Spiritual Logic, Text

Spiritual Logic · Text

p. 1Topica Sacra, Spiritual Logick.

JOB 23.3, 4.

O That I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his ſeat!

I would order my cauſe before him, and fill my mouth with Arguments.

HOly Iob, poor now, even to a Proverb, and miſerable to a Prodigy, perceiving his friends Diſcourſes were fuller of Reproaches then Conſolations, neglects to anſwer them, & reſolves to get him to p. 2God, the only Support and Refuge of the miſerable.

And thus he entertains himſelf in the ſecond verſe, even to day, after all that hath been ſaid,Druſius in loc. Exaſperatio eſt querelae meae, the bitterneſs of my complaint is rather increaſed then allayed; wherefore no wonder my mouth is alwaies open to breath out complaints; and the more I complain, the more I ſuffer from you, (ſo ſome) or rather from God himſelf,Grot. in lo. quò magis queror, eò a vobis magis vapulo. whoſe hand I acknowledge in all theſe ſtroaks; and let me complain as long as I will my tongue is not ſo eloquent in complaining as his hand is heavy that ſtrikes me; my ſtroak is heavier then my groaning.

And yet for all this, verſe 3. he ſighes after a Treaty, after a nearer acceſs and approach unto him that ſmites him; he quits his ſeeming friends to make after his ſeeming Enemy, and is willing to make this Enemy his Iudge, and to refer all to him.

And then, verſe 4. he thinks with himſelf how he would manage p. 3his matters, how he would beſtir himſelf, and not loſe his cauſe for want of pleading, could he but get a day of hearing; I would order my cauſe before him, and fill my mouth with Arguments.

Some think he wiſhes for a Guide, a Friend to help him to ſuch an opportunity. Quis det noſſem (ſaith Druſius) quis mihi tribuat ut cognoſcam (ſaith the Vulgar) quis dabit ſcirem (ſaith Montanus) quis eſt qui poſsit facere ut valeam accedere (ſaith the Syriac) he would fain find an Angel to conduct him to the Throne of God (ſaith Senault) or rather the Angel of the Covenant to afford him that foreign,In his Paraphraſe upon the place. that Manuduction which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, as the known priviledge of all Believers, who through him have an acceſs by one Spirit unto the Father, Eph. 2.18.

But not to darken the words inſtead of explaining them, by giving the various readings and opinions of Interpreters, I will draw out ſome obſervations, and haſten to that I deſire to inſiſt on.

p. 4Obſerva. 1. The ſoreſt ſtroaks cannot drive away good ſouls from God, but rather draw them nearer to him, my ſtroak is heavier then my groaning; yet O that I knew where I might find him!

2. God himſelf, even for his own ſake, is the great Object of a Saints ſeekings. O that I knew where I might find him! not this or that to be gotten by him.

3. Pretious ſouls that have a large Intereſt in God, are ſometimes at a loſs, as to his ſweet and ſenſible Preſence; The great God hath his unknown Retreats, whether his beſt friends cannot ſollow him. So verſe 8.9. Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himſelf on the right hand that I cannot ſee him. So holy David, Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee. You ſee his Intereſt is clear; he can ſay Thou art my God, and yet he had but little enjoyment of him: his ſoul thirſteth, longeth, followeth hard p. 5after him, ver. 8. Such another ſigh ye have, Pſal. 101.2. O when wilt thou come unto me? do not conclude ye have no intereſt, becauſe ye have little enjoyment, no Union, becauſe ye want Viſion.

4. A gracious heart ſeldom or never thinks it ſelf near enough unto God, its Sun and Sheild, and Center: O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his ſeat!

5. Gods Judgement-ſeat where he ſits to hear and determine cauſes, is not terrible or unapproachable to a Believer, who knows it to be a Throne of Mercy, as Iob here did; for ſays he, verſe 6. how would he uſe me, if he had me there? would he overwhelm me with his greatneſs? will he plead againſt me with his abſolute Power; No, but he would put ſtrength in me: Happy are all that can ſay ſo, for me muſt all appear there, 2 Cor. 5.10, 11. and it will be terrible to all thoſe that do not often reſort thither afore-hand.

6. A poor afflicted creature often p. 6thinks he hath a great deal to ſay unto God, if he could but get an hearing; he thinks how he would order and argue ont the matter: what a ſtory he would tell him, if he could but get his ear, gain acceſs and audience from him.

7. 'Tis good to have our hearts and mouths fil'd with Arguments when we come to plead and expoſtulate, and reaſon out our great concernments with out God.

This is the point I pitch on, to expell that ſpirit of ſlumber, which hath ſo much weakned the ſpirit of Prayer in our days, that comparatively they are but little enriched by it, who trade to Heaven with it, where God hath all good things lying ready by him, and waiting only for Prayer to come and fetch them away.

When Chriſt himſelf would give us a perfect Pattern of Prayer, both fot matter and manner, he winds & wraps up all with a concluſion, Mat. 6.13. conſiſting of certain reaſons to perſwade God to hear our prayers, or at leaſt to perſwade & aſſure our ſelves, p. 7that he doth & will hear them: the reaſons have an influence into all and every one of the Petitions; Thine is the Kingdom; and therefore we expect that as a good King thou ſhoulſt receive and anſwer our Petitions:Pſal. 72.12, 13, 14, 15.Ps 72:12Ps 72:13Ps 72:14Ps 72:15 it is thy concernment as a King to have thine honour advanced, therefore hallow thine one name, glorifie it in the Church, let thy Kingdom come to it, advance thy Will in it, ſuſtain us thy Subjects, pardon our ſins, keep and defend us from Evils.

So Thine is the Power, which Kings oftentimes want;2 Kin. 6.26, 27.2 Kgs 6:262 Kgs 6:27 but thou art able to exalt thine own name, to extend thy Kingdom over all, to fit us to do thy will; to miniſter to our neceſſities, to pardon our ſins, to preſerve us from all Evils.

And thine is the Glory; The hallowing of thy Name is the chief part of thy glory; thy Kingdom the prime place of thy glory; herein art thou glorified, when we obey thy Will, when thou provideſt for thy people, forgiveſt their ſins, preſerveſt and delivereſt them from their Enemies; p. 8therefore do thou all theſe things for us; therefore do we truſt & hope that thou wilt do all theſe thing for us.

Thus our bleſſed Saviour doth direct us, and thus the bleſſed Saints have practiſed in all Ages.

When the people of Iſrael had made the molten Calf, and committed Idolatry with it, and God was about to deſtroy them for it, ſee how Moſes in his prayer for them layes hold on the avenging hand of God, and ſtays it by reaſoning and arguing, from the diſhonour that would redound unto God if he ſhould deſtroy them; and from the Covenant that he had made with their fathers, Exod. 32.11, 12, 13, &c. And Moſes beſought the Lord his God, and ſaid, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot againſt thy people which thou haſt brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? (thou art now greatly engaged in the buſineſs) the Egyptians will ſlander thy gracious intentions, and ſay it was for miſchief with a purpoſe to ſlay and conſume them. Remember Abraham, p. 9Iſaac and Iſrael thy ſervants, to whom thou ſwareſt by thine own ſelf that thou wouldſt deal otherwiſe with their Poſterity: and ſee how he prevails verſ. 14. The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. So when he would have deſtroyed them for murmuring, Moſes interpoſeth again for a pardon, and fills his mouth with arguments, Num, 14.13, &c. The Egyptians will hear it, and they'l tell ſtories of thee to the Inhabitants of this Land, and they'l ſlander thy Power, and ſay, becauſe thou wert not able to carry them any further, thou didſt rid thy hands of them in the Wilderneſs; Now therefore I beſeech thee, ſhew what thou canſt do, put forth the greatneſs of thy power in pardoning, as thou haſt ſpoken of thy ſelf, and as thou haſt practiſed hitherto in forgiving this people ſtom Egypt even untill now. And ſee how he carries it again, verſ. 20. The Lord ſaid, I have pardoned according to thy word.

So Abraham, before him, Gen. 18. p. 1023, 24, 25. wilt thou alſo deſtroy the Righteous with the wicked? that be far from thee to do; after this manner to ſlay (pell mell) the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous ſhould be as the wicked; that be far from thee; ſhall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And you know how he ſhrunk up and narrowed the number, till he thought he had got within the verge of Lots Family, and expected that ſhould afford ſo many righteous perſons as he named; but he was out in his charitable conjecture; otherwiſe he had not faild in what he pleaded for. He gained ground at every advance, and God yielded till Abrabram thought he had Enough, and ſo preſſed him no further.

Thus Joſhua when the people were ſmitten at Ai, Joſh. 7.7, 8, 9. Alaſs, O Lord God, ſayes he, Wherefore haſt thou brought us at all over Jordan? or was it our ambition and covetouſneſs that brought us over? would to God we had been content and dwelt on the other ſide Jordan. O Lord God, what ſhall I ſay when Iſrael (that uſ'd p. 11to be victorious) turneth their backs before their enemies! and now they'l all hear of it, and environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth; and if that were the worſt, it were no great matter; but what wilt thou do unto thy great Name? that will hardly ſwim if ours ſink, they are ſo twiſted together, ſo imbarqued in the ſame bottom; and though ours be vile, thats precious; though ours deſerve to rot, what hath that deſeved? and think what thou art about to do to thy great Name. thus Hezekiah in his ſickneſs, Iſa. 38.2, 3. Remember now O Lord, I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth: I have had an honeſt heart towards thee, thou knoweſt it; and muſt I now be cut off untimely? When all things are ſo unſetled, now or never is the time for thee to give Teſtimony to my ſincerity, and you know he had a Reprieve preſently brought him.

Thus he argues in his diſtreſs becauſe of Senacherib, 2, King. 19.15. &c. They have indeed made work with the gods of the Nations, and caſt them into the fire, becauſe they were no Gods; but p. 12now that they come to meddle with thee and thy people, let them find it too hot for them, and let all the Kingdoms of the earth know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.

Thus Aſa, 2 Chron. 14.11. O Lord our God, we reſt on thee, thou art our God, let not man prevail againſt thee.

Thus Jehoſaphat, 2 Chr. 20.6 &c.

Thus Daniel, Chap. 9 to the 20. ver &c. Thus Amos Chap. 7. ver. 2, 3, 5, 6.

Thus the Apoſtles, Act. 4. ver. 24. to 31.

Not that God ſtands in need of our informing him concerning our neceſſities, which He knows better then we; but becauſe hereby we give ſome proof that we are not altogether ſtrangers at home (as many careleſs ones are) but know ſomething of our ſelves, and our own caſes, and of Him and his dealings towards us: but I will give no other grounds for the point, then thoſe of Jobs reſolution for this practice; and they are theſe.

1. Upon earneſt arguing God will undoubtedly anſwer ſome way or p. 13other; that's implyed, verſ. 5. I would know the words that he would anſwer me, and underſtand what be would ſay unto me. An anſwer I may be ſure of when I fill my mouth with arguments; he will not ſit ſtill and ſay nothing; he will not ſit like an Image, like a dumb Idol, as the Abominations of the Heathens, their Dii Stercorei, Tremel.their dunghil-Gods (as they are called, Deut. 29.17.) muſt of neceſſity do; they can do no otherwiſe, though men fill their mouthes with arguments, and empty their veins of their blood before them, 1 King. 18.28.

No ſayes Job, he will undoubtedly anſwer, could I but have my fill of pleading; and I might gueſs at his deſigns by his anwers (which are now too wonderfull for me) I might underſtand what meaneth the heat of this great Burning, and wherefore he contendeth with me, and what he means and intends towards his poor creature.

Arguments then in prayer are not likely to go unanſwered, and praying ſouls find it ſo.

Sometimes he anſwers gloriouſly p. 14from his ſecret place of Thunder, yet not in Thunder but in Lightning, in ſome glorious irradiation, in ſome precious melting Promiſe born in upon the heart with a ſtrong hand, and there Engraven in indelible Characters by an irreſiſtible power, whereof gracious ſouls in our dayes have had abundant experience.

Sometimes he anſwers in ſome ſecret ſupport only, as Hannah after her arguing and pouring forth her ſorrowful ſoul into his boſom, when ſhe had left her petition in his hand, or but laid it down at his feet; though ſhe had no other Fiat then what was written on her heart by an inviſible finger, yet ſhe went her way well apaid, and fell to her meat, and her countenance was no more ſad, 1 Sam. 1.18.

And ſurely one or the other of theſe made David cloſe up ſo many Pſalms with praiſes and rejoycings, which he had begun with tears and mourning; an obvious obſervation, and clear evidence, that even whilſt he was on his knees before the Lord, the wind came about and blew upon him out of a p. 15warm corner, and made all his ſpices flow.

Sometimes God anſwers in ſome providential diſpenſations, which both gratifie us for the preſent, and might inſtruct us for the future; for many, very many Providences are Prophetical, and do fore-ſhew things to come; but the language of Prophecies is for the moſt part obſcure, and we ſeldom underſtand it, till God interpret it in the accompliſhment; an Inſtance whereof we have in Acts 7.25. Moſes his defending the Iſraelite, and avenging him that was oppreſſed, and ſmiting the Egyptian, had a further reath and drift, and ſcope in it then barely, that preſent vindication, for he ſuppoſed his Brethren would have underſtood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they under ſtood not: no more do we many times the full Extent and Import of a diſpenſation which ecchoes to Prayer; yet for the moſt part we pick ſomething out of it to ſtay the ſtomack, and to afford Support; if not ſatisfaction.

Plead then, and fill your mouths p. 16with arguments; for when ever you do ſo, beyond all perdventure God will anſwer.

Secondly, There's no fear that he will interpret this ſawcineſs and preſumption in thee, and ſo anſwer thee with his Fiſts about thine ears, or with his foot to kick thee out of his preſence; there is no fear that he will ſmother thee under the weight of his greatneſs, or dazle thee with his beams, or burn thee with his flames, or drive thee from the Judgement-ſeat (as Gallio did the Jews, Act. 18.26.) No, he never beats his people lower then their knees, and thence ſuffers them, yea helps them to riſe again; nay he will lay his hand upon thy head; yea under thy feet to do thee good; he will ſtroke rather then ſtrike a pleading ſoul; he will ſtrengthen thee; and put mettle into thee; this is lobs conſideration in the ſixth verſe, Will he plead againſt me with his great and abſolute Power, by which he may do what he pleaſeth with his poor Creatures? Will he ſerve me ſo; No, but he would put ſtrength in p. 17me, thus he dealt with Daiel, chap. 10.19.

Thirdly, There the Righteous may plead and diſpute with him, even at the Bar of Equity and Juſtice, yea and the Judge cannot but pronounce and paſs ſentence in their favour; tha's his encouragement, verſe 7. there the Righteous may plead with him, and ſo ſhall I be delivered for ever from my Judge, never more dread him as a Judge, but ſo as withal to love him, and live with him as a Father.

There righteous Ieremy pleads with him, Ier. 12.1. &c. Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee (there's no queſtion to be made of that, that admits of no diſpute (yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgements.

There he invites his people to come and plead freely, Iſa. 43.26. put me in remembrance, let us plead together, declare thou that thou mayeſt be juſtified; if thou haſt any thing to ſay for thy ſelf, ſay on.

Nay even Idolaters ſhall have this fair play, permiſſion to plead for themſelves, and for their dumb p. 18Idols too, if they have any thing to ſay for them, Iſa. 41.21. Produce your cauſe ſaith the Lord, bring forth your ſtrong Reaſons, ſaith the King of Iacob. Have Idolaters this Liberty, and not the true Worſhippers that worſhip in Spirit and Truth? The Wicked ſhall they have it, and not the Righteous? Yes doubtleſs, this is that foreign, (tranſlated boldneſs of ſpeech,Ephe. 3.12. He. 4.16. Accedaqmus cum loquendi ubertate ad thronum gratia. Bez.Eph 3:12 2. Cor. 7.4.) mentioned as the great priviledge of the Saints, eſpecially now under the New Teſtament, Heb. 10.19. &c. foreign, having therefore boldneſs to enter into the holieſt by the blood of Jeſus, (a Right and Freedom to enter in our perſons hereafter, and now by our prayers) let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance of Faith.

Object. 1 But may ſome ſay, There the righteous indeed may plead with him, and not be caſt in their ſuit; But where are thoſe righteous Ones? And who are they; for it is not ſo with me: God be mercifull to me a grievour ſinner; I dare not be ſo bold with p. 19him; Iniquity muſt ſtip her mouth.

Anſw. I anſwer, Every one that hath a ſhare in, yea a ſincere deſire after the rightteouſneſs of Chriſt, is righteous before him, and may in that righteouſneſs plead and prevail, and as a Prince have Power with God; for this is his own Righteouſneſs of his own contrivance and appointment: The Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith, Phil. 3.8, 9. A Righteouſneſs ſpun and woven out of his own bowels, & the obedience of his dear Son; a better then ever came upon the back of Angels, for which the perſonal and legal Righteouſneſs of a Paul, of an Angel, is to be abandoned; Evangelical being far better then angelical Righteouſneſs, 'Tis ſaid, when Pilate appeared in Chriſts Garment which he had got from the Soldiers, Caeſar could never be angry with him; 'tis certain thou canſt not miſs a Bleſſing in hi garments, who is not aſhamed to be called thine elder Brother, who came to change cloaths & places with thee, and to take all upon himſelf, that thou mighteſt eſape. The Father cannot but be p. 20well pleaſed with the ſmell of his Sons raiment; and he ſits too upon a ſeat of Indgement, and muſt do thee right; and Juſtice it ſelf (which will not be twice paid) is as much for thee, as much thy freind as Mercy, Rom. 3 26. He is juſt, and yet (nay therefore) a juſtifier of him that believeth on Ieſus. So that if thou art not utterly ſhut up in unbelief, if there be but the leaſt ſpark of true faith alive in thy heart, thou maiſt plead and proſper.

Object. 2 But I have nothing to ſay for my ſelf my heart is dryed up like a Potſeard, and withered like graſs. I have ſind away all arguments, and muſt never open my mouth any more before him.

Anſw. 1 True, not to boaſt, but to plead thou mayeſt.

And haſt thou nothing to offer? not a ſigh? not the groanings of thy ſoul? this was Iobs preface, ver. 2. my ſtroke is heavier then my groaning. O that I knew where I might find him! where the heart is full as Iobs was (you may perceive it by his ſighing) the mouth will not be empty; a full heart will fill the mouth ſome way or other; if p. 21the heart be full of affection, the mouth will be full of arguments; they deceive their own ſouls who ſay their hearts are as good as the beſt (they thank God) though they make no ſhew, when neither OGd nor men can hear ought that's good come from them. Pſal. 37.30. The mouth of the Righteous ſpeaketh Wiſdom, and his Tongue talketh of Judgement; why ſo? ver. 31. The Law of his God is in his heart; that ſets his tongue a going the right way; and on the contrary, ſome mens ſtinking breath bewraies their inward parts to be very rottenneſs; they have not ſo much ſweet breath as to make a ſigh of; if the want of words were all, it were a ſmall matter; that inarticulate Language of ſighs and groans is powerfull Rhetorique: Let the ſighing of the Priſoners come before thee (ſaith David, Pſal. 79.11.) according to the Greatneſs of thy Power preſerve thou them that are appointed to die: and for the oppreſſion of the poor, and for the ſighing of the needy, now will I axiſe, (ſaith the Lord himſelf, Pſal. 12.5.) I will ſer him p. 22in ſafety from him that puffeth at him; we own help from the Spirit, when we are enlarged. Paul ſaith, he helps us, even when we are ſtreightned; likewiſe the Spirit alſo helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought; (no not Paul and the Apoſtles) but the Spirit it ſelf maketh Interceſſion for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8.26. foreign with unutterable ſtraitnings; our enlargements may be but the flowings of the Gifts of the Spirit; but our inward pinchings and coarctations may be the Interceſsion of the Spirit it ſelf; the more immediate operations of the Spirit. And we forget that their is ſuch a Prompter hebind the hangings; ſuch an Interpreter (as his Title ſignifies,Joh. 14.26. Ille ſuggeret vobu omnia. vid. Cameroned Mat. 19.3. foreignJohn 14:26Matt 19:3 as well as Comforter; yea therefore a Comforter; becauſe an Interpreter) to make known the mind of God to us, and ours to him; and as he betrales the ſecrets of God to the Saint, ſo he rips up their hearts before God (without doing any wrong, either in the one or other) and tis he p. 23who fills their mouths not only with windy words, but weighty Arguments.

Haſt thou nothing to complain of to thy Iudge? no Sin, no Devil, no Diabolical Temptations, no ſuperdiabolical corruption, no ſpititual Plunderers, no Egyptian Task-maſters, no cruel Bondage that makesthy life bitter to thee? no Enemy coming in as a flood to oppreſs and do thee wrong? no Iron-yoak that gals thy ſhoulders? no Violence and Spoil to cry out and complain of? Sure thou haſt not ſtudied thine own caſe; thou haſt not ordered thy cauſe aright, if this fountain fail thee.

But will this be admitted? nay the poor ſoul ſay; all Complaints are troubleſom, men cannot endure them. I Anſwer, God will. Out of the abundance of my Complaint and Grief have I ſpoken hitherto, ſays Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.16. and you know how ſhe ſped.Correptionibus. Mont. Lite, Syr.

Nay the word rendred Arguments, I find by the Latin Interpreters rendred Redargutionibus, Increpationibus. lob in ſome caſe is Defendant, as to the p. 24charges drawn up againſt him by his friends; but here he is Plaintiffe alſo; could I come near the Bar, (ſayes he) I would make my moan: the whole Court of heaven ſhould Ring out and be made ſenſible of my ſufferings.

But we are well enough with our Engliſh tranſlation of the word,Sane argumenta qua utrin que , proſeruntur à partibus in lite pro cauſa ſua, foreign D…uſi and it is warranted by the beſt Criticks; the word ſignifying all proceedings, all arguments, and reaſons uſed in a cauſe, by either party, and contains all that can be alledged or urged by a poor creature any way in his own defence, or for his advantage.

4. There are ſome Arguments yet in Archivis, in the Rolls and Records of heaven which were never yet imbezled; they lie in the Ark of the Covenant, hid wth Chriſt in God, (under double lock and key,) where neither moth nor ruſt can come to corrupt, nor thief break through to ſteal; yea, they lie (many of them) in the very heart and boſome, and being God of himſelf. I hope we ſhall meet with ſome of them anon, and that they may meet with the very caſe of thy ſoul, and p. 25that thy ſoul may meet with God in the making uſe of them.

