The Hypocrites Ladder, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Containing an Uſe of Exhortation, with ſome Directions, and Motives.
NOw to draw towards an end, let us adde a few words of Exhortation.
You have ſeen all along how far a Capernaitiſh Profeſſor may go, and yet after all periſh, and fall, as Lucifer from his hoped heaven, and become worſe than Sodome. What remains but to warn you of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethſaida, all you Profeſſors of whatſoever judgement, way, and profeſſion to look well to your ſelves, your foundation, your rooting, your ſtation, your growth, and proceeding, leſt yee ſhould begin to build, and not come to perfection, and leave your name and profeſſion to deriſion, or beginning in the ſpirit, yee ſhould end in the fleſh, and loſe your reward, and another take your Crown, you that were firſt, becoming laſt, and with the children of the Kingdome bee caſt into utter darkneſs, when the laſt ſhall be firſt.
You have ſeen the Doctrine proved in Inſtances, confirmed by ſundry. Arguments. Know this for certain, that there are many Profeſſors, with whom it will go worſe than with any others, Amos 3. 2. You onelyonly have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I puniſh you according to your ſins.
Reſt not in going in the common road, and being in that ſtate, to which the higheſt hypocrite may attain, aſpire further, get into that ſtate whereinto Hypocrites and Reprobates never yet came; The new birth, the new creature, the new heart, the new life, the new nature, the thorough-change, an implanting into Chriſt, a conformity unto Chriſt, a living in the Spirit, and a walking after the Spirit, then haſt thou croſſed the line, ſhot the gulph of perdition, and art paſſed Act. 12. 10.the firſt and ſecond Ward, and got through the Iron gate, yea thou art got over the firſt great Style, and there is but one ſtyle more, and thou art at thy Fathers houſe.
Reſt not in performing common duties in the common, cuſtomary, liveleſs, formal manner, but perform every duty with life ſpirit, zeal, diligence, fervency, ſincerity, and acquaint thy ſelf with thoſe diſcriminating duties to which every hypocrite is a ſtranger. To ſeach thy heart, keep thy heart with all keeping, to have thy converſation in heaven, &c.
Reſt not again in any ſhews of grace, get thoſe foure kindes wee ſpoke of, preparative, radical, nutritive, and perfective, and pray that thy heart may not onelyonly have the good ſeed, but the right ordering the Plough, the Root, the Raine, and the Sun, that it may bring forth fruit unto perfection.
Reſt not in going ſome few ſteps, or ſome of thoſe Removes, and Encampings of Iſrael towards Canaan but to go thorough and get over Jordan: Deſire not to go the ſhorteſt, eaſieſt, and pleaſanteſt way to Heaven, but the ſafeſt and ſureſt.
Reſt not then in civility, good nature, education, common gifts, flying common ſins, reſtraining grace: Reſt not in illumination, conviction, a taſte of the good word of God, or a taſte of the powers of the life to come, by legal terrors, or unſound hopes; reſt not in higheſt knowledge, fulleſt approbation of others, in common faith, repentance, fears, joyes, going the Rounds of duty.
But look upon theſe Ladders, and ſee how high others have gone, yet have faln ſhort; ſee if you have gone, and are yet going further.
Look into thoſe Glaſſes wee have ſhewed you, the Hypocrites Glaſs firſt, and ſee if thou findeſt not thy ſel…e there.
Look alſo into his Diviſions, and Contradictions, and ſee if they ſhew thee not thy ſelf.
Look, and look diligently that thou mayeſt not deceive thy ſelf, and not ſport (but ſpoyle) thy ſelfe by thy owne ſelfe-deceivings.2 Pet. 2 13.
Then look into the Sincere mans Glaſs and look into it, till thou finde thy ſelfe there.
And let mee after theſe fore mentioned Glaſſes, leave you one Glaſs more: That Scripture, Heb. 12. 15. Looking diligently, leſt any man faile of the grace of God, a ſuitable and ſearching Scripture, of which a few words by the way.
