A Saint Indeed, Dedication (3 of 3)

A Saint Indeed · Dedication (3 of 3)

p. 1177. Case. How a Christian may keep his heart from revengful motions, under the greatest injuries and abuses from men?

The gospel indeed allows a liberty to vindicate our innocency, and assert our rights; but not to vent our corruptions, p. 118and invade Gods right: when therefore thou findest thy heart begin to be inflamed by revengful motions, presently apply the following remedies; and the first is this.

1. Remed. Urge upon thy heart the seve…e prohibitions of revenge by the law of God. Remember that this is f…rbidden fruit, how pleasing and luscious soever it be to our vitiated appetites, O saith nature, revenge is sweet; O but saith God, the effects thereof shall be bitter: how plainly hath God interdicted this flesh pleasing sin, Prov. 20. 22. Say not I will recompense evil. Prov. 24. 29. Say not I w…ll doe so to him as he hath done to me. Rom. 12. 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. and v. 19. Avenge not your selves but rather give place to wrath: nay that's not all, but Prov. 25. 21. If thine enemy …unger, feed him, if he thirst give him drink. The word feed him, as Criticks observe, signifies to feed cheerfully and tenderly, as birds doe their young ones: The Scripture is a great friend to the peace and tranquillity of humane societies, which can never be preserved, if revenge be not deposed; it was wont to be an argument urged by the Christians to prove their religion to be supernatural p. 119and pure, that it forbids revenge which is so sweet to nature; and verily 'tis a thousand pities such an argument should be lost. Well then awe your hearts with the authority of God in these Scriptures: and when carnal reason saith, mine enemy deserves to be hated, let Conscience reply, but doth God deserve to be disobeyed? thus, and thus he hath done, and so he hath wronged me: but what hath God done that I should wrong him? if he dare be so bold to break the peace, shall I be so wicked to break the precept? i… he fears not to wrong me, shall not I fear to wrong God? O let the fear of Gods threatnings repress such sinsul motions.

2. Remed. Set before your eyes the most eminent patterns of meekness and forgiveness, that your So…s may fall in love with it.

This is the way to cut off those common pleas of the flesh for revenge: as thus, no man would bear such an affront, yes, such and such have born as bad and worse, I shall be reckoned a coward, a fool, if I pass by this: no matter, as long as I follow the examples of the wisest and holiest of men: never did any suffer more and greater abuses from men than … did, and never did any carry it p. 120more peaceably and forgivingly, 53. 7. he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, &c. This pattern the Apostle sets before you for your imitation 1 Pet. 2. 21, 22, 23. For …ven here…nto are ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps: Who when be was▪ reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteou sly. To be of a meek forgiving Sp…rit is Christ like, God like, then shall you be the children of your Father, which is in Heaven, for he maketh his … to rise upon the evil and upon the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust, Matth. 5. 45. How eminently also did this Spirit of Christ rest upon his Apostles, never were th…re such men upon earth for true excellency of Spirit. None were ever abused more, or suffered their abuses better: Being reviled (say they) we bless, being persecuted we suffer it, being defamed we intreat. 1 Cor. 4. 12, 13. Mr. Calvin though a man of a quick Spirit, yet had attained such a degree of this Christ like forgiveness that when Luther had used some opprobrious language of him, the good man said no more but this; p. 121al…hough he should call me a Devil, yet I will acknowledge him to be an eminent servant of Jesus Christ.

I have often heard it reported of holy Mr. Dod that when …ne inraged at his closs convincing doc…ine pickt a quarrel with him, sm…te him on the …ace, and … two of his teeth: this meek servant of Christ spat out the teeth and blood into his hand and said, see here, you have knockt out two of my teeth, and that without any just provocation; but on condition I might do your Soul good, I would give you leave to dash out all the rest: here is the excellency of a Christians Spirit, above all the attainments of Moral Heathens: though they were excellent at many other things, yet they could never attain this forgiving spirit: it is the first office of justice (said Tully) to hurt no body, unless first provoked by an injury, whereupon Lactantius, O quam simplicem veramque sententiam duorum verborum, adjectione corrupit! What a dainty sentence spoiled the Oratour by adding those two last words! strive then for this excellency of Spirit, which is the proper excellency of Christians, do some singular thing that others cannot doe, and then you will have a p. 122testimony in their Consciences: When Moses out-did the Magicians, they were forced to confess the finger of God in that business.

3. Remed. Consider well the quality of the person that hath wronged thee, either he is a good man or a wicked man that hath done thee the injury: if he be a good man, there is light and tenderness in his Conscience, and that will bring him at last to a sense of the evil he hath done; however Christ hath forgiven him greater injuries than these, and why shouldest not thou? will not Christ upbraid him with any of those wrongs done to him, but frankly forgives him all, and wilt thou take him by the throat f…r some petty abuse that he hath done to thee?

Or is he a wicked man? if so, truly you have more need to exercise pity than revenge towards him, and that upon a double account: for (1) He is beside himself so indeed is every unconverted sinner Luk. 15. 17. should you go into Bedlan… and there hear one rail at you, another mock you, and a third threaten you, would you say I will be revenged upon them? no, you would rather goe away pitying them. Alas, poor creatures they are out of their wits, and know not what p. 123they doe. Besides, (2) there is a day coming if they repent not, when they will have more mi…er… than you can find in your hearts to wish them: you need not study revenge, Gods vengeance sleepeth not; and will shortly take place upon them, and is not that enough? have they not an eternity of mis…ry coming? if they repent not, this must be the portion of their cup, and if ever they doe repent, they will be ready to make you reparation.

4. Rem. Keep down thy heart by this consideration, that by revenge thou canst but satisfie a lust, but by forgiveness thou shalt conquer a lust.

Suppose, by revenge thou shouldst destory one enemy, I will shew thee how by forgiving thou shalt conquer three: thine own lust, the Devils temptation, and thine enemies heart: and is not this a more glorious conquest? if by revenge thou overcome thine enemy, yet (as Bernard saith) inselix victoria, ubi superans virum; succumbit vitio: unhappy victory, when by overcoming another man; thou art overcome by thine own corruption, but this way you may obtain a glorious conquest indeed. What an honourable and dry victory did David this p. 124way obtain over Saul, 1 Sam. 24. 16, 17. And it came to pass whon David had made an end of speaking these words, that Saul lift up his voice and wept; and he said to David, thou art more righteous than I.

It must be a very di…-ingenious nature indeed, upon which meekness and forgiveness will not work; a stony heart which this fire will not melt: To this sense is that Prov. 25. 21. If thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Some will have it a sin punishing fire, but others, an heart melting fire: to be sure, twill either melt his heart, or aggravate his misery. Augustin thinks that Stevens prayer for his enemies was the great means of Pauls conversion.

5. Rem. Seriously propound this question to thy own heart, have I got any good by the wrong and injuries received, or have I not? It they have done you no good, turn the reveng upon your selves. O that I should have such a bad heart, that can get no good out of such troubles. O that my Spirit should be so unlike to Christs! the patience and meekness of other Christians have turn…d all the injuries thrown at them into precious stones: the Spirits of others have been raised in blessing p. 125God when they have been loaded with reproaches by the world: they have bound them as an ornament to their necks. Superbus fio (said Luther) quod video nomen pessimum mihi crescere. I could even be proud upon it, that I have a bad name among wicked men: to the same purpose Ierome sweetly, Gratias ago Deo meo quod dignus sum quem mundus oderit. I thanke my God, that I am worthy to be hated of the world: thus their hearts were provoked by injuries to magnifie God, and bless him for them: if it work contrary with me I have cause enough to be filled with self displacency.

If you have got any good by them, if the reproaches and wrongs you have received, have m…de you search your hearts the more, wa…ch your ways the more narrowly; if th…r w…onging you have made you see how you have wronged God, then let me say for them as Paul did for himself, pray f…rgive them this wrong.

