The State of True Happiness, Text (3 of 4)

The State of True Happiness · Text (3 of 4)

p. 79The iudgements vponupon this land hauehave beene many and 2fearefull. I doubt not, but we hauehave seene with our eyes, euen those which are very neere fore-runners of that great and terrible day of the Lord. Wee hauehave seene strange and prodigious apparitions in the aire: we hauehave had vnheard of plots and practises against our State. Our land hath long and extraordinarily groaned vnderunder a sore and durable plague, which hath stucke close to the bowels of this City. The sea hath broke out of her bounds, and swept away many as righteous as our selues: we hauehave felt such extremity of heate and cold, of which I thinke these parts of the world are not naturally capable; so certaine is it that the finger of God hath beene in them. The poore of the land euen now grieuously sigh, and pine with a present famine. Let vsus then examine our selues in this point. HaueHave wee laid all these iudgements vntounto our hearts? hauehave we beene truely humbled by them? hauehave we by a diligent search taken notice of our sinnes and grieued for them, and abandoned them? hauehave we mourned and cried for all the abominations that are done amongst vsus? Why then blessed is our case, our state is the state of grace; we shall be sure to be marked and sealed in the foreheads, by the Angell of God, for his seruants, before the vials of final desolation be powred vponupon this kingdome. But if otherwise (which is rather to be feared) if hee hath smitten vsus, and we hauehave not sorrowed; if he hath corrected p. 80vsus for amendment, and we are not bettered, but rather worse and worse; we may assure ourselues we yet want a gracious marke, and effect of the power of true godlines; and marke what will be the end both of vsus and our whole land; it can be no other then that of his owne people. And thus he dealt with them by his iudgements, euen as a Physition with his patient. A Physition while there is any hope of recouerie in his patient; he vseth the benefit of all the rules of art, all variety of meanes, prescribing diet, letting blood, ministring pils and potions; but when he once perceiues the naturall heate to b… so decayed, and strength of nature spent, that his physicke will worke no more good vponupon him, but rather hasten his ruine then his recouerie, hee then leaues him to the pangs of death and dissolution of soule and body. Euen so deales God with his people, while there is any hope of repentance, he visits them by all kind of castigations, all maner of punishments: But when all sense of religion, all heate of zeale, and life of grace hauehave so vtterly forsaken the hearts of men; that they are rather broken then bowed, rather hardened then humbled by his iudgements; hee giues them ouer to their owne iust confusion. He leaues them finally, neuer more to bee intreated, to lamentations, mournings and woe; to the feare, to the pit, and to the snare: to the Lion, the Wolfe, and the Leopard. Thou hast stricken them (saith Ieremie) but they hauehave not sorrowed, Chap. 5.3.thou hast consumed them, but they hauehave refused to rec…iue correction: they hauehave made their faces harder then a stone, and hauehave refused to returne. Vers. 6.Wherefore a Lion out of the forrest shall stay them, and a Wolfe of the wilderness shall destroy them: a Leopard shall watch ouer their Cities, eueryevery one that goeth out then…, shall be torne in peeces, because their trespasses are many, and their rebellions are encreased. This course of Gods proceeding in his iudgements, we may see most cleerely in the 4. of Amos. He first gaue them cleann…sse of teeth in all their Cities, and scarcenes of bread in all their places; and yet they returned not vntounto him: He withheld the raine from them, when there were yet three moneths to the haruest; so that two or three p. 81Cities wandred vntounto one Citie to drinke water, but they were not satisfied: and yet they returned not vntounto him. He smote them with blasting & mildew; their gardens and their vineyards, their figtrees, and their oliue trees did the Palmer worme deuoure: and yet they returned not vntounto him. Pestilence he sent amongst them after the maner of Egypt: and yet they returned not vntounto him. Therfore, saith the Lord, thus will I doe vntounto thee O Israel. He speakes after the manner of a man, in whom iust indignation stops passage vntounto speech, and who wants words to expresse the horriblenesse of the punishments hee purposes to inflict: Therefore thus and thus will I doe vntounto thee O Israel, euen so as he threatned in the beginning of the Chapter: The daies shall come vponupon you, that you shall be taken away with thornes, and your posterity with fish-hookes. As if he should hauehave said, I will make no more triall by iudgements; I will now doe a thing in Israel, whereof whosoeuer shall heare, his two eares shall tingle; yea, and all his heartstrings shall tremble. I will now sweepe you all away with the beesome of vtter destruction. This is certainely now iust our case (For to crie peace, peace, where there is no peace towards, is wicked and to no purpose▪ to bring conceits and smoothings to this place, will neuer serue the turne; either for the discharge of our consciences, or the sauing of your soules) I say this is iust our case: we are euen already come to this last point and period: By our many impieties and impenitency, wee hauehave brought our gracious God to that question in the 1, of Isa. VVherefore should ye be smitten any more? for ye fall away more and more. Or rather to this conclusion in the 4. of Amos; therefore thus will I do vntounto thee, O nation not worthie to be loued. He hath made triall by so many iudgements, and so many times, and all in vaine; that the very next iudgement we may iustly feare and expect, without true and timely repentance, will euen be the beesome-of-vtter desolation.

As the iudgements vponupon this land hauehave beene great 3and fearefull; so many and wonderfull hauehave beene his mercies vponupon vsus, and such I am persuaded, as greater the sun neuer p. 82saw, … of men enioyed. I will onelyonly name two, wh…ch cannot … …ee fresh in …uery mans memorie: The contr…uing of our peace, at the death of our late Soueraign of euer glorious memorie: And our deliuerance from the Gu…powder Treason. Of which two when first eueryevery man heard, me thinks hee should hauehave beene afraid, lest hee had beene in a dreame: as it is said of the Israelites, Psalm. 1…6. VVhen the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of S…on, we were like them that dreame. Both that, and these our blessings were things so incredible, and beyond all expectation.

You know a little before the Queenes death, the wisest were at their wits ends, and eueryevery one stood amazed and astonished for the feares his heart did feare. The Iesuites from beyond seas insolently insulted ouer vsus, and told vsus in their bookes, that this kingdome would shortly become a prey to the greedie ambition of all the neighbour nations; that huge clouds of blood hung ouer our heads, and would melt and dissolue at the Queenes death. But it was neither so, nor so. They are the false prophets of the Beast in the Reuelation, no maruell though they lied: For he that dwels in the heauen laughed them to scorne, our gratious God had them in derision. And when diuels and Papists looked and wished, that this land should hauehave beene clothed, euen with blood and fire, as with a garment; out of the infinite depth of his vnsearchable mercies he couered it with peace, ioy and happinesse, euen as the seas are couered with water.

In the Gunpowder Treason, the necke of our whole State, both of Church and Common-wealth, the glory of this famous and flourishing kingdome, the hope of posterity was laid as it were vponupon the blocke: The instrument of death was lifted vp by the damned instrument of the Popes malice and cruelty, he was euen ready to giuegive the mortall stroke; and had not the Angell of the Lord stepped in, in the verie nicke; had not our mercifull God, by his most miraculous and immediate prouidence put to his helping hand, when our case was desperate and all hope past, he had cut off from p. 83vsus the roote and the branch, the name and the remnant, the son and the nephew. Our land that before was as the garden of Eden, had bin by this time a desolate wildernesse: Our Church, which was before a harbour of Saints, had been by this time a poole of snakes; I meane an habitation of Papists. The faire body of this citie, that before was enliued with matchlesse glory and worth, should by this time hauehave bin a rent and dismembred carcase; and that which is worst of al, the neglected and forlorne lims, inspired with the doctrine of diuels.

Let vsus then examine our selues in this point. HaueHave these incomparable blessings melted our hearts into teares of repentance & thankfulnes? HaueHave these cords of louelove drawn vsus neerer vntounto our God in all knowledge, louelove and obedience? Why then we may assure our selues of a good testimony, that our soules are seasoned with grace. But if it be quite otherwise: If these great and vndeserued mercies hauehave bred in vsus a more frozen coldnesse in the seruice of God, a more presumptuous securitie and a sounder and sweeter sleepe in sin▪ If since our miraculous deliuerance, vnparalleld by all Nations, times and stories; there hath bin amongst vsus no lesse prophaning of Gods Name and Sabbaths then before, no lesse pride and drunkenesse, no lesse oppression and vsurie, no lesse vncleannesse and vnconscionablenes in our callings, no lesse ignorance in the word of God, and backwardnesse in the waies of holinesse, no lesse contempt of godlinesse and godly men: Nay, if all these gather head and heart, more ripenesse and readinesse to receiue the flame of Gods fierce and last wrath: If there bee rather a sensible decay of the feare of God, of zeale, and true sinceritie amongst vsus: If Prophanenesse, Atheisme, Poperie, and a luke-warmenesse in religion, like a mightie Torrent, rush in violently vponupon vsus daily more and more, and fearefully preuaile and domineere in most places: Why then, (you are a people of vnderstanding) I leaue it to your owne consciences, to consider what must needs shortly befall vsus, except we gather our selues before the decree come foorth; vnlesse by speedy humiliation and vnfained p. 84repentance, wee preuent so great and fearefull iudgements. And the rather, because wee may assure our selues, while the Diuell is in hell, and the Pope at Rome, the Priests and Iesuits, those notorious and transcendent instruments of blood and death, will be working in the Vaults of darknes for the confusion of the children of light, the subuersion of the Kingdome of Christ, and by consequent the ruine of our Church and Common wealth. Little know we, what fearefull and hellish plot may be euen now in hatching and hammering, or how neere it is to the birth, while we are most secure. And for vsus in the meane time, without repentance, and rooting out Idolatrie, to depend still vponupon immediate and miraculous discoueries and deliuerances, is at the least an vnhallowed and desperate presumption.