Looke, and looke diligently] ſaith the Apoſtle, foreign, it is Church-worke, it is not to bee done haſtily, but ſubſtantially; it is the ſame word that the Scripture-Biſhops, or Miniſters work is ſet out by, Inſpection, looking over: This is thy Dyoceſs wherein thou muſt bee the overſeer.
Leſt any] As if hee ſhould ſay, Too many every where do, and to bee ſure ſome of you do, and will bee found ſuch, if you looke not diligently; for there have ever been among the chiefeſt Profeſſors, and in the moſt ſelect and pureſt ſocieties ſome that have miſcarried, a Cham in Noahs, an Iſhmael in Abrahams Family, a Judas among the Apoſtles, a Saul among the Prophets, a Nicholas among the Deacons, a Demas among the Miniſters, a Magus among the Beleevers, an …nanias among the Converts, yea a Satan among the Sons of God in every meeting; Job 1. 6. & 2. 1Therefore you had need take the more diligent heed leſt any of you ſhould miſcarry by like example of unſoundneſs, but look well about you that it bee not your own caſe.
Leſt any faile, foreign] Leſt any come ſhort at laſt, they begin well, hold not out well, end not well, but they fall ſhort when it comes to the upſhot, and winding up; they are found light, when they come to be weigh…d. They are not ſuch as never ran at al, but ſuch as ſet not out ſoon enough, put not on faſt enough, hold not out long enough: They are not ſuch as want all, but ſuch as have not all that ſhould bee had: They are not ſuch as have done nothing, but have not done every thing. One thing is lacking, many things they have, but the main is wanting. There was one Lot in Sodome, there wanted nine more, then it had not periſhed.
Leſt any faile of the grace of God] Here are two things:
1 Grace.
2 Grace of God.
1 Grace.] It is not foreign, but foreign, not Gifts, but Grace: It is Grace is to be looked after, not Gifts. Many are inriched in Gifts, that are poore in Grace. They have the ninety nine (as one ſaith) which Chriſt looketh not after, and they want the one which hee ſeeketh for.
2 The grace of God] This is put in Scripture for true grace, 1 Pet. 5. 12. and oppoſed to fleſhly wiſdome, and ever accompanied with ſincerity, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Look diligently leſt any man faile of the grace of God; q. d. There is a great deale of humane grace in the world, men call it grace, God doth not: It goes for grace on earth, will not bee found to bee ſo at the appearing of Chriſt; It will not abide the touch; It will not abide the fire, as the gold and ſilver, but it will burn and ſmoak as wood, hay, and ſtubble, it is not 1 Cor. 3. 12.Scripture-proof grace, nor will it bee Death-proof, much leſſe Judgement-proof.
Now to put all theſe together, it is as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, Look about you with the greateſt diligence, leſt any of you after your long profeſſion, great hopes, and faire beginnings, ſhould prove Caſtawayes, and that not by reaſon of a total want or privation, but by reaſon of ſome defect and imperfection onelyonly, Falling ſhort of the grace of God.
And here are many things to bee looked after.
1 For the kinde of it; Look that it bee true Grace, the grace of God, that it have the right ſtamp, that it be renewing, ſanctifying, heart-changing grace; Grace accompanying ſalvation, ſee you take not up with gifts, expreſſions, abilities, ornaments, no nor every Grace, as enlightning, preparatory, exciting, ſin-diſcovering heart-amazing, ſoule-terrifying, conſcience-wounding, ſin-reſtraining, duty performing Grace, you may have this and more, and yet walk as men, and bee utter ſtrangers to that which the Scripture calls the Grace 1 Cor. 3. 3.of God.
2 Next to the truth and kinde of Grace, look diligently to the meaſure of Grace, that you fall not ſhort in the degree and meaſure of it; to fall ſhort is not to bee totally deſtitute or wanting, but ſome ſteps, meaſures, or degrees behinde; A little grace is enough to begin the world withall, not enough to end withall, one Talent faire to begin with, dangerous to end with. See therefore ye grow in grace, that yee go not back, or ſtand at a ſtay, as if already perfect.
