The Souls Vocation, Part 3 (6 of 6)

The Souls Vocation · Part 3 (6 of 6)

p. 541Object. But Satan ſuggeſts and the ſoule replies: I dare not come to Chriſt, not onelyonly becauſe of my ſins, but becauſe it is the freeneſſe of the offer of grace that I have rejected.

Anſw. Why this will not hinder thee neither, provided thou canſt be humbled for this; though thou haſt caſt off the kindneſſe of the Lord, he will not reject thee and caſt off thee, if thou wilt come unto him: Eſay 57.18. the text ſaith, for his wickedneſſe I have ſmitten him, and was angry with him, yet he turned after the way of his owne heart; by this means Iudah ſhould never be recalled: but marke p. 542what the Lord addes, I will heale him, and restore comfort unto him: as if he had ſaid, poore ſoule, I have ſtriven with him, but he ſcorned me; I offered him grace, he received it not, but went after the ſtubbornneſſe of his owne heart; hee ſeeth not his miſery, but I ſee it, and I will pardon it: Ierem. 3.2. Yet returne to mee, ſaith the Lord: there is no time to late, if a man have a heart to returne: Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers; that is, thou haſt followed many ſinnes, and addicted thy ſelfe to many diſtempers, yet returne unto mee. If a man put away his wife for fornication, will he receive her againe? no, he will not doe it: yet you have had many baſe haunts and backdoores, yet returne unto me, after all that ſtubbornneſſe whereby you have oppoſed my grace, and ſlighted my mercy: yet returne unto me, and receive grace offered. There is no limit of the pardon and free grace of God offered to a poore ſinner, except the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt; the Lord ſtands, and waits, and knocks, if any man will open; though he call till hee bee hoarce, and knock till he be weary, yet if any man will open, bee the drunkard never ſo baſe, the adulterer never ſo vile, if hee will open, the Lord will come, and will bring his comforts with him, and will ſ…p with him, and reſtore conſolation to him.

Object. But you will ſay, Aye, thats true, if I had but a heart to mourne for them: ſee my ſinnes I doe, and I cannot but acknowledge my corruptions: but I am not ſenſible of the load that lyes upon me, I cannot be burthened with the evils that oppreſſe p. 543me, I have a heart not only that doth not, but that cannot mourne.

Anſw. I anſwer, this hinders not neither, provided thou beeſt troubled, becauſe thou canſt not bee troubled; provided thy heart be weary of it ſelfe, becauſe it cannot be weary of its ſinnes; if this be thy temper and frame, this hinders thee not from the merciemercy of God which is offered and thou needeſt: for that Chriſt that freely pardons ſinne, can, and will, and that eaſily, breake thy heart, and fit it for pardon: Micah 7.18. The Lord pardons ſinnes, and ſubdues iniquities; not becauſe thou pleaſeſt him, but becauſe merciemercy pleaſeth him: wherefore did the Lord ſhew moſt merciemercy to Saul when he ſhewed moſt hatred againſt him; Saul is poſting to Damaſcus, and breathing out threatnings againſt Chriſt; the Lord is oppoſed by Saul, and the Lord in the meane time pities and ſhewes merciemercy to Saul; Saul perſecutes him, and he makes his moane to Saul; Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou mee? the bloudy jaylour that oppoſed the meanes of grace, the Lord overcame him by the meanes of grace; he that reſiſted the meanes of grace, was brought home by the power of the meanes to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Object. But the ſoule ſaith, this is that which overthrowes mee, you are now come to the quicke, this very word is like a milſtone about my neck, that will ſinke my ſoule into diſcouragement for ever; for this is my miſery, the meanes doth not better me, though Saul and the jaylour were bad enough, yet they were bettered by the meanes, p. 544but this is the hopeleſſe condition of my heart, prayer will not worke, the meanes of grace will not prevaile; ſometimes I thinke, Lord, this Lords day will doe, and this ſermon will worke it, but to this very day the word of the Lord profits not, nor workes upon mee for my good, and is there ſuch a heart in hell? is there any hope that I ſhall ever have grace, when the meanes which ſhould worke grace will doe mee no good? this is the laſt plea of the ſoule, and indeed of Sathan, whereby hee holds many a diſtreſſed foule in hand, that God intends no good towards him.

Anſw. I anſwer, yet this hinders not, but at leaſt thou maiſt have a hope of merciemercy to ſupport thy heart in the expectation of good, and that I may ſpeake cleerely, obſerve three paſſages:

1Firſt, the word and meanes doe worke; if it doe make thee more ſenſible, and more apprehenſive of thy owne hardneſſe and deadneſſe, though indeed it workes not that good, and after that manner thou wouldſt, and deſireſt, and expecteſt, yet if it make thee ſee thy owne baſeneſſe, and obſerve thy owne wretchedneſſe, in regard of that body of death that hangs upon thee, it workes marvellous well, after the beſt manner, becauſe it is after Gods manner, though not after that manner which thou deſireſt, and ſeeſt beſt in thy owne apprehenſion; obſerve it, that phyſick workes moſt kindly, that makes the patient ſicke; that ſalve that drawes before it heales, cures moſt ſafely: ſo it is with the word, it workes kindly, when it makes thee ſicke of theſe diſtempers, p. 545when it ſhewes thee the ſtubbornneſſe and deadneſſe of thy owne heart, and makes thee apprehend, that a broken ſpirit is the gift of God, and not of man and meanes; therefore the Lord will make thee looke to him to worke it and continue it; therefore know that this is a worke of God; for to ſee deadneſſe is life, and to feele hardneſſe is ſoftneſſe; onelyonly beware, that there bee not a haunt of heart and diſtemper, that thy ſoule cleaves to, and pants after, and thou art loth to part withall; for then the word will harden thee, becauſe thou hardeneſt thy ſelfe, but if thou art content that the word ſhould lay open the bowels of thy heart, and diſcover what ever is amiſſe, and reveale what ever is croſſe to Gods command, and plucke away every corruption and diſtemper; then if the word reveales any hardneſſe in thee, know that the word workes comfortably, that reveales hardneſſe and baſeneſſe, and doth drive thee out of thy ſelfe to God for ſuccour.

2Secondly, thou art the cauſe why thy heart is not ſoftned, thou art the fault why the word prevailes not, becauſe the diſtemper of thy heart hinders the worke of the word, and the diſpenſation of Gods providence, and the tenor of the covenant of grace; when a man will ſtint the Lord, and limit the holy One of Iſrael, juſt this ſermon, and this quarter, and this ſeaſon, this hinders the nature of the covenant, and croſſes the worke of the covenant of grace; the Lord doth not ſtand bent to thy bow, the Lord is not at thy call, he will not p. 546give thee grace when thou wilt, but when he pleaſes; no, it is not for us to know the times and the ſeaſons that God hath appointed; what if thou goeſt upon thy hands and knees begging of merciemercy to the laſt gaſpe, and if then the Lord be pleaſed to ſhine in a drop of goodneſſe and merciemercy, it is more than the Lord owes; therefore heare to day, and attend to morrow, thou knoweſt not whether God will bleſſe this ſermon, or that meanes, or the other ordinance; and doe not complaine upon the meanes, but attend Gods leiſure, and remember the Lord hath waited long for thee in the time of your rebellion, in the day of your ignorance, before you looked towards the Lord; and therefore if the Lord now make you wait for merciemercy and aſſurance of his love, know that the Lord deals equally, and kindly, and lovingly with you, and ſo as all ſhall be beſt for you; and know that this diſtemper of heart oppoſeth the tenor of the covenant of grace, for the Lord gives what he will, when he will, and after what manner he will; therefore ſtint not God in his giving, but wait when and what hee will beſtow upon thee.