What can you not find an …eart to forgive one that hath … instrumental of so much good to you, tha… …s strange what though they meant it for evil, y…t if God have turned it to good: you have no more reason to rage against the instrument, p. 126then he had who received a wound from his enemy which only brake and let out that impostume, which otherwise had been his death.

6. R…m. 'Tis of excellent use to keep the heart from revenge, to look up and eye the first cause by which all our troubles are ordered.

This will calm and meeken our Spirits quickly; never did a wicked tongue try the patience of a Saint more than Davids was tryed by that railing Shimei: yet the Spirit of this good man was not at all poi…oned with revenge, though he goes along cursing and casting stones at him all the way: yea, though Abishai offered David, if he pleased, the head of that enemy; but the King said, What have I to doe with you, ye sons of Zerviah? So let him curse▪ because the Lord hath said unto him, curse David; Who shall then say, wherefore hast thou done so? it may be God uses him as his rod to lash me, because I by my sin made his enemies to blaspheme him: and shall I be angry with the rod? how irrational were that? this also was it that quieted Iob he doth not rail, and vow revenge upon the Caldeans and Sabeans, but eyes God as the orderer of those troubles, and is quiet, The Lord hath p. 127taken away, blessed be his name, Job 1. 21.

Object. But you will say, To turn aside the right of a man, to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not, Lam. 3. 36.

Ans. True, but though it fall not under his approving? yet it doth under his permitting will, and there is a great argument for quiet submission in that: nay he hath not only the permitting, but the ordering of all those troubles, did we see more of an holy God, we should shew less of a corrupt nature in such tryals.

7. Rem. Consider how you daily wrong God, and you will not be so easily inflamed with revenge against others that have wronged you.

You are daily grieving and wronging God, and yet he bears, forgives, and will not take vengeance upon you; and will you be so quick in avenging your selves upon others? O what a sharp and terrible rebuke is that, Matth. 18. 32, 33. O thou wicked, and slothful servant; I forgave thee all that debt because thou de…iredst me, shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity upon thee? None should be filled with bowels of pity forbearance, and mercy, to such p. 128as wrong them, as those should be that have experienced the riches of mercy themselves: methinks the mercy of God to us should melt our very bowels into mercy over others: 'tis impossible we can be cruel to others, except we forget how kind Christ hath been to us: those that have …ound mercy should shew mercy: if kindness cannot work, methinks fear should; If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, Matth. 6. 15.

8. Rem. Lastly, let the Consideration of the day of the Lord which draweth nigh, withhold your hearts from anticipating it by acts of revenge

Why are ye so quick? is not the Lord at hand, to aveng all his abused servants? Be patient therefore my brethren unto the coming of the Lord: Behold the husbandman waiteth, &c. Be ye also patient▪ for the coming of the Lord draws nigh: grudg not one against another, brethren, least ye be condemned. Behold the judge standeth at the door, Iam. 5. 7, 8, 9. This text affords three arguments against reveng. (1) The Lords near approach. (2) The example of the husbandmans patience. (3) The danger we draw upon our selves by anticipating Gods judgment: vengeance is p. 129mine saith the Lord, he will distribute justice more equally and impartially than you can: they that believe they have a God to right them, will not so much wrong themselves as to avenge their own wrongs.

1. Ob. But flesh and bloud is not able to bear such abuses.

Sol. If you resolve to consult flesh and blood in such cases, and do no more but what that will enable you to do; never pretend to Religion. Christians must do singular and supernatural things.

2. Ob. But if I pack up such abuses, I shall be reckoned a fool, and every one will trample upon me.

Sol. (1) You may be reckoned so among fools, but God and good men will account it your wisdom, and the excellency of your Spirits. (2) It must be a base Spirit indeed that will trample upon a meek and forgiving Christian: and thus learn to keep your hearts from revenge under all your provocations.

8. Season. The next season in which we are in danger of losing our hearts is, when we meet with great crosses and provocations: then sinful passion is apt to transport the heart, 'tis the p. 130fault of many good men to be of hasty and quick spirits when provoked; though they dare not concoct anger into malice, for that would be a note of wickedness, yet are they very incident to sudden anger which is a sign of weakness. Beza Bez. in Vit.in the life of Calvin Cal. p. 109.observes, that he was of a keen and hasty spirit: and he that writes the life of great Cameron, Icon. Cameronis.saith, that his anger was soon stirred towards his near and familiar friends, but then he would easily depose it, and acknowledg his weakness: alas, when provocations, and tryals of our patience come, we know not what Spirits we are of. The eighth Case therefore is this.

8. Case. How the heart may be kept meek and patient under great crosses and provocations?

There are three sorts of anger▪ natural, holy and sinfull anger. (1) Natural which is nothing else but the motion of the irascible appetite towards an offensive object: an… this in it self is no sin, they are propassions rather than passions; the infelicities, rather than the sins of nature, as Ierome calls them: reason (saith p. 131Plutarch) is the driver, the Soul is the Chariot, and the two horses that draw it on in all its motions, are the concupiscible and irascible appetites; whilst these are rightly managed by reason, they are not only lawful, but very useful to the Soul. God would not have us to be stupid and insensate, though he would have us to be meek and patient: in Eph. 4. 26. He allows the natural motion, but forbids the sinful exorbitancy. (2) Holy anger wh…ch is a pure flame, kindled by an heavenly spark of Love to God, and in Scripture is called zeal, which is (as one saith) the dagger which love draws in Gods quarrel. Such was Lots against the Sodomites, and that of Moses against the Idolatrons Israelites: when Servetus condemned Zwinglius for his harshness, his answer was, in aliis mansuetus ero, in blasphemiis in Christum, non ita; in other cases I will be mild, but in the cause of Christ, not so. That which the World calls moderation and mildness here, is in Gods account stupidity and cowardliness, neither of these are that which I am now perswading you to keep your hearts against. But (3) There is sinfull passion, that's the thing which endangers you. Now anger becomes sinful when p. 132'tis either Causeless, Matth. 5. 22. or excessive, and that either in measure or time, exceeding the value of the impulsive cause, be it more transient or abideing, yet 'tis a sin and is matter of humiliation before God. Now the means to keep the heart from it under provocations, are these.

1. Means. Get low and humble thoughts of your selves, and then you will have meek Spirits, and peaceable deportments towards others.

The humble is ever the patient man, pride is the root of passion, a lofty, will be a surly spirit: bladders blown up with wind, will not lye close together: but prick them, and you may pack a thousand in a small room, only by pride cometh contention, Prov. 13. 10. When we over-rate our selves, then we think we are unworthily treated by others, and that provokes: and here (by the way) take notice of one great benefit of acquaintance with your own hearts, even the meekning and calming of our Spirits. Christian, methinks thou shouldst know so much by thy self, that 'tis impossible any should lay thee lower, or have baser thoughts of thee than thou hast of thy self. Some render the original of that p. 133text, Hab. 2. 5. Thus the proud man is as he that transgresseth by wine, and drunkards you know are q…arelsome: O get more humility, and that will bring you more peace.

2. Means. Be often sweetning your spirits in communion with God, and they will not easily be imbittered with wrath towards men.

A q…iet Conscience never produced an unquiet conversation: the peace of God doth foreign rule in the heart, as an Umpire in appeasing strifes, for so much that word, Col. 3. 15. imports, wrath and strife are hugely opposite to the frame and temper of a spiritual heart, because inconsistent with the delight and contentment of that Dove-like spirit, which loves a sedate and quiet breast. O saith a Soul that feeds upon the sweet Communion of the Spirit, shall the sp…rkles of provocations now catch in my passions, and raise such a smoke in my Soul as will offend and drive away the comforter from me? this is so effectual a remedy against passion, that I durst almost venture in a Christian of an hasty nature to make long suffering a sign of Communion with God. Seest thou such a Christian quiet and calm under provocations, p. 134'tis very like his soul feeds upon such sweetness in God as he is loath to leave: and on the other side, seest thou a Christian turbulent and clamorous, doubtless all is not well within: his Spirit is like a bone out of joynt, which cannot move with…ut pain and trouble.

