Crumbs of Bread for the Dove in the Clefts of the Rock, Section 1
Crums of Bread FOR The DOVE in the Clefts of the Rock, and the ſecret places of the Stairs, Cant. 2.14.
Or HELPS to MEDITATION, On Converſion, Mortification, Sanctification, the Chriſtians daily walke, Communion with God, &c. With Directions for profitable Reading the Scriptures, and good practicall Books;
For a Friend, By J. T.
My Friend,
ACcording to your deſerts and deſires, I here preſent to you ſome broken Thoughts, directions, remembrances, references, for the better improvement of your Solitudes and retirements for Meditation and Reading. I have ranked them under ſeverall heads, given you but briefe hints, leaving the enlargements to your own thoughts; what more might be required, you may ſupply from the Scriptures, your Sermon-Notes, and thoſe good books, to which I have referred you: Each SECTION (after that you have peruſed the whole) affords you matter enough for one Solitary ſeaſon at the leaſt; and when you have done with this, you may have more, as God gives opportunity. I begin with the ſubject of Converſion, Regeneration, and the firſt work, if it ſuit not your concition, you may commend it to ſuch as you love and know may need it. I leave it with you as a token of my reſpects for you and your Spirituall concernments. God give his bleſſing to it, and if it any way help you in your Meditation and Reading, I ſhall deſire no more then your remembrances of me at the throne of Grace.
J. T.
SECT. I. Of Converſion, Regeneration, &c.
IT is to be preſuppoſed in order to the improvement of the following Sections, that as you have been under the meanes of Grace, ſo, you are indeed in a ſtate of Grace; if you are not, Conſider,
1. That Converſion, Regeneration, Obſ. a ſtate of Grace and intereſt in Christ by faith are of abſolute neceſſity unto ſalvation.
The Scriptures do abundantly prove it, Proof. turne to read, and take theſe few for a triall, John 3.3 &c. Heb. 12.14. Mat. 18.3. Joh. 3.16. &c.
All good Reaſon is for it. 1. Reaſ. Without an intereſt in Chriſt thou haſt no title to ſalvation. 2. Without regeneration thou haſt no fitneſſe for it; And 3ly, Eph. 2.12. Heb. 12.14 Pro. 3.3. Hab. 1.13.Without ſuch termes God is reſolved that he will not. 4. His nature is ſuch in Wiſedome, Holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, Appl. that he cannot give it: reſolve then for it, and ſet about it ſpeedily, ſeriouſly, and to the purpoſe, ſue and ſeek to God for the grace, and apply thy ſelfe to the uſe of the meanes, with hungrings, and thirſtings after righteouſneſſe, with humility, faith, prayer, and diligence; Prov. 1.7.In order to it take theſe Directions. Direct.
1. Math. 16.26. Heb. 1.13. Rom. 10. Rom. 7. Joh. 5.28.29. Rom 3.23 Gal. 3.10. Eph. 2.1, 2.3. Eph. 2.12. Pro. 15. 2 Cor. 5.18. 1 Tim. 1.15. Rom. 3.25. Heb. 10.15, 16, 17. John 3.16. Mark 1.15.Conſider, Thou haſt a precious and an immortall ſoule, there is a God that is Holy, Juſt, and Good, he hath given thee his Law, and Goſpell; Heaven, and Hell, in endleſſe eternity are before thee, death and judgment haſten a pace, a world of ſin both of nature and of life may be charged upon thee, the law is againſt thee, the curſe and wrath of God is over thee, thou haſt no hope nor helpe in thy ſelfe, nor in all the creatures, and without a Chriſt and Grace, and a changed ſtate thou wilt be undone for ever. For thy encouragement to thy duty, underſtand and believe, That God is in a way of grace and mercy; Chriſt Jeſus came into the World to ſeek and ſave ſinners; as a ſurety and ſacrifice he hath died, ſatisfied Gods law and Juſtice; eſtabliſhed a Covenant of Grace and ſalvation on termes of faith, repentance, and new obedience; Heb. 5.9. Prov. 12.makes the tenders of grace, and reconciliation in the miniſtry of the Goſpell to thee; hath along time been calling upon thee; 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20, 21. Prov. 1.23.is ſtill waiting, woing, and beſeeching thee to accept of him and grace: his ſpirit is ready to help thee; there is nothing wanting, but thy free and full conſent, Heb. 3.8.12.15.ô continue not (as too long thou haſt done already) in a ſtate of ſinne and enmity, unbeliefe and unregeneracy, to the diſappointments of Grace, 2 Cor. 6.1.the abuſe of the Goſpell, Heb. 2.3. Heb. 10.29. Mark. 16.16. 2 Theſ. 1.8.the griefe of the ſpirit, the reproach of the blood of Chriſt, and the remedileſſe deſtruction and damnation of thine own ſoule: Repent and believe the Goſpell, receive Chriſt and Grace, apply thy ſelfe unto thy duty in faith, repentance, and new obedience, and thou ſhalt not miſcarry: Pro. 3.16. Rom. 8.1, 2, 3.thy ſinnes ſhall be pardoned, thy perſon ſhall be juſtified, thy nature ſhall be changed, thy ſoule ſhall be ſaved, John 3.36.