Object. 3 But what will Arguments work upon God? that King Eternal is not ſwayed but by eternal conſiderations; He knows no motives but his own bowels; and the Merits and Mediation on of his Son and Spirit.

Anſw. 1 Tis true, and well for thee and me that tis ſo; otherwiſe Time-accidents and Time-exacerbations, had long ere this hurried us into a woful Eternity! paſt all relief by way of Argumentation; hell, not Heaven, had been filled with our complainings!

2. Hath he not given thee thoſe two great friends of his for thine Advocates? the one at his own right hand in Heaven moving and negotiating, and alwayes appearing for thee; the other ſeated in thy breaſt, (though once a Cage for every unclean and hatefull Birds;) the Dove alights and abides upon that dunghil, and will not be frayed away: and the voyce of that Turtle is heard in our Land; yea the Fathers own heart is full of love, brim full and running over upon thee; and p. 26this continually pleads for thee, and makes all thine arrows which fly upwards, inevitable, not one is ſhot in vain.

3. Good arguments in prayer do ſhew the neceſity of prayer, and great equity for the obtaining of the things prayed for; and ſo do very much confirm our Faith, and fire our affections, and enable a man to break through many Diſcouragements, which Satan or his own heart may caſt in to hinder Prayer: and certainly though there be no need of Arguments to work upon God, there is to work upon us; though not to move his love, yet to remove our unbelief; though not to prevail upon him to give, yet to perpare our ſelves to receive Mercy.

Ʋſe. The only uſe I ſhall make of the Point, ſhall be to preſs all to make uſe of it, to put it in practice daily; it will pleaſe your Heavenly Father very well, he loves to hear his children Reaſon it out with him, and he doth of ſet purpoſe delay to grant their Requeſts ſometimes, becauſe he loves p. 27to hear often from them,Can. 2.14. to hear their Voyces, and ſee their Faces; he loves to hear what they can ſay for themſelves: ſo he dealt with the woman of Canaan; he firſt ſeemed not to hear her, then did deny her ſuit, and then gave a very ſharp and cutting Reaſon of his denial, becauſe ſhe was but a Dog, ſhe was none of the Iſraelites who were his Children; but when Chriſt hears her wiſe anſwer to his objection: Truth Lord, but the dogs eat of the crums that fall from their Maſters table, (which was a ſtrong piece of Logick,) ſhe received an high commendation of her faith, and A Grant that would be ſure to pleaſe her, Her will; O woman great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt, Mat. 15.21, 22.&c. She Retorts his own weapon upon him, and he yields and gives her whats dangerous, if not good, her own Will.

My purpoſe is, (leaving all other wayes of application or enlargement) to ſpeak to ſome principal caſes of greateſt concernment and moſt frequent occurrency in our lives: and I p. 28ſhall only break the ice in each caſe, (for facile eſt invent is addere) to ſet your wits a work, which men, which Chriſtians makes leaſt uſe of in their greateſt occaſions; we trifle in ſerious things, and are ſerious only in trifles, or rather to rouz up your Graces in the holy Apoſtles phraſe, foreign,2 tim. 1.6. to ſtir up the fire which lyes raked up and buried under the aſhes of ſloth and ſupine oſcitancy, or rather indeed to Jog the ſpirit of Prayer which lies dormant in many boſomes, and doth them little ſervice; I would but ſet that Plough a going which too many caſt in the hegdge as almoſt uſeleſs: which yet if well managed, would fill your Garners with all manner of ſtore: and to which whoſoever puts his hand without (too often) looking back, ſhall be fit for the Kingdom of God.

Firſt then,I Caſe Unacquaintedneſs with the Lord. Is unacquaintedneſs with God, thy Miſery, the matter of thy moan and mourning: is this thy complaint (as tis of the moſt knowing) that ſo little a portion is heard of Him? that neither the Thunder of his p. 29power, nor the Charms of his Love are ſufficiently underſtood by thee; we rather are known of him, then that we can ſay, we know him, Gal. 4.9. and where, or who is he hath no need to plead in this particular? ſome make this to be Jobs caſe, in this very text; for thus they render it, Ʋtinam noſſem Deum & invenirem eum: Apud druſi.O that I knew God, then I ſhould find him. He that knows God, hath found him; and he ſhall never find him who never knows him. His friend that ſpake laſt had adviſed him, Chap. 22. v. 21 Acquaint now thy ſelf with him, and be peace, &c. and it may be 'tis thereunto that he anſwers: O that I knew him, O that I knew where I might find him to be better acquainted with him; is this thy caſe? go order thy cauſe before Him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

Ask him (with an humble and holy boldneſs) if he be not willing to be known? though he cover himſelf with darkneſs, (but he is too big and too bright for a covering) though he make darkneſs his Pavilion round about him: and if ſo; then

p. 302ly, Why hath he mad eIntellectual Beings capable of knowing him; and eternally miſerable if they know him not!Ioh. 17.3.John 17:3 thy ſoul is ſo for certain.

3ly, Why hath he ſo many ways iſſued forth and made out Himſelf? why hath he written ſuch admirable Comments in the things which are ſeen, upon the inviſible things of God?Rom. 1.20.Rom 1:20 his eternal power and Godhead!

Why hath he ſparkled forth ſuch glorious Diſcoveries in the ſacied Scriptures, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt! in the births and breathings, the hints and whiſpers of his Spirit; in the wayes and workings of his Providence, in the experience of all his Saints; yea in thine own heart, mind and ſoul, dark and doleſome though it be for the moſt part, ſo that thou canſt not order thy ſpeech by reaſon of Darkneſs!

Fourthyly, why hath he ſo often laid his Commands upon poor ſinners to ſeek him, if he mean not to be found? ſhew him his own hand for it; thus ſaith the Lord to the houſe of Iſrael, p. 31Seek ye me and ye ſhall live, Amos 5.4. Seek the Lord, and ye ſhall live, ver. 6. and yet again, verſe 8. Seek him that maketh the ſeven ſtars and orion, and turneth the ſhadow of Death into the morning: What meaneth all this earneſtneſs, if he mean not to be found? or ſaith he theſe things to Iſrael only to Iſrael after the fleſh, and ſaith he not the ſame to all Nations? Nay is not his the very end why he giveth to all, Life and Breath, and all things that they ſhould ſeek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us, Act. 17.27. and he never ſaid to the ſeed of Iacob (who wreſtle with him) ſeek ye me in vain, Iſa. 45. 19. And thou hopeſt thou art one of them, though the weakeſt of all thoſe ſpiritual Wraſtlers.

Nay ſhew him his Warrant directed to thoſe who have plowed wickedneſs and reaped Iniquity, and eaten the fruit of lyes, Hoſ. 10.12, 13. why then ſhouldſt thou be excluded?

Fiſthly, Ask him if he have nor been found of many a ſoul that p. 32ſought him not? Did not he prevent them and ofter himſelf, and ſay, Behold me, Behold me! Iſa. 65.1. Is there a ſoul with him now in Heaven, whoſe name is not ſought out? Iſa. 62.12 And will he now hide himſelf. from one that ſeeks him?

6ly. Ask him whence is it, that thou haſt an heart now to ſeek him; Is it not becauſe he hath found thee, and means to be found of thee? Ier. 29.12, 13, 14. &c. and he knows that thy whole heart is, or would fain be engaged in this work.

Seventhly, Why doth he allow ſo long a time to ſeek him in? all the time of this life as ſome think; at leaſt till the Decree bring forth,Zeph. 2.1, 2.Zeph 2:1Zeph 2:2 till he ſwear in his wrath, till the heart be judicially hardened, which yet is not thy caſe (through infinite Mercy) thou art not yet free amongſt the dead, nor bound among the damned.

8ly. Tell him (if thou canſt ſay ſo truly) that it is in order to practiſe, that thou wouldſt be aquainted with him, not meerly to gratifie a natural itch after knowledge; not meerly that thou p. 33mightſt talk of him; but walk with him, and love him, and fear him, and obey him in all thing; and even in natural things, Manus eſt cauſa ſcientiae, the hand contributes more to knowledge then the Brain: Anaxagnras.thoſe things we learn to do, we learn by doing them; and as to Spirituals, Chriſt hath paſt his word for it, John 7.17. If any man will do his Will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine.

9. Laſtly, Tell him tis not in a pang, in a fit, in an humour of newfangledneſs, that thou art thus covetous, thus ambitious of his acquaintance: but (though late, though too too lite thou beganneſt this enquiry) he knows thou haſt been of this mind for many a day, thou haſt (though weakly) followed on to know him and now thou expecteſt that good word of his ſhould be made good unto thy ſoul, Hoſ. 6.3. Then ſhall we know if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he ſhall come unto us as the rain, as the later and former rain unto the earth; preſs theſe things upon p. 34him and his Love and Truth will let him hide no longer.

Secondly,Caſe 2. Unworthineſs ever to be acquainted with God. Doth the ſenſe of thy more then ordinary unworthineſs oppreſs thee? Doth the horridneſs and beynouſneſs of thy ſins lie as a mountain of lead upon thy ſoul, and ſtiflle all the movings and mountings of thy Spirit upward? Doth this nip all the buddings and bloomings of faith and hope, and force thee often to ſigh out in ſecret, It is impoſſible for me to be ſaved, I ſhall certainly at laſt prove a Reprobate! Is this thy caſe? Go order thy cauſe before him, and ſill thy mouth with Arguments; in all humility ask him if he did not (before the foundations of the world were laid) chuſe voluntarily, abſolutely and immutably, what company he would have with him to all Eternity:Eph. 1.4.2. Tlm. 1.9.Eph 1:4Eph 1:2 ſometimes thou thinkeſt he would never chuſe thee; there now lies a ſecret Bar in thy way; ſtudy the point a little, and get it removed.

He was under no neceſſity to chuſe any; no not Chriſt himſelf to be the head of the Church, for he might have p. 35choſen whether ever there ſhould have been ſuch a body yea or no: God the Father begets the Son neceſſarily, not arbitrarily; that is, from his Nature, not from his good pleaſure; but he chooſeth him to be the head and root, and Repreſentative of the Church, arbitrarily, not neceſſarily;Col. 1.19.Col 1:19 this is from his good pleaſure, not from his Nature; How free is he then in all his other Elections?

He choſe in deed in Chriſt, but not for Chriſt; as in the natural birth,See Mr.Norton Orthod. Evang. p. 225. &c. ſo here firſt the head comes forth, and then the Members; Chriſt is the cauſe of the Salvation of the Elect, but not of Election to Salvation. Chriſt is the meritorious cauſe of the application of all good not of Gods volition or decreeing that good; Election is God himſelf electing: and there can be no cauſe of God; God cannot be an effect: Chriſt indeed was by, but had not the naming of the Blect; this was the Fathers part and gives him primitively and Originally and intereſt in them; as Chriſt himſelf acknowledgeth, John 17.6. Thine they were, and p. 36thou gaveſt them unto me. Chriſt himſelf did not propound ſollicite for this or that perſon; much leſs any foreſeen qualifications, which are the effects, but could not be the cauſes of that Love or choiſe; and if there was none by to move him, was there any to manacle him, to preſcribe Laws and limits to him? to ſay unto him, You may not chuſe ſuch or ſuch a ſcarlet ſinner: to ſet bounds and banks to thoſe great deeps of electing Love, and to ſay unto them, Hitherto may ye go, and no further, and here muſt your precious waves be ſtayed.

He choſe indeed not immediately to Salvation, (that was too great a ſtride at once) but to Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience, 2 Theſſ. 2. 13.1 Pet. 1.2. not becauſe, he foreſaw ſome would be holy, but that they might be ſo, Eph, 1.4. The great plot was how to conform ſinfull, wofull Creatures to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. and this thy ſoul likes paſſing well; go then and put him to it: ask him if he will own this Doctrine, and ſeal it upon thy heart: (it p. 37matters not how many men diſown it) and tell him thou canſt not by any thing thou diſcerneſt therein conclude thy ſelf to be excluded, though thou yieldeſt thy ſelf to be the chiefeſt of finners, and that thy caſe is reſerved only for his cogniſance; for thou canſt not fully utter it to any creature living.

Secondly, tell him it condemning he glorifies but one or two of his Attributes, Juſtice and Soveraignity; but in ſaving he will magnifie them all.

Thirdly, Mind him how often he hath already ſacrificed to his Juſtice, by puniſhing ſuch Offenders as thou haſt been; Hell is full of Inſtances, full of thoſe ſacrifices; and yet the ſufferings of his Son do more ſet off the Glory of his holineſs then them all, then all the everlaſting torments of the damned.

Fourthly, Ask him if Heaven will not afford plenty of Precedents for the like mercy thou now needeſt and beggeſt of him: Ask if Manaſſes and Mary Magdalene, and many ſuch p. 38like be not there with him.

Fifthly, If he never met the like ſince the beginning of his Creation (for ſo ſometimes thou thinkeſt) ask him if he mean to let ſlip ſuch an opportunity to ſet forth the Greatneſs and Tranſcendency of his Grace and Mercy in all its Pomp and Power, Oriency and Luſtre; and fill thy heart and mouth with this Argument: 'Tis like Goliah's ſword to David, there is none like it: ſee how David himſelf weilds it, Pſal. 25.11. For thy names ſake O Lord pardon mine iniquity, for it is great; if this be a good argument, thou doſt not want one, it ſeems David thought ſo, and ſo did Moſes, Exod. 32 31. Oh this people have ſinned a great ſin! but here's work now for the Greatneſs of Gods Power in pardoning, which in thoſe caſes he flies to, Num. 14.17 and now I beſeech thee let the Power of my Lord be great according ar thou haſt ſpoken.

God to honour his Son in reconciling us to himſelf,Dr. Th. Goodwin. Chriſt the univerſal Peace-maker. pag. 15. permits the greateſt ſins and enmities to be in the hearts and lives of thoſe he intends to ſave, p. 39(ſaith a precious ſervant of his) and thou mayeſt well hope God will not be wanting to the Glory of his own Grace: and of his Sons Merits; for the illuſtrating and manifeſting whereof, the pardoning of ſo great and grievous ſins will ſerve abundantly; ſuch an over-grown ſinner doth Anſam praebere, give him a fair occaſion, and he will not looſe it. Cranmer a little before his going to the ſtake, relieves his ſorrowfull Spirit after his ſinful Recantation with this conſideration: Magnum illud myſterium, &c. Surely that great Myſtery of Gods Incarnation was never contrived for the pardon only of leſſer offences; 'Tis the Top of all thy Saviours Glory, that he is able to ſave to the utmoſt them that come unto God by Him, Heb. 7.25.

Nay, If upon ſtrong grounds thou concludeſt thy ſelf (all things conſidered) A None ſuch: Ask him how he will come off from that Obligation, of drawing all men (that is, ſome of all ſorts) unto himſelf, Joh. p. 4012.32. if thine iron heart feel not the attractive power and vertue of this Loadſtone, there will be never a ſinner of thy ſort, ſize and kind, to adorn his triumph at the day of his appearing! Thoſe ſanguine ſinners againſt the Holy Ghoſt (the only rank and file of ſinners excluded, Matth, 12.32.) have no mind to plead as thou haſt, and thou art none of their number.

Sixthly, Tell him he ſhall be more admired and loved for ſuch a Miracle of Matchleſs Mercy, then for all his curious Works of Creation or dreadfull Acts of Vengeance.

Seventhly, Tell him it muſt be no ſmall matter, no eaſie, no ordinary thing that muſt beget Eternal Trances; and Extaſies, and Admirations; the greateſt wonders of this world, laſt but a little while, thoſe of the next muſt laſt for ever; and the pardoning, and purifying, the ſanctifying and ſaving of ſuch a ſinner will Eternally yield Oyl to ſuch a flame.

Eighthly, Tell him no ſoul in Heaven ſhall admire or love him more p. 41then thou, (though now thou comeſt in the Rear of all his Adorers!) and thou mayeſt venture to ſay ſo, if that of Chriſt be true (as certainly it is,) Luke 7.47. that he to whom much is forgiven, will love much.

9. Laſtly, Tell him that the wonder ſhall not be confined to thy perſon, but run through heaven and affect all men, and Angels, and that (in all likelihood) many ſhall wonder more for his grace to thee then to themſelves, who never ſin'd up to the height, nor after the ſimilitude of thy tranſgreſſions: eſpecially Angels that never ſin'd, and ſuch as died in infancy, or lived in innocency in compariſon of thee; how ſhould they know the extent of Grace, were it not for ſuch ſuperlative ſinners? and thats one of his great Deſigns to be admired! 2 Theſ. 1.10. and he knows that in thee he cannot miſs of it.

The end of Philoſophy is ſaid to be to admire nothing; but the end and ſcope of Divinity, is to make us admire God in every thing; in this thing eſpecially, the eternal ſalvation of p. 42the greateſt ſinners.

Thirdly,Caſe 3. Jealouſie as to Chriſt. Haſt thou any ſecret fears that this Lord Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt heard (and talked it may be) ſo often of, takes no notice of thee, has no mind to do any thing for thee; is this, (it may be when thou art moſt retired into thy ſelf, and moſt ſerious) thy cauſe before him, an fill thy mouth with Arguments; Remember thy diſtance, and then,

Firſt, Ask him what made him take ſo great a Journey? what brought him down from Heaven to Earth? was it not to ſeek and to ſave ſuch loſt ſtray creatures as thou art, who all fall to the Lord of the ſoyl? if thou art not, haſt not been loſt every way, even in thine own ſence and apprehenſion, let him skip over thee and leave thee out,

Secondly,Mat. 11.28.1 John. 3.23. John 3. ult.Matt 11:281 John 3:23John 3 Ask him why doth he invite all weary burdened poor ſouls to come unto him; why doth he command them to caſt themſelves upon him? threaten thoſe that do not, p. 43with the utmoſt perill and puniſhment, if he be not willing to bid thoſe that come welcome? the great quarrel between him and ſinners is this, ye will not come unto me that ye might have life. Joh. 5. v. 40.

Thirdly, Tell him thou verily believeſt he never yet caſt out any one ſoul that came unto him according to that bleſſed Word of his, Joh. 6.37. All that the Father giveth me, ſhall come unto me, and him that cometh come I will in no wiſe caſt out: (A text that hath been a Sanctuary to many a troubled ſoul) Ask him now if he mean to begin with thee? if thou ſhalt be the firſt that ever was refuſed by him?

Fourthly, Tell him he knows all things, he knows that thou doſt not come unto him for faſhion ſake, becauſe 'tis the cuſtom, and they are in no requeſt with whom Chriſt is in none, at leaſt in pretence and ſemblance.

Fifthly, He knows thou doſt not follow him for loaves, for outward advantage and accommodations, becauſe p. 44preferment waits upon profeſſion.

Sixthly, Tell him 'tis true indeed, 'tis neceſsity inforceth thee to come unto him, becauſe otherwiſe thou art loſt and ruin'd to all Eternity; and yet he knows what a value thy ſoul has for him, that thou lookeſt on an intereſt in him as thy great conernment; the one thing needfull, the more excellent way; that all thy treaſures, pleaſures, honors, yea, thy very Relations (which are as ſo many parts and pieces of thy ſelf) are as if they were not, in compariſon to him; are to thee (as all Nations are to him) as a drop of the Bucket, neither here nor there, if in competition or compariſon with Him.Phil. 3.9.Phil 3:9

Seventhly, Laſtly, thou canſt ſay to him that though 'tis out of Neceſſity, 'tis out of choyce too that thou comeſt to him; were it poſſible for thee to be ſaved any other way, thou wouldſt chuſe this rather; there was a time indeed when thy heart gadded about ſtrangely ſo oft to change thy way; thou wouldſt have gone to any p. 45door for relief rather then his; but ſince thou haſt had ſome little glances and glimmerings of Him, though but in a tranſient way, though but in a Glaſs, or at a Window, or thorow the Latice, ſince thou haſt taſted ſome ſmall drops of his ſweetneſs,1 Cor. 13.12. Cant 2.9.1 Cor 13:12Song 2:9 he knows thy heart is ſo taken there with, yea with that glorious and moſt gracious contrivance of His undertaking for thee (the wicked being delivered, and the Righteous coming in his ſtead) yea, with the love and lovely perſon of a Savious, that theſe are now become more with thee, then Salvation it ſelf, if that were only deliverance from wrath to come; canſt thou plead thus? Surely, a full Reward ſhall be given thee of the Lord God of Iſrael, under whoſe wings thou art come to truſt, though thou art but a ſtranger, and thy ſoul in her own eyes not like to one of his hand-maindens. Ruth 2.10, 12, 13. to allude thereunto.

But it may be thou art pretty well ſatisfied concerning the freeneſs and forwardneſs of Chriſt to help thee;Caſe 4. Iealouſie concerning God the Father. p. 46He hath done and ſuffered enough in all conſcience to convince thee: and thou haſt very ſoft and ſweet thou hts of him, but terrible ones concerning the Father, thou lookeſt upon him as an Angry God, an incenſed Judge, and enraged enemy, with his Hand alwayes up and ready to ſtrike, but that Chriſt ſteps in and wards the blow;Vld. Dr. Goodwin, Encouragements to Faith, p. 7. &c. or at leaſt thou ſuſpecteſt him to be no ſuch hearty friend to thee as Chriſt is: that the whole Treaty of Peace tendered to thee by him through his Son is but an Ambuſhment layd to catch thee, and to conclude thee under the greater condemnation, becauſe the Father ſtands much out of play, and thou knoweſt not what to think of him; is this thy ſad caſe now and then upon miſgivings and tremblings of thy heart about the great buſineſs of Eternity? Go order thy cauſe before him and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

Firſt, Ask him if that ſweet Son of his (whom the World once was ſo happy as to ſee, though ſo unhappy p. 47as not to know him) if he be not juſt ſuch another for all the world as himſelf;See Dr. Iakſon 11. book, chap. 28. pag. 3372. &c. He that cannot look upon the Sun In Its ſtrength at Noon day, may take the model of It in the water, or In the moon at full: ſo we that cannot behold the glory of Divine Majeſty in the Godhead, or in God the Father only, may ſafely behold the map or Model of his Incomprehenſible goodneſs in the man Chriſt Jeſus. the brightneſs of his Glory and the expreſs Image of his perſon, Heb. 1.3.