3. Mea. Get due apprehensions of the evil nature and effects of sinful anger: Ira furor brevis, anger is a short madness (saith one) Ira animae febris (saith another) ang…r is the feaver of the Soul: 'tis the interregnum and eclipse of reason (saith a third.)

The effects of it also are very sad.

(1) It grieves the spirit of God, Eph. 4. 30. Banishes him from that breast in which it rages and tumultuates, God is the God of peace; the presence and comforts of God are only injoyed in a calm: '…is a golden note one gives upon the forecited text. God doth not usually bless with peace of Conscience, such as make no conscience of peace. (2) It gives advantage to the Devil, Eph. 4. 26, 27. Satan is an angry and discontented Spirit, and finds no rest but in restless hear…s: he lives like the Salamander in fires of contention, he bestirs himself when the Spirits are in a commotion, s…metimes he p. 135fills the heart with revengeful thoughts, sometimes he fills the lips, and inflames the tongue wi…h undecent language; even a meek Moses sometimes spake unadvisedly with his lips. (3) It dis-tunes the Spirit for duty, upon this account the Apostle disswades husbands and wives from jarring carriages and contentions, that their prayers be not hindred, 1 Pet. 3. 7. All acts of worship must be sutable to the object of worship: but God is the God of peace, the God of love. (4) To mention no more, it… disparages the Christian Religion. How would Plato and Pythagor as shame us if they were now living: Christ was as a lamb for meekness, and doth it become his followers to be like Lyons? O keep your hearts, or you will at once lose, not only your own peace, but the c…edit of religion.

4. Mea. Consider how sweet a thing it is to a Christian to conquer his corru…tions, and carry away the spoils of them.

He that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a City, Prov. 16. 32. Is there any content inventing a passion? how much more in mortifying it? when thou comest in a calm mood, or upon a death-bed to review thy life, how comfortable p. 136then will it be to reflect upon the conquests thou hast got by the fear of God over the evil propensions of thine own heart! 'twas a memorable saying of Valentinian the Emperour, when he came to dye: among all my Conquests (said he) there is but one that now comforts me; and being asked what that was, he answered, I have overcome my worst enemy, mine own naughty heart.

5. Mea. Shame your selves by setting before you those eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness.

Abo… all, compare your spirits with the sp…rit of Christ, Learn of me (saith he) for I am meek and lowly, Matth. 11. 29. Christ was meek and lowly, but I am proud and passionate, it was the high commendation of Moses, Numb. 12. 3. Now the man Moses was meek above all the men of the earth: and this was the man that knew God face to face. 'Tis said of Calvin and Vrsin that they both were of cholerick natures, but yet had so learned the meekness of Christ, as not to utter one word under the greatest provocation unbeseeming Religion. When I read the pretty stories of the very Heathens, that never had the advantages we have, how the Pythagorians, what ever fewds had p. 137been among them in the day, would hush all, by sending to each other this message, the Sun is almost set; and that of Plato to his Scholar, I would beat thee if I were not angry.

When I read what lenity and tenderness Lycurgus shewed to an insolent fellow that had struck out one of his eyes; I am ashamed to see how much Christians are out shot by Heathens, who by meer moral arguments and precepts, had thus meekned their Spirits and conquered their passions: the dim light of nature could teach saneca to say, that anger will hurt a man more than the offence; for there is a certain bound in the offence, but I know not how far mine anger will carry me. 'Tis a shame that these men who come so far behind us in means and advantages, should so far outstrip us in meekness and patience.

Means 6. Lastly, Avoid all irritating occasions.

He that will not hear the Clapper, must not pull the Rope: grievous words stir up anger (saith Solomon) Prov. 15. 1. Do not only pray, and resolve against it, but get as far as you can out of the way of it: 'tis true Spiritual Valour to run as fast, and as far as we can out of p. 138sins way: if you can but avoid anger in its first rise, there is no great fear of it afterwards; for it is no… with this sin as it is with other sins; other sins grow to their full strength by degrees, their first motions are the weakest; but this sin is born in its full strength, 'tis strongest at fir…t withstand it then, and it falls before you. Thus learn to keep your hear…s when provocations arise.

Season 9. The ninth Season of exerting our greatest diligence, is the Crittical hour of temptation, wherein Satan layes close Siege to the Fort-Royal of a Christians heart, and often surprizes it for want of watchfulness: to keep thy heart now, is no less a Mercy than a Duty; few Christians are so well skilled in detecting the fallacies, and retorting the arguments by which Satan uses to draw them to sin, as to come off safe in those encounters: Watch and Pray (saith our Lord) lest ye enter into temptation, Mark 14. 38. Even an emine…t David, and a wise Solomo… have smarted for their carelesness at such a time as this. The ninth Case therefore shall be this,

Case 9. How a Christian when strongly sollicited by the Devil to sin, may keep his p. 139heart from yielding to the temptation?

Now there are six special Arguments by which Satan subtilly insinuates and winds in the temptation; in all which I shall offer thee some help for the keeping of thy heart, and the first is this,

Arg. 1. The first Argument is drawn from the pleasure of sin: O (saith Satan) here is pleasure to be enjoyed; the temptation comes with a smiling countenance, and charming Voice: What, art thou so flegmatick and dull a soul, as not to feel the powerful charms of pleasure? who can with-hold himself from such delights?

Now thine heart may be kept from the danger of this temptation, by retorting this Argument of pleasure upon the Tempter; which is done two waies.

1. Thou tellest me Satan that sin is pleasant; be it so: but are the gripes of Conscience, and the flames of Hell so too? Is it pleasant to feel the wounds and throbs of Conscience? if so, Why did Peter weep so bitterly, Matth. 26. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones, Psal. 51. I hear what thou sayest of the pleasure of sin, and I have read what David hath said of the terrible effects of sin in his Psalm, to bring to remembrance, p. 140Psal. 38. verse 2. Thine Arrows stick fast in me, and thy Hand presseth me sore: ver. 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin: verse 4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden; they are too heavy for me: verse 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness: verse 6. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long: verse 7. My loyns are filled with a loathsom Disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh: Verse 8. I am feeble and sore broken, I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

Here I see the true face of sin, if I yield to thy temptation, I must either feel these pangs of Conscience, or the flames of Hell.

2. What talkest thou of the pleasure of sin, when by experience I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification, than can be in the commission of sin. O how sweet is it to please God, to obey Conscience, to preserve inward Peace, to be able to say, in this tryal I have disc…vered the sincerity of my heart; now I know I fear the Lord, now I see that I truly hate sin. Hath …in any p. 141such delight as this? this will choak that temptation.

Arg. 2. The second Argument is drawn from the Secresy of sin: O (saith Satan, this sin will never disgrace thee ab…oad, none shall know it.

This Argument may be retorted, and the heart secured thus: Thou sayest, none shall know it; but Satan, canst thou find a place void of the Divine Presence for me to sin in? Thus Iob secured his heart from this temptation, Iob 31. 4. Doth he not see my waies, and count all my steps? therefore he makes a Covenant with his eyes, verse 1. After the same manner Solomon …eaches us to retort this temptation, Prov. 5. 20. 21. And why my Son wilt thou be ravished with a strange Woman, and embrace the bosome of a stranger? For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. What if I hide it from the eyes o… all the world for the present, I cannot hide it from God; and the time is at hand, when all the world shall know it too; for the Word assures me, Luke 8. 17. That what is done now in secret, shall be proclaimed as upon the house top. Besides, is not my Conscience as a thousand witnesses? Do I owe no reverence to my self? could t…e Heathen p. 142man say, turpe quid assurus, te sine teste time, when thou art tempted to commit sin, fear thy self without any other witness: and shall not I be afraid to sin before mine own Conscience, which alwaies hath a reproof in its mouth, or a pen in its hand, to record my most secret actions?

