to God's word, ftudying to goto hell with
the leaft noife in the world ; others bend
their thoughts only with the fearch of na-
tural things ; as, the motion of the hea-
vens, the reafon of the ebbing and flo\ving
of the feas, the kinds of fimples that grow
out of the earth, and the creatures upon it,
with all their qualities and operations ; but
in the mean whij£, the God that made them,
the vilenefs of tneir nature, and the dan-
ger of their fin, the multitude of their im-
perfections, the Saviour that bought them,
the heaven that he bought for them, 6c.
areas unregarded as if they were not. The
matter of our meditation muft be fome-
thing divine ; / remember thee on my bed^
and meditate on thee ; liuill meditate of all
thy works, and talk of all thy doings, Pfal.
Ixiii. 6. Ixxvii. 12.
§.3. Of occajional Meditation.
OCcafional meditation arifeth from
fuch things as God in his providence
offers to our eyes, ears, or fenfes. Exam-
ples of this fort are infinite : for a tafle,
take thefe few :
1. Upon our firfl awaking in themorn-
inT, meditate how the Lord can at the lafl
day as eafily raife up our dead bodies from
the dufl, as he hath now awaked us out of
fleep; and, as now we rife from the grave
our bed, fo then we mufl arife from that
bed our grave.
2. Upon fight of the morning-fky, me-
ditate. That if one fun make fo bright a
morning, what a fhining morning will
that be, when Chrift the fun of right eouf-
nefs ftiall appear, attended with all his
bright angels, archangels, cherubims, fe-
raphims, bodies and fouls of faints ? AVhen
there ftiiall be as many funs on a day, as
there are flats on a bright winter's night.
3. Upon the occafions of the day, me-
ditate, how the Lord feeih us, and undei-
r Ar J o N.
flands all our ways: the eyes of the Lord
run to and fro throughout the -mhole earth,
to Jhexv himfelf ftrong in behalf of them,
ivhofe heart is pcrfe6l towards him, 2
Chro. xvi. 9. And therefore we fliould do
all things as in the awful prcfence of God.
4. Upon our particular callings we may
accordingly meditate ; as
1. A magiftrate, thus; * As I judge o-
thers, fo will the Lord judge me ; it will
not be long ere death arreft, and I muft go
without bail : methinks 1 hear that found
in mine ears, Pfal. Ixxxii. 6. / have Jaid,
ye are gods, but ye fhall die like men.''
2. A minifter,thus ; ' The time I have to
fpend is not mine, but the peoples ; me-
thinks while I idle it away, I hear them
crying after me. To your clofet, and there
pray for us that we perifh not ; ftudy for
\is, that we may learn of you how to walk
in his paths ;/6r if weperifh, and you will
not give warning, then mufi our blood be
required at your hands, Ezek. iii. 18.
3. A tradefman, thus; ' AVhat is that
balance in my ftiop, but a meryiento of dif-
tributive and communicative juflice ? if
my dealings be not juft to a point or pin.
I ihall then be weighed in God's balance,
and be found too light. Pro. xi. i. A falfe
balance is an abomination to the Lord, and
fo is a true balance without true dealing
with all men.'
4. An hufbandman, thus ; ' As I fow m
fpring, fo I reap in harveft ; and God hath
faid, Ne that foweth iniquity, fmll reap
vanity, Prov. xxii. 8. but they that fow
in tears fhall reap in joy, Pfbl. cxxvi. 5.
Lord, whiles I fow in tears, give me April
fliowers of repentance, that when the har-
vefl comes, and the angels muft reap, they
may gather me into thy barn in heaven.
5. A foldier, tlnis ; * What trade is this
I follow ? what devices are thefe 1 carry
about to mur.ther afar off? whole image
do I bear in this killing difpofition, but
his, whofe true title is, The deftroyer ?
I had
MEDITATION.
iiy
I had need to look about me that I be in a
righteous caufe ; I am fure, all the titles
of God found of mercy and gracious re-
fpefts to man ; God the Father is his Ma-
ker and Preferver, God the Son his Savi-
our and Redeemer, God the holy Ghoft,
hisSanflifier and Comforter: O Lord, that
my enemies may be thy enemies, and my
caufe thy caufe, or that I may leave this
calling.'
5. Upon night approaching, meditate,
That feeing our days are determined, and
the number of our months are with the Lord,
and our bounds are appointed xvhich ive
cannot pajs, Job xiv. 5. that one day more
of our limited time is gone and paft, and
"we are now nearer to our end by a day,
tjian we were in the morning.'
6. Upon occafion of lights brought in,
meditate, * If the light of a poor candle be
fo comfortable, which is nothing but a lit-
tle inflamed air gathered about a moiflen-
ed fnufF, what is the light of that glorious
fun, the great lamp of heaven ? but much
more, what is the light of that infinitely
refplendent fun of righteoufnefs who gave
that light to the fun, and that fun to the
world V
7. Upon the fight of a bright /ky full of
flars, meditate, ' How worthy a fcience it
is to fee and obferve thefe goodly fpangles
of light above our heads, their places, qua-
lities, motions? But the employment of a
Chrifiian is far more noble, heaven is open
unto him, and he can look beyond the
vail, and fee farther above thofe ftars than
it is thither, and there difcern thofe glo-
ries, that may anfwer to fo rich a pave-
ment : I fee indeed thofe glittering glori-
ous ftars with my bodily eyes ; but I fee
withal, by the eyes of my faith, that this
is but the floor of that goodly fabrick, the
outward curtain of that glorious taberna-
cle ; I fee within that incomprehenfible
light, which none can fee, and not be blef-
fed : how many are thefe ftars before mine
€yes ! but Oh ! what millions of pure and
f
majeftical angels? what millions of happy
and glorified fouls? how many manfions
of my Father (one of them being my own)
do I fee by faith ? Come down, no more,
my foul, after thou haft once pitched up-
on this heavenly glory; or, if this flefti
force thy defcent, be unquiet till thou art
let loofe to immortality.'
Thus from our uprifing to our down-
lying, we may upon every objeft prefent-
ed to our fenfes, frame a fudden or occa-
fional meditation.
§. 4.
D
0/ deliberate meditation, and the
parts thereof. '
Eliberate meditations arife, and are
wrought out of our own hearts :
now every fuch meditation confifts of thefe
p«rts, viz. the Entrance, the Proceedings,
and the Conclufion.
I. The entrance is either Common, or
Proper.
1. The common entrance is fome ftiort,
yet pithy prayer, that God may guide and
direfl us therein, by the gracious affiftance
of his holy Spirit.
2. The proper and particular entrance,
is the choice of fome theme or matter, and
fettling ourfelves on that which we have
chofen.
II. The proceedings of our meditation
are in this method, (i.) To begin in the
underftanding. (2.) To end in the afiec-
tions.
I. Concerning that part which is in the
underftanding ; it is good to keep that
courfe which the common places of natur-
al and artificial reafon do lead us unto ;
as, to confider the matter of our medita-
tion, I. In its defcription. 2. In its diftri-
bution. 3. In its caufes. 4. In its cfFedts.
5. In its Ubi. 6. In its properties. 7. In
its oppofites. 8. In itscomparaies. 9. In
its fcriptural teftimonies. Only, in thefe
heads, obferve thefe cautions.
(i.) That we be not too curious in pro-
fecuiion of thefe logical places; the end of
f this
2l8
MEDITATION.
this duty is not to praflife logic, but to
cxercife religion, and to kindle piety and
devotion. Befides, every theme will not
aiford all thefe places ; as, when we me-
ditate of God, there is no room for caufes
or comparifons ; it will therefore be fuf-
ficient if we take the moft preg.nant and
voluntary places.
(2.) That if we flick in the difpofition
of any of thefe places (as of meditating of
fin, we cannot readily meet with material
and formal caufes) we rack not our minds
, too much with tne inquiry thereof, but
quietly pafs over to the next.
2. Concerning that part which is in the
affection, it is good to follow that courfe
which the common places of rhetorick do
lead us unto: thefe are fix, viz. 1. A re-
lidi of what we have meditated on. 2. A
complaint bewailing our wants of this re-
li(h. 3. A wi(h of the foul for what it
complaincih to want. 4. A confelTion of
our inabilities to effefl what we wi(h. 5.-.
A petition for the fupply of our inabilities.
6. A confidence of obtaining what we pe-
tition for.
III. The conelufion of the work con-
tains thefe parts : i. A thankfgiving. 2. A
recommendation of our fouls and ways to
God.
I (hall add no more, but only wifh the
foul, thus concluding, to lift up the heart
and voice to God, in finging a Pfalm an-
fwerable to its difpofition, and matter me-
ditated on ; and by this means fliall the foul
clofe up itfelf with much fweetnefs and fpi-
litual contentment.
§. 5. j4n example of the Soul's love to
Chrijl,
AFter entrance by prayer, and choice
of this theme, the foul may proceed
thus:
I. Defcrlption. O my foul, what is this
foul's love to Chrift, whereof thou ftudi-
eft ? Mt is a fpiritual fire kindled from a-
bove in the hearts of his darlings, towards
their bridegroom the Lord Jefus Chrifl.*
* Or, it is a fparkle of that fire of the holy
Ghoft, flruck into the tinder of our fouls,
which immediately fmokes, and fends up
the flame thitherward, whence it firfl had
its rife.' Or, ' it is the foul's reft or repofal
of itfelf in the bofom of Chrift, with con-
tent unfpeakable and glorious, being per-
fuaded of her intereft in that fong of the
fpoufe, 1 am my well-beloved' s, and tny well'
beloved is mine, Cant. vi. 3.' This, O ray
foul, is the nature of thy love to Chrift.
II. Di/lribution. There is a twofold
love, one of Defire, which is an earneft
longing after that which we believe would
do us much good, if we could attain to it;
another of Complacency, when, having at-
tained that which we defire, we hugg and
embiaceit, and folace ourfelves in the frui-
tion of it : Now the firft of thefe lovesis an
introdudion to the fecond, and both of
them (in relation to Chrift) iifue from a
proporr>nable a6t of faith precedent, i.
ThatafteCtionate longing, and thirfty love,
wherewith vvc pant and gafp after Chrift,
proceeds from the firft adfs of faith, where-
by we afllnt to allgofpel-promifes, as true
and good in themfelves, and better imto
us than any thing in the world, could we
but once be aflured that they belong unto
us. That other love of complacency, when
with the Pfalmift, ive return unto our rej}^
hecaufe the Lord hath dealt bountifully with
us, Pfalm cxvi. 7. when fweetly we repofe
ourfelves in the lap of our Saviour with
content tmfpeakable, and full of glory, it
proceeds from the laft a(fl of faith, where-
by we are aftually perfuaded by thofe wel-
come whifpers of the Spirit of adoption,
that certainly Chrift is our Saviour, and
that our debts are cancelled to the very laft
mite; only obferve, 'O my foul! thefe
two things of this love. 1 . That 'tis fub-
je(5t to all variations or changes, cbbings
and flowings of that perfuafion; fomctimes
in a violent temptation, or in a fenfible dc-
fcrtion, our perfuafion fails, and lb this
love
love of complacency is
or it falls back into that thirfly anxious
love of defire. 2. That this love of com-
placency admits of degree?, proportion-
able to the degrees of our perfuafion ; if
that be clear and flrong, this love is more
chearful and pleafant ; if that be weak
and obfcure, this love is more cold, with
many fears and jealoufies ; whence this
love of complacency may not unfitly be
fubdivided into an ordinary, and heroi-
cal love ; ordinary love proceeds from a
.weak degree of that lafl: aft of faith ; he-
roical love fpringeth from a more eminent
and tranfcendent pitch of perfuafion, con-
cerning our own reconcilirtion in particu-
lar: it is called ordinary, becaufe mod:
Chriftians, though effcftually called, do or-
dinarily feel but fuch a timorous love in
ttiemfelves ; it is called heroical, becaufe
it is conftantly only in fuch, as either, be-
fides the evidence of the word and Spirit,
have had fome fpecial revelation to put
them out of all doubt, concerning their
eAate to God-ward ; or in fuch as by a cer-
tain clofe walking with God,have been long
exercifed in a Chriftian courfe, have often
entertained Chrifl; Jefus at fupper in their
hearts, and habituated themfelves unto a
more familiar acquaintance with that holy
Spirit, which brings all the good news from
heaven, to thofe diligent fouls which care-
fully wait for it.
III. Caufcs. But whence is this love, O
my foul ? The apof^le is plain, JVe love
him, becaufe he firfi loved us, i John
iv. 13. When the Spirit of God in the
promifes lets in fome intimation of God's
love into the foul, then fhe loves him a-
MEDITATION, ^uy
either llupified, kindnefs, take a commiflion from me, go
to that humble, thirfly foul ; go and pro-
fper, and prevail, and fettle my love eHec-
tually upon him ; I command thee to do
it :' It may be at the firft vifit, the poor
foul cries out, • What, I love ? What, I
mercy? will Chrifl: Jefus accept of me? Oh,
I am the worfl of finners ; could I pray, or
perform duties as fome others do, I might
have fome hopes of mercy; but what ? is
it poifible that the Lord of heaven fliould
love me ?' ' Yes, thee, even thee, faith the
Lord : go out my loving kindnefs to that
poor foiil,break open the doors of that wea-
ry, weltring heart, knock off thofe bolts of
carnal reafon, and all bafe arguments, and
clear and warm that broken, bruifed, hum ■
bled foul, and tell him from me, that his
fifls are pardoned, his fighs and prayers are
heard, and he fhall be laved ; I charge thee
to do the work before thou comeft in a-
gain :' Here, O my fouf. is the immediate
caufe, God's love thus afie£ling the heart,
it breeds a love in the heart to God again :
I drew themy[d.\i\\GoA,ivith the cords of a
man, even with the hnnds oflovCfHoL xi.4.
IV. Effift^s. And what are theefFefts, O
my foul ! of this love ? O this love hath
many holy gracious effcfts, it will make
the foul to rejoice in Chrift's prcfence, to
grieve in his abfence, to pleafe Chrifl in all
things, to defire union with Chrifl, tho'
it never fee a good day, though it have no
other wages ; to bellow readily and free-
ly any thing it hath on the Lord Jefus
Chrifl ; to deny itfelf, or any thing that
may come in competition with Chrifl, to
part with her Ifaac's, her dearefl things,
fa count all things as dung and lofs, that
gam : that exprelTion of the Pfalmifl. The fhemay win ChriJl^PhW. iii. 8. to be con-
Lord will command his loving kindnefs in ' ' '
the day-time, P film xlii. 8. is pertinent to
this ; it is a phrafe taken from kings and
princes, and great commanders in the field,
whofe words of command fland for laws;
fo the Lord fends out his loving kindnefs,
faying, ' Go put, my everlafling love and
tent with nothing, but love again from
the party beloved, to be ever and anon
thinking and mufing on the Lord Jefus
Chrifl, to be ordinarily and frequently
fpeaking of Chrifl. Love is full of elo-
quence in the praifes of her beloved, fo is
the foul's love to the Lord Jefus Chrifl. O
F f 2 how
2,20
how that fpoufe of Chrifl runs on in a de-
fcription of his rarities and tranfcenden-
cies, My beloved is 'white and ruddy, the
chitfeji among ten thcufand {.or, zs, it is more
elegantly in the original, He is an enjign-
bearer among ten thoufand) He is alto-
gether lovely, or he is all entire, he is all
compofed of loves ? Betwixt thofe verfcs
[lo. and 16] there's a defcription of
Chriftjfoftuffed [fo filled up] with choiceft
delicacies of expre(rion,that thou canft not
match it, O my foul ! out of any of thofe
poets which ha^ flown higheft in amor-
ous inventions; at lafl: Ihe concludes with
a triumphant epiphonema, This is my be-
loved, and this is 7ny friend, daughters
cf Jerufalem, Cant. v. 10. 16. Nay love
will make the foul not only fpeak but do
any thing for the Lord Jefus Chrifl : O
then fhe cries, * How may I pleafe Chrifl
better ? what duty mufl I do ? and what
fins raufl I avoid ? if there be any of the
bed-chamber of the bridegroom, teil me I
IJefeech you, how may I hear, and pray
and walk, and approve my heart to my
Chrifl and king, that nothing may difpleafe
him.' Laftly, love will make the foul fuf-
fer for Chriil, and to rejoice in fuch fuf-
ferings, A£ls v. 41. It is a fire that much
ivater of perjecution cannot quench ; nay
it feeds on thofe waters, and grows hotter
by them : as oppofition rifeth againfl it, fo
it rifeth againfl: oppofition, yea, it rifeth
MEDITATION.
by it, until it rife above It.
V. Oppofites. Now what are the con-
traries to this love of Chrifl, but an hatred
of Chrifl ? One would wonder there fliould
be fuch a thing in the world, as hatred of
Chrifl : but why then fliould the apoflle
threaten, If any man love not the Lord Je-
fus Chrifl, let him be Anathema, Marana-
tha? 2 Cor. xvi, 2'2./. e. If any man hate
Chrifl, let him be accurfed with all manner
of execrations or curfes in the mofl de-
fperate manner, expe<fling due vengeance
from the Lord, ivhen he cometh luith his
holy millions, to execute judgment upon ally
and to convince all that are ungodly, Jude
14, 15. No queflion there is a world of
wicked men, that are under this curfe; I
fpeak not of poor Indians *, and other fa*
vages of the unchriftian world, whofe fouls
are overclouded with the blackefl mifls of
irreligion, that the prince of darknefs can
pofTibly inwrapihem in,who come into the
world, not knowing wherefore, and go out
of the world, not knowing whither * : an
heavy cafe, which cannot be fufficiently
bewailed with an ocean of tears and blood;
but of thofe that live within the paradife
of the chrifiian church, that have nothing
to diflinguifli them from thofe Indian mif-
creants, but an outward conformity, out-
ward formalities, the charity of other men,
and their own flight imaginations: as, 1.
All open enemies, grofs, hainous and grie-
• Since our Au'.l.or's days many nations of the Indians have been convcited to the ChrilVian rdi^ioii : So that
the cafe (thanks be to God) is altered; and we can now indulge ourfclves in charitable hopes concerning many
of them, inftcai of giving way to harfh and gloomy fears about their Hate in another world. It muft be ac-
knowledged, however, that there are ftil! many parts of the world fitting in daikmfs and in the region and fni-
dow of death : But what is our duty in this occafion ? What ought the thoughts of their mifery to lead us unto ?
Surtly not to rej >ice in their misf)rtuncs, but. out of hearty pity, to pray our gracious God to fend forth th«
liMit of the glorious gofpcl among them; to difpcl their ignorance, reform their corrupt lives, and favc them at
lall ; and to be thankful to our God. for the gofpcl of Chrift, (fa fuU of bleinngs) which wc ourftlvcs tnjoy
in fo great purity and plenty.
O B R I T A I N, praife thy mighty God,
And make his honours known abroad ;
He bid the ocean round thee flow:
>Jot bars of brafs could guard thee fb.
But he hath nobler works and ways
To call the B R ITONS to his praifc.
To all the ifles his laws are fhown ;
His gofpcl through the nation known ;
He hath not thus rcvcaPd his word
To every land : Praife ye the Lord.
Watts.
vous
M ET> ir A
vous Tinners, fwearers, blafphemers, drun-
kards, railers againfl: God, his minifters,
his people, thefe and the like love fin more
than Chrift, they love the devil more than
Chrift. 2. All fawning hypocrites, that
profefs, it may be, a marvellous affection-
ate love unto the Lord Jefus Chrift, but
they are inward haters of Chrift.
VI. Comparifon. But to inflame thy love,
O my foul, upon Chrift, conlider where-
unto it is like, or to what it may be com-
pared : the fcripture hath defcribed the
out-goings of fuch a foul, i . By the parch-
ed ground : My foul thirfieth for thee, my
fiefh hngeth for thee, in a dry and thirfiy
land, -where no water is, Pfalm Ixiii. i.
2. By the pantings of a chafed hart; As
the hart panteth after the water-brooks, Jo
panteth my foul after thee, God, Pfalm
xlii. 1,2. 3. By the longings of a teeming
woman; I have longed for thy falvation,
Lord, and thy law is my delight, Pfalm
cxix. 174. 4. By the fainting and fwoun-
ing of one that is in good earneft fick of
love ; / charge you, daughters of Jerufa-
lem, if you find my beloved, that ye tell him
1 am fick of love, Cant. v. 8. Such fouls
are commonly caft into an agony, into
pangs of love, that love Chrift indeed.
Yll.Teftimony. And doth not the fcrip-
ture exprefs the loves of the foul to the
Lord Jefus i If God be your Father, faid
Chrift to the Jews, then will ye love me.
Joh. viii. 42. And Thy name is as ointment
poured forth, therefore do the virgins love
thee; and, we will remember thy love more
than wine ; the upright love thee, Cant. i.
3, 4. IVe love him, faith the apoftle, be-
caufe he loved usfirfi, i John iv. 1 9. / will
Icve thee, faith David, Lord my firength,
Pfal. xviii. i. I will caufe thoje that love
me, faith Wifdom, to inherit fubflance,
Prov. viii. 21. He that hath my command-
ments and keepeth them, he it is that lov-
eth me, and he that lovethme,Jhallbe lov-
ed of my Father, and I will love him, and
J willmanifefl myfelf unto him. John xiv.
r I O N. 22t
2 r . Look upon me, faith David, and be mer-
ciful unto me, as thou ufefi to do unto thofe
that love thy name, Pfalm cxix. 132.