3 Look to the number of Graces, leſt any fail▪ or fall ſhort of any one grace, but that you have the whole number, and 1 Cor. 1. 7.tale, and confluence of graces, That you come behinde in no gift, waiting for the appearance of Chriſt. Any one ſin is enough to deſtroy, any root of bitterneſs if it ſpring up, defiles all; but any one grace is not enough to ſave. There muſt bee an adding of faith to vertue, and of knowledge, temperance, patience, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6. It was not the lacking of five of the firſt fifty that Sodome was conſumed for, but for lack of five of the laſt ten; ſo it is not for want of five of the fifty Gifts; But of the five of the laſt ten Graces, that an hypocrite doth periſh.
4 Look to your continuance, and proceeding in Grace. Therefore that word faile of, is in the Margin tranſlated falling from Grace.
The fire that came from heaven was to bee kept continually burning, that it might never go out. It was not for want of Lev. 6. 13.well-beginning that Judas and Demas periſhed, but for not holding out, they had many things, they lacked one, onelyonly perſeverance. The Kibroth-Hattaavah, the great burying place was between Num. 11. 34.Egypt and Canaan.
There they were deſtroyed of the Deſtroyer. Lots wife had as well dyed in Sodome, as in Zoar. And it had been all 1 Cor. 10. 10.one with the mixt multitude, if they had been deſtroyed by the Angel in Egypt among the firſt born as to periſh in the wilderneſs. And it was worſt of all for the Spies after they had been once entred into Canaan, and ſeen it, to hang back towards Egypt again. Apoſtacy is the unpardonable ſin. An utter want of righteouſneſs, is not ſo bad as decayed righteouſneſs. All ſin and unrighteouſneſs is forgiven upon Repenting of it, and turning from it, ſo that it ſhall never bee mentioned. Ezek. 18. 22. & 24.But righteouſneſs repented of, and turned from, is unpardonable, all this righteouſneſs is forgotten; but the decaying righteouſneſs is never forgotten.
5 Look you faile not in the Activity, and lively Vigor of your Graces, That your Graces bee acted, exerciſed, blown up, that they may bee flaming and ſhining, That your hope may bee a lively hope, your ſelves lively ſtones, as your 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5.foundation is a living, or lively ſtone. As the Iſraelitiſh women were more lively than Exod. 1. 19.the Egyptians, ſo ſhould the Chriſtian bee more active than other men.
The Apoſtle noteth and ſingleth out ſuch Chriſtians, men or women, as were more eminent and active than others, and ſendeth them ſpecial commendations: Salute Priſcilla and Aquilla my helpers in Rom. 16. 3. & 6▪ & 12.Chriſt Jeſus. Mary who beſtowed much labour on us. Tryphena and Tryphoſa who labour in the Lord, and the beloved Perſis, who laboured much in the Lord. Seeſt thou a man diligent in his buſineſs, hee ſhall Prov. 22. 29.ſtand before Kings, not before mean men. This advanced Jeroboam, Solomon ſaw hee 1 King 12. 28.was …nduſtrious, and therefore preferred him, ſo the Lord taketh notice of any that is more forward and induſtrious in his ſervice, and ſaith, There is a man for mee.
The Holy Ghoſt in the ſtory of Nehemiah, obſerveth who were more backward, and who more forward and laborious in the wall building. The Nobles of Tekoah they would take no pains, but Shallum a Ruler, hee and his daughters Neh. 3. 5. Verſ. 12.were buſie in repairing their part.
But there is a ſpecial note of honour upon Baruch, that hee earneſtly and Verſ. 20.actively repaired his part.