Arg. 3. The third Argument by which Satan tempteth to sin, is taken from the gain and profit arising out of it: Why so nice and scrupulous? 'tis but stretch Conscience a little, and thou maist make thy self; Now is thy opportunity.

The heart may be kept from falling into this dangerous snare, by retorting the temptation thus: But what profit will it be if a man should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mat. 16. 26. O my soul, my precious soul! shall I hazard thee for all the good that is in this world? There is an immortal spirit dwelling in this fleshly Tabernacle, of more v…lue than all earthly things, which must live to all eternity, when this world shall lye in white ashes: A soul for whi…h Jesu… Christ shed his precious and invaluable blood: I was sent into this world to provide p. 143for this soul; indeed God hath also committed to me the care of my body, but (as one happily expresses it) with this difference; a Master commits two things to a Servant,Gospel Glass p. 3. the Child, and the Childs cloaths: will the Master thank the Servant, if he plead, I have kept the cloaths, but I have neglected the life of the Chil….

Arg. 4. The fourth Argument is drawn from the smalness of the sin; 'Tis but a little one, a small matter, a trifle; who would stand upon such niceties?

This Argument may be retorted three waies.

1. But is the Majesty of Heaven a little one too? If I commit this sin, I must offend and wrong a great God, Isa. 40. 15, 16, 17, 22.

2. Is there any little Hell to torment little sinners in? Are not the least sinners there filled with the fulness of wrath? O there is great wrath treasured up for such as the world counts little sinners.

3. The less the sin, the less the inducement to commit it: What, shall I break with God for a trifle? destroy my peace, wound my Conscience, grieve the Spirit, and all this for nothing? Oh what madness is this?

p. 144Arg. 5. A fifth Argument is drawn from the Grace of God, and hopes of pardon: Come, God will pass by this as an infirmity, he will not be extream to mark it.

But stay my heart,

1. Where do I find a promise of mercy to presumptuous sinners? indeed for involuntary surprisals, unavoidable and lamented infirmities, there is a pardon of course, but where is the promise to a daring sinner, that sins upon a presumption of pardon? Pause a while my soul upon that Scripture, Numb. 15. 27, 30. And if a Soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a She-Goat, of the first year for a Sin-offering, &c. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously, the same reproacheth the Lord, and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

2. If God be a God of so much mercy, how can I abuse so good a G…d? Shall I take so glorious an attribute as the mercy of God is, and abuse it unto sin? shall I wrong him because he is good? or should not rather the goodness of God lead me to repentance, Rom. 2. 4. There is mercy with thee, that thou maiest be feared, Psal. 130. 4.

Arg. 6. Lastly, Sometimes Satan incourages p. 145to sin from the examples of good and holy men, thus, and thus they have …nned, and been restored, therefore this may consist with grace; and thou be saved nevertheless. The danger of this temptation is avoided, and the heart secured; by retorting the argument these three ways.

1. Though good men may commit the same sin materially, which I am tempted to, yet did ever any good man venture to sin, upon such a ground and incouragement as this?

2. Did God record these examples for my imi…ation, or for my warning? are they not set up as …ea marks, that I might avoid the rocks upon which they split? 1 Cor. 10. 6. now these were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

3. Am I willing to feel what they felt for sin? O I dare not follow them in the ways of sin! quia me vestigia terrent▪ Least God plunge me into the deeps of horrour, into which he cast them.

Thus learn to keep your hearts in the hour of temptation to sin.

10. Season. The tenth special season to keep the heart with all diligence, is the time of spiritual darkness and p. 146doubting when it is with the Soul, as it was with Paul in his dangerous voyage, neither sun, nor moon, nor star appears for many days: when by reason of the hidings of Gods face, the prevalency of corruption, and the inevidence of grace; the Soul is even ready to give up all its hopes and comforts for lost; to draw sad and desperate conclusions upon it self; to call its former comforts vain delusions; its grace hypocrisie. When the serene and clear Heavens are overcast with dark clouds, yea filled with thunders; and horrible tempests; when the poor pensive Soul sits down and weeps forth this sad lamentation, my hope is perished from the Lord! now to keep the heart from sinking in such a day as this, to enable it to maintain its own sincerity, is a matter of great difficulty. The tenth Case then will be this.

Case 10. How the people of God in dark and doubting seasons, may keep their hearts from entertaining such sad conclusions about their estates, as destroy their peace, and unfit them for their Duty.

There are two general heads, to which the grounds of doubting our sincerity p. 147may be reduced. (1) Gods carriage towards the Soul, either in the time of some extraordinary affliction, or of some long and sad desertion. Or, (2) The souls carriage towards God: And here it usually argues against the truth of its own graces, either (1) From its relapses into the same sins, from which it hath formerly risen, with shame and sorrow. Or, (2) From the sensible declining of its affections from God. Or, (3) From the excess of the affections towards creature-comforts and enjoyments. Or, (4) From its enlargements in publick, and often straitnings in private Duties. Or, (5) From some horrid injections of Satan, with which the soul is greatly perplexed. Or, Lastly, From Gods silence, and seeming denial of its long depending Suits and Prayers.

These are the common grounds of those sad conclusions: Now in order to the establishment and support of the heart in this condition it will be necessary.

1. That you be acquainted with some general Truths, which have a tendency to the settlement of a trembling and doubting Soul.

2. That you be rightly instructed about p. 148the forementioned Particulars, which are the grounds of your doubting.

The general truths requisite for poor doubting souls to be acquainted with, are these:

1. That every working and appearance of hypocrisie doth not presently prove the person in whom it is to be an hypocrite. You must carefully distinguish between the presence and predominancy of hypocrisie: there are remains of deceitfulness in the best hearts. David and Peter had sad experience of it, yet the standing frame and general bent of the heart being upright; it did not denominate them hypocrites.

2. That we ought as well to hear what can be said for us, as against us: It is the sin of upright hearts sometimes to use an over rigid, and merciless severity against themselves: they do not indifferently consider the case of their own souls: it is in this case, as Solomon speaks in another, Prov. 13. 7. There is that maketh himself rich, and yet hath nothing; and there is that maketh himself poor, and yet hath great riches. 'Tis the damning sin of the self flattering hypocrite, to make his condition better then 'tis: and it is the sin and folly of some upright p. 149ones to make their condition worse then indeed it is. Why should you be such enemies to your own peace? to read over the evidences of Gods love to your Souls, as a man doth a book which he intends to confute? why doe you study to find evasions, to turn off those comforts which are due to you? 'tis said of Ioseph that he was minded to put away his espoused Mary, not knowing that that holy thing which was conceived in her, was by the holy ghost: and this may be your case. A third truth is this.

3. That many a Saint hath charged and condemned himself for that, which God will never charge him with, nor condemn him for. Why hast thou hardned our heart from thy fear (saith the Church, Isai. 63. 17. and yet the verse before manifests, that their hearts were not so hardned: godly Bradford wrote himself an hypocrite, a painted sepulchre; yet doubtless God acquitted him of that charge.

4. Every thing which is a ground of grief to the people of God, is not a sufficient ground of questioning their sincerity. There are many more things to trouble you then there are to stumble you: if upon every slip and failing through infirmity, you should question all that ever was p. 150wrought upon you your life must be made up of doubtings and fears: you can never attain a setled peace, nor live that life of praise and thankfulness, the gospel calls for.

5. The Soul is not at all times fit to pass judgment upon its own condition: To be sure in the dark day of desertion, when the Soul is benighted; and in the stormy day of temptation, when the Soul is in a hurry; 'tis utterly unfit to judge its estate: examine your hearts upon your beds, and be still, Psal. 4. This is rather a season for watching and resisting, then for judging, and determining.

