THe author of this Booke was IESUS CHRIST; the pen-man was Iohn the Apostle, the matter of it, is [Page 2] generally mysterious; the per­sons whom it concernes are the seven Churches in Asia, but the scope of it extends to all the Churches, succeeding the Apo­stles to the end of the world.

Ephesus (the first of these Churches) is taxed for aposta­sie; Smyrna (the second of them) is encouraged to constancie; Pergamus & Thyatira (the third and fourth of them) are char­ged for permission of some ido­latry; Sardis (the fifth of them) is deepely questioned for hypo­crisie; Philadelphia (the sixth of them) is commended for fide­lity, and Laodicea (the last of them) is condemned for neu­trality or indifferency.

In this Epistle to Sardis, you have,

1 An inscription: 1. To whom? unto the Angell of the Church in Sardis.

2 From whom? He that hath the seven spirits (▪) Christ, who hath manifold abundance of spirituall gifts and graces in his owne disposing, and imparts them by his spirit.

2 A description of that An­gell and Church; what they were,

1 In semblance; Thou hast a name that thou livest, q. d. so thou boastest, and so others imagine that thou an furnished with vitals for doctrine and discipline.

[Page 4]2 In substance; but thou art dead, q. d. there is no such matter, thy Gold is but Tinne, and thy piety but formality: the powers of truth and grace were extremely fainting & languish­ing, and as it were expiring.

3 A direction of them what to doe, the which direction is,

1 Generall, Be watchfull or a­wake: no reformation without diligent and serious considera­tion.

2 Speciall, where,

1 The matter of it, Streng­then the things which remaine, that are ready to dye

2 The equity of it, for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

[Page 5]3 The manner of perfor­mance of this direction expres­sed in two particulars.

1 In remembrance of the good truths, or rather of the manner how they once recei­ved and heard them, amplified with a speciall exhortation to hold them fast,

2 In repentance of all evill, especially of their hypocrisie and languor, (And repent.)

The matter is so large which might be insisted on, as that I know not well where to pitch, I shall onely be able (as reapers doe in the full field) to cut down many particulars, and leave the binding of them up to some one more skilfull harvest [Page 6] man: take them thus.

1 That people living under evangelicall teaching, may yet be but in a decaying and dying condition (the things that be rea­dy to dye.)

2 That spirituals are to be succoured and strengthened if once they grow languishing and dying, (strengthen the things that, &c.)

3 That the estate, though visibly faire to the eyes of men, yet it may be really imperfect in the eyes of God, [I have not found thy works perfect before God.]

4 A right remembrance and retention of originall truths, are the way to revive a dying [Page 7] christian, to fetch him againe. [Remember therefore, &c.]

6 Spirituall decayings doe require spirituall repentings: [and repent.]

I begin with the first of these, viz.

Doct. That people living under e­vangelicall teaching, may yet be but in a dying condition: for the opening of this assertion, premise with me these particu­lars. Three things premised.

1 There are three sorts of people who may live under the preaching of the word.

1 Some manifestly prophane, who are starke dead, there is neither the substance, nor the semblance of any heavenly life in them.

[Page 8]2 Others are cunningly hy­pocriticall, whose leafe of pro­fession seemes to live, but secret core of corruption convinceth that they are dead.

3 A third sort is of such as are vitally good, there is a spi­rituall life truely implanted in them, and a profession in some measure answerable thereunto.

The proposition I under­stand even of this latter sort, that even these may be in a dying condition.

a This dying disposition properly consists in a manifest decay of spirituall principles; for looke as when a man is dy­ing in a naturall way, the vitall principles of Calidum and Hu­midum [Page 9] are notoriously impair­ed; so when a Christian is dy­ing in a spirituall way, those principles of heavenly life within him, are exceedingly sinking and failing, and decay­ing: there is not that strength, nor that activity, nor that assi­duity in the spirit or heart of man, as formerly, Simile. but he works man, as formerly, but he works weakely (like a dying pulse) and cum laesis facultatibus, as a man goes with lame legges, and a sickly body, so he walkes with wounded principles and a lan­guishing pining soule.

3 But if you will have the point in a more ample manner, then know that a Christian may be dying partly,

[Page 10]1 In profession, his very A Chri­stian may be dying in seven things. leaves may wither; that visible forwardnesse of zeale and dili­gence, that wonted presence of his at the ordinances, they may admit of an extreme sluggish­nesse and remissenesse; he may grow a stranger to God.

2 In conversation: His hand may shrivell and disflourish: that former association of him­selfe with the people of God, may now be no delight, and profitable discourses of heaven and of holinesse, may now be much laid aside, there may now drop no such waters from his fountaine, and very little good from his society: his can­dle may burne darkely, and [Page 11] with a very imperfect and loo­sing light.

3 In affection, that flame of love and sea of desires, and Eden of delight, may like a great fire be reduced to a few coales and cinders: Christ puts the Ephe­sians in minde of their first love that it was left, Revelat. 2. 4. Revel. 2. 4. though not absolutely for na­ture, yet eminently for measure, and S. Paul upbraideth the Ga­lathians for that strange coole­nesse in their affections to his person and ministery, whereas at the first, their zeale was so forward, as that their very eyes Gal. 4. 15. were at his service. Gal. 4. 15

4 In duties which may now be chopt off by intermission, or [Page 12] wrought out with voluntary distractions, either none, or rugged, done with a kinde of formality, coldly, chilly, care­lesly.

Heretofore no time was too long, no diversion sufficiently excusable, no praying satisfying without lamenting compun­ctions and groanings of spirit, or without some more fervent violence and wrestling with God.

But now this and other du­ties are like a pulse hardly felt; words suffice, and almost an opus operatum is enough.

5 In judgement, that whereas formerly the minde and under­standing were Simile. (like the Needle [Page 13] looking to the Polestarre) with much admiration and delecta­tion taken up with the medita­tions of God and Christ, and divine truths and waies. Now vaine objects are doted upon poore, inferiour, transitory de­lights and profits, take up the lodging, and so fill the soule, that it becomes almost a stran­ger to holy contemplations and meditations. It hath almost lost the rellish of the studious thoughts of God, or Christ, or salvation.

6 In gifts or parts, which through too much indulgence to carnall ease or affectation of worldly greatnesse or defect of fit imployment, may like a [Page 14] sharpe sword, grow rusty, or like standing waters in a poole, be almost drawne dry and empty.

7 But which is the mainest and worst of all, the Christian may be dying in his very gra­ces; as the health of man may admit of eclipses, and the very life of man may admit of sow­nings and faintings, Simile. so the ve­ry graces in a Christian may be much checked and wound­ed, and impaired in their anci­ent degrees and acts.

Partly through want of ex­ercise, partly by not admini­string succour & strength unto them by a constant application of the ordinances, partly by [Page 15] hearkning unto some sinfull temptations.

So that now repentance may become more difficult and un­able, and godly sorrow can scarce be discerned for that ex­treame hardnesse of heart, and faith can scarce finde the way, or make any use of Christ, and the promises, but the gates of unbeliefe seeme to possesse the soule.

Yea, the feare of God may now not so restraine and awe, and the love of God may not so prevaile and excite, as they have done in former times.

Object. But you will demand what may be the causes of this dying condi­tion?

Sol. I conjecture these.

1 Simile. Some deadly corruption which hath seized upon their spirits: if poyson get into the body, it works upon the spirits, and so weakens and indangers life.

The people of God are some­times tasting of poyson, they are tampering with unsound doctrines, which as they doe infect the judgement, so they doe abate their spirituall prin­ciples and abilities. The Apo­stle was afraid that he had lost his labour, and spent himselfe in vaine to those of Galatia, that they were even leaving their hold in Christ, and what was the cause of it? Surely some [Page 17] false Apostles had leavened them with errour about cir­cumcision, and the observati­on of the law. When the judge­ment is corrupted with any er­rour, then truths are not of that power with the soule, & where truth looseth in authority, there grace will loose in its strength and efficacie.

2 Some deadly wound is gi­ven unto them; you know that a man may dye, not onely by a draught of poyson, but Simile. like­wise by the cut of a sword, which divides the parts, and lets out the bloud that carries and preserves the life of man.

There are things which doe fight against the soul, 1 Pet. 2. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 11. [Page 18] and not onely fight against it, but wound it; nay not the soule and conscience onely, but like­wise our very graces.

Sinnings doe not onely prove a troublesome wound to the conscience, but likewise a kil­ling and dying wound to our graces; if any thing in the world extinguisheth or abateth our graces, they are our sinnings, which are to graces as water to the fire. But now even the peo­ple of God doe many times hearken to some baser lusts and viler commissions (as you know in David and others) and when sinne hath got any favour in the judgement or affection, it is like a disease which will not [Page 19] off without a manifest breach of health and strength; Simile. sinne lames our graces.

3 Some deadly neglect; Simile. if the soule grow negligent, it will quickly grow dying, as you shal see that inordinate abstinence and neglect of food brings a man quickly into a consumpti­on: so when the people of God through spirituall pride, shall grow carelesse of vitall assistan­ces, that they keepe not so close to the word of life, nor to the Sacraments of life, nor to the great principle of life by an ear­nest and constant communion in prayer, no marvell if they grow dying persons. It is with us in respect of God, as it is [Page 20] with the plants in respect of the sunne, which live or dye, flou­rish or decay upon their con­junction (if I may so speake) and Grace is not a life and strength it selfe. Minuit supra vi­res ali­menti penuria, said Fer­nelius, l. 1 de morb. causis. neerenesse with its heat.

So our soules, yea and our graces live by that conjunction which they have with God; if we keepe not to him close and neere, but draw off, what doe we but draw off from the prin­ciple of our being and conser­vation?

4 Inconsiderate toleration of particular evils; not a timely expurgation of them.

Simile. You know that if peccanthu­mours redound in the body, and be not considered of, and purged out in time, they may of [Page 21] ordinary distempers, turne into deadly diseases, and so it is with particular corruptions (admit they be such as wee are pleased favourably to call infirmities) or any other sinnes, if they be not quickly expelled and reformed, they may bring us neere the gates of death: one sinne may bring on another, or the same sinne may steale unto a strange degree of strength, so that a per­son (unawares) is languished extreamely, and whence comes this? not onely from an incon­siderate admission of sinnes, but also from an untimely correcti­on of sinne.

The soule should presently have physicked it selfe with, [Page 22] first a right apprehension of the greatnesse of the evill in the be­ginning: secondly, speedy hu­miliation before the Lord: thirdly, fervent supplication for mercy, and more strength: fourthly, resolute reformation and abandoning of it.

But the neglect of these hath brought the soule into a spiritu­all languor, and perhaps into a deep consumption of graces.

5 Defect of frequent exami­nations: though at our originall and first conviction of sinne, and a sinfull condition, we are very tender and circumspect, and ever and anon feared, and overlooked our spirituall condi­tions, whereby we found sin­gular [Page 23] additions to our graces, yet after a while, after Christians have got over the pangs of the first birth, and have procured more peace and comfort, (as if a gracious soul would thrive of it selfe) they are generally apt to keepe on the course of obedi­ence, but thinke it superfluous, at least not so necessary, often to search, and view, and fan­now themselves. And what now befals them? surely two great evils, viz. that the estate and operation, and acts of sin, are not so strictly eyed: second­ly, that the estate of their graces is not so well knowne and guarded against speciall moti­ons and temptations, whereup­on [Page 24] it often fals out that the poor soul is reduced to great streights and leannesse, the man cannot pray as heretofore, nor finde that love to God and Christ as heretofore, nor have that delight in the ordinances, nor doe that good in society, nor receive that profit, nor feele that mournful­nesse of spirit as heretofore: why? hee did let and suffer his spirituall estate to run on at ha­zards, and the lesse searching of heart, the lesse strength of grace alwaies.

6 Defect of solemne humili­ations in extraordinary fasting and prayer. Those meanes which beget our graces, are likewise ordained to preserve [Page 25] them, and as the use of singular meanes confers more power and life to our graces, so a cessa­tion in the use of them, proves an exceeding decay unto them: it is as if you should take away the pillars from the house, or the raine from the earth.

Now this is certaine, that ex­traordinary times of fasting and prayer, they have beene blest with power from heaven to make the strongest temptation and corruption to flye, no sinne is able to stand before them: and so likewise they have been blest with an answer of singular en­largement & addition to our spi­rituall estate: oh how cheerful­ly, how tenderfully, how much [Page 26] more fully and fruitfully is thy soule inabled after those du­ties rightly performed? but Christians grow very strangers to these solemne duties, either totally omitting of them, or slubberlie performance of them, and therefore they get not that strength over spirituall cor­ruptions, nor that fruitfull sup­ply to their graces, and conse­quently slip into dangerous lan­guishings and decayings.

7 Inactivity in our places and relations, is another cause of spirituall languishing and de­caying. Simile. A lazy Christian will quickly prove a dying Christi­an: the Physitians doe observe, that as too violent exercise over­throweth [Page 27] health, so likewise too much rest may cause ex­treame sicknesse, because there­in the superfluous humours are not carried or breathed away, and the spirits and naturall heat are not stirred up to performe their proper functions.

It is even so with Christians, in respect of their graces; if they let them lye still and dead, they will quickly grow weake and dying; though their life be an im­planted by an operation of Gods spirit, yet it is preserved by an operation of our spirits; ther­fore grace is compared to fire which must be stirred up and blowne: He who will not use grace, will quickly lose it, or decay in it.

But Christians many times imploy not their graces, they do not any good with them, they doe not stir up their hearts to beleeve, to lay hold on God, to call upon him, to walke before him, they doe not lay their knowledge, their zeale, their love, &c. in their particular rela­tions; but live together, and do no good together, meet toge­ther, and provoke not one ano­ther unto further holinesse.

8 Lastly, all perturbations or excesse in passions, cause a lan­guishing, V. Fer­nel. l, 1. de morb, causis cap, 18, p. 198. and therefore they ob­serve in nature, that immoderate feare, or griefe, or anger, or joy, or agony (which consists of an­ger and feare) or desire or care; [Page 29] all these, or any of these by their immoderation, doe checke the spirit & naturall heat, immarces­cere spiritus & calorem, and con­sequently diminish health and strength. And surely so it is in the spirituall condition; all inor­dinate affections are the empay­rers of grace, whether it bee desires of the world, or delights in it, or fears of men, or griefe for losses, &c. but I cannot now inlarge.

Vse. I now come to the applicati­on of this point, which shall be in the first place, to reflect upon our owne hearts, to see in what condition our spirituall conditi­on is; whether we be not Sardi­ans, yea or not, either having a [Page 30] name onely, but are totally dead; or if we doe live, whether that life of ours be not growne so weake, that wee are almost dying.

Reasons to move you to search your hearts in this parti­cular, are these.

1 Many among you (who Three things. professe and have a name, and I hope, the truth also of grace) doe not get on, you doe not make progresse, you have not advan­ced your selves in your spirituall condition.

Though the Lord hath given you plentifull and rich meanes, yet what you were many yeers agoe, the same you are now: a man may say of you, as we doe [Page 31] of our friends, whom wee see perhaps once in ten yeeres, that they looke, and are just as wee found and left them then. So many of you, after many yeeres preaching and hearing, are just as you were, have not attained to any further perfection in holinesse.

Now it is an ill symptome, this; for a staying heart is sel­dome otherwise then a decay­ing heart. Creation, though perfect at once, yet it is not so with sanctification; the old say­ing is, Non progredi est regredi, grace is either getting or losing, Simile. like a river, either fuller or lesser, or like an oake, growing or dy­ing.

[Page 32]2 Many persons expresse pal­pable decayings; all who know them, can see and say, how strangely they are altered; they are scarcely knowne now to be Christians, but by the judge­ment of the most favourable charity, who formerly have beene very forward even to ex­emplarity. The judgements of men are so altered with fond opinions, their strictnesse of conversation is so strangely slack'd into that which they themselves were wont to call a licentiousnesse of walking, there is such a dumbnesse growne in their families, and withall there is such a chilnesse come upon their affections; oh where is [Page 33] that thy former zeale, and love, and joy, and pitty, and broken­nesse of heart, and flames for Christ, and desires of strength and assurance, and circumspe­ction to please thy God?

3 Though we be not dead Christians; yet if we be dying Christians, it makes our condi­tion very evill, and very sad.

1 Very evill, no man can Evill. 1 Cau­sally. decay in good, but by some­thing that is bad; it is alwaies some sinfull evill, which makes us to wither in spirituall good.

And then it is a thing very 2 For­mally, evill in it selfe; if it be a sinne not to thrive in grace, it must be a greater sinne to be dying in grace.

And then it occasions much 3 Even­tually. sinne, for it were a wonder to see a man dying in grace, and not withall, living in sinne; however, beleeve it, that sinnes will live the more strongly in thee, by how much the more weakely grace doth live in thee; when naturall heat growes low, then doe diseases multiply and grow high, if that which should keep downe sinne, be kept downe by sinning, how exceedingly sinfull maiest thou prove?

