Old Jacobs Altar Newly Repaired, Treatise (4 of 6)

Old Jacobs Altar Newly Repaired · Treatise (4 of 6)

p. 137Before, Oh the gracious viſitations of Gods ſpirit, that I was wont to have! yea, when I awaken'd in the night ſeaſon, oh the glimpſes of Gods face that were upon my ſoul what p. 138quickening and enlivenings and refreſhings did I find in them! I would give a world but for one nights comfort, I ſometimes have had by the viſitations of Gods ſpirit, but now they are gone. Oh it was better with me then, then it is now. —

Before, Oh what peace of Conſcience I had within! whatſoever the world ſaid; though they railed and accuſed, yet my conſcience ſpake peace to me, and was as a thouſand witneſſes for me: but now I have a grating conſcience within me; Oh the black boſome that is in me! it flyeth in my face every day; after I come from ſuch and ſuch company: I could come before from the ſociety of Saints, and my conſcience ſmiled upon me: now I go to wicked company, and when I come home, and in the night, Oh the gnawings of that worm! It was better with me then, then it is now.

Before, The graces of Gods ſpirit, how were they ſparkling in me, active and lively! I could exerciſe faith, humility, patience, and the like; now I am as one bereft of all, unfit for any thing, even as a dead log: before, God made uſe of me, and employed me in honorable ſervices; now I am unfit for any ſervice at all — Oh it was better with me then, then it is now. —

Before, I could take hold upon Promiſes, I could claim them as mine own, I could look up to all thoſe bleſſed ſweet Promiſes that God had made in his word, and look upon them as mine inheritance: But now alas! the Promiſes of God are little to me: before I could look on the face of all troubles, and upon the face of death, I could look upon them with joy; But now, the thoughts of affliction, and of death, God knowes how terrible they are to mee! Oh it was better with me then, then it is now.—

Before, in all creatures I could enjoy God, I taſted the ſweetneſs and love of God, even in my meat and drink: I could ſit with my wife and children, and ſee God in them, and look upon the mercies of God through them, as a fruit of the Covenant of Grace; Oh how p. 139ſweet was it with me then! But now the creature is as an empty thing unto me, whether it come in love, or hatred, I do not know: It was better with me before, then now. —

Before, I was under the protection of God, wherever I went, but now I do not know what dangers and miſeries I am ſubject to dayly, what may befall me before night God onelyonly knowes: Before, the Saints rejoyced in my company and communion, now every one is ſhie of me: Before, I was going on in the wayes of life; now theſe wayes I am going in, God knows, and my conſcience tells me, are the wayes of death: Oh it was better with me then, then it is now. —

I have been large in tranſcribing theſe excellent and precious paſſages, becauſe the times we are caſt upon, do much abound with backſliders, and who knows, whether God may not, in a way of recovering mercy, bring this Treatiſe, and this particular paſſage under the ſerious view of ſome Apoſtate, and bleſs it with a healing virtue to his ſoul, who happily never read it, nor ſhould have opportunity of reading it, in the large Volume of Reverend Mr. Burroughs: And who knows what gracious effect this may have upon ſome unſtable ſpirits, to ſettle and fix them ſure upon God, that the evil heart of unbelief may never cauſe their departure from God? However, there is a ſuteableneſs in it to the head we are improving; And ſure, the people of God will finde a ſerious reflection upon the goodneſs, and good Providences of God, as an excellent means, to heal heartdiſtempers, and damps of ſpirit; as alſo, to quicken up, and enflame their zeal and affections more unto God, that they will ſay, with that holy man, Pſal. 73. ver. 28. It is good for us to draw nigh to God; they will find, that it is beſt with them, when they are neareſt to God; and therefore will bring back their hearts upon any receſs from God, by a lively ſenſe of the goodneſs of the Lord unto them.

3. Be much in the ſence and meditation of grace received, p. 140keep up the conſideration thereof vigorous, and lively in your hearts, pray much, preach much, hear much, and act much in the ſence of what you were, compared with what, through diſcriminating and renewing grace, ye now are: How that, except the Lord had been your help, your ſoules had, not almoſt, but altogether and for ever dwelt in ſilence; Oh 'tis of excellent uſe, they that have tried, have found the uſefulneſs of it: The Apoſtle Paul, you know, was much in this, as many paſſages in his Epiſtles do fully ſpeak to; I ſhall onelyonly inſtance in that, 1 Tim. 1. verſ. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. I thank Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me worthy, putting me into the Miniſtery; There's a great Emphaſis in me, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould do this for me; why? Who was Paul, or what was he, that it ſhould be owned by him, as ſuch a ſingular act of Grace, to be put into the Miniſtery? The next Verſe tells you, yea he himſelf tells you, who was a Blaſphemer, and a Perſecutor, and Injurious: bad enough; and theſe words carry weight enough with them: but I obtained mercy: but how did he purchaſe mercy? foreign.Oh the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Chriſt Jeſus; not onelyonly Grace but exceeding grace, not onelyonly exceeding, but exceeding abundant grace,; it is a pleonaſme, yea a ſuperpleonaſme, and all little enough, I had need of all, I was a Blaſphemer, and ſo ſinned againſt the firſt Table; I was a perſecuter, and ſo ſinned againſt the ſecond Table; and I was Injurious, and ſo came near the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt; and all theſe together, do ſadly ſpeak me, foreign. Gerſon. Auguſt.at leaſt in my own ſence, the chief of ſinners; primus, quo nullus prior, — a file-leader, one that marched in the Van and Front of the battel; imo, quo nullus pejor, worſe then the worſt: He ſtrikes ſail, takes down all his Flags, which he diſplayed, Phil. 3. ver. 4, 5, 6. ſit's down in the duſt, and view's himſelf in his loweſt abaſement; that ſo, he might the more admire the riches of free grace, and might bring his heart more under command for God, the vouchſafements of whoſe goodwill had been p. 141ſo free, and ſo full unto him; neither doth he monopolize this, and drive on a cloſe trade betwixt God and his own ſoul, as though he would engroſs all to himſelf, and cared not how empty other mens coffers were, ſo that his own were full; like the Merchants of this world; but he commends, and by an Apoſtolick power, command's this courſe unto others, as, Eph. 2. ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. When he had carried the Epheſian Saints, up into the Paradiſe of God, and diſplayed the myſteries and priviledges of grace, even to the raviſhment of their ſouls in the firſt Chapter, and in the ten firſt Verſes of this, then he comes on with a Memento, Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the fleſh— that at that time, ye were without Chriſt, being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the Covenants of Promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world: Ye were in as bad a condition as men could be in: ye dwelt as nigh the borders of Abaddon, as people could dwell: no people were in worſe trading for heaven, then ye were in: ye had nothing that brought you within the outward Court of the Temple, or gave you the leaſt advance toward happineſs; ye were like dogs, without, Apoc. 22. verſ. 15. and how could it be otherwiſe, ſeeing your wants and withouts were ſo many?

1. Without the Mark of an Iſraelite in your fleſh, as being uncircumciſed.

2. Without the Camp and Common-wealth of Iſrael, as being neither Hebrews nor Proſelites.

3. Without the Covenants, having no covenant right to any ſpirituall good thing; no, nor earthly neither; as being neither of the Fleſh, nor of the Faith of Abraham, with whom God entred Covenant.

4. Without any hope from the Promiſe: foreign, not having the hope of the Promiſe, — or not having hope of peace and reconcilement with God, as being ignorant of the promiſed ſeed, in the firſt, or any following Promiſe:

5. Nay without Chriſt, without any ſaving Intereſt in p. 142Chriſt, or knowledge of Chriſt, untill the Goſpel came amongſt you; for what could your great Goddeſs Diana make known unto you, of God manifeſted in the fleſh? yea,

6. and Laſtly, Remember ye were without God in the world, ye were foreign, ye lived like, and were Atheiſts in the world: as 'tis ſaid of the poor braſileans at this day, that they are ſine fide, ſine Rege, ſine lege; without common Faith or honeſty, without a King, without a Law, either to puniſh or protect them: So was it with heathen Epheſus, and thus alſo with our Pagan Predeceſſors: — Let me then be thy faithfull Remembrancer, O England, to put thee in minde, what thy primitive and firſt eſtate was; See thy face in this Epheſian glaſs: what Epheſus was, England was in each of theſe particulars: but now how hath the Lord exalted thy horn, and brought thy people near unto himſelf? Pſal. 148. ver. 14. nay, may I not apply that of Iſrael to thee? Deut. 4. ver. 7. What Nation is there ſo great, that hath God ſo nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things, that we call upon him for? Oh that England would remember, how it was, and how it is! how it was in Pagan, in Popiſh, and Prelatical times! and how it is now, as to Liberty, as to Purity, as to Protection, and as to Countenance in all the good wayes of God? Sure there would be better bloud, better ſpirits, better diſpoſitions, and better carriages, in thoſe that are true and genuine Engliſh, towards God, his wayes and people, then now there are, if former times were oftener thought upon; and O that all the Saints would much and often reflect upon what they were, compared with what they are in a ſpiritual and Goſpel account, that you would remember often what you were, and how nigh unto the pit and place of ſilence, when recovering grace firſt took hold upon you.

Conſider, that miſery in which we were all involved through the firſt Tranſgreſſion, under which we might truly ſpeak the words of my Text, Ʋnleſs the Lord had been our help, our ſoules had (everlaſtingly) dwelt in p. 143ſilence; And that I may the more provoke mine own heart and others, to a due, and to a thankfull acknowledgment, of that rich and ſingular grace, I ſhall enforce it with theſe three Conſiderations.

1 Conſider, The danger we were all expoſed unto, by the breach of the firſt Covenant.

2. Conſider, What ſad diſtractions the ſence of this danger brought forth in our ſoules, at our firſt awakening.

3. Conſider, How unexſpected, and how welcome, grace and mercy were then unto us, under all our ſad fears, and horrours.

Conſideration 1. For the Firſt: Work home upon your hearts, a right ſence of the danger we all were expoſed unto, by the breach of the firſt Covenant; Note.which I ſhall exemplifie in theſe words, That man by nature is borne within an hairs breadth of Hell; upon the very brink of the pit; ſo that, except Divine Grace had contributed ſaving help unto him by Jeſus Chriſt, he would have tumbled from the womb into hell: Nothing but grace, free grace, mere grace, and rich Grace hath preſerved man from ſliding into the bottomleſs pit: From nature to grace, and from grace unto glory, is loſt man's journey home again: The journey is long, and man's leggs are weak, and not able to go it; Mr. Lokier, in Coll. 1.13. p. 18.and therefore God doth bear him from the one to the other, and transferre him all along: Obſerve the road, You will finde none going that way, but in Chriſts armes! It is with man in an eſtate of nature, as with an Infant in ſwathing bands, laid upon the ſharp ridge of an high building, or upon the edge of a ſteep precipice, who without ſome hand to ſtay it, would ſoon roul down, and daſh it ſelf in peices: The Holy Ghoſt takes this reſemblance of an Infant, Ezek. 16. to ſet forth the helpleſneſs of man in his lapſed eſtate, That he was caſt forth in the day he was born, no eye pitying of him, that when he lay in his bloud, &c. the love of the Lord was manifeſted, who out of pure love, and mere good will, ſpread the skirt of his garment over him, and ſaid unto him, Live: The Apoſtle Paul doth excellently comment upon this p. 144Text, in Rom. Chap. 5. Ver. 6. where he ſayes, when we were yet without ſtrength, Chriſt died for us: How fitly doth this comport with a new born Infant, who hath neither ſtrength to work, nor power to ſecure its own life from eminent and approaching danger? The word ſignifying weak or ſtrengthleſs; and wherefore did Chriſt die for ſtrengthleſs ſinners? what moved the Lord Jeſus to receive that dreadfull charge of wrath from God and man? The juſt to ſuffer for the unjuſt? why, when they lay in their bloud, their time was a time of love from the Eternal Father, Verſ. 8. God commendeth his love unto us, in that whileſt we were ſinners Chriſt died for us; Jeſus Chriſt came upon the Errand of his Fathers love: that cup which his Father put into his hand to drink, was brimmed up with his love to ſinners; Bernard.Oh! Ama amorem illius, Love that love of his, and never leave meditating thereon, donec totus fixus in corde, qui totus fixus in cruce, Until whole Chriſt be fixed in your hearts, who was faſtened on the Croſs: But if you ask (as ſome proud Juſticiaries have done) What needed all this affection in the Father, and all this affliction on the Son?