6. That every breach of peace with God, is not a breach of Covenant with God: The wife hath many weaknesses and failings, often grieves and displeases her husband; yet in the main is faithful, and truly loves him: these failings may cause him to alter his carriage, but not to withdraw his love, or deny his relation. Return O back-sliding Israel for I am married unto you.

7. Lastly, what ever our sin, or trouble be, it should rather drive us to God, then from God. Pardon my sin for it is great, Psal. 25. 11. Suppose it be true, that thou hast …o, and so sinned, that thou art thus long and sadly deserted; yet 'tis a false p. 151inference, that therefore thou shouldest be discouraged, as if there were no help for thee in thy God. When you have well digested these seven establishing truths, if still the doubt remain; then consider, what may be replyed to the particular grounds of those doubts. As,

1. You doubt, and are ready to conclude the Lord hath no regard or love for your Souls, because of some extraordinary affliction which is come upon you: but I would not have thy Soul so to conclude till thou be able satisfactorily to answer those three questions.

1. Quest. If great troubles and afflictions be marks of Gods hatred, why should not impunity and constant prosperity be tokens of his love? for contrariorum contraria est ratio & consequentia: of contrary things, there is a contrary reason and consequence: but is this so indeed? or saith not the scripture quite otherwise? Prov. 1. 32. The prosperity of fools destroy them. So Psal. 73. ….

2. Quest. Dare I draw the same conclusion upon all others that have been as much, yea more afflicted then my self? if this argument conclude against thee, then so it doth against every one in thy condition; yea, the greater the affliction p. 152of any Child of God hath been, the more strongly the argument still concludes: and then wo to David, Iob, Heman, Paul, and all that have been afflicted as they were.

3. Quest. Had God exempted you only from those troubles, which all other his people …eel, would not that have been a greater ground of doubting to you then this? especially since the scripture saith, Heb. 12. 8. If ye be without chastnings whereof all are partakers, then▪ are ye bastards; and not sons.

O how is our Father put to it by froward Children! if he afflicts, then one crys he loves me not: if he exempt from affliction, others question his love upon that ground. Surely you have other work to do under the rod then thi….

2. Or do you rashly infer the Lord hath no love for you, because he hides his face from you, that your condition is miserable because dark and uncomfortable, before you draw such rash conclusions, see what answer you can give to these 4. following queries.

1. Quer. If any action of God towards his people will bear a favourable, as well as an harsh and severe construction, why should not his people interpret it in the best sense? p. 153And is not this such? may he not have a design of love as well as of hatred in this dispensation? may he not depart for a season, and not for ever, yea, that he might not depart for ever? you are not the first that have mistaken Gods ends in desertion, Isai. 49. 14. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me, my God hath forgotten me: was it so indeed? nothing less v. 15. can a mother forget, &c.

2. Q…er. Do you find the marks of an absolute total and final desertion upon your own Spirits, that you are so apt to conclude yours to be such? Do you find your heart inclined to forsake God? have you lost your conscientious tenderness in point of sin? if so, Sad characters appear upon you indeed: but if in this dark hour you are as tender of sin as ever, as much resolved to cleave to God as ever; I cannot, I will not forsake God, let him do what he will with me, oh no I cannot, If your hearts work thus, it can be but a partial, limited and temporary desertion; by this he still keeps his interest in your hearts, a sure sign he will return and visit you again.

3. Quer. Is sence and feeling a competent judge of Gods actions and designs. Or may a man safely rely upon its testimony p. 154after so many discoveries of the fallibility of it? is this a sound argument? if God had any love for my Soul, if it were not quite gone, I should feel it now as well as in former times; but I cannot feel it, therefore its quite gone. Do not you know the Sun still keeps on his course in the Heavens even in full and closs weather, when you cannot see it? and may it not be so with the love of God? read Isai. 50. 10. may I not as well conclude in winter when the flowers have hid their beautiful heads under ground, they are quite dead and gone, because I cannot find them in December, where I saw them in May?

4. Quer. Think you the Lord cares not to break his childrens hearts, and his own promise too? hath he no more regard to either? if he return no more, these must be the consequents, Isai. 57. 16, 17. Heb. 13. 5.

Well then, from Gods carriage towards you either in …ffliction or desertion, no such discouraging, heart sinking conclusions can be inferr'd. Next let us see whether they may not be inferr'd from our carriage towards God: and here the principal grounds of doubting are such as these.

p. 1551. I have fallen again into the same sin from which I have formerly risen with repentance and resolution, therefore my sinning is customary sinning, a spot that is not the spot of Gods children: hence the upright Soul trembles, upon this tis ready to affirm that all its former humiliations for, and oppositions unto sin, were but acts of hypocrisie. But stay poor trembling heart.

1. Quer. If this be so, how comes it to pass that Christ put such a favourable construction upon the Disciples sleeping the third time, when he had as often reproved them for it? Ma…h. 26. 40, 41. And how is it that we find in Scripture so many promises made not only to the first sins, but also to the backslidings of Gods people, Ier. 3. 22. Hose. 14. 4.

2. Quer. Is not your repentance and care renued, as often as your guilt is renued? Yea the oftner you sin the more you are troubled? it is not so in customary sinning, the rise whereof Bernard excellently discovers Lib. de Cons…. (1) (saith he) when a man p. 1109. accustomed to good sinneth grieviously, it seems importable, yea he seems to descend alive into hell. (2) In process of time it seems not importable, p. 156but heavy; and betwixt importable and heavy there is no small descent. (3) Next it becomes light, his conscience smites but faintly, and he feels not the stripes of it. (4) Then there is not only a total insensibleness of it, but that which was bitter and displeasing, is now become sweet and pleasing in some degree. (5) Then tis turned into custom, and not only pleases, but daily pleases. Lastly custom is turned into nature, he cannot be pull'd away from it; but defends and pleads for it: this is customary sinning this is the way of the wicked; but the quite contrary is our condition.

3. Quer. Are you sure from Scripture grounds that a good man may▪ not relapse again and again into the same sin? 'Tis true, as for gross sins, they do not use to relapse into them. David committed adultery no more, Paul persecuted the Church no more, Peter denyed Christ no more, but I speak of ordinary infirmities: Iobs friends were good men, yet (saith he) Chap. 19. 3. These ten times have ye reproached me. So then no such conclusions follow from this first ground of doubting.

2. The second ground is, the declining and withering of our affections to spiritual p. 157things, O saith the upright Soul, if ever I had been planted a right seed, I should have been as a green olive tree in the house of my God: but my branches wither, therefore my root is naught. But stay,

1. Q…er. May you not be mistaken about the decay of grace, and fading of your affections? What if they be not so quick and ravishing as at first? may not that be recompensed in the spirituality and solidity of them …ow? 1 Phil. 9. I pray God your love may abound more and more in all judgment: it may be more solid, though not so ferverous: or do you not mistake by looking forward to what you would be, rather then backward to what once you were? 'tis a good note of Ames: we discern the growth of grace, as the growth of plants, which we perceive rather crevisse quam crescere, to have grown, then to grow.

(2. Quer.) But grant it be so indeed as you affirm, must it needs follow, that the root of the matter is not in you? Davids last waies are distinguished from his first, 2 Chr. 17. 3. and yet both first and last, a holy man. The Church of Ephesus is charged by Christ for leaving her first love; and yet a golden Candlestick, p. 158many precious Saints in that Church, Rev. 2. 2, 3, 4.

3. A third ground of these sad conclusions is, the excess of our affections to some creature injoyments. I fear I love the creature more than God, and if so, my love is but hypocritical. I sometimes feel stronger, and more sensible motions of my heart to some earthly comforts, then I do to heavenly objects: therefore my Soul is not upright in me. But stay Soul,

(1. Quer.) May not a man love God more solidly and strongly, then the Creature, and yet his affections to the creatures be sometimes moved more violently and sensibly then toward God? as rooted malice argues a stronger hatred, then a sudden, though more violent passion; so we must measure our love, not by a violent motion of it, now and then, but by the depth of the root, and constancy of its actings: because David was so passionately moved for Absalom, …oa… concludes that if he had lived, and all the people dyed; it would have pleased him well 2 Sam. 19. 7. but that was argued more like a Souldier then a Logician.