3Thirdly, know that thou reſteſt upon thy owne duties and endevours, and goeſt not out to God that bleſſeth both the meanes and thy endevours for thy good; and that is the reaſon why thy heart is not enlarged, and grace communicated; the fault is thy owne, becauſe thou reſteſt in thy performances, and in the meanes, and goeſt not to God that would have done more than all, and p. 547wrought more than all theſe. If I thinke and am perſwaded I have power to goe out of my ſelfe, in conceiving I have power, and ſtaying there, I ſtay in my ſelfe, when I thinke to goe out of my ſelfe; it is a ſupernaturall worke, and the ſame hand muſt bring us out of our ſelves, that muſt bring us to Chriſt, the ſame hand muſt pluck us out of our ſelves and ſinnes, that muſt bring us to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; therefore if I thinke, and through Satans deluſion conceive, that I have abilitie to goe out of my ſelfe, I repoſe upon my owne abilitie, when I profeſly renounce my owne abilitie, I maintaine a repoſe upon my owne abilitie, when I renounce it, I ſay, I can doe nothing, and yet reſt upon that I can doe; it is a point very profitable, therefore marke what I ſay, this is ſelfe deniall in truth, when the ſoule knowes it hath nothing, and therefore is overpowered by the almightie worke of Gods Spirit, and is ſtopped, as it were, in ſo much that the ſoule of a ſinner doth not looke to expect any power, or any principle from it ſelfe; or any creature, or any dutie, the ſoule of an humble ſinner knowes he is a dead man in ſinne; hee cannot direct his owne wayes; therefore when he is brought to deny himſelfe, it is by the almightie worke of Gods Spirit, when the Lord drawes the ſoule, that it lookes not inward, it lookes not downward, it lookes not to the creature, it expects no principle from within, no power from the meanes to performe any dutie, when then I thinke with my ſelfe, I have power and abilitie to goe out of my p. 548ſelfe, then I ſay, I have a power within me to doe ſomething pleaſing to God, namely, I can denie my ſelfe, which is contrarie; for to denie a mans ſelfe, is to looke for no power, or expect any power or ſufficiencie from himſelfe, or from the creature to performe that God requires: therefore wee muſt liſten and looke onelyonly to the voice of Chriſt, he that cals us from darkneſſe, muſt call us to the glorious light of himſelfe: we muſt as well liſten to the voice that muſt pluck us out of our ſelves, and expect power from Chriſt to pluck us out of our ſelves, as wee muſt expect power from Chriſt to goe unto him: the concluſion therefore is this; I would have a ſinner ſay, and thinke with himſelfe, I expect no power, Lord, from my ſelfe, I intend to wait upon the Lord, that hides himſelfe from the houſe of Iſrael, and I will looke up, I will uſe all meanes, and improve all helpes I can, but I will not looke to hearing, from that to receive any thing; I will not looke to the Miniſter, from him to receive any thing; but in theſe meanes of hearing, and prayer, and in the uſe of all ordinances, I will looke up unto God that hides his face from his ſervant for the while, and will looke up to that wiſdome to be informed, that is wiſer than the wiſdome of the meanes, and I will looke up to that power to be ſtrengthened, that is ſtronger than the power of the meanes: Habak. 3.17. when he ſaw all began to faile, though the fig-tree bloſſome not, and the vine flouriſh not, yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, and ſtay my ſelfe upon the God of my ſalvation; p. 549marke this, when all meanes under heaven faile, when the figge tree bloſſomes not, when the vine flouriſheth not; when all means faile, yet there is mercy with the Lord, there is power and ſtrength and ſufficiency in the Lord, to doe my ſoule good; and ſay thou, though my ſinnes be great, and exceeding great, though my heart be hard and comes not under the power of Gods ordinances, and the means of grace work not upon my ſoule, yet I will looke up to the Lord, and my eyes ſhal be towards him; my eyes ſhall not bee inward to looke upon any thing in my ſelfe, but my eyes ſhall looke upon to the Lord, and expect all from him: and thus much ſhall ſuffice for the ſecond hinderance.

Object. Hinderance 3 The third hinderance, which hinders a poore ſinner from comming to Chriſt, is the want of ſenſe and feeling, and therefore the diſtreſſed ſinner complaines, I never knew what it was to have the aſſurance of Gods love, I never received any ſound ſenſible comfort unto my ſoule, and ſhall I thinke that I have grace? ſhall I thinke that my heart is fitted to receive that merciemercy which God hath promiſed to his Saints? the Scripture reveales it not, the Saints have found it, that they which beleeve rejoyce in the Lord, but I am a ſtranger to that joy, and that is a ſtranger to me, how can I thinke then, that I have any intereſt to the promiſe? or any faith whereby I may depend upon the promiſe?

Anſ. I anſwer, this hinders not that thou maiſt not come unto God by beleeving, and receive good from him: therfore remember theſe 3. particulars:

p. 5501Firſt, thou muſt not thinke to have joy and refreſhment, before thou goeſt to the promiſe: but thinke to expect it when thou doeſt beleeve, when thou doeſt chew and feed upon the promiſe, and continueſt ſo doing: know, that joy and ſweet refreſhment, it is a fruit that comes from faith: firſt beleeve, and then have joy; doe not thinke to have joy, and then beleeve; the heart is filled with peace and joy not before beleeving, but by beleeving, and after beleeving, then rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and glorious; when faith is rooted in the heart, and hath had many ſun-ſhines of Gods favour upon it, then expect thoſe admirable raviſhments, and ſweet conſolations, which the word ſpeakes of, and thou maiſt obtaine.

2Secondly, theſe joyes, and ſenſe, and feeling, are things which may be ſeparated from faith, a man may have a good faith, and a ſtrong faith, and yet not have that comfort and ſweet refreſhment a ſinner lookes for and deſires; a man may want ſparkes, and yet want neither life nor heat; a tree may want leaves, and yet not want ſap; ſo it is with thoſe conſolations: faith may bee ſtrong, when a mans feeling may be nothing; Reſtore to mee the joy of thy ſalvation, ſaith David hee was juſtified and ſanctified, and had faith, and yet had not this joy; nay Iob had faith, and yet he had no ſenſe and feeling of Gods favour: Thou makeſt me a b… to ſhoot as, faith he, and thine arrowes have drunke up my ſpirits; and yet he ſaith, Though he kill me, yet will I truſt in him; his faith was ſtrong, p. 551though his feeling were nothing, truſt to the goodneſſe of the Lord, and not to thoſe ſhadowes, and brittle bottomes, that will breake under you.

3Thirdly, the Saints of God are deprived of comfort, not becauſe God will withhold it, but becauſe they will not take it; Gods owne ſervants want the aſſurance of the freeneſſe of Gods love, not becauſe God will take it away from them, but they will not take it when hee would give it them; it is not, becauſe they may not have it, but becauſe they will not receive it; Pſal. 77. My ſoule refuſed comfort, like a little childe that will not eat his meat, becauſe it is not in a golden diſh; he doth not ſay, God did not offer mee conſolation, but I refuſed conſolation out of a diſcontented ſpirit: becauſe you cannot have comfort upon your owne termes, and pleaſe your owne pallats; becauſe you cannot have a diſh for your tooth, you will have none at all; you want comfort, not becauſe God will not give it, but becauſe you will not take it upon Gods termes: theſe and many more are the hinderances. One ſaith, God hath followed mee with croſſes in my life and eſtate; another, the wrath of the Lord lies heavy upon me, I am ſtill doubting and perplexed, and I cannot beleeve. The upſhot of all theſe is upon one and the ſame ground, theſe are hinderances, which we out of our owne folly, and the ſubtilty of Satan, make to hinder us from comming ſo freely to Chriſt, and beleeving in him, as otherwiſe we might; and yet in truth theſe are no hinderances, p. 552we onelyonly make them ſo. Therefore we will now come to the cure of all theſe, and ſhew how wee may take off theſe hinderances if it bee poſſible, as in truth it is poſſible; and not onelyonly to remove theſe hinderances, but all other of this kinde, quality and condition, if you will attend to the means that ſhall be propounded, it is poſſible to cure them; and the cures are theſe, whereby the ſoule may bee fortified againſt theſe, or paſſe by, and leap over all theſe hinderances; and notwithſtanding all, goe to Chriſt in the promiſe.

Cure. 1 The firſt cure and helpe that I deſire to propound is this, namely we muſt not look too long; the ſoule diſtreſſed and troubled ſhould not ſticke too long, and looke too much, and dwell unwarrantably and continually upon the ſight and conſideration of his owne ſinnes, upon his weakneſſes and diſtempers, ſo farre as to bee skared, and altogether diſcouraged from comming to, and depending upon the riches of Gods free grace. The devill keeps us in our ſinnes by poring continually upon our ſinnes, when we thinke to have our hearts carried againſt our corruptions, we are more intangled in our corruptions, by dwelling continually upon them. This was the courſe that Abraham tooke, that was the Father of all the faithfull: Rom. 4.19. when God had promiſed him a ſonne, and not onelyonly a naturall ſonne, but a ſonne that ſhould be a Type of Chriſt, whereby he and all the faithfull ſhould be ſaved: Now this promiſe was made unto him when hee had a dead body, and Sarah a barren wombe; he unable p. 553to get, and Sarah unable to beare; now what courſe tooke he to heale this? why the text ſaith, He being not weake in faith, conſidered not his owne body which was now dead, nor Sarahs wombe which was now barren; he knew his deadneſſe, and Sarahs barrenneſſe, but he conſidered it not, that is, hee did not dayly pore thereupon, and quarrell with himſelfe and ſay, how can Sarah beare a childe, her wombe is barren and unable to beare, my body is dead, and unable to beget, there is no ground here to beare up his confidence; if hee conſiders Sarahs barrenneſſe, there is no childe to be looked for; if hee looke upon his owne deadneſſe, there is no childe to bee expected: now therefore what doth hee doe? hee lookes to the promiſe only, and there reſts and ſtayes himſelfe; though he had a dead body, the promiſe was living, and though Sarahs wombe was barren, the promiſe was fruitfull; and though he were weake, the Lord was ſtrong, and able to performe whatſoever he had promiſed: ſo we muſt ſee our ſins, and know our infirmities, and conſider our weakneſſes; but we muſt never ſettle our ſelves, and ſit downe in the conſideration of our owne diſtempers, and thereby be hindred from comming to the Lord, and from receiving that mercy the Lord offers unto us in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and we may freely take; for when a man is continually poring upon his ſinnes, and dayly meditating upon his corruptions, two things follow.