And ſure Chriſt the ſinners friend (as ſome ſinners cenſured him) was affable enough, kind enough, compaſſionate enough, ſhewed love enough to poor ſinners, in his carriage and Converſation: in his abaſements and condeſcentions, in his Life, in his Death; if not, where and who is he that will come and ſhew more: Why but ſaith Chriſt, my Father is Juſt ſuch another as I am to an hairs breadth: his heart as full of love and tenderneſs as mine every whit: know one, know both, John 10.30. I and my Father are one: and John 12.44.45. Jeſus cryed and ſaid, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me but on him that ſent me; and he that ſeeth me, ſeeth him that ſent me; and John 14.9. Jeſus ſaith unto him, Have I been ſo long time with you, and yet haſt thou not known me Philip? p. 48he that hath ſeen me hath ſeen the Father, and how ſayeſt thou then, ſhew us the Father? and I came out of his boſome on purpoſe to declare him, foreign Expoſuit, Bex.John 1.18. to be his Exegeſis, (that's the word) to expound him as a clear Comment tells us whats in a dark text; and if this be confirmed to thee by the Father, if he will own it, (as certainly he will) thou art well enough; but thou mayeſt go further and ask him.

Secondly, If he had not the firſt hand in the whole Deſign of Love and Life to poor ſinners, (for there is a priority of Order, and origination, though not of time) And to believe this, there are grounds ſufficient to induce thee: for

Firſt,Iſa. 40.14. Heb. 6.17. Eph. 1.11. Iſa. 25.1. and 01 46 Prov. 19.21.Isa 40:14Heb 6:17Eph 1:11Isa 25:1Isa 1:46Prov 19:21 Was it not He who firſt ſummoned that great Council held by all the Perſons in Elohim! when neither man nor Angel exiſted, nor had been worthy to have been admitted there, if they had then exiſted; there he ſat in conſultation with his Wiſdom and Love, his Word and Spirit, de arduis regni, de arcanis p. 49imperii; and eſpecially about mans Salvation, and can that bleſſed womb miſcarry with any of its conceptions? Surely no,

Secondly, Was it not He who firſt pitched upon the Son, and laid him as the foundation to the whole Fabrick; one able to bear up the weight of all the work;1 Pet. 1.20. Iſa. 28.16. Ioh. 10.36.1 Pet 1:20Isa 28:16John 10:36 though thy Load alone be enough to crack the Axeltree of Heaven and earth: to break the back of the whole Creation, to bear down any other foundation before it into Hell:Pſal. 89.19. Iſa. 63.1.Ps 89:19Isa 63:1 yet here's help laid upon one that is mighty, mighty to ſave? And if the Angels ſhouted for Joy to ſee the cornerſtone of the earth laid, Iob 38.7. ſhall not the Saints with delight ſee the corner ſtone of their Salvation laid by the hand of the Father? and ask of this be nothing unto thee; if thou art to have no place in this building? however bleſs him for laying ſuch a foundation.

Thirdly, Was it not He who then took particular cogniſance of things and perſons, which is called in Scripture p. 50Gods foreknowledge, Rom. 8. 29. and 11.1.2. &c. Enough to overwhelm a poor ſinner when he comes to get an inkling of it, that he was then minded; what, me Lord? Didſt thou then think of me? and doſt thou open thine eyes upon ſuch an one, Iob. 14.3.

Fourthyly, Was it not He who then picked and choſe out of Angels and men,The Meſſiah and the Righteous are amongſt thoſe ſeven things; which the Jews ſay, were before this world was created: that is, as Mercer expounds them, quae in mente divinâ eſſent ab…aetern…, Merc. on Vent. 1. whom he would have confirmed amongſt the Angels, called called therefore the Elect Angels, 1 Tim. 5.21. and though they were never out of favour, yet they are ſaid to be reconciled, Col. 1.20. confirmation being that to them, which Reconciliation is to us; and they had it by renouncing their ſtanding upon their own ſingle bottom, and running under the wing of Chriſt; accepting and owning him as their Head, Col. 2.10. God would not keep an Angel in Heaven, that would not be beholding to his Son for it: And amongſt men he choſe whom he would have recovered, Rom. 9.11. p. 5113. Ask how thou mayeſt make thy calling and election ſure; and never turn this Grace into wantonneſs: for to abuſe this Doctrine is one of the blackeſt badges and ſaddeſt ſigns of Reprobation, Iude, v. 4.

Fifthly, Was it not He who ratified his choyſe by a ſolemn Decree, called the Purpoſe of God according to Election, Rom. 9.11. The Myſtery of his Will according to the good pleaſure, which he had purpoſed in himſelf, Epheſ. 1.9. the Eternal purpoſe which he purpoſed in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, Eph. 3.11. And yet there is no unrighteouſneſs with God (which Paul foreſaw ſome would charge him with.) Rom. 9. 14. No cruelty, no Diſſimulation, no Tyranny; and if the Lord hath purpoſed. who ſhall diſſanul its Iſa. 14.24. & ver. 27.

Sixthly, Was it not He who called for the Books, and cauſed all the Reſolves to be entered, Heb. 10.5. even to the very names written in the Lambs Book of Life, Rev. 13.8. & 21.27. with the Golden Letters p. 52of Love, with indellible Characters in his blood; (we read of no black Book of Death, and therefore I meddle not with it) but hadſt thou ever any help to read thy name written in Heaven, this is matter of more joy then if thou coldſt caſt our Devils, and work wonders, Luke 10.20. if not yet, all in good time, go to the Father and he will help thee to ſpell thy name there by his Spirit of Adoption, who was, and is, a member of this Councel, and well acquainted with all that paſſed there.

Seventhly, Was it not He who then ordered all other things in a way of ſubordination and ſubſerviency to the Sanctification and Salvation of the Elect;Act. 15.18. & 17.26.Acts 15:18Acts 17:26 good works then received his Seal,Jer. 33.25.Jer 33:25 Epheſ. 2.10. Evil ones (by a juſt Analogy) a Brand,Job 28.26. & 38.10, &c.Job 28:26Job 38:10 He then drew up the Ordinances of Heaven: Paſſed a Decree for the Sea, and for the Rain, and for the opening of the Eye-lids of the morning;Pſal 119 91.Ps 119:91 to cauſe the day-ſpring to know its place, and the Sun his p. 53going down. unleſs forbidden, as in the dayes of Joſhua. He then appointed natural Agents to act neceſſarily; the Sun to ſhine, the fire to burn, the Sea to run in its courſe: yet be ſet them not a going with ſuch an irreſiſtable ſwing, but that be can ſtop them at his pleaſure.

Free Agents to act freely, the will of man to be alwayes free in all its acts, if not Quoad ſpeeificationem, to do good or evil at his pleaſure, yet quoad exercitium, he need never do evil, unleſs he pleaſeth: ſo that he is leſt without excuſe.

And all other things were ordered as ſcaffolds to this building; now who but a mad man would lay his bed on the ſcaffold and ſay, thats accommodation good enough; and ſo take up with that, no matter for the building; beg that he would never leave thee to that mandneſs, but lead thee to things, ſpiritual and eternal, by all externals, and that all things may work p. 54together for thy good, according to this ancient appointment.

We give this reaſon for it, becauſe the Father was directly offended, by ſins marring his work of Creation, & other reaſons are given for the Sons incatnation, Himmelius Diſput. 12. Theſ. 14. P. 130.Eighthly, Was it not by an Agreement between his Son and him, that he ſhould ſit as Creditor in heaven, and the Son come down to be reſponſible to Juſtice? otherwiſe there was love enough in his heart, to have let the Son ſit. Creditor in Heaven, and to have come down himſelf as Debtor and dyed for thee: and therefore ſaith Chriſt; though I ſhould not pray for you, the Father himſelf loveth you, Iohn 16.27. Nay, he loves you ſo well that he doth therefore love me, becauſe I lay down my life for you, Iohn 10.17. what a ſtrange expreſſion of love is this?

Ninthly, Did not He draw up all the Sons Articles and Inſtructions, as

1. That he muſt begin his work in deepeſt humiliation and abaſement.

2. That he muſt pawn his Glory to go through-ſtich with it, which he Redeems, and Redemands p. 55upon his performance, Ioh. 17.4, 5.

3. That he muſt run the Gauntlop in that nature he would Redeem, and be content that every one ſhould have a fling at him 'tis Hillaries alluſion, nature noſtra contumelias tranſcurrit.

4. That his Godhead muſt be eclipſed and vail'd, and he made like unto his Brethren in their natural neceſſities, ſinleſs infirmities, live by faith, get every thing by prayer: not do his own will, but his that ſent him, and ſo fulfill all Righteouſneſs; and why was he thus conformed unto us, but that we might be made conformable unto him?

Fifthly, That he muſt in they days of his fleſh orally and perſonally declare his Fathers Name and love unto his Brethren: and afterwards depute and ſubſtitute ſome to do it to the end of the world; and ſo long as his Leiger Embaſſadors reſide in any place uncalled home, not ſent for away: the Treaty of Peace p. 56holds and continues, and their work is not only to declare Chriſt, but the Father alſo: and this was the ſweeteſt promiſe that Chriſt could chear up his Diſciples with, Ioh. 16.25. The time cometh when I ſhall no more ſpeak unto you in Proverbs, but I ſhall ſhew you plainly of the Father: and thats a moſt ſweet and ſatisfying object, Iohn 14.8. Lord, ſhew us the Father and it ſufficeth us.

Sixthly,Act. 2.23. & 4 20.Acts 2:23Acts 4:20 That he muſt dye a bloody, painful; ſhameful accureſed death to pay the debts of his people,Heb. 9.8.Heb 9:8 and then riſe again from the dead, and bring up his blood with him into the Holieſt of Holies, and there exerciſe and execute the office of his everlaſting I rieſthood; if he would have his death which was of infinite value in it ſelf to be of infinite vertue & efficacy unto others; and is not all this performed exactly, and hath he not herein commended his love unto us with a witneſs. Rom. 58 &c.

Seventhly, That whatever was given him, he muſt preſently give of p. 57the ſame to his members,Act. 2.33. & 5.31.Acts 2:33Acts 5:31 to fit them for that glorious fellowſhip, whereunto they are ordained; what he receives with one hand, he muſt give with the other; and we ſee what David cals receiving, Pſalm 68.18. Paul cals Giving, Eph. 4.12. as if theſe were one and the ſame thing with Chriſt, and thou deſireſt no more of Chriſt then what the Father hath ordered out by him.

Tenthly, After the Father (whoſe motion and project this was) had wrought of the Son to undertake it,Iſa. 42.6. and 50.9.Isa 42:6Isa 50:9 did not he then engage to ſtand by him and to ſupply him with all neceſſaries: a body to ſuffer in,Heb. 10.5.Heb 10:5 and a ſpirit to that body without meaſure, Ioh. 3.34. and 6.37, 44, 5, 17.8.29.John 3:34John 6:37John 6:44John 6:5John 6:17John 6:8John 6:29and to bring thoſe into him in time by retail,Ier. 31.3.Jer 31:3 whom he had given to him in the Lump, before time was, he doth more then invite (as ſaith Arminius) he doth effectually draw by an omnipotent ſweetneſs; & Chriſt muſt not ſcruple to entertain the moſt Leprous loathſome ſinner whom the Father is pleaſed to bring unto him; Ay and the Father muſt p. 58help to keep them alſo, whom he hath brought in, Ioh. 10.28, 29. (a pretious Cordial in Apoſtatizing times,) and all this being done according to an antient complot and agreement, Socinus cannot from theſe ſupplies or dependencies infer the Sons inferiority to the Father; and the poor believing ſinner may preſs him with all theſe engagements.

11. Over and aboye all this, Did he not put forth his paternal Authority, and lay his Commands upon his Son, to engage in this great ſervice, John 10.18. and 12.9, 20. as Pharoah to expreſs a Pleonaſm of Love, commands Joſeph to be kind to his neareſt and deareſt Relations; which one would think, little needed, Gen. 45.19. Go look God in the face, and ſay as David doth, Pſal. 71.3. Thou haſt given Commandment to ſave me; And to to whom? To Man or Angels? No: to me, ſays Chriſt: This Commandment have I received of my Father. If Chriſt fail, there is not p. 59only breach of Articles, but Diſobedience too. Thou canſt not believe that Chriſt loves thee ſo well, as to lay down his Life for thee: But canſt thou believe he loves the Father? tha's eaſie; there's no doubt of that: Why (ſays Chriſt, when he was going to die) that the world may know how I love the Father as the Father hath given me Commandment, even ſo do I, John 14.31.

12. Yet again to make all ſure,Pſa;, 110.1. &c. leaſt the humane nature of Chriſt upon its affumption,Phil 2.8. &c.Phil 2:8 ſhould ſhrink at the approach of ſufferings:Heb. 12.2.Heb 12:2 Doth not the Father engage to reward him plentifully, to give him a Royal and an Everlaſting Prieſthood, a name above every Name, appoints unto him a Kingdom, Luke 22.29. and above all, aſſures him of the Salvation of thoſe he died for, according to this agrement, Iſa. 53. 11. without which nothing could ever have ſatisfied him, ſo that as the aſſumption of the humane nature is the higheſt inſtance of free p. 60mercy; ſo is the rewarding thereof in its ſtate of exaltation, the higheſt inſtance of remunerative Juſtice.

All this needed not to engage Chriſt to the work, ſo much as to engage us to believe that the Father was firſt in willing, as he is in ſubſiſting, the Son ſecond to him therein; but not in heartineſs of good Will, for therein they are both equal; they muſt needs be one in Will, who are ſo in Nature and Being: but ſtill the Father is firſt in Love, Joh. 3.16. For God ſo love the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting Life. and 1 John 4. 9, 10. In this was manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe that God ſent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him; here in is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the Propitiation for our ſins; and therefore love is laid at his door by the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. ult. p. 61The Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghoſt be with you all. The Grace of chriſt makes way for our enjoying the love of God; but we had never known the Grace of Chriſt, had it not been firſt for the love of God, who therefore is called our Saviour, 1 Tim. 1.1.

13. And as ifas all this were not enough; Did not the Father ſeal his Son a Comiſſion, to give life to loſt ſinners, John 6.27. and therefore Chriſt ſo often mentions the Father as ſending him, and furniſhing him with miracles, his letters Credential where ever he came.

14. Nay more, If ſuffering for our ſakes be a ſign of Love (as who can deny or doubt it) to ſpeak after the manner of men: Had not the Father his ſhare of ſufferings as well as the Son? Was it nothing for him to part with his Son? ſuch a Son, an only Son, the delight of his heart and eyes, and that not amongſt friends, but enemies? p. 62Who would ſeek and ſuck his blood in this ſenſe to ſpare him,Rom. 8.32.Rom 8:32 and yet in another not to ſpare him,Iſa. 53.10.Isa 53:10 but to bruiſe him, an take pleaſure in ſo doing? Is all this nothing?Mat. 11. 27, & 28, 18.Matt 11:27Matt 28:18 He may ſeem indeed to have an eaſie part to ſit in Heaven and receive ſatis faction: but you ſee it coſt him ſomething too, nay more; He denies himſelf, and diſappears, and gives up the immediate management of all affairs into the hands of his Son: That part the Son took was ſharper but ſhorter, laſted not much above three and thirty years, but from the time of Chriſts reſurrection: 'Tis along aevum before that God come again to be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.24. and 28. and he in a manner remains hid till the day of Judgement, now Chriſt is all in all, Col. 3.12. The Son tranſacts all by the Spirit, till the laſt day, and the Father worketh now only in and through the Son: Thus you ſee the Father veiling and eclipſing his Glory, to make it ſhine the more hereafter, and in the p. 63mean time his love that ſhines forth herein gloriouſly.

15. Hath not the Father (as well as Chriſt) an hand in ſending the Holy Ghoſt, Ioh. 14.16. & 15.26.John 14:16John 15:26to make a diſcovery and application of all theſe things? yea he is called the Promiſe of the Father, which Chriſt had often hinted to his Diſciples, as the beſt news he could bring them from heaven, Act. 1.4. which (ſaith he) ye have heard of me.

16. Laſtly, Was it not he that wrapt up all this in a glorious Covenant, a Covenant of Grace, Life and Peace, of which I may ſay as John of the Commandment of Love, 1 Ioh. 2.7, 8. 'Tis both the New and Old Covenant; the firſt and laſt and everlaſting Covenant,Heb. 13.20. Sententiam ſapè mutat Deus, Concilium nunquàm. Greg.Heb 13:20 cal'd a Promiſe, (leſt the word Covenant ſhould ſcare us, and make us think there's more required of us, by way of reſtipulation, then we can reach unto,) Tit. 1.2 1 Ioh. 2.25. Covenants of Promiſe, Eph. 2.12. and while we are altogether, ſtrangers thereunto we are p. 64without Hope. The other Covenant was contrived and given forth chiefly to make way and welcome for this, and 'tis this Covennant the precious things whereof are ſealed up unto us in the Sacraments: This is that ſecret of the Lord which is with them that fear him, Pſal. 25.13. to make them know, the Covenant he is ever mindfull of it, and therefore ſent Redemption unto his People: He hath commanded this Covenant for ever, Holy and Reverend is his Name, Pſal. 111.5, 9. &c. and tis this will afford, Death-bed Comfort, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my, houſe be ſo not with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure, for this is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow.

Now then though all theſe things are phraſed in the Language of men, yet not without warrant from the Holy Ghoſt, who condeſcends thus to liſp out the miſteries p. 65of Salvation, elſe we could not underſtand, or take in any thing of them; and though they are all but one act in God, as all his Attributes are but one Divine Excellency and Glory, the Divine Eſſence it ſelf: but this is too big to come in all at once into our narrow hearts, therefore God lets out himſelf by degrees, by drops & beams as we may bear it; 'tis ſo in the diſcovery of himſelf, and 'tis ſo in the diſcovery of his Councill, and operations concerning us in Chriſt Jeſus.

And though the operations ad extra are undivided, but (according to an ancient agreement between them) the operation is attributed to that perſon: the manner of whoſe ſubſiſting appears moſt in it, beginning work to the Father, carrying on to the Son, finiſhing to the Holy Ghoſt.

Yea though many diſown and diſlike theſe things, yet now go, and put them home to God: and if he will own them; and bear his witneſs to them, and ſeal them upon thy heart, it will be ſufficient for thee, to ſhame thee for all thy hard thoughts of him, p. 66and to ſecure thee from the like tormenting menting fears for time to come, and (I know it) he will work wonders (if thy Spirit be ſtirred up to put him to it) rather then be wanting in his witneſs to ſo great a Truth as this, and ſo ſhalt thou be (as, Iob ſpeaks) delivered for ever from thy Judge, from all frightfull Ideas and Apprehenſions of him, as an angry ſevere Judge and enabled to walk with him all thy days, as with a moſt indulgent and tender hearted Father. But what is all this to me (may a poor ſoul ſay,Caſe 5 Fear of unbelief.) though I aſſent unto it, and think I believe it? if my Faith prove a falſe blaze of Fancy, Preſumption, vain Hope; and thou haſt cauſe to fear and ſuſpect it, becauſe it hath not the vertue and operation of that plant of Paradiſe, The Faith of the operation of God, Col. 2.12.Col 2:12the Faith of Gods Elect: Is this thy caſe many times?Tit. 1.1.Titus 1:1 go, order thy cauſe before him, & fill thy mouth with Arguments; go, bow thy knees unto the God & Father of our Lord Jeſus:

And 1. Tell him, he knows how thy heart is carried forth towards him, only according to the terms & tenour of p. 67a Covenant of Grace, and not of works, thou canſt not by any means away with that, that he ſhould deal and do by thee as thou doſt by him; no thou canſt not find the life of thine hand, as 'tis ſaid of ſome, Iſa. 57.10. thine hands are not ſufficient for thee, as 'tis ſaid of Iudah, Deut. 33.7. And will he trample upon worm that would fain creep towards him, only in that way which he himſelf hath chalked out, and is ſo pleaſing to him.

Secondly, He knows that the ſole ground of thy confidence is the precious and plentious Grace of the glorious Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, which tels thee that Chriſt dyed for ſinners, enemies, ungodly, impotent ones: and ask him,Rom. 5.6, 8.Rom 5:6Rom 5:8 if he have ever a ſoul with him in Glory that was not once ſuch an one?Mat. 20.28. and 26.28.Matt 20:28Matt 26:28 that many are ranſomed and pardoned by Chriſt;Mar. 10.45.Mark 10:45 but not how many, Why maiſt not thou be one of thoſe many?

That Salvation is neither of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth: but of God that ſheweth mercy, Rom. 9.16. even to the priſoners of unbelief, Rom. 11.32. theſe and a thouſand ſuch like p. 68precious things the Goſpel uttereth.

Ask him now if thou muſt be aſhamed of the Goſpel, as thou haſt been of the Law,Icr. 2.36, 37. of thy looking for life by it? and if he will reject this confidence alſo, ſo that thou muſt not proſper in it.

Thirdly, Ask him if there be not a double reconciliation plainly taught in the Doctrine of the Goſpel?Rom. 5.9, 10, 11.Rom 5:9Rom 5:10Rom 5:11 the one actually purchaſed by the death of Jeſus Chriſt,2 Cor. 5.18. &c.2 Cor 5:18 and acknowledged by God at that time; the other at the converſion of a ſinner, when he lays down his arms and enmities, and the knowledge of the one is the means to the other: Hath God then ſtirred up all his wrath again, and will not ſuffer a poor ſoul to come near him, who would fain receive the attonement, and be made friends with him?

Fourthly, Ask him wherefore hath this Goſpel been brought to thine ears, to thine heart; but that thou ſhouldeſt truſt in it, and that perfectly, (foreign)even to the end, 1 Pet. 1.13. Did he not call thee to Repentance, and will he now repent of his Calling, p. 69that cannot be for his gifts and calling are without Repentance, Rom. 11.29.

Did he not bid thee come unto him upon thoſe waters of the Sanctuary; And muſt thou now ſink and periſh to allude to that of Peter, Mat. 14.30.