I cannot follow distinctly at this time, any more differences betwixt the state of sauing grace and formall hypocrisie. For conclusion therefore onelyonly, I will acquaint you more fullie with the effects of sauing grace, and follow in few words the trace and steps of the Spirit of God in the great worke of regeneration; that thereby eueryevery man may examine his conscience, iudge himselfe, and trie what his state is.

The working and propertie of this sauing grace, and true godlinesse vouchsafed peculiarly and onelyonly to Gods children, which doth translate them from darkenesse to light, from the corruption of nature, to a state of supernaturall blessednesse, you may thus conceiue and vnderstand. It is like leauen (for so the power of Gods word is compared in the Gospell) it is of a spreading nature: First, it seates it selfe in the heart; after it is dispersed ouer all the powers and parts both of soule and body; ouer all the actions and duties of a man whatsoeuer: It softneth and changeth the heart: It purgeth the inmost thoughts: It awakes the conscience, and makes it tender and sensible of the least sinne: It sanctifies the affections: It conformes the will vntounto the will of God: It illightnes the vnderstanding with sauing knowledge: It stores the memory with many good lessons, for comforts, instructions and directions in a godly life: It seasons the speech p. 85with grace: It so rectifies, and guides all a mans actions, that they proceed from faith, they are warrantable out of Gods word, they are accomplisht by good meanes, and wholly directed to the glory of God. Nay, yet it spreads further, and kindles a desire and zeale for the saluation of the soules of others, especially of all those that any way depend vponupon vsus: So that the child of God doth euer embrace all meanes and opportunities for the communicating of his graces and comforts, and the bringing of others to the same state of happinesse with himselfe.

Let then, I beseech you, eueryevery mans conscience goe a little along with me; and secretly, but faithfully answere to these few interrogatories which I shall propose very briefly and plainely, that eueryevery man may easily-vnderstand. Hast thou felt by thine owne experience this great worke of regeneration and change wrought vponupon thy soule? Hath the powerfull word of God, by the inward, speciall and effectuall working of his spirit, broken and bruised thy hard and stonie heart? Hath it pierced and purged the very closest and most vnsearchable corners thereof? Hath it humbled it with the sight of thy sinnes, and sense of Gods iudgements? Hath it filled it with fearefull terrours, compunction, remorse and true sorrow for thy life past? Hath it after quieted and refreshed it with a sure faith in Christ Iesus, and a delight in heauenly things? Hath it mortified thy inward corruptions, and broke the heart of thy sweet sinne? Hath it planted a holy moderation in all thy affections; that whereas heretofore they hauehave been enraged with lust, with immoderate anger, with ambition▪ with insatiable desire for the enlargement of thy wealth, possessions and greatnesse, and with hatred of Gods dearest seruants and their holinesse; are they now inflamed with zeale for Gods honour, truth and seruice; with a feruent louelove vntounto the Lord and his Saints; with Christian courage, to oppose against the sinnes of the time, to defend goodnesse and good causes, to contemne the lying slanders and prophane scoffes of worthlesse men? Hath it begot in …hy will an hunger and thirst after the spirituall food of thy p. 86soule, the Word and Sacraments; so that thou haddest rather part with any worldly good, then not enioy the incomparable benefit of a conscionable and constant ministery? Are thy thoughts, of which heretofore thou hast made no great conscience, but letten them wander vp and downe at rondom wickedly, idely and wantonly; are they now, I say, bounded within a sacred compasse, and spent vponupon holie things, and the necessary affaires of thy honest and lawfull calling? Is thy vnderstanding informed, and acquainted with the mysterie of saluation, which the world, and the wise men thereof, account nothing but madnesse and follie? Is thy memorie, which hath heretofore been stuffed with trash and toies, vanities and follies, now capable and greedy of diuine knowledge? Are thy words, which heretofore hauehave been full of prophanenesse and worldlinesse, now directed to glorifie God, and to giuegive grace vntounto the hearers? Nay yet further besides this inward renouation of the faculties of thy soule; hath the power of grace sanctified all thy outward actions? Dost thou now order in eueryevery particular, al the businesse of thy vocation religiously, conscionably, and by direction out of the word of God? Art thou inwardly affected, and faithfull in the performance of religious duties? as in hearing the word of God, in sanctifying the Sabbath, in prayer and the rest. Dost thou now heare the word of God, not onelyonly of course and custome, but of zeale and conscience to reforme thy selfe by it, and to liue after it? Doe not the weeke daies duties, and worldly cares drowne thy mind on the Sabbath; but that thou dost the whole day entirely, freely and cheerefully attend the worship of God? Dost thou exercise daily with fruit and feeling, prayer, that precious comfort of the faithfull Christian? Thou being conuerted, dost thou labour the conuersion of others, especially of those which are committed any way to thy charge, and for whom thou must giuegive a more strict account; as if thou be a master of a family, dost thou pray with them, and instruct them in the doctrine of saluation, and waies of godlinesse? Dost thou now not onelyonly sticke at, and forbeare great and grosse sinnes, p. 87but dost thou euen hate the garment spotted of the flesh, and al appearance of euill? Doth the tendernes of thy conscience checke thee for the least sinnes, and make thee fearefull to offend, though it bee but in a wandring cogitation? After eueryevery fall into infirmities, art thou carefull to renew thy repentance, and learne wisedome and watchfulnesse to auoid them afterwards? Doest thou feele thy selfe profit; grow and encrease in these fruits and effects of grace? And hast thou such a gratious tast of the glory of God, and of eternall life, that thou art euen willing and desirous to meet thy Sauiour in the clouds; not so much for to be rid out of the miseries of this life, as to be freed from the heauie burthen of sinne which hangs on so fast, and to enioy his presence in the heauens for euer? In a word, as thy soule giues life, spirit, and motion to thy whole body, and eueryevery part thereof; doth the spirit of God euen so inspire thy soule and body, and all thy actions with the life of grace? Why then, thou hast past the perfections of the formal hypocrite, and art possest of the state of true blessednesse; thou art then happie that euer thou wast borne; thy way is certainely the way of life: And I can assure thee, and I dare boldly pronounce it, that thou art already vtterly out of the reach of all the powers of hell: Satan is chained vp, for euer doing thee any deadly hurt: All the creatures are reconciled vntounto thee, and at league with thee: Thou hast filled the Angels with joy at thy conuersion, they will for euer guard thee: Thou shalt neuer more be afraid for any euill tidings. Though the earth be moued, and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea, thy heart shall abide strong, vnshaken and comfortable. When thou fallest downe vponupon thy bed of sicknes, thou shalt find no mortall poyson in thy flesh; no sting in death; no darkenes in the graue; no amazement at that great and fearefull day. For all the merits and sufferings of Christ are thine; all the comforts of Gods children are thine; all the blessings in the booke of God are thine; all the ioyes of heauen are thine: euen all things are thine, and thou art Christs, and Christ is Gods. OnelyOnly stand fast in the p. 88faith; quit thy selfe like a man, and be strong; gird thy sword vponupon thy thigh; buckle fast vntounto thee the whole armour of God; ride on because of the word of truth; and the Lord thy God be with thee. Breake thorow for a while with vndaunted courage the bitternesse of the worlds malice; the keene razours of empoysoned tongues; th… teares and tediousnesse of a few & wretched daies; for thou art nearer the price of the high calling, then when thou first beleeuedst: Shine more and more in faith, in patience, in louelove, in knowledge, obedience, and all other Christian graces, vntill the perfect day, vntill thou reach the height of heauen, and the full glory of the Saints of God.

I now proceed more distinctly to other markes of difference betwixt the state of grace, and formall hypocrisie. Some notes of distinction for my purpose may be raised out of those places of Scripture, which I proposed, for to acquaint you with the kinds of perfection, and degrees of goodnesse; whereof a man as yet vnregenerate is capable, and may bee partaker.

In the 8. of Luke, the hearer resembled vntounto the stonie ground, is the formall hypocrite. Hee receiues the word of God with ioy, as doth the faithfull Christian, though …ot in the same measure: But here is the speciall point and marke that differenceth the one from the other: The word and faith in the formall hypocrite hauehave no roots: They are not deepely and soundly rooted and planted in his vnderstanding, conscience, thoughts, affections, and actions.