1Firſt, wee ſtop the ſtreame and current of the promiſe, that it cannot run into the ſoule, wee p. 554turne the frame of the ſoule downward, and the frame of the heart inward, & ſhut down the ſluce, whereas by beleeving wee open the flood-gates of the promiſe, that the ſtreames of mercy may flow a main in upon our ſoules, when we returne inward, and doe ſettle our hearts upon our owne diſtempers, we ſhut downe the ſluce of the promiſe; and 2ſecondly ſet open the flood and ſtream of corruptions, that they may run violently upon us to the overwhelming of us in concluſion; and our diſtempers will take advantages againſt us, by reaſon of our dayly conſideration and attendance thereupon. Meditation in this caſe I compare to diſtillation; when a woman diſtils a kind of herbe or flower, and when the Alchymiſt diſtils ſome kinde of metall, there is an admirable water drawne out by diſtillation, and an excellent oyle by Alchymie, and this water and oyle were in the creatures before, but they were not ſeene to be there before, but they are of wonderfull force and ſtrength when they are diſtilled: ſo it is with the dayly poring, ſetling and attending upon a mans diſtempers; a man thereby diſtils a diſtemper and a diſcouragement, and an infirmitie, and drawes out the very life and ſap, and ſpirit of it, and drawes out the very quinteſſence of a corruption, and makes it dangerous, nay he makes it deadly many times; ſo that after a mans dayly poring upon, and attending wholly to his ſinnes, he multiplies inconveniencies more than elſe would be: ſo that the ſoule which before was troubled comes now to bee overwhelmed p. 555with the dayly poring, and looking, and attending to his owne wickedneſſe. Therefore the wiſedome of the woman of Canaan is to bee obſerved, and her humiliation is to bee regarded by us: obſerve the humiliation of her heart, and the wiſedome of her minde: Matthew 15.27. ſhe came to him to beſeech him to heale her daughter, that was poſſeſſed with a devill: at the firſt, hee would not liſten unto her, but ſhee would not be put off ſo, but cried after him; then hee anſwered, I am not ſent but to the lost ſheepe of the houſe of Iſrael, not to you that are Gentiles: yet for all this ſhee would not leave him, but came and fell downe, and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord, helpe me: then at laſt he compares her to a dog, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and caſt it unto dogs; as who ſhould ſay, you Gentiles are dogs, and the glad tidings of the Goſpell are bread, and therefore belong not unto you: Now had ſhee pored and ſetled her ſelfe upon the words of our Saviour, ſhe had never beene made partaker of that mercy which Chriſt beſtowed, and ſhe ſtood in need of: now marke what ſhee ſaith, Truth Lord, but the dogs eat of the crums which fall from their Masters table. Here obſerve a heart truly humbled, and alſo truly wiſe to apprehend its owne weakneſſe; ſhe confeſſed all that Chriſt ſpake. Thou ſaiſt I am carnall, I yeeld it; thou ſaiſt I am a dog, I confeſſe it; my ſinnes are more for number, they are more hainous for nature, than either my tongue can utter, or my heart can conceive: but though I am a dog, Lord, yet I will not goe out p. 556of doores, but lie under the table; ſhe yeelded ſhe was as bad as might bee, and confeſſed all that Chriſt ſpoke, yet ſhee will not from under the table: ſo wee ought to doe, when our corruptions are apprehended by us, and our baſeneſſe preſented to the view of us, when wee ſee our ſelves damned creatures, and dogs, and loſt in our ſelves, then let us ſay, Truth Lord, wee are worſe than can be ſpoken of us, wee are worſe than can be conceived of us, yet let us not fly out of doors, but lie under the table, and at the foot of our Saviour, and take a crum of mercy at the hands of our Saviour. But you will ſay:

Object. Is it not a thing which is not only allowed, but required, that we ſhould meditate of our ſinnes; nay, is not this the way that God hath chalked out to ſinners? is not this the courſe that God hath commanded, that men ſhould ſee their ſinnes, that they might bee brought out of their ſinnes, and be brought to Chriſt? I conſidered my wayes, ſaith David, and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies.

Anſw. I anſwer, this is true; and all I ſaid before was as true: it is not onelyonly, I ſay, lawfull for us, but there is, I ſay, a neceſſitie lying upon us; we muſt ſee our ſinnes, and conſider our corruptions, but ſtay not too long, pore not too much upon thy ſinnes, expect no comfort nor conſolation from thine infirmities, and the meditation of them; ſee thy ſinnes thou muſt, and oughtſt to doe, but ſee them ſo, as thou maiſt be forced to flye to Chriſt for help and ſuccour; doe not ſo ſee them, as to p. 557be ſettled in thy infirmities, and to have thy ſoule ſo diſcouraged, as thereby to bee driven from Chriſt; therefore ſee thy ſinnes thou ſhouldeſt, that thou maiſt apprehend them loathſome, and finde them burdenſome to thy ſoule; ſee thy ſins alſo thou muſt, till thou ſee an utter inſufficiencie in all things under heaven, to helpe thee out of thy ſinnes; ſee thy ſinnes thou muſt alſo, till thou ſee an abſolute neceſſitie of a Saviour, and of the merciemercy that is in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to recover thee out of thy ſinnes: and when the ſoule hath done theſe three particular paſſages;

1When it hath ſeene ſinne loathſome, odious, and ugly:

2When it hath ſeene the helpleſneſſe of all naturall meanes, and all things under heaven, to recover it:

3And when it hath ſeene the neceſſitie of merciemercy, to help it out of ſinne:

Away then for thy life to the throne of grace, there is pardon enough to remove the guilt that ſinne hath brought upon thee, there is grace enough to take away all thoſe corruptions that have defiled thy poore ſoule. What madneſſe and extreme folly is it for a poore ſick man, that is overtaken with ſome grievous diſeaſe, or ſome ſore wound, not to goe to the Phyſitian before he be whole, becauſe hee is aſhamed the Phyſitian ſhould ſee him ſo diſtempered or wounded? In reaſon we ſhould rather goe firſt to the Phyſitian, that he may heale us, than be firſt healed, and then goe to the Phyſitian and ſhew our ſelves: ſo it is p. 558the deſperate folly of many poore ſinners, wee would have our ſinnes removed from us, and our hearts quickned in the way of well doing, and when we are healed, then we will goe to Chriſt, and when we have things about us, then wee will lay hold on the promiſe, and then wee will purchaſe ſalvation, or at the leaſt be joint purchaſers with Chriſt in the great worke of redemption: no, let this be thy courſe; ſee thy ſinnes, and take notice of thy corruptions, and then away to the Phyſitian to be healed; goe firſt to the Phyſitian to be healed; but be not firſt healed, and then goe to the Phyſitian; 1 Sam. 12.10. this was the advice of the holy man Samuel, when the people of Iſrael had dealt baſely with the Lord, by caſting off his yoake, (for when they caſt off Samuel, they rejected the Lord) at laſt the Lord opens their eyes, and affects their hearts with thoſe their ſinnes; now, ſaith Samuel in the tenth verſe, Stand and ſee this great thing which the Lord will doe before your eyes, is it not now when harveſt? I will call upon the Lord, and hee ſhall ſend great thunder and raine, that you may perceive that your wickedneſſe is great, that you have done in the ſight of the Lord; now the Lord accordingly as Samuel had ſaid, thundered terribly from heaven; now when they heard this, and ſaw Gods anger therein, they were driven to a kinde of a maze, and were almoſt at their wits end, and ſaid, Pray yee unto the Lord for us, that we die not, for wee have ſinned greatly, and to all other ſinnes wee have added this, that wee have asked for us a King; now marke what a direction p. 559Samuel orders unto them; Samuel well ſaw that this is the nature of all men, by reaſon of their ſinfull diſtempers, that when we thinke wee are in a good caſe, we never looke after merciemercy; and when we are apprehenſive of our owne baſeneſſe and wretchedneſſe, wee dare not looke towards merciemercy: before they ſaw their ſinnes and Gods anger for them, they never cared for merciemercy, but now they heard the thunder, and apprehended Gods diſpleaſure therein, they durſt not goe to God for merciemercy: now marke how Samuel chalkes out a middle way betweene them both, in the twentieth verſe, Feare not, ſaith he, you have done all this wickedneſſe, yet depart not from following the Lord, but ſerve the Lord with all your hearts, neither turne your backes after vaine things that can profit you nothing; as who ſhould ſay, I will not leſſen your ſinnes, you have ſinned grievouſly, you have ſinned fearfully, and hainouſly, I intend not to excuſe or extenuate your wickedneſſe: but depart not from the Lord; as who ſhould ſay, you will be gone from God now; you will looke for no merciemercy; you will expect no favour; the Lord you have caſt off, and therefore you thinke hee will caſt off you, take heed of that, depart not from the Lord, for that is to follow lying vanities, and that is to forſake your owne mercies: ſo the ſoule of a poore ſinner ſhould reaſon thus; Tis true, my ſins are many, my wants are exceedingly multiplied, I have ſinned againſt God, and am diſcouraged, and ſhall I be more diſcouraged, and ſinne more againſt God? I am miſerable by p. 558duplicate page p. 559duplicate page p. 560departing from God, and ſhall I depart more from God, and be more miſerable? thou dareſt not goe to Chriſt for merciemercy, why? becauſe thou haſt ſinned, and wilt thou depart from God ſtill, and be more ſinfull? that is againſt all reaſon.