Fifthly, Tell him he knows how fully, how thankfully thy ſoul ſubmits to that Righteouſneſs which is revealed of offered in the Goſpel: and none periſh in unbelief, but they who are ignorant thereof, or ſubmit not thereunto; Rom. 10.3.Phil. 3.8, 9.2 Pet. 1.1.foreignPhil 3:8Phil 3:92 Pet 1:1 Once indeed thou wert proud of thine own poor polluted Rags, but haſt now caſt them all away, and ſaid unto them with deteſtation, get ye hence; and wilt never gather them together again, but bleſſeſt him with all thy heart and ſoul, for that better proviſion made in the Goſpel, and wouldſt fain appear daily, continually before him, cloathed with that righteouſneſs which Chriſt came on purpoſe to bring into the world, Dan. 9.24.

Sixthly, He knows thy heart cloſeth with Chriſt for ſanctification as well as Righteouſneſs to juſtifie thy Faith,1 Cot. 1.30. as p. 70that muſt juſtifie thy perſon, it cloſeth with the whole Goſpel, with whole Chriſt in all his offices; and that there is nothing more deſireable to thine eye, then that holineſs which the Goſpel requireth, promiſeth and promoteth. How fain would thy ſoul be his Glaſs, wherein he might view all his own Gloties, Vertues, Beauties, Graces by reflection; And will he break this glaſs in pieces?

Seventhly and laſtly,1 Pet. 2.9.foreign1 Pet 2:9 Ask him if he will but ſtand to that one good word, ſpoken in his name by his ſervant Rom 5.20. where ſin abounded, Grace did much more abound; this is not the ſpawn or ſpume of thy fancy, nor haſt thou met with this ſaying in ſome good book, whoſe Author might be miſtaken, but if God will make it good (as thou thinkeſt him bound to do, even for the Glory of his Grace, Wiſdom and Truth,) thou canſt tell where there are ſuperfluities of naughtineſs, Iam 1.21.Jas 1:21and he can tell where there are ſuper-aboundings, over-flowings of Grace and Mercy; and if he will draw up the ſluces, thou ſhalt not only honour p. 71him by believing, but be encouraged to look for more then ordinary favours from him, even becauſe ſin hath ſo abounded: And is not this the faith that ſhould come? or muſt thou look for another? or if this be it, why then is not thy heart purified, heart and life ſactified by it? Why is it not unto his ſervant according to his word? Act. 15.9. & 26.18. Plead and preſs this hard upon him, and (my ſoul for thine) he will not deny thee, he will not ſay thee nay: you may take not mine but the Apoſtle Peters word for it, that this is the true Grace of God wherein ye ſtand, 1 Pet. 5.12.

But there is a damp upon thy Spirit,Caſe 6. Fear of Hypocriſie. a great diſcouragement which takes off thy boldneſs before him: thou feareſt that though thou doſt (as thou thinkeſt) believe and rejoyce for a ſeaſon in the Grace believed, yet 'tis not likely to laſt alwayes, thou ſhalt not be able to hold the rejoycing of thy confidence firm unto the end thou ſhalt prove but a temporary; a dung-hill covered with ſnow; which will melt away, thou findeſt ſo much hypocriſie p. 72in whatever thou goeſt about, thou haſt done much evil without the mixture of any good, but never any good without the mixture of much evil, and the hypocrite is juſtly hated of God and man; the world hates him becauſe he ſeems good, and God abhors him becauſe he only ſeems, and is not truly ſuch: and this ſometimes thou feareſt will be thy portion, and canſt not diſcover the bottom of thy miſery to any fleſh living, and this ere long will put an end to thy pleading; thou feareſt, that both the Gift, and Grace, and ſpirit of Prayer (if ever thou hadſt it) will leave thee, according to that in, Iob 27.8.9, 10. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his ſoul, will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him, will he delight himſelf in the Almighty: will he alwayes call upon God? Well, go to God in this caſe however, Go order thy cauſe before him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

I. Tell him He, and He alone knows whether thou aymeſt not at entireneſs of heart before him, both as to the ſubject, p. 73the whole heart which thou wouldſt have kept even from thine iniquity, Pſalm 18.23. Pſalm. 119.6. and ver. 140.Ps 18:23Ps 119:6and as to the object: all his Commandments thou knoweſt not one of them, which thy ſpirit balks or boggles at, but the more pure his word is, the more thy ſoul loveth it.

And alſo as to the means of Grace, they are all dear and pretious to thee, and thou wouldſt be found in the uſe of all his appointments, bid him name that thing which he requires, & which thou knowingly and purpoſely declineſt: and is this the guiſe or way of an hypocrite? only be ſure thy heart reproach thee not.

Secondly, He knows that is the ſecret end of thy living, & why thou art deſirous or ſo much as content to continue in this world, not to ſhare in the pleaſures or profits or honors thereof, (the worlds Trinity which it adores & ſerves,1 Joh. 2.16. Theſe three are the worlds All.1 John 2:16 and ſacrificeth it ſelf unto) but to be receiving or doing ſome good in thy ſtation and generation; and can it be thus with an hypocrite?

Thirdly, He knows that thou chuſeſt rather to be ſickly or poor, or diſgraced, p. 74and to walk cloſe with him, then in health, wealth, or honour to wander from him, or to lie out at a great diſtance from communion with him, yea rather to be following hard after Him, though thou ſhouldſt never enjoy his glorious, raviſhing tranſporting preſence, while thou liveſt, then to ſwim in abundance of carnal enjoyments, and to have a heart careleſs of him, eſtranged from him: and is it thus with any hypocrite in the world?

Fourthly, Tell him thou hadſt rather he ſhould know all thy ſecret ſinnings againſt him,Mat. 6.6Matt 6:6 then that he ſhould not know all thy ſecret ſighings and lamentations after him, the world hath ſeen and ſtumbled at many of thy miſcarriages, but hath not ſeen nor recovered by thy ſecret mournings; but he ſeeth in ſecret: and therefore tell him,

Fifthly, It will not be for his honour to reject thee, for all muſt out: all thy ſecret ſobbings and pantings and purſuings after him, muſt be know one day: and what would Angels and men think to ſee ſuch a mourner in ſecret caſt off to all eternity?

p. 75Laſtly, Appeal unto him, He knows thou haſt been uſually as earneſt with him for Holineſs in time of proſperity, as in time of ſtraits and adverſity: and is this the manner of hypocrites? Surely no; Ʋzziah was marvellouſly helped till he was ſtrong; but when he was ſtrong his heart was lifted up to his deſtruction: for he tranſgreſſed againſt the Lord his God, 2 Chr. 4, 5. & 14.15. It was not ſo with Iehoſaphat, he ſought the Lord God of his Fathers, and walked in his Commandements, and not after the doings of (backſliding) Iſrael,2 Chron. 17.4, 5, 6.2 Chr 17:42 Chr 17:52 Chr 17:6 Therefore the Lord ſtabliſhied the Kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him Preſents, and he had riches and honour in abundance; And his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. Piety procures a ſettlement, and that brings off the people to an acknowledgement of their Magiſtrate; and to a love unto Him, and that uſhers in plenty and abundance, and an honeſt heart in the midſt of it all, is carried higher and nearer to God, as the waters bear up the Ark, and lifted it nearer Heaven.

If it be thus with thee, in thy meaſure, p. 76there may be and will be ſome Leaven of hypocriſie, which may ſomewhat four thy performances which yet upon thy humiliaton ſhall be pardoned: and thy Judge himſelf and his Deputy in thine own boſom will pronounce that thou art no hypocrite.

Peradventure thou mayeſt reply,Caſe 7. Fear of being acted only by fear.though I may prove no hypocrite, yet I ſhall prove little better then a ſlave. I fear I am awed and acted only by a ſpirit of fear, Rom. 8.15.Rom 8:15and this is far from a Goſpel-ſpirit,2 Tim. 1.7.2 Tim 1:7 from a ſpirit of Adoption; they are ſet as adverſaries and Antipodies one againſt another: and if there were not a dread of God upon my ſpirit, if deſtruction from God were not a terrour unto me, I know not what would become of me, nor whether Satan and my corruptions would hurry me. Well, yet go and order thy cauſe before him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

Ask him if He have not obſerved ordinarily thy ſpirit to be more melted and humbled when he hath filled thy heart with joy, and thy mouth p. 77with Prayſes, then by any evil felt or feared, then by the ſenſe or approach of any evil whatſoever, and is this the frame of a ſlave, or of a child?

Secondly, Tell him 'tis true, thou feareſt him (and ſo do all the Saints and Angels in Heaven) but 'tis with ſuch a fear as enlargeth thy heart towards him, and doth not ſtraiten it;Iſa. 60.5.Isa 60:5 ſuch a fear as is an helper of thy Ioy, Pſalm 2.11.Ps 2:11not an enemy to it;Acts 9.31.Acts 9:31 ſuch a fear as furthers the Comforts of the Holy Ghoſt; 1 Ioh. 4.18.1 John 4:18ſuch a fear as hath no torment in it: and therefore love though perfected ſhall never caſt it our, and thou didſt never ſee good day till this took hold of thee; doſt never enjoy good hour when this doth not over-rule thee. 'Tis a bitter thing to thee that ever thou wert without it, Ier. 2.19.

Thirdly,Hoſ. 3.5.Hos 3:5 Tell Him it is Him and his goodneſs that thou feareſt,Pſalm 28.1.Ps 28:1 his frown, his abſence, his ſilence, Cant. 1.2.Song 1:2are now more dreaded by thee then all his Darts and Thunders uſed to be formerly; the loſs of a ſmile, of a kiſs, a kindneſs, is that thou moſt feareſt, and this thou takeſt to be a p. 78ſpirit of ingenuity, not of ſlavery.

Fourthly, He knows thy voyce, and can tell whether he hear any of his own Language from thee or no, how badly and brokenly ſoever it be pronounced; though thou chattereſt like a Crane, or a Swallow, or mourneſt like a Dove, as Hezekiah ſpeaks of himſelf, Iſa. 38.14.

Every creature conveys its ſound, its tone and tune to the young ones, and none of his children are ſtill born; the Spirit unties their tongues, and ſets them a crying Abba Father; and he knows thou doſt cry ſometimes: not coldly tender him ſome dead prayers, but cry, and not as a thief at a Bar to a Judge whom he neither loves nor hath any confidence in, but as a poor child when in diſtreſs who daily asks his Fathers bleſſing.

Fifthly, Deſire him that he would feel thee as Iſaac did Jacob; Gen. 27, 21.22.Gen 27:21Gen 27:22the deſire of thy ſoul is not only to have a ſmooth voyce, but hands alſo ſo far from roughneſs; that he may for ever own thee as one of the ſeed of Jacob, p. 79thy heart is againſt a Covenant of works, but for all the works of the Covenant.

Oh,Caſe 8. Sence of backflidings. but the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherouſly; yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherouſly; thy Revoltings have been multiplied, and thy back-ſlidings are many, and how ſhall He pardon thee for this? In puts God himſelf to a pawſe, to a ſtand, to demur upon it, Fer. 5.7. and chap. 3.19. How ſhall I put thee among the children? Nay, Chap. 2.29 He ſeemeth to put a ſtop to all further pleading; Wherefore will ye plead with me, ye all have tranſgreſſed againſt me, ſaith the Lord: Nay, which is worſt of all, the Holy Spirit of God being hereby grieved; where haft thou now another friend to ſpeak a good word for thee? when the Father is offended, there's the Son to mediate for thee: and when Chirſt is diſobliged, yet there is the Spirit to intercede for thee, but when the Spirit is vexed and quenched, there's never a fourth p. 80Perſon in the Trinity to make up the breach to comprimiſe the difference; who ſhall now put words into thy mouth, or fill thy mouth with with Arguments? yet even in this caſe try him, if he will not help thee at this dead lift, and prove an Advocate for thee; for he himſelf hath pen'd a form of prayer for one in thy caſe, Hoſ 14.1, 2, 3. Go then even to this holy Spirit, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

Firſt, Tell him thou haſt read or heard of his goodneſs, Pſal. 143.10. and of his Love, Rom. 15.30. Not only that which he begets in the Saints, but that which he bears to them, all the world hath had experience of it, the Church eſpecially; and thou art not altogether a ſtranger to it, and haſt now occaſion further to try it; and hopeſt to find it, no whit inferiour either to that of the Father in giving his Son, or that of the Son in giving himſelf for thee; though He hath not been equally loved and honoured with then, but wofully neglected and forgotten.

p. 81Secondly, Ask him if it be poſſible for thee to be in a worſe plight then when he firſt had to do with thee; and did he then fall to work upon thee when he might have abhord to foul his fingers with thee, and will he now forſake the work of his own hands; Pſal. 138.8.

Thirdly, Thou hopeſt he will dwell in thy duſt when death hath done its worſt unto thee, and raiſe than again, according to Rom. 8.11. and will he now forſake thy ſoul and not raiſe that again, now that ſin and the devil have done their worſt againſt it; for worſe then what hath been thou thinkeſt cannot befall thee.

Fourthly, Have not the moſt eminent Saints that ever he dwelt in, had their backſlidings, and finned even againſt that grace wherein lay their excellency, were they all reſtored by him, and ſhalt thou only be abandoned?

Fifthly, Were not all thoſe gracious tenders to backſliders, framed, and filed, and recorded by him? Fer. 3.22. Return ye backfliding children and I will heat your backflidings: Behold ive come p. 82unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God, Hoſea 14.4. I will heal their backſlidings, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him; and in many other places; and beg he would teach thee experimentally to know what is meant by Gods healing backſlidings.

Sixthly, He knows that nothing in the world ever ſo wounded thee or went ſo near thy heart, as thy tempting and grieving of him hath done; and thou art reſolved never to forgive thy ſelf, though he do, no (as ſometimes thou thinkeſt) not in Heaven.

Seaventhly, He knows that thou art to this day wailing, and wondring, and waiting, to know wherefore thou wert ſo left unto they ſelf, and that thou art far from wipeing thy mouth and ſlighting of it; thou canſt not but think that God hath ſome deſign upon thee therein as he had upon Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.31. God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart: and little didſt thou think when God firſt turned thy heart unto p. 83himſelf, there had been that in it which ſince hath broken forth from it, nor was ever any ſo deceived in thee as thou haſt been in thy ſelf,Prov. 28.26.Prov 28:26 but art reſolved now againſt that folly of truſting in thine own heart any more.

Eighthly, Ask him upon what termes he firſt entred upon thy heart; Was it not with a Commiſſion there to ſtay, how ill ſoever treated or entertained? So ſaies Chriſt, it was agreed on, Joh, 14.16. And I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

Thou wouldſt not for a world have him only upon the ſame account. The firſt Adam had him in his ſtate of innocency, concurring meerly as a third Perſon in the Trinity, but by vertue of a relation to the ſecond; and then he muſt never leave thee, he muſt not only alight but abide alſo, as upon the head, ſo upon the Members, Joh. 1.32, 33.

Ninthly, Say to him, hereby ſhalt thou know that he is God indeed, equall to the Father and the Sonne, p. 84and that though all the world ſhould conſpire againſt him to un-God him, yet ſhall his invincible patience, and inſuperable good will, raiſe an everlaſting piller of witneſs in thy boſome, let who will caſt him off, he ſhall be thy God for ever; Who is a God like unto thee, pardoning iniquities, Micah 7.18. is equally true of Father, Son, and holy Spirit.

But ſtill thy heart akes and is diquieted,9^th Caſe. Sence of Corruption. to think that what's ſaid of a man of great wrath, Prov. 19.19. is alſo moſt true of thee, ſuch an one muſt needs ſuffer puniſhment; for if thou deliver him, yet thou muſt do it again, he'le ever and anon bring himſelf into the bryers; and this is thy caſe, though the ſweet Spirit of God be willing to forgive thee former offences, and to fetch thee off from thy imbroylments, yet is he likely to have an heavy hand with thee, conſidering thy corruptions and temptations; thou art likely to run upon a new ſcore, to run into new rebellions, and there will be no end of all his labour; yet in this caſe go and order thy cauſe before God the Father p. 85and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Ask Him,Math. 4.23. Mind him how long thou haſt lain and languiſhed of this diſeaſe. lo theſe eighteen it may be eight and thirty years, or longer.Matt 4:23 Was not this one great end why our nature was taken into perſonall union with the divine, that the diſeaſes of the one might be healed by the infinite vertue an durity and efficacy of the other? did Chriſt come only to cure the ſickneſſes of the body?Rom. 6.6.Rom 6:6 or were not all theſe cures the types and repreſentations of thoſe he came to work upon the ſouls of ſinners? ſure ſuch as touch him by faith, ſhall have their bloody iſſues ſtopped, and all other inward diſtempers cured: in the dales of his fleſh he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreſſed of the devil, Acts 10.38. and lamentable were our loſs by his removall to Heaven, if from thence his vertue could not reach us; and if he were now on earth, thou art verily perſwaded thou mightſt have help from him; why not from Heaven?

2. Did He not die that ſin might die and be deſtroyed? he was not only cloathed with our nature, but ſtrip'd by the ſeperation of ſoul and body p. 36(though not of the Godhead from either) that ſin and our ſouls might be ſeperated: why doth ſin live, ſeeing Chriſt died?

3. Demand even of Juſtice, if Chriſt hath not fully paid thy ranſome? why then art thou kept in bonds? holden with the cords of thy ſin? the worſt uſage which the worſt of men in this world are threatned with; Prov. 5.22. his own iniquities ſhall take the wicked himſelf, and he ſhall be holden with the cords of his ſins; the vileſt dungeon to this, without this, is a pleaſant pallace, a delightfull garden, as was ſaid by ſome if the bleſſed Martyrs of their priſons.

4. Complain that theſe corruptions do wrong, defile and outrage that nature which Chriſt now wears in Heaven, and hath exalted far above the brighteſt Cherub; for He and his are all of piece, Heb. 2.11. and this is a thouſand ſhames and pities.

5. If there be any ſeed of God, any beginning of that everlaſting work of ſanctification in thee, thou art not become A member of his body, of his fleſh and p. 37of his bones, Eph. 5.30. (for Chriſt never took any but ſanctified upon him) and how then can he hide himſelf from his own fleſh? he would not have us do ſo, Iſa. 58.7. how can he indure to ſee his own fleſh ſo ſhamefully abuſed?

He who made a Law a man ſhould not hide himſelf when he ſaw his enemies beaſt ſink down under his burden, the Aſs of one who hated him, Exod. 23.5. Doth he take care for Oxen and for Aſſes? and can he himſelf forbear to help up the ſoul of one that loves him? and will he not help with him? or if thou art afraid to ſay thou loveſt him, becauſe thy heart is ſo little with him, yet to be ſure there's a poor ſould down, and will he not help it up? will he not help it? and that againſt thoſe oppreſſors which are as well the enemies of his praiſe and glory as of thy peace and ſafety.

And ſurely theſe Cananites are left in the Land, as it was in the figure.

To keep down pride, Deut. 7.22.

To try whether we will follow the Lord or our luſts, Judg. 2.23.

p. 88To reach us war, and to exerciſe our graces, Judg. 3.1.

To make us to keep more above, upon the mountains, Judg. 1.34

To become tributaries and do our drudgery, 1 King. 10.21. God makes our corruptions do us ſome ſervice, which our graces cannot do without them.

But peradventure thou maiſt think with thy ſelf,10^th Caſe. Fear of affliction. that through grace (whereunto nothing is impoſſible) thou maiſt be both pardoned and purified too in time, but it will coſt thee dear firſt, a world of afflictions muſt be expected where there hath been ſuch a world of provocations, and yet remains ſuch a maſs of corruption; and theſe fears of what may come, take thee off from enjoying what is preſent: Go with this complaint to thy Judg, that theſe fears may be diſarmed, and bound over, no more to moleſt thee; go fill thy mouth with arguments, for who can ſay his mountain is ſtrong he ſhall never be moved? or who can fore-tell or fore-ſee the things that may befall him;2 Sam 12. ver 13, 14.2 Sam 12:132 Sam 12:14 even pardoning mercy it p. 89ſelf is no ſence againſt this flail of affliction.Pſal. 99.8.Ps 99:8

1. Tell Him whatever comes, 'tis thy diſire to bear his indignation, becauſe thou haſt ſinned againſt him,Severa diſcipliuae miſericordia. Heb. 12.6, 7. Cato choſe rather not to be rewarded when he did well, then not to be puniſed when he did amiſs. Plut. in viz.Heb 12:6Heb 12:7 Mich 7.9. and that thy ſtubborn uncircumciſed heart may accept of the puniſhment of thine iniquity, becauſe even becauſe thou haſt deſpiſed his judgments, and carried it as if thy ſoul had abhorred his ſtatutes, Lev. 26.43. Nay

2. Tell him that thou hadſt rather be under the ſchooling of his children, then the cockering of his caſtawayes, under the ſevere mercy of his diſcipline (as Auguſtin ſpeaks of that of the Church) then under the impunity of thoſe deſperate loſt creatures whom God hath thrown up as a loſt caſe, and will not be at the coſt to beſtow another rod upon them, even his correcting rod as well as his ſupporting ſtaff ſhall be a comfort to thee, Pſal. 23.4. no puniſhment like impunity.

3. Though it be infinitely more eligible that way to be humbled and reformed then not at all, yet tell him, p. 40if he will be pleaſed to ſpare thee, 'twill be more for his honour to do it in the midſt of proſperity, becauſe this is more difficult and more unuſuall: Jer. 22.21. I ſpake unto thee in thy proſperity, but thou ſaidſt I will not hear, this hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedſt not my voice. Now what a glory will it be to him, to bore thine ear in the midſt of thy proſperity.

4. As this will be more glorious for Him, ſo more uſefull to others, the examples of ſuch a convert is much more conſpicuous and illuſtrious; in miſerable ones 'tis hard to diſtinguiſh between a devaſtation and a reformation, between their trouble for ſin, and for ſuffering, in perſons not humbled and yet humble, outwardly happy and yet weaned from the breaſts of ſinfull pleaſures, 'tis very viſible that 'tis not abſence but abſtinence; that they do not make a vertue of neceſſity, that 'tis voluntary not extorted; and beſided men are far more forward to imitate the happy then the wretched and miſerable, to write after a fair copy p. 41then one all blotted and blurd, ſoyld and ſullied by the tears and ſwent of affliction, the examples only of ſuch as are ſome way happy or eminent carry compulſion in them, Gal. 2.14.