Thus for information of judgment,
now for the ftirring up, O my foul ! of
thy affections.
I. Kelifh. O divine love ! O the pleafures^,
O the joys of this love 1 O honey and fweet-
nefs itfelf ! it is the love of Chrift that fets
a price on all other duties; the leaft fervice
(even a cup of cold water, or a widow's
mite) if it have but a grain of this love in
it, is a moft acceptable facrifice to God ; it
is love to Chrift that hath the promifes of
this life and that which is to come : / will
caufe thofe that love me to inherit fubfiance t
and 1 will fill their treafures, Prov. viii. 2 1.
Yea, there is a crown of life, which the Lord
hgth promifedto them that love him, Jam. i.
i2.lt is love to Chrift, that by Chrift aflures
to us all the glorious privileges, flowing
from Chrift, as reconciliation, adoption,
forgivenefs of fins, juftification, righte-
oulnefs, wifdom, fanCtification, redempti-
on, pofteffion of all things. All things are
yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas^
or the world, or life, or death, or things
prefent, or things to come, all are yours, and
you are ChriJl's,andChriJ} is God's, I Cor.
iii. 22, 23. O who can think of this love
of Chrift, and not be raviftied therewith J
had I a thoufand hearts to beftow on Chrift,
they were all too little, they were never
able to love him fufficiently ; it is the Lord
Jefus that is all ftrength,and allwifdom,and
all honour, and all beauty ; the fountain
of all graces, and virtues, and qualities in
men : whatfoever grace, or virtue, or qua-
lity is in us, they are but fo many rays that
come from this Sun of right eoufnefs ; he is
fairer than the children of men, and grace
eminently is poured into his lips, Pf. xlv. 2.
ll.Complaint. But alas! where is my foul?
how dull is my underftanding ? how dead
my affeClions ? how «arelefs, how pcevifti
is my foul, in a bufinefs which concerns it
fo much ? how prejudicate is my opinion?
bow
1
222 ' ME DITJiri
how vain are my conceits? O my foul !
how ignorant art thou of the incomparable
worth, and delightful fweetnefs that is in
the Lord Jefus ? how fecure and fleepy,
and fcnfelefs art thou ? O this hard heart
of mine ! thou canft mourn for lofles and
crofTes of this life, but for the lofs of Chrift,
thou canft not mourn one jot : didft thou,
my foul, truly affeft Chrift, the pillow
would be wartied with thy tears for thy
want of Chrift, and for thy want of aftur-
ance : wo, and alas, that my mind is tak-
en up with a confluence of worldly lufts,
worldly cares, and ^vorldly defires ! O it
is this that quencheth the conjugal love of
my foul to her bridegroom ; my loves are
iiow become very adulterous loves : wo
and alas, that / have loved the world, and
the things that are in the luorld, i John
ii. 15. that I have followed my bafe lufts,
and adulteries, and abominations; that in-
ftead of loving Chrift, I have loathed him,
and whipt him, and fcourged him, and
crucified him, and preferred the vileft luft
(any fm whatfoever) before the Lord Jefus.
\And now lam mufing of this love of Chrift,
alas, I feel it not, or if I feel a little, little
love of defire, yet I have no fenfe, no tafte,
no relifh of that love of complacency ; there
is no fuch fire, no flames in my breaft to-
wards the Lord Jefus.
in. Wijlying. And yet, O that I could
love the Lord Jefus ! O that he had my
heart ? O that now I could bid adieu to
all other lovers ! O that the Father of love,
and the Spirit of love would ftrike one
fpark of love from the promife, to kindle
it in the heart of this poor creature ! O that
1 felt a dilatation of my dclires after Chrift !
that God would ftrttch them, and widen
them to the \umoft, that I might love
Chrift with all my heart, Ibul and might!
O that I were even fick of love ! O that I
were caft into the melting pangs of a divine
Chrillian love ! O my foui, confider the
want of Chrift, and the worth of Chrift !
O confider the benefits of Chrift's death,
iY.
the fweetnefs of Chrift's promifes, the plea-
fantnefs of his commands, the precioufncfs
of his graces, and above all, the infinite-
nefs of his love, and thou canft not but
love him ! confider that foul ravifhing text,
Cod who is rich in mercy, for his great
love wherewith he loved us, even when we
were dead in Jin s, hath quickened us toge-
ther with Chrift, and hath raiftd us up to-
gether, and tnadc us fit together in heavenly
places in Chrifl Jefus ; that in the ages to come
he might fhew the exceeding riches of his
grace, in his kindncfs towards us through
Chrift Jefus, Eph. ii. 4. &c. and thou canft
not but cry out with the ardency of affeciili-
on, with the ftrength, the zeal of love, O !
To him, unto him that loved us, and wajlj-
ed us from our Jins in his own blood, and
hath made us kings and priefts unto Cod,
and his Father, To him be glory and domi-
nion for ever and ever. Amen. Rev. i. 5, 6.
IV. Confeffion. O my foul, thefe are
fweet motives : but alas, how dull is thy
underftanding, how dead thy affe(ftions ?
I clearly fee there is no ftrength at all in
thee. O how cold, and weak, and faint,
and heartlcfs are thefe thy wifhes ! O
Chrift ! I would love tliee, but I cannot ;
I find no ability in myfelf to love thee ; I
am no more able to love thee, than cold
water is able to heat itfelf. O where be
thofe fcalding [thofe ardent] affef^ions to
Chrift Jefus, which holy men have felt in
all ages, and ftriven to exprcfs in their fo-
liloquies .^ O where is this holy, conftanr,
conjugal love I O where are thofe fwell-
ings, and throwings, and wreftlings which
others have felt in their bowels ? O where
be thofe holy fits, thofe pangs of love,
thofe love- trances, thofe feraphical flames of
conjugal afle(5lion, which made the fpoufe
cry out, / am fick of love? Cant. ii. 5.
Alas, I feel a diftemper in my alfeftions ;
I find it not fo eafie to love Chrift, as ma-
ny men think ; furcly it is a very hard and
difficult thing to love the Lord Je!us.
V, Petition. Come then, bleifed Lord,
and
M E D I TA T 10 N.
and {hew thy own felf to me, / befeech
thee if 1 have found grace in thy fight,
fhe-d) me the way that I may knoiv thee : I be-
feech thee JJjeiv me thy glory , Exod. xxxiii.
13. 18. Give me the fpirit of-voifdom and re-
velation in the knoiuledge of Chrifi, Eph. i.
17. Let me fee thy beauties and'glorious ex-
cellencies, and by this means blow my love
into a pure flame, yea advance it to a de-
gree of angelical fublimity. Surely, Lord,
I cannot love what I fee not, and there-
fore anoint mine eyes with thy eye-falve,
that I may fee thy lovelinefs, and love thee
with my beft loves: O kindle, inflame, and
inlarge my love that it may reft largely in
thee ; inlarge the crany which the Spirit
haih bored through the flefli into my fpirit
that I may largely fee thee, and fo largely
love thee J inlarge ihe arteries and conduit-
pipes, by which thou the Head and Foun-
tain of love floweft into thy members, that,
being abundantly quickened and watered
with the Spirit of love, I may abundantly
love thee ; and do not only come much,
but come often into me, and let my fpirit
often be one fpirit with thee, in commu-
nicative and fruitive unions ; for fuch oft-
en unions with thy Spirit, will make my
fpirit more fpirkual, and the more fpiritual
(lie is, the more will flie love thee, the God
of all fpirits. BleflTed Lord, wilt thou love
the image, and fliall not the image much
more love the pattern ? that I were fick
of love ! that my underftanding, will and
affeftions were all overflown, overcome
and amazed, that my faintings were in-
flamed towards thee, and even melted into
thee ! O fweet Jefus, touch my foul with
thy Spirit, that virtue may go out of thee
into me, and draw me unto thee; let the
favour of thy ointments, whofe very breath
is love, be ever in my noftrils : * Give me
flaggons of the new wine of the kingdom,'
which may lift up my foul above my felf in
my loves ; give me to forget the low and
bafe loves of this world, and by an hea-
venly exccfs, tranfport me into an heavenly
223
love, that I may embrace Chrift who is the
Lord from heaven with a love like himfelf:
give me to believe ; for faith and love
grow together, and the flronger my faith,
the greater will be my love.
VL Confidence. And this (fweet Jefus)
1 am fully perfuaded thou wilt do ; / be-
lieve^ Lord, help my unbelief ,- furely thou
art God, who canft not lie, and thou haft
promifed, that the upright fhall love thee.
Cant. i. 4. O how rtiould I but believe thee >
and now thou haft in fome fweet meafure
convinced me, now thou beginneft to
warm my heart, and to caft me into a love-
trance; now that my fpirits are fome what
raifed, my heart in fome fort inlarged, my
mind in fome meafure fixed upon thee ; I
make bold. Lord, to conclude with this
fpiritual Epithalamium, BleJJed Lord, I
«m thine, only thine, ever thine, all that
I am is at thy command, and. all that I
have is at thy difpofing ; be pleafed to com-
mand both it and me ; I know whatfoever
I adventure or lofe for thy fake, I fliall re-
ceive with infinite advantage in thy blefl^ed
felf. I dare truft my Lord with the beft
thing that ever he gave me, my precious
foul. O my bleeding heart and broken
fpirit doth languifti, in a thirfty love, pant-
ing and gafping after thee, my blcfl^ed Sa-
viour : O let me tafte how gracious thou
art, by fome real experiments in my own
heart, fmile upon me from heaven, anfwer
me with fome aflfuring whifpers of the Spi-
rit of adoption ; Kifs me -with the kiffes of
thy mouth, for thy love is better than -wine.
Cant. i. 2. O let me bathe my foul in the
delicious intimacies of a fpiritual commu-
nion with thee my God, that I may for e-
ver adhere unto thee with a fincere con-
ftancy, and reft in thee with a love of com-
placency : for I itt\, I find my foul caft
into a longing fweat for thee, and nothing
can fatisfie the importunate longing of my
perplexed foul, but thy own felf; for thou
art my Lord, my love, my life ; and thou
art altogether lovejy, O my dear Jefus !
Omy
224 M E D I r
O my dearen: hufband ! O thcfe holy fits!
O thcfe fweei pangs of love grow upon me
apace ! Upon a fudden, my king, my Sa-
viour, I am even Jick of love !
Conclufion. And now, O my foul, return
unto thy reft, for the Lord hath dealt boun-
tifully with thee, Pfal. cxvi. 7. The rea-
fon of thy love is Chrift's love ; Thou lovef}
him hecaufe he ^rf} loved thee. Is it thus,
my foul ? hath the Lord Chrifl: indeed
difcovered his will, to take thee for his
fpoufe ? What, he that is fo holy, to mar-
ry fuch an impure wretch as thou art ? O
how ftiould this but melt thee into a flame
of love? What ftif^ings of love fliouldft
thou now feel in thy bowels ? How
fhouldft thou now value him, and prize
'liim, and praife him ? How fhould thy
g,lory no-w fing praijes to him, and not be
Jilent P How fhouldfl: thou admire and
wonder, that thou could ft endure to be
without Chrift fo long ? that thou couldft
fo flightly think of Chrift heretofore ? O
my foul, henceforth cling to thy Saviour,
go out of thyfelf, and creep to him, and
affe6l not only union, but very unity with
him; bathe thyfelf hereafter again and a-
gain, many and many a time in thofe de-
licious intimacies of thy fpiritual marriage:
nnd to that purpofe, O my foul, if fome-
limes thy love to thy Saviour fhall cool,
' O then fweet Saviour, look upon me in
mercy ; one look of thine will awaken
my love, and make me weep bitterly, that
1 have loved thee fo little, whom to love
iufficiently, my beft and mightieft loves
are moft infufficient : prevent my fecking
with thy feeking, be thou prefent with me
in thy providence and power, when thou
feemeft to be far from me, in the tafte of
thy fweetnefs and fruition of thy loves ;
:ind then when I have regained thee, I will
hold more hardly, and keep more faftly,
and love thee more vehemently, by thy
power affifting : and provide a ftock of
toves in the fummcr, againft winter, if it
return any more ; come, Lord Jcfus, and
JT 1 N.
be as the roe on the mountains : my life
is hid with thee, O appear quickly, that I
may quickly appear with thee in glory,
and in the happinefs of a confummate mar-
riage : even fo come Lord Jefus, come
quickly. Amen, Amen. Rev. xxii. 2c.
Pfalm xviii. to ver. 7.'
§. 6. Another Example : Of Eternity.
AFTER entrance by prayer and
choice of this theme, the foul may
proceed thus :
L Defcription. O my foul, what is this
eternity whereof thou ftudieft ? * It is the
intire and perfeft poftcflion of a life (toge-
ther and at once) that never ftiall have end ;
The defcription may be imperfe£\; and no
wonder : for how can that be defined,
which hath no bounds or limits ? whatfo-
ever is faid of eternity, comes infinitely
fliort of it; no words can utter it, no fi-
gures number it, no time can meafure it.
Eternity is of this nature, that, take from it
what you will, it isftill the fame; it is nei-
ther increafed by addition, nor diminiftied
by fublhaftion. What is eternity ? * It is
a circle running back into itfelf, whofe
center is always, and circumference with-
out all end.' What is eternity ? ' It is a
duration always prefent, it is one perpe-
tual day which is not divided into that
which is paft, and that which is to come.'
What is eternity ? * It is an age of ages,
never expiring, but always like itfelf, with-
out all change.' What is eternity f ' It is
a beginning without beginning, middle or
ending, always beginning.' And this, O
my foul, is Eternity.
II. Dijiribution. There is a two-fold
eternity, an eternity of wo, and an eterni-
ty of joy. I. Of wo : O wo that never
ihall have end ! The worm Jlmll not' die^
the fire Jlmll not he quenched^ Ifa. Ixvi. 24.
Afterathoufandthoufsind millions of years,
there are ftill as many more to come, and
when thofe many more are come and gone,
the woes are yet as far from the luft as
they
'MEDITATIO N. 225
they were at the firft : it is now above is the efficient, but fin the meritorious
four thoufand years fince Efau, who hated caufe of this wo, The "wages of Jin is death,
Jacob, was cafl into this pit of woes,and yet Rom. vi. 23.
the number of his years of torments are 2, Eternal joy is from him : the Father
as many as at the firft day of his torment, beftows it, the Son merits it, the holy
2. Of joy : O joy above all the joys in har- Ghoft feals and applies it : God hath given
veft ! iTa. ix. 3. they are the joys of hea- thee a Saviour, O my foul, to give this
ven f: there joys the underflanding, by a eternal joy to thee, and God hath given
perfeifl knowledge of God, [the beft and thee faith whereby thou mayeft attain to
moit perfeiH: being] and by the [infinitely this Saviour ; and God hath given thee his
tranfporting, and transforming] vifion of word, whereby thou mayefl attain to this
God; there joys the memory, by a per fedl faith: lookup, therefore, to him as the
remembrance of all things pall, [efpecially, beginner and finiiher of this eternity, and
of all good thoughts, words, and deeds ; whilft thou magnifiefl the author, be ravi-
which muft needs afford unfpeakable de- Ihed with the glory of the work; there
light to the refle(fling foul, in the future is nothing that is good that is notcompre-
world, fince we know that the remem- bended herein; In thy prefence is fulneCs
brance of any goo'd thought, word, or of joy, and at thy right hand are pleafures
deed affordeth fuch a vaft pleafure even in j[or evermore , Pfal. xvi. i i.
this life;] there joys the will, by enjoying all IV. Effe6ls. What are the effe^s, O my
manner of good without fear of evil. In foul, of this eternity ?
this joy there is no corruption, no defe6l7 i- Of eternity in hell, thefe amongfl
\ no old age, but folemn glory, and con- others ; * heavy, heavj, mod fad and heavy
tinual folemnity; there is an everlafting thoughts,' when the damned fhall confi-
fpring, there is always the flower, and der their doom, Go ye into everlafiing
grace of youth and perfefl: health : With fire, then /hall they call their deep thoughts
thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light on time pafi, and eternity to come.
fhallvjefee light, Pfal. xxxvi. 9. [There, i. For the time part, they fliall remera-
perfeft happinefs endureth forever: for her, ' That fometimes they lived, at leaft
heaven, as itis an exceeding, fo it is zneter- fome of them, in a glorious Golhen, en-
naliveight of glory. And this is that which lightened with the faireft noon-tide of the
crowns the joys of heaven, and banifiieth gofpel that ever the fun faw, and that
all fears and trouble from the minds of the they heard many a powerful fermon, any
blefied.] one pafl!age whereof, had they not fuffered
^ III. Caufes. Whence are thefe two eter- fatan to blindfold and baffle them, might
nities, O my foul, but from Him that is have been unto them the beginning of the
only eternal ? new birth ; that many times they were
I. Eternal wo is from him, For he hath told of this danger by God's faithful mini-
prepared Tophet of old, Ifa.xxx. 33. God iters; that they had many calls and of-
t The chid- ingredients of the happinefs of heaven, fo far as the fcnpiurc hath ihcuglulit to rcVcal it to us arc.
m77 iTc , °"/ ."^"rl'^^Se. and the height of our love, and the perpetual focicty and fricnd(hip of all the
bkncd .nhab.t.nts of thofc glorious manfions ; and the joyful concurrence of all thefb in chcarful expullfons of o,-a-
titi^de, in the .nceflant prailcs and admiration of the fountain and author of all this h;,ppinefs.— - And if there
-were no other, as there may be ten thoufand more for any thing I can tell, yet generous and virtuous minds will
eafily undct land how great a pleafure there is in the improvement of our knowledge, and the cxercifeof love • and
in a grateful and perpetual acknowledgment of the grcateft benefits. Qr Tx'lotfon
n'l" !,^|- t*;'"!""* of heaven thefe t«o things Ihall be recorxiled which never met together in any fenliul or
worldly delight, long and full enjoyment, and yet a fredi and perpetual pUalurc. Jilhifon.
G g fers
226
fers of falvatlon,
many a time cried behind them,
M ED ITATJ N.
and the Spirit of God ms.&c. i.e. 'All theftarsofhcaven,ftiIIsof
This is
the way, ivalk in it ; that fometimes
they were half i>erruaded to be Chriftians,
and they were near falvation, and they
had a golden opportunity for it ; but alas!
they revolted agaiiji, and perferred their
lufts, and parted by thefe offers and op-
portunities with an inexpiable negleO:,
and horrible ingratitude, and now they ly
drowned and damned in that lake of fire
and brimftome, which they might have
fo eafily and fo often efcapcd.' O what a
fliriek will this caufe in hell ? whiles at
every of thefe con fi derations the worm of
cbnfcience (hall give them a deadly bite, e-
ven to the heart ? That the memory of
things here on earth, remains ftill with all
fpirits in the world of hell, is manifeff,^©^,
remctnber that thou in thy life- time re-
ceived]} thy good things, and Lazarus e-
vil ; norv therefore he is comforted, and
thou art tormented, faid Abraham to that
rich man in hell, Luke xvi. 25.
2. For eternity to come, they fhall
conlTder,' that this eternity is another hell
in hell ;' might they endure thofe horrible
pains, and extreme horrors no more mil-
lions of years, than there are creatures
both in heaven and earth, they would
'comfort themfelves with this thought, My
mifery will at laft have an end ; but this
word eternity; it rents their very hearts in
pieces, it rents their very throats with hide-
ous roarings, it gives a new life to their
tinfuffcrable forrows. O my foul, doft
thou not tremble at this confideratlon ? I-
jnagine thou heareft Judas roaring in hell's
flames, ' 1 have now fuffered above one
thoufand fix hundred years, fince I be-
trayed Ghrift, and through the extremi-
ty of torment, I have thought thefe one
thoufand fix hundred, to have been a
thoufand thoufand thoufand thoufand
years : O when will be an end of thefe
fufferings ?' M'hen ? Couldft thou teW/hl-
las c(^li,J}illas roris, undas aquaeifiuyni-
dew, drops of rain, fleeces of fnow, flowers
of the fpring, colours of flowers, fruits of
the earth, grains of corn, leaves of trees,
beafls of the field, motes of the fun fly-
ing in the air, hairs on thy head, fand on
the fea-fl:iore, piles of grafs growing on the
earth ; and fhouldft thou add to thefe, all
the thoughts of men, the motions and mu-
tations of all the creatures, and number
all thefe by all the additions and multipli-
cations of arithmetick, enough to fill
volumes reaching from earth unto hea-
ven, as yet thou haft not meafured the
length, the middle of eternity !' O Judas,
here is thy lot, thou haft fryed in hell a-
bove a thoufand years, thou muft be tor-
mented in thofe flames, a hundred thouf-
and years, ten hundred thoufand years, a
thouland million of years of ages^ and when
all thofe years and ages are gone and paft,
thou art as far from the end of thy tor-
ments as thouwert at the beginning, when
thou hangedft thyfelf and firft wentft
down to hell. O my foul, here's a medi-
tation able to ftartle thee from the fleep of
fin ; no queftion, at thefe thoughts^ Judas,
and all the damned in hell take on with
infinite anguidi and inraged indignation :
fience comes that horrible hatred and per-
petual blafphemies which the damned
utter againft God : O how they tear their
hair, and bite their nails, and gnafli their
teeth, and dig furioufly into the very foun-
tain of life, defirous (if they could do it
pollibly) to (pit out their very bowels. O
my heart, well mayeft thou tremble in
the midft of this meditation ! O eternity f
eternity ! eternity !