I anſwer, The neceſſity of ſinfull man required all this to keep him out of Hell.

Reaſons I. Reaſon. Becauſe man in his naturall capacity, is under the firſt Covenant, as he hath his ſtanding in the firſt Adam: Now Rom. 3. ver. 20. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh plainly, that by the deeds of the Law, there ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in the ſight of God, not they who were Jews by nature, no more then they who are ſinners of the Gentiles, Gal. 2. ver. 15, 16. and Gal. 3. verſ. 10, He concludes poſitively, as many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curſe, confirming this Theſis with a double Reaſon,

1. Becauſe Every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them, is curſed; for which Aſſertion he quoteth Deut. 27.26. Here's an Obligation of Individualls to Individualls; every perſon is obliged to every precept, yea, to continue in the doing of them, the word ſignifying, to ſtand firme, like a fourſquared ſtone in a building, without p. 145jetting or jogging a hairs breadth out of its place, and that under penalty of the Curſe.

His 2. Reaſon is this: Becauſe, The juſt ſhall live by his faith, Hab. 2. verſ. 4. The ſpring of ſpiritual and eternal life is in Jeſus Chriſt, John 14. verſ. 19. Becauſe I live, ye ſhall live alſo: The life of grace is derivative from Jeſus Chriſt; and Faith fetcheth both the Comforts of ſpiritual, and Aſſurances of Eternal life from the ſame fountain; and now, that all men, in their natural eſtate, ſtand in the firſt Adam, and in the firſt Covenant, and ſo are liable unto condemnation, is clear in many Scriptures Rom. 5. from Verſ. 12. to the end takes in both.

II. Reaſon. Becauſe man in a ſtate of nature, is under ſuch an impotency and weakneſs, which rendereth a perfect obedience unto the Law of works, impoſſible unto him: He was ſo wounded and weakened by his fall, his bones were ſo ſhattered and broken, and out of joynt, that there remains no ſtrength at all in him; as, ſuppoſe a man ſhould fall from an high ſcaffold upon the hard ſtones, and ſuppoſe his life ſhould by a providential miracle be preſerved, yet his leggs and armes, and back-bones, and all, ſhould be broken and disjo…nted, a total diſlocation of all bones: Alas, what ſtrength would there be in this man for labour? what ſervice would he be able to perform? he would not be able to ſtirre hand or foot, to do any work; thus was it with man in his fall, upon a ſpiritual account, it was an exceeding high tower that he fell from, he was ſeated in an eſtate, but a little lower then the Angels, placed in Paradiſe, created in a ſtate of holineſs, and innocency, bearing the image of his maker, drawn out in lively characters upon his ſoul; all which ſpeak his prin…tive and firſt eſtate, to have been a glorious and raiſed condition, the falling from which muſt needs enervate his ſoul, yea break all his bones in peices: Hence the Apoſtle ſpeaking of man in his lapſed eſtate, Rom. 5. Verſ. 6. affirmes him to be without ſtrength, and of himſelf ſpeaks, Chap. 7. ver. 18. I know, that in me, that p. 146is in my fleſh, as I am a ſon of the firſt Adam, and as my nature ſtands in him under the fall, there dwelleth no good thing, nor habitual inclinations to that which is really and ſavingly good, that he intends this, will be evident, if we conſider what he ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 3. ver. 5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing, as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God, who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure, Phil. 2. ver. 13. and wherefore doth God work both to will and to do, but becauſe we are able neither to will nor to do in our own ſtrength? for alas! the Law could not do, could not anſwer the demands of God, and why? in that it was weak through the fleſh, Rom. 8.2, 3. or in that, man weakened by the fall was not able to bring forth perfect righteouſneſs by his obedience to the Law; now then, if the root and power of thinking, willing, and doing any thing that is good, be not in our nature, but ſupernaturally wrought in us by grace; how much leſs are we able, of our ſelves by any connate principles or abilities, to yield perfect obedience to the Law, without which there can be no ſalvation in the way of the firſt Covenant.

III. Reaſon. Becauſe, as man ſtands in the firſt Adam, and in the firſt Covenant, he is born a childe of wrath, under the indignation of a juſt and righteous God, Thus the Apoſtle, Eph. 2. ver. 3. And were by nature children of wrath, Deires, damnati priuſquam nati, condemned before conceived; Auguſt.now then, if we be born children of wrath, it muſt be by nature, or by grace; not by grace, therefore by nature: and if by nature, then either by nature corrupted in the firſt Adam, or by nature renewed in the ſecond Adam, not by nature renovated and repaired in the ſecond Adam, and therefore it followes, that by nature corrupted in the firſt Adam; we are the children of wrath; for the firſt man (by his fall) corrupted the whole nature, and now nature thus corrupted polluteth every man; as a garment infected by the plague, ſpreads a contagion through the whole body of a ſound man, who puts it on whileſt the infection abides is it; p. 147Hence Gen. 5. v. 3. Adam, an hundred and thirty years after his fall,) ſuppoſing he fell in the ſame day wherein he was created (begat Seth, in his own likeneſs, after his image, in reſpect both of corruption, and liableneſs to condemnation: for if that phraſe Gen. 1. verſ. 26, 27. God ſaid, Let us make man in our image, after our likeneſs, is to be expounded by that of the Apoſtle, Eph. 4. verſ. 24. That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and holineſs of truth, as ſurely in part it is, then Adam's begetting a ſon in his own likeneſs, after his image, muſt needs imply his communicating his corrupt nature by generation unto him, which is the old man, corrupt according to the deceitfull luſts, in the Apoſtles language, and ſo originall ſinne is not by imitation onelyonly, but by propagation.

1. This then ſhew's the Saints how little beholding they are to old Adam, for thoſe ſpiritual attainments they have arrived at; that thoſe gracious habits and diſpoſitions of the ſoul, whereby they are carried ou…n their deſires and affections, after that which is good, wer… not the Legacies and bequeathments of their firſt parents; much leſs are thoſe principles and that power whereby they are enabled to act and do, what is well-pleaſing to God, an eſtate of inheritance deſcended upon them from Grand-ſire Adam; all the Saints may ſpeak the words of Rach…l and Leah, Is there yee any portion or inh… ritance for us in our fathers houſe? for he hath ſold us, and quite devoured our money, Gen. 32. verſ. 14, 15. This is undoubtedly true upon a ſpiritual and ſaying account, being applied by believers to their ſtanding in the firſt Adam; as if a Merchant ſhould have a great ſtock given him by his father, and ſhould at his firſt ſetting up, drive on a very full trade, but afterwards, through his own improvidence and careleſneſs, ſhould be ſuch a Bankrupt, that he had not one penny left, either to h…lp himſelf, or to leave his Son; and yet his ſon through the bounty of a noble friend is furniſhed with a trading ſtock, and grows wealthier then ever his father was, tra…s p. 148upon ſurer tearms then ever his father did; whom may the ſon thank for all this? his father or his friend? Thus it was with Adam, and thus it is with believers, as you may eaſily make out, if ye proſecute the reſemblance in your own thoughts; they may truly ſay with Jacob, Gen. 32. ver. 10. with my ſtaff I paſſed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands: That Gold wherewith they are made rich, above the wealth of Croeſus, yea of both the Indies, they have not out of old Adams coffers: That white raiment, fine and clean, which covers the ſhame of their nakedneſs, and renders them more glorious then Solomon in all his glory, comes not out of old Adams wardrobe; and that eye-ſalve, the anointing wherewith gives light and ſight far above the enlightening of Jonathan, when he had taſted that honey-dew with the tip of his rod, is not taken out of old Adams gallipots; no, Apoc. 3. verſ. 18. Chriſt call's them to his mart, and S. Paul aſſerts, That by grace we are ſaved, not of works, not of our ſelves, Epheſ. 2. verſ. 8, 9. the reaſon is added, verſ. 10. — Saints as Saints, Believers as Believers, are the workmanſhip of God, in a Creation way, by Jeſus Chriſt: O then, what cauſe of thankfulneſs have the Saints, ſince all their enjoyments are the products of free-mercy, and their whole way to glory is paved with free-grace. This alſo fully evinceth this truth, That eternal life is the free gift of God by Jeſus Chriſt, and ſhews the Saints, whom to own, as the fountain of life and light in them, and to them, to wit, the God of all Grace, by whoſe, diſcriminating grace in Jeſus Chriſt, They are appointed not unto wrath, but to obtain ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Theſ. 5.9. who of God is made unto us, wiſdome, righteouſneſs, ſanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1. verſ. 30. Away then with that rotten opinion that ſome have, that are unacquainted with Divine truth, Dr. Sibs.the alſufficiency of Chriſt, and the mercies of God in Chriſt, that conſider not the vileneſs of our nature, and the infinite majeſty of God. They will have the Gentiles ſaved by the light of nature, and the Jews ſaved by the Law of Moſes, and Chriſtians p. 149by the Goſpel of Chriſt, as if there were ſome other means to come to heaven, and to the favour of God, then by Chriſt; whereas now, all that we have, muſt be by Promiſes, and all the Promiſes we have are in Chriſt, they are all yea in him, without him there is no intercourſe between the Majeſty of God, and us; Therefore Acts 4. verſ. 12. There is no name under heaven whereby we can be ſaved, but by the name of Jeſus, which not onelyonly confutes the deviliſh opinion and conceit that ſome have, but alſo the charitable errour of others, that think the Heathens that never heard of Chriſt ſhall be ſaved: I leave them to their Judge: we muſt go to the Scriptures; all the promiſes are in Chriſt, in him they are yea, in him they are made; in him they are Amen, in him they are performed; out of him we have nothing, out of the Promiſes in him we have nothing, ſayes Reverend Doctour Sibs, in 2 Cor. 1. v. 20. Page 412. Nor can we who are Chriſtians ſay, that if nature had not helped us, if free will had not ſtep'd in to the reſcue of us, our ſouls had dwelt in ſilence, we had periſhed to all Eternity; but if God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, had not quickened us together with Chriſt, when we were dead we ſhould have continued dead; and had he not ſaved us by grace, when we were in our ſinnes, we had lain under the guilt of them for evermore; yea, as a confutation of the pride of man, in crying up the power of nature, they muſt ſay, Of him and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for evermore, Rom. 11.36. that grace preventing, ſubduing, renewing, effectual, &c. are all from God, who was pleaſed that all fulneſs ſhould dwell in Jeſus Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, That of his fullneſs we all might receive grace for grace, John 1.16. A latitude anſwerable to all commands, Dr. Treſton.a perfection anſwerable to Chriſts own perfection, in the matter though not in the meaſure, for in Chriſt there is plenitudo fontis, the fullneſs of a fountain, in the beſt of Saints, but plenitudo vaſis, the fullneſs of a veſſel, or grace upon grace, a p. 150daily encreaſe of grace, Paſor.grati…m nova gratia cumulatam— All from God through Jeſus Chriſt, which excellently appears by ten Arguments in the words of an ancient father, Mr. Resbury in his lightleſs Star, p. 62, 63, 64, 65, &c.by a godly and Judicious Divine, I ſhall onelyonly name the heads and refer you to the book, for the fuller enlargement: The main ſcope of the Author is to aſſert the free and ſole agency of God, in the production and work of grace, againſt ſuch as would advance free-will and the power of nature, as alſo that the Lord is the Alpha and Omega of mans ſalvation: And this is made good from theſe conſiderations.