5. Tell Him however ſo he will go with thee through fire and water, according to his gracious promiſe, Iſa. 43. 2. thou art not afraid to venture, thou wilt interpret it to be his affection as well as his faithfullneſs, his magnifying of thee, his ſetting his heart upon thee, Job 7.17, 18. His utmoſt kindneſs unto thee, ſeeing he himſelf ſtiles it ſo.Cardan de ſubt. lib. 67. Mountebanks make uſe of this experiment. Jer. 9.7. Behold I will melt them and try them, for what elſe ſmall I do, what more can I do for the daughter of my people? Some affirm, if a knife or needle be touched with a Loadſtone of an iron colour, it will cut or enter into a mans body without any ſence of pain at all: 'tis true of afflictions well touched with the Loadſtone of divine Love. Bleſſed is the man whom thon chaſteneſt O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy Law, that thou maiſt give him reſt from the days of adverſity, Pſal. 94.12, 13. This then is a bleſſed conditon, when correction p. 92and inſtruction are linked together and thou canſt not be happy without it,Job 5.17. Prov. 3.12.Job 5:17Prov 3:12 nor haſt thou been over-eager after deliverance, when in affliction thou haſt enjoyed his precious preſence.

But 'tis hard to keep in this minde when it comes to the tryall,11^th Caſe. Sence of pain. eſpecially when God puts forth his hand and toucheth to the quick, when he toucheth the bone and the fleſh, the (ſaith the devil of Job) he will never endure that, he will curſe thee to thy face, Job 2.5.

In extremity of pain when thy ſpirit is ready to fail before him, and the ſoul which he hath made; art apt to ſay in thine heart, where is all that ſweetneſs and tenderneſs thou madſt thy boaſt of?Job 4.6.Job 4:6 where is now thy fear, thy confidence, the uprightneſs of thy ways and thy hope? and this may be thy caſe, how ſtrong, how healthfull ſoever thou haſt been hitherto.

Yet even then labour to order thy cauſe before him, and fill thy mouth with arguments, and if our hearts reproach us not, if they condemn us not for ſecret Atheiſts and notorious diſſemblers, p. 93we may have boldneſs and freedom of ſpeech in all theſe caſes, 1 Joh. 3.21. and in this caſe it is a ſhamefull thing for a profeſſed Chriſtian, to know no other way of complaint or cure then a beaſt doth, Hoſ. 7. 14. A beaſt when in pain will cry, and may be cured by time and remedies; a Chriſtian indeed hath a ſpirituall way of complaining, which affords more eaſe then the naturall:In caſe of pain. therefore in caſe of pain,

1. Juſtifie him,Job 11.6.Job 11:6 and tell him thou knoweſt that he exacteth of thee leſs then thine iniquity deſerveth; tell him thoſe parts that feel the pain, have deſerved infinitely more then they feel; call to minde thoſe very times and places wherein they have provoked the eyes of his glory; the wicked devices of thy head, the wretched deſires of thy heart, the pollutions of thy hands, the ſwiftneſs of thy feet to do evil (only take heed of repeating thoſe ſins by any curſed titilation or delight in the remembrance of them,) confeſs the whole body hath deſerved to be laid upon the rack in hell, and never let p. 94down to all eternity. Yet

2. Make bold to minde him how utterly unuſefull thou now art unto him, unleſs he will fill and furniſh thee with ſtrength and patience to glorifie him in ſuffering, now that he is not pleaſed to imploy thee in doing; and if ſo, though thou lye in hell, there ſhall be never a devil in it to torment thee.

3. Ask him if he can take any pleaſure in thy pain? if that be agreeable to the incomparable ſweetneſs of his only good nature? if that can be ſuitable to the bowels and compaſſions of thoſe relations wherewith he hath condeſcended to aray himſelf? did ever the harſheſt parent beat a child (how bad ſoever) all the day long, and all the night, or ſo long together without intermiſſion? thus Hezekiah reaſoneth from day even to night, wilt thou make an end of me? I reckoned till morning (I thought then he would give over,)Pſal. 30.5.Ps 30:5 I thought though ſorrow may endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning, but as a Lion, ſo will he break all my bones, from day even p. 95to night wilt thou make an end of me, Iſa. 38.12, 13.

Can this ſeverity be conſiſtent with the ſweereſt relations? and what are the bowels of all the relations in the world to Gods, but flints and adamants?

Ask him then with this complaint Job, Is it good to thee that thou ſhouldeſt oppreſs, that thou ſhouldeſt deſpiſe the work of thine hands? Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me together round about, yet thou doſt deſtroy me: Remember I be ſeech thee, that thou haſt made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into duſt again? (wilt thou pound me into powder before my time?) Job 10.3, 8, 9, &c. Or if that could be his pleaſure and his paſtime (which ſure it is not,) yet ask him if thou art a fit match or mark for him? Am I a ſea, or a whale, that thou ſetteſt a watch over me? Job 7.12. there's a pride and a power worthy of his curbing and coping with,Job 40. 18, &c.Job 40:18 ſome Leviathan or Behemoth, may be a fit ſubject for him that made him, to make his ſword approach unto, his bones are as ſtrong p. 96peices of braſſe, his bones are like bars of iron;Job 6.12.Job 6:12 but mine are not ſo, Is my ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones, or is my fleſh of braſs? alas no, he knows the contrary, hath he not powred me out as milk and cruddled me like cheeſe? which will ſoone crumble under his fingers, wherefore then hideſt thou thy face, and holdeſt me for thine enemy, wilt thou break a poore leafe driven to and fro,Job 13.24.Job 13:24 and wilt thou purſue the dry ſtubble? for thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, Job 10.10.Job 10:10and makeſt me to poſſeſs the iniquities of my youth; ceaſe from me, and let me alone, that I may take comfort alittle.

And will he not be intreated? mind him that he himſelf hath told thee, that he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of men, to cruſh under his feet all the priſoners of the Earth, Lam. 3.33, 34. not the children of men, much leſſe then the Children of god, his own Children; and thou hopeſt thou doſt looke like one of them, yea, that thou art one of them.

Not the priſoners of the earth, and will he cruſh either with his foot or his p. 97hand the free born Citizens of Heaven,Gal. 4.26.Gal 4:26 thoſe whom the Son hath made free,Ioh. 8.36.John 8:36 and ſo are free indeed; Zech. 9.12.Zech 9:12and if thou art a priſoner, thou art a priſoner of hope; Iſa. 49.9. & 61.1.Isa 49:9Isa 61:1thou haſt ſometimes thought, that he hath looſed thy bands, and ſaid unto thy ſoul, go forth and thou canſt not yet caſt away thy confidence.

Fourthly.Iſa. 53.10.Isa 53:10 Ask Him, Why did he take peaſure in the pains of his deare Sonne,Jer 9.24.Jer 9:24 in cruſhing and bruiſing of him as in a wine preſſe;Mic. 7.18.Mic 7:18 ſure that work in it ſelf was no ſuch pleaſing work unto Him, but only as it made way and gave vent to that which is his pleaſure, the exerciſe of love and mercy; that was but a medium to this end, and in it ſelf a bitter one to God Himſelf, ſave only as this ſweetned it,

Now why did he put him to grief if he received no ſatisfaction thereby? were not his head, and heart, and hands, and feet, and ſides tormented, that thine might be ſpared? ſurely the ſinnes of all believers were puniſhed and paid for to the full, in and by their Surety, and are only corrected in themſelves, though therefore thou haſt cauſe to bewaile p. 98and to be amazed at the naughtineſſe of that heart which calls for ſuch rods; yet it cannot but be a chearing to thee that God is not reckoning with thee, as if he meant to fetch his peny-worths, his compenſations to his Juſtice out of thy ſmartings.

Laſtly, Ask Him if He Himſelf ſmart not in thy ſufferings? if Chriſt Himſelf do not ſuffer and bleed afreſh? if his compaſſion do not almoſt renew and repeat His Paſſion, has loſt his old wont elſe; In all the afflictions of His People He was wont to be afflicted, (even before His Incarnation, when He had not thoſe Bowels of a Man that now He hath,) Iſa. 63.9. And though no pain can have any place in Heaven, yet love in its perfection feels ſomething by way of Simpathy, not only analogous and proportionable, but infinitely more high and generous then we can think of.

Though therefore there be a farre greater height of love expreſſed in his afflicting, then in his cockering and carking, yet beg he would either moderate or withdraw His hand, conſidering p. 99whereof thou art made, and remembring thou art but duſt, and thou ſhalt either have eaſe and deliverance, or that which is farre better,Heb. 12.10, 11, 12.2 Cor. 1.17.Heb 12:10Heb 12:11Heb 12:122 Cor 1:17 an ample participation in his holineſs, and a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory.

But may ſome poore ſoul ſay;12^th Caſe. Deſertion, felt, or feared. 'twere well if I might eſcape with the ſmartings and ſufferings of the outward man, with the pain of the body which is but the body of pain; the ſorrow of the ſoul is the ſoul of ſorrow, and either I feele or feare deſertion; having found Him whom my ſoul loveth,Cant. 3 4.Song 3:4 I would faine have held him and not have let him go, I would not let him go without a bleſſing, nay, I would have the bleſſing and keep him too, his preſence being the beſt of bleſſings, but woe unto me when he departs from me.

Now though this be the moſt darkſome and doleſome condition that can befall thee, yet 'tis neither deſperate nor unuſuall; go therefore even in this caſe and order thy cauſe before him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Tell Him, 'tis but fit indeed that p. 100he ſhould aſſert his own ſoveraignty, by coming or going when he pleaſeth; but why ſhould he take a pleaſure to be a hiding God,Iſa. 45.15.Isa 45:15 where he is a Saviour, to be a ſtranger in his own land, in Immanuels land, and to be at his own houſe, as a wayfaring man that turneth aſide to tarry for a night, ſeeing he alone is the hope thereof, and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble? yet thou O Lord art in the midſt of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not, thus Jeremiah pleads, chap. 14.8, 9.

2. Make bold to minde his bleſſed Majeſty of thoſe many engagements made by Himſelf and Sonne, never to leave thee nor forſake thee: Shew him thoſe promiſes, Joh. 14.21. he that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifeſt my ſelf unto him: and ver. 23. my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him, judge; Lord thou knoweſt all things, p. 101thou knoweſt that I love thee, Joh. 21.17. Nay, hath He not ſaid, that He will not caſt off his People, no not for all that they have done againſt Him, Jer. 31.37. and if not for what they have done, what is there elſe that they need feare, 1 Sam. 12.20, &c. Fear not, ye have done all this wickedneſſe, yet turn not aſide from following the Lord; for the Lord will not forſake His People, ſeeing it bath pleaſed the Lord to make you His People; He can neither be inconſtant in His Love, nor ſo miſtaken in His Choice as to repent thereof.

3. Tell the Sonne of Righteouſneſſe, 'tis true, thou canſt neither beare His Shinings, nor Eclipſes, but much leſſe theſe, then thoſe; thou hadſt much rather chuſe to be burnt up by his flames and imbraceings, then to be frozne up and ſtarv'd in the ſhadow of his abſence and withdrawings, thou hadſt rather gaze out thine own eyes, then weep them out,Deut. 34.5. So Moſes died at the mouth of the Lord. Super or Domini mons.Deut 34:5 wouldſt rather chuſe to dye with Maſes at the mouth of the Lord, have thy ſoul ſuckt out by a kiſſe (as ſome ſay his was) then to pine away p. 102from day to day, through the hidings of his face and withholdings of his favour.

4. Tell Him, If thou hadſt never known Him, thou couldſt have been without Him, at leaſt without any preſent ſence of ſorrow for his abſence; but now having taſted that he is gracious, in his favour is thy life, and his loving kindneſſe is better then life,Pſal. 30.5. & 63.3.Ps 30:5Ps 63:3 and thou canſt not make a ſhift to be one day without him.

5 Tell Him, If the loſſe were totall and finall, 'twere perfect Hell, and the worſt of Hell, the puniſhment of loſſe being concluded to be far greater then that of ſence; and if it be but partiall and for a time, for a moment (as he calls it, Iſa. 54.7, 8. a ſmall moment, though thou thinkeſt it an age) yet who can be content to be in Hell, in an Hell above ground, though but for a moment.

6. Tell Him, He had as good return at firſt as at laſt, for as till then thou art ſure to have no reſt thy ſelf, ſo he is likely to have but little; Heaven is like to Ring out, and thou haſt a p. 103warrant under His own hand, to beare thee out in ſuch a reſtleſſe importunity; not only watchmen ſet upon the Walls of Jeruſalem, are never to hold their peace day nor night, but all ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not ſilence, and give him no reſt, till he eſtabliſh, and till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the earth, Iſaiah 62. 6, 7.

7. Ask him, Why was Chriſt forſaken by him, but that Chriſtians might never be ſo: Chriſt himſelf expoſtulated the caſe, and put the queſtion upon the Croſſe,Math. 27.46Matt 27:46 My God my God, why haſt thou for ſaken me? and thou hopeſt thoſe living words of His dying Sonne have made ſo deep an impreſſion that they will never out of his mind, ſhall never be forgotten.

Yet may ſome complain and ſay,13^th Caſe. Exerciſed in friends, relations, name or eſtate. God is pleaſed indeed to ſpare me both as to ſouland body, but yet his hand is out againſt me, and lies ſore upon me in my relations, friends, name, eſtate, which are no mean ingredients, either as to the ſweetning or imbittering of my cup: yet in this caſe go to him, p. 104order thy cauſe before Him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Doth He threaten the removall of ſome neare and deare relations tell Him, they are pieces of they ſelf; and is he now about to rend the cawle of thine heart, and hath not fitted thee for reſignation?

2. He knows that the laſt corruption mortified in His Children, is inordinateneſſe of affection to relations; when they come to dye themſelves, and are already dead to all things elſe in the world, yet ſtill the heart hankers after theſe, this is next to the ſoul, as the ſhift is to the body, and is laſt put off: and is it ſo difficult to dye to relations, when we our ſelves are dying, putting off from the ſhoare of this world, and launching into the deeps of eternity: have we ſo much a doe then to ſhake hands and bid farewell to our friends? what is it then when we ſee them pluckt from us, when the life of all paſſions and affections is whole and ſtrong in us, ſcarce deaded at all to our enemies, to thoſe things we ought to hate, much leſſe to our friends, to thoſe p. 105perſons whom we ought to love; beg him to conſider and pitty thee in this difficulty.

3. Tell Him, He knows thou tookeſt them as tokens and pleadges of his love, and wer't wont to ſpeak of them in thine heart in the language of Jacob, Gen. 35.5. Theſe are the friends, the children; the comforts, which God hath graciouſly given His Servant; and thou feareſt now that he is about to take them away in anger, and the ſignification of the ſtroke is that which diſquiets thee,Dan. 5.5, 6.Dan 5:5Dan 5:6 (like the hand-writing upon the wall) much more then the ſtroke it ſelf.

4. Tell Him (when they are gone or going) thou art reſolved never to recruit with Creatures; Ask Him if He will be pleaſed to ſtand in the breach and to fill up the gapp Himſelf,foreign he ſaies he offers Himſelf thereunto, Heb. 12.7. courting thee to accept of His company and ſupply; and if he will make good his offer, he ſhall be better unto thee then ten of thoſe relations, friends, comforts, yea, then ten thouſand ſuch things as He firſt p. 106lent thee or put into thy hand to hold for him, and now hath ſeen it meet to call for, away from thee.

5. Tell Him, As fro thy Name 'tis in his keeping, muſt have a reſurrection as well as thy body, though the one deſerve to rot as well as the other; and if his name were not concerned in it, thou wouldeſt neither trouble him, nor thy ſelf about it, 1 Cor. 4.3. with me it is a very ſmall thing to be judged of men.

6. He knows that though thy liquoriceneſſe after Creatures hath coſt thee deare, yet it hath been the endeavour of thy ſoul to live upon Him alone, in the midſt of all other comforts, to make Him thy All, above All, with All, who ſhall hereafter be All, without All; and that in the mean time, thou mighteſt live upon him without other things; If it ſhould pleaſe him to ſtrip thee of them, as knowing that there was a worme at the root of thoſe gourds, which would one day deprive thee of their refreſhing ſhadow, and he knows that ſometimes when friends have failed, though at firſt thou wert p. 107amazed, yet upon recollection thou haſt rejoyced to find thy ſelf laid at his dore alone for help, and thou haſt found Him alone All-ſufficient for thee, and He hath done that alone which he would not do in conſort with ſecond cauſes.

Laſtly, He knows how often thou haſt offered Him (if He would ſend thee) to go after thoſe ancient ſervants and ſufferers for His Name, Heb. 11.37, 38. to wander about in ſheepskin and goat-skins, ſo that leathern outſide might be well lined with divine love; to wander in mountains, ſo thou mighteſt be nearer to Him, in deſarts ſo He would not deſert thee, ſo He would not be a wilderneſſe or a land of darkneſſe to thee; in dens and caves of the earth, ſo they might be furniſhed and beautified, guilded and glorified with His Preſence, His precious All-ſufficeing Preſence;

And he makes but a bad bargin, who takes more of what is leſt, and is content to be put off with leſſe of what is moſt, which thou wilt never be (through his Grace) while thou liveſt.

p. 108Yet thou maiſt proceed and ſay,14^th Caſe. Diſquietment from croſs providences. though he ſpare the main branches, I am often affraid of lopping by ſome particular unexpected providences; a little Center of fear or trouble, ſoone darkens the whole circumference of Joy and Pleaſure, and on a ſudden, many times the whole Heaven is black with clouds and wind, when at firſt nothing appeared but a little cloud. Sicut vola hominis, like a mans hand, which one would have thought would eaſily have been blown over (as Athanaſius ſaid of the Arrian Hereſie, Nubecula eſt cito pertranſit) but it proves far otherwiſe, and who can ſay at all times as Solomon once did to Hiram, 1 Kin. 5.4. Now the Lord my God hath given me reſt on every ſide, ſo that there is neither adverſary nor evill occurrent; if not now yet thou knoweſt not how ſoon thou maiſt meet with many adverſaries, many evill occurrents? yet in this caſe go unto thy God, order thy cauſe before Him and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

Ask Him if thy dependance be not on him alone, for direction, for ſucceſs p. 109in all thine undertakings and concernments: He knows thou haſt no other friend to rely on for counſell or aſſiſtance, and with him the friendleſs and fatherlſs uſe to finde mercy: becauſe our faith honours him,Hoſ. 14.3.Hos 14:3 he uſeth to honour it:Pſal. 62.1, 2, 5, 6.Ps 62:1Ps 62:2Ps 62:5Ps 62:6 The King truſteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the moſt high he ſhall not miſcarry, Pſal. 21.7. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoſe minde is ſtayed on thee, becauſe he truſteth in thee, Iſa. 26.3.

Nay he is pleaſed ſomtimes to make our faith the rule of his favour, and as it were to give himſelf captive into the hands of our faith, to be ſuch unto us as we would have him to be: Matth. 8.13. Go thy way (faith Chriſt to the Centurion) and according as thou haſt believed, ſo be it done unto thee. Beg him to ſay ſo unto thee; he knows for what thou haſt believed on him.

2. Hath it not been thy manner to go to him, and beg him to go along with thee even in thine ordinary and ſmalleſt matters (unleſſe thou haſt been ſurprized, and in theſe it is that men for p. 110the moſt part miſcarry and ſometimes ſtumble fatally,1 King. 2.20.23.1 Kgs 2:201 Kgs 2:23 as Adonijah did in asking of Abſhag, Iſa. 39.4, 6.Isa 39:4Isa 39:6and Hezekiah in ſhewing his treaſures; men are jealous and timerous in great matters and dare not but carry them to God, but think that ſmall ones are within their own maſtery, they need not trouble him about them, and that ruines them, but it is not wont to be ſo with thee.

3. Thou doſt not uſe after vowes to make enquiry;Jer. 42. 5, 6, 20, 21. ver.Jer 42:5Jer 42:6Jer 42:20Jer 42:21 to come to him with all thoughts made up before hand, fully reſolved what courſe thou wilt ſteare, as the Jews did about their journey into Egypt, no, but in an equilibrious frame of Spirit, he may turn the ſcale with a touch of his finger which way he pleaſeth; doſt thou uſe to let thy Father chuſe for thee, as being unable, unfit to chuſe for thy ſelf, and can he chuſe amiſſe?

4. Ask Him if thou didſt not caſt thy ſelf upon Him, beg mercy and direction in that very thing which hangs now like a thick cloud over thine head, and threatens thee with ſtormes and tempeſts; even Saul is affraid to engage p. 111without firſt arming himſelf by Sacrifice and ſolemn ſupplication, 1 Sam. 13.12. but the ſoul takes it ill to miſcarry when it hath done ſo: not forceing it ſelf, (as Saul did,) but acting in a ſpirit of ingenuity, it then expoſtulates with the Lord, as the Shunamite with the Prophet, 2 King. 4.28. Did I deſire a Son of my Lord? did I not ſay do not deceive me?

5. Didſt not thou think at firſt that the thing was from the Lord, and that he gave thee incouragement therein as Jacob pleads with him in this very caſe, Gen. 32.9, 12. Thou ſaidſt unto me return and I will deal well with thee, thou ſaidſt thou wouldeſt do me good, and wilt thou now ſuffer my brother to come to ſmite me (as I fear he will do) and the Mother with the Children?

Nay, didſt thou not begin to rejoyce in that providence, in that relation, in that buſineſſe as dropt from a Father's hand? Ask Him if he muſt now be aſhamed of thy hopes, and repent of thy rejoycings and the good thoughts thou hadſt conceived of Him? ſhalt thou find a ſtone inſtead of bread, and p. 112inſtead of a fiſh a Serpent? No, one who knows him better then ſo, hath aſſured thee of the contrary, Luk. 11.10, 11, &c. and therefore at the worſt it ſhall but prove an advantagious affliction to thee, it can never prove a curſe.