1First, they are not rooted and fastened in his vnderstanding, by those two sacred and gratious habits, which are called by the Apostle, Col. 1.9. foreign and foreign: Heauenly knowledge, or speculatiue wisedome in the mysteries of saluation: And spirituall prudence, or a sanctified vnderstanding in the practicall affaires of the soule. These two, as I conceiue, for diuine reuelations, and matters of heauen, answe…e in a proportion to those two intellectuall habits, Sapientia and Prudentia mentioned by Aristotle Eth. 6. for naturall truth, and ciuill actions. Sapientia, you know out of p. 89the Schooles, is a worthie habit compounded of Intelligentia; which is a naturall light and ability of apprehending and acknowledging speculatiue principles, the foundations and fountaines of all humane knowledge: and of Scientia; which is an habituall and exact knowledge of all necessarie conclusions and deductions by the force of reason, and labour of discourse thence issuing, and grounded thereupon. But Prudentia, though it be seated in the vnderstanding; yet it is practicall, in respect of the Obiect and the end; and is the soueraigne and guide of all other vertues. It doth euer amid the many varieties, vncertainties, and passages of humane actions, wisely, and honestly consult and aduise, iudge, and resolue; manage, and execute. Euen iust so, these two heauenly habits, foreign, and foreign, heauenly wisedome, and spirituall prudence, shed into eueryevery sanctified vnderstanding by the fountaine of grace, are busied and exercised about supernaturall truths, and matters of eternall life. By the first, the child of God hauing the eyes of his mind opened and illightened, doth see the great mysterie of saluation, the secrets of the kingdome, the whole counsell, and the wonders of the law of God: Hee doth know what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints: hee comprehends what is the breadth, and the length, and the depth, and the heighth. By the second he is enabled with a iudicious sincerity to deliberate, and determine in cases of conscience; in the perplexities of tentations; in all straites, ambiguities, and difficulties incident to the consideration and cariage of a Christian; and with spirituall discretion to guide and conduct all the actions of grace, and eueryevery particular, both in his generall and speciall calling. This explication premised, I come to tell you, that the word of God doth not take sure and lasting root, doth not dwell plentifully in the vnderstanding of the Formall hypocrite, by these two diuine habits.

First, there is a right noble branch of diuine knowledge 1and heauenly wisedome, springing out of the mysterie of regeneration; in which, as I take it, the formall hypocrite is p. 90for the most part vtterly ignorant. He knowes not that dark and fearefull passage, which leades from the vanities and corruptions of nature, and out of the dominions of darkenesse and death, thorow strange terrors and torments of soule, into the rich and glorious happines of the state of grace, and kingdome of Christ. He knowes not the variety and power of tentations; the causes, degrees, the wofull consequents and recoueries of spirituall desertions, relapses, and decaies of grace. He hath no skill in the nature, symptomes, and remedies of afflicted consciences: in the secret workings and right vses of afflictions, infirmities, scandals, and disgraces. He is not acquainted with Satans transformations into the glory of an Angell;2. Cor. 2.11.2 Cor 2:11 with his foreign, & foreign, as the Apostle calleth them: that is, his depths, his profound plots and contriuances, moulded by malice and suttlety in his owne large vnderstanding; furnished with the experience of our corruptions, and the successe of his many tentations for some thousands of yeeres; managed with all the crafts and policies of the most darke and hidden corners of hell. He is not acquainted with his foreign, as they are called Ephes. 6. 11: his exquisite method, in the wilie conueiance of his stratagems and insidiations; in ordering his assaults, and discharging his fierie darts. How sometimes he keepes as it were a method of nature, in striking at the root, and labouring to stop or poyson the fountaine of spirituall life, which is Faith: that so the fruits of godlinesse may wither, and the streames of diuine grace may drie vp. Satan knowes full well that the liuely or languishing exercise of other inward graces, the cold, or zealous performance of all outward duties, depend vponupon the weakenes or strength of our faith: And therefore if he perceiue, that by a free and vitall operation of a strong faith, our zeale, our hope, our patience, our faithfulnes in our calling, and other graces bee maintained in their heate, vigour and excellency, he labours might and maine to weaken, shake, and beate downe our Faith, and that by such meanes as these:

1First, by suggesting to the child of God, a consideration p. 91of the flourishing of the wicked; how imperiouslie and prosperously they domineere and reuell it in the world; how they spread themselues like a greene Bay tree, and bring their enterprises to passe: while himselfe lies trampled vponupon by their insolencies, oppressions and prophane censures; while perhaps hee lingers and pines vnderunder some heauie crosse and long visitation; and for al his prayers, his groanes, his patience, yet finds small comfort, no deliuerance, for ends best knowne vntounto his heauenly father; so that hee may outwardly euen perish in his troubles. This is a shroud temptation,Psalm. 7….Ps 7 and in some measure preuailed against Dauid; it made so tall, and well rooted a Cedar to stagger: nay, this tempest had neere ouerturned him; this blow had wounded his faith to death, had he not in good time stept into the Sanctuarie of the Lord, and vnderstood the end of these men; How suddenly they are destroyed, perished, and horribly consumed: and considered howsoeuer the godly bee vext with men or diuels for the daies of their vanitie in this miserable world; yet it euer goes well with them at the last.

A second meanes, by which Satan endeuours the weakning 2of our faith is this: He curiouslie obserues all seasons and aduantages; and therefore if he spie our minds to bee ouercast with some cloud of melancholy, the seate many times of vnnecessarie distrusts and feares; or to be cast downe with some sad and heauy accident, and worldly discomfort; he presently afresh represents vntounto the view of our conscience, the many and great sinnes of our vnregeneration in their foulest shape; that so by this renewed horror, he terrifying and affrighting vsus, may raise new doubtings and amazements, and in some measure loosen the hand and hold of faith.

A third weapon, by which he striketh at our faith, I take 3to be one of his own immediate suggestions, and that is this: While the heart of a godly man is refreshing it selfe sweetly and plenteouslie with an assurance of his future happinesse and eternall enioyment of endlesse iores in heauen; Satan, that out of his cruell malice hee may mixe some hellish poison p. 92son with these riuers of comfort, labours to cast into his mind, euen some thoughts of impossibilitie of the performance of the promises of saluation, and of the attainement of that excellent waight of glorie: and would gladly make him thinke it incredible, that hee should euer bee crowned with immortalitie; or be so gloriouslie partaker thorow all eternitie of vnspeakeable comforts aboue. This temptation, as I take it, doth not much disquiet the formall hypocrite, or any vnregenerate man. For because his perswasion of happinesse to come, is false and misgrounded, and that hee hath no sound assurance of heauen; Satan is too wilie to suggest vntounto him doubts and distractions of this nature. But wheresoeuer it lights, it is of feareful consequence; and therfore not to bee debated vponupon by the thoughts, or disputed with Satan; that is not the way to conquer this temptation; but suddenly, and resolutely to bee repeld by the power of prayer, and out of an holy contempt of so base and lying malice, to be cast as dung vponupon the face of the tempter: So that the faithfull Christian for al this, may maintaine and possesse his hart in patience, and vnconquerable comfort out of these two considerations:

1First, if hee bee a diuell and prince of hell, as Gods child feeles sensibly and certainely by this present immediate suggestion; why then vndoubtedly there is the glory of infinite Maiestie in heauen, Angels, Saints, boundlesse and endlesse blessednesse of euerlasting time.

2Secondly, he is to consider, that in the daies of his securitie and worldlinesse, no such scruples arose in his thoughts: And therefore it is onelyonly a malicious tricke of the enemie of all true comfort, to defeate vsus of our heauen vponupon earth, our assurance of heauen in the world to come.

4A fourth way of weakening our faith is this: If Satan, by taking in the nicke, the tide of our fraile and impotent affections, by casting vsus vnawares vponupon occasions and allurements; or by the suddennesse, subtiltie or violence of some temptation, be able to hale vsus againe into some grosse and scandalous sinne, to which, by reason of our naturall disposition p. 93and custome, wee were often, and most principally obnoxious before our calling: why then, from th…nce he drawes and enforceth vponupon vsus discomfortable, and faith-killing conclusions. He presently infers vponupon such relapses; that we hauehave deceiued our owne soules, that our holinesse indeed is but hypocrisie, that our faith is but temporary, and our conuersion counterfeit: Otherwise the grace of God would be sufficient for vsus, and the power of his sanctifying spirit, would at the least so farre restraine vsus, bridle and mortifie our corruptions, that we should not breake out againe, and backslide into a sinne so much loathed and repented of: Otherwise, as our sweet, and master-sinne in the time of our vnregeneration, made the deepest gash, the widest gap into our consciences; so if we were indeed in the state of grace, wee should most carefully and tenderly close vp that wound, and bee most vigilan… and solicitous in fencing and fortifying that breach before any other. By this meanes Satan many times giues a sore blow to our faith, and breeds much heauinesse and discomfort in the soule.