Conſid. 1. From Gods promiſe to Abraham touching the faith of the Gentiles, the whole of which faith is from God, and godlineſs from faith purifying the heart.

2. From differencing grace, God alone maketh one to differ from another.

3. From Election, what Iſrael ſought, he obtained not, but the election hath obtained, and the reſt were hardned.

4. From the efficacy and peculiarity of grace depending upon election, as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.

5. From the ſalvation of infants, taken into the boſom of Gods electing love, before they had done either good or evil.

6. From the perſon of the Mediator, who himſelf is likewiſe a clear light of predeſtination and grace, who is the chief corner-ſtone, elect, precious, &c.

7. From the corruption of nature expreſs'd in hardneſs of heart; the election hath obtained, the reſt were blinded or hardened.

8. From the increaſe of ſin by the law in the natural man, ſin taking occaſion by the commandment, works in him all manner of concupiſcenſe.

9. From the ſubjection of the natural man to the devil, the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience.

p. 15110. From the thankſgiving and prayers of Saints, upon the account of grace received, which conſiderations do fully aſſert the doctrine of free-grace, and lay obligations upon the Saints to own and admire with thankfullneſſe the grace and good will of God in Jeſus Chriſt.

3. Is man by nature born within a hairs breadth of hell? is the work of grace and the reward of grace in glory onelyonly from free-grace and meer-grace? Away then with that opinion which advanceth corrupt nature into the throne, and makes it (at leaſt copartner with the grace and Son of God in the great work of ſalvation: what do they but in a great meaſure proclaim, that Chriſt dyed in vain? what elſe do ſuch ſayings as theſe import? mihi ſoli debo, I ow all to my ſelf; ego me ipſum diſcerno, I make my ſelf to differ from others; and that they can repent, that they can believe, it is from God; but that they do repent, that they do believe, is from the liberty of their own free-will: yet alas! all the arguments and oratory, boaſtings and bravadoes of Arminius will be but as the ſtaff of Eliſha to the dead child, or as the Jews tears ſhed over the grave of dead Lazarus, or as the exorciſmes of the ſons of Sceva, they will avail little, either to light or life, grace or growth, without the concurrance of the ſpirit and power of the Lord Jeſus: Chriſtians do finde by daily and ſad experience, that the power of godlineſs would be but poorly advanced in them, if they had no other power to act by, then that of nature; and the work of holineſs would be carryed on but ſlowly in them, if they had no better friend then free-will to promote it; they would ſoon ſtick upon the ſhallows, if the gales and tides of the ſpirit did not waft them off; their hearts would ſoon be dead, if the ſpirit of the Lord did not quicken them; their affections would ſoon be chilled, if the ſpirit of the Lord did not warm them; their deſires would ſoon be ſtraightned, if the ſpirit of the Lord did not enlarge them; if the ſpirit of the Lord did not help our infirmities, how liſtleſs ſhould we be unto prayer, and how lifeleſs in prayer: Oh, p. 152whatever proud men do vainly boaſt, let not us ſacrifice to our own nets, nor burn incenſe to our own drags; but ſay with the Pſalmist, not unto us, not unto us O Lord…, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truths ſake, Pſal. 115.1. and in all our duties and devotions, when we do moſt for God, and act higheſt for his glory, let us breath out thoſe humble acknowledgements of that holy man, 1 Chro. 29.14. Who am I, and what is my people? that we ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly after this ſort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. So verſ. 6. O Lord our God, all this ſtore that we have prepared to build thee an houſe for thine holy Name, cometh of thine hand and is all thine own: This will be a means to keep our hearts in an humble and dependent frame upon God, and make us acknowledge with the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God we are what we are; and this grace which we humbly confeſs, to be beſtowed upon us, will not be in vain, but will make us labour more abundantly for God, then they all that proudly aſſert the power of nature, and yet in all our actings for God, we ſhall caſt down our crowns at the feet of the Lambe, and ſelf-denyingly ſay, Not we, but the grace of God which was with us, not we, but thy talents have gained other five.

3. This makes a ſad report of the dangerous eſtate that all men are in, whilſt they are under the power of corrupt nature, they ly upon the brink of the pit, they walk within one inch of Hell, they hang by the twine thread of a frail and brittle life, over that deep and dark dungeon of the great abyſſe, ready each moment to drop in: Oh! did they but hear the doleful woes, which are denounced againſt them, it would be a dreadful ſound in their ears: Oh their hearts are very hard and their beds very ſoft, who can quietly ſleep out one night, under the apprehenſion of that ſad eſtate! yet ſuch a lethargy, and ſpirit of deep ſleep hath ſeized upon moſt men, that they nor onelyonly take a little nap, but fetch many a ſound ſleep in that dead and undone condition: Oh! if a blind man ſhould wander without a p. 153guide, until he came within one ſtep of a great lake of brimſtone and fire, and then his eyes ſhould be ſuddenly open to ſee the danger he was near unto, what a work would this have upon his ſpirit? How full of rejoycing and amazement would he be filled with, that he had eſcaped ſo great a danger? Or ſuppoſe a man ſhould be taken out of a ſhip, when faſt aſleep, and ſhould be laid upon the top of a rock in the middeſt of a deep and broad Sea, what ſears would ſurprize him? what expectations of certain and inevitable death would he be poſſeſſed with, when he awakes and ſeeth neither ſhip nor land, nor man near him, but is left alone in the wide and wild Ocean? Nay farther, what would be the thoughts and afrightments of that man, who ſhould be chained to a brazen pillar, and a thouſand Cannons charged and mounted, and ready to be fired upon him? Sure, he would be afraid each moment to be daſht in pieces: But alas! theſe and all other reſemblances, which the heart of man can poſſibly finde out, fall far ſhort of that deplorable eſtate natural men are in; they are left upon a rock, ready every munite to be engulph't and ſwallowed up by the deluge of Divine wrath: all the curſes and threatnings of the law, are each moment ready to be diſcharged upon them, nay, whileſt they are ſecurely jogging on in the ways of ſin and vanity, the next ſtep they take may tumble them headlong into hell; and yet they are aſleep and know not, blind and ſee not the dangers they are dropping into; and ſo are they ſhackled with the ferters of their own corruptions, that they cannot ſtep aſide to avoid the danger: Oh were their eyes opened (as once Balaams were) and they awakened (as once Sampſon was) we might wonder, that any natural man kept his wits, that the whole world who lys in wickedneſs was not baptized with Paſhurs new name Magor-Miſſabib, viz. fear on every ſide, Jer. 20.3. even round about them and to ſee that dreadful paſſage made good in every Nation and town, Rev. 6.15, 16. That the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men & the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, p. 154and every free-man, ſhould hide themſelves in the dens and rocks of the mountains, and ſhould ſay unto the mountains and recks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that ſitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who way abide his coming? Ah ſurely! the ſenſe of their dreadful miſery would ſuddenly bring them into Nabals condition, their hearts would di… within them, and they would be as ſtones: O how ſhould the ſenſe of this provoke the Saints to own with thankfulneſſe recovering and renewing grace, and eſpecially if we conſider, what ſad diſtractions the ſenſe of this danger brought forth in us at our firſt awakening: Many of the Saints under their firſt convictions have ſeen their miſery paſt all hope of remedy.

Conſid. 2 They have had ſad viſions of wo and wrath at their firſt enlightening; Many have been the terrours, and great hath been the conſternation of ſpirit, which many have lain under at their firſt converſion.