Cure. 2 The ſecond cure is this; all this while I ſpeake to broken hearted ſinners; thoſe that are obſtinate, wicked, and ungodly men, ſtand you by, you muſt give mee leave to deale the childrens bread to them, you had your portion formerly, let the children have their bread alſo, and take their ſhare too: the ſecond cure therefore is this; make conſcience, either not to attend to, or not judge thy ſelfe or thy eſtate by any carnall reaſon without a warrant: I will repeat it againe, becauſe I would not have you forget it; make conſcience, I ſay, either to attend to, or judge thy ſelfe or thy eſtate by any carnall reaſon, or carnall plea without reaſon or warrant: as thus, it is the faſhion of poore diſtreſſed ſpirits to paſſe heavie doome, and to ſet downe heavie ſentences upon themſelves, upon falſe, or weake, or groundleſſe arguments, as, I never found Gods merciemercy, I never felt it, I never was perſwaded of it, I feare it will not be ſo; thus we have theſe carnall pleas, which our mindes invent, and Satan ſuggeſts, and wee judge our ſelves by theſe, as the witneſſes that ſhould warrant our eſtates, as the Judge that ſhould determine of our eſtates; now make conſcience of judging thy eſtate in this manner: you that are broken hearted, (for to you I ſpeake) this kinde of courſe is naught, and this ſinne is p. 561more hainous than you imagine: for when thou concludeſt certainly thy eſtate is naught, and God hath given you no grace, upon theſe grounds, mark againſt how many Commandments thou ſinneſt; firſt, thou doſt wrong thine owne honour that God hath put upon thee in giving thee grace; thou ſinneſt alſo againſt the third Commandement, in wanting that reverence which is due to Gods name, and the worke of grace hee hath wrought in thy ſoule, thou dampeſt thy owne heart, and art a ſpirituall murtherer, and ſo ſinneſt againſt the ſixt Commandement: thou robbeſt thy ſelfe of that comfort of heart, and refreſhment of minde that God hath prepared for thee, and offered unto thee, and ſo ſinneſt againſt the eighth commandement; nay, you doe beare falſe witneſſe infinitely, you ſpeake againſt your ſelves, to the overthrowing of your ſoules, and you beare falſe witneſſe againſt Chriſt, and his Spirit, and the worke of his grace, whereby you are ſealed up to the day of redemption, and you joyne ſides with the Devill in this caſe. But you will ſay:

Object. Truly, I ſpeake as I thinke, and affirme as I am perſwaded.

Anſw. I anſwer, this hinders not but thou beareſt falſe witneſſe; if thou affirmeſt a thing thou haſt no ground for, thou beareſt falſe witneſſe though it be true: this is a rule which Divines hold, if a man ſhould affirme peremptorily, ſuch a man is a drunkard, and yet he knowes it not, though he be ſo, yet hee beareth falſe witneſſe, becauſe a mans p. 562witneſſe muſt bee upon ground and knowledge, ſo thou peremptorily affirmeſt; what, I grace? no, will God vouchſafe any good to mee? I will never beleeve it; now thou certainly affirmeſt of thy ſelfe, that thou haſt no true grace, when there is no ground for it, but ſuſpition, and feare, and the like, and therefore thou beareſt falſe witneſſe againſt thy ſoule: obſerve this the rather, becauſe of the ſinfull diſtempers that creep into the hearts of many Chriſtians broken and humbled, and it is uſuall and common; this is their guiſe out of a ſelfe will of carnall reaſonings, and out of a baſe haunt of heart, they ſwell againſt themſelves and their owne ſoules, their hearts come to bee perſwaded, that they are not in a right courſe, that they walke not in a right way, unleſſe they bee quarrelling and oppoſing the worke of Gods grace in their ſoules, and out of a ſelfe conceit of theirs, that they are moulded into by cuſtome, they thinke they have libertie to doe ſo, and that they doe well in ſo doing: now thinke of it you that are humble, know that you ſinne fearfully all this while, and it is very remarkable to take notice of the ſoule in this kinde: in a caſe of conſcience, when a poore broken hearted ſinner hath his judgement informed, when reaſons are plaine, and when the comforts are cleerly evidenced, when Scriptures are undeniable, theſe poore creatures now doe not ſo much attend what you ſpeak, and what the Miniſter ſaith, and the Word delivers, but all their care is, how they may anſwer a mans reaſon, and put off the force p. 563of an argument, and they count it a matter of weakneſſe, if they cannot anſwer any thing that is propounded to them for their comfort; it is admirable to conſider, and but that daily experience teacheth us, wee would not ſpeake it, nor could we beleeve it; therefore take notice of it, and know, that howſoever you give leave to your owne ſoules to doe this, and have invented reaſons and arguments to gainſay the power of the truth, and to defeat the power of the Word; goe aſide and wonder, that the Lord hath not taken away from thee all the worke of his grace, and all the comfort of his Spirit, admire at this, that when thou haſt caſt off all grounds of comfort, yet God doth vouchſafe it to thy ſoule: the Prophet David prayeth, that the Lord would turne away his eyes from beholding of vanitie; now if a man muſt turne away his eyes from beholding of vanitie, he muſt turne away his thoughts from attending to vanitie much more; hath God ever given me a minde to conſent to Satan? hath God ever given me a tongue to parly with Satan? I have ſomething elſe to doe, I muſt attend to the counſels of God, I muſt attend and liſten to the voice of God, I muſt not liſten to the ſuggeſtions of Satan, that I have nothing to doe withall, I ſinne deeply in ſo doing, no man in reaſon will deale with a cheator, if hee know him to be a cheator, unleſſe he meane to be couzened: ſo it ought to be our wiſdome, carnall reaſon is a cheator, and an old deceiver; let us not therefore attend thereunto, nor be ruled thereby, unleſſe we reſolve to be p. 562duplicate page p. 563duplicate page p. 564cheated: but if the ſinne cannot ſcare you, yet let the miſerie that will follow thereupon force you, and drive your hearts from it: in Eſa. 50.2. laſt verſes, the text ſaith, Who is among you that feareth the Lord, let him heare the voice of his ſervant, he that walkes in darkneſſe, and hath no light, let him truſt in the Lord, and ſtay upon his God; there is a compariſon made betweene the Saints of God, that will liſten to the voice of the Lord, and the direction of his ſervants, and thoſe that will follow their owne humours, and carnall reaſonings, and ſtay thereupon: he that walketh in darkneſſe, and hath no light, let him truſt in the name of the Lord; that is, though a ſinner bee never ſo perplexed with ſorrow of heart, though there be nothing but miſerie without, and horrour of heart within, yet if hee will heare the voice of Gods ſervants; you broken hearts, that have not ſtopped your eares to the comfort that God hath revealed, let them truſt in the Lord: but now marke what is ſaid in the laſt verſe, Behold all that kindle a fire, and are compaſſed about with ſparkes, walke you in the light of your fire, and in the ſparkes that you have kindled: this ſhall you have at my hands, you ſhall lye downe in ſorrow; I will firſt open the place, and then apply it; what is meant by fire and ſparkes here, in a word, in the old law there was alwayes fire kept in the ſanctuarie, heavenly fire that came downe from heaven, and this did ſhew the wiſdome and direction of God in his word; but now there was ſtrange fire which Nadab and Abihu offered, that is, they did not take of the fire of ſanctuarie p. 565which God ſent from heaven, but they tooke fire of their owne, that is, their owne devices, and imaginations, and diſputes; the ſparkles and pleas of your owne thoughts, they are your owne fire; every poore creature carries his tinder box about him, and is anvilling and forging his owne conceits: I thinke it not, I conceive it not, I am not perſwaded of it; this is your owne fire, that is the firſt thing: then marke what followeth, walke in the light of your fire, and in the ſparkes that you have kindled, you ſhall lie down in ſorrow: walke in the light of your fire. Hee doth not allow this, but he takes it as a thing forlorne, as who ſhould ſay, You will follow your owne conceits and imaginations; you have hammered out ſparkes, and you will ſtrike fire out of your owne carnall reaſonings, and you will bee taken aſide by them; there is no reproving of you, there is no removing of you from it: ſo that two things are cleare: Firſt, the heart will coyne carnall reaſons, and forge ſinfull conceits, and then it will perſiſt in them; and marke what followeth, this is that which you ſhall have at my hands, you ſhall lie downe in ſorrow; this will bring ſorrow to thy ſoule, when the fire of the ſanctuary burnes cleere, when comforts are plain, and Scriptures are pregnant, and reaſons undeniable, you will kindle your owne fire, and compaſſe your ſelves about with your owne ſparkes, and you will attend to them, and bee ruled by them; well, doe ſo: but this I tell you, there is no hand ſhall ſuccour you, and bring comfort unto p. 566you, you ſhall have this at the hand of the Lord; you ſhall lie downe in ſorrow, and then you ſhall repent you happily, and fling away your tinder box, and your carnall reaſonings and imaginations: this is the ſecond cure.

Cure. 3 The third cure is this, be marvellous wary and exceeding watchfull that you enter not into contention with Satan upon theſe termes, whereupon you cannot determine a controverſie: I cannot tell how to expreſſe my ſelfe better. Enter not, I ſay, into the liſts of diſpute with Satan, concerning thoſe things which belong not unto you: as for example, If I bee elected, then I ſhall bee ſaved; but I am not elected, I have injoyed Gods ordinances, and lived under the precious means of grace and ſalvation, and they have not wrought upon my heart; I perceive that God intends to doe no good unto my ſoule, therefore all my labor is in vain, when I have done what I can, I ſhall periſh. Sometimes againe the ſoule ſaith, the day is paſt, and the time is gone: Oh, the times of grace, and dayes of mercy that I have ſeene, the Lord came kindly to my ſoule, and was pleaſed gratiouſly to reveale my ſinnes to my ſoule: but then hard hearted I, and ſtubborne wretch I, I ſhut the doore againſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and now mercy is gone, the day is over, the time is paſt, and the ſunne is ſet, there is now no hope of mercy. If the devill catch a man upon theſe liſts, there is no determination of the point, for upon this ground a man ſhall never gaine anſwer to himſelfe, hee ſhall never gaine eaſe to his p. 567conſcience; for if I know not the things of this nature, and if no man elſe knowes them, how ſhall any man adminiſter comfort, or how ſhall I be able to receive comfort? therefore take heed of it. It is in this caſe with a ſinner, as it is with a traveller; theeves overtake him, and pretend to lead him a faire way, at laſt they carry him into a wilderneſſe, and lead him into a deſert where no man comes by, where no mans voyce can bee heard, and there they doe what they liſt, becauſe there is no helpe to bee expected, no paſſenger comes neere: So it is with the ſoule, when Satan gets him into theſe ſtraits, and wilders him in the deſarts of Gods ſecret counſels of election and the like, there is no paſſenger comes by this way, no man can apprehend theſe ſecret things of Gods counſell, and therefore no man can adminiſter ſuccour or comfort: therefore for your caution and direction in this caſe, I will ſuggeſt theſe three rules.