2. Of eternity in heaven ; thefe, a-
mongft others, are the efle(fts, rowzing,
raifing,and moft ravilhing thoughts, when
the blelfed ftiall con fider their doom, ComCt
ye blefjed of my Father-, inherit the king-
dom : Then ftiall they caft their thoughts
on time paft and eternity to come.
I . For time paft. They fhalJ remem«
ber.
MEDITATION. 227
per, 'That fometimes they were in ' as they fhould notfurpafs the brlghtrcfs
of the fun, but the fun behig the mofl:
glittering thing in the world, he takes a
refemblance towards expreffing their in-
comparable glory :' But to heighten this
glory, obferve the auxefis, it (liall be for
ever, i. e. for eternity, or for ever and
ever, /. e. for eternity and eternity ; or,
as the Latins, inperpetuas ceternitatei,^ox
* perpetual eternities:' If one eternity be
without end, what are two ? What are
ten ? What are an hundred ? What are
infinite ? O what-a life is this that know-
e"^*' no end ? AVhat a glory is this th^t
never fadeth ? AVhat a love is this that
never cooleth ? What a joy is this that
never ceafeth ?
V. Oppofites. Why then, O my foul,dofl
thou fet thy refl on this fide Jordan ?
What are thofe few fliort pleafures thou
here enjoyeft ? AVhat is this brittle life
on which depends eternal blifs or wo ?
AVhat is earth to heaven ? What a mi-
nute to eternity ? If any thing be contrary
to eternity, what is it but this punOilioof
time we have here to fpend ? This brittle
life? What is it but an ell, a fp?.n, an inch,
a point ? O dear penny-worth, to buy the
merry madnefs of one hour, with ages of
pangs infinite and eternal ! O dearelt bar-
gain that ever was, to fell away heaven,
our everlafting inheritance, with Efau,
for a fip of momentany pleafure. [Oh !
vain and foolifli fouls ! that are fo little
concerned for eternity ; that for the trif-
flesoftime, and the pleafures of fin wliich
are but for a feafon, can find in their hearts
to forfeit an everlafting felicity.] I fee
this world and the other are mere oppo-
fites ; my life is fo fliort, and eternity fo
long, that I cannot tell what is moie con-
trary than thefe two : My life is nothing
but a now, this inflant is properly my
own, I cannot promifeto myfelf any thing
future, and therefore my life and eternity'
areas contrary as may be. [Onmyprcfcnt
con-
troubles, in forrows, in ficknelTes, in con-
tempt of others, in dangers by fea and
land ; that fometimes they were ready to
periih, and to call away their fouls by
this or that fin, but that God flill held
his fpecial hand over them, and gave them
grace, and brought them into the port and
haven of fecuritj'^, where is no fhadow of
miferies, [neither ficknefs, nor fin, nor
death, but all is health, and peace, and
purity, and life immortal : — They fliall
alfo remember, and look back with plea-
fure, on all their pious thoughts towards
God and their Saviour, and on their ex-
preflions of love, defire, hope, and truft in
him ; on all their inward and outward
afts of juftice and charity towards man ;
on all their pure and chafle, on all their
humble and felf- denied tlioughtsand deeds,
with reference to themfelves.] O what
ravifhing of fpirit will the foulsof thejuA
be cafl: into at their recalling of time pad: !
Now that the memory of things here be-
low remains ftill with the fpiritsof the juft
made perfeft, is manifeft [from fcripture,]
Rtmember me ivhen thou conicj} into thy
kingdom^ faid the good thief to Chrill,
Luke xxiii. 42. [and it is alfo manifeft
from reafon ; for memory, or confciouf-
nefs, being efi^ential to the human foul, it
may as foon ceafe to be, as ceafe to re-
member, or lofe the remembrance of things
part ; The foul therefore, the immortal
ibul, mujl and -will in another ftate call to
remembrance things paft, and remember
them much better than it doth, or can do,
now.']
2. For eternity to come, they fhall con-
fider, that the joy they enjoy they ftiall
enjoy for ever : They that be ivife floall
flnne as the brightnefs of the firmament s
and they that turn many to right eoufnefs,
as the fiars for ever and ever. They fhall
Jhine : how ^as the firmament, as thefiars,
Dan. xii. 9. or as //;t/«/7, faith our Saviour,
Matth. xiii. 45. Kot fo, faith Chryfoftom,
Gg2
228
MED I r^i r J o N.
condufl, in this moment of life, an eternity
of happinefs or mifery depends.]
VI. Compari/ons. But to what fhall 1
compare this eternity ? Js a drop of -wa-
ter is unto the fea, and a gravel Ji one is in
comparifon of the fan d^ fo are a thoifand
years to the day of eternity^ Eccl. viii. 9.
Nay, if we multiply a thoufand years a
thoufand times, it would not amount to
the leaft fradion of the numberlefs num-
ber of eternity. They fay, that the eighth
celeftial orb or fphere is moved wondrous
leifurely, for though it be daily wheeled
about by the rapid qjotionof the Primum
mobile^ ' the firfl: mover,' yet it finifheth
not its own proper circuit, but once in
thirty fix thoufand years ; and this fpace
of time they call the great year, or Plato's
year : But compare this with eternity, and
it will appear but as a moment, a very
nothing at all : To what then mayeft thou
compare this eternity ? O my foul, ' it is
like an orb every way round and like it-
felf; or like a wheel that turns and turns,
and' doth never ceafe turning; or like
3 year, continually wheeling about, which
turns again to the fame point whence it be-
gan, and Hill wheels about again ; or like
an ever- running fountain, whither the
, waters, after many turnings, flow back a-
gain, that they may always flow ; or like
a fnake bowed back into itielf orbicularly,
holding the tail in her mouth, which in its
end doth again begin, and never ceafeth to
begin ; or like a ring, or a globe, or like
a fphere, or like the circuit of the moon
without all end.'
VII. Ti^/wo«/Vj.Isnotthefcripture, O
jny foul, frequent in the mention of eterni-
ty ? Thefe Ojallgo into everlafting puniPo-
ment, but the righteous into life eternaly
Trtatth. XXV. 46. Their worm Pmll not die,
their fire Pmll not be quenched : Depart
from ?ne, ye curfed, into everlafling fre,
Mark ix. 44, 46, 48. Matth. xxv. 4^.
IVhcfoever drinketh of the water that Ifljall
give him,fl}all never thirflj but the water
that I fhall give him, fljall be in him a well
of water (pringing up into eternal life,
John iv. 14. We know that if our earthly
houfe of this tabernacle were diffolved, we
have a building of Cod, an hoife not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens, 2 Cor.
V. I. Surely he Poall not bemoved for ever,
the righteous fmll be in ever laf}ing remem-
brance, Pfa.cxii. 6. They that be wife fhall
flnneas thebrightnefs of the firmament ; and
they that turn many to righteoufnefs, as
the ftars for ever and ever, Dan. xii. 3.
Thus far, O my foul, for the infor-
mation of thy judgment : Now for the
flirring up of thy aIic6lJons.
I. Relifh. O eternity, whether of joys
or woes ! O that thou wert written in a
book, that thou wert graven with an iron
pen and lead in the rock for ever ! Job xix.
22, 23. O that my heart were the book !
that my meditation were the iron-pen and
lead ! and that this word Eternity werefo
imprinted and engraven in my heart, that
I might flill have it in my mind, when
pleafure fawneth, when lufl provoketh,
when the flefh rebelleth, when the Spirit
faileth ! O eternity how is it I forget thee !
[confider, O my foul, that thou art an im-
mortal fpirit. Thy body dies, but thou, thou
muft live for ever. O ! do nothing now,
but what thou mayeft with pleafure look
back upon a million of ages hence.] O my
foul be enablifhcd,and fay with David, my
heart is fixed, God, my heart is fixed,
Pfalm Ivii. 7. Set thyfelf in a fure place,
and ftand a while ; and ftanding, admire at
this eternity which always ftands, and ne-
ver pafl!eth away ; and that thou mayeft
tafte and relilh, that thou mayeft be affec-
ted and moved with this eternity,
I. Confider the never-dying worm,. and
the everlafting fire. O the bitternefs of
this eternity ! there's a man in the fire,
and a worm at his heart ; the fire burns
him, and the worm bites him, yet neither
of thefe makes an end of him ; there he
roars, and yells, and howls, and cries, O
\1Q
wo is me for ever ! A man
broad is the ivay, and many there are that
walk hell-ward. It were enough indeed
to make all tremble, though there were but
one amongft all the fons of Adam to fuf-
fer eternally ; but that Helljhould enlarge
herjelf, and open her month "without
TTieafurey and their glory and their multi-
tude and their pomp Pjould defcend into it,
Ifaiah v. 14. That there fhould be mil-
lions of men of the fame flelh and blood
that I am, chained together in hell, where
one roars and another anfwers, and all
bear this burden, Wo, and alas for ever 1
In one nook of hell, there's a lamentable
fhreek, Wo for ever, in another corner
far remote there's another fearful fhreek,
Wo for ever ; in all the corners of the
fmoky vaults there's a cry, or an echo of
this cry, For ever, for ever, for ever,
for ever. O my foul, how is it thou canft
fleep in the night, or be merry in the day,
whilft thou thinkeft attentively, or conll-
derert throughly of this meditation ? Lefs
matters have fometimes put men out of
their wits, and bereaved them of their lives.
[Oh that I might avoid thefe wicked cour-
fes of impiety, injuftice and intemperance,
that lead down to death and eternal perdi-
tion ! Oh that I would now mind the
things that belong unto my peace before
they be for ever hid from mine eyes .'
O wretched man, dareft thou to live one
moment longer in fin who knowefl not
but the next moment may be thy laft ! ]
2. Gonfider the eternity'of Joys: It
may be the former confideration is too le-
gal, and it will notfuit every fpirit fo well.
* Every thing is received according to the
receiver ; a legal fpirit, fay fome, doth re-
lilh and favour moft of thofe arguments
which are drawn from hell ; but an evan-
gelical fpirit doth beft reliQi them that are
drawn from heaven.' Come then, O my
foul, and in the clofe of this meditation
dwell on, and confider only the fweetnefs
of this eternity : But how fliould 1 con-
M ED ITyi T I O N. 229
faid I ! alas, fider of this eternity ? For fine e the begin'
ning of the world men have not heard, nor
perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye
feen, God, befides thee, ivhat he hath pre-
pared for him that ivaiteth for him, Ifaiah
Ixiv. 4. When Chrift fhall come again, he
{hall be admired of his fainfs, 2 Theff. i.
10. And why admired; but becaufe fome-
ihing (hall be feen then that was never
thought of before ? The faints cannot think
there is fo much glory in Jefi:s Chrift, as
then they ftiall find, and therefore they
iliall ftand admiring at him ; but yet be-
caufe the Lord is pleafed to let out a
beam of this light unto us in his blefifed
word, go on, O my foul, as the Lord fhail
, enable ; forget a while thy oxvn people, and
thy father's houfe, go out of this fleih and
world, and, by a deep, and fad, and ferious
meditation get into heaven ; and to make
way for entrance, lift up your heads, ye
gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlafting doors,
that a mortal, miferable wretchmay enter in .
When Paul was caught up into para-
dife, he heard unfpeahable words. And now
by contemplation lam in heaven, methinks
I fee Invifible fights; what happin'efs.is here
of faints ? I Ihall reduce all to thefe heads,
(i.) Their Duty; and (2.) their Glory ;
which laft Spears efpecially in their Joy,
and in the Objedl which they fee and enjoy.
I. The duty of thefe faints confifts in
the keeping of a perpetual fabbath ; con-
fider it, O ray foul, in thefe particulars.
I. They are exercifed in the higheft em-
ployments that any creature can be exer-
cifed in: Hearken the high praijes of God
are in their mouths ; befides the high con- '
templation of God and of the Trinity are
in their minds ; they are always finging^
praifes to God, and to him that fits upon
the throne, [for all his works of wonder,
for the effefts of that infinite goodnefs,
and admirable wifdom, and almighty
power which are clearly feen in the crea-
tion and government of the world, and
of all the creatures in it
particularly for
his
230 M E D I r A
his favours to mankind, for the benefit
of their beings, for the comfort of their
lives, and for all his merciful providences
towards them in this world : But above all
. for the redemption of their fouls by the
death of his Son, for the free forgivenefs
of their fins, for the gracious nfliftance
ofhisholy^Spirit, and for condu(51ing them
lafely through all the fnares and dangers,
the troubles and temptations of this world
to the fccure poirelTion of that glory and
happinefs which they then (hall be par-
takers of, and are bound to praife God
for to all eternity.] Pfal. cxlxix. 6. Sure-
ly this is the higheft employment, for this
' isthehighcft glory that God hath, not only
from his works here, but from all the
■ councils of his wifdom about the great my-
fiery of redemption, from all his works in
heaven, and from all the communications
of himfelfto the faints in heaven ; the end
of all that God does in the world is for his
glory, and the end of all that God docs
in heaven, is for theadlual working of the
fouls of his faints upon himfelf.
2. The hearts of faints are always up
and fit for thefe high praifes of God, they
are not fometimes enlarged, and fometimes
llraightencd ; no, no, their fouls are al-
ways up, always upon the higliefl pin, cn-
•" flamed with heat continually.
3. There is no intermillion of thefe high
praifes of God ; the faints continue day and
night, they go not to duty, and break olF
again ; and go again, and break off again ;
no, no, there's no other employment here,
there's nothing elfein heaven to fpend one
j-noment of that time in to all eternity.
4. There is no wearincfs in thefe faints,
though they are praifing of God millions
of years, yet they are as freHi at the end
of them as at the firft moment j O eterni-
ty ! O eternal duty !
II. The glory of thefe faints is both in
their fouls and bodies, but becaufe their
bodies are not yet in heaven, let pafs, O
' n y foul, that glory, and confidcr the glo-
r I o N.
ry of thefe fouls of faints ; in each foul
there is, the underflanding, will and affec-
tions : for the affeflions, confidcr only
their joy ; for the underflanding and will,
coniider their objefl they fee, which is, the
vificn of God; and the objeft they enjoy,
which is \)c\t fruition of Cody that relates to
the underflanding, this to the will.
(i.) For the joy of faints, it is a pure
joy without any mixture of forrow or fin ;
it is a fpiritual joy, flowing efpecially from
this, that God is their portion; it is a full
joy, for they * joy in God, they joy in the
glory of God, they joy in the communica-
tion of God to them, they joy in the glory
of one another ; look how many faints are
in heaven, fo many joys have the faints;
for they rejoice in every one's happinefs
as their own, this doubles and trebles and
multiplies their joys : O it is a full joy ;
but that which is more than all the reft,
it is a divine joy, for it comes from God,
and k is in God, and it is with God. i.
It comes from God being caufed by the
Spirit of God. 2, It is in God, and that
is another manner of joy than is in meat,
or drink, or in the creature. 3. It is with
God, it is the fame joy that God him-
felf hath; carnal hearts rejoice in fenfual
things, but God rejoiceth not in thefe
things they rejoice in ; now the faints
in heaven are exercifed in the fame joy
that God himfelf hath; the beams of their
joy are mingled with the beams of God's
joy. O glorious joy ! and yet the happi-
nefs of faints confills not in this joy, for
the enjoyment of God is above this enjoy-
ment; proceed then, O my foul, wade fur-
ther, and bathe thyfelf in thefe delicious
rivers of their heavenly paradife.
(2.) For this vifion of God, the under-
Handing, or the mind of faints fee God ;
in this happinefs of heaven 'are inclofed
thefe particulars.
I. The faints know God, for feeing is
put for knowing, i Cor. xii. 12. No-j) we
fee through a glafs darkly y but then face to
face i
MEDITy^riO N,
face ; novj we know i,t part, but then fh all
rue kno'O) as ive are known. Every fainjt in
heaven underftands all things, and knows
all perfons (o far as it may any way con-
duce to his happinefs ; there is no fim-
plicity, no (hallownefs in heaven, all the
faints there have (harpnefsof wir, confor-
mity with God in knowledge, which is in-
deed the- very image of God.
2. The faints underftand fo clearly as
that they need no help of faith ; no help
of means to fee thofe glorious things of
heaven, except that means we call the light
of glory. Indeed there is a light in hea-
ven above all the brightnefs^of this world,
a light that would dazle the eye of man,
and dim it; hence, in this frail condition,
no man can fee God, and live; when God,
or but an angel appeared, how were men
affrighted ? but in heaven, the fouls of the
juft are elevated, and enabled to fee with
joy thofe things that are manifefted, /;/ thy
light /hall we fee light, Pfal. xxxvi. 9. It
is called the inheritance of the faints in
light. Col. i. 12.
. The faints in this light fee not only the
attributes of his God, mercy, jufllce, truth,
and wifdom ; but the very limple pure
eflence of God ; which yet is not feparated
from his attributes ; there is a clear vilion
on their part, and a clear manifeflation on
God's part; both are from God, to make
them able to fee him, and to be willing to
be feen of them : and thus God Ihews him-
felf, not darkly, as to the patriarchs of old,
not terribly, as on mount Sinai ; not afar
off, as to Balaam ; not for a fhort time, as
in the transfiguration ; the faints new dwell
upon the contemplation of him, they have
time enough to take a full view of him,
even eternity itfelf.
(3.) For the fruition of God, the will of
the faints enjoys God. In this happinefs of
heaven are involved thefe things.
1 . The faints have God, and they know
they have God by a reflex afV.
2. As they know they have God, fo they
231
make what ufe they will of all the attri'
butes of God, and of all that is in God ;
they have as much ufe as they will of the
wifdom of God, and of the power of God,
and of the mercy in God, as one friend u-
fually fays to another, ' Make ufe of all I
have as your own ;' fo God bids the faints
make ufe of all his riches, and glory, and
excellency, as they will.
3.Astheymakeufeof God,fothey have
the fweet and comfort of what they ufe ;
hence God is faid to give us all things rich-
ly to enjoy, i Tim. vi. 17. He gives the
things, and he gives the comfort with it ;
he gives himfelf to the faints in glory, the
ufe of himfelf and the comfort of himfelf
in tlie ufe thereof.
4. As they enjoy God.fo they enjoy them-
felves in God, they live in God continually;
the fi(h doth not more truly live in the wa-
ter, and move in the water, than the fouls
a( faints do live in God, and move in God ;
Tour life is hid with Chrifi in God, Col.iii. 3."
The life of faints upon earth is an hidden
life, and it is hid in God, but in heaven ic
is a revealed life, and revealed in God, and
enjoyed in God. Such a fpeech is that of
Chrift, Enter into your mafier's jcy. Mat.
XXV. 23. it enters not into you,but ye mufl
enter into it ; and what is it? Tour maf-
ter'sjoy ; not only that joy that your maffer
gives, but the fame joy that your mafler
has, it is your maker's own joy that yoii
muft enter into, and that you fhall live in.
So,Iwas in the fpirit on the Lord's day,{-m\\.
John, Rev. i. 10. it is not faid the fpirit
was in hiwyhut he was in the fpirit ; lurely
this was a beginning of the glorious con-
dition of the faints of God ; they are in
the Spirit of God, not only God in them,
but they in God. And this, O my foul, is
the fpiritual part of heaven, doth it not re-
lilh ? tajie and fee that the Lord is good /
O here is the pure, fpiritual, quinteflential
joys of heaven ! the faints are fo fwallow-
ed up in God, as that they cannot any fur-
ther mind themfelves, but altogether God ;
way
232 M E D I
nay rheir minds, and wills, and affefiions,
are all fet on God and nothing elfe. i.
Their minds are fo immediately fet on
God, as if they were wholly emptied of
the creature, and had nothing to do but
with an 'uncreated good, even God himfelf.
2. They will not any thing to thcmfelves
nor to any creature, but all to God ; O
their wilUs wholly taken up Vv'ith God. 3.
Their affections are wholly fet on" God ;
they rejoice in the Lord ahvays, and again
rejoice in the Lord, Pfalm. iv. 4. They
love the Lord -ojill all their heart, and
ivith all their foul, and with all their mindy
Mat. xxii. 37. an(^though they love them-
felves, yet fo as that they love thcmfelves
for God : in this world we love God for
ourfelves, which is but a natural love, or
for himfelf, which is a gracious love ; but
in heaven the faints love. themfelves for
God, which is a glorious love. And in
this kind of love of God, and enjoyment
of thcmfelves in God, the faints are raviHa-
ed with God, and are in a kind of extafie
eternally. * O the fweetnefs of this eter-
nity ! O blefled eftate of faints in the king-
dom of heaven ! O glory not to be expref-
fed, even by thofe who are glorified i There
is that perpetual fpring, which through the
frefli and fwcct breathings of the Spirit of
God, fhall flouridi ever; there is time, if
it be time, always after one fort, not di-
ftinguiflied into evening and morning, but
continued with a fimple eternity. O e-
ternity of joys, worthy of continual fongs
of faints and angels to celebrate thy praife !
O eternity of joys i how (hould 1 extoll
thee, delire thee, love thee, and hate all
this world for thee !' [O blclfed time ! -when
all tears Jhall be wiped from our eyes, and
r A T I O N.
death and forrow Jhall be no more : when
mortality Hiall \>q fw allowed up of life, and
we (hall enter upon the polTeflion of all
that happinefs and glory which God hath
promifed, and our faith hath believed,
and our hopes have raifed us to the expec-
tation of; when we (hall be eafed of all
our pains, and refolved of r.ll our doubts,
andbe purged from all our fins, and be freed
from all our fears, and be happy beyond
all our hopes, and have all this happinefs fe-
cured to us, beyond the power of time and
change : when we fhali know God, and o-
ther things without ftudy, and love him and
one another without meafure, and ferve
and praife him without wearinefs, and o-
bey his will without the lead reluclancy ;
and iliall ftill be more, and more delight-
ed in the knowing, and loving, and prai-
fing, and obeying God to all eternity.]