But what will it availe me (may ſome ſad ſoul ſay) that no rod toucheth me in any of my outward concernments,15^th Caſe. Dread of ſpirituall judgements. if in the mean time I lye under the laſh of ſpirituall judgments, much blindneſſe of mind, hardneſſe of heart, deadneſſe, coldneſſe, diſtractions, inſenſibleneſſe of ſpirit in holy duties, under Heavenly Ordinances, barrenneſſe, unprofitableneſſe, unſuitableneſſe to all the coſt and care and pains that God beſtows upon me. This is a caſe indeed wherein thou haſt need to beſtir thy ſelf, to order thy cauſe before Him and to fill thy mouth with Arguments. Go tel Him,

1. That of all judgements he knows that ſpirituall ones are the moſt dreadfull though leaſt ſenſible, theſe though judgements from Him are ſins in us, and ſin is the worſt of evils, nay, the only evill; Theſe lay load upon the ſoul, p. 113the moſt noble and precious part, no matter if the carcaſs, the cabinet were defaced ſo the Jewel were preſerved.

Theſe are arguments of the higheſt indignation,2 Theſ. 2.12.2 Thess 2:12 the ſaddeſt ſymptomes, the moſt fearfull earneſt of damnation.

Theſe do evidence that there's no union with Chriſt,Rom. 7.4.Rom 7:4 the end whereof is fruitfulneſs, no skreen betwixt the ſoul and wrath, for the earth which (though it drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it) which beareth thorns and bryers is rejected and is nigh unto curſing, Ezek. 15.6.Ezek 15:6whoſe end is to be burned, Heb. 6.7, 8. They who are not for fruit muſt be for fewell, if not for bearing for burning.

Plead therefore as for life, that (unleſs he meant to damn thee eternally,) he would make all his Ordinances helpfull, ſweet, ſuccesfull, precious and profitable unto thee.

2. Ask Him who poured the oyl of conſecration upon their heads, whoſe appointments are they? whoſe Image and ſuperſcription do they bear? and urge, that it is not for his honour that they ſhould prove ineffectuall, p. 114that thou ſhouldſt go and come from the place of the holy and yet remain unholy;Eccleſ. 8.10.Eccl 8:10 that thou ſhoudſt weary thy ſelf with lugging at dry breſts, which hath occaſioned ſo many in our dayes, (through their proud impatiency) to lift up their heels againſt them; No: let uneſefullneſs be found written upon all Antichriſts inventions, not upon any of Chriſts inſtitutions.

3. Minde Him,Gaſſendus in vitapeireſt. pag. 72. that in the viſible Creation, all light is a kinde of flame, though very thin and exceeding ſubtle; 'tis undeniably true of the light of the Sunne,1 Theſ. 5.5.1 Thess 5:5 which being contracted and thickned in a glaſs, is wont to burn; now why is it not ſo in the new Creation? art thou not a childe of the day? is not the Sun of righteouſneſs riſen upon thee? why is there not heate proportionable to all the light that thou enjoyeſt? why ſhould thy hardneſs of heart be encreaſed thereby, rather then abated? as the earth is in a froſty night, though the Moon then walketh about it in all her brightneſs.

4. Make bold to minde Him, that p. 115ſuch is the energy and efficacy of his Law of nature, that all ſpirits do move and ſtir in their appointed ſeaſons; wine in the veſſel is wont to work when the vine trees flouriſh;Id. ibid. page. 86, 87. the characters of ſome fruits imprited on children, at the time when the ſame fruits are in ſeason, are of a more lively red then at other times, and in ſome perſons do riſe, and ſwell, and grow big like the fruit it ſelf, Mulberries or the like; yea the ſtains thereof in linnen, are ſaid at that time to come forth, and not before:Gaffarel. our. page 144. the cauſe is (beſides the power of reſemblance) the diſpoſition of the ayre at that ſeaſon, which by the power of Gods appointment, is fitly inclined to raiſe up the like ſpirits wherever they are.

And hath he not made a powerfull Laws in matters of the inviſible creation as of the viſible? are there no ſpirits in his ſpirituall appointments? no Law to make our ſpirits move and ſtirre in thoſe ſeaſons of love and grace? Why do the wonders of nature remain, when thoſe of grace ſeems to ceaſe? yea we our ſelves finde our p. 116ſpirits move and ſtirre with a wonderfull titilation and delight, at our near approach to ſome dear relations; why ſhould not our ſouls feel the ſame, when we draw nigh to our beſt friends? our deareſt Father, ſweeteſt Saviour, only comforter? David felt it ſo, Pſal. 122.1, 2. I was glad when they ſaid unto me, let us go into the houſe of the Lord, our feet ſhall ſtand within thy gates O Jeruſalem.

5. Minde him that 'tis one of his Crown-Jewels, his peculiar prerogative, to teach his people ſo as to profit, Iſa. 38.17. Cathedram habet in caelis qui corda docet; He who ſpeaks to the heart ſpeaks from Heaven,Luk. 16.31.Luke 16:31 hath his pulpit there, one from the dead cannot do it, an Angel from Heaven cannot do it, Rev. 3.7. foreign if he be not opening) though he do nothing to ſhut) no man can open.

But if he will be the teacher, it matters not what the ſchollar be; he hath no felllow at it, who teacheth like him? faith Elihu, Job 36.22.

6. Minde him of his promiſe, not only that he will teach, but paſſively p. 117that his people ſhall be taught, Joh. 6.45. eſpecially the humble; and it may be thou canſt ſay upon thine own obſervation, I never was proud of any thing, never boaſted of any good expected, but I miſt it, of any good enjoyed, but I loſt it; God will not ſuffer thee to be proud upon any termes, he will rather have thee humbled by thy ſins, then proud of thy grace; and ſeeing he hath laid thee and keeps thee ſo low, will he not teach thee?

7. Minde him of his practiſe all along from the creation to this day; which of all his Saints could not ſay as well as David, Thou O God haſt taught me from my youth up until now, Pſal. 71. 17. Nay he teacheth the husbandman, Iſa. 28.26. For his God doth inſtruct him to diſcretion, and doth teach him: now put him to it and ſay, Lord, art thou the plowmans God? and doſt thou teach him? and wilt thou not be my God to teach and to inſtruct me? to make me wiſe to ſalvation? for this alſo (if any thing) muſt come from him who is wonderfull in counſels and excellent in working.

p. 1188. His goodneſs puts another argument into thy mouth; Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good and doſt good (and if ever thou wouldſt do me a good turn) O teach me thy ſtatutes.

9. Appeal unto him if it be not thy practice (as knowing the unfitneſs and unſuitableneſs of thine heart to any holy ſervice) to caſt it into his hand and thence to expect it (when the duty calls for it) of another tincture, put in kelter,Prov. 16.1.Prov 16:1 and fitted thereby for ſpiritual motion?

10. He knows it is the devil, and his agents and factors thy corruptions, which do diſtract and diſturb thee, and would any parent endure that his ſlave ſhould abuſe his childe before his face, when he is upon his knee for a bleſſing, or comes to receive his commands? Ask him how he can indure to ſee his execrable ſlave inſult over thee before his face? and doth not rate away that curre, and pluck him off, and fling him down to hell from whence he came? why will he not do it? It is the reproach of Senacheribs Idoll, that they who came out of his bowels ſlew him p. 119there, 2 Chron. 32.21. in the houſe of his God, under his Idols noſe, in the very act of worſhiping, 2 King. 19.37. and he could not protect him: Tell the Lord thy God, the only true God, the living God, it will not be for his honour that thou ſhouldſt be continually bafled and abuſed by Satan, and thoſe that come forth out of thine ownbowels, when thou ſetteſt thy ſelf to worſhip him, he looking on, who alone is able to reſcue and relieve thee, whoſe glory the devil ſtrikes at herein, as well as at thy peace ad ſafety.

11. Tell Him, if he will allow thee nothing at preſent, but the comfort of obedience to ſweeten thy attendance upon him, yet that ſhall not diſcourage thee, that ſhall not rid him of a cuſtomer; his work on earth as well as in Heaven, is both work and wages; not only for, but in keeping his Commandements there is great reward, Pſal. 19.11. It is joy to the juſt to do judgment, Prov. 21.15. and through grace it is ſo in ſome meaſure to thy poor ſoul.

12. Laſtly, When at any time thou art p. 120afraid to go away from an Ordinance utterly unregarded, from a Sermon, from a Sacrament, from off praying ground, and no notice taken of thee: ſay ſecretly in thy heart, Lord I am here; thy poor client whom thou knoweſt ſo well, lo here am I; not one word? not one look? not one touch this day in this duty?

Say with her in Judg. 1.15. Give me a bleſſing, for thou haſt given me a South land, a dry land, give me alſo ſprings of water, place=marg" Iſa. 63.1.Isa 63:1and thy Father will be as liberall as hers was,Iſa. 32.2.Isa 32:2 he will give thee the upper ſprings and the nether ſprings; 'tis well he findes thee there, though thou doſt not yet finde him, thou ſhalt in concluſion be no loſer by it.

But all theſe pleadings (may ſome doubting ſoul ſay,16^th Caſe. Fear that prayer is not beard.) for ought I know may prove in vain, for I have thoughts and oppreſſing fears ſometimes, that a God ſo high, holy, and happy, is not at all concerned, minds not the addreſſes of a worm ſo wofull, ſo ſinfull, ſo full of diſtreſſes and diſtractions, no more then a man minds the movings or p. 121murmurings of flies or bees, which moves ſwifteſt or hums ſweeteſt, for we are infinitely leſſe to Him then they are compared with us; and ſometimes I find no anſwer at all, or ſo ſtrange and contrary, that my fears are ſtrengthned and confirmed.

Now though this temptation cannot prevaile far upon thee(at leaſt not finally,) if thou art a conſtant pleader with God, yet it is neefull when it doth but ſhew it ſelf to go and order thy cauſe before him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments againſt it.

1 Call to mind how god Himſelf hath affirmed the contrary, and tell him thou dareſt not queſtion the truth of his ingagements, Pſal. 138.6. Though the Lord be high yet hath he regard unto the lowly, he doth not at all forget himſelf when he remembers thee; Nay, he ſets forth himſelf in all his Sublimity and Glory, when he profeſſeth the greateſt kindneſſe and condeſcenſion to thoſe who judg themſelves leaſt capable of it, Iſa. 57.15. Thus ſaith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whoſe Name is Holy, I p. 122dewll in the high and holy place, here's enough to make all the Creatures that ſhould hear it exceedingly to feare and quake (as 'tis ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 12. 21.) and yet what follows? what a ſoft ſtill voice after all this thunder? I dwell alſo with him that is of a broken and humble ſpirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones, ſo that he who is brought below the condition of a Creature broken and crumbled to nothing, may yet be a companion for this high and holy One: ſo in Iſa. 66.2. though Heaven be my Throne, and the Earth my Footſtool; yet to this man will I look that is poor and of a contrite ſpirit, and that trembleth at my word: Ask him now, whether this be the preſumption, the device of any Creature, or his own diſcovery which he hath made of himſelf, and tell him with an holy plainneſs and boldneſs, that he hath now enſnared himſelf (if thou maiſt with reverence ſay ſo) with the words of his mouth, he cannot go back, and thou haſt no reaſon to think he hath any inclination ſo to do; Lord thou haſt p. 123heard the deſire of the humble, Pſal. 10.17. Ay and he will regard the prayer of the deſtitute and not deſpiſe their prayer, Pſal. 102.17.

2. Tell Him 'tis true the diſtance is vaſt, and wide, and infinite, far above that betwixt thee and the ſillieſt flie, which thou can fillip to death at thy pleaſure, yet he hath given thee a capacity of Communion with Him, which thoſe inſectae have not with us; and thou doſt often obſerve, that a parent is more taken with his little ones liſping and offering at words, then with all fluent Ortor in the words, then with all the Rhetorique of the moſt florid and fluent Orator in the world,Pſal. 103.13.Ps 103:13 and like as a Father hath bowels of tenderneſſe towards his Children, ſo, yea infinitely more then ſo, hath the Lord towards them that fear Him; plead then with Nehemiah, chap. 1.11. O Lord I beſeech thee let now thine eare be attentive to the prayer of thy Servant, and to the prayer of thy Servants, who deſire to fear thy name.

3. Tell Him thy conſcience, thine own Books as weel as his, (the Scripture) aſſures thee, he takes notice every p. 124time thou ſinneſt againſt him, why not every time thou prayeſt and ſigheſt after him, Pſal. 139.5, firſt verſes, O Lord thou haſt ſearched me and known me, &c. Hear what a great writer affirmeth,Dr Jackſon 11. Chriſt even as man with his humane eyes ſees all the wrongs we do or ſuffer,Book p. 33.23. heares all our prayers with his ears, records all our doings; becauſe the hotteſt fire on earth cannot impart its heat to bodies ten miles diſtant, cannot the Sun to bodies more then ten hundred thouſand miles didſtant? Chriſts glorified humane nature, having perſonall union with the Son of God, may not be meaſured or bounded by other mens faculties or perfections, The Man Chriſt Jeſus is Mediator, 1 Tim. 2.5. and ſhall be Judg, Act. 17.31. And if the man Chriſt Jeſus hear thee, will he not anſwer graciouſly? if he were on earth thou wouldeſt expect it.

4. Tell Him, that moſt men are quick of hearing, when any thing is ſaid that pleaſeth them and ask him whether he be more forward to mind what's moſt contrary then what's moſt agreeable p. 125to him? that which gives occaſſion to execute vengeance, his ſtrange act, Iſa. 28.21. or to exerciſe mercy, his delight and pleaſure, Mic. 7.18. he profeſſeth to liſten and hearken after the language of repentance, Jer. 8.6. after holy conference, Mal. 3.16. The Lord harkened and heard it, and thou haſt no reaſon in the the world to doubt it, 1 Joh. 5.14, 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will 0 he heareth us, and if we know that he hear us, whatſoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we deſired of him, Iſa. 59.1. Behold the Lords Hands is not ſhortned that it cannot ſave, neither his eare heavy that it cannot hear; but there's a great objection ver. 2. Your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Well yet,

5. Tell Him, thou muſt not only go contrary to thy conſcience but to thy experience alſo to ſuſpect him: for thou canſt not but acknowledg that many a time thy prayers have been nearer unto p. 125duplicate pagehim I King. 8.59. (as Lettes are ſtuck in the window which we intend to anſwer) many a time hath he been nigh unto thee in all the things thou haſt called on him for, Deut. 4.7. never hadſt thou more ſenſible anſwers from a man then thou hadſt from thy God; thou canſt point to many a mercy as ſhee did to her child, I Sam. 1.27. and ſay, for this mercy I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him, many a time haſt thou had that great priviledge to be one of thoſe that are near unto him, Pſal. 148.14. and this nearneſſe to God in prayer when thou haſt come to thank him for mercies, it hath renewed their ſweetneſſe, it hath exceeded it, when to beg mercies ſpirituall, it hath been a pledg of them, a part of them? temporall, it hath been an evidence of a grant of them, or of what's as good, yea, it ſelfe hath been better; This experience thou haſt had of nearneſſe to God in Prayer, and it is not the ſincommitting, but the ſin-regarding ſinner whoſe prayer the Lord will not hear; but verily God had heard me, he p. 126hath attended to the voice of my prayer, and therefore I hope I am not ſuch an one in his account and eſtimation, Pſal. 66.18, 19. it may be thou canſt ſay, in the day when I cryed thou anſweredſt me, and ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul, Pſal. 138. 3. and that's the beſt experience of anſwer to prayer, and therefore thou canſt not call his hearing in queſtion, unleſſe thou wouldeſt ſay with this complaynant (in the worſt ſence that can be put upon theſe words) Joh 9.16. If I had called and he had anſwered, yet would I not beleeve that he had anſwered to my voice, it looks indeed like the language of a moſt obſtinate and invincible unbelief; as when a man will not beleeve his petition granted, though he ſee it granted, but it is rather the language of ſubmiſſion and ſelf-deniall, though I ſpeed never ſo well in my pleading, in my prayers, yet I will never believe that 'tis for any worthineſſe in me or them, no 'tis not to my voice, but to the voice of a good Friend of mine, my Mediatour that God hearkens,See Mr Carill upon the place. and for his ſake it is that he ſo graciouſly anſwers; wait p. 128therefore patiently for the Lord, and he will incline unto thee and hear thy cry, Pſal. 40.1. He never yet prepared any heart to pray, but he alſo cauſed his eare to hear, Pſal. 10.17.

Yet may the beleeving ſinner find cauſe of complaining and ſay,17^th Caſe Fear that God cannot delight in ſuch a ſinner. things may and do run ſmooth, and God is many wayes kind unto me, yet it can take no place in my heart, that ever he can take any ſpeciall delight in one that hath been ſo ſtayned, ſo corrupt; Sure Chriſt Himſelf after ſuch pollutions, provocations, prevarications, abuſe of ſo much light and love, will never look nor ſpeak ſo kindly as formerly, or as he would have done, had it not been for theſe diſ-ſervies and diſ-obligements which I have put upon him, yet try him and order thy cauſe before him: Go fill thy mouth with Arguments, in all humility.

1. Ask the Lord Jeſus if it be not his work to reconcile, and is the reconciler himſelf ſo hard to be reconcileds is the wrath of a Lamb ſo terrible? indeed when the great day of his wrath is come it will be ſo,Rev. 6.16, 15.Rev 6:16Rev 6:15 and who then ſhall p. 129be able to abide it? but this is not thy caſe yet? mind him, that the wiſdom which is from above is gentle and eaſie to be intreated, Jam. 3.17. and ſhalt thou not find the eſſentiall wiſdom of the Father to be ſo? is it ſo where there is but a drop, & not ſo where there is the whole Ocean? 'tis the ſickly child that moſt need of being dandled upon the knee, Iſa. 66.12. The heart of Chriſt is as fit a receptacle for our ſorrows of all ſorts, as the eye is of colours, (as one ſaith) and is it ſhut up in endleſſe diſpleaſure againſt thee only, can any dregs of wrath ſettle there, unleſſe towards the veſſels of wrath? but Zeph. 3.17. The Lord thy God in the midſt of thee is mighty: he will ſave, he will rejoyce over thee with joy: he will reſt in his love, he will joy over thee with ſinging. And what more can be ſaid to aſſure thee of his delighting in the thee.

2. Doth not the ſweet ſavour of Chriſts ſacrifice, the odour of his interceſſion, ſo diffuſe it ſelf and fill Heaven,Lev. 16.13. Eph. 5. ….Lev 16:13Eph 5 that the ſtench of thy ſins cannot enter? ſurely were it not for that perfume, p. 130God could never indure the ſtinking dunghill of this world ſo near him, to be as a ſmoak in his noſtrils all the day.

3. Plead what Chriſt himſelf puts into thy mouth, Matth. 18.13. that the owner of the flock, looks with more joy, and pleaſure, and delight, upon a poor ſtray ſheep that is recovered, then upon the whole flock that never ran that hazard;Iſa. 40.11.Isa 40:11 and hath not Chriſt a long time had thee in his armes, Luk. 15.5.Luke 15:5in his boſome, upon his ſhoulder, to bring thee back to his fold and favour? 'Tis a recovering Church and people which Chriſt is ſo taken with, and terms alone for delights, Cant. 7.6. one that had been forſaken and deſolate whom the Lord is ſaid to delight in, Iſa. 62.4. Thou ſhalt no more be termed forſaken and deſolate, but thou ſhalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee; 'Tis to a reforming people, that the Lord engageth, that all Nations ſhall call them bleſsed, for ye ſhall be a delightſome land ſaith the Lord, Mal. 3.12. And is not reformation that which thy ſoul laboureth and longeth after.

p. 131'Tis a repaired a re-edified Temple, that the Lord promiſeth to take pleaſure in, Hag. 1.8. And is not this the work which his Spirit is about in thee, to raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down.

'Tis certain he taketh no pleaſure in the death of him that dieth, ſurely then he taketh pleaſure in the life of him, who through his abundant rich grace in Chriſt Jeſus recovereth, Ezek. 33.10, 11. Therefore O thou Son of Man, ſpeak unto the houſe of Iſrael, Thus ye ſpake, ſaying, If our tranſgreſsions and our ſinnes be upon us, and we pine away in them, how ſhould we then live? Say unto them, As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, Turn ye from your evill wayes, for why will ye dye O houſe of Iſrael.

4. Ask whether thou art looked on as in thy ſelf, or as in Chriſt, 2. Cor. 5.17.2 Cor 5:17in thy ſurety, thy ſecond ſelf, thy head, thy husband? and a faire face gives the denomination of beautifull to the whole perſon and ſo makes it a delightſome p. 132Object:Ezek. 16.14.Ezek 16:14 'Tis only his comelineſſe put upon thee muſt make thee lovely.

5. Ask whether he look on thee as in thy preſent ſtate and ſtation, or as he ſhall ſee thee, (after a little while) to all eternity? for to him who ſits in that hight Tower of Eternity, there's nothing paſt nor to come, but all things are alike in one perpetuall now, preſent before him; now within a while Chriſt will preſent to Himſelf (that he may take a full view of her,) and then to His Father, a glorius Church not having ſpot or wrinkle, nor any ſuch thing, but holy and without blemiſh, Eph. 5.27. and if now he view thee in that eternall glaſſe,Cant. 4.7.Song 4:7 he may well ſay, thou art all fair my love, there is no ſpot in thee.

6. A Supper, a feaſt is for delight and cheerfulneſſe, and even till Supper time doth Chriſt wait to be gracious, till the ſhadowes of the evening be ſtretched out, till his head be wet with the dew, and his locks with the drops of night, Rev. 3.20. Behold, I ſtand at the doore and knock: if any man heare my voyce, and open p. 133the doore, I will come in to him, and will ſuppe with him, and he with me. Now wouldeſt thou not fain have ſuch a gueſt who alwayes brings his coſt with him? who is both gueſt and entertainment? Doth not thy ſoul cry out to him,Gen. 24.31.Gen 24:31 Come in thou bleſſed of the Lord, wherefore ſtandeſt thou without? Yea, if thou canſt not get open the doore, art thou not unfeignedly deſirous that he who hath the key of David would open it? nay, rather then fail break it open, that ſo the King of Glory might come in and Supp with him.