In the Law the Snaile was unclean and forbidden to bee eaten; the creeping Lev. 11. 30. & 23.things that had wings were to bee had in abomination. And for their food among the Beaſts, the nimble Roe, laborious Oxe, the Kid, and Lamb, and the fruitfull Sheep; among the Fiſh ſuch as had ſins, and ſcales, which make them more ſwift in ſwimming, and active in their element. So ſhould Chriſtians bee active, his Angels muſt bee all Spirit, and his Miniſters a flame of fire. And they eſpecially Heb. 1. 7.ſhould bear a reſemblance of thoſe living and lively creatures in Ezekiels Viſion, who were all life; they had foure faces of the moſt excellent creatures in Ezek 1, 5, 6. ad 14.their kinde, the face of a Man, excelling all in wiſdome, of a Lion excelling all in courage, of an Oxe, excelling in ſtrength and painfulneſs, and of an Eagle, excelling all in ſwiftneſs and velocity. They had alſo all members and inſtruments for motion and activity, they had foure faces looking every way without turning, foure wings a peece, they had alſo hands under their wings, and feet beſides: And it is ſaid, their appearance was like burning coals, and their motion was like a flaſh of lightning. Here was nothing but activity, and readineſs for ſervice with the greateſt expedition.
Let mee quicken you with a few Motives.
1 Look you faile not of grace, for if you do, you will faile of glory, and faile of Heaven, Heb. 12. 15. you read of failing of the grace of God, Rom. 3. 23. you read of failing, or falling ſhort of the glory of God. It is the ſame word, faile of grace, and faile of ſalvation, By grace you are Eph. 2. 5.ſaved. The Schollar muſt bee at School fitted for the Univerſity, or hee cannot bee admitted, there is not the place to learn his A, B, C, or his Eight parts of Speech; and the Chriſtian muſt bee in the School of the Church trayned up, and made fit, or meet for that heavenly ſociety; here practiſe the ſinging the Songs Pſal. 137. 4. Rev. 14. 1. 3.of the Lord in a ſtrange land, that hee may ſing them the readier upon Mount Sion. The childe uſually lives not when borne, that had not his due time and growth before borne; if wee dye before the time, before wee have had our due formation, and qualification for our tranſlation (Chriſt formed in us) there is no poſſibility of living there. The ſtroke of death, and bar of judgement fit no man for heaven: There is not the time and place of converſion. The ſtone and timber was hewed and fitted in Lebanon; there was no hammer to be uſed in the building. You muſt get your 1 King 6. 7.work done here; in the Grave is no place of opportunity.
2 If you faile of True grace (the grace of God) it is all one, you will faile of ſalvation. There is no baſe mettal currant in heaven, but ſuch as hath the Image or ſuperſcription of God upon it. It muſt have ſolidity and weight. The Lord weigheth the ſpirits. They muſt have their weight, Thou Lord haſt pleaſure in uprightneſs, requireſt truth in the inward Prov. 16. 2. 1 Chron. 29. 1…. Pſal. 51. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Rom. 12. 9. Eph. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 12,parts. It muſt not bee the Kings ſtamp upon Adulterate Coyne: It muſt bee faith unfained, love without diſſimulation, holineſs of Truth, ſincerity of God, or nothing.
3 If you ſhall faile in the number and meaſure of growth and degrees in grace: I will not ſay, but you may bee ſaved, that is, it is poſſible, but you will have a hard bargain of it, to bee as Peter ſaith, Scarcely ſaved, 1 Pet. 4. 18. or as Pauls phraſe is, to come off with ſome loſs or difficulty and bee ſaved, yet ſo as by fire. 1 Cor. 3. 15.Whereas as Paul ſaith, If you come behinde in no gift of grace, you may with comfort wait for the appearing of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1. 7. And Peter ſaith, If theſe bee in you, and abound, an abundant, or open, and eaſie entrance will bee granted to you into 2 Pet. 1. 8, 11.the Kingdome of God.
4 On the other ſide, True Grace attained and maintained, gives True peace of conſcience, and ſecurity to the ſoule in whatſoever diſtreſſes. If preſſed above meaſure even to deſpair of life, the conſcience is full of rejoycing upon the teſtimony of ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, that 2 Cor. 1. 12.not in fleſhly wiſdome, but by the undoubted grace of God, ſuch have had their converſation in the world: Such may ſay with holy Job, Though hee kill mee, I will truſt in him, but I will maintaine my wayes Job 13. 15, 16.before him, hee alſo ſhall bee my ſalvation, for an hypocrite ſhall not come before him. Such may as Peter ſaith, When the heavens ſhall paſs away with a hideous noiſe, and the elements melt with extremity of heat, and the 2 Pet. 3. 10, 13.earth with all therein bee diſſolved, then m…y they according to the promiſe of God, expect a new and better heaven, and a new earth. Yea ſuch ſhall have a heaven on earth, ſuch ſhall ſee the New Jeruſalem, coming down from God out of heaven: Yea, ſaith Rev. 21. 2.Chriſt to ſuch, I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God, and hee▪ ſhall go no more out: And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of Rev. 3. 12.my God, the New Jeruſalem which cometh down from my God out of Heaven, and I will write upon him my new name.