2. Underſtand what is required of thee, and expected from thee, in the termes of the Goſpell, faith, repentance, and new obedience: in ſhort 'tis thus:John 17.3. Pro. 3.33. Rom. 10.10, 11. Rom. 1.5.
1. By faith thou art 1. To apprehend. 2. To aſſent unto. 3. To apply unto thy ſelfe, and 4. To improve the diſcoveries made unto thee, 1. Of ſinne and wrath in the Law of God. 2. Of Grace and mercy through Chriſt in the Goſpell of Salvation.
2. Lam. 3.40.By Repentance thou art, 1. To ſearch and find out the ſinfulneſſe (in ſome good meaſure) of thy nature, and of thy life; Rom. 7.13.2. Through the conſideration of the ſinfulneſſe of ſinne, which is the greateſt evill in it ſelfe, as againſt God and the greateſt good; Eph. 2.2, 3.the conſideration of thy ſad condition, becauſe of ſin according to the Law of God, the greateſt judgment in this life and that to come; Ezek 16.60, 61. Jer. 3.and the conſideration of the abundant grace and mercy ſet before thee in the good will of God to thy ſalvation. 1. The death of Chriſt, the bleſſings and promiſes of life and of ſalvation tendered to thee, Pſ. 51.to Humble thy ſoule with griefe of heart and brokenneſſe of ſpirit. D…rt. 9:3. To caſt thy ſelfe at Gods feet before the throne of grace, in free and full confeſſion, in earneſt prayer and ſupplication for grace and mercy through Jeſus Chriſt.
4. Rom. 7. Ezck 33.11. Iſ. 1.16. Ezek. 18.31.To ſet thine heart againſt all manner of ſin whatſoever, to hate it and abhorre it, in the ſtrength of God to reſolve the utter deſtruction of it in thy nature, the avoidance of it in thy life and Converſation, Rom. 7.together with all the temptations and occaſions that lead thee to ſin from without, and all the corrupt motions, diſpoſitions, workings of it that are within, according to the prohibitions in the word, the convictions of the ſpirit, and the checks of thy conſcience, and this both in thought, word, and deed. 5. Thou muſt be ſure to give proofe of all in the courſe of thy life and converſation, Matth. 3.8. Mat. 3.8.and if through weakneſſe and infirmity, thou beeſt at any time overtaken, to reflect upon thy ſelfe, Pſ. 51.and renew theſe actings of repentance with particular application to that tranſgreſſion, And 7. Every day, whether ſin be known or not known to be ſearching, humbling, confeſſing, praying, reſolving, labouring to root out and deſtroy the remainders of thy Corruption.Pſ. 19.12.