Thus Satan in his temptations, sometimes proceedes by a method, a it were of nature, in striking at faith, the roote and heart of our spirituall life. But if h… be not able to fasten his fierie darts vponupon the shield of fai…h; why then he takes a contrary course and method, as it may best fit his aduantage, and more easie insinuation. For he attempts the dulling and diminishing of our zeale, and forwardnesse in religion, and other fruits of faith, and inferiour parts of sanctification. And that by such meanes as these.

One weapon, by which he labours to wound our feruencie, 1and faithfulnesse in duties of holinesse, and to hinder the entire exercise of the graces of sanctification, is prosperiti… and freedome from discomforts and miserie. For if he once espie vsus to be encompassed with worldly peace, reputation amongst men, honours and offices, plenty of wealth and preserments; he is euer then in good hope (by the helpe of the natural aptnes of worldly happines to ensnare and intangle) to beget in our hearts, worldlinesse and securitie, the two p. 94great and dangerous consumptions of spirituall life. For if worldlinesse once take possession of our hearts, it wasts by little and little, our ioy in heauenly things, our comfort in the communion of Saints, our longings for the incomprehensible and euerlasting happinesse: it banisheth all thought of the worth of our soules, of the spirituall state of our conscience, of the vanitie and change of this present life, of the glorious rising againe of our bodies, and the immortalitie of the second life: and in stead thereof filleth vsus with earthlie cares, with feares, iealousies, griefe, hopes, wishes, independance vponupon the prouidence of God, and a thousand platformes for the encreasement and securing of our outward felicitie. And securitie, it makes vsus insensible of Gods iudgements, of our falling from our first louelove, of the danger wherein we stand: It makes vsus put farre from vsus the euill day; and to thinke our mountaine so strong, that wee shall neuer bee mooued, but continue in our happie state, and die in the nest.

2Secondly, he seekes to weaken our practise of godlinesse, by fastening vponupon vsus vncheerefulnesse, and vnprofitablenesse in the meanes of the preseruation of grace. For if he can once make vsus cold and negligent, or onelyonly formall, and cursorie in the daily examination of our consciences, in hearing the word of God, in the godly exercises with our schollers or families, in publike prayer, or our more priuate striuing with God by groanes and sighes, for the supplie of some grace, or remooueall of some corruption; then there euer followes a languishing and decay of the life of grace. If we but perfunctorily receiue the heauenly food into our vnderstandings; and being hindered by distractions, carelesnesse or worldlie cares, not digest it by meditation and conference, and by spirituall exercise of seruent prayer conuey it into the seuerall parts of our soules; our new man wil quickly fall into a consumption.

3Thirdly, hee doth notably dull and darken our holinesse and sinceritie, by casting vsus vponupon vngodlie and prophane company: which hath I know not what secret and bewitching p. 95power to transforme others into their owne fashions and conditions; and to make them sometimes to condemne their former forwardnes and zeale in the seruice of God. For as the feed cast into the earth drawes vntounto it self by little and little the property of that soyle whereunto it is transported, vntil at length it becomes like y^t which doth there naturally grow: so the spirits and manners of men commonly conforme themselues to those with whom they ordinarily conuerse. Lamentable then is their case, base their resolution, and miserable their comfort, who for aduantage, faction, foresight and hope of future gratifications, or any other by-respect, plunge themselues into such companies, where perhaps they may enioy many pleasant passages of wit, set, and artificiall disports, and passing the time, direction in their worldly affaires, combination against the power of religion, and the true professors thereof: but where they shall find no furtherance in the way to heauen, no comfort in heauenly things, no encouragement to piety, no counsell in tentations, no consolation vponupon their deaths-bed. O how much better were it, for these few and wretched daies, to sort and solac… themselues amongst the Saints of God, with whom they might shine as glorious lights together in the earth, and hereafter in the heauens aboue the brightnesse of the sun for euermore; rather then prophanely to sport themselues in Meshech, and for a season proudly to ruffle it in the tents of Kedar, where there is no light of grace, no ioynt expectation of eternity, but darkenesse of sinne, and shadow of death! Mistake me not in this point: I would not hauehave men goe out of the world, or become Separists. I would rather hauehave them, if they will vnderstand Paul aright, be made all things to all men, that they might by all meanes saue some: That is, I would hauehave the children of God not be wanting in any offices of kindnesse or pietie, but to yeeld and communicate themselues so far as dutie, charity, humanitie, necessitie of their generall or particular calling vponupon good warrant, and iust occasion m…y challenge and exact at their hands. But as for a free p. 96and full communication of the secrets of their soule, of their dearest affections of their spirituall estate, of their ioyfullest and best expence of time; I would hauehave that onelyonly vouchsafed and conueied into the faithfull bosome of a true Christian, and confined to grace, as it peculiar and principall Object. Let their goodnesse, and good deeds spread without limit; but their delight and intimatenes, is to bee restrained and appropriated to the Saints that are on the earth, and to the truely excellent, which are onelyonly the godly. Hence it is that Gods children are many times censured for morositie, vnsociablenes, disdainefulnesse of spirit, and opposition to good fellowship; when God knowes they can find no taste in the white of an egge, no strength in a broken staffe of reed, no comfort in the men of the world, who hauehave their portion in this life; and therefore they would not part with their Paradise of communion of Saints, or comfortable communication with God in their solitarines, for the companie of kings, and a world of carnall contentments.

4Fourthly, Satan doth sometime worke a soule decay of grace, and exercise of godlinesse, by putting into our heads some inordinate plot and forecast, for preferment and greatnes. For if he can once set our thoughts busily on foot for proiecting and contriuing, with excessiue desire, ambition and greedinesse; some honour, office, or high place; why then, farwell zeale; farwell taking part with Gods children; farwell an vnshaken resolution, in standing for the honour, truth, and seruice of God; and a Christian courage in reprouing sins. For then we must liue reseruedly; we must be content to part with our libertie, and be depriued of our selues: We must labour to satis…ie and accommodate our selues to the humours, pleasures, and passions of men. In a word, our whole cariage must hold a necessarie and exact correspondence with the men and meanes that are able to promote vsus; for so v…certaine and irregular are the reuolutions of mens fauours, that many times if a man but misse, or mistime one ceremony or circumstantiall obseruance, it is enough to cast p. 97him off, and vtterly cashire him from his hopes & ends. Most miserable and seruile is their life, that thus forsake the strong tower of their saluation, and claspe their hand of faith about the arme of flesh. For they do not onelyonly bereaue themselues of that worthie freedome of spirit, which an honest Heathen would not exchange for his life: but also as they grow into a habit of seruitude and base engagements vntounto men; so they grow into a flauerie vntounto sinne, and bondage vntounto the corruptions of the time: And the higher they rise into fauor with prophane greatnes and policie, the deeper they sinke into the miseries of basenes and flatterie, and the high displeasure of almightie God: And at length, if they attaine their ends, (for sometimes they die in the tedious prosecution of some vndeserued dignitie) they double their discomforts, and encrease their account. For commonly where the pursuit and purchase of any honour and preferment hath beene base and indirect; there the discharge and execution is formall, vaineglorious, and vnconscionable.

Thus you see a second method of Satan, whereby he goes about to kill the fruits of faith; and to cause, if not an vtter cessation, yet much weakenes and interruptions in the operations of grace.

Many moe such depths, and proceedings hee hath in his tentations. As for example:

If he meet with notoriously wicked men; as Drunkards, Swearers, vncleane persons and the like; he tempts them to Atheisme, a reprobate sense, contempt of Gods worship and seruice, and to the great offence. To defend their leaud and gracelesse courses; to glorie in their sinnes, and in their dexterity of making others drunke with the same iniquitie. He stickles & strikes the bargaine betwixt them, and death and hell; and enters as it were bond for the performance of the couenant. Hee tempts them to scorning; and by their scoffings and railings, in some fort, to the despiting of the spirit of grace in the children of light; which is a soule signe of a feared conscience, and a fearefull preparatiue to sinne against the holy Ghost. These are Satans standard-bearers▪ p. 98and the…fore he inspires them with extraordinarie boldnes, and desperatenesse in sinning; and teacheth them to march furiouslie in variety of rebellions against the Maiestie of heauen.

If he meete with honest ciuill men, heelabours to perswade them, that iust and vpright dealing with their neighbours, good meanings and intentions in matters of religion, are the verie life of the seruice of God, and a sufficient way to heauen: And to conceiue sinne, and sinceritie, to be nothing else but morall vertues and vices; the power of sanctification, to be nothing but good education; the practise of godlinesse, to be nothing but sober and honest behauiour; and the whole mysterie of Christianity, to be onelyonly a graue and stayed ciuilitie: And the much adoe about faithfull and conscionable preaching, to bee onelyonly the humor of some odde fellowes, that would be accounted singular and seraphicall.