II. CG7uplaint. But alas ! where is my
love, my longing after this eternity > what
little taQe and favour have I of this fweet-
nefs? My foul, what dulnefs and heavinefs
is this that hangs upon thee ? How hath
the world bewitched thee that thou art be-
come fo carnal, fo corporeal, fo fenfelefs
of fpiritual things ? Thy thoughts run af-
ter riches, and they are uncertain ; thou
art ambitious after honours, and they are
flippery ; thou art in love with pleafures,
and their end is fudden, and there is bit-
ternefs in the end ; thou art daily conver-
fing with men, but death (hall dilfolve-all
knots of friendfliip with others. O pre-
pofterous care ! what, all on the world * ?
and now Eternity is thy meditation, (on
which thou Ihouldft tafie largely, and be
affefted deeply) art thou now all a mort ?
O what dulnefs, what drowfmefs, what fe-
• When we come to die, and etcrnhy (hall prefcnt itfflf to our ferious and waking thoughts, then things
will put on another face, and thofe things which we valued fo n-ucli In this life wiU then appear to be nothing
worth ; but thofe things which we negleftcd, to be of iniiniie conce-rDroent to us, and worthy to have been the
care and endeavour of our whole lives. And if we would conf.der thelc things in time, while the opportunities
of life and health arc before us, we might bt- convirctd at s cheaper rate, and come to be fatisficd ot the vanity
of this world before wc dcfpaircd of the happincls of the olhtr, — T i l l o r s o n .
curity
M E D I
cnr'ity is this ? if thou hafl: in thee any fpark
of that heavenly fire firfl: breathed into thee
by the Spirit of God, awake, awake, O
my foul, away, away with this dull, fenfelefs
fecurity, and confider there's but a ftep be-
tween thee and Eternity of joys. What
haft thou rot feen ? haft thou not heard ?
and when all is done, art thou fo carelefs
of thy home, fo fenfelefs of fpiritual de-
lights ? A gracious heart takes not the things
of heaven as guefles and imaginary things,
but looks upon them as certain, fubftantial
realities ; and this is a fign of grace, O my
foul, if thou art able to look at the things
of heaven, as the only real, fubftantial,
■excellent things, and fo as to darken all
the things of the world. Carnal men
look upon thefe heavenly things as con-
ceits and imaginations, they have not faith,
nor do they know within themfelves that
there are fuch things, but the faints kno-w
"ivithin themfelves, that they have a bet-
ter and an enduring fuh fiance, Heb. x. 34.
Luke xvii. 21. the kingdom of heaven
is within them, and therefore they are u-
fually quick and a6Hve, and lively, and
cheerful in their fervices or fufPerings. O
my foul, how fhould I bewail thy wants ?
Doft thou doubt whether there bean hea-
ven or whether thou haft a God and a Sa-
viour there ? Oh far be it from thee this
atheifm, wo to thee if thou believeft not ;
but O thou of little faith, doft thou be-
lieve there is fuch an happinefs, and an hap-
pinefs for thee, and yet thou defirefl it
not, and yet thou delighteft not in it ? A-
las, how weak and unbelieving is thy belief?
How cold and faint are thy defires ? Tell me
what fuch goodly enterir.inment haft thou
met withal here on earth that was worthy
to withdraw^ thee from thefe heavenly joys ?
Or what caufe of diflike findeft thou a.
bove ? Oh nohej my foul, it is only thy
milerable drowfinefs, only thy fecurity.
Oh what (hall I fay ? AVhat aileth thee, O
my foul ? As Jonathan faid to Amnon,
•why art thou lean from day to day^ being
H
TAT I O N. 233
the king's fon ? So, "why art thou heavy, O
my foul, and why walkcft thou fo dum-
pilhly in the ways of God, being the King
of heaven's fon ?
III. Wifj. O that I could mind this eter-
nity ! that I could tafte or reliftn this eter-
nity ! that I were fitted and prepared for
eternity ! that I -were -wife, that I un-
derflood this, that I confidtred my latter
end! Deut. xxxii. 29. that new while
it is called to day, while it is the accepted
time, and the day of falvation, 2 Cor. vi.
2. I had a diligent and intent eye upon this
Eternity ? O that I could ftill realbn thus,
What if I endure hunger and thirft-, emp-
tinefs and injuries, ficknefs and poverty ?
What if I were beaten with rods, or fuf-
fered fjipwreck P what if I were floned to
death ? 1 Cor. xi. 23. all thefe are nothing
to that eternity of woe?. On the contra-
ry. What if I had Crefus' riches, Solo-
n?Dn's wardrobe, Belfhazzar's cup-board,
Samfon's ftrength, Abfalom's beauty ? What
if an angel Jhould take me up into an ex'
ceeding high rnountainy and fhew me all
the kingdoms of the world, and the glory
of them, and fay unto me, All thefe will
I give thee ? all thefe are nothing to e-
ternal glory. O Lord, that I could wait
and long for thy falvation ! O that I could
mind the things above ! O that my eyes,
like the eyes of thy firft martyr, could by
the light of faith fee but a glimpfe of hea-
ven ! O that my heart could be rapt up
thither in defire ! O that I could fee hea-
ven with a difcerning, experimental, fpi-
ritual, fixed, believing eye 1 O that my
mind were raifed to look after that com-
munication of God that I Pnall have here-
after ! O that my converfation were in hea-
ven ! O that my foul were at this very time
and moment to receive the influence of
heaven's joys into it ! How then fhould I
trample upon thefe poor vanities of the
earth ! how willingly fhould I endure
all forrows, all toiments ! how fcorn-
fuUy fhould I pafs by all pleafures, all
h pomps !
234 MED n A
pomps 1 how fliowld I be in travail of my
tliirolution ! O when fhall this day come
that I ("hall perform that duty, and partake
of the glory of the faints ? "When fhall
this day come, that I fhall poffefs that pure,
and fpiritual,and full, and divine joy which
comes from God, and is in God, and is
u-ith God ? When fhall this day come that
1 fhall have * the vifion of God, and the
fruition of God ;' when lliall I fee God,
and enjoy God, and enjoy myfelf in God ?
Oh, wh;n fhall this day come, that I fhall
enter into thefe confines of eternity, and
folace myfelf in God ? ^s the hart panteth
after the "jjater-brooks, fo panteth my joul
after thee, God : my foul thirfteth for
Cod, for the living God : when fhall [
come and appear before God F
IV. Confejfion. I defire Lord, but alas, how
weakly, how dully, how heartlefly ? I am
not able, * Not fufficlcnt of myfelf to think
any thing as of myfelf, but my fufJiciency
is of God :' it is nature that pullsjme from
this holy meditation ; nature favours itfelf,
loves the world, abhors death and eternity
in another world : it is my mifery that I
dote on nothing, or on fin, that's worfethan
nothing; how long fhall thefc vanities thus
befot me ? How long flo all thefe vain thoughts
lodge within me ? Jer. iv, 15. Why Lord ?
there is no flrength in me, I can neither will
nor do ; // is thou only muji work in me
both to will and to do (both to meditate on,
and to prepare for eternity) of thy good
will and plea fure, Phil. ii. 13,
V. Petition. To thee, Lord, I make my
moan, to thee I tender my humble petiti-
on, and pour out my foul : O give me a
tafte and relilh of this eternity ; O give me
* this water, that I need thirft no more ;'
O give me fuch a tafte or reliih of this
■water, that it may be in me a well of wa-
ter Springing up into eternal life : O in-
ri o N.
flame my foul with a love of thefe thoughts,
with a longing defire after this eternity of
joys. O let me not always be thus dull
and brutifh, but thoi: that haft prepared e«
ternity for me, prepare my foul for eter-
nity * ; teach me fo to carry on this earth,
that I be not fhut out of thofe eternal man-
fions in heaven; open my eyes that I may
fee ; draw afide this vail, that I may know
what eternity i: ; give me fo to live as one
that labours for eternity, contends for e-
terniry, fuffers for eternity, [lives for eter-
nity ;] let me never be fo foolifh as to fet-
tle myfelf on vanity, and to negletft this
eternity that never Ihall have end. Oh fa-
ther of glory, give me thefpirit of wifdom
and revelation in the knovjledgeofChrif^f
that the eyes of my underjranding being in-
lightened, I may know what is the hope of
thy calling, and what the riches of the glo'
ry of thy inheritance is in the faints, Eph.
i. 17, 18. Lord, here is the fummary of
my fuit, that I may know, not only the
inheritance of the faints, hutthe inheritance
in the faints, and the glory of the inheri-
tance,and the riches of the glory; nor would
I have my underftanding to know this,
but I defire that the eyes of my underjiand-
ing ?nay be inlightened ; and let this come
from * the knowledge of Chrifl, from the
fpirit of wifdom and revelation, and from
the Father of glory.* O Lord, my mean-
ing is, and my prayer is, that I may find
fome experimentaljfweet and fpiritual good
in myfelf as the beginning of that eternal
good which I expedl: ; others may know
what this eternity is in fermons, in books,
in the written word ; but the faints only
know in themfelves that they have a bet»
ter and enduring fubf lance, Heb. x. 34. O
Lord, that I may know in myfelf what this
eternity is, that I may know it by that ex-
perimental fweetnefs of the beginning of
♦ There cannot be a better preparation for death and eternity, than a good life. Whofocvcr therefore lives
well, that is, -whofocver lava God and bis nngbbour, is prepared for eternity,
glory.
M E D IT^r 10 N, z^s
find in myfelf, and what is thee ; he owes it, bccaufe he hath promi-
^lory, that I
glory begun but grace and holinefs ? thou
feeft, Lord, that it is no ftrange favour that
I beg of thee, it is no other than that which
thou haft richly bcftowed upon all thy va-
liant martyrs, confefTors, fervants from
the beginning, who never could fo chear-
fiilly have embraced death and torments,
if thro' the midfl of their flames, and pains
they had not feen their crown of glory.
IVe faint fiot in fufferings , becaufe we look
at things that are not feeuy 2 Cor. iv. i6.
Why Lord, one drop of heaven within me
would darken all the glory of the world
without me ; O let me fee heaven in the
reality of it with a clear, fpiritual, fixed
eye ; let into my heart one fweet and fav-
ing thought of eternity, and then when
thou wilt. Lardy let thyfervant depart in
peace. My times are in thy hand, I am
no better than my fathers ; my life is a
bubble, a fmoke, a fhadow, a thought, I
know there is no abidingin this thorough-
fair : oh fufFer me not to be fo mad, as
while I pafs on the way, to forget the end ;
it is that other life that I muft look after ;
with thee it is that I muft continue ; Oh
let me never be fo fpiritually foolifh as to
fettle myfelf on what I muft leave, and
negleft eternity. I have feen enough of
this earth, and yet I love it too much.
Oh let me fee heaven another while, and
love it fo much more than the earth, by
how much the things there are more wor-
thy to be loved. Oh God, look down on
me, and teach me to look up to thee, and
to fee thy goodnefs in the land of the li-
ving ; thou that boughteft heaven for me,
guide me thither ; and for thy mercy's
lake, in fpight of all temptations, enlight-
en thou my foul, direft it, crovi'n it, that
fo at laft I may do that duty, and receive
that glory of thy faints, in joying, feeing,
and enjoying God to all eternity.
VL Confidence. Behold, O my foul,
and do not merely crave, but challenge
this favour of God, as that which he owes
fed it, and by his mercy he hath made his
gift his debt : is there not a promife made,
BleJJed is the people that know the joyful
found, they Jhall walk in the light of thy
countenance, (9 I,o;\'/, Pfal. Ixxxix. 15. and
is it not an experience tried, I fat down un-
der his fhadow with great delight, and his
fruit was fweet to my tafie, .G^nt. ii. 3.
O what is this but the tafte of eternity ?
What is this but a glimpfe of unfpeakable
joy i O Lord, let me tafle this fweetnefs
by fome real experiments in my own heart !
give me. Lord : what wilt thou give ? give
me a fpiritual eye that I may look at this e-
ternity as a fpiritual thing ; a carnal heart
looks at it carnally ; Oh the flalhes of
joy to have a crown and a kingdom ! but
a fpiritual heart looks at eternity fpiritually.
O give me to look to heaven with a right
eye, and in a right manner to look at the
fph-itual part, and fpiritual excellency in
heaven, which confifts in * the vifion of
God, and fruition of God ; in the image
of God, and communion with God :' O
give me thus to fee, and to know the rea-
lity of this eternity. Give me Lord, what
wilt thou give ? Give me an heavenly prin-
ciple that will carry me heaven-ward : the
church is compared to pillars offinoke that
afcend upward to heaven, Cant. iii. 6. tho*
the church be black and dark in regard of
her infirmities, yet fhe hath a principle to
carry her upward to heaven : and the
faint sare compared to eagles that flie aloft
towards heaven, though their bodies are
not there, yet their hearts and fouls are
there : why, Lord, my treafure is in hea-
ven, Oh let my heart be there ! Oh, where
fhould it be but there? Is not heaven the
place and center of my heart ? and have
not all things in nature a principle to carry
them to their proper place ? Experience
tells me that as the place of fire is on high,
fo fire hath a principle to carry it on high,
and as the place of earth is below, fo earth
hath a principle to carry it below: and if the
ft h 2 place
23^ MED IT A T I
place and center of my heart be in heaven,
mufl it not have a principle to move natu-
rally thither ? O the confciences of many
tell them their fonis work downward to
Vanity and fenfuality : But, O Lord, let
my foul work heaven-ward ! O Chrift, let
my foul move towards thee ! though I
have weights of corruption that would
weigh me down, yet give me and affure
me of that principle that does work to hea-
ven. Give me, Lord ; what wilt thou give
me ? give me fome beginnings of eter-
nal life wrought in me here, give me the
£rfl;-fruits of heaven. The Scripture faith,
that whom he hat^jiijiified, them he hath
glorifitd, Rom. viii. 30. /. e. they have
the glory of heaven begun in them : Why
Lord, give me this earned ; give me an
heart enlarged with God's image ; now is
the image of God begun, and in heaven
the image of God ihall be renewed : Oh
give me this image, give me righteoufnefs
and holinefs, for that is the image of Cod,
Eph. iv. 24. give me thy prefence, give
me the vifions of God, and fruitions of
God ; fuch things are in heaven ; and, as
the earneft of my inheritance, give me
the firfl fruits, give me fome acquaintance
of thy blefled Self in every ordinance;
let there be a ftronger union betwixt God
and my foul ; let me enjoy God in the
creature, and God in the ordinances, and
God in all things ; yea, let me enjoy God
in myfelf, and myfelf in God : O let the
fabbaths be my delight as a beginning of
that eternal fabbath that I rtiall keep in hea-
ven : and thus before I go into heaven, let
heaven come into me : let me talle of e-
ternity by thele real experiments in my
own foul. And now Lord, that thou haft
in fome fweet meafure afliired me, in that
thou begin neft to warm my heart, and to
perfuade my foul that I have a right and
intereft to this eternity ; how (hould I
but grow bold and confident ? Chear up,
O my foul, chear up my love, Chrift's
fair one, * for lo the winter is alraoftpaft,
O N.
and the time of the finging of birds Is al-
nioft come.* It is but a while, and I fhall
be free from the body of fin and death ; it
is but a while, and the image of God fliall
be made perfe£l in me ; it is but a while,
and I fhall behold the bleffed face of God,
and fiiall live to the praife of that blefled
God without any intermiffion, and fhall
join with thofe bleffed creatures, that are
eternally bleffing and praifing God ; thofe
taftes thou haft formerly had, affure thee
of this. Believe it, believe the promifes ;
be content to venture all thofe great things
of eternity upon that bare word of God,
Pfal. Ixxxix. 15. Cant. ii. 3. and iii. 6.
Rom. viii. 30, Eph. iv. 24. What? doft
thou believe! furely this one work of God
to make thee clofe wiih the promife, and
to venture all on the promife, doth of it-
fdf intereft thee in this eternity ; for this
is an immediate work of the Spirir,it is from
a divine principle to be able to do this ;
and yet ftay not here ; prefs on, O my
foul, and do not only believe a tafte, but
a hearty draught of eternity ; thefe tafles
are but earnefts, but there is a promile of
everlafting fruition : hath he not given his
word for eternal life, John iii. 16, for an
eternal inheritance, Heb. ix. 15. for ever-
lafiing righteoufnefs, Dan. ix. 24. for an
inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and
that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. i. 4. Awake,
arife, O my foul, and lay hold on the promi-
fes of this blefled Eternity ; be not dil'mayed
by reafon of thy unworthinefs, for the pro-
mife is of grace, freely offered, and freely
given to them that be unwoi ihy in their own
eyes. Chrift hath purchafed righteoufnefs
and everlafting life ; believe in him, and live
to all eternity. Omy foul, why art thou dull
and iluggilli, wherefore doft thou not put
forth thyfelfro embrace and receive this pro-
mife of eternity ? ' God's promifes are ever
certain, never lefs, but rather more in accom-
plilhment than in tender;' why doft thou
notcaft thyfelf upon thisbleffed ifrue,IfGod
be * merciful; I am eternally i" It is the fure
pro-
M E D ITAT I O N. iij
given thee a view of them, admire at this f
2. Break forth into praifes, join with
thofe blefled elders, that fell down before
the lamb, having all harps in their hands
and golden vials full of odours, and who
fung, Worthy art thou -who ivafi /lain, and
haji redeemed us unto God by thy bloody to
receive honour, and blejjing, and glory, Rev.
V. 8, 9. Make melody with all thofe crea-
tures in heaven, and on earth,and under the
earth,and in the fea,who {zy^BleffingJoonourj
promlfe of God, That he that ielieveth
hath eternal life, John iii. 16. therefore if
I believe, I am already a free denizon of
the new Jerufalem ; Eternity of joys is
already referved for me : why Lord, I
believe, come glory, come eternity, and
welcome glorious eternity, eternal glory.
Conclujion, Return unto thy rej}, my
foul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully
ivith thee, Pfalm cxvi, 7. And yet before
thy rell, I . Dwell a little in admiring at the
goodnefs of God, at the infinite treafures glory, and power be unto him tBatfitteth u-
of the riches of the glory of the grace of pon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever
God towards the children of men ! After
the apoftle had fpoken of glorification, he
cries out. What Poall ive fay to thefe
things P Rom. viii. 30, 31. Now, O my
foul, thou haft been difcourfing of eternity,
what doft thou fay to thefe things ? the
height, and depth, and length, and breadth
of the loving' kindnefs of the Lord ! Hoxu
unfe arch able are his 7nercies ! and his
grace pafl finding out ! how great is thy
goodnefs which thou haf} laid up for them
that fear thee, which thou haft wrought
before the fons of men I if ever God
wrought about any thing, it was about the
communication of his goodnefs to man;
This was the work of God, and great de-
fign of God from all eternity ; Nay, the
chief of the deep infinite councils of God,
and the works of the wifdomof God have
been, and yet are exercifed about this; O my
foul, admire, admire ! if in any part of this
Meditation thou haft had a true fpiriiual
fight of the riches of the goodnefs of God,
in the way of his communication of hap-
pinefs and glory to the children of men ; if
thou haft feen into the great delign of God,
into the deep ^councils of the wifdom of
God; ifthe Lord hath in fomefweetmeafure
laid open his heart to thee, and brought
thee into the treafures of his riches, and
and ever, ^tv.v. 13. Be raifed, be en-
larged, O my foul ! is there not caufe ?
why Chrift was the Lamb fain for thee i
and Chrift by his blood hath redeemed thee
unto God. O the incomparable love and fa-
vours of the Lord ! Was it ever found that a-
ny king or potentate fliould adopt the blind,
the lame, the deaf, the dumb, to fuccced
^im in his inheritance ? and fhall fuch an
one as I (the vileft, the worft of finners)
inherit everlafting life, a crown that never
withereth, a durable treafure, which can
never fade \ O what fhall I give unto the
Lord for this eternity .^ My foul, rejoice
thou in the Lord, and blefs his holy name :
Now begin that hallelujah on earth, which
in heaven thou flialt fing more fweetly to
all eternity, Hallelujah ! and again Hal-
lelujah ! Amen Hallelujah I
And now, O my foul, give up thyfelf to
God, andrepofe thyfelf wholly on thy ma-
ker and redeemer ; be abundant in. lervice,
there fhall not be one tear, nor one figh,
iTor one prayer loft. Wait patiently on
God, for the full pofTeffion of this eternity,,
and walk chearfully in the way that he
leads thee thereunto. Say at the parting of
this meditation, O Lord, O eternity * it-
felf ! O thou firftand hii\,j^lpha and OmegUy
without beginning and without all er.d, I
• Our auth )i muft be i nderrtood here as invoking God almighty by the name of Eternity, and not as addref-
fmg himlcif, like the pocis, to eternity iticlf,
recom-
a^S rhe LIFE of F Aim.
Tecommend my foul, my ways to thee ; for eternity through Chrift thy only Son,
take me to thy keeping, and prepare me my only Saviour, Pfal. xvi. 8.
CHAP. IX. SECT. I.
Of the Nature of the Ufe of FA 17 H.