3. New obedience calls thee 1. To Conſider the obligation that lies upon thee by nature and grace to know and to doe the will of God. 2. Rem. 12.1. Rom. 14.9.To acquaint thy ſelfe with the mind and will of God revealed in his word as the rule of thy dury. 3. Pſ. 1. Pſal. 119. Acts 9.6. Deut. 39: Iſ. 56.8.To give up thy ſelfe in the ſence of thy duty and Gods mercy through Chriſt in a Covenant of ſincere, free, full, univerſall, and conſtant obedience: 4. Making Chriſt thy ſtrength, and the Word thy rule, Gods Glory and thine own ſalvation thine end, and the ſpirit thy guide, and a good conſcience thy principle, to apply thy ſelfe to the exerciſe of every grace, Pſal. 50.4. Rom. 6.12.and the performance of every duty, which God requireth of thee, towards himſelfe, thine own ſoule, and others in thy place, condition, Phil. 3.8. 1 Pet. 2.5.and capacity. 5. Making up thy defects (when ſenſible of them) by preſenting thy perſon and thy duty to Gods Gracious acceptance, according to the Covenant of of Grace, through the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt:
In ſo doing, Com. for thy Comfort underſtand, that God will accept, and Chriſt will help, grace ſhall be thy ſtate, God, Chriſt promiſes, pardon, peace, priviledg ſhall be thy portion whileſt thou art here; death, judgment, hell, curſe, wrath, and reall evils ſhall not come nigh to hurt thee; Heaven, bleſſedneſſe, and glory, eternall life and joy ſhall be thine inheritance, and poſſeſſion, to all eternity.
And if thou wouldeſt not miſcarry in this great work, Caut. Luk. 19.42 Mat. 11.6.take heed (1) of delaies, demurres, put offs, 2. of taking offence, at the ſtrictneſſe of duty, at the low condition of Chriſt and Chriſtians, and the ſcandalous lives and actions of Hypocrites and profeſſors, who ſhall beare their burden. Acts 2.40.3. of evill company. 4. Of diſcouragements from carnall friends. 5. Heb. 3.12.Of an evill heart of impenitency and unbeliefe, 6. Of Temptations from Sathan, 7. Acts 26.28.29.Of being but almoſt a Chriſtian, reſting in convictions, confeſſions, humiliations, vowes and promiſes, profeſſion, partiall change and reformation, good eſteem with others; till the work be perfectly done, and thine heart ſubdued unto God in Chriſt, in faith, repentance, and new obedience, according to the Goſpell and the directions now ſet before you. 8. Rom. 14.1.Of troubling your ſelves with needleſſe diſputes and queſtions about things of ſmall moment in Religion, or above your reach. 9. Of Spirituall pride upon the one hand, or unneceſſary calling in queſtion your condition upon the other, where this work is ſincerely done, or Gods Grace and mercy for your pardon, and acceptance in Jeſus Chriſt. 10. Take heed of Apoſtacy and backſliding in whole or part, to corrupt opinions and errours upon the one hand, or to ſinfull practiſes and courſes upon the other.
When this work is done, Coun. give grace the glory, 1 Tim. 1.14 Mat. 18.3.adore its freedome, and magnifie its power, believe its conſtancy, and live upon its fulneſſe till brought to glory.
2. Be daily practiſing and perfecting this bleſſed work, and think not that all is done till thou getſt to Heaven.
3. For further direction and thy better progreſſe be much in Holy exerciſes, Acts 9.11.praying, hearing, meditating, conferring with good Chriſtians, reading the Scriptures, and Sermon notes, and good books, eſpecially about Converſion and Regeneration.
Some Sermons I have purpoſely preached on this Subject in Abington on the ſeverall inſtances of converſion in the new Teſtament: in Exeter on Joh. 3. at Petrocks on Acts 26.18. at Mary-ſteps and Edmonds on Matth. 18.3. at Mary-moores &c. beſides collaterall applications: had I been more in this work and method, ſucceſſe would have been through grace proportionable.
Theſe following are choice Books, though not all that may be read upon this ſubject, get and read what you can of them. Baxters Call to the unconverted, Baxter Of Converſion. Baxters Directions to prevent miſcarrying in converſion. His Saint or a Brute. His Sermons on Death and Judgment. His Everlaſting Reſt. Whately of Regeneration. Hooker's Soules preparation for Chriſt. Soule's Humiliation: with ſeverall other Treatiſes of his, contracted in Ambroſe his prima, or firſt things. Dike, of Repentance: morning Exerciſe at Giles, London. Morning exerciſe at Cripplegate, the Sermons in them on this Subject. Ob: Sedgwick on Rev. 3.20. his treatiſe of faith, &c.