5 Which is more, This is the onelyonly way to glorifie God, and his glory is much more to bee prized than our glory, yea than our ſalvation: To ſeek our own glory, is no glory, eſpecially in competition with Gods glory, Prov. 25. 27. and it is leſs ſincerity, Joh. 7. 18.
God hath no glory at all upon earth, but from a few ſincere gracious ſouls, of whom God ſaith, This people have I formed Iſa. 43. 21.for my ſelfe, they ſhall ſhew forth my praiſe.
And the godly have learnt to ſet a higher price on Gods glory than their own ſalvation, as did our Saviour, Joh. 12. 27, 28. When hee firſt prayed for himſelf, My ſoule is troubled, Save mee, &c. hee gives that over with ſubmiſſion, Thy will bee done, I came therefore to this houre. But bee I ſaved, or not ſaved, Father glorifie thy Name; and in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray firſt, Hallowed bee thy Name, and then Thy Kingdome come. A godly ſoule like his Saviour, Jo. 17. 4. Deſireth firſt to glorifie God, then that God ſhould glorifie him.
True Grace doth not onelyonly procure to the ſoule an heaven upon earth, but to God an heaven on earth. And hee doth ſeem to rejoyce more, and ſo do the heavenly Rev. 11. 15. & 12, 10.hoſt, when the Kingdomes of the earth are become the Lords, by a conſiderable increaſe and addition of new godly Converts, then that the Kingdome of heaven is the Lords.
I read that Iſrael in the day of their ſolemn Thankſgiving, and Rejoycing, Exod. 15. 2.did proclaime God to bee their God, and did promiſe to prepare for him an habitation: It is more piety to prepare the heart for an habitation for God, than to deſire God to prepare heaven for an habitation for us.
6 Laſtly, Bee diligent to get, to keep, to exerciſe, to increaſe, and improve Grace, you will live uſefully, cheerfully, fruitfully, you will dye hopefully, joyfully, heaven-fully, and enter into heaven with full aſſurance by a free, and open paſſage, 2 Pet. 1. 11.
Now to conclude the Uſe with a few Directions.
1 If thou wouldeſt not meet with Capernaums ſad diſappointment in the end, Luke 14. 28.when thou firſt makeſt entrance, begin, and count the coſt, and reſolve to goe through, or never begin. Reſolve to regard neither winds, nor clouds, or never lay thy hand to the Plough, nor go out Eccleſ. 11. 4.to ſow. See how thou canſt anſwer Chriſts queſtion. Can you drinke of the cup I am to drinke of? and bee baptized Mat. 20. 22.with that Baptiſme that I am to bee baptized with? Before you expect hee ſhould anſwer your deſire to ſit at his right hand in his Kingdome. Reſolve firſt that it is a ſtrait way, or gate foreign, a narrow Mat. 7. 14.and ſteep paſſage, as that of Jonathan, and 1 Sam. 14. 4. 13his Armor-bearer climbing up on their hands and knees between the two ſharp Rocks of Bozez and Seneh: And that it will coſt thee much labour and paines. And then reſolve further, that it is a narrow way, foreign, a way full of affliction. There are Lions and Anakims, and Amalakites in the way all along, and through tribulations is the way into the Kingdom of heaven. Therefore as the Lord commanded when his people were to go out to battel, they ſhould make proclamation, that if any was fearfull and faint-hearted hee ſhould depart leaſt his Deut. 20. 8.brothers heart ſhould faint as well as his: So doth Chriſt prolaime if any man come after mee, Let him reſolve to take up the Croſs, and to forſake father, mother, brother, ſiſter yea his owne life alſo, or hee is no Luke 14. 26. 3…Diſciple for mee.