If he meete with formall hypocrites, who besides immunitie from grosse sinnes, and their ciuill honestie, are carefull and fashionable in the outward duties of religion, yet short of a sound conuersion; hee labours might and maine to settle in them an opinion, that the state of regeneration is nothing but precisenesse and puritanisme; that sauing sincerity and a true practise of holines, is onelyonly a transcendent Idea, consisting in pure abstraction, conceiued in the irregular and stirring heads of some busie and pragmaticall fellowes, shadowed onelyonly with a number of faire shewes and pretences, but really existent and acted no where. And that they may more securely and obstinately rest vponupon this persuasion, he furnisheth them with a notable art of misconceiuing and misinterpreting the actions of grace, and of making, by odious exaggerations, a little hole in the coate of a sound Christian, as wide as hell. Hence it is that Dauid is many times made sport with, and merrilie iested vponupon by them, with the false scoffers at their feasts and bankets, and hath things laid to his charge, with much confidence, but without al conscience, which, God thou knowest, he neuer knew. p. 99Hence it is, that many times those actions, in which, for the truth and vprightnesse of his heart, and the iustnesse and innocency of his cause, he dare appeale to the tribunal of God, the impartiall searcher of the inmost thoughts, and seuere reuenger of all falshood; yet are racked by vile and base misconstructions, and interpr…ted to be the workes of darknes and deceit. And if they take a godly man but tripping in some lesser error in his cariage, and that perhaps but forged in their owne wilfull misconceit; they thence raise matter, not only of triumph and insultation, but which is much more feareful, of chearing, applauding, and confirming themselues in their present wretched state.

But if Satan meete with a man, that by the grace of God is already entred into the panges of his trauell in the new birth, and with sorrow for his sinnes is smitten downe into the place of dragons, and couered with the shadow of death; then he eagerly striues to stiffle the new man in the wombe; and by presenting to his view the vgly visage of his many and outragious transgressions, the curse of the Law, and the wrath of God; which he yet makes more grizlie and fierce by his owne hellish malice; to plunge him into the bottomlesse gulfe of irrecouerable horror and desperation. But if by the mercies of God hee sinke not, but betime lay hold vponupon the iustice of Christ, and that boundlesse compassion, which neuer knew how to breake the bruised reed, or quench the smoaking flaxe; but holds a broken and contrite heart farre more pretious, then a sacrifice of the beasts on a thousand mountaines, and then ten thousand riuers of oile: why then he stands like a great red Dragon in his way, at the very first entrance into the Kingdome of light, and profession of sinceritie, and casts out of his mouth flouds of persecutions, vexations and oppositions; that so he may ouerwhelme and crush him before he come to any growth or strength in Christ, and a full comprehension of the mysterie of grace. And to this end hee sets on foot, and fire too, and whets with keene razors many a leaud and prophane tongue, to scoffe, disgrace and discourage him in his narrow, but blessed passage to immortalitie, p. 100by reproches, slanders, exprobration of his former life; by odious names of Hypocrite, Singularist, Puritane, a fellow of irregular conscience and stirring humour, of a factious and contradictious spirit, and such like. But if hee also passe these pikes, and these sharpe swords, (for so Dauid calles spitefull tongues,2. Ti…o. 3.12.) out of a consideration of that truth in Paul: EueryEvery one that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution; and that in the calmest time of the Church: amongst many other, he shall be sure at the least to bee continually scourged and vext with strife of tongues: for euerie faithfull Christian knowes by good experience, that euer now and then, as he shall stirre in a good cause, stand against the corruptions of the place where he liues, with conscience and faithfulnesse discharge his calling; hee shall presentlie hauehave the spirit of prophanenesse to slie in his face, with brutish and implacable malice and insolencie: But yet, I say, if he be able with his Lord and Sauiour to endure this speaking against of sinners; and to esteeme it, as it is indeed, his crowne and comfort: why then Satan casts about another way; and hee labours sometimes to fasten vponupon him some vnwarrantable opinions, thereby scandalously and vnnecessarliy to disquiet him, to defraud him of an entire fruition of the comforts of holinesse, and to hinder and interrupt him in the prosecution of his glorious seruice of God. Sometimes to puffe him vp with a selfe-conceit of his owne excellencie, seeing himselfe aduanced as farre aboue the common condition of men, and the richest and happiest worldling, as heauen aboue earth, light aboue darkenesse, endlesse happinesse aboue eternall miserie: that so, as the Apothecaries ointment by a dead flie, his good actions and spirituall graces, may receiue staine and infection by priuie pride: of the nature and remedies whereof I hauehave before discoursed. These and many others be the temptations of a babe in Christ, and fitted to the infancie of regeneration.

But if Satan meet with a strong man in Christ, he tempts him by those two methods I told you of before, somtimes by wasting his zeale, sometimes by weakening his faith, and a p. 101thousand moe. Amid which infinite varietie, he is for the most part constant in one point of policy, and that is this: He cōceales his greatest fury, his most desperate assault vntounto the last: He reserues his fieriest dart, his deadliest poison, his sharpest sting, his Gunpouder-plot vntill he meete vsus on our deaths bed. Wherefore, beloued in Christ Iesus, we had need eueryevery man to be strongly and soundly prepared and armed against that great and last encounter with Satan; vponupon which depends our euerlasting estate, either in the ioies of heauen, or paines of hell. Oh at that day, (and we little know how neere it is) it is not our deepe reaches and vnfathomd policies and proiects, the countenance and patronage of great personages, our merrie and plesant companions, or the pluralitie of liuings and preferments, that can yeeld vsus any comfort or assistance in that terrible and fearefull combat. Nay, though we now little thinke vponupon it, all the worldly contentments, that we hauehave either indirectly purchased, or vnconscionably imploid, he will then turne vntounto vsus into Scorpions, stings and wormes of conscience. OnelyOnly at that day a good conscience will hold out as armour of proofe; which, as it hath bin on earth a continuall feast, so their it will bee vntounto vsus a great and euerlasting Iubilee for euermore.

By this▪ time you easily perceiue, and I am very sensible of the digression I hauehave made: but I hauehave done it, onelyonly to giuegive you a taste of that part of diuine knowledge about the depths of Satan, and spirituall state of sanctified soules and afflicted consciences; which I take to be Gods childs peculiar, and in which the formall hypocrite hath little skil or exercise. For the deepe and diuine ponderations of this nature, vponupon these points, doe not much take vp or trouble his mind and meditations. It is a pretious knowledge, abstracted by an holy experience from the practise and actions of true and sound regeneration; and therefore it is transcendent to his most happie naturall capacitie, to the depth of his worldly wisedome, and to the greatest height of his speculations, though otherwise neuer so vniuersall and profound.

Now as concerning other parts of diuine knowledge, and p. 102other points of religion; hee may be furnished with store of rare and excellent learning, in Fathers, Schoolemen, Commentaries, Cōtrouersies; he may be endewed with suttletie in disputing and defending the truth of God: yea, and in resoluing cases of cōscience too, so far as a formal obseruatiō, and Popish Doctors can leade him. For their resolutions in that kind, are only busied about cases incident to their Antichristian Hierarchy, about perplexities arising out of their wilworship and bloudy superstition, and determination of some particulars in the Commandements, which may fall within the capacitie of an vnregenerate man: but their profession, I meane the Papacie, cannot possibly reach vntounto the heart of godlines, the mysterie of regeneration, and the sauing power of the life to come. Nay yet besides this, the formall hypocrite may be made partaker of some degrees of the spirit of illumination, in vnderstanding, and interpreting the book of God, for the good of his Church and children. For I doubt not, but many hauehave much light of iudgement, that hauehave little integritie of conscience; and are inspired with the spirit of illumination for the good of others, that hauehave no part in the spirit of sanctification and sound conuersion for their owne happinesse. But yet me thinks there may be conceiued some differences betwixt the child of God, and the formall hypocrite, in the very speculation and knowledge of Gods truth, and in apprehension of things diuine in the vnderstanding: Which I take to be such as these:

1First, the light of diuine knowledge in the formall hypocrite, doth onelyonly discharge his beames and brightnes vponupon others, but neuer returnes and reflect… on his owne soule to an exact discouerie of the darkenesse of his owne vnderstanding, the disorder of his affections, the slumber of his conscience, the deadnesse of his heart: but eueryevery child of God is euer in some measure, both a burning and shining Lampe; he is both illightned and inflamed inwardly in his owne vnderstanding, heart and affections, and also the brightnesse of his Christian vertues, are euer dispersed and working vponupon others. Wheresoeuer hee liues, he shines as a light, amid a p. 103naughtie and crooked generation, in the sight and censure of God, the blessed Angels, and good men; though to the iudgement of the world, and eye of prophanenesse, his glorious graces euer did and euer will appeare to bee nothing but darkenesse and dissembling. You may conceiue this difference thus: The sun beames, you know, are not onelyonly cast and shed into the inferior Orbs and aire; but are first rooted in the sunne, and doe inwardly and vniuersally fill with light that faire and glorious body. It is otherwise in the moone: for howsoeuer she receiue light, for the cheering and comforting other bodies, yet she remaines darke within, and in respect of her selfe, it serues onelyonly to make her spots more conspicuous. It is iust so in the point wee hauehave in hand: The light of diuine knowledge in the child of God, doth not onelyonly shine vponupon the soules of others for their instruction and refreshing; but doth first fully illuminate his owne, though not to an excellencie of degree; for that is reserued for heauen; yet to a perfection of parts, of which only our mortalitie is capable. But in the formall hypocrite, howsoeuer it may sometimes dispell ignorance and errors from the minds of others; yet within he is darkenesse in the Abstract in respect of sauing light, as is eueryevery vnregenerate man, Ephes. 5.8. And his light of knowledge in respect of himselfe, serues onelyonly to make his sinnes more soule and sinfull, his damnation more iust, and himselfe more inexcusable. For he that knowes his masters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Secondly, the knowledge of diuine mysteries in Gods 2child, is entertained and enioyed with a peculiar kind of sweetnes; with an impression of incomparable ioy and pleasure: It is far sweeter vntounto him then hony, and the hony combe: Hee hath more delight in it, then in all manner of riches: It is more precious vntounto him then gold, yea then much fine gold: It begets and stirres in him flagrant desires and affections correspondent to it pretiousnesse and excellencie. But it is not so with the formall hypocrite; for his earthly-mindednesse, by which his affections are as it were p. 104glued vntounto the fashions of the world; if he were sensible of it, would tell him that it is many times not so sweete vntounto him as his pleasures: His close couetousnes or other vnconscionablenes in his calling, if his conscience were illightned would informe him, that many times it is not so deare vntounto him as gold.