7. Tell Him, 'tis infinite mercy that now and then thou feeleſt his quickning, though thou ſhouldſt never enjoy his comforting, his raviſhing preſence any more while thou liveſt in the world; Nay, there's alwayes ſome comfort in the ſence of his quickning preſence; Nay, he knowes the poſture of thy ſoul to be in ſome meaſure the ſame with that of Davids, 2 Sam. 15.26. If he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee, (though that word break thy heart,) yet here am I abſolutly at his diſpoſe, he p. 134can do me no wrong, let him do with me as ſeemeth good unto him. God muſt be weary of delighting in himſelf, Son and Spirit, when he delights not in this frame, which is the work thereof; If the Heaven above were braſs, ſure the earth below would be iron, if there were no yieldings in his heart towards thee, ſure there would be none in thy heart towards him, thou couldſt never delight thy ſelf in the Almighty, if he took no delight in thee; they draw back unto perdition in whom his ſoul takes no pleaſure, Heb. 10.38, 39. my ſoul ſaith, he loathed them, and their ſoul abhorred me, Zech. 11.8.

And yet a generous a noble minded Chriſtian may be ready to ſay;18^th Caſe. Fear of unſerviceableneſs! all this cannot, ought not, fully to ſatisfie me, though the Lord admit me to much ſweet ſecret communion with him, (for which I can never be ſufficiently thankfull) yet if he will not honour me ſo as to uſe me, and make me ſome way ſerviceable in my generation, this is for a lamentation and ought to be ſo unto me; and this is that I fear, that I ſhall prove but a dry tree, an empty vine, p. 135bring forth no fruit, do no good, neither find God working with me, nor be admitted to work with God, as 'tis ſaid of Jonathan, there ſhall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day, 1 Sam. 14.4. ſo doth every good Warriour, every good Magiſtrate, and thats his greateſt comfort, glory, and ſafety, that he works with God, and God with them.

So Paul ſpeaks of himſelf and his fellow-labourers in the Miniſtry; we then as workers together with him, 2 Cor. 6.1. But I fear I muſt never have the honour of that Title whatever my calling or capacity be, for it was not only his way in the Old Teſtament, in the old Temple, but 'tis threatned in that Goſpell-viſion, Ezek. 44.10, 11, 12, &c. That they who have ſtrayed far from him in times of temptation and epidemicall apoſtacy, ſhall bear their iniquity, their ſhame, and their abominations, that is, ſome ſad reward and remembrancer thereof) and though admitted to the injoyment of many precious priviledges, yet muſt be baniſhed p. 136from the neareſt approaches, and higheſt ſervices, 'tis expreſt in the ſtrain and ſtile of the Old Teſtament; but is intended and calculated for the Meridian of the new, and reaches not only Miniſters but all Profeſſors, all thoſe who are now the royall Prieſthood, 1 Pet. 2.5, 9. Rev. 1.5. and even amongſt good people, where is the man that is able to beare, being laid aſide and caſt off at the end of the ſtage, and to ſee freſh inſtruments choſen?See a ſad inſtance. 2 Cor. 25.10.13. ver. what is it elſe imbitters ſo many ſpirits? and how ſhouldſt thou be able to bear ſuch a tryall, either to fall from thy ſtanding, or do no good though continued in it, which of the two is the worſt by farre: if ever this be thy caſe, go order thy cauſe before him and fill thy mouth with Arguments. Though guilty of many ſtrayings from him.

1. Tell Him, thou perceiveſt it is not his will to deſtroy thee; if the Lord were pleaſed to kill thee,Judg. 13.23.Judg 13:23 he would not have accepted an offring at thine hand, neither would he have ſhewed thee all theſe things, which he p. 137locks up from ſo many thouſands, and yet hath acquainted thee with them; thou canſt look him in the face, and ſay with the Prophet, Hab. 1.12. Art not thou from everlaſting O Lord my God, mine holy one, I ſhall not die: Thou art the King eternall, and ſwayed not by time-accidents, but by eternal conſide-rations, thou changeſt not, and therefore I am not, I ſhall not be conſumed.Mal. 3.6.Mal 3:6 Now then

2. Plead upon this ground and tell him, it is not ſo much for his honour only to keep thee alive and make no uſe of thee; to preſerve thy ſoul, only as ſalt to preſerve the body, but do no ſervice; and if thou hadſt help to do all that is commanded or can be expected of thee in thy place, is not thy ſoul prepared to ſay, thou art but an unprofitable ſervant, Luk. 17.10. and never open thy mouth more by way of boaſting.

3. Minde him, that through his grace ſome ſad ſinners have proved moſt ſhining Saints, as in Scripture the children of women long barren have proved moſt eminent inſtruments in p. 138Church and Commonwealth, of Sarah, Iſaac; of Rachel, Joſeph; of Hannah, Samuel; of Manoahs wife Sampſon; of Elizabeth, John the Baptiſt; ſo amongſt ſinners, ſome that came in late into the vineyard, have plied their hands, and laboured more abundantly then they who were admitted before them: Ahimaaz out-runs Cuſhi (though he ſet out after him) and comes to David before him1 Cor. 15.9, 10.1 Cor 15:91 Cor 15:10 and if ever ſoul had need to redeem the time, and fetch up what hath been loſt, thou much more; and it will be to the praiſe of the glory of his grace if he will help thee ſo to do.

4. He knows that thou art now in a way of purgation and purification, and therefore it will be no diſhonour, to him, now to uſe and imploy thee; nay he hath publiſhed it by the pen of his Apoſtle, that if a man purge himſelf from theſe (from the pollutions wherewith he hath been defiled) he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour, ſanctified and made meet for the maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work, (and thou askeſt no more,) 2 Tim. 2.21. They who will not be reduced and made better, are p. 139often againſt their wills reduced and made lower, if not utterly caſhiered and diſmiſſed from further ſervice, but he that can plead the former may ſcape the later, as having now (through grace) prevented the Lord, and ſaved him a labour.

5. Ask him, if he did not call thee and lead thee to thy preſent ſtation, and will he now leave thee, to wither like a bulruſh in the mire, and to vaniſh away in utter unſerviceableneſs? Who in a way of God can take unto himſelf the honour of Magiſtracy or Miniſtry, or any other way of uſefullneſs, but he that is called of God thereunto, as was Aaron, Heb. 5.4. and yet thou deſireſt to be prepared to juſtifie him, though he proceed with thee as with Eli's houſe, 1 Sam. 2.30. Wherefore the Lord God of Iſrael ſaith, I ſaid indeed that thy houſe, and the houſe of thy fathers ſhould walk before me: but now the Lord ſaith, be it farre from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly eſteemed; and thou haſt been too too often guilty of deſpiſing him.

p. 1406. Ask if he remember not how thou didſt often beg him never to truſt thee with advantages, with opportunities; unleſs withall he would give thee an heart to be faithfull and fruitfull in the improvement of them? Haſt thou not prayed (upon theſe termes) even againſt power and riches? leſt thou ſhouldſt be full and deny him, and ſay,Prov. 30.8, 8.Prov 30:8 who is the Lord? haſt thou not been in this regard more afraid of riches, honour, greatneſs, then their contraries? yea ſometimes more afraid to live, then to die; fearing leſt thou ſhouldſt not live unto him and to his ſervice? loath therefore haſt thou been to launch into the world again, after thou haſt been laid up by ſome ſickneſs.

7. How often haſt thou deſired ſince thou cameſt into the road of opportunities (in ſence and fear of unanſwerableneſs) rather to be removed then to fill up a room, and cumber the ground, and keep out others that might be more uſefull? and will he neither remove thee nor improve thee? niether cut thee down nor make thee fruitfull?

p. 141Laſtly, Tell him plainly that paſſage in Rom. 5.20. Where ſin abounded grace did much more abound, makes thee (being now found of him in away of faith and repentance) not only not to fear extraordinary judgments, but even to look for extraordinary favours; more love unto him, more humility, more holineſs, more watchfulneſs; and by theſe, more then ordinary uſefullneſs and ſerviceableneſs in thy generation, let him put or place thee where he pleaſeth: it is not his diſpoſition to upbraid, Jam. 1.5. and therefore thou expecteſt he ſhould give liberally of that wiſdome to thee, which may make thee ſerviceable in thy ſtation.

After all this there may yet be a ſecret Achan in the Camp,19^th Caſe. Fear of being caſt of at laſt. which will be fingring the accurſed thing (unbelief,) a Jonah in the ſhip, which will be raiſing new tempeſts, and that is a fear leſt God at laſt ſhould turn his back upon thee, and thou be found amongſt thoſe that are deceivers of their own ſouls, being turned into hell, Pſal. 9.17.Ps 9:17when it ſeems their looks (though nothing elſe) p. 142were towards Heaven; if ever this be thy caſe, hye thee to God preſently, go fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Complain againſt thine own heart, ſo farre as there is any mixture of unbelief in this fear; confeſs that as to God it is an unworthy jealouſie, and thou haſt need with Gideon to cry him mercy,Judg. 6.39.Judg 6:39 to pray that his anger may not wax hot againſt thee, for asking him ſo many ſigns, conſidering how often the fleece hath been wet and the floor dry already to give thee ſatisfaction.

Yet when thou lookeſt downward there is miſery enough, and matter enough to juſtifie all thy fears, and to move him to pardon, yea to ſanctifie them unto thee, eſpecially conſidering that thy All is at the ſtake, and that it is Eternity, Eternity, Eternity that is before thee; that vaſt gulf of eternity; and if thou art miſtaken in thy confidence, thou art loſt irrecoverably to all eternity: this may move him to pity rather then to anger; and to ſay to them that are of a fearfull heart; be ſtrong, fear not, behold your God will come and ſave you, Iſa. 35.4.

p. 1432. For thy further eſtabliſhment ask him if he have not made all as ſure as grace can make it: yea, it is therefore all of grace, 2 Sam. 23.5.2 Sam 23:5that the promiſe might be ſure to all the ſeed, Rom. 4.16. as ſure as infinite love, infinite wiſdome, infinite power, can make it, and thou dreadeſt it as thou doſt Hell it ſelf, to make the God of all Grace and Truth a Liar, 1 Io. 5.10 to add to all thy other evils that grand abomination of unbelief, which puts more affronts and ſcorn upon him then all other ſins whatſoever.

3. Ask if all the ſpirits of juſt men now made perfect will not confeſs the mercies of Chriſt to be ſure mercies,Act. 13.34.Acts 13:34 and that he (as Boaz ſaith of Ruth) ſhewed them more kindneſs in the latter end,Ruth. 3.10.Ruth 3:10 then at the beginning,Joh. 13.1.John 13:1 and that having loved his own which were in the world he loved them to the end, and reſerved the beſt wine for the laſt, the laſt grapes (eſpecially in Chrifts vineyard) yeild the ſweeteſt wine; David makes it obvious to any mans obſervation, Pſal. 37.37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: (he goes current for a perfect man) for the end of that man is peace. p. 144And even a Balaam is forced to acknowledg it, and there is a deſirableneſs in the death, in the later end of the righous, Numb. 23.10. Let me dye the death of the Righteous, and let my later end be like his.

4. If yet thou feareſt as to thine own particular, ask if the holy Ghoſt (who makes it his trade to help infirmities, Rom. 8.86.Rom 8:86and hath helped thee in thine all thy life long) ask if he will not then help thee when thou art moſt infirm; nothing but a lump of infirmity and weakneſs; ſurely then, in thy greateſt need he will not fail thee.

Laſtly, Tell him, he knows why thou wouldſt ſo fain be with him in his Heaven, not becauſe thou fancieſt it a Turkiſh Paradiſe, or a Paganiſh Eliſium, abounding with carnal or corporal pleaſures; not only becauſe thou wouldſt eſcape everlaſting burnings (though he himſelf cannot blame thee for ayming at this,Act. 2.40.2 Pet. 1.10.Acts 2:402 Pet 1:10 ſeeing he commands thee by all means poſſible to endeavour it;) But thy ſoul longs inceſſantly to go to Heaven, becauſe Heaven is the Land of Hallelujahs, and thou wouldſt p. 145fain be thankfull, really thankfull?

Heaven is the Land of Love, and thou wouldſt fain take thy fill of love, in loving and being beloved; in loving as thou art loved, without intermiſſion, without interruption, enternally, and ſo be ever with Chirſt, which is by much farre better, Phil. 1.23. All theſe meet daily with a thouſand hindrances and incumbrances, which make thee ſick of earth, and ſigh for Heaven, groaning within thy ſelf with that bleſſed Apoſtle (who had once been there) 2 Cor. 5.2. For in this we groan earneſtly, deſiring to be cloathed upon with our houſe which is from Heaven.

Hinderances and Imcombrances, which make a Hell above ground, not to be endured by any honeſt heart, and how much more intollerable then is the nethermoſt Hell, for there is never a nooke, never a corner in it, where a poore ſinner might weep eternally, without blaſpheming, without hearing blaſphemies, without hating of God, without ſinning againſt him: He knows how often thou haſt told him, if there were, how much more quietly thou p. 146couldſt accept of the puniſhment of thine iniquity there, and there juſtifie him, and there bewaile thy folly and madneſs, and lament the loſs of him for evermore. But to loſe him and all love to him, and to be ſinning agaiſt him eternally, this cannot be conſented to, but by a Creature damned already, though above ground, nothing therefore ſhort of Heaven can ſatisfie thee or ought ſo to do, and if upon theſe terms thou canſt not be admitted into his reſt, ſure he will have but little,John 14.2, 3John 14:2John 14:3 who went thither to prepare a place for thee.

This hope then we have as an Anchor of the ſoul both ſure and ſtedfaſt, and which entreth into that within the vaile, whither the fore-runner is for us entred, even Jeſus made an High Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedee, Heb. 6.19, 20. thus building up your ſelves on your moſt holy faith, and praying in the holy Ghoſt, keep your ſelves in the Love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto eternall life, 20th Caſe. hate coſſion for others., Jude 20, 21. ver.

But haſt thou not a good mind (before p. 147parting) to ſpeak a good word for others alſo? this hath been conſtantly the way of the ſpirit of adoption, when David came before the Lord upon the ſaddeſt occaſion that ever his ſoul was acquainted with, when he was moſt full of his own concernments, and had moſt cauſe of fear that his appearing for others might do harm rather then good, yet then he ventures to frop a word for Sion, and remembers Jeruſalem amidſt his greateſt grief, as well as he prefers her before his chiefeſt joy;Pſal. 137.6.Ps 137:6 do good in thy good pleaſure unto Sion,Pſal. 51.18.Ps 51:18 build thou the walls of Jereſalem. What his ſinnes had weakened and attempted to ruine, he endeavours to ſtrengthen and repair by his prayers, and ſeldome do ye ſee him riſe from of his knees before he had pleaded the Churches cauſe, and oftentimes he makes that his only errand, as you may find by ſeverall Pſalms, pend for no other purpoſe.

Nay many times the beſt pleaders feel not their hearts warm in the work, till they come out of the narrow circle of their own perſonall concernments, and launch into the buſineſs of the body p. 148of Chriſt, and then are their hearts fixed 06 by the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication, the great ſoul of that body.

But now adaies many praying perſons can find little to ſay, unleſs by way of complaint concerning the publick; Be it ſo, you were told at the firſt that the word here tranſlated Arguments ſignifies complains alſo; if then thou canſt make the cauſe of the publick thine own (as thou oughteſt to do,) Go order thy cauſe before him, and fill thy mouth with Arguments.

1. Plead for his poore perſecuted people all the world over, ask if it be nothing to him to ſee the blood of the Martyrs of Jeſus Chriſt, ſpilt like water upon the ground even to this day, in Piedmont, Poland and other places? are not the eyes of his glory weary of ſuch ſad ſpectacles? ask if there be not with them, even with them ſinnes againſt the Lord, and if the rage wherewith they have ſlain his ſervants reach not up to Heaven, 2 Chron. 28.9. it was wont ſo to do in former times? Complain that their bones are ſcattered at the graves mouth, as when one cuteth p. 149and cleaveth wood upon the earth,Iſa. 26.21.Isa 26:21 Pſal. 141.7. and ask if he look not on to require it? when ſhall the earth diſcloſe her blood, and no more cover her ſlain?

2. Complain, that there's nothing viſible towards a reckoning with that drunken beaſt, Rev. 11.2. Though the thouſand years, Rev. 20.2. were granted to begin at the time of Conſtautines degree, An. do. 311. and to expire, at the riſing of the Ottoman Family, An. 13 10. and the Devill then let looſe again, yet muſt he have no long time to play reekes in the world, as appears by comparing, Rev. 20.7. with the 10. ver. ſee D'Hainend in Loc.Rev 11:2Rev 20:2Rev 20:7which makes it ſelf drunk with the blood of the Saints as with ſweet wine; nay he ſeems of late to blow upon ſome enterpriſes leveld at them, and to ſhine upon the counſels of the wicked. Ask him when ſhall thoſe fourty and two moneths be expired (for men miſs it in their calculations and conjectures) when ſhall the mountains flow down at his preſence (and the ſeaven hills amongſt the reſt) when ſhall the powers of the earth melt like wax before the fire, at the preſence of the Lord, at the preſence of the God of the whole earth? why is his Charet ſo long a coming, why tarry the wheels of his Charet? Minde him that the harveſt of the earth is not only ripe, but even dried up and withered, foreign, Rev. 14.15. compared with Math. 13.6. p. 150and 21, 19. a wonderfull expreſſion of His Patience; but how long Lord holy and true? when, oh when ſhall it yet once be! Ask Him if His ſoul takes any pleaſure in them,Rom. 11.26Rom 11:26 that he thus long continues them.

3. Cut ſcores with the poor Jewes, we are many a prayer behind hand with them;Paſal. 74.3. when ſhall the Redeemer come unto Sion, Ezek, 38.8.and turn away ungodlineſs from Jacob? Rom. 11.15.Rom 11:15when will he lift up his feet to thoſe perpetuall deſolations, Bzek. 37.7.to the mountains that have laid alwaies waſt (he ſpeaks one would think, as if he himſelf thought the time very long) when ſhall the receiving of them be as life from the dead? tell him, we hear as yet of no noiſe, no ſhaking at all in the valley of dry bones, no coming together of the bones, bone to his bone; and yet how much of the Glory of God, and good of men; how much of the treaſure is imbarqued in this bottome? when ſhall Saints and Nations be Synonymâs and Termini convertiblies, foreign as is implied, Rev. 15.3. King of Nations, and yet 'tis tranſlated, King of Saints, as if at that time Saints p. 151and Nations ſhould be of an equall extent and latitude.

4. Begge a watering upon his plantations abroad; there are many pretious ſoules worthy of the remembrance, many poore ſouls that need it, many praying ſouls to whom thou oweſt it, many pleading ſouls who will repay it; therefore you that have eſcaped the miſeries that have befalen others, remember the Lord (his concernments and people) afar off, and let Jeruſalem come into your mind, Jer. 51.50. Many have friends and relations with whom they enjoy little Communion in this world, pray ye may meet at the right hand of Chriſt, never to part in the next.

5. Complain unto Him of that ſpirit of prophanneſſe, which yet domineers in our Lands, and over the generallity of our Nation, though he hath loved our Nation, and hath wrought ſuch Salvations for us, as can no where be matched, ſave in the ſtory of Iſrael; he hath given ſome into our hands, others under our feet, (I need not name them,) ſure of all p. 152the world Engliſh men are under the moſt powerfull obligations unto holineſs; but alas, how ill do we requite the Lord, like a fooliſh people and unwiſe: Oh pray that Chriſt may indeed ſprinkle many Nations, and ours among the reſt in a ſpeciall manner, with His Blood and Spirit, that we may yet become a peculiar people zealous of good works.

6. Preſs Him to caſt out that unthankfull ſpirit, wherewith ſo many are poſſeſſed even to a ſtrang degree of diſtemper that hath befallen us, which is ſaid of Egypt, the Lord hath mingled a perverſe ſpirit in the midſt of us, which cauſeth us to erre in every work as a drunken man ſtagereth in his vomit, Iſa. 19.14. We are ready to reel and daſh one againſt another continually, many abuſing, many diſpiſing all their preſent mercies, thought but a few years agoe, the crums of that loathed Manna, which now fall from our tables would have reliſhed as moſt precious priviledges, worthy to be purchaſed at the rate of the utmoſt hazards and p. 153hardſhips, peeviſhneſs keeps many from praying for their Magiſtrates, and how can they look for good by them who ſin in ceaſing to pray for them, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. what would that bleſſed man if now alive ſay unto us, who ſo exhorted in Nero's time, and becauſe he knew men would be backward, he backes his commands with Arguments from the benefit, that redounds to the Church and from the acceptableneſs of this practice to God, making ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions and giving of thanks for all men, for Kings and for all that are in authority.

7. Ask when that unclean ſpirit of error, blaſphemy and deluſion, ſhall have its paſs (according to his promiſe, Zach. 13.2), and be ſent packing out of our Lands: Some, not of the worſt people, ſimple ſouls (foreign, as the Apoſtle calls them) have been miſlead hereby; and he hath ſaid, They that erred in ſpirit ſhall come to underſtanding, and they that murmured ſhall learn doctrine, Iſa. 29.24: they that erred, and they that murmured, the holy p. 154Ghoſt ranks them together, as being of one feather; it ſeems there is no ſmall affinity between the erroneous and the murmurers; but pity and pray for thoſe, who like Abſoloms two hundred, follow their leaders in the ſimplicity of their hearts.

8. Bewail before Him, that wofull, wilfull, affected, ſoul-murdering ignorance, which as a vail covers ſo many hearts and faces, notwithſtanding all the means of light afforded us: there are indeed too too many dark places even in all the three Nations (in Ireland eſpecially) which are full of cruelty; but alas how many are there in the midſt of our Goſhens without Chriſt, without God in the world, meer Atheiſts, as the Apoſtle calls them, Epheſ. 2.12. foreign, without any inward appretiative acquaintance with God, without any powerfull, experimentall, practicall knowledg at all.

When ſhall the day dawn,Iſa. 29.18.Isa 29:18 wherein the deaf ſhall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind ſee out of obſcurity, and out of darkneſs? when will p. 155the Lord again make bare his holy arm? and ſpread forth his hands in the midſt of our Congregations (to pull in ſouls unto himſelf,) as he that ſwimeth ſtretcheth forth his hands to ſwim?

When will He ſmell in our aſſemblies a ſavour of reſt,Iſa. 49.4.Isa 49:4 and take pleaſure in our ſolemn meetings, as in the dayes of old? how long ſhall all his poor Miniſters complain, that Converſion work hath a ſtop put on it every wheren?