Rule. 1 The firſt rule is this, let thy ſoule in this perplexity ſtay it ſelfe, and its owne ſtaggering upon the power of God: Epheſ. 3.20. the text ſaith, that God is able to doe exceeding abundantly, above all that we can aske or thinke: Gen. 17.1. I am God All-ſufficient: attend to Gods ſufficiency, and reſt upon the Almightineſſe of his power, and ſupport thy heart thereby.

Object. But the ſoule may ſay, what is this to me: I know the Lord is able enough, and all-ſufficient, but how doe I know that God will ſhew mercy, and doe good to my ſoule?

p. 568Anſw. I anſwer, and marke what I ſay, if thou beeſt throughly perſwaded indeed of Gods all-ſufficiency, it will helpe thee this way, for if God can doe exceeding abundantly above all that wee can aske or thinke, then God can will, for ought thou knoweſt, above all that wee can thinke or ask: thou canſt not know or conceive of Gods power, thou canſt not deſire ſo much as God is able to doe, nor conceive ſo much as he is able to performe: therefore God may be willing to doe thee good, though thou conceiveſt it not, for this I take to bee a truth, that generally the ſoule doth never ſadly doubt of Gods Will, but in ſome meaſure it doubts of Gods Power; for if God be able to doe more than I can apprehend, and more than I am able to deſire, then God hath as well power to will to doe me good, as hee is able to doe me good, he hath power to will to doe mee good, above all that I can thinke or deſire, and hee that doubts of the one, doubts of the other.

Rule. 2 The ſecond rule is this, checke thy owne ſoule for prying into Gods ſecrets; blame thy ſelfe and that deeply for thy curioſity, in that thou lookeſt beyond thy laſt, as it is in the proverbe, and ſoareſt too high, and medleſt with thoſe things thou haſt nothing to doe withall: you meddle with Gods Election, and with Gods Will and ſecret Counſell; I charge you meddle with your owne buſineſſe, meddle with that you have to doe withall, meddle with your owne duties and occaſions, and keepe your owne ſtation: checke your owne p. 569hearts therefore, and when Satan would lead you out into a wilderneſſe, and ſuggeſt theſe things unto you, How doe you know God hath elected you? doe you pray? and what if you doe pray? doe you heare? and what if you doe heare? When it is thus with thee, checke thine owne heart for prying into Gods ſecrets, and meddle with that thou haſt to doe withall: Deut. 29.29. Secret things belong to God, revealed things belong to us, and our children: What have you to doe with Gods ſecrets? what hath that proud heart and curious minde of yours with Gods ſecrets? Election belongs to God, it is his prerogative: 1 Corin. 2.16. Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord? You that will be aloft in the skie, and mounting up to heaven, who ever knew the minde of the Lord? Satan and your thoughts tell you ſo, that you were never elected; why, Satan is a lyar, he knowes it not, nor thou knoweſt it not neither: who ever knew the minde of the Lord? minde you your owne matters, doe you what God commands, performe thoſe duties God injoynes you, keepe your owne ſtation; all the Angels in Heaven, and all the men upon Earth, never knew the minde of the Lord: therefore never prie into Gods ſecrets. Ionah 3.9. When God had threatned Ninivie to deſtroy it, and had ſent Ionah to ſpeake fire and powder: Oh, all you drunkards of Ninivie, and all you blaſphemers of Ninivie, and all you prophane wretches of Ninivie, vengeance ſhall come upon you, and fire from Heaven ſhall deſtroy you; they were now at a maze, and driven p. 570to a ſtand: now marke what the King ſaith, Hee cauſed a faſt to bee proclaimed both for man and beaſt, and commanded all to cry mightily unto the Lord, and to turne from their evill wayes; for who can tell, ſaith he, whether the Lord will turne away his fierce wrath from us that wee periſh not? who can tell but that the Lord may yet ſhew mercy and favour in the pardoning of us? ſo ſay thou when Satan tempts thee, and temptation ſuggeſts unto thee; You ſeeke to God for pardon in the uſe of the means that God hath appointed, and you injoy the precious means of grace and ſalvation: But it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy: but God will never ſhew any favour to you, God will never vouchſafe any mercy to you, God will never beſtow any grace upon you, if you pray till your tongue falters, and your eyes ſinke in your heads, and your heart failes, it will doe you no good, God will never give you grace: why, how can Satan tell this? all the devils in hell know not this, all the Angels in Heaven know it not; therefore walke thou in thy owne wayes, follow thine owne talke, doe that thou oughtſt to do, and performe what God requires, and let God doe what hee pleaſe, and ſay, let me doe what I ſhould, who can tell what God may doe? who knowes but God may break my hard heart? who knowes but God may pardon my ſinnes? who knowes but God may give me power over my corruptions? nay, who knowes but God will too? Satan himſelfe cannot tell: that is the ſecond rule.

p. 571Rule. 3 The third rule is this; meaſure not the riches of God, nor the freeneſſe of his mercy, according to the ſcantling of your owne imaginations, and according to the fadome of your owne conceits; doe not thinke becauſe you cannot doe it, therefore God cannot doe it; becauſe you cannot conceive it, therefore God cannot worke it; ſtint not, limit not the Holy one of Iſrael ſo as hee muſt ſtand at your tribunall in this matter, and be within your liſts and compaſſe: It is a ſweet paſſage, Eſay 55.7. Marke there the exhortation of the Prophet, Let the wicked forſake his wayes, and the unrighteous man his owne thoughts, and returne unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon: As if he had ſaid, all you unrighteous, you that have couzened and detained, and dealt falſely and unjuſtly; you that have lived wickedly and prophanely, let them all forſake their wicked wayes, and turne from their vaine imaginations, and returne unto the Lord, and returne not to themſelves, and their owne conceits, but let them come unto the Lord, and hee will abundantly pardon; but the ſoule replies;

Object. Will the Lord pardon all theſe ſinnes?

Anſw. Why I, he is abundantly able to pardon.

Object. But can he pardon the abundance of my pride? will the Lord forgive the abundance of my baſe diſtempers of my heart? will the Lord remit all my ſtubbornneſſe and rebellion againſt the Goſpell? I cannot thinke it, I cannot conceive it.

Anſw. You cannot conceive it, you cannot thinke it, p. 572but marke what the Prophet ads; My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes, ſaith the Lord: as if hee had ſaid, a poore ſinner thinkes his ſinne unpardonable, and conceives that it is impoſſible to get his ſinnes ſubdued, and his ſoule comforted: indeed it is true, you are ſinfull men, you have fooliſh thoughts; But as the Heavens are higher than the earth, ſo are my wayes higher than your wayes, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts: therefore I can give you mercy, though you cannot conceive it; I can doe you good, though you cannot thinke it; but the poore ſoule will ſtill bee ready to object and ſay,

Object. There was never any in that caſe that I am in received to mercy, and therefore why ſhould I expect it?

Anſw. Why, Matthew 9.33. when Chriſt had there done a miracle, the text ſaith, the like was never ſeene in Iſrael; all the people ſtood gazing, and were taken up in admiration, at the power of the Lord, and ſaid, Never was any ſuch thing done in Iſrael: therefore God can doe things that were never done before. Imagine the Lord did pardon never any as bad as thee, which is falſe; yet God can doe that which was never yet done; nay, the place is incomparable, Iob 9.10. Hee doth great things past finding out, yea marvellous things without number; the Lord doth great things which are unſearchable, and workes wonders without number: though you could never finde out ſuch things, yet God can doe them; though the thing bee never p. 573ſo great, he can doe it; though the thing be never ſo hard, he can accompliſh it; nay though thou canſt not number and account them, God can doe great things without number, and work wonders beyond meaſure; and therefore judge not God, by what thou conceiveſt and imagineſt; judge not his infiniteneſſe according to the weak ſcantling of thy imaginations.