Such a ſenſe of ſin, wrath and judgement to come hath ſeized upon them, that Felix-like they have trembled, nay, they have cried out with the Prophet, Iſa. 6. ver. 5. Wo is me! I am undone! I am in a loſt and periſhing eſtate? and indeed needs muſt it be thus with them, thoſe eſpecially, who have been brought out of a ſtate of great profaneneſſe, who have acted high and long againſt the Lord, and there is great reaſon for it, becauſe they are brought home by a through conviction both of ſin and wrath; alas! fools as they were, formerly they made a ſport of ſin, it was but childrens play with them to ſwear, be drunk, profane Sabbaths, commit uncleanneſſe, &c. they went as nimbly away with all the load of ſin upon their conſciences, as Sampſon did with the gates of Gaza on his ſhoulders; they wondred at the down exact-looks, and ſcoffed at the whining complaints of mourning ſinners; I, but now the caſe is altered when the ſpirit of bondage is upon them to fear; now they find that guilt in ſin, feel thoſe pangs of conſcience, and fear that indignation from a ſin-revenging God, that p. 155there is no reſt in their bones; the arrows of the Almighty ſtick faſt and deep in their ſouls, now they are pricked in their hearts they feel (as thoſe Jews did Act. 2. ver. 37.) the nails wherewith they had crucified the Lord Jeſus, ſticking like ſo many goads, yea ſtings of Scorpions, faſt in their hearts, and cry out, men and brethren, what ſhall we do? or like the Goaler, brimmed up with tetrour and aſtoniſhment, they call out for help, Sirs what muſt we do to be ſaved? Oh! what will become of us? what will a righteous God do with us? how ſhall we eſcape wrath to come? What ſhall we do? what courſe ſhall we take? Oh! we ſhall be in hell, in hell, before help from the Lord will come unto us! It was well replied by a reverend Divine, to one that was under trouble of ſoul about his ſalvation. I tell thee it is able to trouble the whole world—how many can ſpeak much to this, the extremities that many awakened ſinners have been brought unto, have been very ſad! they have been ſtruck down with Paul, yea, laid for dead, brought into a deſpairing condition; they have ſaid, and ſigh'd, yea ſob'd it out alſo, can ſuch a wretch as I am hope for mercy? did the Lord Jeſus ſhed his precious bloud for ſuch a vile ſinner as I am? Is it poſſible that my abominations ſhould be pardoned? that there ſhould be any accepting grace for me? for me who have been ſo great a ſinner; yea, the chief of ſinners, a ſile-leader in the black regiment of ſin? Oh much of this nature (farre beyond what I felt or can expreſſe) hath fallen from the lips, and lain upon the Spirits of ſome of the Saints, at their firſt awakening, being in their own apprehenſions irrecoverably undone; hath this been any of your caſes? as ſure it hath been; Oh then! how ſhould your hearts be drawn out into thankfulneſſe to the Lord, when ye call to remembrance your fears, and tears, and terrours at your firſt converſion; and then conſider Conſid. 3 how welcome, and unexpected, grace, mercy, comfort, and the good news of a Saviour were unto you in theſe bitter agonies: O how welcome was Moſes, and his meſſage of freedome from the Lord p. 156to the children of Iſrael, when they were weary of their lives by reaſon of their hard bondage! how welcome is a calme after a violent ſtorm to the affrighted Mariner? how pleaſant is a bright morning after a black night to the wearied traveller? and how doth the heart leap up to meet a meſſage of mercy, when 'tis broken and even ſpent with miſery! when David ſaid, my foot ſlips, then it follows, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up; and who can eſtimate the worth of ſuccouring and ſupporting mercy, at ſuch a pinch? the mothers eye is upon her child, and her hand alſo to ſtay it from falling, or to ſnatch it up ſo ſoon as down; the child ſhall not cry long upon the ground in the mothers hearing, and yet a mother may forget the ſon of her womb, but God will not forget his children, Iſa. 49. ver. 15. So ſoon as ever Iſrael had cried our, our bones are dried up, and our hope is loſt, we are cut off for our parts, Ezek. 37. ver. 12. The Lord replies, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cauſe you t… come forth of your graves, and bring you into the land of Iſrael; When the pangs of new birth are ſtrong and violent, even ad deliquium animae, to the fainting of the ſoul, then doth the comforter come in with his cordial ſpirits, and ſtay's up the ſinking ſoul; when the Jews laboured for life, being ſtab'd to the very heart, Peter preſently applies the promiſe, and brings forth the new birth in them, Act. 2.38. when the Goaler was even ſinking into hell, Paul claps to him and ſtay's him with this Goſpel-aſſurance, believe on the Lord Jeſus and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Act. 16. ver. 31. And what follow's? did the plaiſter ſtick? had the word any ſaving work upon this deſparate wretch? yea, ver. 34. he rejoyced believing in God, with all his houſe; here's a ſtrange and ſudden change, a bleſſed turn of things! he that juſt now was upon the borders of hell, is now brought within the ſuburbs of heaven, in the joyful apprehenſions of pardoning and accepting grace through Jeſus Chriſt: The out-goings of God in comforting his drooping Saints, and his returns unto them after his withdrawings from them, are not leſſe, or leſſe refreſhing. p. 157How did the Spirit of the Church fail within her, Cant. 5. ver. 6. when ſhe could not find her dear Redeemer, in his wonted preſence of joy and comfort? yet at the end of the chapter, ſhe find's and feel's Chriſt in her ſoul, and in a full ſenſe of her intereſt in, and her union with him, breaks out into theſe joyful acclamations, this is my beloved, O ye daughters of Jeruſalem, and this is my friend, memorable is the ſtory of Mr. William Coop…r, a Scotch Divine, who was early brought into Chriſt, even when he was a School-boy, and approved himſelf before God and good men, to be a pious, painful, and profitable Paſtour of the Lords flock, his uſual courſe being to preach ſive times aweek; but this could not ſecure him from Sachans buffettings, being exerciſed with inward temptations and great variety of ſpiritual combats: a ſhort account whereof with the gracious returns of God in mercy to his ſoul, I ſhall give you in his own words, reported by Mr. Clark in vita patrum: "Once, ſayes he, Mr. Clark …n vita Patrum.in great extremity of horrour and anguiſh of ſpirit, when I had utterly given over, and looking for nothing but confuſion; ſuddenly there did ſhine, in the very twinkling of an eye, the bright and lightſome countenance of God, proclaiming peace, and confirming it with invincible reaſons: Oh what a change was here in a moment? the ſilly ſoul that was even now at the brink of the pit, was inſtantly raiſed to heaven, to have fellowſhip with God in Jeſus Chriſt: then was I touched with ſuch a lively ſenſe of a Divinity, and power of a Godhead in mercy reconciled with man, and with me in Chriſt, as I truſt my ſoul ſhall never forget: Glory, glory, glory, be to the joyful deliverer of my ſoul out of all her troubles forever. How fully doth this preſident ſpeak to the conſideration propoſed! He that was under ſuch an eclipſe of light and comfort, that his ſoul did almoſt dwell in ſilence, now found ſuch ſweet and ſeaſonable out-breakings of peace and joy from the preſence of the Lord, that were to him as life from the dead, and gave him a bleſſed opportunity of p. 158praiſing God in the land of the living: How many examples of the like nature may be gathered up? and how many Saints, now alive, can bear witneſſe to theſe things in their own experience? how have the wounded in ſpirit found truth and healing in that paſſage? Hoſ. 16. ver. 1, 2, 3. He hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath broken, and he will bind us up: after two dayes he will revive us, and in the third day he will raiſe us up, and we ſhall live in his ſight, then ſhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, that his going forth in relieving and refreſhing mercy to his diſtreſſed ones, is prepared, Note.nay decreed, as the morning. Firſt ſuddenly, ſecond certainly, third comfortably, paſt all poſſibility of diſappointment: Sathan and his agents may as eaſily hinder the day from dawning, and the Sun from riſing when the appointed minute for each is come, (both which are fixed by the unrepealable ordinance of the great Creatour, Jer. 33. ver. 20.) as prevent the dawnings of comfort, or darken the irradiations of the Son of righteouſneſſe, when he is pleaſed to ſhine into the ſouls of his drooping ones: Nay farther, He ſhall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and the former rain to the earth; both were certain in the land of Canaan (unleſſe held back in wrath) the firſt at ſeed-time to ſoften the ground, and the latter a little before harveſt to plump and pumple the corn in the ear; in like ſort, as renewing ſo reviving grace is certain: as the former came unto us, Mr. Burroughs Lecture in loc.to convert us when we were ſinful, ſo the latter ſhall come to comfort us, when we ſhall be ſorrowfull: O precious mercy! read and enlarge this in your own thoughts; and take theſe few hints as helps, which are more inſiſted upon by Mr. Burroughs.

1. The Time of Gods delivering his people is the morning, he takes the firſt and fitteſt opportunity, after a ſad and dark night.

2. Tis Gods preſence that makes morning to the Saints, all naturall helps cannot do it.

3. Gods mercies to his people are prepared and decreed mercies.

p. 1594. The Saints in the night of affliction comfort themſelves with this, that the morning is a coming.

5. The Church hath no afflictions upon her, but there comes a morning after them.

6. A little before the Saints deliverance out of their greateſt diſturbances of miſery and trouble, the darkneſs of their night is the greateſt; therefore be not diſmayed, although not a ſtarre appears in your night of trouble; for the morning is approaching: that darkneſſe is the Prodromus, it uſhers in the Phoſphorus, the bright morning ſtarre of joy and comfort: neither let the ſcoffing Iſmaels of the world take advantage from the drouping of Saints to reproach Religion; for Pſal. 97. ver. 11. Light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſſe for the upright … heart: they have light and gladneſſe inſemine, at their firſt converſion, and at their firſt entrance into a diſtreſſed eſtate: the husband man ſets a harveſt value upon his land, when the ſeed is harrowed in, becauſe he truſts to the word of Gods Covenant with Noah: So may a believer who hath had a ſeed time of grace paſſe over his ſoul, comfort himſelf that he ſhall have his harveſt time of joy alſo: 'tis ſown, and covenant dews will ripen it in due time; and therefore you who think ſo baſely of the Goſpel, and the profeſſours of it, becauſe at preſent their peace and comfort is not come (at leaſt in any meaſure unto ſome, but rather ſorrow and mourning) know it is on the way to them, and comes to ſtay everlaſtingly with them: where is your peace is going from you every moment, and is ſure to leave you without any hope of ever returning to you again. Look not how the Chriſtian begins, but ends: The Spirit of God by his convictions comes into the ſoul with ſome terrours, Mr. Gurnall part 2. of his Chriſtian in compleat armour, pag. 396.but it cloſeth with peace and joy; as we ſay of the monethmonth of March, it enters like a Lion, but goes out like a Lamb: Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace—O then ye ſervants of the Lord, be much and ſerious in meditating upon recovering and relieving grace under thoſe three particulars mentioned, and you p. 160will find excellent advantages thereby; you will live at the beſt rate of a ſpiritual and happy life; which I ſhall evince in three conſiderations.

Conſid. I. You will live beſt to God.

2. You will live beſt to your ſelves.

3. You will live beſt to others.

I. You will live beſt to God and for God, if you often remember how near to ſilence your ſouls have been upon a ſpirituall account; if you often meditate in what dark and dangerous paths you once walked; what a load of luſt and ſin you lay under; how thwart your principles and practices were to God and godlineſſe; how you walked in time paſt according to the courſe of this world; the mundaneity and worldlineſſe of the world, as the Syriack renders it, which is wholly ſet upon wickedneſſe, and lyes ſoa…t in ſin; and according to the Prince of the power of the air, the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience, Epheſ. 2. ver. 2. as a Smith worketh in his forge, and an Artificer in his ſhop; that ye were the devils journey-men, your members as his working-tools, your ſouls as his ſhop, wherein, and by which, he carryed on that curſed trade of ſin; Oh! the ſenſe of this will marvellouſly draw the ſoul after God, and prevail with you to live unto God, which is the great end of living, Rom. 14. ver. 8. the truth whereof is evidenced in three particulars.