2 If thou wouldeſt go through with thy work, having purged thy heart from that former baſe and ſlaviſh fear; Get thy heart ballaſted and filled with holy and Religious fear. Salvation is not to be wrought out but with fear and trembling. Nor is Phil. 2. 12.holineſs to bee perfected, but in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Bleſſed is hee that Prov 28. 14.feareth alwayes in this ſenſe: Never fear him that feareth himſelf. Fear God, fear Satan, fear ſin, fear the world, fear thy own ſelf, bee jealous of thy own heart, Omnia tuta time, fear pride, ſecurity, decayes, fear ſome ſecret ſin, ſpiritual ſin, tepidity, luke-warmneſs, oſſitancy, preſumption, non-proficiency, fear taking cold, leaving thy firſt love, fear thy ſtation, and examine it, fear, and try thy profeſſion, fear, and queſtion thy faith, thy comforts. But above all, feare ſecurity, ſelf-ſufficiency, hypocriſie, and Apoſtacy.
3 Keep a continuall watch, and conſtant guard, 1 Cor. 16. 12. Watch and ſtand faſt are put together. Watch in duty, watch out of duty, in prayer, Watch and pray, watch in hearing, watch in thy Calling, watch when alone, watch in company. Thy enemies are many, mighty, ſubtil, and reſtleſs, thy dangers are many, great, and for the moſt part unſuſpected, no place, buſineſs, imployment, duty, company ſecure, therefore ever watch.
4 Bee ſure to keep conſcience tender and pure, tender as the Apple of thy eye, to bee ſenſible of the leaſt mote, or duſt where conſcience is kept tender, 1 It will not admit of the leaſt ſin, it will not ſay of any ſin, Is it not a little one? 2 It will not exempt and ſhelter any beloved ſin, to ſay, Deal gently with my Abſolom. 2 Sam. 18. 5.3 It is very ſenſible of, and gives great heed to the private admonitions, and ſmitings of his own heart, as David when upon a ſmall occaſion. 4 It dares not ſleight 1 Sam. 24 5.a reproof from any hand, Even a childe may lead ſuch, Iſa. 11. 6. 5 It dares not intermit any duty. 6 Nor dare it performe any duty ſleightly or curſorily, offering 2 Sam. 24. 24.to God that which coſteth nothing.
2 Conſcience is to bee kept pure; And where it is ſo, 1 All groſs ſin is forſaken, and deteſted. 2 All ſecret ſin is ſhunned and avoyded. 3 Ʋnknown and unavoidable ſin is bewayled.
5 Take heed again, and look as much to thy ſelf, leſt there ſhould bee found in thee an evil heart of unbeleef in departing Heb. 3. 12.from the living God. It is an evill that hath cauſed many a one to fall, yea the mighty have been wounded by it. Moſes and Aaron, were for one act of unbeleef kept Numb. 20. 12.out of Canaan. Take heed of queſtioning Gods power, faithfulneſs, truth, love, mercy, protection, aſſiſtance, eſpecially of with-drawing thy whole dependance upon Chriſt. In quietneſs and confidence, thou wilt finde ſafety, foreign, In hoc vinces. This is Iſa. 30. 15.to bee ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power Epl. 6. 10.of his might. When in our feares wee flye to Chriſt, and awake him as the Mat. 8. 25.Diſciples did, or call upon him as the Gibeonites did on Joſhua, ſlacke not thy Joſh. 10. 6.hand, wee have put our ſelves under thy protection, then hee holds his honour, truth, and Covenant engaged for thee. When I am weake, I am ſtrong, ſaith the 2 Cor. 12. 10.Apoſtle, What time I am afraid, I will truſt in thee. Whither ſhould the Bird flye but Pſal. 56. 3.to her hill? and the Cony but to the Rock? Then wee have not onelyonly the Armour of the Lord on us; But the Arme of the Lord ſtretched out for us. Scanderbegs Sword, and his Arme, the one without the other could do little; Let thy military word bee the ſword of the Iudg. 7. 20. Prov. 18. 10. Pſal. 60. 12. Ex. 17. 15.Lord, and of Gideon. The Name of the Lord is my ſtrong Tower, through God I ſhall do valiantly. Jehovah Niſſi, the Lord is my Banner, or in God I will ſet up my Banners. This faith made the people of God valiant and victors in ſharpeſt conflicts, and put to flight all Armies of men and Devils. How heroically was that ſpoken by Luther, If I knew there were as many Devils to oppoſe mee, as there bee Tyles on the houſes at Wormes, in the Name of Chriſt, I would go on.