TO live by faith, 'is by faith in Chrift
to aflent and adhere unto and to
poflefs the whole word of God as our own
in all eftates and conditions, refting quietly
upon his gracious and faithful promife, and
yielding ourfelves unto his good pleafure,in
fincere, univerfal, and conftant obedience :'
Or, to live by faitli^'is to feed upon the fe-
vcral promifes of God made in his word.and
to apply them toourownfelves,accordingto
our needs, and fo to uphold, comfort and
encourage ourfelves againft all temptati-
ons, and unto every good duty.' This life
of faith is a very heaven upon earth, a
fweet fanftuary to any hunted foul ; here-
by our hearts will be cheared, our life
will be fweet to us, God will be glorified,
and the glory of his truth will be mightily
advanced. O bleffed duty !
f. 2. Of the Manner of this Life of Faith
in general.
OU R dlreftions for this life of faith
are either general or particular.
In general, that we may live by faith,
we muft endeavour two things.
I. To get matter for our faith to work
upon.
II. To order our faith aright in the
work.
I. That we may provide matter for our
faith to work upon, we muft: obferve three
things, (i.) That we ftore up all the good
promifes of God, and our own experien-
ces fesfonably : It is good to lay up in a
good time aforehand. (2.) That we lay
in promifes of all kinds : We had better
leave than lack ; it is the wifdom of a
man, that he may not live feebly and poor-
ly, but to have fomewhat to fpare, (3.)
That we fo lay them up that we may have
them at hand : It is folly to fay, I have as
good provifion as can be, but I have itnot
here : Let the word of God divell in you
p\enteoiiJly and richly in all ivifdom. Col.
iii. 16.
II. That we may order our fahh a-
rightin the work, obferve thefe directions.
1. Take pofteflion of the promifes, and
value them as our own. The prophet, re-
cording a promife in Ifaiah liv. 17. adds
thus, This is the heritage of the fervants
of the Lord. So that there's no godly man
or woman but is a great heir. W'henfo-
ever they look into God's book, and find
there any promife, they may make it their
ovi^n : juftasan heir that rides over divers
fields and meadows, he faith, this meadow
15 my heritage, and this corn-field is my
heritage : and then he fees a fair houfe,
and faith, this fair houfe is my heritage ;
and he looks upon them with another man-
ner of eye, than a ftranger that fliall ride
over thofe fields : So a carnal heart reads
thofe promifes, but merely as ftories, not
as having any intereft in them ; but a god-
ly man every time he reads the fcripture
(remember this note when you are read-
ing the fcriptures) and there meets with
a promife,he ought to lay his hand upon it,
and fay, this is a part of my heritage ; it is
mine, and I am to live upon it.
2. Expert nothing from the promife
but that which is fuitable to the nature of
it : To this purpofe fome promifes are
abfolute, which God hath fimply deter-
mined to accomplifli ; as the promife of
the MeiTiah, Ifaiah vii. 14. and of the
calling
The LIFE oj
calling of the Gentiles, Rom. xi. 26. Some
promifes are conditional, which God will
accomplifh in his own time, and in his own
manner and meafure ; in a word, they
are no further promifed than God feeth in
wifdom to be moft meet for his glory,
and our good ; as, all temporal blelfings,
lefs principal graces, and . the meafure of
all fanftifying graces : now in all thefe
expeft nothing from them, but that which
is fuitable to the nature thereof.
3. That done, then eye that particular
good in the promife which we (land in
need of, and fet God's power and faith-
fulnefs and wifdom awork, to bring it a-
bout ; forinftance, thou art in perfecuiion,
and either thou wouldft have deliverance
out of it, or comfort and refreshment in
it : In this cafe fee all this in the promife
(referring the order, and time and man-
ner to God) and then fet God's power and
faithfulnefs awork that can do it, and his
wifdom awork to contrive it, which way
he knows beft : This is the meaning of
that text. Commit thy ways unto the Lord,
trujl in him, and he /hall bring it to paCs,
Pfalni xxxvii. 5. and cafi your care upon
the Lord, for he caret h for you^ i Pet. v. 7.
4. By faith wait upon God, in that way
he hath appointed ; it is true, God will
work that good for us, yet we muft ufe
the means, and meet God in the courfe
of his providence, otherwife we live not
by faith, but tempt God, and throw away
his promifes and all.
5. Set it down and conclude, that God
will do whatfoever he hath promifed, and
FAITH.
n9
we (hall receive it in the ways of his pro-
vidence : This is the very work of faith
itfelf, thus it draws fap and virtue from
the promife, when it concludes. That ac-
cording to the good in the promife, it is
lure to be done.
6. But imagine the Lord delays and
doth not fuddenly accompliai, then muft
faith take up its (land, and (lay rill it come.
He that believethy maketh not hajle ; the
vijion is for an appointed time] and there-
fore -wait for ity Ifaiah xxviii. 1 6. fo the
Pfalmift, As the eyes of a fervant look
to the hands of his maj}er, and the eyes
of a^ maiden to her mi/lrefs, fo cur eyes
wait upon the Lord our God, until he have
mercy upon us, Pfalm cxxxiii. 2. not un-
til ive ivill, nor until we fee it fit, but
until He will have mercy upon us.
7. Imagine further that the Lord not on-
ly delays, but feems to frown, and to fay,
fiewillnot hearrin this cafe, labour with an
holy humility to contend with our God,and
by ftrong hand to overcome him, for the
Lord loves to be overcome thus, f When
Jacob wredled withGod, Let we ffo,faith the
Lord; I will not let thee goSzit\\]2iCoh, Gen.
xxxii. 6, So do we catch the Lord Jefus, and
ftrive with him, and leave him not, till
we have thofe comforts he hath promifed,
and which we have begged : Surely this
is the glory and viftory, and triumph of
faith, when the Lord is fain to lay down
his weapons, and to yield himfelf as con-
quered. Thy name fhall no more be called
Jacob, but Ifrael, becaufe thou hafi prevail-
edwith Cody Gen. xxxii. 28.
t )^' *"' J "°' ""f^S''''^ 'I'^lpo'J ^•■^'g'^'y alters his meafures and conduft. becaufe of our importunity. No r
™Vft ?. thU t3 r'" 7 r """"'"^ tJ'erefore of our author, when he faith, The lord Icles to he overcome,.
? r\ ■ Tw- °''r u" •'";:"'' '""f« and importunate in our re^uefts for fpiritual and divine things be*
^r r ^e r Tlr V""",?l °"''""'" l"^ ^^'"^ ^"^ *^'^- ""'' -akes usfit to rec'l^ive and enjoy them"' And
therefore God. who loves all hu creatures, but particularly mankind, and who knows how ,o make tt^m happy has
he bater to accommod te h.mfelf to our weak capacities, has thought fit to f.gnify bis readincfs to beOow al oooi
Two
240
Two caxuions concerning promifes, and
the life of faith, are mainly to be obferved
in the general.
I. That not barely the promifes, but the
perfon of Chrift, is the objefl of faith :
We are not to reft on the promifes alone,
but to clofe with Chrift in thofe promifes ;
and therefore in receiving of, or having
recourfe unto a promife, we are firft to
feck out for Chrift in It, as being the foun-
dation of it, and fo to take hold of the
promife in him : Thus Philip directs the
eunuch. Believe on the Lord Jefus, Ac>s
viii. 31. The promife is but the cafket,
and Chrift the jewtl in it ; the promife but
the field, Chrift is the pearl hid in it, and to
be chiefly look'd at : Thus it is faid, the
promifes of pardon are not as pardons of
aprince, which merely contain an expref-
fjon of his royal word for pardon ; but
God's promifes are made in his Son, and
. are as if a prince fliould offer to pardon a
traitor, upon marriage of his child, whom
in, and with that pardon he tenders : The
reafon hereof is, becaufe Chrift is the grand
promife, in whom all the promifes are
Tea and Amen, 2 Cor. i. 20.
2. That promifes in things temporal and
fpiritual (not abfolutely necefl^ary to falva-
tion) are not univerfal, but indefinite, /. e.
he makes fuch promifes,becaufe fometimes,
though not ahrays, he grants accordingly.
For inftance, that promife of healing the
Jick, cannot be univerfal, for it might then
be fuppofed that fick men ftiould never die,
feeing the elders, James v. 15. may at all
fuch times of danger of death, ftill come
and pray with them ; but we all know it
is appointed for all ?n(n once to die, Hcb.
ix. 17. the manner thereof is, that prayer is
an ordinance to which God hath made fuch
a gracious promife,2nd he often doth rcftore
the fick at their prayers; and therefore up-
on every fuch particular occnfion, we are
to rely upon God for the performance of
i\ by an aft of recumbency, tho' we cannot
with an aft of full aifurance, the promife
The LIFEof F.^ITH,
not being imiverfal, but indefinite. Of like
nature are all other promifes of things tem-
poral or things fpiritual, not abfolutely
neceflary to falvation ; as long life, riches,
honour, afliirance of evidence to them that
fear him ; the tenor and purport of which
promife is not as if abfolutely, infallibly,
and univerfally God doth always perform
thefe to thofe that arc truly qualified, with
the conditions fpecificd in thdfe promifes ;
the contrary, both fcripture, inftances, and
common experience ihews, they are there-
fore indefinitely meant, and fo to be un-
derftood by tis ; becaufe whenever God
doth difpenfe any fuch mercies to any of
his, he would do it by promife : and he re-
quires anfweiably an a6t of faith fuitable
to that his meaning in the promife ; that as
he Intended not in fuch promii'es, an ab-
folute, infallible, univerfal obligation of
himfelf to the performance of them to all
that fear him ; fo the afl of faith, which
a man is to put forth towards this promife,
In the application of It for his own parti-
cular, is not required to be abfolute, in-
fallible perfuafion and aifurance, that God
will beftow thefe outward thijigs upon
him, having thefe qualifications in him, but
only an Indefinite a<5>, as I may call it, of
recumbency and I'ubmiirion, cafting and
adventuring ourfelves upon him for the
performance of it to us, not knowing but
he may in his outward dilpenfationsmake
it good to us; }et with fubmllfion to his
good pleafure, if othcrwife he difpofe it ;
and if he grant, to confider then, That
whatfoever we have, it is not by a mere
providence, but by virtue of a promife.
§. 3. Of the nianner of this life of faith in
particular, as in temporal evils.
1>j particular, that we may live by. faith,
obferve we, i. The promifes. 2. The
extrcifes of faith concerning the promifes.
And both thefe are' confiderable either in
regard of ourfelves, or of others.
I. In regard of ourfelves, and therein we
ihall
The LIFE of
/ball confider matters Temporal, Spiritual,
Eternal.
Things temporal are either Evil, or
Good.
W't fhall begin firft with Temporal Evils;
and concerning them, i. Give you the
promifes : and 2. The excrcife of faith in
refpeft of thefe promifes.
I. The promifes that concern temporal
evils have reference to thofe evils, either in
General, or in Special.
(i.) Evils general, are a"ffli(flions and
dangers, concerning which we have pro-
mifes, fome to Prevent, fome to Qualifie,
and feme to Remove thefe afBiftions.
I. The promifes to prevent afHiftions,
you may read in the word, and they are
thefe, and the like, Pfalm xci. lo. Pfalm
cxxi. 7. Job V. 19. Zech. ii, 5. where the
Lord promifeth to be a ivall of fire to his
people ', (not of flone orbrafs, faith Theo-
doret) that it may both fray afar off, and
keep off too at hand, protecl them, and de-
flroy their enemies.
2. The promifes to qualifie evils, are
thefe, and the like; Pfal. ciii. 13, 14. Ifa.
xlix. 13, 14. 15- Hof. xi. 8, 9. In this Jaft
promife, God imitates parents, faith Theo-
doret,when any mifery is upon their child,
their bowels yearn more; never fits the child
fo much upon the mother's lap, never lies
fo much in her bofom, as when he is fick :
fo the fpoufe being fick of love, /, e. in
fome mifery, Ch?-ift flnyeth her -with flag-
gcns^ comforts her -with apples, his left
hand is 'under her head, and his right hand
doth embrace her. Cant. ii. 5, 6. where we
mny read God's compaffion to his chil-
drtn in their calamities, that he narrowly
obferves every one of them ; Thou tel-
lejt mywanderings , Plalm Ivi. 8. yea, he
niaKes lo precious a reckoning of their
griefs and forrr)ws, that not a tear talis to
the ground, but he keeps it, pieferves it,
as precious liquor, in his bottle; put 7ny
ttars in thy bottle : yea, he kteps them in
memoryr he notes them and writes them
I
FAITH. 241
in his book, as if he would chronicle our
tears for everlafling remembrance; y/r^
they net in thy book ? 2 Cor. iv. 17. Is
there, or can there be any richer or fuller
exprefTion of TuJly, than there is in the
Greek ; where there is both an elegant
Antithefis, and double Hyperbole, beyond
Engli/hing, Kath' uperbolen eis uperbclen,
for affliction^ glory ; for light afflieiion^
heavy, malfie, fubilantial glory, a -weight
of glory ; for momentany affliSlion, eter-
nal glory ; nay, the apoftle aads degrees of
comparifon, yea, goes beyond all degiecs,
calling it more excellent, far more excel-
lent, 2Ln hyperbole, hyperbole exceeding ex-
cejfive, eternal -weight of glory.
3. The promifes to bear them, or, in
due time to remove them, are thefe,^and the
like; Pfal. xxxvii. 24. Jer. xxix. 1 1. J\';c.
vii. 8, 9. Pfal. xcvii. 1 1. as fure as harvtfl
follows feeding, fo to the righteous, com-
*fort follows mourning, John xvi. 20. i
Cor. X. 13.
(2.) Evils fpecial, are ilcknefs, poverty,
famine, war, captivity, witchcraft, poHef-
fion, opprelTion.
I. For ficknefs, we have promifes, fome
to Prevent, fome to Qualifie, and fome to
Remove Sicknefs. (i.) The promiles to
Prevent, are thefe, and the like; Exod. xv.
26. Deut. vii. 15, Pfal. xci. 10. (2.) Pro-
mifes to Qualifie ficknefs, are thefe, and the
like, Pfal. xli. 3. Heb. xii. 6, 7, 8. (3.)
Promifes to Remove fickneis, are thefe and
the like ; Exod. xxiii. 25. Deut. vii. 15.
Ifa. xl. 31.
2. For poverty, we may flore up thefe
promifes, Pfalm xxiii. throughout, Pfalm
xxxv. 9, 10. Pfalrn xxxvii. 25. Heb. xiii.
15. The wicked indeed may have more a-
bundance than the chriUian ; but here's the
dilference. 1 he wicked hath iill by a pro-
vidence,[he chriflian hath all by a promife;
and this diflindion the poor chrifiian
would not part with for a world of gold.
3. For famine, we inay ftore up thefe
promiies, Job v. 19, 20. Pfalm xx^iiii. 18,
* 19.
-42 ^^''^ LIFE
19, Prov. X. a, 3. Pfalm xxxvii. i8, 19.
Ifa. xli. 17, 18. Some martyrs being cart
into prifon, and denied neceffary food,
they had faith to return this anfwer, * If
men will give us no meat, we believe God
will give us no ftomach.' When Chrift was
an hungered, and Satan tempfs him to
command ftones to be made bread, he an-
fwered, Man fhall not live by bread alone ^
but by every word that proceeds out of the
mouth of God, Matth. iv. 4. q. d. A man
may feed on a promife, he muft depend
on God's allowance, and when provilion
iails, then not to diftrufl: the provifion of
God, is a notableVial of faith.
4. For war, we may gather up thefe
promifes,and the like, Job v. 20. Prov. iii.
24, 25, 26. Jer. xxxix. 17, 18.
5. For captivity, gather in thefe pro-
Tnifes, and the like, Deut. xxx 3, 4. which
very promife Nehemiah fueth out, Neh.
i. 9. Pfal. cvi. 46. Ezek. xi. 16.
6. For witchcraft or polfeffion, confider
that promife, Numb, xxiii. 23.
7. For oppreffion, we have thefe pro-
mifes, Pfalm xii. 5. Pfalm Ixviii. 5. Pfalm
cxlvi. 7, 8, 9.
II. For the exercife of faith concernmg
thefe promlfes, that we may live by them,
go to Meditation, and Prayer, i. For
meditation, and the matter of it, confider
thefe things,and let your faith feed on them.
( 1 .) That all affliction comes from God ;
Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord
hath not done it F I form the light, and I
create dar hie fs ; I make peace, and I cre-
ate evil : I the Lord do all thefe things,
Amos iii. 6. Ifa. xlv. 7. / know, Lord,
(faith David) that thy judgments are right,
and that thou in thy faithfulnefs haji af-
jiieied me, Pfalm cxix. 75.
(2.) That as God fends it, fo none can
deliver us out of it but God alone ; our
Cod, wilt thou not judge them P We have no
might againfi this great company that Com-
eth again fi us, neither know we what to do,
but our eyes are upon thee, i Ghr.jyi. I2.
ofF^ITH.
This meditation draws the heart from car.
nal repofe in means or friends ; it expels
vexatious and diflrafting cares, and preferv-
eth from the ufe of unlawful means of de-
liverance ; The horfe is prepared againfl
the day of battle, but fafety is of the Lord.
(3.) That the caufe of all miferies and
forrows is fin, and therefore 'tis time for us
to examine our ways, to humble ourfelves,
and fet upon reformation : Jthoui^ht onmy
ways (faid David, Pfalm cxix. 59.) and
turned my feet unto thy tefiimonies. When
ManafTes was in ?.ffli(ftion, He befought the
Lord his Cod, and humbled himfe If greatly
before the Cod of his J at hers, 2 Chron.
xxxiii. 12. Surely it is meet to be faid un-
to God, I have born chajiifement, I wilt
not offend any more : that which I fee not
teach thou me ; if I have done iniquity, I
will do no more. Job xxxiv. 31, 32. 1 he
end of chaftifement, is amendment of
life, whence it receives the name of cor-
rection, which fignifieth, to fetaright or
Jlraight.
(4.) That God now trieth our faith, pa-
tience, contentation, and meeknefs of Ipi-
rit : he hath faid unto Crolfts, * Go ye to
fuch a man, not to weaken his faith, or
to wafi:e any grace of the Spirit, but to
purge him, refine him, try him, exercife
him, to breed the quiet fruits of righte-
oulnefs, to confirm his patience, to fup-
port his hope, etc' Hence God's fer-
vants by their faith have been enabled to
fay, / will bear the indignation of the
Lord, becaufe I have finned againfi hitn^
until he plead 7ny caufe, and execute judg-
ment for me, Micah vii. 9. And if he fay
thus, / have no pleafure in thee : behold,
here am I, let him do to me, as feemeth good
to him, 2 Sam. xv. 26. This meditation
makes the heart willingly, freely, and con-
flantly to refign itfelf to the good pleafure
of God in all things. -
(5.) That 'tis God's will, after we have
gone to the promife, to ufe all lawful
means of help which God in his providence
affords ^
24?
The LIFE of FAITH. .^^
wicked Jhall not reji upon the lot of the
righteous : Thou baft laid, Tet a little
while, and the indignation JJoall ceafe :
Thou haft faid, In a little wrath I hid my
face from thee for a moment, but with e-
verlafling kindnefs wilt I have mercy on.
theey faith the Lord thy Redeemer y Pfalni
xii. 5. Ifaiah x. 25. and liv. 8. O thefe are
thy promifes, Lord make them eiFeftual
to my poor fouK
(5.) For concluGon, tell \vfe the Lord,
whatever becomes of us, we will truft in
him ; Though thou Jhouldfl fay me, yet
will I truf in thee. Job xiii. 18. For what
time I am afraid y I will truf} in thee,
Pfalm. Ivi. 3.
Thefe are the a6ls of faith by which it
puts forth, and exercifeth itfeif in time of
afflidlions.
a/Tords ; but in point of dependence, that
we folely reft on God's promifes: faith
coupleth the means and the end, butlook-
cth to the promifer (whofe truth, and wif-
dom, and power, and mercy never fails)
and not to the probability of the thing
promifed ; Abraham againfl hope, believed
in hope. That what God had promifed, he
•was able to perform, Rom. iv. 18, 21.
(6.) That the promifes are in Chrift, Tea
and Amen, and therefore fet it down and
conclude, that God will do whatfoeverhe
hath promifed, and we fliall receive it in
the way of his providence; it may be not
yet ; what then ? He that believes will not
make hafle: Ifa. xxviii. 26. Daniel waited
feventy years for deliverance out of cap-
tivity in Babylon, and may not we wait fe-
venty weeks, feventy days?
2. For prayer, and the parts and man-
ner of it, obferve this method :
(i.) Lay open our forrows before the
Lord, pour out our complaints into his
bofom ; lam the man that hath feen afflic-
tion by the red of thine anger ; thou hafl
brought me into darknefs, but not into light,
Lam. iii. 22. Lord, how am. I befet with
miferies ! how do my forrows increafe dai-
ly ! how are they increafed that trouble me!
Pfalm iii. i. Pfalm xxxviii. r8.
(2.) Confefs our fins with hatred, and
godly forrow ; / will declare my iniquity,
J will be fbrry for my fins, Hofea v. 15.
For want of this, God threatened the If-
raelites, / will go and return to my place ^
till they acknowledge their offence, and fee k
my face : in their affiidion they will feek
me early.
(3.) Importune the Lord, anddire6V\ve
our fupplications to our God ; Lord, how
long wilt thou look on ? refcue my foul
from their defirudion, my darling from the
lions; look upon mine affli£iion, and rny
tears, for I am brought very low, Pfalm
XXXV. 17.
(4.) Then prefs we the Lord with his pro-
mifes; Lord, thou haft faid. The rod of the cerning which. Pro. i.