1. You will live moſt by faith upon God; you will act faith in a more immediate and fiduciall dependency upon the Lord: Try and then truſt is the worlds motto: now when you have a preſent ſenſe upon your ſouls, of what the Lord hath done for you; how and in what methods of grace the Lord appeared to you, when you walked upon the brink of hell, and were ready every moment to drop into the pit: this will work an holy boldneſſe in your hearts, this will anſwer all carnall cavills; it will ſilence all the objections of your diſtruſtfull hearts, and bring up your ſpirits bravely to Jobs reſolution, Job 13. ver. 15. Though he ſlay me yet will I truſt in him; he ſhall not be ſo rid of me: I will hang on him ſtill, and if I muſt dy I will p. 161dy at his feet; I, and remember the wayes of God unto me, his wayes of grace and mercy and free redemption, when my eſtate was ſad and bad, and therefore under all thoſe ſhowers of arrows, which fly from the Almighty againſt me, and drink up my moiſture, I will roul my ſelf upon him, truſt in him, I, and he alſo ſhall be my ſalvation, ſee further, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19.—Oh if any man lives to God, the juſt man doth, who lives by his faith, and fetcheth life and ſtrength for his faith from his own experiences: All the world could not ſhake the holy confidencies of Saint Paul, when he had argued out the experiences of the grace and good will of God in Jeſus Chriſt unto himſelf and believers, Rom. 5. ver. 16, 17, 18. then chap. 8. he begins concluſively there is therefore now no condemnation, not one condemnation, and carries it on at that high rate of affiance that ver. 33, 34. he doth arietem mittere, foreign.take the field, and give a generall challenge to all his adverſaries, to plead and preferre what indictments they can againſt him; who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? who ſhall condemne? who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? As if he had ſaid, O thou malicious devil, that doſt let fly at me with thy darts! Mr. Banter, Spirits w…tneſs to the truth. page 124.Oh ye deluded Hereticks and infidels that fill my ears with your fooliſh Sophiſmes, and trouble me with your diſputes againſt the Lord my Redeemer; go to them that make a Religion of their opinion, and whoſe belief was never any deeper then their fancies; go to them that never knew what it was to love Chriſt, to deſire after him, to delight in his ſalvation, nor to hope through believing for his promiſed bleſſedneſſe hereafter; theſe you may poſſibly draw away from Chriſt, and make Infidels of them, that were never true Believers; but do you think to do ſo by me? what weapons, what arguments do you think to prevail by? ſhall tribulation be the means? why, I have that promiſe in the hand of my faith, and that glory in the eye of my hope, that will bring me through tribulation: ſhall diſtreſſe do it? why, I will rather ſtick ſo much the cloſer to him that will relieve me in diſtreſſe, and bring me unto his reſt p. 162And ſo this reverend Author proceeds and you may further proſecute in your own thoughts: Oh! that ſoul that hath the advantage of experiences, and wiſely improves the ſenſe of grace received, is bravely fortified againſt temptations to infidelity, and will act faith upon the ſure mercies of David the oath and covenant of God in the ſaddeſt conflicts

2. You will live beſt to God, Becauſe you will live most in the love of God; when you conſider much, and with much ſeriouſneſs, what God hath done for you, in order to eternity; you will be drawn out in your affections unto God, God will have more of your hearts then he hath of many others, who make as big and bulke a profeſſion as you do; and how can it be otherwiſe, when you faſten this meditation upon your hearts? we might have been in hell in an undone condition, paſt all hope or poſſibility of help from Angels or men, had not God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in ſins, quickened us together with Chriſt, Eph. 2.4, 5. when you look upon the whole buſineſs of your ſalvation as tranſacted and carryed on by God, and that in a way of free-grace, rich mercy, and meer good will and love, this will marveilouſly draw out your love to God, for amor amoris magnes, love is the loadſtone of love, there is a magnetick vertue in it to draw out the very heart of a beloved perſon, Cant 4.9. Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe—thou haſt behearted me, taken away my heart, as he that hath his head taken away, is ſaid to be beheaded: Oh! Chriſt knew the affections of his Spouſe unto him, and therefore makes a full return of love unto her again: So the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Chriſt conſtrains me; I am wholly under the power of love, made willing to do or ſuffer any thing, or to be led any whither by this cord of love, that is caſt upon me by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; indeed the Lord is firſt in affection, 1 Joh. 4.19. He firſt loved us. The air receives its light from the Sun, the Sun muſt firſt ſhine and ſend forth his beams before the air can be radiant: So the p. 163Lord muſt let in ſome ſence of good will into the ſoul, before ſhe ſtirs out in affections unto him; but now, when ſhe comprehends with all Saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and heighth, and knows the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge, Eph. 3.18, 19. and lives in the ſenſe of Gods peculiar and diſcriminating love unto her: Oh! this fills her with holy affections unto the Lord, the Church is then ſick of love; David cryes out, O how I love the Lord! my heart is ready to break, it is ſo full of love to God; I cannot make a narrative of my love, it is ſo vaſt, ſo boundleſs unto God: This fixeth the creatures love upon God, the ſtability of the Saints love doth very much ariſe from this; Satan will have a hard pluck of it, to pull a truely-loving-believer from the arms of his beloved Jeſus, when he remembers that love of his firſt eſpouſals, how Chriſt took upon him, and waſhed him from his blood, and ſpake peace to his wounded, ſelf-condemned ſoul; when he remembers the ſtraights that his Jeſus brought him out of, and the miſeries which he reſcued him from, when he thinks thus with himſelf, Oh what ſohould I have done, if I had not had a Chriſt? what ſhould I have done in my fears and griefs? what ſhould I have ſaid to an accuſing conſcience? how ſhould I have eſcaped the jaws of the devourer? Oh! theſe reviews do mightily renew his love, theſe thoughts and remembrances do kindle ſuch a ſtrong and ſacred fire of love in his heart, that many waters cannot quench it, and all temptations to break with Chriſt are made invalid: It is the heart and not the head that holds Chriſt faſt; I held him and would not let him go, ſays the Church, Cant. 3.4. Love will hold Chriſt, when reaſon alone will let him go, Rom. 8.35. Who ſhall ſeperate us from the love of Chriſt? Paul puts the queſtion in this verſe, but draws up a peremptory concluſion, and that with a full aſſurance, verſe 38, 39. I am perſwaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of p. 164God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord; Calvin. Beza &c. …. … A…guſt. Eraſmus. Dodate. Great Annotations of the Aſſembly. Mr. Baxtes, Spirits witneſs to Chriſtianity. page 121.Expoſitors do much differ, about the ſence of theſe words, ſome underſtand them as ſpeaking of Chriſts love to us; ſome of the ſenſe and feeling of Chriſts love unto us: others of our love to Chriſt, or in a conjunct ſenſe, both of Chriſts love to us, and our love unto Chriſt: But ſurely the Apoſtle ſpeaks at this rate: what can unclaſp thoſe mutual embracements between Chriſt and his people? or what can ſeparate us from Chriſt, by withdrawing or deſtroying our love to him, and conſequently turning his love from us? we have many aſſaults, but all in vain; for when a Believer reflects upon what Chriſt hath done for him, conſiders the death, reſurrection, and interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, with the precious fruits of all unto his ſoul, and that out of pure love, who deſerved to be an object of eternal hatred, this makes the pulſe beat quick and high in holy affections to the Lord Jeſus: And the want of this due reflection upon what by nature we were, and what now by grace we are, daſheth the riſing flames of an holy affection in us to the Lord Jeſus.

3. You will live beſt unto God; becauſe, You will live moſt in thankfulneſs unto God, when you live in the ſence of what God hath done for you; it is the conſideration of divine grace and merciemercy which drawes out the ſoul in praiſes unto God; the thoughtfull Chriſtian is the thankfull Chriſtian; he that pondereth moſt upon mercies, prayeth God moſt for mercies: Oh! when you take a ſerious review, of that change which is upon your hearts, of the drawings of your ſoules heaven-ward, and holineſs-ward; and compare time with time, ſtate with ſtate, what you were, with what you are; how once you affected ſinne, but now abhor it; how once you loathed Ordinances, but now you love them; how once the wayes and people of God were diſtaſtefull unto you, but are now delightfull; how little you had once to ſhew for heaven, and how much you have now through grace to ſhew againſt Hell; Oh! this will give the heart a notable vent, and fill the cup of praiſe up to the p. 165brim; Pſal. 103. ver. 1, 2, 3. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, (ſayes holy David) but doth he ſtay here? no, and all that is within me bleſs his holy name; every inſtrument muſt be put into tune; every muſical key muſt be touched, every fret muſt be ſtopt, and every ſtring muſt be ſtruck to ſound forth the praiſes of God — nay again; Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and why ſo? what's the reaſon of this thankfulneſs? O ſoul? thou haſt great cauſe to be thankfull, For,

1. He forgiveth all thine iniquities, thou hadeſt the the guilt of many and great ſinnes upon thee, which would have ſunk thee down into Hell, and Jehovah hath given thee pardon of them all: nay farther,

2. He healeth all thy diſeaſes; thou waſt full of noiſome and unclean diſtempers, many running ſores of filthy luſts, and Jehovah hath vouchſafed healing grace unto thee: Thou art now a juſtified and a ſanctified perſon.

3. Thou art now redeemed from Hell and deſtruction, and weareſt the loving-kindneſſes and tender mercies of God as a royal Diadem, upon thy head, and therefore Oh my ſoul, bleſs, bleſs, bleſs Jehovah: Oh if ever we come to ſuch a ſence of pardoning, healing, redeeming, crowning, ſatisfying, and renewing grace from the Lord, as David, we ſhall then take up David's harp, and awake our glory to the praiſes of a good God: could we but faſten this upon our ſpirits, that diſtinguiſhing grace hath ſevered us from thoſe heaps of rubbiſh that we were mingled with, and cull'd us out from the rabble of the world, that we were herded with; our ſpirits would be turned to this evangelical duty, and ditty; and if ſo, how like heaven it ſelf would the Church look? how would the militant, reſemble the triumphant Jeruſalem? and how would every nook of the Goſpel-world ring with the praiſes of God: Mr. Baxter, Part 4 Saints Rest, page 134.The livelieſt embleme of heaven that I know upon earth, is, when the people of God, in the deep ſence of the excellency and bounty of God, from hearts abounding p. 166with love and joy, do joyn together both in hearts and voices, in the cheerfull and melodious ſinging of his praiſes.

