The Signs of the Wicked Man, Preface
The Preface to the Chriſtian and carefull READER.
HOw neceſſary it is for al ſorts of men in the viſible Church to try their eſtates whether they bee true Chriſtians or no, may appeare by the expreſſe charge giuen in the Scriptures concerning it. The Apoſtle Paul chargeth men to examine themſelues whether they be in the faith, and whether Chriſt Ieſus be in them, vnleſſe they be reprobates, 2. Cor. 13. 5. And the Apoſtle Peter would hauehave all Chriſtians, diligent to make their Calling and Election ſure, 2. Pet. 1. 10. And the like commandement lay vponupon men in the Church of the Iewes in the old Teſtament, as may appeare by that exhortation, Lam. 3. 40. Let vsus ſearch and try our wayes, and turne againe vntounto the Lord: and the Prophet Dauid in this caſe, chargeth men to commune with their owne hearts, Pſal. 4. 4. How can men draw neere vntounto God in the full aſſurance of faith, if they will not bee at the paines to examine themſelues? Heb. 10. 22. Or how ſhall wee euer know that wee are of God, or attaine vntounto any confidence of faith, as we ought to do? 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Epheſ. 3. 12.
How fearefully this point of ſound tryall is neglected, and how miſerably moſt men are deceiued for want of it, may appeare by this obſeruation, which may vſually bee made of men in the moſt places, viz. that many that are carnall men, ſay they are godly; and many that are godly men, ſay they are but carnall: Beſides that a multitude of men, both good and bad, liue in ſecurity; the one not caring to get out of ſo woefull an eſtate; and the other not regarding the riches of Aſſurance.
The cauſes of this miſerable ſecurity, may bee obſerued and noted both in wicked & in godly men.
In wicked men theſe things may bee eaſily diſcerned.
1. A lothneſſe to examineWhy wicked men neglect the triall of their eſtates. 1. Becauſe they are afraid all is not wel. themſelues and try their eſtates exactly, for feare leſt they ſhould find that they are not in a good eſtate: Their hearts ſecretly condemne them, and they thinke, if they ſhould take particular notice of their owne condition, it would be found, that they hauehave indeed no true grace in them; and therefore they rather chooſe to liue in that doubtfull eſtate, then to bee put out of doubt, and made to know, that they hauehave yet no right to the kingdome of heauen; neuer conſidering that the knowledge of our miſery may be one degree to get out of it.
2. In ſuch as ſee all is2. They are ſlothfull. not well with them: the cauſe is ſlothfulneſſe, mingled with horrible preſumption; they had rather weare out their daies in danger, then bee at the paines to vſe the meanes for their owne repentance and reformation: They will wretchleſly put it to the venture.
3. Others will aduenture3. They reſt vponupon the common hope vponupon their common hope of mercy: They hauehave certaine generall confuſed apprehenſions of mercy in God, vponupon which they wilfully engage their hopes, without care of reformation, or the particular warrant of their hopes from the Word of God, and ſo miſerably periſh: their hopes prouing, but as the houſe of the ſpider; and, the imaginarie mercy failing them, they die either as ſtockes, without ſence; or as Iudas, in horrible deſpaire.
4. Others reſt themſeluesOr 4. vponupon their outward profeſſion of Religion. vponupon their outward profeſsion of Religion, and ſome generall things wrought in them, and the good opinion others hauehave of them, and ſo being ſomewhat neere the kingdome of God, they are content to reſt there, as the Iſraelits did neere Canaan, though they neuer poſſeſſed it. Wee ſee many thinke, there needs no more to be ſure they are in a good condition, then to heare Sermons, and abſtaine from groſſe outward prophaneneſſe, and to bee well reputed of among the godly, &c. pleaſing themſelues with the ſhew of godlineſſe, though as yet they deny the power of it, as hauing attained no other righteouſneſſe, then the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes.
5. In multitudes ofOr 5. they hauehave euill opinions about Aſſurance. men there are ſeated euill opinions about aſſurance: They thinke either it is impoſsible to be had, or it is needleſſe, or it is preſumption to ſeeke it.
6. All wicked men are hindred by their beloued 6. They are letted by their beloued ſinnesſinnes, which they are not willing to part with, but of purpoſe forbeare the care of heauen, that they may the more ſecurely liue in ſinne.