9. Deal earneſtly with Him about the compounding and comprimiſing of our differences, diſtances and diviſions, which have given ſuch a wound to Religion, opened ſuch a gap to Satan, which every one complains of, and yet helps to widen; begge that all the children of light may walk more in the light as he is in the light, and then ſhall we have fellowſhip one with another, I Foh. 1.7.

Beg He would put it into the hearts of all His People, to imitate that good pattern, Fudg. 1.1, 2, &c. which doubtleſs waits for a ſpirituall accompliſhment as well as all other things which happened to them in figure. p. 156Judah hath the priority given him, Jure divino, by an oracle from Heaven, Judah ſhould go up firſt, Behold I have delivered the land into his hand, and yet hereupon he deſpiſeth not the aid and aſſiſtance of his brethren, but invites Simion his brother to engage with him againſt the common adverſary and promiſeth the like aſſiſtance unto him, and ſpeeds never a whit thy worſe for it, but the better; God is ſo farre from being offended with this practiſe that he bleſſeth it exceedingly, and delivered up the common enemy into their hands; thus would he deal by us as to our ſpirituall enemies, could we unite to engage againſt them, and leave our pickeerings and carnall contendings, to overtop and ſupplant and impoſe upon one another.

10. Laſtly, Preferre one bill of complaint more in a caſe which few think of, notwithſtanding all our boaſtings and pretenſions to a through reformation, and that's this: Few men now adaies do honour the Lord with their ſubſtances,Prov. 3.9, 10.Prov 3:9Prov 3:10 few look at this as a p. 157duty to conſecrate any part of their gain unto the Lord,Donum eſt intogritas animi. God by exacting this tribute tries the ſincerity of our love, faith, obedience, when the Iſraclices would not endure the ſight of him, who came to demand the Tribute, is was a ſure ſign of their totall and final revolt and defection, it was then high time for Rehoboam to get him gone. or of their ſubſtance to the Lord of the whole earth, but carry it as if they were turn'd Independents indeed, and did not depend, no not upon God Himſelf, or as it God Himſelf had loſt his propriety, and there were now not rent-penny, no acknowledgment due unto him, ſave ſuch an one as coſts us nothing; Surely God from the beginning reſerved and claimed a part due to himſelf, who gave the whole, and whatever there was beſides; this alſo was in the Sacrifices of Cain and Abel, an acknowledgment that God hath a right in every mans goods; afterwards he publiſht and put in his claim more peremptorily, Exod. 22.29. Thou ſhalt not delay to offer the firſt of thy ripe fruits and of thy liquors: the firſt born of thy ſonnes ſhalt thou give unto me. Non tardabis. Thou ſhalt not delay, this no new thing, but a Law of confirmation, and yet this was before the Levitical inſtitution, Lev. 27.30. And all the tythe of the land, whether of p. 158the ſeed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lords: it is holy unto the Lord, It is the Lords, it is his alreadly, and had been ſo from the beginning of the world, and he now appoints the Levite, the ſtranger, the widow, and the fatherleſs,1 King. 12.18. And 'tis obſerved, that Chriſt though he reproved all ſins, puniſhed none, but that of Sacriledg and prophanation of holy thing; what will he do, when he comes as a judg to call us to an account for all our receipts and returns.1 Kgs 12:18 to be his rent-gatherers or receivers generall, Deut. 26.12, 13. When thou haſt made an end of tything all the tythes of thine increaſe, the third yeere, which is the yeere of tything, and haſt given it unto the Levite, the ſtranger, the fatherleſs, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled.

Then thou ſhalt ſay before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine houſe, and alſo have given them unto the Levite, and unto the ſtranger, to the fatherleſs, and to the widow, according to all thy Commandements, which thou haſt commanded me: I have not tranſgreſſed thy Commandements, neither have I forgotten them.

'Tis due to Him, quaſi regale vertigal, as a royall revenue, and he doth proprio jure credere, (ſaith Calvin) p. 159when he thus diſpoſeth of it? But where's the defect, the default (may ſome ſay,) where's the irregularity to be complained of? I wiſh triall were made whether it may not be proved (if the point were well ſtudied, but I ſhall only hint it) that the tenth part (or other proportion) of every mans increaſe, acquiſitions, improvements, and incoms is due unto the Lord even to this day:Unuſquiſque de qualtingenio aut artificio vivit, de ipſo decimam Deo in pauperibus vol in Eccleſils dones, Aug. de rect. Cathol. couverſ. To. 9. Fol. 250. Thus did the primitive Chriſtians, Modicam unuſque ſtipem apponit, &c. I am farre from thinking or ſaying that it is due unto the Miniſtry or to any ſort of men, but that it is due and ought to be dedicated to God, and to the everlaſting Prieſthood of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by way of thankfull acknowledgement to God for the ſame, a tenth which even the Miniſters and the Glebe it ſelf ought to pay, and ſo ought to be expended in the ſupporting of publick worſhip, in the relieving of the poore at home and abroad, under the rage of perſecution in other Countries, and in the education of poore Children, the advancement of Learning (that ineſtimable Jewell) and other pious uſes, and p. 160would every man that abounds make ſuch a purſe and account it depoſitum pietatis, Haec quaſi depo ſita pietatis ſunt, nam inde nou epulis, &c. ſed egenis alendis, humandiſq, & pueris ac puellis ve ac parentibus deſtitutis, naufragis, &c Ter. Apolog. Quicquid clerici babent, pauperum est, Hie… In caſe of neceſſity, of extremity, Gods command makes relief due unto others, makes them owners, maſters, of our ſuperfluities, not that they may take it by force, but that we muſt give freely, Trappe on Pro. 13.27.Prov 13:27as a ſacred treaſury or Corban not to be opened but for pious uſes; how many neceſſitous parents, periſhing orphans, poore aged people, perſons ruined by fire, ſhipwrack, or the like, might ſpeedily be releived? there is no pious perſon but judges, ſomething due this way, and the holy Ghoſt calls even a mans charity due debt, Prov. 3.27. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to morrow I will give, when thou haſt it by thee, verſe 28. What we call giving, God calls paying; what we call charity, He counts due debt; all the queſtion is about the quantum, how much ought thus to be dedicated to God, and to fix it upon the tenth part; is neither Popiſh nor Legall, or Jewiſh, but a known truth, or duty long before the oldeſt of theſe was heard of in the world; this was no naturall but an adoptive Child of Moſes, nor was it a Type or Ceremony p. 161as ſacrificing was (which was alſo before the Law) for then there muſt be ſome ſpirituall ſubſtance tiped out by it, but it was practiſed by the light of nature and law of reaſon, morall Law, and Law of Nations every where. Why elſe did Abraham Gen. 14.20. Pay tythes to Melchiſedec, the great Repreſentee of Chriſt, who is brought upon the ſtage like a man dropt out of the Clouds, only to ſhadow out Chriſt, as if he had neither Father nor Mother, birth nor death, Heb. 7.2.

And that they were paid as a due to the Prieſthood of Chriſt (ſuſtained then in a figure by Melchiſedec) the 7^th Chap. to the Hebrews proves abundantly,Heb. 7.6. foreign He tythed Abraham, which ſhewes he had authority to take tythes, and ſeems to ſubject Abraham, to a neceſſity of paying of them. Abraham gave foreign the very top and chiefeſt part of all, Heb. 7.4.Heb 7:6Heb 7:4 and that Levi himſelf who took Tythes, here paid them, and that Levi had only a Commiſſion pro tempore) to be Gods rent-gatherer, and receiver; they miſtake that think the payment of the tenth part, was then firſt ſet on foot to defray the charges of that coſtly worſhip, it was paid long before; Abraham is a full inſtance, four hundred and thirty years before the p. 162Law (as the Apoſtle obſerves upon another occaſion, Gal. 3.17.) and I would know whether that were will-worſhip in him, or what Law he hath obſerved, what rule he walked by therein? Abraham would not take a thred or a ſhooe latchet to himſelf,Cain like a churle gives the carrion, the lean ſtuffe, he brought of his fruits. Abel like a Prince, his firſt fruits, the beſt and fatteſt, Gen. 4.5, 4.Gen 4:5Gen 4:4 and then returned the reſt (though now become his by conqueſt) to the former owner, but if he gave the tythe only by courteſie, and not divine authority, it proves not the thing in hand, the exellency of Melchiſedec's Prieſthod above the Leviticall, for ſurely that had authority to take them,ſAdam began this acknowledgment in the Sacrifices, with the skins of which God cloathed him, Gen. 3.21.Gen 3:21 and ſo had Melchiſedec paid then the tenth part was long before the Law, and Levi had only a Commandement to warrant his taking of the tythes, Heb. 7.5. The jus decimandi being long before veſted in another Prieſthood, and only protempore, lent to that of Levi.

But this was only a tenth of the ſpoiles taken in war may ſome ſay? what ſay ye then to that engagement of Jacob, Gen. 28.22. Of all that p. 163thou ſhalt give unto me I will ſurely give the tenth unto, Et hoc tam pro ſe quam pro poſteris ſuis vovet, he binds his poſteritie hereunto as well as himſelf ſaith, Mercer in Loc. Methinks he ſpeaks of it as a duty that he had been Catechiſed and trained up in the knowledg of.This duty was corrupted by Cain, reformed by Abel, practiſed by Noah, Job, &c. He had the direction of the ſpirit for it, ſaith Calvin, and why not alſo the inſtruction of his Anceſtors?The anſwer to Mr Seldens Hiſtory of tythes, endea vours to prove that Abraham gave the tenth, not of the ſpoils only, but of all he had, however it is a good precedent for Souldiers and for Jacob, he had ſsome ſufficient warrant for his reſolution. For Abraham practiſed it before him: And yet this good man though he promiſed it ſo ſurely, was not ſo carefull and punctuall in his performance as he ſhould have been, and his omiſſion of it at his return, (when haſting to pacifie his brother, he pluck away a good fleece from his eſtate, before the decimation thereof according to his vow) ſeems to be the cauſe why the Angel contended ſo ſore with him, that he put him to his tears and prayers, as Hoſea tells us,Non quod ſuo arbitrio Deum colueris nam direct to ſpiritus vice legisſeripta fuit. Cal. Chap. 12.4. And though he bleſt him, yet he ſent him limping to his grave, Gen. 35.1. God calls him to perform his vow, and whether he paid it into the hands of Heber, p. 164or Iſaac the head or the family, vel potius conſecrarit in uſus ſacros, ſet it a part for pious uſes, tis all one to us, here's ſomething belonging to the Law of nature, or morall Law for our inſtruction, and imitation, nor doth he engage upon condition, the particle foreign rendered, if ver. 20. untill ver. 15. when Numb. 36. ſurely Prov. 3.34. This takes away the great objection if it were a duty according to the morall Law, or Law of nature, he would have engaged abſolutely, and ſo you ſee he did notwithſtanding, that If the Text. Thus is was before the Law Ceremoniall, and Chriſt approves it, Matth. 23.23. and affirms that dedicating a part to charitable uſes, ſanctifies the whole, as the firſt fruit ſanctified the lump, Luk. 11.41, 42. & 12.33. And finds no fault with the Phariſee for his practice, Luk. 18.12. for his giving up of a tenth part to all that he poſſeſſed to pious uſes, but for his truſting in it, nor were the tenths all of them conſumed by Chriſts Conſumatum eſt, but he teacheth us even to the end of the world, to give unto p. 165God the things that are Gods, Marke 12 17. and both we and all that we have are his, I Cor. 29.14. though he is pleaſed to accept a ſmall part in lien of the whole.

And plain it it,Sacrum Deo uon fine in ſigni in cum injurià ad profanos uſus applicatur, Cal. inſtus. l. 3. c. 7. S. 1. that there is ſuch a thing as ſacriledg, now in the daies of the Goſpell, all I fear many more are guilty thereof then are aware of it; nay, well were it, if they were not moſt guilty, who ſeem moſt to abhor Idols thou that Abhoreſt Idols, Id ſucceſſit in corum decimarum, Grotius in Loc.doſt thou commit ſacriledg, Rom. 2.22. Concedimus Deo, ſaies Magna Charta, Origan who flouriſhed an. Chr. 227.when it ſpeaks of ſeperating the tenth part to holy uſes which part was called by the Antients, Dei cenſes, Gods Rent,Mentions the payment of the tenth part, recalled by Ʋrban, which was as ſoon as anyhad a propriety of eſtare, till them beleivers in many places had a community of goods, becauſe of the rage of perſecution, but not in places where they were more free. nor hath God forfeited his Right, becauſe of mans abuſe or ſuperſtition. I think alſo there muſt be ſome rule of proportion for that laying by in ſtore commanded by the apoſtle, 1 Cor. 16.2. Upon the firſt day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in ſtore, as God hath proſpered him, that there be no gatherings when I come, (according to Deut. 16.10. According as the Lord thy God hath bleſſed thee in p. 166ſome due proportion. Now if there be no rule for the quantity, a large heart may lay by too much and defraud his relations or other occaſions, a narrow heart will be ſure to lay by too little, and ſo be guilty of ſacriledg by alienating that which is due to God, to whom Jure Coronae, beſides homage and fealty, ſervice ad fidelity, we owe an honorary tribute, though no ſubſidiary Rent, for that he needeth not: But this he requireth, and little comfort ſhall they have who deny it to him.

This (though far too little for the point) may ſeem too much in this place,The poore, the perſecuted, the widow, fatherleſs, and ſtandger, theſe are. Gods publicans, to gather this ret, revenue, cuſtom due unto him, his collectors; and porrers to carry it into his treaſury of Heaven, and there you'l find it, Luk. 16.9.Luke 16:9, but if the Lord would ſet on the ſence of this duty upon the hearts and conſciences of proſeſſors, and take them off from their ſubterfuges, and cavils, and evaſions, how ſoon would there be a ſacred bank, a ſtock raiſed, a Temple-treaſury filled, to anſwer all religious occaſions, to give a ſpeedy relief to the neceſſities of Saints abroad, at home, who ſtarve many times while the graſs is growing, while the alms are a gathering.

p. 167How would this rowle away our reproach of being Solifidians, and make the Goſpell cry for fruitfullneſs in good works, with Popiſh charity and blind devotiion, Tit. 3.8. let them who have believed in God, be carefull to maintain good works. How would it cut off occaſions from the fleſh, which craves and cals for all, and conſumes more upon ſome one luſt, then all a mans graces ever coſt him: How would it bring a bleſſing and prove a hedg about all the reſt of the eſtate, like Hannahs loaf which was lent to God, I Sam. 2. 20, 21. He gave her back five for one, and ſo will he do by every one that ventures with him will ye prove him, Mal. 3.10. do but try me ſaith he in this one particular,An ancient Profeſſor, aſter he had heard this point preſſed in publike told me, it had been his practiſe above 30. years, and that by the advice of the renowned Dr. Ʋſher. but it is a ſnare for a man to devour that which is ſanctified, Prov. 20.25. that which is and ought to be ſeparated from common uſes: men rob God, Mal. 3.8. and put him to ſtrain for his own, and he doth it many to their ſorrow, Hoſ. 2.8, 9. For ſhee did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oyl, p. 168and multiplied ber ſilver and gold which they preared for Baal, Dr Ʋſher. And that he found much eaſe in giving, having alwayes ſomething by him which he looked on as none of his own, Decima quaeque veteres diis ſuis offerchant. Paulus, Diacon. Abridgm, Feſt. All Nations by the inſtinct of nature, have practiſed it, or, they learned it firſt from the people of God. They did rite dividere, though not rectè offere, they admitted it as concluded on by an univerſall Parliament, though things are much varied by carrying far and long continuance, not anſwering to the Prototype and originall.they waſted all upon their luſts. Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof; and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and will recover my wooll, and my flax, (given) to cover ber nakedneſs. Si tu decimam non dederis, tu ad decimam revoceris, (Aug. de temp. Serm. 219.) Becauſe rich men will not give the tenth to God, God many times brings them to the tenth of what they had: God requires a ſeventh part of our time, becauſe we have that meerly from his bounty without our in duſtry, but a tenth of our eſtate making a defalcation or allowance for our pains, and if he gives no increaſe he looks for nothing, now both as to the ſeventh part of our time, and the tenth part of our eſtate, the Ceremoniall and Levitical part being aboliſhed, the morall uſe and equity remains to the worlds end, all piety, juſtice, gratitude requireing it, no Popiſh abuſe ought to take away the uſe, and all Nations in all ages, practiſing this p. 169duty,See inſtance in Sr H.sp.and arguments from the New Teſtament in Dr Garlton, Dr Sclater, Mr Roberts, Mr Bagſhaw, which proves the duty here pleaded for more ſtrongly then the due they contended for: Thought if God faile of his due, his ſervants cannot want theirs. will riſe up in judgement and condemn us, if we who have the right way neglect it.

And who would repent his obedience hereunto when he comes to dye and to be torn away from all his outward enjoyments? then it is that mens conſciences wring them, and make them fling away apace what the can graſp no longer. Oh, Then it is that their hearts dye away with anguiſh and aſtoniſhment, to behold all the black Items of their expences, to think how they have ſerved the Devill with their eſtates and not God, to whom they are now a going to give an account of their ſtewardſhip when he will truſt them no longer, they now feel the hooke which they hae ſwallowed, and would fain diſgorge that which they are afraid to digeſt in Hell.

But alas, we have gotten a cheap Religion, and therefore like it becauſe it ſaves our purſes, though not our ſouls; what praying heart feels not cauſe to bewaile it, to go to God about it, and to fill his mouth with p. 170Arguments. If we hold our peace mens land will cry againſt them, and the furrows thereof complain, Job 31.38. The ruſt of their riches ſhall be a witneſs againſt them, Jam. 5.3.

I have only offered hints to help on this bleſſed work of pleading and ſtriving, and wreſtling with God (with the arms of his own Spirit,) in Prayer, the decay and abatement whereof in our dayes is looked on as a ſad ſymptome, and juſtly bewailed by the moſt ſpiritual profeſſors. But alas, how few ſtir up themſelves to take hold of God, Iſai. 64.7. Now it muſt needs be granted, that the ſpirit of adoption is the beſt Logician, the only One, both for invention and judgement, it was he that taught Ariſtotle and others to reaſon with men, as well as Job and Jeremy and the reſt of the Saints, to reaſon out the caſe with. God.

When He hath formed the prepoſitions according to his own Canons and principles of truth laid down p. 171in the Scriptures, and made the aſſumption according to his office, which is to beare witneſs, 1 John 5.6. and ſo hath made application of the propoſition to the perſon, to the poore ſolicatous ſoul. He will thence clearly and ſtrongly inferre the concluſion.

Yea, All Hiss Arguments are highly Satisfactory, his demonſtration irrefragable, his dilemmas unavoidable; So that he convinces of righteouſneſs as well as of ſin, and ſubdues the ſoul to the obedience of faith, it cannot turn from him; and in like manner doth he raiſe and refreſh it when it is weary? If we admit that diſtinction of a Mediation and Reconciliation, and of interceſſion, as that belongs to Chriſt, ſo this to the ſpirit, not excluſively as to Chriſt, but as to Angels and Saints departed, Rom. 8.26. The ſpirit it ſelf maketh interceſsion for us.

And without breach of Charity I dare be bold to ſay, he hath none of that ſpirit within him, who can find no help by the conſciencious and conſtant uſe p. 172of this way of pleading, if it be not to ſuppoſe an impoſſibility that any can conſcientiouſly uſe it without him? Nay, I dare ſay theſe conſiderations here hinted cannot miſs if rightly uſed? Only I would adviſe every one that would do any good on't,Benè oraviſſe eſt, penè ſtuduiſſe gravias egiſſe eſt plus quam legiſ ſe, Alſted, Theſaur. arils memor. to pick out and ſelect ſomething out of every Sermon they hear, to be repeated upon the knees in ſecret, which poſture I judge beſt, both for repeating and ſtudying any thing of this nature.

And let me add, If God will not heare thee, and anſwer thee upon theſe terms; If he do not put ſtrength into thee, if he be not content that faith ſhould overcome, then be thou bold to ſay, that all the Miniſters of His holy Goſpel are ſadly miſtaken in it and him, Heb. 10.35. Caſt not away therefore this confidence, this priviledg of ſpeaking freely and pleading with your God, which hath great recompence of reward. He who ſo graciouſly anſwers pious ejaculations, Nehem. 2.4. will undoubtedly anſwer the p. 173powerfull expoſtulations of faith and pleadings of his ſpirit: Forget not therefore how he calls his people to leave of their reaſonings with Satan, with fleſh and blood, and with their own evill hearts, and to come and reaſon out the matter with him, and what he promiſeth ſhall enſue thereon, Iſaiah 1.18. Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord: though your ſinnes be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wooll. And ſuch are many of our ſinnes, ſinnes of a deep dye, of a double tincture, relapſes are ſo.

But for thoſe who live not within the lines of this Communication, who come not within any of the qualifications here mentioned, who cannot own any of theſe Arguments, (if it be poſſible any ſuch ſhould have the leiſure and the patience to read them,) The Lord have mercy upon them, they cannot pleade and will be preſſed to death, for want of it.

p. 174Thus have I brought you, to peep through the key-hole, through the hole of the doore into the Tower of David, builded for an Armory, wherein there hang a thouſand bucklers, all ſhields of mighty men; and if you have felt your beloved, putting in his hand by the hole of the doore and touching your hearts, your Bowells have been moved for him and will be more and more? you'l not be at reſt till you have been arguing out the matter with him in ſecret daily; And ſo the pouring in a diſhfull of water, may help to ſet the pumpe a going, and cauſe a pouring out to your hearts to ſome purpoſe, this poore thing may ſerve to do the work of a Gibeonite, help to hew wood and draw water for the Tabernacle and the Altar, it may help you with thoſe Iſraelites that lamented after the Lord, to draw water and to poure it out before the Lord.1 Sam 7.2.1 Sam 7:2

And let me ſay aſſuredly that exerciſe will infinitely ſurpaſs in ſweetneſs all ſports and paſtimes, all the p. 175treaſures and glories of this world, all the delights of the ſons of men, for 'tis the delight of the Sons of God; 'tis Heaven on Earth, Heaven on this ſide Heaven, and will undoubtedly convey you at laſt into the Heaven of Heavens, there to be extaſied with joy and glory for evermore.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Harrison, Spiritual Logic (1658)