4. You will live beſt unto God, becauſe You will live moſt to the glory of God, ſence of grace received will enflame you with a greater zeal for God, and will put every wheel into motion: We are naturally ſlow to action upon the beſt account; the beſt drive on but heavily; few drive at Jeh… 's rate; very few there be, whoſe ſoules make them as the chariots of Aminadab; that make haſte in Gods work, like the roe, or young hart upon the mountains of ſpices. If ever Chriſtians drove heavily, the Chriſtians of this age do; if ever the elementary conſtitution of the Church was earth and water, now it is, little of fire appears, unleſs in unhappy contentions and animoſities, or elſe in love to the world; and thus, moſt are red hot, their affections all on a flame; the Lord quench them: But Oh! where is their zeal for God? where is the courage, activity, and reſolvedneſs for God? where's the minding of the things of God, and holy contendings for God, which the Puritans of old (that were Puritans of the good old way) have diſcovered? there is too much of the Laodicean ſpirit; too many Gallio's amongſt us; men are high indeed to enthrone their own opinions, and perſwaſions, whileſt Religion, in the main duties of it, is neglected, they are exact in rything mint, and commin, and anniſe, whileſt judgement, mercy, and faith, the weightier matters of the Law are neglected, Math. 23. verſ. 23. The great Zealots of the times are for the moſt part men of corrupt and Heterodox Judgments, who are violent enough to impoſe their Errours and falſe conceptions (the Lord take them off from their ſpeed, leaſt they out run the Conſtable, as they have done the Covenant) He's a ſtranger in Iſrael, that knows not theſe things, and he's no true ſon of Zion, that doth not bewail them; but now would we have the water run in the right channel? would we have our ſpirits up in a right zeal for God? let our meditations p. 167be often and ſerious upon what God hath done for our ſoules; Oh when a Saint fetcheth oyl from experienced loving kindneſſes, it makes the wheels run glib; when he argues; Hath God done thus and thus for me? hath he left others of my kindred, of my contemporaries, of my acquaintance, (who had the ſame advantages of Education, Ordinances, and Goſpel-Opportunities with me) in ignorance and unbelief, and hath he enlightened me? called me? wrought faith in me? appointed me to obtain ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt? and ſhall not I be active for Chriſt? ſhall I ſit ſtill brooding over a patch of this baſe world, or drive on the intereſt of mine own honour or advantage, when the name of God is blaſphemed, the honour of Chriſt is empeached, Goſpel-truths are corrupted, Goſpel-Ordinances reviled, and the way of God evil ſpoken of? did Croeſus his dumb ſon cry out for the life of his father, and ſhall I that can ſpeak, now be dumb? Do I thus requite the Lord? is this my kindeneſs to my friend Jeſus? Saint Paul had another ſpirit, (like that of Calebs) 1 Cor. 15. ver. 8. laſt of all he was ſeen of me alſo, foreign— the emphaſis lies in Me, there's an accent upon that word, of Me, vile Me, wretched Me, ſinful me, unworthy Me, who was a blaſphemer, a perſecutour, and an injurious perſon; but by the grace of God I am what I am; by the Grace, free grace, and rich grace of God, I am a choſen veſſel, a ſervant of the Lord, a believer, an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt, and what followes? doth he lap up this talent in a napkin? doth he ſing a requiem to his ſoul? and bid her take her caſe? no (ſaies he) his grace which was beſtowed upon me, was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly then they all: minde here, how the ſenſe of grace received carries out his ſoul in activity, for God to labour, yea to abound in labour, for from Jeruſalem round about to Illyricum, he fully preached the Goſpel of Chriſt, and wrote more Epiſtles then all the other Apoſtles did, hence he exhorteth the Saints verſ. 58. alway to abound in the works of the Lord: Oh ſure, there would not be that ſelfiſhneſs p. 168and ſloth among Chriſtians, if this courſe was duely practiſed: a draught of t his wine taken next thy heart every morning, would make the lips of them that are aſleep to ſpeak, Cant. 7. verſ. 9. it would ſhew its ſtrength and generoſity, in a wakening and enflaming the ſpirits of believers, ſo that the moſt dull and ſlow of ſpeech, would there be made good and cloquent ſpeakers in the cauſe of God, and thus live beſt to God.

II. You will live beſt to your ſelves, to your own ſpiritual advantage, if you live much in the ſence of grace received: Gain is a great incitive unto action: what will you give me? was Judas his queſtion, and is too much the compaſs by which many ſail; Chriſtians are generally prudent and providential in their family proviſion: That advice of the Apoſtle, Rom. 12.17. Provide things honeſt in the ſight of all men, is followed by moſt, and may be without blame, if the care be moderate and the proviſion be of things honeſt, that is, if Chriſtians follow lawful callings, and ſo play above-board that they be not afraid who ſee what they do, nor aſhamed to be accountable to man for every penny which they return, when they fear neither ſin nor ſhame, though all men were eye witneſſes to their way of trading; theſe are things honeſt indeed, and if Chriſtians onelyonly provided theſe, the mouths of many would be ſtopt: yet I will ſhew you a more excellent way: ſurely thoſe things which tend to the well-being of the ſoul, to the enriching of that, and filling your coffers with grace and comfort, thats the way, theſe are the foreign the honeſt and good things which Chriſtians ſhould trade in, and turn every ſtone to obtain: now there is no way will ſooner do it, and with more ſafety then that which is mentioned, that will bring in the quickeſt returns, as will appear in theſe particulars, if rightly improved.

1. You will live beſt to your ſelves upon this account, Becauſe you will live moſt off from ſin; ſence of pardoning and redeeming, and renewing grace, gives a notable check to luſt, and marveilouſly banks up corruption, Rom. 6.1, …. p. 169What ſhall we ſay then? ſhall we continue in ſin? we that are juſtified by faith, & ſo have peace with God through Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall we continue in ſin? we that have a ſurer ſtanding in grace through Jeſus Chriſt then Adam had, when he had his ſtanding in innocency, ſhall we continue in ſin? we, who when we were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, who ſhall be ſaved by his life, and having now received the atonement, do joy in God, yee, rejoyce in hope of the glory of God, having the love of God ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt which is given unto us, ſhall we continue in ſin? Oh foreign—God forbid: How ſhall we, who are dead to ſin live any longer therein? that were unreaſonable, and to an ingenuous renued nature, impoſſible: Oh! when a Saint ſeriouſly reads over the counſels of God miniſtred not with ink and paper, but with the blood and ſpirit of his eternal Son, and that in a way of free-grace and rich mercy, his heart muſt needs riſe againſt ſin, if it be in a right frame: when he argues it out thus, was I born a child of wrath, within a hairs breadth of hell? Did ſin and death paſs upon me and over me from Adam? was I under judgement by one perſon, and one ſin to condemnation, and have I received abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteouſneſs to reign in life, by one Jeſus Chriſt? And ſhall I ſin againſt ſuch a God? againſt ſuch grace? Oh far be it! did we often remember the dreadful terrors we lay under at our firſt awakening; the doleful pangs of new birth; the bitter wormwood wine, which we drank in many and large draughts, at our firſt repentance and ſorrow for ſin, the ſad fears of hell and wrath which overwhelmed us; and then conſider the riches of that grace, which hath appeared tous, in converting, quickning, quieting, comforting and ſecuring our ſouls againſt wrath to come, we ſhould find them ſingular, yea, ſovereign antidotes againſt ſin, and may herewith put to ſilence the moſt audacious and importunate luſts: See how the Apoſtle (the weapons of whoſe warfar were mighty through God, to pull down the ſtrong holds of ſin) grapples with the national p. 170and common ſin of Corinth? 1 Cor. 6.13, 14. ad finem: and that was fornication and uncleanneſs (a fleſh-pleaſing ſin, natures minion) a ſin for which Corinth was famous all over the world, having ſtore of Stews, and Brothelhouſes, and a temple dedicated to Venus full-ſtockt with notable harlots, yet the Apoſtle uſeth this way of Argumentation to bring them off (I mean the Corinthian Profeſſors) from all unclean practices, he lays before them.

Firſt, Their former eſtate, how they were immerſed in that ſin of uncleaneſs, and carried away with the torrent of thoſe luſts, ſome of you were fornicators, adulterers, effeminate.

Secondly, The dangerous condition of thoſe perſons who lye and dye in thoſe ſinful practices: they ſhall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Thirdly, The precious mercy of God unto them in recovering, renewing, pardoning and healing grace, verſ. 9. Ye are waſhed, ye are ſanctified ye are juſtified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the ſpirit of our God.

Fourthly, Their union with Chriſt and their engraffment into Chriſt, verſ. 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Chriſt? Shall I then take the members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

Fifthly, The indwelling of the holy Spirit, whereby, their bodies are conſecrated to be the temples of God, Know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the Holy Ghoſt, which is in you, whom ye have of God?

Sixthly, That theſe bodies of theirs ſhould be raiſed up by the power of God at the laſt day, verſ. 14. And now what is the anſwer of a gracious heart to theſe arguments? It is true, I have lived in uncleanneſs; that ſin, unpardoned, excludes from heaven; but through free-grace I am redeemed by the Lord Jeſus and incorporated into him as a member into the head; my body is the temple of the Holy Ghoſt, and it ſhall be raiſed up at the laſt day, faſhioned like unto the glorious body of my dear Saviour: And ſhall I ſoil my ſelf again in the ſink of my former p. 171uncleanneſs? Shall I ſpot my robe again, which hath been waſhed and made white in the blood of the Lambe? Shall I proſtitute a member of Chriſt, and defile a temple of the holy and eternal Spirit of Grace? Oh no! ….I will not, I dare not: Surely ſuch arguings will bring forth ſuch reſolutions, as to an hatred of ſin, and love to holineſs, if we rightly improve them: If Scipro an heathen rejected the offer of an harlot, with vellem, ſi non eſſem Imperator, I would if I were not a General; A Saint may much better with à nolo, Chriſtianus ſum—I will not, I am a Chriſtian: this is the firſt benefit you will receive from your keeping up a lively ſenſe of grace received, and ſurely you do then live beſt to your ſelves when you live freeſt from ſin: For,

1. You will then be freeſt from the rod, a towardly child is not often laid over the knee, nor a cloſe-walking Chriſtian often under the rod; ſin uſually bringeth forth ſufferings, Pſal. 89.30—If his children forſake my law, then verſ. 32. I will viſit their tranſgreſſion with the rod, and their iniquities with ſtripes.

2. You will have quicker and ſafer returns of your prayers: the dutiful child ſooneſt ſpeeds in his requeſts, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayers; and the Apoſtle teacheth us, that the way to draw nigh unto God, with aſſurance and acceptance, muſt be this, To get our hearts ſprinkled from an evil conſcience, and our bodies waſhed with clean water, Heb. 10.22.

3. You will keep up cloſeſt and ſweeteſt communion with God; the obedient child lyes moſt in his fathers boſom, 1 Joh. 1.6. If we ſay we have fellowſhip with God and walk in darkneſs, we lye, but verſe 7. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowſhip one with another, God and we; our fellowſhip is with the Father and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt.

4. You will have cleareſt and fulleſt evidences of your heavenly inheritance, when the eldeſt ſon pleaded, Luk. 15.29. That he never tranſgreſſed at any time the commandment p. 172of his father; preſently the reply of the father is, All that I have is thine, and when David feaſted the wayfaring man with Ʋriahs Ew-lambe, the joy of his ſalvation was loſt as to the ſenſe and comfort of it, Pſal. 51.12.

5. You will live in the neareſt reſemblance of heaven, which conſiſteth in a perfection of holineſs, glorified ſouls are termed, Spirits of juſt men made perfect, Heb. 12.23. Hence he expreſſed himſelf thus, Anſelme.That if ſin ſtood on the one hand, and hell on the other, he would chooſe hell rather, if it might be without ſin, then heaven with ſin.

2. This ſerious reflection upon what the Lord hath done for you, will be of excellent uſe to keep your ſouls cloſe with God, it will work your hearts into a ſteady frame, and ſure, you will live beſt to your ſelves, when your hearts are moſt fixed upon god, and moſt fixed for God; it is a ſingular mercy to be ſtanding Chriſtians in falling times: this ſtability of ſpirit is much valued by God, and receives much in way of ſpiritual incomes from God, Apoc. 3.7. to the 13. the contrary is much diſliked by the Lord, Pſal. 78.8. the people of Iſrael are charged with this crime, that they ſet not their heart aright, and that their ſpirit was not ſtedfaſt with God, and verſ. 9. The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battail; bewraying their falſe-heartednoſs to and faint-heartedneſs in the Lords quarrel: Ah how is the Scripture ſadly made good in our days! We have hearts bent to back-ſliding, revolting ſpirits from the truths, ways, and cauſe of the Lord Jeſus: though the Lord hath opened his Goſpel-Magazine amongſt us, given forth his ſpiritual armor in all the pieces of it, furniſhed us with a gallant train of Artillery, formed us into compleat bodies, put us under the conducts of skilful leaders, given us the advantage of winde and hill, and the ark of his preſence hath marched in the middeſt of us; yet what diſhonorable retreat have many of us made? how have we flung down our Arms, and forſooke p. 173our ſtandard in the day of battel? nay, The ſwarm is up and ſetled in ſo many parts that it will be very hard to bring them again into one Hive, Mr. Vines.how have we been like a routed Army, ſcattered here and there into ſmall parties, and all endeavors as yet, prevail not to rally us again? what a full comment is England upon, and how parallel unto that Eze. 34.5, 6. They were ſcattered, and became meat to all the beaſts of the field, when they were ſcattered: my ſheep wandered upon every mountain, and upon every high hill: let us make a little ſtay and gather up ſome obſervations: As,

1. That the word of God is the walk of Chriſts ſheep, the Scriptures of truth ſet boundaries to their Paſtures.

2. Every departure from the word in judgement or practice is an aberration; the ſheep that ſeek paſture beyond the bound of Scripture are ſtraglers.

3. That the ſheep of Chriſt, eſpecially the fat and luſty of them, are apt to wander; to go beyond their bounds, and in ſomethings, to depart from their flock and fold, but I would not be miſtaken, as though I interpret the departure of conſcientious Chriſtians, from the common road of carnal Goſpeling, or from the foot track of formal profeſſion; nor yet their declining communion with the whole rout of profeſſors at large in that peculiar Ordinance of the Supper, to be a departure from the flock and fold of Chriſt; for, in this their breathing after Goſpel-purity, they walk agreably to a Goſpel-rule; 1 Cor. 5.11. Cha. 10.16, 17.1 Cor 5:11but when a people run into deſtructive errors, and take up opinions or practices, inconſiſtent with the truth and holineſs of the Goſpel; this I call a wandering from the flock and fold of Chriſt.

4. When ſheep begin to wander, and are got out of their uſual walk, ſo inobſervant are they, that they ſtraggle over all mountains and hills, and know not where to ſtay, nor how to return home again, how ſadly and how often hath this been evidenced in our days? what errors new or old have not been taken up and entertained by ſome of the Nation? how have ſome wandered from mountain to hill, and knew not where to fit down? and how far have they ſtraggled out of their knowledge, that they knew not how to get back again?

p. 1745. That wandering ſheep become meat to every beaſt of prey; ſingle ſheep and ſilly ſheep, when they are from under the care and overſights of their keepers can hardly ſave themſelves by flight or fight from the evening wolves; how ſuddainly have many been caught in our days, Joh. 15.6.

6. That there are many beaſts of prey, which lay wait for wandering ſheep to devour them; Foxes and Wolves have been always ſtirring, and are not many now a days? Wolves in ſheeps cloathing, who have cunningly dreſt up their opinions with ſuch an Evangelical trimming, that nothing of the Wolf appears, even to them which hold him by the ears.

7. That it is much blame-worthy in ſhepherds, when they ſuffer their ſheep to go aſtray, and run themſelves into danger: the Lord chargeth high, as a piece of great unfaithfulneſs in the over-ſeers of his flock, when through their default his ſheep do ſtraggle, and become a prey to the beaſt of the field: you may hear him expreſſing himſelf in words of greateſt diſtaſt. Ezek. 34.10. Thus ſaith the Lord God Adonai Jehovah, or Jehovah who is your Lord, behold I am againſt the ſhepherds, and I will require my flock at their hands, and cauſe them to ceaſe feeding my flock: tis known to moſt, that in Scripture-language, Magiſtrates and Miniſters are termed ſhepherds, and have in their reſpective capacities, a joint over-ſight of the flock committed unto them by the chief ſhepherd; but alas! how have ye Magiſtrates ſhuffled off the care of the flock to the Miniſters? and how have the Miniſters ſhifted back the over-ſight of it to the Magiſtrates? and betwixt them both, many ſheep have wandered, and ſome have been worried: Though moſt were deſirous that the Foxes ſhould be taken, yet it came under diſpute, who ſhould take them; and though at all hands it was agreed, that deceiving Jezebel ſhould be dealt withal, yet how and by whom, hath hitherto been the queſtion: Ask the Magiſtrate and he will tell you Miniſters muſt do it by the ſword of the ſpirit: and ask p. 175the Miniſter and he will tell you that the Magiſtrate muſt do it by the ſword of his civil power: And whilſt we have been diſputing what to do, and who ſhould do it, errors have ſadly ſpread, and a conſiderable part of the flock hath ſtraggled, and is become a prey to the beaſts of the field: the blame whereof is laid by ſome at the Magiſtrates door, upon account of his tenderneſs and gentleneſs of ſpirit, and countenance to ſuch as differed onelyonly in diſciplinary points, refuſing to eſtabliſh by his civil ſanction, that way of diſcipline, as univerſal and impoſing upon all, which they own, and would enthrone as the government of the Lord Jeſus: as alſo for their remiſneſs and too much indulgence to evil perſons and opinions, in not puniſhing the one nor ſuppreſſing the other, which amounteth to a toleration: And many charge the blame hereof upon the Miniſtry, by reaſon of moroſe, auſtere, and rigid carriage toward thoſe, who differ from them in the way of diſcipline, or onelyonly in ſome leſſer doctrines, that are not fundamental; or becauſe they remit much of that care, watchfulneſs and overſight, which the duty of their places, and the preſent neceſſity obliged them unto, but the day will declare it: and tis not good for either to plead not guilty: the Lord help us to mourn, that the folds are broken up, and that the flocks are ſcattered: The Lord teach us all our duty, and by his own ſpirit in the word, determine that great queſtion, what is to be done, and by whom; That the ſick may be healed, the broken bound up, the loſt may be ſought up, thoſe that are driven away may be brought again, and the reſidue ſecured againſt future ſcattering: And the Lord give ſtability of ſpirit to his people, that they may be kept from topling in theſe tottering times, when ſo many backſlide, ſome in profeſſion not in opinion, ſome in opinion who yet retain a profeſſion, and ſome in opinion and profeſſion both, ſtepping into Religion without any precedaneous and inward change, and ſo ſoon in, ſoon out; making that good 1 John 2.19. They went out from us becauſe they were not of us: And now, you will finde, upon p. 176due trial, this an excellent means to fix your ſpirits, when you read over thoſe acts of grace, which the Lord hath drawn out upon your hearts in the blood of his own Son: How did this fix the Apoſtles, Joh. 6.67. Many of the diſciples went back, and walked no more with the Lord Jeſus, upon which he puts the queſtion to them, will yee alſo forſake me? there was need of ſuch a queſtion: for, Nemo errat ſibi-ipſi, ſed dementiam ſpargit in proximos, the heathen could ſay, no man errs to himſelf, but evil men and erring, do ſpread their madneſs unto their neighbors; as weeds endanger the good corn, bad humors the good blood, and an infected houſe the whole neighborhood; Therefore the Lord Jeſus tryes their pulſes, whether this great defection had not tainted them with ſome infection; and behold the fixedneſs of their ſpirits in Peters reply, foreign.Lord to whom ſhall we go? thou haſt the words of eternal life, and we believe and are ſure that thou art the Chriſt the Son of the Living God; we have certainly and experimentally known, by thoſe glorious works which thou haſt wrought before us, and by the ſaving communication of thy grace, and light unto us, when we were in a dark and dead eſtate, that thou art Chriſt the Son of the living God, and therefore we will not leave thee: this cemented and knit their hearts unto Chriſt: it was a brave ſpeech of old Polycarpus, when the Proconſul perſwaded him to deny the Lord Jeſus, Eighty and ſix years have I ſerved Chriſt and he never did me hurt but good, and ſhall I now deny him? Oh! abſit, God forbid, Thus Saint Paul argues back the Galathians, Gal. 3.1, 2. O fooliſh Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that ye ſhould not obey the truth, before whoſe eyes Jeſus Chriſt hath been evidently ſet forth, See Mr. Baxter in loc.crucified among you? This onelyonly would I learn of you, received ye the ſpirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith, &c? Oh did ye much and often read over the paſſages of divine love unto you, and would be true to your own experiences, it would antidote you againſt many errors of the times, and keep your hearts cloſe with God.

p. 1773. This ſerious recognition and review of the Lords mercies, brings moſt comfort unto the ſoul; and ſure he lives beſt to himſelf, who lives moſt to his own comfort, a life of comfort is the ſweetneſs, the deſireableneſs, and life of life, What is life to the bitter in ſoul? which long for death, and dig for it more then for bid treaſures? which rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they finde the grave, Job 3.21, 22, 23. And what comfort have men in living (upon a natural account) when thoſe dayes are come, wherein they ſay, we have no pleaſure in them, Eccl. 12. ver. 1. and is it not ſo in a ſpirituall ſenſe? a wounded ſpirit who can bear, but a good conſcience is a continual feaſt, and the Kingdome of God is righteouſneſs and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14. verſ. 17. Then do we come neareſt heaven, and live in the ſuburbs of it, when we are filled with peace and joy in our ſoules, when we experience a ſedateneſs and ſerenity of ſpirit, rejoycing in hope of the glory of God: now ſence of grace received doth marvellouſly comfort the ſoul.

1. In our addreſsments unto God by prayer, when we have any requeſt to make at the throne of grace, this will work a foreign, and holy boldneſs of ſpirit in us, we may encourage our ſelves to hope, that we ſhall ſpeed in our deſires, and have acceptation in heaven, when we conſider that God hath manifeſted the love of a father, and given the portion of a childe unto us; how he ſought us up when we were gone aſtray, met us with a welcome home at our returne, and claſped us in the embraces of his paternall affections; when we have the robe and ring to ſhew, the ſpirit of Adoption which cryeth Abba, Father, and therefore if parents that are evil know how to give good things to their children, See Mr. Teat. in Matth. 7. verſ. 11.Matt 7:11much more will our heavenly father give the holy Ghoſt to us that ask him, Luke 11. verſ. 13. even foreign — good things, yea, all good things, for the Holy Ghoſt, is a comprehenſive and ſuperlative terme; all good things, and that which is more then all beſides; ſure, we ſhould not have that liſtleſneſs and loathneſs unto prayer, that heart-deadneſs in prayer, p. 178and thoſe dead hopes, as to expectancy of comfort from prayer, if we were much and often in the meditation of Gods love; Oh tis an excellent heart preparatory unto prayer and the readieſt way to find the returnes of our prayers: Care his Plus cum Deo quam hominibus loquitur.while prayer ſtandeth ſtill, the trade of Godlineſs ſtands ſtill alſo, and ſoul-wants are great and many; all good comes into the ſoul by this door, and all true treaſures by this Merchants ſhip: And ſure, they who have their hearts ſprinkled from an evil conſcience, and their bodies waſhed with pure water, that have the ſence of juſtifying and ſanctifying grace, have boldneſs and heart-willingneſs, to enter into the Holieſt by the blood of Jeſus, and may draw near to God with full aſſurance of faith, Heb. 10. verſ. 19, 22. in which the life of comfort doth much conſiſt, and by which it is much preſerved in the ſoul.