Cure. 4 The fourth cure is this, and it is ſpecially to be obſerved above all the reſt, in thy proceeding with thy ſelfe, and in thy judgement of thy ſelfe, repaire unto the word of the Lord, and paſſe not ſentence upon thy owne ſoule, but according to the evidence and verdict thereof, you will certainly forget it, I have had ſo much experience thereof; but I beſeech you thinke of it, in all determinations of thy eſtate, when thou conſulteſt, whether thou art in a good eſtate, or in a bad eſtate, let thy ſentence and judgement upon thy ſelfe be paſſed by the word; if thou art to bee approved, let the Word of God approve thee; if thou art to be condemned, let the word of God condemne thee; if thou art to be examined, let the Word of God examine thee: paſſe not, care not what the world faith, and what temptations ſuggeſt; but heare what Chriſt ſaith, and liſten only what the Word of God ſaith, and what verdict that paſſeth, and if the Word of God ſpeaks for thee, no matter though men and Angels ſpeake againſt thee; and if the Word ſpeake againſt thee, no matter though all the friends in the world ſpeake for thee; but be ſure alwayes to p. 574appeale to the Word: if a man have a ſuit in law, and ſome pettie lawyers would handle it, if he be wiſe, hee will not let them, hee will ſtay till the Judge comes to the aſſizes, then he will determine it: ſo deale with thy ſoule, doe not put thy eſtate to be tried, and thy condition to be ſcanned with a companie of wrangling lawyers; as imaginations of heart, and vanities of minde, and carnall reaſonings, but ſtay till the Judge comes, and yeeld to the verdict of the truth; Epheſ. 5.13. the text ſaith, All things when they are reproved of the light, ſhall be made manifeſt, for it is light that makes all things manifeſt; the light is the light of the word, and the evidence of the truth: now obſerve it, all ſenſe, and feelings, and carnall reaſonings, are like clouds and miſts, that a man cannot ſee his way; but bring all to the light, and then the caſe will be diſcovered and thy eſtate made manifeſt what it is; Matth. 11.29. apply the counſell which Chriſt there gives, and wee ſhould follow, Learne of me, ſaith he, for I am humble and meeke, and you ſhall findereſt unto your ſoules; as the Pſalmiſt obſerves it, I will heare what the Lord ſaith to my ſoule; ſo take Gods counſell, and ſay, I will heare what the Lord Jeſus Chriſt will ſay, and to him I will attend, not what carnall reaſon, or doubts, or feares, or ſuſpitions will ſay, but what the Lord will ſay; this is the cauſe we want reſt, the cauſe why men have reſtleſſe conditions, and daily doubtings and quarrellings, and can finde no ſo… ring for their ſoules to reſt upon, no bottome to beare, no foundation to hold them up; the ca…e p. 575is, becauſe they will not learne of their Father, and of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hence it is that diſtreſſed ſoules caſt off comfort; what, I grace? and what I ever receive good, and I title to the promiſe? that were ſtrange, no, it belongs to humble and broken hearted ones, were I ſo humbled as ſuch, and ſo inlarged as ſuch Chriſtians, then there were ſome hope, but I that am ſo full of weakneſſes, and of frailties, and now and then overcome by diſtempers; what, I faith? no, I can never thinke it, I ſuſpect I never had it, I doubt I never ſhall have it; nay, I conclude all is naught for the while; who told you ſo? where learned you that, where learned you all theſe kindes of reſolutions and concluſions? why? I feare it, I ſuſpect it, and imagine it, and the like; why? then feare told you ſo, and not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; this is the caſe, and I exhort you, that are ſervants of the Lord, obſerve and take notice of this, I ſay, learne of the Lord, and take notice of the truth of the Lord, and then you ſhall finde reſt to your ſoules; you complaine you have not quiet and comfort, and you ſhall never bee aſſured of Gods love, but you ſhall goe with griefe and ſorrow to your graves: why? it is your owne fault, learne of your father, and then you ſhall have reſt; you put your eſtates to be determined by carnall reaſon, and your doubts and infirmities tell you ſo, you ſhall never come to reſt while the world ſtands; why? here is no reſt to be had, no eaſe to be expected, learne of the Lord Jeſus, his word is ſure, himſelfe faithfull, and his promiſe true, and p. 576when you repaire thither, you ſhall finde reſt; if you reſt upon a right bottome, you ſhall have comfort and conſolation vouchſafed unto you. But you will ſay;

Object. May not a man bee deceived, and what if I ſhould? may not I as well as another, and what if I ſhould?

Anſ. Obſerve what now I ſay, and I am fully perſwaded, that many poore ſoules are ſtaggering and working with themſelves about their owne eſtate: I anſwer, that it is poſſible for a man to bee couzened in regard of himſelfe; but I aske this queſtion, who ſhall teach thee, and direct thee, and eſtabliſh thee upon a right bottome? turne whither thou wilt, and doe what thou canſt, thou muſt come to the word of God; the word of God can only ſettle thy ſoule, and eſtabliſh thy conſcience in the aſſurance of Gods love, and therefore thou muſt come to this, and before thou doeſt come to this, thou canſt never have eſtabliſht perſwaſions of Gods love, and all thoſe abilities thou dreameſt of: thou ſaiſt ſuch a man is humbled, and wert thou ſo gracious, and ſo carried on in a good courſe, it were ſomewhat; why, how doeſt thou know whether he be cozened or no? how doeſt thou know his humiliation is ſound, and his conſolation good? but know that the word of God is the Judge, I meane the law whereby thou ſhalt bee judged, when all thy hopes, and all thy ſenſe, and feelings, and perſwaſions of others ſhall never bee heard, but caſt off; the word of God muſt onelyonly judge thee; p. 577therefore now judge thy ſelfe by that which ſhall judge thee, when this life ſhall not be.

Now for our direction herein foure things are obſervable; how to order our ſelves aright, to learne this skill to repaire to the word, and to gaine evidence and cleare apprehenſion of our owne eſtates, by attending to the truth: theſe rules are eſpecially obſervable; and here lies the maine cure of carnall reaſon, that doth preſſe in upon the minde, and dampes the heart thereof, that we may ſo uſe the word, that we may be eſtabliſhed thereby:

Rule. 1 The firſt rule is this; as in all the conditions that concerne thy ſoule, thou muſt firſt repaire to the word, and attend thereunto daily, ſo looke into the uprightneſſe and ſinceritie of thine owne ſoule, which may in ſome meaſure anſwer the word; heare what the word will ſay, and ſee what worke of grace is in thy heart, that will anſwer the word, and joyne ſides in the teſtimonie of the happineſſe of thy eſtate and condition; be ſure to take thy ſoule at the beſt, doe not alwayes conſider what is the worſt in thee, and goe no farther, doe not only ſee thy failings and infirmities on one ſide that accuſe thee, but ſee if there bee any ſoundneſſe and uprightneſſe, any goodneſſe and truth of heart, that may ſpeake for thee: heare both ſides; it is injuſtice to heare one ſide, and determine a cauſe thereby; as the Lord deals with his ſervants, ſo thou ſhouldſt deale with thy ſelfe; now the Lord doth not lye at a catch with his children, to ſpie out their faults, and ſo proceed p. 578againſt them accordingly, but he takes them at the beſt hand; Rom. 4.22. it is a thing very remarkable concerning Abraham; Abraham beleeved, and it was counted to him for righteouſneſſe; when did God ſpeake concerning Abrahams faith; the time was when Abraham beleeved not; his faith is diſcovered, Geneſ. 15. in the beginning we ſhall ſee he beleeved not, but was doubting and ſtaggering concerning Gods giving him a Sonne, now God lookes not at his infirmities, but God takes him at the beſt, Abraham beleeved, &c. a little before Abraham doubted, thou hast promiſed a Sonne, but I perceive it not, then God led him into the fields, and diſcovered his power and goodneſſe, and then Abraham beleeved; and this is ſtill recorded and regiſtred of Abraham to all poſteritie: ſo 1 Pet. 3.6. where Sarah is ſpoken of, as a patterne to all holy women, not for her broidered haire; but the text ſaith, Shee was clad with a meeke ſpirit, and called her husband Lord, Geneſ. 18. there we ſhall read, that ſhe called him Lord, and it was her dutie, and ſhe did well in ſo doing: but there we ſhall read in the ſame place, that ſhee denied the tidings of the Angell, now the Lord buries her failings, and doth not record and regiſter that, but hee tooke her at the beſt, and recorded that; ſo we muſt deale with our ſelves, wee muſt not lye at the catch with our hearts, and ſay, this is naught, and this is vile, but obſerve what ſo ever is upright and ſincere, and bleſſe God for that, and rejoyce in that, and weigh that as well as the other; nay, that rather than the other: if a p. 579man ſhould have a caſe handled after this faſhion, and if the Judge ſhould obſerve onelyonly what is foule on one mans ſide, and goe no further, the moſt upright man might be caſt in the beſt caſe, therefore the courſe of the court is, he will heare the reaſons and witneſſes on both ſides, if there be any bonds or evidences brought in, or any argument to be made, he will heare all read, there muſt be an equall proceeding: ſhould a man have a ſuit with another about the forfeiture of a bond or indenture, if the Judge heare one and not the other, he might carry the cauſe againſt the moſt upright man; therefore the other cries out, and ſaith, good my Lord, heare all, and let all be read; one ſaith, you may ſee the falſneſſe of this man; aye, ſaith the other, but heare all my Lord; and then the Judge is ſufficiently ſatisfied before witneſſes; whereas if the Judge had but heard the firſt part, and not the ſecond, the caſe would have gone againſt the man, though never ſo good: ſo many Saints deale with their ſoules, what a wretched heart, what pride and ſtubbornneſſe have I? my heart will not leave the world, it is unfit for ſervice, and dead in ſervice; but heare all, read all; is not thy ſoule burthened with theſe, and is not thy heart troubled with thoſe, is it not a griefe to thy ſoule, and doth it not lye heavie upon thy heart, that thou canſt not walke exactly before God? Oh, ſaith the ſoule, it is the greateſt evill that ever befell me, and I would be content almoſt not to be, that I might not be ſo ſinfull; why? then thou art an upright hearted p. 580man, now take thy ſoule on this ſide, and heare the beſt of it: looke as it is with a mans hand, the backe of his hand cannot take hold of a ſtaffe, but his palme can; if a man complaine that hee cannot hold a ſtaffe, and turne the backe of his hand; no wonder, turne the right ſide of your hand, and then you will graſpe it, and hold it eaſily; ſo turne the right ſide of your ſoule to the promiſe, the promiſes of God are the ſtaffe that upholds our ſoules, and our ſoules ſhould reſt thereupon, and truſt thereunto: now wee turne the backſide of our hearts to the promiſe, ſtubbornneſſe great, and doubtings many, and corruptions fierce, the wrong ſide of the heart is to the promiſe, and this will hinder thee from comming to, and receiving good from the word; but thy ſoule ſeeth theſe, and is willing to bee freed from theſe; thy ſoule hates theſe, and thy ſelfe for theſe; this is the right ſide of the heart that lyes levell to the promiſe: therefore attend the word, and repaire daily thereto, and attend the better ſide, doe not attend to weakneſſe and feebleneſſe, but to ſoundneſſe and ſinceritie; that is the firſt rule.