3Thirdly, the child of God hath an humble and gratious resolution, a sweet and willing submission euer mixt with his diuine knowledge, of being mastered, guided and gouerned by it; though against the violent bent of his owne inclination, and the current of the time: but the formall hypocrite if he deale faithfully with his owne heart, may feele in himselfe a secret subordination and subiection of his vnderstanding therein, to his wealth, honours, and worldly preferments.

4Fourthly, in apprehension of diuine truth in the formall hypocrite, the power of naturall discourse, and light of reason beares the chiefest sway; and therefore hee stickes, as it were in the bone and barke, in generalities, and vncertainties: but in the child of God, the sacred illustration of Gods spirit doth plentifully concurre; and therefore hee is able to prie into and pierce the marrow and pith of Gods holy truth, the particular veines, and the sauing sense thereof.

I come now to the other habit, which the Apostle calleth foreign, spirituall prudence, by which the word and faith take no root in the vnderstanding of the formall hypocrite.

This habit, I told you, is a spirituall prudence, or a sanctified vnderstanding in the practicall affaires of the soule; by which a regenerate man is inabled, with a iudicious sinceritie to deliberate and determine in cases of conscience, in the perplexities of tentations, in all straites, ambiguities and difficulties incident to the consideration and cariage of a Christian; and with spirituall discretion to guide and conduct all the actions of grace, and eueryevery particular, both in his generall and speciall calling.

This wisedome, as I take it, is an attendant vponupon iustifying p. 105faith, and onelyonly and inseparablie annexed vntounto sauing grace; and therefore the formall hypocrite, though I place him in the highest perfection, that is attaineable in the state of vnregeneration, is vtterly vncapable of it, and a meere stranger vntounto it, as he is vntounto the life of God.

By this holy wisedome, Dauid, Psalm. 119. vers. 99. is said to be wiser then his aduersaries; that is, then Saul, and all his politicke States-men, then his teachers, then the ancient. If wisedome were lost, me thinks it should bee found amongst Polititians, the Oracles of imperiall depthes and secrets of State; the pillars of common-wealths and kingdomes: amongst profound Doctors and Rabbins; the fathers of knowledge and learning: amongst the ancient, whose age is many times crowned with ripenesse of iudgement, with variety of experience and obseruation. And yet by this foreign,foreign. spirituall prudence (for the same word is vsed there by the Septuagints, which the Apostle hath Col. 1.9.) Dauid farre surmounted them all; in respect of which, the flower and quintessence of all their wisedome and policies, was nothing but glorious follie and profound simplicitie. Hence it is that many a poore soule illiterate and neglected, proudly passed by, and many times trampled vponupon with disgrace and vexation, by worldly wisemen; yet liuing vnderunder a constant and conscionable Ministrie, is infinitely more wise then the greatest clerkes, and learnedest doctours, both in giuing counsell and aduise in spirituall affaires, and in conducting their owne soules, in these strangely prophane and desperate daies, thorow the strait way to heauen.

Hence then you may see a cleere difference. The formall hypocrite, so farre as naturall wit, goodnes of education, ciuill honesty, morall discretion, politicke wisedome can illighten and leade him, may manage his actions and affaires with exactnesse and reputation, gloriously and without exception in the sight and iudgement of the world. Nay, besides, sometimes by an addition of some inferiour, and more generall graces of Gods spirit, hee may set vponupon them such p. 106an outward glistering, that they may dazle the eyes of the best discerning spirit, and deceiue his owne heart with a false persuasion, that they are the true actions of piety, and pleasing vntounto God. But ouer and aboue all these, (which is neuer to be found in the vnregenerate) there is in the vnderstanding of the child of God, a more excellent and superior vigor, that inspires his actions with a high and more heauenly nature, that breathes into them the life of grace, that guides them with truth and singlenes of heart, and sinceritie in all circumstances, to the glorie and acceptation of God, the comfort of his owne conscience, and good of his brethren. There is a farre clearer and brighter eye shining in the soule of eueryevery regenerate man, in respect whereof the fairest lights of all other knowledge and wisedome are Egyptian darkenesse, which doth euer faithfully descry and discouer vntounto him the straite, though vnbeaten path to immortality, thorow all the passages and particulars of his life: It reueales vntounto him the wisest and most conscionable resolution in all spirituall debatements; the best and fittest seasons of reprouing sinnes and winning soules vntounto God; many obliquities of actions, iniquitie of many circumstances; the right vses of his owne afflictions, disgraces and infirmities, which the formall hypocrite cannot possibly discerne, because he is starke blind on this eye.

Amongst infinite, I will giuegive one instance of the gratious workings, and power of this diuine habit:

Let vsus imagine an euill report or false slander to bee vniustly raised, and without ground vponupon the formall hypocrite, though it seldome befall such; for commonly prophane men are more countenanced, better conceiued and spoken of by the greater part, and by great men, then they deserue. Yet if it so fall out; this or the like is his behauiour: He perhaps proclaimes and protests his cleerenesse in the case too ambitiously and impotently; not with that humilitie and spirituall discretion: He pleaseth and applaudeth himselfe in his innocency, for this particular, boisterously and with clamour, which perhaps secretly breeds a p. 107more generall Pharisaicall selfe-conceit of the rest of his waies: He angerly contests with the iniquitie, and ingratitude of the world, for casting such base indignities and aspersions vponupon goodnesse and vertue: He would gladly beare it out brauely, and make others think that he passeth it without wound or passion; but indeed he inwardly chases and frets, and is much grieued and gauled with worldly sorrow for it: the reason is, his reputation with men is dearer vntounto him, then the glory of God; his chiefest good and comfort in this world, is the worlds good opinion of him. But in all this, he is so farre from working any spirituall good out of it, that he rather entertaines a secret encouragement to be that indeed, which the world censures him to be, then for a bare conceald conscience of his innocency, to debarre himselfe of a full fruition of the present times.

But let vsus now on the other side, conceiue a child of God to be wickedly and wrongfully slandered: for it is properly his lot and portion in this life, to be loaden with leaud and lying censures, with vniust and odious imputations; sometimes to hauehave many grieuous things, and fearefull abominations fathered vponupon him, without al sense, honestie or probabilitie, which he neuer did, he neuer knew. And if once ill reports raised falslie vponupon the godly be on wing, they flie as swift as the Eagles of the heauens. Diuels are speedie Dromedaries to carrie such newes: They presently passe thorow Tauernes and Ale-houses, Citie and Countrie, Gath and Ascalon; they run farre and wide, as currant and authenticall, vnderunder the Broad-seale of good fellowship, neuer more to be controlled and reuerst, vntill the matter be brought before that high and euerlasting Iudge. But marke, I pray you, the carriage of Gods child in these cases: he doth indeed sweetly and comfortably enioy the consciousnesse of his owne vprightnesse; though his aduersaries bee neuer so potent, or cunning to threape him down, yet vntil he die, as Iob speaks, he will not take away his innocencie from himselfe. When the sharpe and empoisoned arrowes of bitter malice and calumniations come thickest vponupon him, euen with haile shot, p. 108his truly noble, and diuinely resolued soule, is infinitly satisfied with that in Iob: Chap. 16.19.Behold now, my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on high. Yet he doth labor to cleare himselfe so farre, as the honour of God, the satisfaction of the godly, and danger of iust scandall require.