§^. 4. Of the manner of this life of faith itt
temporal bleffings. <.
Concerning temporal bleffings, or good
things, confider we, I The promifes.
IL The exercife of faith in thofe promifes.
L Promifes that concern temporal blef-
fings, have reference to thofe bleffings, ei-
ther in General, or in Special.
(i.) The general promifes are thefe, and
the like, i Tim. iv. 8. Pfalm. xxxiv. 8, 9.
and Ixxxiv. ii. Phil. iv. 19. i Cor. iii. 21.
all things are yours, we are heirs of ithe
world.
(2.) The fpecial promifes have a relati-
on, fome to our name, fome to our bo-
dies, fome to our eftates, fome to our cal-
lings.
I. Thofe promifes that have a relation
to our good name, are liich as thefe, i
Sam. ii. 30. Prov. iii. 16. Prov. iv, 8. and
xiv. 19. Ifa. Ivi. 3, 4, 5.
2. Thofe promifes that have a relation
to our bodies, are either for long life, con-
cerning which, Deut. v. 16. 33. Prov. iii.
I, 2. or for health, concerning which, Pro.
iii. 8. Pfalm ciii. 3, 4, 5. or for fafety, con-
33. Job i. 18. Hof.
ii.
244
rhe LIFE of FAIT R,
ii. 18. Job V. 23. or for peace, concerning frugal ; it fhakes ofFidlenefs, takes the op
■which, Lev. xxvi. 6. Pfalm xxix. 11. and
xxxvii. 1 1 . Pro. xvi. 1 6, or for fleep, concer-
ning which, Job xi, 19, Pro. iii. 24. or for
food, concerning which, Pf. xxxvii. 3. Pf.
cxi. 5. Joel ii. 26. or for raiment, concern-
ing v.'hich, Dent. X. 18. Matth. vi. 25. xxx.
32. or for pofterity, the fruit of the body,
concerning which, Deut. vii. 12, 13, 14.
3. Thofe promifes that have a relation to
©ur eftates, are thefe, Job xxii. 24, 25.
Prov. viii. 18, 19. Pfal. xxxviii. 5.
4. Thofe promifes that have a relation to
cur calling, are either for plenty, concern-
ing which, Prov. «L. 4. and xii. 1 1. and xiii.
3. and xxviii. 19. or for prote^l^ion, con-
cerning which, Pialm xci. 1 1 . or for promo-
tion, concerning which, Prov. xii. 24. and
xxii. 29. or for good fuccefs, concerning
which, Prov. xii. 14. Ifa. Ixv. 21. 23. I
deny not but the wicked may enjoy all
thefe temporal blelTmgs by a general pro-
vidence, but only the jufl have a fpiritual
right to them ; they only have them as
rewards of their righteoufnefs, as teftimo-
nies of God's love and care over them, and
by virtue of a promife.
II. For the exercife of faith concerning
thefe promifes, obfcrve that we may live
by them, either in the want of thefe tem-
poral mercies, or in the enjoyment of them.
1. In the wane of them, go we to Me-
ditation, and Prayer.
1. For meditation, and the matter of it,
confider thefe things :
( I .) That faith in this cafe doth ranfack,
and fan the foul narrowly to find out and
remove whatfoever doth offend : If thou
return to the Almighty, thou Jhalt be built
portunity, hufbands thriftily, and obfervcs
God's providence in all affairs; otherwile
we live not by faith, but tempt God, and
throw away his promifes and all.
(3.) That faith prefer ves from the ufe
of all unlawful means : the believer con-
fults ever what is juft, not what is gain-
ful ; or what msy be compaffed by honert
courfes, not what may be gained by fraud,
deceit, cozensge, or the like carnal dealings :
Better is a little luith righteoufnefs, than
great revenues xvithout right, Pro. xvi. 8.
(4.) That faith leans upon the provi-
dence of God, who will keep back nothing
from us, but ^ hat is iiUrtful and pernici-
ous : here's a fwtet a(fl; of faith, it fubmits
to God's wifdom, and refls on providence,
after the ufe of all lawful means ; and this
maintains a Chtiilian in fome meafure of
contentment.
2. For prayer, and the parts or manner
of it, obferve this method.
(i.) Confefs our iins, efpecially thofe
fins which upon fearch we are perfuaded
hinder profperity : * O Lord, I have thought
on my ways, and I find this or that fin in
my bofom, this or that corruption hath
gotten head, and hinders thy blelhngs : O
Lord, liow ihould 1 expecft needful things I
What have 1 to do with thy promifes, that
have committed fuch and fuch iins V
(2.) Importune the Lord for his tempo-
ral blelfings, at leaft fo far as he feeth ihem
to be for our good, and for the glory of
his great name : thus Bildad tells Job, ch.
viii. 5, 6, 7. // th'-ju ivouldjl feek unto
God betimes, and make thy fupplication to
the Almighty, furely now he would awake
up, thou fhalt put iniquity far from thy for ihiC, and makj the habitation of thy
tabernacles : then fmlt thou lay up gold as righteoufnefs profperous : though thy begin-
dufl, and the gold of Ophir as the Jiones of nirig was fnatl, yet thy latter end fbould
the brooks, Job xxii. 23, 24. This advice
faith digefis, and labours the reformation
of what is amifs, and whatfoever hinders
the promife.
(2.) That faith is painful, provident and
greatly encreafe. Thus Jabez prayed, Oh
that thou wouldft blefs me indeed, and eu'
large my conji, etc. i Chron. iv. 10. and
God granted him that which he requefted.
In like manner was Jacob's prayer, JfGod
xvill
The LIFE
vjill he ivith me, and will keep me in this
ivay that I go, and ivill give me bread to
eat, and raiment to put on, fo that I come
again to my father's houfe in peace, then
JJmll the Lord be my God, Gen. xxviii. 20,
21. And thus may we importune the
Lord, and make our fupplication to the
Almighty.
(3.) Then prefs the Lord with his pro-
mifes as with fo many arguments : Lord,
thou haft faid, Godlinefs hath the promife
of the life that now is, as well as that
which is to come. Thou haft faid. Fear
the Lord, ye his faints, for there is no want
to them that fear him, &c. O thefe are
thy promifes, make them good to us as it
ftands beft with thy wifdom.
2. In the enjoyment of thcfe temporal
blelTings, go we to Meditation and Prayer.
I. For meditation, and the matter of
it, confider thefe things.
(i.) Faith in profperity, keeps the heart
in a holy temper and difpofition, i. e. in
humility, meeknefs, tendernefs and com-
paffion towards others, in thankfulnefs, o-
bedience, and in the fear of the Lord. Sa-
tan himfelf could reply to the Lord, Doth
Job fear God for nought, haft thou not made
a hedge about him? Job i. 13. in this cafe,
faith will remember man of his duty, and
perfuade him to be 10 much the more fer-
viceable, as God's mercies are more plen-
tiful upon him.
(2.) That faith makes a man heavenly-
minded in the ufe and pofteffion of a prof-
peious eftate ; as it receives all earthly
bleffings from God, fo it winds and pulls
up the foul to God again ; and if it be
rightly confidered, profperity is the fitteft
feaibn for heavenly contemplation ; the
jcfs trouble lies upon our eftate, the more
liberty we have to think of heavenly
things-: howfoever, faith confiders thefe
things as pledges of God's love, as parts of
our child's portion, and fo it makes us look
at the better part, thofe never-fading rich-
es which God hath referved in heaven for
of FAIT R. 245
all that fear him.
(3.) That faith breeds a godly jealoufie
and fufpicion, left the heart fhould be
drawn away with the pleafmg delights of
things tranfitory, for by grace it is that we
are made confcious of our own weaknefs,
and of the fnare that is in every creature
to take and intangle us: profperity isplea-
fing, but dangerous ; a man may quickly
furfeit of fweet meats. This makes the
waking believer circumfpefl and watchful,
and jealous and fufpicious of his own
heart, left he mifcarry in profperity, con-
fidering there is a fnare in it.
(4.) That faith minds a change, even
when our mountain feems ftrongeft : The
thing I greatly feared (faith Job, chap. iii.
25.) is come upon me, and that which I
was afraid of is come unto me ; by this it
appears, that Job always thought upon a
change : ' There is no wind (faith the pro-
verb) that may not blow rain, if God fo
pleafe.' Riches have their wings, and take
their flight like an eagle \ now faith minds
this, and prepares for this; The prudent
man forefeet h evil, and hideth himfelf Pro.
xxii. 5. and xxvii. 12.
2. For prayer, and the manner of it,
obferve this method :
(i.) Confefs and acknowledge God's
mercy, both in his promifes and perfor-
mances ; fay, ' Lord, thou haft proinifed,
that no good thing wilt thou withhold from
them that walk uprightly : and fur el y thou
art true in thy layings, I believe by vir-
tue of thy promife I enjoy this land, and
thofe goods, ^c. I have nothing. Lord,
but merely of free-grace, and by virtue of
a promife.'
(2.) Pray, and importune the Lord for
fanctification of profperity, and for God's
blelTmg upon the means: the more we
profper, the morcearneft Ihould ihepra)'-
ers of faith be; for of ourfclves we have no
power to wield a good eftate well, no abi-
lity to preferve or keep it ; in greateft
wealth we iy open to many temptations.
246
rhe LIFE
and if we pray not earneftly that God may
fanftifie-all his temporal bleflings to us, we
iliall cool in grace.
(3.) Praife God for his mercies, and
devote ourfelves unto him from whom we
have received all: What jhall I render un-
to the Lord (faith David) for all his mer-
cies towards me ? I ivill take the cup of
falvation, and call upon the name of the
Lord, Pfalm cxvi. 12, 13. Men look for
thanks for a fmall kindnefs, and fhall not
we magnifie God for all his favours and
loving-kind nefs towards us ? praife the
Lord, blefs the Lord, my foul ! Pf. ciii. i .
§. 5. Of the manner of this life of Faith
in fpiritual evils .
THINGS fpiritual are either Evil, or
Good.
'We fliall begin with fpiritual Evils ; and
concerning them, i. Give you the pro-
mi fes ; and, 2.Theexercife of faith inre-
fpeft of ihofe promifes.
Evils fpiritual arife either from the de-
vil, or the flefh, or the world, or from
m'an, or God, or from ourfelves.
1. Thofe evils that arife from the de-
vil, are temptations of feveral forts, and
the man, whofe heart is upright, fhall find
ftrength enough againfl: every temptation :
to that purpofe, confider thefe promifes,
Mat.xvi. 18. iCor.x. 13. i Joh. v. 18.
2. Thofe evils that arife from the flefh,
are lulls, or temptations of uncleannefs ;
and for ftrength and ability againft fuch a
temptation, confider thefe promifes, Prov.
ii. 10, II. 16. Ecclef. vii, 26. i ThefF. v.
23,24.
3. Thofe evils that arife from the world,
are covetoufnefs, cares, evil company, &c.
and for ftrength againft fuch, confider
thefe promifes, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. Gal. i.
4. 1 John V. 4. Heb, xiii. 5. there are five
negatives together in the original that
ftrongly affirm ; q. d. I tell thee, I will ne-
ver, never, never, never, never forfake thee.
4. Thofe evils that arife from wf«, are
of FAITH,
either oppofitions againft truth, concern-
ing which, Mar. x. 19. Afts xviii. 9, 10.
or, oppofitions againft goodnefs, Matth.
V. 10. I Pet. iii. 14. or, oppofition againft
both: and fo they fall either on our good
name, concerning which, Pfal. xxxvii. 6.
where, howfoevcr thy innocency be at
fome times covered, as it were, with a thick
and dark raift of (lander and opprefTion,
yet the Lord will in his good time fcatter
and dilfolve the mift, and fo make thy in-
nocency apparent to the world ; yea, he
will make thy righteoufnefs as evident as
the fun when it arifeth, yea, as noon day
when it is at higheft, and fhines brighteft,
Pfalm Ixviii. 13. Mat. v. 11, 12. i Pet. iv.
14. etc. or, they may fall on us, in re-
fpeft of our liberty, concerning which,
Pfalm Ixix. 32, 33. and cti. 19, 20. Rev.
ii. 20. or, they may deprive us of our
goods, concerning which, 2 Chro. xxv. 9.
Matth. xix. 29. Hab. iii. 17, 18. or, they
may take away life, concerning which,
Mat. X. 39. John xii. 25. Rev. xiv. 13.
5. Thofe evils which arife from Gody
are defcrtions ; and for comforts againft
them, confider thefe promifes, Ifa. xlix.
14, 15, 16. and liv. 7, 8. and 1. 10.
6. Thofe evils that arife from ourfelves ^
are fins and infirmities, and they are ei-
ther fpiritual blindnefs, concerning which,
Luke iv. 18. 1 John ii. 27. Ifa. xxxv. 4,
5. or, fpiritual lamenefs, concerning which,
Ifa. xxxv. 6. and xl. 31. or, heavinefs of
mind, concerning which, Ifa. xxxv. i, 2.
Jer. Ixvi. 12, 13, 14. or, weaknefs of me-
mory, concerning which, John xiv. 26. or,
fears of lofing God's love,concerning which,
Ifa. xl. 15. and liv. 10. Jer. xxxiii. 20.
Pfalm Ixxxix. 33, 34, 35. John xiii. r.
Rom. xi. 29. or, fear of falling away from
God, concerning which, fee the impoffi-
bility in regard of God, 2 Tim. ii. 19. in
regard of Chrift, Luke xxii. 32. in regard
of the holy Ghoft, John xiv. \6. Eph.iv.
30. in regard of the promifes, Pfalm xciv.
14. 1 Coji. i. 8, 9. or, indifpofition, dil-
tra(flion.
The LIFE of FAITH.
tra(f^ion, defefls in our beft performances,
concerning which, Numb, xxiii. 21. Cant,
ii. 14. or particular falls, daily frailties and
infirmities, concerning which, Ifa. Iv. 7.
Jer. iii. i. Pfalm xxxvii. 24. and cxlv. 14.
Hofea xiv. 4. i John i. 9.
2. For the exercifing of faith, concern-
ing thefe promifes, that we may live by
them, go we to Meditation, and Prayer.
I. For Meditation, and the matter of it,
confider we thefe things.
(i.) That of ourfelves we cajinot refift
thefe fpiritual evils; all our comfort is,
that neither the devil, nor the world, nor
the fleili, nor fin can oppofe any further
than God will give them leave ; not the
devil himfelf An tempt whom he will, TiOr
when he will, nor how he will, nor how
long he will, but in all thefe he is confined
by the providence of God. A legion of de-
vils could not enter into a Gadarene hog
till Chrift had given them leave : Satan
could not touch one bleat pertaining to
Job, till he had obtained liberty ; nor af-
ter lay a finger on his body, until his li-
berty was renewed ; O meditate on God
and his power, who hath all our enemies in
a chain ; as for ourfelves we have no abi-
lity to refift any of thefe evils.
(2.) That faith fortifies the foul againft:
all oppofitions ; the more they rage, the
more faith heartens the foul to believe,
and to keep clofe under the fliiadow of the
Lord's wings ; as the child affrighted, clings
fafter to the mother; fo the poo): foul
purfued by the devil, or world, or fleOi,
or man, or God, or our own corruptions,
it runs toChrift, the everlaftingrock, and
in his name refills all thefe evils, and in
his name gets the victory.
(3,) That in the moft forcible tempefts,
which God, devil or man raifeth againft us
(when to prefentfenfe and feeling all fight
and hope of the grace and goodnefs in
Chrift Jefus is loft) then faith tells the
heart, that a calm is at hand. The laft temp-
tation wherewith Satan fet upon Chriil,
■47
was the moft furious, and when he cotiU
not prevail thereby, he departed for afea-
Jon : the Lord will not fuflfer us to be temp-
ted above meafure. This faith aftures us
of, and perfuades us quietly to wait for
the iffue.
2. For prayer and themanner of it, ob-
ferve this method.
(i.) Confefs our fins of former igno-
rance, vanity of mind, felf-confidence, fo-
litary mufings on the temptations of Sa-
tan, mifinterpreting of the Lord's doings,
6'c. which fet open the foul to all other
fpiritual evils : * O my God, I have dife-
fteemed thy mercy, diftrufted thy promif-
es, harboured thoughts of unbelief, eirc.
and fo have expofed my foul to the moft
violent, horrible, and fiery temptations of
the world,flefti,devil,and my own lufts : my
foul, which fliould have been raviftied with
the joys of heaven, and with the kifi:es of
Cferift, is continually peftered and afi^ailed
with the black and hellifii thoughts of a-
theifm, blafphemy, and foul-vexing fears ;
jny heart trembleth, my ftrength faileth,
my life isfpent with grief, my fpirit with-
in me is overwhelmed, and prevailing fears
fo tyrannize over me, that I cannot fpeak,
■ I am fore wounded and broken, I go
mourning and defolate all the day long.'
(2.) Importune the Lord for pardon
of fin, and for help againft all oppofitions:
Pardon, O Lord, my yielding to the
temptations of the devil, or fieili, or world,
or fin ; pardon, O Lord, the infidelity'
doubtings,dejeaednefs,infirmities, and car-
nal exceflive fears of thy poor fervant : and
for the future, deliver my foul from the
fnares, ftrengthen me in the combat againfl
all mine enemies : arife, O Lord, difap«
point Satan, caft him down, deliver my
foul from the wicked one ; O be thou my
ftrength in my trouble, for I fly unto thee
for help and for fuccour.'
(3.) Then prefs the Lord with his pro-
mifes, as with fo many arguments: 'Lord^
thou haJft (aid, TAat the gates oj helljhal]
nat
248 The LIFE
iiot prevail agatnj} us, : that "vjhofo pleafith
Cod fnall cfcape the Jlravge -woman : that
ivhofoevev is born of God ox>ercovieth the
luorld '. that if %ve fuffer for right eoufnefs
fake, happy are ive : that in a little wrath
J hid my face for a moment, but with ever-
lafling kindnefs wHl I have mercy on thee :
that a good man though he fall he fh all not
be utterly cafl down, for the Lord uphold-
eth him with his hand. O thefe are thy
golden, fweet, precious promifes; now
Lord, make them good to my foul, iet
me draw the fweet, and juice and virtue
from every of thefe promifes ; let not a
word of thefe promifes fall to the ground,
let me have my Inare, and part and porti-
on in thefe comfortable promifes, through
the Lord Jefus.'
§, An appendix of the manner of this life
of faith, in oppofitions again/} truth and
goodnefs, and more particularly again ft
our good name, whereby an unvjorthy
fervant of Chri ft fometimes found abun-
dance of fpiritual comfort.
HIS innocency being fometimes over-
fhadowed wiih a thick and dark mill:
of (landers, reproaches, and defamations,
he endeavoured, i. To review the pro-
mifes ; and, 2. To aft his faith on them.
I. The promifes were thefe, Pfa. xxxvii.
5, 6. Matth. V. 10, II, 12. I Pet. iii. 14.
and iv. 14. Pfal. Ixviii. 13. Tho' you have
lien among the pots, yet fhall ye be as the
win^s of a dove covered with filver, and
her feathers with yellow gold. q. d. Tho'
hitherto you have been as fo many abjefts
caft into the ends of tlie earth, as thrown
amongft black and fmouky pots, opprelfed
with mighty calamities, yet the time is at
hand that ye Ihall be made white as doves ;
your innocency and happincis (hall appear,
and your white fliall be intermixt with the
colour of pure and yellow gold ; /. e. you
fhall come to the top of ihe highcli Icliciiy,
and ye 11 all be freed from llander and ob-
tain illuftrious glory.
of FAITH.
2. In the aftings of his faith, he endea-
voured I. To meditate. 2. To pray.
I. His meditations were thffe,
( r .) That we know not how to prevent
it. Men may llander, and men will llan-
der fo long as the world lalls ; only we
have thefe promifes for comfort, and it is
the Lord who promifeth, and if he pleafe,
he can hide us from the fcourge of
tongues ; or if he pleafe, he is able to rc-
ftore us double to our lliame. Job v. 21.
Ifa. Ixi. 7.
(2.) That true faith will fortifie the
foul againft all reproaches ; There is an
encouraging voice of the Lord to this end,
Ifaiah li. 7. Hearken unto me, ye that know
right eoufnefs, the people in whofe heart is
my law : fear ye not the reproach of wc«,
neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
(3.) That if the wicked reproach more
and more, yet it is the duty of v-hrilVians
to exercife patience. Experience of their
vanities, and God's gracious dealings with
us, will fortifie our hearts -. Fear not thou
worm (thou poor defpicable thing) / will
help thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer^
Ifaiah xli. 14, and as for thy reproachers,
their doom is before, Behold all they that
are incenfed ugaiijfi thee fhall be afhamtd
and confounded : they fhall be as nothings
and they that Ji rive with thee fhall periflj,
ver. 1 1 .
(4.) That faith makes the foul circum-
fpeft, and in this cafe doth ranfack and fan
the foAil narrowly, to find out what is the
matter, and rile of thofe flandtrs and re-
proaches : If ye fujfcr for right eoufhcfs
fake, happy are ye, i Pet. iii. 14. it mull
be lor rlghteoufnefs fake, or there is no
blelling upon it ; and fo the apoftle adds,
Tou ynuft have a good tonfcience, that
whereas they Jptak txnl of you as- jf evil
doers, they may be afhamcd that fal fly ac-
cu/e your good convcrjation in ChriJ} : for
it is In tttr, if tht will of Cod be /c. that ye
I'ufffr for wcli-doi/ig, than fot evii-doingy
V. lO, 17. \V e are ordinarily more impa-
tient
The LIFE of FAITH.