Rule. 2 The ſecond rule is this, labour to have thy conſcience ſetled, and convictingly eſtabliſhed of that truth, of that grace, which reaſon now informed doth entertaine, and the Word doth witneſſe to bee in thee; labour to get thy conſcience ſetled and eſtabliſhed powerfully, touching the truth, that out of the word and the evidence thereof thou haſt ſeene; marke, I ſay, if there be p. 581any want of the aſſurance of Gods love, and ſetling thereof to thy ſoule, ſo that the evidence of the worke of grace doth not come powerfully in upon thy heart, but there is ſome guilt of ſinne ſtill remaining, and conſcience ſtill begins to accuſe thee, and condemne thee: the truth is, though reaſon be informed, yet haply conſcience will breed new broyles at every turne, and put in new pleas, and ſo nip, diſquiet and torment our hearts in ſtaggering our hearts: therefore as we muſt have our judgements informed out of the Word, that there is ſome good and ſoundneſſe in our ſoules; ſo wee muſt get conſcience perſwaded of it, that conſcience may be on our ſide and ſpeake for us. A man muſt deale in this caſe as a debtor, if he bee ingaged to many creditors, the onelyonly way to get ſafety is to agree not with ſome, but with all; for if hee agree with all but one, that one may impriſon him and undoe him, as well as ten thouſand: therefore take order with all creditors, that is the wiſeſt way: ſo it is with the ſoule that lies at the mercy of the Lord, that is in ſo deepe arrerages, that it cannot helpe it ſelfe; the onelyonly way is to take order with all occaſions, not onelyonly anſwer judgement, that it may not object againſt us, but labour to ſtill conſcience that it may not accuſe us, but bee on our ſide, and then all will bee on our ſide. The want of this is the cauſe why new ſuits are made and new bills put up againſt the ſoule, the want of ſatisfying conſcience, as experience teacheth us in caſes of conſcience: take a poore ſinner that p. 582hath all objections and cavils anſwered fully; aske a poore diſtreſſed ſoule, are theſe all the doubts you have, and objections that you have? yes: and are they all anſwered? aye; have you any thing to object againſt the anſwers? no, therefore now doth conſcience ſay it is a ſinne to deny you have any grace: here he ſtounds, and ſtaggers, and demurs upon the matter, and ſhakes his head, and ſaith, Alas, I dare not ſay ſo; nay, I rather ſay the contrary, marke how reaſons were anſwered, the bookes drawne, the accounts made up, and yet conſcience is not ſatisfied, but puts in a new plea; therefore call a court and trace the buſineſſe againe; hath not God wrought this in you, that though you are now and then captived by ſin, yet you ſay you are willing to be deterred from it, willing that God ſhould take poſſeſſion of you, and rule you, is not this in your heart? the ſoule ſaith, I ſhould deny the worke of Gods grace to ſay the contrary; why then this is the worke of grace, then it is againſt conſcience to deny this, therefore conſcience give up your bill, and cancell all this, for I ſay, hath not this man grace? yea I affirme he hath, let conſcience be fully ſatisfied in this caſe; and when conſcience is brought on our ſide and ſpeaks for us, all the cavils that Satan caſts and the heart makes, conſcience will cleare the heart, and ſtands by a man, and cleareth all theſe cavils: 1 Iohn 3.12. For if our conſcience condemne us not, then have wee boldneſſe before God; the meaning is, if our conſcience acquit us, and ſpeake for us, then we are p. 583bold before God. I know the man, he is yet alive, that in the extremity of horrour of heart and deſperate feare, ſaid that hee had ſinned againſt the holy Ghoſt, and therefore would make away himſelfe; now that which kept him from that wicked attempt was this, his conſcience told him before, that at ſuch a time his heart was ſincere before the Lord, and that reſtrained him from that attempt, and ſuſtained him againſt the fiery puſh of temptation, and God afterward bleſt him with the aſſurance of his love and favour.

Rule. 3 The third rule is this, wee ſhould ſtrive mightily to have our hearts overpowred by the evidence of the truth, which reaſon and conſcience make good to us, that it may quietly entertaine it, and humbly and calmly welcome it, that what reaſon ſaith, and conſcience concludes, the heart may ſay Amen, and ſet his ſeale to that, and yeeld and ſubject it ſelfe to it. This is the third thing, and here we ſticke, for theſe three things are in the ſoule of a man, that doth as it were maintaine oppoſition againſt the evidence of the Word, and the verdict of God therein. Firſt, reaſon objects, ſecondly, conſcience accuſeth, and the heart (that is the will) gaine-ſaith, the will of a man will not come under ſubmiſſion, but it is ſtill on the thwarting hand, and wee finde it by experience in the courſe of temptation, when a man hath attended all that can be, when a man hath ſtilled conſcience, and that is brought on our ſide, yet notwithſtanding the heart out of a ſtubbornneſſe not being fully maſtered, and out of p. 584a ſtoutneſſe not fully conquered, it gaine-ſayes it, and raiſeth up new, and keeps the old quarrells, thoſe old quarrels that have beene anſwered long agoe, that a man would have thought they had beene dead long agoe, a mans ſtout heart will bring thoſe in afreſh againe: it is in this caſe with a poore ſinner, as it is with a man that hath a contentious adverſary that delights in wrangling, the caſe haply hath beene tried in all the courts in England, at laſt it comes into the Chancery, and there it is concluded againſt him, and the decree paſſed, ſo that now all the buſineſſe is eſtabliſhed; the Lawyers have pleaded it, the Judge determined it, and the man is overthrown, and therefore now in reaſon he ſhould ſit downe, and yeeld, but the wrangling party perſwades him that hee will not yeeld, but hee will goe to law againe, and ſell all he hath before hee will let let it goe thus: therefore hee begins the ſuit againe, and puts in the old plea, till at laſt the Judge knowing the man, caſts off his plea, and flings off his cauſe, and puts him in priſon: How dare you againſt the court and the ſentence ſet downe, put in the old plea, and trouble the court, and the law in this nature? ſo it is with the ſoule, the heart of a gracious man humbled in ſome mea…ure and in truth, could be content now and then to yeeld to the evidence of reaſon, and verdict of conſcience, and the ſoule comes to bee cheered; Bleſſed be God, my eſtate is better than I thought; but there is an old breed-bate, and proud ſtout heart, a ſturdy ſelfe-wild heart, and p. 585that begins to bring in the old plea, and will maintaine the old quarrell, though reaſon confuted them, and conſcience condemned the weakneſſe thereof, and they have beene anſwered from day to day, yet againſt knowledge, and conſcience, and truth, and reaſon and all, the ſinner you ſhall finde out of his diſtemper of ſpirit, will keep his old objections, and maintaine his old cavils; and if they were anſwered over night, hee will have them againe in the morning, whereas a man would have thought they would never have durſt appeared before the evidence of the truth any more, becauſe the caſe was ſo fully anſwered, and ſo fully ſatisfied; therefore the wound is here, labour therefore to cure it, namely get thy heart ſo far awed, get thy ſoule ſo far overpowerd with the ſoveraigne command, royall authority of the truth, that it may ſubmit it ſelfe, and yeeld to what ever word the Lord reveals, to what ever truth the Lord diſcovers to the ſoule, and beware eſpecially that thou doſt not out of a ſelfewild waywardneſſe reject and refuſe the evidence of the truth and the verdict that the Word paſſeth upon thy ſoule for thy everlaſting good; that becauſe thou haſt not comfort as thou wilt, therefore thou wilt have none at all; & it is not ſo much, becauſe thou canſt not receive the promiſe, but becauſe out of a waywardneſſe of heart thou wilt not entertaine the promiſe, that cauſeth all this debate, here lies the root of this bitterneſſe, and the ground of this wretched eſtate: wee will expreſſe our ſelves by practice: hence it is … p. 586when the Word hath beene cleerely diſcovered to the ſoule, all objections are blowne away, and reaſon is ſatisfied, and conſcience convinced: yet aske the ſoule, are you perſwaded that God hath accepted of you in Chriſt, and intended good unto you? no, all the world cannot make me beleeve it, I cannot bee perſwaded of it, Miniſters are mercifull, and Chriſtians are compaſſionate, and they ſpeake charitably, and will not diſcourage me; but did they ſee that which I ſee, did they but know thoſe weakneſſes, and take notice of thoſe diſtempers that are in my heart, they would never thinke it: what, I grace? it is a thing I could never perſwade my heart of, nay I doubt I ſhall never bee perſwaded of it, I cannot thinke it, all the world cannot make mee beleeve it; reaſon is anſwered, and the conſcience is ſatisfied, but the heart will not yeeld: it is out of ſtubbornnes of ſoule, that you will not take that mercy that God offers, and that grace God propounds for your good, and it is horrible, it is helliſh, it is devilliſh pride: If there be any ſuch ſpirit in the congregation, let them know it, and take this home with them, it is infinite pride. But you will ſay,

Object. How can that be? I cannot thinke that, they are broken hearted Chriſtians, and are overwhelmed with ſorrow; they are ever mourning, and ſinke downe in ſorrow in this nature, and therefore it cannot bee pride in this caſe what ever it bee.