But the gracious considerations and holy practise, which in these afflictions of his good name, spirituall prudence principallie ministers and suggests vntounto him, are such as these:

1First, he considers, that howsoeuer he be innocent from the slander, yet the finger of God is in it, as it was in directing the dogged malice of cursed Shemei, vpō the roial person of Dauid; & therfore he gathers, that the Lord would thereby giuegive him notice, that some other things in him are amisse: That some secret corruption, by which his blessed Spirit is grieued, is to be subdued and mortified; y^t some grace is to be repaired; some of his waies to be amended: perhaps his languishing zeale is to be reuiued and inflamed; his heart much duld with the contagious prophanenesse, and formalitie of the times is to be quickned, and more enlarged for Gods seruice; repentance and humiliation for some former sinne, not thorowly repented of, or in part resumed, is to be renewed. Perhaps the Lord hath thereby an holy purpose to reueale vntounto him, the omission of some duties in his calling, or some smaller faults, yet scandalous, whereof before he was not sensible. Or it may be, to preuent some sinne to come, either that with which he is falsly charged, or some other, to which his fraile nature is more inclining. Or lastly, by this experience to prepare him with courage, and furnish him with wisdome, to comfort others in the like case, or to glorifie his name by patience in some more publicke and notorious disgrace and vexation to bee indured in this kind. Hereupon the child of God doth presently make a priuie search into his soule, doth narrowly fift the state of his conscience, and after due and impartiall examination, feelingly and faithfully addresse himself to prayer, practise of these considerations, and reformation of what he finds amisse.

p. 109Secondly, this outward crosse vponupon his good name by 2false surmises and suspicions, makes him retire into himselfe, and more fruitfully and cheerefully to enjoy all his inward comforts, his hope and delight in heauenly things, the assurance that his name is written in the booke of life; which no malice of men, or policie of hell is euer able to blot out. It makes him with more feruent and greedy attention to listen for the trumpet of that last and fearefull day, more longingly and with fixed eies, to wait for the Lord Iesus in the cloudes; who, as he will punish all prophane Opposites to holinesse with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power: so vndoubtedly, with the brightnesse of his comming, hee will then at the furthest, before men and Angels bring forth his righteousnesse as the light, and his iudgement as the nooneday.

Thirdly, by the mercies of God, for any such wretched 3and lying slander, he is not so cast downe with worldly sorrow; he doth not so farre gratifie Satan and malicious men, as to ioyne hands with them for the afflicting of his owne soule, with needlesse discomforts, or discouraging himselfe in his calling: but rather he raiseth matter of comfort, encouragement, and reioycing. For thereby he is made more like, and conformable to his head Christ Iesus; who endured the crosse, and such speaking against of sinners, and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him. Hee hath thereby more waight and degrees added to his blessednesse, more massines, and brightnesse to his crowne of immortalitie: Blessed are ye, faith Christ when men reuile you, and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie; reioyce and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen. And therfore in despite of malice and falshood, he runnes on ioyfully in his race; and hauing the attestation of a cleare conscience, the acclamations of Saints and Angels, hee little cares for the barking of dogs by the way, bu… followes hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus.

Such as these are the thoughts and behauiour, spirituall wisdome acquaints the child of God with; when his good p. 110name is wronged, & wounded with slanders & false reports.

I conclude the whole point: The knowledge and practicall wisdome about heauenly matters in the formall hypocrite, are dull, cold, plodding, formall, seruiceable, and subordinate to his worldly happinesse. His knowledge is foreign, a forme of knowledge: Rom. 2.20. His practise is foreign, a forme of godlinesse: 2. Tim. 3.5. All is forme and outwardnesse: they are not deeply and soundly rooted in them by sanctifying grace; nor inwardly inspired with supernaturall and spirituall life. But diuine knowledge in the child of God, is called, the Spirit of reuelation, Ephes. 1.17. his practicall wisdome is spirituall, Colos. 1.9. that is, quick, actiue, feruent, zealous, stirring; not into irregularities and exorbitancies, as worldly wisdom many times misconstrues, but against the corruptions of the times, and working out of all actions, occasions and occurrents, euen out of miseries, slanders and infirmities, some glory vntounto God, some good vntounto his children, some comfort vntounto his owne soule.

III now proceed to tell you, that the word of God is not rooted in the conscience of the formall hypocrite, which is the hearer resembled vntounto the stony ground.

The whole and entire worke of conscience, as you well know, out of the Schooles, consisteth in a practicall syllogisine: The proposition ariseth out of the foreign, an habit of practicall principles, and generall fountaines of our actions. The assumption is properlie foreign, conscientia, an actuall application of our knowledge to this, or that particular act or obiect. Whence followes the immediate, and necessarie issue and office of conscience: to testifie, in respect of things simplie done, or not done: In respect of things to bee done, either to excite and encourage, or to restraine and bridle: In respect of things done well, o… wickedly, to excuse and comfort, or accuse and terrific. For example: The foreign, which is as it were a treasurie of rules and lessons for direction in our actions, proposeth the iniquitie of a lie euen out of nature. Aristotle condemnes it, Eth. 4.7. foreign: A lie is starke naught p. 111and discommendable. The sounder Schoolemen demonstrate eueryevery lie, though it be officious, & for a greater good, to be against nature, and indispensable. Natures purpose is frustrated, and her law transgrest when speech and words, which she intends to be euer the true messengers of the conceits and apprehensions of the mind, are abused to falshood and equiuocation. But this practicall principle of not lying, howsoeuer it be cleere in nature, yet it receiues further illustration from the booke of God. Therefore the proposition may be thus framed:

EueryEvery liar shall be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord: Psalm. 15. and shall be barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore: Reuel. 22.15.

The conscience of the liar doth assume and tell him; But I hauehave thus and thus lied for aduantage, and greater good: Then it followes:

Therefore I must be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord, and barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore. A conclusion of condemnation and terror.

Such is the arguing of conscience for things past: But thus it worketh about things to be done:

Let vsus imagine a man to deliberate with himselfe whether he should be Non-resident or no. His habit of practicall principles, if he will deale faithfully with his owne soule, especially by the helpe of the honester Casists, may yeeld him matter enough out of nature against Non-residencie, as might easilie appeare, if the point were incident. But sith the case is cleere, Ezech. 33. he may thus frame his practicall syllogisme:

The Non-resident must answere for the blood of those soules, which by his vnconscionable and vnwarrantable absence, & negligence in his charge hauehave perished in their sins.

But sith I know not how soone I shall come to iudgement, my poore soule shall not appeare before my blessed Sauiour, red with the blood of those soules, for which his precious blood was shed.

Therefore I will not be Non-resident. You see here a restraint p. 112from Non-residencie, that bloodie gangrene, that with remorselesse greedines eates and deuoures the pretious soules of men.

This short explication of the nature of conscience thus premised, you may easily conceiue with mee thus much; that

Accordingly as the practicall vnderstanding of a man is furnished with principles and rules for guiding his actions, according to the nature of them, and soueraignty they hold in the conscience, such and thereafter commonly is his life and actions.

I except the grosse hypocrite; for hee sinneth against the knowledge of his heart, and light of his conscience: Therefore the sound of feare is already in his eares; and in his prosperitie the destroyer shall come vponupon him. Hee beleeueth not to returne out of darkenesse, for he seeth the sword before him. Affliction and anguish shall make him afraid: They shall preuaile against him as a king ready to the battel. God shall run vponupon him, euen vponupon his necke; and against the most thicke part of his shield: because hee hath couered his face with falshood, and inwrapped himselfe in a cloud of hypocrisie.

The point then must bee exemplified in other sorts of men.

1First, the notorious sinner, by reason of his delightfull conuersing with the wicked, and custome in the workes of darkenesse; doth obscure, smother, and in some measure extinguish in his conscience, not onelyonly the light of supernaturall truth, but of nature too: Therefore hee runnes headlong without restraint or bridle, into desperate villanies and outragious rebellions. He drawes in sinne with cartropes, and worketh all maner of vncleanenesse with greedinesse: He is bound with his sinnes, and couered with iniquities, as a field is hedged in with bushes, and the path therof couered with thorns, whereby no man may trauell. It is shut vp, and is appointed to be deliuered by fire.

2Secondly, The Papist he entertaines and treasures vp for p. 113his practicall principles, the bloodie Dictates of the Pope of Rome, that man of sinne, and vicegerent of Satan; which are so farre from receiuing strength or warrant, either from nature, or diuine truth, that they hold strong contradiction and eternall opposition to both: and therefore his conscience is enlarged like Tophet. For it can without scruple, or remorse, nay, with hope of heauen, and a brighter crowne of glory, digest euen the sacred blood of kings, and swallow downe with ease the ruines and desolations of whole kingdomes. He can meritoriously butcher his brother in the streets with prodigious cruelty, as in that horrible massacre at Par…s. He can bee dispensed with, and discharged from oaths, and truth of speech, the necessarie and soueraigne instruments of all iustice and society amongst men. He may expect canonization for blowing vp of Parliaments, and tearing in peeces the royall limbes of the Lords Anoynted, and the strong sinewes of the worthiest State vnderunder heauen: and after saile towards the Popish Paradise, which is indeed the pit of hell, thorow a sea of innocent blood, without any checke or counterblast of conscience.