6 Learn to prize, and to ſubmit to a plain, powerfull, quickning, ſin-diſcovering, and heart-ſearching Miniſter, and take heed of forſaking the Aſſemblies as the manner of too many now adayes Heb. 10. 25.is, and whither have wee ſeen ſuch arrive at length, but to make a fearful ſhipwracke of faith, and a good conſcience: And learn to prize ſuch acquaintance and Chriſtian friends as will ſtrengthen thy hand in God: 1 Sam. 23. 16.And flye as out of Sodome, from ſuch a companion whoſe example or counſel may corrupt thee, and ſtop thine ears againſt ſuch Charmers and Seducers, as under pretence of New Lights, would draw thee from the old pathes, and take heed as much of a deteſtable Neutrality, or utrality, a halting between God and Baal, leſt wanting love, zeal, Ier. 6. 16.and courage for the truth, God ſhould give thee over to ſtrong deluſions to beleeve a 1 King. 18. 21 2 Theſ. 2. 10. 11lye.
7 Learn conſcientiouſly, to make uſe of the holy Ordinances of God: 1 By holy preparations before, Jam. 1. 21. and ſtirring up quickning deſires and affections, 1 Pet. 2. 2. that you may grow thereby. 2 With an awfull and religious acknowledging, and ſanctifying of God in them, Lev. 10. 3. 3 And with a ſerious ſelf-recollection and examination after, Luke 24, 32. As the Diſciples asked each other, If they did not feel their hearts burn within them while Chriſt opened to them the Scriptures.
8 Study to keep down high and ſwelling thoughts, and dwell much in thy own heart to keep thee humble. Tecum habita, & noris quam ſit tibi curta ſupellex.
Reflect upon former miſcarriages or defects, and as Schollars that aim at a progreſs; Look back upon former exerciſes to correct, and amend the weakneſſes in them: Let thy profiting daily bee ſeen to thy ſelf and others; none take hurt that 1 Tim. 4. 15.are looking forward, and going on. It is the Carters Proverb, Cart never overthrows going up hill; Fear deſcents and declinings. And ſtudy thy preſent wants and pray, Lord make mee to know how fraile I am. The horſe wee ſay were a dangerous creature if hee knew his own Pſal. 39. 4.ſtrength, man is a more dangerous; no danger in an humble knowing thy own weakneſs. In te ſt as, & non ſt as, ſaid holy Auſtin, when thou ſtandeſt in thy own ſtrength, thou ſtaggereſt, and when thou riſeſt in thy own ſtrength, thou riſeſt to take a fall. And let the forwardneſs, and higher growth of others (lately thy equals or juniors) if not ſhame, yet provoke thee to a holy emulation and ambition to out-ſtrip both thy ſelfe and them; as Paul, who when time was, had profited in the Jewiſh Religion above all Gal. 1. 19.his equals, and after in the Chriſtian Religion, 2 Cor. 11. 5.hee came behinde none of the chiefeſt Apoſtles, but could ſay in truth, 1 Cor. 15. 10.Hee had laboured more than they all.