2 Very sad: the Christian condition is excessively perplex­ed and prejudiced by it, v. gr.

1 There is an extenuation of 7 Effects of it. our chiefest excellencies: Simile. our [Page 35] gold is now clipt and washed: Beloved, we have not more re­all excellencies here on earth, then gracious and holy quali­ties. If the naked soule be more worth then a whole world, what is grace, the which high­ly elevates and advanceth the soule? But even our graces (in a decaying condition) are droop ing and pining: for a man to have a finger withering is no­thing to that as to have his heart consuming: to behold a candle put out, what is that, to behold the Sunne growing dim or purblind?

When graces decay, then that To lose an house, a friend, &c. but which is as the heart to the members, or as the Sunne to [Page 36] the earth, or as the soule to the body, a vitall spring, decayeth: as she said about the taking a­way of the Arke, that we may say of diminution in grace. Now the glory is departing from Israel, now thy honour is lying in the dust; the lesse good thou growest, the more vile thou becommest, it is as if thy faire hand should become le­prous, or thy sunne set at noon day.

2 It is a depression of our hea­venly strength; when Sampsons haire was off, he was then as o­ther men; he lost his haire, and lost his strength too.

Simile. When the fountaines are low, and roots weake, then the [Page 37] streames prove thinne, and branches grow almost fruit­lesse, for these are the princi­ples of being, and of assistance unto them.

Our graces are a kinde of Springs to our gracious abili­ties; when we be lesse good, we shall alwaies doe the lesse good, and the more evill. Thy wheels will move slowly, and thy feet (like those of a sicke man) will move staggeringly and wearily; there will be much a doe to doe a little good: thy services will be like the thinne rayes of gold, which can hardly be discerned for the multitude of ashes and drosse.

Now this is a sad thing, [Page 38] when at the most, it is the most that a man can doe to beleeve, or to grieve for sinne, or to love God and feare him, or to pray unto him, whereas heretofore he was able to beleeve and re­joyce, to mourne and lament, &c.

3 A dampe upon our communions with GOD; there is a double commu­nion.

One is direct, which is our active communion with God, another is reflexive, which is Gods gracious communion with us: now by a dying in our spirituall conditions, there ari­seth a cloud and a dampe upon this reciprocall communion.

Wee cannot so behave our selves to God, and God will not so behave himselfe to us, as in former daies.

Note. 1 For our communion with God, it will grow more strange, lesse confident, and more gain­lesse, small for heart, lesser for trust, and least of all for benefit and successe.

2 For Gods communion with us, it will be eclipsed both in the effective and assisting part of it, as also in the affective and comforting part of it: hee will not give thee his hand or his eye as formerly; David found (upon his great decay) not one­ly a cloud in Gods face, but also a strangenesse in Gods spirit, Psal. 51. [Page 40] Psal. 5 [...]. 12. We doe by our no­torious decaying, debarre our selves of much help from God, and of all manifesting favour for the present.

Desertion is ever the conse­quent of decaying.

4 A vexation and restlesnesse in the conscience; when we take our leave of grace, wee must take our leave of peace and comfort. A dead man (many times) rests in peace, but a dy­ing Christian is never without trouble; the remaining grace serves most to trouble us for our decayings in grace.

Spirituall comfort usually attends us, either upon great griefes for sinne, or upon great [Page 41] progresses in duties. And spiri­tuall troubles usually follow us, either upon great adventurings in sin, or upon great remissions in holinesse; for conscience will trouble us as well for loosing what is good, as for commit­ting what is evill.

5 A great silence in heaven: the decaying Christian shall either heare of much displea­sure from God, or little and no good from him.

The ordinances (to which he now more perfunctorily ap­plies himselfe) shall either bee dumb and speake no incourage­ment, or bitter, and speake no strength or peace.

His prayers (which now are [Page 42] more cold and formall) shall either have no answer, or else the answer is more feare and trouble in spirit; God seemes to have no minde to speake unto that man, who now hath scarce any minde to speake unto his God.

6 A strange suspition of the reality of a spirituall condition; if grace be often put in dispute when the Christian cannot perceive it to thrive, how much more questionable will it be, when the same Christian per­ceiveth it to abate and decay, (usually it must be more then meere grace which must assure us of grace) forasmuch as no­thing resembles hypocrisie [Page 43] more then to be formall in our duties, and with it to be withe­ring in our dispositions.

A dying Christian looks very like to a dead hypocrite.

7 To all these may be added other evils, as horrid temptati­ons, externall miseries, feares of death, &c. but I may not insist on every thing.

Q But here it is demanded, how may we know whether wee be in a dying condition or not.

A. I know no better way to discerne this, then by a just comparison of things present with things past, as also by a faithfull observation of our owne spirits and graces: thus then,

1 Looke, first, upon your judgement and mindings, 2 up­on your wils and affections, 3 upon your hearts and con­sciences, 4 upon your worship and services, 5 upon your waies and conversations, so may you discerne whether you be dying or not.

1 For your judgements and mindes, formerly in these there were strong endeavours to know the truths of God, and to search out the mysteries of sal­vation, and admirable appreti­ations of holinesse and Gods favour, and sweet meditations on the will of God; the minde was eminently taken up with God and Christ, and grace and [Page 45] obedience and heaven.

Is it so now? or rather doe not worldly things seeme great in our eyes, are not our mind­ings more for inferiour good, then for spirituall good? divine studies, are they not rare, and poore, and transient glancings? where is that study to know God, or to see his favour in Christ unto thee? where is that reverend regard of the truths of God? where is that diligence to know the estate of thy soule? where is that sweet delight thou tookest once to know Iesus Christ as thine?

2 For your wils and affecti­ons: time was, that thy will was a flexible will, easie to obedi­ence, [Page 46] submissive to the divine will, cheerefull in the duties of godlinesse, much closing with divine promises, ravished with love to Christ, fearefull to of­fend, carefull to please, desirous of nothing more then Gods loving kindenesse, strictly ha­ting all evill, joyfull in this a­lone, that God was thy portion; flouds of teares swelled thy griefe, heavenly delights satisfi­ed thy soule, mercies were blest, threatnings feared, &c. If in stead of these, thy will growes weary and surly, hard to be perswaded, often clattering with the divine will, impatient of strict obedience, indifferent to please, slow to hearken to [Page 47] the counsels of God, and the mercies of God, and the threats of God are of small efficacie; sin is not so watched and loathed, God alone is not so delightfull and sufficient, thy heart grows more insensible of sinne, and hardly mournfull; thy delights are lesse in heavenly things. Ah now, how is the mighty fallen, how is the noble plant degene­rated? &c.

3 For your hearts and con­sciences, compare them now with what formerly they were; how quicke was conscience to direct, how apt was conscience to checke, how tender was conscience to offend? how un­quiet was conscience till peace [Page 48] was made, how exact was con­science to obey?

Is it so now? thou canst sin; and conscience strikes not; God strikes thee, but conscience strikes thee, not; conscience strikes thee, and thou carest not; conscience is growne sleepy and drowsie, almost dead and scared; thou canst omit duties, or performe them carelesly, slip and fall, and lie; and either conscience saith nothing, or thou reformest no­thing.

4 And for thy worship and service of God, how pretious were the ordinances unto thee, how delightfull? thou hadst ra­ther have spent a day with [Page 49] them, then a hundred daies in other employments: what secret impressions made the power of them upon thy heart, what griefes, what joyes, what degrees of perswasion, what expectations of hope, what fur­therance unto holy duties, what conflictings with, and conquests over sinne and temp­tations, what more serious care and diligence to walke with God.

Oh why is it, whence is it, that now it is not as once it was? there is not that connatu­ralnesse as formerly, the word works not on thee as formerly, the Sacrament works not on thee as formerly: the word of [Page 50] threatning reveales wrath, and thou tremblest not; the word of promise reveales goodnesse, and thou lovest it not; fidelity, and thou beleevest it not: the Sacrament opens the bloud of a Saviour, and thou thirstest not, thou rejoycest not; thou art growne dull under all, and bar ren after all; thy dead heart ar­gueth that thou art a dying soule.

5 The same may be said for our conversation and wayes, if they be now dead in respect of sinfulnesse, or dead in respect of unprofitablenesse, that wee are now become as the Heath that brings forth nothing, or as the Briar which brings forth [Page 51] thornes, that we turne all reli­gion into a discourse or cen­sure, or dispute; we can eat and drink, and talke, and sinne: how have the shadowes of death co­vered us? how chill and langui­shing are our graces turned?

Well, seriously consider of these things (you who heare me this day) and looke to it that you be not a dying people: more fearefull would your con­dition be, then the condition of others: for, first, you have more enlivening meanes then any people on the earth; no City like unto you for publike offers, or for private opportunities; yee are even exalted unto hea­ven in the abundance and [Page 52] choyce of spirituall helpes, and therefore your decayings would have more in the account then other mens; the more meanes of strength and life (accidental­ly) make dying diseases to be the more deadly.

2 Wee cannot but approve your flocking to the word and service of God in season and out of season, as if you would take the kingdome of heaven by force; if now under so faire a complexion you should be in a consumption, that the vitals of godlinesse should slacke and pine away in your hearts and private walkings, this dissonan­cie would be not only shameful to your profession, but also un­comfortable [Page 53] to your conscience.

2 Againe, another way per­sons may discern whether they be dying and decaying.

By an observation of the acts or operations of their graces; as if they be faint and more incon­stant: Simile. you see that the root is lesse able, when but a little fruit appeares on the tree, and that the Spring is fallen when the streames scarce runne, which yet were wont to flow; when graces are scarce active, or are uneven in their generall actings, surely there is some spirituall languor in thee.

O Christian, thy faith doth not commit things to God as heretofore, and thy love is not [Page 54] so setled on Christ as heretofore, and thy patience cannot beare in any measure as heretofore, and thy sorrow is dry, and thy zeale is cooled, &c. Simile. If thy eye cannot see so well, but growes darker, and thy foot cannot goe so well, but growes lamer, and thy shoulders cannot beare so well, but grow weaker, it is an argument that naturall vigour is decaied. The same may be said for our spirituall condition, if graces exert not themselves in a former vigour, &c.

Note. I pray you to observe that graces are given unto us for three ends and uses.

1 To be inclining principles to gracious or holy acts.

2 To be inlarging principles [Page 55] to pious performances.

3 To be cleansing & opposing principles of sinful corruptions.

1 They are inclining prin­ciples to gracious acts: the nature of man without grace, is like a dead man, who hath no disposition to walke, but when grace comes into the soule, it doth enliven it, and ina­ble it, and incline or dispose it unto holy operations, to minde, to will, to desire, to doe hea­venly works, as you see in Saint Paul, when converted, that re­newing grace enclined him quite to another way, and to other acts, to pray, to preach Christ, &c.

Now where is that ancient disposition in thee unto good [Page 56] duties? whence is that wonder­full unwilling esse and unto­wardlinesse of spirit in thee? how comes it to passe, that if thou dost serve the Lord, it is as if it were of constraint, there is a kinde of aversenesse and hang­ing backe; thou doest not minde him in any measure, and his law is not in thy heart.

2 Againe, they are inlarging principles, they do not onely in­able a man to good performan­ces for the matter, but also for the manner; they make us a willing people in the day of our offerings, and to delight to doe the will of God, and to be glad in going to the house of the Lord.

But now there is not that rel­lish of godlinesse, there is not delightfulnesse of service, there is not that libertie and alacrity of spirit; thou art become a dull and heavy Christian, as if there were not that suteablenesse 'twi [...]t thy heart and holy duties, thou art growne very slothfull and carelesse, and negligent in thy worke.

3 Lastly, they are cleansing and opposing principles of cor­ruptions, therefore compared to water which washeth out the spots, and to fire which fetcheth off the rust; and as our corrupt flesh is said to lust a­gainst the spirit, so the renewed spirit is said to lust against the [Page 58] flesh, and they are contrary one to the other, still in opposition and conflict.

And so the time hath beene, that thou hast found it, that grace did humble and cleanse thy heart from the love of sinne, and raised tender feare about it, and singular hatred and opposition of it; yea, the ve­ry thoughts of sinne were an heavy burden to thee; how of­ten (by reason of the rebellion in nature) hast thou cryed out with Saint Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me, &c.

Is it thus now, why is it not thus now? is sinne quite subdu­ed, or thinkest thou that grace [Page 59] and sinne will ever be at truce? nay, but why dost thou suffer those contemplative evils to lodge in thy minde, or those de­lightfull imaginations to tickle and invegle thy affections? nay, how darest thou to be tamper­ing with acts, if not sinfull, yet doubtfull, and as like sins as can be, and which occasion sinne? yea, and sins prevaile much on thee, as pride, vanitie, &c. and under all this thy heart smites thee not, restraines thee not; the time hath beene, thou durst not have beene or done this for a world, &c.

Object. But if the case be so (may some tender conscience reply) then I feare my estate is not right, for I never [Page 60] had so much adoe with a sinfull na­ture all my life, as of late, daies, and if the greater power of sinne shewes the more weakened estate of grace, I am then the person in a dying condition.

Sol. To this I answer briefly.

1 You must distinguish be­twixt the turbulency of sinne, and the prevalency of sinne; the spirituall condition is not decay­ing, because sinne is more mole­sting and rebelling, but because sinne is more prevailing and leading.

2 Betweene sinne in con­flict, and sinne in subjection; my grace is weakened when I yeeld to sinne, but it stands in strength when it stands in defi­ance [Page 61] and conflict with sinne: it argues the violence of sinne to breake out against grace, and also it argues the potency of grace to keepe the soule from serving unruly and boysterous lusts.

3 Betwixt sinne in tempta­tion, and sinne in the affection, even a strong castle may be as­saulted, and a stout Christian much tempted, then the spiritu­all part is weakened, when sin is favoured: If as there is much temptation in thy sinfull flesh, so there is much detestation on thy spirituall part, thy bow yet abides in strength.

Object. But another Christian replies, if these signes of decaying be right, [Page 62] which you deliver, then surely I am in a dying frame; for heretofore when (as I thought) God looked on me in mercy, in quickening me from the dead, I had a very melting heart for sinne, and a surpassing [...]y zealous love to God and his glory; but now I finde no such height, and flames, and measures?

Sol. To this I answer,

1 You must distinguish be­twixt equall sensiblenesse, and equall spiritualnesse; upon the inchoation of grace, there may be more sensiblenesse, for as much as grace erects it selfe much in the affections (of whose acts we are more appre­hensive, being more neere to sense) but upon the advance in [Page 63] grace, there may be more spiri­tualnesse: though not such a sensible griefe in the affection, yet a pure lothing of sinne and displicence with our selves in the will.

2 Betwixt passionate expres­sions, and deliberate or judici­ous expressions; I confesse that heretofore thy zeale and love might be more passionate and violent, but now they worke upon more pure and mixt grounds, and for ever know, it argues the grace to be the more strong, which can act its parts with lesse turbulency and un­quietnesse.

3 Betwixt grace generally diffused, and it particularly [Page 64] imployed: at the first all the wa­ter ranne as it were in one chan­nell; grace exerted it selfe most­ly in the humbling part, and therefore seemed to be very much, because very much im­ployed in a particular, but upon further knowledge of Christian duties, grace diffuseth its strength to all the acts of holi­nesse, it is not the lesse, because the more improved, onely it is the lesse perceived; Simile. as health and strength are when totally diffu­sed over the whole body.

4 Betwixt interruption and corruption, spirituall principles may sometimes be interrupted ( Simile. like a river which yet is scram­bling over the bay) by tempta­tions: [Page 65] the passages are not al­waies so open for operation: the very ineptitude of a mans temper, may occasion unequall expressions of the visible act: actus Imperati: and yet there may be no weakening and decaying in the spirituall condition, for the invisible frame, actus eliciti, are sure and full still; the will and desires doe act as much as ever, though the tongue or hand cannot render it, and be­sides this, the worke is made up by a secret humbling, which is so unavoydably hindred from an open acting.

6 But lastly, if upon solid grounds, when wee are our selves, we finde a manifest ine­quality [Page 66] of our present, with our former condition in grace; then counsell is better for thee then comfort, and mee thinkes no better advise can be prescribed, then that of Christ himselfe to the Ephesian Church, slaking in her first love, Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and doe thy first works.

Ʋse. 2 If though upon perusall of these trials, you finde your selves not to be in a dying condition.

1 Then first blesse the arme of the Almighty God, who hath given grace, and upheld it.

2 Beseech him for ever to preserve and increase thy spiri­tuall qualities all thy daies; it is [Page 67] by his goodnesse that thou art good, and of his strength that yet thou abidest in thy strength.

3 Vse all the meanes thou canst to keepe up thy graces, that thou sink not into a dying condition. Meanes to preserve us from a dying condition be these.