249
tlent at uodeferved, than defcrved fuffer-
ings; but it is better, faith the apoftle, fo to
fuffer, than otherwife. Let none of you fuf-
fer as a murderer y a thief, an evil doer, but
if any man fuffer as a Chriflian, let him
not be apjamed, but let him glorify God
on this behalf, i Pet. iv. 15, 16.
(5.) That true faith efteems all fuch
(landers as the mofl: honourable badges of
innocency that pofTibly can be. If mine
adverfary Jljould -write a book again/i me,
furely I -would take it upon my (boulder, and
bind it as a cro-wn to me, Job xxxi. 35,
36. * I rejoice, (aid Luther, that Satan
fo rages and blafphemes, it is likely that I
do him and his kingdom the more mifchief.'
* And they that reproach me, faid Auftin,
do againfl: their wills increafemine honour
both with God and good men.' The more
the dirty feet of men tread and rub on
the figure graven in gold, the more luftre
they give it : fo the more caufelefs afper-
fions the wicked cart: on the godly, the
more bright do they rub their glory : And
hence was that choice ofMofes, rather to
fuffer afflidion "with the people of God,
than to enjoy thepleajures of fin for afeafon;
efleeming the reproach 0} Chrift greater rich-
es than the treafures of Egypt, Heb. xi. 25.
II. For prayer, his method was,
(i.) To complain to the Lord, as fome-
times David did, Pfalm Ixix. 19. Thou,0
Lord, hafi known my reproach, and my
fjame, and my dijhonour : mine adver-
faries are all before thee. Reproach hath
broken my heart, and I am full of heavi-
nefs : and I looked for fome to take pity,
but there -was none, and for comforters,
but I found none.
(2.) To perition to the Lord, as other-
whiles David did. Let me not be afham-
ed, Lord, for 1 have called upon thee,
let the -wicked be ajhamed, and let them be
filent in the grave : let the lyittg lips be
put to f Hence, -which fpe ah grievous things
proudly and cont!:mptuoufLy againfl the
righteous. how great is thy goodnefs.
Kk
•which ihcu hafl laid up for them that trufl
in thee before the Jons of men ! Thou [halt
hide them in the fecret of thy prefence,
from the pride of men, thou fhalt keep
them fecret ly in a pavilion from the fir if e
of tongues, Pfalm xxxi. 1 7. ^r. Thus,
Lord, I beg at thy hands, or if other-
ways, thou knoweft it beft in thy wif-
dom ; Let them alone, and let thtm cutfe,
it may be the Lord will look on my affiiclion,
and thou Lord wilt requite good for their
curfing this day, 2 Sam. xvi. i i, 12.
(3.) To prefs the Lord with his graci-
ous promifes : as thus ; Thou haft faid,
Bleffed are ye when men floall revile you,
and perfecute you, and fhallfay all manner
of evil againft you falfly for my name's
fake, Matth. v. 11. y^nd if ye fuffer
for right eoufiefs fake, happy are ye : ^nd
if ye be reproached for the natne ofChrif}^
happy are ye, i Pet. iii. 14. Thefe are thy
gulden promifes,nowLord make them good
to my foul,let me draw the juice,and fweet,
and virtue from every of thefe promifes;
let not a word of thefe promifes fall to the
ground, but let me have mypart, andfliare,
and portion in them.
(4.) To pray to the Lord to forgive all
his enemies that trefpalTed againft him, as
fometimes Chrift did, Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do, Matth. vi.
12. Surely in thefe two things there is
much matter of comfort, i. That our
hearts are well, and not ill-affcfled to any
man. 2. That going alone we can hum-
ble ourfelves, and pray for the authors of
all the reproaches and flanders that are un-
juftly caft on us.
§. 6. Of the Manner of this Life of Faith
in fpiritual Blefftngs, as derived to us
from God, and Cht ifly and the Spirit
ofChrifl.
Concerning fpiritual bleflings, or good
things, confider we, I. The promifes;
II. The exercile of faiih in rcfpe^l: of thefe
promifes.
I. The
250 The L 1 FE of FA I T H.
I. The promifes are of fuch blefTings as
arife either from God, from Chrift, or
from the Spirit of Chrift.
I. From God proceeds his love of us,
prefence with us, and providence over us.
1. Concerning; his love of us, we have
thefe promifes, Deut. vii. 7, 8, 13. Ifaiah
liv. 8. Jer. xxxi. 3. Hofea ii. 19. and
xiv. 4. John iii, 16. Eph, ii. 4. i John
iv. 19.
2. Concerning his prefence with us, we
have thefe promifes, Gen. xxvi. 24. and
xxviii. 15. Exod. iii. 12. Jolhuai.5. Jer.
i. 8, I Chro. xxviii. 20, Ifa. xli. I0. Mat.
xxviii. 20. Rev. ii, 1.
3. Concerning his providence over us,
we have thefe promifes, Pfalm xxxiv. 7.
and xci. 11, 12. Job xxxvi. 7. Zech. ii.
8. whence (He that toucheth you, toiicheth
the apple of mine eye) obferve, that the
Lord, to exprefs the tendernefs of his love,
names the tendereft part of the body, nay
the tendered piece of the tendereil: part.
The chrijlal humour, as the philofophers
call it.
' II. From Chrift we have promifes, i.
Of the perfon of Chrift, 2. Of the benefits
that flow from Chrift.
1. Of the perfon of Chrift, in Gen.
ii. 15. where was the firft promife, and the
foundation of all other promifes, becaufe
God intended to makegood every promife
in Chrift.
2. Of the benefits that flow from Chrift,
whether Redemption, Vocation, Juftifi-
cation, Reconciliation, and Adoption.
(i.) Concerning Redemption, we have
thefe promifes, Tit. ii. 14. Eph. i. 7. Gal.
Jii. 13. Heb. ix. 12.
(2.) Concerning Vocation, we have
thefe promifes, Afls ii. 39. Rom. viii. 20.
(3.) Concerning Juftification, we have
thefe promifes, Ifa. liii. 11. A'5ts xiii. 39.
Rom. viii. 33.
Now this Juftification confifts of two
parts : i. In not imputing fin. 2. Im-
puting righteoufnefs.
1. For not imputing (or forgiving) fin,
we have thefe promifes, Pfalm xxxii. 2.
Jer. xxxi. 34. Ifaiah Iv. 7. Jer. xxxiii. 8.
Hither tend all thofe metaphors, Ifaiah
xliii, 25. and xliv. 22. and xxxviii. i8.
Micah vii. 19.
2. For imputing righteoufnefs, we have
thefe promifes, Rom. v. 19. i Cor. i. 30.
Rom. X. 4. Ifa. Ixi. lO. Gal. iii. 6. This
phrafe is ufed ten times in one chapter,
Rom. iv. 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 1 1, 12, 23, 24.
(4.) Concerning Reconciliation,wehave
thefe promifes, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. Eph.
ii. 14, 16. Col. i. 21, 22.
(5.) Concerning Adoption,we have thefe
promifes. Gal. iii. 26. John i. 12. Rom.
ix. 26. Gal iv. 4> 5, 7.
III. From the Spirit of Chrift, we have
promifes, i. Of the Spirit hi mfelf. 2- Of
the operation of the Spirit.
1. Of the Spirit himlelf, in Joel ii- 28,
29. A(51:s ii. 17, 18. John xiv. 16, "17.
Eph. i. 13. Gal. iii. 14.
2. Of the operation of the Spirit, and
that, (i.) In general, as Sanftiucation.
(2.) In fpecial, as Spiritual Graces, and
Spiritual Duties.
1. Concerning San^iification, we have
thefe promifes, Mic. vii. 19. Jer. xxxi.
33, 34. Heb. viii. 10. and x. 16. i Thef.
23-
I John i. 7. Rev. i. 5.
Concerning Grace and Duties, we fliall
handle them anon.
II. For the exercife of faith concerning
the promifes, that we may live by them,
go we to Meditation, and Prayer.
I. For meditation, and the matter of it,
confider thefe things :
(i.) That faith (confidering the privi-
leges of God's children) admires and a-
dores, how great is thy goodnefs which
thou hajl laid up for thtm that fear thee,
which thou haft wrought for them that truj}
in thee, before the forts of men ! How ex-
cellent is thy loving kindnefs, Lord, there-
fore the children of men pit their trujlun
der
The LIFE of
dtr thejhadoiv of thy -jjings, Pfal. xxxi.
19. and xxxvi. 7.
(2.) That faith, in confideration here-
of, refts upon God, and Chrifl, and the
Spirit of Chrifl:, to receive whatfoever may
be pood and profitable to the foul : Pfalm
xxiii. I. The Lord is ?ny fhepherd, I floall
not want. Ifa. xl. ii. He (hall lead bis
flock like a Jhepherd, he Puill gather the
liWibs with his arm, and carry th.em in his
bofoin, and fyall gently lead thofe that are
with young. What can they want, who
have God for their Father, Chrift: for their
Saviour, tlie Spirit for their fan6tifier ?
Thou Ifrael art my fervant, Jacob whom I
have choCen, the feed of Abraham my friend:
thou whom I have taken from the ends of
the earth, and called thee from the chief
men thereof, and fat d unto thee, Thou art
my fervaut, I have chnjen thee, andnot caj}
thee away : fear thou not, for I am with
thee ; be not difmayed, for lam thy Cod : /
will Jirengt hen thee, yea, I will help thee,
yea, I will uphold thee with the right
hand of my righteoufnefs, Ifa. xl. 8, 9, 10.
(3.) That faith hereupon fets an high
price upon Chrifl, upon God in Chrirt, u-
pon the Spirit of Ghrill: : thefe promifes
are more worth than kingdoms, empires,
the whole world, which made holy David
fay. In the multitude of my thoughts with-
in me, thy comforts delight my foul, Pfal.
xciv. 19. ^. d. I have multitudes of thoughts,
fome running this way, forae running
that way, fome on this pleafure, fome
on that profit, but my foul is only comfort-
ed in the thoughts of thee : pleafures, pro-
fits, honours, all are vain and empty,
and nothing is to be reftcd on, to be de-
lighted in, but Jefus Ghrill ; yea there's a
full concent in Jefus Chriil ; lee the world
be filled with trouble and (orrow, even
now faith carries a merry iieari.
(4.) Fairh in thefe promifes doth great-
ly inlarge the heart towards God, and ftir-
rethuptoan earncft ftudy of holinefs j ifa
chrifiianbe muchin the meditation of God's
FAITH, 251
fingular goodnefs in ChriH:, it will even con-
ftrain him to yield up himfelf wholly ♦^o"
God, in al! manner of godly converfation :
P;al. xxvi. 2, 3. Examine, Lord, and
prove me, try my reins and my heart ; for
thy loving kindnefs is before mine eyes,
and I have walked in thy truth. •>»■ .
(5.) Faith ever runs to thefe promifes in
all llrairs, and here ir finds comfort : na-
ture teacheth man and beaft in tro'.ibies and
ftorms to make to a Cielter ; the child runs
to the arms of the mother, the birds to
their nefis, the conies to the rock, Prov.
XXX. 26. fo mufi the foul have a fancl'iary,
an hiding place, when danger and trou-
ble comes, now where can it take npalnrer
and fafer refuge, than with God and Chrift,
and the Spirit of Chrifl ? indeed God it
dares not look at, but in Ghrill; and the
Spirit proceeds not but from Chrifl, to
Chrift therefore it runs immediately ; it is
Ghrift, who of God is made unto us wif
dom, and righteoufnefs and fanfiificaiion
and redemption, \ Cor. i. 30. ' Come, faith
faith, let us out to Ghrill, and if he re-
ceive us not prefently, let us flay a little;
he is full of bowels and tendernefs towards
poor finners, he keeps open houfe for
all comers, he invites all, entertains all,
old finners, young finners, great finners,
\^h finners ; his promife is fure too ; him
that cometh unto me, I will in no wife cafi
out, John vii. 37.' Tims faith takes the
believer off from felf, civil life, eftate,
friends, and hangs the foul alone upon
that true friend, the Lord Jefus Chrifl,
who hath manifefted the greatnefs of his
love to poor finners, by dying for tJ em,
and fending his Spirit to fancUfie and com-
fort them, John xv. 13.
2. For prayer, and the manner of it,
obferve this method :
I. Gonfefs and acknowledge God's mer-
cies both in his promifes and performan-
ces : Say, Lord, thou hall faid, / will love
thee fretly : And I will be with thee, eoen
to the end of the world. lie that toucheih
K k 2 yout
2 ^2
ne LIFE o/Fy^ITH.
you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. And all
is yours, and ye are Chrijl's, and ChriJ}
is Cod's, And I ^vill pray the Father, and
he JJoall give you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever, etc. Hof. xiv.
4. Mat', xxvlii. 20. i Cor. iii. 22, 23 Joh.
xiv. 1 6. Surcl}', Lord, thou art true in thy
fayings; I believe by virtue of this and
that promife, I have the love, and pro-
mife, and providence of God, I am re-
deemed, called, juflified, reconciled, adop-
ted by Chrifl ; I have the Spirit of Chrift,
I am ran6\ified in fome meafure by that
Spirit, I have all this of free grace, and by
virtue of a promffe,
(2.) Pray for this increafe of faith, and
for a fufther and further fight of this be-
lief: * Give me, gracious Father, to be-
lieve as thou hall promifed ; create in mf
the hand of faith, and make it ftronger and
flronger, that I may effeiflually receive
■what \i\ mercy thou reacheft forth ; and
then give me the fpirit of revelation, that
I may difcern truly what thou hafl given
me, that my lips may fing of thy praife all
the day long.'
(3.) Praife God for his mercies, and
quietly reft in the promifes: ' O Lord,
thou haft freely loved, and redeemed, and
fanflified my foul ; O how fhould I praife
thee, how fliould I advance and fet thee
up on high ? Salvation, and glory, and
honour, and praife be given to thy name,
etc. I praife thee for my eleflion, voca-
tion, juftification, fanflification, etc. but
above all, for the fountain of all, the
Lord Jefus Chrift ;' It is my Chrift juf-
tifies, and ray Chrift fanflifies : Lord, thou
haft given Chrift for my wifdom and fanc-
tification, as well as for righteoufnefs and
redemption : Lord, thou haft appointed
Chrift to be the beginner and finilher of
my holinefs, and furely he will not leave
that vvork imperfc'^l, whereunto he is or-
dained of the Father ; were the progrefs
of this building committed to my care and
overfight, there might be caufe of fear,
but fince thou haft laid all upon Chrift,
my only and all-fuflicient Redeemer ;
Lord, encreafe my faith, that I may hold
him faft and be fafe, and fo at laft I may
fing Hallelujahs to thee in heaven for ever.
§. 7. Of the manner of this life of faith
in rpiritual graces.
THE operation of the Spirit in gene-
ral, we told you was Sanftification ;
now the operation of the Spirit in fpecial
appears in Spiritual Graces, and Spiritual
Duties.
Spiritual graces we fliall confider in their
Kind?, and Degrees.
And of them both give, (I.) The pro-
mifes. (IL) T he exercife of faith in refpeft
of thofe promife?.
I. The kinds. of graces are thefe, Know-
ledge, and Faith, and Hope, and Joy, and
Love, and Fear, and Obedience, and Re-
pentance, and Humility, and Meeknefs,and
Patience, and Righteoufnefs, and Upright-
nefs, and Peace of Confcience, and Zeal,
and Perfeverance ; fixteen graces in num-
ber : concerning which the Lord hath made
gracious promifes,
(i.) Of them, to give them.
(2.) To them, to reward them.
The \f} grace is Knowledge, and we find
fome promifes. Of it, Pial. xxv. 14. Jer.
xxxi. 34. Ifa, ii. 2,3. Mic. iv. i, 2. Eph.
iii. 5. Rev. xxi. 23. 2. To it, as Prov,
iii, 14. Pf. xci. 14. 2 Pet. i. 2. Pro. iii. 18.
The 2d grace is Faith, and we Hnd fome
promifes, i. Of it, as Eph. ii. 8. John vi.
37. obferve here thefe promifes of affur-
ance, the higheft meafure of faith, Pfal.l.
23. Ezek. xxxiv. 30. Ifa. Ix. 16. Pf. xcvii.
1 1. 2. To it, as 2 Chr. x. 20. Pro. xxix.
25. Ifa. xxvi. 3. Ads X. 43. Rom. xviii.
4. Aftsxiii. 39. Joh. i. 12. vii. 38. iii. 16,
36. V. 24. vi. 47.
The 3</ grace is Hope, and we find fome
promifes, i. Of it, as Pf. Ivi. 5. Prov. iv.
32. Job xiii. 15. 2. To it, as Pfalra xl. 4.
Rom. iv. 8, 22. viii. 24.
The
The LIFE of FA IT H.
The /\th grace is Joy, and we find fome
promifes, i. Of it, as Pf. xxxvi. 8, 9. Ixiv.
10. Ixviii. 3. xcvii. ii.cxvlii. 15. Ifa. xii.
2, 3. XXXV. throughout. Ivi. /.Ixvi. 13,14.
John xvi. 22. Rom. xiv. 18. 2. To it, Pf.
Ixxxix. 15, 16.
The ^tb grace is Love, efpeciaily of God,
and we may find fome promifes, r. Of it,
as Cant. i. 4. Deut. xxx. 6. 2. To it, as
Pf. xci. 14. cxlv. 10. Pro. viii. 21. Deut.
vii. 9. I Cor. viii. 3. ii. 9, xo. Jam. i. 12.
and ii. 5.
The 6th grace is Fear, and we find fome
promifes, i. Of it, as Jer. xxxii. 39, 40.
Hof. iii. 5. 2. To it, as Pf ciii. 11. xxxi.
19. cxlvii. ir. Mai. iii. 16, 17.
The jth grace is Obedience, and we find
fome promifes, i. Of it, as Ezek. xi. 19,
20. xxxvi. 26,27 . 2. To it, as Deut.xxviii.
1. to 14.
The Zth grace is Repentance, and we
find fome promifes, i. Of it, as Afts v. 30,
31. Ezek. xi, 19, xx. 43. xxxvi. 31. 2.
To it, as Mai. iii. 7. 2 Chro. vii. 14. Ifa.
i. 16, 17, 18. Job iii. 27, 28. Jer. iv. 14.
The c)th grace is Humility, and we find
fome promifes, i. Of it, as 2 Cor. x. 4,
5. Gal. v. 22. 2. To it, as Prov. xv. 53.
xxii. 4. Jam. iv. 6. i Pet. v. 5. Ifa. Ivii.
15. Matth. V. 3.
The 10//; grace is Meeknefs, and we
find fome promifes, i. Of it, as Ifa. xi. 6,
7, 8. Gal. V. 22, 23. 2. To it, as Pfalm
xxxvii. II. cxlvii. 6. Ifa. xxix. 9. Pfalm
XXV. 3. Zeph. ii. 3. Mat. v. 5. xi. 29. Pfal.
cxlix. 4.
The I ith grace is Patience, and we find
fome promifes, i. Of it, as James i. 5. 2.
To it, as Heb. x. 36, James v. 1 1.
The i2th grace is Righteoufnels, and we
find fome promifes, i. Of it, as Rev. xix.
7, 8. 2. To it, as Pf. xi. 7. Ifa. xxxii. 17,
18. Pro. xiv. 32. Pf cxii. 6. Mat. xxv. 46.
The I gM grace is Uprightnefs, or fin-
cerity of heart, and we find fome promifes,
I. Of it, as Jer. xxxi. 53. 1. 5. 2. To it,
as Pf. Ixxxiv. II. Pro. xiv. 11. Pf. cxii. 2.
253
2 Chro. xvi. 9. Pfalm cxii. 4. Ixxxiv. 11.
xxxvii. 37. xv. I, 2. Gen. xvii. i, 2. i
Chro. xxix. 17. Prov. xii. 22. xxxviii. 18.
The I ^th grace is Peace of confcience y
and we find fome promifes, i. Of it, as
John xiv. 27. Gal. vi. 16. Ifa. Ivii. 19. liv.
10. 2. To it, as Phil. iv. 7.
The 15//; grace is Zeal, and we find fome
promifes, 1. Of it, as Jer. xx. 9. 2 Cor-
vii. II. 2. To it, as Num. xxv. 12, 13.
Rev. iii. 10, 20.
The i6th grace is Perfeverance, and we
find fome promifes, i . Of it, as Pf Ixxxix.
28. Prov. xii. 3. Ifa. xlvi. 4. 2. To it, as
Maith. x. 22- Rev. ii. 26.
The degrees of graces follow, and we
find (bme promifes, i. Thereof, as Ifa. xii v.
3, 4. Mai. iv. 2. Pf Ixxxiv. 7. Pro. iv. 18.
2. Thereto, as Rom. xiii. 1 1. 2 Pet. i. 8.
II. For the exercife of faith concerning
thefe promifes, that we may live by them,
go*we to Meditation, and Prayer.
I. For meditation, and the matter of it,
confider thefe things :
(i.) That of ourfelves we have no abi-
lity to attain any of thefe graces : every
one can fay, I purpofe well, but the que-
ftion is, whether they build not on their
own firength : many a man, efpeciaily in
time of his ficknefs, danger, difgrace, will
make fair promifes of amendment, but
when the rod is removed, all is forgotten r
what may be the reafon ? he fiands on his
own feet, he prefumes to go alone of him-
felf, and by his own ftrength, and then no
marvel if he falls and catcheth many a
knock : if we will have any of thefe graces,
then deny we ourfelves : / ivill keep thy
Jlatutes, faid David, Pfalm cxix. 8. but
immediately upon his refolution he cries,
forfake me not utterly : Purpofe s thus
grounded, bring forth holy performances,
but of ourfelves we can expeft nothing.