(2. Quer.) If you indeed love the creature for its self, if you make it your end▪ and p. 159religion but a means, then the conclusion is rightly drawn upon you. But if you love the creature in reference to God, and see nothing in it seperated from him, though sometimes your affections offend in the excess: this is consistent with sincere love to God. To love the creature inordinately (i. e.) to put it in Gods room, and make it a mans end; this is the love of a carnal heart: to love it immoderately, that is, to let out more affection to it then we ought, is sometimes the sin of the best hearts.

(3. Quer.) Have not many Souls feared as you do, that when Christ and creatures should stand as competitors in some eminent tryal they should forsake Christ rather then the creature, and yet when brought to that Dilemma have been able to cast all the world at their heels for Christ? Many of the Martyrs had such fears, and thus they were satisfied: the prevalency of love is best seen at parting: there may be more love to Christ in thy Soul then thou art now aware of; and if God bring thee to such a pinch thou mayest see it.

4. A fourth ground of these sad conclusions is from hence, that we find our hearts sometimes more straitned in private, then in publick duties. Oh if my p. 160Soul were sincere, its actings in duty would be uniform. I fear I am but a Pharisee upon this ground: 'tis sad indeed we should at any time find our hearts straitned in private. But,

1. Quer. Do not all thine inlargements in duty whether publick, or private depend upon the Spirit, who is the Lord of influences, and according as he gives out, or holds back those influences, so art thou inlarged or straitned? And what if sometimes he please to give that in a publick, which he with-holds in a private duty, as long as thy Soul is satisfied in neither without Communion with God, and the straitness of thy heart is indeed its burden; doth that argue thee to be an hypocrite?

(2. Quer.) Dost thou not make conscience of private duties, and set thy self as before the Lord in them? Indeed, if thou live in the constant neglect, or careless performance of them, if thou art curious about publick, and careless about private duties, that would be a sad sign: but when you have conscientiously performed and often met with God in them, it will not follow you are insincere, because that communion is sometimes interrupted. Besides.

p. 161(3. Quer.) May there not be something at sometimes in a publick, which is wanting in a private duty to raise and advantage thine affections. God m…y sometimes make use of the melting affections of them with whom thou hearest or prayest, as petty instruments to move thy affections; this advantage is wanting in private, therefore from hence (the case so standing) no such inferrence can be drawn.

5. Another ground is from those horrid injections of Satan, with which the Soul is greatly perplexed; by these I may see what an heart I have: can grace be where these are?

Yes, grace may be where such thoughts are, though not where they are lodged and consented to: dost thou cry out under the burden, enter thy protest in Heaven against them, strive to keep up holy and reverend thoughts of God? then tis a rape, not a voluntary prostitution.

6. The last ground of these sad conclusions is the Lords long silence, and seeming denyal of our long depending suits and prayers. O if God had any regard to my Soul, he would have heard my cryes before now! but I have no answer from him, therefore no interest in him. But stay doubting Soul,

p. 162(1. Quer.) Have not many Saints stumbled upon this stone before thee? Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication. So the Church Lam. 3. 44. Thou coverest thy self with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through. Ionah 2. 4. Then said I, I am cast out of thy sight, and may not you be mistaken in this mat…er as well as they?

2. Quer. Though Gods abhorring, and final rejecting prayer be an argument of his abhorring the person that prayes; yet dare we conclude so from a meere suspension of the answer? God may bear long with his own elect, that cry unto him day and night, Luk. 18. 7.

3. Quer. Can you deny but that there are some signs appearing in your Souls, even whilest God suspends his answer that argue your prayers are not rejected by him? as (1) Though no answer come, yet you are still resolved to wait: you dare not say as that prophane wretch did, 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is of the Lord, why should I wait for him any longer? (2) You can clear and justifie God still, and lay the reason and cause of his silence upon your selves. So did David, Psal. 22. 2, 3. O p. 163my God, I cry in the day time, and thou hearest not; and in the night, and am not silent, but thou art holy, &c. (3) The suspension of Gods answer makes you inquisitive into your own hearts, what evils are there that obstruct your prayers? So the Church, Lam. 3. 8. He shutteth out my prayer: and how doth this work? you may see, v. 40. Let us search and try our ways: well then, neither from hence may you conclude that God hath no love for your Souls.

And thus I have shewn you, how to keep your hearts in a dark and doubting season from those desperate conclusions of unbelief. God forbid any false heart should incourage it self from these things,Caution. tis our unhappiness that when we give Saints and sinners their proper portions, that each of them are so prone to take up the others part.

11. Season. The eleventh special season calling for this diligence to keep our hearts is, when sufferings for Religion come to an height; then look to your hearts: Matth. 24. 8, 9, 10. All these are the beginning of sorrows, and they shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all p. 164nations for my names sake: and THEN shall many be offended. When sufferings for religion grow hot, then blessed is he that is not offended in Christ, troubles are then at an height. (1) When a mans neerest friends and relations forsake and leave him, Micah 7. 5, 6. 2 Tim. 4. 16. When a man is ingaged alone (2) When it comes to resisting to blood, Heb. 12. 4.(3) When temptations are presented to us in our sufferings, Heb. 11. 37.(4) When eminent persons for profession turn aside, and desert the cause of Christ, 2 Tim. 2. 19. (5) When God hides his face in a suffering hour, Ier. 17. 17. (6) When Satan falls upon us with strong temptations to question the grounds of our sufferings, or the Souls interest in Christ: Now tis heard to keep the heart from turning back, and the steps from declining Gods ways. The eleventh question then shall be this.

11. Case. How the heart may be kept from relapsing under the greatest sufferings for religion? If the bitterness of sufferings at any time cause thy Soul to distaste the way of God and take up thoughts of forsaking it, stay thine heart under that temptation by propounding these 8. questions solemnly to it.

p. 1651. Quest. What reproach and dishonour shall I pour upon Christ and religion by deserting him at such a time as this? This will proclaim to all the world that how much soever I have boasted of the promises, yet when it comes to the tryal, I dare hazard nothing upon the credit of them: and how will this open the mouths of Christs enemies to blaspheme? O better I had never been born then that worthy name should be blasphemed through me! shall I furnish the triumphs of the uncircumcised? shall I make mirth in Hell? O if I did but value the name of Christ as much as many a wicked man values his own name! I would never endure to see it exposed to such contempt will proud dust and ashes venture death, yea Hell, rather then a blot upon their name? and shall I venture nothing to salve the honour and reputation of Christ?

2. Quest. Dare I violate my conscience to save my flesh? who shall comfort me when conscience wounds me? What comfort is there in life, liberty, or friends, when peace is taken away from the inner man? when Constantius threatned to cut off Samosatenus his right hand if he would not subscribe somewhat that was against p. 166his conscience, he held up both his hands to the messenger that was sent, saying, he shall cut off both rather then I will do it: farewel all peace, joy and comfort, from that day forward; …ad Zimri peace that slew his master? said Iezebel, so say I here, had Iudas peace? had Spira peace? and shall you have peace if you tread in their steps? O consider what you do!

3. Quest. Is not the publick interest of Christ and religion infinitely more, then any private interest of my own? Tis a famous passage that of Terentius Captain to Adrian the Emperour, he presented a petition to Adrian that the Christians might have a temple by themselves to worship God apart from the Arrians: the Emperour tore his petition and threw it away, bidding him to aske somewhat for himself, and it should be granted: but he modestly gathered up the pieces of his petition again and told him, if he could not be heard in Gods ca…se, he would never ask any thing for himself: Yea even Tully, though an Heathen could say, ne immortalitatem quidem contra rem publicam: he would not accept even of immortality it self against the Common-wealth. O if we had more publick, we should not p. 167have such cowardly spirits.