1 Be humble: Simile. the high tide quickly ebbes, and the highest sunne is presently declining: faith is the champion for our graces, and feare the watch­man, and humility the nurse. Spirituall pride fils our fancies, but impaires our graces: now a man thinkes he hath enough, and then he is sure to lose much; if any thing keepes us from [Page 68] being low in grace, it is this, that we still grow low and poor in spirit. In the Rickets they have large heads, but weake feet, so, &c.

2 Strive for further perfecti­on 2 Pet. 3. 17. 18. in holinesse, 2 Pet. 3. 17. the most of what wee have, is but the least of that we want: He that will not strive to be better, will be worse; in temporals we should insist more on our re­ceits, and that will make us thankfull: in spirituals wee should insist more on our wants, and that will make us fruitfull, 2 Pet. 1. 5. Adde to your faith, vertue, and to vertue know­ledge, 6 v. and to knowledge tem­perance, &c. 8 v. for if thou doe [Page 69] these things, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruit­full, &c.

3 Quit all formality in all holy duties, take heed of the first coolings: much impiety may hang upon much indifferency: a coole spirit is alwaies a lo­sing spirit: he who gives way to do duties in a slight manner, will after a while be able scarce to performe them in any man­ner. But as the rule was Hoc age, so still keep up thy spirit with the duty; stir up thy graces in all duties, put out thy heart and strength in holy actions of praying and hearing, and that will keepe thee alive in grace.

A conscionable and cordiall [Page] acting of good is blessed, not onely with a preservation of grace, but likewise with an ad­dition and increase.

4 Maintaine an holy jealou­sie and feare of decaying; Bles­sed is the man who feareth alwaies, saith Salomon, Prov. 28.

Three things arise from this.

One is tender watchfulnesse against all decaying occasions.

Another is frequent search and examination of our spirits and estates.

Quicke repairings of all fay­lings: all which preserve us from a notorious decaying or dying.

5 Be prudently serious in christian society; spend not thy [Page 71] houres in vaine disputes, lest while thou studiest odde noti­ons, thou in the meane time lo­sest precious grace.

There are disputes which end onely in division, and there are inquiries which tend to edifica­tion; rather studie to make thy selfe better, then to prove ano­ther to be bad.

6 Keep up uprightnesse, and by no meanes away with hypo­crisie, say not the sinne is little, Simile. for many a man hath dyed of a little wound, and we all know that the small end of the wedge makes way for the greater; nor say, it is secret, a man may dye of a secret stab, as well as of an open wound:

When the children of the Prophets tasted of the pottage, they cried out Mors in olla, death is in the pot, and so shall wee finde upon experience, that there goes a dying influence with every sinne.

Therefore take heed of all sinning, especially of those a­gainst knowledge and consci­ence, these are peccata vulne­rantia & divastantia, wounding and wasting sinnes. The tender heart and the upright, these are the living and the lively hearts.

7 I might adde, that we must apply our selves to a living Christ, and to living ordinan­ces, &c. but these alledged rules shall suffice for this time.

Object. But suppose wee are in a dying condition, what meanes now?

Sol. 1 Finde out the speciall dis­eases or causes of thy decaying, in what grace most, and by what meanes, and waies, and acts.

2 Be lowly humbled; that thou hast so humbled and aba­sed thy glory; Thou shouldest grieve exceedingly, that by thy great decayings, God hath been so much dishonoured, his spirit grieved, religion shamed, con­science wounded, and grace impaired.

3 Then use the meanes pre­scribed here in the Text, streng­then the things which remaine, that are ready to dye; whence wee [Page 74] come to the next proposition, viz.

Doct. That spirituals, if languish­ing and dying, are to be streng­thened.

For the understanding of this assertion, premise with mee a few particulars,

1 That there is a difference betwixt the

• Implantation,
• Perfecting,
• Strengthening

of holy princi­ples.

The Implantation of them is nothing but their free and effe­ctuall communication unto a person from Gods holy spirit; his hand alone sets all these hea­venly plants, and from his sole goodnesse and power are all [Page 75] those starres, those shining and beautifull stars, created in our soules.

Perfecting of holy princi­ples, is nothing but a successive addition unto grace received, a rising or sprouting of those plants, a going on from a wea­ker, to a stronger degree.

The strengthening of them differs from both, for it is not a new creation of holy princi­ples, but a restauration of them, and so it differs from grace im­planted, and though it be an addition to grace received, yet this addition is not to grace as meerely weake, but properly to grace as weakened, and so it differs from the perfecting [Page 76] of holy principles.

2 The strengthening of de­caying principles or habits of grace, it is a spirituall and pro­portionable reparation of them unto their former liberty, and ability, and efficacie.

It is not a meere sustaining of them in genere gratiarum, or in esse vitali, that they shall not quite extinguish; Simile. as when a house is onely so kept, that it fals not to the ground, this is not sufficient to sustaining; for graces may be strengthened as radicall habits, when yet they may be pining in their vi­gour, and remitted in their mea­sure and graduals.

But strengthening of grace, [Page 77] imports addition as well as su­stentation, Simile. like recovery which is health in some measure com­ming and rising againe.

Nor is all regaining suffici­ent, unlesse it be proportiona­ble to the estate of grace when it began to decay & sink: when the decayed Christian recovers againe unto that ancient pitch of heavenly power and inclina­tion, and unto his old liberty of holy acts, whether inward in the minde, will and affection, or outward in his open and vi­sible duties; now hath he right­ly strengthened himselfe.

It is true, that before he fully recovers that equall pitch, hee may be said to strengthen his [Page 78] graces by way of disposition, but punctually by way of habit; the strengthening implyes a new equality as it were to the latitude of his former conditi­on.

3 There is a threefold streng­thening of decaying principles A three­fold strength. of holinesse.

1 One is by way of authori­ty and plaine causality; this strengthening is the worke of the spirit of Christ Iesus; for as he onely is life to a dead man, so he onely is medicine to a sicke soule; his bloud is the onely comforting medicine to a trou­bled conscience, and his spirit is the onely strengthening me­dicine to a decayed Christian. [Page 79] It is he who must set us upon our legs againe, and who must make our withered branches to flourish againe.

Now Christ Iesus doth Christ streng­thens three waies. strengthen the languished Chri­stian (as I suppose) three waies.

1 Excitando, by awakening him out of his drowsie and deadly sleepe, like those to Io­nah, what meanest thou O sleeper? arise; so doth Iesus Christ awa­ken the decaying Christian, partly, per sermonem sonantem, by the powerfull knockings of the word, which will not let him rest thus, but charge on him all the wrath of God, and the with­drawments of his love, if hee will continue thus.

Partly, per sermonem tonan­tem, by some singular afflicti­ons, and neere corrections, scourging of him in some singu­lar outward mercies, that hee may see his spirituall losses in temporary ones.

Partly, per sermonem pulsan­tem, by his owne spirit, clear­ing the eyes of his understand­ing, to open and reflect, and consider on the decayed condi­tion, as also by exciting the conscience bitterly, to accuse and judge him for this recidua­tion and witherings, with much torment, feare, and shame.

2 Adjuvando, by conferring Alvarez de aux. Gr. disp. 88. p. 698. on him actuall and efficacious strength (specialem concursumro. [Page 81] bur actuale) whereby his will resolves to forsake those cour­ses of death, and to turne backe againe into the pathes of lite, and is also inabled by that helping grace, both to bewaile its former decayings, and also earnestly and constantly to sup­plicate the throne of grace and mercy for pardon, and for strength to recover.

3 Renovando, by a daily infu­sing (in the use of meanes) such new measures and degrees of holinesse, untill the decayed Christian recovers his former ability and vigour, shaking off his corruptions, and attaining unto that strength of holy un­derstanding, faith, will, love; [Page 82] desire, feare, care, obedience, as heretofore.

2 Another, is by way of mi­nistery and office: this concerns the Pastors of flockes, who should consider the estate of their sheepe, and if they finde any to wander, to reduce them into the way of truth; if any to be weake, to beare them up in their armes with comfort, if any to be pining and decaying, to stirre them up by holy re­proofes and pious counsels and directions for all the waies of a speedy and safe recovery; and many interpreters thinke this the principall strengthening meant and intended in this place.

[Page 83]3 A third by way of personal duty, and so the decaying Chri­stian strengthens himself, when being awakened, and excited, and assisted by the Spirit of Christ, he applies himselfe un­to, and continueth in the use of all holy and raising meanes, whether private or publicke, or both, untill God againe streng­thens what he hath wrought in him.

This strengthening is partly

Privative in the expulsion of those diseases and occasions which have impaired the spiri­tuall condition.

Positive, in a continuall suc­couring of the spirituall conditi­on, till it recovers to its ancient [Page 84] degree and station.

Quest. But why must the spirituall condition be thus strengthened?

Reasons hereof are many.

Sol. 1 Spirituall decaies are excee­ding losses, therefore to be re­paired and strengthened: they are a losse

In that which is our excellency; holinesse is the glory of a God, and the dignity of a Christian; it is holinesse which makes thee to differ from men, more then reason makes thee to differ from beasts: If with him in the Gos­pell thou shouldest lose thy sheep, or with her in the Gospel, thou shouldest lose thy groat, thou wouldest seeke to recover them: how much more when [Page 85] thy crowne is losing? &c.

In that which is our safety: graces are not onely ornamenta, beautifull garments, but muni­menta, powerfull weapons: thou losest thy weapons in the very field before thine enemies: if thou losest thy spirituals, and makest thy selfe naked, so that any temptation may insult over thee and wound thee: Simile. at least thou canst not so well wield and use thy weapons: a broken arme what can it doe, especially with a dull weapon, against strong and skilfull adversaries?

In that which is our serenity: the weakened grace, and the wounded conscience still goe together: or if not, then it is the [Page 86] dying grace, and the dead con­science, which is farre worse then the other.

In that which is our felicity: ah unhappy Christian, who when thy bow abode in strength, couldest see a loving God, enjoy a gracious Father, couldest speake to him much, and heare from him much; but now hast changed thy confi­dence into feares, thy sunne into darkenesse, thy communion into strangenesse, thy glory into shame.

2 Who knowes what the end will be, if thou strengthen not thy decaying graces? The Lord knowes how farre thou maiest fall, if thou wilt not [Page 87] thinke of rising.

Thou seest how poore a crop of duties comes from thy decay­ing graces: thou feelest thy affe­ctions almost gone: thou ap­prehendest not only a weaknesse, but a wearinesse in holy services: thou findest thy appetite gone from the word, thou knowest thy neglect of many a Sacra­ment: thou canst not but ob­serve a vanity to arise in thy minde, in stead of heavenly pu­rity, and a more delightfull consociation with vaine and idle persons, then with solid and fruitfull Christians.

Yea and since thy graces have beene weakened, easie tempta­tions have beene very likely (if [Page 88] not altogether) effectuall to in­snare thee to great transgressi­ons: from many omissions thou art now ready for great com­missions; Simile. so that like a stone running downe a hill, or a man carried further and further into the sea, thou doest indanger (what in thee lies) the very soule and salvation of thy selfe; and the love of God is it not set­ting? are not his frowns rising?

And here will be work now made for that miserable soule of thine, which hath so farre gone from home, and is depar­ted from thy fathers house?

3 We are bound to keep our graces in repaire, and more then so, orgo, we are not to rest in a [Page 89] decaying estate, but to recover, &c.

Simile. As the Tenant who takes an house is bound to keepe it in repaire, that it may be habitable against winde and weather, so must we keepe up the graces given unto us, and not let them sinke at all.

Nay more then so, wee are bound against not onely decay­ings, but against meere stand­ings: wee must proceed from faith to faith, we must perfect holinesse in the feare of God, we must grow in the love and knowledge of our Lord Iesus, we must abound in all the fruits of righteousnesse, we must use and increase our talents, it will [Page 90] not be an answer of proofe, to retaine our naked talent, and say, Master, there is thine own.

The first use of this point shall bee to stirre us up to the Vse. practise of this duty. I will not spend time to demonstrate that we need strengthening. I may speake my conscience with grief, that generally we are a de­caying people, in the powers of godlinesse, and flames of holy affections, yea our own consci­ences secretly testifie against us this day, that so it is; yea, the judgements of God, the fire of his wrath which begins to burn and flye abroad in this City yet againe, testifies as much: and therefore my exhortation to us [Page 91] all, is, that we wisely consider of our dyings and decayings: ah! if the Plague should breake into our dwellings, and take us a­way in our decayed estates, a tormenting sore, and a tormen­ting conscience, a dying spirit, and a dying body, both at once, the Lord knowes the woful­nesse of such a condition. There are onely three things which I shall commend unto you for the application of this, viz.

• 1 The motives to excite us.
• 2 The meanes to perform it.
  Three things.
• 3 The manner of doing it.

1 The motives,

To excite us to strengthen our spirituall condition, shall Seven disad­vantages. be drawne from the disadvan­tages in a weakned, & the advan­tages [Page 92] of a strengthened conditiō.

1 In respect of duties, the Christian is to be Gods workman; he is the servant of the Lord, who imposeth on him not a few, but many workes, not easie, but (many times) difficult workers, not for a while, but constant workes, such duties, that a little know­ledge wil not serve the turn, nor a little wisdom, nor a little faith, nor a little patience, &c. some of these duties are active, some pas­sive, some respecting his general, some his particular calling, some of relation to God, some to man, some to himselfe. Now the weakened Christian, hee is no body to the strengthened [Page 93] Christian for duties, for every man is, as his strength is, and our actions (for the course of them) are as the ability of the soule is from whence they come.

The weakened Christian comes very short of the other, both for

His adaptation of spirit unto duty, there is not that connatu­ralnesse (if I may so speake) of his spirit to spirituall offices; du­ties come hardly from him, Simile. like a rusty key to open a doore; hee doth his worke with a more in­disposed spirit, not freely, but like a sickeman, he goes very lit­tle, and is quickly weary, and poorely, not fully, whereas the [Page 94] strengthened, Christians duties flow from him as from an easie principle, and lively and quicke cause.

His adequation of duty to the rule; He doth not minde the rule of holy actions so much, nor doth hee proportion his workes to the commands, God may command much more then he doth, for ordinarily the decayed Christian is guilty of many omissions.

Hee failes wonderfully oft­times in passing over the duty of prayer, or reading, or hearing, &c. But the strengthened Chri­stian, he is for all duties, difficult as well as easie, private as well as publique, though hee cannot [Page 95] intensively answer the rule for duty, yet extensively hee doth; knowingly and willingly hee omits no duty.

His affective cooperation with duty: hee doth duty, but without such co-working affe­ctions, more formally; he doth pray and heare perhaps, but it is coldly and sleepily, it is not as [...] but as if it were some indifferent worke, he acts with a carelesse and indifferent spirit. His eye is not so full on Gods glory, nor is his heart so warme in prayer, &c. His coles of fire burne in a cold hearth: He is not lively in living works, but performeth spirituall works without much spiritualnesse.

But the strengthened Chri­stian hath workings in his workes, or as in Ezekiel, there was a wheele within a wheele; he serves the Lord with a fer­vent spirit, and with all his soul; hee is exceeding glad to obey, and is much grieved that he can obey the Lord no better.

Acceptation of duty: the Lord doth not looke so upon his of­ferings, as on the duties of a strengthened Christian: it is true, that the Lord doth not de­spise the day of small things, e­ven weake services are graci­ously respected by him, but when Christians weaken their owne operations, they doe weaken also Gods acceptations, [Page 97] for the Lord is pleased different­ly to answer his servants accor­ding to their different disposi­tions and tempers; faint seek­ers have but faint answers, and resolute petitioners get plenti­full answers from him of good.

2 In respect of the ordinan­ces, here also the weakened Christian is very short of the strengthened Christian, both

For preparation unto them, his heart is not put in such a frame to come and converse with God, he will not take that paines before he comes to the word, hee doth not by prece­dent meditations and prayers, bring such a receptivity and and teachablenesse of heart to [Page 98] the word; nor for the Sacra­ment: perhaps he comes and thrusts on the worke, but re­tires not himselfe, examines not himselfe, humbles not him­selfe, hungers not, thirsts not, nor considers his particular necessities, so rightly to dis­pose his soule for an holy com­munion with God, but is more full of carnall indulgence to himselfe, and study rather for apologies to excuse his neglect, then by preparative duties to fit himselfe:

For application of them, hee stands under the ordinances with more distractions, with lesse attentions, with an unclo­sing spirit; the word workes [Page 99] not so on his heart, nor his heart on the word. He stands under the ordinances with a more distracting spirit, or else with a more fearing spirit, lest the Lord will finde him out for his revoltings, and either hee dares not come to the Sacra­ment, or if he doth, hee is not able for his life almost to be confident and perswaded of Gods love towards him in Christ.

For fructification, he buyes not at the market, suckes not, and thrives not by the breasts, nor makes that use of them as the other doth; nor doth hee improve them so to the benefit of his spirituall condition, as [Page 100] the other doth, the counsels, commands, exhortations, re­proofes, promises, they are generally to him in his weak­ned estate, as water on the rock, or as the waves to Ionah sleep­ing in the ship, they have not that virtutem moventem, that authority over his drowsie spirit.