Anſw. I ſay, it is devilliſh pride againſt the Majeſtie p. 587of Heaven, and that I will ſhew in two particulars.

1For a man to follow his owne conceit and ſelfe wildneſſe of ſpirit, againſt the light of the truth, againſt the force of reaſon, againſt the teſtimony of conſcience, againſt the judgement of all faithfull Miniſters out of the Word, to bee above the Word, and reaſon, and conſcience, and to bee above the judgement of all Gods faithfull ſervants, is not this infinite pride? this is your condition juſt, the Word hath caſt you, and reaſon and conſcience have caſt you, and yet you will maintaine your owne conceits of that proud heart of yours: I ſay againe, this pride appeares in this.

2That becauſe we have not what we would, and becauſe we have it not in that meaſure we deſire, becauſe we finde not that ſweetneſſe in grace that others have and we covet, therefore we caſt away all: this is infinite pride, to fling Gods favour in his face, you have not this and that, and God hath done nothing for you, and never vouchſafed any good unto you; it is wonderfull mercy, that God hath not caſt off that ſoule of thine; becauſe God will not follow your conceits, and goe your way, you will have no grace at all: As it is with a Client that hath a ſuit in law, hee hath the cauſe determined, and the conveyance made, and his eſtate ſetled by the verdict of the Judge; but becauſe his evidences, and conveyances, are not written in great Roman letters, as he would have them, he flings all away, and ſaith, they will not ſtand in law, will not all the world count him a p. 588miſerable foole? this is your caſe, you have no grace, becauſe you have not ſo much grace; you have no zeale, becauſe you have not ſo hor zeale: you have no humiliation, becauſe not ſo great humiliation: this is nothing but pride, and a world of pride: therefore marke what I ſhall ſay; labour to bring thy ſoule to this paſſe, and to this humble ſubmiſſion and ſubjection to the truth of God, take it as well a duty to receive comfort when God gives it, as to entertaine duty of love when God requires it: Anſwerably know, it is a ſinne to refuſe mercy when God offers it, and thou haſt title thereunto: It is as well a ſinne, though not ſo much a ſin; perſwade thy heart of this, and bring thy ſoule to yeeld to this. And therefore learne this leſſon, you poore Saints of God, that have beene peſtered marvellouſly in this kinde, and have beene enemies to your owne comfort, labour to eye your owne ſoules, when they begin to ſlide away from the authority of the truth, when reaſons are ſound, arguments cleere, and conſcience ſatisfied, and yet the heart ſlides off from the Lord, and from under the covert of Gods wings. Reaſon thus, This is the proud, ſurly, dogged, way-ward diſpoſition of my heart; what would I have? what can I deſire? is not the Word cleere? are not reaſons ſound? and is not conſcience ſatisfied? and ſhall I deny this, and ſo wrong the glory of God, and the worke of his bleſſed Spirit in my heart? the Lord forbid: but the heart pleads;

Muſt I eat my owne words, and never cavill p. 589more, and never complaine more, and muſt I confeſſe I have grace, when I never thought I had grace?

Anſw. Muſt you ſay ſo? aye, and bleſſe God you may ſay ſo, and be thankfull for ever, that thou mayeſt upon good grounds ſay thus, and bring under theſe diſtempers of your ſoule, and make them yeeld, and ſubmit to the bleſſed truth of God; you had better a great deale croſſe your owne humours, than croſſe the good Spirit of the Lord, and grieve it; Eſay 7.13. when the Lord offered a great offer to Ahaz, to aske a ſigne in heaven or in earth, the text ſaith, he caſt off Gods kindneſſe, God bids him aske a ſigne, hee ſaith, I will not tempt God; hee refuſed Gods kindneſſe with marvellous ſtubbornneſſe; now marke what God anſwers, Is it a ſmall thing for thee, not onelyonly to grieve man, but the good Spirit of the Lord; ſo thinke you with your ſelves, when the Lord bids you take comfort, comfort yee, comfort yee, ſaith my God, You that have beene wearied, come and bee refreſhed; you that have beene loſt, ſhall be found, the ſoule faith, I dare not take it, I will not entertaine it: doe you thinke it a ſmall thing, not only to grieve man, and the heart of a poore Miniſter, but to grieve the Lord and his Spirit? Iob 15.11. Seemes the conſolation of the Lord a ſmall thing unto you? that God ſtoopes to your meanneſſe, and condeſcends to your weakneſſe, and ſupports your hearts, and reſtores comfort to your ſoules, that you trample his kindneſſe under your feet, and make nothing of it? take heed of it, leſt that p. 590ſtubborne ſoule of thine, that now refuſeth conſolation when God offers it, thou ſhalt creep upon thy hands and knees, and eat thy fleſh, and beg one offer of grace, which thou haſt denied often: Iohn 13.8. ſee how Chriſt doth ſchoole the humble pride of Peter, for ſo I terme it, our Saviour Chriſt roſe from ſupper, and bound himſelfe with a towell, and went to waſh his Diſciples feet, but when he came to Peter, he was very ſquamiſh, he was loth Chriſt ſhould ſtoope ſo low; what, waſh my feet? thou ſhalt never waſh my feet: a man would thinke this was great humilitie; Peter was a very lowly man, he would not let Chriſt yeeld to him, but he would ſtoope to him rather; this was noth…ng but a kinde of refractarineſſe, and therefore ſee how Chriſt tooke him up, and this is the only way to cure it, If I waſh not thy feet, thou haſt no part in me; if you will goe on in your owne humour, get you downe to hell, and injoy your owne will; if I waſh you not, you ſhall never ſee my face with comfort; and then his ſtomack came downe, and he ſaid, Not onelyonly my feet, but my body alſo Lord, when Chriſt had ſubdued his pride, and brought down his haughty heart. That is humilitie of heart, to take what God gives, and receive what God offers, and doe what God commands; doe ſo with thy humble pride, when men are complaining, and thinke it a great skill to anſwer arguments, and put by the reaſons that Miniſters propound, and then they thinke that they are humble, and bewailing their eſtates, and haply they may bee ſo; but here is the wound, p. 591you have proud hearts, therefore labour to diſmay that proud heart of thine, with the authoritie and command of God, and with the threatnings of the Lord, and ſevere judgements of God, and tell thy proud heart, lay aſide your gainſaying humour, and take the merciemercy God offers, and bleſſe God that you may take merciemercy, and that you may take grace upon theſe termes, upon good grounds, and reaſons, and evidences out of the word; bleſſe God, I ſay, and take it, leſt God take away his Spirit from you, and his comforts from you, and ſtrip you naked of all that favour he now vouchſafeth, and make you runne downe in anguiſh of ſoule to your grave, though hee ſave your ſoules, hee may make you live in hell here, though hee bring you to heaven afterwards: I would have every one touch his ſoule to the quick, and deale as Iob did, Once have I ſpoken, but I will ſay no more, yea twice, but I will proceed no farther; ſo all you broken hearted Chriſtians, that have mourned under the burden of your ſinnes, and cried mightily for merciemercy, and yet receive no comfort to your ſoules, the fault is your owne; now ſee the ground of it, and ſay, I am vile, when the word revealed, and the Miniſter diſcovered comfort, I would not receive it, I have gainſayed it, I will gainſay it no more, once have I ſpoken, and now I ſpeake it to my ſhame and ſorrow, I might have had much comfort, and bound up my heart in the aſſurance of Gods merciemercy, had I had an humble heart, to receive that which God offered, I thought it humilitie of heart to refuſe it, p. 592but it was pride and doggedneſſe of ſpirit; for why did I not rather receive reaſons that could not be anſwered, than more queſtions that have beene removed, and aſſoiled from day to day; I have beene inlarged in this, becauſe it is the maine ground whereupon many humble ſinners have beene hindred from a great deale of comfort God would have given, and they might have received at his hands.

Rule. 4 The fourth rule is this: maintaine in the laſt place the truth which upon theſe good grounds thou haſt received, and thy judgement, and conſcience, and heart have ſubmitted to. Looke as it is with a man in law concerning his land, or living, or patrimonie, if he have his adverſary upon a good ground upon the hip, as we uſe to ſay, he will be ſure to keepe him there, he will be ſure to keepe him upon that ground ſtill, and hold him to that; if a man will follow every wrangling lawyer at every digreſſion, and bring in this and that; no, keep to the point, ſaith the Judge, let there bee no wavering and extravagant courſes: hold there where your caſe is good, and the law is on your ſide: ſo deale with Satan, it is the cunning of the enemie to lead you out, and hee will have his vagarie, and this turning, and the other wavering; but keepe to the point, be ſure to hold to that truth that hath eſtabliſhed you, by the evidence of reaſon; and teſtimonie of conſcience, and the evidence of your ſoules: let mee teach you a little that are weake: