Englands Unthankfulness Striving with Gods Goodness, Division 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
…. §. ANd so much to show, how sarre short you fall of a privative holiness, in reforming that which is evill. Now see how short you …ome of a positive holinesse: in performing that which is good, for to be just … the sight of God, and graciously accepted of him; these two things are …quired: the meri…rious part to get Heaven, and the satisfactory part to es…pe Hell. But first make a stand here; and consider whether a good Tree, … bring sorth all …his evill fruit? for the … is knowne by the fruit, whe…es it be good, or evill: as our Saviour shewes, Mat 7. 16, 17, 18, 20, and …2. 33. Yea, Unbelievers may be knowne from Christians; by their want … fruit. We more then suspect, want of sap in the root of a Tree: if we …de barrennesse in the Branches. If either it have bad fruit, or no fruit: … is but a dead saith. And the true …od of grace is, cease to doe evill, … to doe well, E…ay 1. 16. 17. For as grace enters into the heart; sinne …oes out: like aire out of a Vessell, when wine is powred in. Therefore …dmit thou wert a negative Christian, and couldest not be charged with any …of this▪ that I have proved against thee; much the better: when thou … reprobate to every good worke. The Fig-tree was cursed, not for bearing …ll fruit; but because it bare no good. The evill servant, was not bound …nd and foot, and cast into prison; for wasting his Masters goods: but for not gaining with them. And those Reprobates at the last day, shall be … depart into everlasting fire: not for wronging, or robbing of any; bu… not giving, not comforting. Wherefore, as thou hast heard, thy sinne commission, laid open: so now I will doclare unto thee, thy sinnes of … sion, which also would be minded.
2. §. Thou braggest, and thankest God with that Parisee. Luke 18. That thou art just, and payest men their dues; but art thou holy like… and dost thou pay God his dues also? Art thou effectually called, and … come a new creature by regeneration: being begotten, and borne a new of … by the immortall seede of the Word, and the Spirits powerfull working … it? Is thy heart circumcised, or rather hath God taken away the stony … out of thy flesh; and given thee a new heart; and put a new spirit into … even his owne spirit: whereby thou hast union, and communion … Christ; and partakest of the divine nature. Dost thou finde an appr… change wrought in thy judgement, affections, and actions, to what th… were formerly. Art thou changed, and renewed in every part, pow… and faculty? Is thy understanding enlightned, thy minde renued, thy … changed, thy affections sanctified, &c.? Hath the Old-man, changed w… the New-man? worldly wisedome, with heavenly wisedome? ca… love, for spirituall love; servile feare, for christian, and siliall feare; … thoughts, for holy thoughts; vaine words, for holy and wholsome word… fleshly works, for works of righteousnesse, &c. as if thou wert cast int… new mold: even hating what thou formerly lovedst, and loving what th… formerly hatedst. For as without this new birth, there is no being saved: as … Saviour himselfe affirmes, Ioh. 3. 5. So he who thinks he is borne a ne… and finds not a palpable change, in his judgement, affections, and actio… does but deceive himselfe.
3. §. Art thou more knowing, then the men of the world: as havi… the light of Gods spirit, and the Eye of faith above them? Art thou bro… out of darkenesse, into marvell…us light? Are thine eyes opened to … the wonders of Gods Law? is that Vaile, or Curtaine which was forme… drawne over thy heart, 2 Cor. 3. 15. 16. taken aw…y by …? and th… turned from the power of Satan, unto God. Dost thou receive the Word wi… all readinesse? not as the word of men, but as it is indeed the word of … And hath it wrought in thee mightily? hast thou found it by experien… to be quick, and powerfull, sharpe, &c. as it followes. Heb. 4 12. Even excelli… all other Bookes, as Wheate doth the Cha…fe? Hath the Law; which is … just, good, spirituall: not onelyonly convinced thee of sinne, but so cleared … sigh…, that thou canst now discerne sinne, in every thought, word, and ac… on of thine? Dost thou see thy selfe, out of measure sinfull? as … guilty of all manner of concupisence; as having broken every one of th… righteous precepts, Exod. 20. more times, and waies then thou hast hi… on thy head. Not being able of thy selfe, to thinke a good thought; … that all the powers of thy soule, and Members of thy body; are wholly, …nd originally corrupted. Dost thou see thy sellse as guilty of Adams sinne? … being in his loynes,) as any Heire is lyable to his Fathers Debt? And … knowledge, that thou broughtest a world of sinne into the world with …hee; and deservedst to dye, so soon as thou didst begin to live? That thine …standing is darkned, and dulled; thy judgement blinded, thy will …, thy memory disordered, thy affections corrupted, thy reason …, thy thoughts surprized, thy desires intrapped, and all the facul…ies, and sanctions of thy soule, no better then poysoned? That of thy … thou … not onelyonly weake, but even dead to what is good: moving …o more, then thou art moved. That thy best workes are faulty, all thy …nnes deadly; thy nature corrupted originally. That thou art swift to …ll evill, but to all good immoveable.
4 §. A… thou ashamed of thy former conversation? Dost thou bewaile …nd mourne bitterly for all thy sinnes? actuall, and originall; of omission, and commission: secret, as well as knowne; lesser, as well as greater; evill thoughts, vaine and unprofitable words; as well as sinfull actions. Yea, as well for the evill, which cleaves to thy best workes? as for thy evil works, grieve for thy unprofitableness, under the meanes of grace: being more sorry for offending so good a God: then for that it doth, or might bring thee shame or punishment in this life, or in Hell Dost thou finde thy selfe in a lost condition? confessing that thou hast deserved all the plagues of this life, and that which is to come. And groaning under the burden of sinne; dost thou utterly dispaire of all helpe in thy selfe; Doth it make thee solicitously careful, in the use of all meanes, to attaine faith in the promise of Gods mercy, made in Christ? as finding no rest, untill thou gettest some assureance; vehemently hungring, and thirsting after, and earnestly praying for the pardon o… sinne; waiting on the Lord with patience? Dost thou hate sinne thorowly, and universally? Art thou grieved for the abominations that are done by others: to the dishonour of God, and slander of Religion, or the ruine of mens soules? Dost thou account spirituall judgements, as the blindnesse of mens minds, hardnesse of their hearts, &c. more woofull then any temporall judgement; the world is so sensible of, and troubled at.
5 §. Dost thou often, and upon all occasion go to God in prayer: praying by the power of the spirit, in Christ… …; and with the understanding also according to … w… An… a… … of thy sins and … dost thou chiefly pray for the pardon of sinne? the … of grace, and for the assistance of Gods spirit? that thou maist more …mely believe, more soundly repent, more zealously doe, more patiently su…er, and more constantly persevere, in the practice, and por…ession of every duty; striving against deadnesse of spirit, and distractions as an heavy burden.
Dost thou not desire outward blessing, so much, as Gods blessing upon them; more a contented minde, then a great Estate? And in praying to God, dost thou not neglect to use the meanes? And having attained thy end, dost thou ascribe the praise thereof, wholly to the free mercy of God in Christ? and not to thy wisdome, industry, &c. As thou prayest for deliverance, when thou art in distresse: so art thou accordingly thankfull, when delivered? and so when thou hast obtained any temporall good thing. And as God blesseth thee more or lesse; so dost thou doe good: and the more rich, art thou the more rich in good works? and more ready to distribute, and communicate.
6. §. Dost thou love to heare Christs voyce? and know when he speaketh, and when the tempter? Dost thou receive and apply whatsoever precept, or promise, is spoken out of the Word: as spoken by God to thy selfe in particular? Dost thou read and heare, to the end onelyonly, that thou maist know savingly, believe rightly, and live religiously? Doth each Booke and Sermon in thy desire, increase thy knowledge, and lesson thy vices? Dost thou impartially believe the whole word of God: precepts, and menasses, as well as promises? And by this thou maist know, and be infallibly informed; whether thou beest a believer or no: thy faith in the commands if thou hast it, will breed obedience: in the threatnings fear: in the promises comfort. Dost thou feele the power, and efficacy of Gods Word, and Spirit? perswading thy conscience, that thy … are pardoned in Christ, and that thou art in favour with God; trusting in him; and casting thy selfe wholly and onelyonly upon him; for pardon and salvation. Art thou often, and grievously assaulted with feares, and doubtings? and often in combate, between the flesh and the spirit: the spirit in the end getting the upper hand? Hast thou a sweet and sanctified peace in thy conscience … arising from the assured forgivenesse of thy sinnes. A sound and strong joy in the Lord? and in his word through beleeving
7. §. Dost thou declare thy faith by thy works? thy invisible beliefe by thy visible life. Art thou inflamed with the love, and estimation of God and of Christ? especially, upon the returne of thy prayers; or the obtaining of some mercy. Art thou not dumb in publishing his praise? no… backe ward, to justifie him in his judgements. Dost thou prefer Gods favour, before all the worlds? and his glory, before thine owne credit. I… it grievous to thee; to heare him blasphemed, and dishonoured? Does i… cut thy very heart, to heare Christ so wounded with Oathes, Blasphemies and reproches? who is the life of thy life, and soule of thy soule. Do… thou omit no opportunity of doing good? nor doe evill though thou ha… opportunity. A… thou willing to be at cost, to serve the Lord? Dost tho… freely administer carnall things: where thou pertakest of spiritual things and count the same as a due, not as a benevolence? Dost thou thinke i… most just, that he who preacheth the Gospell; should live of the Gospell and that as comfortably, as men of other callings.
8. §. Dost thou intirely love, and highly esteem Gods people? Not out of any carnall, or selfe ends: but for their graces, the truths sake, and because they are borne of God. Art thou prone to justifie them, and speake intheir defence? when thou hearest them reviled, slandered, or contemned by wicked, and ungodly men: though thou incur their displeasure by it
Dost thou seeke the good, and to promote the peace of the place, thou …st in? And canst comfort thy selfe with this? that in thy very calling, and publique imployments: thy aime, and indeavour is not more at profit, or credit, then at the glory of God and good of others. H… thou an … reable and publike spirit? delighting to d… good offices. Ar… them active to pleasure others; willing to make thy selfe a servant to all, th… … in …ed of thee? Dost thou reioyce at the progresse of the …; and …n the common good of the Church? and so at the graces, or good successe of any member in particular? Dost thou … desire the salvation of others: and indeavour to win all thou … to Christ? Art thou zealous to admonish, reclaime, and reduce the… …, and goe astray? and to save those among whom thou …, … th…ulnesse to God, and thy Redeemer; and out of love to … (according to thy ability,) relieve Christs Members for his saue: and give …cke a considerable part of all thou hast to … and acknowledge thy selfe onelyonly a Steward, (not an owner) of wh… thou dost possesse.
Dost thou expresse thy love, and thankeful… … God, by … his …ommands? As thou hast once beene the servant of …, so art thou now become the servant of righteousnesse: And as thou hast been … to Satan; so art thou now as active to serve Christ; and as … in good workes, as thou hast formerly been in evill …. Do… thou …ember thy vow in Baptizme? being … to performe, what th… … then promise: and so … as thou … of performing the …, art thou, or … thou … to be …: Art thou not … in thy obedience? but universall: making conscience of every du… and all that God commands: the … as well as the second, and …he second, as well as the first: even the … things, either required, … forbidden in the Word. Art thou as carefull to … the … sinne, or least appearances, or … of sinne; a actuall sinne it …? Dost thou make … of … …: and … that all under thee, doe the …? Dost …, and …up Gods worship therein: …, …, &c. and in … thy children, and …; … them … fear the Lord. Nor wilt thou approach the … Table, without due ex…ination and prepartion.
9. §. Art thou just, and … in thy deal…? dost thou not detaine …ges, nor workemens …? (a crying …, that this City groanes un….) When thou hast-prejudiced thy Neighbour, wilt thou willingly, and without compulsion, satisfie for the damage? If thy conscience tells thee, that thou hast any way wronged another: though there be none to witnese against thee, and it be unknowne to the party himselfe, that suffers the damage: wilt thou make satisfaction? and never thinke thou meritest by it. If thou findest any thing, dost thou desire, and indeavour to finde out the owner? that thou mayest restore it. Wilt thou not compound with Creditors, for … shillings in the …nd: when thou …t able to pay all. Before thou usest the extreami…, either of Law or Armes: Dost thou offer conditions of Peace? and before thou …lest to blowes, by what reason will doe: and after that yield some part of thy …ight, rather then do wrong, contend, goe to law, or make war. Dost thou hate gifts, and desire rather to buy what thou wouldst have; then that it be given thee? choosing to eat… thing ow…e breed, and drinke water out of thine owne Cesterne. Art thou just in the least things, and saithfull to such as put thee in trust? If thou art … servant, dost thou no way deceive nor purloyne. O that men would try themselves, in point of justice: for though he that is not a true Christian… may be just: yet he that is not just, cannot he a true Christian. Dost thou first labour to informe, and then hearken to, and obey the voice of conscience; together with the motions of Gods spirit? Consider anothers case by thine owne? and in a good measure, doe unto all others, as thou wouldest have others doe unto thee?
Dost thou feare an Oath? hate a lie? yea, wilt thou not (for some great advantage) sweare a lie? a lawfull… and needfull question i… these atheistical dayes: for I that scarce know what a tryall in Law i… out of my small experience of the Consciences, of your civill honest men and women; have knowne no lesse then ten forsweare themselves poy… blank in divers particulars: when examined in Chauncery, and othe… Courts. Dost thou neither back-bite others, nor give eare to back-biter of others? Dost thou neither tarry long at he wine, nor goe often to it …
Let none blame me, for heaping up proofs of this mans sinfulnesse for its well, if all will be sufficient to his unseeing eyes. It must be a ver… cleare light, and a large print; that must make plaine to the f…rmall li… pocrite, or civill Iusticiary; that he must either be saved by anothers rightecousnesse, or else everlastingly damned.