But the strengthened Chri­stian hath farre more easie passages, the word and Sacra­ment have their sweet and fa­cile impressions, on his under­standing, will, and affections: by discoveries of sinne, and threatnings, he feares the Lord; and hates sinne more. By disco­veries of goodnesse and mercy, [Page 101] and Christ, his faith gets more, and his love riseth more. By discoveries of duties, and com­mands, his cares and desires abound more in him; they are still humbling, or still purging, still raising, or still upholding of him, he is more and more built up and edified in his holy faith, his communions with God are more cordiall, and more beneficiall: there is still a fuller and sweeter conjunction betwixt his soule and Christ.

3 In respect of corruptions, which are the very bane and poyson, and shame of his soule, and sore woundings and im­pairings; the weakened Chri­stian is found much underfoot, [Page 102] and is more in bondage, and lesse sensible of it: gray haires appeare more on him, unruly lusts get more head againe, and he either hardly feeles them, or faintly resists them: He is now become as a wounded man, over whom every coward can insult.

The strength of tender per­ception of sinne failes, and the strength of resolute opposition, and the strength of frequent conquest, so that his soule is much imbased by lusts, his resistance are either,

• 1 None.
• 2 Or faint.
• 3 Or fruitlesse.

But he is overborne by the [Page 103] tide, more easily, like an un­skilfull rower, or a sicke man by a thrust.

But it is otherwise with the strengthened Christian, who now can leade captivity cap­tive: he is mighty in prayer, and resolute in defiances, and gene­rally happy either in making sinfull motions to flye, or in preserving his soule from yeeld­ing unto them; either hee is more quiet, or lesse guilty: He is a greater enemy to sinne, a surer conquerour, and still a lesser servant.

4 In respect of conversation, it is true that the Christian must be gold without, and gold within; hee must be like the [Page 104] heavens, excellent in substance, and beautifull in appearance; a good heart is not enough, but also a good life and walking, like a Spring which is for com­mon good, and not for private. But the weakened Christian in his conversation, fals short of the others, who is strengthened in many respects, v. g.

1 For strictnesse, though it be a kinde of garment, yet it hangs more loosely, and like one of the Planets; Simile. though a starre in heaven, yet sometimes nearer, sometimes more distant from the equinoctiall. There is not that exact conscionable­nesse in holy walkings, but a sordid complying many times [Page 105] with the acts and waies of un­worthy societies, or at least his graces are out-dared, and over­awed, so that when hee should expresse them for Gods glory, he is afraid to speake or worke,

2 For profitablenesse: every good man should be like a tree, on which, one may gather fruit; he is to be a steward of the manifold gifts, not inclo­sing, but imploying of them for the benefit of others: his boxe of oyntment should be opened: If thou be good, thou art bound also to doe good, for graces are given not onely to make us good, but also to make us to doe good; but thus it is not with the decaying Chri­stian. [Page 106] He being now fallen into a penurious stocke of grace, hath almost lost the art and skill of profitablenesse, his acts seeme rather to be those of civi­lity, then piety, he may be as facetious, but is not so religious in conversings; his discourses are more censorious and inso­lent, then substantiall and edify­ing: I confesse that some Chri­stians cannot so draw out their treasure, through a bashfulnesse of spirit, but he is growne lesse active, because lesse able; his barrennesse is in the cause, and not in the instrument.

So that he may eat and drink with others, but no good comes from him; his lips pre­serve [Page 107] not knowledge, nor doth his communication administer grace to the heare: whence it followes, 1 That God hath lit­tle or no glory by him: 2 That the Saints have little or no de­light in him: 3 That his con­science hath little or no com­fort in it selfe.

3 For cleernesse, his river is not so sweet, but ever and anon it proves brackish; his sunne, though it runs its course, yet it is frequently clowded, so is it with his life, he is not doing of good so, but withall ever and anon, he is doing of some evill: his weakened graces cannot beare him up against strong oc­casions and temptations: his [Page 108] gold lies much in the ashes, Simile. and like a lame man, he is not only halting in his best motion, but ever and anone quite downe, the snuffe gets above his candle.

4 For delightfulnesse, hee is almost a stranger to exact Chri­stians, and doth not honour them so much as formerly, but secretly feares their company, and judgement; he is perhaps more ashamed, or else more afraid of them: his conscience is yet so apprehensive, that hee interprets every glance as a se­cret checke of his decayings. Thus is it not with the streng­thened Christian, whose graces are high, carefulnesse great, usefulnesse large, godlinesse [Page 109] even, and* great delights taken psal. 16. 1. up amongst the best and choi­cest Christians. Hee himselfe still growes better, and others by him.

5 In respect of consolation: the declining sunne creates the longer and darker shadowes, and the decaying Christian brings on himselfe either the sharper terrors, or deeper griefs, the sicke bed is full of paines; neither his owne spirit, nor Gods Spirit speake peace unto him. He who of bad begins to be good, may have much tran­quility; but he who of good be­comes lesse good, ever becomes more undelightfull to God, and most unquiet with himselfe.

Simile. The ship which goes out in low ebbes, fals foulest on the sands, so Christians who ebbe in graces, shall alwaies flow with sorrowes.

But it is otherwise with the strengthened Christian, for rising graces breed stronger comforts and longer; there is not onely no troubling accusa­tion, but a most surpassing ex­cusation in conscience; he hath a better heart, and shall there­fore finde a more quiet spirit, for conscience speakes peace answerable to our being more good, and doing of it. Alas, that thou shouldest still walke like a Benoni, a childe of sorrow, whereas the other Christian [Page 111] lives like a Barnabas, a sonne of consolation.

6 In respect of affliction: the weakened in active graces, is ever most weake in passive duties: generally hee hath more crosses, and (or himselfe) lesse wisedome and strength to bear them; because hee is growne worse, therefore his afflictions are increased, and because his abilities are sunke, therefore the afflictions crush and prick him much the more.

Sampson who could easily breake thorow many cords, and barres, yet when weaken­ed, a few Philistines were too hard for him.

He cannot be so patient, nor [Page 112] yet so confident, nor yet so dili­gent in a suffering condition.

His weakened graces can neither administer strength, nor yet subdue those workings of impatience, so that he is almost sunke and split with calamities, his decayed ship can scarse abide any foule weather.

But when personall sicknes­ses come, and the apprehension of death (at which times his conscience is thoroughly wa­kened) ah how bitter, how ter­rible are the thoughts and dis­putes of his heart at such a time, much like those of him who apprehends his condition not to be good.

Oh how the pulses of his [Page 113] disturbing and disturbed consci­ence worke? what reflexions on his former waies? what comparison of his former flou­rishings, with present decay­ings? what feares of approch­ing before the Lord? what smart sentences on himselfe, what sudden and vehement exclamations? Oh Lord! (saith he) I would not yet dye, I am fallen much from my God: Lord, spare me a little, that I may recover my strength (my decay­ed strength) before I go hence, and shall be no more seene.

It is not so with the streng­thened Christian, but as in active duties, hee is more for­ward, so in passive duties he is [Page 114] more sufficient; in losses, in cros­ses, yea in death it selfe hee is more submissive and confident; he can (with Iob) be as willing to receive evill at the hand of God as good, and doth not only rejoyce in his favours, but in his strokes, and is as ready to go to his father, as to serve God his good master.

7 In respect of Gods mani­festation; the Lord is pleased diversly to manifest himselfe to his people, sometimes in admi­rable motions and suggestions of his spirit, sometimes in more quick excitations of their spirits, sometimes in singular confir­mation of them with assistances for extraordinary works; some­times [Page 115] by secret impressions of his favour and love upon their consciences, which doth revive their hearts as wine, and satisfie their soules as with marrow, so David speakes, Psal. 63. But now the weakened Christian, he darkens this heaven over his head, he hath not that comfor­table sight of God, that assu­rance of his favour, that joy of the holy Ghost; David lost the joy of the spirit, and the voyce of gladnesse; the arme of God is Psal. 51. not so revealed in him for doing of good, nor the face of God so open unto him at all.

Whereas the strengthened Christian findes it otherwise, he hath a better heart, and a [Page 116] fairer day; his communion is sweet with the Lord; hee still seeks the Lord, and often findes him, enjoyes him in his power, and enjoyes him in his gratious­nesse; the Lord meets him that worketh righteousnesse, and remembers him who remem­bers the Lord in their waies.

Now thinke on these things (O thou fallen and decayed Christian) and rest not in thy weakenesse, but recover and strengthen thy spirituals againe.

Three things I will let fall, Three things. which perhaps may fetch and quicken thee againe.

1 Though thou art far sunk, yet thou maiest be raised again.

2 If thou doest rise again, the [Page 117] Lord will graciously pardon thy decaies.

3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening worke, the Lord will worke in thee suffici­ent strength.

1 Thou maiest be raised and strengthened againe, and that may appeare thus unto thee.

1 Repentance is possible for any sinnes which are commit­ted, and if renewed repentance be possible, then a recovery a­gaine is possible, for as much as our recovery again consists very much in a renewed repentance.

2 Yea and we have examples of weakened Christians, streng­thened againe, as we know in David, exceedingly wounded, [Page 118] but yet recovered, and Peter grievously falling, but graci­ously rising againe.

2 If thou doest strengthen thy condition, the Lord will merci­fully pardon thy former decay­ings: I confesse that there may be sore grounds of feare to in­tangle and depresse the spirit of a decaid Christian, for his sins (by which he hath decayed) may perhaps be hainous for the kinde, and also high for the cir­cumstances, being against knowledge, against the workings of conscience, against the work­ings of his graces, against the tender love of God in Christ, shewed to him more then to another, so that his heart may strongly misgive him, whether [Page 119] the Lord will ever looke upon him more, and accept of him into favour. But this I say, that be thy decayings what they will, either for the matter of them, or causes of them, or cir­cumstances of them; if thou doest rise againe by a renewed repentance, I assure thee that the Lord will pardon thee, and ac­cept of thee in Christ; looke, as the Lord pardons all the sinnes of thy unconverted condition upon thy initiall repentance, so he will pardon all the sinnes of thy converted condition, upon renewed repentance, and there­fore hee cals upon backsliding and declining people to returne unto him, and promiseth both [Page 120] to heale them, Hos. 14. 4. and to Hos. 14. 4. love them freely (ibid.) which is as much as to pardon them, but see the pardon expresly, Micah. 7. Mic. 7. 18. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his beritage, &c.

3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening work, the Lord will worke in thee sufficient strength for the worke. There is a difference betwixt a man in his conversion, there indeed he is without all strength, hee can doe nothing; and the Christian in his restauration, there is now some living ability in him, which can yet doe a little, act a little, strive a little, at least in be­wailings [Page 121] and desires. Now if thou doest in any sincere degree set upon the right and full meanes of thy recovery, the Lord God will come in with his owne strength. Hee will strengthen what hee hath wrought in thee, and will work the will and the deed in thee, his own works in thee.

Object. But then you will reply, what meanes may a decayed Christian use to recover and strengthen himselfe againe?

Sol. I conjecture that the best course is this.

1 A serious consideration of Seaven Meanes. their condition; this is the coun­sell which Christ gave to the Church of Ephesus (decaying in [Page 122] her first love) Remember from Revel. 2 whence thou art fallen; seriously consider, take to heart, peruse and judge over thy estate, what it was formerly, what it is now; what strength then, what weaknes now, how much glory God had then, what dishonour God hath now; what good thou diddest then, what evill thou doest now; what peace in conscience then, what wound­ings in conscience now; what estimation among the Saints then, what strengthening of the hands, and opening of the mouthes of the wicked now?

And this is an excellent meanes to worke upon thy spi­rit, or rather to worke of thy [Page 123] spirit; David considered his wayes, and turned his feet to Gods testimonies.

2 A deep humiliation which will follow upon this; thou must breake through all busi­nesses, and pleasures, and im­pediments, and retire thy selfe in a more solemne manner, (more then once or twice) and set thy selfe before the Lord, and fall down before his footstoole with shame and confusion of face, with bitter weepings and lamentations, with sound judg­ings and condemnations of thy selfe.

Ah, how thou shouldest ex­quisitely afflict thy soule, that thou shouldest be so mad and [Page 124] vile to lose a God, to lose any thing of the graces of a God, for a sinnes sake, or a worlds sake.

That the Lord should shew thee more love then another, and intrust thee with grace (the least dram where of is more pre­tious then all the world) and yet thou shouldest decline from the Lord, not answer this trust, not use those talents which have yeelded so much profit and comfort, being improved, but decay in them, and fall behinde hand, yea even under mighty meanes of strength alwaies con­tinued unto thee; and these things should cut and grieve, and afflict, and humble thy soul exceedingly.

[Page 125]3 A solid resolution: thou must with full purpose of heart resolve not to rest in thy decay­ed condition, but to shake off all the causes and occasions of thy decayings.

If any wickednesse hath got into thy heart, thou must put it farre away from thy taberna­cles, and if the morsels have beene sweet, thou must cast them out with godly sorrow as bitter as gall and wormwood.

If carelesnesse and slothful­nesse of spirit hath caused thy decayings, thou must (with the Church in the Canticles) stand no longer upon, how shall I rise and put on my coat? but rise thou must, and get out of thy [Page 126] slothfull bed, and thrust from thee a neglecting and negligent disposition.

Or if the world hath caused thy decayings, either in the pro­fits of it and gaine, or in the ho­nours of it and respects, or in the friendship of it and acquain­tance, thou must resolve to bid them all farewell. Think on it O Christian, what gets he for profit, who loseth in his graces, or for honour, who abaseth himselfe in his graces, or for love, who loseth himselfe in the favour of his God? Ah poore soule, thou mayest curse the day that ever thou knewest what did belong to thy drudgings in the world, and unto thy great [Page 127] friends in the world, and thy society with such and such per­sons: at first thou didst converse with them with a regretting spirit, then with a silent spirit, then with an yeelding spirit; many, many a day hast thou come home with conscience accusing and smiting of thee, unto which hadst thou heark­ned, thou hadst been much pre­served: well, well, if ever thou wouldest recover thy spirituall strength, thou must perempto­rily resolve on it to sever from wicked society, better farre to be a poore man, and a rich Christian, then to thrive any way, and bee decaying in grace.

[Page 128]4 An active reformation: Remember (said Christ) from whence thou art fallen, and doe thy first workes: so say I now, goe to thy old workes againe, be tra­ding for thy soule, set up prayer againe, and reading againe, and hearing againe, and holy medi­tation and conference againe, and solemne humiliations a­gaine, stir up those coales and cinders of grace; there is life yet in thee, oh act thy life, faith can doe something for thee, though it cannot see comfort for thee, yet it can see helpe and strength for thee; godly sorrow can mourna little, set it to work, perhaps it may quickly rise to a floud upon particular surveyes, and so set repentance on work, [Page 129] yea, and all thy soul, thy minde, thy judgement, thy memory, thy affections to worke in all the duties of thy generall and particular condition.

5 Ardent supplication, for it is the Lord who must shew this power in thy weakenesse, Psal. 86. O turn unto me and have Psal. 86. 16. mercy upon me, give thy strength unto thy servant: Beseech him to pitty thee, beseech him to succour and helpe thee, to be thy strength and thy salvation; to beat downe and weaken the sinnes which have so much weakened thee, to crucifie thy heart to the world, which hath so much crucified thy heart unto thy God. To breath upon [Page 130] thy graces as hee did upon the dry bones, to stirre up and re­vive them by his Almighty spi­rit, to put his hand of power, upon thy hand of weakenesse, as the Prophet did upon the Kings, &c.

Yea, and never give him o­ver till then, that though thou hast beene a backsliding childe, yet hee is a gracious Father; though thou hast been unfruit­full, yet hee is faithfull; though thou art weakened, yet he is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, who fain­teth not, who can give power to the faint, and to them that Esay 40. 28. have no might, he can increase strength.

Yea, and that yet there is something of his owne in thee, though very little, yet some­thing, and that holinesse which he did once implant by a migh­ty hand, he is now as able to re­vive and strengthen it by his Almighty power.

6 Carefull application: now goe to the healing and streng­thening waters; thou hast knowne the waies of God, and his goings in the Sanctuary, how he hath wrought won­ders for the dead, many a Cre­ple hath got strength there, and many a disconsolate soule hath found comfort there, in his word and in his Sacrament, there hath his arme beene re­vealed; [Page 132] David grew (by his great sinnings) into great lan­guishings; but the Lord sent Nathan the Prophet unto him, and his faithfull dealing was a meanes of his happy renewing. What we pull downe by heark­ning to the voyce of sinne, that may be built up againe by hearkening to the voyce of Gods spirit. But then this must thou doe, if ever thou wouldest be strengthened, viz.