(2.) That God's Spirit will infufe thefe
graces,_ and the increafe of thefe graces in-
to them that believe: many would fain
have knowledge^ and faith and hope and
254 The L I FE of
joy, drc. but they exercife not their faith
to believe God and his promifcs : I knew
a man inChrifty could Paul fay concern-
ing his revelation, 2 Cor. xii.2. So, 1 know
a man in Chrift off and on, unftayed, dif-
mayed at his manifold flips, (Irong corrup-
tions, little prevailings againft them, and
(when all came to all) he could find no
help till he went to a promife, and by faith
believed^ that God would aid and aflifl^, and
do the whole work for him ; it is good to
believe that (according to his promi(e) God
will fan6\ifie our natures, enable us to ho-
linefs, and beftow all his graces on us.
(3.) That foi^the degrees of thefe gra-
ces, it is neceffary to improve them; gra-
ces improved, are the ready way to have
them increafed : God ever beftows the
greateft meafure, where he finds a care to
put them forth to advantage : JVhofoever
hath, to him Jhall be given, and he floall
have more abundance y Matth. xiii. 12- As
men increafe their fubflance by labour,
and learning by diligence, fo he that im-
proves graces, lliall more and more abound
in them.
2. For prayer and the parts of it, ob-
fcrve this method :
(i.) Confefs and acknowledge our ina-
bilities : O Lord, I have no grace by na-
ture, I have no power tocleanfe my own
heart : O Lord, I have defaced thine i-
mage, but I cannot repair it ; I may fay
with the apoflle, JVhen I would do well,
evil is pre/cnt luith tne, Rom. vii. 21. But
I find no means lo perfeft what I defire :
I am not able to crawl about the doing of
that which is good : O when fhall I be fet
at liberty, that I might do the work of
God, and run the race of his commnnd-
ments ! O that I had knowledge, and faith,
and hope, and joy, and love !
(2.) Look wc up to the power, and
grace and truth of God, and prefs him
therewith : Lord, I have heard of thy
power, thou art God almighty, who col-
lelt the things that are not, as if they were;
F^ITH.
thou canfl, if thou wilt, work in me thefe
graces, and crente them in me, as thiOu
didft glorioufly create them in Adam, the
firft man : Lord, I have heard alfo of thy
grace and truth, thou art as faithful to
keep, as free to make thefe fweet precious
promifes; thy grace is unfearchable, ti^iy
word purer than filver feven times refined :
O then make good thy promifes, I prefs
thee with thy power, grace and truth :
O replenifli me with thy graces, give me
knowledge, and faith, and hope, <i:;c.
(3.) Look we on the promifes, and prny
by them, or turn them into prayers : faith
hearkeneth what the Lord fpeaketh, and
(peaketh back again in fervent groans and
defires to whatfoeverit hearkeneth : hence
we can make no prayer in boldnefs, faith
or comfort, but for things proiuiied, and
in that manner as they arepromifed. Thus
Jacob (Gen. xxnii 9.) and David (2 Sam.
vii. 27. err.) prayed by a promife, and
thus Uiould we pray by a promife, and then
we may be fure we pray according to his
will. In want of other rhetorick and ora-
tory, let us urge God with this repetition :
* Lord, thou hafl: promifed, Lord,thou haft
promifed ;' Thou haft made many f\veet
precious promifes of graces, and of de-
grees of graces : thou haft faid, The fecret
of the Lord is with them that fear him;
and, all that the Father giveth me, Jhall
come unto me ; and, the righteous hath hope
in his death ; and, the righteous j/jai'l be
glad in the Lord, and pJull truj} in him ;
z^diythey (bail go fr^m ftrength to jireiigth;
every one of them in Zion, appearing hi fere
GodyViA. XXV. 14. John vi. ^7. Pro. xiv.
32. Pf?Im Jxxxiv. 7. O make thei'e pro-
mifes effectual to me, blow upon my gar-
den, that thefpices (thefe graces) may flov)
out.
§.8. OJ the manner^ of this life of Faith
in /pi ritual duties.
\ S fpirltuai graces, fo (piritual duties,
Jr\ are of the operaiion of God's Spirit:
nosv
The LIFE of FAITH,
now the Duties are tweni}', concerning Pfalm xli
which we fhall give (L) The promKcs.
(II.) The excrcife of faith in refped of
the promifes.
The i/? duty is Prayer, to which are
affixed thefe promifes, Pfalm v. 3. x. 17.
Ixv. 2. 1. 15. xii ijy (eye. Prov. xv. 29.
Zech. xiii. 8, 9. Rom. viii. 13. James v.
The 2^ duty is Praifes, to which are af-
fixed thefe promifes, i Sam. ii. 30, PfaJm
I. 23. Ixvii. 5, 6. ^
The 3^ duty is Preaching, to which
Mat, xxviii. 20. John v, 25. .
The 4tb duty is Reading the word, to
which Pfalm xix. 8. Prov. i. 4.
The ^th duty is Loving the word, to
which Pfalm cxix. 165. and cxii. i.
The 6th duty is Waiting on the word,
to which Prov. viii. 34, 35.
The 7i/j duty is Hearkening to the word,
to which Ifa. Iv. 2, 3, Ads v. 20. xx. 22.
xiii. 26.
The 8fh duty is Sacraments of, (r.)Bap-
tifm, to which A6ts ii. 38. xxii. i6. 1 Pet.
iii. 2 1 .
(2.) Lord's Supper, to which Ifaiah xxv-
6. Prov. ix. 5, 6. Matth. xxvi. 26.
The gt/j duty is A lawful oath, to which
Jer. xli. 16. Pfalm xv". 4.
The 10/^ duty isFafting, to which Jam.
iv. 9, ^c. Mar. vi. 18.
The nth duty is Meditation, to which
Pfalm i. 2. Prov. xiv. 22. Phil. iv. 8, 9.
The nth duty is Self-examination, to
which I Cor. xi. 31, Gal. vi. 4.
The 13/^ duty is Sandification of the
Lord's day, to which Ifaiah Iviii. 13, 14.
Ivi. 2. Jer. xvii. 26.
The 14//' duty is Watch fulnefs, to which
Mat. xxiv. 46, 47. Luke xii, 37, 6t. Rev.
xvi. 15.
duty is Conference, to which
xvi. 13. Mai. iii. 16. Luke
The 15^/7
Prov. xii. 14
xxiv. 32.
The 16th duty is Reproof, to which
Prov. xxiv. 25. xxviii. 23.
The ijth duty is Almfgiving, to which
^5S
I, 2, 3. Luke xiv. 13, 6*<r.
The 18//^ duty is Seeking of God, to
which Pfalm xxxiv. 10. Ezra viii.. 22.
The i(.jth duty is Waiting on God, to
which Ifaiah xl. 3i.lxiv. 4. xlix. 23.
The 2Qth duty is Delighting in God, to
which Pfalm xxxvi. 4
II. For the exercife of faith concerning
thefe promifes, that we may live by them,
go we to Meditation, and Prayer.
I. For meditation, and the matter of it,
confider thefe things :
'(i.) That God deals gracioufly with
his people : he might out of his abfolute
fovereignty over us, command only, and
we were bound to obey in every of thefe
Duties ; but he is pleafed (the better to
quicken us to obedience) to annex thefe
gracious promifes.
(2.) That as he is gracious to us, fo we
(liould be chearful in our duties to him :
thfe chearfulnefs of fervice is the very fruit
of faith ; By faith Jbel brought of the
firfilings of his flacky and of the fat thereof y
an offering to the Lord, Gen. iv. 4. By faith
David went with the multitude into the
houfe of God, ivith the voice of jcy and of
praife, Pfa. xiii. 4. It is the voice of faith,
I will fmg and give praife with the beft
members I have.
(3.) That to make us chearful, we Ihould
roufe ourfelves to awaken to the work of
our God : * arife, O my foul, why fleepeft
thou?flir up thyfelfwith readinefs to obey
the charge of God in the duties prefcribed ;
look on the faints who have gone before
thee ; they endured imprifonment, lofs
of liberty, fpoiling of their goods, hazard
of life. Thou art not yet called to fulier,
but to obey, why dofl thou delay, or
goeft forth unwillingly ? wouldft thou
reign with them, and not labour with
them .' receive the prize, and not run the
race ? divide the fpoil, and not fight the
battle ? look on the promife annexed to
the duty : I [aid not unto the feed of Jacob,
Seek me in vain, faith God, Ifa. xiv. 19.
O my foul, arife, contend forward towards
the
i^f> The LIFE
the mark, heaven Is worth all thy labour.'
(4.) 1 hat to remove all Remora's the
Lord hath promifed to afliH: ns in thefe du-
ties by his own Spirit : befides the pro-
mifcs to duties, we have promifes of
duties, God deals with us (as we do by
■way of commerce one with another) pro-
pounding mercy by covenant and condi-
tion, yet his covenant of grace is always a
gracious covenant ; for he not only gives
the good things, but helps us in perform-
ing the condition by his own Spirit; he
works our hearts to believe and repent,
ibc. and he gives what he requires : For
inftance,-in one place he commands, Caji
ciivay from you all your tranfgrejffions, and
make you a new heart, and a new fpirit ;
and in another place he promifeth, / will
fprinkle clean water upon you, and you
/hall be clean from all your filthinefs :
A new heart alfo will I give you, and a
new fpirit will 1 put within you, Ezek.
xxxvi, 2<j, 26. In one place he commands
them, Circumcife the foreskin of your
hearts, Deut. x. 16. and in another place
Jie promifeth, That he will circumcife their
hearts, Deut. xxx. 6. in one place he com-
mands us. To keep his commandments,
Eccl. xii. 13. in another place he promifeth
to caufe us, To walk in his flatutes, Ezek.
xxxvi. 27. in one place he commands us.
To fear him, Eccl. xii. 13. and in another
place he promifeth. To />«/ his fear into
our hearts, Jer. xxxii. 40. in one place
he commands us, To pray, to ask, to feek,
and knock, Matth. vii. 7. and in another
place he promifeth. To pour upon us the
Spirit of grace and fupplication, Zech.
xii. 10. Thefe promiles and duties are the
foundation of all our performances, and
thofe promifes to duties are the rewards
of his free grace and good pleafure ; we
do not by working caule him to fulfill his
promifes, but he by promifing doth en
able us to perform our works, and fo he
rewards us accordingly.
of FAITH,
2. For prayer, and the parts of it, ob-
ferve this method.
(i.) Acknowledge the ^oodnefs and
free-grace of God in thefe promifes ; ' O
Lord, why fhouldft thou allure me to that
which lam every way bound to? If I l.ad
none of thele promifes, I have already in
hand a world of mercies, which do infinite-
ly bind me to duty ; and wilt thou yet
add this and that promife, to this and that
duty ? O miracle of mercies ! O thegood-
nefs of God !'
(2.) Bewail our own dulnefs and floth
to the duty ; 'And yet, O Lord, how dull,
and remifs, and llighty am I in the prac-
tice of this or that duty ? thou haft faid,
Curjedis the man that doth the work of the
Lord negligently, Jer. xlviii. 10. and, cur-
fed be the deceiver, that hath in his flock
a male, and voweth and facrificeth unto the
Lord a corrupt thing, Mai. i. 14. O then
what is my portion, who have facrificed
that which is torn and fick unto the great
king, and Lord of hofts, whofe name is
dreadful among the heathen ? No mar-
vel if I feci no power, no fweet in the or-
dinances of grace, whilft I deal partially,
hear perfundlorily, pray coldly, labour
not to feed on the promile, and to fuck
vigour out of it : O Lord, thou loveft a
chearful giver, but my fervices are maimed,
and corrupt, and dead, and fuperficial, and
very unchearful.'
(3.) Importune the Lord to revive and
quicken our dead hearts to the duty ; fo
prays David, Pfalm cxliii. 10. Teach me
to do thy will, thy Spirit is good, lead me .
into the land of uprightnefs ; fo prays the
church, Cant. i. 4. Draw me, and we will
run after thee : and fo let us pray, * Give
me a chearful heart in thy fervice, ani-
mate and enliven my heart by thy.bleifed
Spirit, give me to do what thou rcquireft,
incline my htart to thy fiatutes, and not
to covctoufnefs, Pfalm cxix. T,^.^
(4.) Implore the alUftaiice of God's Spi-
rit
The LIFE cf
rit to every good duty, beg acceptance of
our perfons and performances in the Lord
Jefus Chrift, prefs him with his promifes
to fet on duties, and to reward duties ; and
whatever duty we do, prefs him with thatef-
peciai promife belonging unto it: Thus if
we meditate and pray, and pray and medi-
tate, we may live by faith, in reference to
fpirituai duties.
$•9- ^f *^^- ^J^fi'^^f of this Life of
Faith in Things eternal.
THings eternal are either Evil, as
Damnation ; Goody as Salvation.
Concerning both, we lliall I. Give you
the promifes ; and, K. The exercife of
faith in refpeft of thefe promifes.
1. Concerning Damnation, or eternal
confufion, we have thefe promifes againll
it, Ifa. xlv. 17. Rom. viii. i.
2. Concerning Salvation, we have thefe
promifes for it, Rom. vi. 23. r ThefT.
iv. 17. God hath promifed us a kingdom,
Matth. XXV. 34. An heavenly kingdjm,
Matth. vii. 2l. An eternal kingdom, 2 Pet.
i. II. A cro-wn of life, James i. 12. A
crown of righteoufnefs, 2 Tim. iv. 8. An
unacceffible crcwn of glory, 1 Pet. v. 4.
II. For the exercife of Faith concerning
thefe promifes, that we may live by them,
go we to Meditation, and Prayer.
I. For meditation, and the matter of it,
confider thefe things :
(i.) That faith in the precious promifes
of eternal life quiets and chears the heart
in themidft of difcouragcments : This we
fee in the lives and deaths of God's faithful
(ervants, Heb. x. 34. -who took joyfully the
fpoiling of their goods, knowing in them-
felves, that they had in heaven a better
and an enduring fuhfiance.
(2.) That faith ftrives to enter into the
polfeflion of this kingdom, by degrees :
Men that purchafe an inheritance to come
in hereafter, they are glad if any part fall
into their hands for the pre fen t : Fulnefs
of glory is relerved for the life to come,
but the beginnings of glory (as peace of
LI
FA IT H.
'^57
confcience, joy in the holy Ghofl, fancfli-
fication of the Spirit) are vouchafed here ;
Grace is the beginning of glory, and glory
is the perfeSiion of grace ; now as grace
grows, fo we enter upon the poffeflion of
our inheritance ; flence lively grace covets
grace more and more, that we may get
heaven by degrees, and by parcels.
(3.) Faith earneAly defires and longs
after the full accomplifliment of glory,
Ourfelves alfo who have the firj} fruits
of^ the Spirit, even we ourfelves groan
within ourfelves, waiting for the adoptiony
to wit, the redemption of the body, Rom.
viii. 23. I ayn in a full fir ait (faid Paul)
betwixt two, having a defire to depart,
and to be with Chrifl, which is far better,
Phil. i. 23. Salvation is the end of faith,
heaven is the home of believers : Now all
would be at home, all things defire per-
fection in their kind, this makes the be-
liever to long after glory.
2. For prayer, and the parts of it, ob-
ferve this method :
(i.) Confefs we our former carelefnefs
to enter upon this inheritance : ' O Lord,
I have flighted thy promifes, I ha^e neglec-
ted the motions of thy holy Spirit, I have
not carefully improved the gifts received, I
have not laboured more and more to be feal-
ed with the promifed Spirit : Ah! Lord,what
a dwarf am I in holinels and fanc^tification >
by reafon of my floth, the powers of
grace are fo enfeebled that I can fcarce
breath or figh, or crawl in the way to hea-
ven: O that I have not fo earneftiy fought,
as I might, to make heaven fure to mylclf,
that I have not entered pofTeffion thereof,
fo far as in this life is given me of grace.'
(2.) Pray that the Lord would ir.crcafe
our faith, feal us by his Spirit, lead us in
the way of peace, caufe us to grow up in
holinefs, make us wife to prize and value to
tafte and relifh the very joys of heaven; and
above all, that he would afTure our confci-
cnces of our right and title thereto : O it
is God that fealeth, and makes us to read
the
2KB
The LIFE
the feaiinj; : it is God that promifeth hca-
vrfn, and afTetfts the hcai t with the good-
rfrls and worth of the thing promiftd ; it
is God ihat, by the pledges of his favour,
tnd earnefisof his Spirit, doth teftifie our
adopti(ifi, and caufeth us certainly to ap-
prehend what he doth teOify ; pray then,
* Who am I, Lord, that thou ftiouldefl make
fuch ample and free promifes to thy poor
fcrvant ? it is of thy free mercy, and ac-
cording to thine o.vn heart. Wn^ now,
Cod, eiiabltjli. 1 be fetch thee, the word that
thou haj} fpoken concerning thy ferz<anl, 2
Sam. \ii. 25. O feal unto me the pro-
mifed inheritance^^and make me afTuredly
know what thofe hopes are which thou haft
leferved for me in heaven : of thy free-
grace thou calledft me to this hope, there-
fore is thy fervant bold to intrcat the fenfe
of thy love, the knowledge of this hope,
the increafe of grace, the aiTurance of thy
mercy.'
(3.) Praife God for his promifes of eter-
nal life: * O Lord, thou haft looked on
iTjy bafe eftate, and vi/ited me with mercy
from on high ; of a ftranger and foreigper,
?hou baft,made me a free denizen of the
New jerufalcm : now, I fee, I read it in
ihy precious promifes, that my name is re-
giftred in heaven ; an eternal weight of
glory is referved for me ; heaven is my
home, my hope, my inheritance: O where
Should my heart be but where my treafure
is ? where ftiould my thoughts be, but
where my hope is ? Now &11 glory, and ho-
nour, and praile be given to my God. O
the Incoroprchenfible love and favour of
ixiy dear Lord ! what a mercy is this? what
promifes are tbefc ? my fpul rejoiceth in
thee my God, my fpirit fliall blefs thy name
tor ever and ever.'
§. \<j. Of the manner of this life of faith
in regard of others.
WE have done with the promifes that
concern ourfelves : now follow fuch
fpecial promifes as we find in holy writ
of FAITH,
concerning others; and they have reference
L To our own family, II. Godly fociety
further inlarged. III. The church of Uirift
particular, and general.
I. The members of our family arc, ei-
ther hufband and wife, parent and child,
mafter and fcrvant.
1. For the hufband and wife, if godly,
they have a promife from the Lord, Ffalm
cxxviii. Prov^ xxxi. 28. and xi. 16. Job
V. 25.
2. For parent and child, God hath made
a gracious covenant with them, Gen. xvii.
7. 9. A<rrs ii. 39. Jer. xxxii. 39. Pro, xx.
7. Good parents (though poor) leave iheir
children a good patrimony, for they have
laid up many prayers for them in heaven,
and they leave God's favour for their pof-
felTion, and his promifes for a fure inheri-
tance, Pfalm xxxvii. 25, 26. cxii. 2. xxv.
13. xx:ivii. 29. Prov. xi. 21. xiji. 22. Ifa.
xliv. 3, 4. liv. 13. and children, obeying
their parents, have thefe promifes, Ez. xx.
12. Eph. vi. 2. Jer. xxxv. 18, 19. Prov. i.
8, 9. and vi. 20.
3. For mafter and fervanr, they have
fweet promifes, Prov. iii. 33, and xiv. j i.
Job viii. 1 6. efpccially the iervant that is
truly obedient, Col. iii. 23, tj\. i Pet. ii.
19. here confidcr (1.) Magiftratcs, Deut.
xvii. 19, 20. Pfalm cxxxii. 18. (2.) Mini-
fiers, Pfal. cv. 15. Rev. ii. i. Ifa. xlix. 4.
II. Godly fociety (out of our own fami-
Jies) hath precious promifes, as, Pro. xiii.
20. Mai. xvi. 17. Matth. xviii. 20.
III. The church of (>hrtft, whether par-
ticular, as publick alfemblies, hath blelFcd
promifes, Ifa. xxxiii. 20, 21. and lix. 21^
Matth. xviii. 20. i Cor. v. 4, Rev. ii. i.
Pfalm xxvi. 8. and cxxxiii. 3. Mic. iv. 4,
II, 12. or whether general and univerfal,
it hath glorious promifes, as, Mat. xvi. 8.
If. xxvii. 3. Pfalm cxxv. 2. Zech. ix. 16.
Here comes in all the promifes, ly/, Of
calling the Jews, as. If. lix. 20, Rom. xi.
23. 26. Hof. xiii. 14. and xiv. 2, to 8, idly.
Of bringing in the Gentiles, as, Ifai. xlix.
22,
The LIFE of 1
12 y 23. Rev. xx}. 24. John x. 16. Ifa. Ix.
3. 5. 8. AOs X. 14. Eph. ii. 12, 19. "idly,
Of the deftruftion of antichrif>, as, 2 Th.
ii. 8. Rev. xvii. 16. and xviii. 21. where
each word hath almoft a gradarion, in that
an angel, a mighty angel, taketh a fione,
and a great fio^ne, 