Thus of wicked men: It is true alſo, that many godly Chriſtians hauehave beene, and are extremelyWhy ſome that are godly, neglect, the triall of their eſtates. faulty in neglecting the triall of their eſtates, and their Aſſurance: and the cauſes of this negligence in them are diuers: As
1. Some are ſo much1. Euill opinions. miſ-led by the ſurmiſes of their owne hearts, that they thinke that Aſſurance would breed ſecurity, and that it is a better way to keepe their owne hearts humble, to be ſomewhat doubtfull: not knowing, that vnbeleefe is the chiefe cauſe of ſlothfulneſſe and ſecurity; and that the aſſurance of faith is the chiefe meanes to purge the heart, and quiet the ſoule, and workes effectually in all the duties of louelove.
2. In the moſt, Ignorance 2. Ignorance.of their owne gifts and Gods promiſes, is the cauſe: for if Chriſtians did ſee diſtinctly, how far the Lord had brought them by his grace, and withall did behold the euidences of their faith, and hope in Gods promiſes, they could not faile of comfort, & eſtabliſhment of heart.
3. Smothering of doubts 3. Smothering of doubts and temptations.and temptations, is a great let in many: Diuers Chriſtians are ſecretly, and daily aſſaulted with certaine ſtrange doubts; which if they did propound, and get ſound anſwer vntounto, their hearts would heale within them, and the work of faith proſper.
4. Some Chriſtians areThey are wicked ouermuch. kept without Aſſurance, through the ouermuch viewing of their owne daily infirmities in all parts of Gods ſeruice: They are wicked ouermuch; whereas if they would ſtudy thoſe Scriptures, that ſhew how graciouſly the Lord ſtands inclined toward his people, notwithſtanding their daily wants, their hearts would bee much eaſed, and their minds cleerly reſolued to truſt vponupon the euerlaſting mercies of their God.
5. In ſome, the cauſe is5. Melancholy. found in the diſeaſe of their bodies: Melancholy, when it is growne to a diſeaſe, is a moſt ſtiffe and pertinacious aduerſarie to Comfort and Aſſurance: It doth fill the heart with ſo many ſad conceits and fancies, and is a humor ſo vnteachable, that comfort for the moſt part is as water ſpilt vponupon the ground: And the more difficult it is to remoue this let, becauſe vſually the parties poſſeſt by this humour, are ſo far from ſeeking helpe, that they will not bee perſwaded that they are troubled with any ſuch diſeaſe.
6. Some Chriſtians are6. Paſſions hindred by their owne Paſsions; they are ſo froward and vnquiet in their diſpoſitions, that their hearts are daily lifted off from the benefit of ſettled Aſſurance by their owne habituall diſcontents: Frowardneſſe is a miſchieuous diſtemper, that weakens both body and minde; and aſſurance and ſtrength of faith, ſeldome dwels in an vnquiet minde.
7. Others want aſſurance,7 Neglect of the meanes. becauſe they neglect the meanes of Aſſurance: they do not try all things, and keep that which is good; or they call not vponupon God daily, feruently, and conſtantly, to giuegive them the ſpirit of reuelation, to ſhew them the hope of their Calling, and their glorious Inheritance, Ephe. 1. 18, 19.
8. A barren life is an8. A barren life. vncomfortable life: and contrarywiſe, to abound in 1 Cor. 15. 58.good workes, hath ſtedfaſtneſſe, and a ſecret reſt of heart, as an vnſeparable companion of it.
9. The louelove of earthly 9. Too much louelove of earthly things.things is another great impediment: many Profeſſors hauehave their thoughts and cares ſo eaten vp with worldlineſſe, that they cannot ſeriouſly ſeek Gods Kingdome, nor conſtantly hold out in any courſe for the attainement of Aſſurance: This degree of faith requires ſome degree of the contempt of the world.
10. In ſome, there lodgeth10. Secret ſinne. ſome ſecret ſinne, which they know, and do not iudge themſelues for, and doth daily preuaile in them; and this either keeps out faith, or keepes it downe in the cradle, that it can get no ſtrength. When I ſay ſecret ſinnes, I mean ſecret from others, not from themſelues. For ſinnes of meere ignorance God doth not ſcourge in his ſeruants ſo, as to withhold his graces from them.