Strive for a plain and pliable heart which may yeeld subje­ction to whatsoever law or course the Lord shal direct thee unto by his word; if the word As the Iewes in Ieremiah offer thee a restoring plaister, but thou wilt not apply it, and [Page 133] prescribe unto thee strengthen­ing methods, but thou wilt not follow them, now thy heart may grow more hardened, but thy graces will never be streng­thened.

But this doe, strive to yeeld up thy soule in an humble sub­jection to the heavenly ordi­nances, that if they say forbeare, thy heart answers I will for­beare; if they say doe, thy heart answers, I desire to doe thy will. Cooperate with the word received, when it hath got into thy soule, and stirred thee in any kinde, when thou percei­vest any healing vertue gone from Christ by it unto thee; oh blesse the Lord, and get home, [Page 134] work it againe upon thy soule by holy meditation, yea and yet againe by holy petition.

Simile. Thou must even doe in this kinde, as Benhadads servants did in another, they watched the words which fell from the King of Israel, and improved them, so must thou watch what motions the Lord puts into thy heart in private, and cherish them, watch what im­pressions the Lord makes upon thy spirit by his word, and not onely excite thy heart to em­brace them, but work them often and often upon thy con­science, and this is the way to make thy weake sparke to grow unto a flame.

[Page 135]7 And lastly, there must bee lively consociation by a natu­rall instinct, the weaker things doe cling and winde up them­selves by the stronger, as the weake Ivie upon the strong Oake: so thou must inwardly and affectionately joyne thy selfe with strong and lively Christians, who skill the waies of grace, and walke in them, who are good, and know how to doe good, who have hearts to pitty thee, heads to direct thee, and armes to beare thee up.

Thou maiest exceedingly be repaired by their heavenly wise­dome in counselling of thee, and kept in by their tender [Page 136] watchings over thee, and put forward by their daily exhorta­tions of thee, and refreshed by their seasonable comfortings of thee, and led on by their strict and lively examples, yea even stirred up by the observa­tion of those blessed experien­ces which thou perceivest in them, through a carefull com­munion with God, as also much assisted by the successe of their prayers for thy particular condition.

Thirdly, the manner.

Now be pleased to heare a little for the manner, how yee 5 Parti­cular. are to set upon this strengthen­ing work, and then I have done with this proposition.

If thou findest thy selfe to be a weakened Christian, then set upon thy strengthening worke.

1 Presently: Initia morborum cavenda, say the Physitians, and therefore their rule is, principiis obsta, &c. we should set upon diseases, as soone as diseases set upon us, not trifle away the methods of recovery: three things must be lookt into in time, tides, seasons, diseases.

If wee presently oppose our decayings,

First, we shall prevent the deadlinesse of diseases; hadst thou opposed thy negligent, carelesse spirit at the first, thou hadst not now been bleeding [Page 138] under so many wounds, thou hadst not stepped downe from one sinne to another, thou hadst not gone so desperately from the Lord.

Therefore watch thy heart, and often examine it, weekely, nay, daily; thy languishings are by this manner sooner espied, and sooner staied.

Secondly, our strengthening will hereby become more easie; it is easier to fetch a man from the brink, then from the depth of the channell, and for a Phy­sitian to cure a distemper, then to heale a disease.

There is usually in the first impairings, lesse corruption, and more strength of grace to [Page 139] oppose it and subdue it; Beleeve it, long decayings are the more uncomfortable and more diffi­cult for recovery: Therefore if thou fallest suddenly, rise quick­ly; remember one thing, it is a very dangerous thing to suffer the soule to habituate it selfe to decayings, all customes are hardly broken.

2 Voluntarily; it is true, that though thou decaiest more and more, yet the Lord may awa­ken thee at length and recover thee, but doe not put the Lord to it. The Physitian may per­haps heale a deeply languishing patient, but it will cost the pati­ent dearly and bitterly. Ioab got little by not comming to Ab­salom, [Page 140] for he at length fetcht him by setting his corne on fire; if thou wilt not come in of thy owne accord, but stand it out, I tell thee the Lord will fetch thee in indeed, but he will send a whirlewinde after thee, as to Elijah, he will send flames in­to thy conscience, if thou wilt needs put him upon compul­sory waies.

Nay, but rather peruse thy decayings thy selfe, and arraign thy selfe and judge thy selfe, and afflict thy selfe, and hye thee to make thy▪ peace, and to recover strength; it argues the better heart to fall unwillingly; but willingly to rise, hereby peace [Page 141] is sooner made, and strength sooner restored.

3 Prudently, when a tree is withering, you need not poure buckets on every branch, if you water the roots, it is as if you watered all. There is an holy part in recovering our graces againe, if you can recover the roots, you have hit the way to renew all. Now there are two radicall graces (as it were) if they be strengthened, all the rest will come to be strengthened, viz.

1 Faith, this is a root grace, and this is a strengthening grace, it is of singular power with God, and with Christ, and with the spirit of God: It is that [Page 142] grace which laies hold on, and applies all our strengthening helpes, so that it deales at the springs of strength, and brings away strength from them.

But this is not all, faith is no sooner strengthened to lay hold on our strength, but (like those common officials in nature, the stomack, liver, heart, and brain) it imparts this vigour to all the new man: every grace gets when faith gets, the more a man can beleeve, the more will that man grieve for sinne, the more will he feare to sinne, the more will hee hate sinne, the more will hee repent of sinne, the more carefull will hee be to walke before God, the more [Page 143] tender and conscientious will hee grow in duties, the more a­ble unto praier and the ordi­nances, and the more successe­full under them.

Therefore deale prudently for thy strengthening: Simile. when an house is declining, we doe not meddle with every rafter and piece of wood; no, but wee strengthen the pillers and foun­dation; faith is the piller (as it were) of our graces; strengthen it to more apprehension, appli­cation, to more submission to the wil of God, to more affiance, to more dependance on God through the bloud of Christ, and faith, will both finde out thy strength, and impart it. I [Page 144] can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me.

2 Love, this is another radi­call grace, not that it brings forth other graces for their ha­bits, but onely that it eggeth on other graces to their acts and operations, for as holy love is a most active quality in it selfe, so it doth make the Christian to be most active; it is a doing thing, and makes the person to be doing.

More fully thus.

1 There is activity flowing from love; grace shall never be idle; where the love of God is strong, the love of Christ con­straines 2 Cor. 5. me, saith Saint Paul, it is like the vertuous woman [Page 145] in the last of the Proverbs, who did set all her handmaids to employment, for love will finde duty enough, for it is never quiet but in doing the will of God.

2 There is diligence: It will not set graces to a naked work, but to a diligent worke, even carefully and diligently to ex­presse their acts, to take all the seasons of holy actings, strictly to oppose and resist corrupti­ons, neatly to set out duties, so as God may have most glory.

3 There is delightfulnesse, it makes our communion with God, pleasant, and the works of piety easie to the soule: and the more delightfull and easie any acts are, the more frequent they [Page 146] grow; David loving of the Lord, was glad when they said, let us goe unto the house of the Lord, and he had a desire even to dwell and rest there, as the birds did, Psal. 84. Psal. 84.

Now put all this together, and you shall see that if love be strengthened, all our spirituall estate will be strengthened, for it makes our graces to be active and doing, to be carefull and exact in doing, to be delightfull and cheerefull in doing good, and in communion with God, and all these are admirable meanes to raise and strengthen graces.

Forasmuch as the more any Christian doth, the more hee [Page 147] may, by using his spirituall strength, he alwaies increaseth it, and also wit.

All know, that diligence in acting is a thrifty course; the di­ligent hand makes rich, saith Sa­lomon, so the diligent Christian is the gaining Christian; and that delightfull frequency of acting, Simile. it is like the twisting of a cord, which comes thereby to be the stronger: No Christian is so able in the habits of grace, as hee who is conscientiously frequent in the practise or exer­cise of grace.

4 Seriously and in good ear­nest, and not slightly and faint­ly; the recovery of a faint soule will never be effected by faint [Page 148] workings: Simile. gentle physicke is improper for tough diseases: you did fall into your decayed estate by remissive operations or act­ings, and thinke you that what was not able to keep up your graces from sinking, can now quicken and raise them, being greatly sunke.

If my hands cannot keep a swouning person from falling to the ground, can they lift him up being fallen? whereas every heavy body, the farther it de­scendeth, the heavier it is.

No, no, Christian thou decei­vest thy selfe, to thinke that a few complaints, or a few sighes, or a few teares, or a pray­er (once in a quarter of a yeere) [Page 149] more earnestly pressed, will serve the turne.

I tell thee that thy wounds are deepe, and thy diseases are strong, thou art deeply revolted from the Lord, the very founda­tions are shaken and battered within thy soule.

What talkest thou of putting a soft cloth over thy stinking and festred wounds of sinfull cor­ruption; thou oughtest to search deeply, and to cut off the dead flesh, lest the whole be gangre­ned.

Take my advise, even breake up the fallow ground, I meane thy hollow heart, search and try it to the utmost, not by slight, but by deep and full hu­miliations [Page 150] and supplications, make thy peace; not by com­mon, but by extraordinary per­formances seeke to renue thy selfe.

Thy fals have beene great, and therefore thy worke must not be slight; great sinnings require grand sorrowings, and low fal­lings, the more industry for higher risings; therefore act thy strengthening part with all thy strength, and as it were for thy very life; remember that David was in fasting, and Peter in bit­ter teares for their falling, and so they rose againe.

5 Throughly and to some purpose; doe not begin a streng­thening worke, and then either [Page 151] upon the motions of a lasie heart, or a fearefull heart, or an unbeleeving heart, be discoura­ged, and desist: this inconstancy would keepe thee in an everla­sting infirmity, Simile. just as if a Pati­ent should follow the prescrip­tion of the Physitian for a day or two, but afterwards finding that to be somewhat painefull and troublesome, hee will bee bound no longer, but then hee fals ill againe. So if thou set up­on the waies of strengthening, and a while thou wilt keepe close to praying and hearing, and humbling, and reforming, but perceiving the workes to be painefull and offensive to thy corrupt heart, and too strict to [Page 152] thy licentious heart, or the fruits of them to be hopelesse to thy unbeleeving heart, (I cannot hold out, all is in vaine, or to little purpose) I tell thee that thou doest but play the foole with thy soule, set it forward and backward; this were to twist and untwist Penelopes threed; thou never wilt get any thing by an inconstant and weary spirit.

But this must thou doe, if thou wouldest recover thy strength indeed, thou must ne­ver admit of interruptions, thou must never break off thy renew­ing worke, till thou hast got to thy former station in grace a­gaine.

The worke must bee a daily worke, a constant going on in mourning, praying, &c. till thou hast got thy tender conscience againe, till thou hast gotten thy broken heart againe, till thou hast got thy more willingly and cheerefully obedient heart a­gaine, till thou hast recovered thy first love; and canst doe thy first works againe.

Object. It is true, thou shalt meet with many temptations from Satan, with many contrary suggestions from thine owne spirit, and with many discouragements from the world, and it is true also that thy doings may not at every time equall or be like to it selfe; thou mayest feele thy physicke at one time to worke better [Page 154] then at another; sometimes thou mayest doe thy strengthening worke with more strength, sometimes with lesse; sometimes with more liberty of spirit, sometimes with lesse, some­times with more comfort, sometime with lesse.

Sol. Yet let nothing discourage thee, or take off thy spirit from the worke, but follow on to know the Lord and his strength, against all temptati­ons, against all suggestions, a­gainst all discouragements, a­gainst all thine owne feares and feelings, and inequality of ope­rations, yet give not over; but,

Keep up thy services still, re­tain frequent communion with God still, be begging still for the [Page 155] strength of Iesus Christ to raise thee, heare still, use the prescrip­tions till health comes, thou art in the way, and must not rest till thou hast obtained.

If thou breakest off before thou hast regained thy strength, thou wilt fall backe againe, and also lose all thy new endeavours for thy recovery in grace.

Thus much for the second proposition, I proceed now to the third, of which I can but give a touch, lest I be hindred in the prosecution of the matter in the next verse.

I have not found thy works per­fect, &c.

That the estate though visi­bly Thirdly. faire to the eyes of men, yet [Page 156] it may be really imperfect in the eyes of God. Amongst the Churches, Sardis had a name that it lived, but with God it had not that name and estima­tion.

Wee Christians have the judgement of charity, but God hath the judgement of infallibi­lity: we looke onely on the skin and surface of actions, but God looks into the hearts and spirits of persons: wee judge of the heart by the actions, but God judgeth of our estates by the heart.

Now the outward acts (up­on severall arguments, and for severall ends and inducements, may be extreamely different [Page 157] from the inward habit and dis­position. Persons for their cre­dits sake, and for their peculiar advantages, may draw out acts naturally good, when yet their spirits stand not right, either for principles or ends of those acts: so that notwithstanding al their profession, their estate may bee imperfect before God: partly,

For the frame and constituti­on of soule,

For the vigour and fulnesse of acting.

For the scope and intentions in performing.

For the mixtures in matters of faith or conversation.

But I cannot now inlarge in this singular affection.

Ʋse. 1 Onely it may teach us above all, to looke unto our spirituals, as they abide in, and flow from our hearts and soules, upon which principally the Lord lookes: he searcheth the hearts and reynes, and approveth the actings of the heart, more then of the hand, and therefore wee reade, that he had first respect unto Abel, and then unto his of­fering.

2 To study Gods approbati­on more than mans; it is not suf­ficient nor safe, that either wee alone judge our estates to bee good, or that men judge them to be so, unlesse the Lord findes them to be so: every Christian is that as God judgeth him to [Page 159] be, and he stands or fals accor­ding to this righteous judge­ment of the al-seeing, and al­knowing God. And so I take leave of that verse, and proceed to the next.

Remember therefore how thou Revel. 3. 3. hast received, and heard, and hold fast, and repent.

In these words you have the other branches of the spirits speciall directions to the Church of Sardis, which are three, viz.

• 1 Remembrance, (remember
  Three branches.
  therefore how thou hast received and heard,)
• 2 Persistence, (and hold fast,)
• 3 Renewed repentance, (and repent.)

Briefly to open the words.

Remember) sometimes the word is taken for the act of a particular faculty of the ratio­nall soule, which is called by the Philosophers, Reminiscentia, and then it is the calling backe of a thing, or object formerly knowne and laid up in the me­mory.

Sometimes it is taken for the act of serious consideration appertaining to the judicious faculty of the soule, wherein apprehended truths are well weighed, throughly thought on or considered of, in both re­spects I conjecture, it may bee taken in this place

How) some reade that word [Page 161] rather thus, [...] what, remem­ber. i. call to minde and consi­der what thou hast received and heard, as if it were a word declaring the matter, but rather in this place it imports the manner, and therefore it is well translated, [...], How, noting the manner how Christ taught, and prescribed them at the first, and also the manner how they embraced those holy rules of his for doctrine & conversation

Thou hast received and heard,) that is, assented unto, and em­braced those truths and directi­ons of Christ, where is expres­sed: first, their ancient subjecti­on or embracing of the do­ctrine of Christ (received,) and secondly, the meanes [Page 162] or way thereof, viz. by hearing, (and heard)

I cannot possibly with any profit insist on all the observa­bles out of these and the other words, considering that little part of time which remaines for me to worke amongst you, only I will point at three singu­lar propositions, viz.

• 1 That holy truths once re­ceived,
  Three proposi­tions.
  are often to be remem­bred and thought on, (Remem­ber, &c.)
• 2 That acceptance of truths is not enough, but Christians must adde thereto a persistence in truths, (hold fast)
• 3 That renewed repentance is required of Christians, as well [Page 163] as initiall (and repent.)

You see that all these proposi­tions naturally flow from the text, and are very proper for us, and for the occasion upon which they are handled, I begin with the first of them, viz.

Doct. That holy truths once recei­ved, are often to be remembred and thought on.

There are three things which should fall into a fre­quent consideration:

• 1 Our former sinnes, and this will keepe us humble.
• 2 Gods former mercies, and this will make us thankfull.
• 3 Received truths, and this will make us dutifull and fruit­full.

The Iewes were to binde them as frontlets between their eyes, Deut. 6. 8. to which Salo­mon alludes in Pro. 6. 21. binde Deut. 6. 8. Pro. 6. 21. them continually upon thy heart, and tye them about thy necke, and Ec­cles. 12. 11. they are to be as nailes Eccl. 12. 11. fastened. Looke on David, and this was his practise, Psal. 119. Psal 119 15. I will meditate in thy statutes, there once, then reade verse 23. thy servant did meditate in thy sta­tutes, there is the second time, but then reade verse 48. I will meditate in thy statutes, there is the third time; what speake I of once or twice, or thrice; see him in verse 97. Oh how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day. The Apostles are frequent [Page 165] in their exhortations to this purpose, to remember, to lay up, to keepe in minde, not to forget the holy doctrines deli­vered by them, nay, and Christ pressed the same also upon themselves upon many occasi­ons. But for the cleere opening of this proposition, premise with me these particulars.

1 The frequent remembring of former truths must be a re­membrance by way of subie­ction, and not by way of con­tradiction; we must not remem­ber them and question them, much lesse abuse and pervert them, least of all oppose and de­spise them.

2 The remembrance must [Page 166] be ingenuous, and not preiudi­ciall; though we must sticke to, yet not in the truths received, our former remembrance, must not contract a present or future neglect of any other truths which God shall reveale unto us, as when many remember the Sermons of dead men, and slight the discoveries of the living.

3 There is a threefold re­membrance of former truths.

One is notionall, Simile. which is like the often looking into a glasse, or when a person be­holds truths as hee doth pi­ctures, gaze on them, and that is all.

Another is verball, when a [Page 167] person renues his acquaintance and complements with truth onely: his memory onely loades his tongue, like a naked Astro­nomer who knowes heaven, and can onely talke of it.

A third is practicall, when the remembrance is like a cloud descending on the plants, Simile. or like a fire felt as well as seene, this kinde of remembrance hath three degrees in it, for it is partly,

Directive, when truths re­membred are made a compasse for us to sayle by, or copies for us to write after, still teaching and guiding us how to draw the lines and letters of our con­versation.

Affective, when truths re­membred are like the confe­rence of Christ (rising from the dead) burning and inflaming of our hearts with most affe­ctionate love unto them.

Effective, when truths re­membred, are truths obeyed; we often consider former do­ctrines, and still better our pre­sent conversations.

After this practicall forme, are wee to remember received truths.

4 There is,

1 A materiall remembrance, which is partly of the things themselves, partly of the reve­lation of them, partly of the manner and meanes of revea­ling them.

[Page 169]2 Formall remembrance of For the manner, five waies. truths received, which is rather of the manner how wee our selves did receive them; we are often to thinke on truths recei­ved, not onely as they stand in proposition or revelation, but also how they stood with us when wee did receive them for energy or operation: and thus I conjecture we are to remember truths received.

1 With what estimations and admirations wee did receive them; Simile. like those people who have the Sunne but halfe the yeere, they run after it, and are ready to adore it in its approch; so when we did receive holy truths at the first, we received [Page 170] them as the very oracles of God, not as the words of man, but as they are indeed, the words of God.

2 With what subjection of spirit we did receive them, wee did not onely admire their ex­cellency, but felt their efficacie; the word came not in word onely, but in power and autho­rity over our very consciences, and this power was a full pow­er, and an easie power, the truths which wee received, did command and awe, and order our whole man, and wee too were most willing to resigne up our selves to the obedience of the Gospell in all things, and to be cast into that mould of [Page 171] heavenly doctrine.

3 With what affections wee did receive them; O then, those conflictings of spirit, Heb. 10. 32 Heb. 10. 32. those bathes of griefe and hea­venly compunction with them, Acts 2. 37. those flames Acts 2. 37. of love, with those Christians, Acts 4. 32. those raptures of joy Acts 4. 32. Acts 16. with Lydia, Acts 16. yea those extensions of zeale with the Galathians to Saint Paul, Gal. 4. Gal. 4. the word had a surpassing in­fluence upon all our affections, to melt, and convert, to raise, and dispose of them.

4 With what resolute loyal­ty, so that we did hate and defie all contrary errors and waies, and so were our hearts sworne [Page 172] to divine truths, and (as it were) espoused to them, that wee once resolved to live and dye in those truths, and for those truths, wee could not endure any mixture with them, nor heare of any divorce from them.

5 With what reverence wee did embrace the Ambassadors of heavenly truths, they were as the Angels of God to us, & we were like (almost) with Corneli­us, to adore the Peters and Pauls, I meane the ministers of God revealing his truths unto us; the feet of them who brought unto us the glad tidings of our salvation, were beautifull and most acceptable unto us.

Now here are two questions briefly to be resolved.

Quest. What truths heard and received, we are often to consider and remem­ber.

Sol. To this I answer.

1 There must be an endea­vour to remember all the truths, as Christ said of the fragments, gather them up, and let none be lost; so it must bee said of holy truths (on which the soule hath formerly fed) ga­ther them up all, let none be lost. Simile. You see that the Goldsmith doth not onely looke after the massie piece of gold, but he carefully lookes after every ray and dust of gold, and preserves it.

Every truth of God is preci­ous, it is more precious then gold; it is excellent, and as it is excellent in it selfe, so it may be usefull to us, Simile. there is not a star in heaven, but is of some good to the lower world; so there is not one truth of God, but may be of some good use to a Chri­stian.

But if either for the multi­tude of truths, or the sublimity of truths, or for the obscure manner of discovering these truths, or for the impotency and irretentivenesse of an un­holding and unclasping memo­ry, or for the space of time, since truths were delivered and received; it so fals out, that all [Page 175] heard and once received truths will not stand upon record, into which they have beene entred, but are in many places defaced and cancelled,

2 There must at least bee a faithfull remembrance of the most necessary and chiefe truths, namely of those which more immediately and inti­mately, and unauoydably con­cern our salvation, of the which (for methods sake) I conjecture there may be three heads, viz.

1 That vitall truth concer­ning Christ and faith in him, this is the great fundamentall truth.

Note. 2 That vivificall truth concer­ning repentance in the conver­sion [Page 176] of the heart from dead workes.

3 That practicall truth con­cerning obedience, in ordering the life and course of a conver­ted person.

As the moralists say of Fame, or of a mans good name, Omnia si perdas, famam servare memento. Qua semel amissâ postea nullus eris. (i) whatsoever com­modity you lose, be sure yet to preserve that iewell of a good name. That is so choyce a iewell, that whatsoever a man loseth, hee must yet take heed and care of that. The same may bee said of these forenamed truths; though through some defect, or frailty, or malignity, [Page 177] any other historicall or proble­maticall truths may slip from us, yet these must be written in our hearts with the point of a Diamond, and as in marble, the characters of them are to bee kept fresh and alive, and are ne­ver to be blotted out.

Object. And why this faithfull and fre­quent remembrance, or renewed consideration of truths heard and received?

Sol. Reasons thereof many.

1 Though sometimes an as­sent may be sufficient to a par­ticular word of truth for the present, yet the vertue and use of that may be for the future.

Simile. It is with truths as it is with treasuries, whereinto much gold [Page 178] or siluer is put and kept safe; a little whereof my serve for the time being, but most or all of it may be brought out upon fu­ture and severall occasions.

Simile. Or as it is with friends and garments, which though wee doe not use every one of them every day, yet ere we dye, wee may have an usefull occasion for them all.

The truths which thou hast heard from the word ten yeeres agoe, may serve thee twenty yeeres hence; that discovery of the mercy of God, of the bloud of Christ, of the freenesse of grace, &c. these may be of great availe unto thee, and of sweet and proper helpe unto thee [Page 179] when thou commest to old age, or to a dying bed.

Simile. It is not with truths heard and received, as with our meat eaten and digested, the vertue of which may bee gone in few daies, but as it is with a lease, for life, which this yeere brings in our revenue, and so it doth the next yeere, &c. so divine truths may yeeld unto thee pre­sent comfort and strength, yea, and they can, being rightly em­braced, be the staffe in thy hand to morrow to support thee, and the river in thy conscience to re­fresh thee; that heavenly truth which was thy starre at this time, may fitly upon occasions, serve to bee thy guide at any [Page 180] time, as the starre to the wise men, which appeared the se­cond time.

2 Frequent remembrance of divine truths is (as it were) a spurre to further obedience, and therefore Saint Peter joynes, 2 Pet. 1. 13. putting in remembrance, and stirring up, as if then we should revive our services, when wee did renue our memories.

Every truth newly and seri­ously thought on, is as it were a second Sermon or repetition, and inculcating of it upon our hearts; I am sure it is like a fur­ther digestion, which serves for the better health and strength of our bodies.

3 It is a meanes much to [Page 181] strengthen our graces; the Philo­sophers have a saying, eodem nu­trimur ex quo generamur, that wee are nourished by that of which wee are generated; the truths of God begat our graces, and the same truths well re­membred and perused, will in­crease them.

Those promises which here­tofore inclined thy heart, and perswaded it to beleeve, can per­petually beare and raise up thy heart to stronger degrees of be­leefe: as Christ when he would helpe his disciples against a par­ticular infidelity, objected unto them, why doe ye not remember? Mark. 8. 18. intimating that a right remem­bring of his works, would have [Page 182] inabled them much against un­beliefe.

And so doth the remembrance of the words of Christ, of his truths, which are as able to build us up in grace, as to com­municate it unto us.

4 It is a revocation from sin­nings, as David said, I considered my waies, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies; the same may be said of holy truths; a re­membring consideration of them is a recovering of an er­ring and falling soule. Saint Pe­ter forgate his Master, and then forgate himselfe, he forgate the words of a Master, and then the duty of a servant, but Peter re­covered himselfe againe: and [Page 183] how did he so? the text saith that hee remembred the words of Iesus, and when hee had thought thereon, hee went out and wept bitterly.

5 It is an avocation or with­holdment from errours; why doe men so commonly slip into new errors? one maine cause is, they have let slip old truths, they have lost their touch-stone to try doctrine by, they doe not re­member what and how they have heard and received, and therfore they destroy what they themselves have built.

Simile. Like a ship which hath lost her anchor, tossed with waves and windes every way, so they are hurried and puffed up and [Page 184] downe with every winde of doctrine.

But he who rightly remem­bers the truth, hath not onely thereby a touch-stone to try and discover contrary errours, but likewise a buckler to secure his judgement, and a sword to cut off the corrupt reasonings and fallacies of the gaine-sayer.

6 Lastly, it is of singular good, and concernement to a distres­sed and deserted soule, and to a debarred person.

The daies of famine may be­fall thee, and then the food which Ioseph laid up, may pre­serve thee, if future meanes should faile, will not former and remembred truths be of [Page 185] comfort? and are you sure that seasons will last for ever? where is Ierusalem, who did not know her day of peace? and where are the seven Churches of Asia? or the daies of sicknesse may be­fall thee, wherein thou art de­barred of the market, I meane, the publike assembly of the Saints, and art so weakened, that reade at all thou canst not; if now thy soule can remember God, and remember the truths of God, and can secretly confer with them, they may be of bles­sed helpe and peace unto thee; yea, the daies of desertion may befall thee, the Lord may not looke on thee as formerly; hee may not confer at all with thee [Page 186] in sense and feeling: and what refuge hast thou now, but to flye to the truths of God, through which thou didst here­tofore heare him and perceive him, and this may prove a sup­port and solace to thy heart.

Sure I am, Asaph in his deser­tions did so, see him in Psal. 77. 10. I will remember the yeeres of Psal. 77. 10. the right hand of the most high; I will remember the workes of the Lord, surely I will remember thy wonders of old: former embra­ces are new encouragements.

Vse. Thus for the explication and confirmation of the point, I now come to the application of it to our selves.

Should received truths be re­membred? [Page 187] then,

1 Hearing is not all, some there are who heare not at all, they are like the deafe Adders which refuse to heare the voice of the charmer: Christ is plea­sed to speake, but they are not pleased to hearken: how much have these to answer for? O­thers doe heare, and that is all; the word is but as a naturall sound to excite that naturall fa­cultie of hearing, but they un­derstand not what they heare: the word preached is as a book sealed up unto them, they think it enough to come to Church, &c. Others doe heare and un­derstand the truths delivered, but then they minde them no [Page 188] more, they leave all at the Church doore, as wee doe our friends at the grave, forgetting that we came to a feast, to car­ry away, and not to a grave to leave all behinde, as if the word were a tale, or a dreame, it is in­stantly forgotten; in comes the world, out goes the word, to se­cular businesses, or sinfull acts, they presently apply themselves, and so is the word Simile. squeized out like water out of a spunge, or the characters of it glide away like the impressions of a Seale upon the slippery water.

Perhaps many a thousand Sermon they have heard in their daies (and would thinke it a mortall fault) not to heare, but [Page 189] for meditating, pondering, re­viewing of delivered truths, cal­ling them to minde, the better to order their hearts and lives, they will not trouble them­selves so farre; as if truth were a burden, or an unworthy com­panion.

Now to the forgetfull hea­rer, I would commend these things to be considered of.

1 If his forgetfulnesse bee onely of good things (when yet in any other thing and businesse his remembrance is quicke enough, he can remember a tale or story twenty yeeres since) it is a very uncomfortable signe.

I confesse that every good mans memory is not an equall [Page 190] treasurie, nor perhaps a very fruitfull soyle, but to have a me­mory like an utterly barren wombe, retentive of no spiritu­all truths, Simile. but like sand in a glasse, put in the one part, and instantly running our to the other, this totall and absolute falsenesse in our memories, is a shrewd presumption that either wee doe not at all rightly con­ceive of, and understand spiri­tuall truths, or if wee doe, yet that we doe not much care for them and respect them.

2 Forgetfulnesse of truths heard and received, is a kinde of very evill ignorance; the School­men doe distinguish of Ignoran­tiae purae negationis, wherein a [Page 191] man doth not know, and of Ignorantiae pravae dispositionis, wherein either a man will not, or unfits himselfe to know. Thus is it with forgetfulnesse, truths forgotten are like truths unknowne, and the more that the knowledge of former truths weare out, the lesse capacity is there to apprehend and receive further truths:

Nor is this all, forgetfulnesse is not onely a curtaine drawne over knowledge, but it is a bar also to our practise: the forget­full Iam. 1. 22. hearer can be no good pra­ctitioner.

For no man acceptably pra­ctiseth more then hee knowes, and no man properly knowes [Page 192] more then he remembers.

Nor is that all, forgetfulnesse keeps us not only in an estate of ignorance and blindenesse, nor onely in an estate of barrennesse and undoingnesse, but further yet, it keepes us in a condition of sadnesse and uncomfortable­nesse; for all our comforts de­pend upon divine truths (they are our springs of joy) but with this caution, so farre as they are solidly and rightly applied by us ( Simile. as strong waters refresheth when they are taken) now the forgetting person, is an unap­plying person, there can be no good using, where there is no good remembring of holy truths,

So that now by thy forget­fulnesse, divine truths are lost, and the operations of them are lost, they can neither guide thee nor helpe thee, nor preserve or comfort thee at all; and if all these be lost, thou thy selfe canst not be safe; whatsoever opini­on thou wilt have of thy selfe, Saint Iames assures thee that thou deceivest thine own selfe, cap. 1. 22. Iam. 1. 22.

2 If remembring of truths heard and received be necessa­ry, then be pleased to act the point which Christ here char­geth, Remember how thou hast re­ceived and heard: thou hast per­haps heard of the doctrine of sinne, and knowledge thereof [Page 194] by the law, out of Rom. 7. 7.

Thou hast heard of the mani­fold aggravations of sinne in severall texts, as against know­ledge, meanes of grace, mercies, afflictions, covenants, &c. and of infidelity (that binding sin) out of John 3. Thou hast heard many a Sermon of the power of the word, for conviction and conversion, and for conso­lation, and for conversation, and for salvation, out of 2 Thes. 1.

Thou hast heard of the im­pediments of the soule from comming to Christ, partly from the love of sinne, Iohn 3. partly from the love of the world, Mark. 10. 22. partly [Page 195] from the perversenesse of our wils, Math. 23. 37.

Thou hast heard of the pre­parations of the soule unto Christ, and much of the new covenant, out of Mal. 3. 1.

Thou hast heard much of faith, for the nature of it, out of Acts 16. for the degrees of it, out of Mark. 9. for the use of it in all the promises, out of 2 Cor. 1. and of our love to God, out of Psal. 31. 23.

Thou hast heard the doctrine of repentance from dead works largely opened, out of Acts 17. 30. and further unfolded in the conversion of the Prodigall, out of Luke 15. and of the do­ctrine of temptations, out of [Page 196] Luke 4. the kindes of them, and methods of defence and con­quest.

Thou hast lately heard of that comfortable, ample, perpe­tuall care and goodnesse of Gods providence over his Church and people out of Psal. 23. all over.

Lastly, thou hast heard some­thing of a languishing, and of a recovering soule from this, out of Revel. 3. 2.

I call God to record at this day, that (according to my knowledge and ability) I have, (as Saint Paul, Acts 20. 27.) not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God requisite to your salvation, testifying unto you all, [Page 197] repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ, verse 21. yea in season and out of season, in strength, in weakenesse, in publike, in private, have I desi­red and endevoured your everlast­ing good.

Now let not these pious truths slip from you, or be as water spilt upon the ground: Ministers dye, but let not truths dye; Ministers depart, but let not truths depart; stony hearts are bad, but iron memo­ries are good: if ye have heard truths and received them, why, still retaine the truths for the truths sake; let them ever abide with you, live with you, dye with you: And doe not locke [Page 198] up the truths onely, but let your memories faithfully serve out those truths, according to your particular occasions and oc­currences of your life; hold them out to keep out errors, bring them out to keep up gra­ces, improve the directions of the word, to leade your waies, and the comforts of the word to refresh and encourage your hearts, and that you may skill the art of heavenly memory, know that,

There are sixe things which Sixe things. will much availe to helpe and inable the remembrance of truths heard and received.