4. Qu. Did Iesus Christ serve me so? when for my sake he exposed himself to far greater sufferings than can be before me? His sufferings were great indeed, he suffered from all hands, in all his offices in every member, not only in his body, bu… in his Soul; yea the suff…rings of his Soul, were the very Soul of his sufferings: witness the bloody sweat in the garden, witness the heart melting and heaven rending outcry upon the cr…ss, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and yet he flinched not, he endured the cross, despising the shame. Alas! what are my sufferings compared with Christs? he hath drunk up all that vinegar and gall that would make my suffe…ings bitter. When one of the Martyrs was asked, why he was so merry at his death? Oh said he! it is because the Soul of Christ was so heavy at his death: did Christ bear such a burden for me, with unbroken patience, and constancy? and shall I shrink back for momentary and light affictions for him?

5. Qu. Is not eternal life worth the suffering of a moments pain? If I suffer with him, I shall raign with him. O how will men venture life and limb for a fading p. 168crown swim through seas of blood to a throne? and will I venture nothing? suffer nothing for the Crown of Glory that fad…th not away? my dog will follow my horses heels from morning to night, take many a weary step through m…re and dirt, rather then leave me, though at night all he gets by it is but bones and blows. If my Soul had any true greatness, any sparks of generosity in it, how would it despise the sufferings of …he way, for the glory of the end! how would it break down all difficulties before it, whil…st by an eye of faith it sees the forerunner who is already entred standing as it were upon the walls of Heaven, with the Crown in his hand, saying, he that overcometh shall inherit all things: come on then, my Soul come on! there is eternal life laid up for them that by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honour and immortality. Rom. 2. 7.

6. Qu. Can I so easily cast off the socie…y and company of the Saints, and give the right hand of fellowship to the wicked? How can I part with such lovely companions as these have been? how often have I been benefited by their counsels? Ezra …0. 3. how o…ten refreshed, warmed, and p. 169quickned by their company? Eccles. 4. 10, 11. How often have I fasted and prayed with them? what sweet counsel have I taken with them? and gone to the house of God in company: and shall I now shake hands with them and say, farewell all ye Saints for ever, I shall never be among you more, come drunkards, swearers, …asphemers, persecutors, you shall be my everlasting companions. O rather, let my body and Soul be rent a sunder, then that ever I should say thus to the excellent of the earth in whom is all my delight,

Quest. 7. Have I seriously considered the terrible Scripture Comminations against back-sliders? O my heart! darest thou turn back upon the very points of such threatnings as these? Ier. 17, 5, 6. Thus saith the Lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm; and whose heart departeth from the Lord, for he shall be like the Heath in the Desart, and shall not see when good cometh; (i. e.) the curse of God shall wither him root and branch: And Heb. 14. 26, 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of Iudgement, and fiery indignation which shall devour p. 170the adversaries: And again, verse 38. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him: as if he should say, take him World, take him Devil for your own, I have no delight in him. O who dare draw back, when God hath hedged up the way with such terrible threats as these!

Quest. 8. Can I look Christ in the face at the Day of Iudgment, if I desert him now?

He that is ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful Generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels, Mark 8. 38. Yet a little while, and you shall see the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with P…wer and great Glory: the last Trump shall sound, the dead, both small and great, even all that sleep in the dust shall awake, and come before that great white Throne, on which Christ shall sit in that day. And now do but imagine thou saw'st the trembling knees, and quivering lips of guilty sinners; imagine thou heardest the dreadful sentence of the Judge upon them, Go ye cursed, &c. and then a cry, the weeping, wailing, and wringing of hands, that there p. 171shall be: wouldst thou desert Christ now to protract a poor, miserable life on earth? If the word of God be true, if the sayings o… Christ be … and …aithful, this shall be the portion of the Aposta…e: 'Tis an easie thing to stop the mouth of Conscience now, but wil… it be eas… to stop the mouth of the Judge then? Thus keep thy heart, that it depart not from the living God.

Seas. 12. The twelfth season of looking diligently to our hearts, and keeping them with greatest care, is the time of sickness: When a Child of God d…aws …nigh to eternity; when there are but a few sands more in the upper part of his Glass to run down; Now Satan busily bestit…s himself: of him it may be said, as of the natural Serpent, nunquaem nisi moriens producitur in longum; he is never seen at his full length till dying: and now his great designe, since he cannot win the soul from God; is to discourage, and make it unwilling to go to God: though the gracious soul with Iacob should then rouse up its self upon a dying bed, and rejoyce that the marriage day of the Lamb is now almost come; though it should then say, with dying Austen: Vivere renuo ut p. 172Christovivam, I despise life to be with Christ. Or as dying Milius, when one asked him whether he were willing to dye? O said he! I…ius est nolle mori qui nolit ire ad Christum; let him be unwilling to dye, who is unwilling to go to Christ. But O! what shrinking from death? What loathness to depart? may sometimes (indeed too frequently) be observed in the people of God: How loath are some of them to take Death by the cold hand? If such a liberty were indulged to us, not to be dissolved till we dissolve our selves; when should we say with S. Paul, I desire to be dissolved? Well then, the last Case shall be this:

Case 12. How the people of God in times of sickness may get their hearts loose from all earthly ingagements, and perswade them into a willingness to dye.

And there are seven arguments which I shall urge upon the people of God at such a time as this to make them cheerfully entertain the messengers of death, and dye as well as live like Saints; and the first is this.

1. Argu. First the harmlesness of death to the people of God. T…ough it keep its dart, it hath lost its sting: a Saint (to p. 173allude to that, Isai. 11. 8.) May play upon the hole of this aspe, and put his hand into the Cockatrices den. Death is the Cockatrice, or Aspe; the grave is his hole or den: a Saint need not fear to put his hand boldly into it: it hath left and lost its sting in the sides of Christ; 1 Cor. 15. 55. O death! where is thy sting? why art thou afraid? O Saint! that this sickness may be thy death, as long as thou knowest that the death of Christ is the death of death? indeed, if thou didst dye in thy sins as Ioh. 8. 21. If death as a King did reign over thee, Rom. 5. 14. if it could …eed upon thee, as the Lyon doth upon the prey he hath taken, as Psal. 49. 14. If hell followed the pale horse as it is, Rev. 6. 8. Then thou mightest well startle and shrink back from it; but when God hath put away thy sins from thee, as far as the East is from the West, Psal. 103. 12. As long as there is no other evil left in death, for thee to encounter with; but bodily pain: as long as the Scriptures represent it to thee under such harmless and easy notions, as the putting off thy cloaths, 2 Cor. 5. 2. And lying down to sleep upon thy bed, Isai. 57. 2. Why shouldest thou be afraid? there is as much difference betwixt death to the people of p. 174God, and others; as betwixt the Unicorns horn when it is upon the head of that fierce beast, and when it is in the Apothecaries shops; where it is made salubrious and medicinal.

2. Arg. Thy heart may he kept from shrinking back at such a time▪ as this, by considering the necessity of death; in order to the full fruition of God.

Whe…her thou art willing to dye or no I assure thee, there is no other way to obtain the full satisfaction of thy Soul; and compleat its happiness: till the hand of death do thee the kind offi…e to draw aside the curtain of flesh, thy Soul cannot see God: this animal life stan…s betwixt him and thee, 2 Cor. 5. 6. Whilest we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. Thy body must be refined and cast into a new mould, else that new wine of heavenly glory would break it. Paul in his highest rapture, 2 Cor. 12. 4. when he heard things unutterable, was then but as a stander by, a looker on; not admitted into the company, as one of them; but as the Angels are in our assemblies, so was Paul in that glorious assembly above and no otherwise; and yet even for this he must as it were be taken out of the body, uncloathed for a p. 175little time; to have a glimpse of that glory, and then put on his cloathes again. O then! Who would not be willing to dye for a full sight and enjoyment of God? Methinks, thy soul should look and sigh like a Prisoner through the Grates of this Mortality; O that I had wings like a Dove, then would I fly away, and be at rest: Most men need patience to dye, but a Saint that understands what death admits him to, should rather need patience to live; methinks, he should often look out, and listen on a death-bed for his Lords coming; and when he receives the news of his approaching change, should say; The voice of my Beloved, behold he cometh leaping over the Mountains, skipping over the Hills, Cant. 2. 8.

Arg. 3. Another Argument perswading to this willingness is, the immediate succession of a more excellent and glorious life.

'Tis but wink, and you shall see God: your happiness shall not be deferred till the Resurrection; but as soon as the body is dead, the gracious soul is swallowed up in Life, Rom. 8. 10, 11. When once you have loosed from this shore, in a few moments, your souls will be wafted over upon the wings of Angels, to the p. 176other shore of a glorious eternity. Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ: Did the Soul and body dye together as Beryllus taught? or did they sleep till the resurrection as others have groundlessly fancied? it had been a madness for Paul to desire a dissolution for the injoyment of Ch…ist. For if this were so, he injoyed more of Christ whilst his Soul dwelt in its fl…shly Tabernacle, then he should out of it.

There are but two waies of the Souls living known in Scripture, viz. the life of faith, and the life of vision, 1 Cor. 5. 5. those two divide all time both present and future betwixt them, 1 Cor, 13. 12. If when faith fails, Sight should not immediately succeed, what should become of the unbodied Soul? but blessed be God, this great, heart-establishing truth is evidently revealed in Scripture, Luke 23. 43. …ou have Christs promise Iohn 14. 3. I will come and receive you to my self. O what a change will a few moments make upon your condition? rouse up dying Saint, when thy Soul is come out a little farther; when it shall stand like Abraham in its tent door, the Angels of God shall soon be with it: the Souls of the elect are as it were put out to the Angels p. 177to nurse, and when they dye, these Angels carry them home again to their fathers house: if an Angel were caused to fly swiftly to bring a Saint the answer of his prayer, Dan. 9. 21. How much more will the Angels come post from Heaven to receive and transfer the praying Soul it self?

4. Arg. Farther, It may much conduce to thy willingness to dye, to consider; that by death God oft times hides his people out of the way of all temptations and troubles upon earth. Rev. 14. 13. Write, from henceforth blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. Tis Gods usual way, when some extraordinary calamities are coming upon the world, to set his people out of harms way before hand, Isai. 57. 1. Merciful men are taken away from the evil to come. So Mich. 7. 1, 2. When such an evil time comes as is there described: That they all lye in wait for blood, and every man hunts his brother with a net: before that, God by an act of favour houses his people before hand, dost thou know what evil may be in the earth, which thou art so loath to leave? thy God removes thee for thy great advantage, thou art disbanded by death, and called off the field; other poor Saints must stand to it, and endure a great fight of afflictions.

p. 178Tis observed that Methusala dyed the very year before the flood, Augustin a little before the sacking of Hippo. Paereus just before the taking of Heidelberg: Luther observes that all the Apostles dyed before the destruction of Ierusalem: and Luther himself before the wars brake out in Germany: it may be the Lord sees thy tender heart cannot endure to see the misery, or bear the temptations that are coming, and therefore will now gather thee to thy … in peace: and yet wilt thou cry, O spare me a little longer?

5. Arg. If yet thy heart hang back, consider the great advantage you will have by death, above all that ever you enjoyed on earth. And that (1) As to your communion with God. (2) As to your communion with Saints.

1. For your communion with God, the time of perfecting that is now come; thy Soul shall shortly stand before the face of God, and have the immediate emanations and beamings forth of his glory upon it, here thy Soul is remote from God, the beams of his glory strike it but obliquely and feebly, but shortly it will be under the line; and there the sun shall stand still as it did in Gibeon, there shall be no cloudings, nor declineings p. 179of it. O how should this wrap thy Soul with desires of being uncloathed.

2. As for the injoyment of Saints, here indeed we have fellowship with them of the lower form; but that fellowship is so dissweetened by remaining corruptions, that there is no satisfaction in it: as it is the greatest plague that can befall an hypocrite to live in a pure Church, so tis the greatest vexation to the Spirit of a Saint to live in a corrupt and disordered Church: But when death hath admitted you into that glorious assembly of the Spirits of just men made perfect, you shall have the desire of your hearts: here you cannot fully close one with another, yea, you cannot fully close with your own Souls. O what discords, jarrings, censurings, are here? what perfect blessed harmony there? in Heaven each Saint loves another as himself, th…y are altogether lovely. O my Soul hast thee away from the Lyons dens, from the mountains of Bether; from divided Saints, to those mountains of Myrhe, and hill of Frankinsense; thou art now going to thine own people as the Apostles phrase imports 2. Cor. 5▪ 8.

6. Arg. If all this will not doe, Consider p. 180what heavy burdens death will ease thy shoulders of.

In this Tabernacle we groan, being burdened. (1) With bodily distempers, how true do we find that of Theophrastue, the Soul pays a dear rent for the tenement it now lives in: but glorified bodies are clogged with no indispositions, death is the best Physician, it will cure thee of all diseases at once. (2) With the indwelling of sin, this makes us groan from the very bowels, Rom. 7. 24. But he that is dead is free from sin, Rom. 6. 7. Hath justification destroyed its damning power, and sanctification its Raigning power; so glorification destroyes its very being and existence. (3) We groan under temptations here, but as soon as we are out of the body, we are out of the reach of temptation: when once thou art got into Heaven, thou mayest say, now Sathan I am there where thou canst not come: for as the damned in Hell are malo obfirmati; so fixed in sin and misery that their condition cannot be altered, so glorified Saints are bon… confirmati, so fixed in holiness and glory that they cannot be …. (4) Here we groan under vario… tr…ubles and afflictions, but then the days of our mourning are ended. p. 181God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes: O then! let us hast away that we may be at rest.

7. Arg. If still thou linger like Lot in Sodom, then lastly, examine all the pleas and pretences for a longer time on earth. Why art thou unwilling to dye?

1. Object. O I have many relations in the World, I know not what will become of them when I am gone.

Sol. 1. If thou art troubled about their bodies and outward condition, why should not that word satisfy thee, Ier. 49. 11. Leave thy fatherless children to me, I will keep them alive, and let thy Widows trust in me. Luther in his last Will and Testament hath this expression, Lord thou hast given me wife and children I have nothing to leave them, but I commit them unto thee. O Father of the fatherless and judge of widows, nutri, serva, doce, nourish, keep, and teach them: or art thou troubled for their Souls? thou canst not convert them if thou shouldst live, and God can make thy prayers and counsels to live and take place upon them when thou art dead.

2. Obj. I would fain live to doe God more service in the world.

Sol. Well, but if he have no more service p. 182for thee to doe here, why shouldst thou not say with David: if he have no delight to use me any farther, here am I, let him doe what seemeth him good: in this world thou hast no more to doe, but he is calling thee to an higher service and imployment in Heaven; and what thou wouldest doe for him here, he can doe that by other hands.

3. Obj. I am not yet fully ready, I am not as a bride compleatly adorned for the bridegroom.

Sol. 1. Thy justification is compleat already, though thy sanctification be not so; and the way to make it so is to dye, for till then, it will have its defects and wants.

4. Obj. O but I want assurance, if I had that, I could dye presently!

Sol. 1. Yea, there it sticks indeed; but then consider, that an hearty willingness to leave all the world to be freed from sin, and be with God, is the next way to that desired assurance: no carnal person was ever willing to dye upon this ground.

And thus I have finished those cases which so nearly concern the people of God, in the several conditions of their life, and taught them how to keep their hearts in all. I shall next apply the whole.