Thirdly, the ciuill honest man hath his **For I may take conscience for the habit of practicall principles, as doth Origen, Basil, Damascen, Ierom. Origen calleth conscientia, paedagogus animae sociatus: Basil, naturale iudicatorium: Damascen, lux intellectus nostrit Ierom▪ foreign.conscience informed 3with rules of naturall honesty, and generall notions of right and wrong, and therewith contents himselfe. And therefore he frames himselfe with sober cariage, faire conditions, iust and vpright dealing towards men, so that he is well spoken of, and reputed by the world a good neighbour, a sober wise man, of harmelesse behauiour, no medler, a peaceable man: and these are excellent, if not seuered, but seruiceable to true pietie, and sauing knowledge. Peace is a pretious thing, if it may bee purchased and possest without impeach and preiudice to holinesse and a good consc…nce. Follow peace with all m…n, and holinesse, without which no man shall see the Lord. Peace and holinesse must goe together: If otherwise, it is an holy peace to bee at warre with the corruptions of the time: and to be at peace with sinne, is to war against God and his owne soule. But the meerely ciuill honest man, by his practicall principles, is led no further, but p. 114to the executions of morall honestie; as for instruction in heauenly mysteries and diuine knowledge, hee doth not much meddle with, care for, or seeke after; but onelyonly for companie and fashion.

4Fourthly, the formall hypocrite, besides the direction of naturall light in his conscience, doth interesse and acquaint himselfe with practicall principles out of supernaturall truths and the word of God, for the performance of religious duties and seruices; but hee puts them in practise with reseruation, with his owne exceptions and limitations: Hee is onelyonly so farre guided by them in his life and conuersation, as they are compatible with his worldly happines: And therefore in the time of persecution, as it is in the parable, hee falleth away. But by persecution you must vnderstand, not onelyonly the fierie triall and striuing vntounto blood; but also inferiour and not so smarting afflictions and tentations; as it is cleere if we compare the three Euangelists in their narration of the parable. It is many times, disgraces, and contumelies for his profession, displeasure and discountenance of great Ones, the hazarding of some profit and preferment, the losse of friends, and fauour of the world or the like, that makes him slinke and yeeld, and desperately to cast himselfe into the current of the times, there to swimme with others for a while, with full saile of outward prosperitie, vntill he drowne himselfe in perdition, and sincks suddenly into the gulfe of endlesse woe and miserie. Hence it is that Mat. 13.21. he is called foreign, a Temporizer: Hee is not thorow, sound, resolute, and true-hearted for godlines, good causes, and to good men. For many times, when the honour of God is put as it were in the one scale of the balance, and his owne contentment in the other; he suffers some worldly profit or pleasure, the gratification or satisfaction of some great man; the purchase of some Fellowship, Benefice, or spirituall dignitie, (for sometimes it proues perhaps as deere as a purchase) the greedie desire, and pursuit of some vndeserued office or honour; the enioyment of prophane company, or coherence with worldly wise men; the pleasure p. 115of some secret and sweet sinne, or such like; I say, he suffers these to weigh downe the exceeding waight of heauenly blisse, the vnualuable treasure of a good conscience, and the infinit glory of God. Which is strangely miserable; sith all the worth, wisdome, power, excellencie, and whatsoeuer other happinesse of man, al the highest, and greatest treasures and glory vnderunder the Sunne, without the feare and fauour of God, if they were put in the waights with vanitie, vanitie would waigh them all downe. So thought Dauid, Psal. 62. The children of men are vanitie, foreign The only men; those that are men indeed.the chiefemen are lies: to lay them vponupon a balance, they are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe.

Lastly, the child of God, besides the better and more speciall 5apprehensions of nature, stores his conscience, his treasurie of practicall principles, with many sacred and sauing lessons and rules out of heauenlie truth and Gods holie word; but so, that in his practise of them, he stands not vponupon termes of pleasure, profit or preferments; but doth whollie and entirely resigne vp himselfe in obedience, and humilitie to be guided and gouerned by them, without restriction or cuasion, in his thoughts, affections and actions, thorow the whole course of his life. Therefore, Luke 8.15. the hearer compared vntounto the good ground, (which is the child of God, to whom in al my Discourse I oppose the stony ground, which I call the formall hypocrite) is said to be of an honest and good heart: that is, downe-right for godlinesse and good men, without hollownesse, faintheartednesse, or slinking. Hee makes Christianitie as it were his trade, he sweates and toiles in it, as the end for which he was created, and placed in this world: And as he receiues the word of God into his honest and good heart; so there he treasures it vp, and keeps it faithfully. The word in the original, is foreign. He keeps it though it be with much difficultie, strugling and colluctation with his owne corruptions, the temptations of Satan, and vanities of the world; who cunninglie conspire and labour ioyntlie to plucke it vp, and wrest it from him: and he brings foorth fruite with patience. He yeelds no ground, though he meete a p. 116a Lion in the way, or a Tyrant in the face. In the day of trial and encountring with dangers and vngodly oppositions, he shrinkes not but stands fast, and suffers himselfe rather to be ouerflowne, then to be carried downe the streame of the sinfull fashions and wicked waies of the world. He knowes full well, howsoeuer he goes now on his way weeping, yet he caries precious seed; and therefore the time will come shortly, that he shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy, and bring his sheaues with him. Crosses, disgraces and tribulations may beget in the formall hypocrite, fainting and defection:Rom. 5.3.4 5.Rom 5:3Rom 5:4 but in Gods child they bring foorth patience, experience, hope and resolution. Euer when he enters consultation with himselfe, whether God must be obaied and glorified, or man pleased and satisfied; he is quickly resolued out of that in Isai. 51.12. I, euen I, am he, that comfort you. Who art thou, that thou shouldest feare a mortall man, and the sonne of man, which shall bee made as grasse? And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath spread out the heauens, and laid the foundations of the earth? He considers the heauie iudgement determined, and reserued for all fearefull men, al spirituall cowards, and saint-hearted in the Christian warfare; who more feare men then God, and for their fauour and countenance, part with the protection of the Almightie, and the comforts of a good conscience: They shall be punished with vnbeleeuers, with the abominable, with murtherers, and whoremongers, with idolaters, and hers, in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death: Reuel. 21.8.

You may now cleerely conceiue the point I hauehave in hand; how the word of God, is not rooted in the conscience of the formall hypocrite. The ordinarie intelligencers to his conscience are examples, custome, opinion, worldly wisdome, common preiudice against a strict course of sanctification; precedencie and practise of greater men, for true goodnesse, many times ouerprized, and misualued by the worlds flattering censure; the common naturall notions of right and wrong. But if vponupon some extraordinarie good motion, by guidance of diuine rules, he sometimes crosse the current of p. 117the times, enter a profession of sinceritie, and some correspondence with Gods children, it is but for a spirt, an essay, like a morning cloud, and as the morning dew. For as soone as his feruour in religious affaires, and furtherance of good things doth once by the fury of hell, crueltie of prophane men, malice of the world, enkindle and stirre vp against him, I say not onelyonly a fierie triall, but euen some smarting heate of lesser persecution, some railing and slanderous tongue, which schorches like coales of Iuniper, a disconccit and dereliction in his friends and old acquaintance, disgrace with the world, discountenance of Greatnesse, vnlikelihood of rising and preferment; if it once raise against him stormes of iealousies, enuies and molestations; why, then he is gone, he slinks and starts aside like a broken bow. All his former good motions, purposes and endeauours melt as the winter ice; and goe away like the morning dew. For the formall hypocrite euer when he seeles disturbance in his present securitie, interruption of his former contentments, hazard of his temporall felicitie, he begins strongly to suspect himselfe of too much forwardnesse, of vnseasonable and preposterous zeale, of distemper, and indiscretion in matters of religion; and therfore giues backe, and falles away into his former plodding course of formalitie; and that perhaps without any check of conscience: but if any scruples, and reluctation arise in his heart, out of his worldly wisdome, he Interprets this yeelding to the times to be but an ordinarie and pardonable infirmitie; and therfore notwithstanding slatters and deceiues himselfe with hope of heauen, which is a strong barre to keepe him out of the state of grace, and vnacquainted with the glorious comforts of sound and sauing sinceritie.

But the sacred light of Gods holy truth, is habituated and incorporated into the conscience of Gods child, and is the onelyonly and constant rule and square, by which, with all humilitie, vprightnesse of heart, a free, entire submission and obedience vntounto it, he frames al his thoughts, affections and actions. And in this light, he walkes with a settled constancie and grounded resolution, thorow pouertie and oppression, p. 118contumelies and contempt, slanders and indignities, good report or ill report. For he hath his eie still fastned vponupon eternitie, he hath the crowne of glory alreadie in sight, the inestimable pretiousnesse and euerlasting beautie whereof, rauisheth and possesseth his truly free and great heart with such a longing and feruencie, that hee is at a point with all that is vnderunder the Sunne; that he doth not only contemne, patiently endure, and vanquish al asperities and difficulties; but euen with reioycing entertaine and embrace (if the tyranny of the times so require) the vtmost, that malice and crueltie can inflict vponupon him. There is no other consideration or creature, either in heauen or earth, can separate him from the louelove of God in Christ Iesus, or from his glorious seruice in al good conscience.