1 Ardent affection: love is a safe locke, and a ready hand; [Page 199] which we much like, we shall much minde, David was fer­vent in love, and therefore fre­quent in thinking of Gods law, Psal. 119. Oh how I love thy law! Psal. 119 97. it is my meditation all the day: here was great love and great study­ing; Simile. a childe will not forget his mother.

2 Frequent meditation: ma­ny earthly things weare out by handling (as characters in gold or silver) but heavenly chara­cters abide longest where they are most perused. Every new and serious contemplation of them, makes a fairer and firmer impression; it is like a second stamping of them. The memo­ry is like a glasse, and the under­standing [Page 200] as an eye looking back into it: the more frequent ac­quaintance and familiarity that the understanding hath, by reflecting on the memory, the more strongly are things ingra­ven in our remembrance.

3 Constant operation: if memory were more used, me­mory would be more usefull: when thou hast heard a Ser­mon, and art at home, then call thy memory to an account, how it hath played the faithfull steward for thee, what truth it hath remembred, by a daily striving to remember, you shall daily perfect the remembrance.

4 A distinct apprehension: Saul was not easily found in the [Page 201] stuffe, and confused mindes are seldome linked with exact me­mories; the more orderly and exact that the understanding is, the more easie is the remem­brance of things.

Take heed of ignorant mindes that know not truths, and of confused mindes that can mistake truths.

5 Abundant conference: this course Moses prescribed the Israelites, to remember the lawes given unto them, viz that they should often talke of them to their children; conference is as the driving in of the naile; one remembers that which the o­ther forgets; our memories helpe our lips, and our lips doe [Page 202] strengthen our memories.

6 Diligent practise: the schol­ler by a daily writing after the copy, doth thereby mend his hand, and helpe his memory. Truths are ordained for pra­ctise; It cannot be, but that truths should remaine faithfull in the memory, which are made faithfull in our walking. Truths easily take their leave of them who oppose them, or do not act them.

Now to the second assertion, viz.

That acceptance of truths is Second. not sufficient, but there must be persistence in them (and hold fast) [...] serva, or as Beza translates it, observa.

Saint Paul is much in this do­ctrine; hold fast the forme of 2 Tim. 1. 13. Titus 1. 9. sound words, 2 Tim. 1. 13. so again to Titus 1. 9. hold fast the faithfull word; and that this doctrine may not be thought proper and peculiar to the Preacher of the truth; but common to all Chri­stians, hee therefore enlargeth the precept to all the Romans, Rom. 12. 9. (and under them to all Chri­stians) to adhere or cleave unto what is good; the word in the originall is [...], that they should bee glued unto it. Salomon in effect delivers the same Pro. 23. 23. Buy the truth and sel. it not, a man may lawful­ly sell his house and lands as the Apostles did, and followed [Page 204] Christ, and in some sense his wife and children, (as Saint Ierome in epist. ad Heliod. would rather then hee would put off Christ) yea and his owne life too, as Saint Paul did, not count Acts 21. 13. it deare for Christ.

But the truth must not bee sold, it must be kept as a thing exceeding all price and bargain. Now for the fuller understand­ing of this proposition, premise with me these particulars.

1 That I speake not of hu­mane and morall truths, such as are the rules in secular arts, in which there may bee and is many times, an infallibility; but of religious and divine truths, which are contained in the [Page 205] word of God.

2 Religious truths are so, ei­ther in the imagination of man, or in the reality of the thing: I am not bound to em­brace, much lesse to persist in all which every man pro­pounds for truths, or which he conjectures to be so; onely I am to hold fast those truths, which the word (rightly and genuine­ly expounded) teacheth and determineth to be so.

3 Againe, the truths which seeme to owne themselves on the word of God, are either immediate and expresse, or one­ly mediate and deduced; expresse truths are to be held fast, but deduced truths which are [Page 206] thence collected by the medium of a mans ability to judge, these are to bee tried and examined by the prime and immediate truths, and so far to be held as they are found (upon due search) to have conformity with the immediate & expresse rules of truth.

4 Expresse truths (suppose them to be knowne and recei­ved) may be considered either in the latitude of them, or with restriction; we may not thinke it sufficient to hold fast some particular truths, either the greater or the lesser, and leave the rest to shift for themselves. But all knowne truths, even those which are not of that [Page 207] maine concernement, not any one of them must be forsaken or left, but retained and main­tained: as Athanasius and others of the first Nicene Fathers would not diminish, or adde one iota & title about the deity of Christ; or as Moses would not leave one hoofe behinde, so we must not renounce or for­sake any one branch of known truth, seeme it never so little in the eyes of men.

5 Though there be a diffe­rence of times, yet there ought to bee no difference of holy truths; there are times of pro­sperity for the Gospell, as Con­stantines time was to the Church, and there are times of [Page 208] calamity as Neroes time, and Dioclesians, and others the perse­cuting Emperours.

Truth must be held fast; yea all truth, at all times; Simile. you see that the stars doe shine in the coldest night of winter, as well as in the calmest night of sum­mer; so truths must be held in the worst as well as in the best daies.

Iosephus reports of the Sama­ritanes, that if any good and fa­vour befell the Iewes, then they would pretend affinity and kindred with them, they came from Iacob; but if any calamity, then they were none of the stocke of Abraham. It must not be thus with us, to vary our [Page 209] hearty respect to truths accor­ding to the favour or discou­ragement that the world be­stows upon them: but to cleave unto them as Saint Paul did, under the sword, as S. Ignatius among the wilde beasts, and Laurentius on the Gridiron, and Daniel among the Lyons, and the three children in the fiery furnace.

6 Sixthly, though there be a difference of persons, yet wee must not differ and wave our respects to holy truths; perhaps those holy truths which thou hast heard and tryed, and recei­ved, may bee contradicted and disputed, by some bold schisma­ticall, hereticall braines, who [Page 210] would bleare and blur the truth, that so they may bring in dam­nable doctrines; by these they may be disgraced, derided, and reproched, Simile. these dogs may bark against the moone and its light; yea or perhaps though they have forwardly courted & professed the truths, yet they may fall off with Hymeneus and Philetus, and turne vile apostates.

But as Peter said of Christ, that thou must say and act too, of truth, Though all men should forsake thee, yet I will never forsake thee. Against all subtil­ty of disputes, variety of judge­ments, schisme and malice of evill men, and inconstancy of some men, thou must be rightly [Page 211] ballanced. Hold fast the truth which thou hast heard and recei­ved.

Quest. But how must truths be held fast?

Sol. In foure respects:

• 1 In the judgement and un­derstanding.
• 2 In the will and affection.
• 3 In profession.
• 4 In conversation and pra­ctise.

1 In the judgement: for assent and approbation; there must be a firme evidence of them. I con­fesse that there is a latitude in our credence, upon more and more evidence of truth; there may be a further and stronger assent unto them, and approba­tion of them. But there must be [Page 212] no wavering in the judgement; we must not admit of a stagge­ring and reeling minde, nor of a levity in our judgements, to be driven and carried about with every winde of doctrine, as the Apostle speakes, Ephes. 4. 14. Eph. 4. 14. Athanasius knew this well, when he held his iudgement fast in the truth of the deity of Christ, against the Arians: so Saint Au­stin, his iudgement fast in the doctrine of grace against the Pelagians, and Cyprian against the Donatists, or Novatians, or Catharists.

It is an honour for a man to recant an errour, but a perfidi­ous shame for any Christian to suffer any truth to be supplanted [Page 213] by any errour.

2 In the will and affection, our love must hold the truth fast, therefore the Apostle bids us to be glued unto it, Rom. 12. 9. it is with truths Simile. as with some plants which live and thrive not, but in warme climates.

That ancient desire after truth and delight in it, to take counsell from it, and strength from it, and comfort by it, must not decay and dye within us, but must remaine and abound, though others hate, disgrace, and endeavour to make voyd the truth, yet wee must cleave unto it, and love it, as David, Psal. 119.

3 In our profession; hence that advice of the Apostle in Phil. 2. 16 [Page 214] to hold forth the word of life, even in the midst of a darke and froward generation: Christ would have us not onely to beleeve, but to confesse him before men. Re­member that it was no small sinne in Peter, when he preten­ded that he knew not the man. Gregory Nazianzen reports in one of his orations against Iuli­an, that some Christian souldiers being cunningly circumvented by him to idolatrous sacrifices, perceiving the errour, they all ran backe unto him, and threw him his money againe, and pro­tested they were Christians, and in what they did, they were circumvented by him, Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 23. 23. let us hold fast the profession of [Page 215] our faith without wavering; the Christian must change neither his Master, nor his service, nor his livery.

4 In our conversation; wee must still practise truths, and keepe our lives answerable unto them. Saint Iohn cals this a wal­king in the truth: then a man walkes in the truth, when hee holds on his course of holy obe­dience unto it, against all the encouragements and discou­ragements of the world, as the three children in Daniel, &c. not with the Galathians begin­ning in the spirit, and ending in the flesh, or like those Israelites, whose righteousnesse was as the morning dew. But we must [Page 216] still runne the race set before us, and keep stedfast our feet unto the pathes of righteousnesse and waies of truth.

Quest. Why must divine truths heard and received be held fast?

Sol. Reasons thereof are many, I will briefly point out some of them.

1 Divine truth is a most pre­cious and excellent thing, there­fore in Scripture it is compared to gold, which of metals is the most precious, nay it is more precious then gold or rubies, and all the things which thou canst desire, are not to be com­pared unto it, see Pro. 3. 14. 15. Pro. 3. 14. 15. It is more excellent then the ex­cellencies of the creatures, not [Page 217] then some of them, but then all of them; and a man if hee were to imagine any excellency, or if the utmost of his desires were enlarged, yet could they not finde out and pitch upon such an excellency. Therefore saith Saint Iohn to the Church of Phi­ladelphia, Revel. 3. 11. Hold that Revel. 3. 11. fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crowne; the crowne is the top of royalties, such a thing is truth, let no man take thy crowne.

Beloved, there are two pro­perties which assure us of the excellency of things.

1 The more holy they are, the Two things intimate an excel­lency. more excellent they are; all cor­ruptions are diminutions of ex­cellency, [Page 218] the more mixt a thing is, the more it is abased, as if gold and tinne be mixed; and the more pure it is, as meere gold, the more glorious it is. Now the truths of God are holy, not as persons are holy (which is with mixture and imperfection) but as the light at noone day is pure without darkenesse at all.

2 The more that God is in any thing, the more excellent it is, for so much as we partake of him (who is excellency it selfe) so much more wee rise in our excellency.

But the great God is altoge­ther seen in this word of truth: there is his wisedome, there is his power and greatnesse, there [Page 219] is his love and mercifulnesse, there is his Christ and faithful­nesse, therefore it is most excel­lent, and consequently to be held fast by us.

2 Divine truths are (as it were) made over to us under termes of constancy and perpe­tuity: I finde in Scriptures that they are termed sometimes

Our heritage; estates which are personall (if that bee the phrase) for possession may be sold, as that which a childe buyes with his owne money; but estates which are naturall or hereditary, such I meane as come to be ours by descent, these ought to be kept for posterity: God forbid said Naboth, that I [Page 220] should sell the inheritance of my fathers: divine truths are an he­ritage to descend from us to our children, and therefore wee are neither to dispossesse our selves of them, nor to suffer our selves by any to bee dispossessed of them, Psal. 119. 111. thy testimo­nies Psal. 119 111. have I taken as an heritage for euer.

Gods trust: something wee commit to God, something God commits to us, 2 Tim. 1. 12. He is able to keepe that which I haue committed unto him: we trust God with our soules, and God trusts us with his truths, which are therefore called, that good thing committed to us for to keep, 2 Tim. 1. 14. now in matters [Page 221] of trust, wee must be faithfull, for we must be responsable for the whole wherewith wee are instructed, as the servants in the Gospell, who had talents com­mitted to their trust, they were called to an account for them: so if the Lord trust any man with graces, or with his truths, the man must carefully keepe and preserve them, for the Lord will aske him another day for his trust, as Saint Iohn did of the Bishop of Jerusalem for his de­positum.

They observe that a trust must be, first, redelivered, secondly, wholly, thirdly, onely to him who committed it to us for trust.

[Page 222]3 Not to hold fast the truths, is an exceeding and fearefull in­jury or wrong, it is injurious,

1 To God, for he is the Lord or God of truth: truths are ours for the efficacie of them, but onely this for the authority of them. Simile. Should a private person presume of himselfe to sell the Kings Iewels? it might bee as much as his life is worth: truths are Gods Iewels, hee reveales them, he ownes them, hee hath sealed them with the bloud of Christ, and therefore thou doest presumptuously wrong the Lord to put off the things which belong to him.

2 To our covenant and vow, what was our baptisme but a [Page 223] devoting and solemne vowing of our selves to be faithfull to Christ and to his truths? wee solemnly professed that none should be our Lord, but God, and that we should be his faith­full servants unto our lives end, yea and wee have ratified this vow many a time, by comming to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Now if we doe not hold fast the truths of Christ, but forsake them or any of them, wee are guilty of extreame perjury, not in a matter betwixt man and man, but betwixt God and man; thou art forsworne again and againe unto the Lord thy God, and hast (as much as in [Page 224] thee lies) made voyd the cove­nant of grace and life for thy poore soule.

4 Consider but the necessa­ry uses of divine truths, and then we will acknowledge that they are to be held fast.

The use of the word or di­vine truths, respects the ever­lasting and happy condition of the soule, from the beginning to the end thereof. Everlasting and true happinesse is the end and scope that every Christian lookes at; and divine truths serve him fully and effectually, to this end, both to discover it, and to bring man unto it.

There are many things re­quired to set us in the true way, [Page 225] to bring a man to heaven, v. g.

1 Conviction of his sinfull condition, but the word in­lightens the minde, and con­vinceth the conscience.

2 Contrition for sinne, but the word pricks our hearts, as Acts 2. and humbles them.

3 Conversion of soule; but the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soule, Psal. 19. 7. by it comes faith into the soule, Psal. 19. 7. which gets Christ, Rom. 10. 17. Rom. 10. 17. by it comes repentance, Acts 3. 19.

4 Augmentation of grace; but by the word wee are built up, Acts 20. 32. and grow more and more.

5 Perseverance in grace; but [Page 226] by the word wee are kept and established to the end, it is the power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 1. 16.

What should I say more, reade the Apostle summing up all in 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen 2 Tim. 3. 16. by inspiration of God, and is profi­table for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righ­teousnesse,

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished to all good workes.

15 Yea they are able to make us wise unto saluation, through faith [...]hich is in Christ Iesus.

Againe, there are many in­couragements comforting and supporting in our way, as di­vine consolations of the spirit [Page 227] of God, peace in conscience joy in the holy Ghost, all which are the myrrhe dropping onely from divine truths; thy word hath comforted me, said Dauid, thy word hath quickned mee; in the house of my pilgrimage, they were the joyes of his heart, and in the daies of his calamity they were the stay of his heart.

Now put all together, if di­vine truths shew us the true happinesse, if they onely put us into the true way, unto that true happinesse, if they onely keepe us in that way, if they onely comfort and strengthen us in that way, if they onely bring us to the end of our faith, even the salvation of our [Page 228] soules, will we not, ought wee not to hold them fast?

Vse. The first use of this point shall be to convince and re­prove the wonderfull incon­stancy of the sonnes of men, that slipperinesse and unsetled­nesse of spirit, which is to be found amongst them.

Consider divine truths as they lye.

1 In doctrine; we may now complaine as the Apostle did of the Galathians, chap. 1. verse 6. Gal. 1. 6. I maruell that ye are so soone remo­ued from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another Gospell.

Some revolt from the Pro­testant doctrine, to the Popish [Page 229] leven, others fall off from the orthodoxe articles of our Church, to Anabaptisticall fancies, and Socinian Blasphe­mies, and the Lord be mercifull unto us, what daily unsetled­nesse and giddinesse possesseth us; if any novelty of doctrine (though a root of bitternesse) start up and be delivered with any confidence or cunning of deceiving wit, how instantly we flye off from our old truths, how greedily and madly wee sucke in poysonous errours, and being thus driven with every winde, what tempests of railing and disgraces doe wee heape upon those who crosse our ficklenesse with constant [Page 230] vindications and assertings of the true doctrines of faith and life.

It makes mee to pitty this great and famous City, whiles I behold a colluvies, a very rabble of all opinions, and such a going and comming, touch­ings at, and saylings off from the land of uprightnesse: One weeke this is a truth, and al­most an article; the next weeke it is no such matter, but some other thing is the right.

Simile. Thus wee play many times with great truths, as children doe with their Babies, one while embrace them, anone breake them and throw them into the dirt.