9 Seek to get a heavenly heart, and pray much for ſuch a heart, that thou mayeſt even rejoyce in the Lord alwayes, and account it thy meat and drinke, to bee Phil. 4 4. Jo. 4. 34.doing his work. Work never goes on well, till wee take delight in our employments; neither do men thrive in their Callings, till they take a kinde of felicity in them. Set thy affections on things above, eſpecially get that pitch of ſpirit as Col. 3. 2. Pſal. 37. 4. Pſal. 73. 28.to delight in the Lord, to ſay, It is good for mee to draw nigh to God. The warme wings of the Hen, makes the drooping Chicking to thrive and battle: The comfort of Gods preſence makes all grace to thrive. The joy of the Lord is the Chriſtians Neh. 8. 10.ſtrength, it is ſaid, it is the ſtrength of his heart, of his graces, of his duties, as well as of his joy and comfort. When the poor Iſraelitiſh ſervant ſaw hee was well uſed, and could not tell where to mend himſelf for a Maſter, hee would not change, but offered his ears to bee bored, ſo will it bee with us. Seek to get a love and Exod. 21. 5, 6.liking to thy Maſter, and to his work, and thou wilt never repent thee of it.
10 Laſtly, to name no more, Bee much in Prayer, and pray the Lord himſelf to bee thy keeper, to keep thee as the Apple of his eye, and to give thee a heart Pſal. 17. 8. Prov. 7. 2.to keep his Commandements as the Apple of thine eye. Beg of him according to his gracious promiſe to Circumciſe thy heart, to put his fear in thy heart that thou mayeſt never depart from him, and that hee Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 32. 39, 40.will not depart from thee to do thee good. While Moſes his hands were lifted up Iſrael prevailed; Amalek, when they hung Exod. 17. 11.down; and if you note, you ſhall finde then have many been intangled, and overcome by error, worldlineſs, impiety, and Apoſtacy when they have reſtrained and intermitted prayer before God.
Urge the Lord with the like Arguments that Joſhua and Sampſon ſometimes uſed. When Iſrael accuſtomed to continual victories, came to receive a foyl from the men of Ai, Joſhua falls on Joſh. 7. 6. 7, 8, 9.his face, cries out, Alas Lord! What will become of us? And what will become of thy great Name? Would to God wee had never come over Jordan. Wee fear now the Canaanites will gather head, and cut off our name from off the earth, &c. q. d. Wee reckoned our ſelves now in ſight, and as good as in poſſeſſion of Canaan, now to meet with ſuch a diſaſter, it amazeth and breaketh our hearts. So mayeſt thou ſay, Lord, ſhall all my profeſſion end and break off thus? Would to God I had never gone ſo far, or ever been a Profeſſor at all; rather than not to hold out: Lord, what is become of all my former hopes, and thy wonted helps? But for thy Name, and Honours ſake I urge and importune thee; I have no greater Argument then to ſay, What wilt thou doe unto thy great Name? Lord who ſhall loſe more? I, or thou? Whoſe Name will have more diſhonour? Thine or mine? If my name were blotted and blotted out from under heaven, it were no great matter, but I would bee loath to live to ſee the day when thy Name ſhould receive the leaſt blot, or blemiſh by my means.
Or with Sampſon ſay, Shall I after ſuch a deliverance and victory over the uncircumciſed, now periſh with thirſt? and fall into the hands of the uncircumciſed again? hee throws away his Jaw-bone which was the inſtrument of his victory, and falls to prayer, and the Lord cleaves a hollow in the Jaw-bone, and a ſpring breaks out, whereof hee drinks, and recovers himſelfe, and to make the Well more memorable, hee calls it Enhakkore, as if hee ſhould ſay, Here is the fruit of prayer; Here is the Well of prayer, Judg. 15. 18, 19. So mayeſt thou ſay, Lord, I have by thy help overcome ſome of theſe uncircumciſed, and now ſhall I fall under their hand? or ſhall I after ſuch experiences, and encouragements, dye of a ſpiritual thirst? I ſhall not in deſpondence caſt away my profeſſion and faith, as hee did his Jaw-bone, but I will to prayer as he did, and I may have an Enhakkore too, a Well to quench the thirſt of him that called on the Lord. All my freſh ſprings Pſal. 87. 7.are in thee, and ſo both digged Wells at firſt, and opened when ſtopped (as the Philiſtims had ſtopped the Wells that Abrahams ſervants digged, Gen. 26. 18.) Prayer is that which opens them, and makes them flow.