2. This heart-commanding will give you comfort in your attendance at the poſts of wiſdome; O when you ſit at the feet of Jeſus in his teaching ordinances, and your hearts are heated and heightened with a ſerious meditation upon the truth and work of grace, you'l taſte comfort in every word, and draw ſweetneſs out of every dug, if ſin be roundly dealt withall, and the arrowes of the Lord be keen to ſtrike through the very heart of a luſt, you will rejoyce in it, becauſe 'tis done againſt an enemy: ſin and you are now implacably fallen out, and therefore, you dare ſpeak in the words of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 139. ver. 21, 22. Do not I hate them which hate thee? and am not I grieved with them which riſe up againſt thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred, I count them mine enemies: Indeed, in a ſenſe, we are to love our enemies but thoſe that would draw off our hearts from the Lord and looſen our affections from holineſs, as ſin would; Oh they are enemies indeed; and we ſhall bleſs God, when the word wounds them deepeſt, that they bleed and breath out their laſt. Time was, when we had ſecret heart-riſings againſt the word, when a reproof p. 179came too cloſe, and Ahab-like we have hated the Micaiah, and have gone home to our houſes heavy and diſpleaſed, becauſe of the word which hath been ſpoken unto us, 1 Kings 21. verſ. 4. I, but now we take pleaſure in a ſin-wounding Sermon, a luſt-laming diſcourſe, when the word gets a leg or an arm from the body of death; ſo when impenitency is reproved, and ſentenced, we ſhall be comforted, when we find that God hath given us ſoft hearts, and granted repentance unto life, Acts 11. verſe 18. — If Goſpel unbelief be threatened, and the wrath of an eternal God denounced, our hearts will be comforted by a reflection upon our faith, of which Jeſus Chriſt hath been the Author, and will be the finiſher, Heb. 12. ver. 2. nay, if the bottomleſs pit be opened, and a viſion of that brimſtone-lake, belching forth ſmoke, and ſulphur, be preſented, the ſight whereof makes the ſinners of Zion afraid, and ſurpriſeth the hippocrites, with ſinking fears, crying out in the greatneſs of their diſtreſs, who amongſt us ſhall dwell with devouring fire? who amongſt us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burnings? Iſa. 33. ver. 14. our hearts will feed upon this ſad truth, with comfort, when we know, that with Noah we are in the ark, and with Lot we are in Zoar, waiting for our Jeſus from heaven, who hath delivered us from wrath to come, 1 Theſ. 1. verſ.ult. The Devil is called foreign, a roaring lion, roaring after the prey; but our comfort is, that the Lord Jeſus is foreign. the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, which reſcueth us from the paws of this Lion: Nay farther, if Goſpel priviledges be diſplayed, Goſpel-promiſes be applyed, Goſpel-treaſures be opened, and the name of Chriſt like oyntment be powred forth, we may by an Act of believing graſp at all, and ſay, all is ours, we are Chriſts, 1 Cor. 3. ver. ult. yea Chriſt is ours, Cant. 5. ver.ult. In a word, if the ſtate of after bleſſedneſs be diſcovered upon, and heaven in all its glory be revealed, according to frail man's utmoſt capacity, to apprehend it, Oh it will be matter of heart-rejoycing to us, when our ſoules can go up to God with that triumphant Eulogy, 1 Pet. 1. p. 180ver. 3, 4, 5. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, through the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead, to this inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled; and which fadeth not away, reſerved in heaven for us, who are kept by the power of God through faith, unto ſalvation, in every truth, the ſence of grace received, will give in comfort to a believer; Oh try this, and you will find a ſweetneſs in the word however diſpenſed; This alſo will render your approaches to the Lord's Table, more acceptable to the Lord, and more comfortable to your own ſoules; for having tried the truth, and coming in the ſence of grace received, you may lift up your hearts with chearfulneſs, and humbly expect, that the cup is the new Teſtament in the bloud of Jeſus, for the remiſſion of your ſins, Matth. 26. v. 28. that all the benefits of the new Covenant, even the whole purchaſe of Chriſt's paſſion, are ſealed up unto you; if, to this worthineſs of perſon, you add the worthineſs of preparation alſo, You ſhall then find his fleſh to be meat indeed, and his bloud to be drink indeed; as living men, and of ſound conſtitutions find ſavour and nouriſhment from their food they take, when the dead find none, and diſtempered perſons, but little; ſo ſhall you finde food and growth in that ordinance, when 'tis mors in olla, the favour of death unto death, to the dead Formaliſt, and gives forth little ſweetneſs, or ſavour to the ſenſleſs and ſleepy Chriſtian; Oh then, as Deborah beſpake her ſelf Judg. 5. ver. 12. Awake, Awake Deborah, ſo ſay I, Awake, awake up your glory in thankfulneſs to the Lord, ſtirre up your ſelves, and graces, lean by faith upon the bleſſed boſome of your Jeſus, cleave to his Croſs, and ye ſhall ſuck honey out of this rock, yea oyl out of this flintie rock, Deut. 32. ver. 13. and thus commemorating the death of Chriſt, by thoſe lively reſemblances of his death, you may lift up your hearts with comfort, to look for, and love his appearing.

4. This ſerious reviſal of formal incomes and experiences from the God of all grace, in wayes of grace to p. 181your ſouls, will up-heap your hearts with lively and laſting conſolations in every eſtate; it is like the Woolf, which will draw a threed of comfort, through the whole warp of a Chriſtians life; as might be cleared in many inſtances; to name a few—

1. Are you under breaking afflictions from the Lord in your perſons or families? doth deep call unto deep? and are the banks of cuſtodient providence, ſo broken down, that all his waves and billows do flow over you? why, what comfort and reviving will the ſenſe of grace received bring into your ſouls? when you minde that witneſs within you, that you are the children of God, you may look upon all your afflictions as the rod of a Father, and his end in all to be the taking away of ſin, Iſa. 27.9. not by ſatisfaction (for thats the peculiar fruit of your Redeemers blood) but by ſanctification, foreign. club it down 1 Cor. 9.27.1 Cor 9:27wiſely governing his corrections, To beat down the body, and bring it into ſubjection to the government of the Lord Jeſus, grace received will light a candle unto you, whereby you may read the minde of God, and the methods of his paternal diſcipline, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth; that ſon in whom he is well-pleaſed, ſays Mercer in Prov. 3.12. the lower the ebbe, the higher the tyde; the lower you deſcend in humiliation, 1 Chron. 4.9, 10. The Holy Ghoſt ſays, Jabez was more honourable then his brethren, and his mother called his name Jabez, becauſe I bore him with ſorrow: Jabez ſignifies ſorrow, and wherein did his honor appear? why, in that G…d granted him his requeſts, viz. bleſſed him, enlarged his coaſt, ſtrengthened him by his hand and kept him from evil: thus in a ſpiritual ſenſe, an afflicted Saint is a Jabez, not onelyonly as a man of ſorrow, but as an honourable perſon, the rod is a pledge of love and badge of honour, hae ſunt gemmae & pretioſa ornamenta Dei, ſays one pointing to his ſores and ulcers, Theſe are the gems and jewels wherewith God decketh his beſt friends: The Lord hath prepared me a neck-lace of pearl, was the ſaying of a gracious woman, when a ſickneſs took hold upon her: p. 182the Lily is ſown in her own tears, And Gods vines (ſays one) bear the better for bleeding, there may be a plethory of blood, as well as ſuperfluous branches, which may hinder fruitfulneſs: theſe are the preludes of your everlaſting triumphs, and as your conſtancy in them doth witneſs your love to God; ſo your ſupport under them doth witneſs Gods love to you, Omnis Chriſtianus cruclanus Luther.which begins with the croſs here, but ſhall end with the crown hereafter, Jam. 1.12. Bleſſed is the man which endureth temptation (from the Lord in ways of afflictions) for when he is tryed, he ſhall receive the crown of glory, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him.

2. Are you under the bufferings of Satan? do his fiery darts fly about you? and doth he fire his granado's upon you? Mr. Gurnals expoſition in Eph. 6.12. p. 306. 307.Eph 6:12nay do principalities and powers, worldly Governors, and ſpiritual wickedneſſes draw up againſt you, and that in heavenly places? namely, to take away your crown from you, to plunder you of your joy and peace here, and to block up your way to heaven hereafter? Why, follow the ſtreams to the head of the fountain; endeavor to work up your hearts to a ſerious apprehenſion of grace received in the life and ſence thereof, and you will receive much contribution from it, as to your peace and ſafety; though Satan may beat you from your outworks, and ſeize upon ſome of your Artilery, and thereby diſcourage, yea, much diſcompoſe you in your addreſſes to God, yet the conſideration of pardoning, purging, adopting and accepting grace, will be as a Fort-Royal, an impregnable Cittadel, wherein you may ſecure the choiceſt of your heavenlies, and from whence you may have reſerves in the hotteſt onſets: the experiences of the goodneſs, and good pleaſure of the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt unto you, will be as chariots of fire and horſes of fire round about you, 2 King. 6.17. to circumvallate and ſafe-guard your ſouls: The Apoſtle 1 Pet. 5.10. tells you, That Satan roareth after ſouls, as an hungry lyon after his prey, and gives in this by way of advice unto you, verſ. 9. Whom reſiſt, ſtedfaſt in the faith, that is, keep your ground p. 183and lift up the ſhield of faith to receive and quench his fiery darts, by conſidering.

1. That the ſame afflictions, that is, temptations, are accompliſhed in your brethren that dwell in the world, you are not ſingle in this temptation (though that is much the thoughts of tempted ones) Satan doth not fight you with a new weapon, that lately paſt the forge.

2. That you ſtand related to, and are in covenant with that God, who is the God of all grace, who hath all weapons ready for war in his Armory and can ſupply a tempted Saint with thoſe graces, ſuddainly and fully, which he ſtands in need of.

3. That your relation to the God of all grace is founded upon Jeſus Chriſt and evidenced by your effectual calling—for you are called into his eternal glory by Jeſus Chriſt—not unto, implying, foreign.that grace gives the ſoul an entrance into glory: effectual vocation is a call from heaven into heaven: the ſoul is taken up into heaven from the time of its new birth, as to the certainty of it, and ſafe keeping unto it.

4. That your ſuffering condition will not be long, it is the Lord not Satan, who times your temptations; foreign.you ſhall ſuffer but a while: ſharpe they are and therefore termed ſufferings, yet but ſhort, therefore phraſed awhile, hence Rev. 2.10. You ſhall have tribulation ten dayes, that is, your impriſonment ſhall be ſhort.

5. That your temptations ſhall be in order to your eſtabliſhment; the God of all grace, will make you perfect, eſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you—your ſufferings ſhall be in order to your ſetling, your temptation in order to your conſolation, parallel to that 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory: O then, do but in the hour of temptation, draw up the main body of your experiences, and evidences of Gods love in Chriſt unto you, and Satan cannot hurt you, though his main battail be againſt you; though he may pluck of ſome rath p. 184grapes, he ſhall never deſtroy your Vintage; though he may pick up ſome ſcattered ears, he ſhall never carry away your harveſt; and though he may trouble you in your paſſage to heaven, he ſhall never keep you out of heaven: what a day of comfort is this unto the foul!