But are there so many waies to heaven as men will make, or hast thou power to coine other articles of faith at pleasure, or will the Lord beare all this resting and mocking with his truths? Two things makes mee feare the Lord will punish us in the Gospell; one is, our generall barrennesse in life, another is our great sicklenesse in matter of truths.

2 In conversation; many times we hold the truth in un­righteousnesse: wee doe not prize the truth and love it, nor live according to it with con­stancy, but as the Prophet cryed out, how is the beautifull City be­come an heape? so may wee say of [Page 232] many, how is their righteous walkings degenerated into an ungodly living? their wine is sowred, and lamp put out.

But I will tell you the reasons and causes of all this inconstan­cy The cau­ses of constancy. and apostacy, v. g.

1 Men are very ignorant, and therefore very inconstant: ig­norance is the great spunge to sucke in errours, as pride is the great Bawd to vent them. Chaffe may be tossed any way: that which is weak, is also light.

2 Though their apprehensi­ons be large, yet their affections are foule, they know truth, but love sinne which is contrary to truth: Simile. now a foule stomacke ever makes an ill head, and a [Page 233] secret love of sinne, works out the strength of truth in the minde: men doe the more easily grow erroneous, who first grow irreligious.

3 There is an itch of pride; Evah and Adam would know more then was fit, and there­fore lost all that was good; you never reade of a proud person, but either his life was notori­ously tainted, or his judgement notably corrupted: the greatest errours, have fallen from those that have beene most proud, and have beene tooke up by those that have beene most ignorant.

4 And then also many have Athenian wits, they long for no­velties, [Page 234] though the old wine be best, yet their palate must be in the fashion for new; there is a sore vanity in a naturall minde, that it cannot long fixe on any estate, or on any truth.

5 A colloging slavishnesse, many give up their soules and faith to the religion of others, and like waxe, are still fashio­ned to the opinions of great persons; they are afraid of their displeasures, and therefore even in points of religion, will dance after their pipe.

6 A sordid and eminent love of the world, for which Demas forsooke Christ, and Iu­das sold his Master, and Hyme­neus made shipwracke of faith: [Page 235] the unsatisfiable slave to the world will never be a faithfull servant to truth; hee who hath already pawnd his soule, will with as much ease sell off the truth.

Spira for its sake abjured the truth, but ventured the losse of it, and himselfe too.

7 Many men are licentious, and therefore unstedfast: cor­rupt doctrines give more scope then the true and heavenly: wee are apt to beleeve that soonest, which pleaseth us most; errone­ous points are more for plea­sure, and divine truths are more for strictnesse, and Simile. therefore as those Grecians (if I forget not the story) gave up their wea­pons [Page 236] to enjoy their sports, so many give up the truth, to en­joy their easie and loose kinde of walking.

Vse. 2 But for you, I hope better things, though I thus speake: hitherto you have heard the good truths and waies of God, and have held them fast, I have not found you (as other people) of so unsetled and inconstant spirits. And therefore as Christ said to the Church of Thyatira, the same I will presume to say unto you, Revel. 2. 24. 25. I will Rev. 2. 24. 25. put upon you no other burden but that which ye have already, holdfast: what need I urge this with many motives?

1 If it be truth, why should it Motives. [Page 237] be left? is errour better then truth? then should darkenesse be better then light?

2 Can you better your estates by leaving of truths? when the divels fell from truth, they fell from heaven, when Adam fell from truth, hee fell from Para­dise.

3 Will not the truth keepe you? if you keepe the truth as the ship doth the Pilot who keepeth it, truth will keepe thy soule and graces together, thy soule and Christ together, thy soule and comfort together, thy soule and prosperity together, therefore it is called the girdle of truth, because as a girdle it holds all together. Thou partest with [Page 238] strength, with joy, with safety, with blessing, with happinesse if thou part with truth.

4 The reward is sure, if thou be faithfull, not a meane re­ward, but that of life, even a crowne of life, Rev. 2. 10. Rev. 2. 10. Rules.

Now that you may for ever hold fast divine truths, take these rules or directions.

1 Lay a solid foundation in distinct knowledge of them; confused braines cause unsetled hearts: rest not in Pilates de­mand what is truth, nor in the Israelites hovering betwixt two opinions, nor in that grosse sa­lary of religion, to take up truth upon trust, for any man sake whatsoever, were he the sharpest [Page 239] Ieremiah, or the learnedst Paul, or the comfortablest Barnabas; be not satisfied this is truth, be­cause this, that man saith, but as the honourable Beraeans search­ed the Scriptures about the things which even Saint Paul himselfe delivered, so doe you prove all things saith the Apo­stle, receive truth upon an evi­dence of truth, if the first truth (which is the word of God) and the rule and compasse will not approve it, it is errour and not truth.

Object. Yea, but how may wee know truths, for there are many religions, and many opinions obtruded to the world, the truth of which cannot so or sily be discerned.

Sol. I answer, that true do­ctrine may be discerned from false doctrines, 1 by the unity of them, unum & verum convertun­tur, truth is one or none, there is but one way (saith Aristotle) to hit the marke, but many waies to misse it; errour is manifold and divers, Simile. like the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw mixt of gold and clay, and as Aristotle speakes of Vices, that they are contrary both to vertues and themselves; so erroneous do­ctrines are opposite to truth, and to themselves; Simile. there is no errour but is like a lyer, apt to forget and wound it selfe, but truth is single, like Christs gar­ment, undivided; as there is but [Page 241] one Christ, so but one faith.

2 The purity of them; all false doctrine (like treacherous physicke) gives ease; Simile. or like a whore, much in beauty, when false in honesty: what it wants in verity, it makes up in liberty; like ill wares which therefore have the larger allowances; the doctrine which is unsound, ge­nerally is licentious, as is evident in the Mahometan or Popish te­nents.

But truth is holy in it selfe, and to us, teaching it within the heart, and ordering it in the life. It is an adversary to sin, because all sin is an adversary unto God.

3 The efficacy of them: usu­ally corrupt doctrines adde to [Page 242] our notions, but meddle not with our corruptions; they swell us, but doe not edifie us, they are pils which onely worke upon the braine, they neither bring true grace, or sound peace with them: onely this, Satan makes the erroneous very violent, that thereby they may thinke them­selves in the right.

But the doctrine which is true, is strong, it is heavenly in its na­ture, and mighty in its operati­on, comes from God, and brings to God, makes the bad good, and the good better; there is no such salve to heale a corrupt heart, nor balme to refresh a troubled conscience, as truth.

4 The antiquity of them: [Page 243] errour is but the shadow and ape of truth, the saying is, id demúm verissimum quod antiquissimum. Truth is the first borne, for God spake it, before the divell spake the other; errors may be old, but truth saw the light before them; the whole farrago of corrupt do­ctrines amongst the Papists for transubstantiation, invocation of Saints, prayers for the dead, merit, supremacy; their originals were of yesterday; though they boast antiquity, yet they dare not stand to the triall of Christ and his Apostles, who must decide all truths.

5 The simplicity of them: errours came in by the Serpent at the first, and are much of its [Page 244] nature, full of windings and tur­nings; all corrupt doctrines are deceiveable and subtile: how many arts were fained by Arrius and the Arrian Bishops, to bring in their damnable errour? what forging of lyes, and odious accu­sations of Athanasius, that he was dishonest with a woman, and cut off a mans hand, as Eusebius relates: and so the Iesuites about Calvin, and Luther, and Melan­cthon, and Beza, &c. and so for the establishing of the Councell of Trent, the Popes Cloke-bags were weekely filled with devi­ces and carriages.

Yea, and observe the very Pa­pists at this day, how deceivea­bly confident they are, that al [...] [Page 245] antiquity and testimony is on their side, when either it is a packe of their owne writers onely, or other authors which they have forged, or else antiqui­ty miserably lanced and cut, and interlaced by their Index expur­gatorius: yea, and I pray God that many of the opinions in this City be not bolstered up with high clamours, and with artifi­ciall lyes. But truth is naked and plaine, it is neither of a cruell na­ture, like Caine, nor of a subtile spirit with Absalom, nor of a ly­ing spirit with Ahabs false Pro­phets, it flatters no man, nor be­guiles any: being truth, it is not ashamed of light or triall, and it alone can maintain it self against [Page 246] all contrary quarrels: a good cause is like a good conscience, even a bulwarke to it selfe, like the sunne in its light, and heat against all clouds, &c.

5 The duration of them: truth like the sunne hath runne down through all ages: not that all men have embraced it, but that by some it hath still beene embra­ced: some one or more hath still beene at the barre, to beare wit­nesse unto it. New men have still risen up, (and sometimes out of the ashes as it were of the dead) to maintaine, and either by tongue, or pen, or bloud, to defend the truth: but

Erroneous doctrines, as they want an inward harmony, so [Page 247] also an outward consent, like a deceitfull brooke, they are spent after a while, or like commoti­ons in a state, Simile. though strong or long, yet they come to an end at length, either some speciall judge­ments on the ringleaders, or the authority of Princes, as Alexan­der against Arius, or the prayers of the Saints, or the decision of lawfull counsels have still ca­shiered these meteors: but as it is said of divine mercy, that it en­dures for ever, the same is affir­med of divine truth, it runs from one generation to another; till Christ make his Church tri­umphant, the militant Church shall be the pillar of truth.

6 The conformity of them [Page 248] to the rule or word. Erroneous doctrines like unsound flesh, cannot abide handling, and Simile. like an ill favoured woman, would have all glasses broken.

But truth like sound gold, will endure a touch-stone, truth will be found truth upon search, bring it to the conscience, it will worke as truth; bring it to the death-bed, it will uphold as truth; bring it to the scriptures, it will hold out as truth.

2 When truths upon search are found to be truths, then em­brace them for the truths sake, not upon personall and mutable causes or ends.

3 Firme refolution after try­all, by which our knowledge [Page 249] comes to be cleare, and without doubt there must be now a plain resolution and purpose of heart in cleaving to such faithfully e­videnced truths: thou must by an immoveable faith (as it were) root thy very heart in the truths of Christ, as Saint Paul, though bonds and afflictions, though good report or evill, though death it selfe abide him for Christ, come what will come, disputes, fancies, errors, trou­bles, losses, I have found the truth, and it will I hold for ever.

3 Loyall affection: then it is loyall, when it is inclusive, to every truth, &c. exclusive to no­thing but truth: this loyall affe­ction [Page 250] will make us to, first, doe, secondly, suffer, thirdly, cleave: love truth, and then truth will be held: I held him, and would not let him goe, said the Church, then in love with Christ, Cant. 3. Love is the easi­est key to open the heart to Cant. 3. Christ, and the strongest locke to keepe sure the truth in our hearts: when thou hast experi­mentally felt the heavenly strength and comfort of Gods truths, then wilt thou certainly sticke unto them.

4 Ioyne conscience to science: O when people have the truths still sounding in their eares, and ungodlinesse still stirring and ruling in their lives, it cannot [Page 251] be, that they should have strong hands, who have wicked hearts; Hymeneus made ship­wracke of faith, and of consci­ence both together, 1 Tim 1. 19.

Therefore strive to obey the 1 Tim. 1. 19. truths, adde to thy faith vertue; be a doing Christian as well as a knowing Christian.

5 Be watchfull in prayer to God, with David, to uphold thee, with Saint Peter to esta­blish thee, still to keepe thee, that thou mayest keepe his truths: excellent is that speech of Ber­nard, S. Ber­nard. in Psal. qui habitat pag. 283. Basil. neque enim quae habemus ab eo, servare aut tenere possumus sine eo; that God by whose light a­lone we know the truth, by his strength alone we keepe it.

Thus much for the text, and now for the occasion, and here I cannot be long, neither my af­fections nor yours will admit of large discourse, onely a word of you, and a word to you.

Of you, so regardfull have you beene to my Ministery, so loving to my person, so faithfull in your maintenance, so cheere­fully encouraging generally from you all, but chiefly from the chiefest, that had it pleased the Lord to have given mee health (the which I have scarce enjoyed one whole yeere toge­ther since I have beene heere) I should not have stirred easily from such a people, for the best preferment that could be conve­niently [Page 253] offered unto me.

I speake my heart freely, I cannot tell on which side the unwillingnesse is most, whe­ther on your part who are left, or on my part who am constrai­ned to leave you.

But to say no more of your goodnesse, give mee leave (for the close of all) to leave a few Legacies with you, being all my friends, and hearken to my words, as the words of a dying man, for the Lord knowes how short my daies may be.

My Legacies are these:

1 Lay out more time for your soules: the soule is a precious thing, the soule is a corrupted thing, sinnes are in it, much [Page 254] guilt is upon it, there is a Christ that it needs, holinesse that it must have, heaven that it would have, thy body is but clay, thy soule a spirit, the world a vanity, thy soule im­mortall: all is well if the soule be wel, nothing is well if that be evill: I beseech you pray more, heare more, know more, confer more, doe more and more for your soules, when you come to dye, you will then finde it to be all your worke: O then whiles health is in you, make it thy chiefest worke to seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof for your soules, feed not the slave, and starve the childe.

[Page 255]2 Vpon good grounds make sure of a reconciled God: live not in an unreconciled conditi­on: no enemy like an ill consci­ence, and a good God: study the right of thy sinnes, and the bloud of Christ, repentance from dead workes, and faith in the Lord Iesus, so shalt thou be­hold the face of God and live. The waies of reconciliation with God, and the setling of thy conscience about it, may cost thee many prayers and teares, and diligent studies, but the love of God and heaven will answer, and recompense all.

3 Wisely improve all heaven­ly seasons: the Lord hitherto hath continued unto you, daies [Page 256] of peace and salvation, heaven­ly opportunities publike and private, and I beseech him for ever so to doe. Now receive not the grace of God in vaine, lay hold on these occasions, if there be not wisedome to im­prove them, there may be sad­nesse for neglecting them. You see how many worthy and faithfull Ministers God hath ta­ken away (of late) by death, and shall the present Prophets live for ever? O then in your day and time hearken, regard, repent, beleeve, live, and thrive under holy and faithfull Mini­sters, make more use of their doctrines, of their rules, of their counsels, of their comforts, of [Page 257] their experience and prayers, the night will come when neither we nor you must worke any longer.

4 Study the grounds and principles of religion better; first, lay good foundations, and then build on them: errours in the entrance, weaken all in the progresse. Take paines to know what that good and acceptable will of the Lord is: a well bot­tomed Christian is like a well-bottomed vessell at sea, which can ride out in all weathers: no Christian stands so fast, or thrives so well as the well groun­ded Christian.

5 Be rather an agent, then a disputant in religion? the vanity [Page 258] of wit is to argue much, but the sincerity of the heart is to doe much: for doubtfull points, and subtile novelties, let others beat them, and serve them, and in the meane while, pray thou much, that thou mayest obey the truths which thou kno west. In speculatives be wise to sobri­ety, in practicals be as good as thou canst: it is not the wittiest scholler, but the truest Christi­an who shall goe to heaven.

6 Be lesse formall, and more fruitfull: know that as we must be brought to an account for every word which we speake, so much more for every word that God speakes.

Meere godlinesse is not e­nough [Page 259] under constant and great meanes of grace: God expects much when he gives much: if it doth not utterly cast thee, yet it must excessively trouble thee to be thin in bearing, when God hath been large in sowing.

7 Let all Christians bee of more fruitfull hearts and chari­table spirits one towards ano­ther. There are treacherous and malitious hearts enough in the world, thou needest not to helpe the divell to be an accuser of the brethren. It is a sad thing when one Christian can hardly trust another, and that they who should pitty and heale in­firmities, are yet inventers of lies and obloquies; these are the [Page 260] wounds which my friends gave me, said the Church in the Canticles. If thy fellow Christian doe faile, rather compassionate and succour him, then hate and reproach him; thou shalt never establish thy graces or name upon the ruines and scandals of another man; if thou be a strong Christian, be more tender, if weake, be more silent; the strong should beare the infirmities of the weake, and the weake should hearken to the directi­ons of the strong: your graces are strong, and safety surer by love then by division, therefore be of one minde, and live in peace, let brotherly love con­tinue.

[Page 261]8 Minde death often, and prepare for it betimes; hee who is a stranger to dying thoughts, is ordinarily a stranger to a godly life; thou wouldest hasten and better thy worke, if thou didst more looke backe on thy life, and more forward on thy death.

9 Be diligent in your parti­cular places: the idle body can hardly hold a good soule; that man is in danger, who is all for heaven, or all for earth, both our callings must be regarded.

10 Be much in praier: the Christian usually gets the great­est blessings on his knees; God is much with him in grace, who is most with God in praier.

And pray not for your selves onely, but for others, and as for others, so for me, as Saint Paul desired of the Ephesians, c. 6. 19. that utterance may be given un­to mee, that I may open my mouth boldly to make knowne the mystery of the Gospell, that therein (v. 20.) I may speake as I ought to speake; and so as the same Apostle in his ultimum vale said to those Ephesians, the same I say unto you.

Brethren, I commend you unto God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an in­heritance amongst all them which are sanctified.